《Shadow Slave》


 Chapter 1 Nightmare Begins

    Chapter 1 Nightmare Begins

    A frail-looking young man with pale skin and dark circles under his eyes was sitting on a rusty bench across from the police station. He was cradling a cup of coffee in his hands �� not the cheap synthetic type slum rats like him had access to, but the real deal. This cup of plant-based coffee, usually available only to higher rank citizens, had cost most of his savings. But on this particular day, Sunny decided to pamper himself.

    After all, his life was coming to an end.

    Enjoying the warmth of the luxurious drink, he raised the cup and savored the aroma. Then, tentatively, he took a small sip�� and immediately grimaced.

    "Ah! So bitter!"

    Giving the cup of coffee an intense look, Sunny sighed and forced himself to drink some more. Bitter or not, he was determined to get his money's worth �� taste buds be damned.

    "I should have bought a piece of real meat instead. Who knew actual coffee is so disgusting? Well. It's going to keep me awake, at least."

    He stared into the distance, dozing off, and then slapped himself in the face to wake up.

    "Tsk. What a rip-off."

    Shaking his head and cursing, Sunny finished the coffee and stood up. Rich people living in this part of the city were rushing past the small park on their way to work, staring at him with strange expressions. Looking haggard in his cheap clothes and from the lack of sleep, unhealthily thin and pale, Sunny was indeed out of his place here. Also, everyone seemed so tall. Watching them with a bit of envy, he tossed the cup into a garbage bin.

    "I guess that's what three full meals a day would do to you."

    The cup missed the bin by a wide margin and fell on the ground. Sunny rolled his eyes in exasperation, walked over and picked it up before carefully putting it in the trash. Then, with a slight grin, he crossed the street and entered the police station.

    Inside, a tired-looking officer gave him a quick glance and frowned with obvious distaste.

    "Are you lost, boy?"

    Sunny looked around with curiosity, noting reinforced armor plates on the walls and poorly hidden turret nests in the ceiling. The officer, too, looked scruffy and mean. At least police stations remained the same wherever you go.

    "Hey! I'm talking to you!"

    Sunny cleared his throat.

    "Uh, no."

    Then he scratched the back of his head and added:

    "As demanded by the Third Special Directive, I am here to surrender myself as a carrier of the Nightmare Spell."

    The officer's expression instantly changed from irritated to wary. He looked the young man over once again, this time with piercing intensity.

    "Are you sure you are infected? When did you start showing symptoms?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "A week ago?"

    The officer became visibly paler.

    "Shit."

    Then, with a hurried motion, he pressed a button on his terminal and bellowed:

    "Attention! Code Black in the lobby! I repeat! CODE BLACK!"

    ***

    The Nightmare Spell first appeared in the world a few decades ago. Back then, the planet was just starting to recover from a series of devastating natural disasters and subsequent resource wars.

    At first, the emergence of a new disease that caused millions of people to complain about constant fatigue and sleepiness did not attract a lot of attention. But when they started to fall into an unnatural slumber, with no sign of waking up even days later, governments finally panicked. Of course, by then it was already too late �� not that an early response could have made any difference.

    When the infected started dying in their sleep, their dead bodies turning into monsters, no one was ready. Nightmare Creatures quickly overwhelmed national militaries, plunging the world into complete chaos.

    No one knew what the Spell was, what powers it possessed, and how to fight it.

    In the end, it was the Awakened �� those who survived the first trials of the Spell and came back alive �� who put a stop to its rampage. Armed with miraculous abilities earned in their Nightmares, they restored peace and created a semblance of a new order.

    Of course, it was only the first of the catastrophes brought upon by the Spell. But as far as Sunny was concerned, none of it had anything to do with him �� not until a few days ago, that is, when he first started having trouble with staying awake.

    For an average person, being chosen by the Spell was as much of a risk as an opportunity. Kids learned survival skills and fighting techniques in school, on the off chance of being infected. Well-to-do families hired private tutors to train their children in all sorts of martial arts. Those from the Awakened clans even had access to powerful legacies, wielding inherited Memories and Echoes in their first visit to the Dream Realm.

    The richer your family was, the better your chances of surviving and becoming an Awakened were.

    But for Sunny, who had no family to speak of and spent most of his time scrounging for food instead of going to school, being chosen by the Spell presented no opportunity at all. To him, it was basically a death sentence.

    ***

    A few minutes later, Sunny was yawning while several policemen were busy putting him in restraints. Soon he was fastened into a bulky chair that looked like a weird mix between a hospital bed and a torture device. The room they were in was situated in the basement of the police station, with thick armored walls and a formidable-looking vault door. Other officers were standing near the walls, with automatic rifles in their hands and grim expressions on their faces.

    Sunny did not particularly care about them. The only thing he could think about was how much he wanted to sleep.

    Finally, the vault door opened, and a gray-haired policeman walked in. He had a seasoned face and stern eyes, looking like someone who had seen a lot of terrible things in his life. After checking the restraints, the policeman glanced quickly on his wristwatch and then turned to Sunny:

    "What's your name, kid?"

    Sunny blinked a few times, trying to concentrate, then shifted uncomfortably.

    "Sunless."

    The old policeman raised an eyebrow.

    "Sunless? That's a strange name."

    Sunny tried to shrug, but found himself unable to move.

    "What's so strange about it? At least I have a name. Back in the outskirts, not everyone even gets one."

    After another yawn, he added:

    "It's because I was born during a solar eclipse. My mom had a poetic soul, you see."

    That's why he got this weird-ass name and his little sister was called Rain�� back when she still lived with them, at least. Whether it was the result of poetic imagination or simple laziness, he did not know.

    The old policeman grunted.

    "Do you want me to contact your family?"

    Sunny simply shook his head.

    "There's no one. Don't bother."

    For a second, there was a dark look on the policeman's face. Then his expression turned serious.

    "Alright, Sunless. How long can you stay awake?"

    "Uh�� not long."

    The policeman sighed.

    "Then we don't have time for the full procedure. Try to resist for as long as you can and listen to me very carefully. Okay?"

    Not waiting for a response, he added:

    "How much do you know about the Nightmare Spell?"

    Sunny gave him a questioning look.

    "As much as anyone, I guess? Who doesn't know about the Spell?"

    "Not the fancy stuff you see in dramas and hear in the propaganda broadcasts. I mean how much do you really know?"

    That was a hard question to answer.

    "Don't I just go into the Dream Realm, kill a few monsters to complete the First Nightmare, receive magic powers and become an Awakened?"

    The old policeman shook his head.

    "Listen carefully. Once you fall asleep, you will be transported inside your First Nightmare. Nightmares are trials created by the Spell. Once inside, you will meet monsters, sure, but you will also meet people. Remember: they are not real. They're just illusions conjured up to test you."

    "How do you know?"

    The policeman just stared at him.

    "I mean, no one understands what the Spell is and how it works, right? So how do you know that they're not real?"

    "You might have to kill them, kid. So do yourself a favor and just think about them as illusions."

    "Oh."

    The old policeman waited for a second, then nodded and continued.

    "A lot of things about the First Nightmare depend on luck. Generally, it shouldn't be overwhelmingly hard. The situation you're in, the tools you have at your disposal and the creatures you have to defeat should be within the range of your abilities, at least. After all, the Spell sets up trials, not executions. You're a bit disadvantaged due to�� well�� your circumstances. But kids from the outskirts are tough. Don't give up on yourself just yet."

    "Uh-uh."

    Sunny was getting more and more sleepy. It was becoming hard to follow the conversation.

    "About those "magic powers" you mentioned�� you will indeed receive them if you survive until the end of the Nightmare. What those powers will be, exactly, depends on your natural affinity as well what you do during the trial. But some of it will be at your disposal right from the start��"

    The voice of the old policeman sounded more and more distant. Sunny's eyelids were so heavy that he was struggling to keep his eyes open.

    "Remember: the first thing you must do once inside the Nightmare is to check your Attributes and your Aspect. If you get a combat-oriented Aspect, something like a Swordsman or an Archer, things will be easier. If it is reinforced by a physical Attribute, then that's even better. Combat Aspects are the most common, so the probability of receiving one is high."

    The armored room was growing dimmer.

    "If you're unlucky and your Aspect has nothing to do with combat, don't despair. Sorcery and utility Aspects are useful in their own ways, you'll just have to be smart about it. There are really no useless Aspects. Well, almost. So just do anything in your power to survive."

    "If you survive, you will be halfway to becoming an Awakened. But if you die, you'll open a gate for a Nightmare Creature to appear in the real world. Which means that my colleagues and I will have to deal with it. So�� please don't die, Sunless."

    Already half-asleep, Sunny felt a bit touched by the policeman's words.

    "Or, at least, try to not die right away. The nearest Awakened won't be able to get here for a few hours, so we would really appreciate it if you don't make us fight that thing ourselves��"

    'What?'

    With that last thought, Sunny finally slipped into a deep slumber.

    Everything became black.

    And then, in the darkness, a faintly familiar voice rang:

    [Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial��]

 Chapter 2 Slave Caravan

    Chapter 2 Slave Caravan

    Sunny dreamt of a mountain.

    Jagged and lonesome, it dwarfed other peaks of the mountain chain, cutting the night sky with its sharp edges. A radiant moon bathed its slopes in the ghostly, pale light.

    On one of the slopes, the remnants of an old road stubbornly clung to the rocks. Here and there, weathered paved stones could be seen through the snow. To the right side of the road, a sheer cliff face rose as an impregnable wall. To the left, a silent black sea of nothingness indicated an endless fall. Strong winds crashed into the mountain over and over again, screaming in powerless rage.

    Suddenly, the moon fell over the horizon. The sun rose from the west, streaked across the sky and disappeared in the east. Snowflakes jumped from the ground and returned into the embrace of clouds. Sunny realized that he was seeing the flow of time in reverse.

    In an instant, hundreds of years flew by. The snow retreated, baring the old road. Cold shivers ran down Sunny's back as he noticed human bones littering the ground. A moment later, the bones were gone, and in their place, a slave caravan appeared, moving backwards down the mountain in the clamor of chains.

    Time slowed, stopped, and then resumed its usual pace.

    [Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial��]

    'What�� what the hell is this?'

    Step. Step. Another step.

    A dull ache was radiating through Sunny's bleeding feet as he was shivering from cold. His threadbare tunic was nearly useless against the biting wind. His wrists were the main source of agony: badly hurt by the iron shackles, they sent a sharp pang of pain every time the freezing metal touched his broken skin.

    'What kind of a situation is this?!'

    Sunny looked up and down, noticing a long chain winding up the road, with dozens and dozens of hollow-eyed people �� slaves just like him �� shackled to it at small intervals. Ahead of him, a man with broad shoulders and a bloodied back was walking with a measured gait. Behind him, a shifty-looking guy with quick, desperate eyes was quietly cursing under his breath in a language that Sunny did not know, but somehow still understood. From time to time, armed horsemen in ancient-style armor would pass by, giving the slaves menacing looks.

    However you judged it, things were really bad.

    Sunny was more bewildered than panicked. True, these circumstances were not like what the First Nightmares were supposed to be. Usually, freshly chosen aspirants would find themselves in a scenario that presented them with a fair amount of agency: they would become members of privileged or warrior casts, with plenty of access to necessary weapons to at least try to tackle any conflict.

    Starting out as a powerless slave, shackled and already half-dead, was as far from being ideal as one could imagine.

    However, the Spell was as much about challenge as it was about balance. As the old policeman said, it created trials, not executions. So Sunny was pretty sure that, to counter this abysmal start, it would reward him with something good. A powerful Aspect, at least.

    'Let's see�� how do I do this?'

    Remembering popular webtoons he read as a child, Sunny concentrated and thought about words like "status", "myself" and "information". Indeed, as soon as he focused, shimmering runes appeared in the air in front of him. Once again, although he did not know this ancient alphabet, the meaning behind it was somehow clear.

    He quickly found the rune describing his Aspect�� and, finally, lost his composure.

    'What?! What the actual fuck?!'

    ***

    Name: Sunless.

    True Name: ��

    Rank: Aspirant.

    Soul Core: Dormant.

    Memories: ��

    Echoes: ��

    Attributes: [Fated], [Mark of Divinity], [Child of Shadows].

    Aspect: [Temple Slave].

    Aspect Description: [Slave is a useless wretch with no skills or abilities worth a mention. A temple slave is just the same, except much rarer.]

    Speechless, Sunny stared at the runes, trying to convince himself that he was maybe just seeing things. Surely, he couldn't be that unlucky�� right?

    'No useless Aspects my ass!'

    As soon as this thought appeared in his mind, he lost the rhythm of his steps and stumbled, pulling the chain down with his weight. Immediately, the shifty guy behind him screamed:

    "Whore's bastard! Watch where you're going!"

    Sunny hurriedly dismissed the runes, which were only visible to him, and tried to recover his balance. A moment later, he was once again walking steadily �� however, not before inadvertently pulling on the chain one more time.

    "You little shit! I'm going to kill you!"

    The broad-shouldered man in front of Sunny chuckled without turning his head.

    "Why bother? The weakling will be dead by sunrise anyway. The mountain will kill him."

    A few seconds later, he added:

    "It'll kill you and me, too. Just a bit later. I really don't know what the Imperials are thinking, forcing us into this cold."

    The shifty guy gasped.

    "Speak for yourself, fool! I'm planning to survive!"

    Sunny silently shook his head and concentrated on not falling again.

    'What a charming pair.'

    Suddenly, a third voice joined the conversation from somewhere further back. This one sounded gentle and intelligent.

    "This mountain pass is usually much warmer this time of year. We just had really bad luck. Also, I would advise you against harming this boy."

    "Why is that?"

    Sunny turned his head slightly, listening.

    "Haven't you seen the markings on his skin? He is not like us, who fell into slavery due to debts, crimes or misfortune. He was born a slave. A temple slave, to be precise. Not long ago, the Imperials destroyed the last temple of the Shadow God. I suspect that this is how the boy ended up here."

    The broad-shouldered man cast a look back.

    "So what? Why should we be afraid of a half-forgotten, weakling god? He couldn't even save his own temples."

    "The Empire is protected by the mighty War God. Of course they're not afraid to burn down a few temples. But we here are not protected by anything or anyone. Do you really want to risk angering a god?"

    The broad-shouldered man grunted, not willing to answer.

    Their conversation was stopped by a young soldier riding a beautiful, white horse. Clad in a simple leather cuirass, armed with a spear and a short sword, he looked dignified and noble. To Sunny's irritation, the asshole was really pretty, too. If this was a historical drama, the soldier would definitely be a male lead.

    "What is going on here?"

    There was no particular menace in his voice, even something resembling concern.

    When everyone hesitated, the gentle-voiced slave answered:

    "It's nothing, sir. We are just all tired and cold. Especially our young friend over there. This journey is truly too hard for someone that young."

    The soldier looked at Sunny with pity.

    'What are you looking at? You're not much older than me!' Sunny thought.

    Of course, he didn't say anything out loud.

    The soldier sighed and took a flask from his belt before extending it to Sunny.

    "Bear with it a little more, child. We will stop for the night soon. For now, here, drink some water."

    'Child? Child?!'

    Due to his thin body and small stature, both caused by malnourishment, Sunny was often mistaken for someone younger. Usually, he didn't hesitate to use it to his advantage, but now, for some reason, being called a child really irked him.

    Still, he was really thirsty.

    He was just about to take the flask when a whip cracked in the air, and suddenly Sunny was in a world of pain. He stumbled, once again pulling on the chain and causing the shifty slave behind him to curse.

    Another soldier, this one older and angrier, stopped his horse a few steps back. The whip that sliced the back of Sunny's tunic open and drew blood belonged to him. Without even glancing at the slaves, the older soldier pierced his younger colleague with a disdainful glare.

    "What do you think you're doing?"

    The young soldier's face darkened.

    "I was just giving this boy some water."

    "He'll receive water with the rest of them once we camp!"

    "But��"

    "Shut your mouth! These slaves are not your friends. Understood? They're not even people. Treat them like people and they'll begin imagining things."

    The young soldier looked at Sunny, then lowered his head and put the flask back on his belt.

    "Don't let me catch you making friends with slaves again, newbie. Or next time it will be your back tasting my whip!"

    As if to illustrate his intention, the older soldier cracked his whip in the air and rode past them, radiating threat and anger. Sunny watched him go with well-concealed malice.

    'I don't know how, but I will watch you die first.'

    Then he turned his head and glanced in the direction of the younger soldier, who was falling behind with his head still lowered.

    'And you, second.'

 Chapter 3 The Strings Of Fate

    Chapter 3 The Strings Of Fate

    For a few minutes after that, Sunny was in a dark mood. But then he pulled himself out of it and inhaled deeply, trying to enjoy the fresh air. Indeed, air like that was hard to come by in the real world: micro dust and other pollutants made it rough and unpleasant, not to mention the general stench of the outskirts. In the better parts of the city, sophisticated filtration systems worked diligently �� however, filtrated air tasted sterile and stagnant. Only the very rich had access to truly pleasant breathing.

    And here he was, able to enjoy an unlimited amount of pristine, delicious air like a second-generation chaebol.

    'Truly, being chosen by the Spell has its benefits.'

    If only there was no dreadful cold, his feet did not ache, and his wrists and back were not in agony!

    The slave caravan slowly dragged itself up the mountain, with more and more slaves stumbling and periodically falling to the ground. A couple of times, those who could not walk anymore were taken off the chain and unceremoniously tossed off the road, down into the abyss that loomed to the left of it. Sunny watched them fall with a bit of compassion.

    'Poor fellows. Rest in peace, you pitiful souls.'

    All in all, he was in good spirits.

    It was a bit strange to feel good amidst this disaster of a Nightmare, but, thankfully, Sunny had time to prepare himself for this eventuality. When the symptoms of the Spell first appeared, he did not handle it well. Dying before you even turn seventeen was not something one could easily cope with.

    But, in the end, it only took Sunny several days to come to terms with it. After visiting his parents' makeshift resting place �� well, actually, since he was too poor to afford even the cheapest slot in the remembrance facility, it was just two lines carved into an old tree �� and adding a third line for himself, Sunny suddenly became relaxed and carefree.

    After all, he didn't have to worry about earning money, finding food, protecting himself and planning for the future anymore. Once the worst that could happen had already happened, what else was there to fear?

    So, becoming a slave and slowly freezing to death was not that much of a shock.

    Besides, he knew that cold would not kill him �� simply because he had already seen what fate was awaiting the caravan further up the mountain. The picture of piled bones littering the ground was still fresh in his mind. Most likely, it was a pack of monsters that were going to do the caravan in�� and by the look of it, the attack was going to take place in a matter of hours, not days.

    So he still had a chance.

    Using the opportunity, Sunny decided to take another look at his status and summoned the runes again. The last time he was too outraged by the Aspect and didn't study the Attributes well. While not as important as one's Aspect, the Attributes were often the deciding factor between life and death. They represented one's natural traits and affinities, sometimes even providing passive abilities and effects.

    [Fated] Attribute Description: "The strings of fate wrap tightly around you. Unlikely events, both good and bad, are drawn by your presence. There are those who are blessed, and there are those who are cursed�� but rarely both."

    [Mark of Divinity] Attribute Description: "You bear a faint scent of divinity, as though someone briefly touched by it once, a long time ago."

    [Child of Shadows] Attribute Description: "Shadows recognize you as one of their own."

    'Hmmm�� Interesting.'

    Sunny quickly recognized the first attribute, [Fated], as the main culprit of his predicament. At first glance, it seemed to indicate that he was destined for a certain fate �� to die miserably and vanish without a trace, for example. But after reading the description, he realized that being fated actually just meant that improbable things had a higher chance of occurring when he was around.

    'I guess this is how I managed to receive one of the super rare useless Aspects �� and a weird variant of it, at that!'

    If [Fated] was his innate Attribute, then the other two came from the [Temple Slave] Aspect. [Mark of Divinity] was more a less straightforward �� it was supposed to allow passage into certain sacred places inside the Dream Realm and enhance several types of sorcery. Since there were no sacred places in sight and Sunny's Aspect had nothing to do with sorcery, it was useless, too.

    [Child of Shadows] was a stranger one. He had never heard of it and had no idea what it was supposed to do �� at least not until the sun hid behind the mountain and the sky began to darken. To his surprise, Sunny found himself able to see perfectly in the darkness, as though it was still as bright as day. This ability alone was nothing to scoff at, and it was quite possible that shadows would reward him with some other, yet unknown, gifts.

    'Finally something good. I wonder if��'

    "Stop the caravan! Prepare to camp!"

    Following the head soldier's order, the slaves stopped and fell to the ground, shivering and exhausted. The small clearing where the road widened was somewhat protected from the wind by a protruding mass of rock, but it was still too cold to rest with ease.

    The soldiers got busy herding the slaves into a tight circle, forcing them to share warmth, and lighting up a large bonfire in the center of the camp �� although not before tending to their horses. The heavy wagon carrying food, water and other cargo, to which the main chain was firmly affixed, was pushed forward to block the wind. While looking around, Sunny noticed the young soldier from before watching the mountain with a complicated look on his face.

    'What a weirdo.'

    Soon, the bonfire was blazing. The stronger slaves tried to find their way closer to the fire, while the weaker ones, like Sunny, were forced to sit at the outer end of the circle, with their backs freezing in the cold. Of course, any movement was encumbered by the fact that they were still shackled to the chain. That's why the familiar broad-shouldered slave ended up just where he started despite all of his efforts to get closer to the flame.

    "Damn Imperials!" he hissed, clearly irritated.

    The soldiers walked among the slaves, giving them water and food. Sunny, just like everybody else, received a few sips of icy water and a small piece of rock-hard, moldy bread. Despite its unappetizing look, he forced himself to eat the whole thing, just to be left as hungry as he was before.

    By the looks of it, he wasn't the only one.

    The shifty slave that had been walking behind him looked around in anguish.

    "By all the gods, they used to feed me better even in the dungeons!"

    He spat on the ground, desperate.

    "And most of us innocent men in the dungeon were there waiting to visit the gallows, too!"

    A few steps away from them, where the paved road ended and sharp rocks began, a scattering of bright-red berries were growing from the snow. Sunny had noticed them before, clustering here and there along the road, and even noted how pretty those resilient things looked contrasted against the white. The shifty slave's eyes glistened as he tried to crawl towards the berries on all fours.

    "I would advise against eating those, friend."

    It was the gentle-voiced slave again. Sunny turned around and finally saw him in the flesh for the first time. It was a tall man in his forties, lean and strangely handsome, with a dignified look of a scholar. How a man such as him ended up a slave was a mystery. Yet there he was.

    "You and your advice again! What?! Why?!"

    The scholar smiled apologetically.

    "These berries are called Bloodbane. They grow in the places where human blood was spilled. That's why there's always a lot of them along the slave trade routes."

    "So what?"

    The older man sighed.

    "Bloodbane is poisonous. A few berries might be enough to kill an adult man."

    "Curses!"

    The shifty slave flinched back and glared at the scholar.

    Sunny did not pay them a lot of attention.

    Because, while looking around, he finally recognized the site of the camp as the place where, in his vision at the start of the Nightmare, the bones of the slaves were buried under the snow. And he was willing to bet that whatever it was that killed them all was going to happen soon.

    As if to answer his thoughts, a thundering noise rang from above.

    And in the next second, something massive came crashing from the sky��

 Chapter 4 Mountain King

    Chapter 4 Mountain King

    Turning in the direction of the thundering noise, many slaves rose their heads �� only to see rocks and heavy shards of ice raining on them from above. They instantly panicked, lurching away in a cacophony of screams. Shadows happily danced on black stones as, entangled by the thick chain, those slaves fell to the ground and pulled others with them.

    Sunny was one of the few that remained upright, mostly because he was ready for something like this to happen. Calm and collected, he gazed at the night sky, his Attribute-enhanced eyes piercing the darkness, and took one measured step back. In the next second, a piece of ice the size of a man's torso hit the ground right in front of him and exploded, showering everything around with sharp shards.

    Others weren't that quick. As ice and stones continued to rain, many were wounded, and a few even lost their lives. Agonizing wails filled the air.

    "On your feet, fools! Get to the wall!"

    The veteran soldier �� the one who had whipped Sunny a few hours before �� was shouting angrily, trying to get the slaves to move towards the relative safety of the mountain slope. However, before anyone could heed his command, something massive came crashing down, sending a tremor through the stones beneath their feet. It fell right between the caravan and the mountain wall, plunging everything into silence for a few seconds.

    At first, it looked like a lump of dirty snow, roughly round in shape and as tall as a mounted horseman. However, once the creature unfurled its long limbs and rose, it towered over the stone platform like a nightmarish omen of death.

    'That thing must be at least four meters tall,' Sunny thought, a bit stunned.

    The creature had two stumpy legs, an emaciated, hunched torso and disproportionately long, multijointed hands �� two of them, each ending with a set of horrifying bone claws, and another two, these ones shorter, ending with almost human-like fingers. The thing that at first glance looked like dirty snow turned out to be its fur, yellowish-grey and ragged, thick enough to stop arrows and swords.

    On its head, five milky, white eyes regarded the slaves with insect-like indifference. Beneath them, a terrible maw crowding with razor-sharp teeth was half-open, as though in anticipation. Viscous drool was running down the creature's chin and dripping into the snow.

    What unnerved Sunny the most, though, were the strange shapes endlessly moving, worm-like, under the creature's skin. He could see them clearly because, unfortunately, he was one of those unlucky souls closest to the monstrosity, getting a nauseating first-row view.

    'Well, that is just�� too much,' he thought, stupefied.

    As soon as Sunny finished that thought, all hell broke loose. The creature moved, slashing its claws in his general direction. But Sunny was one step ahead: without wasting a single moment, he jumped sideways �� as far as the chain allowed �� conveniently placing the broad-shouldered slave between himself and the monster.

    His quick reaction saved his life, as those sharp claws, each as long as a sword, sliced through the broad-shouldered man a fraction of a second later and sent streams of blood flying through the air. Drenched in the hot liquid, Sunny hit the ground, and his fellow slave �� now simply a corpse �� fell on him from above.

    'Damn! Why are you so heavy!'

    Temporarily blinded, Sunny heard a chilling howl and felt an enormous shadow passing over him. Immediately after, a deafening chorus of screams filled the night. Not paying it any attention, he tried to roll the corpse to the side, but was stopped by a forceful lurch of the chain that twisted his wrists and filled his mind with white-hot pain. Disoriented, he felt himself being dragged a few steps, but then the chain suddenly slackened, and he was able to control his hands again.

    'See, things could have been worse��'

    Putting his palms against the dead man's chest, he pushed with all the strength he had. The heavy corpse stubbornly resisted all his attempts, but then finally fell sideways, setting Sunny free. However, he didn't get to celebrate this newly found freedom, as his blood suddenly turned to ice.

    Because at that moment, with his palms still pressed against the broad-shouldered slave's bleeding body, he clearly felt something wriggling under the dead man's skin.

    'You just had to think about how things could get worse, right, you idiot?' he thought, and then flinched back.

    Pushing the corpse with his legs, Sunny crawled as far away from it as he could �� which was about a meter and a half, thanks to the ever-present chain. He quickly glanced around, noticing a mass of dancing shadows and the silhouette of the monster rampaging amidst the screaming slaves on the opposite end of the stone platform. Then he concentrated on the dead body, which was starting to convulse with growing violence.

    On the opposite side of the corpse, the shifty slave was looking at it with slackened jaw and a horrified expression on his face. Sunny waved to get his attention.

    "What are you staring at?! Move away from it!"

    The shifty slave tried, but immediately fell down. The chain was twisted between the three of them, pinned down under by the broad-shouldered man's weight.

    Sunny clenched his teeth.

    Right under his eyes, the corpse was going through a nightmare-inducing metamorphose. Strange bone growths pierced its skin, extending like spikes. The muscles bulged and wriggled, as though trying to change shape. The fingernails were turning into sharp claws; the face cracked and split, bearing open a twisted mouth with one too many rows of bloodied, needle-like fangs.

    'This is not right.'

    Sunny twitched, feeling a strong urge to empty his stomach.

    "Th�� the chain!"

    The scholarly slave was just a few steps behind the shifty one, pointing at his shackles with a face as pale as a ghost. That remark was far from helpful, but given the circumstances, his shock was understandable. Being shackled was bad enough, but being shackled to such horror was truly unfair.

    But Sunny's conclusion that things weren't right did not come from self-pity. He just meant that this whole situation was literally not right: the Spell, mysterious as it was, had its own set of rules. There were rules for what type of creatures could appear in any given Nightmare, too.

    Nightmare Creatures had their own hierarchy: from mindless Beasts to Monsters, followed by Demons, Devils, Tyrants, Terrors and, finally, mythical Titans, also known as Calamities. The First Nightmare was almost always populated by beasts and monsters, rarely with a demon mixed in. And Sunny had never, ever heard about anything stronger than a single devil appearing in it.

    However, the creature had clearly just created a lesser version of itself �� an ability that belonged exclusively to tyrants, the sovereigns of the Nightmare Spell, and those above them.

    What was this tyrant even doing in a First Nightmare?

    How powerful was that damn [Fated] attribute?!

    But there was no time to ponder.

    Unfair or not, there was only one person now who could save Sunny �� himself.

    The broad-shouldered man �� what was left of him �� slowly rose, his mouth producing strange clicking noises. Without giving him time to fully come to his senses, Sunny cursed and jumped forward, grabbing onto the length of the slackened chain.

    One arm of the monster, now fully equipped with five jagged claws, shot forward to meet him, but Sunny sidestepped it with one calculated movement.

    What save his skin this time was not quick reaction, but simple presence of mind. Sunny might not have learned any fancy combat techniques, since his childhood was spent on the streets instead of a school. But the streets, too, were a kind of teacher. He had spent his whole life fighting for survival, quite often literally. That experience allowed him to keep a cool head on his shoulders in the midst of any conflict.

    So instead of freezing or being consumed by fear and doubt, Sunny just acted.

    Stepping close, he threw the chain around the monster's shoulders and pulled, pinning its hands to its body. Before the creature, still slow and groggy from its transformation, could properly react, Sunny wrapped the chain around it several times, barely saving his face from being bitten off by the creature's terrifying maw.

    The good thing was, the monster couldn't move its hands now.

    The bad thing was, the length of the chain he used to immobilize it was gone, leaving almost no distance between them.

    "You two!" Sunny screamed, addressing his two fellow slaves. "Pull on that chain as though your lives depend on it!"

    Because they were.

    The shifty slave and the scholar gaped at him and then, understanding what he was thinking, started to move. Grabbing the chain from the opposite directions, they pulled as hard as they could, tightening its grip on the monster and not letting it shake loose.

    'Great!' Sunny thought.

    The monster bulged its muscles, trying to break free. The chain creaked, caught on the bone spikes, as though slowly breaking apart.

    'Not so great!'

    Without wasting any more time, he threw his hands in the air and caught the creature's neck with the short, thinner chain connecting his shackles together. Then he circled the monster with a quick step and pulled, ending up back to back with it �� as far away from its maw as he could.

    Sunny knew that he wasn't strong enough to strangle a man with his bare hands �� let alone a weird, terrifying mutant like the one trying to eat him. But now, using his own back as a lever and the weight of his whole body to pull the shackles down, he at least stood a chance.

    He pulled down with all his might, feeling the monster's body pressing against him, bone spikes brushing against his skin. The monster continued to struggle, clicking loudly and trying to break the chain tying him down apart.

    Now it was just a question of what would break first �� the chain or the monster itself.

    'Die! Die, you bastard!'

    Sweat and blood were rolling down Sunny's face as he was pulling, and pulling, and pulling down with as much force as he could muster.

    Every second felt like an eternity. His strength and stamina �� what little he had to begin with �� were quickly running out. His wounded back, wrists, and muscles pierced by the bone spikes were in agony.

    And then, finally, Sunny felt the monster's body go limp.

    A moment later, a faintly familiar voice rang in the air.

    It was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

    [You have slain a dormant beast, Mountain King's Larva.]

 Chapter 5 Broken Chains

    Chapter 5 Broken Chains

    [You have slain a dormant beast, Mountain King's Larva.]

    Sunny fell to his knees, breathless. His whole body felt as though it just went through a meat grinder: even large amounts of adrenalin could not wash away all the pain and exhaustion. And yet, he was exhilarated. The satisfaction of killing the larva was so vast that he even forgot to be disappointed about not receiving a Memory �� the special item tied to a Dream Realm inhabitant's essence, which was sometimes awarded by the Spell to the triumphant Awakened.

    A magic sword or a suit of armor would have come in handy right about now. Damn, he would even settle for a warm coat.

    'Three seconds. You can rest for three more seconds,' Sunny thought.

    After all, the nightmare was far from over.

    A few moments later, he forced himself to come back to his senses and looked around, trying to ascertain the situation.

    The larva was dead, which was great. However, he was still tied to it by the damn chain �� the shifty slave and the scholar, both pale as death, were busy untangling it to buy the three of them at least some freedom of movement.

    Further away, torn bodies and pieces of flesh were lying on the ground. Many slaves were killed. A few had somehow managed to escape and were now running away.

    'Fools. They're dooming themselves.'

    The chain, as it turns out, was at some point broken in two �� that's why it suddenly slackened when Sunny was being dragged by the mass of panicking slaves. If their shackles had a less sophisticated locking mechanism, he could have tried to free himself now. However, each pair was fixed to a specific link: without unlocking them, no one was going anywhere.

    The tyrant �� Mountain King, presumably �� was hidden from sight by the bright glow of the bonfire. However, Sunny could feel its movements due to the subtle tremors spreading through the stones, as well as the desperate screams of those slaves who were yet to perish. An angry below or two could also be heard, indicating that some of the soldiers were still alive, desperately trying to fight the monstrosity off.

    What pulled his attention the most, though, was the fact that several of the maimed bodies were starting to move.

    'More larvae?'

    His eyes widened.

    One after another, four more corpses slowly rose to their feet. Each beast looked as disgusting as the first one had, and not a bit less deadly. The nearest was mere meters away from Sunny.

    'Damn it all!' he thought.

    And then, weakly: 'I want to wake up.'

    As strange clicking filled the air, one of the beasts turned its head toward the three slaves and gnashed its fangs. Shifty fell on his ass, whispering a prayer, while Scholar just froze in place. Sunny's eyes darted to the ground, trying to find something to use as a weapon. But there was not a single thing he could use: full of vitriol, he simply wrapped a length of chain around the knuckles and raised his fists.

    'Come at me, you bastard!'

    The larva dashed forward with incredible speed in a flurry of claws, fangs, and terror. Sunny had less than a second to react; however, before he could do anything, a nimble figure moved past him, and a sharp sword flashed in the air. The monster, beheaded with one strike, fell gracelessly onto the ground.

    Sunny blinked.

    'What was that?'

    Dumbfounded, he slowly turned his head and looked to his left. Standing there with a valorous expression was the handsome young soldier who had once offered him water. He looked calm and collected, if a little grim. There was not a speck of dirt or blood on his leather armor.

    'He is. Awesome,' Sunny thought before catching himself.

    'Poser! I mean he's a poser!'

    With a short nod, the soldier moved forward to face the remaining three larvae. But after taking a few steps, he suddenly turned around and gave Sunny a long look. Then, with one swift motion, the young warrior took something from his belt and threw it to Sunny.

    'Save yourself!'

    With that, he was gone to fight the monsters.

    Sunny reflexively caught the item and watched the soldier go. Then he lowered his gaze and studied the thing clutched tightly in his hand.

    It was a short and narrow iron rod with a straight bend on its end.

    'A key. It's a key.'

    His heart began to beat faster.

    'It's the key to the shackles!'

    With one last glance at the fierce battle starting between the young soldier and the larvae, Sunny dropped on one knee and began to maneuver the shackles, trying to get his hand into a suitable position to insert the key. It took him a few tries to understand how the unfamiliar lock worked, but then, finally, there was a satisfying click, and he was suddenly free.

    The cold wind caressed his bloodied wrists. Sunny rubbed them and smiled with a dark gleam in his eyes.

    'Just you wait now.'

    For a moment, visions of violence and revenge filled his head.

    "Boy! Over here!"

    Shifty was waving his hands in the air, trying to get his attention. Sunny briefly considered just leaving him to die, but then decided against it. There was strength in numbers.

    Plus, despite Shifty's previous threats to kill him and overall unpleasantness, Sunny would have felt bad leaving a fellow slave in chains �� especially since freeing him would not cost anything.

    He hurried over to the other two slaves and quickly unlocked their shackles. As soon as Shifty was free, he pushed Sunny away and did a little dance, laughing like a maniac.

    "Ah! Free at last! Gods must be smiling upon us!"

    Scholar was more reserved. He squeezed Sunny's shoulder in gratitude and smiled weakly, casting a tense look in the direction of the ensuing fight.

    Two of the three larvae were already dead; the third one was missing an arm but still trying to tear its opponent apart. The young soldier danced around it, moving with a graceful fluidity of a natural-born warrior.

    "What are you waiting for?! Run!"

    Shifty made a move to run away, but was stopped by Scholar.

    "My friend, I would��"

    "If you say "advise" again, I swear to gods, I will bash your head open!"

    The two slaves looked at each other with open animosity. A moment later, Scholar lowered his eyes and sighed.

    "If we run away now, we will surely die."

    "Why?!"

    The older slave simply pointed at the tall bonfire.

    "Because without that fire, we will freeze to death before the night is over. Until the sun rises, running away is suicide."

    Sunny did not say anything, knowing that Scholar was right. Actually, he realized it right after strangling the larva. No matter how terrible Mountain King was, the bonfire was still their only lifeline in this frozen hell.

    It was just as what the broad-shouldered slave, may he rest in peace, had said. There was no need for anyone to kill them, because the mountain itself would do it if given a chance.

    "So what?! I prefer freezing to death than being eaten by that monster anyway! Not to mention�� ugh�� turning into one of those things."

    Shifty was pretending to be brave, but there was no conviction in his voice. He glanced at the darkness surrounding the stone platform and shivered before taking a small step back.

    At this point, the third larva was long dead, and the young soldier was nowhere to be seen. He had probably gone to join the fight at the other side of the bonfire �� leaving the three slaves alone at the mountainside part of the stone platform.

    Scholar cleared his throat.

    "The monster might be satiated with those it had already slain. It might be defeated or driven away by the Imperials. In any case, if we stay here, we have a chance to survive, however small. But if we run away, our doom will be certain."

    "So what do we do?"

    Unlike Scholar, Sunny was sure that Mountain King would not be satisfied with killing just most of the slaves. Neither did he believe that a bunch of mortals would really be able to defeat it.

    Even if they were not normal people but Awakened, a fight with a tyrant was not something one could easily survive, let alone win.

    But if he wanted to live, he had to get rid of that thing somehow.

    "Let's go take a look."

    Shifty looked at him as though seeing a lunatic.

    "Are you insane? You want to get closer to that beast?!"

    Sunny stared at him blankly, then shrugged and headed in the direction of the rampaging monster.

 Chapter 6 Confronting The Tyrant

    Chapter 6 Confronting The Tyrant

    Sunny was off to face against a Nightmare Creature. And not any creature, at that, but one of the fifth category �� a dreaded, fearsome tyrant. The odds of survival were so low that anyone would have laughed in his face if he were to ever suggest attempting to fight it. If they weren't an Awakened two or three ranks above the creature, of course.

    Which Sunny certainly wasn't.

    And yet, he had to deal with this Mountain King somehow to avoid an even more miserable death. The ridiculous degree to which the odds were stacked against him from the very beginning of this delayed execution had gotten old a long time ago, so he didn't have any more energy to think about it. What was there to fear, after all? He was already as good as dead. It's not like he could get any deader.

    So why worry?

    On the other side of the bonfire, things were turning from bad to worse. Most of the slaves were already dead. A few soldiers were still desperately trying to fight the monster, but it was clear that they weren't going to last long. Right in front of Sunny's eyes, the tyrant picked up a dead slave, dragging the chain up with him, and opened its terrifying maw wide. With one crushing bite, the slave's body was torn in half, leaving only bloodied stumps inside the shackles.

    Mountain King's five indifferent, milky eyes stared into the distance as he chewed, streams of blood flowing down its chin.

    Seeing that the creature's upper arms were busy, one of the soldiers screamed and lunged forward, brandishing his long spear. Without turning its head, the tyrant extended one of its shorter lower arms, caught the soldier's head in an iron grip and squeezed, crushing the poor man's skull like a soap bubble. A moment later, the headless body was tossed over the cliff and disappeared into the abyss below.

    Shifty doubled over, puking his guts out. Then he shakily rose to his feet and glared at Sunny.

    "Well? We've taken a look, now what?"

    Sunny did not answer, pensively observing the tyrant with his head slightly tilted to one side. Shifty stared at him some more, then turned to Scholar.

    "I'm telling you, old man, the boy is sick in the head. How the hell can he be so calm?!"

    "Shhhh! Lower your voice, fool!"

    Blood drained from Shifty's face as he slapped himself, covering his mouth with both hands. Then he cast a fearful look in the direction of the tyrant.

    Luckily, the abomination was too busy feasting on the slaves �� lucky ones who were already dead and unlucky ones who were still alive �� to pay them any attention. Shifty slowly exhaled.

    Sunny was preoccupied with thinking, measuring his chances of survival.

    'How do I get rid of that thing?'

    He didn't have any special powers, nor did he have an army ready to bury the tyrant under a mountain of bodies. He didn't even have a weapon to at least scratch the damn bastard.

    Sunny moved his gaze and looked past the creature, into the endless darkness of the moonless sky. As he was watching the night, a bright flash streaked in the air and collided with one of the tyrant's arms, bursting into a rain of sparks. The young soldier �� Sunny's heroic liberator �� had just tossed a burning piece of wood at the monster and was now defiantly raising his sword.

    "Face me, devil!"

    'A distraction! Just what I needed!'

    Because there was no way for Sunny to kill the Mountain King with his own two hands, he had decided to enlist some help. A human wouldn't be up to the task, so instead, he was planning to use a force of nature.

    'Since I can't do the bastard in myself, let's make gravity do it for me.'

    He was in the middle of thinking over the details of the plan when the young hero's foolish bravado presented an opportunity. Now everything depended on how long the pompous idiot would manage to stay alive.

    "Come with me!" Sunny said as he started running toward the far end of the stone platform, where the heavy wagon was perched dangerously close to the edge of the cliff.

    Shifty and Scholar shared a dubious look, but then followed, perhaps confusing his calmness with confidence, or maybe divine inspiration. After all, it was a widely known fact that crazy people were often favored by the gods.

    Behind them, Hero nimbly ducked under the tyrant's claws, slashing it with the sword. The sharp edge slid ineffectively across the dirty fur, not living even a scratch on the creature's flash. In the next second, the tyrant moved with frightening speed, throwing all four of his hands in the direction of its new, irritating foe.

    But Sunny had no way of knowing. He was running with all his speed, getting closer and closer to the wagon. Once there, he hurriedly looked around, checking if there were any larvae close by, and moved to its rear wheels.

    The wagon was left at the upper end of the stone platform, where it narrowed and turned back into the road. It was turned sideways to block the wind, with its front facing the mountain wall and its back facing the cliff. There were two large wooden wedges placed under the rear wheels to prevent the wagon from rolling backward. Sunny turned to his companions and pointed at the wedges.

    "When I tell you, remove both of them. Then push. Understand?"

    "What? Why?"

    Shifty stared at him with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Scholar just looked at the wedges, and then at the tyrant.

    Hero, miraculously, was still alive. He was weaving between the creature's limbs, always just half a second away from being completely eviscerated. From time to time, his sword flashed in the air, but to no avail: Mountain King's fur was too thick, and his skin too tough to be harmed by mundane weapons. There was a hint of apprehension on the young warrior's face.

    All the other soldiers, as far as Sunny could see, were already dead. So he really needed that one to live a little bit longer.

    'Don't die yet!' he thought.

    To Shifty, he simply said:

    "You'll see."

    The next moment, Sunny was running again, trying to follow the chain from the brace where it was affixed to the wagon. The thing he was searching for was hard to notice due to all the bodies, blood and viscera littering the stone platform, but for once, luck was on his side. A short amount of time later, he had found what he needed �� the torn end of the chain.

    Finding the nearest set of shackles, complete with a horribly disfigured body of a slave locked in them, Sunny plopped down on his knees and started to fumble with the key.

    There was a muffled scream, and with a sideways glance, he noticed Hero flying through the air, finally caught by one of the tyrant's strikes. Incredibly, the young soldier managed to land on his feet, sliding several meters across the stones. All of his limbs were still in place; there were no terrible wounds on his body, either. Without skipping a bit, Hero rolled forward, picking up his sword from where it fell on the ground, and then rolled once more, this time sideways, narrowly avoiding a heavy stomp from the creature's foot.

    "Rolling?! Who the hell rolls around in this situation?!"

    Without any more time to waste, Sunny finally managed to unlock the shackles. Shaking the dead slave out of them, he then promptly locked them once again, this time around the chain itself �� ending up with a makeshift slipknot and a loop.

    Now everything depended on his resolve, hand-to-eye coordination�� and luck.

    Turning to Shifty and Scholar, who were still waiting by the wagon, he screamed:

    "Now!"

    Then, picking up a sizable length of chain, Sunny stood up and faced the tyrant.

    Hero spared him half a glance. His eyes lingered on the chain for a moment and then quickly followed it to the wagon. Then, without showing a hint of emotion, the young warrior doubled his efforts, drawing the creature's attention away from Sunny.

    'So he's smart, too? What a scam!'

    Clearing his head of all unnecessary thoughts, Sunny concentrated on the weight of the chain in his hands, the distance between him and the tyrant, and his target.

    Time seemed to slow down a bit.

    'Please, don't miss!'

    Gathering all of his strength, Sunny spun and threw the chain in the air, as though a fisherman casting his net. The loop opened as it flew, closing in on the position of the fight between Hero and the tyrant.

    Sunny's plan was to place the loop on the ground close enough to them that, once one of the tyrant's feet landed in the trap, he could pull on the chain and tighten it around the monster's ankle.

    But his plan�� failed spectacularly.

    Which is to say, it was literally a spectacle.

    In the last moment, Mountain King suddenly flinched back, and instead of falling on the ground, the chain loop landed perfectly around its neck. A second later it tightened, acting as an iron noose.

    Sunny froze for a moment, not believing his eyes. And then clenched his fists, holding himself back from triumphantly shaking them in the air.

    'YES!' he screamed inwardly.

    Moments later, the wagon would roll off the cliff, pulling the tyrant down with it. Sunny looked back to make sure, and instantly turned even paler than he usually was.

    Shifty and Scholar did manage to remove the wedges from under the wagon's wheels and were now desperately pushing it to the edge of the road. However, the wagon was rolling slowly�� very slowly. Much slower than Sunny had anticipated.

    He turned to the tyrant, panicking. The creature, surprised by the sudden weight pressing down on its neck, was already raising its hands to tear the chain apart.

    Sunny's eyes widened.

    In the next second, Hero crashed into one of the tyrant's legs, throwing it off balance �� and buying them some time. Sunny was already running to the wagon, cursing loudly in his mind. Reaching it, he threw himself onto the damp wood alongside Shifty and Scholar, pushing with all the strength left in his rather small, but terribly beaten and enormously exhausted body.

    'Roll! Roll, you creaky piece of shit!'

    The wagon sped up a little, but was still rather slow in reaching the cliff's edge.

    At the same time, the tyrant finally managed to get a hold of the chain tied around its neck, ready to free itself.

    Now whether they lived or not was just a question of which thing would happen first.

 Chapter 7 Three Slaves And A Hero

    Chapter 7 Three Slaves And A Hero

    'Roll, you creaky piece of shit!'

    Sunny pressed himself against the wagon, pushing with all he had. Four powerful oxen that used to pull it were now dead, and instead of them, three tired slaves were trying to do the job. Even with the slope of the road helping them, the speed of the wagon was agonizingly slow. The tyrant, in comparison, was moving much faster.

    Pushing Hero back with a deadly swipe of his lower arms, he raised the other two to its neck and tried to grab the chain that was wrapped around it like a noose. However, this time Mountain King's fearsome physique turned into a disadvantage: its long, terrifying bone claws were perfect for tearing flesh apart, but they weren't the best tool for precise manipulations. It took the tyrant some time to get a hold of the chain without slicing its own neck open.

    By then, the wagon was nearly at the edge of the cliff.

    'Come on! Just a little bit more!'

    What followed happened very quickly. The wagon's rear wheels finally slid from the road, hanging over the dark, seemingly bottomless pit beneath. The creature turned, staring expressionlessly at the three slaves with its five milky, dead eyes. The wagon careened, throwing Shifty and Scholar off their feet, and then froze, balanced precariously on its middle axis.

    Sunny was the only one left standing. He cast a last glance at the towering monster, and then slammed his shoulder into the front of the wagon, putting all of his weight behind it.

    The wagon finally lost its balance and rolled over the edge, scraping its underside deafeningly against the jagged rocks. Sunny fell forward and landed on his knees, narrowly saving himself from tumbling down the cliff with it. Turning his head to the tyrant, he gave it a wicked smile.

    Mountain King made a move to lunge at the scrawny slave, but it was already too late. A moment later, the chain on his neck drew tight, and he was yanked back with tremendous force, flying over the edge of the cliff like a rag doll. The creature fell into the darkness silently, as though refusing to believe that it was defeated by a tiny human.

    'Go and die, bastard.' Sunny thought.

    Then he took one deep, ragged breath and dropped to the ground, utterly exhausted.

    'Is this it? Did I pass the trial?'

    He rested on the cold stones, staring at the night sky, and waited for that faintly familiar, but elusive voice to announce his victory. But instead of that, wave after wave of pain that he had earlier chosen to ignore finally started to catch up with his abused body.

    Sunny groaned, feeling hurt all over. The skin on his back, slashed by a slaver's whip and pierced by the bone spikes of a newborn larva, especially, was in agony. He was also starting to shiver, once again consumed by the dreadful cold.

    'I guess not.'

    His thoughts were slow and muddy.

    'What else am I supposed to do?'

    A dark figure appeared above him. It was Hero, looking calm and as handsome as ever. There were dirt and scratches on his armor, but otherwise, the young soldier appeared to be fine. He extended one arm to Sunny.

    "Stand up. You'll freeze to death."

    Sunny sighed, accepting that his First Nightmare was not over. Then he clenched his teeth and slowly rose to his feet, ignoring Hero's helping hand.

    Around them, there was a scene of utter carnage. Except for the three slaves and Hero, every member of the caravan was dead. Their bodies were littering the ground, horribly maimed or torn into pieces. Here and there, a repulsive carcass of a larva could be seen. Shadows cast by the bonfire were dancing happily across the stone platform, seemingly unperturbed by this morbid view.

    Sunny was also too tired to care.

    Shifty and Scholar were already up, looking at Hero with weary apprehension. With or without shackles, they were still slaves, and he was still a slave driver. Noticing their tense gazes, the soldier sighed.

    "Come closer to the fire, all of you. We need to warm ourselves and discuss what to do next."

    Without waiting for their response, Hero turned around and walked away. After hesitating for a few moments, the slaves followed.

    A bit of time later, the four of them were seated around the bonfire, soaking up pleasant heat. Shifty and Scholar were close to each other, maintaining a safe distance from Hero. Sunny sat apart from everyone �� not because he had a specific reason to distrust one more than the others, but simply because he didn't like people in general.

    Growing up, Sunny was always a misfit. It's not that he had never tried to become close with someone, it's just that he seemed to lack the ability. Like there was an invisible wall between him and other people. If he had to put it in words, Sunny would say that he was born without a small, but important gear in his brain that everyone else seemed to possess.

    As a result, he was often baffled and stumped by human behavior, and his attempts to imitate it, however diligent, inevitably fell flat. This strangeness made others uncomfortable. In short, he was a bit different �� and if there was one thing people hated, it was those different from them.

    Over time, Sunny simply learned to avoid getting too close to anyone and settled comfortably into his outcast role. This habit served him well, since it not only made him self-reliant, but also saved him from being stabbed in the back by shady characters on multiple occasions.

    That's why he was not thrilled to share the rest of this Nightmare with three strangers. Instead of trying to start a conversation, Sunny sat quietly by himself, lost in thoughts.

    After a few minutes, Hero's voice finally broke the silence:

    "Once the sun rises, we will gather whatever food and water we can find and go back down the mountain."

    Shifty gave him a defiant look.

    "Why should we go back? To be put in chains again?"

    The young soldier sighed.

    "We can go our separate ways once we leave the mountains. But until then, I'm still responsible for your lives. We can't continue up the road since the way over the mountain pass is long and arduous. Without the supplies that were stored on the wagon, your chances of making it are not high. That's why going back is our best hope."

    Scholar opened his mouth, planning to say something, but then thought better of it and remained silent. Shifty cursed, seemingly convinced by Hero's rational words.

    "We can't go down."

    All three of them turned to Sunny, surprised to hear his voice.

    Shifty barked a laugh and glanced at the soldier.

    "Don't listen to him, your lordship. This boy is, uh, touched by the gods. He's crazy, is what I'm trying to say."

    Hero frowned, looking at the slaves.

    "The two of you are only alive thanks to this child's bravery. Aren't you ashamed to badmouth him so?"

    Shifty shrugged, showing that he wasn't ashamed at all. The young soldier shook his head.

    "I for one would like to hear his reasoning. Tell me, why can't we go down?"

    Sunny shifted, uncomfortable in the center of everyone's attention.

    "Because the monster isn't dead."

 Chapter 8 Nothing At All

    Chapter 8 Nothing At All

    "Because the monster isn't dead."

    These ominous words hung in the silence. Three pairs of eyes widened, staring right at Sunny.

    "Why do you say that?"

    After thinking about it, Sunny came to the conclusion that the tyrant was, indeed, still alive. His reasoning was pretty straightforward: he did not hear the Spell congratulating him on slaying the creature after it fell off the cliff. Which meant that it was not slain.

    But he couldn't explain that to his companions.

    He pointed up.

    "The monster jumped from an incredible height to land on this platform. Yet it wasn't harmed at all. Why would it be killed by falling off the platform?"

    Neither Hero nor the slaves could find a flaw in his argument.

    Sunny continued.

    "Which means that it's still alive, somewhere down the mountain. So by going back, we will be delivering ourselves into its maw."

    Shifty cursed loudly and crawled closer to the bonfire, staring into the darkness with terror in his eyes. Scholar rubbed his temples, mumbling:

    "Of course. Why didn't I realize myself?"

    Hero was the most stoic of the three. After thinking it over, he nodded.

    "Then we go up and over the mountain pass. But that's not all��"

    He glanced in the direction where the tyrant had fallen.

    "If the monster is still alive, there is a high possibility that it will return here, and then pursue us. Which means that time is of the essence. We will need to move as soon as the sun rises."

    He gestured to the torn bodies littering the platform.

    "We can't allow ourselves to rest the whole night anymore. We need to gather supplies now. If there was a chance, I would have liked to give these people at least a humble burial after gathering all that we can from then, but alas, fate has decided otherwise."

    Hero rose to his feet and brandished a sharp knife. Shifty tensed up and watched the blade carefully, but then relaxed, seeing that the young soldier showed no sign of aggression.

    "Food, water, warm clothes, firewood. That is what we need to find. Let us split up and accomplish one task each."

    Then he pointed at himself with the tip of the knife.

    "I will carve the oxen carcasses to get us some meat."

    Scholar looked around the stone platform �� most of it drowning in deep shadows �� and grimaced.

    "I'll look for firewood."

    Shifty also glanced left and right, with a strange gleam in his eyes.

    "Then I'll go find us something warm to wear."

    Sunny was the last one left. Hero gave him a long look.

    "Most of our water was stored on the wagon. But each of my fallen brothers was carrying a flagon. Gather as many as you can find."

    ***

    Sometime later, far enough from the bonfire to be hidden in the shadows, Sunny was looking for dead soldiers with half a dozen flagons already weighing him down. Shivering in the cold, he finally stumbled on the last broken body clad in leather armor.

    The old veteran �� the one who had whipped him for trying to accept Hero's flask �� was badly injured and dying, but, miraculously, still clinging to life. Horrible wounds were covering his chest and stomach, and he was clearly in a lot of pain.

    His time was running out.

    Sunny knelt beside the dying soldier and looked him over, searching for the man's flagon.

    'What irony,' he thought.

    The older man tried to focus his eyes on Sunny and weakly moved his hand, reaching for something. Sunny looked down and noticed a shattered sword lying on the ground not far from them. Curious, he picked it up.

    "Are you looking for this? Why? Are you guys like Vikings, longing to die with a weapon in your hands?"

    The dying soldier didn't answer, watching the young slave with some unknown, intense emotion in his eyes.

    Sunny sighed.

    "Well, it might as well do. After all, I promised to watch you die."

    With that, he leaned forward and slit the old man's throat with the sharp edge of his broken blade, then threw it away. The soldier twitched, drowning in his own blood. The expression in his eyes changed �� was it gratitude? Or hatred? Sunny did not know.

    Illusion or not, it was his first time killing a human. Sunny expected to feel guilt or fear, but actually, there was nothing at all. It seemed that, for better or worse, his cruel upbringing in the real world had prepared him for this moment well.

    He sat quietly near the old man, keeping him company on this last journey.

    After a while, the Spell's voice came whispering into his ear:

    [You have slain a dormant human, name unknown.]

    Sunny flinched.

    'Oh, right. Killing people is also an achievement, as far as the Spell is concerned. They don't usually show this in webtoons and dramas.'

    He registered that fact and put it away. But, as it turned out, the Spell wasn't done speaking.

    [You have received a Memory��]

    Sunny froze, opening his eyes wide.

    'Yes! Come on, give me something good!'

    Memories could be anything, from weapons to enchanted items. One received from a dormant-rank enemy wouldn't be too powerful, but it was still a boon: weightless and undetectable, able to be summoned from nothingness with a simple thought, a Memory was incredibly useful. What's more, unlike corporeal things, he would be able to bring it back with him to the real world. The advantage of having something like that back in the outskirts was hard to overestimate.

    'A weapon! Give me a sword!'

    [... received a Memory: Silver Bell.]

    Sunny sighed, disappointed.

    'Well, with my luck, what was I expecting?'

    Still, this thing was worth investigating. Maybe it had a powerful enchantment, like being able to send out destructive sonic waves or repelling incoming projectiles.

    Sunny summoned the runes and concentrated on the words "Silver Bell". Immediately, an image of a small bell appeared in front of his eyes, with a short string of text below.

    [Silver Bell: a small memento of a long-lost home, which once brought its owner comfort and joy. Its clear ringing can be heard from miles away.]

    'What a piece of crap,' Sunny thought, dejected.

    His first Memory turned out to be pretty much useless�� like everything else he possessed. He was almost starting to see a theme in how the Spell was treating him.

    'No matter.'

    Sunny dismissed the runes and then got busy removing the dead man's fur cloak and warm, sturdy leather boots. As an officer, the quality of these clothes was a notch above those of the simple soldiers. After putting them on, the young slave finally felt warm for the first time since the Nightmare began �� not considering the short time he had spent near the bonfire.

    'Perfect,' he thought.

    The cloak was a bit bloodied, but then again, so was Sunny.

    He looked around, easily piercing the veil of darkness with his tenebrous eyes. Hero and Scholar were still in the middle of their tasks. Shifty was supposed to be looking for winter clothes, but was greedily pulling rings off the dead men's fingers instead. Unseen to them, Sunny hesitated, considering if he had really thought things through well.

    His companions were unreliable. The future was too uncertain. Even the requirements of passing the Nightmare remained a mystery. Any decision he could make would have been a gamble, at best.

    Still, he had to make some if he wanted to survive.

    Not wasting any more time thinking, Sunny picked up the flagons and sighed.

    ***

    They spent the rest of the night seating with their backs against the bonfire, staring fearfully into the night. Despite the exhaustion, no one could sleep. The possibility of the tyrant coming back to finish the four survivors off was too frightening.

    Only Hero seemed to be fine, calmly sharpening his sword in the bright light of the dancing flames.

    The sound of the whetstone scraping against the blade was somehow comforting.

    At the break of dawn, when the sun had lazily begun to warm up the air, they loaded themselves with all the supplies they'd managed to gather and set out into the cold.

    Sunny looked back, taking in the sight of the stone platform for the last time. He had managed to get past the place where the slave caravan was supposed to perish. What was going to happen next? No one could tell.

 Chapter 9 Wishful Thinking

    Chapter 9 Wishful Thinking

    There was a problem.

    They were planning to follow the road up to the mountain pass and then over it, getting as far away from the scene of the massacre as they could before the night came. However, the road was no more.

    At some point during the last months, or maybe even just yesterday, a terrible rockfall occurred, obliterating whole segments of the narrow roadway and making its other parts untraversable. Sunny stood on the precipice of a vast chasm, looking down with no particular expression on his face.

    "What do we do now?"

    Scholar's voice was muffled by the collar of his scavenged fur cloak. His follower, Shifty, angrily looked around. His gaze stopped at Sunny �� a suitable victim to vent his frustration.

    "I'll tell you what we need to do! Get rid of some dead weight!"

    He eyed Sunny's fine boots and turned to Hero:

    "Listen, your lordship. The boy is too weak. He is slowing us down! Plus, he's weird. Doesn't he give you the creeps?"

    The young soldier answered with a judgemental frown, but Shifty wasn't done.

    "Look! Look how he's glaring at me! I swear to gods, ever since he joined the caravan, nothing had gone right. Maybe the old man was right: the boy is cursed by the Shadow God!"

    Sunny struggled to not roll his eyes. It was true that he was unlucky: however, the whole truth was opposite to what Shifty was trying to insinuate. It was not that he had attracted misfortune to the slave caravan; on the contrary, it was because the caravan was doomed to begin with that he had ended up here.

    Scholar cleared his throat:

    "But I've never said that��"

    "Whatever! Shouldn't we get rid of him just in case?! He can't go on for much longer anyway!"

    Scholar gave Sunny a strange look. Perhaps Sunny was getting paranoid, but there seemed to be a bit of calculating coldness in the older slave's eyes. Finally, Scholar shook his head.

    "Don't be too hasty, my friend. The boy might prove useful later on."

    "But��"

    Hero finally spoke, putting an end to their quarrel.

    "We're not going to leave anyone behind. As for how much longer he'll be able to endure �� just worry about yourself."

    Shifty clenched his teeth, but then just waved a hand.

    "Fine. So what do we do then?"

    The four of them looked at the broken road, then down the slope of the mountain, and finally up, where a sheer cliff wall was broken apart by the falling rocks. After a bit of silence, Scholar finally spoke:

    "Actually, in the old days, there used to be a path leading to the peak of the mountain. It was sometimes used by pilgrims. Later, the Empire had widened parts of the path and built a proper road on top of it �� now leading to the mountain pass instead of the peak, of course."

    He looked up.

    "The remnants of the original path should still be somewhere above us. If we reach it, we should be able to find our way back to the undamaged section of the road."

    Everyone followed his gaze, shifting uncomfortably at the prospect of climbing the treacherous slope. Except for Hero, of course, who remained as calm as a saint.

    Due to the rockfall, the slope wasn't an almost vertical wall anymore, but still, the incline was quite sharp.

    Shifty was the first one to speak:

    "Climb that? Are you insane?"

    Scholar helplessly shrugged.

    "Do you have a better idea?"

    No one did. After a bit of preparation, they began the ascent. Shifty and Scholar stubbornly carried the weapons they had picked up off the dead soldier's bodies, but Sunny, with some regret, decided to leave his newfound short sword behind. He knew that this climb was going to test the limits of their endurance.

    The sword might not have seemed to be that heavy right now, but every extra gram of weight was bound to feel like a ton all too soon. As the weakest member of the group, he was already struggling to keep up, so there wasn't a lot of choice. Shedding a few kilograms of iron was the right thing to do.

    Walking up the mountain road with the weight of the supplies on his shoulders was already hard enough, but climbing up the mountain itself turned out to be pure torture. Just half an hour later, he felt like his muscles were going to melt, with his lungs on the verge of imploding.

    Clenching his teeth, Sunny continued to move forward and up. He had to constantly remind himself to watch his footing, too. On this unstable, icy slope one misstep was enough to send a man tumbling down to his death.

    'Just think about something pleasant,' he thought.

    But what happy thoughts could he summon?

    Failing to come up with something else, Sunny began to imagine what reward he was going to receive at the end of this trial. The boon of the First Nightmare was the most important thing given to an Awakened by the Spell.

    Sure, later trials could provide them with more abilities and vastly improve their power. But it was this first one that determined what role an Awakened would be able to play, how great their potential would be, and what price they would have to pay�� not to mention giving them the necessary tools to survive and grow in the Dream Realm.

    The main benefit of the First Nightmare's Boon was simple, yet possibly the most important: after completing their trial, Aspirants were bestowed with the ability to perceive, and interact with, Soul Cores. Soul Cores were the basis of one's rank and power. The stronger your Core was, the greater your might would grow.

    The same went for Nightmare Creatures, with a deadly caveat that, unlike humans, they could possess multiple cores �� a lowly beast had just one, but a tyrant like Mountain King had five. Coincidentally, the only way to improve your Soul Core was to consume Soul Shards scavenged from the corpses of other Dream Realm inhabitants.

    That's why Awakened went out of their way to battle powerful Nightmare Creatures despite the risk of death.

    The second benefit was less straightforward, but nevertheless vital. After completing the First Nightmare, Aspirants were elevated to the rank of Dreamers �� colloquially known as Sleepers �� and gained access to the Dream Realm itself. They would enter it on the first winter solstice after passing the trial and remain there until an exit was found, thus becoming fully Awakened. That time between finishing the First Nightmare and entering the Dream Realm was very important, as it was the last chance to train and prepare yourself a person would receive.

    In Sunny's case, that time was only about a month, which was as bad as it gets.

    And then there was the final benefit, unique to every Aspirant passing the trial�� the first Aspect Ability.

    This was the "magic power" that elevated Awakened above mundane humans. Aspect Abilities were diverse, unique, and powerful. Some could be categorized into types �� like combat, sorcery and utility �� but some were simply beyond imagination. Armed with the power of their Abilities, Awakened had been able to save the world from the flood of Nightmare Creatures.

    However, that power came with a catch. With their first Ability, every Awakened also received a Flaw, sometimes called the counter. These Flaws were as diverse as Abilities, ranging from comparatively harmless to crippling, or, in some cases, even fatal.

    'I wonder what type of Ability a temple slave would get,' Sunny thought, not too optimistic about his prospects. 'The choice of Flaws, on the other hand, seems to be almost limitless. Let's hope my Aspect will evolve at the end of this fiasco. Or, even better, change completely.'

    If the Aspirant performed especially well, there was a chance of his given Aspect going through an early evolution. Aspects, just like Soul Cores, had ranks based on potential power and rarity. The lowest rank was called Dormant, followed by Awakened, Ascended, Transcendent, Supreme, Sacred and Divine �� although no one has ever seen the last one.

    'With the amount of crap it had put me through, the Spell �� if it has any conscience �� has to give me at least an Awakened Aspect. Right? Or maybe even an Ascended one!'

    Finally, there was a tiny possibility of receiving a True Name �� something like an honorary title bestowed by the Spell to its favorite Awakened. The name itself had no benefit, but every famous Awakened seemed to have one. It was considered to be the highest mark of excellence. However, the number of people who had managed to get a True Name during their First Nightmare was so small that Sunny didn't even bother thinking about it.

    'Who needs excellence? Give me power!'

    He cursed, feeling that this attempt at wishful thinking had only made him more depressed and angry.

    'Maybe I'm allergic to dreaming.'

    An allergy like that would be truly ironic, considering that he was destined to spend half of his remaining life in the Dream Realm �� if he even survives long enough to get there, that is.

    However, Sunny's mental escapade was not completely useless. Looking up from the slippery rocks under his feet, he noticed that the sun was already considerably lower. Come to think of it, the air also seemed to be much colder.

    'At least it helped me pass the time,' Sunny thought.

    The night was approaching.

 Chapter 10 First Man Down

    Chapter 10 First Man Down

    By the time they decided to stop, Sunny was on the verge of fainting. After hours and hours of traversing the rough mountain slope, his body was almost at its limit. However, to everyone's surprise, Shifty seemed to be doing even worse than him.

    The roguish slave's eyes were muddy and unfocused, aimlessly wandering around. His breath was ragged and shallow, as though something was exerting pressure on his lungs. He looked feverish and unwell.

    As soon as Hero found a suitable place for a camp, Shifty simply collapsed on the ground. The most unnerving part about all of this was the lack of angry cursing that they had already gotten used to. The slave lay silent and motionless, with only movements of his chest betraying that he was still alive. Several moments later, he uncorked his flagon with a shaky hand and greedily drank a few large gulps.

    "Conserve your water," Hero said, a hint of concern somehow finding its way into his usually stoic voice.

    Disregarding these words, Shifty drank more, emptying the flagon completely.

    Scholar didn't look much better than him. The arduous climb took a heavy toll on the older slave. Despite the unbearable cold, he was sweaty, with bloodshot eyes and a grim expression on his face.

    Being the weakest of the three, Sunny had somehow managed to endure the best.

    "Can't we just melt the snow once there's no more water?"

    Hero gave Scholar a complicated look.

    "There might come a time when we won't be able to make a fire, as to not attract unwanted attention."

    No one commented, knowing perfectly well whose attention they had to avoid. The memory of Mountain King's horror was still fresh in their minds.

    Luckily, today Hero had managed to find a natural alcove in the mountain wall, perched precariously behind a narrow ledge. The fire was well hidden by the rocks, allowing them to enjoy its warmth without the fear of being noticed. No one was in the mood to talk, so they just roasted slices of oxen meat above the flames and ate in silence.

    By the time the skies had turned completely black, Shifty and Scholar were already asleep, lost in the thrall of their own nightmares. Hero took out his sword and moved to the edge of the rock outcropping.

    "Try to rest, as well. I'll take the first watch."

    Sunny gave him a nod and lay down near the fire, dead tired. Falling asleep inside a dream was a new experience for him, but, unexpectedly, it turned out to be quite mundane. As soon as his head touched the ground, his consciousness slipped into darkness.

    After what felt like only a second, someone had gently shaken him awake. Groggy and disoriented, Sunny blinked a few times, finally noticing Hero hovering above him.

    "These two didn't look too well, so it's better to give them some time to recover. Don't let the flames go out and wake us up once the sun starts to rise. Or if�� if the beast appears."

    Sunny silently rose and changed places with Hero, who added a couple of logs into the fire and was soon fast asleep.

    For a few hours, he was on his own.

    The skies were black, with dim stars and a sharp crescent of the newborn moon. However, its light was not enough to pierce the darkness that enveloped the mountain. Only Sunny's eyes seemed to be able to do so.

    He sat quietly, looking down the way they came. Despite the fact that they had managed to climb quite high during the previous day, he could still see the distant ribbon of the road. He could even trace it back to the stone platform where the fight with the tyrant had taken place.

    The tiny dots littering the stones were the dead bodies of the slaves.

    As he was watching them, a dark figure slowly crawled on the platform from beneath the cliff. It stayed motionless for a while and then moved forward, scraping its claws against the ground. Every time a claw hit one of the bodies, the tyrant would grab and bring it to its maw.

    The wind brought the muffled sounds of crunching bones to Sunny's ears. He flinched, accidentally pushing a small rock off the ledge. It fell, hit the slope and then rolled down, causing a few more to follow.

    The noise of these falling rocks sounded like thunder in the silent night.

    Far below, the tyrant suddenly turned its head, looking directly at Sunny.

    Sunny froze, petrified. He was scared to make even the tiniest sound. For a while, he even forgot to breathe. The tyrant was staring directly at him, not doing anything.

    A few torturous seconds passed, each feeling like an eternity. Then the tyrant calmly turned away and continued to devour dead slaves, as though he had not seen Sunny at all.

    'It's blind,' Sunny suddenly understood.

    He inhaled, watching Mountain King with widened eyes. It was true. The creature could not see.

    Looking back at everything that had happened earlier, he grew more and more certain of his guess. Those milky, expressionless eyes. Come to think of it, he never saw the tyrant moving them at all. And back when Sunny was pushing the wagon off the cliff, the tyrant only reacted after the wagon's had started to fall, scraping loudly against the rocks.

    Of course! It was all making sense now.

    ***

    At the break of dawn, Sunny had woken the others up. Hero had hoped that a full night's rest would do Shifty and Scholar some good, but his hopes were crushed. Somehow, the two slaves looked even worse than before. It was as though yesterday's climb had overstrained Scholar too much.

    However, Shifty's condition could not be explained by simple overexertion. He was deadly pale and shaky, with half-conscious eyes and a lost look on his face.

    "What's wrong with him?"

    Scholar, who himself was not doing very well, helplessly shook his head.

    "It might be the mountain sickness. It affects different people differently."

    His voice sounded raspy and weak.

    "I'm fine, assholes. Get out of my face."

    Shifty had trouble forming full sentences, but still insisted that he was alright.

    Hero frowned and then took most of the supplies the defiant slave was supposed to carry before adding them to his own load. After hesitating a little, he gave some to Sunny, too.

    "Did anything happen while we were asleep?"

    Sunny stared at him for a few seconds.

    "The monster ate the dead."

    The young soldier's frown deepened.

    "How do you know?"

    "I heard it."

    Hero moved to the edge and looked down, trying to make out the distant stone platform. After a minute or so, he clenched his jaw, showing signs of uncertainty for the first time.

    "Then we'll have to move faster. If the creature is finished with all the bodies, it will come for us next. We need to find that old path before nightfall."

    Frightened and dejected, they set out again and continued to climb. Sunny was slowly dying under the weight of the added load. Thankfully, Shifty and Scholar had already drunk most of the water, lightening it a little.

    'This is hell,' he thought.

    They climbed higher, and higher, and higher. The sun was climbing with them, slowly approaching the zenith. There was no talking, no laughs, only strained breathing. Each of the four survivors was concentrated on his own steps and footing.

    However, Shifty was falling farther and farther behind. His strength was abandoning him.

    And then, at some point, Sunny heard a desperate scream. Turning around, he only had time to see a panic-stricken face. Then Shifty fell backward, his foot slipping on an ice-covered rock. He hit the ground hard and rolled down, still trying to grab onto something.

    But it was too late.

    Frozen in place and powerless, they could only watch as his body tumbled down the slope, leaving bloody marks on the rocks. With each second, Shifty looked less like a man and more like a rag doll.

    A handful of moments later, he finally came to a halt, hitting the top of a large, protruding stone in a pile of broken flesh.

    Shifty was dead.

 Chapter 11 Crossroads

    Chapter 11 Crossroads

    The three of them stood motionless, looking down in uneasy silence. What happened to Shifty didn't come as a shock, but it was still a hard thing to digest. An ominous feeling settled in their hearts �� seeing the broken body of their companion, it was too easy to imagine one of them sharing the same fate.

    No one knew what to say.

    After a minute or so, Scholar finally sighed.

    "It's a good thing that you took most of the supplies he had been carrying."

    'A bit heartless, but not wrong,' Sunny thought, giving the older slave a careful look.

    Scholar frowned, realizing that his mask of a kind-hearted gentleman had slipped for a second, and hurriedly added in a somber tone:

    "May you rest in peace, my friend."

    'Wow. What a performance.'

    Actually, Sunny had not believed in his benevolent act for a second. Every kid from the outskirts knew that people who acted kind for no reason were the ones to be most wary of. They were either fools or monsters. Scholar didn't seem like a fool, so Sunny became cautious of him from the moment they met.

    He got this far by being a mistrustful cynic, and there was no reason to change now.

    "We have to go." Hero said, casting one last look down.

    His voice was even, but Sunny could feel a well of emotion behind it. He just couldn't tell what that emotion was.

    Scholar sighed and turned away, too. Sunny stared at the bloodied rocks for a few more seconds.

    'Why do I feel so guilty?' he thought, bewildered by this unexpected reaction. 'He got what he deserved.'

    A little unsettled, Sunny turned around and followed his two remaining companions.

    Just like that, they left Shifty behind and continued to climb.

    At this altitude, traversing the mountain was getting harder and harder. The wind was slamming into them with enough force to throw a person off-balance if they were not careful, making every step seem like a gamble. The air was becoming too thin to breathe. Due to the lack of oxygen, Sunny was starting to feel dizzy and nauseated.

    It was as though they were all slowly suffocating.

    Altitude sickness was not something one could overcome with effort. It was subtle and overbearing at the same time, affecting the strong and the weak with no regard to their fitness and endurance. If his luck was bad, an elite athlete could succumb to it faster than a random passerby.

    It was just a question of your body's innate aptitude and adaptability. Lucky ones were able to get over it after experiencing mild symptoms. The others were sometimes crippled for days or weeks, suffering from all kinds of torturous side effects. Some even died.

    As though all that wasn't bad enough, it was getting colder, too. The warm clothes and fur weren't enough to keep the chill at bay anymore. Sunny felt simultaneously feverish and freezing, cursing every decision he had made in his life to end up here, on the endless icy slope.

    This mountain was not a place for humans.

    And yet they had to go on.

    A few hours passed. Despite everything, the three survivors continued to struggle forward, slowly moving higher and higher. Wherever that old path Scholar had talked about was, by now, it couldn't have been far. At least that's what Sunny was hoping for.

    But at some point, he started to doubt if the path even existed. Maybe the older slave lied. Maybe the path was long ago destroyed by ravages of time. Maybe they had already missed it without even noticing.

    Just as he was about to fall into despair, they finally found it.

    It was weathered and narrow, barely enough for two people to walk side by side. The path wasn't paved, but rather cut from the black rock by some unknown tool or magic, winding its way up the mountain like a tail of a sleeping dragon. Here and there, it was hidden beneath the snow. But most importantly, it was flat. Sunny had never been that happy to see something flat in his life.

    Without saying a word, Scholar dropped his rucksack and sat down. He was deathly pale, gasping for air like a fish out of water. Despite that, there was a slight grin on his face.

    "Told you."

    Hero gave him a nod and looked around. A few seconds later, he turned back to the triumphant slave:

    "Stand up. It's not time to rest yet."

    Scholar blinked a few times, then glanced at him with pleading eyes.

    "Just�� just give me a few minutes."

    The young soldier was going to retort, but Sunny suddenly put a hand on his shoulder. Hero turned to face him.

    "What is it?"

    "It's gone."

    "What is gone?"

    Sunny gestured down, back the way they came.

    "Shifty's body. It's gone."

    Hero stared at him for a few moments, clearly failing to understand what Sunny was trying to say.

    'Oh, right. They don't know that Shifty's name is Shifty. Ahem. Awkward.'

    He wanted to explain, but both Scholar and Hero seemed to have grasped his meaning. Simultaneously, they moved to the edge of the stone path and looked down, trying to spot the place where Shifty had met his end.

    Indeed, the splattering of blood could still be seen on the jagged rocks, but the corpse itself was nowhere to be found.

    Scholar flinched back and crawled as far away from the edge as he could. The young soldier also backed away, instinctively grabbing the handle of his sword. The three of them exchanged tense looks, clearly understanding the implication of Shifty's disappearance.

    "It's the monster," Scholar said, even paler than before. "It's following us."

    Hero gritted his teeth.

    "You are right. And if it is that close, we will inevitably be forced to fight it soon."

    The idea of fighting the tyrant was as frightening as it was preposterous. He might as well have said that they will all be dead soon. The truth of it was painfully clear to both Sunny and Scholar.

    But the older slave, surprisingly, did not look panicked. Instead, he lowered his gaze and quietly said:

    "Not necessarily."

    Hero and Sunny turned to him, all ears. The young soldier raised an eyebrow.

    "Explain?"

    'Here it comes.'

    Scholar sighed.

    "The beast had traced us this far in just a day. That means that there are two most probable possibilities. Either it is smart enough to realize where we are going, or it is following the scent of blood."

    After a bit of thinking, Hero nodded, agreeing with this logic. The older slave smiled slightly and continued.

    "Whether it is one or another, we can throw him off our trail and buy some time."

    "How do we do that?"

    Despite the urgency in Hero's voice, Scholar hesitated and remained silent.

    "Why are you not answering? Speak!"

    The older slave sighed again and slowly, as though against his will, answered. Sunny was waiting for this moment for a while now.

    "We'll just have to�� make the boy bleed. Drag him down the path, then leave him there as bait and go up instead. His sacrifice will save our lives."

    'Right on time.'

    If Sunny wasn't mad �� and scared witless, of course �� he would have smiled. His judgment, it seems, was eerily on point. Affirmation was always nice�� but not in the situation where being right also meant potentially being used as monster bait.

    He remembered the words Scholar had spoken back when Shifty was campaigning to have Sunny killed �� "Don't be too hasty, my friend. The boy might prove useful later on." These words, which had sounded benevolent then, now turned out to hide a much more sinister meaning.

    'What a bastard!'

    Now it all depended on whether or not Hero would decide to follow through with Scholar's plan.

    The young soldier blinked, astonished.

    "What do you mean, make him bleed?"

    Scholar shook his head.

    "It's simple, really. If the monster knows where we are going, we have no choice but to abandon our plans to reach the mountain pass and go over the peak of the mountain instead. If the monster is following the scent of blood, we have to use one of us as bait to mislead it."

    He paused.

    "Only by leaving a bleeding man further down the path can we reliably avoid the pursuit no matter how it is tracking us."

    Hero stood motionless, his eyes jumping between Scholar and Sunny. After a few seconds, he asked:

    "How can you bring yourself to propose something so vile?"

    The older slave masterfully pretended to look aggrieved and somber.

    "Of course, it pains me! But if we do nothing, all three of us will die. This way, at least, the boy's death will save two lives. The gods will reward him for his sacrifice!"

    'Gee, what a silver tongue. I'm almost convinced myself.'

    The young soldier opened his mouth, then closed it again, hesitating.

    Sunny was silently watching the other two survivors, measuring his chances of coming on top in a fight. Scholar was already halfway to being a corpse, so overpowering him would not be a problem. Hero, however�� Hero presented an obstacle.

 Chapter 12 The Smell Of Blood

    Chapter 12 The Smell Of Blood

    Right now, that obstacle was looking down, avoiding Sunny's gaze. His hand was resting on the sword handle. As always, the young slave had no idea about what was going on inside Hero's perfectly shaped head.

    The uncertainty was making him nervous.

    Finally, after some time had passed, the soldier spoke:

    "I have only one question."

    Both Sunny and Scholar stared at him while holding their breaths.

    "Yes?"

    "You said that one of us must be sacrificed to save the other two. Why him? From what I see, you are far closer to the grave."

    'A great question! I was just about to ask it myself.'

    Sunny turned to the older slave, trying very hard to suppress a mocking grin. But to his dismay, Scholar had an answer ready.

    "Before the first attack, he was already bleeding because of your senior's whip. During the attack, he was drenched in the blood of a fellow slave. His cloak, too, was soaked in it when the previous owner died. The boy already reeks of blood. Keeping him alive will put us in danger. That's why he is the best choice."

    The grin died before reaching Sunny's face.

    'Curse you and your big brain!'

    Scholar's reasoning was appallingly solid. Hero listened, his expression growing darker with each word. Finally, he looked at Sunny, a dangerous light shining in his eyes.

    "That is true."

    Sunny felt his mouth getting dry. Cold sweat was running down his spine. He tensed, ready to act��

    But at that moment, Hero smiled.

    "Your logic is almost unassailable," he said, unsheathing the sword. "However, you failed to account for one thing."

    Scholar raised an eyebrow, trying to hide his own nervousness.

    "What might that be?"

    The young soldier turned to face him, the smile disappearing from his face. Now, he was radiating thick, practically palpable killing intent.

    "It's that I know who you are, Your Grace. I also know what you've done, and how you ended up a salve. Just one of the revolting crimes you have committed would be enough to make me want to kill you. So if there is someone among us who deserves to be sacrificed�� it's you."

    Scholar's eyes widened.

    "But�� but the smell of blood!"

    "Don't worry about it. I'll make you bleed enough to overpower whatever residual scent the boy carries."

    It all happened so fast that Sunny barely had time to react. Hero lunged forward with a speed that seemed almost inhuman. A moment later, Scholar was shrieking on the ground, his leg broken with one strike from the flat side of the young soldier's sword. Not giving him an opportunity to recover, Hero stomped on his other leg, and a sickening sound of shattering bones could be clearly heard. The shriek turned into a sobbing howl.

    Just like that, Scholar was done for.

    The brutality of Hero's actions was in such stark contrast with his usually graceful demeanor that Sunny felt blood turning to ice in his veins. This was�� scary.

    The soldier gave him a calm look and said in a placid tone:

    "Wait for me here."

    Then he grabbed the older slave and dragged him down the path, soon disappearing behind a rock outcropping. After a few minutes, terrible screams could be heard echoing through the wind.

    Sunny was left alone, trembling.

    'Crap! This is�� this is too much!'

    He still couldn't believe how sudden Scholar's demise came to be. And how ruthless it was.

    Some time later, Hero was back, acting as though nothing had happened. But it was exactly that normalcy that unnerved Sunny the most.

    After sorting through the contents of Scholar's rucksack and throwing most of the firewood out, the young soldier put it over his shoulder and nonchalantly turned to the young slave:

    "Let's go. We need to hurry."

    Not knowing what to say, Sunny gave him a nod and headed forward.

    Now there were only two of them left.

    It was sort of stupid, but Sunny suddenly felt lonesome.

    Walking on the stone path was much easier than scaling the mountain wall. He even had time for unnecessary thoughts. A strange feeling of melancholy descended on Sunny�� somehow, he began to feel that the end of this nightmare, whatever it might be, was not far off now.

    They walked in silence for some time before Hero spoke.

    "Don't feel guilty about what happened. It's not your fault. The decision was mine, and mine alone."

    The young soldier was a few steps ahead, so Sunny couldn't see his face.

    "Besides, if you knew this man's sins�� actually, it's better that you don't. Just trust me when I say that killing him was an act of justice."

    'I wonder which one of us feels guilty.'

    These people�� always trying to rationalize their actions, always desperate to maintain an illusion of righteousness even while doing most foul things. Sunny hated the hypocrisy.

    Not getting an answer, Hero chuckled.

    "You don't like to talk, do you? Well, fair enough. Silence is gold."

    They didn't speak again after that, each preoccupied with their own thoughts.

    The sun was setting, painting the world into a million shades of crimson. This high up, the air was clean and crisp, pierced by streams of scarlet light. Below them, a sea of maroon clouds was slowly rolling past the mountain. The stars and the moon had begun to reveal themselves in the vermillion sky.

    It was quite beautiful.

    However, Sunny could only think about how cold it was going to be once the sun fully disappears.

    Before that happened, Hero had found them a shelter. Not far from the path, hidden behind some tall rocks, was a narrow crevice that extended into the slope of the mountain. Happy to be safe from the piercing wind, they explored the crevice and ended up in a small, well-concealed cave.

    Sunny made a move to unbundle some firewood, but Hero stopped him with a shake of his head.

    "Today we will camp without making a fire. The beast is too close."

    Camping without the warm flames to keep them company was not going to be pleasant, but at least they weren't going to freeze to death inside the cave. In any case, the alternative was too frightening.

    Sunny sat down, putting his back against the cave's wall. Hero settled opposite of him, looking downcast and thoughtful.

    He was obviously in a strange mood. If nothing else, it was apparent from the fact that today, for the first time, the young soldier had failed to care for his sword after making camp.

    Soon, the sun was gone, and their small cave became completely dark. Sunny, of course, could still see perfectly well; Hero, on the other hand, was now completely blind.

    In the darkness, his handsome face looked noble and, for some reason, sorrowful. Sunny studied it, not willing to fall asleep.

    After a while, Hero suddenly spoke in a quiet voice:

    "You know, it's strange. Usually, I can feel someone's presence even in absolute darkness. But with you, there's nothing. It's like you are just one of the shadows."

    With only silence to answer him, he smiled.

    "Are you asleep?"

    The question echoed in the darkness. Sunny, who had never spoken with Hero unless there was an urgent need to, and even then only using a few words at best, felt like there was a strange intimacy between them now. That's why he decided to talk. Maybe the darkness gave him courage.

    Besides, there was an occasion.

    "Why? Are you waiting for me to fall asleep before you kill me? Or will you do it in the morning?"

 Chapter 13 Moment Of Truth

    Chapter 13 Moment Of Truth

    The smile froze on Hero's face. He lowered his head, as though in shame. After a minute or so passed, shrouded in heavy silence, he finally answered.

    "Yes. I thought that if I do it when you sleep, you won't have to suffer."

    Unseen to him, a bitter grin appeared on Sunny's face.

    A long sigh escaped from the young soldier's lips. He rested his back against the cave's wall, still not looking up.

    "I don't expect you to forgive me. This sin, too, will be mine to bear. But, please, if you can�� find it in your heart to understand. If things were different, I would have gladly faced that monster to let you escape. But my life�� does not belong to me alone. There is an unencompassable duty I am sworn to fulfill. Until it's done, I cannot allow myself to die."

    Sunny laughed.

    "You people�� Look at you! Planning to kill me and still insisting on having a good excuse. How very convenient! I really hate hypocrites like you the most. Why don't you be honest for once? Don't give me that crap... just say it! I'm going to kill you because it's easy. I'm going to kill you because I want to survive."

    Hero closed his eyes, his face full of sadness.

    "I'm sorry. I knew you wouldn't be able to understand."

    "What's there to understand?"

    Sunny leaned forward, anger coursing through his veins.

    "Tell me. Why do I have to die?"

    The young soldier finally looked up. Even though he couldn't see in the dark, he turned his face in the direction of Sunny's voice.

    "That man was a villain�� but he was also right. The scent of blood is too heavy on you. It will attract the beast."

    "You can just let me go, you know. We'll part ways. After that whether or not the monster finds me won't be your problem."

    Hero shook his head.

    "Dying in that creature's maw�� is too cruel a fate. It's better if I do it myself. You are my responsibility, after all."

    "How noble of you."

    Sunny leaned back, dejected. After a short while, he quietly said:

    "You know�� when I just came here, I was ready to die. After all, in this whole world �� two worlds, actually �� there's not a single soul who cares whether I live or die. When I'm gone, no one will be sad. No one will even remember that I existed."

    There was a forlorn look on his face. A moment later, however, it was gone, replaced by mirth.

    "But then I changed my mind. Somewhere along the way, I decided to survive. I must survive, no matter what."

    Hero gave him a thoughtful look.

    "To live a life worth remembering?"

    Sunny grinned. A dark gleam appeared in his eyes.

    "No. To spite you all."

    The young soldier was silent for a few moments, then nodded, accepting this answer. He rose to his feet.

    "Don't worry. I'll make it quick."

    "Aren't you overly confident? What makes you think you'll be able to kill me? Maybe I'll kill you instead."

    Hero shook his head.

    "I doubt that."

    �� But in the next second, he staggered and fell on one knee. The young man's face turned deathly pale, and with a pained groan, he suddenly vomited blood.

    A satisfied smile appeared on Sunny's face.

    "Finally."

    ***

    "Finally."

    Hero was standing on his knees, the lower part of his face covered in blood. Astonished, he was staring at his hands, trying to understand what had happened to him.

    "What�� what magic is this?"

    With wide eyes and a pale face, he turned to Sunny.

    "Was�� was that thief right? Did you put the curse of the Shadow God on us?"

    Sunny sighed.

    "I wish that I had the ability to throw divine curses around, but no. To tell you the truth, I don't have any abilities at all."

    "Then.. how?"

    The young slave shrugged.

    "That's why I poisoned you all."

    Hero flinched, trying to comprehend his words.

    "What?"

    "After the tyrant first attacked, you send me to search for water. While gathering flagons from the dead soldiers, I squeezed Bloodbane juice into each one �� except my own, of course. Not enough to taste it, but enough to slowly kill anyone who would drink from them."

    The soldier gritted his teeth, struggling through pain. A sudden realization appeared on his face.

    "So that's why�� the other two were in such bad shape."

    Sunny nodded.

    "Shifty drank the most, so his condition worsened the fastest. Scholar was also not long for this world, but you finished him off before the poison could. Yourself, however�� it was as though Bloodbane had no effect on you at all. I was really starting to get worried."

    Hero's face darkened.

    "I see�� I understand."

    He thought about something, then looked at Sunny with surprise.

    "But�� but back then you didn't know�� that we will turn on you."

    Sunny just laughed.

    "Oh, please. It was obvious. Shifty was the kind of man who would kill for a pair of boots. Scholar was like a wolf in sheep's clothing. People are selfish and cruel in the best of situations �� was I supposed to believe that those two weren't going to do something terrible to me when faced with certain death?"

    Hero spat more blood.

    "Then�� what about me?"

    "You?" A disdainful expression appeared on Sunny's face. "You are the worst of them."

    "Why?"

    Sunny looked at him and leaned forward.

    "I might have not learned much in my short life, but I do know one thing," he said, all traces of humor gone from his voice.

    Now there was only cold, callous contempt. Sunny's face hardened as he spat:

    "There is nothing more pathetic than a slave who begins to trust his slaver."

    Hearing these words, Hero lowered his head.

    "I see."

    Then, suddenly, he laughed.

    "You�� you are a wicked little shit, aren't you?"

    Sunny rolled his eyes.

    "There's no need to be rude."

    But Hero wasn't listening to him.

    "Good. This is good. My conscience will be clearer."

    The young slave sighed in irritation.

    "What are you mumbling about? Just die already."

    Hero chuckled and suddenly pierced him with a stare. Somehow, he didn't look so sick anymore.

    "You see, that plan would have worked if I was a normal human. But, alas, my Soul Core has Awakened long ago. I've slain countless enemies and absorbed their power. Bloodbane poison, unpleasant as it might be, can never kill me."

    'Crap!'

    Sunny turned around and tried to run away, but it was already too late. Something hit him in the back, sending his body crashing into the rock wall. With a scream, he felt a sharp pain piercing his left side. Rolling out of the cave, Sunny clutched his chest, scrambled back onto his feet and ran, trying to escape the narrow crevice.

    He managed to reach the old path, finally being able to see the stars and the pale moon shining brightly in the night sky. But it was as far as he was able to get.

    "Stop."

    As the cold voice sounded behind him, Sunny froze. If Hero really had an Awakened Soul Core, he had no chances of getting away from him. In a fight, he had no chances at all.

    "Turn around."

    The young slave obediently turned, holding his hands up. He looked at Hero, who was wiping the blood off his face with a displeased look in his eyes. The two of them stared at each other, shivering in the murderous cold.

    "Was it worth it? No matter. Despite it all, I will be true to my promise. I'll make it quick."

    The soldier unsheathed his sword.

    "Do you have any last words?"

    Sunny did not answer.

    However, a small silver bell suddenly appeared in his hand.

    Hero frowned.

    "Where were you hiding that thing?"

    Sunny shook the bell. A beautiful, clear ringing sound flowed over the mountain, filling the night with an enchanting melody.

    "What are you doing?! Stop!"

    The young slave dutifully stopped.

    "What was��"

    Right under Hero's bewildered eyes, the silver bell disappeared into thin air. He looked at Sunny, stumped and suspicious.

    "Tell me! What did you just do?"

    But Sunny didn't answer. In fact, he hadn't said a single word ever since escaping the cave. Right now, he wasn't even breathing.

    Hero, on the other hand, continued to speak.

    "Tell me right now or you will regret it."

    He scowled.

    "Why are you not saying anything?"

    The shivering boy just stared at him, completely silent.

    No�� he was staring into the darkness behind him.

    Hero's eyes widened.

    "What��"

 Chapter 14 Child Of Shadows

    Chapter 14 Child Of Shadows

    Sunny had no choice but to resort to one last, desperate gamble.

    He had no chance against the enemy in a direct confrontation, at least not without an advantage. Bloodbane poison was supposed to be his hidden card, but turned out to be nearly useless. Being able to see in the dark did not help that much, too: somehow, Hero was able to perceive their surroundings even without any light.

    Whether he was using his sense of hearing or some magical ability, Sunny did not know �� not that it mattered now that they had left the cave and were standing under the moonlit sky.

    Now he had only one advantage left. The fact that he knew that the tyrant was blind, and Hero did not. Acting on that knowledge, however, was easier said than done.

    But what else could he do?

    That's why he tried to stay as quiet as possible and rang the silver bell. If the description did not lie, its ringing could be heard from miles away. Surely, the tyrant was going to hear it, too.

    Now Sunny only had to stay silent, stall for time and hope that the monster would come. As he did so, Hero's bewilderment slowly turned into anger.

    "Tell me right now or you will regret it."

    His voice was quite threatening, but still, the young slave did not answer. He just shivered in the cold and tried not to moan despite the pulsing pain in his chest.

    "Why are you not answering?"

    But Sunny did not dare to answer. He held his breath and watched, horrified, as the familiar colossal figure appeared behind Hero. His lungs were on fire, and his heart was beating like crazy. It was beating so loud that he was even afraid that the blind tyrant would hear it.

    But, of course, it couldn't be louder than Hero's voice, who was still talking, turning himself into the only source of noise on this mountain.

    At the last second, a hint of understanding appeared in the young soldier's eyes. He began to turn around, his sword rising with lightning speed.

    But it was too late.

    A massive hand appeared from the darkness and caught him into an iron grip. The bone claws scraped against the armor, pulling it apart. Mountain King dragged Hero back, paying little attention to the sword biting into its wrist. Viscous saliva was streaming from its opened maw.

    Petrified by fear, Sunny slowly turned his back to them and took a couple of steps up the old, winding path. Then he darted away, running as fast as he could.

    Behind him, a desperate scream tore apart the silent night. Then a hungry roar followed. It seemed that Hero wasn't going down without a fight, even though his fate was already sealed.

    But Sunny didn't care. He was running away, climbing higher and higher.

    "I'm sorry, Hero," he thought. "I did say that I will watch you die�� but, as you know, I am a liar. So go and die on your own��"

    ***

    A lonesome dark mountain stood tall against the raging winds.

    Jagged and proud, it dwarfed other peaks of the mountain chain, cutting the night sky with its sharp edges. A radiant moon bathed its slopes in the ghostly light.

    Under that light, a young man with pale skin and black hair reached the peak of the mountain. However, his looks didn't match the magnificence of the scene: wounded and staggering, he looked pathetic and weak.

    The young man looked like a walking corpse.

    His coarse tunic and cloak were torn and smeared with blood. His sunken eyes were cloudy and lifeless. His body was bruised, beaten and cut. There were specks of bloody foam on his lips.

    He was hunched over, cradling the left side of his chest. Each step caused him to moan, ragged breath barely escaping through gritted teeth.

    Sunny was hurting all over. But most of all, he was cold.

    So, so cold.

    He just wanted to lie down in the snow and fall asleep.

    But instead, he continued walking. Because he believed that the Nightmare will be over once he reaches the peak.

    Step. Step. Another step.

    Finally, he had made it.

    At the highest point of the mountain, a vast expanse of flat rock was covered with snow. In the center of it, illuminated by moonlight, stood a magnificent temple. Its colossal columns and walls were cut from black marble, with exquisite reliefs decorating the stygian pediment and broad frieze. Beautiful and awesome, it looked like a palace of a dark god.

    At least it did once. Now, the temple was in ruins: fractures and cracks marred the black stones, parts of the roof had collapsed, letting in ice and snow. It's tall gates were broken, as if smashed into pieces by a hand of a giant.

    Still, Sunny was satisfied.

    "Found you," he said in a hoarse voice.

    Gathering the last of his strength, the young slave slowly limped in the direction of the ruined temple. His thoughts were muddled and confused.

    'See this, Hero?' he thought, forgetting for a second that Hero was already dead. 'I've made it. You were strong and ruthless, and I was weak and timid. Yet now you are a corpse, and I am still alive. Isn't it funny?'

    He stumbled and groaned, feeling the edges of his broken ribs cutting deeper into his lungs. Blood was dripping from his mouth. Dead or not, Hero had gotten him good with that single strike.

    'Actually, it's not. What do any of you even know about being ruthless? Poor fools. In the world where I come from, people had thousands of years to turn cruelty into an art. And as someone on the receiving end of all that cruelty�� don't you think I would know more about being vicious than you ever could?'

    He was getting closer to the temple.

    'Truth be told, you never stood a chance�� wait. What was I thinking about?'

    A moment later, he had already forgotten. There was only pain, the dark temple, and the overpowering desire to sleep.

    'Don't fall for it. It's just hypothermia. If you fall asleep, you'll die.'

    Finally, Sunny reached the steps of the black temple. He started to climb them, not noticing thousands of bones that were scattered around. These bones once belonged to humans and monsters both. All of them were killed by the invisible guardians still lingering around the temple.

    As Sunny was climbing the steps, one of the shapeless guardians approached him. It was ready to snuff out the spark of life that was burning weakly in the defiler's chest, but then stopped, sensing a faint, strangely familiar scent coming from his soul. The scent of divinity. Sorrowful and lonesome, the guardian moved aside, letting Sunny pass.

    Oblivious, he entered the temple.

    Sunny found himself in a grandiose hall. Cascades of moonlight were falling through the holes in the partially collapsed roof. Deep shadows were surrounding these circles of silver light, not daring to touch them. The floor was covered in snow and ice.

    At the far end of the hall, a large altar was cut from a single piece of black marble. It was the only thing inside the temple untouched by snow. Forgetting why he came here, Sunny headed for the altar.

    He just wanted to sleep.

    The altar was dry, clean, and as wide as a bed. Sunny climbed on it and lay down.

    It seemed like he was going to die.

    He was okay with it.

    Sunny tried to close his eyes, but was stopped by a sudden noise coming from the direction of the temple's entrance. He turned his head to look, not even a little bit curious. What he saw would have sent chills running down his spine if he wasn't so cold, tired and indifferent.

    Mountain King was standing there, looking at him with its five blind eyes. He was still massive, terrifying and revolting. Worm-like shapes were still moving frantically under its skin. It was sniffing the air, salivating.

    Then it opened its maw and moved forward, slowly approaching the altar.

    'What an ugly bastard,' Sunny thought and suddenly clutched his chest, convulsing in a fit of torturous coughing.

    Bloody foam flew from his mouth and fell on the altar. However, the black marble soon absorbed it.

    A second later, it was as pristine as it was before.

    The tyrant was just about to reach Sunny. It was already stretching its hands to grab him.

    'I guess this is the end,' he thought, resigned to his fate.

    But at the last second, suddenly, the voice of the Spell resounded in the dark temple.

    [You have offered yourself as a sacrifice to the gods.]

    [The gods are dead, and can not hear you.]

    [You soul bears the mark of divinity.]

    [You are a temple slave.]

    [Shadow God stirs in his eternal slumber.]

    [He sends a blessing from beyond the grave.]

    [Child of Shadows, receive your blessing!]

    Under Sunny's astonished eyes, the shadows crowding the great hall suddenly moved, as though coming alive. Tentacles of darkness surged forward, entangling Mountain King's arms and legs. The mighty tyrant struggled, trying to get free.

    But how could it resist the power of a god?

    The shadows dragged Mountain King back, pulling in different directions. The tyrant opened its maw, and a furious howl escaped it.

    The next second, its body ruptured, torn apart into pieces.

    Blood, viscera and severed limbs fell on the floor in a crimson torrent. Just like that, the horrible creature was dead.

    Sunny blinked.

    Once again, he was alone in the ruined temple. The great hall was dark and silent.

    And then the Spell whispered:

    [You have slain an awakened tyrant, Mountain King.]

    [Wake up, Sunless! Your nightmare is over.]

    [Prepare for appraisal��]

 Chapter 15 Shadow Slave

    Chapter 15 Shadow Slave

    [Prepare for appraisal��]

    Sunny found himself in a space between dream and reality. It was an endless black void illuminated by a myriad of stars. Between those stars, countless strings of silver light were woven into a beautiful and inconceivably complex net, forming various nexuses and constellations. It was truly breathtaking.

    Somehow, Sunny understood that he was seeing the inner workings of the Nightmare Spell. He also couldn't help but think that it looked a lot like the celestial equivalent of a neural network. If so�� was the Spell alive?

    This was a question that countless people had been asking themselves for the past few decades. The best answer they had come up with was that there was no way to know. The Spell was neither alive nor dead; neither sentient nor mindless.

    It was more of a function than a creature.

    But Sunny was in no mood to ponder philosophical questions. He was eagerly awaiting his boon.

    The Spell was still appraising his performance. However, the first reward had nothing to do with it.

    [You have received a Memory: Puppeteer's Shroud]

    'Yes!'

    Sunny felt incredibly elated. He was almost ready to do a happy dance. That Memory belonged to Mountain King, who was an awakened tyrant �� which meant that the Memory itself was of the Awakened rank. Getting it was a stroke of incredible luck!

    There were seven ranks to everything in the Spell. These ranks were, in order of growing power: Dormant, Awakened, Ascended, Transcendent, Supreme, Sacred and Divine (with the exclusion of Nightmare Creatures, who were ranked as Dormant, Awakened, Fallen, Corrupted, Great, Cursed and Unholy).

    From the Spell's point of view, Sunny was a dormant human. Having a Memory of a higher rank than his own soul core would be of great help once he enters the Dream Realm. The power gap between different ranks simply could not be overestimated.

    He wanted to take a look at the Puppeteer's Shroud, but there was no more time. The Spell was done with its appraisal.

    Here in the void, its voice didn't sound subtle and familiar anymore. Rather, it seemed like the universe itself was speaking. Sunny held his breath, listening.

    [Aspirant! Your trial is over.]

    [A nameless slave ascended the Black Mountain. Both heroes and monsters fell by his hand. Unbroken, he entered the ruined temple of a long-forgotten god and spilled his blood on the sacred altar. The gods were dead, and yet they listened.]

    [You have defeated a dormant beast: Mountain King's Larva.]

    [You have defeated three dormant humans, names unknown.]

    [You have defeated an awakened human: Auro of the Nine.]

    [You have defeated an awakened tyrant: Mountain King.]

    [You have received the Shadow God's blessing.]

    [You have achieved the impossible!]

    [Final appraisal: glorious. Your treachery truly knows no bounds.]

    That final part was not really necessary, as far as Sunny was concerned, but he was still pretty satisfied with the praise from the Spell. He felt like his chances of evolving his Aspect to an Awakened, or even Ascended one were pretty high.

    His overall power was still dependent on the rank of his soul core, which would remain dormant until much later, but the rank of the Aspect itself would do wonders for his overall potential.

    [Dreamer Sunless, receive your boon!]

    He was an Aspirant no more. Sunny grinned.

    [You have been bestowed a True Name: Lost from Light.]

    His jaw dropped. A true name! He had received a true name! Never in his wildest dreams did Sunny dream of becoming one of the chosen few to accomplish such feat �� and in his very first Nightmare to boot! Not even all of the Saints could boast of having one. He was an elite now, a bonafide cream of the crop! He was going to be rich!

    But the rewards kept coming.

    [Your Aspect is ready to evolve. Evolve Aspect?]

    'What kind of a question is that?!'

    Sunny crossed his fingers and said "yes".

    [Dormant Aspect Temple Slave is evolving��]

    [New Aspect acquired.]

    [Aspect Rank: Divine.]

    Sunny fell over.

    [Aspect Name: Shadow Slave.]

    ***

    'Divine�� it's Divine.'

    Sunny was standing on his knees, stupefied. The shock was so great that for a second there he lost all control over his limbs and fell.

    'It said "divine"... right?'

    He raised a trembling hand and rubbed his eyes, making sure that he was awake. Or rather conscious, since, technically, he was still sleeping in the underground vault of the police station.

    Confused by all this terminology, Sunny silently summoned the runes and found the lines describing his aspect.

    Aspect: [Shadow Slave].

    Aspect Rank: Divine.

    Aspect Description: [You are a miraculous shadow left behind by a dead god. As a divine shadow, you possess plenty of strange and wondrous powers. However, your existence is empty and lonesome; you mourn the passing of your former master and long to find a new one.]

    Innate Ability: [Shadow Bond].

    Ability Description: [Find a worthy master and let them know your True Name. Once they recite it out loud, you will be bound to their will, unable to disobey any command. It is improper for a shadow, let alone a divine one, to walk around without a master.]

    That was�� a lot to digest.

    First of all, Sunny felt his heart beating faster. He heard it right! All the suffering and horror he had experienced in the First Nightmare paid off in the end. A divine Aspect, he had received a divine Aspect! Anything above Awakened was rare and immensely valuable!

    People with Ascended Aspects were rare enough to be fought over by various factions. The factions themselves were built around singular powerhouses with Transcendent or Supreme Aspects. And he had never, ever heard of anyone acquiring a Divine one. Never!

    Anything with the "divine" prefix was so hard to find that it mostly lived in the realm of myths and legends. After all, the human race had not reached that high yet; it was only slightly more than a decade since humans managed to finally conquer the Third Nightmare and receive the ability to evolve their cores to Transcendent rank.

    As Transcendents �� or Saints, as they were called in the real world �� powerful Awakened ruled over the Dream Realm, but even they did not dare to face Nightmare Creatures of higher ranks. Subsequently, there were not a lot of Memories and Echoes of Supreme rank around, let alone Sacred�� or Divine. The same went for Aspects.

    And yet Sunny just got one!

    He grinned, driven half-mad by joy and arrogance. However, his jubilation was a little muddied. After all, there was that weird innate ability. Of course, he had no intention of becoming someone's magical slave, with no free will of his own. To hell with that!

    But it wasn't that bad. All he had to do to avoid that fate was to conceal his True Name. No one except for him could see his status. That meant that Sunny just had to keep his mouth shut, and no one will know that he even had one.

    It meant giving up on all the benefits that someone who was bestowed a True Name after the First Nightmare was entitled to, but it all paled in comparison with a Divine Aspect.

    'Not a problem,' Sunny thought with a smirk.

    If the Spell had the ability to laugh, it would surely do so after hearing his thoughts. However, it didn't. Instead, it began to speak again:

    [The First Seal is broken.]

    [Awakening dormant powers��]

 Chapter 16 Rebirth

    Chapter 16 Rebirth

    Sunny felt something waking up inside of him. With a startled cry, he clutched his chest and stared into the darkness, trying to understand what was happening. The feeling was not painful or unpleasant, yet it was like nothing he had ever experienced. It was as though his soul was being shaken awake, infused with strange new energy.

    However, that energy did not come from some outside source. Rather, it was coming from within, as though it had always been there, sleeping.

    The energy filled every fiber of his being. Sunny felt his emotions becoming clearer and sharper. Then, his body began to change, too. He felt as though a miniature star was burning in the center of his chest: waves of heat were radiating from it, slowly reaching his stomach and shoulders, then his arms and legs, then his hands and feet.

    Under that heat, his bones, muscles, organs and blood vessels were being rebuilt and revitalized. Sunny felt like he was being reborn. He was becoming stronger, faster, healthier.

    It was euphoric.

    With each second, his transformation was becoming more profound. New confidence settled in Sunny's heart. He was not a weak, frail street kid anymore. He was not as vulnerable against anyone who would wish to bully him as he was in the past.

    With his powers awakened and his will tempered by the horrors of the First Nightmare, he was now someone you would not want to cross.

    After some time had passed, the star burning in his chest finally cooled down. The heat was replaced with a soothing coldness. That coldness washed over Sunny's body, taking away all the aches and discomforts that had been accumulated there over the years. Then it moved up, reaching his brain and, finally, his eyes.

    His vision strangely doubled.

    He could still see the void populated by an endless pattern of stars. But he could also see something different.

    A silent, calm dark sea illuminated by a lonely black sun.

    From his previous knowledge, Sunny knew that this was his so-called Sea of Soul. But he also knew that it was supposed to look quite different.

    For starters, it was supposed to be much more lively. The star hanging above �� the visual representation of his soul core �� was supposed to be burning with bright light, filling the Soul Sea with a warm, blinding shining.

    However, Sunny's soul was dark and lightless.

    'That's strange.'

    He took a look at the black sun. At a closer examination, it actually turned out to be transparent. It's just that with no other major source of light around, the star had appeared to be as dark as its surroundings.

    Also, no one wass supposed to be here except for him. It was his soul, after all! But Sunny had a nagging feeling that somewhere just beyond the periphery of his vision, hidden in the darkness, shapeless forms were constantly moving. No matter how he turned his head, he couldn't catch a clear glimpse of them. And yet the feeling would not go away.

    Not wishing to waste any more time on this right now, Sunny turned back to the black sun and finally spotted two spheres of light orbiting around it, as though caught in the soul core's gravity well. A subtle smile appeared on his face.

    These were his Memories: Silver Bell and Pupetter's Shroud. Later, there would be dozens of such spheres here. If he was lucky, he would even acquire an Echo or two!

    The Spell's voice suddenly pulled him out of the Sea of Soul.

    [Awakening Aspect Ability��]

    'This is it. The moment of truth,' Sunny thought.

    Divine Aspect or not, his immediate future still depended on the first Aspect Ability he would receive. His role in the Dream Realm would be based on its characteristics. If it was a combat ability, he would be most useful on the frontlines of the bloody battles against the Nightmare Creatures. If it was tied to sorcery, he would likely become a powerful, but fragile ranged fighter.

    If it was something having to do with utility, he would be a vitally important part of the behind-the-scenes workings of the Dream Realm. Utility Abilities were also extremely valued in the real world, where Awakened performed many tasks that kept it going.

    If he was lucky, he could even become a healer. Healers were very rare, and as such, sought-after specialists.

    [Aspect Ability acquired.]

    [Aspect Ability Name: Shadow Control.]

    Sunny hurriedly summoned the runes. He wanted to go to the description of his new ability right away, but then decided to give his overall information a look first.

    Name: Sunless.

    True Name: Lost from Light.

    Rank: Dreamer.

    Shadow Core: Dormant.

    Shadow Fragments: [12/1000].

    'What? What is that?'

    Where the rank of his soul core was supposed to be written, a mysterious "Shadow Core" appeared instead. Sunny looked at it, blinking. He had never heard of anyone having a different kind of core before. Was he that unique?

    This enigmatic shadow core would certainly explain why his Sea of Soul looked so strange. And also�� He moved his eyes down, noticing the "Shadow Fragments" counter. Usually, there was supposed to be an indicator of the number of soul shards consumed. However, it was nowhere to be seen.

    'Do I�� do I actually have a completely different progression path than all Awakened?'

    The idea was as exciting as it was frightening. Not having to fight for resources with anybody else was an incredible advantage. Most of the human society in the Dream Realm was built around the acquisition of soul shards. If he had no need to gather them to evolve�� not only would he be able to become more powerful with incredible speed, he would also be completely self-sufficient.

    On the other hand, he had no idea how to acquire these shadow fragments. However, he had gotten twelve of them somehow already: so whatever it was that he had to do, he had already done it in the First Nightmare.

    'I'll have to explore this carefully.'

    Satisfied with this decision, Sunny continued to study the runes.

    Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer's Shroud].

    Echoes: ��

    Attributes: [Fated], [Mark of Divinity], [Child of Shadows].

    Aspect: [Shadow Slave].

    Aspect Rank: Divine.

    Aspect Abilities: [Shadow Control].

    Aspect Ability Description: [Your shadow is more independent than most. It is an invaluable helper.]

    'What is that supposed to mean?'

    Sunny held his breath and began to read the description again, but at that moment, a new set of runes appeared just below it. Simultaneously, the Spell's voice resounded in the black void.

    [All power has a price.]

    [You have received a Flaw.]

    [Your Flaw is: ��]

    Sunny read the runes, and his eyes widened in horror.

    'Oh, no. No, no, no...'

 Chapter 17 Three Simple Words

    Chapter 17 Three Simple Words

    He closed his eyes, then opened them again, hoping that the runes would disappear.

    'Please, be gone! Please!'

    But the runes were still there, shining slightly, as though mocking him.

    Flaw: [Clear Conscience].

    Flaw Description: [You cannot lie.]

    Sunny stared at these three simple words, feeling like there was a bottomless abyss opening right beneath his feet. The Spell, which was usually frivolous with its descriptions, decided to be straight and on point this time. There were only three words. They left him no room to maneuver.

    'Can't lie. I can't lie? Me? How am I supposed to live if I can't lie?!'

    Sunny's very survival was predicated on his ability to deceive and outsmart other people. Even the Spell itself congratulated him on his treachery! Without the ability to lie, he wouldn't be able to achieve anything.

    Not to mention��

    His heart suddenly felt as though it was about to stop.

    If he could only tell the truth, how was he supposed to hide his True Name? Wouldn't anyone be able to turn him into an obedient slave by simply asking a couple of innocent questions?

    "Sh��"

    Sunny was about to scream and curse, but at that moment, the Spell spoke again.

    [Wake up, Lost from Light!]

    The black void spun and disappeared.

    ***

    Sunny opened his eyes.

    The armored ceiling of the police station's vault hang above him. No one would call its aesthetics beautiful, but to him, it was the most majestic sight. Only now did he realize how much he had missed the real world.

    It was safe and familiar. There were no monsters or slavers�� well, at least officially. There was no constant fear of torturous death.

    It was home.

    In addition, Sunny felt incredible. The cold that had crept deep into his bones during the Nightmare was gone, taking with it all the pain that his wounded body had been enduring day after day. His feet and wrists were not in agony, his back had forgotten the bite of the whip, and he could even breathe without feeling the sharp edges of his broken ribs cutting deeper and deeper into his lungs.

    What a blessing!

    The sudden disappearance of pain, coupled with the new vitality that permeated his body, almost made Sunny cry.

    'I really survived.'

    He slowly looked down and then froze, breathless.

    On a cheap plastic chair placed beside his reinforced medical bed sat the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

    She had short, raven-black hair and icy blue eyes. Her flawless skin was smooth, supple and as white as snow. Actually, this was Sunny's first time meeting someone as pale as he himself was. However, while Sunny's pallor looked strange and unhealthy, the beautiful stranger was nothing short of striking.

    The woman seemed to be in her late twenties. She was wearing a dark blue uniform with silver epaulets and black leather boots. The jacket of her uniform was casually unbuttoned, revealing a black tank top beneath.

    Currently, she was stretching her arms above her head, clearly bored and sleepy. The gesture forced the thin fabric to tighten, provocatively accentuating her full breasts.

    Mesmerized, Sunny almost missed the fact that there was a shoulder insignia on the woman's left sleeve. There were three stars on it.

    'Three stars, huh,' he thought, distracted. 'Three stars means an Ascended�� huh�� yeah. Wait. An Ascended?!'

    But before Sunny could fully digest the meaning of this word, he realized that the woman was staring at him, too.

    "What are you looking at?" she said, not a gram of humor in her voice.

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, embarrassed, and quickly came up with an excuse. Then he opened his mouth and answered:

    "Your breasts."

    A second later, his eye widened in absolute horror.

    Because he wasn't planning to say those words at all! His mouth moved on its own!

    A wave of terror suddenly drowned his mind.

    The woman slowly smiled with a dangerous gleam in her eyes. Then, without any warning, she moved her hand and slapped Sunny across the face.

    Sunny whole body was turned around. If it wasn't for the restraints holding him in place, he would have probably flown off the bed. For a moment, he even saw stars.

    But it could still be considered getting off lightly. An Ascended, the woman was an Ascended! She could have torn his head clean off with a flick of a finger. Why did he have to offend someone so powerful, of all people?!

    Meanwhile, the woman cleared her throat and crossed her arms.

    "Are you awake now?"

    Sunny held his numb cheek and carefully nodded.

    "Good. Let me give you a piece of advice: don't just say anything that comes to your mind. Especially to girls. It's not like you haven't seen a girl before, right?"

    'Say "Thank you! I definitely will not!"' Sunny thought.

    But instead, his mouth moved on its own, and he said:

    "I've seen plenty... but no one as beautiful as you."

    Then he flinched back, his face as red as a lobster.

    The woman stared at him for a few seconds and then burst into laughter.

    "I see you haven't met a lot of Awakened then. By Awakened standards, I'm below average."

    Sunny glanced at her with doubt.

    The woman shook her head.

    "As your soul core develops, the body gets rid of all its imperfections. So it's hard to find an unattractive Awakened, especially among the stronger ones. Live long enough, and you might just become a flower boy yourself."

    Then she gave him a thorough look and added:

    "Well�� maybe. In any case, since you're awake �� welcome back to the land of the living. Congratulations on surviving your First Nightmare, Sleeper Sunless."

    ***

    Sleeper Sunless.

    That was how people would address him now, at least in the short span of days until the winter solstice �� after that, he would either return from the Dream Realm as an Awakened or not return at all.

    It felt strange to have a title put before his name. In the past, Sunny was rarely even addressed by name. People mostly called him things like "boy", "punk", "brat" or "hey, you!". But now he even had a title.

    Sleeper Sunless��

    Actually, the correct term was "Dreamer". But humans had their own set of words for those infected by the Nightmare Spell. Carriers who had just finished their First Nightmare were called Sleepers because of how they interacted with the Spell.

    Basically, once his spirit enters the Spell, his body was going to fall into slumber. That slumber would continue for days, weeks, or even months �� however long it takes him to escape the Dream Realm. Hence the term "Sleeper".

    Once he escapes and becomes an Awakened, he would live his life normally during the day and return to the Dream Realm every time he falls asleep. The Awakened were called the same by the Spell and the humans. That word was also sometimes used as a general term for all carriers.

    Then, if he were to decide to enter a Second Nightmare and managed to survive, he would become an Ascended �� people called them Masters. Masters could enter and exit the Dream Realm as they wished. Some even chose to never come back there at all. More than that, they traveled between the worlds physically, not just in spirit.

    And then, above the Masters, there were Saints �� those who had conquered the Third Nightmare and earned the right to call themselves Transcendent. They were as powerful as demi-gods, and even more rare. Not only could they travel between the real world and the Dream Realm, but they could also take others with them.

    But coming back to Masters��

    The beautiful woman stood up and approached the reinforced medical bed. With practiced moves, she began to undo the restraint holding Sunny in place.

    "I am Ascended Jet. You can call me Master Jet. These past three days, I was on watch duty due to your Nightmare."

    'Right�� before I fell asleep, the policeman told me that an Awakened would arrive in a few hours to monitor my condition. To kill the Nightmare Creature if�� if I die and let it through.'

    Sunny was unwilling to open his mouth, terrified that all sorts of truths would come spilling out. But there were things he simply had to know.

    "Master Jet? I have a question."

    "Go on."

    "Why would a Master be put on watch duty? Isn't it�� below your pay grade?"

    Jet gave him a dark look.

    "You're smarter than you seem. Recently, there was a lot of Gates opening in this sector. Most of the local Awakened are either wounded or occupied with the clean-up. Or dead. It's always like that close to the winter solstice."

    She opened the final restraint and took a step back.

    "Plus, there's not a lot of Awakened who, like me, directly work for the government. It's by far the least lucrative or glorious carrier one of us can choose. Would you abandon wealth and fame to work abysmal hours and risk your life, fuelled only by altruism and sense of duty?"

    Sunny wanted to say something flattering. Instead, he looked Master Jet right in the eyes and smirked.

    "Of course not. I'm not an idiot!"

    'Damn this damn Flaw! Damn!'

    She stared at him with a humorless expression. Sunny thought that he was going to get slapped again.

    But instead, Jet smiled.

    "See, I was right. You really are smart."

 Chapter 18 Absence Of Light

    Chapter 18 Absence Of Light

    Sunny was enjoying a hot shower. After their short conversation, Master Jet had sent him to clean himself, saying that he "reeked of Nightmare". The unnatural slumber of the Spell would slow down the body's metabolism, and the medical apparatus he had been strapped into was supposed to take care of the rest, but he was still asleep for three whole days.

    Even if only psychological, the scent of bloodshed and despair lingered around him.

    'Ah, I'm in heaven,' Sunny thought, willing himself to temporarily forget about the looming disaster of the Flaw.

    He was alone in the police station's showers, relaxing under the streams of hot water. After a bit of time had passed, Sunny reluctantly turned the tap off and walked over to the towel rack. Coincidentally, he saw himself reflecting in the mirror.

    The changes in his physique were subtle, but noticeable. His pale skin seemed a little healthier, his muscles a bit more pronounced. He looked slender and lean instead of emaciated and frail, as he did before. There was a slight luster to his dark hair and a shine to his eyes.

    However, he was still rather diminutive. Not exactly a picture of masculine handsomeness, to say the least.

    'Flower boy, huh?' Sunny thought, full of bitterness.

    Then he suddenly froze, noticing something strange. As he was looking at himself in the mirror, the reflection of his shadow seemed to move. It was as though the shadow lowered its head and quietly facepalmed.

    Sunny quickly turned around, piercing his shadow with a nervous look. However, everything seemed normal. The shadow was doing exactly what it was supposed to do, repeating his every motion.

    "I clearly saw you move," he said, feeling a bit strange. "You have just moved on your own, right?!"

    Sunny glared at the shadow, which obediently glared back.

    "Did you move or not?"

    The shadow enthusiastically shook its head.

    'What the?!'

    "What do you mean, "no"?! You've just moved your head! Do you think I'm a fool?"

    The shadow seemed to think for a bit and then shrugged.

    Sunny was left with his mouth agape.

    "Your shadow is more independent than most. It is an invaluable helper," he muttered finally.

    Right. This was how the Spell had described his Aspect Ability.

    But what exactly could his shadow do?

    He decided to experiment a little.

    "Hey, you. Tell me what you can do."

    The shadow was silent and motionless.

    'Right. It doesn't have vocal cords.'

    As though that made any sense! Shadows were not supposed to have muscles either, and yet it knew how to move.

    "Uh�� show me?"

    No reaction. It seems the shadow was content pretending to be an ordinary, lifeless blob of darkness.

    Sunny sighed.

    'I'm doing this wrong.'

    Independent or not, the shadow was still a part of him. It was a manifestation of his Aspect Ability. So instead of asking the shadow, he really should have been asking himself.

    "Not going to talk, are you?"

    Sunny closed his eyes and directed his perception within, exploring himself for the first time since returning to the real world. He felt the beating of his heart, the steady rising of his chest, the slight chill of the shower room. He heard droplets of water falling on the tiled floor. Felt the movement of filtered air against his skin.

    And there, on the verge of his consciousness, something new.

    A completely new sense.

    Sunny concentrated on it, and suddenly a whole other world opened to him. It was hard to describe with words, just like one would have trouble explaining how hearing or touch feels.

    It was as though he could communicate with vast forms that crowded around him and receive an understanding of both their own shape and the surrounding space, guided by the different degrees of pressure they exerted on his mind and each other.

    That understanding came naturally and instantaneously, like an instinct.

    These forms were shadows. And among them, one �� not the largest one, but the deepest �� didn't feel like an external entity. It was like a part of his soul.

    Once Sunny grasped the feeling of it, he could sense the shadow just like he sensed his limbs. The only thing was that his limbs were made out of flesh, and the shadow was made from the absence of light.

    Sunny opened his eyes and looked at the shadow. Then, with a thought, he willed it to raise an arm.

    The shadow raised an arm.

    He willed it to sit, stand, turn around, kick. Then he willed it to change shape, turning into a circle, then a line, then a monster. And finally, back to his own silhouette. The shadow was mercurial and fluid, like water. The only constant was its size.

    "Ha! How about that?"

    The shadow pouted, then reluctantly raised its thumbs.

    "But how are you useful?"

    He willed the shadow to strike the towel rack. It obediently moved and delivered a powerful kick. Of course, since it was just a shadow, its leg passed over the towels harmlessly, not even causing them to sway a little.

    "Is that�� all you can do?"

    In his mind, the image of shadow tentacles tearing the mighty tyrant into little pieces cracked and shattered mercilessly. It seemed he would not be competing with Shadow God any time soon.

    How regretful.

    The shadow looked at him with disdain. Then it shrugged and stopped moving altogether, clearly offended.

    Sunny sighed and took a towel off the rack.

    "Alright. I will explore it later."

    ***

    A few minutes after that, he was wearing a clean police-issued tracksuit and heading for the cafeteria. Master Jet was waiting for him at one of the tables, with two trays full of steaming synthetic food in front of her.

    "Help yourself."

    Sunny glanced at the cheap gruel, which was not so different from the stuff he used to consume in the outskirts, and sighed. Somehow, he had expected his first meal after becoming a Sleeper to be more lavish.

    Still, it was food.

    He sat down and began to wolf down the gruel ravenously. He was very, very hungry.

    In the process, his thoughts began to wander. Sunny stole a glance at Jet and wondered. The Spell told him to find a master, and the next thing he knew there was a woman calling herself Master right in front of him. He tried to imagine being an obedient slave to someone like her.

    Weird thoughts started to appear in his mind��

    'You know what, Sunny,' he thought with dark irony. 'Knowing your luck, this would be a perfect moment for her to ask��'

    "What are you thinking about?"

    Sunny choked on the gruel. He felt his mouth beginning to open, and put all of his will into staying silent. A second passed without him saying anything. Then a weird pressure appeared in his mind, which soon turned into blinding pain. He endured it for a couple more seconds before giving up.

    "I was thinking that it would be a perfect moment for you to ask me about what I am thinking," he finally said.

    Jet gave him a weird look.

    "Alright. Are you almost finished with your food?"

    Sunny nodded.

    "Then I'll begin. As per protocol, I am obligated to inform you of a few things. It is mostly a formality. First of all, concerning your Nightmare��"

    She glanced at him and sighed.

    "You are entitled to receive free psychological counseling. No matter what traumatic experience you have encountered, there is no shame in asking for help. Your mind is as important as your body �� it's only right to keep it healthy. Are you interested?"

    Sunny shook his head. Jet shrugged and continued:

    "As you wish. You can also talk to me. Was it very hard?"

    How could he answer?

    "It was simultaneously much worse than I expected and exactly as bad as I expected."

    She nodded, satisfied with that explanation.

    "That's a good attitude. I won't pry any further. Us outskirt rats are way more resilient than people think."

    Sunny looked at her in surprise.

    "Master Jet�� you grew up in the outskirts?"

    She grinned.

    "What? You can't tell because of my exquisite manners and polished exterior?"

    He blinked a couple of times, surprised.

    "I couldn't tell at all."

    After thinking for a while, he added:

    "Are there a lot of people like us among the Awakened?"

    Jet's smile disappeared.

    "No. There's not. In fact, they can be counted on one hand."

    As expected. Odds were really stacked against people like them. That made the three stars on Jet's insignia even more exceptional.

    'One day, I'll be a Master too.'

    If she can do it, why can't I?

    "So�� what happens now? What else are you obligated to tell me?"

    Sunny had no idea what he was supposed to do after leaving the police station. The winter solstice was just several weeks away.

    Jet leaned back and answered:

    "That's basically it. There are some additional hoops to jump through, mostly having to do with your family, but�� well. I've read your file, so I know it doesn't apply. The only thing left is to decide how you will be preparing for your first journey into the Dream Realm."

    She looked at her communicator and grimaced.

    "I must stay, your luck is exceptionally bad. There's not a lot of time at all. First of all: you are free to do what you want. No one is forcing you to make a certain decision. That is to say, you can choose to prepare on your own, or not prepare at all. Party until the lights go out."

    Sunny was not very well versed in partying.

    "However, I would advise against that. As a Sleeper, you are also entitled to enroll in the Awakened Academy. You'll be provided with food, lodging and a wide choice of preparatory classes. This late into the year, you won't be able to learn a lot. But it's better than nothing."

    She was silent for a few seconds, then added:

    "More importantly, you will get acquainted with most of the people who will enter the Dream Realm with you. Some of them might become your companions for life."

    'And some may end up trying to end that life once we're inside the Spell,' Sunny added, reading between the lines of what Master Jet had said.

    "So, what do you say? Do you want me to take you to the Academy?"

    Sunny thought about it. Strangely, his Flaw was silent, not forcing him to answer one way or the other.

    'Is it because I haven't made up my mind yet?'

    Finally, he looked down, at his empty tray, and made a decision.

    Free lodging and food, you say?

    "Yeah. I want to go to the Academy."

 Chapter 19 Crossing The Bridge

    Chapter 19 Crossing The Bridge

    Sunny was standing in front of the massive, seemingly indestructible red gates of the Awakened Academy. The Academy was, in fact, a city within the city. It was built like a fortress, with a high wall made of hard alloy, deep moat and numerous large-caliber turrets which were placed in certain positions to create a deadly air-suppression dome. No Nightmare Creature, not even colossal titans, were supposed to be able to break through its defenses.

    It was a legendary place. Actually, many of the most popular webtoons, youth dramas and novels took place right behind that wall. Adventures, rivalries and romantic entanglements of the young Awakened heroes were the mainstream theme of modern entertainment. Never in his wildest dreams did Sunny imagine actually becoming one of these heroes.

    Of course, how things really were differed a lot from how it was portrayed in the media. More than that, he had only four weeks to spend here before venturing into the Dream Realm. Even if he wanted to, there was not enough time for any type of entanglement. And he definitely did not want to.

    He had to learn how to survive, not waste time on such nonsense!

    The snow was slowly falling to the ground. It was cold and silent in front of the Academy gates. Except for Sunny, there was only one other person �� another new Sleeper, if he had to guess.

    It was a tall, slender girl of around his age, with clear grey eyes and a detached look on her face. She had strange, silver-white hair that was cut short and neatly parted to the side. Just like him, she was dressed in a police-issued tracksuit and had no personal belongings with her. On her head, there was a pair of old-fashioned headphones. She was calmly listening to music while they waited.

    There was a certain vibe to the silver-haired girl. It was sort of�� as though she was apart from the world. She looked confident and self-sufficient, but also a bit lonely.

    Sunny wasn't going to start a conversation. Who knew what kind of situation he would put himself in due to that damn Flaw? It was better to keep to himself.

    He glanced at the girl and sighed.

    'I wonder what Flaw does she have?'

    Finally, the gates began to open. The giant, ridiculously thick sheet of reinforced metal slowly descended, creating a long bridge. Sunny looked ahead with grim determination.

    Master Jet's parting words echoed in his mind.

    ***

    On their drive to the Academy, Sunny didn't speak much, looking at the sights of the city that were flying past the window of Jet's personal transport vehicle. Actually, it was his first time sitting in a PTV: most people in the city couldn't even dream about getting a license and purchasing a vehicle like that, having to do with public transportation.

    He had ridden in the back of a police cruiser once or twice, but that was a completely different experience.

    At some point, Master Jet looked at him and said:

    "Since we both come from the outskirts, I'll give you three pieces of advice. Whether you listen to me or not is your business."

    Sunny turned his head, waiting.

    "First: once you're registered in the Academy, they'll offer you psychological counseling again. There will also be a valuable reward for sharing your experiences in the Nightmare and the details of your Appraisal. You'll be able to receive a soul shard, maybe even several of them."

    He frowned.

    "Are you trying to convince me to visit a psychiatrist again?"

    Jet shook her head.

    "No. I'm telling you to refuse."

    Surprised, Sunny raised his eyebrows.

    "Why?"

    There was a pause before she answered.

    "You're too green to understand, but out there in the Dream Realm, Nightmare Creatures are not the only danger. Once you grow powerful enough, humans will become an equal threat. The less they know about your Aspect, the better."

    So that's how it is.

    "The easiest way to defeat a powerful Awakened is to use their Flaw. That's why young fools in the Academy are encouraged in various ways to share the details of their Aspects. I'm not saying that the government will leak your information, but once two people know a secret, it's no longer a secret. And there's a lot of people working for the government."

    That made a lot of sense.

    "Thank you, Master Jet."

    She gave him a nod.

    "Second: there will be a lot of courses to choose from. All types of combat training, deep dives into Nightmare Creature categories and vulnerabilities, basics of various types of sorcery, artifact study and so on."

    Sunny gulped. Actually, he was already agonizing about what weapon to train with. Four weeks was not enough to master a weapon, but at least he would have a basic understanding of it.

    "Disregard all of that. The only course you have time to attend is Wilderness Survival."

    He blinked.

    "What?"

    Jet glanced at him.

    "It's different for city kids, who learn all sorts of useful things in school and from their tutors. But we don't have that advantage, do we? What was the biggest threat to your life during the Nightmare?"

    Sunny thought about it. On the surface, the most dangerous thing he faced was the tyrant, followed by Hero�� Auro of the Nine. But actually, what almost killed him in the end was��

    "The cold."

    Jet smiled.

    "Smart. You only know how to survive in the city. But the Dream Realm is mostly made of wilderness. Do you know how to make a fire? How to procure food? How to find safe shelter? No. Fighting monsters is important, but it'll be useless if you die of hunger or exposure to the elements. Trust me. I've learned it the hard way."

    Sunny nodded, angry at himself. It was so obvious, yet he never even thought about these seemingly simple things. He was blinded by his past habits and experience.

    Human brains were like that: once accustomed to a certain way of living, it was hard to see past the already familiar routines. It was lazy thinking at its worst.

    At that point, Master Jet had stopped the car and opened the door, getting out. Sunny followed her and was momentarily stunned, staring at the colossal metal gates in front of them.

    This was�� the famous Awakened Academy.

    After a few seconds, he shook off his amazement and turned to his senior.

    "This is as far as I go," she said, looking cheerlessly at the walls of the Academy. "I've already notified them. Someone will come fetch you in a while."

    There was something dark in the depths of her icy blue eyes. Sunny suddenly felt a cold feeling spreading through his body.

    "What's the third advice?"

    Master Jet glanced at him, then sighed.

    "Remember: no one can survive in the Dream Realm alone. That's not an opinion, that's a fact. Try to get along with your peers, even if they don't treat you well. It might save your life."

    Then she suddenly smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

    "You've done well to survive until now. Make sure to keep yourself alive in the future, too."

    Then she got back into her PTV and drove off. Just like that, she was gone.

    ***

    The end of the metal bridge hit the special grooves in the ground and stopped moving after a set of loud clicks. Sunny looked ahead, wondering what kind of life he was going to be living in the next four weeks.

    Keep your Flaw and Aspect secret, learn to survive in the wilderness, be nice to other Sleepers. It didn't sound too hard.

    But, for some reason, he was sure that these weeks were going to be as challenging as his First Nightmare. Or maybe even worse.

    Seemingly free of such concerns, the silver-haired girl walked forward and stepped on the bridge.

    Sunny sighed and reluctantly followed.

 Chapter 20 Outcast Once Again

    Chapter 20 Outcast Once Again

    The Sleeper part of the compound was relatively small and situated in the southern part of the Academy, surrounded on all sides by training fields and parks.

    It was a low, modern building constructed with reinforced materials. Like the majority of buildings in the Academy, most of it was hidden below the ground, leaving only a couple of floors above it. With its white, pristine alloy walls and wide windows, it must have looked beautiful in the summer, contrasted against all the greenery around.

    Inside, the building was spacious and well-lit. Sunny and the silver-haired girl were taken to a large hall where a hundred or so of young men and women �� Sleepers of the same unfortunate timing as the two of them �� were already waiting for the beginning of the induction ceremony. Most of them were nervous, tense and excited.

    Logistics of the Academy were a constant headache for the administrators since the rate at which the Spell infected people was always chaotic. There was no way to orderly structure for batches of Sleepers to undergo any type of standardized education on a shared schedule: some of them had a full year to prepare for the Dream Realm, some only months, some even mere days.

    That's why these induction ceremonies were held each month at the beginning of the year and then every week once the winter solstice began to loom near. Some of the Sleepers in the hall had to wait days to be inducted, while Sunny had lucked out and was delivered to the Academy just hours before the scheduled event.

    Once inside the hall, he understood two things.

    Firstly, everyone was well-dressed and in possession of a suitcase, a duffel bag, or at least a backpack carrying their personal belongings. They were obviously coming prepared, most likely from home, sent off by their families. So Sunny and the silver-haired girl, who came empty-handed and wearing simple police-issued clothes, were not a norm like he had assumed, but actually an eye-catching anomaly.

    'Right. That makes sense.'

    Secondly, Master Jet was not being overly humble when she called herself below average by Awakened standards. Even though these young people were just starting their paths as Awakened, their looks were dazzling. Everyone was handsome, beautiful and radiated health.

    He swallowed.

    'Still, I feel like none of them compare. She might not be as perfectly shaped, but�� I don't know�� she has a presence. It's like shadows become deeper and the temperature drops by a couple of degrees when she's in a room.'

    Was this the difference between a Sleeper and a Master?

    But all of these thoughts were just him trying to postpone the inevitable. Sunny already knew that he was in for a wild ride.

    Because he could not lie, and all of these excited youths, regardless of their clothes, gender and looks, wanted to do one thing.

    Talk.

    Every one of them wanted to talk with fellow Sleepers. They wanted to discuss their Nightmares, their future journey into the Dream Realm, and everything in between. They wanted to ask questions. They wanted to be asked questions. They wanted to discuss something important or just chit-chat about stupid things.

    Everyone wanted to share.

    'It's a nightmare!' Sunny moaned, disturbed and fearful. 'I'm doomed!'

    Then, with a bit of grim determination, he gritted his teeth and slowly exhaled.

    'Just think about it as a continuation of your trial. You survived the black mountain, so you can survive this, too.'

    He had faced heroes, villains, monsters and even gods. Was he going to be afraid of a bunch of teenagers?

    ��He might have underestimated how scary teenagers can be.

    In half an hour, pretty much everyone in the room hated his guts.

    After a short series of conversations, Sunny had acquired a reputation of an obnoxious, foul-mouthed pervert. This reputation was quickly solidified. He was slapped a few times and even punched once. He also discovered a couple of new things about his true self �� namely, that deep down inside he was apparently rude, arrogant, and more than a little bit lustful.

    The conversations went something like this:

    "Look at all these young people. How many do you think will return from the Dream Realm? How many will perish? What do you think our own chances of survival are?"

    "I don't know, but I'm pretty sure that a pompous fool like you will die first!"

    Or:

    "I even received an armor-type Memory in my Nightmare. It's an enchanted robe. Would you like to see?"

    "Actually, I would prefer to see you without a robe��"

    Or:

    "Then those lowlifes began to rob the bodies. It was disgusting! They even took their shoes! What kind of degenerate would take a dead man's shoes?"

    "I once killed a man and took his boots. They were nice boots."

    "... What? You killed someone just for a pair of boots?"

    "Of course not! There were other reasons. I also took his cloak."

    Once again an outcast, Sunny was eventually left alone. People seemed to be avoiding him. Unperturbed, he found a quiet corner and stood there, glad that no one wanted to talk to him anymore. His face hurt, and there was blood dripping from his nose. Being ostracised from a group was nothing new, but it still stung.

    However, he was smiling.

    Because in the process of turning the whole batch of Sleepers against himself, Sunny had discovered something vital.

    He learned how to control his Flaw.

    Once asked a question, he could not keep quiet. He also couldn't lie. However, after a lot of experimentation, Sunny had found out that with a bit of practice, he could influence the exact way the truth eventually came out.

    It was like this: after receiving a question, his mind automatically produced a truthful answer. After that, the Flaw would force him to say that answer aloud. Refusal to speak would result in the buildup of pressure, then piercing pain. The longer he kept quiet, the worse the pain would become. Eventually, he would have to surrender and reveal the truth.

    However, in these moments between receiving the question and surrendering to the pain, the actual wording of the answer could be changed. The more it strayed from the initial thought, the more resistance he would meet �� once again in the form of pressure, then pain. It still had to be truthful, but it didn't have to be so stark.

    For example, if Master Jet were to catch him staring again and ask what he was looking at, instead of embarrassing himself Sunny would have been able to endure a bit of pain and simply say "You."

    That would still be the truth, however, the result would be entirely different.

    Hidden in the corner, Sunny grinned as he observed the Sleepers.

    'This is good. This is great. This is something I can work with!'

    After all, one didn't have to lie to deceive a person. Sometimes, truth was the best material for creating deceit.

    ***

    If used with a certain devious type of intelligence, truth could be as misleading as lies. For example, in one of his previous conversations, Sunny had confessed that he had once stolen boots from a dead man. The other guy was horrified and asked if he had really killed someone just for a pair of boots. The answer the Flaw forced him to give was that there were other reasons and that he had also taken the man's cloak.

    The true reason for killing the veteran slaver was that he had whipped Sunny a few hours prior. Besides, he was already dying. The cloak had nothing to do with the killing itself. However, the wording of the answer created an impression that it did.

    Thus, two truthful statements, when put together, created an effect akin to a lie.

    This was just a simple example. With a lot of effort and intense thinking, Sunny could create other types of manipulative truths. It was going to be extremely difficult and risky, but it could be done.

    He just needed a bit of luck.

    It was time to put his theory to practice.

    Sunny didn't forget what his main goal was �� to make sure that no one ever finds out his True Name. To achieve that, he had to create an impression that he was the most pathetic, weak person in this whole building. Someone who would never receive a positive appraisal, let alone a divine Aspect and a True Name.

    However, since this would be a lie, he couldn't just go and say it.

    So how was he to convince everyone that he definitely did not have a powerful Aspect and an impressive record with the Spell?

    His eyes fell on a particular group of Sleepers. There were five or six of them, gathered around a tall, confident young man.

    The young man had brown hair and a gentle, handsome face. His eyes were green, with a hint of friendly humor. His posture, figure and attentive gaze betrayed someone who went through extensive training. Everything about the young man screamed of nobility and strength.

    Just at that moment, one of his companions was saying with a tone of amazement:

    "Ascended? You have received an Ascended Aspect? What�� what was your Appraisal?!"

    The young man smiled humbly.

    "Oh. It was "excellent."

    Sunny stopped in front of the group, as though by accident. After hearing the young man's answer, he frowned and looked at him with disdain.

    Then, with a voice full of utter bewilderment, Sunny said:

    "Ascended, excellent? That's it? What's the big deal?"

 Chapter 21 First Performance

    Chapter 21 First Performance

    His words hung in silence. The Sleepers looked at Sunny with a hilarious assortment of emotions, ranging from bewilderment to shock. The young man with humorous eyes just smiled politely.

    To be honest, getting an Ascended Aspect during the First Nightmare was extremely rare. He was certainly someone special, maybe even outstanding. Actually, despite their apparent differences, the young man somehow reminded Sunny of Hero�� Auro of the Nine.

    There was a special type of calculating coldness hidden deep inside their eyes. He had encountered such people before, mostly among the veterans of various street gangs in the outskirts.

    They simply called this type of coldness "murder math". Basically, it was a habit experienced fighters developed �� no matter where they were and what mood they were in, there was always a sober part of their minds constantly calculating the most efficient way of killing the person in front of them, just in case such need arises.

    'Ugh. Why do I have to antagonize someone like that, of all people?'

    But Sunny really had no grounds to complain. After all, he brought this on himself.

    After a few seconds, one of the young man's companions finally blinked and said:

    "Uh�� friend, you must not know a lot about the Spell. Caster's results are truly remarkable."

    Then, with a furtive glance at the remarkable Caster, he added:

    "He is a Legacy, after all."

    An actual, living and breathing descendent of an Awakened clan? Sunny reevaluated his opinion of the humorous young man. Legacies were known to be trained for their eventual entrance into the Spell from the moment they could walk. For them, being infected was a certainty instead of a possibility.

    They were extremely formidable people.

    'Just great!' he thought bitterly and made his frown deepen.

    "Are you trying to pull a prank on me? You call this remarkable?!"

    The bewilderment in the eyes of these Sleepers was slowly being replaced by hostility.

    "Listen, friend. If you don't think that an Ascended Aspect is remarkable, then please share with us your own amazing results! What, pray tell, was your Appraisal?"

    Caster himself was still keeping quiet and smiling. However, his defenders were growing restless.

    This was exactly what Sunny wanted to happen. He smiled with utter contempt.

    "I would let you know�� my Appraisal was, uh, it was "glorious"! Yes, glorious. And the Aspect I acquired was of the Divine rank."

    After that, he received a number of strange looks. No one had ever received a Divine Aspect before; so, of course, they were starting to think that he was a lunatic. But there was still a sliver of doubt�� maybe that strange guy was a descendant of a powerful clan? A peerless prodigy? Maybe his Appraisal was, indeed, glorious��

    Sunny had to dispel that tiny bit of doubt.

    "Mind you, I'm not some lofty Legacy. Pfft! I'm from the outskirts. I've never even received combat training. All that training and he only got an "excellent"? What did he do during the Nightmare, pick his nose the whole time?"

    The expressions of all the Sleepers that were listening to his bragging instantly changed. An outskirt rat with no training�� yeah, sure. Who was he trying to fool?

    Finally, with the same polite smile, Caster spoke:

    "Glorious? That is interesting. Would you mind telling us what were your achievements in the Nightmare?"

    Sunny grinned.

    "Sure, no problem! First of all, I killed an�� uh�� an awakened tyrant."

    Every "uh" cost him a couple of moments of intense pain, but he didn't let it show on his face. His expression was nothing but smug and confrontational.

    The mere mention of a tyrant, let alone an awakened one, made a couple of Sleepers smile with ridicule.

    "Oh, really? How did you kill it?"

    An arrogant look appeared on Sunny's face.

    "How? Let me tell you, I didn't even have to lift a finger. I just spat, and it was torn to pieces!"

    Which was true. Sunny had spat a mouthful of blood on the altar, and as the result, Mountain King was ruthlessly dismembered by Shadow God.

    Someone openly laughed.

    "This guy is either insane or purposefully messing with us. Listen here, shorty. Have some decency, okay? Who would believe such a lie?"

    Sunny was genuinely angry. He wanted to retort, saying that he wasn't short. But he couldn't.

    Because that would be a lie, damn it!

    So, instead, he just gritted his teeth and said with a voice full of outrage:

    "I can't answer that, because it's not a lie!"

    "Are you really insisting that you had killed an awakened tyrant �� a tyrant! �� and with a bit of spit no less?"

    Sunny knitted his brows.

    "That's the truth!"

    More laughter followed.

    "Crazy bastard!"

    "He actually believes in his own crap!"

    "Insane, he's insane��"

    Unexpectedly, Caster stopped his companions.

    "Guys."

    After the laughter quieted down, he asked in a friendly manner:

    "What else did you achieve?"

    What? That wasn't enough? Sunny raised his chin.

    "Let me think�� Oh! I also killed an awakened swordsman."

    "Really? How did you do that?

    Acting as though he was a little bit embarrassed, Sunny looked down.

    "That�� actually, that time I had to lift a finger. I even had to shake it a couple of times. That was enough to kill him, though."

    He was holding the Silver Bell between his fingers, which led to Hero being attacked and eventually killed by the tyrant. So, technically, all his statements were true.

    "What a crackpot!"

    "Ha! Can you believe this idiot?!"

    "Poor bastard. Not only is he weak, he's also lost it��"

    Caster gave his companions a long look and then turned to Sunny.

    "Anything else?"

    Sunny blinked. Time for the finishing touch��

    "Something else? Uh�� Well. Oh, right! I communicated with a bunch of gods, even though they were all dead. I made one of them wake up. He gave me a blessing! I was blessed by a god, do you all understand?!"

    The Sleepers were silently shaking their heads or looking at him with pity. Caster sighed.

    "I see. Well, in comparison to your achievements, mine do look rather average. Thank you for sharing with us. I hope you'll be as successful once we enter the Dream Realm."

    Sunny smiled with a look of smug superiority on his face.

    "You better believe it!"

    With that, he turned around and walked away.

    'Ah. That's a job well done.'

    He was pretty sure that after this performance, no one would ever believe that he actually had some kind of a powerful Aspect or did anything worthy of notice during the Nightmare. He only told them the truth, and yet managed to make everyone believe in the opposite of the truth.

    Such an incredible feeling.

    What did they think of him now? They thought that he was weak, grew up without any education in the outskirts, and had no training. More than that, he was apparently either insane or incredibly stupid. His temper was terrible.

    Truly pathetic and pitiful fellow.

    Now, whenever he was asked about his Aspect, he could just honestly say that it was of the Divine rank, and be laughed at. People would rather believe that the Spell had ceased to exist than that he was someone noteworthy. He could even scream about his accomplishments from the roof, and no one would believe him.

    Subsequently, no one would ever suspect that he had a True Name.

    'Just you wait, fools. One day I'll be the one laughing.'

    As Sunny was walking away, he heard one of the Sleepers talking to Caster:

    "Why didn't you put that lunatic in his place? He has belittled you!"

    After a short pause, Caster answered. His voice sounded low and mellow.

    "Poor kid must have lost his mind in the Nightmare. It often happens. He'll most likely die soon, so being kind is the least I can do��"

    The corner of Sunny's mouth twitched.

    'What a nice guy.'

    He knew that Caster's words were based on a false assumption, but, for some reason, still felt a cold chill running up his spine.

 Chapter 22 Corpse Corner

    Chapter 22 Corpse Corner

    Satisfied with his performance, Sunny walked back to the deserted corner of the hall. He felt people looking at him with mockery, contempt and pity. No one seemed to be willing to stay close to him. It was just as well: he didn't want to be bothered anyway.

    Still, weren't their reactions a bit exaggerated? It's not like he was carrying an infectious disease. Well, except for the Spell. But it wasn't really a disease, which everyone here should have known already.

    Finally, he extricated himself from the crowd and reached the corner. For some reason, Sleepers were unwilling to approach it: currently, there was only one girl sitting quietly on the bench. Sunny gave her a look.

    The quiet girl was delicate, demure and very pretty. Her clothes were tidy and neat. They weren't very expensive, but still rather tasteful. With her pale blond hair, big blue eyes and exquisite face, she looked like a beautiful porcelain doll.

    She was subtly breathtaking.

    However, there was something wrong with her. Sunny frowned, trying to understand what exactly about the girl made him uncomfortable. After a while, he realized that her empty, expressionless stare was reminding him of Mountain King.

    Startled, Sunny understood that the girl was blind. It took him a couple of seconds to compose himself.

    'What a shame.'

    A bit disheartened, he carefully sat on the opposite end of the bench.

    The girl wouldn't have survived the First Nightmare if she had been blind prior to entering the Spell. Which meant that she lost her sight as the result of the Appraisal.

    It was her Flaw.

    Suddenly, Sunny felt very apprehensive. A cold sensation spread through his chest.

    'And I thought my Flaw was bad.'

    No matter what Aspect Ability the blind girl had received in exchange for her sight, it was effectively a death sentence. A blind person had no chances of surviving in the Dream Realm, at least not with a dormant core. In some sense, the girl was already dead.

    She was effectively a walking corpse.

    Feeling extremely disturbed, Sunny turned away and studied the crowd of Sleepers. Now he understood why people were trying to avoid this corner: the girl was surrounded by an invisible, but almost palpable aura of death.

    Sleepers usually weren't very superstitious, but anyone would feel uncomfortable in her company.

    Armed with this knowledge, Sunny suddenly saw a pattern in how the young people in the hall were grouped. Instinctively, they all tried to stand close to those of their own circumstance.

    At the far end of the hall, closest to the stage, were one or two small groups. People in these groups were distinct from the rest of Sleepers. They were all confident, calm and had an air of readiness. These were the Legacies: they were trained for the Spell since birth and had the highest chances of survival. Caster especially stood out from the rest.

    Next to them was a larger number of expensively dressed young people. They were lively and excited, and only a little nervous. They were the scions of rich and high-ranking citizens. Their training was pretty good since such families had ample funds to hire private tutors �� even Awakened ones. Their chances of survival weren't bad.

    Then there was the largest part of the crowd, which consisted of kids from middle-class families. They might not have had the privilege of training under Awakened tutors, but their education wasn't bad. The government spent a lot of effort to put all the necessary knowledge and skills into the school curriculum, preparing potential Sleepers in advance.

    Some of them might have received additional training in private. To survive, these Sleepers would need to put in a valiant effort, and also have a bit of luck. But it wasn't improbable. Consequently, they were tense and nervous.

    And lastly, there was Sunny and the blind girl. The corpses. From the point of view of other Sleepers in the hall, their chances of survival were close to zero.

    'How charming.'

    This was how the young Sleepers had subconsciously divided themselves. The only exception from this rule was the silver-haired girl, who stood alone and apart from everyone, seemingly indifferent to tension and nervousness that permeated the air. She was leaning against a wall with her eyes closed, still listening to music.

    But regardless of their group and level of training, everyone was already tired of waiting.

    'When will the damn induction ceremony start?' Sunny thought, irritated.

    As though answering his thoughts, a tall man in a dark blue uniform appeared on the stage. Not only was he tall, he was actually almost a giant. Sunny even wondered if the man's mother had sinned with a bear��

    Of course, it was impossible �� bears had gone extinct long before the Spell even appeared. But he once saw pictures in a book, and they looked sort of similar.

    'A bear-like Nightmare Creature, then.'

    The giant man had wide shoulders, an athletic build and a gorgeous brown beard. His eyes were calm and serious. After reaching the center of the stage, he gave Sleepers a long look. When his gaze reached the deserted corner, Sunny suddenly felt nervous.

    'Uh�� I sure hope he doesn't have a telepathic Ability. Otherwise, he might separate me from a limb or two on behalf of his mother.'

    The man didn't pay Sunny a lot of attention and returned his gaze to the front rows of the crowd. Finally, he said in a deep, reverberating voice:

    "I am Awakened Rock. Sleepers, welcome to the Academy."

    Everyone listened without making a sound.

    "In less than a month, you will be summoned to the Dream Realm. Some of you might think that you are well prepared. You're wrong. The Spell is merciless and cunning. The moment Awakened begin to think too much of themselves, they die. I've seen countless Sleepers like you lose their lives. I've also seen experienced Masters lose theirs. Even Saints are not assured to survive."

    'Thanks for the encouragement,' Sunny thought sarcastically.

    "In the following four weeks, we will do everything in our power to increase your chances of survival. You will receive training from the best instructors in the world. However, don't be misled by their fame: in the end, whether you return from the Dream Realm alive depends only on one person �� you. The responsibility to survive is yours, and yours alone. "

    Except for the Legacies, Sleepers were looking at each other with growing fear in their eyes. Awakened Rock continued:

    "You are not children anymore. It's a shame, because you ought to be. But the Spell has decided otherwise. You have been to the First Nightmare, so you already know what it's like. Your parents, your teachers and your friends can't help you anymore��"

    'Haven't had any of those in a long time.'

    While listening to Rock's speech, Sunny couldn't help but feel a little excluded. It was all old news to him. However, he understood the instructor's purpose: he had to make young Sleepers afraid, because fear was the only thing that would keep them alive.

    Finally, the speech got to the important part. Awakened Rock paused, giving kids listening to him a few moments to digest his words. Then, with a short nod, he continued:

    "Now we will talk about the difference between Nightmares and the Dream Realm��"

 Chapter 23 Dreams And Nightmares

    Chapter 23 Dreams And Nightmares

    That was something Sunny was keenly interested in.

    Of course, he had a general knowledge of how things were set inside the Spell. But the First Nightmare had already shown him that reality was different from how it was portrayed in popular culture in a number of small, but infinitely important ways.

    He needed to separate truth from the myths. And, of course, it was very advantageous to hear it from the mouth of someone who had actually been to the Dream Realm. So Sunny was all ears.

    Awakened Rock began to speak:

    "Most people are aware of what Nightmares are �� because they have an impact on the real world and their lives. All of you have been warned before entering the First Nightmare that, should you perish there, a Nightmare Creature would be allowed to cross the threshold and enter reality."

    Yup, that was the reason why Master Jet had to wait patiently by his side, prepared to deal with the monster if it appears.

    "First Nightmares are unique, because each of them is individual. That's why only a single Creature can appear. However, starting from the Second Nightmare, things become much more dangerous. These Nightmares are not tied to an infected person. Instead, they are born in the Dream Realm. While the Seed of the Nightmare is growing, any number of Awakened can attempt to conquer it."

    Hunting down Nightmares was the main responsibility of the Awakened. Sunny knew that much.

    "Should they all die or fail to find the Seed before it matures, a Gate will open in the real world, letting through countless monsters. You all know the consequences. Other Awakened will be forced to withstand the onslaught on this side, but then there can be massive destruction or losses among the civilian population."

    Opening Gates were something that every person on the planet feared. It was also the second disaster brought upon by the Spell after the initial appearance of the Nightmare Creatures. The main difference was that, in that initial wave, there were only dormant beasts. However, Gates had ranks of their own, and any type of Creature could potentially step through.

    Not long before Sunny was born, a Rank 5 Gate opening left a whole continent uninhabitable. Luckily, high-rank Gates were very rare.

    Awakened Rock's voice grew solemn.

    "So it is not wrong to say that the purpose of the Awakened is to enter the Dream Realm, seek out maturing Nightmares and close them before any harm could befall the real world. From this, you can see that the Dream Realm and the Nightmares are connected, but are not one and the same. If Nightmares are the destination, then the Dream Realm is the road. But it is also so much more."

    'Very romantic. Does Awakened Rock have poetic inclinations?'

    "Simply put, the Dream Realm is a world. It is vast, mysterious and mostly unexplored. It is also dead. There is no life out there except for the Nightmare Creatures, corrupted ecosystems�� and now us. But it wasn't always dead. We can tell that once, a long time ago, the Dream Realm was home to several primitive civilizations. There are a lot of ruins buried in its soil."

    From what Sunny knew, those lost civilizations were not really primitive, it's just that their development was centered around soul cores and mysticism as opposed to technology. So, basically, miracles and magic. What were their names? How did they fall? No one knew.

    Maybe they were destroyed by the Spell.

    "We don't know if the Dream Realm exists inside the Spell as one of its illusions, just on an unimaginably larger scale, or if it's real, with the Spell only serving as a pathway between two realities. However, we do suspect that the illusions conjured up inside the Nightmares are based on its history. They are replicas of past events, somehow reconstructed from the depths of time."

    So, there might have been a real slave caravan on that black mountain once, a long time ago. Sunny remembered how time seemed to move in reverse at the beginning of his Nightmare. He thought about how things would have ended up without his involvement. Did the nameless temple slave perish in Mountain King's maw with the rest of the caravan?

    Somehow, he felt that the nameless slave was not that simple. Otherwise, why would the Spell remember him? And what about Hero? Was he able to escape?

    'I wonder.'

    "There are four main differences between the Dream Realm and the Nightmares. Firstly, it doesn't have a "story". There is no predetermined conflict you are forced to resolve. You can move freely and explore, provided that you have the strength to stay alive in the wilderness. Most people tend to stay close to one of the human Citadels."

    'That's good to know,' Sunny thought, unconvinced.

    Sure, there were no predetermined conflicts in the Dream Realm. But with his [Fated] attribute, he was pretty certain to end up in some kind of trouble. So that freedom Awakened Rock had mentioned was relative in his case.

    Meanwhile, the instructor continued:

    "Secondly, as I have already mentioned, there are no people in the Dream Realm except for those who came from the real world. There are only monsters. Some of them can mimic human appearance, though, so be mindful of that."

    Sunny felt cold sweat running down his back. Nightmare Creatures mimicking humans? So creepy! Since when was that a thing? Why hasn't he ever heard about it?

    He stole a glance at the Legacies standing in the first row and noticed that they did not show any sign of surprise. So, they knew.

    "Thirdly, unlike the First Nightmare, no Nightmare Creatures will appear in the real world if you die in the Dream Realm. It may sound cruel, but that's a good thing. Awakened forces are already spread thin. If we had to monitor every Sleeper, we wouldn't have resources to handle more important matters."

    Considering that each Sleeper could spend weeks, sometimes even months in the Dream Realm, there was ruthless logic in that statement.

    "And lastly, and most importantly. Unlike Nightmares, which are bound by the rules of fairness, there is no limit to what kind of Creature you can meet in the Dream Realm. During its trials, the Spell won't pit a dormant human against an opponent many ranks above them��"

    'Oh really?' Sunny sneered.

    However, he was forced to agree with Awakened Rock. Even though both Hero and Mountain King were way out of his league, they were still just one rank above him.

    "... But in the Dream Realm, no such restrictions exist. Theoretically, you can stumble upon an Unholy Titan and die before even realizing what happened. So be careful and stick to the regions with enemies on par with your own rank. It's not an ironclad guarantee, but at least there will be less of a chance of you biting off more than you can chew."

    Sticking to a region populated by Nightmare Creatures below his rank was even better. That was exactly what Sunny was planning to do.

    Awakened Rock paused for a few moments, studying the faces of Sleepers in front of him. Then he added:

    "When the solstice comes, you will be drawn into the Dream Realm. The exact location of where you will appear can't be predicted in advance, but there is a high chance that many of you will find yourselves in close proximity to each other. Band together and proceed to the nearest human Citadel. Each Citadel is built around a Gateway. Once you reach it, you will be able to return."

    Gateways were special portals that served as exit points from the Dream Realm. Once Sleepers reached such a portal, they would be able to escape back to reality and become Awakened. Their core would evolve, and they would also receive a second Aspect Ability. After that, they would return to the Dream Realm each time they fall asleep.

    "If you can't locate or are unable to reach the nearest human Citadel, search for an unclaimed Gateway. It will usually be inside or near the most prominent landmark of the region. Work together to defeat its guardians and come back alive."

    He gave them a heavy look.

    "That is all for today. Next, follow the instructions sent to your communicators to find your assigned dormitory. Once settled, you may proceed to the cafeteria for some late supper. There will be a round of interviews after that, to prepare your suggested curriculums. Get a good night's rest. Your training starts tomorrow."

    With that, he gave them a short nod and left.

    Sunny sighed.

    'Can't be predicted in advance, huh?'

    With his luck, he would either drop right in the middle of a prosperous human Citadel and immediately roll into a Gateway, or appear in some region of the Dream Realm so remote and deadly that no one had ever heard about it or returned from it alive.

    'Let's hope for the former.'

    Since he couldn't do anything about it, Sunny wasn't very worried. There was something much more important on his mind �� what, exactly, do they serve here for supper��

 Chapter 24 Moving Up In The World

    Chapter 24 Moving Up In The World

    Everything having to do with Sleepers was situated in the same building. Sunny followed the instructions sent to his communicator and quickly found the dormitories, which were situated on one of the lowest levels. To his surprise, he actually got a whole room to himself.

    It had a bed with a soft mattress, a table, a dresser, and even a separate bathroom! The materials were new and aesthetically pleasing, the air crisp and sterile. It was warm inside, and the outer wall was equipped with a hidden screen that seamlessly imitated a wide window, opening to a picturesque vista of a snowy park.

    There were even several sets of clothes with the Academy emblem provided to him for free.

    'How extravagant,' Sunny thought, a little stunned.

    Rationally, he understood that such an arrangement was not really luxurious. However, to him, who grew up wandering the outskirts, this room was like a palace. He scratched his head.

    'Looks like�� I've made it?'

    Sunny glanced around, then winked at his shadow and smiled.

    "I guess we're moving up in the world, huh?"

    The shadow didn't respond, apparently not very impressed. Perhaps it didn't care about such things.

    'Right, what would a stupid shadow know?'

    Sunny changed into new clothes and studied himself in the mirror. Then, remembering something, he summoned the runes.

    He finally had time to study the Puppeteer's Shroud.

    Memory: [Puppeteer's Shroud].

    Memory Rank: Awakened.

    Memory Type: Armor.

    Memory Description: [A worm of doubt once found its way into a righteous king's heart. With time, the king was devoured from inside and became its puppet. A lifetime later, the Puppeteer Worm escaped from the king's dead body, leaving behind a cacoon of black silk. No one knows where it went; however, once people dared to approach the silent castle, they found the silk among the mountains of gnawed bones and fashioned it into an armor.]

    Sunny made a sour face.

    'That is not that terrifying. Yeah. I'm not creeped out at all.'

    Come to think of it, the first creature he killed was called a larva. If he were to assume that Mountain King was a mature Puppeteer Worm �� and already a tyrant�� then what the hell would it transform into after becoming a moth?

    No, it's better not to think about it.

    With a sigh, he summoned the Puppeteer's Shroud. Thin black threads immediately appeared around his body and wrapped it into a set of armor. It was made of dark-gray, soft fabric with several elements, such as bracers and shoulder guards, fashioned out of black, lusterless leather.

    The armor was light, understated and did not restrain his movements at all. It also made no sound when he moved. Perfect equipment for someone who likes to lurk in the shadows!

    Sunny smiled. He knew that this armor would be tough to pierce for any Creature below the Awakened rank, which gave him a great advantage in dealing with all dormant monsters. He also felt a sort of strange, faint calmness while wearing it.

    'A worm of doubt�� does it have enhanced protection against mental attacks?'

    Somehow, he was sure of it.

    A great trophy! He wouldn't expect anything less from the Memory of a powerful tyrant.

    The only problem was that the Puppeteer's Shroud was obviously not meant to be worn on top of a full set of clothes. Quite satisfied, Sunny dismissed it and left his room, heading for the cafeteria.

    'Not bad, not bad,' he thought, recalling all the rewards he had received during and after the First Nightmare.

    The supper turned out to be as lavish as the dormitory. Sunny's wish to taste real meat finally came true: not only was it freely available to Sleepers, there wasn't even a limit to the amount each of them could eat! More than that, there were rice, bread, various side dishes, sauces, fresh vegetables, fruits, and all kinds of delicious beverages.

    'Extravagant!' Sunny thought, steering clear of the coffee.

    After building a small mountain of food on his plate, he found an empty seat and, for a while, forgot about the world's existence. As juicy, textured, perfectly seasoned meat filled his mouth, Sunny's vision suddenly was full of stars. He had to hold back an exhilarated moan.

    And to think, he could have lived like that for a whole year!

    'Damn Spell�� why didn't you infect me a few months ago?'

    He concentrated on the food, decimating the whole plate in no time. Satiated and more than a little gorged, Sunny longingly looked back and thought about getting another serving. But it was already time for his appointment with the Academy personnel.

    Full of regret, he stood up and left the cafeteria.

    Soon, he found himself in a small office, sitting across from an administrative worker. The worker was very friendly, and started the interview right away.

    Just like Master Jet had warned him, Sunny was offered psychological counseling again. Remembering her advice, he refused, and the interview smoothly switched to questions about his Aspect.

    He didn't want to give up information about his abilities, but also knew that he had to tell the worker something. Luckily, the questions were worded in a way to put Sleepers at ease. As such, most of them started with nice and polite preambles like "would you like to tell me" or "if you're willing to share", which gave Sunny an opportunity to give neutral answers.

    "Would you mind telling me about the type of Aspect Ability you received, as in combat, sorcery, utility?"

    He did mind, but had to be careful.

    "Uh, I'm not sure. I haven't had time to understand it well."

    "That's alright. Are you able to directly deal damage with your Ability?"

    "I guess not? Earlier, I wasn't even able to harm a towel."

    Things went on like that. In the end, Sunny shared just enough information to create an impression that his Aspect was weak, harmless and most likely having something to do with utility.

    After that, he returned to his room, undressed, and went to sleep.

    Sunny thought that falling asleep for the first time after the Nightmare would be weird, but in fact, it was surprisingly easy. Lying on a soft mattress, with his skin against clean bedsheets and a fluffy pillow under his head, he slept like a baby.

    ***

    Early in the morning, Sunny washed up in his private bathroom and, bursting with energy, hurried to get breakfast in a happy mood.

    The cafeteria was a bit crowded. After filling his plate with all kinds of delicious stuff, he quickly realized that the only place he could sit was near the blind girl from yesterday. Her table was empty, since no one wanted to be close to her.

    Sunny grimaced. It seemed that the two of them were doomed to be outcasts together for the remaining four weeks. He also felt uncomfortable in the company of someone who was practically a dead person, but there wasn't much of a choice.

    Losing his good mood, he sat at the blind girl's table and gave a percursory nod to the social worker who was helping her get around. After that, he tried to pretend that they didn't exist and concentrated on his food.

    However, before he could finish, a sudden commotion drew his attention.

    'What's going on?'

    He looked up and noticed that a lot of Sleepers were gathered around the large screen hanging on the wall of the cafeteria, their faces filled with excitement and awe. On the screen, a list of names was displayed, ranking the new batch of Sleepers from weakest to strongest, most likely deduced from the results of the interviews.

    Not particularly interested, he quickly found his own name near the bottom of the list. The only Sleeper who the Academy judged to be less likely to succeed than him was the blind girl. Turns out, her name was Cassia.

    But the commotion was a bit too loud to be just the result of the ranking. Curious, he moved his gaze up. The Sleepers were restless.

    "How�� how can this be?!"

    "I'm not seeing things, right?"

    "What kind of a monster is she?!"

    Caster was placed in second place. And right above him, the portrait of the silver-haired girl could be clearly seen.

    To the right of it, two simple lines of text were displayed:

    "Name: Nephis"

    "True Name: Changing Star"

 Chapter 25 Wilderness Survival

    Chapter 25 Wilderness Survival

    So, the silver-haired girl, Nephis, also received a True Name in her First Nightmare. To get his own, Sunny had to deal with Hero and Mountain King while possessing a completely useless Aspect �� an impossible feat that seemed to have pleased the Spell very much.

    'I wonder how she had gotten hers.'

    Sleepers in the cafeteria were struck dumb by the revelation of this achievement. They were staring at the screen with astonishment, fear and admiration. Listening to their excited whispers, Sunny felt a childish desire to scream "Me too! I have one too!".

    But, of course, he kept quiet.

    Looking around, he noticed Caster's gaze fixed on the screen. There was a strange, somber expression on the humorous young man's face. But the weird thing about it was that, as far as Sunny could tell, Caster wasn't looking at the line of text containing the True Name.

    Instead, he was staring at the line of text that read "Nephis", as though the girl's actual name held more meaning to him than the one given by the Spell.

    'Interesting. Do they know each other?'

    Why would a lofty Legacy know someone who came to the Academy in a police-issued tracksuit? And speaking of Nephis�� where was she?

    Sunny glanced around the cafeteria and quickly noticed the silver-haired girl, who was sitting quietly in a corner with a cup of coffee in her hands. She wasn't paying a lot of attention to the commotion, seemingly immersed in her thoughts. Her grey eyes were serious and distant.

    "A Sleeper with a True Name? That's impossible!"

    "It's technically possible. Smile of Heaven received her True Name in the First Nightmare, I think. But yeah, I'm doubtful��"

    "Maybe she lied in the interview?"

    "Are you stupid? If it was that easy to deceive the administrators, the crazy pervert from yesterday would have been in the first place instead!"

    Sunny's face twitched. Crazy pervert, huh��

    "Well, why don't we just ask her?"

    Suddenly, there was a deafening silence in the cafeteria. Following the suggestion, Sleepers stopped talking and turned around, staring at Nephis. However, no one seemed to have the courage to approach her first.

    Finally sensing something, she raised her eyes and looked at them with surprise.

    "Mmm. What?"

    Even the blind girl, Cassia, turned in the direction of her voice.

    After a couple of moments, Caster suddenly walked over and made a small bow.

    "Lady Nephis. I am Caster from the Han Li clan. I see that your trial went well?"

    Lady? Why is he addressing her that way? And he had to introduce himself�� so, they don't know each other? Interesting.

    Nephis seemed to be a little bit perplexed by the question. After thinking for a while, she smiled brightly and shrugged.

    "It is what it is."

    Caster awkwardly returned the smile.

    "I see. I am very glad that you returned unharmed. Uh�� not that I doubted your abilities."

    Nephis nodded.

    "Thank you."

    After that, she returned to her coffee, indicating that the conversation was over or simply oblivious to everyone's attention.

    Sunny sighed.

    'How mysterious.'

    There were a lot of thoughts on his mind. However, none of them could distract him from the most important thing�� breakfast. A few seconds later, he had forgotten all about the awkward dynamic between Caster and Nephis and was happily shoveling down his food.

    ***

    The Wilderness Survival classroom was spacious, tastefully decorated�� and completely empty. Sunny even thought that he was mistaken, but then spotted a gloomy instructor sitting behind a wide wooden desk. Noticing him, the instructor perked up.

    "Come in, young man!"

    He was a lively old man with messy grey hair, absentminded eyes and a pair of bushy eyebrows that seemed to jump around on their own.

    "I'm Awakened Julius. You can call me Teacher Julius. Sit down, sit down! What's your name?

    Sunny obediently sat down.

    "It's Sunless."

    Julius raised his eyebrows.

    "Ah! What an ominous name. But that is good, very good. After all, we have to deal with a lot of ominous things!"

    Sunny carefully looked around.

    "Uh�� I'm sorry, Teacher. Did I come too early?"

    "No, no�� you're right on time."

    "Are other students late?"

    The instructor grunted with incredible contempt.

    "No one else is coming. Those brutes are only interested in swinging their fists and swords around. Very few are smart like you and know the true value of knowledge��"

    Oh. So it was that unpopular. Sunny inwardly sighed, hoping that he won't regret the decision to abandon combat training in favor of this course.

    "Say, young man�� why did you choose Wilderness Survival, of all things?"

    There was no point in hiding the true reason. Not that Sunny would have been able to anyway��

    "The Awakened that monitored me during the First Nightmare, Master Jet, had advised me to study it above all things."

    "A very wise advice! That Master truly knows what's important�� wait. Did you say Jet?"

    His eyes widened.

    "Soul Reaper Jet? That murderous savage?! Hm. Who would have thought that a barbarian like her would know the value of intricate knowledge."

    Soul Reaper? Sunny's curiosity was picked.

    "Teacher, do you know Master Jet?"

    Julius carefully looked behind his back before answering:

    "Who doesn't know the Soul Reaper? She might not be the most powerful Awakened out there, but she is certainly one of the most feared. That's because her Aspect Abilities disregard flesh and target soul cores directly. Which means that no amount of armor, damage resistance and physical protection can stop them."

    He leaned forward.

    "The only good thing is that she's young and not likely to become a Saint anytime soon, or even ever. Yes, luckily, there's a very low probability that she'll ever advance."

    Sunny blinked.

    "Why?"

    Julius looked at him as though trying to comprehend how someone could be so ignorant.

    "Because of her problematic personality, of course! Who would want to help a psychopathic killer become a Saint? You need a team of outstanding companions and a lot of support to attempt conquering the Third Nightmare. Soul Reaper Jet isn't�� wait!"

    Suddenly, Julius frowned and leaned back.

    "Why am I gossiping with you? You're too young to know such things! More than that, it's not in my character to badmouth others behind their backs!

    'I would beg to differ,' Sunny thought sarcastically, but didn't say anything out loud.

    He already got a lot of juicy information out of Teacher Julius.

    'Maybe choosing Wilderness Survival was the right choice after all.'

    "Let's get back to your curriculum. What other courses are you taking?"

    Sunny sighed.

    "None. For the next four weeks, I'll be fully concentrated on Wilderness Survival."

    Julius stared at him for a whole minute, an expression of utter astonishment written clearly on his face. Then, slowly, an excited gleam appeared in his eyes. Finally, he grinned.

    "Wonderful! This is wonderful! You're such an astute young man! Don't you worry. In four whole weeks, I will make you immortal��

    ***

    Sunny's lessons with Teacher Julius started pleasantly and without much tension, but just an hour later, he felt like his head was ready to explode. There was so much new information, and all of it was so strange and counterintuitive for someone who had never left the walled-off, sheltered confines of the city.

    From time to time, Julius gaped at Sunny's lack of knowledge and relevant experience. However, he had a good attitude and an endless enthusiasm for teaching. Whenever Sunny stumbled, he would patiently slow down and allow his student to catch up.

    The curriculum that Julius planned out was practically insane. There was an endless amount of theoretical knowledge to learn, practical lessons both in virtual reality and the real world, numerous subjects and weird things to study. There were even several lessons dedicated exclusively to learning the basics of several dead languages of the Dream Realm!

    'Why would I need to learn new languages?' Sunny thought with self-pity. 'The Spell automatically translates everything!'

    But Julius was uncompromising.

    "The Spell is not a translator! Do you think it has the time to express the intricacies of human speech? Let's say you're seeking shelter in a ruin and find an inscription that reads "certain death ahead". There are thirty words for death in the rune language! Just by knowing the runes, you'll be able to deduce what kind of danger there is!"

    On the first day, they studied until the sun was about to set. Only then did Julius decide to let Sunny go. Mentally exhausted and lamenting the fact that he had to miss lunch and dinner, Sunny decided to gently remind his teacher about the importance of food for maintaining high levels of concentration tomorrow.

    After returning to his room, he fell on a chair and stared blankly into the distance for a while. Then, as though remembering something, Sunny turned to his shadow.

    Right. He had a lot to accomplish before supper.

    He observed the shadow for a few seconds and then grinned.

    "Let's see what you can really do��"

 Chapter 26 Changing Star

    Chapter 26 Changing Star

    Sunny was pretty sure that his shadow was capable of much more than just being a silent follower. After all, the Spell had described it as being an invaluable helper. It was now up to him to find out how exactly Shadow Control could be of help.

    As in many other matters having to do with Aspects, there was a certain level of instinctual understanding buried deep inside his subconscious. This understanding was either given to him by the Spell or was something innate to every Awakened. Sunny just had to sense the subconscious knowledge and learn how to put it into practice.

    Once again, he concentrated on sensing his body and spirit, then commanded the shadow to perform a series of simple motions. With each of them, he was growing more and more familiar with the feeling of controlling the shadow.

    Pretty soon, it was as natural to him as breathing and walking. The shadow felt like a part of his body.

    Satisfied with this initial result, Sunny carefully gave it a new command. Without pause, the shadow separated itself from the soles of his shoes, walked to the other end of the room and turned around, staring at him in slightly mocking silence.

    Sunny was left without a shadow.

    'This is not scientific at all,' he thought with an amused smile.

    Science never really applied to anything having to do with the Spell, after all.

    As the shadow walked away, he felt a very weird split happening in his mind. It was like his perception had separated into two distinct sources. One was his body, the other �� his shadow.

    With a bit of trying, he managed to focus on the second source. Instantly, his vision blurred.

    "Whoa!" Sunny blurted, surprised.

    "Whoa!" the shadow heard from the other end of the room.

    Sunny blinked. In his mind, there now existed two pictures. One was of his room's door, with an indifferent shadow standing in front of it. The other was of a pale young man sitting on a chair, wide-eyed and bewildered.

    'That's me.'

    He raised an arm and waved it in the air. Simultaneously, the pale young man raised and waved his.

    'I can perceive the world through my shadow?'

    He sat for a while, thinking. An ability like that opened up a lot of possibilities. With his [Child of Shadows] attribute allowing him to see and move stealthily in the darkness and [Shadow Control] allowing him to send out a sneaky shadow as a scout, he was pretty much a perfect spy.

    A spy was someone who gathered information without exposing themselves to a lot of risk. A role like that suited Sunny's taste very much.

    Of course, spies were also able to strike from the shadows with deadly precision. Armed with information, they were masterful ambushers. With the prior knowledge of the opponent's weaknesses, their attacks were surgical and lethal.

    But any direct confrontation would mean putting himself in danger, so Sunny wasn't very keen on becoming an assassin. After all, his Aspect still lacked the means of directly enhancing his combat performance.

    'Shall we test it?'

    He looked at the shadow and gave it a command. With an exaggerated sigh, the shadow bent down and nimbly slid under the door.

    Instantly, he could see both the room and the hallway outside. Sunny closed his eyes to focus on the picture projected from the shadow.

    Moving stealthily from one shadow to another, it glided down the hallway. With a bit of timing and consideration, his scout was practically invisible. Sunny passed by a couple of Sleepers and listened in on their conversation. Not finding it very interesting, he continued forward.

    Finally, the shadow stopped at a corner. To its left were the elevators, to its right �� the way to the girls' dormitory.

    All sorts of provocative images immediately entered Sunny's head.

    'Oh my!' he thought, blushing.

    Yes, with this ability, it was also very easy to fall into utter depravity! But no, no. He couldn't do it. Not because of some high moral principles��

    It's just that, with his reputation of a pervert, the chances of being asked if he had done something unbecoming were pretty high. So he needed the ability to honestly answer "no".

    'So�� I probably shouldn't. Right?'

    Right?

    'Of course you're right! Don't even think about it!'

    Back in his room, Sunny sighed with a lot of regret. Then he directed his scout to hide in the shadow of a passing Sleeper and followed him to the elevators.

    ***

    Some time later, Sunny's shadow was hiding in a corner of a large dojo. He was observing his fellow Sleepers who, under the guidance of Instructor Rock, were going through the motions of the introductory combat class.

    Today was mainly dedicated to testing their general competency and abilities. After that, the Sleepers were going to be separated into groups based on their level, such as novice, advanced or expert, as well as their weapon of choice. Some would be assigned a personal tutor or paired together.

    Currently, Sleepers were taking turns delivering their strongest punches to a wide plate attached to a special measuring machine. After each strike, the machine would display a number corresponding to the Sleeper's physical strength.

    In theory, a machine like that was not hard to build. However, considering that many of Sleepers had combat-oriented Aspects that enhanced their might in a variety of ways, it was actually a marvel of engineering and durability.

    Their technique and training also affected the final result.

    Most people were getting numbers ranging from ten to fourteen. It was considered a good result, something that only the most athletic people could reach. However, a lot of Sleepers, obviously those with enhancing Aspects, were able to achieve a score of fifteen or even sixteen.

    'I would probably get ten or eleven,' Sunny thought, feeling a little bored.

    Then he suddenly perked up, noticing that it was turn for Nephis, the highest-rated Sleeper of their batch, to strike the plate.

    The slender girl approached the machine and, without much preparation, delivered a sudden, crushing blow. Sunny wasn't very well-versed in martial arts, but even he was impressed by the flawless economy and speed of her execution.

    'She had a lot of training.'

    Nephis was becoming more and more intriguing. What's her actual background?

    After a short pause, the machine displayed the result: sixteen. Sunny felt a bit disappointed.

    'Not that impressive. I was expecting more.'

    She was the proud bearer of a True Name, after all!

    After that, only Caster remained. This time, Sunny couldn't even see the flying fist �� it was just too fast. The machine trembled and took more time calculating. Finally, two numbers appeared.

    Twenty-one.

    Everyone gaped at the display, stunned. More than a few admiring looks were thrown at Caster, who simply bowed and took a step back. Instructor Rock smiled.

    "Not bad. Now, we will move to sparring and evaluate your general level of training. I need two volunteers to begin."

    Nephis was the first to step forward and walk to the center of the ring. A couple of seconds later, a tall and extremely muscular Sleeper followed and faced her.

    "The rules are simple. Make your opponent's back touch the floor or throw them out of the ring. Use whatever abilities and techniques you find appropriate."

    'Oh, the show is starting!'

    Watching Sleepers fight each other was not only entertaining, but could also provide Sunny with knowledge of their powers. Back in the room, he leaned forward and rested his chin on his palms.

    'Go Nephis!'

    The tall guy attacked without wasting any time. His muscles bulged, threatening to tear the soft fabric of his white dobok. He advanced like an unstoppable mountain, sending a vicious kick flying.

    �� A second later, he was lying on the floor with a dumbstruck look on his face. Nephis didn't even change her stance.

    Instructor Rock gave her a cheerful look and grinned.

    "Next."

    What followed could only be described as a massacre. One after another, Nephis managed to defeat almost every single Sleeper present in the dojo. She didn't seem to be faster or stronger than them, but each time someone entered the ring to fight her, they would inevitably end up beaten and thrown to the ground.

    Sunny watched the process with a growing sense of amusement. However, at some point, even he felt a bit of unease.

    Nephis moved with the calm precision of a battle machine. Her technique was clean, graceful and ruthless. No matter what type of attack was thrown at her, she was able to either predict or instantly react to it, then deflect and turn it against the attacker with the minimum amount of effort.

    It didn't matter whether her opponent was poor, rich or a Legacy. Everyone would end up dealt with in a matter of seconds.

    What's more, through the whole process, the composed expression on her face didn't even change once. It was like Nephis was made out of metal.

    'Is�� is she even human?' Sunny thought, suddenly apprehensive.

    What was he going to do if this Changing Star were to end up as his enemy?

    The best course of action would be to run away. Or better yet, try not to antagonize her, to begin with. After all, the sun was also a star, and shadows didn't mix well with sunlight.

    Finally, Caster was the last one remaining �� once again. However, he didn't seem to be perturbed by the miserable failure of every other Sleeper. With a soft smile on his lips, the young man stepped into the ring.

    Caster and Nephis faced each other. Their eyes locked for a few seconds, and then Caster slightly bowed.

    "Lady Nephis. Please excuse me in advance."

    'What is he going to...'

    �� A moment later, Sunny opened his eyes in shock.

 Chapter 27 Measure Of Power

    Chapter 27 Measure Of Power

    It seemed like Caster suddenly ceased to exist.

    However, it was only an illusion. The truth was that he was just moving so fast that the human eye wasn't able to keep up with his movements. If it wasn't for the special properties of Shadow Sight, Sunny wouldn't have been able to perceive anything either.

    Even then, he only noticed a hazy blur streaking through the air.

    In a fraction of a second, Caster covered the distance between him and Nephis and delivered a devastating blow. However, despite his astonishing speed, she somehow managed to react in time, slightly turning her body to deflect the strike.

    But it still wasn't enough. Although Nephis had managed to avoid being hit squarely in her center of gravity, Caster's fist ended up connecting with her shoulder, sending the girl into a spin.

    Not wasting any time, Caster disappeared again. His plan was very simple: while Nephis was still under the impression that the enemy was in front of her, he was going to use his unnatural swiftness to circle around and attack from the back.

    The young man appeared behind the oblivious girl, ready to finish the fight with one decisive strike. Just as he planned, she seemed to be preparing to attack in the direction he had been seen just a split second ago. Gratified, Caster shifted his weight, putting it all into his fist.

    However, at the last moment, Nephis suddenly changed her stance and threw her elbow back with frightening force.

    Caster's eye widened. It was all a feint!

    And now that he had committed to a strike, there was no simple way to stop. No matter how fast he was, he was still subject to the laws of inertia. The elbow was approaching his face with a profound feeling of inevitability.

    And yet, Caster still managed to avoid it, even if it was just by a hair's breadth. His speed advantage was just too big.

    He then proceeded to trip and push Nephis, sending her flying to the ground. However, just before she was about to his the mats, the young man carefully grabbed the collar of her dobok and gently pulled, slowing down the fall and allowing Nephis to land on the floor without any impact.

    Lying on her back, the girl blinked a couple of times and looked up at him. The whole altercation lasted no more than two seconds.

    Back in his room, Sunny opened his eyes in shock.

    'So that's an Ascended Aspect? That's�� that's cheating!'

    A Sleeper had no business being that fast. The powers bestowed upon them by the Spell were supposed to be in their infancy. But�� Caster was a Legacy, after all.

    Who knew how many soul shards were fed to him prior to enrolling into the Academy?

    Back in the dojo, Instructor Rock grunted and gave Caster a nod. Nephis slowly rose to her feet.

    The rest of the Sleepers were gawking at the young man with reverence, whispering among each other in hushed tones. It seemed that his performance left them with a deep impression.

    However, Caster himself wasn't very elated. He glanced at Nephis with an unreadable expression.

    That was because, unlike the rest of them, he came to a certain realization. The truth of the matter was known only to him, Nephis, Instructor Rock�� and Sunny, who was very observant and quickly picked up on such things.

    The thing that Sleepers failed to notice was that Nephis did not use her Aspect Ability when facing Caster. In fact, she had not used it at any point during today's testing. No one even knew what her Ability was.

    And yet, despite his powerful Aspect, Caster barely managed to clutch a victory against her.

    'What a monster,' Sunny thought, full of unease.

    The shadow hiding in the corner of the dojo seemed to agree with him wholeheartedly.

    ***

    After that, the introductory combat class was over. Sore from the beating they received, Sleepers headed for the showers. Sunny waited for a bit and then directed his shadow to sneak into the boy's locker room.

    He wasn't very interested in watching a bunch of teenagers changing clothes, but there was a slight possibility that Caster would either comment on his duel with Nephis or answer some questions about his incredible Aspect Ability.

    Just as he had expected, the young man was surrounded by a group of newly converted fans. They were congratulating him on his victory, full of adoration and excitement. However, Caster himself seemed to be in a bad mood. His expression was somber, and there was a grim heaviness in his eyes.

    In fact, his face grew darker with each praise he received.

    "Caster, that was incredible!"

    "You Aspect is overpowered, am I right?"

    "That Nephis girl stood no chance at all!"

    "True Name? Who needs that? She's just a wanna-be!"

    Finally, Caster raised his head and pierced the last boy who had spoken with a cold look. That boy, just like him, was one of the few Legacies in their batch of Sleepers. He frowned, surprised by Caster's rection.

    "What is it?"

    Caster gritted his teeth.

    "I might have expected such behavior from them, but you should know better."

    The other Legacy raised an eyebrow.

    "Why? Is there something special about that peasant girl?"

    Caster's eyes widened.

    "Peasant�� peasant girl? Do you really not know who she is?"

    'No!' Sunny thought impatiently. 'So just get to it and say it out loud!'

    Luckily, the arrogant Sleeper had the same sentiment.

    Caster opened his mouth several times, as though not sure what to say. Finally, he shook his head and answered:

    "She is Nephis of the Immortal Flame clan."

    As soon as he said that, the arrogant Legacy became deathly pale. Not paying him any attention, Caster continued.

    "I trust that I don't need to tell you about her grandfather. Her parents were Smile of Heaven and Broken Sword."

    In his room, Sunny almost fell from the chair.

    Even he knew who Immortal Flame and Broken Sword were. The former was the first human to conquer the Second Nightmare and become a Master. The latter �� the first one to conquer the Third Nightmare and become a Saint.

    They, as well as their companions, were among the most famous heroes of the human race, someone who had managed to change history with their own two hands. If what Caster said was true, then Nephis wasn't just an aristocrat�� she was royalty!

    No wonder he addressed her as "lady". Why didn't he just call her "princess" instead?

    But that didn't make any sense!

    Echoing his thoughts, the pale-faced Sleeper asked in trembling voice:

    "Then why�� why is she so��"

    Caster sighed.

    "Because they're all dead. The Immortal Flame clan is long gone."

    For a few moments, the locker room was completely silent. Caster looked down.

    "She's the only one left."

    ***

    Late at night, when everyone was already asleep, Sunny furtively entered the dojo. Looking around, he made sure that no one was there and then curiously approached the ring where Nephis and others had been tested earlier. He stopped at the center of the ring and stood there for a while, remembering how she had dealt with dozens of Sleepers of their batch before being defeated by Caster.

    "Monsters�� both of them are monsters!" he mumbled, bitter and disheartened.

    Shaking his head, Sunny left the ring and then he looked at his shadow.

    "Do you agree?"

    The shadow hesitated for a few seconds, then stuck out its chest and crossed its arms, trying to appear cocky, disdainful and unperturbed. However, its act wasn't very convincing.

    "Yeah, you're right. Exactly! What's the big deal anyway?"

    Both Immortal Flame and Broken Sword, Nephis's father and grandfather, were as monstrous in terms of power as one can get. But they still failed to protect their family from being eviscerated. So, power wasn't that important in the end.

    Even royalty was not safe from the cruelty of the world.

    Sunny sighed and proceeded to the measuring machine. Making a fist, he swung it and delivered his best punch. The machine hummed for a few seconds and then displayed a single number.

    Nine.

    "Oh, come on! I deserve a ten, at least!"

    Feeling very indignant, he struck the plate again, almost hurting his fingers. However, the result was the same.

    "Damn it!"

    Sunny paced for a bit, trying to control his anger. It seems he was destined to be a weakling. After all, the force of the strike depended on mass and acceleration. Acceleration could be improved with technique and exercise, but mass was something he had little control of.

    He was already done growing, and his height was not going to drastically increase in the future. No matter how hard Sunny trained, he was always going to be a lightweight.

    'How is this fair?'

    Suddenly filled with resentment, he punched the plate again, putting all of his frustration into this one strike.

    At that moment, a strange instinct suddenly awakened in Sunny's mind.

    Following the command of this instinct, his shadow flowed up and wrapped itself around his hand, sticking to it like a black glove. In the next moment, the punch connected.

    The machine trembled from the force of the strike. Sunny's yelped in pain and took a step back, cradling his bruised fist. After a while, the result was displayed. However, it wasn't a nine anymore.

    It wasn't even a ten.

    It was eighteen.

    He looked at the displayed number for a long time, expressionless.

    Then, a wide grin slowly appeared on Sunny's face.

    "I see. So that why. Of course!"

    He clenched his fist again, looking down at the black, shadowy glove.

    Ah, what an invaluable helper indeed.

    "Now we're talking!"

 Chapter 28 Training Montage

    Chapter 28 Training Montage

    Days flew by.

    Sunny only had four weeks to prepare himself for the journey into the Dream Realm, so there wasn't even a minute to spare. He was relentless, pushing his body and mind to the limits in an attempt to absorb as much knowledge and skills as possible in that short amount of time.

    In the day, he studied with Teacher Julius, slowly learning how to survive and take care of himself in the absence of civilization. Their lessons ranged from comparatively simple, like various ways to produce fire, to much more obscure and esoteric, like celestial navigation.

    What was so hard about celestial navigation?

    Well, as it turned out, the Dream Realm was not consistent in terms of star geography. Different regions had different stars and constellations, as well as a different number of moons. While the sun seemed to be the same, its behavior was highly unpredictable.

    Still, with sufficient knowledge, one could find ways to study the skies and subsequently navigate themselves.

    Most of these lessons were, supposedly, already included in the various school curriculums and known to the majority of Sleepers. However, learning something from a textbook and learning the same thing from an actual Awakened were two completely different matters.

    Teacher Julius had a habit of going much more in-depth when explaining his subject. Thanks to this time-consuming habit of his, Sunny not only learned about the "what", but also often gained glimpses into the "why". This nascent understanding of the underlying principles of the Dream Realm environments gave him the ability to face any situation with at least some measure of readiness.

    Even the lessons in dead languages, which Sunny had initially judged to be useless, turned out to be much more interesting than he could ever imagine. This was, in large part, because it concerned the Spell itself �� after all, the Spell communicated with humans in one of those dead languages.

    By knowing the language, he was able to understand its various remarks and descriptions better. The simplest example of this was Nephis and her True Name, "Changing Star". While technically correct, this translation failed to properly convey the exact meaning.

    By understanding the grammatical structure of the rune language, it was easy to extrapolate and see that the more correct translation would have been "Star of Change". More than that, there were different runes for "change", each with its own connotation. Depending on what exact rune was used to relay the meaning of the name, it could also mean "Ruinous Star" or "Star of Misfortune".

    A small change in wording and connotation could mean a world of difference in real life.

    Sunny, who had never seriously studied before, found the process of acquiring vast amounts of theoretical knowledge strange, numbing and exhausting.

    However, in a sense, it was also exhilarating. After all, knowledge was something that only the privileged had access to. It was also this authority over knowledge that kept them in the position of power, creating a vicious circle of inequality.

    The poor had no opportunity to study, and without the advantage of good education, they had no way to stop being poor.

    The weirdest part about all of this was that Sunny was now one of those privileged people. More than that, he was at the pinnacle of social hierarchy. Not only had he gained access to an unlimited amount of knowledge, but even his basic needs like food and shelter were also taken care of by the government, allowing him to fully focus on the single goal of developing himself as an Awakened.

    This sudden transformation would have sent him into a whirlpool of philosophical reflection if he had any time to spare.

    But he didn't, because Teacher Julius also insisted on holding practical lessons every other day. Even if some of them had to be done in virtual reality simulations, he insisted on using the full immersion stations with enhanced physical feedback. As a result, Sunny was bone-tired and utterly exhausted.

    The good thing was that with such amount of exercise, coupled with his newly reforged body, Sunny had never been in better shape. Even without combat training, he could feel his strength, stamina and agility improving by leaps and bounds.

    Basically, the peculiar rebirth he had experienced after completing the First Nightmare had enhanced the innate potential of his body, bringing it to the peak of the human condition. However, it was up to him to realize that potential with sweat, effort and a lot of hard work. Practical application of wilderness survival techniques provided him with the opportunity to do so.

    And as though this wasn't enough, Sunny secretly collected information about other Sleepers and practiced shadow control every night.

    His shadow was independent enough to be sent on scouting missions without his direct control. It would sneak here and there, listening in on the conversations and observing different classes where Sleepers had to demonstrate their Aspect Abilities.

    Then, after Sunny had finished his supper and returned to his room, it would come back and share everything it had heard and seen during the day.

    The only problem with this arrangement was that the shadow, despite its outward snarkiness, turned out to be rather naive. It didn't quite understand how the human world worked, and as such, often failed to distinguish between useful information and meaningless chatter.

    So, most of the time, Sunny would receive nothing of value or juicy gossip instead of important secrets.

    This is how he learned that in the Sleeper Center, romance was in the air. After all, there were a hundred beautiful young people locked underground in close proximity to each other, with the added spice of a deathly threat hanging above their heads. Many felt that life was short and it was their time to seize the day. Passion bloomed in the shadow of approaching danger.

    Sunny was excluded from this whole side of the thing, of course. Firstly, he had already positioned himself to be perceived as an unlikable lunatic. Secondly, he simply had no time for anything except for his lessons and training. And lastly, he was wary of getting too close to anybody, afraid that a situation would arise where he would have no choice but to divulge his True Name.

    Apart from gathering information and slowly learning about the scope and details of various Aspect Abilities, and, to a lesser extent, Flaws, he was also experimenting with Shadow Control.

    The results were very promising. He quickly found out that his shadow was able to enhance various objects and not only his body. If it wrapped itself around a weapon, the weapon strike harder and deliver more damage. If it was applied to an armor, the armor would become sturdier and harder to break.

    The enhancement was rather substantial, too. It was roughly twice as much as the initial value.

    All in all, this Ability, if used correctly, could make him a powerhouse among the Sleepers. Many combat Aspects could deliver more speed or damage, many could provide more defense and protection, but none were as well-rounded and versatile as Shadow Slave.

    With the added utility of Shadow Sight, Shadow Step and Shadow Scout, it was truly incredible.

    Just like that, day after day passed, slowly turning into weeks.

    Before Sunny even knew it, the winter solstice was already here.

 Chapter 29 The Last Day On Earth

    Chapter 29 The Last Day On Earth

    On the day of the winter solstice, Sunny woke up feeling tired and drowsy. No matter how much he tried to shake off this listlessness, it wouldn't go away. In the end, he just stayed in the bed for a while, wrapping himself in a blanket.

    He was already familiar with this feeling of neverending, ensnaring sleepiness. It was the same in the days before his First Nightmare. It was also quite similar to what he had experienced while slowly dying of hypothermia on the slopes of the Black Mountain.

    Remembering the cold embrace of approaching death, Sunny couldn't help but shiver.

    This was his last day on Earth�� at least for a while. By nightfall, the Spell was going to take him away once again, this time to challenge the vast expanse of the Dream Realm. What was he going to face in that ruined magical world? Would luck be on his side this time, or would there be another disaster?

    'Ugh.'

    There was no point in guessing. He had already done everything in his power to prepare for the inevitable. He studied hard, trained hard, and kept his secret safe. His Aspect was better than most, and his will to survive was long tempered by the harsh reality of the outskirts and the even harsher ordeal of the First Nightmare.

    All in all, he was ready.

    With a sigh, Sunny got out of bed and went along with his morning routine. If this was going to be his last hot shower in a long while, he was going to really enjoy it. If it was going to be his last scrumptious breakfast for the time being��

    Actually, he had no appetite.

    The cafeteria was full of Sleepers, but no one was talking. Everybody was in low spirits and seemed to be uncharacteristically introspective. There was no usual laughter or boisterous conversations �� only the Legacies remained calm and collected. However, even they kept to themselves.

    Sunny thought about the last time he was preparing to enter the Spell and, with a bit of trepidation, approached the coffee machine. During his stay in the Academy, he had long discovered that a lot of people were in a habit of adding sugar and milk to their coffee. So, on this auspicious day, he decided to give it another try.

    After all, it was nice to have a tradition.

    A few minutes later, he had taken his usual seat near Cassia, the blind girl. Despite their compulsory closeness, they had not talked to each other even once, just like two strangers forced to share the same space by circumstances beyond their control. Sunny did not see a reason for anything to change today.

    However, as soon as he took the first seep of coffee, Cassia suddenly turned her head and stared at him with her beautiful, blind blue eyes.

    Unnerved, Sunny looked around, checking if someone else had attracted her attention, and, after making sure that there wasn't anyone standing behind him, asked:

    "W��what?"

    Cassia was silent, as though hesitating if she should reply, and then suddenly said:

    "Happy Birthday."

    'What?'

    Sunny frowned, trying to comprehend the meaning behind her words. Then, a flash of surprise appeared on his face.

    'Oh, right. It's my birthday today.'

    He had completely forgotten about it. He was turning seventeen today.

    'Wait�� how did she know about this?'

    Sunny gave the blind girl a strange look, opened his mouth, and then decided to let the issue go. She was just too creepy.

    "Uh�� thanks."

    With a nod, Cassia turned away and seemingly lost interest in having a conversation once again.

    Which was for the better.

    Sunny returned to his coffee, finding it not too bad this time. Of course, sugar and cream were making most of the work. However, he did feel a little bit more awake after drinking it.

    'Seventeen, huh?'

    Sunny was never sure that he would make it to this age alive. And yet, despite everything, he did. Life was sure unpredictable sometimes.

    If anyone would have told him a year ago that he was going to celebrate his seventeenth birthday by drinking real coffee with real milk and sugar, he would have laughed in their face. But now it was a reality.

    Unwillingly, Sunny remembered all the people who used to celebrate his birthdays with him, a long time ago. Before his mood turned sour, he decisively dispelled these thoughts and forced himself to smile.

    'This is not bad. Let's do it again next year, when I'm already an Awakened.'

    Cheering himself up like that, he finished his coffee and left the cafeteria.

    There were no classes today, but he still visited the Wilderness Survival classroom and said his goodbyes to Teacher Julius. The old man got pretty emotional when sending him off. He gave Sunny "one last tip" a dozen or so times in a row and even promised to apply for a research assistant position to be opened after the young man had become a full Awakened.

    Sunny left thanking him for his time and patience.

    After that, there wasn't much to do.

    When the sun was close to setting, Instructor Rock gathered them in the foyer of the Sleeper Center and led them outside.

    In the snowy parks that surrounded the white building, other Awakened were leading their own batches of Sleepers to the same destination. It was the Academy's medical center.

    The center looked more like a shrine than a hospital. Its interior contained both highly advanced technology as well as some of the best Healers among the Awakened. For the duration of their first journey into the Dream Realm, the bodies of Sleepers would be kept safe in specially designed pods and sustained by the magical powers of those Healers if anything unfortunate were to happen on the other side of the Spell.

    Of course, whether or not they would wake up in the end wholly depended on the Sleepers themselves.

    To Sunny's surprise, after entering the medical center, Instructor Rock did not take them directly to the wing containing Sleeper pods. Instead, he led them to a comparatively deserted floor and then opened the doors to a spacious gallery that was brightly illuminated by the beautiful crimson rays of the setting sun.

    There, they saw rows and rows of wheelchairs. In each wheelchair, there was a person with a blank, strangely peaceful expression on their face. All these people were completely silent, motionless, and still. They did not show any reaction to the appearance of guests.

    They all seemed to be�� empty.

    In the eerie silence, Sunny felt his hair standing up and a creeping terror sipping deep into his heart.

    Instructor Rock looked at the empty people with solemn eyes.

    "There is a reason I brought you all here. Look well and remember. Some of you may know who these people are�� for those of you who don't, they are called Hollow."

    He gritted his teeth.

    "Each one of them was once either a Sleeper or an Awakened. Some of them were weak, some of them were strong. Some were even incredibly powerful. All of them have perished in the Dream Realm."

    'Their�� their souls are gone,' Sunny realized, horrified.

    'If you're lucky, once your spirit is destroyed, your body dies with it. But if not, you'll become just like them. Hollow.'

    Instructor Rock glanced in the direction where Caster and Nephis stood, and then added:

    "So don't die out there."

    ***

    Half an hour later, Sleepers had been led to their personal rooms and were preparing to enter the pods.

    In one of the rooms, the blind girl, Cassia, was helplessly trying to orient herself in the unfamiliar space, touching the walls and strange pieces of machinery with her hands. Tears were streaming down her beautiful, doll-like face.

    In the other room, proud Legacy Caster was staring listlessly at the floor. His lips were moving, repeating one strange phrase over and over again. He was trembling.

    Somewhere else, Changing Star Nephis, the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan, was looking down at her hands. Underneath her skin, soft white radiance was slowly growing brighter and brighter. Her face was contorted in a grimace of harrowing agony.

    And finally, there was a room where Shadow Slave Sunless, Lost from Light, turned away from the sleeping pod and glanced down at his shadow.

    "Well? Are you ready?"

    The shadow shrugged and didn't answer.

    Sunny sighed.

    "Yeah, me too."

    With that, he stepped forward and climbed into the pod.

    ***

    In the vast echoing darkness, he heard:

    [Welcome to the Dream Realm, Sunless!]

 Chapter 30 Starless Void

    Chapter 30 Starless Void

    Sunny was expecting to first look at the place where his arrival to the Dream Realm was going to take place from above, just like it had happened at the beginning of the First Nightmare. Back then, time had magically moved in reverse, giving him an opportunity to see hints of what he was going to face.

    Instead, immediately after hearing the greetings of the Spell, Sunny found himself blind and drowning. As he instinctively tried to open his mouth to scream, salty water rushed inside, making him choke and twitch.

    More than that, he couldn't see anything. No, it's not that he couldn't see �� it's just there was no source of light around. Usually, darkness wasn't a problem for Sunny, but, for some reason, his sight wasn't working anymore. Maybe the seawater he was submerged in was blocking it.

    If it wasn't for the special space perception that the affinity to shadows gave him, he would have been completely disoriented. With its help, though, he barely managed to understand which side was down, and which side was up.

    Luckily, Teacher Julius's lessons had included swimming. Swearing to thank both the old man and Master Jet once he came back, Sunny forced himself to stay calm and began to swim upward.

    In a few long and tense seconds, his head broke through the surface of the water. Sunny was finally able to draw in a deep, hoarse breath.

    'Breathe, breathe. You're still alive!'

    After sucking in enough air to soothe his burning lungs and compose himself to a certain degree, Sunny carefully spun in the water, trying to take in his surroundings.

    What met him was an endless, jet-black expanse of undulating waves. Above them was an empty black sky. There was no moon, no stars, just a dark vastness of repressive nothingness. Sunny blinked a few times, cold dread taking hold of his heart.

    'This is�� a sea? An ocean? Was I dropped in the middle of an ocean?'

    No, it couldn't be. There had to be solid ground somewhere nearby!

    As he was gripped by a momentary panic, a remote sound suddenly drew his attention. Sunny turned around and saw a triangular dorsal fin moving in his direction. Luckily, it was still hundreds and hundreds of meters away.

    'Wait�� if it's so far away�� then how come I can see it so clearly?'

    Despite being submerged in water, Sunny still felt like there was suddenly cold sweat all other his body. By his estimation, that dorsal fin was at least five meters tall. It was rapidly approaching, growing visibly larger with each second.

    'Damn you, Spell!'

    With eyes full of horror, Sunny spun again, desperately trying to find something �� anything! �� to save him. And there, a short distance away, he finally noticed a black mass protruding slightly above the water.

    Not wasting even a second on thinking, he started to swing his arms and legs, swimming in the direction of the black mass with a considerable speed. However, no matter how fast he swam, the giant shadow of the unknown creature was closing the distance between them much faster.

    A small part of Sunny's mind managed to preserve its rationality even when faced with this boundless, primal fear. Not allowing himself to slip entirely into panic, Sunny tried to think, and then silently commanded his own shadow to wrap itself around his body. Instantly, his speed increased twofold.

    Just seconds before the unknown colossus got to him, Sunny reached the black mass, stretched out his hands, and pulled himself out of the water. He rolled away from the edge, scratching his skin on the uneven rocks, and jumped in fright when the whole surface underneath him shuddered, as though something massive had collided with it.

    As Sunny backed out, terrifying jaws appeared from the water, with rows and rows of giant teeth, each one as long as he was tall. He opened his eyes wide, understanding that the rock he had climbed on was not tall enough to save him from the monster.

    'Why is it even trying to eat me?! I'm too small to be considered a filling snack for something this enormous!'

    �� However, before the monster had a chance to attack, a colossal tentacle suddenly broke through the water and rose into the air like some strange, black tower. Before too long, it fell down, entangling the owner of the giant maw and pulling it back under the water.

    Sunny lost the feeling in his legs and plopped on the ground, his mouth opened. His whole body was shaking.

    A few seconds later, the dark sea was calm again, as though nothing has happened. The indifferent waves continued to move silently under the lightless sky.

    'So, it wasn't trying to eat me,' he realized, frozen.

    'It was trying to run away.'

    ***

    A few minutes later, Sunny was pretty sure that nothing was going to devour him, at least not immediately. With that certainty, he was finally in a state of mind to stop trembling and explore his surroundings a little.

    The black mass he climbed onto turned out to be a single stone platform of around twelve meters in diameter. Its surface was mostly flat, covered with grooves, and somewhat dry. Due to the regular shape of its edges, it seemed more like something man-made than a natural formation. But then again, here in the Dream Realm, it was hard to be sure that something "man-made" was actually made by humans, as opposed to��

    Better not to think about it.

    The platform wasn't connected to anything, existing as a tiny island in the sea of darkness. There wasn't anything else above the water for as far as Sunny was able to see. After discovering that fact, he also realized something else.

    It was that he was wet, cold, and completely naked.

    'Huh.'

    In his defense, the clothing situation was the last thing one would think about when trying to save themselves from abyssal monsters. Also, it's not like someone was here to witness his stark paleness and private bits.

    Still, it was sort of cold.

    Sunny summoned the Puppeteer's Shroud and watched as dark-grey garments covered his body. It even came with a pair of high, soft-soled leather boots. Clad in grey fabric and lusterless leather, he suddenly felt much safer.

    Not to mention, warm.

    After that, Sunny sat down in the middle of the platform, as far away from water as he could, and tried to remember the unique characteristic of every explored region of the Dream Realm he could think of.

    Unfortunately, none of them matched this starless, dark void.

    'Of course not,' he thought with a bit of resentment. 'Even if some unlucky humans had ever come here, I doubt that they were able to return to the real world alive.'

    Not with those things hiding underwater.

    Not yet desperate enough to leave the platform and try to swim away in search of land, Sunny decided to wait and see. Maybe something was going to change as time went by.

    With a soft sigh, he habitually looked for his shadow. However, due to the total darkness that surrounded him, it couldn't really be seen. He just barely felt its presence.

    "This must be a paradise for you, right? All this gloom and not a star in sight!"

    The shadow, of course, did not answer.

    "Anyway... good job earlier."

    With a nod, Sunny lay down, using his hands as a pillow. Not thinking about much, he stared into the black sky and waited. The sound of the undulating waves was, actually, quite relaxing.

    After a while, he closed his eyes and listened. Minutes merged together, growing into hours.

    �� Suddenly, Sunny caught a slight change in the sound of the sea. It was as though something was shifting. He opened his eyes and noticed that one corner of the sky was slowly turning grey. Soon, a glimpse of a pale sun could be seen rising above the horizon.

    A new day had come to the starless void.

    And with it, the dark sea suddenly surged.

 Chapter 31 Low Tide

    Chapter 31 Low Tide

    The black, opaque water suddenly surged and seethed, as though a living creature desperately trying to avoid the pale light of the coming dawn. Sunny slowly rose and, after some thought, carefully approached the edge of the stone platform.

    Looking down, he blinked and then kneeled to make sure that what he saw wasn't an illusion.

    The sea seemed to be receding.

    Slowly at first, and then faster and faster, the water level was dropping. The circular stone formation he had been taking shelter on used to barely protrude out of the waves, but now there were meters and meters of wet rock between him and the restless surface of the sea.

    As the sun climbed up, the monstrous ebb tide continued. Soon, Sunny found himself standing on the edge of a tall cliff, with a hundred-meter drop separating him from the churning waters. Beneath him, the rock formation broadened and changed shape. However, from his vantage point, it was hard to determine what that shape was, exactly.

    At that time, the dark surface of the water began to be punctured here and there by sharp crimson blades. As it dropped even further, it was as though a crimson forest was slowly rising from the black depths. The "trees" were made of something resembling coral, growing chaotically into each other and stretching toward the sky.

    They were colossal in size, with irregular protrusions entwining and merging together, looking monumental and eerie in the black and red reality of the sunlit void. The labyrinth formed by this strange reef stretched as far as Sunny could see, broken here and there by protruding cliffs, sudden chasms, and distant natural features.

    Half an hour later, utterly shocked, Sunny stared down and realized that the sea was completely gone. If not for the black seaweed left hanging on wet rocks and scarlet pillars of coral, he would even doubt if it was ever there.

    His small circular island had turned into the peak of a strange, towering, irregularly shaped cliff. Looking down, he felt his head spinning.

    By then, the night had already fully retreated, letting morning finally take its place.

    'I'm not seeing things, am I?' Sunny thought, pinching himself.

    What the Spell was that?

    ***

    Despite the sudden disappearance of the dark sea and its hidden monsters, Sunny was in no rush to climb down from his circular stone platform. Firstly, he felt that if the sea was able to disappear, it was surely able to come back, perhaps at any moment.

    Secondly, he did not know what dangers the coral labyrinth was hiding. Perhaps there was something even scarier than the owner of the giant tentacle down there.

    But that did not mean that he wasn't going to explore.

    Coming back to his spot in the middle of the platform, Sunny sat down and commanded his shadow to separate itself from his body. Then, taking control of it, he approached the edge of the platform and nimbly slid down.

    Habitually moving from one shadow to another, he began the descent. At this moment, Sunny was glad that shadows had no weight and were not affected by gravity.

    While the shadow was busy climbing down, Sunny yawned.

    "Say, don't you think that you need a name?"

    Although his shadow was already too far away to hear him, they still could communicate through their shared connection. Of course, the fact that it could did not mean that it would. The shadow was sort of taciturn, mostly because it didn't have vocal cords and was unable to speak.

    Plus, its temper wasn't that great.

    "How about�� Shameless? No? What about... Shady? Also no? Hm, what about something simpler, like�� What? Well, do you have suggestions then? Alright, alright! We'll shelve this conversation for later."

    By the time he was done with this short monologue, the shadow had already reached the bottom of the cliff. The range of [Shadow Control] was not limitless, but it was just barely enough to explore their nearest surroundings.

    Entering the labyrinth, Sunny found it to be extremely disorienting and convoluted. The paths between coral pillars were sometimes broad, sometimes narrow. They twisted and turned without any logic, often leading to dead ends or even back to where he started. More than that, some paths entered inside the "coral" mounds, turning into dark tunnels.

    The labyrinth was vast and multi-layered, making Sunny's head hurt after multiple fruitless attempts to memorize the layout of the nearest pathways. In the end, he sent the shadow up, forcing it to climb on top of the crimson forest and start jumping from one sharp coral blade to another �� knowing full well that he himself would not be able to do the same.

    Soon, he circled the strange cliff and froze, scared by the sight of what was happening in its shadow.

    There, the corpse of the giant shark-like creature that had briefly pursued him the previous night was laying on the ground, the pillars of coral around it shattered and broken.

    More precisely, half of it was there, with grotesque innards spilling out of the terrible wound and stretching far away into the distance. The other half was gone, as though it had never existed.

    Around the corpse, hundreds of smaller monsters were scurrying, tearing away and devouring its flesh bit by bit. Each of them was about two and a half meters tall, looking like a weird mix of a demonic crab, a centaur, and a nightmare.

    They had four pairs of long, segmented legs that ended in scythe-like protrusions. At the front, a human-like torso was protruding from the carapace, also clad in thick chitinous armor. The head, if it was even the appropriate word, was situated directly on top of the torso, with no neck in between. It had two narrow eye slits and a viscous-looking mouth with several slimy mandibles. Instead of hands, the monsters had two enormous pincers.

    Currently, they were all using those pincers to tear off chunks of meat off the desiccated corpse and stuff them into their mouths. From time to time, a fight for an especially juicy piece of meat would break out, ending up in a few monsters being torn apart and quickly devoured by the victors.

    Sunny swallowed.

    Both because the sight of heavily armored, powerful monsters made him nervous and because looking at them feasting, he suddenly felt very hungry.

    'Each of them seems like trouble. And there are hundreds of them.'

    His luck, like always, was awful.

    'At least I don't have to wonder why the labyrinth feels so empty. All the inhabitants are having a party!'

    Feeling a little bit comprehensive about turning his shadow's back to the monsters, Sunny commanded it to look back and study the cliff he was taking shelter atop of. Something about it was making him feel uneasy.

    The shadow turned around and looked up, taking in the sight of the strangely shaped cliff. It took Sunny a few minutes to shift his perspective and recognize it for what it was.

    'That's�� a finger. That's a hand. That is�� a sword?'

    He blinked.

    'It's a statue.'

    Indeed, the cliff was man-made. It was an ancient, colossal statue at least two hundred meters tall. The scale of it was so massive that it boggled the mind. From what Sunny could see, it depicted a knight clad in an elaborate plate armor, with seven shining stars carved into his breastplate. In his hands, he was holding a gargantuan sword, pointing it to the ground.

    However, the most striking thing about it was that the giant stone knight was missing his head. In fact, the roughly circular platform Sunny was standing on turned out to be the top of his neck. And by the looks of it, the head wasn't missing by design �� it was as though something, or someone, had violently tore it off at some point in the distant past.

    Sunny walked around the platform, looking down from all sides, but didn't notice the head lying anywhere near.

    'What on Earth is this place?'

    Without any hints to find the answer, he led his shadow back to the giant's neck and settled at the western edge of it, studying the feasting monsters.

    He didn't move until the sun was about to set.

    Just as Sunny expected, as soon as the sun touched the horizon, a deafening rumble could be heard coming from somewhere below. The monsters instantly stopped their feast and scurried away, some hiding inside the coral pillars, some simply burying themselves in the soft soil.

    A few minutes later, the first streams of black water appeared in the labyrinth. Their volume quickly grew, and soon an apocalyptic flood devoured everything around. The sea was returning with the approach of the night.

    Sunny stared at this unimaginable process, thoughts churning in his head.

    In an hour, the circular platform was the only thing above the dark waters once again.

 Chapter 32 Making A Choice

    Chapter 32 Making A Choice

    With an empty stomach and a head full of thoughts, Sunny returned to the center of the platform and sat down. After a while, he beckoned to his shadow and said:

    "Wake me up if anything happens."

    Then, he closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep. His consciousness quickly slid into the sweet embrace of darkness, giving Sunny some well-needed rest.

    In the middle of the night, however, a sudden impulse stirred him awake. Sunny jumped to his feet, his groggy mind full of tense apprehension. He was afraid that the owner of the giant tentacle had come back to finish the job.

    Or maybe some other horror from the depths had sensed him and decided to snack on human meat.

    However, the sea was quiet and calm. He didn't hear any abnormalities around the knight's statue.

    "What is it?" Sunny whispered, addressing the shadow.

    The shadow silently pointed him in a particular direction.

    Turning his head, Sunny squinted. He quickly understood why it was a good idea to wake up. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to see��

    Out there in the distance, a few kilometers away, a small orange light was shimmering in the darkness. Its reflections were rising and falling with the movement of waves.

    It was too far away to make out any details, so Sunny just stared at it for a while. Pretty soon, the light disappeared.

    "Other Sleepers? Natural phenomenon? Or some monster laying a trap?"

    Memories of nightmarish deepwater creatures immediately came to his mind.

    Shaking his head, Sunny lay back down and attempted to return to his slumber. However, this time sleep was escaping him. Pangs of hunger were still not unbearable, but slowly becoming more and more intense. The thirst, however, was worse.

    In the end, he remained awake up until the sun rose again, sending the dark sea in retreat.

    ***

    As soon as the morning came, the pincer monsters crawled back from their hiding spots and rushed to the giant carcass to continue their feast.

    Sunny watched them for some time and then walked to the opposite side of the platform to take a look in the direction where he had seen the mysterious light the previous night.

    At a considerable distance from the headless statue, five or six kilometers away, the ground rose naturally and formed something akin to a hill. On top of that hill, an especially massive coral pillar rose to the sky.

    From the looks of it, its upper branches were just high enough to stay above water in the night.

    Various ideas stormed into Sunny's head, but at the end of it, only two questions were really important.

    First of all �� would he be able to find the way through the labyrinth and cover that distance during the day? And more importantly, should he even attempt to do it? After all, there was no indication that the source of the mysterious light was something beneficial, as opposed to dreadful and deadly.

    Not having enough information to make a choice, Sunny settled back to study the monsters. He did, however, send the shadow to investigate as far into the labyrinth as the range of Shadow Control allowed, hoping to chart at least the beginning of the path that could potentially lead him to that hill.

    Logically speaking, he was as safe atop the headless statue as he probably could be in this strange place. The only problem was, he was going to die soon because of thirst or hunger.

    Both problems were solvable if he were to venture down. He could desalinate the seawater in a number of ways taught to him by Teacher Julius, with materials that were present pretty much everywhere in the Dream Realm. He could also prepare traps and hunt a pincer monster to eat. With their massive size, just one of them would be enough to feed him for weeks.

    He could easily see such a routine: hunting by day, returning to the statue at the approach of the night. It was probably his safest choice.

    However, this way of doing things lacked one vital element: the potential for improvement. It was well suited for keeping Sunny alive, but had no way of giving him hope. If he was destined to spend the rest of his life in the small area surrounding the headless statue, devouring monsters and trembling at night in fear of being devoured by something bigger in turn��

    Well, he would rather just jump down and end it right now.

    That pretty much meant that the only choice left for him was to try and reach the source of the orange light. And if Sunny was really trying to attempt it, he had to do it before the pincer monsters were done consuming the giant carcass.

    That way, at least, the surrounding segment of the labyrinth was going to be free of them.

    Firm in his choice, Sunny decided to leave the headless statue the next morning. He would spend the rest of today exploring paths through the labyrinth and preparing himself mentally.

    With that, he closed his eyes and concentrated his perception on the moving shadow.

    ***

    In the night, a sudden storm descended upon the dark sea. Sunny was stirred awake by the shadow in time to prepare himself for the crushing winds and the pelting rain.

    Usually, rain always put him in a bad mood. But this time he was too thirsty to think about anything except for freshwater. Staying low so as to not be blown over the edge of the platform, Sunny cupped his hands and waited until they became filled with rainwater. Then he raised them to his mouth and greedily drank.

    Strikes of lightning illuminated everything above the churning sea. If anyone were to see Sunny now, they would have noticed a wide grin on his face.

    The storm continued to rampage for several hours. Sunny crouched in the middle of the platform, enduring its rage. More than once, a tall wave would crash into the headless knight's neck, threatening to wash him away. But Sunny held tight to the deep grooves in the stone surface of the platform, sticking to it like glue.

    By morning, when the storm finally dissipated, all of his muscles were sore.

    But there was no time to waste.

    As soon as the monsters came back to the carcass, with a few stragglers quickly following behind, he slid over the edge of the platform and began to nimbly climb down.

    Sunny had to thank Wilderness Survival classes once again, since he had been taught the basics of rock climbing as well. Teacher Julius was adamant about giving his student a crash course in all possible forms of traversal. Additionally, Sunny had already scouted the optimal way down and memorized the best holds and indentions to grab onto with the help of his shadow.

    Soon, his feet finally touched the ground.

    Despite the fact that leaving the safety of the headless statue was going to put him in considerable danger, Sunny instantly felt his mood improving. Remaining passive for the last couple of days did not suit his character well. Now, even if his plan were to end in failure, at least he was going to go down doing something that he had decided to do.

    Trying and failing was better than not trying at all.

    The black mud was deep enough to slow him down, but not to the extent he had been afraid of. With some practice, Sunny was soon able to walk at an acceptable speed. What's more, as long as he stuck to the shadows, his steps were light and silent, producing no squelching noises from the mud.

    He headed for one of the paths that were supposed to lead him to the distant hill and entered the cool shade of the crimson labyrinth.

    Immediately, a strange feeling enveloped his mind. It was as though the world beyond the labyrinth did not exist anymore, and all that was left were its twisting, dark paths.

    'This thing almost seems endless.'

    Shaking his head, Sunny sent the shadow to scout ahead, hoping to be notified of any latent danger in advance, and began to move forward. His life now depended on whether or not he would reach the distant hill before the sun began to set.

    He didn't even want to think about what would happen if he were still inside the labyrinth once the dark sea came back in an unstoppable flood.

    The shadow moved ahead of him, not meeting any hurdles. Sometimes it would climb high to scout the direction of different paths, allowing Sunny to choose the optimal route most of the time. However, he still had to backtrack a considerable distance once or twice, ending up either in a dead-end or on a path leading in the wrong direction.

    Despite that, everything seemed to be going smoothly.

    Sunny even had time to carefully study the interior of the labyrinth, noticing more details of its composition, as well as a frightening amount of unrecognizable bones hiding in the mud beneath his feet.

    Because of how well things were going, he lowered his guard a little. His arrogance was also to blame �� with his extensive preparations and skillful control of the Shadow Scout, Sunny subconsciously patted himself on the shoulder and assumed that everything was going to be fine.

    That's why, when the mud directly in front of him started to move, he was a fraction of a second late to react.

    In the next moment, a massive pincer shot out of the ground and tore through the air, threatening to cut his body in half with one crushing strike.

 Chapter 33 Carapace Scavenger

    Chapter 33 Carapace Scavenger

    'Crap!'

    This was the only thought in Sunny's head as he awkwardly fell backward, allowing the pincer to close right in front of his face with a loud "clack". The jagged, chitinous blades were so close that he could clearly see bits of mud sticking to their surface.

    Sunny landed on his back, narrowly avoiding the unexpected strike. The good thing was that he managed to avoid being injured or even killed. The bad thing was that he was sprawled on the ground, unable to quickly create distance between him and the attacker. The massive pincer was still hovering above.

    Just as this realization dawned on Sunny, he desperately rolled to the side. In the next moment, the pincer lunged down, sending small tremors through the mud. If not for his quick reaction, Sunny's chest would have been caved in by that blow.

    He was just beginning to stand up when the pincer swiped sideways. Luckily, Sunny was ready: instead of trying to dodge or block the attack, he went with it, letting the pincer collide with his outstretched hands and cushioning the blow.

    As his arms screamed in pain, Sunny used the force of the blow and allowed his body to be sent flying through the air. This way, at least, he would get out of the pincer's range.

    He might not have been taught how to fight, but one thing he knew very well was how to fall!

    Instead of breaking his neck or having the breath beaten out of him by the landing, he braced his body and nimbly rolled before stopping some distance away from the ambushing monster.

    'I take it back!' Sunny though, remembering his sarcastic critique of Hero's battle rolls. 'Rolling is an integral part of any respectable monster-fighting technique!'

    Then, he looked up, trying to ascertain the situation.

    In front of him, the attacker had finally shown itself. It burrowed from under the mud, casting a vast shadow over kneeling Sunny. Its tiny eyes were full of rage, hunger, and malice.

    It was one of the pincer monsters he had spent so much time observing. Towering over him at almost three meters in height, the bulky creature moved its mandibles and produced a jarring, piercing screech.

    'Why aren't you devouring the giant carcass with the rest of your buddies, you crab bastard?!'

    However, the answer to Sunny's indignant plea was rather obvious. The monster seemed to be in a rather bad shape: half of its eight scythe-like legs were broken, and there were cracks in its thick carapace, each oozing with viscous azure blood. Additionally, he was missing one of its two pincer arms, which seemed to had been torn off entirely at the shoulder.

    If not for this pathetic state, the creature would have had no need to hide in the mud, hoping to catch easy prey. It could have just followed the other monsters and joined on the feast. Sunny was just unlucky to stumble directly upon its ambush.

    He had relied too much on the scouting abilities of his shadow, forgetting that it wasn't much more observant than an awakened human. It was also weightless and inaudible �� that's why the monster did not react when the shadow had passed over its trap a minute earlier.

    On the other hand, Sunny could also consider himself lucky �� by the same logic, he would not have been able to dodge the creature's sudden attack if not for its crippled, slowed state.

    But pondering on his luck could wait for later �� right now, Sunny had a far more pressing thing to do. Namely, try to survive.

    'Get back here!' he ordered the shadow and jumped to the side.

    In the next second, the space he occupied a moment before was torn apart by the attacking monster. Its heavy pincer crashed into the side of a coral pillar, sending crimson shards flying in every direction.

    Sunny caught his balance and continued moving. He was hoping that the bulky, heavily armored, wounded creature would not be able to match his speed, but unfortunately, it turned out to be surprisingly agile. Its scythe-like legs pierced the mud behind him, and the pincer was already flying through the air again, threatening to decapitate the young man at any second.

    Sunny ducked, dodging the pincer, and finally caught a second of reprieve. His eyes darted around, desperately searching for something to use as a weapon. Almost instantly, he noticed a long, smooth, sharp bone left behind by some unknown creature sticking from the mud. Without slowing down, he bent down and grabbed the bone, pulling it out with one forceful tug.

    The bone was almost one and a half meters long, ending in a narrow, sharp tip. It was almost like a spear. The problem was, even with the added length of this makeshift spear, Sunny's range of attack was still shorter than the monster's. He also doubted that it was capable of piercing the hard carapace.

    In short, he had to get close and aim for one of the cracks in the creature's armor. However, he didn't dare to. At that short of a distance, the monster could easily crush him into a paste by using just its weight and hulking frame.

    A crazy idea entered Sunny's mind.

    A bit shocked, he momentarily couldn't decide whether it was the product of audacity or foolishness. Either way, he wasn't insane enough to actually consider it.

    At that moment, the pincer lashed out again. This time, Sunny was a little late to evade, and as a result, a sharp pain pierced his left leg. It was grazed by the edge of the pincer. The Puppeteer's Shroud held, not allowing the monster to draw blood, but the force of the impact was enough to throw Sunny tumbling to the ground.

    There was no time to recover.

    As his eyes opened wide, Sunny understood that it was time to act crazy. So, instead of trying to dodge, he stopped moving and allowed the monster to grab him across his torso with the pincer.

    Immediately, a terrible pressure descended on his ribs. Sunny felt as though he was going to be split apart, but his armor, received from defeating an awakened tyrant, resisted the crushing bite of the monster's pincer. Every muscle in his body tensed, delaying the moment when his insides would be turned into mush.

    In the next second, Sunny's shadow fell from above, wrapping itself around the Puppeteer's Shroud. With the protective properties of the armor enhanced, he was able to better resist the pincer's pulverizing embrace.

    Sunny and the monster appeared to be at an impasse. The young man couldn't free himself from the monster's grip, while the monster could not kill the prey by cutting it in halves with its pincer.

    They stared at each other. Then, an insane fire ignited in the creature's eyes. It clicked its mandibles and raised Sunny in the air, bringing him closer to its mouth, obviously intent on biting his head off.

    'Why is everyone trying to eat me?! Am I that tasty?!'

    Sunny didn't struggle as the monster brought him close to its mandibles. He knew he only had one chance to live.

    In the last moment, Sunny allowed the shadow to flow from Puppeteer's Shroud onto the sharp bone he was still clenching in his hand. Then, he gathered all his strength, leaned forward and thrust the bone forward with as much power as he could.

    Guided by his hand, the dark bone spear shot forward and pierced through the creature's tiny eye, sinking in deep. The other eye of the monster narrowed.

    Gritting his teeth from the unbearable pain in his ribs, Sunny twisted the bone, trying to do as much damage to the creature's brain as possible.

    For a couple of seconds, nothing happened. Then, he felt the pressure on his body diminishing.

    The pincer opened, letting Sunny fall down. As he hit the mood, the hulking monster crashed to the ground, too. The bone spear was still sticking from its head, bathed in the streams of azure liquid.

    Sunny moaned and drew in a raspy, painful breath.

    [You have slain an awakened beast, Carapace Scavenger.]

    [You have received a Memory: Azure Blade.]

    [... Your shadow grows stronger.]

 Chapter 34 Only Steel Remembers

    Chapter 34 Only Steel Remembers

    Sunny was sprawled in the mud, trying to catch his breath. The subtle voice of the Spell echoed in his ears.

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Immediately, he felt a slight change. His body grew a little bit stronger, his vision a little sharper, his skin a little smoother. The change was minimal, but apparent.

    'What was that?'

    He had a guess, and it was easy to confirm. Sunny summoned the runes.

    [Shadow Fragments: 14/1000].

    Previously, he only had twelve of the mysterious shadow fragments, with no knowledge on how to acquire more. Now it seemed that the process was automatic: he only had to kill an enemy to absorb a part of their shadow and enhance his own core.

    More than that, the number of fragments he was able to receive wasn't directly correlated to the number of slain enemies. After a bit of thinking, Sunny came to a preliminary conclusion: dormant soul cores gave him one fragment, while awakened ones gave two. However, only enemies he defeated directly �� more or less �� counted.

    Killing the Mountain King's Larva, a dormant beast, had given him one shadow fragment. Finishing off the veteran slaver, a dormant human �� another. Mountain King itself was an awakened tyrant, which meant that it had five awakened cores. With each giving Sunny two shadow fragments, he ended up with a total of twelve. And now, after killing the Carapace Scavenger, he had fourteen.

    Interestingly, he didn't receive any fragments from the deaths of Shifty, Scholar and Hero, even though they perished as a result of his machinations. It seems he had to finish an enemy off with his own two hands to absorb a part of their shadow.

    Well, or at least by summoning an ancient dead god.

    The process was quite similar to how normal Awakened increased their power, with the only difference being that the steps of extracting and consuming the corresponding material, soul shards, were skipped in favor of instant absorption. That meant that shadow fragments could not be stored, and subsequently could not be bought or traded.

    He won't have an opportunity to receive them as a reward for completing missions, providing services or selling various spoils. If Sunny wanted to grow stronger, his only option was to fight and kill.

    'No peaceful life for me, I guess.'

    Previously, Sunny thought that he at least had the choice to choose a relatively safe path. Many Awakened never left the confines of human Citadels and never faced Nightmare Creatures, choosing instead to perform various jobs in the Dream Realm just as they would in the real world.

    They received payments in the form of soul shards, which were simultaneously the fuel of one's progression and the universal currency inside the Citadels. Sunny was never set on pursuing such a life, but not even having a choice was sort of irritating.

    Luckily, there was a bright side, too. Without the need to use soul shards to strengthen his core, he would be able to spend everything he earns freely and without concern. After all, after he kills an enemy and absorbs the shadow fragments, the soul shard would still be there, ready to be collected and exchanged for something Sunny might need in the future.

    That would effectively make him twice as efficient in terms of earning and spending, which was not a small advantage.

    Additionally, there was the matter of the Shadow Core��

    Since both Sunny and his shadow were tied to it, strengthening the core would not only increase Sunny's power, but also enhance the shadow. So, if he were to use it to further empower himself, the actual effect would be stacked, producing a twofold enhancement. So, for each shadow fragment he collected, Sunny would actually be able to rip twice as much benefit as an Awakened would from a soul shard.

    'Not bad. Not bad at all!'

    Ah, the future was bright. Provided he survives and gets the opportunity to even have a future, of course.

    Sitting up, Sunny moved his eyes and found the cluster of runes describing his Memories. Azure Blade�� had he finally gotten a weapon?

    Memory: [Azure Blade].

    Memory Rank: Awakened.

    Memory Type: Weapon.

    Memory Description: [On this forgotten shore, only steel remembers.]

    'Huh. Interesting.'

    Not very informative, but interesting.

    Sunny summoned his new weapon, and a sharp, light sword immediately appeared in his hand. It was about a meter long, including the handle. The blade was straight and single-edged, ending in an angular tip. It was forged out of azure steel, with a beautiful layered pattern. Deep inside the steel, white sparks could be seen. The crossguard was minimalistic and simple, offering almost no protection to the wielder's hands.

    If Sunny knew his way around cold weapons, he would have called it a tang dao. However, he had no idea about such things: all he could gather was that the blade was single-edged, which meant that it was probably meant for slashing and cutting as opposed to piercing, and that the handle was long enough to accommodate two hands.

    Also, the sword was pretty.

    He summoned the shadow and made it wrap itself around the Azure Blade. Immediately, the steel became bluish-black, with a scattering of white sparks. It looked like a starlit night sky.

    Sunny stood up and waved the sword a couple of times, getting accustomed to its weight. The sharp edge whistled as it cut the air.

    'Well, now I finally look like a real Awakened.'

    After that, he cast a gaze at the corpse of the carapace scavenger and grimaced. Eh, this part was not going to be pleasant.

    After some time, he managed to break open the cracked carapace and cut away a few strips of tender, pink meat. He also did not forget to extract the radiant crystal from the beast's chest �� the soul shard.

    Without much hope, he tried to absorb the shard, remembering how it was supposed to be done �� just as he expected, nothing happened.

    'They're really of no direct use to me.'

    With a shrug, Sunny places the shard and the meat in a makeshift rucksack he weaved from black seaweed and looked at the sun.

    The day was still young. He still had a good chance of making it to the distant hill before the sea came back. However, his left leg was banged up in the fight with the scavenger beast, so walking wasn't as easy as it was before. He gritted his teeth and began limping.

    Hours passed. Due to his bruises and increased vigilance, Sunny's progress slowed down considerably. He was sweating and grinding his teeth, feeling pain with each step. What's worse, the further he reached into the labyrinth, the more confusing and entangled the paths became. Even with the shadow's help, he constantly had to backtrack and struggled to move in the right direction.

    'Crap, crap, crap��'

    If nothing changed, Sunny would not reach his goal. Which meant that he'll be crushed to death by the returning sea.

    Not allowing himself to think about dying, Sunny tried to walk faster. However, he couldn't be too hasty: making a wrong turn would have taken precious minutes away from him, so he had to choose the way carefully. Additionally, missing to notice another ambush could end his life directly.

    'Curses!'

    Just when he was beginning to feel desperate, his shadow suddenly saw something that momentarily sent Sunny into a stupor.

    Some distance further down the path, beyond a few turns, the corals widened, creating a small clearing. And in the middle of that clearing, someone was walking across the mud.

    The first thing Sunny saw was fair skin�� a lot of skin. The tall, lithe girl was only dressed in a makeshift skirt and a crude brassiere, both made out of seaweed. However, it didn't seem to bother her. With a calm expression, she stopped and looked back. The wind was playing with her short silver hair.

    It was Nephis, the Changing Star.

    In one hand, she was holding the end of a strange golden rope.

    And on the other end of the rope, Cassia, the blind girl, was carefully following behind.

 Chapter 35 A Shadow, A Star And An Oracle

    Chapter 35 A Shadow, A Star And An Oracle

    Grey sky above, black mud below, an endless sea of crimson in between. On this dreamlike backdrop, two beautiful girls were walking across the labyrinth.

    One was delicate and fragile, with blond hair and cerulean, aimless eyes. She was dressed in a simple tunic, with leather sandals on her feet and a cloak the color of sea waves draped around her shoulders.

    The other was tall and lithe. She had silky silver hair and clear, grey eyes. Her revealing clothes were crudely made out of black seaweed, leaving her fair skin and athletic build exposed. She was poised, alert, and barefoot.

    A golden rope connected two girls together.

    'Wow. What a sight��' Sunny thought.

    He suddenly regretted that he was not an artist. The picture just begged to be made into a painting.

    'Wait�� why am I thinking about that? People! I found people!'

    His heart skipped a bit. If Nephis and Cassia were here, then the orange light from before, most likely, had something to do with them. Which meant that they knew how to get to the tall hill.

    Which meant that Sunny didn't have to be crushed to death by the high tide!

    'Uh�� so what do I do now?'

    He wasn't the best at ingratiating himself to other people. In fact, he was the polar opposite �� people usually instinctively avoided him. And that was in normal circumstances. This time, however, he had spent a whole of four weeks making sure that everyone in the Academy hated his guts��

    'Good job, Sunny!'

    Still, he was at least useful. In this situation, an additional body was already a great boon when facing hungry monsters. And he wasn't just anyone: his ability to scout ahead alone was worth a lot. Surely they'll understand that�� right?

    With a heavy sigh, Sunny stepped into shadows and hurried to the clearing. He reached it in a minute or so, hiding and observing the two girls before making a final decision.

    Helping herself with the wooden staff, blind Cassia slowly approached the middle of the clearing and extended her hand, finding Nephis and touching her on the shoulder.

    "Why did you stop?"

    Nephis supported the blind girl and glanced at the sky.

    "It's getting late."

    An awkward pause hung between two girls. After some time, Cassia asked:

    "So you think we should turn back?"

    Nephis blinked and cleared her throat.

    "Yes."

    Sunny was a bit amused by their exchange.

    'What is she, a strong silent type?'

    Then he returned to his dilemma and grimaced.

    'How do I approach them? Damn, why is this so hard! It's not like I'm trying to ask them out on a date. I mean, one of them�� both of them? What am I thinking about?! Just go and say hi!'

    But then, if he suddenly appeared out of the shadows�� not at all like a creep�� how high was the probability of them getting spooked and attacking him before noticing that he was not a monster?

    Wait, why would they�� argh, to hell with this!

    Deciding on the safest approach, Sunny commanded his shadow to abandon its hiding place and move to a spot where Nephis could clearly see it. He could clearly sense the shadow rolling its eyes as it obeyed the order.

    As soon as the shadow started to move, Nephis suddenly snapped her hand sideways. Immediately, a long sword appeared in it, cutting the air as it assumed a defensive position. Before the shadow could even take two steps out of its hiding spot, it was already pierced by Changing Star's grey eyes.

    The shadow froze. It seemed a bit startled.

    Cassia took a step back.

    "Neph? What is it?"

    Nephis didn't answer immediately, carefully observing the shadow. Then she simply said:

    "There's a shadow."

    Cassia's doll-like face paled.

    "A shadow? Scavengers?"

    The tall girl tilted her head a little.

    "No. It's a human shadow."

    This was clearly not what Cassia expected to hear. With an expression of surprise, she asked:

    "A human shadow? What�� what is it doing?"

    Nephis hesitated. After a while, she answered in a flat tone:

    "...It's waving at us."

    ***

    After a whole minute of silence, Cassia finally found the words to react.

    "What?"

    "I said: it's waving��"

    "Yes, I know! I mean�� why is it doing that?"

    Nephis opened her mouth, then closed it again.

    "I don't know. Maybe it's a distraction to lure us into a trap."

    At this point, Sunny decided that it was time to talk. He inhaled deeply, then said in a friendly tone:

    "Actually, I just sent it ahead to make sure that you don't stab me with that sword before realizing that I'm human."

    Immediately, Nephis turned her head, pinpointing the exact location where Sunny was hiding in a blotch of shadows. Her sword slightly shifted, aiming at the new threat.

    "If you're human, why are hiding in the shadows like a creep?"

    'Goddamit! I'm not a creep!'

    Sunny ��hoked. But his Flaw was merciless: he had to provide an answer, and a truthful one at that.

    "I mean, you're Changing Star Nephis. To be honest, I'm a little afraid."

    Nephis did not answer. Because of her hard-to-read face, it was almost impossible to determine whether she believed him or not. However, he included her True Name in his answer for a reason: if he was some monster pretending to be human, he wouldn't have known it.

    Luckily, Cassia was more expressive.

    "Are you the boy who sat with me in the cafeteria?"

    Sunny smiled. Meanwhile, Nephis glanced at the blind girl.

    "Do you know him?"

    Cassia nodded.

    "I recognize his voice. His name is Sunless. He was in second-to-last place in the rankings, right above me."

    The tall girl frowned, as if trying to remember. Then she asked:

    "The pervert?"

    The smile disappeared from Sunny's face, replaced by exasperation.

    'Oh, come on!'

    Cassia hesitated and didn't answer.

    "Hey! I'm not really a pervert, you know! I just�� uhm�� said a few things. To a few girls. It was all a misunderstanding."

    Nephis was silent for a few seconds, and then, finally, dismissed her sword.

    "Okay. You can come out."

    Sunny limped out of the shadows, summoning his own back. It flowed to his feet and reattached itself, visibly shaking. The bastard was laughing at him...

    Stopping a few meters away from Nephis, he raised his hands, showing that he didn't mean the girls any harm. Changing Star gave him an inquisitive look.

    "What happened to you?"

    She was referring to his limp, bruises, and overall banged-up look. Sunny sighed.

    "Carapace Scavenger."

    Nephis raised an eyebrow:

    "You managed to get away alive?"

    'You bet I did!'

    Sunny subconsciously straightened his back.

    "I didn't get away. I killed it."

    To prove his point, he gestured at his rucksack, full of delicious monster meat. Nephis looked him over again, reevaluating her opinion of him. Now, there were hints of approval in her eyes

    Carapace Scavengers were only beasts, but they were still awakened. With the addition of their mighty physique and natural armor, defeating one was not an easy feat for any Sleeper, who all had a dormant core. Let alone someone from the very bottom of the ranking list.

    Come to think of it, it was even a bit too outstanding.

    Sunny lowered his eyes.

    "Eh�� it was already wounded."

    Nephis shrugged.

    "A kill is a kill. You did well."

    After that, she fell silent, as though not planning to say anything else. Sunny also wasn't sure what to say. Luckily, Cassia came to the rescue.

    "Are you seriously injured?"

    He shook his head.

    "No, it's just that my ribs and leg are bruised �� I'll be fine in a day or two. My armor is pretty resilient."

    He wasn't worried that they might be tempted to kill him to get the Puppeteer's Shroud. That was because Memories were destroyed at the moment of their owner's death. So they only could be transferred voluntarily by a living person.

    Well, there was always torture and blackmail. But he doubted that any one of the two beautiful girls would stoop to that.

    Sunny cleared his throat.

    "Before stumbling on the Scavenger, I was heading for the tall hill with the massive coral pillar on top. But after the fight, my speed decreased. Now I'm worried about not making it in time. Do you perhaps know the way?"

    Cassia smiled.

    "Actually, we spend the last days on that hill. We were just about to go back."

    Nephis didn't say anything, looking at the sky.

    Sunny licked his lips.

    "Well�� can I come with you?"

    'They're not going to say "no"�� right?'

    The blind girl turned he head to her companion, a clear question written on her face.

    "Neph?"

    Nephis lowered her eyes, staring at Sunny. After a while, she said:

    "No��"

    'What?!'

    "...problem."

    No problem.

    'What's wrong with you, princess?! Can't you speak faster?!'

    Feeling his heart beating wildly in his chest, Sunny smiled.

    "Well. Alright��"

 Chapter 36 Bonfire

    Chapter 36 Bonfire

    The rest of the way to the tall hill did not take a lot of time. With Nephis leading the way, taking all the right turns at all the right places, there was no need to explore the labyrinth and backtrack after encountering a dead end. Additionally, there were no scavengers around.

    In fact, they could have moved ever quicker if not for Cassia, who walked slowly even with the help of her staff. Guided by the golden rope, she carefully explored the ground ahead before taking each step. The uneven paths of the crimson forest were not an ideal surface for a blind person to walk on.

    Sunny didn't say much, periodically casting an incredulous glance at the strange pair. No matter how he looked at it, Cassia seemed to be dead weight. Perhaps it was cruel to say, but in the merciless reality of the Dream Realm, misguided kindness was a sure way to end up dead.

    Before meeting and observing the girls, he still had hope that Cassia's terrible Flaw hid an unexpected and powerful Aspect. But from what he saw, it wasn't the case. If she couldn't even walk properly, what kind of power was there to hide? Nothing could outweigh the ruthless fact that the blind girl couldn't protect herself, and thus would only drag her companions down.

    One had to be a fool or not fond of living to allow that to happen. So�� which one of these descriptions suited Nephis? Somehow, he felt that neither did.

    The sunset was not far off when they reached the hill. After climbing it and approaching the massive growth of coral, Nephis dismissed the golden rope and immediately summoned it again. This way, it was untied and appeared in her hands in a neat bundle.

    'Ah. So it's a Memory.'

    Sunny wondered what qualities the magical rope had. Soon, his curiosity was satisfied: right in front of his surprised eyes, the length of the rope suddenly began to increase. Soon, it was thrice as long as it was before.

    Nephis calmly tied both ends of the rope into loops and then threw one of them into the air, accurately coiling it around a prominent protrusion near the top of the coral pillar. Then, she tested if the rope would hold, swiftly climbed up and waved from above, giving Sunny the signal to follow.

    After hesitating for a second, Sunny approached the rope and grabbed it.

    He couldn't help thinking that this would be the perfect opportunity to cut his head off. With him helpless while climbing and Nephis standing on the top of the pillar�� yeah. The vivid picture appeared in his mind.

    'Stop being paranoid!' Sunny thought, trying to calm himself down.

    It's not that he was sure of Changing Star's impeccable moral qualities. Instead, he was certain of one thing: if Nephis really wanted to kill him, she wouldn't have needed to wait for an opportunity. She could have just cut him into ribbons whenever.

    Simultaneously scared and reassured by this though, Sunny nimbly climbed up and joined Nephis at the top of the coral mound. He then turned around and watched curiously, wondering how Cassia was going to get to them.

    The blind girl dismissed the wooden staff and approached the rope. Then she caught it in a hand, traced it down to the loop at the end, and placed her foot inside. As soon as she was done, Nephis grabbed the rope and started pulling, lifting Cassia little by little until she had reached the top. She only had to grab Nephis's hand and make a step to join them.

    'Huh. Efficient.'

    The coral mound was much larger than the circular stone platform of the giant knight's neck. In fact, it was almost like a small island. At the highest point of the island, hidden behind some coral blades, the girls had made a little camp. There were piles of seaweed to sleep on, strips of scavenger meat drying under the sun, and a firepit.

    Sunny pointed to the makeshift firepit.

    "Was it you two nights ago? I've seen an orange light in the distance."

    Cassia's face darkened.

    "Yes, this was the first time we made a fire. But it turned out to be a really bad mistake."

    Nephis sighed.

    Sunny raised an eyebrow, surprised.

    "Why?"

    The blind girl touched her hair and turned her head to Nephis.

    "At night, any light will attract monsters. We were attacked by scavengers first. And then�� then��"

    She paled and didn't finish. But she didn't have to: the memory of the colossal tentacle was still fresh in Sunny's mind.

    It seemed that he was lucky to meet these two when he had. If not, he was certainly going to make a fire tonight to roast some scavenger meat.

    "Uh. I see."

    Nephis looked at the sky and cleared her throat.

    "It should be fine now. We still have time before the sun sets."

    After that, she got busy making the fire. Cassia simply sat on a pile of seaweed and waited. Not knowing what to do, Sunny lowered himself to the ground and let his tired, bruised body rest.

    After a while, he said:

    "I have fresh meat in my rucksack. Do you have water?"

    Cassia smiled.

    "Yes!"

    After that, she extended an arm to him. A second later, a beautiful bottle made of patterned blue glass appeared in her hand.

    "That's a Memory I have. It's always full."

    Sunny took the glass bottle and looked at it with envy.

    'An endless supply of water, huh? Sure beats my super loud bell!'

    "Thank you."

    He brought the bottle to his lips and greedily drank the cool, delicious water. Indeed, no matter how much he drank, the amount of water inside did not seem to decrease.

    "Is it really endless?"

    Cassia touched her hair again.

    "Uh�� not really. If you turn it upside down and let the water flow, it will stop in half an hour or so. But then it will be full again pretty soon."

    At that time, Nephis was already done making the fire. Without looking up, she took Sunny's rucksack and opened it. Immediately, the soul shard rolled out. The tall girl looked at it, then at Sunny. Then she put the shard back in and pulled out the meat.

    Sunny became tense, preparing a misleading answer. But Nephis did not ask. So, he pretended like nothing had happened and continued his conversation with Cassia.

    "It's still a great Memory. Getting drinkable water is not an easy task!"

    Cassia nodded and smiled, pleased by his words.

    Soon, the rich smell of roasting meat permeated the air. At the same time, the sun was beginning to approach the horizon; a loud rumble came from somewhere beneath, and first traces of the black water began to appear between crimson walls of the labyrinth.

    Sunny looked east, where the skies were already growing dark. Then he uncomfortably shifted.

    "Do scavengers come all the way up here?"

    Nephis turned the meat and nodded.

    "Yes. But�� only at night. In the day, most of them seem to disappear."

    Sunny grinned, having an idea of why there weren't a lot of monsters in the labyrinth in the day.

    "That's because they all gather near the place I had been spending my time recently. You should have seen it �� the tall cliff to the west of here. Well, it's actually a statue."

    Cassia opened her eyes wide.

    "A�� a statue? But for you to survive, it should be��"

    "Yes, it's a giant statue of a knight, at least two hundred meters tall. He is missing his head, so I hid on top of the neck. Anyway�� the day we were sent here, two sea creatures fought each other near that statue. When the water receded, I saw an enormous carcass lying there, with hundreds of scavengers slowly tearing it apart."

    Nephis nodded.

    "That would explain the lack of Nightmare Creature in the day. How long?"

    Sunny blinked.

    "How long what?"

    Changing Star stared at him for a few seconds, making everyone feel uncomfortable.

    "How long... until they are done devouring the carcass?"

    "Oh. One day more, two at most."

    Nephis turned away, took the meat away from the fire, and then quickly extinguished it.

    'There's definitely something wrong with that girl!'

    The three of them ate in the dimming light of the twilight. The meat was juicy, tender and indescribably delicious. It was better than anything Sunny had ever tasted, even back in the Academy's cafeteria. Of course, his excruciating hunger played a part in that.

    From time to time, they would pass the glass bottle to each other.

    When they were finished with their meal, the dark sea was back, and the night was upon them. Everything was consumed by absolute darkness.

    Of course, Sunny could easily see both Nephis and Cassia. Under the cover of the night, Changing Star remained pretty much the same. The blind girl, however, allowed her true emotions to show, thinking that no one would see. She seemed much more lost, lonely and frightened than she did in the day.

    As if trying to resist these feelings, Cassia said in a bright voice:

    "How about we formally introduce ourselves? I'm Cassie."

    Nephis glanced in her direction and shrugged.

    "Neph."

    Next, it was Sunny's turn. He exhaled, glad that they didn't ask his name directly. Most likely, he would still have been able to provide his human name �� however, it also might have depended on the wording of the question.

    Relieved, he smiled and answered:

    "I'm Sunless. But you can call me Sunny."

 Chapter 37 Getting To Know Each Other

    Chapter 37 Getting To Know Each Other

    Sunny was slowly growing fond of having conversations in the dark. Without the burden of light, people were more relaxed and honest. It reminded him of the frequent blackouts that used to sweep through the city when he was a little kid. His family had no choice but to huddle together and spend a few hours doing nothing but talking to each other.

    Now, these dark hours had become some of his most precious memories.

    He was silent for a few moments and then said:

    "Since we're going to be depending on each other, should we share what abilities and Memories we have at our disposal?"

    This was a logical suggestion. If they were going to fight side by side, knowing each other's strengths was more or less vital. Still, he noticed Nephis glancing in his direction with a guarded look on her face.

    Luckily, he was obscured by darkness.

    "I'll start," Sunny said, both to show his sincerity and to reveal information about himself in a controlled manner.

    If he took the initiative to talk, he still had to tell the truth, but how much and to what extent was still for him to decide. If they were to ask and he had to answer, however�� things would become unpredictable.

    "My attributes give me an affinity to shadows. I also have a slight affiliation to divinity. Lastly, I am prone to finding myself in unlikely situations."

    Cassie listened carefully, and then lowered her head, as though embarrassed.

    "Uh�� he is telling the truth. Not that we doubted your honesty!"

    'Why not? I spent so much time earning the reputation of a pathological liar!'

    Sunny cleared his throat and smiled, hiding his nervousness:

    "Really? That's good to know. But�� why are you so sure that I am being honest?"

    The blind girl shifted a little.

    "Oh! That's my Ability. I can "see" people's Attributes. Sometimes, I also receive, uh, "visions". They can be about the future or the past. I mean, that's what I think�� it only happened a couple of times."

    Sunny swallowed, but then relaxed.

    'So, she is an oracle of sorts. Luckily, her insight is limited to Attributes�� otherwise, I'd be in real trouble. Still, I'll have to be careful around her.'

    He finally realized how the blind girl had known about his birthday. The question was whether she had seen it in a vision of the future or in a vision of the past. If it was the former, was it safe to assume that he would certainly be able to celebrate at least one more birthday?

    Or did knowing the future actually affected and changed it? For example, after learning that he was definitely going to survive, Sunny might have naturally relaxed and lowered his guard. Then, he would die as the result of it. It surely seemed possible, right? That's assuming that the future could be changed. But maybe it wasn't? Then��

    Feeling his head hurting, Sunny decided to avoid this line of thought for now. Instead, he hid his inner turmoil and said in a friendly tone:

    "That's a good Ability. Speaking of Abilities: you have already seen mine. My shadow can move independently and explore. It can't affect the material world, but we share sight and hearing. That way, I can spot danger before encountering it. The shadow is fast and stealthy: it can go anywhere and is almost impossible to notice. Oh, I can also see in the dark."

    He smiled, expecting the girls to understand and appreciate the utility of his Shadow Scout. Their reaction, however, was a bit strange: Nephis slowly turned her head in his direction, while Cassie became a bit pale and raised her hands to cover her chest.

    "Uh�� what?"

    Nephis frowned and said in a flat tone:

    "Have you ever used your Ability in the Academy?"

    Sunny blinked.

    'What a strange question!'

    "In the Academy? Sure, of course. Why?"

    Oh, right�� they think that I'm a pervert��

    Crap!

    Before the girls could say anything, he hurriedly raised his hand and blurted:

    "But I have never used it to do anything improper! You have to believe me!"

    Fortunately, it was the honest truth. However, both Nephis and Cassie looked skeptical. Sunny gritted his teeth.

    "I had more important things to do than�� than whatever you're thinking about! I spent almost every waking hour learning how to survive!"

    Nephis raised an eyebrow.

    "I haven't seen you in class�� even once."

    Sunny chuckled.

    "Of course, you didn't. While you were busy wiping the floor with other Sleepers, I was studying Wilderness Survival."

    It was Changing Star's turn to blink.

    "Wilderness�� what? There is such a course?"

    Cassie seemed equally puzzled.

    "Yes, there is. It might seem like an afterthought for most people, but for an outskirts kid like me, who never went to a fancy school or saw a private tutor, learning how to survive in the wilderness is the difference between life and death. Without it, I would have drowned the moment we were sent to the Dream Realm."

    On a rare occasion, Nephis looked completely bewildered. She rubbed her wrists and stared thoughtfully in his direction.

    "I see. I didn't know."

    Sunny grimaced and struggled to keep the venom from sipping into his voice. When he finally spoke, his tone was light and amiable.

    "That's okay. It's natural for someone of your status not to know��"

    When he mentioned her status, a strange smile appeared on the Changing Star's face. But in the end, she didn't reply.

    Sunny continued:

    "Anyway, that's my Ability. As for Memories, I have three. One is an armor, one is a sword, and the last one is a really loud bell."

    Now it was their turn to share. After a short pause, Nephis spoke:

    "My attributes give me an affinity to light and fire, as well as a strong affiliation to divinity. I have two Memories: a rope��"

    While she was speaking, Sunny was looking at Cassie, trying to read her expression. From what he saw, Nephis was telling the truth �� but also, not the whole truth. And judging by how hard the blind girl was trying to hide her true feelings, the secret hiding among Changing Star's Attributes was not at all trivial.

    'Interesting.'

    "...and a sword. The rope is very sturdy and can change its length. The sword is very sharp and can protect its wielder against souls attacks, to a certain extent. My Ability�� can be used to heal."

    Sunny didn't miss the wording of the last part. "Can be used to heal"... does this mean that its main purpose was something else? He was pretty sure that Nephis would not reveal all of her cards, just like him. However, healing abilities were extremely rare. Having one that could heal, but was not limited to healing �� that would be simply unheard of.

    But then again, she was Changing Star �� one of the few people in history to receive a True Name in the First Nightmare. If Sunny were to consider his own Aspect Ability, nothing seemed impossible.

    'I wonder what's her Aspect rank is.'

    Outwardly, he pretended to be excited.

    "You're a Healer? That's great! Having a Healer among us is incredible luck!"

    Cassie nodded and smiled.

    "Neph is also an amazing fighter! You should have seen her dealing with those scavengers. Well�� I also did not actually see it. But it sounded very scary."

    Sunny didn't need anyone to tell him how formidable of a warrior Nephis was. He had seen it with how own two eyes. Sort of. Actually, they were his shadow's eyes. Well�� whatever it had instead of eyes.

    Meanwhile, Cassie sighed.

    "It's my turn? Uh�� my attributes are nothing special. I guess I have an affinity to revelations and fate. My Ability is like I told you before. It's not very useful. About my Memories, I have three: the bottle, the wooden staff and this armor. You already know about the bottle. The staff can create wind. The armor is actually of the Awakened rank�� uh, Neph gave it to me when we met. It has a very powerful protective charm."

    'So�� she's not only carrying Cassie on her back, she even gave away her only clothes? An Awakened-rank armor, at that? What�� what is Nephis thinking about?'

    The blind girl turned away and added after a while:

    "I used to be a pretty decent fencer�� before. Now I can't really fight."

    The last two sentences were obviously related to her Flaw. Sunny and Nephis, however, both chose to keep theirs secret. Despite the fact that knowing your companion's Flaw was also important for cooperation and having each other's backs, sharing something like that demanded a very high level of trust.

    Right now, there was no trust between them. And even if there was, Sunny did not plan to ever share his Flaw with anyone. Nephis, too, seemed to have a lot of secrets.

    After a while, he said:

    "Good. That's good. I think we have enough tools to survive, provided we use them right. I guess it's time to sleep?"

    In the darkness, Nephis tilted her head, listening to his words with a distant look.

    "Alright. I'll�� take watch first."

    Sunny decided to be helpful and said:

    "Actually, my shadow doesn't sleep. It can wake us up if something happens."

    Changing Star slowly smiled.

    "I'll take watch first."

    Feeling a bit of coldness in her voice, Sunny sighed and shrugged.

    'Suit yourself. What are you going to watch, huh? You can't even see anything! Whatever. Just don't blame me when something giant swallows us in the middle of the night��'

    Then he suddenly shuddered.

    'Wait... that was not a death flag, right? Right, of course not. No way...'

 Chapter 38 Questions In The Dark

    Chapter 38 Questions In The Dark

    Sleep was avoiding Sunny. For a while, he sat silently in the darkness, listening to the calming rumbling of the waves. In this rare moment of respite, memories of the past few days came flooding into his mind. However, he was too tired to seriously think about anything. He was warm, full, and relatively safe. For now, that was more than enough.

    Soon, the rhythm of Cassia's breathing changed, indicating that she fell asleep. Nephis was guarding the camp, motionless and, as always, a bit distant. With her silver hair and fair skin, she looked like an alabaster statue.

    Sunny sighed. He struggled for a bit, and then said quietly:

    "Hey. Can I ask you a question?"

    Nephis glanced at him and shrugged. The lack of an audible response clearly indicated that she remembered about his ability to see in the dark.

    "Sure."

    'Would it be too personal?'

    Sunny hesitated.

    "I thought you Legacies come into the Spell with a whole inherited arsenal of Memories. I mean, that's supposed to be your main advantage. How come you only had three?"

    Nephis was silent for a few moments.

    "Actually, I only had two. The rope came from Cassie."

    He raised an eyebrow.

    "Oh. I see."

    Realizing that her answer wasn't really an answer, Nephis thought for a while and added:

    "We lost most of our Memories when my father passed away. The ones that remained were sold one by one over the years, to keep the family afloat. This sword and armor came from my First Nightmare."

    So that's how it was. Sunny realized that the fall of the Immortal Flame clan might have been more thorough than he had thought. Still, something about it didn't make sense.

    "Surely, with your clan's reputation and standing, there were other ways to make money."

    Without any strong reaction, Nephis simply said:

    "There were other reasons."

    Then, she unexpectedly turned her head in his direction.

    "Can I ask you a question in return?"

    Sunny swallowed.

    "Yeah, go ahead."

    Nephis tilted her head.

    "How did you know that I'm a Legacy?"

    'What? That's it?'

    "Simple. I heard Caster mention it. He was scolding other Sleepers to make them treat you with respect."

    She gave him a nod and turned away. What thoughts were hidden behind her calm grey eyes, Sunny did not know.

    Some time had passed before he gathered enough courage to ask the question that he really wanted to ask. Before doing it, though, he made sure that Cassie was sound asleep and lowered his voice.

    "Can I ask another question?"

    Without getting a negative response, he continued:

    "Why are you burdening yourself with her?"

    A corner of Changing Star's mouth curled up slightly.

    "Why? Wouldn't you?"

    Sunny gritted his teeth, feeling the Flaw pushing the truthful answer out of his mouth.

    "No."

    To be honest, he wanted to believe to the last moment that the answer would be "yes". But one of the things he had lost after the Nightmare was the ability to lie to himself. Truth was merciless.

    It's not that Sunny did not pity the blind girl or didn't want to help her. It's just that he knew with certainty that it was simply not something he could do. He was barely able to save himself, let alone carry a helpless person across the Dream Realm. If he tried, they would just die together.

    Still, he couldn't help but be a little disappointed in himself.

    Nephis, however, did not seem to judge him. She showed no reaction at all. After a few moments, she simply said:

    "Because I want to."

    'Because�� she wants to?'

    That was not the response Sunny expected to hear. He was pretty sure that she would either lecture him about virtue and compassion or disclose some obscure way to make Cassie's seemingly weak Ability incredibly useful.

    However, she did neither. Nephis expected him to believe that she was putting her life in danger, to the point of sacrificing an awakened armor-type Memory, because that was something she simply wanted to do.

    'Ridiculous!'

    At first, he dismissed her response as a non-answer. But the more he thought about it, the more disturbed he felt.

    Because, maybe, it was actually the truth.

    Due to the circumstances of his life, Sunny had never really done things because he wanted to. Most of the time, he was doing them because he needed to. It was never a question of "want"... it was always a question of "must". For him, this was a basic rule of life.

    But was it really? Or was it just a matter of perspective? Nephis had certain advantages in her upbringing, but they weren't as ample as he had imagined. She had no wealth and no arsenal of relics to empower her. However, she did have a mentality that was different from Sunny's.

    It wasn't impossible for her to have the audacity to disregard need in favor of something as frivolous as desire, and do things that a normal person like Sunny would never do.

    Like helping a blind girl simply because that was what Nephis wanted to do.

    Perhaps, that mentality was the greatest advantage of all.

    Perhaps, that was the real barrier that separated Legacies from the rest of them.

    That was a lot to think about. However, before Sunny could gather his thoughts, Nephis suddenly spoke again.

    "My turn."

    'Uh�� does she mean it's her turn to ask a question?'

    Indeed, that was what she meant. Changing Star once again turned to Sunny and, after a long pause, suddenly asked:

    "Do you know the legend of Odysseus?"

    'A what�� who? What sort of a weird question is that?!'

    Bewildered, Sunny shook his head. Then, remembering that she couldn't see him, he said:

    "No."

    Nephis sighed and turned away. A few moments later, she softly said:

    "Odysseus was a hero in an ancient war. In the legends, some humans back then had powers akin to the Awakened. Achilles with an Aspect of indestructible body, Diomedes that was so ferocious even the God of War was wary of him, Ajax who was as strong as a giant. Odysseus was not the strongest, and not the bravest. However, he was the most cunning."

    Sunny blinked, staring at the silver-haired girl.

    'What? Where did this come from? Why is she suddenly so eloquent?'

    Meanwhile, Nephis continued:

    "In the end, Odysseus's cunning ended the war, and he prepared to sail home. However, the gods cursed him to endlessly wander the seas, never to return. Over the years, he survived one horror after another and lost all of his companions. Then, shipwrecked, he found himself on an island where the beautiful fairy, Calypso, lived."

    Changing Star's ethereal, strangely wistful voice resounded in the darkness, creating an enthralling atmosphere. Sunny couldn't help but listen with the utmost attention.

    "Calypso fell in love with Odysseus and invited him to her palace. For many years, they lived together in harmony. The island was like a paradise, filled with all kinds of wonders, delicacies and delights. As long as loving Calypso was by his side, Odysseus was even immortal. But�� the longer he stayed, the more time he spent sitting on the shore, looking at the sea with bleak eyes."

    Nephis smiled.

    "In the end, Odysseus built a makeshift boat and abandoned the island, leaving all its delights, the beautiful fairy, and even his immortality behind. So, my question is�� why did he leave?"

    Sunny blinked.

    'What?'

    What kind of a mind game was that? He even considered that Nephis was mocking him, but it didn't seem to be the case. It looked like she was sincerely interested in the answer.

    'Weirdo!'

    He thought for a bit, and then said without too much conviction:

    "Maybe it was because he was far away from home?"

    A fleeting smile appeared on Nephis's face.

    "Far away�� from home. Hm. Alright."

    After that, she turned away and lowered he head, becoming like a statue again.

    It seemed like their conversation was over.

    Grumbling internally, Sunny lay down and tried to fall asleep. However, the image of bleak-eyed Odysseus kept appearing in his mind. After a while, he whispered:

    "Well? Did he make it back home?"

    Soon, Nephis replied.

    "Yes. He returned to his wife and son, and they lived happily ever after."

    Satisfied, Sunny smiled and turned on his side.

    When he was already half-asleep, he heard Changing Star's quiet voice one again. This time, it was barely audible and aimless, as though not directed at anyone.

    "Odysseus was the first human to break the will of gods."

    ***

    In the morning, Sunny and Nephis were the first to get up. While the sun was rising and the sea was retreating, they made a fire and began preparing a simple breakfast.

    With Cassia still asleep, they did not talk to each other much. It was like the last night's conversation did not happen. However, after some time, they somehow ended up discussing the plan for the next few days. Nephis had some ideas.

    "With what you told us about scavengers crowding to the west, the logical step would be to start moving east as soon as we can. Of course, north and south are also acceptable, but that won't put as much space between us and the enemy."

    Sunny nodded, agreeing with that logic.

    "We have explored to the east a little, but not enough to confidently make it to the next high point in a day. That's why the best course of action would be to spend today scouting a path to that group of cliffs over there and move the camp tomorrow."

    He sighed.

    "Do you have any idea where we are? Would there be a human Citadel to the east?"

    Nephis shook her head.

    "I've never heard of a region that fits the characteristics of this place. In any case, we have to move to find out more. We'll either find a Citadel, encounter an unconquered Gateway�� or die. East is as good of a direction as any. Plus, it's the safest, because there's a horde of monsters to the west."

    At that point, Cassie suddenly sat up straight. Her eyes were wide open, and her face was a little pale. She looked nervous and excited.

    Nephis frowned.

    "Cassie? What's the matter?"

    The blind girl turned to them and smiled.

    "A�� a vision! I had a vision!"

    'Like�� a prophetic dream?' Sunny thought, trying to come to terms with this new reality of someone being able to see the future. Or the past.

    Meanwhile, Changing Star stretched her hand, as though prepared to summon her sword.

    "Are we in danger?"

    Cassie energetically shook her head.

    "No, it's not that! People�� I saw a castle full of people!"

    She smiled at pointed with her finger.

    "I don't know how far it is, but I'm sure that it's in that direction!"

    Sunny and Nephis looked at each other, not knowing whether to be glad or petrified.

    Cassie's small, delicate finger was confidently pointing west.

 Chapter 39 Journey To The West

    Chapter 39 Journey To The West

    In the ensuing silence, the smile slowly disappeared from Cassie's face, replaced by confusion. Feeling the sudden tension, she asked:

    "Uh�� what's wrong?"

    Sunny sighed.

    "No, nothing is wrong. It's just that that direction is the one we wanted to avoid."

    After some thought, he added:

    "That's where I came from yesterday. There's a lot of scavengers down there."

    The blind girl's face fell.

    "Oh."

    Nephis, who was quietly listening to them, gave him an indecipherable look and finally spoke:

    "Tell us more about the castle."

    A shadow of the previous excitement returned to Cassie's eyes. With a serious nod, she began describing her vision.

    "I dreamt of a vast, ruined city built of weathered stone. It was surrounded by tall, impregnable walls. Various monsters were wandering its narrow streets. In the center of the city, the was a hill, and on that hill stood a magnificent castle."

    She smiled.

    "But there were no monsters in the castle! Instead, it was full of people. I think�� no, I'm sure that they were Awakened. Some were guarding the walls, some were going about their lives without a care in the world. There was food, safety, and laughter!"

    'Well, that sounds great.'

    If this castle really existed, then all of their problems would be solved. Sunny cleared his throat.

    "Did you see anything else?"

    Cassie frowned, trying to remember. Then, her face cleared.

    "Yes! I saw Sunny leading me through the gates of the castle! That means we will make it!"

    A brilliant smile appeared on her doll-like face, beaming with so much joy that Sunny couldn't help but curl his lips.

    Inwardly, however, he was stuck on a certain detail of Cassie's vision. It was that, when talking about reaching the castle, the blind girl only mentioned the two of them. Was there some meaning behind it?

    Sunny turned his head a little and secretly glanced at Nephis, trying to discern if she had picked up on that little discrepancy, too.

    Changing Star, however, was as enigmatic as ever. Without showing much emotion, she thought for a while, and then slowly nodded.

    "Okay. Then we will go west."

    ***

    While the sea was still retreating, they had their breakfast and then spent some time planning for the journey and preparing to abandon the temporary camp. In the process, Sunny had a chance to get to know the girls a little better.

    It was then that he came to a sudden realization, which almost made his head explode from bafflement. That mind-blowing realization had to do with Nephis.

    Back when they first met in front of the Academy's gates, Sunny had formed a certain impression of the confident, distant girl. Later, her behavior and the different revelations about Changing Star's past only served to reinforce that impression.

    Nephis seemed to exist a bit apart from the world. She was mysterious, aloof and rather cool. Her taciturn character and strange speech patterns made people interacting with her feel unnerved and rattled, often revealing more than they had been planning to. The less she talked, the more she seemed to know. That silent, indifferent confidence was arresting, and sometimes even oppressive.

    However, that impression turned out to be completely wrong!

    The actual truth behind the matter had nothing to do with being cool and aloof. After talking to her a bit more and observing their interactions with Cassie, Sunny almost fainted when he realized that Nephis was simply an incredibly, ridiculously... painfully awkward person.

    It was as though she had no idea how to talk to people. Every time she tried to convey something, she would either use the wrong words or stumble in the middle of the sentence and fall silent. Her tone never matched what she was trying to say. Often, she would forget to put correct intonations in her speech, making questions sound like statements or vice versa.

    Added to that was the fact that, like many introverted people, Nephis was not in a habit of openly showing her emotions. It's not that she didn't have feelings: it's just that she was really bad at emoting them! As a result, her face always looked cold and neutral.

    That's why, most of the time, she simply chose to talk as little as possible or not to talk at all.

    All of that added up together, then multiplied by her general weirdness, was ultimately responsible for creating the false image of a mysterious, unapproachable ice princess.

    When in fact, she was just shy and completely inept in communicating with people!

    After coming to that realization, Sunny tried with all his might but still failed to stop himself from staring at Nephis with wide eyes. He just barely managed to not let his jaw hang open.

    'What the hell? That's not in line with how a protagonist should be!'

    In his mind, Nephis had definitely been the type of person to be the main character of any event. At the center stage, there were always confident, strong people like her and Caster. People like himself and Cassie, on the other hand, were relegated to exist far away in the background. Now, however��

    No, that line of thought was also wrong. The fact that Changing Star had problems with expressing herself and lacked social skills did not mean that she was not strong. In fact, it might have meant the opposite. She still achieved everything that she had achieved, but with the added layer of adversity.

    She was still dangerous.

    At that moment, Nephis finally noticed that Sunny was staring at her. She looked at him and, after a long pause, asked in an emotionless tone:

    "...What?"

    He blinked, extricating himself from this sudden flood of thoughts, and cleared his throat.

    "Uh, nothing. I was just going to ask when are we setting off."

    Nephis appeared to be thinking. After a while, she turned away and said:

    "Soon."

    'You... you really can't manage more than one word, can you?'

    Utterly bewildered, Sunny hid his emotions and smiled.

    "Ah. Alright then."

    ***

    In the grey light of morning, they abandoned the tall hill and ventured west, retracing their steps from yesterday. Knowing the path, the small party made quick progress.

    Nephis was walking in front, her sword arm ready to strike at any moment. A bit behind her was Sunny. This time, the responsibility of holding the golden rope and guiding Cassie along was entrusted to him.

    Of course, the actual person�� creature?.. leading them was his shadow. It scouted ahead, carefully observing the labyrinth for signs of danger.

    The labyrinth was just as it was before, confusing and seemingly endless. Crimson blades of "coral" protruded from the black mud, creating a vast, tangled forest. However, today something about it felt different.

    It wasn't long before the shadow stumbled onto a mass of hulking, hungry scavengers��

 Chapter 40 Weak Point

    Chapter 40 Weak Point

    "Halt!" Sunny whispered, observing the group of scavengers through his shadow.

    As soon as the word left his lips, Nephis immediately summoned her sword. After studying the surroundings for a second, she turned her head and glanced at him with a question in her eyes.

    Cassia, meanwhile, froze in place and hesitantly raised her staff.

    Sunny counted the monsters: one, two, three�� five��

    'Curses!'

    The hulking beasts seemed like the losers of the pack, similar to the one he had killed. However, their wounds were not as pronounced and terrible. Each of them was much more of a threat than the mangled one from before, and there were half a dozen of them at least.

    "There are scavengers on the path ahead, six of them. They're slowly moving in our direction."

    Nephis cast a gaze forward. There was a calculating look on her face.

    "They're done with the carcass?"

    Sunny thought for a moment and then shook his head.

    "No, I don't think so. But maybe there's not enough meat for everyone anymore, so some stragglers had no choice but to leave with an empty stomach."

    Nephis nodded and gestured to a nearby branching path.

    "We'll circle around them."

    The three Sleepers hastily moved forward and changed paths, giving a wide berth to the group of monsters. Tense and grim, they continued walking, trying to stay on course and not get lost in the labyrinth.

    However, in the next hour, they had to turn in a random direction again and again, avoiding other scavengers. The distance between them and the giant statue was not shortening at all.

    At some point, they were catching their breath near one of the numerous dead ends of the crimson labyrinth. They had no choice but to wait, since a large number of creatures was moving past their hiding spot, separated from them by a long length of a twisting coral passage.

    Sunny sighed and shook his head.

    "We can't go on like that. At this rate, we'll never make it to safety before sunset."

    Cassie was the first one to react.

    "Maybe�� maybe we should turn back?"

    That was a reasonable suggestion. However, Sunny felt reluctant to agree.

    Nephis shared his thoughts. With a blank expression, she said:

    "It will only get harder tomorrow."

    She was right. By tomorrow, there would be even more scavengers flooding the labyrinth.

    "Then what should we do?"

    Changing Star tilted her head, thinking. After a while, she turned to Sunny.

    "Fight."

    Fight? Fight against dozens of those monstrosities? Was she crazy?

    Sunny tried to hide his derision as he spoke:

    "I know that you are skilled with the sword, but have you forgotten that each of those things is a whole rank above us? We won't survive in a fight against many."

    Nephis nodded.

    "We avoid large groups. Cut down smaller ones."

    After a moment, she added:

    "If there's one or two of them, there's a chance."

    Sunny wanted to retort, but couldn't find a good reason. In the end, he gave up.

    "Fine."

    Nephis stared at him for a while. Then, she suddenly asked:

    "Have you studied the corpse of the scavenger you had killed?"

    What was that supposed to mean?

    A bit surprised, Sunny shook his head.

    "No."

    He was too busy being in pain and trying to make it to safety before the sea returned. And why would he study a corpse?

    'Wait. I think Teacher Julius mentioned something��'

    After a short pause, Nephis spoke:

    "Scavengers have three weak points on their bodies. The first one is obvious: it's their joints. Anything that has to be flexible can't be too rigid. So, there's gaps in the armor above the joints. By targeting the joints, you can diminish their mobility and attack capacity."

    Oh�� so, by studying a dead monster, one could better understand their strengths and vulnerabilities. This idea was so obvious that Sunny admonished himself for not realizing sooner.

    Meanwhile, Nephis continued:

    "The second one is the same. It's where their torso connects to the carapace. If you manage to accurately hit that spot, you can heavily injure a scavenger and deal serious damage to its body. However, unless you succeed in severing its spine, the wound won't be fatal. It'll still be able to fight for a while."

    Sunny couldn't help but notice that Changing Star's awkwardness seemed to disappear whenever she talked about things that she felt confident about, like ancient heroes. Or killing things.

    'Curious.'

    "The last weak point is on their back, approximately at the level where the eyes are. There's a slightly concave, discolored cavity in their armor. It is where several armor plates connect. The chitin there is comparatively thin. If you can pierce through it, you can destroy the brain directly. That will be a killing blow."

    'That is good to know. However, that weak point was too high to be hit by a human �� after all, scavengers were more than two meters tall!'

    As though reading his thoughts, Nephis added:

    "That weak point is very hard to target. Circling around a scavenger is almost impossible due to their size, speed and the attack range of their pincers."

    She looked at him and calmly said:

    "If we stumble on a single scavenger, I'll be the bait. My task will be to make it turn around and then restrain it, exposing the third weak point. Your task will be to kill it."

    Sunny gulped.

    "What if there's two of them?"

    As usual, Nephis paused before answering.

    "Don't die."

    ***

    It wasn't long before they were left with no choice but to attempt a fight against a scavenger. Behind them, there was a long stretch of the labyrinth with no suitable branching paths for them to turn onto. Ahead of them, there was a small clearing with only one other passage leading out of it.

    Not far into that passage, a massive scavenger was moving slowly in their direction.

    Sunny quickly described the situation and waited for Changing Star's feedback. Without much delay, she gave him a nod.

    "We fight in the clearing."

    After that, Nephis gently guided Cassie to the wall of the labyrinth and helped her find a place to sit.

    "Wait here. We'll be back."

    After some thought, she added.

    "Soon."

    As Nephis moved to walk away, Cassie grabbed her hand. Her face was pale and tense.

    "Neph, you�� be careful, okay?"

    Nephis blinked and tilted her head a little. Then, she smiled.

    "Uh. Sure."

    With that, she and Sunny hastily headed for the clearing.

    By the time they got there, the scavenger was seconds from appearing. Sunny's shadow flew out of the passage and reattached itself to his feet. Without having to discuss things with Nephis, he quickly hid in the shadows and waited there, hoping for a chance to attack.

    Nephis, on the other hand, strolled to the center of the clearing and calmly stood there, her shoulders relaxed and her back straight. An elegant longsword appeared in her hands, carelessly pointed to the ground.

    Not knowing what else to do, Sunny silently repeated her words:

    'Don't die.'

    A second later, the scavenger walked into the clearing. When his tiny eyes spotted Nephis, an evil light ignited in them. Without wasting even a second, the massive monster screeched and rushed forward to attack.

    Its huge pincer shot forward with terrifying speed, tearing the air in its path.

    Nephis swiftly sidestepped, dodging the pincer, then leaped backward, removing herself from the path of the rushing monster. Simultaneously, her sword flashed in the air, cutting deep into the joint of one of the scavenger's front legs.

    Azure blood spattered on the ground.

    Of course, this small wound was too insignificant to slow the scavenger down. With surprising agility, it twisted and delivered a crushing sideways swipe. Nephis, who just barely landed on her feet, had no choice but to deflect the blow with her sword. She managed to disperse most of the impact by holding the blade at the right angle, but the remaining force was still enough to throw her off balance.

    At that moment, the second pincer came down. Instead of trying to regain her equilibrium, Changing Star went with the fall and somersaulted over one hand, ending up distancing herself from the monster a bit. Her sword lashed out again.

    The follow-up attack followed almost immediately.

    However, Sunny did not care about the details anymore. The only thing he cared about was that, through this risky series of dodges and leaps, Nephis had managed to circle to the opposite side of the clearing, forcing the scavenger to turn its back to the shadow in which he hid.

    'It's now or never!'

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny lunged forward.

    Before Changing Star finished her last dodge��

    Before the scavenger's pincer crashed on her from above��

    Before Sunny had time to become scared��

    He closed the distance between himself and the monster and jumped with all his might, landing on top of its carapace. Then, he used all of his weight to thrust a hand forward.

    Azure Blade shimmered into existence in his grip and was immediately swallowed by the shadow. A breath later, the dark blade hit precisely into the concave, discolorated cavity in the scavenger's armor. With a crack, the chitin broke, allowing the tip of the sword to sink deep into the scavenger's body.

    The monster shuddered, and then heavily fell to the ground.

    Sunny was thrown from its carapace, landing in the mud with a roll.

    'That�� that easy?'

    It was already over?

    As though to answer him, the Spell's voice resounded in the air:

    [You have slain an awakened beast, Carapace Scavenger.]

    [...Your shadow grows stronger.]

 Chapter 41 Strength In Numbers

    Chapter 41 Strength In Numbers

    Sunny was sprawled in the mud, looking at the sky. He didn't even have to catch his breath since the whole fight took less than ten seconds from start to finish. No one was dead, wounded or even bruised�� well, with the exception of the scavenger. It was completely out of his expectations.

    He glanced at the monster's corpse to make sure that it was actually dead, then summoned the runes and took a look at the number of Shadow Fragments in his possession.

    [Shadow Fragments: 16/1000].

    It was actually true. The mighty awakened beast perished just like that. And, although Nephis did most of the work, he was the one to deal the killing blow.

    'Why can't it always be so easy?'

    Sunny got back on his feet and dismissed the Azure Blade. Then, he remembered the words Master Jet had once told him: "No one can survive in the Dream Realm alone."

    Back then, he noted her advice, but didn't really believe it. After all, he had always strived to be self-sufficient, not allowing himself to depend on anyone. In Sunny's mind, this was the true meaning of strength.

    However, now he was beginning to suspect that this logic was flawed. Indeed, having someone to share your burdens meant the difference between heaven and hell here in the Dream Realm. If he was alone, fighting against a single scavenger might have been the end of him.

    Similarly, even though Nephis was far more skilled than Sunny, it would have been extremely hard for her to defeat the armored monster alone, being that its weakest point was out of her reach.

    But together, they had accomplished it with relative ease. The whole was greater than the sum of the parts. In other words, there was strength in numbers that surpassed individual power. In that sense, being able to depend on a group was not a sign of weakness, but, on the contrary, an important facet of personal strength.

    Lone wolves would always be at a disadvantage. That was another lesson to learn.

    'It's not like I had much of a choice.'

    He walked over to Nephis and checked if she was okay. Apart from slight damage to her makeshift seaweed clothes, everything seemed to be alright. She glanced at Sunny.

    "Memory?"

    He shook his head.

    Nephis sighed. It seemed that she was a bit impatient to get herself a suit of armor of her own. If Sunny was a gentleman, he would have suggested to loan her the Puppeteer's Shroud for a while�� but alas, he wasn't. That armor was extremely valuable and had cost him a lot.

    Plus, unlike Changing Star, the picture of Sunny wearing nothing but a seaweed loincloth would have been more disturbing than aesthetically pleasing. So, he said nothing.

    Meanwhile, Nephis headed for the dead scavenger and said without turning her head:

    "Bring Cassie."

    With a sigh, Sunny turned around and left the clearing.

    Soon, he approached the place where the blind girl was waiting patiently for their return. Hearing his footsteps, she flinched and raised her head:

    "S��Sunny?"

    'How did she recognize me? Ah... must be the way I walk.'

    "Yeah, it's me. Everything is over. Come on, I'll bring you to Nephis."

    Using the wooden staff, Cassie stood up and turned to him.

    "Are�� are you guys alright?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "Of course! We dispatched that critter in no time. Didn't even get a scratch."

    Cassie smiled with visible relief.

    "Good, that's good. Oh, right, the rope��"

    Sunny took the rope and guided the blind girl back to the clearing. On the way, he felt a bit weird. With the delicate girl walking behind him, he couldn't help but think of his little sister. As a toddler, she used to follow him around too, as though they were glued together.

    As the familiar pain stabbed him in the heart, Sunny gritted his teeth and tried to think about something else. It was all in the past anyway.

    Back in the clearing, Nephis was done breaking apart the scavenger's carapace. The shimmering soul shard was already in her hand. Without saying anything, she tossed it to Sunny.

    He caught the crystal and looked at her with surprise.

    "Why are you giving it to me?"

    Nephis blinked and stayed quiet for a few seconds. Then she said as a matter of fact:

    "I don't have pockets."

    "Oh."

    Still a bit bewildered, Sunny put the soul shard into his rucksack.

    'But why wouldn't she just absorb it?'

    He opened his mouth to ask the question, but she seemed to realize something and added:

    "We'll divide the spoils later."

    "Ah. Alright."

    Nephis, meanwhile, turned to Cassie and said after some deliberation:

    "I was careful."

    Then, she smiled.

    ***

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Sunny was feeling somewhere in-between of being ecstatic and peeved. Throughout the day, they managed to kill three more scavengers, each time with not much risk to anyone except for Nephis. The process was largely the same: after discovering the monster, he would hide in the shadows, while Nephis would act as bait. Then, when the time was right, Sunny would stealthily approach and finish the fight with a precise strike of the Azure Blade.

    He was wondering if that was what being in the main hero's party felt like. To anyone else, maybe with the exception of Caster, dancing around a deadly awakened beast would have been a tall task, most likely ending with the dancer's death. Nephis, however, had managed to do it over and over again seemingly without too much strain.

    What's more, her performance was based solely on skill, with no Aspect Ability involved. In that regard, even Caster couldn't have done better.

    She was swift, calm and precise. Every move she made was calculated and perfectly timed. She seemed to innately understand the flow and logic of combat, which gave her the ability to roughly predict what actions the mindless beasts would perform in the next seconds. Then it was just the question of physical prowess to evade and even manipulate them to a certain degree.

    Sunny had always known that skill and experience were more important than raw power, but by watching Nephis, he vividly understood just how vast the difference between them was. Even though his divine Aspect allowed Sunny to exert more strength and speed than Changing Star, in an actual fight, he would never stand a chance.

    Of course, he was also an important part of every encounter. His role as the finisher was not trivial, and not just anybody would have been able to accomplish four kills with four strikes. Even though Sunny was not taught any elaborate techniques, he was still a somewhat experienced fighter. He had good physical coordination, combat intuition, and �� most importantly �� a cool-headed mentality.

    Not to mention the fact that they were only able to ambush the scavengers so effectively due to his shadow scouting them out in advance.

    All in all, it was an almost equal cooperation. Still, watching Nephis fight was nothing short of sobering.

    Trying not to get too dejected, Sunny summoned the runes.

    [Shadow Fragments: 22/1000].

    'Eight fragments today. Pretty excellent.'

    Currently, they were waiting on the edge of the labyrinth path leading directly to the giant statue of the headless knight. There was a group of scavengers between them and the statue, moving past without any haste.

    The sunset was near, but they still had time.

    Slowly, minutes flowed by. At some point, Nephis gave the command to move.

    Helping Cassie along, Sunny followed Changing Star and quickly traversed the open space between the labyrinth and the statue. Now, they only had to get on top of it.

    However, it wasn't that easy. Scaling the two-hundred-meter tall monument would have been hard in normal circumstances, but now, they also had to somehow pull Cassie up. Leaving her behind until they were at the top would not have been safe.

    In the end, Nephis and Sunny took turns pulling the rope every twenty meters or so. Cassie would hold onto the rocks and wait until they climbed higher, and then the process would repeat. It was slow and torturous, and by the end, Sunny's muscles were sore and almost on fire.

    But they managed to get to safety before the dark waters washed them away.

    As the night began to descend, the three Sleepers sat in the center of the circular stone platform and rested. As they did not bring any materials to make a fire and it was already too late, there was no way to cook food. They ended up chewing on the strips of dried meat, passing the bottle of limitless water around.

    After some time, Nephis gave Sunny a sign to take out the spoils of today's journey. He took out the four shimmering soul shards and put them on the ground.

    Without any discussion, Changing Star moved two crystals in his direction and took two for herself. Then, she gave one of hers to Cassia.

    Sunny watched it in silence. By the time Nephis and Cassie had absorbed their soul shards, he still didn't make a move to take his. After a while, he took another crystal out of the rucksack and moved all three to Nephis.

    The silver-haired girl looked at him with surprise.

    "Don't you want... to grow stronger?"

    Sunny grinned.

    "Of course, I do. But these won't do me much good right now. It's no secret that you are the main fighting force of our group."

    He sighed.

    "The stronger you are, the better our chances of survival will get. Plus, it's not a gift. It's a trade."

    Nephis raised an eyebrow.

    "A�� trade? What do you want?"

    Sunny deliberated for a few seconds before answering.

    "It's rather simple. I will give you these soul shards, and all other soul shards I earn on the way to that castle��"

    Then, he looked her in the eyes and said:

    "In return, you will teach me how to fight."

 Chapter 42 Essence Of Combat

    Chapter 42 Essence Of Combat

    Nephis looked at him and contemplated. This time, she remained silent longer than usual.

    Sunny felt a bit nervous under her gaze, knowing that he was being evaluated. With Changing Star's skill and insight, it wasn't hard to imagine just how much she had gleaned from his battle performance. Both his current level and future potential must have been pretty much laid bare in front of her. Were they enough to make teaching him worth her while?

    After some time, she took the soul shards and nodded.

    "Okay."

    Sunny smiled, congratulating himself on a successful deal. Not only did he receive a lot while not losing much, but he had also managed to create a bit of a favorable impression of himself in the eyes of Nephis and Cassie. As far as performances went, this was a great one.

    "So when do we start?"

    Nephis shrugged.

    "Now."

    Now?

    Sunny glanced at the sun, which was already almost gone. Were they going to train in complete darkness? It wasn't really an obstacle for him. Changing Star, however��

    "We will start with some words. That will be enough for today."

    After hesitating a little, she added:

    "Cassie, you listen too."

    Sunny and Cassia turned to Nephis, listening to her like two obedient students. Despite the fact that their age was more or less similar, both knew that, in terms of martial prowess, their companion had authority that was as beyond theirs as a dragon's might was beyond that of a worm.

    Nephis thought for a while and then said:

    "Mastery of combat can be divided into two aspects. One is body, and the other one is mind. Training the body is not easy, but it is rather simple. All you need is repetition and experience. In a fight, things happen too fast to consider every detail in the moment. That's why your technique must exist in your muscles and bones, so much so that it almost becomes an instinct."

    She paused.

    "You can achieve initial results through repetition. Then, it must be cemented through experience. The more battle experience you have, the deeper a technique will be assimilated into your body. There is no other way. A thousand hours of training won't be as impactful as one real fight. Only those who survive countless battles can be truly in command of the body."

    That simultaneously made a lot of sense and no sense at all. On the one hand, the principle of improving through practice was quite logical. On the other hand, Changing Star's statement made it seem like all those lofty Legacies with their years of training were nothing but harmless children. After all, no matter how good their tutors were, they had no real battle experience.

    But then again, she did wipe the floor with every one of them �� excluding Caster �� with no apparent difficulty. So maybe her statement was true. That, however, posed a question of its own�� just what kind of life had Nephis led to possess rich battle experience at the tender age of eighteen?

    'Should I stop calling her "princess"?'

    Meanwhile, Nephis continued:

    "Training the mind, however, is not simple at all. That is because, once you reach a certain level of skill, the mind is where the true combat takes place. The outcome is often decided before your body begins to move. And to master the mind, the first step is to understand the essence of combat. However, very few people truly do."

    She looked at them and asked:

    "What do you think that essence is?"

    Sunny hesitated. The�� essence of combat? What might it be?

    If it was some other Legacy, he would have been tempted to say something stupid like "honor", "valor" or "duty". But he already knew that Nephis did not fit into the image of a noble aristocrat he had in his mind. She wasn't someone who followed empty words.

    After a minute or so, Cassie finally answered:

    "Victory."

    And almost at the same time, Sunny said:

    "Survival."

    Changing Star shook her head.

    "No."

    Then she rubbed her neck and pierced them with a cold, fierce gaze.

    "The essence of combat is murder."

    Cassie flinched and opened her eyes wide. Sunny frowned a little. Nephis, however, did not seem to care. In the same calm tone, she continued:

    "At the core of it, there is only this: you are trying to kill your opponent, and they are trying to kill you. In the end, one of you will be killed, and the other one will be the killer. Everything else is just noise."

    Her words sank deep into Sunny's heart and reverberated there, causing something inside of him to resonate and awaken.

    "Style doesn't matter. Weapons don't matter. Reason and intent do not matter. The only thing that matters is to be the last one standing. In this way, anything you do in combat must be viewed as only serving one of two purposes: either to kill your enemy or to prevent the enemy from killing you."

    Nephis lowered her eyes.

    "If you can understand that, you will have enough clarity to master the mind."

    ***

    After that, Sunny couldn't fall asleep for a long while. He lay on the cold stone, looking into the darkness and thinking about what Nephis had taught them.

    'Repetition, experience, clarity.'

    These were the three keys to becoming a fearsome warrior. All three were important, but the last one was the most vexing.

    Was it really how Changing Star had said? Was there nothing at the core of being a warrior than a cold will to kill? Intuitively, he felt that it was indeed so. This ruthless truth was, in a sense, an amalgamation of all his life experiences.

    After all, for someone like him, life was nothing but a constant battle for survival. Someone always won, and someone always lost. The former got to live for a few more days, the latter�� no one cared what happened to them.

    Of course, life was life, and combat was combat. To most people, they weren't one and the same. But what about the Awakened? The sole purpose of their existence was to fight against the Nightmare Creatures. Very few could escape that fate.

    After coming to the Academy, Sunny allowed himself to think that he had escaped the fate of always having to struggle at the edge of survival. But now, it seemed like he had just exchanged one battle for another.

    This was an uncomfortable thought.

    However, if he looked at it from a different perspective�� did it actually mean that he always had a crucial advantage? Most of those chosen by the Spell were forced to somehow adjust to this merciless way of life. But he had always lived like this.

    Was he actually one of the few perfectly suited to be an Awakened?

    With this thought, Sunny fell asleep.

    �� In the early morning, he was awakened by a piercing scream.

 Chapter 43 Repetition

    Chapter 43 Repetition

    Sunny was on his feet even before fully waking up. Somehow, Azure Blade was already in his hand. His shadow was hovering beside him, ready to either wrap itself around the sword in case he needed to attack or around his body, in case it was already too late for that.

    He tried to understand what was going on. Nephis was nearby, her longsword raised in a defensive stance. Cassie��

    'Where's Cassie?'

    Fearing what he might see �� giant tentacles reaching for them from the darkness �� he looked around. The eastern horizon was just beginning to show the first hints of dawn, adding a tiny shade of grey to the blackness of the world. In that blackness, there were no signs of danger.

    Finally, he saw Cassie.

    The blind girl was stumbling at the edge of the platform with a horrified expression on her face. With her blond hair in a mess, she was stretching her hands out, clearly lost in space. Of course, there were no walls for her to find. The platform was opened to the elements, and the only thing waiting for Cassie was a plunge into the dark, tumultuous waters��

    Before Sunny knew what he was doing, he was already running. That wasn't a very smart thing to do �� after all, he did not know what had caused Cassia to scream and if there was some hidden danger nearby. Plus, it was still too dark for Nephis to see. His sudden lunge could have caused her to lash out with the sword before asking questions��

    All of these were good reasons to wait and observe first, but in an uncharacteristic and completely irrational manner, Sunny acted before thinking.

    He caught Cassie moments before she took a step off the platform and, holding her tightly in his arms, dragged the blind girl back.

    "I got her!" Sunny yelled, letting Changing Star know that there was no need to stab him with a sword.

    And then, in a quiet voice, he said to Cassie:

    "I got you. It's alright. Everything is fine. Calm down��"

    He felt the girl's body trembling and looked around again, trying to understand what had scared her so much. But there was nothing.

    Nephis was listening to the sea for the same reason. After a few seconds, she asked:

    "Do you see anything?"

    Sunny helplessly shook his head.

    "No."

    He helped Cassie sit down in the center of the platform. While Nephis stood guard above them, he looked the blind girl over to make sure that there were no wounds on her body. Everything seemed to be fine.

    "She's not hurt anywhere."

    Changing Star looked down. Although her face remained indifferent, he could tell that she was a bit flustered. After a second or two, she asked in something that might have been her version of a calming tone. It sounded pretty much exactly the same as usual:

    "Cassie? What happened?"

    Magically, that did seem to calm the blind girl down a little. At least enough for her to speak in a quivering voice.

    Cassie extended one hand and pointed down.

    "Th��the head�� I saw�� oh gods!"

    Sunny frowned and looked at Nephis.

    "Did she see a vision? The past?"

    The tall girl was silent for a moment.

    "I don't know. It never happened before."

    Both of them turned to Cassie, not sure what to do.

    Since there was no apparent danger around, they took turns trying to calm the horrified girl down. However, after that one sentence, she fell quiet and refused to speak again. Nothing seemed to help.

    After a while, Nephis sighed.

    "Let's�� leave her be, for now. Maybe she needs time."

    Sunny was about to retort, but, truth be told, he didn't have any ideas either. In the end, he just nodded.

    "Okay. I'll keep an eye on her."

    Changing Star, however, had other ideas.

    ***

    As the sun was rising and the surging sea was receding, Nephis chose to give Cassie some space and led Sunny to the edge of the platform. However, she made sure to always have the blind girl in the periphery of her vision.

    Cassia sat hugging her knees. Her eyes were closed, but small tremors that periodically ran through her body betrayed that she was awake.

    Sunny's eye twitched.

    "Are you sure it's okay to leave her like this?"

    Nephis gave him a complicated look.

    "Yes."

    Then, after some thought, she added:

    "Cassie is strong."

    Sunny wasn't sure how to answer. If Changing Star considered someone to be strong, then they most likely were. However, "strong" was the last word that came to his mind when he thought about the delicate, beautiful, blind girl. Wasn't she someone who constantly needed their help?

    But then again, there were different kinds of strength. Cassia was still alive and sane despite her debilitating Flaw. How many people could have done the same?

    "If you say so."

    Then, Nephis made him summon the Azure Blade. After studying it for a while, she nodded and took her longsword out of the air.

    Despite its size, it was an elegant weapon. The narrow, double-edged blade was much longer than that of the Azure Blade, with an incredibly sharp, symmetrical tip. The whole blade, as well as the simple cross-shaped guard and the pommel, seemed to be made out of silver and reflected the pale morning light. The handle was tightly wrapped in black leather.

    Putting the two swords side by side, Nephis spoke:

    "Your sword can be used with one hand, but its true potential can only be revealed when held in both. It is created primarily for cutting and severing, hence the higher center of gravity. However, it can thrust as well."

    Then she gestured to hers:

    "My sword is a bit more versatile. It is created for both cutting and thrusting, and it has a double edge. However, the principle of wielding these two swords is effectively is the same."

    She took the sword in both hands, placing one near the guard and another near the pommel. Then, she performed a downward slash.

    "They are both leverage-based weapons. When held with two hands, one hand pushes," she pushed the sword down with the hand near the guard. "While the other hand pulls."

    The hand near the pommel simultaneously pulled the handle up, giving the blade a tremendous boost in speed.

    "This is how you generate force and perform powerful strikes. Now, your turn."

    Sunny looked at his sword and gripped it with both hands, mimicking Nephis's pose. Then, he raised it and slashed down, making sure to enhance the force of the strike with his lower hand.

    Changing Star observed him.

    "You need to understand that a strike doesn't come from the hands. It comes from your whole body. Power comes from your feet, your hips, your core, your shoulders, and is only then transmitted to your hands. Like this."

    She demonstrated the downward slash again. This time, Sunny paid attention to the overall stance and movements of every part of Changing Star's body, as opposed to only the sword.

    He wasn't a novice to fighting: instinctively, he already knew how to deliver a proper punch�� even if, before, there wasn't a lot of strength in his body. The principles of striking with a sword were largely the same, so Sunny quickly understood the overall concept.

    He performed the simple downward slash a few more times. After each time, Nephis gave him pointers and corrected his mistakes. Some time later, she was finally satisfied with his form.

    "Good."

    Sunny smiled, proud of his achievements.

    Nephis looked at him thoughtfully and nodded.

    "Now, do it a thousand more times."

    The smile froze on Sunny's face.

    'A�� thousand? Did she say a thousand?!'

    He blinked.

    "Uh�� sorry. How many times?"

    Changing Star tilted her head and thought for some time.

    "Well�� we don't have much time today. So, yes. Only a thousand."

    'Ha. Ha-ha. "Only" a thousand, eh?'

    Sunny forced himself to sound polite.

    "I see. Alright."

    As Nephis walked back to sit with Cassie, he turned to the sea and raised his sword.

    'One'.

    The Azure Blade whistled as it cut the air. He raised it again.

    'Two.'

    Push and pull. This is how you generate force.

    'Three.'

    Strike with your whole body, not just your hands.

    'Four.'

    As Sunny raised his sword and slashed down, over and over again, only one thought eventually remained in his mind:

    'Repetition, experience, clarity. Repetition��'

    By the time he was done performing a thousand strikes, Cassie was finally ready to speak.

 Chapter 44 Cassies Dream

    Chapter 44 Cassie's Dream

    With pretty much every muscle in his body sore, Sunny walked over to the girls and fell on the ground. After catching his breath, he looked at Cassia.

    "Cassie? Do you feel better?"

    Several seconds later, the blind girl slowly nodded.

    'That's a relief.'

    He shifted and hesitated for a bit. Cassia didn't look too well. Her face was still very pale, with a distant, dazed expression on it. Her body at least was no longer trembling. Sunny wasn't very good at talking to people, let alone placating them. He wasn't sure what to say.

    He cast a gaze at Nephis and sighed inwardly. Who knew that one day he would turn out to be the most sociable person for as far as the eye could see? What a joke��

    "Can I have some water?"

    Cassie turned to him and scowled, as though confused by the question. Then, she suddenly gasped and opened her eyes wide.

    "Oh! Oh, sorry. Yes, of course��"

    She summoned the limitless water bottle and offered it to Sunny. He took it with a grateful smile and greedily drank a few gulps before giving the bottle to Nephis. Eventually, it returned to Cassie.

    "You drink some too."

    After she did, he awkwardly patted the blind girl on the shoulder.

    "Everything seems to be fine now. Uh�� did you dream of another vision? You can tell us. If you want."

    Cassie hesitated for a bit before saying:

    "I�� don't know. Maybe it was just a nightmare."

    Sunny and Nephis exchanged glances. They both doubted that what Cassie saw was a simple nightmare. After all, people usually did not dream in the Dream Realm. The blind girl, meanwhile, continued:

    "I don't really remember. It's all in fragments."

    Sunny carefully considered his words, not wanting to pressure Cassie too much.

    "You can just tell us what you remember. Maybe we'll be able to make sense of it together."

    Cassia sighed and tentatively nodded. After a long pause, she finally found the courage to speak:

    "At first, I saw a�� a boundless darkness locked behind seven seals. Something vast was churning in the darkness. I felt like if I directly saw it, I would lose my mind. As I watched, terrified, the seals broke one after another, until only one remained. And then that seal broke, too."

    She trembled a little.

    "After that�� I don't know. It was as though my mind shattered into a thousand shards, each shard reflecting its own image. Most of them were dark and scary. Some I have already forgotten. The other��"

    Cassie fell silent, remembering.

    "I saw the human castle again. Only this time, it was at night. There was a lonely star burning in the black skies, and under its light, the castle was suddenly consumed by fire, with rivers of blood flowing down its halls. I saw a corpse in a golden armor sitting on a throne; a woman with a bronze spear drowning in a tide of monsters; an archer trying to pierce the falling sky with his arrows."

    Finally, she looked up, her face full of horror.

    "In the end, I saw a colossal, terrifying crimson spire. At its base, seven severed heads were guarding seven locks. And at the top, a�� a dying angel was being consumed by hungry shadows. When I saw the angel bleed, I suddenly felt as though�� as though something so precious that it can't be described with words was taken from me."

    Her voice became quieter.

    "Then, I felt so much sorrow, pain and rage that what little remained of my sanity seemed to disappear. That was when I woke up�� I think."

    Nephis and Sunny remained silent for a while, trying to make sense of what Cassie had told them. Even if Nephis had an idea, she didn't show it. Sunny, however, was totally lost. He couldn't even begin to decipher the hidden meaning behind the vision�� if it even was one.

    Previously, Cassia'a vision about the castle was pretty much straightforward. It showed her a human fortress and even the direction in which it was situated. This time, however, her dream was disjointed, full of weird symbolism and vague, uncertain images, much more like a charlatan's prophecy than a vision gained through an Aspect Ability.

    Finally, he sighed.

    "Maybe it actually was just a nightmare. Your previous visions weren't like this, right?"

    Cassie silently shook her head.

    Sunny scratched the back of his head.

    "Well�� people don't usually dream in the Dream Realm, but you do. Perhaps seeing a random nightmare once in a while is a side effect of your ability."

    The blind girl turned to him, a faint relief written on her face.

    "You really think so?"

    He hesitated, trying to find the right words.

    "Why not? It's a possibility."

    Inwardly, however, he felt uneasy.

    'A dying angel being consumed by shadows�� why does it sound so ominous? I should try and stay away from angels in the future. Gee, what has become of my life. A sentence like that doesn't even sound insane anymore��'

    With that, they were finally ready to welcome a new day.

    ***

    Some time later, they were sitting on the western edge of the stone platform, looking at the scavengers below. Sunny's shadow was busy scouting a path to the next high landmark.

    "Were there always that many?"

    Sunny glanced at Nephis and shook his head.

    "No, there were much more. They seem to be almost done with the carcass. I doubt it will last until nightfall."

    Which meant that, by tomorrow, all these beasts would be roaming the labyrinth, making it hard for the three Sleepers to make any progress. It would be best to leave today and put some distance between themselves and the horde before the scavengers were done with their feast.

    However, without scouting a path in advance, there was a chance of not making it to safety in time. Both options were risky.

    Nephis frowned, seemingly thinking the same.

    After a while, she said:

    "I don't want Cassie to spend another night near this statue. Let's leave now."

    Sunny thought for a while, then opened his mouth to offer his own opinion. However, a sudden commotion below prevented him from speaking.

    Down at the bottom of the disappearing sea, amidst mounds of broken coral, the carcass of the giant shark-like monster �� the remaining half of it, to be precise �� was almost stripped of meat. And between its white bones, something was shimmering in the mud.

    Two extremely large, luminescent crystals.

    Sunny's eyes widened.

    "Are those��"

    "Yes. Shards of two transcendent soul cores."

    Transcendent�� two of them��

    Suddenly, he was simultaneously filled with greed and fear. Greed because of how rare and precious transcendent soul shards were; fear because the giant shark turned to a be a corrupted devil, at least.

    One corrupted devil, if not stopped by a Saint or a large number of Awakened, could potentially destroy an entire city. Sunny belatedly realized that he was much closer to death on that first night than he had previously thought.

    "Should we��"

    "Wait and listen."

    He stared at Nephis and then obediently listened to the distant, barely audible clamor of the scavengers.

    After a while, he noticed some disharmony in it.

    Nephis suddenly tensed up.

    "There."

    She pointed in the direction of the labyrinth. After concentrating on it, Sunny was finally able to notice two massive shadows stepping out of a particularly wide passage.

    A second later, the creatures casting those shadows appeared in sight. Sunny gulped.

    'Damn.'

    The monsters looked like the scavengers, but not quite. To start with, they were much larger, towering above the surroundings at more than three meters of height. Their carapace seemed to be thicker. It was colored in deep black and scarlet, like an ancient armor drenched in blood. Here and there, vicious-looking spikes were growing out of the carapace, making their every move much more dangerous.

    Additionally, instead of heavy pincers, their upper arms ended with long, curved, terrifying bone scythes.

    Sunny felt cold sweat running down his spine.

    "What the hell are those things?"

    Nephis tilted her head.

    "Monsters, I guess."

    Nightmare Creatures with one soul core were called "beasts". They were dangerous and strong, but mindless. If they were able to develop or were created with a second core, they became "monsters". Monsters were much more devastating and possessed some rudimentary, warped form of intelligence. They were the next step in a Nightmare Beast's evolution.

    And these two seemed to be bigger, deadlier versions of carapace scavengers.

    Sunny and Nephis watched as the two monsters approached the carcass. The scavengers were visibly afraid of them, rushing to get out of the way. Those who were two slow were mercilessly thrown to the side or cut apart by the bone scythes. Rivers of azure blood were flowing into the mud.

    'What are they doing? Did they come to absorb the soul shards?'

    Finally, the monsters reached the carcass. Each of them took one of the shards. However, instead of absorbing them, they simply turned around and carried the precious crystals away. The scavengers made way, following the shards with their little, hungry eyes.

    Sunny blinked and looked at Nephis.

    "Do we still leave now?"

    Changing Star frowned and hesitated. A few moments later, she shook her head.

    "No. We'll go tomorrow."

    Then, she turned west and observed the retreating monsters.

    "...Get your shadow to follow these two back."

 Chapter 45 Sound Of Laughter

    Chapter 45 Sound Of Laughter

    Because of the shadow fragments Sunny had absorbed in the last few days, the range of Shadow Control has increased a little. However, it was still far from being enough to explore deep into the labyrinth. He only got the general direction in which the two large monsters were moving.

    They were going west.

    After telling this to Nephis, there was pretty much nothing else for him to do. In the end, Sunny decided to simply rest �� the next day was promising to be full of hardships and danger, so it was in his best interest to let his body recover as much as it could.

    Some time later, Sunny was lying on his back, staring at the grey sky. Cassie was sitting beside him, lost in her thoughts. Nephis was meditating. At least, that's what it looked like: she might as well had been asleep, for all Sunny knew.

    After a while, Cassie turned to him.

    "Sunny?"

    He tilted his head to look at her.

    "Yeah?"

    The blind girl hesitated.

    "Do you�� do you think we'll be able to return home?"

    Sunny glanced at her and furrowed his brow. A few seconds later, he turned away and looked at the sky again.

    "Sure."

    Cassie smiled:

    "You really think so? Why?"

    'What's with all these questions?'

    He sighed and tried to find the right words.

    "Because of her."

    He pointed at Nephis, knowing that Cassie won't see it. There was no one else on the stone platform, though, so it was pretty obvious who he was referring to.

    "I'm also not someone to die easily. In fact, I'm willing to bet that you couldn't have found a better duo of Sleepers to escort you across the Dream Realm. If anyone can survive this, it's us. So, yeah. I think that our chances of making it back are pretty high."

    Cassie suddenly giggled.

    "Aren't you a little too full of yourself? You were in the second to last place!"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "That's only because someone smart told me to keep a low profile. Otherwise, I would have ranked higher."

    Then, with a grin, he added:

    "Much higher! Third to last, at least!"

    The blind girl couldn't help but laugh. The melodic sound of her laughter made Sunny feel much better �� he had not heard anything like that ever since coming to the Dream Realm. It was nice to see that people were still able to preserve a bit of mirth even in this hellish place.

    Come to think of it, this was the first time he heard Cassie laugh at all. Back in the Academy, she was always dull and bleak.

    After this sudden outburst, Cassia's expression slowly turned wistful. A few seconds later, she asked:

    "What do you miss the most about home?"

    Sunny tried to think of something, but failed. He wasn't sure that he even had a home in the real world �� the tiny room he had been renting previously was nothing but a temporary shelter from the rain. As for the real world as a whole, his life there wasn't that pleasant either.

    Finally, he said:

    "I don't particularly miss anything."

    Cassie was very surprised.

    "Really? Don't you miss your family?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "I don't have a family. Well�� I guess I have a sister somewhere. But we haven't seen each other in many years."

    "Oh."

    The blind girl fell silent. Several seconds later, she said quietly:

    "I miss my family the most."

    There was longing and sadness in her voice. Sunny didn't know what to say, so he stayed silent.

    "Mom and dad must be really worried about me right now. No�� no, actually, they wouldn't be worried. They would be heartbroken. They must think that I'm as well as dead already."

    Sunny glanced at her and sighed.

    "You seem to care about them a lot."

    Cassie turned to him in confusion.

    "Of course. Isn't it normal?"

    Sunny stared at the grey sky. The wind smelled of rain.

    After a while, he said:

    "I wouldn't know."

    ***

    In the evening, Nephis made Sunny perform the thousand strikes again. After that, they ate the last strips of dried scavenger meat and took turns sleeping, so that one of them could always keep an eye on Cassie.

    Thankfully, nothing happened during the night.

    When the morning came and the dark sea retreated, they prepared to leave the giant statue. Nephis was the first one to climb down. Before that, she had a few words to say:

    "Today will be different from before. There will be much more scavengers roaming in the labyrinth. We might not be able to create an ambush or avoid fighting several of them at once."

    She looked at Sunny:

    "If anything happens, your job is to bring Cassie away. We can retreat by using passages that are too narrow for the scavengers. If we get separated, proceed to the high point by yourselves. Don't wait for me. Do you understand?"

    With a somber expression, he gave her a nod. Nephis returned it.

    "Good. Time is of the essence, so let's go."

    With that, she began the descent. After Nephis reached a point twenty or so meters below them, she found purchase and waited. Using the golden rope, Sunny lowered Cassie down. Just like while climbing up, they took turns helping the blind girl. Luckily, climbing down the statue was much easier.

    Soon, they reached the ground.

    Entering the labyrinth, the trio moved forward with haste. The shadow was ahead of them, scouting for monsters and optimal paths. Despite that, their progress was slow and chaotic. They had to constantly change direction to avoid groups of scavengers, often ending up in dead ends or moving further away from their destination.

    Sunny, who played the role of the scout and navigator, felt his brains slowly starting to boil.

    At some point, however, they inevitably ended up in a situation where a fight was unavoidable.

    There was a large group of scavengers at their heels, and a pair of them blocking the path ahead. Neither of the two groups had noticed the Sleepers yet; however, since there were no other passages to turn into, it was only a matter of time.

    Nephis considered their options for a few seconds. There was a scowl on her face. Finally, she said:

    "If there's only two, we can take them."

    Sunny looked at her with uncertainty in his eyes.

    "But there's no time to set up an ambush."

    He wasn't quite sure how they could fight two scavengers at once. Despite how good of a teacher Nephis was, he only practiced with the sword for a day. Facing against a scavenger alone was risky.

    Changing Star shrugged.

    "It's almost the same. I'll attack first. You follow behind in the shadows and finish one off once they turn. Then, we kill the second one together."

    The whole plan was based on the assumption that Nephis could survive under the onslaught of two scavengers, both attacking her simultaneously. Sunny was very impressed by her prowess, but he wasn't sure that it was possible. There was a large probability that Nephis would die.

    He still remembered that she wasn't present in Cassie's first vision.

    But what else could they do?

    A bit rattled, Sunny gritted his teeth.

    "Alright."

    After a short pause, Nephis summoned her sword.

    Then, she stepped forward.

 Chapter 46 Experience

    Chapter 46 Experience

    After finding a good hiding spot for Cassie, Sunny and Nephis proceeded forward to face the scavengers. Soon, they saw two hulking silhouettes in the distance.

    With her lips pursed together, Nephis threw over her shoulder:

    "Keep up."

    Then, like a runner preparing for a race, she got down on one knee, inhaled deeply�� and lunged forward.

    'Damn!'

    Sunny dove into the deep shadow cast by the wall of the labyrinth and followed, running as fast as he could. However, the distance between them kept growing.

    Suddenly, he remembered walking behind Nephis as they crossed the bridge to the Academy. Was it his fate to always follow behind her?

    Changing Star's running speed was incredibly fast. She was practically flying through the air, like an arrow let loose from a bow. One of her arms was stretched backward, holding the sword with its point to the ground. The other was cutting the air with each stride.

    It took the two scavengers a couple of seconds to realize what was happening after noticing her. By that time, she was almost upon them.

    With madness burning in their eyes and viscous saliva dripping from their mandibles, the monsters screeched and charged forward. Nephis did not slow down, as though planning to ram them with her body. Sunny's heart skipped a bit.

    Four terrifying pincers shot through the air.

    At the last moment, Nephis fell backward, falling on her side. The inertia carried her forward as she slid through the mud, passing between the scavengers. Then, she twisted her body and stopped herself by plunging the sword into the ground.

    A bit slower, and she would have been impaled by one of the scavengers' legs.

    'Crazy! She's crazy!'

    By the time Changing Star got back to her feet, one of the scavengers had already turned around. However, Sunny couldn't see what was going on as his sight was blocked by the bulky carapace creatures. He only heard the sound of chitin striking against steel.

    There was no time to worry about that anyway, since he had his own problems to solve.

    Due to the insane maneuver that Nephis had pulled off, the second scavenger lagged a little behind the first one. It was just about to turn around when Sunny finally got close enough to launch an attack.

    Silently cursing, he ran up a narrow protrusion on the coral wall and jumped, aiming to pierce the weak point at the scavenger's back from above. His shadow was already wrapped around the Azure Blade.

    But at the last moment, the scavenger suddenly moved, slightly turning its torso to the right. The blade missed the concave spot where the armor plates connected and instead hit one of them square in the center, sliding helplessly across adamantine chitin.

    'Crap!'

    Instead of killing the beast with one decisive blow, Sunny ended up dealing no damage at all. What's worse, he landed right on top of the scavenger, practically hugging it from behind. In the next moment, the scavenger shook its carapace, throwing the irritating human off.

    Sunny flew sideways and crashed into the labyrinth wall, feeling breath being knocked out of him. Suffocating and disoriented, he fell gracelessly into the mud.

    'Not good.'

    By some instinct, Sunny rolled to the side. Something tore past him and hit the wall, sending pieces of crimson coral flying through the air. Then, he was lifted into the air and thrown backward.

    But by that time, however, he had already come to his senses.

    Twisting his body, Sunny managed to land on his feet and take a few steps back without falling. In the next second, his sword was in front of him, held in both hands just like Nephis had taught him.

    The scavenger was already charging at him with a menacing fire burning in its eyes.

    'Repetition. Experience��'

    The shadow flowed from the Azure Blade to his hand, then spread to his arm, shoulder, and then finally covered his whole body. Sunny instantly felt stronger, faster, more resilient.

    But was it enough? No. To survive, he would definitely also need some luck.

    One pincer flew at him from the right, the other from the left. There was no time to retreat or dodge sideways. So, instead, Sunny did something that made every instinct in his body scream in protest.

    He jumped forward, closing the distance to the charging monster. The pincers clashed together with a loud crack behind his back.

    Instinct or not, it was the only logical step. After all, the attack range of his sword was much shorter than that of the scavenger. He could only fight back by getting close.

    Before the beast had time to react, Sunny did what he had recently done thousands of times. His muscles moved even before his mind gave the command.

    With one fluid motion, he raised the sword over his head and slashed downward, pushing with one hand while pulling with the other. His whole body moved in concert to deliver a powerful blow.

    The Azure Blade whistled as it cut the air. Then, it hit the joint of one of the scavenger's front legs and cleaved right through it, severing the limb entirely. Blue blood sprayed everywhere.

    Sunny had less than a second to be amazed.

    'I actually did it?'

    But there was no time to be distracted. Due to the loss of its front leg, the scavenger lost balance for a moment, careening forward and down. However, he had seven other legs. This wasn't going to last long.

    Coincidentally, though, at this exact moment, his other front leg slid in the mud, bringing the monster even further down.

    Sunny did not waste this chance.

    Taking a step forward, he thrust the Azure Blade up, pushing it into the scavenger's mouth. A severed mandible fell to the ground as the monster impaled itself on the sword with its own weight.

    The massive body of the Nightmare Creature convulsed before falling still.

    It was dead.

    Sunny slowly exhaled, only now feeling the pain in his chest and at the back of his head. He carefully touched it and grimaced. His hand came back wet with blood.

    'At least I'm alive.'

    [You have slain an awakened beast, Carapace Scavenger.]

    [You shadow grows stronger.]

    [You have��]

    With no time to listen to the Spell, Sunny tugged on the sword to dislodge it from the monster's head and hurried to help Nephis.

    However, it was too late.

    The other scavenger was lying in the mud, clearly dead. His limbs were still twitching, indicating that the fatal blow was delivered just moments ago. It seemed like Nephis had managed to sever its spine by piercing the weak spot at the base of the beast's torso with her longsword.

    He couldn't see the silver-haired girl behind the bulky carcass. As Sunny approached it, he heard the sound of rugged, strained breathing. Then a shaky voice came from behind the scavenger:

    "D��don't�� don't come any closer."

    In the deathly silence of the battle's aftermath, Changing Star's voice sounded strange and subdued. Sunny suddenly felt as though someone had squeezed his heart in a fist. Steeling himself, he took another step forward.

    Nephis was standing in front of the dead scavenger, trying to catch her breath after the intense fight. There was a bloody gash on her shoulder. However, it didn't look life-threatening.

    Sunny's attention, though, was instantly drawn to something else.

    It seemed that at some point during the fight, the tall girl's makeshift seaweed top came apart, leaving her naked above the waist. She was covering her chest with one arm. Behind the arm, squished, the supple fullness of her��

    Sunny flinched as though someone had stung him and hurriedly turned around. His face was burning. Without thinking about it, he even made his shadow look away.

    An awkward silence followed. After some time, Sunny forced himself to speak:

    "Are... are you alright?"

    Nephis was slow to answer.

    "Yes."

    "Good. Uh�� good. I'll�� uh�� I'll go fetch Cassie then."

    "... Alright."

    Feeling as though an army of monsters was chasing him, he walked forward on stiff legs and then quickened his step, barely holding himself from running.

    'Her fault! It's her fault! She should have communicated things clearer!'

    Trying to get the vivid image out of his head, Sunny hurried to the place where Cassie was waiting for them.

    By the time they returned, Nephis had already fixed her top and was wearing it as though nothing had happened. However, Sunny couldn't help but feel that the look she gave him was somewhat weird.

    'Forget it!'

    After checking the wound on his head, Changing Star said.

    "It's just a bleeder, nothing serious. Tell me if you feel dizzy and nauseous or have a strong headache, though."

    Since Sunny had none of these symptoms, he kept quiet.

    Nephis looked down at his clothes and sighed.

    "Memory?"

    He opened his mouth to say "no", but then fell silent.

    Come to think of it, when he killed the scavenger, the Spell did say something else after informing him about the absorbed shadow fragments. At the time, he was too busy to pay it any attention.

    "Let me check."

    He summoned be runes and quickly found the cluster representing his Memories.

    Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteers' Shroud], [Azure Blade].

    'Hmm. Nothing new.'

    Then what was the Spell talking about?

    Suddenly, he noticed a new set of runes in the neighboring cluster. His eyes widened.

    Echoes: [Carapace Scavenger].

 Chapter 47 Echo

    Chapter 47 Echo

    'Echo�� it's an Echo��'

    Sunny couldn't believe his eyes.

    Echoes were an extremely rare type of reward that Awakened could receive after slaying Nightmare Creatures. Chances of getting one were very low. In the real world, an Echo could be sold for an unimaginable amount of money. That's because they were much more precious than Memories.

    Without delaying it much further, he dove into his Sea of Soul. There, very few things had changed: a lonely black sun was still hanging above the calm, silent waters. It was orbited by spheres of light that represented his Memories. This time, there were three of them.

    Just like before, Sunny couldn't get rid of the feeling that something was stealthily moving just beyond the periphery of his vision. However, this time, he didn't pay it any attention. He wanted to see his Echo.

    It, too, was represented by a sphere of light. However, this sphere was much larger and hovered further away from the Shadow Core. With a thought, he commanded it to descent.

    The sphere slowly floated down and touched the dark water. As Sunny came closer, walking on the surface of the sea, its radiance slowly faded away, revealing the monster contained within.

    A hulking, menacing carapace scavenger was calmly standing in front of him. There was no madness in its eyes�� or any feeling at all, for that matter. After all, it wasn't really alive. It was just an echo.

    Shining runes appeared in the air around the scavenger.

    Echo: [Carapace Scavenger].

    Echo Type: Beast.

    Echo Core: Awakened.

    Echo Attributes: [Strong], [Armored].

    Echo Description: [A cursed soldier of the fallen legion].

    Before Sunny knew it, a wide grin appeared on his face. That scavenger was now his: it could be summoned and used to fight against his enemies, carry heavy cargo or perform other tasks. What's more, it was a whole rank above its master, which meant that it was much stronger, more resilient and fearsome than a Dreamer with a dormant core should normally possess.

    With this Echo by their side, many things would become easier.

    Following an impulse, Sunny raised a hand and brushed it against cold, black chitin. He just wanted to touch his new possession��

    However, the moment his palm touched the scavenger, a strange thing happened. The Soul of Sea suddenly surged a little, and a new set of runes appeared:

    [Transform Echo into a Shadow?]

    Sunny flinched and snatched his hand back.

    'What the hell is that about?'

    He had never heard anything about transforming Echoes into something else, let alone "Shadows". Then again, he had never heard about Shadow Cores and fragments, too.

    'It seems my Aspect holds more secrets than I thought.'

    Sunny licked his lips and hesitated. Then, he cautiously said:

    "Yes."

    However, nothing happened. A moment later, the runes changed:

    [Not enough Shadow Fragments to perform a transformation.]

    [Shadow Fragments required: 24/100.]

    He frowned, disappointed.

    'I see. So there is another use for the fragments. They can either enhance my own core or do something weird to Echoes. How do I know which use is more beneficial without knowing what a transformation actually does?'

    An Echo was plenty useful by itself. Sunny felt that it would be wiser to concentrate on strengthening himself, at least for now.

    'I'll experiment with it later.'

    With that, he left the Sea of Soul.

    Since he had spaced out for quite a bit, Nephis was looking at him with a silent question in her eyes.

    Sunny grinned:

    "I got an Echo."

    Her pupils slightly widened.

    Cassie, on the other hand, was more expressive:

    "An Echo? You actually got an Echo?!"

    "Yes."

    Since the larger group of monsters was now minutes away from catching up with them, Sunny didn't waste any time and summoned the Scavenger.

    The hulking beast immediately appeared in front of him, seemingly sewn together from tiny sparks of light. Soon, its black chitin became fully corporeal. Following Sunny's command, it shifted a little and raised its mighty pincers.

    Nephis observed the Echo with an unreadable expression. Then, a corner of her lip slightly curled up.

    "Good."

    Sunny looked at her with a smile.

    "I think we can task it with carrying Cassie. Outside of battle, it will help us the most."

    The blind girl's mouth fell open.

    "Carry me? Like�� like a mount?"

    He chuckled and slapped the scavenger on its carapace.

    "This bad boy can fit a petite girl like you with no problem at all. Trust me! I've been clambering these things a lot for the past few days. It's actually quite spacious on top of them. Especially if they're not trying to kill you."

    Cassie hesitated.

    "Well�� okay. If you think it's for the best."

    Sunny and Nephis helped the blind girl to climb on top of the Echo. Then, they used the golden rope to create makeshift reins for Cassie to hold onto.

    After quickly retrieving soul shards from the dead scavengers, the Sleepers hastily left the passage, narrowly avoiding another battle.

    ***

    With Cassie riding comfortably atop the scavenger, their overall speed dramatically increased. Sunny and Nephis were jogging in the front, hoping to recoup the time lost in the first half of the day and reach the high point with an hour or two to spare.

    From time to time, they had to take detours to avoid fighting groups of carapace monsters. However, with a monster of their own by their side, the mood and mental state of the three Sleepers were much better.

    For the first time since coming to this place, Sunny felt somewhat calm.

    Of course, this calmness didn't last long.

    At some point, he noticed that the wind had picked up a bit. Almost simultaneously, Cassie asked them to stop.

    Nephis and Sunny looked at her with deep frowns. It seemed that they both had a bad premonition.

    "What is it?"

    The blind girl let go of the reins.

    "Do you hear anything?"

    They looked at each other, then shook their heads.

    "No. Why?"

    Cassie scowled.

    "Help me get off this thing."

    After they helped her, she stood motionless for a while, listening. Her scowl deepened. Then the blind girl cautiously kneeled and put her ear to the ground.

    "What do you hear?"

    Cassie licked her lips.

    "It's murmuring."

    Suddenly, a drop of water fell on Sunny's face. He raised his head and looked at the sky.

    There, dark stormy clouds were gathering with unnatural speed. Pretty soon, they were bound to cover it completely.

    Including the sun.

    And when that happened��

    His eyes widened.

 Chapter 48 The Storm

    Chapter 48 The Storm

    "We need to move, now."

    As Nephis turned to him, Sunny grabbed Cassie and helped her stand up. His face was even paler than usual, and there was a panicked look in his eyes.

    "Now! Help me get her back on the scavenger!"

    The silver-haired girl raised her head and looked at the sky. Soon, her expression darkened. Without saying anything, she did as he had asked.

    Cassie seemed a bit disoriented. She grabbed the reins and helplessly turned to her friend:

    "Neph? What is going on?"

    Changing Star glanced at her. When she eventually spoke, her voice sounded heavy.

    "A storm is coming."

    Meanwhile, Sunny sent his shadow to climb on top of a tall pillar of coral and looked ahead, trying to understand how far the cliffs they were aiming for were. From the look of it, there was still a considerable distance to go. However, the giant statue was already much further away.

    Going back now would have been suicide.

    He turned to Nephis:

    "We're about three or four kilometers away from the cliffs. Do�� do you think we can make it?"

    She scowled.

    "If we take the most direct route. Maybe."

    Sunny hesitated, then asked:

    "What about the monsters?"

    Changing Star looked ahead and gritted her teeth.

    "We'll have to cut through."

    'That's it? That's the plan?'

    As he was fruitlessly trying to come up with some devious trick to save them, Nephis turned her head and glanced at him, puzzled.

    "What are you waiting for? Run!"

    ***

    As they darted forward, heavy drops of rain were starting to fall on the ground. Strong winds were howling between the coral blades, sending bits of mud and seaweed flying. With storm clouds gathering in the sky, sunlight dimmed, and a cold twilight descended upon the labyrinth.

    Sunny was running with all his might, as though his life depended on it �� because it actually did. He was leading their small group, choosing the straightest path toward the cliffs with the help of his shadow. Nephis was a step behind him. The scavenger carrying Cassie was stomping through the mud with its eight legs in the back.

    Without the need to avoid monsters and death breathing down their necks, they moved with amazing speed. Side passages and crimson walls were flashing past them in a blur. There was no need to hold back and conserve strength for the long run �� if they were late to reach the cliffs by a minute, their lives would be over. They had to give it their all.

    Sunny was ready to fight a series of bloody skirmishes all along the way, but, to his surprise, the inhabitants of the labyrinth did not give them much trouble. The scavengers seemed to be as panicked as they were. The bulky beasts were busy trying to hide inside the coral mounds or burrowing underground.

    On the rare occasions when one of them showed aggression, a quick slash of the sword or a threatening clack of a pincer was enough to make the monster change its mind.

    However, no matter how fast they were moving, the storm was faster. The rain quickly turned into a pelting downpour, each drop becoming a torrent. The winds grew in strength, striking against their bodies with enough force to make them stumble. The light dimmed even further, reducing visibility to almost zero.

    Finally, a blinding bolt of lightning tore through the darkness, followed almost immediately by a deafening thunderclap.

    In the next moment, the ground under Sunny's feet trembled, causing him to lose balance and fall. He rolled in the mud and tried to stand up, but slipped and fell again. Someone's arm grabbed him by the shoulder and helped him rise.

    In the darkness of the storm, Sunny saw Changing Star's face. She opened her mouth and shouted:

    "Don't stop! Run!"

    He almost couldn't hear her behind the roaring wind and rain.

    By the time Sunny began to move, the dark, salty water was already as high as his shins. He gritted his teeth.

    The sea was coming back.

    He couldn't determine where the water was coming from, but with each minute, it was rising higher. Soon, it was up to his knee, then up to his waist, making running almost impossible. The speed of the group slowed down considerably.

    It was then, in a sudden flash of lightning, when they saw a dark mass of stone ahead.

    They had made it to the cliffs.

    Almost at the same time, a terrible rumbling sound came from the depths of the labyrinth. Turning back, Sunny saw a colossal, crushing torrent of black water rushing through the crimson forest. Some distance away, a tardy scavenger was caught by it and thrown against the coral walls. The unbreakable carapace of the mighty creature cracked and burst open like a rotten egg.

    'Curses!'

    He turned to Nephis:

    "Time is up! Start climbing!'

    She caught him by the arm.

    "Dismiss your Echo!"

    Sunny didn't know whether the scavenger could scale the cliff. In any case, Cassie wouldn't have been able to hold on if it did. He helped the blind girl get down and then sent the monster back to the Sea of Soul.

    Nephis lowered herself to let Cassie climb on her back, then tied them together with the golden rope. Not wasting any time, she gritted her teeth and stepped forward to grab onto the wet rocks of the cliff wall.

    They began the ascent, rushing to get as high as possible before the black torrent hit. Some time later, Sunny screamed:

    "Brace!"

    In the next moment, a wall of dark water hit the rocks mere meters beneath their feet. As Sunny held for dear life, the whole cliff shuddered. A few boulders fell from somewhere high above, missing his head only by chance.

    Somehow, all three of them were still alive.

    However, things were far from being over. The black water was still rising, now with frightening speed, threatening to swallow them at any second. They had to keep climbing, and they had to be faster than the surging sea.

    Sunny cursed as he searched for the next hold to grab onto. To survive, he had to scale the face of the cliff with crazy speed. However, hastily climbing wet rocks was a recipe for disaster: one slip of a hand, and he would plunge down to be crushed against the cliffs, drown, or be eaten by some giant monster.

    The torrential rain and hurricane wind made everything even worse.

    And yet, there was no choice.

    He frantically kept climbing, tearing his skin on sharp rocks. Every muscle in his body was in agony. If not for the shadow wrapped tightly around his body, Sunny would have been long dead. But even with its help, the surging dark water was getting closer and closer.

    "Damn it! Damn it all!"

    No matter how hard Sunny tried, he couldn't win back any distance. Soon, the water was at his feet. The sea slowly swallowed his legs, then his torso. He kept climbing, now fighting against the weight of the water and the force of the tide that was trying to tear him away from the cliff.

    But it was useless in the end.

    When the water covered his shoulders, he felt his finger slipping from the wet rocks. Sunny tried to hold on, but the current was too strong. He was pushed away like a weightless toy, losing any purchase��

    'No!'

    ...In the last second, a golden rope fell into the water beside him. Shaken, Sunny grabbed onto it and held with all his strength. The rope drew tight and lifted him out of the water. His feet touched the cliff wall again.

    Not wasting any time, he resumed climbing with the help of the rope. Finally, a strong hand grabbed him from above and dragged his body over the edge of the cliff.

    Sunny fell to the ground, struggling to breathe. After some time, he looked at Nephis, who was lying in a similar position to his right, equally as drained. She was still clutching the golden rope in her hand. Cassie was sitting a few steps away from them.

    He wanted to laugh, but had no strength for it.

    They survived.

 Chapter 49 Natural Element

    Chapter 49 Natural Element

    For a few minutes, Sunny simply lay on the ground, letting the rain hit his face. From time to time, a bolt of lightning arced through the skies, drowning everything in blinding light. Other than that, it was almost completely dark. If not for his Attribute, he would have had trouble discerning the shapes of Nephis and Cassie, who were resting nearby.

    After some time, however, a feeling of uneasiness entered his mind. Something was off. Sunny scowled, trying to understand where that feeling was coming from. Finally, he realized that it was his shadow. It was trying to draw his attention to something.

    'Please, let me rest. I just want to rest.'

    He was too tired to do anything. Both his body and mind were exhausted. However, the shadow was very persistent. It remained adamant.

    In the end, Sunny moaned and rolled over on his stomach, then slowly stood up. Nephis turned her head and looked at him.

    "What is it?"

    He grimaced.

    "I don't know yet. Something feels wrong."

    Cassie shivered and got closer to Neph. Following his shadow's warning, Sunny looked around, trying to find any sign of danger in their surroundings.

    Even with his vision, he couldn't see anything out of place. The upper part of the cliffs was well above the stormy sea, forming a small island. Its surface was rugged and uneven, with several protruding ridges breaking the line of sight. There was a large space between their group and the nearest ridge. That space was littered, seemingly at random, with piles of dirt and tall boulders.

    Nephis got up and summoned her sword.

    "Do you see anything?"

    Sunny frowned.

    "Not really��"

    At that moment, another lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the small island. His eyes widened.

    The tall boulders surrounding them were massive and irregularly shaped. They were black in color and motionless�� that's why Sunny had not recognized them for what they were at first glance.

    All around them, scavengers were silently lying on the ground.

    Sunny froze, suddenly consumed by terror. The hairs on the back of his neck bristled and stood up on ends. One, two, three�� he lost count because of panic and gritted his teeth. Seven�� no, eight of them.

    It seemed the three humans were not the only ones who thought of taking shelter from the dark sea on these cliffs. He trembled.

    These cliffs were a death trap...

    Noticing something on his face, Nephis tensed:

    "Sunny?"

    He slowly turned his head to her and whispered:

    "Don't speak. Don't move. Just�� stay where you are."

    She followed his instructions without asking for the reason. However, a silent question appeared on her face.

    Cassie did the same.

    Sunny closed his eyes and breathed in, trying to calm his panicking mind down. There were no hopeless situations. Every problem had a solution. He just had to think of one��

    The scavengers did not attack yet. Maybe they were asleep or patiently waiting out the storm, trying not to move in fear of attracting more terrifying monsters. Maybe they simply did not notice the humans. After all, it was unknown how well these creatures could see. Were they able to see in the dark? Probably not, or at least not as well as he could.

    There was still hope.

    Sunny opened his eyes and looked at the small island again. But this time, his perspective was different. He saw the deep darkness, the clamor of the storm that drowned out most of the sounds, the large distance between the scavenger.

    This was his territory. It was perfectly suited for a murderous shadow. Didn't he dream of becoming a silent assassin? Well, here was his chance. He just had to execute each step perfectly�� crawl through the darkness, strike without alerting the enemy, kill each of them with one precise blow.

    Rinse and repeat. He already knew their strengths and weaknesses �� all that was left was to put that knowledge to practice. And even if he makes a mistake, there were other means to fall back onto. Echo and Nephis could do their part if he were to land himself in danger.

    Yes, that could work. It had to.

    Sunny looked at Changing Star and Cassie.

    "I'll take care of this."

    Before they could react, he seemed to dissolve into the shadows.

    Under the cover of darkness, Sunny sneaked forward. His steps were soft and measured, his breathing controlled. He quickly determined the optimal order of attack to minimize the chance of being discovered and proceeded to the first target �� a hulking scavenger that was the furthest away from the pack.

    Hidden in the shadows, Sunny suddenly felt calm and focused. He felt as though he was finally in his natural element.

    As the looming silhouette of the scavenger approached, he slowed down and circled around his target. The monster did not move, oblivious to the lurking threat that was drawing closer with each second. Sunny held his breath and prepared to attack.

    He only had one chance.

    'Do it right!'

    With that thought, he silently lunged forward.

    One step, two. Sunny jumped and easily landed on the monster's carapace. The Azure Blade was already in his hand, its steel dark. A moment later, it plunged into the weak point on the scavenger's back, piercing the chitin and destroying its brain. The quiet crack of the breaking carapace was quickly washed away by the rain.

    It was done.

    Sunny felt a sense of triumph appear in his heart and quickly suppressed it. This wasn't the right time to celebrate �� seven targets were still waiting for him in the darkness.

    He retrieved his sword and jumped down from the scavenger's corpse.

    Then, Sunny frowned.

    Why was the Spell silent?

    It didn't announce his kill, nor the absorption of the shadow fragments.

    Feeling his skin crawl, Sunny turned around and looked at the scavenger. At first, he was afraid that the beast was still alive�� but that wasn't the case.

    It was as dead as could be.

    However, on closer inspection, Sunny noticed something that he had missed before.

    And when he did, his face paled.

 Chapter 50 Death Trap

    Chapter 50 Death Trap

    The scavenger was dead. However, it wasn't Sunny's blade that killed it.

    While circling the target, he was focused on staying unnoticed and not alerting the enemy to his presence before reaching the optimal position for an attack. After that, he only saw the monster's back.

    That's why he didn't notice the terrible wound that ran from the top of the creature's torso to its segmented legs, obscured by the rain.

    The unbreakable carapace was cut open like a tin can. The scavenger's flesh and mangled organs could be easily seen through the large gap, oozing azure blood. It streamed down only to be washed away by the storm.

    Sunny gulped.

    He might have felt awkward about performing a perfect ambush on a long-dead monster if not for the fear of whatever had killed it in the first place.

    Looking around, he hesitated and summoned the Azure Blade back, then wrapped himself in the shadow.

    The small island was silent except for the howling of the wind. The rain was still falling down, forming a constant veil that hid away all details and distant objects. A rare flash of lightning sometimes flooded this bleak world with stark whiteness. Then, a thunderclap would come, making the skies tremble.

    With cold fright settling deep into his bones, Sunny cautiously moved to the next scavenger. He could tell from some distance that it was also dead, but had to come closer and make sure. Indeed, he was right: the creature was almost severed in half by the unknown assailant. Its wet innards were lying on the ground in a messy pile.

    The darkness had long ago stopped being comforting, becoming terrifying and oppressive instead. Sunny shivered.

    ��By the time he checked on all eight monsters and confirmed that they were all dead, he was nauseous and scared out of his wits. When Sunny had first realized that the black shapes were, in fact, scavengers, he thought that the situation was as bad as it could get. Now, he wasn't sure anymore.

    In fact, he was pretty convinced that things went from bad to worse.

    Standing near the last scavenger, Sunny observed his surroundings and thought about returning to Neph and Cassie. Maybe the terrifying killer had already left the island. They could just hide and hope for the best. He wouldn't be alone, at least.

    However, not knowing what kind of danger was hiding in the darkness would drive him insane long before the morning came. Plus, with his Fated attribute, "hoping for the best" was a fool's errand.

    That's why, although his body was covered in cold sweat, Sunny gritted his teeth and slowly walked toward the ridge that was obscuring the rest of the island from him. Coming close, he started climbing, trying to be as quiet as possible.

    The ridge wasn't very high, so he was able to scale it without much effort. Sticking close to the rocks, he raised his head a looked down.

    Then, he immediately wanted to let go and fall to the ground.

    Right beneath him, just a few meters away, a dark silhouette was outlined against the rocks. It was much larger than the scavengers, with jagged spikes growing out of its thick carapace. Its chitin was black and crimson, like an ancient armor splattered with fresh blood. Instead of pincers, two terrifying bone scythes were protruding from the joints of its arms.

    Each one was long and sharp enough to split a scavenger in two.

    Sunny froze, afraid to move. He even stopped breathing.

    'So that's the killer.'

    It was one of those monsters that they had seen retrieving the transcendent soul shards from the giant shark's carcass, or another of their kind. He remembered how the two creatures had cut through the horde of scavengers, killing or throwing aside any beast that got in their way. Slaughtering just seven of them would not pose a problem for something that deadly.

    Not to mention getting rid of three Sleepers.

    Careful not to make a sound, Sunny slowly lowered himself down. His whole body was trembling. Moving his arms and legs with utmost precision, he began climbing down from the ridge, praying not to be heard, sensed, or noticed in some other way.

    Luckily, the monster remained oblivious to his presence.

    Reaching the ground, Sunny took a few steps back, still facing the ridge. He had to force himself to turn around. Feeling as though his back was being pierced by invisible needles, the young man stealthily moved in the direction where he had left his companions.

    A couple of minutes later, he returned to Nephis and Cassie. The girls were tense and nervous, waiting for his return in the darkness. Before coming out of the shadows, Sunny let them know that he was approaching.

    "It's me."

    Nephis moved, lowering her sword a little. Her face was a little grim.

    "What is the situation?" she said, careful to keep her voice low.

    Sunny slowly exhaled, finally feeling a bit safer. For the first time, he was genuinely happy not to be alone in this cursed place.

    "There are eight scavengers around us. But they're all dead. The killer is one of those big monsters we saw, the thing with the crimson pattern on its carapace and scythes instead of pincers. It's hiding from the storm beneath a stone ridge not far from here."

    A bolt of lightning flashed, illuminating everything around. In its aftermath, it looked as though two white sparks ignited in Changing Star's eyes. Soon, the reflection was gone, leaving them grey and inscrutable again.

    She tilted her head and whispered, as though talking to herself.

    "An awakened monster."

    Sunny licked his lips.

    "Yeah. So, what should we do?"

    Nephis thought for a while, leaning on her sword. Then, she looked at him and said:

    "Kill it."

    ***

    Sunny stared at her, lost for words. Finally, he collected himself and said the first thing that came to his mind��

    "Are you nuts?"

    The idea of fighting that thing was pretty ridiculous, if not completely insane. Realizing that his words might have sounded a bit rude, he cleared his throat and added:

    "I mean�� have you thought this through? How are we supposed to kill that monstrosity?"

    Nephis slowly inhaled.

    "It's not a question of thinking things through. We simply have no choice."

    She glanced at Cassie, who was listening to them with a pale face, and explained:

    "We can't leave the cliffs before morning, and neither can the monster. However, once the sun rises, it will easily see us and attack. Then, our only advantage �� the element of surprise �� will be gone. If we have to fight it anyway, it's better to be the ones initiating the fight."

    Changing Star looked around and added:

    "It's not completely dark yet. Although barely, I can still see. Once the night comes, this won't be the case. So we will have to attack it first, and do it soon."

    Sunny shook his head.

    "This still doesn't explain how we are going to kill it. That thing just dispatched eight scavengers like it was nothing. We are not its opponents. We don't even know its weaknesses!"

    Nephis frowned. After a short pause, she said:

    "It's just an awakened monster."

    Sunny couldn't help but stare at her in disbelief.

    "What do you mean, "just" an awakened monster? Have you forgotten that all three of us are only Sleepers?! Dormant humans are not supposed to be able to deal with awakened beasts, let alone monsters. The fact that we can reliably kill scavengers is already abnormal!"

    She looked back at him, undisturbed, and simply answered:

    "But we are abnormal."

    Sunny stood there with his mouth open, not knowing what to say.

    Nephis sighed.

    "You and I both are not exactly ordinary Sleepers. Aren't we? Don't try and deny it. Someone ordinary simply would not have survived in this place."

    He frowned, not happy about her line of thought. Meanwhile, Changing Star continued:

    "You, me, plus the awakened beast you have as an Echo, plus the advantage of a surprise attack. I'm not saying that it will be easy. We might die. But there's a good chance that we won't."

    She looked down, at the silvery blade of her sword, and added after a couple of seconds:

    "In any case. As I have already said, we don't have a choice."

    Sunny gritted his teeth, trying to find a logical retort. However, her reasoning seemed unassailable. He just had a really bad feeling about fighting that monster.

    In the ensued silence, Cassie, who had been quiet all this time, suddenly spoke:

    "You are forgetting about the main advantage we have over that thing."

    Both of them looked at her, surprised.

    The blind girl turned to face them and slightly lifted her head.

    "We are intelligent, and the monster is not."

    Her words echoed in the darkness. Sunny sighed.

    It seemed that a fight with the bone scythe monster was inevitable.

    ***

    Some time later, he was standing in the darkness, looking at the terrifying creature in front of him. His expression was grim and somber. Tightly gripping the Azure Blade, Sunny slowly inhaled.

    The ominous feeling he had before was still there, now stronger than ever.

    'I don't like this.'

    With this thought, he exhaled and raised his hand.

 Chapter 51 Carapace Centurion

    Chapter 51 Carapace Centurion

    Monsters did possess some rudimentary intelligence, however, they could not compare to humans. At their core, they were still predators who acted mostly on instinct. Their cunning was beastly in nature and was not that hard to overcome. That gave the three Sleepers a chance to leverage their advantage.

    After finalizing the plan, they made some preparations.

    While Changing Star was getting ready, Sunny had retrieved the soul shards from the eight dead scavengers. After delivering them to the silver-haired girl, he watched as she brought them to her chest and crushed them in her fist one after another, absorbing the essence of each shard into her soul core. After a few minutes, when the changes caused by the absorption were over, Nephis opened her eyes and slowly inhaled.

    To a Sleeper, consuming the shards of eight awakened beasts was equivalent to slaying sixteen dormant creatures. While not tremendous, it was still a significant boost in physical ability. Her body had become stronger, faster, enhanced in every way.

    They were going to need every bit of that strength to survive.

    Because of how attuned Nephis was to her physicality, getting accustomed to her new limits did not take long. Very soon, she looked at him and asked:

    "Are you ready?"

    Sunny sighed glanced at his shadow, hoping to get some moral support.

    The shadow pretended to not notice and ignored him.

    'Disloyal bastard!'

    "As ready as I'll ever be."

    Nephis nodded and turned to Cassie.

    There was nothing really to say. They had already discussed everything there was to discuss, and empty words could not make the blind girl worry any less. Come to think of it, Sunny wouldn't have wanted to trade places with her, even though out of the three of them she was the only one who didn't have to risk her life in combat.

    Facing the enemy, no matter how terrifying, was better than waiting powerlessly for the outcome, knowing that there's nothing you can do to change it. From that point of view, he was actually the lucky one.

    Cassie tried to put on a brave face. She turned to Nephis and forced a smile:

    "Go and kill that thing. Maybe you'll finally get something decent to wear and stop making me feel so guilty."

    A corner of Changing Star's lip curled up.

    "Okay."

    After that, she turned to Sunny and returned to her usual serious self.

    "Let's go."

    �� A few minutes later, he was standing on top of the rocky ridge, looking down at the deadly monster. The shadow was wrapped around his body, enhancing Sunny's physical abilities. Their plan was pretty solid and had a high chance of working.

    However, he still couldn't get rid of the ominous feeling that this was not going to end well.

    'I don't like this.'

    With a sigh, Sunny raised his hand and summoned the silver bell.

    Then, he lightly shook it, causing the clear melodic ringing to resound amidst the storm.

    ***

    Immediately, the monster below moved, turning its massive torso around and looking for the source of the sudden noise. As he saw Sunny, a mad crimson flame ignited in its eyes.

    However, Sunny did not see any of this, because he was already facing the other way. As soon as the bell rang, he turned around and jumped down from the ridge without a second of hesitation.

    The ridge wasn't very tall, but there was still a considerable distance to the ground. Sunny hit the rocks hard and rolled, trying to disperse the force of the impact. As soon as he got back to his feet, he ran, trying to get as far away as possible.

    A moment later, the ridge exploded behind his back. The monster simply crashed into it with its hulking body, breaking through the layers of rocks as though they were paper. Simultaneously, there was a flash of lightning and a thunderclap, drowning the loud rumble of the falling debris.

    The creature locked onto retreating Sunny and lunged forward, trying to pierce his body with one of its scythes. Shards of rock were flowing like a torrent from its spiked carapace.

    Luckily, Sunny was already far enough. Without slowing down, he lowered his body, ran for several more meters, and then turned around.

    The picture of the monster, who was more than three meters tall, rushing at him like a speeding train was enough to make any person falter. However, Sunny stood his ground, raising the Azure Blade above his head.

    After all, he was the bait.

    Half a dozen meters away from him, the monster finally reached their trap.

    Almost unnoticeable in the darkness and the pouring rain, the golden rope was strung between two massive boulders at the height of the creature's leg joints. Earlier, Sunny had lowered his body to run beneath it.

    Overwhelmed by bloodlust, the monster did not notice the tautly drawn rope and ran into it at full speed. If it was a normal rope, it would, without a doubt, immediately snap. However, the golden rope was a Memory, and being incredibly sturdy was one of its attributes.

    The rocks it was tied to, unfortunately, were quite mundane. They shattered almost immediately.

    But the damage was already done.

    With its front legs suddenly jerked backward, the scythe slayer lost its balance and crashed into the ground face-first, sliding forward on wet stone and leaving behind a shallow trench. Sunny jumped away.

    The monster was unperturbed. Almost immediately, two bone scythes pierced the ground, jerking its massive body to a stop. In the next moment, unexpectedly swift and nimble for its size, it was already beginning to rise.

    If it was allowed to stand up, their fates would be sealed.

    Fortunately, Sunny's Echo was faster.

    The moment the monster fell, it stopped pretending to be one of the dead scavengers, got up and dashed forward. Just as their enemy was about to rise, it jumped on its carapace from behind, pinning the creature down with its weight, and locked its pincers on the creature's arms just beneath the point where the bone scythes began.

    Despite the fact that the Echo was wounded by the spikes growing from the monster's carapace, it succeeded in immobilizing it, at least for a second.

    A second was enough.

    As though out of nowhere, Nephis, who was lying in ambush, appeared in front of the monster. Darting between its terrifying scythes, she leaned forward and delivered a devastating thrust with her longsword, putting her whole weight behind it.

    They didn't know if the awakened monster had the same weak spot on its back as its lesser relatives, the scavengers, had. However, there was no reason to assume that there was no gap between its carapace and torso armor. It was a mechanical issue.

    Anything that had to be flexible could not be too rigid.

    The tip of Changing Star's sword plunged into the narrow gap. Then, the sword disappeared into the monster's body, penetrating so deep that its hilt ended up brushing against the chitin.

    'Hell yes!' Sunny thought, triumphant.

    However, in the next second, his expression dimmed.

    Because the creature didn't even seem to notice the wound that was supposed to be if not fatal, then at least heavily debilitating. Straining its body a little, it suddenly twisted, throwing the Echo off its carapace, and rose to its feet. The bone scythes scraped against the rock as it pulled them out from the ground.

    Defenseless, Nephis was right in front of it, her sword still stuck in the monster's flesh.

    'Oh no!'

    Sunny was too far away to do anything, circling around the massive creature to attack it from behind. The Echo was on the ground, still reeling from being thrown off the enemy's back. It didn't seem like it could help either.

    For the moment, Changing Star was on her own.

    The scythes pierced the air, aiming for her flesh. At the last moment, however, a pair of pincers locked one of them into an iron grip. That gave Nephis another fraction of a second to react.

    Letting go of the sword, she dove under the creature's body, hiding in the blind spot of the remaining scythe's attack range. As far as hiding places went, this one wasn't optimal, since all the monster had to do to crush her into a bloody pulp was to lie down. However, in that moment, Nephis had no other choice.

    'This is bad, this bad...'

    By then, Sunny was already behind the creature. Hoping to buy Neph some time, he brandished the Azure Blade and slashed down. The sword connected with the joint of one of the monster's rear legs, drawing azure blood. However, unlike how it was in the battle against a scavenger, he failed to completely sever the limb. It was too tough and thick.

    In the next moment, the leg disappeared from Sunny's field of vision.

    'Crap.'

    As that thought appeared in his mind, Sunny raised his head and looked at the monster. Somehow, it had already turned around and was now facing him, two crimson flames burning with bloodlust in its eyes.

    Before Sunny could properly react, the sharp tip of a bone scythe hit him in the chest with the force of a siege ram. The only thing he managed to do was to transfer the shadow from his body to the Puppeteer's Shroud.

    Because of this lightning-fast decision, the armor held. He wasn't pierced through the heart and impaled on the scythe.

    However, it was a small consolation.

    The force of the blow was still enough to make his ribcage cave in and send his body flying through the air like a rag doll.

    �� Somehow, Sunny found himself lying on the ground. His body felt weird, and he couldn't breathe. Something bitter was flowing from his mouth, making him choke.

    It was blood. He was drowning in his own blood.

    Weakly, Sunny tried to move, but his limbs wouldn't listen to him. Only the shadow listened, enveloping his body and delaying the inevitable a little.

    'I'm hurt...'

    With his thoughts moving slower and slower, as though submerged in a dense fog, he looked up, hoping to see the stars.

    Instead, he saw two burning crimson eyes approaching him from the darkness.

 Chapter 52 Clarity

    Chapter 52 Clarity

    In that moment, hovering on the edge of nothingness, Sunny realized that he was about to die.

    He had to struggle against the fog that permeated his mind, slowing down his thoughts and dampening all emotions.

    All except for fear.

    Despite the fact that his body was broken and his mind was paralyzed, some stubborn part of Sunny was still refusing to give up. He wasn't ready to die. At least not without giving his all to survive.

    He was revolted at the thought of giving the world the satisfaction of the win.

    That would be so infuriating. Hadn't he told Hero that he was going to survive no matter what, to spite them all?

    That's right. He might be a shameless liar, but a promise was still a promise.

    But�� how was he even supposed to survive? No matter how he looked at it, the situation seemed to be hopeless.

    As the scythe slayer approached, its eyes shining menacingly with bloodthirsty crimson light, Sunny tried to pierce through the fog that enveloped his mind. However, his attempts were aimless and weak. It was hard to find purchase in the fog.

    He needed an anchor.

    Suddenly, a simple thought caught his attention. It was something that he had repeated a thousand times, burning it into his mind.

    'Repetition, experience, clarity.'

    Clarity��

    He remembered what Nephis had taught him. The essence of combat was murder. Any action performed during a battle served only one of two purposes: it was either to kill your enemy or prevent the enemy from killing you.

    If he could learn that, he would have enough clarity to master the mind.

    Back then, he didn't really understand the profound meaning behind the simple word "clarity" that Nephis had used. But now, with his mind in shambles, he was finally able to grasp it.

    The two truths behind the essence and purpose of combat were simple and solid, almost tangible. Even in his half-conscious state, he was able to use them as a stable foundation in the fog. Then, he reformed his mind around this foundation, building it along the stark lines of that truth.

    Suddenly, he was able to think again.

    What's more, his thoughts were clear and incredibly fast, free of all unnecessary distractions.

    This was clarity.

    ***

    Sunny looked up at the advancing monster, calmly weighing his options.

    His body was pretty much useless. He couldn't move his limbs at all. The shadow still followed his commands, but it was busy doing an important job �� keeping him from dying immediately.

    Even with its help, he wouldn't be able to last long.

    But this was a useless thought. He couldn't do anything about it, so there was no sense in wasting time considering it further.

    With his body immobilized, Memories couldn't be used.

    That left only the Echo.

    The carapace scavenger was going to have to be his only tool to either kill the enemy or prevent the enemy from killing him.

    The monster was quickly approaching Sunny. Its mandibles moved, viscous saliva flowing down from them in a torrent of transparent mucus. In a flash of lightning, he was able to see and instantly register every spike, every scratch, every abrasion on the creature's carapace.

    The handle of Changing Star's sword was still protruding from its body, washed in azure blood.

    'What an ugly bastard.'

    Sunny was being hypocritical. Truth be told, with its black carapace painted with crimson patterns and a mighty body specially designed for mayhem and slaughter, the scythe slayer looked striking and incredibly menacing.

    It was almost majestic�� in a terrifying, murderous kind of way.

    Unable to move, he had to look helplessly as the monster closed the distance between them and loomed over Sunny's broken, bleeding body.

    Its scythes rose into the air, ready to strike down.

    Looking right into the monster's burning eyes, Sunny thought:

    'Go to hell, you overgrown bug!'

    The scythes shot toward his body.

    ��In the last moment, something massive and furious rammed into the monster from the side, throwing it away. It was Sunny's carapace scavenger.

    Not bothering with its own safety anymore, the Echo entwined itself with the enemy in a chaotic mess of limbs as they rolled on the ground. Despite the fact that it was smaller and weaker, its crazy assault and complete disregard for its own life were enough to give the bigger monster some pause.

    The Echo lashed out with its pincers, ramming them against the creature's carapace in a crazy whirlwind of blows. For a moment, the howling of the wind was drowned out by the clamor of chitin striking against chitin. The slayer's carapace mostly held, but a couple of cracks did appear on its black surface.

    However, it was still superior to the scavenger in every way. Even with one of its scythes pinned awkwardly under its body, the monster was more than able to repel the sudden attack. With an angry screech, it sliced with the other scythe, cutting one of the scavenger's pincer arms clean off. Then, it strained its legs and threw the smaller creature away.

    In the process, the rear leg that was already wounded by Sunny broke off, but the monster didn't pay it any attention.

    Burning with madness and fury, it untangled its limbs and slowly stood up. Another deafening screech resounded in the howling darkness of the storm, hurting Sunny's ears.

    'Now what?' he thought, momentarily lost for ideas.

    But then, something very unexpected happened.

    As the slayer moved to finish off the Echo, it had to slightly raise and lean its torso back to account for the loss of a rear leg and keep its balance. At that moment, a bolt of lightning landed right in the middle of the small island.

    With how tall the monster was, the lightning was immediately attracted to the handle of the sword that was still sticking from its body, aimed at the sky at a slight angle. At that moment, Changing Star's longsword suddenly became a lightning rod.

    Instantly, hundreds of millions of volts of electricity coursed through the slayer's body.

    In a blinding flash of light, it was thrown to the ground. Whisps of smoke rose from the cracks in its carapace.

    In a strange turn of events, arcs of residual electricity danced on the monster's chitin, slowly accumulating on the crimson patterns on it. Under that influence, the crimson pattern changed its color, becoming white and incandescent.

    Sunny stared at all this in bewilderment.

    'It's�� glowing?'

    For a second, he hoped that the monster was dead. But no, a single strike of lightning was not enough to kill a creature like that. Just a few moments after being electrocuted, the slayer moved, slightly shaking its body.

    Although it was in a rather bad shape, it was still alive and full of murderous intent.

    Looking somewhat dazed, the monster gathered its limbs and tried to stand up. Slowly but surely, it was coming back to its senses. The bone scythes scraped against the rocks, helping it rise.

    However, before it did, Nephis was suddenly right in front of it.

    Grabbing the hilt of the longsword, she grimaced as the heat burned her hands. Then, she twisted the blade, making the slayer's body twitch, and pulled it out, breaking apart a large portion of its lower torso armor.

    The monster tried to slash at her with a scythe, but Changing Star was quicker. Dashing to the side, she simultaneously lashed out with her sword. The glowing, white-hot blade caught the creature's arm right below the joint and cleaved through it, sending the terrifying bone scythe flying through the air in a rain of azure blood.

    The slayer screeched and swatted her away with one of its legs. Nephis was thrown back and rolled on the rocks, losing her grip on the sword. Her eyes momentarily lost focus.

    The monster, on the contrary, was back to its sense. It seemed as though the sudden pain of losing a limb had shaken it wide awake. Raising to its full height, it opened its ugly mouth and let out a deafening, enraged shriek.

    Then, it lunged toward Neph with all-consuming hatred burning in its eyes.

    But it didn't get far.

    Right as the livid monster was beginning its attack, the battered Echo appeared in its path. Its one remaining pincer shot forward, plunging into the wide gap in the armor created by Changing Star's sword. Twisting its arm, the scavenger pushed it inside the enemy's body, wreaking havoc on its innards.

    In the end, it even lifted the whole monster in the air a little, its pincer going in almost up to the shoulder.

    The slayer lashed out with its scythe, piercing the Echo's chest through.

    Then, it twitched a couple of times and fell still.

    The scavenger screeched angrily and jerked its pincer, tearing the bigger monster's torso clean off its carapace. Proudly giving the eviscerated enemy one last look, it then staggered and collapsed to the ground.

    Sunny tiredly dismissed the Echo, hoping that it can survive.

    He wasn't feeling too well.

    In fact, he was pretty much done for.

    [You have slain an awakened monster, Carapace Centurion.]

    The Spell's voice fell uselessly on his deaf ears. It sounded distorted and distant.

    [You have received a Memory: Starlight Legion Armor.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    'I won.'

    Sunny closed his eyes, finally allowing pain and exhaustion to flood his mind.

    The fog was back, making everything feel like it was happening to someone else.

    He was tired.

    And he couldn't breathe.

    Drowning in blood was not very pleasant.

    As his conscience begin to slip, he heard the sound of someone's hurried steps.

    And then, two soft hands gently touched his face��

 Chapter 53 Immortal Flame

    Chapter 53 Immortal Flame

    Somewhat surprised, Sunny struggled to open his eyes. As his vision slowly focused, he saw Neph's pale face looming above him. Her short silver hair was wet, sticking close to her skin.

    She was standing on her knees beside his broken body, caressing his face with her hands. In her eyes, there was a strange expression.

    It was as though she was frightened, but resigned to something.

    Her pupils were wide and dark.

    'Wh��what?'

    Greeting her teeth, Nephis moved her hands to his collapsed chest and pressed them lightly against it, causing a pulse of pain to radiate through Sunny's body.

    Then, a soft, radiant brilliance suddenly ignited beneath the skin of her palms, reflecting in her grey eyes like two dancing white sparks.

    Almost immediately, Changing Star's face contorted in a grimace of excruciating agony, and she let out a terrible, muffled scream.

    Her skin became white as a sheet of paper, and as she bit her lower lip, drops of blood soon rolled to her chin.

    As the radiance grew in intensity, Nephis shut her eyes tightly, tears streaming down her tortured, bloodless face.

    Sunny, on the contrary, felt like he was in heaven. All pain disappeared from his body, replaced by gentle, all-encompassing warmth. He felt as though he was being cleansed by something pure and sacred.

    By a white, pristine, purifying flame.

    Under the influence of the flame, his dying body began to repair itself. His shattered bones were reassembled from the shards. His torn flesh regenerated and became whole again. His collapsed lungs and damaged heart were brought back to life and rejuvenated, instantly turning strong and healthy.

    Suddenly, he could breathe again.

    As his chest moved, drawing in a new breath, Nephis flinched away with a harrowing moan. The white radiance beneath her skin dimmed and disappeared, letting the darkness return to its rightful place.

    Crawling away a few steps, Changing Star stopped, standing on her knees and hands, and violently vomited. Her whole body was shivering uncontrollably, as though on the verge of a seizure.

    As the shivers died down, she slowly lowered herself to the ground and lay there motionlessly, catching the raindrops with her mouth.

    Sunny, meanwhile, raised his hands and carefully explored his body.

    To his surprise, nothing really hurt. It was as though he was never wounded in the first place, let alone almost died.

    With the help of Nephis and her mysterious Aspect Ability, he was completely healed.

    It was a miracle.

    ***

    By the time the storm was over, it was already deep into the night. Sunny, Nephis and Cassie huddled together for warmth and slept as though they were dead, too tired to make someone keep watch.

    If anything were to happen, the shadow would probably alarm them in advance.

    If not, so be it. They were just too exhausted to care.

    Luckily, the rest of the night went without incidents.

    In the morning, no one was in a hurry to make any plans or suggest leaving the cliffs. They just gathered some meat from the dead carapace centurion and the scavengers, collected the two soul shards and moved to the opposite side of the small island, afraid that the remains would attract some creature's attention.

    As it turned out, they were right. Not long after the group left the place of the battle, a dark spot appeared in the sky. Soon, it became larger and approached the cliffs, landing near the corpse of the centurion in a whirlwind.

    Sunny had never seen anything like it. The creature was massive in size, easily weighing twice as much as the carapace monster. Its body was white as a corpse and muscular, like that of a lion. It had two mighty paws in the back and six in the front, protruding messily out of its wide chest. Each ended with long, sharp talons.

    The neck of the flying monstrosity was covered in long black feathers, as well as its enormous wings. Its head resembled that of a raven, with large round eyes and a terrifying black beak.

    While they hid behind rocks, the creature feasted on the dead centurion, easily breaking its carapace apart with its talons and beak. Then, satisfied, it grabbed a few scavenger carcasses with its paws and rose back into the air, creating a small hurricane with each flap of its black wings.

    The creature left the cliffs and flew back the way it came.

    It was moving west.

    Following the black dot as it disappeared into the distance, Sunny sighed.

    "Neph. What do you think that thing is?"

    Nephis was also looking at the sky. After a few seconds, she lowered her gaze.

    "I have no idea."

    Sunny simply nodded and went about his business. He still had to perform his thousand strikes.

    After making a fire, they roasted the centurion's meat and had a delicious, hefty breakfast. Then, stuffed, the three of them lied down and lazily rested.

    After fighting against two scavengers at once, running away and barely surviving the sudden flood, climbing tall cliffs in the middle of a storm and battling an awakened monster �� all done in a single day �� they deserved some time off.

    Plus, Sunny needed to sort himself out. Truth be told, he was feeling a bit strange.

    The reason for this was not his traumatic near-death experience, although it had a lot to do with it. The thing was that, after the unexpected epiphany he had while trying to fight against the deathly mind fog, Sunny felt as though he had been changed.

    Because the clarity he gained never went away.

    It was still here, at the center of his being. He felt as though his very way of thinking and perceiving the world was now completely different. It was stark, streamlined and dauntless.

    Sunny felt that he had become calmer. He was now able to think much faster and act without hesitation. Many things that previously seemed obscure and frightening suddenly became predictable, and thus surmountable.

    It was as though he had discovered an underlying order to the world that wasn't there before. That inner understanding gave him an advantage that was hard to explain with words.

    In a sense, this change was even more profound than the transformation of his body at the end of the First Nightmare. He felt that he had made a big leap in his combat ability and overall power, even though it wasn't tied to the number of consumed shadow fragments or unlocked Aspect Abilities.

    Looking at the sky, Sunny wondered if this was how Nephis always felt.

    'Probably. Mastery of the body, mastery of the mind. Right?'

    He was still far away from being a master. But it felt as though he was on the right track.

    ***

    Some time later, Sunny approached the western edge of the cliffs.

    Nephis was sitting there, her feet dangling over the edge. She was looking west, lost in her thoughts.

    He sat down beside the silver-haired girl and followed her gaze, trying to guess what she was thinking about.

    Just like always, he failed. Changing Star was hard to understand.

    Sunny shifted, feeling incredibly embarrassed. Finally, he gathered his courage and said:

    "You saved my life twice yesterday."

    Nephis glanced at him and turned away again.

    "I did."

    He hesitated, trying to find the correct words. In the end, he couldn't come up with anything and simply said:

    "Thank you."

    This time, she looked at him a bit longer. Her face was calm and indifferent.

    "There's no need to thank me. Without you and your shadow, we would have drowned before reaching the cliffs or been torn apart by a large group of scavengers after stumbling on them in the labyrinth."

    After that uncharacteristically long sentence, she fell silent and added after a while:

    "We're allies."

    Sunny nodded, knowing that she was right. Still, Nephis went above and beyond to keep him alive. Even if he had also done his part, not everyone would have gone to such lengths to return the favor.

    However, he didn't say anything about it. Mostly because he could already imagine her answer.

    Staring right at him, she would stay quiet for some time and then say something like "I just wanted to" or "It is what it is" in a flat tone. And then there would be an awkward silence.

    With a subtle smile, Sunny looked away.

    A minute or two later, he said:

    "It's you Flaw, isn't it? The pain you feel every time you use your Ability?"

    Nephis was silent for a while before answering. Then, she simply said:

    "Yes."

    Sunny looked at her. Changing Star's profile was calm and distant. The wind was playing with her short silver hair.

    "What does it feel like?"

    She was staring into the distance.

    "Like burning alive."

    He sighed, trying to imagine what kind of suffering someone being burned alive would have to endure. As always, the Spell was vile and cruel.

    "I'm sorry," he said quietly after some time.

    Nephis shrugged, not turning her head.

    "It's just pain."

    Sunny looked away, trying to hide his expression.

    'Just pain.'

    These might have been the saddest words he had ever heard.

 Chapter 54 Spoils Of War

    Chapter 54 Spoils Of War

    For a long while, they just sat quietly together. Nephis was looking at the horizon, thinking about something only she knew about. Sunny's mind was strangely empty.

    From time to time, he would cast a glance inside his Soul Sea, observing the recuperating Echo. The scavenger managed to survive its fight against the Carapace Centurion, even if it was just barely. Now, enveloped in a cocoon of light, it was flowing in the calming darkness of Sunny's soul and slowly regenerating.

    If an Echo managed to retreat into the Sea of Soul alive, it would eventually recover from any wounds. The holes on the scavenger's carapace were already beginning to close. Its lost pincer arm, however, was not growing back any time soon.

    Sunny sighed and summoned the runes. He decided to go over the spoils of the harrowing battle.

    Shadow Fragments: [28/1000].

    Since it was his Echo that delivered the final blow, the kill was considered to be his. Thus, he received four shadow fragments, two for each of the Centurion's awakened cores. The shards of the cores themselves went to Nephis as per their agreement. She decided to consume one herself and give the other one to Cassie.

    The reward was sizable, but seemed disproportionate to the amount of trouble they had gone through to get rid of the terrifying monster. Ultimately, dormant humans like them were really not supposed to battle awakened Nightmare Creatures.

    'No way, really?' he thought to himself, full of sarcasm.

    It was just their bad luck that there was not a single Dormant-rank creature in this whole damned region of the Dream Realm.

    Sunny remembered his lofty plans of hunting weak monsters while safely protected from all their attacks by his tier-five Awakened armor and couldn't help but smile bitterly. Who knew that the Puppeteer's Shroud would turn out to be merely a minimum requirement for survival, as opposed to a huge, odds-defying advantage.

    Still, that armor had already saved his life twice, so it was doing its job.

    Speaking of armor��

    He lowered his gaze.

    Memory: [Starlight Legion Armor].

    Memory Rank: Awakened.

    Memory Type: Armor.

    Memory Description: [Born in the all-consuming darkness, seven valiant heroes made an oath to return light to the cursed land. Time has erased their names and their faces, but the memory of the defiant oath still remains.]

    'Teacher Julius would have been ecstatic to be reading this stuff.'

    The old man used to be an avid explorer and student of the Dream Realm's history before becoming a professor in the Awakened Academy and settling down in one of the most prosperous human Citadels. He was still one of the leading researchers in that field, often irritating hunting expeditions with requests to explore this or that ruin.

    Sadly, Sunny had no idea when they would meet again.

    He cleared his throat and looked at Nephis.

    "Anyway. I have a present for you."

    She turned her head and looked at him with a bit of confusion.

    "A�� present?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "Yeah. I forgot to tell you that I received a Memory after we finished off the Centurion. Guess what type it is?"

    He glanced at her expectedly. However, Changing Star did not guess. In fact, her expression did not even show a hint of curiosity. After an awkward pause, Sunny had to look away.

    "Uh. It's an armor. So, give me your hand."

    Physical contact was required to transfer a Memory. Otherwise, he would have preferred to avoid it for as long as possible. There had already been too much contact between them for his mental composure.

    In retrospect, being invaded by the healing flame was a strangely intimate experience. Not to mention the memory of her soft touch��

    Not that he had been in any condition to think about such things back then.

    Staring right at him, Nephis slowly held out a hand. Sunny hurriedly grasped it in his own, wishing to be done with this part of the process as soon as possible.

    Her skin was cool and soft.

    Trying not to get distracted, he willed the Starlight Legion Armor to be expelled from his Soul Sea. One of the spheres of light disappeared from the Shadow Core's orbit. Immediately, he felt something akin to a spark of electricity moving through his body and into Changing Star's.

    She blinked and retracted her hand.

    Then, Nephis stood up, walked a few steps away from the edge of the cliff, and summoned the Memory.

    Spinning sparks of light appeared around her. A moment later, they covered her porcelain body and turned into a black, skintight bodysuit made out of an unknown, durable material. It looked quite similar to the rubbery seaweed that permeated the area.

    Then, intricate pieces of pristine white plate armor materialized over the black bodysuit. First the greaves and vambraces, then articulated pauldrons and rerebraces, then cuisses and sabatons. Finally, a breastplate engraved with seven shining stars appeared to protect Neph's torso, short enough to pose no hindrance to her mobility. It was followed by a helmet with a white plume.

    The engraving of the seven stars was identical to those carved into the giant knight statue's cuirass.

    The armor looked light and elegant. It was simultaneously functional and flattering, both providing high levels of protection and accentuating the graceful lines of Changing Star's body. A stark contrast of black and white made for quite a striking sight.

    Nephis dismissed the helmet, letting her silver hair move in the wind. Then, she summoned her sword and performed a few tentative pirouettes, testing out the weight and flexibility of the armor. Seemingly satisfied, she then let the sword disappear into the air.

    Sunny observed all this in silence. When Neph was finally done, he asked:

    "Well? How is it?"

    She turned to him. Soon, a wide smile appeared on her face. Beaming with delight, Nephis hesitated and finally said with a bit of embarrassment:

    "Much better."

    Sunny heaved a sigh of relief.

    At least now all three of them were properly clothed. That was good.

    Really good!

    Not only because Changing Star's combat effectiveness would dramatically increase due to the acquisition of a reliable armor, but also because now he wouldn't have to be distracted every time he saw her��

 Chapter 55 Lucky People

    Chapter 55 Lucky People

    When they returned to the makeshift camp, the first thing that Nephis did was come up to Cassie.

    "Hey, Cas. Guess what."

    The blind girl turned to her and smiled:

    "You've finally received an armor-type Memory?"

    Simultaneously, Nephis said:

    "I found something decent to wear��"

    Then she fell silent and stared at her smiling friend. Cassie laughed:

    "The sound of your footsteps changed."

    Changing Star blinked.

    "Ah. I see. Well�� it's from the Carapace Centurion."

    While she was describing the armor to Cassia and letting her touch the mysterious white metal it was forged out of, Sunny relaxed and rested by the fire.

    Some time later, Nephis was busy preparing dinner. Sunny was once again lying lazily on the stones and staring into the sky.

    The sky, like always, was grey and unfriendly.

    With all three of them equipped with decent armor, they were finally starting to resemble a real Awakened cohort. In fact, Sunny thought that their group was rather eye-catching even by Awakened standards.

    In her light tunic and sea-wave cloak, beautiful and delicate Cassie looked like a princess. Lithe and poised, Nephis was like a noble knight tasked with protecting her. Sunny, however��

    If he was generous to himself, he would say that he looked like a young squire.

    But truthfully, he resembled a page boy a lot more �� at best. If a random stranger were to see the three of them, that stranger would most likely assume that Sunny was either a lowly servant or a feeble ruffian that had been captured by the noble lady's guard.

    'Well, that'll just add to their surprise when I stab them in the back.'

    Wait�� why would he stab a random stranger?

    'Ah, who cares. I'm sure there'll be a reason.'

    At that moment, Cassie sat down by his side. Sunny turned his head, looking at the blind girl with a bit of surprise.

    She bit her lip.

    "Nephis told me that you almost died yesterday."

    'Oh, so that's what this is about.'

    He shrugged.

    "Yeah."

    Then, with a silent sigh, Sunny added:

    "But don't worry about it too much. It's not my first brush with death."

    Although it was, as far as he knew, the closest. The memory still sent shivers running down his spine.

    Cassie was silent for a while. Then, she quietly said:

    "I'm sorry."

    Sunny raised his eyebrows.

    "Sorry? What are you sorry for?"

    The blind girl lowered her eyes.

    "For being so useless."

    Sunny frowned and looked away. A second or two later, he said in his usual careless tone:

    "You're not useless."

    Cassie softly chuckled.

    "Aren't I? If I want to walk, I need to be leashed to you or Neph. If I want to eat, I need to wait for one of you to feed me. That's my life now. I can't do even the simplest of things without your help�� let alone be of use to either of you in return."

    Slowly, her voice turned raw with emotion. This was the first time Sunny had seen her mask of resolve slip a little, revealing the desperate, angry, frightened face beneath. He was silent for a long time. Then, he said:

    "Hey, have I ever told you about my First Nightmare?"

    The blind girl shook her head. Sunny half-closed his eyes.

    "My First Nightmare was as bad as it gets. To tell you the truth, the situation was pretty hopeless. I was a slave destined to die of cold or mistreatment. Chained, bleeding, defenseless. What's worse, my Aspect turned out to be completely useless. I mean, literally. If I remember correctly, the phrase the Spell chosen to describe it was "a useless wretch with no skills or abilities worth a mention."

    Cassie turned her head slightly, visibly drawn in by his words.

    "Then�� how did you survive? Did things change for the better?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "Gods no. In fact, they quickly turned worse. Much, much worse. But, what would you know? In a strange twist of fate, my useless Aspect turned out to be the only thing that could guide me through that mess alive. In that regard, I was incredibly lucky."

    He shifted a little and glanced at the delicate girl, noticing a thoughtful frown on her face.

    "But here is a thing about luck. People usually speak about it as though luck is something that just happens to you. It's not. Luck is fifty percent circumstance and fifty percent your own ability to grasp it. Luck is something you have to make happen yourself. I fought with everything I had to survive. That's one of the two reasons I'm still here."

    Saying that, Sunny remembered the cold, dark mountain and shivered. Then, pushing the chilling memories away, he continued:

    "The second reason is the Spell itself. I won't go as far as to call it reasonable, but it is fair�� in its own, perverted way. The Spell takes with one hand and gives with the other. It was like this with my First Nightmare, and it is the same with you."

    Cassie's frown deepened. Sunny chose his next words very carefully. Eventually, he said:

    "Your Flaw is the most debilitating one I have ever seen or heard of. You are right, without help from someone like Neph, it would have been a certain death sentence. And people like her�� well, I'm not even sure that someone else like that exists. But��"

    The blind girl gritted her teeth.

    "But what?"

    Sunny looked at her with a serious expression.

    "But that also means that the other side of the Flaw, your power, is equally as extraordinary. You just haven't found the way to grasp it yet. When you do�� believe me, you'll remember this conversation and feel very embarrassed about how naive and foolish you were."

    Cassie's expression changed to one of doubt and confusion.

    "Do you really think so?" she whispered.

    There was a hint of desperate desire in her voice. However, the question itself almost made him laugh, for an obvious reason.

    "Trust me. I'm the most honest person in the world. Two worlds, in fact."

    ��Sunny would actually love nothing more than to be less honest, but, sadly, he was physically incapable of doing so. Of course, she didn't have to know that.

    Cassie was silent for a long time, lost in thought. It looked as though she was in the throes of some inner struggle. Sunny almost assumed that their conversation was over, but then she suddenly said in a low, raspy voice:

    "I had more visions than I told you guys about."

 Chapter 56 The Heaviest Thing In The World

    Chapter 56 The Heaviest Thing In The World

    He blinked, staring at the blind girl with surprise and a bit of apprehension. Her sudden statement really threw him off. Why would she keep something like this secret? And why tell him now?

    Confused, he asked carefully:

    "More�� visions? Why haven't you told us?"

    A fleeting, tired smile appeared on Cassie's face. She lowered her head and remained silent for a while. Then, closing her eyes, she said:

    "You probably don't know. How could you know? But knowledge�� knowledge can be really heavy. It can be as heavy as the heaviest thing in the world."

    Then, a sad smile appeared on her face.

    "I am afraid that by telling you, I will actually cause the things I saw to come true."

    Sunny tensed up, alarmed by the implication behind her words. If she was afraid of the visions coming true, then their content must have been pretty bad. And if it was really bad��

    If something terrible was destined to befall them, Sunny had to know about it in advance. That way, he would be able to make preparations and deal with whatever happens. As long as he was prepared, many things would become much less dire. However�� what if his preparations would become the very reason for that terrible thing to happen, making Cassie's vision a self-fulfilling prophecy?

    This was the danger of knowing the future.

    'Damn it, my head hurts. I hate this crap!'

    Sunny struggled for a long time, trying to decide if he should pressure Cassie to reveal her visions. Either outcome was going to leave him uneasy, so he was really not sure what to do. In the end, unable to make a decision, Sunny simply remained silent. Cassie also didn't say anything.

    After some time had passed, she finally spoke:

    "Can you�� can you just promise me one thing?"

    It seemed as though this was her attempt to find a compromise between revealing everything and doing nothing. Sunny frowned.

    "That depends on what it is."

    The blind girl hesitated before speaking.

    "Can you promise that you'll take care of Neph? No matter what?"

    He delayed answering for as long as the growing pain allowed him. When it became almost unbearable, Sunny reluctantly said:

    "I can't. I can barely take care of myself."

    He also didn't trust Nephis enough to make a promise like that. He had nothing against Changing Star and even liked her quite a bit, but they didn't really know each other. Their alliance was one of necessity, not choice. Who knew what would happen once their need for each other was no longer there? "No matter what" was too steep of a requirement.

    Of course, he could have misled Cassie by answering "yes". After all, the question was whether or not he could make a promise, not whether or not he would follow through with it. But at that moment, Sunny was strangely reluctant to deceive the blind girl.

    Maybe that whole honesty thing was slowly growing on him.

    Cassie sighed and turned away. Suddenly, it felt like something imperceptible about her changed.

    "I see. Yeah. That's fair."

    With that, she summoned her staff and walked away, leaving Sunny in a somber and uneasy mood �� just like he had expected.

    ***

    No matter how much he tried to relax after that, his thoughts kept wandering. Eventually, Sunny found himself trying to find connections between various pieces of information about the Starless Void �� or the Forgotten Shore, as it was called in the Azure Blade's description.

    If nothing else, it could distract him from thinking about the latter part of their conversation with Cassie.

    Also, for some reason, the need to understand their environment suddenly seemed much more vital.

    His sword, the Starlight Legion Armor, the carapace monsters and the giant headless statue seemed to be connected in some way, but he couldn't quite understand how. Was the statue a monument to one of the seven founders of the Starlight Legion?

    The line of runes describing the armor said that their names and faces were lost to time. The statue's missing head would certainly fit that description.

    The scavenger's Echo suggested that the carapace monsters were "cursed soldiers of the fallen legion". Was that fallen legion the Starlight Legion? The fact that he had received the Starlight Armor after slaying a carapace centurion was almost a certain confirmation of that theory. If so, why were they cursed?

    Starless Void, Starlight Legion�� what did all of it mean? The seven heroes were described as being born in the "all-consuming darkness". Their oath was to return light to the cursed land. What light did they seek? Starlight? And what was the nature of the all-consuming darkness?

    Was it the manifestation of the curse that befell their land? And if so, was it the same curse that eventually turned soldiers of the Starlight Legion into carapace monsters?

    If the curse was still around�� was Sunny going to wake up one day with patches of chitin growing over his skin?

    'What a creepy thought.'

    The seven heroes were forgotten, but the memory of their oath, apparently, still remained. "On this forgotten shore, only stell remembers"... that was the Azure Blade's description. Was there a hidden meaning behind these words? Were the Memories received on the Forgotten Shore hiding a secret?

    Inwardly, Sunny groaned.

    'So many questions, and not a single answer!'

    And then there was the main mystery �� Cassie's vision�� the one she chose to reveal to them. She dreamt of a boundless darkness locked behind seven seals. Once the seals were broken, the darkness escaped. She also saw a crimson spire with seven severed heads guarding seven locks. Were these locks connected to the seals?

    And was the giant knight's missing head one of the seven guarding them?

    Or was he completely wrong about everything, leaping to conclusions and forcing connections where none existed?

    Sunny sighed, knowing that his curiosity would not be quenched any time soon. He had too little information to make a proper theory. If so, there was no point in torturing himself right now��

    Maybe things would become clearer in the future.

    The word "future" made him frown.

 Chapter 57 Use Of Weapons

    Chapter 57 Use Of Weapons

    In the evening, Sunny continued to practice with the sword under Neph's watchful eye. With his new insight, every movement felt different from before. After the thousand strikes were finished, he sat down to rest and studied the Azure Blade, tempted to continue obsessing over the abundant mysteries of the Forgotten Shore.

    After a while, Sunny asked:

    "Do you think I'm well-suited to use a sword? Should I consider switching weapons in the future?"

    Nephis shrugged.

    "That depends on your goals. However, the sword is considered to be the king of weapons for a reason."

    Sunny smiled.

    "And why is that?"

    She tilted her head and deliberated for a few seconds. Then, she asked:

    "Do you know how natural selection works?"

    He raised an eyebrow.

    "Survival of the fittest? The strongest species survives?"

    Changing Star glanced at him.

    "Somewhat correct. But actually, it's not the strongest species that survive, it's the most adaptable. Otherwise, lions and tigers and bears would have been the ones ruling the world instead of humans."

    Sunny knew about lions and bears from archival footage, but he had no idea what a tiger was.

    'Probably another extinct predator?'

    Meanwhile, Neph continued, not at all like her usual taciturn self. She seemed to be much more eloquent when talking about subjects she was confident in.

    "The same logic can be applied to combat. A sword is not the most effective tool in every situation. A spear is more useful against enemies with long reach. A war hammer is much better against armor. A mace is easier to maintain. However, swords are the most versatile."

    She cast a gaze at the Azure Blade.

    "A sword can pierce, it can cut, it can bash. It can be used effectively at a variety of ranges. It is swift and maneuverable. Every part of the sword, from tip to pommel, can be used to attack. While wielding a sword, you won't be the best at everything. But you'll be the most adaptable."

    Nephis turned to him.

    "Do you understand?"

    Sunny thought for a bit before answering.

    "I think I do."

    She gave him a nod and looked away.

    "But in the end, you must remember one thing. It doesn't matter that much what's in your hands. A sword, a spear, a club�� that's just tools. You are the weapon."

    He sighed and dismissed the Azure Blade. As always, Changing Star's lesson gave him a lot to think about.

    'You are the weapon.'

    He repeated it in his mind, feeling as though another piece of the puzzle had fallen into place.

    Together, they watched the sun set in comfortable silence. As the night approached, the sea was coming back, flooding the crimson labyrinth like a rush of darkness. Far below them, scavengers were scurrying to find a hiding place. A few of them were climbing the cliffs, hoping to spend the night on the small island.

    Sunny's shadow was keeping an eye on them.

    "We're going to have guests soon," he said, disheartened at the thought that their short respite was about to end.

    Nephis sighed.

    "That's alright. With the higher ground advantage, dealing with them won't be too hard."

    Sunny nodded and looked at the disappearing sun. Suddenly, his mood turned solemn. Doubt raised its ugly head, plunging his mind into the gloomy embrace of anxiety. Staring into the distance, Sunny hesitated and asked:

    "Do you think we'll be able to reach that castle?"

    She glanced at him with no particular expression on her face.

    "Yes."

    He turned to her and forced a smile.

    "Why are you so sure?"

    In the blood-red blaze of the sunset, Changing Star's calm eyes seemed to burn with heavenly fire. Looking west, she summoned her sword and answered:

    "If that is our will, who dares to stop us?"

    ***

    Dealing with the climbing scavengers, indeed, turned out to be comparatively easy. Sunny and Nephis just had to ambush and push the bulky creatures off the cliff before they could find stable purchase. He received four shadow fragments practically for free, increasing the overall number to thirty-two. Sadly, the soul shards couldn't be retrieved.

    They spent another day on the cliffs, resting and training. Sunny practiced with the sword while his shadow explored the nearby paths of the labyrinth. With the Echo still recovering, their group was not in its optimal condition. That's why there was no point in hastily abandoning their current camp.

    However, very soon they were going to resume the journey west, moving from one height to another in hopes of reaching the mysterious human citadel.

    This time they were not going to travel without sufficient preparations. Knowing that a sudden storm can come at any moment, covering the world with darkness and summoning the sea back before sunset, the three Sleepers decided to thoroughly scout a route before committing to moving their camp to the next landmark.

    Nephis spent the day meditating. Her eyes were closed. From time to time, it seemed as though a soft white glow was radiating from behind her eyelids. However, when Sunny looked closely, it was always gone, making him think that he was just imagining things.

    He suspected that Changing Star was training herself to endure the pain of her Flaw.

    If so, he wished her luck.

    Cassie behaved like her usual self, being cheerful and friendly. It was as though their strange conversation had never happened. However, Sunny could feel that something about her was different. He couldn't quite put a finger on what exactly had changed about the blind girl, but she seemed to possess more resolve. It wasn't a bad thing.

    They spent some time chatting and remembering their time in the Academy. Sunny told her about his lessons with Teacher Julius and various strange things he had learned from the old man. Her reaction to the idea of studying dead languages of the Dream Realm was exactly the same as Sunny's initial protest and bewilderment.

    Soon, the night was upon them again. This time, no scavenger tried to climb the cliffs, so Sunny and Nephis could rest easy. However, they still slept in turns, keeping watch over the camp in case something unexpected happens.

    In the morning, they ate the last of the centurion's meat and prepared to climb down into the labyrinth.

    It was time to continue their journey.

 Chapter 58 Survival Of The Fittest

    Chapter 58 Survival Of The Fittest

    Days later, Sunny was sitting on top of a dead scavenger, calmly cleaning the azure blood off his face.

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    His sword was still stuck between the plates of chitin armor, trembling slightly as the beast's body convulsed before falling still.

    Somewhere behind him, the sound of breaking carapaces announced that Nephis was already digging out soul shards from the corpses of the creatures they had slain. After dozens of such battles, the two of them were nothing if not efficient.

    Glancing back, he evaluated the scene of carnage.

    The path between two crimson walls was littered with corpses. Initially, they were simply planning to lure the carapace centurion that had been tracking them for the past few days into this narrow passage to turn its size against the monster. However, things quickly took a turn.

    Attracted by the noise of the battle, both the scavengers and the weird centipede creatures that were waging war against the carapace legion in this part of the labyrinth showed up to join the fight. In the ensuing mayhem, Sunny and Nephis used the animosity between the two tribes of monsters to their advantage and ended up as the only victors.

    Not far from him, the Echo was mutilating the corpse of the centurion. Its lost arm had long grown back. Now, the scavenger was tearing pieces of monster meat with its new pincer and vindictively devouring them.

    Technically, an Echo wasn't supposed to experience hunger. This one, however, had seemingly acquired a hatred for carapace centurions after their encounter with the massive scythe slayer on that fateful stormy night.

    It had already been two weeks since they left the cliffs. In that time, many things had changed, while many remained the same.

    Moving from one high point to another, they steadily traveled west. With Cassie riding atop the Echo, the speed of the group was dramatically enhanced. Still, they took care to explore paths to their next stop before committing to a day-long journey.

    This way, the risk of being caught in another storm was minimized, as they could always either reach the next landmark in time or return to the previous one.

    Their approach to traveling through the labyrinth had also changed. In the past, Nephis and Sunny tried to avoid the scavengers, resorting to fighting them only if there was no other choice. However, the battle with the centurion opened their eyes to the fact that they desperately needed to become stronger, and do it fast.

    That's why they began to actively hunt the carapace beasts, taking out any creatures that were either completely isolated or moving in groups of no more than three. The idea of two Sleepers consciously seeking out Nightmare Creatures of the Awakened rank was pretty ridiculous, but somehow, they made it work.

    Just as Nephis had said, both of them were abnormal.

    Clad in the Starlight Legion Armor, Changing Star, who had always been an extremely formidable fighter, was now able to showcase the full extent of her combat ability. Simply put, she was a menace. It seemed as though her silver sword had a mind of its own. Whenever the tall figure in white armor appeared, rivers of azure blood were sure to flow.

    What's more, Neph's powers grew with each soul shard she consumed. Every increase was barely noticeable, but with dozens of them added up together, the difference was apparent. She was slowly approaching the line between the peak of human physical form and the threshold of superhuman prowess.

    The same could be said about Sunny, although, in his case, it was predicated on the timely use of the shadow. His own body had become considerably stronger due to the rigors of the Dream Realm, but it was still far away from reaching its peak potential.

    While Nephis was growing more powerful through the consumption of soul shards, he was quickly collecting shadow fragments. Of course, he wasn't able to get every kill, so their amount was less than that of the shards. But he also didn't have to share them with Cassie, which Changing Star was continuously doing.

    As the result, the rate of their progress was more or less the same.

    However, the slow accumulation of power was not the only factor that influenced the rapid growth of their combat effectiveness.

    Sunny's skill level and battle sense were also improving by leaps and bounds. Under the tutelage of sword goddess Nephis herself, he was quickly learning the ins and outs of wielding the blade.

    Then, he was forced to apply these lessons to practice, participating in bloody battles each day with his life on the line. This brutal, merciless reality was, for better or worse, the best training grounds for a true fighter. There was no room for mistakes, only progress �� because a single mistake would most likely become his last.

    One real fight was worth a thousand hours of training. With experience, Sunny was able to gain knowledge. With clarity, he was able to turn this knowledge into a seed of understanding.

    But even that wasn't the biggest contributor to the dramatic increase in the group's overall might.

    The main culprit was, to his endless surprise, teamwork.

    After fighting side by side for so long, Sunny and Nephis had developed a tacit, intuitive understanding. Without the need for words and signals, they were able to act in unison with each other, perfectly coordinating their attacks and actions to better control the battlefield and destroy their opponents.

    The importance of this unity was hard to overestimate. With proper cooperation, it was as though their numbers doubled. The effect was immediate and overwhelming �� at least as long as they chose their battles carefully. It was nothing short of jolly.

    With all this added up together, their group had turned from a trio of lost kids into a cohort of well-equipped, experienced and battle-hardened survivors.

    Even Cassie was becoming stronger. Apart from the boost she had received from absorbing the soul shards, the blind girl was also slowly learning to live and function with her disability.

    After all, it was less than two months since she lost her sight. Cassie was still adapting to her condition, and she was doing an incredible job, considering the circumstances.

    She was still unable to help them fight against the monsters, but the burden of taking care of her was becoming less and less heavy. Sunny had also grown accustomed to it, even finding the time spent watching over the blind girl somewhat calming.

    The goal of reaching the human castle did not seem as impossible as it had before.

    And now, he felt as though they were getting closer and closer.

 Chapter 59 Shadow Of The Crimson Spire

    Chapter 59 Shadow Of The Crimson Spire

    Jumping off the dead scavenger, Sunny retrieved his sword and whistled, letting Cassie know that it was safe to come out. Soon, she crawled out of a small opening in the coral wall and carefully put her feet on the ground. Leaning on her staff, the blind girl stood up and slightly turned her head, listening to the light sound of his footsteps.

    Sunny approached Cassie and took her hand, gently placing it on his shoulder. Then, carefully avoiding puddles of blood, he guided the blind girl to the Echo. They talked on the way.

    "Did those centipedes show up?"

    During their journey through the labyrinth, they discovered that the scavengers were not the only creatures populating it. Different types of monsters lived in the crimson forest, hiding inside the reefs during the night and coming out to hunt once the sun was up.

    There were sentient colonies of carnivorous worms that attacked from beneath the black mud, flesh-eating flowers that strangled their prey with bloodsucking vines, and weird transparent tentacles that they had once seen dragging a desperately resisting scavenger into a dark, cavernous crevice.

    They still didn't know what type of creature had been hiding in the crevice. Sunny hoped that they would never find out.

    In short, the labyrinth was home to all kinds of horrors, every one of them at least of the Awakened rank. They were all carrion eaters, living off the remains left behind by the monsters of the dark sea. Given the opportunity, they were also more than willing to devour each other �� not to mention the three juicy humans.

    Luckily, the carapace legion turned out to be extremely territorial and seemed to have the upper hand in this region of the crimson reef. While their armor, size and physical strength made the scavengers formidable opponents, dealing mostly with one type of creature was infinitely better than constantly facing unknown danger.

    The centipede monsters were the latest enemy of the carapace legion they had met. Some of these critters were more than three meters long, with glistening red chitin and hundreds of tiny, scurrying legs. They were abhorrently fast and agile, being able to move through mud, climb the coral walls and even drop on the unsuspecting victims from above with incredible speed.

    What's worse, their bodies were able to secret a corrosive black oil that melted through the strongest armor in seconds. The only redeeming quality of the centipede monsters was that their chitin shells weren't very tough and could be easily pierced by a sword.

    Sunny answered without turning back:

    "Yeah, six of them. And a few scavengers, too. We let them fight each other and then finished off the survivors."

    Cassie gulped.

    "Were you hurt?"

    "Nothing our armor couldn't handle."

    "What about the centurion?"

    He glanced at the half-devoured carcass and smiled.

    "It's not going to bother us again."

    This was the second awakened monster they had slain after entering the Dream Realm. Compared to the first encounter, this battle went much smoother. No one died, no one was seriously injured.

    The Echo even kept both of its pincers.

    "How many soul shards did we get?"

    Sunny counted.

    "Should be eleven."

    Now it was Cassie's turn to smile.

    "That's our biggest haul so far! By a lot!"

    He nodded.

    "Yeah."

    However, they had once again failed to receive a Memory. Sunny wasn't sure if his bad luck was to blame, but neither he nor Nephis had been able to acquire a single one for the past two weeks. It was almost as though the Spell had decided that they had already gotten enough.

    'There can never be enough!'

    He sighed.

    One of the games he and Cassie liked to play during camp was to discuss what they would buy after coming back to the real world and becoming rich. However, he had to collect a few Memories to auction off first. Otherwise, where would the money come from?

    Consumed by greed and avarice, Sunny approached the Echo and looked up at it with disapproval.

    "Hey, you! Stop chewing!"

    The scavenger obediently froze, a piece of meat still hanging from its mouth.

    "Spit it out!"

    Shaking his head, Sunny helped Cassie climb to her seat and handed her the reigns.

    "This weirdo actually gobbled up almost half of the centurion. What's up with that? Of all the Echoes in the world, why did I have to get stuck with a defective one?"

    His shadow solemnly nodded, expressing that it completely understood his sentiment. Sunny squinted at it. What a rare show of solidarity. The shadow didn't have any Echoes, though��

    What defective individual was it stuck with?

    'Cheeky bastard��'

    Cassie laughed.

    "Don't badmouth my steed. He is a great Echo! I like him very much."

    'It's a "he" now, huh?'

    Sunny shook his head again and got to stripping the remaining meat off the centurion's carcass. Then, he placed the meat into the seaweed saddlebags attached to the scavenger. He had made these bags himself to increase the group's carrying capacity. After all, the scavenger was supposed to be extremely strong �� not using it to their advantage would have been an oversight.

    After that, Sunny sighed and got to the least pleasant task �� harvesting the oil sacks from the centipede monsters' corpses. Each had two of them, connected to a special gland. The whole process was more disgusting than dangerous, since the corrosive effect was only achieved after the liquids from the two sacks were mixed.

    They had not come up with a way to utilize the centipede oil yet, but Nephis insisted on collecting as much of it as possible. She was sure that it was going to be of use one day.

    At the very least, the oil was highly flammable.

    Speaking of Nephis, by the time Sunny was done collecting the sacks, she had already gathered all the soul shards and was standing in front of the Echo. He showed her his trophies and carefully placed them in a separate saddlebag.

    "All done?"

    She nodded.

    Sunny looked at the sky, trying to determine the time. The sun was right above them, high in the grey sky. There was still plenty of daytime left.

    "What do you think? We're right inbetween the Flat Hill and the Bone Ridge. Should we return or try to reach the Ridge today?"

    The ground level of the labyrinth was not uniform. Some parts of it were situated higher than the others. Currently, they were in one such area. The dark sea was much more shallow here, which meant that there were more natural features that remained above water during the night. That made for shorter distance between them.

    Nephis thought for a bit, then said:

    "Let's push to the Bone Ridge."

    They had already scouted most of the way to it yesterday, so there wasn't much danger of getting lost in the labyrinth and not making it on time. With the carapace centurion dead, the unpredictable element that had been making their lives harder for these past few days was also gone. Considering this, Changing Star's decision seemed proper.

    Sunny nodded.

    "Okay."

    With that, he sent his shadow forward.

    ***

    Some time later, they were approaching the Bone Ridge. The sun was preparing to set, but there was still enough time to get to safety. Sunny, however, felt alarmed and uncomfortable.

    This feeling began to pursue him soon after they had left the cliffs. It always appeared close to the evening and persisted until the last minutes of the sunset, then disappeared, leaving him puzzled and uneasy. The further west they traveled, the stronger the feeling became.

    It was as though something was not quite right with the world during that time. But no matter how hard Sunny tried to understand what that wrongness was, he couldn't.

    In the end, he decided to share his uneasiness with the group. After listening to him, the girls were surprised. It seemed that they did not notice anything strange. Even Cassie, whose affinity to revelations provided her with an incredible intuition, didn't experience the strange feeling.

    However, she did suggest a theory. Since Sunny was the only one susceptive to the feeling, it was logical to assume that there was something unique about him that made it possible. And the only difference he had from the girls in terms of perception was his shadow sense.

    Which meant that the source of the wrongness, most likely, had something to do with the behavior of shadows.

    Guided by her advice, Sunny was finally able to understand the reason for his discomfort. As it turns out, Cassie was right �� in the hours closest to sunset, when the sun was hanging low in the western skies, a vast shadow moved through the labyrinth, affecting his senses and making his skin crawl.

    The shadow was too distant and colossal to be seen, but he could still feel its presence.

    When he told Cassie about the immense shadow, she nodded, as though it explained everything.

    Then, she said:

    "That is the shadow of the Crimson Spire."

 Chapter 60 Bone Ridge

    Chapter 60 Bone Ridge

    Back then, it took him a couple of seconds to realize what she was talking about.

    "The spire from your vision? The one with seven seals?"

    Cassie nodded.

    "Yes. In my dream, it seemed to be as tall as a mountain. I could even see it from the walls of the human castle, looming in the distance like a crimson spear piercing the skies. When the sun sets, the Spire's vast shadow falls over the castle and stretches east, as far as you can see."

    She was silent for a moment, then added:

    "The feeling I got when looking at the Crimson Spire was very similar to what you had described, only much more intense."

    Sunny frowned, trying to remember the exact words Cassie had used to describe her vision. Seven severed heads guarding seven seals�� a dying angel being devoured by hungry shadows�� feeling of extreme terror and loss��

    What was the deal with that Spire, exactly?

    "Is it crimson because it's made out of the same stuff as the labyrinth?"

    The crimson "coral" surrounding them was not, in fact, coral. It's just what they called it based on some resemblance, for the sake of simplicity. The actual nature of the strange material remained a mystery.

    Cassie hesitated.

    "Maybe it's the other way around. Maybe the labyrinth is made from the same stuff as the Spire."

    In other words, the Crimson Spire might have been the source of all this madness. Still, it was just a theory �� there was too little information to confirm it.

    However, Sunny did feel that the Spire was, in one way or another, at the center of all things that they had encountered. He just hoped that it wouldn't be their final destination.

    Knowing the reason behind his restlessness, Sunny was able to endure it much better. He even found a hidden benefit to this situation �� as long as he sensed the shadow of the Crimson Spire, he could pinpoint the direction to the human castle, since it was situated somewhere between their location and the source of the shadow.

    In a sense, the Crimson Spire had become his inner compass.

    "Get ready."

    Neph's voice took Sunny out of his reverie. Shaking off the distracting thoughts, he focused on the task at hand.

    They were getting close to the Bone Ridge.

    This name came to their minds as soon as they had first laid their eyes on this towering landmark. It was visible from quite a distance, sharply contrasted against the crimson coral and the grey sky in all its ivory splendor.

    The Bone Ridge was, in fact, made of bone. The skeletal remains of a colossal sea monster lay on an enormous mound of chaotically growing coral, with its arching spine protruding especially high above the ground. It was impossible to say what the terrifying creature had looked like while it was still alive, but one thing was certain �� it was gargantuan even by the standards of the dark sea.

    This wasn't the first giant skeleton they saw during their journey. In fact, the labyrinth was littered with remains of dead leviathans, their massive bones forming natural arches and palaces throughout it. They were easy to spot because the coral formations were especially tall and dense in their vicinity, as though trying to bury any sign of whiteness in the sea of crimson.

    Sunny, however, had a feeling that the situation was actually reversed. To him, it seemed as though the coral was actually growing out of the old bones and spreading in every direction, slowly consuming the world. When he looked at the crimson mounds surrounding the colossal remains, he couldn't help but see them as rivers of ancient, solidified blood.

    He was almost sure that if they were to dig deep enough into the black mud to find the roots of the crimson forest, they would find nothing but endless layers of bones.

    What a scary image.

    Regardless of what Sunny thought about the nature of the labyrinth, the beast whose remains formed the Bone Ridge was especially large. Thanks to that, a portion of its long spine was tall enough to remain above the water during the night. That's why they had chosen it as the next stop on their journey.

    With the evening approaching, the next task was crucial. They had to scale the dead leviathan and make sure that no other creature had decided to take shelter in its remains.

    If something did, they had no choice but to try and kill it, since there was no time to retreat to their previous safe haven.

    The last step was often the riskiest.

    Coming to the base of the coral mound, the group moved around it, searching for a convenient path up. Eventually, they arrived in front of the creature's cracked, misshapen skull. With its lower jaw missing or buried under the mud, the upper formed a vast, cavernous cave.

    Feeling shivers running down his spine, Sunny passed beneath the terrifying palisade of teeth and entered the cave. With his shadow leading the way, they made way to the back of the creature's skull and soon entered the hollow expanse of its spine.

    Inside the spine, the bone surface under their feet was as wide as a road. Actually, it looked a lot like a highway running through a long tunnel, with stark beams of light falling through the gaps between the massive vertebrae. The tunnel was inclined upward, most of its length hidden behind the bend of the ceiling.

    When the Echo entered the spine, its chitin legs produced a loud, echoing clatter.

    Nephis grimaced.

    "Any movement?"

    Sunny checked with the shadow and shook his head.

    Changing Star looked forward and slightly lowered her chin.

    "Let's proceed."

    Despite the fact that the shadow had not noticed any danger, they still summoned their swords before moving forward. It was not their first time being ambushed at the edge of safety.

    Luckily, their precautions turned out to be unnecessary. Nothing was hiding inside the gargantuan remains, so they were able to reach the highest point of the spine without having to cut their way through an unknown number of monsters.

    By the time they got to safety, the sun was already setting. The dark sea was returning, filling the inside of the sea monster's spine with the echoing sound of rushing water. Sunny took the saddlebags off the Echo and dismissed it, making their camp instantly feel much roomier.

    All three of them were in desperate need of a bath. Leaving the girls alone to give them an opportunity to wash themselves, Sunny walked some distance away and sat down, letting his tired body rest.

    His shadow returned to the lower parts of the spine, watching the black, dim water slowly rise and devour the ivory whiteness. He had to make sure that nothing would crawl out of the water at the last minute.

    With half of his mind preoccupied with observing the rising tide, the other half was free to wander. Sunny summoned the runes and checked the number of shadow fragments in his possession.

    Shadow Fragments: [96/1000].

    Not bad�� he only had twelve at the beginning of all this. In less than a month, the amount increased dramatically. He was stronger and faster now. He was also more experienced.

    However, that still left him far inferior to even the weakest Nightmare Creatures of the Forgotten Shore in terms of raw physical might, even with the help of the shadow.

    'How long before I'm able to wrestle a scavenger with my bare hands?'

    The answer was pretty obvious, not to mention extremely disappointing �� not before his own Shadow Core had awakened, which could only happen after returning to the real world.

    Sunny sighed.

    Soon, it was his turn to wash. Taking the Bottle of Endless Water from refreshed, rosy Cassie, he walked back to his secluded spot and dismissed the Pupetter's Shroud.

    A cold breeze touched his pale skin, making Sunny shiver. He looked down, shaking his head at the amount of dirt, sweat and dried blood that was covering his body.

    Being an Awakened was not the cleanest of professions.

    While he was washing up, Nephis used the remaining time before nightfall to make a fire and cook some meat. These days, they even had salt to season it. At first, the idea of using the sea salt left behind by the dark sea did not seem very appealing, but after a while, they grew accustomed to it.

    Salt made every meal they had much tastier.

    They ate in silence, too hungry and tired to talk. Soon, it was time to sleep.

    Sunny took the first watch, planning to fit in some sword practice before it was his turn to rest. Going through the motions of the basic kata, he split his mind in two. One part was concentrating on the movements of his body, while the other, smaller part, was observing the surface of the black water through his shadow.

    In the absence of wind, the dark circle covering the lower part of the spine was strangely calm. This was his first time seeing the black water without the constant undulation of waves, with its surface strangely flat and absolutely still.

    It looked like a giant mirror, one that was made of pure darkness.

    It was unnaturally mesmerizing. Suddenly, he felt a strong desire to come closer and take a look at his reflection.

    However, Sunny didn't move.

    He was terrified of what might look back.

 Chapter 61 Sea Of Ash

    Chapter 61 Sea Of Ash

    In the morning, Sunny woke up feeling grim and uneasy. The memory of the frightening dark mirror was still fresh in his mind, making every shadow seem sinister and foreboding. He scowled sullenly.

    'What the hell. I'm the Child of Shadows. Why do I have to be afraid of my own domain?'

    But then again, darkness and shadow were not the same, even if a lot of people tended to mistake one for another. Shadows were born from the absence of light. In a sense, they were manifestations of emptiness. True darkness, on the other hand�� true darkness was its own entity.

    In a sense, shadows shared more in common with light than they did with darkness.

    'I mean�� I guess they do. Do they?'

    Philosophical debates with his internal monologue were not the best way to start the day, at least as far as Sunny was concerned. His already sour mood only got worse. With a short sigh, he sat up and stretched his arms, yawning.

    "Good morning."

    The sound of his voice was almost drowned by the echoing noise of rushing water. With the sun rising, the dark sea was in a hurry to retreat. Sunny was finally able to relax a little.

    "Morning."

    Nephis had been guarding the camp during the latter part of the night, so she was already awake. As usual, she was meditating with her eyes closed �� in the absolute darkness of the night, "watching over" something actually meant listening for suspicious sounds, so keeping one's eyes open was not that useful.

    For everyone except Sunny, that is, who had perfect night vision thanks to his Attributes.

    Hearing him stand up, Changing Star slowly opened her eyes. A soft afterglow left behind by the dancing white flame could still be seen in their depth, quickly disappearing as her sight adjusted to the twilight of dawn. She looked at Sunny and offered him a polite smile.

    In the past two weeks, Nephis had also been training, perhaps even more diligently than him. However, she wasn't trying to improve her swordsmanship.

    She was actually trying to learn how to behave like a normal human. As the result, their interactions had become slightly less awkward�� for the most part.

    Sunny was able to recognize Changing Star's efforts because they were very similar to a phase he himself had gone through many years ago. On several occasions, he had caught her intently observing how Cassie talked and behaved around them. Sometime later, Neph would randomly try to mimic small details of her friend's behavior. The results were�� a mixed bag, to say the least.

    The first time she tried to greet him with a smile in the morning, Sunny panicked and almost summoned the Azure Blade. However, Nephis was very smart and persistent. Today, her polite smile looked almost natural.

    He had no idea why Changing Start decided to work on her social skills, of all things, during their perilous journey through the monster-infested hellscape that was the Forgotten Shore. But he didn't mind.

    It was actually rather entertaining to watch!

    ��Watching her torture herself every day, enduring terrible pain in hopes of learning to better control her Aspect Ability, on the contrary, was not fun at all. They never talked about it, but Sunny knew that every time Nephis pretended to meditate, she was actually subjecting herself to the excruciating agony of her Flaw.

    When he thought about it, his heart ached. Sunny wasn't used to feeling such things, but he suspected that this was what other people called "compassion". At least it was similar to how it was described in books and dramas.

    Not that he knew a lot about that stuff.

    After they had breakfast, Nephis stood up and looked at the beam of light falling through the nearest gap between giant vertebrae. Turning to Sunny, she said:

    "Let's study the surroundings."

    They needed to get the lay of the land and decide on their next step. Usually, that implied looking for the nearest natural features that were high enough to stay above the surface of the sea and deciding on which one they would try to reach next.

    Then came a day or two of scouting and hunting, followed by moving the camp to that feature.

    Sunny gave her a nod.

    "Alright."

    He summoned the Echo to guard Cassie while they were away and left the shadow behind to keep an eye out, just in case something happens. Then Sunny followed Nephis to the gap.

    Boosting her, he watched as Changing Star flew through the air and then seemingly ran up the wall, kicking herself off at the last moment and propelling her body even higher before grabbing onto a bone protrusion. Relying only on her upper body strength, she then climbed up and disappeared into the cascading light. Soon, the golden rope fell down, allowing him to follow.

    Nephis helped him climb atop the gargantuan spine and then straightened, turning to take a look west. Sunny shook his hands and did the same, expecting to see the usual picture �� an endless expanse of the crimson labyrinth, dotted here and there with rare high points.

    However, what they saw left them both speechless.

    Some distance away, the labyrinth seemed to lose color. The crimson blades of coral stood grey and misshapen, as though struck by some unknown disease and drained of all life. The stone-like material looked brittle and fragile, ready to crumble to dust at any moment.

    The patch of dead coral spread for as far as the eye could see. Further away, the walls of the labyrinth seemed to have collapsed into a sea of ash-grey sand. This ashen wasteland looked so alien and strange after weeks of seeing only the endless crimson pathways that Sunny felt a shiver run down his spine.

    The fact that they didn't notice even a single monster moving through the mud beneath made him feel even more disturbed.

    There was only one visible high point to the west of them. Far away into the distance, the ground rose, forming a tall hill. The hill was probably the largest they had seen, easily capable of becoming a real island once the water rose in the night. Its shape reminded Sunny of a colossal barrow.

    Covered in the grey sand left behind by dead coral, the hill resembled a mountain of ash. That mountain was crowned by a giant tree.

    The tree rose into the sky like a tower, its branches wide enough to cover the whole island in their shade. The bark of the giant tree was as black as the water of the dark sea, while its leaves were red as blood.

    Contrasted against the grey sky, the crimson crown of the majestic tree looked incredibly vibrant and magnificent.

    Sunny gulped.

    "What�� the hell�� is that?"

    Nephis was either thinking or had nothing to say. She just stared into the distance, a slight frown on her face.

    At that moment, something glistened brightly from beneath the tree. The glimmer was clear and easily visible even from their position, like a beam of sunlight reflected by a large mirror. A moment later, it was gone, only to appear again after a few seconds.

    'A mirror��'

    Sunny shivered, remembering the previous night. For some reason, the bright glimmer suddenly seemed to become menacing.

    After some time had passed, he addressed Neph again:

    "What do you think?"

    She lingered a bit before turning to him. While Changing Star was deliberating on what to say, he glanced at the ashen wasteland again. Finally, she spoke:

    "This is the only way west."

    Sunny grimaced and looked away.

    He didn't like this turn of events one bit.

    "So, we are going?"

    Nephis turned to face the giant tree and, as though affected by its grandeur, hesitantly shrugged.

    "Do we have a choice?"

    ***

    Some time later, they abandoned the remains of the giant sea monster and moved west, planning to check the situation inside the wasteland that lay between them and the Ashen Barrow.

    Initially, they weren't planning to approach the strange island. However, things turned out to be rather unusual once they entered the wasteland.

    With grey sand under their feet and dead coral walls surrounding them, the group was fully prepared to face unknown danger. Despite the fact that they had not seen any monster moving through this area from the top of the leviathan's spine, neither Sunny nor Nephis truly believed that no one was going to attack them in this strange region of the labyrinth.

    There were too many ways for the Nightmare Creatures to hide themselves, and if there was one thing the Sleepers had learned during their time on the Forgotten Shore, it was that everything here was either deadly or concealing something capable of killing them. In that regard, their first encounter with the carnivorous worms was especially traumatic.

    However, their common sense turned out to be wrong this time around. The wasteland was quiet and empty, completely void of any signs of life. The absence of monsters was, in theory, supposed to make Sunny feel better, but he felt even more nervous than usual instead.

    This whole situation reeked of danger. It was strange and unnatural.

    If even the monsters were afraid to approach this place, what were they doing walking deeper and deeper into the wasteland of their own free will?

    Were they fools not to turn around and run away immediately?

    Soon, they reached the point where the walls of the labyrinth had crumbled into dust. Now, there was nothing but a vast expanse of grey sand between them and the hill crowned by the giant tree.

    Nothing could hide on that ashen flat.

    However, they would also be unable to conceal themselves from anyone's gaze.

    Sunny glanced at Nephis.

    "Are you sure you want to do this?"

    Changing Star scowled and lowered her chin. Then, looking forward, she scowled and said:

    "Let's go."

 Chapter 62 Hide And Seek

    Chapter 62 Hide And Seek

    As soon as they left the familiar confines of the labyrinth and stepped into the vast expanse of the ashen wasteland, Sunny felt strangely uncomfortable. It was as though he had unknowingly turned slightly agoraphobic while traveling through the complicated madness of the crimson maze.

    He had grown accustomed to being surrounded by tall walls of coral, with endless tangled paths stretching in all directions for as far as he could see. Despite the fact that the labyrinth was hiding numerous dangers, it also offered a strange sort of safety.

    At least in the case of Sunny, who had the advantage of being able to see beyond its twists and turns thanks to his stealthy Shadow Scout.

    Now, with grey sand beneath and nothing to break the line of sight, he had lost that advantage. The idea of not being able to hide from the enemy made him feel naked.

    'Keep cool. There's no one here.'

    That thought, which was supposed to calm him down, had the opposite effect instead. Indeed, there were no Nightmare Creatures anywhere in the desolate wasteland�� but why was that?

    What made them so eager to avoid this place?

    Nephis was walking in the front of the group, with Sunny right behind her. The Echo was in the rear, moving at a slow pace. He looked around and, after a bit of hesitation, said in a low voice:

    "I don't like this."

    Nephis glanced at him with her usual indifferent expression. Turning away, she simply said:

    "Stay alert."

    They continued forward in silence, sand squeaking under their feet. A dozen or so minutes later, Changing Star raised her hand, gesturing them to stop. Turning to Sunny, she asked:

    "Has your shadow noticed anything?"

    He shook his head.

    "No. There are some irregularities here and there, like small knolls or shallow pits, but nothing is moving. Mostly, it just seems flat and lifeless."

    He turned to Cassie and asked hesitantly:

    "Do you hear anything?"

    In some cases, her keen hearing was more effective than his shadow sense. When they were caught by the strom, Cassie had been able to sense that something was wrong long before her seeing companions noticed anything.

    However, this time it was of no use. She simply shook her head, indicating that there were no unusual sounds around them.

    Nephis sighed and lowered her head, thinking. Then she cast a gaze at the distant Ashen Barrow.

    "Let's continue."

    However, she did change the direction of the group slightly, aiming to approach one of the knolls that Sunny had noticed.

    By the time they approached it, it was already noon. The sun was right above their heads, making their shadows small and shapeless. Sunny's own shadow had returned and was now hiding beneath his feet, looking like a formless blob of darkness.

    This time of day was its least favorite.

    Nephis summoned her sword and slowly approached the knoll, trying to determine its nature. There was nothing remarkable about it except for the fact that everything around was flat, and it was not. The knoll was about as tall as Sunny, somewhat oblong and covered in the same grey sand as the rest of the wasteland.

    It didn't seem dangerous, but there was no harm in checking�� well, most likely. Maybe it could provide them with some useful information.

    Just as Changing Star was about to stretch her hand and touch the surface of the knoll, Sunny's shadow suddenly noticed something moving in the distance, back at the edges of the labyrinth where they had come from.

    Acting on instinct, Sunny jumped toward the Echo and hissed to Neph:

    "Hide!"

    At the same time, he dismissed the hulking scavenger. Suddenly losing her mount, Cassie flung her hands up and fell. Catching her in the princess carry, Sunny darted toward the knoll and lowered himself to the ground, placing the blind girl between himself and crouching Nephis.

    Changing Star put one hand on Cassie's shoulder and looked at him with a silent question in her eyes.

    "Danger?"

    Sunny raised one hand with his palm open, telling her to wait. His shadow was already peeking from behind the knoll, carefully observing the source of the movement.

    Already some distance away, the dead walls of the labyrinth rose from the grey sand. Suddenly, one of them collapsed, knocked over by a massive figure. Surrounded by the cloud of ashen sand, the figure moved forward, stepping onto the flat surface of the wasteland.

    Eight legs, two terrifying bone scythes, black and crimson carapace that looked like ancient armor that had been splattered with blood�� another centurion.

    Sunny silently cursed.

    They fought these monsters twice before, and won both times. However, that was because each battlefield had been carefully prepared to stack advantages in their favor, with plenty of planning and devious scheming on their part.

    He wasn't sure that they would be able to kill one in a direct confrontation, at least not without suffering serious damage.

    Turning to Nephis, Sunny whispered:

    "A carapace centurion had just walked out of the labyrinth."

    She scowled. Cassie, meanwhile, lightly touched his hand and asked:

    "Where is it heading?"

    Sunny blinked, then concentrated on the shadow's vision. Soon, he exhaled with some relief.

    "Looks like it's heading for the Ashen Barrow. If we stay hidden behind this knoll and it doesn't change course, there's a high chance that it won't notice us."

    Changing Star thought for a second and then nodded.

    "Keep an eye on it and tell me as soon as something changes."

    Trying to become as small and silent as possible, the three of them pressed their bodies to the knoll. There wasn't a lot of space to hide, so they had to endure being cramped against each other.

    Well�� maybe "endure" was not the right word. Sunny might have even enjoyed the situation in other circumstances��

    'What are you thinking about, fool?! Concentrate on the dealy monster!' he thought angrily, berating himself.

    But it was so hard to concentrate with Cassie's soft body pressed against his��

    'DEADLY! MONSTER!'

    Finally able to get his mind out of the gutter, Sunny sighed and focused on observing the centurion.

    The hulking creature was moving through the wasteland, slowly drawing closer. Soon, he was able to see every crimson line and every spike on its weathered carapace. However, his eyes were glued to something else.

    Cautiously held between the centurion's scythes, a beautiful crystal was gleaming with hypnotic inner light. It was bright and strangely alluring.

    A transcendent soul shard.

    They had already seen a similar scene, back when a pair of centurions were retrieving two of such crystals from the remains of the giant shark-like creature.

    'So that was their destination.'

    Sunny glanced at the magnificent tree standing atop the Ashen Barrow. With its onyx branches and vibrant scarlet leaves, it looked striking and majestic.

    Like something holy hidden in the depths of hell.

    He shared his findings with the group, careful to keep his whisper as quiet as possible.

    The centurion was about to walk past their hiding spot. Despite the fact that there was some distance between its path and the knoll, Sunny was still nervous. This was the most dangerous moment.

    The monster came level with the knoll, then proceeded forward without blinking an eye.

    He exhaled.

    "It's walking toward the Barrow."

    Nephis did not relax, still ready for things to go south at any moment.

    "Follow it."

    Sunny nodded. A moment later, his shadow slid from behind the knoll, sneakily pursuing the Nightmare Creature. With how much the range of Shadow Control had improved, he was pretty sure of his ability to tail it to the footsteps of the ashen hill.

    The centurion crossed the wasteland with the transcended shard clasped tightly between its scythes. Its bearing was somewhat strange, seeming almost�� pious. It looked like a pilgrim walking toward a mysterious, sacred site.

    Soon, it approached the Ashen Barrow and suddenly stopped, as though afraid to cross some invisible line. Then the centurion carefully placed the shard on the sand and backed away from it, its eyes turned to the ground.

    After distancing itself from the gleaming crystal, the massive creature�� kneeled.

    Sunny had to rub his eyes to make sure that he wasn't seeing things.

    He wasn't. The carapace centurion bent its eight legs and lowered itself to the ground, submissively placing its terrifying scythes in front of its bowing torso.

    Noticing Sunny's strange behavior, Nephis raised an eyebrow.

    "What is it?"

    He hesitated.

    "Wait."

    At this moment, his shadow, which was safely hidden some distance away from the kneeling monster, noticed a slight change on the surface of the Ashen Barrow.

    The bright glimmer they had seen from the top of the leviathan's spine was back. Only this time, it was even more blinding.

    The glimmer rose into the air from the shadows cast by the branches of the towering tree and moved, slowly approaching the footsteps of the hill.

    When Sunny was finally able to discern the source of the shining, his eyes widened.

    Feeling a cold shiver running down his spine, he forgot to breathe.

 Chapter 63 Lord Of Ashes

    Chapter 63 Lord Of Ashes

    Moving through the ashen sand and piles of fallen leaves, a giant monster was coming down the hill.

    Sunny gulped, his expression turning dark.

    The creature was as large as a house, with its eight segmented legs resembling tall pillars. Its form was similar to that of scavengers and centurions, comprised of a crab-like carapace and a protruding, somewhat humanoid torso. However, this was where the similarities between them ended.

    Instead of chitin, the behemoth's shell was seemingly made out of polished, lustrous metal. It was as though its whole body had been once submerged into a crucible of molten steel, emerging from it encased in an impenetrable suit of shining armor.

    Beams of sunlight were reflecting from the chrome surface of the carapace, creating the bright glimmer Sunny had noticed. Massive but strangely elegant, the steel monster resembled a giant knight. Sunny was ready to swear that he had noticed the shapes of seven stars carved into its chest.

    However, that knight was corrupted and evil. It radiated a sinister aura, like a demon summoned from hell to sow death and slaughter. The polished armor of the creature was covered with long, jagged spikes. Its humanoid torso had four mighty arms, two ending with powerful pincers, the other two �� with razor-sharp, terrifying scythes.

    The demon's head was more pronounced than that of a scavenger and crowned with several tall, sharp horns. Its metal face was almost human-like, but simultaneously repulsively monstrous and bestial. Just looking at it made Sunny's skin crawl.

    'That thing�� is scary.'

    Whatever that creature was, its rank within the carapace legion was clearly higher than that of a centurion, not to mention of a lowly scavenger. It was the next step in their evolution. A general or a commander, perhaps. What were they called�� legates? Praetorians?

    Holding his breath, Sunny watched as the Carapace Demon descended from the Ashen Barrow. Stopping in front of the transcendent soul shard, it looked briefly at the kneeling centurion.

    The deadly awakened monster shrank under its gaze, as if terrified of the larger Nightmare Creature. Sunny knew how it felt, since he did the same when the behemoth's eyes had briefly glided past his shadow's hiding place.

    Not paying the centurion any attention, the Carapace Demon picked up the gleaming crystal and turned around. Then, it unhurriedly returned to the shade of the giant tree's branches.

    Sunny slowly exhaled.

    "Sunny? What is happening?"

    He looked at Cassie, whose face was full of worry and curiosity. After hesitating for a little while, he said:

    "There's a new threat. Stay quiet a bit longer, I'll explain later."

    Back at the footsteps of the tall hill, the carapace centurion was finally ready to stand up again. Sunny was in a dilemma. He had to follow the monster to make sure that it doesn't stumble on their hiding place on its way back to the labyrinth.

    However, he was also extremely curious to see what the Carapace Demon was up to in its lair on the top of the Ashen Barrow.

    There was no time to think things through properly.

    Making a hasty decision, Sunny sent his shadow sliding over the grey sand. It masterfully avoided the carapace centurion's eyes and was already climbing the tall hill a few seconds later.

    'One look. I'll just take one look.'

    Hiding in the deep shade cast by the majestic tree's scarlet crown, the shadow glided up the slope and approached the place where the Carapace Demon had disappeared from its sight.

    On top of the hill, the ground was covered with fallen leaves. The Ashen Barrow was indeed larger than any high natural feature they had encountered before, vast and spacious as an actual island. However, the traces left behind by the massive creature's pillar-like legs could be easily seen.

    They led the shadow to the center of the island, where the obsidian tree's enormous trunk was rising from the ground, with its broad roots stretching in all directions.

    The Carapace Demon was standing beneath the tree, looking up at its lower branches. The transcendent shard was still clenched in its pincer.

    'What is it looking at?'

    Sunny made the shadow trace the creature's gaze and noticed several round, appetizing fruits hanging between the scarlet leaves. One of them looked especially ripe.

    Suddenly, the demon dropped the soul shard into the sand and, completely forgetting about it, raised its body. It stretched a pincer up and gently grasped the fruit, then pulled on it.

    Without any resistance, the fruit tore off the branch. Holding it as something fragile and extremely precious, the massive creature slowly lowered itself to the ground. Then, it carefully brought the fruit to its mouth and took a small bite.

    'Its�� eating fruits? This abomination is vegetarian?!'

    Bewildered and not quite sure of what he had just seen, Sunny had no choice but to command his shadow to leave and hurry to the base of the hill. The time was up, and if he wanted to catch up with the carapace centurion, he had to act with haste.

    Gliding over the fallen leaves, the shadow descended from the Ashen Barrow and flew back in the direction of the labyrinth, soon catching up with the retreating monster.

    'Phew.'

    Feeling a lot of relief, Sunny made sure that the centurion's route would not put him on the collision course with the knoll they had been hiding behind and finally allowed himself to relax... slightly.

    He waited until the scythe-wielding monster was completely gone before slowly rising back to his feet.

    "It's safe to come out now."

    Nephis and Cassie stood up, stretching and massaging their limbs. Suddenly remembering how tightly they were pressed against each other while hiding behind the knoll, Sunny just barely avoided turning red with embarrassment.

    'That's�� uh�� was a necessary measure!'

    He was almost glad that the Carapace Demon had appeared at the perfect moment to take his thought away from that situation.

    "What happened?"

    Nephis looked at him and raised an eyebrow. For once, her expression of indifference did not look very convincing.

    Sunny glanced at the not-so-distant Ashen Barrow and shivered.

    "There's danger ahead. We need to return to the Bone Ridge. I'll explain everything once we're safe and sound, back at the camp."

    She opened her mouth to say something, but then thought better of it and remained silent, simply giving him a nod. The trust they had built was enough for that much, at least.

    Sunny summoned the Echo, tied the golden rope around its torso, placed Cassie's makeshift saddle back on its carapace and helped the blind girl climb to her seat.

    Picking up the saddlebags, he fixed them back onto the scavenger and took a step away. They were ready to go.

    Before that, however, Sunny had one more thing to do. Coming close to the knoll, he used his hands to brush the sand off its surface.

    Soon, the onyx black surface was revealed beneath. It was the same exact color as the bark of the colossal tree growing from the center of the Ashen Barrow.

    The knoll was, in fact, just a small portion of one of the tree's giant roots, raised slightly above the ground in this part of the wasteland.

    Sunny looked around, trying to calculate the size of this sea of ash. Finally, he was starting to understand what had drained all life from the giant patch of the crimson labyrinth.

    ***

    Back inside the Bone Ridge, they were sitting around the fire. The delicious smell of roasting meat filled the air, making Sunny's stomach produce embarrassing sounds. However, it wasn't time to eat yet. He was in the middle of telling the girls about what he had seen.

    "... after the centurion kneeled, another carapace creature came from the top of the Ashen Barrow. Only this one was not one of those we had seen before. It was easily twice the size of the centurion, six or seven meters tall. I can't even imagine how much it weighs. It looked like a moving house."

    Nephis frowned, clearly not happy to know that there was such a behemoth barring their way.

    "What's more, its carapace is not made of chitin. Instead, it looks like some strange metal alloy. I don't think we'll be able to cut through it. I also didn't notice any gaps in that monstrosity's armor, not even around the joints."

    Cassie gulped, turning her head to her friend. Changing Star, however, remained silent.

    Sunny sighed.

    "In addition, that thing has four arms instead of the usual two, a pair with pincers and a pair with scythes. They're even bigger than the centurion's. Its carapace is littered with spikes, and it has long horns on its head. It also looks�� uh�� more human-like. It almost got a face, albeit an extremely ugly one. And its eyes�� well, I think that it is more sentient than anything we had faced before."

    Nephis was thoughtful. After a while, she said:

    "It is probably an awakened demon."

    Nightmare Creatures with one soul core were called "beasts", the ones with two cores were called "monsters". Three cores belonged to a class of creatures known as "demons", with "devils" right above them with four cores.

    Sunny gave her a nod, indicating that he was in agreement with her conclusion.

    "Or maybe a devil. In any case, I think we should avoid that scary bastard at all cost."

    Changing Star stared at him, tilting her head a little. For a minute or so, there was only silence.

    Sunny gritted his teeth, then sighed, then blinked a couple of times. Finally, he gave her a doomed, crooked smile.

    "Let me guess. You want to kill it..."

 Chapter 64 Pursued By Demons

    Chapter 64 Pursued By Demons

    "Let me guess. You want to kill it��"

    Nephis continued to stare at him with her usual unreadable expression. After a while, Sunny chuckled and shook his head in disbelief.

    "You really are crazy. That's�� that's an awakened demon we're talking about, remember? Have you forgotten that we're just Sleepers?"

    Then he frowned and scratched his head.

    "W��wait a second. I feel like we already had this conversation before. Doesn't it feel familiar?"

    Cassie glanced at the two of them and politely cleared her throat.

    "Actually, you had said pretty much the exact same thing right before we decided to attack that first carapace centurion."

    Sunny beamed.

    "Yes! Exactly! And how did that end up? I almost got killed!"

    Nephis shrugged indifferently.

    "You survived, didn't you?"

    He froze with his mouth open, too flabbergasted by the sheer audacity of her remark to answer immediately. A few seconds later, Sunny was finally able to speak again.

    "That's not the point!"

    Cassie gently touched her friend on the shoulder and whispered.

    "Neph! That's not a very nice thing to say."

    Changing Star's face flushed a little. Glancing aside, she hesitated and said:

    "What I meant to say is�� uh�� we've won in the end, didn't we? It was a risk we had to take, and it paid off. We've grown stronger since then."

    Sunny had a feeling that the fight against the Carapace Demon was already inevitable, but couldn't bring himself to stop protesting, solely out of principle.

    "But that thing�� it's huge! It's so tall you won't even be able to poke it with your sword! What are we going to do, ask the bastard politely to lower itself to our level?"

    Neph frowned and looked at him with displeasure.

    "It's just an��"

    "...awakened demon, I know!"

    Sunny sighed and shook his head again, feeling like he was talking to a stone wall.

    Changing Star's mind was still a mystery to him. He had realized a long time ago that there was a deep dark well hidden behind her seemingly radiant exterior. No one pushed themselves that hard, endured that much, went that far unless they were being pursued by demons of their own�� he knew that from experience.

    And judging by how far ahead of everyone he had ever known Nephis was, her personal demons were especially dreadful. Much more dreadful than the terrifying Carapace Demon, at least. But although Sunny understood that she was running from something, he had no idea what destination she was so desperate to reach.

    Just why was she so hellbent on finding that damned human castle, even more so than Sunny himself? His burning desire to come back to reality and rip all the rewards that the world owed him was so intense that it would frighten most people to death. There were very few things that he wasn't willing to do to achieve his dream.

    However, it only had meaning for as long as he stayed alive. Nephis, on the other hand, seemed to pursue a goal that held more meaning than her life. Why else would she be so willing to risk it? Sunny just couldn't understand that logic. It was irrational and paradoxical! What can be more important than your life? If you die, you won't be able to enjoy the fruits of your labor anyway.

    He looked Nephis in the eyes and said:

    "Back when we agreed to fight the carapace centurion, we did so because there was no other choice. We were literally stuck on a rock with it. What about now? Don't we have a choice to avoid the Ashen Barrow?"

    She stared at him for a while and then simply said:

    "That's the only way west."

    Sunny laughed.

    'That is the truth, I'll give you that.'

    When his laughter died down, he wiped the corner of his eye and said:

    "Alright. Alright. That makes sense. But believe me when I say it, as the only one who actually saw the Carapace Demon�� we won't be able to defeat it in a fight."

    Nephis scowled.

    "Your point?"

    Sunny spread his hands.

    "Don't misunderstand. Yes, we can't defeat it. But��"

    A dark smile appeared on his face.

    "That doesn't mean that we can't kill it."

    Changing Star thought about it, then raised an eyebrow and asked:

    "You have a plan?"

    Sunny shook his head.

    "Not yet, not entirely. Let me sleep on it. However, there's one thing I know for sure."

    He looked west, remembering the Carapace Demon's disturbing, bestial face. In the ensuing silence, Cassie turned her head to face him and asked with curiosity:

    "What is it?"

    Sunny blinked.

    "Ah? Oh, yes. It's pretty simple, really. Unlike the scavengers and centurions, that thing appears to be rather intelligent. Which means that it can be deceived."

    ***

    They spent another uneventful night inside the dead leviathan's spine. As far as their camps went, this one was probably the safest. There was a certain comfort in being surrounded by walls from all sides, even if they were made out of bone. Sleeping on top of cliffs and coral mounds, just meters away from the surface of the dark sea, exposed to elements, was not very restful.

    Sunny even entertained the thought of suggesting to Nephis that they should stay here for a while, a few weeks, or even months if needed. They could slowly explore the surrounding areas, hunt monsters and grow stronger.

    Then, after absorbing hundreds of soul shards and shadow fragments, armed with dozens of Memories and even a few more Echoes, perhaps, they could attack the Carapace Demon and be more sure of success.

    However, he quickly realized that it was a bad idea. The Forgotten Shore was perilous and unpredictable. They were rather successful in conquering its dangers so far, but it was too easy for the situation to change. One moment of bad luck was enough to doom them.

    One wrong turn, one unfortunate encounter, one more enemy than they were able to handle, and their lives would be over. And that was only in regard to the usual menagerie of abominable horrors they had to fight on the daily basis. The labyrinth hid much more terrifying secrets and existences, not to mention the unimaginable terrors of the deep dark sea.

    Every additional day they spent here gave a chance for something fatal and unavoidable to happen. Their best hope of survival was to face the Carapace Demon as soon as possible.

    Maybe after defeating it, they would finally be able to see the tall walls of the promised castle.

    Sunny tossed and turned the whole night, thinking about the giant creature and trying to give shape to the nascent seed of the idea of how to kill it.

    Close to the morning, he was finally able to fall asleep �� only to be awakened by Cassie carefully shaking his shoulder half an hour later.

    Sunny blinked, looking at the blind girl in confusion.

    "What is it?"

    She gestured to Nephis, asking her to come closer. Then, a little pale, she gathered her courage and said:

    "I had another vision. A vision about the Carapace Demon��"

 Chapter 65 Lights In The Darkness

    Chapter 65 Lights In The Darkness

    Sunny was instantly wide awake. Sitting up, he hurriedly rubbed his eyes and then glanced at the blind girl, ready to listen.

    Nephis approached them and sat down, her face barely visible in the dim light of the early dawn.

    "Past or future?"

    Sunny blinked.

    'Right. I should have asked myself.'

    Cassie thought for a bit and then hesitantly answered:

    "Past�� I think."

    After a short pause, her expression changed to that of certainty.

    "No, I'm sure of it."

    Changing Star slightly tilted her head.

    "That's good. So�� what did you see?"

    Cassie deeply inhaled and fell silent for several seconds, remembering. Her face paled a little, but this time, she was ready to face her fear.

    "I saw the Ashen Barrow deep at night, enveloped in a raging storm. The winds were bending the branches of the great tree, as if desperate to break them. The island was illuminated by the constant barrage of thundering lightning bolts, with rain falling from the skies like a flood."

    She paused, catching her breath, and continued:

    "The Carapace Demon was there, standing in the middle of the storm like an unshakable fortress made of polished steel. Arcs of electricity were dancing between the spikes on his armor, but the demon did not pay it any attention. He was just as Sunny described�� prideful, sinister and terrifying."

    Cassie closed her eyes.

    "When I looked into his eyes, I felt�� a sense of emptiness and corruption. He observed the storm until it began to dissipate. The winds weakened, the rain stopped. The great tree stood unbroken, just as magnificent as it was before. But then, the last bolt of lightning fell from the sky and struck the ground beside it."

    Sunny was listening to her tale with great attention, hopeful to hear a piece of useful information.

    'So, that monstrosity is not afraid of lightning. Shame. With its metal carapace, I was almost tempted to try and lure it from under the tree during a storm.'

    Apparently, that wouldn't work.

    Meanwhile, Cassie was ready to carry on:

    "That bolt of lightning could never hurt the Carapace Demon, let alone the miraculous tree. However, when it hit the ground, it ignited the fallen leaves that cover the Ashen Barrow's surface. Soon, a large part of the island was engulfed in fire. In the absolute darkness of the night, it shone like a beacon."

    Sunny perked up, remembering something. Back when the three of them first met at the beginning of their deadly adventure through the Dream Realm, the girls mentioned that the light he had seen from the giant knight's statue a few nights prior was indeed made by them.

    However, making that fire had turned out to be a big mistake. At night, any source of light was like a lure for the monsters of the Forgotten Shore�� including the terrifying creatures that lurked in the depths of the dark sea. That's why, ever since, they were careful to never light a fire after sunset, preferring to endure the darkness instead of attracting unknown horrors from beneath the waves.

    Having a guess of what had happened next in Cassie's vision, he waited for the blind girl to continue. Her voice trembled a little.

    "Before the flames died down, the dark sea surged, and a�� a thing crawled out of it, covering almost the entire slope of the Ashen Barrow with its body. It looked like a�� like a mass of bones and rotten flesh connected by black seaweed, with thousands of horrible eyes staring at me hungrily from beneath, coiling tentacles seething as it pushed itself toward the great tree."

    Her face turned slightly green. Just remembering the abomination made Cassie feel nauseated, but she gritted her teeth and did not stop speaking.

    "That was the most repulsive creature I've ever seen. However, it seemed slow and clumsy, as though being ashore, outside of the black water, was weakening it. The Carapace Demon did not hesitate to lunge at the creature, completely ignoring the fact that it was at least ten times his size. It was like�� like he completely lost his mind, enraged by the intrusion on the island."

    Nephis suddenly spoke:

    "How did the demon survive?"

    The blind girl hesitated.

    "I�� I don't know. I didn't see the battle itself, only its beginning and its end. At the break of dawn, the Carapace Demon crawled back into the shade of the great tee. He was severely wounded, with several of his legs missing and his scythes covered by a spiderweb of cracks. The fire was gone, and there was no sign of the sea creature anywhere in sight."

    She paused for a moment and then said in a quiet voice:

    "The most terrible wound was on his chest. The steel armor of the demon was fractured and split apart, revealing the beating heart inside. Rivers of azure blood were flowing from the wound, mixing with the ashen sand. The demon crawled to the base of the tree and laid his broken body between its roots."

    Cassie sighed.

    "The last thing I saw was the passage of time. I don't know how long it took, but eventually, the Carapace Demon was able to recover from his wounds. His scythes restored themselves, his legs grew back. The fracture on his chest was the last to heal. However, it wasn't healed completely. Hidden from sight, there's still a weakness in his armor."

    Both Sunny and Nephis were silent for a long time, thinking.

    Changing Star was the first to break the silence.

    "So it's not impenetrable after all."

    Then she looked at Sunny and asked:

    "How's your plan coming along?"

    He blinked, extricating himself from the swarm of thoughts. Glancing at his companions, Sunny smiled.

    "Pretty well. I already had an inkling of how we should proceed, but Cassie's vision gave me additional inspiration."

    Nephis raised an eyebrow.

    "Is that so?"

    He gave her a confident nod.

    "Yeah. It's a wild idea, but it might just work. Well�� maybe. In any case, it's going to be risky. And we'll have to make some preparations."

    Both Cassie and Nephis looked at him expectantly. The blind girl cautiously asked.

    "So�� what's your plan? How are we going to deceive the demon?"

    Sunny crossed his arms.

    "It's not very complicated. Actually, I got the idea from that ancient fellow Neph likes to talk about. We're going to build��"

    He took a dramatic pause, and then said with a mysterious smile:

    "... a trojan ass."

    However, their reaction was not what he had expected. Both girls blinked, then stared at him with complicated expressions. Well, Cassie did not stare, since she was blind, but her face was exactly the same as Changing Star's.

    Strange.

    "...A what now?"

    Sunny scratched the back of his head, somewhat embarrassed, and cleared his throat.

    "Uh�� did I use the wrong word? I thought that Odysseus guy built a wooden animal? A�� uh�� donkey?"

    Nephis raised a hand and put it on her forehead, closing her eyes.

    'Weird. Does she have a headache?'

    "Uh, are you alright?"

    She sighed deeply, then said in a flat tone:

    "A horse. It was a horse��"

    ***

    The next day, they returned to the place of the battle between the carapace legion and the centipede monsters. A few days earlier, they had lured a carapace centurion here to ambush it, but ended up causing a massive confrontation between the two tribes of Nightmare Creatures.

    The carcasses of some of the monsters were still there, buried slightly in the mud.

    Of course, there was no meat left on their skeletons. The inhabitants of the labyrinth were for the most part carrion eaters, after all.

    However, the three Sleepers were not interested in meat. They came for something else.

    Stopping in front of the centurion's empty shell, cleaned of any flesh by some unknown beasts, he looked at the black and crimson carapace in satisfaction.

    Nephis walked over and stood by his side, an unreadable expression on her face.

    "Is this what you wanted?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "Yeah, exactly. I knew that nothing would be insane enough to chew on the chitin, but�� in this place, you never know. I wasn't sure about its condition."

    But the condition was good.

    In fact, it was perfect.

 Chapter 66 First Part Of The Plan

    Chapter 66 First Part Of The Plan

    Close to the evening, with the sun tiredly descending toward the horizon, a strange creature walked out of the colorless remains of the labyrinth. If "walking" was even the right word.

    Dragging its legs in the sand, the creature somehow floated forward without moving them. It looked like a carapace centurion, or at least a close approximation of one.

    All the necessary parts were in place. The creature had a black carapace with a menacing crimson pattern on it, a humanoid torso, eight segmented legs and two arms ending with formidable bone scythes. However, all these parts looked mismatched and strange, as though put together by some clumsy sculptor.

    Additionally, the centurion moved as if it was seriously drunk.

    The carapace was careening to one side, sometimes scraping against the sand. The torso was swinging back and forth for no apparent reason. The scythes were awkwardly lodged behind the creature's back, crossed against each other at a strange angle.

    At some point, one of them simply dropped to the ground. The centurion stopped and hesitated for a few seconds, as though unsure what to do. Then it left its scythe arm behind and continued on its way as if nothing had happened.

    A perceptive observer would have noticed that the creature seemed to possess two shadows. The first shadow was as one would expect, its shape identical to the creature itself. The second one resembled a human. It briefly showed itself from beneath the larger shadow when the centurion abandoned the runaway limb.

    The human shadow then proceeded to facepalm and shake its head in utter contempt.

    The whole situation was nothing short of being completely bizarre. But, for better or worse, there was nobody around to notice the weird creature.

    Unobstructed, it traversed the wasteland, moving in the direction of the Ashen Barrow. Soon, it was almost at the footstep of the tall hill.

    The sunset was approaching.

    ***

    The strange centurion plopped on the ground at the base of the Ashen Barrow and stopped moving completely. Awkward and lopsided, it looked like a parody of the other monster of its kind who had kneeled gracefully at the same spot a few days prior.

    Additionally, it arrived without a tribute. There was no transcendent soul shard in sight. Added to the disrespectful pose, this transgression was more than enough to get the centurion killed.

    Perhaps�� it was suicidal.

    On top of the barrow, the Carapace Demon moved and rose from the ashen sand. His shining armor glistened, reflecting the light of the setting sun. Encased in bright metal, with a crown of horns adorning his head, the demon looked fearsome and sinister. Gazing down, he lingered for a few moments.

    Two dark scarlet embers ignited in the depths of the demon's eyes. Shifting his terrifying scythes, the giant monster walked forward, slowly descending from the hill to face the strange visitor.

    The ground shook as he approached. However, the bizarre centurion did not even flinch. In fact, it remained completely motionless.

    The Carapace Demon stopped some distance away from the suspicious creature. He observed it, clearly understanding that its pathetic appearance might be a trap. The labyrinth was full of unimaginable dangers. Rashly approaching an unknown foe was not something an awakened demon, who possessed his own form of intelligence, would do.

    At least that was what the three Sleepers had assumed.

    However, they were wrong.

    Just a second later, the Carapace Demon lunged forward. Its scythe flashed through the air, severing the centurion's torso in half. The adamantine chitin was cut apart as though it was made of butter. The upper half of the monster's torso flew off, revealing�� only emptiness inside.

    ��On the other side of the Ashen Barrow, Sunny, who was running up the slope with all his might, cursed under his breath.

    That was too soon!

    He thought that they would have more time. Who knew that the Carapace Demon would turn out to be such a daredevil? He didn't even hesitate before going all out!

    With Cassie riding piggyback on his back, Sunny gritted his teeth and tried to run even faster.

    It was time to switch to plan B��

    A moment later, the weird centurion's carapace came apart, setting the Echo that had been hiding underneath it free. Pushing the pieces of chitin away with its powerful pincers, the scavenger rushed toward the towering demon. It was aiming to duck underneath it and, hopefully, mess up the giant's legs.

    The first part of Sunny's plan was rather simple. They were going to use the remains of a dead carapace centurion to disguise the Echo, which was much smaller in comparison, as one of the officers of the carapace legion.

    Then, they would send it to the base of the Ashen Barrow to lure the demon away. The three of them were going to circle the hill and hide themselves under the grey sand in advance, then run up the slope and to the center of the island as soon as the demon had left.

    The Echo was supposed to buy them enough time to climb the great tree and conceal themselves in its branches. Then, Sunny would dismiss the Echo, thus finishing the first stage of the plan. He never intended for the scavenger to actually fight the fearsome demon!

    However, the Carapace Demon's unusually swift act of aggression had messed up the timing of the whole thing. The decoy was already destroyed, yet they weren't even halfway to the tree.

    In this situation, there was no choice but to order the Echo to attack, hoping that it could stall the giant monster. That way, of course, Sunny was putting his scavenger at risk��

    But there was no other choice.

    Just as he was about to reach the crest of the hill, the Echo tried to hide itself beneath the Carapace Demon's massive body. It was doing the same thing that Nephis had done when fighting the first carapace centurion, intending to use the size of the enemy against it.

    The difference was that this time, the smaller participant of the fight was clad in a sturdy carapace, as opposed to a squishy human girl who had no protection. Even if the demon tried to crush the scavenger with its weight, it wouldn't be able to kill it.

    However, the demon understood it too.

    Moving with incredible speed, he shifted his torso and struck out with a pincer. The scavenger was swatted away like an irritating insect, flying through the air and heavily crashing onto the ground. Its carapace had almost cracked.

    Running toward the great tree, Sunny grimaced. He wanted to dismiss the Echo, but knew that it was too soon. They needed more time��

    Ahead of him, Nephis was already approaching the enormous black trunk. Not wasting any time, she removed the seaweed rucksack from her back, gently laid it on the ground, and began climbing, grabbing onto the cracks of the onyx bark.

    Meanwhile, the Echo was shakily rising to its legs. A stubborn light was burning in its eyes. Producing a loud screech, it clacked its pincers in the air and once again rushed toward the demon.

    'Go get him, buddy!' Sunny screamed inwardly, wishing his scavenger luck with all his heart.

    The smaller creature bravely ran toward the steel behemoth, raising its pincers to attack. It was followed by two shadows �� one bestial, the other one human.

    Sunny was quickly shortening the distance to the great tree��

    Below the hill, the Carapace Demon calmly stepped toward the rushing enemy. Its four arms moved in unison.

    Suddenly, the scavenger's arms were sliced off. Its body was gripped in two giant pincers and raised into the air.

    Sunny didn't even have time to react.

    A fraction of a second later, the demon slightly strained its arms and tore the Echo in two, separating its torso from the carapace and crushing both halves into a bloody pulp.

    On top of the hill, Sunny stumbled.

    The familiar voice resounded like a tolling bell in his ears.

    [Your Echo has been destroyed��]

 Chapter 67 Racing Against Time

    Chapter 67 Racing Against Time

    [Your Echo has been destroyed.]

    Sunny stumbled and almost fell. Cassie gripped his shoulders tightly and leaned back a little, trying to help him keep balance. With fallen leaves flying from under his feet, Sunny somehow managed to catch himself in time.

    'No!'

    Anger and regret clouded his mind, but it was too late to do anything. His trusty scavenger was dead, sliced and torn apart by the giant creature. The ease and brutality with which the Carapace Demon had decimated the poor, brave beast would have been insulting... if it wasn't so terrifying.

    It only took him a split second.

    The Echo was gone. Not only had Sunny seen its tragic end through the eyes of his shadow, he also felt the subtle connection between them disappear. In his Soul Sea, one of the spheres of light shimmered and vanished, leaving the silent surface of the water a little bit darker. He had lost his most valuable possession.

    But the bitterness Sunny felt was not only because of how useful the Echo had been, or how much money it could have brought him in the real world. He had actually grown to like the mindless scavenger quite a bit. It was big, loyal and reliable.

    It even seemed to possess a strange sort of stubborn, offputting personality.

    And now it was dead.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny ran like a madman. There would be time to mourn the loss of the loyal Echo later.

    Right now, they had bigger problems.

    "Sunny? What happened?"

    Cassie's whisper sounded worried and tense. She must have felt the change in his mood through his posture and body language.

    To be completely honest, Sunny was in no shape to talk. Running up the hill at top speed, with the blind girl on his back �� no matter how delicate and light she was �� had been a tall task for him without the support of the shadow. He was struggling to breathe, and there was still a considerable distance to the great tree. However, Sunny had to answer, his voice hoarse and rugged:

    "He killed the Echo."

    Then, there was no time for words anymore.

    Because things were turning from bad to worse.

    Down at the bottom of the hill, the Carapace Demon was standing above the mutilated remains of the scavenger, looking at them with contempt. Heavy drops of azure blood were falling from each of his four upper limbs.

    Suddenly, the corpse of the Echo began to shine with soft light. Then, it shimmered and dissolved into a river of tiny sparks, which then fell to the ground and disappeared, leaving no trace of the hulking scavenger behind. Even its blood on the demon's scythes and pincers was gone.

    After all, the Echo was just a manifestation of a slain Nightmare Creature and not the real thing. It came from nothing and was now returned to the state of nothingness.

    However, the Carapace Demon was not looking at the unexpected light show. Instead, he was staring at one particular spot on the ground.

    There, a lonely human shadow was frozen in confusion, uncertain what to do. With the body of the Echo �� and consequently, its spacious shadow �� gone, it was instantly revealed and had nowhere else to hide.

    'Crap!'

    The demon tilted his head, then moved with the speed of lightning and pierced the shadow with a scythe.

    Sunny flinched, ready to experience blinding pain��

    But nothing happened. The shadow, which had raised its hands in fright, looked down at the massive blade protruding from its chest and scratched its head.

    It was completely fine.

    Well, of course�� it was just a shadow, after all. One had to have a body to be susceptible to such attacks.

    'Right. What else did I think would happen?'

    Meanwhile, the demon was staring at the nonchalant shadow. The menacing scarlet light in his eyes blazed brighter.

    Sunny was getting closer to the trunk of the tree, temporarily fueled by adrenalin. Otherwise, he might have fainted from the strain already.

    'Just�� a little�� more!'

    They had every chance of making it. The shadow just had to distract the giant monster for a bit��

    But it seemed as though luck was not on his side today. Down below, the Carapace Demon retrieved his scythe. However, instead of attacking the human shadow again, it suddenly turned around and cast a dark look at the top of the Ashen Barrow, where the giant tree stood in all its magnificent beauty.

    The bastard was smart after all.

    'Curse it all!'

    Forgetting about the shadow, the behemoth lunged forward, rushing back up the tall hill's slope. It moved with frightening speed, covering a dozen meters with each second.

    'Get back here!' Sunny screamed to his shadow as he approached the trunk of the tree.

    Helping Cassie climb down from his back, Sunny picked up the rucksack that Nephis had left behind and handed it to the blind girl.

    "Be gentle with that."

    Cassie nodded, well aware of the contents of the rucksack, and carefully hung it on her shoulder.

    At that time, Changing Star had already reached the lowest branches of the great tree. Not wasting any time, she moved to a spot above her companions, summoned the golden rope and threw one of its ends down.

    Catching the rope, Sunny quickly tied a loop and handed it to Cassie.

    "You go up first."

    The blind girl hesitated for a moment, then accepted it. Just as she was about to put her foot inside the loop, Sunny suddenly stopped her.

    "Wait! Summon your staff."

    The wooden staff that Cassie used to walk was actually a magical item capable of summoning strong winds. In their travels, they rarely had a cause to use it. But now it could come in handy.

    Surprised and unsure of the reason, she nevertheless did as he had asked, summoning the Memory from her Sea of Soul. The wooden staff appeared in her hand.

    Sunny lightly hugged the blind girl from behind and turned her body, guiding the hand holding the staff in the necessary direction. Then, he said:

    "Now summon the wind."

    In the next moment, a strong gale rose around them, blasting fallen leaves and ashen sand into the air. Instantly, a large portion of the island's surface was stripped bare.

    More sand was revealed beneath.

    Meanwhile, the shadow was racing against the Carapace Demon. The massive creature was already halfway up the hill, moving with the speed of a rushing train. The nimble shadow, however, was even faster. It had already overtaken the behemoth and was now flying forward, hurrying to return to its master.

    "Good, now go!"

    Sunny helped Cassie put her foot into the loop and stepped back, watching as Nephis pulled the rope up. She was going as fast as she could �� which was really fast by human standards.

    But was it fast enough?

    Sweating, he counted seconds and waited. His life now depended on whether or not the rope would return before the demon arrives.

    Every moment felt like an eternity.

    He could already hear the distant, but quickly approaching sound of the Carapace Demon's eight towering legs stomping furiously through the sand.

    Finally, Cassie was at the level of the giant tree's lower branches. Nephis helped her step out of the loop and settle on the wide surface of the branch, then threw the rope down again.

    The demon was approaching the tree, still hidden from sight by its massive trunk.

    The shadow slipped beneath Sunny's feet and wrapped itself around his body.

    Catching the rope, Sunny practically flew up, climbing with incredible, adrenaline-fuelled speed. Landing on the branch beside the girls, he quickly turned around and tried to pull the rope up. The monster could not notice the golden shine of it�� otherwise, it all would have been for nothing.

    But there was less than a second left��

    'Oh no!' Sunny thought, his heart skipping a beat.

    But then Nephis simply dismissed the Memory, making the golden rope disappear into thin air.

    The three of them crouched, hiding from sight, and held their breaths.

    �� A moment later, the furious mass of spikes and polished metal appeared beneath them. The Carapace Demon abruptly stopped, gazing around with his burning scarlet eyes. His pincers clicked, as if thirsty to tear flesh apart. The terrifying scythes were raised into the air, ready to slash and sever.

    But there was nothing to kill underneath the great tree.

    The demon lingered, looking right and left. Then he raised his head and looked up. Thankfully, the branch the three Sleepers were hiding on was very wide, more than enough to hide them from his sight. They remained motionless and silent, afraid to produce even the smallest of sounds.

    After a while, the behemoth finally lowered his gaze and carefully observed the ground, looking for the traces of possible intruders.

    However, the ground was clean and bare, all signs of their passage erased by Sunny with the help of Cassie's staff in advance. Not finding anything, the Carapace Demon had no choice but to walk away, moving on to explore other parts of the island.

    Sunny was finally able to exhale.

    Some distance away, the demon reached the edges of the area affected by the magical gale. There, he finally found two sets of footprints �� one left behind by Nephis, the other one by Sunny.

    With an angry roar that sounded like the clamor of tearing metal, the giant creature rushed down the slope of the Ashen Barrow, following the footprints to the wasteland beneath.

    However, the grey desert was desolate and empty, with no living creature in sight. It was colored crimson by the setting sun.

    At that moment, the ground shook slightly, and a thunderous rumble resounded throughout the labyrinth, bringing with it chilling wind and the smell of salt.

    The dark sea was returning.

    Throwing one last hateful gaze toward the wasteland, the Carapace Demon turned around a slowly headed back to the top of his barrow.

 Chapter 68 Beacon Of Death

    Chapter 68 Beacon Of Death

    Sunny, Nephis and Cassie sat on a branch of the great tree, waiting for the sun to set. The branch was wide enough to accommodate twice as many people, so they weren't worried about being spotted from the ground. Still, they remained silent and motionless, warry of the giant monster that sometimes appeared beneath their hiding place.

    The sound of his footsteps sent shivers through the tense bodies of the three Sleepers.

    Not once since coming to the Forgotten Shore had Sunny hoped for the night to come faster. But there was a first time for everything.

    They could only proceed with the next step of the plan after darkness had fallen, so there was nothing to do now but wait. Sitting with his back against Neph and Cassie, Sunny stared into the distance and tried not to think about anything.

    Obsessing over past mistakes and future risks was only going to dampen his resolve. And it was already in short supply.

    Meeting a setback so early into the plan really through Sunny off his game. He still couldn't recover from the sudden loss of the precious Echo. Of course, he knew beforehand that many things could go wrong�� in fact, he had even warned the girls that there were too many unpredictable elements, and thus it was impossible to reliably predict their chances of success.

    Nevertheless, he had not expected to lose the strongest member of their group at the very beginning. The first stage of the plan was supposed to be the safest. Things to come were going to be much more dangerous.

    Sunny looked at the darkening skies, barely visible through the thick canopy of the great tree's crown, and listened to the noise of the rising sea. In the dim twilight, Cassie shifted a little and then gently squeezed his hand.

    Her warm touch made Sunny tense up, but then, realizing that the blind girl was just trying to console him, he allowed himself to relax.

    'Stupid. What am I, a kid? Holding hands will not solve anything.'

    But, despite these grumbling thoughts, Sunny reluctantly realized that he did feel a bit reassured, with no logical reason at all.

    Maybe they were going to pull this off after all.

    If this was their will�� who dared to stop them?

    Soon, the night descended, drowning the world in absolute darkness.

    ***

    The Ashen Barrow had become an island in the black, undulating void of the dark sea. The braches of the great tree swayed gently in the darkness, their vibrant scarlet leaves now indistinguishable from the obsidian surface of the wood. The leaves whispered and rustled, creating a calming melody in the threatening murmur of the surging waves.

    Sunny sighed, knowing that the moment of truth was approaching. He was sure of his plan�� as far as it was possible to be sure of anything in this cursed place. But he also knew all the risks and all the things that could go wrong.

    At the end of it all, they were still tossing a coin, hoping that its fall was not going to spell their doom.

    He felt Neph's position shift. She turned her head and glanced in his direction, a calm expression on her face. Today, her inexplicable ability to remain composed in any situation, no matter how dire, was especially frustrating.

    Even though Changing Star could not see anything in the pitch-black darkness of the Starless Void, she knew that he would notice her questioning look.

    Sunny closed his eyes, then opened them again and slowly exhaled.

    "Let's begin."

    The three of them moved, performing a rehearsed set of motions. Cassie carefully shifted to the side, giving Sunny and Nephis space to do what needed to be done. Sunny gently placed the seaweed rucksack between himself and Neph, then opened it.

    His motions were slow and cautious.

    Inside the rucksack, two large clay containers lay surrounded by several layers of soft seaweed fiber. These jars were made by Sunny himself, and as such were not particularly sturdy. After all, he wasn't a craftsman �� all his knowledge about pottery was received in a single day of listening to Teacher Julius's rants about the importance of clay in the development of human civilization.

    Still, he at least remembered the basics.

    Inside the jars, all the oil they had gathered from the centipede monsters splashed around, making Sunny's heartbeat unsteady. A centipede monster had two sacks in its body, each containing a different oily substance. When mixed, these substances produced an incredibly corrosive, deadly oil that could eat through a scavenger's carapace in seconds.

    It was also highly flammable.

    The jars contained the two components of the centipede oil. If they were to break during their run to the great tree, allowing the components to mix�� well, there was a reason why the rucksack was entrusted to Nephis while Sunny carried Cassie despite his inferior physical endurance.

    The centipede oil was the centerpiece of his plan.

    Placing the clay jars on the branch, Sunny took out one last thing from the rucksack. It was a makeshift torch made out of bone and�� yeah, more seaweed. Traditionally, torches were supposed to be made out of wood, but on the Forbidden Shore, bones were much more easily found than sticks.

    In the darkness, he found Neph's cool hand, took it into his own and then placed the torch on her open palm.

    At that moment, Sunny couldn't help but remember the other times Changing Star's hands had touched his body. The first time was when he was dying, his chest crushed by the carapace centurion's bone scythe. The other time was on the day he handed her the Starlight Legion Armor and learned about her cruel Flaw.

    Both days were very memorable, although for different reasons.

    He had a feeling that this day was also going to be forever etched in his memory�� provided they live to see the morning.

    Sunny deeply inhaled.

    "I'm ready."

    Nephis nodded and then rose to her feet. Standing tall, she grasped the torch and closed her eyes, as though praying. Clad in white armor, with her silver hair dancing in the wind, she looked like a beautiful, solemn angel.

    Then, white radiance ignited beneath her eyelids. In the next moment, bright fire burst from beneath her hands, igniting the top of the torch. Changing Star opened her eyes, extinguishing the light shining in them, and raised the torch high above her head.

    In the lightless world, this single small flame looked like a lonely star drowning in the sea of darkness.

    Simultaneously, Sunny stepped to the edge of the branch, inhaled deeply�� and screamed at the top of his lungs.

    "HEY, ASSHOLE! COME GET ME IF YOU DARE!"

    Then, all hell broke loose.

    ***

    Attracted by the sudden burst of light and Sunny's belligerent cries, the Carapace Demon appeared out of nowhere in a storm of fury. Its towering legs tore through the ashen sand, throwing clouds of it into the air. Two scarlet eyes immediately focused on the shouting human, sending a nervous shiver through Sunny's legs.

    "Yeah, right here, you pile of scrap! Come and get it, fat lobster! This is my island now!" he shouted, pretending to not be scared out of his wits.

    The demon dashed toward him. This behemoth was as tall as a house, but still not tall enough to reach the branches of the great tree with his scythes. So, for the moment, Sunny was still safe.

    He was pretty sure that this won't be the case for long, but it was enough time to bring the plan to fruition.

    If he doesn't miss��

    Just as the Carapace Demon was about to appear right beneath the branch Sunny was standing on, he took a deep breath, aimed, and tossed both of the jars down.

    The creature reacted with lightning speed, slicing both jars into pieces with his horrible scythes. However, it was of no use: the oily liquids contained inside still rained on its carapace in a torrent, followed by a scattering of clay shards.

    If anything, it only made the surface of the impact larger, covering most of the demon's metal carapace in a layer of liquid.

    The two components mixed, producing the deadly corrosive oil, which then burned into the lustrous armor. Sunny held his breath.

    �� However, the centipede monster's oil, which was capable of destroying the unbreakable chitin of both scavengers and centurions, turned out to be completely ineffective against the strange alloy covering the Carapace Demon's body. It didn't even leave a scratch on it.

    Sunny's face darkened.

    'That's��'

    Nephis silently appeared by his side, raising an arm.

    '... just as I expected.'

    Luckily, Sunny did not put a lot of value on the oil's corrosive qualities, to begin with.

    He needed the oil for its other quality.

    Its flammability.

    Guided by the loud sounds produced by the massive monster, Nephis moved and threw the torch down with a powerful swing of her arm. Spinning, the torch streaked through the air like a meteor and landed right in the middle of the demon's carapace.

    �� In the next second, the giant creature was engulfed in flames.

    Sunny did not really expect the fire to be able to damage the demon. He was sure that the behemoth could withstand much more than just simple heat.

    But now, covered in the burning oil, the Carapace Demon shined brightly in the pitch-black night of the Forgotten Shore.

    He had turned into a fiery beacon, calling all the monsters of the cursed dark sea to come crawling from its black depths.

 Chapter 69 The Guest

    Chapter 69 The Guest

    The giant demon was engulfed in flames, shining like a bright beacon in the hungry darkness of the night. His polished armor blazed with reflected light, sending radiant glints in all directions. Drops of burning oil were falling to the ground, flaring up as they hit the ashen sand.

    For a second, it seemed as though time had stopped. Sunny was staring at the incandescent glow of the fire, his eyes wide, almost failing to believe that they had actually pulled this insanity off. Nephis was frozen by his side, her hand still outstretched after the throw.

    But they really did, they pulled it off. Sunny never seriously considered facing the Carapace Demon in an honest battle�� if a battle between a giant death machine and three powerless humans could even be called honest. However, their lacking strength did not mean that they could not murder the evil creature.

    They just had to be smart about how to do it. For example, they could find something stronger to do the dirty work for them��

    That's why he had concocted a plan to sneak onto the Ashen Barrow, wait for the night to come, lit the behemoth aflame and watch it be torn apart by the terrifying monsters of the dark sea.

    And now they were halfway to making that plan a reality.

    Of course, the most dangerous part was yet to come �� they still had to survive the attack of the creatures of the black water themselves. And before that��

    The Carapace Demon roared with fury, making Sunny feel like his ears were going to bleed. The roar sounded like a deafening cacophony of rusted metal being torn apart by giant claws. Two scarlet eyes shone through the conflagration of flames, piercing the young man with a concentrated beam of murderous hatred.

    ��Before that, they had to last until the sea monsters arrive.

    The infuriated demon was out for their blood, and no one knew how much time it would take for the dark sea creatures to appear on the Ashen Barrow. Sunny was scared that the demon was capable of performing ranged attacks. If not, he might be able to climb the tree to get to them, or try to kill them in a way that they had not even considered. In the worst-case scenario, they would have to endure his rage for quite a while.

    Looking into the giant's hateful eyes, he sensed that the creature was thinking in the same direction. When the demon glanced in the direction of the great tree's obsidian trunk, Sunny's heart suddenly skipped a bit.

    However, in the end, cold rationality won over seething rage in the Carapace Demon's mind. Instead of wasting time trying to get to the three tiny humans, he suddenly rolled on the ground, hoping to use the sand to douse the flames dancing on his carapace.

    The whole island shook, almost throwing Sunny off the branch.

    'Crap.'

    Why did the bastard have to be so smart?

    For a moment, Sunny entertained the idea that the demon was actually going to succeed in extinguishing the fire before the dwellers of the depths had noticed it.

    But he didn't have to worry.

    Suddenly, Nephis turned to face the dark surface of the sea. Her face paled slightly. Sunny was a second late to react, but almost instantly, he too felt a strange change in the world around them.

    It was hard to describe with words. The rustle of the scarlet leaves suddenly felt quieter, the sound of the waves crashing against the shores of the ashen island louder. It was as though some invisible pressure descended on the world, making everything feel slightly different.

    Then, the air became colder, and a wall of thick fog appeared above the dark waters.

    The Carapace Demon had also noticed this change. He stopped trying to douse the flames and rose from the sand, the oil still burning on his carapace. Not paying it any attention anymore, the demon turned to the sea, a sense of grim resignation radiating from his posture.

    Then, it was replaced by dark resolve and frenzied bloodlust.

    The fog slowly moved, crawling onto the island. Sunny felt shivers run down his spine, realizing that it was flowing against the wind. The sound of waves was now muffled and changed, almost imperceptibly so.

    And there, in the fog, something was moving. He could almost make out a figure.

    It was�� it was��

    Suddenly, Cassie's small palm covered his eyes. With her voice trembling with tension, she whispered:

    "Don't look. No matter what happens, don't open your eyes."

    Sunny froze, obediently shutting his eyes. A cold sense of fright wrapped itself around his heart. He had never heard the blind girl's voice sound like this before, not even when she was recalling her terrifying visions.

    Cassie slowly removed her hand. Blinded, he could only rely on his hearing...

    At least that was what he thought until the cold fog touched his skin. Then, in the muffled silence, he heard Cassie's voice again.

    Only this time, it was distorted and coming from the wrong direction.

    "Don't look�� don't look�� don't look��"

    Sunny gulped, feeling his hair stand on end. The sound of the blind girl's distorted voice echoed in the fog, surrounding him from all sides. Instead of growing quieter, it was becoming louder, overlapping over itself.

    "Don't look, don't look, don't look, don't look!"

    Then, it grew even louder still and turned into a cacophony of screams, crashing into Sunny like a wave, sounding nothing like what human vocal cords could ever produce:

    "DON'T LOOK DON'T LOOK DON'T LOOK DON'T!!!"

    Sunny stood paralyzed, stunned by the onslaught of inhuman shrieks. All he could do was try not to fall to his knees. And then, when his resilience was almost broken��

    Everything suddenly stopped. The abrupt silence enveloped the world, making him exhale with relief. It was over.

    A few seconds later, Cassie whispered into his ear:

    "Open your eyes."

    After hearing the clear sound of her voice, Sunny was about to do as she told��

    Then he stopped.

    Her voice did not sound terrifying and distorted. It was just as usual, sweet and melodic. It even came from the right direction. But�� but something about it was wrong.

    'Wh��what��'

    He lingered, keeping his eyes closed.

    Why was it so calm? Why didn't he feel the warmth of her breath as she leaned close to whisper into his ear?

    And how�� how could she lean�� if he was taller?

    Sunny froze, afraid to even breathe. Cassie's clear, familiar voice repeated:

    "Open your eyes�� open��"

    Then, mere centimeters away, it exploded with cold, malevolent authority:

    "OPEN YOUR EYES!"

    But he didn't.

    A second passed, then another, then one more. Each of them felt like an eternity. Sunny trembled, practically feeling his body aging. Finally, the voice returned. But this time, it felt as though it was further away, withdrawing.

    "No matter�� no matter��"

    Soon, he was able to hear the rustling of leaves and the sound of waves again. He could also hear Cassie and Neph breathing ruggedly beside him. It seemed that they were also assaulted by the terrifying mimic.

    And also��

    Somewhere beneath them, the Carapace Demon roared and hit his scythes against each other. The loud clamor of steel resounded beneath the great tree, sending an almost palpable wave in all directions. This wave seemed to expel the unnatural fog, creating an enormous sphere of clean air.

    Sunny still kept his eyes shut.

    In the next moment, the whole island trembled as the demon clashed with the unknown horror that had been hiding in the fog. Something shattered with a deafening thunder, and the ground shook again, causing the branches of the great tree to sway.

    With his hands trembling, Sunny outstretched them and grabbed onto his companions, drawing them close. Holding each other, they listened to the sounds of the furious battle and waited.

    ***

    An eternity later, the fight between the Carapace Demon and the guest from the depths was over. Silence had returned to the Ashen Barrow once again.

    Sunny had long ago lost the track of time and grew desensitized to the tremors running through the great tree each time the two monsters clashed. Sudden stillness gave him a start. With a slight shudder, he turned his head and listened, trying to discern what was happening.

    In the quiet aftermath of the terrible battle, Nephis hesitated and then said in a raspy voice:

    "We can open our eyes now."

    Sunny lingered before following her advice. He opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times, his vision slowly returning.

    The pale light of dawn was creeping from the east, enveloping the island in the dim twilight. Beneath them, the surface of the island was torn apart and upturned, almost unrecognizable. It was as though the Ashen Barrow was pummeled by several rounds of heavy artillery fire.

    And on that surface��

    'Damn it!'

    The Carapace Demon was slowly limping back from the edges of the island, leaving a trail of azure blood behind. He was heavily wounded and in a terrible shape, with several limbs missing and a spiderweb of cracks covering his once pristine carapace.

    Two of his arms were gone, leaving him with a single scythe and a single pincer. Most of his rear legs were either broken or severed, forcing the behemoth to walk in a strange, unsteady gait.

    However, he was still alive. More than that, none of the armor plates covering his vital organs were seriously damaged, his metal shell still strong and impenetrable.

    Sunny clenched his fists and glanced at Neph, a dark expression on his face.

    "What�� what do we do?"

    Changing Star looked down. There was a cold glint in her calm, grey eyes.

    Stretching her arm to the side, she summoned her sword and said:

    "Finish him off."

 Chapter 70 Judgement Of The Blade

    Chapter 70 Judgement Of The Blade

    Sunny looked at the wounded demon, a grim look of resolve on his face.

    At this point, there was no reason to argue. They had no other choice but to face the guardian of the island themselves. Sunny's bag of tricks was all empty anyway �� in the end, their fates were still going to be decided by sharp blades.

    Someone was going to get killed, and someone was going to be the killer.

    "How are we going to deal with his armor?"

    Nephis weighed the sword in her hand and glanced down.

    "I will break through the armor. Can you create an opening?"

    Sunny nodded, not wasting time on unnecessary questions. If Changing Star was certain of her ability to cut through the demon's carapace, he had no reason to doubt it.

    Creating an opening�� that was not going to be easy. Even though the monster had suffered terrible injuries, he was still a force to be reckoned with. His size alone was going to pose difficulties. They would have to bring the behemoth down to his knees before even thinking of carrying out any sort of an effective attack.

    And he was not just going to stand still under their assault, either.

    But what else was there to do?

    While Nephis was tying the golden rope to the branch, Sunny walked over to Cassie and lightly squeezed her shoulder.

    She tried to force a smile.

    "I take it that the Carapace Demon is still alive?"

    Despite the heavy, cold, dark feeling gripping his heart, Sunny tried to make his voice sound relaxed and carefree.

    "Yeah, but just barely. Don't worry too much. This whole thing will be over in no time."

    'One way or another,' he added inwardly.

    Cassie's smile weakened. She was clearly not convinced by his clumsy attempt to reassure her.

    Sunny hesitated.

    "Hey. Have you ever eaten demon meat?"

    The blind girl was clearly surprised by his question.

    "What? No."

    Sunny grinned.

    "How about a demon steak? I'm an excellent cook, I'll have you know. Uh�� I think. Neph had sort of monopolized the preparation of food, so I had no chance to put all the knowledge from the Wilderness Survival course to practice."

    Teacher Julius had indeed spent a lot of time teaching him how to cook all kinds of seemingly inedible things, as well as meats of all sorts of Nightmare Creatures, in preparation for his journey into the Dream Realm. Here, hunger was as much of an enemy as the fiercest of monsters.

    "As soon as we get our hands on some demon meat, I'll make you a steak. It'll be the most delicious demon steak you had ever eaten�� I promise!"

    Finally, a real smile appeared on Cassie's face. She gave him a courteous nod.

    "Alright. That's a promise then."

    Meanwhile, Nephis was done with the rope. She threw it down without hesitation and glanced at him.

    "Are you ready?"

    Sunny sighed and close his eyes for a second, feeling the strength of his body being enhanced by the shadow.

    "Yes. Let's do this."

    ***

    As soon as their feet touched the ground, Sunny felt a heavy gaze burning a hole in his chest. Glancing up, he saw the crippled Carapace Demon staring right at him, a dark glint shining in his one remaining eye.

    The other one was gone, leaving only a bleeding black gap behind.

    At this distance, the damage dealt to the demon's body seemed even more debilitating. Its carapace was fractured in several places and covered in cracks, each seeping with azure blood... sadly, none of the cracks were near the vital organs. His horns were shattered, as was one of his front legs �� in addition to several rear ones that were either broken or torn off completely.

    The stumps of his two severed arms were pressed tight against his torso to stem the heavy bleeding. The other two were hanging to the ground, almost brushing against the ashen sand.

    The giant monster looked broken and tired. However, it was still terrifying, perhaps even more so than before. Because, despite the horrible wounds, his gaze was still firm and full of evil intelligence. It was still radiating madness and bloodlust.

    Which was now concentrated on Sunny and Nephis �� the architects of his sorry state.

    The first beams of the rising sun shone on the spikes covering the demon's once lustrous carapace, painting them in shades of burning crimson.

    Sunny summoned the Azure Blade and glanced at Nephis.

    "Be careful. He's lightning fast."

    He was the only one who had seen the terrible creature in action. As such, only he knew how dangerous the demon really was.

    Nephis nodded, not taking her eyes off the enemy, and stepped forward.

    The two of them walked toward the waiting Carapace Demon. Sunny was slightly ahead and aiming to circle the behemoth from the right �� the side where the demon had both his last remaining scythe and eye.

    Changing Star was a step or two behind him, aiming to circle the creature from the left �� the side where his pincer arm was slowly rising into the air.

    In this battle, Sunny's role was to take the brunt of the enemy's attacks, letting his partner deal the lethal blow when the time was right. Through the tacit understanding that they had developed through surviving dozens of life or death situations, the two of them were able to cooperate without speaking a single word, fighting almost as one.

    This was their main advantage.

    As they were closing in, Sunny felt a slight shift in the demon's posture. Instantly, he knew that hell was about to break loose.

    He had warned Nephis about the speed of their enemy, but he also had to deal with it himself. Sunny knew that he was much slower than the giant creature, but he still had to find a way to dodge the massive, terrifying scythe.

    That wasn't as bad as it seemed. Speed wasn't everything in a fight. Take, for example, Changing Star's training fight against the proud scion of the Han Li clan. Caster possessed an Aspect Ability that made him ten times faster than the silver-haired girl �� at least. However, in the end, he only won by a hair's breadth. Nephis had almost smashed his face with an unexpected elbow strike.

    She had been able to catch Caster unaware not because of her fast reaction �� with that big of a difference between their speeds, no amount of reaction could have helped her. Instead, she was able to predict and manipulate the opponent's attacks, starting the strike even before Caster himself knew that he was going to end up in the path of her elbow.

    She was in control of the battlefield.

    And now, they had to repeat that feat against the ancient demon of the Forgotten Shore. Luckily, his speed advantage was not nearly as insane as Caster's.

    Almost simultaneously, Sunny and Nephis lunged forward, attacking the behemoth from different sides. He also moved, ready to tear them apart. Both his pincer and his scythe rose into the air.

    Sunny was running as fast as he could, the Azure Blade outstretched behind him. A fire of cold resolve was burning in his heart.

    He was ready to live or die by his blade.

    However, in the next moment, his leg seemed to slip in the sand, and as his eyes opened wide, Sunny stumbled.

    Not wasting the opportunity, the Carapace Demon attacked. The terrifying scythe tore through the air, aiming to cut the helpless human in half��

    But it hit only sand.

    Sunny, who had feigned his loss of balance to bait the demon's strike, easily avoided the deadly blade by jumping to the side at the last second.

    He wasn't quite at the level where he could predict every move of the enemy. Instead, manipulating the enemy into performing a predictable attack was easier.

    After all, deceit and manipulation were his forte.

    Temporarily safe from the threat of the scythe, Sunny dashed toward the demon's legs.

    At the same time, Nephis had managed to avoid the massive pincer and was closing in on them, too. They reached their goals almost simultaneously, one from the right, the other from the left.

    Sunny slashed with the Azure Blade, feeling it hit the polished armor and bounce back without leaving even a slight scratch on it. Dull pain radiated through his hands.

    On the other side of the behemoth's massive body, Nephis achieved more success. She had attacked the already injured front leg of the monster, cutting deep into his flesh through the wide crack in the metal plate. Severely damaged, the leg wasn't able to support the weight of the giant creature anymore. It buckled, sending the demon reeling.

    At this point, a scavenger or a centurion would have lost their balance and fallen to the ground. However, the Carapace Demon was too smart and experienced. He compensated for the loss of another leg by shifting his body weight to the opposite side and thrusting his scythe into the ground to remain stable.

    'Damn it!'

    Sunny had really hoped that the bastard would fall down.

    Because then he wouldn't have had to do what he was about to do next.

    But now there was no other choice.

    Cursing inwardly, Sunny briefly looked up at the massive body of the giant demon. Heavens only knew how much that thing weighed.

    Then, he held his breath and ducked right beneath the Carapace Demon's steel abdomen.

 Chapter 71 One Small Mistake

    Chapter 71 One Small Mistake

    With the Carapace Demon using his deadly scythe to support the weight of his body, Sunny was temporarily safe from its sharp blade. Of course, the monster had other means of attack. Each one of his towering legs was like a siege ram, dangerous and capable of devastating destruction.

    But at the moment, his position was too precarious to lash out with them. Sunny had at least a second to do whatever he wished to, with no risk involved.

    The only thing he had to avoid was going directly under the behemoth, thus putting himself in danger of being crushed to death by the demon's giant body.

    Coincidentally, that was exactly what he had to do.

    'Crap, crap, crap!'

    Glancing up at the massive armored creature, Sunny cursed and dashed forward. A moment later, he dove underneath the Carapace Demon, feeling the thick shadows swallow him whole.

    Instantly, Sunny was covered in cold sweat. There was nothing but polished metal and murderous intent above him now. All the monster had to do to turn the tiny human into a puddle of blood was to rest his body on the sand.

    Under the crushing weight, Sunny's organs would burst and his bones would turn to dust. There wouldn't be anything solid left of him at all, only a thin layer of bloody goo smeared across the ground.

    Not the best situation to find yourself in.

    With his nerves on the verge of melting, Sunny brandished his sword and rushed forward. His eyes were glued to the joints of Carapace Demon's legs. He was utterly focused, looking for the slightest movement. Waiting for it.

    With no room for error, Sunny pushed every unnecessary thought and emotion into the farthest corner of his mind, not allowing dread, doubt and his tendency to overthink things to slow him down even by a fraction of a second.

    Time moved excruciatingly slowly. It felt as though hours had passed, but in reality, it was only a couple of moments. Sunny was only at the second pair of the giant monster's legs.

    It was then that he finally noticed the almost imperceptible change in the demon's posture. The tension in his joint changed slightly, indicating that the behemoth was about to move.

    This was the sign that Sunny was both hoping for and terrified of. Now, his survival was wholly dependent on whether or not he was fast enough.

    As soon as his eyes had registered the change in the creature's posture, Sunny pivoted on one leg and dashed to the side, trying to get away from underneath the armored giant. A small cloud of sand was sent flying by his sudden turn.

    But the demon was incredibly fast. He threw his body down, determined to squash the odious invader like a bug. With inertia and the limits of his human body slowing Sunny down, he felt the metal surface of the carapace begin to fall down on his head long before reaching the safe zone.

    Death was approaching with abhorrent speed.

    One step, two�� was he going to make it in time?!

    The Carapace Demon fell to the ground with a thunderous crash, sending large clouds of sand into the air. The impact was so strong that the whole island trembled.

    The furious mass of falling metal and spikes missed Sunny by just a few centimeters. He flew from underneath the demon's body at the last possible moment by performing a desperate dive.

    Crushing into the sand, Sunny rolled away and jumped back to his feet, slightly disoriented by the shockwave of the giant's fall.

    'Huh�� I actually managed to survive.'

    Sometimes, life was full of surprises.

    But, all jokes aside, he was not really astonished. His actions, while potentially fatal, had been deliberate and calculated. He was not in the habit of putting his life at risk without being sure that there would be at least a moderate chance of making it out alive.

    His actions were also always purposeful and pursued a specific goal.

    In this case, it was to bring the Carapace Demon down.

    Only by forcing the giant creature down to the ground, in reach of their blades, could they hope to kill it.

    In that sense, this dangerous gamble ended in resounding success. The bastard was now lying on his abdomen, his carapace and humanoid torso, where all the vital organs were situated, well in the Changing Star's attack range.

    Now Sunny just had to create an opening for her to deal the fatal blow�� although he still had no idea about how she was planning to bypass the impenetrable barrier of the demon's armor.

    However, creating that opening was not going to be a trivial task. Despite the fact that the monster's mobility was now severely reduced, the distance between him and the two Sleepers was also much smaller. Which made dodging his attacks that much harder.

    Sunny was about to experience that hardship for himself.

    He was barely back on his feet when the terrifying scythe flashed through the air, threatening to slice his body in half. Sunny had no idea how Nephis was doing on the other side of the creature's enormous body against the pincer, but dealing with the scythe was almost beyond his abilities.

    The burning eye of the demon that followed his every move was not helping the situation at all.

    With very little time to react, Sunny did the only thing he could think of �� he jumped as high as he could and pulled his legs up to his chest, performing a very awkward forward somersault.

    Because of the number of shadow fragments he had consumed and the physical enhancement brought by the shadow, the height of his jump was nothing short of impressive, by human standards. The scythe's blade whistled beneath Sunny, so close that he could feel the wind brushing against his face.

    Landing on the ground, he dashed forward. Sunny knew that the scythe would come back, but he had a second or two to change his position, getting in front of the behemoth.

    He had to make the giant creature forget about Nephis completely and concentrate fully on dealing with him, and him alone. To do that, he had to get in range of both the scythe and the pincer.

    What a lovely task!

    Feeling that his time was running out, Sunny spun around and raised the Azure Blade.

    Just as he thought, the Carapace Demon was already bringing the scythe down at him again, this time in a ruthless horizontal thrust. The sharp tip of the scythe was flying through the air, aimed at his chest.

    However, he had slightly underestimated the demon's reaction time. As the result, there was already no time to dodge.

    One small mistake was the difference between life and death on the Forgotten Shore.

    The scene of their first fight against a carapace centurion flashed in Sunny's mind. The situation was eerily similar to this one, with the inescapable doom approaching him at the speed of lightning, too swift and close to be avoided.

    Brought by the blade of a carapace creatures's scythe.

    But Sunny wasn't the same as he was before. Since that fateful battle, he had spent every day training, gaining experience and gathering power. He had fought his way through this hell, paying a price of blood for every step.

    He wasn't that easy to kill anymore.

    Instead of soft flesh, the scythe was met by the hard steel of the Azure Blade. Not only did Sunny block the blow, he even managed to angle the sword in a way that would deflect most of the impact instead of absorbing the full force of it.

    One of his hands was placed on the hilt, the other gripped the tip of the blade with enough strength to prevent the edge from cutting his fingers off.

    The residual force was still enough to send him flying back�� but it was not enough to break the bones in his hands. Not with the shadow enhancing the resilience of his body.

    ...The Azure Blade, however, was not as lucky.

    With a sorrowful ring, the blade shattered, breaking off near the crossguard. Beautiful shards of blue steel fell to the ground.

    Sunny gritted his teeth, knowing what would happen next.

    The Spell spoke, announcing the destruction of his trusty sword.

    [Your Memory has been��]

    He didn't get to hear the rest of the sentence, because, in the next moment, his body collided with the ground. Sunny bounced a couple of times, feeling flashes of pain radiating through his bones, rolled, and finally came to a stop.

    He was comparatively fine.

    Standing up, Sunny stumbled and barely managed to remain on his feet. He glanced around and noticed that the trunk of the great tree was not that far away.

    Two dozen meters away, the Carapace Demon was slowly turning his head, planning to concentrate his murderous rage on Nephis. This was the exact opposite of what Sunny had to achieve.

    He had to attract the monster's attention somehow.

    But what could he do?

    As the remains of the Azure Blade began to shine with soft light in his hand, ready to disintegrate into a rain of sparks, Sunny raised his hand and threw the broken sword with as much force as he could gather.

    However, he didn't throw it at the demon.

    Instead, he threw it at the miraculous tree, as though trying to harm it.

    Not far away, the demon suddenly froze, even if only for a second. His scarlet eye followed the shining Memory as it flew through the air, approaching the trunk of the great tree.

    Then the broken sword fell apart, turning into a shower of white sparks, which then disappeared without a trace. None of them even touched the obsidian bark.

    However, the Azure Blade had already fulfilled its purpose.

    It distracted the giant for a few precious moments.

    For Changing Star, that was more than enough.

 Chapter 72 Demon Slayers

    Chapter 72 Demon Slayers

    As soon as the Carapace Demon froze, distracted by the feigned threat to the great tree, Nephis lunged forward. There was no hesitation, no doubt, not even the slightest pause between the moment her enemy had lowered his defenses and her reckless attack.

    Just like Sunny had been utterly focused on observing the monster's movements before, she had been watching and waiting for this exact moment since the beginning of the battle. Changing Star knew that, when the opportunity presents itself, it will only last for a second.

    Even that single second almost cost Sunny his life. Nephis wasn't going to waste it.

    Her graceful figure flew through the air like an arrow released from a powerful bow, almost leaving afterimages behind. The silver blade of her longsword glimmered, reflecting the light of dawn. The black and white armor seemed to turn into a blur.

    She was going all in, rushing at the enemy without leaving herself even the slightest chance to retreat.

    'Wh��'

    Things were happening too fast for Sunny to form a coherent thought. He could only watch, time slowing down to a crawl, a storm of emotions raging in his mind.

    The demon reacted almost immediately, recognizing the threat. But "almost" didn't count on a battlefield. A moment of distraction was all it took to lose everything. That one mistake, no matter how small, had been enough to seal his fate.

    ��If Nephis was really capable of breaking through the creature's indestructible carapace, that is. Otherwise, it was all for nothing, and they would be the ones dying, instead.

    The fearsome giant moved his scythe, trying to slice her apart. The pincer flashed from the other side, threatening to crush her body into pulp. But he was a fraction of a second too late.

    Changing Star was just a tiny bit faster.

    As she ran, something changed about the cadence of her steps. Sunny couldn't see her face behind the visor of her helmet, but if he could, he would see a grimace of agony contorting Neph's pale face.

    In the next moment, a soft white radiance ignited beneath the skin of her hands. However, this time, it didn't stay there. Instead, the white flame flowed outward, into the hilt of the silver sword, and then into its blade.

    The sword suddenly turned into a sharp radiant edge, burning with incandescent white light. It shined so brightly that Sunny felt the desire to close his eyes.

    However, the radiance wasn't soft and warm anymore. Instead, it seemed to be capable of reducing anything it touched to ash and sharp enough to cut the fabric of the world itself.

    Perhaps, it was even sharp enough to cut the strings of fate.

    Sunny remembered how Nephis had described her Aspect Ability�� "it can be used for healing". Back then, he had suspected that this phrase of hers implied that there was more to it. He even marveled at how precious and rare such an Ability would be.

    It seemed as though he was right. Changing Star's miraculous flame was capable of both healing and destroying. It possessed an enhancing effect similar to his own Shadow Control, at least when applied to weapons. Who knew what else it could do?

    An incredible Ability indeed.

    Looking back, he understood that Nephis had not tortured herself in vain. All the times she pretended to meditate while enduring the excruciating agony of her Flaw in secret were meant to make this moment possible. To give her enough fortitude to use this Ability in battle without passing out from the pain.

    She succeeded. The question was�� would that be enough?

    Was her sword strong enough to break the mighty carapace of the Awakened demon? After all, no matter how incredible the Ability, it was still powered by a weak Dormant soul core of a lowly Sleeper.

    ��They were about to find out.

    A few steps away from the Carapace Demon's towering torso, Nephis bent her legs and jumped, soaring high into the air. Her sword flashed forward in a vicious thrust, so fast that, for a moment, it looked like a beam of pure white sunlight.

    Then, it collided with the strange alloy of the giant's lustrous armor�� right at the spot where his heart was supposed to be.

    'Of course!'

    Back when they were hiding in the dead leviathan's empty spine, Cassie had told them about her vision. In that vision, she saw the Carapace Demon being attacked by a terrible creature of the deep dark sea. In the aftermath of the battle, the demon was severely wounded and on the verge of dying.

    The most horrible wound was on his chest, where the armor was torn apart and shattered, revealing the monster's beating heart. With time, all his injuries had healed.

    Except for this one.

    While the carapace of the demon seemed to have recovered, in truth, it was never fully restored. In this one spot, the armor was secretly weakened. And it was exactly to that spot that Nephis had delivered her blow.

    It didn't matter whether her radiant sword was really capable of breaking through the impregnable armor of the Awakened creature, because she attacked the only weak spot on his body, the place where his armor had already been broken.

    ��With a flash of white light, the incandescent sword pierced through the metal of the demon's carapace and plunged into his body, unleashing a fury of fire inside the adamantine shell.

    It seemed as though the giant was suddenly illuminated from within, with beams of light shining through the cracks in his armor. For a moment, the surreal sight was burned into Sunny's mind.

    Then, Changing Star's sword had reached the Carapace Demon's heart and sliced it apart, incinerating everything around it and making the azure blood of the fearsome creature boil and evaporate.

    Sunny's legs buckled, and he gracelessly fell on his ass.

    'Wh��wha�� We did it?'

    The demon staggered. His arms slowly rose, as though trying to pull Nephis into a final embrace. But then, as his body twitched, they fell to the ground.

    Neph landed in the sand and jumped back, ready to defend herself.

    But there was no need.

    The proud guardian of the Ashen Barrow was dying. The scarlet light in his one remaining eye was dimming, any semblance of intelligence quickly disappearing from his gaze.

    The demon heavily slumped, all remnants of strength abandoning his mighty body. Turning his head with incredible effort, he cast one last look on the great tree. Then, his gaze stopped on Sunny.

    There was no fury or madness in that gaze anymore. Only some strange, calm, inexplicable emotion. It almost felt like�� relief.

    Before Sunny could discern the meaning of that emotion, the last glimmer of light was gone from the eye of the Carapace Demon. His head rolled back and fell.

    They won.

    In front of the giant body, Nephis had dismissed her helmet. Behind it, her face was pale and tired, her hair sticking to it in a sweaty mess. The afterglow of the white radiance was already extinguished, leaving her eyes grey once again.

    Changing Star kneeled, then lay down on her back, too exhausted to move.

    The whole fight lasted less than a minute, but it took everything out of both of them.

    Sunny followed Neph's example and lay on the ground, trying to catch his breath.

    They actually won. He couldn't quite believe it.

    'I want to sleep for a week.'

    Remembering that Cassie was still waiting in the branches of the great tree, not knowing who lived and who died, Sunny sighed. A few moments later, he deeply inhaled.

    Then, straining his vocal cords, he screamed at the top of his lungs.

    In the silence of the morning, in the center of the tall hill covered with ashen sand, under the branches of a beautiful, giant tree, a strange shout could be heard:

    "One demon steak, coming right up!"

 Chapter 73 The Circle Of Death

    Chapter 73 The Circle Of Death

    A few minutes later, Sunny heard a noise coming from somewhere above. Looking in that direction, he noticed that Cassie was standing at the edge of the wide branch, gripping the golden rope in her hands.

    Before he could react, the blind girl was already climbing down. She was very cautious, but also quite nimble for someone without sight.

    He blinked.

    'Is she crazy? That's dangerous!'

    But he was worried for nothing. Cassie quickly reached the ground and let go of the rope, safe and sound. She then summoned her staff and took a hesitant step, trying to remember where his shout had come from.

    Sunny made his presence known and guided her by saying:

    "I'm here!"

    The blind girl turned her head in his direction and walked forward, carefully feeling the ground in front of her with the staff. Because of how uneven the surface of the island had become, it took her longer than usual to reach him.

    Just as she was about to walk past, Sunny spoke again:

    "Hey, Cas."

    Cassie stopped and lowered her head with a surprised expression. Then, she asked:

    "Why are you lying on the ground?"

    He smiled weakly.

    "Ah, it's very comfortable."

    Suddenly, the blind girl frowned and asked in a worried tone:

    "Are you hurt?"

    Sunny shook his head with a sigh. His sense of humor was not always appreciated. In fact, it had often landed him in hot water in the past.

    "Just bruised all over. Nothing serious. I'm just really tired�� that one was really intense."

    Since Cassie was still frowning, he thought for a moment and added:

    "Neph is also fine. She's resting a bit further away."

    Finally, the delicate girl relaxed. Her face cleared, and she offered him a hesitant smile.

    "You really killed that demon?"

    Sunny cast a gaze at the giant corpse and closed his eyes.

    "Yeah. He's very dead."

    Both of them were silent for some time. Sunny was on the verge of falling asleep when Cassie carefully asked:

    "So�� you're just going to continue lying here?"

    He opened his eyes and blinked, trying to remember what was going on.

    'Oh, right. It's morning. There are things we have to do��'

    The last day was excruciatingly long and exhausting. They had to make preparations to execute the plan, race to the top of the hill, climb the great tree, hide themselves in its branches, risk their lives to set the demon on fire, not to mention the�� all the stuff that happened after. All culminating in the short but terrifying battle against the creature itself.

    And yet, it was not time to rest yet. They had to take basic precautions, at least.

    Straining his exhausted body, Sunny stood up and offered Cassie his shoulder. After she placed her hand on it, he walked over to the Carapace Demon's corpse, stopping at the spot where Nephis was sprawled in the sand.

    She greeted them with a tired glance.

    "Good morning."

    Out of habit, Changing Star tried to force a polite smile. However, today it did not look very convincing.

    'Huh, I give it 3.6 out of ten. Not great, not terrible.'

    Soon, the three of them were sitting in a circle, passing around the glass bottle full of cold, refreshing water. Sunny was in the middle of describing their fight with the Carapace Demon:

    "... so he got distracted for a few moments. That's when Neph attacked. She used her Aspect Ability to ignite her sword and struck at the weakened patch of armor on the demon's chest, the one you told us about. It really was not as strong as the rest of his carapace, so the sword went through and pierced the bastard's heart."

    Sunny noted that Cassie did not seem surprised at the mention of Changing Star's new trick. Either she knew all along because Nephis had told her, or she saw something in one of her visions. Regardless, he decided not to press the topic.

    "The demon was already severely wounded from his fight with the�� the thing from the sea, so it was enough to finish him off. A few seconds later, he was dead."

    Cassie shook her head in astonishment.

    "That is�� incredible. Two Sleepers killing an awakened demon! I thought that stuff like that only happens in webtoons."

    Nephis corrected her:

    "Three Sleepers. Without your vision and advice, we wouldn't have been able to do anything."

    The blind girl lowered her face, a little embarrassed.

    "Still. Two or three, it doesn't really change a lot, does it?"

    Sunny looked from one girl to another, then finally turned to Cassie.

    "You're right, it's not something one would expect to happen. But, anyway�� I promised to cook demon meat for you after this is over, didn't I? Are you ready to witness my incredible culinary talent?"

    He smiled, already tasting the juicy, tender meat in his mouth. However, Cassie suddenly frowned, a hesitant expression appearing on her face.

    "I�� I don't know about that."

    He raised his eyebrows.

    "What? Why?"

    She lingered before answering.

    "Well, it just seems weird to eat the meat of an intelligent creature. Even if it was evil. I didn't think about it before, but now�� uh. It just doesn't seem right, I guess."

    Sunny blinked. Actually, he did not think about it either. In retrospect, the idea of making steaks out of a creature whose intelligence was comparable to theirs did seem a little wrong. Even if that creature was a bloodthirsty demon who would have swallowed them whole without a second thought.

    It was just how things worked in the Dream Realm. Monsters devoured humans, and humans devoured monsters. It was the circle of life... death? The circle of death.

    But the Carapace Demon was not only smart. He had his own thoughts and personality. Even though Nightmare Creatures were universally insane and obsessed with murder and destruction, just like he was, there were also other qualities to the ironclad giant.

    He was proud and fearless, even valiant. When fighting against the terrifying monsters of the dark sea, he did not hesitate to stand his ground, refusing to surrender. Cooking the meat of someone like that could indeed be considered�� strange.

    'How come Teacher Julius did not educate me on the ethics of eating your enemies? What an oversight!'

    Misunderstanding Sunny's silence, Cassie blushed and said:

    "Sorry. I know it seems ridiculous, but that's just how I feel. You and Neph don't have to do the same."

    Sunny shook his head.

    "No, you might be right. I understand�� sort of. It's just that we didn't bring any supplies with us, so we won't be able to eat anything unless we go hunting."

    The blind girl sighed. Then, her face brightened and she said:

    "What about the great tree's fruits? I bet they're delicious!"

    Sunny looked at her in amazement.

    "Are you serious?"

    Cassie was visibly confused by his question.

    "Uh�� yes? Why?"

    He blinked a couple of times before answering.

    "That tree is magnificent and pretty, but it's also very strange and suspicious. Why is it able to grow here when nothing else can? I'm pretty sure that it's the reason why all the coral around the Ashen Barrow is dead. Have you seen anything else capable of damaging the labyrinth itself?"

    Sunny looked at Cassie, then at Nephis, trying to show how serious he was about this.

    "In any case, it's too creepy. I don't think that we should eat these fruits. Who knows what they'll do to us?"

    The blind girl smiled.

    "You're being a little paranoid, don't you think? A tree is a tree. Actually, I think it's a wonderful example of how life can prevail against all odds, even in this terrible place. I'm willing to bet that its fruits are perfectly fine."

    He stared at her, not knowing what to say. How could Cassie be so dismissive of his completely valid concern? That wasn't like her at all. Unpleasantly surprised, Sunny turned to Neph, hoping that she would support him.

    Changing Star thought things through before speaking. Then, she said in a measured voice:

    "Sunny is right. There are too many strange things about that tree. Eating its fruits would be too risky."

    'Finally, a voice of reason!'

    He exhaled, relieved.

    However, his heart was still inexplicably gripped with worry.

    As Cassie sighed with disappointment, Changing Star turned to him and asked:

    "The Echo was destroyed?"

    Sunny's face darkened. He was still pained by the loss of his loyal scavenger.

    "Yeah. The demon acted faster than I had expected. He killed it before I could do anything."

    Nephis frowned.

    "Too bad. Our speed will be severely reduced."

    'Have you no heart, woman?! At least pretend to be sad! My poor Echo is gone!'

    His shadow shook its head, amazed at the childishness of its master. Sunny was also surprised by his reaction, considering that his own first thought after the Echo had died was about how much money he wouldn't be able to make by selling it.

    "Yeah. It's a�� uh�� pity."

    Changing Star gave him a nod and then asked:

    "You also lost your sword?"

    Sunny sighed and gritted his teeth.

    "Yes. It shattered when I blocked the demon's scythe."

    Which hurt even more than the death of his scavenger. Azure Blade was his first sword. He fought and trained with it for a long time. It was already like a part of him.

    And now it was gone.

    Nephis raised a hand.

    "Well, you're in luck. I received a Memory after killing the Carapace Demon. It's a weapon��"

 Chapter 74 Midnight Shard

    Chapter 74 Midnight Shard

    Sunny's heart skipped a bit.

    Instantly, he forgot all about the Azure Blade. Yes, that sword held a certain sentimental value�� but who the hell cares about sentimentality?! It came from a carapace scavenger, which wasn't bad at all for his current rank. Few Sleepers got to wield Awakened weapons.

    But this new Memory came from an actual awakened demon! A demon!

    That made it an Awakened Memory of the third tier, two whole tiers above the Azure Blade. There were seven tiers in total, corresponding to the seven classes of Nightmare Creatures, from beasts to titans. Strictly speaking, a higher tier did not always mean that a Memory will be more powerful, but generally, the more advanced a creature was, the more unique and formidable Memories it left behind.

    That's why the Puppeteer's Shroud, which came from an awakened tyrant and was thus considered to be a Tier Five Awakened armor, was so precious.

    'Please, be awesome!'

    Sunny tried very hard to not let his excitement show on his face. Pretending to be nonchalant, he kept his voice even and said:

    "Really? That's good."

    Nephis took his hand, ruining all Sunny's attempts to appear calm, and closed her eyes. Hiding the startled expression on his face, Sunny felt a spark of energy travel from her body to his. It was just like that time he transferred the Starlight Legion Armor to her, only in reverse.

    [You have received a Memory: Midnight Shard.]

    'Huh. Cool name.'

    He summoned the runes and impatiently searched for the description of his new weapon.

    Memory: [Midnight Shard].

    Memory Rank: Awakened.

    Memory Type: Weapon.

    Memory Description: [Forged from the shard of a fallen star, this stalwart blade is firm and unyielding. It favors those who are willing to fight to the last drop of blood and knows no surrender.]

    'Interesting.'

    Not wasting any time, Sunny summoned the Midnight Shard. Immediately, an elegant sword appeared in his hand.

    The sword looked a bit like the Azure Blade, but only in the sense that it was single-edged and had a long hilt suitable for two hands. However, this was where the similarities ended. For starters, its blade was much longer, somewhere between seventy and eighty centimeters, and slightly curved. It was forged out of the same bright, lustrous metal as the Carapace Demon's armor.

    It was incredibly sharp.

    The hilt was made out of polished black wood, quite similar in appearance to the onyx branches of the great tree. The crossguard was round in shape and more pronounced than that of the Azure Blade, offering better support and protection to the wielder's hand.

    The sword had no decorations, no ornaments, no embellishments. It was simple and austere, like a true weapon designed for battle and battle alone. It seemed to radiate a cold, fearsome aura.

    As soon as his hand touched the Midnight Shard, Sunny felt that this sword possessed an unbreakable will. Its blade was strong enough to withstand devastating blows without suffering any damage. With this sword in his hand, nothing would be able to leave Sunny unarmed again.

    More than that, there was a strange new sensation somewhere deep in his heart. When Sunny held the Midnight Shard, he could feel a subtle presence, as though there was a deep well of power hiding inside of him, just beyond reach. He couldn't quite understand how to access that power yet, but it was certainly real.

    'I guess I'll have to win its "favor" first. But how do I do it? Hmm. I'll have to experiment later.'

    Admiring his new weapon, Sunny looked at Nephis and said:

    "Even I know what type of sword this is. It's a�� a katana, right?"

    She studied the Midnight Shard and then answered:

    "Technically, it's a tachi. It's longer than a traditional katana and has a slightly different blade shape. But they're quite similar."

    A tachi�� well, it sounded nice anyway. And most of the principles he had learned with the Azure Blade could be applied to a sword of this type as well, since they shared the same foundation.

    The new acquisition wasn't quite enough to make Sunny forget about the loss of the Echo, but his mood did improve significantly. He liked the Midnight Shard... a lot. There was beauty in its simple, resolute design.

    It was understated and deadly. Kind of like Sunny himself.

    It was a significant upgrade.

    Suddenly, a dark thought appeared in Sunny's mind. Glancing at Nephis, he cleared his throat and said after a bit of hesitation:

    "Uh�� it's a very nice weapon. Tier three, no less. Are you sure that you don't want to keep it for yourself?"

    Changing Star was the one to deal the final blow to the Carapace Demon, after all. By right, the Memory belonged to her. But Sunny really, really hoped that she would refuse.

    Nephis shook her head.

    "I already have a sword. It suits me."

    Inwardly, Sunny sighed with relief.

    'Good,' he thought. 'Makes you wonder, though �� if she's unwilling to exchange her longsword for a tier-three weapon�� then what is the tier of that silver sword of hers?'

    He didn't buy the idea that it simply suited Changing Star better even for a second. She had told him herself that the principle of using these types of swords was basically the same. Upgrading to the Midnight Shard and giving the old weapon to Sunny would not have caused her any problem. The only reason she would refuse it was that it would have been a downgrade, instead.

    Once again, he became curious about the exact circumstances of how Neph had gotten her True Name. To receive his own, Sunny had to kill an awakened tyrant. Could it be possible that she had done the same? Or even�� something more incredible?

    But he was too tired to try and fish for information.

    They all were.

    Afraid that the strange winged creature they had seen devouring a dead centurion would appear again, this time to claim the remains of the Carapace Demon, the three Sleepers relocated to a far side of the island and hid behind the trunk of the great tree.

    Only when they were sure that nothing would be able to notice them from above did they finally allow the exhaustion to prevail and went to sleep. Sunny fell into dreamless darkness almost instantly, happy to finally be able to rest.

    However, this time something strange happened.

    He actually saw a dream.

    'Strange,' Sunny thought. 'This isn't supposed to happen in the Dream Realm�� right?'

    Then, there was no more time to think��

 Chapter 75 Broken Dreams

    Chapter 75 Broken Dreams

    Sunny woke up from the insistent sense of alarm coming from his shadow. Groggy and disoriented, he opened his eyes and sat up.

    'Wh��what's wrong?'

    He looked down at the shadow and saw it repeatedly pointing up with a tense expression on its�� well, it didn't have a face. He could just tell that it was nervous.

    'Trouble?'

    Sunny looked up and saw nothing but the scarlet leaves of the great tree. The sky was hidden, but he could easily tell that the sun was still up. It seemed that he was asleep for just a few hours.

    There was no threat anywhere in sight. He frowned.

    'What got you so spooked?'

    The shadow just pointed up again, seemingly irritated by his stupidity. Sunny blinked a couple of times and addressed it again:

    'High in the tree? Higher? In the sky?'

    Finally satisfied, the shadow crossed its arms.

    'Something dangerous is above the island�� that creepy raven thing again?'

    He had to check�� but why did he feel as though he was forgetting something?

    Sunny scowled, trying to understand where this feeling of missing something important had come from. What was there to miss? He was asleep, then woke up and conversed with the shadow.

    Asleep��

    Suddenly, he remembered bits and pieces of a strange dream. At least it seemed like a dream�� was it? People weren't supposed to dream in the Dream Realm. It was just how things worked�� from what he knew, only Cassie seemed to be an exception from this rule.

    He didn't remember much about this supposed dream of his, with even the remaining fragments already fading from his memory. There was a�� a woman grabbing him by the shoulders, an expression of horror and panic on her face. She was saying something, but he couldn't hear what.

    No, not a woman. It was�� Cassie? Yes, it was her. And the thing she was saying��

    Sunny strained his memory, trying to catch the pieces of the dream before they completely disappeared.

    'Yeah, I think she was saying�� uh��'

    Suddenly, he could clearly hear Cassie's frightened, tense voice as she was hurriedly telling him to remember something, repeating the same sentence over and over again in a begging tone:

    "...you have to remember, Sunny! Five! It's five! Remember! You have to remember! It's five!"

    'What a strange dream.'

    Sunny cast a glance at Cassie, who was sleeping peacefully near Neph, and shook his head in bewilderment. He wasn't sure if this memory of his was really a dream or some strange scene he had imagined right before falling asleep. With how the Dream Realm worked, he was leaning toward the latter possibility.

    'Still. I better tell the girls when��'

    He was distracted from this thought by the shadow, which waved its hands impatiently.

    'Oh, right. There's a threat in the sky��'

    Instantly, Sunny had forgotten all about his intention to share the contents of this strange memory of his with Nephis and Cassie. In fact, he had forgotten that it was strange and possibly important altogether.

    This lapse in his judgment was sudden and unnatural, but since Sunny couldn't remember things that he had forgotten, he didn't notice anything amiss and went about his business as if nothing had happened.

    ��If he did, he could have realized that this might not have been the first time he had forgotten something important since they arrived at the Ashen Barrow.

    Standing up, Sunny summoned the Midnight Shard and glanced darkly at the blood-red leaves of the great tree. Feeling the coolness of the black polished hilt in his hand, he felt a little calmer.

    Woken up by his quiet movements, Nephis opened her eyes and looked at him, her body tensing up. There was a silent question in her eyes.

    Sunny shook his head.

    "I don't know yet. Stay with Cassie while I check things out."

    Leaving the girls behind, Sunny walked forward. He was planning to reach the edge of the island, where the branches of the colossal tree were not as thick and the sky could be seen through the openings in its crown.

    Technically, he could have sent his shadow to do this instead of going himself. But in situations like this, where the danger was unknown, Sunny usually preferred to keep the shadow close by in case he needed to use it.

    Reaching the eastern slope of the Ashen Barrow, he carefully looked up, still hidden in the shadow of the great tree.

    Up above in the vast grey sky, a small black dot was circling around the island.

    Sunny's chest became heavy with wariness. Back when the terrible winged beast had first appeared, it looked exactly like this from the distance.

    Leaving the shadow behind to keep watch on the black dot, he returned and briefly told Nephis and Cassie about his discovery.

    "Right now, it's just flying above the island. I don't know if it's the same creature or not, and when it is going to land."

    Changing Star frowned.

    "Last time, it wasn't very interested in searching for live prey. Perhaps it's mostly a carrion eater, and thus is only interested in the Carapace Demon's carcass."

    Cassie offered her own opinion:

    "Maybe we're too weak and little to satiate it? After all, it never came for the corpses of the scavengers we had slain. As if eating mere beasts is beneath it."

    Sunny shook his head.

    "Back then, it did come for the carapace centurion's meat. But it took a few scavengers with it as well before leaving. So it'll be too optimistic to think that this abomination will not try to devour us too if given a chance."

    Nephis thought for a while, then gave him a nod.

    "You're right. The best course of action would be to stay away from the Carapace Demon for now and hide when it decides to land."

    Then, looking up, she added:

    "But first, we must observe it to make sure that it's the same creature and confirm its intentions."

    Not having an argument against this logic, Sunny led the girls to the spot where he had left his shadow. There, they sat on the ground and watched the black dot as it circled around the Ashen Barrow.

    Observing the flying creature left them disturbed and unsure of what to do.

    The black dot drew closer a few times, allowing them to discern that it was indeed the same terrible monstrosity that they had encountered a few weeks before, or at least a creature of the same type. However, it never got too close to the crown of the great tree, as though hesitating to land in its shadow.

    What's worse, as hours passed by, it was joined by two other abominations of the same breed, each as horrifying and repulsive as the first one was. Now, three black dots were circling in the skies above their heads, filling Sunny's heart with dread.

    One of those creatures, with its corpselike white body and raven-black feathers, with an unnatural mess of powerful limbs protruding from its wide chest, each ending with a set of terrifying talons, was enough to wipe out their entire group.

    The memory of how easily the creature had broken through the adamantine shell of the carapace centurion with its massive beak was still fresh in his mind. He suspected that these abominations were at least as powerful as the Carapace Demon was, or perhaps even more so.

    And now there were three of them.

    'We'd better hide well.' he thought, cold sweat running down his back.

    However, the flying monsters seemed to be reluctant to approach the Ashen Barrow for some reason. They just circled around it, sometimes hesitantly approaching, but then gaining height again. Their behavior was strange and disturbing.

    After some time, Cassie quietly said:

    "Maybe they're not hungry?"

    Sunny blinked, trying to imagine a world where a Nightmare Creature might not be hungry. Was it even possible?

    He, on the other hand��

    "I don't know about these albino chickens, but I'm hungry as hell."

    This was true. The three of them had not eaten anything since yesterday. Sunny was afraid that if the abominations did decide to land on the island, the loud growls of his stomach would give away his position.

    Nephis glanced and him and asked:

    "Want to eat some grilled chicken?"

    Sunny opened his eyes wide and hissed:

    "Don't even think about it!"

    She stared at him, then turned away with a smile.

    'That was�� a joke? She knows how to joke?'

    Well�� at least someone's sense of humor was worse than his.

    ��In the end, their worst fears did not come true. After the sun began to roll toward the horizon, the three flying abominations finally made a decision and left the skies above the Ashen Barrow, flying west in a loose wedge formation. They never descended low enough to notice the three Sleepers, let alone landing on the surface of the large island.

    Sunny was left drenched in sweat and tired from anticipating a disaster, almost disappointed at the fact that all this worrying had turned out to be for nothing. Looking at Cassie, who couldn't see that the danger had passed, he said:

    "They're gone."

    The blind girl exhaled with relief and relaxed, the frown disappearing from her face.

    "Thank Heavens. Sitting here and waiting was five times worse than hiding from one of them at those cliffs."

    For some reason, Sunny flinched a little.

    "What�� what did you say?"

    "I said that waiting for them to land was very tiresome."

    He blinked, not understanding why he had reacted so strangely to this innocuous sentence. Did he see a dream having to do with Cassie and number five? Right, he did. Not that it was anything to think twice about.

    "Oh, yeah. You're right."

    Then he turned to Nephis and asked:

    "What do you want to do now?"

    Changing Star looked west, where the black dots had disappeared from sight, and said after a short pause:

    "Let's check the western edge of the island and decide on the next high point to reach."

    Sunny shrugged, not having any objections.

    Cassie smiled:

    "Good idea! Who knows, maybe we'll finally see the walls of the castle!"

    ***

    Soon, they had crossed the island and approached its western slope. Here, the ground was raised just before plunging down, forming a natural rampart that hid the landscape from their eyes.

    Nephis was the first to climb up and reach the top.

    Sunny was just behind her when he felt that something was wrong. Changing Star's posture was somehow strange, stiff and rigid, as though she had suddenly turned to stone.

    Stepping on the ashen surface of the natural rampart, he worriedly looked at Nephis and noticed a grim, resentful expression on her face. He had never seen her in such a state before.

    Turning his head, Sunny looked west and then narrowed his eyes. His face instantly darkened.

    Feeling the desire to curse, Sunny gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Inside his head, only one word was repeating over and over again.

    'Damn! Damn! Damn!'

 Chapter 76 The Abyss

    Chapter 76 The Abyss

    Beyond the western edge of the Ashen Barrow, the landscape of the Forgotten Shore was not at all like what Sunny had expected �� and hoped �� to see.

    On this side of the island, the slope was much steeper. At the spot where it was supposed to end, the familiar sight of the flat wasteland was nowhere to be seen. Instead, the ground continued to slope downward at a less drastic, but still considerably sharp angle.

    It continued far into the distance. In fact, the whole island appeared to be standing on the edge of a colossal depression in the earth, one that stretched as far as the eye could see. With its edges slightly curved, it resembled a giant crater left behind by an unimaginable impact.

    From what Sunny was able to observe, the crater's diameter could only be calculated in hundreds of kilometers. The roots of the giant tree, which could be seen protruding from the soil far below, seemed like tiny blades of grass in comparison to the sheer size of the abyssal chasm's wall.

    It was like the whole world was tilted on its side, making Sunny's head spin.

    In short, there were no more high natural features to the west of them. The only way forward was to go down, with no hope of finding shelter from the crushing torrents of the dark sea.

    Which meant that there was no way forward at all. Their journey to the west had come to an end.

    And with it, all hope of finding a gateway to the real world was lost.

    Sunny stared at the desolate landscape, feeling rage and disbelief clawing at his heart. He just couldn't believe that all their struggles were for nothing. But the proof was right in front of him, real and undeniable.

    'Damn it! Damn it all!'

    He tried to think of some cunning way to solve the situation, but there was nothing his imagination could come up with. The dark sea with all its horrors drowned the world every night, and the only way to escape it was to climb high enough before the sunset. With no heights anywhere in sight, what could he do?

    Sunny glanced at Nephis, who seemed to be even more crestfallen than him. Her face had turned into an icy mask, a dark look full of bitterness and resentment in her eyes. He opened his mouth, trying to come up with something to say, but no words came to his mind.

    In the end, they both remained silent until the distant rumble announced the return of the dark see.

    Deep in the colossal crater, dark torrents appeared from beyond the horizon, rushing to fill it to the brim. A little bit stunned, Sunny watched as the water level rapidly rose, finally turning the endless chasm into a vast sea of black. Then, it began to overflow, sending an unstoppable flood of water into the wasteland. Flowing past the Ashen Barrow, it rushed inland, crushing against the coral of the crimson labyrinth.

    Soon, the whole world was covered in seething black water.

    Sunny licked his dry lips and turned to Nephis. After a short pause, he said in a raspy voice:

    "I think we found the source of the dark sea."

    She lingered, watching the last rays of sunshine slowly disappear from the sky, then turned to him with a grim expression on her face.

    "...Let's head back."

    ***

    All three of them felt lost and heartbroken because of the terrible discovery. Cassie in particular seemed to be utterly shocked.

    "It doesn't make sense, it just doesn't," she mumbled on their way to camp. "How could it be?"

    Gripping Sunny's shoulder, she quickened her step and asked:

    "Are you sure that there's nothing higher than the sea level out there? Are you absolutely sure?"

    He sighed, feeling his mood turning even darker than before.

    "Yes. We looked quite thoroughly. The whole land just goes down, down, and down. It stretches to the horizon, as far as we could see, in all directions except for the east. The Ashen Barrow is right on the edge."

    The blind girl shook her head:

    "But how could it be? I've seen that we had reached the castle! There must be a way!"

    Sunny remained silent, not knowing how to answer. If there really was a way, he had no idea about it.

    After a few seconds, Nephis answered instead of him:

    "We will try to come up with something tomorrow. Worst�� worst-case scenario, we'll have to go around the whole thing."

    Sunny trembled at the thought. A journey like that would take months. To circle around the colossal crater, they would have to cover many times more distance than they had in the prior weeks, each day bringing the risk of stumbling onto something beyond their ability to resist.

    And each night bringing the risk of something stumbling onto them��

    The chances of surviving several months in this hellish place were nothing if not abyssal.

    'Ha, ha. Abyssal...'

    With a grimace, he tried to not think of the worst-case scenario. The darkness of the falling night was not the best environment for scary thoughts.

    'Tomorrow. We'll rest, recharge, and think of something tomorrow. It is just like Cassie said�� since she saw us entering the castle, there must be a way.'

    They reached their temporary camp just before the sun had completely disappeared. Lying on the makeshift bed of fallen leaves, Sunny tiredly closed his eyes and thought:

    'I hope I won't see any dreams today.'

    Then, he slightly frowned.

    'Dreams? Since when am I capable of dreaming in this place? Oh, right�� there was that one dream�� or was it a memory? What was it about again�� huh, I can't seem to remember��'

    With that thought disappearing from his mind, he fell asleep.

    ***

    In the morning, the mood between the three of them was pretty somber. No one seemed to want to talk or do anything, aimlessly staring at the ground or the rustling leaves of the great tree.

    In addition to the blow of yesterday's revelation, they were also hungry. The corpse of the Carapace Demon was starting to look more and more appealing, at least to Sunny. However, he was still not at the point of breaking his promise to Cassie.

    Finally, Nephis broke the silence. Standing up, she looked up with grim resolution and said:

    "I'm going to climb to the top of the tree and take a look around. Maybe I'll notice something that we missed from up high."

    Sunny stared at the giant tree, suddenly feeling incredibly small. It was truly enormous. The Ashen Barrow itself was already much taller than the giant knight's statue and every other shelter they had seen, and the tree almost dwarfed it in size. Climbing all the way up would take a lot of time and effort.

    But maybe she would really be able to notice something from that incredible height.

    He scratched the back of his head and said:

    "Alright. But be careful. Keep an eye on the sky. If you notice those winged abominations again, come back down."

    Changing Star gave him a nod and headed for the tree. Without turning her head, she calmly said as a farewell:

    "Take care of Cassie while I'm gone. It shouldn't be more than a few hours."

    Sunny waved a hand and watch her walk away. Then, he tried to think of something to do.

    On a usual day, he would have already started his morning training. But today, he was too hungry.

    'Come on. Hunger is not an excuse. Do you think you'll always have a full stomach before a battle? No! So get up and train. Don't you want to try how the Midnight Shard feels in your hand?'

    With a sigh, Sunny got up.

    He trained for an hour, enjoying the swift and reliable feeling of his new sword. The long tachi was truly incredible. It was light, maneuverable, and unrelenting. Its edge sang as it cut the air. Sunny already felt as though it was a part of him.

    His movements were fluid and measured, almost elegant.

    After the training session was over, he decided to do something useful.

    Walking over to the Carapace Demon's corpse, Sunny spent some time prying the soul shard out of it. In the end, he gathered all three of the crystals with some effort and stashed them into the seaweed rucksack.

    What to do now?

    After a bit of pondering, he suddenly got an idea and tried to find the place from his memory �� the one where the Carapace Demon had dropped the transcendent soul shard into the sand. That shard had been brought to the Ashen Barrow by the subservient centurion and would be a real treat for Neph or Cassie.

    He quickly found the right spot. However, no matter how hard Sunny looked, he couldn't find the alluring crystal. In the process, a couple more hours had passed by.

    'Stange. It was quite large. Where could it be?'

    He was determined to continue the search. But, at that moment, the shadow that he had left with Cassie noticed movement in the branches of the great tree.

    Nephis was back.

    Sunny walked back to the camp, thinking about what she had found. Was there hope for them after all? Or was there only more bad news?

    By the time he returned, Neph and Cassie were sitting on the ground with relaxed expressions on their faces.

    'She saw something?' Sunny thought, suddenly excited.

    But in the next second, his eyes widened.

    The two girls were holding something in their hands, their lips painted red. They were... eating.

    They were eating the fruits of the great tree.

 Chapter 77 Enthralled

    Chapter 77 Enthralled

    Sunny stumbled and looked at his companions in utter shock.

    Nephis and Cassie were each holding a large, round, glistening fruit. The skin of these fruits was smooth and black as onyx, while the succulent insides were red as ruby. Their hands, chins and lips were smeared with red juice, making it look as though they were feasting on blood.

    The air was filled with an alluring, sweet aroma.

    Sunny recoiled...

    But his stomach involuntarily growled, reminding him how hungry he was.

    Nephis looked at Sunny and offered him a relaxed smile.

    "Hey."

    He stared at her, lost for words. Finally, after a few seconds had passed, Sunny collected himself and screamed:

    "What do you mean "hey"?! What the hell are you doing?!"

    His voice was loud, full of disbelief and anger.

    Both Neph and Cassie turned to face him. They were visibly confused.

    "Why are you shouting?"

    Sunny gaped at them, feeling like he had lost his mind. Why were they so nonchalant about this? What was going on here?!

    Trying to find some sense in the situation, he took a cautious step forward and looked at Nephis. Did she�� wait�� what was he thinking about?

    He was so hungry. It was hard to concentrate on anything except for food��

    Shaking off the unexpected memory lapse, Sunny remembered what he was about to say and pressed:

    "Why did you change your mind?"

    Changing Star frowned.

    "Changed my mind? About what?"

    He clenched his teeth, thinking that she was trying to fool him.

    "About the fruits! I thought we had agreed to avoid eating them!"

    Nephis blinked, a confused expression appearing on her face.

    "Did we? ...Why?"

    Sunny opened his mouth to answer, but then froze.

    Actually, why did they make that agreement?

    'Uh�� I can't quite remember.'

    He was sure that there was a reason, but his memory was completely blank. There definitely was an agreement�� wasn't there?

    He was pretty sure that there was, at least up until a few moments ago. Now, however�� huh�� did he imagine the whole thing? There really was no reason not to eat the alluring fruits. Especially when the three of them were so hungry��

    'No, wait�� that's not right!'

    "Are you alright, Sunny?"

    He flinched and glanced at Nephis, who was looking at him with concern. Suddenly, Sunny felt lost and confused. What were they talking about? Something�� something about some sort of agreement?

    What agreement?

    Not knowing how to answer, he just stood there with a frown on his face and pouted.

    'Ugh, this is embarrassing. Did I completely space out while she was talking to me?'

    Fortunately, Cassie quickly came to his rescue. She always knew how to make the situation less awkward.

    "Are you angry because we started eating without you?"

    He looked at her and noticed the big, delicious fruit in her hands. His stomach growled.

    'So hungry��'

    "Uh�� I guess?"

    Cassie smiled and pointed to the ground, where another fruit was placed on the pile of fallen leaves. Her teeth were smeared with red juice.

    "Don't worry! Neph brought three of them, one for each."

    'How nice of her��'

    Sunny picked up the fruit, looked at it, and took a bite without thinking.

    Instantly, his mouth was filled with delightful, cool sweetness. The succulent, juicy fruit was probably the most delicious thing he had ever tasted. It was both nourishing and refreshing, with rich texture and soft, lingering aftertaste. The ruby flesh practically melted on his tongue, making his whole body tingle. It was pure joy in the form of a fruit.

    'Wow!'

    Despite his delight, Sunny felt disturbed for some reason. Something was very wrong about the whole situation�� but what?

    Taking another bite, he frowned and tried to understand the source of this anxious feeling. It was hard to think about anything except for how heavenly the fruit of the Soul Tree tasted, but he forced himself to concentrate.

    'Huh�� Soul Tree? Since when... wait, don't get distracted...'

    Sunny was finally able to pinpoint the source of the strangeness. It was his shadow. When he reached out to pick up the fruit, the shadow did not copy his movements, as though reluctant to touch it.

    Even now it was motionless, refusing to mimic him eating the fruit.

    'Weird. What is it with this guy?'

    Sunny took one more bite and looked at the shadow, lost in thought.

    The shadow had an eccentric temper, but it rarely did something without a reason. If it didn't like the fruit, there had to be something wrong with�� the�� fruit��

    Sunny frowned, suddenly feeling a sense of dread grip his heart.

    There was something�� something wrong with the��

    'Damn, why is it so hard to think about this stuff?!'

    There was something wrong with the fruit? Why would there��

    'Wait, is this why I screamed at Nephis? She broke an agreement�� what was the agreement?'

    Sunny was at the precipice of remembering something very important. He felt as though he just needed to pull on the thread, and the whole truth would reveal itself��

    Something terrible was going to happen if he failed...

    But then, Sunny got distracted.

    Something unexpected happened, something that required his full attention.

    Instantly, he somehow forgot all about the problem with the Soul Tree's fruits.

    Because at that moment, the Spell was talking into his ear:

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    'Wh��what?'

    He blinked, then looked at the delicious fruit in his hands. The Spell announced the increase in his power right after Sunny swallowed his third bite.

    Stunned, he raised his head and looked at Nephis.

    Changing Star, too, was staring at her fruit with a strange expression on her face. Feeling his gaze, she looked up.

    Sunny licked his lips.

    "Did you��"

    At the same time, Nephis said:

    "I just absorbed a point of soul essence."

    Without saying anything, they both turned to Cassie.

    The blind girl was enthusiastically devouring the fruit. Red juice was flowing down her chin and dripping to the ground.

    Stopping for a moment, she smiled.

    "Actually, I received mine a few bites ago."

    Sunny's eyes widened. Excitedly, he summoned the runes and found the right cluster:

    Shadow Fragments: [97/1000].

    He really received a fragment!

    He received a shadow fragment without risking his life in a battle against deadly monsters!

    Finally, Sunny was able to realize why the Carapace Demon had been so fixated on the Soul Tree and its fruits.

    These fruits were pure magic!

    Forgetting all about the uneasy feeling, he raised his hand and greedily bit into the succulent, delicious, nourishing flesh��

    ***

    Late in the evening, when the sun was already hidden behind the horizon and the dark sea had once again turned the Ashen Barrow into a lonely island, the three of them were preparing for the night.

    They had moved their camp to rest between the roots of the great tree. With newfound energy received from consuming miraculous fruits, all their worries seemed to fade.

    With no way to move further west, Nephis, Sunny and Cassie had decided to rest for a few days before making any decisions.

    They deserved a short vacation.

    The Ashen Barrows was a perfect place to recuperate. There were no monsters in the surrounding wasteland, it was large enough to protect them from the horrors of the sea, and they had plenty of food thanks to the Soul Tree.

    What's more, that food could even provide them with power��

    Where else would they be able to grow stronger without risking their lives?

    As far as hell goes, this place was almost a paradise.

    Sunny lay on the makeshift mattress of fallen leaves, feeling relaxed and optimistic for the first time in many, many days.

    Things seemed to be getting better.

    Before falling asleep, he glanced at the mighty branches of the great tree and thought with a bit of regret:

    'With the Carapace Demon gone, there's no one to protect this magnificent tree anymore. When we continue our journey, it will be completely defenseless. What a shame��'

    His consciousness was already half-asleep. However, one last thought entered Sunny's mind right before he completely slipped into the embrace of darkness:

    "What a shame that no one will be here to serve it.... and feed it... and help it spread its seeds��"

 Chapter 78 Bliss

    Chapter 78 Bliss

    In the morning, Sunny was woken up by the gentle rustling of leaves. Opening his eyes, he saw rays of sunshine falling through the scarlet crown of the Soul Tree, painting the world in soft shades of pink. The sight was beautiful and tranquil. It felt as though none of the dangers and terrors of the Dream Realm could reach him here.

    A soft breeze touched his skin, bringing with it coolness and the smell of fallen leaves.

    For the first time in a long while, Sunny felt at peace.

    'Is this what a vacation feels like?'

    If so, their decision to have one was the best decision ever.

    He sat up with a yawn and lazily looked around. Cassie and Nephis were already awake. Seeing them put a smile on Sunny's face.

    'Why the hell am I grinning?'

    Shaking his head, Sunny put on a serious expression and said:

    "Good morning."

    The girls greeted him. Then, Nephis slightly tilted her head and asked:

    "Hey. Do you remember why we didn't leave anyone to keep watch last night?"

    Sunny blinked. Indeed, why hadn't anyone guarded the camp?

    "Uh. No. I guess we were too tired? Plus, it's so safe here. Why deprive ourselves of sleep?"

    She frowned. Sunny expected Changing Star to berate them, but, unexpectedly, she just shrugged.

    "...I guess."

    'Huh. That's not like her. Am I not the only one in a great mood?'

    To make Neph feel better, he pointed down and said:

    "Don't worry. My shadow would have warned us if anything had happened ."

    She seemed to have forgotten about her question already, returning to whatever she had been doing before. All three of them were easily distracted these days. Sunny sighed.

    "So�� what are you guys going to do today?"

    Cassie turned to him with a smile and answered in a teasing tone:

    "Nothing! We're on vacation, remember? So we're just going to rest and relax."

    'Sounds like a plan. Speaking about plans��'

    At that moment, Cassie scowled and said with a comically strict expression:

    "You too, Sunny! You are not allowed to plan, plot and scheme. Just sit back and enjoy the day. Alright?"

    Sunny scratched the back of his head.

    "Alright."

    He felt as though he was forgetting something.

    But what?

    Looking at Nephis, Sunny hesitated and asked:

    "Remind me, why did you climb the Soul Tree yesterday?"

    She glanced at him in confusion.

    "Uh�� I don't really remember. To get the fruits?"

    Sunny smiled at the mention of the miraculous fruits and nodded.

    'Yeah. That makes sense��'

    ***

    A few days passed by. Sunny, Nephis and Cassie spent them idling away, not concerned with anything in the world.

    Their tired bodies and minds needed time to rest.

    They slept until noon, ate the delightful fruits and sat around the fire, talking or simply soaking in the warmth. Sometimes, they would play games or engage in other forms of entertainment.

    Other times, they would keep to themselves, enjoying the almost forgotten feeling of privacy. Sunny had been a loner for most of his life, so these past few weeks that he had spent side by side with other people, without even a minute to himself, were a taxing experience. He relished the opportunity to be alone with his thoughts once again.

    Luckily, the island was large enough for the three of them to stay apart if they didn't wish to be disturbed.

    Not that it happened often.

    At first, he had expected that lazing around doing nothing would very quickly grow boring, but surprisingly, it did not. He felt perfectly fine simply laying on the ground and staring at the gently swaying branches of the Soul Tree, caught in a blissful reverie. In moments like these, he would lose track of time, often realizing that entire hours had passed only when the sun was about to set.

    The concept of time, in general, had become strangely hard to grasp. Sunny wasn't entirely sure how many days they had spent on the peaceful island. He was pretty sure that it was less than a week, but couldn't remember the exact amount.

    Not being able to remember something had become a common occurrence. All three of them were turning increasingly absentminded and forgetful. Sometimes, Sunny would catch himself straining to remember details of his previous life or notice the strangeness of their behavior. But a minute later, he would forget about these concerns, distracted by some innocuous thought or occurrence.

    His memory was becoming hazier and hazier. The only clear things in it were how delicious and refreshing the magical fruits were, how pleasant it was to live under the shade of the Soul Tree, and how magnificent it was.

    The Tree was beautiful, benevolent and generous. It protected them from the cursed blight of the crimson labyrinth, kept the monsters away and provided nourishment both for their bodies and for their soul cores. Sunny was becoming increasingly convinced that finding the majestic Soul Tree was a true blessing.

    The thought of leaving its gifts behind and returning to the horror of the outside world seemed less and less attractive.

    Why leave when they were perfectly happy here?

    Well�� at least two of them were.

    While Nephis was as carefree and tranquil as Sunny and Cassie in the beginning, as time went by, she grew strangely despondent and gloomy. It seemed as though she had reverted back to her old, distant and unsociable self.

    Instead of chatting or relaxing with them, Changing Star ended up spending most of her time sitting on the western edge of the island alone, staring into the distance with bleak eyes. Sunny had no idea what was wrong.

    He was worried about her. Not even the frequent, insistent lapses of memory managed to overcome his concern about Neph.

    On one of the evenings, Sunny approached the western slope of the island, feeling as though his head was about to split from pain. For some reason, he kept forgetting the reason for this visit on the way here. It took all of his willpower to hold on to his intentions.

    He wanted to check on Nephis.

    Just like always, she was sitting at the ridge of the western edge, gazing into the distance. Sunny climbed onto the ridge and sat down, looking at her with hesitation.

    "Hey, Neph."

    Changing Star glanced at him. Her indifferent expression was back, making any attempt to understand her true emotions futile.

    However, it was clear that she was not alright.

    "Hey."

    Sunny scratched the back of his head.

    Was he seeing things, or was her hair a bit longer than before?

    "Why aren't you enjoying the vacation?"

    Changing Star frowned. After a while, she said:

    "Don't we... need to keep moving west?"

    He raised his eyebrows, surprised.

    "West? What is in the west?"

    Neph's frown deepened, turning into a scowl.

    "I�� I don't remember. But I feel�� I feel��"

    She grew silent, then said quietly:

    "I feel like I have to do something very important."

    'Abandon the Soul Tree... what a strange idea.'

    Sunny pondered for some time, trying to understand where she got the idea that they had to move somewhere. Finally, he asked:

    "Why west, of all directions?"

    Nephis turned to him. There was a strange, pained expression on her face. Gritting her teeth, she whispered:

    "I don't know."

    Sunny sighed.

    If she didn't know, then he, of course, had no idea either. All he knew was that he wanted to make her feel better.

    But how?

    Sunny frowned, trying to think of a way. He felt that there was something very obvious that he was forgetting. Something that would instantly erase Neph's suffering...

    When the realization hit him, he froze.

    'Of course! How could I forget...'

    The answer was so clear. He just had to climb the Soul Tree and find an especially juicy fruit for her to eat...

 Chapter 79 Twist Of Fate

    Chapter 79 Twist Of Fate

    It was already dark when Sunny returned to the great tree. Cassie was asleep, snuggled comfortably under her cloak. There was a peaceful smile on her face.

    'Sweet dreams.'

    She wasn't bothered by her terrible visions in a long time. Everything became better since they decided to stay on the tranquil island.

    ��Everything except for Neph's mood. She didn't even bother to return to camp today, staying at the western edge of the barrow. Sunny didn't like that she was so close to the black water.

    He sighed.

    'I need to get some tasty fruits for her as soon as possible.'

    She definitely would not be able to stay sad after eating the magical fruits. They were so sweet and delicious! Sunny began salivating just from thinking about them.

    '...Maybe I'll find one for myself, too.'

    In the beginning, they took turns climbing to the lower branches of the Soul Tree to gather fruits. Lately, though, Nephis seemed to be distracted by her strange melancholy. As the result, the group relied on him to bring down fruits for everyone.

    He had already picked the lowest branches clean, choosing the ripest fruits first. Later ones were smaller and not as heavenly, although they still tasted amazing. Since each fruit was big enough to satiate a person for a long time, they rarely ate more than one in a day. The ripest fruits provided Sunny with one or two shadow fragments, while the smaller ones gave one or even none at all.

    'I wonder how many shadow fragments I accumulated. Should be more than a hundred, right? Maybe even one hundred and ten�� no, no way. We've been here just for a few days, a week at most.'

    He could just summon the runes and check, but somehow that thought didn't even occur to him.

    ��If it did, he would have been horrified.

    Forgetting all about the shadow fragments, Sunny looked up and scratched the back of his head. Initially, he was planning to climb the tree in the morning and explore higher than he had previously gone, looking for the best, most delicious fruit possible to give to Neph. But after thinking about it, he decided to not wait until the night was over.

    He could see perfectly in the dark, after all. And this way, he would be able to give Changing Star a delightful present much sooner.

    Stepping close to the trunk of the miraculous tree, Sunny began climbing. The first stretch was the most difficult since he had nothing to grab except for small cracks and bumps on the smooth, obsidian bark. Reaching the branches required a lot of effort.

    However, he was already accustomed to it. Moving his hands and feet almost on instinct, Sunny got higher and higher. Soon, he was already pulling himself on top of an enormous, wide branch.

    These first branches were as wide as roads. He sat down and rested for some time, enjoying the coolness of the night air.

    Sunny had never climbed the Soul Tree in the dark before. Without the bright sunbeams falling through the leaves, it looked strangely different. The vibrant magnificence was gone, replaced with eerie stillness.

    The rustling of scarlet leaves did not seem calming and tranquil anymore. In fact, it made Sunny shudder. It sounded like... thousands and thousands of trapped souls, all screaming in agony.

    'What's up with me today? How can I even think of such things? What a fool! Good thing that the great tree can't hear me �� otherwise, I'd be so ashamed. Please forgive me, Soul Tree��'

    Shaking his head, Sunny stood up and continued climbing. He was very disappointed in himself. After all the good things that the tree had given them, he had stupidly doubted its benevolence�� its greatness�� its desire to devour�� always ravenous, always growing�� starving, hungry�� forever��

    How ungrateful.

    Why did he even begin to think about�� huh�� what exactly was he thinking about?

    Sunny frowned, failing to recall his train of thought.

    'Ugh, whatever. I'm here to find a tasty fruit for Neph, not practice my reasoning.'

    Climbing higher and higher, he soon abandoned the area that they had explored before. The crown of the great tree was vast enough to form a maze of its own. The large branches grew chaotically in all directions, twisting and crossing each other, with thick foliage blocking lines of sight and making any attempt of looking for the fruits difficult and time-consuming.

    Still, Sunny was determined to continue. He figured that if he went really high, where sunlight was denser, the fruits would be much riper.

    They had never tried a fruit from the higher branches. If he could find a really amazing one, Nephis would have to change her mind and abandon her strange thoughts of leaving the island. After all, these fruits were magical. Maybe she'll even smile!

    Encouraged, Sunny continued climbing.

    Time slowly passed. After a long while, Sunny finally decided that he had climbed high enough. He wasn't sure how many hours ago he had started the ascent, but judging by the soreness of his muscles and the visibly diminished width of the branches, he was somewhere in the upper part of the tree.

    Stepping on one of the branches, he slowly walked forward and looked from side to side. Searching for the fruits was not easy. It required good perception and patience.

    ��And a great sense of equilibrium, of course! Falling from this height would not be a great experience. In fact, it would be his last.

    Carefully observing the surroundings, Sunny moved further and further away from the trunk of the great tree. The branches were softly swaying under his feet. A few times, he jumped from one to another, causing a change in the melody of rustling leaves.

    On the way, he noticed several hanging fruits. They looked ripe and delicious, but none of them was really special. And he wanted to find the most wonderful fruit possible.

    Finally, Sunny got so far that the branches grew really narrow and thin. Now, they were almost the same size as those of a normal tree, barely able to support his weight.

    But he still did not find a suitable gift for Nephis.

    Sunny helplessly looked around, crestfallen. He really thought that he would be able to.

    Then, he noticed something strange.

    Some distance away from him, the branches just above the one he was standing on were twisted downward, as though weighed down by something. However, he couldn't quite see what it was behind the almost impenetrable wall of leaves.

    In fact, he only noticed the anomaly because it was dark. In the light of day, the bright color of the Soul Tree's foliage would make the shape of the branches indiscernible. But in Sunny's night vision, all colors were muted, almost turning into various shades of grey.

    'Interesting.'

    Jumping, he grabbed onto a higher branch and pulled himself up. Then, careful not to fall, Sunny approached the leaf barrier and forced his way through. In the process, he had to enhance his strength and agility with the help of the shadow �� otherwise, he would either have had to turn back or tumbled down to his death.

    Finally, he freed himself from the last layer of leaves and took a step forward.

    Then, Sunny froze, his eyes opening wide with wonder.

    Right in front of him, hidden from the world in the secretive pocket of twisted branches, a giant, elaborate bird nest rested between the scarlet leaves.

 Chapter 80 Spirit Of Exploration

    Chapter 80 Spirit Of Exploration

    The nest was spherical in shape, with a round hole at the center of it. Usually, such a nest would be made out of grass and twigs, but this one was constructed from the branches of the great tree, each at least as thick as a man's arm. These branches were twisted and interwoven together in a chaotic pattern, creating gapless, onyx-black walls.

    Sunny had never seen anything like it. Birds were a rare sight in the real world, let alone giant ones. The size of the entrance into the nest was large enough for a small truck to pass through. The nest itself was several times bigger.

    'Wow.'

    For a second, he felt a sense of fear, afraid that the giant bird was somewhere near. But then his fears disappeared.

    The nest looked�� abandoned. It was ancient and empty, some of its parts already on the verge of collapse. It was as though thousands of years had passed since anyone had been in this hidden, secretive place. The air was filled with the feeling of lonesomeness and desolation.

    'Makes sense. If I barely managed to pass through the leaves, how would a giant monster do it without leaving a giant hole in the barrier?'

    Sunny hesitated, caution and curiosity wrestling against each other inside his heart. On one hand, exploring ancient nests was not the best of ideas anywhere, let alone inside the Dream Realm. It posed great risks.

    On the other hand, it also could lead to a great reward. Plus�� wasn't it just too damn interesting?

    In the end, Sunny decided to climb inside the nest to satiate his curiosity. He had convinced himself that it was safe following an unexpected train of thought. In his warped state of mind, Sunny was convinced that the Soul Tree was a great and benevolent being, one that protected them from the terrible threats hiding in the outside world.

    If so, how could anything having to do with the great tree be unsafe?

    Moving closer to the entrance of the nest, he balanced on the edge of the branch and tried to look inside. However, he wasn't tall enough to see anything except for the inner side of the nest's roof. Since his position was pretty precarious, Sunny decided not to delay the inevitable and jumped, throwing himself up and over the lip of the entrance.

    A moment later, he landed on a soft surface. The lower part of the nest was covered in a thick cushion of white, silky spiderwebs. Time had made them brittle and pliable like sand. There was so much spiderweb around that, for a moment, Sunny thought that he had fallen into a giant white cocoon.

    But no, it was just a nest.

    And there, in the center of it, was a��

    Sunny blinked.

    At the center of the nest, there was an egg. A giant, ancient egg that was as tall as he was, grey and seemingly lifeless, as though turned to stone by the passage of time.

    Forgetting to breathe, Sunny looked around, making sure that there was nothing�� and no one�� else around. But no, the giant nest was empty and silent, with not even a stray shadow hiding anywhere in sight.

    'How�� fascinating.'

    Sunny felt strangely excited. The feeling of discovering something incredible, something that no one except for him had ever seen, filled him with a deep sense of wonder and satisfaction. He had never known that there was such a side to him, one full of an explorer's passion.

    'Let's check this thing out.'

    Walking on the soft silk, Sunny slowly circled the massive egg and studied it. At a first glance, it seemed to be made of stone. The surface of the egg was colored in various shades of grey, which were overlaid over each other like moving clouds. This pattern was strangely beautiful, giving the egg a mysterious aura. But overall, it was just big and smooth.

    Sunny scratched the back of his head, then stepped closer and put his hand on the surface of the egg. Immediately, he felt a strong sense of astonishment.

    The egg was warm to the touch.

    'Is it�� still alive?'

    In the next second, Sunny felt a strange pull affecting his core. It was as though the egg was�� was trying to steal his life force!

    He jerked his hand away and looked at the egg with dark apprehension. The damned thing was not only alive, but also capable of sucking the life out of anything that touched it. It only failed to eat his soul because of one reason.

    As far as Sunny knew, he was the only existence in two worlds without an actual soul core. He had the mysterious Shadow Core instead. That's why his life force had not been affected.

    'Phew. That was close.'

    Looking at the giant egg, Sunny thought about how to get back at it.

    The nest, without a doubt, once belonged to an extremely powerful Nightmare Creature. Therefore, its spawn was also a being of considerable strength. However, due to some unknown reason, that being had not been able to hatch and was left behind by its parent, destined to remain trapped within the egg for all eternity.

    ��Or at least until some unfortunate fool came close enough to feed it with soul essence and give it enough power to break free.

    'Luckily, I'm not a fool. Wait�� uh�� maybe I am��'

    His decisions have been very strange lately. He couldn't quite explain some of them, including this latest one. It was as though his thinking ability had been reduced��

    'Whatever. I'm still smarter than a damn egg!'

    Like a true explorer, he went where no one had gone before and made an incredible discovery. He found an unbelievably mysterious, rare being, one that not a single human had ever heard of.

    Naturally, he had to kill it.

    That's what the spirit of exploration was all about, wasn't it?

    Summoning the Midnight Shard, Sunny thrust it into the stone surface of the egg, causing a rain of sparks to fall on the spiderwebs. The sharp blade slid harmlessly across the stone, leaving only a shallow scratch on it.

    'Tough bastard.'

    The egg was sturdy enough to withstand a strike from an Awakened weapon. If it was that resilient, Sunny was scared to imagine how powerful the adult monster would be. It was definitely not an average Nightmare Creature.

    But then, he was not an average Sleeper.

    His shadow flowed from his hands onto the Midnight Shard, turning the polished metal of the blade black and lusterless. Immediately, a cold aura radiated from the sword, making it feel sharp enough to cut the world apart.

    Stepping forward, Sunny raised the Shard above his head and sliced down, delivering a crushing blow. Enhanced by the shadow, the dark blade bit into the stone surface of the egg and split it apart.

    Cracks ran through the giant stone egg as Sunny's sword plunged into it. A flash of sinister crimson light shined through the cracks, then disappeared, leaving behind nothing but darkness. A torrent of viscous, black liquid flowed onto the white spiderwebs.

    In the ensuing silence, Sunny heard the Spell's bewitching voice:

    [You have slain a Great Devil, Vile Thieving Bird's Spawn.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    [You have received a Memory��]

 Chapter 81 Weavers Eye

    Chapter 81 Weaver's Eye

    Sunny blinked.

    [You have received a Memory: Drop of Ichor.]

    'Wait a moment�� wait a moment��'

    A Great Devil? He gulped.

    Nightmare Creature with four soul cores was called a devil, just one class below the dreaded tyrant. From that detail alone, the evil ancient egg had been potentially more powerful than the Carapace Demon.

    However, what shocked him the most was its rank, not class.

    The quality of most things having to do with the Nightmare Spell followed a similar hierarchy, from Dormant to Awakened, Ascended, Transcendent, Supreme, Sacred and Divine.

    Humans had only ever managed to reach the Transcendent rank. These heroes were known as Saints, each wielding an unimaginable amount of power and leading humanity in its war against the Nightmare Creatures.

    The Nightmare Creatures, too, were different from each other in a similar fashion, with seven ranks of power. They were, in order of growing strength: Dormant, Awakened, Fallen, Corrupted, Great, Cursed and Unholy.

    A Great Devil, therefore, was a Nightmare Creature with four soul cores, each one of the Great rank. Which were the same in terms of power as a Supreme soul core would have been if a human ever managed to pass the Fourth Nightmare and rise one step above the Saints.

    ��Sunny had just killed one of the most powerful Nightmare Creatures to ever fall by a human hand. At least as far as he knew. Victories against the Great Devils were rare enough to be of historic importance.

    'Uh��'

    What a stroke of luck, to find one absolutely defenseless, yet to be fully born and weakened by thousands of years of neglect. Not to mention the fact that he was probably the only human alive to be partially immune to the egg's terrifying life-sucking powers.

    'Wait�� how many shadow fragments did I get?'

    Sunny felt stronger�� a lot stronger��

    He was used to receiving two fragments for each awakened beast he killed. Thus, it was fair to assume that a Fallen beast would give him four, a Corrupted beast would give him eight, and a Great beast would give him sixteen �� forgetting the ridiculousness of the notion that a Sleeper would ever be able to slay a great beast.

    However, the Vile Thieving Bird's Spawn was not a beast, it was a devil. It had four cores, so�� sixty-four fragments?!

    Dumbstruck, Sunny summoned the runes. In his excited state, he even disregarded the insistent forgetfulness that prevented him from doing so earlier.

    Shadow Fragments: [196/1000].

    After seeing the number, he was giddy with joy at first. But then, Sunny frowned.

    'Wait, that doesn't make any sense. I had ninety-six fragments before coming to the Ashen Barrow. I received sixty-four just now, that makes it hundred and sixty. Where did the additional thirty-six fragments come from? From the fruits? No way�� we've been eating them for less than a week, one fruit a day. To get that much�� a whole month would have to pass��'

    But how could so much time pass without him noticing? Yes, his memory was strange lately�� but��

    Sunny tried to concentrate on the discrepancy, but it was very hard, for some reason. The more he thought about it, the less clear he became on what exactly he was thinking about.

    'Uh�� what was I trying to remember? Something about the shadow fragments? Yeah��'

    A few minutes later, he massaged his temples and sighed in frustration.

    'I guess I was trying to calculate how many fragments I got from killing that vile egg. It's sixty-four. What is there to think about? That is great!'

    He would spend more time celebrating the insane amount of shadow fragments he had received, but there was another amazing thing waiting for his attention.

    A Memory. He had actually received a Memory from a Great Devil! A real, actual Supreme Memory of the fourth tier. That was�� that was��

    'Fantastic!'

    Sunny summoned the runes once more and looked at his Memories.

    Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer's Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Drop of Ichor].

    Hurriedly, he concentrated on the new one.

    Memory: [Drop of Ichor].

    Memory Rank: unknown

    Memory Type: unknown

    Memory Description: [The loathsome Thieving Bird was hated both by the gods and -unknown-. However, it only cared about shiny things. Enamored by Weaver's beautiful eyes, it stole one of them on a dark, starless night. Impatient, the vile creature looked at its bounty while still in flight. However, when it saw the reflection of -unknown- forever frozen in the depths of Weaver's pupil, it went mad and screamed, dropping the eye on the mortal realm below. All that was left in its greedy beak was one drop of pure, golden ichor.]

    Sunny frowned.

    What the hell was that?

    He had never heard of a Memory with an unknown rank and type. How was this even possible? Did the Spell really not know or was it simply refusing to let him know? Why would it do that?

    And the description itself�� what were these words that it failed to translate? He tried to forego the automatic translation and look at the runes themselves, but they were beyond his ability to translate. In fact, he had never seen runes of this type before. Weirdly, studying them caused him to feel dizzy and nauseated.

    'That is�� very, very weird.'

    Also, to his shame, Sunny had to admit that he had no idea what the word "ichor" meant. It simply wasn't in his vocabulary. Maybe if he went to school and got an education like other Sleepers, he would know.

    Sunny hesitated for a minute or two, then cautiously summoned the strange Memory. Instantly, golden sparks of light appeared in the air in front of him, coalescing into a spherical drop of radiant, golden liquid.

    'What am I supposed to do with thi��'

    Before he finished his thought, the Spell spoke again. Its voice sounded a bit strange. It was almost�� excited?

    [You have acquired a drop of ichor. Do you wish to consume it?]

    Sunny blinked.

    Consume�� a Memory?

    Things were getting weirder and weirder.

    He hesitated.

    What was going to happen if he did consume it? Memories were rewards given by the Spell to the Awakened. As such, they were usually useful, very rarely useless, and never harmful. At least that was the common knowledge. However�� this one was out of the ordinary. And it was the Spell he was talking about. The damn thing was nothing if not unpredictable�� usually with catastrophic consequences.

    The safest approach would be to put the golden liquid back into his Soul Sea and never touch it again.

    But it was a Memory received from a Great Devil! Chances were he would never hold another one in his whole life, not even in his dreams.

    Sunny was simply unwilling to let this opportunity go.

    Trying to calm his rapidly beating heart, he licked his lips and said:

    "Yes. I want to consume it."

    [As you wish.]

    The golden sphere separated into two streams of beautiful, radiant liquid. The streams flowed through the air, approaching Sunny's face. He felt a gentle touch caress his cheeks.

    Then, the golden liquid reached his eyes and flowed through them, entering his soul through the pupils.

    Soon, it was gone.

    Sunny was frozen, not knowing what to expect.

    A second passed, then another.

    He raised his trembling hands to his face, finally feeling something.

    In the next moment, Sunny opened his mouth and let out a terrible, wailing shriek as unimaginable, blinding pain tore through his entire being.

 Chapter 82 Fear Of The Unknown

    Chapter 82 Fear Of The Unknown

    Sunny fell into the soft embrace of spiderwebs, screaming, his whole body convulsing in spasms of terrible pain. The unbearable agony radiated through his nervous system, his mind drowning in the endless torrent of torturous, excruciating, harrowing suffering.

    It felt as though every muscle, every fiber, every molecule of his body was being torn apart and reassembled, only to be torn apart again. His eyes, especially, felt as though there were two white-hot metal rods inserted in them, making all the other pain pale in comparison. Or maybe they had become searing spheres of molten metal themselves��

    He clawed at his face, leaving bloody marks on it. However, seconds later they were already gone, erased by some unknown force. His voice was soon gone, too, leaving Sunny without an outlet to express his horrible torment.

    The process was the opposite of the gentle rebirth he had experienced after passing the First Nightmare. It was violent, ruthless and unnatural, forcefully reshaping Sunny's body into something that it was not meant to be.

    That nothing was ever meant to be.

    Powerless to stop it, Sunny had no choice but to endure the agony. All he could do was try not to go mad from pain. Tears were streaming down his face, leaving bloody trails in their wake. There was no end to torture.

    ��Then, after what felt like an eternity, there was. The pain subsided, lessened, and finally vanished. Sunny was left lying on the thick carpet of spiderwebs, utterly drained and depleted.

    In the silence that was broken only by the hoarse sound of his ragged breathing, the Spell's voice whispered:

    [You have acquired a new Attribute.]

    [One of your Attributes is ready to evolve.]

    ***

    Sunny remained motionless for a long time, slowly coming back to his senses. The memory of the terrible ordeal was still echoing in his mind, making him shudder from time to time. He was afraid to open his eyes and look at his body, afraid to see himself changed in some horrific, repulsive way.

    'Have I become a monster?'

    Feeling a sense of dread, Sunny shut his eyes tighter.

    However, he did not feel like a monster. In fact, he didn't feel different at all. From what he could tell, he still had two hands, two legs, and soft human skin. There was no change in his strength and resilience.

    It was as though nothing had happened.

    'Come on. Just do it��'

    With a nervous sigh, Sunny opened his eyes and looked himself over. Everything was the same. He shifted his perception and studied himself again through the shadow.

    He was still human.

    Well�� something did change, but he couldn't quite describe it. It was as though his vision was slightly different from before. The world seemed�� deeper, somehow. Sunny only noticed the difference because of the contrast between his own perception and that of the shadow.

    Previously, they were more or less similar.

    'A drop of ichor�� that came from the Weaver's eye��'

    Carefully, he raised a hand and touched his eyes. They felt the same.

    But they were also different. He just couldn't understand in what way.

    Lowering his hand, Sunny noticed a drop of blood on one of his fingers. It came from a small scratch on his cheek, one that had not healed like the others.

    Deep inside his blood, Sunny noticed a barely visible hint of the golden shine. As if the radiant drop of golden liquid he had absorbed was still there, now a part of him, strongly diluted and fused into his own bloodstream. The shine was so faint that he had almost missed it.

    Sunny suspected that in the light, it wouldn't be visible at all.

    'What�� the hell�� have I done to myself?'

    That was the moment when he accidentally glanced at the Pupetter's Shroud, simultaneously thinking about the golden shine. Something switched in Sunny's head, and suddenly, he saw the Memory differently.

    His eyes widened.

    Under the surface of the grey fabric, five glowing embers were shining with ethereal light. Each of them represented a nexus and anchor of countless diamond strings that stretched to different parts of the armor, weaving an intricate, elaborate, unpredictable pattern.

    It looked a lot like the inner void of the Spell, only at an infinitely smaller scale.

    However�� Sunny was surprised to find out that he sort of understood the pattern. A newly found innate knowledge helped him sense the traces of logic behind the seemingly chaotic placement of the strings, a defined purpose behind every twist and turn. They were meant to achieve certain effects�� durability, resilience�� and another, more complex type of protection.

    The hint of understanding came naturally to him, as though it was his innate ability.

    'I need to... study this further.'

    Intrigued and apprehensive, he entered the Soul Sea. A familiar dark expanse of still water appeared in front of his mind's eye. There was the looming Shadow Core, the shining satellites of his Memories, and the strange feeling that something was moving just beyond the periphery of his vision.

    Out of habit, Sunny turned his head to try and catch sight of that something, knowing that he would not see anything.

    However, this time, he did.

    With a startled yelp, Sunny flinched away and lost his balance.

    'What the hell! What the actual hell!'

    Out there in the darkness, at the border of the dim light cast by the shining Memories, stood motionless black figures. They were shadows�� shadows of creatures he had killed.

    There was a shadow that resembled the slave with broad shoulders and bloodied back, one whose name Sunny had never bothered to learn. His figure was deformed and horrifying, as he had been transformed into a murderous beast after becoming the host of a Mountain King's Larva. That Larva was then strangled by Sunny.

    The shadow of the Mountain King itself was towering above him, just as dreadful and abhorrent as the tyrant had been when still alive. Sunny shuddered as he remembered escaping from the horrid creature's claws.

    The shadow of the cruel slaver that had hit him with the whip was also there, standing beside the tyrant. This was the first, and for now the only, human whose life Sunny had ended with his own two hands. He even stole the boots and cloak of the dead man's body.

    On both sides of them, there were other shadows. Hulking carapace scavengers stood silently, their pincers lowered to the ground. A fearsome centurion's savage silhouette could be seen among them, surrounded by the giant centipedes, bulbous knots of carnivorous worms and a few strange, maneating flowers.

    Every single being that had fallen by Sunny's hand was there in the form of a shadow. Or, to be more precise, every being whose shadow's fragments had been absorbed by him.

    Despite the fact that shadows had no eyes, he couldn't help but feel that they were all staring at him��

    Silent, motionless. Watching.

    Feeling cold shivers running down his spine, Sunny gulped and stood up, his legs shaking a little. Finding out that a small army of dead shadows had appeared inside your Soul Sea was not the most pleasant of surprises. Let alone if those shadows once belonged to creatures who you had personally slain.

    He clenched his teeth.

    'Can I repeat�� what the actual hell?!'

 Chapter 83 Five

    Chapter 83 Five

    The shadows stared at Sunny, and Sunny stared at the shadows.

    After a while, the situation became a bit awkward.

    Sunny shifted a little, then hesitantly asked:

    "Uh�� are you guys not going to do anything?"

    The shadows did not react, remaining as motionless and quiet as they had been from the start.

    As a matter of fact, he didn't see them move or show any sign of life at all. In that regard, they were even more lifeless than his Echo had been here in the Sea of Soul. Sunny scratched his head.

    His initial fear was slowly disappearing. At first, he was scared out of his wits, but more so from being startled than from feeling an actual threat. This was his Soul Sea, after all. Very few things could harm him here.

    Sunny was pretty sure that the shadows were not capable of doing anything, let alone attacking him. They seemed more like manifestations of some weird facet of his Aspect rather than actual beings. As such, they weren't dangerous.

    The question was�� why did the shadows suddenly appear?

    After briefly thinking about it, Sunny came to the conclusion that they did not actually appear, per se. Instead, they were always here, it's just that he had not been able to see them.

    But now, with his eyes changed by the strange transformation he had gone through, he could, just like he could see the diamond strings inside the Puppeteer's Shroud.

    Speaking of the Puppeteer's Shroud��

    Glancing at the silent shadows one last time to make sure that they would not lunge at him, Sunny frowned with suspicion and turned away. His back instantly began to tingle.

    'Just think of them as fashionable pieces of furniture. Who says Soul Seas don't need a touch of interior design?'

    Somewhat consoled, he walked closer to the shining spheres that represented Memories and summoned the Puppeteer's Shroud. One of the spheres floated down and slowly dimmed, revealing the armor within.

    Just like before, Sunny could see five glowing nexuses and countless strings permeating the grey fabric. They resembled miniature stars assembled into a constellation.

    'The Shroud came from a tyrant, which is a class of Nightmare Creatures with five soul cores. Five soul cores, fifth tier Memory, five nexuses�� makes sense.'

    For some reason, the number five moved something in his mind. Sunny scowled, not understanding the feeling of unease that suddenly appeared out of nowhere and disrupted the flow of his thoughts.

    Trying to concentrate on the task at hand, he summoned the runes describing the Puppeteer's Shroud. The familiar description appeared in the air around the armor:

    Memory: [Puppeteer's Shroud].

    Memory Rank: Awakened.

    Memory Tier: V.

    Memory Type: Armor.

    Memory Description: [A worm of doubt��]

    The identification of the tier was new. It seems that the Spell decided to be helpful and incorporated Sunny's new understanding of the inner workings of Memories into its�� uh�� interface?

    Tiers were not something that humans had learned from the Spell. Instead, it was just an improvised way of differentiating Memories of different power levels within the same rank. It was often unreliable and outright wrong, but it was better than nothing.

    But in the case of Sunny, the information was one hundred percent true. He could confirm it with his own two eyes just by counting the number of core remnants inside a Memory. He could even understand their purpose.

    'That might be extremely useful!'

    However, his attention was drawn to something else. At the very bottom of the description, a new cluster of runes appeared.

    Memory Enchantments: [Enhanced Durability], [Doubtless].

    Sunny smiled. That was what he was hoping for. Previously, he had only been able to intuitively sense the special qualities of his Memories, with no way to learn their true nature and limits except for the trial and error approach. And using that method during a battle was not conducive to survival.

    Now, however��

    He concentrated on one of the enchantments.

    Enchantment: [Doubtless].

    Enchantment Description: [Provides the wearer with a small amount of protection against mind attacks.]

    'Good to know.'

    The amount was "small" because it was just an Awakened Memory. Since "enhanced durability" was self-explanatory, Sunny dismissed the Puppeteer's Shroud and summoned the Silver Bell.

    The small bell had only one spark of light, which was much less bright than the ones inside the Puppeteer's Shroud, at that. Studying the runes did not show anything interesting. It was a tier one dormant Memory with a single enchantment that increased the range at which its ringing could be heard to several kilometers.

    Finally, it was time to take a look at the Midnight Shard. The graceful blade appeared in front of Sunny in all its austere beauty.

    Memory: [Midnight Shard].

    Memory Rank: Awakened.

    Memory Tier: III.

    Memory Description: [Forged from the shard of a fallen star, this stalwart blade is firm and unyielding. It favors those who are willing to fight to the last drop of blood and knows no surrender.]

    Memory Enchantments: [Unbroken].

    Enchantment Description: [This blade refuses to be broken, and thus is durable beyond reason. It will greatly enhance the power of its wielder when they are close to death, however only if the wielder is unwilling to surrender.]

    Sunny sighed, simultaneously satisfied and disappointed. Now he knew how to access the well of power that hid in the deepest parts of his heart when the Midnight Shard was in his hand. However, it could only be done when he was at the death's door, wounded and minutes away from perishing. It could either save him from a dire situation or create an opportunity for a very heroic last stand.

    Sunny did not care for heroics, so the second option did not seem appealing at all. The first one was much more useful, but only in the case of him screwing up terribly and getting himself in a lethal amount of trouble.

    In other words, it could only be used if he failed. In normal battles, the special qualities of the Midnight Shard were of no use at all.

    'A pity. But�� an ace in your sleeve in case things really go south is not bad either.'

    Done with his Memories, Sunny was ready to learn of the new Attribute he had received. Considering how much pain he had to go through to acquire the damn thing, he had pretty high expectations.

    Looking for the cluster of runes representing his Attributes, Sunny focused his attention and carefully read their names.

    There were five Attributes: [Fated], [Mark of Divinity], [Child of Shadows] and the new one, [Blood Weave].

    Sunny was about to summon the description of the [Blood Weave], but then stopped.

    Something was not right.

    Something did not add up.

    The feeling of unease from before had returned, now much stronger.

    When did he first feel it?

    For some reason, his thoughts were slow and murky. He felt a strong inclination to forget all about the strange feeling and concentrate on something else.

    But this time, he did not.

    'It was�� when I was studying the Puppeteer's Shroud. And it was�� connected�� to the number five.'

    Five? What meaning was there to the number five?

    With his attention beginning to wane, Sunny bit his lip, causing drops of blood to roll down. A burst of pain cleared his mind for a moment.

    There were five Attributes�� [Fated], [Mark of Divinity], [Child of Shadows], and [Blood Weave].

    'What?'

    There were�� five�� five Attributes!

    But he only counted four.

    Bewildered, Sunny stared at the runes.

    He was sure that there was a fifth Attribute. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't read its name and description. Every time his gaze fell on the runes corresponding to the fifth Attribute, he would find himself distracted, his memory wiped clean of any mention of it.

    Just remembering that there were five Attributes was incredibly hard. Clenching his teeth, Sunny tried to keep his concentration, not allowing himself to be distracted.

    He was not going to forget!

    "Five! It's five! There's five of them, damn it!"

    Immediately after he said those words out loud, something changed. It was as though an invisible veil had fallen from his eyes. Or, rather, from his mind.

    Sunny froze, shock and fear permeating his heart. He was remembering��

    'Didn't I�� didn't I see a dream?'

    Yes, of course�� he saw Cassie standing over him with panic in her eyes. Begging him to remember the number five.

    No, wait��

    Was that a dream? At the time, he believed so.

    But then, he forgot.

    Just as he had forgotten what actually happened on that day.

    On the day when Cassie woke him up to tell him something important��

 Chapter 84 Black Seed

    Chapter 84 Black Seed

    It happened on the day they killed the Carapace Demon. Back then, all three of them were utterly exhausted. After moving away from the corpse of the giant creature and finding a good hiding spot, they fell to the ground and immediately fell asleep.

    But they didn't stay asleep for long.

    An hour or two later, Sunny was shaken awake by Cassie, who was holding him by the shoulders. There was an expression of terror written clearly on her face.

    "Sunny! Sunny! Wake up!"

    Instantly coming back to his senses, he jumped to his feet and summoned the Midnight Shard, afraid that they were under attack.

    However, there was no one around except for panicked Cassie and wary Nephis, who was in a similar pose, her sword raised and ready to strike.

    Confused, Sunny looked at the blind girl.

    "Cassie? What's the matter?"

    Grabbing him by the shoulders again, she brought her face close and whispered in a begging tone:

    "Sunny, you have to stop it! Please! You are the only one who can!"

    He frowned, failing to understand what exactly he was supposed to stop.

    'Did she see another vision?'

    Trying to calm her, he said in a measured tone:

    "It's alright, Cassie. Slow down, breathe. Tell us what happened. Start from the beginning��"

    She desperately shook her head.

    "There's no time! I will forget soon! We all will! But you, you have to remember!"

    'We will all forget soon? What does she mean?'

    Not able to see Sunny's dazed expression, Cassie yelled:

    "You have to remember, Sunny! Five! It's five! Remember! You have to remember! It's five!"

    Remember�� five?

    The blind girl was not making any sense. Sunny carefully put his arm around her, feeling how scared she was from her shaking body.

    "Alright, Cas. I promise I'll remember. Five, right? See, it's pretty hard to forget."

    Nephis was looking at them with a frown, not neglecting to scan the surroundings for any signs of danger from time to time. For some reason, Cassie was only talking to Sunny, not paying her any attention.

    What was it that she thought Sunny could do, but Changing Star could not?

    Hearing his answer, the blind girl calmed down a little. However, she was still terrified.

    "Good. Good. Remember, it's five. You promised��"

    Her voice sounded quieter and quieter, as though she was not sure of what she was saying. Sunny was barely able to discern her mumbling.

    "��the more complex a thought, the harder it will be to hold on to it. That's why I can only tell you this one word, the simplest thing to impart�� when the right time comes, it might change things��"

    Carefully choosing his words, Sunny hesitantly asked:

    "Cassie? Can you tell us what happened, exactly?"

    Hearing his voice, the blind girl flinched and raised her head to face him.

    There were still traces of fear in her eyes, but mostly, it had been replaced by confusion.

    "Huh? Did something happen?"

    Sunny blinked.

    Wasn't she the one who woke them up in a panic?

    'Wait�� why did she wake us up, to begin with?'

    For some reason, he had trouble remembering the details of the past few minutes. The conversation they just had was already hazy in his memory.

    'I guess I'm still groggy from waking up so abruptly. Lack of sleep affects concentration��'

    "You wanted to tell us something. It had to do with the�� uh�� number five?"

    Cassie raised her eyebrows.

    "Five? Why five?"

    Sunny didn't know what to say. He was going to ask the same question.

    "I have no clue."

    Perplexed, he looked at Nephis, hoping that she will be able to clear the situation.

    Changing Star was standing a few steps away with a distracted expression on her face. Sensing his gaze, she stared at him and asked:

    "Why do you have your sword out?"

    Sunny glanced at the Midnight Shard and tried to remember what had caused him to summon the Memory.

    "Uh�� I'm not sure. Why did you summon yours?"

    Nephis looked down, as though noticing the sword in her hands for the first time. An expression of doubt appeared on her face.

    'What's wrong with our heads today?'

    Understanding that it was pointless to expect help from Nephis, Sunny sighed and turned back to Cassie:

    "Did you see another vision?"

    The blind girl trembled. Her eyes opened wide, once again filled with fear.

    "A vision�� yes, I saw a vision. An awful, awful vision��"

    "What did you see?"

    She was silent for a few moments, trying to remember. A deep frown appeared on her face. Finally, Cassie quietly said:

    "I saw�� a mountain�� a mountain of corpses. Countless bodies piled on each other until they formed a bloodsoaked hill. And at the top of it, a tiny black seed was floating in a pool of blood�� "

    She grew silent, then continued:

    "That was the past, I think. But then I saw the future�� a future. It was us. Oh, gods! We were�� we were��"

    Her voice trembled. As though not daring to say something aloud, Cassie stopped.

    Sunny waited for a while, then carefully asked:

    "We were what?"

    The blind girl turned to him in confusion.

    "What?"

    He scratched the back of his head. What were they just talking about?

    "You were�� uh�� telling us about your vision. I think?"

    Cassie frowned.

    "...What vision?"

    To his embarrassment, Sunny wasn't sure either. He just remembered something about the number five and�� a seed?

    For some reason, he felt as though that number was very important. But why? He had no idea.

    "I forgot."

    Suddenly, Nephis, who was standing nearby, lowered her hands and dismissed the sword that she had been holding for some reason. Looking at them with a bit of confusion, she hesitantly asked:

    "Why are you guys awake? We need to rest. Something might get attracted by the demon's corpse, so we'd better return to peak condition as soon as possible."

    Distracted and already forgetting about the conversation with Cassie, Sunny blinked a couple of times, shrugged, and decided to go back to sleep. None of this made sense anyway. They were probably struck dumb by exhaustion��

    He felt so tired.

    ��A few hours later, when the shadow noticed the winged creature circling around the island, he awoke again. By that time, the memory of Cassie's warning was so fragmented and hazy that it seemed like a strange dream.

    But the seed was already planted deep into his subconscious.

    And now that it had blossomed, Sunny was finally able to fight through the haze of oblivion and remember everything.

 Chapter 85 One Step At A Time

    Chapter 85 One Step At A Time

    Sitting inside the Vile Thieving Bird's nest, Sunny frowned and clenched his fists.

    Something unnatural was happening to them ever since they came to the Ashen Barrow. Now that he had remembered Cassie's warning, it was apparent that their minds were affected, making them forgetful and easily distracted.

    Even now that he knew about it, thinking straight was strangely hard. It took all of his will just to keep the knowledge of the anomaly in his memory.

    The events of these past few days were still hazy. Remembering something else, Sunny closed his eyes in frustration.

    Had they really spent mere days on this island? The number of shadow fragments he received from eating Soul Tree fruits suggested otherwise. It was quite possible that as much as a whole month had passed since the first time they ate them.

    And their minds were corroded a bit more with every day that passed. Pretty soon, there would be nothing left of them at all. Only empty shells, walking around wearing their faces.

    Sunny's face paled.

    With a growing feeling of dread, he realized that there were large gaps in his memory. He could not remember how they got to the Ashen Barrow, and where they were going. Other things, too, were unclear and blurry.

    'Stay calm.'

    Despite how compromised his memory was, there were still ways to understand what was going on, and then maybe undo it. After all, he was able to remember Cassie's warning. That meant that their memories were not gone, just obfuscated.

    'First step: resist the impulse to forget everything again.'

    Not succumbing to the constant pull on his mind was not an easy task, but he was able to manage, at least for now.

    'Second step: try to understand the reason why you were able to remember these things.'

    When Cassie begged him to remember the number five, she must have already known that he would receive a new Attribute. He had noticed the existence of the mysterious fifth Attribute as the result, which triggered the frightening revelation.

    However, why was he able to not forget about the existence of the fifth Attribute altogether?

    What made him so special? Cassie had even said that he was the only one who could do it. Why him and not Changing Star?

    Sunny massaged his temples. Then, a sudden realization came to him.

    'Doubtless!'

    One of the enchantments of the Puppeteer's Shroud was providing him with a small amount of resistance against mind attacks. That's why he was slightly less susceptible to the frightening forgetfulness that infected them on the Ashen Barrow.

    That was the reason why he had been the last one to agree to eat the "miraculous" fruits. Why he had often felt that things were wrong. He was also the only one who had managed to remember Cassie's warning, even if it took him a long time.

    Cassie knew about the Puppeteer's Shroud, and that's why she had chosen him instead of Nephis.

    'Smart girl.'

    So�� their warped state was the result of a mind attack. But who could attack them on this desolate island?

    The answer was pretty obvious.

    'That damned tree!'

    Looking down, Sunny felt cold sweat running down his back.

    The Soul Tree was, in fact, a colossal, ancient and utterly horrifying Nightmare Creature. If he was right, then its power had to be simply unimaginable. He was afraid to even think about what its rank and class were.

    'No wonder it was able to drain a whole area of the crimson labyrinth of all life.'

    No wonder it was able to survive and thrive in this hellish place. Of all the horrors in this hell, it might have been the most terrifying.

    Finally, Sunny knew the reason why no other Nightmare Creature dared to approach the Ashen Barrow. Even monsters were afraid of the Soul Tree.

    ��Except for equally harrowing things that dwelled beneath the waves of the deep, dark sea.

    There was no way for them to destroy it. The Soul Tree was just too big, old and powerful. For a moment, Sunny entertained the idea of setting it on fire, but quickly abandoned it. He would need a volcanic eruption or some sort of divine intervention to burn that colossus down.

    'So�� what to do?'

    After thinking for some time, Sunny decided not to be hasty and move forward one step at a time.

    First, he had to know the exact situation with his Attributes.

    Summoning the runes, he tried once again to read the description of the hidden fifth Attribute.

    The result was the same. He knew it was there, but could not remember what it was no matter how much he tried.

    'Figures.'

    Confirming that it was still impossible for him to solve that mystery on his own, Sunny moved his attention to the Mark of Divinity. New runes appeared under its description:

    [Mark of Divinity] Attribute Description: "You bear a faint scent of divinity, as though someone briefly touched by it once, a long time ago."

    [Mark of Divinity] is ready to evolve. Proceed?

    Not wasting time, Sunny said "yes".

    Immediately, the name and the description of the Attribute changed. The new runes read:

    Attribute: [Spark of Divinity].

    [Spark of Divinity] Attribute Description: "Every fire starts from a spark. Somewhere deep within your soul, a radiant spark shines with divine light."

    He didn't feel any changes within himself. It seemed as though the question of whether or not he wanted to proceed was just a formality, and the Attribute already evolved back when he had consumed the drop of ichor.

    'My affiliation to divinity has increased. Neat. Although I'm not sure how it might be useful��'

    Was that spark of divinity the reason why he was now able to see the inner workings of Memories, as well as some other stuff like the shadows in his Soul Sea? If so, was it a universal trait of all Awakened with high divine affiliation, or just his?

    For some reason, Sunny felt that it was the latter option. He had received the drop of ichor from a being called Weaver, and then became able to see the strings that were weaved through the Memories, giving them their unique qualities. It wasn't hard to see the connection.

    If this was true, did it mean that there were different kinds of divinity? And he inherited a small amount of a very special kind of divinity?

    Was Weaver even a deity? Every god he had heard about was named in a similar fashion. There was Shadow God, War God�� well, that's it. He had never heard the names of any other god.

    However, Weaver's name was different.

    Maybe Weaver was not a deity at all��

    Maybe he, she or it was actually one of the Unknown.

    Sunny shook his head, feeling that he had almost allowed himself to get distracted and release the hold on his memory. He could not allow himself to go on tangents now��

    Concentrating, he looked at his new Attribute, [Blood Weave.]

    [Blood Weave] Attribute Description: "You have inherited a part of Weaver's forbidden lineage. Your blood has been altered and embued with odd tenacity."

    So�� he would be less likely to bleed out in the future? That was a very nice enhancement.

    However, it did not help Sunny with his current situation.

    It was time for the next step��

    ***

    It was early morning when Sunny descended from the Soul Tree. However, he didn't bring any fruit with him.

    Walking over to sleeping Cassie, he took her by the shoulders and gently shook her awake. The irony of how this situation mirrored the one where Cassie had told Sunny to remember the number five was not lost on him.

    The blind girl slowly came to her senses and turned to face him with a sleepy, confused expression.

    "Sunny? Why are you up so early?"

    He hesitated, then said with a friendly smile, trying very hard to act as though everything was alright.

    "Actually, I didn't sleep at all this night."

    Cassie frowned. Luckily, she could not see the sorry state he was in, nor the dried blood on his face.

    "Really? Why?"

    He shrugged.

    "I decided to climb the Soul Tree and search for some fruits. But that's not very important. Hey�� your Aspect Ability allows you to see other people's Attributes, right?"

    She nodded, still confused.

    "Yes. You know this. Why?"

    Sunny lingered, then said in a carefree tone:

    "Can you take a look at mine?"

 Chapter 86 Final Clue

    Chapter 86 Final Clue

    Sunny's thought process was very simple. Honestly, in the state he was in, complex ideas that went against Soul Tree's indoctrination were almost impossible to hold on to. He was already at his limits just trying to remember what had happened in the giant nest.

    On his way down, Sunny had to bite himself several times, leaving bloody marks on his hands. Sharp pain cleared his mind for a few moments and gave him temporary relief from the constant pull of forgetfulness.

    Coincidentally, he was already noticing the effect [Blood Weave] was exerting on him. The bites only bled for a short while, quickly turning into scabs. The speed of coagulation of his blood was clearly enhanced. He also felt more energetic, his endurance substantially better than it had been before.

    Which made sense. The human body was a system where every part affected the other. A comprehensive improvement of one of these parts, especially one as important as blood, had to lead to a chain reaction of lesser improvements throughout the system.

    It seemed that he had severely underestimated the importance of his new Attribute.

    'Focus, idiot! No tangents!'

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny concentrated on the task.

    He wanted to use Cassie's Aspect Ability to learn the truth of the hidden Atrribute. Her sight was different from his. Sunny could only see the information provided by the runes because it was a default function of the Spell. He simply accessed that information with his mind.

    Cassie's sight, however, came from her Aspect. Thus, even if their minds were compromised, it should not have affected her ability to see other people's Attributes. She also had a high affinity to revelations and fate.

    So, there was a high chance that Cassie would be able to succeed where he had failed.

    Finally reaching the ground, Sunny woke the blind girl up and, after a short conversation, mentioned the Attributes. Then, he carefully asked:

    "Can you take a look at mine?"

    Cassie was visibly confused by this question.

    "Can't you do it yourself?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "I can, but I think you'll be surprised when you see them."

    The blind girl hesitated, then shrugged.

    "Alright. But if it turns out that you woke me up for nothing, I'll be pretty upset. That was not very nice of you��"

    She turned to face him and froze for a moment, as though staring into his eyes.

    "Fated, Child of Shadows, Spark of Divinity�� wait, wasn't it "mark" of divinity? Huh, I must have remembered wrong."

    Stopping for a second, Cassie shyly covered her mouth with her small hand and yawned.

    "Uh. My memory has not been too good lately. Too much rest, I guess. Where was I? Oh, yes. Blood Weave�� huh? Where did this come from?"

    Sunny forced a chuckle.

    "This thing? From an egg. Anyway, is there something else?"

    Cassie blinked a couple of times.

    "An�� egg? Well, if you say so��"

    Usually, an appearance of a new Attribute was not something one would gloss over. But in the state she was in, Cassie's attention span was severely reduced, and her mental capacity was clouded. She just frowned for a second, then forgot all about the discrepancy.

    Sunny's heart, meanwhile, was beating like it was going to explode. With a fake smile frozen on his face, he waited for the blind girl's next words. They were going to decide whether or not he would be able to get to the bottom of things.

    And, therefore, find a way to rise from that bottom.

    With an absentminded smile, Cassie said:

    "My mom makes the best eggs�� uh�� what were we talking about? Right, your Attributes. The last one is Enthralled. Wait�� where did this��"

    Knowing that there was very little time, Sunny hurriedly asked:

    "The description! What does the description say?"

    A bit of tension sipped into his voice. Startled by this intensity, Cassie didn't ask the same question again and simply said:

    "You've been mesmerized by the ancient fiend, Soul Devouring Tree, and are being turned into its thrall. Once the process is complete, there will be no escape."

    As soon as Sunny heard these words, it was as though heavy chains fell from his mind. Suddenly, his memories returned in an avalanche, making him stagger. His eyes opened wide.

    Only now that he had fully recovered his memory did Sunny realize the extent to which his mental state was warped, how much of his true self was gone, how close he came to being completely obliterated without even knowing that a terrible monster was slowly devouring his mind.

    An extreme feeling of terror filled his heart. For a few moments, Sunny lost the ability to speak, covered in cold sweat and shaking.

    'C��calm down. Calm down. It didn't happen, you stopped it. You're back, it didn't eat you.'

    Slowly, he was able to get a grip on his feelings and achieve some semblance of composure. He came very close to the edge, but did not take the last step. He was still himself.

    It wasn't over yet. They still had a chance.

    Looking at Cassie, Sunny slowly exhaled and said.

    "Thank you."

    The blind girl smiled and raised her eyebrows.

    "For what?"

    She had already forgotten all about their conversation.

    Sunny was free from being mesmerized by the Soul Devourer, by Cassie was not. Her memory, mind and thinking were still compromised. Turning worse as they spoke.

    A pained smile appeared on Sunny's face. Struggling to keep his tone light and cheerful, he said:

    "For helping me out just now. Sorry about waking you up so early�� go back to sleep. I'll take it from here."

    Cassie hesitated for a few moments, then got distracted and forgot that he was there at all. Yawning, the blind girl lay down and covered herself with her cloak. Soon, she was asleep again, happy and blissfully ignorant of the fact that her days were numbered.

    Sunny watched her for a while, a grim expression on his face. Finally, he turned and walked away, thinking:

    'Over my dead body.'

 Chapter 87 Plan Of Escape

    Chapter 87 Plan Of Escape

    Nephis was still at the western edge of the island, gazing over the receding black waters. It seems as though she barely moved since the last time Sunny saw her.

    Looking at her with clear eyes, free from the most debilitating effects of being Enthralled, he was able to notice things that he had not noticed before.

    Neph's hair was indeed longer. Back at the Academy, it was short and usually parted to the side. Now silver strands were already long enough to cover her ears, hanging messily without their usual luster.

    Changing Star's face seemed much thinner, with dark circles under her eyes and a bleak, dull expression. Her usual confidence and energy were gone, replaced by exhausted stillness.

    She looked as though some unknown illness was consuming her from inside, slowly turning the once radiant girl into a pale shadow of her former self.

    Sunny suspected that he knew what that illness was.

    He had known for a long time that Nephis had a mysterious goal, and that her determination to achieve that goal was nothing short of frightening. That burning desire of hers, it seemed, was strong enough to resist even the enthrallment of the Soul Devourer.

    However, while the feelings remained, the actual memories were gone. Thus, Nephis had been left longing desperately for something that she did not know, with no way to understand the nature of her emotions or satiate them. This inner conflict was the reason for her terrible state.

    Coming closer, Sunny sat down and looked at Neph, wishing to see her striking grey eyes shine once again with unbreakable resolve.

    "Hey, Neph."

    She turned her head to him, not saying anything. Sunny gritted his teeth, feeling dark anger blossoming in his heart.

    'That loathsome tree!'

    "I have something to tell you."

    Trying to stay calm and not miss anything, he told Nephis everything that he had found out. He told her about his trip to the upper parts of the Soul Tree, the giant nest he had discovered, the Vile Thieving Bird's Spawn and how he had killed it, the strange Memory with no rank and type, the new Attribute he had received and the hidden one he had accidentally discovered.

    Finally, Sunny told her about the nature of that Attribute, the true nature of the Soul Devourer, how long they had been on the island, and what they had forgotten.

    When he finished, Changing Star's expression didn't change one bit. Looking away, she simply said:

    "I see."

    Sunny blinked.

    "I see? I see?! That's all you have to say?!"

    She glanced at him and smiled darkly.

    "What do you want me to say?"

    He gaped at her and clenched his fists.

    "Wow! How horrible! Good job, Sunny! Say something, at least! Is it so hard to behave like a human?!"

    She turned away, not answering. Sunny stared at her for several seconds, then said in a tired, defeated voice:

    "I don't know what to do. Tell me what to do, Neph. How do I get us out of this?"

    She was silent for a while. Sunny almost assumed that Changing Star had already forgotten everything that he had told her, but then he noticed sparks of white radiance dancing in the depths of her eyes.

    Nephis had activated her Aspect Ability, using pain to stay lucid for as long as possible.

    Finally, she looked at the retreating dark sea and said:

    "We need to build a boat."

    Sunny blinked.

    "What?"

    Changing Star sighed and turned her face to look at him.

    "We've been here, on this island, for many weeks. Our minds are slowly being erased by the Soul Tree, turning us into its slaves. Forever. However, the process is not complete."

    He nodded, listening.

    "What thoughts did the Soul Tree put in our heads? That it is benevolent and great. That its fruits are desirable. And that we shouldn't leave the island, staying as close to it as possible. The first two commands make perfect sense. The third, however, is not so simple."

    Nephis gestured at the vast expanse of black water.

    "From that third command, we can deduce that the effect of the Soul Tree's enthrallment weakens with range. And that if we put enough distance between ourselves and the tree, it will be broken."

    Sunny's face brightened when he understood Neph's logic. So there was a way! They just had to leave the Ashen Barrow and flee, not looking back until the Soul Devourer's brand was gone from their souls. However��

    "But why a boat? Why not just run away on foot?"

    Changing Star lowered her head and said quietly:

    "We'll never make it to the castle on foot. We'll just die. I was too arrogant before to think�� well, it doesn't matter now. It will take many months to go around the crater through the labyrinth, especially now that we don't have the Echo. And every day we spend there is another day we risk encountering something that will kill us without even breaking a sweat."

    She sighed.

    "We were already lucky to survive for as long as we did. But in the end, no matter how much we fought and persevered, we still encountered the Soul Tree. This should have been our end. Do you know how improbable it is that we even got a chance to have this conversation?"

    Sunny hesitantly shook his head.

    "First, we had to have an oracle in our group to see the future. Then, Cassie had to formulate and execute an ingenious plan in the short amount of time her memory remained intact. That plan was based on the fact that there was someone with an awakened armor of fifth tier in our group, one enchanted with the extremely rare mind protection trait, no less��

    Awakened with the revelation affinity were few and far between. Sleepers with a Memory equal to the Puppeteer's Shroud were even rarer.

    "...That person then had to find and kill a Great Devil. More incredibly, he had to receive an actual Lineage Memory from it. Do I need to explain how implausible this combination of events is?"

    Sunny slowly shook his head.

    Nephis closed her eyes.

    "My point is�� If we go into the labyrinth, we will inevitably meet the next Soul Tree, and even if we miraculously manage to survive that encounter, there will be the next, and then the next. Sooner or later, we will die."

    She looked west, where the last remnants of the dark sea were disappearing beyond the horizon.

    "But if we build a boat and use Cassie's staff to fill the sail with wind�� maybe we'll be eaten by the dwellers of the depths, or maybe they won't pay us any attention at all. It's a gamble either way. Either we die, which is the same as returning to the labyrinth, or not. If we survive, we'll be able to travel a hundred, maybe even two hundred kilometers in one night. More distance than we had covered so far."

    Sunny froze, stunned by that number.

    In all the weeks preceding their battle with the Carapace Demon, they had traveled for no more than a hundred, maybe one hundred and fifty kilometers from the giant knight's statue. It was a considerable amount, especially because of how hard each step through the crimson labyrinth had been.

    To travel as much, perhaps even more in a single day�� that would have been incredible. But��

    Sail�� on the dark sea?

    Suddenly, he felt very cold and small.

 Chapter 88 Boat Builders

    Chapter 88 Boat Builders

    Trying to gather his courage, Sunny looked into the distance and said in a raspy voice:

    "You've seen the creatures that dwell under these waves. Do you really want to swim across them?"

    Changing Star was silent for a few seconds, then sighed.

    "We are damned either way, Sunny. What do we have to lose?"

    She fell silent for a moment and grimaced, pale flames dancing in her eyes. Then, in a quiet voice, she added:

    "We will not light any fires, relying on your eyes to guide us west. We will hope that Cassie's armor will protect us. Maybe it will be enough."

    Sunny glanced at Neph and asked:

    "What's so special about Cassie's armor?"

    She hesitated for a moment, then answered without looking at him:

    "It's a tier six awakened Memory. One of its traits is to make the wearer less likely to draw the enemy's attention."

    While Sunny was digesting this information, Nephis suddenly trembled. Closing her eyes, she said through gritted teeth:

    "I am at my limit. My mind is�� fading. If you have any questions left�� better�� ask them fast."

    He blinked, startled. Then, knowing that there was not much time left, Sunny asked the first thing that came to his mind:

    "Do you even know how to build a boat?"

    Changing Star simply nodded, letting him know that she did. Her expression was slowly turning lost and dull again.

    Racing against time, Sunny frantically thought of another question.

    "How do I convince you to leave the island once your memory is gone?"

    Nephis looked at him, struggling to hold onto the last shreds of lucidity. For a moment, her eyes became clear again. White flames ignited in their depths, illuminating her pale, beautiful face.

    "Aster... Song... Vale. Say those words to me, and I will listen."

    Starting to lose the grip on her thoughts, she turned away and added after a short pause, her voice steady and even:

    "If anything happens, take Cassie and flee. Don't�� don't��"

    Then, the light in her eyes slowly dimmed, and soon, Changing Star was staring west once again, all memory of their conversation gone from her mind.

    Sunny sat by her side for some time, waiting. After a while, he shifted a little and said:

    "Hey, Neph."

    She turned to him, her face bleak and full of confusion.

    "Sunny? Oh�� when did you get here?"

    "A while ago."

    Then, he smiled and said in a carefree tone:

    "Hey, can I ask you something? Do you know how to build a boat?"

    ***

    Nephis was very surprised by his question, but eventually agreed to help him. Sunny didn't tell her why exactly he wanted to build a boat, dodging the questions with practiced finesse. His Flaw was not making things easy, but with the state Neph was in, persuading her was not very hard.

    Manipulating her felt a little strange, but explaining everything once again would have taken too much time. Not to mention that he wasn't sure that it would work again.

    And there was not much time left. With every hour, their condition worsened.

    Even Sunny was having trouble keeping his lucidity intact. Every time he felt that his mind was beginning to slip, he had to inflict pain on himself to get a few moments of reprieve. Even so, his thoughts were slow and fragile. Keeping them together was taking a heavy toll on him.

    They had to flee the island as soon as possible. Sunny was determined to be ready by the time the dark sea returned.

    Turning away from Nephis to not let her see the pained expression on his face, Sunny bit his hand once again. Feeling the bitter taste of blood on his tongue, he let the wave of pain clear his mind and blinked, amused at the irony of the situation.

    He was gnawing on himself to prevent himself from being eaten. What a funny contradiction.

    Hiding his bleeding hand behind his back, Sunny turned to Neph and asked:

    "So, how are we going to make the boat?"

    She thought about it for some time, then said indifferently:

    "We will have to use the materials at hand. For the hull, we will have to use the dead demon's carapace. We can strip several armor plates of suitable shape and tie them together with the golden rope��"

    Sunny raised his eyebrows:

    "The�� the Carapace Demon's armor? It's made out of some strange steel. Can steel even float?"

    Nephis glanced at him with reproach.

    "Anything can float, Sunny. You just have to make sure that you're displacing more water than the weight of the floating object. That's how boats work."

    He blinked.

    "Ah�� okay. About the sail, I think we can ask Cassie to lend us her cloak. What do you think?"

    Changing Star gave him a strange look.

    "I mean�� yes? I still don't understand what got you so excited about boat building, but I'm sure she'll be willing to help you out with this�� uh�� passion project."

    Sunny smiled.

    "Great! Let's go butcher the demon, then!"

    A strange sentence to say with a smile, but not the strangest one he had to say to convince Neph to help him.

    A few minutes later, they reached the giant carcass of the Carapace Demon. It was towering above them like a small hill of polished metal. After that first day when the strange winged abominations had circled around the island for several hours, never daring to approach, nothing else had shown up to lay claim to the fearsome creature's meat.

    As the result, the carcass was largely intact.

    Strangely, the demon's corpse had not begun to rot. Only the metal of its carapace slowly deteriorated, losing its luster and shine, then turning less and less durable. By now, its surface was marred by large patches of rust.

    Nephis climbed up on top of the carcass and walked from side to side, looking under her feet. Then, she gestured at several spots:

    "These curved plates will be perfect if we can fit them together tight enough. Each one is long enough to form the entirety of the hull, leaving enough space for the three of us to sit side by side."

    Sunny had no knowledge of shipbuilding, so he decided to trust her judgment. Looking up from the ground, he asked:

    "What about the mast?"

    Changing Star scowled.

    "That�� I will have to think about."

    Sunny smiled.

    "Alright. While you're thinking, I'll go fetch Cassie to keep you company��"

 Chapter 89 Demons Bones

    Chapter 89 Demon's Bones

    Sunny had a lot to do before the sunset.

    The parts of the plan spun in his head, making it ache. He had to constantly remain focused, straining his will to its limits, just to keep himself from forgetting everything. When it was not enough, he had to use pain to augment his concentration.

    His hands and arms were covered in ghastly bite marks. Without the Blood Weave, Sunny might have fainted from blood loss already. Still, with his pale face turning even whiter from exhaustion and feverish light burning in his eyes, he must have looked like a zombie.

    Luckily, Cassie couldn't see any of it.

    It didn't take much to convince her to join their strange endeavor. The blind girl's state was way worse than his or Neph's. She seemed to be barely holding on, her thoughts slow and meek. Sunny's heart was gripped with worry.

    'Why is she affected so much more than us? Is it because we have True Names, but she does not?'

    Names were anchors of one's sense of self, after all. Could it be that True Names served a similar role, only in matters having to do with the Spell?

    He didn't know.

    Sunny guided Cassie to the carcass of the Carapace Demon. Nephis was already busy stripping plates of armor from its back. Her silver sword was seemingly able to cut through the deteriorated metal, making the task not as hard as he had been afraid of.

    Gently sitting the blind girl down in a spot where Neph could see her, he climbed atop the dead demon and evaluated the progress of Changing Star's work.

    She looked at him with a frown:

    "Aren't you going to help? This was your idea, after all."

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Maybe later. You seem to be enjoying yourself, anyway. Some people might say that it's a fun little project to chase the boredom away, right?"

    She blinked a couple of times, then said:

    "I guess."

    Sunny nodded a couple of times, looking down at the spots where, stripped of armor plates, the demon's flesh was laid bare. The azure blood had coagulated, turning it dark and as hard as stone. Here and there, though, white layers of fat remained in pristine condition.

    "Actually, I have another project in mind."

    Nephis raised an eyebrow.

    "Oh really?"

    Sunny summoned his sword and stepped closer to the gap in the creature's armor.

    "Yeah. I want to make a candle."

    Saying those words, he began to cut, separating the fat from the hardened muscle tissue.

    Neph blinked a few times and then looked at Cassie:

    "Hey, Cas. Has Sunny lost his mind?"

    The blind girl perked up at the sound of her name.

    "Huh? Uh�� I'm not sure. I think he's just bored."

    Sunny concentrated on his task, not paying them any attention. For a moment, he entertained the idea of cutting himself with the Midnight Shard's razor-sharp blade, but then dismissed it. Cutting through the Puppeteer's Shroud would have been really hard, and he couldn't dismiss the armor in front of the girls.

    Well�� to be more precise, he didn't want to.

    With a sizable chunk of the demon's fat in his hands, Sunny jumped down from the carcass and landed on a pile of fallen leaves.

    Making a candle out of animal fat was not very hard. He just needed fire, water, and time. The wick could be made out of seaweed fibers. It was not going to be pretty, but he didn't care about aesthetics.

    Leaving Nephis and Cassie behind, Sunny rushed back to their camp.

    The sun was already high in the sky.

    He spent the rest of the day doing two things: watching over the process of making the candle and running around the island, gathering as much fallen leaves as he could.

    From time to time, he would catch a glimpse of Nephis working on the boat, sometimes instructing Cassie to help her with menial tasks. From what he could see, the boat was coming along nicely. Changing Star knew what she was doing.

    Of course, this was only possible because he had convinced her that this was just something he wanted to do for fun. In the girls knew that Sunny was planning to use the boat to escape the Ashen Barrow, the effects of enthrallment would have kept erasing their memories of the task, making finishing it impossible.

    As it stood, Sunny was the only one who knew the true purpose of the boat. That's why he was forced to bear the full weight of Soul Tree's mind corruption alone.

    He felt as though he was about to drop dead of exhaustion. His head felt like it was filled with molten iron. His vision was starting to become blurry.

    But, stubbornly, Sunny refused to give up. No matter how tired he was, how much he wanted to let go and ease this suffering, returning to the bliss of not knowing, he kept his thoughts on one goal, and one goal only.

    Escaping the clutches of the Soul Devourer.

    Finally, with the evening approaching, the boat was ready.

    Looking like a walking corpse, Sunny slowly approached the demon's carcass, which was now cut open and sliced apart. It was as though a mad vivisector had visited the island to perform an autopsy on the giant and forgot to sew the poor creature back up.

    Nephis looked at him with concern.

    "Sunny�� are you alright?"

    Giving her a crooked smile, he shrugged.

    "I'm fine. Comparatively."

    He did not specify what exactly he was comparing his current condition to.

    Turning his head, Sunny looked at the boat with dark satisfaction.

    It was�� not how he had imagined it.

    The hull was made out of curved plates of polished metal, with sharp spikes protruding from them in all directions. The plates were held together by the golden rope that was tied tightly around them. Changing Star had managed to make the gaps between the different parts of the hull so thin that no water could sip through.

    The mast was made out of the demon's spine and ribs, with Cassie's enchanted cloak hanged on them to serve as the sail. There was even a steering oar, fashioned out of the tip of the giant's scythe.

    He had expected to see a makeshift raft, but what met him was an actual vessel. Yes, it looked crude�� but also strong, eerily macabre, and strangely impressive.

    'Sailing upon the cursed sea on a boat made of demon bones�� sound like the beginning of a legend,' he thought, temporarily mesmerized by the ghastly visage of the carapace vessel.

    Nephis looked at him with a hint of satisfaction.

    "Happy? Now what?"

    Sunny gathered his thoughts.

    'Now��'

    As soon as he tried to think of what they had to do next, an invisible barrier appeared in his mind, blocking any attempt to continue that thought.

    'Now we�� we��'

    No matter how hard he tried, Sunny couldn't quite remember what he wanted to do.

    With a scowl, he raised his hand and bit down on his mangled palm, feeling drops of blood flowing into his mouth.

    But even that pain did not help him destroy the barrier.

    Sunny smiled darkly and kneeled, placing his hand on the ground. Summoning the Midnight Shard, he raised his other hand and brought the pommel of the sword down without any hesitation.

    As the brittle bones of his ring finger shattered from the powerful strike, a wave of agony washed over his mind, obliterating the adamantine barrier.

    'Now we get the hell out of here!'

 Chapter 90 Nightfall

    Chapter 90 Nightfall

    Nephis stared at Sunny, shocked by his sudden act of self-mutilation. Hissing through gritted teeth, he dismissed the Midnight Shard and slowly rose back to his feet.

    "Ah! Crap! That really hurts!"

    His poor finger was red and swollen, pulsating with sharp pain. It was unmistakably broken. Sunny was so full of self-pity that he wanted to cry.

    'Why am I so unlucky? First that nightmare in the nest, now this. How come no one else is suffering, just me��'

    He conveniently decided to forget that Changing Star had been literally torturing herself for weeks and that due to her blindness Cassie was always covered in bruises.

    Hearing his pained voice, the blind girl turned her head and asked:

    "...Sunny? What happened?"

    He grimaced and tried to smile.

    "Ah, it's�� nothing serious, really. I just, sort of�� smashed my hand a bit."

    Nephis opened her mouth to say something, but he hurriedly interrupted whatever she wanted to say.

    "Anyway, Neph. Can you help me drag this gruesome masterpiece of yours to the edge of the island?"

    At this point, one wrong question could make things very complicated. He didn't want to reveal the true purpose of his actions until the last moment. That way, he would have more leeway in how to deal with problems�� should any arise.

    Changing Star hesitated. A few seconds later, she shrugged, looking at him with a concerned frown.

    "Are you sure you're okay, Sunny?"

    He forced a smile.

    "I will be if you help me."

    Giving up, she shook her head and walked over to the front of the boat. Sunny turned to Cassie.

    "We're off, Cas. Wait here for a bit, alright? I'll come get you soon."

    She lingered, as though not quite understanding his words, then answered with an uncertain expression.

    "Uh�� okay."

    Sunny raised his healthy hand to grip her shoulder, then hesitated and turned away with a dark look in his eyes. Enduring the pain, he walked toward the boat.

    'Hold on a little more, Cassie. It will be over soon, I promise��'

    The night was already approaching.

    Sunny and Nephis dragged the boat across the island, pulling it as oxen yoked to a wagon. The ashen sand was not the most difficult of terrains, but the spikes on the strange vessel's hull were making the task harder. Thankfully, the boat was lighter than it looked.

    Sunny knew that the alloy of the demon's carapace was extremely light from his experience with the Midnight Shard, which was forged from the same lustrous metal. If he were to believe the sword's description, this miraculous alloy came from a shard of a fallen star.

    Whether this omen was good or bad, he didn't know.

    Soon, they heard a thundering rumble in the distance. It came from the direction of the colossal crater.

    The dark sea was awakening.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny grabbed onto the golden rope that was coiled around his chest and pulled harder.

    'Come on! Faster!'

    The sun was just about to touch the horizon when they finally reached the edge of the island. Falling to his knees, Sunny released the rope and gasped for air, his chest rising and falling frantically. A wave of overwhelming exhaustion was drowning his senses, making it hard to stay awake.

    'Not yet�� you can't let go yet��'

    Nephis was silent, looking at him with a frown. For once, Sunny felt glad that she was weirdly taciturn by nature.

    Gathering his strength, he stood up and glanced at the darkening sky. Time was running out.

    Turning to Neph, he strained his parched throat and said in a raspy voice:

    "I'll explain everything once Cassie is here. Don't go anywhere until I bring her, alright? Please."

    Changing Star stared at him for a few seconds, then shrugged with indifference and didn't say anything.

    'I'll take it as a yes.'

    What else could he do?

    Cursing under his breath, Sunny turned around and hurried away. He had one last task to accomplish before returning for Cassie.

    ***

    Some time later, he came back to the spot where he had left Cassie. The blind girl was still there, sitting some distance away from the Carapace Demon's carcass and idly staring into the ground.

    Hearing the sound of his approaching footsteps, she smiled weakly.

    "Sunny?"

    He walked over, tired to the bone, and said while trying to keep his tone casual:

    "Yeah. It's me."

    Cassie got distracted for a moment, then asked:

    "Do you have a fruit? I'm hungry."

    He flinched, then shook his head.

    "No. Listen, we need to��"

    "...I'm hungry. Do you have a fruit?"

    Sunny stopped, looking at the blind girl with a forlorn expression. She sounded like a broken doll, repeating the same phrase over and over. Her condition wasn't good.

    He licked his lips.

    "Come with me, and your hunger will disappear."

    This was the best misdirection he could come up with within the confines of his Flaw. However, this time, he failed to achieve the desired effect.

    Cassie smiled and said:

    "Really? You'll take me to the fruits?"

    Due to his exhaustion and the debilitating effect of the enthrallment, Sunny got distracted for a moment and failed to control the Flaw. Without realizing it, he opened his mouth and said:

    "No."

    Cassie pouted and lowered her head:

    "That's not nice, Sunny. Why did you lie to me?"

    Still reeling from his mistake, Sunny missed the moment and made things even worse, turning a small oversight into a real problem:

    "...Because I want to take you away from this cursed island."

    As soon as the words left his mouth, Sunny froze and opened his eyes wide, refusing to believe that he had just messed up that bad.

    However, the damage was already done.

    Cassie turned to him with a deep scowl.

    "Take me�� away? But I don't want to leave. Why would I leave the Soul Tree?"

    Sunny silently cursed and shouted, abandoning any attempt to control himself:

    "Because that thing is evil! It's pure goddamn nightmare! Come on, let's go��"

    Grabbing her hand, he tried to pull the delicate girl away, but she resisted with surprising strength.

    "Let go of me, you jerk!"

    Cassie managed to rip her hand away from his grip and flinched back, looking at Sunny with anger.

    "I said I don't want to go! You're acting strange, Sunny! Stop, please!"

    Sunny froze, not knowing what to do.

    "I just��"

    "This island is our home! It's so nice here, with the three of us together! Why do you want to leave?!"

    He lingered, struggling to do what he knew had to be done. Finally, Sunny gritted his teeth and said:

    "Because it's five! Remember?!"

    'I'm sorry, Cassie��'

    Then, he lunged forward and violently grabbed the blind girl, easily suppressing her resistance.

    "What are you doing?! Stop! Help! Help! Neph!"

    Throwing her over his shoulder, Sunny turned around and ran toward the edge of the island. Cassie resisted desperately, using her small fists to pummel his back with a rain of punches.

    Despite the fact that she had never taken part in battles against the Nightmare Creatures of the Forgotten Shore, she still was considerably stronger than a normal person. All those soul shards Changing Star had shared with her gave Cassie enough strength to make Sunny feel every strike.

    It wasn't enough to seriously injure him, but more than enough to hurt like hell.

    'I'm sorry, I'm really sorry, Cassie...'

    Deeply disturbed, Sunny tried to block out Cassie's desperate screams and rushed to the boat. His forehead was covered in cold sweat.

    As the last glimmers of light were disappearing from the sky, he finally returned to the edge of the island. The ghastly boat was silently standing on the sand, just a few meters away from the restless black water. Changing Star was resting just in front of it, raising her head to look at the source of the commotion.

    "Neph! Help! Sunny had gone crazy!"

    Nephis slowly rose to her feet, her indifferent expression radiating coldness. She slightly outstretched one hand.

    'Crap.'

    "Wait! It's not��"

    Before he could finish the sentence, the silver sword appeared out of thin air, aimed at the ground�� for now.

    "Explain yourself."

    Changin Star's voice was even and calm, but Sunny could feel the hidden threat in it. Suddenly, he saw her in a new light�� or, rather, in an old one.

    As a potential enemy.

    The idea of facing off against Nephis sent chills running down his spine. He had almost forgotten the feeling he got back in the Academy, watching her wipe the floor with most of the Sleepers in their batch.

    He had forgotten that she, too, was a monster.

 Chapter 91 Escape

    Chapter 91 Escape

    Licking his lips, Sunny cautiously said:

    "It's not�� not as you think, Neph. We've been caught in a trap by the Soul Tree. It's not benevolent�� it's not protecting us. In fact, it's doing the opposite. If we don't leave this island, we'll become its slaves, forever. Or until it finds someone stronger and devours us!"

    She tilted her head and looked at him with an unreadable expression.

    "Come on, Nephis! Remember! We've talked about this already! This whole thing was your idea to begin with!"

    For a moment, he thought that his words had awoken the stolen memories in her mind. But her response shattered those hopes into pieces.

    "Leave�� the great tree? You have really lost your mind."

    'Curses!'

    Changing Star raised her sword and said in a tone that made Sunny tremble.

    "Let Cassie go. Now."

    He hesitated, thinking about the best course of action. Then, he carefully placed the blind girl on the ground.

    "Alright. I did. See? Now, listen to me. I have something very important to tell you��"

    Before he was done speaking, Nephis disappeared from his view. Realizing that he was about to be attacked, Sunny prepared to defend himself��

    However, a moment later, he was already lying on the ground, the tip of the silver sword pressed against his throat. Changing Star was standing above him, pale lights burning in her eyes.

    'Well that was�� embarrassing.'

    All his training, all the experience he had won in countless bloody battles, all the power he had gained�� Sunny had really thought that he stood a decent chance of standing his ground in a fight against Nephis, maybe even reaching a tie. But in the end, he had only lasted a second.

    One would be templted to call this shameful display a premature capitulation.

    'Nice one, idiot! Now stop fooling around and focus!'

    Feeling the cold steel touching his skin, Sunny tried to move as little as possible. He was pretty sure that Changing Star wouldn't just kill him in cold blood, but it was still better to not give her any reasons to do something drastic.

    After all, Neph's mind was not all there.

    Looking up at her cold, indifferent face, Sunny strained his vocal cords and shouted in exasperation:

    "Aster, Song, Vale!"

    Nephis's hand trembled, making a drop of blood roll down his neck. Her eyes opened wide, full of surprise and shock. Then, a dark expression appeared on her face.

    Pressing slightly on the sword, she took a step forward and pierced him with a burning gaze. When she spoke, her voice was trembling with suppressed emotions:

    "How... how do you know these names? Who are you?"

    Sunny blinked, equally as surprised by her reaction. He had thought that these weird words were just a part of some code to jog her memory awake. But, as it turned out, they were not��

    'Aster, Song, Vale�� what the hell does it mean? What can make Nephis lose her cool? It has to be something important��'

    Trying to stay as still as possible, he cautiously glanced at the blade of the sword and honestly answered:

    "I didn't even know that these were names. It's just what you told me to tell you in case you forget what had to be done. You said if I tell you this, you'll listen to me."

    Nephis stared at him, a shadow of doubt appearing on her face for a split second. It was gone almost instantly, replaced by grim determination. Gritting her teeth, she snarled:

    "Which Domain do you belong to?!"

    Sunny had no clue what she wanted him to say. So, he just asked:

    "What's a domain?"

    She grinned, a maniacal glimmer appearing in her eyes. This was very unlike calm, composed Nephis. If Sunny didn't know better, he would think that a completely different person was standing in front of him.

    A person that was much more unpredictable and dangerous.

    Meanwhile, Neph said:

    "Don't pretend to�� to��"

    Suddenly, she stumbled, then frowned. It seemed as though Sunny's question touched something in Changing Star's mind, causing a chain reaction. A few seconds passed, each turning her frown deeper.

    Slowly, the familiar poised calmness returned to her eyes. It didn't seem as though she had remembered everything, but, just as Nephis had promised, it seemed enough to make her listen to what Sunny had to say.

    He understood it from the fact that she had finally removed the tip of the sword from this throat. She even helped him stand up.

    Looking at Sunny with a strange expression, she then said:

    "I really told you those words?"

    Rubbing his slightly cut neck, he simply nodded. Blood Weave was already busy repairing the damage to his skin.

    Nephis looked down, then closed her eyes for a few moments. When she opened them again, they were full of resolve.

    "What do I need to do?"

    Sunny really wanted to ask her about the meaning of the three mysterious names, but decided against it. They had to hurry.

    "Ask Cassie to summon her staff. Then get her into the boat."

    Dismissing her sword, Changing Star glanced at him for the last time and walked toward her friend.

    ***

    Somehow, Nephis had managed to talk Cassie into following her and boarding the ghastly vessel. She probably had to lie about a lot of things, but Sunny didn't want to ask, afraid that his Flaw would ruin everything.

    Once the girls were inside the boat, he wrapped his tired body into the shadow and put his hands on the metal hull. Every part of his body seemed to hurt in its own unique way.

    His mind was utterly exhausted.

    'Come on, Sunny. One last push.'

    With a crooked smile, he strained his muscles and pushed the boat toward black water.

    As the last light of dusk disappeared, submerging the world into absolute darkness, the boat built from the bones of a demon slipped from the ashen sand into the cold embrace of the dark sea.

    Following Sunny's instructions, Cassie aimed her staff and activated its enchantment, causing a strong gale to fill their modest sail.

    At first, the boat moved slowly, the mast creaking under pressure. But Changing Star's craftsmanship was meticulous and reliable. The demon's spine held, and little by little, the small vessel began to gain speed.

    Sunny sat at the stern, controlling the steering oar. In front of them, an endless expanse of black water stretched to the horizon, hiding indescribable horrors in its depths.

    Behind them, the terrifying Soul Devouring Tree was slowly growing smaller.

    Sunny stared at it, feeling a deep sense of regret grip his heart. He wished that he was powerful enough to destroy it. Leaving just like that, without exacting revenge on the ancient monster, filled him with anger.

    Well�� at least he left it a present.

    Back at the Ashen Barrow, a candle was burning in a small alcove of stones that protected its flame from wind. Near the candle, a tall pile of dry, fallen leaves was towering over the alcove.

    It had taken Sunny a long time to gather that pile. He had scoured most of the island, hoping to make it as tall as possible. He had also mixed dry seaweed and the remaining fat of the Carapace Demon into the leaves.

    Some time later, the small candle was nearing the end of its life. Most of the wax had already melted, turning it even smaller. Just as the flame was about to go out, it ignited the leaves. After a few seconds, a massive, searing bonfire ignited in the middle of the island, illuminating the scarlet leaves of the evil tree. Almost instantly, the black waters surrounding the island surged with movement.

    Sunny was already too far away to see any of it.

    He didn't know if the creatures of the dark sea would be able to obliterate the Soul Devourer. He strongly doubted that the ancient fiend was that easy to destroy. However, with the Carapace Demon dead and the three humans meant to replace him gone, there was no one on the island to protect the gluttonous tree. Perhaps it would be seriously harmed, at least.

    For now, it was the best he could do.

    Looking back in the direction of the Ashen Barrow, Sunny gritted his teeth and thought:

    'One day, I will become powerful enough to destroy that tree, these monsters, and anyone else who would dare to stand in my way. One day, I will become powerful enough to never be afraid again, of anyone or anything. Instead, all of them will fear me!'

    He didn't notice that, just as he was thinking these words, Cassie suddenly raised her head and turned in his direction.

    On her face, a dark expression appeared, soon erased by uncertainty and doubt.

 Chapter 92 Journey Into The Night

    Chapter 92 Journey Into The Night

    In the absolute darkness, a small vessel was gliding on the black surface of a restless sea. Its mast, made of a demon's spine, was straining under the assault of the winds. In the eerie silence of this vast and lightless void, the swift boat cut through the waves like a blade.

    No sounds could be heard except for the creaking of bones and the crashing of water against its polished metal hull.

    Sunny sat at the oar, steering the carapace vessel. He was guiding them west. With no moon or stars to show them the path, it was hard to keep the boat on course. But there was a mark left in his mind by the cold and menacing shadow of the Crimson Spire �� using it as a compass, he was able to navigate the treacherous waters without losing his way.

    Black skies above, dark sea beneath. With nothing but a thin layer of steel separating them from the tenebrous abyss, they sailed through the night.

    Below them, countless horrors were hiding in the cursed depths. Several times, Sunny felt gargantuan shadows moving close to the small boat, attracted by the sound of its passing. Powerless to do anything, he had no choice but to tremble in silence, praying that the terrible creatures would turn away.

    So far, luck was on their side. Perhaps they were too small and feeble to satiate the hunger of these ancient leviathans...

    A few hours after the start of the voyage, Sunny felt that the constant pull on his mind had begun to wane. His thoughts were slowly becoming clearer, the haze of forgetfulness weakening with each minute. Soon, a ghostly sound of shattering glass resounded in his head. Instantly, the last remnants of the fog that was clouding his consciousness disappeared.

    He was free from the enthrallment of the Soul Devourer.

    Relieved, Sunny couldn't help but smile. However, his smile was weak and hesitant.

    With the effects of the mind hex gone, his usual sharpness had returned. It felt as though an invisible weight had been lifted, allowing his thoughts to finally flow unobstructed once again. Everything became clearer, as though the whole world suddenly came into focus.

    It was a wonderful feeling. But with it came a better understanding of how terrifying and precarious their current situation was.

    They were quite literally balancing on the edge of a hungry abyss, their lives relying on nothing but capricious fortune. The decision to venture into the dark expanse of the cursed sea on a makeshift boat was pure insanity.

    But then again, there was nothing sane about the Forgotten Shore to begin with. In this desolate hell, the craziest choice was sometimes the best one you had.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny held the oar and stared into the darkness.

    A few minutes later, Cassie suddenly shifted, making the boat gently sway. She handed the magical staff to Nephis and cautiously moved closer to Sunny, feeling her way through the darkness with her hands.

    Before Sunny could guess what was it that she wanted from him, he was suddenly caught in a tight embrace. The blind girl hid her face in his chest, hot tears streaming down her face.

    Sunny froze, stunned and having no idea what to do. He could feel Cassie's body pressed against him and shaking from crying, her hands tightly wrapped around his neck. While he was trying to comprehend the situation, she quietly whispered:

    "Thank you�� thank you��"

    Feeling extremely awkward, Sunny pretended to clear his throat.

    "Uh�� no need to thank me. If it wasn't for your warning, we would still be stuck on that island. So, we're even."

    Then, he raised his hand and awkwardly patted her on the back.

    Both of them were careful to keep their voices as quiet as possible, afraid that they will attract something from the black depths.

    Cassie silently cried for several minutes, then finally let go of him. Wiping her face, she pulled her body away and whispered:

    "I'm sorry."

    Her voice sounded a bit strange. Confused, Sunny raised his eyebrows.

    'What is she apologizing for?'

    "Uh, I'm sorry too. For, you know, grabbing you back then."

    She smiled and, wiping the last tear from her face, turned away to move back to the middle of the boat.

    Sunny was left alone once again.

    With nothing to do except for holding the steering oar, he let his thoughts wander. With his mind clear again, many things were worth revisiting. He had to distract himself from the eerie pressure of the endless dark emptiness somehow, anyway.

    Despite the fact that their experience with the Soul Devourer was nothing short of harrowing, Sunny had somehow managed to end up considerably better off on the other end of it.

    His haul this time was truly unbelievable. He had received an amazing new weapon, no less than a hundred shadow fragments, and two new Attributes.

    Spark of Divinity was a real improvement over its previous version. The ability to perceive the inner structure of Memories alone opened a whole new horizon of possibilities. However, he was more interested in the mysterious Blood Weave. Somehow, Sunny felt that he had severely underestimated the uniqueness and importance of that Attribute.

    Its origins, too, were covered in a veil of secrets. Who was that Weaver whose ichor he had consumed? Who were the Unknown that even the Spell was reluctant to mention? What was their connection to the gods? Why were the type and rank of the initial Memory he had received from the Vile Thieving Bird's Spawn left empty?

    How was it even possible for a Memory to give an Awakened new Attributes?

    That last question guided him to think of something else.

    Glancing up, he stared at Nephis and tried to recollect their conversation.

    Looking back, she had revealed a lot of things that he had failed to notice in the moment.

    First of all, Sunny now knew that Cassie's enchanted armor, which had been given to her by Changing Star, was an awakened Memory of the sixth tier. That meant that it came from an Awakened Terror, a Nightmare Creature one class above Mountain King that he himself had killed in his First Nightmare.

    The secret of how Changing Star had managed to earn her True Name was now one step closer to being revealed.

 Chapter 93 Black Water

    Chapter 93 Black Water

    Apparently, as far as accomplishing the impossible went, Nephis had outdone even Sunny. An Aspirant triumphing over an awakened tyrant was already unbelievable enough. But killing an Awakened Terror gave the word "unbelievable" a whole new meaning.

    'No wonder her Aspect Ability is so versatile.'

    Now, he was almost sure that Changing Star's Aspect was of the Divine Rank, just like his. That would explain why she was able to both heal and destroy with her strange and formidable powers, a combination as rare as his own Shadow Control.

    'What's the probability of two Sleepers with Divine Aspects ending up so close to each other in the Dream Realm?'

    Close to zero. It seemed like the unpredictable [Fated] Attribute had twisted the strings of fate once again.

    Sunny felt shivers running down his spine.

    His innate Attribute was capable of bringing both terrible curses and incredible blessings. At first glance, their meeting with Nephis seemed like the latter. But, if it was truly the result of [Fated] manipulating destiny, it could turn out to be the worst of calamities in the end.

    After all, one of the possible meanings of her True Name was Star of Ruin.

    The fear he had felt in that short moment before crossing swords with Nephis was still fresh in Sunny's mind.

    And there were other things that she had revealed, too��

    She apparently knew something about the [Drop of Ichor], being that she had called it a "Lineage Memory" without batting an eye. That suggested that Nephis knew much more about the Spell than Sunny and the rest of the public did. It seemed as though there were secrets in the upper echelons of Awakened that they didn't want anyone else to know.

    The three mysterious names she had told him might have been another of these secrets. And that last word she used, asking which "domain" he belonged to. What were these domains?

    So many questions��

    Sunny spent many hours pondering them, as well as going over all the information about the Forgotten Shore he had gathered.

    The carapace boat flew over the dark water, drawing closer and closer to the western horizon.

    Soon, he felt that the night was already drawing its last breaths. The light of hope ignited in Sunny's heart.

    However, this was when their luck had finally run out.

    ***

    The disaster came unexpected, violently throwing them into a void of confusion. This time, Sunny had not felt anything approaching the boat. The danger simply appeared out of nowhere, leaving him no time to react.

    One second, the black waters were calm and clear. The next, they were boiling with movement, grotesque tentacles rising from them and wrapping themselves around the hull of the boat.

    Sunny tried to jump to his feet, but at that moment, the whole vessel was violently jerked to the side. Falling, he heard the moans of metal being bent and torn apart. Then, salty water filled his mouth.

    Rising, he caught a glimpse of Nephis standing at the bow of the boat, her silver sword lashing out at the approaching tentacle. However, blinded by darkness, she failed to notice a different threat. Another tentacle twisted and coiled around her body��

    Then, without even a scream, she was gone, dragged into the dark depths, with no hope to return. All that remained was a long blade stuck helplessly in the bulbous flesh of the massive tentacle.

    Sunny's eyes widened in disbelief.

    'No, no, no... this can't be happening...'

    The hull of the carapace vessel was then crushed and torn into pieces, throwing him into the cold, black water.

    For a moment, Sunny was stunned by the coldness. Then, wrapping the shadow around his body, he swam up, trying to reach the surface. Soon, he succeeded and spun, trying to see something�� anything�� to give him hope.

    But there was nothing around, only undulating waves and twisting tentacles.

    Except for��

    Far in the distance, Sunny noticed an unclear shape rising above the water. He strained his eyes, trying to discern its nature. Then, his heart skipped a beat.

    A few hundred meters away, a giant stone hand towered above the surface of the sea, its palm opened as though trying to embrace the sky. It was slender and delicate, carved by the unknown sculptor with almost inhuman skill. If Sunny didn't know better, he would have thought that the hand belonged to a living, breathing being.

    But all of this didn't matter right now. All that mattered was that he had a chance to survive.

    Straining every muscle in his body, Sunny dodged a twisting tentacle and swam toward the hand, moving as fast as he could.

    But then, he suddenly stopped. And looked back.

    Misshapen pieces of metal and bone �� all that remained of their boat �� were floating on the surface of the dark sea. He had seen Neph being pulled under the water by the tentacles of the unknown creature, but Cassie, clad in her enchanted attention-repelling tunic, had a chance to escape.

    He couldn't just leave without at least trying to find her.

    '...Or can I?'

    A dark thought appeared in Sunny's mind. After all, his own survival was the only thing that really mattered. Everything else was just a distraction...

    'Why don't you think about yourself for a second? Are you really going to risk your precious life on the off chance that this helpless girl is still alive?'

    He hesitated.

    'Admit it, she is nothing but a burden. You always knew that one day she was going to drag you down��'

    Yes, he did. But��

    'But what? You're going to die, fool! Turn around and flee, now!'

    Why was he even hesitating? This was his chance to escape! His only chance, perhaps! He had to survive!

    Feeling an almost unbearable feeling of regret filling his chest, Sunny slowly inhaled.

    Then, he gritted his teeth and dove down, heading back to the spot where their boat had been destroyed.

    'What are you doing?! Have you lost your mind?!'

    He couldn't see in the black water, but his Shadow Sense was still somewhat effective. He had a chance to feel Cassie's presence, at least if she wasn't already dead and dragged to the bottom of this cursed abyss.

    'You fool! How is she worth it?! Why are you doing this?!'

    Grimacing, he forced his annoying inner voice to shut up. In his mind, the answer was clear:

    'Because I want to!'

 Chapter 94 Battle In The Depths

    Chapter 94 Battle In The Depths

    Because he wanted to.

    For once, Sunny's heart wasn't full of fear and despair. Instead, it was filled with defiant indignation. He was tired of bending under the pressure of the world, furtively clutching to the tiniest glimmers of hope, always afraid, always willing to do anything, abandon anything, just to survive for another day. It wasn't enough anymore.

    He wanted to make the world bend to his wishes instead.

    He wanted to live like a human being instead of an animal.

    In these past months, Sunny had changed without even noticing. Somehow, he had grown unsatisfied with his previous way of life, one where his sole goal of survival at all cost overshadowed everything else. Whether he lives or dies had always been the only thing that mattered. But now, how he lived mattered more.

    What was the point of having no master if he lived like a slave?

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny dove into the dark abyss.

    The cold water embraced him like a burial shroud. He couldn't see in this cursed blackness, relying only on his shadow sense for guidance. Salt sipped into the bite marks on his hands and the cut on his neck, making them burn. Not paying the agony any attention, Sunny used his considerable strength to propel himself deeper and deeper into the darkness.

    He could feel the giant tentacles moving in the water around him, pulling the pieces of the carapace boat into the gargantuan maw that was hiding somewhere far below. Once or twice, he had to desperately twist his body to avoid being touched by one of them.

    But still, no sign of Cassie. His lungs were starting to burn.

    Sunny dove deeper.

    At this depth, the water pressure was starting to affect his movements, making each stroke feel heavier. Even with his body enhanced by the shadow, there was a limit to how much it could withstand. Sunny suspected that without the Blood Weave, he would have suffocated a long time ago.

    What's worse, he felt as though he was getting closer and closer to the actual body of the unknown horror that had destroyed their vessel. He still couldn't sense its massive shape, but judging by the girth of the tentacles that surrounded him, the monster couldn't have been far.

    And then, Sunny finally noticed something.

    A short distance away from him, a small shadow was struggling against a much larger and ferocious one.

    Cassie!

    Gathering all his strength, Sunny swam toward the blind girl with as much speed as he could muster. As he drew near, he could discern the details of what was happening.

    Cassie was being pulled down, a smaller tentacle coiled around her body. She was still struggling, trying to get free, but her movements were growing weaker with each second. She was suffocating.

    Filled with fury, Sunny propelled himself forward and grabbed onto the tentacle, feeling slippery flesh throbbing in his grip.

    If he had any choice, he would have avoided touching that thing at all costs. But fighting underwater was tricky�� if he wanted to deliver any sort of a powerful blow, he had to find some form of support first.

    Summoning the Midnight Shard, Sunny strained every muscle in his body and slashed across the tentacle, right below the point where it was coiled around Cassie's lower torso. He knew that he wouldn't be able to do any serious harm with that strike, which was slowed down to a crawl by the burdensome resistance of the black water.

    However, his amazing sword was still sharp enough the cut into the fleshy tentacle, causing a cloud of dark blood to gush out of the wound.

    The tentacle furiously twitched and shot sideways, as though trying to shake the attacker off. Flying through the darkness, Sunny held on for dear life and moved his blade upward, slicing the spongy flesh apart.

    He never hoped to chop the tentacle off with one strike. No amount of strength would have allowed that to happen. Luckily, swords were able to pierce, slash�� and cut.

    Pushing the blade, Sunny cut deep into the tentacle. When the tsuba was about to touch the wound, he changed his grip and pulled the tachi down. Monster's flesh spread apart under the razor-sharp blade, barely offering any resistance.

    A torrent of blood surged out, and with the last push, the tentacle was completely severed.

    Sunny was finally able to turn his attention to Cassie to see how she was doing.

    What he sensed made him scowl. The blind girl was barely conscious.

    He needed to get her to the surface as fast as possible.

    Pushing away the twitching remains of the tentacle, Sunny dismissed his sword and grabbed Cassie across the torso, feeling how cold her skin was through the thin fabric of her tunic.

    Weakly, she tried to resist, not realizing that it was him and not the monster. Pressing the blind girl to his chest, Sunny turned his head up and felt a wave of desperation crashing against the walls of his mind.

    His lungs were in agony, no air whatsoever left in them. His body was slowly losing its strength, full of terrible pain and thirsting for a breath of fresh air with maddening intensity. Even if he could see anything, at this point, his vision would have begun to darken.

    And they were so, so far away from the surface.

    What's worse, the horror of the depths was now alerted to his location. Countless tentacles were already moving, surrounding them in an impenetrable barrier of flesh. A second or two later, they would be crushed to death in the devastating embrace of the sea monster.

    Sunny didn't know how to save them.

    But he wasn't going to give up, no matter what.

    Making an arduous stroke with his one free hand, he held tightly onto Cassie and swam up. The tentacles were approaching, blocking all paths of escape. Sunny gritted his teeth and��

    In the next moment, the water around them suddenly turned pure white.

    An incandescent radiance filled a vast expanse of the cursed sea, obliterating any sign of darkness. The explosion of light was so intense that it pierced through Sunny's eyelids and hurt his eyes.

    It was as though a miniature sun had ignited somewhere far below them, turning the endless black abyss into a pristine white void. Tidal currents of radiant water surged tumultuously, throwing the world into disarray.

    The gargantuan tentacles convulsed and writhed madly, as though in the throes of unbearable pain. The unbreakable barrier of flesh fell apart.

    Sunny wasn't about to let this chance go.

    Straining his suffocating body, he swam to the surface, dodging the writhing tentacles. With the furious white sun burning in the depths below, he could see their shapes clearly. Moving faster and faster, he propelled himself up with everything he had left.

    Sunny knew that surfacing that fast was dangerous, but there was no other choice. Both Cassie and himself did not have a lot of life left in them.

    They needed air.

    Although it seemed like an eternity, the white radiance began to dim just a few moments later. But it didn't matter. Sunny was already past the barrier of tentacles, swimming up with desperate speed.

    He was afraid that they wouldn't make it. His consciousness was already beginning to wane, slowly slipping into the cold clutches of empty nothingness. Even knowing that there was nothing but water around, he was still overwhelmed by the suicidal desire to open his mouth and inhale as deeply as he could. His muscles were spasming, devoid of oxygen for too long.

    ��And then, finally, Sunny's head broke the surface. Blinded by pain, he drew in a gasping breath and coughed uncontrollably.

    Held tightly in his arms, Cassie was doing the same. Her chest was ruggedly moving up and down, sucking in the sweet ambrosia of air. Sunny never knew how precious it was before, not even while being slowly poisoned by the harmful, polluted air of the outskirts.

    They made it.

    Trying to compose himself, Sunny looked around. The last remnants of the white radiance were long gone, erased as if they had never existed. The world was once again consumed by absolute darkness.

    However, far away in the east, the first light of dawn was about to shine from beyond the horizon.

    Catching the glimpse of the giant stone hand, Sunny gripped Cassie's shoulders and swam in that direction.

 Chapter 95 Starlight

    Chapter 95 Starlight

    Sunny felt that he was at the end of his rope. He had put himself through too much abuse during these last few days. Now, it was hard to even remember when was the last time he had slept.

    A day before climbing the Soul Devouring Tree in search of a special fruit, perhaps.

    Since then, he had lived through the harrowing torture of the Blood Weave transformation, spent countless hours on the verge of mental collapse to resist the effects of the enthrallment, mangled his hands to stay lucid, guided the boat through the terrors of the dark sea in absolute darkness, saw it being destroyed by the horrid dweller of the deep, and gave battle to that monster in the cold black depths, almost drowning as the result.

    His body and mind were on the brink of shutting off.

    Despite that, Sunny stubbornly continued to swim, bringing himself and Cassie closer and closer to the giant stone hand that was rising from the water, as though trying to embrace the skies.

    The dark sea was surging around him, still reeling from the effects of the light explosion that had rocked it sometime earlier. Tall waves were threatening to drown the two Sleepers, throwing them around like toys. Struggling against them was a hard task.

    And still, he persisted.

    The dawn was drawing close, but for now, there was still nothing but cold, darkness and danger all around them. Any second, something could rise from the depths of the abyss and put an end to their desperate attempt to save themselves.

    At least the tentacles were gone, perhaps scared away by the pain of being exposed to the searing light.

    By some miracle, Sunny eventually managed to reach the stone hand.

    Hoisting Cassie up, he helped her climb on the dark rocks and followed closely behind. Soon, they reached the open palm of the hand and crawled to its center, then fell down, utterly spent and exhausted.

    For a long time, neither of them was able to talk. All Sunny could do was lay motionless, draw in raspy breaths, and try to stay awake.

    His mind was empty of thoughts. That was fine, because he didn't want to think. If he did, he would be forced to remember�� remember what had happened to��

    'Shut up!'

    What was the point of remembering? He couldn't change anything.

    The sound of the black water crashing against the base of the giant hand reminded him that the night was still not over.

    Opening his eyes, Sunny tried to understand their current circumstances.

    Their shelter was slightly raised above the waves, the base of the giant thumb almost touching the surface of the dark sea. The palm was not very spacious, roughly half the size of the circular platform that had saved his life on his first day on the Forgotten Shore. It was angled upward, creating a slight slope.

    The fingers were higher above waves and wide enough to accommodate a person, but they were bent upward toward the sky, making them less suitable to serve as a refuge.

    'We need to get further away from the water.'

    With that thought, Sunny tiredly stood up and bent down to touch Cassie's shoulder.

    "Cassie. Stand up. We have to move higher."

    His voice sounded hollow and brittle.

    The blind girl flinched and raised her head, her skin deathly pale.

    "...Sunny?"

    He nodded.

    "Yeah. It's me."

    She was still in shock. Sunny could see that Cassie's mind was not all there yet, so he gently pulled her to her feet.

    "Come on, let's go. It's just a few meters."

    She lingered.

    "What happened? I heard a�� a sound�� and then something was pulling me down��"

    He gritted his teeth and tried to keep his tone even.

    "We were attacked by a sea monster. The boat was destroyed. I dove down and managed to find you, then swam to this pile of stones. It's not very high above the water, so��"

    Cassie wavered.

    "Where's�� where's��"

    Sunny hurried to interrupt her, unwilling to answer the next question.

    "Come, follow me. We can rest when we're higher."

    Gently guiding the blind girl, Sunny climbed to the base of the giant hand's index finger, which was the highest point they could reach without climbing the fingers themselves. Sitting down on the cold stone, he rested his back against the giant phalanx and stared at the restless surface of the dark sea.

    His eyes were cold and empty.

    Cassie was silent by his side. Her pale face was contorted, as though she simultaneously wanted to ask the question and dreaded the answer.

    Finally, gathering her courage, the blind girl whispered, her trembling voice barely audible:

    "Sunny. Where is Neph?"

    He stayed silent, not willing to speak the words out loud.

    Stupidly, he felt that if he spoke them, they would become the truth. But if he didn't, there was still a possibility that they were a lie.

    'I'm not answering.'

    A few moments later, the familiar pressure appeared in his mind. The pressure grew and grew, making his head spin.

    'I'm not!'

    Then, the piercing pain came. Sunny stubbornly endured it. He lasted for much longer than he had ever done before, keeping his mouth shut until hot tears rolled from his eyes, his whole body shaking from the terrible suffering.

    But eventually, he was still forced to say those bitter words.

    "She's�� she's g��"

    Before he could finish, a subtle sound attracted his attention. It came from below, from the edges of the restless dark waves.

    Sunny's heart skipped a beat.

    Out there at the base of the giant thumb, where the cursed sea was almost touching its stone surface, a pale white hand appeared from the black water and grabbed onto the rocks.

    Then, a tall figure slowly pulled itself onto the opened palm of the stone giantess.

    His eyes widened.

    Feeling that something was wrong, Cassie turned her head and asked:

    "Sunny? What is it?"

    He trembled and whispered, gripped with sorrow.

    "It's Nephis."

    An uncertain smile appeared on the blind girl's face.

    "Neph?! She is alright?!"

    Sunny found himself unable to answer.

    No, Nephis was not alright.

    In fact, he didn't know how she was even alive.

    The Starlight Legion Armor was shattered and torn, revealing the mutilated flesh beneath. There was a horrifying gaping wound on Changing Star's torso, looking as though almost half of her right side was missing. Sunny could see the sharp shards of broken ribs, the rivers of blood streaming down her legs, and the mangled mess of viscera spilling over the edges of the wound.

    He wanted to close his eyes.

    Another large chunk of flesh was missing from her thigh, exposing the shredded remnants of muscle and the white surface of the femur, cracked and barely holding together. Her right arm was severely damaged, too. In fact, it was almost torn off, hanging only by a narrow strip of skin and a few tendons, like that of a mistreated, broken marionette

    Even her face was not spared. One of Neph's eyes was gone, its socket crushed and shattered, the skin of her cheek was shaved off as though by sandpaper, leaving behind a mangled mess of bleeding flesh and broken teeth.

    The sight of her was harrowing and heartbreaking.

    It was apparent that Changing Star was about to die.

    "Sunny? Why are you not answering?"

    He glanced at Cassie and bit his lip, trying once again to suppress the answer that was fighting its way out. Something sharp and hot was stabbing at his heart, making his vision blurry.

    Meanwhile, Nephis staggered and blindly stepped forward. Her legs buckled, and she heavily fell to her knees, splattering blood all other the cold surface of the stone. A terrible moan escaped from her lips as her cracked femur finally shattered, bone piercing through muscle and skin.

    Sunny felt as though he was thrown into his worst nightmare. He wanted to scream, but his voice was gone. A deep, almost physical pain was tearing him from inside.

    He didn't want to be here. He didn't want to see this.

    And yet, he couldn't look away.

    ��That's why he noticed instantly when two white flames ignited in Neph's eyes. The radiance grew brighter and brighter, spilling from her eyes, her mouth, the gaping wounds in her body. It was as though there was a flaming star burning in the place where her heart should have been, as though she was nothing but white flame hidden behind a thin layer of human skin.

    The incandescent radiance filled Changing Star's blood, turning it into streams of liquid white fire.

    As Sunny watched, frozen in place with his eyes opened wide, that fire began to melt and reshape her flesh. Slowly, her muscles repaired herself, her organs returned to their places, her bones reassembled themselves from the shards.

    Where there was nothing to replace a missing part, the fire took its shape and solidified.

    With a terrible scream, Nephis grasped her almost severed arm and tore it away, then pressed it to the stump that was bleeding with white flame. Soon, the mangled halves melted together, becoming whole again.

    Shocked, he saw every terrible wound on her body heal, washed in the purifying fire.

    Soon, there was nothing but pristine white skin showing through the wide gaps in the shattered armor.

    Nephis raised her head, looking at them but not seeing anything. There was no recognition in her gaze, all understanding destroyed by the cruel crucible of the sacred fire.

    Then the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan closed her eyes and fell to the ground, losing consciousness.

    ��Finally, the first rays of sunshine appeared from beyond the eastern horizon.

    The dawn was coming.

    ***

    In the end, Nephis had remained unconscious for an entire two days.

    On the third day, she finally opened her eyes and slowly rose, looking around with subtle confusion.

    Her face, as usual, was calm and indifferent.

    However, she did flinch a little when her gaze fell on Sunny, who was sitting at the top of the giant hand's index finger and grinning from ear to ear at her.

    Frowning, Changing Star looked herself over, noticing the embarrassing gaps in her armor, and said:

    "Why are you smiling?"

    Sunny gave her a mischievous wink and shrugged.

    "Look behind you."

    Lingering for a few seconds, Neph sighed and turned around, wondering what is it that he wanted her to see.

    Behind her, a dark expanse of land was rising above the slope of the colossal crater.

    And on it, a tall city wall built of grey polished stone was towering over the giant chasm of the abyss. It looked ancient but still impenetrable, able to withstand the crushing pressure of the dark sea for a thousand more years,

    They've made it.

    That had found the human castle.

    [End of volume one: Child of Shadows.]

 Chapter 96 Exile

    Chapter 96 Exile

    "Wake up, Sunless! Your nightmare is��"

    "Shut the hell up!"

    Trying to remain in the blissful embrace of sleep, Sunny hissed through his teeth and stubbornly closed his eyes tighter. He was warm and comfortable under the blanket, on his own bed, where all the problems of the world seemed less serious and dire.

    For a moment, there was silence.

    'That's better��'

    "Wake up, Sunless! Your��"

    'Goddammit!'

    Thrusting one arm from under the blanket, Sunny summoned one of his Memories. Immediately, a triangular leaf-shaped throwing dagger appeared in his hand, only to be thrown blindly at the source of the irritating voice. Missing its mark, the kunai clinked against the stone wall and fell to the floor.

    However, the voice did fall silent.

    Sunny sighed. It was already too late. He was awake.

    Far in the distance, the waves were starting to crash against the city wall. The night was coming, so it was time to get up.

    Opening his eyes, Sunny sat up and looked around.

    His room was beautiful and spacious. The stone walls were engraved with intricate patterns, creating an atmosphere of sanctity and elegance. The furniture was made out of pale polished wood, with several mismatched pieces that Sunny had scavenged from different places himself.

    The room had no windows, however, there were light wells cunningly hidden here and there. Sadly, the ingenious system of mirrors that was supposed to bathe the hidden chamber in sunlight was long destroyed, leaving only darkness inside.

    Sunny didn't mind. In fact, this was one of the features of his secret lair that he enjoyed the most.

    Darkness was his best friend.

    Yawning, he stood up and rubbed his face to chase away the last remnants of sleep. His long, dirty hair was getting in the way, so he moved it back.

    'Let's make some breakfast.'

    But first things first��

    Sunny moved his hand, pulling on the invisible string that connected his wrist to the ring-shaped pommel of the kunai. The throwing dagger jumped into the air and landed on his palm. This was a trick that had taken Sunny quite some time to master: in the beginning, he almost lost a couple of fingers while trying to learn how to control the flying blade.

    Walking over to a wall empty of engravings, he used the kunai to scratch a small line into the stone. All around it, there were dozens and dozens of similar lines, grouped neatly into sets of five.

    It had already been four months since Sunny came to this loathsome, godforsaken city.

    Many things had happened during that time.

    ***

    Cassie's vision turned out to be true. Far in the west, they indeed found a vast, ruined city surrounded by tall walls, with monsters wandering its narrow streets. And in the center of the city, there was a hill with a magnificent castle standing on its top.

    Miraculously, the castle was full of people. However, they weren't Awakened, as the three of them had hoped. Instead, they were, each and every one of them, mere Sleepers.

    Because they were no Gateway in the castle.

    Hundreds of humans �� those who had managed to survive the lethal hellscape of the Forgotten Shore due to their strength or luck �� were stuck there with no hope of ever returning to the real world. It was nothing but a graveyard of hope.

    Remembering his first days in the castle, Sunny couldn't help but laugh out loud. Oh, what a fool he had been. So full of hope and newfound faith in humanity�� where's that faith now, huh?

    Laughing hysterically, he bent over and slapped his knees.

    "Oh, that's funny! Good one, Sunny. What do you think about that, eh buddy?"

    The shadow didn't respond, staring at him with reproach. Its silence only made Sunny laugh louder. He just couldn't stop.

    To be honest, he had gone a little bit insane some time ago. Probably around his third week of living alone in the city. He was more or less alright after leaving the castle due to that unfortunate falling out with�� well, it didn't matter.

    The point was that on his third week, that damn bastard of a knight had almost disemboweled him, leaving Sunny no choice but to crawl away while using his own two hands to stop his intestines from falling out. After finding his way to a secluded ditch and lying there for a few days, too weak to move and simply waiting to die, with not a soul around to help him, Sunny wasn't quite the same.

    'Good times��'

    Anyway, he survived.

    Dismissing the kunai, Sunny walked over to a table that he had scavenged from the ruins of a library and glanced at the grey rock that was lying in its center.

    No matter how you looked at it, it was just an ordinary rock. However, as soon as Sunny's gaze fell on it, the rock spoke:

    "Wake up, Sunless! Your nightmare is over!"

    That rock was, in fact, one of his most valuable Memories. In all ways except for one, it was indeed just a rock�� which was already useful enough. There were a lot of things that someone as devious as Sunny could accomplish with the help of a rock. However, this particular rock was also capable of parroting different sounds, which made it simply priceless.

    Right now, it was parroting Sunny's own voice.

    "Wake up��"

    'You vile thing!'

    Struggling with the irrational desire to turn the Parrot Rock into dust, Sunny dismissed it and removed a piece of cloth from the table. Beneath it, a few strips of monster meat lay on a silver platter.

    He had hunted this monster himself, which was not an easy task in these parts. In fact, as far as Sunny knew, he was one of the very few people capable of hunting in the city alone. The reason for this was that most of the Nightmare Creatures populating it were of the Fallen rank, with only a handful of weaker ones hiding here and there.

    No one was crazy enough to hunt the Fallen monsters. Instead, large hunting parties used experienced guides to avoid these powerful creatures while searching for easier prey.

    But to Sunny, singling out stray Awakened monsters were comparatively easy. He hunted at night, using deep shadows to make himself nothing short of invisible. If he didn't want to fight a Fallen abomination, he didn't have to.

    Most of the time��

    In any case, he never went hungry.

    Sunny grinned and said in a deeply satisfied tone:

    "Ah, life is good��"

 Chapter 97 Hunters Dream

    Chapter 97 Hunter's Dream

    Life, indeed, was good. In fact, Sunny would even go so far as to say that, currently, it was wonderful.

    One would expect that being stuck in a cursed city located in the middle of an actual hell, surrounded by nothing but ruins and horrifying monsters, was not really the best way to live your life. But to him, this was somewhat of a paradise.

    To his surprise, Sunny had found out that this type of existence suited him pretty well. He had no obligations, no need to worry about the future and, most importantly, was not required to interact with other humans.

    Humans always made things hard and complicated. He was sick of them.

    Being on your own was much better. He didn't have to pretend to be someone else, force himself to behave differently from how he wanted to, and strain his mind trying to understand people's convoluted feelings.

    For the first time in his life, Sunny could simply be himself.

    Turns out, his true self was very easy to please. He had no shortage of interesting things to do, explore, and kill. His life was very entertaining and comfortable, all things considered.

    It was at least way better than his pathetic existence in the outskirts, back in the real world.

    The key to this harmonious feeling was very simple. It was to have no hope.

    Sunny discovered that hope was the true enemy of peace. It was the most vile and poisonous thing in the universe. If there was even a glimmer of hope to return home, he would have been desperate, full of anxiety, and probably in the middle of some insane disaster right now.

    Like he had always been before.

    But without hope, things were simple and pleasant. He really couldn't wish for more.

    "Keep telling yourself this crap. You might really believe it."

    Sunny grinned.

    "What is there to believe? It's the truth!"

    The shadow silently shook its head, long accustomed to his crazy tirades. Lately, Sunny had been talking with himself a lot, having long arguments that sometimes descended into screaming matches. It was a good way to pass the time.

    ��A bit later, he emerged from his secret chamber. Sunny's lair was situated in the upper part of a ruined cathedral, the entrance hidden behind a tall statue of some unknown goddess. There was a small balcony that allowed him to observe the grand hall of the temple over the goddess's shoulder, concealed from sight by the strands of her stone hair.

    The balcony was really high above the floor, making it impossible for any creature to climb on it by accident. Falling down would certainly kill a normal human.

    Sunny had discovered the hidden room while spying on the bastard that had gutted him. He had entered the cathedral through the hole in its roof and landed on one of the wide support beams, then walked across and accidentally noticed the small balcony.

    That's how he and the bastard had become neighbors. The bastard was, in fact, the guardian of this place. He patrolled the grand hall, killing anyone who dared to come inside. Sunny saw plenty of powerful Nightmare Creatures fall to his sword, cleaved apart without much effort.

    Of course, the bastard was a Nightmare Creature of considerable power himself.

    Sunny was pretty sure that he was at least a devil.

    Sharing the cathedral with a devil was very convenient. Sunny could sleep easy knowing that no monster would be able to reach the inner sanctum alive. Of course, he had to be careful to never be seen by his murderous roommate.

    On the upside, he could observe the devil as much as he wanted, waiting for a chance to exact his revenge. Sunny was hellbent on killing the damn knight, eventually. The bastard had to die.

    But before that, Sunny had to become stronger. Much, much stronger.

    Walking across the beams of the cathedral, he approached the hole in the roof and climbed through it.

    Outside, the night was already reigning over the world.

    It was time to hunt.

    ***

    A skeletal, hunched figure was slowly walking along the narrow street of the cursed city. The creature had long arms that ended with vicious claws and a deformed head with a wide mouth full of razor-sharp fangs.

    Even with its back bent, the monster was at least two meters tall. It was dressed in a torn shroud that was once white, but had long ago turned brown from the dried blood.

    This was Sunny's prey.

    The creature, which was called a Blood Fiend, was among the weakest dwellers of the cursed city. It was merely an awakened monster, barely intelligent and comparatively easy to kill.

    Of course, nothing was really easy to kill here. After all, each and every human on the Forgotten Shore was just a dormant beast.

    Despite the fact that they shared the same rank and class, Blood Fiends were less formidable than Carapace Centurions in terms of strength and speed. However, that was only until they smelled blood, which sent them into a murderous frenzy. In that state, these fiends were a true menace.

    'Pathetic,' Sunny thought, stalking the Nightmare Creature from the shadows.

    He had killed a few of these monsters in the past and had a great time each time�� well, except for this one encounter where he had accidentally scratched himself on a sharp stone. That was not fun at all.

    'Time to die, you ugly freak!'

    The Blood Fiend was just about to turn the corner when a sudden sound attracted his attention. With unnatural speed, the monster turned around and fell on all fours, his sensitive ears picking up the slightest rustle. Then, he took a few careful steps forward and stopped at a certain spot.

    In front of the fiend, an ordinary-looking rock was lying on the ground.

    A second later, the rock suddenly spoke:

    "Behind you," it said politely.

    The creature froze for a moment, then turned around with lightning-fast speed.

    Something whistled in the air, and the upper part of the Blood Fiend's body separated from the lower. Still refusing to die, the monster reached out with its long arms.

    "Too slow!"

    Sunny slashed with the Midnight Shard, severing one of the arms at the elbow. Continuing the motion, he took a quick step forward and performed another strike, this time piercing the creature's skull. The tip of the tachi entered through one of its eyes and exited through the back of the head.

    All of it took less than a second. By the time both parts of the monster fell to the ground, Sunny had already retrieved his sword.

    Looking up with expectation, he smiled and waited.

    "Come on, say it!"

    As if answering his call, the Spell whispered:

    [You have slain an awakened monster, Blood Fiend.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Sunny grinned.

    "Ah, thank you kindly. You're so sweet."

    The runes shimmered as they appeared in the air in front of him. Looking down, he read:

    Shadow Fragments: [398/1000].

    Just two fragments away from four hundred. These days, he was progressing at a very respectable speed. In the beginning, back when he had not known the city and the creatures that populated it, Sunny was lucky to get a few fragments in a week.

    He had also been much more prone to ending up bloodied and one step away from death.

    But now, things were slowly changing. He couldn't even remember the last time he felt compelled to say goodbye to life.

    'Ah, you idiot. You just had to go and think that out loud, huh?'

    Just as he finished that thought, a distant sound of footsteps reached his ears.

 Chapter 98 Uninvited Guests

    Chapter 98 Uninvited Guests

    Sunny looked grimly at the corpse of the Blood Fiend, then in the direction of the approaching footsteps.

    Who was crazy enough to remain in this cursed city during the night? Only a complete lunatic would do something that stupid. All the sane people were long gone from the streets, not to mention that very few were willing to enter the ruins to begin with.

    A dark shadow flowed from the tip of the Midnight Shard's blade. Coalescing on the ground, it stared at him with sarcasm.

    Sunny stared back.

    "What?"

    The shadow shook its head and didn't answer, forcing him to turn away with a confused shrug.

    "Whatever. Ah, it seems we have guests. What to do, what to do? The place is a mess!"

    Looking around, Sunny sighed, glanced at the corpse of the monster once again, and summoned the kunai. The smart thing to do was to run away. Who knew what exactly was producing those footsteps? Maybe it was a group of people, maybe it was a Nightmare Creature with a lot of feet. It was better not to find out.

    Be he wasn't done with the hunt yet. He still had to get his trophies��

    "Go take a look."

    Sending the shadow away, Sunny kneeled and began to cut the tough flesh of the dead creature. Without the enhancing effect of the shadow, slicing the Blood Fiend apart was not as easy. However, he still managed to find the first soul shard rather quickly. One more to go��

    Meanwhile, the shadow had discovered the uninvited visitors. Six humans were cautiously walking along the narrow path in the stone ruins, lighting their way with a ghostly blue lantern.

    They were all rugged men, wearing mismatched suits of armor and armed to the teeth. Their eyes were cold and hard.

    Sunny raised his eyebrows.

    "My, oh my. They really are people. What is a bunch of Gunlaug's thugs doing outside the castle walls in the middle of the night?"

    Gunlaug was the owner of the castle and the self-proclaimed king of this odious place. Every Sleeper on the Forgotten Shore was forced to either serve him or pay him tribute. Even still, the latter usually didn't live long.

    Dismissing the Midnight Shard and the Parrot Rock, Sunny concentrated on searching for the second soul shard. He wanted to be gone from the street before these gentlemen arrived.

    But the circle of blue light was approaching too fast��

    Finally catching a glimpse of the glowing crystal, Sunny grabbed it and hurriedly hid it in his armor. Then he dropped the kunai on the ground and took several steps back.

    But it was too late. They had already seen him.

    "Be careful! There's a monster!"

    As Sunny was backing away, several weapons were aimed in his direction. Feeling that things were about to get out of control, he cleared his throat and said in a trembling voice:

    "Oh, oh! Please don't hurt me! I'm a human!"

    Saying this, he mentally looked himself over.

    With his ghostly pale skin and dirty hair, his ragged armor covered in layers of dried and fresh blood, Sunny was indeed easy to mistake for a Nightmare Creature. He wasn't really paying much attention to personal hygiene and appearances these days.

    Hopefully, speaking in a human language would prove his identity. Raising his hands to show that he wasn't armed, Sunny took another step back.

    The six Sleepers were really surprised to see another human this far away from the walls of the castle, especially at night. Using their momentary confusion, he cautiously moved even further away.

    "Don't move!"

    Finally able to comprehend the situation, one of the castle inhabitants hissed a threatening command. Sunny obediently froze, careful not to make any sudden movements.

    The unexpected guests proceeded to come closer, glancing at the corpse of the Blood Fiend as they walked past it. One of them was taller and better equipped than the rest. Piercing Sunny with a menacing gaze, he approached him and stopped one or two steps away.

    The man was older than Sunny by a few years. He was tall and muscular, with a patchy beard covering the lower part of his face and a mean look in his watery blue eyes. From his demeanor and Memories, it was easy to tell that the leader of the group had spent no less than three years on the Forgotten Shore. He had experience and time to grow stronger than most Sleepers here.

    However, it was also apparent that he wasn't really high up in the ranks of Gunlaug's army. Otherwise, his equipment would have been much more impressive.

    Still, the heavy battle-axe that was resting on the man's shoulder looked really sharp. It would take him only a second to bring that thing down on Sunny's head��

    "Who are you?! What the hell are you doing here?!"

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then gulped and answered carefully:

    "Uh�� I'm Sunless. I live here."

    The leader of the hunting party �� if that what it was �� narrowed his eyes.

    "What�� live here? Do you take me a fool, boy?! No one can survive in the city!"

    The other Sleepers were of the same opinion �� except for one, who looked at Sunny with doubt. Frowning, he took a step forward and said in an uncertain tone:

    "Wait, chief. He might be telling truth. I heard that there's a crazy kid who lives in the ruins alone."

    The taller man scowled.

    "How is that possible?"

    His subordinate glanced at Sunny and shrugged.

    "From what I heard, his Aspect allows the boy to hide in the shadows really well. I guess he crawls around like a rat and picks up the leftovers after the monsters are done eating. I don't really know, but someone was talking about him back in the castle. I thought they were just telling tales."

    Sunny frowned. Crazy, boy, rat�� why did everyone feel compelled to call him names?

    Meanwhile, the helpful Sleeper thought for a bit and added:

    "I think he came into town with that bitch, Changing Star."

    Sunny's frown turned into a scowl. Looking down, he whispered to his shadow:

    "These guys are really very rude, don't you think?"

    Of course, his whisper was easily heard by everyone around. The Sleepers stared at him in confusion.

    Sunny tilted his head a little and opened his eyes wide, as if shocked by something.

    "What? You think I should kill them all? I mean�� isn't it a little bit over the top? I should give them a chance to apologize, at least."

    The leader of the hunting party took a step forward and said in a low, growling voice:

    "What are you mumbling about, rat?"

    Sunny looked at him with scorn and dissatisfaction.

    "Hey, I was talking to my buddy. Can you please not interrupt?"

    A wide, dangerous smile appeared on the tall man's face. With a sigh, Sunny turned to him and said:

    "Alright, if you insist. You guys have offended my dearest friend, Nephis of the Immortal Flame clan. She and I are very, very close. So I'll give you one chance to apologize for calling her a�� well, you know. If you don't, say goodbye to your lives."

    The older man stared at him for several seconds, then suddenly raised his head and laughed.

    "Oh, that's a good one! Have you heard, guys? This tiny weasel will give us a chance. How generous! Should we be generous too, huh? What do you say? The boy is sick in the head, after all."

    The other five Sleepers were not sharing his enthusiasm. One of them smiled darkly and said:

    "No, chief. I think we should just kill him. Put the poor fool out of his misery, you know."

    The Sleeper that had collaborated Sunny's story before, meanwhile, was frowning again.

    "Wait, guys�� he's one of Changing Star's people, remember? The original group, I mean. They had survived two entire months in the Labyrinth on their own. We shouldn't underestimate th��"

    However, the leader interrupted him with a contemptuous scoff.

    "I heard that Saint Nephis carried two useless sacks of shit on her back all the way to the castle. The bitch is fond of taking care of weaklings, right? That delicious little friend of hers is blind, for god's sake! I'm sure that this one is no better."

    Then, he turned to Sunny and grinned.

    "I tell you what, rat. Give us all your Memories, and we'll be generous enough to let you live. "

    If an Awakened died, their Memories disappeared with them. The only way to get the Memories was to make the owner transfer them of their own free will. However, whether or not that will was affected by coercion or torture didn't really matter. At least not to people like these.

    Sunny blinked.

    "So you're not going to apologize?"

    The tall man grinned.

    "I think not."

    Sunny sighed.

    "Oh well. So you want my Memories, eh? I have a few. Let me think�� uh�� how about this one?"

    Lowering one hand, he summoned the Parrot Rock. It immediately appeared on his palm, looking as boring and ordinary as always.

    The leader of the hunting party frowned, not taking his eyes away from Sunny's face. Despite his crude exterior, he was paranoid and careful. Years of experience had taught him to never lower his guard.

    A moment later, the rock spoke:

    "Behind you!"

    That was the most basic of tricks��

    The tall man grinned, still looking Sunny in the eyes.

    "Do you really think that I would fall for��"

    However, before he was done talking, the blade of the kunai hit him from behind, penetrating the back of the man's skull and killing him on the spot.

 Chapter 99 Pursuit

    Chapter 99 Pursuit

    Sunny had dropped the throwing dagger near the monster's body in advance and then took all those steps back to make this exact situation possible. As soon as the Parrot Rock spoke, he pulled on the invisible string, sending the kunai flying back in his direction. The tall bastard didn't just happen to be in its path, either.

    [You have slain��]

    The leader of the hunting party really should have listened to that rock.

    [... shadow grows stronger.]

    Before the Sleepers even had time to react, Sunny was already moving. The shadow had been wrapped around his body a long time ago, making him that much faster. Summoning the Midnight Shard, he fluidly slashed at the nearest enemy, severing the man's arm at the elbow.

    The blade struck right between the vambrace and the couter of his enchanted plate armor.

    To Sunny, these people we slow and clumsy, their power level and technique severely lacking. He had already been more experienced than them after the harrowing journey through the crimson labyrinth, learning how to wield the sword in combat from Changing Star herself.

    The three months he had spent hunting and surviving alone in the cursed city only made the gap that much wider. Despite looking like easy prey, Sunny was anything but.

    However, he wasn't foolish enough to challenge all five of them. People might have been weaker than Nightmare Creatures, but what made them really dangerous was their unpredictability. Each Aspect was unique, arming humans with a formidable arsenal of inexplicable Abilities.

    Facing something you couldn't understand was the surest way to end up dead.

    With his advantage of surprise gone, Sunny decided that it was time to retreat.

    Turning around, he jumped out of the circle of light and ran. It was really hard to pursue someone who could see in the dark on these narrow streets, so there was a real chance of escaping unscathed.

    However, the kunai was still attached to Sunny's wrist. Sliding out of the dead leader's skull, it fell to the ground and clinked loudly against the stones, then jumped a few meters away and hit the pavement again, creating more noise.

    "Get the bastard! He killed the chief!"

    Following the sound of metal striking against stone, the Sleepers lunged forward, following in Sunny's footsteps.

    'What a persistent bunch.'

    Even the guy who had lost his arm was on his heels, either having a way to stop the bleeding or simply unwilling to let the attacker escape even if it cost him his own life.

    This part of the city was Sunny's hunting ground. He knew every nook and cranny of these streets like his own five fingers. Honestly, he was unsure what these guys were even thinking. If it wasn't for him carefully choosing the path, they would have ended up disturbing some terrifying Fallen creature and becoming its dinner a long time ago.

    Something wasn't quite right here. Gunlaug's people might have been thugs, but they were experienced and accomplished hunters. They feared the city and knew how to behave while outside the castle walls.

    Otherwise, all of them would have been dead a long time ago.

    Come to think of that, it was extremely rare to see them going anywhere near the city at night.

    Were these fools even real hunters? If not, what were they up to?

    Sunny briefly considered leaving one of them alive to interrogate later, but then decided against it. To be honest, he wasn't really curious. Human business had long ago lost its allure in his eyes.

    He had much more interesting things to do.

    Finally reaching his goal, Sunny lingered on the steps, pretending to be in a panic.

    The five Sleepers were once again able to lay eyes on their victim. The scrawny kid was hesitating in front of the entrance to a large ruined building, fear clearly written on his dirty, pale face. It seemed as though he didn't know where to go, afraid to run into a dead end.

    Noticing them, he flinched and dove into the building with desperation in his eyes.

    "You have nowhere to run now, rat!" hissed the man who had lost his hand to Sunny's blade.

    Full of killing intent, the Sleepers followed the crazy young man into the building.

    ��However, once they got inside, they saw no sign of the scared kid. The only thing they saw was a simple rock lying on the floor.

    As the one-armed man belatedly realized that something was wrong, the rock said in an ominous tone:

    "... say goodbye to your lives!"

    A second later, a massive silhouette stepped out of the darkness.

    The man's eyes widened as the figure of a regal knight clad in a menacing black armor reflected in them.

    The creature was more than two meters tall, his gothic armor forged from a lusterless, anthracite steel. Every part of the armor was decorated with intricate engravings that told a tale so horrifying that anyone would go insane from looking at them for too long.

    The helmet of the Black Knight was crowned with curved horns that might have been wings once. In the narrow fissure of his visor, two ghastly red flames were burning with indescribable menace.

    Before the Sleeper had time to react, a heavy black blade fell from above, effortlessly severing his body from head to groin, cutting through flesh, bone and armor with similar ease.

    A torrent of blood surged to the floor.

    ��Climbing onto one of the supporting beams of the ruined cathedral, Sunny sat down and looked at the slaughter that was happening below.

    'Huh. The bastard is in a really bad mood today. Well, have fun!'

    Some time later, as the echoes of screams began to fade away, he sighed and counted the corpses lying on the distant floor.

    It was hard to count, because most of them were in pieces.

    Making sure that not one of the pursuers got away alive, Sunny frowned and shook his head.

    'Six people�� their disappearance won't go unnoticed. Especially if they were really up to no good. Huh... why do I feel like I had just gotten myself in trouble?'

 Chapter 100 Clear Conscience

    Chapter 100 Clear Conscience

    The Black Knight remained motionless for several minutes, silently observing the corpses of his enemies. Drops of blood fell from the blade of his fearsome greatsword, gathering into a puddle beneath his feet. The thoughts of the cruel creature were a mystery. To be honest, Sunny wasn't even sure that this unstoppable mountain of murderous black steel was sentient.

    In that regard, the monstrous inhabitants of the cursed city were a bit strange.

    Usually, Nightmare Creatures of higher classes possessed a perverse form of intelligence, which was often comparable to that of humans, and sometimes even surpassed it. However, that rule did not apply to every monster in this eerie place.

    From Sunny's observations, the dwellers of the ruined city could be roughly divided into two groups. The first group consisted of various creatures that came here from outside the wall, be it from the Labyrinth or from the depths of the dark sea. These abominable things more or less followed the unnatural laws of the Spell that every Awakened was familiar with.

    The second group was different. These creatures, he suspected, were either created from the remains of the ancient residents of the city or, creepily, had actually been them once. The wraiths, as he called them, were much more unfathomable and dangerous. Their powers and behavior refused to abide by any sort of sense or logic.

    The Black Knight was one of these sinister revenants. That's why Sunny had trouble predicting his actions.

    Most of the time, the regal devil was content simply patrolling the grand hall of the ruined cathedral and killing anything that dared to come inside.

    Just like he had killed those poor fools.

    With a sigh, Sunny lay down on top of the support beam and, not paying any attention to the deadly height of his improvised resting spot, closed his eyes. He wanted to take a breath before continuing with his nightly errands.

    Soon, the sound of heavy footsteps informed him that the bastard had resumed his neverending patrol.

    'Good riddance.'

    Despite the fact that nothing was disturbing his peace anymore, Sunny still felt strangely restless. His inner voice was in the mood to chat.

    'Uh, Sunny. Aren't you forgetting something?'

    He frowned. What was there to forget? He was just catching his breath before going out again. He also had to wait for the right moment to scavenge through the possessions of these dead hunters��

    'You just killed six people. Don't you feel guilty?'

    Sunny was a little startled by this question. Curious, he listened to his emotions and came to the conclusion that no, he did not feel guilty at all.

    This was his third time killing a human being. Granted, the first time happened inside a Nightmare, where people were supposed to be simple illusions. However, Sunny wasn't sure that he believed in this theory. The old slaver's anguish had felt awfully real to be just a figment of his imagination.

    The second time�� well, he didn't want to think about that. That happened in the castle, anyway, and that part of his life was over.

    The third time was the cleanest of them all. Those thugs were going to rob and kill him, anyway. Sunny had seen through their intentions long before pulling on the invisible string and sending their leader into the cold embrace of death.

    He could have tried to run away, but�� they were very rude. If the thugs had insulted just him, Sunny might have tried to end the confrontation without bloodshed. However, they insulted Nephis. Bastards deserved to die.

    Despite the fact that his relationship with Changing Star had become strained, he still cared about her a great deal. Leaving the castle did not mean that he had forgotten their friendship. It's just that�� there were more reasons to leave than to stay.

    With a sigh, Sunny summoned the beautiful bottle made out of patterned blue glass. This was the farewell gift that Cassie had given him before their parting. He cherished this Memory very much.

    Bringing the bottle to his lips, Sunny took several sips of cold, delicious water and opened his eyes.

    He didn't want to rest anymore. Better to get moving��

    ***

    Before venturing out again, Sunny returned to his room and walked over to a large iron chest that was standing in one of its corners. Exerting some strength, he lifted the heavy lid and admired his treasure pile.

    Inside the chest, more than a hundred beautiful soul shards were glowing softly in the dark. The sight of them always lifted Sunny's mood.

    Despite the fact that he himself had no use for the soul shards, they were still a valuable resource. Here on the Forgotten Shore, shards were a form of currency among the Sleepers. A hundred of them was an unimaginable amount.

    After a lifetime of being a pauper, Sunny was finally rich!

    "Money, I have so much money��"

    If a person wanted to live inside the castle walls, they had to pay a tribute of one soul shard every week. Those who could not afford it were forced to remain outside, living in a makeshift settlement just beyond the gates, which was often attacked by the monsters. Even so, they had to pay for food or go out and hunt themselves, which more often than not led to their deaths.

    With how much Sunny had gathered in these three months, he would have been able to live in the comfort of the castle for years�� if he wanted to. Which, of course, he did not. Why would he pay for accommodations when he already had a palace of his own?

    One with no noisy neighbors and a fearsome guardian protecting the premises, no less.

    Putting two new soul shards in the chest, Sunny glanced at his dragon hoard one last time and closed the lid with a satisfied smile.

    Perhaps it was time to visit the castle again and buy a few things�� no, no. He had already bought everything he needed the last time. Spending too many shards would make people doubt that he was as pathetic as everyone thought he was.

    Of all the Sleepers in the castle, only three people knew that he was not just good at hiding in the shadows and avoiding danger. They were Nephis, Cassie�� and Caster.

    That damn bastard...

 Chapter 101 Turf War

    Chapter 101 Turf War

    Caster had been lucky enough to enter the Dream Realm near the city and arrive at the castle much earlier than the three of them. By the time Sunny, Nephis and Cassie had found their way to the human settlement, he was already in good standing there.

    Despite the fact that there were a lot of opportunities for a talented Legacy to rise through the ranks of Gunlaug's army, he had nevertheless decided to remain independent and eventually joined the Changing Star's cohort, drastically raising their combat strength and reputation.

    Looking back, that was when all of Sunny's problems had really started.

    "That's right, it was all his fault, not mine. Yeah, definitely!"

    Grinding his teeth, Sunny kicked the heavy chest and cursed under his breath. Then, acting as if nothing had happened, he smiled brightly and left the hidden chamber once again.

    Down below, things were getting interesting. Attracted by the smell of blood, several monsters tried to enter the ruined cathedral to feast on the fresh corpses. However, the Black Knight was as full of wrath as ever. Just as Sunny climbed onto the support beams, he was finishing off a large creature that looked like a praying mantis made of human skin.

    Initially, Sunny planned to take a look at the material possessions left behind by the five unfortunate thugs, but the sight of the ferocious battle made him change his mind. He would have to do it later.

    Besides, his shadow had already looked through the bloody remains and came to the conclusion that there was nothing really valuable among the dismembered corpses.

    Not wasting any more time, Sunny escaped through the roof of the cathedral and retraced his steps to the place where he had fought the Blood Fiend.

    The body of the hunting party's leader was still there. Of course, his Memories had long disappeared, leaving the bearded man dressed only in rags. The heavy battle-axe was gone, too.

    Sunny sighed.

    "That's why killing people is not worth it."

    His shadow covered its face with a hand and shook its head dejectedly, trying to express that his wording was nothing short of unfortunate. Sunny frowned.

    "What? It's not!"

    And for him, it was doubly so.

    When one Awakened killed another, they received a considerable portion of the enemy's soul essence without having to shatter their soul shard. Sunny, however, was not an ordinary Awakened. His Aspect was based on consuming shadow fragments instead.

    That meant that even if his enemy had absorbed hundreds of souls shards in the past, Sunny would only receive the number of shadow fragments matching their rank and class, just like he would after slaying a Nightmare Creature. Since all Sleepers were mere dormant beasts, in this case, the number was�� one.

    "Just one fragment away from four hundred," Sunny said, a bit disheartened.

    All that work for nothing��

    Some small, rational piece of his mind was actually relieved that killing humans was not very lucrative. Otherwise, in his state�� no, he wouldn't. Surely.

    "Ah? Wouldn't what?"

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, waiting for his inner voice to answer. However, it was strangely silent. Shrugging, he bent down and searched the dead man's body, hoping to find something of value.

    However, he was left disappointed. There was no pouch full of soul shards as he had imagined. All Sunny found was a strange piece of fabric that had been secretively tucked away into the tall thug's shirt.

    Looking at the fabric, he noticed crude shapes drawn on it with ink. Some shapes looked strangely familiar.

    "Is that�� a map?"

    Indeed, it was a primitive map. The shapes he recognized were the various landmarks located in the neighboring parts of the cursed city. Sunny knew many of them by heart, and had even explored a few in the past.

    "A treasure map?"

    Suddenly, the strange timing of the hunting party's arrival and their lack of experience made perfect sense. They weren't actually hunters. Instead, they were a bunch of fools who had been swindled by some smart person back at the castle into buying a fake treasure map.

    At least that was the most likely possibility.

    However��

    "But what if it's real?"

    Sunny blinked, looking at the map with a mix of distaste and avarice. He couldn't decide whether he should try and follow it or throw it away.

    ��Luckily, his thought process was interrupted by a thunderous crash.

    One of the buildings not far from where he was standing suddenly collapsed, filling the street with a cloud of dust and flying debris. A massive shape flew through the air and heavily crashed against another wall, causing an avalanche of stones to fall down.

    The creature tried to stand up, but then twitched and grew still, spilling rivers of fetid blood all over the pavement. It was unmistakably dead.

    Sunny quickly hid the map in his armor and dove into the shadows, trying to understand what was happening. Somewhere near, furious roars and the sound of steel clashing against steel could be heard, growing closer with each second.

    Strangely, there were no human voices.

    "A battle between Nightmare Creatures?"

    Such things were not rare in the cursed city, but to Sunny's knowledge, there were very few things capable of challenging the current masters of this street and the adjacent square.

    These creatures were not the most powerful among the inhabitants of the city, but due to their unique characteristics, Sunny tried to avoid them like the plague. He saw several monsters much more powerful than anything he would be willing to take on ending up sliced and diced into tiny pieces on that square.

    However, none of them was able to give the protectors of the square as much trouble as they were having right now, at least judging by the desperate sounds of the battle.

    Intrigued, Sunny decided to take a look.

    Hidden in the shadows, he climbed up the tall wall of an ancient building and soon arrived on its roof. Watching his footing, Sunny walked forward until he reached the opposite edge of the building.

    From there, he could see the wide square in all its dark glory.

    In the middle of the square, a moving statue was fighting against several hulking monsters.

 Chapter 102 Stone Saint

    Chapter 102 Stone Saint

    On a dark square surrounded by ruins of once-magnificent buildings, a vicious battle was coming to an end. The remains of its solemn protectors were lying on the cold cobblestones, ruthlessly shattered into pieces.

    Sunny blinked in shock.

    'They actually lost.'

    He was really astonished. The living statues that used to guard the square were a very tough bunch. As far as Nightmare Creatures of the cursed city went, they weren't the most formidable in terms of size and physical might. However, their strange bodies were extremely durable and capable of withstanding truly devastating amounts of damage.

    Aside from that, the stalwart stone warriors were also disciplined, proficient in the use of weapons and utterly deadly. They were able to perfectly coordinate their movements, using strategy and tactics to silently overwhelm opponents whose power far surpassed their own. Countless monsters fell to their blades.

    That's why Sunny had always avoided getting into a confrontation with these weird creatures. Even though they weren't Fallen by rank, the stone revenants represented a threat that was enough to make him wary.

    However, now the ownership of the square was about to change hands.

    The bodies of the previous masters lay shattered to pieces. In death, they looked just like broken statues. Even their metal armor and weapons had turned to stone after the wielders were destroyed.

    There were five or six of these stone piles scattered around the square, while the attackers seemed to have lost only three of their numbers �� including the massive monster that had been sent crashing through a building earlier. Each body towered above the dark cobblestones like a small hill.

    The invaders were of a type of the Nightmare Creature that Sunny had never seen before. These new menacing monsters looked like giant spiders with bodies covered in thick plates of wrought iron. They moved with terrifying speed and force, sending cracks running through the cobblestones with each step.

    There were currently two of them left on the square, circling around the lone surviving stone warrior.

    The last of the living statues seemed to be a female. Compared to the spiders, she was almost comically small in stature, standing no taller than Sunny himself. The graceful stone creature was armed with a sword and a round shield, wearing a plate armor that covered most of her body, leaving only the eyes exposed. Or, rather, two rubies burning with crimson flames that these creatures had instead of eyes.

    Her armor and weapons were black in color, forged from some unknown and incredibly heavy stonelike alloy. Of course, in reality, they were made out of the same stone as their wielder. However, the dark force that had turned the granite body of this Nightmare Creature into the strange approximation of flesh had also turned the stone armor into metal.

    Currently, the last of the living statues was standing with her shield raised, the blade of the sword resting on its rim. Her head was lowered, ruby eyes silently following the movements of the two spider monsters.

    Sunny didn't know for sure, but he suspected that these spiders were both fallen beasts. In any case, the stone woman was doomed. Her enemies were just toying with her, savoring the helplessness of their victim before finishing the job.

    He didn't really care. In fact, he was waiting for the show! Watching Nightmare Creatures slaughter each other was one of his favorite pastimes, and the best thing about it was that it didn't matter who won.

    'Come on, get her!'

    However, in the next moment, he was surprised. In a strange turn of events, the stone monster lunged at the spiders first. Calmly striking her sword against the rim of the shield twice, she dashed forward with grim determination.

    The spider she was aiming at was a second too late to react. However, due to its superior physical form, it was still able to meet the sudden onslaught with a vicious strike of its own. One of its legs shot forward, threatening to shatter the stone body of the attacking living statue into tiny pieces.

    The smaller creature deflected the blow with her sword and bashed the spider with the round shield, putting all of her weight and inhuman strength into the strike.

    Sunny blinked as the massive body of the Fallen beast was thrown back and toppled over.

    The black sword immediately lashed out, sending a shockwave through the spider's guts. A rain of strikes fell on the iron surface of the monster's abdomen, filling the square with the clangor of metal. The stone warrior attacked with savage ferocity, using both the sword and the shield to inflict as much damage as possible in a short amount of time.

    Just as the iron plate protecting the soft innards of the monster cracked, the second beast joined the fray. The following bloodbath was nothing short of horrifying.

    Despite the fact that the spiders were much faster and stronger, the steadfast stone wraith kept up with them for a while. Her indomitable will and ruthless resolve were enough to give the fearsome creatures pause. Moving with the deadly precision of a bloodthirsty killing machine, the living statue completely disregarded self-preservation in favor of making her enemies suffer.

    It seemed as though she was determined to take them to the grave with her.

    Soon, the terrible wounds on her body accumulated, making the stone creature look like a vandalized piece of macabre art. However, the spiders were no better: their fetid blood was spilling everywhere, painting the whole square red. Severed limbs and shards of cracked iron littered the ground, mixing with the shattered remains of the fallen stone warriors.

    Finally, one of the spiders fell heavily to the ground and twitched, drawing its last breath. The remaining beast lunged at the staggered stone monster, its countless eyes burning with fury.

    The round black shield rose one last time and then flew aside, torn away along with the right arm of the stalwart living statue. However, almost at the same time, the blade of her sword pierced through the massive beast's skull, ending its life just a moment before breaking apart and turning to stone.

    Sunny shook his head. What an impressive sight! A lowly Awakened creature slaying two Fallen beasts�� Midnight Shard would have liked that fierce last stand a lot.

    Come to think of it, this was nothing short of inconceivable. However, the graceful stone warrior paid dearly for performing the bloody miracle.

    Staggering once again, she fell heavily to the ground, clearly done for.

    The battle for the ownership of the dark square was over.

    Nobody won.

 Chapter 103 Coup De Grace

    Chapter 103 Coup De Grace

    As the dust settled, Sunny abandoned his hiding spot on the roof of one of the buildings surrounding the square and jumped down. Avoiding the puddles of fetid blood, he walked among the corpses littering the ground and approached the dying stone monster.

    The Nightmare Creature was lying on her back, her body battered and broken. From up close, Sunny was able to see it better.

    The black armor of the strange monster was slowly turning to stone. In its gaps, he could see her slightly lighter skin. It was smooth like polished granite and dark grey in color. Streams of ruby dust was flowing from the terrible wounds, looking almost like blood.

    Two crimson gems that served her as eyes slowly moved, focusing on Sunny. There was no particular expression in them, just tired stillness. The flames that used to burn inside were slowly dimming.

    The statuesque creature stared at him without making a sound. In fact, Sunny wasn't sure that these monsters were even capable of producing sounds. Throughout the whole fight, she had remained eerily silent.

    He sighed.

    "Life is not fair, huh?"

    With these words, he summoned the Midnight Shard and thrust it through the visor of the dying creature's helm. Even at the death's door, the stonelike flesh of the living statue proved to be extremely tough. However, he put enough strength into his strike, not wishing to make the poor thing suffer more than necessary.

    He was always glad to kill a Nightmare Creature, but this one deserved a quick death. To be honest, he was very impressed by the small stone warrior's desperate last stand.

    "They didn't know who they were messing with. But you showed them��"

    At that moment, the familiar voice of the Spell resounded in the darkness:

    [You have slain an awakened monster, Stone Saint.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Sunny smiled.

    'That's four shadow fragments. Finally! Four hundred and three��'

    However, in the next second, he forgot what he was thinking about. Because the Spell wasn't done talking.

    Whispering into his ear, it slowly said:

    [You have received an Echo: Stone Saint.]

    ***

    Sunny's eyes opened wide.

    Did he hear it right?

    An Echo? He had finally received another Echo?!

    Cautiously looking around, Sunny lowered his voice and said to the shadow:

    "You heard it too, right?"

    The shadow stared at Sunny in exasperation, then gestured at its mouth, lowered its hands and didn't say anything.

    He smiled.

    "Exactly! That's what the Spell said!"

    Humming a song, he paced back and forth for some time, then suddenly flinched.

    "Oh, right. I should get out of here. Now that the stone people are gone, who knows what kind of horrors will try to make this square their nest."

    He made a move to leave, but then stopped and looked at the scene of slaughter with avarice.

    "However�� I really should get some mementos first��"

    It's not every day that you stumble upon that many dead Nightmare Creatures before the carrion eaters arrive to feast on the corpses. This was a chance he won't get any time soon��

    Sunny hesitated for a few seconds, trying to decide which monsters to approach first. The spiders were obviously much stronger. If they were really of the Fallen rank, their soul shards would be incredibly valuable.

    However, buying anything with a bunch of Ascended soul shards would be very suspicious. Plus, it would take a while to find the crystals inside the massive bodies of the giant beasts.

    The living statues were of the lower rank, but their shattered remains were easy to search. The other inhabitants of the cursed city could arrive at any minute. So��

    With a deep sigh, Sunny ran to the nearest pile of shattered stones and kneeled beside it, hoping to notice the gleam of the soul shards as soon as possible.

    ��He was barely done with the second dead statue when a sudden noise made him stop. Knowing that greed had doomed a lot of people to their deaths, Sunny suppressed the desire to linger here to the last possible moment and quickly dashed away, putting the last crystal he had managed to find inside his armor on the run.

    Summoning the kunai, he threw it into the air and then pulled on the invisible string, making the dagger spin around a stone column. As soon as the string coiled itself around the column, he jumped and made the string contract, sending him flying up.

    Just like the golden rope, the invisible string that connected the kunai to his wrist was incredibly sturdy and capable of changing its length at will, which allowed Sunny to use the throwing dagger as an improvised grappling hook from time to time.

    Using the top of the stone column to jump even higher, he grabbed onto the cracks in the wall of one of the ruined buildings and quickly climbed up. By the time he reached the roof, the noises produced by the approaching creature were already loud enough to make him shiver.

    Whatever that thing was, Sunny didn't want to find out. The sound it produced while moving made him think of a giant snake�� one with countless mouths, each hissing the notes of a strange, maddening tune.

    Luckily, he left the wide square just in time to never meet that abomination.

    ***

    By the time Sunny had returned to the ruined cathedral, the night was already coming to the end. The eastern horizon was growing lighter, and the sound of the black waves crushing against the city wall was growing restless.

    Walking across the support beams stretching above the grand hall, he caught the glimpse of the marching Black Knight and sighed.

    One day�� he was going to kill the bastard on some glorious day.

    But not this day.

    Today, he had other things to do.

    Reaching the safety of his hidden lair, Sunny put the soul shards into his treasure chest and then sat down on a magnificent wooden chair.

    There was an excited smile on his face.

    It was finally time to find out what was the difference between a normal Echo and one transformed into a Shadow.

 Chapter 104 Soul Arsenal

    Chapter 104 Soul Arsenal

    Not wasting any more time, Sunny dove into his Soul Sea.

    Despite his changed mental state, it was as calm as always. The silent expanse of still water stretched into the empty distance, with the Shadow Core hovering above like a dark star. Tiny spheres of light floated in the air around it, reflecting on the surface of the tranquil sea.

    The silent shadows were still there, standing motionless at the edge of darkness. Compared to before, their ranks had swelled. Monsters of all shapes and sizes were among them now, making Sunny's collection of slain enemies look increasingly impressive. Walking past them, he glanced at one or another from time to time, recalling the thrilling battles with a mix of dread and pride.

    This was his personal museum, a dark monument to all his sins.

    "Wait�� sins? Why sins?"

    Just at that moment, Sunny stumbled and stopped. Not too far away from him, a gaunt shadow stood among the menagerie of terrifying creatures, silently staring at him with empty eyes.

    That shadow once belonged to a young man, not much older than Sunny himself. He had lived in the ramshackle settlement beyond the castle's gates, struggling to survive like everybody else. Before�� before��

    Sunny looked away.

    "Don't you look at me like that. It was your own fault, fool. You shouldn't have asked me all those questions!"

    Out of the three people he had murdered with his own hands, this kill was the only one that made Sunny feel something. Because it wasn't done in the heat of the battle or to settle a personal score. This one�� this one was done in cold blood.

    It was why he had to leave the castle �� among other things.

    Sunny grimaced.

    "I said stop looking at me! Just stay dead and don't bother me with your nonsense!"

    Huffing angrily, he turned away. Soon, he walked past the shadows of the Blood Fiend, the hunting party's leader, and the deadly Stone Saint.

    Glancing at the statuesque figure of the stone monster, Sunny forgot all about the gaunt shadow and smiled. He was here to take a look at her Echo, after all.

    The prospect of having another Echo under his command was already very exciting. The loyal and strangely personable scavenger had been of great help to Sunny in the past, tremendously increasing his combat performance. After all, despite having a Divine Aspect and a uniquely powerful Ability, Sunny was still just a Dreamer, one whole rank below the Echo.

    The scavenger, however, was merely a beast�� while the Stone Saint was a monster. Her power was comparable to that of the ferocious carapace centurions, far surpassing anything that Sunny could ever hope to achieve in this cursed place. The strange nature of the steadfast living statue made her even more formidable.

    Having a servant like that would make many impossible things possible. However, Sunny wanted even more. He was waiting to see what miracle his Aspect was going to perform, hoping that the results would surpass his wildest expectations.

    Soon, he was standing under the black sun of his Shadow Core, observing the spheres of light that represented his Memories.

    There were nine of them now.

    The ones that he actually used were the Puppeteer's Shroud, the Midnight Shard, the Prowling Thorn, the Ordinary Rock, and the Endless Spring.

    Savoring the anticipation, Sunny summoned each of them one by one and read the glowing runes surrounding the Memories.

    He had gotten the heavy kunai after defeating a peculiar creature that resembled a monstrous armored porcupine. The rain of jagged bone quills had left several holes in Sunny's body, but the reward was well worth it.

    Memory: [Prowling Thorn].

    Memory Rank: Awakened.

    Memory Tier: II.

    Memory Type: Weapon.

    Memory Description: [This flying dagger is as unpredictable and fickle as the affection of a young beauty, but, perhaps, not as deadly.]

    Memory Enchantments: [Rose of Betrayal].

    Enchantment Description: [The Prowling Thorn is connected to its wielder by an invisible string. This string is strong but mercurial �� just like the treacherous bond of sentimental attachment.]

    After reading this description for the first time, Sunny couldn't help but wonder if the Spell had been scorned by a lover once. The runes practically exuded bitterness.

    Next on the list was his most dangerous Memory, the talking rock.

    Memory: [Ordinary Rock].

    Memory Rank: Awakened.

    Memory Tier: I.

    Memory Type: Tool.

    Memory Description: [Just an ordinary rock.]

    Memory Enchantments: [Not Really].

    Enchantment Description: [The word is mightier than the sword. The rock is mightier than the word.]

    The funny thing was that the Ordinary Rock, which was capable of repeating various sounds, had fallen into the hands of a person who was unable to tell lies. It was now the most honest Memory in two whole worlds.

    ��It had also made Sunny think twice before opening his mouth. Sometimes.

    The last Memory he decided to take a look at was, perhaps, the most precious to him. It was the beautiful glass bottle that Cassie had given Sunny as a farewell gift.

    Memory: [Endless Spring].

    Memory Rank: Dormant.

    Memory Tier: IV.

    Memory Type: Tool.

    Memory Description: [A lovesick devil had once imprisoned a mighty river in this fragile glass bottle. It was his gift it to a beautiful desert spirit.]

    Memory Enchantments: [Gift of Water].

    Enchantment Description: [This bottle contains enough water to make flowers bloom in the desolate heart of the most lifeless of deserts].

    This one was sort of romantic. It seemed as though the Spell was all over the place when coming up with these descriptions, to the point where Sunny couldn't even tell if it was being serious.

    With a sigh, he dismissed the sphere of light containing the Endless Spring and glanced up.

    The other four of his Memories were not very useful. They were an incredibly heavy tower shield, a suit of armor that was worse than the Puppeteer's Shroud in every regard, a glass eye capable of producing bright beams of harmless red light, and the obnoxiously loud silver bell �� the first Memory he had ever gotten.

    The remaining three had been awarded to him for killing comparatively weak monsters on the streets of the cursed city. He was hoping to trade them for something more suitable during his next visit to the castle, whenever that might be.

    Forgetting about the Memories, Sunny finally focused his attention on the brightest sphere of light that was floating in the dark emptiness above his head

    The one containing his new Echo.

    He willed it to descent and watched as the sphere glided down, softly touching the surface of dark water a few moments later. It slowly dimmed, revealing the stone figure hidden within.

    Here in the dark silence of the Soul Sea, the Stone Saint looked just like a statue. She was approximately as tall as Sunny, looking miniature in comparison to the rest of the Nightmare Creatures he had to face on the Forgotten Shore.

    She was also uniquely human-like in appearance. If not for the dark grey hue and the stonelike nature of her granite skin, Sunny might have even mistaken the strange monster for a Sleeper. Provided, he couldn't see much of her body behind the graceful dark armor.

    The nature of these strange creatures remained a mystery.

 Chapter 105 Living Stone

    Chapter 105 Living Stone

    Previously, Sunny had considered the living statues to be just that, monuments brought to life by evil spirits. There were a lot of revenants like that walking the streets of the cursed city.

    Take the Black Knight, for example �� Sunny was almost sure that the bastard was actually just a suit of armor with a vengeful wraith imprisoned within it. He had no proof that there was an actual body in that moving steel fortress, at least.

    However, after watching the Stone Saint die right before his eyes, he wasn't so sure that she and the Black Knight were the same anymore. There certainly were similarities�� even the design of their armors was somewhat similar, as though one had originated from the other. But the stone warrior's armor seemed much more�� ancient.

    And then there was the ruby dust that flowed from the stone creature's wounds instead of blood. Since when did statues have blood? It was almost like these strange creatures were designed to possess their own weird form of life. Come think about it, the stone warriors resembled artificial beings brought to life by some dark magic much more than they resembled undead creatures.

    'Mysteries, mysteries, mysteries all around!'

    Perhaps the runes describing the Stone Saint would provide him with some answers.

    The Echo, meanwhile, was coming to life. Two magenta flames ignited in her gemstone eyes. The stone of her armor suddenly gleamed with subtle metal shine, the smooth surface of her granite skin turned slightly less rigid. Silently turning her head, the Saint gazed at Sunny through the narrow split of her helmet's visor.

    "Let's see��"

    He concentrated on the runes.

    Echo: Stone Saint.

    Echo Rank: Awakened.

    Echo Class: Monster.

    Echo Attributes: [Battle Master], [Stalwart], [Mark of Divinity].

    Sunny blinked. Mark of Divinity? That was the same as his original Attribute! What business did a Nightmare Creature have walking around with the traces of divinity left in its evil, corrupted soul?

    And what with these other Attributes��

    Battle Master Attribute Description: [Born on the battlefield, the Stone Saint is proficient in all forms of combat.]

    Stalwart Attribute Description: [The Stone Saint is highly resistant to all forms of damage, as well as being fully immune to mind and soul attacks.]

    Bewildered, Sunny shook his head. No wonder these silent stone warriors were so deadly. They were literally a bunch of killing machines created to last as long and deal as much damage as possible on the battlefield.

    But who had created them?

    Leaving the Attributes alone, he lowered his gaze and read the next line of runes:

    Echo Description: [Deep in the cavernous halls of his dark domain, the last child of the -unknown- had created them from stone to quell the fire burning in his resentful heart. However, that fire only grew hotter. Designed to bring peace, they were instead born into an endless war.]

    Huh�� the Unknown again. Or rather, their children. It seemed like his theory was correct. The Stone Saint was either an artificial being or a descendant of one. In any case, that was before she was corrupted by�� well. Whatever it was that had corrupted all the Nightmare Creatures, and especially those in the cursed city. Now even gods wouldn't be able to describe what exactly she was.

    Not that it mattered. A monster was a monster.

    Sunny was more interested in the fact that the traces of divinity that the stone warrior bore had to have come from their original creator, who was at least partially one of the Unknown. Which meant that the Unknown, indeed, were closely related to the gods and to divinity itself.

    Just like mysterious Weaver.

    Looking away from the runes, Sunny studied the motionless Echo with his altered eyes. What he saw made him smile darkly.

    Just like the Memories, the true essence of the Echo was weaved from the countless diamond strings that formed an infinitely complex pattern. Only in its case, the pattern was even more elaborate, dwarfing anything that Sunny had previously seen.

    Two embers were burning inside the Stone Saint's body, serving as anchors for the endless strings. One of them was situated in the place where her heart should have been, the other in the lower part of her abdomen.

    Sunny closed one eye and looked more closely. And there, behind the shining pattern of the diamond strings, he noticed another, much more primitive and crude system of adamantine threads. They pierced the stone flesh of the Echo, resembling a human nervous system.

    These strings were also seemingly made from diamond, but they were much less ethereal. In fact, they were entirely corporeal. Sunny frowned.

    'Makes sense�� that makes sense. Wait, how does it make sense?'

    The Memories and the Echoes were created by the Spell. They were artificial. The Stone Saint, too, was artificial, but in a much more mundane sense. She was made by a child of the Unknown, just like her Echo was made by the Spell.

    Which meant what? That the technique that had been used to create the Stone Saint was eerily similar to the technique that the Spell used, although it did look extremely primitive in comparison.

    Could that mean that the Spell itself had come from the Unknown?

    Sunny grimaced and shook his head. No, no. Although it was a sound theory, there was too little information to actually consider it substantiated or even remotely believable. He needed to find out more, learn more, uncover more before even beginning to understand the true story that connected the Spell, the gods, the Unknown, and his own life into one nightmarish tapestry.

    But there would be time for it later.

    Right now, he had something equally as interesting right within his grasp.

    Glancing one last time at the graceful stone monster, Sunny gulped and licked his lips. Then, he said timidly:

    "Let's�� let's do this."

    Taking a step forward, he hesitated and then carefully put his hand on the breastplate of the Stone Saint's armor, right across from the place where the main nexus of her Spell Weave was situated.

    To his surprise, the breastplate felt like stone and was warm to the touch. It was as though a furious crimson flame was burning inside the Nightmare Creature's chest.

    'Huh.'

    As soon as Sunny touched the Echo, a new string of runes appeared in the air in front of him.

    [Transform Echo into a Shadow?]

    He hesitated, once again afraid to make the choice. What was he going to do if the process made the Stone Saint weaker, or even useless?

    Trying not to think of this possibility, Sunny sighed and forced himself to say:

    "Yes!"

    An imperceptible change happened to the Soul Sea, as though a gust of wind suddenly appeared out of nowhere. The tranquil dark water seemed to simultaneously stay still and move restlessly. Then, a sudden pressure came from somewhere above.

    Raising his head, Sunny saw two dark beams descending from the depths of the Shadow Core. One of them fell on the Echo, while the other landed on one of the silent shadows that stood motionlessly behind his back, as though connecting them together

    Bathed in the dark light, the shadow of the dead Stone Saint slowly dissolved into it.

    And then the Echo began to change��

 Chapter 106 Creating A Monster

    Chapter 106 Creating A Monster

    Under Sunny's watchful eyes, the Echo began to change.

    The light falling from the Shadow Core seemed to seep into the flesh of the stone creature, making it shine with dark radiance. Wisps of shadowy fog emanated from beneath her impervious plate armor, slowly merging with it. It looked as though the Stone Saint was engulfed in ghostly black flame, being remade by it.

    What little color there was on her body was washed away and replaced with nothing but darkness. Only two crimson fires burning in her ruby eyes remained, slightly changing their hue and becoming more menacing.

    Of course, all these changes were happening on the surface. If not for the traumatic transformation that Sunny had gone through to inherit a part of Weaver's forbidden lineage, this would have been all he saw.

    However, with his eyes altered by the agony of consuming the drop of divine blood, he was able to see much more.

    Beneath the surface, the essence of the Echo was being changed as well, in a way much more fundamental than its outer appearance.

    The shining embers that served as anchors for the weave of diamond strings had lost their radiance, becoming as transparent and empty as the Shadow Core itself. The diamond strings were gone, replaced by a sea of darkness. That darkness had a form, a shape that perfectly followed the lines of the Stone Saint's body.

    It was as though a living shadow was now inhabiting it, usurping the role that had been played by the pattern of the sorcerous strings once.

    Although similar in appearance to the original Echo, this new creature was a completely different type of existence. Sunny had never seen anything like it before.

    It was created by his Aspect, after all.

    The process of transformation, meanwhile, was coming to the end. The ray of dark light cast by the Shadow Core was disappearing, its reflection drowning in the calm water of the silent sea. The black flames were already fully absorbed by the stonelike armor of the Saint, gone with the dark radiance of her smooth granite skin.

    Sunny observed the Stone Saint. Clad in the lusterless black armor, with two ruby flames burning in the deep shadows of the visor, she looked like an incarnation of pure darkness, a noble demon send to wage war against heaven from the depths of hell. What changed the most, however, was her presence.

    Before, the Echo felt like an empty shell, a magical tool rather than an actual being. Now, however, there were hints of mysterious will in her crimson eyes, a subtle sense there was a nascent spark of sentience burning somewhere deep within her lightless soul. Or whatever it was that the menacing monster had instead of a soul.

    This was a Shadow.

    Just as this thought appeared in Sunny's mind, the faintly familiar voice of the Spell resounded above the dark waters of the Soul Sea:

    [You have created a Shadow Monster: Stone Saint.]

    ***

    Hearing these words, Sunny smiled. However, a second later, the smile disappeared from his lips, replaced by a pained expression.

    Only now, after the process was complete, he felt a subtle emptiness permeating his whole body. He felt�� weakened. The loss of a hundred shadow fragments was finally making its effect known. He had suspected that spending them in this way would reverse the process of power accumulation that had consumed him for these last few months, but it was still an unpleasant feeling.

    He was much stronger than he had been during the journey through the Labyrinth, however, some of his physical might was unmistakably gone, leaving him with a bitter feeling of regret.

    No, no�� he had known that this would happen, and decided to proceed with the experiment anyway.

    It was well worth it.

    Forgetting about the change in his physical state, Sunny walked around his Shadow and observed her from different sides. The Stone Saint's eyes silently followed his movements, sending glints of crimson light reflecting from the black surface of the tranquil sea.

    'This is�� amazing. I wonder what she is capable of��'

    Summoning the runes, Sunny immediately noticed that there was a new cluster shining right beneath the one describing his Echoes.

    Shadows: [Stone Saint].

    Excited to learn more about his new pet monster, Sunny was about to concentrate his attention on the runes, but then stopped and glanced down at his own shadow, a little embarrassed.

    "Uh�� sorry. How are you feeling, buddy? You aren't, uh, you know�� jealous or anything?"

    The shadow looked away and pretended that it didn't know him. It was seemingly indifferent to the appearance of a new shadow creature in his service, even though this new Shadow had a capital letter to its name.

    "Well, I just wanted to say that you shouldn't be. I still value you very much! Even though the Stone Saint is probably capable of slicing powerful monsters into tiny pieces with her sword, while you're still just a useless piece of�� uh�� an incredibly capable scout and my most trusted confidant, I still appreciate you. Yeah."

    He stared at the shadow for a bit and, seeing that it didn't react in any way, turned away.

    'This guy, he'd better step up his game. Ha!'

    Focusing on the runes, Sunny summoned the description of the Shadow and read:

    Shadow: Stone Saint.

    Shadow Rank: Awakened.

    Shadow Class: Monster.

    Shadow Attributes: [Battle Master], [Stalwart], [Spark of Divinity].

    Sunny blinked. It seemed as though Stone Saint's divine Attribute had evolved to match his own. Was it because he was her master? This was a nice surprise. However, he still didn't see how she was different from before.

    Frowning, he continued to look through the shimmering runes:

    Shadow Description: [Shadow Saint was created by the treacherous Lost From Light in the cursed darkness of the Forgotten Shore.]

    'Again with this whole treachery stuff. Can I get another epithet, huh?'

    But in the next moment, he forgot all about this little frustration. Because the following line of runes showed him something really unexpected.

    Just beneath the description, a familiar set of runes shined in the air:

    [Shadow Fragments: 0/200.]

 Chapter 107 Growing Shadow

    Chapter 107 Growing Shadow

    Sunny stared at the runes, perplexed.

    Then, a sudden light of understanding appeared in his eyes. He finally realized what was the principal difference between an Echo and a Shadow.

    It was really very simple.

    The Echoes were mere replicas of the creatures that had left them behind. They were molded in their image and never changed, always remaining the same as the originals at the moment of their deaths.

    Shadows, however, were different. After all, they were mercurial by nature, always changing their forms and shapes depending on the environment. And so, a Shadow was capable of change to some extent, too.

    It was capable of growth.

    His eyes widened.

    By slaying Nightmare Creatures, he was able to absorb their shadow fragments and become stronger. Eventually, his Shadow Core was bound to evolve, turning from Dormant to Awakened�� and beyond. The jump in power that came with this evolution was nothing short of unmatched.

    Granted, he wasn't sure about the particular details of this process, not to mention that, as a human, he could only become an Awakened after returning from the Dream Realm into the real world, which was impossible to do in this godforsaken place. He also didn't know what would happen if he actually managed to accumulate the thousand shadow fragments that the runes demanded.

    But no matter what happened, if he were to continue walking forward on the path of the Awakened, he would eventually outgrow his Memories and Echoes, rendering them weak and useless against the enemies of the comparable rank. He would then be forced to discard them and try to find suitable replacements, with no guarantee whatsoever that he would actually succeed.

    This problem was not as dire when it came to Memories, which were comparatively easy to get. The Echoes, however, were exceedingly rare. Once an Echo grew too weak to accompany its master, replacing it was an extremely tall task.

    But Shadows�� Shadows were capable of growing with him, becoming more powerful just as he grew more powerful! As long as Sunny was willing to put in the work, his Shadow would never fall behind.

    The possibilities that this simple quality opened up were truly endless. It was enough to completely change his plans for the future. In the past, Sunny always envisioned himself as the main force on the battlefield, only relying on Memories and a stray Echo or two to support him.

    That was because Echoes of higher ranks and classes were so unimaginably hard to come by. Although much more rare than Memories, there were still many Dormant Echoes around, and a fair number of Awakened ones too. They were mainly shared among Masters and Saints, who were capable of defeating the Nightmare Creature of these ranks with comparative ease.

    But battles against Fallen and Corrupted monsters, not to mention anything even more dreadful, were never easy. As such, there were not enough trophies brought back after killing creatures of their kind to make the idea of acquiring an Echo of a higher rank a realistic possibility.

    For everyone�� except for Sunny.

    He could slaughter weaker monsters, get lesser Echoes, and then cultivate them into unstoppable beasts of slaughter. Not bound by the laws of probability and diminishing chances, he could slowly build an army of powerful Shadows to fight his battles for him, and then watch them destroy his enemies from a safe distance while sipping on a cocktail.

    Uh�� that's what rich people drank, right?

    Not to mention that monsters were not bound by the need to pass Nightmares to raise their rank�� at least not to Sunny's knowledge. To be honest, he had no idea how Nightmare Creatures evolved their cores. Carapace Demon had seemed to do just fine just by eating the fruits of the Soul Tree and slowly absorbing large amounts of soul essence.

    In any case, there was a possibility that he would be able to make the Shadow Saint much more powerful than he himself had the chance to become on the Forgotten Shore.

    Perhaps even powerful enough to make his life here truly tolerable.

    Looking at the Shadow with excited sparks dancing in his eyes, Sunny grinned from ear to ear.

    "You and I are going to accomplish great things together, buddy."

    If his own shadow wasn't worried about its place in his heart yet, it would be smart to start worrying about it right about now.

    ***

    The question that was consuming Sunny's thoughts now was this: how, exactly, was he supposed to feed the Shadow Saint with fragments?

    If he could simply transfer some of his own to her, he would do it without a second thought, even though that would diminish his personal strength even further. However, there seemed to be no way to do so. No amount of looking at the runes, touching the silent stone creature or trying to talk to the Spell did the trick.

    Sunny even asked for advice from his own shadow, but that guy was in no mood to talk. The scornful word "traitor!" was written all other his expressionless dark spot of a face.

    At least that's what Sunny read from it after being met with the silent treatment. In all the excitement, he failed to remember that the shadow was physically unable to speak.

    Scratching the back of his head, Sunny paced around the Soul Sea and tried to come up with a reasonable way to stuff some shadow fragments inside the taciturn stone monster.

    "Well�� the most obvious answer is to go and make her kill some Nightmare Creatures. However, will it work? When my loyal scavenger killed something, it was I who received the fragments, not him. Wait, him? Did Cassie infect me with her childish desire to assign human qualities to everything? It, not him! It was I and not it. Right, that's better. Wait, what was I talking about?"

    Glancing at the outside world, Sunny frowned. It was currently the day there�� usually, he would be sound asleep by now. Going out during the day was dangerous. He would have to walk outside the shadows, allowing all kinds of Fallen horrors to lay eyes on him.

    He only survived for so long in this hell by being extremely cautious, cowardly, and only hunting during the night. He paid a harsh price to learn these lessons, almost losing his life in the process.

    But still, still�� should he risk it?

 Chapter 108 Test Dummy

    Chapter 108 Test Dummy

    Still undecided, Sunny dismissed the Stone Saint. He was curious to see if the slumbering Shadow would become a sphere of light just like an Echo would.

    However, she did not.

    As soon as he gave the command, the ornate armor of the stone creature was immediately engulfed in black flame, and with a gust of ghostly wind, she was gone. It seemed as though the Shadow was returned into the embrace of the Shadow Core that had created her, and was now sleeping in its depths, bathed in the invisible waves of nurturing dark flames.

    Sunny scratched the back of his head. So, the Shadows literally dwelled within the deepest part of his soul. He didn't really know how to feel about this, but felt that it was strangely fitting.

    He was a child of shadows himself, after all.

    With a thoughtful sigh, Sunny emerged from the Soul Sea and looked around his secret lair.

    Outside the ruined cathedral, the sun was shining above the cursed city. But none of its rays could reach this tranquil hidden chamber. Sunny suspected that once, a long ago, the secret room served as the private quarters of a venerated young priestess who performed sacred rites in this temple.

    He had found some of her things in the modest wardrobe that was hidden behind a stone panel, somehow preserved in pristine condition despite the thousands of years that had passed since the city had fallen to the curse of darkness. If not for the lamentable disparity of their genders, he would have had a whole collection of clothes to wear, instead of spending every waking hour dressed in the same good old Puppeteer's Shroud.

    There were limits to the amount of abuse that even a fifth-tier armor could withstand. However, in a sense, he was lucky. At least his armor was made out of soft fabric. It would have been much worse if he had to wear a suit of plate armor or a rusty chainmail instead.

    That priestess, of course, had not used the same extravagant method to enter her private quarters. There actually was a doorway that led outside the room and into a concealed corridor that ended with a narrow stairwell. However, the stairs had long collapsed, leaving only a deep vertical shaft behind. This was Sunny's route of escape in case someone or something would find his lair.

    Standing up from the magnificent wooden chair, Sunny paced around for a bit and then lighted the fire under a makeshift stove, planning to make himself some late supper. The orange flames illuminated the hidden chamber, sending shadows dancing on its walls.

    'Oh, right. I never got fresh meat.'

    The night was so eventful that he had completely forgotten the initial purpose of his hunt.

    Throwing the last few strips of meat on the grill, he seasoned them with salt and sighed once again. The desire to simply venture outside and get into a fight with the nearest Nightmare Creature seemed more attractive with each minute.

    'No, no, no! That's how you end up dead!'

    To distract himself from these seductive thoughts, Sunny decided to summon the Stone Saint into the material world and perform a few experiments in the safety of his secret lair.

    Standing up, he willed the Shadow to appear.

    The secretive chamber was submerged in deep shadows. His own was hidden in one of them, standing with its arms crossed on the cold stone wall. In Sunny's vision, it appeared as a silhouette made from a deeper shade of black.

    Usually, an Echo would appear in front of the summoner, weaved from the countless sparks of moving light. However, the Stone Saint entrance was completely different. Instead of materializing out of thin air, she stepped out of his shadow like a sinister dark knight. Wreathed in darkness, her elegant figure emanated a sense of danger and foreboding.

    First, two ruby eyes ignited in the depths of the shadow. Then, the darkness came to life and surged forward, taking the form of the deadly stone monster. The sole of her stonelike solleret touched the floor with a loud clang, and a moment later, the Shadow Saint was standing in the middle of his room, her hand resting on the pommel of her sword.

    Sunny grimaced, feeling a slight headache.

    'So�� the shadow was hiding in a shadow, and then the Shadow came out of the shadow to stand with it in the shadows. This is starting to get out of hand. I really need to come up with better terminology!'

    He felt that this was a vital problem, but no suitable words came to his mind. Glancing at the silent duo, Sunny hesitantly asked:

    "Any ideas?"

    Sadly, both his shadow and his Shadow were mute and unable to voice their opinions even if they wanted to. Left with no assistance whatsoever, Sunny sighed.

    "Alright, I'll think of something later. For now, let's see what you're capable of."

    Summoning his shadow, he wrapped himself in its comforting embrace and faced the Stone Saint, preparing to test her strength. Inhaling deeply, he focused and gave the menacing monster a command:

    "Strike me."

    Sunny expected that the Shadow would hesitate for a moment, maybe even requiring some persuasion to turn on her master. Instead, the Stone Saint immediately leaned forward and punched him in the chest without a second thought.

    With his physical prowess enhanced by the shadow, Sunny was sure of his ability to withstand one blow from the awakened monster, at least to a certain degree. However, he was wrong.

    So, so wrong.

    Before he could even react, the armor-clad stone fist crashed into his ribs, making Sunny feel as though he was hit by a train. In the next second, he found himself lying on the floor, surrounded by numerous pieces of broken wood.

    'Oh�� oh no! My chair!'

    The magnificent chair was gone, ruthlessly turned into splinters and firewood by the impact with his back. It was completely unsalvageable.

    Sunny's back wasn't doing much better.

    Turning onto his stomach with a moan, Sunny spat a bit of blood on the stone floor and weakly raised one hand, giving the Shadow Saint thumbs up.

    "Ugh�� good, well done. Ten out of ten, just like�� crap, that really hurts�� just like I expected!"

    Casting a furtive glance at the elegant stone knight, he forced a smile out and tried to stand up.

    'I think I need to amend some details of the future experiments.'

    Next, Sunny was planning to enhance the Stone Saint with the shadow before getting her to strike him again.

    However, on second thought, there were better ways to measure her power��

 Chapter 109 Soulmates

    Chapter 109 Soulmates

    Picking himself up from the floor, Sunny staggered and found his way back to the fire burning under the improvised grill. Glancing at the motionless stone knight, he spat a bit more blood and groaned.

    As the appetizing aroma of roasting meat filled the air, the Blood Weave got busy repairing his body. By the time his supper was ready, Sunny was able to breathe without wincing.

    Putting the meat on his prized possession �� the luxurious silver plate �� Sunny prepared to eat.

    On the Forgotten Shore, simple everyday necessities like plates were rarer than enchanted swords and magical suits of armor. In the whole cursed city, only Gunlaug and his five lieutenants were able to dine with as much decorum as Sunny.

    Granted, he had yet to find even a single pair of chopsticks in this whole damn place, let alone something more technologically advanced, like a spoon. Of course, Sunny could try and make one himself, but that wasn't the same thing.

    The Shadow Saint was silently looking at him with her burning ruby eyes. Feeling uncomfortable under her mysterious gaze, Sunny glanced at his plate, then at the menacing stone creature.

    "Uh�� you want some?"

    He raised a piece of meat and offered it to the taciturn monster. However, the Stone Saint showed no reaction at all.

    "Well�� suit yourself."

    Using the Prowling Thorn as a kitchen utensil, Sunny dug in, devouring the juicy meat like a starving animal. With not a single human soul around, he didn't bother with table manners at all.

    'Uh�� that's the life!'

    His perpetually hungry outskirt self would have been really shocked to see this extravagant feast. That was real meat! He had hunted and prepared it himself, no less. More than that, he got to enjoy a similar type of luxury food almost every day.

    Of course, that real meat had come from a revolting horror of a monster, but these were just small details.

    Chewing on the last piece with a sense of deep satisfaction, Sunny thoughtfully looked at the Stone Saint. It was time to continue��

    Earlier, he wanted to see if there was a possible synergy between the different powers that his Aspect possessed. Namely, if the enhancement provided by Shadow Control could be applied to Shadows. Sunny knew that his shadow was able to enhance his body, his Memories, and, with lesser effect, various inanimate objects.

    However, it was unable to enhance other humans and Memories that belonged to them, as well as any living creature except for Sunny himself. He had secretly tested it during his travels with Nephis and Cassie to come up with this conclusion.

    More importantly, it couldn't affect Echoes.

    But what about Shadows?

    Giving a mental command, Sunny sent his shadow in the direction of the Stone Saint and held his breath.

    Flowing like water, the shadow silently grasped the statuesque monster in its dark embrace. Then, it seemed to disappear, as though absorbed by the stone flesh of the tenebrous knight.

    A moment later, Stone Saint's ruby eyes blazed with crimson fire. Her smooth granite skin shined with dark radiance once again, smoky wisps of the ghostly grey fog oozing from beneath her stonelike armor like dancing flames.

    Suddenly, it felt as though the temperature in the hidden chamber dropped by a couple of degrees. Shadows around the menacing creature seemed to swell, becoming deeper and darker, like a vast mantle sewn from boundless empty blackness.

    The elegant Stone Saint had always looked dangerous and deadly, but now, she was downright fearsome.

    Even without having the Shadow Saint strike him again, Sunny could tell that the experiment ended in a resounding success. It was apparent that the two types of his shadows were practically created for each other. Her power was increased twofold, at least.

    A bit peeved, he looked down and sighed.

    'Why does she look so much cooler than I do when using the shadow? Shouldn't it be the other way around? I'm the true divine shadow here, me! Where's my aura of mysterious coolness?!'

    Shaking his head, Sunny lamented his lack of good looks and simultaneously congratulated himself on becoming the master of such a stylish monster. Technically, it didn't matter how his Shadows looked, just as long as they were powerful. However, he was secretly glad that his first Shadow was not only powerful, but also a darkly beautiful sight to behold.

    Killing monsters was great, but killing monsters while looking good was even better.

    'Wait�� if she can use my shadow, what else can she use?'

    Suddenly excited, Sunny finally swallowed the half-forgotten piece of meat and dismissed the Stone Saint. Then, he shifted his perspective to look at the Soul Sea and summoned her again, this time inside it.

    The Shadow appeared in the whirlwind of black flames and stood motionlessly upon the still waters of the silent sea. Her mysterious ruby eyes stared at him through the narrow visor of her stone helmet.

    Not wasting any time, Sunny looked up at the spheres of light circling around the Shadow Core.

    'What if I can equip her with actual Memories?'

    What to choose�� she was extremely strong and very proficient with her round shield, so wasn't it logical to assume that a tower shield would suit her even better? Coincidentally, he happened to have one of those!

    Sunny summoned the Memory that he had gotten in one of the fights on the streets of the cursed city. It was a large, square tower shield that was almost as tall as him. The thing was too heavy and unwieldy to actually use in combat, at least not by Sunny. Plus, he wielded a tachi, which could only perform to its full potential while held in both hands.

    Grabbing the cumbersome shield, Sunny walked over to the Shadow Saint and handed it to her with a hopeful smile.

    "Here. Take this. Uh�� please?"

    The Shadow stared at him for a few moments, then lowered her head and glanced at the tower shield.

    'Come on. Come on, take it!'

    His heart skipped a bit when the statuesque creature slowly raised her hands and grasped the Memory with her stone gauntlets.

    "Yes, that's right! Now, use it!"

    The Stone Saint obediently brought the shield to her chest.

    And then�� shattered it.

    Sunny froze, his mouth hanging open.

    [Your Memory has been destroyed.]

    '...What?'

    The shards of the broken Memory turned into a river of tiny sparks of light, just like the Echo of the carapace scavenger and the Azure Blade had done before disappearing forever.

    'My tower shield!'

    Sunny felt a sharp dagger of sorrow stab at his heart. Yes, the shield was of no use to him. But it would sell for so much money in the real world! Why, why did this evil thing have to break it? Why? Wasn't his beautiful chair enough?!

    He gazed at the tiny sparks, wanting to cry. However, a moment later, his eyes widened.

    Because the river of sparks did not disappear. Instead, it circled around the Stone Saint's body and then suddenly flowed through it, separating into two streams. Each stream was then absorbed by one of the dark embers burning in the depths of the living shadow that was hiding inside the monster's body.

    Sunny blinked.

    [Stone Saint has grown stronger.]

 Chapter 110 Memento

    Chapter 110 Memento

    Sunny stared at the Shadow Saint, dumbfounded.

    The storm of emotions that the destruction of the tower shield had produced was still tugging on his heartstrings, but now, an equally powerful feeling was slowly welling up in his chest. Not knowing how to process all of this, he simply blinked a couple of times and said in a flat tone:

    "Huh?"

    'So, let me get this straight��'

    He gave the shield to his pet monster hoping that she would be able to use it. And she did, sort of. It's just that instead of wielding the Memory, she�� ate it.

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, wondering if he had finally lost it. But no, the echo of the Spell's voice was still resounding above the dark waters, whispering the same phrase over and over again.

    Stone Saint has grown stronger.

    With a heavy sigh, Sunny summoned the runes and found the description of the Shadow. Down at the very bottom of it, the runes were slightly changed:

    Shadow Fragments: [2/200].

    A wild gleam appeared in his eyes. Two fragments�� he had received the Memory of the tower shield after slaying a particularly hardy wraith, who, despite its frightening appearance, had turned out to be merely an awakened monster. For killing it, Sunny himself had received four shadow fragments.

    But that was because his own Shadow Core was Dormant, and as such, he always got double the reward in battles against creatures of the higher rank �� two for each Soul Core that an awakened creature possessed.

    The Stone Saint was such a creature herself, so it was logical to assume that she would not receive the same treatment. The tower shield had come from a monster with two awakened cores, so she received two fragments for consuming its Memory.

    Which meant that��

    With a fire of excitement burning in his eyes, Sunny hurriedly summoned another Memory. A disgusting eye with a menacing vertical pupil appeared from the dissipating brightness of the descending sphere of light.

    That eye came from a basilisk-like creature that Sunny had killed a few weeks ago. To survive the battle, he had to fight it with his own eyes closed, relying solely on the Shadow Sense to move through the rubble and dodge the attacks of the deadly beast.

    In the end, he had beheaded the vile thing with a slash of his swift blade seconds before being ripped apart by its claws. It was a fine test for his nascent combat skill.

    Sadly, the Memory came with none of the powers that the actual beast had possessed. It was only capable of producing a harmless beam of red light, which could only be used for creating mood lighting�� at least in the case of Sunny, who could see in the dark.

    Grabbing the eye, he held it out for the Stone Saint to take.

    The Shadow grasped the disgusting thing, brought it to her chest, and then crushed it in her armored fist. Once again, the Memory disintegrated into countless tiny sparks of ethereal light, which were then absorbed by the darkness hiding inside the elegant creature's body.

    [Stone Saint has grown stronger.]

    Sunny grinned, then threw his head back and laughed.

    So that's how it was�� the Shadows fed on Memories! They consumed them to receive power, just like he killed Nightmare Creatures to consume the remnants of their shadows.

    To make sure, he glanced at the runes again and saw exactly what he had expected to see:

    Shadow Fragments: [3/200].

    Tier-one Awakened Memory, one fragment. Makes sense.

    Giddy with anticipation, Sunny summoned the next Memory. A bulky suit of rusty plate armor appeared from the sphere of light and hovered in the air in front of him. This one he had received after burning the towering nest of monstrous, flesh-devouring termites to the ground.

    Creating a bonfire in the absolute darkness of the Forgotten Shore's night was a dangerous endeavor, but he had hoped to receive hundreds of shadow fragments by eviscerating the whole swarm of these tiny gluttonous creatures. Judging by the amount of bones littering the ground around the nest, they were a real plague.

    Sadly, the entire colony had turned out to be a single demonic being, landing him only six fragments. He even had to retreat without collecting the soul shards from the smoldering remains of the hive, scared away by the approach of several Fallen horrors that had been attracted by the bright flames. The Memory was of little consolation, since his own Puppeteer's Shroud was superior to it in all regards.

    But now, finally, it could be of use!

    The Stone Saint devoured the armor just like she had devoured the over two Memories. Once again, the Spell announced that the shadow monster had grown stronger. The runes changed again:

    Shadow Fragments: [6/200].

    Every time the numbers changed, Sunny felt a deep sense of satisfaction. His menacing stone knight was becoming more fearsome with each second. He suspected that gambling addicts felt something similar in the throes of a rare winning streak.

    Caught in the moment, he grasped the next Memory, but then stopped and stared at the small silver bell that lay silently in his hand.

    This one�� this one was the first Memory he had ever received, barely holding onto life in the bitter cold and terror of the First Nightmare. It was the weakest Memory he had, but also the most meaningful. Sunny had killed one human to receive it, and had used it to kill another.

    The Silver Bell was a reminder.

    With bleak eyes, he read the runes that shimmered in the lightless emptiness of his soul:

    [...a small memento of a long-lost home, which once brought its owner comfort and joy.]

    Suddenly drained of the excitement that had been consuming him just a few moments ago, Sunny sighed heavily and dismissed the Memory. There was a dark expression on his face.

    Glancing at the motionless Shadow Saint, he turned away.

    "That's enough for today�� Ah, what a long day. I think I'll go to sleep now."

    Leaving the Soul Sea, he stood silently for a few minutes, then slowly walked to his bed and fell on it. Dismissing the Puppeteer's Shroud, Sunny wrapped himself in the blanket and closed his eyes.

    He was so tired.

 Chapter 111 Lesser Creature

    Chapter 111 Lesser Creature

    Sunny woke up from the oppressive feeling that drowned the whole world. The sunset was drawing near, and with it, the abyssal shadow of the Crimson Spire had once again fallen on the cursed city.

    The distant spire could be seen from anywhere in these somber ruins, looming over the Forgotten Shore like an eternal dark omen. It was cyclopean and unimaginably high, with its roots growing from the endless sea of crimson coral and its peak lost somewhere beyond the veil of grey clouds.

    In these past few months, Sunny had gotten accustomed to its presence and learned to not pay it any attention. Thinking about the Spire was a sure road to madness.

    After all, somewhere inside that inconceivable structure lay their only hope of ever returning home.

    And hope was a poison.

    Yawning, Sunny stood up and stretched his arms. His good mood, which he had momentarily lost for some strange reason, was already returning.

    Now that he had some time to put the events of the previous night into perspective, he understood even more clearly how amazing his luck had been recently. The acquisition of the Stone Saint and her following transformation into a Shadow were nothing short of miraculous.

    His life was about to change for the better!

    However, Sunny had to think things through thoroughly. He was in uncharted waters in regards to how to cultivate his pet monster.

    The initial excitement he felt after realizing that the Shadow Saint was capable of consuming Memories to collect shadow fragments was gone. In its place, there now was a series of uncomfortable questions.

    Sunny had spent somewhere around six months on the Forgotten Shore. In all this time, he had only been able to collect three Memories that were suitable to be fed to the Shadow, giving her mere six shadow fragments.

    With the current speed of progression, he would have to wait for sixteen full years to see his labor bear fruit and find out what exactly was going to happen once the Stone Saint had accumulated all two hundred shadow fragments that the runes demanded.

    Even among the elites of Gunlaug's army, the was no one who had survived on the Forgotten Shore for more than ten years. The King of the Castle himself had only been here for eight, and only lived that long in large part due to luck.

    Granted, Sunny's battle ability would grow dramatically once the deadly stone knight was added into the equation, but still, it was too long. He had to think of something.

    While he was doing the math, Sunny's eyes fell on the iron chest that stored his painstakingly accumulated fortune of soul shards. Distracted, he froze for a few moments, then hesitantly approached the chest and stared at its lid.

    By the standards of the Forgotten Shore, he was an incredibly rich man. His fortune could buy him a lot of things in the castle, from comparatively simple to increasingly rare and hard to come by.

    ��Some of the things that could be easily bought in that pit of despair he didn't even want to think about.

    What interested him the most, however, was the possibility of acquiring a large amount of Memories. Powerful Memories with useful enchantments were not cheap. In fact, they were extremely expensive. But he didn't really care about the quality.

    Since Stone Saint could get the same amount of fragments from the most useless of Memories, all he needed was quantity.

    If he were to spend all of his shards, her power would instantly leap by a considerable amount. In the future, he would be able to cultivate the Shadow at double the speed, too �� half of the materials coming from the Memories he would be acquiring from slaying monsters, the other from the Memories he would be buying with the soul shards the monsters had left behind. That would potentially reduce the overall timeframe to a somewhat sensible period.

    However, there was a big problem with this plan.

    Once Sunny began to spend a large number of soul shards, he would inevitably draw a lot of attention. Dealing with random daredevils who would try to rob him, while not pleasant, was not a big problem. But if Gunlaug himself were to become interested in his exploits�� that would spell disaster.

    And then there was Nephis, whose presence made any sort of planning futile for reasons that only she and Sunny knew.

    Everyone else seemed to be blind and deaf to the truth, which was the source of the problem.

    Sunny frowned and turned away from the chest.

    "I might come back to this idea later. But first, I'll have to check if consuming Memories is the only way for a Shadow to grow stronger."

    He still wanted to know if the Stone Saint could absorb shadow fragments by slaying Nightmare Creatures, just like he could.

    ***

    Some time later, Sunny was cautiously moving through the stone maze of the forsaken city. Able to become one with the shadows, he had a certain advantage over anyone else who would dare to explore these cursed ruins in the absolute darkness of the night. However, even he was always just one step away from death.

    Attracting the attention of the real masters of the streets, the Fallen creatures who dwelled here from the ancient times, would be the end of him. Sunny had no illusions about that.

    Humans only survived here by learning how to avoid the Fallen Ones and seek out weaker monsters to hunt. There weren't a lot of lesser creatures who were able to secure a foothold in the cursed city, so hunting them was always dangerous.

    Nevertheless, that was what Sunny had made into his profession, and that was what he was doing now.

    Finally, he reached the area where he had observed a particular creature in the past. Surprisingly, Sunny was intimately familiar with that type of monster.

    After all, one of them had almost cost him his life in the past.

    Somewhere around this particular street, a lone carapace centurion had made its lair.

    Climbing atop a tall stone column, Sunny stood motionlessly in the darkness and waited for his prey to appear. Time moved excruciatingly slowly, but a good hunter had to have a lot of patience. His dark eyes pierced the veil of night, observing the ghostly ruins.

    One hour passed, then another. Sunny waited.

    Soon, his patience was finally rewarded.

    From the deep darkness of one of the toppled buildings, a familiar hulking shape appeared in all its menacing beauty. The carapace centurion stepped onto the cobblestones, his black carapace decorated with crimson patterns, two terrifying bone scythes scraping against the stone.

    Sunny smiled.

    The carapace centurion only had time to take a single step before two crimson flames suddenly ignited in the deep shadows that consumed the ruined street.

    Then, a graceful stone knight stepped out of the darkness. Raising her shield, she rested the blade of her sword on its rim. Wisps of ghostly grey fog were seeping from under her armor, a strange dark radiance emanating from her skin. The darkness around seemed to move, as though wanting to embrace her like a dark mantle.

    The two monsters �� one massive and savage, one small and steadfast �� froze opposite each other.

    ��And then, all hell broke loose.

 Chapter 112 Duel Of The Monsters

    Chapter 112 Duel Of The Monsters

    Just like in the battle against two Fallen beasts, the Stone Saint attacked first. Striking her sword against the rim of the shield twice, she dashed forward without fear or hesitation.

    Of course, Sunny was not sure if Shadows were even capable of feeling fear.

    The carapace centurion reacted swiftly and savagely, lunging at her in a furious onslaught of adamantine chitin and jagged blades. In front of this towering creature, Shadow Saint looked meager and slight.

    The two monsters collided in the middle of the street, a small shockwave spreading outward from the point of their impact. Dust and small pieces of gravel were sent flying through the air.

    Sunny watched the battle with vigilant eyes.

    He suspected that these two Nightmare Creatures were somewhat equal in terms of power. The centurion was much bigger and heavier, the impenetrable carapace making it an especially deadly adversary. All carapace creatures were unnaturally tough and strong. It also had the advantage of reach and mass.

    The Shadow Saint was equally as resilient due to her heavy armor and stonelike nature. Despite her small frame, the graceful knight possessed a stunning amount of strength. Sunny also had to keep reminding himself that she was not actually human, and as a being made of stone, weighed much more than a human would.

    The disadvantage of her size was bridged by battle awareness and skill, making the outcome of the fight unpredictable.

    However, that was only true if he failed to account for the dark embrace of his shadow. With its reinforcement, the Stone Saint was unimaginably more powerful.

    Sunny was pretty sure that the centurion stood no chance.

    Meanwhile, the two monsters were entwined in a ferocious battle. The Shadow Saint withstood the onslaught of bone scythes by bashing one away with her shield and evading the other. Not losing her momentum, she brought the shield down and slammed its edge into the centurion's carapace, causing the hulking creature to stagger.

    The force of the impact was so grievous that it sent cracks running through the impregnable carapace. Sunny marveled at the sight, congratulating himself on the decision to not test the augmented monster's strength on himself.

    Using the opening that she had created, the Stone Saint twisted her torso and delivered a backhand blow with the boss of the shield, striking the same spot again. The already damaged chitin plate splintered, revealing the soft flesh beneath.

    A moment later, she was already moving to evade the fierce retaliation of the savage carapace creature. The graceful knight was miserly in her movements, dodging each strike with measured precision.

    Although Sunny was only a novice in the art of combat, he had learned enough to be able to recognize the hints of a distinct battle style in how the Stone Saint fought.

    Her whole technique was based in simplicity and economy of movement, each action calculated and efficient. Combining hard blocks, dodges and deflections with grounded footwork and well-timed ripostes, the Shadow was able to create a stark contrast between defense and offense, the former being solid and indomitable, the latter abrupt and inevitable.

    It was very different from the flowing and unpredictable style that Nephis had used, and that he himself had been taught. Only now did Sunny realize that the basic katas and forms he had practiced were, in fact, very unique and unusual.

    Where did his fighting style come from?

    There was a lot to consider here, both in terms of how to improve his current technique and how to incorporate new elements into it. However, that was a task for the future.

    Right now, he was more interested in the outcome of the fight.

    The Stone Saint was already suppressing her monstrous enemy. A few of the centurion's legs were either broken or severed, streams of azure blood gashing out of the terrible wounds. However, it was still resisting furiously.

    But no matter how enraged it became, the silent and menacing poise of the graceful shadow knight was much more terrifying.

    Just at that moment, the Shadow Saint sidestepped a downward slash of one of the centurion's scythes and then pinned it under her greave. Using her weight to immobilize the enemy's weapon, she delivered a vicious blow with the rim of her shield and shattered the bone blade into pieces.

    The carapace monster screeched, dazed by the loss of its scythe, and immediately tried to eviscerate the loathsome little fiend with the remaining one. However, he was a fraction of a second too late. With one side of its body left defenseless, the Stone Saint now had much more space to attack.

    Deflecting the scythe with the shield, she dashed forward and lashed out with an upward slash, severing it near the joint. Continuing the motion, she then stepped through the rain of azure blood and mercilessly thrust her sword into the opening in the centurion's armor that had been created by her at the start of the fight.

    The stone blade pierced through the flesh of the monster and devastated its spine. The force of the blow was so immense that the tip of the sword broke through the chitin on the centurion's back.

    Pulling the sword out of the dying creature's body with one sharp motion, the Shadow Saint shook the blood off the blade. Then, she indifferently stepped back and froze, seemingly turning into a dark, motionless sculpture. Only the crimson fire still burning in her ruby eyes betrayed that the Shadow was alive.

    Sunny held his breath, waiting for the Spell to speak. Soon, he heard its faintly familiar voice:

    [You have slain an awakened monster, Carapace Centurion.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Slightly disappointed, he summoned the runes and checked the number of the shadow fragments in his possession.

    Shadow Fragments: [307/1000].

    'Ninety-three left to four hundred,' he thought automatically.

    Then, just to be sure, Sunny glanced at the description of the Stone Saint.

    Shadow Fragments: [6/200].

    So�� just like with the Echoes, the kills performed by the Shadow benefitted her master instead of the monster herself. It seemed as though consuming Memories was truly the only way to feed the Stone Saint.

    Sunny frowned.

    "Well. That complicates things��"

 Chapter 113 Dark Well

    Chapter 113 Dark Well

    After the Shadow Saint had ruthlessly eviscerated the carapace centurion and confirmed Sunny's suspicion that he wouldn't be able to cultivate her in that way, he was left with nothing much to do.

    The night was still young, but he had already achieved his goal. Now, he was free to do whatever he wished�� however, there weren't very many options available in the cursed city.

    He could continue to hunt, reveling in the newfound power. With the Stone Saint at his command, Sunny would be able to bathe the ruins in monster blood. However, that thought, no matter how seductive, left him uneasy.

    Hunting in this hellish place required patience and preparation. He only survived this long by carefully scouting the potential battlegrounds in advance and studying his prey from the shadows to learn its strengths and weaknesses, not rushing into a fight until he was absolutely sure that there was a solid chance of victory.

    Shadow Saint or not, betraying these principles would still get him killed. And with his mental state, uh�� slightly unstable, Sunny didn't trust himself to stay cautious once the easy wins kept piling up. He had to proceed slowly.

    Looking around the quiet ruins, Sunny smiled slightly. Actually, he wasn't that far from the Library��

    He had indeed turned hunting Nightmare Creatures into a sort of profession, but it was just that: a job. Like any well-adjusted young man, he also had a hobby.

    In his free time, Sunny liked to explore the ruins.

    The warm feeling of satisfaction he had experienced after finding the hidden nest of the Vile Thieving Bird never left his memory. There was something deeply engaging in uncovering fragments of long-lost history and piecing them together. Maybe Sunny had inherited this passion from Teacher Julius, or maybe it had always been slumbering deep within his heart.

    In any case, he enjoyed exploring the ancient city a great deal. It was full of all kinds of mysteries, both large and small. After thousands of years had passed, most traces of the past had been erased by the merciless flow of time. But by looking in the right places and exercising critical thinking, insight and imagination, it was possible to piece together tiny shards of truth.

    Every time the seemingly disparate clues clicked into a coherent picture, Sunny felt a pleasant rush. Interestingly enough, it didn't matter whether that picture pertained to something important or completely useless.

    In fact, he enjoyed learning about the small details of the daily life that the inhabitants of the ancient city had once led much more than he enjoyed learning about the possible origins of the catastrophe that had befallen them �� despite the fact that the latter was directly related to his own survival.

    For example, he was very curious to learn more about the young priestess whose private quarters he had made into his secret lair. The things she had left behind told him a lot about how the people of the city used to dress and think about the world, filling his imagination with colorful pictures of crowded streets and solemn cathedrals. But it was still not enough.

    His latest exploration project was the ruins of a grand library. Of course, none of the books and scrolls had survived the thousand of years in the cursed darkness. Luckily, the people who used to live in the city before its fall were very fond of stone engravings. He spent a lot of time studying the intact wall carvings, as well as fragments of surviving frescoes.

    One fresco, in particular, was especially grandiose and tantalizing, covering the entire floor of the library's main hall. Sadly, it was almost completely buried under rubble. Sunny had managed to clear some of it away, but most pieces of the collapsed roof were too heavy for him to lift. Maybe the Shadow Saint would have more luck.

    It was a suitable plan, but, for some reason, Sunny felt strangely reluctant to return to the exploration of the library on that particular night.

    'Huh�� what else can I do?'

    He jumped down from the stone column and approached the dead carapace centurion to carve out some meat and the soul shards.

    Come to think of it�� come to think of it, the spot marked on the crude map that he had found on the body of the strange hunting party's leader was not that far away, too.

    Maybe he could check it out.

    Sunny vehemently shook his head.

    'No, no�� the map has to be fake anyway. Right?'

    Trying to suppress the unhealthy fire of curiosity burning in his chest, Sunny concentrated on the task at hand. Once the meat and the shards were in his possession, though, the persistent desire to follow the map returned.

    'And if it's not fake, that's even worse. Who knows what kind of horror those fools were searching for?'

    Surely, there wouldn't be any treasure or important secrets hidden there. This whole thing smelled of nothing but peril. In fact, it reeked of something sinister, terrifying, and utterly evil.

    Sunny sighed.

    'But honestly, what's the harm in taking one tiny look? It's just one look... what's the worse that can happen?'

    ***

    Quietly stepping through the stone rubble, Sunny cautiously approached the spot marked on the map. For some strange reason, very few Nightmare Creatures seemed to choose this remote part of the city as their hunting grounds. It was as though they were compelled to avoid this place.

    Come to think about it, that fact alone would be enough to scare Sunny away. In normal circumstances. But with the Stone Saint hiding in his shadow, he felt a bit braver.

    He would be able to run away if anything happens, at least.

    Approaching a large building that had been magnificent once, Sunny climbed over the collapsed wall and found himself in a dark and secluded courtyard.

    In the center of the courtyard, there was a well. Its round mouth loomed like an open wound in the stone, filled with nothing but empty blackness. The well was covered with a strange, ornate iron grate. It must have weighed several tones at least, as though someone desperately wanted to prevent anything from ever lifting it from its place and leaving the well open.

    Sunny gulped before approaching and looking through the grill of the grate. The silent well was so deep that he couldn't see its bottom.

    ��Maybe there wasn't one.

    Picking up a small stone, Sunny dropped it down. The black mouth of the well swallowed the stone, making it disappear.

    Many seconds passed, but there was no sound of the rock hitting anything.

    Sunny was almost ready to try again, but then��

    The well spoke.

    A melodic, strangely enchanting voice resounded from its dark depths, filling Sunny's ears with sweetness.

    "Ah, a guest��"

    He staggered back, his eyes opening wide in fear.

    'Nope. Not doing that!'

    Sunny wanted to turn around and run away, but something stopped him from following his instinct. He sensed that leaving without finding out more was going to be a wrong decision.

    And the voice sounded so�� so human-like��

    It was like the voice of someone you would want to be your friend.

    He shook his head, breaking free from the reverie.

    'What were those damned fools up to?! What are they doing there in that damn castle?! I need to warn Nephis�� no, wait�� I need to find out more first. I'll try to understand what is going on here, but if there's any sign of danger, I run.'

    Greeting his teeth, Sunny forced himself to stay still.

    A moment later, the well whispered:

    "How wonderful. I haven't been fed in a long, long time��"

 Chapter 114 Voice Of Darkness

    Chapter 114 Voice Of Darkness

    The enchanting voice came from the well in a wave of whispering echoes. It was soft and charming, flowing like a smooth silken melody. It seemed to belong to a young man�� if mere humans could even possess such a voice. A divine being would suit it more.

    ��Or a profane one.

    Sunny wasn't in the mood to appreciate the smooth and rich texture of the voice, though.

    He was covered in cold sweat.

    The echoes whispered:

    "...time, ��time, ��time."

    In all his time on the Forgotten Shore, Sunny had only met one other creature capable of mimicking human speech. The memory of that encounter still made him tremble.

    The thing that had come from the depths of the dark sea in a mantle of fog and stolen Cassie's voice was by far the most terrifying being he had ever met. He didn't even want to remember the utter horror he had felt when the swarm of whispering voices had surrounded him. On that night, Sunny had only been able to keep his sanity intact because of the blind girl's timely warning.

    He had only survived the meeting with the creature that possessed a human voice by keeping his eyes tightly shut.

    And now, here was another.

    'Why were those hunters searching for this ancient horror?'

    He frowned. If something sinister was brewing inside the castle, he had to warn Changing Star. But he couldn't do anything before establishing at least some understanding of the entire situation.

    That's why Sunny forced himself to stay still despite the fact that every instinct in his body screamed for him to run away. Instinct was not always the best advisor. Humans possessed intelligence for a reason.

    ��The black fissure of the well loomed in front of him like a pool of darkness. Suddenly, he was incredibly grateful for the immensely heavy ornate grate that kept the charming talker imprisoned in the lightless depths.

    Sunny licked his lips and tried to regain his composure. Ready to summon the Stone Saint and the Midnight Shard at any moment, he took a step forward and gazed into the dark emptiness once again.

    Then, he slowly said:

    "It's�� nice to meet you."

    He couldn't quite believe that he was trying to communicate with the terrifying prisoner of the well instead of running away without looking back. Life was sure full of surprises.

    Until the moment it gave you the last one, of course.

    A soft chuckle resounded from the well. After its melodious murmur disappeared in the darkness of the secluded courtyard, the voice said:

    "Oh, no�� the pleasure is mine��"

    The echoes whispered:

    "...mine, ��mine, ��mine."

    Sunny was considering his next words very carefully.

    'My life might be depending on what I say next��'

    He couldn't help but remember old fairy tales about terrible monsters that liked to play riddles with lost children. One wrong answer, and the children were devoured, never to be seen again. Was he going to end up in similar danger?

    It was still not too late to turn back.

    However, before he could ask his question or make the decision to retreat, the thing in the well spoke again. It said:

    "So�� are you guys going to feed me or not? Not to offend anyone, but lately, you've been very tardy. I have been sitting here by my lonesome for three days already. Or have you decided to try something new?"

    Sunny blinked.

    'What?'

    That�� that wasn't exactly what he expected to hear from the mouth of an ancient evil. The thing sounded so�� human. He was almost tempted to believe that it actually was.

    'That's how it gets you, fool!'

    Sunny forced himself to remain vigilant. What did he know about how primordial evils were supposed to talk, anyway? If it was able to steal the knowledge of human language from his head, it would surely be able to steal some other things too.

    While Sunny was trying to comprehend what was happening, a few seconds flew by. The voice waited for a bit, then returned:

    "Oh, I see. So we are going with starvation now. Well�� I have to give you guys some credit, this is your best idea yet. Sadly, it won't work. Do you even know what type of diets we trainees have to follow to debut? I guess not. Actually, I have to thank you. This is a great opportunity to work on my BMI."

    The echoes whispered:

    "...BMI, ��BMI, ��BMI."

    'Wait�� what?!'

    Sunny stared into the well, dumbfounded. His eye twitched.

    'Don't tell me�� don't tell me that there is really just some guy sitting on the bottom of that damn well!'

    Feeling like the world suddenly stopped making any sense, he rubbed his temples, then asked in a strange tone:

    "Who are you?"

    The well fell silent.

    Sunny tried to remember what the charming voice had told him before. Something about not being fed in a long time. It surely sounded ominous and creepy in the moment, but if he looked at it a bit differently�� if the group of hunters he lured to their deaths had been on its way to deliver food to a prisoner�� then that would explain why the poor guy had to skip a few meals��

    But why would they keep someone imprisoned in this remote area of the ruins?

    Meanwhile, the voice spoke again. This time, it sounded tense:

    "Wait, you're not one of the�� you're not�� oh! Oh, gods!"

    Sunny covered his face with his hand, realizing what was going to happen next.

    "Oh, gods! It's not a human�� heavens, I'm going to die. Those damn fools finally got me killed!"

    From the perspective of a Sleeper locked inside a well in the middle of the ruins, only two types of beings could come here to find him: either his captors or�� Nightmare Creatures.

    Sunny revealed that he wasn't one of the captors by asking his last question, which left only one other possibility. The fact that he came to the well during the night, alone, and not using anything to light the way only made the conclusion easier to make.

    "Wait, it speaks�� oh, gods! I've only ever heard of one other creature on the Forgotten Shore that can mimic human speech�� no, no, no! Not like this��"

    'Damn, he really does have a nice voice. It's beautiful even when full of despair�� huh, what? It's just a voice! Why am I so enamored with�� uh��'

    Was he so desperate to hear a human voice? Why? He was doing fine on his own. Great, even! Better than ever.

    'Focus on the task!'

    But what exactly was the task?

    Sunny had never expected to find a human at the end of the crude map. What was he supposed to do now?

    'I guess the first step would be to find out who the guy in the well is, and how he got there. Then I can decide what to do with him, or if I should do anything at all.'

    But there hid the problem�� first, Sunny had to convince the young man in the well that he was actually a human, too.

    Sunny glanced at his shadow, feeling somewhat helpless.

    The shadow was bent over, holding its stomach. Its shoulders were shaking.

 Chapter 115 Nightingale

    Chapter 115 Nightingale

    Sunny could really understand how bad the situation looked from the perspective of the young man with a beautiful voice.

    The only thing that could be worse than approaching a terrifying dark well while thinking that there's an ancient and utterly evil creature hiding inside was to actually be locked inside that terrifying dark well while thinking that some abominable thing was looking down on you from above.

    At least Sunny had a chance to escape if things were to turn really bad. The poor guy in the well literally had nowhere to run.

    Of course, there was still the possibility that all of this was just a cunning act performed by some incredibly horrifying monster. Sunny had to keep that in mind while exploring the other theory.

    'So�� if he is indeed a human, how do I make him believe that I'm not a monster?'

    That wasn't a very simple task for Sunny. He had never been good at communicating with people in the first place, and three months of complete isolation did not make things any better. In fact, they had made everything worse.

    Now, even Sunny sometimes felt uncomfortable when talking to himself.

    'Uh�� what would Cassie say?'

    He cleared his throat.

    "Are you a�� human? I am too. I am a human, too. We are both�� humans."

    'Great job, idiot!'

    After that abhorrent attempt, Sunny wouldn't be even surprised to find out that he was not, in fact, a human. Who talks like that?

    The young man in the well grew silent. Then, he silently said:

    "Yeah, it's definitely all over for me. Oh, well. I had a good run, I guess��"

    Sunny sighed heavily.

    "Stop panicking, you idiot! I really am a human!"

    The owner of the charming voice laughed:

    "Please forgive me if I don't believe you."

    He was using respectful honorifics, as though recognizing Sunny as an elder. Which was logical, given that he believed him to be an eldritch horror. An eldritch horror would technically count as an elder, all things considered.

    Sunny groaned inwardly.

    "Why are you using honorifics? I bet I'm younger than you."

    The young man imprisoned in the well hesitated.

    "Wait, you really are a human?"

    Sunny smiled with excitement, feeling that he was making progress.

    "Yes. I really am."

    The voice returned a dozen seconds later:

    "How come you're here alone and in the middle of the night? You also don't seem to have any source of light with you. Please don't get angry, sir monster, but that's not exactly something a human would be able to do. Maybe you should work on your story a bit more next time you venture out to devour innocent souls? Just a, well, a piece of friendly advice."

    Sunny sighed.

    "Very funny. I'm able to walk around the city at night because my Aspect allows me to hide in the darkness. I can also see through it, too. How did you end up in this well, anyway?"

    The young man lingered before answering.

    "How does one usually end up in these situations? A bunch of thugs decided to shake me down for my Memories. I politely refused, and here we are. They've been keeping me here for a couple of weeks, trying all kinds of methods to get me to transfer the Memories to them. But I must say, their attempts were very clumsy. In terms of knowing how to terrorize people, these fellows are not even anywhere near the laziest of sasaengs."

    Sunny didn't know what a sasaeng was, so he just assumed that it was some kind of a horribly malevolent Nightmare Creature. The rest of the story was somewhat easy to believe. Of course, it would take a very special kind of fool to choose the ruins, of all places, to keep a prisoner, but thugs were not known for their intelligence.

    Plus, their plan seemed to have worked pretty well right until the moment they had the misfortune of stumbling onto Sunny.

    Well�� now he knew what this whole thing was about. Just some tiresome human business.

    'How disappointing.'

    Nephis and Cassie were also not in any sort of danger, at least not with regard to this mess. The mystery was solved. He had wasted a whole night on this nonsense.

    "I see. Well�� goodbye."

    With an annoyed sigh, Sunny turned around and began to walk away. However, the owner of the beautiful voice stopped him:

    "Wait! Wait! Are you�� are you really human?"

    Sunny grimaced.

    "I am! I've told you already!"

    The young man imprisoned in the well hurriedly asked:

    "Can you maybe get me out of here? Those guys are not coming back tonight, I think. If you help me escape, I'll make it worth your while!"

    Sunny scratched the back of his head, then frowned:

    "In what way?"

    After a short pause, the charming voice returned again, this time somewhat hesitant:

    "Well, you might not know this, but I am quite a rich person. I have a whole stash of soul shards back in the castle. Some might even say that I have a small fortune. Half of it is yours if you get me out of this pit. That's ten shards, at least!"

    Sunny suddenly got an idea. Of course, he did not need the ten shards that the young man was offering. The fact that he had these shards, though�� that was potentially very useful.

    If he wanted to avoid unnecessary attention when buying Memories with his hoard of soul shards, he would need a suitable proxy. A Sleeper with a lot of shards of his own, one that was indebted to Sunny no less, was a perfect candidate.

    He smiled.

    "Do people know that you have a fortune?"

    The young man answered, a bit of surprise in his voice.

    "Do they�� know? Yeah, I guess they do. I am known to spend a lot from time to time. On entertainment, as well as, uh... some other things. I'm a patron of arts, one can say."

    'Perfect�� so no one would be surprised if he suddenly begins to spend shards on Memories.'

    However, there was a small problem. Sunny could remove the grate, but he had no way of helping the poor guy climb out of that unimaginably deep well. Even if he was to use the Prowling Thorn, he doubted that the invisible string would reach that far. Its maximum length was not that impressive.

    And he certainly was not going to climb into the creepy well himself.

    Plus, he still held a bit of suspicion about the charming young man's identity. He was almost certain that he was human�� but the remaining tiny bit of doubt was enough to make his paranoia ring the alarm.

    After hesitating for a bit, Sunny said:

    "What's your name?"

    The melodic voice answered:

    "It's Kai."

    Sunny sighed.

    "Well, Kai, I don't know how to tell you this�� but unless you can fly, I won't be able to help you escape."

    The young man grew quiet. After a long pause permeated with deathly silence, he then said in a strange tone:

    "...I can."

    Sunny blinked.

    "What?"

    Did he hear wrong? No, that was unlikely.

    ��Maybe Kai was just willing to say anything in his desperation to escape.

    The prisoner of the well chuckled.

    "I can fly. That's my Aspect Ability."

 Chapter 116 Deal With The Devil

    Chapter 116 Deal With The Devil

    Sunny considered Kai's words. An ability that allowed the Awakened to fly was not unheard of, but it was rather rare. And here on the Forgotten Shore, where a cursed flood of darkness devoured the world every night, it was nothing short of priceless.

    Sunny couldn't even imagine how easier it would have been to traverse the Labyrinth with someone like Kai by his side.

    Suddenly, it made a lot more sense why someone like him would possess a small fortune of soul shards. It also explained why his captors were so gentle in their attempts to force the Memories out of the young man. He was much more valuable alive.

    Sunny remained motionless for some time, thinking things over. After a while, Kai spoke again, his pleasant voice tinted with a bit of apprehension:

    "Well? Will you help me?"

    Sunny sighed and walked back to the dark fissure of the well:

    "Alright. I'll remove this grate, and you can fly out. However, I don't really need your shards. If you want to come out of there alive, you'll have to do something for me instead."

    The prisoner of the well hesitated, then cautiously asked:

    "What?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "I'll tell you when you need to know. Don't worry, it's nothing serious. I just need help completing a few errands inside the castle. So, do we have a deal or not? If not, I'll be on my way. I've wasted enough time here already."

    Kai didn't have to think about it too long. Soon, his voice resounded from the darkness once again:

    "We have a deal."

    It sounded strangely relaxed, as though the young man had become resigned to fate.

    Sunny slightly frowned and said:

    "Great. One more thing: if you break our agreement and simply fly away, I will find and kill you. This is not a threat, just facts. Do you understand?"

    Kai lingered for a bit before answering.

    "Yeah, no problem."

    Sunny gazed into the black cavern of the well and hesitated. He was more or less sure that Kai was human, but had to be prepared to act immediately in case he was not.

    Following his silent command, the Stone Saint came out of the shadows and kneeled near the well, grasping the grate with her hands. The steel of her gauntlets scraped against the ornate iron, and with some visible effort, she slowly moved the heavy grate to the side.

    Sunny shivered as he listened to the wrenching sound of iron grinding against stone. The Midnight Shard appeared in his hands, and he lowered himself into a combat stance with grim resolve.

    Whatever came out of the well, he was ready to face it.

    A few seconds passed, each feeling like an eternity. Sunny was tensely staring into the circle of pure darkness in front of him, waiting to see if he was right to trust the prisoner of the well or not.

    Then, several more seconds passed.

    ��And then a few more.

    Nothing happened.

    'Uh��'

    Sunny tilted his head, then asked with some irritation:

    "Aren't you going to come up?"

    After a bit of a delay, the charming voice resounded from the darkness once more:

    "...You see, I just thought of something."

    Sunny sighed and lowered his sword a little.

    "What is it?"

    Kai was silent for some time, then answered with a bit of wariness:

    "Ah, it's just that this grate is so heavy that it wouldn't even budge when I tried to move it. It took all six of my captors to put it in place, actually. And they were all big, strong men. So��"

    He hesitated.

    "I know that we have already established that we are both human, and it's not that I doubt your honesty, but would you mind explaining to me how is it that you were able to remove it all by yourself?"

    The honorifics were back.

    Sunny cursed under his breath. This guy was even more paranoid than him!

    He was unwilling to reveal his hidden ace to Kai, but the cautious prisoner left him with no other choice. Glancing at the Shadow Saint with a dark expression, Sunny said:

    "That thing is too heavy for me, too. But I was lucky enough to get a very strong Echo."

    Kai seemed to suddenly become very curious.

    "Oh? That is indeed lucky! Very few people in the castle have an Echo. I think I know every one of them by name."

    After a short pause, he added:

    "...By the way, what is your name?"

    Sunny rolled his eyes and said through gritted teeth:

    "My name is Sunless."

    This conversation was entering dangerous waters. Depending on what Kai was going to say next, Sunny might be forced to climb into the well after all.

    Not to save the young man with a beautiful voice, but to silence him forever.

    Meanwhile, Kai suddenly laughed.

    "Sunless? That name does not sound like something only a soul-devouring demon would be called at all! Zero chance of that, right?"

    After saying that, he laughed again, this time with a hint of desperation in his voice.

    However, even then Kai's laugh was very pleasant to the ear. More pleasant than his charming voice, even, but Sunny was in no mood to appreciate its melodious sound.

    'Goddammit!'

    Sunny rubbed his temples. Why didn't anyone ever trust him? He was such an honest young man! The most honest young man in the world, really.

    Annoyed, he said in a flat tone:

    "Very funny. Now, come out of that well before I change my mind."

    Eventually, Kai stopped laughing and said:

    "There's no one in the castle with that name. At least no one with an Echo under their command. Do you maybe live in the outer settlement?"

    'Oh, come on!'

    Feeling the pressure of the Flaw growing in his mind, Sunny closed his eyes and answered truthfully:

    "No."

    Kai cleared his throat.

    "So�� you are someone who walks the cursed ruins alone at night, possesses the strength of at least six men, dwells in the darkness beyond the castle walls, and calls himself Sunless. Did I miss anything?"

    Sunny grimaced.

    "Not really."

    For a few moments, there was silence. Then, the prisoner of the well said with a voice full of dark humor:

    "Would you climb out of this well to meet a creature like that?"

    Hidden in the darkness of the cursed night, Sunny smiled with a bit of menace and said.

    "If I was in your shoes, I would. And I think that you should do it, too. Do you know why?"

    After a small pause, Kai asked with sincere interest:

    "Why?"

    Sunny stopped smiling and allowed a cold indifference to seep into his voice:

    "Because I can put that grate back anytime."

    Without waiting for Kai's response, he ordered the Stone Saint to move the grate a little. A moment later, the horrid sound of iron scraping against stones invaded his ears once again.

    Almost immediately, the prisoner of the well changed his tune:

    "Uh�� alright! Wait! Stop!"

    The Shadow Saint released the grate, allowing silence to reign over the lonesome courtyard once again.

    Kai was quiet for some time, and then said with dejected reluctance:

    "...You'd better not be a demon, alright? Stand clear, I'm coming out."

 Chapter 117 Cruel Injustice

    Chapter 117 Cruel Injustice

    Sunny felt a soft breeze lightly caress his cheeks, and then something moved in the darkness of the well.

    Gripping the hilt of the Midnight Shard tightly, he prepared for the worst. On the other side of the dark fissure, Shadow Saint slowly raised her shield and rested the blade of her sword on its rim.

    ��However, they had nothing to fear.

    A few moments later, a graceful figure appeared in the air, rose above the well, and then gently landed on the stones in front of it.

    The corner of Sunny's mouth twitched. The owner of the charming voice was, indeed, human. It was a young man wearing a light lamellar armor, with luscious dark auburn hair and mesmerizing green eyes. His well-fitted armor was made out of burnished brown leather, with deep blue embroidered garments beneath.

    However, for a moment, he wished that Kai actually turned out to be a demon.

    Because the damn guy not only possessed the most charming voice he had ever heard, but was also drop-dead gorgeous.

    Honestly, it was simply unfair!

    Kai was tall, slender, and incredibly handsome. His face was small, perfectly shaped and beautiful, with high cheekbones and flawless ivory skin. His green eyes were nothing short of electric, and his lips were soft and full like�� uh��

    'W��what am I thinking?'

    What's more, he seemed to possess that special type of warm charm that made some people almost irresistibly attractive. Sunny wouldn't be surprised to find out that droves of girls simply fell to Kai's feet every time he happened to casually walk by. Perhaps a few guys, too.

    Even worse still, the bastard looked like a genuinely nice person, without the smallest trace of arrogance or entitlement on his pretty face. There were playful sparks of humor hiding deep within his eyes, and one could be absolutely sure that when Kai smiled, cute dimples would appear on his cheeks.

    You couldn't even hate the damn guy!

    Two weeks spent in the deep dark pit did nothing to lessen his glamour, too.

    In short, Kai was the most beautiful person Sunny had ever seen, even compared to other Awakened. He looked like one of those screen idols that people loved to obsess over, only somehow even more attractive in person.

    Sunny glanced at himself, feeling a strong desire to grind his teeth in outrage.

    'Well, this is just�� a cruel injustice, simple as that.'

    Meanwhile, Kai noticed the Shadow Saint's burning ruby eyes, which were the only source of light in the absolute darkness of the night, and flinched back with a paled expression on his face.

    "Oh no! It's a demon after all!"

    Sunny got distracted from his self-pity and blinked. Then, feeling somewhat spiteful, he said:

    "I'm behind you, idiot."

    Kai froze, then slowly turned around to face him. Sunny didn't fail to notice that the young man held one of his hands out, obviously ready to summon whatever Memory he used as a weapon.

    Blinded by darkness, Kai couldn't see him, of course.

    'Well, good. Let's not let this fellow know that I'm not as, uh... good-looking as he is for a few more moments.'

    Pretending to be perfectly composed, Sunny asked in a calm voice:

    "Haven't I told you that I had an Echo? It's her over there. Well, sort of. That is to say, those aren't my eyes."

    The handsome Sleeper hesitated for a few seconds, then said:

    "Sunless? You really are a human?"

    Up until that moment, both of them were just disembodied voices to each other. But now, while Sunny had already made sure that Kai was not some ancient horror�� or at least didn't look like one�� the former prisoner of the well was still in the dark, both literally and figuratively.

    "Last time I checked, I was still human, yes. If you have a Memory to produce light, you can summon it and see for yourself."

    Kai lingered.

    "Won't the Nightmare Creatures be attracted by the light?"

    'Smart and cautious. I like him.'

    Sunny shook his head.

    "Usually, they would, by this courtyard is really secluded. Plus, there are not a lot of monsters in this area. I guess that's why those thugs chose this particular place to keep you imprisoned."

    With a sigh of relief, Kai summoned a paper lantern that glowed with soft yellow light. Sunny hissed.

    "Argh! Damn!"

    Relying on Shadow Sense to keep track of the young man's movements, he raised a hand and covered his eyes. Accustomed to the darkness, they weren't ready for such a sudden appearance of light.

    Of course, Sunny knew that this would happen. He allowed himself to be momentarily blinded to give Kai some sense of safety and better convince him of his human nature.

    "Oh! Sorry."

    The beautiful young man lowered the lantern a little and looked up, trying to finally lay eyes on his mysterious liberator.

    Then, with a bit of surprise, he slightly lowered his head and looked down.

    'Great, that is not humiliating at all!'

    Kai stared at Sunny for a few seconds and, after realizing that he was indeed a human, offered him a dazzling smile.

    His smile was as charming as the rest of him. Even the cute dimples that Sunny had imagined would inevitably appear on his cheeks were, indeed, there in all their glory.

    It was nothing short of obnoxious.

    "Well... what a surprise! I was almost certain that you will turn out to be a terrible monster. But you aren't. You really are a human, and such a cutie too!"

    Sunny coughed.

    'Wha�� did he just call me a "cutie"? How dare he! Uh, I mean�� thanks? What is happening?'

    Meanwhile, Kai frowned.

    "But, Sunless��"

    "What?!"

    The beautiful Sleeper blinked a couple of times.

    "Can I ask something? If you really don't live in the castle or in the outer settlement, then where do you live?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "I mean, are there many options left? I live in the city."

    Kai hesitated for a bit, but then, suddenly, a light of realization ignited in his mesmerizing green eyes.

    "Oh! I think I've heard of you! Aren't you that crazy kid that lives alone in the ruins?"

    Sunny stared at him with murder in his eyes.

    'Why does everyone keeps calling me "kid"? Why does everyone keep calling me "crazy"?! I'm not crazy!'

    With a deep sigh, he answered:

    "Indeed, that's me. You can call me Sunny, by the way. Once you get to know me better, you'll realize that I am not, in fact, that crazy."

    Kai looked at him with doubt. Noticing that, Sunny grinned. He decided to tease the obnoxiously gorgeous young man a little.

    Of course, with the limitations of his Flaw, that was going to require a bit of finesse.

    Putting too much enthusiasm in his voice, Sunny said:

    "And I don't actually live alone! I have plenty of creatures to keep me company, you might even call them my friends. There's a talking rock that sometimes tells me to do stuff. There's also my shadow, it has a lot of interesting opinions!"

    He stared at Kai with a sincere smile. When the young man's handsome face became a little pale, Sunny laughed.

    "Gee, relax, man. I am just joking around with you."

    Then he looked down at the shadow and added in a dark, angry tone:

    "They're not really my friends. I actually can't stand that rock, and the shadow and I barely talk these days..."

 Chapter 118 Mirror Image

    Chapter 118 Mirror Image

    Perhaps joking around with Kai was a bit cruel, but Sunny was really annoyed by how ridiculously good-looking the other Sleeper was. Plus, he had not talked to another human in such a long time that his already lacking communication skills had become truly rusty.

    Since they were going to visit the castle soon, Sunny had to prepare himself for the inevitable moment when he would be forced to talk to strangers. Stretching his Flaw to its limits was a good practice. He wouldn't want for something like�� that accident to happen again.

    The unpleasant memory soured Sunny's mood.

    Meanwhile, Kai was staring at him with a very strange expression on his face. Sunny cleared his throat.

    "Uh�� that was a part of the joke, by the way."

    The handsome young man continued to stare, his face full of doubt.

    'Did I go too hard on this poor guy? He must have been scared out of his wits already�� he's probably in an utter panic now. Who wouldn't be a bit apprehensive about meeting a madman? Yeah�� maybe it wasn't as funny as I thought.'

    Kai cautiously shook his head.

    "It's not that. I just feel like I have to inform you about something."

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "Yeah? About what?"

    Kai hesitated, then said in a very calming tone:

    "It's about my Flaw. I can actually tell when someone is lying to me. So, uh�� when you said that there's a rock that tells you what to do, I knew that it was true right away."

    Sunny glared at the beautiful young man with an incredulous expression. Internally, he didn't know whether to laugh or to cry.

    'Flaw? How is that a Flaw?! That's a damn superpower, you despicable bastard!'

    Why was that Kai so lucky? He had the charming voice, the tall stature, the perfect face. Even his Flaw was a damn blessing!

    Coincidentally, it was also a perfect counter to the better half of Sunny's tricks. If Kai had not informed him about this strange Flaw of his, Sunny would have gotten himself into really big trouble pretty soon.

    Luckily, the beautiful young man happened to be a very honest guy.

    'What an angel!'

    While Sunny was seething in outrage, Kai said in a gentle tone:

    "So Sunny�� what exactly does that rock ask you to do? Do you maybe want to tell me?"

    Sunny sighed.

    'I'll have to be really, really careful and watch what I say around this guy. '

    "Well, you're no fun at all. The talking rock is actually a Memory capable of repeating words. I use it as an alarm occasionally, so it mainly tells me to wake up. As for that stuff I told about my shadow being opinionated�� that's also true. Uh, but you already know, I suppose. My shadow has a bit of personality due to its function within my Aspect."

    Kai thought about it, then smiled.

    "Oh, I see! So it was really a joke. Very crafty. Sorry to ruin it with my Flaw."

    Sunny scowled.

    "Don't you patronize me��"

    Then he stopped, thought about something, and said angrily:

    "Wait, if you can tell when someone is lying, then why did I have to spend half an hour convincing you to get out of that well?!"

    Kai blinked a couple of times, looking innocent and hurt.

    "Well, how do I know if my Flaw works on Nightmare Creatures? I've never had a conversation with one before! A person can never be too careful when making deals with ancient horrors, you know."

    Sunny covered his face with a hand.

    "Yeah, I know."

    Kai looked at him with concern.

    "Ah, Sunny? Are you alright?"

    'This is those cursed strings of fate screwing with me again. What are the odds of meeting a person whose Flaw is almost the exact opposite of mine? And why is he so goddamn stunning�� is that supposed to be the opposite of how I look, huh? Huh?!'

    "I am. Anyway. Let's get down to business."

    Kai sighed.

    "Of course. A promise is a promise. I will help you do whatever it is you want to do in the castle. Shall we go together?"

    Sunny shook his head.

    "Not yet. I'll have to stop by a place first. Do you know the big ruined cathedral to the south of here?"

    The other Sleeper thought for a bit, then nodded.

    "I think I do. I fly over that part of the city often, and it's hard to miss. Are you taking me there?"

    'Good question��'

    On one hand, Sunny didn't want anyone to know where he lived. On the other hand, he didn't trust Kai enough to simply let him return to the castle and wait there.

    But moving through the city with a source of light was not something he was prepared to do, either.

    Was there a compromise?

    "I can't take you anywhere with that lantern of yours. I survive by hiding in the darkness, remember? So you can go on and fly to the cathedral on your own. Wait for me on the roof."

    Kai looked south, remembering the location of the ruined temple, and nodded.

    "Alright."

    Sunny raised a hand, stopping the young man from flying away.

    "Wait. Whatever happens, don't go inside the cathedral, okay? I'm not joking. There's a Fallen Devil residing inside, so if you do, he'll butcher you just like he had butchered that bunch of idiots who had kidnapped you."

    Kai stared at him in shock.

    "What? They are dead?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "How do you think I found you in that well? One of the dead thugs had a map on his body. I thought there'll be treasure hidden in the marked location. But��"

    The beautiful Sleeper smiled.

    "But it was something much better? Aw, thank you for the compliment! I'll be careful not to enter the cathedral, rest assured."

    Sunny stared at the smiling Kai for some time, then shrugged in exasperation.

    "Sure. Off you go, then. And remember �� if you break our agreement, I will��"

    "...find and kill me, yeah. Don't worry, Sunny. I never break a promise!"

    With these words, Kai raised his head and looked up. A soft gust of wind touched Sunny's skin, and in the next moment, the charming Sleeper suddenly soared above the ground, quickly disappearing into the sky. Soon, only a tiny dot of his paper lantern could be seen, moving south through the black skies like a lonely star.

    Suddenly, Sunny trembled.

    A cold feeling of dread grasped his heart like an iron grip.

    Following the dot of light with his eyes, he whispered:

    "...There was a lonely star burning in the black skies, and under its light, the castle was suddenly consumed by fire, with rivers of blood flowing down its halls."

    He stood for a while in the darkness, motionless.

    If Sunny didn't know better, he would have thought that this part of Cassie's prophecy talked about Kai.

    But he did know better.

    He had known the truth of that prophecy for some time now.

    Lowering his head, Sunny licked his lips and asked the voiceless shadow in a raspy voice:

    "Is it�� is it already starting?"

    Like always, the shadow did not answer.

    'What a stupid question.'

    Of course not. It had started a long time ago.

    Right at the moment when the three of them had entered the ruined city.

 Chapter 119 A Fistful Of Soul Shards

    Chapter 119 A Fistful Of Soul Shards

    It took Sunny some time to find his way back to the cathedral. With the approach of the dawn, the Nightmare Creatures that hunted at night grew restless. He had to be especially careful as he lurked through the narrow streets, keeping to the darkest patches of shadow.

    Even though there was no moon or stars in the lightless night of the Forgotten Shore, many of the monsters here had their own ways of perceiving shapes moving through the darkness. Their ability to see in the dark was somewhat offset by Sunny's [Child of Shadows] Attribute, which allowed him to become indistinguishable from any shadow that he dove in.

    However, he still had to be cautious. In this cursed place, nothing was ever certain �� except for danger, death, and terror.

    Some time later, he climbed the familiar pillars of the cathedral and appeared on its vast roof. Walking on the wide ridge separating two slanting expanses of ancient tiles, he approached Kai, who was standing nervously some distance away.

    The beautiful young man was grasping a longbow made of horn in his hands, staring into the darkness with a tense expression on his pale face. Sunny stopped a few steps away from him and looked at that bow for a long time.

    'There's not much time left.'

    To avoid getting an arrow between his eyes, Sunny decided to announce his arrival with a gentle greeting:

    "Hey, Kai. I'm here."

    The archer turned around with a startled expression and raised a hand, as though trying to summon his lantern. However, he thought better of it, afraid to attract unwanted attention. Instead, Kai gulped and whispered:

    "Lower your voice! What if that Fallen Devil hears us?"

    Sunny blinked.

    'Oh, right. He's a very carefull person.'

    Which was a great personality trait to have, as far as he was concerned. The more paranoid, the better. Smiling inwardly, he said:

    "Relax, he won't."

    Kai stared at him with doubt, then asked:

    "Are you sure?"

    Sunny gave him a nod.

    "Yes."

    He was prepared to explain the reason behind this confidence, but, surprisingly, Kai immediately believed him and calmed down.

    'Right�� he knows when people are lying to him. Which means that he also knows when they're telling the truth. And since I can only tell the truth, he can pretty much believe everything I say without the need to ask unnecessary questions.'

    Huh�� come to think of it, that Flaw of his was actually very convenient.

    Meanwhile, Kai cautiously looked around and asked:

    "So, what are we going to do here?"

    Sunny gestured at the group of shattered tiles not too far away from them and answered in a calm tone:

    "I'm going to climb into that hole and retrieve something from the temple. You just wait here until I return."

    Kai's eyes widened.

    "Are you crazy? What about the devil?"

    What about that bastard? Sunny couldn't help but fantasize about slaughtering the damn creature for a few seconds.

    'The day will come!'

    Returning to the present situation, he said:

    "What about him? I told you, I'm good at hiding. As long as I know who I'm dealing with, they won't be able to notice me unless I want them to."

    He had learned that first part of the sentence the hard way. Actually, it was the bastard who taught him that even concealment of shadows had its limits. That's how Sunny ended up with his insides on his outside and in possession of this vital piece of information.

    Some lessons you only needed to receive once to remember them forever.

    Kai was looking at him with a strange expression again. Sunny frowned:

    "What?"

    The beautiful young man shook his head.

    "No, no. It's just that�� it's an awesome Ability. I wish I had an Ability like that, to be honest."

    Sunny glared at him and uttered through gritted teeth:

    "Says the guy who can fly! Why would you want to hide your perfectly symmetrical face anyway? Tired of being ogled by love-stricken supermodels?!"

    Kai sighed.

    "Something like that. How did you know?"

    Sunny opened his mouth, then closed it again.

    "...Anyway, wait for me here. I won't be long."

    Throwing a glance at the charming Sleeper, he shook his head and walked over to the hole hidden behind several broken tiles.

    Soon, he was back in his secret lair. Looking around with a bit of apprehension, Sunny sighed and removed the rucksack fashioned from the skin of a monster from his back. Then, he unloaded the strips of carapace centurion's meat on the silver plate and walked over to the iron chest.

    To be honest, he really didn't want to go anywhere near the castle. The idea alone made him long to stay in this dark, quiet, familiar room forever. But he couldn't. If he wanted to make the Shadow Saint stronger, he had to return to the human settlement and risk facing his fears.

    'Whatever. I'll just go in and out. Kai will be the one doing all the work, anyway.'

    With a heavy sigh, he raised the lid of the chest and began loading his rucksack with soul shards. Dozens of beautiful crystals were soon glittering inside.

    Sunny only took half of them, but the amount was already enough to drive many people to murder.

    He couldn't really blame them. On the Forgotten Shore, shards represented money, and money represented life. Without it, you couldn't buy yourself a place within the safety of the castle or procure food without having to risk death in the cursed maze of the city.

    Anyone would be willing to commit murder in order to survive.

    'Keep telling yourself this.'

    With an angry grimace, Sunny shut the rucksack tightly, made sure that no light seeped through its seams, and turned around.

    Glancing at his peaceful hidden lair one last time, he shut his eyes for a moment, and then walked away without looking back.

    It was time to return to the castle.

    ��And all the terrible memories he had left there before running away.

 Chapter 120 Approaching The Castle

    Chapter 120 Approaching The Castle

    Washed in the ghostly light of the nascent dawn, Sunny and Kai were walking through the ruins of the cursed city. The night was slowly crawling away. Its retreat made one of them feel safer, while the other one grew uneasy without the familiar veil of darkness hiding him from the world.

    'I have almost forgotten how mournful this place looks when the sun is up.'

    Somewhere in the distance, the waves of the dark sea were halting their eternal assault on the stone walls of the ancient city. These walls had withstood thousands of years of wear and abuse without allowing even a single drop of black water to seep through. Sunny suspected that they would stand unbroken for a thousand years more.

    Suddenly uncomfortable, he turned his head west and found the distant silhouette of the Crimson Spire. The menacing structure was looming over the Forgotten Shore like an evil omen, spelling doom to anyone who would dare approach it.

    '...Maybe not.'

    Sunny had chosen a complicated and meandering route to reach the castle. Kai, who was less familiar with the cursed city, simply followed behind. The charming young man was alert and collected, his bow ready to send arrows flying at any moment.

    They had to circle around many areas where especially terrifying creatures were known to dwell and hunt, making slow progress. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry.

    At some point, Sunny raised his hand, gesturing for his companion to stop. He peered into the distance with a deep frown on his face.

    Kai glanced at him and whispered:

    "What is it?"

    Sunny brought a finger to his lips before answering:

    "Shh. Listen."

    Soon, they heard an eerie sound that resembled stifled, heart-wrenching weeping. It was as though there was a crying woman in the fog ahead of them, slowly drawing closer. Her trembling sobs made both Sleepers shiver.

    Kai looked at him and asked without much confidence:

    "What are the chances that it's actually a human girl?"

    Sunny gave him a crooked smile.

    "Low."

    Without needing to discuss it, they hid behind a large pile of rubble and waited. Pressing himself against the cold stones, Sunny sent his shadow to climb the building and observe the surrounding streets. Kai saw the shadow off with a bewildered look, blinked a couple of times, but didn't say anything.

    A minute or two later, Sunny glanced at him and asked:

    "Where are your arrows?"

    The charming young man hesitated, then said:

    "I usually carry a quiver with a few dozen arrows that were specially crafted for me by one of the best blacksmiths in the castle. But the gentlemen who put me in that well�� may they rest in peace�� weren't kind enough to let me bring it."

    Sunny gave him an amused look.

    "So that bow of yours is actually useless?"

    Kai lingered for a few moments before answering:

    "...I also have arrow-type Memories."

    "How many?"

    The elegant archer lowered his gaze in embarrassment.

    "Uh�� two. Will that be enough?"

    Sunny was silent for a bit, and then answered in a flat tone:

    "No. I don't think that will be enough."

    Out there in the fog, his shadow was looking at the creature that had been producing the heart-wrenching weeping.

    It was not a human girl.

    A massive, four-legged beast was walking through the morning mist. Its flesh was rotten and emaciated, hanging from the bones like a tattered coat. Sunny could clearly see the white arcs of its ribs through the holes in the rotting hide, the unnatural darkness hiding behind them, and the powerful jaws of the partially bared dog-like skull that were full of terrifying teeth.

    One didn't have to be a genius to understand that the horrid creature was one of the Fallen masters of the ruined city.

    As he was looking, the beast opened its maw and produced another long, human-like sob, then stopped and listened, as though waiting for an answer. When nothing happened, it lowered its head and slowly continued on its way.

    Luckily, although their hiding spot was somewhat close, it wasn't actually on its path. If nothing changed, the Fallen would walk past without even noticing them. They just had to wait.

    Sunny sighed.

    "We'll have to stay here for ten minutes, at least. Get comfortable."

    Once again, Kai didn't ask anything, simply taking Sunny's word for it. It seemed as though his strange ability to sense lies made the charming Sleeper less prone to having a lot of questions.

    Which was a wonderful quality to have, as far as Sunny was concerned.

    With nothing to do but wait, they had a bit of time to rest and catch their breaths. Sunny summoned the Endless Spring and took a few sips of cold, sweet water. Noticing that Kai was staring at him, he hesitated, then passed him the beautiful glass bottle.

    The charming young man drank greedily, as though someone dying from thirst. Come to think of it��

    Feeling a little guilty, Sunny asked:

    "When was the last time they gave you water?"

    Kai detached himself from the bottle, wiped his lips, and smiled in pure delight.

    "Ah. Two or three days ago, I think. Thank you kindly!"

    He returned the bottle and looked at Sunny with curiosity.

    "Hey, Sunny. Can I ask you something?"

    Sunny tensed up and gave the charming archer a dark look.

    "You can."

    His eyes, however, hinted that he shouldn't.

    But Kai either didn't notice the menacing glare or wasn't bothered by it.

    "You came to the Forgotten Shore this last solstice, right?"

    "Yeah."

    Sunny held his breath, guessing what the beautiful Sleeper was going to ask him. How they had survived in the Labyrinth? Why he had abandoned the castle? How he had survived in the ruins? Each of these questions could potentially lead to a disaster.

    Kai leaned forward with excitement in his eyes, hesitated for a second, and then said:

    "What�� what's the top music video in the charts out there right now?"

    Sunny blinked.

    'Uh�� what?'

    That was absolutely not what he had expected to hear. Noticing that the charming young man was staring at him with anticipation, he shifted and answered with a bit of uncertainty:

    "That�� uh�� I have no idea."

    Kai sighed, clearly disappointed, but then suddenly smiled again.

    The smile was wide and dazzling.

    "...Can I you ask you another question?"

 Chapter 121 Graveyard Of Hope

    Chapter 121 Graveyard Of Hope

    In the next ten minutes, the foundations of Sunny's worldview were shaken to the core. Kai had drowned him in a torrent of questions�� all of which had nothing to do with anything even remotely important!

    What interested the charming Sleeper were very strange things like what types of shoes were in fashion, which celebrity wore what to some pompous award ceremony, who of them had a scandal and what was that scandal about, what was the latest dance craze, and so on.

    He was endlessly curious about that type of stupid crap and absolutely indifferent about all of Sunny's dark secrets.

    It was almost insulting.

    What's worse, Sunny felt like a complete fool because he couldn't provide even a single answer. What did he know about fashion and high culture? Nothing!

    After a while, Kai's enthusiasm had waned. Looking at Sunny with a comically disheartened face, he sighed and gently asked one last question:

    "Sunny, tell me honestly�� were you a hikikomori in the real world as well?"

    Sunny blinked.

    'What is this fool talking about?'

    "A hik�� a what?"

    Kai cleared his throat and offered him an apologetic smile.

    "Ah, you know�� a recluse? A shut-in? Someone who lives under a rock?"

    Sunny stared at the gorgeous young man, feeling like the world completely stopped making any sense ever since they had met.

    "What are you talking about? Why would I live under a rock? You would freeze to death! I lived in a cargo container once, but it had four walls and a roof, at least��"

    Kai sighed one more time and turned away.

    "I see. Well, sorry to bother you. It's just that I've been stuck in this place for about two and a half years now, and life here is so monotone."

    His beautiful profile was radiating melancholy and sadness, as though Kai was lamenting something serious, as opposed to utter rubbish.

    'Two and half years�� that dimwit survived here for two and a half years?'

    Sunny was surprised to hear that. Kai seemed like a nice guy, but not exactly someone well suited for the ruthless nightmare of the Forgotten Shore. Perhaps he had underestimated the charming Sleeper�� or perhaps there was another, much simpler reason.

    Sunny frowned.

    There was a group of people who tended to live here the longest. Suddenly suspicious, he asked in a cold tone:

    "Are you a part of Gunlaug's gang?"

    Kai looked at him with surprise.

    Then, he chortled.

    "Gods, no! If there's one thing I absolutely despise, it's bullies like him. I would rather die than become one of Gunlaug's minions. Plus, the man has no style. That armor of his is the most hideous thing I have ever seen!"

    However, after saying that, he suddenly grew quiet and added after a few seconds in a dejected voice:

    "But I do accept jobs from his lieutenants from time to time. That is the reason why he tolerates my existence, so I don't really have a choice."

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, but then decided that he believed the other Sleeper. He really didn't look like one of Gunlaug's thugs. Besides, if he had been one of them, no sane person would have dared to kidnap and imprison him. Members of Gunlaug's cohort were nearly untouchable.

    Which meant that Kai was, indeed, much more capable than Sunny had given him credit for.

    'Interesting.'

    Noticing that the eerie sobs of the Fallen beast had grown sufficiently distant, he shifted his perspective to the shadow and made sure that the terrible creature was already far away.

    Standing up, Sunny dismissed the glass bottle and said:

    "We're safe now. Time to move."

    Once they were ready to leave, he summoned the shadow back and prepared to take the first step forward. However, then Sunny suddenly stopped and glanced at the charming young archer with hesitation.

    "Hey, Kai. Can I ask you a question as well?"

    The older Sleeper smiled, honesty and eagerness written all over his face.

    "Of course!"

    Sunny was silent for a couple of seconds, then said in a strange voice:

    "That armor of yours�� do you wear it because it's the best one you could get, or because it looks good?"

    Kai looked at him with confusion. Raising one exquisite eyebrow, he said:

    "I don't understand the question. Is there a difference?"

    Sunny closed his eyes, sighed, and turned away.

    "Never mind. Let's go."

    As the sun rose above the horizon, they went deeper into the city, slowly approaching its center.

    ***

    The castle stood on a tall hill in the middle of the cursed city. It was grand and magnificent, with dozens of towers rising into the air, each supported by a number of elaborate arches and columns. Grotesque gargoyles were staring down on the ruins from under the eaves.

    The road leading to the castle was as impressive as the castle itself. It was narrow and heavily fortified, circling the hill in a way that allowed the defenders of the castle to endlessly rain arrows down on any possible attacker.

    At the end of the road, a grandiose staircase led to the gates of the castle. In front of it, there had once been a vast stone platform, meant to serve as the gathering ground for the soldiers in case the enemy was to somehow breach all but this one last line of defense.

    Now, the platform had turned into a makeshift settlement, with small shabby buildings made out of stone, wood, and anything else the inhabitants of this slum could get their hands on standing chaotically here and there, forming messy groups and narrow alleys.

    This place did not look like the outskirts where Sunny had grown up, but it had the same unmistakable air of misery, fear, and desperation.

    As the two of them approached the outer settlement, several Sleepers greeted Kai with friendly smiles.

    "Hey, Night! Glad to see you, man. Where have you been lately?"

    Kai smiled in embarrassment.

    "Ah, you know. Flying around. What about you, pal?"

    While the charming young man was exchanging pleasantries with his acquaintance, Sunny cautiously looked around.

    The place had imperceptibly changed since the last time he was here. The settlement itself seemed to be almost the same, with just a few buildings slightly changing shapes. The people, however�� people somehow seemed more energized and confident, as though the ever-present fear of death and starvation was not as pressing anymore.

    However, there was a strange sense of tension in the air.

    'I guess she was busy in these three months, too.'

    Finally managing to end the conversation, Kai turned to him and smiled apologetically.

    "Sorry about that."

    Sunny frowned.

    "Why are they calling you Night?"

    The charming young man stared at him, then cleared his throat and said with a bit of strangeness in his voice.

    "Oh, you really don't know. Well�� it's a nickname of sorts. Nightingale, that's how I am known around these parts."

    'What a stupid nickname,' Sunny thought, and decided to get things done as quickly as possible.

    He couldn't wait to leave this depressing place.

    "Alright, since we're here, time to make good on your promise."

    Kai gave him a nod.

    "Sure. What do you need me to do?"

    Sunny looked around, making sure that no one could hear them, and said:

    "It's simple. Go into the castle and find out about who is selling Memories, and what the price is. Then come back and report to me."

    His companion blinked a couple of times, clearly surprised, then shrugged.

    "No problem. But it's going to take a while. If you want the best information possible, of course."

    Sunny grimaced.

    "Do as you see fit. I'll be waiting for you in that alley over there."

    Kai looked at him one last time, smiled, and walked away.

    Feeling nervous and tense, Sunny walked other to a secluded alley and rested his back against the wall. He tried to become as small and unnoticeable as possible.

    Being here was making his skin crawl. Maybe his decision to come back was a mistake, after all. Maybe he should simply turn around and walk away.

    However, he didn't. Deep down inside, he knew that he had to take this opportunity to gather as many Memories as possible, so that his Shadow could become stronger as fast as possible.

    Perhaps he would never get this opportunity again.

    Time slowly passed. An hour went by, then another. Kai was certainly taking his sweet time gathering the information Sunny had asked from him.

    However, nothing bad had happened. Yet.

    Sunny was almost starting to believe that he was nervous for nothing, but then, of course, the thing he dreaded the most became a reality.

    A calm, painfully familiar voice suddenly resounded from somewhere behind him.

    "Hi, Sunny."

    He froze, feeling like a beast caught in a trap, and then slowly turned around. A strange, complicated expression appeared on his face.

    Forcing out a smile, Sunny licked his suddenly dry lips and said:

    "...Hey, Neph. Long time no see."

 Chapter 122 Four Months Ago

    Chapter 122 Four Months Ago

    Nephis changed a lot since the last time Sunny had seen her.

    Outwardly, she looked almost the same �� tall, firm, and strangely distant, as though existing slightly apart from the rest of the world. She was still wearing the Starlight Legion Armor, which accentuated the graceful lines of her slender, lithe body. Only now, there was also a white cloak draped over her shoulders, close in color to the pristine metal of the elegant plate armor.

    Changing Star's silver hair was much longer now, almost reaching her shoulders. Without the short tomboyish cut, she looked strangely mature and feminine, making Sunny's heart beat a little faster. Her calm grey eyes were as striking as ever.

    The true changes, however, hid much deeper. Perhaps only a person who knew her as well as Sunny did could notice them, or perhaps it was precisely because he had come to know her so well that the veil of detached indifference shrouding her true self cracked, revealing the deeper feelings beneath.

    Nephis seemed to be much more alive now, much more present. Her eyes shined with resolve and determination, radiating an almost infectious feeling of temperate confidence.

    ��This was her power. The power of conviction.

    Sunny shivered under that gaze.

    Neph was the person he longed to see the most and, at the same time, hoped to never see again. She was the true reason why he had to leave the castle.

    Stirred awake by this fated meeting, a torrent of memories rose to the surface of his mind.

    If only he had known at the time��

    Well, it would not have changed anything, really.

    ***

    Four months ago, on the night that they had ventured into the cursed sea on a boat made of demon's bones, Sunny was shivering in the wind.

    ��After an eternity spent in the cold embrace of darkness, the endless night of their escape was finally drawing its last breaths. He shifted and turned to the east, where a ghostly line of pale lilac appeared over the horizon.

    Trembling, he licked his lips and said in a raspy voice:

    "Cas. Cassie. It's morning."

    After he uttered these words, the last remnant of strength that had kept Sunny going disappeared, and he slumped on the stones, his chest rising heavily and then falling.

    A new dawn was ready to bathe the desolate hell of the Forgotten Shore in warm sunlight. They had survived.

    The three Sleepers were perched on a giant stone hand that protruded from the black waves, as if held above the lightless abyss by a goddess. Sunny and Cassie were holding each other for warmth, while Nephis was lying in the center of the stone palm, still unconscious. Visible through the gaps in the shattered armor, her ivory skin was pale and listless.

    'We did it.'

    They had escaped the clutches of Soul Devourer, sailed through the cursed darkness, and even lived through a battle with the horrifying dweller of the depths�� by some miracle.

    Sunny couldn't quite believe that they had actually managed to pull their daring escape off. From the moment he had learned about the enthrallment hex put onto their minds by the ancient fiend, he felt that the chances of ever saving themselves from the gluttonous evil tree were more than slim. Perhaps because it had taken away his most dangerous and tested weapon... his mind.

    And yet, somehow, they had succeeded.

    Utterly exhausted, Sunny closed his eyes and listened to the dark sea as it retreated to hide from the coming sun. Without even noticing it, he slipped into the embrace of sleep.

    When he awoke, the sun was already high in the sky. Sunny expected to feel crippled now that adrenalin had left his battered body, but, to his surprise, he wasn't in even half as much pain as he had anticipated. Blood Weave was truly a miraculous Attribute to have for someone as prone to disasters as he was.

    Even his broken finger wasn't hurting that much anymore.

    Sunny still had to groan while sitting up, though.

    Cassie was sleeping by his side, as drained by the events of the previous night as he was�� perhaps even more so. Her delicate face seemed vulnerable and pale, twisted in an anxious frown. Sunny sighed.

    Nephis had yet to regain her senses. At some time while he slept, the blind girl had used her cloak to cover Changing Star, helping her to preserve some warmth. Neph lay still and motionless, her face drained of all color. Only the quiet sound of her breathing told Sunny that she was still alive.

    He trembled, remembering the harrowing sight of her mangled flesh restoring itself in the crucible of purifying flame. Unleashing that flame always took a heavy toll on Nephis, bringing her unimaginable pain and suffering. Who knew what price she had paid to pull herself away from the doors of oblivion? He had not even realized before that she could use it to heal herself.

    Perhaps there was a reason why she had never done so in the past. Only time could tell.

    'It's time to assess the situation.'

    Turning away from Changing Star, Sunny looked around, trying to discern their current circumstances. His heart was heavy.

    If they had survived the attack of the tentacle monster and the ensuing shipwreck only to find themselves stranded in the middle of the cursed sea, with no way to continue forward, that would be a truly macabre twist of fate.

    To the east of them, there was nothing but the empty expanse of the colossal crater. Same thing for the��

    Sunny froze, noticing a dark line in the distance. That was�� that was the western edge of the crater. They had almost crossed it!

    Feeling a strange excitement grasping his heart, Sunny quickly turned around and looked west. His eyes widened.

    For a few moments, his head was silent and empty. Then, a single thought appeared in it:

    'We were so close��'

    He sat quietly for a long time, forgetting about everything else. A few hours later, Cassie finally woke up. Feeling that he wasn't next to her anymore, she called in a frightened voice:

    "Sunny?"

    He licked his lips.

    "I'm here."

    Cassie sat up and stretched her hand out, finding his shoulder.

    "Why�� why do you sound so strange?"

    Sunny blinked, then slowly turned his head to look at the blind girl. A tentative smile found its way onto his face.

    "Cassie�� we found it. We have found that city you saw."

    ***

    In the end, Nephis had remained unconscious for two whole days.

    Sunny was really starting to worry about her, but then, on the third day, Changing Star had finally come back to her sense. At the time, he was sitting on top of the giant hand's index finger, staring west with a warm, excited feeling in his heart.

    They did it! They were finally going to go home!

    Sunny couldn't wait to return to the real world. He didn't even care about becoming an Awakened and the corresponding leap in power and status that much anymore.

    All he cared about was his soft bed, mountains of delicious food, and limitless hot showers.

    Sunny lowered his head and glanced at Nephis, trying to determine if there was anything wrong with her. In the webtoons, one of the characters was bound to suffer from something like amnesia right before things were about to take a turn for the better.

    But Changing Star seemed to be fine. She was still the same Neph he had known �� tall, firm, and strangely distant, as though there was an invisible barrier separating her from the rest of the world. When the gaze of her striking grey eyes fell on him, Sunny felt his heart beating a little faster.

    He smiled.

    'Thank gods!'

    Nephis frowned, lowered her head, and then asked in a flat tone:

    "Why are you smiling?"

    Realizing that he was grinning from ear to ear like a fool, Sunny blinked, then tried to shrug with false indifference.

    'Abort, abort! Divert her attention!'

    "Look behind you."

    The sight of what lay in the west was one of the reasons for his good mood, so it wasn't that much of a stretch.

    Neph stared at him for a few moments, then sighed and turned around.

    Behind her, a tall city wall built of grey polished stone towered above the slopes of the colossal crater.

    That wall was a sign that all their suffering was not in vain, and that all their dreams were about to come true.

    It was hope.

 Chapter 123 Helping Hand

    Chapter 123 Helping Hand

    Soon after Nephis had finally come back to her senses, they prepared to leave the shelter of the giant stone hand. The morning had just begun, so there was plenty of time to cross the remaining distance and climb out of the deep and vast crater. If all was going to go well, they would meet the next sunset on top of the tall wall of the mysterious city.

    Of course, numerous things could go wrong between now and then. But, for some reason, Sunny felt optimistic.

    This was a rare moment for his cynical, paranoid heart.

    Just like before, Sunny and Neph took turns climbing down a few dozen meters and lowering Cassie to one another with the help of the golden rope. However, they had grown considerably stronger since the last time they had to do it.

    Sunny remembered how tiresome it was to descend from the giant knight's statue in that way and chuckled. Now, he felt as though he could do it three times in a row, and considerably faster, too. Even though he had spent the last few days in an endless nightmare and brought his body to the point where it was about to shut down, now, there was nothing but resilient strength filling his muscles.

    These two months that they had spent in the perilous hell of the crimson labyrinth, constantly fighting for their lives and slaying monsters that no Sleeper should ever face one after another, had made all three of them much more powerful.

    Sunny doubted that a lot of Awakened had ever gone through this ruthless of an initiation and lived to tell the tale. Once he returned to the real world, he would most likely be considered one of the elite representatives of the current generation.

    'Huh, that might actually be a problem.'

    Well, he could always blame everything on Nephis. She was already close to being a mythical existence �� the last daughter of the legendary Immortal Flame clan, one of the few Awakened in history who had managed to receive a True Name in the First Nightmare, the top student in her batch of Sleepers in the Academy, and so on.

    People would easily believe that a prodigy like her had been able �� and willing �� to carry two pathetic weaklings on her back all the way to the Gateway.

    Sunny just had to choose his words carefully when describing the events leading up to their triumphant return. Luckily, in that regard, he was a master.

    Entertaining himself with such thoughts, he didn't even notice the flow of time. Soon, they were already approaching the ground.

    Just before jumping into the soft black mud, Nephis looked at Sunny and said:

    "Stay vigilant."

    She didn't have to remind him. Sunny knew that the last stretch was often the most dangerous �� mostly because it was natural for people to allow themselves to relax in these moments, falsely believing that the worst was already behind them. Numerous Awakened perished tragically with their goal already in sight.

    He wasn't planning on becoming one of them.

    Sunny carefully lowered Cassie down, watched as Neph helped her step out of the rope loop, and jumped down. He landed on the ground in a nimble roll, immediately jumped to his feet and outstretched one hand, ready to summon the Midnight Shard at a moment's notice.

    However, nothing was trying to kill them.

    Sunny and Nephis exchanged tense looks, and then slowly walked forward.

    With each minute, the distant grey wall was growing closer.

    At some point, Sunny gestured for Changing Star to stop and turned around, curious to take a look at the statue whose hand had saved them from drowning in the dark depths of the cursed sea.

    Out there on the slope of the colossal crater, slightly tilted to the side, a giant statue of a slender woman dressed in a light flowing robe towered over the black mud. She was lovely and graceful, with a slim waist and delicate arms outstretched to the skies, as though trying to embrace them.

    At least that was how she had looked once, a long time ago. Now, one of the arms was broken off, with only its shoulder remaining in place. Luckily, the other one was still there, and had served as a safe haven for the three Sleepers in their moment of desperate need.

    Just as Sunny expected, there were seven shining stars carved into the stone surface of her robe.

    What piqued his curiosity the most, though, was the fact that just like the giant knight, the graceful woman seemed to be missing her head. Once again, Sunny wondered if these stone titans were created without faces to begin with, or if something had beheaded them much later in a fit of destructive rage.

    '...seven severed heads guarding seven seals,' he thought, remembering Cassie's frightening vision.

    The mystery of that vision was nothing short of tantalizing. However, it seemed as though it was destined to remain unsolved �� Sunny doubted that he would ever come back to this cursed place after returning to the real world.

    There were many regions in the Dream Realm, and almost every one of them was far better than the hellish Forgotten Shore.

    'To hell with all this crap!'

    Sending silent gratitude to the statue that had saved their lives, Sunny turned around and headed west.

    ��As they approached the section of the slope that was almost vertical, something dangerous finally happened. Just as Sunny was about to step on a wide stone buried in the mud, the stone suddenly shifted and rolled to the side.

    A terrible roar resounded across the vast emptiness of the colossal crater, making him shiver in fright.

    Fearing that something was crawling from under the soil, Sunny jumped back and summoned his sword. To his side, Nephis was doing the same, while Cassie swiftly stepped back to not be in the way.

    ��However, there was nothing moving in the mud. No giant beast rose from it to feast on their flesh, no horrifying abomination had extended its limbs to pull them underground into its maw.

    Then�� what made that terrible roar?

    Just as Sunny was trying to understand what was happening, a sharp pain suddenly pierced his right leg. Looking down, he saw�� he saw��

    The damn stone was chomping on his shin!

    The stone, which turned out to be a bizarre Nightmare Creature, revealed a mouth full of long, sharp teeth on its surface. It awkwardly rolled a couple of times to reach Sunny and then tried to dig its fangs into his soft flesh.

    It might have bitten Sunny's leg clean off, but, luckily, the leather boot of the Puppeteer's Shroud turned out to be too tough for the stone's jaws. So it was just munching on the leather in powerless resentment.

    The situation was painful, but not at all dangerous.

    Sunny stared at the stone, then raised his head and glanced at Nephis in bewilderment. Her expression was as indifferent as always, but after all the time they had spent together, he was able to recognize the similar kind of amusement written clearly on her face.

    "Uh��"

    Sunny strained his muscles, raised the trapped leg into the air and shook it a couple of times, trying to send the stupid stone flying.

    However, the weird monster was really stubborn. With another thunderous roar, it doubled its attempts to gnaw on Sunny's shin, its stone teeth on the verge of shattering from all the pressure exerted on them.

    'What a pathetic thing. The only hope of killing me it has is if I die from annoyance,' Sunny thought with a confused frown.

    How could a Nightmare Creature like this even exist?!

    'I guess there are losers even among their kind, eh?'

    Shaking his head, Sunny allowed the shadow to wrap itself around the Midnight Shard and brought the tip of the blade down on the hungry stone with all the strength he had.

    The tachi was met with some resistance, but managed to pierce and shatter the monster's stone body in the end.

    The bizarre creature died while still trying to take a bite out of Sunny, defiant till the very end.

    As the shattered remains of the stone fell into the mud, the voice of the Spell whispered:

    [You have slain an awakened monster, Rolling Stone.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    [You have��]

    Seeing a strange expression on Sunny's face, Nephis asked:

    "What's wrong?"

    He looked at her and blinked a couple of times.

    "Uh�� I just received a Memory."

    Changing Star raised her eyebrow and said in an uplifted tone:

    "That is great. What type of Memory?"

    Sunny scratched his head, hesitated, and then answered:

    "Uh. It's a�� rock? An ordinary rock..."

 Chapter 124 Desolation

    Chapter 124 Desolation

    Soon, they were standing beneath the impregnable stone walls of the mysterious city. Behind them, the great chasm of the vast crater stretched to the horizon.

    Somewhere ahead, the lone human citadel in this loathsome region of the Dream Realm awaited. It promised to deliver them from this dark place and bring them home.

    Sunny really couldn't wait to be finally done with this nightmare.

    The city wall was built from massive slabs of grey granite. Still wet from the cold touch of the cursed sea, the ancient weathered stones looked almost black. Despite the thousands of years that passed since the mysterious builders of the wall had disappeared into the fog of time, it still looked monumental and unassailable.

    The joints between the granite slabs were barely wide enough to insert a narrow blade.

    Looking up, Sunny tried to guess the height of the wall. It had to be sixty meters tall, at least �� twice as high as the Awakened Academy defense barrier, which was constructed with the help of both modern technology and various Aspect Abilities.

    For a few moments, he wondered about the people who had erected this wall, the city behind it, and the giant statues that still stood lonesomely on the desolate shores of this cursed land. Their creations had withstood the onslaught of darkness and time, but the creators were gone. Who had they been? What terrible fate had befallen the citizens of the ruined city?

    But then, Sunny angrily shook his head. These mysteries had nothing to do with him anymore. He was going home, never to return to this awful pit of horror and despair. Let someone else solve them.

    After a short rest, they decided that it would be easier to climb the wall instead of circling it in search of an entrance. Even if they were to find a gate, there was no guarantee that it would be open.

    Climbing the wet granite was not an easy task, but they somehow managed. When there was nothing to use as a hold, Sunny and Nephis resorted to using their swords by inserting them into the joints between the slabs. A few unpleasant cuts later, they found the right rhythm and made quick progress.

    Enhanced by the consumed soul shards and shadow fragments, as well as the ruthless training regimen of the neverending battle for survival, their bodies were full of strength and endurance. Both of them were at the peak of human physical ability. Pretty soon, they had reached be top of the massive wall and climbed over its edge.

    Without even needing to catch his breath, Sunny hungrily crawled forward, jumped to his feet, and gazed down.

    In the ensuing silence, he could hear the sound of the golden rope scratching against stone. However, his heart was beating louder.

    Soon, Nephis and Cassie joined him.

    The blind girl grasped his shoulder and asked, her voice bright and full of hope:

    "Sunny? What do you see?"

    He licked his lips.

    Beneath them, an expansive city lay in ruins. The beautiful stone buildings were broken and shattered, many of them turned into mere piles of rubble. There were no people walking along the wide streets, no clamor of voices to drive away the silence. Under the cold grey sky, the ruined city looked dead and mournful.

    It was impossible to say what terrible disaster had happened here, but it was clear that it was not natural. Many of the collapsed houses were blackened by fire, with claw marks cut into the still-standing fragments of walls. Here and there, monstrous bones of ancient horrors protruded from the ground, telling tales of desperate battles that must have had taken place on these streets once, a long time ago.

    Looking closer, Sunny felt cold sweat running down his back. There were strange shapes moving through the rubble, and even more hiding in the shadows. Seeing them filled him with an icy sense of dread.

    The ruined city was teeming with Nightmare Creatures.

    "There is�� a vast, ruined city built of weathered stone. And there are numerous monsters wandering its streets. Just like you said there would be."

    The tall city wall they were standing on was as wide as a road. It stretched endlessly in both directions, enclosing the vast ruins into a strangely perfect circle. Every so often, there were towers built into its impenetrable granite body, serving as bastions against potential enemies.

    Who would have thought that one day this great barrier would serve not to repel the horrible monsters, but to keep the true horrors imprisoned inside?

    But Sunny wasn't that interested in the wall. He wasn't even too interested in the monsters. Instead, his eyes were drawn to the tall hill towering above the ruins. On that hill��

    "There is a magnificent castle standing on a hill in the middle of the ruins. It looks like�� like something out of a legend. Its walls are built from radiant white stone, with tall towers and majestic spires piercing the sky. It stands above the city like a... a symbol of hope, the only thing in this hell that seems to be untouched by the darkness and�� and��"

    A wide smile appeared on Cassie's face.

    "Yes! This is the castle I saw!"

    However, Sunny didn't hear her. Just as he was describing the splendor of the bright castle to the blind girl, his gaze accidentally slid behind it.

    Now, all he could see was the dark silhouette of a cyclopean tower that loomed above the world like an unholy spear made out of solidified blood. As soon as Sunny saw it, his heart was gripped by an unexplainable fear.

    This was the Crimson Spire.

    The feeling of horror it emanated was enough to make him never wish to gaze at it again. And yet, he wasn't able to look away.

    By his side, Nephis was staring at it too, her thoughts a mystery. There was a tense, dark expression on her face. After a few seconds had passed, Changing Star was finally able to compose herself and turned away.

    Looking in the direction of the castle, she frowned and said:

    "The final stretch of the way to the citadel might be extremely dangerous. We must not hurry. Let's find a way down first��"

 Chapter 125 A Feast In Time Of Plague

    Chapter 125 A Feast In Time Of Plague

    Neither Nephis nor Sunny wanted to climb down from the wall, because that would leave them with no path of retreat should something terrible happen. Without the need to discuss it, they had decided to explore the nearest tower and see if there was a suitable way to descend from the wall inside of it.

    They followed the slightly bending wall north, keeping an eye on the ruins below. From time to time, Sunny was able to notice the shapes of creatures moving through the desolate streets of the ancient city. However, nothing seemed to be interested in scaling its tall granite bulwark.

    For the time being, they were safe.

    However, he didn't feel safe. Instead, he kept glancing at the distant axis of the Crimson Spire and shivering.

    That thing was seriously way too ominous.

    'Good thing we will be out of here soon��'

    That was the only thought that kept him from falling into an irrational panic. Their journey through the Forgotten Shore was about to end. They had endured a lot and survived through a lot. At times, he had not even been sure that they were going to make it out of here alive. But now, all their suffering was about to be rewarded. The path to freedom was already in their sight�� they just had to overcome this one last hurdle to return home in glory.

    ...Soon, they were closing in on one of the mighty towers built into the wall. The structure was round in shape, rising above the main embankment by a good dozen meters. There was a wide wooden gate leading inside the tower, which was broken a long time ago, with only a few splinters remaining on the ancient iron hinges.

    Behind the doorway, there was nothing but darkness.

    Sunny felt that the sight of this entrance was a bit creepy. Of course, darkness was nothing to him. And yet��

    Suddenly, Cassie tugged on his shoulder, forcing Sunny to stop. Both him and Nephis turned to her, their hands outstretched and ready to summon their swords.

    "What is it, Cassie?" Sunny asked, alarmed.

    In some situations, the blind girl was able to recognize danger before they could. Her keen hearing and sense of smell allowed her to sometimes perceive things that normal humans would not be able to.

    Now, there was a scowl on Cassie's face. Turning her head slightly, she whispered:

    "Listen."

    Sunny held his breath and followed her words, straining his hearing to the limit. Soon, he was able to discern a strange sound coming from inside the tower.

    Chomp. Chomp. Crunch. Chomp��

    It sounded like�� like something was being devoured there, flesh and bones being ground by sharp teeth. The nauseating sound of meat being torn and chewed made him grimace.

    Sunny and Nephis looked at each other, then summoned their swords. Like usual, before the two of them moved forward, Sunny sent his shadow to investigate the potential enemy.

    The shadow glided on the stones, quickly approaching the tower. Then, it dove into the darkness and concealed itself in the vast shade that permeated the structure.

    Sunny was able to see inside��

    The first thing he saw was several dead monsters lying on the stone in puddles of blood. The bloody trails left on the stone floor suggested that their massive bodies were dragged here by something very powerful. They were cut apart and eviscerated, as though dressed down by an enthusiastic butcher.

    Then, he saw a large pile of gnawed bones lying on the stones. Some of them still had pieces of meat stuck to them, while others were split apart and emptied of even the marrow.

    The next thing he saw was�� a fire burning in a circle of stone shards, with several skewers of monster meat roasting above it.

    Next to the fire, the source of the chomping and crunching sounds was sitting on the stones, munching on a well-roasted rib.

    ��It was a human.

    In fact, it was a young woman. She seemed to be only slightly older than the three of them.

    Sunny blinked.

    The young woman was tall and attractive. She had hazel eyes and beautiful brown hair, currently tied in a simple braid. Her build was extremely athletic, with perfectly defined lean muscles rolling under the dewy olive skin with each movement. And there was�� uh�� a lot of skin on display, since she only wore a provocatively short white tunic, augmented with bronze greaves, vambraces, and a cuirass with leather pteruges.

    While Nephis was slender and lithe, this stranger radiated a sense of vitality and vigor. Everything about her was lavish and generous, screaming of strength, potency and power.

    The strangest part, however, was that there was an absolutely relaxed, comfortable, and happy expression on her face. In the months spent on the Forgotten Shore, Sunny had never, even for a second, allowed himself to lower his guard completely. Neither had Nephis or Cassie.

    Even in the rare moments of rest, sheltered in reliable safety, they were always slightly tense, expecting all kinds of horrors to fall on them in an onslaught of teeth, poison, and claws. Even while under the hex of the Soul Devourer, there was always an invisible shadow in their hearts.

    However, the young woman seemed to be completely content with being in this cursed place. In fact, she looked happier than Sunny had ever been, even in the real world.

    As Sunny watched, the young woman messily devoured the meat of the unfortunate monster. The juices were flowing down her face and fingers. Done with the meat, she bit on the bone itself.

    His eyes widened.

    The adamantine bone of the Nightmare Creature was easily crushed between her teeth, and, closing her eyes in pleasure, the girl proceeded to suck out the marrow, then chew and swallow most of the bone itself.

    Crunch. Crunch. Chomp. Crunch��

    Finished with the rib, she threw its remains into the disturbingly sizable pile of bones at her feet, loudly burped with no decorum whatsoever, then immediately stretched her hand out to pick up another piece of monster meat from the fire, and sunk her teeth into it.

    Sunny blinked a couple of times more, then shifted his perspective back and looked at Nephis.

    "What did you see?"

    He lingered for a bit, and then said in a hesitant tone:

    "Well... it's either a very hungry human girl. Or a very gluttonous demon."

 Chapter 126 Effie

    Chapter 126 Effie

    Nephis stared at him for a few moments, then turned her head to Cassie and said:

    "Follow behind us."

    The three of them cautiously approached the entrance to the tower and lingered there, uncertain of how they should proceed.

    In their minds, there were two outcomes to this unexpected situation.

    One, the mysterious young woman would turn out to be a local Awakened. In that case, all their problems were going to be solved. If an Awakened happened to meet a group of Sleepers in the wild reaches of the Dream Realm, it was customary to guide them to the nearest human Citadel.

    Of course, exceptions happened, but in general, Awakened strived to take care of Sleepers �� in this alien land, humans had to band together. It was not only a moral obligation, but also in their own best interest.

    Two, the stranger would turn out to be a Nightmare Creature. In that case, they were going to have a tough fight on their hands. Since the rank and class of the enemy were unknown, it was impossible to predict the result.

    They just had to risk it.

    Drawing a deep breath, Sunny followed Nephis into the cool darkness of the tower. Immediately, the appetizing smell of roasting meat hit his nostrils.

    ��His stomach growled.

    'Crap!'

    Before Sunny could react, a piece of bone flew past his head and hit the wall with enough force to shatter into tiny pieces. Belatedly, he raised the Midnight Shard and assumed a defensive stance.

    But it was a little too late. The young woman had already been alerted of their presence.

    Raising her head, she bared her teeth in a wide grin and murmured:

    "Is someone hiding in the shadows? Why don't you come out to play��"

    Her voice was deep, smoky and had a raspy huskiness to it. But what mattered the most was that she was speaking in the human language.

    She was human!

    Probably��

    The stranger was still sitting in a relaxed pose, but Sunny didn't miss the subtle tension in her carved muscles. He had no doubt that the alleged Awakened could explode into a whirlwind of violence at any moment.

    It was better not to provoke her.

    Glancing at Neph, he followed her example and dismissed his sword. Then, the three of them hesitantly stepped into the circle of light cast by the bonfire.

    The young woman looked at them in surprise and raised her eyebrows:

    "Humans? Huh! Unexpected."

    Then she smiled and shook her head.

    "Ah, where are my manners?"

    With that, she lightly rose to her feet. The white fabric of her tunic shifted slightly, revealing even more of her toned, powerful thighs.

    Sunny blinked.

    He had assumed that the stranger was tall, but only now did he realize how imposing her true height was. The woman stood considerably taller than even Nephis, not to mention Sunny himself. Complete with her robust physique, olive skin and archaic armor, she looked like an ancient goddess.

    Craning his neck to look her in the eyes was sort of irritating, though. But Sunny had no choice. If he were to just look straight, his line of sight would land directly on her shapely�� uh��

    The young woman, meanwhile, wiped her dirty face with a forearm and gestured at the fire.

    "Here, would you like to take a seat?"

    Despite the polite invitation, they hesitated. After several seconds passed in awkward silence, Nephis finally took a step forward and asked the question that had been tormenting all three of them.

    With her voice uncharacteristically tense and full of suppressed emotion, she cautiously said:

    "Are you�� are you human?"

    The stranger stared at her with a blank expression, then blinked a couple of times.

    "What else would I be? A horse?"

    With that, she threw he head back and laughed loudly, amused by her own silly joke. Nephis and Sunny glanced at each other, confused as to what to do.

    Meanwhile, the young woman giggled a few more times and looked at them with sparks of glee dancing in her eyes.

    "Of course I am human! Why are you even asking? Anyway, come sit. My neck is tired from looking down on you."

    With that, she sat down near the fire and assumed a relaxed pose. Nephis, Sunny and Cassie finally approached and lowered themselves to the stones, looking at the tall girl with hungry flames burning in their eyes.

    She looked them over, then frowned a little.

    "Haven't seen you guys around. Are you new?"

    Nephis gave her a nod.

    "Yes. We have just reached the city."

    She was trying very hard to act like a normal, well-adjusted person. It seemed that her endless attempts to improve her social skills had not been in vain. If Sunny didn't know how awkward and clumsy Neph's natural state was, he wouldn't have suspected anything.

    The young woman grinned.

    "In that case, my condolen�� wait. You guys survived for two whole months in the Labyrinth?"

    She whistled and looked at them with newfound respect.

    "That's a real feat. Congratulations."

    Nephis lingered for a few seconds, then said:

    "I'm Nephis, and these are my companions, Cassia and Sunless. We are Sleepers who came here during the winter solstice."

    The young woman gave them a wide, friendly smile.

    "Nice to meet you! I'm Effie. Well, at least that's what people call me. I'm also a Sleeper."

    Sunny frowned. So the beautiful giantess was not an Awakened, just a Sleeper like them. Strangely, he didn't remember ever seeing her in the Academy. Still��

    Too impatient to remain silent, he leaned forward and said:

    "Are you from the castle? There are people living there, right?"

    Effie glanced at him. In her eyes, there was a hint of a strange emotion.

    It almost looked like�� pity.

    "...There are indeed people living in the castle, yes."

    Nephis and Sunny exchanged excited looks. Then, Changing Star cautiously asked:

    "Can you take us there?"

    Effie shrugged.

    "Sure, no problem. Do you guys have shards?"

    Sunny blinked. What did soul shards have to do with any ot this? They had retrieved two from that weird stone he had killed at the base of the wall. Was she going to ask for payment?

    Nephis retrieved the soul shards and showed them to the tall girl.

    "We have two."

    Effie sighed.

    "Only two? Well�� it's better than nothing, I guess. Keep them. You'll need them later."

    Not quite understanding the meaning of her words, Changing Star lingered, then said uncertainly:

    "We were hoping to reach the Citadel and access the Gateway as soon as possible. How long will it take?"

    The young woman stared at them for a long time, and then suddenly bent over in a fit of hysterical laughter. She laughed so long and hard that tears soon appeared in the corners of her eyes.

    Unpleasantly surprised, the three Sleepers stared at her in shock. None of them understood the reason for this bizarre behavior.

    'Is she�� insane?'

    Sunny frowned, reevaluating the situation. Previously, the local girl just seemed to be a bit eccentric. But maybe there was more to it��

    Effie's laughter stopped as abruptly as it had started. Wiping her tears, she shook her head and said in a strange tone:

    "Ah, sorry guys. I just couldn't help myself. Please, forgive my lack of manners."

    Then, she straightened her back, looked them heavily into the eyes, and said:

    "I can take you to the castle, but there is no Gateway there. In fact, there's no way out of this cursed hell at all. I've been stuck here for three years myself already. So�� welcome to the Dark City, I guess. Abandon hope all ye who enter here, and all that��"

 Chapter 127 Abandon All Hope

    Chapter 127 Abandon All Hope

    ...Shellshocked by her words, the three of them stared at the young woman with pale faces. Sunny felt something brittle and precious shattering in his heart, piercing it with an almost physical feeling of pain.

    'No. No, it can't be.'

    It just couldn't be true. How could�� how could all of this have been for nothing?

    How could all of his hopes, dreams and desires just be destroyed with a couple of words?

    How was it possible?!

    Somewhere beside him, Cassie suddenly said in a tiny voice:

    "What do you mean, there is no Gateway?"

    Effie shrugged.

    "It's very simple, really. I'm sorry to be the one to break it to you, but deep down inside you must have known already. Didn't you? The Forgotten Shore�� it's not really a place where humans are supposed to survive. That's why you have never heard of anything like it in the school or the Academy."

    Sunny's face got contorted with anger. Of course! Of course, the answer was always within his grasp. He was just too naive and foolish to grasp it.

    The Dream Realm was vast and strange, with most of its regions barely explored by humans. However, there was at least a small amount of information available about them. Some were even fully under human control, with large Citadels like Bastion providing shelter to hundreds of thousands of Awakened.

    And yet, when he had first come to the Forgotten Shore, Sunny didn't recognize any of the unique characteristics of this place. At the time, he had thought that his patchy education was to blame.

    He should have realized the truth when neither Nephis nor Cassie managed to succeed where he had failed. Why would a region as unique as this one be utterly unknown? The most logical explanation would be that no one had ever returned from this deadly abyss to the real world to tell others about it.

    What a fool he was! Just a few weeks in the comfortable life in the Academy, and he had completely forgotten that the world never played fair against people like him. The truth was always worse than his worst expectations, so why would this time be any different?

    The world was a predator that always waited for an opportunity to devour you.

    Why would he even expect anything else?

    A familiar bitter taste appeared in his mouth.

    Meanwhile, Effie continued in a gentle tone:

    "Fifteen years ago or so, a group of powerful and desperate Sleepers managed to reach this city and claim the castle for themselves. Not because it had a Gateway, but because it was the only place that could keep them safe. At least for a while. Ever since then, a few lucky or resourceful people would find their way to the castle each solstice, only to get stuck here with the rest of us."

    Nephis was sitting quietly, with only her clenched fists betraying the storm of emotions raging in her heart. Cassie was taking the news harder than both of them, though. After all, it was her vision that led them into this trap.

    Her face was deathly pale, with an expression of pain and shock contorting its delicate lines. Closing her eyes, she whispered:

    "But that's�� that is not fair!"

    Effie looked at her with pity. Then, she chuckled, smiled darkly and said:

    "When was anything ever fair?"

    ��She was right, of course. Justice didn't really exist outside of the ethereal realm of human imagination. Sunny had learned that lesson a long, long time ago.

    While he was stewing in his indignant despair, Effie's smile suddenly lost its grim undertone and turned into a happy grin once again. Leaning forward a little, she said:

    "But it's not all bad! At least you have met me. You guys are incredibly lucky, really. If you hadn't run into a local, you would have been dead already."

    Nephis stared at her and asked in a flat tone:

    "Yeah? Why is�� that?"

    Her awkward manner of speech was back again in all its glory.

    Effie sighed.

    "The Dark City is simultaneously the safest place to be on the Forgotten Shore, and also the deadliest. It is safe because no sea monster can cross the wall, let alone reach the castle. But at the same time, it is far more dangerous than the Labyrinth because almost every Nightmare Creature here is of the Fallen rank."

    Sunny blinked, feeling a cold shiver permeate his whole body. Fallen creatures�� Fallen creatures were immeasurably more powerful than Awakened ones. Dormant humans like them had no business fighting against the latter, let alone the former. One awakened demon was already more than they could handle without resorting to summoning a true terror from the depths of the cursed sea.

    Something much more powerful than the Carapace Demon would simply wipe them out from existence in a matter of seconds. Remembering countless shapes moving through the ruins, he couldn't help but tremble.

    Was each�� each of those shapes a Fallen monster? How would anyone survive even a day in this cursed city? They would have to be insane to even try!

    Slowly, the magnitude of the perilous trap they had found themselves in began to seep into his mind.

    Effie smiled.

    "But you guys managed to stumble into me before descending from the wall. Otherwise, the Fallen Ones would have been feasting on your souls already. Lucky, very lucky! There are very few people in the castle who go out hunting in the ruins, let alone venture so far away from it. Meeting an experienced hunter like me was probably your only chance to avoid finding out about the true face of the Dark City a second too late."

    She shook her head.

    "That's, like�� one to one thousand? Ten thousand? A million? At any rate, the odds were really not in your favor. Fortune is definitely in love with at least one of you, guys. So�� cheer up! Do you want some meat? I had a truly amazing hunt today. It was so amazing that I don't even mind sharing."

    Nephis didn't even look at the roasting meat and instead leaned forward, her words filled with intensity:

    "If there is no Gateway here, why didn't you try to leave?"

    Effie blinked a couple of times and looked at her with sincere confusion.

    "...Leave? And go where?"

    The meat was about to become burnt, so she leaned to the fire and removed the skewers, then replaced them with a couple of new ones. Then, with a sigh, she turned to Changing Star and said:

    "You've been to the Labyrinth, so you know what it's like. There's nothing else but that damn coral and cursed sea for months of travel in every direction. You can't go on foot, you can't swim. You can't even fly, because there are swarms of dreadful flying abominations hiding in the clouds. But try to leave? Yeah, many have tried. They're all dead now. Actually, that's how the initial master of the castle had perished."

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    "So, what? You guys just hide in the castle and wait for death?"

    The beautiful young woman laughed.

    "Of course not, doofus!"

    Then she pierced him with an unexpectedly grim look of her hazel eyes and said:

    "Most of us can't even get into the castle. The king demands his tax, you know? So we just wait for death outside."

 Chapter 128 King Of The Hill

    Chapter 128 King Of The Hill

    Sunny stared at her, trying to understand the meaning behind the strange words.

    "What do you mean?"

    Effie shrugged.

    "The castle belongs to a man named Gunlaug. If you want to enter and live in the safety of the castle walls, protected and provided for by his hunters, you need to pay a tribute. One shard each week."

    ��Of course there was exploitation going on even in this pit of despair. What else did he expect? As long as there were people, someone was going to end up as prey.

    Sunny sensed a familiar dark feeling rising up from the depths of his soul. At some point, he had lulled it into a slumber and forgotten it, but now it finally returned to its rightful place.

    A corner of his mouth curled up.

    "What happens if you can't pay the tribute?"

    The huntress glanced at him with confusion.

    "What do you think? You are not allowed to step anywhere near the gates. There's a small settlement for us unfortunate wretches beneath the castle walls, where we make do with what little we have and tremble in the night, hoping that nothing comes out of the darkness to devour us. That's pretty much it."

    He hesitated.

    "But how are people even supposed to get soul shards in this cursed place?"

    Effie gestured to the corpses of the monsters she had slain.

    "By hunting. One can find Awakened creatures here and there in the city. The trick is to find and kill them without stumbling into something far more deadly. Gunlaug's people form parties and go out to hunt, with experienced pathfinders leading the way. They bring back food, Memories, materials and shards. Nothing stops people from attempting the same."

    She fell silent for a few moments, and then said in a darker tone:

    "Of course, without good Memories, vast amounts of accumulated soul essence and intricate knowledge of the city, those people usually don't live long. Most of them either die or turn to other ways of earning shards. There's very few independent hunters with more than a couple of successful hunts to their names. Ones that are still alive, I mean."

    Sunny glanced at the dead monsters, each of them large enough to give him pause.

    "What about you? How many did you survive?"

    Effie smiled.

    "More than a couple."

    With a chuckle, she raised her hand and began folding fingers, a thoughtful expression on her face:

    "Let's see�� one, two�� uh, five��"

    Running out of fingers on one hand, she scratched her head and said with a bit of uncertainly:

    "I'm not really sure, but it should be around a hundred or two. Yeah."

    Sunny's eyes widened. Two�� two hundred?

    If what Effie had said was true, then she was a force to be reckoned with. Slaying even one Awakened creature was worthy of respect. Slaying hundreds of them, however, was nothing short of remarkable, perhaps even heroic�� and a little fearsome. Especially since she had hunted them alone in the middle of a cursed ruin full of Fallen abominations, unaided, with no one to rely on except for herself.

    The easygoing huntress was not as simple as she appeared.

    He frowned.

    "If this is true, then you should have had no problem paying the tribute to stay in the castle. This doesn't make sense. Why haven't you?"

    Effie shrugged with ambivalence. The topic didn't seem to interest her.

    "Let's just say that I don't like the�� ambiance there."

    Sunny wanted to learn more, but suddenly, Nephis spoke again, her voice strangely tense:

    "You said that there were�� other ways of earning soul shards. What are they?"

    The huntress turned to her and was silent for a while, a hint of some dark emotion in her eyes. However, it was quickly erased by her usual laidback smile:

    "Well, there's a few ways. If you have a useful Utility Ability, you can become a craftsman or an artifex in the castle. There's not a lot of such Sleepers, so they are well-regarded and cared for. If not, uh�� there are other opportunities, too. Boys can become Gunlaug's soldiers, while girls�� can enter his harem. Pretty ones like the two of you especially. No one will force you, of course."

    Nephis scowled. Sunny could see white sparks dancing in her eyes.

    "So�� you can either become his soldier, his servant, his plaything, or die. But that is�� your own choice. No one is forcing anyone to do anything. Of course."

    Effie grinned.

    "Smart girl. You get it."

    Changing Star looked down, her indifferent face turning hard and cold. Her fists were clenched so hard that they seemed bloodless.

    "So why hasn't anyone�� killed him yet?"

    The huntress laughed.

    "Kill Gunlaug? Oh, many have tried. Great people, terrible people, and everyone in-between. You can see their skulls above the castle gate, actually."

    She shook her head.

    "I like your train of thought, princess, but you should forget it. Just consider him to be immortal. He practically is. Believe me when I say that no Sleeper can defeat Gunalug, ever. It's simply impossible."

    Effie sighed.

    "Plus, no matter how much I hate the bastard, he is the only thing that holds this place together. Despicable as he is, without him, we would have all been dead already."

    Sunny watched Nephis, waiting to see her reaction. What he saw did not make him happy at all.

    On her beautiful ivory face, there was nothing but cold indifference and resolve.

    It was the same expression he had seen on it before the battle with the carapace centurion first, and the Carapace Demon later. Without even needing Cassie's prothetic Ability, he could easily imagine what was going on in her head.

    'This is�� going to become a problem.'

    As though sensing the same thing, Effie grimaced.

    "No, seriously. Trying to go against Gunlaugh will only get you killed... if you're lucky. Don't even think about that. Thinking too much is not good for your health here in the Dark City, anyway."

    Then, she smiled and gestured to the fire.

    "Just have some of this delicious meat instead. Life is good when your stomach is full, right? Let me tell you, this is most likely your last chance to eat anything for free. Food is a real rarity in these parts. Can you believe it?"

    Sunny sighed, then leaned forward and picked up a sizzling piece of meat.

    No matter what happened, they had to keep going. One step at a time. This was the only way to survive.

    "Of course I can believe it. I'm from the outskirts, you know. I didn't even know what real meat smells like before entering the Academy!"

    With that, he handed the piece of meat to Cassie, took another one, and began devouring it greedily.

    Nephis lingered for a bit, but then followed his example.

    Effie giggled.

    "That's the spirit! See, doofus gets it."

    It seemed as though Changing Star had listened to her advice. At least on the surface, she had accepted that defeating the current master of the castle was impossible.

    But Sunny knew that, deep down inside, she remained unconvinced.

    After all, Nephis was in the habit of making impossible things happen.

 Chapter 129 Solace

    Chapter 129 Solace

    After the shocking revelation about the cruel futility of their long and arduous journey to the Dark City, the desire to reach the promised castle that kept the three of them going for so long had diminished significantly. However, they still wanted to get there as soon as possible. There was a tiny remnant of hope still burning in Sunny's heart. Perhaps�� perhaps Effie was lying to them, or wrong about everything.

    Somehow.

    He didn't really believe it, though. The beautiful huntress seemed sincere and competent, if a little eccentric. More than that, her words made too much sense.

    But Effie wasn't in a rush to leave the granite tower.

    "There's not enough daylight left to traverse that much distance. Moving through the ruins is a slow ordeal. Get comfortable and rest. We'll leave tomorrow at dawn."

    After that, she got busy dressing down the monster carcasses with a long knife that appeared in her hand. She even summoned a Memory that looked like a leather apron to avoid getting blood on her tunic. Whistling an upbeat melody under her nose, the vigorous young woman looked like an enthusiastic gourmet chef.

    Nephis, Sunny and Cassie were in no mood to talk. Each of them sat somberly by themselves, trying to digest the awful reality of their new situation.

    Sunny was utterly disheartened.

    He felt as though someone had pulled the batteries out of his body, leaving him with no strength or desire to do anything. The world had become dim and tiresome.

    'That's hope for you.'

    He didn't even have enough motivation to get angry. It was as though�� as though he had run an exhausting marathon and crossed the finish line, only to find out that there was another race waiting for him on the other side.

    In fact, he would have to keep running forever.

    He would never meet Master Jet and Teacher Julius again to thank them for the advice and teachings that had helped him survive, and maybe even repay their kindness. He would never become an Awakened and learn more mysteries of his strange Aspect. Most importantly, his dreams of becoming rich and spending the rest of his life in comfort were also not meant to be.

    Which hurt the most.

    'Figures.'

    Crestfallen, he made an effort to find some semblance of solace in this disastrous fiasco.

    'Well�� if you think about it�� I'm still alive. That has to be worth something, right?'

    His shadow glanced at him, not entirely convinced.

    "Plus, I can easily stay alive for the foreseeable future. Yeah, the big picture changed for the worst, but our immediate situation has actually improved a lot. We are safe from the constant threat of drowning or being devoured by the dwellers of the deep dark sea. We have also found a strong community of humans."

    No matter how things were run in the castle, there were hundreds of people living there. Numbers and experience meant everything in the Dream Realm. By becoming a part of a human collective, they were going to shed most of the burdens that had been silently crushing them all this time. Compared to the infernal gauntlet of the Labyrinth, life in the castle was going to be like a dream.

    If they were willing to submit to its thug of a master, of course. If Sunny was alone, he probably would. Now, however��

    But even if they were to refuse, there was still the outer settlement. Effie seemed to be doing just fine as an independent hunter. She didn't even seem miserable.

    'In fact, she might just be the most contented person I've ever seen. Seriously, how can she be so laidback and cheerful? Is she insane?'

    He cast a sidelong glance at the unreasonably tall huntress and frowned.

    'Well, let's ponder about it. She has a roof over her head and a limitless supply of delicious food, provided that she hunts it down herself. That is already better than my life in the outskirts.'

    Come to think about it, remaining in the Dark City for the rest of his life was not how he had envisioned his future, but it was not that different from struggling to survive in the slums of the real world. Actually, in a lot of senses, it was way better. So, maybe, the situation seemed to be so bad not because it actually was, but because it simply didn't fit his inflated expectations.

    Perhaps Effie didn't expect anything from life at all, and that's why she was so damn happy and lively even in the middle of this odious hell.

    'Yeah�� that must be it. Problem solved. Easy.'

    The shadow shook its head and turned away. Sunny sighed. Despite his somewhat rational attempt to find the bright side in this calamity, he didn't feel any better, at all. In fact, thinking about how inescapable and bleak their future was only made him more tired.

    Suddenly, his skin crawled. The familiar sensation of dread and unease flooded his mind, only now, it was so much more profound and invasive.

    The shadow of the Crimson Spire had fallen on the Dark City.

    ��Soon, the sound of waves crashing against stone informed them of the coming of night. Not in the mood to even stand up, Sunny silently sent his shadow to take a look outside.

    As the last rays of the falling sun colored the world in the shades of red, the cursed sea was surging out of the great crater. Sunny watched as the distant statue of the beautiful faceless woman was slowly drowned by the darkness, until only her open hand remained above the waves. Then, he shifted his gaze and looked down.

    The undulating black surface of the cursed sea stopped mere meters beneath the edge of the granite wall. It seemed as though he could almost touch it with his hand. On the other side of the stone barrier, the ruined city lay submerged in shadows, dozens of meters below the water level.

    Trapped between the endless expanse of the dark sea and the vast emptiness of the ruins, the mighty wall seemed to be as thin as a sheet of paper. And yet, it silently withstood the crushing pressure of the black waves, serving as a dam that protected the city below from being erased by the terrible flood�� just like it did for thousands of years.

    However, Sunny couldn't help but imagine all that crushing weight bursting through the collapsing wall in an all-consuming torrent of darkness. He felt shivers running down his spine.

    Commanding his shadow to return, Sunny finally forced himself to stand up and walked over to Nephis.

    Changing Star was sitting with her back against the wall, a dark expression on her face. Hearing his footsteps, she raised her eyes.

    Sunny sat down beside her, lingered for a while, and then said:

    "What do you think?"

    She was silent for a long time, simply looking at him with an inexorable expression. Just when he was about to think that there would be no answer, Neph finally spoke.

    As she did, white sparks ignited in the depths of her cold grey eyes.

    "We will find a way to return. No matter what has to be done, we will."

    Her words echoed inside the granite tower, making shadows on the walls dance in sinister glee.

 Chapter 130 Strength Of A Dozen Men

    Chapter 130 Strength Of A Dozen Men

    In the morning, they set out for the castle.

    Before leaving the safe haven of the granite tower, Effie gave them a list of instructions:

    "Follow behind me. Listen to everything I say. Don't make any noise. Don't bleed. Don't think too much. Some of the creatures out there can hear noisy thoughts, others can sense strong emotions. So don't feel fear, either."

    Sunny stared at her with a grim expression. How was he supposed to control what he feels?

    The vigorous huntress grinned.

    "What? You never tried to solve math equations in your head to impress a lovely lady? Just do the same."

    As Sunny's ��heeks began to turn bright red, she giggled and turned to Cassie and Neph:

    "Correction. The two of you, try not to feel fear. Doofus, you try not to get too excited. If walking behind me turns out to be too much, ask to get slapped, alright?"

    Sunny scowled and uttered through gritted teeth:

    "That�� won't be a problem."

    Effie blinked a couple of times, then smiled.

    "Ah! Playing for the other team? I see, I see��"

    What�� what was that supposed to mean?!

    Trying to get his emotions under control, Sunny took a deep breath and counted to ten.

    'Math equations my ass�� who does she think she is?! Wait�� why am I counting?'

    Making sure that they understood her instructions, the huntress turned around and rolled the massive slab of granite that blocked the exit from the tower to the side. Lean muscles tensed and moved under her olive skin, making for a picturesque view.

    Sunny stared at her back and gulped. That slab of granite had to weigh a couple of tons, at least. How strong was the beautiful giantess, exactly?

    Catching a glimpse of his stare, Effie raised an eyebrow and winked.

    "Like what you see?"

    He answered on autopilot:

    "Yes�� huh�� wait, no! I mean, that's not why I was looking. How are you that strong?"

    She glanced at the granite slab, then at him.

    "Oh, that. That's my Aspect Ability. It's a strong all-around physical enhancement."

    That was�� a very rare and powerful Ability to have. While not as flashy as many others, it was practically the ultimate warrior Ability. With not only her strength but also her speed, agility, endurance and resilience boosted, Effie was like one of those ancient heroes Neph sometimes talked about. Especially since that boost seemed to be so extravagant.

    Plus, she had most likely absorbed a very large amount of soul essence over the years of hunting monsters in the Dark City. All those shards the recalcitrant huntress refused to pay as tribute to the tyrannical lord of the castle had to go somewhere.

    But why would she just admit what her Ability was? Sharing secrets like that was not a wise thing to do, especially not in the ruthless reality of the Forgotten Shore.

    Noticing his surprise, Effie grinned.

    "What? It's not like it's a great mystery. Around here, anyone with a pair of eyes knows what my Ability can do. Do you want me to tell you what my Flaw is as well?"

    There was a mischievous glint in her eyes.

    'Yeah, right. As if anyone is insane enough to share their��'

    "It's very simple! My Aspect not only enhances all my physical attributes, it also does the same with all my physical needs. Why do you think I ate enough meat to create a literal pile of gnawed bones, for the fun of it?"

    She laughed and shook her head.

    "Well, it was fun, not gonna lie��"

    So the price for having the strength of many men was to have the hunger of many men, as well. Out here in the Dark City, where food was scarce and hard to come by, it was a dangerous Flaw to possess. It was a curse that could force a person to hunt more, and therefore risk injury and death more than anyone else would have to.

    Most people would scoff at its severity, but not Sunny. He knew what hunger, real hunger, felt like. What it could do to a person.

    Perhaps that was the reason why Effie was out here in the first place. Perhaps she had become a huntress not because she wanted to, but because she simply didn't have a choice.

    'What other physical needs do people have?" Sunny thought, a little confused. "Air, then water and food, then�� uh�� huh?'

    "Hey! I said not to get excited!"

    Sunny flinched and looked up at Effie, who was staring at him and cackling. Embarrassed, he gritted his teeth in anger.

    'Don't flatter yourself, beanpole!'

    However, when he noticed that Nephis and Cassie were observing them with amusement clearly written on their faces, his anger somewhat subsided. Belatedly, Sunny realized that, perhaps, the experienced huntress had been joking around with him not just out of pure mischief.

    Perhaps she was trying to lighten the mood to get them into the right mental state, thus making traversing the cursed city less perilous.

    Meanwhile, Effie grinned.

    "What? No answer?"

    Sunny glared at her and said:

    "Don't distract me."

    Then he forcefully changed the flow of his thoughts and reluctantly added:

    "I'm solving equations..."

    ***

    A minute later, they left the granite tower and stepped onto the streets of the Dark City.

    Effie had summoned the helmet of her archaic armor before venturing forth. It was of the Corinthian design, with a tall crest of blue horsehair and a narrow visor that left only her eyes and lips exposed.

    On her back, there was a leather bag containing the meat, bones, and hides of the monsters she had slain during the hunt. Sunny knew for a fact that this bag was much larger on the inside than it seemed from the outside �� otherwise, in order to accommodate all of Effe's trophies, it would have had to be comically big. However, it still weighed way too much for an ordinary person to carry.

    Including the armor, the long knife, and the black leather apron, it was the fourth Memory he had seen the huntress summon. He wondered how many more did she have in her arsenal.

    He had yet to see what weapons Effie used.

    In the ghostly light of early dawn, they entered the cursed ruins.

 Chapter 131 Traversing The Dark City

    Chapter 131 Traversing The Dark City

    The mournful ruins of the once-great city sprawled around them like a desolate stone maze. With grey skies above and nothing but dead silence surrounding the cohort of four tense Sleepers, it seemed as though they were walking through a vast, cyclopean graveyard.

    Sunny had to constantly remind himself that there were countless horrors hiding in the ominous shadows of the Dark City. One wrong turn could land them in dire peril. In this ancient ruin, they had no choice but to entrust their lives to the hands of their guide.

    Luckily, the guide in question was not a morose dead poet, but a tall, extremely attractive young woman clad in a pleasantly revealing archaic armor. In their current circumstances, Sunny much preferred the company of a warrior to that of a useless scribbler.

    In fact, circumstances had nothing to do with it. He was having trouble imagining any situation where a writer would be helpful to have around. From what he knew, all writers were lazy, talentless hacks whose only real skill was finagling money out of honest people while getting off on torturing them with sadistic cliffhangers.

    Not to mention that none of them had a backside like Effie�� uh�� wait, what?

    Getting his mind out of the gutter, Sunny frowned and reminded himself to keep his emotions in check.

    In a sense, this harsh necessity was a blessing. The perilous reality of the ruined city prevented them from concentrating on the bitter despair that had taken a stranglehold on their hearts after the grim revelation of the previous day.

    They just had to put one foot in front of the other and not think too much about anything.

    One step at a time. That was how he was going to survive.

    With a heavy sigh, Sunny glanced around and continued walking.

    Just like Effie had said, traversing the ruins turned out to be a slow ordeal. The huntress lead them through the complex maze of wide and narrow streets following a strange, convoluted path that only she knew. Often, they would have to stop and hide, waiting for some unseen danger to pass.

    Sometimes they walked under the empty sky, sometimes they dove into the weathered buildings and spent some time crawling through the piles of rubble inside. Other times, Effie was able to lead them straight through half-collapsed houses to emerge into secluded alleyways on the other side.

    Once or twice, they had even climbed to the rooftops and proceeded forward by walking on precariously rickety tiles or bared support beams, jumping across vast chasms and balancing on half-rotten planks of wood that had been placed there by someone to bridge especially wide gaps. During these moments, either Neph or Sunny would carry Cassie in their arms.

    Sunny was surprised to discover that the interiors of some buildings were incredibly well-preserved. It was as though the inhabitants had just left a few days ago, as opposed to the thousands of years that had passed in reality. Because of that, he was able to catch glimpses of how the citizens of this ancient city had lived all that time ago.

    It was a strange and eerie sight.

    He was also able to clearly understand that Effie indeed knew the ruins very well. Everywhere they went, there were signs of her previous visits and preparations. From the planks placed across the gaps between roofs to the heavy slabs of stone used to hide improvised passages, it was apparent that she had spent years of meticulous effort turning large parts of this lethal maze into her own private hunting grounds.

    He had gained a new respect for the seemingly carefree young woman. She almost made traveling through the cursed ruins look safe and easy.

    However, he knew that this couldn't be farther from the truth. In fact, he suspected that death was constantly breathing down their necks, only barely held at bay by Effie's knowledge and timely judgment. Several freshly eviscerated carcasses that they had stumbled on served as a clear sign that Dark City was teeming with harrowing life.

    Even terrifying Nightmare Creatures were not safe here.

    More than once, they heard the distant sounds of claws scraping against stone, sensed the ground trembling under heavy footsteps, or noticed swift shadows falling through the clouds. In those moments, Effie would change their course on the fly or find a perfectly concealed hiding spot without fail.

    Meeting her had indeed been a rare stroke of luck.

    But with each hour that passed, Sunny grew increasingly somber. No matter what kind of future awaited them in this cursed place, he had no doubt that they would have to hunt for food as well. That meant that he was going to have to learn all the same things that Effie had learned, and maybe even more. The task seemed incredibly daunting. He wasn't even sure that he would be able to accomplish it.

    At least he wasn't going to do it by himself. There was Changing Star to partner with, and Cassie. Their presence calmed him down.

    Living in this terrible hell alone�� he didn't even want to think about it. Such a wretched existence would surely kill him, and if not, at least drive him insane. At that point, he wouldn't wish to be alive anyway. Who would want to endure that kind of misery?

    'Why think about something that is never going to happen?'

    Glancing at Nephis and Cassie, Sunny hid a smile and hurried to catch up to Effie.

    Come to think about it, he had it way better than the recalcitrant huntress. There were reliable allies with whom he had forged bonds of trust and companionship at his side. The three of them made each other stronger.

    More than that, his own Aspect was able to provide him with a similar comprehensive physical enhancement Ability, albeit a lesser version of it. It was much more versatile, though, allowing him to transfer the enhancement effect onto Memories and inanimate objects, not to mention his invaluable ability to move and scout around without being seen.

    Sunny would offer the services of his shadow to Effie, but he wasn't sure about how safe that would be. If there were creatures in these ruins capable of sensing thoughts and emotions, what were the chances that some of them would be able to sense the gaze of the shadow as well? He would have to learn more and experiment before allowing it to wander around on its own.

    These thoughts had cheered him up a little.

    ��Soon, as the sun began to fall toward the horizon, they had finally reached the base of the hill on which stood the magnificent castle.

    Sunny looked up, sensing his heart beating wildly. A heavy and anxious feeling took hold of his mind.

    Depending on what happened next, their fates were going to change forever�� either for the better, or for the worse.

 Chapter 132 End Of The Line

    Chapter 132 End Of The Line

    In the center of the cursed city, a tall hill towered above the ruins. At its base, an arch made of pristine white marble stood amidst the devastation. It was unscathed and spotless, as though protected from the entropic touch of the all-consuming darkness by some sublime force. Beyond the arch, a wide road paved with white stones scaled the hill.

    Sunny looked up as they passed beneath the arch, trying to imagine crowds of festively dressed people doing the same in the distant past. It was hard and a little heartbreaking thinking about how the ancient city must have looked before the mysterious calamity.

    Not turning her head, Effie said in a wistful tone:

    "There are areas in the ruins that many Nightmare Creatures tend to avoid for some reason. The castle is one of these places. I was told that back when the original group of Sleepers came here hoping to carve a foothold in the city, there was only a single Spire Messenger nesting in the throne room, with no other monsters around. Those madmen actually managed to kill it."

    Nephis gave her a glance.

    "Spire Messenger?"

    The huntress chuckled.

    "Big ugly bastards with black feathers and pale bodies, you must have seen them hunting in the Labirynth. They come from the Spire."

    Changing Star hesitated.

    "What are their rank and class?"

    Effie shivered a little.

    "Fallen beasts. That's why I said that those guys were a little mad. But they were a powerful bunch."

    She grew silent and then added in a quiet voice:

    "It must have taken a lot to kill them, in the end."

    Brought into a solemn mood by that last statement, they continued forward in silence. The stone road coiled around the hill, slowly climbing its sheer slopes. Here and there, it was broken by long stretches of stairs and formidable, but strangely graceful fortifications. No one was standing guard, though. The whole road was empty.

    Sunny gestured to one of the stone barricades and asked:

    "Why are there no watchmen?"

    Effie shrugged.

    "Gunlaug has barely enough people to man the castle walls. They will notice anything that approaches the hill, though. The whole city is in clear view from up there, and there are different protective measures put in place. They have already spotted us, too."

    Sunny shifted his body a little, not enjoying the feeling of being watched by some unseen, potentially dangerous strangers.

    ��After a long time walking up the coiling road of white stone, they finally reached the zenith of the hill and saw the mighty castle in all its glory.

    Up close, it looked even more magnificent.

    Built from the same pristine marble as the arch at the base of the hill, it stretched into the sky like a white mountain made by human hands. The frontmost tower was wide and imposing, with a tall decorated gate and a grandiose staircase leading down from it to a vast stone platform that the road ended with.

    On both sides of the frontmost tower, brought slightly forth, two other stood as bastions, connected to it with arched aerial bridges and accompanied by smaller companion towers of their own. Behind them, the main keep soared even higher, as though trying to challenge the menacing Crimson Spire that loomed above the world far in the distance.

    Smaller towers, spires, and wings stood here and there, forming a complex and strangely harmonious formation.

    The whole structure was incredibly beautiful, striking, and at the same time radiated a feeling of unassailable firmness. It was as though the castle was built for gods, not mortals.

    The only thing that spoiled the picture were dozens of human skulls hanging above the gates on rusty chains.

    Sunny grimaced, brought down to grim reality by this ghastly sight.

    His gaze fell lower, only now noticing dozens of crude, makeshift hovels huddled on the stone platform. They were built from fragments of rubble, rotting wood and pieces of monster hides, chaotically clinging to the stones as if afraid to be blown away by the wind.

    An unpleasant, strangely familiar smell hit him in the nose a few moments later. It was the motley, but unmistakable stench of the slums. That stench was nothing like the poisonous reek of the outskirts, and at the same time exactly the same.

    Sunny couldn't help but smile crookedly.

    'Gee. I'm home.'

    Between the hovels, gaunt and empty-eyed people were busy eking out their pitiful existences. They were dressed in a strange mix of dirty rags and shiny Memories, with those wearing armor standing out among the rest like rare oddities. Most of them were extremely young, barely older than Sunny himself. He could smell their exhaustion and desperation even from where he was standing.

    Sunny really wanted to laugh.

    After everything he had been through ever since becoming infected by the Nightmare Spell, the cycle had finally completed. He was right back to where he had started, only much worse off.

    Wasn't that the funniest thing ever?

    If this wasn't fate, then he didn't know what was. Oh, the irony��

    Changing Star's voice tore him away from his reverie.

    "Sunny? Are you okay?"

    He blinked a couple of times, then slowly turned to face her and said after a brief pause:

    "Yeah. I was just reminiscing."

    Something in his voice must have sounded strange, because she gave him a long look before turning away with a short nod.

    "Good. Don't relax just yet."

    Then, she turned to Effie and asked:

    "What do we do now?"

    The huntress looked around and shrugged.

    "It's going to get dark soon, so I would advise you to find a shelter before that. Look around for an empty hut. With how many people die each season, there's always plenty of those. Otherwise, two of you can pay the tribute and go into the castle. But the third one will have to stay."

    Changing Star lingered, then said:

    "What about you?"

    Effie grinned.

    "What about me? That luxury one-bedroom cottage over there is mine. Mind you, it was built from the best kind of crap you can find here�� although it's still crap. Anyway, I am going home, preparing myself a hearty supper and then going to sleep. I'm dead tired from these last couple of days. Sorry, I don't host guests."

    Nephis stared at her, obviously wanting to say more, but then simply nodded.

    "I see. Thank you for everything you have done for us. I won't forget it."

    Effie smiled, patted her on the shoulder and turned to Sunny and Cassie.

    "Bye, doofus. Bue, doll. See you around."

    With that, she began whistling a cheerful melody and walked away.

    The three of them were suddenly left alone, lost and unsure about what to do. The inhabitants of the outer settlement didn't pay them a lot of attention, only occasionally throwing an indifferent glance at the three young strangers. Only Cassie's beauty attracted a couple of intense, darkly fascinated gazes.

    After a minute or so passed in disoriented silence, Changing Star hesitantly took out the two soul shards that they had collected from the remains of the Rolling Stone and looked at the glimmering crystals lying in her hand.

    They had to make a decision.

 Chapter 133 Farewell

    Chapter 133 Farewell

    Nephis held the shimmering crystals, looking at them with a heavy expression. Sunny was also staring at the shards, his head full of dark thoughts.

    The remnants of shattered souls glowed softly in the dim twilight of dusk.

    Around them, the inhabitants of the outer settlement were hurrying to get inside their pitiful hovels before the coming of night. The sun was already hidden behind the cyclopean silhouette of the Crimson Spire, drowning the world in its eerie shadow. The air was full of fear and worry.

    He grimaced.

    "What are you thinking about?"

    Changing Star sighed and looked up. Her ivory face was harsh and thoughtful. She remained silent for a while, and then said in her usual calm tone:

    "We need to split up."

    Sunny couldn't help but laugh.

    "You do know what usually happens when people split up in these kinds of situations, right?"

    She stared at him with no humor in her cold, grey eyes.

    "This is not a drama, Sunny. We have the means to provide two of us with food and shelter for a week. There's no reason to pass on this opportunity."

    Cassie turned to her, a confused expression on her face.

    "But�� but what about the third?"

    An uncomfortable silence hung between them, broken only by the whistling wind. Sunny looked at the blind girl, then at Nephis, and finally glanced at himself. Which one of them was going to remain hungry in the bitter cold while the other two would be eating their fill in the comfortable safety of the castle?

    He thought that he had an inkling.

    'What else did I expect?'

    It was less than ten minutes since they reached the human civilization �� well, whatever passed for one in this loathsome purgatory �� and the tentative connection that had been established between them in the crucible of the Labyrinth was already coming apart at the seams.

    Just as he had expected, the nature of their relationship was going to change now that they weren't essentially the last three people in the whole wide world, with no one else to rely on but each other. Was it strong enough to endure without that desperate need? He wasn't sure.

    Throughout his whole life, Sunny had never managed to last long in any group. He didn't know if this time was going to be any different.

    Just as his insecurity threatened to break out of control, Nephis sighed and handed him the soul shards.

    "Here. Take Cassie inside."

    He stared at her hand, then looked up sharply.

    A strange storm of emotions erupted in his heart. There was surprise, joy, concern�� but at the same time, irrationally, a dark sense of shame and resentment. Not knowing how to deal with all these feelings, he scowled and asked:

    "Why me?"

    Changing Star simply raised an eyebrow. Shaking his head, Sunny offered her a crooked smile and added:

    "Don't get me wrong, I'm not refusing. I'm just curious why are you so kind all of a sudden. Is it out of some misguided sense of nobility?"

    Nephis looked at him for a while, and then said with indifference:

    "I have never been noble. I have never been kind."

    He blinked, struggling with the desire to pinch Neph and make sure that she was awake. Had she met herself? If she wasn't noble, then who was?

    Meanwhile, Changing Star shrugged and looked away.

    "It is simply the best choice. Right now, we need information the most. With the help of the shadow, you will be able to learn much more about what is going on in the castle than I ever would. While you are gathering information inside, I will do the same here. We will meet in a week, share our findings, and decide what to do next."

    Sunny just stared at her. Did Neph just�� reveal herself to be as cynically pragmatical as he was? Once again, he felt a weird mix of emotions. He was simultaneously elated and hurt by her lack of sentiment.

    However, the fact that she simply assumed that they were going to continue working together, as though it was a given, had not avoided his attention. For some reason, this small detail gave Sunny a warm feeling.

    Nephis looked at him and added:

    "Besides, the terms of our trade have come to an end. Your promise was to give up on your share of spoils on the way to the castle. Well, here we are. That stone creature was your kill, so these shards are yours by right."

    'Trade? What trade?'

    Oh, yeah�� the trade he had made with Changing Star to get her to teach him swordsmanship and hide the fact that he had no way to absorb soul shards. He has almost forgotten about it.

    But she didn't.

    Now that Sunny had been reminded of its existence and realized that it was over, he felt a sudden pang of regret. It was as though one of the few strings that connected them together had been suddenly severed.

    With a sigh, he took the soul shards from her hand and gripped them tightly.

    "Alright. Then�� I'll meet you in a week, I guess."

    Sunny opened his mouth, wishing to say something else, but then just turned away. Stepping aside, he gave the girls some privacy to say their goodbyes. Soon, Cassie's delicate hand found his shoulder.

    Sunny glanced at the blind girl, remained silent for a bit, and then asked:

    "Are you ready?"

    She hesitated before answering. When she did, there was a hint of sadness in her voice:

    "Yes."

    With that, they walked away and left Nephis behind, standing alone in the surging darkness of the descending night.

    ***

    Guiding the blind girl, Sunny approached the grand stairs that led to the ornate gates of the magnificent marble castle. Out here, there was nothing but the howling of the wind and the encroaching veil of darkness. It seemed as though the dwellers of the slum were not allowed to build their hovels on the wide stretch of stone that separated the marble steps from the outer settlement.

    "Be careful, there are steps ahead."

    After warning Cassie, he sensed a cold feeling grasp his heart. For some reason, it felt as though once he stepped on these stairs, there would be no way back.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny took a step forward and began his ascent to the castle.

    Soon, they approached the apex and stopped in front of a couple of unfriendly guards.

    Both of the young men barring their way wore armor-type Memories and wielded their weapons in the open, as though trying to warn anyone approaching to not test their patience. They looked at Sunny without even trying to hide their disdain.

    "What do you want, rat?"

    Sunny hesitated, then held out the soul shards.

    One of the guards glanced at them and grinned.

    "Well, would you look at that. The rat has brought us a present."

    Chuckling, he took the glimmering crystals and waved a hand.

    "Come on in. Someone will meet you inside."

    Struggling to not glare at the armed Sleepers with murder in his eyes, Sunny forced out a pale smile and cautiously walked past them.

    Then, looking up at the dozens of human skulls swinging above them on rusty chains, he sighed darkly and led Cassie through the gates of the castle.

 Chapter 134 Bright Castle

    Chapter 134 Bright Castle

    As they passed through the ornate gates, a large hall opened up before them. Hearing a strange rustle from above, Sunny raised his head and saw tall windows with stained glass panes soaring to the distant ceiling. During the day, the hall must have been filled with cascading rays of beautiful light.

    Currently, though, several young women were nimbly moving from one window to another, draping them with thick sheets of crude fabric. The makeshift wooden ladders they used creaked and cracked, creating a strange and almost melodic sound.

    It seemed as though the sheets of fabric were being fastened in a way that prevented even the smallest glint of light from escaping the castle during the night. Sunny suspected that every window in the marble fortress was currently being covered in the same way.

    Just as this thought appeared in his mind, a loud noise thundered behind their backs. Turning around, he saw the ornate gates closing. The two guards who had met them outside were already sliding a heavy iron bolt into the sockets, their faces red from strain. The massive bar must have weighed more than the two of them combined.

    The castle was now sealed from the outside world, ready to face the onslaught of cursed darkness.

    Suddenly, Sunny felt like an animal caught in a cage.

    Trying to calm himself down, he looked around and noticed an opulent wooden desk that looked completely out of place in the grand hall. It must have been dragged here from some other part of the marble citadel. Behind the desk, a gaunt young man with nervous eyes was writing something down on a piece of parchment.

    The whole thing looked strangely similar to a reception desk in a luxurious hotel�� or, rather, to what Sunny imagined such a thing would look like. He had never actually been to a hotel, of course.

    Hesitating for a few moments, he walked over to the desk and addressed the young man:

    "Hey. Uh�� we've been told that someone will meet us inside."

    The castle receptionist flinched and looked up from his paper, a fearful expression appearing on his face. When he realized who was speaking to him, though, the fear disappeared, replaced by a tentative smile.

    The young man had a thin face and a pale, unhealthy complexion. He looked hungry and weak, much more like those poor souls in the outer settlement than someone who lived in the castle. His clothes, however, were clean and tidy, without any signs of wear and tear like that of the people outside.

    "Ah, guests! Sorry, you gave me a fright there. Welcome, welcome to the Bright Castle. Whoah, you were just in time. A couple of minutes later, and the gates would have been closed."

    Saying that, he threw a tense glance at the two guards and then quickly looked away.

    "Anyway, my name is Harper. I'm responsible for guest accommodations today. Let's get you�� oh! I don't seem to recognize you guys. Is this your first time paying the tribute?"

    Sunny stared at him for a couple of seconds, feeling Cassie squeeze his shoulder a little tighter, then said:

    "Yes."

    Harper smiled.

    "Congratulations! You might not even suspect it, but I was once in your shoes myself. In fact, it was just a few months ago. But ever since Lord Gunlaug graced me with his kindness, I've been living in the safety of the castle. You'll love it here too, I'm sure."

    '...Right.'

    Sunny didn't know if the young man was sincere in his gratitude to the local tyrant or was simply saying these things for the guards to hear, and honestly, he didn't care.

    What piqued his interest, though, was that Harper did not seem as surprised by the timing of their arrival into the Dark City as Effie had been. But then he realized that people living in the castle might not have known who came to the outer settlement and when.

    They would probably assume that he and Cassie had entered the Dream Realm close to the ruins and then spent the last two months scrounging for soul shards to pay their way into the castle. This was a good detail to know, since Sunny didn't want to announce the true extent of their competence just yet.

    Judging by how impressed Effie was by the fact that they had managed to carve their way through the Labyrinth, this would attract a lot of unnecessary attention.

    He smiled with the corner of his mouth.

    "So, what do we need to do now?"

    Harper picked up his quill and opened a large ledger.

    "That's very simple, really. I'll just need your names to mark when the two of you paid the tribute, and that's pretty much it. We have a lot of spare rooms here, especially in the Tower of Dusk. It is very quiet, so how about I settle you there?"

    There was a nervous glint in his eyes.

    'Tower of Dusk�� probably means that it's in the western part of the castle, facing the Crimson Spire. No wonder people don't want to live there.'

    But to Sunny, fewer people meant less danger. He gave the gaunt young man a nod.

    "Sure. No problem."

    Harper smiled.

    "Great! That's great! Uh, so your names��"

    Sunny interrupted him, trying to avoid dangerous questions:

    "I'm Sunless, and this is Cassia."

    The young man wrote their names down and marked the date of their arrival. Sunny stared at his neat handwriting, his eyes locked on the short strings of numbers.

    So�� it had actually been exactly seventy-seven days since the night they had arrived on the Forgotten Shore. The three of them had scrupulously kept track of time for a while, but after their harrowing experience with the Soul Devourer, Sunny had lost the grasp on the actual count.

    Out there in the real world, the spring was already starting. A whole season had passed.

    ��It felt like a lifetime.

    Not paying any attention to the storm raging inside Sunny's heart, Harper closed the ledger and offered them a polite smile.

    "All done. Now, leave your worries behind and follow me. Between these walls, you are completely safe. Nothing is going to hurt you!"

    His tone was jovial, but Sunny didn't miss the quick glance Harper threw at the menacing guards standing silently by the sealed gate.

 Chapter 135 Cohabitation

    Chapter 135 Cohabitation

    Harper led them through the castle, explaining small details about the rules and customs one had to follow once inside. He was a talkative and friendly guy, so Sunny quickly got the gist of it.

    In general, it was very simple. They were free to do whatever they wanted unless it broke the basic rules of cohabitation, with a few small caveats. There were areas in the marble fortress open to everyone, and areas that only members of Gunlaug's host could enter. Those were marked by the symbol of a serpent coiled around a tall tower.

    As they walked, Sunny noticed several crude tapestries with that symbol woven on them. The cloth of the tapestries was black, with a stylized white tower and a golden serpent embroidered in their center. He guessed that this represented the Dark City, the Bright Castle, and its lord respectively.

    Apart from that, there wasn't much to know except for when and where to find food, water, and other necessities. The last thing Harper said was about how they should behave around other inhabitants of the fortress:

    "People here are very nice, but you still must remember to have manners. Especially when you are interacting with the guards and the hunters. These guys protect us and risk their lives to provide for us, so they deserve our respect. If one of them�� uh�� if there's a misunderstanding, be mindful of their burdens. Yes."

    Sunny threw a dark glance at the gaunt young man and translated that statement to "don't mess with Gunlaug's people, and if they are messing with you, just swallow it."

    How wonderful.

    Meanwhile, he was able to catch a few glimpses of how people actually lived inside the castle. To Sunny's surprise, they didn't seem nearly as put down and miserable as he had expected. In fact, everyone seemed to be more or less fine, going about their business with mundane casualness.

    Of course, there were signs of worry, stress and pressure on their faces, but the same could be said about people in the real world. All in all, the inhabitants of the castle looked surprisingly�� ordinary.

    'I guess humans can adapt to anything.'

    And as Changing Star had taught him, adaptability was the greatest strength.

    As long as there was some semblance of stability, humans would find a way. And it seemed as though the tyrannical master of the ancient fortress, hateful as he was, was providing the Sleepers trapped on the Forgotten Shore with that stability. Effie's words about how the bastard was the only thing holding this place together echoed in Sunny's mind.

    'Perhaps he's a... necessary evil?'

    Finally, they reached the westernmost tower of the castle. Indeed, it was mostly empty and quiet. Few people seemed to want to stay here, driven away by the unnerving vision of the Crimson Spire looming in the distance.

    However, for the two of them, it was perfect. Cassie couldn't see at all, while Sunny was long accustomed to the presence of the Spire because of his sensitivity to shadows. Plus, right now, all the windows in the tower were closed, hiding it from sight.

    Harper suddenly stopped and said in a somewhat embarrassed tone:

    "Uh�� I forgot to ask. Would you guys be needing one room or two?"

    Without thinking too much, Sunny and Cassie answered at the same time:

    "One."

    "Two."

    Then, they froze and turned to each other with petrified expressions. Cassie blushed, while Sunny became even paler.

    He didn't mean anything untoward by requesting a single room for the two of them. It's just that over the months spent camping together, being close to Cassie in case she needed help with something had become his habit. More importantly, he was unwilling to let her leave his sight even for a second in this unpredictable castle. He didn't trust anyone here.

    But in these new circumstances, requesting a single room suggested a different meaning.

    But there wasn't!

    Clearing his throat, Sunny looked at Harper and said:

    "Two rooms if they're next to each other. I that is not possible, then one."

    The skittish young man scratched the back of his head, and then answered in a somewhat surprised tone:

    "Uh�� alright. I think I can find two adjacent rooms for you. Follow me."

    With that, he began walking forward.

    Sunny glanced at Cassy, then shook his head and followed behind Harper.

    'She won't misunderstand. Right?'

    Soon, they were standing in front of two sturdy wooden doors. Harper handed Sunny two iron keys and smiled.

    "Here we are. The rooms are not very big, but they're really�� uh�� cozy. Enjoy your first night of safety, guys! You must have not felt safe in a long time. I know I never did before entering the castle. Thank heavens that time is behind me! Anyway, food will be served one hour after sunrise tomorrow, in the main hall of the Keep. See you there!"

    With that, he glanced at them one last time, smiled sheepishly, and walked away.

    Sunny and Cassie were left alone in awkward silence.

    Still feeling a little embarrassed, Sunny sighed and said:

    "I hope you didn't think that I was��"

    Cassie suddenly giggled.

    "I know. I just didn't expect it. Let me guess, you distrust every single person in this castle, and therefore are going to watch me like a hawk to scare them all away. Like an overprotective, mean, violent big brother. Right?"

    With a smile, she turned her head this way and another, and then added:

    "To be honest, I don't feel safe here either. So, thank you! Although I must say, this place seems almost like a hotel. My parents took me on a mountain vacation once, and we stayed at a really old hotel. Uh, what was it called�� Overgaze? Overlook? Anyway, this place is exactly like that."

    Sunny grinned.

    "Right? I've never been to a hotel, but that was my first thought as well."

    Of course, that was if the hotel in question was populated by hundreds of Nightmare Spell carriers, with a murderous tyrant for an owner, and not a single police officer around to call for help if something happened.

    'Huh. Funny��'

    Sunny had spent most of his life scared of the policemen and trying to avoid them at all costs.

    But now, he actually missed them a lot.

 Chapter 136 Reflection

    Chapter 136 Reflection

    On the other side of the sturdy door, there was a tiny room with stone walls and a single, narrow window that was closed with wooden shutters and draped in thick cloth. Harper had warned them not to open the windows during the night, but out here in the Tower of Dusk, no one would want to stare at the view anyway.

    Allowing any amount of light to seep out of the castle at night was considered to be a severe crime, so he had been pretty emphatic on that point. Of course, the gaunt young man didn't know that neither Sunny nor Cassie required light to move in the dark. They could open the windows as wide as they wanted�� not that they had any reason to.

    Inside the room, there was a bed with a straw mattress, a flimsy chest, and a tiny desk. On the desk, there was a basin filled with water, a few strips of clean cloth and an oil lamp.

    There was even a small round mirror made of polished bronze.

    Sunny caught a glimpse of his reflection and flinched, as though seeing a stranger.

    In these past two months, he had seen himself through the eyes of the shadow plenty of times, but it wasn't the same.

    He had changed a lot.

    His face was much sharper and angular now, the last remnants of youthful roundness chased away from it by the harsh gauntlet of the Labyrinth�� although Sunny never had a lot of that, to begin with. It was thin and pale, with dark circles under his eyes and other signs of extreme exhaustion. His black hair was longer, falling over his eyes in a dirty mess.

    What changed the most, however, were the eyes themselves. Deep in their dark depths, there was a glint of calm, heavy, bleak coldness that had not been there before.

    With a startling realization, Sunny understood that he, too, now possessed the look of a seasoned fighter. The type of calculating coldness hiding in the eyes of such men was known as the "murder math" in the outskirts.

    Hero and Nephis had that quality, too. Only in their case, it made them seem like true warriors.

    Sunny, on the other hand�� Sunny had the eyes of a killer.

    And even deeper than that, visible only to him, golden threads of Weaver's inhuman legacy glowed mysteriously in the darkness.

    Staring at his reflection, Sunny grinned darkly and said in a strange, hoarse voice:

    "...Looking good, Sunless."

    ***

    Leaving his shadow to guard the door to Cassie's room, Sunny fell on the soft mattress, wrapped himself in a blanket, and tried to get himself to sleep.

    Here in the safety of the mighty castle, surrounded by hundreds of people, lying on a real bed, it was hard to believe that just a few days ago he was traveling through the cursed darkness of the deadly sea on a rickety boat, fighting terrifying monsters in the bizarre landscape of the coral labyrinth, and losing his mind piece by piece to the gluttonous hunger of an ancient soul-devouring tree.

    It all seemed like a feverish dream.

    'This�� isn't bad.'

    With that thought, he fell asleep.

    In the morning, washed and refreshed, he waited for Cassie in the hallway. Even the Puppeteer's Shroud, which finally got a chance to return to the Soul Sea for a decently long period of time and restore itself, looked clean and tidy once again.

    That poor armor had gone through enough abuse to kill a dozen Sleepers, yet it still held fast, saving his life on numerous occasions. Sunny was reminded of how lucky he had been to receive it.

    The blind girl did not make him wait for long. Soon, she came out of her room, practically glowing with loveliness and freshness. It seemed as though Cassie had done the same things as Sunny,

    After months spent crawling through blood and dirt in the wilderness, they finally looked and felt like humans again.

    "Good morning!"

    Sunny blinked.

    He had almost forgotten how stunning Cassie was. With her delicate features, bright blue eyes and pale blond hair, she looked like a beautiful porcelain doll. The blind girl had dismissed the enchanted cloak, leaving her dressed only in a light tunic, with leather sandals on her feet. She was nothing short of breathtaking.

    He closed his eyes and sighed.

    'This�� smells like trouble.'

    "Good morning, Cassie."

    She turned her head to him and wrinkled her nose. Sunny frowned:

    "Uh�� what?"

    The blind girl knitted her brow.

    "I don't know. You smell different."

    He stared at her for a few moments, and then laughed.

    "If this is your way of saying that I used to reek, then thank you, I guess."

    Giggling, Cassie came closer and put her hand on his shoulder.

    "That's not what I meant! Anyway, let's go eat!"

    The two of them were in a strangely good mood.

    Sunny guided Cassie to the main keep of the castle, following the route that Harper had explained to them the previous evening. On the way, he was careful to avoid any doors and corridors marked with the symbol of the golden serpent coiled around a white tower.

    His shadow was going to take a look at the forbidden areas of the fortress later, most likely. But for now, they had to keep a low profile and avoid trouble.

    Finding the Keep was not hard, as many other Sleepers were going there to partake in the breakfast too. Meals were served twice a day in the castle, once in the morning and once right before sunset. If you missed one and had no other way to procure food, you would have to remain hungry for the rest of the day.

    Sunny observed the Sleepers with curiosity, sometimes describing them to Cassie in a low voice. The inhabitants of the castle were very different from the desperate dwellers of the outer settlement. They generally seemed healthy, or at least well-fed. The amount of armor-type Memories here was also much higher, although many still wore clothes made of mundane fabrics.

    Almost all of them were young and beautiful, with only a couple of the people he had seen looking like they were past their early twenties. Despite that, few could compare to Cassie in terms of looks.

    Finally, they entered the main hall of the Keep, where long wooden tables were placed to accommodate the morning crowd of hungry Sleepers.

    Suddenly, hundreds of eyes turned to stare at Cassie and Sunny.

    Feeling cold shivers running down his spine, he gulped.

    'Crap.'

 Chapter 137 All Eyes On Me

    Chapter 137 All Eyes On Me

    The main hall of the mighty castle was grandiose and majestic in appearance. The gentle light of the morning sun was cascading through the tall windows and reflecting from the white marble walls, filling it with a bright radiance. The walls were decorated with intricate carvings that span dozens of meters, creating a regal tapestry.

    At the far end of the hall, a set of stairs led to a dark alcove. The back wall of the alcove had numerous small holes cut through it, and with sunlight shining through them into the deep darkness, it seemed as though a fragment of the starlit night sky was somehow locked within the castle.

    Beneath that light stood an empty white throne.

    Sunny stared at the throne for a few moments, then lowered his gaze and glanced at the several hundred people that were looking at them.

    Long wooden tables were placed along the length of the grand hall, with a motley crowd of Sleepers sitting on crude benches behind them, busy consuming their food. There was some sort of hierarchy in how they were grouped, but Sunny couldn't understand it yet.

    Currently, most of them were staring in his direction.

    Sunny gulped.

    It took him a couple of seconds to realize that all these people were not, in fact, looking at him. They were all looking at Cassie, clearly startled by her loveliness.

    'Crap.'

    Just as he had thought, this smelled like trouble.

    The blind girl, meanwhile, was oblivious to the commotion her appearance had caused. Sensing the sudden tension in his muscles, she asked:

    "Sunny? Why did you stop?"

    He narrowed his eyes, gave the crowd of Sleepers his most menacing scowl, and answered in a flat tone:

    "Just taking in the view."

    Then, Sunny walked over to the young women rationing the food, received two plates of steaming monster meat stew, and guided Cassie to a relatively empty spot at the end of one of the tables. He even got two cups of something that closely resembled tea.

    Sitting down, he put the crudely made utensils into Cassie's hand and stared at his plate.

    He didn't like all this attention one bit.

    "Look at that, Cas! They even got vegetables. I swear there's at least two pieces of a�� uh�� tomato in my stew. Or is it a carrot? What's that thing that looks like a red potato?"

    Sunny had only seen vegetables in the Academy's cafeteria, so he was not well-versed in differentiating them. Teacher Julius had also only mentioned them in passing, since the chances of encountering a vegetable from the real world in the Dream Realm were not very high.

    To be precise, he had briefly showed Sunny pictures of the most common Earth vegetables and said that if he ever was to find something that makes him think "huh, that thing looks familiar!"... he should turn around and run.

    Cassie smelled her stew and said with a smile.

    "I think it's a beetroot."

    Sunny blinked.

    "...Never heard of it."

    While they were innocently chatting, he was observing the Sleepers through his shadow, waiting tensely for things to go wrong.

    And pretty soon, they did.

    Sunny gritted his teeth when two rough-looking young men suddenly rose from their benches and headed across the hall toward them with unpleasant excitement burning in their eyes.

    'Here we go.'

    Who would have thought that the thing that landed him in trouble would be Cassie's beauty, of all things? Usually, it was either his sharp tongue or his general obnoxiousness.

    Never, not even once, had it been his looks.

    'Ouch. I shouldn't be jealous, right?'

    The worst part was that the two approaching Sleepers were obviously a part of Gunlaug's gang. It was apparent from their armor and the fact that they carried their weapons in actual sheaths, like a pair of idiots. Memories could be freely summoned out of thin air, so the only reason to keep them visible at all times was for the sake of intimidation.

    He had noted that detail after meeting the castle guards yesterday.

    What had Harper said? If there is a "misunderstanding" with one of Gunlaug's people, remember that these guys carry a heavy burden. Treat them with respect.

    In other words, swallow it.

    The young men approached their corner of the table with vulgar smiles. They were clearly undressing Cassie with their eyes. Sunny turned his head and looked up at them.

    The Sleepers sitting nearby turned away with heavy looks, clearly afraid and uncomfortable.

    'Maybe they just want to say hi.'

    Sunny opened his mouth...

    'Respectful�� remember�� be respectful��'

    ...and said:

    "What the fuck are you degenerates staring at?"

    ***

    The whole hall was suddenly enveloped in silence. Once again, Sunny had found himself in the center of attention.

    But this time, everyone was actually staring at him instead of Cassie.

    'I�� guess that's better?'

    The few nearby Sleepers who had pretended to not notice anything a few seconds earlier lowered their heads, as though trying to become smaller and disappear completely.

    Sunny glanced at them with disdain and turned back to the pair of young men who were currently towering above him, a dark and dangerous light dancing in their eyes.

    To be honest, his incendiary reaction had caught Sunny by surprise. The anger had taken the better of him for a moment, forcing the words out of his mouth. But the damage had already been done.

    It seemed as though his brotherly instincts were not only still alive, but also somewhat overwhelming.

    'To hell with this. They want to see dark and dangerous? I'll show them.'

    He glared at the two idiots, knowing that, at this point, there was no way back. Beside him, Cassie turned her head, an alarmed expression on her face.

    One of the idiots grinned.

    "Huh. We were just hoping to politely introduce ourselves to this lovely little doll, but hey, we can get acquainted with the ugly little clown first. How about it?"

    He glanced at the other Sleeper, who was looking at Sunny with no humor in his eyes whatsoever.

    Cassie frowned, then said:

    "Why are you��"

    However, at that moment, the second young man took a step forward and growled, interrupting her:

    "What did you just say, clown? Do you know who we are? Fool, we're Gunlaug's men."

    His hand was resting on the pommel of his sword.

    Sunny knew that escalating the situation was not a wise thing to do, but at this point, he didn't have a choice. Backing down now would only lead to a disaster. He knew this type of people well: the moment they felt a weakness, it was all over.

    They understood only two things �� fear and strength.

    Outstretching one hand, he scowled, looked the young men right into the eyes, and said:

    "Congratulations. Now get lost before I make you dead men."

    Perhaps recognizing something in his voice, or maybe in his eyes, the Sleeper who had his hand on the pommel of the sword hesitated. For a second, Sunny almost believed that his threat worked. But then the young man furtively glanced around, and this tiny hope evaporated.

    If they were alone, maybe the Sleeper would have reconsidered his desire to antagonize Sunny any further. But with all these people watching, he couldn't show fear.

    Sunny failed to account for one crucial detail. All bullies were cowards�� but what they feared the most was people finding out about their cowardice.

    Gunlaug's man bared his teeth in a threatening grin.

    "Those are terribly big words, coming from a puny weakling like you. You know what? I think your girl needs to keep better company. Why don't we help her out by making you disappear?"

    Sunny smiled.

    '...I guess I'm going to kill a couple of fools today.'

    Cassie, meanwhile, was not happy with what was happening at all. The frown on her face deepened.

    "I'll decide what company to keep myself. Now, please��"

    However, they weren't listening to her.

    Sunny was already bracing himself for the worst-case scenario, prepared to summon the Midnight Shard at a moment's notice.

    But then, suddenly, a calm voice sounded from behind his back.

    "Leave them alone, please. They are my friends."

    Caught by surprise, Sunny hurriedly shifted his perspective to the shadow and glanced back.

    Behind him, a tall and confident young man stood calmly with his hands resting at his hips. He had brown hair and a gentle, handsome face. His eyes sparkled with friendly humor.

    It was��

    'Caster?!'

 Chapter 138 Unexpected Reunion

    Chapter 138 Unexpected Reunion

    Without a doubt, it was Caster �� the only person Sunny had ever seen defeat Nephis in a fight, even if it was just during training.

    Back at the Academy, Caster had been a star of their batch of Sleepers. Handsome and friendly, he was not only popular, but also respected. And although it pained Sunny to admit it, that wasn't only because of his lofty status of a Legacy.

    Even other Legacies looked up to him. Many even considered him to be the true king of the rankings, speculating that Changing Star had gotten her first place by mistake.

    Caster was powerful, skilled, and charming. He was also humble and had an amiable personality that made it hard for anyone not to like him. His background was impeccable, and his future was unquestionably bright.

    Basically, he was the polar opposite of Sunny.

    'Damn! I knew that voice sounded familiar!'

    Sunny turned his head and stared at the handsome young man in utter bewilderment.

    What was that guy doing here?

    The two Sleepers who didn't even know how close they had come to tasting the sharp edge of the Midnight Shard were doing the same. There was no more excitement on their faces.

    "Oh. It's you."

    'That was my line!'

    Caster looked at them with a silent smile. There was no apparent hostility in his eyes, but for some reason, Gunlaug's men seemed to lose their desire to stir trouble. After glancing at each other, one of them said in a hesitant tone:

    "You know this guy, Caster?"

    He gave them a nod.

    "Yeah. We were in the Academy together. Don't mind his rude behavior, guys �� that's just how he is. Rough around the edges, but really nice once you get to know him well."

    'Since when do we know each other?'

    Sunny was irrationally angry at that statement, but forced himself to keep his mouth shut. He understood that Caster was just trying to defuse the situation. Actually, his arrival had been very timely.

    Sunny was sure of his ability to dispatch a couple of thugs�� but what would happen next? He doubted that other members of Gunlaug's host would just sit and watch.

    Becoming involved in a conflict with the masters of the castle on his first day here would have been less than ideal.

    The thugs in question, meanwhile, had given up. Trying to keep the appearance of being in control, they glared at Caster darkly and backed down.

    "Teach your friend some manners, Caster. Next time we won't be so lenient."

    With that, they turned around and retreated back to their seats, throwing menacing looks at anyone who dared to stare at them. Soon, the grand hall was once again filled with the hum of voices.

    Caster followed them with his eyes and then turned to Sunny, his smile becoming a little somber.

    "That�� wasn't a very smart thing to do, my friend."

    Sunny scoffed.

    "Yeah, well�� who says that I'm smart?"

    'Wait, no, that didn't come out right!'

    The tall young man stared at him for a few seconds and then sighed.

    "In any case, it is very nice to see you. Both of you."

    With that, he sat down, as though somebody had invited him.

    Well�� admittedly, there was some connection between them. Wishing to talk to people with whom you had attended Academy was sort of understandable.

    Still, Sunny didn't like it.

    Throwing a quick glance at Cassie, he smiled coldly and said:

    "What? Are you very shocked to see us alive?"

    Caster hesitated.

    "It is good that you managed to survive."

    It seemed that this was his way of admitting that yes, he was surprised, but in a pleasant way.

    It wasn't a secret that Sunny and Cassie had been seen as two walking corpses by all the other Sleepers in the Academy. Just like Nephis and Caster occupied the top two positions in the rankings, they were dead last. Because of that, the two of them had been shunned and ostracized.

    Of course, when it came to Sunny, he not only welcomed the cold treatment of his peers, but had actually been the one to engineer it.

    In any case, no one had wanted to be around them, as though afraid of becoming infected by the invisible aura of death that followed them wherever they went. Sunny himself had been guilty of avoiding Cassie as much as he could in the past.

    It must have been very strange to see the two of them alive and well after months spent among the horrors of the Forgotten Shore.

    Cassie smiled.

    "Thank you."

    Caster reciprocated her smile and asked, his tone strangely warm:

    "You are Cassia, right? And you are�� uh�� Sunless?"

    Sunny gave him a curt nod.

    "Right. Although I'm surprised that you remember our names. Don't think that we've forgotten how you guys used to treat us."

    Cassie squeezed his hand and said in a disapproving tone:

    "Sunny!"

    Caster chuckled.

    "No, no. He's right. We behaved like a bunch of jerks. Looking back�� there were a lot of things we did wrong. If only we had known better��"

    His voice trailed off, and after being silent for some time, the handsome young man suddenly smiled with nostalgia.

    "But still, those days in the Academy were not all bad, right? Heh, I still remember the first time I met you, Sunless. You made quite an impression! All those tall tales: spitting in the faces of awakened tyrants, slaying sword saints with a shake of a finger��"

    He chuckled, remembering the good old days.

    Sunny grinned.

    He was in the mood for some mischief.

    "What, that trivial stuff? Ha! Child's games. You should have seen the things I've done in the Labyrinth. Now that's something to brag about."

    Caster looked at him with humorous sparks dancing in his eyes.

    "Oh? Well�� do tell. What else have you done?"

    Sunny shrugged with profuse indifference.

    "This and that. Let's see��"

    He pretended to think for a few moments, and then said in a bored tone:

    "I guess the most incredible thing I've done was killing a Great Devil with just one strike of my sword. Finished him right off, no problem at all. I even got a Memory from that kill. Uh, but before you ask �� no, I can't show it to you. Because, uh�� ugh�� oh, right. I ate it��"

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139

    Caster stared at him for a long time, then suddenly laughed. Even Cassie giggled, entertained by Sunny's earnest delivery.

    Shaking his head, the handsome young man smiled and said:

    "I see your sense of humor did not change. Good, that is good. Few people manage to preserve it here."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times and said, pretending to be offended:

    "What do you mean, sense of humor? It's the honest truth."

    He received another bout of laughter instead of an answer.

    '...There was food, safety, and laughter,' he thought suddenly, remembering how Cassie had described the Bright Castle after dreaming of it for the first time.

    She had also seen Sunny leading her through its gates. Her prophetic visions were turning out to be frighteningly accurate.

    'Makes you wonder about that other vision she saw��'

    Not allowing himself to become distracted, Sunny chased away the ominous feeling and hid a smile. Then, with a shrug, he scoffed.

    "Well, don't believe me if you don't want to. That was just one of my many adventures, anyway. Although the other ones were, admittedly, less remarkable �� you know, the usual stuff: slaying dozens of awakened creatures, being resurrected from the doors of death by a beautiful princess, summoning ancient horrors from the depths of the cursed sea, outsmarting ancient fiends to escape from their clutches, sailing through the abyss on a boat made of demon bones, fighting gargantuan leviathans underwater, and so forth. Mundane crap like that."

    As he was talking, Cassie gradually stopped laughing and turned to him with a somewhat startled expression on her face. It seemed as though it was only now, with the harrowing journey already behind them, that she had finally realized how outlandish it all actually was.

    Put together, the facts of their bloody struggle to survive sounded like something out of a fairy tale. But they both knew that all of that had actually happened.

    It had happened to them.

    Caster chuckled.

    "Wow. Compared to you, Sunny, my own story sounds kind of lame. I just entered the Dream Realm near the city wall and spent a few days running away from a bunch of terrifying monsters, then stumbled on a hunting party from the Castle, and that's pretty much it."

    He sighed.

    "By the way, when did you guys arrive? I'm sure I haven't seen you around before."

    There was no reason to lie, and Sunny couldn't anyway. Looking longingly at his monster stew, which was slowly growing cold, he sighed and said:

    "We reached the Dark City two days ago, and entered the castle yesterday at dusk."

    The handsome Legacy stared at him, then blinked a couple of times:

    "Wait�� wait�� what do you mean? Did you guys really spend two months in the Labyrinth?"

    'Uh-oh.'

    Finally, the moment he had been wary of came. Sunny really didn't want for anyone to think that he was some kind of a powerful figure. First of all, there was no better advantage than being underestimated by the enemy. Secondly, he still had to hide the fact that Changing Star had not been the only one to receive a True Name in the First Nightmare.

    Luckily, he had long thought of an exceptionally convincing excuse.

    ��When in trouble, blame everything on Nephis.

    Laughing inwardly, Sunny pretended to shiver and sighed.

    "Yeah. I don't even want to think about it. That place�� it's pure hell. Honestly, if it wasn't for Changing Star, both of us would have been long dead."

    She wouldn't have survived without his help, too, but Caster didn't need to know that.

    Sunny was pretty sure that mentioning Neph's name anywhere near the names of two losers like Cassie and him were believed to be would make anyone think that she had single-handedly carried the both of them to safety on her back.

    As it turns out, he was right.

    As soon as he mentioned Nephis, something changed on Caster's face. With a strange look in his eyes, the handsome man leaned forward a little and asked in a deceptively calm tone:

    "Changing�� Lady Nephis is alive? She is here?"

    He had already forgotten all about how unlikely it was for someone like Sunny to survive a long journey through the deadly nightmare of the Labyrinth.

    Sunny narrowed his eyes slightly. Caster's reaction was a little bit more intense than he had anticipated. It was on the border of being weird.

    But then again, the tall and handsome Legacy had seemed to be strangely enamored with Nephis even back at the Academy.

    'You bastard!'

    Enraged for some unknown reason, Sunny gritted his teeth and said:

    "Yeah. She's around."

    Turning her head slightly in his direction, Cassie hesitated for a moment, and then added:

    "We�� we only had two soul shards when we came to the castle. So she is staying in the outer settlement. For now."

    Caster leaned back, a hint of disappointment appearing on his face for a fraction of a second. Then, he inhaled deeply and said:

    "I see. I see."

    Sunny took a sip of his tea and asked:

    "Why are you so interested in Nephis all of a sudden?"

    The handsome young man looked at him with surprise.

    "What? Oh. I'm�� I'm just glad to know that more of us survived."

    Then, he sighed and shook his head:

    "From what I was able to learn, there were no more than seven Sleepers sent to the Forgotten Shore by the Spell this year. Up until today, I thought that I was the only one to survive. It's good�� it's good to know that I was wrong."

    Caster's face grew solemn.

    "If Lady Nephis was with you, that explains how you have managed to reach the Bright Castle alive. But the other three�� I'm afraid that they are long dead. May their souls rest in peace."

    Sunny and Cassie lowered their heads, coming to terms with this new information. It was true that they had not been treated well by the rest of the Sleepers in the Academy. Still, it was also somewhat heartbreaking to know that several of the kids they had known, even if it was just for a short amount of time, were now gone, killed by the vicious crucible of the Dream Realm.

    The cruel and ruthless Nightmare Spell had taken its first victims.

    Who would be next?

    Without having to look at each other, they quietly repeated Caster's words:

    "...May their souls rest in peace."

 Chapter 140 True Legacy

    Chapter 140 True Legacy

    Some time passed in silence, with each of them thinking about what their own fates would be in this cursed place. Finally, Sunny extricated himself from this dark reverie and asked:

    "So you've been here all this time? How are you able to afford to live in the castle? Don't tell me that you have joined this�� this golden serpent's army."

    Caster sighed.

    "No�� no, I didn't. Although I'm going to lie if I say that I haven't been tempted to. One way or the other, all roads here lead to Gunlaug and his men. I don't think there's more than a handful of powerful Sleepers who have managed to remain independent. Currently, I'm one of them."

    Sunny stared at him a repeated his question:

    "How so?"

    The handsome young man shrugged.

    "My Aspect Ability gives me a certain advantage when it comes to escaping the clutches of the Nightmare Creatures. Not so much with killing them, though. I went on a few hunting expeditions with other independent hunters�� but that was a mistake. We barely escaped alive. Still, it landed me a few soul shards. The rest I got from selling a couple of Memories."

    Right�� unlike them normal people, the proud Legacy had entered the Dream Realm with an entire arsenal of Memories that his clan had prepared for him. He had also started with a somewhat considerable amount of soul essence already absorbed, although it wouldn't have been too much.

    Unlike Memories, which could be brought back to the real world by anyone, actual soul shards were physical objects, and as such, only Masters and Saints were able to transport them �� because they traveled between realms physically, and not just in spirit like Sleepers and Awakened.

    That meant that even rich Legacy clans couldn't afford to feed too much soul essence to their scions in advance. Masters were a rare breed, after all, let alone Saints.

    In any case, Caster had it better than anyone else on the Forgotten Shore. His ancestral Memories were enough to buy him months, perhaps even years of a tranquil life in the castle. He could use this time to learn the ins and outs of the Dark City to become an independent hunter or reconsider his position and join Gunlaug's host eventually.

    Even in this hell, his background gave him an enormous advantage.

    'Lucky bastard��'

    ��But that still didn't explain why those thugs were so unwilling to get on his bad side.

    Sunny frowned.

    "Why were Gunlaug's men afraid of you?"

    Caster looked at him with irony.

    "Those two? Oh, right. You have just arrived at the Castle. Well�� basically, there are different kinds of people serving Gunlaug. The guys you have so carelessly offended are members of the Castle Guard. They are at the bottom of the totem pole. They are also the weakest and have little to no real battle experience. What minor reputation I have is enough to make them think twice before messing with me."

    For a second, there was a dangerous gleam in his eyes. Because of Caster's amiable personality, when talking to him, it was easy to forget what the word Legacy really meant. Legacies were trained to fight and kill since they could barely walk. Every one of them was a true powerhouse. Sunny had no doubt that Caster's actual reputation in the castle was not as negligible as he would have them believe.

    After all, he was the only human�� no, actually, the only being Sunny knew of that had managed to defeat Nephis in combat. And in terms of personal power, Nephis was as high as one could get in Sunny's heart.

    No one else could even compare.

    He was also sure that Caster's reputation was earned by spilling blood.

    'I really�� really hope that I won't have to face this guy in battle one day,' Sunny thought, feeling a cold sensation that he desperately hoped was not a premonition.

    With a sigh, he tried to hide this unease and asked:

    "So I shouldn't be worried about their retaliation?"

    The amiable young man gave him a nod.

    "The two guards you have humiliated might try to do something on their own, but there won't be any reaction from the Host itself. But I doubt that they will. Just don't antagonize them any further."

    He suddenly grew serious.

    "However, if they were Hunters or, even worse, one of the Pathfinders�� even my name would not have protected you. You'd simply be dead. So, please, watch your actions in the future. This castle�� in a sense, it can be as dangerous as the city outside. Especially for someone with your�� uh�� temperament."

    'What's that supposed to mean?!'

    Sunny wanted to bite back, but then closed his mouth.

    ��Yeah, he really did have a temperament that attracted trouble. Guilty as charged.

    While he was reconsidering his life choices, Cassie suddenly spoke in a quiet voice:

    "Caster�� is there really no way out of here?"

    The proud Legacy looked at her and remained silent for a long time, a somber expression finding its way to his face. His eyes were heavy and bleak.

    After a while, he sighed and said:

    "None that any of us can ever hope to reach, Cassia. As it is right now, this is where we have to live. Maybe�� maybe something will change in the future. But for now, just take care of yourself and try to survive."

    Standing up, he glanced at them one last time and smiled:

    "It was so nice to see you, guys. Really. I'll leave you to your food now, if that's okay. If you need anything in the future, don't hesitate to come find me. My quarters are in the Tower of Dawn."

    'Quarters�� of course that miscreant has "quarters"...'

    With that, Caster left, letting Sunny finally get to his stew, which was barely warm by that point.

    'Great! Breakfast is ruined!' he thought angrily, drilling two holes in the tall Sleeper's back. 'His fault! It's all his fault, not mine. Yeah, definitely��'

    ***

    Some time later, Sunny was lying on his bed with his eyes closed. The Tower of Dusk was calm and quiet.

    It was time to send his shadow on a walk��

 Chapter 141 Golden Serpent

    Chapter 141 Golden Serpent

    Other the next five days, Sunny mostly stayed in his room while his shadow stealthily prowled around the castle, spying on people and learning their secrets.

    Slowly, he began to understand the undercurrents that flowed beneath the seemingly peaceful surface of life in this pristine white fortress.

    Of course, in reality, things weren't peaceful at all �� and as far from pure as one could imagine. But that was to be expected from a place where hundreds of lost youths lived with no hope of ever finding their way back home, away from all the restraints of civilization.

    He wasn't surprised at all. If anything, it was strange to see some semblance of law and order, no matter how detestable and revolting, persevere despite all the obstacles that stood in the way. Somehow, the inhabitants of the castle were able to coexist with each other in a fragile balance.

    The system was cleverly built in a way that allowed the abused to dream of a better life and restrained the abusers from going too far. Better life meant winning Gunlaug's favor, while going too far meant losing it and being banished into the cold darkness of the outer settlement.

    Both fear and hope were created and firmly grasped by the Bright Lord. Their mere existence kept people in their places. Sunny suspected that the same dynamic, just substituted for a different kind of reality, reigned in the slum outside of the castle walls.

    The outer settlement seemed to exist separate from the castle, but in fact, both were simply parts of one large ecosystem.

    People on the outside longed to be allowed inside, while people on the inside dreaded being exiled to the outside. Because the possibility of a better life �� or a worse one �� existed, they were distracted from the fact that, no matter what happened, they would still be spinning in a circle.

    Like a serpent biting its own tail, the Bright Castle and the outer settlement created a closed cycle of exploitation and abuse that, paradoxically, kept everyone in the Dark City sane and alive.

    It was nothing short of ingenious.

    ��Of course, Sunny wanted no part of it.

    He didn't know how many people were currently surviving in the slum, but there were somewhere around five hundred Sleepers living in the ancient stronghold. However, not all of them shared the same status. There was a complex hierarchy in place, separating people into different castes. Some of these groups had a distinct place in the hierarchy, while others were less clearly defined.

    Most of the inhabitants of the castle, unsurprisingly, were directly serving Gunlaug. They were Guards, Hunters, Pathfinders, Artisans, and Handmaidens. Ruling over them were five lieutenants who answered directly to the lord himself, each responsible for their own aspect of the day-to-day life of the fortress.

    The Castle Guard was the largest of these groups, consisting of around one hundred and fifty men. They were in charge of guarding the stronghold and enforcing Gunlaug's laws. Just like Caster had said, they were near the bottom of the totem pole in terms of power and status.

    Anyone with a remotely useful Aspect Ability could join the Guard, and although their training was rather rigorous, actual opportunities to experience combat were few and far between. That was not to say that their job was not dangerous: every time a stray Nightmare Creature climbed the hill or attacked from above, it was their duty to either kill or chase the monster away.

    And out here in the Dark City, no monster was anything less than terrifying and absolutely deadly.

    The Castle Guard was led by a morose giant of a man named Tessai, who was one of Gunlaug's most trusted lieutenants and perhaps the oldest Sleeper on the Forgotten Shore �� he was just two years short of thirty. Tessai was a ferocious fighter and ruthless commander, holding his subordinates in an iron grip.

    Above the Castle Guard, there were Hunters. These were the elites of Gunlaug's forces, each possessing a powerful combat Aspect, rich battle experience, and sharp wit to make use of both. There were around fifty of them, divided into seven hunting parties.

    Each morning, as soon as the gates of the castle opened, one of the parties left the safety of the impregnable marble walls and ventured into the harrowing maze of the Dark City to hunt and kill Awakened creatures. It was thanks to their efforts that people in the ancient stronghold had food on their plates. Without them, none of this would have been possible.

    Hunters were recruited from the ranks of Guards, and becoming a Hunter was a dream come true. That was because these professionals enjoyed plentiful rewards from the lord, such as living in a room of their own as opposed to cramped barracks, better food and access to various luxury items, best Memories and tools the Bright Castle could provide�� as well as many other things.

    Of course, the other side of the coin was that their lives were often the shortest. Despite all their experience and preparations, many never returned from the hunts.

    And the only reason any did at all was the Pathfinders.

    Pathfinders served as guides for the hunting parties. Just as Effie had said, the secret to surviving in the Dark City was to find and kill comparatively weaker creatures without stumbling into something far more deadly. They made sure to do just that �� track the Awakened monsters without leading the pack of Hunters into the jaws of Fallen abominations.

    There were so few Pathfinders that Sunny even questioned whether they could be categorized as a group. In the whole castle, there were less than a dozen. Each of them was a seasoned veteran who earned his role through surviving long years of bloody battles in the ruins, and thus had a chance to live long enough to learn large areas of the Dark City like his own five fingers.

    Needless to say, all of them were incredibly fearsome combatants and enjoyed lavish, sometimes even decadent lifestyles.

    Both Hunters and Pathfinders were led by a charismatic man called Gemma. Gemma came to the Forgotten Shore in the same year as Gunlaug, and had helped him take control of the castle.

    Together, these three groups �� Guards, Hunters, and Pathfinders �� formed Gunlaug's army, which was simply known as the Host.

 Chapter 142 Behind The Scenes

    Chapter 142 Behind The Scenes

    There were two other groups of people that belonged to Gunlaug.

    The first of them consisted of Sleepers with useful Utility Abilities and their helpers. These people, known as Artisans, played a very important role in the life of the castle. They were responsible for creating and maintaining various items that were either vital to survival or made existing on the Forgotten shore less unbearable, such as clothes, tools, equipment, utensils, and various gear.

    Each Artisan had a small team of less gifted Sleepers helping them craft the necessary items. All in all, there were around a hundred of them in total, with most of that number consisting of the assistants. They were led by a young woman called Kido, who was a talented manager and had an Ability that allowed her to change attributes of certain plants.

    The vegetables in Sunny's stew came from her garden. Since such an Ability was nothing short of priceless on the Forgotten Shore, where food was scarce and mostly homogenous, it wasn't surprising that she had become one of the lieutenants despite being much younger than the rest of them.

    The status of Artisans was somewhat of a tense subject in the Bright Castle. Because they were largely non-combatants, Guards felt that their position should be inferior to that of people actually risking their lives in vicious battles against Nightmare Creatures.

    Artisans, on the contrary, believed that the rarity of Utility Aspects and the vital role they played in maintaining the living conditions inside the castle should land them more prestige than the Castle Guard, which basically recruited any random nobody, enjoyed. This conflict had been simmering for a long time, and was not going to be resolved anytime soon.

    Funnily enough, Hunters, who risked their lives the most, did not care about the issue one way or another. Their leader Gemma, however, was silently supporting the Artisans and their chief, Kido �� which prevented the Guards from being too forceful in their argument.

    The last group of people who belonged to Gunlaug was the Handmaidens. These were the young women Sunny had seen quietly performing various chores around the castle, like making sure that windows were properly closed before the onset of the night or preparing and handing out food during mealtime.

    They were responsible for maintaining the castle itself, as well as serving the high-ranking members of the Host. There were also around a hundred of them.

    From what Sunny knew about the world, these poor girls should have been the prime victims of abuse within the walls of the ancient stronghold, but to his surprise, they were actually strangely revered, and even a little feared. The main reason for this was their leader, a mysterious and strikingly beautiful woman known as Seishan.

    Seishan not only took care of her Handmaidens, but also secretly taught them how to defend themselves. The exact extent of their training was unknown, but Sunny clearly saw that members of the Castle Guard were very careful to behave themselves around Handmaidens�� most of the time.

    The other reason was that, like everything else in the castle, the young women technically belonged to Gunlaug, and Gunlaug was very particular about people laying hands on his belongings without permission. Even if some foolish Guard was brave enough to anger Seishan, no one with a desire to live was willing to get on the bad side of the Bright Lord.

    ��Sunny, however, was already scared enough by Seishan herself. The first time he had sent his shadow to take a look at what the Handmaidens were up to when no one was watching, it had almost gotten caught.

    That was the first time someone managed to sense his shadow. One moment, beautiful Seishan was calmly standing with her back to the shaded corner where it was concealed, giving instructions to one of her subordinates, and in the next, she suddenly turned around and looked directly at the hiding shadow.

    Not knowing what else to do, Sunny shut his eyes and shifted all of his perception back. He was fairly sure that no one would be able to directly see the shadow �� after all, his innate stealth enhancement was even more pronounced when it came to his silent companion.

    However, there were a lot of different Aspects. Many Awakened, for example, were able to feel when someone was looking at them. Praying that this was the case here, Sunny waited for a while before cautiously opening one eye.

    Luckily, this time, he didn't cause too much of a commotion. Confirming that Seishan had returned to her conversation, he hurriedly sent the shadow away and made sure to stay away from the mysterious beauty, and her Handmaidens in general, ever since.

    The last hundred people in the castle were those who paid tribute, but didn't serve Gunlaug directly. There was no real name for this group, so Sunny simply called them "tenants" in his mind.

    There were two types of tenants: a smaller number of them were those who were able to make a decent living by providing Gunlaug's men with various services, mostly having to do with craftsmanship and entertainment. For example, the was a man who created something akin to a music lounge, another one who operated a small theatre troupe, and even an entrepreneurial girl who owned a gambling den.

    A larger number of tenants were people like Harper �� those who had entered the castle through luck and remained there by the skin of their teeth, desperately trying to earn soul shards for tribute by acting as servants and doing various menial jobs.

    These poor folks were at the very bottom of the social hierarchy of the castle.

    ��And on the opposite side of that hierarchy, there was the golden serpent, the master of the castle, Bright Lord Gunlaug himself.

    The man who, by Effie's description, was nearly immortal.

    On his fifth day in the ancient stronghold, Sunny had finally laid eyes on this loathsome tyrant.

    He didn't like what he saw at all.

 Chapter 143 Gunlaug

    Chapter 143 Gunlaug

    Despite the fact that Gunlaug's heavy presence permeated every centimeter of the castle, the Bright Lord himself was strangely elusive. He didn't show himself often, preferring to rule through his five proxies. Whether it was out of arrogance, paranoia or some other reason, Sunny did not know.

    After the incident with Seishan, he was afraid to let his shadow walk too freely and tried to avoid going anywhere near the fearsome master of the ancient stronghold. Because of these precautions, he had not seen Gunlaug until their fifth day in the castle.

    As it turned out, when Golden Serpent did show up, he liked to leave an impression.

    Sunny and Cassie were about to receive their usual breakfast when the whole grand hall suddenly grew deathly silent. Feeling that something was wrong, they turned to the entrance �� just in time to see a torrent of Guards pouring inside.

    Sunny's heart skipped a beat.

    'What's this?'

    Fearing for the worst, he tried to think of the best way to escape�� but luckily, the menacing soldiers of the Host paid them no attention. Instead, they quickly dispersed around the hall and moved the long tables to the walls, creating a large open space in the middle.

    Cassie grasped Sunny's shoulder and whispered:

    "What is going on?"

    He hesitated, then answered uncertainly:

    "I'm not sure��"

    Suddenly, he caught sight of Caster standing among the crowd. The handsome young man had a solemn look on his face. His gaze was turned to the dark alcove at the far end of the hall.

    One by one, all the Sleepers turned to face the same direction. Sunny followed their example.

    Slowly, five figures stepped out of the darkness of the alcove and stood at the steps leading up to the throne. They were Gemma, Tessai, Seishan, Kido, and the last of the five lieutenants.

    When Sunny noticed him, an involuntary shudder run through his body.

    The fifth lieutenant had no official duties in the Bright Castle, but everyone here feared him the most. It was a strange, pale man with a bony face and glassy, emotionless eyes. His spine was twisted, making him appear deceptively short.

    The hunchback was wearing simple black clothes with no adornments and holding himself with a bit of awkwardness, as though uncomfortable with all the attention.

    His name was Harus, and he was Bright Lord's hidden blade and executioner. When someone needed to be disposed of, he was sent to carry out the punishment. If Gunlaug wanted everyone to know about his displeasure, there would be rivers of blood left in his wake. If not, there wouldn't be even a single drop.

    People would just disappear, as though they had never existed.

    Harus was Gunlaug's murderous shadow.

    Many of the inhabitants of the castle had seen nightmares in which they awoke only to see his glassy, cold eyes staring at them from the darkness. For some, those nightmares became a reality. Harus was willing and eager to follow any command of his master, no matter how vile.

    What disturbed Sunny the most, however, was that looking at Harus was like looking at a dark mirror. Despite the fact that they were almost nothing alike, for some reason, he couldn't help but recognize traces of himself in the sadistic butcher.

    Or, to be precise, of a possible future version of himself.

    'N��no way�� I am�� I am much more pleasant on the eye.'

    Forcing himself to look away before the hunchback felt his stare, Sunny turned his head and looked at the tall man who had finally appeared from the darkness.

    At least he assumed that it was a man, and not some golden demon.

    Bright Lord Gunalug was clad in a strange, gilded armor that covered his tall figure from head to toe, not leaving even his eyes exposed. It seemed simultaneously solid and liquid, almost flowing over his mighty muscles and broad, powerful shoulders.

    In the place where his face should have been, a smooth and empty expanse of polished gold reflected the frightened faces of hundreds of Sleepers back at them. Sunny saw his own reflection staring at him and suddenly realized how small and weak he was in front of this brilliant giant.

    His legs trembled.

    The pressure Gunlaug exerted on the space around him was almost palpable. All the people near Sunny were going through a similar kind of experience as him. Their faces were pale, their eyes wide, drops of sweat appearing on their temples. Even the lieutenants seemed slightly uncomfortable, affected by this oppressive aura just like the rest of them.

    'God�� damn�� it�� that's not an aura, that's a mind attack!'

    Protected by the [Doubtless] trait of the Puppeteer's Shroud, Sunny was more resistant to such attacks than most. Gritting his teeth, he shook off the effects of Gunlaug's psychic pressure and drew in a deep breath. Then, he glanced at Cassie, concerned about her well-being.

    To his surprise, the blind girl was doing absolutely fine. Unlike the rest of them, she wasn't showing any signs of distress. Sunny stared at her and blinked a couple of times.

    'The reflection�� this all started when I saw my reflection in the visor of that bastard's weird armor�� but Cassie is blind, so��'

    It seemed as though Gunlaug wasn't actually attacking them. It was just an enchantment of that strange golden armor of his. Whoever looked at its mirror-like face was immediately assaulted by a crippling feeling of awe, dread, and the crushing desire to submit.

    'What�� what kind of a Memory can practically paralyze several hundred people just from its passive effect?' Sunny thought, astonished.

    How was this possible?

    Meanwhile, Gunlaug approached the empty white throne and gracefully sat down. The light falling from the numerous holes in the back wall of the alcove reflected from his armor, making it appear as though he was enveloped by a bright radiance.

    The golden mirror that served him as a face turned to gaze at the rows of Sleepers trembling at his feet.

    A few moments later, a deep and insidious voice resounded from all around them, as though the castle itself was whispering into their ears:

    "Ah, what a nice day it is today. A perfect day for justice, don't you think, my precious wards? I've heard that there's a criminal hiding among us today. Well�� am I not fair? Am I not just? Let me show you how just I am��"

 Chapter 144 Right Of Challenge

    Chapter 144 Right Of Challenge

    Sunny felt cold sweat running down his back. Shaken by Gunlaug's serpentine voice, he was tempted to fall to his knees and beg for forgiveness. However, he also understood that every person in the grand hall currently felt the same urge.

    Everyone here had done something that might be considered a crime by the tyrant.

    He almost expected to hear people begin confessing their sins, but at that moment, a strange commotion at the doors attracted his attention.

    Moving with menacing determination, two guards dragged a man to the center of the hall and threw him on the floor. The man was dressed in rags and painfully lean, which betrayed his nature as a dweller of the outer settlement.

    However, there were ropes of powerful muscles rolling under his thin skin, and an angry, fearless look in his eyes that made the man appear proud and defiant. Throwing a contemptuous stare at the guards, he picked himself up from the floor and stood up, his back straight and his head held high. There was no ounce of fear on his face. Instead, there was dark, furious resentment.

    Gunlaug looked down on the brave man from his throne and slightly tilted his head. The outsider grimaced after seeing his reflection in the golden mask, but still didn't lower his head.

    'That's pure willpower,' Sunny thought, impressed by the stranger.

    Meanwhile, Bright Lord's voice resounded in the grand hall once again:

    "My wards. We have a guest today. This man, called Jubei, is visiting us from the outer settlement. Recently, he had been heard leveraging an accusation against one of my men. As a just and benevolent lord, I have invited Jubei here to plead his case and expose the criminal. We must get to the bottom of this matter! After all, the law is our only guiding star in this dark world��"

    Despite being free from the psychic pressure emanated by Gunlaug's armor, Sunny still felt strangely affected by his deep, soft voice. He even got goosebumps. With or without the golden Memory, Bright Lord possessed a powerful and ingratiating charisma. It was hard not to listen to him.

    But the man called Jubei just smirked.

    "That's right. I'm here to accuse one of your thugs, Gunlaug. Let's see how you'll get out of this one, bastard."

    With that, he raised one hand and pointed a finger at the group of Hunters watching the proceeding from their usual corner of the grand hall.

    "That man right there, one of your so-called Pathfinders, is guilty of murder. He had killed an innocent kid in the most repugnant of ways. I've been watching you and your minions commit all sorts of vile crimes over these years, but enough is enough. Today, I'll see him answer with his life for what he did!"

    A wave of shocked whispers ran through the crowd. Accusing a Pathfinder was not something a sane person would ever do. Due to their venerated status, these men were nearly untouchable. And yet, Jubei seemed unrelenting.

    Gunlaug spoke:

    "...Is that so? That is a heavy accusation, Jubei. Please, tell us more."

    The man from the outer settlement gritted his teeth.

    "That scum and his people lured a naive kid into their party by promising him all kinds of rewards and riches. They told him that he is going to become one of them and come to live in your damn castle. But in reality, they just fed him to the monsters as bait!"

    He spat on the floor.

    "You dare to call yourself Hunters, you damn cowards?! Don't you have any shame?!"

    A heavy silence settled in the grand hall. People were now staring at the group of Hunters with dark expressions on their faces. The inhabitants of the castle were used to pretending to be blind to all kinds of wicked deeds, but all those deeds were committed by humans against other humans.

    What they couldn't forgive was a human being betraying another of their kind to the Nightmare Creatures. In the Dark City, this was tantamount to sacrilege.

    Gunlaug turned his head to face the Hunters, who shivered under his gaze.

    "Is this true?"

    The oldest of the group, the Pathfinder, glanced darkly at Jubei and scowled.

    "There must be some kind of a misunderstanding, my lord. The boy in question was a highly valued member of my party. We all had high hopes for his future. His death saddened all of us a great deal."

    His voice was steady and calm. Perhaps even a little too calm.

    Jubei snarled:

    "Lies! I happened to be hunting on that day myself and saw everything with my own two eyes! I know what you did, bastard!"

    Gunlaug turned to face the crows and sighed. After some time had passed, he solemnly said:

    "What an unfortunate situation. It seems that it is your word against his, Jubei. What to do, what to do? I trust my brave men wholeheartedly, of course. Who would be so ungrateful as to distrust these heroes when they are the ones keeping you all alive? Surely, there's no one that vile and wicked among you, my precious wards."

    Sunny held his breath, feeling singled out by the insidious voice. The chilling threat hidden behind these words was not very subtle.

    Gunalug was silent for a few moments, battering the crowd with his oppressive psychic aura. Then, he turned away, letting the people breathe, and said:

    "But it would be unbecoming of me to play favorites in such a grave matter. And this matter, oh, it is grave indeed. What a dilemma. How do we uphold justice, my wards?"

    In the ensuing silence, Gemma, the leader of both Hunters and Pathfinders, suddenly spoke:

    "My lord, if I may speak. Isn't there a law that suits this situation perfectly? It has existed for as long as humans lived in this ancient castle. I'm talking, of course, about the right of challenge."

    He glanced at Jubei and smiled:

    "If this brave hunter has any shadow of doubt about his accusation, he should step down. If not, he can challenge the criminal and prove it with blood. Of course, the real culprit here is�� me. As the person responsible for these men, any crime they commit in their roles as Hunters is my fault."

    Gemma's charismatic smile was wide and friendly.

    "So how about, Jubei? Will you step down? Or do you want to challenge me?"

    The hunter from the outer settlement glared at him for a while, his eyes burning with fury and contempt. Finally, he spat:

    "Do you think I'm afraid of you, lapdog? Sure, why not. I challenge you!"

 Chapter 145 Justice

    Chapter 145 Justice

    The whole spectacle was so smoothly orchestrated that Sunny was almost tempted to believe in it. Of course, he knew better.

    The only thing he didn't know was whether the bits performed by the Pathfinder and Gemma were rehearsed in advance or improvised on the fly to fulfill their lord's desire to maintain appearances while having the man who had dared to speak openly against him publicly executed.

    And that was what this was, an execution. Sunny didn't believe for a second that Gunlaug was going to give the brave hunter a chance to leave the grand hall alive. No, he wanted him dead, and he wanted everyone to see him die.

    ��Lest they get the idea that it was possible to run their mouths against him and escape unscathed.

    And yet, and yet�� a tiny ember of hope still burned in Sunny's heart. From the looks of it, Jubei was an experienced hunter. A capable, seasoned warrior who faced numerous monsters and ended up on top every time. He was very strong, with enough willpower and resolve to crush rocks into dust. Perhaps a miracle would happen.

    No matter how small, there was a possibility.

    That's why Sunny couldn't understand why Gunlaug would be willing to risk his right-hand man's life in this farce.

    ��As though reading his thoughts, the Bright Lord spoke:

    "A challenge? Ah, so be it. This is a sacred tradition, indeed. As long as good men are willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of righteousness, depravity can't win��"

    The crowd of Sleepers exploded into whispers. Some of them were tense and somber, others filled with dark anticipation. The corner of Sunny's mouth turned downwards.

    From what he could see, depravity had already won, or at least gotten the upper hand.

    But Gunlaug wasn't done speaking:

    "...However, it would not be suitable for you to represent the accused personally, Gemma. The Bright Castle can't afford to lose you, my friend. Jubei, would you mind if the accused chose another champion?"

    The hunter from the outer settlement simply shrugged and said:

    "Bring your worst, cowards."

    Bright Lord turned to the Pathfinder and tilted his head. With his suddenly pale face reflected in the eerie mask of the strange golden armor, the murderer remained silent for a few moments, and then said in a quiet voice:

    "I choose Harus, my lord."

    Everyone suddenly grew silent. Sunny himself felt cold shivers running down his spine. Why did it have to be that creepy wicked cripple��

    In the deathly silence, Jubei smirked and spat with grim satisfaction:

    "Even better!"

    It seemed that he had a score to settle with the silent hunchback, too.

    Harus, who had looked a little bored and uncomfortable through the whole procedure, stared at the Pathfinder who had named him with no particular expression on his bony face, and then slowly walked down the steps.

    The other lieutenants reacted to this unexpected turn of events differently. Gemma frowned and threw a quick glance at Gunlaug before stepping back with a dark expression. Tessai grinned, as though expecting a good spectacle. Kido grew a little pale and took a little step sideways, trying to distance herself from the descending hunchback as much as possible.

    Only Seishan remained silent and indifferent, not allowing any emotion to appear on her cold, beautiful face.

    Realizing what was about to happen, Cassie squeezed Sunny's arm and whispered:

    "Sunny, I want to leave."

    After a short pause, he answered in a raspy voice:

    "I'm sorry. We can't leave now."

    Despite the fact that he didn't want to be anywhere near Gunlaug's scarecrow, he knew that leaving now would draw too much attention. They couldn't risk that in the presence of all five lieutenants, not to mention Golden Serpent himself.

    What's more, his mission in the castle was to gather as much information as possible. He couldn't miss the chance to see one of the most dangerous creatures in this deceptively peaceful stronghold in action.

    ��And there was this dark feeling deep within his heart that one day, somehow, he and Harus were going to end up bloodied, with only one of them walking away alive from the fight. It was as though an invisible thread connected them together.

    Perhaps it was a string of fate.

    Meanwhile, the hunchback descended from the steps and stopped opposite Jubei in the empty space that had been cleared in the center of the grand hall. His face was still motionless and a little bored.

    Sunny held his breath.

    As Gunlaug sat silently on the white throne, Jubei summoned his Memories. A flexible armor made out of red scales appeared on his body, complete with a winged helmet and a kite shield. In his hand, a curved scimitar weaved itself from the sparks of light. Its blade was as sharp as a razor.

    The hunter glanced at Harus and said in a steady voice:

    "Let's see what you're capable of, butcher."

    The hunchback just looked at him with his glassy eyes and silently allowed his thick cloak to fall on the floor. Then, he grimaced and straightened his spine as much as he could, suddenly losing the appearance of a small and fragile cripple.

    At his full height, Harus towered above most of the Sleepers in the grand hall, losing only to the giant Tessai. His monstrous, twisted shape radiated a sense of deep, bestial power. He didn't bother to summon any Memories, staring at the hunter with the same cold indifference.

    Jubei scowled.

    "So be it."

    Full of anxiety, Sunny held his breath.

    The proud hunter lunged forward, raising his shield and at the same time slashing with the scimitar. His movements were incredibly fast and nimble, his technique sharpened by years of bloody battles in the Dark City and guided by rich experience.

    'Good�� he's good��'

    Did Jubei�� really have a chance?

    As Sunny's eyes widened, Harus seemed to miss the attack completely. As though forgetting that he wasn't armed, the hunchback simply raised a hand to meet the razor-sharp blade.

    ��And gripped it with his bare fist, stopping Jubei's strike in its tracks.

    For a fraction of a second, everyone in the grand hall froze in astonishment �� except for the hunter, who immediately tried to wrestle his scimitar from the iron grip of the Gunlaug's killer. But it was of no use. It was as though the saber was stuck in stone.

    It wouldn't have mattered anyway.

    In the next moment, Harus moved forward with a snake-like speed and put his large hand on Jubei's shoulder. Then, with a sickening sound, he effortlessly tore the entire arm off.

    Somebody screamed.

    As blood spilled on the marble floor, the proud hunter stared at the stump that had suddenly replaced his dominant arm in disbelief, not yet feeling the terrible pain that would soon follow. However, it never did.

    Before Jubei could even react, Harus grasped his head with both hands and snapped his neck in one brutal, violent motion. Then, he hit the hunter in the chest, shattering his ribs and sending the body flying back a dozen meters.

    The broken corpse of the defiant challenger fell on the floor, rivers of blood flowing from its terrible wounds onto the pristine white stones.

    From start to finish, the whole fight took no more than five seconds.

    Harus looked at his hands, shook a few crimson droplets off, and then silently returned to his place beside the master of the castle, his expression still cold.

    However, it wasn't bored anymore.

    Instead, it was full of subtle glee.

    After all, he had just helped his lord pass down judgment.

    This was law, this was tradition.

    This was justice.

 Chapter 146 Power

    Chapter 146 Power

    Several hundred Sleepers stared at the disfigured body, horrified. Jubei's scale armor disappeared in a rain of light, leaving him dressed only in torn, bloodied rags. A surprised, dazed expression was still frozen on his face.

    Awash in blood and broken, the man who had been proud and defiant just a minute ago was now nothing but a pathetic corpse. He was sprawled on the floor in a glistening crimson puddle, reminding everyone of one simple truth.

    Never, ever dare to disobey Gunlaug, the Bright Lord.

    Or you'll end up just the same.

    Sunny was probably one of the only two people in the grand hall who wasn't looking at the corpse. Instead, he was looking at Harus.

    Harus himself was staring at the wall, absolutely disinterested in the gruesome fruit of his dark labor.

    'What else was I hoping for? Stupid. Hope�� hope is a poison. It will only get you killed.'

    Sunny knew all the facts, but only now had he finally understood how hopeless it was to even think about challenging the Golden Serpent.

    Everything in the Dark City was designed to make him and his army invincible. That was how the damn hunchback had managed to defeat the experienced hunter from the outer settlement so easily, using nothing but his raw strength. He hadn't even had to show his Aspect Ability. Why was the divide in their physical prowess so vast?

    That was because with every human in the Dark City possessing the same dormant core, there were only two things that could make someone more powerful than the rest: Soul Essence and Memories.

    And both were monopolized by Gunlaug.

    Only he possessed the manpower and knowledge to freely hunt in the Dark City. This way, he had become the only person with a reliable source of both Soul Shards and Memories in his possession.

    Whatever crumbs the independent hunters were able to acquire would inevitably end up in his hands, too, because Gunlaug also controlled the primitive economy in this cursed place. By providing food and safety in exchange for the so-called "tribute", he made sure that all the resources would flow in only one direction.

    Into his hands.

    With Soul Shards and a vast arsenal of Memories, he could make his army stronger, which in turn would bring him more Soul Shards and Memories, which in turn would make his army stronger�� and so forth. It was a simple, perfect, and harrowing cycle that made his power more and more absolute with each revolution.

    By the time Sunny, Nephis and Cassie had arrived in the Dark City, the divide between Gunlaug's forces and everyone else here was too wide to ever be bridged. Sunny had no doubt that most of the elite warriors of the Host had their cores saturated with Soul Essence to the brim.

    There was a limit to how many Soul Shards a Nightmare Spell carrier could absorb before reaching the bottleneck of their rank�� although few ever did. Advancing to the next rank removed that bottleneck and enhanced their bodies according to the saturation level of the core. But with no way to advance, people in the Dark City could only rely on the raw amount of Soul Essense to accumulate power.

    This meant that within these ancient walls, sworn into servitude to a single man, there lived the most powerful group of Sleepers to ever exist in human history.

    ��And this was the man Nephis planned to kill.

    With a shudder, Sunny remembered Effie's words: "...no Sleeper can defeat Gunlaug, ever. It's simply impossible."

    He also remembered dozens of skulls swinging in the wind above the castle gates.

    'Curse it all�� what is she going to pull me into this time? I really have to persuade her to give up for once. My life might depend on it.'

    But somehow, he doubted that Changing Star even knew how to give up. At least not when it came to her mysterious goal.

    'Curses!'

    Sunny was so consumed by these dark thoughts that he even neglected to listen to Gunlaug's farewell speech. He had the general idea of what kind of bullcrap the bastard was proselytizing anyway.

    Soon, the Bright Lord had left his white throne and disappeared into the darkness behind it. The lieutenants followed, with Harus being the last one to leave. As soon as they were gone, the body of Jubei was unceremoniously dragged away, and a group of Handmaidens silently wiped the puddle of blood off the pristine marble floor.

    The tables were moved back to their places, and the crowd of Sleepers was invited to return to their breakfast. As if nothing had happened.

    However, Sunny had completely lost his appetite. Leading Cassie away, he glanced at the plates full of food and thought without humor:

    'I guess there's a first time for everything.'

    ***

    For the remaining two days, Sunny had done nothing but frantically gather information. Knowing that he will be leaving the castle soon, he became a little bit bolder in where to send his shadow.

    He spent a lot of time spying on the Hunters and Pathfinders, learning their tactics and secrets. He observed how Guards were trained. He learned which Artisans were important, and which were not. The only caste he tried to avoid was the Handmaidens.

    He even studied various engravings and stone carvings that decorated the walls of the castle.

    Finally, the week they had paid tribute for came to an end. On the dawn of the eighth day, Sunny and Cassie once again appeared in the large hall with beautiful stained glass windows and saw the gates of the castle.

    Despite the fact that there was nothing outside these gates but a dirty slum, Sunny felt relieved. He couldn't wait to leave this damn place.

    'Why do people even want to live here?'

    As soon as he finished this thought, Sunny realized that he didn't actually know what life in the outer settlement was like. Perhaps the castle was actually a paradise in comparison.

    'I doubt it�� how bad can it actually be? I guess they just never lived in the outskirts.'

    Shaking his head, he walked toward the gates, but then stopped when someone called his name.

    Turning his head, Sunny noticed the familiar young man with a thin face and nervous eyes. Today, Harper seemed to be especially distressed. His clothes were a bit less tidy, and there were a few ugly blotches of ink on his parchment.

    "Ah! Sun�� Sunless and Cassia, right? Goodness, it has already been a week. Ah�� where was I? Oh, yes. Are you guys here to pay tribute for the next one?"

    Sunny stared at him for a few minutes, then forced out a smile and pretended to be sad:

    "No. We haven't been able to�� you know, earn shards. So, we're leaving. Maybe we will see each other again, someday."

    Harper opened his eyes wide and stuttered:

    "W��what? Why would I be�� oh, sorry. I'm very sorry that you couldn't stay longer. But don't despair! Lord Gunlaug is truly kind, and life is unpredictable. I'm sure you'll be able to come back soon."

    Sunny gave him a curt nod and turned away.

    'I hope not. Not too soon, at least.'

    With that, they passed through the gates and left the Bright Castle�� the promised castle they had spent so much time seeking and dreaming of.

    What a disappointment it all had been.

    Standing under the grey skies of the Forgotten Shore once again, Sunny and Cassie breathed in the cold fresh air and both smiled. Cassie tugged on his sleeve.

    "Sunny�� what do we do now?"

    He looked at the pitiful slum that lay beneath them and answered without having to think for too long:

    "What else? We go find Nephis."

 Chapter 147 Guild Hall

    Chapter 147 Guild Hall

    Cassie smiled, but then suddenly frowned and asked:

    "But, Sunny�� how do we find her?"

    He thought for a few seconds, then shrugged.

    "I'm not sure. Follow the sounds of mayhem? This place is not that big. I'm sure we'll manage."

    They descended the stairs and entered the slum, with Sunny looking around in search of the distinct tall figure. There weren't that many Sleepers in the outer settlement who possessed an armor-type Memory, so he was sure of his ability to notice Changing Star in the crowd.

    Soon, they were surrounded by makeshift hovels and people that had empty, bleak eyes. Some of them stared at them with pity, realizing that the two had just been sent away from the castle, others openly gloated. Sunny paid them no attention.

    Once again, he was surprised by the sharp contrast between the castle and the outer settlement. No matter how vile the underside of the ancient stronghold was, people were actually living there, walking around with mostly mundane human worries written on their faces.

    Here in the slum, people were merely existing, and barely at that. In their eyes, there was a more dire need and a more consummate fear: the need to find food for the day, the fear of being devoured by some unseen monster in the night. They were all gaunt, cold, and listless.

    The only time hope appeared on their faces was when their gazes accidentally fell on the Bright Castle.

    'Hope will get you killed, fools. You have it better here than those poor souls in the fortress.'

    All in all, it was not so different from the outskirts, with the added terror of Nightmare Creatures waiting somewhere in the shadows.

    But then, there were monsters in the real world as well. They just wore human skin.

    Sunny was once again reminded of how surprisingly well prepared he was for the trials of the Nightmare Spell, his lack of education not included.

    Surprisingly, the was no sign of Nephis anywhere. They walked through the entire settlement before finally catching the glimpse of her.

    At the very edge of the slum, perched precariously above the vertical fall from the stone platform, stood an uncharacteristically spacious dwelling. It was crudely put together out of slabs of stone that had been unceremoniously scavenged from the ruins, with many of them still bearing the intricate carvings left behind by the original inhabitants of the Dark City.

    This barbarous atrocity was the closest to the road of white stone out of the entire outer settlement. Perhaps that was why it seemed to be a bit sturdier than the rest of the hovels. The lodge even had a small addition built on top of it, somewhat resembling a second storey.

    Changing Star was sitting on its roof with her legs crossed, gazing at the rising sun and the cursed city below. In the pale light of dawn, her ivory skin and silver hair looked beautiful and eerie.

    She had dismissed her armor and was wearing a crude tunic, with a piece of rope tied around her waist. Sensing their approach, Nephis turned her head and glanced in their direction.

    Then, she stood up and jumped down, landing lightly on the stone surface of the vast platform.

    Sunny grinned.

    "Hey, Neph. Long time no see!"

    ***

    Nephis led them inside the stone lodge, which had turned out to be her new residence. The interior was spartan and austere, with pieces of broken furniture lying here and there and cold winds sweeping freely through the spacious hall of the first floor.

    Despite its larger size and superior craftsmanship, the lodge had been empty when she found it. No one wanted to live this close to both the edge of the platform at the threshold of the road, where the risk of being attacked by Nightmare Creatures was the highest. But Changing Star didn't mind.

    Looking around, Sunny scoffed.

    "Gee. This place surely needs some work."

    Neph shrugged, seemingly not very concerned with her living conditions.

    Well, they did spend the past two months sleeping on nothing but rocks and dirt, so in a sense, even this ramshackle mess was an enormous improvement. With some improvements, it could even become somewhat of a decent place.

    Suddenly, Sunny felt a little guilty about all the comfort and warmth he had experienced in the castle. He was even fed delicious fresh food twice a day.

    Speaking of food��

    Cassie smiled and handed Neph a small bundle. Concerned about her friend, she had not eaten her supper the previous evening, choosing to save it for this moment.

    "Here, Neph. I brought you something to eat!"

    Changing Star received the bundle with a faint smile and lingered a little before saying:

    "Thank you. Uh�� do you guys want breakfast?"

    With that, she walked over to a flimsy wooden table that stood near one of the walls and removed a piece of cloth from it. Beneath, there was a pile of juicy roasted meat.

    It was sizable enough to feed ten people in the castle for a day or two.

    Sunny stared at the meat blankly, then moved his eyes to stare at Nephis.

    "...Where the hell did you get all this meat? We thought you would be starving here in the outer settlement!"

    She touched her hair in embarrassment.

    "Oh�� a few nights ago, a big monster came from the road. I and a few other people managed to kill it. This is my share of the spoils."

    Cassie opened her eyes wide.

    "But I thought that Gunlaug's men were supposed to fight off Nightmare Creatures!"

    Changing Star remained silent for a few seconds.

    "They do if the castle is attacked, either from the slopes of the hill or from the sky. If the monsters come from the road, they usually don't bother to do anything."

    ��So that's why all the nearby hovels were empty. Who would want to live in the direct path of attacking Nightmare Creatures, especially since people who were supposed to fight them weren't going to move a finger to help?

    Sunny smiled darkly.

    'That's the glorious Castle Guard for you. Wait��'

    He blinked, then glared at Nephis.

    "If that is true, then why on Earth�� uh, Dream Realm... would you choose to live in this pit, of all places?!"

    She stared at him for a while, then said in a flat tone:

    "It's quiet here."

    Then, a small smile appeared on Neph's lips. Turning to a window, she added:

    "I like it."

 Chapter 148 Last Harvest

    Chapter 148 Last Harvest

    Behind the window, a striking vista of the cursed city sprawled far below. The morning sun washed the ruins in a pale light, making them look menacingly mysterious.

    Nephis smiled.

    "Besides�� what can compete with this killer view?"

    As though answering her words, a ghastly wail resounded from somewhere far away, echoing in the wind like a dying scream. Sunny trembled.

    'I guess she meant it literally.'

    With a sigh, he put Changing Star's strange choice of habitat at the back of his mind and approached the pile of meat.

    "Let's eat first."

    The three of them sat on the stone floor and ate monster meat, passing around Cassie's beautiful glass bottle between each other. It was just like the good old times, provided that those times were not actually that old, and there had certainly not been anything good about them.

    Almost.

    When all three of them were satiated, Nephis looked at Sunny with calm intensity. For some reason, he was reminded of the unseen waves of pressure that Gunlaug created anywhere he went.

    "What have you learned in the castle?"

    He sighed. This was going to be a long conversation.

    Sunny started by describing the general order of things in the ancient stronghold. He told Neph about the six different castes and the complex relationships that existed between them, as well as briefly explaining how the members of each caste lived their lives. Sometimes, Cassie would add a few details of her own.

    Changing Star frowned.

    "Wait�� did you say that there were five hundred people living in the castle?

    Sunny gave her a nod.

    "Yes, somewhere around that. Why?"

    She thought for a bit, then said:

    "That doesn't make sense. There are almost as many people here in the outer settlement, perhaps even more. That would put the human population of the Dark City at around a thousand. Most of them are fairly young, too �� which would mean that each year, hundreds upon hundreds of us are sent to the Forgotten Shore, with most somehow managing to survive and reach the Bright Castle."

    She paused.

    "But I haven't seen a single Sleeper of our crop here in the slum. As far as I know, we three are the only ones to come to the Dark City after the recent solstice."

    Sunny scratched the back of his head and said with reluctance:

    "Actually, it's four. Caster is also here. He's living comfortably in the castle."

    Nephis suddenly grew strangely animated.

    "Caster of the Han Li clan? He is here?"

    'No need to be so enthusiastic, damn it!'

    Sunny tried not to grimace.

    "Yeah. He had been here pretty much this entire time. Actually, Caster had told us that there were only seven Sleepers sent to the Forgotten Shore by the Spell this year. Strange, I know."

    He paused for a few moments, and then added:

    "Truth be told, I noticed this discrepancy as well. But there is an explanation. You see, there seems to be a pattern to how many people the Spell sends here. Fifteen years ago, when a bunch of crazy humans first laid claim to the castle, there would be just a dozen or so newcomers each year. Then a few dozen. Then a hundred. In the past few years, it was several hundred each time."

    Sunny gestured at the three of them.

    "Until this year, that is, when mere seven Sleepers arrived. Since the Spell is obsessed with the number seven, some people believe that this marks the end of a fourteen-year long cycle and the first year of a new one. I think it's plausible."

    Changing Star thought for a bit, then asked:

    "How does Caster know the total number of new arrivals?"

    That was a good question, naturally. One that Sunny had asked himself many times before finally convincing himself to go find the handsome Legacy and ask him directly.

    "There's an Artisan in the castle with a weird type of revelation Ability. She can trace the general location of everyone a person had ever met. Caster paid her a bunch of soul shards to check if any of his acquaintances made it to the Forgotten Shore. She told him there were six."

    Nephis was silent for a few moments, then simply said:

    "Continue."

    Sunny did. He briefly mentioned the main points of everything he had been able to learn, including all the vile crap he had to witness and his own thoughts on how things worked under the pristine white surface of the magnificent fortress. Inevitably, he had to describe how ingenious and unassailable Bright Lord's hold over the Dark City was.

    Cassie grew pale and quiet during his somber account. Changing Star's face grew darker and darker with each word. When he told her about the travesty of a trial that ended with Jubei's harrowing death and shared his own thoughts on how powerful the Host truly was, the corners of her mouth turned downward.

    Finally, he came to the conclusion:

    "...and that is why Gunlaug can never be defeated. He controls every facet of life here, both material and abstract. Food, shelter, hope, fear�� everything comes under the purview of his authority, and his authority is absolute. Even power itself is his to give and take. Out here, Gunlaug might as well be considered a god."

    Nephis remained silent for a long time, and then quietly said:

    "He is not a god. He is just an impostor."

    Sunny chuckled.

    "In this hell�� is there a difference?"

    She glanced at him sharply and gritted her teeth.

    After a few minutes spent in tense silence, Neph suddenly said:

    "Still. That only explains why Gunalug can't be overthrown in a rebellion. Why didn't anyone simply kill him in his sleep? Why didn't one of his lieutenants stage a coup? After all, this is how tyrants usually end �� by the hand of their most trusted ally."

    Sunny smiled darkly.

    "Ah, well. That is because up until now, I only told you about his power as a ruler. Which is, by all accounts, nothing short of terrifying. But his personal power?"

    He shivered, then added in a hoarse voice:

    "It's way, way worse."

 Chapter 149 Dark Diver

    Chapter 149 Dark Diver

    Sunny was silent for a while, then sighed:

    "Do you remember how Effie told us that he might as well be considered immortal? Well, she wasn't wrong. Apart from the fact that Gunlaug has probably absorbed more Soul Essence and has more experience fighting both Nightmare Creature and Awakened than anyone else on the Forgotten Shore�� there's more to him than that."

    Nephis frowned.

    "Is his Aspect Ability uniquely powerful?"

    Sunny shook his head.

    "His Aspect Ability is that he is able to breathe and move with incredible speed underwater. But it is connected to what I am about to tell you."

    He hesitated.

    "You see, Gunlaug came to the Dark City around eight years ago. Since his Ability was of no use in the ruins, he quickly became an outcast. From what I was able to learn, things were even darker in the Castle back then. Strength decided everything, and anyone without strength wasn't even considered to be human."

    Sunny shuddered. He could imagine it vividly.

    This was, by far, the most cruel and bloody time in the history of the Bright Castle. Right after the last member of the original cohort to conquer the ancient stronghold had perished and before Gunlaug took control, things balanced at the edge of madness for a while.

    Say what you want about the bastard, but at least he kept the humans here from turning into animals�� completely.

    Sunny continued:

    "But Gunlaug, he turned out to be mad even by those standards. Because he actually began to hunt in the dark sea."

    Changing Star blinked.

    "What?"

    He nodded.

    "Yes. At dusk, he would dive from the city wall into the black water to scavenge the soul shards from the monsters of the Labyrinth that were crushed by the flood, racing against the approaching horrors of the depths. And at dawn, he would dive into the retreating sea to scavenge meat from the remains of creatures that the dwellers of the depths had killed and left behind."

    Nephis silently stared at him. They had met the abominable existences that hid beneath the black surface of the cursed sea twice, and each of these harrowing meetings had left scars on their souls and minds. To do so twice a day, every day�� Gunlaug was indeed a madman.

    But he was also somewhat of a mad genius.

    Sunny took a deep breath.

    "And this is how he turned from a desperate outcast into the Bright Lord. One day, Gunlaug was pulled away by a current and, once the sea disappeared, stumbled onto a mortally wounded, dying leviathan. The creature was still alive, but just barely. Knowing that the carrion eaters of the Labyrinth will soon come to feast on it, Gunlaug began cutting the meat of the creature's bones with his knife."

    He paused, then said in a strangely dark voice:

    "By chance, the leviathan happened to die from its terrible wounds at that exact moment. And since Gunlaug's blade was the last thing to cut it, the Spell happened to attribute the kill to him. And that kill�� that kill happened to give him a Memory. A wondrous golden armor that no human weapon can even scratch."

    No one really knew a lot about the dwellers of the depths, but Sunny and Nephis had once witnessed two carapace centurions retrieve two Transcendent souls shards from the carcass of one of them. Which meant that Gunlaug's armor-type Memory was at least three ranks above the soul cores of every human on the Forgotten Shore.

    Almost every weapon-type Memory they possessed was either of Dormant or Awakened rank. Even if someone managed to kill a Fallen creature and acquire an Ascended weapon from it, the weapon would most likely still be ineffective against the Transcendent armor. And since that damn armor didn't have any openings��

    Basically, Gunlaug was invincible.

    Sunny sighed.

    "With that armor, he returned to the Dark City, gathered a few supporters, killed everyone who stood in his way, and took control of the Castle. No one was able to threaten his reign ever since. And all those who tried�� well. Their skulls are out there for everyone to see, swinging on chains above the gates of the castle."

    Nephis remained silent for a long time, staring at the floor. She seemed to be a bit disheartened. Finally, she asked:

    "What traits does the armor possess?"

    He shrugged.

    "Who knows? It's not like anyone who had the opportunity to learn that lived to tell the tale. The only thing widely known about the golden armor is that it is made out of some strange liquid metal and that it emanates a field of crushing psychic pressure. But even that is not entirely true. Actually, it only affects those who look at their reflection in the visor. Cassie wasn't affected at all."

    The blind girl raised an eyebrow, only now learning that everyone except for her always felt incredibly oppressed in Gunlaug's presence. For once, her terrible Flaw gave her an advantage.

    It had also allowed Sunny to learn a valuable secret. But he had no time to be happy about it.

    The most important part of this conversation was drawing close. He had to convince Changing Star to abandon any idea of going against Gunlaug. Otherwise, all three of them were going to end up dead.

    Sunny looked at her and asked in a carefully neutral tone:

    "So, what do you think?"

    Changing Star was quiet for a while, then suddenly said:

    "I have also learned something while you were gone."

    Sunny frowned slightly. Was she trying to avoid this conversation? Feeling heavy and uncertain, he asked:

    "Really? What is it?"

    However, in the next second, he had forgotten all about his previous worries. Because Nephis looked him right in the eyes and said:

    "There is a Gateway here, after all."

    Something exploded in Sunny's mind.

    'What�� there is�� there is a Gateway?'

    Stunned, he stared at Neph with wide eyes.

    How could this be? Why hadn't anyone ever mentioned it? No, it didn't make any sense. If there was a Gateway, why would people just stay in the Dark City? Why were both Effie and Caster so adamant that there was no way out?

    A familiar dark feeling of unease settled in his heart.

    Trying to compose himself, Sunny slowly said:

    "Then why�� why hasn't anyone left? Where is it?"

    Nephis looked at the window, remained silent for a few moments, and then answered in a flat tone:

    "Where do you think? It's in the Crimson Spire, of course."

 Chapter 150 Hunting Party

    Chapter 150 Hunting Party

    The Crimson Spire�� that eerie and everpresent shadow that had hunted him all this time. The cyclopean tower that stood at the center of the Labyrinth, or maybe was the source of it, emanating a harrowing sense of foreboding.

    The background for the last part of Cassie's vision.

    Of course, the damn Gateway just had to be in that damn spire!

    Sunny sighed.

    This was unwelcomed, but not unexpected news. After all, Inspector Rock did warn them that, should they ever find themselves in a region of the Dream Realm without an established human Citadel, they should look for the Gateway either around or inside the most prominent landmark there.

    The Crimson Spire loomed over the entire Forgotten Shore like an axis connecting heaven to earth. It was hard to imagine anything more prominent. Ever since Cassie had first told them about it, deep down, Sunny always suspected that they were going to end up having to enter that creepy tower at some point.

    After the revelation that there was no Gateway in the human castle, that suspicion only grew stronger.

    But, wait. There was something else that Instructor Rock had told them��

    'Work together to defeat the Gateway guardians�� wasn't these his words? So who is guarding the Crimson Spire?'

    Glancing at Nephis, he asked darkly:

    "So what is inside the Spire? I gather that it's not something pleasant. Otherwise, there wouldn't be a thousand Sleepers choosing to live in a city full of vicious monsters instead of going there."

    Changing Star nodded. Without changing her expression, she looked away and answered:

    "A Fallen Terror."

    Sunny's heart skipped a bit.

    A Fallen Terror �� the Nightmare Creature one whole class above the dreaded tyrants, with six mighty soul cores providing it with profane power �� would certainly do the trick.

    "So, going there is suicide."

    No amount of Sleepers could ever hope to defeat a Fallen Terror. The possibility of surviving such an encounter, let alone emerging victorious, was zero. It was even less probable than breaking through Gunlaug's indestructible armor.

    Impossible.

    He chuckled. What irony! To not only be trapped in this hell, but also be forced to stare at the path to freedom every day, knowing that you'll never be able to reach it. That�� that was such a cruel torture. Sunny would even go as far as to say that it was a type of hell in and of itself.

    No wonder the Tower of Dusk was so unpopular. Living there would simply drive some people insane.

    They were really, truly stuck here forever.

    Nephis sighed.

    "The first ruler of the Bright Castle led a large expedition to find a way out of the Labyrinth. They all perished. The second ruler �� the last member of the original cohort �� tried to reach the Gateway instead. They all died, too. After that, no one tried to find a way out anymore."

    The three of them remained silent for a long time, their mood grim and somber. Now that they had a chance to spend some time in the small human enclave on the Forgotten Shore and gather information, there were no more excuses to deny it. Everything that Effie had told them was true.

    They were going to spend the rest of their lives here�� however long that might be.

    Sunny sighed, then looked at Changing Star.

    "So�� what's the plan?"

    Nephis looked at the vista of the ruined city through the window. Sunny was sure that she had already thought a lot about their future. He just hoped that her thoughts were not too crazy.

    After a while, she said:

    "We will create a hunting party."

    ��Not too bad. Despite the fact that becoming independent hunters was going to be a long and perilous journey, it was at least achievable. They just had to be smart and careful about it.

    He scratched the back of his head:

    "Going into the Dark City blind will be very dangerous."

    Nephis shrugged, then turned to face him:

    "You are right. We will need to recruit a pathfinder."

    Someone who was already experienced and could teach them the ropes�� that would certainly speed things along and make the whole process safer. Good thinking.

    "Do you have someone in mind?"

    She gave him a nod.

    "As a matter of fact, I do. We will go see her later. But first��"

    Her eyes gleamed with intensity.

    "...Tell me every detail of what you have learned in the castle. Every name, every Aspect. Every Ability and Flaw you've been able to glean. Every grievance people have and every agenda they're hiding. I need to know it all."

    Sunny smiled.

    "Sure, no problem. But be warned, this is going to take a while. I've been very busy snooping around, you know."

    For the first time since receiving his Aspect, Sunny had been able to do what he had planned to do from the start �� gather information without risking his hide, as a real spy should. After months of bloody battles and open confrontations, It was strangely rewarding.

    Changing Star gave him a nod.

    "There's no hurry."

    ***

    Several hours later, Sunny was finishing his winding report, his voice hoarse from all the talking:

    "...is actually the same Pathfinder who the hunter from the outer settlement, Jubei, accused of using another human as monster bait. A real nasty fellow. He is an incredibly formidable fighter and is good at his job, but his personal habits�� well. The man is a degenerate gambler. He spends all his shards in Aiko's gambling den, then refuses to pay and hurts anyone who dares to object."

    He took a breath, then added angrily:

    "Some people even say that this whole challenge happened because he wanted to hunt a powerful monster and pay off a part of his gambling debt. The bastard."

    Then, Sunny thought for a while, scratched his head, and said:

    "Uh�� I think that covers pretty much everything. Of course, there are a lot of things I wasn't able to learn at all."

    Nephis was in deep thought, digesting the mountain of information that Sunny had thrown at her. Her face was cold and distant.

    Feeling that her friend wasn't going to react, Cassie patted him on the shoulder, smiled, and said:

    "You've done a very good job, Sunny! This is amazing."

    He blinked and looked aside, slightly embarrassed.

    "Well�� of course it is. That is what my Aspect is actually for, remember? The whole monster-slaying thing is nothing but an unfortunate misuse of my talents, honestly."

    'Yeah�� I would much prefer to stay hidden somewhere safe and let my shadow do all the work.'

    The shadow slightly turned its head and threw a menacing look his way. It was not amused.

    Sunny smiled, then looked at Nephis.

    "So�� who is the pathfinder you want to recruit? There can't be a lot of experienced hunters in the outer settlement, right? And each of them must have their hunting party already. How are we going to persuade one to join us?"

    Changing Star lingered, then said in a strangely tense voice:

    "Yes. Everyone who is worth something has their own party �� except for one person. But persuading her won't be easy."

    She sighed, then added:

    "Actually, you already know her. It's Effie."

 Chapter 151 Head Hunting

    Chapter 151 Head Hunting

    Some time later, they were standing in front of a makeshift cabin. Just like Changing Star's patchwork dwelling, the cabin was constructed out of mismatched stone blocks that had been scavenged from the ruins. It was reinforced with monster hides here and there and seemed to be built slightly better than the rest of the hovels in the outer settlement.

    There was a large bestial skull hung above the door, its thick forehead split apart by a devastating strike of some sharp weapon.

    Glancing at the skull, Nephis took a step forward and knocked on the door. However, no response followed.

    Sunny sighed.

    "Maybe she's not home."

    Instead of an answer, Changing Star frowned and banged on the door with her first. The first strike was somewhat gentle, but by the last, the bestial skull was on the verge of flying off the wall.

    A sleepy and irritated voice sounded from the inside:

    "I swear to gods, whoever you are, you'd better be a Nightmare Creature!"

    A few moments later, Sunny heard the sound of footsteps approaching the door. Before it opened, though, Nephis suddenly spoke:

    "Sunny, turn away."

    Hearing a strange urgency in her voice, he scowled and did as she had asked.

    "Your shadow, too."

    'What is going on? Are we expecting trouble?'

    As he was staring away from the cabin, the creaking of wood informed him that the door was flung open.

    "Who the hell is�� oh. It's you."

    He swore he could hear Neph's teeth grinding against each other. A few seconds later, Changing Star spoke, her tone especially flat:

    "...Put on a Memory, Effie. Please."

    'Wait�� what?'

    Why would she�� oh��

    Oh!

    When he was finally allowed to turn back, the last glimmers of ethereal light were yet to disappear from the fabric of Effie's provocatively short chiton. She wasn't wearing anything underneath, either.

    "Here. Better?"

    The huntress was exactly the same as the last time he had seen her �� tall, strong, and brimming with vitality. Without the bronze cuirass with leather pteruges, as well as other elements of the archaic armor, even more of hew dewy olive skin could be seen.

    "So, you guys are back together, huh? Judging by how clean and shiny the other two look, I'm guessing that their stay in the Castle was pleasant?"

    Sunny glanced at Cassie, then said in a reserved tone:

    "Not particularly. Just like you said, the ambiance there is�� well�� an acquired taste, I guess."

    Effie grinned.

    "Well said! Anyway, how can I help you?"

    Changing Star motioned at the door.

    "Can we come inside?"

    The unruly huntress glanced back, then shrugged.

    "Sure. Why not?"

    Inside, the cabin was small and cozy. One of its corners was occupied by a large pile of furs that served Effie as a bed. At first glance, it didn't seem that lavish, but once it hit Sunny that each of the furs had come from the corpse of a Nightmare Creature, he quickly changed his mind.

    That was probably the most extravagant thing he had ever seen.

    Also�� one could only imagine what went on between those furs��

    'Pure thoughts, Sunny! Focus!'

    There was also a fireplace, a table with a single wooden chair, and a pair of sturdy chests. The rest of the space was occupied by various curios that the huntress had scavenged from the ruins over the years. There was no particular logic to this opulent collection except for the fact that each object had once caught her fancy for this reason or that.

    After the three of them were seated, Effie returned to her pile of furs, wrapped herself in one of them and asked:

    "So, what's so important that you had to come and wake me up this early in the morning?"

    'Early in the morning? It's already noon!'

    Nephis lingered for a few moments, then said:

    "You haven't hunted since the day we met. Right?"

    Effie yawned, then said in a languid tone:

    "Nope. I'll go back into the ruins once my food runs out. Which will be in a day or two, I think."

    What�� how? The amount of meat she had butchered off those monsters was enough to feed a person for a couple of months. It was all gone already? Just how much did the vigorous huntress eat?!

    Changing Star nodded.

    "When you do, come with us. Be our pathfinder."

    'Well�� she certainly doesn't beat around the bush.'

    For some reason, Sunny had not expected Neph to be this direct. He had always imagined this conversation taking much longer before getting to its real purpose.

    Effie stared at them, then threw her head back and laughed out loud.

    "Ah, that's a good one! Do you want me to be your nanny, too?"

    When her laughter died down, she shook her head and said:

    "No offense, kids, but you have just arrived in the Dark City. You are as green as it gets. Best hunters out here wanted me to become a part of their party, and I refused them all. Do you know why?"

    Neph nodded with a serious expression.

    "Most hunting parties share the spoils of their hunts. Each hunter keeps a part to eat and sells the rest to the people in the slum. But because of your Flaw, you can't allow yourself to do the same. You need all the sustenance a hunt can provide. The more partners you have, the lesser your share will become, so�� you hunt alone, and never sell the meat of your prey, just their hides."

    Effie smiled.

    "I see someone has been doing their homework."

    Changing Star tilted her head a little and, not paying any attention to the irony in those words, continued:

    "We can solve that problem by��"

    However, the solitary huntress interrupted her:

    "Stop. Good guess, but you are wrong. That is not why I refused all those hunters."

    Nephis blinked, surprised. After a long pause, she asked, a hint of confusion in her voice:

    "Then�� why?"

    The smile disappeared from Effie's face.

    "Because they are weak. Every one of them is weak. Even the most successful of them are. And do you know why?"

    Something dark gleamed in her hazel eyes.

    "They are weak because Gunlaug will never allow anyone strong to exist outside of his control. So�� I am not going to be your pathfinder. Sorry, princess."

    Changing Star froze, obviously flustered by that answer. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again and awkwardly pressed her lips together.

    No matter how much she had honed her social skills during their journey through the Labyrinth, this conversation still seemed to be too much for her.

    In the ensuing silence, Sunny suddenly spoke, his voice calm and slightly provoking:

    "He's allowing you to exist."

    Effie looked at him, raised one eyebrow with a smile, and didn't say anything.

    Finally, Nephis was able to compose herself:

    "We might be new here, but we are not weak. Between the two of us, Sunny and I had killed dozens upon dozens of Awakened creatures in the Labyrinth��"

    The huntress interrupted her once again:

    "Even if that's true, that was there. Out here in the Dark City, things are very different."

    The two of them stared at each other, one with a relaxed smile on her lips, the other with stubborn flames burning in her eyes.

    'Oh, I don't like this��'

    Eventually, Changing Star grimaced and said:

    "So, if we prove that we have strength, you might reconsider?"

    Effie chuckled.

    "Damn! You say it like it's easy. You do know how many people can't even step a foot into the ruins, right? If you guys survive in this hell for a few years, maybe then we can talk again."

    Nephis looked at her for a while, and then smiled darkly.

    "We will talk again in the evening. Then, you will change your mind."

 Chapter 152 There And Back Again

    Chapter 152 There And Back Again

    Outside, the sun was already moving past its zenith. There wasn't that much time left before the sunset, so Sunny was really unsure about what Nephis could do to change Effie's mind before evening. However, judging by the determined expression on her face, Changing Star wasn't just throwing words to the wind. She had something specific in mind.

    He hesitated.

    "So, uh�� what exactly are we going to do now?"

    Neph glanced at him, white flames dancing in the depths of her cold grey eyes. Then, she turned away and said:

    "Follow me."

    With that, she walked forward in the direction of the castle.

    'Castle? Why are we going to the castle?'

    Somewhat uneasy, Sunny gently took Cassie by the arm and hurried to catch up to Nephis. When he did, she suddenly threw over her shoulder:

    "Tell me about that Pathfinder again. The one who was accused of murder three days ago."

    Sunny frowned, then repeated what he knew about the guy. When he was almost finished, she asked:

    "What's his Aspect Ability?"

    He hesitated, then said:

    "He can make any weapon become incredibly sharp when it's in his hands. Sharp enough to cut stone, maybe even steel. It's a very powerful combat Ability."

    Changing Star was quiet for some time, then said:

    "What about his Flaw?"

    Sunny shook his head.

    "That I have no idea about. People are very protective of their Flaws, you know. Not everyone goes around telling everyone about their greatest vulnerability like that lunatic, Effie."

    Cassie, who seemed to be very protective of him today, decided to support this claim:

    "Sunny is right, Neph. We don't even know what his own Flaw is, remember?"

    Sunny almost stumbled and had to try very hard to not let any emotion show on his face.

    Cassie was right, of course. While Changing Star and she had shared their Flaws with him, Sunny never reciprocated the gesture�� for obvious reasons.

    'That is true, but�� uh, can we not talk about that?!'

    Nephis silently nodded and didn't comment on it further. It seemed as though her mind was on something else.

    'Phew��'

    Soon, they scaled the magnificent stairs and were approaching the gates of the castle. Sunny was growing increasingly nervous about Neph's intentions.

    'What is her plan, exactly?!'

    "Uh�� Neph? What do you need us to do?

    She shrugged, then said in her usual indifferent tone:

    "You don't really need to do anything. Just follow me and try to look�� uh�� virtuous."

    'Look�� virtuous? What does that suppose to mean?!'

    The Guards standing watch in front of the gates blocked their path with contemptuous and suggestive looks in their eyes.

    Contempt was directed toward Sunny, while the rest was directed toward the girls, of course.

    "Stop! What business do you have in the Bright Castle? Want to pay the tribute?"

    "Or maybe want to get paid, instead? If you know what I mean��"

    Both of them laughed, making Sunny's blood boil.

    Nephis looked at them with a calm expression, then said:

    "I want to go inside, but I'm not going to pay tribute."

    The laughter suddenly stopped. The Guards looked at them with a bit of amusement, a harsh and dangerous light finding its way into their eyes.

    "Have you lost your mind, wench? Why are you here if you're not going to pay tribute? Stop wasting our time!"

    Changing Star stared at them with no emotion whatsoever showing on her beautiful ivory face. Then, she said evenly:

    "I'm here to invoke the Right of Challenge."

    ***

    For a few seconds, everyone stayed silent. Sunny's heart was beating like a wild beast in his chest.

    'Mad! She has gone mad!'

    But no, Changing Star was not mad. Although Sunny liked to joke inwardly about how crazy Nephis was, she was anything but. In fact, her ability to remain cool-headed and rational in any situation was one of the main reasons that made her so dangerous. Which meant that there was some opportunity she saw here that he didn't.

    At least he hoped that this was the case.

    Meanwhile, one of the Guards frowned:

    "Stop joking around, little girl. Shut your mouth and get lost if you want to live."

    Neph didn't move. Instead, she said:

    "I'm not joking."

    The other Guard stared at her, then shook his head:

    "Those slum rats have really all gone crazy, huh? I thought that this recent show would teach them a lesson, but it seems as though it did not."

    He sneered.

    "Listen, lass. The Right of Challenge is not a laughing matter. It's a fight to the death. No one is going to go easy on you just because you have a pretty face. Do you understand?"

    Changing Star simply nodded.

    The Guard waited for a while, looking at her tall figure and the crude tunic that she wore. Then, he grimaced.

    "I guess we'll have some entertainment today! Ugh, such a shame. With your looks, you could have lived in the castle without ever even needing to pay the tribute."

    Shaking his head, he turned around and gestured for the three of them to follow. The other Guard stayed behind, a bewildered and darkly excited expression on his face.

    With the sound of the rusty chains swinging in the wind invading their ears, Sunny, Nephis and Cassie passed beneath the hanging skulls and entered the castle.

    Inside, everything was exactly the same. Even Harper was still sitting behind his opulent desk, writing something on a piece of parchment. Hearing the sound of footsteps, he raised his head and threw a furtive glance in their direction.

    An expression of confused surprise appeared in his eyes.

    "Uh�� Sunless and Cassia? What are you guys doing back here?"

    Sunny felt the desire to palm his face.

    When he had said to the gaunt young man that they might see each other in the future�� he certainly did not mean that that future would be on the same damn day!

    Not knowing about the thoughts raging in his head, Harper smiled:

    "Oh! Did you guys get lucky and come into some shards? Back already to pay the tribute?"

    Sunny gritted his teeth and forced out a weak smile.

    "Uh, no. Not exactly��"

 Chapter 153 Guiding Star

    Chapter 153 Guiding Star

    By the time the three of them were led to the grand hall of the castle, the news that there was going to be another challenge had yet to spread through the entire fortress. Because of that, there was no crowd there, just a few dozen people who had happened to walk past and heard the commotion. However, their number was growing with each minute.

    Standing before the entrance to the hall, Nephis was calmly looking forward, her thoughts a mystery. She seemed to be steady and collected. Sunny, on the other hand, was very nervous.

    Just what was Changing Star planning?

    Glancing around to make sure that no one could eavesdrop on their conversation, he leaned to her and whispered:

    "You're not really going to fight one of Gunlaug's lieutenants, are you?"

    Because that would be suicide. No matter how talented and strong Neph was, she couldn't hope to win against someone like that, at least not before absorbing enough soul shards to even the odds at least a little. Those people had not gotten to where they were by pure accident, too.

    They had talents of their own.

    Nephis didn't turn her head and simply said:

    "...The walls have ears."

    Sunny gritted his teeth and was about to retort, by at that moment, the Guard that had led them inside appeared from the grand hall, threw a dark look at them, and spat:

    "Come on in, fools."

    Changing Star simply walked forward, leaving Sunny and Cassie no choice but to follow.

    Inside the hall, a small crowd of people was staring at the entrance. When they saw Nephis, a wave of confused whispers ran through their ranks.

    "Who is that?"

    "Never seen her before."

    "There's something strange about that girl��"

    The whole situation was much less ostentatious and theatrical than that on the day of Jubei's death. Most of the lieutenants weren't even here, not to mention the Bright Lord himself. Only the leader of Hunters, Gemma, was sitting on the steps leading up to the empty white throne. On his face, there was a slightly sullen expression.

    To Sunny's relief, Harus was nowhere to be seen.

    When the Guard led the three of them inside, Gemma raised his head and glanced in their direction with a frown.

    "Did I hear it correctly? One of you three wants to invoke the Right of Challenge?"

    Nephis took a step forward, looked him right in the eyes, and answered in her usual indifferent voice:

    "I do."

    Her calmness was in direct contradiction with the heavy meaning behind those words. It was the polar opposite of the impassioned, scornful, furious speech of condemnation that Jubei had given in this hall three days ago. The confused frown on Gemma's face deepened.

    "You do know what that means, right, little girl?"

    She continued to stare at him without showing any sign of fear, then repeated:

    "I do."

    The tall Hunter sighed.

    "Listen�� it is indeed true that anyone has the right to invoke the Right of Challenge. But throwing your life away is a really stupid thing to do. I'm sure that you had to suffer a lot to make it this far. Everyone here did, pretty much. So how about you think about it some more and reconsider?"

    His voice wasn't unfriendly. In fact, it seemed sincere, as though Gunlaug's lieutenant really did not want to see her die for no reason. However, his words fell on deaf ears. Neph just tilted her head a little and said:

    "No need."

    Gemma sighed again, then shook his head.

    "Fine, have it your way then. Who are you here to accuse?"

    Sunny already had the idea. That's why he wasn't surprised to hear her next words:

    "I am here to accuse the Pathfinder known as Andel."

    Andel was the person whose crime had led to Jubei's challenge, and then death.

    As another wave of whispers rose from the crowd, Gemma blinked. With an unhappy scowl on his face, he said:

    "As I've told the last time, I am the leader of both Hunters and Pathfinders. Any crime they commit while performing their duties is my crime, so I will be the one to answer for it. Are you sure you want to challenge me, kid?"

    Sunny held his breath, knowing that Neph's next words would decide their fates.

    Despite the older man's heavy tone, she did not even flinch. However, she did pierce him with a cold gaze, then slowly shook her head.

    "I'm not here to accuse him of murdering the young man from the outer settlement. I'm here to accuse him of theft. Andel has lost a considerable amount of soul shards while gambling, but refused to pay. That is stealing. Since it was done on his private time and not while performing any official duties, you have nothing to do with it."

    Gemma stared at her, a bewildered look written clearly on his face.

    Sunny was doing the same.

    'Well, that was�� unexpected. Kind of ingenious, actually. Who knew Neph can be so crafty?'

    By shifting the accusation from a crime committed during a hunt to a misdemeanor that had nothing to do with Andel's role as a Pathfinder, she effectively prevented any of the lieutenants from fighting on his behalf. At least if they remained true to their claim of being just.

    But was a seasoned Pathfinder any less of a threat than one of Gunlaug's proxies?

    And would Gemma even allow a challenge like that to proceed?

    As though responding to his questions, the tall Hunter raised his eyebrows and said in disbelief:

    "What? A�� a gambling debt? You want to... did Aiko send you?"

    Nephis shook her head again.

    "No. I've never even met her."

    Everyone in the grand hall looked at her as though she was insane. The charismatic lieutenant was no exception. With some exasperation finding its way into his voice, he asked:

    "If you don't even know the person Andel owes the shards, why are you here challenging him on her behalf?!"

    Neph simply shrugged.

    "Do I need to personally know the victim of the crime to punish the criminal?"

    Gemma stared, clearly finding the whole situation ridiculous.

    "...It's just a gambling debt. I can pay the shards myself, and we all can.."

    However, Changing Star interrupted him. Her voice was still inexplicably calm and even:

    "It's not about shards. It's about justice�� and law. After all, the law is our only guiding star in this dark world. Without its light, there's only darkness."

    Her words echoed in the grand hall and put a grim expression on Gemma's face. By repeating what Gunlaug had said here a few days prior, she left him with little choice but to satisfy the request for a challenge.

    After all, going against it would be tantamount to going against the Bright Lord's will.

    'How devious! Did she learn that from me?'

    The Hunter looked away with regret, remained silent for some time, and then said to one of the Guards in a dark tone:

    "Go and bring Andel here. Tell that bastard that after he kills this stupid girl, he and I will have a long conversation about his�� life choices."

    Then, he glanced at Neph and said:

    "And you�� say your goodbyes and prepare for battle. Oh, right. What is your name? Tell us. That way, you will at least be remembered."

    Looking him right in the eyes, Nephis stayed quiet for a bit, and then answered.

    Her clear voice resounded loudly in the grand hall:

    "I am Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan."

    Suddenly, everything became silent.

 Chapter 154 Light Of The Seven

    Chapter 154 Light Of The Seven

    Everyone grew quiet. Even Gemma seemed to be slightly stunned by that proclamation. The only person to not react to it at all was Caster, who had entered the grand hall a bit earlier and was now standing by one of the walls, watching Nephis with a complex expression.

    Her full name was shocking to hear for two entirely different, but equally earth-shattering reasons.

    Firstly, she had called herself not by a human name, but by a True one. In the entire history of human civilization, only a handful of Awakened had managed to earn a True Name in their First Nightmare. Needless to say, none of them was among the thousand Sleepers currently trapped on the Forgotten Shore.

    Even Gunlaug himself did not have one.

    But Nephis did.

    ...And Sunny too, of course, but no one had to know that.

    Secondly, she had announced herself to be a Legacy, and not just any Legacy at that, but one from the legendary Immortal Flame clan. A clan that had been responsible for propelling the entire human species forward not once, but twice �� first by helping conquer the Second Nightmare, then the Third.

    A combination of these facts was enough to set off a metaphorical explosion in the middle of the Dark City. If this was true, then she could be considered to be an almost messianic existence here on the Forgotten Shore.

    Suddenly, the calmness with which she dared to challenge a fearsome Pathfinder to a battle to the death did not seem that strange.

    The dazed looks in the eyes of all the Sleepers gathered in the grand hall had slowly begun to give place to a subtle, tentative, weak glow.

    It was as though a tiny seed of hope was suddenly planted in the dead soil of their lightless, forlorn souls.

    Either by accident or on purpose, Nephis chose that exact moment to summon her armor. Numerous sparks of light surrounded her in a whirlpool of soft radiance, and when they were gone, a striking black and white armor had appeared on her graceful body.

    Everyone's eyes were immediately glued to the symbol on its breastplate. On it, seven shining stars were intricately engraved into the strange white metal.

    "Th��that symbol!"

    "It's Starlight Crest!"

    "The crest of the Seven!"

    Just like Sunny, many of the inhabitants of the Bright Castle were familiar with the symbol of the seven stars. Not only was it carved into the robe of the giant statue standing in front of the impregnable city wall, it was also often depicted in numerous stone carvings decorating the walls of the ancient fortress.

    It seemed to represent the seven heroes that had once vowed to vanquish the darkness consuming this cursed land�� and lead its people back into the light.

    Sunny felt cold sweat running down his spine.

    'What�� what is she doing? Is it all a coincidence, or did Nephis plan everything? Does she not understand how these fools will react to such theatrics? If they get the wrong idea and start running their mouths about how she is some sort of a heavenly savior, Gunlaug will soon come knocking on our doors!'

    What did Neph say? Just follow her lead and try to look virtuous?

    Sunny stared at her back, stumped. How would he even do that? There had never been a single drop of virtue in his entire body!

    Meanwhile, Gemma had finally managed to compose himself and threw an evaluating look at Changing Star. If there had been nothing but neglect and disregard in his eyes before, now there was a hint of dark wariness in them.

    Slowly, the leader of Hunters smiled.

    "Ah. In that case, nice to meet you. I must say, it's a very impressive name you have there. Makes one wonder where it came from."

    The implication behind these words was easy to understand. Gemma was insinuating that Nephis was lying.

    It seemed as though this insinuation had removed a veil from everyone's eyes. Most people quickly lost their wistful expressions, once again looking at her either somberly or with dark anticipation. Only now, there were also hints of mocking disdain on some of their faces.

    ��And yet, several of them were still staring at her with expressions full of hesitant, timid faith.

    Changing Star did not react to any of that in any way. She simply remained calm and indifferent.

    As though she existed slightly apart from the dirt and despair of this world.

    Soon, Andel the Pathfinder was led into the grand hall.

    ***

    The Pathfinder was of average height and solid build, with menacing blue eyes and a sharp jaw. His head was shaved on the sides, with the remaining hair weaved into a short braid. He appeared to be slightly older than the rest of the Sleepers gathered in the grand hall, with the exception of Gemma himself. Andel was probably around twenty-four years old.

    He looked like a skilled, seasoned, and ruthless fighter. Every Pathfinder was nothing less than an elite among elites, and he was no exception. Even those who hated Andel stared at him with fear and respect, even veneration.

    Entering the hall, Andel threw a dark look at Nephis and walked forward to the base of the steps leading to the white throne. There, he stopped and bowed, showing his respect to the leader of Hunters.

    "I'm here."

    Gemma stared at him with an irritated, contemptuous expression, and then sighed.

    "You know why I've summoned you?"

    The Pathfinder smirked.

    "Some wench wants to challenge me? Good. I was very sad to let Harus have all the fun last time."

    Several angry whispers sounded from the crowd, but no one dared to reveal their hatred toward the arrogant murderer openly.

    The corner of Gemma's mouth turned downward. He remained silent for some time, and then said in a dangerous tone:

    "Fun? Did you say fun? Well, Andel, if you lacked excitement in your life, you should have just told me. How about this? After you kill that girl, I will show you what real fun is."

    With that, he gestured to the Guards that the fight could begin. Andel frowned a little, but then turned around with a dark smile on his lips.

    Sunny and Cassie were led to the side, where they joined the crowd of spectating Sleepers. By that point, there was a considerable amount of them gathered in the grand hall.

    Everyone looked at the fearsome Pathfinder and Nephis with a mix of tension and anticipation. Some were here just to see a macabre show, waiting with excitement for blood to flow. To them, it didn't matter who lived and who died, although none believed that the girl from the outer settlement had any chance of surviving in a duel against the experienced Pathfinder.

    Others wanted to see Andel punished for his crimes. But even these people seemed to believe that Neph was doomed to die. They just hoped that she would manage to make the bastard bleed a little before she did.

    Perhaps only Sunny, Cassie, and Caster knew that the result of this fight was not as predictable as everyone seemed to think.

    Not wasting any time, Andel summoned his weapon and walked toward Changing Star. In his hand, a vicious, crudely forged falchion suddenly gleamed with polished luster, its edge turning sharper than that of a razor.

    With a shudder, Sunny realized that not even the Starlight Legion Armor would stop such a blade.

    The Pathfinder's movements were soft and deceptive, betraying years of experience in bloody battles against both Nightmare Creatures and humans. The dark smile had never left his lips, and there was bloodlust burning in his eyes. After years spent hunting monsters, he looked like a monster himself.

    However, Nephis just stood there calmly and watched him approach, not even trying to summon her sword.

    'What is she doing? Trying to mimic Harus?'

    When the distance between them shortened to that of only several steps, everyone held their breaths. Suddenly, Andel flourished his cleaver and lunged forward with astonishing, almost inhuman speed. His push was so powerful that dust flew into the air from under the soles of his boots.

    Sunny clenched his fists.

    '...What is she!'

    Just a fraction of a second before the magically enhanced blade cleaved her apart, Nephis suddenly sidestepped the strike and threw her arms into the air, simultaneously summoning her longsword. The ethereal sparks of light passed through the blade of Andel's falchion, forming into silvery steel only on the other side of it.

    The Pathfinder's eyes widened.

    ��Forever.

    Without anything separating it from the enemy's flesh, the longsword that had just formed from the thin air behind the falchion bit into his neck, cleanly severing Andel's head from his shoulders.

    As blood shot into the air from the Pathfinder's neck, his head rolled on the floor like a macabre ball and stopped near the steps that led to Gunlaug's white throne.

    It seemed as though all oxygen was suddenly sucked out of the great hall.

    In the deathly silence, Andel's body heavily fell on the white marble.

    Everyone was staring at Nephis in utter disbelief �� the Sleepers, the Guards, even Gemma.

    Honestly, Sunny himself was a bit stunned. Of course, he had suspected that Changing Star might win the duel. But even he did not expect that she would kill an actual Pathfinder, one of the most fearsome warriors in the Bright Castle, with just one strike.

    Dismissing her sword with a cold expression on her face, Nephis walked over to the marble steps, picked up the severed head by the hair, and looked up at the leader of the Hunters.

    Then, with a well-practiced polite smile, she said:

    "...Oh. It was nice to meet you too."

 Chapter 155 First Recruits

    Chapter 155 First Recruits

    The blood was still dripping from Andel's severed head when they left the castle. Nephis was holding it by the hair, her face as indifferent as always. It seemed as though carrying human heads was not even something worthy of changing facial expressions.

    Suddenly, Sunny saw Changing Star in a new light. It was a long time since he had last been wary of her, but now, he was starting to wonder.

    Just how many people had she killed in the past?

    The facial expressions of everyone else, though, ranged from astonishment to horror. People who had witnessed the duel stared at Nephis as though she was some sort of an avenging angel. The others treated her like a terrifying demon.

    'I wonder... how much souls essence had she absorbed with this one kill? Has to be a lot, right?'

    ��But those were just the inhabitants of the castle. The reactions of the people of the outer settlement were strangely reserved, but even more intense. They had never seen one of them stroll into the ancient fortress and walk away freely with a severed head of a Pathfinder in their hands. Now, all of them were watching silently, an inexorable, dark, sweltering emotion burning in their eyes.

    All of it made Sunny very uncomfortable.

    He wasn't sure if Nephis knew what kind of a storm her stunt had evoked in the hearts of these people. That sort of emotion was dangerous and almost impossible to control. If she didn't know, things could turn really bad really quickly.

    ��But it was even worse if she did, and had done it on purpose. Was Neph really capable of such ingenious and effective manipulation? Was this her plan all along?

    Sunny wasn't sure that he knew this side of Changing Star.

    Come to think of it, he didn't really know that much about her at all.

    Consumed by these doubts, Sunny didn't even notice that they were already in front of Effie's cabin. He glanced at the sky, only to see the sun hiding behind the ominous silhouette of the Crimson Spire.

    It was evening, just like Nephis had promised.

    '...Scary.'

    The unruly huntress opened the door before they even knocked, a hint of irritation in her eyes.

    "What's with all the commotion?! Can't a girl spend a day in��"

    Noticing the three of them, she froze.

    Without so much as batting an eye, Nephis simply threw Andel's head to Effie's feet and asked:

    "Can we talk now?"

    Looking down at the macabre present, the huntress narrowed her eyes. Her face darkened.

    A few moments later, she glanced up and said in a grim voice:

    "Come inside."

    ***

    As soon as the door closed behind them, Effie asked in a furious whisper:

    "What the hell have you done, princess?!"

    Nephis tilted her head and slightly frowned. Then, she said with a hint of sincere confusion in her voice:

    "You wanted me to prove my strength. Did you not?"

    The huntress stared at her in disbelief. Misunderstanding her silence, Neph blinked, then added:

    "Oh. That head belonged to��"

    "I know whose head it is! Where did you get it?!"

    Sunny sighed and slumped heavily on one of the sturdy chests. Then he forced out a dark smile and said:

    "Oh, by the way�� you might be the last human in the Dark City to learn this, but standing right in front of you is none other than Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan, the champion of justice. She just walked into the castle, challenged the bastard, and killed him with one strike of her sword, right under everyone's eyes. By now, this must be the only thing people are talking about."

    His tone lacked any kind of amusement. If anything, it seemed as though Sunny was just barely stopping himself from cursing out loud.

    Why�� why did trouble have to follow him everywhere he went?

    While Neph and Cassie were anxiously waiting for Effie's response, Sunny just stared at his shadow, hoping to find some sympathy. Sadly, there wasn't any to be found. The shadow was just staring back at him, full of jubilant gloating.

    Effie, meanwhile, blinked a couple of times and looked at them with a strange expression.

    'That's right. Run while you can��'

    Then, she threw her head back and laughed out loud.

    "Oh! Oh, gods! Did you really?! This is priceless! I wish I'd seen their faces!"

    Sunny watched her with his mouth wide open. That was not the reaction he had been expecting.

    'Crazy, they're all crazy! I'm surrounded by crazy people!'

    When Effie finished laughing, she glanced at Changing Star with a dark, but gleeful expression.

    "Alright, you have proven your point. But there's something you should know. Back when I refused to join the Host, Gunlaug made it clear that if he can't have me, no one else will. Ever since, any group that dared to invite me to join them ended up regretting their decision. By hiring me as a guide, you will be putting yourself in his crosshairs. Are you sure you want to do this?"

    So there was more to her story... no wonder she was so solitary.

    In the ensuing silence, Sunny was the first one to speak. His voice sounded bitter and dejected:

    "I mean�� it's a bit late to worry about that. Don't you think?"

    ***

    The next morning, they were preparing to go on a hunt. A small crowd of slum dwellers gathered around to see them off, their dark eyes burning with a strange mix of hope and anguish.

    By now, the story of Changing Star's clever ruse and heroic battle against villainous Pathfinder Andel had already flown all other the place, growing more and more unbelievable with each retelling. Now, these people came to witness her with their own eyes.

    They were especially interested in the Starlight Legion Armor and the symbol engraved on its breastplate. Who knew that the Memory of a simple carapace centurion would have such an effect on the inhabitants of the Dark City?

    Sunny was not happy about it at all.

    The previous evening, he had a chance to ask Nephis a few questions after they had returned to their lodge. However, he kept most of them to himself, not knowing how to properly express his feelings. In the end, he only asked about how she had managed to defeat her human opponent, who was much more powerful in terms of physical prowess, so easily.

    Changing Star's answer was very simple. She just shrugged and said:

    "An old Legacy trick."

    Which pretty much explained everything and nothing at all.

    And now, they were going into the Dark City to hunt monsters.

    When the four of them were ready to set off, a sudden hum of voices made them turn around. The slum dwellers stepped aside, letting a tall young man walk through.

    Sunny frowned.

    'Great. What is he doing here?'

    Walking closer, Caster stopped a few meters away from them and gave a polite bow.

    "Lady Nephis, Huntress Athena, Cassia, Sunny. Good morning to all of you. I, Caster of the Han Li clan, would like to join your hunting party. Will you have me?"

    Everyone grew quiet for a few moments. Despite Sunny's dislike of the handsome Legacy, having him on their side would be an incredible boon. Genius fighters like Caster were hard to come by anywhere, let alone on the Forgotten Shore. He felt torn.

    A buzz of whispers rose from the crowd. People were shocked to see a warrior from the castle volunteering to join an outer settlement cohort. And one of such fearsome reputation, too!

    After some time had passed, Changing Star simply shrugged.

    "If you want."

    Just like that, the proud scion of the Han Li clan had become the fifth member of their hunting party. It was strange to see their numbers grow after months spent alone in the Labyrinth, but that was probably inevitable.

    What else did Sunny expect? That it would be just the three of them forever?

    'Stupid...'

    Together, the five Sleepers left the slum of the outer settlement behind and stepped on the road of white stone that lead into the cursed ruins.

    ��And just like that, the fates of every human in the Dark City were sealed.

    The end had begun.

 Chapter 156 Free Lunch

    Chapter 156 Free Lunch

    Their first hunt was surprisingly uneventful.

    Guided by an experienced pathfinder and augmented by Sunny's stealthy shadow, they managed to avoid any Fallen creatures and arrive at the destination in one piece. There, the group hid in the ruins and waited for their prey to show up.

    The plan of battle was discussed beforehand. After Effie had described the type of monster they were here to kill, complete with a detailed list of its strengths and weaknesses, Nephis quickly assigned different roles to different people.

    Sunny had expected that things would work just like back in the Labyrinth, but to his surprise, they did not. Just like before, Neph was going to take most of the risk and lure the enemy into revealing its vulnerability. However, Caster was going to be the one to make use of it and deal the fatal blow, not Sunny.

    Which made sense, really. After all, his Ability was not a combat one, at least not officially. It was rational to entrust the role to someone with an incredibly powerful combat Ability, as the one Caster possessed.

    Still, for some reason, Sunny felt angry about it. It felt as though he was being replaced.

    Not wishing to appear childish, he swallowed his bitterness and remained silent.

    When the monster did show up, everything went perfectly. Nephis and Caster were able to finish the creature off without sustaining any injuries. Their teamwork, while not effortless, was strangely harmonious, probably because both were Legacies and had received similar kind of training. Sunny, whose task was to join the fray if things went wrong, ended up not having to lift a finger.

    Neither did Effie, who simply stayed with Cassie in case the blind girl needed protection. After everything was over, she laughed:

    "Ha, this is the easiest meal I've ever earned!"

    Effie's status in the party was a bit strange. Unlike the rest of them, she had not shown any desire to join the cohort officially. Instead, she was somewhat of a hired worker �� her responsibilities included guiding the party through the ruins and providing them with information, and nothing else. She wasn't even required to fight side by side with them.

    After the Nightmare Creature was dead, they quickly butchered it and left the scene of the battle loaded with a heavy weight of meat. Before the shadow of the Crimson Spire fell on the Dark City, the cohort was already approaching the marble arch at the base of the hill.

    This was when something unexpected finally happened. And it happened because of Nephis.

    After giving a fair share of the spoils to the vigorous huntress, she glanced at Sunny, Cassie, and Caster. Then, Changing Star said:

    "I would like for you three to entrust me with your part of the meat."

    'What? What is that about?'

    Before Sunny had an opportunity to ask a question, Cassie already smiled and said:

    "Of course, Neph!"

    Caster did not linger, either. With a small bow, he nodded.

    "As you wish, lady Nephis."

    Sunny gritted his teeth. After that, he would have looked like a complete jerk if he were to start interrogating her. Especially because, technically, he had not done anything except for lending his shadow to Effie. Nephis and Caster were the ones who had actually risked their lives.

    "...Fine."

    Nephis gave them a nod and continued walking up the white road.

    When they returned to the outer settlement, she separated the remaining share of monster meat into two parts. One, much smaller part, she handed to Cassie. The other, incomparably larger part, she simply placed on the white stones in front of their lodge.

    Effie looked at the whole process with curiosity. So did the slum dwellers who had gathered to welcome them back.

    Sunny frowned:

    "What are you doing?"

    Changing Star glanced at him and then gestured to the small bundle of meat in Cassie's hands.

    "This is for us to sustain ourselves. We will eat that meat until our next hunt."

    Somebody from the crowd shouted:

    "What about the rest? Are you selling it? What is your price?"

    It was customary for the outer settlement hunters to sell some of their spoils. That was how people here fed themselves. The meat could be exchanged for items, services, or, in very rare cases, actual shards.

    Neph turned to the people who had gathered around and looked at them with a frown. When everyone grew quiet, she said in a cold tone:

    "My hunting party will not be selling any meat. Ever."

    Before anyone had time to react, dismayed by that answer, she took a step to the side, gestured to the large pile of meat, and said:

    "...Instead, we will be giving it away for free."

    ***

    A dead silence hung above the edge of the outer settlement. The slum dwellers who had come to catch a glimpse of Changing Star or in hope of procuring some food were all looking at Nephis with a dark mix of mistrust, disbelief, and suspicion.

    After a while, someone shouted:

    "What trick are you trying to play? People here are hungry, Changing Star! Shame on you!"

    Nephis crossed her arm, furrowed her brow, and answered:

    "There is no trick. Everyone is free to take a small share of the meat to fill their stomach."

    The young man who had accused her before laughed.

    "Why would you just hand it out for free? Do you think that we're fools?"

    Sunny was being tormented by the same question. He often joked about Neph's foolish nobility, but he also knew that she wasn't really stupid. She always had a reason for everything she did, even if those reasons sometimes seemed insane to him.

    Lately, he even started to suspect that Neph was much more cynical and pragmatic than he had ever given her credit for. It's just that her version of cynicism was very different from his own.

    What was she doing?

    Meanwhile, Nephis pierced the shouter with a cold look, scowled, and said, a hint of anger in her voice:

    "...Why? Am I not a human? Are you not humans? Does a human need a reason to help others of her kind in this cursed place?!"

    She took a step forward and looked at the gathered people, making them shiver under her heavy gaze.

    "Shame on me? No. Shame on you all for forgetting who you are. We are people, not beasts. In the real world or in the Dream Realm, this is who we are."

    Her words echoed above the white stones, mixing with the howling wind.

    "Now come forward and take some food if you're hungry!"

    The slum dwellers were still not convinced. However, their hunger was stronger than their wariness. Soon, the first of them stepped forward, tentatively took a small strip of meat, threw a furtive glance at Nephis, and then hurriedly walked away.

    When the others saw that nothing happened to him, they became braver. Young men and women dressed in rags formed a messy line. One by one, they came forward, received their tiny piece of meat, and then disappeared with haste, afraid that it will be taken back.

    Slowly, a new kind of light appeared on their faces. It was the same timid, weak emotion that Sunny had noticed in the eyes of the castle inhabitants after Neph had announced her name.

    It was something that precipitated hope, or maybe faith.

    With a dark expression on his face, Sunny looked up, at the tiny silhouettes of Guards observing them from the walls of the magnificent fortress.

    Nephis was right when she said that they were all still people. However, she was wrong about everything else.

    Because people were much worse than beasts.

    ...He did not like what was happening at all.

 Chapter 157 Wind Of Change

    Chapter 157 Wind Of Change

    After that day, things moved with a speed that left Sunny disoriented. It was as though he was being pulled forward by an overpowering current, helpless to slow down or change direction. Before he could react to one change, another would happen, making him feel like he was losing control. Everything was happening so fast that he found it difficult to adjust.

    It was hard not to fear that, eventually, he would simply be left behind.

    After that first hunt where Nephis had chosen to give most of the spoils away, she led them on several more. Not all of those hunts went as smoothly, but they did manage to return victorious, if a little battered. Every time, she paid Effie her share of the meat, took a small amount for them to consume, and gave the rest to the people of the outer settlement free of charge.

    Because of how little their own share was, the group was forced to hunt every other day instead of once or twice a month. Sunny did not understand at all why they were taking on all that unnecessary risk.

    Provided, he wasn't exposed to many risks himself. Apart from a couple of short battles where Neph and Caster ended up requiring some backup, he spent most of his time with Effie, serving as her scout and slowly learning the ins and outs of the Dark City from her.

    With the well of knowledge that the unruly huntress possessed and his nimble shadow, the party rarely met anything they weren't ready to face. This gave them an incredible advantage over all other hunting parties of the outer settlement, and even some of Gunlaug's own.

    Soon, their flawless and intense track record earned the cohort reputation and renown. They weren't seen as newcomers anymore. Instead, people considered them to be nothing short of the strongest hunters in the slum. Many even believed that Changing Star and her people were in no way inferior to the Hunters of the Bright Castle.

    Nephis herself was known to be a fearsome fighter ever since her dramatic duel with Andel. Effie had the reputation as one of the outer settlement's best from a long time ago. Handsome and capable Caster quickly won respect and adoration thanks to his amiable personality, noble bearing, and skill.

    The three of them were considered to be the core of the party, with Cassie and Sunny existing somewhere on the periphery. People loved Cassie because Neph had entrusted her with the responsibility of handing out the free meat�� and also because it was nearly impossible not to love this sweet, exquisitely beautiful, and tragic girl. For most of the slum dwellers, she was the welcoming face of the cohort.

    Sunny, on the other hand�� no one really paid him any attention. With no valiant feats of vanquishing monsters of the Dark City under his belt, most considered him to be a mere support member of the party. Inconsequential at best�� a charity case at worst.

    If they even remembered his existence.

    Sunny was simultaneously happy to live in obscurity and secretly infuriated by this lack of recognition. It was good that no one suspected how powerful he really was. And yet�� watching everyone fall over themselves in Caster's presence while completely ignoring his own made Sunny want to kill something. Or someone.

    Especially because, due to the tactical composition of the cohort, Nephis spend most of her time with the handsome Legacy. They seemed to work especially well together.

    When this frustration threatened to overwhelm Sunny, he would go away, find a quiet corner, and train his katas until every muscle in his body hurt. Usually, the whistle of the Midnight Shard's blade cutting air was enough to calm him. He trained his swordsmanship day after day, finding strange comfort in it. At least this was something he could control.

    ��Of course, Sunny was never entirely relaxed. In fact, with each day, he grew more and more anxious.

    Because other things were changing as well.

    After each hunt, Changing Star would provide the dwellers of the slum with free food. At first, they treated her with distrust, then with gratitude, and finally with something akin to reverence. The strange light that Sunny had noticed in their eyes after that first time was slowly growing brighter and brighter.

    Some people even started jokingly calling her "Saint Nephis", as though she was some sort of an angel. However, he felt that these words strangely contained less and less humor with each day.

    It was really very creepy, not to mention dangerous. The more people looked at Neph like she was their personal savior, the more he feared how drastic Gunlaug's reaction would be. If history had shown anything, it was that kings never went easy on meddling messiahs.

    And throughout all of that, the same question continued to torment Sunny.

    Was all of this an accident, or had Nephis done it on purpose?

    As time went by, more and more random people joined their group. They weren't hunters, just forlorn young men and women from the outer settlement who wanted to help. They tended to monster hides that the cohort brought back from the hunts, maintained various tools and gear that needed to be used, assisted Cassie with handing out food, and did other kinds of small but useful things.

    Soon, the ramshackle lodge was full of them. Sunny didn't even know all of their names. It seemed as though every day, someone new would appear, acting as if they had always been a part of the group. What's worse, not all of them seemed to know who he was, either. No once and not twice, someone would smile at him and ask in a friendly tone:

    "Are you new?"

    ��Of course, bastards never said the same thing to Caster.

    Sunny felt like he was slowly becoming a stranger in his own home. The feeling was rather unpleasant, not to mention how perfectly it fit all his insecurities.

    What's worse, these new people really made him uncomfortable. He wasn't really sure of whether they were Changing Star's helpers, or if they were her followers.

    Were they loyal, or�� devout?

    ��One night after a couple of weeks of this, he was suddenly woken by Cassie tugging on his sleeve. The blind girl was whispering:

    "Sunny! Wake up!"

    A moment later, he was already on his feet, ready to summon the Midnight Shard. A light coming from the other room told him that Neph was awake, too.

    'Gunlaug? Did someone betray us?'

    "What's wrong?"

    Cassie covered the candle she was holding in her hand and answered in a worried voice:

    "Something�� something is coming from the road. I've dreamt of it."

    'A Nightmare Creature��'

    Knowing what had to be done, Sunny simply nodded, gripped her shoulder for reassurance, and walked over to meet Nephis.

    Since their lodge was on the edge of the slum, right in front of the entrance of the ancient road, they had no choice but to fight.

    That night, the three of them �� Changing Star, Sunny, and Caster �� battled a devil that had wandered up the hill and fought it off before it could reach the outer settlement.

    When dawn came, terrified people walked out of their hovels on shaking legs and saw the horrible marks left on the white stones by the beast's claws, as well as puddles of blood, both human and that of a monster, steaming in the morning cold.

    They also saw Changing Star leaning tiredly on her silver sword.

    Sunny, who was sitting with his back against the wall of the lodge and breathing heavily, was looking at her, too.

    ��Back when he was describing to Nephis why Gunlaug could never be defeated, he had told her that every facet of life here was under his control: food, safety, hope, fear, even power itself.

    Now, Changing Star had given these people food. By protecting the outer settlement, she had given them safety. She had even given them hope.

    There was also the fear that the inhabitants of the castle felt after Neph had easily beheaded one of their Pathfinders.

    All that remained was power.

    Finally, the question that pressed heavily on his mind had an answer.

    No, none of this was a coincidence. Everything that had happened, from choosing the outermost building in the slum as their base to insisting on giving away the food for free, was part of Changing Star's strange but methodical plan. She knew what she was doing all along.

    But why was she doing all this? What was her ultimate goal?

    Uneasy, Sunny stared at Nephis and wondered about the future.

 Chapter 158 Invisible

    Chapter 158 Invisible

    After about a month of living in the outer settlement, Sunny woke up one morning with the feeling of not belonging anywhere in this world. This familiar feeling had pursued him for most of his life, and had returned recently after being gone for some time.

    With a sigh, he rose from his narrow cot and summoned the Puppeteer's Shroud. The stone lodge was already full of sounds and voices. The tempting smell of breakfast filled the air.

    Coming out of his small room, Sunny saw a bunch of Neph's helpers rushing here and there, busy with various tasks. Some of them stopped to greet him, others did not. He paid no attention to them and went outside to wash his face and take a look at the sky.

    The grey sky of the Forgotten Shore looked as it always did. Nothing ever really changed in this loathsome hell.

    On his way back, Sunny noticed a gaunt figure standing hesitantly near the doors of the lodge. The ragged young man looked very familiar.

    Reaching into his memory, Sunny identified him as the friendly, but nervous receptions from the castle. His clothes were much less clean and tidy than they had been before, and his face had become even thinner.

    The young man had clearly seen better days.

    'What is he doing there?'

    Coming closer, Sunny called out to the young man:

    "Uh�� Harper, right? How come you're here?"

    Harper flinched, then looked at him with anxious eyes:

    "Oh�� Sunless! It's, uh�� it's so nice to see you."

    Sunny stared at him for a while, then asked bluntly:

    "Did they kick you out of the castle?"

    Harper's face instantly fell. Lowering his gaze, he stayed silent for a few moments, and then said quietly:

    "I haven't been able to pay the tribute anymore. So�� yes. I guess they did."

    Then he glanced up, hesitated, and asked in a weak voice:

    "I�� I heard that I can get some food here?"

    Sunny tried to give him a reassuring smile.

    "Sure. Usually, we give out meat after the hunts. But if you're hungry right now, I'm certain there's something we can do. Just talk to�� uh�� a girl with red hair. She's in charge of breakfast, I think."

    Harper smiled, too, the weak light of hope igniting in his eyes.

    "Really? They will just give me a meal for free?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Why not? We have enough food right now. Most of those guys and girls are always here, anyway. They're like guests that won't le�� uh, doesn't matter. They help around, doing this and that, to express their gratitude, I guess. If you feel guilty just eating for free, ask them for some chore. This might not be the Bright Castle, but you'll see that life here can be not bad as well."

    Guiding the gaunt young man inside, Sunny directed him toward the kitchen and sighed.

    Even castle dwellers were now coming to their lodge. If this went on, he would have to share his room with some random stranger. What a joke.

    Entering the main hall, he noticed Nephis and Caster standing near the window, discussing the approaching hunt. This morning, there were several hunters from other parties surrounding them. The cohort had been planning a big joint hunt for a while now, and today was the day.

    'Did they just... start without me?'

    Hiding his discontent, Sunny walked over to the group of hunters and greeted them. Caster smiled at him, while Nephis simply nodded. The other hunters glanced at the new arrival and didn't pay him much attention.

    'Fools. If you knew who stands before you��'

    Consoling himself with these childish thoughts, Sunny listened to the discussion. One of the hunters was speaking:

    "...South of the collapsed lighthouse is a good choice, but the Awakened creatures living there have an incredibly sharp hearing. Attacking them in large numbers won't be easy."

    In the past month, their lodge had gone through a transformation. The remnants of broken furniture were long gone and replaced. Some of the new pieces of furniture came from the ruins, some were made right here by the craftsmen of the outer settlement. There were monster hides and decorations hung on the walls, making the space look neat and presentable.

    These days, the lodge appeared as the headquarters of a small, but prosperous Awakened cohort. There was even a large map of the Dark City on one of the walls, with various symbols marking all kinds of useful information.

    Currently, the hunter was pointing at a particular spot on the map:

    "This spot right here is much more promising. Blood Fiends are known to dwell in these parts. They hibernate during the day, so if we manage to find a lair or two��"

    Caster shook his head.

    "The area you're suggesting is too close to the territory of those strange living statues. We all know how formidable those bizarre creatures are. I still think that south of the lighthouse is better. We just need to think of a way to deceive the hearing of the monsters��"

    Suddenly finding something that he could be helpful with, Sunny said:

    "Uh, I have a bell that can��"

    However, his voice drowned in the buzz of the conversation. No one paid attention to his words.

    Embarrassed, Sunny inhaled deeply, waited for a few seconds, and spoke again:

    "Actually, we can use one of my two sound-producing Memories to��"

    But right at that moment, Caster seemed to come up with a brilliant idea. Everyone listened to him, turning their backs to Sunny. It was as though he was completely invisible.

    'What�� what's even the damn point?'

    Sunny stood there for a minute or two, feeling awkward, angry, and utterly stupid. Then he simply turned around and walked away.

    Finding his way to the roof of the lodge, he climbed on top of the second-storey addition and sat there, solemnly watching as the sun slowly climbed up. After a while, Sunny sighed and closed his eyes, letting the shadow slip back into the building.

    Just as he had expected, no one even noticed his absence. Not surprised, he sent the shadow around the lodge, watching all the people who were busy making Neph's mysterious plans happen.

    Everyone seemed full of energy, enthusiasm, and a sense of belonging.

    Why was he the only one who couldn't fit in?

    Even that guy from the castle, Harper, had already found some friends. He was currently helping the red-haired girl who was in charge of breakfast wash the dishes.

    Sunny frowned.

    Something�� something wasn't quite right with Harper. He couldn't put his finger on it, but the gaunt young man seemed a little off, somehow.

    Forgetting all about his bad mood, Sunny concentrated on watching the timid Sleeper. Harper seemed to do just what any newcomer would do: helping people, learning their names, and asking questions about how things worked in the Changing Star's party. It seemed as though he wanted very badly to stay in the lodge and become useful. Which was understandable.

    But something was wrong.

    Sunny's suspicions were confirmed when, about an hour later, Harper left the lodge and went back into the slum. With the shadow stealthily following him from behind, the gaunt young man made sure that no one saw him and hurriedly dove into a secluded alley. Deep in the darkness of that alley, a man was waiting for him.

    Sunny frowned, recognizing one of the high-ranking Guards from the castle.

    'So that's what all this is about.'

    The Guard, meanwhile, glared at Harper and asked in a rough, unfriendly tone:

    "Well?"

    Harper looked down, his fear and anxiousness apparent.

    "Yes! Yes, uh, sir. I've done what you told me. It wasn't very hard."

    The Guard smiled.

    "Good. It seems that you really do want to return to the castle."

    Harper glanced up, a desperate light igniting in his eyes.

    "Really? So�� I can return? Even though I don't have any shards to pay the tribute?"

    The smile disappeared from the Guard's face.

    "You will be able to return after you gather all the information that I told you to learn. If you do, I'll invite you inside myself. No need to even worry about the tribute. But! Remember: I need to know everything about the core members of the cohort, including Saint Nephis herself. Their Aspects, their Abilities, their Flaws. I even want to know what hand they use to wipe. Understand?"

    Harper paled.

    "But, sir�� things like that�� it won't be easy to learn them! Especially for, for a simple servant like me."

    The Guard frowned.

    "Didn't you say that you knew two of the cohort members already? This is why I gave you this chance to begin with. Did you lie to me, boy?"

    The gaunt young man flinched.

    "No! No, I do know them. I actually spoke with Lady Changing Star's scout already. He�� he is a friend of mine."

    A wide, menacing smile appeared on the Guard's face.

    "When what's the problem? Just get that fool talking. Rats like him will tell you everything as long as you pay them a little attention, believe me. I'm willing to bet that this useless freeloader is walking around full of jealousy and delusions of grandeur. Pretend to respect him even a little, and he won't be able to shut up."

    'Ouch.'

    Harper nodded, then suddenly hesitated. After a few moments of silence, he asked in a timid voice:

    "Sir�� you won't hurt them, will you? They are�� they are good people."

    The Guard stared at him for a second or two, then said in a dark, mocking tone:

    "Why do you ask if you already know the answer?"

    Hearing those words, Harper deflated. His face darkened, and he lowered his head, as though ashamed to look straight.

    ...However, he didn't object.

    'That bastard! Just wait and see��'

    Sunny was already planning the beating he was going to give the cowardly young man before throwing him out of the lodge, but at that moment, a voice called out for him.

    It was Effie.

    "Hey, doofus! Are you asleep? Come down, the hunt is starting!"

    Torn away from the shadow's perspective, Sunny threw a dark glance at the tall huntress, called his shadow back, and sighed.

    'I'll deal with him after we return.'

    ��But by the time he returned, Sunny was in no state to deal with anything.

 Chapter 159 Revelation

    Chapter 159 Revelation

    Despite all his misgivings and unease, Sunny had never expected that this hunt was going to change everything. He was just going through the motions, somewhat on edge because of the scale of this joint operation, but also strangely reassured by the large number of hunters surrounding him.

    The unusual hunting party left the outer settlement at noon, heading east, to the massive ruin of a collapsed lighthouse that was situated at the edge of the city. There were almost twenty of them gathered together, all carefully making their way through the deadly maze of narrow streets, with Effie serving as the chief pathfinder and Sunny helping her by scouting ahead.

    The plan was as straightforward and simple as possible. However, nothing was really ever safe in the Dark City. Everyone was prepared for the worst.

    And pretty soon, their fears came true.

    Halfway to their destination, a sudden sound made Effie freeze in place. Raising a fist to signal everyone to stop, she peered into the fog, a dark and foreboding expression on her face. Feeling that something bad was about to happen, Sunny commanded his shadow to return and moved closer to Cassie. His hand was ready to grasp the hilt of the Midnight Shard out of the air.

    For a few moments, everything was quiet. Then, Effie's pupils suddenly widened.

    "Scatter!"

    As soon as the word left her mouth, the experienced hunters dashed in different directions. Sunny himself grabbed Cassie and lunged to the side, dragging her along with him.

    Then, something large and heavy crashed from above into the cobblestones where the Sleepers had been standing just a second ago. Luckily, most of them were already somewhere else due to Effie's timely warning.

    However, a couple of people were a little late to react. Their screams drowned in the sickening sound of tearing flesh.

    Sunny cursed.

    His shadow was nowhere near yet, leaving him with no choice but to fight without its aid. He spun around, summoning the Midnight Shard�� and froze for a fraction of a second, all blood draining from his face.

    Out there in the middle of the street, a massive, winged creature was standing on the cracked cobblestones, its pale body and black feather stained by the blood of the unfortunate hunters. Its terrifying beak was open, revealing rows of sharp, needle-like fangs.

    A Spire Messenger!

    As Sunny watched, momentarily paralyzed by fear, a long red tongue snaked out of the creature's maw to lick the blood off its face.

    'Move!'

    Shaking off the paralysis, Sunny gripped his sword and prepared to fight for his life.

    ��His and Cassie's.

    After that, everything happened incredibly fast, but also felt like an eternity. The hunters had a simple choice to make: either separate into smaller groups and retreat into the ruins, risking encountering something equally as or even more terrifying, or stand their ground and try to drive the Fallen Beast away. Without having to discuss it, everyone chose the second option.

    No matter how dangerous, a familiar enemy was always better than the unknown.

    'Unknown��'

    The surviving hunters attacked the abomination with all they had. Even though their Memories had no chance of breaking through the skin of the terrible creature, each strike still hurt it. Those who had Aspect Abilities capable of dealing direct damage immediately used them, hoping to at least disorient the beast.

    Of course, no Ability of a Sleeper could ever hope to wound a Fallen Beast. However, if their assault was ferocious enough, the Messenger could retreat to search for easier prey.

    If it only made the abomination angrier, however, most of them were going to die. More than anything, trying to resist creatures of this rank was nothing but a gamble.

    For several seconds, it wasn't clear which way the situation would turn. The Messenger easily shrugged off the rain of attacks and lashed out with its beak, piercing one of the hunters clean through despite the man's mighty build and heavy armor. Another was almost torn apart by terrifying talons, but at the last second, Caster managed to pull the young man away thanks to his incredible speed.

    Sunny waited at the back, covering Cassie and praying that his shadow would come back in time to give him a chance of dealing damage to the damned creature.

    ��But in the end, it was Effie who dealt the decisive blow.

    Summoning her weapon, she leaped forward. Sunny could see her lean, powerful muscles moving like wire ropes under the olive skin. As though turning into a spring, her whole body tensed, and then exploded with momentum. There was enough force behind her attack to split a mountain apart.

    Miraculously, the tip of her weapon managed to break the pale hide on the Messenger's chest and stab deep, causing a stream of blood to shoot out. The creature screamed, and then lashed out with its powerful paws at the huntress.

    A large round shield appeared on Effie's left hand. Digging the soles of her sandals into the ground, she leaned forward and received the terrifying blow. The cobblestones under her feet cracked, but the huntress remained standing.

    Spitting a mouthful of blood, she grinned crazily and twisted her weapon, causing more damage and pain to the Messenger.

    It seemed as if the Fallen Beast did not expect to meet such fierce resistance from a bunch of ants, not to mention actually being hurt by them. Letting out another scream, it waved its wings to send the Sleepers flying back, picked up the dead hunters, and jumped into the air.

    Soon, the abomination turned into a dark spot in the skies. All that remained behind were puddles of blood, broken stones, and the moans of battered humans.

    Somehow, they had survived�� well, most of them.

    Effie straightened, dismissed her shield, and glanced down.

    "Damn. I think my arm is broken!"

    With blood running down her chin, the huntress laughed and leaned on her weapon, visibly exhausted.

    Sunny wanted to congratulate her on that awesome strike, but then, something registered in his mind.

    Suddenly cold, he stared at Effie's weapon. He had never seen her fight before, so this was the first time Sunny saw what Memory the huntress used in battle.

    It was a spear. An ancient, beautiful spear forged from bronze.

    Something clicked in his mind, disparate pieces of information connecting together.

    And then, everything exploded.

    �� Or at least it felt that way.

    Because Sunny finally understood the future.

 Chapter 160 The Future

    Chapter 160 The Future

    "Hey, doofus. You're okay?"

    Sunny reacted after a second or two, raising his head and staring at Effie with empty eyes.

    "...Y��yeah. I'm fine. Just�� thinking about stuff."

    Effie gave him a strange look, then shrugged and turned away. Everyone was too busy to pay him any attention. Not that anyone ever did.

    Left alone, Sunny staggered and slowly lowered himself to the ground. In his mind, one phrase was repeating itself, over and over, growing louder and louder with each second.

    "A woman with a bronze spear drowning in a tide of monster�� a woman with a bronze spear..."

    This was a part of the vision that Cassie had seen back at the beginning of their journey, on the night they had spent atop the giant statue of a headless knight.

    The one that was so harrowing that she had almost jumped into the dark waters of the cursed sea just to run away from her terror.

    It was also the key that connected every little piece of information that Sunny knew into one cohesive picture and let him understand the true meaning of that terrifying vision.

    He shuddered, remembering what Cassie had told them on that dark night in stark detail:

    'I saw the human castle again. Only this time, it was at night. There was a lonely star burning in the black skies, and under its light, the castle was suddenly consumed by fire, with rivers of blood flowing down its halls. I saw a corpse in a golden armor sitting on a throne; a woman with a bronze spear drowning in a tide of monsters; an archer trying to pierce the falling sky with his arrows��'

    All that time, Sunny was sure, for some reason, that Cassie saw the cataclysm that had devoured this land and turned it into a desolate hell, creating the Forgotten Shore. The first part of the vision was certainly referring to how the curse of the all-consuming darkness had broken free from its seven seals. So he had just assumed that the other parts of the vision spoke about the past, too.

    But Effie's spear gave him an epiphany, a terrible revelation that he had been wrong all this time. That the apocalyptic images Cassie had described were not of the past, but of the future.

    Their future.

    Trembling, Sunny raised his head and glanced at Nephis, who was using her powers to heal the wounded hunters, her ivory face contorted in a painful grimace. His eyes were wide and full of disbelief.

    It was all so clear!

    She�� she was the lonely star that burned in the dark skies above the Bright Castle, bringing with it fire and rivers of blood. After all, her name was Changing Star.

    Or, depending on the runes used to write it, Star of Misfortune.

    The Star of Ruin.

    Sunny spent so much time fearing what Gunlaug was going to do with Nephis, but he should have been scared of what she was going to do to him, instead. A corpse in a golden armor sitting on a throne�� why hadn't he realized the truth after seeing the Bright Lord for the first time? It was him. Gunlaug was the corpse in Cassie's vision.

    Effie was the woman drowning in the sea of monsters. The archer��Sunny didn't know yet, but he was sure that they would meet soon.

    Maybe only to die together.

    He had always known that Nephis was guided by some mysterious, overwhelming goal. He didn't know what that goal was, but it was certainly not here, on the Forgotten Shore. To achieve it, Changing Star had to find a way to return to the real world.

    That's why she had always been so unwavering and relentless in her ambition to move forward, overcome any obstacle, endure any pain. At times, it even seemed as though her conviction was more akin to an obsession. Nephis was willing to do anything to fulfill her dream.

    The comforting words she had told him on their first day in the Dark City suddenly resounded in his mind. Only now, there was another, colder, and much darker meaning hiding beneath their surface:

    "We will find a way to return. No matter what has to be done, we will."

    No matter what has to be done��

    There was only one way to leave the Forgotten Shore, and it lay in the Crimson Spire. No Sleeper could ever hope to reach that Gateway in one piece. They would need an army to even try. Maybe then, walking on corpses, one or two survivors would be able to escape from this cursed place.

    But Nephis didn't have an army.

    ��Yet.

    To gather one, she would need to kill Gunlaug, usurp his power and eliminate all opposition, drowning the Bright Castle in blood. Only then would she be able to rally every single Sleeper left in the Dark City and lure them into following her on a suicidal crusade. Knowing all too well that most of them would die because of it.

    No sane person would follow her.

    'They won't. Right?'

    Sunny remembered the faces of the young men and women that had become part of their group in the last few weeks. The strange light of hope, or maybe faith, burning in their eyes. The almost religious reverence they felt toward Nephis�� no, not Nephis. Toward Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan.

    Their personal angel.

    Were they sane, still?

    Finally, he understood every part of Neph's plan.

    Looking at the beautiful young woman with silver hair, Sunny shivered.

    And then�� there was the last part of the prophecy.

    ***

    On their way back, Sunny felt as though he was in a feverish dream. The magnitude of the revelation was too�� too much for him. His mind felt weak, unsteady, and on the verge of breaking apart.

    He had never experienced such a deep feeling of shock. It was as though the very core of his being was violently shaken. He wasn't equipped with the right tools to cope with it.

    It felt as if he was on the verge of losing it.

    Sunny was truly horrified.

    'Don't�� don't waste time trying to deal with your emotions. This is not the right time for feelings. You need to�� to figure out how all of this affects you personally, and what you need to do to turn things to your advantage.'

    After all�� what was there to be scared of? That many people would die? What did their lives and deaths have to do with him?

    Yes�� yes. As long as he was the one left standing in the end, this whole thing might actually turn out to be beneficial. Hadn't he spent the last weeks being afraid of what Gunalug was going to do to them? Well, now he knew that Gunlaug was going to end up as a corpse. Problem solved.

    Wasn't he crushed by the news that he would spend the rest of his life in this odious hell? Well, now that wasn't a certainty anymore. That last part of the prophecy��

    Everything was well. Better than ever.

    ��And yet, no matter how much Sunny was trying to be rational, he just couldn't help but be filled with terror.

    ***

    In the crimson light of sunset, he found a reason to leave the lodge and walked to the edge of the stone platform. No one really cared that much about his whereabouts, so it wasn't hard to disappear for a while.

    No one noticed that something was bothering Sunny, either. They were all accustomed to his moody behavior, anyway. Only Cassie seemed to have picked up on something.

    ...And Caster, who pretended to be carefree, but actually had a habit of watching anyone close to Nephis like a hawk.

    The bastard...

    Reaching the very end of the stone platform, Sunny turned around and looked at the outer settlement and the magnificent castle towering above it, with hundreds of Sleepers rushing to find shelter before the coming of night. A cold and harrowing feeling gripped his heart.

    'All these people�� all these people are going to die.'

    Neph was going to kill them.

    ...Was he willing to help her do it?

    For some reason, Sunny wanted to laugh. This whole situation was so sick and appalling that it was almost ridiculous. He was never an altruistic type, really. More than that, he always prided himself on being a cynical, selfish, and vicious person. But this... this was too much even for him.

    Grabbing his head, Sunny moaned.

    'What am I going to do?!'

    At that moment, the sound of steps suddenly attracted his attention. A gaunt figure appeared from the slum and walked toward him.

    Sunny frowned.

    'Oh, right. That guy��I have completely forgotten about him.'

    Harper stopped a few paces away and smiled timidly.

    "Sunless! Uh�� can we talk?"

 Chapter 161 Rubicon

    Chapter 161 Rubicon

    Harper stared at him with that pathetic timid smile frozen on his lips. In his eyes, there was fake friendliness, worry, and desperation. For some reason, Sunny felt a violent urge to erase the smile of his face.

    'You scum��'

    In his rattled state, he was having trouble controlling his emotions. Something must have shown on his face, because Harper suddenly blinked and took a step back. But in the end, the desire to be allowed back into the Bright Castle won over his caution. He forced himself to stay still, hesitated for a few moments, and said:

    "I�� I wanted to thank you for inviting me into your home this morning."

    Sunny looked at the gaunt young man. In the twilight of dusk, his pale face was hidden in deep shadows. Finally, he answered:

    "Yeah. We can talk."

    'Think, Sunny, think��'

    But his mind was refusing to obey. Most of it was drowning in the sea of cold terror that had been summoned by the revelation of the future. What little remained was utterly disoriented.

    Sunny raised one hand and rubbed his face.

    'He's a spy. He's here to make it easier for Gunlaug to kill us. What should be done?'

    In the morning�� yes, back before everything changed, Sunny had seen Harper reporting to one of the Guards. He wanted to give the cowardly young man a beating and throw him out of the lodge�� but that would be a wrong decision.

    The best thing to do was not to expose the unfortuante spy, but to feign ingnorance and feed him false information. Yeah�� that was the optimal way to deal with moles. As an aspiring spy himself, Sunny knew these things well.

    But would he even able to deceive Harper? By accident, the failed informant had chosen a perfect person as his mark. Sunny knew a lot of secrets and was incapable of lying.

    But he was also a master of deception. So��

    "Sunless?"

    Sunny flinched and glanced at the gaunt young man.

    "Sorry. Uh�� I'm a bit out of sorts after today's hunt. You wanted to talk?"

    Reassured, Harper smiled again.

    "You see, I wanted to thank you for everything that you had done for me, and for all the people here in the settlement. When I left the castle, I brought a very special item with me. I thought of sharing it with you!"

    Sunny frowned.

    "A special item?"

    'I should see what his plan is exactly, feed him a couple of little truths along with the lies, and then report to Neph in the morning. R��right?'

    Harper, meanwhile, was nodding energetically:

    "It's a�� a bottle of liquor. Every month, a few are sold by the Artisans working in the garden. Getting one is very hard, but I was lucky. Would you like to come and try? My hut is nearby."

    Sunny got distracted for a few moments, but then forced hismeld to concentrate. What was Harper talking about? Artisans, liquor, luck��

    '...Why not?'

    Giving Harper a nod, he gestured for the young man to lead the way and followed.

    As they passed other slum dwellers on their way to Harper's hovel, Sunny couldn't help but feel like they were surrounded by walking corpses.

    Most of these people were already dead. They just didn't know it yet.

    ��But he did.

    The weight of this knowledge was slowly crushing him.

    Harper's small hut was even more pathetic than the other hovels in the slum. It was crudely constructed out of rotting pieces of wood, with plenty of cracks to let the cold wind in. Inside, there was nothing except for a pile of seaweed thatch that served as a flimsy mattress and a low wooden table. Sunny could understand why the gaunt Sleeper was so desperate to return to the castle.

    At least there was a door.

    Once inside, Harper looked around with embarrassment and invited Sunny to sit on the floor in front of the table. Then, he dug a glass jar from beneath the seaweed and placed it in front of him like a rare treasure. Producing a crude iron knife from somewhere, Harper then opened the wax seal of the jar, placed the knife on the table, and poured a milky white liquid into a chipped clay cup.

    "Here!"

    He handed the cup to Sunny and smiled.

    Sunny received it and smelled the strange liquor. He remembered many people in the outskirts who had drowned themselves in the bottle or killed themselves with cheap stimulants and drugs. Luckily, he was always too paranoid to allow anything to alter his mental state. Plus, for a long time, he couldn't allow himself to die before accomplishing a certain thing.

    That's why Sunny was not too familiar with alcohol.

    Bringing the cup to his lips, he held his breath and downed it in one go. A pleasant warmth immediately spread through his body, bringing with it a bit of sweet solace.

    '...I can see the appeal.'

    It wasn't too bad, really.

    Harper hurriedly refilled the cup and asked:

    "I heard about the latest hunt. By gods, you have survived an encounter with a Spire Messenger! That must have been horrible��"

    Sunny lingered for a bit, then shrugged.

    "I just stood at the back."

    The gaunt young man shook his head.

    "Still. You are incredible! I hear that you have been with Lady Changing Star from the very beginning, surviving more than two months in the Labyrinth. Is this true?"

    He was a really bad actor. Even if Sunny didn't know that Harper was a spy already, he would have sensed something strange at this point. But it was easy to pretend not to notice anything.

    'Rats like me will tell you everything as long as you show them a tiny bit of respect, huh?'

    Flushed because of the liquor, Sunny slowly smiled:

    "Oh�� yes! In fact, if it wasn't for me, she would have been long dead. Do you know how many times I saved her life?"

    This part was entirely planned, aimed to create a false sense that Harper's plan to use pettiness and jealousy to loosen his tongue worked. However, the next words came out of Sunny's mouth on their own.

    Gritting his teeth, he suddenly paled and whispered:

    "...and for what? Huh? For�� for this? This wasn't supposed to happen. How did this happen?!"

    Then, Sunny grabbed his head and forced out a dark laugh.

    'This is bad�� what am I even saying?'

    Mistaking his terror for the sign of the liquor doing its job, Harper got a little braver:

    "You must have fought side by side with Lady Nephis a lot!"

    Sunny lowered his head, then shrugged.

    "Yeah."

    The gaunt young man hesitated for a few moments, then cautiously asked:

    "So�� you must have seen her Aspect Ability?"

    Learn your enemy's Ability, learn their Flaw, learn their vices�� that's how you kill them. Staring at Harper, Sunny suddenly remembered his first battle after meeting Nephis. Back then, she asked him if he had ever dissected a dead carapace scavenger to learn its weaknesses.

    That's what the cowardly Sleeper was doing right now. Dissecting them. Even though they weren't dead�� yet.

    "Sure. It can be used to heal."

    Harper eyes gleamed.

    "So she's a healer! Of course. Such an Ability suits Lady Changing Star very well. Everyone knows that she's an angel��"

    'Good��'

    His first goal was achieved. Sunny had successfully created a misunderstanding, leading Harper to believe that Neph's Aspect was limited to healing. There had to be other spies in the slum, of course. With them collaborating on that statement by recounting how she had healed the wounded hunters today, Gunlaug and his people would most likely believe that Changing Star had no offensive Ability.

    Who would ever assume that her flames could both heal and destroy?

    Harper, meanwhile, was pouring more liquor into the cup.

    "By the way, I always wanted to ask. Do you know how Lady Nephis received her True Name?"

    Maybe because of his terrible state of mind, or maybe because of the liquor, or maybe simply because of a momentary lapse of judgment, Sunny didn't think his next words through well enough before answering:

    "Probably the same way I did."

    Then, he froze.

    'Curse you!'

    He was so preoccupied with creating a false image of Neph in Harper's mind that, for a second, he had forgotten to keep his own true identity a secret.

    'Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!'

    Not letting the panic show on his face, Sunny tried to salvage the situation by throwing his head back and laughing, creating an impression that his last statement was a joke.

    Luckily, Harper seemed to believe him. He laughed, too, and then glanced at Sunny with humorous sparks in his eyes.

    However, his next words sent Sunny into a cold embrace of horror. It was as though the gates of hell opened right beneath his feet.

    Wishing to play along, the gaunt young man grinned and said jokingly:

    "Oh! Of course, of course, Lord Sunless! What is your True Name then?"

    Sunny stared at him, the smile frozen on his face.

    'Think! Think! How do you get out of this?!'

    But there was no way out, at least none that he could see. He was caught.

    The familiar pressure appeared in his mind. Slowly, Sunny became deathly pale.

    Harper was still grinning, waiting for the answer. His face was gaunt, tired, and full of both fear and desperate hope.

    He was just a weak, pitiful kid, after all.

    The pressure was replaced by blinding pain, sending a tremble running through Sunny's body.

    Why, why did he have to ask that question?!

    But it was too late. What happened couldn't be changed.

    Like a cornered beast, Sunny could think of only one thing...

    Harper finally sensed that something was wrong. His eyes widened.

    "Sun��"

    ...how to survive.

    Just a second before the pain overwhelmed his limits and forced out an answer, Sunny suddenly leaned forward, picked up the crude iron knife, and stabbed it through the poor young man's heart.

 Chapter 162 Lost From Light

    Chapter 162 Lost From Light

    Pushing the knife into Harper's weak body, Sunny lunged forward. The flimsy wooden table flew aside and shattered into splinters once it hit the wall. With his other hand, he violently grabbed the young man's face and pressed him onto the floor, making sure that no sound would escape from his lips.

    Harper's wide eyes were full of pain and terror, staring at Sunny with a silent, but deafening question.

    ��Why?

    Feeling hot blood streaming down his hand, Sunny finally let the pain of the Flaw overwhelm him.

    His whisper was hoarse and barely audible:

    "Lost from Light! I am�� Lost�� Lost from Light��"

    Harper's trembling fingers found his face and smeared it with blood, which then mixed with tears. He weakly tried to push Sunny away, but there was no strength in his arms anymore.

    Biting his lips hard enough to break the skin, Sunny held the gaunt young man down and twisted the knife, praying for all of this to be over soon.

    'Don't look at me�� please, don't look at me��'

    Finally, Harper's terrified, accusing eyes grew still and lightless. Sunny could feel the beating of his heart stop through the thin fabric of the young man's robe. Making sure that Harper was, indeed, dead, he finally let go of the knife and crawled away.

    'Oh, gods��'

    As though summoned by these words, the voice of the Spell whispered into his ear:

    [You have slain Dreamer Harper.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Contorted in a painful spasm, Sunny bent over and violently threw up. Then he weakly fell on the floor and tried to wipe his face, only to realize that he was spreading blood all over it.

    'I killed him. I just killed a real human...'

    A strange stillness took hold of Sunny. Sitting on the cold stones, he stared at the corpse of the young man that he had just killed and struggled to form a cohesive thought. After a while, he finally succeeded:

    'Too much�� oh, this is too much��'

    All of this was too much for him. Why did he have to go through all of this? The slave caravan, the Forgotten Shore, Changing Star, and now Harper. What sin had he committed to have to go through this nightmare? Was he actually already dead, and imprisoned in the depths of hell?

    '...Bullshit. He deserved it.'

    Sunny gritted his teeth and forced himself to concentrate on that thought.

    'Why do you even feel guilty? The bastard was going to sell you out to Gunlaug. He knew that he was helping to kill you. And not just you alone. Neph, too. And Cassie.'

    But no matter how hard he tried to convince himself that he had the right to kill Harper, deep down, he could not accept it. There were a million ways to deal with the timid, pitiful spy. No�� there was another reason��

    'Come on now�� there's no one else here. Why don't you be honest with yourself, for once? Just admit it. Don't you dare become a hypocrite.'

    Sunny grimaced and ground his teeth against each other.

    'Say it!'

    Reluctantly, he opened his mouth and whispered:

    "I killed him because I wanted to survive. I killed him�� because it was easy."

    And just like that, he suddenly felt better.

    What's the big deal? He was already a murderer, anyway.

    He was planning to help Nephis kill hundreds of people.

    Affected by the irony of the situation, Sunny barely stopped himself from laughing.

    He didn't want to make too much noise. Breaking that table was already a mistake. What if someone comes to check on the commotion?

    That would be bad. That would be embarrassing.

    Right�� what was he going to do with the body?

    Instead of coming up with an answer, Sunny leaned forward and threw up again.

    ��When he sat straight after a while, the door of the hut was open.

    And there, in the doorframe, his face pale, stood none other than Caster.

    With a stunned expression on his face, the proud Legacy was taking in the sight. The broken table, the smell of alcohol in the air, the bloodied body with a knife sticking out of its chest, and disheveled Sunny kneeling on the floor, his hands and face smeared with fresh blood.

    'Oh, no!'

    "This�� this is not��"

    However, no words came to his mind. No matter what he would say, the situation was not going to appear any better.

    Looking him straight in the eyes, Caster asked with horror in his voice:

    "Sunny�� what did you do?"

    ***

    Sunny blinked and stared at the handsome young man. After a few moments, he opened his mouth and said:

    "What do you think? I killed the bastard."

    His voice was calm and nonchalant. It didn't matter how Sunny felt inside. In front of Caster, he couldn't show any weakness.

    He didn't trust the proud scion of the Han Li clan one bit. There had always been something off about him.

    So�� if there was ever a time for acting, it was now. Especially because, unlike everyone else in the slum, Caster already knew that Sunny wasn't as useless as everyone believed. He had known it ever since that night when the three of them fought a devil together.

    "Killed the�� why did you kill him?!" Do you want to read more chapters ? Come to Panda-novel,com

    Sunny stood up and shrugged.

    "He was asking too many questions."

    Caster opened his mind, stunned, then closed it again. After a few moments, he suddenly frowned:

    "What kind of questions?"

    It seemed as though he had realized something.

    ��Come to think of it, what was he even doing here?

    "Oh, you know. Do I know Nephis well, what her Ability is, how did she get her True Name, stuff like that."

    Without giving Caster the ability to react, Sunny wiped his hands with a bit of seaweed and added:

    "Actually, this guy, Harper, was sent over to spy on us by Tessai. I caught him making a report to a Castle Guard officer this morning."

    Caster remained silent for a while, then asked quietly:

    "Do you have any proof of that?"

    Sunny glared at him and raised an eyebrow.

    "...Is my word not proof enough?"

    A wild thought suddenly appeared in his mind.

    'Will I have to kill Caster, too?'

    Would he even be able to, if it came to that?

    Not likely.

    "Why, you don't believe me?"

    Bad, bad. The situation was really bad. Depending on Caster's next words, Sunny could find himself in a sea of trouble. And he was powerless to do anything about it.

    Anxious and uneasy, he stared at Caster.

    The proud Legacy lingered. After a while, he came inside and closed the door behind him.

    "No, I believe you. Actually, I suspected this kid myself. That's why I came here after hearing that the two of you were seen going somewhere together. But, Sunny�� the others�� the others might not think the same."

    He smelled the air and grimaced.

    "I am sorry to say that, but you have a reputation for having a bad temper. With alcohol added into the mix and no proof to connect Harper to the Castle�� you can see how this does not look good."

    'That piece of crap!'

    Sunny scowled, trying to pretend that he was calm. He saw where this was going...

    "So? What are you going to do?"

    Caster gripped his shoulder. Then, in a serious and grave voice, he said:

    "What else? I will help you conceal everything, of course. We are comrades, after all. But, Sunny�� no one can ever know what you have done here. Especially Lady Nephis. This will be�� this will be our secret. Alright?"

    Saying that, he looked Sunny right in the eyes... and smiled.

 Chapter 163 The Past

    Chapter 163 The Past

    Sunny stared at Caster with a grim expression. Despite the amiable smile and reassuring voice, he knew what the handsome Legacy was doing.

    He grew up in the outskirts, after all.

    Caster had said "I will help you."

    But what he actually meant was "I will own you."

    Because there was no better leverage than a gruesome secret. This help of his was going to come at a price.

    But what choice did Sunny have, really? Unless he was ready to fight and kill Caster right there and then, thus silencing the only witness of his crime forever, he couldn't refuse.

    Plus�� what Caster thought was going to happen and what would really happen was not as set in stone as it seemed. As long as Sunny was alive, there was hope of turning things around, somehow.

    He just had to get through this, one step at a time.

    Sunny forced out a smile.

    "Thank you, Caster. I won't�� won't forget it."

    Then, he glanced at the dead body lying at his feet and took a step back, escaping the quickly growing puddle of blood. His face remained calm, but a small, almost imperceptible shiver ran through his body.

    "So�� what do we do now?"

    The proud Legacy lingered, then said in a solemn tone:

    "First things first, we can't let anyone see you like this. Wait here for a while. I'll bring something for you to clean yourself."

    Sunny sighed. He didn't really want to stay anywhere near Harper, but Caster was right. Walking around covered in blood was a bad idea.

    "And then what?"

    Caster hesitated.

    "Then we will need to get rid of the body. But�� it won't be easy to do without being noticed, if not by slum rats, than by Guards. Don't worry, though�� I'll think of something. Just wait for me to return."

    Sunny hesitated, wondering if he could trust the Legacy. What was going to stop him from returning with a crowd of people? But no. Having Sunny in his pocket would benefit Caster more than getting rid of him completely.

    Still, he sent the shadow to keep an eye on things after the handsome young man went away.

    Left alone with the corpse, Sunny sighed and sat on the floor, resting his back against the flimsy wall of the hut. He was so tired.

    The night was slowly descending on the ruins, drowning everything in comforting darkness. Of course, he could still see the bloodied body lying motionless on the stones beside him. For the first time, Sunny wished that his eyes weren't able to pierce through the shadows.

    Harper's eyes were still open, staring at him accusingly.

    'I am�� I am stuck with you forever, aren't I?'

    Without even looking into the Soul Sea, Sunny knew that a new shadow had joined the silent ranks of every creature he had ever killed.

    All he could do was wait.

    Time slowly crawled.

    It was taking Caster a long time to gather everything needed without raising any suspicion. He had to avoid prying eyes and waste a lot of time conversing with people who constantly wanted to win his attention. At some point, even Cassie talked to him:

    "Hey, Caster. Have you seen Sunny?" Do you want to read more chapters ? Come to Panda-novel,com

    Away from their lodge, sitting on the floor near the corpse of a young man he had killed, Sunny smiled darkly and listened to what kind of excuse the Legacy would come up with to account for his absence.

    After a while, his thoughts began to wander. He listened to the sound of rain falling on the stones outside and scowled. Rain always put him in a bad mood.

    Because of it, Sunny was always reminded of the past.

    Unlike Nephis, whose past was clouded in mystery and screamed of tragedy, he came from a simple background. His story was more mundane than tragic. A trivial story of unfortunate people living hard and bitterly in a dying world.

    Sunny's parents were both menial workers. They were poor, but not destitute. His dad was employed by one of the numerous maintenance crews that took care of the city's outer barriers. His mom worked in an underground factory that produced air filtration systems. Together, their income was barely enough to afford a small cell in one of the human hives in the outskirts.

    Several months after his sister, Rain, was born, when Sunny was around four, his father was killed in a work accident, which was not a rare occurrence among the city maintenance workers. Three years after that, his mother got sick and eventually passed away. Factory workers like her often got sick and died due to the harsh conditions, so it wasn't a rare outcome, either.

    Sunny and Rain were sent to a government child care facility. His sister was young and cute, so she was eventually adopted. Sunny, however, was older and had "behavioral problems", which made him pretty much completely undesirable. After enduring a few years in a series of increasingly vile foster homes, he finally managed to run away and learned how to survive on the streets of the outskirts.

    Out there on the streets, there were a lot of kids just like him, who had to do all sorts of distasteful things every day just to live to see another sunrise. However, even then, most of them didn't last long. It took a very special kind of creature to survive there.

    Sunny was one such creature.

    A part of this was pure luck, a part of it was that he was smart. But mostly, it was because he had a goal. Sunny refused to die before finding his sister.

    Somehow, he had convinced himself that she was waiting for him to find and save her. One day, they were going live happily again, like a family, together. This misguided goal kept him alive more than anything else.

    ��Of course, it didn't end well.

    Nothing ever did in this damn world.

    Sitting just a few centimeters away from a puddle of human blood, Sunny chuckled and rubbed his face.

    Was there even such a thing as a happy ending?

    'What is taking that bastard so long?'

    Granted, he knew exactly where Caster was, and what he was doing.

    Currently, he was raising his hand to open the door of Harper's hut.

    Sunny tiredly picked himself up from the floor and shook off the weight of reminiscence.

    What was the point of remembering the past? He had to survive the future��

 Chapter 164 Farewell

    Chapter 164 Farewell

    Caster brought him water, strips of cloth, and a crude tunic.

    While Sunny was washing the blood off his body, the proud Legacy carefully moved Harper's corpse into a corner, buried it under the pile of seaweed thatch, and wiped the blood off the floor as much as he could.

    This way, an accidental glance inside the hut would not reveal too much. Of course, even a little bit of scrutiny, and the signs of what had happened here would become apparent.

    While doing all this, Caster was speaking:

    "The easiest way to get rid of a corpse is to simply toss it off the platform. With luck, it won't land on the road. But even if it does, no one would pay it a lot of attention. People die all the time out here in the Dark City, especially those living in the outer settlement."

    He paused, then continued:

    "However, we can't do that �� because Harper isn't just a random slum rat, but someone who was working for the Bright Lord. The Guards will become interested in his sudden death, and they'll use it to create trouble for you and Lady Nephis. So we need to make him disappear completely. That won't be easy."

    Sunny glanced at him and frowned.

    "What's the big deal? I can just carry him down the hill and dump the body somewhere in the ruins. It's night outside. No one will see anything."

    Caster shook his head.

    "Castle Guard has various types of observers watching the road day and night. You will be noticed. Unless someone persuades them to look the other way, of course."

    He sighed.

    "It won't be cheap, but I can make it happen. Tomorrow after sunset, you will have about an hour to carry the body to the ruins and return. Sorry, but I can't buy you more time�� this will wipe what little shards I have left already."

    His voice sounded as though the handsome young man was genuinely concerned for his comrade, but in reality, he was just reiterating how much Sunny owed him now.

    And if that message was not enough, he could always threaten to reveal the secret of how Harper died in the future.

    Caster had him in the palm of his hand.

    Sunny smiled darkly.

    "And what do I do until then?"

    The Legacy shrugged:

    "Just act natural and try not to speak to anyone. You're kind of a loner as it is. No one will suspect anything."

    After that, he thought for a few moments and added:

    "Oh. This... no one should enter this hut for a long while. Harper lived in the castle for these past few months, so people in the slum won't notice his absence yet. Neither will Guards, since he made a report recently. We should be fine."

    Sunny stared at him with a strange expression. Do you want to read more chapters?

    "What?"

    He shook his head.

    "No, nothing. I'm just wondering how many bodies did you make disappear already."

    Caster frowned.

    "This is my first, actually. In the Dark City, it is usually more advantageous to leave the body somewhere where everyone can see."

    Made sense. Why kill someone if not to make others think twice before attacking you in the future?

    Sunny was a real amateur when it came to murder. He really could not compete with the Legacies.

    Just like that, they left the pitiful hut behind and returned to the lodge. With no one paying him any attention, Sunny returned to his room and sat quietly on his narrow cot.

    He thought that he wouldn't be able to sleep this night, tormented by both the knowledge of what Nephis was planning and the memories of Harper dying by his hand.

    But in the end, his exhausted consciousness slipped into oblivion as soon as his head touched the pillow.

    ***

    In the morning, he woke up with a start, expecting a crowd of furious slum dwellers to be rushing inside, all eager to��

    Well, what could they really do? If push came to shove, very few of them could actually harm him.

    But no one was there.

    After hesitating for a while, he decided to act as he would on any other day. Leaving his room, Sunny walked outside to wash his face.

    Neph's little helpers either greeted or ignored him, just like usual. Their smiles were friendly and fleeting.

    No one looked at him twice.

    Strangely disturbed, Sunny escaped the lodge and looked up at the sky.

    Nothing had changed. Everything was the same as it had been yesterday, and every day before that.

    How could�� how could this be?

    He had violently murdered someone, but no one seemed to care. The world had moved on without Harper, indifferent to the pain and horror that were now frozen forever in the dead eyes of the timid, pitiful young man.

    Even the Guards did not seem to notice the disappearance of their spy.

    Sunny rubbed his face, hiding a pained grimace. His head hurt with a terrible migraine.

    'If they don't care, why should I? Forget about that fool.'

    But he did care. Irrational as it was, he felt compelled to mourn the death of his victim, even if he was the only one who would. Maybe because this situation was eerily identical to how he had always imagined his own death to happen, utterly unnoticed.

    Discarded and forgotten, with not a single soul to care that he had ever existed.

    'Pathetic.'

    Returning inside, Sunny entered his room and sat on the cot, staring at the wall.

    He spent most of the day there, going out only once to pretend to train with the Midnight Shard. While he was repeating the katas, he thought that he caught sight of Nephis observing the movements of his sword with a frown on her face. But a second later, she was distracted and drawn away by the neverending torrent of tasks required of her.

    'Good riddance! Go chat with Caster, see if I care!' Come to p a n d a-n o v e l,c o m

    His sudden anger surprised Sunny.

    Well, at least it was better than the grim apathy that reigned over him this whole day.

    'What's wrong with my mind lately? It's like I'm back on the Ashen Barrow.'

    Frowning, he dismissed the Midnight Shard and returned to his room.

    However, someone was waiting for him there. It was Cassie.

    The blind girl stood silently with her back to the door, holding the wooden staff in her hands. Her face was unusually still. It almost looked�� bleak.

    Sunny's heart skipped a bit.

    'Did she�� did she find out?'

    Forcing out a fake grin, he made his voice sound cheerful and said:

    "Oh, hey Cas. Do you want something?"

    She turned to him and, after a moment of hesitation, smiled. However, something about her smile was off.

    It was almost as though it was as forced as his own.

    The blind girl lingered, then said:

    "No, nothing in particular."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times.

    'What's up with her today?'

    Meanwhile, Cassie raised her hand and found his shoulder.

    "No�� actually, I have a present for you."

    He raised his eyebrow.

    "A�� present?"

    She nodded. In the next moment, a spark of energy suddenly traveled from her body into his.

    Sunny flinched.

    [You have received a Memory: Endless Spring.]

    Wasn't it�� that pretty glass bottle of hers, one that contained an almost endless amount of water?

    Why was she giving it to him?

    "Why are you gifting me this all of a sudden?"

    She was silent for a few moments, then gently shook her head.

    "I just wanted to. Why? Can't I give you something, after everything that you have done for us?"

    Sunny hesitated.

    "I guess you can. I just didn't expect it."

    Cassie gripped his shoulder and remained motionless for a weirdly long amount of time. Then, she looked away and said, her voice light and even:

    "We'll meet again soon, Sunny."

    'Weirdo.'

    He patted her hand and said, a little embarrassed.

    "Of course we will. Where would I go? This lodge is too small for us not to bump into each other all the time anyway."

    She slowly removed her hand and chuckled.

    "Yeah. You're right, of course. I'll�� I'll go now."

    With that, she turned away and headed for the door.

    Sunny stared at her back and shrugged.

    "Alright. Bye."

    'What has gotten into her?'

    Reaching the doorway, Cassie froze for a second. Without turning her head and letting him see her face, she lingered for a while, then quietly said:

    "...Goodbye, Sunny."

 Chapter 165 Power

    Chapter 165 Power

    For the rest of the day, Sunny had nothing to do but count the hours until sunset. When the night descended, he would have to return to the scene of the crime he had committed, retrieve the body of his victim, and carry it into the ruins under the cover of darkness.

    'How did it come to this?'

    Alone in his tiny room, he stared at the wall and waited. Soon, the fear of going into the Dark City at night overpowered the bleak and hollow feeling that reigned over his soul.

    People rarely risked leaving the hill after the dark. In the starless void of the Forgotten Shore, any source of light was bound to attract the attention of creatures that no human would even want to meet. Countless horrors stalked the streets of the city at night.

    Only a madman would risk entering the ruins after the sun was gone.

    ...Of course, there were plenty of madmen in the Dark City.

    Sunny, at least didn't need any light. He also knew the area surrounding the Bright Castle well enough to avoid most danger. The weeks he had spent learning from Effie didn't go to waste.

    'I should be fine.'

    With the shadows hiding his every movement, Sunny was sure of his ability to at least run away should something happen.

    Still, with each passing minute, his heart felt colder and colder. When the shadow of the Crimson Spire drowned the world and colored his thoughts with the eerie feeling of dread, he gritted his teeth.

    'It's almost time.'

    However, before the sun completely disappeared, another unexpected guest appeared at the doorstep of his room.

    Looking at Sunny with a scowl, Nephis gestured for him to stand up and said in an even tone:

    "Come with me."

    Sunny's heart skipped a bit.

    'What�� what does she want?'

    Suppressing the sickly fear of being caught, he lingered for a few moments, then slowly stood up and followed Changing Star out of the lodge.

    Together, the two of them walked to a secluded part of the slum. Neph remained silent, not even looking in his direction. She seemed calm, like always.

    Sunny, however, struggled to keep himself from panicking. Various thoughts, one darker than the other, found their way into his head.

    'Did that bastard, Caster, tell her everything?' Do you want to read more chapters?

    Finally, they reached the remote alley where no one would have been able to overhear their conversation. It was filled with nothing but the crimson light of sunset and deep shadows.

    Turning around, Changing Star looked at him with a frown. Sunny met her gaze, his face grim. He felt as though he was staring at his judge and executioner.

    "I've seen you practicing with the sword today. Your moves were weak and aimless. It was as if you had lost all clarity. What were you thinking about?"

    Sunny slowly exhaled.

    So, that's what this was about. She didn't know anything. She just picked up on the turmoil raging in his mind.

    He should have felt relieved, but for some reason, Sunny felt anger rising in his chest instead.

    With a crooked smile, he looked away and answered:

    "Murder. I was thinking about murder."

    Nephis tilted her head, waiting for an explanation. Sunny remained silent for a few moments, the said, his voice strangely cold:

    "You once told me that the essence of combat is murder, didn't you?"

    She gave him a nod.

    He stared at her, then said:

    "Well, how come you know so much about murder, Neph? Huh? I wanted to ask you that since the day you cut off Andel's head without so much as batting an eye. You are out here preaching about how we are all fellow humans, not some beasts. Was Andel not human?" Come to p a n d a-n o v e l,c o m

    She scowled.

    "Is this what it's all about?"

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    "It's a part of it."

    Nephis was silent for a long time. At some point, she absentmindedly raised one arm and rubbed her neck. Finally, she said:

    "It's not that I have murdered a lot of people. It's that a lot of people have tried to murder me."

    Sunny blinked.

    "Why would anyone want to kill you?"

    She smiled.

    "Why? All kinds of reasons, really. My family was really powerful once, don't you remember? But power�� it's a dangerous thing, Sunny. You can't reach its peak without creating a lot of enemies. And when your power disappears one day, all those enemies remain."

    Turning her face away, she said with her usual indifferent voice:

    "I think I was what�� five, six years old when someone tried to kill me for the first time? It was my nanny. She led me to an empty room, put her hands around my neck, and tried to strangle me. I thought that it was a game. For the first few seconds, at least."

    Neph looked at him with white sparks dancing in her eyes.

    "That was how I learned what weakness is. And when my teacher, who happened to walk by, rushed inside and used his Aspect Ability to kill her�� that was how I learned what strength is. So yes. I'm not a stranger to severed heads, Sunny. Is that what you wanted to know?"

    He stared at her, then slowly shook his head.

    How frightened she must have felt, how powerless. Powerlessness�� he knew how it felt all too well. Somehow, Sunny had never imagined that proud and indomitable Changing Star had tasted it, too. Was shaped by it.

    Just like he was.

    Meanwhile, Nephis smiled. But there was no humor in her eyes.

    "So then, what did you want to know? Huh, Sunny? What is this all about? Do you think I haven't noticed the way you were staring at me ever since we fought the Spire Messenger? Come clean with it. You owe me at least this much."

    He glared at her for a long time, a storm of emotions written on his pale, grim face. Finally making a decision, Sunny gritted his teeth and said:

    "I want to know what your real goal is. I want to know if it's all worth it."

 Chapter 166 Light And Shadows

    Chapter 166 Light And Shadows

    Changing Star frowned. There was a hint of surprise visible in her cold, grey eyes.

    "My�� goal? Isn't it obvious?"

    She gestured to the slum that surrounded them and the magnificent castle towering above it.

    "I'm trying to help these people. What else?"

    Sunny sighed.

    Then, turning his face away, he asked:

    "Hey, have I ever told you about my sister?"

    Nephis blinked.

    "No. Why bring this up all of the sudden?"

    He smiled wistfully.

    "I just was reminded of her recently, so I thought I'd share. You see�� our parents died when we were little. She got adopted, but I ended up on the streets. Life wasn't really sweet for me. In fact, it was nothing but unsavory and bitter. So, young as I was, I simply imagined that it was the same for her. That's why I got obsessed with the idea of finding her. I had this fantasy in my head, you know, of saving and protecting her. Becoming a family again."

    Sunny grimaced.

    "But how could a penniless undesirable like me find anyone? You know how the city databases are. Even if they're functional, unsealing anything requires you to be a citizen, and one of a considerable rank, too. However, I was ready to do anything to accomplish my goal. So, I saved up money. A street kid can't earn much, but even then, I saved up as much as I could."

    A dark expression appeared on his face.

    "Even if I had almost nothing to eat, I would keep putting away the pathetic amount of credits I had earned through doing all kinds of horrid crap. And after four or five years of this, by the time I was nearly seventeen, I finally had enough to hire a private investigator."

    He smiled.

    "You see, there was this detective who sometimes hired us nobodies to gather information for him. His services weren't cheap, but I trusted him. Or in him, at least. So I gave all my money to that guy and told him to find my sister. And you know what? He did. One day, about a month after we made the deal, he gave me a piece of paper with an address written on it. So I went there."

    Nephis hesitated for a few moments, then asked in a quiet voice:

    "So what happened? Did you meet your sister?"

    Sunny rubbed his face, glanced at the sky, and said:

    "Sort of. I actually met her near the tram terminal. Only at that time, I didn't recognize her. You see, despite my lofty ideas of being her savior, I couldn't even really remember what she looked like. There was this girl, around twelve years old, wearing a tidy school uniform. She was walking in the same direction as me. I only realized that it was her after she entered the house from the address."

    He was silent for a while, then continued, his voice strangely emotionless:

    "It was already dark. I think it was raining. The house was situated in a really nice district. They actually had the whole house to themselves. Just one family living in it, can you imagine? Well, I guess you can. Anyway�� there was even a lawn. And a window�� a big window that shined light outside. Watching them through that window was almost like watching a television show."

    Sunny remembered the splendor of it, his own embarrassing astonishment, and tried to smile. However, he failed.

    "Standing in the shadows just outside the edge of that light, I observed her family for a while. She had parents who loved her and treated her well. She had real food, and enough of it to never go hungry. She had pretty clothes and expensive textbooks. She even had cute younger siblings. They were all smiling, laughing, and having a great time together."

    Neph looked at him and asked:

    "So what did you do?"

    Sunny didn't answer immediately. Instead, he remembered how he just stood there, watching those happy people. How he looked down at his own frail body, his dirty and ragged clothes, the bruises on his bloodied knuckles. And realized how utterly out of place he was in that picture.

    After years of dreaming of finding his sister and saving her, he was faced with the simple fact that she�� she never really needed him. She probably didn't even remember that he existed. More than that, returning into her life would not bring anything good to her. He didn't have anything pleasant or beneficial to offer. He could only make things worse.

    [Do you want to read more chapters ? Come to Panda-novel,com] Out there on that dark and rainy night, while Sunny was standing in the shadows, something in his heart was extinguished forever. Something inside him died.

    No matter what kind of situation he would find himself in after this, nothing would really compare to the darkness he felt in that single moment.

    After remaining motionless for a long time, he slowly backed away, turned around, and walked into the darkness.

    ��A few days after that, he began showing the first symptoms of being infected by the Nightmare Spell.

    And the rest was history.

    Shaking off the unpleasant memories, Sunny pretended to be carefree and shrugged.

    "I did the only selfless thing that I have ever done. I turned around and went away. Do you know why?"

    Nephis slowly shook her head.

    Sunny grinned, the anger finally finding its way into his eyes.

    "Because even a cretin like me was able to realize that the person he wanted to save didn't need his saving. So please tell me, Neph, why is it that you, with all your intelligence and clarity, can't seem to do the same?"

    She stared at him, a deep frown appearing on her face.

    "Are you implying that I lied about my intention to help these people? If so, you are wrong."

    Sunny clenched his fists. Before he could stop himself, words flew out of his mouth.

    ��No. To be completely honest with himself, he had to admit that he simply did not want to stop them. He was too exhausted, hurting, and shaken to keep playing this game with Neph. It was time to bring everything to light.

    Maybe then, he would be able to regain clarity.

    Glaring at Changing Star, Sunny spat:

    "...Fuck you, Neph."

    She blinked.

    "What?"

    He smiled crookedly.

    "I said go fuck yourself with that bullshit�� Saint Nephis. You might have fooled everyone else, but I know you. I know you better than anyone else. So I don't buy your whole savior act even for a second."

    Sunny repeated her gesture, pointing at the surrounding hovels.

    "Help these people? Please! What are you going to help them with? Help them turn into corpses? You and I both know how this ends. Cassie already told us. Fire and rivers of blood, right? Is this what you're planning?"

    Nephis stared at him, a dark expression written on her ivory face. Her cold grey eyes weren't calm anymore. Finally, there was a burning emotion in them. Was it�� confusion? Pain? Disappointment?

    She opened her mouth, then closed it again. Then, Changing Star slowly shook her head.

    Finally, she seemed to find the right words. Looking Sunny right in the eyes, she slightly raised her chin and said:

    "...Fine. You got me."

 Chapter 167 Unforgivable

    Chapter 167 Unforgivable

    Sunny stared at Nephis, stunned by her answer. He didn't expect her to admit it so easily.

    Meanwhile, she just shrugged.

    "What? Was I supposed to deny it? Why should I? You are the one who is obsessed with lies, Sunny, not me."

    The corner of Changing Star's mouth twitched.

    "Actually, I have to thank you. If it wasn't for you, I would have never learned how to deceive people so easily. I had a very sheltered upbringing, for obvious reasons. Communicating with others had always been something I knew very little about."

    She smiled darkly.

    "How fortunate it was to meet you, of all people, on this forsaken shore. Lucky me. Right?"

    Sunny blinked. What was she talking about? He remembered how, during their journey to the Dark City, Nephis had tried to mimic Cassie in how she spoke to people. Had she been studying him, too?

    Neph took a step forward and pierced him with an intense, burning gaze.

    "No one survives in the Dream Realm alone. I knew that I won't be an exception to this rule, so I watched Cassie and you and tried my hardest to learn from you both. That's when I noticed that nothing you ever said �� or did �� was true. Wasn't it?"

    'Crap.'

    Sunny felt a cold shiver running down his spine.

    She scoffed.

    "No matter what happened, you somehow always managed to keep your real thoughts, desires, and reasons hidden. I've never seen anyone so adept at deception. Congratulations, Sunny! The mind games you played with us were almost as devious as the mental hex of the Soul Devourer. It was nothing short of inspiring."

    Changing Star paused and shook her head.

    "You can even easily turn truths into lies. How�� brilliant. I never even knew that such a thing was possible. Silly me. I didn't know a lot of things before I met you."

    She smiled.

    "So, you see�� while you were learning how to use a sword from me, I was learning how to use people from you. So please, Sunny, accept my sincere gratitude. I could not have wished for a better teacher. Without you, none of this would have been possible!"

    Nephis raised her hand and stabbed a finger at him. Then, with anger in her voice, she spat:

    "So where do you get the audacity to blame me for doing the same thing you do to everyone you ever meet?"

    Sunny trembled. Was she telling the truth? Did Neph actually learn how to be this manipulative and vile�� from him?

    'Oh, no��'

    Someone that inexperienced couldn't have found a worse role model even if they tried. What a cruel twist of fate, to be sent into the Dream Realm together with a damaged, vicious man like him...

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    "That's not the same��"

    Changing Star scowled.

    "How is what I am doing different? I haven't told a single lie to these people. I gave them just enough truth to make them deceive themselves, just like you taught me. But what, now that it was turned around on you, it is suddenly not fair? Now you won't settle for anything less than the whole truth?"

    She smirked.

    "Fine. I'll tell you. Yes, you are right. There's going to be fire and rivers of blood. That is my plan. So what? How is it worse than this pathetic, hopeless existence? It isn't. I am going to kill Gunlaug. After he is dead, the Bright Castle will become engulfed in a civil war, with each of the five lieutenants vying for the throne. I am going to kill them, too. And when I am the last one standing��"

    Her eyes glistened.

    "...I will gather those of us who remain alive and make a road of bones for the lucky few to reach the Gateway. That is my promise. That is the salvation I offer to the people of Dark City �� a chance to return to the real world or die like a human should, standing tall and with a sword in their hand, instead of living in fear like a rat! I thought that you, of all people, would understand."

    [Do you want to read more chapters ? Come to Panda-novel,com] Sunny stared at her in disbelief. How could�� how could she be so nonchalant about the idea of causing the deaths of so many people? Had their lives no value in her eyes?

    But then he realized that he was looking at it all wrong. He was looking at it from his own perspective, the perspective of someone who was used to surviving at all costs, to putting survival above all else. However, that was how his old self had viewed the world.

    After coming to the Forgotten Shore, Sunny had learned that there were things more valuable than staying alive. And he learned it from Neph.

    To her, a life that was not worth living was that much worse than a worthy death. Maybe, in her mind, she really was trying to help these people.

    But who gave her the right to make that decision on their behalf?

    Shaking his head, he whispered:

    "Is it really so terrible to live here? Is Gunlaug really so bad that you would rather see all of us die than let us remain under his rule?"

    A dark expression appeared on Changing Star's face. With cold contempt ringing in her voice, she said:

    "Gunlaug has done many despicable things. But I won't judge him for those. Who knows if any of us would have done any better? Keeping a thousand hopeless people alive in this hell is the kind of task that can turn a saint into a demon. No�� there is only one crime he committed that I can never forgive."

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "Which one?"

    She lowered her chin and gritted her teeth:

    "It's that he gave up."

    She looked at Sunny and said, her voice full of intensity:

    "It's that he never even tried to reach the Gateway. With so many years to prepare and hundreds of powerful fighters under his command�� do you really think that there was nothing he could do to enter the Crimson Spire? No�� no, he simply changed his mind. Why return if he can live like a king here, in the Dark City? He abandoned his duty as an Awakened and submitted to the Spell."

    ��And because of how he reigned, destroying people before they grew powerful enough to threaten his rule, Gunalug also prevented anyone else from trying.

    However, Sunny glimpsed something else from what Nephis had said. A hint of her true motivation. The words she chose to condemn Gunlaug were just too peculiar.

    Despite the fact that the Bright Lord had committed all sorts of atrocious acts and caused the deaths, humiliation, and sorrow of countless people, the thing that enraged Changing Star the most was not his corruption and cruelty, but something entirely different.

    The fact that he had submitted to the Spell and failed to complete his trial. Considering which family she hailed from...

    Was this the key to her mysterious goal?

    Frowning, Sunny asked:

    "Don't you think that, maybe, he just wasn't willing to see hundreds of people die? All these young men and women living in the outer settlement and the Bright Castle�� how many of them are you ready to sacrifice to achieve your goal?"

    He grew silent, afraid that her answer would confirm his suspicion.

    Neph straightened her back and glanced at him. Once again, her eyes were firm and calm. Without pausing to think, she said, not a shadow of a doubt in her voice:

    "All of them. Of course."

 Chapter 168 Outside

    Chapter 168 Outside

    Sunny grimaced and turned away, feeling a terrible headache. The sun was almost gone, and the night was following in its footsteps. He didn't have much time left.

    With a desperate smile, Sunny looked and Changing Star and asked:

    "What can be so damn important? What can be so valuable that you are ready to condemn everyone here to death?!"

    He shook his head, guessing that he already knew.

    "Don't tell me that it's some stupid crap like bringing the glory of the Immortal Flame clan back. Duty of the Awakened? What, you gave a terrible oath to become the first human to conquer the Fourth Nightmare, like your father conquered the Third, and your grandfather the Second? Or even worse, is it something even more foolish? Are you planning to save the damn world?!"

    Nephis stared at him for a few moments, and then grinned. Something dangerous and unfamiliar awakened in her eyes�� no, not completely unfamiliar.

    It was the same strange, maniacal glimmer he had seen once before, right after saying the three strange words to her.

    Aster, Song, Vale.

    Back then, for a few moments, Changing Star had turned from a calm and composed young woman into someone he wasn't sure he recognized anymore.

    With a soft chuckle, Neph shook her head.

    "Save the world? No, I'm not going to save the world, Sunny."

    Then, the smile disappeared from her face, and white flames suddenly ignited in the depths of her cold, grey eyes. With dark and frightening conviction, she said:

    "I'm going to destroy it."

    Her words echoed in the darkness, making Sunny feel an irrational feeling of dread. He stared at her, both failing to comprehend and afraid to believe in what she had just heard.

    Destroy... the world? What?

    Deeply inhaling the cool air, Changing Star looked up at the sky.

    "This world, Sunny. This cursed place. The Dream Realm. No, I won't be the first one to conquer the Fourth Nightmare. I will be the first one to conquer every Nightmare. I'll go through them one after another, destroying anything and anyone who stands in my way. And when I get to the heart of the Nightmare Spell, I'm going to obliterate every part of it, I'm going to rip it to shreds, I'm going to decimate and bring it to ruin."

    She looked him in the eyes and said:

    "You think Gunlaug can stop me? You think a Fallen Terror can stop me? Those three ghouls can stop me? No, Sunny. Nothing will stop me. Anyone who dares will die. I'll kill them all."

    Taking a step back, Sunny stared at her with wide eyes.

    He shivered, feeling something cold touch the back of his neck. Then, he grimaced and asked, a hint of anguish in his voice:

    "Why? Why do you want to destroy the Spell so much?"

    A corner of Changing Star's mouth curled up slightly. After a few moments, she simply said:

    "Because I hate it."

    Sunny blinked, stunned by the simplicity of that answer. If it was someone else, he would have thought that they were lying.

    But Nephis lived in a strange, stark world. She did things simply because she wanted to, and apparently wanted to destroy an eternal, omnipotent existence simply because she hated it.

    Why the hell not?

    He closed his eyes and whispered.

    "You are actually insane."

    Neph smiled.

    "What does it mean to be insane in a world that has gone mad? I would be wary of anyone who remained perfectly sane in this hell."

    Then, she sighed.

    "So, are we done here? Or do you have more questions? The sun is almost gone, so you'd better hurry up and ask them."

    Sunny shook his head and said, his voice hoarse:

    "...Yeah. Yeah, Neph. I'm done."

    With that, he slowly turned around and took a step forward.

    Left behind, Nephis frowned.

    "Where are you going? Come back here."

    He waved a hand and said in a suppressed tone, refusing to turn his head:

    "Sorry. I have an errand to run. We'll... talk some other time."

    Her frown deepened. Looking at his back, Changing Star gritted her teeth and called:

    "I said come back, Sunny! This conversation isn't over! Come back here right now!"

    But there was no answer.

    Sunny had already disappeared into the shadows, leaving her standing alone in the alley that was brightly lit by the last light of the dying sunset.

    ***

    Some time later, Sunny was walking through the ruins, Harper's dead body weighing on his shoulder. The young man was very gaunt back before he had been killed, so it wasn't much of a burden.

    ��Physically, at least.

    It was the early hour of the night.

    Surrounded by nothing but darkness, Sunny was left alone with his thoughts and emotions. But, strangely, both his heart and mind were empty. He couldn't be bothered to think or feel anything right now.

    It was all just too much and too sudden.

    Plus, he would much rather concentrate on not stumbling on some horrific monster. Ending up eaten by a Nightmare Creature right now would be very ironic, but still unpleasant.

    He felt guilty about murdering Harper, but not enough to die while trying to dispose of the body. He would much prefer not to die for his sins.

    Luckily, the area he was traversing was familiar to Sunny. He knew which streets were comparatively safe, and which he needed to avoid. Where the really horrible monsters lives, and where he could pass without being sensed by anything.

    Finally judging that he was far away into the ruins, he found a partially collapsed house, climbed over the rubble, then hesitated for a few moments and threw the corpse inside. Harper's gaunt body rolled down the rocks and disappeared into the interior of the house, where no one would ever see it.

    Here, done. That part, at least, was finished.

    It was time to go back.

    Sunny turned around and stared at the distant silhouette of the tall hill, with the magnificent castle standing on its top.

    Right now, hundreds of people were sleeping there, either in the pitiful hovels of the outer settlement or in the safe and warm rooms of the ancient stronghold.

    Neph, Cassie, and Effie were there.

    Harus, Gemma, and Gunlaug the Bright Lord were there, too.

    And many, many others.

    And most of them were going to die.

    Looking at the white marble walls of the castle, Sunny could see his future vividly. Watching helplessly as Changing Star builds here sect. Helping her defend herself from Gunlaug. Going on hunts, being invisible once he comes back. Afraid to get close to anyone, lest the same thing that happened to Harper repeats itself.

    Up until the moment everything ends in bloodshed and terror.

    Caster was there, too, waiting to use his leverage over Sunny to make him his obedient minion. Sunny wasn't deceived by the amiable personality of the handsome Legacy. He knew that nothing good was going to come of accepting his help.

    ...In the end, he just stood in the shadows and looked into the distance, at the tiny human enclave that persevered against all odds in the cursed nightmare of the Forgotten Shore like a lone glimmer of light.

    After remaining motionless for a long time, Sunny quietly sighed, turned his back to it, and slowly walked into the darkness.

 Chapter 169 Back To The Future

    Chapter 169 Back To The Future

    Three months later, Sunny was back at the castle.

    Well, to be precise, he had returned here once before, to buy a few items that were hard to come by in the ruins. However, back then, Nephis and her cohort had been away on a hunt.

    No such luck today. The moment he had been dreading for so long was finally here.

    Hearing Changing Stat's voice, Sunny slowly turned around, glanced at her, and forced out a smile:

    "Hey, Neph. Long time no see."

    He tried to sound casual, but a slight tremble betrayed the storm of emotions raging in his heart.

    Why did she have to be here?!

    The turmoil of their sudden meeting was exasperated by the fact of how different they looked. The past months only made Nephis appear more radiant and splendid. Her white armor was pristine and graceful, her silver hair clean and combed. Sunny, on the other hand, looked like a pile of dirt that had somehow come to life. Both he and the Puppeteer's Shroud had seen better days.

    He didn't want to see her, but even more than that, he didn't want her to see him in this sorry state. What if Neph gets the ridiculous idea that he was somehow miserable after falling out with her?

    Nonsense! He was doing better than ever. He lived in a palace, ate delicious food every day, and had even become incredibly wealthy. If anyone should be miserable, it would be her��

    "You do realize that you said that out loud, do you?"

    Sunny blinked, remembered where he was, and stared at Changing Star in shock:

    "Huh�� what?"

    She smiled with a corner of her mouth.

    "You just zoned out and mumbled "why did she have to be here" under your breath. That was not very polite."

    Sunny hid his embarrassment behind a grin and said.

    "Yeah, well�� I meant it."

    Neph sighed.

    "I'm glad to see you too, Sunny. It's good that you're alive."

    Trying to conceal his discomfort, he shrugged.

    "What, you didn't expect me to survive without you?"

    She looked at him for a while and slightly shook her head.

    "No. On the contrary, I knew that you would be fine."

    Then, she paused for a moment and added in a flat tone:

    "After all, a cockroach like you is not easy to kill."

    Sunny scoffed.

    "Now who's being impolite?"

    Nephis stared at him in confusion for a couple of moments, then chuckled.

    "Oh, sorry. I meant it as a compliment��"

    ***

    He was glad to see Neph, too. As much as Sunny wanted to deny it, he had desperately missed her calm presence. Somewhere along the way, without even noticing, he had grown reliant on having her by his side.

    But meeting her was also a nightmare.

    After all, nothing had really changed after their bitter quarrel. Even though the intensity of it all diminished, the future that Cassie had foretold was still inevitable.

    Now that the initial shock of running into Changing Star disappeared, Sunny took a closer look at her.

    Nephis looked�� stronger. He didn't know how much soul essence she had been able to absorb while he was gone, but it seemed like it was a lot. Neph was always confident and arresting, but now, her presence grew to a completely new level.

    But then again, he was not the same weak fool either. The Dark City had made him into a fearsome creature as well. The months he had spent hunting monsters in the absolute darkness of the cursed ruins turned him stronger, smarter, and much more deadly.

    ��If a little bit insane.

    Sunny doubted that any human on the Forgotten Shore had killed as many powerful Nightmare Creatures as he had in the same amount of time. At least not in single combat.

    'Don't go on a tangent and forget where you are again!'

    With a flinch, Sunny realized that he had been silent for a long time. An awkward silence hung between them, threatening to make him look bad.

    'Uh. I need to say something. Like�� how have you been? No, that's a stupid question! How about��'

    However, before he could speak, Nephis asked:

    "So what brings you to the Bright Castle? Are you�� are you back?"

    Startled, he scratched the back of his head and scrambled to find an answer:

    "Oh, you know. Just�� doing some shopping."

    She blinked.

    "Shopping?"

    "Wait, did that sound weird?"

    Sunny's eyes widened.

    "Wait, did I say that out loud again?!"

    He slapped his mouth shut and looked at Changing Star in horror.

    'Goddamit! Who knew that a habit of talking to myself would be so detrimental to keeping my dignity intact?!'

    On the ground next to him, the shadow was having a swell time basking in his anguish. It was shaking its head and dying laughing.

    Several seconds later, Sunny was finally able to speak again:

    "Uh, yeah. Shopping. I have some soul shards to spare, so I wanted to buy a Memory. Or few."

    Nephis looked at him for a while, then said:

    "I see."

    Then, she turned away and asked, her voice calm and even, as always:

    "Do you want to go somewhere and talk?"

    Sunny's heart skipped a bit. He gritted his teeth.

    "Sorry. No can do. I'm�� uh�� waiting for someone."

    Changing Star lingered for a few moments, then asked:

    "You're hiding in that alley because you're�� waiting for someone? Who are you waiting for, Sunny?"

    He waved a hand.

    "Oh, you know. A friend. Well�� more like an associate, really. An acquaintance?"

    Neph remained silent for a few moments, then said in an even tone:

    "You can just say no. No need to invent some��"

    But right at that moment, an enchanting voice came from the entrance of the alley:

    "Sunny? Hey, are you here?"

    Turning around, Sunny saw a beautiful young man with gorgeous auburn hair and mesmerizing green eyes enter the alley. He was wearing an armor made out of burnished brown leather and blue silk clothes beneath, all of which fit him perfectly. On his face, there was a bright smile.

    It was Kai�� Night�� whatever his name was!

    Sunny exhaled with relief.

    "What do you mean, "invent"?! See, he's right��"

    However, the words died on his lips. Because, when he turned to Changing Star, he saw something that he had never seen before.

    Looking at the young man whom he had set free from the bottomless dark well, Nephis took a step back. Her face was pale, and her eyes were wide and glassy.

    She seemed to be consumed by absolute, utter horror��

 Chapter 170 Star-Crossed

    Chapter 170 Star-Crossed

    Sunny had never seen Nephis show fear before, not to mention being truly horrified.

    Instantly, every muscle in his body tensed, and a cold shiver ran through it.

    'It can't be, it can't be!'

    She was a person who faced demons and fearsome abominations without even flinching. What could scare her so much?

    Was he mistaken? Was Kai an incarnation of some primordial evil after all? How could this be?!

    Panicking, he turned back to face the charming young man and outstretched one arm, ready to summon the Midnight Shard. Not that it would help if even Changing Star was scared��

    ��But, to his surprise, Kai wasn't showing any signs of being an ancient terror. In fact, he was looking at him with a cute expression of confusion.

    "Uh, Sunny? Who is your friend?"

    No, it didn't make any sense. Not only was Sunny sure of his judgment, he had also seen multiple people greeting Night as though they knew and liked him. He couldn't be a Nightmare Creature.

    Then what was wrong with Nephis?

    Keeping his shadow's gaze on the charming archer, Sunny slowly turned back and glanced at Changing Star. She was still standing there, seemingly paralyzed by fear.

    What was going on?

    "Uh�� Neph?"

    She flinched and tore her eyes away from Kai. After a few seconds, Changing Star cautiously leaned forward and whispered:

    "Sunny�� what is Night doing here?"

    He frowned.

    "He's the friend I was telling you about."

    She lingered, then shook her head:

    "No, I mean what is he doing here?"

    The emphasis was on the word "here".

    'Where else would he be?'

    Completely lost, Sunny struggled to understand what was going on. Maybe she knew something about the kidnapping? That didn't make sense. Finally, he said:

    "I saved his life in the ruins, so he's doing me a favor in return."

    Nephis stared at him with desperation, then shook her head again:

    "No, I mean what is Night doing here, on the Forgotten Shore!"

    Sunny scowled.

    "Did you guys know each other in the real world?"

    Nephis looked at him with a funny expression. She opened her mouth, then closed it again.

    Finally, she forced herself to speak:

    "You�� you don't know who he is?"

    Meanwhile, Kai, who was politely staying silent through this whole weird conversation, smiled dazzlingly and said:

    "He really doesn't. Isn't it wonderful?"

    Sunny gave him a dark look.

    "How would I know who he is? Make sense, please."

    Neph was silent for a while, then loudly whispered:

    "That's Night, you idiot! Night from Nightingale! The Night!"

    What was she going on about?! He had no idea what that meant!

    Sunny rubbed his face with irritation:

    "What are you talking about? What is a Nightingale?"

    Nephis looked at Kai, paled even more, and finally said in a small voice:

    "It's�� only the best and most famous idol group of the last decade. Triple Orpheus winners, one hundred consecutive weeks at the top of all charts, six diamond albums. That�� that Nightingale. That Night. The lead vocalist��"

    Sunny simply stared.

    'Wait. Are you telling me��'

    Was she so out of it because Kai used to be a member of some stupid boy band in the past?

    Changing Star was not horrified, she was�� starstruck?

    He remained silent for a while.

    And then exploded into laughter.

    'Gods�� oh gods! Nephis is a fangirl! What the Spell, that's too funny��"

    Come to think of it, when they first met, she had been wearing headphones the whole time. He should have realized that Neph was into music much earlier. Mighty and stoic Changing Star, brought down by a dainty idol boy��

    That was just too hilarious!

    He wasn't even jealous. What were the chances of meeting her bias in the damn Dark City? You couldn't come up with that crap!

    As he was dying from laughter, both Changing Star and Kai glared at him with difficult expressions. However, Sunny just couldn't stop. His laughter only died down after he began wheezing.

    "Sorry, sorry. I just�� didn't expect it. From you. Ha! Oh, gods. As for your question, Night has been here for about two and a half years. He lives in the castle��"

    Nephis seemed thoughtful for a few moments, then glanced at Kai with wide eyes.

    "Two and a half years? But�� but I thought that Nightingale was just on hiatus because of Gale's solo project��"

    'Oh, there's a Gale, too. I can't even...'

    Kai smiled apologetically.

    "I'm afraid not. I have indeed spent all this time here, in the Dark City. My agency had to come up with some cover story, I guess. With how things are, they can't even spin things and release a posthumous album, poor guys. You know, since I'm not technically dead, or even Hollow. Just�� asleep."

    Neph gave him a shy nod.

    "Oh. I see."

    Trying to remove the awkward atmosphere, Kai offered her another smile.

    "By the way, it's so nice to meet another friend of Sunny's. What a surprise! I thought that he was a complete�� uh�� a solitary person. I'm sorry, but I didn't catch your name. Was it Neph?"

    Looking at him, Sunny grinned. Then, he cleared his throat and said in a relaxed tone:

    "Oh right, I forgot to introduce you. Sorry, by bad. Night, this is Nephis. Although these days she goes by another name. You might have heard it�� meet Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan."

    ��Now, it was Kai's turn to stare at Neph with horror. The corner of his eye twitched.

    However, perhaps due to his idol training, he managed to hide his emotions much faster. Blinking a few times, he lingered for a moment, and then said in his smooth, enchanting voice:

    "Oh. It's�� a pleasure to meet you, my lady. I have... have heard so much about you. It's an honor!"

    Nephis turned away, trying to hide a hint of blush on her cheeks. Staring at the wall of the alley, she hesitated, then awkwardly said:

    "So�� uh... your friend is already here, Sunny. Can we go have a talk now?"

    She glanced at him and added after a bit of hesitation:

    "I have something important to discuss with you. It's�� a matter of life and death."

 Chapter 171 Tether

    Chapter 171 Tether

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, digesting her words.

    A matter of life and death�� if Nephis used these words, the situation was indeed dire. She was not someone to throw words to the wind.

    However, she was also not to be trusted. No matter how much Sunny wanted for things between them to go to the way they had been before, he knew that it was impossible. There was no way back for either of them.

    Sunny knew the true face of Changing Star now. He had seen the endless force of her conviction. In the flaming white inferno of her soul, all things were reduced to ash. Human concepts like loyalty, mercy, and affection had no hope of escaping that annihilation.

    No matter what bonds connected them, Sunny could not trust Nephis to put them above her boundless obsession. If push came to shove, she would sacrifice anything�� or anyone�� to achieve her goal. Including him.

    At least that was what he believed.

    What's more, despite the fact that she tried to hide it, Sunny could feel that Neph's demeanor toward him had changed as well. He couldn't tell how exactly, but there was something almost imperceptibly different about how she looked at him.

    Once broken, trust was not easy to put back. Perhaps it was simply impossible.

    And yet�� despite all that, was he really capable of refusing her plea for help?

    Sunny sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.

    ��No. No, he didn't think he was.

    Even if things between them became strained, she was still one of the only two people he cared about in this world. The way he felt toward Neph was... was almost like a second Flaw.

    No matter how much he wanted to, he just couldn't get rid of it.

    Somewhere along the way, it had taken root in his soul. He had hoped that it will wither and die if they were apart, but instead, it just grew stronger. And now there was no escape from it.

    Sunny could feel himself being pulled back into the mess of humanity once again. Damn it! This was exactly why he had been reluctant to return here. After suffering so much to leave it all behind, why would he ever want to abandon his peaceful, pleasant, delightful life of solitude?

    'Curses!'

    But he just couldn't refuse Neph.

    ��However, that didn't mean that he was going to become her compliant sidekick again.

    Even if they were going to work together, they were going to do it on his terms.

    'Focus! You came here to purchase Memories to feed for the Stone Saint!'

    Changing Star was looking at him expectantly. Sunny tried to appear confident and casual as he said:

    "We can have a talk, but not right now. I'll... come find you when I'm done with my business."

    Whatever it was that she wanted to discuss, it could not be extremely urgent. After all, Nephis had no idea that he was going to return from the ruins today. If there was no time to waste, she would not be wasting it on him, logically.

    Changing Star was silent for a few moments, her face indifferent. Then, finally, she answered in a flat tone:

    "That is fine. You know where to go."

    Sunny smiled.

    "Oh, and if you don't mind, I'll bring Night with me."

    Both of them stared at him with the same doubtful expression.

    "You will?"

    Turning to the charming young man, Sunny pretended to be surprised by his question.

    "Don't you want to meet my other friends? They'll be able to answer all your stupid questions, for sure!"

    Night hesitated.

    "...I guess?"

    "Wonderful!"

    Sunny gave him a nod and glanced at Nephis, who was clearly wondering if her idol could really be trusted.

    "It's decided then. Now, if you'll excuse us��"

    Truth be told, he didn't trust the pretty archer that much either. But his ability to detect lies would come in incredibly handy during the conversation with Changing Star.

    She was the one and only graduate of Sunny's school of deception and lies, after all.

    Pushing Kai away, he waited until they were at an appropriate distance and asked:

    "So what did you find out about the Memories?"

    ***

    Soon enough, they were entering the Bright Castle. Sunny felt strange returning to this splendid, suffocating place. This time, he came as a guest of a well-regarded resident, not as a slum dweller seeking to exchange a soul shard for a moment of respite from the cold, darkness, and terror. The Guards did glance at him with disdain, but remained passive.

    Walking under the swinging skulls, they entered the familiar hall of beautiful colored glass windows. The opulent desk that Harper used to sit behind was still there, only now, a similarly downtrodden young woman was scribbling on a piece of parchment instead.

    The world didn't care about the death of one little human. It just moved on, instantly replacing that which was lost.

    Forgetting it.

    Sunny grimaced.

    "So, you did find me some Memories to buy? What are the prices?"

    Kai smiled, gestured him to follow, and said:

    "I did you one better. I actually managed to get us an invitation to the Memory Market."

    Sunny frowned:

    "A what? Never heard of it."

    The charming young man gave him a nod.

    "That's not surprising. It's a place where you can peruse various Memories and purchase them for an acceptable price. Uh�� I say acceptable, but you know who has all the shards in this place. So, usually, they only let the members of the Host in."

    Made sense. Gunlaug would never allow Memories to freely circulate among people who did not belong to him. The Guards and Hunters, though, needed a place to exchange Memories that didn't fit their Aspects for either shards or something that did.

    "Then how did you get the invitation?"

    Kai shrugged.

    "It's not that hard if you have the shards. Problem is, very few of us free folk do."

    To Sunny's surprise, they actually entered one of the forbidden areas of the castle. After walking down a few long corridors and going down several flights of stairs, a sturdy wooden door appeared before them.

    There was a symbol of a sword and shield drawn on it.

    Winking at him, Night opened the door and walked inside.

    Sunny followed.

    Once he saw the interior of the room, his eyes glistened with excitement.

 Chapter 172 Memory Market

    Chapter 172 Memory Market

    Behind the door, there was a medium-sized hall that had no windows. It was illuminated by a strange lantern that levitated in its center, radiating a bright and stable glow.

    Along the walls of the room stood various weapon racks, wooden mannequins dressed in full suits of armor, and tables with a wide assortment of beautiful and intriguing objects placed upon them.

    All of it �� the weapons, the armors, the objects, even the levitating lantern �� were Memories.

    Sunny felt a thundering thought explode in his mind. For a few moments, he was only able to think about one thing:

    'Money! That is so much money!'

    Inside this unassuming hall hid a fortune that could rival that of an entire corporation.

    He was barely stopping himself from drooling.

    "Uh�� Sunny?"

    Brought back from his covetous stupor, Sunny blinked a couple of times and glanced at Kai.

    "Huh?"

    The beautiful archer hesitated for a moment, then said:

    "I was saying, this is Stev. He is in charge of this place."

    Only now did Sunny notice that there was someone else in the room. It was a man that was old by the standards of the Dark City, nearing twenty-five or so. He had a round face and cheerful eyes, which were currently full of doubt and hints of disgust.

    His gaze, of course, was aimed at Sunny.

    'Have you looked in the mirror, bastard?!'

    Apart from his extremely tall stature, there was one other special thing about Stev's appearance, and it was that he was�� fat. He was the first obese person that Sunny had met in the Dark City. Having a belly like that in a place like this must have required a lot of work, talent and dedication.

    He didn't know whether to be impressed or appalled.

    In any case, Sunny decided to not get on Stev's bad side.

    ...He wouldn't want to get eaten by this ogre, after all!

    "Uh�� nice to meet you, Stev. I'm Sunny."

    The ample giant looked down at him, then glanced at Kai, and said in a strange voice:

    "Night, my dear friend. Are you sure this dirty vagrant is�� a customer?"

    Sunny frowned.

    'Be civil�� be civil��'

    "Hey, fat bastard. Are you sure that this dirty vagrant won't break every bone in that fat blob you have for a body?"

    In the dead silence, both Kai and Stev stared at him with wide eyes.

    Then, Stev leaned back and let out a thunderous laugh.

    "This little gremlin is a funny one, Night! Well, good. Very good! If there's one thing I lack in this cave, it's entertainment."

    Chuckling, he shook his head and said:

    "Still, my goods aren't cheap, my dear friend�� uh�� Sunny? A good Memory will cost you a dozen shards, at least. Much more if you want something really useful. Are you sure you have the means to shop here in my emporium? How many shards can a slum rat like you have?"

    Sunny blinked.

    "I think there was a misunderstanding. Have you seen me? Do I look like someone who would ever be able to buy something from you? Of course not! I've never even absorbed a single soul shard, that should tell you how many of them I have."

    Kai gave him a strange look.

    Because of how confident Sunny had been while traversing the ruins, he must have assumed that his companion was sufficiently powerful. However, now he suddenly learned that Sunny had never absorbed any soul essence. With his ability to sense lies, the charming archer would know that it was the truth.

    Well, of course it was. He absorbed plenty of shadow fragments, instead.

    Sunny gave away that misleading secret on purpose. He didn't want Night to start questioning the amount of soul shards he was about to spend. Letting the archer think that he was too obsessed with wealth to expend any on increasing his power would, hopefully, lessen the impact a bit.

    Meanwhile, Sunny shook his head.

    "No, no. Kai here is the one who'll be handing you the shards. I'm just here to point him at the right ones. I have an eye for good Memories, you see."

    By which he meant that his eyes were literally capable of peering into the very essence of Memories and discerning their true traits. But neither of them needed to know that.

    Stev scratched the back of his head.

    "Uh�� well. In that case, take a look around. Ask me any questions if something catches your eye."

    Then he glanced at Night and scoffed.

    "You could have just asked me for advice, you know? It's not like I can lie to you."

    Kai smiled with embarrassment.

    "Oh. Ah�� yeah, sorry."

    When Stev walked away, he leaned to Sunny and whispered:

    "So the favor you wanted from me is to pretend to buy a Memory and then give it to you, so that no one knew that you have a hidden ace?"

    Sunny stared at him. Actually, it was a good theory. Having a weapon or tool that no one knew about was a very good advantage.

    Unfortunately, Kai didn't really know who he was dealing with.

    Sunny shook his head.

    "No. I don't want you to buy a Memory on my behalf."

    Then, with an earnest smile, he added:

    "I want you to buy around ten."

    Kai's beautiful green eyes widened.

    ***

    Leaving the charming archer struck dumb and speechless, Sunny walked away and started perusing the various Memories on display.

    There were a lot of them. By his estimations, at least a hundred, if not more.

    All sorts of weapons immediately attracted his attention.

    There were straight swords, curved swords, estocs and rapiers, scimitars and sabres. Various daggers and knives called to him, shining in the bright light on the enchanted lanterns. There were a dozen or so of polearms, from spears to glaives to halberds to naginatas. Several battle axes were displayed nearby. Further away, war hammers, maces, and flails radiated a silent feeling of crushing force. A few bows received a dreamy look from Kai.

    There were suits of armor, too. From leather to metal, light to heavy, scale to plate. Elegant, unrefined, graceful, barbarous�� whatever a person could wish for. Some of them were shaped like actual armour, others looked like cloth garments.

    Placed on tables, various objects begged for his attention. Gods only knew what enchantments they possessed��

    Well, to be precise, gods and Stev.

    And Sunny.

    Walking among the Memories, he would periodically place his hand on them. Immediately, the inner weave of the Memory would be laid bare to his eyes, which were changed forever by the drop of Weaver's ichor.

    Studying the logic of the weave, he was able to glimpse its purpose. Of course, there weren't any truly remarkable Memories in the hall. Who would want to sell something like that? However, even then, he managed to separate really good ones from simply acceptable, from borderline awful.

    ��That last category was what he came here for.

    'Quantity over quality, remember?'

    Sunny was almost done choosing the absolute worst Memories out of them all when his sight suddenly fell on a badly illuminated corner.

    In that corner, covered in a thick layer of dust, stood a seemingly discarded suit of armor.

    ��When Sunny saw it, his hands slightly trembled.

 Chapter 173 Black Armor

    Chapter 173 Black Armor

    For a moment, Sunny froze. However, a second later he continued to behave just like before, as if nothing had happened.

    The first rule of haggling �� never let the enemy see that you're interested in buying something. And Sunny was dead set on haggling until Stev's ears started to bleed today.

    Pretending as though he had not noticed the dusty armor, he walked around a bit more, slowly approaching the corner where it was displayed. Judging by the neglect with which the armor was kept, the master of the Memory Market did not know its true value.

    Sunny really wanted to keep it that way. Because, if he was right�� that armor was much more valuable than anything else here.

    He didn't know for sure, but suspected that it was nothing short of a true treasure.

    Because he recognized it.

    The suit of ancient plate armor was jet black in color, its design intricate and solemn. It radiated a feeling of dark resolve and stalwart, adamantine grace. All parts of it were perfectly fitted to one another, creating an almost seamless barrier of impenetrable steel.

    ��Or rather, stone.

    Because the dusty armor was almost exactly the same as the one the Stone Saint was wearing.

    Of course, there were some differences. For starters, this one was somehow more�� impressive. It felt as though it had once belonged to a creature of higher status than the steadfast Shadow. While Shadow's armor was made out of dark granite, this one was cut out of pure black onyx. Its glossy surface seemed to absorb and devour any light that fell on it.

    And that was just in its dormant state. Once it was animated like that of the Stone Saint�� who knew how fearsome it would become?

    Why was this treasure gathering dust in a badly lit corner of the Memory Market?

    Sunny frowned. Yes, he was most likely the only person in the Dark City who had seen the formidable living statues up close. But still, everything about the onyx armor screamed of how incredible of a Memory it was. What was it doing here, neglected and seemingly forgotten?

    He had a lot of questions.

    Finally, he managed to reach the armor without showing how interested in it he was. With a false expression of boredom on his face, Sunny raised a hand and absentmindedly put it on the jet black breastplate.

    A moment later, his mask of boredom almost cracked. His pupils widened.

    What he saw beneath the surface of the armor shocked him to the core. The weave of ethereal diamond strings inside it was�� was on a completely another level from anything he had ever seen.

    It was much more complex and vast than even that of the Puppeteer's Shroud. Which was not surprising, considering that there were no less than six glowing embers connecting it all together.

    And those embers were much larger and brighter than those inside his current Memories.

    Sunny gulped.

    In front of him, covered in dust, was an Ascended Memory of the sixth tier. Something that only a Fallen Terror could leave behind.

    'Jackpot.'

    ***

    His glee, however, did not last long. Almost instantly, Sunny noticed that there was something wrong with the weave of the onyx armor. It was�� damaged.

    Thousands of strings were torn apart, leaving the whole pattern broken and full of disharmony. Instead of flowing seamlessly, they floated in the darkness, untethered from each other and the nexuses. The whole thing was a mess.

    That's why he couldn't feel any logic or purpose in the weave. It was simply not there anymore.

    Sunny frowned.

    How could a Memory stay damaged beyond repair? That didn't make any sense. Memories were supposed to repair themselves inside the Soul Sea as long as they were not completely destroyed. This rule was pretty much universal. It couldn't be broken.

    Unless��

    A seed of understanding appeared in his mind.

    However, before Sunny could elaborate on his idea, Stev chuckled and put a giant hand on his shoulder.

    "What an awesome armor, right, my dear friend Sunny?"

    Saying that, he leaned forward and laughed.

    Throughout Sunny's exploration of the Memory Market, Stev had approached him several times to describe the most alluring qualities of his wares or simply to chat. He was obviously bored out of his mind in this windowless hall.

    Sunny stared at him and blinked a couple of times.

    'If you only knew what kind of a priceless treasure this is, fool!'

    "Of all the pieces of crap in this market of yours, this one is by far the most outrageous. I can hardly believe that you had the audacity to show it to people."

    By which he meant that it was genuinely the best Memory in this whole room, if not in the whole castle �� except for Gunlaug's golden armor, of course.

    However, if it sounded as though he was blaming Stev for being shameless and trying to sell people an utter piece of crap�� well, he couldn't do anything about that, right?

    Stev sighed.

    "Usually, I would get into an argument and try to defend my inventory, but I can't really disagree this time. This armor, no matter how awesome it looks, is indeed absolutely useless. It has been here from long before I was put in charge of the market, actually. I even consider it to be a sort of mascot."

    Sunny scratched the back of his head.

    "How come no one ever bought it?"

    He was pretty sure that he knew, but needed to hear what was Stev's explanation to glean how much the giant man understood.

    Stev shrugged.

    "Why would anyone buy it? Have you not noticed that it's made of stone? Like, actual stone? It's so heavy that not even Tessai can move under all the weight. Maybe an Awakened would be able to, but to us Sleepers, wearing this armor is pretty much like trying to walk around dressed in a mountain. And that stone is not that hard to break, too."

    He looked at the onyx armor and sighed.

    "Actually, this armor has quite a story. It once belonged to a member of the legendary cohort that conquered this Castle. Some even say that it belonged to the first Lord himself. Supposedly, it had an enchantment that made it much lighter back then."

    He looked at the armor with doubt.

    "But when they were fighting some ancient terror, maybe the Spire Messenger who lived here, the armor was seriously damaged. Something went very wrong, the enchantment was broken, and it turned into a piece of stone. It's so damaged that even the Spell can't make sense of it, simply describing it as unknown that, unknown this... "

    Sunny had to force himself to not hold his breath.

    The Stone Saint was, supposedly, created by one of the Unknown. It made sense that the armaments of her kind were, too.

    Regardless, it didn't matter that much. He was now pretty sure that he knew why the onyx armor was remaining in its dormant form and couldn't repair itself.

    It had to do with the difference between the Sleepers and the Awakened.

    Once a Sleeper finished his trial by walking through a Gateway, they would take the final step to becoming a true Awakened. Their way of entering the Dream Realm would change, their Aspect would unlock a second Ability, and their core would evolve to the next rank.

    There was a quantitative jump in power, but most of the difference came from the qualitative one...

 Chapter 174 Shopping Spree

    Chapter 174 Shopping Spree

    Just like Dreamers gained the ability to perceive and interact with Soul Cores, Awakened were able to interact with Soul Essence. By channeling it inside their bodies, they were able to utilize it more efficiently and achieve greater results.

    The ability to channel soul essence was also vital to unlocking the full potential of higher rank Memories. Besides the general rarity of such Memories, there was another reason why Legacy clans did not just equip their scions with weapons of tremendous power and let them sail to the Gateway without meeting any resistance.

    It was because Sleepers simply had no way to activate powerful enchantments. Even Gunlaug was mostly using his Transcendent armor just for its durability, with a single passive enchantment serving as a nice, but unimportant bonus. In the hand of an Awakened with the ability to channel soul essence into it, the golden armor would have been far more formidable.

    Which is where the paradox that rendered the onyx armor unusable came into play.

    From his experience dealing with the Stone Saint, Sunny knew that her armor, just like the strange creature itself, had a very special spellweave. It was, in essence, a living armament. Unlike most Memories that could function on their own, it was simply a piece of dead stone when the main enchantment wasn't active.

    So, after the onyx armor was damaged, it had to be awoken with soul essence to assume its true form and repair itself. However, there was no human on the Forgotten Shore capable of channeling soul essence, and so it remanded broken, which in turn made it useless to all the humans here.

    'What a shame�� that I'll be able to buy it for a measly sum of soul shards from these fools and feed it to my Shadow, ha!'

    Sunny didn't really care whether the armor was intact or not. All he cared about was that it had six Ascended embers that his Stone Saint could devour. Maybe she'll even gain something extra because of her close affinity with the armor�� after all, they came from the same source!

    For a moment, Sunny considered the idea that his Shadow might refuse to destroy the Memory for the same reason�� but then discarded it. She was just a Shadow, after all. His will was her will, right?

    Now all that remained was to make the purchase��

    Sunny scoffed.

    "So it's, uh�� just a decoration? How tacky."

    Shaking his head, he threw one last glance at the onyx armor, forced himself to turn away, and continued to walk around the Memory Market.

    Ten minutes later, he walked over to Kai and silently handed him the rucksack. Then, he named the Memories he wanted him to buy.

    The charming young men blinked a couple of times, then said:

    "Wait�� you weren't joking? You really want to buy t��ten Memories?"

    Sunny frowned at him and hissed:

    "Keep your voice down! We need people to think that you are the one buying them, remember?"

    Kai hesitated, then massaged his temples.

    "Sunny, my friend�� don't take it the wrong way, but you do know how much Memories cost, right?"

    Instead of answering, Sunny gestured to the rucksack.

    "Open it, you idiot."

    The archer sighed and opened the clasp of the rucksack.

    Then, he almost dropped it.

    Inside the crude backpack, dozens of soul shards were softly glowing in the dark. There were around seventy of them in there, at least.

    Kai's hands trembled. Raising his head, he stared at Sunny with wide eyes and whispered with horror:

    "S��Sunny! Where did you get all these shards?!"

    Seventy shards was more than most of the people in the Dark City would see in their lifetime. The contents of the unassuming rucksack were enough to start a chain of bloody conflicts that could culminate in a small war.

    Sunny stared at him and shrugged.

    "What do you mean? They were just gathering dust in my bedroom. I would bring more, but the rest wouldn't fit in the rucksack."

    Kai looked as though he was on the verge of fainting. Then, he blushed in embarrassment.

    'Ah, I bet he's remembering how he was bragging about being rich and tried to bribe me with a promise of ten whole shards, which, in his words, was a small fortune. Ha!'

    While Sunny was silently gloating, a sudden shadow ran over the beautiful archer's face. In a small voice, he said:

    "Wait, Sunny. Did you say "bedroom"?"

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "Sure. Why?"

    Kai shut his eyes.

    "So you actually live in that cathedral?"

    There was no point in denying it anymore, really.

    "That's right."

    Looking at Sunny with a pleading expression, the charming young man asked:

    "Then what about the Fallen Devil? Is there really a Fallen Devil in that cathedral?"

    Sunny looked at him with confusion.

    "That bastard? Yup, he's there. What about him?"

    A shaky breath escaped from Kai's mouth. Looking weak and defeated, he shook his head, opened his mouth, then closed it again and simply stared at a wall for some time.

    He had the look of a man who suddenly realized that nothing in the world made sense anymore.

    When Kai finally regained his ability to speak, his enchanting voice sounded strangely listless.

    "I'll�� I'll go buy the Memories, I guess."

    Sunny offered him a bright smile.

    "That'd be great! Thanks!"

    Shaking his head, the archer called Stev over and slowly listed the Memories that Sunny told him to buy �� including the damaged onyx armor.

    With each next one he named, Stev's expression grew weirder and weirder. By the end, he was almost green.

    "...Uh. Night, buddy. I really don't want to offend our friend Sunny and your choice of advisers�� but you literally chose the ten worst Memories I have in the inventory, by far! If it was anyone else, I would have been ecstatic to get rid of them. But�� but�� I simply can't do this to you! Please, reconsider!"

    Kai glanced at Sunny, asking what to do. It seemed that he didn't want to see his new friend make a terrible mistake.

    Sunny smiled.

    "Worst, you say? You said it yourself, right? Everyone heard that? I guess you'll give us a big discount then!"

    Stev stared at him with a bizarre expression on his face. Then, he said:

    "I don't think you understand. When I say worst, what I mean is that they're�� trash! Complete trash! You do understand what trash means, right?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Well, you know what they say. One man's trash�� is another man's breakfast. Wait, no. Another man's�� uh�� treasure? Yeah, treasure. That's right��"

    ***

    Some time later, in an empty corridor of the Bright Castle, Kai took Sunny by the hand. A moment later, several sparks of energy traveled between them.

    Sunny tilted his head and listened to the silence. Soon, he heard the faintly familiar voice of the Spell whisper:

    [You have received a Memory��]

    [You have received a Memory��]

    [You have received a Memory��]

    After the tenth announcement, everything grew quiet again.

    Sunny grinned. Just like that, he had gained ten Memories to feed to his Shadow. He even managed to purchase a tier-six Ascended armor for the laughable sum of seven soul shards.

    What a bargain.

    'Ah, it's good to be rich!'

    However, soon the grin disappeared from his face. Instead, something dark glistened in his eyes.

    It was time to have a talk with Nephis.

 Chapter 175 Reunion

    Chapter 175 Reunion

    On the way out of the castle, Kai was strangely silent. Sunny didn't mind, because he had a lot to think about.

    Going back to that lodge�� there were a lot of things there that he had hoped to never see, feel, or experience again. For a moment, he even thought about rushing straight back to his cathedral without making good on his promise.

    But why should he? It's not like he asked to be invited back. Nephis was the one who wanted his help with something.

    'Just pretend like you don't care. Also, demand to be compensated for whatever it is they want you to do. You're an outsider now, and your services won't be cheap.'

    Yeah, that was the best option. He wasn't going to agree to anything that didn't serve his own selfish interests. And there were a lot of things that Changing Star, with her thriving hunting party and following, could provide him with.

    There was this one thing in particular, something he really wanted to do, but couldn't on his own. Maybe they would be able to help him with that...

    As they were approaching the lodge, Kai suddenly asked in a serious tone:

    "Sunny�� why did you want me to come with you, really?"

    Sunny sighed. Glancing at the charming archer, he hesitated, then said:

    "I want you to tell me if I'm being lied to."

    Kai frowned.

    "I thought that Lady Nephis was your friend. Why are you so wary of her?"

    Sunny chuckled.

    Was she a friend? Even he didn't know what exactly the two of them were to each other. Worse yet, he wasn't sure what they would become.

    "She's the kind of friend you don't really want to lower your guard around."

    He lingered for a moment, then added:

    "There's also a guy called Caster. He's the one I especially don't trust."

    The archer raised his eyebrows.

    "I've heard only good things about Caster. Why him specifically?"

    Sunny cast a sideways glance at him and scowled. To be honest, Caster hadn't really done anything to deserve his hostility. But there just was something about the proud Legacy that gave Sunny a familiar feeling.

    He was too perfect. In Sunny's experience, only people with bad intentions were capable of appearing so flawless. Perhaps he was wrong, but the policy of always assuming the worst had too clean of a track record to be abandoned now.

    "He just gives me the creeps."

    Seemingly satisfied with this answer, Kai shrugged and followed Sunny into the lodge.

    The headquarters of Changing Star's hunting party had changed a lot since his last visit. It had already looked pretty presentable back when he was a member, but now, the lodge was much more impressive.

    The first thing that caught the eye was that it had grown much bigger. During the months of his absence, additional structures were built to expand it both horizontally and vertically. Now, it was by far the largest building in the outer settlement, almost starting to resemble a small town hall.

    It was heavily fortified, too, especially from the side that faced the white road. A couple of lookouts were visible on the roof, observing the ruins below. They were wearing armor-type Memories and holding bows in their hands.

    It was a far cry from how things were before.

    Inside, a lot of people were busy with various tasks. Sunny froze for a moment, disoriented by all the activity. He almost felt as though he had somehow mistakenly returned to the castle.

    The reason for it was not the neat and tastefully decorated interior, with warm carpets covering the stone floor and various tapestries hanging on the sturdy stone walls. No, the main difference was in how the people here comported themselves.

    The rot of hopelessness was almost gone from their eyes, replaced with energy and vigor. Sunny frowned.

    'Why hasn't Gunlaug put an end to all this yet?'

    From everything that he saw, Nephis was almost asking to be destroyed. How was all of this possible?

    His grim thoughts were disrupted by a young woman who greeted them with a smile.

    "Welcome! Can I help you with something?"

    Sunny stared at the smiling girl, trying to remember if he knew her. No one came to mind. Trying to remove the scowl from his face, he answered in a flat tone:

    "Neph is expecting me."

    The young woman blinked.

    "Uh�� sorry. Who is Neph?"

    Sunny rolled his eyes.

    "Sorry. Lady Nephis is expecting me. You know�� Changing Star of the Immortal Flame Clan?"

    The young woman's eyes widened.

    "Oh! I see. Let me show you the way��"

    Sunny wanted to retorn that he knew the way, but truth be told, he wasn't sure that he did. With all the changes that happened to the lodge, he had no idea where things were.

    On their way, they passed the tiny room that used to belong to him. Just as they were walking by, Sunny glanced inside and saw that it was now home to someone else.

    In fact, he recognized a couple of things that the new owner left on the narrow cot. They were Caster's. A corner of his mouth curled upward.

    'Figures.'

    It seemed as though he was thoroughly replaced by the scion of the Han Li clan. Well, whatever. The cot was not very comfortable anyway, unlike his luxurious wide bed in the hidden chamber of the cathedral.

    Finally, the young woman led them to the area that used to be the central hall of the old lodge. Now, it was separated from the rest of it by a thick wall, with a sturdy wooden door barring the way inside.

    Sunny took a deep breath, then walked in.

    He had imagined that moment a lot of times in the past.

    ��Granted, he never thought that his reunion with the cohort would happen in the presence of an unreasonably attractive, washed-out pop star. But still.

    Inside the room, a wide window opened onto an eerily breathtaking view of the Dark City. On the wall beside it, a map of the ruins was littered with various markings that contained valuable information. They seemed to be much denser than before.

    There was a large wooden table beside the window, around which stood seven makeshift chairs. Currently, only two were occupied.

    Effie was sitting on one, her feet unceremoniously resting on the table. As always, she looked extremely comfortable and relaxed. On the chair next to her, a beautiful blind girl was cradling a cup in her delicate hands. It was Cassie.

    Nephis and Caster stood near the map, discussing something with each other.

    The four of them were the core of the Immortal Flame hunting party.

    Once Sunny and Kai entered, everyone turned to them.

    Sunny put on a brave face and forced out a grin.

    "Oh, so many familiar faces. Hi, everyone. No need to say how much you missed me. Anyway, this is Kai. Kai, say hi to everyone �� these are Cassie, Caster, and Effie. You already know Nephis."

    Giving him a strange look, the charming archer smiled dazzlingly and said in his stupidly beautiful voice:

    "Uh�� hello. Lady Nephis, Cassie, Caster, huntress Athena�� it's very nice to meet you."

    Cassie giggled.

    "Huh, you won't believe it guys, I thought I just heard Night from Nightingale say my name. Crazy, right?"

    Kai blinked.

    "Oh, sorry. I am Night from Nightingale, actually."

    Effie leaned forward and extended one arm.

    Cassie's face, meanwhile, grew deathly pale. An expression of utter terror appeared on it. Her hands trembled, and the cup she was holding fell from them.

    Catching the cup just a moment before it hit the floor, Effie sighed and shook her head.

    "Every time�� this happens every time��"

    Sunny furrowed his brow and glanced at the beautiful archer with disdain.

    'Oh come on! Was that reaction really necessary?!'

 Chapter 176 Coming Clean

    Chapter 176 Coming Clean

    The four people in the room reacted to his arrival differently.

    Nephis seemed to be indifferent, as always. However, Sunny knew her well enough to notice a strange tension hiding in the depths of her calm grey eyes.

    Caster greeted him with an amiable smile, but there was coldness hiding behind it. It seemed as though the handsome scion was not happy about this turn of events. Did he see him as a rival for Neph's attention, or was there more to it?

    In any case, it was not Sunny's problem. He did not plan on returning to the cohort on a permanent basis. Caster could have all the attention to himself.

    Effie looked at him with a genuine surprise.

    "Doofus? You are actually alive?"

    Sunny blinked and stared at her for a few moments, then said in an acrid tone:

    "Sorry to disappoint."

    She shook her head.

    "No, no. Just�� how the hell did you manage to survive three whole months in the ruins?"

    He grinned.

    "What can I say? I had a good teacher."

    Since Effie was the one who taught him how to navigate the Dark City, that compliment was directed at her. However, the huntress simply shook her head.

    "No student of mine would be stupid enough to actually live in the ruins. Not to mention returning looking so�� feral."

    'Do I look feral?'

    Sunny took a mental picture of himself. Ragged clothes, dirty hair, a crooked grin, a hint of madness burning in his eyes�� no, he couldn't see anything wrong with how he looked. In fact, the thought he looked great.

    With an offended frown, he glanced at Effie and said:

    "Yeah? Well�� you look like you've gained a little weight."

    ��In all the right places.

    'Focus, fool!'

    The huntress glared at him for a few moments, then laughed.

    "A girl got to eat. But also�� wanna die?"

    And finally, there was Cassie.

    Cassie seemed to have changed the most out of all of them. The changes were not instantly apparent, but to Sunny, who knew her so well, they were unmistakable.

    The blind girl seemed more�� mature? She looked older, somehow. It was as if there was an invisible weight pressing down on her, the kind that people usually accumulated with the flow of years. Her demeanor was calmer, more restrained. Almost�� cold.

    "Welcome back, Sunny. I'm so happy that you are alright."

    Giving him a polite smile, she grew silent and turned away. This�� wasn't exactly the kind of welcome he had expected from her. He had been sure that the blind girl would give him a hug, at least. That was how it always happened in his head.

    'Maybe she is shy because of Kai.'

    However, Sunny had a feeling that he already knew the true reason for her subdued attitude. He just didn't want to admit it.

    It was the vision. That damn vision��

    Chasing away the feeling of dread, he sat down on one of the chairs and offered another one to Kai.

    "So�� what did you guys want to discuss?"

    Nephis and Caster exchanged glances. Before saying anything, Caster walked over to the door and closed it. After that, he summoned a Memory that looked like a bone flute and placed it on the table. Immediately, something in the room imperceptibly changed.

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "What is that thing?"

    The handsome young man sat on a chair next to Changing Star and said:

    "This Memory has an enchantment that creates a cone of silence. No one outside this room will be able to hear what we're talking about now."

    Ah. This fact alone was already enough to tell Sunny that they were going to discuss something that had to do with the Bright Lord, Gunlaug himself. Suddenly, he felt an irrational desire to be anywhere else but in this brightly lit room. The wide window began to look very alluring.

    He sighed.

    "So, the Bright Lord is finally ready to obliterate you all? Can't say that I'm surprised. If anything, it's strange that he didn't make a move much earlier."

    Effie giggled.

    "Oh, did he ever��"

    Nephis glanced at her, making the huntress fall silent, and turned to Sunny:

    "You are right. The Bright Lord is indeed about to make a move. We have withstood his previous attacks, but they were just a rehearsal. A few provocations to test out strength. Now, he is ready to act in earnest. And that's why I need your help."

    Sunny raised his eyebrow:

    "How can a cockroach like me help the great and mighty Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan?"

    Effie gave him and Nephis a strange look, then cleared her throat.

    "Don't take it to heart, princess, but I sort of agree with Sunny. What can this little imp�� uh, no offense, Sunny�� do that we can't? I mean, he is a decent scout, but��"

    "Hey! Offense taken!"

    Changing Star smiled, then looked at Sunny.

    "Don't be misled by his act, Effie. Sunny might behave like a cowardly weakling, but in fact, he's the last person in the Dark City I would want to face in combat. He is far more dangerous than anyone thinks he is. Isn't it right, Sunny?"

    The smile froze on his face. A few moments passed in silence, with everyone staring at him. Finally, Sunny sighed.

    "Oh well. I guess the secret is out of the box. Surprise, everybody! I am actually not a weakling. Who could have thought?"

    Then, he glared at Effie and added in a mocking tone:

    "Oh. My mistake. Actually, everyone except for you already knew. It seems that you are��"

    However, Neph interrupted him:

    "That's why he was able to survive three months in the ruins, just like he had survived two in the Labyrinth. Sunny is an extremely formidable fighter."

    'Wow. Is she trying to flatter me?'

    "...He's just a bit of a devious asshole. But that's exactly what makes him so dangerous."

    '...I guess not.'

    Looking at Effie, Sunny shrugged and smirked.

    "If you don't believe her, just ask Night."

    Suddenly dragged into the conversation, Kai coughed, hesitated for a moment, and then said:

    "Uh�� yes, I can confirm. He is indeed a bit of an asshole."

    Sunny's face twitched.

    "Not that! Tell them how I saved you!"

    The charming archer fluttered his eyelashes with an innocent look, then added:

    "Oh, right. Indeed, Sunny saved me in the ruins last night. He is a very exceptional and resourceful individual."

    Sunny glanced at Effie with triumph. He didn't really want to provoke the tall huntress any further�� but she did call him a little imp��

    "See, Night has known me for just one night, but even he was able to see how fearsome I am. You and I, on the other hand, had hunted together for an entire month. How come you're so dense?"

    Whatever. It's not like he would be spending a lot of time with Effie. Let her boil with anger��

    With a teasing smile on his lips, Sunny turned to Nephis and asked:

    "Anyway, what exactly do you want me to do?"

    Changing Star hesitated, then said:

    "I want you to take Effie to your hideout in the ruins and keep her safe there for about a week."

    Sunny blinked.

    Oh, no.

    '...I'm dead.'

 Chapter 177 Cloak And Dagger

    Chapter 177 Cloak And Dagger

    Sunny grew silent and tried very hard not to look at the huntress, who was glaring at him with murder in her eyes. Did he hear it right?

    "Uh�� excuse me? Keep her safe?"

    Nephis gave him a nod, then hesitated for a few moments and sighed.

    "I guess I owe you an explanation."

    With a frown, she glanced at the map of the Dark City. Her gaze was fixed on the symbol of a tower drawn in its center with white paint.

    The Bright Castle.

    After a few moments, she said:

    "You asked why Gunlaug hasn't killed us all yet. This is a good question. However, the answer is�� complicated."

    Changing Star turned her head and looked at Sunny.

    "Partially, it is because I have not challenged him openly yet. I also haven't done anything to justify an intervention. Everything we have accomplished for the benefit of the outer settlement not only fell outside the purview of his reign over the castle, but also strengthened the human position on the Forgotten Shore overall. Officially, he has no grounds to accuse me."

    Sunny scoffed.

    "It's not like Gunlaug really needs justification. He only needs the pretense of one, and even then just barely."

    Nephis slightly frowned.

    "You are right. If he really wanted to escalate the situation and bring about an open conflict, he could have easily created a reason. Alternatively, he could have sent Harus under the cover of night to make me disappear without a trace. But he didn't. And�� we are not entirely sure why."

    Sunny blinked.

    "You don't know?"

    Glancing at Caster, Neph shook her head.

    "There are several possible reasons. Perhaps he is uncertain if Harus will be able to dispose of me. Perhaps he is using the growing status of the outer settlement as a deterrent against his lieutenants' ambitions. Perhaps he is just confident and patient. Whatever the case, Gunlaug more or less tolerated our existence for these past four months."

    Caster sighed and added:

    "Of course, there were still challenges we had to overcome. If we weren't cautious in how we dealt with these provocations, things would have been very different."

    Changing Star nodded.

    "Indeed. There were several attempts to taunt us into confrontation already. Nothing too bloody, though. However�� things seem to have changed. We received word from the castle that Gunlaug is going to act against us soon. This time, he is aiming at one of my companions. The attack will be a serious one, and the target is Effie."

    Sunny glanced at the unruly huntress and raised his eyebrows. He had a lot of questions.

    "Why her?"

    Caster clenched his fists.

    "It could have been any of us, really, but Effie�� despite all my warnings�� got into a rather vulgar argument with a bunch of Guards who came into the outer settlement for some entertainment. Coincidentally, some of these Guards went missing last night. No one knows what happened to them."

    '...Oops.'

    Sunny was pretty sure that he knew exactly what had happened to them, though. After all, he was the one who killed them.

    ��But Caster didn't need to know any of this.

    "Actually, I might know something about that!" Kai suddenly said, smiling like an idiot.

    'Who asked that fool to open his mouth?!'

    He tried to make the archer shut up with a murderous stare, but it was already too late. Kai enthusiastically went on to describe how he was kidnapped, put in the well, and then rescued by a mysterious stranger �� who turned out to be Sunny.

    Luckily, he was under the impression that the kidnappers were all slaughtered by the Black Knight, not realizing that Sunny was the one who had lured them into the cathedral in the first place �� after personally killing their leader.

    If Kai knew the full truth, things might have turned rather awkward.

    After he was done talking, Caster sighed.

    "Thank you, this is a very valuable piece of information. Sadly, it doesn't change anything. Effie is still in danger. The Bright Lord is going to use her as a hostage and force Lady Nephis to challenge him. If she does, he will kill her. If she doesn't, Effie will die, and our reputation will be ruined. Either way, he wins."

    Sunny cast a sideways glance at Effie, who was still relaxed and seemingly undisturbed by the prospect of dying horribly in the dungeons of the Bright Castle. In fact, she was currently more interested in fishing out a piece of meat that was stuck between her pearly teeth and not paying Caster any attention.

    'What a lunatic.' Sunny thought with scorn, making his shadow shake its head at the irony of that statement.

    Turning to Nephis and Caster, he asked:

    "How do you know all this?"

    In fact, this question was moot. He already had the idea. To receive information about Gunlaug's plans, they had to have a spy in the castle. More than that, given the nature of that information, it had to be someone of considerable rank. Perhaps even someone in the inner circle of the Bright Lord.

    Was Neph�� working with one of the lieutenants?

    Sunny counted the number of chairs in the room. There were seven chairs, but only six people.

    'Interesting��'

    Caster hesitated, then reluctantly said:

    "We have an�� ally."

    Sunny decided not to press the issue any further. Frankly, he didn't really want to know. There was just one last question he wanted to ask.

    "I see. Well, there is this one thing that I don't really understand. You said to keep Effie safe for a week. What is going to change in a week? I doubt that Gunlaug will magically forget everything after a few days."

    A heavy silence descended on the room. No one seemed to want to speak first.

    After a few moments passed, Nephis finally broke the silence. Looking in the window, she leaned back and said in her usual even, indifferent tone:

    "In a week, we will be ready to leave the city."

    Sunny almost fell from his chair.

    ��That was not what he had expected to hear.

 Chapter 178 Lost Expedition

    Chapter 178 Lost Expedition

    Soon, another map was spread on the table. This one was drawn on a piece of crude parchment made out of monster hide, and much less detailed than the one hanging on the wall.

    Well, that was understandable. Because the second map did not depict the Dark City, but the Forgotten Shore itself. Sunny stared at it in stunned silence.

    ��Yeah. Nephis had not wasted any time during these three months.

    He had no idea how she had gathered all this information, but there was a lot more on the map than he could have ever imagined.

    At the center of it, a straight black like depicted the Crimson Spire. The Labyrinth flowed from it, devouring the parchment like an ocean of blood. To the east, a small circle of black ink with a symbol of a white tower inside of it marked the Dark City.

    The city was perched on the edge of another, much larger circle. It didn't take too much effort to recognize the cyclopean crater �� after all, Sunny had traversed it on a rickety boat once, a lifetime ago. However, only now, looking at it in scale, did he finally realize just how giant the crater was, and how vast the Forgotten Shore itself appeared.

    Back on Earth, it would have been as large as a continent.

    The Dream Realm was indeed much bigger than their own planet, considering that just one of its numerous regions was this enormous.

    There were other symbols on the map that he didn't recognize. However, several of them attracted his attention especially.

    On the other side of the crater, almost exactly opposite the Dark City, a symbol of a tree depicted the Ashen Barrow. Some distance to the east of it, on a straight line, there was a mark in the shape of a red cross.

    Another red cross was drawn inside the crater just outside the eastern side of the Dark City. The third one was about a week's worth of traveling time to the north, near a symbol that looked like a grotesque, misshapen skull. The fourth one was halfway between the ruins and the Crimson Spire. The fifth one lay to the south, about the same distance as the third, drawn atop the symbol of an arching bridge.

    The last red cross was at the very edge of the parchment, far away to the south, beyond the Labyrinth. Near it, two symbols were drawn: one was a crown, and the other one was a question mark.

    Sunny quickly realized what these crosses represented.

    They were the giant statues of the seven forgotten heroes who had given the terrible oath to vanquish the darkness and created the Starlight Legion.

    The one to the east of the Soul Devourer was the statue of the knight that he had used as a shelter on his first night in the Dream Realm. The one near the walls of the city belonged to the woman whose hand had saved them from drowning in the dark sea on the night of their escape.

    The other four crosses, most likely, marked four more headless statues.

    But where was the seventh?

    Frowning, Sunny glanced at the map and said:

    "So let me get this straight. You want to leave the Dark City, cross the Labyrinth, reach the edges of the Forgotten Shore�� and then return?"

    Nephis smiled.

    "Pretty much, yes."

    He sighed.

    "If we somehow survive the months of traveling through the Labyrinth and actually manage to escape it, why the hell would we return?"

    The smile on her face withered. Changing Star lingered for a few moments, then pointed to the three symbols at the lower edge of the map: the red cross, the question mark, and the crown.

    "The first lord of the castle led an expedition to find the way out of the Forgotten Shore. This is where their trace disappeared. From what we were able to learn, an unassailable mountain chain blocks the path to the south. They ventured into the mountains�� and never returned. Nothing but death awaits us there."

    Sunny scratched the back of his head.

    "So you aren't really looking for a way out�� you're looking for the remains of the cohort of Sleepers that had conquered the castle fifteen years ago?"

    Neph nodded.

    "There is an item that they took away from the castle. If we find it�� we'll have a chance in the fight against Gunlaug."

    Sunny frowned. He felt as though she was not telling him everything. Maybe what little trust remained between them was not enough to share those secrets. Maybe she didn't want someone else in the room to hear them��

    But then again, he didn't really care. Changing Star's business was her own. Sunny was just here as a potential mercenary. As long as the reward was worth it, he was ready to not ask any questions.

    Provided that not knowing the answers was not going to get him killed, of course.

    Feeling his hesitation, Nephis added:

    "The way to the mountains is not as dangerous as you think. There is�� a method we can use to reach them comparatively safely. But once we're there... that's where we'll need your talents. Having you with us will make a lot of things easier."

    Sunny looked at her with doubt:

    "How do you know all this? It's not like there's anyone in the Dark City who was alive back then."

    Nephis shrugged.

    "There isn't, but there are stories. Some written evidence. However, most of this we have learned from Cassie's visions."

    She gave the blind girl a warm look.

    "Cassie has helped us a lot."

    Sunny had to think. If Changing Star made this plan, it meant that she had good reasons to believe that it was doable. Of course, there would be danger. Nothing on the Forgotten Shore was ever safe or easy. But there was a rare opportunity in all of this, too.

    He felt very tempted to leave the ruins for a few months in the company of an extremely formidable cohort. Outside the walls of the Dark City, Nightmare Creatures were generally of a lower rank than those inside. The efficiency of his hunting would be much higher, which would land him more shadow fragments and Memories to feed to the Stone Saint.

    Especially if powerhouses like Nephis, Effie, and Caster were fighting alongside him. But more importantly, if Cassie was there to warn them of the dangers that they had no business trying to fight.

    He never forgot how many times her affinity to mysteries and revelations had saved their lives in the past. Like on that awful night when they had summoned a terrifying mimic from the depths of the dark sea.

    With a true seer accompanying them, the most harrowing thing about the Labyrinth �� the cursed black waters �� were not as unknowable and thus deadly anymore.

    So he was not immediately against the idea, more so because he would be additionally compensated for the efforts.

    But�� there was something else that he had to consider.

    Looking up, Sunny glanced at the people gathered in the room and cleared his throat.

    "Uh�� I would like to talk to Nephis alone. Please."

    Most of them just stared at him without moving. Caster, especially, did not seem happy about the prospect.

    'What is it about him and Neph? Why is he so�� possessive?'

    But after Changing Star gave them a look, they reluctantly stood up and left the room one after another.

    ***

    Soon, Sunny and Nephis were left alone.

    He hesitated for a long time before finally speaking. His voice was raw and hoarse:

    "Neph�� why are you doing this? Why are you trying to pull me back? Don't you know how this all will end?"

    She watched him silently for a while with an inexorable expression. Then, she simply said:

    "Because there's only two people I trust in this world, Sunny. One is Cassie. The other one is you. I only trust you to have my back."

    He couldn't help but laugh bitterly.

    "Have your back? Neph, you know what awaits the two of us in the future. This story won't have a happy ending. There'll be only... only sorrow, pain, and rage. Remember?"

    Changing Star lingered for a few moments. Her face was calm and firm. When the silence became almost overwhelming, she finally answered:

    "Life is not a story, Sunny. It only ends when you die."

    He smiled crookedly, not knowing how to answer.

    "So? Will you help me?"

    Sunny sighed and stood up, glancing at the map of the Forgotten Shore one last time.

    "I�� don't know. I need some time to think. I'll take Effie and keep her safe for a week. You'll have the answer once we meet again."

    She nodded, accepting that condition.

    Turning around, Sunny forced himself to appear nonchalant and left.

    As soon as the door closed behind him, his expression changed.

    'Damn! I forgot to discuss my compensation!'

    It would look really silly if he went back now�� right?

    Right?

    The shadow palmed its face, once again lamenting the stupidity of its master.

 Chapter 179 New Generation

    Chapter 179 New Generation

    Once outside, Sunny spent some time finding Effie and Kai. The two of them were in the dining area of the lodge, discussing something between themselves.

    There was no sign of Cassie anywhere, but he did notice Caster observing him from the stairs leading to the second floor.

    'Is she avoiding me?'

    Somewhat disappointed, Sunny landed on a chair next to the two locals he had come to know and gave them a dark look.

    "What, the two of you know each other?"

    Kai smiled.

    "Who doesn't know huntress Athena? We had, uh�� a few brushes in the past."

    Deciding not to inquire what type of brushes he was talking about, Sunny sighed and asked:

    "Does she know about that peculiar Flaw of yours?"

    The charming young man blinked a couple of times, the said with confusion:

    "I guess so? I don't make a secret out of it."

    Great. Of all the people in the world, he got stuck with two weirdos who had no qualms about telling every random stranger about their most hidden vulnerability.

    ��Well, if he had a Flaw like Kai's, he wouldn't worry about it too much either.

    'Lucky bastard.'

    Since there was no point in pretending anymore, Sunny simply asked:

    "Well? Was anyone in that room lying?"

    Effie grinned.

    "Ah, so that's why you dragged Night along. Paranoid much?"

    Sunny would love nothing more than to ignore that question, but unfortunately, his own Flaw was much more restrictive than Kai's.

    "Not at all. In fact, I think that I'm exactly as paranoid as a person should be. By which I mean extremely, of course."

    Saying that, he looked at the charming archer with expectation. Kai hesitated for a few moments.

    "No, no one said a single lie. Your friends are all extremely honest people, Sunny."

    'Oh, you poor lamb��'

    Not knowing how to react to that display of naivete, Sunny shook his head and lowered his voice:

    "Not even Caster?"

    Kai gave him a nod.

    "No, he was honest, too."

    Was Sunny wrong? Was Caster really just an honest and honorable guy? Was his distrust irrational?

    Somewhat unsure, Sunny lingered for a bit and then turned to Effie.

    "Neph and I agreed to continue our conversation in a week. Until then, you'll be under my protection."

    The huntress giggled.

    "Wow. That makes me feel real safe. Thanks, shorty"

    He grimaced.

    "Don't you worry. I might not look like much, but wait till you see my roommate��"

    Kai suddenly choked on his drink and paled a little. Reminded of something, Sunny patted him on the back and said:

    "Anyway, thanks for your help. Our deal is done. See you around, I guess."

    He was not going to miss this guy one bit. Sunny wasn't winning any prizes with his looks already, but next to Kai, he seemed downright ug�� uh�� barely above average.

    The charming archer looked at him for a few moments, then forced out a smile:

    "Yeah, it was nice to make your acquaintance, Sunny. I can honestly say that spending time with you is�� uh�� an unforgettable experience."

    With that, he glanced at Effie with something that resembled pity, rose, and left.

    The two of them were left alone.

    The huntress looked around with a weary expression, and then asked in a neutral tone:

    "So? When do we leave?"

    Sunny didn't hesitate.

    "Right now. Honestly, I can wait to get back to the ruins. This place�� it gives me the creeps."

    Effie gave him a strange look, then shrugged.

    "Sure, no problem. Let's ditch this scary place and go hide in the ancient cursed ruins. At least we can feel safe there, right?"

    ***

    Some time later, they were carefully walking through the streets of the Dark City. Being here in daylight was not something Sunny was accustomed to, so he was justifiably tense.

    Luckily, both of them were experienced hunters and worked well together. Sunny fell into the familiar rhythm of cooperating with Effie without skipping a bit, as though three whole months had not passed since they last saw each other. It was honestly nothing short of jolly.

    At some point, the unruly huntress glanced at him and asked:

    "But seriously. How did you survive, Sunny?"

    He gave her a dark look, then shrugged.

    "How do you think? You know that I am very good at hiding in the shadows. I slept during the day and hunted during the night. Observed my prey carefully before striking at their weak spots. If I ever met something I wasn't sure I could kill, I ran."

    She became thoughtful for a while, then said:

    "It's noticeable, you know. You've changed. You look�� feel like a true hunter now."

    Sunny grinned.

    "Well, I would hope so. I hunted more Nightmare Creatures than was reasonable, really."

    She smirked.

    "How many?"

    That was a good question. Sunny hesitated before answering:

    "Around sixty? Yeah, no more than that, I think."

    Together with those terrors he had slain in the Labyrinth, his kill count had long ago moved past a hundred.

    Effie blinked and looked at him with a dark expression. That many hunts in only three months�� the number was nothing short of staggering.

    Actually, it was completely insane. Out in the real world, it was widely known that Awakened Nightmare Creatures were too tough for mere Sleepers to fight. Anyone who managed to prevail in a battle against one would earn themselves a proper reputation. Killing a dozen would make a person famous.

    If Sunny were to return home and claim that he had slaughtered a hundred, most of them in a cursed ruin populated by Fallen abominations, the news of his accomplishment would fly around the whole planet in an instant. He would be hailed as an unparalleled genius and a hope of the entire generation.

    ��And yet, there were dozens of people just like him in the Dark City, many of them even more accomplished. Much more. Effie had several hundred hunts under her belt. There were a couple more hunters in the outer settlement whose track record was just as impressive�� even if with the death of Jubei, their numbers had shrunk.

    Inside the Bright Castle, there was Gunlaug himself, his five lieutenants, all the Pathfinders of the Host, more than a few experienced Hunters, and even a handful of Guards with a lot of battle scars to prove their prowess. All of them were at a level that Sleepers simply weren't supposed to ever achieve.

    The Forgotten Shore was truly an... interesting place.

    If Nephis were to somehow succeed and bring even just several of them back to the real world, how would the world change? Would other things that had been considered impossible before suddenly have their status put under scrutiny?

    Was it the reason why the Spell gave her the name Changing Star? Was Neph destined to not only create change, but also be the catalyst of it?

    Consumed with these thoughts, Sunny walked through the cursed ruins. Soon, a familiar shape of the cathedral appeared before his eyes.

    Looking at it, Sunny shuddered.

    He had been honest when he told Effie about how he managed to survive all this time.

    However, he had failed to mention how close he came to dying in the process.

    The memory of his first visit to the cathedral, and its consequences, was something he really liked to avoid��

 Chapter 180 Break Point

    Chapter 180 Break Point

    It happened a few weeks after he left the castle behind. Back then, Sunny was just starting to feel confident in the absolute darkness of the cursed night. He stalked the ruins, searching for prey and slaying one monster after another.

    Looking back, those few victories might have gone to his head a little. Or maybe he was just too sane to survive alone in the Dark City.

    It was the first meeting with the Black Knight that caused him to lose that state of mind.

    Sunny did not become interested in the ruined cathedral by accident, nor was he led there by empty curiosity. In fact, he had noticed something strange about the ancient temple and decided to explore it after careful consideration.

    Because the thing he saw was too alluring to ignore.

    At dawn, for a few short minutes, he could see a weak, ethereal golden glow emanating from the dark cathedral. The same golden glow he had seen twice before.

    Once deep within the ruby droplets of his own blood after consuming the Drop of Ichor, and another time exuding from Changing Star's unconscious body after her battle with the horror of the depths.

    Without having to guess, Sunny knew what this golden shine was.

    It was the light of divinity.

    With his own eyes altered by the drop of divine blood, which was left on the talons of the Vile Thieving Bird after it had stolen Weaver's eye, Sunny was somehow able to perceive it.

    Considering that both Nephis and he possessed some measure of divine affinity, it wasn't hard to come to this conclusion. More than that, the circumstances surrounding the awakening of his ability to see the golden glow supported it.

    Thus, hoping to find another treasure equal to the Drop of Ichor, Sunny entered the ruined cathedral. Then he froze for a second, awed by its grandeur.

    That second was all it took for the Black Knight to skewer him on his sword.

    Sunny didn't know how the massive devil managed to avoid being seen by his shadow, nor how he got so close without making any noise. All he knew was that a menacing black giant suddenly stepped forward from the darkness that enveloped the temple and pierced him with a wrathful gaze.

    There were two scarlet flames burning in the impenetrable emptiness behind the visor of the knight's helmet. Looking at them, Sunny felt as though he was staring into the eyes of death itself.

    However, even though Sunny was caught by surprise, his body moved on its own. Countless hours of practice did not go to waste.

    In the end, it were the reflexes that Sunny had engraved into his muscles and bones that saved his life, even if only by a hair's breadth. Because of his quick reaction, the massive greatsword of the evil creature did not cut him in two.

    Instead, it simply disemboweled him.

    Feeling a blinding pain pierce his abdomen, Sunny staggered and looked down, only to see a river of blood flowing from his stomach, which was cut wide open. The red ropes of his intestines were clearly visible in the terrible wound, already on their way to falling out.

    The horror of seeing something that should have been inside of him moving to the outside was much more powerful than the excruciating pain of his flesh being torn apart.

    Pressing one hand against the wound, Sunny fell on his back and weakly tried to crawl away. However, the Black Knight was already moving, rising his greatsword to deliver a finishing blow.

    For a fraction of a second, everything froze. Sunny didn't have time to come up with an elaborate plan, nor even think things through. All he knew was that he had to buy himself a chance to crawl away�� somehow.

    Of all the Memories at his disposal, nothing seemed to be of use. Not the austere and razor-sharp Midnight Shard, not the ominous and powerful Puppeteer's Shroud. His mighty tier-five armor did not even slow the black blade for a moment.

    Even augmented by the shadow, they were not a match for the terrifying devil of the ruined cathedral.

    ��In the end, Sunny simply thrust his hand forward and let a small and ordinary-looking rock fly from it into the depths of the ancient temple. His shadow wrapped itself around the little stone, enhancing its enchantments.

    In the next moment, the rock suddenly howled, replicating the scream of the last Nightmare Creature that Sunny had killed. Augmented by the shadow, the howl shook the walls of the cathedral, causing dust to fly into the air.

    The Black Knight stopped, then looked over his shoulder in the direction where the howl was coming from. He seemed to hesitate for a moment.

    Not wasting any time, Sunny pressed tight onto his terrible wound, rose to his feet and staggered away, almost slipping in the puddle of his own blood. Groaning from pain, he tried to reach the exit of the old temple.

    Miraculously, he did. The Black Knight stopped in the doorway, simply following the small figure of the mortally wounded human with the burning flames that served him as eyes.

    Then, it indifferently turned away and slowly returned into the darkness.

    ***

    Some time later, Sunny found himself lying in a ditch somewhere in the depths of the Dark City. He had found his way to this ditch and crawled into it, hoping to hide himself from the monsters stalking the ruins at night.

    He was consumed by pain, fear, and disbelief.

    Was this�� was this how it was all going to end?

    Was this how he was going to die?

    He wanted to cry for help, but knew that no one would come.

    He wanted to simply cry, but, for some reason, nothing but laughter escaped from his lips.

    Funny�� it was just too damn funny!

    An outskirt rat like him, dying in a ditch.

    What a fitting end.

    Why wouldn't he laugh?!

    It was all just so hilarious.

    A laughing fit sent him into an ocean of suffering. Every time he moved, it felt as though invisible blades were cutting into his abdomen, slicing his flesh apart.

    And yet, he couldn't stop laughing.

    The funniest thing of all was that he couldn't even die.

    No matter how much he bled, his tenacious blood refused to give up. Guided by Blood Weave, it desperately tried to repair the damage done to his body. However, the damage was just too extensive. Even augmented by the shadow, the Blood Weave couldn't contend with it.

    In the end, he was locked in an endless cycle of excruciating agony, not quite alive, but also unable to die... yet. Minute after minute, hour after hour, nothing but pain and suffering drowned his consciousness, until something inside simply cracked.

    Who wouldn't have gone mad?

    Through the fog that clouded his mind, Sunny hazily realized that the sun had come up, then disappeared again. This happened a few times until he finally let out a quiet sigh.

    Enough was enough. He couldn't take it anymore.

    It was time to give up.

    He had a good run, really.

    But how could anyone endure all this?

    He wanted to die.

    He was ready�� ready��

    'Are you? Are you really ready?'

    Sunny thought for a bit... and then suddenly bared his teeth.

    Fuck no.

    He was not ready.

    Give up?

    Never! Never! He was never going to give up!

    He refused to give the world the satisfaction of devouring him. Not unless it choked to death on his soul.

    'No, I'm not going to die�� I'm going to live�� I'm going to thrive�� I'll be the last one standing, no matter what��'

    With that thought, he summoned the Midnight Shard and gripped its hilt with the last bit of strength left in his body.

    Memory Enchantments: [Unbroken].

    Enchantment Description: [This blade refuses to be broken, and thus is durable beyond reason. It will greatly enhance the power of its wielder when they are close to death, however only if the wielder is still unwilling to surrender.]

    Responding to his vicious promise, the ancient blade finally opened the gate to the well of power hiding somewhere deep within his soul. Instantly, a torrent of energy filled his body with dark resolve.

    The power given to Sunny by the Midnight Shard enhanced the healing factor of Blood Weave, allowing it to just barely keep him from slipping over the edge of death while it slowly began to repair his ravaged body. And as long as he was almost dead, the effect of Unbroken continued to feed Blood Weave with power, creating another cycle.

    A virtuous cycle. A cycle of unbroken will to survive.

    This was how Sunny was able to live through his first encounter with the Black Knight.

    However, while his body eventually healed, the wound dealt to his mind remained. Days later, after Sunny finally crawled from that ditch, he was never quite the same.

    And he never forgot the debt he owed to the Black Knight.

    One day, he was going to kill the bastard, no matter the cost.

    ...And now, approaching the cathedral months later in the company of Effie, Sunny felt like that day was drawing closer.

    Perhaps he really should agree to participate in Neph's expedition.

    As long as she helps him repay that debt.

    There was a lot to think about.

    Effie's voice tore him away from these thoughts.

    "Huh�� Sunny? Are you alright?"

    He shook off the harrowing memories, hesitated for a bit, and then smiled.

    "Of course! Never been better. Here we are, by the way. Welcome to my humble palace."

    The huntress looked at the grandiose cathedral with doubt.

    "Here? You live here?"

    Sunny remembered his First Nightmare and shrugged.

    "What can I say? I have a weak spot for ancient temples��"

 Chapter 181 Rules Of Hospitality

    Chapter 181 Rules Of Hospitality

    Effie regarded the cathedral for some time, then glanced at Sunny with doubt.

    "I know for a fact that nothing comes out alive from that temple. Are you sure that this is where you live?"

    With a carefree smile, Sunny shrugged. The fact that Effie knew about the danger hiding inside the ruined church did not surprise him. Even if it was situated outside of her usual hunting grounds, she had extensive knowledge of the Dark City, some from her own exploration, some from sharing information with other hunters.

    Dead tired and longing to return to the peaceful silence of his home, he didn't waste any time and told her about the Black Knight who guarded the cathedral.

    The unruly huntress scratched the back of her head.

    "So�� there's a Fallen Devil inside? He's the roommate you were talking about?"

    Sunny gave her a nod.

    "The bastard endlessly patrols the ground floor and kills anything that comes through the doors. However, if we enter through the roof and stay hidden, we can reach my living quarters without any problem. More than that, nothing will bother us once we're there, because the bastard never comes that way and obliterates anything that tries."

    Effie was silent for a while, then grinned.

    "So, you basically have a devil for a butler. Pretty smart��"

    Sunny chuckled.

    'Was that a compliment?'

    "...for a doofus like you."

    'Ah, there it is.'

    Once they climbed up to the roof, there was a slight problem. Sunny failed to consider that the hole in the tiles that he used to enter the cathedral, while wide enough for his small frame, would be too tight for the tall and robust huntress to crawl through. Looking at the narrow gap between the massive plates of dark marble, Effie gave him a gloomy look.

    However, before Sunny could come up with an alternative plan, she simply bent down, grabbed one of the incredibly heavy plates, and moved it aside. The words died on his lips.

    'S��strong. So strong. I wonder who is stronger, she or the Stone Saint.'

    Honestly, he wasn't sure.

    Before proceeding further, Sunny instructed Effie on how they were going to get her inside the hidden chamber and watched as the huntress reluctantly dismissed her bronze armor. With only a short white tunic covering her lovely olive skin and abundant figure, she looked very�� uh�� comely. For a moment, his displeasure of having someone intrude upon the secluded peacefulness of his lair evaporated.

    ��But only for a moment.

    "Don't you get any strange ideas. Your armor is just too much of a risk. We can't allow ourselves to make any noise, that's all."

    Effie grinned.

    "Strange ideas? Why are you talking about having strange ideas all of a sudden, huh Sunny?"

    He gritted his teeth, turned away to hide his blushing face, and crawled into the hole between tiles.

    'Damn woman!'

    Once they landed on the support beam of the cathedral, Sunny guided Effie's hands to rest on his shoulders. Although the sun was still high in the sky, there wasn't any sunlight around them. Only the floor of the ancient temple beneath them was bathed in it.

    But even then, large areas of the grand hall were drowned in deep shadow.

    Only it wasn't really shadow. It was darkness. Not one born from the absence of light, but true darkness, one which even his sight could not pierce. Sunny didn't know if it was summoned here by the Black Knight or simply obeyed him, but this was how the bastard had managed to sneak up on him unnoticed back when they first met.

    In any case, he had to guide Effie across the beams of the cathedral. One wrong step, and they would plunge to their deaths.

    'What a bother.'

    Feeling rather awkward because of how close their bodies were to each other, Sunny quietly sighed and took a step forward. It was hard to concentrate��

    'Strange ideas�� who's having strange ideas? Not me!'

    A few minutes later, they reached the hidden balcony behind the statue of the unknown goddess. Despite the fact that nothing out of the ordinary had happened, Sunny was rather on edge.

    Something told him that this was going to be a really long week.

    Once they entered his hidden chamber, Sunny informed Effie that she was free to create light and speak. Not wasting any time, the unruly huntress summoned a radiant Memory and looked around with curiosity.

    The beautiful and spacious room that had once belonged to the priestess of this ancient temple was suddenly flooded with soft light. The intricate engravings on the walls created an atmosphere of sanctity and elegance. Here and there stood various pieces of furniture, most made out of opulent pale wood, with a few mismatched pieces that Sunny had scavenged from the ruins.

    Effie whistled.

    "Have to give it to you, Sunny. You sure know how to live in style. Who would have thought?"

    He smiled.

    "Jealous?"

    She sighed.

    "The important thing is that even if Gunlaug tracks us here, none of his people would be able to enter. So we're indeed safe."

    Slightly disappointed, Sunny shrugged.

    "Well, make yourself at home. I'll show you the back exit and other stuff later."

    With that, he furtively glanced around and tried to quickly hide a few things from sight to make his home more presentable. If he had known that there was going to be a guest here, he would have cleaned up the mess a little in advance.

    Not that Effie paid it much attention. She walked around with curiosity, studying the engravings on the walls and ancient furniture.

    ��But then, suddenly, Sunny heard a loud giggle coming from behind.

    Turning around, he saw Effie standing in front of the wardrobe hidden behind a stone panel. The wardrobe was currently open, showcasing the garments left behind by the priestess.

    The huntress looked at him with a strange smile.

    'Why�� why is she staring at me?'

    "What?"

    Effie shook her head.

    "No, nothing. It's just�� you know, Sunny, when I first saw you, I thought �� look at this tiny boy! He's just like a toy! You just want to dress him up like a doll and play with him��"

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then scowled angrily.

    "Who are you calling tiny? I'm not tiny�� in any way, you beanpole!"

    Not paying him any attention, the huntress glanced at the wardrobe and giggled again.

    Then, suppressing laughter, she said:

    "Who knew that you are into�� playing another kind of dress-up, huh?"

    It took Sunny a couple of seconds to realize what she was implying. When he did, he turned bright red from outrage.

    The nerve! The gall! How dare she!

    "What are you talking about?! Those aren't mine! The priestess who lived here before left them behind!"

    Effie nodded a couple of times.

    "Sure, sure. You just happened to have a wardrobe full of pretty dresses. By accident��"

    "That's the truth! I never lie!"

    She looked at him with a wide smile.

    "But of course! It must be the truth. I totally believe you. Definitely."

    Sunny stared at her with his mouth wide open, not knowing what to say.

    Effie, meanwhile, looked around and innocently fluttered her eyelashes.

    "But, Sunny�� we have another problem."

    Gritting his teeth in irritation, he snapped:

    "What is it?!"

    She lingered for a few moments, then said teasingly:

    "There's only one bed. Ah, what a predicament! Whatever should we do?"

    Sunny glared at her for a long time, then spat:

    "You take the damn bed! I'll sleep on the floor!"

    With that, he turned away a tried to take a deep breath.

    'Why did I ever agree to this?! Women�� damn women�� they're the true terror!'

    ��Indeed, this was going to be a very long week.

 Chapter 182 Dinner Time

    Chapter 182 Dinner Time

    After Sunny calmed down a little and had time to think about it, he realized that things weren't as bad as he had thought.

    Yes, living this close to the rambunctious huntress was a very special kind of trial, especially due to how much joy she seemed to derive from tormenting him, but there was one redeeming aspect to all of this�� aside from the fact that he would get to constantly feast his eyes on�� wait�� back to the topic!

    It was that Sunny was a nocturnal creature. He didn't have to sleep on the cold floor or interact with the vigorous huntress that much, because he would be asleep during the day and out hunting during the night. The window of time when they would both be awake and stuck in the hidden chamber together was not that large.

    More than that, Effie had brought enough food to satiate her unnatural hunger in that bottomless bag of hers, so he didn't even have to feed her. So hosting her was not going to be as bothersome as he had initially assumed.

    After showing the huntress around and enduring several more good-natured jabs, he finally had some time to himself.

    Finally!

    Sitting down in a remote corner of the chamber, he closed his eyes and dove into the Soul Sea.

    As always, the tranquil sea met him with calming darkness and peaceful silence. Not paying any attention to motionless shadows that stood at the edge of the visible part of it�� not even to gaunt and pitiful Harper�� he walked over and stood beneath the black sun of his Shadow Core.

    Then, Sunny summoned the Stone Saint.

    "Hey there, darling. Guess what? I brought dinner��"

    Before commanding the Memories he had purchased with the help of Kai down, he quickly glanced at the runes surrounding the taciturn monster:

    Shadow: Stone Saint.

    Shadow Rank: Awakened.

    Shadow Class: Monster.

    Shadow Attributes: [Battle Master], [Stalwart], [Spark of Divinity].

    Shadow Fragments: [6/200].

    Only six fragments, and she was already so strong. He couldn't wait to see his monster grow even more ferocious.

    Not wasting any more time, Sunny summoned the first Memory �� a strange sword with a stupid amount of useless gems embedded into its blade, for some idiotic reason �� and handed it to the Shadow. She took the sword without showing any emotion and ruthlessly shattered it with her gauntlets.

    [Your Memory has been destroyed.]

    Sunny made a face.

    "Why thank you, Spell! I wouldn't have guessed if it weren't for you. So helpful."

    Two torrents of ethereal sparks entered Stone Saint's body and were absorbed by the dark embers burning in the depths of the living shadow that hid in her body.

    [Stone Saint has grown stronger.]

    Was it just him or did the Spell sound a bit hurt?

    'Well, tough. I didn't hear you complaining when Neph was promising to rip you to shreds.'

    He grinned and glanced at the runes again.

    Shadow Fragments: [7/200].

    Satisfied, Sunny summoned the next Memory. The process repeated itself.

    [...Stone Saint has grown stronger.]

    [...Stone Saint has grown stronger.]

    [...Stone Saint has grown stronger.]

    As the number of shadow fragments saturating the core remnants inside his pet monster grew, his mood continued improving. This was the best feeling ever!

    Shadow Fragments: [8/200]

    Shadow Fragments: [10/200]

    Shadow Fragments: [11/200]

    Finally, after the ninth Memory was consumed, the runes describing the number changed to twenty out of two hundred. The Stone Saint looked considerably stronger already. Remembering the changes that happened to his own body after his first few kills, Sunny could more or less gauge how much her condition has improved.

    The increment wasn't really that substantial�� but in battle, the tiniest advantage could often decide everything. Especially considering that it was going to be doubled by the augmenting effect of his indispensable, but impudent shadow.

    All of this was just a prelude, anyway. The main event was yet to come.

    Full of anticipation, Sunny called the onyx armor down. If his calculations were correct, this relic alone should give the Stone Saint twelve shadow fragments �� almost as much as the nine lesser Memories Combined.

    The jet black suit of ancient plate armor appeared in the air in front of him. Surrounded by the lightless vastness of the silent sea, the feeling of dark grace it emanated was even more pronounced. Sunny clicked his tongue.

    'Ah, what a beauty.'

    It was almost a shame to destroy it.

    ��Almost.

    Slightly reluctant to part with the ancient armor yet, Sunny read the runes describing it.

    Stev was right. Even the Spell couldn't make sense of the damaged Memory.

    Memory: [M�� Un��old].

    Memory Rank: ?

    Memory Tier: ?

    Memory Type: unknown.

    Memory Description: [...Pr�� ��first ��army ��shed ��own��]

    Memory Enchantments: ��

    Many of the runes were missing, and those that did appear refused to coalesce into any sort of comprehensible words. However, Sunny did notice a few of the strange runes that made his head hurt, the same ones present whenever the Spell mentioned the mysterious Unknown.

    'Just as I thought.'

    The armor was clearly connected to the same tribe of Nightmare Creatures that the Stone Saint had belonged to before becoming a Shadow. The origin of the strange living statues was tied to the Unknown, so it was logical to assume that the onyx armor had something to do with them too.

    Well, no matter. He knew that this Memory was severely damaged when he bought it. Sunny was never planning on using it, anyway, only feeding it to the Saint.

    "Time for dessert!"

    With a wide smile, he pushed the beautiful black armor to the stone monster.

    However, the smile soon froze on his face.

    Because the Stone Saint did not move to take and shatter the armor like she did with all the other Memories. Instead, she simply turned her head and looked at it. The hue of the crimson flames burning in her ruby eyes ever so slightly changed.

    It was almost as though they were filled with the tiniest shadow of�� sorrow.

    "Come on! Eat it!"

    But no matter how much he tried to get the Stone Saint to destroy the armor, she refused. The living statue just stood there and did nothing.

    After a while, disappointed, Sunny stared at the onyx armor and sighed.

    Well�� serves him right. To be honest, he had a slight inkling that this would happen.

    Nevertheless, Sunny had decided to buy the armor anyway. It's not every day that you stumble upon a tier-six Fallen Memory, even if it's damaged beyond your ability to repair.

    Perhaps he would don it one day... if Nephis would actually manage to open the path to the Gateway and he would somehow find himself among those lucky few to reach it alive and become Awakened.

    Until then, the awesome black armor was pretty much useless.

    With a deep frown, he left the Soul Sea and summoned it into existence. Soon, the armor appeared on the floor of the hidden chamber.

    Effie looked at it with interest:

    "Wow. What is this?"

    Sunny lingered for a long time, and then finally answered:

    "A decoration�� I guess."

    The huntress raised her eyebrows.

    "Really? Well, what are you staring at me for?"

    He gritted his teeth.

    A few awkward moments later, Sunny said:

    "Uh, can you help me move it? It's�� too heavy for me to lift��"

 Chapter 183 Learning New Tricks

    Chapter 183 Learning New Tricks

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    With a rather unpleasant noise, the monster's head fell down. Sunny indifferently bent his arm and wiped the Midnight Shard on the sleeve of his armor, watching as the massive body slowly topple over.

    Standing on the other side of it, the Stone Saint simply flourished her sword in and stopped it abruptly mid-swing, sending every drop of blood flying to the ground. Then, she just stood there absolutely still, pretending to be a statue.

    Sunny sighed.

    'That's a cool trick. I should learn it.'

    Honestly, cleaning his blade on the Puppeteer's Shroud was not very fair to the tier-five armor. He felt guilty.

    "Watch my back."

    With the taciturn Shadow observing the surroundings, he summoned the Prowling Thorn and used it to recover the soul shards from the carcass.

    This was the fourth Nightmare Creature Sunny had killed this night. With the help of the Stone Saint, his hunts became much easier than before. Not even mentioning the fact that the Shadow was as powerful as most of his marks, the mere fact that he had a partner to draw the enemy's attention away changed a lot of things.

    Sunny was somewhat capable of, but preferred to avoid engaging in direct battle with these abominations. His way of doing things was to strike from the shadows and, ideally, kill the enemy with a single strike. If everything went smoothly, the prey would never even see its killer.

    Of course, such a hunting method required a lot of cunning, patience, and preparation. He had to observe the enemy for a long time to learn its behavior and weaknesses. The confrontation itself took just a few seconds, but only because days had been spent in adnvance to make that immediate resolution possible.

    After hunting in that meticulous way for three months, Sunny felt strange simply overpowering the monsters with brute force. The combination of Stone Saint's indomitable defense and his swift blade was nothing short of miraculous.

    It was almost like fighting side by side with Neph.

    Almost��

    With a sigh, Sunny threw the soul shards into his rucksack and stood up.

    He was facing a problem that he had never expected to face. It was honestly rather bizarre.

    He was running out of monsters to kill.

    Awakened Nightmare Creatures weren't that abundant in the Dark City to begin with, let alone those whom he had already tracked, studied, and felt confident attacking. After tonight's massacre, pretty much every one of them was dead.

    Sunny had cleaned the house.

    But he was so much stronger now, so much more dangerous. With the help of the Stone Saint, maybe there was no need to be so cautious��

    'No. This is how you get yourself killed.'

    This was a dangerous mindset. Despite his recent growth, Sunny was still in no way the apex predator in the ruins. In fact, he was the opposite of that. Of all the creatures stalking these streets, he was the weakest.

    'Pride is the gravest of all sins. Next thing you know, you'll be trying to hunt the Fallen Ones.'

    Sunny would perhaps survive a confrontation with a Fallen Beast�� maybe�� but actually defeating one was a whole other conversation. And if he had the misfortune to stumble on something of a higher class, his chances of making it out alive would not be very high.

    He could start investigating one of the Awakened creatures that he knew of. Or simply go home.

    However, something was bothering Sunny. There was this feeling in his head that he had a seed of an idea, but then got distracted and failed to fully form it.

    'What was I thinking about just now?'

    Whether or not to hunt again tonight�� how powerful he had become with the help of the Shadow�� how it was not very practical to wipe the blood with the sleeve of the Puppeteer's Shroud��

    'Oh, right!'

    Back when he saw the Stone Saint shake off the blood of her sword, he had thought that this would be a cool trick to learn. And at that moment, he got a feeling that he was onto something.

    'I should learn it�� I should learn it��'

    Suddenly, Sunny's eyes became bright.

    If he could learn this trick from the Stone Sait�� what else would he be able to learn from her? This Shadow of his had an Attribute called [Battle Master], which apparently meant that she was proficient in all forms of combat.

    Was there a better teacher for someone like him?

    The answer was �� no. With his technique stagnating because of the lack of guidance, there was no one better than the masterful Stone Saint to learn from.

    Suddenly excited, Sunny summoned the taciturn monster back into his shadow and headed home.

    ***

    By the time he returned to his hidden lair, Effie was already awake. Sitting on the bed, she was lazily staring at the ceiling and whistling a cheerful tune. Her long legs were somewhat covered by the blanket, but still�� that white chiton of hers was way too revealing! Sunny had to be very careful to look the other way.

    It was very hard...

    "Oh, you're back. Good hunt?"

    Instead of answering, Sunny walked over to his chest, glanced at the huntress with suspicion, and opened it.

    Then, he poured the contents of his rucksack inside. Seven soul shards fell on the pile, which was sadly visibly diminished because of his recent expenses.

    It was still nothing to scoff at, though.

    Effie whistled.

    "Seven? How many heads is that?"

    Sunny closed the chest and sat on it.

    "Four. Three monsters and one beast."

    Effie blinked, a bit stunned.

    "Three monsters? How did you manage to kill three monsters in one night?"

    He hesitated, then sighed.

    Trying to hide the existence of the Stone Saint would be very bothersome, especially if he was going to venture on an expedition with Neph's cohort. Out there in the Labyrinth, chances were that none of them would be able to hold back to hide their aces.

    That was if he was even going to agree to it, of course.

    Anyway, there would be not much harm in revealing her now. Or rather, the benefits outweighed it.

    "I'll show you. Just don't freak out."

    Effie giggled.

    "I'm pretty sure that nothing you're capable of showing can freak me out..."

    Ignoring her teasing tone, Sunny glared at the huntress and summoned the Saint out of his Soul Sea.

    Immediately, two crimson flames ignited in the depths of his shadow. A moment later, the menacing stone knight stepped from it on the floor of the hidden chamber and turned her head to Effie.

    Effie recoiled.

    "What�� what the hell is that?!"

 Chapter 184 Value Of Humility

    Chapter 184 Value Of Humility

    The mighty huntress stared at the Stone Saint, her hand hovering in the air, ready to grasp the shaft of the spear. Her beautiful hazel eyes were full of tension and dark anticipation.

    The contrast between that fierce pose and the fact that she was still comfortably wrapped in a blanket was so funny that Sunny couldn't help but snicker.

    "Gee, relax. Haven't you seen an Echo before?"

    Effie blinked.

    "That thing�� is yours? Wait, you got an Echo?!"

    He gave her a nod and gestured at the Stone Saint.

    "Yes, I did. Meet Saint. Aint' she a beauty?"

    The huntress stared at the taciturn creature, then scowled with outrage.

    "You lucky bastard! You do know that I haven't even caught a sniff of an Echo after three years in this pit? How dare you get one before me, huh?"

    Sunny laughed.

    "Actually, this was my second Echo. The first one got killed in the Labyrinth."

    Effie glared at him for a long time, then shook her head with an expression of utter dejection. Finally, she turned to the Shadow and studied her.

    "Wait�� is she what I think she is?"

    Sunny nodded.

    "Yeah."

    The huntress stood up from the bed and, leaving the blanket behind, walked barefoot around the Stone Saint. She studied her from all angles and then said:

    "How the hell did you manage to kill one of those things and survive?"

    Sunny, who had found himself involuntary studying Effie from all angles as well, blinked a couple of times and shrugged.

    "Actually, they got wiped out by a group of Fallen. It was an epic clash, to say the least. I just happened to be there in time to finish one off. And here we are."

    Effie stared at the Shadow with admiration.

    "What class is she?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "Awakened monster. But I watched her kill two Fallen Beasts, so�� I'd say she's an elite among her peers. Anyway, you can see how it's not impossible to hunt three monsters in one night with her by my side. I studied them in advance, of course. That's why we were so fast in dealing with them."

    The huntress crossed her arms, thought for a bit, then gave Sunny a strange look.

    "Why are you showing her to me? With how paranoid you are, I'd expect you to keep such a treasure hidden."

    He stood up, lingered for a moment, then said:

    "With what I have planned, showing her to you is sort of a requirement."

    Effie grew silent, then gave him a mischievous smile.

    "Ah. Sorry to disappoint. Don't get me wrong, I'm up for all kinds of fun. But, Sunny�� Nightmare Creatures is where I draw the line."

    He frowned, not quite getting what she was talking about. Then, his eyes widened.

    "What?! You�� what kind of a degenerate are you?! Training! I wanted to use her for training!"

    The unruly huntress blinked innocently.

    "Training? Sunny, there's nothing wrong with being a bit inexperienced, at your age. In fact, it's quite charming! You don't need to resort to this kind of thing, you know��"

    "Inexperienced?! Who are you calling inexperienced?! I'm plenty experienced! Wait�� crap. What are we even talking about?!"

    Dying from laughter, Effie left Sunny to fume with outrage and walked over to the makeshift kitchen while shaking her head. Soon, the tantalizing smell of roasting meat filled the air.

    '...I'm going to kill her. Should I kill her? It's going to be pure self-defense, anyway. A week of this will be the death of me.'

    With a sigh, he tried very hard to calm down. When his thoughts returned to their usual cadence, Sunny stood in front of the Stone Saint and slowly exhaled.

    It was time to learn.

    ***

    On his way back to the cathedral, Sunny had made a hard decision.

    He decided not to augment his body with the power of the shadow during his practice with the Stone Saint.

    Even though he knew that this was going to bring him a lot of pain in the future, he was adamant about his choice. There were several reasons why he wanted to face his pet monster with his own physical ability and nothing else.

    The first and most simple reason was that Sunny knew that the shadow would not always be there when he needed it. Just like during the battle against the Spire Messenger, when it had been away scouting, circumstances in which he was going to have to rely on nothing but his own prowess were bound to happen.

    Not to mention that it had been his own reflexes, and not the shadow, that saved him from being cut in halves by the Black Knight.

    The second reason was less evident. It had to do with the existing hierarchy of power in the Dark City. At the very top, there were the Fallen. Beneath them, those creatures that were merely Awakened. And at the very bottom, Sleepers.

    Any fight that a human could face in that cursed place was going to be against an overwhelming force. With time, Sunny had adjusted to this reality and was able, these days, to face the lower classes of the Awakened abominations on almost equal terms�� with the help of the shadow. He was still weaker, but not by that much.

    However, deep down he knew that, sooner or later, he would be forced to fight against Fallen enemies. And he was also almost sure that he would have to cross swords with humans that had saturated their cores to the brim with soul essence, and were thus much stronger than him.

    For that reason, his experience hunting monsters who were not much stronger than his augmented self was actually an impediment. It dulled his edge and made him forget what it actually meant to struggle against an enemy who was leagues above him �� the knowledge and mindset that he desperately needed to retain to have a chance of surviving the future.

    He had to keep himself humble.

    And lastly, there was one truth that he had learned during these six months on the Forgotten Shore, and it was that nothing was more beneficial to one's growth than fighting against a superior opponent �� especially if that fight ended in your loss. One defeat taught a person more than a dozen victories against weaker enemies would.

    The problem was that, in this cursed place, any defeat meant death. So Sunny actually had little experience losing to someone. From start to finish, he tasted loss only three times: once in a battle against the carapace centurion, once when he had faced Nephis under the branches of the Soul Tree, and once in this very cathedral, when the Black Knight's sword had sliced his stomach open.

    Each of those defeats taught him more than anything else did.

    ��So, having the opportunity to fight with a monster who was much more powerful than him, and yet had no desire to kill him, was an extremely rare and precious opportunity.

    That's why Sunny steeled himself and let the shadow rest on the floor while he faced the Stone Saint.

    Taking a deep breath, he summoned the Midnight Shard, assumed a defensive stance, and looked the menacing stone knight right in the eyes.

    "Attack me."

    Not wasting even a second, she did just as she was told.

    'Oh�� crap!'

 Chapter 185 Battle Master

    Chapter 185 Battle Master

    The Shadow attacked with the vicious strength of a true monster. Knowing perfectly well that his strength was not enough to block her sword, Sunny desperately moved the Midnight Shard to deflect the strike to the side.

    The countless hours of practice and hundreds of thousands of times he had repeated his katas had not been in vain: his body moved with lightning speed, placing the blade in the path of the Stone Saint's weapon at just the right angle. Feeling the impact reverberate in his bones, Sunny gasped from the pain and stood his ground.

    Guided by the Midnight Shard, the Shadow's sword glided to the side and missed his body by a wide margin. However, before Sunny had time to congratulate himself, the Saint simply continued moving forward and slammed into him.

    Being hit by her shield felt like crashing into a stone wall at high speed.

    Flying back, Sunny impacted against an actual wall and rolled to the floor. A small yelp escaped from his lips.

    Getting distracted from her food for a moment, Effie glanced at him and called:

    "Sunny? You're alive?"

    He weakly raised a hand and brought his thumb and index finger together in the shape of a circle.

    "...Yeah."

    The huntress smiled.

    "Good! Don't die yet, alright? It's going to be really inconvenient for me to get out of here without your help."

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    '...Is that all you care about?'

    "I'll try."

    Slowly rising to his feet, he staggered and had to lean on the wall for balance.

    The Stone Saint returned to her spot and stood there indifferently, not paying any attention to his furious glare.

    With a heavy sigh, Sunny walked back to stand in front of her, raised the Midnight Shard, and spat:

    "Again."

    ***

    Over the course of the next few days, Sunny often wondered if he had really gone mad. Otherwise, why would he willingly subject himself to this torture? Pa nda

    No vel His life now consisted of only three things: spending time with Effie, practicing with the Stone Saint, and exploring the cursed ruins.

    Out of the three, the time he was spending in the deadly maze of the Dark City was by far the least dreadful. He even found himself enjoying it a great deal.

    Once you begin thinking about a cursed ancient ruin teeming with abominable creatures as a comforting place, you should really start thinking about your life choices...

    And yet, Sunny knew that he was on the right track.

    Painful as they were, his training sessions with the menacing Shadow had turned out to be even more advantageous than he imagined. Every bruise, every cut, every drop of blood that he spilled was making him stronger.

    After a long period of stagnation, his technique was finally improving again. And it was doing so with noticable speed.

    The best thing about it was that he had not even scratched the surface of the immense didactic potential of the [Battle Master] Attribute. For someone like him, who had never received a formal education in combat, it was simply a boon.

    It was a hidden treasure.

    Back when he had observed the Shadow in the fight against a carapace centurion, he had noted her distinct battle style.

    The taciturn creature fought with the firmness of stone, combining flawless defense with devastating offense. Each action was efficient and perfectly calculated, with blocks, dodges and deflections leading into deadly ripostes. It was solid, indomitable, and inevitable.

    However, this was not the only battle style that the Stone Saint was perfectly proficient in. Rather, it was something that she used based on her current weapons and opponents. Back when her original fought against two harrowing Fallen Beasts, her style was reckless and brutal, disregarding any form of defense in favor of an endless onslaught of vicious attacks.

    Although there were some foundational similarities between them, these two techniques were vastly different. It seemed as though she was able to switch between countless styles to suit the situation.

    Sunny couldn't wish for a better sparring partner.

    His own style �� or rather, the kernel of one that had been given him by Nephis �� was flowing and unpredictable. It focused on adaptability and making it impossible for the enemy to anticipate your next move. The more Sunny fought against the Stone Saint, the more he realized how extraordinary it actually was.

    However, it didn't mean that this style couldn't be improved. In fact, Sunny suspected that it was actually designed with the intention of being able to incorporate various elements from other sources. If so, it was a perfect foundational style to learn.

    All of this made him wonder where this strange style had come from, and if Changing Star had taught him its basics for a reason.

    In any case, he was determined to make sense of it, improve his mastery of the things he had already learned, and begin to incorporate elements of Stone Saint's stark technique into his own.

    However, this was easier said than done.

    At first, fighting against the menacing Shadow appeared to be almost impossible. Every time he gave her the command to attack, he would inevitably end up on the floor in mere moments, groaning and consumed with pain. His whole body was bruised black and hurting terribly. If not for the tenacious enhancement of the Blood Weave, Sunny did not know if he would have been able to continue.

    Or at least continue at an acceptable rate. With its help, however, the speed of his recovery was considerably faster. It was almost inhuman. Because of that, he was able to train more intensely and for longer periods of time.

    Just as he had expected, every defeat taught him something new. Losing to a superior opponent was the best way to improve, indeed. Back in the real world, many people were foolishly obsessed with their pride and lived for nothing but to achieve victories against others.

    Not Sunny, though. He was perfectly content with losing time after time, as long as he continued to become stronger with each loss. The only person he wanted to defeat was the version of himself from the last fight, over and over again.

    Just like that, he had slowly begun to put up at least some resistance to the Stone Saint. At first, he was happy with being able to deflect one attack. Then, two. Then, several.

    Before too long, he stopped counting the number of attacks and started counting the number of seconds he remained on his feet. It was just a couple at first, then four or five, then a dozen. Finally, he was able to fight with the menacing stone knight for vast amounts of time, sometimes even up to a minute.

    Even Effie seemed to be impressed. She usually paid little attention to his training, but after some time, Sunny noticed her glancing in his direction more and more. At first, he thought that the unruly huntress simply enjoyed watching him suffer in his suffering, but then he realized that she was actually trying to learn from his mistakes, too.

    Sunny didn't mind.

    His movements slowly became more confident, purposeful, and precise. His body, while damaged and bruised, was brimming with strength and agility.

    He was maturing.

    It was then, when his spars with the Shadow turned less one-sided, that Sunny noticed something strange.

    And when he did, everything changed.

 Chapter 186 Eureka

    Chapter 186 Eureka

    It took Sunny a long time to perceive the anomaly for several reasons. To begin with, it was so subtle that it was almost impossible to notice. His whole mind was concentrated on the thoughts of battle technique and styles, and still, he only saw it by accident.

    The second reason had to do with his decision to face the Stone Saint without the augmentation of his Aspect Ability. Because of it, the shadow had nothing to do. It returned to acting as a proper shadow and obediently repeated his every movement while he fought.

    The last reason was Effie �� or, more specifically, the fact that she had brought a source of light into the hidden lair, making the shadow actually visible.

    Because of this unlikely combination of events, Sunny was able to see it.

    He was in the middle of a fierce battle against the Stone Saint, sweat and blood trickling down his battered body. The clamor of swords clashing against each other permeated the chamber, drowning the raspy sound of his laborious breathing. Deflecting another blow, Sunny swiftly crouched and let the edge of the creature's shield whistle through the air above his head.

    His rather clumsy attempt to imitate one of the Stone Saint's explosive ripostes was easily blocked, and the two of them continued the duel. This time, it lasted for an especially long time. Sunny was pretty sure that he had already withstood the oppressive assault of the monster for one and a half minutes.

    If true, this was his personal best.

    After countless spars like this, he would sometimes enter a special state of flow. In it, his mind was calm and clear, operating at a tremendous speed. When Sunny entered this state, his attention became simultaneously sharp like a blade and strangely unfocused.

    Normally, he would have to concentrate on specific details, like watching the enemy's footwork to predict where the next blow would come from. Sunny was even able to split his mind in two, with one part of it absorbing the information that came through his eyes, while the other was preoccupied with what the shadow saw.

    In this way, he could either concentrate on two enemies at the same time or have a full view of his surroundings, so that no one could sneak up on him from behind.

    However, with his attention not focused on anything, he was somehow capable of perceiving everything. Every detail, be it the enemy's footwork, the direction of their gaze, or the slight change in the environment simply became a part of the all-encompassing tapestry that he perceived as a whole.

    Needless to say, this ability to see everything simultaneously and think with sufficient speed to act on it dramatically boosted his combat performance. It was consonant with and felt like a natural continuation of the strange sense of clarity that he had achieved after almost dying in the battle against his first carapace centurion.

    ...Right then, Sunny entered this state of flow once again. After a few more exchanges, he suddenly noticed that there was something strange about his shadow.

    Instinctively, he paid it more attention while continuing to fight.

    It was then that he realized that his shadow's movements, while almost exactly like his, were actually not the same.

    There was a very slight, almost imperceptible difference. Pa nda

    No vel But he could feel something vast and profound hiding in this tiny divergence.

    Stunned, he slowed down and stared at the shadow.

    'What�� what did I just see?'

    Sunny was so stunned, in fact, that for a moment he completely forgot where he was. In the next second, the rim of the Stone Saint's shield hit him in the chest, sending him flying at the wall once again.

    Sunny crashed into the cold stones, fell to the floor, and weakly groaned.

    'Ouch. That one hurt.'

    However, he immediately forgot about the pain. Sitting up, Sunny stared at his shadow with wide eyes.

    'This�� this is��'

    What did he see?

    The shadow's movements, while exactly like his own, were also different. It was�� it was��

    As though a light ignited in his head�� or rather, became drowned in shadows�� Sunny suddenly had an epiphany. This revelation was so astonishing that he almost cried out loud.

    The divergence between him and his shadow was not random, nor was it chaotic. It was consistent and harmonious, hinting at a deeper meaning. And that meaning was��

    That his shadow had a battle style of its own.

    Sunny only saw a glimpse of it through the slight discrepancy in their movements. If someone didn't know the shadow as well as he did, they would never notice anything. Even he only saw it by accident.

    What he saw wasn't enough to discern anything about that battle style except for the fact that it existed. He was also able to sense its�� essence. It was flowing and insidious, shapeless and everchanging, like the shadow itself.

    This description was so close to its nature that Sunny felt it was safe to assume that the movements of the battle style were not something the shadow performed on purpose, but rather a manifestation of its innate quality.

    Did�� did his shadow have a battle art fused into its very being?

    "...It is an invaluable helper," he whispered.

    If this was true, then Sunny had just found the answer to the question that had been tormenting him for the last few days.

    While the battle style entrusted to him by Nephis was versatile and deadly, and the technique of the Stone Saint was indomitable and oppressive, they were not his own. No matter how much he practiced them, he felt that there was something missing.

    Individuality.

    Only by creating a style of his own would Sunny be able to become equal to the best fighters out there. Until then, he would always be just an imitator.

    Of course, creating a true battle style was not something that a novice like him was capable of doing. More than that, there was a difference between knowing that the mysterious shadow style existed and actually understanding what it was.

    But still, still�� it was a beginning. If he learned the secret hiding inside his shadow and combined it with the flowing adaptability of his current style, what would the result be?

    Standing up, Sunny spat a mouthful of blood, wiped the sweat off his brow and walked over to his tormentor, the Stone Saint.

    Raising the Midnight Shard, he gritted his teeth and said:

    "Again!"

    Soon, the clangor of swords resounded in the hidden chamber once more.

    Only this time, Sunny paid close attention to his shadow��

 Chapter 187 Trial Of Strength

    Chapter 187 Trial Of Strength

    Trying to learn the secrets of the shadow was a very slow process. Sunny could only see glimpses of the mysterious battle style while fighting against the Stone Saint, and doing so usually required his full attention. As long as he wasn't fully concentrated on his opponent, their clashes ended in mere seconds, making so that there was nothing to observe.

    But when he concentrated on the battle at hand, he couldn't really pay any attention to the shadow, which in turn eliminated the possibility of observing it. Finding the right balance between the two tasks was not easy, not to mention painful. Every time he failed, a new bruise appeared on his body.

    And yet, there was progress. Although Sunny was still unable to peer into the depths of the battle art, he was slowly beginning to get a feel for it. His shadow was more treacherous, fluid, and malleable than he was. There was a hint of a graceful cadence to its movements that lacked in his.

    It was as though it was performing a dance. A shadow dance.

    Frustrated by the lack of a breakthrough, Sunny wanted to push himself harder, but had to stop himself. Even considering the tenacious effects of the Blood Weave, his training regimen had already brought his body to its limits. He needed to preserve its condition if he was going to join Nephis on her long expedition��

    Unless he wanted to enter the Labyrinth while crippled with exhaustion and injuries, of course.

    What Sunny failed to realize due to the lack of experience �� and the fact that he had been mostly self-taught �� was that this accomplishment had already made him an outlier as far as humans went. Most novices weren't even able to master the superficial aspects of different battle styles, let alone recognize their fundamental traits for what they were.

    They simply followed the rules without understanding them, regarding styles as something indubitable and rigid. Only the most experienced fighters had enough understanding of the essence of a battle art to attempt to manipulate it.

    So he was already far ahead of the curve.

    But since Sunny never had a proper mentor, he had no idea that he was trying to accomplish something that an average human would never be able to do. His only point of reference was Nephis, who was an absolute outlier herself.

    If renowned masters of combat arts were to learn that a self-taught youth from the outskirts had managed to dismantle two incredibly complex battle styles into basic elements and assemble them together to better suit his tastes, while also trying to learn a third one from his shadow, they would be stunned.

    However, Sunny just thought that he was unsuccessful and incredibly slow.

    'Ugh! Maybe I'm just stupid��'

    Picking himself up from the floor, Sunny sighed and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Then, he glanced at the Stone Saint and leaned on the wall.

    "You're done for today?"

    Effie was nearby, dying from boredom. Watching Sunny torture himself was her only way to entertain herself in this dark room.

    Well, that and torturing him herself. Among other things.

    'Whatever.'

    He gave her a tired nod.

    "Yeah, I think so. It's already dusk, so I'll probably rest for a bit and go out."

    The huntress narrowed her eyes.

    "By the way, I wanted to ask. How do you even know what time of day it is? There's no windows here, and we can't hear the sea yet."

    He glanced at her with a gloomy expression and reluctantly answered:

    "The shadow of the Crimson Spire. I can feel it."

    Effie blinked a couple of times, then shrugged. Pa nda

    Novel "Ah, I see. Anyway, since you're done�� can I have a turn with your girlfriend?"

    Sunny gritted his teeth and answered without even thinking:

    "She's not my girlfriend!"

    Only then did he realize what Effie was asking. She had never shown interest in sparring with the Stone Saint before. Why now?

    Not that it mattered.

    "And no, you can't."

    The huntress titled her head.

    "What? Why?"

    Sunny scoffed.

    "Do I need to explain it? It's too dangerous! What if something happens to you?"

    Effie giggled.

    "So let me get this straight. You can train with her all day every day, but you think that, for me, she's too tough?"

    He shook his head.

    "Don't misunderstand. It's just that if something happens to me, the worst outcome is that I die. If something happens to you, however, I'm going to get killed by Nephis. The end result is the same, but one way is vastly better than the other. Get it?"

    She crossed her arms.

    "Oh, come on! I just want to see which one of us is stronger!"

    Sunny scowled.

    "No way. Don't even think about it."

    Effie silently glared at him.

    "I said no, okay? There's no way I'm letting you fight her!"

    The huntress grinned.

    "Ah, alright. That's not going to be a problem��"

    ***

    A few minutes later, Sunny was staring at the scene in front of him in disbelief.

    How did it come to this?

    Leaning over the opulent wooden table stood Effie and the Stone Saint. The elbows of their right hands rested on the table, while their palms were pressed against each other.

    The Shadow was taciturn and indifferent, while the huntress was full of enthusiasm.

    They were�� preparing to arm wrestle.

    Effie glanced at him and grinned.

    "Wanna bet who's going to win? If I overpower your girlfriend, you'll owe me a shard�� no, ten shards!"

    Sunny sighed.

    "What if you lose?"

    The unruly huntress winked at him.

    "...You know what, I don't even want to know. I don't gamble, so forget about it."

    Effie sighed.

    "So boring. Anyway�� let's do this!"

    She gripped the Stone Saint's hand and prepared to wrestle.

    "Let's go!"

    Instantly, both the Shadow and huntress tried to bring the opponent's arm down. The table groaned, subjected to a crushing amount of pressure. For a moment, it seemed that the Stone Saint was on the losing side, but in the end, her hand only moved by a millimeter.

    The monster stared at the young woman with her ruby eyes, her face hidden behind the visor of the helmet. There was no emotion in her gaze.

    Effie's hazel eyes, on the contrary, were full of mirth. There was a relaxed smile frozen on her face.

    However, Sunny could see that she was putting her all into this struggle. The lean muscles tautened under the olive skin of her back. Her whole body was like a loaded spring, brimming with strength and overwhelming power.

    And yet, the Shadow's hand did not move.

    It seemed as though neither of them could overpower the other.

    'Huh. I wonder who will give up first��'

    A second after second passed in silence, but nothing changed. Both Effie and the Stone Saint were persisting, not giving up even a tiny bit of ground. The amount of strength they were exerting to keep this volatile balance made Sunny sweat a little.

    'They're both monsters!'

    ��In the end, the first one to give up was the table. Not able to withstand the pressure anymore, it simply�� exploded.

    Covering his face to protect it from the flying splinters, Sunny froze for a moment, then stared at the pile of tiny debris.

    A feeling of deep sorrow and indignation pierced his heart.

    'Oh�� oh no! My table!'

 Chapter 188 Of Heaven And Hell

    Chapter 188 Of Heaven And Hell

    Just like that, a week had passed. Miraculously, Sunny had survived.

    Even more miraculously, he had somehow managed not to kill Effie... which was a big accomplishment in and of itself. In fact, by the end of it, their forced cohabitation had turned rather pleasant.

    They were both solitary hunters, after all. There was an instinctive understanding between the two of them.

    His overall combat skill and particularly comprehension of both his own battle style and that of the Stone Saint had improved by leaps and bounds. He felt faster, stronger, and better prepared to face the horrors of the Dream Realm.

    Although he had yet to reach the same level of physical power that he had possessed before sacrificing a hundred shadow fragments to create the Shadow Saint, Sunny felt that the current him was far deadlier of an opponent.

    Which was good, considering how fast the grim future was approaching.

    ...Currently, Sunny and Effie were sitting on the support beam of the main hall of the cathedral, looking down from the head-spinning height. Far below and away from them, the Black Knight walked through the patches of light and darkness, continuing his neverending patrol.

    Effie scowled, then whispered:

    "So this is the bastard?"

    Sunny gave her a gloomy nod.

    "Yeah. In the flesh�� or whatever he has instead of it."

    The unruly huntress gave him a long look.

    "How the hell did you manage to live through a fight with that fiend?"

    He grimaced.

    "Barely. Also, calling it a fight is giving me too much credit. I just got myself gutted and crawled outside. He never leaves the cathedral, so I got away."

    She shivered.

    "Are you sure that he won't hear us?"

    Sunny pointed down.

    "As long as he doesn't walk past that column, and as long as we're not too loud and keep our voice down, we're safe. Trust me. I've been studying that bastard for two whole months."

    Effie suddenly grinned.

    "So�� how loud are we talking about? Because I can promise to��"

    Sunny rolled his eyes.

    "Can you stop? We're in a temple, for gods' sake."

    He didn't need to hear the end of the phrase to know that it was going to be highly suggestive and very inappropriate.

    She quietly giggled.

    "Fine, fine."

    After a couple of minutes passed in silence, Sunny looked down and saw that the pale light of dawn was slowly turning brighter. It was almost time for the two of them to leave the cathedral.

    He had yet to come to the final decision regarding Neph's request. Depending on his choice, he and Effie would, perhaps, never see each other again.

    Sunny quietly sighed.

    Then, turning to the huntress, he said:

    "Hey, Effie. Can I ask you something?"

    She looked at him with a silent question in her eyes and shrugged.

    "Sure. Go ahead, doofus."

    Sunny hesitated, feeling the somber mood of the situation. Then, looking away, he said:

    "Tell me honestly�� were you dropped on your head a lot when you were a kid?"

    Effie blinked a couple of times, then suddenly pressed both hands against her mouth to suppress a laugh. In the process, she almost fell down from the support beam.

    "Heavens, Sunny�� do you want me to laugh out loud and get us both killed? What's up with that question? No, I was not."

    He looked at her with a dubious expression.

    "Then why are you so damn cheerful all the time? It's not normal. You're like a crazy person�� and I know a thing or two about that, mind you!"

    The huntress smiled.

    "Ah. That."

    Then, she shrugged.

    "It's simple, really."

    Sunny waited for the explanation, noticing an unfamiliar air of melancholy around the vigorous young woman. Her usual infectious vitality somehow felt... lessened. Pa nda

    Novel "It's because I don't think that this place is as bad as all of you seemed to believe. Everyone in this dark city is convinced that this is hell."

    She hesitated.

    "But to me, it's a paradise."

    Sunny glanced at her and frowned.

    "How so?"

    Effie sighed.

    "You wouldn't understand. But for some of us, the real world was more of a hell than the Dream Realm."

    Sunny turned away, thinking about his one life in the outskirts. The reason he was able to adapt so well to the ruthless terror of the Nightmare Spell was because, at its core, it wasn't that different from his own reality.

    "Still. What kind of a paradise is this?"

    A sad smile appeared on the young woman's face.

    "The only kind we deserve, I guess."

    Then, she looked at Sunny and asked:

    "Say, Sunny. You're from the outskirts, right? So you didn't receive a lot of education, I bet?"

    He shook his head.

    She chuckled.

    "Well, not like it would have changed anything. The schools are basically propaganda camps, anyway. They teach kids some useful stuff, but also turn them unable to ask questions and blind to the truth."

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "The truth?"

    Effie gave him a nod.

    "The truth that our world is dying. Well, not the world, really. Just the part of the ecosystem that we need to survive."

    Something moved in his memory. A year or so before Sunny was born, a whole continent was lost because a Category-Five Gate had opened on its coast��

    But the huntress quickly overturned his expectations:

    "And I'm not talking about the Nightmare Spell. I'm talking about what we, humans, have done to our planet without anyone's help. There were more than ten billion people on Earth a couple of hundred years ago, did you know? But now, there's barely three. And half of them only have food and shelter because of us Awakened and the powers we possess. Which were given to us by the Spell."

    She wasn't wrong. Sunny remembered the poisonous, acrid air of the outskirts. The inhuman conditions in the underground factory where his mother had worked. The towering barriers protecting the city from the deadly winds of the wasteland outside. He knew, of course, that the planet was not in a good shape, compared to the past.

    But he never really thought about it that much. To him, this was simply how life always worked.

    Effie shrugged.

    "Who knows how many of us would still be alive without the Spell? I honestly don't know. But if you ask me�� I think that one day in the future, more people will believe that this Realm is a paradise. Just like me."

    On that ominous note, she stood up and stretched her whole body, making Sunny hurriedly look away.

    'Damn... pure thoughts, Sunny!'

    "Anyway, it's already morning. Time to meet up with Princess and the others. Let's go��"

    ***

    Soon, they were standing in front of the cathedral. The morning sun was slowly crawling through the sky, washing the ancient city in its pale light. Sunny and Effie did not have to wait long before Nephis and her companions appeared from the ruins.

    Sunny blinked.

    There was Changing Star herself, Caster, Cassie�� and Kai.

    What the hell was he doing here?

    Once the four Sleepers approached and greeted them, Sunny immediately stared at the beautiful young man.

    "Night�� uh�� why are you here, buddy?"

    The archer smiled.

    "Ah! I'm very happy to see you too, Sunny, my friend. Lady Nephis has asked me to join her on this expedition, and after careful consideration, I have decided to agree."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times.

    "Alright, I know that I'm crazy, but when did you lose your mind too?"

    Kai looked at him with a strange expression.

    "Wait.. crazy? What do you mean, you're crazy?"

    Sunny sighed.

    "Nevermind."

    Then, he turned to Neph.

    "About your request. I'm ready to join the expedition, but on one condition. I will not become a part of your cohort. Rather, you can provide sufficient compensation to acquire my services."

    Nephis looked at him for a while, an inexorable expression on her face. Then, she said in an even tone:

    "Do you have something in mind?"

    Sunny grinned.

    "As a matter of fact, I do. Behind us, you can see a magnificent ancient cathedral. Inside that cathedral lives a creature which is called the Black Knight. He's a Fallen Devil. In return for my help during the expedition, I want your help after it is concluded. Once we return��"

    He paused for a moment, and then added:

    "...I want you to help me kill it."

    A dead silence fell on the small square. After a while, Caster finally spoke, an expression of subtle shock on his face:

    "Sunny�� did you perhaps misspoke? We are only Sleepers, after all. How are we supposed to kill that Black Knight of yours? A Nightmare Creature of his rank and class��"

    Sunny's grin widened. Then, with an immense feeling of vindication, he looked at Caster and said:

    "...It's just a fallen devil."

 Chapter 189 Sunnys Brilliant Emporium

    Chapter 189 Sunny's Brilliant Emporium

    The expressions on the faces of Casper, Effie and Kai were simply priceless. Sunny had to stop himself from laughing out loud.

    ��His shadow, however, did not. Luckily, it had no vocal cords, so all it could do was hold its stomach and shudder silently.

    'Hey, you! Behave yourself!'

    Meanwhile, Nephis just looked at him. The corner of her mouth slightly curled upward.

    After a while, Caster was finally able to answer:

    "Just a fallen devil? Did you say j��"

    However, Changing Star interrupted him. Glancing at the cathedral, she simply shrugged and said:

    "This is acceptable."

    Everyone became silent. They simply stared at Neph with bewildered expressions.

    With some satisfaction, Sunny nodded and said:

    "Don't be so quick to judge. We won't be going into that battle unprepared. I spent months studying the bastard. I know his every ability, every trick, and every weakness. More than that�� if you can't even handle someone like him, how are you going to challenge Gunalug? Isn't that what this expedition is all about?"

    Actually, he debated for a long time whether he should demand that they attack the Black Knight now or after the expedition was over. In the end, he decided that they were all too weak to face the devil�� for now. But after months spent in the Labyrinth, things were bound to change.

    There were more Nightmare Creatures out there, and most of them were not impossible to kill. By the end of the expedition, every member of the cohort was going to have much more soul essence in their cores than they had now. They would also have a wider arsenal of Memories at their disposal.

    More importantly, they would have time to hone and perfect their teamwork. If they wanted to have a chance in a fight against the Black Knight, this was the most important part.

    Nephis nodded.

    "Sunny is right. It's not like it's impossible to kill a Fallen creature. In fact, both Gemma and Tessai had done so in the past, not to mention Gunlaug himself. It just takes a lot of preparation and a little bit of luck. By the end of this, we should be able to take on a single devil and win, provided that we learn its secrets in advance."

    Sunny smiled.

    "Exactly! Oh, right. Speaking of preparations��"

    While everyone was looking at him with confusion�� well, except Cassie, of course�� he took the rucksack off his shoulders and placed it on the ground. Then, he opened it, revealing the soft shine of numerous soul shards.

    "Welcome to Sunny's Brilliant Emporium! This here is around fifty soul shards, each of them of the Awakened rank. Since we will be venturing into the Labyrinth, I've decided to give you guys an opportunity to empower yourself a bit before facing the terrible dangers of that ghastly place. Of course, I'll give you a family discount��"Pa nda

    Novel He had emptied his treasure chest before leaving the hidden chamber. Currently, all of his remaining shards were inside the rucksack.

    Of course, he hadn't done so out of the kindness of his heart.

    Sunny never had any money and so, understandably, didn't know a lot about how to handle it. But one thing he did know was that rich folk never allowed their riches to sit idly. Even money had to work to create more money once it fell into the hands of the wealthy.

    In the language of rich people, this was called an investment.

    By investing his shards into the cohort, Sunny was increasing his own chances of making it back alive. No matter how hard he thought, he couldn't imagine a worthier cause.

    Plus, he wasn't going to just give the shards away for free.

    "The rules of the emporium are rather simple. You give me Memories, I give you shards. I don't care about how powerful or useful the Memories are. In fact, the worse, the better! Any useless junk you have gathering dust in your Soul Sea will do. If you don't have any �� no problem. You can just promise to give me a Memory in the future, once you receive one in the Labyrinth."

    He smiled at the members of Neph's cohort.

    "Not bad, right? No need to thank me, really��"

    Kai stared at the shards, then raised his eyes and looked at Sunny:

    "Sunny�� buddy�� please forgive my bluntness, but why do you need all these Memories?"

    What a good question. Sunny grinned.

    "Uh, you see�� how should I put this? Let's just say that there's a beauty I know who just can't get enough of them. If you know what I mean..."

    Saying that, he winked at the pretty archer. With a strange expression, Kai turned away and shook his head.

    However, after this performance, no one else asked any questions.

    In the end, Sunny was able to exchange his shards for five Memories. Nephis distributed the shards between the five members of the cohort, with each of them getting ten.

    This was a boon equal to slaying ten awakened beasts. After absorbing the shards, all five of them were going to receive a significant boost to their power.

    As far as deadly expeditions went, this was the best start possible.

    Without wasting any time, Neph, Cassie, Effie, Kai and Caster absorbed the soul essence from the shards.

    While they were busy doing that, Sunny silently dove into the Soul Sea and fed the Memories he had received to the Stone Saint.

    [...Stone Saint has grown stronger.]

    [...Stone Saint has grown stronger.]

    [...Stone Saint has grown stronger.]

    Satisfied, he summoned the runes and glanced at them.

    Shadow: Stone Saint.

    Shadow Fragments: [27/200].

    Then, he looked at his own.

    Name: Sunless.

    True Name: Lost from Light.

    Rank: Dreamer.

    Shadow Core: Dormant.

    Shadow Fragments: [318/1000].

    ��Not bad.

    Looking south, he smiled darkly and wondered��

    How much would these numbers increase by the time he returned to the Dark City? It had to be by a lot.

    When everyone was done absorbing their shards and getting accustomed to the changes caused by the sudden influx of soul essence, the cohort was ready to move out.

    The six of them headed south, cautiously traversing the cursed city.

    Nephis was walking in the front of the party, her stark black and white plate armor contrasted sharply against the grey stones of the ancient ruins. A step behind her and to the right was Caster, clad in a polished scale mail that glistened in the morning light like the skin of a silver dragon. To her left was tall and powerful Effie, clad in the archaic bronze armor with a white chiton beneath.

    A few steps away, wearing his elegant lamellar armor made out of burnished brown leather, walked Kai. On his back, there was a quiver full of heavy arrows. Cassie was walking beside him, her light tunic and bright cloak just the same as before. However, now there was a sheath with a graceful rapier attached to her belt.

    At the very back, with an unhappy expression on his face, was a pale young man with messy black hair and a ragged light armor made out of dark-grey fabric and black, lusterless leather. He was periodically lowering his gaze and grimacing, as though unaccustomed to being in the sun.

    Of course, it was Sunny.

    Their journey to the edges of the Forgotten Shore had begun.

 Chapter 190 Point Of No Return

    Chapter 190 Point Of No Return

    Sunny was walking at the back of the cohort, but his shadow was scouting ahead. Without it by his side, he was rather uncomfortable.

    'I wonder if I can summon the Stone Saint while it is away. How have I never thought to check it?'

    Without both his shadow and his Shadow, Sunny felt almost nacked. At least he had other people with him, including three powerhouses �� Nephis, Caster, and Effie.

    Come to think of it, he had never seen Kai in action. The beautiful archer didn't look like someone extremely dangerous, but Sunny wasn't deceived. Weak people did not survive on the Forgotten Shore for years, especially not if their Aspect Ability made them the perfect person to venture outside the Dark City.

    With his unique Aspect Ability, Kai had to fight against the type of terrifying creatures that Sunny knew very little about, too �� the flying abominations that lived in the clouds. Like the Spire Messengers.

    'Scary.'

    Speaking of Kai��

    Sunny hastened his steps and caught up to the charming young man. Glancing at Cassie, who did not seem like she wanted to say anything to him, he frowned for a moment, and then turned to Nightingale:

    "Hey there, Night. How's life?"

    The archer looked at him with a friendly smile.

    "Oh, hey. Good, I guess? I mean�� the weather is nice."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times. The weather was never nice on the Forgotten Shore. It was either too cold, too damp, or too hot. Honestly, he even missed the Black Mountain sometimes. At least it was consistent.

    Not one to make polite talk, Sunny went straight to the question he really wanted to ask:

    "So, really�� what are you doing here?"

    Kai glanced at him with a bit of confusion.

    "What do you mean?"

    Sunny sighed.

    "From what you told me, your life in the castle was nothing short of peaceful. You have enough shards to stay there for a long time, everyone likes you, and even the Host treats you nicely because of how useful your Ability is. Why would you risk it all to go with us into the Labyrinth?"

    The beautiful archer lingered for a bit.

    "Ah. Well�� actually, I landed in a bit of trouble. I think. The deaths of those Guards who locked me in the well are being used to frame Effie, are they not? Well, what if someone knows that I am connected to their disappearance? Won't I be in danger?"

    Sunny thought about it for a bit, then reluctantly agreed.

    "Makes sense. But won't the danger you will face in this expedition be much worse than the one you are escaping from?"

    Kai smiled.

    "It certainly will. But, Sunny�� there is something else that you failed to consider."

    Sunny frowned.

    "What's that? Please�� please don't tell me that you became one of Neph's converts."

    The charming young man chuckled.

    "Converts? No, I don't think so. At least not in the way you think."

    He was silent for a long time, then sighed.

    "Actually, I don't think that many people see things clearly. But really, it's not that hard to understand."

    Turning to Sunny with a somber expression on his usually carefree face, Kai suddenly asked:

    "I came to the Forgotten Shore thirty-one months ago. Do you know how many of us reached the Dark City that year?"

    Sunny shook his head.

    The archer grimaced.

    "Almost four hundred. And do you know how many are still alive? Less than two."

    He was silent for a while. Pa nda

    Novel "Which means that, in just two years, more than half of us perished. People die all the time in the Dark City, you see. The castle may seem safe, but actually, the Host is constantly bleeding people. Every week, a few hunters don't return from the hunt. Every couple of weeks, a Nightmare Creature attacks the walls and kills several Guards before they manage to drive it away or destroy it."

    Kai sighed.

    "But most often of all, something comes into the outer settlement and simply drags away people. That's not even mentioning those who die of hunger, desperation, or by another human's hand. Do you�� do you see where I am going with this?"

    Sunny scowled, a new understanding dawning on him. Seeing his expression, Kai looked away.

    "Indeed. Every year, hundreds of people die in the Dark City. And every year, hundreds more come to take their place. But, Sunny�� this year, there were only four. Not four hundred, but just four people."

    How.. how had he not thought about it before? Sunny's eyes widened slightly.

    Meanwhile, Kai continued:

    "Which means that the Bright Castle never got the chance to recoup its losses. What happens if that Spell Cycle theory that people have is true and five months from now, when the winter solstice comes, the same thing repeats itself?"

    He shook his head, a dark expression on his face.

    "It means that a year from now, there will be maybe six hundred humans left in the Dark City. And two years from now�� there will be only a dozen or two. It takes a lot of people to maintain the semblance of civilization we have going on here, Sunny. Once we pass the point of no return, it will all come crashing down."

    The beautiful archer glanced at him and added in a heavy tone:

    "Every non-combatant will die. Every fighter who is not powerful enough will die. Eventually, only a few strongest ones will be left. Am I strong enough to be among those few? I'm not sure. And even if I am, who would want to live in a situation like that."

    He turned away and stared at Nephis, who was walking ahead of them.

    "So no, Sunny, I am not a convert. But I will follow Lady Nephis to the edges of the Labyrinth and back, because it's better to die trying to do something than to live on hiding your head in the sand. Don't you think?"

    Just like that, their conversation ended. Sunny walked on in silence, thinking about what Kai had said.

    If the archer was right, then the future was, indeed, nothing short of disturbing. Of course, no one knew for sure how many Sleepers were going to arrive here during the winter solstice. But now that he thought about it, Sunny felt that people who believed in the cyclic nature of the arrivals were almost right.

    He also believed that there would not be hundreds of new faces arriving on the Forgotten Shore in five months.

    However, while others expected that there would be a dozen, a few dozen after a year, and a hundred after that, he did not.

    For some reason, Sunny felt that there won't be anyone else coming to the Dark City at all.

    He felt that the three of them... and Caster�� were the last people to ever be sent to this hell by the Spell.

    'Gee. What's up with people today? First Effie and her doomsday talk, now this. I am already an extremely pessimistic person. I don't need anyone's help to feel terrible about the future��'

    But as it turned out, he did need help. These two conversations had opened Sunny's eyes to a serious problem.

    He was too shortsighted. He concentrated too much on the problems at hand and failed to see the bigger picture. Was it because both Effie and Kai had spent more time on the Forgotten Shore, or was it because he had simply not paid enough attention to the details?

    Would things be different if he had?

    Just as Sunny glanced at Nephis, Cassie suddenly turned her head in his direction.

    Sunny frowned.

    "What is it?"

    'She has been ignoring me this whole time, but now she wants to talk? Huh.'

    The blind girl hesitated for a moment, and then quietly said:

    "...Something is following us."

 Chapter 191 Pursuer

    Chapter 191 Pursuer

    "Something is following us."

    Sunny's frown deepened. Not wasting any time, he moved forward and caught up to Nephis, Caster, and Effie. The huntress glanced at him and slightly tensed.

    "Did your shadow notice an enemy?"

    The shadow was currently a few hundred meters ahead of the cohort, scouting for any signs of danger.

    He shook his head.

    "Cassie felt that we are being followed. I'm going to withdraw the shadow and sent it back to take a look. Stay vigilant."

    Effie gave him a nod. Of course, as the pathfinder of the party, she was always vigilant. He was just warning her so that she could adjust her approach.

    The two of them were well accustomed to working together, so there was no need to waste words.

    Sunny commanded the shadow to return and fell back to the rear of the party. Once there, he concentrated on the shadows that surrounded them, trying to feel if there was something there that could not be seen.

    But there was nothing.

    Ahead of him, the rest of the cohort was silently preparing for the worst. Not wishing to let the unknown pursuer know that they were ready to act, no one summoned their weapons yet. No one had even turned their head. However, Sunny could see from the tension in their muscles that this peacefulness could explode into a storm of movement at any moment.

    Changing Star and her hunting party did not earn their fearsome reputation by mistake.

    Finally, the shadow was back. Not letting it rest even for a second, Sunny immediately sent it to observe the streets that they had just left. His perception was split between its vision and his own.

    The feeling of vulnerability he experienced when the shadow was away heightened. Sunny sighed with grim resignation. The fact that he was at the back of the cohort and, as such, would be attacked first if anything happened did not help one bit.

    'Calm down. You don't even know what is tracking the cohort.'

    A few moments later, the shadow was safely hidden in the darkness of a ruined building, observing the crossroad that one would have to pass to follow them. Sunny continued walking, pretending to not know anything.

    A few seconds passed in tense silence, then a few more.

    'Where are you? What are you?'

    Depending on the nature of the mysterious pursuer, their response would be different. If it was a Nightmare Creature, they would either have to fight it or try to throw it off their scent. However, if the creature turned out to be one of the truly horrifying existences that stalked the ancient ruins�� then things would get really tricky.

    There was also another possibility. And that was that they were not being pursued by a monster, but by humans instead. A team of Hunters might have been sent by Gunlaug to ambush Changing Star and her people.

    If that was the case�� honestly, Sunny didn't know what would happen. However, he was sure of their ability to withstand an attack from the Host, even if the enemy held a numerical advantage.

    The others seemed to share the same thought.

    After a few minutes passed, the shadow finally noticed movement. Someone was slowly walking in the middle of the street, not even trying to hide their presence. At first, Sunny thought that it was one of the revenants that populated the Dark City. The figure, while human in appearance, was strangely crooked, with a dark unadorned cloak hiding its limbs and features. But then��

    Sunny suddenly felt cold fear grip his heart.

    He recognized those glassy, lifeless eyes. The hideous pale face that terrified so many people.

    ��Harus. It was Harus. The murderous butcher who had torn Jubei apart with his bare hands, Gunalug's cruel executioner and hidden blade. p anda

    Novel Walking through the cursed ruins with the same bored expression that he had in the grand hall of the Bright Castle on the day of Jubei's execution, Harus was following in their footsteps.

    Gunlaug did not send dozens of Hunters to ambush Changing Star. Instead, he sent just one man.

    Sunny shivered.

    'Damn it. Why�� why am I so afraid of that guy?'

    But he knew why. It was because, deep down, he felt that they were alike. Harus was the personification of everything that Sunny was afraid to become.

    Trying to shake off his fear, Sunny walked forward and glanced at Nephis. Then, he said in a raspy voice:

    "It's that�� that damn hunchback. He's following us."

    A sudden tension permeated the air. Without having to look, Sunny knew that everyone's faces grew dark.

    Harus was a mystery. No one knew what his Aspect Ability was, let alone his Flaw. All that was known about this terrifying man was that he was very powerful, and that not a single victim of his had survived.

    Neph frowned.

    "Is he alone?"

    Sunny nodded.

    "Yeah."

    To his right, Caster quietly scoffed.

    "What is Gunlaug thinking, sending one man against us six?"

    However, Neph did not share his disdain. Turning to her left, she glanced at Effie. There was a grim expression on her face.

    "What do you think?"

    The huntress hesitated for a few moments. Then, looking down from her considerable height, she simply said:

    "I think we need to run."

    Caster scowled.

    "Run? Why? Surely, no matter how strong Harus is, we can take him down. None of us are weak, either. Even if we can't defeat him one on one��"

    Effie shook her head.

    "You don't get it, do you? We can't fight Harus. No one can. Many people have tried, and they're all dead now."

    She gritted her teeth.

    "He is a monster in human flesh, Caster. He is insanely powerful. But that's not even the problem. The problem is that no one knows his Aspect. All we know is that once Harus comes for you, you die."

    She sighed.

    "I've seen many people try to resist once they caught wind that Gunlaug is going to send Harus to get rid of them. Strong people, weak people. Some tried to fight him alone, others recruited fearsome allies. Come the next morning, all of them were dead. No matter how powerful they were or how many of them gathered to give him a fight, no one ever survived. All that was left was blood and corpses..."

 Chapter 192 Lighthouse

    Chapter 192 Lighthouse

    As somber silence settled among the cohort, Effie grimaced.

    "The weirdest part is, no one has even seen him come and go. Every time Harus was sent into the outer settlement, we only learned that people were dead in the morning. Doors, locks, and barricades can't seem to stop him, either. Once Harus is ordered to kill you, you just die. It is as though fate itself abandons you."

    Caster frowned.

    "So are you telling us that we stand no chance?"

    The huntress shook her head.

    "I'm saying that fighting him right now would be stupid. Not unless we learn how he is able to seemingly turn his victims�� no matter how many of them there are�� completely powerless."

    With that, she glanced at Nephis, who lingered for a moment and then shook her head.

    "Our friend in the castle doesn't know either."

    Effie grinned.

    "Ah, so that mysterious friend of yours is not omniscient after all. Well, in that case, my advice stands. We should run."

    At that moment, Sunny finally spoke up:

    "But, Effie�� can we even run away from him?"

    The smile disappeared from her face. Suddenly grim, she hesitated for a while, and then said:

    "I know of a way. But�� it's going to be dangerous. Very dangerous. However, I don't know how else to shake him off our trail. So you decide, princess."

    Neph was silent for a bit, and then simply nodded.

    "We will face Harus some other day. Right now, reaching the resting place of the first cohort is the priority."

    The unruly huntress exhales, almost as if relieved. Then, she said:

    "Then follow me. And prepare yourself��"

    ***

    After that disturbing discussion, Effie changed their course slightly. Instead of moving straight south, they were now traversing the ancient city heading for its eastern border.

    Sunny wasn't too familiar with this part of the ruins. During the past few months, he mostly stayed north of the Bright Castle, sometimes venturing northeast. He stayed away from the western areas because they were closer to the Crimson Spire, and had not explored much of the south because it was too far away from his cathedral.

    The last time he had been here was on the day of the bloody fight against the Spire Messenger. Back then, they were headed for the ruins of the lighthouse that had once stood near the impregnable wall of the Dark City.

    Not that he had a lot of time to observe the surroundings. Pretty much all of his attention was concentrated on Harus, who was following them like a hound.

    He didn't like having to stare at the menacing hunchback at all.

    'Why don't you go fight some Fallen creature and die, bastard?'

    However, Harus seemed to know the ruins just as well as Effie. He somehow avoided the worst creatures on his path while never losing the scent of Changing Star's cohort. At one point, a lone Blood Fiend attacked him from the deep shadows of a dilapidated building. Gunlaug's executioner simply raised a hand and shattered the skull of the Nightmare Creature with one lazy punch.

    He didn't even blink.

    'Big deal. I�� I killed plenty of those, too.' P and a

    N ovel However, Sunny had to admit that he was deeply unnerved by the power of the murderous hunchback. Maybe because he couldn't get rid of the feeling that by the end of it all, only one of them would remain alive.

    And he wasn't sure which one.

    Soon, they were nearing the tall expanse of the city wall. Not too far away, the remnant of a giant tower lay broken on its side, stretching far away into the distance. The buildings that the tower had fallen on thousands of years ago were shattered and turned into dust.

    The ancient lighthouse might have been proud and magnificent once. Perhaps it had even served as a symbol of the defiant will of the people of the ancient city, burning as a shining beacon in the eternal darkness of the cursed night. But it had fallen a long time ago�� just like the people that built it.

    At least its ruin remained. The ancient inhabitants of the Dark City had just vanished, not even leaving bones behind.

    Sunny sighed.

    "Where to now?"

    Effie gestured at the massive ruin.

    "Inside."

    They were currently hiding in a collapsed building near the collapsed tower. This area was populated by an especially vile tribe of monsters, and attracting their attention would spell trouble for the entire cohort.

    "Call your shadow back and keep it close. When we enter the lighthouse, we will have to act quick."

    Somewhat relieved, Sunny did just that. Not having to look at Harus anymore was a reason for celebration.

    Staying low to the ground, the six of them dashed from their hiding spot to the broken lighthouse. Without wasting any time, they found a breach in its wall and climbed inside.

    Effie summoned her radiant Memory, bathing the interior of the ruined tower in light. Due to the fact that it was currently lying on its side, they found themselves in a massive, echoing tunnel.

    Looking around, Effie found her bearings and led them deeper into the tunnel, extreme tension apparent in her every move. While walking, she began to speak:

    "Listen to me very carefully and do as I say. Once we're inside, don't separate from the group. Stay together and keep your weapons at hand. The place we're going to is full of Nightmare Creatures. They're not too strong, but they're�� special."

    She bit her lip.

    "Don't even try to kill them. Just defend yourself and keep moving. If you stop, you'll most probably die. Same thing if you slow down and get yourself surrounded. But if we can preserve our formation�� we might survive. I hope."

    'You hope? What do you mean, you hope?!'

    Before Sunny could voice his outrage, they reached their destination.

    Right in front of him, the floor of the tunnel was broken, forming a narrow crevice. It was filled with darkness, leading deep down into the ground�� and then deeper still. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see what was at the bottom.

    The huntress glanced at him.

    "What are you waiting for, doofus? Jump!"

    Sunny gulped.

    "You want me to jump�� into that?"

    By his side, Kai sighed and looked down on his freshly cleaned, stylish armor. An expression of pure sadness appeared on his beautiful face.

    "Oh, well. Here we go again��"

 Chapter 193 The Catacombs

    Chapter 193 The Catacombs

    Without wasting any time, Nephis silently jumped into the crevice. Just before she did, white flames ignited in her eyes. The darkness swallowed her lithe figure whole, like the maw of some unknown creature.

    'Damn it all.'

    With a resentful expression on his face, Sunny stepped forward. However, before he could approach the crevice, Caster inadvertently blocked his path. A moment later, the proud Legacy was gone, too.

    Sunny lingered for a moment and then looked back. He wanted to check if Cassie needed help going down, but he didn't have to worry. Kai was already gently holding her in his arms.

    The charming archer softly rose into the air, hovered there for a second, and then glided into the darkness. Sunny blinked a couple of times and shook his head.

    'Show-off��'

    Effie soon followed the rest of the party, taking her radiant Memory with her. Left alone in the darkness, Sunny shivered, wrapped himself in the shadow, and jumped down.

    He fell for a few seconds and then landed on hard stone, the impact sending a painful tremor through his bones. Standing up, Sunny found himself in a narrow tunnel. Its walls were made out of weathered stone, clearly put there by human hands. The rest of the cohort was already there, preparing for battle.

    Nephis had summoned her silver longsword. Because the tunnel was not wide enough to freely use it, she was holding it with both hands �� one armored gauntlet rested on the hilt, while the other was on the blade itself, halfway to its tip.

    Caster was wielding a sword, too. However, his was a graceful jian with beautiful patterns etched on its blade, with a triangular guard carved out of green jade. Sunny didn't know what was the tier of that Memory, but he knew that it was extremely powerful. He had seen it cut through flesh, bone, and steel alike.

    Currently, the jian was emanating a ghostly green light.

    Effie had summoned her large round shield, but chose to leave the ancient bronze spear in the Soul Sea. While she was skilled enough to make use of it even in this narrow space, the shield would be much more formidable, especially considering her herculean strength.

    Kai looked rather gloomy. Casting a mournful look over his shoulder, on the fletching of his heavy arrows, he sighed and outstretched his hand. Instead of a bow, an elegant falcata appeared in it. The beautiful curve of its blade glinted, reflecting the light.

    The last one to draw her weapon was Cassie. Unexpectedly, she unsheathed a slender rapier from the scabbard that was attached to her belt�� and let go of it. To Sunny's surprise, the rapier did not fall to the ground, but rather stayed floating in the air, as if attached to the blind girl by an invisible string.

    Then it rotated slightly and hovered in front of her�� with its tip pointing straight at Sunny. Pan da

    Novel "Uh�� what?"

    Cassie smiled and turned her head to him.

    "Ah, please forgive Quiet Dancer. She is shy around strangers."

    Sunny scratched the back of his head. Sensing his confusion, Cassie explained:

    "Dancer is an Echo and a partner of mine. We work well together."

    As if answering her words, the rapier suddenly circled around the blind girl and returned to its... her?.. previous position. It was still pointing at Sunny in a rather unfriendly way, though.

    "Huh�� alright."

    Interrupting their conversation, Effie called out to him:

    "Hey, Sunny. Now would be the perfect time to invite your girlfriend to join us."

    The rest of the cohort stared at them with confused expressions.

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    "How many times do I have to tell you, she's not my girlfriend!"

    Noticing the weird stares that people were giving him, he sighed.

    "Effie! Tell them!"

    The huntress did not even continue to tease him. Just this fact alone told Sunny how dire their situation really was��

    "Sunny also has an Echo, and a powerful one at that. Go on, summon her."

    He did, and a moment later, the Stone Saint stepped into the tunnel out of his shadow. Her ruby eyes were burning with crimson flames from behind the visor of the helmet. The taciturn monster briefly glanced at the people gathered around it, and then indifferently turned away to peer into the darkness.

    Just like that, their group of six had turned into a group of eight�� well, if a moody flying rapier could be counted to be a member.

    ��Suddenly, a distant noise made everyone freeze for a moment. With a dark expression, Effie looked in the direction it came from and sighed.

    "Right. We've wasted enough time already. Follow me�� and be ready."

    With that, she took a step forward and headed deeper into the tunnel. Sunny followed, commanding the Stone Saint to stay close to Kai and Cassie.

    After a while, something crunched under his foot. Looking down, he saw�� a bone. A human bone.

    "What is this place?"

    The huntress glanced back, and then answered in a somber tone:

    "The catacombs."

    He frowned.

    "Since when are there catacombs beneath the Dark City? Why have I never heard you mention them?"

    Effie lingered before answering:

    "The catacombs were always here. They span beneath the whole city, it's just that most of the tunnels had collapsed a long time ago. As to why hunters don't like to mention them�� it's because very few are crazy enough to explore what little remains of the catacombs, and even fewer return to tell the tale."

    Then, she added:

    "No matter how powerful Harus is, a person can only survive here if they know their way around. And only a couple of us, outer settlement hunters, do. So we should be able to lose him."

    Meanwhile, Sunny noticed more and more bones littering the ground. All of them looked like they had once belonged to humans.

    'I don't like this.'

    Looking up, he asked:

    "Can we get back to that thing you said about how very few people manage to escape from here alive? Why is that?"

    The huntress grimaced.

    "That's because��"

    However, before she was done speaking, something appeared out of the darkness and barred their way.

    Sunny opened his eyes wide.

    Right there in front of them, a corpse was standing on the edge between light and darkness, staring at the six humans with the black chasms of its empty eyes sockets.

    ��No, not really a corpse. A skeleton.

    Defying all laws of logic and physics, a creature made of nothing but human bones suddenly lunged forward, baring its teeth in a hungry grin.

 Chapter 194 Aching Bones

    Chapter 194 Aching Bones

    'How�� how the hell is this thing even moving?'

    Defying all logic, the skeleton lunged at Effie with a speed that even Sunny himself wasn't capable of. With no muscle tissue connecting the bones together, the strange creature was still able to stand upright, run�� and attack with vicious strength.

    A moment before the undead monster closed the distance between them, Effie screamed:

    "Stay together!"

    Then, she turned her torso and slammed her shield against the lunging monstrosity. With a thunderous crack, the skeleton was thrown back. Its skull and ribcage shattered, showering the tunnel with sharp bone splinters. Like a broken marionette, it fell to the ground in a shapeless pile.

    Sunny stared at the mess of broken bones with in confusion.

    'Wait�� that's it?'

    The huntress yelled, tearing him away from these thoughts:

    "Don't stop, move!"

    The cohort rushed forward, following Effie into the depths of the catacombs. When Sunny was approaching the remains of the reanimated skeleton, he noticed something that made a cold chill run down his spine.

    The bones were still moving, slowly assembling themselves back into the shape that resembled a human. Just as he stepped past the creature, one skeletal hand suddenly thrust in his direction, trying to claw at his leg. If not for Sunny's quick reaction, it might have succeeded in injuring him.

    With one slash of the Midnight Shard, he crushed the clawing hand and threw it away. Falling on the stones a few meters back, the hand remained motionless for a moment, and then began crawling back to the quickly recovering skeleton.

    The monster was being rebuilt by some terrifying, invisible force. Drawn by its unseen pull, the bones were putting themselves back together one after another. Those too damaged to be of use were simply replaced by one of the bones scattered on the floor of the tunnel. Soon, the skeleton would inevitably rise again.

    A disturbing thought entered Sunny's mind.

    He finally realized why Effie had told them to keep moving instead of trying to kill the Nightmare Creatures populating the catacombs.

    Was it because these creatures were�� immortal?

    ...Or rather, undying.

    Sunny felt a sickening premonition that he was right. If so, things were going to turn from bad to harrowing pretty fast...

    It was at that moment that his ears caught a distant rustle coming from the darkness ahead of them. For a moment, he felt fear grip his heart, thinking that the dark sea had somehow found its way into the catacombs.

    But no, this wasn't the cursed sea. Instead, it was dozens�� no, hundreds of skeletal feet scraping against the cold stones of the catacombs.

    Maybe even thousands of them.

    The hordes of undead monsters populating the catacombs were coming to rip the six humans apart.

    With a grimace of dark resentment on his face, Sunny gripped the Midnight Shard tighter and hurried after the other members of the cohort.

    'Come�� come and get it, bastards!'

    ***

    Pretty soon, the undead creatures were upon them. First in ones and pairs, then in small groups, the bloodthirsty skeletons assaulted them in a constant stream. Appearing from the darkness of the catacombs, they lunged at the cohort in a whirlwind of bony claws and teeth, each bearing the same eerie skeletal grin.

    Effie and Nephis, who were at the front of the group, faced the brunt of the attacks. The huntress exerted her inhuman strength, bulldozing through the skeletons like an incarnation of ancient fury. Her round shield acted as a wrecking ball, shattering the undead monsters left and right.

    Nephis fought with the elegant fluidity of water�� but also with the crushing force of a devastating flood. She was holding the longsword by the blade, using its crossguard and pommel as an improvised mace. With white flames dancing in her eyes, she moved from one skeleton to another, skillfully deflecting their blows and crushing one skull after another.

    If anything got past them, Caster was there to deliver the finishing blow. His sword shone with a ghostly green light, slicing through bones as if without meeting any resistance. The proud Legacy fought with graceful precision, always managing to immobilize the enemy with just one clean strike. The skeletons fell to his sword before even having a chance to retaliate.

    The three powerhouses made paving the path through the horde of monsters seem almost easy. However, Sunny knew that it was anything but. Each skeleton was stronger and faster than a human could ever be. It took incredible skill, resolve, and coordination to cut through their ranks without slowing down even for a second.

    Soon, he was forced to taste the true menace of these undead abominations for himself.

    Sunny, Cassie, and Kai were relatively safe at first, but with each passing minute, their situation worsened.

    The catacombs were a real maze. More and more often, the tunnels they were taking began to open into complicated crossroads and connect with other branching paths. When that happened, undead creatures could lunge at the cohort from the side, bypassing the impenetrable barrier of Changing Star and her two champions.

    More than that, as the number of skeletons destroyed by them increased and several minutes passed, the abominable monsters began rising back from the ground and dashing in pursuit of the party, soon attacking it from the rear.

    Eventually, the cohort was constantly assaulted from all sides.

    When Sunny first had to raise his sword to repel a straggler that lunged at him from the side tunnel, he acted with calm precision engraved into him by countless hours of practice. Slashing with the Midnight Shard, he cleanly beheaded the undead creature. Augmented by the shadow, his tachi managed to cut through solid bone without that much effort.

    Sunny knew that losing its head won't kill the skeleton, so he instantly shifted his balance and kicked the monster in the chest, throwing it back.

    Although he expected that this would happen, the lack of the familiar voice whispering into his ear still unnerved him. Usually, he would have heard the announcement of the kill already.

    But these abominations were immortal, so the Spell remained silent.

    Lamenting the fact that he would not be getting any shadow fragments today, Sunny moved away from the decapitated skeleton and sighed.

    'Well, at least this isn't as bad as I thought it would be.'

    ��But just a few minutes later, he bitterly regretted thinking those words aloud.

 Chapter 195 Rolling Battle

    Chapter 195 Rolling Battle

    Once the cohort was surrounded from every side, Sunny, Cassie and Kai had to join the battle in earnest.

    Sunny wasn't too worried for the blind girl and the archer because they were protected by both the Stone Saint and the Quiet Dancer.

    His Shadow was possibly the worst enemy the bloodthirsty skeletons could face. Moving with the cold precision of an emotionless battle machine, she used both her sword and shield to deflect and destroy any enemy that dared to approach them from the sides. The graceful and devastating dance she was performing was a true sight to behold.

    The Quiet Dancer zipped through the air, supporting the Shadow and covering any lapse left in the barrier of steel created by her. If something got past the two of them, Kai was there, using the curved blade of his falcata to crush the undead monsters, almost as if felling them with an axe.

    He was holding hands with Cassie, guiding the blind girl through the dark maze of the catacombs. However, it seemed as though her ability to orient herself in space had seen a considerable improvement in the past three months, perhaps due to the connection she shared with the flying rapier. She was now able to move quickly without using her wooden staff for support, at least.

    Looking at the two of them, Sunny grew somewhat sullen. Both Kai and Cassie were incredibly beautiful people. Holding hands and surrounded by nothing but darkness and monsters, with the charming young man gripping an elegant sword, they looked like an image from a book cover. They looked perfect together.

    Sunny, on the other hand��

    Well, at least he had his shadow to keep him company. And the Ordinary Rock��

    However, he didn't have a lot of time to wallow in self-pity. Because his was the second most important role in this furious moving battle: holding the rear of the cohort all by himself.

    'Let me show you what I'm capable of��'

    As more and more skeletons rose from the ground and attacked the party from behind, Sunny had to really exert himself.

    At first, he only had to fight one undead monster at a time. Despite their tremendous speed and strength, the skeletal creatures were not that hard to defeat. They seemed almost mindless, always attacking in the most straightforward way possible. Of course, a less prepared person would have been torn apart by these fierce creatures a long time ago��

    But Sunny was not the same weak and inexperienced kid he had been seven months ago. The harrowing trials of the Forgotten Shore, as well as his tenacious will and grim resolve, had turned him into a fearsome creature, too.

    In fact, in terms of pure viciousness, the skeletons had nothing on him at all.

    Wrapping the Midnight Shard into the shadow to slice through the tough bones of the undead monsters easier, Sunny employed every bit of battle prowess he had learned from his practice with the Stone Saint to destroy his enemies.

    Seamlessly weaving the firm and unassailable movements that he had learned from the taciturn stone creature into the flowing style taught to him by Nephis, he made short work of one skeleton after another. His blade sliced, slashed, and pierced through monster after monster, sending broken bones flying and cluttering to the ground.

    Of course, maintaining this state without falling behind the cohort was not easy. Sunny had never practiced fighting while on the run, especially not while moving backward. However, remembering Effie's words, he knew that being separated from the group and surrounded meant death, and thus made sure to never get too far away from his companions.

    At first, the situation was if not easy, then at least within the scope of his capability. Sunny even thought that this was an excellent opportunity to put everything that he had learned in the past week to practice. Despite the fact that this battle was completely different from the way he had hunted monsters before, he was doing fine.

    Back on the streets of the Dark City, he hunted at night, always attacking the enemy from the shadows and aiming to finish the fight with one strike. The initiative was on his side, and so he was the one dictating the flow of the combat.

    However, right now, things were completely reversed. Sunny was the one being attacked, with enemies suddenly appearing from the darkness and instantly lunging at him. Put on the defensive, he had to react to the enemy attacks as opposed to being the one attacking.

    And yet, he was managing. He had anticipated that a situation like that would inevitably happen and put enough flexibility into his technique to withstand any type of peril. He was indeed putting his lessons to practice, cementing them in his muscles and bones. After all, just like Nephis had said, a thousand hours of training was not as impactful as one real fight.

    ��But then, slowly, things began to change.

    After he had ruthlessly cut down a handful of undead abominations, suddenly, two attacked him at the same time. Sunny cursed and ducked to the side, narrowly avoiding having his head crushed by one of the skeletons. His sword blocked the vicious strike from the other one, and, being pushed back a couple of steps by the force of the impact, he struggled to keep his balance.

    Not letting the monsters continue their assault unobstructed, Sunny dashed forward and twisted his body. Kicking one creature in the chest, he used it to propel himself toward the other one and put all that weight into a devastating downward slash.

    The skeleton crumbled into a pile of broken bones, and the edge of the Midnight Shard scraped against the stones, causing sparks to fly into the air. Knowing that his momentum was too strong to stop now, Sunny instead went with it, rolled over his shoulder, and got back to his feet just in time to meet the attack of the remaining monster face to face.

    His sword cut a sharp arc, severing both arms of the skeleton. Sunny instantly sidestepped the undead creature and delivered a low horizontal slash, breaking its legs.

    Making sure that the monster wouldn't be standing up any time soon by piercing its skull with the tip of the Midnight Shard, he hurried to catch up with the cohort.

    Briefly glancing at the rest of his companions, he made sure that they were not dead yet and swiftly turned around, ready to face the next monster.

    Then, his heart skipped a beat.

    'Curses!'

    Three skeletons were rushing at him, menacing grins frozen on their skinless faces.

 Chapter 196 Divine Lntervention

    Chapter 196 Divine Lntervention

    After that, things became hectic.

    Sunny had to push himself to the limit to fight against multiple opponents while maintaining the pace with the rest of the group. Knowing that slowing down meant death, he slashed, dodged, blocked and moved back without allowing himself even a moment of respite. Slowly but surely, countless wounds began accumulating on his body.

    But even then, it wasn't enough.

    So he pushed himself past his limit.

    After all, this was the exact situation he had been preparing himself for by enduring the ruthless onslaught of the Stone Saint day after day. The inevitability of having to fight against an overwhelming force.

    Dark, vehement fury ignited in his chest, washing away pain and fear.

    "Come, come and get me! I'm right here!"

    Who did they think they were trying to kill?

    Noticing four new abominations answer his call, Sunny couldn't help but laugh.

    'Good�� good��'

    Their assault came fast and without mercy, not leaving him any room to breathe. But Sunny welcomed it.

    Dodging one of the skeletons, he dashed forward and positioned himself behind another one, so that its body blocked the path of the third.

    He couldn't do anything about the fourth one for the moment, but its attack was accounted for�� it was going to hurt like hell, but not to the point of killing him. Blood Weave was going to take care of the rest.

    The Midnight Shard cut through the air and severed the undead creature's knee, causing it to clumsily fall to the ground. At the same time, cold fingers tore into Sunny's side. He had already shifted his body to make sure that they were not going to damage any vital organs.

    With Puppeteer's Shroud taking most of the damage, Sunny only ended up receiving five deep scratches, which then instantly welled with blood.

    'Ah! Crap! That hurts!'

    But he didn't regret it. The only thing he regretted was the fact that, with the shadow wrapped around the Midnight Shard, he couldn't observe its movement during this long and arduous fight.

    Just imagining the kind of insight he could have gleaned from it filled him with avarice.

    Turning around and reversing his grip on the sword, Sunny commanded the shadow to move onto his body. Almost instantly, he felt a rush of power fill his muscles. In the same fluid movement, Sunny took a step toward the monster that had just wounded him and delivered a crushing blow with the pommel of the tachi.

    The skeleton's jaw flew away in a rain of broken teeth. Taking another quick step, Sunny circled around the disoriented creature, hooked his hand around its damaged skull, and tore it clean off the spine.

    Then he pushed the decapitated creature into the two remaining ones, briefly slowing down their approach. By the time the undead abominations regained their balance, Sunny was already upon them. The Midnight Shard flashed three times, turning the three skeletons into three piles of bones.

    Taking a step back, he narrowly avoided the claws of the last remaining skeleton �� the one whose leg he had chopped off at the start of the skirmish. Sunny glanced at the creature that was madly crawling toward him and finished it off with one powerful thrust.

    Then, he groaned.

    'Ah, crap�� I think I overdid it��'

    Sunny was bruised, hurting all over, and covered in blood. What's worse, he was exhausted. This moving battle was too intense and had lasted for too long. Even with his endurance enhanced by the Blood Weave, he was nearing the point where his performance would start dropping rapidly.

    Once that happened, he would die. Because the damn undead creatures were not only immortal, but also tireless.

    Just as this thought appeared in Sunny's mind, a new wave of skeletons lunged at him from the depths of the tunnel.

    Tiredly raising his sword, he gritted his teeth.

    'Time for plan B��'

    ***

    At some point, the tunnel they were currently in was briefly drowned in a brilliant wave of pure white light. Glancing over his shoulder, Sunny noticed that Nephis had finally summoned her flames, channeling them into the blade of her sword �� just like on the day they had fought against the Carapace Demon.

    Faced with the blinding radiance of the incandescent blade, the skeletons almost seemed to melt.

    'Perfect timing!'

    Using the momentary disorientation of his own opponents, Sunny dashed back and commanded the Stone Saint to switch places with him. As they passed each other, he sent the shadow from his own body onto that of the taciturn stone knight.

    Almost immediately, the Shadow Saint's eyes blazed with menacing carmine fire. Her skin shone with dark radiance, and wisps of ghostly grey fog appeared from beneath her stonelike armor like dancing flames. The impenetrable darkness of the catacombs suddenly seemed to become even deeper, embracing her like a vast black mantle.

    'Yeah, I have some tricks up my sleeve too...'

    A second later, the Shadow crashed into the undead creatures, sending splinters of bones and severed limbs flying through the air. She proceeded to massacre them, moving from one to another in a graceful storm of darkness and destruction.

    Taking her place near Kai and Cassie, Sunny was finally able to rest for a few seconds. His battered body was screaming with pain, and the grey fabric of the Puppeteer's Shroud had turned heavy with blood.

    With two wielders of Divine Aspects activating their hidden cards almost simultaneously, the cohort got a chance to catch their breaths for a few short moments. However, it was clear that this calm wouldn't last long.

    Sunny didn't really want to show all his cards yet, but the situation left him little choice. He doubted he could continue this mad dash for much longer. Plus, chances were that the rest of the party, preoccupied as they were with their own share of the undead monsters, would either fail to notice the sudden alteration happening to the Stone Saint or assume that it was just an Ability of hers.

    Using the opportunity, Sunny took a look at the condition of his companions.

    ��It was not good.

    Changing Star's armor was battered and torn, with blood seeping down her right side. Effie's shield looked like it was on the verge of coming apart, while her white chiton was painted red. Caster managed to preserve some semblance of a collected look, however, there was a deep gash under one of his eyes, his face bloodied and grim.

    Kai was doing not much better. He was pale and visibly exhausted, his auburn hair disheveled and soaked with sweat.

    ...Sunny didn't even want to think about his own sorry appearance.

    Only Cassie, whose tier-six armor made her less likely to be attacked by an enemy, looked more or less fine. However, her flying rapier had several visible nicks on its slender blade, and looked tired and dispirited overall�� as much as a flying weapon could look like anything.

    In short, one thing was painfully apparent from their state.

    If things didn't change soon, all of them were going to die��

    Skillfully using his sword to cut down a skeleton that had suddenly lunged at him from a side passage, Sunny strained his lungs and shouted:

    "Hey! Effie! How far are we from the exit from this damned place?! When is this going to end?!"

    Swatting away an undead monster of her own, the huntress briefly glanced back and grinned.

    "What do you mean, "end"?!"

    'What does she mean what do I mean? Isn't it obvious?'

    Turning back to concentrate on the horde of enemies in front of them, Effie yelled:

    "What end?! This was just a warm-up!"

 Chapter 197 Ultimate Test

    Chapter 197 Ultimate Test

    Sunny cursed and prepared himself for the worst. A few moments later, the short respite they had gotten was over.

    With a sound that reminded him of rushing water, a terrifying wave of undead monsters crashed into their formation, threatening to break it apart. Effie braced for the impact and withstood the furious onslaught, somehow managing to split the wave in two.

    From one side, Changing Star dove into the torrent of skeletal wraiths, her incandescent sword cutting through them like a ray of pure sunlight piercing the darkness. From the other, Caster's enchanted blade was doing the same. The scion of the Han Li clan moved with astonishing speed, turning into a blurry whirlwind of ghostly green steel.

    Everything that touched it turned to dust.

    Sunny glanced at Kai and said in a hoarse voice:

    "Prepare yourself."

    In the next moment, the wave of monsters was upon them.

    Left without the comforting protection of his shadow, Sunny could only rely on his own ability, cunning, and technique. Dashing forward, he clashed with the first skeleton. His sword flashed through the air with lightning speed, and a headless corpse instantly fell to his feet, blindly clawing at the stones in front of it.

    Sunny had never fought like this. From the first day on the Forgotten Shore, he always had something helping him resist the horrors of the Dream Realm �� be it his shadow, cover of darkness, Changing Star, or the Stone Saint. Now, he had to face the torrent of Nightmare Creature with nothing but his own frail human body... and resolve.

    This was the ultimate test of pure skill.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny tried to remember the feeling of clarity he had experienced after the carapace centurion had crushed his ribcage with one strike of its terrifying bone scythe. All unnecessary thoughts were obliterated by his will, leaving only two.

    Kill your enemy.

    Prevent the enemy from killing you.

    Using this clarity, he entered the state of flow. His perception expanded, absorbing every detail and aspect of what was happening in the dark tunnel. His thinking accelerated, turning the mayhem that surrounded them into a stark and streamlined pattern of cause and effect.

    Connected to the underlying law of it all, Sunny was able to react to the actions of his enemies faster and predict them better.

    ��Ssssshimmm!

    With a hissing sound, the Midnight Shard cut the air and slashed the next monster across the chest, splitting the skeleton diagonally in two. Without paying the defeated creature any attention, Sunny instantly lunged at the next one.

    His movements were fluid and unpredictable, but also grounded and firm. Every strike, every step was calculated and efficient, focused on delivering the maximum amount of damage while preserving as much of his strength as possible. It was a perfect combination of the two seemingly contradictory battle styles that he had learned.

    Just like that, Sunny danced between the countless undead monsters, his sword cutting one after another down. The Midnight Shard wasn't unimaginably sharp like Caster's jian, nor filled with annihilating white flame like Neph's radiant longsword. However, it refused to give in and remained unbroken. No matter how many tough bones the tachi cut, not a single dent appeared on its blade.

    With blood streaming down his body and sweat biting his eyes, his muscles on the verge of breaking apart and his lungs desperately burning for air, Sunny somehow kept up this mad tempo and fought, fought, fought.

    At some point, he heard a furious roar from somewhere ahead and briefly looked up, noticing that Effie had dismissed her battered round shield and finally summoned the beautiful bronze spear. With it in her hands, the huntress became even more deadly. Multiple skeletons burst into a shower of broken bones, cut apart by a wide arc of the ancient weapon.

    However, at the same time, more and more wounds started accumulating on Effie's body.

    ��Despite everything, things weren't going well for the cohort.

    Or at least, it seemed that way for a while.

    At some point, however, Sunny noticed that the number of skeletons attacking the cohort from the front had begun to diminish. Pretty soon, Nephis, Effie and Caster were getting a few moments to catch their breaths from time to time. The pressure on himself had also lessened.

    ?a?da ?o??l The Stone Saint, on the other hand, had to hold off an ever-increasing number of undead creatures attacking the party from the rear. When the balance of the rolling battle noticeably shifted, Changing Star gave a command to change the formation of the cohort.

    She quickly dashed back to reinforce the taciturn Shadow, while Sunny moved forward to support Caster and Effie at the head of the group.

    Once he got there, the huntress gave him a tired smile.

    "Hey, doofus. You�� look like shit."

    Sunny glanced down and had to agree with her. With his armor torn in a dozen places and soaked through and through with blood, he looked pretty much exactly as dead as the Nightmare Creatures they were fighting.

    However, Effie's state wasn't any better.

    He smiled crookedly.

    "Thanks. You're quite a looker yourself, you know."

    The huntress scoffed and then turned away to face another of the undead abominations.

    "Hold fast! We're almost there!"

    She told the truth.

    After several more minutes of furious fighting, the tunnel they were moving through suddenly opened into a large cavern. A few meters in front of them, the floor of the catacombs was broken, collapsing into a vast, seemingly bottomless chasm. That terrifying abyss was filled with darkness that even Sunny's sight couldn't pierce.

    The chasm was no less than forty meters across and stretched far into the distance to both left and right, like a dark border separating the world of the living from the world of the dead. A rickety rope bridge was drawn across it, connecting to a similar-looking tunnel at the other end of the abyssal chasm.

    The rope bridge looked like a derelict of ancient times. It was flimsy, slippery, and rotten through and through.

    'She doesn't expect us to actually use it, does she? It's so obvious that this thing will collapse as soon as we step on it! Has she not seen any sageuk?! Even if others somehow survive, there's no chance that I, with that damn [Fated] Attribute, will make it to the other end...'

    Sunny turned to Effie and scowled, really hoping to be surprised by her answer.

    "So, what now?"

    The huntress looked at him in confusion.

    "What else? We cross the bridge!"

 Chapter 198 Last Stand

    Chapter 198 Last Stand

    Sunny sighed.

    Of course, they had to cross the bridge. Why had he even bothered to ask?

    'Great!'

    At least the damn thing was empty of the skeletons. The path to the other side of the chasm was clear.

    'What is clear is that I'm going to die!'

    While Sunny was consumed by these unhappy ruminations, Effie and Caster quickly threw the few undead creatures remaining in front of them over the edge of the chasm. Finally safe from their constant attacks, most of the cohort took a chance to quickly catch their breaths.

    Only Nephis and the Stone Saint were still fighting. In fact, the overwhelming pressure of the pursuing horde had grown so heavy that they were barely holding on.

    Two figures �� one shrouded in shadows, the other bathed in pure white light �� were slowly buckling under the furious onslaught of the army of the dead.

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    ��If nothing changed, they were going to be the ones being thrown into the dark abyss very soon.

    With a grim expression on his face, he glanced at Effie and said:

    "Go."

    Leaning on her spear, the huntress weakly shook her head.

    "Someone will have to hold them off long enough for everyone to get to the other side. You should��"

    Sunny interrupted her.

    "I'll be the last one to cross. Don't worry�� I have a plan."

    A crazy plan. But what else was new?

    Giving him a long look, Effie hesitated for a few seconds, then nodded.

    "Alright. Stay alive, Sunny."

    He quietly chuckled.

    "Aww. I didn't know you cared."

    She stared at him for a bit, and then calmly said:

    "No, it's just that if you die, pretty soon I'll have to fight your scrawny corpse. So�� don't do that. Okay?"

    With that, Effie beckoned others to follow her and stepped on the rickety bridge.

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, watched her go, then turned his back to the chasm and sighed.

    'Right. What else did I expect?'

    In any case, there was no way back now.

    Brandishing the Midnight Shard, he dashed forward and joined Changing star and the Shadow Saint in their desperate fight.

    Dispatching a couple of skeletons, Sunny briefly turned to Nephis and said:

    "Retreat to the bridge. Saint and I will hold them off!"

    ?a?da ?o??l Her eyes shone with white flames through the visor of the Starlight Legion Armor's helmet. A moment later, he heard a hoarse voice:

    "Are you sure?"

    He dodged the claws of an especially menacing monster, bashed it away with the pommel of the tachi, and yelled:

    "Yes! But��"

    Another undead creature fell to the Midnight Shard.

    "...when you get to the other side, you need to destroy the supports of the bridge. Do you understand?"

    Changing Star hesitated, almost missing the timing of her attack. Then, she asked:

    "What about you?"

    Sunny laughed.

    "Don't worry about it. I have a way to get across!"

    Neph didn't answer for a while. Finally, she simply said:

    "Alright."

    Not one to waste words, Changing Star didn't say anything else. When the opportunity presented itself, she silently retreated, letting Sunny take her place.

    'Now�� for the hardest part��'

    With Nephis gone, all the monsters of the catacombs descended upon the Stone Saint and him. Sunny cursed, feeling that the tiniest mistake would spell his doom.

    The onslaught of the undead horde was beyond anything he had expected. Desperately trying not to drown in the torrent of ferocious abominations, Sunny fought with everything he had left.

    'Damn�� it�� all! How the hell was she able to hold this position for so long?!'

    Not prone to heroic displays, Sunny used the Shadow as a meat shield�� stone shield?... and hid behind her from time to time, emerging from the cover of the taciturn monster only to deliver a strike or two and disappear again. The two of them worked beautifully together, almost as if sharing one mind.

    Well, what else did he expect? She was his Shadow, after all. And his shadow was currently wrapped around her stone body.

    The armor of the menacing knight was still mostly intact. However, even it was battered and broken in several places. With a dark expression on his face, Sunny noticed a stream of ruby dust pouring from one of the breaches.

    The Stone Saint was wounded.

    'This needs to end fast��'

    Feeling his own endurance running out, Sunny wanted nothing more than to fall to the ground and rest, even if it meant dying. But instead, he doubled the intensity of his attacks. There was no need to hold anything back and preserve his strength anymore. He just had to last for a bit more�� a dozen seconds, at most��

    But even a dozen seconds seemed like an impossible dream.

    Impossible�� he knew someone who was in the habit of making impossible things happen��

    With a furious growl, Sunny cut another skeleton apart, received a glancing blow to his already wounded side, and stumbled back. The Shadow appeared in front of him, enduring a rain of attacks with the help of her already battered shield. Her feet slid on the stones, but the taciturn knight stubbornly held.

    'Goddamit! When?!' This chapter is updated by [. c o m ]

    As if answering his silent cry, and loud rattle followed by a thunderous boom informed him that the bridge had been brought down.

    Now, there was nothing connecting the two sides of the terrifying chasm. Sunny was left alone against the horde of immortal monsters, with no way to retreat.

    'Finally.'

    Turning his back to the undead creatures, Sunny peered into the darkness. Seeing the cohort waiting for him on the other side of the dark abyss, he lingered for a moment, sighed, and ran to its edge.

    The shadow slipped from the body of the Stone Saint and wrapped itself around his own. Suddenly weakened, the taciturn monster held the entire horde back by herself for a split second, and then dissolved into darkness, returning to the tranquil expanse of the Soul Sea.

    With no obstacles to slow them down anymore, the flood of skeletons lunged forward. They were just a meter or two behind Sunny, stretching their deadly claws to tear him apart.

    'Too close!'

    Approaching the abyssal chasm, Sunny briefly glanced into the impenetrable darkness that filled it��

    ��And, without pausing even for a second, jumped off the edge.

 Chapter 199 Cliffhanger

    Chapter 199 Cliffhanger

    'Crap!'

    Jumping into the bottomless dark abyss, Sunny briefly regretted every decision he had ever made in his life.

    How did he end up in this situation? Where did he go wrong?

    However, there was no time for self-reflection. He wasn't ready to see his whole life flash before his eyes yet.

    There were more pressing matters.

    Before the momentum of his jump waned, Sunny summoned the Prowling Thorn. By the time the triangular dagger materialized in his hand, he was already beginning to fall. Not wasting any time, Sunny threw it with as much power as he could while simultaneously sending the shadow from his hand onto the blade of the kunai.

    The throwing dagger flashed in the darkness of the underground cavern, streaked the wide chasm, and embedded itself into the hard rock on the other side of it. Because of the enhancement of the shadow, it got deeply lodged in the stone.

    'Yes!'

    A moment later, the invisible string connecting the Prowling Thorn to Sunny's wrist drew tight. Instantly, his hand was violently jerked forward. Holding on for his dear life, Sunny swung through the darkness with incredible speed. Behind him, dozens of skeletons plummeted into the chasm, with more being pushed down with each second.

    However, he was already far away.

    'Ha! Bite it, you bastards!'

    A couple of seconds later, all humor was smashed out of him by the hard impact against the opposite wall of the crevice. Sunny tried to soften the blow a little, but it still hurt like crazy. His bones groaned, on the verge of breaking apart.

    A couple of them probably did.

    Sunny blacked out for a moment or two. When he came back to his senses, his wrist was in agony, with the invisible string of the Prowling Thorn slowly cutting deep into its skin. Hissing, Sunny gripped the thin string with his other hand and relieved a part of the pressure.

    Then, he looked up.

    Ten or so meters above him, five pale faces hovered above the edge of the cliff. On them were written expressions of horror, shock, and astonishment.

    'Oh. Right. I guess they don't know about this Memory of mine.'

    To the cohort, his desperate trick must have looked like�� simple suicide. From the perspective of people who didn't know about the secret enchantment of the Prowling Thorn, Sunny just took a running start and jumped into the abyss, only to disappear into its darkness without a trace.

    It was as though he had chosen to sacrifice his life to give the others a chance to escape. Like some sort of a stupid hero would.

    'Do they even know me? Like I'd ever do something like that...'

    Swinging on the invisible string, Sunny strained his aching chest and yelled:

    "Hey, idiots! I'm down here!"

    Slowly, four of the five faces turned to look straight down. Their expressions were rather comical.

    Cassie simply tilted her head.

    ...But her expression was priceless as well.

    Grinning, Sunny began to climb up. Since the string of the Prowling Thorn could change its length at will, he commanded it to shorten and rode comfortably all the way up, stepping lightly on the vertical wall of the chasm from time to time to make the process faster.

    Soon, he climbed over the edge of the cliff and sprawled on the cold ground, breathing heavily.

    The rest of the cohort just stared at him.

    "...What?"

    Effie was the first to speak:

    "Uh�� glad you're alive, Sunny. But also�� what the hell? How did you do that?"

    He simply threw her the kunai. Once the huntress bent down to pick it up, Sunny pulled on the invisible string and made the dagger fly back into his hand.

    "Oh, that? That was a piece of cake. Nothing that a knife and a piece of string can't solve... more or less."

    He decided to omit the fact that he had almost soiled his pants in the few short moments between jumping off the edge of the chasm and successfully embedding the Prowling Thorn into the rocks on the other side of it.

    Effie blinked a couple of times, then slowly straightened herself up.

    "...Cool Memory. Where did you get it?"

    Sunny dismissed the kunai and tiredly waved his hand.

    "You know those porcupine monsters back in the city? I got it off one of those."

    With that, the others left him alone. They were all hurt and dead tired, too. Everyone needed to rest and patch up their wounds.

    Nephis made a move to try and heal them, but was stopped by Effie. The huntress darkly shook her head.

    "Not yet. There's one last hurdle to overcome. We'll need you to be at the top of your game."

    Changing Star glanced at her, lingered for a few moments, but then sat back down. Out here, the word of the pathfinder was the law. If Effie said that Nephis needed to save her strength, then she had to obey.

    Sunny was too exhausted to care. He knew that he was not going to bleed out thanks to the Blood Weave, and that was enough for now.

    He just wanted to rest.

    Some time later, he heard a shuffling sound and looked up to see Kai sitting down near him. The charming archer looked way too pretty and put together for a person who had just lived through the same mayhem as them, but Sunny was starting to suspect that this infuriating trait was just something he would have to come to terms with.

    Maybe Kai had some weird Attribute that made him look good no matter the circumstance.

    Looking at the beautiful young man, Sunny sighed and said:

    "Hey, Night. How are you doing?"

    Kai scratched the back of his head and answered:

    "Ah... alright, I guess. That was intense back there, huh?"

    Sunny nodded.

    "Yeah. So�� what's up?"

    The charming archer hesitated for a bit.

    "Nothing, really. I just wanted to say three things to you."

    'What a strange guy.'

    "Oh? Alright, go on."

    Kai looked at him thoughtfully and said:

    "Well, first of all, I now fully understand what you meant when you said that you are crazy. Because that jump of yours�� that was really crazy!"

    Sunny chuckled.

    "I guess so. I'm alive, though, aren't I?"

    The archer gave him a nod and smiled.

    "Another thing I wanted to say is that I also understood how you managed to survive all those months in the ruins. Your swordsmanship�� I've never seen anything like it. I think that very few people in the Dark City would survive a clash against you. So, everything makes more sense now."

    Sunny didn't know how to feel about that praise. On one hand, it was nice to be acknowledged for something he worked so hard on. On the other hand, he still preferred being considered a cowardly weakling.

    It made killing fools far easier.

    He shrugged.

    "Thanks, I guess. What is the third thing?"

    Kai was silent for a long time, as though trying to find the right words. Finally, he shook his head and cautiously said:

    "Right. About that jump of yours�� you do remember that I can fly, right? So I could have carried you over the chasm, no problem. So, uh�� why did you do it?"

    Sunny stared at him silently for a while, an inexorable expression on his face.

    '...Goddamit.'

    To be honest, in the chaos of it all, he did forget about this crucial detail.

    After a long stretch of awkward silence, Sunny opened his mouth and said in a flat tone:

    "Oh, you know. It just seemed like a good idea at the moment."

    Kai blinked and gave him a strange look.

    "A�� a good idea?"

    Sunny cleared his throat, then glared at the charming young man.

    "It worked, didn't it? So�� let's not talk about it again... ever. Okay?"

 Chapter 200 Descent

    Chapter 200 Descent

    After a while, Sunny regained enough of his senses to warily look around.

    The tunnel they were currently in was somewhat different from those they had traversed while fighting the horde of undead monsters. It looked more weathered and decrepit, with its walls and floor smoothed and uneven, as though eroded by something over the course of countless years.

    What's worse, it was�� wet. With a cold shiver, Sunny realized that they were surrounded by puddles of black water.

    The smell of sea salt permeated the air.

    Looking up, he found the tall figure of the boisterous huntress and asked in a raspy voice:

    "Where are we?"

    Effie glanced at him and gestured up.

    "A hundred meters or so below the surface, pretty much exactly under the city wall."

    He stared at her blankly, slowly comprehending the meaning of these words. The huntress gave him a nod.

    "Yeah, you guessed correctly. Come night, this place is going to be full of seawater. That chasm behind us is what prevents the catacombs from being flooded by the dark sea."

    She sighed tiredly.

    "So, unless we want to drown or be eaten by some depth dweller, we need to get out of here as soon as possible."

    Sunny closed his eyes, imagining a roaring torrent of black water erupting from the mouths of countless tunnels and falling into the abyssal chasm like waterfalls made of pure darkness.

    Yeah, if they were still underground when that happened, sea monsters would be the least of their problems. The sea itself would kill them.

    Luckily, the day was still young.

    Effie's words served as a signal. A few moments later, Nephis rose to her feet and glanced at the members of the cohort. Her pale face was calm and composed.

    "Time to go. Gather your strength."

    With sighs and groans of pain, everyone stood up. Sunny was the last one to follow suit.

    'Ouch, that hurts. I'm really starting to wonder if fighting Harus was a better choice.'

    But no, it wasn't. Terrible as it might have been, the battle with the skeletons was at least predictable. The damned hunchback, on the other hand, was a complete unknown.

    There was nothing worse than facing an enemy that you knew nothing about.

    As the cohort headed deeper into the tunnel, Sunny caught up with Effie and asked with a hint of idle curiosity in his voice:

    "By the way, how do you even know your way around the catacombs?"

    It wasn't like she could have leisurely explored these deadly tunnels alone.

    The huntress gave him a dubious look and shrugged.

    "This knowledge is sort of passed down between the outer settlement hunters. I've been here a couple of times before, trying to escape from especially terrible Nightmare Creatures. Although, to be honest, I only descended this deep into the catacombs once."

    Effie shivered.

    "I was new in the Dark City at that time. Back then, the strongest hunter in the outer settlement sort of took me under her wing. We went down here with an entire party."

    Sunny scratched the back of his head and grimaced when his battered body protested against the sudden movement.

    "Yeah? That party must have been very strong, to return from this place alive."

    The huntress glanced at him and smiled darkly.

    "...Who said anything about returning alive? Actually, they all died. I was the only one to survive."

    Sunny stared at her for a long time, and then asked:

    "If they all died, then why the hell did you bring us here?"

    Effie shrugged.

    "Because no matter how strong that party was, they weren't even close to this one. Do you even realize how powerful the six of us are, all put together? Goddamn. I wouldn't want to be our enemy."

    Then, she hesitated for a few moments and added:

    "Plus, this time, I know what we're going to face. We'll get out of here in one piece, trust me."

    Sunny wasn't a particularly trusting person, but at this point, he didn't really have a choice. Leaving the tall huntress alone, he walked in silence for a while.

    The tunnels were now strongly angled down. With each minute, the cohort was descending deeper and deeper underground.

    Slowly, his curiosity awakened. Now that the harrowing battle against the army of the dead was behind them, Sunny began to wonder about something peculiar.

    Where exactly did all those human skeletons come from?

    There were hundreds, if not thousands of them down here in the catacombs. Even if every hunter that had ever lived in the outer settlement died in these tunnels, their number wouldn't account for that much.

    Not to mention that people who perished in the Dark City tended to end up eaten by some terrible monster, their bones pulverized into dust by its teeth.

    His pointless pondering was interrupted by Effie, who suddenly gestured for the cohort to stop.

    After discussing something with Nephis, she gave her a nod and turned to the rest of them:

    "Listen up. We're close to the central chamber of this maze. The exit to the surface is right ahead. However, getting to it won't be easy."

    The tall huntress hesitated, and then said:

    "If we want to make it outside, we will have to act fast. There's a big fat bastard of a Nightmare Creature that lives in that chamber. However, it takes time for it to fully wake up. So�� don't stop to look at it, don't panic, don't lose your cool. It might look scary, but if you follow Neph and do what she tells you to do, you should be alright."

    She waited for a bit to make sure that everyone understood her meaning, and then grinned.

    "Alright. If everyone is ready, let's go meet the Lord of the Dead."

    'Wha�� Lord of the Dead?'

    Not liking the sound of this name one bit, Sunny summoned the Midnight Shard and reluctantly followed after Effie.

    ��Soon, they entered a giant underground chamber.

    Once Sunny saw what was inside of it, his eyes grew wide.

    He finally understood where all those skeletal wraiths came from.

    He also understood where the inhabitants of the ancient city had disappeared to.

    ��They were all here.

 Chapter 201 Lord Of The Dead

    Chapter 201 Lord Of The Dead

    The giant underground chamber was circular in shape and as immense as the grand hall of the Bright Castle. Its walls were built out of the same grey stone slabs as the mighty walls of the Dark City, but unlike them, the walls of the chamber were covered with whispering streams of cold, nebulous black water.

    In the center of it, a vast mountain of human bones rose from the ground, reaching almost halfway to the distant ceiling. Thousands�� no, hundreds of thousands of people must have perished to create it.

    With a harrowing realization, Sunny finally understood where the people who built the ancient city and the impregnable wall surrounding it had disappeared to.

    They were all here, piled onto each other in this vile monument of death. This horrid dark chamber was their final resting place.

    An old memory suddenly surfaced in his mind.

    Back beneath the branches of the Soul Tree, Cassie had seen a vision of a bloodsoaked hill formed from countless corpses. On top of it, a tiny black seed was floating in a pool of blood.

    Was there a similar mountain of bones hiding under the soil of the Ashen Barrow? Was that how the Soul Devourer had been born?

    Sunny shifted his gaze, only now noticing the veins of crimson coral growing from the harrowing hill of white bones, almost like muscle tissue of some colossal creature. Following the coral pillars up, he finally saw that the dome of the immense chamber was broken, with pale sunlight streaming through the breach and falling on the ghastly visage below.

    A giant stone hand was reaching down through the broken dome, its palm open, as though trying to caress the mountain formed from the bones of those people who had once populated this dark, forsaken land.

    Looking at the stone hand, Sunny suddenly realized where they were.

    The vast underground chamber was situated directly underneath the headless statue of the graceful woman who had once saved them from drowning in the black waters of the cursed sea.

    One of her hands was raised toward the heavens, as if trying to embrace them. The other had broken off and fell down thousands of years ago, lying in the mud at the base of the giant statue.

    ��Reaching into the depths of hell, that was the hand Sunny was looking at right now.

    It was also their way out of here.

    "Doofus! Wake up!"

    Brought back to reality by Effie's yell, he shuddered and looked around with a new understanding.

    So the exit the huntress had told them about was the breach in the dome of the underground chamber. With Kai's Aspect Ability and the help of the golden rope, escaping through it was not going to be a problem.

    But�� where was this Lord of the Dead that she had mentioned? From Effie's colorful description, Sunny had expected to see a giant monster slumbering in the heart of the catacombs.

    If memory served, her exact words were "a big fat bastard of a Nightmare Creature".

    But he couldn't see anything.

    Unless��

    His eyes narrowed.

    And just at that moment, the mountain of bones suddenly moved.

    ***

    When the mountain moved, everything suddenly made sense.

    At first, Sunny thought that the unknown creature was sleeping inside the ghastly hill of bones. But then he realized that no, it wasn't.

    The mountain itself was the Nightmare Creature.

    This was the Lord of the Dead.

    Each of the countless bones piled on top of each other in the underground chamber was a part of its body.

    For a moment, Sunny was paralyzed by fear.

    'Fat bastard?! That is what you call a fat bastard?!'

    But then, the disparate pieces of information clicked in his mind, assembling into a vivid chain of cause and effect.

    'Of course. Why didn't I realize sooner?'

    The mountain of bones, the horde of immortal skeletons, the Lord of the Dead�� it all connected.

    The Nightmare Creature in front of him was a Fallen Tyrant.

    Tyrants were a fifth step in the evolution of Nightmare Creatures, and the name of that class was not coincidental. The fifth step represented rule and authority.

    That's why the blind monstrosity he had faced on the slopes of the Black Mountain was named a King, and that's why the abomination in front of him was named a Lord.

    Classes differed from each other in terms of pure might, but most of the distinction between them was caused by a more fundamental reason. Higher classes possessed characteristics that, while not directly affecting the quantity of their power, gave it a qualitative change.

    For example, while beasts were mindless, demons and those above them were intelligent. That's why a demon, even if it was only slightly stronger than a monster, was in fact ten times more dangerous.

    The characteristic of the Tyrant class was that these Nightmare Creatures were capable of creating and controlling large amounts of lesser creatures. The Mountain King's Larva that Sunny had slain during his first trial, which was born when a tiny worm living inside the Mountain King's body entered the corpse of a dying slave, was one such lesser creature.

    However, this power had its limitations. The minions created by a tyrant couldn't be of the same rank as it. That's why the Larva was a dormant beast, while Mountain King itself was Awakened.

    Similarly, while the skeletons that the cohort had faced were Awakened, they had to be created by a Fallen Tyrant.

    ��And something told Sunny that their immortality was tied to the Lord of the Dead, too. If someone wanted to destroy the undead army, they would have to destroy the abominable bone colossus first.

    Said colossus, meanwhile, was slowly waking up right in front of Sunny. And if when it did��

    'Damnation!'

    Nervously gripping the Midnight Shard, he glanced at Nephis.

    The golden rope was already in her hands, and she was passing it to Kai.

    Before the beautiful archer could take it, though, the mountainous creature suddenly rippled.

    A moment later, a twisted pillar of bones shot from its body, flying in their direction with the force of a siege ram��

 Chapter 202 Risk And Reward

    Chapter 202 Risk And Reward

    Nephis and Kai dove away, and the massive pillar of bone shot past them. Before the thunderous sound of it crashing against the wall of the chamber even reached Sunny's ears, the pillar was already moving, whipping sideways with tremendous force.

    Luckily, he and Cassie were behind it�� but Effie and Caster were not. Both of them reacted with admirable speed and fell to the ground, allowing the terrifying limb of the gargantuan creature to fly above their heads.

    Rising from the stone floor, the huntress screamed:

    "It's just thrashing in its sleep! Move! We need to get out of here before the bastard wakes up!"

    Cursing, Sunny dismissed the Midnight Shard and faced the mountain of bones, trying to predict its next move. He was beginning to understand how Effie's original hunting party had perished in the catacombs.

    pan da-novel,co m

    A sword wouldn't be of any use in this situation.

    The Lord of the Dead was slowly coming to its senses. The bones constituting its repulsive body moved and rippled, unfurling from within the white mass like giant, twisting limbs. It seemed to be slowly turning from a shapeless hill into some semblance of a creature.

    What shape that creature would assume once it fully awoke, Sunny didn't want to know.

    Another twisting pillar�� limb?... suddenly shot from the mass of bones, blindly striking at the empty space behind the giant abomination. Sunny gritted his teeth, his ears ringing from the thunderclap of its impact against the wall. What followed was a deafening noise of thousands of ancient bones scraping against weathered stone.

    P anda-novel,c.om

    The massive pillar whipped left and right, then fell to the ground and slowly retreated back inside the body of the Lord of the Dead.

    Meanwhile, Nephis was back at her feet. Dashing toward Kai, she pushed one end of the golden rope into his hands and pointed to the breach in the dome of the chamber. In the next moment, the archer soared into the air, flying to his destination with incredible speed.

    With a terrifying scraping sound, the whole white mountain rippled once again, and several devastating pillars of bone shot to intercept him.

    However, Sunny had no time to check on Kai.

    ????? N ovel

    Because the Lord of the Dead had extended two more limbs in his direction.

    Diving under the first one, Sunny felt a wave of fetid air rush past him. Knowing that he only had a second left to live, he then strained his muscles and jumped with all his shadow-augmented might. Sunny's body flew several meters into the air, avoiding the rushing bone tentacle only by a few centimeters.

    Landing in a roll, Sunny cursed and got back to his feet.

    'What kind of an infernal jumping rope game is this?!'

    ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? ?????-?????,??.?

    The Lord of the Dead was slowly coming to its sense. More bone tentacles appeared from the mass of corpses, each moving with growing precision.

    But Kai was already standing on the palm of the giant stone hand, the golden rope looped around one of its fingers.

    Cassie was the first one to climb up. With the flying rapier loyally hovering over her shoulder, the blind girl effortlessly moved up the rope, reaching the distant ceiling of the underground chamber less than ten seconds later. It was easy to forget that she had absorbed as much soul essence as the rest of them. Her delicate arms hid much more power than one would assume.

    ��However, back on the ground, those seconds were a real hell. The mountainous creature was waking up, making it hard for the rest of them to stay away from its blindly thrashing limbs.

    ? ???? ? ????

    They needed to get out of here fast.

    Effie was the next one to take the rope. The huntress practically flew up, pushing herself with agility and herculean strength worthy of an ancient hero.

    Then, it was Caster's turn. Effortlessly dodging a pillar of bone with his incredible speed, the Legacy grabbed the rope�� and turned into a barely visible blur. A second later, he was already landing on the giant stone palm.

    Nephis and Sunny were the only ones left in the reach of the Fallen Tyrant. Glancing at Sunny, Changing Star yelled:

    "Your turn!"

    ��However, Sunny did not respond.

    His eyes were fixed on the base of the gargantuan abomination, where, amidst the ancient bones��

    A weak golden glow emanated from a small, partially concealed object.

    Sunny lingered for a moment, his thoughts moving with incredible speed. He knew that he was a greedy person by nature, and one cursed with insatiable curiosity, too. However, first a foremost, he was someone who put a tremendous amount of value on his own survival.

    That's why, right now, his reasoning was cold a sober.

    It was a question of risk and reward, as well as his ability.

    Would he be able to reach the object shining with the light of divinity and come back alive, or not?

    A second later, he looked at Nephis and answered:

    "You go. I'll be just behind you."

    ...It would be a shame to go through all of this and not receive anything in return. He had to try.

    With that, Sunny turned around and dashed toward the Lord of the Dead.

    The decision was made, and now all that was left was to execute it.

    Summoning the Prowling Thorn, he threw it at the mountain of bones. Of course, Sunny didn't hope to wound the tyrant. He just wanted to lodge the kunai in its body.

    Just as the throwing dagger pierced the mass of bones, a white limb suddenly shot in his direction, obstructing everything with its repulsive expanse. Commanding the invisible string to contract, Sunny jumped high into the air and flew forward as though launched from a cannon.

    Landing on the other side of the pillar, just a few steps away from the unencompassable mass of bones, he gritted his teeth��

    ?a?da ?o??l And then thrust his hand inside the Fallen Tyrant's body.

    A moment later, his fist closed around the concealed object, and with some effort, Sunny pulled it out in the clatter of breaking bones. A sharp pain pierced his forearm.

    Opening his fist, he saw�� a small, intricate iron key. It looked almost ordinary, if not for the ethereal golden glow emanating from within it.

    In the next moment, Sunny suddenly staggered, feeling a wave of weakness washed over his body.

    Rotating his forearm, he stared blankly at it for a split second, trying to comprehend what he was seeing.

    And when he did, his eyes widened in terror.

 Chapter 203 Corpse Eater

    Chapter 203 Corpse Eater

    Glistening in the dim twilight of the underground chamber, an enormous leech was attached to his forearm. The creature was about a meter long, its slimy skin slightly translucent and red as dried blood.

    It was indescribably repulsive.

    ��What's worse, though, was that its sucker had effortlessly broken through the leather vambrace of the Puppeteer's Shroud and sunk deep into Sunny's arm, splitting open his skin and muscles.

    Currently, the leech was gorging on his blood, its belly slowly ballooning as crimson fluid rushed into it with frightening speed.

    'Ah�� ah�� aaaah!'

    With a sense of disgust and horror, Sunny slammed his fist into the spongy flesh of the revolting monster. Augmented with the power of shadows, his punch was powerful enough to easily break a human skull.

    The abhorrent slug, however, did not even react to it. It just continued sucking out his blood. All Sunny achieved was sending a wave of pain rolling through his body.

    pan da-novel,co m

    'Not good��'

    Instantly summoning the Midnight Shard, he enhanced its edge with the help of the shadow and hacked at the leech, putting all his strength behind the strike. The blade of the tachi was as sharp as a razor, and with the augmentation provided by shadow, it��

    ��Slid helplessly off the leech's skin, not leaving even a scratch on it. The slug wasn't affected at all. It was still drinking his blood, consuming a dangerous amount of it with each second.

    Sunny stared at the disgusting creature, dumbfounded. His body was already starting to suffer from blood loss, a sickening weakness slowly spreading through it. There wasn't much time left until it would cause him to lose consciousness.

    And then, inevitably, die.

    'Think, think��'

    P anda-novel,c.om

    The leech had broken through his tier-five awakened armor without any effort. It was immune to the damage done by the Midnight Shard, which had never failed to cut down any monster he faced before. This could only mean one thing.

    The damn slug was a Fallen Beast.

    Sunny blinked in disbelief.

    'That thing is a Fallen One? Are you kidding me?'

    If this was true, then nothing he could do would harm the leech. Maybe if he was at the very peak of his rank, there would be a chance. But with his core mostly empty and his Aspect Ability focused on versatility as opposed to pure might, like Effie's, there was none.

    The gap between their ranks was just too wide.

    ????? N ovel

    ��Stone Saint could probably wound it. But it would take several seconds for the taciturn monster to appear and take action. Seconds that Sunny didn't have. By the time she was able to do anything, he would already be dead, either sucked dry by the abominable slug or crushed to death by the Lord of the Dead.

    That left Sunny with only one option. If he couldn't get rid of the leech��

    He was going to have to cut off his arm.

    ?a?da ?o??l Maybe Nephis would be able to grow him a new one.

    Or not. In any case, he had to do it in order to survive...

    Raising the tachi over his head, Sunny gritted his teeth and hesitated for a moment. Despite understanding that this was the only way, he was still struggling with the idea of crippling himself so terribly.

    ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? ?????-?????,??.?

    'Don't think! If you want to live, just do it!'

    With a desperate resolve, he forcefully brought the Midnight Shard down�� but then stopped it at the last second. The sharp blade hovered mere centimeters away from his skin.

    This was not due to the lack of determination, but because Sunny noticed a subtle change happening to the leech.

    Its belly, which had been expanding rapidly as his blood filled it, stopped ballooning at some point. Now, strange spasms were running through it.

    'What the��'

    In the next moment, the vile creature suddenly convulsed. Letting go of his arm, it dropped to the ground and writhed in agony. Through the translucent film of its skin, Sunny could see the innards of the giant slug bursting open. It was as though it was being torn from within by some invisible force.

    ? ???? ? ????

    No, not a force�� it was being killed by his blood. The damn leech got poisoned by it.

    ��It seemed that Blood Weave was far more odd and tenacious of an Attribute than he had thought.

    A second later, the whole body of the Fallen Beast simply ruptured, spilling blood everywhere. Sunny stared at it with a blank expression.

    Bringing him out of the daze, the voice of the Spell whispered:

    [You have slain a Fallen Beast, Corpse Eater.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    'Huh.'

    [You have received a Memory.]

    As his eyes grew wide, Sunny shook off his astonishment and lunged forward. He still had to escape from this damn place.

    Grabbing the bloodied soul shard from the eviscerated remains of the abominable leech, he turned around and sprinted to the golden rope.

    Dodging a bone tentacle that burst from the body of the gargantuan tyrant to pursue him, Sunny rolled on the ground, jumped over a pile of broken bones, and finally reached his destination.

    As soon as he grabbed the rope, it began contracting, bringing him out of the underground chamber.

    When Sunny was nearly reaching the hand of the stone goddess, a deafening roar thundered from below, washing over his body in an almost palpable wave.

    The Lord of the Dead was finally awake.

    But it was already too late. His prey had escaped.

    ***

    Climbing out of the mud, Sunny fell to his knees, and then tiredly lowered himself to the ground. The breath was escaping from his lungs with laborious, raspy sounds.

    Weak. He felt so weak. And tired.

    But it was so good to see the sun again��

    The wounds he had received in the catacombs had finally caught up with Sunny. With adrenaline gone, he was now in a sea of pain. A quiet groan escaped from his lips.

    'That... that was not fun.'

    While Sunny was contemplating this, a shadow fell over him. Looking up, he saw Nephis glaring at him with a dark expression. She was bloodied and battered, with a deep frown contorting the graceful lines of her usually calm face.

    "...What?"

    Kneeling beside Sunny, Changing Star grimaced and said:

    "Are you insane? Why did you do that?"

    He tried to chuckle, but ended up twisting in an excruciating coughing fit. When Sunny was finally able to breathe again, he said weakly:

    "Yes, no? Maybe. I don't know. I just�� saw something shiny."

    With that, he opened his fist and showed Changing Star the glowing crystal of the ascended soul shard he had scavenged from the corpse of the vile blood-sucking leech.

    She stared at it for a few moments, and then sighed.

    Without saying anything else, Nephis placed her cool hands on his chest and closed her eyes.

    A moment later, the purifying white flame spread through his body like a warm embrace, repairing any damage done to it.

    Even knowing how much pain this cost her, Sunny couldn't help but be happy to feel its touch again.

    Soon, his pain disappeared.

    With his head cleared of the fog, he realized that they had done it.

    They had successfully escaped the Dark City.

    Who knew it would be so hard?

 Chapter 204 Mysterious Key

    Chapter 204 Mysterious Key

    A while later, they were resting in the shadow of the giant statue. Every member of the cohort looked nothing short of terrible, however, beneath the bloodied ��lothes and broken armor, their bodies were whole and sound.

    Changing Star had healed them all, and now, she was the only one who was weak and exhausted. Using the white flame so much had taken a heavy toll on her.

    Sitting in the mud, Sunny raised his head and looked at the giant statue of the faceless woman. She was just like the last time he had seen her, slender and graceful, with her light flowing robe rippling in the wind, as though made out of actual fabric and not hard stone.

    The statue was tilted slightly to the side, with its one remaining hand reaching high into the sky. A long time ago, on the night of their harrowing escape from the Ashen Barrow, Sunny, Cassie and Nephis had taken shelter in her palm.

    It was from its height that he had first seen the walls of the Dark City.

    Looking down, Sunny stared at the other hand of the giant statue, which had broken off a long time ago and fell down, crushing through the dome of the underground chamber.The speed was too fast, and with a swoosh, Wang Xuan was pulled into the whirlpool, like a little crucian carp that had been hooked and was violedntly pulled out of the water.

    With a sigh, he closed his eyes and thought:

    'Thank you for saving us again.'

    Then, his face darkened.

    Remembering the events that had transpired in the catacombs, Sunny felt his good mood evaporating. Although he had found the answer to one of the mysteries that had been plaguing him for a while now, he wasn't happy about it.

    The fate of the inhabitants of the ancient city had always been something that Sunny was very curious about. As an amateur explorer who spent most of his free time studying the ruins of the Dark City, he was familiar with subtle details of their culture more than most. Learning about the mundane facts of their lives was somewhat of a passion of his.If your dare to fish against him like this, no matter if it's a strange thing on a mobile phone or that ferocious giant fish, you'll have to pay the price.

    He had known that the history of this ancient civilization ended in tragedy, of course. A cataclysmic disaster had destroyed it, turning the once prosperous land into the desolate hell it was today. But against all logic, Sunny still hoped that these people had somehow managed to survive.

    Perhaps they had migrated somewhere, leaving the ruins of their city behind.

    But now he knew that it wasn't so. All of them were right there below him, buried forever in a damp underground chamber, piled onto each other high enough to form a ghastly mountain of bones. More than that, their remains had been soaked in the cursed waters of the dark sea and turned into a vessel for the soul of a vile Nightmare Creature.

    There were a lot of questions about the fate of these people still lingering in his mind. How did they end up in that dark chamber? Had they died there, or had their bodies been brought there by someone�� or something�� later? How was the Lord of the Dead born? Was its inception the same as that of the Soul Devourer?

    But he didn't really want to know the answers anymore. He felt that learning them would only break his heart.A fisih is mocking him!

    With a sigh, Sunny decided to distract himself from these depressing thoughts with something uplifting and summoned the runes.

    One cluster, in particular, interested him the most.

    Shadow Fragments: [322/1000.]

    He had received four fragments for killing the Corpse Eater�� even though the manner of its death was rather peculiar. Having now killed Nightmare Creatures of the Awakened, Fallen, and Great ranks, Sunny could surmise that his initial theory was right.

    The Spell gave him double the fragments for killing enemies of higher ranks, according to the number of soul cores they possessed. An Awakened creature would land him two fragments for each core, a Fallen one four, and a Great one sixteen.Then, it was noisys and motionless, instead of reviving here, it chose to disguise it.

    It was easy to guess that killing a dormant creature, which was equal to him in terms of rank, would result in one fragment per core, while killing a corrupted one would result in eight.

    Made sense. It was the same as absorbing soul shards, with the difference being that shadow fragments entered his core at the moment of the kill and without making a distinction between Nightmare Creatures and humans.

    Looking up, he glanced at the list of his Memories.

    Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer's Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Ordinary Rock], [Prowling Thorn], [Endless Spring], [Blood Arrow].

    The last one was new. Slightly intrigued, Sunny read its description.If ones piece of sword energy can't solve the problem, then take a few more pieces. Wang Xuan is going to kill it.

    ??? ?? ? ???? Memory: [Blood Arrow].

    Memory Rank: Ascended.

    Memory Tier: I.

    Memory Type: Weapon.

    Memory Description: [A debt of blood must be paid in blood.]

    Memory Enchantments: [Rain of Blood], [Restitution].

    Enchantment Description: [The arrows are created from the wielder's blood, and as such, can rain on the enemies for as long as the archer has any left in their veins.]

    Enchantment Description: [If the arrow finds its mark, it will drink the blood of the prey and restore that which had been taken from the archer. If it misses, the archer's blood will be lost forever.]

    'Huh. Creepy.'

    Since Sunny didn't know how to use a bow, this Memory was useless to him. Which was a real shame, because it was the first Ascended one he had ever received. Memories of that rank were extremely rare on the Forgotten Shore.

    He could either feed it to the Stone Saint for a couple of shadow fragments, or��

    Sunny glanced at Kai and frowned, lost in thought. While the Blood Arrow was of no use to him, it would be a real boon for the charming archer. With it at his disposal, he wouldn't have to carry a quiver with him, not to mention that each shot he made would be much more devastating.

    ��As long as Kai didn't miss, of course. If he did miss, he would be sacrificing his blood for nothing.

    Transfering the Blood Arrow to Kai would have made the cohort much stronger. But Sunny wasn't sure that he was ready to give up his first and only Ascended Memory. Not for free, at least.

    Torn, he dismissed the runes and decided to think about it later.

    ???? ????s? ???????s ?? ????????????.??? ????.

    In other news, the Blood Weave had revealed a new trait. Turns out, Sunny's blood was poisonous �� or rather, damaging to anyone who ingested it. At least it seemed that way from the manner of Corpse Eater's death. He would have to experiment to find out more later...

    Or not. Honestly, Sunny didn't even know how one would go about checking something like that, and wasn't particularly eager to find out.

    After dismissing the runes, Sunny finally decided to take a look at the mysterious key. Subtly glancing around, he furtively took it out from beneath the vambrace of the Puppeteer's Shroud, where he had hidden it earlier.

    The intricate iron key lay on his palm, glowing with a pale golden light.

    The light of divinity.

    Sunny had no idea what the key was supposed to open.

    He had taken an insane risk and almost died to get it. Was it worth it?

    Honestly, he wasn't sure.

    But deep down, Sunny felt that it was. For some reason, he sensed that the small iron key would turn out to be extremely important to him.

 Chapter 205 Journey To The South

    Chapter 205 Journey To The South

    Sadly, the cohort did not get a lot of time to rest. Despite the fact that it wasn't even noon yet, they had a lot of ground to cover before sunset.

    The plan they had made at the start of the day was to leave the Dark City from the south by climbing the wall near the grandiose Main Gates and then travel through the Labyrinth to the next safe height, which was about ten kilometers away.

    However, due to the fact that they had ended up in the catacombs instead and had to escape through the chamber belonging to the Lord of the Dead, the party was now to the east of the ruins, near the beautiful statue of the faceless woman. Not only did they have to circle around the city now, but there was also less time to reach safety before the flood of darkness devoured the Forgotten Shore once again.

    Standing up in a chorus of disappointed groans, the cohort assumed the marching formation and set out south. Walking through the mud of the colossal crater was not easy, but for the time being, they had no other choice�� unless they wanted to scale the monumental stone wall and return to the Dark City, of course.

    Luckily, with both Sunny's shadow and Kai scouting the way ahead, they didn't have to worry about being ambushed by monsters. So, for the time being, the only thing the party had to struggle with was moving their feet through the wet dirt.

    The monotonous silence was broken only by laborious breathing and slurping of mud.

    ��A while later, the impregnable and seemingly endless grey wall that loomed some distance away and above them slowly twisted, drifting away from the edge of the crater.

    They were finally leaving the cursed ruins behind.

    Turning around, Sunny looked back and studied the sight of the city that had been his whole world for these past four�� almost five months.

    Far away, the floor of the gargantuan crater sharply rose, forming a tall slope. On it stood the unassailable wall of polished grey stone, firm and unyielding despite the thousands of years that had passed since the demise of its creators.

    ? ??? ? ? ???? From where he stood, Sunny could see the flood of crimson coral swelling at its base, sharp blades powerlessly scraping against the cold stone in hopeless attempts to find purchase. It looked as though the city was being besieged by the land itself.

    'If it knew what awaits inside, the Labyrinth would be trying to escape as far as possible from that damned place instead.'

    With a sigh, Sunny looked up and noticed a lone human figure standing on the wall, watching them disappear into the distance. That figure was crooked and dark, emanating a cold feeling of foreboding.

    A few moments later, it turned away and disappeared from view.

    Harus had chosen to return to the Bright Castle.

    Trying not to shiver, Sunny lingered for a few seconds, and then hurried to catch up with the group.

    They were safe from him, at least��

    'For now.'

    ***panda novel

    Because the crater was too big, the bent of its edge was almost imperceptible. Only by looking far into the distance could one say that it was actually curved. Because of this, the cohort could have continued traveling through the crater for a long time without having to move farther away from the goal of today's journey, which lay to the southwest of their current position.

    However, they had to leave the crater and return to the Labyrinth sooner or later �� not only to escape the black water, but also because there was nothing to hide behind on this vast muddy plain. If any flying Nightmare Creature decided to attack them from above, the cohort would have no defense against it.

    The Labyrinth, while hiding its own fair share of terrifying threats, at least offered some measure of protection.

    That's why, at some point, Nephis led the party to the sharp slope of the crater, and the six of them climbed out of it. With the help of Kai and the trusty golden rope, the task wasn't hard at all.

    For some time after that, they walked on the ridge separating the crater from the Labyrinth proper, but then, finally, had to turn west and enter the maze of crimson coral.

    Sunny couldn't help but sigh once the familiar coral walls surrounded him once again. He didn't miss the first months of his infernal voyage into the Dream Realm at all.

    Well�� maybe a little. But not because of the damn Labyrinth itself, that's for sure.

    The crimson forest was simultaneously the same and vastly different from the region of it that he had traveled through before.

    The coral maze itself was pretty much identical to how it had been east of the gargantuan crater. However, the creatures populating it in these parts were vastly different.

    There were no members of the carapace legion around, at least not anywhere Sunny could see. Instead, the dominant tribe of Nightmare Creatures in this region seemed to consist of nasty, spider-like critters that had a habit of decorating the walls and passages of the Labyrinth with endless amounts of grey, incredibly sticky cobwebs.

    What's worse, their web seemed to be made not out of spider silk, but out of thin metal wires that were as tough as iron and could cut the victim into little pieces if it thrashed too much after getting caught.

    Needless to say, getting yourself stuck in these webs was tantamount to a death sentence.

    The deeper into the Labyrinth they went, the more of these cobwebs surrounded them. It came to the point where they had to use Cassie's flying rapier to clear the path ahead every few minutes, slowing down the speed of the cohort to a crawl.

    During one of these stops, Sunny rubbed his face and thought:

    'I just hope that nothing attacks us while we wait.'

    Turning to him, the shadow glared for a few moments and then tiredly shook its head. It then placed one palm across its face a looked down, as if defeated.

    '...What? What did I say?'

    A moment later, several massive spider-like creatures jumped out of the cracks in the coral and attacked them.

 Chapter 206 Triumph

    Chapter 206 Triumph

    The spiders were about the size of a human, incredibly fast, and had plates of something that resembled iron covering parts of their repulsive bodies. They looked like armored battle machines created for the sole purpose of slaughtering living things.

    They also looked strangely familiar. With a little effort, Sunny realized that these abominations looked a lot like lesser, much smaller versions of the giant Fallen Beasts that had destroyed the original Stone Saint and her kin.

    It's just that their size and armor weren't nearly as formidable.

    If so��

    'I have bad news for you, fools.'

    As soon as the spiders attacked, the members of the cohort reacted with the deadly calmness of experienced Dark City hunters. Weapons flashed in the air, severing limbs and piercing through iron as though it was paper. Effie straight up flattened one of the creatures with a devastating strike of her battered shield. The poor beast didn't even have time to understand what a huge mistake it had made.

    The others were no less efficient. Sunny himself threw the Prowling Thorn and pulled on the invisible string as soon as it sunk into the flesh of one of the spiders, bringing its jump to an abrupt end and sending it crashing to the ground. Before the beast could stand up, Quiet Dancer streaked through the air and pierced its head clean through.

    Just a few short seconds after the spiders had tried to ambush the group of humans, the battle was over. Three dead Nightmare Creatures were sprawled in the mud, while the fourth one ended up pinned to a coral wall with several arrows.

    They could have even shaved a second or two if it weren't for the need to look out for the spiderwebs.

    Sunny shook his head.

    'Disappointing.'

    Wait.. why was he disappointed? Great! This was great! Not every victory had to almost cost him his life.

    If there was one thing to feel disappointed about, it was that this one was so swift that he had not even gotten the chance to finish any of the enemies himself, thus not receiving any rewards from the Spell. But even then, he would be glad to only fight easy battles like this in the future.

    Nephis cleaned the blade of her sword with a piece of cloth, listened to the silence for a few moments to make sure that nothing else was going to attack them, and then gave the cohort a go-ahead to start dressing the monsters down.

    Soon, soul shards, strips of meat and other useful parts were cut, cleaned, and put into Effie's enchanted bag. Everything was done with efficient speed and professionalism that could only come from a lot of experience.

    Sunny could only shake his head again.

    They were able to dispose of the iron spiders with such ease because of two reasons. First, as far as Nightmare Creatures went, these ones were not on the same level as, for example, carapace scavengers. They had a slight advantage in speed, but were not nearly as strong, agile, and ridiculously tough.

    If Sunny could guess, he would say that the iron spiders relied heavily on their webs and battlefield advantage to defeat the prey. Because the cohort had destroyed the webs in advance, their main advantage was gone.

    The second reason was the cohort itself. They were some of the deadliest humans on the Forgotten Shore. Sunny was sure that at least four of them could kill a Pathfinder of the Host in single combat�� if not one of the lieutenants themselves.

    They were the best and the brightest the outer settlement could offer, after all. Effie had been right when she said that there had never been such a powerful cohort outside the walls of the Bright Castle before.

    All in all, the six of them were more than equipped to handle just three awakened beasts. The Labyrinth was going to really try harder if it wished to see them dead.

    Sunny chuckled.

    "Just" three awakened beasts�� yeah. How crazy did this sound? panda novel

    And yet, it was true.

    Finishing up with the dead spiders, the cohort indifferently left their eviscerated bodies behind and continued on their way.

    ***

    After several more minor skirmishes with the iron spiders, they had finally reached their destination. Not too far away from them, colored pink by the evening sun, a magnificent arch of white marble rose high above the sea of crimson coral.

    The giant structure was clearly created by the same people who had built the Bright Castle, and made from the same stone. It looked like a much larger sibling of the pristine arch that guarded the entrance to the white road which climbed all the way to the outer settlement.

    Only this one was much more weathered, bleak, and damaged. Signs of corrosion and deep cracks covered its surface, with one of its sides being partially collapsed.

    Sunny studied the arch and looked at Nephis:

    "This is our stop for the night?"

    She gave him a simple nod and said after a short pause:

    "We need to pick up our pace. The night is close, and we might have to fight to clear the top of it."

    Sunny sighed. Fighting again�� when would they finally be able to rest? It had been such a long day.

    However, he kept his mouth shut. Changing Star was the most tired out of all of them�� due to healing all their wounds, no less. And he didn't see her complaining.

    So it wasn't his place.

    ? ??? ? ? ???? To his left, Effie suddenly cursed and groaned:

    "More fighting? Come on! When are we finally going to eat?"

    Sunny blinked.

    'Well�� that works, too, I guess.'

    Staring at the huntress, Nephis shook her head and silently walked forward.

    Soon, they reached the giant arch. Kai summoned his bow and flew up, only to return a few minutes later and report that no terrible monster was nesting on top of the ancient structure.

    With sighs of relief, the members of the cohort climbed the golden rope one after another and were soon standing far above the Labyrinth, silently watching as the flood of black water drowned it in the lightless depths.

    As the sun disappeared beyond the horizon, they were left on a rectangular island made out of white marble. All around it, there was nothing but the undulating waves of the dark sea.

    Sunny was once again surrounded from all sides by nothing but darkness and black water. He did not like the feeling.

 Chapter 207 Beach Episode

    Chapter 207 Beach Episode

    The night passed with no incidents. In the morning, Sunny was woken up by the sound of the surging waves and opened his eyes to see the sun slowly rising from beyond the horizon.

    Rubbing his face, he sat up and looked around, noticing that most of the cohort was still asleep. Only Kai, who had been the last one to stand watch, was awake, sitting on the edge of the arch and admiring the dawn with a dreamy look on his face.

    Sunny wanted to call out to him and warn the charming archer not to sit this close to the edge, but then remembered that Kai could fly.

    'Yeah. Like I would forget it again!'

    Using the opportunity, he dove into the Soul Sea and summoned Stone Saint from the depths of the Shadow Core, where she was sleeping in the embrace of nurturing black flames. Just like before, the Shadow did not appear from a sphere of light like an Echo would, but stepped out from a whirlpool of dark fire.

    Then, she stood motionlessly in front of Sunny like an actual statue, seemingly indifferent both to his presence and the wounds covering her body.

    ? ??? ? ? ???? Sunny walked around the Stone Saint, studying the extent of damage done to her by the undead horde. The armor of the taciturn knight was battered and broken, pierced in several places by the claws of the countless skeletons she had fought. The ruby dust wasn't flowing from the breaches anymore, but he could see deep gashes on her smooth, grey skin.

    'Bastards.'

    Who dares to hurt his Shadow?

    Shaking his head, Sunny dismissed the Saint, sending her back into the restorative darkness of the Shadow Core.

    The damage, while extensive, was not really threatening to her existence. In a couple of days, his pet monster should fully recover.

    In fact, she already looked better than she had yesterday.

    Leaving the Soul Sea, Sunny inhaled the fresh air, lingered for a few moments, and then turned to Kai:

    "Hey, Night. Are you stupid? Don't sit this close to the edge!"

    The charming archer looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

    "I can fly, remember? If I fall��"

    Sunny scoffed.

    "I'm not worried about you falling into the cursed sea. I am worried about something dragging you off into it. That'd be terrible, right?"

    Quite happy with himself, he grinned and turned away.

    'What a nice way to start the day��'

    ***

    Because everyone needed some time to rest and recuperate, they decided to spend a day on the marble arch and continue their journey tomorrow.

    As the result, Sunny was currently staring at the sight that wasn't really funny, but filled him with mirth nevertheless.

    Back in the real world, when he had time to consume some entertainment, Sunny had noticed a certain popular trope. In most dramas, webtoons, and cartoons aimed at young boys and teenagers, the heroes would inevitably end up spending a day at the beach during their adventures.

    He didn't quite know why such a trope existed, but suspected that it was just an excuse to show the female characters in nothing but revealing swimsuits.

    Not that he had anything against it��

    In any case, Sunny had never imagined that he was going to end up in such an episode himself one day. panda novel

    'This is�� simply hilarious!'

    Barely holding himself from laughing out loud, Sunny glanced at his companions.

    Because everyone's armor and weapons were damaged during the battle in the catacombs, they had to keep these Memories inside the Soul Sea for a bit of time to allow them to restore themselves �� just like Stone Saint was currently doing in the depths of his Shadow Core.

    As the result, all of them �� including Sunny himself �� were currently wearing nothing except for some loincloths and, in the case of the girls, makeshift brassieres.

    Provided, these crude undergarments weren't really swimsuits, and the marble arch could barely be considered a beach even at night�� but still, the situation was funnily similar.

    They were all half-naked and relaxing in the middle of a something that someone could call an adventure, so it was close enough.

    'Ha!'

    He was in a rather good mood.

    Everyone was busy doing their thing. There was a fire in the middle of the arch, with roasting meat filling the air with an appetizing aroma. Effie was tending to it.

    The tan and lean body of the muscular huntress looked like it was cut from stone, as if she was a sculpture of an ancient goddess come to life. Sunny tried to count her abs and got distracted halfway through by�� uh�� not so stonelike parts of her robust figure.

    After a couple of seconds of thoughtless bliss, Sunny had to hurriedly look away. The last thing he wanted was��

    'Pure thoughts!'

    Nephis was helping Effie with the breakfast. Next to the vigorous huntress, her figure seemed especially slender and lithe. However, she was also extremely athletic in appearance. Her ivory skin was pleasantly contrasted against the olive skin of their boisterous pathfinder.

    'What a sight to behold...'

    Uh�� from a purely aesthetic standpoint, of course.

    Seeing Changing Star like that reminded Sunny of the early days of their stay in the Dream Realm. Things had been much simpler back then.

    Suddenly wistful, he looked away and checked what Cassie was doing. The blind girl was resting near the fire, wrapped in her beautiful cloak. With her delicate features and small stature, she looked extremely lovely.

    And then�� there were Kai and Caster.

    Sunny sighed and looked down at his own scrawny body. Honestly, after all these months spent hunting monsters, eating meat and absorbing shadow fragments, he looked much better than he used to. In fact, by human standards, he was nothing short of�� well, above average.

    Even as far as Awakened went, he could probably compete with some in the looks department.

    ��But those two specimens were simply on another level!

    Kai was tall and shaped like a young god, with lean muscles rolling under his flawless skin and a svelte figure that begged to be sculpted into a marble masterpiece. Sunny could swear that even sunlight was attracted to him, illuminating the charming archer in just a way to make him look as gorgeous as possible.

    Currently, Kai was tending to his arrows, somehow managing to make even that simple task look glamorous.

    Caster was much the same, with a perfect body and broad shoulders that simply screamed of power, appeal and potency. With a darker skin to match his gallant and manly image, he was basically the epitome of masculinity. This was contrasted by a handsome, but gentle face and humorous green eyes, creating a rather tempting visage.

    Sunny grimaced and turned away.

    'You know what? To hell with this beach day nonsense! Let's do something productive��'

 Chapter 208 Something Productive

    Chapter 208 Something Productive

    Walking over to Kai, Sunny cleared his throat and forced himself to not cover his eyes. The damn archer was just too dazzling. Him being shirtless in crowded places should have honestly been categorized as a public hazard back in the real world.

    If not, there was a gross oversight.

    'I wonder how he was made. Probably in a secret government laboratory or a magic cauldron of some sort. I mean, there's no way that this dude is the same species as me�� right?'

    After a few seconds of Sunny blankly staring at him, Kai smiled politely:

    "Uh, Sunny? Did you want something?"

    Sunny flinched and covered his eyes.

    "Ah! Don't smile at me!"

    Kai blinked.

    "...Alright."

    Breathing heavily, Sunny glared at him and slowly lowered his hand.

    "That's better. And yes, I did want something."

    Kai suddenly livened up and pointed at his chest.

    "What is that? An accessory?"

    'What is he��'

    Lowering his gaze, Sunny noticed the mysterious key hanging on a thread tied around his neck.

    He didn't really want to show it to anyone, but with the Puppeteer's Shroud restoring itself in the Soul Sea, there were not a lot of places where he could hide it.

    None that he was willing to use, at least...

    Plus, no one else was supposed to be able to see the light of divinity, so to them, it just looked like a small iron key.

    Sunny frowned.

    "It's not an accessory. It's a key. "

    Kai hesitated.

    "Oh. What does it open?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "How should I know?"

    The charming archer seemed a little confused.

    "But if it's not an accessory and it doesn't open anything, why are you carrying it around?"

    His questions were starting to get tiresome. Sunny sighed.

    "To open something, of course!"

    Kai scratched his nose.

    "But you just said that you don't know what it opens."

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    "It's a damn key, right?! So it has to open something! I just carry it around in case I find something that can be opened by that damned key! What's so hard to understand?!"

    The beautiful archer gave him a strange look.

    "Oh�� I see. That definitely makes sense."

    'Curses! That's not how I planned to approach him��'

    Sunny instantly changed his expression and looked at Kai with a wide smile.

    ...The sudden shift looked sort of creepy.

    "Uh, what I wanted to say, Night, my dear friend�� we are friends, right? Anyway, what I wanted to say was that I hope that this answer satisfies your curiosity. That's something a friend would say�� right?"

    The charming young man gave him a dubious look.

    "I guess?"

    Sunny made his smile wider, feeling his face hurt a little. panda novel

    "Great! So we are friends. Well, some might say that it's your lucky day, buddy. Because today �� and only today, probably! �� Sunny's Gorgeous Emporium offers customers an exclusive friendship deal. Just for friends of the establishment. Aren't you lucky?"

    Kai suddenly coughed.

    "...Wasn't it Sunny's Brilliant Emporium last time?"

    Sunny blinked.

    "Was it? Well, doesn't matter. The deal still stands. Are you interested or not?"

    The archer lingered for a few moments, and then cautiously said:

    "But Sunny�� you still haven't told me what exactly that deal entails. Is it a deal for customers you consider friends or are you trying to sell me your "friendship"? Or wait, do you want to buy mine? Or both? Ah, I'm confused."

    As if waiting for that response, Sunny nodded energetically.

    "Yes! I'm glad that you asked. In fact, I have an incredible item that I want to sell. It's so incredible that I am even reluctant to part with it. But since you are my friend, I am willing to give it away. Practically for free. Full friendship discount, just for you. No need to thank me, really."

    Attracted by the noise, the others left what they were doing and were now staring at the two of them. Effie got distracted from preparing meat and was now observing the circus with an expectant grin.

    Realizing that he is now the center of attention, Kai sighed.

    "Alright, I'll bite. What is that incredible item you want to sell me?"

    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, and then suddenly stopped smiling.

    "Oh, just something I had gathering dust in my Soul Sea. It's a Memory that can serve as an endless supply of arrows. As long as you don't miss."

    The beautiful archer's eyes suddenly lit up. He glanced at his quiver and said:

    "Wait�� really? You really have such a Memory?"

    ? ??? ? ? ???? After thinking about it for a long time, Sunny had decided to give the Blood Arrow to Kai. Having the archer of their cohort armed with it would make a lot of things easier during this journey.

    He could potentially earn himself a bow in the future and learn how to use it, but it wouldn't be anytime soon. Plus, with how dangerous the enchantments of the Blood Arrow were, nothing short of excellence would fly. And excellence took a lot of time to achieve, time that he didn't have. So, giving it to a skilled archer like Kai was a better decision.

    Their recent encounters with the iron spiders only made Sunny more certain that this was the right thing to do.

    But he wasn't going to give it away for free.

    "Yes, I do have such a Memory."

    Then, he casually added:

    "Oh, did I forget to say? It's can provide an endless supply of arrows, and also all those arrows will be of the Ascended rank."

    A grave silence settled over the marble arch.

    "You�� you're in possession of an Ascended Memory?"

    That question was asked by Caster. Kai didn't have to ask, because he already knew that Sunny was telling the truth.

    His eyes slightly widened.

    On the Forgotten Shore, Ascended Memories were exceedingly rare �� for an obvious reason. Sleepers could only get one by defeating a Fallen Nightmare Creature, and there weren't a lot of people capable of such a feat. Added to that was the fact that not every kill provided a Memory. In fact, most didn't.

    To receive one was the dream of every inhabitant of the Dark City.

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Oh, I have a couple. Why?"

    ��The other being the onyx armor. Which was broken and useless. But they didn't need to know that, honestly.

    He grinned.

    "Only the best wares in the Sunny's Astonishing Emporium! Wait, uh�� was it astonishing? Ah, who cares. You get the sentiment."

    Caster shook his head.

    "How did you get an Ascended Memory? You?"

    The grin froze on Sunny's face. When he spoke a few moments later, all humor was gone from his voice, replaced by coldness.

    "Well, if you have to know. I got it by killing a Fallen Beast. Before you ask... this time, I didn't have to shake my finger or spit. I just looked at it, and it died."

    Then, he turned his head and looked straight at Caster:

    "I am very proficient in killing things, you know."

 Chapter 209 Fireside Banter

    Chapter 209 Fireside Banter

    In the end, Kai agreed to his deal. In exchange for the Blood Arrow, he gave Sunny three Memories: the two weaker arrows he had and a small charm capable of producing fire.

    Sunny fed all three to the Stone Saint, bringing her amount of shadow fragments to thirty-one. That was four more than she had in the past, which meant that he received the same amount of fragments that he would have gotten by feeding her the Blood Arrow itself.

    He didn't really gain anything, but also didn't lose anything. Kai was the one who really profited from their exchange.

    So Sunny didn't lie when he said that it was an incredible deal.

    After breakfast, which transpired in somewhat awkward silence, Sunny sprawled on the ground and smiled happily.

    "You know, guys. These past few weeks made me realize something. Actually, it was all thanks to Kai, who introduced me... introduced me... uh... to Stev."

    Effie stretched, making Sunny stutter and lose the train of thought for a second, then smiled with satisfaction and glanced at him.

    "Really? And what is that?"

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments and said:

    "When I was a little kid, I loved reading webtoons about the Awakened. You know, the ones where they always explore ancient ruins, battle Nightmare Creatures, and grow more powerful with each victory."

    He chuckled.

    "The hero and his cohort decide on an adventure, vanquish evil, gain mighty Memories, then return to the real world and sell their spoils at the adventurer shop. They spend their money to upgrade their equipment, and immediately set out on a more epic and dangerous adventure."

    ? ??? ? ? ???? Cassie smiled.

    "I loved to read those too."

    Sunny glanced at her and sighed.

    "Yeah. But when I got older, I couldn't help but think �� what are they thinking about? Exploring ancient ruins is not a wise thing to do. In fact, only crazy people would do it. No matter how good you are, sooner or later, you will meet something more terrifying than any human can handle and die. If this was real life, why would all those adventurers go into the ruins over and over again?"

    The blind girl tilted her head and opened her mouth, but then closed it again.

    Sunny smiled.

    "But then it hit me! They were not doing it to vanquish evil. They were doing it to collect a wide variety of powerful Memories. You see, the real dream is not to be the hero, one of their companions, or even the love interest. The real dream is to be the owner of the shop where the hero sells his trophies and buys new equipment! That way you can live a pretty life without risking your neck. That's the real goal."

    He crossed his arms and added:

    "After a few short years of adventuring around the Dream Realm and collecting Memories, you can retire, open a shop, and leave comfortably for the rest of your life. All you need is to sell a Memory once every couple of years. Maybe make some money off the younger, less fortunate adventurers, too."

    Kai laughed and looked at Sunny with curiosity.

    "So�� say that we somehow manage to return to the real world and become true Awakened. Is this what you're going to do?"

    Sunny thought about it for a few moments and shrugged.

    "I don't know. I don't really have a lot to do in the real world, apart from compiling all the things I've learned about the Forgotten Shore into a report and giving it to a teacher who was kind to me back at the Academy. So�� maybe? I don't have enough Memories yet to open a real store, though."

    He glanced at the charming archer and smiled.

    "What about you? What is the thing you really want to do if you return to the real world?"

    Kai suddenly turned away with a look of embarrassment on his face.

    "Oh... I don't know. I haven't really thought about it."

    But after several seconds, he suddenly said in a shy voice:

    "...Avatar Singer."

    Sunny blinked.panda novel

    "A what?"

    The archer hesitated for a while, and then explained:

    "Avatar Singer is a music competition show. Popular singers compete with each other, but the twist is that they are all using the stock VR avatars to perform. So the judges can only evaluate their voices and skill. They only learn the singer's identity after."

    Effie giggled.

    "Why would you want to hide your pretty face, Night? It's your best feature!"

    Kai was silent for a few moments, and then smiled gently.

    "I just�� I just think that it would be nice, to be judged based on my skill and talent alone, with nothing else getting in the way. Also, that would be such a great way to announce my return to the fans! Just imagine�� they would be so excited! That would be a perfect media storm."

    Sunny shook his head. It seemed that Kai was really a celebrity. Talking about things like fan reactions and media storms with a straight face�� did he even hear himself?

    But it was a nice dream, at least. Better than his own stupid desires, by far.

    Turning to Effie, he asked:

    "What about you? What would you do in the real world?"

    The huntress grinned.

    "I don't even have to think about it. I would go eat chicken wings�� the real ones. And then start preparing myself for the Second Nightmare. Pretty simple."

    Everybody grew silent. After a while, Cassie said:

    "Are you sure that you want to challenge another Nightmare?"

    Effie shrugged.

    "I have my reasons. So yes. For me, that is the only choice."

    The blind girl was quiet for a bit, and then said:

    "I would go and spend time with my mom and dad. That's the thing I want to do most in the real world."

    Caster glanced at her and courtly nodded.

    "I agree with Cassie. Family is the most important. When I come back, I will greet my father and look him in the eyes with pride, knowing that I did not let our clan down. Then, I will try to do everything in my power to grow as fast as possible, to relieve him of his worries and propel our bloodline to new heights."

    'How very�� Legacy-like of him.'

    Finally turning to Nephis, Sunny looked at her with a subtly dark expression and asked:

    "How about you, Neph? What are you going to do when you return to the real world?"

    Changing Star was silent for a while, looking into the distance with a calm expression.

    Then, she sighed and answered in a quiet voice:

    "I would go visit my mom, too."

    Everyone grew silent. Sunny blinked, a little confused.

    "Wait. Your mom? I thought she was dead."

    Nephis lingered for a bit, and then turned her face away.

    "She is. Technically."

 Chapter 210 Shadow Of The Past

    Chapter 210 Shadow Of The Past

    'Technically dead? What does she mean?'

    Sunny glanced at the others and saw that they, too, were confused. Everyone except for Caster, that is, who seemed like he knew something.

    A few moments passed in tense silence, which was broken by Changing Star's sigh. Looking at them, she said evenly:

    "My mother is one of the Hollow. She became Hollow while pregnant with me, actually. So I never really met her. Just her�� body."

    Nephis grew silent. After a while, a strange smile appeared on her face.

    "It's funny, really. When my grandmother was still alive, I made a point of treating that body as nothing but a corpse. But once she passed away and we were the only ones left�� well. I found myself getting a bit confused."

    ? ??? ? ? ???? Nephis shrugged and turned away once again.

    "Anyway, before leaving for the First Nightmare, I used what little money there was left of our estate to buy her a VIP spot in a specialized Hollow care facility. They are treating her really well. But still�� I don't like the idea of her being alone there. So when I return, that's what I'm going to do. Visit her."

    No one said anything, heavily affected by her words.

    Sunny stared at Changing Star, trying to imagine what it must have felt like, growing up in the company of your parent's soulless shell. With death staring at you through those empty eyes every day, always looming over you like a dark shadow... both of your past and your future.

    Maybe that was a part of the reason why Neph hated the Spell so much.

    Sensing the heaviness in the air, Changing Star glanced at them and smiled darkly.

    "What? Is this your first time meeting a hollowborn? Well, I can't blame you. Creatures of my breed are pretty rare. In fact, even I have never met another one."

    Then, she sighed and stretched her legs, moving them closer to the fire.

    "So yeah, that and dye my hair. These are the things I would do in the real world first."

    Sunny blinked.

    "...Dye your hair?"

    Nephis nodded.

    'How is that a priority?'

    Feeling that he was missing something, Sunny scratched his head and asked:

    "Why?"

    She glanced at him in surprise.

    "What do you mean, why? I'm not used to it, and it's weird. Do I need another reason?"

    He stared at her with a perplexed expression. Noticing it, Changing Star frowned and asked with a tiny hint of amusement in her voice.

    "Sunny�� did you, perhaps, think that this is my natural hair color?"

    He was silent for a while, then opened his mouth and closed it again.

    "...It's not?"

    Nephis looked at him for a while with a strange expression, and then suddenly exploded with laughter.

    Her laugh was melodic, pure, and very pleasant to the ear. With regret, Sunny realized that he had never heard it before.

    He wished that their lives were different, so that people could hear Nephis laugh more often. But they weren't, and would probably never be.

    After a while, she glanced at him and smiled.

    "Sunny, it's silver, for Spell's sake. Who has natural silver hair?"

    Luckily, at that point, Kai suddenly came to his rescue:

    "Actually, I thought that it's natural too. Ah�� it suits you very well, Lady Nephis."

    Changing Star turned to him with an expression of utter surprise. Then, she glanced at Effie with a silent question.

    The huntress nodded.panda novel

    "Yeah, me too. I mean�� who knows what you Legacies are even made of?"

    Nephis blinked a couple of times, then shook her head in bewilderment.

    "Well�� no, it's not natural. It became like that after my First Nightmare."

    Kai leaned forward with curiosity:

    "Really? What color was your hair before?"

    She shrugged.

    "Black. A normal human color."

    The charming archer stared at her, and then smiled:

    "That would suit you very well too, Lady Nephis. Ah, I can just see it."

    However, Sunny couldn't. The idea of Changing Star without her arresting, eye-catching silver hair simply could not fit into his head. Let alone the fact that she was a brunette! How was this even possible?

    'That would look so wrong! Right?'

    Well�� as it turned out, life was full of surprises.

    Today, he learned not one, but two entirely new things about the person he had thought he knew the best in the world.

    Who would have guessed that this would happen?

    '...There might be something else except for skimpy swimsuits to these beach episodes, huh?'

    ***

    After that, they spent some time resting and lazily conversing with each other. However, pretty soon, people started to get restless from boredom.

    To combat it somehow, Sunny suggested the idea of playing a sports game.

    ��His motives were not at all dictated by a secret desire to see a bunch of absolutely gorgeous young people jump around and wrestle with each while very lightly dressed. Nope, not one bit.

    However, things didn't go as he had envisioned them. Pretty soon, Sunny found himself cursing as he was desperately pulling on the golden rope in a furious match of tug of war.

    ��Well, it was supposed to be furious. But what was actually transpiring was Effie casually holding the rope with one hand while the four of them �� Sunny, Cassie, Kai and Caster �� were trying to move her from the spot with no visible results whatsoever. After a while, the huntress simply pulled on the rope and sent their entire team to the ground.

    'That's... that's cheating!'

    With a satisfied grin, Effie walked over and towered above him, her arms akimbo. Looking down directly at Sunny, she smirked.

    "Weak. When did you lose your spirit, shorty?"

    Then, she winked and said in a mischievous tone:

    "Back at the cathedral, you were able to perform better. Not to mention last longer��"

    Sunny grew bright red and gritted his teeth:

    "Shut up! People will misunderstand!"

    The huntress looked at him with a shocked expression.

    "Mis��misunderstand? What are you�� oh!"

    Then, she pretended to be horrified and covered her mouth with one hand.

    "You�� what kind of a degenerate are you?! Training! I meant while you were training!"

    While Sunny was staring at her in utter disbelief, his mouth wide open, Effie snorted, then turned away and exploded with laughter. Shaking her head, the boisterous huntress giggled one last time and walked away.

    '...No more sports games! Ever! That wretched troublemaker will win them all, anyway!'

    He needed to teach himself how to come up with better ideas...

 Chapter 211 Game Of Lies

    Chapter 211 Game Of Lies

    With a bit of disappointment, Sunny realized that all types of physical activities were out of the question. Not only because Effie was going to win every damn game, but also because Cassie couldn't participate in most.

    If that was the case, they would have to settle for a battle of wit, instead.

    After thinking for a while, he made a few preparations and addressed his companions in a mischievous tone:

    "Alright, let's have another competition. This time, it will be a challenge for your minds."

    Sunny paused for a few moments and then smiled.

    "And to spice things up, this time, there will be a prize. The winner will get this!"

    With that, he produced the ascended soul shard that he had gotten from the Corpse Eater from behind his back and showed it to everyone. The beautiful crystal shined with an alluring, ethereal light.

    Except for Nephis, who was resting with her eyes closed, everyone stared at the shard with a lot of interest. Sunny grinned.

    Of course, they were interested! It was very rare to see one of these, after all.

    He didn't really have a use for this thing right now, though. And making the cohort stronger would, in turn, increase his own chances of getting through the expedition alive. So parting with the shard was not that detrimental.

    Especially if he could have some fun in return.

    Effie was the first one to speak:

    "What are the terms of the competition?"

    Sunny put the crystal away before answering:

    "It's really simple. I'll give you a riddle, and the first person to answer correctly wins. How does that sound?"

    The huntress looked at him with doubt and shrugged.

    "Sounds boring. But alright, let's play."

    Smiling, Sunny commanded the shadow to separate from him and put the Ordinary Rock on it. Then, he turned to Effie and said:

    "Listen carefully. Imagine if you will that the two of us, my shadow and I, are in possession of a rare treasure. One of us is an honorable, extremely attractive Awakened that can tell no lie, while the other one is a vile, ugly, stupid devil that would never tell a word of truth. But you don't know which one is which."

    Effie grinned.

    "I mean�� isn't it obvious?"

    Sunny blinked.

    "Shut up! Also, it's an imaginary situation. Okay? Anyway, you have to find out which one of us is hiding the treasure. If you do, you'll get the treasure. If you don't, the devil will kill you. You can only ask one question, either to me or the shadow. Understand?"

    The huntress giggled and flexed her muscles.

    "Can I just beat the answer out of you?"

    Sunny observed her vigorous figure for a moment too long, and then smiled.

    "You can. Also, you're dead."

    Effie stared at him in bewilderment.

    "What? Why?!"

    He shrugged and glanced in her direction with disdain.

    "Did I not tell you that you can only ask one question? Well who told you to ask whether you can beat me up or not? What a stupid way to waste a question!"

    ? ??? ? ? ???? While the unruly was huntress was throwing daggers at him with her eyes, Sunny turned away and said:

    "Next!"

    Kai smiled apologetically at Effie and approached him.

    "Alright, Night. What's your question? Do consider that our roles might have changed since the last round."

    The charming young man gestured at the marble beneath his feet and addressed the shadow:

    "What color is the stone I am pointing to?"

    Since Sunny had expected such a turn of events, the Ordinary Rock immediately answered in the deepest voice he could muster.panda novel

    "...White."

    Kai looked at Sunny with a triumphant smile and said:

    "So�� I win? The shadow is obviously the honorable Awakened."

    Sunny gave him a nod.

    "You indeed learned which one of us is a dirty liar. Surprise... it was me. However, that was not the task. The task was to find out which one of us is hiding the treasure, and you have already used up your only question. So�� sorry, buddy, but you're also dead. I'll miss you very much! In this hypothetical situation..."

    The charming archer sighed and looked at him with reproach. Sunny raised his eyebrows.

    "What? Why are you looking at me like this? Be grateful that I allowed you to play at all! With your Flaw, you are like a walking cheat as far as this game is concerned."

    He scowled, then added:

    "In fact, the mere fact that you claim to have a Flaw is an affront to us, truly Flawed people!"

    Kai lingered for a bit and walked to the side to sit near Effie. Sunny had to suppress his laugh when he noticed that the boisterous huntress reacted to being this close to the charming young man's deific body pretty much exactly the same as he himself sometimes reacted to her.

    'Get your head out of the gutter! Pure thoughts, Effie!'

    A wide grin still found its way onto his face. Shaking his head, Sunny turned away to call the next contestant, but Kai suddenly spoke, interrupting him:

    "You're not entirely right, you know," he said gently.

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "About what?"

    The archer looked down before answering.

    "About my Flaw. Yes, it is not as heavy of a burden as many others have to carry. But it's still a curse."

    'What is he talking about? It's almost entirely like a second Aspect Ability!'

    Looking at Kai with a doubtful expression, Sunny asked:

    "Yeah? How, exactly? Please explain, because I really can't think of a situation where this Flaw of yours could be a burden."

    The beautiful young man was silent for a while, and then looked up at Sunny with a sad smile.

    "Imagine hearing the person who is the most important to you in the whole wide world telling you that they love you, only to realize that they don't. Imagine listening to your friend's words of encouragement, only to understand that he secretly wishes for you to crash and burn��"

    He sighed.

    "Ignorance is bliss, Sunny. After returning from my First Nightmare, I had to come to terms with the fact that most of the people in my life were not who I thought they were. And that what hid behind their smiles was ugly and vicious."

    Kai gestured to himself and said:

    "Because of who I am... and how I am... there was always a whirlpool of people around me. But after learning their true faces, I couldn't�� well. Let's just say that, if I had the choice, I would have preferred to stay blissfully blind to the truth forever."

    He grew quiet.

    'Damn.'

    Suddenly, Kai smiled.

    "But that's why I enjoy spending time with you so much, Sunny! No matter how bizarre the things you say are, they're always true. I never met anyone as stupidly honest as you. It's very refreshing!"

    Sunny shifted uncomfortably.

    'Uh�� did he just call me stupid?'

    Now he was kind of sorry for mocking the charming young man about his Flaw. Perhaps it would be useful to someone like Sunny. But to a person like Kai, who always attracted the worst kind of attention from people, it could really be incredibly painful.

    The Spell knew what it was doing.

    It always hit you in your most vulnerable spot.

    'Damned Spell. The being that weaved it must have been the worst kind of a sick bastard...'

 Chapter 212 Knights And Knaves

    Chapter 212 Knights And Knaves

    "Uh�� sure."

    One day Kai would inevitably learn that Sunny was not as honest of a person as he considered him to be, but until then, having the naive archer believe in this ridiculous notion was rather... beneficial.

    Turning away with a bit of awkwardness, Sunny glanced at Caster and called:

    "Next!"

    The proud Legacy was looking at Nightingale with a heavy expression. Hearing Sunny's voice, he lingered for a moment and then shook his head.

    It seemed that Caster did not want to play his game.

    Sunny was also suddenly painfully aware that between the six of them, four people had openly shared their Flaws with the rest, be it out of necessity or because of trust. Only two had not.

    One of the two was Sunny, and the other one was Caster.

    Sunny knew why he was hiding his Flaw from everyone, but what was the proud scion's reason? It sort of went against his whole honorable and dependable persona. With how devoted he acted toward Nephis and the cohort, it was strange to see him keeping secrets.

    Was his reason the same as Sunny's, a dire vulnerability that the Flaw would uncover? Or was there some other reason? Maybe he didn't trust the members of the cohort as much as he tried to make them think he did.

    And if so�� why?

    With a shrug, Sunny left Caster alone. There was no point in lingering on these thoughts now. Until he had more information, any conclusion he could make would be useless, anyway.

    Looking at Cassie, he smiled and said:

    "Hey, Cas. Wanna give it a try?"

    The blind girl hesitated for a bit, and then slowly approached him.

    While she was walking over, Sunny couldn't help but think back to a conversation he had with her in the distant past. Back then, Cassie had told him that knowledge could be the heaviest thing in the world. The burden of her Flaw, while completely different from Kai's, was at the same time eerily similar.

    They both longed for the bliss of ignorance, but were doomed to always bear the crushing weight of unwanted knowledge.

    When Sunny thought about it, he found that all members of the cohort were connected with each other by invisible strings. Many things about them were like reflections, simultaneously the same, but also completely opposite.

    Like the fact that he could tell no lie, while Kai could not be lied to. Or the fact that Nephis was like sunlight, while he was made of shadows. Cassie could not see, while he had basically two pairs of eyes. Changing Star dreamed of destroying the Nightmare Spell, but Effie dreamed of making it her paradise.

    And so on.

    Were these the strings of fate? Or was he just making empty connections because that was what humans were prone to do?

    Come to think of it, only Caster didn't seem to be connected to any of them in any kind of a meaningful way. What was that all about?

    Cassie sat down near Sunny, pulling him out of his thoughts.

    He forced out a smile.

    "Ah, right. Just like I said, the roles might have switched. So, what is your question?"

    Cassie smiled and gestured to the shadow.

    "My question is: if I were to ask Sunny which one of you has the treasure, what would he say?"

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then gave the Ordinary Stone a mental command to speak one of the answers that he had whispered to it in advance.

    In the same comically deep voice, the shadow seemed to speak:

    "...The shadow has it."

    Cassie nodded and turned to Sunny with subtle glee on her exquisite, doll-like face.

    "Sunny, you have the treasure. Give."

    With that, she expectantly outstretched her hand.

    With a disappointed sigh, Sunny put the ascended soul shard in her palm and said in a listless voice:panda novel

    "Congratulations. You've won. Great job, yay."

    Cassie grasped the shard and giggled.

    Meanwhile, Effie leaned forward with a bewildered look:

    "What?! That's it?!"

    She stared at the blind girl in astonishment, and then asked:

    ? ??? ? ? ???? "How the hell did you do it?"

    Cassie smiled and crushed the shard in her small fist, absorbing the soul essence. Then, she shook her head and said:

    "It's simple, really. No matter who you ask about the other person's answer, their answer will always be the opposite of the correct one. That's because the Awakened would have to tell the truth about the lie, while the devil would have to tell a lie about the truth. Do you understand?"

    Effie thought for a moment, then shook her head.

    "Nope. All the words you said seem to be familiar, but I don't understand crap. What do you even mean?"

    Cassie laughed.

    "Well, you should think about it in your free time. Or, you know�� just beat Sunny up the next time he decides to tease you with such riddles."

    With that, she went away, quite happy with herself.

    Sunny watched her go with his mouth wide open.

    'Did she really just say that?!'

    Meanwhile, the perplexed huntress was staring at Sunny with a deep frown.

    "Yeah�� I might just do that the next time��"

    He paled.

    "What's up with that? This was an honest competition! Don't be a sore loser!"

    Effie grinned menacingly.

    "Sore? Let's see which one of use will be sore when I'm done with you."

    'What�� what kind of soreness does she mean, I wonder? Wait, no! Why would I wonder about that?!'

    Standing up, Sunny glanced at Effie and scoffed.

    "Who's going to be done with who? Don't flatter yourself, beanpole."

    With that, he walked away with contempt clearly written all over his face.

    His pace, however, was suspiciously hurried.

    ***

    A while later, the day was drawing to a close. Some of the Memories had already restored themselves, so almost everyone was wearing their clothes and armors.

    Which, as far as Sunny was concerned, was a real shame.

    ...From a purely aesthetic point of view, of course!

    However, something else attracted his full attention.

    At the far end of the marble arch, Nephis and Caster were standing facing each other, with sharp swords in their hands.

    They were about to clash...

 Chapter 213 Sword Saints

    Chapter 213 Sword Saints

    Back when Nephis was teaching Sunny how to use the sword, he had never been good enough to be her sparring partner. Once he learned enough to be of any use in a training fight, their fragile alliance had already broken and shattered to pieces.

    So, apart from that short altercation on the somber slopes of the Ashen Barrow, they had never actually crossed swords with each other.

    Now, it seemed, Changing Star had found a reliable sparring partner. Caster had not only replaced Sunny as her right-hand man, but also filled the roles that Sunny had been either reluctant or unfit to take on.

    'Well�� good for them.'

    Once the Memories of the cohort were close to being fully restored, Nephis and Caster moved to the far end of the white arch to practice. Now, they were standing opposite each other, ready to begin.

    Although no one called him over, Sunny approached the two Legacies and sat down, ready to enjoy the spectacle. He was keenly interested in observing these two immensely skilled swordsmen in action.

    Both of them had been trained for combat from the day they could walk. Watching them would surely be helpful to his understanding of battle styles and techniques. Not to mention that he was very interested to see the rematch between Nephis and Caster. The last time he saw them fight, Changing Star had lost, but not by much.

    She also had held back her Aspect Ability at that time, but he doubted that that would change today. Neph's flame could be used both to heal and annihilate, but sadly, not to train.

    Caster glanced at him and frowned with visible displeasure.

    Was he irritated because Sunny was about to learn a thing or two about his technique, or because Sunny was ruining his alone time with Nephis?

    'Either way, I don't care.'

    "What are you doing?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Watching. Why? Does this part of the arch belongs to your clan or something?"

    The proud Legacy shook his head and turned away.

    "Do as you wish."

    Neph glanced at Sunny and didn't say anything. However, he could tell that she didn't mind.

    In fact, it was almost as if she was approving of his decision.

    Without wasting any more time, the two of them clashed in a whirlwind of steel, moving with the kind of speed that made it difficult for Sunny to follow along. The clangor of swords filled the air.

    A bit stunned, he stared at the furious fight with a blank expression.

    '...Damn.'

    After the months of hunting monsters in the Dark City and his lessons with the Stone Saint, Sunny thought that he had developed his skill a lot. And he did. It's just that compared to Nephis and Caster, he was still so far behind that it was nothing short of disheartening.

    Before, he had sometimes entertained the thought of maybe being able to stand against them�� well, at least one of them�� on equal ground. But now, this illusion was ruthlessly broken.

    If things went south and he ended up on the opposite sides of the barricades with Caster, facing him would be tantamount to committing suicide. For now, at least.

    Which, of course, simply meant that instead of facing him, Sunny would have to stab him in the back.

    'Duly noted.'

    He wasn't going to take on an enemy of this caliber in a forthright manner, anyway. What was he, a fool?

    Concentrating on the fight, Sunny watched attentively. With the benefit of his new experience, he was able to discern more and learn more from how these two experts moved and acted. Sometimes, he was even able to predict what they were going to do next.

    However, as time passed, a subtle frown appeared on his face.

    'What is she doing? That doesn't make sense."

    Sunny had been able to notice two unexpected things from how Nephis fought against Caster.

    The first one was rather easy to spot. While Caster did not use the full extent of his incredible speed, he did use a fair share of it, making it almost impossible for Nephis to win any of their matches. She lost much more than she won, almost always by a few fractions of a second. Which was seemingly not conducive to training at all.

    What was the point of training if one of the participants had almost no chance of winning because of how large the gap between them and their opponent was? There was a reason why Neph had never used Sunny as a sparring partner in the past, after all.

    But then, with a bit of amusement, he realized that Changing Star was doing exactly what he had done with the Stone Saint. She was tempering herself against an overwhelming force. That's why she had instructed Caster to use just enough of his Aspect Ability to always be much faster than her.

    Losing in a fight against a superior opponent was truly the best way to learn.

    'Ha! So I was right in my approach, after all.'

    If Changing Star was doing the same, he had to be right.

    The second thing he had noticed, however, was much more perplexing.

    It was that Nephis was not using her usual flowing and unpredictable battle style. Instead, she was moving with precise and firm elegance, hiding behind a carefully woven wall of defense and patiently waiting for an opening to appear �� instead of creating one herself.

    While intricate and impressive, this style was still a bit lacking in comparison to her real one. What's more, while it was deliberate and dependable, it was also rigid.

    If there was one thing that Nephis would never tolerate in her battle art, it was rigidity. Her whole worldview was built around the idea that nothing had more value than adaptability. That's why the style she had taught Sunny suited her so well.

    It was designed to be the epitome of changeability.

    So, the question was��

    Why the hell she was using something so alien to her against Caster?

    The answer was pretty obvious. Either Nephis was trying to experiment with something new in an effort to adopt elements of this style into her own�� which didn't seem very likely...

    Or she didn't want Caster to know her true combat style too well, for some reason.

    But what could that reason be?

    Sunny rubbed his chin.

    'Interesting��'

 Chapter 214 Transient Shadow

    214 Transient Shadow

    Did Nephis distrust Caster for some reason?

    Sunny surely did, and to be entirely honest, he didn't even need any reason to do so. His intuition and general paranoia were enough.

    But Changing Star was different. He had learned a bitter lesson and now knew that everything she ever did had a firm logic behind it. Even if that logic was entirely different from that of a normal person.

    So if Nephis was hiding her true battle style from Caster, there was a reason for it.

    But it didn't make any sense. From everything else that she had done, he was her most trusted lieutenant. Changing Star entrusted more to Caster than she ever had to anyone else. Caster himself also had never acted against Neph's interests.

    In fact, he was even a bit too loyal. The bastard was always near Nephis, as though glued to her side. He also didn't seem to like it when others got too close to her.

    In that regard, he was almost like that flying rapier of Cassie's. During their entire day on the marble arch, the unfriendly Echo somehow always managed to remain between the blind girl and any men who tried to approach her for whatever reason. The message it was sending was quite clear.

    I'm watching you!

    It was honestly rather comical.

    Sunny shook his head. The dynamic of Changing Star's relationship with Caster was really weird. But once again, he didn't have enough information to make any conclusions. All he could do was keep his eyes open and try to sleep with one of them open when the handsome Legacy was on watch duty.

    Maybe it was some strange Legacy thing? Like guarding the secrets of the clan against the prying eyes of other clans.

    Who knew?

    Glancing at the fighting swordsmen, Sunny suddenly got an idea.

    After considering it for a bit, he looked at them again. This time, his eyes were burning.

    'That�� that actually might work!'

    The problem with his technique at the moment was that it lacked true individuality. Sunny knew that there was a secret hiding inside his shadow that could become the foundation of his own unique battle style.

    He just couldn't understand what that secret was.

    His progress at deciphering it had stalled. While training, Sunny had trouble keeping his eyes both on the Stone Saint and on the shadow. Whenever he tried, the taciturn knight would inevitably send him into a sea of pain. But even if he managed it somehow, there was an invisible wall standing between him and anything even remotely resembling understanding.

    He was in a dire need of a breakthrough.

    So what if�� his shadows tried to imitate someone else instead of him? And not just someone, but a real sword expert in the middle of a fight?

    Not only would Sunny be able to observe every tiny detail of its movements, but there would also be something to compare them against.

    The shadow was a part of him, after all. It was hard to tell where Sunny ended and the shadow began. That's why the difference in how it moved and how he moved was almost imperceptible.

    But if it followed someone else, he would be able to separate the cadence and pattern of that person's movements from the shadow's by contrasting it against his own.

    This had to work!

    Burning with anticipation, Sunny waited for Nephis and Caster to take a short break, and then send the shadow over to the handsome Legacy.

    Leisurely strolling over the white marble, the shadow approached Caster and brazenly glued itself to his feet. Then, it crossed its arms and glared at the Legacy with almost palpable disdain.

    Caster stared at the shadow for a couple of seconds and then raised his head to look at Sunny. There was a very strange expression on his face.

    "What�� what are you doing?"

    His voice did not sound happy at all.

    Sunny shrugged with a carefree smile.

    "Oh, don't mind him. This cretin just lost me an ascended soul shard. As a form of punishment, I've decided to make him your shadow for a bit. So, you know. Just do your thing and don't worry about it."

    The shadow turned its head and pierced him with a menacing look.

    Sunny could practically hear its thoughts��

    ...Who are you calling a cretin, you cretin?

    'That had to be it. Did I guess right, huh? Oh, sorry. I forgot you cannot answer.'

    Not paying the offended shadow any more attention, he just smiled wider.

    Caster frowned, hesitated for a few moments, and then said through gritted teeth:

    "I would prefer if you wouldn't."

    Sunny sighed.

    "Ugh, alright. Whatever."

    With that, he gave the shadow the command to leave the proud Legacy alone.

    It separated itself from Caster, pretended to wipe its legs in disgust�� and sauntered over to Nephis, only to get attached to her feet with visible delight. It even bowed gallantly to her own shadow and made sure to not get in its way.

    'What�� what is this moron doing?'

    Of course, Sunny had ordered the shadow to approach Neph himself. But he didn't expect it to be so visibly pleased by it.

    It was as if the shadow was simply beyond itself to finally follow someone competent.

    'You traitor!'

    Nephis looked down on the shadow, smiled, and didn't say anything.

    'Well... good. Now, fight!'

    The two Legacies did not make him wait long. A few moments later, they were once again locked in a furious battle. Only this time, two shadows were following Nephis.

    Both of them loyally imitated her movements, however, one of them was slightly�� almost imperceptibly�� different.

    Sunny looked at it with an intensity that threatened to burn two holes in the white marble.

    Soon, his eyes widened.

    'I�� I see it! I think I see it!'

    There, in the tiniest difference between the way Changing Star's own shadow moved and the way his shadow moved, he finally saw it.

    He had found his breakthrough.

 Chapter 215 Shapeless

    Chapter 215 Shapeless

    Observing the motions of two shadows that followed Nephis, Sunny was finally able to understand the foundation of the elusive shadow style.

    Before, he only sensed a hint of its essence. He knew that just like the shadow, the hidden battle art was insidious, shapeless, and everchanging. But this was where lay the problem: a battle style was, by definition, a structured framework of patterns and principles, a doctrine that dictated how one should act to defeat an enemy.

    That doctrine was used as a foundation and expanded into a variety of specific movements to create a style.

    But If something didn't have a shape and its form was constantly changing, how could it ever be stable and structured? Sunny had no idea how the concepts he felt were at the core of the shadow style could create something even remotely applicable to practice.

    Insidious, shapeless, everchanging. What was he supposed to do with that?

    But now, he understood. The key to it all was so simple and evident that he almost laughed. Why had he not guessed earlier? It was so obvious.

    The idea that tied everything together was as innate to the nature of shadows as formlessness and elusiveness.

    It was imitation.

    After all, what were the first two things that came to mind when one thought about shadows? That they lived in the dark and imitated the things that hid them from light.

    The foundation of the shadow style was indeed insidious, shapeless, and everchanging. Its core concept was to steal that which made the enemy strong and use it to destroy them.

    To master that style, he had to learn how to behave like a shadow.

    Sunny stared at Nephis and Caster, but didn't see them. His mind was consumed completely by the sudden revelation. He had no time to pay attention to their fight anymore.

    This style�� this style had endless potential. If he managed to master it, he would be able to counter any style or technique used against him, not to mention become an immensely unpredictable opponent.

    What could be more unpredictable than a formless shadow?

    Of course, it was easier said than done. To begin with, while the ability to imitate the enemy was incredibly powerful, it also demanded an incredible amount of talent, experience, and insight from the user. You couldn't imitate that which you didn't understand, after all.

    More importantly, this was just the foundation of the style. He still had to expand it into the actual collection of specific principles... and retrain himself accordingly.

    That was a mammoth task.

    Creating a complete style from scratch could take a true battle master years, if not decades. Sunny had not even scratched the surface of this ambitious underetaking.

    However, this was alright. It was a start. Personal battle arts were not created in an instance, anyway. It was a long and arduous process, with endless iterations coming and going while being tempered by the crucible of combat.

    It's not like the style would be useless until it became perfect.

    Sunny just had to get it to the point where it could be applied in battle in one form or another. That alone would tremendously enhance his technique.

    He smiled, congratulating himself. However, the next moment, a deep scowl appeared on his face.

    'Uh�� but how, exactly, am I supposed to do that?'

    ***

    A while later, when the sun was already touching the western horizon, Sunny was sitting by himself and staring at his shadow. He was motionless like a statue and deep in thought. On his face, there was a troubled frown.

    When someone approached him, Sunny lingered for a few moments and then slowly looked up to see who was disturbing him.

    To his surprise, it was Nephis.

    The leader of their cohort stood there for a bit, her graceful figure illuminated by the setting sun. Then, she sat down near him.

    Sunny blinked.

    "Uh�� hey Neph."

    Npehis gave him a nod.

    "Hey, Sunny."

    He waited for a few moments, and then asked:

    "...Did you want something?"

    The corner of her mouth slightly curled upward. With a sigh, Changing Star glanced at him and said:

    "It's nothing much. I just wanted to say that I saw you fighting in the catacombs. You have improved a lot in these three months. Well done."

    Sunny smiled.

    "Ah, that. Well, it's not like there's a lot of opportunities to lead a peaceful life in the Dark City. I was bound to improve a little, no?"

    She shook her head.

    "Don't sell yourself short. You really did well. Very few would have been able to grow so much and as fast as you. Especially without a teacher."

    After hesitating for a while, Sunny shrugged.

    "You said it yourself. One real battle is worth more than a thousand hours of training. There was�� a lot of battles. In those three months."

    Nephis nodded, and then asked:

    "That firm and grounded style you weaved into your technique�� where did it come from?"

    He scratched the back of his head and, remembering the hellish training sessions with his pet monster, held back the urge to shiver.

    "I just observed how the Stone Saint fought and tried to replicate it."

    Changing Star smiled:

    "As I thought. I've seen her fight, too. It's a very formidable Echo. One of the finest I've ever seen."

    Coming from a Legacy, this meant a lot. Sunny was indeed really lucky to be in the right place at the right time to get the Echo of the Stone Saint. If the Fallen siblings of the iron spiders had not brought her to the brink of death, he would never have been able to survive a battle with the living statue, let alone defeat her.

    He was even luckier to have a Divine Aspect that allowed him to turn Echoes into creatures that were even more fearsome.

    All in all, Sunny was extremely fortunate.

    His fortune was exactly as incredible as his misfortune.

    He grinned.

    "You know my Attributes. I do get lucky a lot."

    She lingered for a few moments, and then said:

    "I'm glad that you were able to understand the true design of the battle style I taught you."

    So he was right on this point, too. The style Changing Star had given him was indeed designed to be as adaptable as possible and seamlessly incorporate elements of other styles. It was a perfect foundational battle art�� for those talented enough to make use of it, of course.

    Which were, most likely, extremely few and far between.

    Sunny glanced at Nephis and, after some deliberation, asked:

    "That style of yours is truly unique. Where did it come from?"

    He had been too inexperienced to realize this at the time, but what Neph had taught him could have been considered a rare treasure. The style he took for granted was, in fact, a work of pure genius. It deserved to be famous and ubiquitous.

    But it was not. Which suggested that this treasure was a secret one.

    Changing Star lingered for a bit, and then said:

    "It's a part of my inheritance."

    Sunny blinked and stared at her, stunned.

    'Then... then why the hell did she teach it to me?!'

 Chapter 216 Tacit Understanding

    Chapter 216 Tacit Understanding

    Sunny stared at Nephis with a complicated expression. After a while, he asked:

    "Why did you entrust me with something so precious?"

    She glanced at him, lingered for a few moments, then shrugged.

    "We had a deal, remember? My knowledge in exchange for your share of the spoils we earn."

    There had indeed existed such a deal. However, he had not exactly acted in good faith when proposing it. After all, he had no use for those spoils, in the first place.

    Sunny scowled. If Changing Star had really revealed a family secret to him because of a lie, she had a valid reason to be resentful of him.

    Just like he was of her.

    With a dark smile, he looked away and said:

    "You must have realized by now that I have cheated you in that deal."

    Nephis turned to him and said, her voice calm and even:

    "You mean the fact that you don't need to absorb soul shard to grow stronger?"

    Sunny froze for a moment, then gave her a nod.

    "You don't seem very surprised."

    Figures. When Sunny first learned about this ability of his, he was stunned. But Neph seemed to know a lot more than a normal person did.

    She didn't even try to pretend otherwise.

    "It's a very rare Aspect trait, but not unheard of among the upper echelons of the Awakened. In fact, I am capable of something like that myself. Although your case does seem to be especially unique."

    Sunny glanced at her.

    "How so?"

    Changing Star remained silent for a few moments and then said, her voice hinted with a bit of wonder:

    "Usually, when an Awakened absorbs the soul essence directly, the process leaves the remnants of the soul core empty. But when you do it, the shards are left brimming with it. This is very�� unusual."

    He shifted uncomfortably, and then said:

    "Yeah, well�� you have your share of secrets, too, Neph. Don't think that I didn't notice. Lineage Memories, Domains��"

    Nephis interrupted him with a heavy gaze. When Sunny fell silent and looked at her with a frown, she said in a strangely somber tone:

    "Never say those words aloud again, Sunny. I am serious. Just knowing them might get you killed."

    He stared at her for a long time, and then scoffed.

    "No problem. Since you showed me the courtesy of not prying into my secrets, I won't pry into yours. I don't really want to know, anyway. The mysterious "upper echelons" you mentioned can play their dirty little games all they want, as long as they leave me out of them."

    Then, Sunny frowned and added:

    "But there is one question I have to ask you, because it involves me personally."

    She raised an eyebrow.

    "Sure. Ask away."

    He grimaced.

    "Why are you hiding the true core of your technique from Caster?"

    Changing Star looked at him for a bit, and then smiled.

    "So you've noticed. That's good, too. Yes�� I've been using a different style when facing Caster."

    Sunny looked at her with a humorless expression.

    "Why?"

    She shrugged.

    "Why did you incorporate elements of the Stone Saint's technique into your own?"

    He shook his head.

    "To become stronger. Also, nice try at misdirection, but I won't fall for your tricks. I'm the one who taught them to you, remember? So just stop. Answer my question."

    Nephis sighed and turned away, glancing at the silhouette of the Crimson Spire that loomed in the distance. After a while, she said:

    "I'll answer you when we return to the Dark City. It won't change anything until then, anyway. Your safety won't be compromised in any way."

    'What is that supposed to mean?'

    As he glared at her, Changing Star stood up and turned to leave. Before that, however, she lingered for a moment and said:

    "Keep sharpening your sword, Sunny. I expect big things from you."

    With that, she walked away, leaving him speechless.

    'And what does she mean by that?!'

    ***

    After Nephis left, Sunny returned to staring at his shadow. However, despite the fact that he had figured out the essence and foundation of the elusive battle art that hid inside it, he had no idea how to go about creating an actual style out of them.

    He did not have enough experience and mastery to be able to create something out of nothing. It was a dead end.

    'Curses! Why even hide that damn mystery inside the Aspect if I can't do anything with it?!'

    Perhaps in the distant future, he would be able to. But right now, it was as though he had found the door, but was not strong enough to turn the key and unlock it. It just stood there and teased him endlessly, just like the damn Gateway inside the Crimson Spire.

    It was pure torture.

    'Maybe I wasn't supposed to notice the existence of the hidden style so soon...'

    But he did! And he worked so hard to gain insight into its secrets. Was it all for nothing? All the pain, all the effort?

    Why would Spell do this to him?

    'Do you have to ask? That's the damn Spell we're talking about! Why wouldn't it do something like this to you?"

    With a bitter sigh, Sunny turned away and tried to forget all about the shadow, techniques, and battle styles. It was almost dark, anyway.

    'Time to sleep.'

    Walking over to the center of the marble arch, Sunny lay down beside the other members of the cohort and tiredly closed his eyes.

    The beach vacation was over. It was funny, visually stunning, and unexpectedly emotional... but ended on a bitter note.

    Tomorrow was going to be another long day.

    'To hell with this. This�� this��'

    Exhausted by all of it, he fell asleep before even finishing the thought.

    ***

    '...this crap.'

    Sunny opened his eyes and looked around in confusion.

    The world was enveloped in a strange, dim twilight. Deep shadows surrounded him, shrouding the tall walls that were cut from black marble. Looking between the mighty columns, Sunny saw the black circle of the sun burning in the lightless sky.

    'An�� an eclipse?'

    No, wait�� what walls? What columns? Wasn't he supposed to be sleeping at the top of the white arch?

    ...What was happening?

    Suddenly, a woman's scream tore the silence like a sharp knife. It was full of pain and suffering. Sunny tried to summon the Midnight Shard into his hand... only to realize that he had no hands.

    Then, something else resounded from the darkness.

    ...A baby's cry.

    'Wh��what the��'

    Almost at the same time, Sunny realized something terrible.

    This was a dream. He was dreaming.

    ��People were not supposed to dream in the Dream Realm!

    '...Not good!'

 Chapter 217 Origin

    Chapter 217 Origin

    When Sunny realized that he was dreaming, the first thing that came to his mind was that there was another soul tree growing somewhere near the white arch. However, after a few moments of panic, he quickly dismissed this idea.

    After all, he had never actually dreamt while under the mind hex of the ancient fiend. He had just mistaken the broken memories of his conversation with Cassie for a dream.

    But this�� this one was real.

    The dreamscape that surrounded Sunny was ephemeral, shifting, and shrouded in shadows. Above him, the sun was like a circle of darkness, with crimson light drowning in a burning sea of clouds. However, none of that light reached him.

    In the tenebrous hall of black marble, there was nothing but empty silence.

    ��Which was now destroyed by the sound of a baby crying, of course.

    The woman's screams had long grown silent. Peering into the stygian depths of the dark marble hall, Sunny saw nothing but endless shadows. The baby's cries were coming from somewhere beyond them.

    ��Or from within them.

    A subtle thought entered Sunny's mind. The monumental walls, the colossal columns, the grandiose hall�� all of it looked strangely familiar. As though he had already been here once, a long time ago.

    All that was missing were the signs of desolation and a large altar cut from a single block of black marble. In fact, it should have been standing right where the crying sounds were coming from.

    Familiar words appeared in his mind, now full of new meaning.

    '...Child of Shadows?'

    In the next moment, everything disappeared.

    ***

    The world was swaying. A seemingly endless surface of black stone was flowing past his vision, moving up and down.

    ��No, it wasn't the stone, but Sunny himself. He was the one swaying.

    'Wh��what?!'

    In fact, Sunny found himself in the body�� of a toddler. He was currently held gently by a young woman who was walking down a long stone corridor, which was dimly lit by burning torches. Hence, the swaying.

    The girl was very young, not older than Sunny himself �� his actual body, that is. She was slender and exquisitely beautiful, with soft porcelain skin and long raven hair. The lissome beauty was dressed in a flowing silk tunic that left her delicate neck and shoulders exposed.

    A black serpent was coiled around her arms and neck, its scales so intricately tattooed that sometimes, it seemed as though the creature was moving. Whoever marked the girl's skin with this image was a true genius of their craft. Sunny had never seen anything like it in the real world.

    However, he had seen similar markings in a Nightmare.

    ��This was the mark of a slave who belonged to the Shadow God.

    The young girl was a temple slave, just like he had been in his First Nightmare. The serpent coiled around her neck and arms served both as her collar and her shackles.

    She was also the toddler's mother. Sunny could tell from the love with which she held the child and the quiet smile that appeared on her face every time she looked at him.

    Sunny might have lost his own mother at a young age, but he still remembered that much, at least.

    'If the mother is a slave, then the child is, too.'

    Finally, Sunny began to understand what was happening to him.

    The dream he found himself in did not belong to him. Instead, it belonged to the nameless temple slave whose role he had assumed during the First Nightmare.

    The original child of shadows.

    This vision was his memory.

    ***

    Soon, the young girl entered a vast hall that was shrouded in darkness. Judging by the black marble walls, they were in another part of the ancient temple. Sunny couldn't see much of his surroundings, but he could somehow tell that they were underground.

    In the center of the hall, seven tall braziers were burning with strange, pale flames. On the edges of light, motionless, stood a dozen or so people.

    Sunny shivered, suddenly reminded of the silent shadows populating his Soul Sea. However, these were not ghosts, but humans. There were several other slaves, while the rest appeared to be priests.

    To tell the truth, there was not a lot of difference between them. It seemed as though the servants of the Shadow God did not pursue opulence and status. In fact, many of the priests bore the same markings as the slaves, suggesting that they themselves had belonged to the temple once.

    'What are they doing here? What is happening?'

    Approaching one of the elder slaves, the young beauty entrusted the child to her. Separated from the warmth of his mother's chest, the toddler�� Sunny�� felt cold and scared. However, the older woman consoled him with gentle words, preventing the child from crying.

    Then, she moved back to stand with the rest of the people gathered in the underground hall. Their faces were calm and solemn.

    The young woman, meanwhile, slowly walked into the circle of light. Her movements were elegant, flowing, and graceful.

    Stopping at the very center, she stood motionlessly between the seven pale flames, surrounded by seven shadows.

    Sunny stared at the beautiful slave, feeling that something important was about to happen.

    But�� what?

    As he became pensive and uneasy, a sudden sound broke the silence. It was the deep and reverberating ringing of a zither.

    As the musical instrument sang, the slave girl suddenly moved.

    As she did, her seven shadows moved with her.

    'This�� this is��'

    With his eyes wide open, Sunny watched the young woman.

    She was dancing.

    The beautiful slave danced in the circle of light surrounded by impenetrable darkness, her every move full of indescribable grace and clear, but elusive purpose. Her young body was flexible and lithe, but also strong and trained as much as a warrior's. Her skill as a dancer was like that of a battle master.

    It was mesmerizing.

    The young woman weaved a beautiful pattern with her movements, their cadence and nature simultaneously firm and flowing, sharp and gentle, clear and unpredictable. She danced alone but also with seven partners, effortlessly controlling both her own body and the seven shadows cast by it.

    At times, it was hard to tell which one of them was real.

    Her dance was�� insidious, shapeless, and everchanging.

    Sunny froze.

    He recognized these movements. They were the same as how his shadow moved.

    This was the source and origin of the battle style he wanted to create

    This was Shadow Dance��

 Chapter 218 Shadow Dance

    Chapter 218 Shadow Dance

    Sunny opened his eyes.

    The grand arch of white marble was exactly the same as when he had last seen it. The sun was already climbing the grey dome of the sky, chasing the remnants of the dark sea away. The rest of the cohort had woken up some time ago and were now preparing for the journey ahead.

    He had overslept.

    However, it didn't matter.

    With eyes burning with excitement, Sunny sat up and recalled everything that he had witnessed in his dream.

    The memories were still there, clear as day. He could recall every movement, every step, every breath of the dance that the beautiful slave had performed.

    ..The nameless slave's mother.

    His eyes dimmed slightly.

    That dream of his, while a precious gift, was also a source of numerous questions. Now that he was awake, Sunny was able to see a few things with more clarity.

    The scene that he had witnessed at the very beginning of it was that of the nameless slave's�� the original Child of Shadow's�� birth. He was born during a solar eclipse, not unlike Sunny.

    That fact put a lot of things into perspective. Everyone knew that the Spell did not choose the role an Aspirant would play during their First Nightmare randomly. That was apparent from the fact that the bodies they inhabited in it, while different, were very close to their real ones.

    However, the actual principle of how the Spell chose these roles and the events of the Nightmares were largely unclear.

    But now, Sunny knew that he shared more than simply outer appearance with the temple slave whose body he inhabited for a few short days.

    Both of them were born in similar, extremely rare circumstances. Both of them were at the very bottom of society, oppressed and unwanted, surviving against all odds instead of because of them.

    Both of them were left without a family at a young age. The tough life in the outskirts took Sunny's parents and sister away. To the nameless slave, it was the servants of the mighty War God that destroyed his childhood home and life. Sunny didn't know what happened to the beautiful dancer after the last temple of Shadows was destroyed by them... but he doubted that it was anything good.

    With a heavy sigh, he looked down.

    ��Fate. It was fate. What he shared with the temple slave was a similarity of fate.

    Sunny was growing more and more convinced that the Spell was connected to the Strings of Fate in some way.

    Perhaps it was weaved from them.

    Remembering the void he had found himself in after completing his first trial, Sunny looked into the distance with wonder. That void was filled with a myriad of stars that served as nexuses for an inconceivably complex net made of countless strings of silver light.

    Were those the strings of fate?

    He shook his head.

    Whatever they were, and whatever the Spell was, it was not something he could know or understand�� yet. Numerous people, most of them better informed and smarter than him, had tried and failed.

    It was wiser to concentrate on something within his reach.

    The Shadow Dance!

    Sunny smiled.

    He wasn't so engrossed by the dancing of the beautiful slave girl because it was truly stunning and enchanting. He was riveted beyond belief by it because he recognized the pattern of the battle style hiding in his shadow in her graceful movements.

    Turns out, it wasn't a battle art at all. It was a dance.

    But was there a difference?

    Not in this case, not really.

    It wasn't a coincidence that people often described the way true masters of battle fought as dancing. At their core, fighting and dance were very close. That's why combat, when brought to a truly impressive level, was like a dance.

    So why couldn't a dance, when mastered to perfection, be like a battle art?

    Sunny was certain that he was right. He had already comprehended the essence of Shadow Dance and gained insight into its foundation. With the memory of the beautiful dancer moving as one with her seven shadows, he now had the last piece of the puzzle �� the actual set of moves and principles that he could use to create an actual battle style in their image.

    He didn't have the battle art yet, but he did now possess all the components needed to create it.

    Of course, it was not going to be easy. Even with all that knowledge stored in his mind, he would still have to spend a lot of time and effort and spill a lot of blood, both his own and that of his enemies, to turn the graceful dance of the beautiful slave girl into a deadly dance of steel.

    It wasn't even certain that he would succeed.

    But Sunny would be damned if he wasn't going to try.

    Shadow Dance would become his personal battle art. He was going to make it happen.

    As if echoing his last thought, the familiar voice of the Spell suddenly whispered into his ear.

    When Sunny heard what she said, his eyes widened.

    [You have received an Aspect Legacy, Shadow Dance.]

    ***

    Sunny stared into the emptiness, stunned to his core by what the Spell had just whispered.

    Aspect Legacy�� did it really just say those words?

    He gulped.

    Aspect Legacy was something that every Aspect contained, but very few Awakened ever received. Unlike the Boon of the First Nightmare, and every Nightmare after that, as well as the reward Sleepers received after returning from the Dream Realm for the first time, each Aspect Legacy had a unique set of requirements that the owner of the Aspect had to meet to unlock it.

    When they did, they were rewarded with a powerful relic. Usually, it was a Memory that synergized perfectly with their Aspect Abilities, or sometimes even an Echo.

    Legacy clans weren't called that accidentally. While not every clan possessed an Aspect Legacy, most of them did. In fact, it was the acquisition of the Aspect Legacy that laid the foundation for the creation of many of these clans.

    By now, some of the most powerful clans even had several.

    But getting an Aspect Legacy was not an easy feat. Most of them were received by Saints, followed by Master, and only a few were won by mere Awakened.

    Getting the Aspect Legacy while still being a Sleeper�� that was simply unheard of.

    'Just like getting a True Name during the First Nightmare, I guess.'

    Sunny couldn't believe his luck. Of course, he worked bitterly hard to be able to grasp it. And yet, the magnitude of the harvest he reaped was utterly unbelivable.

    However�� why was his Aspect Legacy not a Memory, but a battle art?

    That was really strange.

    Not wasting any time, Sunny summoned the runes and hungrily searched for new ones.

    ��What he saw made him tremble.

 Chapter 219 Relics of the Past

    Chapter 219 Relics of the Past

    Right there in the glimmering field of familiar runes, in the cluster describing his Aspect, a new string of them appeared.

    Aspect: [Shadow Slave].

    Aspect Rank: Divine.

    Aspect Abilities: [Shadow Control].

    Aspect Legacy: [Shadow Dance].

    As soon as Sunny concentrated on the Aspect Legacy, new runes shined to describe it.

    Shadow Dance Description: [Once an elegant dance, now a deadly battle art. This mysterious style was created by the treacherous Lost From Light after witnessing a graceful slave dancing with her shadows. Who else could have taken something so beautiful and turned it into something so vile?]

    Sunny coughed, trying hard not to think too much about the manner in which the Spell had described him.

    'Again with this treacherous stuff�� I'm not that treacherous, okay? So what if I lie, manipulate, and backstab people all the time. That's just being smart��'

    However, what grabbed his attention was not the description itself, but what glimmered beneath it.

    Shadow Dance Mastery Level: [0/7].

    First Relic: Unearned.

    Second Relic: Unearned.

    Third Relic��

    There were a total of seven lines of runes, each promising him a Legacy Relic once he achieved the corresponding level of mastery with his newly envisioned battle style.

    Seven of them!

    Not one, not even two or three. But seven.

    Whole Legacy Clans were created around a single Legacy Relic. Sunny couldn't even imagine what he would be able to do with seven.

    Start a family and turn it into the most powerful clan in the world? No, that would mean putting all his eggs into one basket. Better create several clans!

    Right! Why start a family when you can start seven?

    Wait, no�� that didn't sound right��

    Right?

    Consumed by avarice, Sunny looked at the rising sun with an excited grin. This was great! This was incredible!

    However, his excitement was short-lived.

    'Yeah, right. I would have to get back to the real world first. And that's not going to happen��'

    Turning his head slightly, he stared at the distant silhouette of the Crimson Spire and lost himself in thought.

    A while later, Effie's voice brought him back to reality.

    "Hey, doofus! Breakfast is ready. Why are spacing out and smiling like an idiot?"

    Sunny answered without thinking.

    "Just thinking about creating a Legacy Clan. Have you ever thought about creating a clan, huh, Effie?"

    The robust huntress stared at him for a few seconds with a strange expression, and then grinned.

    "...Is that an invitation?"

    Still lost in thought, Sunny tilted his head and glanced at her astutely.

    'Huh�� not bad, not bad. The choice of a partner has to be of utmost importance when starting a Legacy Clan. Take Effie, for example. She is a very fearsome Awakened. Her Aspect is extravagant and powerful beyond belief. Plus, her physique is nothing short of divine. Any heir she gives birth to is bound to be both strong and gorgeous�� a very suitable candidate, I guess��'

    "...Huh, what? No, not an invitation. Just considering different options."

    At that moment, Sunny suddenly realized that he had been unceremoniously ogling Effie up and down for a better half of a minute, and that her grin had long turned dangerous at some point.

    The huntress stretched her neck and said lazily:

    "I see. So you have chosen death��"

    He blinked.

    "No! Wait! I didn't mean it like that! I was just, you know, theorizing!"

    The unruly huntress cracked her knuckles and smiled menacingly.

    "Oh, so you were "theorizing" about me, huh? Do tell, do tell��"

    "No, no! Wait! Stop! Sto��"

    ***

    Surprisingly, Sunny survived.

    ...Barely.

    Soon after that, they left the grandiose marble arch and continued their journey into the depths of the Labyrinth.

    Before the expedition started, Nephis had told him that they had a fast and comparatively safe way to reach the southern edges of the Forgotten Shore �� as much as anything could be safe in this cursed place. Without it, getting to their destination would have taken them months.

    Now that they had left the Dark City, Sunny finally decided to satisfy his curiosity and asked what that mysterious method of traveling with incredible speed was. When he heard the answer, he just stared blankly at Changing Star for a few minutes, trying to guess if she was kidding or not.

    She wasn't.

    In the end, he didn't even ask any questions and just waved his hand dejectedly. There was no point.

    If Nephis had come to know of this secret from Cassie's visions and believed that it was doable, then he did not have to worry. Too much. It's not like he could turn back now, anyway.

    Plus, the expedition had shown itself to be extremely lucrative for him so far. Mere days after its start, he had already gotten plenty of shadow fragments and an Ascended Memory, not to mention making a breakthrough in his exploration of battle styles and earning an Aspect Legacy for his effort.

    In any case, they had to travel about a week's worth of time south to get the chance to access that fast method of travel. The heights they were going to use on the way as shelters during the nights there were planned in advance with the help of the Forgotten Shore map Nephis had created.

    To make sure that these shelters were really where the map showed and remove any possibility of ending up stranded in the middle of the Labyrinth with no way to escape the dark sea, she had even employed Kai during the week that Sunny had spent with Effie. The charming archer scouted the way ahead and confirmed that her map was correct.

    Now, the only danger they really faced from the Forgotten Shore itself was that of a sudden storm. However, with a true oracle in the ranks of the cohort, this danger was dramatically diminished. Now that Cassie had grown into her powers and absorbed a lot of soul essence, she was often able to warn them in advance if something like that was going to happen.

    ��There were also the usual perils of the Labyrinth, of course.

    And as they went deeper into its deadly maze, the situation slowly began to turn from bad to worse.

 Chapter 220 So Youre a Spider,So What?

    Chapter 220 So You're a Spider,So What?

    As they ventured deeper into the southern reaches of the crimson Labyrinth, the situation slowly turned worse and worse.

    The iron spiders that had been not too threatening to the cohort of powerful, experienced Dark City hunters at the start of it all were growing more and more deadly with each step of the way. Their numbers grew exponentially, becoming a real danger pretty soon. More and more often bigger and stronger monsters appeared at the head of the attacking beasts, bringing with them all sorts of problems.

    What's worse, the spiderweb they used to trap their prey was changing, too. The metal wires from which it was weaved became so thin that it was at times almost impossible to notice it, and sharp enough to cut through armor and bone �� while maintaining the resilience of superb steel.

    The whole Labyrinth was covered in it, turning from crimson to dull grey.

    The cohort bled much more because of the invisible webs than they did because of the spiders themselves. Of course, the iron spiders were cunning creatures, too. More often than not, they only attacked once one of the humans was caught in their nets, leading to a few really harrowing experiences for the members of Changing Star's party.

    And there was a wide variety of other terrifying creatures waiting to ambush them in the twisting pathways of the crimson coral, too. What made them so dangerous was that the cohort didn't know anything about their anatomy and abilities. Every fight was a gamble, often resulting in one or several of them sustaining serious wounds.

    There were three things that made the situation somewhat bearable.

    The first one was Nephis and her healing flames. Although using the Aspect Ability took a toll on their leader, it was often worth it, especially if one of the members of the cohort received wounds that limited their mobility.

    One thing was far more dangerous than any Nightmare Creature that lived in the Labyrinth, and it was not reaching safety before the torrent of black water flooded the Forgotten Shore, bringing inconceivable horrors with it. Thanks to Neph, they didn't have to worry about anyone slowing the cohort down.

    The second reason, unexpectedly, was the iron spiders themselves. Because of the peculiar way they hunted, a lot of creatures found their deaths in the cutting embrace of the wire spiderwebs. Finding these eviscerated corpses or cacoons containing old carcasses became a common occurrence once the party invaded the depths of the spider territory.

    Thanks to that, six humans were able to study and anticipate many of the monsters they had to face in this region of the Labyrinth. A lot of potentially deadly surprises had been avoided due to the cohort stumbling onto a corpse of a similar creature prior to fighting against a living one and spending some time to learn about its strengths and weaknesses.

    The third reason was the Blood Arrow. In the hands of an experienced archer, it was almost as deadly as it would have been in the hands of an inexperienced one�� the difference being that the latter would mostly be a danger to themselves, quickly turning into a bloodless husk.

    The first time Kai had used it, Sunny experienced a disturbing feeling of shock. That time, they were facing a large group of iron spiders led by a much larger arachnid �� the awakened monster of their tribe, similar in status to a carapace centurion.

    These creatures were much heavier and more powerful, with thick plates of iron armor covering their bodies almost completely. Even Caster's enchanted sword had trouble cutting through their defenses. What's worse, due to the speed with which the wretched abominations moved, it was especially hard to catch them in a gap between the armor plates.

    Sunny was facing two smaller iron spiders at once while the Stone Saint was butchering the third one. With his shadow observing what was happening behind his back, he didn't miss the moment when the cunning awakened monster suddenly disengaged from Nephis and dashed into his direction, its mandibles moving in anticipation of tasting human flesh.

    Calmly preparing to dodge, Sunny tensed his muscles�� and narrowed his eyes.

    Whistling over his shoulder, a menacing black arrow suddenly streaked through the air. Its shaft was made out of dark polished wood, with black feathers for fletching and a vicious white arrowhead that seemed to be cut from pale white bone, like a sharp fang of some terrible creature.

    The arrow easily pierced the thick iron plate protecting the spider and tore deep into his body. Even though Kai messed up his shot a bit and hit the monster in its abdomen instead of the head, the results were nothing short of harrowing.

    In the next moment, the awakened monster suddenly slowed down and staggered. Then, it tried to lunge forward once again, but ended up losing its balance and weekly falling to the ground. Its limbs moved slightly, quickly losing any form of cohesion.

    Their movements grew slower and slower and then stopped. Beneath the iron plates, the spider's body grew taut and shriveled, like that of a mummy. Soon, it seemed completely�� drained.

    Sunny blinked, shaken by this disturbing image, and couldn't help but glance briefly at his forearm.

    ��If not for the Blood Weave, he might have ended up as a shriveled corpse, too.

    He would have gone through with cutting off his arm and survived, most likely. But if he had been a couple of seconds too late��

    'Better not to think about.'

    Anyway, he was glad that the Blood Arrow was on their side now.

    Not too far away from him, gliding through the air, Kai suddenly made a strange gasping sound. Sunny didn't know what it felt like to have your blood magically drained and then suddenly returned to your body, but he doubted that it was pleasant.

    Also, there was this question�� if Kai's blood was used to create the arrow and then returned to him �� if he had hit his mark, of course �� then�� where did the blood drained from the prey went?

    He wasn't sure that he wanted to know.

    In any case, with Nightingale in possession of the morbid Ascended Memory, their battles with iron spiders and other inhabitants of the Labyrinth became a bit less perilous. The Blood Arrow did not have any enchantments that needed to be activated by manipulating soul essence, so the charming archer could use it to its full potential.

    Although Sunny was still a bit bitter about having to give such a menacing weapon away, he was now more confident than ever that his decision was the right one.

    ��Just like that, six more days passed by. During this time, he didn't gain any new Memories, but managed to accumulate eighteen more shadow fragments, bringing his total to three hundred and forty. He was still not as strong physically as he had been before creating the Shadow Saint, but getting closer and closer.

    In the evening of the sixth day, bloodied and exhausted, the cohort had finally approached the goal of the first leg of their expedition.

    Looking at it, Sunny couldn't help but stop in his tracks.

    His eyes slightly widened.

    'Of course��'

 Chapter 221 Zenith

    Chapter 221 Zenith

    In front of them, the ground was shattered, creating a titanic fracture. The canyon was so deep and vast that Sunny had to strain his eyes to see the other side of it. Crimson coral clung to its walls, spilling over the edge like a torrent of blood.

    A long time ago, a graceful bridge of white stone connected the two sides of the canyon together. Now, however, it was broken, with only its base remaining in place.

    Looking at the bridge, Sunny realized that there must have been an ancient road somewhere beneath their feet. It led directly to the main gates of the ancient city, moving across the colossal canyon by means of the miraculous bridge and passing beneath the grandiose arch of white marble.

    Come to think of it, the headless knight, the Ashen Barrow, and the graceful woman whose hands had saved him twice were also situated in a straight line. Perhaps there was another road leading east, too.

    However, this thought disappeared from his head as quickly as it had appeared. All his attention was drawn to the remnants of the stone bridge, where...

    Stood another giant statue.

    Right above the weathered ruins stood a colossal stone warrior. He was clad in an archaic cuirass, with a beautiful spear resting on his shoulder. The warrior was facing south, as though greeting the travelers who traveled on the road to reach the ancient city.

    ��Of course, his head was missing.

    More than that, the whole statue was covered in vast sheets of dull grey spiderweb, as if dressed in a solemn burial shroud. Sunny shivered, afraid to imagine what kind of creature was capable of creating the thick metal cables of the web that encompassed the stone colossus.

    Noticing his expression, Effie smiled.

    "Scary, huh?"

    Sunny gave her a nod, hoping against all hope that they would not have to find out the answer to his question.

    For once, his hopes were not shattered to pieces.

    The vivacious huntress sighed.

    "I haven't seen it myself, but I heard stories of the creature that used to make its nest here. It was the mother of all these damnable spiders we've been dealing with for the past week. A huge menace of a Nightmare Creature, as big as a house and utterly deadly. Armored like a hover tank, too."

    Sunny gulped and cast a sideways look at Nephis.

    "What's a hover tank?"

    Effie blinked a couple of times, then answered in an amused tone:

    "Oh, right! You're a school dropout, I almost forgot. You've seen a PTV before, right? PTV stands for a "personal transport vehicle", as you know. I hope. Well, a tank is sort of like that, only much bigger and heavier, with thick armor and a kinetic or energy cannon installed on it. The government sometimes employs them to support Awakened when a Gate opens near populated areas."

    Sunny tried to imagine such a vehicle and hazily remembered seeing something like this on the news when he was a kid. Mostly, these tanks Effie had described were shown opened like tin cans, with their crews pulled out and eaten by attacking monsters.

    He shivered. Mundane people had no business fighting against Nightmare Creatures.

    To be completely honest, even Awakened were had no business facing them. It's just that they had no other choice.

    "...We're not going to try and kill that big spider, are we?"

    Effie laughed.

    "Actually, it's you lucky day. We won't be meeting the Spider Mommy. In fact, no one ever will. She's long dead."

    Sunny sighed with relief and glanced at the huntress:

    "Yeah, great. But how do you know?"

    She shrugged.

    "She was killed by the second ruler of the Bright Castle �� before he went and got himself killed trying to conquer the Crimson Spire. The huntress who showed me the ropes when I arrived on the Forgotten Shore had actually been one of the members of his cohort once, if you can believe it. In fact, she was the one who dealt the finishing blow to that abomination."

    Effie looked at the giant mass of spiderwebs and shook her head.

    "It must have been one hell of a battle, huh? Anyway, I'm glad that she did. That's how she received the Zenith Shard, which I then inherited."

    Sunny frowned.

    "What exactly are you talking about?"

    The huntress leaned on her beautiful bronze spear and patted its shaft.

    "My spear. It's a tier-five Awakened Memory, so the big bad spider was an awakened tyrant, I guess. Can you imagine? All these creepy crawlers serving a sentient commander. Thank gods it's dead."

    Sunny looked at her with a dubious expression.

    "Why would that mentor of your gave away such a treasure?"

    Effie was silent for a few moments, then smiled.

    "Ah, we were kind of close. Plus, she had no idea how to use a spear. Sorcerers, am I right? In any case, she gave the Zenith Shard to me."

    Despite her carefree tone, he could tell that that smile was fake. Effie did not let it show, but Sunny could tell that the death of this huntress whose name he didn't even know had met affected her more than she was telling.

    Who knows. Since Effie's original cohort had perished in the catacombs, their corpses might still be somewhere there, in those cursed tunnels.

    However, something else was on his mind.

    Sunny furrowed his brow. Midnight Shard, Zenith Shard. Was there a connection? He didn't know.

    There might have been. He had received the Midnight Shard from Nephis, who had gotten it after killing the Carapace Demon.

    The Demon, even though it had been enthralled by the Soul Devourer, appeared as the leader of the Nightmare Creature in that region of the Labyrinth�� just like the brood mother of the iron spiders had been.

    Two headless statues, two powerful abominations, two Memories with similar names. Wasn't it a little bit too much to be a coincidence?

    Glancing at Effie, he asked:

    "Was your spear forged from a shard of a fallen star, by chance?"

    Just as he said it, Cassie slightly turned her head, listening to their conversation. That small detail told Sunny everything he wanted to know.

    The huntress raised her eyebrows.

    "It was, at least according to its description. Who told you?"

    A corner of Sunny's lips slightly curled upward.

    "No one. I just guessed."

    With that, he left Effie alone and walked forward.

    It seemed as though he was right. There was some hidden meaning behind the names of these two Memories. Cassie seemed to know something about it, and that meant that Nephis did, too.

    And yet, they chose to keep it from Sunny and the rest of the cohort.

    He sighed.

    'So this expedition is not as simple as it seems.'

    Not that it ever seemed particularly simple, to begin with.

    He had guessed a long time ago that Changing Star had some hidden motive to want to leave the Dark City, but now, his suspicions were as good as confirmed.

    The smile disappeared from Sunny's face.

    He didn't like being kept in the dark at all.

    'Kept in the dark, huh. Oh, the irony��'

    At that moment, his shadow reached the base of the giant statue. With a deep frown, Sunny summoned the Midnight Shard and glanced at Nephis, putting all needless thought aside.

    "There's a nest ahead. We will have to destroy it to access the statue. Lots of spiders... some bigger ones, too."

    She gave him a nod and turned to face the others.

    "We need to clear the nest and climb the statue before the sun sets. Prepare for battle..."

 Chapter 222 Clearing the Nest

    Chapter 222 Clearing the Nest

    A clear and melodic sound of a ringing bell reverberated through the air above the Labyrinth, alerting the monstrous spiders hiding in the enormous cocoon of grey webs that a new prey came knocking on their door.

    Moments later, swift bodies clad in heavy plates of iron armor shot from beneath the grey spiderweb, moving through the steel wires with terrifying speed. There were enough Nightmare Creatures in that wave to obliterate anything that stood in their way�� seemingly.

    However, what stood in their way were two figures �� one tall and boisterous, the other one on the shorter side and radiating a strange feeling of indifferent firmness.

    They were Effie and the Stone Saint. Both held their shields raised, the tips of their weapons resting on their edges. As the huntress grinned, the Shadow silently struck the rim of her shield with the blade of her sword twice.

    As if answering that call, a vicious black arrow suddenly appeared from somewhere above, hitting the leading spider right in one of its many eyes. The monster's legs buckled, and it fell to the ground, forcing those creatures that followed behind to either dash around or jump over the massive body.

    A fraction of a second later, the wave of spiders crashed into the small shield wall. A deafening roar of iron striking against iron resounded under the grey skies of the Forgotten Shore like a thunderclap. Despite the furious force if the assault, Effie and the Stone Saint somehow held �� at least for now.

    As soon as the momentum of the iron spiders was slowed down a little, Nephis and Caster appeared out of nowhere and attacked the mass of repulsive creatures from the sides. At the same time, a stonelike sword and a beautiful bronze spear lashed out from behind the shields.

    Black blood splashed into the air.

    Meanwhile, Sunny softly landed on the ground behind the Nightmare Creatures and stealthily moved through the shadows, swiftly approaching them from the back. The Midnight Shard flashed, sending one of the spiders into the embrace of death.

    [You have slain an awakened beast��]

    Without listening to the Spell, Sunny used the precious moments before the enemy noticed his presence to wreck as much havoc as possible. His tachi moved twice more, severing several limbs and heavily wounding another abomination. After that, the spiders finally reacted to his treacherous attack��

    'Not treacherous... just... smart!'

    With Effie and the Stone Saint holding the front, Nephis and Caster attacking from the sides, and Sunny closing the trap from behind, the monstrous arachnids were now surrounded from all sides.

    ��Well, sort of.

    Of course, a small group of dormant humans could never hope to truly surround this many superior Nightmare Creatures, not even with the help of a monster of their own. Trapped or not, as soon as the iron spiders had the time to react, they could easily overwhelm and tear them to pieces.

    Especially Sunny, who was behind the line these vicious creatures and all alone. If the spiders decided to shift the focus of their attack, he would be dead in seconds.

    As another black arrow hit one of the larger spiders in the abdomen, Sunny hissed and dove under a spider scythe, then thrust his sword forward, ruthlessly piercing the head of the beast through its open, salivating mouth.

    [You have��]

    With no time to tear the Midnight Shard from the spider's corps, Sunny let go of its hilt and jumped back, narrowly avoiding being crushed by another ironclad creature.

    The few seconds of the advantage they had were coming to an end. A moment or two later, the spiders were bound to come to their senses. Even though the cohort had managed to kill ten or so in this short window of time, there were still enough of the deadly creatures to rip them to shreds.

    Sunny didn't even have to look at Nephis to feel the shift in her movements. The silent understanding the two of them developed during their journey through the Labyrinth many months ago was still there, allowing them to cooperate perfectly without the need to use any words, as though they were two parts of the same whole.

    In fact, despite the rift in their relationship, this bond was stronger than ever.

    Perhaps because they understood each other so much better now... for better or for worse.

    Ah, it was so exhilarating to fight side by side with Changing Star once again��

    Just before the spiders were able to turn the tide of the battle in their favor, Effie and the Stone Saint �� who was following Sunny's command �� suddenly moved to the sides.

    Nephis, Caster, and Sunny braced themselves.

    Behind the improvised shield wall stood Cassie. She was holding a wooden staff in her hands, while an elegant rapier hovered in the air above her shoulder.

    The tip of the rapier pointed directly at the spiders. As though following the direction of the Quiet Dancer's blade, Cassie moved her staff and activated its enchantment.

    Immediately, a powerful gust of hurricane wind slammed into the mass of the Nightmare Creatures, sending several of them reeling and throwing clouds of dust into the air. Of course, it wasn't strong enough to truly throw these abominations off their balance or damage them in any way.

    However, that wasn't the plan.

    Spider kin of these creatures back on Earth had a uniquely powerful sense of hearing. Which was rather strange, considering that they had no organs that resembled ears at all. The truth of the matter was that spiders were able to feel the vibrations of sound waves.

    They were also masterful architects, using the vibrations in the specially created threads weaved into their webs to sense the movements of their prey from afar.

    These Nightmare Creatures were much the same. As the powerful wind threw dust into the air and made every wire of every surrounding spiderweb vibrate all at once, they were momentarily disoriented.

    The members of the cohort were waiting for this exact moment. Instantly, they attacked with ferocious determination, spilling rivers of viscous black blood onto the ground. Sunny himself had already gotten his austere sword back, and now used its razor-sharp blade to gut the beast that had forced him to retreat a couple of seconds ago.

    [You have slain��]

    By the time the iron spiders came back to their senses, their numbers were significantly diminished.

    ��But there were still so many of them.

    After that, the battlefield became consumed with chaos. There was no time for plans or tactics anymore. Every member of the cohort had to face off against multiple opponents, fighting with desperate resolve against enemies that surpassed them both in terms of personal power and numbers.

    Only the Stone Saint was calm and indifferent, moving through the ranks of the iron spiders like a graceful incarnation of pure darkness.

    The battle fell apart into several small pockets of fearsome violence. Kai was trying to support his companions from above, but with how intense the fighting got, he was having trouble finding the opportunities to take shots without risking hitting them.

    He was too afraid to take a risk, knowing all too well how harrowing the effects of the Blood Arrow were. If even the Nightmare Creatures of higher rank were doomed to succumb to a torturous death after being wounded by the ghastly Memory, humans like them had no chance of surviving.

    For now, people on the ground were on their own.

    ...Sunny was struggling against two ironclad abominations, gritting his teeth in exasperation. The damn bastards were too fast to reliably hit them in the gaps in armor and too damn powerful to face them directly. As the result, he was forced to constantly dance between the two of them, dodging the whirlwind of strikes that rained on him from all sides.

    "Curses!"

    Jumping back, he held the Midnight Shard with one hand and used another to throw the Prowling Thorn in the direction of one of the spiders. The creature easily dodged the kunai and continued its attack, threatening to slice Sunny's hand clean off.

    He had no choice but to retreat once again.

    ��Behind the menacing beast, the throwing dagger continued to spin. A few moments later, it cut a smooth arch in the air and flew back, as if turning into a boomerang.

    Sadly, just like the spiders back on Earth, these repulsive creatures had an almost absolute field of vision. The seconds spider simply moved its head down at the last moment without even bothering to turn it, dodging the heavy kunai that approached it from behind.

    But Sunny was never trying to wound the Nightmare Creatures with the Prowling Thorn, to begin with. Instead, he wanted to let them taste their own medicine.

    A moment later, the invisible string of his kunai drew taut, wrapped around two massive bodies. Just like prey used to be caught in their webs, the iron spiders were now caught by the invisible string of the Prowling Thorn, tripping over it and crashing into each other.

    Sunny dashed forward and let the Midnight Shard sing. The graceful blade flashed twice, sending two ugly spider heads spinning into the air.

    [You have slain an awakened beast, Iron Spider.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Kicking one of the heads away, Sunny swiftly glanced around, searching for a new enemy.

    But there were none.

    [...You have slain an awakened beast, Iron Spider.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    [You have received a Memory.]

    The gargantuan cocoon of steel spiderwebs was empty. Corpses of its previous inhabitants littered the ground, oozing with black blood.

    The cohort had cleared the entire nest full of Awakened abominations.

    No matter how incredible, this was the undeniable truth.

    They had won.

 Chapter 223 Natural Selection

    Chapter 223 Natural Selection

    The danger was gone, so Sunny allowed himself to tiredly kneel on the ground, his breathing heavy and laborious. The strenuous battle against the host of spiders had not lasted long, but he was utterly exhausted. The intensity of these perilous minutes was enough to bring anyone down to their knees.

    'Too weak. I am still too weak.'

    With a heavy sigh, he summoned the runes and glanced at the number of shadow fragments.

    Shadow Fragments: [362/1000].

    Not bad. Clearing the nest had given him twenty-two fragments �� ten for the five iron spiders he had killed himself, and another twelve for those slain by the Shadow Saint.

    With the taciturn monster serving as his murderous pet, the speed with which Sunny was able to accumulate power was twice as fast, at least. If things continued like this, the Stone Saint was going to return his investment of a hundred shadow fragments in no time.

    'If I live long enough.'

    With a grimace, Sunny dismissed the Midnight Shard and slowly got up. The sun was already rolling down toward the horizon, so they had to hurry with collecting soul shards from the corpses of the iron spiders.

    There were a lot of corpses��

    Cutting one of the beasts open with the Prowling Thorn, Sunny struggled with the idea that they had eviscerated this many Nightmare Creatures. Of course, he had expected this much. After all, Nephis and Sunny had been able to fight against two or three carapace scavengers back when it was only the two of them. Both of them were much weaker, less experienced, and barely equipped with Memories back then, too.

    Now that they had spent seven whole months in the Dream Realm �� many times more than most Sleepers ever had to �� and tempered themselves against the perilous hellscape of the Forgotten Shore, both their skill and level of power had dramatically increased.

    Add the fact that there were two other powerhouses fighting alongside them, as well as Nightingale and the menacing Stone Saint, and the outcome of the battle ceased to be that surprising.

    And yet, observing the carnage that they had left if their wake still made Sunny doubt his eyes.

    These were Awakened Nightmare Creatures, still.

    The real reason why the cohort had won did not lie in the individual prowess of its members, but in their ability to cooperate and control the battlefield. The iron spiders were powerful and deadly, but at the end of the day, they were still mindless beasts. That's why they had allowed themselves to be surrounded and trapped.

    Had they been commanded by a creature of a higher Class, one that was as cunning and smart as the humans it faced, things would have turned out very differently.

    Sunny sighed.

    Come to think of it, the Labyrinth was a curious place. It teemed with abominable creatures of all kinds, but almost all of them were of the mindless variety. The only two exceptions he knew about were the Carapace Demon and the Spider Matriarch, who had been either a devil or a tyrant.

    ��???? ??????? Perhaps it was just the nature of this place. Nothing too big and strong could escape from the flood of black water that drowned the world every night. Only comparatively small monsters were able to run away or hide �� both from the dark sea itself and from the hungry terrors that inhabited it.

    These monsters were an almost insurmountable threat to those unfortunate young people who were sent to this forsaken hell by the Spell, but by the standards of the Forgotten Shore itself, they were nothing but insects.

    A horde of parasites who fed on the crumbs left behind by the true masters of this place. ��a??a ???????

    'What a depressing thought.'

    This notion poured cold water on Sunny's pride over their achievement.

    'Well. Whatever��'

    Soon, they were done with the gruesome job of fishing out the soul shards out of the dead spiders. While Nephis was dividing the spoils among the members of the cohort, Sunny used the chance to dive into his Soul Sea and inspect the Memory he had received during the battle.

    It turned out to be a cloak weaved from spider silk. Judging from the description, the cloak could provide him with a small amount of protection against physical attacks, simple by virtue of being very hard to piece.

    Without thinking too much, Sunny fed the cloak to the Stone Saint. It was just a tier-one Memory, so no amount of protection it could provide would be of any help in this damned place. He would also rather kill himself than go into a battle while wearing a cloak. There were easier and less painful ways to die.

    Plus, it was white. Didn't exactly go along with the dark grey fabric of the Puppeteer's Shard, not to mention being a hindrance to anything having to do with stealth.

    The Stone Saint absorbed another shadow fragment, at least.

    Receiving his share of the soul shards and entrusting them to Effie, who had more than enough space in her enchanted bag, Sunny glanced at Nephis.

    Changing Star was looking at the sun, calculating something in her head. After a few moments, she sighed and said:

    "We still have some time. Let's explore the nest before ascending the statue."

    Sunny grinned.

    As an amateur explorer, this was exactly what he wanted to hear.

    ***

    The nest was formed by endless wires of the strange metal web and resembled a vast sphere. It was built around one of the legs of the stone colossus, effectively blocking the path to the bridge.

    The entrance was situated high above the ground, and extremely wide. Looking at the diameter of that hole gave Sunny an understanding of just how big the Spider Matriarch had been.

    He shivered. The second lord of the Castle had been a very powerful individual. Sunny didn't even want to imagine what the battle with the giant arachnid must have looked like.

    Inside, it was dark and damp. Drops of black water were falling from above, creating an ominous melody.

    Peering into the darkness, Sunny suddenly stumbled and froze for a moment.

    This�� he didn't expect.

 Chapter 224 Pyre

    Chapter 224 Pyre

    Inside the giant nest of spiderwebs, a desiccated corpse of the colossal Matriarch lay shriveled on the floor, its iron carapace shattered by some devastating blow. The creature was long dead, but the sight of it was still terrifying.

    The vast abdomen of the brood mother, however, appeared to have been severed much later than her fatal battle against the Lord of the Bright Castle. It almost looked as if it was�� torn apart from within. Inside the terrifying wound, Sunny noticed the shattered remnants of five giant, metallic eggs.

    The size of them was about the same as that of the five monstrous Fallen Beasts that had destroyed the original Stone Saint and her brethren back in the Dark City.

    'So�� that was where they came from.'

    Looking away with a shiver, Sunny noticed numerous cocoons of spiderwebs attached to the walls of the nest all around the dead Matriarch. Inside them, withered carcasses of Nightmare Creatures of all shapes and sizes were preserved in a strangely good condition.

    This was a true museum of terror.

    The Nightmare Creatures appeared as though they were kept alive inside the cocoons for a long, long time before finally succumbing to death and turning into mummified corpses. Perhaps the abominable spiders stored them there for later consumption.

    Or�� not.

    Noticing a few cocoons that had been broken open and what was inside of them, Sunny had to try hard to stop himself from vomiting.

    The iron spiders did not use the monsters caught in the cocoons for food.

    ...They used them as incubators.

    The creatures in the broken cocoons had been devoured from within. A few of them still had hundreds of small, moist eggs embedded into their flesh, with embryonic spiderlings moving weakly behind the slightly transparent shells.

    'Curse�� it all��'

    Damn these spiders, damn the Labyrinth, damn the Forgotten Shore�� and especially damn the damned Nightmare Spell that had brought him here. Sunny suddenly felt tired of this long, feverish, neverending nightmare he had found himself in.

    But the worse was still to come.

    He was the first to notice it. With a dark grimace suddenly appearing on his face, Sunny called out to his companions. Then, he led them deeper into the nest, where, attached to the wall, hung a cocoon that was different from all the others.

    Because this one hid a rough silhouette of a human body.

    The six of them stood somberly around the cocoon, each consumed by their own dark thoughts. Finally, Nephis turned her head to Caster and said:

    "Can you sword cut it open?"

    With a short nod, the proud Legacy summoned the enchanted jian and took a step forward. Approaching the cocoon, he stopped and hesitated for a few moments.

    "Be careful."

    Glancing back at Changing Star, Caster lingered for a second, and then faced the cocoon with grim determination written on his face. As ghostly green light emanated from the blade of his sword, he swung it with the graceful precision of an expert swordsman.

    The tip of the jian cut through the metal wires of the cocoon, splitting it open. A shriveled human body fell to the floor, making the Legacy jump back.

    Nephis, Caster, and Sunny stared at it, their faces pale and full of ghastly resentment. Then, Sunny bent over and emptied the contents of his stomach.

    ��This was just too much.

    The young man whose corpse they found in this harrowing place did not die an easy death. In fact, being eaten alive from the inside by a hundred of tiny Nightmare Creatures was probably the worst fate imaginable. At least Sunny couldn't think of anything worse.

    But even worse still, he recognized the dead Sleeper.

    His face was strangely intact, with an expression of horrifying agony frozen on it forever. Despite the overall condition of the corpse, Sunny knew who it was just from one look.��a??a ???????

    It was the young man who had attended the Academy with them, the one who had called him a shorty when Sunny first approached Caster to create the impression that he was a boastful lunatic.

    Looking at their condition, Effie frowned:

    "Did you guys know him?"

    After a few moments of silence, Caster slowly nodded.

    "Yes. His name is�� his name was Stephen. He was the youngest heir of the Pandavar clan.

    'Stephen��'

    Sunny had not even bothered to learn the name of this arrogant young man back when they were preparing to venture into the Dream Realm at the Academy. In fact, he had really disliked him, and for a good reason.

    ��???? ??????? But looking at the hideous, terrifying corpse in front of him, he had forgotten all about it. Sunny would never wish this fate on anyone, let alone one of his fellow students.

    Slowly, a solemn mood took overtook the cohort. They had already known that the other three Sleepers sent to the Forgotten Shore this year never made it to the Dark City, which meant that they had perished somewhere in the Labyrinth. However, finding one of them served as a stark reminder of how fragile their own lives were.

    Who knew what would happen to them in the future? If not today, death could be waiting for them tomorrow. Perhaps years from now, it would be their corpses that someone would stumble upon by accident.

    Some time later, Nephis gritted her teeth and turned away. Then, she said, her voice suppressed and hollow:

    "We need to leave. The sun is setting."

    Her words broke the silence and brought everyone back from their grim reveries. Caster lingered for a few minutes, then spoke in a hesitant tone:

    "Aren't we�� aren't we going to bury him?"

    Changing Star shook her head.

    "There's not enough time. I also don't want anyone touching the bodies infected with these eggs. It's too dangerous."

    The members of the cohort looked at each other. No one had a reasonable objection, but it felt wrong to just leave their fellow human here.

    Finally, Nephis sighed. A complicated expression appeared on her face, and then she said:

    "...Alright. Go. I'll catch up with you guys later."

    Sunny stared at her for a few moments, and then slowly turned away. One after another, the five of them glanced at Changing Star and left, leaving her alone with the dead young man and numerous cocoons, each hiding a slain Nightmare Creatures.

    As soon as the last member of the cohort climbed out of the nest, a beam of pure radiance suddenly shot from the dark hole of its entrance, followed by a wave of scorching heat. The purifying fire unleashed by Changing Star engulfed the remains of their fellow student and then spread to the numerous cocoons, the Nightmare Creatures inside of them, and even the corpse of the Spider Matriarch herself.

    The insides of the nest turned into an incandescent, incinerating furnace. Everything inside of it was doomed to be annihilated and turn to ashes.

    A few minutes later, the whole structure was consumed by furious white flames.

    Nephis had escaped the burning nest shortly after the rest of her cohort, her face pale and tired.

    Leaving the grandiose funeral pyre behind, they began ascending the statue of the ancient warrior.

    The night was approaching.

 Chapter 225 On The Shoulders Of Giants

    Chapter 225 On The Shoulders Of Giants

    Once they climbed all the way to the broad shoulders of the statue and found a suitable place to make camp, everyone looked down without having to say anything.

    Far below them, the giant nest was still aflame. The cables that constituted it were melting and turning into rivers of liquid metal, flowing down from the edges into the vast abyss of the canyon.

    The turbulent black waters were rising from below to meet them. When the two streams met �� one lightless, the other incandescent �� billowing columns of hot vapor shot into the air. For a few moments, it seemed as though light and darkness were on equal footing.

    But then the cursed sea rose from the depths of the canyon in a surge and washed away the brightness of melting iron away. The flood of blackness crashed into the burning nest, dousing it.

    A minute a so later, the white flames were gone. The surface of the dark sea continued to rise, as though nothing had ever happened.

    Sunny sighed and turned to Nephis.

    Now that they had reached their goal, it was time to face the real danger. With a grim expression on his face, he asked:

    "So�� now what?"

    He knew the general concept of how she was planning to reach the southern edges of the Forgotten Shore in a short time, but not the details.

    Changing Star glanced at him, lingered for a moment, and then said:

    "We arrived at the canyon faster than I expected. There are still two days left before we can act. So, make yourself at home. We'll rest tomorrow and start preparing for it the next day."

    Sunny smiled.

    Rest�� that sounded swell.

    Plus, he wasn't really looking forward to making use of the "fast and comparatively safe" method of traveling through the Labyrinth that Nephis had talked about.

    In fact, he would rather never have to use it at all.

    ***

    Just like that, the cohort found itself with nothing to do for the next two days. Before leaving the Dark City, Changing Star had anticipated that various things could slow them down and padded the schedule of the expedition with extra time.

    Who knew that they would actually make it to the broken bridge so fast?

    In any case, Sunny wasn't complaining. He had a lot to do and think about.

    For example, the mysterious connection between his tachi, Effie's spear, and the headless statues that stood around the Forgotten Shore.

    The statues represented the seven valiant heroes that had made an oath to return light to this cursed land thousands of years ago. Sunny had seen three of them by now: the knight, the graceful woman, and now this mighty warrior.

    Did every statue have a connection with a specific Memory? If so, what was that connection and why was Nephis so reluctant to share this information with everyone? ��a??a ???????

    Well�� it wasn't like he and Changing Star were very close now. Sunny had drawn a clear line to denote the nature of their relationship himself. He insisted that he was not a true member of the cohort, but merely a hired specialist.

    Why would she share her secret with him?

    This was a logical conclusion, but Sunny couldn't help but feel a bit resentful.

    Despite the fact that he was her first partner, now, the situation had changed. Nephis had other people to rely on�� like Caster.

    So why would she say that Sunny was the only person she trusted on the Forgotten Shore except for Cassie, and then hide her technique from Caster?

    ��???? ??????? Everything felt so complicated.

    In any case, there was an invisible line drawn between the core members of the hunting party and the outsiders �� Sunny and Kai.

    No one consciously avoided them, but it was clear that the line existed. When all was said and done, the four true members of the cohort preferred each other's company. That's why Sunny and Kai ended up spending a lot of time together, chatting about this and that and generally having a nice time.

    Honestly, Sunny couldn't complain. As far as companions went, the charming archer was not the worst option.

    Plus, their conversations were extremely entertaining.

    Kai had a lot of fun stories about his life as a celebrity, while Sunny had plenty of macabre anecdotes about his life in the outskirts.

    Their life experiences were so vastly different that it was almost as if they were from different worlds. As a result, both felt like they were listening to fictional stories about some strange and fantastical land that they had never heard about before.

    Sunny spent the rest of his time training with the sword, trying to turn Shadow Dance from an ethereal concept into a practical set of core principles. The progress was painfully slow, but now there was progress, at least.

    He was having so much trouble because his chosen battle style was so strange and elusive. Unlike most styles, which started with certain movements and steps, this one was supposed to imitate any movement and any step instead of introducing its own.

    So it was more about the state of mind and the flexibility of his physical behavior. Sunny had to create a set of training exercises that would allow his body and muscle memory to become capable of adapting to any style and turn pliable like a shadow.

    On the first day of trying, his whole body ached. Despite his incredible physical shape and experience with tough training, Sunny ended up straining the muscles that he didn't even know he had, and force those that he did know about to behave in a way that was utterly different from what they were used to.

    Actually, his previous training was even detrimental to the whole process. He had to make himself unlearn a lot of things to allow for this strange style to take root in his very bones. Thankfully, the foundation of his technique was Changing Star's flowing style, which itself was designed for maximum adaptability.

    If Sunny learned another style or was further into mastering any existing technique, this would have been ten times harder, if not impossible.

    ��Needless to say, his exercises were in no way similar to the beautiful and graceful dance he had seen in his dream. In fact, from the side, Sunny must have looked as though he was having a seizure. He caught more than one amused stare while practicing.

    It didn't matter.

    The only thing that mattered was that he was slowly pushing himself toward mastering the basics of Shadow Dance... and, hopefully, receiving his first Relic.

 Chapter 226 The Fool

    Chapter 226 The Fool

    On the evening of the first of the two days that they had at their disposal, Sunny climbed all the way to the highest point of the statue and sat there alone, looking at the setting sun.

    He felt as though he had to find a sense of balance that he had lost at some point along the way. Not because he missed it, but because he was going to need that balance to remain firm and steady when the moment of truth came.

    If he was right about the future, then this was probably the last day of peace he would experience until this whole thing was over. Not only the expedition��

    But all of it.

    Looking back, his behavior in these past few months was highly erratic. Where were the cold rationality and ruthlessness that saved him so many times in the past? The caution and devious cunning that allowed him to survive the First Nightmare? He had not been acting like himself for a long time.

    Yes, his mental state had suffered greatly because of everything that had happened. But was it the only reason?

    Come to think of it��

    The first blow dealt to him was the bitter revelation that there was no Gateway in the Bright Castle. After everything that Sunny had endured to make it to the Dark City, the crushing intensity of their journey through the Labyrinth, the diabolical trap of the Soul Devourer and their escape from it, the cold and harrowing night of traversing the dark sea�� all of it turned out to have been for nothing.

    Not only were they not rewarded for their efforts, but all of their hopes were mercilessly destroyed and obliterated instead.

    This alone was enough to drive a person mad.

    Then came the feeling of alienation he felt while living with Nephis, Cassie, and all the newcomers in the outer settlement. Instead of finding support and solace in the company of his friends, Sunny fell into his old habit. Unconsciously, he turned himself into an outcast to prevent anyone from making him one.

    This was the most noticeable, but not the only instance of him regressing to his old self. After fighting so hard to change and grow, Sunny ended up abandoning most of the lessons he had learned after becoming infected by the Nightmare Spell.

    He was almost like an addict relapsing after a few days of sobriety and giving up completely because of this one small mistake.

    But who could blame him?

    Sunny was already shaking under the pressure of the situation. One little push, and he would fall under its weight.

    In the end, it was not one, but three blows that shattered him completely. As though the world wanted to make sure that he was truly broken.

    First was the terrible epiphany of what Cassie's vision really meant. Almost instantly after that, while Sunny was still reeling, came the fatal mistake in the conversation with Harper and the brutal murder that followed. And if that was not enough, the person he relied on the most to keep his sanity in this cursed place, Nephis, made it impossible for him to trust her any longer.

    Anyone would have collapsed under that weight. And yet Sunny managed to keep his balance, even if just barely.

    The final straw that finally broke him was the excruciating, neverending sea of torturous pain he suffered after being mortally wounded by the Black Knight.

    After that, Sunny had relinquished all pretense of having control.

    And now here he was. Playing the fool, acting like a fool, and fooling around with Kai and Effie. Wasn't it fun? Wasn't it easy?

    Yes, his mental state wasn't great.

    But it was also very convenient to blame everything on this condition. The truth of it��

    The truth of it was that Sunny did not try to reign himself in at all. In fact, he welcomed this madness. Being a bit crazy was comforting, simple, and safe.��a??a ???????

    It protected him from having to look at the heartbreaking truth and remember it. Sunny needed the shield of madness to save himself from the bottomless despair that threatened to destroy him completely.

    So what if he was prone to act recklessly in this state? So what if he made mistakes here and there and took unnecessary risks? Anything was better than having to face that despair.

    Just like Nephis had said, one had to become a little insane to survive in the world that had gone mad.

    ��And yet, Sunny knew that what he was doing was nothing but hiding his head in the sand.

    And now that the end was approaching, he had to stop hiding from the truth. He had to admit and endure it.

    This was the only way for him to survive.

    ��As the sun disappeared behind the horizon and the absolute darkness drowned the Forgotten Shore, he sighed deeply and whispered:

    "Alright. Alright. It's time to wake up."

    ***

    The next day, six humans were standing at the edge of the vast canyon as the twilight of dusk drowned the world in shadows. Far below them, the black waters of the cursed sea were raging, rising from the depths in a terrifying, obliterating wave.

    In a few minutes, all light was going to be completely gone. And then, the flood of darkness would wash over the world, destroying anyone left standing in its path.

    ��And yet, the humans were not rushing to get away. Instead, they just stood there and waited.

    Looking down into the canyon, Sunny gritted his teeth and shivered. Then, he glanced at Nephis and licked his dry lips.

    "Are you sure about this?"

    Changing Star did not spare him a look and simply nodded. Despite the fact that the rising black water was quickly approaching them, her face was calm and composed.

    A moment later, the last vestiges of sunlight disappeared, leaving them in utter darkness. The silence that surrounded them was broken only by the sound of waves rushing against the walls of the canyon.

    Getting closer and closer.

    ��???? ??????? "Prepare yourselves."

    Sunny sighed.

    'Here we go.'

    Suddenly, a blinding burst of white light pierced the darkness. Holding the incandescent sword in her hand, Nephis closed her shining eyes for a second��

    And then raised the sword high above her head, as if calling the monsters of the depths to come take her.

 Chapter 227 Comparatively Safe

    Chapter 227 Comparatively Safe

    The embrace of impenetrable darkness was broken by the furious white light of Changing Star's incandescent sword. Illuminated by it, six people were standing on the shore of a raging river. Their faces were pale and grim.

    The canyon had disappeared, consumed by the rising surge of the black water. Now, the cursed sea was flowing over its edges, ready to swell and flood the narrow passages of the great Labyrinth in an unstoppable wave.

    Sunny felt cold water wash over his feet and shivered. The rest of the cohort reacted exactly the same �� even Kai, who could escape into the lightless skies at any moment, seemed to be deeply unnerved by the closeness of the encroaching sea.

    Among the six of them, only three had truly experienced the perils of this dark abyss. They knew that the real dread came not from the sea itself, but from the terrors that hid in its cursed depths.

    Like the host of the of whispering voices that they had heard beneath the branches of the Soul Tree.

    Or the gargantuan creature that had almost cost Nephis her life.

    However, Sunny was not going to make a remark to educate the rest of the cohort. After all, what they were trying to do right now was to summon one of these terrors from below.

    One that was different from all the others.

    "Sunny?"

    Peering into the darkness, he lingered.

    "I don't see anything�� yet."

    The water was already to his shins and rising swiftly. Sunny grimaced and struggled with the desire to turn around and run away without looking back.

    If he was fast enough�� if he was lucky enough�� he could still make it to the giant statue before the torrent of darkness drowned him under its crushing weight.

    Instead, Sunny glanced at Nephis and Cassie.

    The blind girl had glimpsed this secret of the Forgotten Shore in her visions and shared it with Changing Star. Changing Star had devised a plan to make use of it.

    Both of them were confident that they were going to succeed. So, he was going to be confident, too.

    Sunny didn't fully trust either of his former companions, not anymore. But he trusted their judgment.

    ��Just as that thought appeared in his mind, there was a subtle movement at the edges of his vision. Turning his head, Sunny stared into the darkness�� and trembled.

    "...It's here."

    Out there in the distance, a massive shape was moving through the waves, attracted by the light of Changing Star's incandescent blade. The sea seethed and swirled around it, the black mass of water easily pushed away by the approaching creature.

    Nephis gritted her teeth and somehow made her flames burn even brighter, forcing the darkness to retreat another dozen steps.

    "Get ready!"

    A few moments later, the furious sounds of a massive body moving through the dark water reached their ears. The creature was a true giant, easily towering above the waves even though it was walking on the bottom of the canyon.

    ��Well, no surprise.

    Full of terror and awe, Sunny watched as the thing they were waiting for came closer. Soon, he could discern the general shape of it.

    Two hills that rose above water were its shoulders. And right between them, where the head should have been��

    There was nothing but emptiness.

    There were seven headless statues on the Forgotten Shore, but only six marks on the map created by Nephis. Not because she had failed to learn of the seventh one��

    But because the seventh statue never stayed in one place for too long.

    And now, that stone colossus was walking through the flooded canyon, his shoulder scraping against one of its walls. The wide chest of the headless giant pushed the water away, creating whirlpools in his wake.

    Raising one colossal arm, the statue easily destroyed the protruding remnants of the ancient bridge that got in its way. The debris rained into the black waves, disappearing into them without a trace.

    This�� this was their fast and safe �� comparatively �� method of traveling to the edges of the Forgotten Shore.

    'Truly insane,' Sunny thought, stunned by the sheer scale of everything that was happening.

    Come to think of it, it was really ironic. The next day after he had decided to return to some semblance of sanity, something this crazy was about to transpire.

    It was as though the whole world was mocking him.

    Shaking his head, Sunny turned to the cohort and yelled:

    "He's coming!"

    The black water was already to their knees. The members of the cohort tensed and prepared themselves for what was about to come.

    They only had one chance to do this. Failure meant death.

    A few moments later, the massive shape of the stone colossus entered the circle of light created by Nephis. Its shoulders rose above the waves, close enough to the now invisible shore of the flooded canyon for them to see every tiny crack on the surface of the weathered stone.

    Now wasting any time, Changing Star ran forward and jumped. A moment later, the blade of her sword hit the surface of the statue and slid deep into it, as if melting the ancient stone. Using the sword as purchase, Nephis started to climb to the giant's shoulder.

    The other members of the cohort were following closely behind her. Kai was carrying Cassie in his arms, flying to the top of the colossus with no problem at all. Caster seemed to simply disappear and appear a moment later on the giant's shoulder, standing side by side with Changing Star.

    ��Only Sunny was having trouble. With him not being very tall and the water level rising with each second, he found it hard to gain enough momentum for a proper jump.

    'Damn... how irritating...'

    However, before he could come up with a solution, Effie simply grabbed him by the collar�� and tossed Sunny into the air.

    'W��what?!'

    For a few short moments, Sunny was flying. All he could hear was wind whistling in his ears.

    Then, he landed on top of the giant statue, rolled, and barely prevented himself from falling back into the cold embrace of the dark sea. Before he could even stand up, the mighty huntress landed near him and grinned.

    "Such a light��"

    However, before she could finish the phrase, the stone colossus moved, making everyone stumble and fall.

    Leaving the ruins of the bridge behind, he turned around and indifferently began walking away from it.

    He was walking south.

 Chapter 228 Crossing the Canyon

    Chapter 228 Crossing the Canyon

    The stone colossus wandered the Forgotten Shore aimlessly for thousands of years. Cassie did not know what power had brought him to life, nor what he was searching for in the depths of the dark sea.

    She had seen a vision of the headless giant passing the ruins of the ancient bridge on a certain day and then traveling south to the very edges of this desolate land. She also knew that the leader of the cohort that had conquered the Bright Castle pursued the seventh statue across the Labyrinth for a long time before leaving on his doomed journey.

    His reasons for doing so were, presumably, unknown.

    Sunny wasn't sure that the blind girl had told him the whole truth about the wandering colossus. In fact, he was certain that there was a deeper layer of secrets surrounding the seven ancient statues and their importance to the riddle of the Forgotten Shore.

    However, he was in no hurry to hunt these secrets down. Sunny knew that all three of them �� Nephis, Cassie, and himself �� were bound together to this cursed place. The strings of fate were wrapped around them tightly, stretching far into the future, where the final revelations waited. He was going to learn the truth sooner or later.

    Until then, Sunny was content knowing no more than he needed to know.

    ��The stone giant walked across the dark sea, cutting its surface with his wide chest. The six humans were gathered on the circular platform of his severed neck, pressing themselves against the swaying stone. The cold water was spraying into their faces and the furious winds were threatening to throw them off the moving statue into the deadly waves below.

    Nephis had long extinguished her flames, so they were surrounded by absolute darkness. Sunny was the only one who could see what was happening around them, so his role was to serve as the eyes of the cohort.

    Using the strength of the shadow to hold onto the slippery stones, he looked forward with a grim expression on his face.

    Currently, there was only one thought on his mind.

    Were they going to make it in time?

    The colossus was swiftly approaching the other side of the canyon. Sunny could identify it by the remnants of the ancient bridge that were still above the turbulent black waves. However, the water level was rising much faster.

    "Sunny?!"

    Looking toward Effie, who called out his name, he lingered for a few moments and then yelled:

    "Prepare yourself! We're going to be underwater for a couple of minutes, at least!"

    A chorus of curses served as the answer.

    Unseen by anyone, Sunny smiled darkly.

    This was going to be his second time diving into the dark sea. Wasn't this how Gunlaug had begun his journey to the throne of the Dark City?

    Maybe Sunny would be a king himself, one day.

    "...Now!"

    The black water rose higher and higher. The shoulders of the giant were already submerged in its lightless depths. The circular platform was going to be next.

    They were so close to the shore��

    As the stone colossus moved across the bottom of the canyon, the platform rose and fell. After another fall, it was finally lost beneath the waves.

    The cold, salty water crashed into them and then swallowed the entire world. The members of the cohort desperately held onto the cracks in the stone, trying to prevent themselves from being washed away by the raging current.

    No one would be able to save them if they were.

    Sunny closed his eyes, knowing that he would not be able to see anything through the impenetrable darkness of the cursed sea. Instead, he relied on his Shadow Sense, hoping that it was going to help him feel if something approached them from the depths.

    Now, all Sunny had to do was hold tight and hope that the headless giant would reach the shore of the canyon before he ran out of breath.

    Thankfully, everyone present was strong and powerful. Their physical form was either at the pinnacle of human ability or slightly above it. Several minutes underwater were not going to kill them�� most likely.

    Placating himself with this thought, Sunny waited, and waited, and waited, struggling against the terrible current with all his strength. At some point, he thought that he sensed an unclear shape swim close to the walking statue, but then the sensation disappeared.

    'Any second now�� any second��'

    But the relief he was so desperately waiting for was not coming for far longer than Sunny had expected. Soon, his lungs began to burn, and his muscles began to spasm.

    'Damnation��'

    If he was having trouble, then others must have been in far worse shape. After all, oxygen traveled through human bodies with blood, and their blood had not been altered and comprehensively enhanced by the forbidden legacy of the mysterious Weaver.

    Just as he thought so, Sunny felt one of the six shadows slipping from the circular platform.

    It was Kai��

    'Crap!'

    Fortunately, before the colossus plunged into the dark depths, the charming archer had been worried about Cassie and tied himself to her with the help of the golden rope. Surprisingly, the blind girl turned out to be more resilient than him in the end. Now, she was holding both of their weights, desperately grabbing onto a narrow crack in the ancient stone.

    Kai's unconscious body was floating a few meters behind her. He was safe, for now.

    But how long would Cassie herself be able to hold on?

    ��When Sunny felt his mind weakening, his body was suddenly slammed into the platform with tremendous force.

    The stone giant was climbing out of the canyon. His massive hands grabbed onto the edge of it, and with one devastating pull, the colossus threw himself upward.

    'Ugh�� curse it!'

    Sunny felt as though he was aboard the worst amusement ride in human history. His bones groaned, being pressed down upon by an invisible weight.

    A few moments of this torture, and they were above water once again.

    Desperately grasping for air, Sunny inhaled several times and then weekly looked at the unconscious form of Kai. Crawling toward the archer, he grabbed him and dragged the body back to the rest of the group.

    Entrusting him to Cassie, Sunny looked down at the dark water below�� and suddenly growled in a low voice.

    Turning her head, Nephis asked with a deep frown on her pale face:

    "Sunny? What is it?"

    Looking at the torso of the giant statue, he gritted his teeth and lingered for a few moments before answering.

    Then, in a voice that was dreadfully grim, Sunny said:

    "...We have a passenger."

 Chapter 229 The Passenger

    Chapter 229 The Passenger

    The colossus rose from beneath the turbulent waves, rivers of black water streaming down his stone body. Now that the walking statue had climbed out of the canyon, the cursed sea was barely up to its abdomen�� for the moment.

    Once the dark waters reached higher, the giant would be submerged in them up to his shoulders once again.

    Sunny had to get rid of the unwelcomed passenger until then.

    Far below, flattened against the chest of the colossus, a strange creature had attached itself to the ancient statue. It looked like a cross between a translucent jellyfish and an eel. However, Sunny could see a deformed skeleton of a giant humanoid being trapped within the transparent flesh of the repulsive abomination.

    ? ?? ??-?? ???. ??? He shivered.

    Compared to the stone giant, the eel looked rather small�� however, this was just an illusion. Really, the creature was as large as a train. Its jaws were full of sharp fangs and wide enough to swallow a human whole.

    'Curses.'

    If there was one good thing about the situation, it was that the eel did not seem to be a Corrupted Nightmare Creature, but merely a Fallen one. Perhaps it survived in the cursed sea by attaching itself to the true terrors of the depths and feeding off the remains of their prey.

    As soon as Nephis spoke, Sunny noticed long feelers of the creature tremble and move, as though reacting to the sudden sound. The eel turned its head slightly in their direction.

    When he answered, the feelers rippled once again, and the monstrosity turned its head once more, this time staring directly at Sunny.

    'Crap��'

    A moment later, translucent tentacles appeared from beneath the abomination's body and shot up, finding cracks in the weathered stone and pulling it toward the neck of the colossus.

    ��Where the cohort was.

    Changing Star must have felt something, because tiny white sparks suddenly ignited in the depths of her eyes.

    Sunny put a hand on her shoulder and shook his head.

    "Don't."

    Stone giant or not, lighting a beacon in the middle of the cursed sea was not the best of ideas. Now that it had escaped the confines of the canyon, the real horrors were out and about. Just like the cohort had discussed before, light was their last resort, something they would summon only if the moment came where there was no other choice but for all of them to fight.

    And whether Sunny liked it or not, that moment was not upon them yet.

    With a reluctant scowl, he turned away and said:

    "I'll handle it."

    ��The giant eel was his problem to solve.

    'Yeah, that's great and all. But how the Spell am I supposed to get rid of this thing?'

    Looking down, Sunny calculated that he had a dozen or so seconds left before it was time to act. The repulsive abomination was slowly crawling toward them, scaling the torso of the giant statue at a disturbingly steady pace.

    'Think, think��'

    Several seconds later, Sunny approached Effie and kneeled by her side. Taking the huntress by the hand, he put something into her palm and said:

    "Do you feel the colossus moving up and down? That's his steps. I need you to start counting them. If I'm not back after thirty steps, throw the thing I gave you in that direction as hard as you can. Alright?"

    Effie gave him a nod. Her usual humor was gone, replaced by grim determination.

    "Good. Well�� wish me luck."

    The huntress lingered for a moment and then said:

    "Good luck."

    When he was ready to walk away, she suddenly gripped his arm.

    Sunny stopped and raised an eyebrow.

    "What?"

    Effie hesitated before speaking.

    "Listen, Sunny�� if�� if you die�� I can have your soul shards, right?"

    He stared at her for a second, his face twitching.

    'This wench!'

    "Absolutely not! If I die, all my shards are to be thrown into the sea. No one is to get anything, understand?"

    With that, he left the cohort behind and walked to the edge of the swaying stone platform.

    '...Here goes nothing.'

    Jumping dowm, Sunny slid to the giant's shoulder and caught himself from falling all the way into the raging waves by grabbing onto a crack in the stone. To his right, the shoulder was slowly moving as the colossus swung his hand. To his left, a curved path of stone led all the way across the chest of the statue to its other shoulder.

    This curving path was, in fact, the collar of the giant's tunic, carved masterfully from stone by the unknown sculptor. Stepping on it, Sunny struggled to keep his balance on the swaying slippery surface and hurried forward.

    Soon, he was directly above the climbing eel. The abomination was already close, allowing Sunny to discern every repugnant detail of its translucent, giant body.

    'What the hell. Why does everything have to be so disgusting?'

    A moment later, he sighed.

    'Let's�� try this.'

    Summoning the Prowling Thorn, Sunny gritted his teeth and cut his forearm, smearing some blood on the blade of the kunai. Then, he used all the strength he had in his body to hurl the dagger down.

    The Prowling Thorn spun in the air and hit the giant eel right in the place where its eye should have been. Sunny did not notice any visual organs on the creature's body, but on the deformed humanoid skull hiding beneath the flesh, that's where the eye socket was.

    The kunai wedged itself deep into the monster's head, causing a small fountain of crimson blood to erupt upward. Of course, such a tiny wound was nothing for a creature of this size. For a moment, everything became silent.

    ��Then, hundreds of slender tentacles suddenly exploded from the eel's flesh and shoot in Sunny's direction in a chaotic, slithering mass of translucent flesh.

    'Damn it!'

    Forced to dismiss the Prowling Thorn to avoid being thrown off the ledge, Sunny lunged forward. A moment later, the tentacles reached his previous position and crashed into the stone, sending shards flying into the air.

    Sunny kept running, knowing that the tentacles were just a second away from piercing him. The sounds of breaking stone were thundering just behind his back, getting closer and closer with each moment. The Prowling Thorn appeared in his hand one again.

    Reaching the end of the path and with nowhere left to run, Sunny cursed�� and jumped straight into the darkness.

 Chapter 230 Precarious Battle

    Chapter 230 Precarious Battle

    The eel tried to catch him, but was a second too late.

    "Crap!"

    Falling toward the dark waves, Sunny threw the kunai in the direction of the stone giant's hand.

    Instead of a weapon, the colossus was holding a tool that resembled a mason's hammer. The kunai curved in the air and wrapped the invisible string around its shaft.

    'This is going to hurt!'

    Sunny plunged into the darkness. A moment later, the string drew taut, and he found himself swinging through the air at a terrible speed. Flying underneath the colossal stone fist, he almost touched the black water with his feet, but then the inertia pulled him up and away.

    After a few seconds of weightlessness, Sunny landed on the hammer's head and let out a shaky breath. Without wasting any time, he dislodged the Prowling Thorn and pulled it into his hand, then wedged the dagger in a narrow crack on the surface of the giant hammer.

    Landing on it was one thing. Staying here, though�� that was something else entirely.

    The colossus was swinging his arms as he walked, so Sunny basically found himself on top of a giant pendulum. Not only was the hammer swaying back and forth, but the angle of the surface he was standing on also constantly changed, making it hard not to fly off or slid into the raging sea.

    Almost kneeling, Sunny held onto the kunai and tried to keep himself from falling. Then, his face pale and grim, he looked up and glanced at the eel.

    "I'm right here, you slimy worm!"

    The abomination lingered for a few moments, considering whether it should continue to climb up or follow the sound made by the prey. Finally, it twisted its long, repulsive body and slid over the shoulder of the giant, crawling down his arm.

    Toward Sunny.

    'Come on, come on!'

    He was hoping that his blood will have the same effect on the giant eel as it had on the Corpse Eater. Both were, presumably, Fallen creatures. If one was poisoned to death by Blood Weave, why couldn't the other?

    Sunny had not cut himself with the Prowling Thorn for the fun of it.

    ��Sadly, his blood seemed to have no effect on the eel whatsoever. The monster continued to pursue its prey without showing any signs of being poisoned.

    'So�� it's not poisonous, really. It just tore that leech from inside because the stupid thing swallowed a whole lot, and the Weave embued my blood with the odd quality of always being attracted back to the larger mass of it. The Corpse Eater's innards were in the way, so... Damn it!'

    His hopes of killing the eel were crushed. Now, Sunny was stuck on the swinging hammer, with his only path of escape blocked by the swiftly approaching abomination.

    "Damn it all!"

    Letting go of the kunai, Sunny summoned the Midnight Shard and slashed at the slender tentacle that approached him. Even enhanced by the shadow, the blade of the tachi failed to cut the flesh of the Fallen creature, and instead simply batted it away.

    'Not good, not good��'

    The eel had two types of tentacles. Some were thick, powerful, and few in number. These ones were used to push its massive body forward and hold onto the swinging arm of the colossus.

    The other tentacles were slender, long, and numerous. These were the ones that Sunny now had to dodge and fight against.

    The closer the eel got, the more tentacles assaulted Sunny from all sides. Dodging and deflecting them while maintaining his balance on the chaotically swinging hammer was an almost impossible task.

    Luckily, Sunny had practiced the firm battle style of the Stone Saint and incorporated it into his own technique. Its steadiness and indomitability were translated through grounded footwork, which allowed him to plant himself on the stone surface of the hammer and refuse to be thrown off or moved even by an inch.

    Between choking breaths, Sunny couldn't help but think that Nephis was right. The best fighters weren't those who were the strongest, but those who were the most adaptable.

    The foundational style he had learned from her had served him well on the streets of the Dark City. But if he had continued to follow it narrowly and neglected to add flexibility to his technique by incorporating the Stone Saint's style into it, he would be dead by now.

    The Dream Realm was wild, unpredictable, and often defied logic. It threw all kinds of horrors at those unfortunate enough to step foot inside its vast expanse. Take this situation, for example�� what kind of a person would imagine that, one day, they would have to fight a translucent eel the size of a train atop a walking stone colossus?

    Sunny certainly never expected to find himself in such a situation. Only a complete lunatic would.

    That's why adaptability was the most important trait an Awakened fighter could possess.

    ��But even though Sunny had taken all the right steps, the seconds he had left to live were numbered. The onslaught of the slender tentacles was already too much for him to handle. And they were only growing in number.

    'Twenty-eight.'

    With an inaudible sigh, Sunny allowed the shadow to slide off his body and rush toward the approaching eel. Instantly weakened, he gritted his teeth and tried to resist the attacking tentacles as best as he could.

    One of them hit against the blade of the Midnight Shard with tremendous force, sending it flying from his hand into the darkness of the night.

    The other hit him across the chest, causing Sunny to yelp in pain and roll back, almost sliding off the surface of the hammer. Catching himself at the last moment, he pushed away and rolled, barely avoiding being pierced through the chest by the third.

    He had nowhere to retreat anymore��

    But it was fine.

    'Twenty-nine.'

    Back at the circular platform, Effie strained her muscles and hurled the thing entrusted to her by Sunny into the air.

    It was the Ordinary Rock.

    Flying away, the Memory suddenly screamed:

    "Thirty steps!"

    Its loud scream caused the feelers on the eel's head to ripple. The giant creature suddenly turned its head in the direction of the noise, its terrifying maw opening in hunger.

    For a moment, it paid Sunny no attention.

    Its weight also shifted, leaning over the abyss of black water.

    Right then, a human shadow glided right in front of it, and two crimson eyes ignited in its depths. The Stone Saint stepped out of the shadow, which then instantly wrapped itself around the taciturn monster and filled her with immeasurable power.

    The Shadow's sword flashed.

    ? ?? ??-?? ???. ??? Sunny wasn't trying to kill the eel. Despite all of the Stone Saint's might, she was too weak to slay something that abominable.

    He just wanted to sever one of the main tentacles that supported most of the eel's weight.

    Augmented with the power of shadows, the stone knight easily cut into the flesh of the eel and sliced one of the thickest tentacles apart. Losing its purchase, the repulsive creature shuddered�� and slid helplessly from the swinging arm of the colossus, falling into the turbulent black waves with a splash.

    Then, it was gone, pulled away by the strong current.

    Sunny fell to his knees and drew in a deep breath.

    Then, he said in a cold, raspy voice:

    "This ride ain't free, bastard. Next time, buy a ticket."

 Chapter 231 Stone Giant

    Chapter 231 Stone Giant

    Sunny remained on the swinging hammer of the colossus for a while, resting and trying to catch his breath. However, very soon, the dark sea rose high enough to make his position perilous.

    With a deep sigh, he stood up and dislodged the Prowling Thorn from the stones. Waiting for the colossus to raise his hand, Sunny jumped down. The wind whistled in his ears, and a few moments later, he landed on the wrist of the giant in a roll. As soon as Sunny got back to his feet, the stone surface beneath plummeted down.

    Thrusting the kunai in another crack, he gritted his teeth and held on to his dear life. Soon, the ground he was standing on sloped down, and then turned into a vertical wall, with nothing but the dark abyss of the cursed sea visible below. Hanging off that wall, Sunny cursed and waited for the colossus to bring his arm back up.

    When it finally happened, Sunny immediately dashed forward. He had several precious seconds before the pendulum swung again, and had to cover as much distance as possible with each swing of the giant's arm.

    Too slow, and the cursed sea would catch up to him.

    The closer he got to the elbow of the walking statue, the more inclined his path was. Eventually, Sunny had to climb instead of run. His hands were tired from fighting and supporting his weight, but he stubbornly continued moving forward and up.

    Once Sunny reached the elbow and climbed higher, the amplitude of the swinging reduced considerably. Now he just had to scale the vertical wall and reach the shoulder of the giant.

    Climbing the slippery stone was not easy, but he had gotten used to such tasks a long time ago. In any case, it was way better than that time Sunny had to race against the rising sea during a furious storm, only to get swept away by the black water and be saved by Nephis at the last moment.

    This time, at least, he didn't need her to save his life.

    That would be embarrassing...

    Some time later, Sunny climbed over the edge of the circular platform, crawled to its center, and sprawled beside the other members of the cohort, who were waiting for his return with tense expressions on their faces.

    "Sunny? Are you alright?"

    ? ?? ??-?? ???. ??? Kai was back to his senses, looking a little bit disheveled, but still ridiculously gorgeous. Sunny stared at him in dismay, then sighed.

    "...I'm alive."

    A short while later, Nephis called out to him:

    "What were you fighting?"

    Sunny grimaced.

    "A big ugly worm. I threw him back into the water."

    With that, he reluctantly sat up and looked at the surface of the dark sea, which was already flowing over the shoulders of the stone giant.

    Its surface was black and tranquil. No one was pursuing them, it seemed.

    "It's gone now, so rest up. I'll keep watch."

    ***

    He stayed awake until the break of dawn and then woke the members of the cohort. When they rose to their feet, Sunny lay down on the cold stone and tiredly closed his eyes.

    Yesterday, he had thought that he would not be able to fall asleep atop the walking stone giant. However, Sunny had underestimated how exhausting this long night would end up being. Even the body of a powerful Sleeper needed rest.

    Actually, the swinging of the stone platform was sort of soothing. Soon, he was fast asleep.

    ��When Sunny woke up, the sun was already high in the sky. Yawning, he sat up, summoned the Endless Spring and greedily drank some water. Someone had left a plate of food near him, so without thinking too much, Sunny picked it up and had himself a late breakfast.

    'Ah, that hits the spot.'

    Recognizing the taste of Neph's cooking, he glanced at their intrepid leader and smiled.

    It was nice to laze around while others were working.

    While Sunny was sleeping, the stone platform had transformed. Plates of iron stripped of the abominable spiders and stored in Effie's bag were inserted around its perimeter, with the golden rope strung between them as an improvised railing. More of these plates were shaped into makeshift rods and placed in the center to serve as throwing spears in case the cohort was attacked from the air.

    Currently, Kai and Effie were building additional battlements on the left shoulder of the giant while Nephis observed their progress from above.

    They were taking no chances. A trip through the Labyrinth, no matter how fantastical, was still full of danger. It was better to be safe than sorry.

    Sunny scoffed.

    'So much work. What's the wors�� uh, no. I'm not going to finish that thought. No thanks!'

    On the stone beside him, the shadow applauded sarcastically.

    Shaking his head, Sunny finished his food in silence and moved to the edge of the platform to look down at the vista of the Forgotten Shore.

    Far below, the landscape of the Labyrinth was slowly moving past them. The stone giant was marching south, indifferently crushing mountains of crimson coral under his feet with each step. The view was simultaneously hypnotic and depressing.

    In every direction, as far away as Sunny could see, there was nothing but red coral, with rare heights protruding from it into the grey skies here and there. The Forgotten Shore was truly vast.

    And every inch of it was full of unspeakable dangers.

    Not too far from him, Caster was also busy studying the landscape. However, his interest wasn't purely idle. Changing Star's map was on the stones beside him, and the proud Legacy was drawing new marks on it from time to time.

    Sunny sighed.

    The cohort might have caught a ride on the shoulder of the stone giant to reach their destination at the edges of the Forgotten Shore, but they were going to have to walk all the way back to the Dark City by themselves.

    That was months of traveling through this treacherous hellscape, with nothing but their own strength and wit to keep them alive. The information Caster was putting on the map today was going to be priceless to them in the future.

    ��But that was a problem for tomorrow.

    Right now, Sunny deserved a little respite.

    Turning away from the handsome young man, he lowered his gaze and peered at the sights below.

    ...It was not every day that one got an opportunity to enjoy a beautiful view of hell.

 Chapter 232 Before The Storm

    Chapter 232 Before The Storm

    In the next few hours, Sunny did nothing but leisurely gaze at the vistas of the Labyrinth. While monotonous, they were still picturesque and breathtaking.

    ? ?? ??-?? ???. ??? The Forgotten Shore was a harrowing, but beautiful place. The somber grey sky and the black earth created a perfect backdrop for the vibrant crimson sea of twisting coral blades. Here and there, strange landmarks broke the dullness of the landscape, igniting the flames of curiosity in Sunny's heart.

    After all, he was nothing if not a passionate explorer.

    Provided, most of his explorations ended with something dying at the end of his blade. But still��

    Out there in the depths of the Labyrinth, Sunny saw many things that piqued his interest.

    The skeletal remains of colossal monsters, with signs of ferocious battles written in the marks on their bones. Broken wrecks of giant vessels, with terrible breaches in their mighty hulls. Abyssal chasms that were full of darkness and emptiness, leading into the depths of this cursed land where true horrors dwelt. And things he couldn't even describe, let alone identify.

    He even saw several vast ruins that must have been entire cities once. Now, only unclear shapes of magnificent buildings remained, overgrown with crimson coral and barely resembling anything made by a human hand.

    He didn't know if they had existed before or simultaneously with the Dark City. Regardless, it seemed that no other human settlement on the Forgotten Shore had withstood the curse of darkness as the cursed city had.

    They were all destroyed and devoured, first by the crimson coral, then by the ruthless flow of time. Now, no one was left to remember that these proud cities had ever existed.

    The seven heroes that created the Starlight Legion were described as those born in all-consuming darkness. That suggested that humans had resisted the curse for a while, at least. Maybe the Dark City was built long after the darkness had devoured this land, as the last sanctuary and fortress for those who remained.

    ��A lot of good had that done, in the end.

    His reverie was broken by Cassie, who suddenly turned south and frowned. Her quick movement drew everyone's attention.

    Sunny instantly had a bad feeling.

    Nephis turned to the blind girl and frowned.

    "Cassie? Do you feel something?"

    Cassia lingered for a few moments and then said, her voice uncertain:

    "I think�� I think a storm is coming."

    Sunny looked at the sky, which like always was covered in a grey veil of clouds. Nothing seemed to indicate that there was going to be a tempest turning it impenetrably dark and furious soon.

    But that was just how things worked on the Forgotten Shore. Storms came out of nowhere and destroyed everyone unfortunate enough to be caught in their murderous embrace.

    If Cassie said that she felt one approaching, then it was. Their oracle had a good track record of sensing such things.

    'Damn...'

    A storm meant that the cursed sea would rise from the depths earlier than usual. It also meant that there would be rain and lightning, which would make the behavior of the dwellers of the depths unpredictable.

    It also meant hurricane winds, and that was really bad news when you were stuck on a moving colossus two hundred meters above the ground.

    Nephis gritted her teeth.

    "You heard her. Prepare��"

    However, the blind girl interrupted her.

    "Wait. There is something else."

    Changing Star lingered for a moment, then asked:

    "You are sensing another threat?"

    Cassie scowled, then said in a strange tone.

    "No, not sensing. I just�� I can hear something strange. It's like a rustle."

    Everyone stared at her for a few seconds, trying to understand the meaning behind her words.

    Strangely, Kai was the first one to react. Suddenly pale, he spun around and summoned his bow. Before anyone could understand what was happening, something whistled in the air, and a dark shape forcefully crashed into the stone platform, smearing it with blood. A black arrow was protruding from its body.

    Sunny jumped out of the way and gasped, stunned by the force with which the monster impacted against the stone. It had to have been in a long dive before being pierced by Kai's arrow, mere moments away from snatching one of them away.

    The creature looked somewhat like a giant locust. Its body was covered in black chitin and comparatively small, no bigger than that of an adult human. Its wide wings were thin and transparent. As it convulsed in death throes, the wings moved, threatening to push the members of the cohort off of the platform. Nephis dashed forward, grabbed the disgusting creature and threw it down.

    Kai was already grabbing another arrow. There was an expression of panic on his face.

    Sunny blinked.

    'Why is he panicking? The monster is already��'

    As though hearing his thoughts, Kai glanced at the members of the cohort with wide eyes and yelled:

    "Swarms! These fiends hunt in swarms! Get ready!"

    Before he could finish, Sunny was already summoning the Midnight Shard and the Stone Saint.

    '...dead!'

    By now, everyone could hear the rustling sound Cassie had told them about. It seemed to be coming from nowhere, surrounding them like a wave. For a few moments, nothing happened. The members of the cohort tensely stared up, wai��

    Suddenly, a black dot appeared in the grey clouds and swiftly fell down, covering the distance to the neck of the colossus almost instantly. Before it could attack, though, Effie's spear collided with it. The giant locust practically exploded, sending a rain of blood splattering against the stone back of the colossus.

    But by the time the huntress dismissed her spear and before she had the time to summon it again, there was another dot, and another, and another��

    Kai shot one more creature out of the air, while Caster used a strange sling he summoned from his Soul Sea to break the wings of another. Nephis raised her sword and yelled:

    "Cassie! Wind!"

    Flinching, the blind girl began to call upon her wooden staff.

    While white sparks of light were still weaving the shape of it in her hands, the Quiet Dancer flew out of its scabbard by itself and flashed into the air, piercing an approaching locust clean through.

    A few moments later, a powerful gale shot from the wooden staff into the skies, slowing the attacking locusts down and sending them staggering.

    One of these stragglers somehow managed to land on the platform and immediately jumped at Sunny.

    Changing his stance on the fly, Sunny slashed with his sword, decapitating the repulsive creature.

    However, because of the inertia, the massive body continued to move forward, slamming into him at great speed.

    With a curse, Sunny flew back and fell over the railing. Sliding on the stone, he rolled down to the stone giant's shoulder and caught himself on the part of the defensive fence built by Effie and Kai. Then, he stood up and spat a mouthful of blood.

    A moment later, Sunny froze, his eyes widening.

    Because of the tumble, he accidentally looked down to the ground. What he saw there made him shiver.

    ...Numerous dark shapes were appearing from the Labyrinth and jumping at the colossus, swiftly climbing up his giant stone body.

 Chapter 233 Swarm

    Chapter 233 Swarm

    As the members of the cohort killed several giant locusts, their repulsive black bodies fell to the ground, raining blood on the walking colossus and the crimson coral of the Labyrinth.

    As soon as their corpses hit the ground, it suddenly moved. Dark figures appeared from beneath the mud, rushing at the dead locusts to devour them. Hundreds of monsters were suddenly competing for the few scraps of meat. After several bloody fights broke out and the winners were decided, those who had not gotten to satiate their hunger turned their heads and followed the smell of blood.

    ��Right back to the moving stone giant.

    Looking down with dark resentment, Sunny saw numerous creatures jumping at the legs of the walking statue from the mounds of coral and quickly climbing up. They were headed right to where the cohort was being besieged by the swarm of winged abominations.

    He couldn't see the shape of them clearly, but there was no doubt that these monsters were bad news.

    'Damnation��'

    [...slain an awakened beast, Flesh Reaver.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Turning around, Sunny summoned the Prowling Thorn and hurled it upward. A moment later, using the invisible string as support, he was flying through the air. Grabbing onto the edge of the circular platform, he hoisted himself up and once again faced the carnage.

    The kunai flashed, cutting the wing of one of the locusts clean off. Suddenly crippled, the creature toppled and plummeted down, no doubt to be devoured by the horde of Nightmare Creatures approaching from below.

    The battle with the swarm was not going too great for the cohort. The turbulent winds summoned by Cassie's staff bought them some breathing room by making it hard for the locusts to approach the platform at high speed, but there were just too many of them.

    Kai was setting one arrow after another loose. After that one first shot, he had not used the Blood Arrow, choosing instead to rely on his mundane ones. In the chaotic mess of this sudden battle, it was too easy to miss. Plus, he didn't need a lot of power to deliver debilitating wounds to the locusts.

    They were basically skewering themselves on the arrows themselves by diving from the skies with incredible speed. Still, the abominable reavers were awakened beasts. It wasn't easy for a Sleeper to kill one with just a single shot.

    Just as Sunny grabbed the kunai and spun to avoid a glancing blow from one of the creatures, another one landed on the platform. Two arrows were sticking from its cracked chitin, but the locust was still alive.

    ��Not for long, though.

    Just a moment after the repulsive bug landed, Neph's sword flashed through the air, slicing it in half. Sending the mangled body off the platform with a powerful kick, Changing Star turned to Kai and yelled:

    "Don't try to kill them! Break their wings!"

    With a sudden light of understanding in his eyes, the archer changed his approach.

    Indeed, that made sense. The members of the cohort didn't need to slay the locusts. They just needed to make it so the flying scourges weren't able to reach the stone platform.

    Effie, meanwhile, did not need this advice. Everything she hit simply exploded into a disgusting puddle of bloody goo.

    The problem the huntress faced was that there was no powerful range weapon she could use. Her beautiful spear was not really suited to be thrown that often.

    The Memories were created from soul essence. Once a Memory was dismissed, that essence returned to the core of the Awakened that had summoned it. However, if it was too far away from them, the essence was simply wasted �� unless the Memory had a special enchantment like that of the Blood Arrow.

    The essence wasn't lost forever, as it would slowly accumulate inside the soul core until the peak capacity was reached once again. But this process took time, so one could not endlessly throw their Memories at the enemy during a battle. Especially not once they reached a rank where managing one's soul essence was of higher importance.

    Effie had not reached such a rank yet, but she was still limited by that principle. That's why she resorted to using makeshift darts fashioned out of plates of spider iron. There wasn't much of them left, however. Once the last dart was gone, she would have to either exhaust her pool of soul essence or risk fighting the attacking locusts in melee.

    Just like the Stone Saint was doing right now. As Sunny rushed toward Nephis, he noticed the Shadow lowering her shoulder and raising her shield. In the next moment, one of the repulsive creatures crashed into it at full speed�� and simply crumbled, black blood exploding into the air through the cracks in the shattered chitin.

    [You have slain��]

    The huntress, however, did not have the benefit of weighing a literal ton. Despite her graceful appearance, the Saint was made out of stone, and stone was much heavier than flesh. It was also much harder to rip and slice apart. Once Effie was forced to fight the locusts with nothing but her spear and shield, her life would be in real danger.

    'Curses, curses, curse it all!'

    Swiftly approaching Changing Star, Sunny kicked a disgusting piece of a killed creature off the platform and yelled:

    "We have a problem!"

    Nephis sharply looked at him and scowled.

    "What?"

    ? ?? ??-??? ??, ??? Sunny hesitated for a moment, and then gestured down.

    "There's a couple of hundred Labyrinth creatures crawling all over the colossus. They'll be here pretty soon!"

    Nephis gritted her teeth, then glanced at the members of the cohort.

    Cassie was holding the wooden staff, sending powerful bursts of wind into the sky to slow down the attacking swarm. The Quiet Dancer was flashing through the air, protecting her from the locusts to the best of its ability. Caster was spinning his strange sling, aiming at the wings of the repulsive creatures. His face was calm and grim.

    Everyone was barely holding on and one mistake away from death.

    With a dark look in her cold grey eyes, Nephis looked at Sunny. Then, she said:

    "...Come with me, then."

 Chapter 234 Horde

    Chapter 234 Horde

    Briefly giving Caster a few instructions, Nephis walked over to the edge of the platform and looked down. When she saw the numerous creatures climbing the stone giant, a grim expression appeared on her face.

    Sunny weighed the Prowling Thorn in his hand and asked:

    "So, what's the plan?"

    Changing Star glanced at him and smiled darkly.

    "What else? Kill as many as you can."

    With that, she jumped down and landed softly on the shoulder of the colossus. With a sigh, Sunny followed.

    'Figures!'

    A moment later, they separated. Nephis dashed to the opposite side of the moving statue, running on the wide stone path of its collar. She was going to try and deal with those creatures that were climbing the front and the left side of the giant.

    Sunny was going to have to stop those coming from the right and the back. He wasn't sure that just two of them were going to be enough to cover all that space, but they didn't have a lot of choices.

    Sunny and Nephis at least had the high ground advantage against the enemy. Those fighting against the swarm of monstrous locusts, however, did not. The cohort couldn't spare anyone else for this task.

    Looking down, he was finally able to discern the shape of the attacking Labyrinth dwellers. They looked like massive primates covered in dirty, grey fur. Their arms were strong and muscular, easily pulling their heavy bodies up the ancient stone surface. Each had a mouth full of sharp teeth, with two curved tusks protruding from it, as long as daggers.

    The most disturbing fact about these beasts was that there were crimson flowers growing from within the bloody gaps in their flesh. Some even had pale stems slithering from one eye socket to another. With a shiver, Sunny realized that this tribe of Nightmare Creatures were simply hosts for a different, much more terrifying one.

    The primates were nothing but meat puppets for those ghoulish flowers.

    'Oh gods��'

    Summoning the Ordinary Rock, Sunny wrapped his body in the shadow, strained his muscles, and threw it down as hard as he could. The small rock plunged through the air and collided with one of the creatures far below, hitting it right in the forehead and splitting its rotten skull apart.

    Not paying any attention to the fact that half of its head was missing, the primate continued climbing up.

    Sunny gritted his teeth and dismissed the rock.

    '...Just as I thought.'

    Nothing could ever be simple on the Forgotten Shore. The cohort would never be just attacked by a swarm of flying abominations. There had to be a horde of monstrous primates attacking them from the ground, too! And gods forbid those powerful beasts were not parasitized by even more ghastly horrors.

    'At least their bodies are not so tough due to their partially decomposed state.'

    That was something he could work with��

    Just as the first primate climbed into the range of the Prowling Thorn, something thundered above Sunny, and in the next moment, he was doused from head to toe in fetid black blood. A mangled corpse of a giant locust flew past him and fell down.

    Sunny frozen for a second, then growled.

    'I am a walking target now, aren't I? Well�� great! Let them come! The more, the merrier!'

    ***

    Extending the invisible string to its maximum length, Sunny aimed and hurled the kunai down. He guided it by ever so slightly pulling on the string.

    The dagger flashed through the air and spun, drawing a curved path. A few moments later, it cut across the wrist of one of the menacing primates, cleanly severing its hand.

    Suddenly losing purchase, the beast instantly fell down. After plummeting from the deadly height, it hit the crimson corals below and practically exploded into bloody chunks.

    Sunny listened to the emptiness, a tense expression on his face.

    [You have slain an awakened monster, Blood Flower.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    A relieved expression appeared on his face. At least these things weren't indestructible��

    Raising a hand, he caught the returning kunai and instantly threw it again.

    There wasn't much time left.

    Countless beasts were climbing up the stone body of the ancient colossus, covering a frightening amount of distance with each second. He had to slaughter as many of them as he could before they reached the battlement constructed on the giant's shoulder, or else they were going to rip him apart.

    In the next few minutes, Sunny did nothing but control the Prowling Thorn as it flew through the air, cutting through flesh and bone alike. The heavy kunai never stayed in his hand for more than a second, reaping a bountiful harvest of lives.

    More than a dozen beasts �� those who were ahead of the approaching horde �� were thrown off the statue and fell to their deaths, rewarding Sunny with an enviable amount of shadow fragments.

    However, he was still too slow. Sunny had to be both swift and precise when throwing the dagger, lest he wanted to be pulled off the giant's swaying shoulder himself. What's worse, he had to constantly pay attention to the sky and dodge the attacking locusts when they dove from above to devour him.

    The horde of terrible beasts was getting closer and closer, their arrival as inevitable as it would be fatal.

    The situation got even worse when another group of them reached the gargantuan statue's back. Now, Sunny not only had to deal with the monsters climbing its side, but also rush from his perch on the shoulder of the steadily moving colossus to the treacherous path of his collar to prevent the fastest climbers from reaching too high.

    'Bad, bad, this is bad��'

    Covered in blood and with his muscles burning, Sunny continued to slaughter the ghastly beasts as fast as he could.

    But he wasn't fast enough.

    At some point, Sunny realized that the climbing monstrosities were now mere meters away from him. He could see every disturbing detail of their rotting bodies, with strangely graceful flowers growing from the bloody gaps. Their crimson petals trembled as they smelled prey.

    Suddenly, one of the primates strained its powerful legs and jumped into the air, instantly covering the remaining distance to Sunny's position. Before it could land, however, the Midnight Shard slashed the creature across its massive body, cutting it apart.

    ��What flowed out of the terrible wound, however, was not blood, but a vast cloud of red pollen.

    Before Sunny could register the fact, he had already breathed in a whole lungful of it.

    His eyes widened.

    'Oh... oh no! This is not good!'

 Chapter 235 Flower Boy

    Chapter 235 Flower Boy

    As the red pollen settled in his lungs, Sunny suddenly sensed something subtly moving inside them. Then, a wave of excruciating pain pierced his chest. With a loud scream, he fell to his knees and grabbed at the Puppeteer's Shroud. A stream of blood escaped from his mouth and splashed on the ancient stone.

    In it, tiny blooms were sprouting roots, greedily drinking the crimson liquid and growing with visible speed.

    Looking at them with dark resentment, Sunny gritted his teeth and slowly stood up.

    By the time he straightened his back, the pain had subsided a little. The bloodthirsty flowers were already turning black and dying, destroyed by the odd blessing of the Blood Weave.

    The insidious Nightmare Creature tried to devour him from inside, but really, it just signed its own death sentence. In a few short minutes, it would be destroyed completely by the furnace of his tenacious body.

    And even if some part of it survived, Neph's purifying flames were going to finish the job.

    ��Until then, he would just have to endure this torture.

    "Come... come closer, you bastards!"

    As the Midnight Shard appeared in his hands, another monster was already climbing onto the shoulder of the walking colossus.

    Lunging forward, Sunny brandished his sword and decapitated the foul creature, then kicked it in the chest to send it flying down. A moment later, he jumped back, narrowly avoiding being grabbed by another primate.

    Before the beast could even react, the razor-sharp tachi flashed across its body, severing both of its arms.

    More red pollen burst into the air. Holding his breath, Sunny shifted his stance and attacked once again in one swift, fluid motion. The Midnight Shard pierced the knee of the massive primate, making it topple.

    The creature wasn't dead, but any kind of mobility it once had was pretty much gone.

    'Good enough��'

    But it didn't really matter. Three other monsters were already there, ready to take the fallen creature's place. And a few seconds later, there was going to be even more of them, and then even more still �� until, eventually, Sunny was torn apart by the unstoppable flood of these harrowing fiends.

    He would have to think of something before that happened.

    'If only I could breathe��'

    Fighting through the excruciating pain that was tearing him from inside, Sunny grimaced and dashed forward to face the enemies.

    In the next minute or so, he forced himself to cut out all unnecessary thoughts, turning into a ruthless hurricane of steel. The Midnight Shard danced from one Nightmare Creature to another, piercing, slashing, and severing their rotting flesh. The air was soon obscured by a vast cloud of red pollen.

    At some point, Sunny gritted his teeth and disengaged from the fight, leaving a carpet of bleeding bodies in his wake. Launching himself back a few meters, he slid on the stone and left the cloud of red mist. Only then, finally, he allowed himself to draw in a deep breath.

    Sensing that their enemy was gone, the primates rushed forward. However, a moment later, something glistened in the mist, and a heavy triangular blade suddenly pierced the head of the leading creature.

    The Blood Flower did not react to its host being damaged and continued its lunge. But in the next second, the head of the monstrous ape was violently jerked backward, and, losing balance, it fell down.

    The string of the Prowling Thorn was coiled around the support pillars of the makeshift battlement, creating an invisible trap. By moving forward with the kunai still stuck in its skull, the unfortunate creature pulled the string taut, causing an invisible net to rise into the air. Entangled in it, half a dozen creatures tumbled to the ground, blocking the others from pursuing Sunny.

    Neither the battlement nor the invisible string were going to last long, but at least it bought him a few seconds.

    [You have slain an awakened monster, Blood Flower.]

    [Your shadow��]

    '...Finally.'

    The Nightmare Creature in his lungs was finally dead. Spitting out a mouthful of blood, Sunny groaned, wiped his lips, and glanced back.

    What he saw made him curse.

    The group of monstrous primates climbing the back of the colossus was about to reach the collar of the stone tunic.

    Sunny was about to be surrounded. And he was all out of ideas.

    '...If I die today, I am at least going to drag as many of you as possible with me into a deeper, darker hell. Prepare yourselves, gangrels!'

    Lunging forward, he ran on the narrow stone path and got to the middle of the giant's back just in time to collide with the first of the advancing primates and send it flying all the way down to the distant surface of the Labyrinth.

    Unlike the shoulder of the colossus, Sunny had no room to maneuver on the narrow path. In fact, he was having trouble simply keeping his balance due to the constant swaying.

    But the primates, with their wide shoulders and mighty frames, were in an even worse situation than him.

    On that narrow stone path, one man would be able to stop an entire army.

    ��Provided that nothing attacked him from behind, of course. Which was bound to happen...

    Cursing, Sunny slashed and slashed, sending one monster tumbling down in a billowing cloud of red pollen after another. Despite all his efforts, he had to retreat step after step to avoid being surrounded and killed by the ferocious abominations.

    The situation was becoming desperate. Especially so because the creatures that had been slowed down for a bit by the string of the Prowling Thorn finally wrestled free of it, and were seconds away from reaching his current position.

    'Damnation!'

    Sending a primate that was facing him staggering with a devastating blow of the Midnight Shard, Sunny desperately spun to deflect the attack from the creature approaching him from the back.

    However, he was a fraction of a second too late.

    Realizing that he won't be able to block or dodge the paw of the monstrous ape, Sunny feverishly tried to come up with a way to minimize the damage, at least.

    ��But just as the claws of the creature were about to grab onto his neck, a swift shadow suddenly fell from the skies. Catching the primate with its sharp mandibles, one of the locusts easily tore its head off and dashed back, devouring the prey with terrifying speed as it flew.

    In the next moment, more Flesh Weavers fell from the skies, aiming at the climbing primates.

    The two tribes of Nightmare Creatures were suddenly locked in a ferocious battle, with the six humans hopelessly stuck in-between.

 Chapter 236 Ex Machina

    Chapter 236 Ex Machina

    With his back to the stone surface of the ancient statue, Sunny stared as the two tribes of Nightmare Creatures clashed in a cacophony of eerie roars and rustling noises.

    Discovering a new target, swarming locusts swiftly fell from the skies and cut into the horde of the Blood Flower hosts, devouring scores of unfortunate primates in mere moments. Torn and eviscerated by the sharp mandibles, their flesh seemed to almost melt in the terrible maws of the flying abominations.

    However, the massive beasts were not entirely defenseless. Any locust that lingered for a fraction of a second more than it should have was immediately grabbed and torn to pieces by the powerful primates, its black blood falling like dew on the petals of the crimson flowers that grew from their rotting bodies.

    Some hosts even jumped off the colossus to grab onto diving reavers and tumble together to the distant ground.

    In just a few seconds, the surface of the ancient giant and the air around him was consumed by utter chaos.

    Indifferent to everything, the colossus steadily marched south.

    '...Come to your senses!'

    Shaking off his astonishment, Sunny swiftly finished off the primate that he had staggered a second before and pushed the heavy creature from the narrow path.

    Despite the fact that their enemies were now fighting each other, the pressure on the cohort did not decrease. In fact, it only grew heavier.

    Cursing under his breath, Sunny threw the Midnight Shard at another lunging monster, turned his back to the enemies, and jumped. Grabbing onto a crack in the ancient stone, he pulled his body up and nimbly scaled the neck of the ancient statue.

    For several seconds that seemed to last an eternity, Sunny was completely defenseless against the potential attacks by the monstrous locusts. However, to his luck, Nephis had chosen that exact moment to unleash her flames on the other side of the statue. A blinding flash of white drowned the skies for a second, confusing the reavers and buying him enough time to reach the stone platform.

    Climbing over its edge, Sunny rolled away and sprawled on the cold stone, trying to catch his breath.

    His body was in agony. The Blood Weave might have destroyed the flower growing in his lungs, but the damage was already done. Sunny had trouble breathing and felt bloody foam bubbling on his lips. Every time he inhaled, a sharp pain pierced his entire being.

    'Not�� not too terrible...'

    Although troublesome, these wounds were not going to kill him. Sleepers healed better and faster than mundane humans, and Sunny in particular was also transformed by the drop of Weaver's ichor, making him much tougher and harder to kill than most.

    ...Sort of like a cockroach.

    As for the pain, he had been through worse and survived. As long as Sunny had adrenaline numbing it to some degree, he was capable of giving a fight still.

    Not that it would be pleasant...

    With a moan, Sunny picked himself up from the ground and looked around.

    Things were slowly turning from bad to worse.

    Kai was long out of arrows and had to resort to using his morbid Ascended Memory. Judging by how pale his face was, he had already missed a few shots, losing a lot of blood as the result.

    Cassie was still trying to maintain the powerful winds that slowed the attacking locusts down, but her face and hands were covered in blood. It seemed that even the powerful enchantment of her armor and the ardent protection of the Quiet Dancer were not enough to fully save her from harm.

    Effie was now fighting the flying abominations in melee, having only a fraction of a second to react every time they attacked her. Blood was streaming down her legs, her white chiton torn and soaked with it. Her bronze helmet was gone, lying shattered on the stones.

    Caster did not seem to be wounded, but his face was dark with exhaustion. Maintaining his incredible speed was taxing on both the mind and the body, so he would not be able to last much longer, either.

    The Stone Saint�� was the Stone Saint. The taciturn Shadow was covered in black blood from head to toe and completely indifferent to it, which only enhanced her dark and menacing visage. She continued to move with elegant grace, protecting the members of the cohort to the best of her ability. But she couldn't be everywhere all at once.

    ��And then there was Sunny himself, who was in the worst shape out of all of them by far.

    'Curses!'

    And the worst news was that now that he had to retreat back to the platform, the abominable primates were about to follow him, forcing the cohort to defend itself from two sides simultaneously.

    Even worst still, unlike Sunny, the other members didn't have Blood Weave to protect them from the red pollen.

    'Bad, bad, this is bad��'

    Just as Sunny was thinking that thought, a bloodied hand suddenly appeared from the other side of the platform. A moment later, Nephis slid under the golden rope and shakily rose to her feet.

    Changing Star had white flames dancing in her eyes. Her skin seemed to shine with a soft glow, as though there was fire burning beneath it.

    ��That fire, if Sunny had to guess, was responsible for annihilating the red pollen as soon as it entered her body.

    The Starlight Legion Armor was heavily damaged and seemed to be on the verge of melting, but still held, protecting the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan to the end.

    Not paying any attention to the members of the cohort, Nephis turned her head and looked south.

    'What is she��'

    Before Sunny could finish the thought, he was distracted by the sight of an ugly primate head rising above the edge of the circular platform. Cursing, he grabbed a jagged piece of chitin laying nearby and shoved it into the creature's eyes, forcibly pushing it back down.

    At the same moment, an especially large locust suddenly fell from the sky. Batting the Quiet Dancer away, it dove right for Cassie.

    Before anyone could react, its mandibles clicked.

    However, instead of soft flesh, all they caught was the hard wood of the enchanted staff. The blind girl had managed to defend herself at the last moment.

    The impact was still strong enough to throw her far back, nevertheless. Breaking the improvised barrier with her back, Cassie screamed�� and slipped from the platform, plummeting down like a broken doll.

    'No!'

    The Prowling Thorn was damaged and restoring itself in the Soul Sea, and the golden rope was tied around the platform. He didn't know what to��

    As the sound of a bow clattering on the stone reached his ears, Sunny saw Kai diving down from the neck of the colossus. Flying with incredible speed, he caught up with Cassie and grabbed her by the arm.

    The two of them froze in the air for a moment, absolutely defenseless against the approaching locusts.

    'No, no, no!'

    ��But the fatal attack never came.

    Suddenly, the cacophony of the battle died down, turning into deathly silence.

    Sunny blinked.

    Several locusts were hovering in the air mere meters away from Cassie and Kai, but they were in no hurry to devour the helpless humans. In fact, they, too, seemed frozen.

    A moment later, the locusts suddenly turned around and dashed away. In fact, the whole swarm was swiftly retreating, flying away from the stone colossus with as much speed as the gluttonous abominations could muster.

    It was as if�� they were fleeing from something.

    Many of the locusts were carrying dead primates in their claws. It seemed as though the reavers were the ultimate victors in this terrible battle against the monstrous apes.

    ��But Sunny was pretty sure that, soon, the whole tribe of these terrible creatures was going to have crimson blooms growing from the cracks in their chitin. Blood Flowers were truly a horrifying enemy. Who knew what they would be capable of after subjugating a whole swarm of flying abominations?

    The more pressing question, however, was�� what were the locusts running from?

    Sunny looked down, only to realize that the giant primates were also retreating, rushing down the body of the ancient statue in something that almost resembled panic.

    Then, finally, he turned and looked south, following the line of Changing Star's gaze.

    His face paled.

    Out there, directly in the path of the walking statue, an inconceivably vast wall of furious darkness had devoured the whole world. It was swiftly moving in their direction, bolts of lightning illuminating the raging depths of clouds almost every second.

    The storm was approaching.

 Chapter 237 Wall of Darkness

    Chapter 237 Wall of Darkness

    Kai landed on the stone platform, gently placing Cassie down. The blind girl was deathly pale and visibly hurt, but her life didn't seem to be in danger. The archer smiled reassuringly and gripped her shoulder.

    Then, just like the rest of them, he turned his head and silently looked south.

    A wall of impenetrable, furious darkness was approaching from there, devouring vast spans of the Labyrinth with each second. To Sunny, it felt like an endless ocean of deranged shadows was rushing to drown them. The pressure he felt was almost as bad as that of the ominous Crimson Spire.

    The colossus was marching toward the darkness, completely indifferent to its menacing oppression.

    The wind rustled Sunny's hair. In the stunned silence, Effie suddenly fell to her knees with a pained groan. Her hands were pressed against the breach in her archaic cuirass, bright blood streaming from beneath them.

    That sound brought everyone back to reality. With a grim expression on her face, Nephis walked other to the wounded huntress and gently placed her hands on her body. A moment later, soft white radiance shone through the cracks of Effie's armor, healing her wounds and taking the pain away.

    Changing Star closed her eyes and bit her lip, drops of crimson blood rolling down her ivory skin.

    To take away her companion's suffering, she had to endure a much more harrowing torture.

    Sunny coughed, bloody foam flying from his lips, and weakly lowered himself to the ground. He didn't feel too well.

    The wall of darkness was growing closer with every moment. The wind was picking up, whistling in the cracks of the ancient statue. It brought the smell of the sea with it.

    Sunny grimaced and commanded the Stone Saint to walk over and stand above him.

    "What are we going to do now?"

    Kai shivered, glanced at the raging wall of clouds, and said:

    "Climb lower? The lightning is bound to be drawn to the neck of this giant."

    Sunny shook his head.

    "We can't. The sea is going to rise, so most of the statue will be submerged underwater. We will be lucky if the waves aren't high enough to reach this platform."

    The archer sighed and looked down.

    "So then�� we're dead?"

    Sunny smiled darkly.

    "Don't worry. Stone doesn't conduct electricity too well, so we will be safe from lightning. Most likely. What you should really be afraid of are the things that all that commotion might attract."

    After that, he bent over in another fit of painful coughing.

    'Ugh�� that stings a little��'

    By that time, Nephis was done healing Effie. Walking over, she kneeled and looked at Sunny.

    ...Unexpectedly, there was an expression of sincere worry on her face.

    "You�� did you inhale that pollen?"

    Sunny tried to grin, but ended up coughing up more blood instead.

    "Yeah. A little. But don't fret, it's not�� there are no flowers growing in my lungs. Anymore."

    Neph's face twitched, and she outstretched her hands to place them on Sunny's chest. However, he caught them in the air with his own and stopped her.

    Her skin was soft and cool to the touch.

    "Don't bother. I'll be fine. Take a look at Cassie instead."

    Changing Star stared at him for a few moments. Then, she suddenly asked:

    "But doesn't it hurt?"

    He pushed her hands away and shook his head.

    "Not as bad as it going to hurt you."

    Nephis frowned.

    "...I am used to it."

    Sunny looked at her for a long time, his expression hard to read. Then, he said evenly:

    "I know. But I don't want you to be used to it. You shouldn't be. Especially not on my account."

    The weight of the things he left unsaid hung between them for a few moments. Nephis titled her head slightly, then turned away. Finally, she sighed, lingered for a few seconds, and walked away without saying another word.

    Sunny lowered his head and remained motionless for a while.

    'Better�� it's better this way.'

    Being afraid of pain was the most human emotion there was. He couldn't help but feel that every time Nephis silently endured the terrifying torture of her Flaw, a part of her humanity was burned away by the merciless purity of the radiant white flames. He didn't want to see it happen.

    Not to mention that he was the last person in the world that Changing Star should have been helping. Because��

    Suddenly, a deafening thunderclap rolled over them, forcing the members of the cohort to flinch. The light of day dimmed, and the cold wind furiously crashed into them, bearing drops of salty black water with it.

    Done checking up on Cassie, Nephis glanced forward and scowled.

    They were almost out of time.

    "Get ready! Hold!"

    With that, she summoned her sword and held it with both hands. As the incandescent light ignited the silver blade, Changing Star thrust the sword deep into the stone, melting it. Kneeling down, she gripped the sword and prepared for the onslaught of the storm.

    But he side, Effie sighed and grabbed onto a crack in the stone with one hand. With the other, she drew Cassie close and hugged her.

    Caster followed their leader's example and used his enchanted jian to anchor himself to the platform.

    Sunny glanced at them and grimaced.

    Standing above him, the Stone Saint discarded her shield and lowered one shoulder, preparing to withstand the hurricane winds. Without anything better to hold onto, Sunny hugged the thigh of his Shadow on closed his eyes, embarrassed by the indignity.

    Before he could really revel in it, though, something plopped on the ground near him. Opening one eye, Sunny was surprised to see Kai.

    "...What? What are you doing here?"

    The archer smiled with embarrassment and coughed.

    "Uh... well, you see. I don't have a sword that can cut stone or herculean strength. So, ah�� mind if I hold onto the other thigh of your beautiful stone companion?"

    Sunny glared at him for a couple of seconds and then scoffed.

    "Fine! Whatever. Just don't grab onto me by mistake��"

    As the endless wall of darkness approached, the headless colossus steadily walked forward and then dove straight into the furious embrace of the harrowing storm.

 Chapter 238 lnto the Storm

    Chapter 238 lnto the Storm

    A stray drop of rain fell on Sunny's cheek. The howling of the wind grew louder. A moment later, the whole world suddenly darkened, and he was assaulted by a furious gale. The water pelted him in the face, drowning the curse Sunny was about to yell.

    'D��damn!'

    The storm descended on them with terrifying violence. The corpses of repulsive locusts that were left on the platform suddenly moved. Then, picked up by the wind, they were thrown off the neck of the steadily walking colossus, disappearing into the darkness. Their black blood was washed away by the torrent of rain.

    A blinding flash of lightning pierced the veil of clouds, followed by a deafening thunderclap.

    As the stone became slippery and wet, Sunny felt his body being forcefully pushed away from its surface by the gale. Gripping the Stone Saint tighter, he gasped and grimaced. Pain pierced his damaged lungs.

    'Worst�� worst amusement ride ever��'

    Fortunately, the heavy Shadow was not moved by the tremendous pressure of the hurricane. Firmly planting herself on the surface of the platform, she turned her torso and lowered a shoulder, cutting the wind with her solid stone body.

    To her side, Nephis, Caster, and Effie were desperately holding on against the assault of the hurricane. With some effort, they were also able to resist it.

    But the worst was still to come.

    Hidden from the sun, the dark sea was rising from the depths. Sunny could hear the deep rumbling of the black water rushing through the twisting passages of the Labyrinth and washing over the mounds of crimson coral. Soon, the stone giant was walking through it, creating a furious whirlpool with each step of his gargantuan feet.

    Another lightning tore the skies apart, illuminating the world made of nothing but wind, water, and darkness. Hit by an especially violent gust of wind, the Stone Saint slid a few centimeters back and sent Sunny's heart into a momentary panic.

    The stone giant walked forward.

    After a while, the black water covered his knees, then his abdomen, then his chest. Following a long and torturous span of time spent holding onto the Shadow and enduring the onslaught of the storm, Sunny saw the raging waves flowing over the broken battlements on the shoulder of the ancient statue.

    His face became grim.

    During the previous night, the dark sea had not risen high enough to reach the stone platform they were sheltering on. However, with how high the waves were, things were bound to change.

    As though answering his thoughts, a massive wave crashed into the neck of the colossus, washing over the platform. The members of the cohort were hit by a wall of blackness and instantly drenched from head to toe in salty seawater.

    Luckily, no one was washed away�� for now.

    The howling wind, the furious onslaught of rain, the constant flashes of lightning and the violent cacophony of thunderclaps were already enough to instill in them the feeling that the whole world was about to split apart and crumble. With the dark waves rising to strike at the stone platform over and over again, the situation became truly disastrous.

    And yet, they held on. Minute after minute, against all odds, the six humans clung to the ancient stone, refusing to be taken away by the raging tempest. Sunny didn't know how much time had passed or how far the stone giant had walked into the depths of the storm, but there was no sign of it growing weaker.

    In fact, it was only becoming more ferocious and terrible.

    However, this wasn't even what he was really afraid of. His true fear hid not in the skies that had gone mad, but in the lightless depths of the cursed sea.

    And soon, inevitably, his worst fears came true.

    With a harrowing sense of premonition, Sunny suddenly lowered his head and gazed down, as though trying to see through the mass of ancient stone. Deep beneath them, he felt a gargantuan shadow rising from the depths.

    ��One of the unspeakable terrors of the dark sea was crawling from whatever abyss that had spawned it to face the marching colossus.

    'Curse it all��'

    Looking up, Sunny saw Kai desperately clinging to the Stone Saint beside him. For once, the archer did not seem dazzling. He was just wet, pale, and scared out of his wits.

    Behind him, Nephis was kneeling on the stones, gripping the hilt of her silver sword, her fingers white and bloodless.

    Straining his hurting lungs, Sunny yelled:

    "Be! Ready! The dwe��"

    However, before he could finish, her eyes suddenly grew wide.

    Swiftly turning around, Sunny saw a gargantuan tentacle slowly rising from the seething waves. Illuminated by a flash of lightning, it looked like a tall, grotesque black tower. It pierced the skies and froze for a moment, looming over the ancient colossus.

    ��Feeling his heart skip a bit, Sunny realized that he knew the sight of it. This was the same gigantic black tentacle he saw on his first night on the Forgotten Shore, the one that had effortlessly pulled the enormous monstrous shark under the waves and tore it in halves like a little fish.

    The abomination that even Corrupted Nightmare Creatures were afraid of.

    ��Falling from above, the gargantuan tentacle crashed on the moving statue and coiled itself around its neck.

    'Oh no!'

    ***

    Before Sunny could react, the gigantic tentacle was already wrapped around the neck of the colossus. Its bulbous flesh suddenly contracted, as though trying to strange the stone giant.

    ��And pull him beneath the waves.

    Without ever slowing down, the ancient statue continued to walk forward. Then, in a roar of falling water, its colossal hand rose from the depths of the cursed sea and grabbed onto the tentacle.

    Grasping it in his stone fist, the colossus lingered for a moment�� and easily tore the tentacle apart.

    Sunny's eyes widened.

    One part of the gigantic black tentacle convulsed and slid off the neck of the ancient colossus, falling into the raging waves. The other part stubbornly tried to coil around his arm, but was pushed away by the stone palm and disappeared back into the depths of the cursed sea.

    For a few moments, the black water was silent.

    'Oh... gods!'

    ��And then, the whole surface of it suddenly exploded into the skies.

 Chapter 239 Clash of Titans

    Chapter 239 Clash of Titans

    The surface of the cursed sea seethed and boiled, then exploded into the skies. Following the disappearance of the gargantuan tentacle, six others appeared from beneath the black waves. They rose and loomed above the marching colossus like twisted mountains, blocking the clamor of the storm for a fleeting moment.

    Sunny gritted his teeth and stared at the terrible image, trying to comprehend the scale of the approaching battle.

    How were tiny humans supposed to survive the fight between titans?

    A second later, the tentacles collapsed from the skies to assail the stone giant. Because of their size, it seemed as if they were moving in slow motion. However, Sunny knew that it was just an illusion.

    Four of the arms of the unseen leviathan submerged back under the water to coil around the legs and the torso of the colossus, while two remaining ones slithered toward his hand.

    The ancient statue continued to walk south, seemingly unperturbed by the furious assault of the terrifying dweller of the depths. It batted one of the tentacles away, and allowed the other to wrap around its wrist.

    "Hold fast!"

    Sunny didn't register whose shout that was, but followed the advice and grabbed onto the Stone Saint even tighter.

    'Curse it all!'

    In the furious roar of thunder and blinding lightning, the stone giant suddenly staggered and slightly careened to the side. The tentacle that was coiled around his wrist had tensed, trying to pull the hand down.

    The power hiding in its black, oily, bulbous flesh was so harrowing that several cracks appeared on the surface of the ancient stone. It almost looked as though the wrist of the colossus was going to snap and explode into a torrent of shards.

    Instead, the giant turned his palm and grasped the tentacle, then squeezed it in an obliterating grip.

    The tentacle was trying to crush the ancient stone while being crushed in the fist of the stone giant in return. For a few moments, it wasn't clear which creature was more devastatingly powerful. But then the fingers of the colossus slowly submerged into the black flash, sending rivers of dark, fetid blood spilling down into the sea.

    Soon, the tentacle was torn to shreds and had to retreat.

    However, the other five were already attacking the colossus from below. Sunny couldn't see through the black waters of the cursed sea, but he could vividly imagine two of them coiling around the legs of the ancient statue, two wrapping around its torso, and another one holding down the hand and the mason's hammer.

    Whatever the gigantic tentacles were doing seemed to have worked. The pace of the walking statue slowed, as if it had to struggle against an unimaginable weight that was dragging it back. The colossus staggered once more, then suddenly lurched forward, and finally stopped.

    'Not good��'

    Through the soles of his feet, Sunny could feel the vibrations running through the ancient stone. The giant was trembling, as if straining to move his colossal body with all his strength. The circular platform they were hiding on slowly began to slope to the side, allowing even more waves to wash over it.

    The furious storm grew even stronger, as though celebrating the battle between two enormous creatures. The hurricane wind crushed into the cohort, pelting them with rain and seawater. The thunderclaps merged into one continuous, deafening roar, and the flashes of lightning were surrounding them like a net woven from celestial flame.

    Suddenly, the ancient statue shuddered and changed its angle. It was almost as if�� as if the colossus was bending his waist and leaning forward.

    Sunny's eyes widened. He instinctively understood what was about to happen.

    ��He wasn't the only one.

    As the Stone Saint followed his command and fell to her knees to thrust a hand into a crack in the stone, Nephis screamed:

    "We're going under! Hold your breaths!"

    'Here we go again!'

    In the next second, the colossus leaned forward and dove under the turbulent surface of the waves.

    Sunny barely had time to inhale deeply. Then, the cohort was once again in the cold embrace of the cursed sea. Only, unlike the previous day when they had to cross the canyon, this time they were being pulled deep into the void of darkness instead of across it.

    Feeling a powerful current rush past him, Sunny held on for his dear life and waited. If he was right about what the colossus was doing, they still had a chance to survive.

    As the pressure of the black water grew heavier and the cold of the lightless void seeped into his bones, the circular platform suddenly stopped and swayed lightly. Despite being submerged deep underwater, Sunny could hear a loud, indescribable sound spreading through the vast expanse of the cursed sea.

    'Gods, gods!'

    Even though he knew that the gods were dead, he couldn't help but call out to them.

    But all that answered him was silence.

    ��Then, finally, the body of the colossus swayed once more, and suddenly began to move up.

    With the same speed that they were pulled into the depths, the cohort was now being lifted from the darkness of the cursed sea back into the furious embrace of the storm.

    Sunny was barely conscious by the time the shoulders of the colossus broke the surface of the water and the circular platform appeared above the waves. Glancing around, he counted the members of the cohort and made sure that no one was washed away during this harrowing dive.

    Then, he steeled himself and turned his head to peer forward.

    The ancient giant had not been pulled into the black water by the unseen horror of the depths. Instead, once the gigantic tentacles had proven to be a nuisance, he had simply leaned forward�� and scooped the abyssal creature from the bottom of the sea.

    And now the colossus was holding it in his hand, rising the leviathan into the raging skies.

    Even knowing that gazing upon the true appearance of the horror of the depths was not the safest of ideas, Sunny couldn't help but look.

    What he saw made him shiver.

 Chapter 240 Shadow Slave

    Chapter 240 Shadow Slave

    Held in the ancient statue's hand was a gargantuan skull that looked almost like that of a human, but simultaneously vastly different.

    Apart from the size, the shape of it was all wrong. If Sunny had to describe what exactly was different about it, he would have trouble putting it into words, but everything about the skull screamed of wrongness, malignity, and evil.

    The vile aura it radiated was almost palpable to the touch. Sunny suddenly felt nauseous and weak, as if just looking at the gargantuan skull was seeping the life out of him.

    This sensation was somewhat similar to that he had experienced when trying to read the runes describing the Unknown, only magnified by a thousand times.

    ��The most prominent and obvious difference, though, was that the gargantuan skull had three eye sockets instead of two, the third one situated above the other ones, right in the middle of its forehead. Its canines were also more prominent and heavy than that of a human.

    The lower jaw of the skull was missing, and it was from there that the seven gigantic tentacles protruded. Surprisingly, looking at the tentacles themselves did not have the same sickening effect on Sunny.

    With a sense of dark astonishment, he realized that the horror of the depths was using the terrible skull as a shell, hiding inside of it like a weak and vulnerable sea creature would�� only, of course, nothing weak or vulnerable would have ever survived the corruption of these ancient bones. In fact, he could see the black oily flash bulging from the dark chasms of the skull's three cavernous eye sockets.

    In a flash of lightning, Sunny noticed that the tentacles were moving, coiling themselves around the arm of the stone colossus. Three of them were heavily damaged, but the remaining four were still full of unimaginable power.

    Their combined strength was more than enough to shatter the ancient stone.

    Despite the fact that his arm was already starting to crack, the colossus seemed indifferent to the devastating embrace of the abyssal creature.

    'What�� what is he doing?!'

    As if answering his question, the dark sea suddenly surged and split apart, releasing the stone giant's other arm from its cold depths. With rivers of black water streaming from it, the hand of the colossus slowly rose, reaching all the way into the raging skies.

    The hurricane winds broke against it, powerless to move the arm of the colossus even by a centimeter.

    The hammer gripped in his hand was suddenly enveloped in a ghostly blue glow.

    ��No, it wasn't really a glow. In were arcs of electricity running all over its surface. They were the harbingers of��

    Sunny's eyes widened.

    In the next moment, a bolt of lightning connected the hammer to the skies. And then another, and another. Dozens of lightnings landed on the stone hammer in short succession, the roar of thunder almost shattering the whole world.

    Enveloped in the raging shroud of electricity, the ancient stone heated and turned incandescently bright, emanating a furious orange glow.

    For a moment, everything was still.

    And then, with the same calm indifference, the colossus brought his burning hammer down and delivered a devastating blow to the abhorrent skull. The beak of the hammer easily shattered the ancient bone and sank deep into the flesh of the horror hiding within.

    Sunny stared, paralyzed by awe.

    But in the next moment, he was thrown back by a terrible, ear-piercing, cacophonous wail. That wail was like nothing that a living being should ever have been able to produce, and much louder than even the deafening thunder tearing the raging skies. It came from the dweller of the depth, whose body was deeply wounded by the stone colossus.

    Peering at it, Sunny saw a vast wave of dark blood gush from the terrible wound delivered to the abyssal creature. No�� not blood. It was something different.

    What flowed from the body of the horror of the depths was nothing but pure darkness.

    ��And the wall of it was heading right for them.

    Suddenly, Sunny was overwhelmed by a sense of mortal danger.

    'W��what��'

    To the rest of the cohort, the darkness spilling from the terror's body must have looked no different from the tenebrous mass of storm clouds that surrounded them, the black surface of the sea, or even the fetid blood of the giant locusts that they had slain earlier.

    But Sunny, who could see through any shadow, knew instantly that it was not the same. Because his gaze could not penetrate the lightless, undulating surface of it at all.

    Somehow, he was certain that if that darkness touched their bodies, all of them would be done for, doomed to a fate a hundred times worse than death.

    The kind of fate he couldn't even conceive of, let alone imagine.

    Twisting his body, Sunny opened his mouth and screamed as loud as he could:

    "Neph! Light!"

    There was no more than a second left before the wave of darkness washed over them. If Changing Star was late even by a moment or wasted time thinking over his words and deciding whether she should listen to him��

    But she didn't.

    As soon as Nephis heard the unreserved panic in Sunny's voice, she instantly summoned her flames and channeled them into her sword.

    A blinding white radiance suddenly enveloped the cohort, pushing the blackness of the storm away. When the wave of true darkness that flowed from the abyssal creature's wound touched the pure light, it simply�� ceased to exist, disappearing like a vestige of nightmare in the brightness of the day.

    Sunny exhaled and fell to the stones, drained of all strength.

    Glancing forward, he saw the ancient colossus remove his hammer and indifferently drop the harrowing giant skull back into the surging waters of the cursed sea. The black tentacles weakly convulsed and unwrapped themselves from his arm, disappearing into the waves a few moments later.

    ��Without paying them any attention, the ancient statue lowered the hammer and continued its march south.

    It was as if nothing had happened.

    Sunny gritted his teeth and gathered whatever endurance he had left to grab onto the Stone Saint once again.

    The storm was still not over.

    However, somehow, it didn't seem as frightening and dangerous anymore.

    Indeed, nothing else happened to them. Hours later, the raging winds grew weaker, and the torrent of rain slowly turned into a light drizzle.

    The veil of tenebrous clouds was slowly torn apart, and the rays of sunshine shone through the tears.

    The storm was over.

    Lying on the cold stone surface, Sunny stared at the sky and grimaced.

    'Comparatively safe my ass...'

 Chapter 241 Halfway

    Chapter 241 Halfway

    As it turned out, the cohort had endured the fury of the heavens for almost an entire day. Before the storm had appeared, the night had still been far away, and now, it was already a new morning.

    The colossus was steadily marching south, completely unshaken by his terrifying battle with the abyssal leviathan. Sunny was growing more and more certain that the ancient statue, while brought to a semblance of life by some unknown power, was not truly sentient.

    The headless giant was more like an Echo than a living thing, but then even Echoes seemed to possess some remnants of a personality �� at least his poor Scavenger had one. Quiet Dancer often behaved like a prudish and cantankerous young woman, too�� no matter how strange it was to describe a flying rapier in that way.

    Not to mention Shadows, who were much more alive than Sunny felt comfortable admitting.

    Compared to all of them, the colossus seemed rather�� lifeless.

    Just what kind of a being was he?

    Sprawled on the ground, Sunny glanced sideways and observed the Stone Saint, who was standing indifferently at the edge of the platform. He wondered what this living statue thought of her strange colossal sibling. Was she in awe of him or didn't care one way or another?

    It was hard to tell. But then again, he was not in the mood to think too much right now.

    Sunny was truly exhausted and hurting all over. Everyone was, really.

    Despite the incredible achievement of surviving the onslaught of two entire tribes of Nightmare Creatures, the storm, and an encounter with an actual horror of the depths �� or rather, because of it �� the members of the cohort looked truly pathetic.

    Each of them was either laying on the stone surface of the swaying platform or sitting with a lost look on their face. They were all wounded, tired, and wet.

    Even Kai had lost his usual luster, and that alone screamed of how rough this recent hardship had been on them. Even when compared to the usual ruthless reality of the Forgotten Shore.

    ��Well, no matter. They had survived. More than that, if Sunny wasn't wrong, the stone giant had already brought them more than a thousand kilometers to the south. And by the evening, that number was going to double.

    A quick way to travel across the Labyrinth, indeed. In two days, they were going to traverse ten times more ground than Sunny, Nephis and Cassie had managed in two months of their bloody journey to the Dark City. And they had only achieved that much thanks to the desperate decision to travel by boat.

    Not bad, even if they had to endure a few hours of pure torture and a couple of near-death moments.

    ��Plus, the speed wasn't the only benefit that riding atop the ancient colossus had brought them.

    With a subtly satisfied expression, Sunny listened to his body and smiled. Even without summoning the runes, he knew that he was once again at the same level as he had been before creating the Shadow Saint, and even above it.

    But there was no harm in looking, right?

    As the shimmering runes appeared in the air in front of him, Sunny found the familiar cluster�� and blinked.

    Shadow Fragments: [494/1000].

    'This is�� this is�� what?'

    Although he knew that the battle against giant locusts and ghastly flowers brought him a bountiful harvest of fragments, he was still astonished to see just how many he had gained. In the short span of time after Cassie had warned them about the coming storm and before the wall of darkness appeared on the horizon, Sunny managed to reap more than one hundred of them.

    One hundred and thirty-two, to be exact.

    'Incredible!'

    Most came from the Blood Flowers. In a direct confrontation, Sunny would have never been able to kill that many, but yesterday, all he had to do was cause their hosts to plummet to the ground and let gravity do the rest. Between those sent to their deaths by the Prowling Thorn and those he had cut down with the Midnight Shard, about two dozen abominations had died by his hand.

    ��And another one by his blood, but Sunny didn't want to even think about that experience, ever again.

    Each of the ghastly flowers was an awakened monster, bringing him four fragments per kill. With the addition af a dozen or so locusts slain by the Stone Saint, Sunny ended up with this mind-boggling windfall.

    Not only did he return to his peak form, but he was now stronger by just shy of a hundred shadow fragments.

    'All in a day's work��'

    Still stunned, Sunny couldn't help but shake his head. If this continued, he was going to come close to fully saturating his Shadow Core by the end of this expedition.

    ��Which was one of the reasons he had joined it in the first place, but before today, his ambitious plans had been just a conjecture.

    Now, they were becoming reality.

    By accumulating a thousand fragments and saturating his core, Sunny was also going to learn yet another secret of his divine Aspect. What exactly was going to happen once the runes showed "Shadow Fragments: [1000/1000]"?

    He was now almost halfway to finding out.

    But even that wasn't all.

    Looking at another cluster of runes, Sunny read:

    Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer's Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Ordinary Rock], [Prowling Thorn], [Endless Spring]...

    And right after that, two new sets glimmered in the air:

    ...[Blood Blossom], [Dark Wing.]

    'Two new Memories. Jackpot!'

    The only thing that slightly ruined his exhilaration was the fact that, recently, Sunny was having trouble finding Memories that were actually useful to him. Of course, the Stone Saint had a ferocious appetite and could consume anything that he wasn't going to incorporate into his arsenal.

    But simply feeding his spoils to the Shadow, while rewarding in its own way, was not as pleasant as acquiring a new powerful tool.

    With a sense of cautious anticipation, Sunny concentrated on the new Memories.

    'Well�� let's take a look. Maybe it's something useful after all.'

 Chapter 242 New Toys

    Chapter 242 New Toys

    Sunny decided to take a look at the Dark Wing first.

    'Let's see what my Shadow brought me.'

    He looked at the glimmering runes.

    Memory: [Dark Wing].

    Memory Rank: Awakened.

    Memory Tier: I.

    Memory Type: Garment.

    Memory Description: [This cloak is as light as a dragonfly's wing�� and as durable.]

    Sunny stared at the description, his eyes twitching.

    'Cloak? Another damn cloak?! And what does the Spell mean, as durable as a bug's wing? Those aren't durable at all!'

    Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself down and read at the runes again.

    'Well�� maybe it has an incredible enchantment.'

    Memory Enchantments: [Glide].

    Enchantment Description: [Allows one to levitate slightly above the ground and slowly move in any direction, or glide down softly from any height.]

    Sunny frowned slightly, thinking about whether that Memory could be useful. Then, he dove into the Soul Sea and summoned the sphere of light containing the Dark Wing to take a look at its spellweave.

    The descriptions provided by the Spell were not always very informative. It was better to study the thing himself.

    At first glance, the ability to fly was nothing short of incredible. Amazing, even! Sunny had heard that there were Memories that gave their owners literal wings, but never expected to encounter one before becoming an Awakened, or even a Master. However, their usefulness differed from case to case.

    There were questions of height, speed, and control. No Memory could have given someone the ability to fly as fast and as unrestrained as Kai could. But some came close��

    However, as far as these Memories went, Dark Wing turned out to be of the lowest standard. It seemed that it only allowed a person to levitate or hover a couple of meters above ground and move with a very, very modest speed.

    Sunny could achieve pretty much everything that such an ability provided with the help of the Prowling Thorn and its invisible string �� and do it better, too. Of course, he couldn't fight while using the kunai to swing around on the string. In that regard, this new Memory was better.

    However, after imagining himself fighting while using the Dark Wing to hover above ground or even worse glide in the sky, Sunny shuddered.

    The beautiful transparent cloak indeed looked like a pair of dragonfly's wings. It was extremely thin a brittle. The slightest strike would rip it apart, causing the wielder to plummet down. So, unless Sunny wanted to die, using this Memory in a battle was out of the question.

    In short, it had little utility value compared to the Prowling Thorn and couldn't be used for aerial fights.

    Sunny glanced at the Stone Saint.

    'Should I feed it to her?'

    But after thinking about it for a couple more seconds, he shook his head.

    No, despite all its flaws, the Dark Wing was still a real boon. The ability to glide alone was priceless. With it, he did not need to be afraid of falling down from deadly heights.

    Like from the height of an ancient walking colossus, for example.

    '...I'm keeping it.'

    The thing would only give his Shadow one fragment, anyway.

    Looking up, Sunny noticed a transparent cloak that looked like a pair of dragonfly wings suddenly appear on Cassie's shoulders. The sunlight refracted through it, making the wings glimmer slightly with all the colors of the rainbow.

    With an expression of wonder on her face, the blind girl made the wings move. A moment later, they disappeared into a blur, and Cassie suddenly hovered a few centimeters above the ground. She giggled.

    ��So, the Quiet Dancer had earned her the same Memory his Shadow had earned him. This was good. While the weak levitation ability was mostly useless to Sunny, to the blind girl, it would be of tremendous help. The terrain of the Forgotten Shore was often uneven and treacherous, so being able to float above it was a true gift for someone who could not see.

    Sunny smiled softly and looked away.

    'It's nice that she still knows how to laugh.'

    A moment later, his expression darkened. Closing his eyes, Sunny sighed heavily and turned his attention to the second Memory he had gotten.

    'Don't think about it.'

    Memory: [Blood Blossom.]

    Memory Rank: Awakened.

    Memory Tier: II.

    Memory Type: Charm.

    Sunny's heart skipped a bit. Charms were a rare type of Memories that took the form of a small accessory �� most often an amulet or a talisman. Unlike weapons, armor and tools, they obviously had no practical value. However, charms made up for it by possessing unique and powerful enchantments.

    Among the elite Awakened, these were the Memories everyone hunted for the most.

    ��And now he got one!

    'Please be good, please be good��'

    Memory Description: [No matter how much blood was spilled, her hunger only grew.]

    Sunny blinked.

    '...Creepy.'

    Memory Enchantments: [Flower of Evil.]

    Enchantment Description: [This beautiful charm imbues all Memories and Echoes of its wielder��]

    As Sunny read the description, the runes suddenly changed right before his eyes. After a moment, a new one appeared between them:

    [This beautiful charm imbues all Memories, Echoes, and Shadows of its wielder with an unquenching thirst for blood. They receive an overall enhancement when used against a bleeding foe, and grow more powerful the more their prey bleeds.]

    Not even paying attention to the way the Spell changed the runes on the fly, Sunny froze.

    'Aura�� it's an aura enchantment.'

    Aura enchantments were an extremely rare thing. Unlike the usual enchantments, they affected not only the wielder, but everything that fit their target criteria in a certain radius.

    ��No need to mention how precious such things were. And Sunny didn't just get an aura charm, but also one that provided a comprehensive augmentation to the power of all �� all! �� his Memories, Echoes and Shadows, as long as his enemy bled.

    And the more they bled, the stronger that augmentation would grow.

    "Beautiful��"

    Sunny was so stunned that he accidentally whispered that word out loud.

    A moment later, he suddenly shuddered and quickly glanced around to make sure that Effie wasn't anywhere near him when he had said it.

    To his relief, the huntress was on the opposite side of the platform, working on the map of the Forgotten Shore.

    Sunny exhaled and furtively wiped the sweat off his forehead.

    'Phew. That was close!"

    Then, a wide grin slowly appeared on his face. With a satisfied sigh, he rested his head on the stone and thought:

    'Sorry, Saint. Today, you shall remain hungry��'

 Chapter 243 Fangs Of A Dragon

    Chapter 243 Fangs Of A Dragon

    By the middle of their second day of traveling through the Labyrinth atop the ancient colossus, an ominous dark line appeared on the horizon. With every minute, it slowly grew closer. Pretty soon, Sunny was able to tell that they were headed toward a vast mountain chain.

    The mountains seemed to serve as a border between the Forgotten Shore and the rest of the Dream Realm. They were tall and jagged, piercing the skies like the fangs of a giant dragon. Their distant peaks were covered in pristine white snow and wrapped in a veil of mist that streamed into the ravines and onto the ridges below.

    This was the place where the first lord of the Castle had disappeared all those years ago, as well as the goal of their own perilous journey.

    As the stone giant came closer to the mountains, Sunny finally understood just how tall, magnificent, and imposing they were. Even the colossus himself looked like a tiny ant in front of these towering peaks. It was hard not to feel small and insignificant in their oppressive shadow.

    Slowly, the terrain of the Labyrinth began to rise. The mounds of coral grew smaller, the distance between them increased, until finally there were as much black soil and stone outcroppings visible beneath as there were islands of vivid crimson. Finally, the blades of coral became scarce.

    It was as though the Labyrinth was reluctant to approach the foothills of the misty mountains... or simply unable to.

    As the gargantuan statue approached the border of the crimson forest, its steps slowed. The colossus seemed to be struggling to move any further. His body was slightly bent, as if he was fighting against strong wind or some invisible force that was relentlessly pulling him back into the Labyrinth.

    Even his prodigious might was not enough to defeat the pull of the ancient curse.

    Finally, the stone giant staggered and stopped.

    This was the moment they were waiting for.

    Caster, Effie and Nephis were already climbing down, while Sunny, Cassie and Kai stood at the edge of the circular platform.

    Looking down, Sunny sighed and glanced at the charming archer.

    "If this doesn't work, you're going to catch me, right?"

    Kai raised his elegant eyebrows, then smile at him dazzlingly.

    "Why, of course. It would be my pleasure!"

    Sunny's eye twitched. Shaking his head, he summoned the Dark Wing and turned away. Immediately, a cloak in the shape of two transparent wings appeared on his back.

    If there was one thing calming Sunny down, it was that his shadow was already on the ground. He had sent it down in advance to scout out the landing zone and make sure that nothing was waiting for the members of the cohort below.

    The Stone Saint was now standing there, looking like a tiny black dot from the height of the ancient statue's neck.

    'No sense in prolonging this.'

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny commanded the Dark Wing to raise him above ground�� and stepped into emptiness.

    For a moment, he was consumed by primal fear. But then Sunny felt that instead of plummeting down to shatter on the rocks, his body was smoothly gliding through the air.

    He was still losing altitude, but at a safe and pleasant pace. Two transparent wings had turned into a blur behind his back.

    Actually, this feeling was�� exhilarating. pan da-nov el ,c`o`m

    Trying to keep a wide smile from appearing on his face, Sunny reminded himself how brittle his wings were and tried to control the direction of his descent.

    All it took was a slight shift of his posture and a mental command to the Dark Wing. Soon, Sunny was gliding down in a wide spiral, enjoying the feeling of wind whistling in his ears.

    'It's a shame that others can't experience this.'

    Initially, he was planning to take Effie on the ride of her life. With Kai and Cassie carrying the other two members of the cohort, reaching the ground would have been really easy. However, after a little bit of experimentation, they had found out that Memories left behind by the terrible locusts couldn't carry too much weight.

    Even supporting Sunny himself was already close to the Dark Wing's limit.

    So he got to enjoy this pleasant feeling of weightlessness all by himself.

    After a few minutes of smooth gliding, Sunny softly landed near the Stone Saint and looked up. Kai and Cassie were right behind him, and slightly above, already reaching the knees of the colossus, were the other three members of the cohort.

    '...This Memory might be better than I gave it credit for. Still not usable in a battle, but very handy nevertheless.'

    Soon, they were all reunited in the shadow of the ancient statue.

    A few moments later, the colossus trembled. Slowly, it turned around and took a giant step. The ground trembled as his feet landed on it.

    The six humans stood silently, watching the ancient statue walk away. It was heading east, moving parallel to the impregnable wall of the draconian mountains. Sunny suspected that the stone giant had walked all around the Forgotten Shore thousands of times, and now was at the start �� or the end �� of another loop.

    The Stone Saint was watching the headless giant walk away, too. Sunny glanced at her, wondering once again if his Shadow felt something toward this enormous creature.

    He got a strange sensation that she did.

    ?? n?? - ? o? ?? , ?`?`m However, it wasn't awe as Sunny had suspected. If anything, the hint of emotion hiding deep in the ruby eyes of the Stone Saint was that of�� disdain.

    '...Curious.'

    Back at the ruined cathedral, Sunny had noticed that the Black Knight's armor bore a visible resemblance to that of his taciturn Shadow. However, it didn't seem as though both came from the same source. It was more like the armor of the Fallen Devil was derived from that of the living statues.

    Almost as if someone had tried to replicate their armaments, but only managed to create a lesser facsimile.

    Was the stone giant the same? A failed attempt at repeating the same miraculous act of creation that had put a spark of true life into the Stone Saint and her brethren?

    There was no way to know. But still, Suny couldn't help but wonder��

    Soon, the ground stopped trembling and the figure of the mechanically marching colossus disappeared into the grey fog. A few moments later, Nephis sighed at turned around to face the mountains.

    It was time to find a place to spend the night.

    Tomorrow morning, they were going to start their search for the lost expedition.

 Chapter 244 Death Zone

    Chapter 244 Death Zone

    This high into the foothills of the mountains, they didn't have to look long for a suitable shelter. In fact, they could have simply camped in the open.

    The dark sea couldn't get to them anymore.

    As the night descended and enveloped the world in the familiar veil of absolute darkness, Sunny volunteered to be the first one to stand watch. Gazing down the sloping surface of the rocky ground, he watched as the black water slowly rose from the distant crimson forest of the Labyrinth.

    It crawled up the steep slope of the foothills, straining to devour as much of them as it could, but then stopped hundreds of meters away from the place where the cohort had made their camp and swayed gently, unable to move any further.

    Just like the headless colossus had not been able to.

    Looking at the powerless waves, Sunny finally allowed himself to believe that they were now outside of the Forgotten Shore.

    Or, more precisely, at the very edge of it. In any case, the cursed sea was no longer a threat to them.

    'How strange.'

    Sunny had grown accustomed to living in the constant fear of this transient abyss. Even in the Dark City, he was constantly aware of its oppressive presence. No one was free of the frightening thoughts about what would happen if the seemingly unassailable wall of the city finally gave in and fell, opening the way to the flood of darkness.

    But now, they were safe from it.

    ��For now.

    With a sigh, Sunny summoned the Blood Blossom. An intricate pendant in the shape of a beautiful red flower soon appeared, hanging on a black thread around his neck. He admired it for a few short moments, and then hid the charm under his armor.

    It was better to be safe than sorry. Relaxing now was not the brightest of ideas.

    Yes, the dangers of the dark sea were now behind them. But he was ready to bet that actually escaping the clutches of the Forgotten Shore was not going to be that easy.

    And who said that the place beyond this desolate hell was any better? With his luck, it was only going to be worse.

    Consumed in thought, Sunny stared at the dark sea and waited.

    ***

    In the morning, the members of the cohort prepared to start the search. But before they could get to it, Nephis suddenly stopped them and peered at the towering peaks that loomed above in a veil of mist.

    There was a dark expression on her face.

    After a while, Changing Star suddenly kneeled and picked up a large rock. Straining her muscles, she crushed it in her fist and then looked at the shards with an inquisitive look.

    Finally, she threw the shattered pieces away and sighed.

    A few seconds later, Nephis spoke in a heavy tone:

    "...I know where we are."

    What was that supposed to mean?

    Echoing his thought, Effie scoffed.

    "We all know where we are, princess. The southern edge of the Forgotten Shore, about two thousand kilometers away from the Dark City. No?"

    Nephis shook her head and stood up.

    "I mean I know where we are in the Dream Realm."

    Everyone froze.

    "What�� what did you just say?"

    The members of the cohort stared at her with their eyes opened wide. The words Changing Star had said hit them like a bolt of lightning.

    She pointed at the draconian peaks and said, her voice even:pan da-nov el ,c`o`m

    "We are north of the Hollow Mountains. I am sure of it."

    'Hollow�� mountains?'

    The name rang a bell, but Sunny couldn't quite put his finger on where exactly he had heard it. Glancing at the other members of the cohort, he noticed that everyone shared the same expression �� except for Caster, who seemed to know something. His face grew pale.

    Nephis lingered for a few moments, and then explained:

    "Human sphere of influence in the Dream Realms is not very large, but it has been slowly expanding for the last thirty years. There are three great Citadels, the most prosperous of which, Bastion, is ruled by the noble scions of the Valor clan. And numerous lesser ones."

    Then, she grimaced.

    "For a time, the allies and vassals of Clan Valor used to conquer one lesser Citadel after another, expanding human territory far into the north. But then their expansion in that direction stalled. Because they encountered Hollow Mountains."

    'Oh�� right. I think I heard that from teacher Julius. The northern border of the human territory is a wild place.'

    Sunny frowned.

    "Are these�� Hollow Mountains very dangerous?"

    Changing Star gritted her teeth.

    "As dangerous as it gets. Actually, beyond that. The mountain chain stretches for thousands of kilometers, forming a whole region of its own. It is marked as a death zone. Even Saints don't come back from there alive."

    Sunny shivered. Death zones were regions of the Dream Realm populated by Nightmare Creatures of the three highest ranks �� Great, Cursed, and Unholy.

    Since no human had survived the Fourth Nightmare yet, facing even the weakest of them was a death sentence to anyone below the Saint rank, and even Saints had only a slight chance of prevailing against a Great creature�� let alone a Cursed one.

    Somehow, Sunny managed to become one of the few people alive to slay a Great Devil. But he had only survived that encounter by pure luck �� if not for his weird trait of possessing a Shadow Core instead of a Soul Core, the unborn spawn of the Vile Thieving Bird would have stolen his life force and killed him on the spot.

    ��And if Nephis was right, the Hollow Mountains were populated by many creatures of that caliber and higher.

    Sunny sighed.

    "So what you're telling us is that this place is even worse than the Forgotten Shore?"

    Without having to say anything, Nephis simply nodded.

    He smiled.

    "Figures."

    He had been right after all. Escaping the Forgotten Shore was simply impossible.

    The only way out lay in the cursed Crimson Spire, and that��

    That was where they were headed, whether he wanted to or not.

    With a dark expression on his face, Sunny stared at the jagged peaks of the Hollow Mountains and said:

    ?? n?? - ? o? ?? , ?`?`m "So�� we are going there?"

    Nephis lingered for a few moments, and then answered calmly:

    "Let's hope not. We only need to get as far as the First Lord had gotten. That�� that should be close to where we are right now."

    Sunny looked at her and nodded.

    "In that case, let's not waste any time. The sooner we return into the Labyrinth, the better."

    'Gee. I never thought I would be impatient to return to that damned hellhole. You just never know what the future holds, huh?'

 Chapter 245 Theatre of Giants

    Chapter 245 Theatre of Giants

    Armed with the understanding of just how dangerous the beautiful mountains towering above them were, the cohort set out deeper into the foothills. Because they didn't know much about the area and what type of creatures populated it, they decided to stay together.

    While it would have been much easier to send Kai to take a look around from above, no one wanted to take this risk. As the result, the six humans moved in a tight group, much like they had on the narrow streets of the Dark City and in the Labyrinth.

    ��However, the landscape around them was vastly different. There were no growths of crimson coral covering the ground, just grass and outcroppings of grey rock. It almost felt like they were back on Earth.

    Strangely, that made Sunny feel uncomfortable. Looking around, he could see far in every direction, with no walls of coral or ancient, ruined buildings obscuring his view. That made it harder for the Nightmare Creatures to ambush the cohort, but also impossible for the cohort to hide from anything that could have been watching.

    'That is true, but�� where are all the monsters?'

    Indeed, no matter how hard Sunny looked, he couldn't see any movement whatsoever. It was as if the entire area was completely dead. They were surrounded by complete silence, which was broken only when a member of the cohort made a sound.

    The picturesque scenery could have been peaceful, but felt eerie instead. Even Sunny's shadow seemed uncharacteristically listless.

    Full of unease, they continued to move forward.

    The plan was very simple. Because of Cassie's vision, they knew that the First Lord and his companions had traveled to the mountains the same way that they did, or at least followed the same route. That meant that both cohorts entered the foothills at approximately the same spot.

    The other thing Cassie had told them was that they were searching for a vast pit in the stone. It was hard to miss something like that, so all they had to do was to move deeper into the foothills and look around.

    The ground beneath their feet gently sloped upward. As time passed, it grew more and more rocky, and the incline became rather steep. Soon, they were surrounded by tall boulders and had to walk on bare stone.

    At some point, Sunny looked back and was surprised to realize how high above the labyrinth they had climbed. By now, it was far away and below them, looking like a vast crimson sea.

    A strange sensation settled in his heart. With a bit of introspection, Sunny realized that it was something he had lost a long time ago.

    The feeling of being connected to the rest of humanity.

    Even though all of them understood that crossing the Hollow Mountains was an impossible task, simply knowing where they were in relation to the rest of the Awakened made all the difference.

    They might have been just as stranded as they had been before�� but at least they weren't lost anymore.

    'What a nice, but useless thought.'

    With a sigh, he turned around and hurried to catch up with the rest of the cohort.

    The sun was still high in the sky when they found the pit Cassie had described. It was situated in a valley just at the point where the foothills turned into proper mountains, and turned out to be something different from what everyone had imagined.

    Disturbingly, throughout the whole day, they had not met a single living thing. In any other circumstances, Sunny would have been glad because of this strange lack of Nightmare Creatures, but now it was just making him nervous.

    Standing at the edge of it, he looked down with a feeling of awe.

    Cut into the flesh of the mountains, a vast quarry lay below them. Despite its incredible scale, it was clearly made by humans. A road clinging to the slope of the circular pit led to the bottom of it, wide enough for ten carriages to ride side by side.

    At the far end of the quarry, the grey slope of the mountain was cut and hollowed, creating something that resembled either colossal steps or seats of an amphitheater built for giants. Here and there, massive blocks of stone stood, as though ready to be transported back to the ancient city.

    Sunny studied the monolithic blocks of grey stone, then the size of the deep quarry. Something connected in his mind.

    'So�� so this is where the materials for the mighty wall of the Dark City had come from.'

    He was certain of it. To think that the ancient inhabitants of the Forgotten Shore had transported all that stone from this far away�� the thought of it was nothing short of humbling.

    Effie, meanwhile, was staring at something with a tense look on her face. Suddenly. she pointed to the center of the deep quarry and said:

    "Over there, look."

    Following her gaze, Sunny strained his eyes. For a couple of moments, he couldn't understand what the huntress was talking about, but then his heart skipped a bit.

    At the bottom of the quarry, there was a giant Nightmare Creature.

    The abomination was enormous, easily twice the size of the Carapace Demon�� who had already been as tall as a house. It looked like a strange insect, somewhat resembling a weird mix of a rhinoceros beetle and a praying mantis, with a smooth carapace, massive horn, and deadly blades attached to the joints of its limbs.

    The whole creature seemed to be made out of stone and was the same color as the floor of the quarry. In fact, if not for Effie's warning, Sunny might have not even noticed it.

    ��That flesh, however, was broken and shattered, lying in piles on the ground.

    The giant stone demon was dead.

    And from the looks of it, it died by a human hand.

    Sunny turned to Nephis and hesitated for a moment.

    "What do you think? Those are sword cuts, aren't they?"

    Changing Star was silent for a bit, and then said in a dark tone:

    "It's hard to tell. We'll need to get closer to take a proper look."

 Chapter 246 lrrefutable Proof

    Chapter 246 lrrefutable Proof

    Ready for the worst, the cohort summoned their weapons and slowly moved down the wide road that lead to the bottom of the quarry. From reaching the foothills of the Hollow Mountains till now, they had not met a single Nightmare Creature... but that was not a reason to lower their guard.

    Walking on the ancient path, all of them couldn't help but steal glances at the corpse of the giant stone demon, as though expecting it to come back to life and attack them at any moment.

    If living on the Forgotten Shore had taught him anything, it was to always expect the worst.

    Some time later, Effie spoke:

    "See those deep fractures on the floor of the quarry? I think that this thing had burrowed from below. So watch your step."

    Remembering his encounter with the Rolling Stone, Sunny looked down with a sour expression. That clumsy creature was more funny than dangerous, but only because its teeth were vastly outclassed by the Puppeteer's Shroud. If something with more bite were to ambush them from below, who knew what was going to happen?

    With a simple thought, Sunny summoned the Stone Saint and ordered her to keep close. The taciturn monster stared at the tall peaks of the Hollow Mountains for a few moments, as though subtly affected by the sight of them. Then, she lowered her head and silently followed his command.

    After tense and exhausting half an hour of descending into the deep pit, the cohort finally got close to the remains of the giant stone insect. Cautiously stopping a few dozen meters away from it, they hesitated, not sure how to proceed.

    Finally, Nephis sighed and walked forward, approaching the shattered body of the dead demon. If that was what it had been�� or was.

    As their leader came close enough to the carcass to touch it with her hand, all of them held their breaths.

    A few seconds went by, then a few more. Nothing jumped at Changing Star from below the stones. The giant creature had not moved, nor had it shown any signs of coming back to life. The demon just lay there, its body shattered and broken, terrifying even in death.

    And it indeed was truly, really dead.

    Glancing at the indifferent Saint, Sunny let out a sigh of relief.

    Even though he was prepared for a tough battle, he hoped that this time, they would be able to avoid it. The members of the cohort had yet to fully recover from the harrowing journey atop the walking colossus, so they weren't in the best of shapes.

    Well, at least Sunny was not, partially because he had refused Neph's offer to vanquish his wounds with her purifying flame. They were healing fast thanks to the Blood Weave and the five hundred shadow fragment�� almost�� that he had accumulated, but his body was yet to fully recover.

    Turning her head, Nephis looked at them and said:

    "Come closer."

    Encouraged by her words, the members of the cohort finally put their caution to rest and walked over to the dead creature.

    Of course, they were still prepared to instantly react in case something unexpected happened.

    The six of them spent a few minutes studying the remains to determine whether the terrible creature was killed by a human or something of its own kind.

    Sunny glanced at the tall mountains and spent a few seconds watching as the white mist rolled down from their peaks, flowing down the jagged slopes like a waterfall made of clouds.

    '...How beautiful.'

    With a sigh, he turned away from the wall of mist that was still some distance away from the valley where the quarry was situated and concentrated on the corpse of the stone demon.

    Whatever had killed it was not something Sunny would wish to meet in a battle. The flesh of the creature was, indeed, made of stone. That had not stopped the fearsome attackers, however. The carapace of the giant granite abomination was shattered in many places, and melted in others.

    ��But mostly, it was cut and pierced.

    Apart from a few enormous wounds, there were numerous smaller ones, many of them looking as though they could have come from a sword, an axe, or a spear. And yet, he wasn't sure. Sunny was not really an expert in such things.

    However, he was an expert in all things having to do with greed and avarice.

    Instead of focusing on the nature of the damage done to the giant abomination, Sunny walked around and found its abdomen, which was damaged especially severely. With a reluctant sigh, he climbed atop the stone corpse�� and then inside of it.

    The other members of the cohort stared at him with expressions ranging from surprise to revulsion.

    A couple of minutes later, Sunny climbed out of the dead demon and shook off stone dust from his armor and hair. Then, he glanced at his companions and frowned.

    "What?"

    Kai stared at him with a complicated expression, and then asked:

    "Sunny? Ah, do you want to tell us something?"

    Sunny gave him a nod and grinned.

    "I do, actually. This thing was indeed killed by a human."

    The charming archer raised an eyebrow and asked in a dubious tone:

    "Really? How do you know?"

    Sunny jumped down and shrugged.

    "The Soul Shards are missing."

    A few moments later, an expression of understanding appeared on Kai's face.

    Indeed, most Nightmare Creatures had no use for the soul shards. Just like humans, who directly absorbed soul essence after killing one of their own kind, they fed from the kill itself as opposed to the act of retrieving and crushing the remnants of broken soul cores.

    ��If they weren't bizarre terrors like the Soul Devourer, of course. But the chances of encountering another one of those here were rather low.

    It was reasonable to assume that the soul shards were removed by humans.

    His discovery was solid enough proof of the fact that it was indeed the First Lord's cohort that had battled and slain the terrifying creature.

    They had really found the signs of the lost expedition.

    But there was another proof for this conclusion, this one irrefutable.

    Nephis, who had wandered away from the remains of the demon at some point, suddenly called them over.

    The members of the cohort glanced at each other, then slowly approached her, trying to understand what was it that she had found.

    Changing Star was standing near one of the piles of rocks that were littering the ground around the body of the dead creature, looking at it with a solemn expression. Most of them came from its shattered carapace, while some were created because the floor of the quarry was broken apart and churned during the ferocious battle.

    Why was Nephis so interested in that one in particular?

    Looking closer, Sunny suddenly realized that this pile of rocks was different from all others. It was lower, roughly oval in shape, its contour too perfect to be the result of a pure coincidence.

    It seemed as though each rock was painstakingly placed here by a human hand, perhaps in hopes to make the pile as orderly and sturdy as possible.

    Suddenly, a cold shiver ran down Sunny's spine. He finally realized what he was looking at.

    This was not really a pile of rocks.

    It was a grave.

 Chapter 247 The Mist

    Chapter 247 The Mist

    Standing around the cairn, the members of the cohort looked at it with somber expressions �� except for Cassie, who turned away and faced the mountainside, as though trying to hide her emotions.

    Now that they knew what they were looking at, their mood suddenly became forlorn and solemn. People stranded on the Forgotten Shore were well acquainted with death and tragedy, but finding this lonely grave so far away from any place where another human could find it, lost under the alien grey sky of the Dream Realm, was still a poignant revelation.

    None of them had ever met the Dreamers of the first cohort, but after living in the shadow of their legendary achievements and hearing stories of their deeds for so long, it felt as though this grave belonged to one of their own.

    Because of how bleak and tense the reality of the Bright Castle was, it was easy to forget that in this cursed world, all of them were fellow humans. But in front of the quiet grave, the truth was stark and cutting: it was them alone against the endless tide of Nightmare Creatures, and every human life lost diminished them all.

    Sunny sighed and noticed that there were words carved into one of the stones placed on top of the cairn. It took him a while to make sense of the inscription, because it wasn't written with the runes he had grown accustomed to. Instead, it was written in simple letters of the human language, which looked strange and alien in this forsaken land.

    Cut into the stone by unknown means, a single sentence was left behind on the otherwise unmarked grave.

    "Her nightmare is over"

    With a heavy heart, Sunny silently repeated it several times. It was strange how much meaning could be expressed with so few words. They echoed in his mind and lingered there, leaving a deep and mournful mark.

    '...Rest in peace, whoever you are. I... I hope that your dreams are sweet and serene now.'

    With that, he turned away and gritted his teeth.

    When would their own nightmares be over?

    The other members of the cohort were slowly coming back from their sudden reverie. Kai sighed and looked at Changing Star, his face full of sadness.

    "I guess�� I guess this is what we've been looking for. The First Lord and his expedition definitely passed this way. But what now?"

    Nephis threw a last glance at the grave and turned to face the charming archer.

    "There should be an entrance to an old mine somewhere nearby. From what Cassie had seen, this is where they went."

    Sunny frowned. Something in what she said made him uneasy. But why?

    Turning his head, he looked at Cassie, who was still silently standing a few steps away from them, her head turned to the mountains. It seemed as though the blind girl was enjoying the sight of white mist that was flowing down the mountain slope, slowly approaching the valley.

    She had been awfully quiet all this time.

    With an ominous feeling suddenly gripping his heart, Sunny gestured to Nephis to draw her attention. Changing Star frowned, then followed his gaze and slightly changed in the face.

    Walking over to her friend, she carefully placed her hand on the blind girl's shoulder. Instantly, Cassie flinched at turned around, her face pale.

    "...Cassie? Did you see something?"

    There was an expression of terror written on the blind girl's face. For a few moments, she just breathed heavily, as though trying to control herself. Finally, she spoke, her voice quiet but steady:

    "The mist... we must get underground before the mist comes. If not, all of us will die!"

    Nephis didn't waste any time questioning Cassie further. Turning around, she shouted:

    "Sunny, Night! Find the entrance to the mine, quick!"

    A moment later, Kai rose into the air and dashed toward the giant amphitheater on the opposite side of the quarry. Sunny did not hesitate, too: his shadow detached from his feet and glided away with startling speed.

    Despite the urgency of the situation, he remained calm.

    'So�� I guess there is a reason why we haven't met a single living creature in this place, after all.'

    Sunny had expected something like this to happen from the very moment they entered the foothills of the Hollow Mountains. Even before learning about how dangerous these peaks were, he had already known that no land that the crimson coral was incapable of growing on could be safe.

    "Caster, Effie! Prepare to move as soon as the scouts find anything!"

    Glancing at the white wall of mist that was already starting to seep into the valley, Nephis lingered for a moment, then summoned her sword. Behind her, Cassie rose slightly above the ground and unsheathed the Quiet Dancer, holding the elegant rapier in her left hand.

    Two transparent wings turned into a blur behind her back.

    Looking at them, Sunny sighed and walked over to stand near the Stone Saint. His mind was preoccupied with perceiving the world through the shadow. Then, he closed his eyes to concentrate on his other senses.

    The shadow and Kai found the entrance to the mine almost simultaneously. A tall archway was cut right into the side of the mountain, with false columns carved into the rock around it. The mouth of the tunnel was dark and ominous.

    There was a twisting path leading away from the mine into the quarry. Sunny couldn't see where it exited the maze of stone blocks, but was sure that Kai would see it from above.

    Opening his eyes, he noticed that the wall of mist was now looming above them, mere seconds from falling down into the quarry, and said:

    "Follow me!"

    With that, he ran toward the general direction of where the mine was situated. The others ran behind him, exerting as much speed as they could manage �� except for Caster, of course.

    Halfway to the wall of the quarry, Kai landed near them and gestured to a barely visible opening between the stone steps.

    "There! Hurry!"

    They entered the hidden path and ran as fast as they could, soon approaching the wide tunnel.

    At the very edge of darkness, Sunny stopped for a second and looked back at the swiftly approaching wall of mist.

    As he gazed into the milky fog, a cold and heavy feeling of dread suddenly grasped his heart.

    Not wasting any more time, he turned around and dove into the shadows.

    A few moments later, the mist swirled around the entrance of the tunnel and devoured the rest of the world.

 Chapter 248 Those Who Survived

    Chapter 248 Those Who Survived

    Leaving the mouth of the tunnel and the swirling white mist behind, the cohort cautiously went further into the darkness. As they walked, they summoned the Memories that produced light to illuminate the way.

    The tunnel leading into the mine was wide and spacious. Despite the ruthless flow of time, it had remained in perfect condition �� just like the ancient wall that surrounded the Dark City. The floor was inclined and led down, deep into the belly of the mountain.

    Sunny sighed, not happy with the idea that they had to travel further into this deadly region of the Dream Realm. Who knew what horrors lived in the darkness at the roots of the Hollow Mountains? The only thing that consoled him was that, with some luck, the cohort wouldn't have to go too far.

    They just had to find the remains of the doomed expedition that had disappeared somewhere down below. He wasn't entirely comfortable hoping that those people had died sooner rather than later, but they were dead either way.

    What Sunny cared about the most was for him and his companions to not follow suit.

    Walking at the back of the party, he glanced at the five people in front of him.

    How did Changing Star's cohort stacked against that of the First Lord? Were they weaker, stronger, or just about the same?

    His brow furrowed.

    Regarding Nephis herself, he doubted that the young man who had led a group of Sleepers to conquer the Bright Castle could have been more powerful or driven than her, at least not at the start. However, he had much more time to accumulate power and resources before venturing into the Hollow Mountains to find his death.

    Fifteen years ago, when he had entered the Dream Realm and got stranded on the Forgotten Shore, things were much different from now. The Immortal Flame clan was yet to fall, for one. In fact, it was not long after Broken Sword, Neph's father, had become the first human to conquer the Third Nightmare and achieve the rank of Saint.

    Would the world be different if the First Lord managed to find the way out and returned to reality? Yes, most likely. If the era of the Nightmare Spell had shown anything to humanity, it was that history was often changed by individuals, as opposed to events and invisible currents. The influence one extraordinary person could exert on history in a time of adversity was hard to deny.

    From everything that Sunny knew about the First Lord, a man like him could have done a lot to improve the position humanity was in. What a shame that he had perished in this godforsaken hell, the story of his incredible deeds known only to a handful of people as unfortunate as him.

    But how many were there of such brilliant youths, killed before their time by the Nightmare Spell?

    In the end, history was not written by the best, but by those who survived.

    Glancing at the people walking in front of him, Sunny couldn't help but think:

    'How many of us will survive?'

    Each member of the cohort was incredibly strong. Just like Nephis was at least an equal to the First Lord, her companions were most likely equal to his.

    Because of Effie's light-hearted and carefree demeanor, it was easy to forget how fearsome of a warrior she was. The huntress had not survived three years of stalking monsters on the cursed streets of the Dark City alone by accident. Hundreds upon hundreds of vicious Nightmare Creatures fell by her hand.

    As much as Sunny hated to admit it, Caster was a true powerhouse among the Sleepers, too. His incredible Aspect Ability, outstanding skill, cold intelligence and the wide arsenal of inherited Memories made him a deadly threat to anyone foolish enough to become his enemy.

    Kai was not as ferocious of a fighter as the core members of the cohort, but his ability to fly coupled with the mastery of the bow and the Ascended arrow that Sunny had sold him made him a real menace in a battle, too.

    Cassie was not much of a fighter, but her gift was arguably more important than any combat Aspect Ability could ever be. Especially so on the Forgotten Shore, where inconceivable dangers lurked under each rock.

    ��And then there was Sunny himself.

    Sunny was, perhaps, the deadliest of them all. If he wanted to, he could have killed every member of the cohort twice over.

    With the exception of Nephis himself, of course.

    If the two of them had to face each other in battle, he didn't count his chances too high.

    ��At least for now.

    ***

    As they walked deeper into the mine, there were more tunnels forking away from the main one. The cohort turned a few times, choosing the path that led further down underground.

    Soon, the walls surrounding them changed. More and more, they were decorated with the intricate stone carving that the inhabitants of the ancient city had loved so much.

    At first, these carvings were strictly decorative and mostly senseless, shaped into beautiful patterns of lines and simple images. But then, slowly, something about them changed.

    Sunny was, perhaps, the only one who paid attention to the carvings. Due to his passion for learning the history of this ancient civilization, he had spent a lot of time doing the same back in the Dark City, where there were a lot of similar things.

    He was still planning to clear the floor of the ruined library of rubble and study the vast fresco that was hidden beneath �� the project he had been working on before the events of these recent weeks had taken him away.

    However, the condition of the carvings back in the ancient city was mostly terrible. The unknown disaster that had wiped out its inhabitants, the passage of time, and the Nightmare Creatures left most of them in ruins.

    Here in the remote mine, however, the carvings were preserved in pristine condition.

    When Sunny finally saw what was depicted on them, his breath became faster.

    The answers to many questions that were tormenting him were right there, carved into these walls.

 Chapter 249 Curse of Darkness

    Chapter 249 Curse of Darkness

    Depicted on the ancient engravings, a beautiful land was bathed in sunlight. Lush forests, glistening rivers, and fields of flowers surrounded human cities built of stone. From what Sunny could tell, this was the Forgotten Shore before the mysterious and terrifying curse had turned it into the desolate hell it was today.

    In the next mural, the beautiful land rested under the sky that was full of stars. Suddenly, one of them fell to the ground, causing a wave of destruction to wash over the human cities. When people approached the center of the crater left behind by the falling star��

    Sunny almost stumbled when he saw the next engraving. In it, a naked human figure was standing at the bottom of the crater, wreathed in light. The inhabitants of the stone cities were surrounding the radiant figure, dressed in archaic garments and armor.

    The figure seemed beautiful and pure, as though untouched by the imperfections of the mundane world. What made Sunny lose his composure was not its beauty and not how eerily familiar the soft radiance emanated by its skin was, but...

    Its face.

    On it, three eyes were burning with pure, incandescent light. Two were just like that of a human, with the third one situated above the other ones, right in the middle of the creature's forehead.

    ��Just like that of the terrible skull that the walking colossus had shattered with his stone hammer in the middle of a raging storm.

    '...What does it mean? What is this thing?'

    To Sunny's dismay, the next engraving was heavily damaged. He couldn't discern anything of what was depicted on it.

    However, the one after that was in almost perfect condition.

    On it, the radiant figure was kneeling on the ground, its chest pierced by the spear of the tallest human among the inhabitants of the beautiful land. What flowed from the terrible wound, however, was not blood, but an endless flood of pure darkness.

    'Why... why did they attack it? What happened?'

    Left without an answer, Sunny walked forward and soon reached the next mural. He saw darkness devouring the humans gathered around the fatally wounded creature and spread. Soon, it devoured the crater left by the fallen star, too.

    And then, it devoured the entire world.

    "...The curse of all-consuming darkness," he whispered.

    Finally, Sunny got a glimpse at the origin of the terrible disaster that had destroyed this land and turned it into a hellish nightmare. Although the details of it were still unclear, one of the mysteries he had been trying to solve now had an answer.

    But the story told by the engravings was not yet over. Walking further into the ancient mine, Sunny learned of what had happened next.

    As the darkness spread across the world, it reached the skies. The stars were either devoured by it or fell down, turning the sky into a terrible, lightless abyss.

    The starless void.

    The sun never rose above the cursed land again, leaving humans trembling in the cold. Soon, horrifying creatures came from the darkness to devour them. The best and the brightest of the ancient civilization took arms to defend their cities, and for a while, they were able to resist the tide of monsters.

    ��But then, humans themselves started to turn into abominable horrors.

    At that point, Sunny felt a cold shiver running down his spine and couldn't help but tremble.

    Not because he was affected by the tragic disaster that had befallen these ancient people.

    But because it all seemed so terrifyingly familiar.

    The details might not have been the same, but the end result was eerily similar to what was happening in the real world right now.

    A curse that suddenly appeared and spread across the entire world. The horrible monsters that came from nowhere to attack settlements and devour humans. The champions who had taken charge of defending their kind from the abominable creatures. And the fact that some humans had begun turning into those creatures themselves.

    Was it not the same as the Nightmare Spell spreading like a plague across the globe, the Nightmare Creatures coming through the Gates, the Awakened rising to fight against them, and the unfortunate soles who failed their First Nightmare transforming into monstrous abominations?

    The only difference was that the story of the civilization of the Forgotten Shore was already over. Eventually, the curse had destroyed it. The people of his own world, however, were still trying to resist such fate.

    But was it even possible to defeat fate? The inhabitants of the Forgotten Shore were proud and mighty. They were capable of building cities that stood for thousands of years and fighting against the most terrifying monsters on equal footing. And yet, in the end, they were utterly obliterated and wiped out. Their land had become a cursed desert.

    Would the real world turn into a desolate hell like the Forgotten Shore too, one day?

    With a dark expression on his face, Sunny turned away from the engraving he was staring at and walked away.

    There were a few more left ahead, still.

    On one of them, seven heroes came together from different parts of the dark land. Under their protection and guidance, people living in the darkness migrated from their half-destroyed cities and came to the shore of the vast crater. There, they built a new home for themselves, one surrounded by a mighty wall that no monster could scale or breach.

    One of the heroes, a man depicted with a mason's hammer in his hand, was in charge of building the wall. Despite the fact that the part of the engraving depicting his face was damaged, it was unmistakably one of the seven founders of the Starlight Legion, the man whose statue had carried them across the Forgotten Shore.

    In the second to last engraving, the mighty wall was finished, and the city was prospering amidst the darkness. The seven heroes stood at some distance from it, surrounding��

    Sunny's eyes narrowed.

    The seven heroes were surrounding an inconceivably tall tower. It loomed above them, connecting heaven and earth like the axis of the world. Despite its cyclopean height, the tower was still unfinished.

    The Crimson Spire. Only it was not crimson yet, as there were no growths of cursed coral covering its walls.

    On the last engraving, the tower was complete, and on top of it��

    On top of it, a new sun was burning bright, bathing the land and the celebrating people in the light once again.

    The darkness was gone.

 Chapter 250 Defiant Oath

    Chapter 250 Defiant Oath

    Sunny stared at the last engraving for a few moments, and then continued walking.

    The revelations he had uncovered on the walls of the ancient mine gave him a lot to think about. The truth that he had been piecing together for a very long time was finally more complete than fragmented.

    So, something had indeed fallen from the sky and put a start to the eventual destruction of this land. Sunny had suspected that this was the case for a while now, especially after witnessing the colossal impact crater that was situated between the Dark City and the Ashen Barrow.

    At times, he had been almost ready to believe that it was really the result of the Vile Thieving Bird dropping the Weaver's eye "on the mortal realm below", as written in the description of the Lineage Memory he had consumed.

    The Thieving Bird had gone mad after looking at the reflection of the -unknown- which was apparently forever frozen in the depths of Weaver's pupil. The madness and corruption that reigned over the Forgotten Shore were similar enough for him to draw a parallel.

    However, now he knew that it had been an actual being that had fallen from the skies, wreathed in light and flame. A beautiful figure that emanated brilliant radiance and had three eyes on its terrible, perfect face.

    Sunny didn't know what led the ancient humans to attack it, but they had killed the creature �� perhaps managing such a feat only because it was already weakened by its fall from the heavens and the events that had sent it plummeting down.

    But by doing so, they had unleashed the flood of darkness and caused the destruction of their land.

    Sunny was under the impression that the annihilation of the ancient civilization had been instantaneous, but as it turned out, humans had continued to fight against the curse for a long time. Generations, even �� that's why the founders of the Starlight Legion were described as being born in the all-consuming darkness.

    He didn't know whether the monsters that came to feast on the human flesh had been contained within the body of the fallen being along with the ocean of darkness, or whether they were all humans corrupted by the curse �� with those present at the moment of the creature's death becoming the most terrifying ones.

    What he did know, however, was that the Starlight Legion had managed to push the monsters back and build an impregnable fortress for the humans under their protection. That fortress would later become the Dark City.

    And then, the founders of the Legion had achieved something even more inconceivable. They had built the cyclopean Spire and somehow used it to��

    To create an artificial star.

    Yes, the sun shining above the Forgotten Shore was not real. It was, in fact, a human creation.

    '...Speak about ambition.'

    It was hard not to feel awe after learning that those seven madmen had actually managed to create a sun. They had made a defiant oath to return light to the cursed land and gone about it with terrifying resolve and sincerity.

    The story depicted in the ancient engravings ended with a celebration. The forces of good had vanquished the curse of darkness and brought a new era of light and prosperity to the inhabitants of the ancient city.

    ��However, that was not where history ended.

    Something happened between then and now that had caused the obliteration of the ancient civilization, the corruption of the Spire, and the appearance of the Crimson Labyrinth.

    But what?

    That was a mystery for another day. Perhaps he would be able to find the answer to it back at the Dark City.

    What Sunny did note, however, was the difference between the dark reality shown in the engravings and the state the Forgotten Shore was now.

    Yes, the ancient murals showed a world completely devoid of light, but it was different from the hell that Sunny and the other members of the cohort knew. The engravings did not show the curse of darkness as a literal sea.

    With no sun and no sea, there was no cycle of tides that turned the Forgotten Shore into an ocean of black water every night.

    The dark sea had appeared at the same time as the Labyrinth, then? Or at least as the result of the same event. Sunny was sure that the two were connected.

    But he didn't know what significance that information hid.

    ...The other thing he had noted was that, while other members of the party were initially indifferent to the ancient engravings, at some that changed.

    When they had been walking past the mural depicting the radiant being with three incandescent eyes, Nephis had stopped and looked at it for several long moments.

    Then, she turned her head away, lingered for a second, and continued walking.

    Sunny had not missed that detail. However, he couldn't even begin to guess what it meant.

    ***

    Some time later, they entered a wide circular hall. In the center of it, a dark chasm opened into the depths of the mountains, leading so far down that Sunny couldn't even see its bottom.

    It looked like the gates of the Underworld.

    Thousand years ago, there were wooden ladders and platforms leading down the main shaft of the mine, as well as a system of ropes and pulleys to lower the miners and lift containers full of precious ores up. Of course, all of that had rotten and collapsed a long time ago.

    With a sigh, Sunny glanced at Nephis and asked:

    "We are climbing down, aren't we?"

    Instead of answering, she simply summoned the golden rope and shrugged.

    He shook his head.

    "Wait. At least give me some time to scout ahead and see if anything is waiting for us at the bottom of this thing."

    With that, he sent his shadow down the wall of the endless shaft. The shadow wasn't very ecstatic at the prospect of gliding down into the depths of the scarry well, though. Giving Sunny a resentful glare, it sighed and dove down with visible reluctance.

    A few minutes later, the shadow reached as far down as the range of Shadow Control allowed. It was still not at the bottom of the mine, but at least there were no primordial horrors in its sight.

    Sunny summoned the Dark Wing and gave the members of the cohort a nod.

    "We can proceed. Be ready, though. Who knows what might happen?"

 Chapter 251 Boundary of the Underworld

    Chapter 251 Boundary of the Underworld

    Standing on the edge of the bottomless well, Sunny sighed and summoned the Prowling Thorn. Then, he commanded the Dark Wing to come to life and took a step into the emptiness.

    The dragonfly wings of his enchanted cloak were too fragile to rely on them alone in a situation that posed unknown risks. It was better to have a backup at hand.

    Softly gliding down, he descended in a straight line for a few moments, then made a turn and glanced at the other members of the party.

    The golden rope had been thrown into the darkness. Nephis, Effie and Caster were already climbing down, while Kai hovered near them, ready to draw his bow should anything attack the cohort. Cassie was by his side, holding the Quiet Dancer in her hand.

    The elegant rapier served as her guide as well as support, allowing the blind girl to make better use of the transparent wings. With it, she was able to zip around with considerable speed or stay in one place without any surface beneath her feet.

    'Handy.'

    Just like that, the cohort descended to the bottom of the ancient mine. Sunny was gliding down in a wide spiral, sometimes close enough to the wall of the well to touch it with his hand. He was slightly ahead of the rest of the group.

    When the distance between them grew too much, he would insert the dagger into a crack in the stone and wait for others, attached to the vertical wall like a strange insect.

    His shadow moved further and further down, exploring the darkness below.

    Despite the tension that permeated the air, in the end, nothing had attacked the group of descending humans. They discovered the reason for this unexpected respite at the bottom of the mine.

    Sunny was the first one to land on solid ground. With other members of the cohort still a few dozen meters away, for some time, he was left in complete darkness.

    As soon as he took a step, something crunched under his foot. Looking down, Sunny saw a piece of pale bone.

    A few meters away from him, the remains of a giant skeletal creature lay broken on the ground. It resembled a snake with hundreds of tiny claws growing from its belly and a terrifying, round maw. Glancing up, he judged that the length of the dead abomination was enough to coil around the whole shaft of the mine at least several times.

    While Sunny was thinking, the other members of the cohort approached the ground. The light of their lantern Memories fell on him, then shone further, revealing the remains of the colossal bone worm.

    Exposed by this light, a nimble shadow glided on the stone and attached itself to Sunny's feet.

    Nephis was the first one to jump down. Glancing at the repulsive Nightmare Creature, she outstretched one hand and asked:

    "Sunny?"

    He shook his head.

    "It's dead. Nothing is moving out here."

    Soon, all of them were on the ground. Gathering around the giant worm, everyone had the same thought:

    'Fighting that thing on the vertical wall of the well would have been a true nightmare.'

    Sunny didn't know how the members of the lost expedition had managed to defeat the terrifying creature, but was thankful to them. He would not have wanted to test the durability of the Dark Wing if that thing suddenly lunged at him from the dark.

    There was a disturbing question now in his mind, however.

    If the cohort of the First Lord was strong and capable enough to slay the stone abomination that used to guard the quarry and the worm that lived in the well of the mine��

    Then was kind of a horror had killed them all in the end?

    With a dark expression on his face, Sunny turned away from the dead creature and walked into the darkness.

    Not too far from the corpse of the abominable worm, they stumbled upon an abandoned campsite.

    A makeshift firepit was built on the rock floor, with five large stones surrounding it for the humans to sit on. A bit further, a low barricade was constructed out of the rubble, protecting the camp from unwelcomed visitors.

    The lost expedition had definitely been here.

    Since they had been walking, climbing and running for the better half of the day, the cohort decided to settle for the night and continue the search tomorrow.

    Soon, the orange glow of a bonfire chased away the darkness.

    It was a bit strange to relax and cook food in the same place where the First Lord and his companions had rested and prepared theirs all those years ago. Sunny felt as though he was touching history.

    Or, rather, making it.

    However, he didn't have too much time for empty thoughts.

    If what Nephis had told him at the start of this expedition was true, tomorrow�� tomorrow was going to be his time to shine.

    ***

    The next day, the cohort ventured further into the tunnels of the ancient mine. No one could tell how deep underground they were exactly, but the feeling of countless tons of stone looming over their heads, ready to come crashing down and bury them under their terrible weight, was not a pleasant one.

    They were in the belly of the mountains now.

    After several hours of walking through narrow tunnels, Sunny suddenly felt a soft breeze touch his cheeks. A few minutes later, a distant rustle reached his ears.

    The deeper they went into the darkness, the louder that rustle became, until finally turning into an easily discernable murmur of running water.

    Soon, they reached the dark shore of a wide underground river.

    The running water was black as ink, but not in the way that the waves of the cursed sea had been. There was no smell of salt in the air, too. Wisps of mist were rising above the surface of the subterranean river, swirling in the silent darkness.

    It looked like a boundary of the Underworld.

    There was a stone pillar built on the shore, and tied to it, a beautiful boat made of pale wood swayed gently on the cold black surface of the dark river.

    Looking at the graceful boat, Sunny sighed.

    It was time to earn his keep.

 Chapter 252 Unseen

    Chapter 252 Unseen

    This was the last secret about the fate of the lost expedition that Cassie had gleaned from her visions. But even then, the knowledge she had received was fragmented and incomplete.

    All she could tell the members of the cohort was that, once they crossed the dark river and until reaching the next boundary, they had to keep their eyes closed at all cost, no matter what happened. No living thing could see what lay beyond these cold waters and remain... whole.

    At least that was what she told them.

    Cassie didn't really know herself what would happen if someone failed to follow that rule, but said that she had never felt more terror than in the short moment before the vision showing her the fate of the lost expedition had shattered and everything had grown dark.

    This was telling a lot, considering what kinds of horrors the blind girl saw in her vision routinely.

    ��In any case, this was where Sunny came in.

    While looking through the eyes of the shadow was still too dangerous, he could lead the cohort to their destination with the help of his ability to sense space through the shapes of shadows populating it.

    At least in theory.

    Standing on the shore of the dark river, six humans tied the golden rope around their waists. When everyone was ready, Nephis took out six strips of cloth and a block of wax. Lighting a small white flame on her palm, she sighed and turned to Effie.

    "You're first."

    The huntress made a complicated face, but then obediently approached their leader.

    What followed next looked simultaneously intimate and disturbing. Using her flames to melt the wax, Changing Star gently took Effie's face in her hands and, after the huntress shut her eyes tightly, sealed them with melted wax. Then, she tied the strip of cloth around Effie's head to hold it in place.

    One after another, every member of the cohort went through the same procedure. When Sunny's turn came, he shifted slightly when Neph's cool hands touched his cheeks.

    A few moments later, he was blind.

    'That is�� is this how Cassie lives?'

    Commanding his shadow to not see anything, Sunny was left in utter darkness. However, he still had it better than the blind girl. His Shadow Sense was still working, at least.

    With its help, Sunny could more or less tell what was where. This form of perception was vastly different from sight, but could serve the same purpose in a pinch, be it very poorly. If conditions were right.

    Luckily, he had practiced navigating the world with the help of nothing else but Shadow Sense in the past. This was how he had defeated the strange basilisk creature in the Dark City, among other things.

    Leading the group of staggering humans to the graceful boat, he helped them to board it and untied the rope holding it in place. Then, Sunny found the oar and pulled on it, propelling the boat across the dark river.

    Soon, cold mist shrouded everything around.

    The deeper into the mist they sailed, the more it felt like they were leaving one world behind and entering another.

    A much darker, much more ancient, much more terrifying world.

    No one felt compelled to speak, so the silence was broken only by the murmur of rushing water and the creaking of the wooden oar.

    'This is not too bad. Yeah. I am not scared witless, at all.'

    Calming himself down with these silly thoughts, Sunny continued to guide the boat.

    However, one thing kept making him shiver.

    Being surrounded by mist and having to keep his eyes closed, Sunny couldn't help but remember the harrowing encounter with the being that appeared in a veil of fog and tried and lure him into gazing at it using a stolen voice.

    ��Was this where it came from?

    After some time had passed �� he couldn't tell how much no matter how hard he tried �� Sunny suddenly sensed a solid mass in the distance. This was the opposite shore of the dark river.

    Soon, they were drawing near to it.

    As the bottom of the boat scraped against stone, Sunny jumped to the pier and tied the rope around the stone pillar. Then, he helped the others disembark.

    Turning his head, he sensed another shape swaying on the surface of the water. There was a second boat here, presumably the one First Lord and his companions used to cross.

    But unlike Nephis and her cohort, there had not been an oracle in their ranks. No one had warned them to keep their eyes shut.

    Maybe this was the reason why none of them had returned.

    Turning his back to the river with a strong feeling of unease, Sunny faced the mouth of the tunnel that led deeper underground. Letting out a resentful sigh, he slightly tugged on the golden rope and took a step forward.

    The other members of the cohort had no choice but to follow him.

    A few seconds later, they disappeared into the tunnel, leaving the shore of the silent river behind.

    As soon as Sunny stepped into the tunnel, he felt cold shivers running down his spine. Although he couldn't see anything about it, he could tell that it was different from the ones they had traversed earlier.

    This one still felt like it had been cut through the flesh of the mountains by someone �� or something �� as opposed to being formed by a natural process. However, its creators were unmistakably different from the humans that had created the mine and the quarry outside.

    Everything about it was more pronounced, more skillful. The shadows populating the tunnel were different, too.

    They were much deeper, much darker. And much, much more�� ancient.

    Soon, the tunnel turned into a maze of wide passages, all filled with nothing but mist and silence.

    'Another maze. Of course it's a maze. Everything in this damn place just has to be a maze��'

    Before Sunny could finish the thought, though, he suddenly froze, paralyzed by fear.

    Because right in front of them, he felt the presence of a shadow that was different from all the others.

    ��A human shadow.

 Chapter 253 without a Master

    Chapter 253 without a Master

    The human shadow stood lonesomely in the mist, strangely aloof and motionless. As Sunny pulled on the golden rope to command his companions to stop, it shifted slightly and turned away, then became still once again.

    Sunny sensed a cold, dreadful feeling settle in his heart.

    The possibility of encountering another human in this dark and terrifying place was already unsettling enough. He did not consider even for a second that one of the members of the lost expedition could have survived down here, in the darkness, for all these years. Not unless they were no longer human.

    But even that was not the cause for the coldness and dread he felt.

    The real reason had nothing to do with logic and everything to do with his unique Aspect. Because of it, Sunny sensed that there was something terribly, utterly wrong with the shadow.

    The feeling he got from it was one of eerie and utter wrongness. However, it didn't seem to be dangerous or hostile. Instead, it felt lost, empty, and�� mournful. The shadow was full of sorrow and anguish that he could not describe with words.

    Sunny was not that empathetic when it came to humans, but strangely, he couldn't help but share in the suffering of this lonely shadow. Maybe because, in a sense, they were kin.

    As he was observing the shadow, unsure what to do, it made a few steps in a random direction and then stopped hesitantly, lingering there without moving. Then, it walked back and froze once again.

    It was as though the shadow was lost.

    A few moments later, Sunny finally understood the nature of the deep feeling of wrongness he felt in the lonesome shadow. When he did, a cold shiver ran through his entire body.

    The reason why this shadow was so strange and eerie was because it wasn't connected to anyone. There was no human casting it. Not anymore, at least.

    The human that the shadow had once belonged to was gone, cut from existence by some unknown power. Sunny couldn't sense any bones anywhere, either. It was as if the human had not been killed, but simply�� erased.

    While the shadow remained to wander aimlessly in the mist for all eternity.

    'What a terrible fate��'

    But the question remained�� what was he supposed to do now? The shadow was in his way. Sunny had to either walk past it or return back and try to find another way through the maze.

    But what threat could this pitiful thing pose? It was just a shadow, after all. His own couldn't harm a fly no matter how hard it tried. This one had to be the same.

    With a deep sigh, Sunny slowly walked forward. With each step he took, he could sense the lonesome shadow better.

    ��At some point, it sensed him, too.

    Turning to face Sunny, the shadow hesitated for a few moments, then tentatively glided closer. He could feel an outburst of muted emotions radiating from it: surprise, hope�� and then, sudden despair.

    Realizing that he wasn't its long-lost master, the shadow froze. Its shoulders dropped.

    Sensing the deep well of loneliness, anguish and sorrow in front of him, Sunny tilted his head to the side.

    Then, following an impulse, he outstretched his hand to the shadow:

    'Here�� take my hand. You don't have to be alone anymore.'

    The shadow trembled, as if it heard his silent invitation. Then, it lingered for a few moments and approached him with uncertainty. Finally, it raised its hand and tentatively placed it in the hand of his own shadow.

    A moment later, it disappeared.

    Sunny sighed. ????????????.???

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Diving into the Soul Sea, he walked along the rows of silent shadows standing on the surface of the tranquil water. And there, just as he had expected, he saw a new one.

    A shadow of a graceful young woman was standing among them, as motionless and still as the rest of them. Her anguish, sorrow, and loneliness were gone. The shadow seemed to finally be at peace.

    Sunny looked at her for a few moments, his heart heavy. Finally, he said:

    "Welcome. Rest now. Your�� your nightmare is over."

    With that, he left the silent sea and sighed again.

    Standing in the darkness with his eyes sealed shut, Sunny remained motionless for some time.

    Then, he pulled on the golden rope and led the cohort further into the mist.

    Sunny didn't know how long they wandered around the dark maze. More than once, he had ended up at a dead-end and had to search for another path. It was hard to not lose track of all the turns of the twisting tunnels, but he had somehow managed to stay on track.

    On the way, he had found three more shadows. Each of them was just like the first one, lost and lonesome.

    And just like the first one, they eventually took his hand and were absorbed into his Soul Sea. The four of them �� one young woman and three men �� now stood silently together, united once again even though their masters were long gone.

    ...Seeing them together gave Sunny a little solace, no matter how misguided it was.

    There were five stones arranged around the fire at the campsite left behind by the lost expedition, hinting that five people had descended into the ancient mine. Four of them had eventually perished in this eerie, dark place.

    But no matter how hard Sunny searched, he couldn't find the fifth shadow.

    The First Lord himself was not here.

    Could it be that he had somehow managed to survive and leave the maze of mist?

    At some point, Sunny felt someone pull on the golden rope. Turning around, he walked a few steps back and stopped near Cassie. Feeling his approach, the blind girl raised her hand and pointed at one of the tunnels.

    Understanding what she wanted to say, Sunny led the cohort in that direction.

    Soon, the sound of rushing water reached his ears.

    Some time later, they came to the shore of another subterranean river.

    They had reached the second boundary.

 Chapter 254 The First Lord

    Chapter 254 The First Lord

    For a moment, Sunny was afraid that they had been walking in circles all this time and now returned exactly to where they had started. But then, he calmed himself down and noted that this river, while as eerie as the one they had crossed on a wooden boat, was rather different.

    He couldn't exactly explain it, but it didn't feel the same. Plus, there was no pier with two boats tied to stone pillars anywhere in sight�� or rather, sense.

    Instead, there was a bridge.

    Sunny could feel its shadow falling on the cold water, solid and firm as the stone it was built from. The bridge arched over the river, leading far into the distance.

    Not wishing to spend another minute in the terrible maze that no living thing could see if it hoped to remain alive, Sunny led the cohort toward the bridge.

    If Cassie was correct, they would be safe after crossing the second river. Sunny surely hoped that it was true, because the long journey where he had to play the role of a guide for five blind people had been nothing short of exhausting.

    After spending seven�� or was it eight by now?... months on the Forgotten Shore, Sunny had thought that he possessed a high tolerance for terror. But this last ordeal tested the limits of his mental endurance.

    Walking through that dark place with his sight taken away��

    It was a miracle that Cassie had somehow managed to remain sane at all.

    He tensed up when they entered the bridge, expecting for something dreadful to happen at the last moment. But the silence was not broken by anything except for the sound of rushing water, their steps, and laborious breathing.

    The cohort walked on the bridge, leaving the dark maze behind. Soon, they could feel the mist surrounding them grow thinner.

    And at some point, it was gone.

    They crossed the river without any trouble and returned to solid ground again.

    Making several more steps, Sunny stopped and finally allowed himself to tremble. Then, he opened his mouth and said in a hoarse voice:

    "Are we through?"

    Although Cassie had not said anything about the need to remain quiet, each of them subconsciously avoided speaking ever since entering the mist. Because of that, the sound of his own voice startled Sunny a little.

    A few moments later, Cassie answered in a hesitant tone:

    "I�� I think so?"

    Without wasting any more time, Sunny untied the cloth that covered his eyes and removed the wax from them. Then, he carefully opened them and looked around.

    They were standing on a stone shore inside a vast cave, through which the underground river was flowing unobstructed. Some distance away from them, the wall of the cave came down, with a mouth of a wide tunnel visible in it.

    By his side, other members of the cohort were removing the strips of cloth. Sunny could hear the sighs of relief coming from them.

    However, his attention was instantly drawn to Nephis, who had already opened her calm grey eyes and was looking at something behind him.

    Turning around, Sunny followed her gaze�� and froze.

    Just a few meters away from them, on the shore of the dark river, he saw a human skeleton. It was sitting on the cold stones, its back straight, facing the water.

    Unlike the ferocious undead from the catacombs of the Dark City, this one was tranquil and untouched by the corruption of the Forgotten Shore.

    ��This was the place where the First Lord of the Bright Castle had died.

    ***

    The young man whom the members of the cohort only knew by his title had died on the shores of the cold underground river, just a few meters away from the bridge that he had used to escape the terrible place which, according to Cassie, no living being should have been able to escape.

    Somehow, he had survived even without knowing that anyone entering the mist had to keep their eyes closed at all times. But in the end, the wounds he had received there �� or somewhere up ahead, perhaps �� turned out to be too grievous.

    Before the last vestiges of life abandoned him, the young man �� the First Lord who had wrestled the Bright Castle from the Nightmare Creatures, created a safe place for the humans sent to the Forgotten Shore to live, and lead an expedition to find a way out of this cursed place �� sat down and looked in the direction of the misty, dark maze.

    ��The place where his friends and companions had died, leaving him alone in the darkness of this forsaken underworld.

    Looking at the skeleton that sat quietly on the shore of the river, Sunny couldn't help but feel a deep feeling of awe�� and sorrow.

    He had never met this young man, but somehow, it felt as though they knew each other very well.

    Everything that humans had on the Forgotten Shore was thanks to his bravery, power, and skill.

    ��What a shame that he had died here, in this lonesome place, with no one to share his last moments and tell the tale of his last deeds.

    The skeleton was strangely well-preserved. It was sitting with its legs crossed, back straight, its hands resting on the hips, as if meditating. The skull of the First Lord gazed at the river with the dark chams of its empty eyes, strangely calm and at peace.

    What Sunny noticed, though, was not the whiteness of the bone nor the eternal grin of the bare skull, but a thin strip of light metal resting on it like a humble crown.

    There was a single bright gemstone on the metal band, placed right above the middle of the skull's forehead.

    After the six of them gathered around the remains of the First Lord and stood there for a while in silence to express their respect for this extraordinary human, Nephis sighed and approached the skeleton.

    Gently, she took the strip of metal and removed it from the First Lord's head.

    ��A moment later, the band suddenly broke into countless sparks of light, which then disappeared, absorbed into her soul core.

    Sunny's eyes widened.

    The crown of the First Lord�� was a Memory.

 Chapter 255 Dawn Shard

    Chapter 255 Dawn Shard

    As the last spark of light disappeared, Nephis tilted her head to the side and remained silent for a few moments. Then, she lowered her gaze and said, addressing the First Lord:

    "Thank you."

    She hesitated, as though wishing to say more, but eventually just took a step back.

    Kai, however, wasn't that reserved. Bowing deeply, he remained with his head down for a while, then straightened his back, looked at the skeleton, and voiced something that a few of them must have been thinking:

    "Thank you. We will�� we will finish what you started."

    His words echoed above the cold water, eventually disappearing into the darkness. A heavy silence settled above the shore of the underground river.

    A few seconds later, the charming archer turned to the rest of them and asked with uncertainty:

    "I think�� should we bury him?"

    The members of the cohort looked at each other. Before anyone could voice their opinion, though, Sunny suddenly spoke:

    "No. Just leave him as he is. He wanted to be closer to his friends when he died, so�� just don't touch him."

    With that, he turned his head and looked away.

    Since the First Lord died outside of the terrible maze, his shadow was gone, too. Now it was just dumb and empty, like most shadows cast by inanimate objects. He had not shared in the harrowing fate of his companions, which meant that Sunny couldn't help him reunite with them�� even slightly.

    Neither could they bring the remains of the First Lord back outside, to bury him near the girl who had died in the quarry.

    It was better to just leave him be.

    'Forget about it. Think of something else.'

    Sunny had other matters to consider, anyway.

    That strange Memory that Nephis had absorbed�� he had never even heard of a Memory that could exist outside of someone's soul. Had the First Lord somehow relinquished the ownership of it, or was this a quality that all Shard Memories possessed?

    And it was, without a doubt, another Shard Memory �� just like Effie's spear and his own stalwart blade. That Memory was the reason why Changing Star had ventured on this expedition, to begin with. The thing that was supposed to somehow give her a chance of defeating Gunlaug.

    Sunny stared at Nephis, then said:

    "That headband�� what is it called? No, actually, let me guess. Dawn Shard? Dusk Shard?"

    Neph looked at him and didn't answer. Her ivory face was calm and inexorable.

    Sunny grinned.

    "...Full of secrets, are we?"

    A hint of some deep, sharp emotion appeared in her cold grey eyes. A few moments later, she said:

    "Weren't you the one who made it clear that you don't want to be a true member of this cohort? You chose to be a hired blade yourself�� did you not? Why should I share my secrets with you?"

    Sunny remained silent for a bit, then sighed.

    "Well�� fair enough. I did, and you have no good reason to share anything with me."

    Suddenly, Nephis smiled.

    "You can change your mind, you know. If you do, I'll naturally tell you everything."

    He stared at her for a while, then shook his head.

    "No, no need. Answer me one question, though. How exactly is that thing supposed to help us defeat Gunlaug?"

    Changing Star lingered for a bit, then simply shrugged.

    "See for yourself."

    A moment later, the headband left behind by the First Lord weaved itself from sparks of light on her forehead. The bright gemstone in its center softly gleamed.

    And then, something about the world around Sunny changed.

    'W��what��'

    He blinked a couple of times, then slowly lowered his gaze and looked at the fabric of the Puppeteer's Shroud.

    Or, rather, on the spellweave beneath it.

    What he saw left Sunny breathless.

    The five glowing embers that served as nexuses for the complicated pattern of ethereal strings permeating the Memory suddenly shone brighter.

    Much, much brighter.

    In fact, their radiance was now almost as intense as of those inside the black onyx armor he had purchased at the Memory Market. Which was�� which was��

    An Ascended Memory.

    'What the hell?'

    Pulling on the thread tied around his neck, Sunny fished out the Blood Blossom from under his armor and stared at it, perplexed. The two embers inside the intricate pendant had become much brighter, too.

    Not knowing that Sunny had the ability to peer into the inner weave of Memories, Nephis explained:

    "The Dawn Shard possesses a single, but also singularly powerful enchantment. It empowers all Memories around it. The area of effect of the enchantment is very large�� but the enhancement it provides is ever larger."

    '...You don't say!'

    Staring at his Memories, Sunny felt as though he was on the verge of being dumbstruck. Singular was the right word to describe the effect of the Dawn Shard. He had never heard of a Memory being capable of rising the power of another one by almost an entire rank��

    'Wait, did she say�� all Memories?'

    All Memories�� all of them�� in a very large radius?

    'Impossible!'

    With that crown on her head, Nephis would not only be able to stand a chance in a fight against Gunlaug, but also make each one of her followers so much more dangerous. She would become a perfect general for a small army of Awakened.

    �� But wasn't there something wrong with that statement?

    Sunny frowned.

    'All Memories�� hold on. All?'

    Glancing at Changing Star, he asked:

    "So that thing makes every Memory around you vastly more powerful?"

    Nephis gave him a silent nod.

    Sunny's frown deepened.

    "Then do you not see a problem here? Won't it enhance that damn golden armor of Gunlaug's, too? How exactly does it give you a chance against him, then?"

    She lingered for a few moments, then smiled slightly.

    "It would not, would it? But, hey�� do you want me to tell you another secret?"

    Sunny glared at her without saying anything. He knew better than to get himself into such a clumsy trap.

    Only, as it turned out, there was no trap. Nephis just waited for a bit and continued:

    "It will help me because the golden armor Gunalug wears is not a Memory."

    Before he could say anything, she added:

    "In fact, it is an Echo."

 Chapter 256 True Reason

    Chapter 256 True Reason

    Sunny was silent for a while.

    An Echo�� that weird golden armor was actually a copy of some strange Corrupted Nightmare Creature?

    What kind of creature took the shape of an armor?

    But then again, the fact that it looked like an armor didn't mean that it was all it could look like. The main trait of the golden armor was that it seemed to be made out of liquid metal. That metal always flowed and moved around, enveloping Gunlaug's body like a second layer of skin.

    The only thing that never changed was the mirror-like surface that served him as a face.

    It wasn't impossible to imagine that the mass of living metal was, in fact, not a Memory but a bizarre Echo.

    Not impossible, but a bit of a stretch.

    Glancing at Nephis, Sunny asked:

    "How do you even know this?"

    She hesitated for a few moments, then said:

    "You already know that we have an ally inside the castle. She was the one who told us."

    That mysterious spy again�� Sunny became even more convinced that this person was of a very high rank among the Bright Lord's servants. Only someone extremely close to him would know such an important secret.

    In fact, Sunny expected that the paranoid tyrant would never let anyone learn of it.

    Why would one of Gunlaug's most loyal minions help his enemy? Was it all an elaborate trap orchestrated by the Bright Lord himself?

    Looking at Changing Star with a deep scowl on his face, he asked:

    "Can this ally of yours even be trusted?"

    If he was right in his guess about the identity of the spy... well, things would become complicated.

    She was silent for a while, then said evenly:

    "Trusted? Not really�� never, actually. However, we can trust in the information that was provided to us."

    He raised his eyebrows.

    "And why is that?"

    Nephis shrugged and then answered, her voice indifferent:

    "Because I am the only chance anyone here has of ever getting out of this cursed place. And Gunlaug is not."

    'Interesting��'

    So, one of the top ranks of the Bright Lord's forces was an opportunist who desired to return to the real world desperately enough to risk betraying the ruthless tyrant. That person had been loyal to Gunlaug because there was no better alternative, but then changed sides once the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan appeared like a miracle and promised to save the people of the Forgotten Shore.

    That ally of hers was either swayed by Neph's rhetoric like the rest of the unfortunate fools in the Dark City or was confident of ending up among the few lucky people who would actually have the chance of surviving what was about to come.

    ��Or just knew something that Sunny did not.

    In any case, Changing Star seemed to be confident in the information the spy provided, so he did not see the point of doubting it. She wasn't any more naive or trusting than he was, after all.

    Nephis had learned the art of cynicism from the best.

    Kai, who had been listening to their conversation with a fair bit of curiosity, suddenly cleared his throat.

    "Uh�� I am very sorry to interrupt you guys. But I just wanted to ask �� since we have found the remains of the First Lord and came into possession of this Memory you were discussing�� does that mean that the expedition is over? Have we actually accomplished our goal? Really?"

    That, indeed, would seem to be the case.

    However, Sunny knew better.

    With a friendly smile, he shook his head.

    "No. No, buddy, the goal of this expedition has not been achieved yet."

    The charming archer looked at him with surprise:

    "But�� didn't we get the thing that will help us defeat Gunalugh?"

    Nephis was staring at Sunny too, a subtle smile on her lips.

    "Yeah, Sunny. What else do we have to do? Do tell."

    He grinned.

    "Well, it's very simple, really. Yes, you told us that the reason for this adventure of ours was to find the means of overthrowing the Bright Lord, and it certainly was a reason. But it's not the whole reason, is it?"

    Cassie turned her head slightly to listen to him and sighed.

    Caster's face, meanwhile, had turned grim. Effie didn't seem to care one way or another.

    Nephis, on the other hand, just smiled wider.

    "What is the whole reason then?"

    Sunny gestured at the mouth of the tunnel in front of them.

    "To finish what the First Lord had started, of course."

    Kai was looking between him and Changing Star, unsure of what was going on.

    "Uh... what do you mean? Exactly?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Think about it, Kai. We saw the same map. What were the symbols drawn at the very edge of it, near the place where the First Lord's expedition had disappeared?"

    The charming archer frowned.

    "That�� uh. There were�� three of them? A crown, a question mark. And a red cross?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "Exactly. There were six crosses drawn on the map, each marking one of the headless statues. Two to the east of the Dark City, one to the north, one to the west, and two to the south. We had visited one of the two statues situated to the south already. That's where the Spider Matriarch had weaved her nest."

    He turned to Nephis and said, his smile gone:

    "So the truth of it all is that the First Lord never really intended to find a way through the Hollow Mountains, isn't it? He wasn't a fool who would do something so misguided. No, he came to this godforsaken place for the same reason that we are here. To find the last statue."

    Changing Star was silent for a bit.

    When the silence was on the verge of growing uncomfortable, she suddenly said:

    "That is correct."

    Kai stared at her in astonishment.

    "But�� why? No, wait�� what's so important about that statue?"

    Nephis sighed.

    "This is something that people can only volunteer to do. Anyone who doesn't wish to proceed can stay behind and avoid risking their lives in the battle. In fact, some of us probably should."

    She turned to face the tunnel, remained silent for a bit, and then said:

    "Yes, somewhere up ahead lies another ancient statue. There will be a powerful creature guarding it. I don't know what that guardian is, exactly, but we have to kill it. Anyone who is willing to fight can join me. Others can stay back and wait for my return."

    She glanced at the members of the cohort and added:

    "However, if you do join me, you'll have to follow one simple rule. No matter what happens, it's imperative that you don't deliver the final blow to the creature... unless you have reached and touched the statue first."

 Chapter 257 Nightmare Champion

    Chapter 257 Nightmare Champion

    'Ah. So that is how it works.'

    Initially, Sunny had suspected that the mysterious Shard Memories were just rewarded to those who managed to slay certain powerful Nightmare Creatures who dwelled close to the headless statues.

    The truth, however, turned out to be more complicated. The creature itself, most likely, did not even matter �� it was the act of vanquishing a powerful foe after coming in contact with a statue that summoned the Memory from oblivion.

    That was why they had received the Midnight Shard before even learning about how important these ancient monuments were. Sunny, Nephis and Cassie had taken shelter atop the statue of the ancient knight and killed the Carapace Demon long after.

    But no, that didn't make a lot of sense. If this was true, Sunny would have received another Shard Memory after defeating the Corpse Eater. So�� not any powerful abomination would do.

    Each statue seemed to have a... a Nightmare Champion tied to it by some invisible bond. The Carapace Demon, whom the creatures described as cursed soldiers of the fallen legion used to obey, was connected to the statue of the Knight.

    The Iron Matriarch was tied to the statue of the Hunter.

    Which statue had the Dawn Shard come from? The Builder, whose monument had somehow come to life and was now wandering the Forgotten Shore? Rumors said that the First Lord chased it around the Labyrinth for a long time, after all.

    But somehow, Sunny felt that the metal headband had nothing to do with the walking colossus.

    'So many questions.'

    How many champions were still around, anyway? Nephis had not even tried to search for one tied to the Builder, nor for one tied to the Priestess. How many Shard Memories were already in the hands of humans?

    Among the members of the cohort, there were now three. And they were about to challenge some abominable horror for a chance of receiving the fourth one.

    '...Why do I even assume that there are only three?'

    Sunny tilted his head.

    Indeed, the fact that he had only seen the Midnight Shard, the Zenith Shard, and the Dawn Shard did not mean that Changing Star had not gotten other ones already. Not counting the Memory they were currently hunting, three more were unaccounted for.

    How many had she found already?

    He smiled darkly.

    'Well�� it's going to be revealed sooner or later. Right now, however, there is a more pressing issue...'

    Glancing at Nephis, he asked:

    "What happens if I get the Memory? As you reminded so astutely, I am not one of your lackeys. That would throw a wrench in your plans, wouldn't it?"

    Sunny couldn't imagine Changing Star leaving something that important to chance.

    However, to his surprise, she just shrugged:

    "Keep it, if you want."

    He frowned.

    Why was Nephis so nonchalant about the possibility of a Shard Memory falling into his hands? Wait�� why was she so indifferent about him already possessing the Midnight Shard?

    One possible explanation was that it didn't matter who held the Shard Memory �� as long as it was in human hands. The other explanation�� made Sunny very uncomfortable.

    Maybe she was just sure that fate would push the two in the same direction. If this was true, then it didn't really matter which one of them possessed the Shards.

    He lingered for a bit, then shake his head and said:

    "...Well, what are we waiting for? You didn't really expect any of us to stay behind while others fight, right? Let's go and hunt this monster."

    Honestly, while Sunny couldn't even imagine what type of terrible creature guarded the hidden statue, he was almost excited to find out.

    He wanted to see what the six of them were capable of under the miraculous effect of the Dawn Shard...

    Himself in particular.

    ***

    Eventually, they arrived at a vast cavern situated somewhere in the depths of the draconian mountains. The cavern was large enough to fit the entire Bright Castle �� and the hill it stood upon �� inside of it. Witnessing its size, Sunny got an inkling that there was a reason why these mountains were called Hollow.

    As his sight pierced the darkness ruling over the vast cavern, Sunny couldn't help but feel a deep sense of awe.

    The floor of it was covered by black sand, while its walls glistened like obsidian. In the center of the cavern stood a giant pillar of dark stone. It was surrounded by massive scaffolds, which nevertheless looked tiny and insignificant on its surface.

    The silhouette of an unfinished statue was easily discernable, cut from the giant pillar by the unknown sculptor. Its upper torso was almost finished, while the lower half was still encased inside the stone.

    It was as though a dark giant was struggling to free himself from the pillar of stone that imprisoned him.

    With a feeling of surprise, Sunny realized that he recognized the details of the unfinished giant's armor and shield. They were eerily similar to the armaments that the Black Knight guarding the ruined cathedral wore.

    ��And to the ones the Stone Saint wielded, too.

    Looking up, he made sure that the head of the giant statue was missing.

    '...Of course it is.'

    All of that only took a fraction of a second.

    Then, Sunny hastily looked down, trying to notice the guardian of this obsidian cave before the creature noticed them.

    ��But it was too late.

    As soon as the members of the cohort entered the cavern, something moved in the darkness at the base of the statue, and then stepped forward.

    Sunny shivered.

    'Damnation!'

    Standing on the black sand, a monstrous creature that resembled a cross between a lion and a raven stretched its numerous limbs. Its body was pale as a corpse, while its head and chest were covered with dark feathers. It was massive in size, with muscles rolling like steel cables under the skin.

    The creature had two powerful hind legs and six more protruding messily from its wide chest, each ending with a set of deadly claws. But the most terrifying feature it possessed was a long, jagged black beak.

    It was a Spire...

    "Messenger!"

    That was all Sunny had time to yell before the vile abomination lunged forward, exploding into a whirlwind of hunger, madness, and death.

 Chapter 258 Herald of the Crimson Terror

    Chapter 258 Herald of the Crimson Terror

    Sunny had already faced off against a Spire Messenger once.

    Back then, the vile creature had killed several experienced hunters in a span of just a few seconds, and the rest had only been spared this fate because of Effie's strength��

    That and the fact that the Messenger had no need to fight them and chose to retreat and search for easier prey.

    There was nowhere to retreat in this hidden cavern. Sunny didn't even know how the flying abomination had gotten here in the first place.

    However, he was not the same inexperienced kid he had been all those months ago, either.

    Sunny had grown considerably stronger. His arsenal of Memories was better now. His skill and technique were far beyond what he had known in the past, and his kill count had crossed a hundred Nightmare Creatures a long time ago.

    There was the Stone Saint, too.

    But, most importantly, his Memories were empowered by the Crown of Dawn.

    Theoretically, Sunny could stack three augmentations on the Midnight Shard �� one from his shadow, one from the miraculous crown, and one from the Blood Blossom, as long as someone managed to make the Messenger bleed.

    Hopefully, that would be enough to breach the gap between a dormant human and a Fallen Beast and allow him to actually wound the abomination, unlike the previous two times he had tried to cut into the flesh of similar horrors �� Corpse Eater and the giant eel that had tried to hitch a ride on the ancient colossus.

    ��But first, he had to survive.

    Judging that the Puppeteer's Shroud had a decent chance of withstanding a blow from the Messenger thanks to the enhancement of the Dawn Shard, but also not even reamotely willing to put that to the test, Sunny dove to the side.

    A moment later, the massive abomination collided against two shields �� one belonging to Effie, the other to the Stone Saint. The terrible beak came down, aiming at the huntress��

    If it was before, the round shield that protected Effie from knee to shoulder would have been easily pierced and torn apart, as if it was made out of paper instead of metal. But due to the empowering aura that emanated from the Dawn Shard, it somehow held.

    The force of the impact, however, still threw both of them back. Even Shadow Saint, whose flesh was made of stone and weighed accordingly, was launched into the air like a doll made of feathers and rags.

    But they had bought the cohort the precious second to regroup and counterattack.

    As Kai and Cassie flew in different directions, creating some distance between them and the ferocious abomination, Nephis and Caster attacked from the sides. One sword shined with brilliant white radiance, while the other gleamed with ghostly green light.

    However, the Messenger was still terrifyingly formidable. The Memories wielded by the cohort might have been enhanced, but their masters remained the same. They couldn't compete with a Fallen creature in terms of raw power and speed.

    Two of the beast's six front limbs swiped forward, deflecting the swords. Two more shot at the attacking humans, forcing them to retreat while barely staying alive.

    ��Then, the Messenger twisted its neck and caught Kai in its sight.

    Its powerful black wings lashed down, creating a small hurricane that threw Nephis and Caster aside. Using powerful hind legs to throw itself into the air, the abomination lunged at the retreating archer, who twisted his body in a desperate attempt to aim his bow.

    ...And then, suddenly, a triangular blade cut an arc around one of the legs and tied an invisible string around it.

    'Crap!'

    That was all Sunny had time to think before his hand was jerked forward with incredible force.

    However, this was exactly what he wanted.

    With the Dark Wing turning into a blur behind his back, Sunny used the momentum of the pull to turn his laughably slow levitation into real flight.

    In fact, he shot in the direction of the Messenger as though someone had launched him from a cannon.

    The Midnight Shard flashed through the air and bit into the abomination's flesh.

    'Do it!'

    Indeed, with both the shadow and the Dawn Shard augmenting it, the stalwart blade was able to cut into the flesh of the Fallen Beast. Granted, it felt as though he was trying to cut stone.

    But it was enough.

    Sunny aimed at the base of the Messenger's wing. With all the speed given to him by the combination of using the Dark Wing to levitate and the Prowling Thorn to create momentum, the blow Sunny had delivered was truly devastating. In fact, it was so forceful that every bone in his hand almost shattered.

    But he wasn't the one on the sharp end of the sword.

    The Midnight Shard cut deep into the wing of the vile abomination, sending rivers of blood streaming down its pale body. As soon as they did, the enchantment of the Blood Blossom awakened, making the blade even sharper. The elegant tachi tore through the wing, crippling it.

    The Messenger suddenly lost control of its flight and crashed back to the ground.

    'Eat dust, bastard!'

    After a moment of glee, however, Sunny hurriedly dismissed the Dark Wing and plummeted down, landing on the sand some distance away from the monstrous beast.

    While gliding all the way back to the floor of the cavern would have been more comfortable, he wasn't going to become a sitting duck. Crippled wing or not, the Messenger could still jump and use the other one.

    Maybe...

    At the same time as Sunny hit the ground and rolled, a menacing black arrow suddenly fell from above, piercing the second wing of the fearsome creature. There was no blood coming from the wound, though �� the arrow greedily drank it, preventing the Blood Blossom augmentation from growing a bit stronger.

    The abomination did not stagger and slowly turn into a mummy like the iron spiders had, however. It simply shook its body, causing the arrow to shatter and crumble into a stream of white sparks.

    But Sunny didn't see any of that.

    With his back to the Messenger, he was already running toward to giant statue with all the speed he had.

 Chapter 259 Bloody Mayhem

    Chapter 259 Bloody Mayhem

    Sunny ran to the statue with every bit of speed he could manage. Which was quite a considerable amount, by human standards... no, even by those of other Sleepers.

    As the wind whistles in his ears, the shadow flew off the blade of the Midnight Shard and turned around, observing the wounded abomination. Despite the fact that its wings were mangled, the Messenger did not seem perturbed. On the contrary, it opened its terrible beak and let out a blood-curdling shriek, then lunged at the tiny humans with even more bestial fury.

    '...I think it's not happy!'

    Despite the mortal peril his companions found themselves in, Sunny did not stop to help them. Nephis had said that the creature guarding the cave had to be killed by a person who had touched the ancient statue �� until someone did, this battle was nothing but a futile and stupidly dangerous game.

    The essence of combat was murder, after all. If no one truly aimed to kill the damn thing, how could they ever hope to survive?

    So Sunny was helping them after all, in a way.

    Behind him, things weren't going well for the cohort. The Messenger was too big, too strong, too swift for a group of Sleepers, no matter how talented. It was already a miracle that none of them had been torn to pieces already.

    But how long would that last?

    As the shadow watched, the terrifying beak came down again�� and once again, bounced off Effie's stalwart shield.

    However, this time, a wide crack appeared on the surface of the round shield.

    Before the huntress could even react, several powerful limbs shot at the cracked shield, each striking it with the force of a cannonball. Finally, the Memory gave in and shattered �� along with Effie's arm. Sunny saw fragments of bone piercing her olive skin as it twisted at an unnatural angle.

    'Damn! Faster!'

    As the pillar of dark stone approached, he watched the Messenger try to finish the wounded huntress off and be thwarted by the Stone Saint. Simultaneously, Nephis managed to penetrate the barrier created by the creature's front limbs. Her sword flashed and bit into the pale flesh, leaving a deep gash on the abomination's side.

    Judging that he was far enough to not be afraid of a sudden attack aimed at his back, Sunny commanded the shadow to turn around and return to his side. His view of the battle immediately disappeared, and soon, the shadow caught up and wrapped itself around his body.

    Sunny's speed doubled.

    Pursued by the sounds of a ferocious battle, he neared the unfinished statue.

    However, before he could touch it, a human figure suddenly appeared in front of him in a blur and slid on the black sand, stopping right in front of the stone pillar. It was Caster.

    The proud Legacy didn't look all too well. His shiny scale armor was torn by the claws of the terrible beast, leaving four deep wounds on his muscular chest. Blood was streaming from them, leaving the handsome young man pale and disheveled.

    No, it wasn't just that. Caster seemed a bit off, somehow�� Sunny just couldn't tell what was wrong with him exactly. He did notice, however, a crystal amulet in the form of an hourglass hanging on a silver chain around his neck.

    'What is that? A charm Memory? I didn't know that Caster had a charm��'

    Not wasting any time, the Legacy put his bloodied hand on the statue and closed his eyes for a moment.

    '...He wasn't wearing one back on the marble arch. Right?'

    Opening his eyes a second later, Caster glanced at Sunny with a dark expression and turned into a blur once again, rushing back to rejoin the battle.

    Just as soon as he disappeared, Sunny crashed into the stone pillar, unceremoniously using it to stop his momentum. Bouncing off the hard surface, he rolled on the ground and shakily rose to his feet.

    'Agh! Dammit! That hurt!'

    That counted as touching the statue�� right?

    Had to.

    Glancing back, Sunny saw another Blood Arrow piercing the flesh of the Spire Messenger and shattering a moment later. It wasn't destroyed, at least, just returned to Kai.

    Quiet Dancer was zipping around the massive abomination, aiming at its eyes. The elegant rapier was an Echo, and as such did not enjoy the gift of the Dawn Shard, so it was more of a nuisance than a real threat to the beast. Still, it managed to deliver a couple of shallow cuts, causing the bastard to bleed.

    That was exactly what Sunny needed �� blood, as much blood as possible.

    Launching himself forward, he held the Midnight Shard behind him and dashed toward the Messenger.

    'Let's see which one of us is can kill it first, Caster. Wouldn't it be funny if an outskirt rat like me got a third Ascended Memory, while a lofty Legacy like you still had none?'

    Some distance away from his prey, Sunny commanded the Stone Saint to switch her battle style.

    The one the menacing Shadow liked to use the most �� or simply saw as most suited to her equipment and the situation �� was deliberate, elegant, and steady. But that wasn't what Sunny needed right now.

    What he needed was carnage, savagery, and bloody mayhem.

    Lingering for a fraction of a second, the Stone Saint suddenly threw her shield away, grasped her sword with both hands, and lunged forward. Any sort of grace she had possessed earlier was now gone. Instead of a noble knight, the Shadow now appeared as a barbarous butcher.

    It seemed as though she cared neither about self-preservation nor about protecting the members of the cohort anymore. She didn't even care about killing the enemy that much. All she aimed to do was inflict the maximum amount of pain, the maximum amount of damage, and, most importantly, the maximum amount of bleeding.

    Just like Sunny had commanded her to do.

    As he ran back, more and more small, but heavily bleeding wounds appeared on the Messenger's massive frame. It's pale body was now half-covered in dark blood. Caster's enchanted sword added one or two, but most came from the berserk Shadow and Changing Star.

    Effie was still in the fight, as well. Despite the fact that her arm was severely broken and there was bloody foam on her lips, the beautiful spear broke through the abomination's defenses and left a bloody mark on its skin, too.

    But none of these attacks were powerful enough to end the creature once and for all.

    Already nearing the scene of the massacre, Sunny willed his shadow to flow onto the Midnight Shard. The power of the Dawn Shard was burning inside of it, making the stalwart blade sing.

    And on top of it all, the vile Blood Blossom was filling it with insatiable bloodlust and hunger.

    Without slowing down, Sunny lunged at the Spire Messenger�� and fell on his back. As momentum pushed him forward, he slid on the black sand and thrust the Midnight Shard upward.

    Piercing the abdomen of the terrible creature, the razor-sharp sword easily cut through skin and muscle, gutting the abomination and causing it to stagger and fall.

 Chapter 260 How to be a Hero

    Chapter 260 How to be a Hero

    Indeed, with so much blood streaming down the Messenger's pale body, the savage augmentation of the Blood Blossom had grown vastly more powerful.

    If before Sunny had felt as though he was cutting stone, now the Midnight Shard sliced through the tough flesh of the abomination with just a moderate amount of trouble. Of course, the fact that it was aimed at the soft belly of the monster instead of the adamantine black feather also played its part.

    The tachi cut through the pale skin and muscle tissue, tearing its abdomen open.

    As blood, guts and viscera fell from the terrible wound, Sunny slid from under the massive creature �� just in time to avoid being crushed under its weight.

    Even then, however, the Messenger was not yet dead.

    '...What?! Curses!'

    Lying on his back in an awkward position, Sunny was momentarily left defenseless. He had hoped that his strike would if not kill the monstrous abomination outright, then at least leave it stunned for a few seconds, giving him time to disengage and get away to a safe distance.

    But the creature seemed to be impervious to pain and the fear of death that all living beings felt. Despite receiving a mortal wound, it only became more ferocious.

    Staggered by the unexpected attack, the Messenger lost balance and fell to the ground. Its head hit the black sand, sending a cloud of it into the air.

    ��Then, its round corvine eye locked onto Sunny and flushed with eerie madness.

    Knowing that he was not going to be fast enough, Sunny desperately tried to roll away. But it was too late. The terrifying jagged beak shot in his direction, threatening to impale him through the chest.

    'Damn it a��'

    However, at the last moment, a human figure in an elegant black and white armor suddenly appeared between him and the abhorrent beast. The incandescent sword lashed out, pushing the beak slightly to the side.

    As the result, the Messenger failed to kill Sunny. Instead, the beak pierced the Starlight Legion Armor and tore through Changing Star's shoulder, almost severing her left arm. Nephis was thrown aside in a rain of blood, while the abomination opened its mouth and let out another deafening shriek.

    For a moment, time slowed.

    Sunny, who had just rose to one knee, noticed a sword surrounded by ghostly green lights approaching the Messenger's neck. Caster was seconds away from finishing the cursed creature off��

    But before he got the chance, a heavy triangular dagger flashed in the air and sunk into the creature's eye, penetrating through it deep enough to reach the brain.

    The Messenger froze. Its ugly raven-like head swayed slightly. The beak fell open, revealing rows of sharp teeth and a long, wet, crimson tongue.

    Looking at the monster with a dark expression, Sunny pulled on the string of the Prowling Thorn, wreaking havoc inside its skull. The kunai tore through the round black eye on the way back, flying into the air in a stream of blood, bone, and chunks of brain matter.

    Finally, the creature convulsed and crashed onto the ground.

    Its eyes dimmed, then glossed over.

    The corner of Sunny's mouth curled upward.

    [You have slain a Fallen Monster, Cursed Herald.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    'Come on!'

    [...You have received a Memory.]

    A triumphant gleam appeared in his dark eyes.

    ***

    The cohort was in a pathetic state.

    Effie had the bones in her arm shattered into tiny pieces, with sharp splinters tearing through her skin. Her ribs and lungs were wounded, too. Caster was bleeding heavily from the four gashes left on his torso by the Messenger's claws. Kai lost too much blood to the Blood Arrow and was now on the verge of fainting.

    Neph's left arm was partially severed and barely attached to her body. The sight of it was ghastly.

    Even the Stone Saint was severely damaged.

    Only Sunny and Cassie were more or less in one piece.

    It was all worth it, though. The Spire Messenger was actually dead, while they were not.

    Lying on the black sand, Effie suddenly laughed. Sunny gave her a strange look.

    "Have you lost your mind? What are you laughing at?"

    The huntress shrugged, then grimaced from pain.

    "Oh, it's just�� I was thinking whether we are legendary heroes now or just, you know�� fools of legendary proportions. All of us in the outer settlement �� the Castle too, I guess �� heard the stories about the incredible exploits of the first cohort hundreds of times. Killing a Spire Messenger who made its nest in the throne room, and all that. But I never once thought that I would actually do something that impossible as well."

    She grew silent, and then added:

    "It's weird."

    Sunny sort of understood her feelings. However, he wasn't going to admit it. He didn't want his name to ever appear in the same sentence as the word "hero". After everything he had experienced, Sunny had become allergic to it.

    He sighed.

    "You do know how one becomes a mythical hero, right? It's really easy, you just have to do something outlandish and then die. The death part is the key, actually. So I would rather not be a hero, ever."

    With that, he stood up and tiredly dismissed his battle Memories and the Stone Saint. Since only Cassie and he were unscathed, it fell to them to help everyone treat their wounds.

    Well, in this case, they just had to make sure that no one died before Neph summoned her flames and healed everyone. Sunny wasn't sure that she'll be able to remain conscious after that, though.

    Walking over to their leader, he sat down, looked at her, and then asked:

    "...Are you stupid? Why did you do that?"

    She glanced at him with her usual indifferent expression, straightened her back, and said:

    "What do you mean?"

    Sunny sighed.

    "Why did you get between me and the Messenger? Look at the state you're in."

    She looked at him, then shrugged with one shoulder.

    "I can heal myself, remember? You can't."

    He shook his head.

    "I also remember that my armor is two whole tiers above yours. Chances are, I wouldn't be even wounded that terribly."

    Nephis was silent for a bit. Then, she simply said:

    "...Too risky."

    Sunny couldn't help but laugh.

    "Gods! I just don't get you. I really don't. You are so morbidly cunning sometimes, but other times, you are so stupidly naive. It doesn't make any sense."

    Changing Star did not respond for a long time and just stared at him. When she responded, her tone was as flat as usual:

    "Right back at you."

 Chapter 261 Moon Shard

    Chapter 261 Moon Shard

    Some time later, Sunny found the time to dove into the Soul Sea and take a look at the new Memory he had gotten.

    It was a heavy round shield forged from dull, lusterless, dark steel. Inside of it, visible only to him, a complex weave of ethereal strings shone with stark radiance.

    Memory: [Dusk Shard].

    Memory Rank: Ascended.

    Memory Tier: II.

    Memory Type: Weapon.

    Memory Description: [Forged from a shard of a fallen star, this shield contains the weight of the heavens. Depending on the heart of its wielder, it can be light as a feather or heavy as regret.]

    Memory Enchantments: [Indomitable].

    Enchantment Description: [Following the will of its master, the Dusk Shard can change its weight.]

    Sunny frowned.

    This enchantment�� at first glance, it seemed very unassuming. People usually thought about the weight of their weapons only when they considered how much endurance they would need to wield them. In that regard, the lighter the weapon was, the better �� a light weapon could allow a person to fight longer without growing tired, which often meant the difference between victory and defeat.

    However, things changed when it came to the Awakened, who often possessed inhuman strength and endurance. Light weapons had their role to play, but more often than not, what you really needed was force. And the more mass something had, the more force it could produce.

    In the past, Sunny had only considered shields as a defensive tool. But after watching Effie and Stone Saint use them in battle, he realized that in the hands of a trained warrior, a shield could be as destructive and deadly as a sword. Sometimes much more so.

    Just imagining Effie bashing someone with a shield that weighed a few hundred kilograms sent shivers running down his spine. Not to mention that the weight could be changed on the fly, making it light to maneuver faster, then turning it into an improvised siege ram at the right moment.

    But even in terms of pure defense, a shield that could be turned into a literal wall was priceless. He could see a monster such as the Spire Messenger colliding with it�� and simply bouncing off in the chorus of shattering bones.

    ...Maybe.

    Granted, Sunny never trained with a shield, and the sword he used demanded two hands to be wielded properly. But where there was a will, there would be a way.

    With a slight smile, Sunny summoned the Dusk Shard. The sparks of light appeared in a whirlwind around his arm. A few long seconds later, the silhouette of a large round shield weaved itself into reality. After a few more seconds, and the Memory was fully formed.

    'How ni�� oh crap!'

    With a surprised yelp, Sunny staggered and toppled over. Luckily, he fell on top of the dull iron shield �� otherwise, he might have been crushed under its weight.

    'This... is so heavy!'

    The damn thing was heavier than he had ever expected. In fact, it was probably too heavy for him to even lift, let alone carry around.

    The members of the cohort glanced at Sunny, who was struggling to stand up, with perplexed expressions.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny rose to one knee and awkwardly tried to lift the shield off the ground. However, no matter how hard he tried, he only managed to drag it by a few centimeters.

    "Curses!". ???

    'Alright, I admit it. It's too damn heavy! Let's reduce the weight a little��'

    But a few seconds later, his face froze.

    '...This can't be. No way!'

    However, the truth was hard to deny.

    He... couldn't change the Dusk Shard's weight at all.

    The enchantment that was supposed to allow Sunny to do that was there, but it required him to actively manipulate the soul essence �� shadow essence, in his case �� to access it.

    The most powerful enchantments were all like that. And the higher a Memory rank, the more probable it was for the enchantments it possessed to be really powerful.

    The problem was that Sleepers had no way to control and manipulate their soul essence.

    Sunny didn't know whether to laugh or cry. What were the chances of him coming to possess not one, not two, but three whole Ascended Memories�� only to find out that two of them were completely unusable, while the third one required him to somehow become a master marksman to avoid dying from blood loss?

    'Damn it! Damn it all! But especially damn that damned Fated attribute!'

    While Sunny was grinding his teeth in outrage, Effie approached him and glanced down from her considerable height. Then, she leaned forward, took the Dusk Shard by the rim, and lifted it �� along with Sunny �� from the ground, seemingly without too much strain.

    "That's it, then? The Memory you got from the pale bastard?"

    Finally standing up with the help of the huntress, he stared at her for a long time, his expression unreadable. Then, he suddenly smiled:

    "Yes. By the way, Effie. We're friends, aren't we? See, I couldn't help but notice that your shield Memory was destroyed in that last fight. How about��"

    She rolled her eyes.

    "Wait, don't tell me... Sunny's Shady Emporium is open for business again?"

    He blinked a couple of times, then grinned:

    "Why yes! How did you know?"

    The huntress glanced down at the heavy shield, squinted, and said in a cautious tone:

    "Well�� what do you want in exchange?"

    Sunny thought for a bit.

    "That bottomless bag of yours. And two other Awakened Memories."

    Before Effie could come to a decision, though, Nephis interrupted their conversation. Coming closer, she glanced at the huntress first, then at Sunny, and finally at the shield.

    Finally, she asked:

    "How about giving it to Effie in exchange for another Ascended Memory? One more suited to your technique. "

    Sunny dismissed the Dusk Shard and hesitated for a bit, looking at Changing Star with doubt. Was this her ploy to get the Shard Memory from him?

    If she had an Ascended Memory all this time, why had she been hiding it? And where could she have gotten one, to begin with?

    After a while, he said:

    "I don't know. Show me the Memory, and then we'll decide."

    Nephis silently stepped closer and took his hand. Then, a spark of energy traveled from her body to his.

    The Spell whispered:

    [You have received a Memory.]

    Throwing a dubious glance at Nephis, Sunny summoned the runes and found the name of the Memory he had received. His shadow tilted its head, surprised.

    Shimmering in the air in front of him, a string of runes read:

    Memory: [Moon Shard].

 Chapter 262 Path to Damnation

    Chapter 262 Path to Damnation

    'Another Shard Memory?'

    Sunny raised an eyebrow, glanced at Nephis, and turned back to the runes. His eyes glistened.

    Memory: [Moon Shard].

    Memory Rank: Ascended.

    Memory Tier: I.

    Memory Type: Weapon.

    Memory Description: [When the stars were extinguished and fell, a lonely moon remained in the empty sky. With no sun to shine upon it, the moon grew dim, withered, and died. As the last remnants of moonlight were devoured by darkness, one small shard was forged into this subtle blade.]

    Memory Enchantments: [Unseen].

    Enchantment Description: [Forged from moonlight, this blade appears in the hand of its wielder without delay.]

    Sunny's pupils widened slightly. With a tense frown, he summoned the Moon Shard.

    A graceful dagger with a long and slender blade appeared in his hand. It tapered to a needle-like point and had a simple cross-guard, with a handle made from glossy black wood. The most striking feature of the dagger was that it seemed to be forged out of clear, misty glass. That glass, however, appeared to be as strong as steel�� and much, much sharper.

    In the darkness of the underground cavern, the ghostly stiletto was nearly invisible.

    What really stunned Sunny, though, was not its look or its rank, but the fact that the moonlight blade had appeared in his had instantaneously. There had been no sparks of light, no process of weaving itself into existence from nothingness. The dagger was simply suddenly there, as if it had always been that way.

    This�� this was an incredible enchantment. It might not have seemed that powerful, but Sunny instantly understood that there was a lot more to this simple trait than most people would assume.

    Once summoned, Memories took time to form. The Dusk Shard had weaved itself into existence in about six to eight seconds. But even if it was just a single second, like the time it took Neph's silver sword to appear, the process was still not instantaneous. What's more, the appearance of a Memory was telegraphed in advance by the dancing sparks of light.

    In short, it was very hard to take the enemy by surprise by suddenly summoning a Memory. A skilled opponent would always have enough time to notice it and react accordingly �� unless they were lured into a cunning trap by a sword savant like Changing Star. But even then, it wasn't easy to plan and execute such a move.

    Yet all of that didn't apply to the Moon Shard. The slender blade of the ghostly dagger could appear out of nowhere in an instant and immediately strike at the target.

    '...What an insidious little thing.'

    It was uniquely suited to Sunny's preferred method of engaging the enemy, indeed. He liked to strike from the shadows and kill with one strike. With the ghostly blade in his arsenal, though, he would not even have to hide in the darkness in order to deliver an unexpected and deadly blow.

    No one would see it coming.

    Not to mention that it was an Ascended Memory. Armed with the Moon Shard, Sunny would finally be able to wound and kill Fallen creatures �� even without the miraculous enhancement of the Crown of Dawn.

    His own shadow would be more than enough.

    Granted, he would have to get really close and personal to a monster in order to use the dagger. But still, at least with it, he stood a chance.

    Suppressing a satisfied smile from appearing on his lips, Sunny turned to Nephis and asked in an incredulous tone:

    "Where did you get this thing?"

    She lingered for a few moments, then said:

    "North of the Dark City."

    Sunny nodded. That made sense. There was another red cross on her map, about a week's worth of traveling time north of the ruins. It was drawn near a symbol resembling a grotesque, misshapen skull.

    Changing Star had indeed been busy in the three months that he had spent hunting monsters on the dark streets of the cursed city.

    Now, five of the Shard Memories were accounted for: Dawn Shard, Zenith Shard, Dusk Shard, Midnight Shard, and Moon Shards. Only two remained.

    Sunny wondered which statue they were tied to, and whether someone out there already held them in their hands.

    ��It didn't matter that much for now, though.

    With a sigh, he dismissed the ghostly dagger and said:

    "I have to warn you that the enchantment on that shield requires an Awakened to activate it. It is supposed to be able to change its weight and mass freely, but actually, it's just stuck being stupidly heavy."

    Nephis glanced at Effie, who just shrugged.

    "I'm fine with it as is."

    Sunny finally allowed himself to smile.

    "...Ah, that's great then. We have a deal."

    ***

    In the end, they had to spend a couple of days in the vast underground cavern. Nephis had to recover from her ghastly wound and the strain of healing the rest of the cohort, while all of them had not liked the idea of venturing back into the mist with their Memories damaged.

    Eventually, though, they were ready to head back.

    Sunny used this short moment of respite to rest and practice Shadow Dance, slowly moving toward his goal of mastering its first step.

    He knew that there was nothing but bloodshed ahead of them. First, they would have to fight their way through the untold horrors of the Labyrinth. And once they reached the Dark City��

    The last act of this messed-up play would begin.

    Looking back, he couldn't believe how far he had come in these past eight months.

    When Sunny arrived on the Forgotten Shore, he was weak and inexperienced.

    His first fight against a single carapace scavenger almost cost him his life.

    And now, here he was, standing near the corpse of a Fallen Monster he had killed with his own two hands.

    From barely killing a single carapace scavenger, to almost losing his life in a fight against a carapace centurion, to summoning a horror of the depths and finishing off the Carapace Demon.

    From entering the Dark City not knowing anything about it to hunting down dozens of Nightmare Creatures on its cursed streets, to fighting against a horde of undead monsters in the catacombs beneath it.

    From venturing back into the Labyrinth of his own free will and waging war against the tribe of monstrous spiders to riding on the shoulder of an ancient giant and battling Fallen abominations and hordes of Awakened creatures.

    From finding a nameless grave in the foothills of the Hollow Mountains to witnessing the last resting place of the First Lord in their depths.

    He had lived through so much, endured so much, and accomplished so much.

    Of course, there had not been only victories. He had tasted defeat, too... a lot of it. Both in battle and in his tentative attempts to build human relationships with other prisoners of this desolate hell.

    He had experienced pain, sorrow, and despair.

    ...And he was going to taste even more of it soon.

    Turning his head slightly, Sunny looked at his companions. Nephis, Cassie, Kai, Effie, and Caster were busy with final preparations for their long return journey.

    How many of them would be alive by the end of all of this?

    Closing his eyes, he sighed.

    It was not going to be easy to survive the finale.

    But Sunny was determined to show the rest of the world what he was really made of.

    He was going to win. He was going to be the last one standing.

    No matter what he had to do.

    ��Even if doing it would break him.

 Chapter 263 The Beginning of the End

    Chapter 263 The Beginning of the End

    Three months later, a group of six battered humans appeared from the sea of crimson coral and approached a magnificent white arch. Moving with the precision of experienced predators, they swiftly slaughtered a few transient creatures that hid in the deep shadow cast by the ancient structure, stripped them down for meat, and swiftly climbed up.

    Against all odds, the cohort had survived the journey back to the Dark City.

    ��If only barely.

    Looking north from the top of the marble arch, Sunny saw the distant grey wall. His gaze lingered on it, full of exhaustion, triumph, and dark apprehension.

    Finally, they had returned.

    The past three months had been an endless bloody nightmare, with countless horrors and battles leaving their marks on him. And yet, they had also been an anvil against which he was tested, tempered, and made stronger as the result.

    Sunny didn't have a mirror, but was sure that his appearance changed a lot. He could tell just by looking at other members of the cohort.

    Changing Star's white armor was now covered by numerous scratches and tears that even the restorative effect of the Soul Sea couldn't heal. Her silver hair was longer, reaching to the middle of her back. The ivory face of their leader had grown thin, with dark circles visible under her striking, burning grey eyes.

    Caster changed even more. The neat and dignified young scion was nowhere to be seen: instead, a man with disheveled hair and a short scruffy beard stood in his place, his face dark and grim. Sometimes, Sunny thought that he could even see a grey hair or two in his luscious mane.

    Kai was still beautiful and elegant, but most of his charm was hidden under layers and layers of dirt, dust, and dried blood. The stylish armor he had worn was now long gone, destroyed in one of the vicious battles they had fought, and replaced by a rather unflattering garment that seemed to be woven out of bluish seaweed.

    The archer also wielded a new bow, this one long a powerful, fashioned out of two curved horns that had belonged to a creature that Sunny would rather not think about. Suffice it to say, this Memory was of the fifth tier and truly deadly.

    Effie was much the same, except for the fact that she had become even leaner, her robust musculature not covered even by a gram of fat. The huntress wielded two Shard Memories, both responsible for sending dozens upon dozens of Nightmare Creature to their deaths. Her archaic bronze armor was dented all over, but somehow still held together

    Cassie was the youngest of them, so the changes that had happened to her were perhaps the most pronounced. By now, she had lost most of her childish softness and had turned into a beautiful young woman that looked to be on the cusp of adulthood. She had three Echoes tied to her core now, one given to her by Nephis, the other one by Kai.

    With the help of her Echoes and the Dark Wing, Cassie was now able to move and participate in battles almost as if she was not blind.

    ��Almost.

    And then there was Sunny himself. He was perhaps even more beaten and battered than the rest of them, the Puppeteer's Shroud almost coming apart at the seams. His hair was long, messy, and in desperate need of a good wash.

    Sadly, his skin was still as pale as that of a corpse. He was also unable to grow even a bit of scruff, let alone a real beard.

    But, oh well�� why care about the little things?

    Summoning the runes, Sunny found a particular cluster and glanced at it.

    The runes shimmered in the twilight of the approaching night.

    Shadow Fragments: [938/1000].

    A dark smile appeared on his lips.

    'Almost.'

    ***

    In the past three months, Sunny had participated in countless battles. His main responsibility was that of a scout, and as such, he was not a part of the cohort's main strike force. But even then, he had faced and slain more than a hundred Nightmare Creatures.

    Closer to two hundred, in fact.

    Among them were beasts, monsters, as well as a few demons and even a devil or two. Sunny absorbed the remnants of their shadows and used his share of the soul shards to trade for Memories with other members of the cohort, which he then fed to the Stone Saint.

    And now, he was so close to reaching full saturation of his Shadow Core.

    His prowess and physique were considerably enhanced, too. Somewhere along the way, Sunny had crossed the line of humanly possible and was now firmly in the realm of inhuman ability. He was faster, stronger, and more enduring than any mundane human could ever hope to be.

    His shadow had grown much more potent, too, since its enhancement increased proportionally to his own power.

    ��Or was it the other way around?

    In any case, Sunny felt that when the shadow was wrapped around his body, he was now almost at the level of an actual Awakened. Very few Sleepers on the Forgotten Shore could challenge him in terms of raw power.

    Of course, all of them had deadly Aspect Abilities of their own.

    ��And several of the most deadly Sleepers among them were all right here, with him, setting up camp and getting ready to cook him food.

    Sunny wasn't sure, but guessed that Effie and Caster had already fully saturated their Soul Cores, beating him to it �� the huntress because of the years she had spent hunting monsters on the streets of the Dark City, and the Legacy because of the soul shards his clan must have provided him before his first journey into the Dream Realm.

    Nephis�� Sunny wasn't sure. Logic dictated that she should have reached the point of saturation before Sunny did, but he still saw her absorbing shards after each battle. So either she did not, or her Aspect had other uses for the excess soul essence.

    Or she was just putting on an expensive show.

    Kai and Cassie were behind him in terms of the amount of accumulated essence, but not by much. Each of them was now a powerhouse, just like the rest of the cohort.

    Looking at the people busying themselves with mundane tasks of setting up the camp, Sunny inhaled deeply and smiled.

    "Ah. Aren't we a sight to behold?"

 Chapter 264 First Things First

    Chapter 264 First Things First

    They truly were.

    When leaving the Dark City behind, Sunny had known how powerful the members of the cohort were. However, he had not quite realized just how well-rounded and perfectly suited to face various challenges presented by the Labyrinth their group was.

    With Nephis, Effie and Caster leading the charge, most Nightmare Creatures populating the forest of crimson coral had little chance to survive, not with the Crown of Dawn pouring raw power into the armor and weapons of the cohort, at least. Each of the three was a deadly and versatile fighter, with their own unique approach to combat and strengths that complemented each other.

    With the three slayers holding off the opponents while being supported by Kai from above, very few things could stand in their way.

    Night himself had turned out to be an astonishingly deadly presence on the battlefield, as well. With the Blood Arrow providing him with a conditionally endless supply of arrows, he could just stay in the air, out of reach of the abominations that had no way to attack at range �� which was most of them �� and pick them out with well-aimed shots.

    With the addition of the formidable horn bow, the distance at which he could hit the target had increased tremendously, allowing him to eliminate some of the enemies long before they had gotten close enough to the cohort for an effective attack. His opening salvo had made a lot of battles much less problematic.

    Of course, Kai couldn't fly above the Labyrinth with impunity. The grey sky was full of danger, too, and by separating himself from his companions, he risked being attacked and torn apart by the abominations that populated it. He had to maintain a fragile balance.

    But the flying Nightmare Creatures were a threat to the cohort regardless of whether or not the charming archer rose into the air or not. Actually, this was the type of enemy they were equipped to fight the least. That's why Kai's ability to fly had turned out to be priceless.

    Especially because he was usually able to fly faster or at least maneuver better than most of the creatures that dwelled in the sky. More than once, they had survived only because the archer was able to draw the fury of the aerial abominations and dodge their attack long enough to either fell them with a perfectly aimed arrow or give his companions a chance to join the fight.

    Sunny and Cassie usually protected the rear of the cohort to prevent anything from attacking their companions from the back �� which happened more often than one would hope. With the help of the Stone Saint and the Quiet Dancer, and later the other two Echoes belonging to the blind girls, they were able to hold off anything until the main force was done with their share of the opponents and joined the fray.

    That was not to say that their role in the cohort was less important.

    If anything, Sunny was convinced that what they did was more vital to the survival of each member of the cohort than what the fighters were doing.

    It was true that, with the help of the Dawn Shard, the cohort was well equipped to handle most monsters of the Labyrinth. What they truly had to fear were the creatures that defied all logic, the perils that the human mind could not even comprehend, and the Labyrinth itself �� as well as the dark waters of the cursed sea and the ancient horrors that dwelled beneath them.

    That was what Sunny and Cassie had to protect the group from.. Com

    As Sunny absorbed more and more shadow fragments, the range at which he could control his shadow grew exponentially. By now, the shadow could move almost as far as a whole kilometer ahead of the cohort, scouting for any potential threat and giving them plenty of time to decide if they wanted to fight or change course and avoid the danger entirely.

    If anything, it had become a little feral and now preferred to wander around aimlessly and far away, returning to Sunny only when specifically commanded to do so.

    But regardless of that, the value of being able to see and identify their enemies in advance was impossible to overestimate. It was just too valuable. In battle, the tiniest advantage could decide the difference between life and death, and the advantages of knowledge and the first strike were possibly the most important.

    However, there were things on the Forgotten Shore that even Sunny could not see, predict, or escape from.

    That was where Cassie's affinity to revelations and miraculous intuition came into play. She was responsible for preventing the cohort from stumbling into anything that would destroy their very souls before anyone could even understand what was happening, or something that simply could not be defeated.

    If not for Cassie, a sudden storm or a creature aking to the Soul Devourer �� or something even more terrifying �� would have ended their lives long before they returned back to the Dark City.

    But even with all that, every day in the Labyrinth brought them to the very verge of death. No matter how strong, well-rounded, and well-equipped the cohort was, the nightmares of the Forgotten Shore were always more powerful, unpredictable, and bizarre, making any and all preparations useless.

    In the end, the only reason that none of them had died from grievous wounds, sickness, or infection was because of Changing Star's healing flames.

    In the three months that they had spent traveling through the Labyrinth, Sunny fully understood why healers were so sought after among the Awakened. He knew it before, in theory, but only after being subjected to the daily terror of their journey had he realized how life-changing �� literary �� the presence of a healer in the cohort truly was.

    And so, just like that, they had done the unthinkable and managed to travel all the way from the edges of the Forgotten Shore back to its center �� thanks to their power and resolve, their foresight, their strength, and their ability to rely on and help each other.

    As well as, in large part, pure dumb luck.

    And now that they were about to return to the cursed haven of the Dark City, their luck was about to be tested as it had never been tested before.

    ��But that was for later.

    First, the members of the cohort had to fulfill their obligation to Sunny.

    He had joined this expedition on a certain condition, after all.

    Glancing once again at the distant grey wall, Sunny clenched his fists. The corner of his mouth curled up in a vicious grin.

    '...Wait a bit more, bastard. Your day of reckoning is coming.'

    In two days, they were going to kill the Black Knight.

 Chapter 265 Hateful Shadow

    Chapter 265 Hateful Shadow

    Turning away from the distant wall of the Dark City, Sunny closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, and let go of his anger.

    He had to keep his head cool, for now. Killing a Fallen Devil was not going to be an easy task. It might even turn out to be his undoing.

    ...But he was determined to see it done. The debt of blood he owed that creature had to be repaid, no matter what.

    Walking over to the fire, Sunny sat down and tried to remember the details of their previous stay on this old, weathered marble arch. What a fun couple of days that had been.

    Rather pleasing on the eye, too...

    His shadow shook its head dejectedly and turned away.

    Soon, Nephis handed him his share of the food. Her culinary skills had improved a lot during these months �� despite the fact that there had not been a large variety of ingredients at their disposal. Still, being able to turn the most repulsive of monsters into a delicious meal was something that not everyone was capable of.

    'This should be a separate course at the Academy.'

    Teacher Julius had taught him how to consume various things in the Dream Realm without ending up poisoned to death, but he had neglected to go in-depth on how to actually make them taste good.

    Sinking his teeth into a juicy piece of meat, Sunny forgot about his troubles for a bit and simply enjoyed this rare moment of bliss. Disposing of the meat, he smiled in satisfaction and wiped his hands on the soft fabric of the Puppeteer's Shroud. Then, he glanced at Nephis and asked:

    "We should be able to reach the city tomorrow, yes?"

    She gave him a nod.

    "...If nothing happens."

    Sunny thought for a bit, then said in a curious tone:

    "Do you think Gunlaug knows that we are coming back?"

    Nephis thought for a few moments before replying. Her voice was calm and indifferent.

    "Definitely."

    Sunny sighed. This was his conclusion as well: back when he had first entered the Bright Castle, he had learned from Caster about a certain Artisan that could track the general location of anyone a person had ever met. This was how Caster knew how many Sleepers of their crop had been sent to the Forgotten Shore.

    Even if Gunlaug possessed no other method to learn of their approach, all he had to do was ask that woman.

    Sunny shifted a little and asked:

    "Should we expect a welcoming party?"

    Changing Star shook her head.

    "I don't think so. There's no need for him to do anything. Gunlaug knows that we will come to him of our own free will�� simply because there's nowhere else for us to go."

    She fell silent for a while, and then added:

    "But most of all, this has never been about killing me or my people. It was always about destroying the ideas I represent. What's the point of crushing me if no one is there to see it? Gunlaug won't do anything without an audience. He had sent Harus to stop us from escaping the stage, but now that we are back on it, there is no need for him to rush the inevitable."

    Everyone listened to the conversation with dark expressions. Sunny glanced at them, hesitated for a bit, and asked:

    "Are you confident that you can defeat him?"

    Nephis stared at the fire. After a while, she simply said:

    "Yes."

    Hearing that, Sunny smiled sweetly.

    "Well, good for you, but I am not. So let's finish our deal before the lot of you get killed by that maniac. Alright?"

    A corner of Neph's mouth curled upward.

    "You are talking about the Fallen Devil?"

    He nodded.

    "Yes. The bastard. You promised to help me kill him, remember?"

    Meanwhile, Kai was looking at him with a complicated expression. Finally, not able to hold back, he asked:

    "Sunny�� are you really not going to join us? Don't�� don't you see that we only have one chance to escape this place? Not to mention all the lives we can save!"

    Sunny shrugged. To be honest, he wasn't entirely sure on that point himself. On one hand, he had no desire of helping Nephis achieve her insane goal. On the other hand, things that she had set in motion were going to happen with or without him.

    What was he going to do, hide in his cathedral and wait until there was no one else left alive on the Forgotten Shore?

    Some fate that would be��

    "Maybe I'll join you, and maybe I won't. Who knows what will happen?"

    He fell silent and cast a sideways glance at Cassie.

    Actually, at least three people here knew what would happen�� more or less.

    'It's hard to escape fate.'

    "That's not the point though, is it? The point is that you should conclude our deal first and do whatever it is you wish to do later..."

    Changing Star faced the two of them and calmly ended that conversation:

    "Sure. No problem. We'll go to the cathedral first. A deal is a deal, after all."

    Sunny smiled with satisfaction.

    Nephis glanced at him and added:

    "But, Sunny�� how exactly are we supposed to kill a Fallen Devil?"

    His smile widened.

    "Oh! I'm glad that you asked��"

    ***

    Sunny had been making plans on how exactly to kill the Black Knight for more than half a year now. Prior to leaving the Dark City, he had spent two entire months observing the terrifying fiend and trying to learn everything there was to know about him.

    Needless to say, the task of slaying a creature that powerful was not going to be trivial. In fact, it was going to be the hardest battle they had fought yet.

    It almost seemed impossible.

    But was it, really?

    The fight against the Spire Messenger, who had turned to be a Fallen Monster, nearly cost several members of the cohort their lives. They had barely been able to hold off against the creature of its class, and a devil was ten times more dreadful.

    However, there was a big difference between the Messenger they had faced and the Black Knight.

    That difference was, basically, very simple.

    It was that Sunny did not hate the Messenger with all his dark, vindictive heart.

    And now, that hate was going to tip the scales in their favor.

 Chapter 266 The Devil You Know

    Chapter 266 The Devil You Know

    At the core of it, things were indeed rather simple. Sunny hated the Black Knight enough to do his due diligence and thus spent an incredible amount of time studying it. He was so motivated to kill the creature that had hurt him that he had even gone so far as to settle in the same old cathedral as the devil.

    As a result, Sunny had become a singular expert on everything having to do with the Black Knight. He knew his strengths, he knew his weaknesses, the patterns of his behavior��

    And, most importantly, he knew what type of unnatural powers the devil possessed.

    Unlike Nightmare Creatures of lower ranks, devils had access to bizarre and harrowing powers that were akin to the Aspect Abilities of the Awakened. That was what made them so dangerous, and that was why the fact that Sunny had learned the Black Knight's power was so vital.

    Unlike the Spire Messenger, whom they had to fight blind, the cohort was going to go into battle with the Fallen Devil fully aware of what they would face. As such, they could plan, come up with strategies, and make preparations.

    Knowing your enemy was half the victory.

    The second half was knowing yourself.

    The smile disappeared from Sunny's face. Leaning forward, he said:

    "The Black Knight is truly a living nightmare. He is as strong, fast, and indestructible as you would imagine a Fallen Devil to be. I've seen countless creatures fall to his sword �� no matter their shape, size, rank, or class. He is just too powerful."

    Effie giggled.

    "You're not really making your case, Sunny. You know that, right?"

    He glanced at her and grinned.

    "That's not even the worst part. What really makes him an incarnation of death is not his astonishing might, but the darkness that lives in the grand hall of the cathedral and seems to obey him. When wrapped in that darkness, the Black Knight can move fast, unseen, and without making a single sound. His physical traits are vastly enhanced, turning him into an unstoppable engine of slaughter."

    Sunny grimaced.

    "What's more, any damage done to him is instantly repaired as long as he is surrounded by the darkness. Inside of it, he is basically immortal."

    The members of the cohort glanced at each other with dubious expressions. Only Changing Star remained indifferent.

    A tentative smile appeared on Sunny's face. Turning to Nephis, he said:

    "But that is where you come in, Neph. With your radiant light, that darkness will vanish. Your flames can strip the bastard of his greatest weapon. Without his dark power, the Black Knight is nothing more than a powerful abomination. He will be only slightly more dangerous than a demon of the same rank."

    Caster stared at him and said, his voice flat:

    "You say it as though a Fallen Demon is an easy enemy to face."

    Sunny shook his head.

    "No, I am not saying that. I fully understand how hard that fight will be. In fact, I understand it better than any of you. The truth of the matter is that even with the Dawn Shard, our weapons won't be able to wound him. Not because his flesh is too tough, but because he is covered in heavy armor from head to toe. I am not even sure that there is any flesh beneath it, to be honest. There is only one chink in his armor, and that is the visor of the helmet."

    The Black Knight had two burning red embers instead of eyes, so Sunny didn't even know if the bastard had a face.

    Kai shifted a little and said with uncertainty:

    "So the only way to kill him is to hit the crack of the visor? I am�� I am not sure that this is possible. On a fixed target, sure. But on a moving one, especially one that fast and deadly�� I can't promise that I'll manage that."

    The others nodded, expressing their agreement.

    Sunny smiled.

    "Ah, yes. That would indeed be tough. Luckily, we don't have to."

    He paused for a moment, and then revealed the secret that had taken him a long, long time to uncover:

    "The truth is, the visor is a trap. It seems like a weak spot, but it's not. The real weakness of the Black Knight is not even protected by the armor."

    A dark expression appeared on his face.

    "It's his sword."

    Indeed, after observing the devil for months, Sunny had come to the conclusion that the secret to destroying the damned thing hid not in finding a way to pierce the bastard's armor, but in destroying his terrifying greatsword.

    By watching the Black Knight fight against countless Nightmare Creatures, Sunny had been able to notice a curious pattern. Just like the members of the cohort, the abominations who wandered into the cathedral tended to instinctively go for the eyes of its guardian. But the bastard didn't care about those attacks at all.

    He did, however, tend to protect his sword against most powerful blows, going so far as to receive them with his body instead of blocking or deflecting them with the obliterating black blade. As if wary of any damage being done to it.

    By focusing on this pattern, Sunny had confirmed that the sword was indeed the only thing that the Fallen Devil seemed to be reluctant to put in harm's way.

    It was his true weakness.

    Nephis tilted her head slightly and echoes his words:

    "...His sword?"

    Sunny nodded.

    "Yes. If we want to kill the Black Knight, we will have to destroy his greatsword. That is the only way."

    Effie blinked a couple of times, then glared at him in outrage.

    "Is that what you call not being protected by the armor? Of course it's not protected by the armor! Because it's even tougher than the armor, you doofus!"

    She shook her head.

    "How are we supposed to break a sword fit to be wielded by a Fallen Devil? Huh?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "Oh, you don't have to. In fact, I insist that you don't. You are there to help me, but no one can kill that bastard except for me. No one, you understand? So, your task will be to hold that fiend off. Leave the sword to me."

    The huntress scoffed.

    "That's not really an answer. If none of us is strong enough to even come close to breaking such a powerful armament, how are you going to destroy it?"

    Sunny stared at her for a bit, then shrugged.

    "I am not going to destroy it. Do I look like someone who can destroy it? No, I don't. And I can't."

    A dark grin appeared on his lips.

    "...But the Stone Saint? I am willing to bet that she can."

    She was able to slaughter two Fallen Beasts before even becoming his Shadow. Not that Sunny's own shadow had grown strong with almost a thousand fragments fueling it with power, there were very few things in the Dark City that the Saint couldn't destroy with its help.

    So yes, he was willing to bet that she would be able to break the sword of the Black Knight.

    In fact, he was going to bet his life on it.

 Chapter 267 Let There Be Light

    Chapter 267 Let There Be Light

    Two days later, they entered the Dark City once again.

    Nephis was right �� no one from the Castle was there to ambush them. Gunlaug seemed to be content letting them come to him instead, so his Hunters and the dreadful hunchback were nowhere to be seen.

    Just as well.

    The cohort scaled the impregnable grey wall late in the evening and spent the night in one of its towers �� almost like how Sunny, Neph, and Cassie had done all that time ago.

    When the morning came, they headed toward the ruined cathedral.

    The ruined streets of the cursed city surrounded them once more. After months spent in the Labyrinth, their monotone colors seemed strange and bizarre. There was nothing but dark stone and dust around, with rare islands of crimson leaves and moss growing through the rubble.

    And swarms of terrifying Fallen Creatures, of course.

    ��It was nice to be home.

    Sunny caught himself thinking that and blinked. He had never thought that one day he would feel sentimental about returning to this cursed, ancient prison. And yet, there was a strange feeling of comfort deep in his heart now. It had been there ever since they had crested the city wall.

    'What weird creatures we humans are. Truly, there is nothing we can't get used to.'

    Glancing at his companions, he noticed that they were feeling the same way �� especially Effie, who had spent years surviving, hunting, and even thriving on the streets of the Dark City.

    She even called it a paradise once.

    ��The only kind that humans deserved.

    Sunny sighed. Regardless of the strange ideas the huntress had, he believed that humans weren't meant to live in a paradise.

    If they were to ever find one, they would quickly turn it into hell.

    ��Just like what the humans trapped on the Forgotten Shore were doing right now.

    ***

    Soon, the ruins of the magnificent cathedral were in front of them. The members of the cohort stopped some distance away, looking at the ancient temple with dark expressions. The journey through the Dark City had turned out to be uneventful thanks to Effie's masterful guidance and the shadow scouting ahead to help her learn of any dangers ahead of time.

    But the real danger hid at the end of the path, and now, they had reached it.

    Sunny had spent the last two days teaching the rest of the group everything that he knew about how the Black Devil fought, what his habits were, and how they had to approach the upcoming battle. They were as ready as they were ever going to be.

    Turning to them, he lingered for a few moments, and then said:

    "...Remember �� I must be the one to deal the final blow. It is very important to me."

    Looking at him with a complicated expression, Kai sighed.

    "Why are you so obsessed with killing this devil, Sunny? Won't it be better to leave that creature be? I just don't understand this whole endeavor."

    Sunny smiled.

    "Have you ever been gutted, Kai? And I don't mean emotionally. I mean literally, with a sharp piece of metal?

    The charming archer shivered.

    "Uh�� no. Were you?"

    The smile disappeared from Sunny's face.

    "Yes. I was. That bastard over there cut me open with his big sharp sword and left me bleeding to death in a ditch. So�� it's only fair that I do something similar to him, is it not? I don't know how it works with you citizen folks, but out in the outskirts, you don't let things like that go. Simple as that."

    The day you let a person who hurt you walk free was the day you announced to the world that anyone could stomp on you with impunity. After that, it was a short road to the grave�� or worse.

    So people in the outskirts were very serious about their grudges.

    Granted, the Black Knight was not really a person. But the same principle applied.

    Kai stared at him with a complicated expression, then asked in a strange voice:

    "Really? Then�� how did you survive?"

    Sunny turned away and moved his shoulders slightly.

    "A combination of good Attributes and powerful Memories. That's how I survived. Well�� most of me did."

    With that, he shook his head and gritted his teeth in anger.

    "Enough talk. You all know the plan�� so let's get it over with."

    Today, Sunny was going to reach the pinnacle of his hunter career.

    He was going to hunt the devil.

    ***

    Inside the tenebrous grand hall of the majestic cathedral, darkness reigned unopposed. It drowned the vast hall, clinging to its walls and tall columns. The rare beams of light falling through the narrow windows only served to make it seem deeper.

    Six humans entered the temple, the light of their lantern Memories failing to pierce the veil of darkness even slightly.

    For a moment, there was utter silence. And then, a sudden yell broke it apart:

    "Now!"

    A tall young woman with silver hair and calm, striking grey eyes raised her sword. Then, a wave of brilliant white light shone from it, reaching far and wide. The darkness was instantly torn apart and obliterated, vanishing into the deepest, darkest corners of the cathedral.

    ��And there, right in front of them, a giant clad in black steel armor was revealed, his sword already on its way to reap the lives of unfortunate fools who had dared to desecrate the silence of the ancient temple.

    The greatsword he wielded seemed as heavy as the stone pillars that supported the roof of the temple. Falling from above, it looked like a vertical tear in reality that revealed the impenetrable darkness hiding beneath.

    What could stop such a monstrous blow?

    ...Perhaps the shield that contained the weight of the heavens themselves could.

    Effie dashed forward, raising the Dusk Shard. The heavy shield received the terrible impact of the devil's unstoppable attack. A deafening sound of steel clashing against steel rolled across the grand hall like a sound shockwave, growing louder as it reflected from the stone walls.

    The shield held.

    The floor beneath Effie's feet, however, did not. It cracked and shattered, sending the huntress reeling back. A pained yelp escaped from her lips.

    The Black Knight lingered for a moment, seemingly surprised by the obliteration of the darkness that had shrouded him.

    However, his hesitation lasted only for a fraction of a second �� not nearly enough for the humans to prepare themselves for his next attack.

    ��And it was already coming.

    Without paying any attention to Effie, who was flying back, the devil turned with astonishing swiftness and aimed his sword at Nephis.

    But before he could perform his second strike, a massive piece of rubble the size of an adult human suddenly flew through the air and crashed into the armored giant at full speed. All the Black Knight could do was lean forward and meet it with his shoulder.

    The boulder exploded into a thousand pieces, leaving the devil unscathed.

    The creature that threw it walked through the dust with utter indifference, two ruby flames burning behind the visor of her helmet.

    The Stone Saint had arrived to face the Black Knight.

 Chapter 268 Clash

    Chapter 268 Clash

    The Stone Saint walked toward the Black Knight with stalwart indifference. Her body shone with dark radiance, and there were wisps of ghostly grey fog dancing on her elegant armor. The ruby eyes of the taciturn monster burned with menacing crimson flames.

    The darkness that served the devil had been vanquished by Changing Star's incandescent light, but the shadows populating the ancient temple only grew deeper because of it. Now, they were shifting, as if reaching toward the Saint to fall upon her shoulders like a mantle.

    Without slowing down, the Shadow raised her shield and hit its rim twice with the edge of her sword, as though challenging the Black Knight to a battle. ???? ??? ?o???. co?

    With the two creatures finally facing each other, it became even more apparent that there was a mysterious connection between the two of them. Despite the fact that the Black Knight towered above the graceful living statue, their general appearance and the design of their armaments were eerily similar.

    It was just that in front of the intricate stonelike armor of the Shadow, the devil's own formidable full plate, which had been masterfully forged from indestructible black steel, seemed almost�� crude.

    Facing the original masterpiece, he looked like a clumsy imposter.

    Sunny knew that his intuition was right when he caught a hint of the same dim, nascent emotion that the Shadow had shown toward the walking colossus.

    Despite the fact that the Fallen Devil was vastly more powerful than her and both outclassed and outranked her, witnessing him, the Stone Saint felt nothing but disdain.

    Contempt, even.

    All of these observations had not taken Sunny more than half a second. In the next moment, both creatures dashed forward and collided in a furious clangor of metal.

    The battle had begun!

    Now that his core was close to being saturated to the brim by the shadow fragments Sunny had collected from hundreds of Nightmare Creatures �� and a few humans �� the augmentation provided by the shadow was able to make him powerful enough to almost reach the level of an actual Awakened.

    By the same logic, the Stone Saint should have been brought very close to the power level of a Fallen abomination. Sunny even suspected that she was enhanced by the shadow even more than he would be himself. The Shadow and the shadow seemed to intertwine perfectly, almost as if this was the true purpose of the augmenting facet of his Aspect.

    The Saint had slaughtered two Fallen Beasts even before becoming a Shadow, although it had been at the cost of her life. What would she be able to do now, reborn and reinforced by the mystical power of his divine Aspect?

    ��Kill a deadly bastard of a Fallen Devil, hopefully.

    But still, the gap between the two of them was just too vast. Even with the help of the shadow, the Stone Saint was clearly not a match for the Black Knight in terms of sheer power.

    Luckily, she was not alone.

    As the two creatures collided and turned into a whirlwind of steel, the humans joined the fight to support their monster.

    Caster appeared at a terrible speed, striking at the giant black sword with his elegant jian. The ghostly green blade slid off the surface of the greatsword without any result, but the impact of his strike managed to slow the Black Knight by a fraction of a second.?

    That was all the Stone Saint needed to deliver a blow of her own. Closing the distance to the giant fiend in order to turn his size and reach superiority against him, she struck upward at the pommel of the greatsword with her shield. The hands of the Black Knight were thrown above his head, and using that opening, she bulldozed into his abdomen with her shoulder, sending the giant reeling.

    The violence of the impact was so fierce that several fractures appeared on the surface of her stonelike pauldron. As the dull metal sound rang across the grand hall, shards of stone flew into the air.

    But it was not in vain. The momentary gap in the defense of the devil allowed Nephis to deliver a devastating thrust with her silver longsword.

    Enhanced by the annihilating white flame and the miraculous enchantment of the Dawn Shard, the sword hit against the breastplate of the Black Knight's armor��

    And broke through, sinking deep into the body of the fiend.

    For a moment, everyone froze, stunned at the ease with which they were able to pierce the seemingly impregnable armor of the Fallen Devil. Just a moment before, Caster's jian didn't even leave a scratch on the black steel of the fiend's greatsword��

    But then, things took a sharp turn for the worse.

    The Black Knight did not seem to care about several inches of incandescent steel penetrating his chest at all. Regaining his balance, he indifferently swiped his sword down, forcing both Nephis and the Stone Saint to stagger back. The black blade hit the marble floor, causing the ground to shake and throwing Neph to the ground.

    Before anyone could react, the devil let go of the hilt of his sword with one hand and delivered a shattering backhanded blow to the Shadow. The strength of that strike would have been enough to pulverize any human, but the Stone Saint was made of a far more enduring material than flesh. Still, the living statue was thrown back like a broken doll.

    Almost instantly, the Black Knight turned to Nephis once more. The terrifying sword flew into the air, ready to split her apart.

    'I was right!'

    A savage smile appeared on Sunny's face. Brandishing the Midnight Shard, he dashed forward and screamed:

    "...Plan C!"

    Plan C was very simple. It was born out of the prediction Sunny had made when discussing how they were going to kill the devil. He had suspected all along that since Neph was a perfect counter to the Black Knight's most dreadful power, he would concentrate all his attention on dealing with her first.

    In short, the devil was going to make killing Changing Star his number one priority.

    Nephis was indeed a perfect counter against the living darkness, but even better than that��

    She was the perfect bait.

 Chapter 269 Incarnation Of Death

    Chapter 269 Incarnation Of Death

    The black blade fell down, missing Nephis only by a hair's breadth. She rolled back and performed an impossible handspring, launching herself into the air from the ground. Landing on the marble floor with an effortless grace of a trained acrobat, Changing Star slid back a few meters and came to a stop some distance away from the devil.

    But he was just as fast... no, much faster. The giant was already lunging forward to skewer her on the tip of his terrible greatsword. She shifted slightly, dodging the deadly attack, a dashed forward along the vast length of the black blade. Her sword flashed through the air and impacted against the vambrace of the menacing armor, leaving a deep scratch on its dark surface.

    ��Everything was happening so fast that other members of the cohort were having trouble joining the fight. The Stone Saint had just landed on the marble floor a moment ago and was currently rising back to her feet. Effie had recovered from receiving the full brunt of the Black Knight's first attack and was rushing forward, but she was still a few meters away.

    Kai had drawn his bow, but couldn't send an arrow flying without the risk of hitting one of his companions. With how potent the enchantment of the Blood Arrow was, this was something he could not allow to happen.

    Cassie mostly relied on Echoes to fight, and since they were not enhanced by the Dawn Shard, their utility in this battle would not have been high. More than that, they risked being destroyed by a single strike from the devil. As such, she was relegated to holding back for now, and would only join the fight if things really went south.

    So for now, it was up to Sunny and Caster to slow the fiend down.

    Their only saving grace, and the point that Sunny had explained in detail, was that the terrifying greatsword, while deadly and utterly unstoppable �� well, almost �� was ultimately an unwieldy weapon.

    The Black Knight was strong enough to throw it around as though the giant blade weighed no more than a feather and skilled enough to turn momentum and inertia into useful tools as opposed to obstacles, but he still had to obey the laws of physics. Even more importantly, the damn thing was very long.

    Which meant that they had to stick to the Fallen Devil like glue in order to use its long reach against him.

    As the steel giant sidestepped and pulled his greatsword into a vicious horizontal swipe aimed at Changing Star, Sunny closed the distance between them and approached the devil from the opposite side. The Midnight Shard flashed, striking at the elbow joint of the plate armor.

    All Sunny achieved was leave a small scratch on it, but he also pushed the Black Knight's hand down and closer to his body a bit, changing the angle of the swipe slightly. At the same time, Caster dove under the terrible blade and suddenly appeared right in front of the devil, thrusting his jian at the steel helmet.

    p??da n?vel The Black Knight just turned his head slightly, causing the ghostly green blade to slide off the helmet without doing any damage. At the same time, he let go of the sword with one hand and threw his elbow back, almost smashing Sunny's skull in.

    ��All the while continuing his deadly strike at Nephis.

    Nevertheless, their tandem attack helped Changing Star avoid being cut in half. Taking a swift step forward, she raised her own sword and received the blow on its blade. Since she had time to close the distance and was now mere centimeters away from the devil, the part of the greatsword that hit her was close to the cross-guard, and as such, did not carry too much destructive force.

    Still, it was enough to send her crashing onto the ground, the sword sliding from her hand.

    Even with the three of them fighting together, they couldn't slow the cursed creature for more than a moment.

    But then, a moment was all they needed. Because it gave Effie enough time to rejoin the fight.

    It also gave Kai the opportunity to take a shot.

    A black arrow streaked through the air�� and plunged right into the crack of the devil's visor.

    Sunny noticed a startled expression on the charming archer's face. He himself was stunned, too: no one had expected Kai to actually hit the bastard right in the only chink in his armor, least of all Kai himself.

    The head of the Black Knight was violently jerked backward.

    ��But in the next moment, Kai staggered and groaned.

    'Curse it! Why am I always right?!'

    Sunny had anticipated that result, too. He had guessed a long time ago that there was no flesh beneath the menacing black armor. Rather, the armor itself was the Nightmare Creature, or at least the vessel for the evil soul of a powerful revenant. As such, there was no blood for the ghastly arrow to drink. That's why Kai had been affected by the backlash of his Fallen Memory despite hitting his target.

    Just in case something like that happened, Sunny had tasked the charming archer with fashioning a few mundane arrows out of splinters of bone that was everywhere on the Forgotten Shore.

    So Kai wasn't entirely out of the fight, yet. However, the amount of damage he would be able to do to the terrifying devil was not extremely low.

    'Damnation!'

    But Sunny had no time to lament this turn of events. The battle was only growing more chaotic and fierce��

    Thanks to the incredible precision of Kai's shot, the Black Knight was disoriented for a moment. Effie arrived just at the right time to use it to their advantage. Leaning low, the used the momentum of her lunge and the bone-breaking weight of the Dusk Shard to deliver a devastating blow to the thigh of the steel giant. As another shockwave of sound rolled through the grand hall, the fiend staggered.

    But a fraction of a second later, he brought his armored fist down on the mighty huntress, causing her to reel away with a pained scream. The pommel of the black sword lurched forward, catching Caster in the chest despite how fast the proud Legacy was moving. He crumbled to the floor like a broken mannequin.

    Lastly, the Black Knight turned his blade to Sunny, causing him to retreat.

    The damn bastard was simply unstoppable. None of their attacks had achieved anything except for annoying him a little.

    'Not good, not good...'

    ��Pushing herself off the ground, Nephis looked at the Fallen Devil that towered above her like a bastion of darkness. Her face was pale, and there was blood flowing from her mouth.

    What's worse, the silver sword had slid far away and was now out of her reach. The incandescent radiance disappeared from its blade, allowing for the darkness that hid in the corners of the grand call to slowly begin crawling back.

    Nothing stood between her and the Black Knight anymore.

    Suddenly opening his eyes wide, Sunny glanced into the depths of the cathedral.

    And then, a simple scream escaped from his lips:

    "Neth! Run!"

 Chapter 270 Runaway

    Chapter 270 Runaway

    As the silver sword was extinguished, Changing Star lingered for a moment. White flames ignited in her eyes, and suddenly, the pristine white breastplate of the Starlight Legion Armor was enveloped in blinding white light.

    The darkness that had begun to seep back into the grand hall of the ancient temple reeled away once more. It appeared as though Nephis changed the target of her miraculous Aspect Ability and used her armor as its conduit instead of the sword.

    But from the side, it simply looked like there was a furious white star burning in her chest.

    ��That momentary delay almost cost her her life.

    As soon as Sunny's scream echoed through the cathedral, the terrifying black blade came down once again. This time, Nephis seemingly had no chance to escape.

    But, somehow, she did.

    Pushing herself off the marble floor, she twisted her body and barely avoided the falling guillotine of the Black Knight's greatsword, then swiftly rolled away. The next moment, she was already on her feet.

    As the devil lunged forward to crush her, Changing Star did something that no one would ever expect the proud daughter of the Immortal Flame Clan to do.

    She turned her back to the enemy�� and ran.

    From their early days in the Labyrinth, Sunny knew that Nephis could be incredibly fast when she wanted to. And indeed, just a second later, she was already far away. Cursing under his breath, he followed.

    p??da n?vel No matter how fast Nephis was, the Black Knight was faster.

    The devil was already pursuing his runaway prey, moving with a celerity that seemed strange for a creature of his size, especially one clad in an incredibly heavy suit of steel armor. With each moment, he drew closer and closer to Changing Star, his sword ready to reap her life.

    Straining his muscles to their limit, Sunny ran as fast as he could, too, desperately trying to catch up to them. With Effie and Caster temporary put out of commission and Cassie and Kai sidelined, he was the only one left. He had to make it in time, no matter what.

    If he didn't��

    'Come on!'

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny somehow managed to accelerate even more.

    Nephis was already halfway through the grand hall of the cathedral. The statue of the nameless goddess on the far side of it must have appeared in her sight.

    It was then when she suddenly stopped and turned around, sliding on the marble floor a few meters because of the momentum. The silver sword had already been dismissed and summoned back from her Soul Sea.

    It seemed as though out of desperation, Nephis decided to mount one last, suicidal attack on the swiftly approaching steel giant. Or maybe she had just gone crazy.

    But it only seemed that way.

    ��The corners of Sunny's mouth curled upward.

    'That's my girl!'

    Plan C was about to come to fruition. Changing Star had performed her role perfectly.

    Well, what else did Sunny expect from her?

    All that remained was to stall the Black Knight for a few seconds.

    The devil descended upon the silver-haired girl in a fury of obliterating black steel. Nephis met him with her usual calm resolve, dodging strike after strike with incredible skill. Just like a lifetime ago, when she had been facing Caster at the dojo of the Academy, she used her understanding and control of the flow of combat to breach the gap in speed between her and her opponent.

    She wasn't as much reacting to the deadly blows delivered by the devil as predicting them, moving to evade the strikes of the black greatsword before they could even happen.

    Of course, this deadly dance could not last. The tiniest of mistakes would have been her last. And even if she didn't make any, Nephis was not going to be able to keep this level of concentration for long, not to mention the insane toll this fearsome clash took on her stamina and endurance.

    But she didn't have to. All she needed to do was to keep the bastard busy for a couple of seconds.

    And when those seconds ran out��

    A sudden crack of breaking stone resounded in the darkness of the ancient temple.

    ***

    In all the commotion, the Stone Saint had strangely disappeared. After Sunny had confirmed that the Fallen Devil was targeting Nephis above everyone else, their strongest combatant �� his Shadow �� was nowhere to be seen.

    That, of course, was on purpose. She was laying the groundwork for the plan to work while the rest of them kept the Black Knight distracted.

    The plan, however, could only happen in a certain spot in the grand hall. That was where Changing Star had to lure the Black Knight in case he fixated on her. Following the descriptions provided to her by Sunny, she led the devil deeper into the cathedral and stopped just in the right place.

    And then, she engaged him in a fierce battle to give the Sait time to close the trap.

    ��Which she did by taking a running start and crashing with all her weight into one of the tall, magnificent pillars supporting the roof of the cathedral.

    This pillar, in particular, was damaged at the base, making it uniquely unstable. Sunny knew every corner of the ruined temple like the palm of his hand, so he knew about this flaw of the pillar as well.

    That had been what he based Plan C on.

    As Sunny ran, he could see everything that followed in all its majestic brutality.

    The breaking of stone resounded in the vast hall of the ancient temple. A net of cracks appeared on the massive, incredibly tall column and quickly spread to a deep gash in its base. Shards of stone flew in every direction, and the column began to topple.

    It seemed slow at first. But in fact, it wasn't.

    In the center of the hall, the Black Knight paused his relentless onslaught for a moment and turned his head, following the sound of cracking stone.

    ��He was a second too late.

    As Nephis dashed away, the pillar fell on the devil, crushing him under countless tons of hard stone.

 Chapter 271 Insurmountable

    Chapter 271 Insurmountable

    The massive pillar plummeted down and fell right on the Black Knight. The devil turned slightly at the last moment, lowering his sword to the ground. His crimson eyes flashed with unassailable menace.

    As a thunderous crash resounded in the dark hall of the ruined cathedral, pieces of stone and clouds of dust flew into the air.

    'Got you!'

    A feeling of savage joy ignited in Sunny's heart. Without slowing down, he dove into the dust.

    Of course, he didn't think the fiend would be destroyed by his trap. But it had to do some damage to the fearsome black armor, at least.

    Nearing the place where he had last seen the tall dark figure, Sunny witnessed an incredible sight. The pillar... was floating high above the ground, its crushing weight resting on the shoulder of the steel giant. In the place of the impact, its surface had cracked and shattered.

    The Black Knight, however, had not escaped unscathed as well.

    His heavy breastplate fractured, revealing nothing but a mass of impenetrable, living darkness within. The pauldron on the shoulder that had received the blow was practically destroyed, leaving that whole arm hanging listlessly, twisted at a strange angle.

    The helmet of the devil was dented and covered by a net of small cracks, each seeping with ghostly crimson light.

    The Black Knight did not look good, if utterly terrifying.

    What was even better, though, was the fact that he was currently stuck under the pillar, unable to move.

    Sunny had to make us of that situation��

    But before he could, the devil raised his broken arm and placed it on the column. Then, he lowered his head, as though gathering his strength�� and effortlessly threw the monumental stone pillar into the air.

    Sunny's eyes widened.

    Diving down, he barely avoided the flying wall of granite. The pillar flew above his head and crashed down onto the marble floor, then rolled several times and came to a rest in a deafening rumble of shattering stone. The length of it blocked the grand hall, cutting the way for the rest of the cohort.

    And also Sunny's path of retreat.

    ��Not that he had any plans of retreating.

    Regaining his balance, Sunny brandished the Midnight Shard and dashed toward the wounded Black Knight for a vicious attack.

    Both he and the Stone Saint arrived at the same time.

    However, the Fallen Devil was still a force to be reckoned with. Despite the fact that his armor was cracked and his speed was somewhat diminished, there was still enough power in his body to obliterate all of them.

    Holding the greatsword with one hand, he suddenly pulled it into a fearsome slash. The black blade whistled through the air, cutting a chaotic arc around the fiend.

    Sunny was forced to jump back, but the Shadow managed to deflect the blow with her shield and redirect its power, slowing down only a little.

    In the next moment, she closed the distance to the Black Knight and delivered a terrible strike of her own, aiming at the base of his sword's blade.

    The Knight simply moved the sword away, then violently bashed her in the head with the pommel, casing bits of the stonelike metal to fly into the air.

    The Saint staggered back, the visor of her helmet shattered.

    ��Unlike the mass of darkness hiding in the black suit of steel armor, there was an actual face beneath hers.

    Sunny allowed himself to stare for a fraction of a second. This was his first time seeing the face of his Shadow, after all.

    The Stone Saint looked just how he had imagined. Her skin was grey like granite, and the features of her face were almost like that of a human �� with the exception that they were just too flawless. It was as though she had not been born, but actually cut from stone by a mad sculptor, one obsessed with absolute perfection.

    As the result, what should have been beautiful looked eerie and hideous instead. In fact, glancing at the inhumanly perfect face of his Shadow, Sunny felt nothing but a cold sense of revulsion.

    ��Fright, even.

    The fact that her haunting face was utterly devoid of any hint of human emotion only made it even more disturbing.

    The Shadow caught herself from falling and dashed to the side, avoiding another strike from the terrifying giant, which was effortlessly chained after the first one. The greatsword fell down once more, shattering the marble plates of the floor in the spot she had been just a moment ago.

    It was then that Nephis rejoined the fight.

    The three of them attacked the Black Knight simultaneously, perfectly coordinating their assault. Changing Star threw her longsword forward, aiming to sever the broken arm of the devil entirely.

    The Stone Saint went after the greatsword again.

    And Sunny did something crazy.

    Dashing to the enormous black blade, he�� stepped on its surface and ran up, using it as a ladder. He had a solid second of stability before the greatsword was pulled into another attack. Feeling it moving beneath his feet, Sunny used the momentum to jump up and grab onto the helmet of the terrifying fiend.

    Mounting the devil, he hung from the Black Knight's neck and delivered a savage stab at his shoulder. His aim was just a centimeter away from the edge of the pauldron.

    Sunny's hand was empty when he started the strike, but by the time it reached its mark, the Moon Shard was already grasped in it.

    During their journey back to the Dark City, he had noticed that Ascended Memories received a less dramatic enhancement from the Crown of Dawn. Unlike the Awakened ones, they weren't elevated by almost an entire rank in terms of power. The augmentation, however, was still significant.

    Enough to breach the gap between the ghostly stiletto and the armor of the Fallen Devil, at least.

    The needle-sharp point of the Moon Shard broke through the impenetrable steel and sunk deep into the shoulder joint of the indestructible black armor.

    Obviously, Sunny knew that this strike would not do a lot of damage to the fiend. But dealing damage was not his goal.

    Devil or not, Fallen or not, the Black Knight still had to obey the laws of physics. In particular, having several inches of steel�� glass?... stuck in the joint of his armor was inevitably going to reduce the mobility of his arm.

    Indeed, with both of his arms damaged, the speed with which the fiend was able to move his greatsword around considerably diminished. It was still utterly terrifying, nevertheless.

    But not insurmountable anymore.

    Just a moment faster than the Black Knight, the Stone Saint stepped over the black blade and pinned it to the floor with one of her grieves. Using all of her weight to keep it down, she threw her sword aside and raised her shield high above her head with both hands.

    p??da n?vel For a moment, time slowed down.

    And then the Shadow brought the shield down, delivering a devastating blow to the weakest point of the greatsword.

    The rim of the stone shield hit against the black steel��

    And with a deafening ringing, the greatsword shattered.

 Chapter 272 Shadow And Darkness

    Chapter 272 Shadow And Darkness

    Augmented by the shadow and with the help of nine hundred fragments that Sunny had collected, the Saint had become incredibly strong. The graceful stone body of the taciturn monster hid incredible power to begin with, and now, it was vastly enhanced.

    Holding her shield with both hands, the Shadow delivered a devastating blow at the weakest point of the black blade. The blade, which was pinned between the marble floor and her greave, rang deafeningly�� and shattered.

    Still mounting the Black Knight, Sunny grinned with vicious joy.

    Then, he let go of the dented helmet of the devil and pushed himself off, performing a backward flip and landing nimbly several meters away.

    Nephis immediately disengaged, too.

    Both of them knew that there nothing was more dangerous than an enemy on the brink of death. With nothing to lose, humans often relinquished any sense of self-preservation and turned berserk, taking their killer with them to the grave.

    Nightmare Creatures were much the same, only more terrifying.

    Despite the fact that Sunny was sure that the devil's weakness hid in his sword, he wasn't certain what would happen if the blade was actually broken. Hopefully, the Black Knight would just crumble into a pile of steel.

    If not�� it would be better to be far away when they found out.

    As the shards of the black blade rained on the floor and the Stone Saint fell on one knee, a shudder ran through the devil's body. The darkness hiding in the corners of the ruined cathedral suddenly boiled and lunged forward in a wave.

    But none of it reached the Black Knight, annihilated by the radiance of Changing Star's intricate white armor.

    The devil froze in a twisted pose, his hands powerlessly hanging down, his back bent. The black steel of his armor was�� rusting. It was swiftly turning dull brown, its luster gone, its once impregnable surface looking corroded and brittle.

    Then, he slowly and laboriously raised his head and turned it slightly to the side. As if staring at the face of the nameless goddess whose statue oversaw the dark hall of the ruined cathedral for thousands of years.

    As the devil looked at the goddess, the crimson light of his eyes slowly weakened and dimmed��

    ��And then, suddenly, exploded into furious red flames.

    The rusty armor came apart, exposing the mass of darkness hiding within. The darkness stretched its limbs and rose above the kneeling Shadow, the parts of the armor that floated in it giving the creature a vaguely humanoid shape.

    Revealing its true form.

    A ghostly colossus made of darkness and rusting steel towered above the taciturn monster like an omen of death, two crimson fires burning furiously in the black depths. Another flame appeared just beneath them, like a twisted mouth made from the flames of hell.

    And then, a terrifying roar shook the ancient temple.

    Sunny took an involuntary step back, a feeling of dread rising from the depths of his soul. His eyes searched for Nephis and found her standing a few meters behind the Stone Saint. Changing Star was hesitating, looking at the dark apparition with an uncertain expression.

    She caught his gaze, lingered for a moment and then nodded, understanding what Sunny wanted to convey without the need for any words. Then, Nephis cautiously backed away, not letting the devil out of her sight.

    What was going to happen next was not something a human could survive. Not a Sleeper, at least.

    With a harrowing fury, the creature of darkness crashed down on the Shadow. Its hands tore through the air and wrapped around the taciturn monster's neck, then raised the living statue in the air as if her stone body weighed nothing.

    The devil brought the Saint high above the marble floor of the ruined cathedral and squeezed her neck, as if trying to strangle the her. A net of cracks streaked through the Shadow's armor, bits of stone falling down.

    ��Through all of it, the emotionless expression on the hauntingly inhuman face of the Saint did not change one bit.

    But in her ruby eyes, a hint of a feeling appeared, much stronger than ever before.

    p??da n?vel ��Disdain.

    Letting go of the shield, she raised her hands, grasped the vambraces of the rusting armor, and easily shattered them in her grip.

    As another roar resounded in the darkness, the taciturn monster fell back to the ground. Landing with nimble grace, she instantly dodged the claws of the apparition, which had bent down to shatter the living statue once and for all. Then, she took a step forward.

    The Stone Saint was right beneath the leaning devil now.

    As her ruby eyes flashed with ruthlessness, she lunged forward and delivered a crushing blow to his chest. Her gauntlet tore through the breastplate of the rusted armor and sank deep into the living darkness, right where a human heart would have been.

    ��Or a soul core.

    A moment later, the crimson flames burning in the depths of the dark creature exploded into a wave of blinding red light.

    ��And disappeared.

    The dark essence of the devil dissipated like fog, its remnants vanquished by Changing Star's radiance. The pieces of armor fell to the ground in a clangor of steel.

    The terrifying devil of the cathedral, the Black Knight, was dead.

    Sunny threw his head back and let out an exhilarated, vengeful laugh.

    'Die! Die, you bastard! Die and go to hell, forever!'

    Oh, revenge tasted so great!

    A moment later, the voice of the Spell whispered sweetly into his ear:

    [You have slain a Fallen Devil, Forsaken Knight.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Sunny smiled.

    'Anything else you want to add? A Memory? An... an Echo?'

    However, a moment later, he forgot all about the Spell. A cold shiver run down his spine.

    Because right in front of him, something very strange was happening to the Stone Saint.

    Her hand was still raised, frozen in the same position as when she had pierced the heart of the living darkness with her fist.

    And in it��

    'What the hell is that thing?!'

 Chapter 273 Chrysalis

    Chapter 273 Chrysalis

    Grasped in the Shadow's fist was a strange, beautiful, and ominous gem. It was utterly black, as though suffused with impenetrable darkness. The glossy black surface seemed to devour light, turning the vast hall of the ruined cathedral even darker than it had been before.

    Deep within that black void, crimson flames burned with a menacing red glow. It was pulsating in a slow and bizarre rhythm, drowning everything around in dim red light. Painted by it, the Stone Saint seemed to be drenched in blood. The gem she held looked like a bloody, still-beating heart that she had torn out of someone's chest.

    Gazing at it, Sunny felt a strange sense of foreboding.

    'What the hell is this thing?'

    The gem looked sort of like a soul shard, but�� different. He had never seen a black shard, to begin with, or one radiating such an intense glow. It also didn't seem like a piece of a broken core. On the contrary, it appeared�� whole?

    'Is that what a soul core of a Nightmare Creature looks like?'

    No, not a soul core.

    A soul?

    Stunned, Sunny counted the crimson flames burning in the depths of the black gem. One, two, three�� four.

    Four flames for the four cores of Fallen Devil.

    The thing that his Shadow held in her hand was the Black Knight's soul�� or some sort of his essence, at least. By how had it turned into a material form?

    Did the Stone Saint do it? If so, how�� no, why?

    'What is she doing with it?!'

    As Sunny and Nephis looked in stunned silence, the Shadow finally moved. Bringing the black gem close to her face, she lingered for a moment. A hint of a dark, macabre emotion appeared in her eyes.

    And then, the Stone Saint�� swallowed it.

    Sunny blinked.

    '...What?'

    The Shadow opened her mouth, bit into the eerie crystal, and swallowed it.

    Just like that, the soul of the Black Knight was devoured. The red glow it emanated disappeared, returning the world to its natural shade.

    And a moment after that, the Stone Saint fell into the shadows and disappeared, too.

    'Wait�� I didn't dismiss her. What the hell is happening?'

    Nephis looked at him with a perplexed expression.

    "What just happened? What did she do?"

    For once, Sunny didn't have to twist the truth and deceive anyone. Opening his mouth, he honestly said:

    "I have no idea."

    Walking over to the pile of rusty steel that remained after the devil had been destroyed, Sunny moved it around with his foot for a bit and then mumbled:

    "There's no shards left. It's empty."

    Changing Star remained silent for a few moments, then frowned.

    Finally, she said:

    "...You Echo is very peculiar."

    ***

    While everyone was recovering from the fight and tending to their wounds, Sunny walked to a secluded corner and dove into the Soul Sea.

    The tranquil expanse of still water met him with familiar silence. Glancing at the rows of motionless shadows standing at the edge of it, Sunny noticed that the Black Knight had joined their ranks.

    The steel giant stood among all the other creatures Sunny had slain, just as empty as the rest of them. There was no trace of the menacing and deadly Fallen Devil left. Now, he was just one of the shadows.

    Sunny grinned.

    "Welcome, you bastard. Make yourself at home. You're not going anywhere else ever, anyway."

    A feeling of deep, dark satisfaction grasped his heart. Staring at the motionless form of his sworn enemy, Sunny had to stop himself from kicking the Black Knight with all his strength.

    He was just a shadow now, after all. Kicking him would have been like kicking the air. Plus, Sunny wasn't vindictive to that degree. Killing the bastard once was enough for him.

    "Who's the one laughing now, huh? I won't deny it, you got me good. But I'm still breathing while you're dead. At the end of the day, that's all that matter."

    This world �� no, both this world and the real one were full of creatures that were bigger, stronger, and more powerful than Sunny. Many of them had either threatened his existence or felt compelled to treat him like dirt to show their superiority.

    But he was still here despite all of them, neither destroyed nor subjugated. He was free, alive, and growing stronger with each day.

    One day, they would be the ones cowering in front of him or be destroyed by him. Just like the Black Knight had been.

    With a dark expression, Sunny turned away and walked to stand beneath the black sun of his shadow core. Then, he summoned the Stone Saint.

    ��But nothing happened.

    Sunny frowned, then repeated the summon again �� to the same effect. Suddenly worried, he willed the runes to appear in the air in front of him.

    Luckily, his worst fears did not come true. The Stone Saint was still listed as his Shadow.

    'Then what is going on with her?'

    Concentrating on the runes describing her name, Sunny made it expand and read:

    Shadow: Stone Saint.

    Shadow Rank: Awakened.

    Shadow Class: Monster.

    Shadow Attributes: [Battle Master], [Stalwart], [Spark of Divinity].

    Shadow Description: [Shadow Saint was created by the treacherous Lost from Light in the cursed darkness of the Forgotten Shore.]

    Shadow Fragments: [80/200].

    So far, everything was the same. Even the number of shadow fragments he had fed her did not change.

    However, there was a new string of runes shimmering beneath that number, where nothing had been before.

    When Sunny saw it, his eyes widened.

    The runes read:

    [...The Stone Saint is evolving.]

    He lingered for a few moments, and then looked up at the Shadow Core.

    p??da n?vel Somewhere inside, his Shadow was resting in the waves of nurturing dark flames, her very being going through a mysterious transformation. It appeared as though consuming the soul of the Black Knight had allowed her to enter a stage of growth that Sunny had not anticipated.

    How long would that evolution process take?

    And what kind of a transformation the Saint was going through?

    Sunny had no idea.

    However, he couldn't wait to find out.

 Chapter 274 Salvation

    Chapter 274 Salvation

    Evolving�� the Stone Saint was evolving.

    Leaving the mindscape of the Soul Sea, Sunny furrowed his brow. His eyes, however, were full of excitement.

    What exactly about her was going to change, though?

    There weren't that many possibilities. It could be either her rank, her class, or her attributes.

    It was logical to assume that by defeating an opponent of a higher rank, the Shadow would be able to ascend to a new rank herself. However, there was a flaw in that logic.

    The Black Knight wasn't the first Fallen creature Sunny and the Saint had slain. In fact, he was the third, with the Corpse Eater and the Spire Messenger being the first two. That's not even counting the two Iron Spiders the living statue had butchered before falling to Sunny's blade herself.

    But she had not done anything like pulling a black gem out of their corpses before.

    So, most likely, what allowed her to absorb the soul of that particular Nightmare Creature was not the mere fact of its incredible power, it was the strange but obvious kinship that the two of them shared. At least Sunny felt that this guess of his was right.

    That didn't help him understand what changes would occur to the taciturn monsters, though. Still, it was a very valuable piece of information to learn.

    In the future, if Sunny wanted to evolve his Shadows, he would have to find not only a powerful, but also a suitable opponent for them to defeat. A kindred abomination of higher rank or class.

    Tilting his head, he tried to remember if there was another creature on the Forgotten Shore he knew of whose soul could be fed to the Saint. For a moment, the image of the walking colossus appeared in his mind.

    'Yeah, no. Not gonna even think about that.'

    Shaking his head, Sunny smiled slightly and walked over to his companions.

    Now that their deal had been concluded��

    The future he was so afraid of was finally upon them.

    ***

    The light of lanterns invaded the spacious room that had once belonged to the priestess of this ancient temple. With six people entering its peaceful haven, however, it didn't seem so vast anymore.

    Sunny looked around and sighed. The hidden quarters were just like he had left him. There were pieces of simple, but luxurious furniture carved out of pale wood, with a few mismatched things that he had scavenged from the ruins. The stone walls were decorated with intricate engravings. An empty chest that used to be full of shimmering soul shards stood dark and empty.

    Feeding the Stone Saint had really bankrupted him. Sadly, being the master of a hungry Shadow was not the cheapest of ambitions...

    On one of the walls, sets of lines were scratched into the stone, marking all the days he had spent living in the ruined cathedral. For a long time, this had been his home. The best home he ever had, really, which was a sad thing to say about a windowless stone room hidden in the middle of a cursed city.

    But Sunny liked it a lot. He was going to miss this dark, quiet place very much.

    The other members of the cohort, with the exception of Effie and Cassie, were looking around with interest. Even Neph showed a bit of curiosity.

    With a strange look on his face, Kai turned to Sunny and asked:

    "This�� this is where you lived?"

    Sunny raised an eyebrow and shrugged.

    "Yeah. Why?"

    The beautiful archer smiled with visible delight.

    "No, nothing. It's just that�� this place is so tasteful! I did not expect your residence to be this chic."

    'What is that supposed to mean?'

    Sunny frowned.

    "...What did you expect it to be?"

    Kai looked down, suddenly flustered.

    "Oh, you know. For some reason, I always imagined you sleeping on a floor in a cave. Yeah, stupid, I know. Why would there be a cave in a temple?"

    Hearing that, Effie couldn't help but laugh.

    "Uh�� wait till you see what's in his closet, Night."

    Sunny gave her a menacing look, but thought better of saying anything.

    He understood that the huntress was just trying to lighten the mood.

    Knowing what was going to come next, every member of the cohort was consumed by fear and doubt right now. Effie more than the rest, because her role in the spectacle that Gunalug had planned for them was especially cruel.

    Sunny sighed.

    A bit later, they were sitting around the hearth, the smell of food still lingering in the air. Everyone was silent, looking at the fire, their minds consumed with dark thoughts. Sunny knew that he had to make a decision now, but felt reluctant to do so.

    Instead, he just watched the shadows dance on the walls of the hidden chamber.

    After a while, Nephis finally broke the silence. Turning to him, she lingered for a bit, and then asked:

    "We will be leaving in the morning. Will you come with us?"

    Her voice sounded even, as always. But Sunny knew her well enough to discern notes of a suppressed emotion in it.

    Hope��

    'Hope is the poison that will get you killed.'

    But no. This was the old Sunny talking. One who was comfortable hiding behind his insanity, one who had given up. Who was too afraid to face the ruthless truth and pay the price to take what belonged to him, was his by right.

    Triumph. Salvation.

    ...And hope.

    Sunny was done being afraid.

    With a calm expression, he looked at Nephis and said:

    "The day after tomorrow. I still have things to finish in the Dark City. I will join you the day after tomorrow�� for better or worse."

    She was silent for a few moments, and then a soft smile appeared on her face.

    "...Thank you. I have some preparations to make, too. We will return to the Bright Castle together, then."

    He gave her a nod and turned away.

    Nephis had never shown any sign of being able to feel fear, at least not that he remembered. But he knew that it was just a front. In fact, she knew fear all too well. Better than anyone here, except maybe for him.

    She was introduced to it at a very young age, after all.

    So he suspected that behind her indifferent face and even voice, she must have been scared, too. She was just a young girl, after all.

    And it was she who was going to fight the immortal Bright Lord to the death soon, not them.

    Sunny looked at the shadows.

    'One day. After one day, the prophecy will begin to come true.'

 Chapter 275 Secrets of the Ruined Temple

    Chapter 275 Secrets of the Ruined Temple

    As soon as the dawn came, bringing with it the mournful sound of retreating waves, Nephis and her cohort left the ruined cathedral.

    Sunny remained alone, standing on the edge between the darkness of the old temple and the light of the new day.

    Lingering in the ornate doorway, he remained motionless for a while and watched as the artificial sun rose into the bleak grey skies above the cursed city. After months spent in the company of other humans, being by himself once again felt strange�� just like it had felt strange to be with other people after all the time he had spent on his own here before that.

    Turning around, Sunny returned into the darkness.

    The grand hall of the ruined cathedral was peaceful and quiet. Without the menacing steel guardian, there was no one here to disturb the silence anymore. Even the darkness that populated the corners was empty and docile now, not at all the living entity it had been once.

    ��It felt sort of lonesome.

    Freely walking through the echoing expanse of the magnificent hall, Sunny looked around, taking in the sight of the cathedral that had sheltered in the past from a new perspective. Despite spending so much time here, he had never seen it like this �� in the same way the inhabitants of the Dark City must have seen it all those years ago. Sunny had only looked down on the hall from the height of one of the ancient temple's support beams.

    It looked majestic.

    But it was also not safe anymore.

    With the Black Knight dead, no one was left to defend the cathedral from the Nightmare Creatures that would want to claim it as their nest. So Sunny couldn't stay here for long.

    Not that he had the luxury of that choice anymore.

    Throwing one last look at the beautiful dark hall, Sunny sighed and began climbing the statue of the nameless goddess.

    ***

    Back in the hidden chamber, it was once again utterly dark. Sunny hesitated for a bit and began collecting his belongings.

    It didn't take him long.

    Growing attached to material things was pointless on the Forgotten Shore. There was no way to take them with him to the real world, after all �� if he was even going to survive that long.

    But he still felt sad leaving all of his spoils behind. Back in the real world, Sunny never had a home like this, nor a lot of stuff to call his own. He had dreamed of enjoying a lavish lifestyle after becoming an Awakened, but got stuck in this hell instead. This spacious room he called his home was a form of consolation.

    But now he had to leave.

    In the end, he only took the bare necessities and then tidied the place up, wishing to leave it clean and orderly despite knowing that there was little chance of anyone stumbling on this place again.

    After everything was done, Sunny glanced at the tranquil room and hesitated for a bit.

    Then, he walked over to the wall where he had once scratched countless lines into the stone to count the days and summoned the Prowling Thorn.

    He wanted to leave a mark of his presence here. Something to tell that he had lived in this hidden chamber, in the ancient ruined cathedral, in the Dark City, on the Forgotten Shore��

    In this world. A small mark to witness that he had been here, had struggled here, and then left to fight for a chance to escape.

    Sunny wanted to come up with some profound words, but nothing came to mind. He wasn't really a profound person, anyway.

    What he really wanted to carve into the wall was his True Name. But even now, the paranoia stopped him. What if someone would come here one day and read it out loud? What a funny disaster that would be.

    Finally, he raised the kunai a carved something beneath the lines that marked the days he had spent living in the ruined cathedral.

    Then, Sunny turned around and walked away.

    There were two runes left on the wall behind him.

    One meaning sun.

    The other meaning loss.

    ***

    There were two things Sunny wanted to accomplish before tomorrow morning. One was in the ruins of a library that he had never finished exploring, and the other one was right here in the ruined cathedral.

    Returning to the grand hall with his rucksack on his shoulder, Sunny walked past the statue of the nameless goddess and dove into one of the doors leading into the temple's inner sanctum.

    He had never been there before, kept away by the living darkness and the Black Knight.

    But now that the devil was gone, Sunny was finally going to see what was hidden inside.

    Walking through the rooms and corridors that the priests and priestesses had once used, he looked around and didn't notice anything of interest. Everything was pretty much destroyed and ruined, with only a few mundane things remaining untouched.

    There was nothing here at all �� at least that was what others would think.

    Sunny, however, suddenly stopped in front of a certain wall and tilted his head.

    There was nothing special about that wall, at least nothing that could be seen. But he could feel a heavy mass of shadows hiding behind it, as though there was a hollow space there.

    After searching for a while, he found a hidden lever and pressed it.

    Or at least he tried. The ancient mechanism had rusted through and disintegrated over the thousands of years of neglect, of course.

    With a sigh, Sunny summoned the Midnight Shard, looked closer at the hollow wall, and inserted the tachi into the seam between its moving parts. Then, he unceremoniously used the unbreakable blade as a lever and pushed with all his inhuman strength.

    With a terrible scraping sound, a part of the wall slid away. The air rushed past Sunny, entering the dark mouth of a narrow corridor.

    Behind it, a set of stone stairs led down.

    Deep down underground.

    With a resentful grimace, Sunny flourished the Midnight Shard to shake off the dust that clung to it, put it on his shoulder, and entered the secret passage.

 Chapter 276 Black Door

    Chatper 276 Black Door

    The hidden passage led Sunny underground, twisting and turning through the mass of stone. Despite the fact that he had been cautiously walking forward for a few minutes now, Sunny felt that he was still beneath the cathedral. In fact, by his estimation, he was approaching its center.

    And indeed, right beneath the spot where the statue of the goddess should have been, the narrow passage opened into a larger room. In it, a deep well leading even further down was situated, with a winding staircase spiraling down into the darkness.

    Sunny frowned.

    'What is it with this place and creepy dark wells?'

    Going further down was going to place him dangerously close to the catacombs. He knew all to well what kind of danger that would pose �� the last time Sunny had ventured into the maze of ancient tunnels below the city, he barely escaped alive.

    After hesitating for a while, he stepped onto the staircase and began descending. Deep, ancient shadows surrounded Sunny, giving him a little comfort.

    At least he was among his kin.

    After a minute or so of walking down the stairwell, Sunny entered a large chamber that seemed to be carved into the bedrock, as opposed to being constructed by human hand. On the other side of it, a large door forged from black steel stood, illuminated by two burning torches.

    Two thoughts entered Sunny's mind simultaneously.

    The first one was that the metal from which the monolithic door was made looked eerily familiar. It was the same dark, lusterless, impenetrable alloy that the Black Knight had been made of.

    The second thought was even more disturbing.

    '...How come those torches are still burning?'

    Had they been aflame for several thousand years?

    Come to think of it, the torches looked very strange. They seemed to be producing light, but it was pale and ghostly. There was no heat that came with it, too.

    The shadows cast by the ghostly flames were the most disturbing, though. Because of the movements of the fire, they were supposed to be dancing on the floor. But instead, the shadows were absolutely motionless. It was as though the light of the torches had trapped and paralyzed them somehow.

    Sunny thought for a while, and that ordered his own shadow to stay back. The shadow did not protest �� in fact, it was visibly relieved. Taking a few exaggerated steps back, it merged with the deep darkness at the exit of the stairwell and waited there, glancing nervously at the strange motionless shadows from time to time.

    Sunny cautiously approached the black door and lowered the Midnight Shard into a protective stance. He was ready to face any sort of danger.

    ��But nothing attacked him.

    The only thing that happened was a sudden shill that run through Sunny's body when he had entered the circle of light cast by the two ghostly torches.

    'These torches are�� they are definitely some sort of a protective charm. I am almost sure that their power can harm even shadows.'

    The question he had to ask himself, though, was this �� were the torches meant to keep something from entering the space that hid behind the black door��

    Or were they meant to keep something in?panda-novel,c,om

    Well�� there was only one way to find out.

    What Sunny was doing seemed absolutely crazy. But in fact, it was not. He had not come into this underground chamber just because of idle curiosity or because of being blinded by greed and the prospect of finding a treasure.

    What led him here and pushed him to study the black door was his intuition.

    By now, Sunny had to admit that his intuition was more than a mere manifestation of his subconscious. It had turned out to be correct one too many times.

    Especially ever since he had consumed the drop of ichor.

    After that day, he was able to sense the presence of divinity. And sometimes, he was even drawn to it �� like he was drawn to this cathedral and to the mysterious key that lay buried in the body of the Lord of the Dead. The two seemed connected��

    And Sunny felt that he was about to find out how and why.

    But it was not all his intuition was capable of. There were other aspects to it, too.

    In fact, Sunny suspected that it had more to do with his [Fated] Attribute than it had to do with the [Spark of Divinity.] If he were to guess, he would say that after he had been changed by the ichor, that Attribute was slightly enhanced, giving him the ability to sense subtle tremors that ran through the strings of fate from time to time �� the strings that were, apparently, tightly wrapped around his body.

    The combination of the change that happened to his eyes and his close relationship with those strings gave Sunny a slight affinity to revelations and fate �� similar to the one Cassie had possessed, but infinitely less potent.

    It was enough to guide him to this door and make him want to open it, nevertheless.

    Stepping close to the monolithic black door, Sunny gazed at it and came to the conclusion that not even an entire army would have been able to break through this monstrous barrier.

    There was, however, a small keyhole hidden on its dark surface.

    Pulling on the string tied around his neck, Sunny took off the small metal key that hung on it and gripped it tightly in his hand.

    After hesitating for a few moments, he carefully inserted the key into the lock of the black door.

    ��It fit perfectly. As soon as Sunny put the key into the lock, the faint light of divinity it emanated suddenly became a little bit brighter.

    Sunny sighed, then readied himself and turned the key.

    Something clicked inside the metal door, and then it silently opened. The pale light of the ghostly torches swayed, as though moved by an otherworldly wind.

    Behind the door, a small room was carved into the rock.

    And in it, a corpse in a dark mantle was chained to the floor inside a circle.

    Sunny couldn't tell if the corpse belonged to a man or a woman, because there was a strange mask covering its face.

    The mask was made out of black lacquered wood and carved to resemble the face of a ferocious demon. Its teeth were bared, with four fangs protruding from its mouth. The mask was crowned with three twisted horns.

    Inside the black chasms of its eyes, there was nothing but utter darkness.

 Chapter 277 Demon of Fate

    Chapter 277 Demon of Fate

    Sunny held his breath, affected by the disturbing scene in front of him.

    The corpse was kneeling on the floor of the small cell, its hand chained to the floor. There was a circle carved into the stone around it, with countless symbols that Sunny could not understand surrounding it.

    However, the circle was broken. In the thousands of years since the fall of the Dark City, the floor of the dungeon cell had cracked, with several fractures running straight through the intricate engraving.

    Whatever it was the circle was meant to contain had either perished or escaped a long time ago.

    Now, the only thing that remained was a withered corpse.

    Coming closer, Sunny took another look at the person who had been imprisoned and died under the ruined cathedral, in a cell situated exactly beneath the statue of the nameless goddess.

    Because of the dark mantle and the black lacquered mask, Sunny couldn't glean a lot of information about the corpse. It seemed to belong to a human, but other than that, everything about it was a mystery.

    What terrible sin had this person committed to be condemned to this awful death?

    Strangely, Sunny's intuition was silent. It was as though there was nothing in front of him at all. To his sixth sense, the prisoner of the underground cell appeared as an empty space.

    '...Weird. This person had clearly been either hated or feared a lot to be locked behind all these barriers. Surely, finding such a creature would affect my fate�� why don't I feel anything, then?'

    With a tense frown, he took a deep breath and carefully stepped inside the circle.

    ��It was then that Sunny noticed a chaotic mess of runes drawn on the floor near the prisoner's left hand. The sight of them almost sent him into a seizure.

    Staggering away, Sunny fell to his knees and threw up.

    'Agh�� damn it!'

    Those runes�� those were the same runes the Spell used to describe the mysterious Unknown. Only here, the intensity of the terrible effect they had on the mind of anyone who saw them was much, much stronger.

    'What the hell?'

    Wiping his mouth, Sunny grimaced and glanced at the masked corpse with a bit of resentment.

    Then, he picked himself off the floor, took a deep breath�� a looked at the terrible runes once again.

    Immediately, Sunny felt a splitting headache and a sickening, terrible sensation spreading through his mind. It was as though all his thoughts and memories were being torn and twisted. But despite all of it, Sunny persevered and kept staring at the final message that the prisoner had left behind.

    He knew he couldn't read the runes �� he didn't know that particular language, and the Spell either was forbidden, incapable, or refused to translate them. But for some reason, Sunny felt compelled to try.

    Fighting through the intense pain, he slowly studied the strange runes. And then, suddenly, his eyes widened.

    Because right below the chaotic mess of them, a line of text was written in the script he was familiar with �� the usual runic language that the Spell always used.

    This time, it did not provide any translation. Luckily, Sunny had studied these runes and knew enough about them to understand what was written himself.

    The last thing the person imprisoned under the cathedral wrote before succumbing to death made him shudder.

    Scratched into the stone was a short prayer:

    "Hail Weaver

    Demon of Fate

    Firstborn

    of the -unknown-"

    ***

    Sunny stared at the runes until he was on the verge of losing consciousness. Only then did he turn away and closed his eyes.

    The nauseating dissonance of the terrible runes stayed carved into his mind. Only after several minutes passed did it fade a little, allowing him to breathe again.

    So�� the mysterious Weaver whose forbidden lineage he had inherited was, in fact, associated with fate. Just like Sunny himself.

    What were the chances?

    '...That's Fated for you, I guess.'

    The word he translated as "Demon" wasn't the one used to describe Nightmares Creatures of the third rank, but a different one.

    Perhaps calling it a spirit or a daemon would have been more suitable �� a mortal, but powerful and ominous deity. One different from gods, but sharing the same nature. However, Sunny wasn't that versed in mystical terminology. All he knew was that the runic language was incredibly rich in words describing all types of monsters and creatures, while the human language wasn't.

    Hence "Demon" was fine with him.

    Apart from the tantalizing revelation about the mysterious Weaver, he had noticed one other important thing by forcing himself to study the runes.

    Before, Sunny had thought that there was a single entity that the Spell refused to call by its name and simply described as "-unknown-" �� leading him to call it the Unknown.

    ��Yes, Sunny was not that imaginative when it came to word choice.

    Whether the Unknown were a kind of beings, a single existence, or a force of nature, he did not know.

    But now, he realized that there were actually two types of forbidden runes, and two things that the Spell did not know how or did not want to mention.

    One was the same as those used in the description of the Drop of Ichor, which stated that the Vile Thieving Bird was hated both by the gods and by the Unknown. It also said that the reflection of the Unknown stayed forever frozen in the depths of Weaver's pupils, and that just looking at it drove the Thieving Bird mad.

    The other was the same as those used in the description of the Stone Saint, which was created by "the last child of the -unknown-", and now here by the dead prisoner, who had called Weaver the firstborn of the "-unknown-".

    'What the hell does all of this supposed to mean?'

    His suspicion that Weaver had something to do with the creation of the Nightmare Spell only grew stronger after learning that he�� she�� it?.... they had something to do with the domain of fate. After all, the Spell seemed to be weaved out of numerous strings of fate, and there was this being called Weaver, who had the blood of gods in their veins, but was also somehow connected to the Unknown.

    Feeling his headache only growing stronger, Sunny winced and shook his head.

    'Later. I will think about it later.'

    There would be time to ponder about all this later. Or not, if he dies trying to escape the Forgotten Shore. Either way, that time was not now.

    Turning back to the chained corpse, Sunny cautiously avoided looking at the dangerous runes and kneeled in front of it.

    He wanted to know what was hiding behind the mask.

    But as soon as he touched it, the corpse suddenly shattered and fell apart, turning into dust right in front of his eyes. Even its dark mantle rotted and disappeared, as though the thousands of years that had passed since the fall of the Dark City and the destruction of the cathedral finally caught up with it.

    Soon, all that was left was a pile of dust.

    ��And the lacquered mask lying on top of it, its black surface glinting slightly in the pale light of the ghostly torches.

 Chapter 278 Weavers Mask

    Chapter 278 Weaver's Mask

    Sunny looked at the black mask and the darkness hiding in its eyes. Its features were not as much contorted as fearsome by nature. It was simultaneously fearsome and somber, bestial and regal. As though existing at the border of all things.

    But most of all, the striking mask radiated a sense of mystery.

    The vicious fangs, the twisting horns, the black lacquered wood of it all�� once again, his intuition was silent. There was nothing he felt toward the black mask, as though it didn't even exist.

    'How strange.'

    Sunny waited for a few moments, then picked up the mask and brought it to his face to take a closer look at it.

    But just a moment after his fingers touched the sleek surface of the polished wood, the mask suddenly disintegrated into a swarm of countless white sparks. Acting like water, the stream of light flowed toward Sunny's chest and entered into his body, disappearing into the dark depths of his shadow core.

    The voice of the Spell thundered suddenly, louder than it had ever been before:

    [You have received a Memory.]

    ***

    Sunny remained motionless for a few seconds, thinking about what just happened.

    By now, he knew that some Memories could exist outside of the soul cores, just like how Shard Memories did.

    Was the black mask one of them? Somehow, he felt that it wasn't.

    'Why I am even guessing? Let's�� let's just take a look?'

    The reason he was lingering was because of the magnitude of the situation. Sunny didn't know anything about the mysterious mask, but he believed that this relic of the past was truly unusual. The circumstances that had led to its discovery were too extraordinary, and the place it was hidden in was too uncanny to think otherwise.

    So he was understandably apprehensive.

    With a bit of tension, Sunny dove into his Soul Sea and looked up at the spheres of light floating around the black sun of the Shadow Core. There was a new one there, which seemed to be much brighter than the rest.

    Summoning it down, he soon found himself looking into the eyes of the dark mask that hovered in front of him. It was as though he was facing an invisible person wearing it. Shifting uncomfortably, Sunny lowered his gaze a little and looked beneath the black lacquered wood.

    A moment later, he had to suppress the involuntary desire to cover his eyes with a hand.

    Inside the black mask, seven radiant embers were burning with such intensity that it almost blinded him. All around them, incalculable ethereal strings were weaved into a pattern so vast and intricate that it almost seemed boundless.

    'Seven anchors�� gods!'

    Stunned by the visage of the mask's spellweave, Sunny hesitated for a bit and summoned the runes that described it. What he saw made him take a step back and gasp.

    Memory: [Weaver's Mask].

    Memory Rank: Divine.

    Memory Tier: VII.

    Memory Type: Tool.

    Memory Description: [Weaver believed that knowledge was the origin of power and so always hid behind numerous lies, wearing them as a mantle. No one knew Weaver's thoughts, Weaver's face, and Weaver's heart. Even the gods could not see what hid behind the mask.]

    Memory Enchantments: [Mantle of Lies], [???], [Simple Trick].

    Sunny had to look away for a moment to take a breath.

    'Divine Memory of the seventh tier�� holy hell!'

    Words weren't enough to describe his astonishment. He was, however, surprised to see that the mask only had three enchantments. Sunny expected such a powerful Memory to have dozens of them �� judging by how boundless and insanely complicated the weave of it was, there had to be that much, at least.

    Just what were these three enchantments to require a myriad of diamond strings to support them?

    Turning back to the runes, he concentrated on the enchantments and read further:

    Enchantment: [Mantle of Lies].

    Enchantment Description: [Hides the identity of its master.]

    That description sounded very simple, but looking at the spellweave of the black mask, Sunny could tell that this enchantment was anything but. In fact, it was so vast and powerful that his mind was failing to even comprehend the scale of it.

    The enchantment was indeed designed to protect the identity of the person wearing the mask from prying eyes, but what it actually meant was that any form of detection was powerless against it. And Sunny suspected that "any" was not a figure of speech in this case, but simply a constatation of fact.

    For example, Cassie's Aspect Ability, which allowed her to see a person's Attributes, would not work on someone wearing the mask. There were countless similar abilities among the Awakened... none of which would work either.

    'I guess that explains why my intuition was silent about the prisoner and the mask itself. Whatever kind of fate-related sixth sense I have is also countered by that thing.'

    Even more terrifying was the fact that the enchantment was not aimed at just the Awakened. The description of the Weaver's Mask stated that even the gods could not see through it, and it was honest truth. Nothing could penetrate the barriers of the Mantle of Lies, not even the sight of a god.

    Sunny gulped.

    '...Scarry.'

    But then, this incredible and frightening enchantment did not even take up a tenth of the volume of the ethereal diamond strings hiding beneath the surface of the black lacquered mask.

    The second enchantment was much the same.

    It was called [???], by which the Spell was telling Sunny that it wasn't going to say anything about it. Its description was also empty.

    However, Sunny could tell that it had something to do with sight just by looking at the weave. He could also tell that it was not a passive enchantment, but an active one, meaning that currently, he could not access it.

    Usually, that would mean that he would be able to once he became a true Awakened, but in this case, the amount of soul essence required to keep the enchantment activated for more than a fraction of a second was so vast that no Awakened would have been able to. Only a Saint would, perhaps.

    However, Sunny was not sure that he wanted to try even if he had the ability. The things Weaver saw were capable of driving Unholy creatures insane, so it was wise to avoid going anywhere near that enchantment in the future�� most likely.

    ...Most of the spellweave of the Weaver's Mask, however, was dedicated to the third enchantment, one that was called a "Simple Trick". Judging by the mind-boggling complexity of the pattern that made it possible, that trick of Weaver's was anything but simple, though.

    It was the most bizarre, intricate, and ingenious thing that Sunny had ever seen.

    Curious, he glanced at the description�� and froze, his eyes opened wide.

    The runes gleaming in the air read:

    Enchantment: [Simple Trick].

    Enchantment Description: [Reverses the effect of one's Flaw.]

 Chapter 279 Guilty Conscience

    Chapter 279 Guilty Conscience

    Sunny remained silent for a long time, staring at the black mask. The tranquil sea of his soul was still and silent... not at all like the storm that was currently raging in his heart.

    After a while, he thought:

    'That Weaver was one sly guy�� girl�� person�� being? Well, the fact that I don't even know that much only serves to prove the point. And I thought I was good at deceit and manipulation.'

    How devious one must be to not let even the gods, even the Nightmare Spell know anything about them?

    But it was fitting, in a strange kind of way. If Weaver's domain was that of fate, there was no other way. Fate was a terrifying, but subtle tool. Manipulating it to your advantage required a very special kind of genius, one that was directly opposite to any kind of directness, straightforwardness, and brutal power.

    However, if given the choice, Sunny would have preferred to face War God in battle than to make someone like Weaver his enemy.

    Masterful liars were far more dangerous than deadly warriors. He knew it better than most.

    ��Exiting the Soul Sea, Sunny hesitated for a little and then summoned the Weaver's Mask. The cool wooden surface of the mask appeared on his face, held in place by some invisible force.

    Immediately, his vision changed slightly. Everything became sharper, clearer, more vivid. Sunny could feel the mask reaching into his eyes and connecting to something �� the strange legacy he had inherited by consuming the drop of Weaver's blood. He sensed his intuition becoming more potent, too.

    It was as though he could almost see the mysterious strings of fate that span across the entire world.

    ��Almost.

    Glancing at the pile of dust that remained of the prisoner, Sunny frowned slightly.

    The identity of the person who had been wearing the Weaver's Mask remained a secret. Just who had this corpse belonged to, and how had they ended up chained to the floor in a hidden dungeon cell beneath the majestic cathedral?

    The easiest thing to assume was that it was Weaver themselves, but Sunny dismissed that theory immediately.

    From everything he knew about the original master of the mask, the power of that creature was just below that of the gods�� and that of the Unknown, perhaps. If Weaver appeared on the Forgotten Shore, the whole Dark City would have been wiped out of existence before any harm was done to them.

    So who could have been wearing Weaver's Mask? Some powerful carrier of the Nightmare Spell that had received it as a Memory, just how Sunny did?

    'Well��'

    If Weaver was really a daemon, which was a strange kind of a lesser deity, were there a cult dedicated to them? Had there been priests and followers of Weaver? The message the prisoner had left behind sounded awfully close to a prayer. Had that person been deemed a heretic and condemned to this place for that reason?

    Sunny sighed. There was no way to know.

    Hesitating for a bit, he turned away and left the somber dungeon cell behind. He only had this one day to finish all the things he had left undone in the Dark City. There was no time for fruitless pondering.

    Once outside, Sunny walked over to the place where he had left his shadow and took a look at himself through its eyes. What he saw made him blink a couple of times.

    'Huh��'

    The black lacquered mask sat snuggly on his face, hiding his features. He couldn't even see his eyes, which were drowned in darkness.

    What's more, even his height was somehow unclear. Sunny didn't actually become taller, but from the side, it looked as though he did�� sort of? One second, it did, and the next one, it did not. It was sort of similar to how people's faces changed when lighted from different directions. In any case, he couldn't tell for sure how tall the person facing the shadow was.

    'How fun!'

    It was not that Sunny became completely unrecognizable, though. He would still have to be careful to hide the context clues about himself while wearing the mask. Mundane things like the way he walked, his usual mannerisms, and other subtle but unique details of his behavior could still betray his identity despite the fact that it was masked from all unnatural means of detection.

    To truly make himself appear as something else, Sunny would have to put on a performance.

    ...Good thing he was practicing the Shadow Dance, then. Was it not designed to fully imitate someone else's battle style and physicality?

    'What a wonderful coincidence...'

    Finally, the moment he had been dreading came. It was time to test if the [Simple Trick] was really capable of turning his Flaw upside down.

    Needless to say, Sunny was nervous. His lips became dry, and he unconsciously tried to lick them�� but now there was a mask on his face, so he couldn't. That bad habit of his had to be put to rest, apparently.

    '...Great. Alright, let's do this.'

    Opening his mouth, Sunny said out loud:

    "I am�� very tall!"

    In the process, he grimaced, expecting the familiar pain to invade his mind.

    ��But there was nothing.

    Sunny froze, blinked a couple of times, and waited. Still, nothing happened.

    Beneath the mask, a wide grin appeared on his face.

    "I am not only tall, but also exquisitely handsome. But that is not all, I am incredibly honest and nice, too. Every girl I meet immediately falls in love with me. Boys, too! That's just how lovable, handsome, nice and tall I am. Everything I have just said is absolutely true."

    His mind was peaceful and quiet. There was no pain, no pressure. In fact, Sunny felt great.

    'Wow��'

    Feeling an almost overwhelming desire to continue spouting lies, he laughed in exhilaration.

    "Amazing! This can be��"

    But then, a tremendous explosion of pain suddenly threw him to the ground. With a startled yelp, Sunny grasped his head and then groaned through gritted teeth, feeling as though it was about to burst.

    'What the hell?!'

    He just wanted to say how useful the ability to lie could be.

    'Wait��'

    The ability to lie would, indeed, be very useful. Which meant that by stating that fact, he would be telling the truth.

    And the Weaver's Mask did not remove his Flaw, just reversed it.

    So... it seemed like while wearing it, Sunny could not tell even a word of truth.

    'Uh...'

    That seemed like the right conclusion to make. But he needed to test it to be absolutely sure.

    With a doomed sigh, Sunny waited for a moment and then said:

    "My name is��"

    A moment later, another pained scream resounded in the darkness of the underground chamber.

 Chapter 280 One Last Job

    Chapter 280 One Last Job

    Some time later, Sunny emerged from the ruins of the cathedral with a rucksack on his shoulder, took one last look back, and left.

    Whatever his future was going to be, he doubted that he would come back here any time soon.

    It was a bittersweet goodbye.

    Cautiously walking through the familiar streets of the Dark City, where he knew every turn and every piece of rubble �� in this district of it, at least �� Sunny kept his guard up. Many things must have changed in the months he had been away traveling through the Labyrinth.

    The Nightmare Creatures he knew and, more importantly, knew how to avoid might have wandered away or perished, and new horrors might have taken their place. He had to stay prudent and careful.

    But still, his next and final goal was not that far away.

    As he sneaked toward it, Sunny thought about the Weaver's Mask and the ways it could change his life. At first, he thought about simply never taking it off and walking around while delivering a deluge of lies. This way he would be safe from revealing his most guarded secret and becoming someone's slave, at least.

    But after considering this seriously, he came to the conclusion that it was not the best decision in his current circumstances.

    First of all, one couldn't be a part of any collective while lying all the time. Sunny had an unpleasant experience of being expelled from various groups for various reasons, and not being sincere and honest was one of the surest ways to make people want to avoid you at all cost�� eventually, at least.

    And no one was able to survive alone in the Dream Realm. Not in a way that a person would want to live, anyway.

    Sunny knew a lot about this side of things, too.

    But most importantly, he was not going to be able to keep this lying for long, anyway �� not when dealing with people that already knew him. Kai and Cassie would notice the strange effect of the mask immediately: Kai because of his Ability to sense lies, Cassie because her Ability to see Attributes would suddenly stop working.

    But others would catch on that something strange was going on with him pretty quickly, too, simply because of how drastic the change in his behavior would be. Especially Nephis, who knew him so well.

    After that, they would inevitably have a lot of questions, and answering those questions �� even with lies �� would put him in more danger than he already was in.

    So, sadly, Weaver's Mask was not a panacea to Sunny's current situation. At best, it would be able to help him avoid certain predicaments if used sparingly.

    But really, he didn't want anyone to know that he was in possession of that Memory at all. Sunny had to think of the future.

    If he was lucky enough to survive the fall of the Bright Castle and return to the real world�� that was where the black mask could create miracles for him. It would allow him to have a hidden persona that was in no way connected to an Awakened named Sunless, and as such, allow him to do and achieve things that would have been impossible or too dangerous to try as himself.

    To that effect, no one could know that the strange black wooden mask was connected to him, not even people whom he�� somewhat�� trusted.

    Both for his own good and theirs.

    'It is such a pity, though.'

    It was. Just imagining Caster's face if he were to ever learn about what type of treasure Sunny had somehow found this time was tempting enough to change his plans.

    Caster��

    Sunny's face darkened.

    He had not forgotten about the promise Nephis had made him at the start of their journey to the Hollow Mountains. Tomorrow, he was finally going to learn what was the deal with the proud Legacy, and what exactly the relationship between Changing Star and him was.

    ��And how big were the chances of Sunny having to face Caster in battle.

    Despite all his dislike for the handsome scion of the Han Li clan, Sunny was reluctant to actually fight him. No matter how much progress he had made to get ready for the bloody conclusion of this disastrous chapter of his life, Caster was still not someone to be taken lightly. He was a tremendously deadly opponent just based on what Sunny knew about him.

    And there were secrets that the Legacy had been keeping, as well.

    'That charm of his�� what does it do?'

    He was certain that he would defeat Caster if push came to shove. But the cost he would have to pay for that victory would be heavy... perhaps much more heavy than he was willing to pay.

    Suddenly uneasy, Sunny silently shook his head and continued on his way.

    As the sun began to roll toward the western horizon, he approached his goal �� the ruins of an ancient library that stood lonesomely among the decimated buildings.

    Back near the end of his lonely months of hunting monsters on the streets of the Dark City, Sunny had begun exploring this ruin for bits of information about the history of the Forgotten Shore. Because of his chance encounter with the Stone Saint, and then with Kai �� which lead to him abandoning the ruins for a long expedition into the Labyrinth �� he had never finished this project.

    There was this one vast mosaic, in particular, that Sunny was interested in. It sprawled across the entire floor of the library's main hall and was mostly covered by rubble.

    In the past, Sunny was not strong enough to move the rubble out of the way. He had been hoping to make the Stone Saint do it for him, but sadly, the Shadow was currently slumbering in the depths of his Shadow Core, evolving into whatever it was she was going to turn into.

    Just to be sure, he checked one more time to see if the mysterious process was still going, and sighed in disappointment.

    Luckily, he had grown much stronger himself during these months. Sunny was pretty sure that now, he would be able to clear the mosaic with his own two hands.

    It was just going to be a lot of work.

    Sending his shadow into the library to make sure that no abomination had made its nest there during his absence, Sunny entered its cool shadow of the ruin and sighed.

    '...Better get started.'

    Soon, the scraping sound of heavy boulders being moved could be heard under the partially collapsed roof of the ancient building.

 Chapter 281 Seven Heroes

    Chapter 281 Seven Heroes

    In the depths of the night, Sunny was finally done with the arduous task of clearing the floor of the ruined library. Tiredly standing in the center of the circular hall, he found himself in the middle of a vast mural.

    The mosaic had endured the passage of time in an almost pristine condition. Most of it was preserved perfectly, with only a few small sections destroyed by corrosion or the ill will of the creature that inhabited the Crimson Spire.

    By now, Sunny was certain that it was the Terror of the Forgotten Shore that had obliterated any depictions of the seven heroes' faces. He didn't know how it was possible, but felt that the same furious force that had decapitated the ancient statues was responsible for the damage done to the engravings in the ancient mine and to this mural.

    It was as though the Terror wanted to erase any sign of the founders of the Starlight Legion from history. Their names were forgotten, every person that had known of their stories turned into dust, and even the stones that bore their image were desecrated and shattered.

    How great the resentment that the evil creature harbored toward them must have been, for it to go to such lengths in its mad desire to obliterate their legacy?

    With a sigh, Sunny turned slightly and walked to the edge of the mural. He was searching for the start of it story.

    Depicted on the mural was not one image, but a long series of them, spiraling from the edges of the mosaic to its center like a long scroll. On them, the history of the land consumed by darkness was shown, ending with the coming of a new dawn.

    Sunny already knew what events had brought the curse of all-consuming darkness to the Forgotten Shore and how the ancient inhabitants of this land fought against all odds to resist it.

    Now, he was going to learn the final mystery �� the reason for their eventual downfall.

    Finding the first image, he studied it and lingered for a bit. Then, he walked on, watching the history unfurl itself beneath his feet.

    As the curse subdued the world under the veil of everlasting darkness and terrible creatures started to attack the human settlements, one after another, mighty champions began to appear to battle them. But no matter how strong, brave, and valiant those champions were, none of them was able to resist for long.

    Especially not when their own allies started turning into monsters. It was impossible to face the terrifying foes hiding in the darkness when no one was there to cover your back �� or even worse, if those you trusted the most to do so were the ones delivering a deadly blow instead.

    But still, humanity persisted. Months passed, then years. And eventually, a new generation grew up in this horrible world.

    "Born in the all-consuming darkness, seven valiant heroes gave an oath to return the light to the cursed land." Sunny whispered. people who would later create the Starlight Legion were indeed born in the darkness. They never even saw the light that they would swear to bring back. All they knew of it were the tales their elders had told them, tales of a time when people never turned into nightmares, and the beautiful stars shone even in the darkest of nights.

    This new generation grew up surrounded by nothing but darkness and horror, and was forged by it into a far more fearsome force than their parents had ever been. Hard times created hard people, and their time was as unforgiving and harrowing as one could imagine. Beyond so, even.

    And so, the people it created adapted to match this dark reality.

    Eventually, seven of them rose above the rest, each leading their faction in the constant battle against the encroaching doom.

    Sunny stopped and studied the image that showed all seven of them�� even if their faces were damaged beyond recognition.

    There was a knight in an intricate plate armor forged of white metal, with a stalwart blade grasped firmly in his hands.. ???

    A graceful priestess in a light flowing robe, her delicate hands shining with gentle light.

    A mighty hunter in an archaic cuirass leaning on a beautiful bronze spear.

    A masterful builder holding a mason's hammer in his calloused hands.

    A regal lord with a humble crown resting on his head, a single gem decorating its simple design.

    A subtle and merciless slayer with a ghostly stiletto hidden cunningly behind her back.

    And a stranger from a misty land who wore a stonelike armor and never showed his face, with a heavy round shield resting at his feet.

    Sunny looked at the seven heroes, thinking.

    "Knight, Hunter, Lord, Stranger, Slayer, Builder, and Priestess. Midnight Shard, Zenith Shard, Dawn Shard, Dusk Shard, Moonlight Shard. And the other two�� Sunlight Shard and Starlight Shard?"

    The fate of the last two Shard Memories remained unknown to him. Nephis must have known something, though. Otherwise, she would not have ventured into the dangerous expedition to the Hollow Mountains to seak out the Crown of Dawn.

    Although the history of the Forgotten Shore was presented in more detail here, it did not give him any revelations yet. Thoughtful, Sunny turned away from the image of the seven heroes and continued on.

    At some point in history, the heroes came together, created the Starlight Legion, and united the surviving remnants of humanity under its banner. It was also then when they gave their defiant oath.

    'They must have been mad��'

    Weren't striving to achieve something impossible the definition of madness? Sunny frowned, knowing full well that, in this case, the seven heroes actually managed to fulfill their crazy ambition.

    It was all a little too close to home. He also knew someone who liked to set impossible goals and had an infuriating track record of proving them possible.

    But how did it all end? Yes, the heroes achieved their dream. But the Forgotten Shore still turned into a desolate hell.

    What happened to their light?

    Looking at the next images of the mosaic, Sunny got a feeling that he was about to find out.

 Chapter 282 Sacrifice

    Chapter 282 Sacrifice

    As Sunny walked in circles, drawing near to the center of the mosaic, he saw the depiction of various deeds that the Starlight Legion had achieved.

    The warriors led by the seven heroes were truly a fearsome force. Forged and tempered by the relentless malice of their dark world and the unassailable will of their leaders, they drowned the Forgotten Shore in the blood of the cursed creatures.

    Even though many of them had turned into monsters themselves �� especially those who had allowed themselves to falter in their conviction �� the rest continued on, unbroken.

    Sunny couldn't tell how powerful exactly the members of the legion were, but from some clues of their battles, he guessed that they were at approximately the same level as the Awakened of his own world, at least at the beginning. With time, however, it seemed as though the warriors of the cursed land had grown much stronger.

    If most of the creatures they were fighting were of the Corrupted rank, then that would put the Legion far above the humans back in the real world. Sunny wasn't sure if the seven heroes and their soldiers were carriers of the Nightmare Spell, though, and if the same hierarchy of power could be applied to them.

    Eventually, the surviving humans migrated to the shore of the colossal impact crater and built an impregnable wall around their new city. This endeavor alone was so arduous and ambitious that he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.

    Sunny slowed his steps.

    On the images in front of him, the construction of the Crimson Spire�� no, it wasn't crimson yet back then�� had begun. The cyclopean tower was built west of the city, reaching high into the sky like an axis of the world.

    Like a stairwell that was designed to allow humans to touch the heavens.

    This was what he was truly interested in. Sunny wanted to know what happened in the Spire, how the artificial sun was created, and how the darkness that consumed this land was turned into a transient black sea.

    What he saw next made him falter, and then close his eyes with an expression of deep, exhausted resentment.

    In the second to last image, the seven heroes were depicted standing apart in the seven spots of the Forgotten Shore. In front of each of them, a crowd of thousands of people kneeled, waiting.

    Among those people were the warriors of the legion and the civilians from the city, men and women, old and young.

    Each of the heroes held a weapon in their hands.

    'Of course. Of course, this is what happened. What else would it be?'

    A feeling of dark, bitter disappointment grasped his heart. Sunny didn't even know why he felt this way. It was not like he knew anything about the seven heroes, really. But at some point, maybe because he needed to believe that there was a tiny glimmer of light in the vast and endless night, he had begun thinking of them as a symbol of the best humanity could be.

    ...What a foolish thought.

    He of all people should have known better.

    "Curse you all."

    In the last image, one that took the center of the mosaic, seven tall hills made of dead bodies surrounded the Spire. Tens of thousands of people had been slaughtered, their blood flowing like rivers toward the dark tower. On top of each hill stood one of the valiant heroes, their hands stained red to the shoulder.

    As the last sacrifice, the slaughterers turned their weapons on themselves, thrusting them into their hearts.

    ��And somewhere out there, he knew, a tiny black seed floated in a pool of blood.

    Sunny grimaced in disgust.

    'This was your dream? This is how you decided to bring back the light? You sick wretches��'

    As the rivers of blood flowed to the Spire, seven streams of glowing crimson light moved above them and entered it from seven directions. These streams represented the soul essence of numerous humans who had been sacrificed to create the artificial sun.

    But theirs wasn't the most terrible fate.

    In the center of the Spire, a lone human figure was drawn, convulsing in harrowing agony as the raging storm of soul energy entered her body. The conflux of all that power, the sacrificial vessel meant to be its conduit. The anchor of the sun.

    Sunny recognized that figure, too. To him, the features of her face were painfully familiar.

    It was the same face as that of the nameless goddess whose statue stood in the ruined cathedral.

    The crimson light entered her body and shot from her screaming mouth and eyes upward, pure and white. It rose to the height of the Spire, where a new sun was being born.

    Frightened by its light, the darkness retreated underground, where it was locked behind seven seals that were left behind by the heroes as their last deed.

    The rest was easy to deduce.

    After the heroes perished to create the artificial sun, everything was fine for a while. But then, maybe after a few decades, or even hundreds of years, the light of the sun began to dim.

    So the people of the Dark City had to make a new sacrifice. Perhaps, the second time, only seven people had been killed to renew the power of the Spire.

    But then it happened again, and that time, seven was not enough. So they sacrificed fourteen. And when it happened again, they sacrificed a few dozen.

    And eventually, hundreds of people were being slaughtered every year to keep the sun burning. Because of the simple fact that the seven heroes and their people�� all of them had terribly mighty souls. But their descendants, who didn't have to grow up in utter darkness and fight terrible monsters to live through the day, did not.

    And at some point in this vicious cycle, the Vessel that had been imprisoned in the Spire and served as the anchor for the bloodthirsty sun was corrupted. Whatever kind of conscience it had left had been completely shattered.

    The nameless goddess of the Dark City became the Crimson Terror of the Forgotten Shore.

    All that pain, all that rage, all that blood exploded from the Spire and infected the very land itself, growing into an endless labyrinth of the strange crimson coral. The seven seals came undone, releasing that darkness that had been imprisoned underground for hundreds of years.

    This was what Cassie had seen in the vision.

    The darkness and the fury of the newborn Terror fell on the humans of the Dark City like a tide and wiped them all out, erasing even the memory of them from the face of the world.

    ��This was how the Forgotten Shore was born.

 Chapter 283 Final Piece of the Puzzle

    Chapter 283 Final Piece of the Puzzle

    'So this is how it is.'

    Sunny stared at the last image of the mosaic, a dark and resentful expression frozen on his face.

    Depicted in the center of the mural, a sun fueled by blood shone on the mountains formed by dead bodies. Tens of thousands of people had been slaughtered to create it, and thousands more must have been butchered later on to keep it burning in the indifferent sky.

    The first sacrifices had died willingly, lured into submission by their fanatical rulers. What about those who came after? Somehow, Sunny doubted it.

    And for what? How did it all end?

    The seven seals had been broken, and the ancient civilization had been obliterated.

    But the sun created and nurtured by it was not destroyed�� just corrupted. It still rose in the morning and fell beyond the horizon after the dusk, illuminating the desolate hell of its own creation.

    As long as its vessel, the Terror of the Crimson Spire, existed at the center of the Labyrinth, it would continue to shine in the cold grey skies. And as long as it did, the darkness that had escaped its underground prison and turned into the cursed sea was going to continue coming and going, scared of its light.

    'Great. The two deserve each other��'

    He didn't know why the all-consuming darkness had become a literal sea of impenetrably black water, but had a guess or two. Either hundreds of years spent locked away behind the seals had affected it that way, or the artificial sun had.

    The Terror had been changed by the curse, so why couldn't the curse be changed by the Terror in return?

    'Why wasn't that sun extinguished, though?'

    There was no one alive on the Forgotten Shore to make sacrifices to the Spire anymore, but Sunny suspected that there was a reason for why the crimson coral seemed to grow either out of or toward bones. If he was right, the whole Labyrinth was a giant maw with which the Terror absorbed the soul essence of every creature that bled on the coral before it died.

    It was all a part of its body.

    Sunny shivered, realizing that both the Labyrinth and the dark sea were, in fact, colossal living creatures. It was just that the scale of them was so boundless that they seemed like forces of nature.

    Compared to the eternal struggle of the two titanic beings, the struggle of a handful of tiny humans was nothing short of insignificant.

    ��Or was it?

    Suddenly, he frowned.

    What about Nephis and her plan? How did the Shard Memories come into all of this?

    At first, a dark thought entered his mind. He imagined that Changing Star was preparing a mass sacrifice of her own, a hecatomb to appease the Crimson Terror. The number of the Sleepers being sent to the Forgotten Shore each year was too eerily similar to the number of sacrifices made to the Crimson Spire by the inhabitants of the Dark City to be a simple coincidence.

    But he quickly dismissed that thought. After all, the sacrifices were meant to renew the power of the Blood Sun, and that was not Neph's goal. If anything, she meant to destroy it once and for all to gain entry to the Gateway hidden in the Spire.

    So�� what did it all mean?

    Sunny scowled, remembering every piece of information about the seven heroes and their cursed land he knew. And most importantly, those that came directly from the Spell.

    After a while, he muttered:

    "...Time has erased their names and their faces, but the memory of the defiant oath still remains."

    This was the second part of the description that the Spell had given the Starlight Legion Armor.

    His eyes widened.

    All this time, he thought that this sentence simply meant that the legacy of the seven heroes lived on even after their deaths. But now, he suddenly realized that the truth might have been far more straightforward.

    The key to understanding the secret of the Shard Memories was right in front of him this whole time. In fact, it came from the first Memory he had ever gotten on the Forgotten Shore.

    The Azure Blade.

    "On this forgotten shore, only steel remembers," he whispered, a sudden understanding dawning on him like a revelation.

    The memory of the defiant oath remained�� and only steel remembered. Sunny rubbed his face.

    "I am such a fool."

    Everything he needed to learn the truth had been at his disposal from the very start of it all. The heroes were long gone, but their terrible oath was still here, preserved in cold steel.

    It was not the memory of it that remained�� but the Memory.

    The Shards were that Memory.

    "Of course. It all makes so much sense now��"

    But then, what was their purpose and why was Nephis so motivated to find each one?

    That was easy to guess, too. Cassie had basically told him, all those months ago.

    "...In the end, I saw a colossal, terrifying crimson spire. At its base, seven severed heads were guarding seven locks."

    In its fury, the Terror of the Crimson Spire had beheaded the statues of its creators and brought their heads as trophies to guard the entrance to its lair�� where Cassie had seen them, as well as seven mysterious locks.

    What did a lock need?

    A key. All locks required a key to either open them or shut them closed.

    Sunny slowly exhaled.

    The seven seals that kept the all-consuming darkness locked underground came undone, but they weren't destroyed. If one had all the keys, it was still possible to seal the cursed sea once again. That was what the seven heroes had left behind.

    ��And with the cursed darkness locked away, the Spire would lose its most deadly line of defense.

    Finally, everything became clear.

    Sunny remained motionless for a long time, looking at the bloody images beneath his feet. After a while, he sighed and turned away.

    There was a bitter taste in his mouth.

    "...Sick. I am sick of this place. So sick of all of this."

    Cassie's vision showed her fire and rivers of blood?

    Good.

    It could all burn to the ground.

    He didn't care anymore.

 Chapter 284 Nothing Serious

    Chapter 284 Nothing Serious

    In the cold light of dawn, Sunny approached the spot where the other members of the cohort and he agreed to meet. The shadow had already located their camp in the ruin of an ancient building and was currently watching them, hidden in the darkness.

    The five youths were busy preparing for the last stretch of the way to the Bright Castle. They were calm and collected, not at all like people who were about to face the horrifying wrath of the Bright Lord.

    What kind of horror had they not faced already?

    Climbing over the rubble, Sunny let Nephis and the rest know of his approach and jumped down.

    Landing just a few meters away from the group, he straightened his back and gave them an indifferent look.

    "Hey."

    They greeted him in a reserved manner. A palpable tension permeated the air, making everyone reluctant to speak too much. Only Effie was seemingly unaffected by this dark mood.

    Leaning on a stone wall, the huntress was enthusiastically gnawing on a juicy bone. Her white teeth were effortlessly crushing it into tiny pieces, which were then chewed and swallowed along with the marrow. Noticing Sunny, she smiled.

    "Hey, doofus."

    He gave her a nod and wanted to turn away, but then noticed a slight frown that appeared on Effie's face. Looking at him with a bit of uncertainty, she asked:

    "Uh�� you alright?"

    Sunny was silent for a few moments, then smiled. Finally, he said in an even tone:

    "I'm perfect."

    Leaving the doubtful huntress behind, he walked past Caster and approached Nephis.

    The Changing Star was standing with her back to the group, looking up at the silhouette of the Bright Castle that loomed in the distance. Hearing his steps, she turned around.

    The gentle light of dawn reflected in her eyes, making them appear to shine.

    "...You've made it, Sunny. I am glad."

    He shrugged.

    "Why? You didn't expect me to show up?"

    She was silent for a while, and then looked away. A lock of silver hair fell on her eyes. Nephis tucked it behind her ear and sighed.

    "Could I not? It's not like I know the future."

    After that, she smiled.

    '...Amusing.'

    In the eleven months they had spent on the Forgotten Shore, this was only the second time Sunny heard Changing Star tell a joke, and the first time it was actually funny.

    If a little macabre. But what was the harm in indulging in a bit of dark humor, at this point?

    Sunny did not return the smile, however. Glancing in the direction of the Bright Castle, he asked:

    "So, what's the plan?"

    Nephis shrugged.

    "This time there is no plan. We have confirmed that Gunlaug is still pretending to be looking for Effie to bring her to justice for killing the missing Guards. Once we enter the outer settlement, the members of the Host will come for her. Then, I will most likely be forced to challenge him. We'll�� see after that."

    Sunny looked at her with a dark expression.

    'Pretty much exactly what I expected.'

    He didn't hesitate to ask:

    "Can you really break his armor? Even with the Dawn Shard, your sword is barely equal to an Ascended Memory. And that thing is a true Transcended Echo."

    She lingered for a while before answering. When she finally spoke, her voice was calm and even:

    "I don't have to break the armor. I just have to break the man."

    Sunny shook his head with a humorless smile.

    "Good luck achieving one without the other."

    He paused for a moment, and then said without a hint of levity in his voice:

    "Anyway. You owe me a conversation."

    Changing Star glanced at him, then nodded.

    "Alright. But not here."

    With that, she gave the others a sign to wait and walked away. Sunny followed.

    His shadow stayed, making sure that no one was going to try and eavesdrop on them. It was staring directly at Caster, following his every move with intense attention.

    As they walking, Sunny suddenly said:

    "By the way, I have something to tell to you, too."

    Nephis glanced at him and slightly raised an eyebrow.

    "Yes? What is it?"

    Sunny was silent for a bit. Then, he smiled.

    "Oh, it's nothing serious. Do you remember a guy called Harper?"

    She frowned, then shook her head.

    "Should I? Who is he?"

    Sunny shrugged. His expression remained neutral.

    "Just a guy that I killed. He was one of Gunlaug's spies."

    Neph looked at him for a few moments, then asked with indifferent confusion:

    "What about him?"

    A slight shadow ran over Sunny's face. However, his smile remained exactly the same.

    "...No, nothing. Just wondered if you knew him."

    When they walked far enough and were concealed from the eyes of the cohort by several tall walls, Changing Star stopped and turned to face him. Looking at Sunny, she said:

    "It is good that we can speak privately. Actually, I wanted to ask you a favor."

    He blinked.

    'Well, that is unexpected.'

    "What is it?"

    She hesitated for a few moments.

    "After my fight with Gunalug is over, if�� when I win, I might not be in the best shape. Even if I am, there will be a flood of soul essence pouring into my body. It will incapacitate me for a bit."

    The changes that happened to the body after a small portion of soul essence was consumed were subtle, but in large quantities, it could be disorienting, sometimes even debilitating for a short while.

    Sometimes, experiencing these changes and getting used to them took a little time.

    Sunny tilted his head.

    'A flood of soul essence? What does it matter if her core is either full to the brim or at least almost saturated?'

    He frowned, trying to guess what he wanted from him.

    "So what do you need me to do? Keep Harus busy while you recover?"

    She shook her head, then looked away.

    A light sigh escaped from Changing Star's lips.

    "No. I want you to make sure that Caster is nowhere near me when that happens."

    Here it was. The truth was about to come out.

    Sunny stared at Nephis, his expression cold and dark. After a few moments of tense silence, he asked:

    "Why? What's the deal with you and Caster?"

    She looked at him, her striking grey eyes calm and deep.

    Then, she said:

    "It's very simple, really. Caster has been sent here to kill me."

 Chapter 285 Kill Order

    Chapter 285 Kill Order

    Sunny remained silent for a few moments. Finally, it became clear that Nephis wasn't going to continue. Feeling a slight sense of exasperation, he asked:

    "Why would Caster want to kill you?"

    Despite the calm appearance, there was a tempest raging in his mind. The revelation of Caster's true intention had shaken Sunny. Yes, he disliked the proud Legacy, and yes, their dynamic with Changing Star had always been a bit strange, but he never expected to hear something like this.

    In his mind, Caster was more of an opportunist with distasteful ambitions, most likely having to do with the purity of his clan's bloodline, than a cold-blooded killer.

    In what world did him wishing to kill Nephis made any sense? He was her number one fan. The only logical explanation Sunny could find was that the proud scion had been secretly working for Gunlaug all along. But then, that theory also didn't hold when subjected to a close inspection �� the Bright Lord was determined to kill Changing Star with his own two hands and in front of hundreds of people.

    What would he need Caster for?

    Nephis lingered for a bit, then shrugged.

    "People have been trying to kill me for as long as I can remember. Have you forgotten?"

    Sunny slowly shook his head.

    "No�� no, I did not. But what does that have to do with Caster?"

    She smiled.

    "They were not going to stop just because I came of age, survived my First Nightmare, and was sent into the Dream Realm. If anything, that would have been the perfect opportunity to finally make me disappear forever. Sleepers enter this cursed world alone, away from the protections of society and whatever allies they might have in the real one. Do you see?"

    He gave her a nod, his expression growing dark.

    Indeed, no one was as vulnerable as young Sleepers entering the Dream Realm for the first time.

    Nephis sighed and looked away.

    "In any case, when I enrolled into the Academy, I knew that someone among our classmates had to have received orders to make sure that I never return from the Dream Realm. I just didn't know who it was."

    Suddenly, she glanced at him. The corner of her lips curled upward.

    "...Actually, for a long time, I thought that it was you."

    Sunny blinked and stared at her in disbelief.

    "What? Me? Are you cr�� actually, never mind. What exactly about me made you think that I'm an agent of some secret Legacy cabal? Do I look like a Legacy to you?

    Nephis calmly looked him in the eye.

    "Honestly? Not any Legacy that I know. But there were too many things about you that didn't make sense."

    He frowned.

    "Do tell."

    She slowly raised her hand, then began counting on her fingers.

    "Let's see�� you claimed to be an orphan from the outskirts, but somehow managed to survive both the First Nightmare and the arrival on the Forgotten Shore. You didn't consume any soul shards, but kept growing more powerful. You said that you had never held a sword in your hand, but absorbed my lessons with astonishing speed. And finally, every other word you said was a lie, especially when it came to your origins, your past, your strength, and your Aspect."

    Running out of fingers on one hand, she made a fist and pointed to it:

    "Need I continue?"

    Sunny cleared his throat.

    "Uh, no�� well, when you put it like this��"

    She smiled and shook her hand, then lowered it.

    "But after some time, I realized that my suspicions about you were wrong. If you were really tasked with killing me, you could have just left me on the Ashen Barrow. Back then, I was as good as dead. But you didn't. In fact, you risked a lot to take both Cassie and me with you."

    The smile slowly disappeared from her face.

    "So when we reached the Bright Castle and Caster immediately appeared, insinuating his way into my inner circle, I knew pretty much instantly that it was him."

    Sunny frowned.

    "Aren't you getting ahead of yourself? Don't get me wrong, I'm the last person in this world who would want to defend that pompous bastard, but there were hundreds of Sleepers in our crop, and out of those, only seven were sent to the Forgotten Shore. And only four lived long enough to see the Castle. What are the chances that the person with orders to make you vanish was among them? Isn't it a bit too big of a coincidence?"

    Changing Star slowly shook her head.

    "Who said it was a coincidence? People often tend to forget that the Spell has a mind of its own. It sees all and hears all. And it really loves to play with fate. If there was someone among those hundreds of people tasked with killing me, the chances of me having a fateful encounter with them in the Dream Realm would be all but guaranteed. That is how the Spell always does things."

    Sunny had to agree. The Spell, indeed, loved to play with fate.

    His whole damn life was proof of that.

    Meanwhile, Nephis continued:

    "Of course, despite my suspicions, I wasn't sure at first. But the more I observed Caster, the more convinced I became that I was right. He did everything in his power to get close to me, and then tried his hardest to subtly isolate me from everyone I could have trusted. He spent his time studying my every move, while keeping his secrets close to his chest. It's him. I've been sure of it for a long time."

    Sunny tilted his head, trying to digest this new information. After a while, he asked:

    "If Caster wanted to kill you, why hasn't he made a move to kill you yet?"

    She lingered for a bit, then smiled slightly.

    "Because among all of the humans on the Forgotten Shore, he knows what the scions of the Immortal Flame clan are capable of the best. Isn't it ironic? He respects my ability too much to be careless�� maybe even fears it. And he can't allow himself to fail. His honor won't allow it. So, Caster won't attack until he is absolutely sure that I won't be able to resist. He'll make his move when I have no chance to escape."

    Sunny scratched the back of his head.

    "Let me rephrase that. If Caster wants to kill you, why is he still alive? Why didn't you kill him already?"

    He was sure that if Nephis wanted to, the proud Legacy would have been dead a long time ago,

    Changing Star hesitated, and then said in an even tone:

    "Because I need him for what is to come. It doesn't matter that he intends to betray me. Traitor or not, he is of use."

 Chapter 286 Blessings of the Fire

    Chapter 286 Blessings of the Fire

    Some time later, the six of the left the secluded ruin and made their way toward the Bright Castle. The Dark City was silent and bleak, its streets devoid of life and movement. Even the Nightmare Creatures seemed to remain hidden in the lairs today, as though the feeling the tension that hung in the air like a harbinger of a disastrous change.

    A lonely star was about to ignite in the sky above the cursed city.

    Nephis was the first one to walk under the marble arch and step on the road that led to the outer settlement. Her face was calm and motionless, any hint of emotion hidden behind her usual mask of indifference. It was as though she was returning home in triumph, not marching to her own execution.

    There was a slightly distant look in her eyes.

    Sunny abandoned his usual position at the back of the group and was now walking side by side with her. Maybe it was just a whim, but he felt unwilling to follow in her footsteps as he had always done before, from the first day they met.

    As they ascended the tall hill, Changing Star suddenly asked:

    "Sunny, do you remember your First Nightmare well?"

    Her voice sounded relaxed and idle.

    He cast a sideways glance at her and hesitated for a few moments. Then, he answered in an even tone:

    "Like it was yesterday."

    She smiled slightly.

    "Was it hard?"

    Slowly, a grin appeared on his face.

    "Hard? No, not hard. Impossible. It was a ghastly, despicable, and torturous ordeal. Truly the stuff of nightmares. Calling it hard would be an injustice."

    With a dismissive shrug, Sunny drove the memories of the black mountain away and asked:

    "...What about yours?"

    Nephis looked away, remembering. After a while, she said:

    "Mine wasn't that bad, actually."

    He stared at her in disbelief.

    "What, you only had to kill a measly thousand Unholy Titans with your bare hands, or something like that? Knowing you, "not that bad" means that it was nothing short of a true horror show."

    She slowly shook her head.

    "...No. I mean it. I didn't have to fight anyone, really. Up until the very end."

    Sunny blinked.

    "Wait, seriously?"

    A strangely sad smile appeared on her lips.

    "In my First Nightmare, I was the daughter of a lighthouse keeper. My family lived in a beautiful tower on the shore of a beautiful sea. Every morning, the warm sun rose from beyond the horizon, bathing the endless expanse of azure waves in beautiful light. The winds were gentle and the world was kind. It was me, my parents, and my younger siblings. We lived together in harmony, humbly but needing for nothing."

    He frowned.

    "And then what? A sea serpent destroyed the lighthouse? Some rotten horror rose from the depths?"

    Changing Star's eyes became distant. A few moments passed before she spoke again:

    "No. Nothing happened. That was the point of it, I think. My Nightmare... it was actually a paradise. It was everything I dreamed about when I was a little kid. Only much more wondrous and human than I could have ever imagined."

    Sunny looked at her in utter shock. As he watched, the hint of sorrow disappeared from Neph's face, replaced by a subtly harsh expression.

    "But that was what made it so hard to overcome. Impossible, even. Just like you said. Because all I had to do to conquer the Nightmare... all I had to do was to walk away and leave it all behind. Knowing that I could just stay there, in that paradise. Forever."

    He hesitated for a while, then asked cautiously:

    "So what did you do?"

    A heavy sigh escaped from Neph's lips. Her eyes grew dim.

    "...I searched for a way out of the Nightmare for a long time. But no matter how hard I looked, there wasn't any. Day after day, night after night�� as time went by, it became harder and harder to force myself to continue searching. I grew accustomed to that bliss, that warm and beautiful life. And eventually, a day came when I thought that, maybe, I should stop. Maybe I can just stay."

    She tilted her head slightly and said, her tantalizing voice reaching the deepest, darkest parts of his heart:

    "...That was the day I went to the top of the lighthouse. You see, Sunny. You have to light yourself on fire... to rip the blessings of the fire. That was what my grandmother used to say. So that was what I did. I doused myself in oil, and set myself aflame."

    The white flames suddenly licked her hands, and she stared at them, her face slowly turning pale, her eyes reflecting the terrible agony she felt. As her ivory skin continuously boiled, darkened, and then healed to become pristine again, she said simply:

    "...And I burned."

    Suddenly, the flames disappeared, and she made a fist. Her voice grew a little strained.

    "And after a long, long time, when all of it was over... I found myself in a dark cave, nestled in a slimy cocoon of black silk. All around me, thousand upon thousands of people were sleeping in similar cocoons with their eyes open, with happy smiles on their empty faces. And above us�� was a creature so revolting and abhorrent that I can't bring myself to describe it to this day. It was feeding on our dreams."

    She grew quiet for a bit, and then added:

    "That creature was convulsing in pain, as though it shared in the agony I felt, too. Somehow, I managed to break free of the cocoon. And kill it before it fully regained its senses."

    She glanced at him and smiled. However, there was no warmth in that smile.

    "...That was how I conquered my First Nightmare."

    Sunny looked her in the eyes for a long time, silent. Then, he slowly turned away.

    "...Just as I said, the stuff of nightmares. I guess we call them that for a reason."

    Changing Star laughed.

    "I guess. But really, fighting that Terror wasn't the hardest part. Waking up trapped in a repulsive cocoon wasn't the hardest part. Even... even burning alive wasn't the hardest part."

    She grew silent for a few moments and then said, looking at the white road beneath their feet.

    "The hardest part was walking up the steps to the top of the lighthouse. Not because of what waited for me in the future, but because of what I was leaving in the past."

    ...Soon, the familiar shapes of the outer settlement appeared in their sight.

    They had finally returned to the Bright Castle.

 Chapter 287 Lonely Star

    Chapter 287 Lonely Star

    The outer settlement had changed from the time Sunny saw it last.

    At the point where the white road widened into the vast platform that the settlement stood upon, a tall stone barricade was built, with watchful sentries observing the approach to the crest of the hill. Each of them was wielding a Memory weapon and a sturdy armor, their faces full of dark determination.

    The makeshift watchtower constructed on the roof of Neph's lodge loomed above them, with several archers ready to rain arrows on any Nightmare Creature that wandered close.

    The slum itself was much the same, but the people populating it seemed different. Many of them were bruised and bandaged, but their eyes shone with the subtle light of hope that wasn't there or as strong before. That hope was contrasted against the suffocating feeling of tension that hung in the air. From time to time, someone would glance toward the castle and frown, a dark expression appearing on their face.

    There was another detail that surprised Sunny. On the sleeves of many slum dwellers, a piece of pure white cloth was tied, as if announcing their allegiance to some god or goddess.

    There had been none of that when he left this place a few months ago.

    There were also graffiti drawn on the walls of the most derelict hovels, some of them depicting a shining star, some the image of a beautiful bronze spear.

    '...What is that all about?'

    The white armbands and the star were, obviously, meant to represent Nephis. But when had Effie suddenly become an apostle?

    Glancing at the voracious huntress, he raised an eyebrow.

    "Anything you want to tell me?"

    She scratched the back of her head, then shrugged.

    "I've become a bit of a folk hero, apparently."

    Sunny shook his head and didn't press the issue.

    'Whatever...'

    When the sentries saw who was approaching, their faces first became shocked, and then lighted up with intense jubilation.

    "Lady Nephis! It's Changing Star!"

    "Lady Nephis has returned!"

    "She is alive!"

    The hum of voices spread through the entire settlement in an instant. If Gunlaug had not known that they were back in the Dark City, he would have learned of it now.

    ��But he knew, of course. He knew it long before the people of the slum ever laid their eyes on their supposed savior.

    Sunny looked past the outer settlement, at the mighty walls of the Bright Castle.

    How long before its Lord throws them a welcome party?

    ��Soon, the cohort was surrounded by a crowd of exhilarated people. Everyone wanted to see that Saint Nephis was alive and well with their own eyes. The other members were bathing in attention, too. Especially Effie.

    "Effie!"

    "Huntress Athena!"

    "Welcome home, Effie! Show them!"

    The huntress grinned in bewilderment and kept quiet.

    In the crowd, there were a few faces that did not share in everyone's joy. They were the leaders of the outer settlement's hunting parties. The gazes they threw at Nephis were grim and full of meaning. She gave them a nod, letting the experienced hunters know that she understood the message they were trying to relay.

    Then, Changing Star faced the inhabitants of the slum and took the bag that Effie handed her. Slowly unclasping it, she spoke, her calm voice effortlessly making the crowd grow silent.

    "I am not good with words, so�� please accept my gratitude, Dreamers of the Dark City. The past few months have been harsh on me and the members of my cohort, but they must have been equally as harsh on you. However, we have persevered. You here in these cursed ruins, and we out there in the ghastly depths of the Labyrinth. But all of it was not in vain."

    With that, she took something from the bag and tossed it to the ground. Suddenly, a deathly silence settled over the crowd. Everyone was staring at the object laying on the stones, expressions of fear clearly written on many faces.

    It was a terrifying, jagged black talon, which was as sharp and long as a sword.

    And then, another one fell near it, and another, and another.

    Eventually, thirty-eight of these dark blades lay in a pile in front of Nephis �� thirty from the six front limbs of the Spire Messenger, and eight from the two hind ones.

    Closing the bag, Nephis put it on her shoulder and said, her tone dark and piercing:

    "Out there in the Labyrinth, we have fought and slew one of the cursed Messengers of the Crimson Spire. I bring you its claws as a gift, to become your weapons."

    Stunned whispers ran through the crowd. The Messengers were both a symbol of terror and a symbol of hope to the people of the Dark City �� terror because of their horrifying power and appetite, as well as their connection to the dreaded Spire, and hope because of the legends that once, a long time ago, a group of powerful Sleepers had managed to kill one.

    And now, the legend came alive right in front of their eyes.

    Nephis lingered for a moment, and then sighed, a somber note appearing in her voice.

    "Many years ago, we, those who were sent to the Forgotten Shore, weren't yet imprisoned by fear. Enthralled by the sin of those cowards who had forgotten that they are, first and forever, humans. Back then, there were people among us willing to risk their lives to conquer this hell. Escape it. The First Lord and his companions were the greatest of them. And now��"

    Brilliant sparks of light suddenly appeared around her head like a sacred halo. Changing Star's eyes shined with pure white radiance, and, as the Crown of Dawn weaved itself from light and fell upon her head, she spoke.

    She didn't rise or even strain her voice, but the impact of her words only grew because of it.

    "...I have brought his legacy back to the Dark City. This is the crown of the First Lord. We have retrieved it from a place of eternal darkness where he had fallen in battle. He died trying to find a way out of this cursed land for all of us to follow."

    She paused for a moment and then said, her face illuminated by the brilliant white flames that burned in her furious eyes.

    On her forehead, the single gem decorating the Dawn Shard shone with that brilliance, too.

    Almost like a third eye.

    "And with it, we will finish what he started!"

 Chapter 288 Progress Report

    Chapter 288 Progress Report

    Some time later, they entered the stone lodge and found themselves in the middle of another, smaller crowd. Around thirty or forty people gathered in the main hall of Changing Star's dwelling, making it look even smaller than it had before.

    However, these were not just any Sleepers from the slum. Most of them were experienced fighters from the outer settlement few hunting parties, as well as people who Nephis had recruited into her faction during her time in the Dark City.

    Back when Sunny had been a part of the group, they were weak and hopeless young men and women who were barely surviving in the cruel reality of the Forgotten Shore. Now, things changed. Neph's little helpers were armed with makeshift weapons and wearing armors fashioned from a wide variety of scavenged materials, while some were even in possession of Memories. They also held themselves very differently from before.

    Honestly, the difference between them and the hunters was not that big now. If Sunny didn't know which were which, he might have mistaken one for the other.

    Changing Star walked through the crowd and approached the window that opened on the bleak view of the cursed ruins. She looked at it for a short moment, and then turned around, a dark expression on her face.

    "...Tell me."

    The leaders of the hunting parties glanced at each other. One of them, a stocky young man with long messy hair and three ugly scars running all the way from his forehead to his chin, spoke with a bit of uncertainty:

    "Welcome back, Lady Nephis. It is good that you are alive and well."

    She gave him a nod. The hunter paused, then continued, his voice somber:

    "We, uh�� have followed your orders and advice for these past months. The militia you created has been reinforced and organized to protect the settlement from the attacking monsters. With the Memories you and your cohort hunted for us in the ruins, the casualties were low both among the watchmen and among the civilians. Compared to before, I mean."

    Changing Star remained silent and just stared at him. The young man sighed.

    "About the other thing�� it went almost exactly how you told us it would. Members of the Host came into the settlement shortly after your departure, demanding that Effie surrendered herself to be judged for the disappearance of those Guards. When we told them that she was gone, they got violent. Several people were injured, but no one died."

    Effie scoffed. The hunted gave her a complicated look and scratched his cheek.

    "After that, they would come again every week or so, hurt a few people and break things, always with the same demand. But we kept our cool and just�� well. Took it. Like you told us to do. That seemed to only make them angrier, but they had no real reason to escalate things. In the end, they just settled for making our lives difficult and pushing people around."

    The tall huntress shook her head.

    "What's with the people foaming at their mouths to greet me? What's that really about?"

    The young man looked down in embarrassment and cleared his throat.

    "Uh, that�� well, you see, the more the Castle proclaimed that you have to answer for the murder of those Guards, the more people in the settlement became, how do I say this�� appreciative of you?"

    Effie looked at him with a perplexed expression.

    "Because I am beingly unjustly accused?"

    He smiled sheepishly.

    "Ah, no. Actually, the opposite. They really appreciate the fact that you had�� allegedly�� killed half a dozen Guards. In fact, their only regret is that you didn't kill more. There are tales about how exactly you dealt with them, too, one more colorful than the other. The most popular one is that, uh�� the Guards wanted to rob you of your, eh, honor, so that's why you had to teach the Castle folks a lesson."

    The tall huntress blinked.

    "My�� honor? Since when do I have honor?"

    The young man grinned.

    "Hey, don't look at me. I did not come up with this one, alright? Blame Park, it was his idea."

    Effie looked darkly at another hunter, who just shrugged.

    "Lady Nephis told us to do our best to make people in the settlement root for you. It worked, did it not?"

    The unruly huntress rubbed her face with an exasperated expression.

    "But... I didn't kill them, though?"

    The hunter looked at her with no humor in his eyes.

    "Who cares?"

    Effie opened her mouth to say something, but Nephis interrupted her:

    "Time is short. Don't waste it on useless chatter."

    Then, she turned to the hunter with scars on his face and asked:

    "What about my last instruction?"

    He frowned, then took out a small wooden box from a leather pouch tied to his belt. The young man held the little box like it was the most terrible Nightmare Creature. Handling it with extreme caution, he approached Nephis and handed it to her.

    There were drops of sweat on his forehead.

    "This... is what the person from the castle brought. I don't know what they used to make Hide create that thing, but the result was exactly as you wished, at least according to the note they left."

    He hesitated.

    "The box and the note simply appeared on my pillow one day. I almost died of a heart attack when I read what that thing is supposed to be."

    Sunny stared at the box with interest. Hide was one of Gunlaug's lieutenants, a young woman in charge of the Artisans. Her Aspect Ability allowed her to manipulate certain qualities of plants, which was of tremendous use here on the Forgotten Shore, where the food was scarce and monotonous.

    But what could Nephis want from her that was so important? And why was the hunter so scared of the little box?

    Carefully taking it, Changing Star looked at the box for a few moments, and then handed it to Caster.

    "You know what to do."

    With a short nod, Caster walked toward the door and disappeared.

    Nephis, meanwhile, turned to the hunters and said in a steady tone:

    "You did well. Thank you, all."

    As wide smiles appeared on their faces, she took Effie's bottomless bag and opened it once again. Turning the bag upside down, Changing Star said:

    "This is�� not a reward, nor is it a gift. This is just something that all of you deserve, and going to need very soon."

    A moment later, a river of glimmering crystals flowed from the bag, scattering on the table's surface. There were hundreds and hundreds of them, each shining with subtle, alluring light. Soon, the crystal spilled over the edges of the table and fell to the floor.

    A few moments later, more than a thousand soul shards appeared before the stunned people who were gathered in the room. The bottomless bag finally ran empty.

    Sunny stared at the tall pile of shining crystals and sighed. Back before all of this had started, he had a pile like that of his own... only much, much smaller. His pride and joy.

    It was all gone now, sadly.

    'What a sight. And I thought I was rich��'

 Chapter 289 Start of the Play

    Chapter 289 Start of the Play

    Back in the Labyrinth, Sunny wasn't the only one who had killed countless Nightmare Creatures. In fact, due to his primary role as a scout, the three main fighters of the cohort had killed many more.

    He knew for a fact that at least two of them �� Effie and Caster �� had fully saturated their soul cores long before their return journey was finished. Absorbing any more shards would have been useless for them. At some point, Nephis had begun to abstain from consuming her share of the spoils, too.

    Added with the shards that Sunny traded for the unwanted Memories that the members of the cohort had accumulated, a truly incredible amount of the alluring crystals had been placed into Effie's leather bag.

    He had often wondered what Nephis would use them for, and now, he had his answer.

    The people gathered in the main hall of the hunting lodge �� her most trusted subordinates �� stared at the tall pile of soul shards in utter shock. Here in the Dark City, this was an inconceivable wealth. One shard was enough to buy a person a week of food, comfort, and safety behind the tall walls of the Bright Castle.

    Too many had died because they lacked these things. So, in a sense, the mountain of crystals in front of them was tantamount to a thousand human lives.

    The scarred hunter slowly tore his eyes away from the glittering shards and looked at Changing Star, his face pale and his voice suddenly raspy:

    "What�� what is this, Lady Nephis?"

    She remained silent for a few moments, and then said in her even, reserved, strangely affecting voice:

    "This is for you. To nourish yourselves, and grow stronger. You are going to need every bit of strength for what awaits us in the days to come."

    The young man watched her, a dangerous flame slowly igniting in his eyes. A flame of resolve, adoration��

    Almost worship.

    Hidden in a shadowy corner, Sunny smiled with dark apprehension.

    Back at the start of it all, he had told Nephis that Gunlaug could not be defeated because he controlled every facet of life here in the Dark City: food, safety, hope and fear... even power itself.

    Then, he had watched as she gave the people of the outer settlement free food, placed them under the protection of her sword, and ignited the embers of the long-forgotten hope in their hearts. All that remained was power.

    And now, she had brought them power as well.

    No wonder they were ready to worship her. In their eyes, Changing Star was a noble savior.

    ��No one knew that their messiah was a counterfeit one.

    Glancing at the stunned people, Effie sighed and took her bag from Neph's hands. Looking inside the empty Memory with a bit of a sad expression, she said:

    "What are you waiting for? Gunlaug's men are probably already arming themselves to come here and break your thick skulls. Share the shards among yourselves and absorb them, dimwits!"

    The Sleepers did not make her say it twice.

    ***

    Not long after the last shard had been absorbed, one of the watchers ran into the room, breathing heavily

    "Coming! They are coming!"

    There was a hint of unrestrained fear in her voice.

    Sunny flexed his shoulders and stretched.

    'The show is about to start.'

    The people gathered in the room glanced at each other, their faces full of tension. Only Nephis remained indifferent, watching out of the window at the dead city that sprawled below her like a desolate, lonesome graveyard.

    "Stay calm, everyone."

    Her voice settled them down. The hunter with scars on his face turned to Changing Star, a deep frown on his face. After hesitating for a few moments, he said:

    "But�� but�� they are coming to take Effie! We can't allow that to happen. I'm done watching good people be taken into the damn Castle and never return. If they want to make an example out of her, like they did with Jubei�� over my dead body!"

    The hum of angry voices rose in the hall, accompanied by heated glares.

    "Exactly!"

    "They will pay for Jubei's death!"

    "Your dead body? Why not their dead bodies?!"

    Nephis lingered for a moment, then turned to them. A slight smile appeared on her face.

    "...Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen to Effie. You have my word."

    That seemed to calm them down a little. It seemed as though they were willing to believe anything she said, regardless of how impossible her promises were. Was that the definition of blind faith?

    Before anyone could answer, however, a crashing sound came from the direction of the entrance to the stone lodge. It seemed as though someone had just smashed through the door.

    The was a short scream, which quickly grew silent. Something fell on the floor.

    Then, the sound of heavy footsteps could be heard, drawing closer to the hall where all the people had gathered. A few moments later, its door was shattered, too, exploding into a shower of splinters along with the bits of stone that surrounded it.

    A giant of a man walked into the hall, his mere presence making the entire space look tiny. Compared to him, even Effie seemed to be of average height. There was a morose expression on his face and a dark glint in his cold, cruel eyes.

    The giant did not wear any armor, allowing his monumental muscles to strain the fabric of a sleeveless silk shirt.

    It appeared that Tessai, the fearsome leader of the Castle Guard, had decided to welcome the cohort back to the Dark City himself. Neph's followers paled, their fiery indignation replaced by fear.

    'What a monster,' Sunny thought indifferently, pondering on what the quickest way to kill the morose giant would be.

    Behind Tessai, a group of Guards, each wearing a sturdy armor and wielding Memory weapons, could be seen. Their eyes were immediately drawn to the robust figure of the tall huntress, and then, hateful smiles appeared on their faces. The Guards seemed very happy to finally find the woman accused of murdering their own.

    The giant only glanced at Effie and then turned to Nephis. His deep, low voice resounded in the stone hall, sending shivers running through the hearts of many Sleepers gathered there.

    "Changing Star. So you're alive after all."

    She met his gaze and endured it without flinching.

    "You must be Tessai. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

    The giant lingered before answering. The corner of his mouth twitched and slowly curled upward. Finally, he said:

    "Oh, no. The pleasure is all mine."

    Then, he raised his mighty arm and pointed at Effie.

    "Lord Gunlaug has invited this one to the Castle, to face punishment for her crimes. You should have trained your dogs better, Changing Star. See what happens when they go around biting people?"

    He lowered his hand and flexed his shoulders, then looked at her with a dark expression.

    "Now. I would advise you rats to step aside and let me take that she-wolf with me."

    Nephis crossed her arms and stared at the giant, cold sparks igniting in the depths of her calm grey eyes. A few moments later, she said evenly:

    "...Or what?"

 Chapter 290 Judgement Day

    Chapter 290 Judgement Day

    Changing Star's words brought the room to dead silence. On both sides of it, people were slowly preparing themselves, dark resentment burning in their eyes. It felt as though the tension reached critical mass and was about to explode into a storm of violence.

    Only three people remained calm and unaffected by the direness of the situation: Nephis herself, Sunny�� and Tessai.

    The giant bared his canines in a grin. His eyes, however, remained cold as ice.

    "What a�� revelation. And here I was, thinking that you are a great defender of justice. Were you not, Changing Star? Or is your sense of justice reserved only for the crimes of those who don't serve you?"

    He sighed and added, his voice full of disappointment:

    "That huntress of yours is accused of murder. Why are you trying to prevent me from bringing her to justice? I thought that you, of all people, would not get in the way of fairness."

    Nephis frowned.

    "Accused does not mean convicted. Why do you claim that she is guilty?"

    Tessai stared at her and said, his low voice sending tremors through the stone hall:

    "There is plenty of evidence. There are plenty of witnesses. So many people came forward to give a testimony! Her guilt is undeniable. How will you answer that, Changing Star?"

    Sunny smiled slightly.

    'How peculiar. So many people apparently saw Effie slaughter those fools. Did I imagine killing them or what? I was a bit crazy at the time, to be fair. Ha.'

    Before Nephis could answer, Kai suddenly took a step forward and shouted:

    "That is impossible! I��"

    However, she made him stop with a stern look. The charming young man hesitated, then gritted his teeth and fell silent, glaring at Tessai with burning indignation.

    Changing Star turned to the imposing giant and smiled.

    "...Well, well. That changes everything, then. Please forgive me, if you can. I have been away from the Dark City for so long, and wasn't informed of these�� developments. If this is the case, then by all means, take her away."

    Effie grimaced and looked at her with an amused expression. Sunny did not take his eyes off of Tessai, however, his shadow stared at Nephis, too.

    The smile suddenly disappeared from her face, replaced by boundless coldness.

    "...However, I am coming with her. All of us are, in fact. We are awfully curious to see that evidence and hear those witnesses. And, most of all, we are all dying to see justice done and those guilty punished. Surely, Lord Gunlaug would not mind."

    An expression of dissatisfaction appeared on Tessai's face. With a deep frown, he looked down on Neph from his oppressive height and said in a growling voice:

    "Why do you think that you can come, wench?"

    Changing Star was silent for a few moments, calmly looking at him. Then, her eyes suddenly shone with furious white light. In a voice that promised agony and death, she said with contempt:

    "...Who's going to stop me?"

    The giant stared at her with a complicated expression. It seemed as though he was being torn between pride�� and fear.

    It was all a mask, though. A masterful performance to hide his true emotions��

    Triumph and jubilation.

    He had come here with the excuse of bringing Effie to justice, but his true goal had always been Nephis. She was the one Gunlaug wanted to destroy. And now, she was bringing herself to him, like a lamb going to slaughter.

    What Tessai did not know was that Changing Star was as far from a lamb as one could be.

    '...More like a demon in sheep's clothing.'

    Sunny glanced at the morose giant with something that resembled pity. Meanwhile, Tessai slowly shook his head and said, his voice full of false reluctance:

    "...Fine. Do as you wish. Come with me to the Castle, if you want. Bring your rats with you. All of you will witness the brilliance of our Lord!"

    ***

    All together, they exited the lodge. Tessai was walking in the front, holding the tall huntress by the shoulder. Her hands were tied behind her back with a flimsy rope �� more of a symbolic gesture than a real restraint, considering Effie's strength. Nephis was keeping close, her face calm and indifferent.

    The Guards and the members of Changing Star's faction were right behind them, throwing menacing looks at each other. Their faces were grim and full of resentful indignation. Sunny had hidden himself in the crowd, not wishing to draw any attention. Now, he was moving with it, feeling the restless agitation through the chaotic movement of the surrounding shadows.

    As they moved toward the Castle, more and more slum dwellers surrounded them, their faces full of shock and anger.

    "They got Effie!"

    "Bastards! Let her go!"

    "Lady Nephis! Do something!"

    Glancing at the growing number of people who were gathering around them, she smiled reassuringly and said:

    "Stay calm! Come with us if you want. Today, we'll see justice done!"

    However, her appeal to remain calm had the opposite effect on the crowd. It ignited it instead, and soon, a clamor of shouts rose above the outer settlement:

    "Justice! Justice!"

    ��However, at some point, the tone of it changed, an almost palpable sense of bloodlust finding its way into the people's voices. The word they were shouting was also replaced, and soon, the crowd was chanting something else. Calling not for justice, but for��

    Judgment.

    "Judgement! Judgment!"

    Sunny observed the raging beast of the human crowd with a troubled frown. A cold, familiar emotion grasped his heart. He knew this sickening feeling all too well.

    It was the same way he felt when facing frenzied Nightmare Creatures.

    'Hell...'

    As they drew close to the stairs leading to the entrance of the castle, almost a hundred people were following them. The Guards standing at the gates stared at the crowd with a bit of fear in their eyes.

    ��And at some point, Caster appeared out of nowhere and took position right behind Nephis. The proud Legacy looked pale and a bit disheveled, but it seemed that he had managed to complete the mysterious task given to him by Changing Star without receiving any wounds.

    A few moments later, they entered the Bright Castle.

 Chapter 291 Eye of the Storm

    Chapter 291 Eye of the Storm

    The crowd poured into the castle, their faces contorted with anger and resentment. However, as soon as the slum dwellers passed beneath the swaying skulls that hung above the gates, their fury turned cold.

    In the echoing stone halls of the Bright Castle, it was hard to forget that Gunlaug's power was absolute. For as long as any of them remembered, he had ruled over the Dark City with an iron fist, elevating those who bowed to him and destroying those who did not.

    Countless men and women had tried to challenge the Bright Lord in the past�� great people, terrible people, and everyone in-between. It was their skulls that now stared at the crowd, darkness nesting in their eyes.

    Finally, doubt and fear appeared in the hearts of the inhabitants of the outer settlement. Many of them stared at Nephis, their faces turning dim and listless.

    Changing Star did not react to this sudden change in one way or another. Looking straight ahead, she calmly walked forward, an indifferent expression on her face. Her usual mask was in its place once again, preventing anyone from knowing her true thoughts.

    Trying to remain unnoticed, Sunny made his way to the front of the crowd to be closer to Nephis, Effie, and Caster. No one paid him any attention. In the grand scheme of things, people thought of him as an insignificant piece, if at all.

    Just like he wanted them to.

    From his point of view, the atmosphere in the Bright Castle seemed to be a bit strange, and not because of the invading horde of slum dwellers. Its halls and corridors were too empty, too lifeless. He didn't see any people hurrying on their daily business, as they always would. Even the opulent desk in the entrance hall was empty, the clerk usually present behind it absent for some reason.

    'Where is everyone?'

    His question was soon answered.

    Entering the throne room, he saw hundreds of Sleepers standing along its walls, waiting to meet them. It seemed as though the whole population of the Bright Castle had gathered here. There were the Guards, the Hunters, the Artisans, the quiet Handmaidens. Even people who paid tribute to remain in the Castle were all there.

    Sunny noticed a few familiar faces. Stev, the large man in charge of the Memory Market, stood uncomfortably near the members of the Host. There was also Aiko, the owner of the gambling den, and many others whom he remembered from his brief stay in the Castle.

    The air was tense and heavy. It seemed that not all of these people had come to the throne room of their own free will. Many of them had troubled, frightened expressions on their faces. Others were relaxed and joyful, waiting for an entertaining show with dark fascination burning in their eyes.

    What disturbed him the most were the several figures of Nightmare Creatures standing among the humans. Those were the Echoes belonging to the inhabitants of the Castle, each one more terrifying that the other.

    '...Why are they out of their owners' Soul Seas?'

    On the raised dais at the far end of the great hall, illuminated by the false stars that were carved into the wall of the dark alcove, the four lieutenants of the Bright Lord stood. There was Gemma, the leader of the Hunters, Kido, the chief Artisan, and Seishan, who was in charge of the Handmaidens.

    ��and Harus, of course.

    Sunny stared at the dreadful hunchback, who just stood there with his usual bored expression, looking at the wall.

    He was pretty sure that today, at least one of them was going to die.

    As if feeling his gaze, Harus suddenly turned and glanced at Sunny. This time, however, Sunny did not look away. He stared straight into the hunchback's glassy eyes, a calm and calculating expression on his face.

    'I wonder how he killed all those people without being seen even once. With so many victims, somebody had to catch a glimpse of this butcher hard at work. What Aspect Ability does he possess? How do I counter it?'

    Harus stared at him for a few moments, then tilted his head and smiled with strange amusement. A second later, he turned away and looked at the wall again, seemingly losing all interest.

    Meanwhile, Tessai walked to the middle of the hall and threw Effie down, forcing her to kneel on the floor. Then, he gave Nephis a dark look and joined the other lieutenants on the steps leading to the throne.

    The two hundred or so slum dwellers were standing at one end of the throne room, their faces grim and full of dark apprehension. With the exception of those directly serving Changing Star, most of them were dressed in dirty rags, with only a few wearing a proper armor. Some were unarmed, some had Memories or makeshift weapons hanging on their belts, and some even had swords hastily fashioned out of the talons of the slain Spire Messenger.

    Opposite them, with their back to the throne, stood the people of the castle. Many of them looked like they didn't want to be here, but more had contempt and indignation in their eyes. Those were mostly the members of the Host, who were more than two hundred people strong. Each of them was clad in a sturdy Memory armor and wielded enchanted weapons. They were strong, well-fed, and experienced in combat.

    The hunters, especially, were a formidable presence despite their comparatively small number. They were looking at Nephis with intense hatred, the memory of her killing one of their own in this very hall still fresh in their minds.

    Changing Star stood beside Effie in the middle of the empty space between the two groups, looking at the white throne. Her ivory face was cold and indifferent, and her silver hair glinted in the rays of sunshine that fell through tall windows. Sparks of light were dancing in the depths of her calm grey eyes.

    She was the focal point of everyone's attention and the target of the dark storm of emotions that raged between the ancient walls of the Castle today.

    If it bothered her, she did not show it.

    And then, finally, the Bright Lord himself appeared.

    Sunny knew that Gunalug entered the great hall even before seeing him. He knew it because of the sudden change in the people that surrounded him. It was as though a wave of invisible pressure had crashed into the crowd, forcing them to groan and bend, almost buckling to the ground. Their legs trembled, their faces paled, and drops of sweat appeared on their skin, as well as fear and panic in their eyes.

    The mastermind behind this ghoulish spectacle had finally arrived.

 Chapter 292 Just Cause

    Chapter 292 Just Cause

    Gunlaug looked just like the last time Sunny had seen him.

    ��Like a golden demon born of some harrowing hell.

    The Bright Lord was tall and had broad, powerful shoulders. His body was clad in a strange armor that seemed to be made out of molten gold. It was both solid and liquid, flowing over his mightly muscles and covering him from head to toe.

    Not even Gunalug's eyes were exposed.

    In the place where his face should have been, there was nothing but a smooth and empty expanse of polished gold. The great hall of the Bright Castle reflected in it, and all the people gathered there did, too.

    As soon as Sunny saw the golden mask, he felt the oppressive aura that radiated from the Bright Lord. Even knowing what was going to happen, he couldn't help but shake a little and bite his lip.

    The mind assault of the golden armor was truly hard to endure. Even with the protection of the Puppeteer's Shroud, he felt it pressing on him, making it hard to breathe. Deep inside, a primal, bestial fear was clawing at his heart.

    But this fear did not belong to him. It was fake. With a dark grimace, Sunny strangled it and made it disappear.

    Walking out of the darkness of the alcove like a golden apparition, Gunlaug glanced at the mass of people below him and sat on the throne. His pose was relaxed and casual, as though he was here to leisurely resolve a trivial matter, not decide someone's fate.

    Hundreds of fates, perhaps.

    However, despite his laid-back attitude, everyone gathered in the great hall swayed a little, pressed down to the ground by the incredible force of his presence.

    The Bright Lord lingered for a few moments, and then said, his serpentine voice full of mirth:

    "Ah, what a sight. All my precious wards gathered here, united in the desire to see justice prevail. This dedication, this fervor for the rule of law�� oh, it just makes my blood boil with appreciation. Don't you think it's wonderful?"

    He laughed and turned his head slightly, peering directly at Nephis. She lowered her head a bit, an almost imperceptible tremor running through her body. To Sunny, though, it seemed as though the plates of marble beneath her feet were about to crack from the terrifying pressure of Gunlaug's gaze.

    Nevertheless, she endured it without showing much of the tremendous strain she was under.

    The Bright Lord paused and then echoed his words, a note of some dark emotion finding its way into his voice:

    "Don't you think it's wonderful, Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan?"

    Nephis greeted her teeth, struggling to remain steady under the psychic onslaught of the golden armor. When she finally answered, her voice sounded suppressed:

    "...Indeed."

    Gunalug remained silent for a bit. Although his face was hidden behind the golden mask, Sunny had a feeling that he was smiling.

    Finally, he spoke:

    "How nice. Somehow, I was under the impression that you would disagree. I've been told by my most loyal aids that you are a disagreeable person. I guess you just can't trust anyone these days."

    With that, he glanced at his lieutenants, making them pale and shiver.

    Sunny shivered, too. The message hidden in those words was clear: Gunlaug was letting Nephis know that he had known that she had a spy among the highest ranks of his people all along.

    And didn't care. Maybe even silently allowed it to happen.

    'Damnation��'

    How much did he know?

    Finally, the Bright Lord looked at Effie. After a few seconds had passed in tense silence, he spoke to her with a hint of sadness:

    "We meet again, Effie. What a shame that it is in these tragic circumstances. If only you had listened to me and joined the Host�� perhaps then you might not have fallen so low. Such pity��"

    He shook his head and sighed.

    "I had high hopes for you. But, alas�� murdering innocent humans is not something that can be forgiven. Look at yourself! Instead of a noble Hunter, you have turned into a wild beast. But that is what happens when people refuse my grace. They become no better than Nightmare Creatures."

    His somber words echoed in the silence of the great hall, making people lower their gazes.

    Effie trembled, pressed down by the force of his undivided attention. But then, she grinned and answered, her raspy voice sounding relaxed and carefree.

    She only said two words:

    "Fuck off."

    Gunlaug laughed and raised his hands in a helpless gesture.

    "I rest my case. You all see how unrepentant this vile murderer is. There's not a drop of remorse left in her corrupted, rotten soul. That is why, with a heavy heart, I have to sentence this once-promising young woman to death. She has to answer for her crimes, and leaving her alive would put you, my wards, in danger. I am left with no choice."

    A hum of voices rose from the crowd. Slum dweller or an inhabitant of the Castle, everyone was affected by his last words:

    "Don't you dare, bastard!"

    "Kill that murderer!"

    "Effie! We're here!"

    "Make her pay!"

    "Lady Nephis! You can't let them!"

    "Kill her!"

    "Kill all of them!"

    Unaffected by this outburst of boiling emotions, Nephis put a hand on Effie's shoulder and looked at the Bright Lord with a cold expression. Staring directly at the golden mask, she frowned and said, her voice clear and loud:

    "I object."

    The storm of voices suddenly grew quiet. Everyone turned to her, two kinds of expectation hiding in their eyes.

    One was full of hope. The other full of vicious glee.

    Gunlaug tilted his head.

    "Object? What do you mean? Her guilt has been proven without any room left for doubt. There is nothing you can do to change the outcome."

    He paused for a moment and then suddenly leaned forward, his insidious voice washing over the great hall like a wave:

    "Well. Unless, of course��"

    Changing Star looked at him with dark resolve and lowered her chin stubbornly.

    Then, she said:

    "I want to invoke the right of challenge."

 Chapter 293 The Challenge

    Chapter 293 The Challenge

    An echoing silence fell on the great hall of the ancient castle. The fateful words had been spoken, and now there was no turning back.

    For better or for worse.

    Gunlaug tilted his head and stayed quiet for a few moments. Then, the sound of his laughter rolled over the crowd.

    "The right of challenge? Oh, that old thing. You are awfully fond of that tradition, it seems. Not even a full year since you have arrived under my roof, and I had the pleasure of hearing you say those words twice. Insolent girl��"

    He paused for a few moments and then leaned forward. His voice suddenly turned cold, full of dark undertones.

    "To be honest, I am very tired of your insolence, Changing Star."

    Before Nephis could answer, the Bright Lord suddenly rose from his throne, towering above the crowd like a statue cast from pure gold. Then, he took a leisurely step forward and began descending the stairs of the dais. With each step, the sound of his serpentine voice resounded, growing lower and lower, until it turned into a fiendish, wrathful growl.

    "Your little games were fun at first, but the more I observed your clumsy attempts at playing the hero, the more disgusted I became. I couldn't believe how naive, self-righteous, and stupid you turned out to be. It made me sick. It made me want to do things that I promised myself to never do again. Ah, I expected better from the daughter of the Immortal Flame! To disappoint me so thoroughly��"

    His growl reverberated through the great hall and then abruptly disappeared. A moment later, Gunlaug suddenly threw his head back and laughed brightly.

    "Oh, but then it hit me! I was such a fool. You fooled me so beautifully! Brilliantly done, Changing Star. Please, do accept my compliment! After I saw the real you, ah, it was such a joy to watch your performances."

    He left the stairs and stepped on the marble floor of the throne room. The crowd of the Castle inhabitants parted in front of him, people hurrying to get as far away from the oppressive aura of the golden armor as they could.

    The Bright Lord sighed.

    "It's such a shame that all of this will has to stop now. You see�� while I can't help but applaud your effort, in the end, you still turned out to be just another fool."

    He glanced at Effie and asked, his voice full of mockery:

    "A challenge? I don't think it's your place to demand such a thing. You are not the one accused of the crime, after all. If someone has to invoke the right of challenge, it should be Effie herself. Don't you think?"

    Nephis gritted her teeth, struggling to remain poised under the assault of the psychic pressure. Refusing to turn away from the polished mirror of the Bright Lord's face, she said:

    "...It's just like one of your minions said. I am responsible for the actions of my people. Any crime they commit�� is my crime."

    Gunlaug watched her, his expression hidden. Neph's pale face was reflected in his mask, staring back at her with merciless grey eyes. After a while, he spoke:

    "Sound logic. Who are you going to challenge, then?"

    She hesitated for a few moments, then said steadily:

    "Whoever it was that passed the guilty verdict."

    The Bright Lord chuckled.

    "Oh? But by the same logic... that would be me."

    She smiled darkly and glared at him, white flames dancing in her eyes.

    "Then you are the one I challenge!"

    Her words resounded in the great hall, sending hundreds of people gathered there into a state of stunned shock.

    ***

    'So, this is it.'

    Sunny looked at the crowd of stunned people, mentally separating them into two groups. Those who were going to be a threat and those who were not.

    Regardless of how the fight between Nephis and Gunlaug ended, the small enclave of humans living in the Dark City was going to descend into utter chaos. If Changing Star was killed, her followers would make her into a martyr and go insane. The Host would not just let them off, either. If the Bright Lord fell��

    No matter how much of a bastard Gunlaug was, he was also the glue that held this whole place together. Without a tyrant enforcing some semblance of order, no matter how ghoulish, things would get really ugly really fast. Who was going to stop the Nightmare Creatures from wiping the humans out then?

    In any case, there was going to be a bloodbath.

    But he was done worrying about these matters. In the upcoming mayhem, Sunny's goals were very simple.

    Remain alive. Protect Nephis. Make sure that she becomes the new tyrant of the Dark City.

    ...So that she could carve the way back to reality for a few lucky survivors. If she doesn't die right here and now, of course.

    In the silence that enveloped the great hall, the Bright Lord laughed and tilted his head, staring at Changing Star from behind his golden mask. Then, he said:

    "How audacious! I wonder what gives you the confidence to dare challenge me. Various people have tried to kill me, you know. I have a little hobby, actually �� collecting their skulls. Come to think of it, your pretty head would look really well in my collection."

    Suddenly, he raised a hand and gestured to his forehead:

    "Don't tell me�� don't tell me that it's all because of that little toy that you took off the First Lord's corpse? Oh, no! That would be terrible. You didn't really think that one powerful Memory would be enough to defeat me?"

    Nephis lingered for a while, glaring at Gunlaug. Then, she said evenly:

    "My bare hands would be enough to defeat a worm like you. The Memory is just to make it quicker."

    Gunlaug stared at her for a moment, and then chuckled.

    "Great! This is great! Such spirit! I will really enjoy breaking you, Changing Star. When this done."

    He flexed his shoulders and said, his voice sending shivers into the hearts of hundreds of people gathered in the hall:

    "Alright. I accept your challenge."

 Chapter 294 Song of Steel

    Chapter 294 Song of Steel

    The great hall of the Bright Castle grew silent and still. However, that stillness was not tranquil, but like a predator that fell low to the ground, ready to explode into a violent lunge to tear its prey apart.

    The Sleepers pressed themselves against the walls, giving Changing Star and the Bright Lord space for their battle. Effie was dragged away from the middle of the hall by two Guards, and now, there was nothing but emptiness separating the two fighters.

    From one side of the hall, the five lieutenants �� Gemma, Tessai, Kido, Seishan, and Harus �� were looking at their master with complicated emotions. On the other side of it, Kai, Caster, and the leaders of the outer settlement hunting parties were doing the same. Cassie was also there, her hand resting on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer. There was a grim, somber expression on her beautiful face.

    Sunny glanced at the blind girl, and then turned to the center of the throne room.

    Two people were standing opposite each other there. One was a tall man encased in a strange golden carapace that followed the lines of his mighty body. The other was a young woman in an elegant plate armor forged of white metal.

    There was a subtle similarity between them. Both were emanating a striking, compelling sense of power and confidence that very few people ever possessed. Both were fearsome and deadly. Both were at the apex of their kind.

    However, this was where the similarity ended.

    'This�� doesn't not look good,' Sunny thought, evaluating the two fighters.

    He knew better than anyone what Nephis was capable of, but even then, the sight of her facing Gunlaug made a deep scowl appear on her face.

    The Bright Lord was much taller than her and weighed probably twice as much as Changing Star. He was stronger, had longer reach, and much more experience in slaughtering people.

    That was not even considering that damned golden armor of his.

    Even with the miraculous augmentation of the Dawn Shard, Neph's silver sword could barely be considered at the same power level as an Ascended weapon would have been. That was still a whole rank below Gunlaug's strange Echo.

    Trying to break through that armor was going to be as hard as cracking the shell of a carapace centurion with a sword forged from mundane steel. Incredibly hard, if not impossible. And unlike the carapace of a scavenger, the golden Echo did not seem to have a weak spot.

    At that moment, sparks of light appeared in the air in front of Changing Star. The silver longsword appeared in her hand, and she pointed it to the ground�� for now.

    'What weapon is that bastard going to use?'

    That would decide a lot. Sunny was sure that Gunlaug possessed an arsenal of powerful Memory weapons... but how powerful were they exactly?

    He glanced at the Bright Lord, expecting to see the same sparks swirling around his hands. However, there was none.

    Instead, the liquid gold flowed forward and assumed the shape of a heavy battle axe, which Gunlaug then grasped and leisurely put on his shoulder. The polished mirror of his mask reflected the slight frown that appeared on Neph's face.

    'Dammit.'

    The weapon the Bright Lord was going to use was also a part of his Echo, and as such, possessed the quality of a Transcended weapon. It was going to cut through the Starlight Legion Armor without much effort.

    'This is even worse than I imagined��'

    As Sunny gritted his teeth, Gunlaug said in a serpentine, insidious voice:

    "Any last words, Changing Star?"

    Nephis tilted her head a little and remained silent for a while. Her helmet weaved itself from strings of light, hiding her face completely, with only calm grey eyes visible through the crack of the visor. Finally, she answered with only one word, her usually even voice full of furious contempt:

    "...Traitor."

    A wave of whispers spread through the crowd. People were guessing what exactly she meant by that, but Sunny suspected that he was the only one who knew.

    Neph wasn't accusing Gunlaug of betraying his fellow humans or causing the deaths of numerous young men and women. She was accusing him of betraying the true duty of the Awakened and submitting to the Nightmare Spell instead of fighting it to the bitter end.

    In her mind, that was a far greater crime.

    The only crime, even.

    The Bright Lord laughed.

    "That's too bad. I heard that one before��"

    And then, without wasting even a fraction of a second, he suddenly exploded forward in a terrifying, lightning-fast lunge. Freewebn?vel.c?m

    The shift between peace and violence was so instant and swift that most people gathered in the great hall did not even realize what was happening until a few moments later.

    With each of Gunlaug's strides, the floor of the throne room shook a little. He flew at Nephis like a furious giant made of gold, swinging his battle axe with both incredible agility and horrible force.

    She barely reacted in time, shifting her body and raising the sword to deflect the killing blow to the side. However, then something unexpected happened.

    The shaft of the battle axe suddenly elongated, the liquid gold comprising it flowing forward to assume a new shape. As a result, her deflection ended up being almost useless.

    With an awkward stagger, Changing Star reeled back. The very edge of the battle axe's blade bit into the helmet of the Starlight Legion Armor and effortlessly cleaved through it, leaving a shallow cut on her cheek. In the next moment, Gunlaug's foot crashed into her ribs, sending the young woman flying through the air.

    Nephis landed in a roll and used one hand to stop herself from sliding on the marble floor. As drops of blood fell from beneath her helmet, merciless white flames ignited in her eyes.

    A moment later, she jumped forward and met the onslaught of the Bright Lord with an equal amount of fury.

    The deadly song of clashing steel resounded in the ancient hall...

    Like a promise of much greater bloodshed yet to come.

 Chapter 295 The Duel

    Chapter 295 The Duel

    The breastplate of Neph's armor cracked from the force of Gunlaug's blow and there was blood streaming from beneath her helmet, but that didn't slow Changing Star one bit.

    Jumping forward to meet the Bright Lord's assault, she dodged the blade of the battle axe, twisted, and tried to deliver a strike of her own. A furious clangor of metal exploded in the silence of the great hall, both fighters moving with incredible speed, precision, and skill.

    In a span of several seconds, they exchanged numerous blows, but each was either deflected, dodged, or blocked. This terrifying clash was not at all like Sunny had imagined. There was nothing elegant, graceful, or elevated about it �� all there was was barbarous violence and cruel brutality, each of the fighters doing everything in their power to break, cripple and kill their opponent.

    Their voices sounded like that of wild beasts, partially from the incredible strain of the duel, but also to let out the suffocating bloodlust and murderous intent that were drowning their minds.

    That was not to say that any one of them had lost control of their thoughts and actions. Both were cold-blooded killers and knew how to remain calm in the throes of the most terrible rage.

    A few seconds later, Gunlaug and Nephis disengaged and staggered away from each other, letting the spectators draw in shaky breaths.

    The Bright Lord's golden armor was pristine and unscathed. Nephis, however, had several bloody cuts on her body, the black material encompassing it torn and ripped. Another crack appeared on one of her pauldrons. She glanced at it briefly and then indifferently turned back to watch her enemy.

    Everyone in the throne room, in one way or another, was thinking about the same thing, a cold and sickening feeling slowly spreading through their chests. How would they fare in such a fight themselves? The answer was simple �� they would have been long dead, eviscerated in mere seconds by one of these awesome fighters.

    Everyone felt death breathing down their necks.

    Among all the people watching their fight, however, there were two who observed Changing Star's every move with a special kind of attention. They were Sunny and Caster.

    Their reasons were studying how Nephis fought were entirely different, but also almost the same.

    ��Just a second of rest, and the two fighters lunged at each other once again. This time, however, their behavior was different.

    The first clash was just a test to gauge what the enemy was capable of. Now, they were not holding anything back, throwing everything they had at the enemy.

    At least that was how it seemed.

    Changing Star's sword suddenly flashed with brilliant radiance. Removing one hand from the hilt, she grasped the incandescent blade with her armored gauntlet at the middle to better control its tip and raised it to shoulder level. With Gunlaug's ability to change the length of his weapon at will and almost impregnable armor, this grip was more advantageous.

    The Bright Lord absorbed the battle axe back into his armor. Then, two straight blades grew out of his forearms, creating weapons that resembled long, heavy punching daggers.

    They clashed once again, this time with even more fury. The people pressing themselves into the walls of the throne room trembled.

    Nephis seemed to abandon a lot of her defense, willing to take much bigger risks to obliterate the enemy. The reach of her sword was much shorter now, but the silver blade also grew much more agile and unpredictable. Gunlaug's daggers were a true menace to resist, however. They flew at her from all sides, either in tandem or in a staggered rhythm, making it hard for the young woman to predict and deflect each blow.

    But she wasn't trying to.

    Changing Star seemed willing to receive many shallow wounds to get a chance to land a strike on her opponent. More bloody lacerations appeared on her body, the Starlight Legion Armor barely holding together.

    But she achieved her goal, in the end.

    Catching one of Gunlaug's daggers between the blade of her sword and her body, she forcefully twisted the sword sideways and caused him to turn his torso. Then, Nephis sidestepped and suddenly appeared behind the Bright Lord, with a fraction of a second left before he could turn around and defend himself.

    Her incandescent sword finished its arc high above her head, and, changing back to the standard grip, she brought it down with all her strength on Gunlaug's shoulder.

    The radiant white blade flashed through the air and bit into the golden armor.

    ...And then, it slid fruitlessly off its bright surface, not leaving even a scratch on it.

    'Damn it all!'

    In the next moment, Gunlaug threw the sword to the side with one arm and delivered a terrifying blow with the other, his dagger aimed at Neph's face. She managed to turn her head at the last moment, avoiding instant death, but was still caught by the enemy's fist.

    The impact was so strong that Changing Star was thrown backward several meters. The helmet had shattered completely, revealing a pale, bloodied face, with bits of metal piercing the skin. She rolled several times and came to a stop, then rose to her feet with some effort. The white flames dimmed a little, and there was a dark, disoriented emotion in her eyes.

    The gem of the Dawn Shard shone gently right above them, illuminating Neph's wounded face.

    A moment later, she dismissed what little remained of the helmet and stared at Gunlaug with resentment, blood running from the cuts on her cheeks.

    The Bright Lord laughed and made a step toward Changing Star, his voice echoing under the roof of the great hall like a death sentence.

    "What? That was all?"

    Nephis did not answer. Instead, she placed both hands on the blade of her sword, holding it with its hilt and crossguard up, like a makeshift mace.

    The radiance of the silver sword spread to encompass all of it.

    But it didn't stop there.

    Sunny opened his eyes wide.

    'What?!'

    The furious white flames spread from the sword to Changing Star's hands, her arms, and then devoured her figure completely.

    But they weren't burning in the white, cracked metal of the Starlight Legion Armor.

    Instead, the brilliant radiance was emanating from her skin.

 Chapter 296 Creature of Light

    Chapter 296 Creature of Light

    Sunny stared at the shining figure in front of him, a myriad of thoughts appearing in his mind.

    With her skin emanating blinding white radiance, Nephis looked beautiful and pure, as though untouched by the imperfections of the mundane world. Wreathed in light, she was like a heavenly angel that descended into the mortal realm.

    The sight of it was both breathtaking and terrifying.

    ��It was also eerily similar to the image of the radiant creature he had seen on the walls of the ancient mine. Especially with the gem of the Dawn Shard burning on Neph's forehead like a third eye.

    But that wasn't what gave Sunny pause.

    'How is possible?!'

    But then, why wouldn't it be possible?

    At the start of their journey, he had guessed that Changing Star's Aspect was of the Divine rank, just like his. Her powers seemed to be able to either augment Memories or heal, while his own could be used to scout, enhance Memories, or augment Sunny himself. Because Nephis had never used the white flames to achieve that last effect, he had assumed that she was incapable of doing so, and thus her Aspect, while powerful, was less versatile.

    But augmenting herself was exactly what Neph was doing right now. Sunny knew it instantly �� she wrapped her body in light just like he had wrapped his own body in the shadow countless times. With this enhancement, her physical prowess had to grow exponentially.

    Had she always been capable of doing so and hid that facet of her Aspect intentionally, or was this something she learned how to do only after growing more powerful and absorbing hundreds upon hundreds of soul shards in the Labyrinth?

    That question was going to remain unanswered, at least for now. Because the battle between Changing Star and the Bright Lord was far from over.

    Just like Sunny suspected, with her body wreathed in light, Nephis suddenly became much stronger and faster. If before she was visibly weaker and slower than Gunlaug, even if not by much, now, it seemed the other way around. She dashed toward the enemy, batted away one of the daggers, and delivered a crushing blow right to the polished mirror mask.

    This time, there was a slight mark left on the surface of the golden armor by her sword.

    The two of them became locked in a ferocious battle, dozens of attacks flying at each fighter. The clangor of metal grew in volume, turning into an almost deafening cacophony. Changing Star was fighting with abandon, more and more wounds accumulating on her radiant body. However, she also managed to land several more blows, each striking at the golden mirror of the Bright Lord's face.

    Slowly, a hint of a crack started to appear on its surface.

    Sunny also noticed that her wounds weren't healing. It seemed as if Nephis was only capable to support two effects at the same time �� one augmenting her sword, the other her body. To summon the healing power of the white flame, she had to sacrifice one or the other.

    But she was unwilling to.

    A few moments later, it seemed as though Gunlaug was slowly starting to lose ground. His enemy was just too fast, powerful, and ferocious. More and more strikes landed on the golden armor, and although it seemed to hold, for now, it was clear that the continuous blows were taking a toll on both the Bright Lord and his Echo.

    ��However, the Golden Serpent had a few tricks up his sleeve, too.

    When the momentum of the fight began to favor Nephis, he suddenly chuckled and turned his face to catch her reflection in the mirror mask.

    A second later, the sound of muffled groans could be heard escaping from the mouths of hundreds of people. The psychic pressure emanated by the Bright Lord suddenly increased manyfold, throwing some people to the ground and making others stagger. Sunny saw blood flowing from people's noses, eyes, and mouths.

    He himself also felt it and greeted his teeth, struggling to remain standing. He almost failed.

    Changing Star, who was at the center and the true target of the mental assault, let out a pained yelp and staggered.

    ��That was the moment when Gunlaug stepped forward and stabbed her through the chest with one of his daggers.

    As the long blade pierced the lithe body of the young woman and exited from her back, he said in a calm and friendly voice:

    "There, there. That's enough. Go die now, stupid girl."

    Then, he twisted the dagger, making her scream once again.

    Nephis stared at him, blood flowing from her mouth. Then, she raised her sword and hit him in the face with the pommel, again and again, until a small crack finally appeared on the surface of the mirror mask.

    But the crushing wave of mental pressure did not go away. Instead, it only increased.

    Gunalug laughed.

    "Are you done? No? Well, let me help you then��"

    His second daughter flashed through the air, slashing Nephis across the wrist. With the tendons cut, the silver sword fell from her hand, its radiance dimming.

    Nephis used her other hand to push the Bright Lord away and slid off the blade of the dagger, then staggered away, eventually falling to her knees. The white radiance emanated from her body grew brighter, and the wound on her body began to heal. A low groan escaped from her lips.

    Gunalug approached the kneeling young woman, laughing.

    "Did you think I wouldn't know about that little trick of yours? Go ahead and heal. See where it gets you."

    With that, he grabbed her by the neck and stabbed her again, reopening the terrible wound that had just closed once again.

    "How's that? Come one, heal it again!"

    With a ferocious growl, he continued stabbing her, over and over, his hand quickly becoming painted red with blood.

    "Oh, this is really fun! But a bit tiring. How about I just cut off your pretty head right now and end this?"

    Nephis spat some blood and turned her head to face him.

    And then she�� closed her eyes.

    Back when they had first arrived in the Dark City, Sunny had noticed that Cassie wasn't affected by the psychic pressure of the golden armor at all. From that, he deduced that the source of the mental assault was not the armor itself, but the golden mirror of its face �� or, to be exact, seeing your reflection in it. After returning from the Castle, he had shared that insight with Nephis.

    It seemed that she remembered it.

    With her eyes closed, Changing Star raised her hands and grabbed the Bright Lord that was strangling her by the shoulders. Then, she used her whole body to deliver a devastating blow to his face, the gem of the Crown of Dawn hitting Gunalug right where his nose should have been.

    Finally, the surface of the golden mirror cracked and shattered. Through the small breah, a blue eye full of murderous joy was revealed. Shocked by the sudden blow, Gunlaug staggered away.

    "You bitch!"

    The daggers were instantly absorbed into the golden armor, replaced by the heavy battle axe again.

    ��But he didn't get the chance to use it.

    With her eyes still closed, Nephis swiftly turn to the sound of his voice. Then, she raised her hand, opened her fist�� and blew on it.

    In the next moment, a cloud of red sand shot from her palm and enveloped Gunlaug.

    Sunny stared at it in shock, an expression of sudden recognition appearing on his face.

    He knew the look at that cloud all too well. It wasn't sand.

    It was the Blood Flower pollen.

 Chapter 297 Red Flower

    Chapter 297 Red Flower

    The red cloud enveloped Gunlaug, seeping through the crack in his helmet. A second too late to react, the Bright Lord reeled away�� but not before inhaling the pollen of the nightmarish flower.

    Sunny didn't know when and how Nephis had gotten it, but he knew that he wasn't mistaken �� this was the pollen of the Blood Flower, the grisly parasitic blossom that he himself had the misfortune of inhaling once, a long time ago.

    The memory of the bloodthirsty red flowers growing through his lungs sent shivers through Sunny's entire body. Back then, the only reason for why he had not become a host for the insidious Nightmare Creature was because of the Blood Weave. Without it, he would have been devoured from the inside in mere minutes.

    ��And now, the Bright Lord was going to fall to the same fate.

    'She�� she really did it��'

    The rest of the Sleepers gathered in the great hall did not know that Gunlaug was already as good as dead, however. Including the tyrant himself.

    Bending over in a fit of violent coughing, he growled:

    "What? What have you done to me, bitch?!"

    Nephis was still where he had dropped her, kneeling on the floor. Her armor was shattered and torn, with rivers of blood streaming down the cracked white metal. The brilliant radiance of her skin had been extinguished, but there were incandescent flames burning under it.

    The horrible wounds on her chest were slowly closing, and the lacerations on her face were already gone, leaving it just as perfect as it had been before. That face, however, was bloodied and pale, contorted in an expression of terrible agony.

    In her eyes, however, there was dark malice.

    A chorus of whispers rolled through the crowd when they witnessed the ghastly wounds healing themselves. Be it the members of the Host or the slum dwellers, all of them had two words on their lips:

    "Immortal Flame!"

    "Immortal Flame!"

    And then someone shouted, their voice full of stunned awe:

    "This�� this is the blessing of the fire!"

    Deaf to all of it, Changing Star moaned and slowly rose to her feet. Then, she struggled to look at the Bright Lord and said, her voice shaking from pain:

    "I... I killed you."

    Through the crack in the golden mask, Sunny saw Gunlaug's blue eye first narrow, and then suddenly open wide. In the next moment, the Bright Lord began coughing again.

    This time, a suppressed scream escaped from his lips.

    '...It's about to start.'

    Sunny shifted a little, subtly positioning himself closer to Caster.

    Gunlaug, meanwhile, staggered and groaned. There was blood dripping from beneath his broken mask.

    Then, a shaky laugh resounded in the throne room of the ancient castle.

    "Ah�� did you really? What a�� surprise��"

    He dropped his battle axe, which then turned into a puddle of liquid gold and merged with the strange armor. He took a step toward Nephis, but then swayed and fell to one knee.

    For a few moments, the Bright Lord remained motionless. Then, his body convulsed, more blood spilling through the cracks in the visor of his golden helmet. A muffled scream could be heard once again, full of torturous pain.

    Hundreds of people were watching him, stunned, their eyes full of disbelief, anger, and terror.

    The Bright Lord raised his head and glanced at Nephis, then hissed:

    "What a�� joke! I can't�� can't die like this!"

    Changing Star looked down on him, her face cold and motionless. There was no triumph or gloating in her eyes Freewebn?vel.c?m.

    But there was also no mercy.

    Turning away, she hesitated for a moment and then said, her voice strangely gentle:

    "...Rest easy now. Your nightmare is over."

    Gunlaug stared at her in disbelief, and then suddenly laughed. There was a disturbing, gurgling sound coming from somewhere deep in his throat, as though he was drowning in blood.

    "Good�� this is too good. Yours is�� only starting, though��"

    With that, he slowly rose and then turned away. Swaying, the Bright Lord took one step forward, then another.

    The crowd watched silently as he arduously made his way to the steps that led to the throne of white marble and climbed them, blood spilling from the cracks in his helmet, his golden armor flowing and swirling around his body in a state that resembled panic.

    Finally, Gunlaug reached the dais and fell on his throne, looking down on the great hall of the ancient castle with a strange, wistful expression. Then, he strained to say something, but became twisted in a violent coughing fit instead.

    In the end, he just whispered a few almost inaudible words and leaned on the back of the throne, his body relaxing. Sunny was perhaps the only one who had heard him, due to the fact that his shadow was hiding in the darkness of the alcove all along.

    "I... tried. In the beginning�� I really did��"

    This was what Gunlaug had whispered.

    And then, he grew still.

    The Bright Lord of the Dark City was dead.

    Sunny knew it instantly because of the fact that the terrible psychic aura pressing him to the ground suddenly disappeared, letting all the people around him move and breathe free.

    Knowing what was about to come, he glanced at the far end of the great hall one last time.

    A corpse in golden armor was sitting on the throne, a beautiful red blossom appearing from the crack in his polished mask.

    A few moments later, the armor suddenly shined with white light and then disintegrated into countless sparks, revealing the man who had ruled this cursed place for many years with an iron fist.

    Gunlaug was surprisingly handsome. Even though his face was covered in blood, it was easy to tell. He had a short beard and long blond hair. One of his eyes was gone, eaten through by the Blood Flower, and the other was quickly turning glassy.

    What surprised Sunny the most, though, was how young he looked. It was hard to imagine the Bright Lord as anything but powerful and ageless, but in fact, he was no older than twenty-seven. Somehow, Sunny had forgotten that fact.

    '...Kids. All of us here are just lost kids.'

    He didn't waste too much time thinking about that, though.

    Because in the next few moment, Tessai, who had been staring at his dead lord with his usual morose expression, turned around and looked at the crowd of slum dwellers, then at the members of the Host.

    The giant lingered for a second and then said, his deep, dark voice reverberating through the ancient hall:

    "...What are you waiting for? Kill them all."

    And then, everything descended into madness.

 Chapter 298 Fire and Blood

    Chapter 298 Fire and Blood

    The first Guard to follow Tessai's order lunged forward, summoning his weapon�� and fell to the ground, a heavy kunai suddenly appearing in his eye.

    Due to the everyone's attention being drawn to the bloodied figure on the throne, no one noticed as Sunny moved his hand slightly, letting the Prowling Thorn fly.

    He wasn't looking at Gunlaug, though. His eyes were drawn to Nephis, while his shadow watched Caster.

    When the Bright Lord died, something strange happened to Changing Star. Her eyes opened wide, losing focus, and then she swayed a little and fell to one knee.

    Her body was busy rearranging itself after absorbing a huge amount of soul essence, which made Nephis vulnerable for a few moments.

    That was when Tessai had given his order, and that was when Sunny threw his kunai and killed the Guard rushing to attack the slum dwellers.

    Someone screamed, and in the next moment, the great hall of the Castle descended into chaos.

    Unnoticed by anyone, Caster suddenly turned into a blur.

    'Not so fast!'

    Sunny was thrown of his feet and awkwardly fell, his wrist screaming in pain. He had achieved his goal, though: even while falling, he saw the proud Legacy rolling on the marble floor, tripped by the invisible string of the Prowling Thorn.

    A second later, hundreds of Sleepers clashed against each other, their suppressed rage, bloodlust, and murderous resentment finally exploding into a storm of violence.

    The white marble was instantly painted red with blood.

    The Guards slaughtered indiscriminately, their powerful Memory armaments and training giving them a vast advantage over the disorganized crowd of slum dwellers. But they weren't killing just those who came from the outer settlement: in the panic and havoc that engulfed the throne room, differentiating friend from foe was not an easy task.

    Sunny saw several Artisan assistants fall to their blades, as well as a few unlucky people who had paid a heavy tribute in exchange for the promise of safety.

    With Gunlaug gone, that safety was now gone, too.

    It almost seemed as though the Guards didn't care who they killed, or were even glad to be let off the chain. Even if there were those among them who had preserved some vestiges of conscience, now, it was utterly gone, devoured by the crowd instinct and the exhilaration of being free from all restraints. Their faces were contorted with ferocious grimaces, and their eyes burned with rage, hatred, and tenebrous joy.

    This was perhaps the most disturbing and frightening thing that Sunny had ever seen�� and he had seen some of the most chilling horrors the Dream Realm had to offer.

    'How can humans do this to other humans?'

    But that question was moot, and also hypocritical. Humans were indeed the most adaptable of creatures. When they needed to, they were easily able to devoid their victims of the status of a human being, thus absolving themselves of any guilt or sin. Why feel guilty for slaughtering cattle?

    Creatures worse than cattle, even. Hateful pests.

    Sunny had practiced that simple mind trick himself in the past.

    These thoughts only took him a fraction of a second. Jumping to his feet, Sunny summoned the Midnight Shard and dashed toward Nephis.

    The slum dwellers, meanwhile, came to their senses and met the assault of the Host with as much fury and bloodlust. Even though they were less experienced, well-fed, and armed, their resolve and exalted fury made up for that.

    "Protect Lady Nephis!"

    "Kill the bastards!"

    "Judgment!"

    The two forces clashed, eviscerating anyone who had the misfortune of being stuck between them. Screams of terror and pain filled the great hall. The floor turned slippery with blood, and dead bodies piled on it, staring into emptiness with wide eyes.

    Sunny saw the scarred hunter from before dive under the strike of a young Guard and drive the tip of his sword into the enemy's throat. He saw several Hunters of the Host lunge at Effie, who had easily tore the rope that bound her arms and met them with a ferocious grin, the beautiful bronze spear weaving itself from sparks of light in her hands. He saw Tessai crushing a random Sleeper's skull with a heavy mace. The poor youth was only guilty of getting in his way.

    He saw people screaming in fear as they tried to flee the hall. Many fell on the floor, and were then crushed under the feet of the panicking crowd��

    The problem was, he didn't see Caster.

    Arriving near Nephis, Sunny batted someone's sword away and then punched his opponent in the face, causing him to fly back with a pained scream. He looked around, trying to notice the proud Legacy, his mind cold and collected��

    And there, he saw him. Caster may have had plans to kill Changing Star at the moment of her weakness, but thanks to Sunny's subtle intervention, he had lost that chance.

    Now, the Legacy had bigger problems on his plate. With the enchanted jian in his hand, he was fighting none other than Gemma, the leader of the Hunters. No matter how strong and skilled Caster was, this was not an opponent that would go down easily, if at all. He couldn't extricate himself from that fight without risking being killed.

    '...Well. That problem seems to be solved.'

    But now, there was another. Much bigger one.

    Back at the steps leading up to the white throne, Harus was standing with his back turned to the slaughter below, a strangely disoriented expression frozen on his face.

    Sunny could see his face because the shadow never left the darkness of the alcove, watching the dreadful hunchback's every move.

    Harus was staring at Gunlaug's dead body, his glassy eyes confused and empty.

    But then, slowly, a hint of a dark and deadly emotion appeared in them.

    Turning around, he studied the great hall, not disturbed even a little by the bloody chaos, the clangor of steel, and the scores of people dying in front of him.

    And then, his gaze fell on Nephis.

    'Crap.'

    At that moment, both Kai and Cassie appeared by Sunny's side. Turning to them, he gestured to Changing Star and yelled:

    "Protect her!"

    At the dais, Harus tilted his head, piercing Changing Star with a murderous gaze. Slowly, his face contorted, turning bestial and terrifying. Pure hatred and insanity burned in his eyes, making anyone who accidentally glanced in his direction shudder.

    With a low growl, the hunchback took a step forward and outstretched his hand, ready to summon a weapon.

    ��But in the next moment, someone crashed into him at full speed. Even though Harus had dodged the flying blade at the last moment, the force of the impact was such that both men flew back, into the darkness behind the throne.

    Breaking through a wooden hatch that was hidden there, Sunny and Harus rolled down a long flight of stone stairs and left the havoc of the great hall behind.

    A few moments later, they landed on the floor of a wide corridor and were thrown away from each other. Sunny twisted his body to regain his balance and used the Midnight Shard to stop himself from sliding even farther away.

    Then, he rose to his feet and looked darkly at Harus, who were similarly just standing up.

    A cold glint appeared in his eyes.

    Just like Sunny had expected�� today, one of them was going to die.

 Chapter 299 Twisted Reflection

    Chapter 299 Twisted Reflection

    Out in the great hall of the ancient castle, the air was full of screams and clangor of steel, with rivers of blood being spilled on the white marble floor. But in the wide corridor Sunny and Harus had found themselves in, the havoc that reigned above seemed muffled and distant. It was just the two of them here.

    Picking up the Midnight Shard from the cold stones, Sunny flexed his shoulders and looked at the hunchback. There was a dark, icy fire burning deep within his eyes.

    "...How wonderful. We are finally alone."

    The hunchback tilted his head and stared at him with his glassy eyes, not saying anything. A slight smile appeared on Sunny's lips.

    "What, no reaction? Well, fair enough. Allow me to introduce myself, then. My name is Sunny�� and I've been craving to kill you for a long, long time."

    Harus remained motionless, looking at him with the same indifferent, bored expression. A hint of anger appeared on Sunny's face.

    Taking a subtle step sideways and slightly turning his torso, he said in a casual tone:

    "To tell you the truth, Harus, I have killed many monsters. Some of them were Nightmare Creatures, and some were men. I killed a person or two, as well. But I have never done it out of malice. I've never enjoyed it�� too much."

    He paused and then spat, his voice shaking:

    "But I will enjoy killing you."

    Sunny grasped the hilt of the Midnight Shard with both hands and took a step forward, piercing the hunchback with a furious gaze.

    "You embody everything that I despise. The mere fact of your existence offends me. You sicken me, and for that reason alone I am going to end you. You don't deserve to live."

    Harus blinked and continued staring at him, motionless. Sunny stopped a few meters away and snarled, frustrated at the lack of response.

    "Do you have any idea what I had to do, what I had to sacrifice, how many things I had to let go of to save myself from becoming someone's slave? And here you are... living as one of your own free will�� bastard, what gives you the right? Who gave you the idea that you can breathe the same air as I do?!"

    The hunchback finally showed a sign that he had heard Sunny. With a slightly irritated expression, he shook his head and said:

    "Talk, talk, talk. You talk too much, little worm."

    Sunny grinned. A dangerous spark appeared in his eyes:

    "Yeah? Well, what are you going to do about it?"

    Harus smiled, too.

    His smile was cold, unnatural, and frightening.

    "Break you. Apart. You will have to die, anyway. All of you will."

    Sunny raised his eyebrows.

    "Oh, really? Why is that?"

    The hunchback shrugged and outstretched his hand. Weaved from the sparks of light, a heavy chain appeared from the air, wrapped around his arm from wrist to elbow. Then, he grimaced and straightened his back as much as his deformity allowed him.

    Before, he seemed to be of the same height as Sunny. But now, Harus towered above him almost as much as Tessai had, his twisted figure radiating a sense of vicious, bestial power. As two menacing lights ignited in his pale eyes, he growled:

    "Because this is the will of the Lord."

    Sunny laughed.

    "Lord? The Bright Lord? I don't want to disappoint you, fool, but your lord is dead."

    Harus stared at him with sincere confusion. Then, a corner of his lips curled upward. With something that almost resembled pity, he said:

    "Poor worm. You don't even understand what loyalty means, do you? Alive or dead�� it doesn't matter."

    Sunny snarled.

    "You're right! I don't understand."

    Finally, he raised his sword and prepared to attack.

    "You know�� I spent so much time trying to learn what your Aspect Ability and Flaw are. But now, I am glad that I don't know. I don't want to kill you using a trick. I just want to obliterate you��"

    Harus listened to him. A mocking grin appeared on his lips.

    ��And then, Sunny suddenly became blind.

    ***

    ? A moment before, Sunny was looking at the hateful figure of the fearsome hunchback. Then, suddenly, his sight was gone, replaced by nothing except for boundless darkness.

    'Wh��'

    Almost immediately, a monstrous blow sent him flying back. Sunny hit the wall of the corridor and then fell to the floor, leaving a trail of blood on the cold stones. His bones groaned, but held together, if barely.

    Harus, who had hit him in the chest with a fist, the heavy chain wrapped around his knuckles, lunged forward with terrible speed, aiming to crush the enemy's skull under his boot. His movements were swift and utterly silent.

    To his surprise, though, the little wretch somehow managed to roll away and jump back, avoiding death by a hair's breadth.

    Sunny slid backward and rose to his feet, blindly swinging the Midnight Shard in a wide arc in front of him. The blade of the tachi missed the murderous hunchback entirely, but bought him a second to gather himself.

    Not that it was going to help.

    He was still blind.

    'Of course�� it all makes sense now.'

    Sunny finally unraveled the mystery surrounding Harus. He understood why so many Sleepers, no matter how skilled and with no regard to the might of their Aspect Abilities, had been somehow rendered powerless and easily slaughtered by Gunalug's executioner.

    He also understood why there were no witnesses to the countless murders that Harus had committed. No one had ever seen him killing his victims �� their bodies were always found only after the slaughter was over.

    It was not because the terrifying hunchback was able to move like a ghost or possessed such great power that no one could even try to resist it.

    ��It was because his Aspect Ability could literally make people not see him.

    Or anything, for that matter.

    It didn't matter how skilled or mighty his opponents were. Once they were blind, all their technique and Abilities were made useless. Killing a blind person was an easy task.

    It also did not matter if someone was there to see Harus kill �� as long as he wanted, he would remain unseen for as long as he wished.

    That's how the legend of the horrifying butcher was born. People were always more afraid of things that they couldn't see, after all.

    Sunny spat a mouthful of blood and grimaced.

    It was nice to reveal another secret.

    The question was�� would he be able to survive knowing the truth?

 Chapter 300 Bright Lords Slave

    Chapter 300 Bright Lord's Slave

    By a twist of fate, today, Harus was facing possibly the worst opponent he could have faced on the Forgotten Shore�� among the Sleepers, at least.

    However, Sunny wasn't surprised.

    He had always felt that he and the murderous hunchback were destined to end up fighting each other to the bitter end. Before, he had thought that this was just intuition, but now he knew that his occasional and subtle premonitions were anything but random.

    All that time ago, he had already sensed that the two of them were connected by a string of fate.

    Was it such a surprise, then, that his Aspect happened to counter that of Harus to large extent?

    And it did counter it, although not completely.

    If anyone else was in Sunny's place, they would have been already dead. Robbed of their sight, very few people �� if anyone at all �� could have resisted the furious assault of the terrifyingly strong hunchback. But Sunny wasn't just anyone.

    Even while blind, he had Shadow Sense on his side. While it wasn't the same as being able to see Harus, by sensing the movements of his shadow, Sunny was able to predict his attacks with at least some level of precision.

    It wasn't perfect, though. At least he had not reached the level where this form of perception could fully replace vision.

    So, now, Sunny had a choice to make.

    While his shadow was wrapped around his body, it gave him an incredible boost in strength, speed, and endurance. It wasn't able to provide him with a second pair of eyes, however.

    So he could either continue to rely solely on Shadow Sense and keep this boost, or let the shadow go and fight Harus with just his own strength while being able to see.

    'Decisions, decisions��'

    Sensing the hunched shadow of the murderous butcher lunge forward, Sunny dodged left and heard something whistle past his temple with terrible speed. A fraction of a second later, and his skull would have been crushed by the links of the iron chain wrapped around his enemy's fist.

    He missed the hunchback's other hand, though.

    His wrist was suddenly caught in an iron grip and twisted, forcing Sunny to yelp and let go of the Midnight Shard. Another second, and his bones were going to shatter��

    Following the direction of the twist, Sunny performed an aerial cartwheel to save his arm and reluctantly ordered the shadow to slip off his body.

    As he landed on the stones, Sunny was finally able to see again.

    Harus was holding him by the wrist with one hand, his other raising to deliver a crushing blow. Sunny doubted that there would be anything left of his face if he were to allow that blow to land.

    ��He still held the Midnight Shard in his free hand.

    Turning the tachi upward, Sunny thrust it in the direction of the hunchbacks' throat. As a hint of surprise appeared in his enemy's eyes, Harus changed the direction of his strike, turning it into a block instead.

    The razor-sharp blade bit into the links of the heavy chain wrapped tightly around his forearm and bounced off.

    However, that gave Sunny the opportunity to wrestle his wrist free and jump back. Despite the fact that his bruised hand was shaking, he put it back on the hilt of the Midnight Shard and faced Harus once again.

    The hunchback titled his head and stared at Sunny with an amused expression.

    "Slippery worm... how are you doing that?"

    Sunny grinned.

    "Wouldn't you like to know?"

    Then, he grimaced and added after a few moments of pained silence.

    "...I can still see you thanks to my Aspect."

    Harus grinned.

    "Oh? Good�� it is nice of you to tell me��"

    With that, he suddenly threw his hand forward.

    'What is he doing?'

    The distance between them was too large to land a punch��

    But in the next moment, Sunny realized his mistake. It was too late, however.

    The chain suddenly flew off the hunchback arm and instantly covered the distance between them. Before Sunny could react, it was tightly wrapped around the blade of the Midnight Shard.

    Then, Harus pulled it back with tremendous force.

    Sunny could either allow himself to be thrown to the floor right in front of the cruel executioner or let go of his sword. He chose the second option.

    The Midnight Shard flew far away and fell on the marble floor with a melodious ringing. There was little hope of retrieving it�� and Sunny doubted that Harus was going to give him enough time to dismiss and summon the tachi again.

    Indeed, almost instantly, the fearsome hunchback was already lunging at him, the iron hammers of his fists ready to break every bone in Sunny's body.

    'Go die, bastard!'

    Sunny growled and dashed forward. Dodging a deadly, strike, he twisted his body and delivered a ferocious blow of his own. His fist connected to the hunchback's chin, making Harus reel back.

    Sunny might have been lean and not as tall as most men, but he wasn't a weak outskirt kid anymore.

    The power of nine hundred shadow fragments, each earned in a deadly fight against unimaginable horrors, coursed through his veins. He was much stronger than he looked.

    Strong enough to shatter stones with his bare hands.

    ��And yet, he wasn't nearly as strong as Harus. While shaken by the blow to the face, the hunchback didn't look seriously hurt. But his next strike almost made Sunny buckle.

    For a few short moments, the two of them became entwined in violent, barbarous combat. Using their fists, legs, and even teeth, they did anything in their power to destroy the enemy. Harus fought with the measured skill of an experienced killer, while Sunny fought with the desperate, feral cunning that his cruel upbringing had taught him.

    The hunchback was at a dire advantage in that fight. With his tremendous might and much larger weight and reach, all he had to do to win it was to wrestle Sunny to the ground. Knowing that, Sunny had done everything in his power to avoid being grappled. He twisted and moved, dodging the hunchback's large hands and delivering strike after strike.

    Soon, Harus was bleeding from a half-dozen cuts on his angular face. Sunny, however, was in much worse shape. The hunchback's fists, and especially that damned chain of his, had left terrible marks on his body. The skin on his forehead was split open, and a stream of blood was flowing down his face.

    Usually, that would have blinded a person. But both of his eyes were already blind; he was using his shadow to see.

    '...How ironic.'

    Still, it was just a matter of time before Sunny made a mistake. And very soon, he did.

    Sunny was only a fraction of a second late, but it was all Harus needed to land one of his wide palms on his shoulder. Then, he gripped it with enough strength to make Sunny's bones groan, thus robbing the enemy of his only advantage �� mobility.

    As Sunny's eyes opened wide, the hunchback grinned.

    "...Time to die, little worm."

    With that, he threw him against the wall, making a net of cracks streak through its stone surface. Hurt and disoriented, Sunny felt something cold and inevitable grip his neck.

    Looking his victim right in the eyes, Harus squeezed Sunny's neck and smiled.

    "Good. It's good that you can see. Usually, they don't. Such a pity��"

    Sunny raised his fist and hit the hunchback in the face, but to no result. He couldn't find the proper purchase or move his torso to deliver a proper blow.

    Regardless, he tried again, then again, then again.

    The skin on the face of his strangler split, letting more blood flow, but Harus just continued smiling, looking at him with fascination.

    "Good. Good. This is so good�� so, so good..."

    Sunny weakly raised his hand again, but lingered, hesitating before trying to hit the hunchback again.

    With what little air remained in his lungs, he wheezed:

    "Hey, bastard�� do you remember�� how I told you�� that I didn't want to use a trick�� to kill you?"

    Harus simply grinned.

    "...well�� that�� that was a trick��"

    At the same time, he struck the hunchback in the face again. Knowing that these punches were not strong enough to change anything, Harus didn't react.

    But this time, a ghostly blade suddenly appeared in Sunny's hand at the last moment. Unlike normal Memories, this one weaved itself from nothing and almost instantaneously.

    Then, it pierced Harus's temple and sunk deep into his brain, killing him on the spot.

    The grin froze on the hunchback's lips. His eyes widened, then slowly turned glassy. His terrible grip on Sunny's throat weakened.

    Then, he crumpled to the ground like a broken mannequin, his empty eyes still open and staring into nothingness.

    Sunny fell to his knees and drew a hoarse breath.

    "Die... you bastard. Die, die, die��"

    A wicked, furious grin appeared on his face.

    "Die and go keep your lord company in hell!"

    Shaking, he used the wall to stand up and looked at the dead butcher with a strange mix of hatred, triumph, and contempt.

    After a while, he said:

    "Don't want to doesn't mean I won't, you fool."

 Chapter 301 Heirs to the Throne

    Chapter 301 Heirs to the Throne

    As Sunny sat on the cold stones, wiping blood off his face and wincing from pain, the whole castle shook slightly, and dust fell from the ceiling of the wide corridor. Looking up, he frowned slightly, then turned to Harus and indifferently cut a strip of cloth from the hunchback's garments.

    The corpse didn't mind.

    Tying the cloth around his head to stop the blood from streaming into his eyes, Sunny sighed and summoned the runes.

    Shadow Fragments: [956/1000].

    "Such an injustice��"

    His battle with Harus was one of the toughest he had experienced on the Forgotten Shore, but all he got from it was one measly shadow fragment. This was one of the lamentable quirks of the Shadow Slave Aspect �� it didn't differentiate between humans and Nightmare Creatures at all. From its point of view, Harus was nothing but a dormant beast.

    ��Or maybe it was a blessing in disguise.

    "Killing humans is a really unlucrative business," Sunny said with regret and glanced in the direction of the throne room, where the terrible battle still raged on.

    Several hundred humans driven insane by fury and bloodlust could create a lot of destruction in a very short amount of time. Several hundred powerful Sleepers, each in possession of an Aspect Ability, were so much worse. Add the Echoes in the mix, and Sunny shuddered to imagine what was going on back in the great hall right now.

    The number of lives being extinguished every second up there must have been immense. The members of the Host, the followers of Changing Star, and everyone unlucky enough to exist on the Forgotten Shore today were dying by the score. Blood was flowing like a river in the halls of the Bright Castle�� just like Cassie had predicted all those months ago.

    Just like Sunny had feared it would.

    What was Nephis thinking?

    Her ambition had never been to become the ruler of the Dark City. Wrestling the control over the ancient castle from Gunlaug had always been just a means to an end. Her true goal had always been in the Crimson Spire.

    ��Where the Terror of the Forgotten Shore dwelt.

    From that point of view, this massacre was such a waste. Of potential soldiers, of countless Memories, of every other potential resource she was going to need to reach the Gateway.

    But then, was it really?

    After all, the rest of humanity was not bound by the strangeness of the divine Aspect Sunny possessed. When one Awakened killed another, they received a vast portion of the soul essence their enemy had accumulated. A lot of it simply disappeared, but what remained was more than enough.

    The Crimson Spire was not a place one could conquer with cannon fodder. So really, Nephis did not need a thousand weak humans. What she really needed was a few hundred powerful, battle-tested fighters.

    What was happening in the Bright Castle right now was not a waste.

    It was consolidation.

    Sunny sighed and rose to his feet, summoning the Midnight Shard from the darkness of his soul.

    It was time to rejoin the battle.

    ***

    In the end, almost two hundred people perished on that day. Despite all that death, the battle ended in a bitter draw.

    And the main reason for this were only three people: Nephis, Tessai, and Gemma.

    No matter how powerful and skilled the rest of the Sleepers participating in the battle were, no one stood a chance in a fight against either one of these three. Not even Caster, who by then many had believed to be one of the strongest fighters in all of Dark City due to his incredible skill, powerful Aspect, and noble background.

    When the proud Legacy clashed against the leader of the Hunters, his enchanted jian quickly found its way into Gemma's heart. However, to everyone's horror, the tall man did not even blink after receiving the mortal wound. And just a few short moments later, it magically closed, not leaving even a scar behind.

    No matter how many times Caster had cut or pierced the body of the fearsome Hunter, Gemma's flesh simply restored itself. It was as though the proud Legacy was cutting water.

    Gemma's Aspect Ability made him nearly immortal, while his incredible skill, cunning, and might made him a herald of death.

    Tessai was equally as formidable. His powerful Aspect Ability was tied to cold and ice. It allowed him to both make his skin hard as stone and debilitate his enemies, turning their movements slow and stiff. What was worse, it countered Neph's flames to a large degree.

    Eventually, when the death toll became too large, all three gave their followers a command to retreat.

    By the end of the day, the new Lord of the Bright Castle was still not decided. The castle itself became divided between three warring factions, led by the three contenders to the throne.

    The largest and strongest faction, one with the most fighters and most Memories to arm them, was formed by the alliance between Tessai and the leader of Handmaidens, Seishan. Together, the Guards and the Handmaidens became a force that the other two factions could not challenge openly. They held the northern and western parts of the Castle, where most of the strategic and easily defendable areas of it were situated.

    The second faction was led by Gemma and Kido, the chief Artisan. While the two of them had fewer fighters than both other factions, each of these fighters was worth a dozen. They were the Hunters, the most experienced and formidable Sleepers in all of the Dark City. Although the territory this faction held was not large, it was of utmost importance, since they controlled the only reliable source of food and water in the Bright Castle.

    The last faction belonged to Nephis alone. She controlled the southern part of the Castle, where its main gate was situated, as well as the outer settlement, to where many of the previous inhabitants of the ancient citadel had fled in hope of finding shelter.

    However, they quickly realized that there was no more safety anywhere in the Dark City.

    With Gunlaug gone, all order disappeared. No one went on hunts to bring back food, no one manned the walls to drive the Nightmare Creatures away, no one was there to stop the crime and violence that blossomed in darkness off anarchy.

    And things weren't going to change until a new Lord usurped the white throne.

    The bloody struggle for the crown had begun.

 Chapter 302 Status Quo

    Chapter 302 Status Quo

    In the next couple of weeks, the Bright Castle had become a strange place.

    Inside its magnificent halls, barricades were built and three makeshift fortresses appeared, each faction holding a specific territory. Beyond these protected areas, there was no man's land. Going outside of a faction's stronghold was often tantamount to death.

    No one knew what they would encounter there. Corpses littered the floor, with an occasional marauder hiding in the darkness. With no more law, tyrannical as it had been, many people gave in to their darkest impulses. But these wretches were the least of the dangers that now populated the Castle.

    A much worse fate was to stumble onto a patrol or a war party of another faction. The Guards especially were quick to slaughter anyone they met, sometimes in gruesome and inventive ways. The Hunters and the followers of Changing Star were equally as ruthless, but at least not without reason or provocation.

    But the most terrifying change was that now, humans weren't the only ones populating the ancient citadel anymore.

    After Gunlaug's death, too many people were killed, and the rest were too busy with their little war to keep defending the Castle. And just like that, after so many years, the Nightmare Creatures had returned under its roof.

    Some were killed by the representatives of the factions, but some managed to hide themselves and create nests somewhere in the depths of the stronghold. No one knew how many there were, but the terror kept people awake at night.

    There were also a lot of rumors going around, one more frightening than the other. The most persistent of them told of a horrible creature called Blood Lord, which apparently stalked the corridors of the Bright Castle and killed humans, tearing their throats open with sharp fangs and consuming all of their blood. Some even thought that it was Gunalug himself, who returned from the grave to bring vengeance to his killers.

    Sunny was doubtful of these rumors up until the moment when he had found a bloodless corpse of a young Guard on one of his patrols. For a moment, he felt fear creep into his heart. He knew what the Blood Flowers were, after all. But then he calmed himself down, remembering that the Bright Lord's body had been destroyed during the massacre that followed his death.

    If the corpse of Gunlaug wasn't walking around drinking people's blood, though�� then what was?

    There were a lot of disturbing things happening in the Castle these days.

    Apart from the frequent but minor skirmishes between the factions, people kept dying in all manner of morbid ways. He didn't even want to think about it. There was no safe place anywhere now, except for maybe the three strongholds.

    The outer settlement had been completely abandoned. At first, Nephis had tried to create a safe haven there for those who did not wish to participate in the war, but she was quickly taught a bloody lesson by her enemies �� spreading her forces too thin was simply an invitation for an attack. After that, all of her followers, willing or unwilling, had relocated to the southern part of the Castle and joined the ranks of her fighting force.

    And yet, even two weeks later, nothing had changed. The three factions continued their bloody struggle, unable to break the status quo.

    Soon, something had to change.

    ***

    One evening, Sunny was sitting on a crate in one of the halls of Changing Star's stronghold. In his hand was a bowl with a measly ration, which he nevertheless was eating with a lot of enthusiasm.

    A few meters away from him, a couple of Neph's followers were doing the same while having a conversation. Out of boredom, he listened to their voices as he ate.

    "Have you heard? They found another dead Guard near the throne room. The Blood Lord got him."

    "Good riddance. That thing really creeps me out, though."

    "Yeah. Scary. But�� do you know what I'm really afraid of?"

    The slum dweller looked at his partner, who had been paying a tribute to live in the castle just a few weeks ago, and raised an eyebrow.

    "What?"

    "Harus. That creepy bastard. Where is he now? Damn, if I were able to dream, I sure I would be having nightmares about that butcher every night."

    "...Wait. You didn't hear?"

    "What?"

    "He's dead."

    The tributary opened his eyes wide, while Sunny turned away and tried to suppress a smile.

    "No way!"

    "Yeah. They found his body after the big battle in a hidden passage behind the throne. Someone had�� had beaten him to death. With bare fists. That's what I heard."

    For a few seconds, there was silence. Then, one of them said:

    "What kind of human could kill that monster? With bare hands?"

    The slum dweller shivered.

    "That's the thing. No one knows. All of the powerhouses were accounted for. You saw it yourself, they were all fighting in the throne room."

    "...Crap. Now I am even more scared. Harus was dreadful enough, but to think that there's a person in this Castle who is powerful enough to kill him so easily�� while remaining completely unnoticed and unknown, for all this time�� damn, that's terrifying."

    The slum dweller gave him a nod and turned to Sunny:

    "Hey�� Sunny, right? You're Lady Nephis's scout? Who do you think could kill Harus?"

    Sunny thought for a moment and then said honestly:

    "Well�� apart from yours truly, who is a true terror on the battlefield and possibly one of the deadliest Sleepers to ever exist in the world�� uh�� I think Cassie could."

    The young man stared at him with disapproval and then shook his head.

    "Not cool, man. Boasting is fine, I guess, but mocking Lady Cassia was really low of you."

    Sunny blinked. When did he mock Cassie? Considering the Aspect Ability that Harus had possessed, she was really the next best person to fight the hunchback after Sunny himself. She was already blind and adapted to fighting in that state as best as she could. With the help of her Echoes, Cassie stood a good chance of surviving that battle.

    With an apologetic smile, he shrugged and said:

    "Sorry, I just chose my words badly. In any case, I'm off."

    With that, he jumped off the crate and headed toward the barricade that served as the border of the faction's stronghold.

    The slum dweller raised his eyebrows.

    "Where are you going? The night is approaching!"

    Sunny grinned.

    "Hunting for a big one. Ah, don't worry. I lived in the Dark City for three months, remember? Nothing is going to happen to me today��"

 Chapter 303 Helpful Shadow

    Chapter 303 Helpful Shadow

    The slum dweller pressed his finger against his lips and hissed in exasperation:

    "Take that back! Are you crazy?"

    Sunny blinked.

    "What? No. Well, I was crazy for a while. But now I am not."

    The young man looked at him with doubt and shook his head:

    "Still, don't jinx yourself. Do you at least have a Memory to keep you safe?"

    The question of arming themselves was a big problem for Neph's followers. More than half of them didn't have a Memory armor or a weapon, having to make do with mundane armaments fashioned out of anything that was at hand. It was one of the reasons why fighting against the Guards and the Hunters was so hard for them.

    The other guy, the one who used to pay tribute, sighed and call out to his friend:

    "Have you lost your mind? You are talking to a member of Lady Nephis's personal cohort. Of course he has Memories."

    With that, both of them looked down on their own makeshift swords.

    These two were among those who wielded Black Claws, blades made out of the talons of the Spire Messenger Sunny and the rest had killed. Their bases were wrapped with leather, allowing a person to use the long curved talon as a weapon.

    Considering that these talons came from a Fallen Monster, as far as weapons went, they were some of the best. Wielding them efficiently was not an easy task, though.

    The slum dweller grimaced.

    "Right. Damn! I am proud to wield one of the Black Claws, don't get me wrong. But if each of us had a proper set of Memories�� those bastards wouldn't be picking us off one by one anymore, that's for sure."

    Sunny looked at him with a complicated expression. Then, he smiled.

    "A good Memory can change a lot, that's true."

    As soon as he turned around, the smile disappeared from his face.

    '...It's not going to save your lives, though. All of you are just walking corpses.'

    With that, he left the two Sleepers behind, climbed over the barricade, and left.

    Nevertheless, they were right. The lack of Memories was a big problem.

    ��Sunny walked through the shadows, moving deeper and deeper into the belly of the ancient citadel. The Bright Castle was enormous in size and had countless twisting corridors. Some were comparatively easy to navigate, while some followed no apparent logic. There were tall towers connected by aerial bridges and deep dungeons full of darkness and danger.

    There were humans with murder in their hearts prowling these corridors, as well as much more terrifying things. Disturbing sounds sometimes echoed through the stone halls, making Sunny stop and frown.

    A couple of times, he decided to hide to avoid being noticed by the patrols of the Guards or the Hunters. Following in their wake, he stumbled on a few fresh bodies and regretted not killing those bastards when he had the chance.

    Half an hour later, Sunny was somewhere under the main keep of the Castle, moving through a dark corridor with careful steps. It was then then that he heard the sounds of a struggle coming from beyond the next turn.

    '...Ugh, what a bother.'

    Hesitating for a bit, he made the turn and witnessed a scene that was typical in the ancient citadel these days.

    One human was trying to kill another.

    In this case, it was a burly Guard that seemed vaguely familiar. The large man was pressing someone small and skinny to the wall, strangling them with gauntleted hands. A broken oil lantern was burning on the floor, making the shadows of the two struggling people seem large and menacing.

    The Guard's face had four deep scratches on it, which were oozing blood. It was contorted in an expression of rage and dark delight. The face of his victim, meanwhile, was slowly turning blue.

    It was a petite young woman with dark hair and brown eyes, which were currently full of pain and despair.

    Just a few moments before she lost consciousness, though, a hand appeared from the darkness and slid a strange transparent dagger across the Guard's throat. Hot blood shot into the air, and he fell to the ground with a horrified, gurgling sound.

    The young woman staggered and drew in a hoarse breath, rubbing her bruised neck. A few moments later, she looked up and cautiously studied her savior.

    It was a very pale, slender young man with a youthful face and dark, strangely magnetic eyes. Currently, he was wiping his dagger on the sleeve of his armor and staring at the dying Guard with an indifferent expression.

    In fact, he was disturbingly nonchalant, not at all like someone who had just killed another human being. There was neither disgust and fear nor delight and triumph on his face, just�� nothing at all.

    It was the face of a cold-blooded killer.

    Turning to her, the young man smiled:

    "Uh�� you're Aiko, right?"

    Sunny looked the young woman over, making sure that she wasn't seriously wounded. He knew her a bit from his days in the Castle. Back then, she had been one of the few people who were able to pay tribute without worrying about making enough shards to do so the next week.

    She owned the only gambling den in the Dark City, which automatically made her establishment popular among the members of the Host. But it was also the reason why many of them harbored resentment toward the tiny girl.

    Aiko cautiously nodded. Usually, there were mischievous sparks in her eyes, but right now, there was nothing but subdued fear. Sunny dismissed the Moonlight Shard and said in a friendly tone:

    "Nice to meet you. I'm Sunny."

    The young woman stared at him for a bit, and then said:

    "You're one of Changing Star's men, right?"

    He grimaced.

    "I'm no one's man. I'm completely my own. But yes, currently, Nephis is my�� employer, I guess."

    Aiko hesitated and said in a polite and pleasant voice:

    "I see�� well, Sunny. Thank you for saving my skin. I'll be going then."

    Sunny grinned.

    "Oh, I'm sorry�� did I say that you can go? I think not. In fact, I must insist that you stay."

    Aiko glanced at the corpse of the Guard, then back at the pale young man. Did she imagine it or were there slight hints of madness in his eyes now?

    "Ah, why didn't you say so! If you want me to stay, then I will definitely stay. It will be my pleasure, really. But, uh, Sunny�� why exactly did you want me to stay?"

    He scratched the back of his head and answered after a bit of a pause:

    "Oh, I'm glad that you asked. You see, I am trying to hunt down a big one. And I thought that you would be able to help��"

 Chapter 304 Hunting for a Big One

    Chapter 304 Hunting for a Big One

    Sunny stared at Aiko, secretly delighted that he didn't have to look up for a change. The young woman's eyes darted into the depths of the corridor, clearly evaluating how good her chances of running away were.

    ...They weren't.

    In the end, she sighed and turned to Sunny with a deep frown. For some reason, such a serious expression looked a bit comical on her petite face.

    "Sunny, was it? Listen, buddy�� uh�� boss. I am really thankful to you for helping me out, but honestly, do I look like a hunter? How am I supposed to help you hunt? Maybe go ask one of your strong manly friends��"

    Then, her eyes widened.

    "You're not planning on using me as bait, are you?"

    Sunny chuckled.

    "No, no. Nothing like that. It's just that for this particular hunt, you are the only one who can help. By the way, I didn't just stumble on you by chance. I was watching you for a long time, actually."

    She paled a little.

    "Ah, I see. Well�� to each their own, I guess. But still, I am no warrior. I really think that I won't be able to help you out this time, sadly��"

    Sunny shook his head.

    "Relax, Aiko. You see, the big one I'm hunting�� is a friend of yours. Big, fat bastard named Stev. He's the one I'm after. And I know for a fact that you know where he is hiding. Because you're the one hiding him. So��"

    An expression of utter surprise appeared on Aiko's face. With sincere confusion, she asked:

    "Wait, what? Stev? The Memory Market guy? Why the Spell would I know where he is?!"

    She blinked a couple of times, then said in a hesitant tone:

    "Are you sure you're not confusing me with someone, Sunny?"

    He sighed and lingered for a few moments, then rolled his eyes.

    "Alright. I don't really want to waste time here, so we'll do it the quick way. Look there."

    He pointed to his shadow. Aiko lowered her eyes, which then widened when the shadow suddenly turned its head and waved to her.

    "What the��"

    Sunny crossed his arms and said:

    "This here is my shadow. It's an invaluable helper. Among other things, it can walk around on its own and report back to me the things it saw. Guess what it saw yesterday?"

    Aiko paled, staring at the shadow with wide eyes.

    The shadow stared back at her, full of disdain.

    "So�� let's not pretend that you don't know where Stev is. Just take me to him."

    The young woman glanced at him and gritted her teeth. Then, she asked with dark resolve in her eyes:

    "What do you want from him?"

    Sunny raised his eyebrows.

    "What do I want? That guy is walking around with a hundred Memories in his soul core. Guess."

    Aiko clenched her tiny fists.

    "He's my friend. I'm not going to��"

    Sunny waved her hand and interrupted her.

    "Oh, don't be so dramatic. I'm not going to do anything bad to him. If I wanted to, I would have killed you already. My shadow saw where you were going already, remember?"

    In fact, Sunny was bluffing. While he was almost sure that Aiko was hiding Stev because of how much food she was stealing every couple of days �� too much for such a tiny girl to eat on her own �� he had no idea where her hideout was.

    That was because it was situated somewhere past the Guard's territory, and Sunny had avoided sending his shadow anywhere near where Seishan was.

    A stunned expression appeared on her face. After a while, Aiko asked:

    "You really are not going to hurt us?"

    Sunny offered her his most friendly, honest smile.

    For some reason, the petite girl shuddered.

    "I am not, you can trust me. I am the most honest man in the world, after all. Two worlds, even��"

    ***

    A few hours later, three figures were sneaking through the corridors of the Bright Castle. One was a pale young man in dark leather armor, the second was a petite girl with mischievous eyes, and the third was a giant of a man with a vast round belly.

    Because of him, all their attempts of being stealthy were rendered practically useless.

    Nearing another corner, Sunny sighed and gave the other two a signal to stop.

    "The Guards are patrolling ahead. We'll have to wait for a bit."

    Stev and Aiko glanced at each other and shrugged. Because of their difference in size, the two looked nothing short of comical together. Shaking his head, Sunny summoned the Endless Spring and took a few sips of water, then offered the beautiful glass bottle to them.

    "Why were you hiding from everyone anyway, Stev?"

    The ample giant looked at him with a sullen expression, then said in a depressed tone:

    "Why else? As soon as this mess started, I knew that people would be coming for me to get the Memories."

    Sunny frowned.

    "The Memory Market belonged to the Host, so why didn't you just go to either Tessai or Gemma?"

    Stev grimaced.

    "I know Tessai too well to go anywhere near him with Lord Gunlaug gone. As for Gemma �� we're on friendly terms, actually. But that girl, Kido�� uh, let's just say that I called her a few names in the past. Over a, uh�� business dispute, one might say. Who knew she'll go and become one of the lieutenants? Anyway, I was afraid for my safety because she and Gemma are, you know��"

    Sunny raised an eyebrow, then asked in an curious tone:

    "Then what about Nephis?"

    Aiko gave him a complicated look.

    "We heard that her people don't treat us Castle folk well. And Stev was even officially under the Host, so�� we sort of had nowhere to go."

    Sunny frowned. There was indeed a measure of internal strife in Neph's faction, with some outer settlement people being against anyone from the Castle joining them. Changing Star and the members of her cohort tried to prevent anything too nasty from happening, but they couldn't be everywhere at once.

    "There are a few troublemakers, true. But you'll be fine. Just say that you're with me."

    He thought for a couple of moments, and then corrected himself:

    "Actually, don't say that. Most of them barely know who I am. Say that you're with Night. And if Night asks why are you going around telling people that you're with him, then tell him that you're with me."

    The two of them suddenly looked at him.

    "My buddy Kai is alive? That's wonderful news!" Stev said with a wide smile.

    On Aiko's face, a dreamy expression appeared.

    "Why haven't you told me that you knew Night from the start? That would have made things so much easier!"

    Sunny stared at them and shook his head.

    "Pick up your drool, will you?"

    Why had he even spent a whole hour trying to convince Stev to return with him? He could have just taken Kai with him, and the damn bastard would just say yes after one smile from the beautiful archer.

    'So unfair...'

    Then, he suddenly turned his head and froze.

    Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. The Guards that were supposed to walk past his shadow a whole minute ago�� never appeared.

 Chapter 305 Trail of Blood

    Chapter 305 Trail of Blood

    Raising his hand, Sunny gave Aiko and Stev a signal to remain quiet. Then, with a frown, he commanded the shadow to abandon its hiding spot and find the Guards.

    'They can't be near us�� I would have heard them.'

    Then where did the bastards go?

    Soon, he had his answer.

    The three Guards were in the corridor a hundred or so steps from Sunny's current position, just behind a corner. In a place where they shouldn't have been, since it was way off their previous route.

    They were also dead.

    Two had their skulls smashed in. Sunny did not know what weapon, tool, or limb was used to kill them, because their Memory armors had already disappeared. It had to have been something capable of piercing through steel, though, because the Guards had been wearing helmets the last time he saw them.

    The third was even worse. His throat was torn, seemingly with terribly sharp fangs�� to such degree that the young man's head was almost separated from his body. One would expect a sea of blood to come out of such a terrible wound, but in fact, there was surprisingly little of it on the floor.

    However, the corpse of the Guard was unnaturally pale, as if devoid of blood completely.

    'Curses��'

    Sunny felt a cold shiver run through his body.

    The shadow cautiously looked around, but didn't notice anyone else present on the scene of the gruesome slaughter.

    Aiko and Stev were staring at Sunny with alarmed expressions. After waiting for several minutes, he finally relaxed a little and motioned for them to follow.

    "What happened?"

    He hesitated for a few seconds, then said in an even tone:

    "The Blood Lord has just been here."

    Their eyes widened.

    "That fiend?! Then why aren't we running?!"

    Sunny glanced at them with a calm expression.

    "Don't worry, it's already gone."

    Inside, however, he was anything but calm.

    A creature capable of killing three Guards was not necesarrily something he would be scared of. One that managed to get past his shadow and slaughter them just a hundred steps away without making enough noise to attract his attention�� that, on the other hand, was a reason for concern.

    'Just what kind of an abomination is it?'

    Sadly, the three of them had to pass the place where the Guards had been killed to reach their destionation. Soon, the smell of blood hit their nostrils, making Aiko and Stev turn pale.

    The bodies of the Guards looked even more gruesome in person. Sunny frowned slightly, while Aiko and Stev had to struggle to keep the contents of their stomachs inside.

    "Gods�� poor bastards��"

    Sunny did not say anything, looking around with a dark expression. He was hoping to notice something that his shadow had missed to give him a clue of what type of Nightmare Creature the Blood Lord was, exactly.

    But there were no signs that anyone except for the three Guards had been in this corridor in a long time.

    "Hey, Sunny? Can we please leave? This crap doesn't seem to bother you, but I�� I mean, Stev seems to be really scared. Just imagine what is going to happen if he faints and falls. The whole Castle will hear, probably��"

    Sunny hesitated for a little, then nodded.

    Just before they left, however, he suddenly noticed something glint in the pool of blood. The shadow had not noticed it earlier because there was nothing to shine on the small object and make it reflect the light back.

    Crouching, he reached out with his hand and picked up the bloodied piece of metal, then brought it close to his eyes to take a closer look.

    Pressed between his fingers was an intricate silver earring in the shape of a flower blossom. It wasn't a charm Memory, though�� just a simple piece of jewelry.

    'What is that thing doing here?'

    With a confused scowl, he lingered for a few moments and then stood up, turning away from the mangled corpses.

    "Let's get out of here��"

    ***

    Soon, they returned to the barricades creating the border of Changing Star's territory. The Sleepers standing watch were surprised to see Sunny come back with two strangers, but let them in without asking any questions.

    Aiko raised an eyebrow.

    "Aren't you guys going to inspect us? What if we're spies?"

    The watchmen glanced at each other, and then one of them said:

    "Usually, we would. But it's Sunny."

    The petite young woman smiled.

    "Oh! Is he in very high regard around here?"

    The watchman gave a strange look, then coughed with a bit of embarrassment.

    "Uh�� it's not that. It's just that starting a conversation with him is, uh�� well, you know. A headache."

    Sunny stared at him with an offended expression.

    "What's that supposed to mean?"

    The watchman hurriedly shook his head.

    "No, no. Nothing. Uh, I need to inspect the barricade. If you'll excuse me��"

    With that, he made a hasty retreat.

    'Did I scam him out of his boots or something?'

    Shaking his head in bewilderment, Sunny turned away and led the two newcomers deeper into the stronghold, searching for Nephis.

    She was alone in a spacious room. Changing Star sat on the floor, wrapping herself in her white cloak, and stared at the wall with a distant expression.

    These days, Neph was a bit strange. She had always been aloof and hard to read, but now, her usually indifferent face had become completely motionless. Her grey eyes had always been calm, but now, they seemed to be especially cold. Almost�� empty.

    Sunny had no idea what was going on with her.

    'Maybe she hasn't recovered from using her Aspect Ability to its full extent, still��'

    Clearing his throat to attract her attention, Sunny gestured to the giant man and the tiny girl he brought.

    "Hey, Neph. I've recruited these guys."

    She tilted her head a little and didn't say anything.

    Sunny smiled.

    "You must remember Aiko. She was the one on whose behalf you had challenged that Pathfinder, Andel. And cut his head off."

    Then, he glanced at Aiko and narrowed his eyes.

    The petite girl hurriedly said:

    "Oh, yes! Thank you, Lady Changing Star. That guy was�� uh... a real menace."

    Nephis slowly nodded and said evenly:

    "...You're welcome."

    Then, she looked at Stev.

    "...And you are?"

    A wide grin appeared on Sunny's face.

    "Oh. This is Stev. Stev is a very special guy. You see�� he has a hundred battle-ready Memories stored in his soul core."

    With that, Sunny patted Stev on the shoulder and said:

    "...Basically, he's going to solve our weapons problem."

 Chapter 306 Final Confrontation

    Chapter 306 Final Confrontation

    With all of Memory Market suddenly falling into the hands of Changing Star's faction, the skirmishes happening in the halls of the Bright Castle became even more frequent and brutal. People kept killing each other, slowly painting the who citadel red.

    And yet, it was still not enough for a winner to emerge.

    Nephis was always on the frontlines, leading her people and slaying countless enemies with her silver blade, as if alien to the very concept of mercy. Wherever she appeared, blood flowed like a river. She had even clashed against Tessai personally, but their fearsome battle ended in a draw.

    Now that more than two weeks had passed after Gunlaug's death and the decimation of the previous order, humans were starting to suffer from the lack of food. There were more and more Nightmare Creatures finding their way into the Castle, too. The situation was slowly turning into an irreversible crisis.

    In fact, it already had.

    The civil war raged on, reaping human lives one after another. But it was also forging those who remained alive into much more fearsome, powerful, and hardened fighters.

    And then, suddenly, the status quo was finally decimated, announcing to everyone left alive in the Bright Castle that the end was drawing close.

    The new Lord was about to take his crown. And it was not going to be the most noble or formidable of the candidates.

    It was going to be the most vicious.

    The news arrived in the stronghold of the Changing Star's faction at the darkest hour of the night. The scouts sent into the depths of the Castle returned one after another, bringing with them shocking news.

    The Castle Guard had secretly launched an all-out assault on the stronghold held jointly by Gemma and Kido. The Hunters were defeated, losing many of their numbers in the battle. Left without their protection, almost every Artisan had been captured by the Guards, while Kido herself had been killed by Tessai with his own two hands. After her death, Gemma and his surviving warriors had to flee.

    After the scouts made their report, a heavy silence settled over the stronghold. Everyone understood what was going to happen next.

    The faction formed by the alliance of the Guards and the Handmaidens had already been the most powerful of the three. Now that all the Artisans were in their hands and most of the Castle was under their control��

    They would be coming for Changing Star and her people next.

    In that silence, Nephis looked around, at the pale faces of her followers, and said after a long and poignant pause:

    "...Stay strong. We will prevail."

    However, for the first time, her words did not seem to convince them.

    After a long and sleepless night, an unexpected visitor arrived in the stronghold.

    It was Gemma, the mighty leader of the Hunters.

    The tall man looked very different from how he had before. His laidback attitude was gone, replaced with dark exhaustion. His face was grim and ashen, and his light armor was torn and covered with blood.

    He wished to speak with Changing Star.

    After she arrived in front of him, Gemma offered her the services of his remaining men in the struggle against Tessai.

    She tilted her head and asked, her voice emotionless:

    "What about your ambitions? Didn't you want to become the next Lord?"

    Gemma was silent for a long time, the fire extinguished in his eyes. Finally, he said:

    "I never wanted to be a Lord. It was Kido's wish. Now that that damn butcher�� now that she's dead, I don't care about the throne anymore."

    He paused, a mournful shadow veiling his eyes. But then, embers of scathing hatred ignited in its depths. Gemma gritted his teeth.

    "All I care about is to see Tessai die. If you can promise me that you'll defeat him, I and my Hunters will follow you to the end."

    Nephis was silent for a while, considering his words. Finally, she turned away and answered:

    "Signal for you men to come. We have some food to share, so eat your fill. Prepare for tomorrow."

    With that, she walked away.

    Gemma stared at her back and yelled:

    "What happens tomorrow?!"

    Changing Star paused for a moment, then answered without turning her head:

    "...Tomorrow, I will kill Tessai."

    ***

    The next day, there were no scouts and no patrols sent out in the morning. Instead, everyone armed themselves, gathered together, and marched to the throne room.

    Nephis was walking at the head of her army, clad in the stark black and white armor of the Starlight Legion.

    On her breastplate, seven shining stars were engraved.

    The great hall was just as they had left it three weeks ago. During that time, members of all three factions had gathered the bodies of their dead to give them proper burials, but the white marble floor was still painted red with blood.

    Tessai and his people were already waiting for them there.

    The morose giant was sitting on the throne, looking down from its height. In his hands, there was a terrifying heavy mace, still wet from the slaughter.

    Sunny grimaced, noticing the difference between the two armies.

    Despite all their losses, there were still almost a hundred Guards left alive. Not only were they better equipped and trained than the slum dwellers, but now they also had the captured Artisans on their side, supplying them with all kinds of tools, gear, and deadly inventions.

    The Artisans themselves were beside them, some of them bound and chained, some simply intimidated into submission. Their faces were pale, frightened, and bloodied. From their position in front of the Guards, it seemed as though Tessai was planning to use these poor people as a meat shield against Changing Star's assault.

    The Handmaidens were also there, standing silently behind the guards. These quiet young women used to maintain the Castle and complete various chores around it, but they were capable fighters as well. Since they had not participated in the furious battle that had happened after Gunlaug's death, their number did not diminish by much. There were around a hundred of them, too.

    Their leader, Seishan, was also there, at the base of the stairs that led to the throne. Looking at her, Sunny felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

    He couldn't explain it, but this beautiful and strange woman made him feel fear for some reason.

    At a first glance, Nephis had more people on her side. There were slightly more than three hundred of them, comprised mostly of the surviving slum dwellers, with several dozen tributaries and a dozen or so Hunters added into the mix.

    ��But really, only about a half of them was worth anything in the fight against the battle-hardened Guards.

    Altogether, these were all the humans left alive in the Dark City. Just shy of six hundred.

    Everyone else was already dead.

    And how many more were going to die today?

 Chapter 307 Throne of Light

    Chapter 307 Throne of Light

    Two forces stood against each other, the desecrated expanse of the great hall separating them�� for now. The tense silence was full of bloodlust and dark apprehension.

    Sunny slowly made his way to the first row of the crowd, staring at the opposing mass of armored warriors with a complicated expression. From his point of view, followers of Changing Star had little chance of winning this battle.

    They simply had no advantage against the Castle Guard �� with the exception of the fact that there were more bodies they could throw at the sharp blades of the enemy. Even if everyone here was mundane human, that would not have helped them prevail against a better-armed and trained force.

    The fact that every single human in the throne room was a Sleeper only made things worse. The potential difference in power between two Awakened was much more vast than that between two mundane fighters.

    And yet, he didn't think that Nephis was going to lose �� for that same reason.

    The Guards might have been better equipped and more experienced than the slum dwellers, but they didn't have Changing Star on their side. They didn't have Effie, Caster, and Gemma. They didn't have Sunny.

    They only had two truly fearsome champions: Seishan and Tessai himself.

    At the end of the day, the outcome of this battle was going to be decided by those few who stood out from the sea of Sleepers, impressive as everyone still surviving in the Dark City might have been, like tall and unassailable cliffs. Among the Awakened, individual power was so much more important. And in terms of exceptional individuals, the Changing Star's side was far superior.

    So yes, Sunny felt confident that Nephis was going to win.

    But at what cost?

    Out here on the Forgotten Shore, people had nowhere to retreat. So this battle was going to end only after one side was totally annihilated. And the closer to utter annihilation a faction would come, the more desperately its members would fight�� like rats driven into a corner. When that happened, the bloodshed would only grow more terrible.

    Was it only going to stop when just a handful of the strongest and most resilient was left alive?

    As if reading his thoughts, Tessai suddenly chuckled and looked at the crowd of people gathered in the throne room with a bloodthirsty smile.

    'Is�� is that bastard actually looking forward to the slaughter?'

    The morose giant then looked directly at Nephis and grinned:

    "Changing Star. Ah, we meet again. But�� wait. Who is that beside you? Is that Gemma, my old friend? What a pleasant surprise! How considerate of you, to bring him here. Now I won't have to search the whole Castle for that filthy cockroach��"

    With that, he slowly rose from the throne, put his terrifying mace on his shoulder, and descended from the stairs, dark fires igniting in his eyes.

    "Have you come here to die, Changing Star?"

    Nephis tilted her head and looked at Tessai with empty eyes.

    "...No. I came here to kill you."

    The giant laughed. Stepping on the marble floor, he stopped beside Seishan and bared his teeth in a vicious grin.

    The two of them looked truly fearsome together. The morose giant was like an incarnation of destruction and violence. His skin had turned slightly blue because of the invisible icy barrier that encased it. The air in the throne room suddenly became colder, with tiny snowflakes dancing in the beams of light.

    The mysterious leader of the Handmaidens was reserved and elegant, but no less frightening.

    Seishan was exquisitely beautiful, cold, and inexorable. She was wearing a simple, but strangely regal dress, its velvet the color of red wine. There was an intricate silver necklace resting on her chest that accentuated her supple figure, and two bracelets on her wrists.

    Her most striking feature, however, was not her grace and not her beauty, but her skin. It was grey like stormy clouds, smooth like silk, and devoid of any imperfections.

    Just like Nephis, Sieshan was one of those people whose appearance had been changed by their Aspect. But in her case, that change was far more pronounced. It gave her an exotic and tantalizing, but outwardly inhuman look.

    Seishan's beauty was of the kind that put both longing and fear in a person's heart.

    When Tessai approached, she silently summoned her weapon and stared coldly at the crowd of slum dwellers. Many of them shivered and hurriedly looked away.

    A few moments later, a graceful war hammer appeared in her hand, one side of its head forged in the shape of a narrow beak.

    The morose giant laughed.

    "Kill me? Haven't you tried already? If memory serves, the last time we fought, you ran away like a cowardly dog. What makes you think that today is going to be different, bitch?"

    Nephis raised her chin slightly and met his mocking gaze with silence.

    Tessai shook his head.

    "That look. I dreamed about wiping that arrogant look off your pretty face for a long time. Today, I am going to teach you how to beg, girl. So, what do you say? How about we finish this mess once and for all?"

    The Guards standing behind him laughed and readied their weapons, looking at the slum dwellers opposing them with contempt and dark anticipation. Followers of Changing Star gritted their teeth, closing their ranks and preparing to charge.

    The bloodshed was about to begin.

    Nephis summoned her silver sword and answered Tessai, her voice cold and indifferent:

    "...Let's."

    For a moment, time slowed.

    With a bestial smile, the giant stepped forward. He opened his mouth, ready to give his soldiers the command to attack.

    A step behind, Seishan silently moved to follow him��

    ��And brought the beak of her war hammer on the back of Tessai's head, shattering his skull with one devastating strike.

    At the same time, the Handmaidens who were standing behind the Guards attacked the unsuspecting men with long knives that appeared out of their sleeves. These knives were not Memories, and as such, did not take any time to weave themselves into reality or shine with ethereal light while doing so. Instead, they were fashioned out of steel, bone, and black obsidian.

    Just a moment later, the blades plunged into the flesh of the Guards, ruthlessly slaughtering them. The Handmaidens were aiming for their throats, hearts, and eyes. Blood streamed on the marble floors once again, and screams of terrified agony filled the air.

    By the time Tessai's soldiers realized what was happening, it was already too late. They had no chance to resist the treacherous attack.

    A dozen seconds later, everything was over. A hundred powerful fighters were mercilessly eviscerated without even having a chance to raise their weapons. Their corpses lay on the floor, a look of horror and disbelief forever frozen on their faces.

    ��Only Tessai was still alive.

    Despite the fact that his skull was broken, the giant was still struggling to stand up, fury contorting the lines of his face. His disoriented attempts, however, were growing weaker with each second.

    A confused, pained roar escaped from his lips.

    As hundreds of Sleepers stared in shock and horror, Nephis slowly walked across the great hall and stopped near him.

    Seishan, who was standing behind the giant, gave her a respectful bow.

    "Lady Changing Star."

    Sunny stared at her war hammer, which was wet with blood and bone matter, with splinters of bone sticking to its metal surface. An expression of recognition suddenly appeared on his face.

    "The hammer�� the mason's hammer��"

    Held in Seishan's graceful hand was the sixth Shard Memory. One that belonged to the walking colossus, the statue of the Builder who had created the walls of the Dark City.

    The Sunlight Shard.

    Nephis gave the beautiful woman a court nod.

    "Good job."

    Finally, the identity of the spy who had been helping her from within the Castle was revealed.

    Then, she turned to the dying giant and stared at him. Neph's face was still and motionless, with no emotion appearing in her cold grey eyes. After a few moments, she said evenly:

    "I promised to kill you."

    With that, she raised her sword and pierced Tessai's heart with one swift, precise strike. The giant man shuddered, and then grew still.

    Retrieving her sword, Nephis closed her eyes and used it to support her weight for a few moments. A slight tremor ran through her body.

    The war for the throne was over.

    The Bright Castle had finally found its new Lady.

 Chapter 308 Handmaiden

    Chapter 308 Handmaiden

    In the aftermath of the Castle Guard's annihilation, the core members of the cohort gathered in a small room that was situated not far away from the great hall. From there, they could hear the bodies of the slain Guards being stripped of anything valuable and then dragged away to be disposed of... lest they attract the hordes of hungry Nightmare Creatures.

    Just like that, the former most powerful faction of the Bright Castle was no more.

    Judging by the expressions on everyone's faces, no one had been aware of the secret alliance between Nephis and the Handmaidens. Perhaps with the exception of Cassie.

    But none of them dared to ask Changing Star about it.

    Well, Sunny had no such problem.

    Staring at their intrepid leader with a dubious expression, he said:

    "So when did you start working with Seishan?"

    Nephis glanced at him, then shrugged indifferently.

    "Soon after you left."

    A slight spark appeared in her eyes.

    "Why? Are you surprised?"

    Sunny remained silent for a bit, then shook his head.

    "No, not really. I figured out that your spy was one of the lieutenants a long time ago. I just didn't know which one. But I thought that either your cooperation ended with Gunlaug's death, or that they double-crossed you as soon as you got rid of him for them."

    Changing Star smiled darkly.

    "...She wouldn't."

    Sunny frowned slightly, then asked, his voice full of cold, calculating curiosity:

    "So why didn't she join your faction when all of this had started? Why go to such lengths to create this charade?"

    But then, he raised his hand to stop her from answering and grimaced.

    "Actually, don't say anything. I can guess. If the Handmaidens joined us directly, the power of the faction would have been too immense. And that would pressure the other three lieutenants into joining forces against it instead of fighting among each other. Then, we would have really had to end things with an all-out battle, the last man standing wins. Right?"

    Nephis glanced at him and nodded.

    "Correct."

    'Not only did the two of them prevent Tessai and Gemma from considering an alliance, but they also eviscerated the Castle Guard without losing a single follower. How�� diabolical.'

    Even a treacherous cheat like Sunny couldn't help but be impressed.

    However, there was one problem. His frown returned, now even deeper than before.

    "If memory serves, the last time we talked about your spy you said that she can never be trusted. You only trusted the information she provided. Why the change of heart? How come you were so confident that she would uphold her end of the deal?"

    A pleasant, velvety voice suddenly came from behind him.

    "Maybe I can explain myself."

    'What the hell?!'

    With a startled expression, Sunny turned around and saw the beautiful woman standing right in front of him. Up close, she was even more striking, with her strange grey skin seemingly shining softly in the sunlight.

    'How did she get so close without alerting neither me nor my shadow?'

    He didn't like the fact that Seishan had been able to sneak up on him one bit. Things like that were not supposed to happen...

    The gorgeous woman, meanwhile, gave them a reserved bow and said:

    "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Song Sei Shan��"

    Suddenly, Caster's eyes narrowed. A strange expression appeared on his face.

    Sunny did not miss that sudden change.

    'Well, the fact that our proud scion is reacting this way can mean only one thing. It's some Legacy crap.'

    Sunny stared at Seishan, seeing her in a new light. He studied every detail of her appearance, from the modest cut of her velvet dress to the glinting silver of her intricate necklace.

    She didn't look like a Legacy. At least not the ones he had seen.

    However, one little detail of her appearance did give him pause...

    Noticing his gaze, Seishan offered a polite smile.

    "Ah. No, I am not a true descendant of the great clan Song. However, I have been raised and cared for by the Clan Leader herself, like many other girls orphaned by the Nightmare Spell. As such, it is my duty and ardent wish to return to the real world and repay my debt."

    She lingered for a few seconds, then lowered her eyes.

    "That is why, while you have no reason to trust in my character, you can at least trust in the fact that my wishes align with yours. I followed Gunlaug because only he was able to give people a chance to survive the Forgotten Shore. And I will follow Lady Changing Star, because only she can give us a chance to escape it. This is my belief, and this is what I will do. She is Broken Sword's daughter, after all."

    Without having to discuss anything, everyone stared at Kai, who coughed and said in an embarrassed tone:

    "Uh�� yeah. All of this is true. She is very sincere."

    Effie raised an eyebrow, then turned to Seishan and shrugged:

    "Well�� welcome to the team, then? I guess."

    One after another, the other members of the cohort repeated her greeting. Sunny was the last to speak.

    When it was his turn to greet the beautiful Handmaiden, however, he remained quiet. Soon, an awkward silence hung in the room.

    Sunny glanced at the rest of the people gathered there.

    Nephis, Cassie, Effie, Caster, Kai, Seishan�� and him.

    Seven people in total...

    A few moments later, he turned to Seishan and stared at her for a bit, then finally said, his voice strangely suppressed:

    "Welcome."

    She looked at him with a reserved smile.

    However, Sunny wasn't done talking. Quickly glancing somewhere left of Seishan's face, he hesitated for a little, and then added:

    "Oh, right! I almost forgot. I found something of yours. I think you dropped it."

    With that, he raised a hand. On his open palm, an intricate silver earring lay, one side of it covered with blood.

    Seishan looked at it for a few moments. Then, her lips suddenly parted, her smile turning wide and brilliant.

    Glancing at him with sparkling eyes, she said:

    "Thank you very much... Sunny, right? I thought I lost it."

    Her teeth were perfectly even, pearly, and spotlessly white.

 Chapter 309 Where Dreams May Come

    Chapter 309 Where Dreams May Come

    In the next week or so, things moved with terrible speed.

    Nephis became the ruler of the Bright Castle without any type of glorious ceremony or impassioned speech. No one questioned her authority, anyway, as though it was a simple fact of life.

    In a sense, it was.

    Sunny found it interesting, however, that she didn't take her seat on the white throne of the ancient citadel once. Even when there was a need for a large gathering, Changing Star sat on the last step of the stairs leading to the throne. As if making a point to show that the Bright Castle did not belong to her�� or, perhaps, that she did not belong to the Bright Castle.

    At first, he was sure that Nephis was going to push people to march on the Crimson Spire immediately, but she didn't even mention it. When he confronted her about her plans, she simply said that they were going to wait until the winter solstice came before making any decisions.

    It was just a few days away, anyway. In the meantime, everyone who was left alive had a lot to do.

    There were just five hundred people in the Dark City now. In less than a month, the human population of the Forgotten Shore had been reduced by half. The outer settlement remained completely abandoned, but even then, there were barely enough people to maintain and guard the Bright Castle.

    Nevertheless, they persevered.

    The halls and corridors of the ancient citadel were cleaned of blood and corpses. The Nightmare Creatures that had found their way inside were methodically hunted down and eliminated. The breaches in the defensive lines they had created were located and repaired.

    Neph's watchmen assumed the role of the obliterated Castle Guard, manning the walls and protecting the stronghold from outside threats. The hunting parties resumed their expeditions into the ruins, with hunters from the outer settlement and the Castle joining forces under the leadership of Effie and Gemma. Once again, there was food for everyone to eat and safety to enjoy.

    Despite the harrowing hollowness and the absence of so many young men and women who had died in the turmoil of the bloody struggle for the throne, not to mention the invisible scars left on the souls of those who had survived, things were slowly starting to resemble how they had been before.

    But behind this veil of normalcy, they were anything but. And the reason for that was Changing Star and her Crown of Dawn.

    With the help of the miraculous Shard Memory, humans of the Dark City were now able to not only hunt more Nightmare Creatures and with less risk, but also challenge Fallen rulers of the cursed ruins. Not every one of these terrifying creatures could be killed without paying too terrible a price, of course. But after so many years on the Forgotten Shore, experienced Hunters knew a lot about various horrors populating the city. Putting the knowledge together, they determined which ones they could challenge and survive.

    One after another, many powerful Nightmare Creatures were tracked down and slain. Suddenly, humans have become if not the apex species in the Dark City, then at least not the weakest one.

    By killing Fallen abominations, Nephis was achieving several goals simultaneously. She was steadily accumulating an arsenal of Memories to arm every person in the Castle. Some of those Memories were even of the Ascended Rank, and the number of such powerful armaments slowly grew.

    She and her warriors also brought back large quantities of soul shards, which were then given to the inhabitants of the Castle to absorb and grow stronger.

    In an ironic twist of fate, it appeared as though now, it was the Bright Lady who was paying tribute to her subjects, and not the other way around.

    This only made the respect and adoration people felt toward her grow stronger.

    But most importantly, perhaps, was the fact that through these hunts, she was training her people to fight together as a cohesive force and prevail against creatures that were much more powerful than them.

    Guided by Cassie, the surviving Artisans were hard at work, too. They were applying their mastery and craft to close any gaps in how the humans of the Dark City were equipped and supplied for the battle against the Dream Realm. However, the nature of their tasks was drastically different now.

    If they had been in charge of maintaining the lifestyle of people leaving in the Castle as much as working to supply Gunlaug's Host with gear and equipment, now their only job was to create things people were going to need in battle.

    It was as though they were preparing for war.

    There were a few large projects that the Artisans were working on that Sunny knew little about, too. These things were requested from them by Nephis herself. He suspected that they were going to become useful once the time to attack the Crimson Spire finally came.

    ...Just like that, the winter solstice came.

    On this day, exactly a year ago, Sunny had arrived on the Forgotten Shore. It was hard to believe that he had survived here for so long. That any of them had. But it also seemed as though one year was not enough to encompass it all.

    It felt more like a lifetime. Several lifetimes, perhaps��

    It was also on this day, a year later, that Sunny turned eighteen.

    Remembering his previous birthday, a slight smile appeared on his lips. Back then, Cassie, who had been a complete stranger, offered him unexpected congratulations. He also made plans to celebrate his next birthday as an Awakened by drinking a cup of coffee with lots of milk and sugar.

    Those dreams were not meant to come true.

    Instead, Sunny met his eighteenth birthday in an empty hall of the Tower of Dusk, practicing the steps of the Shadow Dance, sweat streaming down his lithe and strong body.

    These days, he felt that he was almost there. Just a little bit more, and the first level of mastery over his mysterious Aspect Legacy would be his. It was already in reach.

    One more thing happened on that day.

    As Sunny continued to train, the subtly familiar voice of the Spell suddenly whispered into his ear:

    [...Your Shadow has evolved.]

 Chapter 310 Shadow Demon

    Chapter 310 Shadow Demon

    Lowering his sword, Sunny stood in the silence of the empty room for a while. In the window, the distant axis of the Crimson Spire loomed, the light of dawn slowly painting it red.

    A subtle smile appeared on his face.

    "Aww. Thank you, Spell. What a nice birthday present."

    Summoning the Endless Spring, he greedily drank delicious cold water and then sat on the floor, crossing his legs and drawing a few deep breaths.

    'Let's take a look��'

    Leaving his worries behind, Sunny dove into the Soul Sea and walked past the rows of motionless shadows.

    A long time ago, there had been just a handful of them. Now, hundreds of dark silhouettes watched silently as he approached the tenebrous sun of the Shadow Core. Among them were all kinds of horrors, creatures whose appearance alone would drive weaker men insane. The Mountain King was there. The Black Knight was there, too. The terrifying Spire Messenger stood lifelessly on the tranquil surface of the water.

    ��And there were humans, too. Harus was among them, and so was Harper.

    Sunny didn't pay them any attention.

    Standing beneath the Shadow Core, he sighed and summoned the runes.

    Name: Sunless.

    True Name: Lost from Light.

    Rank: Dreamer.

    Shadow Core: Dormant.

    Shadow Fragments: [977/1000].

    ��He was so close to accumulating the whole thousand. If Sunny really wanted to, he could have abandoned caution and pushed to reach it before the inevitable journey to the Crimson Spire. However, he was wary of delving into anything unknown right before the fateful confrontation.

    He also felt that his time was better spent consolidating and perfecting everything that he had already learned and earned, not wasting it trying to acquire something new.

    Still, it was not an easy decision.

    With a sigh, he continued reading.

    Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer's Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Ordinary Rock], [Prowling Thorn], [Endless Spring], [Blood Blossom], [Moonlight Shard], [M�� ��old], [Weaver's Mask].

    Echoes: ��

    Shadows��

    He tilted his head and read, an amused expression appearing on his face:

    ...[Marble Saint].

    ��Marble?

    'How fitting��'

    Without wasting any more time, he summoned his Shadow from the depths of the Core. She appeared in a whirlwind of black flames, standing in front of him with her usual taciturn aloofness.

    However, Sunny couldn't help but gasp.

    The Saint was indeed changed. She grew taller and was now even more oppressive. Her graceful stonelike armor, which had looked as though it was cut from granite before, was now entirely black and glossy, like obsidian�� or onyx. In fact, it was very much like the shattered onyx armor he had purchased with Kai's help.

    Her skin, on the contrary, became smooth and as white as alabaster�� at least the small portion of it he could see through the visor of the helmet.

    Saint seemed much stronger, aware, deadly��

    But that was not what made Sunny gasp.

    The thing that stunned him was what hid beneath the armor. Within the shadow that populated Saint's body, there used to be two ethereal dark embers.

    But now, there were three.

    Sunny stared at her for a while.

    'Did she�� rise to a higher class?'

    Finally, he calmed down and made the runes describing the Shadow appear. A moment later, his hopes were proved true:

    Shadow: Marble Saint.

    Shadow Rank: Awakened.

    Shadow Class: Demon.

    'Demon! She is a Shadow Demon now��'

    Shadow Attributes: [Battle Master], [Stalwart], [Spark of Divinity].

    The next line had not been there before. Sunny held his breath.

    Shadow Abilities: [Weapon Sage], [Underworld Armament].

    He lingered for a moment, trying to suppress a triumphant smile.

    He had always known that Saint was not a typical Nightmare Creature. But to think that she would acquire an actual Ability before even becoming a devil�� and not just one, but two!

    Burning with anticipation, he read on:

    Weapon Sage Ability Description: [Shadow Saint can effectively wield any weapon-type Memory.]

    Underworld Armament Ability Description: [Shadow Saint's armor can accommodate a charm Memory to inherit its enchantments.]

    Sunny was silent for a bit, then turned his head and stared at the taciturn monster�� no, not monster.

    Demon.

    A satisfied smile finally appeared on his face.

    "Ah. How wonderful��"

    Not only had his Shadow grown tremendously stronger, but she now also had the ability to use any weapon he would provide for her, as well as reinforce her armor with all kinds of powerful enchantments.

    The possibilities this could provide her were truly endless. The potential combinations, the flexibility�� all it took was to find proper Memories.

    Sunny shook his head and grinned.

    Before, he had sometimes thought that Saint was really suited to command an army.

    But now, he understood that he had been wrong.

    ��She was the army.

    ***

    A few hours later, the members of Neph's cohort gathered on the roof of the old hunting lodge, which still stood at the edge of the slum. Seishan was also there, which made Sunny slightly uncomfortable. He didn't let it show on his face, however.

    The outer settlement was desolate and empty. There were no desperate, hungry youths around anymore �� all of them were now either safely hidden behind the castle walls�� or dead.

    It was just the seven of them. They came to see Kai off.

    The charming archer was standing near the edge of the roof, checking his equipment for the last time. He was wearing a new stylish armor and a leather jacket with fur on its collar. On his back, there was a quiver full of arrows and a backpack with water, food, and other supplies necessary for a long journey.

    Sunny didn't know about the rest, but his heart was heavy.

    As though reading his thoughts, Kai turned around and smiled.

    "Really, guys, don't worry. I'll be fine. This is not my first time spending some quality time in the Labyrinth."

    No one answered, knowing that the mission entrusted to Nightingale this time was especially dangerous... but also important.

    He had to leave the Dark City and explore the vastness of the Forgotten Shore in search of new humans sent here by the Spell.

    Today was the day of the winter solstice, and that meant that out there in the real world, thousands upon thousands of Sleepers were currently preparing to enter the pods and arrive in the Dream Realm.

    Sunny sighed.

    "Just don't bring back anyone as irritating as you, alright?"

    Kai chuckled.

    "...No promises."

    With that, he waved them goodbye.

    "Well�� wish me luck!"

    A few moments later, he was gone, turning into a small dot in the sky.

    The remaining six people stared at it for a long time, their faces somber.

    Their future depended on what Kai would discover.

    Their and that of everyone else still clinging to life on the Forgotten Shore.

 Chapter 311 The Last

    Chapter 311 The Last

    A few days passed in tense anticipation. Sunny spent them doing the same things he had been doing before: training and preparing mentally for what was about to come.

    He had a lot of things to do.

    First came his technique, which was based on the flowing battle style that Nephis had taught him, with elements of Shadow Saint's grounded style added to its adaptive foundation. His skill was growing sharper and sharper, slowly being elevated and solidified at the level that his current understanding of combat allowed.

    Sunny was not a novice anymore. He survived hundreds of deadly battles, and each left him stronger and more experienced than he had been before.

    But perfecting his technique was still not easy, because he had to make himself indomitable first, and then turn that firmness into flexibility.

    Now that Sunny finally had free time, he also used it to adapt his style to the new reality of his improved physical limits. Many things that had not been possible for him before the journey to the Hollow Mountains became possible now. The way he approached combat had to change, too.

    All of it took effort and a lot of thought to achieve.

    Second came the Shadow Dance. Sunny was still at the stage where he was slowly forming a practical set of moves to train in that elusive style. He felt as if he was now only one final step away from turning his vision of the Shadow Dance into reality. However, he seemed to be lacking some crucial ingredient. He needed one last push, one moment of inspiration to make that final step.

    Still, his exercises weren't useless. Until that moment of inspiration came, they helped condition his body and mind, make them adaptable and malleable like shadows. When the last revelation appeared, they would be able to receive it.

    After each intense training session, every muscle in his body ached, and a wave of mental fatigue washed over him.

    Third came the most important task. He had to turn his mind and soul into a fortress that would withstand the shock of the future.

    He had to achieve the type of clarity that would allow him to emerge victorious on the other end of it all, and for now, this task was turning out to be the most unattainable.

    It was hard to shape one's body and mind into a perfect tool, but it was so much harder to do the same with one's soul. However, this was exactly the barrier he had to overcome.

    Just like that, six days passed.

    ��On the seventh day after his departure, Kai finally returned. The charming young man seemed tired and ragged, his armor and clothes covered in dirt, dust, and dried blood. The quiver of arrows he had taken with him was now empty, and there were shallow cuts on the fabric of his jacket.

    Sunny's shadow had kept watching the skies above the Bright Castle all this time, so he was one of the first to know.

    By the time Sunny arrived at the small room that served as Neph's council chamber, Kai was already there, sitting by the fire and greedily drinking water from a crude clay cup. Effie was by his side, pushing a plate of food into his hands.

    Noticing him, Kai smiled weakly.

    "Hey, Sunny."

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then approached the beautiful young man and patted him on the shoulder.

    "Hey, Kai. Welcome back."

    Neither he nor Effie spoke after than, giving their friend an opportunity to catch his breath and waiting for the rest to come.

    One after another, Cassie, Caster, and Seishan appeared in the room and greeted Kai. Nephis was the last to enter.

    She glanced at everyone and then sat down near Kai. After hesitating for a few moments, she looked him in the eyes and asked:

    "How many?"

    Kai remained silent for a while, a solemn expression slowly appearing in his eyes. Finally, he turned away and sighed. One word escaped his lips:

    "...None."

    His voice echoed in the small room, making the faces of people gathered there darken.

    "I scoured the Labyrinth, looking for any sign that a Sleeper passed there recently. But there were none. There was no one alive and no bodies, not even a single fresh bone that I could find. The Spell�� it did not send anyone to this hell, not this year."

    'And it won't the next one, too. Just as I thought.'

    Sunny sighed. Sometimes, it was nice to be mistaken.

    Fifteen years ago, the Spell had sent seven people to the Forgotten Shore. The next year, it had been twice as much, and then more and more. Eventually, hundreds of Sleepers had been arriving in the Dark City after each winter solstice�� up until last year, when only four of them �� Sunny, Nephis, Cassie, and Caster �� had come.

    Three more had perished in the Labyrinth without ever reaching the cursed ruins.

    Because of that, inhabitants of the Bright Castle came up with a theory that the number of people sent to this region of the Dream Realm by the Spell followed a certain cycle. If they had been right, then at least fourteen Sleepers would have appeared somewhere in the Labyrinth a week ago.

    But Sunny never believed in that theory.

    In his mind, the four of them had never been meant to start a new cycle. He had always thought that, instead, they were meant to be the last.

    The last chance the Spell had given to the people of the Forgotten Shore.

    And now, he knew that he had been right.

    With a sigh, Nephis slowly nodded and stared at the fire burning in the hearth for a bit. Everyone stood silently, waiting for her to make a decision.

    Finally, she said without looking at them:

    "...Tell everyone to gather in the throne room. I will speak to them."

    Without wasting any time, Caster bowed slightly and left the room. Effie gave her a short look, and then followed him. So did the rest.

    Sunny was the last one to leave, his heart beating like a drum.

    'It is beginning!'

 Chapter 312 lnvisible Chains

    Chapter 312 lnvisible Chains

    Five hundred people stood silently in the magnificent great hall of the ancient castle. Beams of sunlight were falling through the tall windows, making the air appear bright and effervescent.

    There was no sign left of the terrible bloodshed that had happened in this hall just a few weeks ago. The bodies were dragged away, the blood washed off the marble floors.

    But the memory of it remained.

    On the steps leading to a beautiful throne of white marble sat a young woman with silver hair. Her ivory face was distant, and her clear grey eyes were calm and heavy. Hundreds of people were looking at her, waiting quietly for their lady to speak.

    Finally, Changing Star sighed. A moment later, her voice resounded in the throne room, reaching far and wide:

    "Dreamers of the Forgotten Shore. A week ago, I sent several scouts into the Labyrinth to look for those young men and women who, like us, were sent to this cursed place. Among them was Nightingale, whom you all know. He spent seven days searching for them. But he didn't find anyone. Not even a single sign of their passing. This year�� no one has come."

    A wave of stunned whispers ran through the crowd. Sunny glanced at the faces of people gathered in the great hall, noticing different expressions on them. Confusion, fear, shock. However, it wasn't as bad as he had expected. No one seemed to become consumed by utter despair.

    Instead, all of them turned to Nephis, hope burning in their eyes.

    She was their hope. Until Changing Star was with them, they weren't going to give in to despair.

    Indifferent to hundreds of eyes observing her every move, Neph continued:

    "Many of you understand what that means. To those who don't, I will explain."

    She lingered for a moment, throwing a glance at the walls of the ancient citadel. When she spoke, her voice seemed solemn:

    "For many years, this castle served as a fortress for the humans sent to the Forgotten Shore. Some of you enjoyed the safety it offered, while others survived in the shadow of its walls. But none of us would have been here if not for the Bright Castle. It offered us protection against the dreadful beasts of the Dark City. It offered us shelter. However, this shelter was never free."

    A dark expression appeared on her face.

    "Some people lost their souls to preserve it. And many more lost their lives. Every year, hundreds of human lives were sacrificed to allow the Bright Castle to exist. And every year, hundreds more came to be thrown into its maw."

    Sunny silently scoffed. She was making it sound as though the Castle was some creature that fed on human lives�� not unlike the Soul Devourer, really. The meaning was subtle enough to not be obvious, but still affect the people gathered in the throne room. Observing them, he saw many Sleepers shiver and frown.

    '...Insidious.'

    Meanwhile, Nephis continued:

    "But no more. There won't be anyone coming to the Dark City this year, just like no one will come after that. Without new people, the losses we suffer will slowly accumulate, until there is no one to man the walls, no one to fight off the Nightmare Creatures, no one to keep these halls safe. Until there is no more shelter. This end��"

    She made a pause, and then said calmly and with frightening finality:

    "...is inevitable."

    Her words crashed into the crowd of Sleepers, causing a storm of emotions. Their eyes widened and their faces paled. The shock and fear they had felt grew tenfold.

    As if to hammer the last nail into the coffin of their worldview, Changing Star said:

    "Which means only one thing. We cannot remain in the Bright Castle anymore."

    Screams rose from the crowd, full of disbelief and terror. There were many things people were trying to say, but they all boiled down to three:

    "What do we do?!"

    "How do we save ourselves?!"

    ��And:

    "Save us, Changing Star!"

    Sunny smiled.

    Nephis remained silent for a while, letting the chorus of screams wash over her. And then, white flames ignited in her eyes, making everyone fall silent. Her voice resounded once more between the walls of the great hall, penetrating through the crowd like a sharp blade:

    "But this not the end of us. A long time ago, I made you a promise. And I intend to keep it."

    She suddenly rose, towering over the crowd like a shining, ruinous angel.

    "Come with me! Follow me. Only I know how to save you."

    The radiance of her flames reflected in the eyes of hundreds of people, making it seem as though their faces shone with an inner light. Her words had submerged them into utter darkness, and then gave them a beacon to find a way out of it.

    That beacon burned with the most seductive of lights.

    The light of hope.

    And that hope was synonymous with her.

    Changing Star slowly descended from the steps, her words echoing from the marble walls of the throne room:

    "Follow me, and I will lead you out of this hell. Follow me, and I will show you the path back to your homes. But make no mistake��"

    She stopped and remained silent for a few long moments. When she spoke again, her voice sounded calmer, colder��

    Heavier.

    "The road ahead will be long and arduous. Not everyone will make it. The weak will die. The strong will die, too. And those who remain won't be the same. But there is one thing I can promise you��"

    Nephis entered the crowd and looked at the people surrounding her with absolute resolve burning in her beautiful eyes.

    "Follow me�� and you will never be slaves."

    Sunny shivered, feeling as though she was speaking to him alone. Everyone in the great hall felt the same way, perhaps.

    Staring directly into their souls, Changing Star spoke:

    "...Slaves to your fear, slaves to your fate, slaves to the Nightmare Spell. Come with me, and whether you live or die, you will do so humans. Not cowering beasts."

    She closed her eyes and exhaled, then looked down. Finally, she said, the passion disappearing from her voice:

    "But�� I will not force anyone to follow me. Ever. Whether you come with me or stay, it is your choice. There is no shame in staying. Those who do not wish to go may leave this hall right now."

    Sunny looked at the Sleepers, trying to guess what their reaction would be. People were staring at each other, doubt and fear written on their faces.

    Not everyone was enthralled by Changing Star. Not everyone was brave and strong. Not everyone was ready to die fighting.

    ��But in the end, not a single one of them left.

    Nephis sighed and slowly turned her head west, as though trying to pierce the stone of the castle walls with her gaze. After a while, she said:

    "Good. I am glad. Then it's decided."

    She turned to face them, furious white flames illuminating her pale face:

    "Then the day after tomorrow�� we will leave the Bright Castle. The day after tomorrow, we march on the Crimson Spire!"

 Chapter 313 Starlight Shard

    Chapter 313 Starlight Shard

    On the last day they would spend in the Dark City, Nephis led a small group of her most powerful warriors on one last hunt.

    The members of her cohort were all following behind her. Sunny, who stubbornly refused to accept his status as one of them, walked apart from the group, idly looking around and observing the ruins.

    Gemma and Seishan were also with them, as well as ten or so of the most experienced hunters �� some of them formerly from the Host, some formerly from the outer settlement. There was no difference between the two anymore.

    All of them were simply Changing Star's people now.

    As they were walking, Gemma approached Sunny and glanced at him with curiosity.

    After Tessai had fallen to Neph's blade, the tall man seemed to have found some measure of peace. Somewhere deep in his eyes, however, there always was a hint of sorrow.

    Sunny stared at him and raised an eyebrow.

    "What?"

    The hunter smiled slightly and asked in a friendly tone:

    "You're Sunless, right?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Yeah, that's me."

    Gemma silently measured him and then asked with interest:

    "I've heard that you lived for months alone in the city. Is that true?"

    'Ah, makes sense.'

    The tall man was perhaps the most experienced hunter on the Forgotten Shore. He had survived countless battles on the streets of the cursed city. It was natural for him to be curious about this matter��

    Sunny gave him a nod.

    "Sure. A little over three months, I guess."

    Gemma rubbed his chin, then asked bluntly:

    "How did you survive?"

    Sunny grinned.

    How had he managed that, indeed?

    "...Lots of hiding, lots of killing. A modicum of madness, and a little bit of luck."

    Gemma stared at him for a bit, then chuckled.

    "Sound about right, I guess."

    After a while, he glanced forward at Changing Star and asked in a curious tone:

    "Do you know what we are going to hunt today?"

    Sunny looked at him with surprise:

    "She didn't tell you?"

    The tall man hesitated, then shook his head.

    "She did. I'm just not sure that I believe it."

    Sunny smiled and looked away.

    "Ah, let me guess. Your first thought was that she had lost her mind. What can I say�� get used to that feeling."

    After a few moments of silence, Gemma sighed.

    "But how can we kill it?"

    'Poor guy��'

    Sunny glanced at him, lingered for a bit, and then said:

    "If my guess is correct, you know more about it than I do."

    And just like that, their conversation ended.

    By the middle of the day, they reached the eastern edges of the city and climbed the imposing monolith of the great wall. Standing on top of it, they saw the colossal crater and the headless statue that stood not too far away, its one remaining hand thrust toward the skies.

    Their prey was hiding in a vast underground chamber beneath that statue.

    Today, they were going to hunt the Lord of the Dead.

    ***?

    At the base of the statue, the second arm of the Priestess lay in the mud. Thousands of years ago, it had broken off and fell, crashing through the dome of the underground chamber. Now, there was a chasm in the ground that led into the lair of the Lord of the Dead.

    Many months ago, Sunny and the rest had used that breach to escape from the catacombs. Now, they were going to use it to descend into that darkness, instead.

    The ghastly master of the catacombs waited for them below. Sunny wasn't really surprised that Nephis had chosen to return to this place. After all, the mountainous abomination was most likely guarding the last of the seven Shard Memories.

    However, he was really curious about how exactly she was planning to kill it.

    Once everyone gathered around the hole in the mud, Changing Star glanced at him and said:

    "Sunny, can your shadow take a look at the burial chamber?"

    With a shrug, he sent the shadow into the breach. It slid on the mud and entered the dark hole, then hid in the palm of the giant stone hand and cautiously looked down.

    The mountain of human bones was still there, in the middle of the vast circular chamber.

    However, it looked very different from how it had been before.

    Countless green vines were growing from the mass of bones, some of them comparatively thin, others as thick as a human body. They weren't growing just between the ancient remains: the vines were bursting through the bones, too. Almost as if feeding on them.

    The Lord of the Dead seemed�� weaker. More brittle. As though it was sick, sapped of its strength and infected by a terrible parasite.

    Sunny commanded his shadow to look closer, and finally noticed the thing that he had expected to see.

    A small wooden box lay on the floor of the underground chamber, open and empty. The exact same box Nephis had mysteriously entrusted to Caster as soon as they were back in the Dark City.

    From the words the outer settlement hunter, that box had appeared on his pillow with a small note. That note had been written by Changing Star's spy �� Seishan. And the contents of the box had been created for her by Kido, who was now dead.

    Kido had been the leader of the Artisans. Her Aspect Ability allowed her to control and alter plants.

    This bone-eating vine, as it turned out, was her last creation and final masterpiece.

    Turning to Nephis, Sunny hesitated for a moment and then spoke, his words causing a subtle reaction in Gemma:

    "The tyrant is heavily infected by Kido's vine. It seems to be considerably weakened."

    Changing Star nodded and remained silent for a few moments. Then, she said:

    "Once we enter the chamber, the Lord of the Dead will attack us. Now that its power is reduced, and with the help of the Dawn Shard, we should be able to survive the onslaught. We should also be able to wound, and eventually kill it."

    Looking at the faces of everyone gathered in the shadow of the headless statue, she nodded and headed toward the breach.

    "Let's go."

    ***

    Soon, Sunny was trying to survive the fury of the Lord of the Dead once again. But this time, it was not as hard as it had been before.

    He had become stronger, and the horrible creature had become weaker. His Memories were augmented by the Crown of Dawn, and Saint was now a demon.

    There were also more humans resisting the tyrant today.

    ��That was not to say that the battle wasn't harrowing and perilous. In fact, it was utterly lethal.

    The humans fighting the monumental Nightmare Creature were surrounding it, dodging the long limbs of the tyrant and trying to attack it when an opportunity presented itself. Kai was zipping in the air, providing support and bringing the wounded away from the fight.

    They were only alive because the attacks of the Lord of the Dead were now slower and less devastating than before. With some preparation, both Effie and Saint could withstand one or two with the help of their shields. Caster was able to deliver several cuts to it with its ghostly blade, while Seishan had broken one limb completely with her graceful war hammer.

    Each strike of the Sunlight Shard seemed to bring immense pain to the Lord of the Dead.

    But nothing hurt it more, of course, than the incandescent blade of Changing Star.

    Together, they dealt more and more damage to the terrible creature, despite the fact that many of them were now either severely wounded or dead. The tyrant was being consumed from within by the green vines, and broken from the outside by their weapons.

    And then, after a long and arduous battle, a huge lair of bones fell from the body of the Lord of the Dead, revealing its inner core.

    That core, which was made of human skulls and coagulated blood, was absolutely terrifying, malignant, and abhorrent. In its death, a shape of a fat white maggot could be seen, curled into a ball.

    At that moment, Effie suddenly stepped forward, twisted her body�� and threw the Dusk Shard as a discus with a deafening cry.

    The shield that was said to contain the weight of the heavens streaked through the air with terrible speed and hit the inner core of the tyrant, crushing through it like a wrecking ball. It cut the maggot in half and exited the body of the Lord of the Dead from the other side in a torrent of broken bones. Then it fell to the ground, shattering the stone floor of the chamber and sending a net of cracks running through it from the point of impact.

    The mountain of bones froze, the shuddered.

    And then, it crumbled.

    Everyone stared at Effie, shocked, hope burning in their eyes.

    On her face, there was a dark, mournful expression. Belatedly, Sunny remembered that the members of the original cohort that the boisterous huntress had belonged to all perished here, killed either by the undead army or the Lord of the Dead itself.

    A few moments later, Effie sighed and turned her face away, hiding it from everyone. Then, she raised a hand and made it into a fist.

    That was her letting them know that she had received a Memory from the kill.

    A Shard Memory.

    The last one there was.

 Chapter 314 Leaving the Dark City

    Chapter 314 Leaving the Dark City

    After everything was done and Nephis used her flames to heal those who survived, they returned to the city through the catacombs.

    Perhaps she wished to eviscerate the army of undead monsters that were now left without the tyrant to bring them back to life. But in the end, they were met with nothing but silence.

    The horde of ferocious skeletons that had once almost cost Sunny and the rest of the cohort their lives was no more. The dark tunnels stretching beneath the ruins were littered with piles of bones, which were slowly turning into dust. It seemed as though the moment the Lord of the Dead had been destroyed, its servants had perished, too.

    After a while, the group of humans emerged from the collapsed tower of the lighthouse and continued on its way back to the Bright Castle.

    They were going to spend their last night there before leaving the Dark City behind.

    ***

    In a small room in the depths of the ancient citadel, seven people gathered around a table.

    They were Sunny, Nephis, Cassie, Caster, Effie, Kai, and Seishan.

    Beyond the walls of the castle, the absolute darkness of the night had devoured the world. Nightmare Creatures were prowling the cursed ruins, and somewhere far away, black waves were crashing against the indomitable granite surface of the city wall.

    Inside, the cold light of a Memory lantern illuminated their faces.

    Strangely, everyone was silent, as though not sure what to say. Finally, Sunny broke the silence by yawning loudly.

    "Shall we get on with this? Tomorrow is going to be a long day, and some of us need their beauty sleep."

    He threw a sideways glance at Kai, thought for a bit, and then added:

    "Actually, every day after today is going to be a long one. So let's just do it."

    Nephis stared at him for a few moments, then echoed his words:

    "...Do it."

    With that, they summoned their Memories.

    An austere tachi and a ghostly stiletto appeared in Sunny's hands.

    A graceful war hammer with a narrow beak appeared in Seishan's.

    Effie summoned her beautiful bronze spear and a heavy round shield.

    Finally, a simple band of metal decorated with a single gem weaved itself from light and rested gently on Changing Star's head.

    They were the Shard Memories.

    Dawn, Zenith, Dusk, Midnight, Sunlight, Moonlight��

    ��And Starlight.

    The last Memory was a short, flowing white cloak that draped itself around Effie's shoulders. This was the Shard she had received after slaying the Lord of the Dead.

    For a few moments, no one moved. Then, Effie said:

    "So, uh�� what now?"

    Nephis titled her head a little, then frowned. Finally, after some time passed, she said:

    "Come closer."

    When they did, something unexpected happened. Sunny felt the hilts of his weapons suddenly growing hotter, and soon, both Midnight and Moonlight Shard began emanating a ghostly, ethereal light. The same was happening to the other shards.

    Seven beams of light shot toward the center of the room and collided. Then, they fused with each other, and soon, seven objects weaved themselves from that light and hovered in the air.?

    They were keys forged out of lustrous metal, with seven shining stars engraved on their surface.

    It was the manifestation of the terrible oath that the seven heroes had given all those thousands of years ago. The keys that were used to seal the curse of the all-consuming darkness underground.

    Suddenly, the seven keys turned into streams of light and shot toward each of the seven people gathered in the room.

    One beam hit Sunny in the chest and disappeared, absorbed into his core.

    The voice of the Spell resounded in his ears:

    [...You have received an Oath Key.]

    Sunny shivered. He didn't want anything to do with that morbid oath.

    ��But in the end, he had no other choice.

    Glancing at the rest of the people gathered in the room, Changing Star lingered for a moment, and then said:

    "We're ready."

    ***

    In the dim light of dawn, the gates of the castle opened for the last time. A long procession of humans walked through them, leaving the ancient citadel that had sheltered them for so long.

    They walked under the swinging skulls, not paying them any attention. In the aftermath of all the strife, no one had bothered to remove the ghastly things from their chains.

    It was not like anyone could have forgotten the hundreds of lives lost in the struggle, and thousands of deaths before that, even if the skulls were removed.

    Five hundred people descended the hill and entered the Dark City. A few Nightmare Creatures tried to attack them, and were eviscerated before managing to do any harm.

    These five hundred humans were not a defenseless crowd. They were a battle-hardened army, one comprised of exceptionally powerful Sleepers�� the most powerful Sleepers to ever be born from the human race, perhaps.

    They moved the ruins, cutting down anything that dared to block their path. Soon, the Sleepers approached the western boundary of the Dark City and scaled the ancient wall.

    There, they stopped and turned, staring at the silhouette of the Bright Castle in solemn silence.

    ��By then, pillars of black smoke were billowing from each of its windows. Soon, the whole castle was enveloped by furious flames, which slowly devoured the white stone of its walls. The magnificent marble cracked and melted, destroyed by the terrible heat. The smaller towers swayed and moved, and then fell into the terrible crucible.

    The fire was slowly destroying the Bright Castle, turning it into a molten ruin.

    In a sense, this was fitting. After all, everything else in the Dark City had been ruined a long, long time ago.

    Surprisingly, this act of destruction was not Changing Star's idea. She wasn't the one who ordered to burn the Bright Castle behind them, like a final gesture to hammer it into everyone's souls that there was no way back anymore. Sunny would have expected something like that from Nephis.

    But no, it was the decision of the people themselves.

    They wanted to destroy the ancient citadel, because they hated it. They hated these ancient, bloodsoaked stones only a little bit less than they needed them to survive.

    And now that they were leaving, they wanted to erase the Bright Castle from existence. Perhaps if it was gone, the memories of all the darkness that they had witnessed there, and were the perpetrators of, would disappear with it.

    After a while, the misshapen, twisted silhouette of the dying fortress was completely hidden by the fire and smoke. Slowly, the silent Sleepers turned away from that sight and looked far away into the distance.

    They were looking west.

    That was where they were going.

    To lay siege to the Crimson Spire.

    One after another, the Sleepers descended from the wall and left the Dark City behind.

 Chapter 315 Siege of the Crimson Spire (1)

    Chapter 315 Siege of the Crimson Spire (1)

    In the cold light of dawn, a gargantuan crimson tower was rising from the Labyrinth. From this distance, it looked like a bloodied sword that some primordial titan had thrust into the heavens.

    The crimson coral streamed from its walls like the blood of gods, spreading out from the base of the Spire to devour all of the Forgotten Shore. The tower itself seemed to stand on an island, which was surrounded from all sides by black water. Even though the sun was already climbing up, this part of the cursed sea did not disappear.

    Instead, it lingered and moved endlessly, forming a giant whirlpool. Unclear shapes could be seen moving under the surface of the black water, drowning the hearts of humans who dared to approach the Spire with dread.

    Sunny looked up, at the endless expanse of the crimson tower, and paled. Upclose, it looked even more ominous, oppressive, and terrifying. He struggled to believe that this cyclopean structure had been built by human hands, let alone that it had been their salvation once, a long time ago.

    Now, the Crimson Spire looked nothing but twisted, eerie, and utterly evil. It emanated a sense of harrowing power that no human could ever hope to challenge.

    And yet, this was exactly what they were going to do.

    Turning away, he glanced at the camp of the Dreamer Army.

    For the past week, the five hundred of them had traversed the Labyrinth to reach this place. Some had perished along the way, but not as many as he had expected. For that short journey, luck had been on their side.

    In these days, they had slaughtered countless Nightmare Creatures and somehow managed to avoid attracting the wrath of the dwellers of the deep. They had seen the headless statue of the Lord that stood halfway between the Dark City and the Crimson Spire, and many other wondrous and terrible things.

    And now, they had almost reached their goal.

    People were busy preparing for the battle. The dread they had felt at dawn, after looking at the Crimson Spire, which was now so close, turned into grim determination and resolve. Everyone was making final preparations. Some were checking their armor and weapons for the last time. Some were hurriedly building makeshift fortifications.

    Some were praying, begging the dead gods to save their lives.

    Truth be told, Sunny was the only person who appeared to be idle.

    Well, what did they expect? Nephis still had not told him what exactly his role in the battle was going to be. Not that he was obligated to listen, of course��

    With a sigh, he turned to the other members of the cohort, who were gathered around a fire, discussing the plan of the battle for the hundredth time. Everyone seemed uncharacteristically somber today.

    One after another, they left to join in the preparations. Soon, Changing Star was the only one left.

    With a bit of reluctance, Sunny approached her and sat down, staring at the fire. After a while, he said:

    "This is very strange, don't you think?"

    She glanced at him and raised an eyebrow.

    Nephis had changed a lot since the first time they met, but also remained exactly the same. She was still calm and confident, with ivory skin and beautiful silver hair. She was still strong and full of conviction.

    It's just that her eyes seemed a bit hollow these days.

    "What is?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Just�� all of it. If someone described this scene to me a year ago, I would have been really perplexed. And yet, here we are."

    He lingered for a bit, and then added:

    "We've come very far. The three of us."

    Both of them glanced at Cassie, who was busy explaining something to the Artisan representatives. Her delicate hand rested on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer.

    After a while, Nephis nodded.

    "Yes. And now, we just need to make one last step."

    Both of them remained silent for a bit, thinking about how this final step was going to be the hardest yet. Incomparably so��

    Then, Sunny sighed:

    "So, what do you want me to do? From how you kept avoiding the subject for these past days, I'm guessing that it's not something trivial."

    Changing Star smiled, then looked at him with white sparks dancing in her eyes.

    "A really small thing, really."

    Then, she turned to face the Crimson Spire, hesitated for a while, and then suddenly said:

    "...Give me your hand."

    When Sunny did, something traveled through her cool skin into his Shadow Core. He summoned the runes and looked at them, already knowing what he was going to see. And there it was, listed among his Memories:

    Oath Key: [7].

    Somehow, she had gathered the remaining six keys from the rest. And now, she was entrusting them to Sunny.

    Still looking at the cyclopean tower, Nephis said:

    "...I want you to destroy the dark sea. Or banish it, at least."

    Sunny grinned.

    "A really small thing, indeed."

    ***

    Very soon, the sun rose higher, and the dark whirlpool surrounding the Crimson Spire became a little smaller. Several bridges of red coral rose from its depths, connecting the island to the rest of the Forgotten Shore.

    And out there on the island, countless silhouettes suddenly began to move, crawling out of the crimson mounds. They were the Nightmare Creatures guarding the cursed tower.

    All kinds of horrors were among them. There were members of the carapace legion: scavengers, centurions, and demons. There were colonies of carnivorous worms, giant centipedes that secreted corrosive oil, and eerie vines that crawled on the ground like snakes.

    There were creatures that looked like black masses of rotten bones, and creatures that looked like humanoids made of rock, with terrible maws full of jagged fangs. There were swarms of translucent insects that devoured everything in their path and massive spiders clad in iron armor.

    There were beasts that could shoot deadly bone spears from their bodies and beasts that could turn their prey to stone with their gaze.

    There were corpses with red flowers growing from the holes in their flesh and giant abominations that resembled praying mantises, if those were made of glass and bloodred clay.

    And many more that Sunny had never seen, fought, or could describe.

    All of them moved together in strange harmony, devoid of the usual territorial aggression that forced the Nightmare Creatures of different tribes to fight each other. They were subjugated by the Crimson Terror and now served to guard the Spire.

    Like a terrible wave, the horde of monsters rolled over the bridges of crimson coral and flowed toward the human army.

    From his position at the back of it, Sunny could clearly see the bodies of those standing in the front line tremble and take an involuntary step back. Someone even dropped their weapon. A moment later, Effie's loud voice rolled over the rows of Sleepers:

    "Stand your ground, wretches! If anyone runs, I'll kill you myself!"

    Strangely, her irritated shout calmed down the fear in their hearts.

    A moment later, however, it was drowned in the cacophony of the approaching horde.

    ...The battle for the Crimson Spire had begun.

 Chapter 316 Siege of the Crimson Spire (2)

    Chapter 316 Siege of the Crimson Spire (2)

    On the outskirts of the Crimson Spire, there were no more passages and tunnels in the coral. It was just a solid red mass, an unbroken surface of the strange living substance that had devoured the Forgotten Shore thousands of years ago.

    Currently, Effie was standing on that surface.

    Several hundred people were standing beside her, staring at the approaching wave of Nightmare Creatures with horror and shock. All of them knew what was going to happen once they reached the Spire, but even then, the sight of it was terrifying.

    She was at the center of the front row of these frightened people, supposedly in command of them. With her tall stature and lean, powerful figure, Effie stood out among the rest of the Sleepers. Her archaic armor glistened in the light of the rising sun, and on her shouldered, there was a flowing white cloak weaved from starlight.

    She held Zenith in one hand and Dusk in the other.

    Effie seemed like a bastion of strength and resolve in the sea of fear. A mythical hero that had stepped into the mortal realm from an ancient legend.

    ��But really, she was scared shitless.

    Looking at the rolling horde of abominable horrors with a grim expression, the huntress lowered her head a little and summoned the helm of her armor, which was crowned with a tall crest of blue horsehair, and thought:

    'Fuck me sideways�� fuck, fuck, fuck!'

    All around her, people were trembling. Some fool dropped his weapon and took a few steps back, as if considering running away. Even though she was currently seriously thinking of doing the same, Effie snarled and bellowed:

    "Stand your ground, wretches! If anyone runs, I'll kill you myself!"

    ��What was the point of running, anyway? There was nowhere to run.

    If they were going to die, they might as well die like humans.

    Just like Princess had said. She was somewhat full of shit, but also never wrong.

    "Get ready, bastards!"

    Gripping her spear, Effie cast a sideways glance at the two men standing beside her. One of them was Caster, and the other one was Gemma. Who would have thought that one day she and the leader of Gunlaug's Hunters were going to fight side by side?

    Weirdly, the presence of her past enemy was now extremely reassuring. However, even on his face, there were hints of fear.

    The only person who could have stayed nonchalant in this situation was probably Doofus. That pale miscreant was either too crazy or too stupid�� or both�� to be scared of anything. But he was currently nowhere to be seen. Effie sort of missed the tiny menace.

    But Sunny was probably either hiding someplace dark or doing something too insane to be entrusted to anyone else. In any case, she wished him luck.

    She wished herself luck, too.

    Looking at the approaching horde of monsters, Effie waited for a few seconds, and then screamed:

    "First mark!"

    Her shout was repeated by Seishan, who commanded the second line, and reached Night somewhere in the third.

    The plan of the battle was really simple. The first line had to hold off the monsters, changing places with the second once they grew tired. Meanwhile, the third was in charge of eviscerating as many creatures as they could.

    But first, they had to withstand the initial charge. Nothing was more important than breaking the momentum of the attacking horde.

    Somewhere behind her, the enchanting voice of their resident idol gave the command to fire the siege engines. These monstrous machines were constructed by the Artisans and were supposed to be able to pierce the armor of the most heavily protected Nightmare Creatures. As long as they were not Fallen, of course��

    A strange and melodic sound reached her ears, and a fraction of a second later, six heavy metal spears, each at least two meters long, flew above their heads with incredible speed. They streaked through the air and collided with the front of the horde, sending bits of chitin and streams of blood to the ground.

    She saw one of them behead a giant crab-like creature, the other pierce right through a bloodred mantis and skewer several monsters behind it. But the wave of horrors did not slow down one bit. There was just so many of them��

    Feeling a shiver run through her body, Effie gritted her teeth, then shouted:

    "Second mark!"

    Almost immediately, a rain of arrows fell on the monsters, wounding many and killing a few. There were many other projectiles mixed in with the arrows. Some Sleepers used slings, crossbows, or more exotic projectile weapons. Some used their Aspect Abilities, which allowed them to create all sorts of sorcerous attacks, like flying blades made of wind, fire, and ice. Some could even create bombs filled with soul essence, which detonated in the midst of advancing horrors and ripped many apart.

    But still, no reaction. The monsters only seemed to become more frenzied, the fury, madness, and bloodlust in their eyes flashing even brighter.

    The second rain of arrows fell, and shortly after, six more spear shot from makeshift ballistae crashed into the horde. By then, the Nightmare Creatures were already too close to the front line of humans to change anything.

    Making a step forward, Effie strained her muscles and threw the Zenith Shard into the approaching mass of abominations. The beautiful bronze spear shattered the steel carapace of an especially tall creature and pierced its heart.

    How could it not kill, empowered by the miraculous enchantment of the Crown of Dawn? All of their weapons, and all of their armors, were currently being fed raw power by Changing Star.

    All around the steel demon, numerous abominations fell, killed in a similar fashion by the Memories thrown by the other Sleepers.

    Summoning the spear back, Effie watched as the first row of Nightmare Creatures fell into a deep ditch that the Artisans created just an hour earlier. Those moving behind them simply stepped on the bodies of their fellow abominations and continued moving forward.

    But finally, the speed of the horde was diminished, if only by a little.

    'Damn thi��'

    "Brace!"

    That's all she had time to yell before the wave of monsters crashed into the line of humans.

    Then, the world was consumed by nothing but madness, havoc, and death.

 Chapter 317 Siege of the Crimson Spire (3)

    Chapter 317 Siege of the Crimson Spire (3)

    Putting her weight behind the Dusk Shard, Effie leaned into the shield and gritted her teeth. A moment later, a monstrous blow landed on it, strong enough to crush stone into dust.

    But unlike Sunny's marvelous Echo, she was not made out of stone.

    Instead, Effie was made out of something far more resilient.

    "Argh!"

    Pushing with all he strength, she felt the shockwave of the impact run through her entire body and then dissipate into the ground. Her bones groaned, but held together. Despite the terrible pressure, she held, too.

    A moment later, Effie growled and pushed even harder, throwing the carapace centurion that had crashed into her a couple of centimeters back. Simultaneously, her spear shot from behind the shield and pierced the black chitin, sinking deep into the flesh of the monster. She twisted it and severed the creature's spine, then slammed her shoulder into the Dusk Shard, sending the massive corpse flying off the bronze blade.

    Just in time. A second later, and the tall bastard would have skewered her with one of its scythes from above.

    But as soon as the centurion fell to the ground, another abomination was already taking its place, with a terrible salivating maw and furious eyes that burned with madness.

    'Curse it all��'

    All around Effie, the bodies of humans and Nightmare Creatures were entangled into an undulating, bleeding, roaring mess. Claws and steel weapons rose and fell, sending streams of blood, splinters of bone, and chunks of flesh to the ground. Screams of fear, pain, and fury mixed with the indescribable howling of the nightmare horde into a cacophonous litany of death.

    In this split second, she noticed one of her fellow hunters throwing the body of an iron spider that had jumped onto him back with a thunderous strike of his shield; a stone golem biting into someone's head with its terrible jagged fangs; a giant centipede wrapping its long segmented body around a screaming human and sinking its hundred legs into his melting armor.

    Then, she had no more time to stare.

    "Hold! Hold, you misbegotten waifs!"

    Taking a step forward, she dodged a harrowing slash of a three-meter tall mantis-like creature's scythe and brought the edge of her shield on the leg of the abominable thing. The thin limb practically exploded, sending the monster crashing down �� right on the blade of her spear, which flew upward and turned the head of the mantis into a red smudge.

    Before the creature even fell to the ground, Effie had already spun, receiving a rain of blows on her heavy shield. Her spear lashed out from behind it, piercing the body of the attacker through the heart.

    'Blood Flower��'

    Effie held her breath and kicked the rotting primate in the chest, sending it flying back before too much of the damned pollen escaped the wound. The body of the Blood Flower host collided with another monster and exploded into bloody chunks from the force of the impact.

    [You have slain��]

    Noticing a shadow move to her right, Effie turned and thrust her spear forward. But at the last moment, she pulled it back. The point of the bronze blade stopped just a few centimeters away from another human's face.

    For a fraction of the second, they stared at each other �� Effie with confusion, the vaguely familiar young man with belated fear. Then, a massive shadow moved behind him, and the youth's head suddenly separated from his shoulders in a stream of blood, cut off cleanly with one slash of a metal demon's blade.

    '...D��damn!'

    Effie looked up at the terrible creature. But before she had time to react, something crashed into her from the side, sending a wave of pain through her body. With a grunt, she slid on the bloodied coral and twisted her torso to put Dusk Shard between herself and the attacker.

    A quick glance let Effie know that her armor was still intact, even if just barely. The point of impact was covered with seething acid, which was biting into the metal, trying to burn through it. Thanks to the enhancement of the Dawn Shard, however, the breastplate remained unscathed.

    She shifted her weight, preparing to deflect the next attack of the giant centipede. Before Effie could, though, something heavy landed on her back, trying to sink its teeth into her neck. She felt drops of blood streaming to her chest.

    A furious growl escaped from her mouth.

    Throwing the Zenith Shard into the maw of the charging centipede and practically severing the body of the creature down its length, she stretched her freed hand back, caught the monster that was trying to bite her head off, and through it to the ground.

    The body of the abomination hit with enough force to make the coral crack. Just to make sure that the bastard was dead, she stomped on it with her foot, shattering the head of the damn thing into tiny pieces.

    But as soon as she did, four more were already around her, their sharp claws and fangs lusting to taste her blood.

    Bringing the Dusk Shard down on one of them, Effie grinned, then twisted and summoned her spear back.

    With blood streaming from her wounded neck, she dodged a powerful claw and laughed:

    "Bastards! Are you�� trying to eat�� me?! Ha-ha-ha�� let's see who's gonna eat who, fools!"

    All around her, the first line of the Dreamer Army was slowly buckling under the pressure of the nightmare horde. So many of them were already dead, and more were dying every second. Their bodies were torn to pieces and devoured, disappearing into the mass of monsters like morning dew. That sight was so harrowing and chilling that the mind simply refused to process it.

    And yet, the Sleepers of the first line �� those who possessed the most powerful combat Aspects and the best Memories �� had achieved their goal. They stopped the devastating wave of abominations in its tracks and tied it down with their blades and their lives.

    The horde failed to roll over the human army, obliterating it completely without even slowing down.

    More than that, the massacre was not one-sided. For every human killed, several Nightmare Creatures were wounded, crushed, and cut to pieces. Arduously and at a great price, the first line was reforming itself, the survivors of the initial charge rallying around three champions.

    They were Effie, Gemma, and Caster.

    With each of them turning into a bastion in the sea of monsters and gathering fighters around them, the advance of the horde stalled. Whatever creatures managed to get past were met and eviscerated by the Sleepers of the second line, led by Seishan.

    ��And throughout all of that, the archers and the siege engines of the third line never stopped firing.

 Chapter 318 Siege of the Crimson Spire (4)

    Chapter 318 Siege of the Crimson Spire (4)

    "Stand your ground, wretches! If anyone runs, I'll kill you myself!"

    Hearing Effie's voice, Kai flinched and forced himself to look away from the terrible visage of the horde of nightmarish abominations. Glancing down, he saw that his hand was shaking and clenched it into a fist. He had to calm himself, somehow, or his aim was going to suffer.

    That wouldn't do.

    ��But honestly, how was a person supposed to not be terrified when a literal sea of Nightmare Creatures, each stronger and deadlier than anything anyone should ever be forced to face, was approaching them so fast?

    Kai prided himself on overcoming things like stage fright and social anxiety, as well as getting through many unpalatable situations with grace and elegance, not to mention managing to survive in the Dark City for three long years without losing his humanity.

    But this was just too much��

    '...What would Sunny say?'

    Thinking of his prickly, but adorable friend, Kai couldn't help but smile a little.

    'Probably something like�� oh, a horde of Nightmare Creatures? Yeah I've met one a few days ago. They all died when I sneezed, though.'

    The strangest part was that he would be telling the truth. If Kai decided to dig deeper, he would discover something in the line of Sunny's sneeze causing a massive avalanche that wiped all the monsters out.

    ��Or, more likely, that his sneeze had awakened some ancient, much more terrifying creature, which then proceeded to devour all the monsters before turning its gaze on Sunny himself.

    That was just how Sunny was.

    ...Unpredictable.

    Strangely, these thoughts succeeded in calming Kai down. He only regretted that the cute scoundrel wasn't close by to reassure him in person.

    Gazing at the approaching horde, he sighed and gripped his bow tighter.

    The coral was sloping down in the place where Changing Star had chosen to face the guardians of the Spire. Because of that, the position of the third line was higher than the other two, which would allow them to continue firing long after Effie and the rest had engaged the Nightmare Creatures in melee.

    In theory.

    All around him, those Sleepers that had suitable Memories or Aspect Abilities were preparing to shoot, waiting for his command. The surviving Artisans and their assistants were busy loading the six powerful ballistae they had transported all the way from the Dark City and put together the last night. The sight of the mighty siege engines made Kai sigh wistfully.

    ��Maybe they were going to survive this battle, after all.

    "First mark!"

    As soon as Effie's shout reached his ears, he turned to the Artisans and waved a hand, giving them the signal to fire.

    A second later, six heavy spears flashed through the air and crashed into the wall of monsters. Many of them were eviscerated, but these losses were like a drop of water in the sea of darkness.

    Kai gritted his teeth.

    "Second mark!"

    "Now!"

    As his melodic voice rolled over the third line of the Dreamer Army, he drew his bow and took aim.

    Back in the real world, archery was Kai's favorite hobby. Not the practical skill of shooting a bow which was taught to many in school, but the ancient practice known as kyudo, which was more of a meditative ritual than a real battle art. Its orderly nature, tranquil philosophy, and repetitive motions appealed to something deep inside him.

    The more stressed Kai was, the more he practiced.

    Who knew that one day he would be relying on his marksmanship to survive?

    Not that aiming at a literal horde of monsters was hard. He didn't have to worry about missing a shot with the Blood Arrow, at least.

    Letting go of the string, Kai watched as the black arrow streaked through the air and bit deep into the body of a tall carapace demon. Its bone tip pierced the metal armor of the terrible creature with ease. Not only was it of the Ascended Rank itself, it was also enhanced by Lady Nephis.

    Very few creatures could resist his attacks.

    "Keep firing! Kill as many as you can!"

    The demon swayed, then fell to the ground. Kai felt the weakness that overtook him every time he summoned the morbid Memory dissipate, and called upon the Blood Arrow again.

    However, he didn't get to take his second shot before the wave of abominations crashed into the line of Sleepers.

    For a second, Kai was stunned by the harrowing sight. The scale of the massacre that was happening below him was just too vast to comprehend. His heart was instantly constricted, full of worry for Effie��

    And all the other people he knew.

    With a desperate grimace contorting his face, Kai aimed and shot again.

    And then he did so again, and again, and again.

    Everyone around him was doing everything in their power to kill as many Nightmare Creatures as they could. Arrows, magical projectiles, and heavy lances launched by the ballistae rained on the ghastly horde, reaping countless lives.

    But it was not enough, not nearly enough��

    Seeing so many people be torn to pieces and devoured while trying to protect him and the other archers, Kai couldn't help but wish that he could do more.

    'If only I could fly up and get a better shot�� if only I could get closer!'

    ��But he couldn't.

    While others lost themselves in the battle completely, Kai had to keep a cool head. After all, he was responsible for the third line of the Dreamer Army. The lives of all these young men and women depended on him.

    That was why he kept his eyes on the merciless grey sky.

    Just a few meters above them, almost invisible in the bright light of dawn, a vast net made out of sharp iron wire was drawn above the battlefield.

    The wire for this net was collected in the Labyrinth, from those areas where iron spiders were known to nest, and fashioned into the aerial barrier by the Artisans.

    It was meant to protect them from the terrifying creatures that could fall at any moment from the skies.

    After all, the Crimson Spire did not only have a Terror and a horde of guardians.

    It also had its Messengers��

 Chapter 319 Siege of the Crimson Spire (5)

    Chapter 319 Siege of the Crimson Spire (5)

    "Draw your bows! Take aim! Endure!"

    Kai's words were meant to keep the morale of his troops more than they were meant to serve as actual instructions. To tell the truth, he did not have to do much, at least not yet. There were no such things as coordinated volleys when it came to archers �� everyone just had to send one arrow after another into the seething mass of Nightmare Creatures, as fast as they could.

    He had to do the same, too.

    On the ground near him, several quivers full of arrows waited for their turn. Kai was shooting without a respite, alternating between using the Blood Arrow and these mundane ones. It took time for the ghastly Memory to return to his hands, so he had to use something else in-between.

    A good archer had to be able to fire twelve times in a minute. An excellent one �� twice that.

    Gritting his teeth, Kai drew his bow, took aim, held his breath, and fired. Every movement had to be efficient, quick, and precise. As soon as one shot was done, another one immediately started. Draw, aim, release. Draw, aim, release. Repeat, and repeat, and repeat...

    In these moments, he had become less of a human and more of a methodical battle machine that ran on all cylinders without stopping even for a moment.

    He put an arrow in the eye of a terrible abomination that looked like a giant snake made of seaweed and rotting flesh. Another pierced the chest of a massive bestial primate and impaled him on the carapace of a mantis-like creature. The third bit into the neck of the mantis and greedily drank its tainted blood, causing the monster to stumble and fall.

    Kai felt like he was drowning.

    Back in the waking world, archers were always portrayed as nimble, graceful warriors, someone who excelled in agility and speed as opposed to brute strength and physical might. They were beautiful maidens, elegant youths, and cunning rogues. Maybe that was why he had been attracted to bowmanship, to begin with.

    The reality, however�� couldn't be further from the truth.

    It took a lot of strength to pull the string of a combat bow. The draw weight of a good bow was as much as fifty kilograms, on average. Twenty times the weight of a sword��

    And Memory bows like his were much more monstrous. They were never meant for mundane humans, so pulling that string every few seconds burned through his stamina in mere minutes. Very soon, Kai's muscles screamed in pain, and his lungs seemed to be on fire.

    But he couldn't stop�� he had to keep shooting, no matter what.

    "Keep at it! Draw, aim! Endure!"

    How could he allow this insignificant pain, this unearned exhaustion to slow him down when out there, below, so many humans were dying in agony to keep the enemy away from the line of archers?

    Letting loose another arrow, Kai drew in a hoarse breath and glanced up, almost out of habit.

    However, this time, his gaze lingered on the indifferent grey skies. Then, his eyes widened.

    At some point, five black dots appeared high above the battlefield, flying in an eerily perfect circle above it. A cold chill ran down Kai's back.

    "Messengers��"

    Five Fallen Monsters were observing the massacre that was happening below them with vile indifference. Even though he could not see their harrowing shapes too well, Kai could somehow feel their gaze.

    '...Why aren't they attacking?'

    As if to answer his question, a smaller dot appeared from the clouds and fell down through the circle created by the Messengers. And then, another. And another��

    Just a second later, countless Nightmare Creatures poured from the grey skies and dove down, swiftly approaching the ground. There were so many of them that their mass resembles a swirling black column of a colossal tornado.

    Kai trembled. His face paled.

    ��However, he did not allow fear to prevent him from fulfilling his duty.

    "Skyward squads! Aim high!"

    At this point, about half of the Sleepers in the third line were supposed to switch their attention and repel the aerial threat. However, engrossed in the battle that was happening below, most of them didn't hear or understand his words.

    Kai grimaced.

    And then, his clear, enchanting voice rolled over the entire battlefield once again, this time easily piercing through the clangor and havoc of the terrible strife:

    "Skyward! Squads! Aim high!"

    This was the voice he had used to sing the most difficult notes in front of hundreds of thousands of people. Only the dead could not hear it.

    Brought back to reality by his voice, the archers quickly aimed at the sky.

    ��Just in time.

    Kai let the Blood Arrow loose, then saw it fly upward and hit one of the winged abominations in the chest. The monster convulsed and dropped vertically down, hitting the sharp wires of the iron net with a sickening sound.

    A tremor ran through the entire net, and drops of black blood fell to the ground.

    Stretching his hand to grab a mundane arrow, Kai had a moment to take in the sight of the descending swarm. For a moment, his heart was squeezed by despair.

    There were so many of the flying Nightmare Creatures that it was impossible to count them all. Among the swarm of horrors, there were the giant locusts he had fought before, massive abominations with hungry maws and bat-like wings, repulsive birds with fleshy tentacles growing from beneath their pale feathers, and many more. Horrors he had never seen and could have never imagined.

    ��And above them, five black dots continued to circle in the sky.

    Putting the arrow on the string of his bow, Kai banished fear and doubt from his heart and drew it. Then, he aimed at the closest of the abominations and willed it to die.

    A moment later, his arrow hit the creature right in the eye.

    Most of the archers around him had already switched their targets. Only the siege engine crews and those with Abilities and Memories unsuitable for firing upward continued to pelt the nightmare horde with deadly projectiles.

    The quickest of the descending monsters were eviscerated, and soon, a rain of corpses fell on the iron net.

    ��But a few lucky ones had avoided the arrows and dove down to devour the humans who stood on the ground.

    Kai held his breath when the first of them hit the iron wires at full speed.

    What if the net broke?

    But it did not�� at least for now. The Artisans had done their job well.

    Instead, the creature was instantly sliced apart, its body disintegrating into a rain of blood and strangely symmetrical chunks of flesh. The sight of it was morbidly fascinating.

    '...Thank gods.'

    Reaching for another arrow, Kai found nothing but emptiness. Looking down in confusion, he saw that his quivers were empty.

    'Have I�� used so many?'

    Before he had time to process that thought, however, someone had already thrown two fresh quivers on the ground in front of him.

    Picking up an arrow with aching fingers, Kai inhaled through his teeth and raised his bow.

    "Draw! Aim! Endure!"

 Chapter 320 Siege of the Crimson Spire (6)

    Chapter 320 Siege of the Crimson Spire (6)

    "Draw! Aim! Endure!"

    Just as Night shouted these words, Aiko tripped and fell. The bundle of arrows she was carrying in her arms scattered on the ground.

    "Ouch��"

    Picking herself up from the coral, she hurriedly gathered the arrows and dashed to the nearest archer, then placed them near his feet.

    In this battle, the role of people like her �� those who were too weak to fight and did not possess a useful Aspect �� was simultaneously the most simple and the most chaotic. They were charged with supplying the Sleepers participating in the battle with everything they needed, be it arrows, crossbow bolts, stones for their slings, or anything else.

    There were several teams of runners doing different things. Initially, she was supposed to help carry the wounded from the first and second lines to the makeshift hospital at the back of the formation. There, a few people with Aspect Abilities having to do with healing waited, ready to help. Her friend Stev was one of them.

    ��But as it turned out, there wasn't a lot of wounded in this battle. Most simply died on the spot. So she was left with nothing to do and ended up here, helping to supply the archers.

    She had just brought two quivers to Night, and was on her way��

    ��Wait, how crazy was that?

    Trying to catch her breath, Aiko glanced around and shivered.

    'Crazy, this is crazy��'

    The scene in front of her was just too bizarre to be true. Several hundred Sleepers were besieged by a horde of Nightmare Creatures on the ground, with another falling on them from above. All that in front of an ugly, endless tower of crimson coral. Surely, she was dreaming��

    'Of course you are! This is the Dream Realm, you dimwit!'

    And yet, the weirdest thing of all... was that she was stuck in all this craziness with none other than Night from Nightingale, the breathtakingly beautiful idol whose posters hung on the walls of most girls her age back home. Despite the fact that the two of them had known each other for more than a year and were even�� uh�� on friendly terms, this fact was the one that pushed the surrealism of the situation over the edge.

    This was exactly the kind of weird dream a teenage girl like her would have.

    Just as she thought about that, someone fell to the ground a few meters away from her. Turning her head to the sound of a muffled curse, Aiko saw Stev and another Sleeper carrying a crude stretcher. On it was a young woman, covered in blood and pale as a ghost, her leather armor torn apart and on the verge of dissipating.

    A moment before, Stev's partner had tumbled down. It appeared as though he was wounded himself, albeit not too seriously. Running up to them, Aiko took over and helped the ample giant keep the stretcher even.

    Carrying that weight with her tiny body was not easy, but she gritted her teeth and persevered.

    Together, they hurried to the back of the formation.

    On the way, they had to run past the desperate archers and the exhausted crews of the siege engines, who were slowly but surely running out of the massive lances to hurl at the rampaging horde.

    From the look of it, things weren't going well for the Dreamer Army.

    Down below, the first line was in the process of being completely eviscerated. Three islands of resistance still persisted in the sea of monsters, but Aiko didn't know how much longer those poor people would be able to hold. The second line was now entangled with the Nightmare Creatures, too. The initial plan had been for these two forces to switch positions to give the exhausted warriors time to rest, but now, it was never going to happen.

    Up above, more and more corpses were falling on the invisible iron net. Despite that, the number of the flying abominations did not seem to diminish at all. The metal wires were groaning, having to carry more and more weight.

    'Are we all going to die?'

    Feeling cold dread spread through her body, Aiko trembled and involuntarily turned her head to the tallest point in the Dreamer Army camp. There, on a protruding mound of crimson coral, she saw three figures.

    One was Saint Nephis herself. The other was her blind oracle. And the third��

    'Wait�� what is that guy doing there?!'

    The third person was none other than Sunny, the strange young man who had gotten her into this mess to begin with.

    After joining the Changing Star's faction, Aiko had quickly learned who the important people were and what positions they held in the Bright Lady's cohort. Everyone's role was clear and easy to understand.

    ��Except for Sunny.

    What role that pale youth played was entirely unclear. People seemed to consider him a member of Lady Nephis's cohort, but Sunny himself always insisted that he was not. He was thought to be a competent fighter, but actually, no one had really seen him fight.

    Most people just knew him for his tendency to keep to himself, ridiculous bragging, and carefree attitude. They simultaneously respected him for being Changing Star's scout and considered him mostly harmless.

    However, Aiko did not think that Sunny was harmless. She had seen him appear from the shadows and kill the Guard who had been strangling her with one relaxed move, as though getting rid of an insect.

    In her mind, Sunny was very mysterious. He was a wild card.

    Seeing him with Lady Nephis now, she suddenly felt a tiny bit of hope.

    Maybe Changing Star had a plan.

    Maybe they were going to survive, after all��

    "Aiko! Move your short legs faster, will you!"

    Frowning at Stev's remark, she looked at the ground and concentrated on not slowing her giant friend down.

    Soon, they reached the hospital and placed the stretcher on the makeshift table. Stev dashed to retrieve his tools��

    But it was too late. The young girl on the stretcher was already dead.

    Aiko remained motionless for a bit, staring at the ground. After a while, Stev cautiously touched her on the shoulder.

    "Hey�� are you okay, shorty?"

    She wiped her face, then nodded.

    "Yeah. I'm fine. Gotta run, though. Those�� those arrows aren't going to carry themselves."

    Stev lingered for a bit, then tried to smile.

    "Alright. Uh... stay safe."

    She smiled and nodded again.

    "Yeah. You stay safe, too."

    With that, Aiko turned around and ran out of the tent.

    Outside, the battle was only growing more ferocious.

 Chapter 321 Siege of the Crimson Spire (7)

    Chapter 321 Siege of the Crimson Spire (7)

    Sunny stood at the peak of a tall coral mound, observing the battle that raged below. There was a slight frown on his face, but his eyes were calm.

    The Dreamer Army was besieged from two sides. One horde of abominations was slowly devouring its front line, while another had descended on them from above, stalled for now by the vast net of sharp iron wires.

    ��It was like a scene from a fever nightmare.

    Every second, humans were dying, torn apart by the claws and fangs of the harrowing horde of monsters. Their cries and screams fused with the roaring wails of the Nightmare Creatures into a deafening wave of dissonant noise. That wave washed over the crimson coral, sending a chill running down his spine.

    Turning away from the bloodsoaked visage of the battlefield, Sunny glanced at Nephis.

    Changing Star was sitting on the ground. Her face was calm, and her eyes were closed. On her forehead, the gem of the Dawn Shard burned with furious white light, feeding hundreds upon hundreds of Memories with raw power. She appeared to be in the depths of profound meditation, seemingly not affected by the horrible decimation that was happening below them at all.

    Cassie was standing beside her, looking at the ground. Her hand rested on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer. The other two Echoes of the blind girl had been with the first line of the army during the initial charge; by now, they were already destroyed.

    Sunny wanted to say something, but then thought better of it. The time for conversations was over.

    Instead, he faced the Crimson Spire. His gaze lingered on it for a few moments, then slid back to the terrible sight of the slaughter. Straining his eyes, Sunny tried to distinguish the figures of Effie and Kai in the chaotic formation of the Dreamer Army.

    'Don't die just yet, fools��'

    ***

    Down below, surrounded by those warriors of the first line that still stubbornly clung to life, Effie had long forgotten about anything else but bloodshed and strife. The scope of the world had narrowed to the suffocating confines of the furious battle, consuming both the past and the future.

    The was only the present, and the present consisted of nothing but violence and death.

    ��And killing, of course.

    With a mad grin on her bloodied face, she faced one abomination after another, crushing, breaking, and tearing them apart. Her tall, lean body had turned into a lethal battle machine, moving with ferocious speed and devastating power, deadly precision and murderous will. Both Zenith and Dusk behaved like natural extensions of her limbs, alternating between attack and defense to reap one profane life after another.

    Her armor had been pierced several times, but she paid it no attention. It didn't matter. All that mattered was to kill as many Nightmare Creatures as possible, to obliterate as many of the hateful monsters as she could. Their corpses piled up, carpeting the crimson coral with an uninterrupted bleeding mass of broken flesh. After a while, Effie had to start watching her step carefully.

    Despite that, the number of abominations showed no sign of growing smaller. It was as though the horde was endless and boundless. But she wasn't scared��

    In fact, Effie was enjoying herself.

    Oh, this was so exhilarating!

    Dodging a serrated claw, she lunged forward and crushed the ribcage of an attacking monster with the rim of her shield, then used the remaining momentum to skewer another one on her spear. With no time to retrieve her weapon and turn, she used the shaft of Zenith Shard to deflect a blow from a mighty pincer of a carapace scavenger and kicked the beast viciously, shattering the adamantine shell of its armor.

    Other Sleepers were fighting around her, using the fearsome huntress as an anchor in the sea of death. They were still holding, still breathing. Two other islands of resistance had formed around Gemma and Caster, who were also in the throes of the battle trance.

    The proud Legacy had turned into a whirlwind of ghostly steel, eviscerating any creature that dared to approach him. His movements were so fast that his enemies' blood could not even fall to the ground. As the result, Caster was constantly surrounded by a cloud of red mist.

    The experienced Hunter fought with cunning and skill, sending one abomination after another into the embrace of death. Whatever wounds appeared on Gemma's body were soon gone, not even leaving a trace. Numerous fearsome creatures had been slain by his hand, unable to do the tall man any harm.

    ��And yet, humans were dying. One after another, they fell, leaving less and warriors to hold back the gluttonous horde.

    As Effie fought, a sudden thought entered her mind, sending a slight shiver running through her body.

    '...Heavy. That damn shield is so heavy��'

    She was growing tired.

    ***

    Kai had lost count of the number of monsters he killed. Because of the constant cycle of losing blood and magically getting it back, he felt slightly lightheaded. Luckily, he had yet to miss a shot�� maybe?�� and was able to continue firing.

    More and more corpses fell on the iron net, their blood flowing on the people below. It was as though they were now fighting in the rain. A red, fetid rain of blood��

    Blood, blood, blood. No matter where he looked, he saw nothing but blood.

    He was sick of it.

    Gritting his teeth, Kai drew his bow once again, aimed between two dead creatures above him, and sent an arrow flying.

    [You have slain an awakened��]

    They were running out of arrows.

    The siege engines were running out of lances, too.

    And the damn Messengers were still circling high above, not even trying to descend.

    'Why, why aren't they attacking?!'

    Looking down, Kai tried to catch his breath and muttered:

    "Curses��"

    Why was it so dark? He couldn't see where his quivers were.

    Something shifted in his mind, and then he blinked.

    Looking up again, Kai realized that the entire net was now covered with corpses. There were so many dead Nightmare Creatures that they formed a macabre carpet that veiled the battlefield from the sun.

    There wasn't a lot of daylight seeping through the net now, and it was growing darker and darker with each second.

    His eyes widened.

    Not because of the deep darkness, but because Kai suddenly heard the iron wires groaning under all that weight. Almost as if strained too much and on the verge of tearing apart.

    The protective net was going to break soon.

    His face paled.

    'Oh no!'

    ***

    On the tall mound of crimson coral, Changing Star suddenly opened her eyes and looked at Sunny.

    "It's time."

 Chapter 322 siege of the Crimson Spire (8)

    Chapter 322 siege of the Crimson Spire (8)

    Things were turning from dire to desperate for the Dreamer Army. The first line was almost gone, and the second was now completely engulfed by the horde of Nightmare Creatures. Seishan was still standing her ground, but just barely.

    The archers under Kai's command were doing their best to eviscerate as many monsters as they could, but with their attention split between those on the ground and those diving at the iron net from above, the results weren't as devastating as they had been during the initial stage of the battle.

    They were running out of arrows and ammunition, too. The siege engines were slowly disintegrating under the pressure of so many consecutive shots. The people were tired.

    ��And the iron net itself looked as though it was going to break soon. It was covered with a carpet of dead Nightmare Creatures, submerging the battlefield into dim twilight. With every minute, that twilight was turning darker and darker.

    The human formation seemed to be balancing on the very edge of collapse.

    It was at that moment that Nephis, who had been calmly meditating through all of that, suddenly opened her eyes.

    In them, two blinding white flames were burning. Her pale face became illuminated by this radiance, like that of a merciless celestial creature.

    Turning to Sunny, she remained silent for a moment, and then said:

    "It's time."

    He sighed.

    Indeed, it was time for the two of them to enter the fray and play their roles.

    As Neph stood up and summoned her sword, he flexed his shoulders and stretched his neck. The Midnight Shard, however, remained hidden in the depths of the Shadow Core.

    Sunny glanced at Cassie, hesitated for a few seconds, and then smiled.

    "Hey, Cas. I'll�� see you on the other side, I guess."

    She lingered for a bit, then nodded slowly and turned away.

    '...Don't die.'

    He sighed.

    "That's my cue, I guess."

    Together, he and Nephis walked over to the edge of the coral mound and jumped down, leaving the blind girl standing alone on its top.

    Softly landing on the ground, Sunny waved to Neph and said in an even tone:

    "I'll go first. Good luck."

    With that, he turned in the direction of the battlefield and inhaled deeply.

    In front of him, the desperately fighting Dreamer Army was intertwined with the nightmare horde in the darkness cast by the groaning net of iron wires.

    The whole battlefield had turned into a realm of blood, death�� and shadow. The more corpses piled on the net, the deeper and darker the shadows became.

    This was Sunny's territory now.

    Stepping into the darkness, he suddenly became almost invisible. The shadows embraced him as one of their own, hiding his figure and movements. Veiled in their embrace, he steeled his will and dashed toward the battlefield.

    Moving forward, Sunny ran past the tent of the makeshift hospital where a group of people was supposed to be desperately trying to save those lucky few who had managed to receive a non-lethal wound.

    Right now, however, the tent was partially toppled and engulfed in chaos. One of the flying Nightmare Creatures had somehow managed to squeeze under the net and was now wreaking havoc inside of it, its black body pierced by several arrows, but still full of deadly power Free?ebn?vel.c?m.

    Sunny moved past it without looking back.

    Stepping through the deepest, darkest shadows, he ran past the line of siege engines and noticed the small figure of Aiko helping an exhausted Artisan load one last spear into position. The steel lance was clearly too heavy for the delicate girl, but she was pushing it up with stubborn determination.

    Then, he was between the rows of archers. These people were continuing to fire, desperately trying to find clear spots between the numerous corpses piled on top of the trembling iron net. He saw Kai looking around with a lost look on his face.

    Sunny wanted to stop and reassure his friend, but couldn't.

    Sliding between these people without being noticed, he left the third line and dashed toward the second.

    Here, his task of remaining unseen became much harder.

    The second line had lost almost all pretense of order, but remained unbroken. With the warriors under Effie's command still taking the brunt of the horde and withstanding its pressure, Seishan had managed to prevent any abominations from reaching the archers.

    ��At least for now.

    Dodging the defending humans and the attacking monsters, Sunny entered the crucible of battle. He wasn't here to fight, however. His goal was still ahead.

    Moving unseen, he evaded several vicious skirmishes. Somewhere along the way, he noticed Seishan herself.

    The beautiful woman was fighting with darkly fascinating grace. The Sunlight Shard rose and fell, guided by her slender hand. The amount of power delivered by these strikes, however, was nothing short of terrifying.

    Every time the war hammer stroke, a Nightmare Creature was broken apart, with bits of chiting, bone, and streams of blood flying into the air.

    It was still not enough, though. After another blow, a menacing figure of a carapace scavenger suddenly grasped the Memory in its powerful pincer and tore it away from Seishan's hand. In the next moment, a subtle change happened to the body of the graceful Handmaiden.

    It seemed as though she grew taller, her limbs elongating, her spine twisting. Her smooth grey skin became like that of a shark, and her eyes rolled back, revealing a second pair of pupils, these ones vertical and surrounded by a sea of red.

    Seishan's jaw unhinged, revealing several rows of terrible fangs. Dashing forward, she easily broke the carapace of the Nightmare Creature with her bare fist. A fraction of a second later, her jaws closed on the joint of the pincer, piercing the chitin, and tore the entire limb apart.

    Leaving that disturbing scene behind, Sunny moved into another layer of shadows and ran toward the first line.

    There, the mass of abominations and surviving humans was almost impenetrable. And yet, he had to pierce it.

    Drawing in a deep breath, Sunny dove into the sea of Nightmare Creatures.

    Moving between the endless horde of monsters like a dancer, he dodged and avoided their chaotically moving bodies, keeping to the shadows. If he was noticed, he was going to be torn apart in mere seconds. If he slowed down, he was going to be crushed and obliterated.

    Like a shadow, Sunny slid between them. A few times, he had to quickly dash beneath an especially tall abomination or jump over another. For a few seconds, he even ran on top of these horrible monsters, jumping from the shoulder of one to the carapace of another, and then back to the bloodied, slippery ground.

    On his way, he saw Effie. The huntress had either lost or dismissed her shield, and was now spinning her spear and using it to deliver both piercing and slashing attacks, drawing wide arks in the air with its bronze blade. Her body was covered in blood and her armor was broken and shattered.

    But on her face, there was a wide, joyful grin.

    Leaving it all behind, Sunny moved deeper into the horde of monsters. A few times, he thought that he would be noticed. But in the end, the shadows had kept him safe.

    And after a while�� an eternity, maybe�� he finally broke free of the endless mass of Nightmare Creatures.

    Now, there was nothing in front of him but the wide expanse of the cursed black water.

    ��And the mass of the Crimson Spire stretching endlessly into the skies.

 Chapter 323 Siege of the Crimson Spire (9)

    Chapter 323 Siege of the Crimson Spire (9)

    Sunny froze for a moment, captivated by the all-encompassing expanse of the cyclopean spire that towered above the entire world.

    Almost at the same moment, the darkness behind him was suddenly annihilated by a blinding explosion of light. The noise of the battle changed, somehow growing even more intense. The howling of the nightmare horde grew louder, but also became slightly muffled, almost�� anxious.

    Changing Star had finally joined the fight.

    A moment later, hundreds of human voices rose in a deafening battle cry, their spirit lifted, their crumbling resolve restored. With Nephis arriving on the battlefield, the balance of the whole battle shifted. The Nightmare Creatures surged to destroy the radiant figure, only to be obliterated by it. They almost seem to melt under the furious assault of the incandescent blade, turning into cinder and ash.

    Neph's arrival brought a moment of relief to the exhausted warriors of the Dreamer Army. Instead of using it to catch their breaths and regroup, however, they chose to use this opportunity to launch into a ferocious attack, making the horde shudder and recoil.

    ��Sunny was not paying any attention to what was happening behind his back, though. His eyes were locked on the bridge of crimson coral that stretched across the vast whirlpool of black water, creating a path to the island on which the cursed Spire stood.

    On it were countless abominations, each of them pushing, howling, fighting for their turn to taste soft human flesh.

    However, the harrowing mass of them wasn't endless anymore. He could actually see the tail of the nightmare horde, with the distant half of the bridge being almost empty.

    Not that it was going to make things easy for him. As soon as Sunny escaped from beneath the iron net, he became illuminated by the bright sunlight, with nowhere else to hide. Completely exposed.

    The eyes of numerous monsters were already on him, bloodlust and hunger igniting in their depths. If he wanted to use the bridge, he was going to have to cut his way through the undulating mass of Nightmare Creatures.

    'Saint.'

    Answering his call, the marble demon appeared from the shadows, her ruby eyes burning with cold menace behind the visor of the onyx helmet. The taciturn knight stood silently on the shore of the rushing black water, gazing at the horde of monsters across its dark expanse.

    Sunny took a few steps back and glanced at the mass of abominations who were already lunging in his direction.

    'Here goes nothing��'

    Dashing forward, he crossed the distance to the Saint�� and jumped.

    The Shadow raised her shield, allowing him to step on it, and then pushed away with all her incredible strength. Simultaneously, Sunny launched himself off this unlikely springboard and shot into the air.

    The wind whistled in his ears.

    Soaring above the mass of black water, and all the horrors that hid in its depths, he flew toward the Crimson Spire with terrible speed. The Dark Wing turned into a blur behind his back, making Sunny weightless, and thus prolonging this state of flight.

    It was still not nearly enough to reach the island, however.

    In a few short seconds, he crossed almost half of the wide surface of the dark whirlpool. But then, his momentum slowed, and soon, Sunny started to fall. Thanks to the transparent cloak, he didn't plunge straight down, instead gliding through the air, slowly approaching the seething black water.

    He was never going to make it.

    ��But then, he was never planning to.

    Twisting his body, Sunny hurled the Prowling Thorn at the crimson coral of the bridge. As soon as the heavy kunai bit into it, he forcefully pulled on the invisible string, changing the direction of his flight.

    A few seconds later, Sunny landed on the bridge in a roll and jumped to his feet. Behind him, the tail end of the nightmare horde was still oblivious to his presence.

    In front of him was a clear path to the Crimson Spire.

    Dismissing the Dark Wing and summoning Shadow Saint back into his core, Sunny ran forward without wasting even a moment to look back.

    ***

    Soon, the Crimson Spire eclipsed the whole sky. It seemed as though the world suddenly made a ninety-degree turn, the ground itself becoming vertical instead of horizontal. Even craning his neck, Sunny couldn't see the top of the ominous tower anymore.

    It was as if the Dream Realm was like a box, and he had reached one of its walls. The edge of reality itself.

    Throwing all unnecessary thoughts out of his head, Sunny rushed toward the Spire. His goal was almost in sight.

    'Seven severed heads�� guarding seven locks��'

    This was what Cassie had told them a year ago, at the start of this cursed journey. Somewhere at the base of the Crimson Spire, there was a place where one could insert seven keys into seven locks to seal the curse of the all-consuming darkness underground once more, thus restoring the oath of the ancient heroes.

    Shard Memories had given ChangingS Star's cohort these keys, and now, Sunny held all of them in his soul.

    He just had to find the locks��

    And very soon, he did.

    Hidden behind a tall mound of crimson coral, a vast expanse of flat surface led all the way to the walls of the corrupted Spire. On it, arranged in a wide semi-circle, seven giant heads stared away from Sunny.

    Despite the fact that they were facing the other way, he recognized them immediately.

    These were the stolen heads of the seven colossal statues that stood across the desolate hell of the Forgotten Shore, ones that had been torn off their shoulders by the Crimson Terror thousands of years ago and then brought here, to lay at the base of its citadel for all eternity.

    The Lord, the Priestess, the Knight, the Hunter, the Builder, the Slayer, and the Stranger.

    Their gazes were aimed at the gargantuan gates of the Spire.

    And there, on those gates, the image of seven shining stars was engraved into the ancient stone.

    Each star had a dark keyhole in its radiant center.

 Chapter 324 Siege of the Crimson Spire (10)

    Chapter 324 Siege of the Crimson Spire (10)

    Summoning Saint to stand side by side with him once again, Sunny glanced at the gates of the Spire, grimaced, and jumped down from the mound of coral.

    'I don't like this at all��'

    Out there on the island, it was quiet. Too quiet.

    Even though all the Nightmare Creatures were now behind him, slowly devouring the Dreamer Army, the open space pierced by the gazes of the severed heads of stone colossus was too ominous and foreboding to not spell trouble.

    But Sunny was done being afraid a long time ago.

    'You fear me, instead.'

    Walking forward, he passed between the giant heads and entered the empty space in front of the cyclopean gates. Feeling as though someone was staring at his back, Sunny shivered and approached the seven locks.

    Halfway to the gates, he stopped, hesitated for a moment and then looked back, at stone heads.

    This was the first time he saw the faces of the seven heroes.

    The face of the Lord was noble and dignified, the face of the Priestess �� beautiful and gentle. The Slayer was arrogant and cold, her lips twisted in a crooked grin. The Stranger wore a helmet, darkness nesting in the crack of its visor.

    '...People. They were just people.'

    Turning away, Sunny sighed, then shook his head in dejection.

    'I won't judge you for what you have done. But I hope�� I really that we will be able to do better.'

    With that, he took another step forward�� and froze.

    Something had changed on the stretch of land between him and the gates of the Crimson Spire. A cold wind suddenly howled, throwing bits of coral into the air.

    Those pieces of did not fall down. Instead, more and more of the crimson shards flew up, slowly forming into seven twisted silhouettes.

    Sunny cursed and outstretched his hand, summoning the Midnight Shard into it.

    A few seconds later, seven golems of crimson coral stood in front of him and Saint, blocking the path to the star sigil. He recognized their shapes.

    The armored figure of the Knight. The slender figure of the Slayer. The graceful figure of the Priestess��

    Vile, corrupted facsimiles of the seven heroes slowly moved, raising their weapons to point at him. Their movements were crude and inhuman, but radiated a sense of terrible, profane power. Despite their outward appearance, he felt that these creatures were desecrating the memory of the ancient heroes instead of manifesting it.

    Sunny grinned and walked toward the coral golems, the blade of his sword pointed downward.

    "Seven of you? Do you really think this will be enough to stop me?"

    His dark eyes gleamed, turning cold and ruthless.

    "...Well then, fools, come and get me!"

    With that, he dashed forward and raised the Midnight Shard.

    Before Sunny could strike, however, the Stranger appeared in front of him as though out of nowhere and put his round shield in the path of the austere tachi. Hitting it felt like hitting a mountain.

    Sunny's eyes widened.

    'Fast��'

    A fraction of a second later, he noticed a beak of a war hammer flying toward his temple with terrible speed. Gritting his teeth, Sunny shifted and blocked it with the blade of the Midnight Shard.

    As a painful shockwave rolled through his body, he was thrown backward and slid on the red coral, then groaned and spat a mouthful of blood.

    'Damn it! How are they so strong?!'

    Looking up, he saw seven tall figures approaching him with steady, inevitable malice. Each of the golems was powerful enough to rip an entire cohort of Sleepers to pieces.

    To his side, Saint raised her shield and hit its rim twice with the blade of her sword.

    'Whatever. Let's do this!'

    ***

    Back across the whirlpool of black water, the Dreamer Army was still furiously resisting the horde of Nightmare Creatures. By now, all of the monsters had left the coral bridge and descended upon the Sleepers, consumed by the mad desire for human flesh.

    There was no distinction between the first and the second line now. All those still alive were engulfed by the bloody chaos of the slaughter, desperately trying to survive in the midst of absolute chaos.

    Changing Star was at the center of the terrible bloodshed, shining like a radiant sun. She fought alone, because no one else could survive the devastating pressure that the horde exerted in the zealous attempts to extinguish that light. Any human that tried to approach and help her was immediately torn to pieces.

    Indifferent to everything, Nephis moved like a furious deity, eviscerating one abomination after another. All around her, burning corpses littered the ground, their cursed blood boiling and evaporating into the air. Not only was her presence relieving the pressure from the rest of the Sleepers, but they also found strength in it.

    As long as Changing Star fought for their salvation, how could they give up? As long as her light was there to banish the darkness, how could they lose hope?

    That was why no monster had managed to break through the remnants of the first two lines and reach the archers.

    Standing on the slippery surface of the crimson coral, Kai gazed at the terrible scene of the massacre below him, and then raised his face to the sky.

    Instead of the sky, however, he saw the dark mass of bleeding corpses carpeting the iron net. His face paled, light disappearing from his eyes.

    As the last officer of the Dreamer Army to not engaged in the melee, he was the only one who could see the bigger picture.

    He was the only one who knew that the iron net was mere minutes away from breaking.

    When it did, the mass of sharp iron wires and all the crushing weight of countless dead monsters was going to fall on the remains of the human formation, spelling their doom.

    Someone had to do something��

    And that someone was him.

    Kai blinked, then closed his eyes for a moment.

    'Of course. I am the only one who can.'

    Nothing could stop the collapse of the iron net. But the manner in which it collapsed could be controlled. All they had to do was to cut it at a suitable spot, allowing for the mass of dead Nightmare Creatures to fall down without burying the fighting humans beneath it.

    And who could cut the iron wires beside a person capable of flying?

    The only problem was that once the net was cut�� nothing was going to stop the five Spire Messengers from entering through the breach.

    He was going to have to lead them away from the battlefield, too.

    '...Yes. Yes, this is what I have to do.'

    Dismissing his heavy bow, Kai stared at the ground for a few moments. An elegant falcata slowly appeared in his hand.

    And then, with an expression of dark resolve appearing on his face, he pushed himself off the crimson coral and flew to the strained iron net.

 Chapter 325 Siege of the Crimson Spire (11)

    Chapter 325 Siege of the Crimson Spire (11)

    "Argh! Damn it!"

    Effie stumbled back and swiped the Zenith Shard in a wide arc, cutting through the bodies of several Nightmare Creatures. With her other hand, she took hold of the oversized translucent tick that bit deep into her thigh and tore it away, losing a chunk of flesh in the process. Before the repulsive creature had time to sever her fingers with its sharp mandibles, she crushed it in her fist.

    Feeling hot blood streaming down her leg, she grimaced and unceremoniously wiped the pulverized remains of the tick on the fabric of the Sunlight Shard, then spun to follow the trajectory of her spear.

    Effie was tired. So, so tired. She was utterly exhausted.

    ��But there was no end to the nightmarish horde.

    'Can't you all just die, bastards��'

    Catching the shaft of the Zenith Shard with both hands once again, she thrust it back and skewered another abomination with its sauroter, then tore the sharp spike away and dashed to the side. A moment later, a terrifying scythe of a carapace centurion sunk into the spot where she had just been. Effie spun the spear and lashed out with it, piercing the chest of the massive creature and killing it on the spot.

    As the heavy body fell to the ground and sent tremors through it, she had a second to draw in a pained, raspy breath. Her wounded leg almost buckled.

    'Why is no one covering my back��'

    Effie looked around to check on the fellow Sleepers who had been fighting by her side, but failed to see anyone.

    All around her, there was nothing but the endless mass of Nightmare Creatures.

    Everyone was already dead.

    ��Except for her.

    "Ha. Ha-ha. Ha!"

    Effie was left alone in the sea of monsters, separated from the remnants of the Dreamer Army by an impenetrable wall of claws and chitin. She only knew that someone was still alive and fighting back there because of the radiant white light that continued to illuminate the vast expanse of the battlefield�� of this tomb that they had built for themselves from iron wires and dead Nightmare Creatures.

    Not that the light could reach where she stood. Here, there was nothing but darkness.

    She didn't have much hope of reaching it, too.

    Effie looked at the ground and smiled bitterly.

    Then, she raised her head high and stared at the approaching tide of monsters, her eyes sparkling with dark amusement.

    "Come then, beasts. Oh, what a feast this will be��"

    ***

    Sunny barely avoided the blade of the coral sword and deflected it to the side with the Midnight Shard. Then, he tried to counterattack, but was forced to jump back with a muffled curse. A sharp stiletto flew past his face, leaving a shallow cut on his cheek.

    'Damned abominations!'

    Currently, he was facing against three golems at the same time. The Knight, The Slayer, and the Priestess were trying to surround him. They moved with terrifying speed and possessed enough power to obliterate a Sleeper with laughable ease.

    Luckily, Sunny was not just any Sleeper. The shadow was wrapped around his body, making him faster and stronger. With its help, he was barely able to hold on and remain alive.

    ��For now.

    Some distance away from him, Saint was facing off against the Stranger, the Builder, and the Hunter. Those three seemed to be even more ferocious than his own opponents, so the Shadow was having a lot of trouble, too.

    'That doesn't make any sense��'

    Sunny was not surprised that these constructs were far more powerful than him. But Saint was an awakened demon, and one of the most dangerous Nightmare Creatures of her Rank he had ever seen, no less. And yet, she was barely able to remain in one piece.

    Good thing that the Lord had yet to join the fight. The seventh golem stood motionlessly some distance away, as though uninterested in the fight.

    Because of how fast his enemies were and their numerical advantage, Sunny had to summon the Moonlight Shard as well. Now, he was holding the tachi in one hand and the stiletto in the other. This wasn't what he was used to and made his offense weaker, but allowed him to bolster his defense.

    This was one of the reasons why Sunny was still alive.

    Suddenly, a blast of light hammered into his eyes, making him stagger and blinding him for a few short moments. In the next second, the Priestess lunged at him. She wielded no weapons, but her coral hands were deadly enough to serve as a pair of them.

    Trusting the Shadow Sense, Sunny dodged and brought the Midnight Shard down, hoping to catch the golem. His second hand moved, blocking a strike of the Slayer. Just as before, the impact almost shattered the bones in his wrist and sent Sunny reeling.

    He had successfully resisted the attack and bought himself enough time to regain his vision, only to be faced with the furious threat of another assault, this one coming from the Knight.

    Saint wasn't having any more luck. Her shield had been caught by the beak of the Builder's war hammer and pulled down, which gave the Hunter an opportunity to thrust his spear into the breach in her defense. At the same time, the Stranger was preparing to attack her from behind.

    'This can't go on much longer�� think, think!'

    Sunny felt as though he was missing some crucial fact about this arduous, lethal fight. He had to solve it before the last golem joined in��

    Twisting his body to deflect the incoming strike, he frowned.

    ��Why had the Lord not attacked?

    There was something about it��

    Suddenly, Sunny's eyes narrowed.

    'Can it be?'

    The golems were created in the image of the ancient heroes, and even wielded the same weapons. He had managed to resist his attackers for so long partially because he was intimately acquainted with their armaments.

    After all, he held the Midnight and Moonlight Shard in his hands.

    If their weapons were the same as his Shard Memories, just made out of crimson coral�� was it the same for the Lard?

    Did the Crimson Terror create its own equivalent of the Crown of Dawn, and was it currently feeding the seven golems with power?

    The Lord was standing alone, seemingly indifferent to the battle that was happening in front of him.

    ��Just like Nephis sat away from the battlefield at the start of the siege, the gem of the Dawn Shard burning brightly on her forehead.

    If the seventh golem was doing to the other six what Changing Star had been doing for the Dreamer Army�� then, Sunny still had a chance.

 Chapter 326 Siege of the Crimson Spire (12)

    Chapter 326 Siege of the Crimson Spire (12)

    Glancing at the graceful figure of Saint, Sunny gritted his teeth and made a difficult decision.

    He had no choice but to do it. Too much depended on his success.

    A moment later, he feinted an attack and jumped back at the last moment, disengaging from the three menacing coral golems instead. At the same time, he sent the Shadow a mental command.

    The taciturn demon froze for a fraction of a second, as though hesitating. But in the end, she did not.

    Abandoning the measured cadence of her flawless technique, Saint allowed the spear of the Hunter to strike her in the chest. The force of that vicious attack was so immense that her onyx armor shattered, allowing the tip of the spear to bite deep into her stonelike flesh. Soon, a stream of ruby dust flowed out of the wound, painting the broken cuirass red.

    But the Shadow did not pay it any attention. Catching the shaft of the spear with her shield hand, she twisted her torso and flung the towering coral golem away.

    And then, she suddenly dashed to the side.

    Before the terrible creatures could understand what was happening, she closed the distance and descended upon the three abominations attacking Sunny. Even though her attack was swift unexpected, they managed to react to it at the last moment. The obsidian steel of her dark sword was met by weapons made of crimson coral.

    It gave Sunny the second he needed to get past them, nevertheless.

    Dodging the hand of the Priestess, he appeared behind the three golems and ran toward the distant figure of the Lord.

    Behind him, Saint challenged all six of the golems, tying the down with a ferocious onslaught of attacks. She paid dearly to buy him time, however. Just a second later, another attack got past her defense, leaving a deep crack on the black armor. And then another, and another��

    Ruby dust flowed down like blood.

    With a terrible grimace contorting his pale face, Sunny rushed to reach the seventh of the Star Sigil guardians.

    ***

    Kai approached the dark mass of broken flesh and groaning iron wires, feeling cold drops of blood fall on his face. Changing the angle of his flight to move parallel to the ground, he clenched his teeth and lashed out with his sword.

    The heavy blade of the falcata collided with the iron wires and easily sliced them apart. This net was created from the same thin metal as the webs of iron spiders. As such, it couldn't resist the sharpness of his weapon Memory, which was elevated almost to the Ascended Rank by the miraculous Crown of Dawn.

    His hand, however, wasn't as strong. Even with his core brimming with soul essence, Kai was still just a Sleeper. As soon as he struck the net, a sharp pain pierced his wrist.

    He screamed, but did not let the sword fall from his hand.

    'Almost��'

    As a long cut appeared on the net, many corpses fell down through the breach. Kai had chosen the target for his attack carefully, making sure that the rain of dead Nightmare Creatures would fall on the empty stretch of crimson coral between the largely intact line of archers and the remnants of the vanguard, which was embroiled in horrifying melee.

    But this was not enough. The number of dropping corpses was too small to relieve the pressure from the crumbling net.

    Dashing through the air, Kai made a turn and flew back. A few moments later, he delivered another strike. A second cut appeared on the net, crisscrossing the first one.

    With a strange and melodic noise, four triangular sections of the net collapsed, creating a wide funnel through which a flood of bleeding carcasses fell. Even more slowly rolled in the newly formed depression, finally allowing sunlight back onto the battlefield.

    And through that breach, he saw the sky once again.

    Most of the flying Nightmare Creatures had been slain by the archers, with just a few still trying fruitlessly to break through the net. But high above them, five dark dots still circled in the clouds.

    As soon as Kai saw them, a cold shiver ran through his body.

    Because it felt as though they saw him, too.

    A moment later, the Messengers broke the perfect symmetry of their circle and plunged down.

    'No!'

    Kai's eyes widened.

    Dashing through the breach, he dismissed his Aspect Ability and allowed inertia to pull him down. A moment later, he landed on the carpet of dead monsters and desperately looked for arrows sticking from the bodies.

    Tearing one, two, three�� five of them from the flesh of the Nightmare Creatures, he simultaneously summoned his bow. He would have gathered more, but there was no more time.

    As soon as his bow weaved itself from sparks of light, Kai pushed himself off the carpet of carcasses and shot upward. Then, he looked up.

    The five terrifying Spire Messengers were descending upon him, wind whistling through their gruesome black feathers. Hunger and madness were burning in their eyes.

    For some reason, it felt as though the heavens themselves were falling on him.

    Flying toward the Fallen Monsters, Kai desperately drew his bow and send an arrow in their direction�� then two, three, four, and finally five.

    At that point, the Messengers were close enough to see every detail of their repulsive pale bodies.

    The arrows Kai shot were mundane ones, and thus unable to do much damage to these harrowing abominations.

    ��Unless aimed perfectly by a master of the bow.

    All five struck the base of one of the Messenger's wings, damaging it enough to send the vile creature crashing down, out of control.

    Kai dodged to the side, missing the second one by just a few meters.

    The third one was now right above him, its beak opening in a gluttonous glee.

    That was when Kai made his sixth shot. Only this time, the arrow he sent flying was not mundane at all.

    It was the Blood Arrow.

    The hideous black Memory streaked through the air and hit the Messenger right in the eye, sinking in so deep that only its fletching remained seen. The terrible monster suddenly convulsed, and then fell down.

    The melodious voice of the Spell sang into Kai's ear:

    [You have slain a Fallen Monster, Cursed��]

    But he had no time to listen to it.

    Using the body of the creature he had just killed as a shield, Kai evaded the attack of the fourth Messenger.

    But the last one��

    The last one suddenly appeared right in front of him, leaving Kai no path to retreat, no hope of saving himself.

    It was too late.

    The terrifying black beak shot forward.

    ***

    Effie did her best. She really, really did.

    But in the end, there was only so much that a person could endure.

    After an eternity of refusing to give up, covered in terrible wounds, she made a mistake. It wasn't a mistake, even.

    Just the inevitable failure of a body put through too much pain.

    After delivering another lethal blow, she tried to dodge an attacking monster, but at the most crucial moment, her mauled leg suddenly buckled.

    With a short yell, Effie stumbled and fell to the ground.

    The creature didn't give her a chance to stand up again. It jumped atop the huntress, pressing her into the ground. All she had time to do was grab the jaws of the monster to prevent them from closing on her head.

    Effie wanted to throw the heavy abomination off her, but a moment later, another jumped on it, its mandibles biting into her shoulder. And then another, and another, and another.

    Soon, she was buried under a crushing pile of frenzied Nightmare Creatures, sharp teeth sinking into her flesh.

    'Hurts�� it hurts so much��'

    Effie gritted her teeth, remembering��

    What it was like, to see that distant, pure light.

 Chapter 327 Sieae of the Crimson Spire (13)

    Chapter 327 Sieae of the Crimson Spire (13)

    At the last moment, the coral golem moved, disappearing from Sunny's view. A fraction of a second later, it materialized a few steps away, just outside of the Midnight Shard's reach.

    '...Bastard!'

    It was too late to change the direction of his attack. Pulled forward and down by the inertia, Sunny was forced to finish his downward slash and stumbled, falling to one knee. He found himself in a dangerous position, wide open for an attack and with little ability to maneuver.

    The perverse simulacrum of the Lord towered above him, his powerful frame radiating a sense of harrowing strength. On the forehead of the artificial creature, a polished piece of coral shined with intense crimson light.

    That light seemed to sap the life from everything it fell upon.

    Feeling a sudden weakness permeate his body, Sunny gritted his teeth and dashed to the side. A split second later, the fist of the Lord pierced the air with a cracking sound and shattered the ground, sending a rain of debris flying in every direction.

    Twisting his body, Sunny spun and delivered a backhanded blow before his feet even touched the ground. The blade of the tachi scraped against the vambrace of the golem's armor, leaving a dip gash in it.

    However, it didn't do a lot of damage.

    Landing and sliding back on the coral, Sunny thrust his hand forward and send the Moonlight Shard flying at the golem's face. The creature easily swatted it away with its hand.

    By the time it did, however, Sunny was already near, delivering a high thrust with the Midnight Shard. As soon as the Lord moved to deflect the austere blade, he changed the direction of his attack and turned it into a vicious horizontal cut.

    Using every last bit of his finesse and prowess, Sunny brought down a rain of strikes on the golem. He was moving with astonishing speed and agility, his attacks and steps seamlessly flowing from one into another. It was as though the whole onslaught was just one fluid, continuous motion.

    But no matter how swift and skilled he was, it all turned out to be useless.

    The Lord was much faster, stronger, and more powerful. Even though he was temporarily forced to concentrate on nothing but defense, every second that passed spelled doom for Sunny.

    Because somewhere behind him, Saint was being slowly destroyed by the six other golems. And as soon as she fell, he was going to die.

    "Curse you!"

    Pausing for a mere moment, Sunny gave the coral abomination a chance to attack. Its fist shot toward his chest with terrifying speed.

    Turning his torso, Sunny avoided the blow and caught the hand of the golem between his body and his arm. This position didn't give him any advantage, because the creature was much stronger than him.

    On the contrary, it immobilized one of his hands and forced him to let go of the hilt of the Midnight Sword with the other.

    ��But it gave Sunny purchase.

    The Lord raised his second fist, ready to crush the human's skull with one deadly strike.

    ***

    High in the skies above the battlefield, Kai was just moments away from death. He had wounded one of the Messengers, killed another, and avoided two more.

    But the last one was now upon him, and there was no escape.

    Time seemed to slow down. With his eyes opened wide in terror, he stared at the swiftly approaching beak of the harrowing creature. No matter how fast Kai was, he knew that this time, he wouldn't be able to evade his end.

    If only he had one more second! A fraction of a second, even��

    Fully aware that it was hopeless, Kai changed the direction of his flight. Despite it all, he had to at least try.

    But it was hopeless.

    Until��

    At the last moment, something flashed through the air and collided with the black beak of the Messenger, throwing it slightly off course. That gave Kai the fraction of a second he was praying for.

    Twisting his body, he allowed the beak to pass mere centimeters away from it, crashed into the side of the Messenger and bounced off of it, then stumbled away through the clouds.

    A slender, graceful rapier suddenly appeared by his side and then circled around him, cutting a stray black locust in half. With its pommel facing Kai and its tip aimed at anyone who would dare to attack him, the Quiet Dancer glided through the air, forming a defensive sphere of sharp steel around the young man.

    Despite its inanimate nature, the flying rapier somehow managed to convey the feeling of mean, arrogant, and bad-tempered protectiveness.

    Staring at the elegant Echo, Kai couldn't help but smile.

    'Thank you, Cassie��'

    ***

    On the bloodsoaked battlefield, a small hill of monsters was moving and shifting, every horrifying creature in it lusting to taste the flesh of the person buried beneath.

    It seemed as though there was no hope.

    But what was hope? Hope was something that Effie had abandoned long ago.

    She didn't need it.

    All she needed was a roof over her head, delicious food on her plate, and the thrill of the hunt. The indescribable pleasure of being healthy, strong, and living.

    With a tiny bit of misguided pride mixed in to spice things up.

    He wasn't willing to die yet, not like this, not without giving it one last fight...

    Suddenly, a muffled sound resounded from under the hill of monsters. It was a furious growl, full of rage, defiance, and a desperate will to survive. A moment later, the hill shuddered.

    And then exploded, bodies of Nightmare Creatures flying away and rolling on the ground.

    Straining her muscles to the point where it felt like they were about to explode, and then past that, Effie pushed the incredible weight away with her mighty shoulders and emerged from the seething mass of abominations.

    She was still holding the jaws of the first creature to jump on her with her bleeding hands. With a ruthless motion, she tore them apart and threw the broken body aside. Her fist flashed through the air, crushing someone's skull.

    Effie had lost the Zenith Shard somewhere, but it didn't matter anymore. With a bestial growl, she spun and fought, killing one monster after another with her bare hands.

    She was not going to surrender. She was not going to back down. She was not going to...

    After a while, no one was there to attack her anymore. Effie didn't know why.

    To be honest, by then, she couldn't see much. Her vision was blurry, and slowly growing dark.

    Met with the lack of resistance, she staggered and fell to her knees. She tried to draw in a breath, but something was blocking her throat, and something was wrong with her lungs. She couldn't.

    'This... is... the end, I guess...'

    Through the blurry dark fog, Effie suddenly saw a radiant figure approach.

    She smiled.

    'Is that you, Princess? Ah, I hate to admit it�� but I�� don't�� think... I can...'

    It was getting hard to form thoughts. Effie sighed, then closed her eyes, ready to give in to the comfort of oblivion.

    But then, two cool hands softly touched her face, and purifying white flames rolled through her body, bringing the pain and the agony away.

    ***

    Sunny was entangled with the Lord, the abomination's hand trapped between his arm and his body. The golem didn't seem to care about it that much, however. Instead, it raised his other fist and prepared to deliver the final blow.

    Before he had the chance to do so, however, Sunny's empty hand shot forward.

    Grabbing the shining piece of crimson coral with his fingers, he strained for a fraction of a second.

    And then tore it from the creature's forehead.

    The polished gem came out of the coral flesh of the terrible creature, dragging countless red threads with it. Sunny pulled as hard as he could and then twisted his hand, forcing the red strings to snap.

    Something cracked inside the menacing Lord's body, and he suddenly staggered.

    Without wasting this opportunity, Sunny released the golem's hand, raised the Midnight Shard high above his head, and then delivered a devastating downward slash.

    The blade of the tachi collided with the crimson coral and shattered it, turning the towering figure of the Lord into a rain of crumbling shards.

 Chapter 328 Siege of the Crimson Spire (14)

    Chapter 328 Siege of the Crimson Spire (14)

    Left on the top of the tall mound of crimson coral, Cassie stood alone in the darkness.

    Now that the Quiet Dancer had left her side, she was back to her previous self.

    Lost.

    Weak.

    Frightened.

    Utterly helpless.

    The oppressive nothingness surrounded her from all sides.

    But that nothingness was full of sound.

    It swelled with the deafening cacophony of the nightmare horde's onslaught. Cassie heard howls, growling, inhuman screams, shrieks, and the scraping of chitin.

    She heard the clangor of steel and the sound of flesh being ripped apart.

    She also heard countless human voices calling out to any kind of deity that could save them. Full of fury, agony, bravery, fear, resolve, sorrow, strength, helplessness, hope, faith, despair, disbelief.

    She heard them dying.

    Standing above it all, Cassie shivered. She wanted to press her hands against her ears, but didn't.

    ��Her terrible vision was coming true.

    And she was back to being lost in the darkness.

    Just like before. Worse than before. Almost like on that first day in this cursed, forsaken, lightless land.

    In this forgotten hell.

    Back then, she had found herself stranded on a similar mound of coral. Only what surrounded her was the dark sea and not a horde of Nightmare Creatures.

    But Cassie didn't know that. She didn't know where she was, and what was hiding in the boundless darkness. She only knew that she was alone, and helpless.

    That she was going to die in that lonesome, cold nothingness.

    She had given up. Sitting down on the hard coral, she hugged her knees and tried not to cry. Abandoned and forgotten, she waited for death.

    But instead of death, a cold and indifferent voice came out of the darkness:

    "...What are you doing?"

    That was how she met Nephis, who saved and protected her ever since. Without even asking anything in return, not before, and not after learning of what Cassie's Aspect was able to do.

    Just because she wanted to.

    Nephis brought her out of the darkness and destroyed the bitter, all-encompassing prison of her loneliness. How was Cassie supposed to ever repay that debt?

    And then, she met Sunny. Sweet Sunny, who pretended to be callous and cruel, but was actually caring and kind.

    And then, she had to make a choice.

    ��And now, she had to live with that choice.

    Or die with it...

    As Cassie stood, listening to the sounds of slaughter, a sudden gust of wind rustled her beautiful blond hair.

    She flinched, and slowly turned to face the wind.

    A moment later, her face paled, and her lips moved slightly.

    'No!'

    Left alone, away from the battle and anyone who could have heard her, Cassie closed her eyes and whispered into the nothingness:

    "A storm�� there is a storm��"

    ***

    The Dreamer Army became much smaller, but still held on. In fact, it was slowly pushing the horde of the Nightmare Creatures back.

    As the line of archers ran out of arrows and ammunition, those who had no suitable Memories to replace them summoned their melee weapons and joined the vanguard, reinforcing its dwindling numbers. The Artisans had done the same, abandoning their siege engines and throwing themselves into the crucible of combat.

    The nightmare horde, meanwhile, had depleted its seemingly endless reserve of fresh bodies. With no more abominations crossing the bridges of crimson coral and lunging forward to join the massacre, its mass was slowly growing thinner.

    With Changing Star serving as the unassailable core of the human formation and rallying fighters around her, with Effie stalling the entire horde to give the rest of the humans time to mend the breaches in their defense lines, for a few minutes, the flow of the battle froze in fragile balance.

    The two opposing forces seemed to finally be evenly matched.

    All it would have taken for the humans to turn that balance in their favor was one last furious push.

    "Come on! Hold strong!"

    "Lit yourself on fire!"

    "Follow the Immortal Flame!"

    As several people yelled, feeling that the fate of this battle was about to be decided, a gust of wind suddenly blew over the battlefield, bringing with it the smell of salt.

    The light dimmed slightly.

    Looking west, they suddenly stumbled and froze for a few moments. Their faces became as white as snow.

    ��Behind the Crimson Spire, an impenetrable wall of darkness was slowly devouring the world. It was approaching the battlefield with terrifying speed, numerous bolts of lightning illuminating its furious depths.

    A storm was coming.

    As it drew closer and closer, the surface of the black water that swirled around the island of the cyclopean tower suddenly trembled.

    And then, it began to crawl upward.

    First slowly, and then faster and faster, the black whirlpool swelled and moved forward, swallowing the crimson coral meter after a meter, its dark vastness rising and seething.

    The cursed sea was coming to devour the Forgotten Shore.

    The monsters that guarded the Crimson Spire, however, did not react in the same way as the usual Nightmare Creatures would have.

    Instead of scurrying away to find shelter, they howled and shrieked in eerie triumph, and then crashed into the Dreamer Army with renewed fury.

    Expressions of terror and despair appeared on people's faces. But there was nowhere to retreat, nowhere to run.

    All they could do was stand and fight.

    Even when the ground beneath their feet became slippery and slick, covered by a thin film of black water.

    Even when the water continued rising.

    ***

    [You have slain an awakened��]

    [Your shadow��]

    [You have received a��]

    Spinning as soon as the remains of the Lord crumbled to the ground, Sunny dashed toward the remaining six golems to reinforce the heavily damaged Saint.

    He didn't listen to the Spell, picking up only one piece of information from her words: the coral golems were of the Awakened rank.

    ��Made sense.

    Just as a Fallen Tyrant was not supposed to be able to create minions of the same Rank, a Fallen Terror was most likely not capable of such feat either.

    Previously, the coral constructs were fast and powerful enough to make Sunny think that they were Fallen creatures. But it was just the effect of the profane gem burning in the Lord's forehead.

    Just like the Dawn Shard was able to elevate Awakened Memories to the boundary of the Ascended rank, so had the Lord enhanced his fellow abominations, bringing their power close to that of the Fallen.

    But now that he was destroyed, the augmentation disappeared with him.

    Sunny was confident in his ability to finish off six awakened Nightmare Creatures�� for the most part.

    As he ran, a strong gust of wind suddenly hit him in the back, almost making Sunny stumble.

    'What the hell��'

    Throwing a glance over his shoulders, he stared at the skies, his eyes widening.

    An endless wall of darkness crashed into the Crimson Spire and swallowed it, painting the whole world black.

    Stunned, Sunny gritted his teeth and turned away from it, a cold feeling of dread permeating his entire body.

    '...Curse it all!'

 Chapter 329 Siege of the Crimson Spire (15)

    Chapter 329 Siege of the Crimson Spire (15)

    In front of him, Saint was barely holding on to life. Her armor was broken and painted red by the crimson dust that flowed from a dozen terrible wounds. The visor of the helmet was shattered, together with the side of her face. One of her ruby eyes was missing, replaced by a jagged black hole.

    As he ran, a vicious blow of the Knight's sword got past the Shadow's defense and bit into her shield arm, severing it at the elbow.

    Saint staggered and awkwardly lashed out with her sword. Then, she took a step back and fell heavily to one knee.

    The menacing figures of the golems towered above her, approaching to deliver the final blow. The war hammer of the Builder rose, ready to fall down like a herald of destruction. The spear of the Hunter flew forward like a hungry predator.

    The Shadow slightly tilted her head and faced her death. Her eerily beautiful alabaster face was calm and indifferent. The weapons of the profane constructs reflected in her one remaining eye, growing larger and larger as they drew closer.

    ��But in the end, all they managed to pierce was emptiness.

    The wounded Saint dissipated into shadows, summoned back into the nurturing black flames of Sunny's core at the last second.

    In the next moment, a wall of darkness swallowed the empty space in front of the Crimson Spire, bringing with it pelting rain and hurricane winds.

    The storm was now upon them.

    The six golems lingered for a few seconds, staring into the raging expanse of the terrifying tempest. They were submerged into its darkness, with only a rare flash of lightning illuminating the world. The wall of rain was so thick that it was almost impossible to see anything through it.

    Suddenly, they discerned a hint of a movement to their left and swiftly turned, ready to attack the enemy. However, there was no one there.

    A moment later, though, one of them suddenly shuddered, and then crumbled to the ground, its head flying off into the darkness. The flash of the blade that had decapitated it was so swift and unexpected that none of them had time to react.

    It also came from the wrong direction.

    The golems spun and raised their weapons�� but instead of an enemy, all they saw was a heavy kunai appearing from the wall of darkness and hitting one of them in the neck.

    The blow was powerful enough to make the golem stagger, but not that dangerous. The wounded abomination simply raised its hand and tore the dagger out of its coral flesh.

    As it did, however, the figure of the Slayer that stood behind the rest of the golems suddenly fell to her knees. A moment later, her head slowly slid from her neck and tumbled down, revealing a perfect, smooth cut.

    Sunny, who hid in the darkness, bared his teeth in a vicious grin.

    'This is my domain, wretches. You are my guests now��'

    Two dead, four to go.

    Realizing that their enemy was capable of hiding in the shadows and seeing in the dark, the golems changed their tactic. The Knight, the Stranger, and the Hunter shifted to stand in a circle, protecting the Priestess with their bodies.

    The Priestess, meanwhile, raised her hands to the skies.

    In the next moment, a blinding light shot into every direction from her open palms, revealing Sunny, who had been just a few meters away from them and preparing to launch another attack.

    '...Damnation.'

    ***

    On the bloody battlefield, the remains of the Dreamer Army were besieged from all sides. They continued to fight with doomed determination, abandoning all fear and doubt. Even though the black water was already high enough to reach their knees, the humans continued to resist the horde of the frenzied Nightmare Creatures, slaying three for every one of them killed by the terrifying abominations.

    Illuminating by the radiant light of Changing Star, not one of them tried to run.

    Instead, they stalwartly stood their ground and fought. Some were smiling, and some were even singing.

    ��As more and more of them fell, forever disappearing under the cold surface of the cursed sea, the black water kept rising.

    ***

    High in the skies above the battlefield, Kai and the Quiet Dancer were flying through the nets of lightning, dodging the attacks of three relentless Spire Messengers. The terrible monsters were infinitely faster and more powerful than the two of them, but had to rely on their wings to propel their massive bodies through the air.

    Both Kai and his graceful defender flew thanks to magical abilities, and as such, could maneuver better than the winged abominations. This was the only reason why there were still alive.

    As Kai dodged and evaded the onslaught of deadly attacks, he pelted the Messengers with precise shots of his bow. However, none were as lucky as his first one: the black arrow bit into the flesh of the powerful monsters again and again, drinking their blood, but all that achieved was slowing them down a bit.

    But he didn't care. He never hoped to defeat the harrowing heralds of the Spire, to begin with. He just wanted to keep them away from the people fighting on the ground��

    For as long as he could.

    Flying through the storm, struggling against the crushing pressure of the wind and dodging bolts of lightning, Kai gritted his teeth and kept doing just that.

    ***

    ��Not pausing even for a second after his position was revealed, Sunny lunged forward and delivered a swift thrust, aiming at the closest golem �� the Knight. The creature moved, deflecting the blade of the Midnight Shard with a coral parody of the noble weapon.

    Now that the Lord was destroyed, the artificial creatures became considerably less fast and strong. They were no better than carapace scavengers, or maybe centurions��

    Barely more powerful than Sunny himself, thanks to the shadow.

    However, they were just monsters, while he was something much more deadly.

    A kid from the outskirts who spent a whole year fighting for his life in the depths of hell.

    He had the skill, the clarity, and the murderous will of a human.

    Allowing the Midnight Shard to slide along the blade of his enemy's sword, Sunny made a step forward and raised his hands. The tachi changed its angle and then easily moved past the Knight's defenses, piercing his neck. One twist, and it flew out of the golem's flesh, disintegrating half of his neck in the process.

    Continuing the motion, Sunny slammed his fist and the hilt of the Midnight Shard into the golem's face with enough force to break the remaining half.

    [You have slain��]

    Using the grounded footwork that he had learned in the countless spars with the Shadow Saint, he quickly repositioned himself and blocked the attack of the Hunter's spear. The Stranger was still trying to move past the Priestess to join the fight �� Sunny had planned to use this to his advantage from the start.

    Before his current opponent could react, Sunny delivered a deadly counterattack, cutting off one of his arms. A moment later, he pulled the tachi back, thrust it forward, piercing the Hunter through the chest, and then pulled it up, cutting the cursed creature apart.

    [You have slain an awakened��]

    The Priestess lunged forward, wishing to rip him apart with her bare hands, but was suddenly pulled back by the invisible string that had wrapped itself around her neck at some point in the fight.

    That was all the time Sunny required.

    As pieces of coral fell to the ground, the Spell spoke once again:

    [You have��]

    With the Priestess dead, the Stranger was left in the darkness once again. He hesitated and raised his shield, looking at the spot where the enemy had been just a second ago and listening to the sound of water through the roaring storm.

    However, in the next second, something rustled behind him. The Stranger spun and delivered a wide horizontal slash with his sword, but then paused, staring down.

    His sword hand was gone, cut cleanly at the wrist.

    Then, something flushed through the rain and streaked across his body. The golem staggered, and then fell down, crumbling into halves as it fell.

    Breathing heavily, Sunny lowered the Midnight Shard and looked at the six piles of crimson coral that were disappearing beneath the black water in front of him. Then, he spat.

    "Who told you that you can hurt my Shadow, bastards?"

    Turning around, he saw a bolt of lightning hit the gargantuan gates of the Crimson Spire. Arcs of electricity danced on its stone surface and then dissipated, leaving a ghostly afterglow in their wake.

    Only the shapes of the seven stars continued to shine, as though full of energy.

    Clutching his burning chest, Sunny looked at the black water that was already up to his knees and headed toward the Spire.

 Chapter 330 siege of the Crimson Spire (16)

    Chapter 330 siege of the Crimson Spire (16)

    As the Dreamer Army was drowning in the rising waters of the cursed sea and the insatiable tide of monsters, Sunny approached the crimson tower.

    Far away from the rest of them, completely alone, submerged in roaring darkness, he struggled against the seething mass of black waves and the hurricane winds to cross the last few meters that separated him from the shining star sigil engraved into its gates.

    Finally, his hand touched the cold surface of the ancient stone. Wiping the rainwater off his pale face, Sunny stared at the radiant shapes of the seven stars.

    'This better work��'

    Summoning the first of the Oauth Keys, he lingered for a moment, and then carefully inserted it into the black chasm of the keyhole.

    ***

    Separated from him by the vast expanse of the swelling sea of darkness, the surviving Sleepers desperately fought the advancing horde of monsters. The black water had already reached their waists, making it hard to move. The army was trying to retreat up the slope of the crimson coral, but the pursuing sea was much faster than them.

    Changing Star was still slaying one monster after another, her radiance only growing brighter in the tenebrous hell of the furious storm. Raindrops were evaporating as they touched her brilliant skin, its incandescence making even arching bolts of lightning seem pale and bleak.

    ��Suddenly, an almost imperceptible ripple ran across the surface of the black water. A gust of cold wind blew over the Forgotten Shore, sending a shiver running through the hearts of countless creatures.

    ***

    Moving on to the next star, Sunny summoned the second key and put it into the lock. Nothing terrible happened, so he struggled through the water to reach the third one.

    'Terrible�� what would that even look like? What can be more terrible than my current situation?'

    As if to answer his question, somewhere behind him, a black tentacle suddenly rose out of the seething waves and blindly whipped through the air. Crashing into a mount of coral, it easily shattered it. A rain of debris fell into the water.

    Just a moment later, countless others followed the first one.

    Noticing this new development through the eyes of his shadow, Sunny cursed.

    'Me and my big damn mouth!'

    Luckily, the tentacles were some distance away, somewhere near the remains of the seven golems he had slain. But as the sea rose, they started slowly moving in his direction.

    Hurriedly inserting the third key, Sunny dashed to the fourth star. Another Oath Key slid into its lock.

    The water was now even higher, forcing him to struggle against its weight. A strong gust of wind hit Sunny in the back, almost causing him to crash headfirst into the stone gates.

    As he put the fifth key into the keyhole, the tentacles were already alarmingly close.

    'Curse it all!'

    Sunny inserted the sixth Oath Key into the lock and dove into the black water, swimming toward the last one.

    Just a few moments before the mass of twisting tentacles descended on him, he found the last shining star and drove the seventh key into its center.

    Suddenly, the world shuddered.

    ***

    The whole Forgotten Shore trembled.

    Out on the battlefield, the surviving humans froze for a second, startled by the sudden change that rippled through the world.

    The furious onslaught of the wind died down. The torrential flood of rain stopped. The continuous, deafening roar of the thunderstrikes grew quiet.

    The terrible storm seemed to have ended as suddenly as it had appeared, dissipating into nothingness like a fragile mirage.

    Even the Nightmare Creatures attacking them stumbled and paused for a moment, staring at the sky.

    ��And then, the dark veil of clouds was broken by a blindingly bright ray of sunlight.

    As soon as it happened, the restless black water stopped rising, and then flowed in reverse.

    The cursed sea was retreating.

    ***

    "Crap!"

    As soon as Sunny put the last Oath Key into the seventh lock, the whole Crimson Spire shuddered. An indescribable sound came from its depths, echoing through the darkness of the storm like a heavy, mournful sigh.

    And then, the gargantuan gates opened. The giant slabs of ancient stone moved for the first time in thousands of years��

    ��The problem was, the gates opened outward, slamming into Sunny and dragging him through the mass of black water with terrible speed. The unexpected blow threw him off his feet and almost caused him to drown. Not to mention the fact that it hurt like hell.

    The opening gate brought him away from the damned tentacles, at least.

    After a while, Sunny was thrown onto the slope of a tall coral mound. Coughing a few times, he tiredly crawled a few meters up, then fell on the rough surface of the coral and turned around.

    What Sunny saw made him blink, then open his eyes wide and stare in disbelief.

    The dark sea was being sucked into the Spire.

    The black water was flowing in reverse, rushing into the enormous doorway. The twisting tentacles and the harrowing creature they belonged to were carried away by that current, disappearing into that blackness, too.

    The strange thing was, the amount of water entering the Crimson Spire was much larger than what should have been possible. Sunny expected to see it fill the cyclopean tower, but instead, it simply flowed inside and seemed to�� disappeared.

    As if swallowed by the Spire and banished into the depths of the earth.

    Just a few moments later, the lever of the dark sea began to fall.

    The storm died down, and the impenetrable veil of clouds was torn apart, allowing sunlight to illuminate the world once again.

    And in a few minutes��

    The cursed sea was no more.

    Sunny stared at the clear surface of the crimson coral, which had been covered by the black waves not too long ago.

    The bottomless dark ocean was gone without a trace. Even the black whirlpool that had surrounded the island was not there anymore, revealing a deep, uneven, empty semblance of a moat.

    Then, Sunny stared at the sky, where a furious white sun was hovering right above the tip of the Crimson Spire.

    A stunned thought entered his mind��

    'Did we�� did we do it?'

    ...Did he actually destroy the dark sea?

 Chapter 331 Siege of the Crimson Spire (17)

    Chapter 331 Siege of the Crimson Spire (17)

    The dark sea was gone.

    And all the horrors that dwelt in its cursed depths were gone with it, too.

    The world was bathed in pure sunlight. The surface of the Labyrinth suddenly became vibrant and bright, with stark shadows hiding under the jagged pillars of the crimson coral. The furious white sun burned above the Crimson Spire, as if frozen in the middle of the sky.

    Sunny even had to cover his eyes for a few seconds.

    Laying on the ground, he allowed himself a few moments of rest. A short laugh escaped from his lips.

    'I actually did it?'

    Speak about the unlikely events...

    Unfortunately, he couldn't really rest yet.

    The battle wasn't over. The horde of Nightmare Creatures was not defeated yet.

    ��And somewhere in the Spire, the Crimson Terror itself was not defeated, either.

    With a deep sigh, Sunny collected himself and rose to his feet. They were almost there. They almost escaped. Now, all that was left was to make one final push. Even if it was going to be the hardest one yet...

    Looking at the tall mound of coral towering above him, he squinted against the light and began climbing it.

    Was it always so bright?

    As Sunny climbed, he summoned the runes and glanced at them.

    Shadows: [Marble Saint].

    'Thank gods.'

    He knew that Saint was alright, but still wanted to check. The taciturn demon had been heavily damaged and was bound to spend a long time restoring herself, however, her existence was not in danger.

    Then, his eyes slid lower:

    Shadow Fragments: [999/1000].

    '...Crap.'

    Sunny gritted his teeth. He was simultaneously excited and scared to find out what was going to happen once he saturated the Shadow Core. It was bound to be beneficial, but at what cost?

    Would he go into a slumber for several weeks, as Saint had? Or suddenly become incapacitated amidst furious combat, as Nephis had been after defeating Gunlaug?

    That could cost him his life��

    'Not like I can do anything about it now.'

    Full of unease, he continued his climb and soon reached the very top of the coral pillar. Standing on it, Sunny looked in the direction of the Dreamer Army.

    Something wet suddenly fell on his hand. Looking down, he saw a drop of blood rolling off his skin. A moment later, another fell on the vambrace of the Puppeteer's Shroud.

    Surprised, Sunny raised his hand and swiped it across his upper lip. It came away wet with blood.

    '...A nose bleed? What the hell?'

    Come to think of it, why did he feel so weak?

    As Sunny stared at his hand in confusion, a violent ripple suddenly ran through his shadow.

    ***

    Across the deep moat that surrounded the island, the remnants of the Dreamer Army were at the precipice of turning the tide of battle in their favor.

    Just a few minutes ago, they had been drowning in the rising flood of black water and the relentless onslaught of the horde, lost in the fury of a cataclysmic storm. But now, things were different.

    The storm was no more, and the dark sea had retreated. The sun shined brightly in the sky, drowning the battlefield in its light. Bathed in it, the Nightmare Creatures seemed to become hesitant�� almost sluggish.

    They were not giving up, however. The monsters continued to attack the humans in a frenzied rage, their claws and fangs reaping one life after another. But the survivors of the Dreamer Army were repaying every loss tenfold.

    Reinvigorated by the exhilarating gift of sudden salvation, they steeled their hearts and fought with zeal, fervor, and murderous will. More and more Nightmare Creatures fell to their blades, and the horde did not seem to be endless anymore.

    The Sleepers did not know why the storm had dissipated and why the cursed sea had retreated, but their faith in Changing Star now burned even brighter. She had promised to guide them out of this hell, and somehow, even the black water had capitulated to her radiant light��

    The victory was not impossible anymore. They could practically taste it��

    But Nephis herself suddenly stumbled and slowed her sword dance. A confused, alarmed frown appeared on her face. Dodging the claws of an attacking abomination, she thrust her sword into its maw, then jumped back.

    Free of the swarming monsters for a few short moments, she lowered her sword.

    And looked at the sky.

    ***

    High above her, Kai was still alive�� somehow.

    'What is happening?'

    He had spent so long flying at a terrible speed, struggling against the crushing wind, dodging bolts of lightning and the cursed Spire Messengers, pushing the limits of both his body and mind�� the exhaustion was catching up with him now, making it hard to think.

    Let alone react��

    He really, really didn't feel well. His whole body ached, and his vision was slowly turning blurry. A sickening feeling of weakness permeated his body.

    The storm had come out of nowhere, and then disappeared without a trace. The skies were blindingly bright.

    ��That was a relief.

    But the damn abominations were still there.

    At least they didn't look tireless anymore.

    In fact, the Messengers seemed to be in as much of a sorry state as Kai himself. He wanted to flatter himself and assume that it was because of his arrows. He had wounded the damned monsters many times, after all��

    But no, it didn't make any sense.

    They seemed able to resist the effect of the Blood Arrow before, at least to a large extent, so why would it change now?

    'Something is wrong��'

    Using the sun to blind his enemies, Kai dove into the light and dashed to the side, narrowly avoiding the claws of one of the Messengers. Or so he thought �� in reality, it wasn't narrow at all. He dodged it with a lot of room to spare. The Quiet Dancer didn't even need to get involved.

    'Are they�� growing slower?'

    With a sudden feeling of unease, Kai hesitated for a split second, and then reduced his speed to take a good look at the terrifying creature.

    What he saw made him scowl.

    The Messenger looked�� wrong.

    Its glassy black eyes were erratic and senseless. They were seeping with blood, which flowed down the black feathers like a crimson stream. There were two other similar streams, coming from the monster's ears. The muscles of his pale body were spasming, rolling under the white skin like panicking worms.

    As Kai watched, the Messenger suddenly opened its beak in a silent scream. A moment later, a flood of blood erupted out of it and dispersed in the wind like red mist.

    Then, the creature convulsed one last time and lost control of its wings. Not even trying to correct itself, the terrible abomination plunged down.

    Kai flinched and opened his eyes wide in terror.

    ��The Spire Messenger was dead.

 Chapter 332 siege of the Crimson Spire (18)

    Chapter 332 siege of the Crimson Spire (18)

    Sunny swayed a little, and then looked down at his shadow.

    The shadow seemed to be in pain. It was slumped, clutching at its chest with one hand and waving at him with the other. When it noticed that Sunny was staring at it, it desperately pointed to itself.

    'What�� what is this guy trying to say?'

    Was he having a heart attack? No, of course not. That would be ridiculous. Shadows didn't have hearts��

    What was it pointing at, then?

    Sunny scowled.

    The shadow was his reflection. So maybe it was not pointing at its own heart, but at his.

    But his heart felt fine. What else was there to point at?

    Suddenly, his eyes widened.

    The Soul Core. The Soul Core usually overlapped over a human's heart��

    With a shudder, Sunny dove into the Soul Sea.

    Instead of the usual peace and quiet, he was met by ominous chaos. The dark waters that were always tranquil and still were now restless and turbulent. They rippled and surged, as though under the assault of the invisible winds.

    Up above, the spheres of light that represented his Memories shimmered and blinked, as if about to be extinguished. The black sun of the Shadow Core was trembling. He could almost see tiny cracks appear on its transparent surface.

    Only the silent shadows were still the same, not disturbed by the approaching disaster at all. They stood motionlessly, staring at him with no expression on their black, lifeless faces.

    Sunny did not pay them any attention and stared at the Shadow Core with wide eyes, dumbfounded.

    '...Soul damage. I am receiving soul damage.'

    He was under the effect of a continuous soul attack.

    Escaping the unquiet sea in panic, Sunny wiped the blood off his face and looked around with a grim expression. He was even paler than usual.

    'What the hell is attacking me?'

    After a few moments, he suddenly shivered, stunned by a chilling revelation. And then looked up, at the blinding dis��us of the sun.

    ��He had not been wrong. Its light was indeed much brighter than it had been before.

    The skies of the Forgotten Shore, which had always been grey, were now almost white, full of merciless heat and radiance. It looked as though someone had erased reality itself, leaving behind nothing but an endless white void. With each second, it was growing more and more incandescent.

    'The sun��'

    The source of the soul attack was not a Nightmare Creature.

    It was sunlight itself.

    Anywhere it reached, the souls of living creatures were being slowly eroded and destroyed. And since the sun was now directly above them, at high noon, there was almost nowhere where it couldn't reach.

    There was no escape from it.

    Except for��

    Turning around, Sunny stared at the opened gates of the Crimson Spire. Behind them, welcoming darkness promised shade and safety. This was the only place where he could hide from the annihilating sun.

    'The army!'

    Spinning around, he peered across the moat.

    Out there on the battlefield, the Nightmare Creatures had stopped their endless onslaught. Now, they were stumbling and swaying, as though drunk. Many had already fallen to the ground, blood streaming from their orifices.

    Their souls had been destroyed, and they were dead.

    The surviving warriors of the Dreamer Army were staring at them in bewilderment, their distant figures full of both relief and confusion. Sunny wanted to scream, warning them of the terrible danger they were in, but knew that he was too far away for anyone to hear him.

    From the tall mound of coral he was standing on, he could see the graceful shining figure in their midst. He knew that Nephis must have figured out what was going on by now.

    But she didn't know that the gates of the Spire were open.

    'Think, think!'

    Sunny lingered for a few seconds, and then raised his hand.

    A moment later, a clear ringing of a silver bell spread across the Labyrinth, rolling over the remains of the Dreamer Army.

    Far away on the battlefield, Nephis spun and looked in his direction.

    'Come on! Come on, Neph!'

    Sunny rang the Silver Bell again and waved his hand in the air.

    However, there was no need. Changing Star had already moved, thrusting her sword toward the Spire. In the next moment, the Dreamer Army lunged forward. Sleepers were running with all the speed they could muster, following the command of their Lady.

    "Yes! Wait�� what is she doing?!"

    Nephis herself did not follow her soldiers. Instead, she turned around and ran in the opposite direction.

    ��To the distant pillar of coral that they had left at the start of this mess.

    Sunny's heart skipped a bit when he realized that she was going back for Cassie.

    But there was nothing he could do to help, not anymore.

    'Good luck��'

    Jumping down from the mound, he rolled on the ground and ran toward the darkness of the Spire's doorway without looking back.

    ��However, before Sunny could reach it, he saw something falling down from the skies.

    'What the��'

    A ragged human figure slammed into the crimson coral and rolled several times before coming to a stop, then remained still. Sunny dashed toward it, quickly recognizing the bright colors of Kai's armor.

    To his relief, the charming young man was still alive, if barely conscious. A graceful rapier was worriedly zipping in the air around him, the steel of its blade bleak and devoid of the usual luster.

    The two of them must have been high up in the sky when the soul erasure had begun, much closer to its source, and so suffered more than those of them on the ground.

    Not wasting any time, Sunny grabbed Kai by the collar and dragged him toward the opened gates of the Spire. The Quiet Dancer followed.

    Soon, the three of them reached the border between light and darkness. Without hesitating even for a second, Sunny dove into the cool shade, made a few steps to get deeper into its shelter, and fell to the ground.

    "Ah��"

    Only now, protected from the annihilating sunlight by the solid mass of the ancient tower, he realized how terrible his condition had been. But no more. His soul was finally at peace once again, whatever wounds dealt to it already healing.

    Kai was still alive, too.

    "Lucky bastard."

    'Thank gods�� uh, I mean �� that fool owes me big time now!'

    Breathing heavily, he checked on the unconscious archer, then sat down and stared at the blindingly bright landscape outside.

    Were the... were the others going to make it?

    A few seconds later, something suddenly flashed through the air. It was Caster: falling on his knees near them, he glanced at Sunny with tired eyes and then gently placed an unconscious Sleeper he had carried with him on the ground.

    Without saying anything, both of them then turned to the gates of the Spire and looked into the light.

    Seconds passed in torturous silence.

    ...And then, a human silhouette appeared out of the brightness. And then another, and another.

    The survivors of the Dreamer Army had reached the island and dashed toward the life-saving darkness of the gargantuan tower. Soon, they crossed the distance separating them from the gates and dove into their shade.

    Sunny watched, something sharp moving in his chest.

    A torturous eternity later, he finally saw the familiar figure in white armor appear at the doorstep of the colossal structure.

    Carrying Cassie, Nephis entered the shadows.

    She was the last one to come.

    Looking at them and at the small crowd of Sleepers gathered at the border between darkness and light, Sunny was finally able to exhale. They made it.

    The battle for the Crimson Spire was over.

    Now all they had to do was find the Gateway hidden somewhere inside the ancient tower.

    ��And survive the wrath of its master.

 Chapter 333 ln the Belly of the Beast

    Chapter 333 ln the Belly of the Beast

    Sitting on the cold stone floor, Sunny inhaled deeply and looked at the people that surrounded him.

    All of them were exhausted, wounded, covered in blood, dirt, barely staying conscious. Their armor was broken and torn, and their faces were deathly pale. They sat on the ground, too tired to move or talk, breathing heavily, and stared down with empty eyes.

    There were so few of them left��

    But also much more than he had expected.

    Around a hundred Sleepers had survived the battle of the Crimson Spire. They were the strongest, the bravest�� but mostly, the luckiest warriors of the Dreamer Army. Four-fifths of it had been eviscerated in the slaughter.

    Not to mention another five hundred or so that had died during the bloody struggle for the throne of the Bright Castle.

    This hundred was all that remained of more than a thousand humans that had been surviving on the Forgotten Shore before Changing Star had arrived in the Dark City like a brilliant omen of disaster. Like a herald of ruinous change.

    But Sunny was appalled and horrified as much as he was surprised and elated. He had honestly thought that the number of people who would make it this far was going to be in the single digits.

    ...Looking around, he searched for familiar faces.

    Nephis and Cassie were there, of course. So was Kai. Effie was slumped against a wall, dressed only in her white chiton, which was now torn and painted completely red with blood. Her armor seemed to have been completely destroyed.

    Caster was also there, bandaging a shallow wound on his shoulder. Compared to other survivors, he seemed strangely clean. However, his armor was seriously damaged, too. It seemed that even incredible speed had not been enough to avoid the fury of the nightmare horde.

    Seishan stood slightly apart from the rest of them, surrounded by a dozen surviving Handmaidens. The beautiful woman was heavily injured, the luster of her skin and sparkling eyes growing bleak and dim. From what Sunny could see, she was barely alive.

    He also noticed Aiko, who was sitting on the floor, wiping tears off her delicate face.

    But there were also many people whom he did not see.

    The scarred hunter who had welcomed them into the outer settlement after their long expedition was dead. So was Park, his nonchalant friend who had been responsible for turning Effie into a folk hero with his tales.

    The talkative watchmen who had asked Sunny about his opinion on who could have killed Harus were now dead, too. So was the young man who had thought that talking to Sunny was a headache.

    Stev, the ample giant that had been in charge of the Memory Market during Gunlaug's reign, did not make. Perhaps this was why Aiko, his friend, was now silently shedding tears.

    Even Gemma, the dauntless leader of the Dark City Hunters, had perished. Sunny did not know what could have killed the seemingly immortal man, but suspected that his last hunt had been a truly terrifying sight to behold. Most of the people Gemma had brought to Changing Star's faction with him were now dead, too.

    And so, so many more.

    Their absence pressed down on survivors like an unseen weight.

    But those who survived had no time for sorrow, at least not now. They weren't free of this nightmare yet.

    In fact, there had just entered the very belly of the beast.

    ***

    Turning away from the hundred Sleepers, Sunny looked into the depths of the Crimson Spire.

    Once, the entire tower must have been hollow, but now there were growths of coral everywhere inside. They resembled frozen waterfalls of blood, as if rivers of it had once streamed from the top of the Spire and then suddenly turned solid. Because of that, it was hard to see what hid in the depths of the cyclopic construct. Further away, the interior of the tower was shrouded in the cold darkness.

    Lingering for a few moments, Sunny decided not to send his shadow to explore. The Crimson Terror had already proven its ability to hurt the it, so he was unwilling to risk the well-being of his invaluable helper.

    Instead, he glanced at Neph.

    Changing Star was peering into the growing brightness that drowned the Forgotten Shore. By now, the light of day outside was almost blinding. On her face, there was a strangely thoughtful expression.

    As Sunny watched, she turned around and raised her head, looking in the direction of the Spire's tip.

    After a while, she frowned, and then faced the surviving humans. Her calm voice echoed in the darkness of the ancient tower:

    "It's time to go. Gather your strength. We are almost there!"

    The Sleepers looked at her with tired eyes, the light of hope igniting in them with renewed strength. Slowly, they rose to their feet. Those who were relatively fine supported those who were seriously wounded. Those who had lost consciousness were being carried by their friends or fellow warriors.

    Soon, the procession of humans headed deeper into the Spire. Nephis was walking at the front, holding Cassie by the hand. Somehow, Sunny ended up side by side with them.

    Looking at the two young women, he wanted to say something, but no words came to his mind. Instead, Neph was the one who spoke.

    Glancing at Sunny, she hesitated for a while, and then said:

    "Thank you. For ringing that bell. And�� for everything."

    He looked at her for a long time, and then shrugged.

    "There's no need to thank me. We are allies. Are we not?"

    She smiled slightly and remained silent after that.

    Soon, they passed through the barrier of coral and approached the center of the Spire.

    There, the dark sea was imprisoned under an indomitable seal.

    In front of them was a vast pool of black water. Its surface was perfectly still and flat, like that of a harrowing mirror made from pure darkness. Although the water was opaque and no one could see how far down that gargantuan well went, Sunny felt as though it was unimaginably deep. He felt that it reached such depths that mere thought of light would be impossible there.

    As they watched in solemn silence, a subtle ripple spread across the surface of the imprisoned sea. It was as though it was straining to spill over the edges of the pool and break free. However, the invisible powers that held it down were too mighty to overcome, even for this vast, boundless, inconceivable creature.

    Turning away from the eerie black mirror, Sunny peered into the darkness and frowned.

    Hidden in the shadows, far away from the light of human lanterns, countless figures were standing motionlessly, staring at them.

 Chapter 334 Silver Sword

    Chapter 334 Silver Sword

    At first, Sunny wanted to shout to warn everyone, but after observing the silent figures for a few moments, he changed his mind.

    Hidden in darkness, countless coral golems were staring mindlessly into the distance. They were very similar to the creatures he had fought to get to the Star Sigil, but also different.

    Because they weren't copies of ancient heroes�� just that of mundane people.

    As such, they wouldn't be too dangerous. A single Sleeper could fight dozens with ease, let alone the experienced, powerful warriors of the Dreamer Army. More than that, the golems did not seem to be hostile.

    Some of them stood motionlessly, while some aimlessly wandered about. These sad, empty things were even more lifeless than Echoes. He felt that they weren't really creatures, even. Just�� physical manifestations of the Crimson Terror's madness, perhaps. A representation of its broken psyche and scattered thoughts.

    He was sure that each of these golems represented one of the souls that had been sacrificed to the artificial sun and had once flowed through its vessel, becoming a part of it. Forever.

    ��There were thousands of them, and even more had to be hidden somewhere out of sight.

    Lingering for a bit, Sunny informed Nephis of his discovery. She frowned and glanced into the darkness, then nodded.

    "We will be careful."

    Now that they had a better understanding of the ground level of the Crimson Spire, it became clear that the Gateway was not on it. To find it, the remains of the Dreamer Army were going to have to ascend higher.

    There were no stairs or lifting mechanisms in sight, but luckily, many of the twisting coral pillars were wide enough for several people to walk on them, and not as steep as to make things too difficult. The Sleepers could use them to easily reach the next level.

    ��However, as soon as Sunny stepped forward, Neph suddenly pulled him back and shouted:

    "Everyone, back!"

    Just a moment later, a wide ray of blinding light fell from somewhere above and swiped across the interior of the Crimson Spire, annihilating the tranquil darkness.

    It didn't take a genius to realize that the ray was imbued with the same soul-destroying property as the deadly beams of sunlight outside�� only this one seemed much more powerful.

    It was also different. Although its movements were erratic and strange, they were unmistakably aimed at the exhausted mass of human invaders and full of intent.

    "Hide in the shadows!"

    Swiftly, the Sleepers dove behind growths of coral and pressed themselves against them. A few unfortunate ones lingered for too long and were exposed to the light. They didn't scream or struggle, just fell down to the ground, their lives extinguished in a split moment.

    The rest froze, consumed by tense fear.

    Sunny found himself leaning against a slightly inclined pillar of coral, Nepth and Cassie by his side. Carefully looking out, he saw the deadly beam of light grow dim and dissipate. A moment later, however, several more fell from above, tearing the darkness apart.

    But that was not all.

    Guided by the light, the mass of coral golems suddenly surged forward, moving toward the place where the Dreamer Army was hiding. Their movements, which were aimless and mindless before, were now full of malevolent will.

    '...Crap.'

    Turning to Nephis, he summoned the Midnight Shard and asked:

    "What now?"

    She lingered for a bit, and then said evenly:

    "Someone will have to attack the Crimson Terror directly to draw its attention away."

    Sunny smiled, feeling a strong sense of deja vu.

    "And who might that be?"

    Changing Star sighed and took a step back, summoning her silver sword.

    "...Me. It has to be me."

    He frowned, feeling very reluctant to say his next words. But in the end, he still couldn't help but say them:

    "Are you crazy? That's a Fallen Terror we're talking about!"

    Nephis didn't answer, instead looking up, as though trying to discern the source of the blinding rays of annihilating light.

    Sunny gritted his teeth and added:

    "Alright, whatever. Say someone really needs to distract that thing. But why does it have to be you alone? Because you are the great daughter of the Immortal Flame clan? Don't tell me that you started to believe in your own bullcrap!"

    Neph gave him a strange look and then shook her head.

    "No. It can only be me because of my sword."

    Sunny stared at the silver longsword, confused. A lifetime ago, after their first meeting on the Forgotten Shore, Nephis and Cassie had told him about their Memories. The sword in particular had an extremely rare enhancement��

    "I am the only human on the Forgotten Shore who has a Memory that grants them a measure of protection against soul attacks. So I am the only one who can approach the Terror and survive."

    It was hard to debate against logic. Still, Sunny was not done voicing his objections�� only that Changing Star didn't give him a chance to.

    Turning to Cassie, she took the blind girl by the hand and said:

    "Cas. Give me your wing cloak."

    A few seconds later, the transparent fabric of the Dark Wing appeared on her shoulder. Without wasting any time, she then looked at Sunny.

    "Once I'm gone, lead the people to the Gateway. Make sure that everyone escapes."

    With that, Nephis bent her knees, and then jumped with all her might. Supported by the enchanted cloak, she shot up with considerable speed, then pushed herself off the pillar of coral and flew into the darkness.

    The ray of light swiped in her direction, but Changing Star somehow managed to dodge it, crashed into another coral growth, and launched herself off of it a moment before another annihilating beam of light had reached it.

    With most rays now pursuing Nephis as she leaped from one coral pillar to another, ascending higher and higher, the Dreamer Army could once again move.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny glanced at the hundred frightened people and yelled:

    "Follow me!"

 Chapter 335 Ascent

    Chapter 335 Ascent

    Sunny had never expected to become a leader of anyone, let alone of a hundred desperate people. But now, that was exactly the situation he found himself in.

    To add insult to injury, he was really the best person for the job.

    Not because of any kind of leadership qualities, but simply for the fact that he could see in the dark. Now that the rays of soul-destroying light were led away by Nephis, he could also let his shadow free and send it forward to explore and search for the Gateway.

    So if anyone could guide the remains of the Dreamer Army to it, it was him.

    'How the hell��'

    Hiding his unease deep inside, Sunny projected nothing but absolute confidence and shouted for everyone to follow him. Surprisingly, the Sleepers did just that without voicing any objections.

    'Confidence is easily confused for competence, I guess.'

    Of course, the fact that he was affiliated with Changing Star in some capacity helped a lot, even if most people were not completely sure how and to what extent.

    Taking Cassie's hand, Sunny dove out of his cover and dashed toward a wide, spiraling coral root that reached high into the darkness above. He could hear the sound of footsteps following him from behind.

    The Dreamer Army was on the move once again.

    Jumping on the root, Sunny send the shadow forward and glanced at the approaching sea of coral golems. There was still time.

    He ran forward, using the coral growth as stairs. A second later, he yelled:

    "Those at the back! Ready your weapons!"

    They did so while the first rows of Sleepers followed Sunny up. Almost everyone had time to climb onto the root by the time the first of the golems showed up.

    The coral figure stumbled from the darkness, only to be met by a flash of a sword. It crumbled instantly, offering almost no resistance.

    But a moment later, several more appeared, and then more, and more.

    The Sleepers destroyed the first wave to buy themselves a few moments and then jumped onto the root, then dashed away, soon catching up with the rest of the survivors.

    At the head of them, Sunny hesitated for a moment. Thanks to the shadow, he knew that the wide coral growth they were ascending was soon going to twist upward at an almost vertical angle and grow much more narrow.

    Luckily, there was another one crossing it just a few meters ahead, separated by a very small gap.

    Picking Cassie up, he took a step forward and jumped, landing on the other root, then turned around and moved in the opposite direction to the one they had been going... but still upward.

    Behind him, the Sleepers repeated his jump. And down below, the wave of golems was already climbing on the twisting roots to pursue them.

    'Damn it. I guess they can climb!'

    He ran forward, struggling against the steep incline, then suddenly froze and looked up. There, a few dozen meters away, a wide gallery circled around the empty expanse of the Crimson Spire.

    And on it, another mass of golems was surging in the direction of the Dreamer Army. Countless twisted figures were appearing from the chaotic mess of crimson coral and rushing forward, searching for a path to reach them. Many fell off the edge of the gallery and plunged down, to explode into shards once they hit the floor.

    But some fell right on the root he was standing on.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny looked back and noticed a familiar tall figure close by. Effie stared at him tiredly and forced out a smile:

    "What is it now?"

    He put Cassie on the ground and gently pushed her toward the huntress.

    "Take care of her for me, alright?"

    Effie waved a hand, letting him know that she got it.

    Sunny watched the two of them for a moment, then turned around and summoned the Midnight Shard.

    A few seconds later, he reached the first golem and slashed it with his sword. The golem's body offered some resistance, but no more than a mundane creature would. It almost disintegrated under his assault, crumbling easily into a pile of broken coral.

    'Not too bad��'

    Curiously, the Spell did not congratulate him on the kill. Just as Sunny had suspected, these things were not really living creatures.

    That was going to make things a tiny bit easier.

    Running past the destroyed construct, Sunny soon approached another one and pushed it off the root with one strike of the Midnight Shard's pommel. The golems were not that dangerous��

    At least not in small numbers.

    He led the Dreamer Army forward, climbing higher and higher. Every couple of minutes, they would have to leave one root and make use of another, sometimes moving across stone galleries that were situated here and there on the walls of the Crimson Spire.

    At some point, both the vanguard of the human procession and its rear became embroiled in a rolling melee with the sea of coral golems. Those in the middle only had to keep their eyes on the layers of coral and stone structures overhead to make sure that nothing fell on them.

    This battle was not too terrible, however. The constructs were slower and weaker than even the mundane humans whose visage they were meant to recreate, not to mention almost completely mindless. Not a single human had fell to their attacks yet.

    ��That was not to say that surviving the onslaught of countless golems was easy.

    Somewhere high above, meanwhile, the flashes of white light slowly turned into one continuous, radiant halo. Nephis was probably already approaching the very pinnacle of the ancient tower. The fact that none of the annihilating rays had returned to attack the Sleepers served as proof that she was still alive, drawing the attention of the Terror away from them.

    'Where are you�� where are you��'

    At the head of the Dreamer Army, Sunny cut through another golem and suppressed a curse.

    Where was the damn Gateway?!

    ��And just he thought that, the shadow finally found what it had been looking for all that time.

    Their way back to the real world.

 Chapter 336 The Gateway

    Chapter 336 The Gateway

    Out there in the darkness, a vast balcony was built into the wall of the tower, reaching almost to the center of the gargantuan structure. On its surface, broken pillars of marble were overgrown by the everpresent streaks of crimson coral. They led to a circular dais, with a wide iron ring submerged into its stone surface.

    Around the ring, a beautiful pattern of runes was shimmering with familiar light. They were just like those runes that every Awakened had seen countless times when communicating with the Spell.

    But that wasn't the first reason why Sunny had noticed it. The most unusual thing about the dais was that unlike everything else inside of the Spire, it was utterly devoid of growths of crimson coral. The stone surface surrounding the ring was strangely clean and untouched by it.

    Looking at the shimmering runes and the iron rings through his shadow, Sunny felt something move in his heart.

    He was sure that this was the Gateway.

    They were so close��

    As he watched it, the whole Spire suddenly shuddered. Massive pieces of coral broke off and fell down, crashing into other branches down below. Suddenly, the darkness that surrounded the Dreamer Army became less impenetrable.

    High above them, the radiant halo of light became several times more bright.

    ��Nephis had reached the Crimson Terror.

    With a somber grimace, Sunny escaped from his reverie and dashed forward, slicing several golems as he went. The frightened Sleepers followed, entrusting their fates into his hands.

    As more and more tremors ran through the ancient tower and several enormous pillars of coral completely collapsed, they ascended even higher and approached the vast balcony.

    And then, finally, Sunny jumped down and landed on solid stone.

    Shattering a few golems, he cleared enough space for others to follow and watched several more people reach the balcony. One after another, the Sleepers jumped off the treacherous coral and joined him. Those who were the first to catch up repelled the attacking golems to let the others come down.

    Soon, all hundred of them were on the balcony �� and just in time. A few seconds later, a tremendous piece of debris fell from above, pulverizing the branch of coral they had used to get there.

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, watching as crimson pieces rained down, and then turned away with a determined expression.

    "Come on! We're almost there!"

    The remains of the Dreamer Amry cut through the mass of golems and escaped it. Running with all the speed they could manage, the crowd of young men and women approached the Gateway and froze, stunned by the sight of it.

    Hypnotized by it.

    In front of them... was the hope that they had forgotten for so long.

    The torturous promise of freedom that had taunted them every day, hidden away in the terrifying, looming silhouette of the Crimson Spire.

    Their way home.

    Salvation.

    Most of them had spent so long on the Forgotten Shore that the thought of ever being able to escape it became nothing more than a distant dream. Even when they had followed Changing Star and chose to believe her promises, salvation was just a concept. An idea.

    Now that they saw it as a real thing, many did not know how to react.

    ��Well, Sunny was there to make the process easier.

    "What are you staring at, idiots?! Pick up your jaws and move! Battle formation! Protect the rear! Wounded and non-combatants go first, everyone else holds off the damn golems and then follows! One at a time, bastards!"

    Coming back to their senses thanks to his angry shout, the Sleepers quickly reorganized themselves. Those who could still fight faced away from the Gateway and formed a defensive line, protecting the wounded with their bodies. Those who couldn't helped the people in the worst condition enter the iron ring.

    Sunny watched as the first human was placed in the center of the Gateway. A moment later, the runes surrounding the ring flashed with shimmering light. The body of the Sleeper suddenly shone, too. The ghostly shine was dim at first, but then grew brighter and brighter. Soon, it was hard to distinguish the shape of the human body at the center of that light.

    And then, the light dissipated, much like a Memory or an Echo would, leaving nothing behind.

    After all these years, all that suffering, all that loss, the first Sleeper had finally escaped the Forgotten Shore.

    Looking through the emptiness left by the disappearance, Sunny realized that he had forgotten to breathe.

    A second later, an exhilarated cheer rose above the crowd of humans. The intensity of emotion in their voices�� no words existed to describe the complicated, overwhelming conflagration of feelings burning in the chests of the survivors of the Dreamer Army at that moment.

    Well, at least Sunny had none.

    In the next moment, the pursuing wave of golems crashed into the defensive line, and the next human stepped into the Gateway.

    The defenders held their ground, throwing the coral creatures back.

    Sunny lingered at the edge of the dais, watching the crowd of humans. One after another, they were disappearing into the beautiful radiance of the Gateway, while the others continued to confidently repel the assault of the golems.

    They were going to survive.

    That meant that his job here was done.

    ��And, just as he had expected, Caster was nowhere to be seen.

    Lingering for a few short moments, Sunny glanced at the Gateway one last time and then stepped away.

    As he moved through the crowd of humans and approached its edge, someone suddenly called out his name.

    Turning his head, Sunny saw Effie. The huntress was carrying the unconscious body of Kai on one shoulder, and keeping Cassie close to her own under another. The blind girl's face was ashen, confused, and empty.

    "Doofus! Where are you going?"

    Sunny stared at her for a few moments, and then suddenly smiled.

    "...There's just some unfinished business I need to deal with. Take care, you three. I will�� see you later. I hope."

    With that, he took a step back and disappeared into the shadows.

 Chapter 337 Nobody

    Chapter 337 Nobody

    Summoning the Dark Wing and the Prowling Thorn, Sunny jumped off the edge of the stone balcony. In the next second, his dagger pierced the darkness and bit into a fractured coral branch high above. With a sharp pull, Sunny sent himself flying upward, the transparent cloak turning into a blur behind his back.

    All around him, the interior of the Crimson Spire that remained unchanged for thousands of years was shifting. The ancient tower continued to shudder and quake as it endured the calamitous consequences of the battle between Changing Star and the vessel of the artificial sun.

    Vast coral roots were shattering and plunging down, drowning the echoing expanse of the Spire with deafening clangor. As massive slabs of coral collided against lower branches, they were pulverized in turn.

    Moving through all this destruction, Sunny struggled to stay alive.

    Before he could even reach the root he had been aiming for, it was obliterated by falling debris. The mass of coral then rained down, threatening to bury Sunny under its deadly weight. Not phased, he twisted and hurled the Prowling Thorn sideways, then flew out of the way of the collapsing coral. Just a second later, Sunny hit the side of an intact root and pushed himself off its surface, continuing to ascend.

    He spun and twisted, using the Prowling Thorn and every surface he could reach to dodge the falling slabs of coral, avoid being cut to pieces by deadly clouds of flying splinters, and soar higher and higher.

    As he did, the shadow jumped from one root to another, searching for Caster.

    The Legacy was much faster than Sunny, but was chained to the ground and didn't have the advantage of being able to see in the dark. Sunny was certain that he would be able to catch up to him before too long.

    And after a few torturous minutes, he inevitably did.

    Emerging from a cloud of coral dust, Sunny left a crimson trail in the air as he landed on a wide root in a nimble roll. A moment later, he jumped to his feet and stood silently in the darkness, waiting for Caster to appear.

    Up here, at the highest levels of the Spire, the chaos was not as pronounced. Those branches of coral that were going to break had already fallen, and the few remaining ones were relatively stable. That allowed Sunny to predict which route the Legacy was going to take.

    The cool polished wood of the Weaver's Mask rested comfortably on his face, hiding his features.

    Sunny wasn't sure what resources and connections the Han Li clan possessed, so he chose to be extra careful. He was wary of someone tracing Caster's death back to him with the help of a prophetic Aspect Ability or some strange and powerful Memory�� a vengeful Legacy clan was the last thing he would want to deal with after returning to the real world.

    And by now, he was sure that one of the two of them was going to die here, in this cursed and dreadful tower.

    This confrontation was long overdue.

    He was also wary of Caster himself. The proud scion was many things, but a fool was not one of them. There was a chance that he had long guessed Sunny's Flaw.

    The mask was his insurance against that eventuality.

    'Let's see which one of us is better�� let's see which one of us deserves it more��'

    For Sunny, this fight was not only about defeating Caster. It wasn't even about defending Neph.

    It was about defeating the world itself.

    A lifetime ago, when he and Caster had first met in the Academy, they were on the opposite sides of humanity.

    One was on the top, and the other was on the bottom.

    One was strong and surrounded by a circle of admirers, and the other one was weak and alone. One had the best education, the best mentors, the vast resources of his powerful family, the inherited arsenal of Memories, and plenty of soul shards to propel him forward to future success.

    The other had nothing.

    Sunny had always had nothing. No family and no home, no place to call his own, no one to care about whether he lived or died, no opportunity, no chance�� no future.

    Thrust into the same hell as Caster, he clawed and fought, suffered and endured, survived and bettered himself through will, intellect, and countless brushes with death. And now, a year later, he was ready to claim his rightful place.

    By defeating Caster, he was going to prove once and for all that he wasn't lesser than anyone. That he wasn't some inconsequential nobody to be discarded and forgotten, to be lost on the pages of history. That he mattered as much as those "real" humans did.

    That he was as exceptional as the best of them, despite the fact that he wasn't born into wealth and prosperity.

    ��Much more so, even.

    As Sunny waited in the darkness, a light of a Memory lantern swiftly approached from below.

    ***

    Caster was rushing to the pinnacle of the Spire, using his incredible speed and training to avoid being killed by the falling debris. He was already getting close when, suddenly, the light of his lantern fell on a motionless figure that stood in the center of a wide coral root, barring his way.

    Dark armor weaved out of soft fabric, with lusterless black leather protecting vital spots. An austere blade held lightly, its tip turned to the ground. The wooden mask that resembled the face of a fearsome demon was new, but still, he had no problem recognizing who was in front of him.

    Slowing down and stopping a few meters away from the hateful little vagrant, Caster gritted his teeth and spat:

    "It's you."

    Hidden behind the mask, Sunny smiled.

    "No, no. You are mistaken. Actually, it's not me."

    Then, tilting his head, he stared at the proud Legacy and said, his voice full of surprise:

    "Oh! Hey, Caster. What a coincidence, to run into you here of all places. So unexpected! Ah, it must be fate��"

 Chapter 338 Rest of the Mongrels

    Chapter 338 Rest of the Mongrels

    Caster remained silent for a while, then calmly looked up, at the furiously pulsating radiance of the Crimson Terror's light. Finally, he lowered his head and exhaled through gritted teeth.

    "Out of my way, Sunny."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then said in a humorless tone:

    "Or what?"

    The Legacy grimaced and stared at him darkly, his face full of resentment.

    "I am so tired of you and your insolence. Why must you always ruin everything? Why can't you just know your place?"

    Summoning his beautiful jian, Caster shook his head and said:

    "Stay out of this if you value your life. This is the last chance I am going to give you."

    Sunny did not move, watching the young man silently. There was nothing but darkness in the eyes of the disturbing black mask. A few moments later, his voice resounded from behind it, strangely hollow:

    "...Know my place? What is my place, in your eyes? Huh, Caster?"

    The Legacy smiled slightly and then said naturally, as though stating a fact:

    "Out of the sight of those better than you, with the rest of the mongrels. What else?"

    Sunny shifted slightly. When he spoke, his tone was unexpectedly carefree and friendly:

    "Ah, not exactly what I expected to hear. Well, never mind. Before we do this, though, can I ask you one question?"

    Caster snarled.

    "Sure. Go ahead."

    This was something that had been pressing on Sunny's mind for a long time.

    "Why do you even want to kill Nephis? What is so important that you are even willing to risk your life?"

    The Legacy looked at him with no humor in his eyes. After a few moments, he said in a strange tone:

    "This is not something that you, scum, will ever understand. Survival is all you creatures care about. Duty. Loyalty. Honor. Those are the words the likes of you know nothing about. So I will put it in a way that will be easy even for you to comprehend."

    He pierced him with an intense gaze and said, each word falling like an avalanche:

    "The Immortal Flame must be destroyed."

    And then, his voice ringing with profound inevitability, Caster added:

    "...This is the will of the Sovereigns."

    Sunny stared at him for a bit, engrossed in the solemn atmosphere of this proclamation.

    A few seconds later, in a sincerely confused tone, he asked:

    "Uh�� who?"

    Caster's eyes widened. He looked at Sunny with a dumbfounded expression, then shook his head in disbelief.

    "Wait�� you�� you really don't know? She didn't tell you anything?"

    Sunny scratched the back of his head.

    "...Of course she did? Actually, I know exactly what you're talking about. I've been told everything. No one knows more than me on this topic, really."

    The Legacy stared at him for a few moments, then suddenly threw his head back and laughed out loud.

    "Pathetic mongrel�� you don't even know who you serve! You don't even know who rules the world you live in. Why am I even wasting my breath talking to a worm like you?"

    Sunny tilted his head, then said in a reproachful tone:

    "Ouch. That stings."

    Caster smiled darkly, then raised his sword.

    "Enough of this! I'm done trying to reason with you, fool. I have allowed you to sculk in the shadows, playing your vulgar games, for long enough. I only permitted you to live because there was no reason to get rid of you. What, do you think that you�� you! Can defeat me? That your little schemes and secrets will give you a chance against a true Legacy? Sorry to disappoint, but I figured them out a long time ago."

    Sunny remained silent for a bit and then asked in an indifferent tone:

    "Oh yeah? Do tell. What are my secrets, exactly?"

    The Legacy grinned:

    "You hide your strength and pretend to be weak. You go around telling ridiculous tales, making everyone think that you are a lunatic. At first, I thought that you have lost your mind, too. But once I started paying attention, it was so obvious. The constant misdirections, the obnoxious bragging that no sane person would ever believe, the crazy act�� this is you Flaw, isn't it?"

    As Sunny tensed, Caster smiled triumphantly and said:

    "...You are compelled to lie against your will. Did you really think that no one would see the pattern? You even bribed that idol friend of yours to try and mislead everyone. A pathetic attempt. Were you expecting that anyone would buy it?"

    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, and then exploded with laughter.

    "Ah, crap. You got me! Yes, you are right. This is my Flaw. What sane person would go around telling such outrageous lies?!"

    Then, he pierced Caster with a murderous gaze and said:

    "...Sadly, it seems that I am at a disadvantage in that regard. It is such a shame that I have no idea what your Flaw is, huh? That I haven't figured it out a long time ago, too."

    Caster looked at him, a corner of his mouth turning downward. In the light of the Memory lantern, he looked handsome and confident.

    ...Mature.

    There was a short beard on his face, and a few grey hairs in his luscious mane.

    Hidden behind the mask, Sunny smiled:

    "It is so sad that I don't know that your powerful, incredible, amazing Aspect Ability shortens your lifespan every time you use it, and that you reverse its effect on your body with a charm Memory in the shape of a sandglass. Ah, if only I was more observant! Too bad I am not."

    The Legacy stared at him with a dark expression, his face slowly turning pale. After a while, he uttered:

    "...It doesn't matter. After I fulfill my duty and return to the real world, the Awakening will allow me to take back the years that had been stolen from me. While you, rat, will stay in this cursed place fo��"

    Before he was done talking, a heavy triangular blade suddenly flew into his face. As a hint of outrage gleamed in Caster's eyes, he easily swatted the kunai away�� and turned into a blur, lunging at Sunny with astonishing speed.

    Invisible to a human eye, the string of the Prowling Thorn was wrapped around two coral outcroppings, drawn across the wide root right ahead of him. And the proud Legacy was about to��

    A green light flashed through the air, and Sunny felt his wrist jerk back, the tension of the string suddenly gone.

    'Cr��'

    A fraction of a second later, Caster was upon him.

 Chapter 339 Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

    Chapter 339 Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger

    'Fast�� too fast��'

    Caster was moving with astonishing speed, his figure turning into a blur. His Flaw was a cruel one, but the power of the Aspect Ability he possessed was also incredible.

    In fact, Sunny had never met anyone with an Ability as powerful as this, with the exception of himself and Nephis. Even the greatest warriors on the Forgotten Shore would have had no chance against it. Gemma, Effie, Seishan�� all of them would have been easily killed by the deadly scion of the Han Li clan.

    Perhaps only Harus could have fought him to a draw.

    But even then, Sunny wasn't sure. Not only did Caster possess a terrifying Ability, but he was also one of the most skilled swordsmen of their generation. He also had a whole arsenal of Memories hidden away inside his soul. Surely, he had a way to fight while blinded.

    ��That's why Sunny did not waste any time trying to destroy the Memory lantern illuminating their surroundings. Instead, he just trusted his sword, and met Caster's attack with his own.

    Two swords collided in the air, and in the next moment, Caster flew past Sunny and slowed down, eventually coming to a stop. A drop of blood fell off the tip of his jian.

    Sunny staggered.

    'Curse you��'

    The sleeve of the Puppeteer's Shroud was torn, and there was a shallow cut on his shoulder. He had managed to deflect the strike aimed at his heart, but wasn't fast enough to avoid being wounded after all.

    On Caster's face, there was a dark expression. Looking at Sunny, who was still alive, he grimaced and spat:

    "Not bad. This is going to be entertaining, at least."

    Hidden behind the mask, Sunny grinned.

    "Oh, yeah. I'm having a lot of fun myself, thanks."

    Of course, that was a lie.

    Back in the Academy, Caster had been the only person to defeat Nephis. Granted, all of them had been much weaker back then. Neph also had not used her Aspect Ability, while Sunny was using his to augment himself right now.

    Because of it, the gap in speed between the two of them was not completely lethal. And yet, he was incomparably slower. In terms of pure physical ability, Sunny had no hope of surviving this duel.

    ��But he already knew the secret of how one had to fight against Caster. He had learned it from Changing Star herself, during that short and fateful spar.

    A year ago, Nephis had been in a similar situation, and yet almost defeated her swift enemy. She had anticipated Caster's moves instead of reacting to them, and due to that, his speed advantage had been made less severe. This was what Sunny had to do now.

    Of course, to achieve such a feat, one had to possess an intricate understanding of the underlying laws of combat and a true mastery of both their mind and their body.

    Luckily, Sunny was one such man. He had obtained clarity a long time ago, and spent every waking hour sharpening his skill and instincts. His mind had entered into the state of flow, making his perception stark and all-encompassing, his thoughts quicker. His intuition was enhanced by the knowledge of the essence of battle.

    ��That gave him a chance to win.

    A moment later, Caster attacked again, and Sunny jerked the Midnight Shard sideways, blocking the ghostly green jian at the last possible moment.

    'Up��'

    He had begun to chain the next move even before the two blades collided. A split second later, the Legacy brought down his sword in a downward slash, aiming at Sunny's head. However, it was deflected��

    'Thrust at the neck��'

    ��once again, sliding down the length of the tachi and biting Sunny in the shoulder. This time, the leather pauldron of his armor held, but just barely.

    Almost instantly, Caster pulled the jian back and then immediately thrust it forward, aiming to cut the enemy's throat. The Midnight Shard awkwardly pushed the gleaming blade away, but not fast enough �� another shallow cut appeared on Sunny's neck, seeping with blood.

    'Damn it!'

    Infuriated, Sunny tried to counterattack, but was forced to concentrate on nothing but defense. Dozens of strikes rained on him in a span of a couple of seconds, filling the echoing expanse of the Crimson Spire with the clangor of steel. More and more cuts appeared on his body �� none of them were too deep or dangerous, but that didn't make them less painful.

    No matter how cunning and perfect Sunny's movements were, he couldn't make up for his lack of speed completely. Months of training, hundreds of battles, countless hours spent gaining insight into the inner workings of swordsmanship... Caster had done all of that, too, and then some. And he was so much faster.

    But, somehow, Sunny was still alive. Not only was he alive, he wasn't even seriously injured�� yet.

    At some point, he feinted a block and dodged the blade of Caster's sword instead, then whipped his empty head forward, as though trying to punch the Legacy in the head.

    At the last moment, however, a ghostly stiletto appeared in his hand.

    ��Only to be thrown aside by a powerful hit of the jian. Sunny barely managed to save his arm from being severed at the wrist.

    Sparing him a contemptuous glance, Caster snarled:

    "Cretin! Have you forgotten that I was there when Changing Star gave you that Memory?!"

    Sunny gritted his teeth and lashed out with the austere tachi, buying himself a moment to regroup.

    "I guess it slipped my mind!"

    With that, he suddenly hurled the Moonlight Shard at the Legacy, then followed it with a fearsome thrust of his sword. Caster easily dodged the stiletto, deflected the tachi, and kicked him in the stomach, sending Sunny staggering back with a pained moan.

    For a fraction of a second, he was wide open.

    His enemy did not miss that opportunity, turning into a blur as he lunged forward. The gleaming jian flashed through the air, and at the same time, Sunny suddenly spun and twisted his body.

    The two of them almost brushed against earth other as Caster flew by.

    A moment later, Sunny shuddered and bent over, blood streaming from a deep wound on his side.

    The Legacy turned around and smiled cruelly, a hint of satisfaction reflecting in his eyes.

    "...Not so boisterous now, are you, worm?"

    Sunny groaned and slowly straightened his back, pressing one hand against his bleeding side. His voice sounded strained and solemn:

    "Ah, yes. That�� that didn't go exactly as planned."

    Then, he titled his head and raised his other hand, staring at the object dangling from a torn chain that was gripped in it.

    Suddenly, Caster's hand shot toward his neck.

    "You��"

    Sunny grinned and dangled the sandglass charm in the air.

    "Wait�� wow! How did this thing get here?"

    Caster's gritted his teeth, and the stolen Memory immediately began to radiate a subtle white glow. He was trying to dismiss the charm and return it to his soul core.

    ��Before that happened, however, Sunny caught it and clenched his fist, ruthlessly shattering the crystal hourglass into tiny pieces.

    Caster's eyes widened.

    "Bastard!"

    As his shout resounded in the darkness, the shards of the precious Memory flew to the ground, turning into sparks of light and disappearing as they fell.

 Chapter 340 Honor

    Chapter 340 Honor

    For a few seconds, both of them stood without motion. On Caster's face, shock and disbelief were mixed with fury, indignation�� and fear.

    Slowly, he raised his head and pierced Sunny with a hateful gaze.

    "You scum..."

    His voice was trembling with suppressed rage.

    'Good. Rage is good. Anything that makes him lose control is g��'

    In the next moment, Sunny got hit in the chest and flew back with a pained scream. Although he somehow managed to deflect the tip of the enchanted jian, the Legacy still ended up slamming into him like a speeding train. The blade of his sword pierced the Puppeteer's Shroud once again, slicing Sunny's forearm.

    'Godammit!'

    This was just unfair. The Shroud was a tier-five Memory of the Awakened Rank. Where did the bastard find a weapon that could cut through it so easily?!

    ��Well, Sunny more or less knew where. Who was to say that the ghostly green jian wasn't of the same tier, if not higher? Legacy clans had a lot of powerful Memories in their treasuries.

    Unlike him.

    Hitting the ground in a roll, Sunny dashed to the side and used the pommel of the Midnight Shard to slam Caster's hand away. He barely saved himself from being decapitated.

    Shaken, Sunny threw a handful of coral dust into the air and retreated. A moment later, his enemy emerged from the dust like a vengeful demon. The damned jian was once again aimed at his heart.

    But��

    Caster looked different.

    It seemed that Sunny was right on the money with his guess about the proud scion's Flaw and the purpose of the mysterious charm Memory. Before, Caster had already looked slightly older that the other members of the cohort�� which was strange, considering that both Effie and Kai were supposed to be the oldest among them. This was what had initially caught Sunny's attention, because back at the Academy, there had been no such difference.

    However, now that the crystal sandglass was broken, time seemed to be catching up with the Legacy. If anyone were to see him now, they would have assumed that he was in his late twenties, perhaps even early thirties.

    He still resembled the youth that Sunny had met just a year ago, but just barely. Instead, a handsome, mature, powerful man was attacking him, his dark skin still smooth, but already showing the signs of future wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and mouth. There were several silver hairs in his beard.

    Straining every muscle in his body, Sunny stood his ground and parried the deadly thrust, then dodged to the left. Once again, he was a fraction of a second late, and another cut appeared on his body.

    'Curses!'

    With a pained grimace, Sunny dodged, evaded, parried and blocked, continuing to retreat and create distance between himself and Caster. At some point, a furious roar made his ears ring:

    "Get back here, you rat! Why are you running like a coward?!"

    Hidden behind the mask and struggling to breathe, Sunny gritted his teeth and hissed:

    "No�� reason�� in particular��"

    The next time he and Caster clashed, the Legacy appeared to be in his late thirties. Now, he resembled a man in his prime. His powerful physique became even more formidable, his broad shoulders straining the metal of the sturdy scale armor. His temples were grey, and his beard had silver streaks running through it. He looked like the kind of older man young girls would be utterly smitten by.

    Sunny groaned as he felt another laceration appear on his body, pushed Caster away, then dashed back. The Midnight Shard flew from one side to another, from low to high, not stopping even for a split second. The ringing of steel fused into a continuous, deafening clamor. He felt as though his lungs were on fire, but couldn't allow himself to slow down ever for a moment.

    A momentary lapse was going to cost him his life.

    'Come on�� this�� this is not much worse than facing�� against�� Saint��'

    But it was worse. So much worse��

    Even while augmented by the shadow, Sunny couldn't resist Caster's furious onslaught. He was stronger and much more resilient, but that was the thing about sharp weapons �� they were created to make the amount of force required to kill someone much less demanding. A skilled swordsman that relied on speed could dispatch of an enemy with one well-aimed touch of the blade.

    To someone like Sunny, Caster was a nightmare. If not for the Blood Weave, he would have grown weak and slow from blood loss a long time ago, just from the numerous cuts on his body.

    And yet, he resisted and continued to retreat, desperately deflecting one lightning-fast strike after another.

    ��The next time Sunny got a good look at the proud Legacy, he felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

    Attacking him was an old man. His gaunt face was laced with a spiderweb of wrinkles, and his hair and beard were completely grey. There was almost no sign left of the handsome youth he had known�� and despised�� for so long.

    Caster was still full of power and vigor, though. His fury was still as murderous and scathing as it had been before. His speed, however�� was just a tiny bit slower.

    "Die, mongrel!"

    With a furious roar, Caster brought down the ghostly jian down on Sunny, who was still reeling from the previous blow. Desperate, Sunny raised his tachi into an awkward semblance of a block. When their swords collided, the Midnight Shard flew aside and almost slid from his hands.

    ��What's worse, Sunny lost his balance and fell backward, landing on the ground in a heap.

    As a cruel smile appeared on the old man's weathered face, he lunged forward to finish the defenseless enemy.

    ��But at the last second, a calm voice resounded from behind his back.

    The voice he hated, but knew so well.

    Standing somewhere behind him, Nephis ordered in a tone that denied refusal:

    "Back!"

    Caster's eyes widened. With an expression of utter terror, he spun around and raised his sword, ready to finally face the person he had dreaded and wanted to kill for so long.

    However, when he did, he saw nothing but emptiness.

    There was no one behind him. Just a simple rock laying on the ground.

    As Caster watched in confusion, his thoughts slow due to the debilitating effect of age, the rock shouted in Changing Star's voice:

    "Hide in the shadows!"

    Almost immediately, the proud scion's pupils narrowed. With a dark grimace, he spun back, moving his sword into a defensive position.

    ...He was just a fraction of a second late.

    Without making any sound, the tip of the Midnight Shard pierced his scale armor, his flesh��

    And then his heart.

    Staring at the stunned face of the feeble old man in front of him, Sunny scowled and sighed.

    Caster looked down, at the blade protruding from his chest and the blood streaming from beneath, then weekly grabbed the tachi with his hand. A pained, resentful grimace contorted his pale, wrinkled face.

    Straining to raise his head, he looked Sunny in the eyes and whispered:

    "You�� you have no�� no honor."

    Sunny stared at the dying old man with pity, then looked away.

    "...There is honor, indeed. Honor... is not just a word powerful scumbags invented to make young fools like you die for them. And kill for them. It's not a chain that they wrapped around your neck, to make you a slave."

    Caster looked at him for a few moments, trying to say something, but then slowly fell to his knees.

    In the sudden silence, the voice of the Spell whispered:

    [You have slain a dormant human, Han Li Caster.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger!]

 Chapter 341 One Thousand

    Chapter 341 One Thousand

    Standing above Caster's corpse, Sunny tilted his head slightly.

    Despite his expectations, there was not a lot of joy in his heart. Instead, defeating the powerful scion of a true Legacy clan left him feeling somber, and a little bitter.

    There was, however, a sense of�� if not validation, then at least vindication. It was as though some profound need in his soul was finally satisfied, making it more solid.

    Steady.

    With a pained groan, Sunny took a step back, turned around, and dismissed the Weaver's Mask.

    He was in better shape than he had expected to be. Countless cuts on his body were painful, but not dangerous. Blood Weave was diligently doing its job, preventing him from losing too much of the precious red liquid. The cuts were already starting to scab over and close.

    The only serious wound was the gash on his side, but it, too, had already stopped bleeding. Very soon, it was going to start healing, too. Until then, it was not going to hinder his movements a lot, as long as Sunny was ready to endure a bit of suffering.

    After a year on the Forgotten Shore, dealing with pain was one of his best trained skills.

    '...I've been through worse. Much worse. This is nothing.'

    Then, another thought entered his mind.

    'That shadow fragment�� it should have brought me to a thousand, right?'

    A moment later, he realized that his whole being was somehow�� weird. It felt as though there was intense heat in his chest, slowly growing more and more scalding. This sensation was not exactly physical, but more of a spiritual one. Like the core of his soul was undergoing a violent change.

    With a mix of anticipation and dread, Sunny concentrated on this feeling.

    'Here we go��'

    What was going to happen to him?

    Suddenly, he heard the voice of the Spell again. In the eerie expanse of the Crimson Spare, where ancient darkness fused with otherworldly light, it sounded solemn and almost�� triumphant?

    [Your shadow is overflowing with power.]

    Sunny listened tensely, trying to guess what was it going to say next.

    [Your shadow is taking shape.]

    In the next moment, he staggered and fell to his knees. His eyes widened and lost focus.

    The heat that was building up in Sunny's soul had reached a critical point, and then exploded. It felt as though his core was being torn apart, drowning him with intense, indescribable pain. Disoriented and frightened, he tried to scream, but no sound came out of his mouth.

    Something was emerging from within his soul, ripping it into shreds. Sunny knew that he couldn't stop that process, and so, all he could do was endure.

    As Sunny convulsed on the ground, the Spell whispered:

    [...Your shadow is complete.]

    And then, something strange happened.

    The Spell was about to say something else, but then the entire Crimson Spire suddenly shuddered. This quake was much stronger than all the previous ones, making it feel as though the gargantuan structure was about to topple. Sunny heard the deafening sound of breaking stone.

    Almost at the same time, he was suddenly enveloped in absolute darkness, all light disappearing from the echoing interior of the ancient tower.

    ��And the Spell abruptly fell quiet, its last proclamation left unsaid.

    The pain tearing his soul apart was also gone. It didn't feel as though the process was finished, though. It felt as though it was interrupted.

    'Wha�� what is happening?'

    Confused and disoriented, Sunny looked around.

    Why was it so dark?

    Following a premonition, he then raised his head and glanced up.

    '...What?'

    The furious light of the Crimson Terror was gone.

    As Sunny tried to wrap his head around this fact, two things registered in his mind.

    The first one was that he felt very strange. His chest was still full of ethereal heat, but there was also something else. Some kind of�� interference? He was having trouble finding words to describe that sensation, but knew that it wasn't harmful. At least not immediately.

    The second one was that��

    'Crap!'

    The second thing he noticed was that, currently, there were giant slabs of stone plunging down on his head. .

    Picking himself up from the ground, Sunny dashed to the edge of the wide root and jumped off of it. Just a second later, one of the slabs crushed into the coral, turning it into dust. A violent shockwave hit him in the back.

    The Prowling Thorn was currently restoring itself in the Soul Sea, its invisible string cut by Caster's enchanted jian, so, for a moment, Sunny found himself in free fall. Then, the transparent blur of the Dark Wing finally weaved itself from sparks of light on his back and allowed him to glide forward, following the momentum of the jump.

    As he reached the wall of the Spire, another deafening crash resounded from behind. Looking up and at the descending mass of broken stone, Sunny thrust the Moonlight Shard forward. The tip of the Fallen Memory easily sunk into the ancient granite, giving him purchase.

    Hanging on it, he pressed himself against the cold stones and gritted his teeth, waiting for the avalanche of debris to pass and praying that nothing hits him. A few moments later, the Spire shuddered again, and then grew still.

    Somewhere down below, destruction was still raining on the interior of the Spire, but this high, it was relatively quiet.

    Sunny opened his eyes.

    He was still alive.

    The dome of the Crimson Spire seemed to be broken, letting in beautiful sunshine. The darkness was not as impenetrable now, suffused with that light. Dust particles floated in the air, sparkling like tiny diamonds.

    'Sunlight�� sunlight?!'

    Panicking, Sunny looked around, searching for shelter�� but then noticed that his shadow was utterly calm. Unlike before, when his soul was being destroyed by the artificial sun, it wasn't doing anything.

    ��It did seem a bit confused, though.

    'What the hell is going on?!'

    Perplexed, Sunny decided to make absolutely sure that the annihilating power of the Terror was gone from the rays of sunshine and dove into the Soul Sea.

    What he saw there shocked him so much that he almost let go of the hilt of the Moonlight Shard and fell down.

    The entire landscape of the tranquil sea was changed. If before there was nothing but darkness, now, it was filled with blinding white light. The light flowed through Sunny's soul, making the silent waters ripple and swirl.

    Up above, the black sphere of the Shadow Core was burning with furious flames. It trembled and seethed, as though overflowing with power. However, that power was being suppressed by the current of light, which prevented it from spreading outward.

    Beneath it, there was a massive whirlpool.

    Stunned, Sunny stared at the unrecognizable expanse of his soul and didn't know how to react.

    'What the hell is this?!'

    Full of unease and dark thoughts, he hesitated for a bit and then summoned the runes.

    Everything was the same as the last time he had glanced at them, except for one line:

    Shadow Fragments: [1000/1000.]

    ��Not, not everything.

    In the cluster of runes describing his Attributes, a few new ones appeared.

    Concentrating on them, Sunny held his breath and read:

    Attribute: [Soul Conduit.]

 Chapter 342 Crimson Terror

    Chapter 342 Crimson Terror

    [Soul Conduit].

    The Attribute had no description, nor was its acquisition announced by the Spell. Staring at the runes for a few more seconds, Sunny cast one last glance at the white void of his Soul Sea and left it.

    He had no answers for this mysterious sequence of events, but his intuition was ringing the alarm bell.

    He was almost sure that the strange and painful process that began after he had absorbed the last shadow fragment was somehow interrupted. The white light permeating the Soul Sea felt unnatural and wrong, like something external to it rather than natural. The mysterious new Attribute was most likely connected to this external influence instead of to the saturation of the Shadow Core.

    In fact, [Soul Conduit] was most likely the manifestation of the radiant force that was currently suppressing the core. In that sense, this Attribute was more akin to the mind hex of the Soul Devourer than to the Blood Weave. It wasn't something that Sunny had achieved or acquired. It was forced upon him, for reasons yet unknown.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny shifted and changed his grip on the handle of the Moonlight Shard. Then, he summoned the Ordinary Rock and immediately dismissed it. Finally, he ordered the shadow to wrap itself around his body, then shift to the ghostly stiletto and back.

    ...At least the new Attribute did not seem to be directly harmful. Sunny was still in control of his body and mind, as well as having full access to his Memories and Shadow Control. All it seemed to be affecting was the Shadow Core itself, preventing it from�� from achieving whatever it was that had failed to happen.

    At least for now. But how long would that safety last?

    Raising his head, Sunny stared at the pinnacle of the Crimson Spire. Something unexplainable had transpired there, causing this strange turn of events.

    Why was he trying to guess if all the answers were most likely waiting for him up above?

    To his side, a massive slab of stone had lodged itself between stumps of broken coral roots. More debris piled on top of it at steep angles, forming a twisting path to the distant sunlight.

    Pushing himself off the wall of the tower, Sunny glided forward and landed on the inclined stone surface. Then, he lingered for a few moments and began climbing up.

    The higher he ascended, the more sunshine surrounded him. Eventually, the whole tower was filled with nothing but stark beams of light and deep, dark shadows. The world was black and white, as though no other color was allowed into this solemn space.

    After a while, Sunny approached the broken dome of the Crimson Spire.

    There, a vast hall was hidden in the darkness, both its floor and roof now shattered, letting in the brightness of the sun.

    With a deep sigh, Sunny reached with his hands and pulled himself into the hall. He was now at the very pinnacle of the Crimson Spire.

    In the lair of the Terror of the Forgotten Shore.

    ***

    At the very tip of the ancient tower, there was once a vast and beautiful chamber. It seemed as though it had a large circular opening in its center, allowing sunlight to easily flow into the gargantuan structure at high noon.

    Then, however, that opening had become overgrown by crimson coral. And now it was gone.

    Due to something that had happened during Changing Star's battle against the Terror, the floor of the chamber partially collapsed, bringing the coral down with it. The ceiling was damaged too, although to a lesser extent.

    Through the chasm in the Spire's roof, Sunny could see the boundless white skies and the burning orb of the artificial sun.

    Lingering at it for a moment, he then lowered his gaze and looked at the chamber itself.

    The first thing he saw was Nephis, who was sitting on the floor, staring into the distance.

    Although her state was not as terrifying as on that terrible night when a dweller of the depths had pulled her beneath the waves of the cursed sea, she did not look too good.

    The Starlight Legion Armir was practically destroyed, revealing gruesome burns and cuts on her ivory skin. Just like then, white flames were seeping out of them instead of blood.

    These fires seemed strangely weak, though, as though on the verge of being extinguished. They were also failing to mend her mangled flesh. Neph's wounds appeared to be healing, but at a very slow pace �� a far cry from the miraculous restoration that Sunny had witnessed so many times in the past.

    The furious power that had always burned deep within her soul seemed to be finally exhausted. Almost��

    Following her gaze, Sunny shuddered when he saw the Terror.

    The creature that had created the Forgotten Shore might have looked as a human once, but now, it was like a feverish nightmare.

    For some reason, Sunny had expected to see the familiar shape of the nameless goddess, whose statue was created in the likeness of the girl that had been made into the vessel of the artificial sun.

    What met him instead was a giant creature whose body was made out of a perverse fusion of crimson coral and mutilated human flesh. In a sense, it was similar to the crimson golems he had fought at the base of the Spire. It was a twisted approximation of a living being, one that radiated a horrifying sense of madness, wrongness, and loss.

    Instead of a human face, the Terror had hundreds of them, all contorted in expressions of blind agony and suffering. Their mouths were open, as though straining to scream. Their eyes were empty wells of pure darkness.

    At least now, they were. When the Terror was alive, they must have shone with blinding, annihilating light.

    ��And it was, unmistakably, dead.

    The harrowing creature was sprawled on the floor, its limbs unmoving, its body fractured almost in half. The edges of the terrible wound were burned and melted, leaving no doubt that it was dealt by Changing Star's incandescent silver blade.

    'How�� how is this possible?'

    Stunned, Sunny stared at the vanquished Terror, failing to comprehend what he saw.

    How could Neph kill a Fallen Terror? No matter how powerful she was, she was still a Sleeper. Even with the tremendous augmentation of the Dawn Shard, she should not have been capable of slaying something this powerful.

    Something was very wrong here.

    'This doesn't make sense.'

    ...But then again, this wouldn't be the first Terror Nephis had slain. Changing Star had killed one in her First Nightmare, too, earning her that name. Still, there was a vast difference between a dormant human killing an Awakened Terror and a Fallen one.

    One feat was impossible. The other... the other was simply unthinkable.

    Turning to her, Sunny hesitated and then said in disbelief:

    "You�� you actually killed it."

    Neph flinched, as though noticing his presence for the first time. Then, she slowly turned her head and looked at him with empty, lost eyes. Only after a few seconds, a hint of recognition appeared in them.

    She remained silent for a while, and then said in a hollow voice:

    "...Sunny. You are finally here."

 Chapter 343 Soul Conduit

    Chapter 343 Soul Conduit

    He hesitated for a few moments, not sure how to answer. As seconds passed by, the silence between them grew tense, full of untold meaning.

    Finally, Nephis blinked and looked away, staring at the corpse of the Crimson Terror. Her sword hand trembling slightly.

    "...Killed it? Yes�� I did. Got lucky, I guess��"

    After a while, she added in a quiet voice:

    "It was just a fake star, in the end."

    Sunny smiled slightly, but his eyes remained cold.

    "Lucky�� I know a thing or two about being lucky, Neph. A creature like this would not have died just because of bad luck."

    She remained silent for a bit, then sighed and looked down.

    "It was evolving�� trying to become a titan. The burden of transformation made it vulnerable. I just happened to attack while the Terror was at its weakest. That's why it died��"

    'Evolving�� into a titan?'

    Noticing a surprised expression on his face, Changing Star grimaced and pointed to the artificial sun.

    "Have you not thought about what we have done?"

    Sunny looked up, at the radiant sphere of light, and frowned.

    In all the chaos, he had indeed forgotten to consider the full scale of what had transpired after the battle, as well as the reasons for and consequences of it.

    Come to think of it�� why would the light of the artificial sun destroy the souls of every living creature it touched? It had not been like this before the fall of the ancient civilization, for many generations, at least.

    But then, the Vessel had become corrupted and turned into a Nightmare Creature. The Terror. And at the same time, the seals imprisoning the curse of the all-consuming darkness had been destroyed, letting it free.

    ��So, in fact, the corrupted sun had never existed without the dark sea keeping it company.

    Until today.

    Sunny had always thought that the sun was restraining the dark sea. Could it be�� that it had always been restrained by the darkness, as well?

    And when he banished the ancient curse and locked it underground�� the sun was finally liberated from its shackles. That's why its light suddenly changed, turning into the annihilating white radiance.

    It had become free to do whatever it wanted.

    But there was something else��

    As his eyes widened, Nephis nodded.

    "Yes. The artificial sun does not just illuminate the vicinity of the Crimson Spire. It illuminates the whole of the Forgotten Shore. Its light reaches everywhere. So�� as we were fighting our way through the tower�� most of the living creatures on the Forgotten Shore had been wiped out. All that death, all those countless souls�� guided into the Spire by the Labyrinth, like a colossal hecatomb, to fuel the evolution of the Crimson Terror."

    And Nephis just happened to attack while the Terror was in the throes of that terrifying transformation. Well�� that wasn't a coincidence, most likely. Sunny had not forgotten the thoughtful look on her face as Neph had peered out of the gates of the Spire before giving the Dreamer Army the command to advance.

    He shivered, only now realizing that this whole region of the Dream Realm was now almost completely empty of life. Only a few Nightmare Creatures must have survived�� those who were lucky enough to hide from the deadly sunlight in time, or were powerful enough to resist it.

    Such a boundless influx of souls would indeed be enough to push the Crimson Terror to the next step of its evolution�� devolution? Whatever it was that happened to Nightmare Creatures as they grew more powerful. Not that Sunny knew anything about this matters �� but if anything could cause something like that, then the evisceration of an entire region of the Dream Realm would certainly do the trick.

    Now, however, the Terror was dead, and its corrupting influence was gone, turning the artificial sun back to its normal self.

    It couldn't be that easy, though��

    As if answering his thoughts, the Spire shuddered again. Another slab of stone broke off from the floor of the chamber and plunged down. Suddenly, the light of the sun grew a little bit dimmer.

    Looking up, Sunny noticed that the artificial sun looked not as bright as it had just a few minutes ago. It was as though it was slowly dying.

    ��Was it dying? There was no vessel to channel soul essence into its furnace anymore, after all.

    Interrupting his thoughts, Nephis suddenly spoke, her voice hoarse and tired:

    "What happened to the others?"

    Sunny shifted and looked down through the chasm in the chamber's floor.

    Far below, he could see the vast balcony and the shimmering ring of the Gateway on it. Somehow, its shine seemed�� weaker. The balcony, however, was empty. There were no humans there, and even the coral golems lay unmoving, their semblance of life snuffed out when the Terror died.

    "Everyone has escaped."

    Neph sighed slowly, as if with relief. After a long pause, she moved slightly and asked:

    "What about Caster?"

    Sunny glanced at her and shrugged. When he spoke, his voice was cold and indifferent:

    "...I killed him."

    Changing Star remained silent for a long time. Then, she whispered, seemingly addressing no one:

    "So that's why��"

    Suddenly, a bitter laugh escaped from her lips.

    Nephis raised her hands and pressed them against her face, as if overwhelmed by some deep, dark emotion. After a few seconds, her muffled voice reached his ears:

    "You shouldn't have killed him, Sunny��"

    Sunny snarled.

    "Yeah? Why, exactly?"

    She remained motionless for a few seconds, and then slowly lowered her hands and put them on her knees. Her face was pale and bleak.

    "Have you checked your Attributes?"

    He nodded and looked at her with a curious expression.

    "I did. There's a new one there. Soul Conduit."

    Changing Star stared into the distance and nodded.

    "Yeah. Same for me."

    Sunny raised his eyebrow and asked, his voice calm and steady:

    "Any idea what it means?"

    She did not say anything for a while, and then turned her head to look at him.

    "Have you not figured it out?"

    He shrugged.

    "I was a bit preoccupied. Why? What is it?"

    Nephis sighed and looked at the walls of the chamber. Finally, she said: the obliterating sun inside the ancient tower.

    One would be tempted to say that it was fate��

    "What does it mean for us, exactly? Are we going to turn into something�� like that thing?"

    Neph slowly shook her head.

    "...Not yet. Not for a long time. The Terror had absorbed most of the souls it had reaped after the battle, and there's no one to make sacrifices to the sun now. The Labyrinth, too, is now dead."

    Echoing her words, the Spire trembled once again, and somewhere down below, a deafening sound of crushing stone could be heard.

    Sunny tilted his head.

    "So what's the problem? Can't we just�� get the hell out of here and never come back?"

    Changing Star looked at him, her eyes full of cold, bitter emotion.

    "You don't get it, do you?"

    After that, she gritted her teeth and said:

    "The Crimson Spire is a machine, and the Gateway is a part of that machine. The Spire can't function without a human serving as the Soul Conduit�� and neither can the Gateway. There has to be a Vessel inside the tower for the Gateway to work."

    She slowly rose to her feet, swayed slightly, and finally pierced him with a dark gaze.

    "Which means that only one of us can escape."

    Sunny stared at her for a few seconds, then looked down at the distant ring of the Gateway.

    Finally, he turned back to Nephis and said:

    "I don't suppose you'll stay behind and let me go?"

    Changing Star looked at him, her striking grey eyes full of intensity and nascent white flames:

    "...I was about to ask you the same."

    Sunny lingered for a moment, then grinned.

    "Not a chance."

 Chapter 344 sorrow,Pain, and Rage

    Chapter 344 sorrow,Pain, and Rage

    Slowly walking away from the edge of the chasm, Sunny stopped opposite Nephis and looked at her.

    In his dark eyes, there was nothing but coldness.

    "Well�� it's not like we didn't know for a long time that this would be how things end. Did we?"

    She stared at him for a while, then smiled bitterly.

    "...We did."

    Indeed, they knew.

    From that terrible day when Sunny had first understood the meaning behind Cassie's vision, he suspected that one day, in order to survive, he would have to kill Nephis.

    This was the truth he had chosen to hide from, even if it meant losing his mind. The final and most unbearable reason for why he had spent months alone in the Dark City, hunting monsters and slowly turning into one of them.

    How does one come to terms with the knowledge that, one day, they will have to kill the person they care for the most?

    ��Knowledge, indeed, was the heaviest thing in the world.

    Back at the beginning of it all, far away from the Dark City, before they had even known that the Crimson Spire existed, Cassie had shared with them a terrible vision.

    She said:

    "At first, I saw a�� a boundless darkness locked behind seven seals. Something vast was churning in the darkness. I felt like if I directly saw it, I would lose my mind. As I watched, terrified, the seals broke one after another, until only one remained. And then that seal broke, too."

    The first part of her vision described the day when the Vessel of the Artificial Sun had gone mad, and the curse of the all-consuming darkness had escaped the prison created for it by the seven ancient heroes.

    "I saw the human castle again. Only this time, it was at night. There was a lonely star burning in the black skies, and under its light, the castle was suddenly consumed by fire, with rivers of blood flowing down its halls. I saw a corpse in a golden armor sitting on a throne; a woman with a bronze spear drowning in a tide of monsters; an archer trying to pierce the falling sky with his arrows."

    The lonely star shining in the black skies was Nephis, the herald of ruinous change, who had drowned the halls of the Bright Castle in blood to become its ruler, and then watched as it burned to the ground.

    The corpse in the golden armor was Gunlaug, who had died on his white throne, killed by her hand.

    The woman with a bronze spear and the desperate archer were Effie and Kai, who had almost perished fighting against the nightmare horde during the siege of the Crimson Spire.

    "In the end, I saw a colossal, terrifying crimson spire. At its base, seven severed heads were guarding seven locks. And at the top, a�� a dying angel was being consumed by hungry shadows. When I saw the angel bleed, I suddenly felt as though�� as though something so precious that it can't be described with words was taken from me."

    Seven severed heads guarding seven locks were the heads of the giant statues, who stared at the Star Sigil that Sunny had used to banish the dark sea.

    And the last part of the prophecy�� it wasn't that hard to understand, too.

    Nephis was the dying angel, the precious thing that was going to be taken from Cassie, and Sunny was the hungry shadow that consumed her.

    It was their fate.

    "Then, I felt so much sorrow, pain and rage that what little remained of my sanity seemed to disappear. That was when I woke up�� I think."

    This was the last thing Cassie had said.

    ��Looking at Nephis, Sunny sighed and turned away.

    "I warned you, didn't I? I told you that this story won't have a happy ending. That there will be only sorrow, pain, and rage. Do you remember what you answered me?"

    These were the words he said on the day Neph had asked him to join her expedition.

    Back then, his suspicion that they would inevitably end up as enemies had already grown, becoming almost a certainty.

    Almost�� that cursed word. This was the word that had given him hope, no matter how small. Hope that he was wrong.

    But despite that hope, Sunny had been preparing for this moment for a long, long time.

    It was because he had known that he would have to face Nephis in combat that he had decided to incorporate Saint's methodical style into his technique, why he trained without rest, day and night, not sparing himself from the pain and hardship. If his only skill was one that she herself had taught him, what chance did he have of defeating her?

    It was for that reason that he had climbed to the highest point of the Hunter's statue and spent a night alone there, steeling himself for the inevitable future. Forcing himself to accept the terrible truth that, soon, he would have to kill Nephis.

    It was because of this that he had refused Changing Star's offer to heal him. How could he allow her to endure the terrible pain of the white flames, knowing that she would be suffering for the sake of her future killer?

    And it was because of this that he had not tried to learn all of her secret plans, remaining comfortable in his role as a hired mercenary. An outsider. He had known that, no matter what, they would end up here, in this moment, forced to fight each other.

    Fate�� fate was a terrifying enemy to fight against. He knew it better than most.

    Fate always won, in the end.

    Defeating it was almost impossible.

    ��Shifting slightly, Nephis looked at him and answered, her voice strangely wistful:

    "...Life is not a story. It only ends when you die."

    Sunny smiled.

    "So�� are you ready to die?"

    As white sparks ignited in the depths of Changing Star's eyes, she answered with another question:

    "What about you?"

    Instead of answering, Sunny summoned the Midnight Shard and raised it, assuming a battle stance.

    Opposite of him, Nephis did the same, her silver sword weaving itself from blinding light.

    ��Of course, neither of them planned to kill the other. They needed the other to remain alive, at least until the victor passed through the Gateway. How long would the loser survive after that, though? Especially if they were beaten terribly enough to lose the ability to resist further.

    Staying behind meant death.

    ��As the ancient, gargantuan tower quaked around them, balancing on the edge of collapse, Lost from Light and Changing Star prepared to cross their blades.

 Chapter 345 Shadows and Light

    Chapter 345 Shadows and Light

    Sunny and Nephis looked at each other, the air practically crackling with tension at the point where their gazes met.

    The white flame seeping from Changing Star's wounds suddenly flashed in a furious outburst, closing some of her wounds and making others seem less severe. After that, however, it grew weak and disappeared, retreating back into the furnace of her soul. As a pained grimace contorted the young woman's face, a dim radiance then slowly shined from beneath her ivory skin.

    At the same time, the shadow flowed up and wrapped itself around Sunny's body, making it brim with power and vitality. He inhaled deeply and slightly moved, shifting his weight from one leg to another.

    'How�� how can it end��'

    Before the thought could fully form, Sunny ruthlessly destroyed it and banished it from his mind.

    This was the last obstacle on his way back to the real world�� and the most deadly. Sunny had fought many terrible creatures in the cursed hell of the Forgotten Shore, but none of them were as fearsome and dangerous as Changing Star. This was going to be his hardest battle yet.

    To win it, he had to be absolutely clear, absolutely focused. He couldn't allow himself to feel anything, be distracted by anything.

    No doubt, no fear. No regret, no compassion.

    Only determination. Only resolve.

    Only murderous will to prevail.

    As dust particles shined in the beams of white light that fell through the broken roof of the ancient chamber�� as stark shadows swelled with dark anticipation�� Nephis brought the pommel of her sword to her shoulder.

    White flames ignited in her eyes.

    And then, suddenly, she lunged forward.

    'Fast!'

    But not fast enough to not give Sunny enough time to react. Raising the Midnight Shard, he dashed forward to block her furious assault�� and shuddered, the force of the impact sending a shock through his entire body.

    It felt as though his sword had collided with a mountain.

    Their blades got entangled for a moment, and then separated. Almost immediately, the silver longsword lashed out again, appearing from an unexpected direction��. and then again, and again, and again.

    Sunny feverishly defended, chaining blocks and deflections into one uninterrupted sequence of swift moves. Despite his best efforts, he reeled slightly after each strike. It was as though he was being hit by a hurricane of adamantine sledgehammers, each hit making his bones tremble and groan.

    'How�� how is she that strong��'

    How was Nephis so strong? How was she so fast? How was she so resilient?

    It didn't make sense.

    By now, Sunny had fully saturated his core, bringing him to the pinnacle of what a human of his Rank could achieve in terms of physical ability. His power was further doubled by the augmentation of the shadow, making him more akin to one of the Awakened than to a mere Sleeper. No dormant human should have been able to match his power in every regard.

    And yet, Changing star did. More than that, she was more powerful than him, tremendously so. She was more like a Nightmare Creature than a human; her movements were fast as lightning, her strength was terrifying, and her technique was flawless, leaving him no chance to exploit even the smallest of mistakes.

    ��No Sleeper should have been that powerful. It was simply impossible.

    And yet, somehow, it wasn't.

    'Impossible, impossible��'

    Deflecting another blow, Sunny gritted his teeth and dashed to the side, hoping to exploit the momentary opening in his enemy's defense. However, he was met by the ruthless flash of the silver blade instead. The opening was just a ruse, one which almost cost him his hand.

    'Something is very wrong here��'

    Either the augmentation of the white flame was much more powerful than that of his shadow, or something else was at play. However, Sunny didn't think that the radiance emanating from Neph's skin was stronger than his own physical enhancement. From what he had observed during her battle against Gunlaug, it was roughly the same or only slightly more forceful �� it shouldn't have given her this big of an advantage, especially in its seemingly exhausted state.

    Somehow, Nephis had grown much stronger between then and now.

    But how?

    ��At least the silver sword was not burning with the annihilating, incandescent light. If it was, the Midnight Shard might have already been if not destroyed, then at least severely damaged. In that regard, luck was still on Sunny's side.

    They exchanged several more blows and disengaged for a fraction of a second, then closed in again. Changing Star's sword shot forward, missing Sunny's face by a few millimeters�� or so he thought before sensing warm drops rolling down his cheek. A thin cut appeared on it, swelling with blood.

    Just a little bit to the right, and he would have lost an eye.

    Shaken, Sunny deflected the sword away, preventing Nephis from slicing his neck with a reverse cut, and leaned forward in an attempt to ram her with his shoulder.

    Changing Star easily sidestepped around Sunny and brought her weapon down, forcing him to block from a disadvantageous position and stagger back.

    'Curse it!'

    Their violent clash must have looked furious and morbidly beautiful. Both moved with incredible speed and possessed ferocious strength, both were skilled and experienced, forged into formidable killers by hundreds of deadly battles.

    One was darkness and shadows, while the other was radiance and light.

    But the true combat was happening somewhere else, invisible to the naked eye. This fight was as much about strategy and insight as it was about physical prowess and technique.

    After all, to excel as a fighter, one had to master both their body and mind.

    Nephis might have been unnaturally fast and strong, but what really made her devastatingly deadly was her own battle genius, her incredible level of understanding of the laws and principles of combat.

    Armed with it, she was able to predict what her enemy was going to do even before they themselves knew it. But that was not all. The scariest thing about Nephis was that, through that understanding, she was even able to manipulate and dictate her opponent's actions, turning them into her puppet. She was in absolute control of the flow of combat.

    Combat was her domain, just like shadows were his.

    But Sunny was not a novice, either. He was a master of manipulation, too.

    But more importantly, he had enough insight and knew Nephis well enough to if not deceive her, then at least not allow her to lure him into an inescapable trap.

    That was why, for a dozen torturously long seconds, neither of them had been able to seriously wound the other. Even if Sunny was locked into desperate defense and outmatched in every regard, he still managed to hold Changing Star's monstrous onslaught off.

    ��At least for now.

    Finally, the two of them disengaged and stepped back, pausing for a few moments.

    Sunny was breathing heavily, his bloodied face turning even more pale than usual. Nephis stared at him with a grim expression, her own breathing laborious and pained.

    If this was a cliche drama, at that point, they would have exchanged words, expressing their resolve and determination. Admiring their enemy or humiliating them with disparaging insults, showcasing their fearlessness by making a carefree joke.

    ��But it was not. Everything that could have been said had been said already. There was no way back.

    All that remained was violence.

    Looking at Nephis, Sunny suppressed a devious smile.

    Something had changed about the proud daughter of the Immortal Flame clan. Something that he had been waiting for from the start of their vicious battle.

    The wounds that had been partially closed by the white flame were beginning to seep blood again.

    And as they did, the Blood Blossom charm hanging on a thread tied around his neck finally rose from its slumber, filling the Midnight Shard with boundless hunger.

 Chapter 346 Promise of Blood

    Chapter 346 Promise of Blood

    Enhanced by the Blood Blossom, the austere tachi suddenly felt lighter in his hands, full of cold, frightening determination. It was almost as though it had a mind of its own now, a mind focused on one goal: to find the enemy and get a taste of their blood.

    'Finally��'

    A moment later, Nephis attacked again, her beautiful face cold and indifferent like an alabaster mask. Only the flames in her eyes moved, burning furiously, white as the empty void of the godless heavens above their heads.

    Sunny gritted his teeth and moved to meet her. Their blades clashed once again. Just like before, he was shaken by the force of the impact�� only now, he had managed to intercept her strike a fraction of a second faster.

    It was as though the Midnight Shard was ever so slightly pulling his hand, making it move with a bit more speed, aim a little better, withstand the pressure of the strikes with a subtly less strain.

    In the next few seconds, that change had become more apparent.

    Before, he had no chance to launch an offense. Changing Star was reveling in her flowing and unpredictable battle style, her every movement oppressive and unpredictable. This unpredictability alone made him wary of committing to an attack.

    Of course, Sunny was using the same style. But even though he had mastered it to an admirable degree, his technique was by no means equal to that of Changing Star.

    What was worse, she knew it far better than him, so his moves could potentially be predicted with terrifying ease.

    The only reason why Sunny was still on his feet was because of the elements of the Saint's grounded style that he had incorporated into his own. Measured and precise, but also capable of explosive counterattacks, it allowed him to both defend against Neph's ruthless assault and restrain her to a certain degree, using the threat of a sudden reversal to keep her from going all out.

    More importantly, she was less familiar with that style, which allowed him to diminish the predictability of his movements.

    And now, with the help of the Blood Blossom, Sunny was able to resist Nephis more efficiently, even if it was just by a tiny amount.

    But the measure of that difference didn't really matter. Because the longer their fight went on and the more she bled, the stronger he would become.

    ��It wasn't long before he finally managed to land a hit, the tip of his sword scratching against one of her gauntlets.

    'This is just a begin��'

    However, his thought was instantly interrupted.

    'What��'

    Nephis suddenly changed her behavior. Perhaps she had sensed the shift in the dynamic between the two of them, or perhaps she was just desperate to end this fight before her powers ran dry and her terrible wounds finally caught up with her.

    Or maybe there was some other reason, one that Sunny failed to account for.

    But regardless of it, Neph suddenly abandoned her previous calculated attack pattern and instead descended on him in a rain of deadly steel, her defense crumbling and leaving her open to retaliation.

    Caught by surprise, Sunny barely had time to shift his stance and block.

    The Midnight Shard was thrown down by a violent blow, pressing against his shoulder. The silver longsword slid across its length and scratched against the guard of the tachi, mere centimeters away from Sunny's throat.

    For a few heartbeats, the two of them struggled desperately, trying to overpower the enemy. Their bodies were so close that Sunny could feel Neph's breath on his cheek, as well as the heat radiating from her skin.

    'Damn it!'

    She was just stronger�� so much stronger��

    Little by little, her sword angled forward, and then bit into his skin, blood flowing on its silver blade. With an angry growl, Sunny let go of the hilt of the Midnight Shard with one hand. His fist shot toward Changing Star's body, the ghostly stiletto appearing in it at the last moment.

    But, of course, Nephis had anticipated that. She twisted her torso, allowing the Moonlight Shard to leave a deep but harmless scratch on her breastplate. In doing so, she had to relieve pressure on the tachi, allowing Sunny to push her sword away from his neck.

    But before he could jump back, Neph finished her attack by delivering a devastating blow to his head with the pommel of her sword.

    Disoriented, Sunny staggered back. He felt blood streaming into his eyes and lost his vision for a moment. Even Shadow Sense was useless, because he simply couldn't differentiate up from down right now.

    Suddenly, his heart was full of dread.

    'Think, think!'

    He had maybe a fraction of a second left before suffering a complete defeat.

    'What is she going to do��'

    The silver longsword was currently�� currently�� raised slightly above him after the upward strike. The fastest way to finish the fight would be to bring it down, possibly with its flat on his head, or with its edge on his shoulder, thus severing one of his arms�� yes, the second option was the easiest to execute and the most advantageous��

    But it was Nephis he was thinking about. What would she do?

    Faced with the choice of protecting his head or his shoulder, Sunny instinctively threw the Midnight Shard up to block a vertical blow aimed at his skull. His body moved on its own, following the memory of countless hours of training. Thanks to that, he was able to perform the block even in this stunned state.

    His judgment was correct. The tachi collided against Changing Star's sword and was thrown aside. But thanks to that, the strike missed his head completely.

    Instead, it fell on his clavicle and bit deep into his flesh, scraping against bone.

    Sunny's world exploded with pain.

    ��But instead of letting it overpower him, he leaned forward and caught Neph's hand in a trap, entangling it with his own.

    Then, he drove the Midnight Shard forward and felt it pierce soft flesh.

    Nephis shrieked, her voice full of agony and shock. Then, she pushed him away.

    Sunny fell to the ground.

    'Damn�� damn, this hurts��'

    Regaining some semblance of control over his mind, he raised a hand and wiped the blood away from his eyes. Then, he rose to his knees and looked in the direction where Nephis had been.

    She was standings a few meters away, leaning on her sword for support. There was a deep gash in her abdomen, just below the lower edge of the fractured breastplate of the Starlight Legion Armor, and a grimace of pain on her face.

    Blood was flowing from the wound he had caused her like a crimson stream.

    Their eyes met for a moment, and then Sunny lowered his gaze, at the austere tachi that lay on the floor between them.

    In all the mayhem, he had lost his sword.

    Both of them froze for a second.

    Then, ignoring the terrible pain pulsating in his wounded shoulder, Sunny lunged forward and grabbed the hilt of the Midnight Shard.

    At the same time, Changing Star rushed forward, raising her sword.

    ��However, neither of them got a chance to deliver a strike.

    Because right at that moment, the Crimson Spire shuddered once again, this time much more terribly than before.

    And in a deafening thunder of breaking stone, the floor beneath their feet suddenly shattered and collapsed into the darkness, pulling them down with it.

 Chapter 347 Free Fall

    Chapter 347 Free Fall

    Sunny fell down in a rain of broken stone, the floor beneath his feet suddenly crumbling like shattered glass.

    The Crimson Spire shuddered and moaned, like a giant creature convulsing in the throes of death. The light of the artificial sun grew dim and weak, causing another tremor to run through the ancient tower, wide cracks appearing on its granite walls.

    Sunny had banished the darkness that devoured the Forgotten Shore every night, and Nephis had killed the vessel of the sun that rose above it every day. Together, they had brought destruction to this cursed land. Today was the end of days for the Forgotten Shore, one that the two of them had ushered in.

    And one of them was going to have to endure the fallout of this cataclysmic change.

    Surrounded by a rain of falling shards of stone, Changing Star twisted and somehow managed to aim her sword in Sunny's direction. Even more miraculously, he managed to intercept it with his own. Both were thrown away from each other, the transparent wings weaving themselves behind their backs.

    For a couple of second, Sunny felt his body plunging down into the darkness. Then, finally, the Dark Wing fully manifested and turned into a blur, supporting his weight.

    Dodging a massive slab of granite that threatened to crush him, Sunny used it as a step and propelled himself through the air. The Midnight Shard flashed, aiming at Changing Star's wings, but was blocked by the blade of the silver longsword.

    As the debris fell down, two human figures collided against each other and spun in the air. With nothing to serve as a support, the only chance they had to exert any force was to use the body of the enemy as one. Their bodies entangled, almost as if they were lovers.

    But in reality, of course, the purpose of this intimate closeness was not love; it was violence.

    Grabbing Nephis with one hand and using his legs to trap hers, Sunny twisted his torso and delivered a devastating blow with his forehead, feeling the brittle bones of her nose shatter under his strike.

    ��But at the same time, her armored fist crashed into his side, aimed cruelly at the half-closed wound left behind by Caster.

    Sunny screamed.

    In the next second, her other fist slammed into his face. Augmented by the weight of the silver sword, that blow caused Sunny to lose himself for a short moment.

    When he came to his senses, the first thing he saw was a massive slab of granite falling on them from above. Feeling blood stream down his face and from the newly opened wound on his side, Sunny bent his knee, and then used Neph's body to push himself away.

    The two of them flew into opposite directions, narrowly avoiding being crushed by the enormous piece of stone.

    Gliding with the help of their enchanted cloaks, Sunny and Nephis circled around each other, moving down in a wide spiral. Both were too preoccupied with dodging the falling pieces of stone to launch another attack, even if they wished too.

    Around them, the Crimson Spire was quaking and convulsing, more and more cracks appearing on its walls, whole layers of stone separating from them and plunging down. It felt as though the ancient structure would not be able to hold on for much longer.

    Above them, the dying sun was growing weaker with each minute.

    ��And down below, the runes surrounding the perfect circle of the Gateway were shimmering in the darkness, their light slowly becoming unstable.

    Concentrating at the distant balcony, Sunny hesitated for a moment, then threw a glance at Nephis.

    Then, he dismissed the Dark Wing and plunged down, abandoning the safety of flight.

    Instead, he chose to fall.

    With air whistling in his ears, Sunny plummeted through the darkness, approaching the vast balcony with terrible speed.

    ��Deadly speed.

    He had to calculate everything perfectly.

    When the Gateway was close enough to discern separate runes shining in a circle around it, he summoned the enchanted cloak again.

    As the Memory began to weave itself into existence, Sunny continued to fall, the stone balcony growing closer and closer. A second later, it was already close enough to see the shapes of the dead coral golems in the darkness. A second more, and a bestial fear took hold of his heart�� he was about to die, to splatter on the ground like a crushed bug!

    Almost at the last moment, the Dark Wing finally came into existence. Immediately, Sunny activated the enchantment and tried to turn his vertical fall into a horizontal glide.

    As inertia pulled him down with dreadful speed, he cut a smooth arc in the air and hit the stone surface of the balcony, turning the violent impact into a roll. Then, without losing even a moment, he jumped to his feet and ran toward the Gateway.

    Consumed by pain, Sunny limped over the shimmering runes and entered the ring. Almost immediately, a strange feeling overtook him.

    It was like�� like that strange and indescribable feeling you get a few seconds before realizing that the reality surrounding you is just a dream, and that you are about to wake up.

    The light of the runes grew stronger. Simultaneously, Sunny's own body began to glow, emanating the same ethereal light.

    ��Before that glow had a chance to become bright, though, a shadow fell from above in a deadly rustle of sharp steel.

    'No!'

    Sunny threw his hands up, deflecting the blow of Changing Star's silver sword. Nephis descended upon him like an avenging angel, the fierce white flames burning in her eyes with frightening intensity.

    As soon as her feet touched the stone inside the iron ring, the shimmering runes blinked�� and disappeared. Both Conduits were cut off from the Crimson Spire, thus breaking the flow of soul energy. Without it, the Gateway could not function.

    Only if one of them was thrown outside would the runes ignite once again.

    Sunny gritted his teeth and thrust his sword forward, hoping to get Nephis before she had time to regain her balance. But she was too fast, too cunning; before he could even get close to piercing her flesh, Changing Star was already moving, trapping his blade under her own and throwing it aside.

    Sunny rammed into her, throwing all of his weight into one devastating blow. At the same time, he felt cold steel brushing against his ribs, causing more blood to stream down.

    The two of them collided with frightening force and fell out of the iron ring of the Gateway, rolling down the steps of the dais. As soon as the first of them crossed the circle of runes, they shimmered and shined once again.

    Sunny fell on the cold stones and remained lying there, consumed by pain and exhaustion. A low, tortured moan escaped from his lips.

    Something was broken inside of him. He felt weak.

    And cold.

    He didn't want to stand up.

    'I'n not done yet�� I'm not��'

 Chapter 348 Unbroken

    Chapter 348 Unbroken

    Sunny lay on the ground, gulping air like a dying fish. It felt as though he was drowning.

    His body was a map of pain. He couldn't even remember how many injuries he had received�� there was the gash in his side left by Caster's jian, the gruesome wound that almost severed his clavicle, the long cut across his ribs�� and many smaller ones.

    But he was still alive.

    He was still able to fight.

    He was still not willing to give up.

    ��All around him, the Crimson Spire was trembling and groaning, slowly starting to collapse.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny tiredly pushed himself off the ground. His body protested, but he forced it into silence and slowly rose to his feet. The blade of the Midnight Shard scraped against the stones as he pulled it up.

    Nephis was doing the same.

    The young woman stood up and staggered, then regained her balance and grew still. Her posture was slumped, with one hand pressed tightly against the deep wound on her abdomen.

    Changing Star looked weak and beaten, her fearsome presence diminished. Her face was pale, bloodied, and grim, contorted by a grimace of suffering.

    ��Only her eyes, which burned with dimming white flames, were still the same �� striking, cold, and full of unshakable resolve.

    Both of them were washed in the ethereal light of the Gateway.

    Looking at Neph through that light, Sunny slowly inhaled and said in a hoarse voice:

    "...Let's finish this."

    She stared at him for a few moments, then grinned.

    Her teeth were painted red by blood.

    In the next moment, Nephis raised her sword and dashed forward, sending a cloud of dust into the air with her feet.

    They clashed beneath the dais of the Gateway, their swords whistling through the air like hungry fiends. The clangor of steel drowned the sound of breaking stone, resounding in the darkness of the Crimspon Spire once again.

    Both Sunny and Nephis were gruesomely wounded, but neither allowed their agony and pain to make them weaker. Instead, they fought with ruthless ferociousness, throwing everything they had left at the enemy, not holding anything back.

    Now that Changing Star was bleeding heavily, the Blood Blossom hanging on Sunny's neck entered a state of frenzy. At times, it felt as though his sword moved on its own, helping him strike faster, harder, with deadlier precision.

    He had never been as powerful as he was now.

    ��And yet, it was not enough.

    Nephis was still too much for him to handle. She was still too strong, too fast, too overwhelming.

    She was more like a monster than a human.

    A demon of silver steel wreathed in pale white flames.

    Sunny managed to add several deep cuts to her harrowing collection of injuries, but the damage he received in return was twice as terrible. His left arm was slowly growing numb, weakening his grip on the hilt of the Midnight Shard.

    His lungs were burning, and it was getting harder and harder to inhale. With each breath, a wet, disturbing sound fell from his lips. His eyes were burning, too, his vision becoming blurry because of all the blood streaming into them. He had to rely on Shadow Sense a lot to make up for this debilitating affliction.

    'I can't�� I can't go on like this��'

    He had to think of something. Something devious and smart, something that would work��

    But, for the first time, Sunny's bag of tricks was empty.

    No matter how much he thought, he couldn't imagine anything that would defeat Nephis.

    She knew him too well. Better than anyone in the entire world.

    Two worlds, even��

    And yet, Sunny felt that he had no chance of victory if everything continued as it had. He was already just one step away from death.

    And so, he did the one thing he could think of.

    A desperate gamble with little chance of success.

    Summoning all of his remaining strength and resilience, he forced his perception to shift�� and started weaving the strange, taxing movements of the incomplete Shadow Dance into his technique.

    He allowed his mind to become formless and shapeless, and then aimed it at Changing Star, trying to mimic her incredible battle art to the smallest detail.

    And use it as a weapon to destroy her.

    After all, if not Neph, then who could he ever imitate?

    He was the person who knew her best in the world, too. He was her companion, friend, and pupil.

    He was already practically her shadow, her compliant little helper. Caught in the net of her schemes, in her insane, insatiable desire, and incapable of breaking free �� not only because there was no other choice, but also because he didn't really�� didn't really want to be apart from her.

    He knew her flowing, deadly battle style better than anyone except for Nephis herself. After all, he had practiced it as well, spending countless hours to master its foundation and gain insight into its principles. From repeating the same downward slash hundred of thousands of times to this terrible battle, he had never stopped learning from her.

    If he had a chance to make that one final step to mastering the first level of Shadow Dance, it was in a fight against her.

    And so Sunny fought, summoning the memory of the beautiful slave girl dancing with her seven shadows. He strained his already failing body to its limit, past the limit, trying to force it to perfectly reflect Changing Star's deadly grace and fearsome elegance.

    Put under that strain, his body began to collapse.

    Sunny felt as though there was something brittle in the center of his chest, a small part of his body that was slowly cracking under the pressure. With each move he made, a new crack appeared on its surface.

    He just hoped that he would make the breakthrough before that small part exploded�� if he could endure just a little more, do a little more, understand a little more��

    But in the end, he didn't.

    After another strange and excruciating move, one that somehow felt different from all the rest, the delicate thing in his chest suddenly shuddered, and broke.

    For a moment, Sunny felt as a marionette whose strings had been cut. His eyes widened in horror.

    And then, the Midnight Shard shivered slightly.

    In the next second, the invisible well of power hidden in his souls opened, and a flood of rejuvenating strength carried his exhaustion away.

 Chapter 349 Fate

    Chapter 349 Fate

    When something in Sunny's chest shattered, the hidden enchantment of the Midnight Shard, [Unbroken], came into effect and opened the floodgates of power to support him in the desperate, defiant last stand.

    ��Of course, the Blood Weave was enhanced by it, too, boosting its restorative powers. The virtuous cycle was complete, simultaneously making him much stronger and bringing him away from death's doorstep.

    Changing Star's sword whistled through the air, aiming to pierce his flesh�� and was thrown aside by the forceful push of the austere tachi. For the first time since the beginning of their brutal fight, Sunny didn't reel because of the violent shock reverberating through his bones.

    Now, he had reached the absolute pinnacle of his power potential. With his core fully saturated, the shadow wrapped around his body, the Blood Blossom filling his Memories with frenzied might, and the Unbroken enchantment of the stalwart blade doing the same for his body, Sunny was as strong as he would ever be before becoming an Awakened.

    Now, he was finally able to match Nephis��

    Almost.

    Astoundingly, incredibly, irrationally, she was still stronger.

    'How?! How, damn it?!'

    Sunny moved and fought, blood seeping from his terrible wounds. Although the gap in power between him and Changing Star had diminished significantly, it was still there, making him miss his attacks by a fraction of a second, be too late to block and deflect by a hair's breadth.

    He was still losing.

    As the two of them clashed furiously, sparks of burning metal flying into the air from the point where their swords met, the light of the artificial sun had grown dim and unstable, and the Crimson Spire continued to break apart.

    At some point, an enormous piece of granite crashed into the vast balcony, showering them with a rain of sharp splinters. A net of cracks appeared on the stone surface beneath their feet, slowly widening as more debris fell down.

    Both of them were thrown to the ground by the shockwave of the collision, but immediately got up, lunging at each other with dark, murderous determination. Sunny dodged the tip of the silver longsword and thrust his tachi forward, leaving a deep cut on Neph's forearm, slicing her muscles apart. At the same time, she made a step forward and slammed the pommel of her sword into his mauled clavicle, making Sunny's mind explode with pain.

    He heard someone scream, their voice hoarse and full of indescribable suffering, then realized a moment later that that bestial voice was his own.

    Soon, the scream turned into a growl.

    He wasn't done yet. He refused to be defeated, he refused to give up��

    He still had a chance to win.

    ��Because through all of this, Sunny had continued to push himself toward mastering the first step of the Shadow Dance.

    Just before something shattered in his chest, thus causing the Midnight Shard to open the well of hidden power, he had sensed an approaching epiphany.

    It was already there, at the precipice of his mind. But his body was not strong enough, not malleable enough to manifest it into reality.

    Or at least it had not been before receiving the boon of the [Unbroken].

    Now, everything changed. Sunny felt that he would be able to make a breakthrough with the help of the powerful enchantment. Every strike, every block, every step brought him closer to finally being able to complete the foundation of his elusive battle art, to bring his vision of it to fruition.

    Taking a pained breath, he deflected another vicious attack, hesitated for a split second�� and looked away from Nephis.

    Instead of watching her body and her movements, he instead gazed at her shadow.

    The shadow shifted slightly, facing away from the glowing ring of the Gateway. Its shadow hands moved, raising a shadow sword. The shadow sword fell, aiming to cut the shadow's enemy down.

    And suddenly, it felt as though a door opened in his mind.

    Everything suddenly fell into place. Everything connected. What was fragmented and obscured before now became clear and whole. It was��

    Complete.

    Before Neph's sword could reach him, Sunny evaded it with a slight shift and raised the Midnight Shard.

    A moment later, he delivered an identical strike, forcing her to retreat.

    '...Like that?'

    Changing Star was already attacking again, moving with speed and precision that seemed inhuman. Sunny mirrored her movements, and their blades collided in the air, causing a rain of sparks to fly down.

    His style changed slightly, growing more graceful. Smooth, flowing. Deadly.

    Just like hers.

    'No, this is wrong.'

    The point of Shadow Dance was not to mirror every movement, to become a literal copy. It was to understand the very essence of the enemy's style and turn it against them.

    Sunny scowled and changed his grip on the Midnight Shard slightly, then attacked, manifesting the essence of Changing Star's technique into his own body. Suddenly, he was able to see her intentions with more clarity, understand the pattern of her steps better.

    He was able to perform every action she had performed, but also those that she had not used yet. After all, he was not a reflection, but a shadow. He wasn't replicating Changing Star's movements; instead, he was replicating Changing Star herself.

    The very heart of her battle technique.

    Neph's eyes widened when she felt the sudden change in his style. When they clashed again, Sunny seemed to be able to mirror her every move, throwing the flow of combat into a violent turmoil. His movements were sharper, faster, filled with more meaningful intent.

    Her attacks slowed down for a few moments, then grew even more violent and ferocious.

    Only now, they seemed to be less measured, less�� controlled.

    It was as though she had lost her absolute grasp on the cadence of the battle, and was now compensating for it with brute strength.

    Sunny suspected that the small advantage he had gained wasn't going to last long. Nephis was too smart and too gifted to allow this lack of understanding to persist. Soon, she was going to see through the guiding principle of his newly established style and adjust to resist it.

    Even he couldn't predict what was going to happen then.

    That is why, despite his best judgment, Sunny gritted his teeth and escalated his attacks, sacrificing any semblance of defense in the process.

    This had to end fast.

    ...At first, he was able to see Neph's intentions with a considerable measure of clarity, allowing him to react to her attacks slightly before she started to move. When possible, he mirrored her strikes to throw the flow of the battle into chaos. His own came with a tiny delay, lagging behind the enemy by a fraction of a second.

    Then, they happened at the same time.

    And then, miraculously, his attacks started to come in advance of Changing Star's, even if the difference was barely perceptible.

    That was all Sunny needed.

    In the terrible crescendo of their merciless duel, blood fell to the cracking stone of the Gateway balcony like crimson rain.

    He dashed forward, turning his torso sideways to let the silver longsword miss his chest and rip through his bicep instead. As a blinding wave of pain flooded his mind, Sunny caught Neph's arm with his own.

    And then, twisting it, brought his fist on her elbow, shattering it.

    As pieces of bloodied bone tore through her skin, Nephis shrieked terribly and made an awkward move, trying to smash him in the head with the flat of her sword. But because it was now only held in one hand, the force and speed of that strike were not as formidable as that of her previous attacks.

    Diving under the blade of the silver longsword, Sunny fell to one knee��

    And pushed the Midnight Shard forward in a horizontal cut, its blade tearing through Neph's abdomen and exiting in a flood of blood from her back.

    Pulled by the inertia of her attack, Nephis made a step forward and came to a sudden stop. As the sword slid from her grip and clattered to the cold stones, she swayed a little.

    And then fell heavily to the ground.

    The radiance of her skin was slowly fading away.

    With his back to her, Sunny stared into the darkness. After a few moments, he closed his eyes and sighed.

    '...Over.'

    A second or two later, he stood up, turned around, and walked toward the broken figure of the young woman, who was still trying to reach for her sword, blood spilling from her mouth.

    As Sunny's shadow fell on Nephis, she gritted her teeth and spat:

    "It's�� it's not over yet�� I still can�� I can��"

    Ruthlessly throwing the silver longword away with the tip of his boot, Sunny looked at her from above and said in a tired, listless voice:

    "You can't. It's over, Neph."

    Then, he looked away, at the shining dais of the Gateway. His face was hidden in the shadows.

    "You're done."

    ***

    He won.

    Looking at the shining Gateway, Sunny tasted that word.

    Why was it so bitter? Why was it so painful?

    Why wasn't it sweet and joyous?

    With a dark grimace, he glanced at Nephis, and then turned away.

    What could he say to her that had any meaning? One of them was going to escape this hell, and the other was going to stay. One was victorious, and the other was defeated.

    One of them was going to live, and the other was going to die.

    Any words he could find would be empty...

    But not empty enough to express the hollow sense in his heart.

    His feet trembled as he made the first step toward the Gateway.

    '...To hell with this!'

    Why did his heart have to feel so heavy?! Why wasn't he celebrating?!

    He deserved to be saved. He struggled and suffered to get to come this far, enduring countless horrors that would have broken and destroyed anyone else. He bled and fought, clawing his way to this point, never allowing himself to rest or stop growing. He �� he! �� was the strongest.

    He was the last one left standing!

    Not the countless Nightmare Creatures of the Forgotten Shore. Not Harus, that damned hunchback. Not Gunlaug, the mighty Bright Lord. Not Caster, the strongest even among other Legacies.

    Not even Changing Star, the last daughter of the legendary Immortal Flace clan.

    No, it was him. A homeless kid from the outskirt with no place to call his own, someone whom no one had ever expected to survive, let alone thrive in the ruthless embrace of the Nightmare Spell. Whom everyone considered to be below them, an inconsequential nobody with no chance of ever becoming anything else.

    Well�� he showed them all, had he not?

    Gritting his teeth in anger, Sunny made another step.

    'To hell with you!'

    ��Behind him, Nephis had finally abandoned her hopeless attempts to reach her sword. As Sunny walked away, she slowly crawled a few steps, then arduously pushed herself and sat up, leaning on a piece of rubble. The light of the Gateway reflected in her eyes as she watched him go, hunched, seemingly unable to move anymore.

    Stepping over a wide crack in the stone that was slowly approaching the shimmering circle of runes, Sunny came to the iron ring.

    Now, only one step separated him from freedom.

    ��But instead of making it, he suddenly froze, looking into the distance with a grim expression on his face.

    A second passed by, then another. The Crimson Spire shuddered once again, sending more stone falling down.

    As the light of the artificial sun grew so dim that it was almost impossible to see, Sunny swayed a little, then turned around and walked back to Nephis.

    Stopping above her, he lingered for a moment, then kneeled, so that their faces were on the same level.

    Looking Neph right in the eyes, Sunny raised his hands and clapped several times.

    Finally, he said in a terrible, furious voice:

    "Congratulations. You almost fooled me��"

 Chapter 350 End of the Nightmare

    Chapter 350 End of the Nightmare

    Nephis stared at him tiredly, straining to understand his words.

    The radiance was gone from beneath her skin, and instead of it, white flames had once again appeared, licking weakly at her wounds. However, their power was almost gone: instead of healing, all they could do now was stem the bleeding and prevent Changing Star from dying right there and then.

    A few seconds later, she opened her mouth, letting blood flow over her lips, and said in a low, barely audible voice:

    "What�� are you talking about?"

    Sunny snarled.

    "Drop the act. Your performance was, indeed, masterful. But don't forget who taught you how to lie in the first place. Did you really think that you would be able to deceive me?"

    She was silent for a few moments, then whispered:

    "I don't�� understand."

    He looked at her and asked, his voice shaking with anger:

    "Why did you do it? Why?"

    Nephis blinked and drew in a shaky breath, but didn't say anything, looking at him with pain and confusion.

    Realizing that she wasn't going to answer, Sunny spat:

    "Why did you throw the fight?!"

    She lingered for a moment, then said quietly:

    "...I didn't."

    A bitter smile appeared on Sunny's lips. Shaking his head, he said:

    "You almost made it work, you know. I almost bought it! But after all of it was done and I could think clearly, some things really didn't add up. They didn't make any sense! No matter how I looked at it, something felt wrong."

    The Spire swayed, drowning their voices in the sound of breaking stone. Not paying it any attention, Sunny continued:

    "First! I know for a fact that you are somehow able to support two augmentations at the same time. You did so while fighting Gunlaug. One to enhance your sword, the other to enhance your body. I rarely forget things, so how could I not remember this? Once you were heavily injured, you summoned back the flames from the sword and were able to simultaneously strengthen yourself and heal those wounds. And yet, you only used one when fighting me. Funny, isn't it?"

    Nephis stared at him, not saying anything. Then, she uttered:

    "My powers were exhausted��"

    Sunny spat.

    "I would have believed that, maybe, if not for your other mistakes. Back at the top of the Spire, you had an opportunity to cut off my arm, ending the fight right there and then. That was the best course of action, the swiftest and most effective attack you could have performed. But instead, you chose a less advantageous method and went for my head, striking with the flat of the blade."

    A grim expression appeared on his face.

    "Someone else might have made that choice, but not you. Not Changing Star, the sword saint. The only reason for you to pass on that golden opportunity is that you never really wanted to win. Didn't you?"

    He looked up and grimaced, pain assaulting his mind like a furious sea.

    "...And finally, why did you even stay there at the top of the tower, waiting for me to come? If you wanted to escape, you could have gone to the Gateway as soon as you realized what the Soul Conduit was, not even giving me a chance to save myself. But you did not. You just sat there quietly and waited, ignoring your chance to reach the Gateway first. So�� why?"

    He looked at her and shouted, the pain finally finding its way into his voice:

    "Why the hell did you pretend to go all out on me while planning to lose from the start?!"

    Nephis stared at him for a while, her face pale and inexorable.

    Then, she sighed and looked away.

    After a moment, she said quietly:

    "Maybe it is because I am far away from home, too."

    ***

    Sunny stared at her for a couple of moments, then snarled.

    "What? What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

    Changing Star turned her head and looked at him calmly, then smiled.

    "Alright, Sunny. You caught me. Now go. This tower won't last much longer."

    As she said that, the white flames flowing from her wounds suddenly flashed, growing stronger and brighter. Her injuries started to heal once again, not as fast as in the past, but still with considerable speed. Her eyes shined with fearsome radiance.

    He gritted his teeth.

    "Like hell I will! Not before you give me an answer."

    Nephis shrugged tiredly, then looked him in the eyes.

    "What it is that you want to know?"

    Sunny clenched his fists.

    "Why even fight me if you wanted to let me win all along?"

    She sighed. As he stared at her with burning intensity, Neph said:

    "Isn't it obvious? Because if I didn't, you wouldn't go."

    Turning away, she lingered for a moment, and then continued:

    "People�� people are usually either cruel or kind. But not you. You can be both, depending on the situation. Either ruthless or compassionate. Either cruel or kind. So that's what I did. I created a situation that would allow you to be ruthless and cruel. To leave me behind without showing any mercy."

    Sunny stared at her, his fists trembling.

    "But why? Why would you doom yourself to save me? What happened to your goddamned goal?! Didn't you tell me that you will sacrifice anything, anyone, to achieve it?!"

    Nephis looked at him and smiled bitterly.

    "Why? Are you the only one who is allowed to grow and change? Can't I change too, Sunny?"

    She turned away and said tiredly, her voice full of invisible, but crushing weight:

    "...Yes. I did say such a thing. But saying and doing are two different things, Sunny. Once it all started�� once all those people were dying because of what I have done�� once I suffered defeat after defeat�� it was more difficult than I could ever imagine. It was�� distasteful."

    He shook his head in shock.

    "So�� that's it? You just gave up? After all that crap, you just decided that it was too much for you?"

    Changing Star remained quiet for a bit, then slowly shook her head.

    "...You don't really understand me at all, do you, Sunny?"

    Facing him, she grinned.

    "Give up? No, I didn't give up. I didn't abandon my goal. I just realized that I was not ambitious enough."

    As white flames grew brighter in her eyes, Nephis said:

    "I am going to destroy the Spell, and all those who stand in my way. I will accomplish everything that I want. But I will also do it in the way that I want. I will do it in a way that suits my desire, without compromising anything. Without sacrificing my sense of right and wrong."

    Illuminated by white radiance, her pale, bloodied face seemed like a face of a demon.

    "Manipulating all those people, causing their deaths? I would do it again. I would kill more if I needed to. Because it was fair and right. I gave them the chance to save themselves, or die fighting against the Spell. There is no better way."

    For a moment, her eyes were aflame with passion. However, then, her expression suddenly changed. Looking down, Nephis added in a quiet voice:

    "...But abandoning you here would be vile, and wrong. It would leave a bad taste in my mouth. Just like leaving a helpless blind girl to die alone would. I won't do it. If I do, I would be no better than those who I want to destroy. What's the point of reaching my goal if, in the process, I become the same as those whom I hate?"

    She pierced him with a burning gaze and said:

    "No, Sunny. My goal hasn't changed. It's just that reaching by using a wrong path is worse than not reaching it at all. But why do you care, anyway? Don't you think that it is insane? Don't you think that I am despicable and vile? So, go! Why are you hesitating?!"

    Sunny stared at her, a deep frown appearing on his face. Finally, he asked:

    "I'm hesitating because of you, fool. What about you?"

    Nephis smiled.

    "What about me? Do you think I will die here, in this tower? No. I will�� I will be fine. I will escape it and survive, somehow. I'll find another way out. No matter how long it's going to take me, I will. Nothing will stop me. You know it won't��"

    He stared at her for a while, then glanced at the shimmering Gateway.

    The crack traveling through the stone balcony was already almost upon the circle of runes, threatening to destroy them.

    ��Salvation was so close.

    He could almost taste it.

    Turning away from the dais, Sunny shook his head.

    "That is a horrible plan. You want to travel around the Dream Realm battling Nightmare Creatures? Fine. Let's do it together. We can try to go through the Hollow Mountains and reach the human Citadels on the other side. And that's just the south. With can also try north, east, and west, searching for an unclaimed Gateway. Two of us will have a better chance to survive. The two of us, together�� it's better than being alone. Right?"

    She hesitated for a long time, then closed her eyes and slowly shook her head. When she spoke, her voice was wistful and tired:

    "...No. I can't. I can't let you stay, Sunny. Go! Go and meet your sister. There's something waiting for you in the real world, at least. All that's waiting for me is emptiness, bloodshed, and graves. If I return, the same thing that happened in the Bright Castle will repeat itself, over and over again, until there's nothing else. So go while you can."

    The runes of the Gateway shimmered, as if on the verge of disappearing.

    He gritted his teeth.

    "...No."

    Nephis opened her eyes and looked at him, a sense of sorrow appearing on her face.

    "Leave me, Sunny. Please. Go."

    He shook his head stubbornly.

    "I don't want to."

    Changing Star was silent for a moment, looking at him with a pained expression. And then she said, making his world crumble:

    "Go�� Lost from Light."

    His eyes widened.

    Deep within his soul, something moved and rose from slumber, triumphant. Unbreakable, eternal, irresistible. Complete, perfect, and sweet.

    ��Before Sunny knew what he was doing, his hand shot forward, the ghostly blade of the Moonlight Shard appearing in it.

    "Stop."

    His hand froze, the tip of the stiletto mere centimeters away from Neph's eye.

    Trembling, he looked at his arm and willed it to move forward.

    But it didn't. It didn't move at all. It was as though that hand did not belong to him anymore.

    As deep horror drowned his heart, Sunny moved his gaze and looked at Nephis, his eyes wide with shock.

    "H�� how��"

    A sad smile appeared on her lips.

    "How did I know? ��Cassie told me."

    Neph sighed and looked away.

    "She was the first one to understand the meaning of her vision. She knew that the two of us will end up fighting each other, and that I was going to lose. Maybe even die. She just didn't know how, when, and why. So, Cassie told me your secret, in hopes that it will save my life one day. But I�� I hoped that I would never have to use it."

    Sunny stared at her, too shocked to say anything. She smiled sadly.

    "So, then. I guess�� I guess this is goodbye. Ta�� I hope that you'll take care of yourself, Sunny. Now, go. Escape before it is too late.'

    Even though Sunny didn't do anything, his body moved on its own. Standing up, he turned around and walked toward the shining ring of the Gateway.

    Step, step. Another step.

    'Stop. Stop!'

    But his body would not listen. It just continued to move forward, indifferent to his commands. A dull ache settled somewhere in the center of his heart.

    'Stop!'

    There was nothing he could do. He was a miraculous shadow bound to a master; once the master gave a command, he had no choice but to obey.

    Sunny slowly walked up the steps of the dais and approached the circle of runes, then crossed the iron ring without slowing down. As soon as he did, the runes shone with intense light.

    His body began to glow, too.

    'No! I refuse!'

    The ethereal radiance grew brighter and brighter, until it became hard to discern the human figure in its middle.

    'No!'

    ��And then, suddenly, it disappeared, leaving only emptiness behind.

    Sunny was gone, finally free of this long and arduous nightmare. The journey back to reality that had taken him more than a year was now over.

    He made it out alive.

    Just a few seconds after he disappeared in a flash of light, the crack in the stone reached the circle of runes and broke it.

    The shine of the Gateway grew unstable and swiftly faded away.

    At the same time, the artificial sun of the Forgotten Shore ignited one last time with a bright, intense explosion of light, and then extinguished.

    ...Left alone in the collapsing tower and with no more light to shine upon her, the beaten, broken figure of Changing Star disappeared into the shadows.

    [End of volume two: Demon of Change.]

 Chapter 351 Once Again

    Chapter 351 Once Again

    Once again, Sunny found himself in the endless space between dream of reality. All around him, there was nothing but a boundless black void, which was illuminated by a myriad of bright stars. Between those stars, countless strings of silver light were woven into a beautiful and inconceivably complex pattern.

    Once again, he felt as though he had glimpsed the inner workings of the Spell. Was it just an illusion, or was he able to see more now? It was almost as if his eyes were now able to discern a hint of meaning behind the unimaginable, titanic brilliance of the ethereal weave.

    ��He had the eyes of Weaver now, after all.

    With a pained moan, Sunny forced himself to look away from the strings of silver light. The magnitude of the secret hidden in this cosmic pattern was so immense that just thinking about it could drive him mad. The Forgotten Shore had taught him an important lesson, and it was that one had to be careful about what they looked upon.

    Some things were not meant to be seen by humans.

    ��Not to mention that he had other things to think about.

    "Curse it! Curse it all! Curse all of you!"

    His voice disappeared into the darkness, full of indescribable fury, bitterness, and sorrow. No one was there to hear it�� except for the Spell, which chose to tactfully remain silent.

    Breathing heavily, Sunny clenched his fists and closed his eyes.

    He didn't know what brought him more rage and pain �� the fact that he had lost Neph, or the fact that his secret had been revealed. Both were too bitter to swallow.

    All that time, all that suffering�� and for what? He had outsmarted and defeated so many powerful enemies, only for his True Name to be discovered by an ungrateful, weak, blind girl?!

    After everything he had done for her...

    Cassie's betrayal, perhaps, had hurt him the most.

    "Curse her��"

    Once again, he was a slave. He made a full circle and returned exactly to where he had started. In shackles. Only instead of nameless slavers, Nephis had become his master now.

    Nephis��

    Sunny gritted his teeth and groaned, a storm of conflicting emotions tearing his heart apart.

    'Why did she have to do it�� why��'

    The pain of losing her, the hope of finding her again�� was just as strong and overwhelming as the hope that she would die and disappear forever in the unforgiving hell of the Dream Realm, so that they would never have to meet again.

    So that he would be free.

    He clawed at his face, not knowing how to process this conflagration of feelings. For someone who had spent most of his life alone, not caring for anything, this was all just too much.

    Luckily, time in this boundless void was a strange concept, so he had an eternity to try and come to terms with his new reality. The Spell kept silent, as though giving him a chance to do just that.

    After a while �� maybe hours, or maybe days, or maybe just a single second �� Sunny sighed.

    Some time later, he opened his mouth and whispered:

    "...I won."

    He had survived. Who could have thought?

    Slightly more than a year ago, he was thrown into a region of the Dream Realm that no human had ever escaped, and now, he was not only returning to reality, but aslo doing so as one of the most powerful Sleepers in the history of the human race.

    Maybe even the strongest one.

    ��Or the second strongest.

    He had survived countless horrors, crossed a cursed sea on a boat made of demon bones, slew hundreds of Nightmare Creatures, gained experience and scars worthy of a lifetime, touched the hidden knowledge of the gods, saw a tyrant die and a new one be crowned, banished an ancient curse into the darkness of oblivion and watched as a sun died.

    And now, he was about to become an Awakened. An elite among elites, a person at the very top of society, one with access to the best food, the most wealth, the highest forms of prestige. The highest�� everything.

    All his dreams were going to come true.

    All his suffering would now be rewarded.

    "I will not be sad, I will not be bitter, I will not be angry. Who should I?"

    Had he gone through this nightmare to be left heartbroken on the other side? No. He had earned this joy, this delight, this triumph...

    And he was going to enjoy it.

    Slowly, a shaky smile appeared on Sunny's face. At first, he had to force himself, but after a while, the smile became sincere.

    "That's right. Victory is supposed to be sweet. So, let's see�� what should I start with?"

    As if answering him, the Spell finally spoke. Its voice sounded a little strange, as if it was continuing a sentence after being interrupted:

    [...Your shadow is overflowing with power.]

    [Your shadow is taking shape.]

    Suddenly, Sunny felt his soul begin to radiate a strange heat once again.

    'Crap��'

    [Your shadow is complete.]

    Something inside of him exploded, drowning his whole being with indescribably suffering. With a startled yelp, Sunny fell down.

    ***

    'How come�� how come I end up on my ass every time I come to this place��'

    The first time Sunny had appeared in the void, he was so shocked to discover the Divine Rank of his Aspect that his legs buckled. And now, due to the painful transformation happening to his soul, he ended up in the same situation again.

    Because he had left the Crimson Spire, the [Soul Conduit] Attribute was gone. And without its interference, the strange process that had begun due to the saturation of the Shadow Core was finally able to continue.

    It was just as painful as Sunny remembered.

    Gritting his teeth to prevent himself from screaming, Sunny tried to endure that terrible agony. He was no stranger to physical pain, but this was something different. It came from the soul itself, and for that reason, was so much worse.

    'Argh, damn it all!'

    However, it was still not nearly as bad as the chilling torture he had gone through after consuming the drop of Weaver's blood, or the nightmare he had endured after meeting the Black Knight for the first time.

    And it didn't last as long.

    After a while, the pain lessened, and then finally disappeared, leaving him feeling refreshed and whole again.

    Sunny carefully stood up and looked down, checking to see if he was still in one piece.

    He felt�� stronger. Much, much stronger.

    Stronger, faster, more resilient. Very much so.

    He felt so powerful, in fact, that for a moment Sunny even entertained the idea that he had subconsciously commanded his shadow to wrap itself around his body, and was now enjoying the effect of its augmentation.

    To make sure that this wasn't the case, he habitually glance down to check on the shadow.

    ��And froze.

    'What�� the hell?'

    The shadow was not wrapped around his body. It was where it was supposed to be, on the unseen surface Sunny was standing on, somehow visible despite the darkness of the black void.

    But it wasn't alone.

    Two identical shadows were currently staring back at Sunny.

    One seemed sulking and morose, and the other appeared to be joyful and friendly.

 Chapter 352 Monster Core

    Chapter 352 Monster Core

    Sunny stared at the two shadows, dumbfounded. After a while, he said in an uncertain tone:

    "Am I�� am I seeing things, or are there two of you?"

    The shadows, of course, did not answer. They had no vocal cords, after all. However, the sulking one looked at him with contempt and shook its head in derision. The friendly one, meanwhile, looked down shyly and slightly shrugged.

    'What is going on?'

    Frowning, Sunny lingered for some time, and then dove into the Soul Sea. With the [Soul Conduit] Attribute gone, it was back to its usual, tenebrous appearance. The surface of the water was tranquil and still, and hundreds of motionless shadows stood silently in the darkness. Above him, shining spheres containing the Memories were circling around the��

    Sunny raised his head, then flinched.

    Where the black sun of the Shadow Core had once loomed above the quiet sea, there was now�� two.

    Two identical Shadow Cores hovered in the dark sky, shining with lightless black radiance.

    He blinked.

    'Two�� there's two of them.'

    A few minutes passed, or at least something that felt like a few minutes.

    'There's two�� I have two cores�� why do I have two cores?'

    Humans only ever had one soul core. That was a fact. Only Nightmare Creatures had more...

    Sunny looked down at his hands, then made them into fists, feeling newly gained strength course through his muscles. Then, he scowled and looked up again.

    "Your shadow is taking shape, your shadow is complete��"

    So the Spell was not speaking about the bad-tempered shadow that had accompanied him for so long. Initially, Sunny had assumed that the shadow �� and his core �� were going through a transformation due to the acquisition of the thousandth fragment, perhaps evolving or even Awakening. But the Spell actually meant to say that his second shadow, and thus a second Shadow Core, were complete.

    They had been assembled from the thousand shadow fragments he had collected.

    Making him a�� what?

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then ordered the shadows to wrap themselves around his body. The sulking one seemingly rolled its eyes before obeying the command; the friendly one seemed extremely delighted to do as he asked.

    Both flowed up and covered his body. Immediately, Sunny felt his already considerable strength double��

    And then triple.

    His mouth hung open.

    'Too powerful�� this is too powerful��'

    This was incredible!

    To experiment further, he commanded one of the shadows to return to the surface of the tranquil water. A moment later, he had a shadow once again, but still enjoyed the familiar augmentation, even if it grew weaker, returning to its previous strength.

    He then summoned the Midnight Shard and ordered the second shadow to wrap itself around its blade. Now, both his body and his sword were augmented. Then, he sent the sulking shadow to join the friendly one. His body was not enhanced anymore, but the austere tachi felt much sharper, more lethal, more... deadly.

    Finally, he commanded one shadow to leave the Midnight Shard and cover the Puppeteer's Shroud.

    Two Memories were augmented at the same time.

    'Holy hell...'

    This was just too good. Sunny stood silently for a while, staring into the distance.

    So this was it�� this was the most unique, most powerful side of his Aspect. A Divine Aspect, after all, was not necessarily more powerful than a lesser one.

    But it had much more potential.

    With the second core and a second shadow, the gap between Sunny and the other Awakened was going to increase. And if he was right about it�� if he was right, this was only the beginning. Because if there was a second core, there would most like be the third one, and then the fourth��

    Suddenly, it all made sense.

    Why Nephis never seemed to be able to saturate her soul core, no matter how many shards she absorbed, no matter how many Nightmare Creatures and humans she slew. Why she had been incapacitated after killing Gunlaug. Why she was so much stronger, faster, and more powerful than him, even at his peak.

    ...It was because her Aspect was Divine, just like his. But she had discovered its secret much sooner than him.

    As a dull pain appeared in his heart, Sunny banished the image of Changing Star from his mind and summoned the runes.

    He had to make sure that his guess was right.

    Name: Sunless.

    True Name: Lost from Light.

    Rank: Dreamer.

    Below that, new runes were shimmering in the darkness. Sunny's eyes widened.

    Class: Monster.

    Shadow Cores: [2/7].

    He stared at the glowing runes, his face calm, his heart engulfed by a dark fire.

    ��Monster. Two out of seven.

    He was right, after all. His progression path was indeed different from all of humanity. It was harder, larger... but also so much more promising.

    The promise of it was as vast as it was frightening. He was reluctant to even try to imagine the pinnacle of what he would potentially be able to achieve.

    The possibilities were simply limitless.

    What would a human with seven cores and the might of a titan be capable of? What obstacles would they be unable to conquer? Who would dare to stand in their way?

    ...Who would dare to call them their slave?

    Of course, the road to creating five more cores would be long and arduous. It would take him years, if not decades. If he even manages to live that long. In fact, the magnitude and scale of such an ambition were nothing short of insane. After all, the stronger he grows, the stronger enemies he would have to face to collect their shadow fragments. It seemed all but impossible.

    ...Almost.

    Was he really going to try?

    After some time, Sunny lowered his gaze and continued to read the runes. His face looked like that of a madman �� there were simultaneously a deep frown and a wide smile somehow coexisting on it, making for a strange sight.

    But then, the wide smile disappeared, leaving only the frown behind.

    There was something even more important waiting for him in the glow of ethereal runes. Something even more frightening.

    Reaching the lowest part of the field of runes, he read:

    Aspect: [Shadow Slave].

    Aspect Rank: Divine.

    Aspect Description: [You are a miraculous shadow left behind by a dead god. As a divine shadow, you possess plenty of strange and wondrous powers. However, your existence is empty and lonesome; you mourn the passing of your former master and long to find a new one.]

    Right beneath it was the description of the part of the Aspect that had cursed his life, turning it into a nightmare:

    Innate Ability: [Shadow Bond].

    Ability Description: [Find a worthy master and let them know your True Name. Once they recite it out loud, you will be bound to their will, unable to disobey any command. It is improper for a shadow, let alone a divine one, to walk around without a master.]

    ��However, the runes describing Shadow Bond were grey and lifeless, as though the Ability was now inactive.

    '...Makes sense.'

    He had a master now, after all. He wasn't free to walk around without one anymore.

    And speaking of it��

    Right below, new runes were now shining in the darkness:

    Master: Changing Star.

    Sunny stared at those three words for a long time.

    Who knew that just three words could bear such a crushing weight?

    Such a vast and complicated meaning...

    Finally, he shook his head slightly and concentrated, making the runes shine brighter, new ones appearing out of nowhere as he watched:

    Name: Nephis.

    True Name: Changing Star.

    Rank: Dreamer.

    Class: Demon��

 Chapter 353: Light Bringer

    Chapter 353: Light Bringer

    The runes shimmered in the tranquil darkness of the silent sea.

    Name: Nephis.

    True Name: Changing Star.

    Just as Sunny had suspected, that True Name hid many meanings. It didn't describe a star that was always changing, but instead a star that caused change. However, there were a lot of words for change in the runic language, each hiding a unique meaning.

    The one used here meant a cataclysmic change that brought ruin and disaster; sometimes bad and sometimes good, but always cruel and calamitous, wreathed in misfortune.

    So, in a sense, Nephis was neither a Star of Change nor a Star of Ruin, but both; the two went hand in hand, inseparable, destined to bring both salvation and damnation to those touched by her light.

    ��Just like what had happened to the doomed Dreamers of the Dark City.

    The Spell was really good at giving names, it seemed.

    Thinking of his own True Name somberly, Sunny read further:

    Rank: Dreamer.

    Class: Demon.

    Soul Cores: [3/7].

    Soul Fragments: [2749/3000].

    He stared at the last two strings, a dark expression written on his face.

    'So this�� this is how far ahead of me you are.'

    Then, with a heavy sigh, he looked away.

    Many events of the past few months made sense now. During the fight against Gunlaug, Nephis had already been a Dormant Monster �� just like he was right now, a Dreamer in possession of two Cores. It was because she had known that killing the Bright Lord would push her toward the third that she asked him to prevent Caster from attacking her in that moment of weakness.

    ��And in the time since, Changing Star had almost reached the fourth.

    'How was she so fast?'

    Sunny had made a conscious choice to avoid saturating his core during the civil war in the Bright Castle. In hindsight, this decision had turned out to be a wrong one�� or maybe not. If he had collected all thousand shadow fragments back then, he might have been dead already, killed by one of Tessai's Guards or a Nightmare Creature while completely incapacitated by the formation of the second Shadow Core.

    Hell, he would have been crushed to death by a piece of falling granite if not for the [Soul Conduit] suppressing the process at the best possible moment.

    ��Just as always, terrible misfortune had come together with incredible luck.

    But even if he had come to possess the Monster Core back then, he would have never managed to create a third, let alone get this close to the fourth one.

    It was because Nephis had one big advantage over him in the matter of collecting essence.

    Like every Awakened except for Sunny, she received a certain portion of the enemy's accumulated soul essence when killing a fellow human, while he received only a single shadow fragment�� or a few, at best, if the enemy was of the higher Rank than him. Which hadn't happened yet, but was inevitably going to, considering his luck.

    The war against Tessai and Gemma must have been a true feast for Changing Star. Especially when slaying those experienced members of the Host that had long saturated their cores themselves.

    She was always on the frontline, after all. Fighting, killing, leading her followers��

    Sunny grimly stared into the darkness for a while, then slowly turned back to the runes. His eyes slid lower��

    Memories: [Dream Blade], [Starlight Legion Armor], [Dawn Shard], [Dark Wing], [Nameless Sun]...

    There were a few utility Memories, too, including [Evertwine] �� the golden rope he knew so well. But Sunny did not pay them a lot of attention. His sight was attracted to the Nameless Sun. What was that Memory and why hadn't he seen or heard of it before?

    Memory: [Nameless Sun].

    Memory Rank: Ascended.

    Memory Tier: VI.

    Memory Type: Weapon.

    Memory Description: [For a long time, the Nameless Sun suffered in solitude, longing for all the things that were lost. Only when she lost that longing, too, was the Crimson Terror of the Forgotten Shore finally born.]

    His eyes narrowed.

    'So�� she received a Memory after killing the Vessel, after all.'

    An Ascended weapon of the sixth tier�� Sunny wished that he could see its weave and learn what enchantments that terrible Memory held. Whatever they were, however, the Nameless Sun was bound to be extremely powerful.

    But was it enough to help Nephis survive in the ruthless hellscape of the Dream Realm? He did not know.

    Frowning, Sunny continued to read the runes.

    Echoes: ��

    Attributes: [Dreamspawn], [Nephilim], [Flame of Divinity], [The Fire].

    [Dreamspawn] Attribute Description: "You are born of two worlds, belonging to both, but welcomed in neither. Your soul exists on the edge between nightmare and reality."

    [Nephilim] Attribute Description: "There once were terrible creatures born of an unholy union between the divine and the profane. Nephilim were the most beautiful, and the most harrowing of them all."

    [Flame of Divinity] Attribute Description: "Your soul is aflame with the light of divinity."

    [The Fire] Attribute Description: "You have inherited the lineage of Sun God."

    He hesitated for a bit, studying Neph's Attributes.

    'So that's how it is��'

    Sunny had always wondered what was her innate Attribute �� the one that was at the center of all the rest, the core of her being, just like his [Fated] trait. He often thought that it was tied to drive, battle prowess, or will.

    But it was not.

    Instead, Neph's innate Attribute was called [Dreamspawn] and tied to her nature as a child of a Hollow mother. In a sense, she was connected to the Dream Realm �� and the Nightmare Spell �� from before she had even been born.

    Her core trait was duality.

    If his guess was correct, that duality was further expressed after Nephis had conquered her First Nightmare and received her Aspect, as well as a new Attribute �� [Nephilim]. Once again, it described a half-blood creature: half divine, half profane.

    Half deific, half�� Unknown?

    Suddenly, he remembered how Changing Star had stopped and stared at the depiction of a radiant being engraved into the walls of the ancient mine below the Hollow Mountains.

    Was that creature one of the nephilim? Or a fallen angel, from whom nephilim were supposed to be born? After all, the similarity between that creature and her own powers was hard to deny.

    And then there was the last Attribute, [The Fire].

    Sunny rubbed his face.

    A Lineage Attribute, somewhat similar to his own Blood Weave. Finally, the meaning behind that word became clear: Lineage Memories akin to the [Drop of Ichor] were able to impart Awakened with unique Attributes that, unlike the usual ones, seemed to be hereditary. They could be passed down through a bloodline, and at least one of the great Legacy clans �� the almost destroyed Immortal Flame �� possessed one.

    Did all great Legacy clans �� like Song or Valor �� possessed one, too? Was that what allowed them to rise to the very top of humanity and claim their place as great clans, in the first place?

    'Those bastards have so many secrets.'

    Sunny also couldn't help but notice a slight difference between [Blood Weave] and [The Fire]. While the latter was described simply as "lineage", the former was described as a "forbidden lineage".

    What exactly made Blood Weave forbidden? Was it because it didn't come from a proper deity like Sun God, but from mysterious Weaver, who was a daemon? Had no one except for gods been allowed to leave behind a Lineage?

    The Blood Weave was also described as a "partial" lineage, while The Fire was not.

    "Questions, questions��'

    With a sigh, Sunny turned to the runes once again.

    Aspect: [Light Bringer].

    Aspect Rank: Divine.

    Aspect Description: [You are a creature of light that was banished and doomed to exist in the darkness. You bring radiance and warmth to wherever you go, but with it comes indescribable longing.]

    Aspect Ability: [Soul Flame].

    Ability Description: [Your soul burns with the purest of flames. That flame can both restore and destroy, and is both a blessing and a curse.]

    Innate Ability: [Halfbreed.]

    Ability Descriptions: [You can directly absorb a portion of the soul essence of any Nightmare Creature destroyed by your flames, as well as of any human.]

    Flaw: [Pristine Soul].

    Flaw Description: [You must suffer to use your power.]

    Sunny dismissed the runes and was motionless for a while, thinking.

    The name of the Aspect, Light Bringer, could be translated in several ways. The first rune could mean both light and fire, and the second meant either to bring or to bear, depending on context. So it could have been Fire Bearer as well, not that it made any difference.

    The rest he had already known or suspected, so it didn't surprise him much. Only the strange Innate Ability, Halbreed, was somewhat new. Nephis had mentioned once that she was capable of doing something like that, but without sharing any details.

    It was also funny that the name of her Flaw was Pristine Soul, while his was Clear Conscience. What a pair they were, one lost from light, the other the source of it.

    ��One a master, the other a slave.

    He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes for a second.

    What else was there to note?

    The [Soul Conduit] Attribute was gone. It seemed that the artificial sun or the Crimson Spire itself had sustained too much damage and collapsed, thus removing it. He had escaped just in time.

    'I guess there's not a lot of secrets left between us now.'

    Sunny was sure that there was a new rune that Nephis could summon, one reading "Slave". Just like he now had access to all the information about her, she was going to learn everything about him.

    The unique nature of his cores, the shadow fragments, the true identity of the Marble Saint, the Weaver's Mask�� she was going to know it all.

    That could potentially complicate��

    Before he could finish that thought, however, the Spell spoke again, its voice filling the black void with melodious whispers:

    [The Second Seal is broken.]

    [Awakening dormant powers��]

    'Oh, crap! I almost forgot!'

    Sunny stared into the void with wide eyes.

    He was about to Awaken.

 Chapter 354 Awakening

    Chapter 354 Awakening

    Just like after the First Nightmare, Sunny suddenly sensed something waking up within him. Back then, it felt as though this new power came from inside his soul as opposed to some external source. This time the feeling was very similar, only more intense, more defined.

    It was coming from his Shadow Cores.

    They were radiating an ethereal, but almost palpable heat. The energy was circulating through his entire body, changing it, making it stronger. It was somewhat similar to the strange feeling he got every time he received a shadow fragment, but so much more powerful.

    ��A thousand times more powerful.

    And deeper, too.

    With a barely audible gasp, Sunny slowly sat down and crossed his legs, then closed his eyes, concentrating on the transformation.

    Every fiber of his being was soon full of the mysterious energy. The familiar euphoric feeling overwhelmed him, washing over his mind like a warm wave. However, Sunny wanted to feel more, understand more. He wanted to remember this moment in every detail.

    It was his triumph, after all.

    Beneath the physical changes that his body was undergoing to become better, stronger, more perfect�� was another, subtle, but equally incredible change.

    It was happening to his soul.

    Sunny had no words to describe it, but knew that he had never experienced anything as wonderful. The transformation of his soul was not at all painful, like the creation of the second Shadow Core had been, and not nearly as torturous as the agony that consuming a drop of divine blood had caused him.

    It felt�� natural, right, and profound. As though he was coming one step closer to becoming complete, to what he had always been meant to be.

    A better being.

    Soon, the pulsating waves of heat retreated, replaced by a wave of soothing coldness. The dull ache in his heart that had remained there, unnoticed, ever since leaving the Forgotten Shore lessened a little. His mind became calm and tranquil.

    Sunny felt like... like a sword that had been tempered and fortified in a fiery crucible, a being made of cold, pure, resilient steel.

    He exhaled slowly and opened his eyes.

    His body felt stronger, faster, and more enduring, similar to how he felt when wrapped in the shadow. The change was sufficiently pronounced, and he knew that it would only grow greater if he used one or both of the shadows to actually augment him.

    But it wasn't the main difference.

    Sunny knew that the actual quality that separated Awakened from the Dreamers was not physical might, but a new innate ability. Just like Dreamers gained the ability to sense and interact with soul cores, the Awakened could do the same with soul essence.

    But knowing and feeling were two different things.

    Before, he could vaguely feel his Shadow Core. The feeling was elusive and ethereal, but unmistakable. He felt its emptiness at the start of his journey, and felt it brimming with power near the end.

    Now, that power wasn't contained inside the Shadow Cores anymore, but broke free, flowing naturally through his entire body. It circulated slowly, coming and going from the cores, passively saturating his bones and muscles with power.

    Sunny instinctually felt that, with some practice, he would be able to direct the flow of shadow essence to concentrate it in a certain area. He could expend some amount of essence to give his arms incredible, explosive strength for a short amount of time, or feel his legs with the power to jump a dozen meters into the air.

    In short, it wasn't as though he had become monstrously strong and would be all the time, crashing through walls and breaking delicate things by accident. Instead, by wisely controlling his shadow essence, he would be able to gift himself short bursts of truly inhuman physical might. The rest of the time, he would enjoy a much smaller, but still considerable passive effect of his body being saturated with freely flowing essence.

    'More training��'

    Sunny could now control the shadow essence by instinct, but if he wanted to truly master it and do it more efficiently, he would have to learn from experienced Awakened. Some instructors at the Academy existed for the sole purpose of teaching newly Awakened just that, after all.

    And then there was a whole another layer of combat strategy that he would have to understand and master.

    Sleepers thought much like mundane humans, only with more power and tools. But battles of the Awakened were much more tactical. While essence always restored itself to the core's maximum capacity, it took time. In the reality of a battle, it was a finite resource. Because of it, one had to be smart and careful about how and when to use it.

    He would also have to absorb as many shadow fragments as possible to increase the capacity of his cores. Luckily, he now had two of them, which already gave him a big advantage over the rest of the Awakened.

    But this new amazing quality he had received was not the end of the Awakening. The main event was yet to happen��

    The Spell spoke again, filling him with anticipation.

    [Awakening Aspect Ability��]

    [...Aspect Ability acquired.]

    [Aspect Ability Name: Shadow Step.]

    Sunny blinked, then hurriedly summoned the runes.

    Name: Sunless.

    True Name: Lost from Light.

    Rank: Awakened.

    Class: Monster.

    Shadow Cores: [2/7].

    Shadow Fragments: [0/2000].

    Just as expected, both of his cores were not Dormant anymore, instead becoming Awakened. The shadow fragments were consumed to fuel the Awakening, bringing him to a stark and sad zero.

    'A thousand fragments, gone just like that��'

    He wasn't really disappointed, though. The amount of essence consumed during the Awakening directly corresponded to the starting capacity of the core, and thus, the extent of the physical transformation that a Sleeper would go through.

    By collecting a thousand fragments and fully saturating his first core, Sunny not only received a second one, but also made sure to gain the best benefits a Sleeper could dream of. Very few Awakened had ever fully saturated their cores before returning from their first journey to the Dream Realm, and now, Sunny was one of them.

    The difference was not drastic, but every little bit of power counted in a life-and-death situation.

    'Enough stalling!'

    Impatient, he banished the thoughts of cores and shadow fragments and found the description of his new Aspect Ability.

    Aspect Ability: [Shadow Step].

    Ability Description: [You can move freely between shadows, traveling from one to another in an instant.]

    Looking at the shimmering runes, Sunny soon discovered that there was a stupid grin on his face.

    'Teleportation�� that's teleportation, right?'

    That was, without a doubt, a form of teleportation.

    An ability such as this was a game changer. His mobility would become truly incredible. Not only would he be able to apply it to traversal, making his future ventures into the Dream Realm easier and safer, but it could also play a decisive role in a battle.

    What was more deadly than an assassin capable of appearing out of nowhere and disappearing from sight in a blink of an eye?

    Not many things, really...

    Of course, he would have to experiment and learn the true extent of this amazing Ability�� what was its range, for example? Would he be able to jump to any shadow in sight, or to any shadow in the range of his Shadow Sense? Did a shadow have to be deep and large enough for him to fit through, or would even the smallest and faintest of them do?

    And what about his own shadows? Would he be able to send one to a certain spot, and then step out of it, just like Saint usually did?

    He couldn't wait to learn.

    But before that, there were two other things he had to see.

    One was the new Memory he acquired. The other one �� and the one that filled him with nervous anticipation �� was much more important.

    It was the relic he was supposed to receive for mastering the first step of the Shadow Dance.

    With a Legacy Relic in his hands and a Lineage Attribute coursing through his blood, Sunny would be theoretically eligible to create his own Legacy Clan. A great clan, even!

    ��Not that he was planning to.

    But before Sunny could glance at the corresponding runes, the Spell suddenly whispered into his ear:

    [Wake up, Sunless!]

    And instantly, the black void full of bright stars and silver light disappeared.

 Chapter 355 Back to Reality

    Chapter 355 Back to Reality

    On one of the underground levels of the Academy hospital complex, in a small room that was filled with the massive rectangle of the dream pod and various pieces of medical equipment, a delicate girl with pale blond hair was sleeping beneath the transparent glass lid, her face surrounded by wisps of cold vapor.

    Suddenly, a series of lights ignited on the surface of the pod, and the medical machinery in the room came to life, producing various noises.

    A few moments later, the girl opened her striking blue eyes and screamed.

    ��On a top floor of a private care facility in the center of a city, in a spacious room with tall windows and a luxurious interior, a state-of-the-art sleeping pod stood silently, bathed in sunlight. An attending nurse sat in a comfortable chair beside it, monitoring the vital signs of a beautiful young man who slumbered inside.

    For the past three years, there had not been a single minute when the young man was left alone. His pod was surrounded by fresh flowers, and someone was always there to keep watch.

    For three years, the flowers and nurses came and went, but the young man had remained the same. Nothing about him ever changed.

    Suddenly, the nurse opened her eyes wide.

    A second later, the sleeping pod shone with bright light. Its lid swiftly slid sideways and hid in a special housing slot.

    The figure inside was slowly raising in the air, as if pulled up by an invisible force. The beautiful young man was�� levitating.

    The nurse remained motionless for a few seconds, stunned. Then, she hastily ran to the panel on the wall and pressed a call button.

    ��In a small apartment in one of the less prestigious areas of the city, in a tiny room, a tall young woman was lying in an old and barely functioning pod. This one was possibly the last representative of its model, taken out of production a long time ago. Still, it seemed like the most luxurious thing in the apartment, by far.

    The door of the room was open, letting in the sound of a news broadcast. A pleasant and confident tone was currently saying:

    "...unusual number of Awakenings! Dear viewers, we�� we are currently receiving a report from our correspondents, and will be able to update you on this event shortly. The representatives of the great Legacy Clans, meanwhile��"

    Suddenly, the sound of the broadcast was cut out, replaced by a heavy, hopeless silence.

    Soon, the sound of tentative steps could be heard, approaching the room where the pod stood.

    Just a second later, however, a fist slammed into the armored glass of its lid from inside, sending a net of cracks through it.

    ��Back in the Academy, in a room identical to the first one, the lights suddenly blinked and then went out. It was now shrouded in absolute darkness.

    Something crashed down with a thunderous noise, and then, a pained human voice hissed:

    "Damnation!"

    A moment later, the lights came back, revealing the figure of a lithe young man with pale skin and dark hair standing near an overturned medical monitor.

    There was a disoriented, confused expression on his face.

    The lid of the sleeping pod was still closed.

    However, it was empty.

    ��And a few hundred meters away, hidden even deeper underground, there was another room.

    This one was slightly bigger, and much better guarded, than all the others.

    In it stood a simple sleeping pod.

    Beneath its transparent lid, a young woman with ivory skin and long silver hair slept, undisturbed by anything.

    Despite the growing commotion outside, inside the tranquil room, it was quiet and peaceful.

    Nothing changed.

    The pod did not shine with bright lights, the medical equipment remained silent.

    Imprisoned in the glass coffin of the sleeping pod, the young woman continued to dream, as if cursed to remain in her nightmares forever.

    ***

    Sunny looked around the small room, slowly realizing where he was.

    ��Academy. He was back at the Academy.

    He had returned to the real world.

    He looked around, noticing the medical equipment and the sleeping pod, all of which were currently ablaze with the light of alarms. The pod was still closed.

    'How the hell did I get out?'

    Speaking of which��

    Looking down, Sunny realized that he was naked. To avoid any awkward situations, he summoned the Puppeteer's Shroud.

    Once the armor weaved itself out of black strings and covered his skin, he felt a lot better.

    ��He did, however, have to force himself to not summon the Midnight Shard as well. His instincts screamed, demanding him to arm himself in an unfamiliar environment.

    But this was the real world. He had to adjust his behavior.

    The decision to cloth himself turned out to be the correct one. Just a few moments after he had made it, the door of the room opened, and a woman in a white coat rushed inside.

    Noticing Sunny, she froze. Her eyes widened in horror, and she raised a hand to cover her mouth, as if suppressing a scream.

    'What's wrong with her?'

    Sunny frowned, blinked a couple of times, then looked at his reflection in one of the medical machines.

    '...Oh.'

    Since both Sleepers and Awakened traveled to the Dream Realm in spirit, his actual body was whole and pristine, without even a single scar.

    However, the same could not be told about the Puppeteer's Shroud.

    The silk armor was torn and dirty, looking like rags. What's more, it was covered in so much blood that it was hard to tell that its fabric was once grey.

    Looking at the doctor in embarrassment, Sunny forced out a smile and said in a raspy voice of someone who had not spoken in more that year:

    "Uh�� hi? Can I maybe get some clean clothes?"

    The woman stared at him for a few moments, then said in a trembling voice:

    "Slee�� Awakened Sunless? Sir, you are awake?"

    'Sir�� did she just call me sir?'

    Sunny grinned.

    "I sure hope so. I've been sleeping for a year and two weeks, after all."

    The doctor finally seemed to relax and looked at him with a relieved, joyous expression in her eyes.

    A few moments later, she smiled slightly and said, her voice full of sincere admiration:

    "Welcome back to the real world, sir!"

 Chapter 356 Interview with the Shadow

    Chapter 356 Interview with the Shadow

    The hospital complex and the administration of the Academy were in complete chaos today. Weeks following the winter solstice were always a busy time for all the people working on the periphery of the Awakened society, since most of the Sleepers who had ventured into the Dream Realm that year usually returned in a span of one to two weeks, very rarely a month.

    ��Those who had survived, of course.

    The sudden Awakening of so many Sleepers who had been gone for years, counted as irrevocably lost, created a shockwave that spread through entire humanity. And people at the Academy were at the epicenter of that storm.

    It was a joyous chaos, nevertheless.

    In a small office at the surface level of the hospital, a young woman dressed in black slacks and a white blouse was sitting behind a desk, hastily compiling a short report. She had dark-brown hair, neatly tied into a high ponytail, and thick glasses that were constantly sliding down her nose, forcing her to push them back up.

    The young woman was one of the administrative workers tasked with the initial debriefing of returning Sleepers. As such, she had seen a lot of incredible things, and heard a lot of incredible stories.

    And, sadly, even more heartbreaking ones.

    But today was like no other day in her career.

    The Sleepers that she was debriefing today were all anomalous, each and every one of them. The things they told her made her blood run cold, and her imagination fail. She even had an urge to dismiss their reports as false, but knew that it was nearly impossible �� the lie detection technology built into the walls of the office would make lying very hard to pull off.

    'Incredible�� they are incredible, every single one of them��'

    To survive for that long in a region of the Dream Realm completely cut off from the rest of the human territory, one populated by Nightmare Creatures much more powerful than any Dreamer could ever become�� the achievement of these brave young men and women was truly remarkable.

    It filled her with a sense of compassion, pride, and hope.

    Humanity received an unexpected, but wonderful gift today.

    Finishing the report and sending it to her superior, the young woman pressed a button to let the next Sleeper know that it was their turn to come in.

    The door of her office opened, and a pale young man with dark hair entered the office.

    Because of the nature of her job, she was accustomed to interacting with incredibly attractive people �� almost every Awakened was pleasant to look at, after all. The young man in front of her was far from being the most outstanding in terms of appearance among them, and yet, for some reason, she was unable to look away for a couple of moments, a natural smile somehow finding its way onto her face.

    There was something elusive about the young man that attracted attention, almost demanded it.

    He was of small height, with a delicate, slender build and perfect white skin. His dark eyes had a humorous, slightly mischievous spark in them. The young man wasn't exactly handsome, but due to his small stature, pale complexion, and dark hair, he looked like a beautiful porcelain doll.

    And there was a�� a subtle strangeness about him. The young woman couldn't quite put it into words, but it seemed as though his every move, every word was ever so slightly not exactly how they should have been. Not really wrong, but also not completely right.

    This quality was equally as disturbing as it was magnetic. It was the reason why she couldn't stop paying him a bit more attention than to all the other Sleepers she had interviewed today.

    The young man smiled and sat down opposite her. In response, her own smile widened a little.

    "Good day. My name is Teddy, and I will be your interviewer today, Awakened�� uh��"

    Of course, she already knew his name. His file was opened on the screen in front of her, containing all the information the Academy had on the pleasant young man. But it was important to create a friendly environment to allow the Sleepers to relax. After their experiences in the Dream Realm, most were tense and on edge.

    'Second to last place in the ranking�� poor kid, I can't even imagine what horrors he had to survive��'

    The young man answered in a pleasant tone:

    "Sunless. But people usually call me Sunny. So, uh�� Awakened Sunny, I guess? No, that sounds weird. Just call me Sunny."

    Teddy nodded, then typed a few words on her pad.

    "I will ask you a series of questions about your time in the Dream Realm. The purpose of this briefing is to enrich our base of knowledge about it, as well as let us know how to better assist you in the future. Any little bit of information you can provide might help future Dreamers in their own trials, but you don't have to answer if you don't want to, of course."

    Awakened Sunless�� Sunny�� nodded seriously.

    "I understand. I promise to be honest and tell you only the truth. I am a very honest person, you see."

    Teddy smiled and asked the first question:

    "How long have you spent in the Dream Realm?"

    Sunny sighed.

    "A year and a few weeks. Although, uh... it felt much longer."

    That matched the information in the file.

    'This is so terrible. A whole year out there��'

    She smiled with encouragement.

    "I see. You did very well, Sunny. Very few Dreamers had managed to survive for that long, especially in a region such as the... the Forgotten Shore, right?"

    He shivered slightly before answering:

    "Yeah. That's what we called it."

    Teddy typed a few more words.

    "From the interviews with the other Dreamers, we have confirmed that the region of the Dream Realm you were sent to is populated with Nightmare Creatures of the Awakened Rank and above. Can you confirm that information?"

    The young man grew a little paler and nodded again.

    "Yeah. Awakened, Fallen�� Corrupted, too, although those only appeared at night."

    Teddy added a couple of lines to her report and asked:

    "Have you participated in the battles against such Nightmare Creatures? If so, how many have you killed?"

    Sunny was silent for a second, then raised his hand and began counting on his fingers with a thoughtful expression.

    "Uh, three or four��"

    She began to type and thought:

    "Four Awakened creatures. That poor kid looks so weak, and yet he managed to defeat four abominations much more powerful than him, despite being in second to last place of the ranking. Good job, Sunny. You are truly admirable."

    But Sunny didn't finish speaking.

    "...hundreds."

    Teddy froze, staring at the monitor.

    "Excuse me?"

    The young man thoughtfully scratched his chin and said:

    "Yeah, I think that's right. Around four hundred."

    After a long and awkward silence, he asked:

    "I am sorry, Teddy, is everything alright?"

    She nodded slowly, then forced out a smile.

    "...Everything is fine, Sunny. I�� I am sorry. We'll have to pause the interview now."

    He looked at her with sincere surprise and blinked a couple of times.

    "Really? Why?"

    She cleared her throat, then answered in a small voice:

    "I'm... afraid that I am not qualified to conduct this interview. My�� my superior will be with you shortly, Sun�� Awakened Sunless. Please wait for a few minutes."

    Sunny sighed.

    "Oh, well. Alright. It's been nice to meet you."

    With that, he gave her a bright smile.

 Chapter 357 Risk and Reward

    Chapter 357 Risk and Reward

    Sunny left the office of the government agents in a strange mood.

    The conversation went exactly as he had planned. Even after a higher-ranking specialist had been called in, he managed to steer the interview in the right direction, manipulating both answers and questions to achieve the desired result. In the end, he wanted everyone to know that he was someone exceptional�� but not so exceptional as to overshadow the best of the best.

    Someone who was in the very highest tier of young Awakened, but also at the very bottom of that tier.

    Even though he had kept his most outrageous accomplishments to himself, it felt weird to give away so many secrets about his skill, power level, and achievements. Sunny had grown so used to pretending to be a pathetic clown that removing that mask to reveal another, less outlandish mask was not easy for him.

    And yet, it was something he had to do.

    After he had Awakened, there was not a single moment for him to properly think things through. He had to go through a series of medical and psychological tests, followed by a lengthy debriefing. However, he had been able to realize one thing very clearly.

    His situation had fundamentally changed.

    Now that his most important secret was revealed and Nephis had become his master, it was as though a crushing burden had been removed from his chest.

    ...Replaced by another, even more terrible weight.

    In any case, he could finally allow himself to relax a little�� for a while, at least. Not because he trusted her that much, but because she was currently imprisoned in the Dream Realm, unable to enforce her control over him even if she wished to.

    In a sense, as far as his worst nightmare becoming reality went, this was the absolute best version of how things could happen.

    He had a lot of time time to think about countermeasures and prepare for whatever the future held, after all.

    Walking through the corridors of the hospital complex, Sunny was engrossed in thought.

    One thing he was sure about was that a divine shadow like him could only have one master. So, he didn't have to worry about someone else finding out his True Name and enslaving him, not anymore. The guillotine blade that had hung above his neck all that time was now gone.

    However, he still kept the existence of his True Name a secret, for one simple reason �� he didn't know what was going to happen if Nephis died.

    Would he be free forever? Or die with her?

    He felt that neither of these theories was correct. Firstly because the description of the Aspect described him as a divine shadow that had lost its master�� which probably meant that he could lose another one and remain alive. Secondly, because the runes of the Shadow Bond had become grey and lifeless, but did not disappear.

    Which meant that they might shine with ethereal light once again in the future.

    So, the most probable explanation was that he would be safe as long as Nephis remained alive, and if she was killed, anyone would be able to use the True Name against him once again.

    A deep scowl appeared on his face.

    How long could anyone survive in the decimated remains of the Forgotten Shore? The dark sea was gone, but so was the sun. Most of the Nightmare Creatures were dead, but the strongest ones survived. It seemed that Changing Star had escaped the collapsing Crimson Spire, at least. What was she going to do now?

    Try to cross the Hollow Mountains to reach the human Citadels, or try her luck in the unexplored regions to the north, west, or east? What were the chances of her making it back to the real world alive?

    If it was anyone else, Sunny would say that the probability was zero. But it was Nephis, after all. For some reason, he was sure that she would survive, somehow.

    So, yes. Even though many things remained unclear, his situation had fundamentally changed.

    He was an Awakened now, which meant that there were countless possibilities in front of him. To get access to the best opportunities and the most advantageous treatment, he needed one thing: status.

    At this point, continuing to pretend to be a weakling would only be a hindrance. Sunny wanted to reap as many rewards as he could without putting himself at risk. That's why he shifted his usual pattern of behavior and gave the government agents enough information to paint himself as an exceptionally talented Awakened.

    Not that he had a lot of choices. Sooner or later, people were going to learn at least some things about his time on the Forgotten Shore and see that a weakling simply would not have survived all that.

    Luckily, there was no shortage of exceptionally talented individuals who had Awakened today. On any other day, Sunny's description of his prowess would have made a huge splash. But currently, he was just one of a hundred.

    Speaking of that hundred��

    Turning a corner, Sunny suddenly found himself in the middle of a small crowd of people. Dozens and dozens of young men and women were standing in the middle of a small hall, most dressed in the simple training clothes provided by the hospital, just like he himself was. On their faces, there was an indescribable kaleidoscope of emotions: joy, sorrow, worry, anticipation...

    Most were looking at a small screen displaying a long list of names.

    These were the survivors of the Dreamer Army.

    Not everyone was here, of course. Some spent many years on the Forgotten Shore and had been transferred to other facilities by the government or their families. Sunny didn't see Seishan, Kai, or Effie.

    ��Or Cassie.

    His face darkened.

    The absence of the first two made sense. Kai was probably being cared for in an expensive VIP care facility, while Seishan had to be kept in the stronghold of her clan. However, he had no idea where the other two were.

    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then looked at the list of names displayed on the screen.

    Before he could read anything, however, someone quickly approached�� and hugged him tightly.

    'What the��'

    Looking up, Sunny saw a vaguely familiar young man holding him in a passionate embrace. A moment later, the young man let go of him and looked down with glistening eyes:

    "Sunny! You are here, too!"

    Before he could even answer, a somber expression appeared on the young man's face. In a voice that trembled with emotion, he said:

    "Thank you! Thank you so much, Sunny. If it wasn't for you and your shadow, we would have never made it to the Gateway."

    At the sound of these words, the others turned around. As soon as they saw Sunny, bright smiles ignited on their faces. A hum of voices rose from the crowd:

    "Guys! It's Sunny!"

    "Thank you, man!"

    "We will never forget what you did for us!"

    Sunny stared at them, dumbfounded.

    'Weird�� this is so weird��'

    Ever since he had come to his senses near the sleeping pod, mundane humans were treating him with the utmost respect. They even went so far as to use honorifics, calling him "sir" or "Awakened Sunless".

    And now this�� why was everyone so friendly and happy to see him? He had never experienced anything like this before.

    Was this what it was like, to be an Awakened?

    After dozens of young people came closer to shake his hand or happily pat him on the shoulder, he awkwardly smiled.

    "Uh�� it's nice to see you too, guys."

    The young woman who was currently facing him smiled in response. Then, however, her face turned dark.

    "Have you heard anything about Lady Nephis after coming back?"

    He stiffened, then shook his head.

    "No. Have�� have you?"

    She turned back to the screen, tears appearing in her eyes.

    "Nothing. None of us did. Out of everyone who made it to the Spire, only two are unaccounted for. She�� we think she is still inside."

    Sunny remained silent for a while, then asked:

    "Who is the second?"

    The young woman sighed.

    "Sir Caster. No one had seen him near the Gateway. He must have gone to help her hold back the Terror, and�� and��"

    Her voice trembled.

    "...someone said that he died. Oh, gods! What if Lady Nephis dies, too?"

    Sunny lingered for a few seconds, a grim expression on his face, then squeezed her shoulder lightly and quietly walked away.

 Chapter 358 Shadow Step

    Chapter 358 Shadow Step

    The hospital staff had provided each of the newly Awakened with a small room at one of the underground levels of the complex, to have a place to rest and get accustomed to their new abilities while waiting for more permanent accommodations �� if they were going to remain at the Academy, of course.

    It was also a place they could take their families to talk and spend time together in privacy. Currently, many emotional reunions were taking place in similar rooms around Sunny's, made especially joyous and heartbreaking because the survivors of the Dreamer Army had spent long years on the Forgotten Shore.

    They had gone through hell, indeed, but their loved ones in the real world had suffered a great deal as well.

    ...Not that Sunny would know anything about that. No one had been waiting for him to return, after all.

    In any case, the room he had been provided with was sufficiently comfortable. There was an area for training, a desk with a pitcher of water and some snacks, a sofa, and even a bed.

    None of the returned were going to sleep, of course. Not for a few days, at least.

    At the very end of the field of shimmering runes, Sunny could now see a new string of symbols:

    Gateway: ��

    Usually, the name of the Gateway that an Awakened had last used would be written there. This was their anchor in the Dream Realm.

    Every time an Awakened fell asleep, they would be transported to the Gateway they were anchored to, spend some time in the Dream Realm �� either as much as they wanted or as little as possible, only until their soul was ready to travel between worlds once again �� and then go through that Gateway to wake up back in reality.

    However, the Gateway of the Forgotten Shore had been destroyed. For that reason, every single survivor of the Dreamer Army now had no anchor in the Dream Realm. That didn't mean that they would remain in the waking world forever, though.

    Rather, it meant that they were going to be transported to a random one as soon as they fell asleep, just like during their first journey into the land of nightmares. The prospect of being at the mercy of the Spell once more was nothing short of terrifying.

    Especially for Sunny, who had the misfortune of always finding himself in only the most extreme of circumstances.

    However, the situation wasn't really that bad.

    There was a way for a newly Awakened to change their anchor without relying on chance. It was to acquire the services of a Saint, who would be able to take them to the Dream Realm without involving the Spell, appearing near the Saint's own anchor.

    Of course, that anchor would most likely be situated in one of the human Citadels, allowing the Awakened to anchor themselves to a Gateway in human territory.

    There were just a few dozen Saints alive across all of humanity, so for an average Awakened, their help was not easy to get.

    However, Sunny was not an average Awakened. In fact, none of the survivors of the Dreamer Army were.

    Every year, the most promising of the newly Awakened were recruited by powerful Citadels and provided the means to anchor themselves to their Gateways. Everyone profited from this arrangement �� the talented Awakened received a chance to change their anchor if they wished to do so, while Citadels received new powerful defenders or useful craftsmen to enhance their living conditions and infrastructure.

    With how extraordinary the hundred survivors of the Forgotten Shore were, and how unusual their circumstances turned out to be, there was going to be a small recruitment war happening in the next few days. Prosperous Citadels were going to fight for the right to add these outstanding young people to their populations, promising better and bigger rewards, as if during an auction.

    The government would inevitably get involved, too, helping those who for some reason failed to find a Citadel to call home.

    The survivors of the Dreamer Army just had to remain awake long enough to make a choice and settle the details of their future anchors. Since their physique was far superior to that of mundane humans, they didn't have to sleep every day, so two or three were not going to be a problem.

    ��Sunny had a lot to do in these few days.

    The first thing he had turned his attention to after retreating to his personal room was test the limits of Shadow Step.

    The result of these tests left him pleasantly surprised.

    Just like he had suspected, the ability to travel between shadows was akin to a weird form of teleportation. He could enter a shadow that was large enough to encompass his body and instantly appear from another.

    The distance of that jump, however, was not too large. Currently, it was even smaller than the range of his Shadow Sense, around a dozen meters or so. However, he knew that it would increase as he absorbed more shadow fragments, just like the range of Shadow Control had increased back on the Forgotten Shore.

    There was an exclusion from that rule, too.

    He was able to travel between his own shadows no matter how far apart they were.

    By now, he could control his shadows from as much as a couple of kilometers away. That meant that, if both were sent into opposite directions and reached the limit of the Shadow Control range, he could potentially instantly cover about four kilometers of distance in less than a second.

    And that was just one side of Shadow Step. The other was, arguably, even more miraculous and unexpected.

    Before, Sunny could move through shadows as though he was one of them, becoming practically undetectable.

    But now, he could literally become a part of the shadows, diving into them and becoming incorporeal. Not only did it make him completely undetectable by means of sight, hearing, and smell, but it also allowed him to move with incredible speed through any uninterrupted shadow, no matter how long and vast it was.

    In that state, he was invulnerable to physical attacks, but also unable to perform physical attacks of his own.

    It also felt very strange. Sort of... peaceful. Sunny had to constantly remind himself to concentrate and not forget what he was doing.

    That ability would become truly incredible at night or in the depths of some terrible cave system, like the one they had traveled through on their expedition to the Hollow Mountains.

    In short, Shadow Step was incredible.

    However, it came at a price.

    Unlike Shadow Control, which was as natural to Sunny as breathing, using Shadow Step required him to expend essence. The more distance he covered with a jump and the more time he spent as an incorporeal shadow, the more essence he would have to consume.

    Sunny suspected that the theoretical four-kilometer jump would eat through all of his essence, leaving both of his cores dry as a desert.

    Spending essence was not the same as spending shadow fragments, of course. His soul always slowly generated essence, eventually filling his cores to their maximum capacity, while shadow fragments increased that maximum capacity and were used to create new cores, as well as turn Echoes into Shadows.

    Still, he also needed essence to fight effectively and use the more powerful enchantments of higher rank Memories, so balancing its expenditure was an intricate task.

    Truly, becoming an Awakened had opened a whole new layer of both incredible opportunities and insidious problems. It was a lot to take in.

    ��But he was going to get there, eventually.

    Sitting on the floor of his temporary quarters, Sunny sighed and summoned the runes.

    Finally, it was time to reap his reward.

    He had worked so much, and done so much, to get here. First, repeating the same sword strike thousands of times, day after day, until his hands bled and his muscles screamed from the pain. Learning the basic katas and movements of Neph's flowing battle style, then gaining enough insight into it to make it his own. Almost dying to receive the gift of clarity, then fighting against the Shadow Saint and slowly incorporating her grounded technique into his.

    Studying the movements of his shadow to catch the slight difference in how it held itself, then spending countless hours trying to decipher the hidden meaning behind it, until his mind was ready to boil. Solving that mystery and traveling into the past to observe the birth of the nameless temple slave, and the beautiful dance of his mother.

    And then, torturous practice and arduous process of turning his vision of the elusive and wonderful battle art into reality.

    Only to finally succeed in the middle of the furious, bloody battle against Nephis.

    Of all his achievements, this was perhaps the one he was proud of the most.

    Because Shadow Dance was entirely his. It was something he created out of almost nothing, something that bore and expressed his individuality.

    Sunny had never received any type of inheritance, so this legacy, which was created by himself and for himself, held a special place in his heart.

    ...Looking at the shimmering runes, he read:

    Aspect Legacy: [Shadow Dance].

    Shadow Dance Mastery Level: [1/7].

    First Relic: [Claim].

    Second Relic: Unearned.

    Third Relic: Unearned��

    Holding his breath, he concentrated on the runes describing the first relic and whispered:

    "Claim."

    As Sunny watched, the runes glowed brightly for a few seconds, and then changed.

    First Relic: Claimed.

    And a moment later, the Spell spoke softly into his ear:

    [You have received an Aspect Legacy Relic.]

    [You have received a Shadow: Soul Serpent.]

 Chapter 359 Soul Serpent

    Chapter 359 Soul Serpent

    Sunny stared at the runes for a while, then slightly tilted his head.

    'A Shadow��'

    What an unexpected boon.

    Usually, a Legacy Relic came in the form of a Memory, or very rarely an Echo. Perhaps there were some other types of Relics out there, but he had never heard of them.

    That didn't mean much, though. By now, Sunny was reasonably certain that there were a lot of things that he, as well as the rest of mundane humans, had never heard about. Awakened kept a lot of secrets.

    Nevertheless, receiving a Shadow pleasantly surprised him.

    Looking up, he saw new runes appearing out of thin air:

    Shadows: [Marble Saint], [Soul Serpent].

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then furtively looked around. The small room was empty and quiet.

    Feeling a little bit stupid, Sunny shook his head and summoned his new Shadow to take a good look at it.

    A slight breeze moved his hair, and in the next second��

    Nothing happened.

    'Huh?'

    Sunny frowned and looked around the room, then scratched the back of his head.

    'What the hell? Where is the damn snake?'

    He had hoped to see a giant serpent made out of shadows appear in front of him, with black scales as thick as plate armor and a mouth wide enough to swallow his enemies whole. Or an average-sized snake, at least!

    But there was nothing.

    He even checked to see if a new shadow joined his two invaluable helpers, but no. Both rested on the floor, one seemingly content, the other bored and in a perpetually bad mood.

    'Weird��'

    He raised a hand to rub his eyes, but froze at the last moment.

    "What is that?"

    There was something dark on the skin of his wrist, peaking out slightly from beneath the sleeve.

    Following intuition, Sunny hastily stood up and took off the top of the training suit provided to him by the staff of the hospital complex. Left naked to the waist, he then looked at himself through the eyes of the shadow.

    '...Huh?!'

    Out there on his pale skin, an intricate image of a black serpent was tattooed, so detailed that it almost seemed alive. The serpent coiled around his arms and his torso, its tail resting just above his right hand, its head just above his left.

    "...What? I have�� a tattoo now?'

    In the darkness of the small room, the serpent almost seemed to move under his skin, two curved fangs threatening to break its surface. It was striking, beautiful, and disturbing.

    Of course, Sunny recognized the serpent immediately. Both the nameless temple slave and his mother had a very similar image marking their skin, after all.

    It was the Shadow God's mark.

    But why did his new Shadow turn into a tattoo?

    Confused, Sunny listened to his body and soul, trying to feel if something had changed about them.

    And soon, he did notice a small difference.

    The flow of the shadow essence through his body had changed. If previously it had circulated naturally, now, it seemed to follow the coils of the serpent, moving faster and with more intent, as if directed by them.

    'Soul Serpent�� does that thing enhance my shadow essence control?'

    To experiment, Sunny poured essence into his limbs and then performed several movements of Shadow Dance. After that, he jumped from one shadow to another a few times, expending even more essence.

    He felt the difference instantly. Not only was he able to control the essence better, but it also seemed to be consumed at a slightly slower pace, and restore at a faster one.

    Soul Serpent served as a channel for it, existing both on the material and the spiritual plane. As such, it was connected both to his cores and to his body, creating a strange bridge that allowed Sunny to use his shadow essence with better efficiency.

    'This is�� a very useful Shadow.'

    Those words were an egregious understatement. Sunny had already understood how important and vital managing essence was for the Awakened �� any tool that could enhance that aspect of their power was truly precious.

    And he got such a marvelous one, practically for free.

    He was also sure that the Serpent would only get more powerful in the future, provided he kept it well-fed, of course.

    ��But how was he supposed to feed Memories to a tattoo?

    Perplexed, Sunny thought for a bit, then finally concentrated on the runes once again.

    Shadow: [Soul Serpent].

    Shadow Rank: Dormant.

    Shadow Class: Monster.

    Shadow Attributes: [Shadow Guide], [Soul Weapon].

    Shadow Description: [When the end came, Shadow was the last of the gods to be destroyed. Many have resented him for creating death, but in the end, death embraced all.]

    Noting the interesting detail of a connection between Shadow God and death, Sunny lowered his gaze.

    However, the last string, the one he had been accustomed to paying the most attention to when it came to Saint, was missing. There was no indication of how many shadow fragments it would take to make the Serpent evolve.

    Sunny frowned.

    Come to think of it��

    That strange Shadow was clearly connected to his soul. Perhaps it wasn't a coincidence that it was a monster �� Sunny was a monster himself, after all. So, maybe, the Serpent would not evolve its Class like Saint had, by consuming the soul core of a suitable Nightmare Creature. Most likely, it would grow alongside Sunny himself.

    But why was it of the Dormant Rank, while Sunny had already become an Awakened?

    'Huh��'

    Maybe�� maybe its Rank was not tied to Sunny's soul, but to his comprehension of the Shadow Dance? Currently, he had mastered only the first of the seven steps of the battle art, and the Serpent belonged to the first of the seven Ranks. Would it evolve to a higher Rank if he mastered more steps?

    Full of thoughts, Sunny sighed and turned his attention to the Shadow's Attributes.

    [Shadow Guide] Attribute Description: "Soul Serpent guides shadow essence as it flows through your body."

    [Soul Weapon] Attribute Description: "Soul Serpent can assume the form of a weapon."

    'The form of a wea�� wait, what?'

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then stared at his left wrist, where the head of the Soul Serpent was drawn under his skin. Its scales were so intricate that it almost seemed as if the creature was moving.

    Now�� it really was moving.

    Following Sunny's mental command, the Soul Serpent slithered up to his hand, and then escaped from it, turning into a dark blade. As the coils moved across his body, the blade grew longer and longer, until a hilt wrapped in black leather rested comfortably in his grip.

    The tattoo was gone.

    Sunny found himself holding a lusterless greatsword. It was a menacing, formidable, foreboding odachi.

    Including the hilt, the odachi was as long as he was tall. It was surprisingly light for its length, but heavy enough to inflict truly devastating wounds.

    Almost invisible on the dark steel, an lifelike image of a coiling serpent was etched into its blade.

    He weighed the greatsword in his hands for a while, then smiled darkly.

    '...Truly, this is a weapon worthy of a shadow.'

    It was still weak, though. If it was a Memory, it would have been only a Dormant one of the second tier. Sunny was going to have to put in some work to make the dark odachi really fearsome.

    With a sigh, he commanded the Serpent to slither back onto his body, and then to disappear entirely. A few seconds later, his skin was clean and empty once again.

    'What a bountiful harvest I had today.'

    Sunny stared at the darkness for a few minutes, then sighed heavily.

    It was time to do something that he had dreaded doing ever since returning to the real world.

    He couldn't put it off any longer.

 Chapter 360 Broken

    Chapter 360 Broken

    In a heavily guarded underground room, a young woman with silver hair was sleeping in a transparent machine that kept her body alive. Her face was pale and thin, painted by the ghostly glow of machine lights and deep, angular shadows.

    The room was peaceful and silent, the hum of machinery creating low background noise. From time to time, a piece of medical equipment produced a sound and grew quiet again.

    A blind girl with piercing blue eyes stood quietly near the sleeping pod, an empty expression written in the delicate lines of her beautiful face. If it wasn't for the fact that her hand rested on the hilt of an elegant rapier, a person would easily mistake her for one of the Hollows that were cared for on another level of the hospital complex.

    The door of the room did not open, however, there was suddenly another presence inside. A young man with pale skin and dark, cruel eyes appeared out of the shadows and walked over to stand on the opposite side of the sleeping pod. His steps were soft and quiet.

    He lingered for a while, then looked down, at the young woman sleeping beneath the glass lid of the mechanical coffin.

    For a second, his face became contorted by a terrible grimace. Grief, anger, fear, and longing mixed in his eyes, then disappeared, hidden behind a mask of cold indifference.

    Sunny stared at Nephis for a long time, trying to get his emotions under control. He knew that seeing her like this, weak and helpless, would affect him. But he didn't know just how much it was going hurt him.

    ��He also had not anticipated how dark the thoughts entering his mind would be.

    '...I can kill her right now. One strike of the Moonlight Shard, and I'll be free again.'

    But no, he couldn't.

    Firstly, because there was no guarantee that Nephis would die if her body was destroyed. Just like there were Hollows, people whose souls had been destroyed while leaving an empty body behind, there were Lost �� people whose bodies in the real world had died, leaving their souls wandering the Dream Realm.

    He suspected that this was the reason why the people who wanted Changing Star dead had sent Caster to kill her in the Dream Realm instead of infiltrating the Academy.

    And secondly, and maybe more importantly�� he simply could not bring himself to harm Nephis. Not again, not anymore, and not�� not like this.

    'Cassie, on the other hand��'

    With a dark grimace, Sunny slowly moved his gaze to the blind girl.

    As if noticing it, she turned slightly and said:

    "Hello, Sunny."

    He stared at her, his eyes burning with fury.

    "What, you can see now?"

    Cassie lingered for a moment, then shook her head.

    "No. But�� something like that."

    A wild grin appeared on his face.

    "Congratulations. Really, good for you! You won't be useless anymore, at least."

    He knew that his words were going to hurt her, and was glad to say them for that reason

    The blind girl didn't react, and just continued staring into the emptiness, her eyes cold and distant. But he wasn't fooled. He knew her well enough to recognize the ocean of pain hiding behind that coldness.

    'Good�� suffer! You deserve this!'

    Sunny opened his mouth, wishing to accuse her, but then forced himself to stop. He had to keep himself under control...

    Swallowing his angry words, Sunny gritted his teeth and spat:

    "How? How did you even know?!"

    Cassie hesitated for a bit, then answered quietly:

    "When you killed that spy from the Castle. You said it out loud then. I saw it�� in a vision. After that, the rest was not impossible to figure out."

    His eyes widened.

    Sunny remained silent for a long time, trying to deal with the shock that her words had caused him.

    'Harper�� when I killed Harper?'

    The memory of that horrible day sent a shudder through his soul. He remembered it so vividly�� the blood streaming down his hands as he held the pitiful young man down, murdering him, giving in to the agony of the Flaw.

    And whispering in a hoarse, barely audible voice:

    "Lost from Light! I am�� Lost�� Lost from Light��"

    Standing in the underground room of the hospital complex, Sunny wanted to both laugh and cry.

    'So this is it�� this was what did me in�� one mistake, I only made one mistake, and it was all it took to undo me!'

    It was almost as if Harper had managed to avenge himself from beyond the grave. Well�� he had never gotten a grave, really. Sunny just dumped his body in the ruins, for the Nightmare Creatures to feast on.

    A lot of good it did him, in the end.

    Piercing the blind girl with a burning look, he said through gritted teeth:

    "So that was why you were waiting for me back then, why you gave me the Eternal Spring? You were�� you were ready to say goodbye. You knew?"

    Cassie slowly faced him, then said in a steady, even tone:

    "Yes. I did."

    Sunny looked down, clenching his fists.

    "You knew... if you knew�� then why didn't you try to change anything?! Why, curse you?!"

    Cassie stared at him, her calm expression finally collapsing. Pain, sorrow, and anger contorted her face, and with a voice so hurt that it almost sounded as if she was bleeding, she answered:

    "Didn't try?! Of course, I tried! I tried everything I could to make the future I saw change! But no matter how much I tried, it never did. It always remained the same! Even worse, my attempts only made it... appear even more inevitable..."

    Turning away, she gritted her teeth and remained silent for a while, her hands trembling.

    "I�� I�� I was the first one to understand what my vision of the Crimson Spire meant. Shadows devouring a dying angel�� I understood it on that very day."

    Cassie closed her eyes for a moment, then spoke again, her voice quiet.

    "Don't you remember? I even asked you to promise to always protect her. And what did you say?"

    Sunny stared at her, remembering. Yes, at the very start, there had been a conversation like that.

    "...No. I said no."

    A fragile smile appeared on Cassie's face.

    "Yes. You said no. And on that day, I knew that I had to make a choice. And I made it. I chose Neph."

    She shivered and hugged herself, as if dying of cold.

    "I had to betray one of my best friends to save the other. And I did. I chose to sacrifice you to save Neph. Of course, I fooled myself for a while, telling myself that nothing bad would happen. That if I help Neph, maybe both of you would survive. But deep down, I knew that it was just one of the possible outcomes, so what was the difference? I betrayed you. And you know what?"

    A small, bitter laugh escaped from her lips.

    "It was for nothing. I betrayed my best friend, and nothing still changed. I sacrificed you, but couldn't save anyone. Despite it all, I couldn't�� couldn't change fate."

    Sunny stared at her for a while, then snarled:

    "...That's it? That's your speech? That's what you have to say for yourself? What do you want me to do, pity you?"

    A furious gleam appeared in his eyes.

    "After everything I have done for you, after I saved your life countless times, took care of you as if you were my sister, this is how you chose to repay me? By giving my biggest secret to Neph, so that she could use it against me when the time came?"

    Cassie remained silent, not saying anything.

    "Do you even know what you've done?! Do you even know what you've taken from me?!"

    She hesitated for a bit, that answered quietly:

    "I didn't know why, or how my vision would come true. I only knew that it would happen in the Spire. So I gave your secret to Nephis, hoping that she would survive thanks to it."

    Sunny laughed, then grew quiet.

    An oppressive silence settled between them, and remained unbroken for several minutes.

    After a while, he finally said:

    "...I can understand. Rationally, I do. You were forced to make a terrible decision, with both choices being a betrayal. And you chose to help Neph, who was with you first. Who saved you when I would have just left you to die."

    But then, a cold gleam appeared in his eyes.

    "But that doesn't mean that I can forgive it. You go to hell, Cassie. Go to hell and die there, for all I care. I hope that I will never see you again."

    With that, Sunny turned around to leave, but then stopped.

    He couldn't help but be cruel to her one last time.

    "Oh, and that secret? It was the reason why she got stuck there all alone. So, in a sense, you have doomed both of your friends."

    As he spoke those words, Cassie flinched.

    A satisfied, vindictive smile appeared on Sunny's face.

    ...But why did it hurt him so much to say those words?

    "So, congratulations. You've made it back, Cassie. Go back home, spend time with your family. Didn't you tell me that your mother makes the best eggs? Eat your fill. Try to enjoy them, knowing what you did."

    As the blind girl paled and turned away with a broken expression on his face, he smiled bitterly and dissolved into the shadows.

    Bonds of friendship were such a fragile thing.

    They were so hard to create, but so easy to break.

    All it took was a moment...

 Chapter 361 The Goal

    Chapter 361 The Goal

    Sitting with his back against the door of his room, Sunny stared ahead, his heart empty.

    He had lived most of his life alone. One year ago, he had entered the Dream Realm alone. And now, he was alone once again.

    But not having something was very different from losing it. Now that he knew how precious true friendship and affection were, existing without them felt like torture. It felt like there was a bleeding wound on his soul, left there after he had so cruelly severed the tether connecting him to Cassie.

    One of the very few people he cared for in this world��

    Hurting her felt good and justified, but instead of relief, it only brought him more pain.

    Nevertheless, he did not regret what he had done. Sometimes one had to endure suffering.

    Sometimes, pain was necessary.

    Now, Sunny was completely alone. So was Cassie.

    And somewhere in the Dream Realm, Nephis was alone, too.

    The three of them had done the impossible, but paid a heavy price for it.

    'What a fiasco.'

    Who would have thought that one day, he would not only escape the Forgotten Shore, but also become vastly more powerful than he had ever dreamed�� only to sit on the floor in a dark room, feeling miserable?

    With a resentful grimace, Sunny shook his head and sighed.

    'Enough of wallowing in self-pity.'

    He had a lot of things to do. A lot of plans to make. The horrors of the Forgotten Shore were now behind him, but new threats already loomed in the distance.

    Firstly, he was now at the mercy of another person. Despite the fact that his master was lost in another world with very low chances of ever making it back, Sunny felt that they were fated to meet again.

    He didn't know how to feel about that. Or rather, he both desperately longed for Nephis to return and wished that she died. His emotions for her were intense, overwhelming, and an absolute mess.

    Despite all that, Sunny didn't think that she would die.

    Somehow, he was sure that Nephis would not perish in the Dream Realm and eventually make it back. Maybe in a few months, maybe in a few years, but she would achieve the impossible once again and return to the real world.

    The question was�� how? Would she travel to the human territory through the Hollow Mountains, or head in another direction? They didn't know much about what surrounded the Forgotten Shore from the east, west, and north. He doubted that those places were better than the horrifying, misty mountains, though.

    That doubt was based on one simple fact: there was no information about them, which meant that no human had ever returned from those regions of the Dream Realm to tell the tale.

    Although deadly, Hollow Mountains were at least known to mankind. Chances were, Changing Star would choose to try her luck there instead of venturing into the unknown.

    Nothing was more dangerous than that you knew nothing about, after all.

    'Unknown��'

    Sunny frowned.

    That was another problem he had to face�� or rather, an opportunity he would potentially be able to exploit. Due to his [Fated] Attribute, Sunny had stumbled onto the legacy of a creature named Weaver and got a glimpse into the secrets of the gods.

    What he saw there left him both terrified and breathless.

    There was a boundless mystery hiding in the ruined land of dreams and nightmares, a tapestry that connected the dead gods, the Unknown, the daemons, and the Nightmare Spell together. The former rulers of the Dream Realm were gone, but the Spell remained, and humanity �� including Sunny himself �� had now become an unwilling part of that tapestry through it.

    Sunny's most ardent desire was to control his own fate, and he couldn't achieve it without knowledge. Now that he knew what to look for, he had to deepen his understanding of the fate of the gods and the origins of the Spell. Who knew, maybe that was where the keys to his freedom were hidden.

    ��And then, there were the Sovereigns.

    His face grew dark.

    'Honestly, why is everything so complicated��'

    Why couldn't he just open a Memory Store, become wealthy and fat, and leave peacefully ever after?

    That was his plan all along. However, the recent revelations made Sunny doubt the validity of such plans.

    Judging from what Caster had said, there were some figures hiding in the shadows, ruling over the human world. And not only were they there, but Sunny was also, apparently, unwillingly doing their bidding.

    He still remembered the warning Nephis had given him once. She told them that there were words that could get him killed simply if he learned of their existence.

    Well�� now he knew a lot of those words.

    Sovereigns, Domains, Lineage Memories��

    Was he going to pretend to know nothing and hope that those powerful beings would not turn their gaze to him one day, or was he going to do something to prepare for the day they do?

    Did he even have a choice, knowing what he did, with his fate hopelessly entangled with that of Changing Star�� who was embroiled in these clandestine machinations just by virtue of her birth?

    'So bothersome��'

    What was he supposed to do? What was the plan of action?

    Sunny sighed.

    Well, it was simple, really.

    Learn as much as he can about the Sovereigns, but in a way that would never lead back to him.

    Explore the past of the Dream Realm to gain insight into the daemons, the gods, and the Unknown.

    But first and foremost, grow stronger.

    Much, much stronger.

    When Nephis returned, he had to be ready for the worst. Sunny didn't really think that Changing Star he knew would abuse her power over him�� in fact, he was almost sure that she wouldn't. Not only because of the bond between them, but also because in Neph's warped mind, doing so would simply be beneath her.

    However, he wasn't going to let this sweet hope prevent him from creating contingencies.

    If she ever decided to truly make him a slave, one of them was going to die.

    Standing up, Sunny walked over to the desk and wrote on a piece of synthetic paper:

    [0/2000].

    Then, he summoned the runes, glanced at them, and added a second string of numbers:

    [2749/3000].

    However, the runes shimmered and changed before he was done writing. The number of soul essence grew bigger.

    Sunny stared at the runes for a few seconds, then corrected the number.

    Then, he put the pen done and looked at the piece of paper in front of him:

    [0/2000] < [2773/3000].

    "Alright."

    So, this was it.

    This was the plan.

    From now on, this was his life's goal.

 Chapter 362 Breakfast lnvitation

    Chapter 362 Breakfast lnvitation

    The initial series of tests, the interview with the government specialists, the somber conversation with Cassie, and the hours Sunny had spent pondering about his past, present, and future took up almost an entire day. A new dawn was already bathing the world in soft sunlight, which Sunny knew because one of the walls in his underground room was made into a false window, with a vista of one of the parks in the Academy being projected onto it from a remote camera.

    He was experiencing mild mental fatigue, but was not sleepy at all, at least not yet. Truly, the physique of an Awakened was much more resilient than that of a mundane human.

    There were still a few things he had to do. In all the turmoil of the past twenty-four hours, he had not gotten a chance to take a proper look at his Memories, for example��

    Sunny was about to summon the runes when, suddenly, there was a knock on his door. He flinched.

    '...What? Who can it be?'

    For a moment, a mental picture of Effie and Kai appeared in his mind, but then he dismissed it. The two of them must have been as busy after their Awakening as he was. Much more, most likely, considering that they probably had friends and families to deal with, too, on top of everything else. With them being in different facilities, coming to the Academy just to pay him a visit was not a likely scenario.

    Certainly not that soon.

    Hiding one of the shadows on his body to appear like a normal person, Sunny walked to the door and opened it.

    Standing there was a striking, confident woman in her late twenties.

    Immediately, it seemed as though the temperature inside of the room dropped by a couple of degrees.

    She had short, raven-black hair and icy blue eyes. Her flawless skin was smooth, supple and as white as snow. The woman was dressed in a dark blue uniform with silver epaulets and black leather boots. The jacket of the uniform was casually unbuttoned, revealing a tanktop that was currently drawn taut against her full��

    'Crap!'

    "...What are you staring at, Awakened Sunless?"

    Sunny looked up with wide eyes.

    "Master Jet! I was just�� uh�� appreciating your fashion sense."

    Indeed, it was Soul Reaper Jet �� the Ascended who worked for the government and had welcomed him back to the real world after the First Nightmare.

    Sunny had sometimes thought about this beautiful woman during his journey into the Dream Realm. Not only because the three pieces of advice Master Jet had given him ended up saving his life on multiple occasions, but also because she was from the outskirts, just like him.

    Knowing that someone as unfortunate as that had managed to not only survive, but even thrive in the ruthless reality of the Nightmare Spell had given fuel to his determination, as well as providing vital perspective.

    ��But what was she doing at his door?

    Sunny studied Master Jet, suddenly full of doubt.

    She looked exactly as she had a year ago, the only difference being that her uniform had more wrinkles, and there were now dark circles under her eyes.

    As he watched, she grinned.

    "My fashion sense? Why, thank you! If you want, I can introduce you to my tailors. You will have to sign a few thick contracts to receive a comfy suit such as this, though."

    Sunny forced out a smile.

    "Ah, I see. Those tailors are slightly out of my price range, I'm afraid. But thanks for the offer."

    After a short pause, he cautiously asked:

    "Uhm, Master Jet? It is very nice to see you again, but�� to what do I owe the pleasure? I am sure that you are too busy to visit every random returnee."

    She looked at him for a couple of seconds, then suddenly yawned and shook her head to chase away sleepiness. New novel chapters are published on Freewebn?vel.c?m.

    "...Correct. But since there's some procedure you still have to go through and we already know each other, I thought that I'd do the honors."

    With that, she looked around the deserted corridor of the hospital complex with a dubious expression, lingered for a couple of seconds, and then asked:

    "Wanna eat?"

    ***

    Some time later, the two of them were walking through the ground level of the Academy hospital. Sunny had thought that Master Jet would take him to the cafeteria there, but instead, she headed toward the exit.

    "Uh�� where are we going? I thought that cafeteria was this way?"

    She looked at him with confusion, then grimaced slightly.

    "Hospital food? No thanks. Let me take you to the Instructors Lounge. That's where they keep the really good stuff."

    Sunny coughed.

    "But, Master Jet�� you're not an instructor?"

    She smiled, then pointed to the three-star insignia on her left sleeve.

    "Technically, I'm not. But the Academy is a government facility, so I outrank most of the people here. What are they going to do?"

    He blinked a couple of times, then shrugged.

    Indeed, what are they going to do? Tell a Master to get out? Who would be that suicidal?

    As they exited the hospital complex and walked across the Academy grounds, Sunny couldn't help but throw furtive glances at the confident young woman. Not because he was mesmerized by her, but because seeing her again was a strange experience.

    Back when they first met, he was just fresh from the First Nightmare, barely accustomed to his new status as a Sleeper. Being in the presence of a Master was like standing in front of a legend. He remembered vividly how much fear and awe this beautiful stranger inspired in him.

    How acutely he felt the measure of ease with which she would be able to kill him, if she wished. All it would take was a flick of her finger.

    Now, slightly more than a year later, so much had changed. He was still pretty sure that he had no chance of taking her in a fight, a fair one at least, but the reverent fear was gone, replaced by simple respect. Sunny knew that he had it in himself to if not win, then at least survive a confrontation with someone like Jet.

    In a sense, he was now half a legend himself.

    As he thought about how different things had become, the two of them approached a small, picturesque building near the center of the Academy.

    Without slowing down, Master Jet walked past a few people that were staring at her with a strange mix of regard and disdain, and entered the Instructors Lodge.

    'Oh, right�� I remember Teacher Julius mentioning that she has a terrible reputation. To be exact, he described her as a "murderous savage", "barbarian", "having a problematic personality", and "psychopathic killer". Uh��'

    No wonder people were giving them weird looks throughout the whole walk.

    For some reason, Sunny suddenly felt annoyed. Maybe because Jet was someone he knew, or maybe because she used to be an outskirt rat just like him, but he found himself feeling�� protective.

    'Stare away, bastards�� see if we give a damn.'

    Master Jet clearly didn't, so why would he?

    Sunny looked at the next person to give her a dirty glance coldly, activating the murder math to its fullest potential. Immediately, the onlooker paled slightly and turned away.

    Sunny smiled.

    'That's right, look away. Now... the most important part. Let's see what the Instructors eat!'

 Chapter 364 SS Class Sunless

    Chapter 364 SS Class Sunless

    Sunny stared at Master Jet, a strange expression frozen on his face. After a while, he asked:

    "...That's great, but... what the hell does "SS" mean?"

    She smiled and sipped her tea, looking at him across the table. Placing the cup back down, she then shook her head slightly and said:

    "The government �� and the powerful Legacy clans, of course �� keeps track of every Awakened in the world. That shouldn't be a surprise for you, right?"

    Sunny slowly nodded.

    "Yeah, that makes sense."

    Master Jet shifted slightly, then continued:

    "Firstly, because every Awakened technically has a duty to respond when a Gate opens near their location �� that's what the special communicator is for. In exchange for all the privileges we receive, we have to protect this world from the Nightmare Creatures."

    A dark grimace appeared on her face.

    "Of course, realistically, no one can force you to actually fulfill that duty, or at least no one is going to. Many Awakened turn around and run as soon as they receive a Gate Crisis alert."

    Sunny grimaced. On one hand, he understood such a reaction perfectly. Why would they want to risk their lives for random strangers? Not every Awakened was good in a fight, too. Not everyone was like the Artisans of the Dark City, who had gone into battle side by side with those Dreamers who possessed combat Aspects.

    ...But on the other hand, the idea of running away while monsters were devouring mundane humans and wreaking havoc in the real world simply rubbed him the wrong way. It seemed as though Sunny had somehow developed a bit of pride in the past year. He didn't want to run from the Nightmare Creatures and capitulate to the Spell. He might have even been infected with having morals��

    'Better squish this lunacy fast...'

    Oblivious to his thoughts, Master Jet continued:

    "Secondly, newly Awakened are monitored because everyone wants to recruit the best of them. Talents need to be nurtured, and for that, they need to be recognized first. So the most promising Awakened receive a mark on their file. Usually, it's SA, or simply S. Do you know what that means?"

    Sunny shook his head.

    She grinned.

    "SA means "strategic asset". There's not a lot of Awakened who are considered to be important enough to be assigned that designation. Having one means that you are viewed as a person who can potentially be important to the very survival of humanity, or at least make an impact on the global scale. Simply put, it's either someone whose Aspect can be extremely useful to society or someone who has a high chance of becoming a Master, maybe even a Saint."

    Master Jet took another sip of tea, then gestured lazily at herself.

    "Like me. Not to brag, but people with the S designation are few and far between. That's why we usually receive a lot of attention and support from either the government or the Legacy faction we decide to align with. But here comes the best part��"

    She grinned.

    "Currently, everyone is running around and foaming at their mouths because of you guys. All hundred of those who returned from the Forgotten Shore were marked as strategic assets. That is�� that is an unprecedented event in human history. A sudden appearance of a hundred powerful Awakened is not that important in the grand scheme of things. But if those Awakened all have a very high chance of becoming Masters, maybe even Saint�� that would be enough to completely shatter the current status quo."

    Sunny stared at her, thinking. Up until now, everything that he heard was in accordance with how he had imagined things to be. But��

    "I get it. However, what's that about me being marked as SS? What does SS stand for?"

    Master Jet nodded.

    "I was about to explain. Above those marked as strategic assets, there are those marked as special strategic assets. SSA, or SS for short. This designation is even rarer. Actually, very few people had ever gotten it. What it means is that you are considered to have a very high chance of becoming a Saint. You know how rare Transcendent are, right? So, of course, everyone now wants to be your friend. Including the government. Hence the seventh rank citizen status."

    She looked at him with an apologetic smile and added:

    "...Granted, out of the five people with the SS designation, you are the least outstanding. No offence."

    Sunny glanced at her and smiled slightly.

    "None taken. Who are the other four?"

    Master Jet shrugged.

    "Three of them are the only ones who received True Names from the Spell after leaving the Forgotten Shore �� Awakened Athena, Awakened Kai, and Awakened Cassia. The fourth one is Awakened Song Sei Shan, who is�� well�� from one of the great clans. To be honest, your own achievements �� while still incredible �� pale in comparison to theirs. But someone had noted that you went from being the second to last in the Academy rating to leading a hundred Sleepers to the Gateway during the last leg of the journey. You are seen as someone with great growth potential, in short."

    He nodded, somewhat satisfied by that answer.

    'It's not as bad as I thought.'

    Actually, it was perfect. It was exactly the result he had hoped for �� to be considered one of the best, but also the worst of the best.

    He needed status to receive all the best opportunities in this world. He needed to have value.

    Looking at the beautiful Ascended in front of him, Sunny took a sip of the tea, then smiled brightly.

    "So, uh�� that really sounds great. A great honor, and so on. But what I really want to know is what exactly can I get thanks to being the fifth most incredible person of an entire generation?"

    Master Jet laughed and glanced at him with approval.

    "Good. Straight to the point. Well, that depends. What is it that you want the most?"

    Sunny didn't hesitate before answering, his tone steady and firm:

    "To be free."

    The smile disappeared from her face. Looking down at her tea, Master Jet lingered for a while, and then said wistfully:

    "Then you're out of luck. I am sorry, but freedom is just a myth, Sunless. No one is free in this world. Mundane humans have to toil and struggle to remain alive. Even if they are fortunate enough to reach the height of success and acquire great wealth, their lives still belong to the Awakened who protect them from the Nightmare Creatures. But the Awakened�� we are not free, too. Our lives belong to the Spell."

    She paused, then added with slight sadness:

    "If we want to survive its trials, we need to tether ourselves to others, be it powerful clans, or the government, or even just the members of our cohort. We have to depend on our allies and companions, and they in turn have to depend on us. All of us are chained to one another, Sunless, and that is the only way we can survive. So�� think again about what you want. Think carefully."

    Sunny stared at her for a long time, his eyes full of a dark, deep, heavy emotion. After a while, he sighed slowly, then said:

    "If that is the case, then I want to be strong."

 Chapter 365 Young Prospect

    Chapter 365 Young Prospect

    Master Jet looked at him for a while, then smiled.

    "Perfect. That is a good goal to have... especially for people like us."

    She took a sip of tea, then closed her eyes for a few moments.

    "...Alright. There are many ways to become strong, some more straightforward than others. Ideally, you would want a powerful organization backing you up, but that is not the only way. In fact, such a partnership is a double-edged sword. You gain a lot, but also have to give a lot in return. I'll provide you with the basic information, and you can decide for yourself."

    Sunny straightened a little and listened to her attentively. Master Jet thought for a few seconds, and then said:

    "In this next few days, you will have to decide what Citadel to go to. That is not the same as joining a faction, but closely tied to it. Usually, young Awakened have to compete for the right to join a desirable faction and therefore be taken to the Citadel it operates from. Your case is different, though. Everyone wants you�� and I mean everyone. So you can pick any of the human Citadels in the Dream Realm to call home."

    She paused, yawned, and then continued:

    "As you should already know, there are three great human Citadels in the Dream Realm, as well as many smaller ones. The primary Citadels belong to the great clans, while the smaller ones can be either ruled by a lesser clan or remain independent. Regardless, all of them are situated around the three main human enclaves and tied to them in one form or another. No matter where you go, you'll be in the sphere of influence of one of the great clans, it's just that you can be either in its center, close to the center, or on the periphery."

    Sunny scratched his head.

    "What about the government? Doesn't the government control many Citadels?"

    Master Jet shook her head.

    "Out there in the Dream Real, the government has less influence than the great clans. It does, however, maintain a presence in all the important Citadels, which allows us to play a unique role. In the Dream Realm, we serve as a�� connective tissue between the three factions, I guess. That flexibility has its own benefits, if you ask me."

    She knocked lightly on the table and said:

    "In any case, even if you decide to refuse the obvious choice of settling in one of the great Citadels, you'll have to select one of the three territories. They are not connected, as some people think. In fact, there are deadly and extremely hazardous regions separating each of the human dominions from each other. So, that is going to be your first decision �� which territory to choose.

    That made sense. If Sunny chose to go to Bastion, for example, he would have the opportunity to build a relationship with the great clan Valor, which ruled it, or any of the lesser clans in its sphere of influence. He would lose the opportunity to be recruited into the great clan Song, though, or any other clan that existed in a separate human territory. And so on.

    Master Jet finished her tea and looked at the empty cup with a solemn expression.

    "Oh, yeah. This is where I was supposed to give you the recruitment speech and try to convince you to join the government forces. But I'm not going to�� you are smart enough to figure out the pros and cons of that path by yourself. All I will say is that you will never be truly accepted as an equal by the members of the Legacy clans �� SS designation or not. Maybe they won't say it to your face, but you'll always be treated as someone�� a tiny bit lesser. At best."

    Sunny's expression darkened. Caster's face suddenly appeared in his mind, eyes full of disdain.

    What had the proud scion called him�� a mongrel?

    '...Well, that mongrel got to your throat. Who's laughing now?'

    Master Jet had a similar kind of expression on her face. Had she experienced her own share of hardships because of her lowly background? Most likely.

    As Sunny was pondering what Master Jet's path to becoming an Ascended must have looked like, she sighed, then smiled with irony.

    "Not that entering a Legacy clan is a bad deal. Actually, it's a dream come true for many, most even. With your renown, Sunless, any clan would be happy to give you patronage. Some might even adopt you. Hell�� with your looks, even marriage is not out of the question!"

    As Sunny choked on his tea and did an actual spit take, Master Jet laughed.

    "Marriage�� what marriage?!"

    She shook her head.

    "How do you think Legacy clans recruit talents? There are patronage contracts, adoptions, and matrimony, the latter being the preferred method when it comes to true gems. Anything to enhance the bloodline, you know."

    As Sunny stared at her with wide eyes, Master Jet chuckled and continued:

    "In any case, these are your options. You can go with the government, one of the three great clans, or a lesser clan. Each will provide you with plenty of incentives to join them instead of others. The most wealthy factions will even shower you with soul shards. You and I both know how important those are. Few people can refuse such an offer."

    She sighed wistfully, lingered for a bit, and then added:

    "Of course, you can also remain independent. In that case, you won't have any special support outside the usual benefits of being a highly regarded Awakened �� be it in the form of training, resources, or access. But you also won't be tied down by any obligations, free to travel around the Dream Realm as you wish, making a living by hunting Nightmare Creatures or providing useful services to your Citadel of choice. There are plenty of independent Awakened out there, although few who are truly successful. It's a tough way to live."

    Sunny rubbed his face, feeling slightly overwhelmed by the cornucopia of choices in front of him.

    He had no need for soul shard, but being showered in them still seemed like a great experience.

    Master Jet grinned.

    "...So? What do you think?"

    He hesitated for a while, then said:

    "I don't know. That's a lot to take in. I'll�� have to think about many things before making a decision."

    She nodded, as though that was an expected answer.

    "Good. Nothing good can come from rushing such a matter."

    With that, Master Jet took a small, secure plastic container out of her pocket and pushed it to Sunny. He took it and raised an eyebrow.

    "What's that?"

    She shrugged.

    "A pack of military-grade stimulants to keep you awake for a while. Don't use more than one patch at a time�� wait, why am I explaining this to you? You're from the outskirts, so your knowledge of stimulant use must be extensive. In any case, with that, you'll be able to stay lucid for about a week. Contact me when you're ready to make a decision, and I'll arrange the rest. Oh, also feel free to call me if you have any questions�� scratch that. Not any questions, just important ones."

    She stood up, stretched a little, and gave him a little smile.

    "Well�� it's been nice seeing you, Awakened Sunless. You did well, staying alive out there. Warms my heart to know that another one of us did. I'll be off, then. Time waits for no one, and all that."

    She turned around to walk away, but Sunny stopped her:

    "Uh�� Master Jet?"

    She glanced at him in confusion.

    "Yeah?"

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then raised his newly issued, expensive, slick communicator:

    "I, uh�� I don't have your contact?"

    Master Jet stared at him for a while, then grinned.

    "Want to get my number, huh?"

    Feeling his ears turning slightly red, Sunny coughed, but then took hold of himself and said with an easy smile:

    "Yes. How else am I going to call you when I've made a decision?"

    The beautiful woman shook her head, then took his communicator and entered her contact information into it.

    Returning the communicator to Sunny, she looked at him and said:

    "...Can't wait to hear from you, Awakened Sunless. See you later, then."

    With that, Master Jet walked away, leaving Sunny alone at the table.

    Looking around, he sat in silence for a while.

    Finally, he said quietly:

    "I wonder�� can I get another of everything I ate? That'd be great��"

 Chapter 366 Lessons of History

    Chapter 366 Lessons of History

    Some time later, Sunny exited the Instructors Lounge. The clear winter day welcomed him with chilly wind and tiny snowflakes dancing in the sunlight. Despite being dressed very lightly �� his skin was covered only by the soft fabric of the simple training suit provided to him by the staff of the Academy hospital complex �� Sunny did not feel too cold.

    'That's being Awakened for you, I guess.'

    If it had been a year and a few months ago, he would have been desperately searching for shelter, hoping that he would not freeze to death overnight or, even worse, get sick. But now, Sunny felt great. He wasn't even uncomfortable.

    Pulling down his sleeves to hide the serpent tattoo, he inhaled the cool, perfectly filtered air, smiled, and started walking.

    'Decisions, decisions��'

    The conversation with Master Jet had been useful, but left him with more questions than answers. Each of the choices presented to him had alluring benefits, but also very serious drawbacks.

    'Great clans, lesser clans, government, or independent?'

    Sunny tried to imagine himself as a Legacy and silently shook his head. All that prestige, all that wealth, the admiration of the masses�� being a Legacy meant being a part of the nobility, the elite above all elites. It was the exact opposite of what Sunny had been all his life.

    ��But who said that he had to remain the same in the future? From a pauper to a prince, that would be a nice transformation. Lord Sunless�� that had a nice ring to it, didn't it?

    There were serious disadvantages to making such a choice, of course.

    Working for the government offered its own advantages, but at the cost of not receiving as much funds and resources, while being tied down by too many obligations. Both times Sunny had met Master Jet, she seemed busy and overworked. He couldn't imagine pursuing his goals with such a schedule.

    One of the functions of the Awakened forces in service to the government was hunting down rogue members of their own kind. Awakened were people, after all, and there were criminals among them, too. Especially because many were traumatized and driven to the edge of madness by their experiences in the Nightmares and the Dream Realm.

    If Sunny could absorb the essence of those humans he killed like all the other Awakened, that path could have offered him a faster track to saturating his cores. But as it was, he didn't see himself putting on the uniform, unless there were new Gates opening every day, thus providing him with the endless supply of Nightmare Creatures to hunt.

    ...By the way, how many Gates were opening in a given year, on average? Suddenly, Sunny realized that he had no idea. The propaganda never mentioned concrete numbers, only the fact that valiant Awakened had the situation under control. Did they, really?

    The last option was to remain independent. That choice was seemingly in contradiction to his desire to acquire status and as many benefits as possible, but only on the surface. In fact, Sunny had already received most of what he wanted by becoming a high-ranking citizen and getting a free pick of any Citadel. Of course, not having the vast resources of a Legacy clan or the government would be a huge loss... but it would also provide the best chance he had to keep all his secrets to himself.

    All three options were worthy of being considered.

    In the end, it all came to the fact that he simply didn't have enough information to make a decision. So, getting information was his first priority. But�� how?

    'What was it called�� a library? The Academy has to have one of those, right?'

    Sunny, of course, had never been to a library, but he was familiar with the concept. There were similar types of public terminals in the outskirts, too, although using them cost credits. He had never had any to spare, so his visits were few and far between. And he went there for entertainment, not to study.

    Now that Sunny had himself a state-of-the-art communicator, he could access a lot of information from the network, but doing so would doubtlessly leave a digital trail behind. Considering that some of the topics he wanted to research were rather dangerous, he wanted to remain as anonymous as possible.

    'A library it is��'

    Ten minutes later, he approached a square white building. Like most of the Academy, its walls were made out of smooth, pristine alloy, with wide windows that could be covered at any moment with reinforced shutters. There weren't many people in sight, so Sunny assumed that the library was not a popular destination among the Awakened.

    Why would it be, if most of the information stored there could be accessed remotely? He was the weirdo for coming here in person.

    Entering through an automatic door, Sunny looked around and blinked a couple of times.

    Everywhere he looked, tall shelves full of paper books stretched into the distance. Between them stood tables meant for study, with several young men and women reading behind them silently. Most of them were using terminals to take notes, but some were actually writing by hand.

    'What�� the hell�� is that?'

    All those books, of course, were printed on synthetic paper�� but why have them printed at all?! Wouldn't it be way more convenient to read from a terminal, like all normal people did?

    He had never seen a physical book in his life. The very idea of using one was mind-boggling.

    ��But then, it made sense. Digital data storage technology was highly advanced, but susceptible to various types of damage. During the dark times�� which came before the even darker times of the Nightmare Spell�� back when humanity had been consumed by an endless series of devastating wars and cataclysmic natural disasters, a lot of knowledge had been lost due to overreliance on digital mediums. Whole layers of culture were irrevocably gone as the result.

    Paper was still the safest way to preserve knowledge.

    It's just Sunny had never thought about it before.

    'Still weird��'

    Trying to not show his confusion, Sunny furtively looked around and noticed a member of the library staff. It was a young man�� no, wait�� a young woman? A young person, with short black hair and intelligent brown eyes, who was currently reading a vintage-looking book. There was a badge on her chest, with the name "Ren" written on it.

    At least Sunny thought that it was a name. Maybe it was some weird title among the librarians. Who knew what kind of strange customs they had here??

    Approaching the young librarian, he stopped a couple of meters away and waited patiently to be noticed. However, "Ren" continued to read, fully engrossed in whatever story the book told, eyes full of deep emotion. Curious, Sunny looked at the title on the cover.

    'Free Fall�� sounds familiar. Must be a really great book. Maybe I should read it someday...'

    "Uh�� hey? Can I get some directions?"

    Ren lingered for a couple of seconds, then reluctantly put down the novel and looked at him with a neutral smile.

    "Of course. How can I help you?"

    He lingered for a bit, then said with uncertainty:

    "How can I read about the Dream Realm and the current state of human expansion into its various regions?"

    Ren blinked a couple of times, then asked politely:

    "Uh... can you be more specific?"

    Sunny sighed.

    "I want to see a map and a list of all the Citadels out there, as well as learn who owns what and why. I guess."

    The librarian smiled brightly:

    "Ah, you are a lover of history as well! Of course, of course. You have come to the right place. We have all the records you'll ever need here. Nickel!"

    Sunny flinched.

    "Nickel? What does nickel mean? What is happening?"

    Suddenly, another young librarian appeared out of nowhere. This one was definitely a guy, wearing a wrinkled white shirt and a brown vest. He was tall and handsome, with slightly disheveled red hair, scruffy bristle on his chin, and a friendly face. There was a badge on his vest, too, with the word "Nickel" written on it.

    The two were a strange pair.

    "Nickel, could you please escort this young man to the Dream Realm History section?"

    The tall librarian glanced at Sunny and gave him a wide smile.

    "Sure. Please, follow me."

    They headed into the depths of the library, leaving Ren behind. A few moments later, Sunny heard the rustle of paper pages coming from behind. The smaller librarian was once again engrossed in the book.

    'Yeah, I should definitely check that novel out. A citizen of the seventh rank should be well-read, right?'

    Nickel led him through the library, asking a few questions to narrow down the search. Soon, they arrived in front of a particular set of shelves, full of books having to do with the Dream Realm and the history of humanity's slow exploration of it.

    The young man helped Sunny select a few, wished him luck, and disappeared as quietly and swiftly as he had appeared. Sunny looked at the spot where Nickel had been just a few moments ago, then slowly shook his head.

    'A librarian�� that guy could have been an assassin, instead.'

    Well�� maybe he was. Come to think about it, working in a library could be a perfect cover for clandestine operators.

    'Maybe I should become a librarian, too��'

    Making sure that no one was watching him, Sunny put his books on a nearby table and walked back to the shelves. There, he stared at a certain book that he had noticed a few minutes ago.

    Its title was simple:

    "The Immortal Flame"

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, and then took the book off the shelf.

    He was pretty sure that the Sovereigns were at least partially responsible for the fall of Neph's clan. If so, there had to be some hints of their identity in the history of the Immortal Flame.

    'This has to be a good place to start looking for some answers�� right?"

 Chapter 367 Fog of Time

    Chapter 367 Fog of Time

    Sunny brought the book back to the table and sat down, looking at the plain cover with a complicated expression.

    Of course, he knew a few things about the Immortal Flame clan. Everybody did, considering how prominent the achievements of its members were �� even though Sunny missed out on receiving a proper education, the legendary figures of Changing Star's father and grandfather had long ago found their way from the pages of history into the popular culture.

    Their names were pretty much synonymous with heroism and the indomitable nature of the human spirit, famously painted with a tinge of tragedy.

    Immortal Flame was the first Awakened to become a Master, and Broken Sword, his son-in-law, was the first Master to become a Saint. Of course, they had not done so alone �� each had a group of powerful companions to share the burden of challenging the Spell. So, a more proper statement would have been that they were the leaders of the first cohorts to conquer the Second and Third Nightmares.

    However, the names of their comrades were not as well known. Sunny was sure that kids learned about them in school, but a street rat like him only had a general impression of who they were. Mostly, he just remembered that some of them would go on to establish the great clans.

    But that was the thing about heroes. Suny had once told Effie that one had to die to become a hero, and that was not a joke. A person could possess renown and respect for achieving something incredible, but it was the act of making the ultimate sacrifice that elevated one to heroic status.

    That's why the Immortal Flame clan was revered much more than the other great clans �� not only because the leaders of those cohorts came from it, but also because it had a tragic end.

    ��Or had it? If Nephis did manage to return to the real world, the fame of her clan would burn bright once again, perhaps even brighter than ever before. The survivors of the Dreamer Army already treated her like a deity...

    With a sudden frown, Sunny awkwardly opened the book and started reading. Accustomed to reading off a screen, he struggled for a bit with the printed text, but then quickly got used to it and engrossed himself in the illustrious history of the famed clan.

    The first part was dedicated to Immortal Flame himself, and although it was interesting, there was not a lot of information there that Sunny could use. He already knew that Neph's grandfather had been among the first wave of people infected by the Nightmare Spell, and that he fought against the Nightmare Creatures during the initial mayhem that followed its appearance.

    Back then, millions of people were suddenly thrust into the First Nightmares and died, resulting in millions of Nightmare Creatures entering the real world. Of course, almost all of them were only of the Dormant rank, but even that turned out to be too much for the armies of the already reeling humanity to handle. Whole nations were destroyed, and for a while, the planet was submerged into absolute chaos.

    It was only thanks to people like Immortal Flame �� who had not earned his True Name yet back then, of course �� that the situation changed. There were those who had survived the First Nightmare, then entered the Dream Realm and carved their path to Gateways. After returning to the real world, they united and fought back against the tide of Nightmare Creatures, eventually establishing a new world order.

    The one that existed to this day.

    'They were tough, tough people.'

    Becoming an Awakened was hard enough even today, with all the accumulated knowledge about the Spell being freely accessible to everyone. Back when it first appeared, people like Immortal Flame didn't know anything. They didn't know what an Aspect was, how many ranks and classes of the Nightmare Creatures were there, what they meant, what the Memories and Echoes were, what a Gateway was...

    Most important of all, they didn't even know if saving humanity was even possible.

    And yet, somehow, they learned and fought back. Sunny couldn't imagine how dark and hellish that time must have been. Truly, they deserved his respect.

    ��But, sadly, they didn't deserve his time. At least not now. He had much more pressing things on his plate, so Sunny just skimmed through the pages describing Immortal Flame's life, his eventual triumph over the Second Nightmare, and heroic death.

    The legendary Master died defending the evacuating cities from the onslaught of terrible creatures that entered the real world through a Category Five Gate. That happened just a year or so before Sunny was born, and had cost humanity an entire continent.

    It was also the event that led to Neph's mother becoming Hollow, although that tragedy was not described in the book in great detail. All that was said about it was that Smile of Heaven died during the disaster while protecting civilians.

    Sunny sighed, then concentrated on reading about Broken Sword.

    Neph's father was not a Legacy by birth. In fact, he came from a very humble background, and rose from absolute obscurity to the very pinnacle of prominence thanks only to his talent and battle genius. He was a pauper who had won the heart of a princess and became the heir of the most venerated clan in human history.

    The narrative of the book framed the history in a way that suggested that Broken Sword had been heartbroken by the death of his wife, and that it was this loss that drove him to rise even higher and challenge the Third Nightmare. Miraculously, Broken Sword succeeded, becoming the first Saint.

    There was no happy end to his story, though. Just a few years later, he perished in the Dream Realm while exploring a region that would later be categorized as a Death Zone.

    The book ended with a long-winded tribute to the two legendary heroes and an explanation of how important their contributions were to the survival and future prosperity of the human race.

    Sunny closed the book and shook his head.

    '...What a load of crap.'

    He might not have been educated, but like most people in the outskirts, Sunny had the instinctive skill of recognizing propaganda and reading between the lines of official statements. And this was what the book was �� an embellished, partially fictional version of events that the government liked to feed to people. The truth was hard to come by.

    There were several things about the supposed history of the Immortal Flame clan that didn't make a lot of sense to Sunny.

    The first one was the circumstances of Smile of Heaven's tragic death. On paper, everything seemed fine, but Sunny knew that she was not, in fact, dead �� not in the traditional sense of the word, at least. She was Hollow.

    But how could she become Hollow? According to the book, at that point in time, Broken Sword had already become a Master. The two of them were partners both in life and in battle, leading their cohort together. That would suggest that Smile of Heaven was a Master, too.

    But Masters traveled to the Dream Realm physically as opposed to in spirit, like Sleepers and Awakened did. There would have been no soulless body left behind if she had died there, so�� how was it possible?

    'The timeline doesn't add up...'

    The second questionable point was Broken Sword's own death. Saints were extremely powerful beings, and killing one was not an easy task. Even when met with an overwhelming foe, a Saint should have been able to at least escape.

    Saints simply did not die unless they had a reason to stand their ground and fight to the last breath. The only creatures that could kill them instantly were too powerful and rare to stumble on one randomly, even when exploring an unknown region of the Dream Realm.

    Would Broken Sword have been so reckless and stubborn, knowing that he had a daughter who needed his care and protection? The legendary swordsman didn't strike Sunny as someone who would allow himself to die easily�� unless some other forces were involved.

    And finally, there were the other members of his cohort.

    Sunny whispered their names:

    "Broken Sword, Smile of Heaven, Asterion, Ki Song, Anvil of the Valor clan."

    Asterion, Ki Song, Anvil of Valor��

    'Aster, Song, Vale?'

 Chapter 368 Aster, Song, Vale

    Chapter 368 Aster, Song, Vale

    Sunny spent several hours reading the book about the history of the Immortal Clan book, and now, finally, he was starting to feel sleepy. Not to the point of needing to use the stimulants provided to him by Master Jet, but enough to make it harder for him to concentrate.

    Rubbing his face, he mentally repeated the names of Broken Sword's companions �� the brilliant warriors who had become the first Saints of the human race.

    'Asterion, Ki Song, Anvil of the Valor clan.'

    Were they the Aster, Song, and Vale?

    While not exactly the same, the names of the members of the legendary cohort were too similar to the three words that Nephis had once told him to never say out loud �� among a couple of others �� to be merely a coincidence.

    'Let's see. What do I really know about all that stuff?'

    Sunny knew that the three words held enough meaning to free Neph from the haze of the Soul Devourer's mind hex, at least partially. She had reacted to them very strongly�� so much so that Sunne had actually been afraid for his life for a bit there.

    She had also asked him a strange question��

    He repeated it mentally, careful to not say anything out loud:

    'Which Domain do you belong to?!'

    Sunny had had no idea what a capital letter Domain was back then, and he didn't know now. But he was, indeed, sure that there was a capital letter there. He also suspected that people who had been trying to kill Nephis for most of her life were connected to these mysterious Domains.

    Which meant that Caster had been, too. From that, it wasn't hard to conclude that Domains and Sovereigns �� who apparently willed the destruction of the Immortal Flame clan �� were tied together, or more likely the same.

    And all of it had something to do with Lineage Memories and the Attributes they bestowed, like [The Fire] Attribute that was described as the lineage of the Sun God.

    Or his own [Blood Weave], which was apparently both incomplete and forbidden.

    Sunny massaged his temples and sighed.

    For a long time, he had no clue about what Aster, Song, and Vale meant. But after meeting Seishan, an adopted daughter of the great clan Song, he began to suspect that they were the names of the three Legacy Clans responsible for the numerous attempts on Neph's life�� and maybe even the deaths of her parents and the downfall of the Immortal Flame clan.

    Not only because of his inherent dislike of Legacies, but also because of how peculiar Changing Star had described her relationship with the Handmaiden:

    'Trusted? Not really�� never, actually.'

    Why would Nephis say that she would never, ever trust Seishan? Maybe it was because Seishan belonged to one of the clans responsible for the undoing of her family. That was a logical assumption.

    ��But now, Sunny saw that, maybe, he was wrong. Maybe Aster, Song, and Vale weren't the names of clans �� maybe, these were the nicknames belonging to three people.

    Asterion, Ki Song, and Anvil of clan Valor.

    They were Broken Sword's companions, and as such, Nephis had to have met them a lot before her father died. Neither Broken Sword himself nor his daughter would have been addressing them by their full names, either. What would she call them?

    Uncle Aster? Auntie Song?

    Sunny looked down, a dark expression appearing on his face.

    If these were really the people that had later sent numerous assassins to hunt down the little girl who trusted them�� then the hatred Nephis had for them would be easy to explain.

    ��It would also be easy to explain how a Saint of Broken Sword's talent and might had died. Maybe... maybe he had been stabbed in the back by the people he trusted the most.

    Even though there was no proof, it all made too much sense. Sunny felt that he was on the right track.

    But how were Asterion, Ki Song, and Anvil of clan Valor connected to the mysterious Sovereigns? Did they serve them, or��

    His eyes widened. A terrible suspicion entered his mind... not, not a suspicion.

    A certainty.

    '...It's them. They are the Sovereigns!'

    The revelation hit him like a hurricane squall, too vast to comprehend all at once. And the key to it was a simple sentence that Nephis had once told him while overwhelmed by intense emotions.

    How did he miss it?

    Back when they had their falling out in a deserted alley of the outer settlement, Neph said:

    '...You think Gunlaug can stop me? You think a Fallen Terror can stop me? Those three ghouls can stop me? No, Sunny. Nothing will stop me. Anyone who dares will die. I'll kill them all.'

    She had listed her enemies! She listed them in the order of magnitude. First Gunlaug, then the Crimson Terror. And then, the Sovereigns.

    Three ghouls.

    Aster, Song, and Vale.

    Just as he was trying to cope with that idea, another frightening realization appeared in Sunny's mind. He shuddered.

    Recalling another thing that Nephis had said, he then mumbled quietly:

    '...No, I won't be the first one to conquer the Fourth Nightmare. I will be the first one to conquer every Nightmare.'

    Back then, he had understood her as wishing to be the first one to beat the Fourth Nightmare, as well as all the rest. But her words could have been interpreted in a different way��

    Among the Awakened, there was a general agreement that the names of the Ranks were not coincidental. Many people thought that the words used by the Spell described the ascent toward godhood�� or the descent into profanity, as far as Nightmare Creatures were concerned. In many ways, these two paths were reflections of each other.

    A person of a third Rank was described as Ascended, since they were rising above their human nature. A creature of the same Rank was called Fallen. This step had to do with ascension, or the opposite of it.

    A person of the fourth Rank was described as Transcendent, since they had transcended the mundane and assumed some qualities of the divine. A creature of the same Rank was called Corrupted. This step had to do with transformation�� it was no coincidence that the Aspect Ability the Saints received was called a Transformation Ability, after all.

    The next step also had a special meaning to it. It represented authority and reign. Be it Supreme or Great, beings of that level were meant to consolidate their power and exert it upon the world. The fifth step of the Class hierarchy was much the same, allowing Nightmare Creatures to create and control armies of lesser minions.

    Such creatures were called Tyrants��

    What would a human who had reached the Supreme Rank be called, then?

    Sunny trembled.

    'A Sovereign��'

    Nephis had not meant that she would not only be the first human to conquer the Fourth Nightmare, but also all the rest. She had meant that she would be first to conquer the Fifth, the Sixth, and the Seventh.

    Because the Fourth Nightmare had already been conquered!

    'Gods...'

    Ki of the great clan Song, Anvil of the great clan Valor, and a person called Asterion had conquered it. And Broken Sword of the Immortal Flame... Broken Sword had been mysteriously killed in the process.

    Aster, Song, and Vale had returned from the Fourth Nightmare wreathed in new authority, while Broken Sword perished. What was a Domain? Possibly the expression of the fifth Aspect Ability they had received, a special one, just like the special Transformation Ability the Saints possessed.

    And, for some reason, they had chosen to keep their accomplishment a secret, instead exerting their influence on humanity from the shadows.

    Wasn't it strange, that their names seemed to practically disappear from the pages of history after Broken Sword died? They, too, were the first to become Saints, after all.

    Not if they had chosen to keep them hidden.

    Wasn't it strange that Caster of Han Li clan seemed so loyal to the mysterious Sovereigns who had ordered him to kill the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan?

    Not if they were the real power behind the great Legacy clans, to which his own lesser clan was beholden.

    Wasn't it hard to believe that there were words that could kill just by becoming known to a person?

    ��Not if those words were the names of the three Supreme rulers that preferred to remain nameless.

    Sunny moaned slightly, then covered his face his hands.

    '...Crap. Crap. Crap! Why did I have to go and get myself involved in all this crap?!'

    He had a feeling that his life had just become much more complicated.

 Chapter 369 Hidden Forces

    Chapter 369 Hidden Forces

    Sunny spent some time staring at the pile of books in front of him with a dark expression. After a while, he sighed heavily.

    So, there were hidden forces out there that exerted influence over the entire human race. The authority was as invisible as it was frightening. And now, he knew their names. The Sovereigns were at least as powerful as the government, or maybe even more so.

    The exact relationship between these two hegemonic powers �� one official, the other secretive �� was not clear, but for now, knowing the full extent of the authority resting in the hands of the Sovereigns was not that important.

    However, it was important to know that the world was not at all as he had imagined. It was much more dangerous.

    Why?

    Because if there was one thing that all wielders of authority shared, it was the animosity toward others encroaching on their power. That was just human nature �� among the strong, only one entity could be the strongest. And so, that entity was always apprehensive of others growing stronger.

    Bosses of criminal gangs in the outskirts were always paranoid of their lieutenants usurping them, and tended to violently get rid of those who were too successful. In the Dark City, Gunlaug reigned with an iron fist, destroying anyone who dared to be strong without submitting to his rule.

    And Sovereigns would be much the same.

    Since Sunny was already powerful beyond reason, for a person of his age at least, and had an even more frightening potential, the Sovereigns would never allow him to exist outside their control.

    Luckily, they did not know the true extent of his strength yet.

    But since his main goal was to become stronger �� as strong as he possibly could, as fast as he possibly could, to not fall behind Nephis �� that�� was going to be a problem.

    Suddenly, some things about the Awakened society became more clear.

    A long time ago, Sunny had learned that Master Jet had no chance of ever becoming a Saint. Apparently, one had to have a team of outstanding companions and a lot of support to attempt conquering the Third Nightmare, and she lacked both due to her "problematic personality".

    Would Sovereigns allow someone outside their grasp to become a Saint? Most resources and knowledge about the Dream Realm belonged to the Legacy clans, especially when it came to anything having to do with higher Ranks. And the clans were controlled by the Sovereigns�� which basically meant that they could prevent anyone from becoming a Saint simply by refusing their support.

    How many talented Masters like Jet were being suppressed from growing more powerful because they didn't serve one of the Supremes? There were a couple of Saints serving the government, at least. Whom were they really loyal to?

    'Hate it�� I hate it so much��'

    Of course, Sunny knew that all of this was just his conjecture. And yet, one thing was certain: the choice presented to him by Master Jet was not as straightforward as he had thought.

    In truth, he wasn't deciding between the great clans, the lesser clans, the government, and independence. He was deciding between entering into the service to the Sovereigns or refusing it.

    And that choice was strained even further by his connection to Changing Star.

    '...Damnation!'

    With a sigh, Sunny stared at the bookshelves surrounding him, and then stood up. He had to get a few more books to read��

    Many hours later, he tiredly put the last one away and rubbed his face.

    Now that he had absorbed a lot of knowledge about the current geography and situation of the Dream Realm, a seed of a plan began to form in his mind. However, he still needed more information. He wouldn't be able to find it here, however.

    For that, he would have to visit an old acquaintance.

    One thing he did find, nevertheless, was a bit more information about the Sovereigns.

    Asterion, Ki Song, and Anvil of Valor.

    The last one was possibly the most renowned. An heir of the great clan, he was mentioned many times in the texts describing the human expansion into the northern territories of the Dream Realm, as well as the history of Bastion �� one of the three central human Citadels in the Dream Realm. In fact, he had apparently been responsible for slaying the titan whose remains were then used to create the chair Sunny was currently sitting on.

    'Strong...'

    Later, though, the traces of Saint Anvil disappeared. There was no mention of his death, but the reigns of clan Valor were now in the hands of his cousins�� at least officially.

    Ki Song was only slightly less famous. Unlike Anvil of Vale, she had come from one of the lesser Legacy clans, and it was by her hand that it was elevated to the status of a great one. The stronghold of clan Song, Ravenheart, was the second major human settlement in the Dream Realm. Its sphere of influence was separated from the other two territories by especially dreadful regions. The border with the Valor clan was especially deadly, but also rather thin.

    From what Sunny was able to learn, Ki Song was still the ruler of her clan, although she rarely appeared in public. She was known as a benevolent and charitable person, but that was pretty much all the information he could find. It seemed that it was her adoptive daughters who mostly acted on her behalf. Seishan was one of them, although she was trapped on the Forgotten Shore for too long to be mentioned anywhere.

    And lastly, there was a man named Asterion�� he was the most mysterious of the three. No one seemed to know where he came from and where he went after the Broken Sword's cohort was disbanded. In fact, there was barely any mention of him at all.

    Asterion was not connected to the third great Legacy clan, at least from the looks of it. Or any lesser clan, for that matter. Sunny couldn't even find out when and where he had been born, let alone if he was still alive.

    Even in the texts describing the deeds of Broken Sword and his companions, the name Asterion was only mentioned in passing, as though he had never made any important contributions.

    Sunny shook his head and scowled.

    'Let me guess�� he's the most terrifying of the three.'

    That was an easy conclusion to make, because�� it took one to know one. Sunny himself was barely mentioned and tended to hide his contributions.

    'Ugh, my head hurts��'

    The worst part was that this was only half of all the research he had to do. He had learned enough about the human position in the Dream Realm and the Sovereigns.

    Now, he had to learn as much as he could about the gods, the daemons, and the Unknown.

    ��It was time to pay Teacher Julius a visit.

    Of course, Sunny couldn't visit his old instructor with empty hands.

    Pushing the books aside, he activated the terminal embedded into the table, lingered for a few moments, and then typed:

    "...All of the Forgotten Shore is separated into three parts, one of which��"

 Chapter 370 Exploration Report

    Chapter 370 Exploration Report

    It took Sunny the rest of the night to compile all of the information he had gathered about the Forgotten Shore into a succinct, comprehensive report. Knowing how passionate Teacher Julius was about researching the Dream Realm, Sunny tried not to miss any important detail.

    He had described the geography and environment of the region to the best of his ability, including all the notable landmarks he visited or heard about, as well as the peculiar nature of the dark sea and the Labyrinth. He also described most of the Nightmare Creatures he had seen, met, or fought, writing down everything he knew about their powers, behavior, and weaknesses, writing through the lens of his own experience where he could.

    When possible, he included the information received directly from the Spell, complete with the descriptions of Memories and Echoes he knew about. Of course, he provided those texts both in the human tongue and in the runic language.

    Lastly, he had written down the results of his exploration and studies into the history of the Forgotten Shore, describing in detail every engraving, every mosaic, and every mural he had seen. He also added his theories about what had happened to the ancient civilization, as well as his observations on how the ancient people of the Forgotten Shore had lived before the fall.

    ��Of course, there were things that he had kept to himself.

    Sunny omitted anything having to do with the nest of the Vile Thieving Bird, the Weaver, and the underground chamber beneath the ruined cathedral. He did not mention the Stone Saint, firstly because he wanted to keep her existence a secret, and secondly because she was connected to the Unknown. He also avoided mentioning his battle against the coral golems and the banishment of the cursed sea, as well as the eventual fate of the Crimson Terror and the destruction of both the artificial sun and the Spire itself.

    As far as everyone was concerned, Sunny had left through the Gateway with the rest of the Dreamers. No one had paid attention to his whereabouts in those last minutes, and he wanted to keep it that way. Well�� no one except for Effie and Cassie, but he was reasonably sure that they would be discrete about certain things.

    And even if they failed to keep their lips sealed, Sunny had ways to explain his actions without revealing the truth.

    Finishing the report, Sunny leaned tiredly on the back of his chair and glanced at the screen. There, a long title was shown:

    "Exploration Report on the Forgotten Shore, by: Awakened Sunless"

    'I think that's good enough.'

    Sunny had no idea how to write an academic paper�� or a proper field report, for that matter. So he had written and structured this document in a way that would have been the most helpful for his younger self a year ago, when he had entered the Forgotten Shore without knowing anything about it.

    A manual such as this would have made so many things easier.

    With a sigh, Sunny sent the report to his communicator, then turned off the terminal and stood up.

    Stretching his tired body, he swayed a little and yawned. It was already two days since his return to the real world, so the fatigue was slowly accumulating. Soon, he would have to start using the stimulants provided to him by Master Jet�� but that moment had not come yet.

    Sunny walked away from the table, then hesitated a little and came back. Picking up several books from the orderly pile, he returned them to the proper shelves.

    After every book was back to its intended place, he nodded with satisfaction and finally left the library.

    'What a fascinating place. I like it there��'

    Looking back at the unassuming building, Sunny breathed in the cold winter air and remembered the description of Weaver's Mask:

    'Weaver believed that knowledge was the origin of power, and so always hid behind numerous lies��'

    What would the Demon of Fate think about this place? It was, after all, a palace of knowledge.

    Sunny remembered the deceptive pages that presented a washed, polished version of history and smiled.

    'Yeah�� but it is also a palace of lies...'

    ***

    It was weird returning to the Sleeper compound. The low, fortified building was much like he remembered, only weighed down by more snow. Sunny had not spent a lot of time here, but those days before the winter solstice were some of the most memorable in his life.

    So much excitement, so much dread��

    Who knew that he would not see it again for more than a year?

    Entering the familiar hall, he looked around, half-expecting to see a crowd of nervous Sleepers. But, of course, there was no one around �� everyone had already left for their first venture into the Dream Realm, and it was too early for the next year's Dreamers to arrive.

    Walking through the empty halls, he found his way to the lower levels of the compound and approached the Wilderness Survival classroom, which also served as Teacher Julius's office. Opening the door, he saw the spacious and tastefully decorated room where he had spent most of his short stay at the Academy. Suddenly, Sunny was overwhelmed by a wave of nostalgia.

    '...Are you crazy? You're too young to be nostalgic about the good old days!'

    His mentor was not at his usual place, sitting behind the wide wooden desk. Instead, the old man was standing in front of a glass case, studying the skull of a ferocious creature stored inside and taking notes.

    He hadn't changed at all. Teacher Julius was still old, with messy grey hair, absentminded eyes, and a pair of bushy eyebrows that seemed to have a life of their own. His posture and expression were full of quiet melancholy.

    ��However, as soon as he heard someone entering the classroom, his face changed, becoming lively and curious once again.

    Turning around, the old man stared at the visitor with confusion. Then, his face suddenly lit up with a bright, infectious smile.

    "Sunny, my boy!"

 Chapter 371 Academic Achievement

    Chapter 371 Academic Achievement

    Teacher Julius was just the same, but Sunny's perception of him had changed. Not only because of how instrumental the things he had learned from the old instructor turned out to be for his survival, but also because of the history books he had just read.

    'How old is Teacher Julius, anyway?'

    Sunny had never thought about it, but after learning more about Immortal Flame and the first generation of the Awakened, he couldn't help but see his mentor in a new light. Teacher Julius must have been if not of the same age as those legendary figures, then at least of the same generation. Those people had lived through much darker, much more violent times.

    They had survived the end of the world, and built a new one from the ruins.

    "...Sunny, my boy!"

    Before Sunny could react properly, he was subjected to a passionate hug. Then, Teacher Julius unceremoniously pushed him to the nearest chair.

    "Finally, you're back! I never doubted that you would return, not even for a moment. No student of mine would allow himself to die easily, you know! Wait, what am I talking about�� of course, you know. You're one of my students yourself, after all!"

    Sunny couldn't help but smile while listening to the excitement in the old man's voice. Before coming here, he was slightly worried that Teacher Julius would not even remember him.

    Despite the fact that his course was not the most popular at the Academy, the eccentric instructor must have mentored thousands of Sleepers throughout his career. What was one more?

    But, luckily, Sunny had been wrong.

    "But, my boy�� a whole year! Did you like it in the Dream Realm so much that you didn't want to return? Did you not think that your old teacher would be worried sick? In the name of the gods, what happened?"

    Sunny hesitated a little, then said apologetically:

    "Well, Teacher Julius�� you see�� I ended up in an unexplored region of the Dream Realm. And the only Gateway there was guarded by a Fallen Terror��"

    The old man blinked.

    "Heavens! How horrible. So what did you do?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Uh, well. In short... I met two beautiful girls, escorted them to an ancient castle, spent a few months exploring a cursed city, went on a long and arduous quest to find a magic crown, killed a devil, helped a princess become a queen, participated in a war or two, climbed and evil tower, and finally ended up near the Gateway. Basically�� I survived. Just how you taught me to."

    Teacher Julius listened to him very carefully, then nodded a few times

    "Great! You did great! Just as expected from one of my students. But, Sunny��"

    The old man's eyes suddenly shone brightly, full of excitement.

    "Did you say�� did you say something about an unexplored region?"

    Sunny smiled, then activated his communicator.

    "I did. In fact, I have compiled a lengthy report about things I have seen, fought, and discovered there. Would you like to take a look? I can send it to you."

    Teacher Julius looked down with embarrassment.

    "A report? Oh, you shouldn't have�� you must be so terribly busy right now��"

    However, even while he was saying that, the old man was already opening the file. As soon as he started reading, his eyes widened, and a delighted smile appeared on his face.

    "...brilliant! This is brilliant! Wait, what's that�� you even remembered to include citations in the original runic? That's my boy! Marvelous! Huh�� well-preserved ruins? A whole city?! Is there a�� there is! Oh, my!"

    ***

    It took Teacher Julius some time to skim through the report. Throughout the whole process, he continued to mumble under his nose in an increasingly excited tone. Some remarks Sunny understand, while some went completely over his head.

    Like: "Greystone architecture... possible connections to the Third Wandering Archon?". Or: "Which era of the Babel Script would that correspond to?". Or: "Rats! That'll show that smug bastard Sando how wrong his Universal Origin of Rituals ramblings were!".

    The old man's eyes gradually grew wider and wider.

    Finally, he deactivated his communicator a looked at Sunny with an expression of profound exhilaration.

    "You've... done exceptionally well, Sunny. Of course, your report is rough around the edges and needs a lot of work to be published, but this�� this is going to make so many people happy! I can name at least a dozen theories that can be expanded, confirmed, or refuted thanks to all the new data you provided. And that's just off the top of my head! Not to mention all the good that will come from the detailed descriptions of so many new types of Nightmare Creatures you included."

    Teacher Julius smiled proudly:

    "You truly have a heart of an explorer, my boy! Very few people do, and out of those, even less have a keen mind such as yours. Not to mention the ability to venture into the deadly expanse of the Dream Realm and not only come back alive, but also remember to look at more than just what's in front of them. But it is thanks to such people that we can deepen out knowledge of the Spell."

    He sighed.

    "Most of the Awakened only know how to hack and slash. They tend to look at us with very little regard, but it is only because of us that they know how to hack and where to slash. Luckily, there are few bright minds here and there."

    Sunny stared at his mentor with a bit of surprise. He had not expected such a intense reaction. He just wrote down his findings about the Forgotten Shore to please the old man, considering they shared a hobby.

    "Uh�� I'm sorry? Published? What do you mean by that, exactly?"

    Teacher Julius glanced at him with a humorous spark in his eyes.

    "Oh, don't worry. This old man is not going to rob his own student of the reward. I'll help you bring this paper to a proper state free of charge. I don't even need to be put down as a coathor, although it would make me happy if you did. What do I need money for? I have more money than I could ever spend already��"

    Sunny tilted his head, then blinked a couple of times. His heart was suddenly grasped by burning emotions.

    "Excuse me, Teacher Julius. But. Did you�� did you say something about money?"

    The old man stared at him with confusion.

    "Yes, I did. Isn't it why you have compiled this marvelous report? To receive the contribution points from the government?"

    Sunny lingered for a bit, then slowly shook his head.

    "No? I, uh�� I just though you would like to read it? I don't even know what these contribution points you mentioned are."

    Teacher Julius looked at him for a while, then burst out laughing.

    "Oh, oh my. What a good student I have! Ah, you really delighted me today, Sunny. Such pure dedication to the noble calling of an explorer! I wish more people were as selfless as you��"

    'Selfless?! What do you mean selfless?! There's not a single selfless bone in my body�� is there really money to be made from my stupid report?!'

    The old man shook his head and said:

    "The government rewards those who enrich the base of knowledge we have about the Spell, the Dream Realm, and the Nightmare Creatures quite generously. The more rare and more vital the information you submit is, the more contribution points you receive. These points can then be exchange for a variety of useful things, or simply turned into credits. Considering that no one has ever explored the Forgotten Shore before, and how comprehensive your report is�� I'd say you'll receive a pretty sizable sum. You really didn't know this?"

    Sunny slowly shook his head.

    "How... how sizable are we talking? Like if I want to rent an apartment�� no, a house! If I want to rent a house in an area of the city with clean air, how many weeks would this reward buy?"

    Teacher Julius gave him a strange look.

    "Rent a house? What a strange example. Sunny, with how unique the data you contributed is, you don't need to rent a house. Wouldn't it be easier to just buy one? Uh, Sunny?!"

    Sunny couldn't respond immediately, though.

    He was in the process of falling out of his chair.

 Chapter 372 Names of the Gods

    Chapter 372 Names of the Gods

    After a while, he regained enough composure to continue the conversation.

    Sunny and Teacher Julius chatted for a while, discussing the exact process of publishing the report, what changes would have to be made, and how they would work together to bring the project to fruition.

    All of it, of course, was going to have to happen only after Sunny had settled in the Dream Realm and found a Citadel to anchor himself to. Right now, he did not exactly have time to work on an academic paper.

    Teacher Julius also shared some of his knowledge about the human settlements in the Dream Realm and his views on how to decide on a proper Citadel. All his advice, however, could be described in one sentence:

    "Find one with good plumbing."

    Sunny wasn't sure what to make of it, but judging by the pained expression on the old man's face, it was indeed an important factor.

    Finally, he managed to turn the conversation toward the things he really wanted to learn about.

    "Speaking of that�� I am really unclear on one thing. While exploring the Dark City, I found a few places of worship. However, the deities they worshipped seemed to be different from the ones I heard about in my First Nightmare. Did the native humans of the Dream Realm all have different gods?"

    Teacher Julius looked at him and smiled.

    "Ah! The gods. That is an interesting subject indeed."

    He thought for a few moments, then said:

    "Yes and no. The gods worshipped in different regions had different names, but from what we can tell, those names all described the same entities. The current consensus is that the "gods" of the Dream Realm were, in fact, actual beings, perhaps creatures of the Divine rank."

    Sunny nodded.

    "Really? Then�� where are they now?"

    The old man sighed.

    "That is the strange thing about the gods. They are dead, just like everything else in the Dream Realm is dead. They seem to have been alive in the time periods of many of the Nightmares, but the ruins we have encountered and explored mostly describe them as being destroyed�� by what or whom, we do not know. We also don't know if they existed before or after the Nightmare Spell itself appeared."

    He lingered for a bit, then added.

    "But we do know a few things about the gods. For example, how many of them there were��"

    Sunny smiled.

    "Let me guess�� seven?"

    Teacher Julius chuckled.

    "You would think that, right? But no, there were only six gods. Their most common names were Sun, War, Beast, Storm, Heart, and Shadow. Although those names don't do them justice, truth be told"

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "Really? How so?

    His mentor rubbed his chin, then said doubtfully.

    "Well, a god is too vast of a being to be described with one word. Take the Goddess of War�� oh, yes, their gender seems to be very mercurial�� the War God is supposed to be the deity of warfare, and in a sense, he �� or she �� is. But he is also the god of life."

    'Uh�� what?'

    "How does it make any sense?"

    The old man smiled.

    "War is synonymous with struggle, and what is life if not a constant struggle for survival? So the Goddess of War can also be called the Goddess of Life. She is also the goddess of progress, technology, craft, intellect, and through all of this, the patron goddess of humanity."

    Teacher Julius got engrossed in his favorite field and went on a small tangent:

    "Or take the Beast God. He is also often described as the Goddess of the Moon, as well as hunting, carnal desire, blood, beauty, and the cycle of birth and death. The Sun God is also the Lord of Light, a manifestation of fire, passion, creation, and destruction. The Storm God is also the god of the depths, of the oceans, of darkness, stars, travel, guidance, and disaster. And so on��"

    Sunny coughed.

    "Uh�� what about Shadow God?"

    The eccentric instructor shrugged:

    "Uh�� I'm not too familiar with that one. As far as gods go, Shadow is not very prominent. Well, as a shadow should be, I guess. He is sometimes called the god of peace, death, solace, and mysteries. That's about it, I think."

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then asked carefully:

    "I see. Hard to imagine that only six entities were responsible for all that. Were there perhaps any other divine beings?"

    Teacher Julius thought for a few moments, then shrugged.

    "There certainly were many beings that were either partially divine, or even almost as powerful as the gods themselves. We don't know much about them, though. Take daemons, for example��"

    Sunny held his breath.

    "Daemons were such mysterious creatures! They were described as having power almost equal to that of the gods, but of a different nature. They also seemed to have created themselves, or at least appeared out of nowhere. Almost nothing is known about them, except for the fact that there were seven of them... one more terrible than the other."

    He raised an eyebrow.

    "Terrible? Why were they terrible?"

    The old man smiled:

    "What can be more terrifying than a creature that came out of nowhere, wielding enough power to wage war against the heavens? Don't forget that what humans fear the most is the unknown. Perhaps the gods were much the same."

    Sunny hesitated for a long time, then finally asked:

    "Teacher Julius... have you ever heard about the Unknown?"

    His mentor gave him a weird look, then laughed.

    "What kind of a question is that? Haven't I dedicated my whole life to exploring the unknown? I think the lack of sleep is getting to you, my boy. Come, I have wasted enough of your time. A newly Awakened like you should be running around, trying to find patronage or ingratiate themselves to a welcoming clan. I'll recommend you several books on the gods and divinty, to read once you have settled out there in the Dream Realm..."

    Sunny smiled weakly, realizing that Teacher Julius did not know anything about the Weaver, the reasons for why the gods were dead, and the Unknown.

    Strangely, he felt relieved.

 Chapter 373 Reunited

    Chapter 373 Reunited

    Leaving the Sleeper Compound, Sunny felt as though even the winter cold could not keep him from feeling sleepy anymore. Wondering what time it was, he looked up out of habit and glanced at the sun.

    The sun was all wrong.

    Suddenly, Sunny was wide awake, his hand instinctively outstretched to summon the Midnight Shard. It took him a few moments to recognize his error.

    'Oh. The sun is normal. It's just not the same as on the Forgotten Shore.'

    He also didn't have to measure time by observing the sky anymore. He had a communicator that could show him what time of day it was, up to the exact nanosecond.

    Shaking his head, Sunny headed back toward the hospital complex. He was late for a�� a memorial. Of sorts.

    The survivors of the Dreamer Army were supposed to gather today to celebrate those who remained alive and remember those who had fallen.

    Entering the medical center, he headed toward the conference hall, but then lingered for a moment in front of a monitor attached to the wall. There, a hundred names were shown, listing everyone who had made it back.

    And on the very top of it, there were three very special ones:

    "Raised by Wolves"

    "Nightingale"

    "Song of the Fallen"

    Effie, Kai, and Cassie��

    Sunny stared at the three True Names for some time, then slowly lowered his gaze. Right beneath was his own name.

    With a grim expression on his face, Sunny opened the doors and entered the hall.

    The former Sleepers of the Forgotten Shore were all there, at least those who had awoken at the Academy or could make it there for the memorial. He looked around the crowd, searching for familiar faces.

    It was strange to see all these people back in the real world. Especially without Nephis.

    Now that they were out of danger and had lost their leader, there wasn't a lot to keep them together, and so much to split them apart. Before, they were united by necessity and the irresistible will of Changing Star. Now, nothing remained to prevent the old grievances from pulling them apart��

    And yet, the hundred survivors seemed strangely united. Perhaps it was the shared trauma of their harrowing experience in the Dream Realm, or something else that Sunny couldn't quite understand, but there was no division between them. On the contrary, every Awakened gathered in the hall seemed to share an invisible bond with all the others.

    '...Weird.'

    Many people welcomed his arrival with warm greetings. Sunny smiled awkwardly and did his best to reciprocate their goodwill. After a few such encounters, he finally noticed Kai at the back of the crowd.

    Sunny stumbled and stared at his friend for a couple of seconds.

    'I'll be damned��'

    How could that guy become even more gorgeous?

    The Awakening made Kai's slender figure even more graceful, his perfect face even more handsome, and his electric green eyes even more mesmerizing. His luscious dark auburn hair was now neatly cut and styled, his clothes were simple and exquisitely fashionable, and the several pieces of jewelry he wore somehow managed to enhance every one of those features by bringing it just the right amount of attention.

    'Such�� such injustice!'

    With a resentful sigh, Sunny made his way through the crowd and approached his friend. Kai noticed him from afar, and then, the conference hall suddenly seemed to become much brighter due to his brilliant smile.

    "Sunny! You are finally here!"

    Sunny wanted to answer, but then froze for a second, noticing a stranger next to the charming young man. A sickly, terribly gaunt young woman was sitting in a wheelchair, staring at them with a tired expression.

    There was clearly something defective about her body. She was unhealthily thin, with pale skin stretching over brittle bones and a strange twist to her spine. Her legs seemed lifeless and weak, tucked awkwardly on the step of her wheelchair. Her neck was clearly struggling to support the weight of her head.

    ��It was only when the young woman smiled mischievously did he finally recognize her.

    "What's the matter, doofus? You've been struck dumb by my beauty?"

    With a giggle, Effie spun her wheelchair, as though giving him the chance to take a good look.

    'Effie�� that's... that's Effie?'

    Sunny stared at her for a couple of moments, trying to connect the image of the mighty huntress he knew �� tall, strong, beautiful, and full of vigor �� to this weak, gaunt young woman. He only spoke when the pain of the Flaw pierced his mind:

    "Not really. What�� what the hell happened to you?"

    Effie smiled and shrugged.

    "Nothing. That's how I've always been, in the real world."

    Something moved in Sunny's memory. He remembered how the two of them sat on the support beam of the ruined cathedral, talking in whispers.

    '...for some of us, the real world was more of a hell than the Dream Realm.'

    That was what Effie had said, back then.

    Noticing the strange expression on his face, she grinned.

    "Ah, don't worry about it. At least now that I'm Awakened, I can move my hands. Look at this��"

    She grabbed the handles of the wheels, then balanced her chair at an angle and spun it around again.

    "See? Ain't that the coolest thing you've ever seen?"

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then said quietly:

    "...Yes. One of the coolest, by far."

    Effie gave him a smile, then glanced at Kai:

    "See, Night? Your celebrity aura got nothing on my burning charisma."

    The young man looked at her, but didn't say anything. Instead, he suddenly took a step forward and gave Sunny a big hug.

    "Sunny! Thank gods you're alive!"

    Sunny squirmed a little, but then surrendered to being embraced. With a resigned expression, he endured for as long as he could and then said through gritted teeth:

    "Why shouldn't I be alive, fool? I wasn't the one whose unconscious, lanky body had to be dragged all the way to the Gateway!"

    Kai squeezed him even tighter, then finally released his hold on him. Taking a step back, the charming young man hesitated for a couple of seconds and sighed.

    "Still. With your luck, I am surprised that the whole Spire didn't just fall on your head."

    Sunny froze, then forced out a smile.

    "Yeah. That�� would have been terrible, wouldn't it��"

 Chapter 374 Dinner with Friends

    Chapter 374 Dinner with Friends

    Soon, several instructors appeared. In a solemn and sonorous atmosphere, each of them gave a small speech, congratulating the survivors of the Dreamer Army on overcoming the immeasurable hardships and returning to the real world alive. They also spoke about those who had fallen, and offered words of solace, saying that their sacrifice would not be forgotten by mankind.

    After all, mankind only continued to exist because of young men and women like them.

    To Sunny, those words rang hollow and empty, but they affected many people in the crowd. He saw a few people crying, the others trying to keep a brave face. Everyone had lost a friend, a companion, or a loved one during the tumultuous last days on the Forgotten Shore.

    Finally, Instructor Rock took the stage and spoke in length about the meaning of being an Awakened, their duty to safeguard humanity, and what they should do and expect in the next few days. However, at some point, he was interrupted.

    "Lady Nephis! Tell us what happened to her!"

    A hum of voices rose above the crowd, everyone joining in that plea. Instructor Rock sighed.

    "Calm down, Awakened. I'll tell you everything we know."

    The survivors of the Dreamer Army grew silent, staring at him with piercing intensity.

    The mighty man hesitated for a few seconds, then said:

    "As all of you know by now, the Gateway of the Forgotten Shore seemed to have been destroyed. Changing Star, who took it upon herself to distract the Fallen Terror to allow her people to escape, did not make it through in time."

    A heavy, tortured tension hung in the air. The young men and women gathered in the hall kept silent, but their faces betrayed the storm of painful emotions raging in their hearts.

    Instructor Rock continued.

    "However, she is still alive out there, in the Dream Realm. Her vital signs and brain activity readings are all stable. It seems that Lady Nephis managed to escape the Terror, at least."

    He didn't need to say the rest. Everyone understood what it meant: she was trapped in the Dream Realm, with no way to come back.

    Sunny glanced at the newly Awakened around him, wondering what their reaction would be. Guilt? Sorrow? Fury?

    However, he was surprised by what he saw.

    A few moments later, a voice resounded from the crowd, full of adamant belief:

    "She will return! If anything can do it, it's Lady Nephis!"

    A wave of voices then joined that first one, all expressing their agreement.

    "That's right! She is Changing Star of the Immortal Flame! She won't die!"

    "Who says that she escaped from the Terror? I bet that Lady Nephis is currently roasting its meat, looking at a map and thinking where to find another Gateway!"

    "Exactly! Immortal Flame cannot be extinguished!"

    There was no guilt, sorrow, or furry. Only hope.

    Only faith.

    Uncomfortable, Sunny turned to Effie and Kai. Both seemed to be a little bit sad, but strangely calm.

    "What, uh... what do you guys think?"

    Effie hesitated for a few seconds, then shrugged.

    "I sort of agree. If anyone can make it out alive from there, it's Princess. It sounds impossible, but�� I mean, it's her. You know how she is."

    Kai remained silent for a bit, then nodded.

    "That's what I believe, too. Or�� or at least try to believe."

    Saying those words, he looked around with concern and said:

    "But Cassie must be devastated. Have you seen her?"

    Sunny stared at him grimly, then turned away.

    "...I did earlier. She is."

    Strangely, today the blind girl was nowhere to be found. To his relief.

    Kai sighed, then rubbed his face.

    "Ah, I really want to sleep. It's tough, staying awake for that long. What about you, guys?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "I'm fine for now. I also have a pack of military-grade stimulants to keep me awake for a few more days."

    Effie glanced at them and grinned.

    "I am not sleepy at all. However�� to be honest�� I am dying from hunger. There has to be food here somewhere, right?"

    ***

    Some time later, they were in the cafeteria of the hospital complex. Sunny and Kai were already done with their dinner, and observed with dark fascination as Effie was finishing her fourth serving. There was a small mountain of empty plates in front of her.

    Finally, the huntress was done with the food and leaned back tiredly in her wheelchair, full of satisfaction.

    "Ah! That's life. Sunny, go bring me something to drink."

    He stared at her with a dark expression and asked:

    "...I already brought you the last three trays. Why don't you ask Kai?"

    Effie grinned.

    "Aren't you the youngest? Respect your elders, brat! Also, Kai and I are bigshots now. Way out of your league. Why would I ask a valiant True Name Awakened to serve me food when there's a nameless gremlin like you loitering around?"

    Sunny gritted his teeth, then obediently stood up and went to bring the young woman a few drinks. When he returned, Kai looked at him apologetically.

    "Sorry about that, Sunny. Actually, I am really surprised that you didn't receive a True Name as well. No one deserves it more than you, in my opinion. Really."

    Sunny shifted uncomfortably and said:

    "Yeah, well�� you're not wrong! I do deserve a True Name, don't I? What a travesty."

    Effie giggled.

    "Hey, Night. What do you think Sunny's True Name would be?"

    Kai blinked a couple of times, though for a bit, then said with a smile:

    "I'm not sure. Something like�� Famous Last Words?"

    He chuckled lightly, and then added:

    "Or "No Really, That Happened"! What about you, Effie? What do you think?"

    Effie glanced at Sunny, then smiled with mischief.

    "...Looks Good in a Dress."

    He stared at her with murder in his eyes.

    "Hey!"

    While the gaunt young woman was laughing, Sunny turned to Kai and frowned.

    "Speaking of True Names. Effie I can understand, but�� Nightingale? You were really named just like your band? What's up with that?"

    Then, he looked at the charming archer with suspicion and said in a grave tone:

    "Kai, tell me honestly�� the Spell�� is also one of your fangirls, right?"

    His friend choked on his drink, then wiped his face awkwardly and gave Sunny a reproachful look. Finally, he looked down and sighed.

    "Uh�� if it is, then not in a good way. At best, it's a sasaeng��"

 Chapter 375 Separate Paths

    Chapter 375 Separate Paths

    Sunny smiled and leaned back on his chair, then looked at his friends with curiosity.

    There was a question he really wanted to ask, but tried not to up until now.

    "...What's your second Ability, anyway?"

    His words hung in the air for a few moments. Suddenly, Kai coughed with embarrassment and looked away. After a couple of seconds, he said in a strange tone:

    "I, uh�� can see really far now, when I want to. Even when there's no light. I am also supposed to be able to see through illusions and all forms of obfuscation, whatever that means. And�� uh�� I can also see through objects.

    Sunny and Effie stared at him and asked almost simultaneously:

    "Like, through walls?"

    "Like, through clothes?"

    Kai hid behind his glass, lingered for a bit, and then answered in a small voice:

    "...Yes. But I would never!"

    While Sunny tried to imagine why would Kai refuse to look through walls, Effie laughed out loud.

    "I see, I see. What a great Ability!"

    She shook her head, then turned to Sunny and asked:

    "Hey, doofus. I bet you often wanted to stab me with something sharp. Wanna try?"

    He frowned in confusion, then raised an eyebrow.

    "No. Why would I stab you?"

    Effie looked at him with expectation clearly written on her face, then sighed in disappointment when he didn't move.

    "Ah, that's a shame. I wanted to demonstrate my second Ability to you. Basically, it makes my whole body invulnerable. Well�� comparatively, of course. Skin of steel, that sort of deal. A very sweet comprehensive defense boost, if I do say so myself!"

    Sunny blinked and looked at the gaunt young woman with a bit of awe. Indeed, that was a very powerful Ability. Combined with Effie's previous one, it turned her into an exceedingly formidable presence on the battlefield. As if she had not been a real menace already��

    Effie glanced at him and asked curiously:

    "Well, what about you?"

    He shifted slightly.

    "A very neat type of conditional short-distance teleportation. Kai can see through walls, I can go through walls�� while you can just plow through them, I guess. In your usual barbarous fashion��"

    Effie grinned.

    "Plowing, huh? Interesting choice of words. I wonder if��"

    Sunny hurriedly changed the subject.

    "So, uh�� what are your plans, guys? What Citadels are you going to?"

    His sudden question changed the mood of the conversation. For a while, a strange silence settled among them. All three had contemplative, wistful expressions on their faces.

    This situation was inevitable, really, but they tried to avoid the discussion for as long as possible. Mostly because it was both slightly awkward and slightly sad. Back on the Forgotten Shore, the three of them had forged a bond, and now, depending on their choices, that bond would most likely either weaken or break. The future was going to lead each on their own path, perhaps in opposite directions.

    For better or worse, they were about to go their separate ways. Perhaps fate would bring them together again, one day... or perhaps not.

    After a while, Effie sighed.

    "I don't know, really. I have received invitations from both clan Valor and clan Song, but�� you know me. I don't do well with authority. Plus, none of them have moved a finger to help me when I really needed it. Only now that I am a hot commodity are they all suddenly kind and friendly. Rubs me the wrong way, to be honest."

    She looked at her wheelchair, then slumped in it tiredly.

    "Anyway�� I might take them up on the offer, or I might not. It depends on what the fastest way to get ready for the Second Nightmare would be. Maybe I'll have a better chance of becoming a Master soon if I stay independent and don't have to compete against the actual heirs for resources and attention."

    After the Second Nightmare, one's spiritual body became their physical body. Reaching the rank of a Master would free Effie from her terrible disability, so Sunny understood her motivation perfectly.

    Now he knew why she had said that for her, striving to conquer the Second Nightmare was the only way.

    ...Funnily enough, through no wish of his own, Sunny had ended up in a similar situation.

    Kai remained silent for a few moments. Then, he too sighed.

    "As for me�� my agency has secured me a very good position in Bastion. So I'll be going there soon. I won't have to fight another Nightmare Creature for a long, long time. I guess. Maybe even never."

    For someone who was speaking about being safe and comfortable for the rest of his life, he didn't sound too happy. There was a note of reluctance in his voice. Even�� shame.

    Sunny frowned.

    "You drop that tone immediately, Kai. There's nothing wrong with living like a person should, not having to worry about being eaten every goddamn day. Don't even think about feeling bad about it. Got it?"

    The charming young man smiled sadly and nodded.

    "I do. Please forgive my ungratefulness. But what about you, Sunny?"

    Sunny scratched the back of his head, then shrugged.

    "Well�� I am rich now. You won't believe it, guys, but as it turns out, scribbling a few words about the things you see in the Dream Realm can actually earn you money. And! I think I can weasel my way into receiving a salary from the Academy as a research assistant, whatever that means. So, uh�� actually, I haven't decided on a particular Citadel yet. But I can pick pretty much any of them, since the government is being very friendly."

    Both Effie and Kai stared at him with incredulous expressions, clearly trying to imagine Sunny as an academic, or even an Instructor. Then, both shook their head simultaneously.

    "Can't imagine."

    "Yeah, sound wrong."

    "About the Citadels, though..."

    "So which one are you going to choose?"

    He thought for a bit, then shrugged.

    "Don't know yet. But I can tell you a secret�� something that very few people know or think about. A very wise man told me to base my choice on it."

    Sunny lingered for a moment, then said seriously:

    "Plumbing! The secret to a happy life is to find a Citadel with great plumbing��"

    ***

    Soon, it was time to say goodbye. Their parting was both warm and bittersweet. After seeing Kai and Effie off, Sunny lingered outside for a bit, and then returned to his room on one of the underground levels of the hospital complex.

    It was already evening, and his eyes were full of sand. With an irritated snarl, Sunny took one of the stimulant patches out of the pack and plastered it on his skin.

    Immediately, a cold fire flowed through his veins. His heart accelerated, and his mind cleared. Sunny felt refreshed, energized, and ready to chew on mountains.

    Of course, there was a price to pay for such a boost. It would be inevitably followed by a debilitating crash of the same magnitude. Unless he used another stimulant, that is, and then another, and another. Only with each new one, the duration of the effect would shorten, and the strain on his body would increase.

    If he was a mundane human, his heart would have probably exploded just from one of these unassuming patches. The government didn't joke around with its military tech.

    ��But he wasn't ready to make a decision just yet. He had to do a few more things.

    Like finally checking on his new Memory��

 Chapter 376 Broken Oath

    Chapter 376 Broken Oath

    Summoning the runes, he glanced at a particular cluster.

    Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer's Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Ordinary Rock], [Prowling Thorn], [Endless Spring], [Blood Blossom], [Dark Wing], [Moonlight Shard], [M�� Un��old], [Weaver's Mask], [Broken Oath].

    The last one, [Broken Oath], came from the twisted simulacrum of one of the seven ancient heroes of the Forgotten Shore, the Lord. Even though the coral golem had turned out to be just an Awakened Monster, Sunny had high hopes for this Memory.

    But before he concentrated on it, Sunny stared at the rest of his arsenal.

    'One, two, three��'

    Twelve. After a year of constant battles and bloodshed, he only had twelve Memories. Of course, he would have had much more if not for the need to feed Saint. The taciturn creature demanded a vast amount of resources to get her to the two hundred shadow fragments, which was one of his goals.

    If not for that, he would have made a real windfall. Sunny already considered himself wealthy thanks to the contribution points Teacher Julius was going to arrange for him. But if he had a dozen or two extra Memories to sell�� well, he would have been not just wealthy, but extravagantly so!

    Enough to buy several houses, if he wished to.

    Maybe he still could sell some��

    Looking at his trusty weapons and tools, Sunny hesitated.

    Now that he could use Shadow Step to blink from one place to another, he didn't need to enhance his mobility that much. So, Prowling Thorn and Dark Wing were potential candidates to be auctioned off�� maybe? They still had their uses, though.

    The rest he couldn't even imagine selling, at least not before finding better alternatives. Even the Silver Bell, which wasn't really all that useful, but had something of a�� sentimental value.

    The little bell was the first Memory he had ever received, after all. And its description was, sort of�� it touched something in his heart��

    'Curses, I just used the stimulant. Why is my mind so scattered?'

    With a frown, Sunny finally concentrated on his new Memory.

    Memory: [Broken Oath].

    Memory Rank: Awakened.

    Memory Tier: I.

    Memory Type: Charm.

    His eyes widened slightly.

    'Jackpot!'

    Another charm�� such luck! Excited, Sunny read further:

    Memory Description: [They made a terrible oath to destroy the curse, or be consumed by it. Those who have broken the oath were consumed by the curse, and those consumed by the curse have broken their oath. In the end, none could escape their promise.]

    'Huh�� morbid. I guess... I guess that's how the carapace legion was born?'

    He looked at the next string of runes:

    Memory Enchantments: [Oathbreaker].

    Enchantment Description: [The Broken Oath erodes souls of all those who approach it.]

    Sunny held his breath for a few moments.

    'A soul attack!'

    Both the Nightmare Creatures and the Awakened had many ways to destroy their enemies. Kinetic damage �� called physical for simplicity �� was the most common, but there were many others. Among them, soul damage was the rarest and hardest to defend against.

    It was no coincidence that Soul Reaper Jet, whose Aspect allowed her to strike directly at the soul, was so feared.

    And now, Sunny had a soul attack of his own in the arsenal.

    There was one problem, however��

    'Wait�� erodes souls of all who come near? Will it affect me then, as well?'

    A deep scowl appeared on his face.

    Sunny hesitated for a while, then sighed, and summoned the Memory into existence.

    Soon, a glistening gem made out of polished crimson coral appeared in his hand. A second later, he suddenly shuddered and groaned.

    As soon as the Broken Oath appeared, a sickening sensation permeated his entire being. It was as though someone was slowly draining the very life out of him�� not only that, but he also felt weaker.

    Looking down, Sunny saw his shadows ripple and react. The surly one stared at him with outrage and waved its hands in the air angrily, while the friendly one was hugging itself pitifully and pacing.

    'Damnation��'

    He had recognized the debilitating feeling that the gem produced. It was the same aura that had weakened him when he fought the coral golem. It was also the infinitely weaker version of the annihilating soul attack of the artificial sun.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny dismissed the Broken Oath. Only when it disappeared completely could he breathe freely again.

    "Crap��"

    That was one serious side effect. How was he supposed to use his new charm if it would be slowly killing not only his enemies, but also Sunny himself? Drop it on the ground, use Shadow Step to blink away, and hope for the best?

    Sunny sat quietly for a while, thinking. Then, a tentative smile appeared on his face.

    'Wait�� that should work, right?'

    Turning away from the runes describing the soul-destroying gem, he concentrated on the description of his loyal Shadow Demon.

    Shadow: [Marble Saint]

    Shadow Rank: Awakened.

    Shadow Class: Demon.

    Shadow Attributes: [Battle Master], [Stalwart], [Spark of Divinity].

    Shadow Abilities: [Weapon Sage], [Underworld Armament].

    Shadow Fragments: [80/200]

    Concentrating on the [Underworld Armament] Ability, Sunny read:

    [Shadow Saint's armor can accommodate a charm Memory to inherit its enchantments.]

    His smile widened.

    'Good... that's the first part...'

    Looking a bit higher, he found another string of runes:

    Attribute: [Stalwart].

    Attribute Description: [The Stone Saint is highly resistant to all forms of damage, as well as being fully immune to mind and soul attacks.]

    Fully immune to mind and soul attacks��

    'Yes!'

    Sunny let out a satisfied sigh. The Broken Oath was pretty useless by itself, but when combined with Saint's special Ability and Attributes, it would make his Shadow even more lethal.

    That was because Saint was a very special kind of demon. One whose will couldn't be intruded upon or shaken. Both her mind and her soul�� well, the shadow that inhabited her body instead of a soul�� were utterly indomitable.

    He only had to make sure to not be anywhere near the living statue while she had the crimson gem set into her armor.

    Tricky, but doable.

    And speaking of armor��

    He was not done exploring his Memories yet.

    In fact, he had left the best for last.

    Looking at the shimmering runes, Sunny concentrated on a particular string. One that looked broken and incomplete:

    Memory: [M�� Un��old].

    Now that he was Awakened, he could finally restore the broken onyx armor he had bought from Stev for a measly handful of soul shards.

    The Ascended suit of armor of the Sixth Tier �� the most powerful Memory he owned.

    Or seen, even��

    Summoning the [M�� Un��old], Sunny strained his muscles and, with some effort, managed to place it on the floor in front of him. Even now that he was an Awakened, the weight of the stone Memory was not something he could endure easily without using both of his shadows or wasting essence to enhance his strength.

    Breathing a bit heavily, Sunny studied the damaged Memory.

    The suit of ancient plate armor was jet black in color. Its design was intricate and solemn, radiating a feeling of dark resolve and stalwart, adamantine grace. Its glossy surface seemed to absorb and devour any light that fell on it. All parts of the armor were perfectly fitted to one another, creating an almost seamless barrier of impenetrable steel.

    Well�� not steel, yet. Stone.

    The ancient armor looked extremely similar to the one Stone Saint had worn, and now that the Shadow was a demon, they were even more alike. The onyx armor in front of Sunny was still more impressive, though. More�� regal. As if created for a being of a higher status.

    And just like the armor worn by the Saint, it would only transform from actual stone into the miraculous stonelike alloy if risen from its passive state.

    It couldn't be done yet, though, because its spellweave was damaged. To repair it, the self-restoring properties of the broken Memory had to be activated by an infusion of essence. Which no one back on the Forgotten Shore could do.

    Now, however, things were different.

    Now, Sunny was an Awakened. Not only could he control the flow of shadow essence inside his body, he even had the Soul Serpent to help him guide it.

    Placing his hands on the cold surface of the onyx breastplate, Sunny closed his eyes��

    And sent the essence into the onyx armor��

 Chapter 377 Mantle of the Underworld

    Chapter 377 Mantle of the Underworld

    The shadow essence flowed through the coils of the Soul Serpent into his left hand, then surged into the cold black onyx. There was no resistance that Sunny had to overcome to transfer it from his body into the stone armor �� after all, the armor was his Memory, and as such, could be considered to be a part of his soul.

    The surge of energy rushed through the ancient armament, then returned to his body through his right hand. Soon, a stable cycle was established, with a constant current of shadow essence circulating through both Sunny himself and the onyx armor.

    It was a strange feeling. As if there was an ethereal river flowing through him, moving endlessly in a circle. Thanks to the [Shadow Guide] Attribute of the Soul Serpent, its current was especially swift and powerful.

    Soon, the onyx armor became saturated by shadow essence. As Sunny watched, it slowly began to change.

    This was the fundamental trait of both Saint and her armaments, with which the Memory shared a common origin �� both were made out of a strange living stone. When imbued with soul energy, the taciturn demon's body turned from stone to bizarre stonelike flesh, while her weapons turned to stonelike steel.

    Sunny knew this because he had seen the remains of both the original Stone Saint and her fellow stone warrior after they had been defeated by the monstrous iron spiders. After being destroyed, the living statues had turned back into inanimate stone.

    The Memory was transforming right in front of his eyes. Soon, its glossy black surface felt different to the touch. Colder, lighter, more resilient�� closer to metal than stone.

    The living armament had assumed its true form.

    'And now, the most important part��'

    Sunny gazed through the dark metal and peered at the ethereal weave hiding beneath it. The pattern of the diamond string was much more complex and vast than any that he had ever seen�� with the exception of the Weaver's Mask.

    But then, nothing could compare to that miraculous Memory.

    There were six bright embers serving as anchors for the countless threads of light inside the onyx armor.

    ��However, the weave was damaged and chaotic. Thousands of strings were torn and disconnected from the rest of the pattern, breaking its flow and logic. Because of that, the armor couldn't repair itself before �� it needed to be imbued with essence and turn from dead stone to enchanted metal for the self-repairing properties that all Memories possessed to come into effect.

    And now, it was.

    With an expression of wonder on his face, Sunny observed as the spellweave started to repair itself. The diamond string moved against the invisible winds that had been playing with them before. The torn ends turned whole again, the separated threads became connected to the rest of the pattern once more.

    Thousands upon thousands of ethereal strings moved in unison, their motions full of strange symmetry and grace. Watching the beautiful weave restore itself filled Sunny with a deep feeling of satisfaction. He smiled.

    '...This feels right.'

    He continued to pour essence into the ancient armor and watched as it slowly returned to its intended state.

    And then, it was finally whole once again.

    With a content sigh, Sunny removed his hands from the breastplate of the onyx armor and retrieved the shadow essence back into his body. After the Memory turned back into stone, he dismissed it.

    After that, not wasting any time, Sunny dove into the Soul Sea, walked to stand between the two Shadow Cores, and summoned the Memory down.

    As soon as the silhouette of the ancient armor appeared from the sphere of light, he glanced at the runes surrounding it.

    'Come on�� be good�� be great! I've waited for this moment for so long��'

    He read the first string of runes:

    Memory: [Mantle of the Underworld].

    'Whoa... sounds awesome. But, Underworld? That word again.'

    .

    One of Saint's Abilities was called [Underwolrd Armament]. Her own runes also described the creator of the living statues as residing in the cavernous halls of a dark domain�� as well as being the last child of the "unknown".

    'Was�� was Saint made by the ruler of the Underworld, or something?'

    Sunny shivered slightly, then glanced at the intricate black armor with a solemn expression.

    Well�� if her creator was indeed one of the seven daemons and a sibling to Weaver, the Demon of Fate, then ruling the Underworld might not have been out of the question.

    Shaking his head, Sunny returned to reading the runes.

    Memory Rank: Ascended.

    Memory Tier: VI.

    Memory Type: Armor.

    Memory Description: [Vowing to never look upon the Goddes of the Black Skies again, the prideful demon retreated into the darkness beneath an unassailable mountain chain. He wasn't the first to lead his army against the gods. However, he was the first to shed their blood, as well as learn the secrets of his own.]

    'Huh�� lead an army against the gods?'

    When Teacher Julius mentioned that daemons had enough power to wage war against the heavens, Sunny had thought of it as a figure of speech. But maybe it was not? Perhaps a few of them had really tried.

    And what was that about the secrets of the blood��

    'Ah, endless questions, like always��'

    Shaking his head again, Sunny turned away from the description and continued to read:

    Memory Enchantments: [Living Stone], [Feather of Truth], [Stalwart], [Underworld Armament], [Prince of the Underworld].

    Sunny stared at the long list of Enchantments for a while, his heart beating wildly in his chest.

    .

    'Can't be��'

    [Living Stone] Attribute Description: "This armor can repair itself while being worn."

    [Feather of Truth] Attribute Description: "The weight of this armor can be changed at will."

    [Stalwar] Attribute Description: "This armor provides extremely high protection against physical attacks, high protection against elemental attacks, and a moderate amount of protection against mind and soul attacks."

    [Underworld Armament] Attribute Description: "This armor can accommodate a Charm Memory to inherit and enhance its enchantments."

    [Prince of the Underwolrd] Attribute Description: "This armor grows stronger according to the amount of opponents its wielder defeats."

    Vanquished Foes: [1213/6000].

    Sunny remained silent for a while.

    His dark room, which was situated deep underground, was silent for a long time.

    After a while, he shifted slightly and said in a low voice:

    "Well, I'll be damned��"

 Chapter 378 A New Beginning

    Chapter 378 A New Beginning

    Sunny sat in the darkness for a while, thinking. At first, he wanted to immediately put on his new magnificent onyx armor, but then dismissed that idea. There would be time later�� for now, he was too tired. The effects of the stimulant were slowly wearing off, and he had spent too much shadow essence already.

    He did, however, note a few things about the Mantle of the Underworld.

    The first fact he noticed was that it shared two enchantments with Saint. However, there were subtle, but important differences between the versions of [Stalwart] and [Underworld Armament] possessed by the onyx armor and the taciturn demon.

    The Memory offered better protection against physical and elemental attacks, but lacked the complete immunity to mind and soul attacks, possessing a moderate amount of protection against those rare and fearsome types of damage instead. Overall, this was an advantageous trade-off, since most Nightmare Creatures relied on more common ways of destroying Awakened.

    ...Unless they didn't.

    The more interesting difference, however, was hidden in the description of the [Underworld Armament]. While Saint's armor could accommodate a Charm Memory to inherit its enchantments, the Mantle of the Underworld could both inherit�� and enhance them. Just one word made for so much difference. Sunny couldn't wait to explore this subtle trait of his new Memory.

    [Living Stone] and [Feather of Truth], meanwhile, were pretty obvious. That didn't mean, however, that these enchantments did not have a lot to offer. He could already see many interesting ways to apply both in battle. The downside was that both were active enchantments, and as such, would require a constant flow of essence to function. What's worse, the armor couldn't even be used without activating the first one.

    But the most interesting enchantment was, without a doubt, [Prince of the Underworld].

    'A growing Memory��'

    Pondering about that strange and miraculous enchantment, Sunny couldn't help but think about the First Lord of the Bright Castle, who had supposedly been the first master of the Mantle of the Underworld.

    What tier and Rank was the onyx armor when he had first found it? How many of the vanquished foes had been defeated by his hand? Was the Mantle of the Underworld one of the reasons for his legendary achievements?

    For the longest time, Sunny had wondered about how an Ascended Memory of the Sixth Tier had ended up in the hands of humans in the Dark City. It had to have come from destroying a Fallen Terror�� or so he had thought. Now, there were other possibilities.

    But all these questions were doomed to be left unanswered. Sadly��

    The First Lord and his companions had taken the answers with them to the grave.

    Remembering the lonely cairn in the Hollow Mountains, Sunny sighed. Then, his thoughts wandered to something else.

    'The Goddess of the Black Skies�� Storm God?'

    Teacher Julius had described Storm God as being the deity of the depths, of the oceans, of darkness, stars, travel, guidance, and disaster. He also said that the gender of the gods was subject to change. Stars, darkness, and storms were somewhat related to black skies��

    Frowning, Sunny remembered the runes describing the Mantle of the Underworld. Indeed, "black skies" could also be translated as skies covered by storm clouds, or the night sky.

    'Interesting...'

    Translating the runes reminded him of something. Opening his communicator, Sunny found a note he made during his conversation with Effie and Kai.

    There, their True Names were written down in runic language.

    'Nightingale��'

    Kai's True Name was pretty simple to understand, but the Spell chose to interpret it rather creatively. Even though Sunny had no idea if the Dream Realm had actual nightingales, the runes described a pretty similar bird�� probably. Translated literally, they meant Sings Beautifully from the Night Skies. Which could mean either Enchanting Siren of the Night, or simply a nocturnal bird.

    'Huh��'

    Effie's True Name was more straightforward, but also far more morbid. Raised by Wolves could mean just that, but a more direct translation had a different meaning.

    Born from Wolves, or... Born from Being Eaten Alive.

    Sunny shivered, then deactivated the communicator and closed his eyes for a second.

    There was one more thing he could do��

    Summoning the runes once again, he found the description of Weaver's Mask and read:

    Memory Enchantments: [Mantle of Lies], [???], [Simple Trick].

    Now that he was an Awakened, he could try to activate the mysterious enchantment marked by three question marks. Even if all of his essence would be only enough to keep it working for a split second, he could.

    ��But he was reluctant to.

    Sunny knew nothing about the enchantment, but from the boundless, inconceivable pattern of the mask's weave, he got a feeling that it was somehow connected to eyes, vision, and sight.

    He suspected that the Vile Thieving Bird was a Cursed Devil �� at least... and it had been driven mad by just one glance at the reflection in the Weaver's eye. Would something similar happen to him?

    There were things, after all, that humans weren't meant to see.

    Even gods struggled with looking at some truths, it seemed.

    '...No. Not now.'

    Sunny was somewhat willing to risk it, but doing so right now would have been really unwise. What if he passed out from shock? That would transport him to a random spot in the Dream Realm, and knowing his luck, that spot would be populated by horrors beyond imagination.

    With a sigh, he dismissed the runes and took out another stimulant patch.

    .

    'Some other day�� when I am much, much stronger.'

    With that, he removed the old patch and put another one in its place.

    'Time to put all I learned together and make the final decision. What should I choose? Stability or danger?'

    Safer road... or an unknown path?

    ***

    Two days later, Sunny was sitting on a bench opposite the entrance to the Academy hospital complex with a cup of bitter dark coffee in his hand. In his other hand, he was holding a slick communicator.

    Taking a sip of the terrible drink, Sunny grimaced, then lingered for a few moments and sighed.

    Finally, he pressed the call button to contact Master Jet.

    She answered after a couple of seconds. Her voice sounded a little tense, and there were strange, barely audible whispers mixing with the background noise of the call.

    "Ah! Awakened Sunless. What�� wait, give me a second��"

    Something crackled violently, and in the next moment, the background noise was gone.

    "Much better. So�� have you decided?"

    Sunny took another sip of coffee and said:

    "Yeah."

    He hesitated for a bit, then added:

    "As far as joining the Legacy clans or the government�� I've decided against it. I don't know enough and have no leverage to ensure a good deal. Plus, that option will remain open for me in the future even if I stay independent for now. The reverse, however, won't necessarily be true. In any case, it's a serious matter, one that should not be decided upon in a span of just a few days, while suffering from sleep deprivation and stimulant abuse, to boot."

    Master Jet turned on the video function of the call and smiled. The smile was bright and beautiful, but Sunny couldn't help but notice that right behind her, something was currently on fire.

    "Makes sense. So then�� which Citadel?"

    That was the real question. While Sunny decided to remain independent for now, while leaving himself an opportunity to join a powerful faction later, his choice of an anchor was going to limit which factions he would be able to interact with later on.

    He was silent for a bit, then said:

    "Clan Valor territory."

    Master Jet nodded.

    "Solid choice. Bastion? Or a smaller Citadel?"

    Sunny drank some more coffee, then spoke the name of the Citadel he had chosen into the communicator.

    Jet's eyes widened slightly. She didn't say anything for a while, then asked with a bit of surprise in her voice:

    "Are you�� absolutely sure?"

    He nodded.

    "Yeah. I thought about it long and hard."

    Master Jet stared at him with a slight frown for a few moments, then shrugged.

    "Well, okay then. But, uh�� that might take a couple of days to arrange. The place is too far north, and there's not a lot of Saints in those parts. But I'll find a way."

    Sunny smiled.

    "Thanks. I really owe you one."

    She smiled in response and then winked at him.

    "Be careful with what you say, Sunless. I might just take you up on the offer and come knocking on your door one day, asking for a favor."

    He took a sip of coffee and shrugged.

    "Sure. No problem. Oh�� and call me Sunny, please. Everyone does."

    Master Jet blinked a couple of times, then grinned.

    "Alright."

    Turning away from the camera, she quickly glanced at something beyond the screen, and then added:

    "...Chained Isles, huh? Good luck, Sunny. I hear it's a real hell."

 Chapter 379 Chained lsles

    Chapter 379 Chained lsles

    In the vast empty darkness, myriads of distant stars were shimmering with ethereal light. The vista of the night sky was boundless and stark, full of promise and mystery.

    Above it was another sky. This one blue and bright, full of sunlight and gentle winds. White clouds flowed across it, telling enchanting stories with their movement and shapes.

    Between the bright sky and the dark sky, an island floated in the air. It was surrounded by freely levitating pieces of rock and ancient masonry, its surface awash in the soft radiance of the sun, its underbelly veiled by impenetrable darkness.

    Several gargantuan chains stretched away from the island, cracking thunderously as it slowly rose and fell.

    The clangor of iron was almost loud enough to drown Sunny's voice�� almost.

    "...Argh! Drop dead, bastard! Damn you! Crap!"

    Sunny had a good reason to be screaming bloody murder, because he was seconds away from being eaten alive.

    Near the edge of the flying island, where the forest covering its surface made way for a narrow expanse of patchy grass, a massive wolf-like beast was currently trying to swallow him whole.

    The Nightmare Creature was the size of a small truck, with fur as tough as steel wire and a long, terrifying muzzle. Its jaws were wide enough to bite a human in half, and strong enough to crush both bones and armor into dust.

    Currently, those jaws were trying to close on Sunny, and the only thing preventing them from doing so were his hands �� he held the upper jaw of the beast with one, and the lower jaw with another, trying with all his strength to keep them open.

    His muscles felt as though they were about to explode.

    The abomination was also trying to bite down on the hateful human with all of its tremendous might, but for the moment, neither of them could overpower the other.

    It was just a matter of time, though.

    Sunny was burning through his essence to augment his physical strength, and those reserves were not endless. When the well of power ran dry, he would lose this contest.

    'Not good��'

    About two months had passed after he had chosen to come to this place, and now, Sunny was starting to seriously doubt his decision.

    Why didn't he just go to Bastion? He would be safe and sound behind its walls right now. Maybe even in the embrace of a beautiful...

    As though trying to add insult to injury, the Nightmare Creature interrupted his thought by leting out a deafening growl and doubling its efforts to devour him. Sunny felt a putrid wind brush past his face and grimaced miserably. The stench coming out of the beast's maw was unbearable.

    'Just... don't feint...'

    His hands trembled, and the terrible fangs of the beast came a few centimeters closer to sinking into his flesh. Sunny gritted his teeth, and then yelled:

    "Saint! A little help here, dammit!"

    But the taciturn demon was nowhere to be seen. She was a good couple hundred meters away, standing atop a low hill.

    Sunny groaned and tried to push the jaws of the abomination away, but it was useless. The damn creature was just too strong...

    .

    A few seconds later, though, something hissed past his shoulders, and two menacing black arrows sunk into the feral eyes of the beast. They arrived almost simultaneously.

    'Thanks!'

    Using the momentary shudder that ran through the wolf's body, Sunny pushed the jaws sideways, allowed them to close with a loud crack, and poured as much essence as he could into a vicious throw.

    The massive body of the Nightmare Creature flew for good ten meters and crashed into a trunk of an ancient oak, plowing straight through and turning it into splinters.

    Sunny fell to his knees and drew in a shaky breath. Then, he quickly glanced back.

    Far in the distance, a graceful dark silhouette was outlined against the bright sky. Saint held a powerful Memory bow in her hands, its limbs made out of horn and polished black wood. Two ruby eyes burned behind the visor of her helmet, and a crimson coral gem was set into the center of her obsidian breastplate.

    'Nice shots��'

    She wouldn't be able to help him any further, though, at least not for a dozen seconds. Sunny was pretty sure that the Shadow had spent all of her arrows while they were fighting with the pack, and now, she had to dismiss and summon them anew.

    At least the leader of the monstrous wolves was now blind�� probably. Not that it was going to stop the bastard.

    The Nightmare Creature was already rising from the ground, howling furiously.

    'Curse you��'

    Panting, Sunny crawled a few steps and picked up the Midnight Shard. The austere tachi was as sharp and deadly as ever��

    The problem was, that the last remaining abomination was clearly of the Fallen Rank, so the stalwart blade was having trouble breaking through its hide.

    Still, Sunny had to work with what he had.

    Making sure that the sun was behind him, he stood up and leaned on his sword, watching tiredly as the massive beast turned its ugly head and faced him.

    The dreadful wolf lowered its muzzle to the ground, then growled with murderous rage. Bits of saliva flew from its maw and fell to the ground. Then, pushing with its mighty hind legs, the Nightmare Creature lunged at Sunny.

    Covering the distance between them in an instance, the beast brought its terrible jaws on the tiny human once again�� and bit on emptiness.

    In the place where Sunny stood just a moment ago, there was now nothing but air, light�� and shadows.

    Appearing from the Nightmare Creature's own shadow, Sunny dove between its hind legs and thrust the Midnight Shard upward, aiming at the soft belly of the fearsome beast. The tachi pierced the pale skin without much problem and sunk into the flesh of the abomination.

    As blood poured to the ground, the creature staggered and fell. A low whine escaped from its mouth.

    Very soon, it was all over.

    Falling onto the ground in complete exhaustion, Sunny tried to catch his breath and listened to the silence. Soon, he heard the sweet sound of the Spell whispering:

    [You have slain a Fallen Monster, Dread Wolf.]

    [...Your shadow grows stronger.]

 Chapter 380 Above and Below

    Chapter 380 Above and Below

    Sunny lay still for a while, then summoned the runes and looked at the dreadful number:

    Shadow Fragments: [197/2000].

    He sighed.

    The task of pursuing power had turned out to be much more difficult than he had anticipated, and for one simple reason: after becoming an Awakened, he now received fewer fragments from killing Nightmare Creatures.

    If before he could get two by slaying an Awakened Monster, now it was one. If before he could receive four by slaying a Fallen Monster, now it was two. What's worse, his hopes of growing strong by hunting down scores of Dormant creatures had been mercilessly crushed, because he didn't receive any fragments from killing those weaker than him at all.

    Which was a real disappointment. Who didn't love punching down? Sunny was at the very bottom of the power structure for most of his life, so he had been really looking forward to having an opportunity to bully something weaker than him, for a change. Alas, it had turned out to be a waste of his time.

    Of course, Sunny had also become tremendously more powerful. He could handle himself in a fight with Fallen Beasts, and even Monsters�� especially with the help of Saint. That was the only reason why he had not fallen off behind Nephis, who was still alive somewhere in the Dream Realm, and growing more powerful with each day.

    He had not managed to diminish the gap between them by a lot, but at least he was not worse off than at the start of this.

    Thinking of Changing Star, Sunny looked into the distance. A somber expression appeared on his face.

    '...Think about something else.'

    There was only one bright side to all of this.

    While Dormant creatures did not bring him any shadow fragments, they did bring him Memories. And those Memories could be fed to Saint.

    Her own counter now showed:

    Shadow Fragments: [157/200].

    'Not bad��'

    A low, eerie sound of giant iron links scraping against each other interrupted his thoughts. The island Sunny was currently on seemed to have entered the ascending phase, so his time here was running short.

    Standing up with a sigh, Sunny summoned the Moonlight Shard and walked over to the corpse of the Dread Wolf. He had to retrieve the soul shards before it was too late.

    The Chained Isles�� the Chained Isles were a strange place.

    Situated at the very north of the territories claimed by humans, they bordered the Hollow Mountains. That was one of the reasons why Sunny had chosen that region as his hunting grounds.

    But it wasn't the only one��

    The whole region consisted of numerous islands that somehow floated in the air, connected to each other by gargantuan iron chains. It was mostly unexplored, and the Awakened population here was not very large. Notably, there were not a lot of Masters and Saints here, especially those associated with the Legacy clans... be it great or lesser.

    What the Chained Island had in abundance, instead, were the Nightmare Creatures of all kinds, from Dormant ones, to Awakened, Fallen, and terrifying Corrupted abominations. Each island had its own menagerie of horrors, and the level of threat differed from one to another. Most were utterly deadly, though. Much more deadly than an average Awakened was supposed to be able to handle.

    But Sunny was not an average Awakened. To him, this was a perfect hunting ground, a place where he could sharpen his blade without being seen by those who served the Sovereigns. Or at least he had thought that way, at the start�� right now, he was starting to suspect that it was more of a place where he could die terribly without being seen by anyone who would have been able to help.

    Just like Master Jet said, the Chained Islands were a hellish land.

    .

    And not only because of the Nightmare Creatures. The place itself was capable of killing a person�� or, rather, its sky could.

    High above the floating island, there was the usual sky with the sun, the moon, and beautiful stars that shined brightly at night.

    However, there was another sky in this strange land, the one that was below the islands. It was always dark, and the ethereal lights burning at an unimaginable distance in its vast expanse only looked like the stars. No one really knew what they were.

    The only thing that humans knew was that the Sky Below was seemingly endless. On his first day on the Isles, Sunny had asked what was down there. The answer he received was simple:

    "Nothing."

    Descending into the Below was not immediately dangerous, but there was nothing there. Some crazy daredevil had once fought his way through the hunting grounds of Nightmare Creatures that dwelled beneath the islands and spent a whole week flying straight down. He had to turn back, eventually, because out there in the boundless darkness, his mind began to show signs of breaking apart. Even the winged Echo he used to descend into the Below had almost gone insane.

    But other than being absolutely empty, the Sky Below did not seem to pose a threat.

    ��Flying above the Chained Isles, however, was rather deadly. The higher one went, the more crushing their weight would become, until they would either fall down, or their body would simply implode.

    That was why every human on the Chained Isles knew to pay attention to the sound of rattling chains. Every island in the region went through cycles of ascending and descending, and as they rose too high, the pressure on their surface grew tremendously, to the point where it was impossible to move... or breathe.

    Ideally, Sunny had to get off the ascending island before that happened.

    He should not have been lingering to retrieve the soul shards from the corpses of the monstrous wolves he and Saint had killed, really. But��

    His eyes glistened with avarice.

    Soul shards meant money, and if there was one thing Sunny really enjoyed, it was making money. No amount was ever enough.

    An independent Awakened like him had a lot of expenses��

    'Fine. It's fine. I'll be off this thing in no time��'

    He quickly cut the dead beasts apart and fished out the soul shards from inside their bodies. Hiding the beautiful crystals in his pack, Sunny hesitated for a little, then sent his essence flowing and tossed the first corpse off the edge of the island.

    He was planning to come back here soon, and leaving so much meat lying around could make the future visit rather problematic.

    ...Sunny only had one more carcass to dispose of when he suddenly noticed a swift silhouette descending from the skies.

    Commanding Saint to hide herself in the shadows, he summoned the Midnight Shard and looked up tensely.

    '...What the hell?'

    Surrounded by a halo of sunlight, a majestic griffin was quickly approaching the island. At first, Sunny assumed that it was a Nightmare Creature, but then noticed a human figure on the monster's back.

    A human rider meant that the magnificent griffin was an Echo.

    Sunny's face grew dim.

    Very few people could have such an Echo on the Chained Isles. And out of those...

    He was pretty sure that he knew the identity of the unwelcomed visitor.

 Chapter 381 Roan of white Feather

    Chapter 381 Roan of white Feather

    The griffin folded its white wings and dove down, then opened them up near the ground to slow its fall. Sunny raised his hand to cover his eyes from the dust that was sent into the air by the powerful gust of wind.

    '...Strong.'

    The mighty beast shone with ethereal light and disintegrated into a rain of sparks, letting the rider land nimbly on the ground. He regained his balance swiftly and straightened, then turned to Sunny.

    The man in front of him was tall and had broad, powerful shoulders. He was wearing a light armor crafted from the adamantine scales of an unknown monster, with a blue scarf wrapped carelessly around his neck. His hair was the color of straw, as was his manly beard.

    The stranger's eyes were bright blue, and dangerously attentive.

    Sunny stared at the man for a moment, then bowed respectfully, hiding his face in the process.

    "Master Roan."

    Indeed, the man in front of him was none other than Ascended Roan of the White Feather clan �� one of the only three Masters on the Chained Isles.

    Well�� there were probably only three.

    Unlike the Forgotten Shore, this region of the Dream Realm had several Gateways. Two were found, conquered, and turned into Citadels by humans. Both Sunny and Master Roan �� as well as pretty much everyone else on the Chained Isles �� belonged to one of them, the Sanctuary of Noctis. That Citadel was ruled by the White Feather clan, which was one of the vassal clans to the great clan Valor.

    The second Citadel was rather mysterious. It was situated at the very edge of the region, near the dreaded Hollow Mountains, and belonged to Valor itself. Only those in direct service to the great clan were anchored at its Gateway, so Sunny had no idea what went on there, and how powerful the Awakened stationed at the Citadel were.

    He did, however, know a bit about Master Roan.

    The man was married to the only Saint on the Chained Isles, after all!

    ...Roan looked Sunny up and down, then gave him a friendly smile.

    "Do we know each other?"

    Sunny shook his head.

    "No, sir, we haven't met before. I have just Awakened a couple of months ago, so�� uh... I am new to the Chained Isles."

    The strapping Master nodded and then glanced at the carcass of a Fallen wolf that Sunny had failed to throw over the edge of the island in time. When Roan turned to him again, there was a measured look in his piercing blue eyes.

    "Did you kill that beast?"

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then nodded.

    "Yeah. I�� well, I can be very lucky, on occasion."

    The tall man shook his head.

    "This is a Fallen Beast�� ah. You must be Sunless, then. From the Forgotten Shore."

    Sunny smiled.

    'Curses. He knows my name...'

    He had nothing against the older man, but preferred to remain unknown and underestimated. Especially when dealing with Legacies.

    "Yeah. That's me."

    .

    Master Roan nodded, as though everything suddenly made sense, and then briefly looked at the sky.

    "You should know that it is dangerous to remain on an ascending island, right? Why are you still here?"

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then shrugged.

    "I was just about the leave and escape to the next one over when you appeared�� sir."

    The tall man sighed.

    "Yeah, that's what I figured. You've spent all your luck on that beast, though, it seems. All three of the island connected to this one are also ascending. You wouldn't have been able to escape even if you left on time."

    Sunny stared at him for a while, a sour expression appearing on his face.

    '...Damn it.'

    "Uh�� what about that beautiful griffin of yours, sir? Surely, it can bring us both away to safety?'

    Roan grinned.

    "He is rather beautiful, ain't he? Well, not that it matters. In theory, we can dive below the islands and escape through the Sky Below, but believe me, you wouldn't want to meet the things that dwell on the dark side of the Isles. Even I prefer to avoid those things."

    Sunny blinked.

    "Then what do we do?"

    The tall man laughed.

    "I guess you're about to experience your first Crushing, Sunless. Don't worry, though! The chains of this island are on the shorter side, so it won't ascend too high�� well, most likely. And I'll be here to bring you back to the Citadel if you pass out. Provided that we survive, of course."

    'Great��'

    This wasn't Sunny's first Crushing, actually. And that was exactly why he didn't want to experience it again.

    But there was no other choice, it seemed.

    With a sigh, he dismissed Saint, who had been hiding in the shadows all along, and took off his pack. Then Sunny found a soft-looking patch of grass and placed it on the ground. Behind him, Master Roan dismissed his scale armor and unwrapped his scarf, then tied it around his waist.

    The less weight was on the human body during the Crushing, the easier it was to endure, and the more chances of survival there were. However, the Puppeteer's Shroud was made mostly out of soft fabric, so Sunny left it on. He also wanted to neither reveal nor dismiss the Soul Serpent.

    As the giant chains groaned and rang thunderously, and the island rose higher and higher, the two of them lay on the grass and prepared to be crushed.

    Master Roan stared at Sunny's slender physique, then at his own mighty muscles, and sighed with envy.

    The Chained Isles was one of the very few places in the Dream Realm where being small and light was an advantage.

    "...If you feel like passing out, turn your head to the side. Wouldn't want to suffocate on your own spit or vomit, right? Uh�� sorry for being crass, kid."

    Sunny grimaced and thanked the older man in a suppressed voice.

    He was already feeling an invisible force pushing him into the ground.

    'This... is going to suck.'

    As if answering his thoughts, the invisible force suddenly grew stronger, crashing into him like a giant hammer.

 Chapter 382 The Crushing

    Chapter 382 The Crushing

    Laying on the soft grass, Sunny felt his body grow heavier, and heavier still. The island continued to rise into the sunlit sky, and with each minute, the crushing pressure became slightly more unbearable.

    The ancient forest covering its surface bent, a rain of leaves falling to the ground. The mighty trees lowered their branches, almost as if trying to touch the ground. With a loud crack, a few weaker ones broke and plunged down, showering everything around with sharp splinters.

    Sunny grimaced, feeling his whole body struggle under the strain. He could still move and breathe without too much trouble, at least�� for now. Soon, the island would rise high enough to make any kind of movement almost impossible.

    ��And if he was especially unlucky, it would continue to ascend, eventually making it hard to even inhale. Hopefully, the chains would draw taut long before that.

    The skies above the Chained Isles were beautiful, but also forbidden. Nothing could survive their crushing embrace �� neither humans, nor Nightmare Creatures. Nor anything else��

    Well, except for one thing.

    Shifting his gaze, Sunny looked straight up and found the shape of the Ivory Tower drifting high above the world, wrapped in a veil of clouds.

    The Ivory Tower was the only thing that seemed to be capable of withstanding the deadly pressure of the forbidden sky. It was a tall, magnificent pagoda built out of flawlessly white material that was neither stone nor wood. The island on which it stood was very small, barely wider than the base of the tower itself, and surrounded by drifting slabs of shattered marble.

    Seven broken chains hung from the soil of the island, swaying as it moved.

    The Ivory Tower was visible in the sky both during the day, bathed in sunlight, and at night, glowing beautifully with the reflected radiance of the moon. No one knew what the mysterious structure was and why it remained untouched by the obliterating force that destroyed everything else that dared to rise above the Chained Isles, since no one had ever managed to withstand the ever growing Crushing to get anywhere near it.

    Many even believed it to be a mirage.

    'Crap��'

    The island on which Sunny had the misfortune of getting stuck had finally reached the highest point of its ascent and shook violently as the chains connecting it to other isles drew taut. The pressure at this height was torturous�� but not deadly.

    His bones were not breaking under the assault of the Crushing, and he could still breathe, even if with great effort.

    It would have been better if Sunny could wrap the second shadow around his body, but he didn't want to appear too strong in front of Master Roan.

    Speaking of the devil��

    The mighty rider chose that exact moment to speak. His voice sounded a little strained:

    "Hey, Sunless. Can you breathe alright?"

    Sunny gritted his teeth and struggled to speak. In the end, all he could manage was an affirmative grunt.

    "Good, good. This is actually not that rough, as far as Crushing goes. If we rose by another hundred meters, though, even I would be having a bad time."

    '...Good to know.'

    At this point, Sunny was regretting that they had not climbed on the griffin and dove into the Sky Below.

    .

    The Chained Isles was a dangerous place, and the Nightmare Creatures living on them were fearsome and powerful beyond belief.

    However, the creatures living under the islands were much, much worse. Sunny had seen them from afar a couple of times, and the mere memory of those horrors was enough to send a shudder running through his entire body.

    Still, they could have fought their way through�� probably��

    It would have been better than this diabolical torture, for sure.

    'Argh��'

    But there was nothing he could do now except grit his teeth and endure. Minute after minute, hour after hour. Sunny couldn't even think properly because of how terrible the pressure of the boundless skies was. All he could do was suffer silently and stare at the Ivory Tower.

    His shadow, on the other hand, was having a great time. It didn't move, reluctant to get noticed by Master Roan, but he could feel it stare at him gloatingly.

    'Bastard�� I'm going to wrap you around the Ordinary Rock and make it scream without rest for twenty-four hours straight�� let's see who's going to be gloating then��'

    The shadow hesitated for a bit, then awkwardly pretended to be interested in something else and looked away.

    'Yeah, that's right...'

    Somewhere in the forest, another tree exploded with a loud crack. Sunny tried to turn his head to look in that direction, but it demanded too much effort. He didn't have to worry about being attacked by Nightmare Creatures in this helpless state, anyway. They were currently hiding in their lairs, enduring the Crushing the same way he was.

    Who could fight under this hellish pressure?

    Sunny felt as if there was a mountain on his chest. Every breath demanded his utmost effort to make. His whole being ached, and his vision had become blurry. Exhausted, he closed his eyes and circulated the shadow essence through the coils of the Soul Serpent to keep his slowly breaking body going.

    'Damn it�� I'll be late to wake up, won't I? When were they going to call�� in the morning? Such an important call, and I'm about to miss it��'

    He was starting to feel really hurt when the blessed sound of rattling chains finally reached his ears once again.

    'Oh, thank gods��'

    After about four hours, the island had finally begun to move again, entering its descent phase. Little by little, the crushing pressure began to grow weaker.

    Master Roan sighed with relief by his side.

    "The worst part is over. Just wait a little bit more, kid. You're almost there."

    Sunny glanced at the older man and sighed. He used to hate it when people called him kid, but not anymore, at least not as much. He just felt a little wistful.

    He didn't feel like a kid. Not for a long time now... not since coming back from the Forgotten Shore.

    A dozen long and torturous minutes later, the island descended enough for them to move, and then slowly stand up.

    The Crushing was over.

 Chapter 383 Cowardly Researcher

    Chapter 383 Cowardly Researcher

    Sunny slowly rolled on his stomach, then rose to his knees. He was breathing heavily, and his whole body felt as if it had just gone through a meat grinder. Master Roan, on the other hand, looked almost unperturbed.

    The rider was already on his feet, tying the blue scarf around his neck with a relaxed expression on his face.

    The forest around them let out an almost human sigh of relief. The ancient trees creaked and cracked, rising their brancher back toward the sun. Those that had broken remained on the ground, adding to the nearly impenetrable layer of deadfall.

    Sunny glanced at the older man with a bit of envy, then stood up and tried to shake off his exhaustion. After spending a few minutes resting and drinking greedily from the Endless Spring, he almost felt alive again. Glancing at the tall man, he asked:

    "How are you able to fly up there on your griffin? I mean�� no offense, but that seems like something only a crazy person would do."

    Roan laughed.

    "I don't rise too high unless I really have to. Usually, you can fly above the descending islands without experiencing too much pressure. After a while, you develop a sense of how much your body can handle, and for how long."

    He massaged his broad shoulders and added, a note of pride in his voice.

    "Plus, I am a Master, after all. I can withstand much more than an Awakened would. You did exceptionally well, however. To be honest, I was pretty sure that I would have to abandon my patrol to bring your bleeding body back to the Sanctuary at full speed, then throw it into the Gateway. I guess it's true what they say about you Forgotten Shore kids."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times and asked cautiously:

    "...What do they say?"

    The older man smiled.

    "Tough as nails, disturbingly indifferent to pain and fear, strong�� almost scary. Scary children, that was the exact phrase I heard."

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then scoffed.

    "Indifferent to pain and fear? What nonsense. I pride myself on being a coward �� as one should. What's wrong with being a coward? Fear keeps people alive, while bravery gets them killed. As for pain, no thank you. I have been beaten, burned, crushed, drowned, cut, stabbed, pierced, bitten, chewed, and gutted enough times for several lifetimes already."

    As Master Roan gave him a strange look, Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "Uh�� what?"

    The tall man shook his head, then scratched his chin and said in a wondering tone:

    "No, nothing. It's just... if that is true, Sunless�� then what are you doing here on the Chaines Isles? Shouldn't you be having a nice time in a safe place like Bastion?"

    Sunny looked away in embarrassment, then coughed.

    "That�� uh�� there are several reasons for that, actually. Not the least of which is that��"

    He looked side to side, then lowered his voice and said in a gravely serious tone:��?????(?)?????

    "...You won't believe it, but the government actually pays you money for writing down things about the Dream Realm. And since the Chained Isles are largely unexplored, they pay me premium for going around dusty ruins here and scribbling down a thing or two. I am technically a contracted researcher, believe it or not!"

    He grinned and watched as Master Roan stared at him with an incredulous expression. After a while, the older man said:

    "You are a strange fellow, you know that?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Huh? Everyone knows that, I think. Anyway�� don't tell anyone about what I've just said. I don't want the competition."

    The tall man blinked a couple of times, then smiled:

    "No problem. Do you need me to take you back to the Sanctuary? Or will you be fine returning on your own?"

    Sunny thought for a bit, then said:

    "I'll be fine. It's not that far, anyway. If I make haste, I'll be back before morning and go straight back to the real world. I have business to attend to there, actually."

    Master Roan nodded and patted Sunny on the shoulder.

    "Alright. Then I'll be on my way. It's been nice meeting you, Sunless. If you need anything in the future, don't hesitate to find me in the Sanctuary."

    With that, he summoned his Echo. A sea of white sparks appeared out of thin air and swirled, slowly turning into the figure of the mighty griffin. The winged beast towered above Sunny like a gargantuan mix between a lion, an eagle, and a pure nightmare. Slowly, it lowered its head, staring at him with two beautiful, inhuman eyes.

    Its beak looked about as fearsome and terrifying as that of a Spire Messenger.

    Sunny tensed a little and took a couple of steps back, prepared to dissipate into the shadows at any moment.

    He didn't really think that Master Roan would suddenly attack him, but being paranoid was better than being dead.

    The tall man summoned his armor, then easily jumped on the griffin's back and raised a fist to bid Sunny farewell. In the next moment, the Echo stretched its wings and pushed itself off the ground, sending a squall of hurricane wind in all directions.

    Sunny struggled to remain on his feet, and then looked as the griffin flew into the distance. Slowly, a friendly expression disappeared from his face.

    'Well, what do you know��'

    The famed Master had turned out to be a rather pleasant person. Granted, he was a Legacy by marriage, and not by birth�� still, Sunny had expected to be treated with a lot more disdain and contempt, at best hidden behind a mask of false courtesy.

    Come to think of it, the Saint governing the Chained Isles herself was pretty down to earth, if a bit cold. Not that Sunny had a lot of opportunities to interact with her after that first day when she had brought him to the Sanctuary.

    With a sigh, he walked over to the carcass of the monstrous wolf and sent it flying over the edge of the island with a frustrated push.

    The corpse of the abominable beast plummeted down and soon disappeared into the darkness of the Sky Below.

    Making sure that nothing appeared from beneath the island to snatch it, Sunny lingered on the edge for a couple of minutes, then sighed��

    And jumped into the bottomless abyss himself.

 Chapter 384 Traversing the lslands

    Chapter 384 Traversing the lslands

    Falling through the boundless blue skies with the wind whistling in his ears, Sunny threw his hands to the sides and summoned the Dark Wing. As the translucent Memory weaved itself from light behind his back, he shifted his weight and allowed the air resistance to push him off course, effectively turning left.

    A few seconds after that, he activated the enchantment of his cloak and slowed down his fall, simultaneously turning the downward momentum into a forward push.

    In these past two months, Sunny had become somewhat proficient in navigating the sky.

    Cutting a smooth arc in the air, he swiftly approached one of the gargantuan chains connecting the Forest Island to another, flew above it for a few minutes, and landed nimbly on one of the massive links.

    The giant chain swayed lightly beneath his feet. Somewhere behind him, it rose and merged with the soil of the island. In front of him, there was a vast expanse of empty heavens. Here on the border to the Sky Below, it was currently twilight. The chain stretched into the distance, disappearing into the darkness of the void a few hundred meters away.

    As the Dark Wing turned from a blur back into a transparent cloak, Sunny sighed and walked forward. Each link of the heavenly chain was as wide as a road, so he didn't need to be afraid of falling off. Approaching the connection between two links, Sunny either jumped down or glided up to the next one.

    Walking across the length of the chain that was drawn between the bottomless abyss below and the boundless sky above, he soon left the light of the sun behind and entered into the eternal darkness of the Below. Here, there was no wind and no sound, only silence. If not for the swaying of the chain, Sunny would have thought that he had entered a completely new world.

    A myriad of ghostly lights were burning somewhere far below, pretending to be stars.

    Making sure that no one was watching him, Sunny lingered for a few moments�� and then dove into the iron surface of the chain. His body turned into an incorporeal shadow and merged with the darkness enshrouding it.

    Here in the Sky Below, he was in his natural element, after all.

    Sunny couldn't travel through the empty darkness itself, but the chains were covered by an impenetrable veil of shadows. He could swim through them for as long as he had essence to spare, safe from the terrible creatures that lived on the dark side of the Chained Isles.

    Rushing forward with terrible speed, Sunny slid over the surface of the chain and flew through the darkness like a ghost. He went faster and then faster still, circling around the chain several times and leaving the Forest Island far behind.

    Covering the distance to the next isle in mere minutes, he escaped from the shadows the moment the sunlight touched the iron chain once again and shot upward in a spin. The Dark Wing turned into a blur, pushing him even further up.

    Sunny soared above the floating island and then glided smoothly to its surface, landing on solid ground with a light step.

    This one was much different from the one where he had fought the monstrous wolves. Instead of a forest of twisted trees, the isle was covered by jagged rocks, with an ancient ruin standing lonesomely in its center. Sunny had explored the massive structure already, and wasn't interested in visiting it again.

    Jumping from one shadow to another, he avoided the Nightmare Creatures populating the island and soon approached its other edge.

    Technically, from here, he only needed to cross two more isles to reach the Sanctuary. However, one of those isles was home to a dreadful and utterly terrifying Corrupted Monster, so he was going to have to make a big detour.

    Sunny looked at the sun, and then jumped off the edge once again.

    Just like that, he traveled from one island to another for a few hours. When possible, Sunny turned into a shadow and rushed along the lengths of heavenly chains, then emerged from the darkness and traversed the islands themselves on foot.

    Each island was different from another. Some were desolate and bleak, some covered by grass and vegetation. One was full of beautiful white flowers, while another hid a clear, tranquil lake. A few were covered by ash and flames, while several were covered by the ruins that some ancient civilization had left behind.

    If there was one thing that united all of them, it was that each was dangerous in its own way.

    The desolate islands were home to swarms of monstrous, gluttonous ants. The grass covered the maws of giant abominations that hid beneath, waiting for prey to step into their trap. The vegetation was predatory and deadly if one wasn't careful to not get too close. The beautiful white flowers could put a person to sleep from which they would never wake up. The tranquil lake was home to a creature so terrifying that Sunny did not even dare to approach its clear waters.

    And these ones were on the safer side, as far as the Chained Isles went. Due to their proximity to the Sanctuary, they were well explored, and anything dangerous enough to pose threat to the Citadel had long been destroyed by Saint Tyris herself. Sunny had been to these islands already, too, so he knew his way around them.

    Each was either descending or ascending. The former were easier to cross, while the latter forced him to walk while suffering from the early stages of the Crushing. If an island he wanted to use was to high, Sunny had to change his plan and seek out another way.

    After a while, his reserve of shadow essence became dangerously low. Knowing that he will have to make a stop, Sunny chose a relatively safe island and headed toward it.

    Gliding to the surface, Sunny tiredly dismissed the Dark Wing tiredly and looked around.

    The island he was currently standing on was rather close to the Sanctuary, and usually empty of any Nightmare Creatures. However, it was wise to make sure.

    Sending his shadows in different directions to scout for potential danger, Sunny sat on the ground and summoned the Endless Spring. When his thirst was satiated, he crossed his legs, put his hands on his knees, and closed his eyes, concentrating on the coils of the Soul Serpent.

    With a part of his mind observing the world through the shadows and another concentrated on hastening the accumulation of shadow essence, he meditated for a while, and then suddenly opened his eyes.

    One of the shadows had noticed something interesting.

 Chapter 385 lron Hand lsland

    Chapter 385 lron Hand lsland

    The island Sunny was resting on was a strange one. It was rather large and covered in soft grass, with ancient stone columns protruding from the ground here and there. Most of them had long toppled and been shattered to pieces by some unknown disaster. The ground itself was full of depressions and generally uneven, as if it had served as a battlefield for giants once.

    The reason why Sunny had come up with such a metaphor was not coincidental. The main feature of the island was situated at its center, and appeared to be a giant, rusty metal hand. Hence, the isle was unimaginatively called the Iron Hand Island.

    It was well known to the Awakened anchored in the Sanctuary because very few Nightmare Creatures ever came here, and thus, many humans used it to rest during their journeys.

    However, today, Sunny wasn't the only visitor to the peaceful island.

    A rather ugly monstrosity lay dead in the shadow of the giant iron hand, its blood forming a large pool. It had a body like that of a snake, two powerful hands protruding from a human-like torso, a head with a long and toothy muzzle, and two leathery wings.

    From the looks of it, the creature had landed on the island due to heavy injuries, and then succumbed to the most recent Crushing. Its body seemed broken and flattened, with sharp bone splinters protruding from the torn scales.

    Sunny's interest was naturally piqued, because it wasn't every day that he stumbled on free soul shards. Additionally, and more intriguing, the shadow had noticed something glinting on the ground near one of the abomination's hands.

    'Huh��'

    Standing up, Sunny looked around, and then headed to the center of the island.

    Soon, he reached the rusty metal arm and dove into the shadows, emerging on top of it. Standing a good ten meters above the ground, he stared at the carcass of the dead Nightmare Creature to make sure that the shadow didn't miss anything.

    ��Everything seemed to be fine.

    With a shrug, Sunny jumped down and landed softly on the grass near the massive monster. Walking around it, he approached the spot where the abomination's hand lay on the ground, its five long fingers ending in terrifying claws.

    "Gee. You were a scary one, weren't you?"

    He didn't need to wonder about who had done the monster in. On the Chained Isles, Nightmare Creatures constantly fought each other. Winged ones like this one were often caught by the inhabitants of the dark side, torn to pieces, and devoured.

    This one had been relatively lucky, all things considered.

    Bending down, Sunny picked up the small object that seemed to have fallen out of the creature's hand and stared at it with a dubious expression.

    "...A coin?"

    Indeed, he was holding a heavy golden coin. Which didn't make any sense.

    Nightmare Creatures were not exactly known for participating in commerce, and humans did not use coins. If they needed to trade, they either bartered with suitable items or used credits �� of course, credits didn't exist in the Dream Realm, but the transaction would be honored when both parties returned to the real world.

    So where could a gold coin come from?

    Sunny stared at the coin for a while, then turned it around. There was a depiction of an archaic ship on one of its sides, with a tall mast that had an actual tree growing around it. A beautiful human face stared at him from the other side, a carefree smile on its lips.

    The person had high cheekbones, long hair, and exquisite features. Sunny couldn't say if they were a man or a woman, just that they seem rather charming. There was a crescent moon drawn on their forehead, and�� well, that was about it.

    Sunny studied the coin some more, and then thought despondently:

    'That thing is definitely cursed, right?'

    It just had to be. What else was he supposed to think after finding a mysterious coin near the corpse of a monster that had died a violent death?

    ��But it didn't seem to be cursed.

    Sunny had a rather good intuition about these things. He also had the sight of a person who had inherited a part of Weaver's forbidden lineage.

    Looking under the surface of the coin, Sunny expected to see a malevolent spellweave, or at least something strange, but there was nothing.

    From the looks of it, the coins�� was just a coin.

    The only strangeness about it was that it seemed a little bit warm to the touch.

    "Huh��"

    Teacher Julius would have been delighted if he brought him a sketch of a genuine Dream Realm coin. Cultural artifacts like this were few and far between. It wouldn't result in Sunny receiving any contribution points, but the old man was easy to please.

    With a shrug, Sunny shoved the coin into his pack and turned to the dead monster.

    "Let's see how many shards you're hiding, ugly lizard��"

    He summoned the Moonlight Shard, enhanced it with two shadows, and cut into the tough hide of the Nightmare Creature. For a while, luck was on his side. He quickly retrieved two bright soul shards�� so quickly, in fact, that Sunny grew sure that there had to be a third one inside the carcass.

    "A demon, huh?"

    That was where his luck ended. The body of the demon was too heavily damaged, so when he tried to fish out the third crystal, its stomach burst open and spilled its contents all over the ground.

    "Argh! Curses!"

    Sunny was so disgusted by the idea of being doused in the putrid slimy mass that he instinctively teleported a few meters away.

    Then, he tilted his head and stared down.

    Covered in repulsive, acidic liquid, three more coins �� as well as something that resembled a piece of a wooden chest �� lay in the quickly melting grass.

    'Did this guy�� try to eat a treasure chest?'

    Sunny shook his head, walked around the disgusting mess, and quickly retrieved the last soul shard.

    Since golden coins were rather useless to him and he already had one to sketch, he had no intention of retrieving the rest.

    'No thank you��'

    By that time, he had recovered enough shadow essence to return to the Sanctuary, so nothing was holding him on the island anymore.

    Throwing one last look at the giant metal hand and wondering what terrible strike could have separated it from the rest of the theoretical giant, he turned away and walked toward the edge of the island.

    The sun was already setting, so he didn't have a lot of time left to return to the Citadel and use the Gateway before the morning came.

 Chapter 386 Sanctuary of Noctis

    Chapter 386 Sanctuary of Noctis

    Soon, Sunny was walking on the last chain he had to traverse as he approached the Sanctuary of Noctis.

    By then, it was already night. Up above, the pale disk of the crescent moon shone softly, its light reflecting off the white walls of the Ivory Tower. Countless stars shimmered on the dark velvet tapestry of the night sky. Without the light pollution that the giant city where Sunny had grown up produced, they were beautiful and bright.

    There had not been any stars on the Forgotten Shore, as well, so this sight was still new and breathtaking to him.

    Now that it was night, the border between the Sky Above and the Sky Below was almost invisible. The empty void beneath the Isles had stars of its own, so it seemed like the reflection of the real sky during these hours. The only difference between them was that it lacked both the moon and the ethereal silhouette of a graceful white tower floating through the clouds.

    The chain swayed lightly as Sunny walked. He felt reluctant to use Shadow Step this close to the Sanctuary and enjoyed the sight of the night sky, the smell of clean air, and the cool embrace of the wind. So he tended to complete this last part of the return journey on foot.

    ��Even hell could be beautiful, sometimes.

    A few minutes later, Sunny heard the murmur of flowing water and knew that the Sanctuary was already close.

    The Citadel that served most Awakened of the Chained Isles as the home was situated on a tiny island of its own. That island, however, was rather anomalous: unlike all others, it never rose and never fell, always remaining at a stable height, away from the torturous pressure of the Crushing.

    There was a grass field, and in its center, massive menhirs stood in a perfect circle, which encompassed another, smaller one. This larger circle formed the outer wall of the Citadel, while the smaller one formed the inner.

    Inside the circle, there was a tranquil park with a pool of clear water in its middle. A path of stones led to a small island at the center of the pool, where, in the shade of an ancient tree, an altar cut from a solid piece of white marble stood.

    The altar had three special things about it.

    The first one was an obsidian knife that lay on its surface. The knife did not seem very special, with the exception of the fact that no one �� not even Saints �� was able to lift it even by a centimeter from the altar's surface.

    The second special thing about the altar was that it appeared to be, itself, the Gateway. One simply had to touch it to be transported back to the real world. Once anchored to it, the Awakened would appear near the altar when they fell asleep in reality.

    The third thing was that a seemingly endless stream of water flowed from the altar, feeding the pool that surrounded it. No one knew where the water came from or why the altar produced it, just that it was cold, sweet, and safe to drink.

    Seven streams flowed out of the pool and eventually fell over the edges of the small island, turning into water dust in the wind. On a bright day, the whole Sanctuary was surrounded by rainbows.

    It was the murmur of these waterfalls that Sunny had heard as he approached the Citadel.

    Using the Dark Wing to glide upward and land on the soft grass of the island, he walked over to a stone post that stood nearby and rang the bronze bell that hung on it. This was to let the watchmen know that he was a human and not a Nightmare Creature that needed to be destroyed.

    Soon, a whistle came out of the darkness, and Sunny walked forward on a path that led to the towering menhirs.

    A few minutes later, he had walked between two massive stones and entered the Sanctuary of Noctis.

    No one really knew who Noctis was, and why this place was called in their honor�� if that name even belonged to a living creature. It was just what the Spell called this place, so humans followed suit.

    In any case, the space between the two rings of menhirs had been made into a place for the Awakened to rest and recuperate between their ventures into the wild expanse of the Chained Isles. The White Feather clan had built walls to close the spaces between the standing stones, and recruited several people with useful utility Aspects to make living conditions better for those who chose to come here or were sent to this region by the Spell.

    Currently, there were about two hundred Awakened populating the Sanctuary, which was enough to keep it functioning and safe.

    This late at night, most people were either sleeping, resting, or had already returned to the real world, so Sunny did not meet anyone as he headed toward his assigned living quarters.

    Like everybody else here, he was assigned a small room after becoming anchored to the Sanctuary. It was situated near one of two entrances, so he didn't have to walk for a long time.

    Entering the room, Sunny quickly took off his pack and placed his trophies �� a scattering of soul shards, a few weird-looking fruits, and the golden coin �� into a chest standing near the bed. Then he threw the pack on the floor, lingered for a few moments, and left.

    Usually, he would have stayed until the morning and went to either the kitchens or the improvised marketplace at the park to trade the shards for Memories or credits, chat with other Awakened to learn the latest news and important information about the Isles, or simply relax�� but today, he had to hurry to the real world.

    Entering the park, Sunny approached the deep pool of clear water and stepped onto the first stone of the path that led to the Altar Island.

    Soon, he was standing in front of the white altar, surrounded by the tranquil sound of rustling leaves and running water. Glancing at the obsidian dagger, Sunny resisted the urge to try and lift it. He had already done so many times before, all with no result whatsoever.

    '...Maybe one day.'

    With a sigh, he took a step forward and placed his hand on the altar.

    The marble felt cool to the touch.

    In the next moment, the darkness of the night was momentarily illuminated by a flash of ethereal blue light. When it dissipated, there was no one standing under the branches of the ancient tree.

    Sunny had left the Dream Realm and returned to the real world.

 Chapter 387 Withered Flowers

    Chapter 387 Withered Flowers

    Sunny opened his eyes in the cool cradle of the sleeping pod. The lid was already sliding away, and the lights in the room were gradually turning brighter. The panoramic wall in front of him opened to a view of one of the Academy parks.

    The eastern horizon was already painted lilac by the rising sun, but the world was still shrouded in darkness.

    '...Made it.'

    With a sigh, he rose from the pod and lowered his feet to the cold floor.

    These first moments after leaving the Dream Realm were still strange to him. It just�� it just seemed weird to be able to escape it so easily, without having to fight through a sea of monsters and struggle against terror, desperation, and pain. How could something so meaningful be so simple?

    And yet, it was. In the past two months, coming and going from the Dream Realm had almost become a routine for him. Not that he had done it as often as most Awakened did.

    Standing up, Sunny grimaced, then massaged his shoulders and glanced at the sleeping pod darkly.

    Now that he was an Awakened, the Academy had granted him a personal living space in one of the dormitories. These quarters were much the same as the room he had lived in during his preparations to enter the Dream Realm for the first time, but with one significant difference: there was a smaller room adjacent to the main one, housing a humble meditation space and an individual sleeping pod.

    The problem was, that pod was not at all as advanced and state-of-the-art as the ones used for the Sleepers. It did its job fine as long as an Awakened remained in the Dream Realm for about eight to twelve hours, as most of them did. However, Sunny was in the habit of spending much, much more time there.

    His recent adventure, for example, had lasted three whole days�� he had to work hard to not fall behind, after all. As a result, his muscles felt sore and heavy.

    Circulating essence through his body to chase away the remnants of sleep, Sunny walked to the bathroom and got into the shower. As streams of water caressed his skin and flowed down the scales of the black serpent coiling around his lithe body, he sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.

    At least his mind felt refreshed. Visiting the Dream Realm was not exactly equal to good sleep, but it was somewhat similar. Mental fatigue still accumulated little by little, but it was easy to remove by meditating or actually sleeping on the other side of the Gateway. Few Awakened ever did, however, since no place there was really completely safe.

    Exiting the shower sometime later, Sunny finally felt wide awake and full of energy. He dressed himself, sat at the table, and quickly compiled a report about his recent exploration. Then, he picked up the communicator and checked its log.

    No missed calls, a few messages from Effie with photos of all the delicious food she was eating and several memetic jokes of questionable nature, and a few more from Kai, describing his experiences in Bastion.

    Sunny waited for a bit, then sighed and put the communicator down.

    "Time for breakfast."

    Commanding one of the shadows to wrap itself around his body so that he appeared like a normal person, Sunny left his room and headed out.

    On the way to the cafeteria, he met a few other Awakened. No one paid him too much attention, though. In recent months, the images and True Names of Cassie, Kai, and especially Effie had been plastered all over the media, but luckily, he had avoided becoming a poster boy for the government's insatiable propaganda machine. As the result, random strangers had no idea who he was, which suited Sunny just fine.

    Entering the cafeteria, he got himself a full tray of food, sat at one of the tables, and placed the communicator on its surface.

    The call was supposed to come any minute now.

    He enjoyed a decadently delicious breakfast in peace and quiet, glancing at the communicator from time to time. No one bothered him, and there was no danger to be worried about.

    A content smile found its way to his lips.

    'Ah. Life is good��'

    Finally, the communicator rang.

    Sunny answered the call and listened to the respectful voice on the other side of it.

    "Everything is ready? Wonderful. So, when can I�� oh, really? Well�� great! Then I will�� be there at noon? Right. See you later, then."

    Finishing the call, he put the communicator down and stared into the distance for a long time, a strange look on his face.

    After receiving the contribution points for his Forgotten Shore report and making some money by selling soul shards to other Awakened on the Chained Isles, Sunny had done something that he had never thought that he would be able to do in this life.

    ��He had bought a home.

    A nice, beautiful home in the district of the city with clean air and green lawns.

    And now, after several long weeks of waiting, everything was finally ready for him to move in.

    Looking down at his cantankerous shadow, Sunny lingered for a few moments, and then smiled.

    "...I think we've made it, buddy. We really, really did."

    ***

    .

    The person in charge of renovating his home and bringing it to the desired specifications was going to meet him there at noon, so Sunny had a few hours of free time to kill.

    He wandered around the parks for a bit. Now that the spring had come, the air was warm and pleasant. The melodic drip-drop of melting snow disturbed the peaceful silence of the early morning, making Sunny feel balanced and relaxed. Even the shadow seemed to enjoy this tranquil landscape.

    Eventually, he visited one of the kiosks scattered around the Academy and spent a bit of credits to buy a bouquet of fresh flowers.

    Then, Sunny found himself standing in front of the hospital complex.

    With a sigh, he lowered his head and walked through the automatic doors.

    Using an elevator to reach one of the lowest levels, he passed several increasingly strict security checks and approached an unremarkable white door.

    Inside, it was cool and dark.

    Changing the withered flowers with fresh ones, he lingered for a bit, then sat on a chair that stood near the softly glowing sleeping pod.

    Entombed within, a young woman with silver hair was dreaming soundly, her face pale and unmoving.

    "...Hey, Nephis. How have you been?"

 Chapter 388 Vigil

    Chapter 388 Vigil

    The was no one in the room besides the two of them. Well�� Nephis wasn't really there, either. In a sense, Sunny was alone.

    In more senses than one, really.

    There were two small tables standing on both sides of the sleeping pod, each bearing a vase with fresh flowers. Sunny only ever changed flowers in one of the vases, while Cassie tended to the other. They had yet to bump into each other while visiting Neph after that first fateful day, though, which suited Sunny fine.

    He didn't really want to see the blind girl now�� or ever again.

    Glancing at Changing Star, Sunny sighed and kept his mouth shut. He didn't know what kinds of recording equipment were installed in the room, so his one-sided conversations with Nephis had to happen in the safety of his mind.

    'I've just returned from the Dream Realm. Spent a whole three days there, exploring ruins and hunting down a few Nightmare Creatures. My shadow fragments�� well, you already know. I've been working hard to not let you leave me completely in the dust. Oh�� I met a Master from the White Feather clan yesterday. He seems like a nice enough guy. You would have liked him, I think.'

    He paused for a few moments and wondered if this was considered crazy behavior�� talking to a person that wasn't really there, pretending that they were. Maybe it was. But despite how much Sunny hated to admit it, he wasn't as fine and stable as he pretended to be.

    He was angry, guilt-ridden�� and lonely. He missed Nephis much more than he had ever expected. Out there on the Forgotten Shore, she had somehow become a fundamental part of his life. It was strange to exist without her occupying a place in the same world as him.

    ��Painful.

    He missed Cassie, too. Or rather, the version of her that had lived in his mind before everything they had turned to ashes. He missed their friendship, their camaraderie, their trust in each other... things that had been broken and lost.

    Sunny sighed.

    'You know, these days I often think about the time we spent in the Labyrinth. The three of us. It was a�� a simpler time, don't you think? A wonderful time. It seemed so terrible back then, but now�� now, I miss it a lot. I wonder if you do, too.'

    He grimaced, then looked away.

    'Anyway�� what else? Oh. That house I bought is ready. Kai and Effie are doing fine. They are both very busy, though. I�� hear that Cas is doing well, too. She had become the leader of those Forgotten Shore Awakened who remained independent. People are calling them the Fire Keepers. Funny, right?'

    Sunny lingered for a while, gathering his thoughts.

    '...I have visited your mom, by the way. I remember that you didn't like the thought of her being alone, so I went to see her. She is fine, too. Well�� I mean, you know. For a Hollow. Oh, and the funniest part��'

    He looked around, then thought:

    "Do you remember how you told us that you wanted to dye your hair? You won't believe it, but I actually bought a little Memory that allows me to change the color of my hair at will. Not because of you, it's just something that I needed for a thing I'm about to do. Still, I think that it's sort of hilarious."

    Nephis remained still and absent, her ivory face looking lifeless in the white glow of the sleeping pod. He gritted his teeth.

    '...Where are you? How are you doing? Are you hurt? Are you fucking happy?! I imagine that you would be, free of everything, with nothing to do but slaughter Nightmare Creatures and battle against the thing you hate the most.'

    Sunny looked down and clenched his fists, then remained still for a long time.

    'Are you... coming back?'

    There was no answer.

    He sat by Changing Star's side for a while, staring at her still face. Then, he nodded heavily and stood up.

    "Alright. Figures. I'll see you later, then."

    With that, Sunny turned around and left.

    ***

    Exiting the Academy, Sunny lingered for a bit, then turned around and looked back.

    The massive red gates looked very different from how they used to, back when he and Nephis walked through them sixteen months ago. The space in front of them had been empty then, but now, it was filled with tens of thousands of burning candles.

    These candles were an altar to Changing Star.

    After the survivors of the Forgotten Shore had returned to the real world, their story spread like wildfire and captured humanity's attention for a few weeks. Both the independent media and the government propaganda machine added fuel to the fire, spinning it as an inspirational epic of human resilience, heroism�� and sacrifice.

    And Nephis, of course, was the protagonist of that epic.

    Most of the Forgotten Shore Awakened were her willing apostles, after all. In their hearts, she was their savior. They were also under the impression that Changing Star had become trapped in the Dream Realm in order to give them a chance to escape.

    Their voices fell into fertile soil. Nephis already had the established mythos of the Immortal Flame clan to raise her into the spotlight of glory, and with her extraordinary accomplishments on the Forgotten Shore, it only grew brighter. The thing that really elevated and exalted her, however, was something else. It was martyrdom.

    People loved nothing more than a martyr.

    Just like Sunny had said, a person had to die to become a true hero. Changing Star, however, had done something strange. She was now, somehow, neither dead nor alive, which only made the whole thing more gripping and emotional.

    Nephis had become a martyr without actually dying.

    .

    ...Which was, coincidentally, very fitting, considering her clan's name.

    All of humanity was now entranced by the story of the last daughter of the legendary Immortal Flame clan, the heiress to two most prominent warriors in human history, who had been thrust into hell, stormed the citadel of a Fallen Terror that ruled it, and fought the creature off long enough for a hundred Sleepers to escape back to the real world, staying behind to ensure their survival.

    From the outside, she seemed like a paragon of humanity.

    Sunny didn't know who came up with the idea of placing candles near the gates of the Academy, but it was rather ingenious. People seemed to believe that the Immortal Flame would not be extinguished as long as at least one candle continued to burn for Changing Star. So the Academy had unexpectedly become a place of pilgrimage for thousands of humans who wished for her to do the impossible once again and return alive.

    The idea was so poignant that even Sunny himself had felt compelled to light a candle a couple of times.

    '...Zealots.'

    With a dismissive shake of his head, he turned around and walked away, leaving the sea of candles behind.

    None of them really knew Nephis. Only he did.

    She didn't need their candles to escape the Dream Realm.

    Perhaps it was the Dream Realm that needed help escaping from her.

 Chapter 389 A Place to Call His Own

    Chapter 389 A Place to Call His Own

    Sunny spent some time in a crowded carriage of a public train. Since personal transport vehicles were rare, expensive, and demanded a special government license to purchase, most people in the city used public transportation to move around. Magnetic trains, usually simply called trams, were the cheapest and most popular form of it.

    During his time in the outskirts, Sunny rarely had a reason to use one, but when he did, people didn't pay him any attention. Sometimes they even went out of their way to not notice him.

    But now, things seemed to have changed. Sunny had his eyes closed, observing the carriage through the shadow in case there was danger. There wasn't�� however, he was surprised to notice that people, especially young women, threw curious glances at him from time to time.

    'Huh�� is the Soul Serpent showing?'

    But no, his sleeves hid the coils of the Shadow completely.

    'Strange. Must be the clothes, then.'

    Sunny had not ventured out of the Academy a lot during the past two months, but on one of those expeditions, he had bought himself some unassuming, but pricey civilian clothes. According to Kai, they were "understated" and "stylish", whatever that meant. Sunny basically just went for the only comfortable thing the store had in dark colors.

    He sighed.

    'That just shows how shallow people are. A simple change of wardrobe, and suddenly, I'm at the center of attention. Why are girls so materialistic?'

    ��To be fair, many guys stared at him, too.

    By the time Sunny reached his stop, he was a bit flustered. Leaving the crowded train behind, he sighed with relief, hid his hands in his pockets, and walked out of the familiar tram terminal.

    The part of town he came to was somewhat near its center, as far removed from the outskirts as one could imagine. It was peaceful, quiet, and green.

    The air was almost as fresh as that of the Dream Realm.

    The houses in this district were also the opposite of the human hives Sunny was accustomed to �� weirdly, they were all very low, no more than two or three stories high. The ground itself rose and fell in artificial tiers, each street existing on its own wide terrace. Out here, the snow was already gone, revealing beautiful lawns and greenery. The whole district looked like a garden.

    Obviously, not everyone could allow themselves to live here. Most of the locals were either reasonably wealthy or worked for the government�� however, as far as citizens went, they were not of the highest ranks. There were other, much more affluent districts in the city, and the real elites �� as well as most Awakened �� lived there.

    But that was one of the things Sunny liked about this place. He could do without being around other Awakened all day, every day. Or anyone, really.

    It took him around fifteen minutes to walk from the terminal to the desired address. Of course, Sunny could have reached it much faster by jumping through the shadows, but he preferred to not use his Abilities outside of the Dream Realm and the Academy. It made him feel more human.

    Finally, he stopped in front of the home that was going to be his, and stared at it for a few minutes.

    The house in front of him was two stories high, with grey walls and a slanting tile roof. It had a synthwood porch, a lawn, and a big window opening to the view of a spacious living room. There was even a garage for a PTV, and a hedge fence to separate it from the neighboring homes.

    ��It was like something out of a fairy-tale.

    'Extravagant��'

    "Ahem�� Awakened Sunless? Sir?"

    New novels chapters are published ?n !

    Sunny was aware, of course, that a PTV had just parked nearby and that a man got out of it, approaching him from behind. He was just too consumed by the weight of the moment to show it.

    Turning around, he glanced at the person who called out for him.

    It was a short, overweighed man wearing a very expensive tailored suit and an antique luxury watch. Despite his outward appearance, the man was full of confidence and had a wide, polished, professional smile plastered to his face.

    Sunny stared at him with a dubious expression, then said:

    "...Lanard, right?"

    The man �� who was the representative of the agency responsible for outfitting Sunny's new home �� nodded with enthusiasm.

    "That's me. Ah, the fact that you have remembered my name is very flattering, sir. Really."

    With that, he gestured to the home and smiled.

    "How do you like it?"

    Sunny hesitated, then feigned indifference and shrugged.

    "It's fine, I guess."

    Lanard lingered for a moment, then smiled even wider.

    "Of course, a person of your caliber must be accustomed to much more luxurious accommodations. But I can assure you, you won't be disappointed by our work! This home might not be as high class as what you're used to, but we did everything per your specifications. Although�� I must admit, your choice of location gave us a challenge, especially with the need to keep the exact nature of the modifications discrete."

    Sunny kept a straight face and tried to understand what the hell Lanard was talking about, and who he thought Sunny was. To be honest, when he had decided to buy a home, he just contacted Master Jet, told her where he wanted the house to be located and a couple of things he hoped to fit inside, and instead of giving him advice on how to proceed, she simply arranged everything with a couple of phone call.

    And now, here he was.

    Meanwhile, Lanard glanced at him with a bit of curiosity, hesitated for a couple of moments, and then asked cautiously:

    "By the way�� if you don't mind me asking, sir�� how does this beautiful house stack against your previous place of residence? I am interested from a purely professional standpoint, of course. Think of it as a client survey!"

    Sunny looked at the cozy grey home, thought for a bit, and then answered honestly:

    "Well�� my previous place was about a hundred times bigger, built mostly out of natural stone and marble, with antique wooden furniture and a very special secret dungeon. Oh, and security was taken care of by a Fallen Devil."

    Lanard stared at him for a while with the same wide smile.

    His face, however, had slowly turned grey.

    After a while, he coughed a couple of times and said hoarsely:

    "Wonderful�� that's wonderful��ahem. Shall we take a look inside?"

 Chapter 390 My Castle

    Chapter 390 My Castle

    The interior of the home was tasteful and minimalist, governed by a design philosophy that seemed stylish, spacious... and a little bit empty.

    The first floor contained a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, a pantry, a bathroom, and a guest bedroom. Everything was furnished and fully stocked, including a refrigerator that was stuffed with all kinds of expensive food.

    Lanard looked around with a sense of pride and went on a long tirade about all the hidden security features the unassuming house actually possessed. There were thick plates of armored alloy hiding behind the siding panels, the wide windows were outfitted with titanium shutters that could come down at a moment's notice, and both air and water filters could withstand not only the usual environmental toxins, but also most known forms of biochemical threats.

    Such extensive security measures might have seemed like overkill, but in fact, even mundane humans strived to turn their homes into compact fortresses. No one knew when the next Gate would open, and how close to them it would be. Even though most homeowners were never going to use these protective features, having them made for a big quality of life difference.

    Lanard spent a weirdly long amount of time describing all the lighting fixtures his agency had installed, his voice bursting with enthusiasm. It seemed that the man had a thing about designer lamps. Sunny didn't have the heart to tell him that he would not be using any of them, most of the time. He could see perfectly well in the dark, after all.

    "...the house is connected to the city electrical grid, but there's obviously an autonomous energy source for emergencies. Spelltech, of course. Power units are easily accessible for purchase and last for a very long time��"

    By spelltech, he meant that the autonomous generator was built by combining modern technology with Awakened powers. The power units it required had to be either recharged or created by someone with a suitable Utility Aspect. Devices such as this were considered to be a luxury for the commoners, but in fact, a very large part of the city's infrastructure functioned on spelltech.

    Not everything in the world was created by the Awakened, but almost all industries required their participation in one way or another. Even the air filtration systems Sunny's mother used to assemble in an underground factory on the outskirts contained fiber grown by one of the Nightmare Spell carriers.

    That was why, while Utility Aspects were often useless in a fight, people who possessed them were so valued by society.

    ��Sunny asked a couple of questions about the entertainment system built into the living room, scratched the back of his head after receiving the answers, and expressed his desire to see the second floor.

    The second floor contained the master bedroom and two smaller ones, each with its own bathroom, and a brightly lit home office. There was also the latch to the storage space in the attic. Lanard described a few things about the furniture they chose, and then mentioned the soundproofing of the master bedroom several times, for some unknown reason.

    Sunny frowned and gave him a strange look.

    'I mean�� sleeping in peace and quiet is nice, but he does know that I can't sleep in the real world, right? What a strange man��'

    Finally, they descended into the basement, which was situated deep underground, as well as being the most heavily fortified and well-protected part of the house. In a sense, this was the heart of the unassuming grey home.

    The whole basement was one large space, with walls, floor, and ceiling covered by heavy plates of armored ceramic alloy. This was done so that an Awakened could train here without worrying about destroying their own home or alerting the neighbors.

    Sunny paid extra to make sure that every piece of training equipment here could survive his spars with Saint. He still remembered and mourned all the beautiful things he had lost during their previous duels. Like his favorite table... or his comfortable chair... or his pride...

    The basement could be isolated from the rest of the house and from the outside world, turning into a heavily fortified, impenetrable alloy box. The reason for this level of additional security stood in a small alcove at the far end of it.

    It was a state-of-the-art, beautiful, incredibly expensive sleeping pod �� the best money could buy. Sunny walked over to it and stared at the softly illuminated, luxurious cradle for a while, then smiled.

    'No more sore muscles��'

    In its closed state, the pod looked like a steel monolith. As far as high-tech coffins went, this armored one was a real beauty. Sunny couldn't even call it a coffin, really. That thing�� that thing was a whole sarcophagus.

    With its help, he would be able to spend entire months in the Dream Realm without subjecting his physical body to any damage. He wasn't planning on getting lost in the Spell for so long, of course, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

    Lanard chuckled:

    "I am not going to lie, every time I find myself in such an environment, I can't help but feel a little scared. Have you ever heard about Dracula, sir?"

    Sunny glanced at him, then shrugged.

    "Not really. What is that?"

    The short man shivered.

    "Just a legend, thankfully. Dracula was a fiend that fed on human blood and slept in a coffin underground. Hence the��"

    Sunny smiled:

    "Oh, a vampire? Yes, I've met one or two."

    Lanard grew pale, remained silent for a while, then squeaked:

    "M��m�� met?"

    Not paying him any attention, Sunny turned to the second pod that stood near the first one.

    This device looked similar enough to a sleeping pod to be mistaken for one, but had nothing to do with sleeping. Well�� not technically.

    It also had a cradle and a heavy lid, but unlike Sunny's new sarcophagus, it wasn't designed to accommodate a human body for long periods of time. In fact, there was a plaque on the inside of the lid advising people against overusing the equipment and asking them to behave responsibly.

    It was the best available Dreamscape pod, allowing one to enter the advanced virtual reality simulation that existed on the edge between technology and magic.

    ��Sunny had big plans for that thing.

 Chapter 391 Dreamscape

    Chapter 391 Dreamscape

    Dreamscape was a place that was neither real nor a part of the Dream Realm, but instead existed somewhere in between. It was created and maintained by a combination of advanced modern technology and a very special Aspect Ability that a certain Master �� now already a Saint �� possessed. Their power had to do with illusions, and so, that was what Dreamscape was.

    A massive illusion that countless people could share.

    However, that illusion was not entirely malleable, and functioned according to a set of absolute rules. It reflected reality instead of being a complete replacement for it. As the result, a person entering it was bound by the same laws that existed in the real world.

    And since one of those laws was the Nightmare Spell, a person's Aspect, Abilities, Memories, and Echoes would function in the illusion the same way they functioned outside of it, with one important difference. One couldn't be hurt, wounded, or killed in the Dreamscape. Neither Memories nor Echoes could be destroyed.

    Which meant that Awakened were able to battle each other there without having to risk their lives and keep the destructive force of their duels out of the real world. This application was the primary use of the Dreamscape�� well, in a sense.

    At the dawn of it, the Dreamscape was mostly used by the Legacy Clans and the government to train elite Awakened that served them, but it was quickly deemed as only being marginally useful. While such training could facilitate safe duels between the human carriers of the Spell, its simulation of the Nightmare Creatures was not that close to reality. The illusory monsters lacked the will and mind of actual abominations, after all.

    So, the Dreamscape had failed to become a successful training tool and was thus largely abandoned.

    It had, however, unexpectedly found incredible success in the entertainment segment.

    Those Awakened that were not part of elite strike forces deemed it to be very engaging, useful�� and fun. The duels in the Dreamscape became very popular, and that popularity simply exploded once the company behind it came up with the idea to integrate a broadcast function into the simulation pods, thus making these duels available to a much broader audience �� the mundane humans.

    Today, Dreamscape was a whole industry with both amateur and professional leagues, famous celebrities, and passionate fan clubs. There was even a version of it for non-Awakened, with its own set of environments and adventures that allowed people to experience a facsimile of what it meant to travel across the Dream Realm while battling Nightmare Creatures.

    Sunny, however, wasn't interested in the fame, glory, and money that becoming a renowned Dreamscape champion could bring him. No matter how lucrative, it was just a toy, at the end of the day.

    He was, nevertheless, extremely interested in that toy for three very important reasons.

    The first reason was the anonymity that Dreamscape offered. It was all but impossible to track a person entering the illusion if they didn't wish to be tracked, which was very much to his liking.

    The second reason was Shadow Dance. Sunny needed to fight against a multitude of opponents skilled in wielding different weapons and using various styles to sharpen his battle art and make it �� as well as the Soul Serpent �� stronger. In a sense, he needed to create a library of mirrored styles to enrich his own.

    Was there a better place to find thousands upon thousands of Awakened who were willing and ready to cross blades with him? All without having to risk his life, to boot.

    The third reason was rather unexpected. In fact, Sunny had stumbled upon it by pure accident.

    Back when he had just arrived on the Chained Isles, he secretly tested the Mantle of the Underworld in battles against several Nightmare Creatures. The onyx armor had turned out to be even more remarkable than he had anticipated, so he easily hunted down several abominations. And yet, one creature had managed to escape from him after being thoroughly defeated, mostly because of the approaching Crushing.

    That was when he discovered how the [Prince of the Underworld] enchantment really worked. Its description said that the onyx armor grew stronger according to the number of opponents its wielder defeated�� and it did exactly that. The enchantment didn't care whether the opponent lived or died, all that mattered to it was that the enemy lost.

    After the Nightmare Creature Sunny had beaten escaped, the counter of the enchantment still changed from [1215/6000] to [1216/6000].

    He tested it in a battle with another abomination, bringing it to the door of death and then walking away without delivering the last blow. The counter went to [1217/6000].

    So, Sunny hoped to kill two birds with one stone in the Dreamscape �� to both elevate his technique and satiate the requirements of the [Prince of the Underworld] with a constant stream of victories.

    Now that he had finally bought his own home and gained access to a sufficiently secure simulation pod, the chance to do so was finally in his grasp.

    ...But first, he needed to send Lanard away.

    The two of them returned to the ground floor. The short man looked around and asked with a somewhat forced smile:

    "I�� I hope that everything was to your liking, sir?"

    Trying not to show how weird it was for him to be addressed as "sir", still, Sunny gave him a curt nod and answered evenly:

    "Yes. It will do."

    Lanard hesitated for a few moments, then said:

    "Good. Great! Ahem�� would you like to subscribe to our active security service? Many Awakened find it beneficial to have a dedicated security�� team�� guarding�� uh��"

    The short man started to give him an obviously practiced sales pitch, but under Sunny's indifferent gaze, his voice grew quieter and quieter, until eventually disappearing completely.

    Sunny smiled slightly.

    "I would not, Lanard. Do you really presume to be able to guard�� me?"

    Lanard gulped, then shook his head.

    "Ha! Ha-ha. No, of course not. What I was thinking about, even? Please forgive me, sir."

    He looked away, then hurried to change the subject:

    "In any case, as you can see, the interior is rather empty. We left space for your to fit your�� ahem�� things. If you don't mind me asking, when are the movers arriving?"

    Sunny stared at him, then shrugged.

    "They're not. I don't own a lot of... things."

    By which he meant that the clothes on his back and the stuff in his pockets were the total sum of his worldly possessions.

    Lanard sighed, then nodded:

    "How profound. Indeed, people these days are too preoccupied with material possessions. They define themselves through the ownership of things, not noticing that those things actually own them. I envy your wisdom, sir."

    '...What on earth is that guy going on about?'

    Sunny stared at Lanard's tailored suit and antique watch with hidden envy. Those had to be expensive��

    The short man caught the direction of his gaze, and blushed with embarrassment.

    "Anyway! If no one is coming, then we can conclude the deal right here and now. I wouldn't want to�� take too much of your precious time!"

    They signed a few documents. All payments had been made in advance, so this was just a formality... but, despite that, completing this meaningless ritual made Sunny feel a deep and powerful emotion.

    In a few minutes, Lanard was gone, leaving him alone in his new home.

    The first home he had in many, many years.

 Chapter 392 Birth of a Legend

    Chapter 392 Birth of a Legend

    For a while, Sunny stood motionlessly in the living room. Then, he slowly wandered around the house, looking at its walls and tastefully furnished rooms. Finally, he found himself near the refrigerator and took out a glass bottle full of clear, pure water.

    With it in hand, Sunny walked outside and sat down on the porch.

    The terrace district was quiet and peaceful. The air was still cold, but the sunlight was already full of warmth, promising a vibrant spring. The wind rustled the leaves gently, and streams of meltwater murmured softly as they ran down the pavement. Sunny stared at the piece of land that he now owned and opened the glass bottle.

    He spent quite a while there, sipping water and looking at nothing in particular. As hours passed, several PTVs drove by. He saw a few people in clean and warm clothes. A bit later, droves of children and teenagers in school uniforms walked past, on their way home from their studies.

    After that, he sighed, retrieved his shadows, and went back inside.

    Bringing the empty bottle back to the refrigerator, he stared at it for a few moments.

    Inside, there was food�� so much food. Enough food to last him for a month. All easily accessible, delicious, and well within his means.

    ��Before Sunny knew it, his fist slammed into the door of the refrigerator, easily piercing the thin metal sheets and turning the vegetables stored on the other side into vapor. Pieces of metal and plastic flew in the air, and the whole house trembled slightly. The refrigerator itself cracked and deformed, nearly bursting apart from the force of the impact.

    Sunny stared at his hand in shock, then awkwardly retrieved it from inside the devastating device and looked at the broken thing with dismay.

    "...Crap!"

    Now he was going to have to buy a new one. And replace all the food. And clean up all the mess��

    'What the hell is wrong with me?'

    Shaking his head, he put the empty glass bottle on the counter, sighed, and went to find a mop.

    ***

    Some time later, Sunny returned to the basement and approached the Dreamscape pod. He looked at it for a while, then turned around and paced around the armored dojo, frowning.

    'Come on now�� you've been preparing for this for a long, long time.'

    As he paced, his whole presence slowly changed. The way Sunny walked, the way he held himself, the way his hands moved all became slightly different.

    "There are six gods. The War God, also known as the God of Life. The Beast God, also knowns as the Goddess of the Moon. The Sun God��"

    As he recited the names of the gods and their various aspects, the manner in which he spoke also changed. The difference was subtle, but noticeable.

    One after another, Sunny changed every little bit of behavioral traits that could be traced back to him. He had spent a lot of time training for this moment, using the physical malleability of a Shadow Dance practitioner to make himself unrecognizable. Surprisingly, the task had turned out much easier than he had thought. It was basically his specialty, anyway.

    Weaver's Mask could protect his identity from all who would wish to learn it through magic, but he had to deal with mundane forms of identification on his own.

    After a while, when he was ready, Sunny undressed, approached the simulation pod, and climbed into its cradle. As the polished mask of black wood appeared on his face, the lid closed.

    A string of shimmering letters appeared in front of him.

    "Enter Dreamscape?"

    "Yes" "No"

    He sighed, then concentrated on the "Yes".

    A few moments later, his vision darkened.

    ***

    Sunny found himself standing in a boundless, black void. All around him, countless stars burned with ethereal light, an inconceivably complex weave of strings connecting them together.

    ��There was, however, no logic or sense in the pattern. He didn't feel any meaning hidden in the beautiful weave of the strings of light. It was just a pretty backdrop, and nothing more.

    A fake.

    Other than that, though, the simulation was pretty realistic. He looked down and saw his naked body, the Soul Serpent coiling around his arms and torso. The Dreamscape recreated his appearance to the sma�� uh�� in great detail.

    '...Huh.'

    Shaking his head in bewilderment, Sunny summoned the Mantle of the Underworld. It weaved itself from black threads and covered his body. As soon as it did, a pleasant voice resounded in the darkness.

    "Challenger! Welcome to the Dreamscape."

    Sunny summoned the Autumn Leaf �� a small charm that allowed him to change the color of his hair. After a short hesitation, he made them appear white.

    'What next? How do I fight people?'

    The pleasant voice promptly responded:

    "Before proceeding further, please choose an alias."

    He blinked a couple of times, then scratched a back of his head.

    'Oh, right. An alias��'

    After some though, Sunny remembered the legend of Odysseus that Neph like to talk about, and smiled.

    "Nobody."

    That would be a good alias�� he could already imagine how funny it would be, to hear something like "Nobody has defeated the enemy!" or "Nobody has won!".

    His thoughts, however, were interrupted by the voice of the Dreamscape:

    "Alias "Nobody" is taken. Please choose another."

    "Uh��"

    He did not expect that. What would be a better��

    "Alias "Uh" is taken. Please choose another."

    "What? No, wait!"

    "Alias "What? No, wait!" is taken. Please choose another."

    Sunny shut his mouth, then thought for a while.

    His alias had to not only sound nice, but also be the opposite of what he would ever call himself in real life. Just like his movement and speech patterns, it had to be a part of the disguise. That's why coming up with one was not that easy��

    In the next few minutes, he tried a dozen different aliases, all to the same result. The level of coolness of the aliases he could come up with rapidly dropped, while the level of his irritation quickly rose. He felt as if the damned simulation was mocking him.

    Finally, Sunny growled in frustration and said the first word that came to his mind:

    "...Mongrel!"

    The Dreamscape was silent for a while. Then, it said:

    "Welcome, Mongrel. Please, choose a dream of your liking."

    'Really?! Mongrel?! Well�� mission accomplished, I guess! This is indeed the last thing I would want to be known as!'

    Oh, the irony��

    As Sunny huffed and puffed from frustration, several images appeared in front of him. All contained depictions of different environments, although most looked like an arena of some sorts.

    From his research, Sunny knew that the choice of an arena decided what type of opponents he would get to fight against. Some were available to everyone, some required a certain number of victories to be accessed. Professional duelists all spent their time in those elite dreams.

    'Dreams�� what a stupid name. If I was dreaming, I would be on the Chained Islands right now, wouldn't I?'

    His body was, indeed, awake right now. It's just that his mind was inside of an illusion.

    Regardless, what he needed was a place where he could fight sufficiently skilled amateurs without drawing too much attention. He knew just the place.

    Pointing at one of the images, Sunny said.

    "There."

    A moment later, the black void disappeared, and he was suddenly somewhere else.

    A loud voice thundered from somewhere above:

    "Challenger Mongrel has entered the Colosseum!"

 Chapter 393 Mongrel

    Chapter 393 Mongrel

    Sunny was standing on the floor of a vast oval arena. It was covered by sand, which had long ago turned red from all the blood spilled between these ancient walls. The merciless sun burned in the incandescent sky, and the smell of sweat, blood, and death assaulted his nostrils.

    'How... realistic.'

    A little disturbed, Sunny looked around and saw tall amphitheater stands rising high above the blood-soaked arena. Those were the spectator seats. A crowd was cheering from them, their voices full of macabre fascination, cruelty, and glee. Both men and women were dressed in archaic robes that left their arms and shoulders bare. With bloodthirsty smiles contorting their features, they looked like a horde of lustful demons.

    Well�� not all of them. Here and there, a strangely clothed person could be seen, observing the fights with a less barbaric expression. The people in archaic clothes were illusions, while the rest were actual observers.

    One didn't have to be connected to the Dreamscape to spectate the duels, but some quirky fans preferred to be there in person to achieve the feeling of maximum immersion.

    'Lunatics. Those damn simulation pods are too costly to use them for spectating��'

    Even though Sunny wasn't poor anymore, seeing such extravagance still pained him. Shaking his head, he finally turned his attention to the arena itself.

    Obviously, this illusory environment wasn't very original, but on the other hand, it was a classic. More advanced dreams had vastly different decorations, ranging from realistic to completely fantastical, but for this low-level one, the company running Dreamscape chose a pretty basic narrative.

    It was an ancient coliseum �� a place where slaves had once fought to entertain their masters, often to the death.

    Sunny didn't like it one bit.

    The Colosseum was based on a historical structure, but was much larger. Hundreds upon hundreds of warriors roamed the sand of the battle arena, some engaged in fights, some searching for an opponent.

    Out here in the Colosseum, most of the participants were Awakened of high enough skill to be considered the elite among the amateurs, but not skillful enough to enter the professional leagues. Just what Sunny was looking for... maybe. Overall, while many of the duelists in the Dreamscape were talented fighters, at the end of the day, there were very few true masters among them.

    Real elites spilled blood in the Dream Realm, not in an illusion that had been conjured for the purpose of entertainment. So the level of competency of these people remained to be seen.

    Commanding the Soul Serpent to assume the form of the fearsome odachi, Sunny put the blade of the great sword on his shoulder and waited to be challenged. Due to his menacing black armor and fearsome mask, however, people seemed to be reluctant to approach.

    At least for a while.

    Soon, a young swordsman in a striking bloodred armor approached, a long and graceful espadon resting on his shoulder. With a smile, he looked at Sunny and said:

    "Haven't seen you around before�� Mongrel? Are you new to the Coliseum?"

    Sunny tilted his head and studied the letters that appeared around the swordsman.

    "Paradise in Red"

    "Victories: 157"

    "Defeats: 103"

    'Good enough.'

    Lowering the odachi, he answered in an even tone.

    "...I was born in the Coliseum."

    The swordsman smiled, then stepped forward.

    "Let me welcome you back, then."

    The voice of the Dreamscape immediately spoke, announcing the start of the fight:

    "Paradise in Red has challenged Mongrel!"

    They clashed on the bloodied sand, moving with enough speed to cause the wind to howl through their armor.

    Sunny had left one of his shadows on the ground, and wrapped another one around the Autumn Leaf, where it could do him no good �� he didn't want to be too strong, so that his opponents were not completely outmatched and could properly showcase their styles.

    As for himself, he had completely abandoned both the flowing style that Nephis had taught him and the grounded technique that he had learned from Saint, relying only on his ability to shadow the enemy's movements.

    Paradise in Red was not a master of swordsmanship, but his skill level was not bad. Still, the young man wasn't a match for Sunny, even though he had to forego his practiced techniques and wasn't used to wielding the great blade of the odachi.

    The material form of the Shadow Serpent was truly formidable, but due to its size and nature, using it required a lot of adjustment. It was potentially far more devastating than any shorter blade could ever hope to be, but at the same time, demanded much more skill and strategy to be wielded efficiently. Any strike it delivered was potentially deadly, but so was every mistake made in the process.

    .

    Sunny prolonged the fight for as long as he could, learning as much as possible from how his opponent moved and wielded the sword. In the end, however, the strain of the duel turned out to be too much for the other fighter �� he wasn't very strategic at how he spent his soul essence, so after five minutes or so, his speed and strength decreased sharply.

    Sunny sighed and ended the duel with one precise slash of the Soul Serpent.

    The great sword flashed across the enemy's neck, sending his head flying into the air.

    The beheaded corpse fell to the ground in a rain of blood, then disappeared in a stream of sparks.

    The voice of the Dreamscape thundered from above:

    "Mongrel has won!"

    'Too bad��'

    Five minutes was not enough to truly learn the essence of a battle style. However, Sunny was certain that he would face another practitioner of this battle art eventually. There were not that many popular styles among the amateurs, after all. A few days or weeks later, he was bound to fight against someone with a similar technique again.

    Attracted by his flashy victory, a few more challengers approached. Sunny flourished the Soul Serpent, then stopped it abruptly midair. Drops of blood flew to the sand, leaving the dark blade perfectly clean.

    Under the mask, he grinned.

    'Ah, so cool. Good thing that I learned this trick from Saint, too��'

    ***

    "Argh! Are you even human?!"

    Another Awakened fell to the sand, blood flowing from his mouth.

    Sunny took a step forward and slashed down with the Shadow Serpent, easily cutting through the opponent's light armor and splitting his body in half. The great sword he wielded... was truly devastating.

    As the corpse disappeared, he cleaned the curved blade of the odachi with a swift flourish and answered with a dejected lie:

    "Human? I am not, and have never been, a human."

    By that time, a small crowd of Awakened had gathered around to spectate the fights and wait for their turn to challenge him. Hearing his words, one of them laughed:

    "If you are not human, then what are you?"

    Sunny glanced at him, then shrugged.

    "A mongrel."

    Internally, though, he was thinking:

    '...What the heck?!'

    In the past several hours, he had fought twenty-seven people. And out of them, twenty-five �� twenty-five! �� had been using the same battle style.

    It was a practical, but rather simplistic art that relied on straightforward, efficient movements and attacks that were optimal in terms of lethality and energy expenditure, but for the same reason very predictable. In the hands of a master, the style could have been a real menace, but with these talented amateurs, it was useless against anyone with a tiny bit of clarity.

    Several of the Aspects the challengers possessed had thrown him for a loop, but in the end, he had defeated them all one after another, gaining a solid grasp of the essence of their style by the twentieth practitioner he fought.

    These people were not exactly untalented, but Sunny felt the difference between them and himself sharply. He had to remind himself that, unlike him, they had not spent a whole year fighting for their lives in the hell of the Forgotten Shore.

    Most of these young men and women had probably only experienced a handful of real battles in their entire lives: a few in the First Nightmare, and a few on their way to the Gateway. After that, they lived in well-protected Citadels and only ventured outside the walls in large cohorts... if ever.

    'Disappointing��'

    Although the counter of the [Prince of the Underworld] had grown by twenty-seven victories, Sunny was slightly irritated. This was not what he had hoped for.

    Variety, he needed variety. He needed to create a truly versatile library of styles to allow Shadow Dance to be more efficient in the future. The more basic styles he learned, the easier it would be for him to shadow a truly unique technique if he needed to.

    ...As he was thinking that today was a complete bust, a sudden wave of whispers ran both through the crowd of the Awakened fighters and the human spectators observing them from the stands.

    A dozen or so meters behind Sunny, a tall figure suddenly appeared out of thin air.

    When people saw the new arrival, their eyes widened.

 Chapter 394 One Strike

    Chapter 394 One Strike

    Leo Striker appeared on the Colosseum and looked around with a bit of nostalgia. A few years ago, at the very start of his career, he had been a frequent visitor of this arena�� this was where it all had started for him.

    Times had changed, of course.

    Using the few moments before he was recognized, Leo smiled widely and said:

    "Well, well, well. Did you really think that I would forget about the Public Mondays, guys? Of course not! This is a sacred tradition�� SACRED, guys. Some of the Strike Force veterans might remember how I started in the amateur arenas, and now that I am a brilliant, famous, and incredibly handsome celebrity, I have to return here from time to time. To, you know�� stay humble."

    There were currently around twenty thousand people watching his broadcast, and pretty much all of them immediately exploded with a flood of mocking messages. Glancing at the Broadcaster Interface that Dreamscape provided to popular duelists like him, he grinned and winked, humored by some of the good-natured jabs thrown his way.

    Leo Striker was not the most extraordinary fighter in the Dreamscape, but over these past few years, he had gathered a rather large following thanks to his skill, flair, and boisterous personality. He was so popular, in fact, that thousands of younger Awakened became enamored with the battle style he and a few of his duelist buddies practiced.

    As the result, the Roaring Lion Strike style had become all the rage among the amateur duelists, and his old mentor was now flooded by a deluge of new pupils. That fact really warmed Leo's heart�� he was glad to be able to repay the old man for all his patience.

    Leo spent most of his days participating in top-level duels on the professional league arenas, but on Mondays, he liked to visit a public dream or two, chat with fans, fight a few amateurs and provide them with pointers as a way to give back to the community.

    Today was one such Monday.

    Looking around the Colosseum, Leo noticed a small gathering a dozen or so meters away from him and headed over. As he walked, he heard excited voices:

    "Hey�� isn't that Leo Striker?!"

    "No way�� wait! It's him! I can recognize that gorgeous armor with my eyes closed!"

    "Leo! Love you, man! Keeping it real like always!"

    "Strike Force Roar! I've been watching your broadcasts for two years, Leo!"

    A friendly smile appeared on his face. Waving at several fans, he approached the crowd of challengers and glanced at the lone figure standing in the empty space in the middle.

    'Woah! This dude has style!'

    The man in the middle of the crowd wore a beautiful onyx armor that radiated a sense of solemn, dark menace. His face was hidden behind a fearsome black mask, with three twisting horns rising from it like a jagged crown. His hair was stark white, and there were two pools of impenetrable darkness in the place where his eyes were supposed to be.

    His weapon of choice was a long, curved odachi forged of lusterless black steel. It rested on his shoulder, seemingly devouring the bright light of the illusory sun.

    The stranger looked more like a demon than a human being.

    Leo let out an approving whistle.

    'Is he also a broadcaster? Huh, I don't recognize those Memories.'

    He checked the stats of the demonic warrior.

    "Mongrel"

    "Victories: 27."

    "Defeats: 0."

    'A newbie�� but a talented one! A perfect KDA, what a rarity!'

    In any case, that guy was incredibly photogenic. A duel with him was not going to be interesting due to the gap in their skill, but it would definitely look stunning. Leo felt a little ashamed to break Mongrel's perfect streak, but this talented amateur would receive useful advice in return, which was far more useful.

    Who knows, they might meet again in the professional arena one day��

    Looking at the invisible camera, Leo raised an eyebrow and asked:

    "What do you say, Strike Force? Should we challenge that dark and handsome guy other there?"

    As the viewers expressed their approval, he approached Mongrel and gave him a friendly smile.

    "Hey there, friend. That's a big sword you got there. Do you even know how to use it?"

    Teasing the opponent was another sacred tradition of the Dreamscape, and Leo was rather good at it.

    Mongrel shifted slightly and faced him. The disturbing mask stared at Leo, making him shiver slightly for no apparent reason.

    .

    "No."

    Leo laughed.

    "No? You don't know how to use your sword? Well, would you like me to teach you?"

    The demonic warrior stared at him and didn't even move.

    "No."

    'What's up with that dude? Does he not know other words? Come on, work with me here, buddy! I am dying here, trying to make this duel entertaining��'

    With a sigh, Leo stepped forward and unsheathed his own blade.

    The viewers once again exploded with a flood of messages, and at the same time, the voice of the Dreamscape announced:

    "...Leo Striker has challenged Mongrel!"

    ***

    'Goddammit!'

    Sunny stared at the young man in a beautiful azure armor, cursing his luck.

    'Why can't he get a hint?!'

    Even though Sunny couldn't say a word of truth while wearing Weaver's Mask, he tried to communicate his reluctance to fight this guy... to no result whatsoever.

    He didn't have anything against the new challenger�� what did the Dreamscape call him, Leo?... but there was one problem.

    Just from the way the young man walked, Sunny could tell that he practiced the same damned battle style that everyone else here seemed to practice. And Sunny had more than enough of it for one day.

    'Ugh��'

    His time in the real world was limited, so he really hoped to experience a more diverse collection of opponents before it ran out.

    'Maybe there's still hope. Maybe the next one is going to be different.'

    It was better to finish this fight quickly, then.

    Sending the happy shadow from the Autumn Lief to his body, Sunny lowered the Shadow Serpent and took a step forward.

    His opponent, meanwhile, smiled.

    "Let me teach you the first lesson. You should always��"

    '...wear a helmet into the battle, fool.'

    Dashing forward, Sunny easily deflected Leo's blow and pierced his head clean through by continuing the same motion.

    As the corpse of the eloquent young man fell down and disintegrated into a rain of sparks, he flourished the odachi to clean it from blood, returned to his previous spot, and indifferently put it on his shoulder.

    'I swear to gods. The next person to challenge me better be using a different style. Otherwise�� I might get angry!'

    ***

    Leo Striker found himself standing in a boundless black void, his mouth agape.

    His viewers, too, were uncharacteristically silent.

    'One strike�� one strike! He killed me in one strike?'

    He lingered for a few moments, then turned to the invisible camera and forced out an awkward smile.

    "That was�� uh�� that was really unexpected, right guys?"

    Then, his smile grew wide and sincere.

    "That, Strike Force, is what people call finding a diamond in a pile of�� uh�� dung! Incredible luck! Yeah, definitely a stroke of luck. Oh, by the way... has anyone clipped it?"

 Chapter 395 Roaring Lion,Hidden Dragon

    Chapter 395 Roaring Lion,Hidden Dragon

    Leo sent the clip to a couple of his buddies and waited in the dark void, chatting with the viewers and laughing about his terrible performance in the duel against the demonic newbie.

    'That Mongrel... there's something about him...'

    Just as he had expected, his friends joined him in the Dreamscape almost immediately after receiving the message.

    Yes, his defeat was rather embarrassing�� but there was an opportunity in every disaster!

    This was going to be a very special broadcast.

    A rare and bombastic�� crossover episode!

    Answering the invitations, two figures joined him in the black void. The viewers grew silent for a moment, and then sent so many reactions that the Broadcast Interface almost crashed.

    Well, as expected. Both guests Leo had invited were very prominent duelists, at least as popular as he was himself, or perhaps even more.

    One wore a heavy plate armor. There was a castle engraved on its breastplate, and four dragons depicted on his pauldrons and vambraces. This was Daoist Saifer, a renowned swordsman who possessed a powerful Aspect that allowed him to control fire.

    The other was a taciturn warrior in a grey silken robe. His alias in the Dreamscape was the Fool, and he was known to be one of the most peculiar and persistent duelists in the professional league.

    Leo grinned.

    "Hey there, Saifer. Hey there, Fool. Long time no see!"

    Saifer scoffed, then pointed at him.

    "Leo, my friend. What the hell was that? You got killed by an amateur�� in one strike!"

    The Fool simply shook his head and remained silent.

    Leo coughed in embarrassment and looked down.

    "Yeah, well�� it's not like the two of you never tasted a piece of humble pie, is it? If I remember correctly, Queen Bee decimated both of you just last week��"

    Saifer grinned.

    "I am ready to be killed by our noble Queen every day. But a newbie? Come on..."

    Leo shrugged, then pointed to his sword.

    "Alright, alright. But there's a reason the two of you arrived so quickly, right? You saw it too?"

    The two duelists glanced at each other, then slowly nodded.

    Leo turned to the camera and smiled brilliantly.

    "What? None of you battle geniuses have noticed it? Well, well, well. It's this rare moment when I get to mock my dear viewers and their insufferable expert advice!"

    He gestured to his friends, then continued:

    "For those Strike Force veterans who still remember the early days of my broadcasting�� as you might know, these two distinguished gentlemen are actually not only my colleagues, but also disciples of the same cranky old man who taught me swordsmanship. Basically, the three of us are childhood friends, and we practice the same ingenious battle style. The Roaring Lion Strike style."

    He paused, and then sighed mysteriously.

    "And while it hurts my pride a little to have been defeated by an unknown novice, the real reason why I was so shocked by our duel�� IS�� YOU WON'T BELIEVE IT... oh yeah, before we do this, I should mention the sponsor of today's��"

    Saifer rolled his eyes and interrupted him.

    "Cut it, Leo! What he was going to say is that the masked guy used the Roaring Lion Strike style to defeat that dolt. And while there are many �� lots and lots, really �� people who can beat that loud nuisance in a heartbeat, the fact that someone done so while using our own style is very interesting."

    Leo glanced at his friend with vitriol, but then gave up on the ad break and nodded.

    "Indeed. So, the three of us are going to go and see who that Mongrel really is, and what is he really capable of��"

    ***

    Sunny felt that something weird was going on in the Colosseum after he dispatched the young man in azure armor. The other Awakened seemed to stare at him with a bit of confusion�� shock, even.

    The same went for the human spectators in the amphitheater. Many had changed seats to get closer to him.

    'What's the matter with all these people? Did I go overboard and move too fast?'

    But no, he had measured his dash to not appear too powerful. Maybe they just liked the spectacle? Sunny was, indeed, giving them a good show. Not that doing so was his intention...

    'Anyway�� why is no one challenging me? Stop wasting my time, people! I'm on a tight schedule!'

    Indeed, no one in the small crowd of Awakened that had been waiting for their turn to fight him seemed willing to step forward now. Sunny stared at them in boredom for a few minutes, trying to understand what was going on. They had been very eager just a few moments ago, no?

    Then, someone finally walked toward him, unsheathing a formidable-looking sword.

    The guy was wearing plate armor, with an intricate engraving of a castle and four dragons decorating its polished surface. He looked strong, noble, and experienced.

    'You. Must. Be. Kidding me!'

    The same style�� he was obviously practicing the same damn style!

    As Sunny's eyes narrowed, the voice of the Dreamscape announced:

    "Daoist Saifer has challenged Mongrel!"

    Before the guy in plate armor could even attack, Sunny unceremoniously bashed him in the face with the pommel of the odachi, swiped his foot, and then viciously thrust the tip of the great sword into the narrow crack of his visor.

    As blood flowed from the steel helmet, the voice of the Dreamscape thundered once again:

    "Mongrel has won!"

    The faces in the crowd grew a bit pale.

    'What the hell is wrong with these people?! Is there no one here who knows a different style?!'

    Before Sunny could even clean the blade of the Shadow Serpent, a new challenger approached.

    This one was wearing a grey silken robe.

    "The Fool has challenged Mongrel!"

    The bastard was wielding a heavy saber�� and using the same cursed battle art!

    Sunny let out a low growl and dashed forward.

    The Fool turned out to be more nimble and aware than the last two fighters. He managed to sidestep the attack�� sadly, it had turned out to be just a feint. Before he could correct his footing, the odachi pierced his chest and exited from his back.

    Sunny tore the great sword out of the enemy's body and stepped back in frustration.

    The man in the grey silken robe swayed and stared at the growing red patch on his silk garment. Looking up at Sunny, he silently gave him a thumbs up, then collapsed to the sand in a rain of sparks.

    "Mongrel has won!"

    'Curse it all! Do I need to go to a professional arena to find a proper opponent?!'

    These people were not, exactly, bad fighters�� the three last ones especially�� but why on earth were all of them so similar to each other?

    Sunny looked around and noticed that the Colosseum was deathly silent. Everyone was staring at him with strange expressions.

    'Wait�� don't tell me��'

    He scowled behind the mask, a terrible suspicion entering his mind.

    'Is�� is this whole arena meant for practitioners of a single style? Was I breaking some unspoken taboo this whole time? That would be a bastard move�� no, wait, that doesn't make any sense. I was using the same style as them��'

    Suddenly, a familiar face approached him from the crowd. It was the young man in the azure armor. Lion Beater, or whatever��

    'No�� oh gods, please no! I don't want to fight him again��'

    The young man stopped a few meters away from Sunny, hesitated for a few moments, then smiled and asked in a light tone:

    "Mongrel, my friend... if you don't mind me asking�� what are you even doing here, in this amateur arena?"

    Sunny rolled his eyes behind the mask. The answer was really simple: he was here to learn.

    But he couldn't say that, of course. He was also too frustrated to come up with a creative lie.

    Staring at the young man, he allowed the Soul Serpent to disappear and become a tattoo again, then said somberly:

    "I am here to unlearn."

    Lion Beater blinked a couple of times, then shifted his weight slightly, clearly intending to unsheath his sword.

    'Enough of this!'

    With an irritated huff, Sunny commanded the Dreamscape to eject him from the arena and disappeared from the Colosseum in a shower of white sparks.

    Climbing out of the simulation pod, he stared at it with resentment, then suddenly flinched and grabbed his hand with another.

    "No, no�� we don't want the refrigerator accident to happen again, not to this beautiful, shiny, extremely expensive pod�� right? Right! I should�� I should probably go and get some fresh air�� try it again next time, on a more challenging arena��"

    With that, he threw the last glance at the high-tech device, and walked away.

    ��What Sunny did not see, though, was the crowd of Awakened back in the Colosseum, all staring at the empty space where he had stood a minute ago.

    Leo Striker stared at it, too, a thoughtful expression on his face.

    A few seconds later, he said quietly:

    "To�� unlearn? Huh."

 Chapter 396 Viral Sensation

    Chapter 396 Viral Sensation

    Sunny salvaged some food from the destroyed fridge, had a very late supper, and went down to the basement again, this time to travel to the Chained Isles.

    By then, all shadow essence he had spent during the duels and to keep the Mantle of the Underworld from turning back to stone had already been restored.

    Wearing the onyx armor required a constant flow of essence to maintain the [Leaving Stone] enchantment active, and with the Soul Serpent assuming its weapon form, Sunny couldn't use the Shadow to keep the expenditure to a minimum. Wearing the Mantle for prolonged periods of time was rather draining... however, it was also a perfect way to train himself on how to manage essence most efficiently. He had no complaints.

    ...It was funny, though, that the Dreamscape required a person to expend real essence despite being just an illusion.

    'Oh well.'

    Climbing into his new, state-of-the-art sleeping pod, Sunny lay comfortably in the soft cradle and smiled.

    'No more sore muscles! Finally.'

    With that, he closed his eyes, and very quickly fell asleep.

    While his soul wandered the Dream Realm and his body slept, locked in an underground bunker behind multiple layers of protection, though... several things happened in the real world.

    The clip of his short duel against Leo Striker had unexpectedly gone viral.

    All around the planet, countless people watched it with a wide range of reactions. Some found it funny, some fascinating, while some simply scrolled past it as they watched their feeds.

    Even those who did not have any interest in the Awakened duels found it striking, though. The image of an infernal wraith clad in black onyx armor defeating a charming, noble human warrior with one swift and ruthless strike was, indeed, very cinematic�� just how Leo had predicted. Even if, to his dismay, the roles had ended up being switched.

    What's more, even though Sunny had not even known that their fight was being broadcasted, he accidentally looked directly at the invisible camera right after cruelly putting the tip of his odachi through the opponent's eye.

    The image of the fearsome black mask staring emotionlessly directly at them, two pools of darkness hiding the eyes of the human being behind it, sent shivers down the spines of people watching the clip.

    It was chilling, arresting, and strangely hypnotic.

    Many of them had the same question after watching the clip on repeat several times��

    Was there even a human there, behind the scary mask?

    People who followed the Dreamscape leagues, however, had an entirely different reaction. Although they, too, appreciated the undeniable aesthetic value of the short and striking duel, they paid more attention to the actual meaning of it.

    How could a completely unknown novice defeat an established and well-regarded duelist, someone as famous as Leo Striker�� in just one strike? The exact moment when Sunny delivered the deadly blow was analyzed, disassembled, and put under the microscope. Was it skill or pure luck? Was it intentional or accidental? Did Leo make a mistake, or was his mysterious adversary just that much better?

    The answer was rather confusing: no one had the slightest idea.

    Obviously, once people became curious, they didn't stop on just that one viral clip.

    Rather swiftly, every fight and every word that Sunny had uttered during his infuriating visit to the Dreamscape were found and published for everyone to see.

    ...Once people saw the contents of those recordings, the whole duelist circle was violently shaken. One shock was followed by another, and then by yet another, still.

    The first thing that people found during their investigation was two more short clips.

    One showed Mongrel killing Daoist Saifer in the span of a single second.

    The other showed Mongrel killing the Fool�� once again, with a single ruthless strike.

    All in all, it took him less than a minute to easily crush three of the most renowned young duelists in the world. They weren't the absolute elite, but still some of the best the Dreamscape had to offer.

    The conclusion was obvious: his victory over Leo Striker was neither lucky nor accidental. Mongrel was, indeed�� just that much better.

    But how could that be?!

    Was he some other famous duelist in disguise?

    People continued to dig, coming to a bewildering conclusion: the man who called himself Mongrel had never entered Dreamscape before that day. His profile showed only two pieces of information:

    "Victories: 30."

    "Defeats: 0."

    And:

    "Status: Offline."

    After that, many theories appeared postulating that Mongrel was, in fact, a Master who had visited the Dreamscape to have fun. There weren't that many Masters in the world, and all of them had much more crucial things to do than spend their time having illusory duels. Even if they did, however, those duels transpired in private arenas that were created specifically for the occasion, away from the public eye.

    Still, if Mongrel was a Master, that would explain it all. He was just much stronger...

    But he wasn't.

    That theory was debunked when the recordings of his other twenty-seven duels were unearthed. After watching them, the investigating enthusiasts became truly shaken �� and for a very strange reason.

    It was because those recordings showed Mongrel actually struggling against much weaker opponents.

    Now wait a minute�� what the hell did that mean?!

    How could a man struggle against novices, fighting them for an average of five to ten minutes, and then kill three experienced professionals in three seconds?

    The answer was simply mind-boggling. While people who did not know much about combat techniques assumed that Mongrel had been just pretending to be weak, more knowledgeable experts came to a stunning conclusion��

    Mongrel only used the styles of his opponents to fight against them.

    He came into the Colosseum not knowing anything about the popular Roaring Lion Strike style, and mastered it in the span of a single evening to such degree that even the Fool, Daoist Saifer, and Leo Striker himself �� the three fighters who had popularized the style in the first place �� couldn't resist him even for a couple of seconds.

    Now, it was the experts' turn to shiver.

    Ironically, after understanding what exactly had transpired, they were left with the same question that the people who knew knowing about Awakened duels had after watching the viral clip.

    ��Was the being wearing the black wooden mask even human?

    And all of them, regardless of their interests and level of knowledge about battle arts, were now wondering the same:

    "...Who the hell is Mongrel?"

 Chapter 397 Mongrels Wisdom

    Chapter 397 Mongrel's Wisdom

    ed his every action and every word, trying to find some hint to his identity, background, and standing.

    Although there was not much to learn, they gradually came to perceive his sayings as rather meaningful.

    ...In fact, people ended up finding too much meaning in them, even though there was none. It was all just awkward lies Sunny had come up with on the spot to fulfill the requirements of the [Simple Trick]. He had never, ever intended to say something profound.

    But when had good intentions ever stopped people from over-complicating things?

    Without Sunny knowing anything about it, Mongrel had gained a�� philosophy.

    "Are you new to the Coliseum?"

    "...I was born in the Coliseum."

    Sitting in a school cafeteria, two students stared at a cheap communicator, their eyes burning with enthusiasm.

    One of the boys frowned, then asked in confusion:

    "I don't get it�� what does he mean? Isn't the Colosseum just a Dreamscape arena? How could a person be born there?"

    His friend shook his head with disdain:

    "Idiot! Don't you get it? Mongrel doesn't mean that he was born in the Dreamscape! He means that he was born in battle. Those ancient gladiators were slaves forced to fight to the death against their will. Aren't Awakened the same? They are infected by the Spell and have no choice but to battle Nightmare Creatures to survive. In a sense, all Awakened were born in the Colosseum��"

    Somewhere in the outskirts, several workers had gathered together during their short break.

    "Are you even human?"

    "What is a human? I am not, and have never been, a human."

    One of the workers shivered.

    "Scary�� do you think that Mongrel is actually a Nightmare Creature that infiltrated the real world?"

    Another shook his head.

    "No, of course not."

    The first sighed:

    "Then why would he say that he's not human?"

    The second worker looked at the dirty tunnel of the industrial air filter exhaust they were cleaning, then at his own calloused hands.

    "What the hell does it even mean, to be a human? Do you think that you and I are really humans? No, you fool. That Mongrel has more brains than you, I swear. He at least understands that just having two legs and two hands does not make you a human. He gets how it is��"

    The third listened to their conversation and grimaced.

    "So what? Yeah, he gets it, but I don't see him complaining. That guy took the hand he was dealt and turned himself into a... a damned sword demon. What have you done? That's the lesson he is trying to teach us, I think. No one will treat you as a human unless you behave like one��"

    Far away, in the Sleeper compound of the Academy, a group of young men and women were looking at a screen.

    "That's a big sword you got there. Do you even know how to use it?"

    "No."

    "No? You don't know how to use your sword? Well, would you like me to teach you?"

    "No."

    One of the Sleepers scratched the back of his head, then asked:

    "I don't get it. Why did Mongrel lie about not knowing how to use a sword? He is obviously a very experienced fighter. Maybe even a Legacy! Was he trying to trick Leo into underestimating him?"

    A girl standing near him chuckled.

    "He didn't lie. Why would Mongrel need to trick Leo? He would win against him fair and square, regardless. No, there's a deeper meaning in his words."

    The other Sleeper raised an eyebrow:

    "What meaning?"

    The girl smiled knowingly.

    "Only a boastful duelist like Leo Striker would claim to know his way around a sword. A true master, one who battles Nightmare Creatures in the Dream Realm instead of playing games with pampered Awakened in the Dreamscape, would know that they have infinitely more yet to learn than they already know. That's what Mongrel meant. No matter how good he is, he understands that in the grand scheme of things, his skill and power are like that of an infant."

    Her friend was quiet for a while, then asked:

    "If that's the case, then why did he say that he doesn't want to learn more?"

    The girl shook her head.

    "He didn't say that he doesn't want to learn. He said that he doesn't want Leo to teach him. The true enemy of an Awakened is the Spell, not other humans. That's why Mongrel doesn't want to be taught by battling humans... even if he has to. And also, if someone is strong like Mongrel, they can end a fight with one strike. But true strength�� true strength is not needing to strike at all. Maybe that's what Mongrel wants. To become powerful enough so that he never has to bare his sword again��"

    And just a few hundred meters away from them, on her way to the Academy hospital complex, a young woman in a wheelchair was staring at her communicator with an amused expression on her face.

    "What are you doing here, in this amateur arena?"

    "I am here to unlearn."

    This quote, especially, had become a topic of heated discussion across the network. Among the duelist, it caused a whole philosophical storm. Countless Awakened were passionately debating its meaning. No one knew what exactly Mongrel meant, but everyone had at least a theory.

    The only thing everyone agreed on was that his short statement hid profound, fundamental wisdom about the nature of combat and ways to become a master of it.

    ��Not Effie, though.

    Looking at her communicator, she shook her head and said:

    "To unlearn? Huh, that guy must have hit his head one too many times. What a dimwit."

    Then, she looked at the image once again, and added:

    "And also, what's up with that armor? It looks so familiar. For a moment, I thought that Sunny's Echo has run wild. Ha, what a fun idea�� the look on his face would have been priceless!"

    With that, she shook her head, deactivated the communicator, and continued on her way.

    Effie had more important things to do than waste her time thinking about mongrels...

    The rest of the world, though, apparently did not.

 Chapter 398 Master of his Trade

    Chapter 398 Master of his Trade

    Blissfully oblivious to the storm his visit to the Dreamscape was causing back in the real world, Sunny opened his eyes on the Altar Island of the Sanctuary.

    Because of how much time he had spent fruitlessly searching for worthy opponents on the Colosseum, he arrived on the Chained Isles much later than he usually would. The sunset was still a few hours away, and the sky was clear and bright. He was welcomed by the familiar murmur of flowing water, the rustling of leaves, and a cool breeze.

    Sunny flinched slightly and threw a resentful glance at the deep pool of clean water surrounding the small piece of land on which the altar and the ancient tree stood.

    During his first visit to the Sanctuary, Saint Tyris herself had brought him here from the real world. Both of them had appeared near the altar�� there had been a small problem, though. Sunny had materialized a bit further than people usually did, and as the result, plunged straight into the pool instead of landing on solid ground.

    Not a big setback. However, in a moment of disorientation, he almost had a heart attack. Falling into water reminded him of his first minutes on the Forgotten Shore just too much. For a second, he had thought that he was back in that godforsaken place��

    Ever since that day, Sunny never ended up in the water instead of on the soil of the Altar Island again, but the scare that first time had given him was still fresh in his memory.

    'Not today!'

    With a triumphant smirk, he left the white altar behind and headed toward the ring of tall menhirs.

    Now that it was day, the Sanctuary looked more populated. Groups of Awakened rested on the grass of the park, some discussing upcoming ventures into the wilderness, some simply killing time until they were able to return to the real world.

    One couldn't just enter the Gateway immediately after appearing in the Dream Realm. Perhaps because the soul wasn't able to withstand traveling between worlds too often, perhaps because the Spell did not wish for them to return too quickly, or perhaps for some another, unknown reason, Awakened had to wait several hours before being allowed to use a Gateway again.

    The exact time they had to wait was slightly different from person to person, but in general, it was somewhere around ten hours. During these hours, those Awakened who did not wish to risk their lives in the wild expanses of the Dream Realm usually went about their business or fulfilled their duties to the Citadel.

    A lot of work went into keeping human enclaves in the Dream Realm going. Apart from the obvious demand to keep watch on the walls and fight off attacking Nightmare Creatures, mundane tasks like cleaning and preparing food were also shared among the inhabitants of the Citadels.

    In a sense, each Citadel was a settlement �� some were small, some large enough to house thousands upon thousands of the Awakened. The population of the three Great Citadels was even higher, with hundreds of thousands of humans visiting them every day.

    The Sanctuary was a rather tiny Citadel, in comparison, so each of the Awakened anchored here had to do their share of work to preserve it. Luckily, Sunny had been assigned a role of an advanced scout �� in exchange for his reports about the things he noticed during his expeditions and the movements of Nightmare Creatures across the Isles, he was all but freed from other tasks, only occasionally having to do a small chore or stand watch during the darkest hours of the night.

    He was rather happy with that situation.

    Sunny greeted a few people he was on somewhat friendly terms with, entered the interior of the Sanctuary, then headed to his room. Now was a good time to finish the things he had not done during his last visit.

    Namely, exchange the soul shard he had collected for Memories or credits�� oh, and to properly study the ancient coin to draw and describe it for Teacher Julius later.

    But the useless coin could wait. Right now, Sunny really wanted to satiate his avarice.

    Unlocking the chest that stood at the foot of his bed, he fished out the soul shards off its bottom and unceremoniously threw them into the pack. The strange fruits he had gathered during his last journey also went there, leaving the chest more or less empty.

    Noticing the golden coin glinting between a few curios that Sunny had collected in the past two months, he hesitated for a moment, then shrugged, picked it up, and hid it under one of the Puppeteer Shroud's vambraces.

    'All set��'

    It was time to haggle.

    Returning to the park contained within the inner circle of the Sanctuary, Sunny glanced at the Awakened gathered there, walked over to a big, sun-washed rock, and sat down on it. Taking out the soul shards, he placed them on its surface and waited patiently, pretending to be bored and indifferent.

    It almost looked as if he was simply enjoying the sun, while the soul shards had somehow appeared near him by accident.

    In the beginning, Sunny had to walk around and initiate trades, but by now, the inhabitants of the Sanctuary had already caught wind of the fact that he often had soul shards to trade. Sunny just had to keep his trading operation seemingly humble, at least on the surface.

    If people knew how many Nightmare Creatures he really killed, things would become a bit difficult. He was known to be from the Forgotten Shore, which gave him a bit of leeway of how deadly of a hunter he could appear to be, but it was still wise to keep the full extent of his competency to himself.

    Of all the people on the Chained Island, only Saint Tyris and her trusted aids knew about his SS evaluation. So whatever soul shards Sunny didn't sell to the local Awakened, he sold directly to the White Feather clan, leaving all parties satisfied by the arrangement.

    Soon, the first customer approached, looking at the gleaming crystals with burning eyes.

    Sunny smiled brightly.

    "Oh, hey there. Looking to trade for a shard or two? Well, you're in luck, my friend... Sunny's Brilliant Emporium is currently open for business!"

 Chapter 399 Golden Coin

    Chapter 399 Golden Coin

    If there was one thing Sunny missed about the Forgotten Shore, it was how scarce the resources out there were. As the result, the value of soul shards was way higher there than back in the real world. Well�� the parts of the Dream Realm that were better connected to the real world, at least.

    Not that shards were cheap here. It's just that the deals Sunny was able to make were not as lucrative as the ones he had made in the Dark City. He was also not able to bring the soul shards back to the real world with him, which also affected the final price.

    In the end, the collection of crystals he had gathered during his last trip through the Chained Island �� including those retrieved from Fallen creatures �� only landed him three Memories of questionable utility. He fed them to Saint, bringing her shadow fragment counter to [163/200].

    'Not bad, I guess.'

    After concluding his business in the park, Sunny went to the kitchens and traded the fruits he had found for a bunch of credits.

    The fruits were a very rare commodity on the Chained Isles �� they could not be made into anything even remotely useful or advantageous, but some bright mind in the Sanctuary had once come up with a method to make them into a very hard-hitting and tasty wine. Sunny himself had sworn off alcohol after his experiences on the Forgotten Shore, but he wasn't against making some money from it.

    In the early days of the Sanctuary, the wine was all the rage among the local Awakened. Not too long after it had been established, most of the man-eating vines that grew the fruits had been hunted down to extinction on the island surrounding the Citadel. Now, only people who went further and risked their lives more had a chance to find several fruits, so the cost was rather substantial.

    'That should�� uh�� buy me a new fridge, I think.'

    Sunny had only a very vague idea of how much refrigerators cost, but suspected that this recent exchange would be enough to cover the expenses of shopping for a new one.

    All in all, he was satisfied with the result of his recent expedition. He was progressing at a steady pace and slowly gathering everything he needed to make it even faster.

    ...Just in time, considering that Nephis was days away from becoming a devil.

    With a slight frown, he exited the ring of menhirs and looked up.

    The trades took him several hours to complete, so it was already night. The crescent moon was visible in the dark sky, and the winds grew cold and forceful. Up above, heavy clouds were gathering.

    'I think it's going to rain.'

    Suddenly in a sullen mood, Sunny sighed and thought about his plans.

    Usually, he would be charting out a route for his next venture into the Isles, either going for a yet unexplored ruin or a habitat of the Nightmare Creatures he was preparing to challenge and kill. But these excursions took several days to complete, and he had a lot of business to take care of in the real world right now.

    'Can I return already?'

    He had only spent around four hours in the Dream Realm, but sometimes, that was enough �� for him, at least. Sunny had no idea why his experience with the Gateways was different from most other people, but suspected that it was either because of his two cores or because of the fact that he had spent an entire year in this dead world even before becoming an Awakened.

    Maybe the [Spark of Divinity] had something to do with it, too.

    In any case, he tended to avoid returning to the real world too fast too often, in order to not attract unnecessary attention. Today, however, he was willing to forego extra caution�� the things waiting for him back there were very important, or at least pressing.

    With a shrug, Sunny headed toward the Altar Island. Walking on the stone path in complete darkness, he looked up at the veil of clouds hiding the moon and sighed.

    'Not like I would really want to venture out in the rain, anyway.'

    Approaching the white monolith of the altar, Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then put his hand on it.

    Nothing happened.

    '...Oh. I guess it's too early, after all.'

    What a disappointment.

    With nothing to do but kill time and wait for the opportunity to activate the Gateway, Sunny paced a little, stared at the depths of the clear pool, then paced some more.

    Finally, he returned to the altar and grabbed the handle of the obsidian knife laying on its surface�� purely out of boredom.

    Sunny strained every muscle in his body and tried to lift the damned thing, but no matter how hard he pulled, the knife didn't move even by a millimeter.

    'Move, damn you!'

    However, there was no response.

    Giving up, Sunny grimaced and let go of the knife.

    'Well, that's a bust�� again...'

    As he did so, though, a heavy gold coin slid out from under his vambrace and fell on the polished surface of the altar with a melodic ring. It rolled a few times and then landed flat, the face of the beautiful person with the image of the crescent drawn on their forehead looking at him with a carefree smile.

    'Oh, right�� I have forgotten about that thing��'

    Sunny moved his hand to pick up the coin, but at that moment, the veil of clouds split slightly, letting through a beam of pure, pale moonlight.

    The light fell on the coin and made it gleam.

    ��A moment later, the surface of the coin suddenly shone with ethereal radiance. The features of the person etched on it became sharper, then disappeared into the light.

    When the light dissipated, the coin was gone.

    Sunny stared at the empty spot where it had been just a few seconds ago with a bewildered expression.

    It was then when the Spell suddenly whispered into his ear:

    [Your Shadow grows stronger.]

 Chapter 400 Call of Treasure

    Chapter 400 Call of Treasure

    [Your Shadow grows stronger.]

    Sunny stared at the place where the coin used to be, then blinked.

    'What just happened?'

    He dropped the coin on the altar, it was illuminated by the moonlight, and disappeared. And then, he received a shadow fragment.

    'No way��'

    Holding back excitement, Sunny summoned the runes and read:

    Shadow Fragments: [198/2000].

    The last time he checked, there was only one hundred and ninety-seven. He had definitely, without a doubt, just received a shadow fragment from the strange golden coin.

    'So it wasn't an ordinary coin, after all!'

    A satisfied smile appeared on his lips.

    Not only was the coin special, it was even not cursed. On the contrary, it was blessed!

    'Well, that was the easiest shadow fragment I have ever received��'

    Suddenly, his eyes widened.

    'Wait��'

    Weren't there more coins he had left behind on the Iron Hand Island? Three more, at least, had been swallowed by the dead monstrosity.

    Before the thought fully formed in his mind, Sunny was already leaving the Altar Island.

    'Two things�� there are two things��'

    The first one was that other coins could, potentially, turn out the same as the first one and reward him with free fragments. The second one was that where there were three, there could be more�� much more.

    The Fallen Demon he had discovered could have come from a place where a whole treasure trove of miraculous coins was hidden. A whole mountain of them, even. If Sunny was right and managed to somehow trace the path the creature took before dying��

    Who knew how much more powerful he would become?

    Trying to suppress the giddy feeling of discovering a huge and tantalizing secret, Sunny left the Sanctuary and headed toward the edge of the island. As the sound of waterfalls grew louder and the first drops of rain fell to the ground, a dark silhouette suddenly took a step towards him.

    It was one of the watchmen.

    "Huh�� Sunny, right? Are you really going to go out in that weather?"

    Most of the watchmen here in the Sanctuary already knew that he was comfortable in the dark, so their initial surprise about seeing someone leave the Citadel at night had more or less disappeared by now. It was still strange for some of them, though.

    Sunny halted for a few moments, then smiled.

    "Yeah. Don't worry, I will be fine. I'm not going far, anyway. Just want to check something on the Iron Hand Island."

    The watchman hesitated, then shrugged.

    "Alright. Be careful out there. Night vision or not, this is not the time for humans."

    Sunny thanked the man for his concern, then walked past him.

    'Not the time for humans? Good thing I am a monster, then��'

    Approaching the edge of the Sanctuary Island, he didn't waste any time and summoned the Dark Wing. Sunny was tempted to simply turn into a shadow and rush toward his goal, but he didn't want to show his powers near the Citadel so openly.

    'Patient. Be patient��'

    Since the Dark Wing couldn't really allow him to fly, he glided above the chain for as long as he could, then landed on it and continued forward on foot. By that time, the rain was already falling rather heavily. The iron surface beneath his feet was treacherous and slippery, so Sunny had to be careful and watch his step, lest he plummeted down, into the Sky Below.

    He shivered, trying to think of a more terrible fate. With no means of real flight, he would just be falling through the darkness, endlessly, until his mind was gone and his body consumed itself from hunger, then slowly turned into dust.

    People on the Chained Isles loved to tell horrible stories about unfortunate souls who fell into the Below, and Sunny could easily understand their fear. For that reason, he was very careful not to slip.

    'Only fools fall down, knowing what waits for them below. I would never��'

    As if to answer his thought, a gust of wind suddenly crashed into him from the side, and a distant bolt of lightning illuminated the sky.

    '...To hell with this!'

    Not wishing to tempt fate, Sunny dove into the shadows and continued his journey as one of them.

    Soon, he arrived on the Iron Hand Island.

    The severed arm of the unknown metal giant was still there, making Sunny wonder once again what force could have torn it off the creature's body. Judging by the size of that thing, the owner of the arm must have been of monstrous proportions itself. Not really on the same scale as the walking colossus of the Forgotten Shore, but still undeniably gigantic.

    The remains of the winged demon that had swallowed the mysterious coins were there, too.

    However, they did not look the same.

    By now, only the bones of the fearsome abomination remained, all its flesh long devoured by the gluttonous scavengers of the nightmare world. The grass around the carcass was now higher, too, and had changed its color from the usual green to bright red.

    The grass looked�� satiated.

    Sunny grimaced.

    Out here in the Dream Realm, no creature or plant was really what they seemed. Otherwise, the thick forest on the island where he had battled the pack of Fallen Wolves would have been long ago destroyed by the Crushing.

    Even the most innocent things were twisted, corrupted, and predatory. Without sufficient caution, even a blade of grass could be deadly.

    ��But he wanted those coins.

    Approaching the wide patch of bloodred grass, Sunny hesitated for a bit, and then took a step forward. He felt the ground moving slightly beneath him, the rustling of the raindrops changing tone as they fell on the grass.

    With a deep frown, Sunny summoned the Moonlight Shard and circulated his essence, sending it flowing furiously through the coils of the Soul Serpent. He also collected both his shadows and wrapped them around his body.

    The grass swayed slightly, and then grew still.

    A subtle smile appeared on Sunny's lips.

    Indeed, everything in the Dream Realm was dangerous and deadly�� including humans. In fact, Awakened were perhaps one of the most fearsome tribes of creatures in this world, if not in terms of raw power, then at least due to their cunning, wickedness, and unpredictability.

    For something as weak as a blade of grass, it was wise to avoid angering one of the Awakened, especially one as dreadful as Sunny.

    'Ah. It feels nice to be feared.'

    With nothing threatening him anymore, he walked over to the spot where he had seen the coins last and bent down, trying to find the alluring golden disks.

    They were just where he had left them.

 Chapter 401 Clueless

    Chapter 401 Clueless

    The acid stored in the demon's stomach had melted the grass, but now, new blades were already rising from the ground, taller than before. It took Sunny some time to find the coins between them�� the rain did not help, either. But in the end, he discovered all three.

    The coins were identical to the first one: they were cast from gold and heavy, a beautiful wooden ship with a tree growing around its mast depicted on one side and the face of the mysterious stranger on the other.

    Hiding the coins in his pack, Sunny wiped the rainwater off his face and looked at the remains of the winged demon. In a flash of lightning, he saw the whole creature, red grass growing through its white bones, darkness nesting in the empty eye sockets, terrifying fangs crowding the massive, powerful jaws.

    Even in death, the creature looked frightening.

    'Where have you come from, ugly?'

    With a sigh, Sunny looked at the sky, allowing rain to pelt him in the face for a while. Whatever little chance he had of tracking the flying abomination by following the trail of its blood was now gone. What else could he do?

    Closing his eyes for a moment, Sunny walked a few steps and retrieved a piece of gnawed wood from the mud. Just as he had remembered, it resembled a broken corner of a chest, with a strip of metal reinforcing the seem. Both the strip of metal and the wood itself had been violently torn from the rest of the chest, it seemed, by the bite of the dead demon.

    Which meant one thing�� there had to be at least one chest full of mysterious coins somewhere out there, probably.

    But how was Sunny supposed to find it? The Chained Isles was a vast land, full of numerous dangers and hidden places. All he knew about the creature was that it had been mortally wounded by the dwellers of the Dark Side and then succumbed to the Crushing.

    Speaking of the Crushing�� the rattling of chains thundered in the distance, announcing that the Iron Hand Island was entering the ascent phase. Sunny had to leave this place quickly. The next time he returned, the bones of the demon would most likely already be turned to dust.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny walked over to the skull of the abomination and dislodged one of its fangs with a powerful kick. Picking up the jagged bone dagger, he studied it for a few moments, and then put it in his pack.

    If all else failed, he would try to find an Awakened with affinity to revelations and convince them to perform a divination upon the fang.

    There was one person capable of something like that on the Chained Isles, at least. But�� Sunny wasn't really willing to request help from that particular seer. Not unless there was no other choice at all.

    'We're not there yet.'

    Banishing the dark thoughts out of his mind, Sunny threw a last glance at the dead demon and the surrounding area, trying to see if he had missed a clue. However, there was nothing.

    With a troubled look on his face, he dissipated into the shadows and hurried back to the Sanctuary.

    ***

    By the time he returned to the Sanctuary, dawn was not that far away. Sunny snuck on the Altar Island and placed two of the three coins on the cold surface of the stone monolith, then waited for a bit.

    Nothing happened.

    'Huh.'

    Disappointed, he waited patiently for the moon to appear from beneath the dark veil of clouds. After some time, the Sanctuary was finally illuminated by pale moonlight, and two coins on the altar immediately gleamed, reflecting it. Then, they shone with a soft light of their own.

    The coin he held up in his hand, however, did not.

    A moment later, the Spell whispered, its voice entwined with the rustle of the leaves and the murmur of flowing water:

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Sunny smiled.

    'So, both the altar and the moon are needed.'

    Hurriedly, he placed the third coin on the altar, and soon heard the Spell repeat itself for the third time:

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    'That�� should bring me to two hundred and one.'

    And also�� was he seeing things, or had the obsidian dagger moved ever so slightly?

    With a skeptical frown, Sunny tried to lift the damned knife, but just as before, nothing he did had any effect on it.

    'Ugh, whatever!'

    His recent discovery was enough of a reward in and of itself. He had received four shadow fragments �� the equivalent of killing a Fallen Monster �� without having to risk his life one bit. On its own, this amount was not that considerable�� but what if he found a thousand, or even a few hundred of these miraculous coins?

    What if he reached the treasury where the chest bitten into by the winged demon was hidden?

    That�� would change a lot.

    The problem was, Sunny had no idea where to look.

    Pacing back and forth, he thought for a while, and then said to himself:

    "I should probably find an expert on all things Chained Isles."

    Somebody who might know about this type of Nightmare Creature, their behavior, and usual haunts�� somebody who had spent long years in this region of the Dream Realm and was friendly enough to talk to Sunny.

    'Now who do I know who fits into all these criteria?'

    Sunny stopped pacing, lingered for a few moments, and then turned his head to the ring of massive menhirs.

    A strange expression appeared on his face.

    ***

    In the early morning, a lone figure approached the hallway leading to the White Feather clan's residence.

    Saint Tyris and her people occupied the northern part of the Sanctuary's interior. Sunny had no idea what went on there, since he had never been invited, but he knew that both entrances to their compound were usually guarded.

    Today was not an exception.

    Before Sunny could step foot inside the hallway, a young warrior in a cuirass decorated with etchings of hawk feathers appeared from an alcove and glanced at him with a vigilant expression.

    "State your business, Awakened."

    Sunny stared at the young man with an earnest expression, then smiled.

    "Oh! I am here to see Master Roan. He once told me to come find him if I need anything. So�� here I am. In need of something. Can you fetch him really quick?"

    The guard blinked a couple of times, then frowned:

    "What is this about, exactly?"

    Sunny grinned, lingered for a few moments, and then said honestly:

    "...Demon hunting."

 Chapter 402 Chain worm

    Chapter 402 Chain worm

    Sunny had no idea if Master Roan was currently in the Sanctuary, but judging by the fact that the guard did not immediately send him away, he probably was.

    The young Awakened gave Sunny an evaluating look, then whistled softly and returned to his alcove. Nothing seemed to happen for a few minutes, but then, Sunny hear the sound of approaching footsteps.

    A young woman wearing a simple white garment appeared from behind the curve of the corridor and glanced at him, then gestured for him to follow.

    Sunny shifted slightly, then moved forward, walking behind the girl.

    'What would you know? I am walking into the lair of a Legacy clan of my own free will. Never say never, I guess��'

    He had really never expected himself to do something like this any time soon.

    Instead of walking further into the compound, they entered a narrow staircase and ascended to the very top of the Sanctuary. There, massive stone monoliths lay flat on top of the menhirs, creating an almost uninterrupted surface.

    There was a whole separate world above the Citadel, as it turned out. Grass and moss covered the expansive stone circle, which stretched far into the distance. Sunny could see guards standing at the outer edge of it, keeping watch on the neighboring islands. Here and there, siege weapons were placed at irregular intervals, aimed at the sky.

    Right above the White Feather residence, a graceful structure was built on top of the ring of menhirs. With tall windows and beautiful ivy climbing its walls, it resembled a large stone chateau. The walls of the mansion were still wet from rain and shone softly in the light of the rising sun.

    A path led from its door to an airy pavilion at the edge of the stone monolith, with a round table standing in its center.

    The mighty griffin was laying near the pavilion, its head hidden under one of the eagle wings, while Master Roan himself seemed to be enjoying a hearty breakfast inside.

    The young woman gestured for Sunny to go forward and walked toward the mansion, soon disappearing behind its door.

    '...I guess this is how Saints live.'

    For a moment, Sunny was full of envy. The chateau on top of the Sanctuary seemed so beautiful, simple, and peaceful�� the complete opposite of the noisy, overcrowded, and poisoned world where humans came from.

    Of course, that peace was a lie. The Dream Realm might have seemed like a paradise sometimes, but that paradise was dire and twisted, hiding all kinds of horrors that were ready to descend upon you at any moment.

    'Whatever. My house is much better, anyway. It has all a man can need, and then some�� I bet they don't even have designer lamps here��'

    ...Pitiful, really.

    Entering the pavilion, Sunny greeted Master Roan with all respect he could muster. The older man smiled and invited Sunny to seat with a relaxed gesture.

    "Good morning, Sunless. I must admit, I didn't expect you to seek me out so soon. Did something happen?"

    Sunny sat down, smiled politely, then shook his head.

    "Nothing that I would want to concern you with. You see�� I am not here to talk about something that happened, but more about something that might happen."

    Master Roan raised an eyebrow and laughed:

    "Don't tell me�� wait�� are you here with a business proposal? Am I about to become a customer of Sunny's Brilliant Emporium?"

    Sunny choked.

    "Uh�� no. What? Where did you hear about that?"

    The handsome Master grinned.

    "I hear things."

    'What are those bastards saying behind my back?!'

    Sunny forced out a smile, then shook his head.

    "No, no. I am not here as a highly respected, rich, and famous entrepreneur. Nor am I here as a well-regarded member of the Wilderness Survival faculty of the Awakened Academy. I am actually here as an advanced scout of the Sanctuary of Noctis."

    Master Roan grew serious.

    "Oh. Continue."

    Sunny nodded, then hesitated for a bit, and finally said:

    "After we parted two days ago, I returned to the Sanctuary. On my way back, however, I rested for a while on the Iron Hand Island. And there�� well, I found the remains of a Nightmare Creature there."

    The older man frowned slightly.

    "That's not unheard of. Iron Hand is usually safe, but you know how Chained Isles are. Nightmare Creatures migrate, sometimes naturally, sometimes to avoid the Crushing."

    Sunny scratched the back of his head.

    "That's true. However, the abomination was a Fallen Demon. It is strange to see one that close to the Sanctuary, and especially so because I have never seen or even heard about that type of creature. It was rather scary."

    Roan's frown deepened.

    "A Fallen Demon on the Iron Hand Island? That is indeed strange. You've done well to bring me this information, Sunless. Did you get a good look at it, by any chance?"

    Sunny sighed.

    "Well, you see, it was in the depths of night."

    Then, he smiled.

    "...But, luckily, I can see perfectly in the dark! So, yes. I got a very good look. Let me describe it��"

    He described the demon to the best of his ability, not sparing any detail. He even remembered every wound and injury on the abomination's body, hoping that their nature can shine a light on what exactly had killed the bastard.

    The longer Sunny talked, the darker Master Roan's face became. Finishing his report, Sunny glanced at the older man and asked:

    "So�� what type of a demon was that, exactly? And why have I never encountered one before?"

    Master Roan shook his head.

    "You are lucky to have never met one of these fiends, kid. They are a very rare and vicious breed of Nightmare Creatures, known as Chain Worms. Luckily, it was already dead. Otherwise, I doubt that we would be having this conversation right now. Even I am reluctant to face a demon such as this alone. No offense, Sunless, but if that thing was alive, you would have ended up as its dinner."

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then asked cautiously:

    "Chain Worms? Why are they called that?"

    The older man sighed, then looked at the breathtaking vista of the Chained Isles in front of them.

    After a while, he said:

    "It is because these creatures feed on metal. Once one of the heavenly chains is weakened, they appear from the Dark Side to feast on it. Steel weapons are useless against these abominable things, so fighting one, let alone many, is almost an impossible task."

    Master Roan stared into the distance with a bleak expression, and then added darkly:

    "I've seen whole islands crumble into the Below because of their hunger��"

 Chapter 403 Sky Tide

    Chapter 403 Sky Tide

    Master Roan grew silent for a few moments, then smiled after noticing Sunny's troubled expression:

    "The heavenly chains near the Sanctuary are all fine, though. So you have nothing to worry about."

    'That's not what I am worried about��'

    Sunny had already received a piece of valuable information that could help him find the mysterious treasure. But he wanted to know more��

    Before he could ask another question, however, a sudden shadow shrouded the pavilion, the stone chateau, and the expanse of weathered stone surrounding it �� as though a cloud moved across the sun, hiding it.

    The sleeping griffin stirred and raised its head, its vertical pupils narrowing.

    Just a moment later, the shadow disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. Simultaneously, a strange sound reached Sunny's ears �� it was as though a thousand wings rustled as they cut the air.

    Then, a woman was suddenly standing at the edge of the stone ring, her silhouette outlined against the rising sun by a bright halo.

    It seemed as though she had always been there, but Sunny could swear that there was no one near them just a second ago.

    'Oh��'

    The woman was tall and slender, her posture straight like an arrow. She was wearing a light steel armor, its pauldrons and greaves decorated with white feathers. Her long blond hair was fluttering in the wind like a cascade of pale gold.

    When she turned around, Sunny saw two piercing amber eyes staring at him, and shivered. Her face was cold and stunningly beautiful, more akin to that of a goddess than of a human being.

    ��The woman's pupils were narrow and vertical, exactly like those of the mighty griffin.

    The ruler of the Sanctuary had returned home.

    'Crap!'

    With a shudder, Sunny forced himself to look away and hurriedly bowed.

    This was his second time meeting Tyris of the White Feather clan, also known by her True Name, Sky Tide�� one of the few Saints of the human race, the demigod in charge of the Chained Island.

    Just by virtue of existing, the Saint exerted a strange influence on everything that surrounded her. It was not oppressive, like the dreadful aura of Gunlaug's golden armor, just�� different. As if the world itself was reacting to her. The blades of grass seemed to bent slightly toward her, the winds sang subtly lower as she approached, and even sunlight appeared to become a bit brighter in her presence.

    Master Roan shifted and rose from his seat.

    "Good morning, sunshine!"

    Sunny flinched.

    'Uh�� what?'

    It took him a couple of seconds to realize that the fearless griffin rider was addressing his wife, and not him.

    'Sunshine�� sunshine?!'

    Is that how he addressed a Saint?!

    'Well, she is his wife, after all. I guess?'

    Once he thought about it, everything made sense. But still, the idea of addressing a Transcendent as "sunshine" seemed very weird, for some reason.

    Sunny cautiously looked up and saw a wide smile on Roan's face. Saint Tyris herself, however, was as cold as ever.

    "Good morning, Ro."

    Even her voice was cold and heavy, like the howl of an approaching storm.

    Turning her head slightly, Saint Tyris looked at Sunny with a silent question.

    ��Countless poets would have been ruined if they saw the elegant curve of her eyebrow.

    'Huh�� wow... wait, what am I thinking about?'

    Master Roan patted Sunny on the shoulder and said:

    "Awakened Sunless visited to tell me about a demon he encountered on the Iron Hand Island. It was a Chain Worm�� already dead, fortunately. Still, we should explore the nearby island. Don't you think?"

    Saint Tyris lingered for a few moments, then shook her head.

    "No need. The only failing chain on the Isles is far away from the Sanctuary, connecting Shipwreck Island to the Twisted Rock. This is where the Chain Worm came from. I just saw it myself."

    She turned away, then sighed slightly.

    "Of course, we will have to prepare. All islands are connected, after all. After the Twisted Rock falls, its demise will echo through the entire region. Many islands will shift, causing changes to the severity of the Crushing on others. The migrations patterns of the Nightmare Creatures will be affected, too."

    'I should probably get going.'

    Sunny cleared his throat, then said awkwardly:

    'Uh�� it's been an honor to meet you again, Lady Tyris. I�� uh�� shall take my leave, then.'

    Sky Tide nodded indifferently, then said:

    "Thank you for informing us of your finding, Awakened Sunless."

    He nodded, then rose from his seat and cautiously took a few steps away.

    When Sunny was almost out of the pavilion, however, the cold voice of the Saint stopped him:

    "Wait."

    He turned around and forced out a smile:

    "Yes? How can I help you?"

    Tyris looked at him for a few moments, then said in a calm, emotionless tone:

    "You come from the Forgotten Shore, if I am not mistaken."

    Sunny nodded.

    "Yeah. What about it?"

    The beautiful Saint lingered for a second, then asked:

    "Song of the Fallen... do you know her?"

    'Cassie? Why bring her up?'

    Sunny smiled.

    "Yes. We've met. Why?"

    Saint Tyris looked at him for a few moments, then said:

    "Good. Song of the Fallen will be visiting the Sanctuary soon. She will be glad to see a familiar face, I think."

    With that, Sky Tide turned away, letting Sunny know that he was free to go.

    He hesitated for a second, then walked away.

    As soon as neither Master Roan nor Saint Tyris could see his face, a dark expression appeared on it.

    'Coming to visit�� what the hell is she coming here for?'

    ***

    Indeed, just like Sunny, Cassie had chosen Chained Isles as the region to anchor herself to. Their reason was most likely also the same �� the proximity of the Isles to the Hollow Mountains.

    Luckily, she was not a resident of the Sanctuary. Sunny had no idea how the blind girl had managed it, but she somehow convinced clan Valor to let her and her cohort anchor themselves to the second human Citadel in the region, the Night Temple.

    While Sanctuary was closer to the southern border of the region, Night Temple was situated far to the north, almost on the outskirts of the misty Death Zone.

    For that reason, the two of them had been comfortably separated and had not seen each other even once in the past months.

    But now, that was about to change.

    Exiting the White Feather residence, Sunny grimaced.

    'Glad to see a familiar face? Hell. I doubt it��'

 Chapter 404 Soft Life

    Chapter 404 Soft Life

    The Sanctuary was slowly waking up. Now that the sun had risen, groups of Awakened were preparing to venture outside, while those who had stuff to do in the Citadel itself were going about their business. A few of them greeted Sunny as he walked toward the Altar Island.

    By now, he should have been able to return to the real world. After everything he had discovered during the night, there was a flame burning inside his chest that demanded action. His eyes gleamed when he thought about the mysterious treasure hidden somewhere out there, in the darkness.

    But although Sunny was a very rapacious person, he knew how to keep his avarice in check�� well, most of the time.

    'Shipwreck Island��'

    Sunny had never been that far away from the Sanctuary, but he had heard about that deadly place.

    The Shipwreck Island was situated almost at the center of the Chained Isles, far removed from both human CItadels. The Nightmare Creatures there were especially ferocious, and the islands themselves were far more bizarre and dangerous than those closer to the edges of the region.

    If one could somehow survive the Crushing and look upon the Chained Isles from above, they would see that there was a vast empty space at the very heart of this shattered land. Some people assumed that this was where the Ivory Tower had once been chained, before all seven of its anchors were broken. After that, the islands bordering the Tear slowly fell into the Sky Below one after another, making it grow wider and wider.

    The hole at the heart of the Chained Isles was slowly expanding, and one day, thousands of years from now, it was probably going to devour the whole region.

    ��But Sunny had no interest in that remote future.

    What concerned him right now was that the Shipwreck Island was on the very edge of the Tear, and as such, presented a lot of danger for a young Awakened like him. If Sunny wanted to venture out that far, he would have to study and thoroughly prepare for a long and perilous expedition.

    And in the meantime, he had to hurry to the real world.

    Even though he felt the call of treasure with every fiber of his being, desperate to reduce the gap between himself and Nephis, the things he had to do back in reality were�� crucial.

    'Calm down. It's nothing serious, really.'

    Approaching the white altar, he glanced at the obsidian dagger suspiciously, then placed his hand on the cold marble.

    'There's no reason to worry, so...'

    ***

    The lid of the steel sarcophagus silently opened, letting out beams of light and clouds of cool mist. Sunny yawned and climbed out of the sleeping pod, then stretched with a satisfied smile on his lips.

    His body felt refreshed and energized, as if he just had a long, perfectly comfortable sleep �� not at all like what he had to endure in the past two months while using cheaper Academy pods.

    'Now that�� is what I call money well spent.'

    Indeed, the luxurious machine might have been the best purchase he had ever made. Not counting the Mantle of the Underworld, of course��

    Leaving the compact underground fortress of his basement, Sunny walked over to the kitchen, glanced at the broken remains of his fridge with a bit of shame, and retrieved a few ingredients to cook himself breakfast from the debris.

    Out here in the real world, it was currently early morning. He sent the happy shadow outside to observe the surroundings, and then turned on the stove.

    Real eggs, real lettuce and tomatoes, real bread, real bacon, real coffee, real juice�� it took him just a few minutes to cook himself a breakfast that would have been considered the epitome of a lavish lifestyle by any inhabitant of the outskirts.

    Walking to a dining table that was too large for one person, he placed his breakfast on its synthwood surface and activated his communicator.

    There were no new messages, and he didn't really know what else to do with that thing. Usually, people of his age would have an active presence on the network and feeds breaking with all kinds of news, events, and videos, but Sunny had almost no digital presence whatsoever. Nor did he want to have one, really.

    He knew how to access various resources and services, of course, and many of the things on the network had once been the stuff of his dreams: the unlimited amount of games, books, shows, and entertainment of all sorts was on the tip of his finger.

    But, ironically, now that Sunny had free access to all these alluring things, he had no time to dive into any of them. Right now, he had too much to do, and his dreams were filled with only clangor of steel and nightmarish abominations.

    'Maybe one day��'

    Slowly consuming his food, Sunny used the communicator to quickly sketch and describe the coin he had found... keeping its true secrets to himself, of course.

    Outside, his neighbors were preparing to face the new day. The sun was rising above the giant city, and crowds of people were on their way to work.

    The shadow found a hidden spot on the porch of his new home and observed the quiet street from its shelter. It saw a few PTVs drive by, humming slowly as they rolled or levitated toward the exit from the terrace district. Several well-dressed adults walked by, heading for the public transport terminal.

    Some time later, it was time for the students in school uniforms to follow them.

    Sunny sipped coffee and observed these children through the shadow, trying to imagine himself having such a life.

    Waking up in a safe home. Eating the delicious food a parent had prepared for you, not having to think about where your next meal would come from. Going to a place where an unlimited amount of knowledge and mentorship was available to you, completely free. Having no real worries and no real fears.

    Just�� living.

    What a strange existence that would be��

    He stared at the students with a complicated expression. They were so�� soft. Their clothes were soft, their eyes were soft, and their lives, too, were soft.

    How were these children going to survive the real world? The real world was hard, cruel, and unforgiving. Just like Sunny himself was. A person like him had a much better chance of surviving in such a world.

    Not to mention the hellscapes of the Dream Realm.

    Finally, the stream of students grew thin.

    One of the last to walk past Sunny's house was a young girl of around fourteen years. She was about as tall as him, with pale skin and black hair. The girl seemed to be a bit uncomfortable in her own body, like all teenagers tended to be, and the school uniform did no favors to her slender physique.

    Her dark eyes, however, were very sharp and clear.

    ��Luckily, unlike her brother, Rain seemed to have taken after their mother, who was a rather attractive young woman from what Sunny remembered. Even though she was still just a child, he could already see that one day, the teenage girl walking past his home was going to become a real beauty.

    Finishing his coffee, Sunny placed the empty cup on the table and sighed.

    '...Found you.'

 Chapter 405 Going Back to School

    Chapter 405 Going Back to School

    Indeed, the awkward fourteen-year-old girl was his little sister, Rain.

    And indeed, it wasn't a coincidence that Sunny had bought this exact house in this exact district of the city. While the terrace neighborhood was nice and charming, the real reason he had chosen this home, in particular, was because it stood next to the place where Rain lived.

    It was on this street, a year and a few months ago, that he had watched from the shadows as she was having dinner with her adopted family, their warm and happy life displayed for him to see through the wide window of their brightly illuminated living room.

    ��Well, now Sunny had a living room and a wide window of his own, even though there was usually only darkness behind it.

    Back then, he had become painfully aware that his fantasy of saving his little sister was empty and misguided. Rain didn't need to be saved, least of all by a troubled outskirt stray like him... a ghost of the past that she most likely did not even remember. If he had knocked on her door on that night, nothing in her life would have changed for the better.

    Sunny wasn't the same penniless kid anymore. He was an Awakened, one marked as a special strategic asset by the government. He was considerably wealthy, connected�� even powerful.

    But, deep down, he still believed that the statement held true. His clothes and circumstances might have changed, but Sunny himself remained the same. Twisted and damaged, like anyone who had seen the truth of this world would be.

    What's worse, now that he had risen above his previous pathetic self, he had a whole swarm of new, much more serious problems. Nephis, the Sovereigns, the legacy of mysterious Weaver�� all of these things promised a future full of turmoil and danger. He was not exactly the kind of person who had good things to offer to anybody.

    So, no. Sunny had not changed his mind about keeping himself out of Rain's life. He wasn't going to approach her, and had no desire to meet her face to face.

    ...There was, however, a problem.

    Now that Sunny was an Awakened, statistically, Rain's chances of becoming infected by the Nightmare Spell herself had grown. But even if he forgot about that statistical correlation, there was still a possibility that she would end up in the First Nightmare, no matter how small.

    By now, Sunny was eighteen, and Rain was fourteen. Almost every person infected by the Spell had fallen victim to it while being older than sixteen and younger than nineteen, which meant that there were about two years left before Rain would be in real danger, and about four before she would be out of it.

    Even if they were more or less strangers and didn't owe anything to each other, Sunny felt... responsible for her. Perhaps Rain did not remember him due to how little she had been at the time of their separation, but he remembered everything. To him, she was the last memento of their long-lost home.

    Now that he had the ability to pull some strings behind the scenes to ensure that her chances of surviving the First Nightmare were enhanced �� be it through access to better battle instructors or something else �� he couldn't just sit still and do nothing.

    But to do that, he first needed to understand how well Rain was being prepared already.

    Hence, he bought a house near the place where she lived and let his shadows loose to explore the neighborhood and spy on her and her family.

    'Uh�� when I put it that way, it sure sounds a bit creepy.'

    Sunny stood up, yawned, and shrugged. He was an Awakened whose power lay in shadows, deceit, and bloodshed. Before that, he was a street rat willing to do anything in order to survive. Mundane humans had no idea about what he had gone through, what he had done, and what he was capable of as the result.

    If they did, they would probably be horrified. So, a little hint of creepiness was only to be expected.

    Putting on a warm hoody, he walked outside, hid his hands in his pockets, and headed toward the public transport terminal at a slow pace.

    His shadow was a few hundred meters ahead, stealthily following Rain and keeping an eye on her. No one was the wiser to its presence.

    Sunny sighed and looked at the cloudy sky.

    'Time to go to school, I guess.'

    ***

    Rain went to a rather elite school, as it turned out. Judging by the prices of the homes in the terrace district, Sunny knew that her adopted family was reasonably well-to-do, but it seemed that he had underestimated either their wealth or their connections.

    The school was not the most prestigious out there, but it was close. Enough that only the kids of government officials and conglomerate heirs attended it�� for the most part, of course. There were a few kids who seemed to be there because of their academic achievements, but not enough to make a difference.

    The children of government servants arrived on public transport, like Rain; the chaebols came in expensive PTVs, which were controlled by personal drivers.

    Sitting at a table in a cafe a kilometer or so away from the heavily guarded entrance to the school, Sunny suppressed the desire to whistle.

    'That's�� like something out of a drama. I wonder if I'll see someone's getting slapped in the face today��'

    Suddenly remembering his first encounter with Master Jet, Sunny coughed and rubbed his cheek in embarrassment.

    The happy shadow was still following Rain, stealthily moving from one shadowy patch to another. Then, it waited for a good opportunity and dove inside the shadow of one of the kids walking toward the same classroom as her.

    Sunny got comfortable and ordered a few pastries and a pot of tea.

    He couldn't quite believe that he was going to waste time attending school, of all things, even if it was in that very strange manner. He hadn't been to school in a dozen years already, not counting the month spent in the Academy.

    'Well�� this should be interesting.'

 Chapter 406 Educated Guess

    Chapter 406 Educated Guess

    A couple of hours later, Sunny was ready to claw his eyes out.

    Not because the lessons taught to Rain in school were boring, but because he had to watch a bunch of entitled kids exist in an enclosed space and make it as hard for everyone to learn anything as possible.

    The elite school seemed like a place of learning, but in fact, it was more like a battlefield. The hidden politics among the students and the hierarchy of numerous cliques they formed were more complex than the ruthless strife between the factions in the Bright Castle, and judging by their behavior, just as dire.

    ��But it was not.

    No one's life was at stake, no one was going to be exiled and starve to death if they did a wrong thing. All of this was simply about prestige, vanity, and standing.

    It was utterly stupid!

    However, once Sunny thought about it a bit more, he realized that it was not. Not to them, and maybe not at all.

    These kids were put under immense pressure, assigned a numerical value, and forced to compete with each other. As the result, they inevitably developed a fierce sense of resentment toward their rivals, which was only made deeper by the deep sense of insecurity this system instilled in them.

    No wonder they were at each other's throats.

    The school was, in fact, not only meant to teach the kids the skills necessary to survive and thrive in the real world, but also to destroy the very same softness Sunny had pondered about a few hours earlier.

    It wasn't hard to imagine that, at the end of it all, the best and most resilient students would become harsh and jaded, while the rest would simply be broken and discarded.

    A wasteful system, and one of very questionable effectiveness.

    Sipping tea in the quiet cafe, Sunny shook his head.

    'Rich people��'

    Luckily for him, Rain seemed to be unaffected by the vitriol her classmates seemed to be more interested in than the actual studying. She sat calmly at the back of the class, avoiding getting embroiled in any drama, and dutifully learned everything the teachers explained to the students.

    ��The lessons themselves, surprisingly, turned out to be very interesting. Sunny even found himself enjoying these hours very much. There had not been any combat lessons yet, but he did manage to catch this school's version of the Wilderness Survival course, as well as listen to a rather intriguing lecture about the early exploration of the Dream Realm. He also saw a lesson dedicated to various Nightmare Creatures, their biology, capabilities, and weaknesses.

    If he had known that much during his first months on the Forgotten Shore�� well, it would not have changed much, really. No matter how much a person knew about these things, no Sleeper was meant to face challenges of that magnitude.

    And yet, he couldn't help but feel a bit wistful. He had been denied access to this treasury of knowledge as a kid. Who knew how his life would have turned out otherwise? It would have been a lot more interesting and enjoyable, at least.

    By then, he had some idea of Rain's depth of knowledge and overall readiness for the Nightmare Spell, but he still did not know how well she was really being trained. He had to see her during a lesson in combat for that.

    After a while, Sunny had become a little bit bored. Listening to a lecture about spelltech absentmindedly, he looked around the cafe.

    At this hour, there weren't a lot of people there, but that was swiftly changing. The white-collar workers from the surrounding buildings were now on their lunch break, as were senior students of the school. Several noisy groups were occupying tables near him, so he couldn't help but catch bits and pieces of their conversations.

    "No way! When is it coming out?"

    "In a couple of months, I think."

    "Who will play the female lead, then? No, wait! Let me guess��"

    These guys were apparently discussing some upcoming film, excitedly wondering about the casting. Something about their conversation appeared strange to Sunny, but he didn't pay it too much attention.

    "...none. That is the mindset of a true battle master!"

    "No way he meant to say that. Who do you think Lord Mongrel is, a nobody? Of course not! He only said that because he considers social status and renown meaningless. In the eyes of a warrior, such things are not even worth mentioning. The only thing that matters is your strength! That's why he hides his noble upbringing."

    Sunny stared at the couple of young men that were in the middle of a heated debate, then shook his head.

    'That's hilarious. What are the chances?'

    Apparently, there was somewhere else out there with a similar alias. And that guy, from what Sunny could hear, was not only a total buffoon, but also went around calling himself a Lord, pretending to be some wise philosopher and teaching people how to be a "true warrior".

    'What an idiot�� well, figures. Only an idiot would choose such an alias on purpose, after all. I wonder what this guy's problem is? He has to be horribly insecure about something, for sure��'

    Then, however, he had to focus on Rain again, because she was finally heading for the school's dojo.

    The combat lesson was about to begin.

    The instructor, surprisingly, turned out to be an actual Awakened. It was a man in his late thirties, with a mighty build and cold eyes of an experienced fighter. Sunny couldn't tell what Aspect the man possessed, but he was obviously not a sheltered non-combatant.

    Rain's instructor was the real deal. He had to have enough money to never be required to work a single day in the real world, so the fact that he was teaching a bunch of kids in a school meant that he was doing it either because of his principles or because of an obligation to one of their parents.

    In any case, it was a good thing for Rain.

    In the next hour or so, Sunny watched the students train and fight each other with various weapons. He expected them to use fake ones, but to his surprise, the Awakened instructor insisted that the kids both wore heavy protective gear and wielded real ones, even if the weapons were blunted to not pose a real danger.

    'Good approach, I guess.'

    Rain's level was�� better than he had expected. Not comparable to someone like Caster or Nephis, of course, but miles better than anything he would have been able at her age. She was swift, nimble, and strategic, utilizing every opening the opponent presented to her full advantage.

    She seemed to prefer using ranged combat, but could hold her own in a melee with the help of a wide range of weapons, from a long spear to a light saber. There were kids who were better than her, and those who were worse, but none who could compare to her in terms of wits.

    And yet, a deep frown appeared on his face.

    'There is one thing that is lacking.'

    ��Viciousness.

    His sister was not nearly vicious enough.

 Chapter 407 Dreamscape Qualifications

    Chapter 407 Dreamscape Qualifications

    Judging that he had seen everything he needed to, Sunny rose and left the cafe, then headed home. The happy shadow left the premises of the school, unnoticed, and soon wrapped itself around his body... but not before showing how proud and satisfied it was with its flawless performance.

    'Yeah, yeah. You did well.'

    On his way back, Sunny was thinking over what he had learned about Rain. His sister seemed to be smart and well-adjusted, and receiving the kind of training most kids in this world could only dream about.

    But was it enough?

    He did not know. No one could know, really.

    After he had returned from the Forgotten Shore, several people told him that they would have never survived in that hell. But their words rang hollow to Sunny, because how would they know? Until a person was thrown into a situation like that, there was no way to tell what would remain of their resolve once everything else had been stripped away.

    Brave people broke, while cowardly ones found strength that they had not even known was inside them. Kind people became cruel, while cruel people became lost. Only by looking at a mirror of a nightmare could one truly see their real face.

    Before Sunny entered the Forgotten Shore, he had thought himself to be strong. But once there, he had to learn the hard way that his strength was brittle and illusory, that it could shatter under the smallest amount of pressure. To survive, he had to build within himself a new kind of strength, one that could not be broken by anything, or anyone.

    \That was how he had survived.

    ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? ????????(?)???. ???

    How was he supposed to know how Rain would measure against the horrors of the Spell? And how was he supposed to make her chances of surviving its trials better?

    Consumed by these thoughts, Sunny returned home and tried to put his mind at ease.

    This was not something that he could decide in a hurry, anyway. For now, he had many other things to do.

    Activating the Dreamscape pod, Sunny climbed inside and closed his eyes.

    'Time to relax a little��'

    At least out there in the Dreamscape, things were simple. He just had to fight, learn, and win.

    ��Granted, his previous visit to the Colosseum had turned out to be a fiasco. But Sunny had high hopes for more elite arenas. He just had to gain enough victories to enter them �� about seventy more to gain access to the lower-ranked professional dreams.

    Not that hard...

    He had lost all interest in dueling with amateurs, and couldn't wait to meet better opponents who could teach him a variety of polished styles.

    'Ah, better do it quickly.'

    Appearing on the sand of the Colosseum, Sunny sighed behind the mask and willed the Soul Serpent to assume the form of the somber odachi.

    'Huh�� that's weird.'

    For some reason, today, much more people wanted to challenge him. A literal crowd of Awakened assembled around Sunny in a span of a minute, staring at him with disturbing intensity. Also, the challengers seemed to be way more talkative��

    'What's up with these fools?'

    "Hey, Mongrel! What is your real name?"

    Sunny stared at the young woman challenging him, then answered with slight irritation:

    "Mongrel."

    She smiled knowingly, as if struck by a mysterious epiphany, then asked:

    "What style do you practice?"

    Sunny frowned behind the mask.

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    "I practice no style."

    The girl opened her mouth to say something else, but he interrupted her by stepping forward and activating the challenge.

    Two seconds later, the girl's dead body was already turning into a rain of sparks.

    'Why are they so chatty today? I don't have a lot of time. If I want to enter a professional arena next time, I have to be fast��'

    Looking at the crowd of Awakened, Sunny sighed dejectedly and growled:

    "Words are worthless, silence is gold. Don't waste my breath!"

    The challengers looked at each other with weirdly enlightened expressions, then grew quiet.

    'That's better! At least they're an understanding bunch.'

    Now that people seemed to have lost their desire to chat uselessly before every damn duel, things went much faster. Sunny had no plans of copying the styles of these talented amateurs today, so he could be as efficient as possible.

    It required him to really exert himself, though. They were all Awakened, after all�� each and every one of them. Behind the black mask, Sunny was sweating an ocean and silently whispering curses.

    But what could he do? He just had to get it done.

    Because he took no breaks between the duels, his reserves of shadow essence grew dangerously low at some point. Sunny was forced to command the Soul Serpent to return to his body to accelerate the accumulation of essence and slow down its expenditure.

    Noticing that he had dismissed his sword, the challengers assumed that he wasn't going to fight anymore and sighed with disappointment.

    Glancing at them, Sunny gritted his teeth and hissed:

    "Next!"

    He was not that far from accomplishing his goal for today, and the Mantle of the Underworld was like a weapon itself. Especially if he manipulated its weight to make his blows carry the weight of a mountain�� metaphorically speaking��

    His aking muscles protested, but he endured the torment and continued.

    'Just a few more��'

    As the next challenger stepped forward, Sunny dashed toward him, deflected the glancing blow of a spiked mace with a vambrace, and struck the young man in the face with all the strength he could muster. The black onyx gauntlet grew terribly heavy as it flew through the air, connected solidly�� and caused the young man's skull to explode, more or less.

    Sunny secretly panted and cursed.

    'That�� uh�� I can't keep this up much longer��'

    Luckily, he only had a few more duels to win.

    About an hour after he had entered the Colosseum, Sunny finally reached enough victories to qualify for a better arena. By then, he was so tired that he felt like throwing up.

    'Goddammit�� that was incredibly tough. All in day's work, I guess��'

    Throwing one last glance at the crowd of silent Awakened, Sunny shook his head.

    'What a bunch of weirdos��'

    With that, he gave the Dreamscape the command and left the illusion, both exhausted and satisfied with his progress.

    ��Left alone on the sand of the Colosseum, the challengers remained quiet for a few minutes.

    After a while, one of them said:

    "He shook his head."

    Another Awakened sighed heavily, then said in a solemn tone:

    "Yes. We are not worthy enough��"

 Chapter 408 Oh, No

    Chapter 408 Oh, No

    Sunny crawled out of the simulation pod and lay on the cold floor for a while, breathing heavily.

    'How come an illusory arena is so exhausting?'

    The designers of the Dreamscape were really weird. The people who frequented the Colosseum were even weirder, though. Sunny couldn't even begin to understand the quirks of their behavior.

    'That's how subcultures are, I guess?'

    After a while, he stood up and went upstairs to make himself some food and replenish all the energy he had spent during this intense and taxing hour.

    Sunny made himself a light dinner, devoured it with wolfish hunger, and then relaxed in a chair while drinking a cup of delicious tea.

    As he rested, his communicator buzzed.

    He took a sip of tea, then opened the message Effie had sent him.

    "Hey doofus! Have you seen this? I think I found a new boyfriend for your girlfriend!"

    ??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? ????????(?)???. ???

    The message ended with a winking emote and an attached video link.

    Perplexed, Sunny clicked on the link�� and spit out all of his tea.

    Forgetting to wipe his chin, he stared at the holographic screen in front of him with wide eyes.

    "What�� what the hell is this?!"

    The video was�� of him.

    Of his duel in the Dreamscape, to be precise.

    ***

    Caught in stunning quality, the recording of his short duel against the young man in azure armor was playing on a loop, set to menacing and epic music. The caption read "Mongrel Victorious". Sunny stared at it for a while, then slowly lowered his gaze and looked at the view count beneath the video.

    'S��seven�� seven zeroes?!'

    Was that Leo Striker guy someone famous?

    Sunny only came to his senses because of the pressure of his Flaw. Gritting his teeth, he sent Effie a short message:

    "I have not seen this."

    'What the hell is happening?'

    Feeling apprehensive, he went on the network and typed "Mongrel, Dreamscape" in the search bar. Immediately, thousands upon thousands of results showed, all featuring the fearsome image of Weaver's Mask.

    Sunny gulped.

    "Oh, no. Oh, no."

    He opened the first link, and almost spat blood.

    "Mongrel defeats Leo Striker, Daoist Saifer, and the Fool in three strikes!"

    The short montage of a bunch of his duels played�� this one had even more views.

    'That doesn't even make sense. Were those two famous as well?! What three strikes, I hit the second guy twice��'

    Feeling an approaching headache and a bit of panic, Sunny scrolled through the feed, growing paler and paler with each second.

    There were countless videos, captions, and discussions. Thousands of people were fervently debating his duels, his identity, and the hidden meaning of his words. It seemed as if they had somehow become convinced that he was some sort of a profound sage, going around spouting words of enlightened wisdom.

    There were whole discussion boards dedicated to interpreting his "teachings"!

    "Oh, no��"

    Sunny grabbed his head, realizing that the buffoon he had heard being discussed in the cafe�� was him! Come to think of it, many of Rain's classmates had been talking about this stuff, too.

    Had she seen this garbage as well?

    He groaned.

    ��At least no one seemed to have any idea about who Mongrel was. His efforts to obfuscate his identity were working, as was Weaver's Mask.

    But the worst was still to come��

    As Sunny was studying the mess he had made, new notifications started appearing in the feed.

    "Mongrel returns!"

    "Mongrel decimates the Colosseum!"

    "Seventy victories in sixty minutes: Lord Mongrel's shocking rampage!"

    "Mongrel is Saint [REDACTED]'s bastard son: CONFIRMED!"

    He closed his eyes.

    '...Gods. What is this crap?'

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    Opening a random link, he read in horror:

    Mongrel #1 Sympathiser: "I was there, guys! It was incredible! He was like a natural disaster! So awesome��"

    Random Shoe: "Did you hear what he said?"

    Mongrel #1 Sympathiser: "Words are worthless, silence is gold! So profound. My whole outlook on life changed."

    Random Shoe: "Wow, my dad used to say me the same thing when I tried to talk to him after school."

    Mongrel #1 Sympathiser: "Wait. Shoe�� are you Mongrel's son?"

    "User Random Shoe changed their name to Mongrel's Son"

    Mongrel's Son: "Aren't we all Mongrel's children?"

    Sunny closed the link and went to another page.

    "Silence is Gold. One strike of a sword is worth more than a thousand words: an in-depth analysis of the postneonihilist philosophy of Mongrel."

    'Postneo�� what?'

    Stupefied, he opened another link.

    "Reacting to Mongrel's 70 wins! You gasp you lose!"

    And another:

    "Mongrel does not believe in styles. Styles only separate men..."

    And another:

    "I spent a night with Mongrel: a candid confession of a former idol trainee."

    Deactivating the communicator, he sat quietly for a while, and then groaned again.

    "Oh, no!"

    ***

    The new recording of Mongrel's stunning performance in the Colosseum flew around the globe in no time at all. Starved for new information about the mysterious demonic fighter, people became glued to the screens of their communicators��

    They were not disappointed by what they saw, to say the least.

    Mongrel's already considerable renown �� or infamy, depending on who you asked �� became even more widespread.

    Sunny had grown up in the outskirts, so he had never been really exposed both to the network culture and to the peculiar fanbase of the Dreamscape. That was why he had severely underestimated the effect his recent visit to the amateur arena would have on the people interested in these things.

    He had only wanted to reach the number of victories required to access the professional duels as fast as possible, but failed to take into account how outstanding the feat of defeating seventy opponents in just one hour would look from the side.

    ��Especially considering the fact that he had killed the last half a dozen or so with his bare hands, not even bothering to use a weapon. These last few duels looked especially striking, impressive, and gruesome.

    If before people called Mongrel a sword demon, now he had become just a demon in their eyes.

    What's worse, even though it took all of his power and lots of effort for Sunny to achieve these victories, due to the fact that his face was always hidden behind the fearsome mask, he appeared to be completely calm and indifferent, as if defeating so many people in a row was nothing to him.

    A walk in the park.

    Added to the fact that he had dismissed his sword near the end of the hour and then left after shaking his head, it seemed as though Mongrel was not only a demon, but also held all the rest of the duelists in utter contempt.

    Mongrel was disappointed in them��

    That disappointment ignited a fire in the hearts of many duelists of the Dreamscape, pushing them to train harder, reach higher, become stronger.

    Mongrel's status was always in front of them, reminding these young men and women what they were striving to achieve:

    "Mongrel"

    "Victories: 100"

    Defeats: 0"

    And of course, all of them continued to wonder about his true identity.

    Very soon, someone made a logical connection: an incredibly talented young warrior appeared in the Dreamscape soon after the hundred survivors of the Forgotten Shore returned to the real world, putting every Awakened there to shame.

    Obviously, Mongrel was one of these hundred heroes!

    But which one?

    It didn't take people a lot of time to solve the mystery.

    On one of the discussion boards on the network, an anonymous user wrote:

    "Guys, isn't it obvious? Who is among the best of the best of the Forgotten Shore warriors, and also has a big reason to keep his identity a secret?"

    Another answered:

    "Wait�� wait. You're right! It was right in front of us the whole time!"

    And then, the shocking piece of news spread through the network as wildfire:

    "Mongrel's true identity is��"

    Kai of Nightingale!

 Chapter 409 Treasure Hunt

    Chapter 409 Treasure Hunt

    "Night&Gale representative agency publishes an official statement: popular idol and fashion icon, Night, is NOT the controversial Dreamscape sensation, nor has he ever participated in any scandalous activities under the alias Mongrel��"

    Sunny read the latest news title on the screen of his communicator and covered his face with a hand.

    'Oh, gods��'

    How did poor Kai end up being involved in this mess? Had the world gone completely insane?!

    He stared at the message icon at the bottom of the screen nervously, half-expecting to receive an angry message from his friend. Or was it up to Sunny to apologize in advance? Kai had seen him purchasing the Mantle of the Underworld, after all. Even though the onyx armor did not look the same as it had before being repaired and turning from pure stone to the strange stonelike metal, there was a possibility that he would recognize it��

    'Ugh. Why is life so hard?'

    Sunny shook his head resentfully and stared at the ceiling.

    ...And then there was the issue of Rain.

    Sunny had watched her walk home through the eyes of the shadow, and was once again consumed by uncertainty. Did he need to intervene? What was the best way to help her? Did she even require his help?

    There was no easy answer to any of these questions.

    He turned off the communicator, sat in the darkness for a while, then stood up and went to the kitchen. Retrieving all the things that could spoil quickly from the ruined refrigerator, Sunny cooked himself a decadent dinner and ate in tense silence.

    '...To hell with this. I'll deal with all these problems after returning from the Shipwreck Island�� it shouldn't take me that long to reach it, investigate, and come back anyway. A week at most��'

    Why waste time on all this nonsense when there was a treasure waiting for him in the Dream Realm?

    Sunny had already retrieved all the pertinent information he could find from the Academy database. All Awakened had some level of access to the base of shared knowledge about the Dream Realm and the Nightmare Creatures, and due to his position as the research assistant assigned to the Wilderness Survival faculty, he had more than most.

    It wasn't really enough to venture on such a dangerous expedition, but at least gave him a basic understanding of what to expect. The rest he was going to have to learn from the people in the Sanctuary who had actual experience of traversing those parts of the Chained Isles.

    And then, there was also Cassie�� she could help him even more.

    With a dark grimace, Sunny washed the plates, spent a few moments admiring their design and craftsmanship, then went about preparing himself for a long stay in the Dream Realm.

    Soon, he entered the basement, activated the maximum level of security measures, and climbed into the steel coffin of the sleeping pod.

    As the lid of the sarcophagus closed, he sighed and thought:

    'One week�� I bet everyone will forget all about this Mongrel idiocy in a week��'

    His gloomy shadow dejectedly shook its head.

    ***

    It took Sunny a whole day to talk to everyone he needed to talk to and gather enough information about the Shipwreck Island and the routes he could take to reach it.

    As it turned out, the journey promised to be even more perilous than he had expected. Awakened did not usually go that far into the wilderness of the Chained Isles alone, and even established cohorts were reluctant to venture this close to the Tear.

    The Nightmare Creatures out there were ferocious and powerful, and the islands themselves presented more danger than here on the edges of the region.

    ...Those people did not have his Aspect, though. Sunny did not consider himself to be more powerful than a full cohort of experienced Awakened would be, but his powers were tailored perfectly for scouting, traversal, and escape. Even if he was going to find himself facing against an overwhelming foe, he was reasonably certain of his ability to at least run away.

    Plus, he had Saint. The taciturn demon was worth half a cohort alone and by herself.

    As the sun was crawling down from the heights of the Sky Above, he found himself in his room, studying the makeshift map of the Chained Isles. On it, Sunny had marked the potential routes to the Shipwreck Isles, as well as known dangers he would face on the way.

    Of course, such a map was not completely reliable. Nightmare Creatures tended to migrate and travel between islands to escape the Crushing�� but the really terrifying ones tended to stay put.

    Even taking into account that some of the places he wanted to go through could turn out to be inaccessible due to entering the ascent phase, Sunny was more or less sure that he could reach the Shipwreck Island in three to four days while remaining comparatively safe.

    ��With one exception.

    No matter how he looked at it, he was going to have to traverse an island known among the inhabitants of the Sanctuary as the Reckoning.

    Not much was known about that place except for the fact that several cohorts lost members there, while others had not come back at all. Apparently, the creature that inhabited the island was especially twisted and deadly, and was capable of messing with a person's sight.

    No one really knew what it was, however. All that Sunny was able to find out was that the creature was most likely not Corrupted. People were under the impression that it was of the Fallen rank, but had different opinions on what its Class was, exactly. It didn't seem to be a Tyrant, at least.

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    'I can fight perfectly well even if it plays tricks with my sight. And it's not like I have to defeat it�� or even fight it, really. I can just slip past and be on my way��'

    With a sigh, he rolled the map up and placed it in his pack. There was already a bit of food and a few supplies for a prolonged journey there. Sunny couldn't take too much with him, since there was a rather small limit on the weight of things he could pull with himself into the shadows.

    He could also only do so with inanimate objects�� at least for now. He had no idea if that was going to change in the future.

    Finally, he opened his chest and took out the fang he had retrieved from the dead Chain Worm on the Iron Hand Island.

    Sunny stared at the fang for a long time, a dark expression on his face.

    Cassie was going to visit the Sanctuary soon�� with this thing and her affinity to revelations, Sunny could make his expedition much safer, not to mention increase his chances of actually discovering the treasure.

    ��Or he could avoid having to ask her for help and take much more risk, with no guarantee of success.

    After a while, Sunny threw the fang back into the chest and closed the lid.

    'I'd rather die, honestly.'

    With a grim smile, he locked the chest, picked up his pack, and headed to the exit.

    As the sun rolled into the dark embrace of the Sky Below and disappeared, he left the safety of the Sanctuary behind, approached the edge of the island, and jumped toward one of the heavenly chains.

 Chapter 410 Reckoning

    Chapter 410 Reckoning

    Sunny traveled northwest, trying to cover as much distance during the night as he could. He rushed across gargantuan chains as a swift shadow, soared up onto the island, traversed them on foot, and dove into the darkness once he reached the other side.

    He was moving across the Chained Isles with enviable speed�� but still not as fast as someone capable of flight would. Using Shadow Step expended up a lot of shadow essence, so he had to replenish it often to continue riding the heavenly chains.

    That, however, put him in a lot of danger. The islands were teeming with Nightmare Creatures of all kinds, as well as deadly natural�� well, unnatural, really�� threats. Sunny had to remain cautious at all times, keeping one shadow wrapped around his body while the other scouted ahead.

    He hid in the shadows to avoid fighting with wandering abominations or, if there was no other choice, teleported away. These jumps, however, only served to devour more of his essence, forcing him to rest and circulate it through the coils of the Soul Serpent as he waited for his cores to fill up.

    Most of the time, he didn't feel like there was a real threat to his life. Sunny's combination of Attributes and Abilities made him a very hard prey to hunt. No matter what kind of a horror tried, he always managed to slip away �� for now, at least.

    As long as he did not venture into the territory of the really terrifying Nightmare Creatures, like those Corrupted fiends that claimed some of the islands or the beings that dwelled on the dark side of them, he was going to be alright for as long as he managed his essence carefully. Against those powerful abominations, though, even being a shadow was not a guarantee of safety.

    He still remembered the two ghostly torches in the dungeon beneath the ruined cathedral in the Dark City...

    On his way, Sunny visited many islands that he had already explored before, and some that he never had a reason to visit. Each was lethal in its own way, and hid alluring mysteries�� most of which were bound to turn out to be nothing but inescapable traps, of course. He suppressed his curiosity and moved past.

    With two skies full of bright stars, the Chained Isles were stunning at night. Even while rushing forward and hiding from the abominations populating this breathtaking and terrible land, Sunny couldn't help but marvel at its dark beauty.

    But beautiful things�� beautiful things were the most dangerous. By now, he had learned that lesson all too well.

    At dawn, Sunny finally reached the island that was supposed to be the first stop on his journey. It was a desolate place where nothing lived, with rocky ground and plenty of small impact craters that had been left behind by the debris on the neighboring island.

    The chains holding that island in place had broken once, a long time ago. As the result, not restrained by anything, it soared high into the sky and eventually fell apart, ripped to pieces by the Crushing.

    Its remaining neighbor was not of any particular to Sunny, but it was a good place to rest and catch his breath.

    Hiding in one of the craters, Sunny ate a miserly breakfast and drank from the Endless Spring. Then, he looked at the rising sun, studied his map for a few minutes, and summoned Saint.

    As the taciturn demon stepped out of his shadow �� at enough of a distance to not subject him to the soul-eroding effect of the Broken Oath, of course �� Sunny glanced at her, tiredly rubbed his face, and said:

    "I am going to sleep. You stand watch, please."

    The Shadow stared at him indifferently for a second, then nocked an arrow on the string of her bow and turned away.

    Sunny sighed.

    He could do without sleep for a couple more days, but it was wise to keep himself in the best possible shape. One never knew what could happen in the Dream Realm, after all.

    Using his pack as a pillow, Sunny lay down and close his eyes.

    'Just a few hours��'

    ***

    A day later, he reached the Reckoning.

    The ominous island that so many people in the Sanctuary dreaded was large, spanning no less than a dozen kilometers across. What's worse, it was supported by only two chains, which were situated almost exactly opposite of each other. Two get to the next one, Sunny had no choice but to travel the whole length of the island.

    There was grass covering the ground, with a forest of tall evergreen trees visible in the distance. He could see a rocky hill far away, with a waterfall rushing from a weathered cliff. Just like everywhere on the Chained Isles, it was unclear where the water came from and where it went. Sunny was already used to the strangeness of this land to pay it any attention.

    The Reckoning seemed like a beautiful and tranquil place. Idyllic, even.

    However, looking at it through the eyes of the shadow, Sunny couldn't help but feel a deep sense of unease. Something�� something was very wrong with this place.

    It was very picturesque, however, he couldn't see or hear any living beings on the island. There was no sound other than the rustle of the wind, no movement other than the slow swaying of the trees. There were no beasts, no insects, no�� anything.

    Not a single Nightmare Creature could be seen wandering the expanse of the peaceful island.

    What could be so terrible that even Nightmare Creatures did not dare to come to this place? Or had they been slaughtered by the owner of the island? If so, where were the bones? Or bone dust, at least.

    '...I don't like this.'

    Initially, Sunny thought of traversing the Reckoning in his usual manner, on foot. But now, he changed his mind. It was better to waste an additional amount of shadow essence than to risk meeting the ruler of this ominous place face to face.

    If it had a face...

    With a frown, Sunny used Shadow Step to leave the heavenly chain and appear on the surface of the island, near the shadow he had sent to take a look at it. Sunny did not assume physical form, preferring to remain incorporeal.

    That way, he would be able to reach the other side of the Reckoning unseen.

    'Where is that terrible creature, anyway?'

    He couldn't see any hint of it anywhere.

    Full of grim apprehension, he slowly moved through the deep shadows that were cast by the tall trees of the evergreen forest.

    No matter how hard Sunny looked, he didn't notice any movement near him.

    It was as though the Fallen abomination that gave the island its name, Reckoning, had simply disappeared.

    'Maybe it can't be seen��'

    Sunny cut off his vision and concentrated on the Shadow Sense.

    His perception of shadows came into focus, reaching far and wide.

    And there��

    'What was that?!'

    There was one shadow in particular that didn't belong to anything, approaching him with terrible speed.

    'The... the bastard is invisible!'

    Sunny froze, becoming absolutely still. In this state, he was not only one of the shadows, but also indistinguishable from the larger shadow he was hiding in. He didn't possess a physical body, so nothing was supposed to be able to hurt him in that state. At least physically...

    The invisible creature continued to move in his direction, even faster than before.

    'Wait�� no, something doesn't make sense��'

    Even if the abomination was invisible, why was there no sound? Why didn't grass bend beneath its feet?

    It was almost as if the Nightmare Creature that dwelt on the Reckoning was�� really��

    A shadow.

    Before Sunny could react, the owner of the Reckoning was upon him.

    And then, he learned that...

    Shadows, too, could feel pain.

 Chapter 411 Reflection

    Chapter 411 Reflection

    Sunny had never fought in his shadow form, and really, he didn't even know how. All he had were his instincts, but that wasn't enough. In fact, trusting your instincts too much was a sure way to get yourself killed.

    Intelligence was the most dangerous weapon in the arsenal of a human, and it was Sunny's mind that ended up saving his life.

    He had realized that his enemy was not invisible, but a shadow just like him only a moment before the creature was upon him. In that split second, Sunny managed to come up with the only way to escape death.

    As sharp pain pierced his entire being, he lunged forward�� and escaped the shadows, rolling away on the grass. Jumping to his feet, Sunny staggered and clutched at his side, blood flowing between his fingers.

    "Argh��"

    The shadow of the unknown abomination lunged in pursuit�� and swiped uselessly across his body, not causing him any harm.

    It was just a shadow, after all.

    Throwing a glance at the thin tear in the Puppeteer's Shroud and a deep wound beneath it, Sunny took a step back. Simultaneously, he gave his shadows a command to hide themselves under his armor and augment his body.

    Physical attacks couldn't harm shadows�� but shadows also had no way to harm living beings. That was the thought that had saved him. If he had failed to assume the shape of a human in time, he would have been dead by now�� most likely.

    Because he had not, however, he and the shadow creature were now at a standstill.

    The master of the Reckoning Island tried to attack him several more times, each strike ending up as fruitless as the previous ones. Then, it froze, as if slightly confused by the situation.

    Sunny finally had a chance to take a good look at the hostile shadow.

    It looked just like a shadow would �� like a dark, ethereal silhouette of a person painted on the grass in black. The creature seemed to have two legs, two hands, and one head. If Sunny didn't know what it really was, he would have assumed that the shadow was cast by an ordinary person.

    There was no one else in sight, though.

    Backing away and grimacing because of the pain radiating from the deep wound in his side, Sunny stared at the enemy and thought feverishly:

    'No, this is wrong��'

    A shadow creature was, indeed, deadly for someone like him.

    But to every other human on the Chained Isles, it was completely harmless.

    How was it, then, that so many people had been killed by it? And what about the Nightmare Creatures? How had this shadow slaughtered so many living beings?

    His eyes widened slightly.

    Sunny threw his hand to the side to summon the Midnight Shard�� and just in time.

    What happened next caused him to shudder.

    The creature moved once again, and then, two dark flames appeared in its darkness. A moment later, a human figure stepped out of the shadow. It was a young man with pale skin and cold, cruel eyes of an experienced killer. A spark of madness burned in their depths.

    The stranger had black hair and was wearing a light armor made out of soft silk and black, lustreless leather. In his hands, the apparition was holding a long, slightly curved blade of an austere tachi.

    Sunny felt fear grip his heart as he recognized the face in front of him.

    Of course, he did. It was his own face, after all.

    Looking at the devil of Reckoning was like looking into a mirror.

    'That's, uh�� since when was I so scary?!'

    Sunny recoiled in shock.

    "What the hell are you?"

    The apparition mimicked his expression, then opened its mouth. Its lips moved, however, there was sound, as if the abomination was mute.

    Sunny had no problem reading its lips, though.

    "...What the hell are you?"

    'What is going on...'

    Before he could finish that thought, though, he had to defend himself against a lightning-fast strike of the enemy's sword.

    Sunny deflected the fearsome attack and staggered back, his hands trembling from the force of the impact.

    'Curses��'

    The bastard might have looked like Sunny, but it was much, much stronger. About as strong as a Fallen Devil would probably be��

    Sunny had no time to recover before his evil twin was upon him once again, attacking with the painfully familiar grace of his own battle style. This time, the tip of the tachi missed Sunny's eyes only by a few centimeters.

    A vicious smile appeared on the apparition's face.

    Sunny grunted.

    As the abomination launched a flurry of lethal attacks his way, each swift and vicious, he struggled to defend himself and fought through the pain. He was barely holding on�� for now, at least. Because of how strong and fast the creature was, Sunny had no doubt that he'll be killed eventually.

    How could he fight against someone who knew all his tricks, but was also much more powerful? Even the Shadow Dance was useless... what was the point in trying to mirror the style of an opponent who had stolen his technique from Sunny himself?!

    The situation did not look good, at all. Especially because blood was still streaming down Sunny's torso.

    Between two strikes, he dashed back and pierced the apparition with a furious gaze.

    "You... poor bastard... of all the faces out there, you just had to choose mine? Fool, couldn't you have chosen someone, I don't know�� taller?!"

    Internally, though, he couldn't help but think:

    'Not gonna lie, the evil version of me looks sort of�� awesome. Am I really this dashing in real life?'

    Sunny didn't really know how to feel about this.

    ...He wasn't, of course, trying to speak to the creature because he wanted to chat.

    He was just trying to distract it while Saint was drawing her bow.

    A moment later, a black arrow whistled in the air, aimed at the devil's heart.

    ��However, the young man with cruel dark eyes simply stepped to the side and swiped the arrow away with his sword.

    Sunny cursed.

    ��He became really despondent, though, only a moment later, when a sudden ripple spread through the bizarre creature's body.

    In a blink of an eye, the apparition changed. Its face suddenly became white as alabaster and inhumanly beautiful, with ruby eyes, high cheekbones, and full lips. The soft fabric of its armor turned black as onyx and hard as stone. The shape and height of its body changed, too.

    Before Sunny could even react, he wasn't facing his own reflection anymore.

    Instead, he was facing Saint's.

    'Crap��'

    As the sickening feeling of his soul slowly falling apart permeated Sunny's entire being, the perfect copy of the taciturn demon raised its bow and sent an arrow flying straight at his heart.

 Chapter 412 Perfect Adversary

    Chapter 412 Perfect Adversary

    'Well�� one mystery is solved, at least.'

    Sunny became painfully aware of how the devil of the Reckoning was able to slaughter so many Awakened, and why no Nightmare Creature could survive on its island.

    If the bastard was able to turn into a copy of any enemy while remaining as powerful as a Fallen Devil, then very few things could ever hope to escape from it alive.

    And those Awakened who had escaped despite everything mistakenly believed that their companions fell to a creature that could mess with people's sight�� what else would they think after watching a human being killed by what looked like their exact copy?

    Well�� why had no one thought that it was an actual copy and not a trick on the eye, damn it?!

    If there was one thing that landed Sunny in this dire situation, it was that people in the Sanctuary severely lacked imagination!

    ��All these thoughts flashed through his mind as he used Shadow Step to disappear and fall awkwardly to the ground a dozen meters behind the devil, completely out of the way of the flying arrow.

    'Great�� but now what?'

    Just a few moments before, Sunny had been contemplating abandoning the fight and simply running away. Unlike some humans he had met in the past, he wasn't burdened by useless things like pride or vanity. If the situation called for a cowardly escape, he was ready and willing to do just that.

    But now that the bastard had turned into Saint and was holding a bow, the idea of trying to run was not very enticing. The last thing he wanted was to be hit in the back of his head by an arrow.

    'Think, think��'

    There was no time to think, though.

    The reflection of Saint swiftly spun and lunged toward him. As Sunny teleported further away, the creature suddenly pivoted and crashed into the trunk of a tall, ancient tree.

    A moment later, Sunny emerged from the shadows and saw, with horror, a giant mass of heavy wood plummeting on him from above.

    Desperately burning through his essence, he filled his body with as much strength as possible and raised his hands, trying to catch the falling tree. As a groan escaped from his mouth, Sunny's feet dug into the soft soil of the Reckoning Island. Somehow, he managed to stop the tree without being crushed by it.

    It was at this moment that a second arrow flashed toward his heart��

    Only to collide with another one in the air and fly aside.

    Some distance away, the real Saint dismissed the bow, raised her sword, and dashed toward the impostor.

    'Eat that, bastard!'

    Sunny gritted his teeth, strained his already overtaxed muscles, and threw the massive tree at the abomination with a tremendously powerful push. When he used his essence and augmented his body with both shadows, Sunny was able to achieve bursts of truly inhuman strength.

    How was the bastard going to escape this?

    The creature indifferently lowered its shoulder, then simply disappeared into the shadows and appeared on the other side of the flying trunk. Then, it met attacking Saint with a devastating shoulder bash.

    The onyx armor of the taciturn demon cracked, and she was thrown back, causing another tree to explode into a cloud of splinters.

    Sunny paled.

    'S��shadow Step. Not good��'

    The apparition turned to him and mockingly tilted its head.

    Something�� something was very wrong with that thing. It seemed maleficent and utterly mad, but at the same time�� incomplete, somehow. Behind the evil will and terrifying killing intent that dwelled in its ruby eyes, there was a hint of some other, boundless emotion.

    Sunny faintly recognized the feeling of it, since he had felt the same deep and indescribable emotion one time before.

    Far below the Hollow Mountains, in the darkness of the misty stone labyrinth between to otherworldly rivers, he had sensed the same feeling of loss, anguish, and confusion in the shadows left behind the by companions of the First Lord of the Bright Castle.

    '...What even is that thing?'

    He had no time to ponder about its nature, though, because the creature had once again turned into a pale young man with dark eyes and was lunging at him, a vicious smile frozen on its lips.

    Feeling a cold shiver running down his spine, Sunny realized that he would not win this fight. Nor was he capable of escaping from the Reckoning alive.

    This time, he was truly in danger.

    He was really going to die on this beautiful, peaceful island�� and the last thing he was going to see before falling into the embrace of death would be his own reflection staring back at him through the eyes of his killer.

    Unless��

    Sunny sent Saint back into the Soul Sea and met the apparition's attack with a block, feeling his body shudder from the force of the blow.

    He had assumed that the Devil of Reckoning was a shadow, and it was indeed similar to one�� but, really, it was not. It only appeared as a shadow because Sunny himself had been in the form of a shadow when they first clashed. And once he had turned into a human, the devil, too, became a human.

    The young man with the cold eyes of a killer took a small step and made a high thrust with the tachi. Sunny, however, knew his one fighting style too well to be caught by that trap. Knowing that the thrust was just a feint, he threw his own blade downward, and just barely managed to deflect a vicious slash that followed. He was late by a fraction of a second, though�� another tear appeared in the fabric of the Puppeteer's Shroud, and a shallow wound on his thigh began sipping with blood.

    The creature was more of a reflection than a shadow. It mirrored everything about its enemy. Their appearance, their weapons, their battle technique. Even their powers�� otherwise, how would it be ble to use Shadow Step? In a sense, it was a perfect adversary. But that wasn't all��

    Sunny grimaced as the apparition threw his sword away and delivered a powerful kick that almost turned all of his ribs into bone dust. If not for the burst of essence he had sent to his legs, Sunny would have never managed to dodge that devastating blow. But his essence was already running dry, and his enemy seemed to be even stronger now�� as if the more Sunny bled, the more powerful the pale young man became.

    The devil was even able to mirror the Memories its enemy wielded. Before, Sunny had experienced the soul attack of the copy of the Broken Oath. And now, the creature was obviously being fed raw power by the Blood Blossom��

    He attacked with the Midnight Shard to by himself a couple of moments to think��

    The apparition had not seemed to be affected by the Broken Oath, though. Was that because it had assumed the form of Saint, who was immune to soul attacks? Did this mean that the devil was able to copy not only powers and Memories, but Attributes, too?

    The creature easily deflected Sunny's attack and leaned forward to deliver the final blow. Sunny's only hope to escape it was to jump back��

    But what else did the creature copy? Was it really a perfect reflection?

    There was only one way to find out.

    Instead of jumping back, Sunny stepped forward and collided against the apparition, completely open, unable to escape being struck down by the enemy's blade.

    Before the deadly strike came, however, he leaned close to the devil's ear and whispered, so softly that no one except for the two of the would ever be able to hear what he had said:

    "Stop, Lost from Light."

    And then, the devil froze, as if suddenly turned to stone.

    Sunny smiled.

    ��It was a perfect reflection, indeed.

 Chapter 413 Mirror Beast

    Chapter 413 Mirror Beast

    The apparition stood motionlessly, frozen in place by Sunny's quiet command. He could see his face reflecting in its dark eyes, even paler than usual, beads of sweat glistening in the sun. The creature was completely still, all its terrifying strength shackled by the four simple words Sunny had whispered to it.

    It was... enslaved. No matter how powerful the strange abomination was, no amount of power could ever allow it to disobey the command of its new master.

    ...Sunny.

    By stealing his face and his powers, the creature had also inherited his Innate Ability, Shadow Bond. Sunny had made use of that bond to subjugate the devil, and now, it was at his mercy.

    For now, at least.

    With a pained grimace, Sunny fell to the ground and drew in a hoarse breath.

    'That�� that was close.'

    The wound on his thigh was not too serious, but the cut he had received as a shadow was long and deep. Blood Weave had prevented him from losing too much blood and was going to ensure a fast recovery, but it had its limits. The wounds needed to be tended to�� however, they could wait.

    Right now, Sunny had to decide what to do with the former ruler Reckoning... the dreadful creature that had slain plenty of humans, and only gods knew how many Nightmare Creatures, which was now under his full control.

    Such a powerful abomination�� it would surely be very helpful to have something that fearsome serving him, unable to disobey any command.

    He glanced at the frozen creature and shivered.

    Looking at it was still like looking in a mirror, after all. Despite knowing that the thing in front of him was a Nightmare Creature, he couldn't help but see a slight young man with pale skin and dark eyes�� couldn't help but see himself.

    Yes, having a Fallen Devil do his bidding would be extremely beneficial, especially because the apparition looked exactly like him. With a bit of cunning and preparation, Sunny would be able to seemingly appear in two places at the same time. If he ever needed to prove that he wasn't Mongrel or accomplish something shady without drawing any suspicion, that would be a perfect way to do so�� there were countless scenarios where such an ability would be incredibly useful.

    But there lay the problem.

    The creature was only enslaved because it had assumed his form. Since the creature could take any shape, it was going to stop possessing his Aspect Abilities �� including Shadow Bond �� as soon as it turned into something else. Then, it would be free of its shackles and able to do whatever it wanted, including unleashing its wrath on Sunny.

    That was why he had dismissed Saint before attempting to subjugate the apparition. He needed it to remain as his own reflection, and no one else's.

    Yes, he could circumvent the possibility of losing control over the terrifying creature with a long series of complex orders that would limit when and how it could use its shapeshifting. But coming up with a foolproof net of prohibitions was a herculean task�� Sunny wasn't even sure that it was possible.

    He had spent a long time thinking of ways to escape this exact fate, so he knew better than most �� better than anyone, perhaps �� how hard it was to keep an unwilling slave under control. Especially if the enslaved being was more powerful than its master.

    There would always be a way to twist words, find a loophole, and turn the orders given by the master against themselves. Sunny was sure of it.

    He had to be.

    So... what was he supposed to do with the frozen abomination?

    Standing up with a grimace, Sunny faced his perfect copy and looked at it with regret.

    The main reason for what he was about to do, nevertheless, was way less complicated. He simply didn't want to be a slaver. He didn't want to own any living thing.

    Sunny lingered for a while, and then said.

    "Don't be scared. I won't make you a slave. That would be too cruel of a fate, don't you think? Even�� even for a Nightmare Creature like you�� "

    With that, he raised his hand, as if to caress the cheek of the pale young man, and then swiped it swiftly across his neck.

    Almost invisible in the bright light, the ghostly blade of the Moonlight Shard trembled as drops of crimson blood fell from it into the vibrant grass.

    The young man didn't move, but his pupils widened. A few moments later, blood flowed from between his lips, painting his pale skin red.

    Sunny looked at the dying apparition, deeply disturbed by the visage in front of him.

    ��It was not every day that one got to see himself die.

    'That's... that is...'

    He paled slightly, but did not look away.

    In front of him, a person who looked exactly like himself was slowly drowning in blood, a crimson torrent flowing from his cut throat.

    A few moments later, when the creature was on the death's doorstep, its body suddenly trembled, and then shifted slightly. A tortured smile appeared on its face.

    The apparition's lips moved, but just as before, no sound escape from them. However, Sunny thought that he had managed to read a few words:

    "��we�� never�� searching."

    That was what the apparition had tried to say.

    Then, the light in its eyes extinguished. A strange ripple spread over the young man's body, and a moment later, thin cracks appeared on his skin.

    After a second or two, the creature shattered into a rain of silver glass, which then turned into a stream of light and disappeared.

    Only one jagged mirror shard remained laying in the grass, reflecting nothing but cold darkness.

    As Sunny stared at all this in bewilderment, the Spell whispered:

    [You have slain an Ascended Reflection, Mirror Beast.]

    Sunny blinked.

    'Wait�� what did it just say?'

    The Spell, however, wasn't done speaking.

    [...You have received a Memory.]

 Chapter 414 Mystery of the Dark Mirror

    Chapter 414 Mystery of the Dark Mirror

    Sunny stared at the ground, confused.

    'What just happened?'

    Why did the Spell call that thing and Ascended Reflection? What was a Reflection? And why was it Ascended instead of Fallen?

    How could a Nightmare Creature be Ascended?

    He frowned.

    '...Was it not a Nightmare Creature? How is that possible?'

    The apparition was definitely not a human, so what else could it be if not one of the Dream Realm's abominations?

    And one more thing��

    The Spell did not say that his shadow had grown stronger, did it?

    To make sure, Sunny checked the number of his shadow fragments. Just as he had suspected, it didn't change. He even dove into the Soul Sea, and saw that there was no new shadow among the rows of the creatures he had slain.

    'This is very, very strange.'

    What the hell had he just killed?

    With a deep frown on his face, Sunny bent down and cautiously picked up the jagged mirror shard that the apparition had left behind. No matter how he looked at it, the shard resembled a perfectly mundane piece of glass, with a thin layer of silver painted over its reverse side. The only strange thing about it was that no matter how Sunny turned the shard, it refused to reflect anything except for an impenetrable veil of darkness.

    There was also an inscription on its reverse.

    Sunny's frown deepened when he realized that the inscription was not made with runes�� instead, what he saw were the familiar letters of the human alphabet. They were clumsy and awkward, as if written by a child's hand.

    There was only one word written on the mirror shard:

    "Beastie"

    '...What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

    The mystery of the Mirror Beast was so strange that for a time, Sunny even forgot about the burning pain in his side.

    Eventually, he whispered:

    "...An Echo?"

    Echoes did not possess souls, so he expected that slaying one would not reward him with any shadow fragments, just like what had happened after Mirror Beast's death.

    The apparition, however, was obviously not an Echo. It was too independent, sentient, and had too much... individuality to be a simple copy of a dead Nightmare Creature. Not to mention that it had been ruling the Reckoning for the past few years, with no human master in sight.

    There was, however, a type of being that it resembled.

    Sunny threw a dark look at the remains of a tree that had been shattered by Saint's body.

    ��In many ways, the strange Reflection resembled a Shadow.

    Was the Mirror Beast a type of Echo created by someone's Aspect? Its creator must have been incredibly powerful, then. If so, where were they? What had happened to them, and why was their Reflection wandering the Chained Isles in a feral state?

    There were no answers.

    It was just a theory, anyway. Sunny had no proof whatsoever to substantiate it.

    Maybe his new Memory would give him some answers��

    He was about to summon the runes, but a sudden pulse of pain reminded him that he was, in fact, still wounded. With a hiss, Sunny clutched at his side and looked around, searching for shelter.

    He was going to have to tend to his wounds... and rest after the fight with Mirror Beast. The Memory could wait until after he wasn't bleeding so much��

    Wrapping the strange mirror shard in a piece of fabric and placing it into his pack, Sunny used some of his last remaining reserve of shadow essence to step through the shadows and appear near the rocky hill in the center of the island. His shadow had noticed a shallow cave there, which was situated �� obviously �� behind the foaming wall of the picturesque waterfall.

    Walking on a narrow stone ledge that led behind the waterfall, Sunny checked that the cave was empty, and then entered its cool shade.

    ***

    The cave wasn't very big, but due to its location and hidden nature, there was no better shelter on the entire island. Rather happy with this discovery, Sunny groaned and lowered himself to the ground.

    Sending Saint to keep watch outside, he dismissed the Puppeteer's Shroud, then opened his pack and took out a small box containing several thin needles and a span of silk thread.

    Staring at the needles with a deadpan expression, Sunny sighed.

    'I hate this part.'

    Due to his Awakened body and the nature of Blood Weave, Sunny could recover from most injuries much faster than any mundane human, or even one of his peers, would be able to. However, if he wanted to be able to travel again by tomorrow, he still had to take measures.

    With another sigh, the threaded one of the needles, gritted his teeth, and began suturing the edges of the long cut on his side together. The process was not very pleasant, to say the least, so the cave was full of the sounds of heavy breathing and suppressed curses for a while.

    Finally, Sunny was done. Washing the dried blood off his body with the help of the Endless Spring, he grimaced and looked around.

    Now that he had time to take a better look at the cave, he noticed that it had, apparently, been used as shelter by another human at some point in the past. There was a circle of stones built to contain a fire, with a bunch of firewood arranged neatly by its side. By now, the wood had long rotten, letting Sunny know that the cave remained empty for many years.

    There was a pack much like his own laying on the cold stones near the firepit. He limped toward it and took a look inside.

    There was nothing of particular interest there �� just the usual supplies a traveling Awakened would take with them on a long expedition, most of them ruined by the humidity inside the cave and the passage of time. He did, however, retrieved a rolled-up map and studied it for some time.

    The map had been drawn on a piece of monster hide, so the humid air did it no favors. Most of it was unreadable, with only a few small pieces remaining intact. Sunny judged that the person who had left it behind was much more knowledgeable about the Chained Isles than he was�� sadly, none of that knowledge had been preserved.

    The only legible word he could easily read was written near the edge of the Tear. It read:

    "...Hope?"

    Sunny sighed.

    The stranger whose map he was studying had most likely been killed by the Mirror Beast. For a moment, he entertained the idea that the map had actually been left behind by the creator of the strange Reflection, but that theory made little sense. Why would such a powerful person leave not only his things, but also his creation behind?

    Putting the map back into the rotted pack, Sunny glanced at the firepit and said after a long pause:

    "I'm sorry that your hopes had been for naught�� whoever you were. Now, your nightmare is over."

    With that, he hesitated for a few moments, and then finally summoned the runes.

    It was time to take a look at the Memory he had received for slaying the terrifying creature that the Spell had called the Mirror Beast.

    A few seconds later, Sunny's eyes widened.

    'Weapon! It is a weapon��'

 Chapter 415 Cruel Sight

    Chapter 415 Cruel Sight

    Sunny stared at the shimmering runes, excitement rising in his heart.

    This was what he had been waiting for��

    Memory: [Cruel Sight].

    Memory Rank: Ascended.

    Memory Tier: IV.

    Memory Type: Weapon.

    'A weapon��'

    Sunny had been searching for a new weapon for a long time. He was very fond of the Midnight Shard, since that was the sword he had carried through the darkest time of his life, and which which he had fought his way out of the hell of the Forgotten Shore. It was a very powerful Memory, too, one whose enchantment had saved his life on several occasions.

    However, Sunny felt that he had outgrown the austere tachi. Or rather, the obstacles he was facing these days had.

    Many of the Nightmare Creatures on the Chaines Isles were of the Fallen rank, and their tough hides presented a lot of resistance to the sharp blade of the Awakened sword. Not to mention those Corrupted horrors that Sunny avoided to the best of his ability, for now, but was inevitably bound to encounter one day.

    The other reason he wanted to procure a new weapon was the fact that the [Unbroken] enchantment, while extremely potent and useful, could only be accessed in very rare circumstances�� namely, when Sunny was nearing death. This meant that the most powerful trait of the Midnight Shard could only help Sunny if he made a terrible mistake.

    If Sunny fought with skill and foresight, however �� thus keeping himself from being mortally wounded �� the powerful enchantment remained inactive, as it had for the past months. Paradoxically, the better Sunny performed, the less useful the Midnight Shard was to him.

    It was nice to have a last resort, but Sunny did not like the idea of relying on a tool that could only be effective if he failed. He wanted to possess a weapon whose enchantments were reliant on his success, and as such, both strengthened him and rewarded him for doing well.

    Hopefully, this was one such weapon. It was an Ascended Memory of the fourth tier �� equivalent to a Memory he would have received from a Fallen Devil. That was already a tremendous start��

    His most powerful weapon right now, the Moonlight Shard, had come from a mere Fallen Beast.

    Trying to control his expectations, Sunny trembled in anticipation and read further:

    Memory Description: [...Full of pride, the noble knight made a deal with the Dreamspawn. Years later, the knight had defeated all his enemies and became a mighty king. On the day that his son uttered the first word, the Dreamspawn came to the king and demanded his pay. He left the kingdom with the child and disappeared, never to be seen again. Much later, the young prince returned and stood beneath his father's throne. He expected to be met with joy and warmth, but was met with fear and suspicion instead.]

    Sunny frowned.

    'Huh�� what the hell does that mean?'

    The description mentioned a Dreamspawn�� or rather, the Dreamspawn. That was the name of an Attribute Nephis had, which she possessed because of being born from a Hollow mother. Were there other people with the same Attribute among the human race? There had to be�� and, judging by this strange tale, they had been feared even here, in the Dream Realm?

    No, that didn't make any sense. Nephis was described as being born of two worlds, so how could a native of the Dream Realm possess the same Attribute?

    'Very strange�� many the name is just a conscience��'

    Sunny shrugged, then concentrated on the runes.

    'Tell me what you can do��'

    Memory Enchantments: [Shapeshifter], [Light Eater], [Ghost Blade], [Dark Mirror].

    'Four of them!'

    His eyes gleamed.

    [Shapeshifter] Enchantment Description: "This weapon can shift form between a sword and a spear."

    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then turned away from the runes and summoned the Cruel Sight. He just had to see this��

    A tenebrous mist shrouded his hand, and then, an elegant sword appeared in it. It was much shorter than the Midnight Shard, with a leaf-shaped blade that was about as long as the distance between Sunny's elbow and the tip of his middle finger. The blade seemed to be forged out of polished silver, and served as a perfectly clear mirror. Looking into it, Sunny could see the reflection of his pale face and the wall of the cave behind him.

    The hilt of the short sword was made out of polished black wood, which was encased in intricately engraved silver near the guard and at the pommel.

    The Cruel Sight was light and swift. Sunny slashed the air several times and smiled. It was going to take some time to get used to using a single-handed sword, but he liked it. It already felt like an extension of his hand. It was much more suited for stealth attacks, too.

    The sword was also double-edged, which gave him more freedom in how to use it.

    But that wasn't all��

    Following a mental command, the hilt of the sword suddenly began to extend. A second later, Sunny was holding a long, graceful spear. The black shaft contrasted against the silver blade, creating a beautiful and somber image. The blade itself kept its length, so Sunny could perform not only thrusting attacks, but also cuts and slashes.

    He stared at the somber, elegant spear for a bit, then commanded it to turn back into the sword.

    This was going to be a challenge. Sunny wasn't really proficient with polearms, but he had seen how versatile, unpredictable, and deadly they could be in the hands of a master. Not to mention that he had wished to have more distance between himself and the Nightmare Creatures he fought on numerous occasions�� this weapon was a perfect combination of mobility and reach, allowing him to effortlessly switch between a nimble shortsword and a devastating long spear.

    It gave him access to the best of both worlds.

    His smile widened.

    "Perfect�� this is perfect!"

    What else could it do?

    There were three Enchantments left:

    [Light Eater] Enchantment Description: "The blade of this weapon can reflect, absorb, and expel light."

    That would be useful to control shadows, as well as potentially blinding the opponents...

    [Ghost Blade] Enchantment Description: "This weapon can strike at incorporeal targets."

    An incredible ability that would give Sunny the ability to fight against some of the most dangerous creatures in the Dream Realm, those wraiths that were immune to physical damage.

    [Dark Mirror] Enchantment Description: "Each attack of this weapon can be augmented with elemental damage. It can be charged with any element the wielder has been damaged by."

    "Current Charge: None."

    Sunny gasped.

    'A permanent elemental augmentation. This�� is�� incredible!'

 Chapter 416 Hanged Man

    Chapter 416 Hanged Man

    Sunny stared at the emptiness for some time, thinking.

    His new weapon was an Ascended one of the fourth rank, which already made it much more formidable than anything else in his arsenal. It was adamantine and sharp as a razor, which would allow him to cut through Fallen creatures as if they were made of butter�� well, not exactly, but rather close. Added to that were the considerable reach of its spear form and the incredible swiftness of its sword form.

    But there was more.

    The Cruel Sight was capable of augmenting its attacks with elemental damage. That meant that each wound Sunny would deliver to his enemies would be more dire�� not only that, but the nature of the augmentation could be changed, which meant that if given enough time to prepare, he would be able to exploit the weaknesses of his opponents with the element they were most vulnerable to.

    He just had to get himself wounded by that same element.

    'Ouch...'

    Everything that was worth it had to hurt a little. Sunny had learned it many years ago.

    Speaking of which.

    He sighed, then summoned the Cruel Sight and held it in his hands for a bit. Then, he stood up and walked toward the exit from the cave.

    As the sound of the waterfall grew louder and louder, he prepared himself.

    ��A second later, Sunny entered the field of soul erosion emanated from Saint's armor. Instantly, he felt weak and in pain, as though the very essence of his self was being dissolved by a terrible force.

    'Argh�� curses!'

    No matter how many times he was subjected to the effect of the Broken Oath, it was a vile feeling every time. The only good thing about it was that souls, just like bodies, could heal with time. And as long as he did not spend too much time being damaged by the evil Memory, he would be able to recover in a day or two.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny summoned the runes describing the Cruel Sight and simultaneously send essence into its silver blade, activating the [Dark Mirror] enchantment.

    As his contorted face reflected in the polished silver of the elegant sword, nothing about it changed. However, the Cruel Sight suddenly seemed�� different. As if an invisible, cold, and sharp aura surrounded its edges.

    Sunny looked at the description of the [Dark Mirror]:

    "Current Charge: Soul."

    With a relieved sigh, he took a few steps back and escaped the radius of the Broken Oath. The sensation of his soul being slowly destroyed swiftly disappeared.

    The runes, however, did not change.

    Sunny had to feed the Memory with a small amount of shadow essence to activate the augmenting enchantment, but its blade would remain entwined with the element of his choice until he charged it with another.

    A cruel smile appeared on his lips.

    ��Just like that, Sunny now possessed a weapon capable of dealing soul damage �� the rarest and most insidious type of damage he knew of, one that very few beings out there had any resistance to.

    In a span of one day, his lethality had grown manyfold.

    Dismissing the somber sword, Sunny turned around and walked back into the cave.

    "I guess I am the true harbinger of reckoning now��"

    His gloomy shadow lingered for a bit, then scratched the back of its head.

    For once, it had nothing to add.

    ***

    Two days later, Sunny was finally approaching Shipwreck Island. Currently, he was on the neighboring one, hiding in the shadow of a collapsed stone tower that had long ago become overgrown with moss. Somewhere behind him, the body of a giant worm-like creature lay on the ground, its body sipping with foul black blood.

    Sunny had spent a lot of essence jumping through shadows to avoid being devoured by that thing. No matter how many times he had pierced its flesh with his spear, the worm seemed to possess an almost endless amount of vitality. The fact that Sunny had no idea where any of the abomination's vital organs were only made the situation worse.

    In the end, however, the Nightmare Creature had succumbed to the damage being continuously dealt to its soul. And now, it was dead.

    ��Swarms of smaller, but no less repulsive worms were already emerging from the ground to feast on its flesh. Sunny did not care �� he had already retrieved the soul shard from the creature's body, and he surely had no plans of using the worm's meat as food.

    And regardless, his attention was currently concentrated elsewhere.

    'What�� the hell��'

    The Shipwreck Island was currently at the height of its ascent phase, and loomed high above in the sky. As the result, Sunny was able to see its underbelly, far away in the distance.

    The downside of the island was shrouded in eternal shadow, and something vast and terrifying was moving in it. The inhabitants of the Dark Side were all powerful and unsightly, but the thing nesting under that one, in particular, was especially harrowing. Perhaps all islands this close to the Tear sheltered such horrors��

    But even that was not the thing Sunny was looking it.

    'I guess�� I have my answer��'

    A long time ago, one of the chains connected to Shipwreck Island had broken, and now hung down. Entangled in it, a giant iron corpse swayed slowly in the wind.

    The creature resembled a man made entirely out of metal. The heavenly chain had coiled around one of his legs, so the giant hung with his head down, his face rusted and severely damaged. His powerful chest was caved in and shattered by some titanic blow, and one of his arms was torn away at the shoulder.

    This was, without a doubt, the creature whose lost limb gave the name to the Iron Hand Island.

    The dead giant swayed despondently in the wind, producing sounds of rusty metal scraping against the iron of the heavenly chain. Those sounds were loud enough to reach across the gap between two islands and be heard by Sunny in his hiding place.

    Looking at that humbling sight, Sunny shivered.

    'Who could have killed such a thing?'

    Of course, there was no way to know. Just like always, finding one answer had immediately presented Sunny with a dozen new questions.

    Nervously shifting his gaze between the hanged giant and the swarm of worms ravenously devouring their elder, Sunny remained hidden in the shadows and waited.

    Soon, the rattling of chains announced that the Shipwreck Island was starting to descend.

    Sunny tensed.

    'It's time...'

 Chapter 417 Shipwreck

    Chapter 417 Shipwreck

    The chain leading to the Shipwreck Island was about four kilometers long, which was on the shorter side by the Chained Isles standards. As a swift shadow, Sunny would have been able to ride it all the way to his destination in just a few minutes. Sadly, the heavenly chain was currently drawn taut and nowhere near the Sky Below, which meant that its links weren't covered by a thick layer of shadows.

    He was going to have to cross it on foot.

    As the ground behind him started to move, announcing the approach of something far more hungry and terrifying than the swarm of gluttonous maggots, Sunny slid out of his hiding spot, dashed toward the edge of the island, and jumped down.

    Falling through the vast expanse of the blue sky, he landed on the iron surface of the heavenly chain, rolled down a few meters, and then finally caught his balance.

    The chain stretched far into the distance, rising higher and higher until it connected with the slowly descending Shipwreck Island. Unlike how it was with the other pieces of land Sunny had seen in this strange region of the Dream Realm, the chain didn't simply disappear into the soil, but instead led to a tall stone structure that resembled a castle gate. Two massive pillars rose high into the sky, overgrown by vines and moss.

    The gate itself had been broken a long time ago, and now, the space between the pillars was empty, the wind passing freely through its vast opening.

    ...Further away, the corpse of the iron giant continued to sway in the air, his one remaining hand pointed at the Sky Below.

    Summoning the Cruel Sight, Sunny turned it into the spear and cautiously moved forward.

    The further he walked, the lower the Shipwreck Island descended, until finally the heavenly chain became almost horizontal. In about an hour, Sunny crossed the abyss separating two isles and approached the stone structure he had noticed from afar.

    Up close, it was even more monumental. He found out that he had been wrong, though: the pillars did not seem like they had ever served to house a massive gate. Instead, they just reached for the sky, built for some unknown purpose. There were weathered steps cut into each of the pillars, leading all the way to the top.

    Sunny frowned.

    'Who would be crazy enough to climb that high?'

    Even now that the island had descended, up there on top of the monumental pillars the Crushing must have been suffocating. With a shrug, he used the Dark Wing to glide upward and climbed onto a wide stone platform between the pillars.

    From here, the remains of an ancient road led further into the island. Following it to reach the top of a low hill, Sunny stopped and looked down, at the sight of the peculiar landmark that gave this place its name.

    At the very heart of the desolate island, a large wooden ship lay broken on the ground. It must have been beautiful and magnificent once, but now, all that remained of its former glory were the fluid lines of the graceful and narrow hull. The ancient wood somehow remained untouched by the passage of time, but the bow of the ship was completely shattered. There were also large breaches here and there along the length of the wreck, and green vines covering large sections of it.

    What was a ship doing at the heart of a land that had no rivers and no seas remained a mystery, but Sunny became hypnotized by the sight of a crushed vessel for a completely different reason.

    A triumphant spark appeared in his eyes.

    'I guess I am in luck today!'

    With a dark smile, he shifted his gaze and looked at the tall mast of the ship.

    A dead, withered tree coiled around it, its naked branches stretching into the sky like bones. Sunny recognized that tree, even if it looked very different from how it was depicted on the reverse side of the mysterious coins, full of life and in bloom.

    This was the same ship he had seen before.

    ��Which meant that the coin might have come from inside the wreck, or at least was connected to it somehow.

    Initially, Sunny had only planned to scout the vicinity of the island and search for the traces left by the dead Chain Worm. But now, he felt as if this scouting expedition could actually lead him directly to the treasure he so desperately wanted to find. What were the chances that the coins depicting the strange ship came from somewhere else?

    Close to zero, most likely.

    Now, he only had to sneak into the wreck, explore it, and return in one piece.

    ��Which was not an easy task, considering how close to the Tear the island was. Sunny could not see any Nightmare Creatures moving across its surface, but he knew that there had to be some, and that they were going to be of the truly dreadful kind.

    Still, he wasn't going to turn back now.

    'It's worth it��'

    ***

    Sunny spent some time observing the island. No matter how hard he looked and how much his shadows roamed around, he couldn't see any abominations anywhere near the ancient ship.

    ��That didn't mean there were none, though. It just meant that they were better at hiding than he was at looking.

    After a while, Sunny frowned and summoned Saint. The taciturn demon stepped out of his shadow a few hundred meters down the slope of the hill and indifferently looked around. Then, she dismissed her bow, and instead summoned a melee weapon.

    The Midnight Shard appeared in her hands, its austere blade reflecting the black onyx of the Shadow's armor.

    ��The two suited each other very well.

    Saint turned her back to Sunny, raised the long tachi, and calmly headed toward the distant wreck. After thirty seconds or so, he left his shelter and followed, keeping to the shadows.

    Minute after minute passed in tense silence. Despite his expectations, they didn't meet any powerful abominations. The island was quiet and deserted, covered only by overgrown ruins, vines, and piles of broken wood.

    When they were halfway to the ship, however, something finally changed.

    As Saint approached one of the piles of debris, it suddenly moved.

    ��And then assembled itself into the shape of a tall, menacing humanoid creature, its hands ending in long jagged blades.

    As countless similar piles of splintered wood began to move all around them, Sunny breathed out a curse.

    It had started so well!

 Chapter 418 Remnant Crew

    Chapter 418 Remnant Crew

    'Damnation!'

    Before the first wood wraith could even fully form, Saint was already upon it. The blade of the Midnight Shard flashed through the air�� and bit into the body of the creature with the dull sound of an axe striking the bark of a tree.

    The effect was somewhat the same: although she managed to do some damage, the wraith simply ignored the shallow cut and lurched forward, towering above the graceful stone knight with destructive menace. Its hands fell down with crushing force, the wooden blades aimed at Saint's helmet.

    ��Wood couldn't cut stone. Right?

    The Shadow seemed reluctant to check. She easily sidestepped the creature's attack and thrust upward, driving the tip of the Midnight Shard into the enemy's neck. Augmented by one of Sunny's shadows, the sword went deep into the adamantine wood.

    A moment later, the second shadow wrapped itself around the body of the taciturn demon, causing her skin to shine with dark radiance. The coral gem of the Broken Oath glowed brightly on her black breastplate.

    Saint twisted her blade and pushed it sideways, causing half of the wood wraith's neck to explode into a rain of splinters. The creature staggered and lashed out with another strike, but it was too late �� the Shadow calmly shifted her weight from one leg to another and delivered a devastating slash, beheading her enemy.

    As the wraith fell apart and turned back into a pile of debris, she looked at it indifferently, and then hit the dull side of the Midnight Shard's blade against her shoulder twice.

    The voice of the Spell whispered:

    [You have slain a Fallen Beast, Sailor Doll.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    'Crap!'

    Augmented by two shadows, Saint had defeated one of these Dolls without too much problem.

    ��However, there were countless more rising from the ground. Sunny counted at least several dozen before losing count.

    'What should I do?'

    Fighting the horde of Fallen Beasts was clearly suicide. He could either retreat, or order Saint to draw their attention away and sneak onto the ship.

    He could also recall one of the shadows, send it ahead, and then use Shadow Step to travel instantly between his current position and the wreck. But that meant leaving Saint weaker.

    Decisions, decisions��

    'She should be fine for a few minutes, right?'

    Throwing a glance at the taciturn demon, Sunny sighed and dashed toward the ship.

    "Have fun, you three!"

    Saint looked at him, then silently turned away and raised the Midnight Shard.

    As Sunny jumped from shadow to shadow, something crashed thunderously behind him.

    [You have slain a Fallen Beast��]

    'But not too much fun��'

    No matter how formidable his demon was when augmented by the shadow and wielding a powerful Memory, she was still just an Awakened. He had to be swift��

    As Sunny appeared from a shadow, something massive suddenly lunged at him. Without slowing down, he dove under the blade of another wood wraith, then lashed out with the Cruel Sight. The silver blade of the sword cut through the body of the abomination, leaving a deep gash on its side.

    Sunny slid on the moss, escaping from the attack reach of the massive creature. Twisting around, he thrust his sword into empty air. A split second later, however, the hilt of the somber weapon extended, turning it into a long spear. The silver blade pierced the chest of the wood wraith with surprising ease.

    The Sailor Doll was still alive, but its soul was damaged. It staggered and took a step forward, driving the spear deeper into its flesh. Sunny tilted his head, then dissolved into shadows and appeared behind the creature. A moment later, the Moonlight Shard pierced its head.

    [You have slain a Fallen Beast, Sailor Doll.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Sunny retrieved his weapons.

    [You have slain��]

    Saint was busy, too.

    Glancing back, he saw that she was close to being surrounded by a mass of menacing wooden creatures.

    'Not good��'

    Not wasting any more time, Sunny turned away and continued moving toward the wreck.

    ***

    A few minutes later, Sunny reached the broken ship, dove into one of the breaches in its hull, and hid in the shadows. Then, he immediately dismissed Saint.

    Making sure that nothing pose an immediate threat to him, he then quickly checked on the taciturn demon in the Soul Sea. The Shadow had received several wounds in the fight against the swarm of wraiths, but none of them was too serious. She was going to have to spend some time restoring herself in the nurturing black flames of the Shadow Core, still.

    'Rest well, Saint. You deserve it��'

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then retrieved the Memories he had entrusted to her. Who knew what he was going to encounter inside the ancient ship�� it was better to be safe than sorry.

    Looking around, he studied the interior of a small room he had found himself in.

    Sunny had no knowledge whatsoever of what the insides of a ship were supposed to look like, let alone of an archaic wooden vessel like this one. That was why he couldn't even guess what purpose this cabin had been intended for. All he saw were piles of debris�� absolutely mundane, for a change�� and thick brown vines covering the walls.

    The air was stale and murky. It smelled a little sweet��

    'Oh, crap. Here we go again.'

    With a subtle shudder, Sunny stared at the strange reddish-brown vines.

    Those things, without a doubt, were alive.

    ��They were also the source of the sweet smell permeating the air that Sunny was currently breathing.

    What was even worse, they were obviously just a small part of some much, much larger organism.

    As a strange feeling appeared in his lungs, Sunny sighed, took a piece of cloth from his pack, and wrapped it tightly around the lower part of his face.

    'Blood Weave to the rescue. Let's see what's inside��'

    He only took a few steps when something gleamed on the floor in front of him.

    Bending down, Sunny picked up the small object and stared at it with a complicated expression.

    A heavy golden coin rested in his palm.

 Chapter 419 Eureka

    Chapter 419 Eureka

    Grasping the coin in his fist, Sunny took a step forward, then cautiously walked around a thick vine sprawled across the floor of the small cabin.

    Or was it a wall?

    Since the ancient ship was laying on its side and at an angle, it was hard to differentiate the floor from the ceiling. The surface beneath Sunny's feet was skewed, forcing him to bend to be able to keep balance. The piles of debris and the vines weren't making things any easier for him.

    By now, Sunny was almost sure that the vines were a part of a larger creature. His suspicion only grew when he climbed through the narrow doorway and left the cabin. Finding himself in a wide corridor, Sunny felt that the sweet smell permeating the murky air became much stronger.

    Here, everything was covered by a thick layer of reddish moss, with twisted vines growing through it as they stretched in every direction. Sunny could help but feel as though he was now inside some giant being, with the wooden carcass of the ancient ship serving as its bones, the moss representing its flesh, and the vines being its veins.

    The warm breeze that blew through the wreck at rhythmic intervals reminded him of slow breathing of a slumbering giant. It came from somewhere deeper in the ship, bringing with it the sickeningly sweet smell, and then disappeared for a dozen seconds, only to appear again.

    'Let's, uh�� not do anything to awaken that thing, then.'

    Sunny thought for a few moments, and then decided to keep both shadows wrapped around his body instead of sending them to explore the ship. In situations where a confrontation with an unknown enemy could happen at any moment, having them close by was of paramount importance... at least that approach had saved his life many times in the past.

    Taking a step forward, he felt the moss spring under his foot, and then swayed. His vision blurred slightly��

    'Argh��'

    His worse expectations did not come true. Unlike the Blood Blossom, the tiny grains of pollen �� or spores, or whatever it was that he had breathed in �� had not tried to take root in his lungs and grow through his flesh. Instead, they simply poisoned him.

    The posing had entered his lungs, then traveled to his bloodstream, and was now spreading through his body. Sunny could easily see himself losing consciousness and falling to the ground, his body then becoming overgrown by the reddish moss, slowly digested by it, turned into nourishment for the creature that had usurped the wreck of the ancient ship��

    But he wasn't going to.

    As soon as the poison entered his bloodstream, Blood Weave went into a frenzy. It seemed to really dislike anything alien invading its territory. Slowly but surely, it went about destroying the toxin.

    Sunny just had to endure the pain.

    Summoning the Cruel Sight, he used the shaft of the spear to help himself keep balance and waited for his vision to become clear again. After a minute or two, Sunny slowly exhaled and continued on his way.

    A few minutes later, still suffering from pain and weakness, he picked up a second coin from the moss and stared at it for a second.

    The beautiful person with a crescent moon drawn on their forehead smiled at him with a carefree expression. Sunny frowned in response.

    'What are you so happy about, fool?'

    Turning away, he noticed another coin gleaming in the moss a couple of meters further down the corridor.

    ��It was almost as if someone left these coins here like breadcrumbs to lead an unsuspecting treasure hunter to their prize.

    '...Very convenient.'

    Full of unease, Sunny walked other to the third coin, picked it up, hid it in his pack, and then cautiously moved deeper into the wreck.

    Soon, he approched a wall with a massive gate barring it. The wooden surface of the wall had cracked and was bent outward, as if something was pressing heavily on it from the other side. The vines out here were especially thick and vernicose, shining in the beams of sunlight that fell through a wide hole in the hull of the ship right above. The sweet smell in the air was almost overwhelming.

    Sunny stared at the warped wall, a grim expression on his face. Although he could not see through it, he could feel the shapes of shadows on the other side.

    Hidden from him by the thick bulkhead was a much larger, vast and open space. He judged it to be the main cargo hold of the ancient ship. And in it, something massive was moving, slowly expanding and contracting. Brown vines that had devoured the wreck all originated from that place.

    The sickening breeze that blew through the ancient ship from time to time came simultaneously with the contracting of the massive shadow.

    Sunny lingered for a while, then decided that he had no desire to disturb the slumber of that being. Instead of trying to open the door, he jumped up, grabbed the edges of the hole above him, and climbed onto the exterior of the ship's hull.

    He was reasonably sure that a treasure such as miraculous coins would not have been stored in the main hold with the rest of the mundane cargo, anyway. Unless he was absolutely certain that he had no other choice, he was not going to enter it.

    Sunny was of a rather high opinion about his abilities, but not so high as to forget all fear. That thing inside was not for him to fight, at least not yet. How was he supposed to kill a giant mass of vines and moss, anyway?

    Instead of trying, he walked on the sloping hull of the ancient ship, carefully avoiding breaches through which thick brown vines were crawling outside, and soon passed the area of the main cargo hold.

    Now, he was approaching the shattered bow of the ship. Out here, the hull was heavily damaged, with most of it being riddled with wide cracks, jagged holes, and splintered boards.

    The sight of it made Sunny wonder about what had happened to the graceful ship he had seen on the miraculous coins. The vessel was obviously not an ordinary one... why had it crashed here, on that remote island? Why was its bow in such a devastated condition? What had the ship sailed on, to begin with? Had it just flown through the skies?

    If so, maybe the Crushing had gotten to it.

    Feeling that he wouldn't be able to remain hidden in the shadows on this treacherous surface, Sunny crawled back inside and landed softly on the carpet of moss.

    ��Just a few steps from where he found himself, several golden coins were gleaming on the ground, with one more laying further down the dark corridor.

    Sunny cautiously gathered them, then moved deeper into the wreck.

    It wasn't long before he found the compartment that must have served as the ship's treasury.

    He knew that there was something special about it instantly�� simply for the fact that the floorboards around the heavy door were the only place on the entire ancient ship that was completely free of the reddish moss, the vernicose vines, and the air near it was void of the sickeningly sweet smell of the poisonous spores.

    Standing in from of the door, Sunny smiled.

    '...Eureka!'

 Chapter 420 Amazing Chest Ahead

    Chapter 420 Amazing Chest Ahead

    Sunny approached the heavily reinforced door and tried to sense if something was moving on the other side of it.

    There was nothing.

    It didn't feel as though something dangerous waited for him inside the treasury. On the contrary, with how fresh the air was and how clean the floorboards were, the treasury looked almost�� inviting.

    He wasn't entirely convinced, though.

    Sunny lingered for a bit, then commanded one of his shadows to separate itself from his body and slide under the door. It was going to remain very close, so he was willing to risk weakening himself for a bit.

    'How do I even open this thing?'

    A moment later, Sunny grimaced and covered his face with a palm.

    '...When did I become this stupid?'

    Looking through the eyes of the happy shadow, he saw the armored compartment in its entirety.

    It was a large room, with a high ceiling and three heavy chests standing in its center.

    The entire back wall of the treasury, though, was missing, letting in a flood of sunlight through the jagged edges of a massive breach.

    'Of course it's missing!'

    The Chain Worm had to have gotten inside somehow, after all. Sunny doubted that the demon could have fit through the door of the treasury, let alone politely lock it behind itself after leaving.

    He sighed, then shook his head and decided to attribute this momentary lapse of judgment to the taxing nature of having to endure the pain of being poisoned.

    No one was there to witness him making a fool out of himself, anyway!

    Regardless, there was no terrifying Nightmare Creature laying in wait on the other side of the reinforced door. Nothing was going to attack him if he entered.

    Sunny considered climbing back on top of the hull of the ship and finding a way to enter through the breach in the back wall of the treasury, then simply stepped through the shadows and appeared inside. He was too excited and impatient to waste any more time... not to mention that the more times he spent here, the more chances there were of something going terribly wrong.

    If there were really hundreds of coins in one of those chests, though�� that would be a trophy to put all other trophies to shame. A find of a lifetime.

    Sunny waited for a couple of seconds, letting his eyes adapt to the bright light of the sun, and then studied the three chests standing in the middle of the armored compartment.

    All three were open. Two stood empty, but the third��

    His eyes widened in shock.

    The third chest was long and adamantine, its dark wood reinforced by strips of dull metal. It was large enough to fit an adult man��

    And filled to the brim with heavy gold coins. Some spilled out of it and were laying on the floor in a tantalizing pile, showing either the beautiful face of the mysterious charmer or the reverse depicting the ancient ship.

    'Thousands�� there are thousands of them!'

    Sunny felt his heart skip a bit and swayed slightly.

    In front of him was a treasure that would take him all the way to forming a third core, and then some. With this many miraculous coins, Sunny would be able to annihilate the gap between himself and Nephis�� maybe even overtake her.

    'This�� this can't be true��'

    He instinctively wanted to think that it had been far too easy�� but it wasn't, really. He had almost died while fighting the Mirror Beast, allowed Saint to be injured in a fight against Sailor Dolls, walked through the poisonous darkness of the ancient wreck�� if it wasn't for the Blood Weave, he would have been already dead.

    How many people out there could boast about carrying the legacy of a daemon in their veins? For almost anyone else, this trip would have been fatal. Not to mention that very few could have made the series of discoveries and logical conclusions that would lead them here.

    So no, it wasn't too easy to get to where he was currently standing. It wasn't easy at all. And anyway, Sunny was due for a bit of good luck. Recently, nothing had really gone his way�� take this whole Mongrel fiasco, for example. Or everything that had happened in the Crimson Spire.

    ��The heavy chest stood silently, surrounded by sunlight. The golden coins shined in the bright radiance, inviting him to come and take them.

    Sunny gulped. This sight was so beautiful. His eyes gleamed with avarice.

    'Don't mind if I do��'

    Taking several steps forward, he approached the chest.

    'Gold is heavy. How am I going to carry all of this back to the Sanctuary? Damnation! I won't be able to enter the shadows with all that burden, too. That is a problem.'

    He reached for the coins�� but then stopped suddenly. His hand hovered just outside the invitingly opened chest.

    Something�� wasn't quite right.

    Sunny frowned.

    'What is it�� huh, maybe a can bury the chest and make several trips�� wait, no, what's wrong here?'

    His frown deepened.

    There was no danger inside the treasury. Nor was there anything moving outside of it. The terrifying creature that had been slumbering in the cargo hold of the ancient ship was still asleep. There were no Sailor Dolls wandering nearby, too. So what was disturbing him?

    'The�� the Chain Worm��'

    The Chain Worm had swallowed several coins. He also had a piece of the chest in its stomach, the wood splintered, the strips of metal torn��

    Sunny had even thought how lucky he was that the demon decided to feast on the metal reinforcing the chest and bit a chunk out of it, swallowing the coins in the process.

    So, if he had torn a piece from the chest�� why wasn't the chest missing a piece?

    And what had mortally wounded the Chain Worm, anyway?

    Confused, Sunny glanced at the two empty chests. They were perfectly whole, with no parts missing. Then, he looked back at the large, heavy chest in front of him, his hand still hovering a few centimeters away from the pile of gold inside.

    The chest had all its corners, too.

    ��One of them, though, was of a slightly different color. Like a patch of new skin that had grown over a wound, and didn't quite match all the rest.

    Since when were chests capable of healing?

    'What the h...'

    Before Sunny could finish the thought, though, the chest seemed to have sensed his hesitation. It suddenly lurched forward, and as massive jagged teeth suddenly appeared from beneath the gold, its heavy lid closed on Sunny's hand with a sickening sound of breaking bones...

 Chapter 421 Ecstasy of Gold

    Chapter 421 Ecstasy of Gold

    As golden coins moved, revealing several rows of terrifying triangular teeth, Sunny recoiled�� but it was too late. The heavy lid of the chest suddenly came to life and closed with astonishing speed, another row of fangs appearing from behind its edge.

    'What��'

    Just a fraction of a second before the creature sunk its teeth into his forearm, Sunny's other hand shot forward. The blade of the Cruel Sight slid between the falling guillotine of the chest's lid and the fabric of the Puppeteer's Shroud. A moment later, the chest closed, and Sunny screamed.

    Because of his quick reaction, the creature failed to bite his whole hand off. However, its jaws turned out to be horribly powerful. With a sickening sound, the bones in his arms shattered. Neither the leather vambrace of the Puppeteer's Shroud nor the augmentation of the shadow managed to resist the terrible strength of the gluttonous chest.

    Sunny found himself caught in the abomination's crushing maw, with the blade of Cruel Sight laying flat on top of his broken arm and protecting it from being pierced by the sharp teeth that protruded from the lid of the chest. From below, several triangular fangs were slowly sinking into his vambrace. There was no obvious way to free himself...

    'What the hell is that thing?!'

    As several coins fell out of the creature's mouth and rolled on the floor, the chest pressed down harder, making Sunny shriek from blinding pain.

    "B��bastard! Let go of me, you vile piece of rotten wood!"

    Instead of doing that, the chest moved closer, forcing Sunny to fall to his knees. Something wet and coarse touched his hand, and a disturbingly long and wide tongue emerged from beneath the golden coins, sliding across his arm and dripping with viscous saliva.

    Then, the tongue moved toward his neck.

    Sunny stared at the horrid sight in outrage, then screamed:

    "What the Spell?!"

    As the second shadow wrapped itself around his body, gifting him a vast boost in strength, Sunny tried to pull his broken arm out of the abomination's maw, but its bite was just too damn overbearing. All he accomplished was almost knocking himself out from the pain of bone shards scraping against each other.

    "Argh! Crap!"

    As the unnaturally long tongue of the chest almost reached Sunny's neck, he growled, and then commanded the Cruel Sight to turn into a spear. At the same time, he activated the [Dark Mirror] enchantment with a burst of shadow essence, embuing the silver blade with soul-destroying power.

    The Memory extended inside the creature's mouth, hitting it in the back of the�� whatever it had instead of a throat. The tip of the spear sunk into the adamantine wood only by a centimeter or two... the wound was by no means serious, but it must have hurt the chest a lot, because it suddenly let out a shrill shriek, and then spat Sunny's maimed arm out.

    Sunny fell to the floor and rolled away, then rose to one knee.

    'Yes!'

    Before he could celebrate getting his freedom back, however, the chest suddenly swayed�� and then rose into the air, revealing a gaunt and revolting body hiding beneath. More coins rolled on the floor.

    The abomination must have been a masterful contortionist, because at its full height, it was almost three meters tall. Sunny had no idea how the creature managed to hide all that bony flesh inside the fake chest, even if the chest was large enough to swallow a human whole. Its long and emaciated limbs unfolded with repulsive cracking sounds, and then, it towered menacingly above Sunny, the long tongue dripping with saliva.

    'Oh, curse it a��'

    Before he could even react, the creature moved one of its long legs�� and kicked him in the chest with the force of a derailing train.

    Sunny's body shot back, smashed through the reinforced door of the armored compartment, and rolled into the corridor outside.

    He tried to groan, but all the air had been knocked out of his lungs by the terrible collision. His skull seemed to be in one piece, as was his spine�� barely. It did feel, however, as though his entire body had recently suffered from being stomped on by a whole herd of elephants.

    In his disoriented state, Sunny couldn't help but think confusedly:

    '...Elephant�� what the hell is an elephant?'

    Then, however, all thoughts disappeared from his head, because he noticed the vile creature falling on all fours, and then launching itself forward, the lid of the chest rising for another bite.

    When the abomination landed, though, there was nothing to bite into. Sunny had used Shadow Step and fell out of a shadow ten meters further into the corridor, then landed awkwardly on his broken arm and whimpered.

    'Oh, damn�� that hurts��'

    The toothy chest hovered in the air for a couple of moments, as if bewildered, then slowly turned to face him.

    Sunny sighed, then picked himself up from the floor and tried to stand up.

    His first attempt failed.

    Gritting his teeth and hiding how much pain he was currently experiencing, Sunny threw a furious glance at the creature and growled:

    "Come here, you bastard!"

    With that, he used the Cruel Sight to help himself stand up, and then pointed the spear at the creature.

    The chest tilted to the side.

    'How come�� it seems as though the bastard is grinning? How can a chest even grin?!'

    But there was no mistaking it �� the abomination was mocking him. It became especially apparent after a grating, high-pitched giggle escaped from somewhere inside it.

    The sound of it was so offensive, both to Sunny's pride and his ears, that he would rather have his arm broken all over again that listen to it.

    'Funny, is it?'

    Sunny smiled, then unhurriedly lowered the spear��

    And thrust it into one of the thick brown vines sprawled on the floorboards in front of him.

    The abomination's giggle abruptly stopped.

    It froze and stared at Sunny, as if utterly stunned.

    ��And then trembled.

    'Not so funny now, huh?'

    A moment later, the entire ship trembled, too.

 Chapter 422 Rude Awakening

    Chapter 422 Rude Awakening

    Whatever it was that slumbered in the cargo hold of the ancient ship did not like one of its vines being damaged, let alone having its soul cut by a sharp blade. As the whole wreck trembled, a strong gust of warm, pungent wind hit Sunny in the back, tousling his hair. The air became even murkier than it had been before.

    The chest creature froze, staring at him with something that resembled a mortified expression. Even its tongue stopped swaying in the air and retreated back under the pile of golden coins.

    Now, it was Sunny's turn to grin. An evil gleam appeared in his eyes. Retrieving the Cruel Sight, he said:

    "Goodness gracious. How clumsy of me."

    The abomination lingered for a few moments, gave him a hateful look, and turned slightly toward to door of the treasury. Then, however, it halted.

    'Don't tell me��'

    Faced with the terrible danger of facing the awakened master of the wreck, the creature was still hesitating. The prey was right in front of it��

    To Sunny's misfortune, he and the bizarre monstrosity shared one fundamental character flaw.

    Both were very, very greedy.

    Before he could even blink, the abomination suddenly turned back and lunged at him with a shrill giggle rumbling from somewhere in the depths of it. All Sunny could do was spend more essence and use Shadow Step again, appearing on the spot where the creature had been a second ago.

    As he slipped on the debris of the shattered door and fell, the abomination shot through the air and crushed into the wall of the corridor, pulverizing the wooden boards and getting entangled in the vines covering them. It huffed and puffed, then tried to extricate itself from the mess of glistening vines.

    ��However, they wouldn't let go.

    In fact, as Sunny watched in horror, the whole corridor moved. The reddish-brown mass that it was overgrown with rippled, and the thick vines crawled toward the trapped creature, long thorns suddenly appearing on their vernicose surface.

    The abomination giggled again, this time nervously, and doubled its efforts to free itself, slashing at the vines with its talons and biting into them with its terrifying teeth. As sickeningly pungent juice flowed into its maw, the creature shuddered.

    'Crap, crap, crap��'

    Turning on his stomach, Sunny lunged himself forward and rolled into the treasury. Here, there were no vines and no moss, only two empty chests and a scattering of gold coins gleaming on the floor.

    As he hesitated, thinking of what to do next, something crashed with a deafening noise in the corridor behind him, and a moment later, the tall silhouette of the gaunt monstrosity appeared in the doorway.

    Sunny's eyes widened, and he brandished the Cruel Sight, preparing to defend himself.

    The abomination, however, did not pay him any attention anymore. Jumping over Sunny, it landed in the middle of the armored compartment�� and then ran as fast as it could toward the breach in the back wall.

    Without stopping even for a second, it reached the breach and dove through it, escaping the awakening wreck. Sunny followed its escape with his eyes, and then blinked.

    '...Huh.'

    Then, his gaze fell on the floor of the treasury.

    The coins were still there, glinting in the bright sunlight. They didn't disappear or dissipate after the creature had run away. The coins�� were real.

    'They're real��'

    As the ancient ship shook and trembled, and the mass of vines crawled toward the treasury, Sunny gritted his teeth and lunged toward the coins, grabbing them and pushing them into his pack.

    'Real, they're real��'

    He was in such a hurry to gather all the coins that he even cut himself slightly on the piece of mirror that was still stored in the pack.

    "Ouch!"

    'If these coins are real�� then the rest of them inside that damned chest are real, too.'

    Perhaps there weren't as many as he had thought, since the chest turned out to have a false�� everything, but just the top layer that was visible to the naked eyes had to contain a thousand or more coins, at least.

    As Sunny hunted down the last shiny golden disk left in the treasury, his attention was elsewhere.

    It was concentrated on his shadow �� the one he had hidden in the abomination's own shade when it jumped over him. Now, the shadow was following the bizarre creature as it ran toward the edge of the island, its gangly arms swaying in the air.

    Sunny expected it to be assaulted by the Sailor Dolls, but the menacing wood wraiths seemed to be retreating from the wreck themselves. Some even dropped to the ground, turning back into piles of debris.

    ��The ground was moving.

    'Well, what do you know��'

    He thought that the Dolls learned to fall apart and reassemble themselves as a way to combat the Crushing, since many Nightmare Creatures on the Isles had adapted to its harsh reality in one way or another�� but maybe, this peculiar ability had initially been just the means to hide themselves from the being that inhabited the wreck.

    In any case, he couldn't let the chest escape. Not when a thousand shadow fragments were hidden inside the abominable thing!

    Palming the last coin, Sunny threw the pack over his shoulder, then picked up the Cruel Sight and stood up. A determined expression appeared on his face.

    The abomination was already halfway to the edge of the island.

    "Where are you running, bastard?"

    Diving into the shadows, he expended a large burst of essence and appeared out of his own shadow right in front of the creature. Since he could only use one hand now, the weapon Memory had turned back into a shortsword.

    Before the abomination could react, the Cruel Sight lashed out and bit it into its thigh. The silver blade went all the way through, escaping from the back of it in a rain of black blood.

    The chest let out a startled shriek�� and then the monstrosity tumbled to the ground, rolling over its head and sending pieces of moss and mud flying into the air. The force of its crash was so fearsome that the ground trembled.

    Or�� was there another reason?

    Before Sunny could do anything, brown vines shot from under the moss, wrapping themselves around the body of the bizarre abomination.

    One of them, however, slid around his leg instead.

 Chapter 423 Risk and Reward

    Chapter 423 Risk and Reward

    'Not good��'

    The vine wasn't as large as some of the ones Sunny had seen back on the ancient ship, but it was still as thick as a man's arm, with curved black thorns protruding from its glistening surface.

    The vine brought the sickeningly sweet smell with it.

    Sunny hacked at it with the Cruel Sight, but barely managed to break the vine's skin. As a fine aerosol of aromatic juice shot into the air, the damned thing moved.

    His eyes widened.

    The vine easily shredded the leather boot of the Puppeteer's Shroud, as if the Awakened armor of the fifth Tier was made out of tissue paper. Before the sharp thorns could saw off his foot, however, Sunny cursed and brought the Cruel Sight down once more, this time augmenting the silver blade with both of his shadows.

    The shortsword hacked through the vine, severing the stretch of it that was wrapped around Sunny's leg. The rest of it didn't like being cut one bit: surging forward, it aimed at his torso. Several more appeared from beneath the most at shot at Sunny, too.

    However, now that nothing was holding him, he could finally use Shadow Step again. Before the vines reached his body, Sunny turned into a shadow. Safe and sound in their tranquil embrace of the darkness�� for now, at least�� he slid a few meters away and stared at the struggling abomination.

    The creature was entangled by several thick vines, which moved across its body, leaving bloody trails on it. Sparks flew as the black thorns scraped fruitlessly across the adamantine surface of the wooden chest, though. It seemed to be much tougher that the rest of the creature's body.

    The monstrosity gathered its limbs underneath it, then pushed with all its might, trying to stand up. An angry shriek escaped from its maw.

    The vines were trying to hold it down, but either they were much weaker here, far away from the wreck, or the abomination was much stronger than Sunny had thought. It raised to its knees, then lashed out with its talons, ripping two of the vines apart.

    Suddenly liberated, the monstrosity crawled from underneath the remaining vines, and then dashed toward the edge of the island on all fours.

    Sunny hissed.

    'Crap!'

    Why couldn't it just lay still and die?!

    He escaped the shadow and ran after the unreasonably swift abomination�� but it was too late.

    Just a few moments later, the bizarre creature reached the very edge of the island and jumped off of it without slowing even for a moment. The lid of the chest clicked close as it plummeted down.

    "What the hell!"

    Sunny reached the edge a few seconds later and froze as he looked down.

    A grim expression appeared on his face.

    ***

    Some distance below, a gargantuan heavenly chain escaped from the mouth of a stone structure similar to the one Sunny had seen on the other side of the island. This one was slightly different, though, mainly because both of the massive stone pillars had broken and collapsed a long time ago.

    ��The chain itself was different, too.

    Sunny had never seen such a thing on the Chained Isles. It seemed�� sick, somehow. Weakened. The chain was covered in rust, its iron links dim and lifeless, robbed of their usual sense of indestructible stability.

    This one was rather long, stretching for good ten kilometers or so into the distance. Because the Shipwreck Island continued to descend, it was slightly angled upward. Sunny could see a relatively small isle on the other end of the chain, far into the distance.

    ��And everywhere in between, grotesque Chain Worms were crawling all other the weakened heavenly chain.

    Not that Sunny saw them alive, he understood that he had underestimated just how disturbing these creatures were. With their long serpentine tails, human-like torsos, and long muzzles that brimmed with dagger-like fangs, the demons looked like misshapen maggots devouring the dying chain.

    ��Or maybe it was already dead, and they were simply feasting on its corpse.

    Some were thin like the one Sunny had seen before, some engorged on the rusty iron and bloated beyond any reasonable measure, towering above the damaged chain like small hills of flesh. The scales on the latter ones looked like they were now made out of steel, and shined as they reflected the sunlight. Those who had not satiated their hunger yet were much thinner and flew around, resembling giant metal dragonflies.

    '...Crap.'

    The damned chest creature landed directly on the rusted heavenly chain, gathered its long limbs, and dashed away from the Shipwreck Island, swaying dangerously as it went. From time to time, it fell to all fours and launched itself into the air, jumping from one link to another.

    It wasn't long before the bizarre abomination encountered a Chain Worm. The winged creature lunged at it�� only to be kicked in the muzzle and have one of its wings ruthlessly torn apart.

    The chest creature tossed the maimed Chain Worm back toward the island, where its body was suddenly grabbed by a long root that lazily extended from the darkness of the Dark Side, then disappeared from view.

    The abomination took in the terrible sight, giggled, then turned around, and continued running away.

    Sunny hesitated.

    His prize was getting away. But��

    The small island he could see in the distance had to be the Twisted Rock �� the isle directly bordering the Tear. There would be no more land to escape to if he went there.

    And the only chain that connected Twisted Rock to the Chained Isles was currently being devoured by the demonic Worms. It didn't seem to be on the verge of collapse just yet, however�� how would Sunny know? It's not like he had seen a heavenly chain break before.

    Perhaps it was time to give up on his pursuit and turn back.

    He lingered on the very edge of the island, sensing brown vines crawling closer and closer.

    Risk it all or retreat and lose the chance to get his hands on the miraculous treasure forever? Nephis was about to become a devil in just a few days��

    No matter what decision he was going to make, he had to make it right now.

    In the end, Sunny had to silence his avarice and consider the situation objectively. Going after the bizarre abomination posed a huge risk�� but it also promised a huge reward.

    In the end, what made him decide was not greed, emotions, or even rational thought. It was his intuition.

    For whatever reason, Sunny felt a strong aversion to the idea of turning back. It was as though Twisted Rock exerted an invisible pull on him, drawing him closer. He had never experienced something like this, at least not to this degree.

    He knew that his intuition was not a simple thing. It was connected to the [Fated] Attribute and the special properties his eyes had inherited from Weaver. Somehow, Sunny was capable of perceiving the trembling of the strings of fate around him, from time to time.

    Considering how strong his intuition was pushing him toward the Twisted Rock, something out there had to be of utmost importance to his fate, or at least have a connection to it.

    '...Fine. Let's get those coins!'

    With a grim expression, Sunny summoned the Dark Wing and dove into the empty abyss of the skies.

 Chapter 424 Unlucky Streak

    Chapter 424 Unlucky Streak

    Sunny glided through the skies, tensely observing the underside of the Shipwreck Island through the eyes of his shadow. The chain ahead of him was teeming with a swarm of Fallen Demons, but behind him�� he didn't even want to know what the thing hiding in the darkness was.

    One thing became clear, though, and it was why none of the Chain Worms had tried to devour the iron giant that swayed in the wreckage of a broken heavenly chain�� or rather, had succeeded in trying to bite a piece out of him. The dead colossus was like cheese in the mousetrap, attracting these vile creatures into the range at which the being that dwelled in the perpetual darkness could catch them.

    Sunny was sure that many Chain Worms had attempted to feast on the iron giant, but ended up being the feast instead.

    Currently, he was trying to avoid the same fate.

    Luckily, the Dark Wing allowed him to glide diagonally away from the Shipwreck Island instead of plunging straight down, avoiding the attack range of the terrifying being. He reached the chain without attracting the attention of the bottom dweller, and instantly became a shadow, hiding on its underside.

    Waiting for a few moments, Sunny studied the length of the heavenly tether in front of him.

    '...Not too bad.'

    A large section of the unusually long chain hung low, reaching the Sky Below. He would be able to ride most of it without being noticed by the Chain Worms. The last stretch of it, though�� Sunny was going to have to use Shadow Step to jump from shadow to shadow if he wanted to avoid having to fight a swarm of the Fallen Demons.

    The problem was that his reserves of shadow essence were already running low. Except for the short walk across the hull of the ancient ship, Sunny had no chance to really replenish it. In the meantime, he had used a lot to get to the wreck, fight the damnable chest abomination, and pursue it. Chances were, he would reach the Twisted Rock with no essence to spare whatsoever.

    How was he even going to kill the vile chest, especially with one of his arms broken?

    He hesitated for a bit, then rushed forward, swiftly reaching the section of the chain submerged into the Sky Below and continuing to fly through the darkness once there. To avoid tempting fate, Sunny remained on the underside of the gargantuan tether, where there were way fewer Worms crawling around.

    He did, however, encounter several, and saw up close how they were tearing into the rusting iron of the chain as he silently flew past. The sight of it was simultaneously disturbing, fascinating�� and strangely sad.

    'All things must come to an end, I guess��'

    Even as seemingly eternal as the miraculous heavenly chains.

    ...Soon, he caught up with the chest creature and followed it from the shadows. The bizarre monstrosity was still running as fast as it could, jumping from link to link and using its long gangly limbs to keep balance. From time to time, it got into a short and vicious fight with one of the Chain Worms and either left them severely wounded, or promptly escaped with a ghastly wound or two of its own. By now, its grating giggles grew somewhat miserable, as well as menacingly angry.

    Sunny observed its fighting habits, thinking about how to deal with it best.

    At the same time, he was meticulously calculating the amount of shadow essence he would have to spend to cross the last section of the way to the Twisted Rock, trying to find a way to keep his reserves as high as possible.

    ��His calculations, thought, had turned out to be for naught.

    When both Sunny and the chest monstrosity were about halfway to the small island, a dreadful sound reached their ears.

    It was the rattling of the chain.

    Sunny froze for a moment, then glanced toward the goal of this journey.

    'Oh, no��'

    The Twisted Rock had entered its ascent phase, and was now rising quickly into the sky.

    ***

    'Curse it all!'

    Sunny remembered thinking that he was in luck today, and couldn't help but growl�� mentally, of course, since he had no vocal cords currently.

    Where the hell was this supposed luck?!

    The fact that the Twisted Rock was ascending meant two things for him.

    One was that he would have to act fast and try to kill the chest creature before the Crushing became too terrible, or somehow obliterate the damned thing while being weighed down by it.

    The second was that the position of the heavenly chain was swiftly shifting, making it so that the stretch of it submerged into the Sky Below was becoming shorter and shorter.

    This meant that he would have to spend much more essence to reach the island without attracting the attention of the swarm of Chain Worms. And he didn't have a lot of essence to spare, to begin with��

    'Damn it!'

    As the angle of the chain increased and the bizarre monstrosity swayed, then fell on all fours and rushed forward even faster, Sunny tried to deal with the resentment growing in his heart and followed it.

    '...Was my intuition wrong?'

    Things didn't seem too good for him right now.

    Soon, the two of them emerged from the darkness of the Sky Below and saw the sunlight again. The chest creature seemed indifferent to it, but to Sunny, it was an ill omen.

    Out here in the sunlit expanse of the Sky Above, the heavenly chain was not covered in an uninterrupted layer of shadows anymore. That meant that he couldn't move through it unobstructed. Instead, Sunny had to either step from one shadow to another, if they were close enough, or send his own forward and make use of it to jump over long stretches of brightly lit parts of the heavenly tether.

    'Damn it...'

    Knowing that there was no other choice now, Sunny burned through his essence in order to not fall behind the rushing monstrosity.

    Soon, his reserves grew dangerously low. It was still enough to reach the Twisted Rock�� probably�� but once there, he would have to fight while both of his cores were nearly empty.

    That meant no bursts of speed, strength, and resilience that he had already gotten used to.

    No access to active enchantment like the [Dark Mirror].

    No more using Shadow Step to escape dangerous situations, at least for a while.

    ��And added to all that, one of his arms was broken and completely useless.

    Oh, and there was also the Crushing.

    If Sunny had teeth in his shadow form �� or a mouth, for that matter �� he would have gritted them right now. Full of dark emotions, he thought:

    '...Doesn't matter. I'm getting these coins even if it kills me!'

 Chapter 425 Twisted Rock

    Chapter 425 Twisted Rock

    Soon, the vile creature drew close to the Twisted Rock. It crouched near the vertical stone wall of the floating island, giggled, and then suddenly shot upward, jumping no less than twenty meters high. Its talons pierced the weathered stone, and the abomination nimbly climbed up, soon disappearing from view.

    Far below, on the rusted surface of the damaged heavenly chain, a hunched human figure suddenly appeared from the deep shadows.

    Sunny felt the chain sway as the island rose higher and higher, then looked up with a dark expression.

    In this direction, Twisted Rock was the last piece of land before the empty expanse of the Tear. It also only had one iron tether connecting it to the rest of the Chained Isles, so now that the bizarre monstrosity was up there, it had nowhere else to run.

    With a pained grimace, Sunny summoned the Moonlight Shard, cut one of the straps off his pack, then tied it around his neck to create a makeshift sling for his broken arm. He was going to have to set the bones and make a proper splint later, but for now, this was going to have to do.

    With his arm secured and cradled against his chest, Sunny waited a few seconds for the sharp pain to subside, then activated the Dark Wing and used the Prowling Thorn to fly up the overhanging slope of the stone island.

    The dragonfly cloak only allowed him to levitate if there was a surface beneath it to support the enchantment. If there wasn't, he was only able to slowly glide down instead of falling without any control. So, to travel up, he had to either push off of something or pull himself toward something. The Prowling Thorn made that process easier.

    Due to the burden of the early stages of the Crushing, Sunny had to exert more strength than usual to propel himself upward. After using the heavy kunai to do so several times, he finally crested the edge of the Twisted Rock and soared a few meters above it.

    The Twisted Rock�� was a dreadful and miserable place.

    The island was rather small, and all of its surface was nothing but an uneven expanse of dark stone. That stone, however, looked really strange. It was as if once, a long time ago, it had been melted by unimaginable heat and then abruptly solidified again, creating strange shapes and swirls.

    ��Here and there, blackened bones protruded from the molten stone, telling the tale of countless humans and beasts who had drowned in that scorching inferno. The sight of them was eerie and disturbing, like something torn from the actual hell.

    Thrown down by the Crushing, Sunny landed heavily on the dark stone and swayed, then supported himself with the shaft of the Cruel Sight.

    His graceless arrival made enough noise to attract the attention of the chest fiend, who was crouched a dozen or so meters away.

    The creature froze, then turned around and faced him.

    Sunny scowled.

    ��A mangled corpse of a Chain Worm was hanging from beneath the half-closed lid of the chest. As the creature turned, the tail and claws of the dead Fallen Demon scraped across the molten stone.

    The bizarre abomination stared at Sunny for a few moments, then opened its maw and swallowed the remainder of the Chain Worm whole. Despite the fact that the demon was at least five times bigger than the chest that served the fiend as the head, it somehow disappeared inside without leaving a trace. The creature licked the blood off its sharp teeth and giggled.

    This time, its laugh sounded rather hateful.

    A cold smile appeared on Sunny's lips.

    "Right back at you, bastard."

    ***

    As the fiend rose to its feet, towering above Sunny menacingly at full three meters of height, the Cruel Sight shifted and turned into a somber shortsword. Its silver blade gleamed, seemingly absorbing the bright sunlight.

    The heavenly chain rattled below, and as its rusted links scraped against each other, the Twisted Rock continued to ascend.

    The smile disappeared from Sunny's face.

    Staring at the gluttonous abomination, he couldn't help but feel a bit of fear. The thing was tall, fast, and incredibly strong�� much stronger than he was, especially now that his reserves of shadow essence were almost completely drained. Despite the fact that it was heavily wounded, both by his sword and by the claws of the Chain Worms, it still appeared agile, vigorous, and full of murderous spite.

    However, this fight was not going to be as suicidal as it might have seemed. There were three main reasons why Sunny felt confident in his chances of defeating the bizarre abomination.

    The first one was hanging on a thread tied around his neck. It was a beautiful amulet in the form of a crimson flower�� the Blood Blossom.

    The fiend was bleeding heavily from the deep cut on its thigh, which had been left there by the sharp blade of the Cruel Sight, and from a multitude of ugly wounds delivered to the gaunt body of the monstrosity by the Chain Worms it had fought while traversing the heavenly chain.

    The more black blood flowed from those wounds, the more the morbid charm Memory enhanced both the Puppeteer's Shroud and the Cruel Sight, as well as any other Memory Sunny would want to use.

    The second reason was rather simple, and it was the fundamental difference between the two of them. The abomination might have been stronger and faster than Sunny, but it lacked his combat skill and insight. As long as the gap in power was not absolutely overwhelming, a polished technique could turn the tide of any battle. More than that, fighting things that were bigger and more powerful than him was more or less Sunny's specialty by now.

    However, the third reason was the most important, and the one he hoped to exploit the most.

    Yes, the fiend was stronger than Sunny�� but it was also much, much larger and heavier than him. That meant that it was going to be affected by the Crushing much more. No matter how bad it was going to get for Sunny, it was going to be many times worse for the towering abomination.

    Out here on the Chained Isles, being small and lithe was sometimes a great advantage.

    Feeling the burden of the Crushing pressing down on him more and more, Sunny raised his sword and aimed it at the bizarre fiend.

    '...Let's see which one of us is going to break first.'

 Chapter 426 Most Terrible Battle

    Chapter 426 Most Terrible Battle

    The fiend shifted its weight, then lunged forward with a shrill giggle. It was terrifyingly powerful and fast, but because its movements were clearly telegraphed, Sunny had plenty of time to react.

    Diving under the long arm of the abomination, he narrowly avoided being torn apart by the sharp talons and lashed out with the Cruel Sight. As the silver blade bit into the abdomen of the creature, piercing its tough skin just under the ribs, he continued forward and spun.

    Just a split second later, Sunny was already behind the enemy.

    ��However, he wasn't safe.

    Without pausing ever for a moment, the bizarre monstrosity pressed its hands against the ground and then kicked back with both legs. There was enough power in that strike to shatter a small hill, but Sunny was already moving, getting out of range.

    He had not observed how the fiend fought against the Chained Worms for nothing. He knew that the wretched thing could use all four of its limbs to attack, and that its joints seemed to be able to bend in any direction. Not only did he know what the abomination was capable of, he also knew what it liked and tended to do.

    He also knew where it was most vulnerable, and where none of his weapons would be able to do any harm. That's why he had aimed for its gaunt body instead of the much larger and obvious target �� the chest itself.

    Sunny had always been very perceptive, and practicing Shadow Dance only sharpened his ability to observe and understand such things. Maybe it was thanks to that that he had managed to learn so much about the fiend so fast.

    As the soles of his boots scraped against the dark stone, a fleeting thought passed through his mind:

    'How would it feel to shadow a Nightmare Creature�� I wonder��'

    Then, he had no more time for unnecessary thoughts.

    Crushing through blackened bones, the abomination bent its joints in the opposite direction of where they were supposed to turn, spun, and lunged at him once again. This time, it was moving on all fours, the lid of the chest serving as its lower jaw. That made it almost impossible for him to dodge out of the way.

    ��Sunny had no idea why the golden coins weren't spilling out, but luckily, they seemed to be held in place by some strange force.

    Unable to use his maimed arm to help himself keep balance, he had no choice but to jump down and roll under the attacking fiend. The Cruel Sight flashed again, leaving a deep cut on the leg of the creature. At the same time, a pulse of sharp pain radiated through Sunny's entire body�� even though he took care to protect his broken bones, he couldn't keep them from scraping against one another completely.

    But the worse pain was still to come.

    'That is going to hurt��'

    Sunny had already known that he would not be able to get back to his feet before the next attack came. Due to the fact that the abomination would have to perform it from an awkward position, it was not going to be as devastating as the previous blows. The Crushing had also become considerable enough to slow down both of their movements��

    But those long and sharp talons were absolutely deadly even if there was not much force behind them.

    As the fiend pivoted and snapped one of its limbs in his direction, Sunny sent both of his shadows from his body to encompass the Puppeteer's Shroud. A moment later, the talons slashed across his torso�� and slid from the lusterless black leather of the chest guard without piercing it.

    The strike itself, however, was still powerful enough to throw Sunny flying back. He counted on that, though, and used the momentum to create distance between himself and the vile creature. Landing on his feet, Sunny suppressed a groan and brandished the Cruel Sight once again.

    As the heavenly chain rattled, Twisted Rock rose even higher, and the burden of the Crushing suddenly pressed him down even more.

    ***

    Some time later, Sunny was on the verge of passing out from exhaustion and pain.

    "Argh! Curse you!"

    He staggered back and hunched over, using the shaft of the Cruel Sight to keep himself standing upright. His breath was ragged and pained, and drops of both sweat and blood were rolling down his face.

    Things�� were not going great.

    For the both of them, actually.

    The ferocious clash between himself and the vile giggling fiend had gone for much longer than either of them had ever expected. After the first few minutes, it had become apparent that neither one could easily kill the other.

    Sunny was too devious and slippery to be caught by the bizarre creature, and the damned chest monster was too vigorous and resilient to succumb to the dozens of shallow wounds that Sunny had delivered to it. What's worse, all of its vital organs seemed to be hidden inside the chest, which was nearly indestructible.

    It was the most terrible battle of all��

    A battle between two cockroaches!

    As the result, their fight lasted for a simply stupid amount of time.

    By now, both were in rough shape. Sunny was almost dead from exhaustion, bleeding from several ugly wounds, and in a world of pain. The abomination looked even worse. Its gaunt body seemed to have gone through a meat grinder, and its long tongue was hanging lifelessly over the edge of the chest, not even trying to move.

    Neither was ready to give up, though.

    The fiend panted heavily and stared at Sunny. Then, it giggled once again. This time, the giggle sounded tired, slightly bewildered�� but mostly full of searing hatred.

    The bastard really, really wanted to rip Sunny to shreds now.

    Staggering forward, it tried to swipe at him with one hand, but crashed heavily to the ground instead. Lying there motionlessly, the bizarre creature let out a despondent growl.

    The Crushing was almost unbearable by now. Sunny wasn't sure that he would be able to withstand it for much longer, so the abomination had to be having an extremely rough time, too. In fact, it was certainly being tortured by the oppressive force much more. Very soon, both of them were going to be completely immobilized.

    He just had to kill it before that happened.

    Not sure that he would be able to take another step, Sunny extended the Cruel Sight to its full length and thrust it forward. The silver blade pierced the skin of the fiend, causing more black blood to seep out.

    'Good�� bleed to death, you piece of crap!'

    He could feel the enhancement of the Blood Blossom become a tiny bit stronger, but at this point, it was already meaningless. The charm was just an Awakened Memory of the second tier, after all. Whatever boost it could provide was not that substantial when dealing with Fallen Nightmare Creatures and Ascended weapons, especially past the point where the incremental increases in its potency were truly substantial.

    The abomination tried to dodge the attack, but failed to move fast enough due to the merciless pressure of the Crushing. It tried to stand up�� but failed.

    A grim smile appeared on Sunny's face.

    'Got you��'

    His enemy, it seemed, was now completely helpless. But Sunny could still move�� he could still attack... he had not even used any of the shadow essence that had been accumulating in his cores this whole time. The reserves weren't large, but there was some...

    Retrieving his spear, he gathered his strength, and then thrust it forward again, delivering another wound to the bizarre creature. And then again, and then��

    'Die, just die already��'

    ��And then, the fiend giggled mockingly, and suddenly gathered its limbs, which then disappeared into the bottom of the chest. A few seconds later, the whole body of the creature was out of sight, leaving only the adamantine, indestructible chest standing in the middle of the stone island. The tip of the spear scraped against the dark wood, not leaving even a scratch on it.

    Sunny stared at it, dumbfounded.

    Then, he let out a yelp, and as the power of the Crushing increased even further, fell to his knees.

    "What the hell?! Come back here, you coward!"

    His hands trembled from strain as he lifted the Cruel Sight and struck the chest once again, to no result whatsoever.

    Sunny seemed to have overexerted himself with that last strike, because the spear fell out of his hands and plunged to the ground, striking the stone with enough force to send a few cracks through it. Then, it bounced and rolled away, finally getting caught on a piece of bone about two meters away.

    He stared at the Cruel Sight with a shocked expression, and then dismissed the Memory instead of trying to walk�� or crawl�� that far to retrieve it.

    Sunny turned to the chest and gritted his teeth. A moment later, sparks of light appeared around his hand again.

    "Don't think that it's over!"

    The lid of the chest trembled, and then rose a bit. The creature clearly strained to achieve even that much.

    A gloating, hateful giggle emerged from the depths of it a moment later.

    ��That was the exact moment when Sunny tossed a polished crimson gem that had appeared in his hand toward the chest. Just a split second after the Broken Oath flew inside the abomination's maw, the lid snapped close, pressed down by the obliterating force of the Crushing.

    A muffled sound resounded from within the chest, but no matter how much the lid trembled, it didn't rise again.

    Sunny fell to the ground and laughed, then groaned and whimpered as he arduously crawled a few meters away and finally grew still just outside of the Broken Oath's soul-destroying reach.

    Laying there in complete exhaustion, unable to move anymore, Sunny grinned.

    "Who's laughing now? Try to swallow that, you bastard��"

 Chapter 427 Death of a Mimic

    Chapter 427 Death of a Mimic

    The Twisted Rock soared higher and higher into the sky, and as it did, a terrible crushing force assaulted the two living beings that were pressed into its surface, separated only by a dozen meters of dark stone.

    The large adamantine chest did not look too good. The wood was slowly losing its color, the strips of metal reinforcing it showed growing patches of rust. It seemed as though the creature was struck by some terrible disease. In a sense, it was�� after all, the Broken Oath was currently destroying its soul bit by little bit.

    Sunny did not look that much better, though.

    He was laying on the hard stone, looking at the merciless skies, struggling to breathe and endure the pain. His armor was soaked in blood, and his broken arm was pressed tightly against his chest. His face was deathly pale, almost the same color as the tall and majestic Ivory Tower that floated high above the world, shrouded in the whitest of clouds.

    Every breath was a torture.

    Sunny knew that he was not going to bleed to death because of the Blood Weave, but the wounds still needed to be tended to. His broken bones, especially, were in need of attention. This Crushing was turning out to be tragically long, though, not giving him the chance to do so.

    Well, that was not a surprise.

    The single chain connecting the Twisted Rock to the rest of the Isles was much longer than most, which meant that the small island was going to rise very, very high. Higher than Sunny had ever been in this strange and deadly land.

    The Crushing was not only going to last longer, but would also be vastly more terrible than the few previous times he had experienced it. By now, the hours of hardship he had endured together with Master Roan several days ago seemed like a pleasant walk in the park.

    Now, it seemed as though he was being slowly crushed under the weight of the entirety of heaven.

    Sunny was only alive because he didn't have to hide his powers anymore, and could use all of his abilities without restraint. Unlike on the day he had met the dashing griffin rider, both shadows were now tightly wrapped around his body, augmenting its resilience threefold. For that reason, he had not turned into a puddle of bloody goo yet. Although it certainly felt as though he was getting close��

    If things became really unbearable, he could still escape into the shadows and either wait out the worst part of the Crushing or try to escape back to the heavenly chain before his shadow essence ran out. Since he had spent this whole time patiently circulating it through the coils of the Soul Serpent, there was a considerable amount flowing through his cores by now.

    He had also spent this whole time waiting for the damn chest fiend to finally die, as well as considering his options on how to transport the gold coins back to the Sanctuary of Noctis.

    Since it had turned out that only the upper layer of the treasure pile was real, he now had much more options�� however, all of them required him to burn through a lot of essence to cross back through the swarm of Chain Worms. The problem was confounded by the fact that Twisted Rock was going to be destroyed soon, which meant that he could not risk making several trips to the Citadel and back. He had to carry his spoils away while the island was still attached to the rest of the Chained Isles.

    For that reason, Sunny was trying to endure as much of the Crushing as he could before turning into a shadow.

    ��He also did not forget about the strange way his intuition had reacted to the dying island. Before the burden of the Crushing became too overbearing, he had sent one of his shadows to scour the whole place in search of anything that might have been important enough to affect the strings of fate.

    However, there was literally nothing on the Twisted Rock except for barren stone and ancient, blackened bones. The shadow explored every nook and cranny of this miserable place, only to find nothing at all.

    He had even sent it to take a look at the underside of the small isle, but it was as empty and desolate as the rest of it.

    Sunny was left very confused by that turn of events. He was certain that there was nowhere on the Twisted Rock that he had failed to search. And yet, there was nothing on the island to cause his intuition to react so strongly. What was going on? Had he failed to notice something, or was he mistaken about the whole thing, to begin with?

    Sadly, after a while, the Crushing had become too terrible for him to endure without the help of the second shadow, so he had to call it back.

    And now, here they were.

    A sudden sound attracted Sunny's attention. Glancing sideways, he noticed that a crack had appeared on the surface of the adamantine chest. Black blood seeped out of it, soon turning into a stream. A few seconds later, a second crack appeared near the first.

    He would have smiled if not for the fact that even such a simple action was rather strenuous now, this high above the Sky Below.

    'It's not going to be too long now��'

    ***

    A few minutes later, there was a pool of black blood surrounding the large wooden chest.

    Sunny endured the pain and counted the seconds.

    Before he reached a thousand, the vile creature trembled slightly and giggled one last time, its grating voice full of doleful outrage. Then, the bizarre monstrosity shuddered and grew absolutely still.

    It was finally dead!

    Sunny couldn't help but grin slightly.

    'Finally�� all those coins�� are mine!'

    As the heavenly chain rattled and groaned, the voice of the Spell resounded above the hellish stone island. Its words sounded like music to his ears...

    [You have slain a Fallen Devil, Mordant Mimic.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    [...You have received a Memory.]

 Chapter 428 Covetous Coffer

    Chapter 428 Covetous Coffer

    Despite the torturous burden of the Crushing, Sunny couldn't help but feel jubilant. Not only did he receive eight shadow fragments and a powerful Memory, he had also defeated a Fallen Devil all by himself, without even Saint providing him any help.

    The Black Knight, too, had been a Fallen Devil. So killing one solo meant a lot to Sunny. It was a poignant milestone that made him feel like all his hard work and all the vile things he had gone through were not for nothing. He was accomplishing his goal.

    Growing stronger.

    ��Of course, the Mordant Mimic was not as terrifying of a foe in battle as the guardian of the ruined cathedral had been. One was a creature that seemed to have been created solely for combat, while the other mostly relied on deceit and ambushing its prey to achieve victory. And yet, the chest fiend was by no means an easy foe. If anything, its devilish nature only made it that much more dangerous.

    'Argh!'

    As the Twisted Rock rose higher, the Crushing struck at Sunny with even more dreadful force, making his mirth dissipate in a wave of miserable suffering. A muffled groan escaped from his lips.

    'Endure�� just endure a bit more�� this hell is going to end soon.'

    For now, he had no choice but to keep suffering, wait, and stare at the distant silhouette of the Ivory Tower.

    The beautiful pagoda seemed so close now that he could almost imagine himself reaching out and encompassing it in his fist.

    With nothing else to do, Sunny summoned the runes and found the familiar cluster out of habit:

    Shadow Fragments: [223/2000].

    'I wonder how many coins are in that damned chest��'

    Would he be able to create the third core with their help?

    Shifting his gaze, Sunny found the runes describing his Memories. A new one was now shown at the end of the list.

    His eyes glistened slightly as he concentrated on it and read the description:

    Memory: [Covetous Coffer].

    Memory Rank: Ascended.

    Memory Tier: IV.

    'Huh��'

    Sunny really couldn't believe his fortune. This was the second Ascended Memory of the fourth tier that he had acquired in a span of just a few days. Even without considering the main boon of the expedition �� the miraculous coins �� this journey had already proved to be incredibly fruitful.

    But what kind of a Memory would the bizarre carnivorous chest leave behind?

    Curious, he read on.

    Memory Type: Tool.

    'A utility Memory!'

    While not as showy as armors and weapons, utility Memories were the foundation of every Awakened's arsenal. Take Sunny, for example �� some of his most precious Memories were tools. Endless Spring, Ordinary Rock, Silver Bell�� even Weaver's Mask.

    Excited, he tried to forget about the obliterating pressure of the Crushing and concentrate on the runes.

    Memory Description: ["You are very strange!" said Noctis. Why was his new friend so deathly afraid of chests? Why was he so timid and pale? "Don't be afraid, these are just my treasure chests. They won't bite. Well... except for this one. This one will eat you alive."]

    Sunny blinked.

    'That�� is interesting.'

    So Noctis of the Sanctuary of Noctis was a person, after all. What's more, he or she had apparently been in possession of several treasure chests, including one that could eat people alive.

    Had the Mordant Mimic once been a pet of this Noctis? If so��

    What kind of a person would keep a Fallen Devil as a pet?

    Suddenly full of dread, Sunny continued to read.

    Memory Enchantments: [Mendacious Coffer], [Capacious Chest], [Locomotive Chifonnier], [Lurid Trunk].

    Sunny stared at the runes with a deadpan expression.

    'What�� do all these words�� even mean?'

    Struggling to understand the names of the enchantments, he wondered if the Spell was having a stroke and shifted his gaze to the descriptions.

    [Mendacious Coffer] Enchantment Description: "This Memory can mimic the form of any inanimate object. The size and intricacy of the simulacrum are dependent on the wielder's Soul Core capacity."

    'Makes sense. I am sure that the Mimic only assumed the form of a chest, instead of being born�� created?... as one. I wonder what kind of a shape I can currently manage, though.'

    He studied the runes again:

    [Capacious Chest] Enchantment Description: "This Memory is bigger on the inside. It can be summoned and dismissed while storing inanimate items. The size of the storage space, as well as the maximum weight of stored items, are dependent on the wielder's Soul Core capacity."

    Sunny suppressed the desire to grin.

    'Yes!'

    This was exactly what he needed right now. This enchantment solved the exact problem he was facing �� the need to carry all the gold coins away before Twisted Rock was destroyed. Once again, luck was on his side!

    But that wasn't all. The ability to store items in the Covetous Coffer, and then store the Coffer in his Soul Sea, opened up a sea of possibilities. In a sense, it was just like Effie's incredible bag, but better �� the bag had to be carried around if there was anything inside of it, while the Coffer could be stashed away until needed.

    And if so�� could Sunny bring items from the Dream Realm to the real world with its help? He couldn't wait to find out.

    Thinking of all the money he would make, Sunny turned his attention to the remaining enchantments:

    [Locomotive Chiffonnier] Enchantment Description: [This Memory can move around and follow its wielder.]

    '...Nice! That will solve the problem of having to carry all the items if I store too much inside. They are still going to weigh a ton, after all.'

    [Lurid Trunk] Enchantment Description: "This Memory will protect itself against potential thieves. By eating them."

    Sunny blinked.

    'That is... a bit scary. I better remain on the good side of this bizarre Memory, huh?'

    Overall, he was incredibly happy with the Covetous Coffer. This new utility Memory of his was simply fantastic! Not only was it capable of solving his current predicament, it would also make his future ventures into the Dream Realm much more comfortable and efficient. Not to mention the possibility of being able to bring soul shards into the real world with its help, and selling them there at a high price��

    Soul shards meant money, and money meant being able to purchase Memories. With more Memories at his disposal, Sunny would be able to bring Saint to two hundred shadow fragments faster... which would hopefully make the two of them vastly more powerful.

    Now, he just had to survive the Crushing.

    ��He was almost ready to give up and turn into a shadow when the heavenly chain finally drew taut, stopping the rise of the Twisted Rock. One more deafening rattle rolled through the air, and then, everything grew quiet.

    The Crushing was at its peak now. Sunny was hurting terribly, but still able to withstand it. He just had to endure until the island entered the descent phase, and the pressure would slowly start to reduce.

    Sunny strained his chest and drew in a hoarse breath.

    'Thank gods��'

    However, before he could feel any relief, the whole island suddenly shuddered, and a strange piercing noise assaulted his ears.

    It sounded... it sounded like the sound of metal being torn apart.

    Sunny's pupils widened.

    'What�� was that?!'

 Chapter 429 Schism

    Chapter 429 Schism

    A moment later, a deafening roar of massive iron links being torn apart rolled other the entire island, which then lurched up by a few meters and suddenly came to an abrupt stop.

    Sunny yelped, feeling the Crushing assault him with even more obliterating force.

    'The chain�� the chain is failing!'

    Why did it happen so soon?

    For a few moments, he felt nothing but pure, bestial panic. Then, he forced himself to regain control over his mind and threw a desperate glance toward the not-so-distant edge of the Twisted Rock.

    Would he be able to escape in time?

    He lingered for a moment, then gritted his teeth and commanded one of the shadows to slide off his body onto the ground.

    As soon as it did, a muffled scream escaped from his lips. It felt as though a giant hammer struck his body, making every bone in it shudder and groan. Sunny turned his head to the side and spat a mouthful of blood.

    'Curse it all��'

    The shadow flew to the edge of the island and slid over its edge, desperately trying to reach the dying chain.

    ��But it was too late.

    As Sunny watched in horror, one of the links of the heavenly tether broke. Only one, the weakest of them all�� but that was all it took.

    'No!'

    The chain that connected Twisted Rock to the rest of the Chained Isles snapped in two, and as ten kilometers of gargantuan iron links slowly fell toward the Sky Below, the island suddenly shot upward. Since it was still in the ascent phase, and now unrestrained by anything, the speed of its rise was simply terrifying.

    'No, no, no!'

    The Crushing struck at Sunny with such fury that he couldn't even scream. He felt himself being slowly broken, and feverishly tried to come up with a solution.

    'Step through the shadows�� jump down and try to glide to the Shipwreck Island��'

    No, that would never work. There were more than ten kilometers separating these isles from one another, which was far outside the Dark Wing's capabilities. He could try to chase after the piece of the chain still connected to the Shipwreck Island, but chances of catching up with it were close to zero.

    The length of the heavenly tether was falling deceitfully slow, but it was just an illusion caused by its colossal size. In truth, the torn end of it was flying through the air at tremendous speed, moving both down and away from the Twisted Rock.

    The repulsive silhouettes of the gluttonous Chain Worms were growing smaller by the second.

    Sunny was already late to rush in pursuit of it, and every moment that passed made the probability of success lower.

    'Great! Goddamn great, you fool! You finally let your greed kill you!'

    Sunny growled, full of fury at himself, but then suddenly stopped.

    No, that didn't make any sense. He was not on this island because of greed. Even though Sunny had made several risky decisions in order to get to the miraculous coins, at the end of it, standing on the edge of the Shipwreck Island, he put his avarice aside and made a sober choice.

    He came here because his intuition had told him that something on the Twisted Rock was very important to his future.

    But what was it?! There was nothing but stone and bones in this damned place!

    What was he supposed to do? How was he supposed to survive?

    Sunny tried to calm down and think. He summoned his shadow back, and briefly regained the ability to breathe.

    It wasn't going to be for long, though. The Crushing was already overwhelming his physical ability to resist its lethal pressure. Sunny had a few dozen seconds, at most, before he would be forced to retreat into the shadows or die.

    'Think�� think�� there has to be a way out. Hide inside the dead Mimic or the Covetous Coffer? No, the items inside the Memory maintain their weight, which means that they, too, will be affected by the Crushing. And even if not, what's the point? Even if the chest survives until the Twisted Rock itself is torn apart and plunges down into the Sky Below, I'll just be falling forever inside of a box instead of on my own�� that's like dying inside of a coffin��'

    And the Twisted Rock was going to be destroyed by the Crushing, inevitably and without a doubt. As it rose higher and higher, it was going to start to fall apart. When enough of it was destroyed to obliterate the mysterious force that kept the isles afloat, the remaining debris was going to fall down and eventually disappear into the Sky Below.

    ��Alongside what was going to remain of Sunny.

    He lay motionlessly for a few seconds, then for a few seconds more. Another crack appeared on the corpse of the Mordant Mimic. Then, the stone beneath it cracked, too.

    Sunny did not move at all.

    The cracks on the stone widened and crawled in every direction.

    A few moments later, a heavy sigh escaped from his lips.

    Sunny had one last gamble left��

    Gathering all of his strength, he groaned and pushed himself off the ground. Even though it felt as if he was lifting a mountain, and every muscle in his body trembled at the edge of bursting apart, he somehow managed to sit up.

    Then, Sunny summoned Weaver's Mask.

    After returning from the Forgotten Shore and deciding to create a separate persona to investigate the Sovereigns, as well as do all the things that Sunny didn't want to be associated with his name �� the one which would then accidentally become known as the famous Lord Mongrel �� he had decided to never use any of the equipment that it wielded if there was even the smallest chance of someone connecting him to the mysterious masked man.

    But he had little choice right now.

    His last hope was�� fate. He knew that something had drawn him to the Twisted Rock, even though in the end he failed to find it. In the past, his intuition only reacted that strongly to the things that were connected to the gods, the Unknown�� and Weaver. So, there was a high chance that Weaver's Mask would show him the way to salvation.

    As the cool black wood caressed his kin, Sunny forced air into his lungs�� and sent his shadow essence toward the mask.

    He was going to do something that he dreaded doing for many months��

    Activate the mysterious [???] enchantment of the divine Memory.

    When the power of his soul poured into the Weaver's Mask, Sunny froze for a moment��

    And then let out a horrible, inhuman scream.

 Chapter 430 Tapestry of Fate

    Chapter 430 Tapestry of Fate

    The moment Sunny's essence touched the black wooden surface of the divine Memory, Weaver's Mask suddenly reached into his very soul and hungrily drank more�� and then more, and more, and more.

    In a fraction of a second, all of his reserve of shadow essence was sucked dry, with only a tiny bit of it remaining�� almost as if these pitiful drops were not even worth being consumed by the mask.

    And even then, all it could achieve was activate the [???] enchantment for just a single moment.

    ��That single moment, however, was enough to almost drive Sunny insane.

    Suddenly, a horrifying pain pierced his eyes and his mind, akin to the suffering he had experienced after consuming the Drop of Ichor, only so much worse.

    Infinitely worse.

    As he shrieked, all traces of intelligence disappearing from his voice, the world he saw changed.

    Suddenly, all Sunny could see was an endless, beautiful eternity of twisting threads. Those threads transfixed everything in existence, connecting every living being and every object, every thought and every concept, every dream and every nightmare, stretching infinitely into every direction, as well as into the past, the present, and the future.

    These were the Strings of Fate.

    They were just like the threads of light that the Spell was woven of, but while the magnificent and inconceivably complex pattern that Sunny had seen twice in the empty void between dream and reality composed the function of the Spell, what he glimpsed right now connected�� everything.

    All of the universe as it had existed, was existing, and was going to exist.

    ...Much worse, when observing the weave of the Spell, Sunny could only sense and guess at its meaning. But the terrifying enchantment of Weaver's Mask not only allowed him to see the tapestry of Fate, but also forced the understanding of it onto him.

    The knowledge of everything, everywhere, all at once��

    Of course, such knowledge was too much for any human to endure. Just the tiniest, infinitesimal amount of it was enough to instantly destroy any living being�� except, maybe, for a god.

    ...Or a daemon.

    As blood streamed out of Sunny's nose, eyes, and mouth, and a silent scream died on his lips, he instinctively did the only thing that could save him from being obliterated by the sight of the Strings of Fate �� he dissipated into the shadows.

    This was, perhaps, the reason why his eyes did not turn into smoldering embers and his head did not just explode right there on the spot. Shadows had no eyes and no skulls, after all.

    However��

    Falling into the embrace of darkness, Sunny realized with cold horror that Weaver's Mask, somehow, was still resting on his face. When he turned into a shadow, it had turned into one, too. His vision shifted from that of a human to the colorless sight of a shadow, but he could still see the eternity of Strings of Fate.

    There were especially many of them near him. The infinite threads were tightly wrapped around his body, as well as around his soul, encompassing and piercing it�� it looked almost as if he was strung on them like a small marionette.

    And among those threads, two shone much brighter than the rest.

    One was made out of pure white flame and stretched far away into the distance, leading north, toward the Hollow Mountains.

    The other was made out of beautiful golden light, and led�� down.

    Down and away from both the Shipwreck Island and the Twisted Rock, diving into the Tear and disappearing into the boundless darkness of the Sky Below.

    ��Although it seemed as though eons had passed, in reality, it was no more than a fraction of a second.

    Sunny's head did not explode because he had turned into a shadow, but his mind was still on the verge of utter, irrevocable destruction. A fraction more, and it was going to be wiped out from existence by the divine knowledge of Fate.

    'But what�� what can I do�� the mask is a shadow now��'

    His thoughts were scattered and weak. And yet, he fought through the shock and managed to remember an important detail.

    He could dismiss the Memory.

    But that�� would be too slow. Even if it took only a second, there would be nothing left of him by the end of it.

    A wave of desperation rose from the depths of his heart.

    And then, the shadow essence that Weaver's Mask had absorbed finally ran out.

    Instantly, the enchantment deactivated, and the ruthless worlds of endless threads disappeared with it. Sunny could only see what all humans�� and shadows�� were meant to be able to see.

    A piece of dark stone soaring into the sky as the merciless grinder of the Crushing was slowly breaking it apart.

    Sunny sensed hazily that there was something urgent about the situation, but he was... was not entirely there.

    Although the terrible visage of the Strings of Fate was gone, his mind was scattered and empty. He couldn't really lose conscience while in the form of a shadow, but not being able to think or even recognize the existence of his self was very close to it.

    Soon, however, he started to slowly gather the pieces of his wounded, shattered mind back together. He was in dire danger, after all��

    The entire Twisted Rock was shaking and rumbling as it rose higher and higher into the Sky Above. Wide cracks appeared on its surface, growing larger with each second. The blackened bones had already been turned into dust, and now, the only thing standing above the stone was the ramshackle, lop-sided, dead treasure chest.

    The corpse of the Mordant Mimic, strangely, seemed to be much more sturdy than the ascending island itself. It was still in one piece, at least, and almost whole.

    '...I need to come up with a plan.'

    As this thought formed in Sunny's mind, he suddenly came to his senses... and realized several things.

    One of them was what he had to do.

    The other was that the pitiful drops of shadow essence left in his soul cores were about to evaporate, which meant that he would not be able to remain in the form of a shadow for much longer.

    The third one was that he still had not retrieved the golden coins from inside the chest.

    ...Now, whether he lived or died depended on one thing �� whether he would be forced out of the shadows and turned into a bloody puddle first, or whether the Twisted Rock would fall apart first.

    Which would it be?

    'Well�� I might as well try, right?'

    Flowing through the shadow cast by the treasure chest, he dismissed the Broken Oath. A tiny amount of shadow essence, from which the Memories were created, returned to his soul. Hiding on the surface of the dead Mimic, Sunny dismissed the Blood Blossom and the Puppeteer's Shroud, too.

    Finally, he dismissed Weaver's Mask, which brought him much more essence than the previous three Memories combined�� even if, in the grand scheme of things, that amount was still rather insignificant.

    Still, if it could gift him even one second more, it was worth it.

    Circulating his essence through the coils of the Soul Serpent to slow down its expenditure and enhance the speed of its regeneration, Sunny hid on the treasure chest and waited for his fate to be decided.

    After something that felt like an eternity, when the Twisted Rock had soared so high above the Chained Isles that the Crushing started turning smaller pieces of stone into fine dust, the island finally shuddered... and cracked open.

    One of the rifts that opened in the blackened stone was directly beneath Sunny and the dead Mimic. The whole section of the isle suddenly broke off, separating from it in a rain of rock shards. Sunny caught a glimpse of petrified bones encased in the solidified stone�� and then the chest he was hiding on floated up.

    For a few seconds, all of it �� the remaining core of the island, the sea of stone debris, and the dead Mimic �� continued to rise higher and higher. Larger pieces of rock were crushed into smaller ones, and then turned into dust. A deafening thunder filled the air.

    But then, as if an invisible switch had been turned, the mysterious force that had kept the Twisted Rock floating between two skies for thousands of years was no more.

    Suddenly, everything that was too heavy to be carried away by wind slowed in its ascent, froze in the air for a few moments, and fell down.

    The cracked treasure chest tumbled down, too, falling toward the Sky Below. Sunny, who was still just a shadow adhered on its side, saw the world spin around.

    The last drops of his shadow essence were about to disappear.

    ��But that was fine. They would last him long enough to reach the altitude where the Crushing wasn't immediately lethal anymore.

    When it finally happened, Sunny suddenly appeared on the surface of the chest and held onto it for dear life. The pressure of the Crushing first threw him against the wood hard enough to break a few ribs, then tried to rip him away.

    But Sunny would not let go.

    His damned coins were in that damned chest!

    Together, he and the dead Mimic fell lower and lower, until, finally, the Crushing weakened enough to allow Sunny to move.

    Summoning the Dark Wing, he commanded it to turn into a blur and changed the direction of their fall.

    However, he was not trying to move toward the distant silhouette of the Shipwreck Island out of desperation.

    Instead, he was guiding the chest in the opposite direction, aiming it into the vast empty expanse of the Tear.

 Chapter 431 Fall From Grace

    Chapter 431 Fall From Grace

    As Sunny and the treasure chest plunged through the skies into the boundless black abyss, pieces of the shattered island pursued them. The Crushing was slowly growing weaker, but it was still strong enough to kill most Awakened.

    If not for the power of his shadows, Sunny would have been long dead. And even with it, he was much closer to becoming a corpse than he would have wished to be. His whole body was bruised, bloodied, and in pain.

    ��Which he could see very clearly, because, in addition to being terribly banged up, Sunny was also currently completely naked.

    'What a�� glorious sight. Damn it!'

    He had dismissed the Puppeteer's Shroud to absorb the shadow essence spent on its summoning, and had none of it left to manifest the armor again. The last drops had been spent to summon the Dark Wing.

    As the result, Sunny found himself falling into the Sky Below atop a lop-sided treasure chest while wearing nothing but his pack and the strip of leather holding his broken arm in place. His only hope right now was that neither Master Roan nor Saint Tyris would suddenly appear to save the day and see him in this state.

    He would rather plunge into the Tear than live through that embarrassment.

    Well�� not really.

    'I take it back. Both of them can descend from the clouds and carry me away in their arms. I won't mind! No, really!'

    But no one came to his rescue. Dodging the heavy slabs of shattered stone and desperately trying to glide through the field of debris, Sunny slowly pushed the chest toward the empty expanse of the Tear and prayed that nothing would damage his fragile cloak.

    It was having enough trouble obeying his commands already.

    The Dark Wing wasn't really designed to carry heavy weights. It could barely support just Sunny himself�� and that was in normal conditions. Now that Sunny was refusing to let go of the dead Mimic, and with both of them being affected by the Crushing, the enchanted cloak was on the verge of breaking apart. Instead of gliding smoothly away from the falling rocks, Sunny and the treasure chest were more or less just falling between them at a slight angle.

    Needless to say, dodging the debris of the destroyed island in these circumstances was not easy. But, somehow, Sunny managed to protect both himself and the Dark Wing for long enough to escape the danger zone in one piece.

    By then, the Crushing had become almost bearable.

    Sitting on the lid of the treasure chest and feeling the terrible pressure grow weaker and weaker with each second, Sunny grimaced from pain, then let out a relieved sigh. The cool breeze was softly touching his burning face, as well as his... well, everything. All things considered, the fall was not unpleasant.

    But then, a sudden thought appeared in his mind.

    '...What are you feeling relieved about, idiot?'

    Oh�� right.

    Looking down, Sunny saw nothing but the swiftly approaching, boundless dark expanse of the Sky Below.

    The endless abyss that stretched downward forever, and from which there was no escape. Not unless one knew how to fly.

    That was where he was headed.

    ***

    Except for the golden String of Fate Sunny had seen disappearing into the depth of the Tear, he had no reason whatsoever to believe that he would survive the fall into the Sky Below, let alone ever be able to return to the Sanctuary and the real world. Most likely, he was going to go mad and either be devoured by some terrifying abyssal titan or die of hunger.

    His life, almost literally, was hanging by a thread.

    ��But right now, he didn't care. All he cared about was the physical relief of not being pressed down upon by the Crushing. He was still wounded all over and in pain, but experiencing just the normal amount of it was almost euphoric.

    'It's the small things that matter��'

    Like not being constantly crushed by an invisible, murderous magical force. Or resting comfortably on a wide lid of a treasure chest instead of having your limbs being crushed in its jaws.

    ��Simple stuff like that.

    Now that the Crushing was almost gone, Sunny used the Dark Wing to push the dead Mimic deeper into the Tear, as well as keep it level in the air. The treasure chest was wide and long, and its lid was flat. In a sense, it was almost like a firm, narrow cot.

    There were worse ways to fall into an endless abyss, really.

    Sunny stared at the wide sweep of the Tear, trying to burn the memory of the golden string of light into his mind.

    The Tear was situated in the center of the Chained Isles, and was both vast and absolutely empty. Some people believed that the Ivory Tower had once stood in its middle, and was the first island to break free of its chains. Over thousands of years, islands that had bordered it were slowly destroyed one after another, causing the Tear to grow.

    By now, it was a couple of hundred kilometers across, and from what Sunny could tell, the String of Fate led to somewhere in its very center.

    The question was�� how deep in there was the thing on the other end of the String? The longest someone had flown down into the Sky Below before turning back was a week. Was the mysterious object hidden in an even deeper part of the abyss?

    And what was that object?

    Sunny could not even guess. The only thing he knew was that his intuition had pushed him toward the Twisted Rock because of it.

    If so�� it should have been something that would allow him to survive.

    Right?

    Of course, his fate might have been to just die there. Fate didn't really discriminate against any type of occurrence, including fatal ones. Regardless, Sunny was going to find out.

    ��It's not like he had a choice now.

    Feeling the air get colder, he shivered and watched the sky around him grow darker and darker.

    Soon, there was no light left in it at all.

    Sunny had fallen into the Sky Below.

 Chapter 432 First Day of Nothing

    Chapter 432 First Day of Nothing

    'This is�� sort of grim.'

    Sunny was falling through a boundless, empty void of cold darkness. Far below, false stars were shimmering with pale white light. Their radiance, however, did very little to illuminate the Sky Below. Everywhere around him, there was just�� nothing.

    Sunny was still resting atop the treasure chest, holding onto it with his one healthy hand. He had no reference point to measure how far he had traveled, but suspected that the distance was swiftly leaving the realm of mundane sense and logic.

    He was not very educated, however, even he knew that a falling object would forever accelerate at a steady pace�� theoretically. That meant that every second Sunny was falling, his speed was increasing exponentially. By now, it had to be simply insane.

    But he did not really feel that speed. All he felt were wisps of cold wind caressing his skin from time to time. If there was one good thing about the situation, it was that he had accumulated a bit of shadow essence and was able to summon the Puppeteer's Shroud again. So he wasn't naked anymore, at least.

    If there was one thing he did know, though, it was the approximate speed with which he could glide forward with the help of the Dark Wing. Adding the weight of the dead treasure to the equation, he could more or less calculate the distance he was covering horizontally. With that in mind, he guessed that he would reach the middle of the Tear in around a day��

    Problem was, he had no reliable way to measure time, as well. There were some clues he could try to use, like the rate of shadow essence regeneration or the state of his wounds, but they were not exactly reliable.

    In heroic stories, characters often found themselves in similar situations. Every time that happened, the hero somehow managed to measure the passage of time by the state of their facial hair. Sadly, despite being eighteen, Sunny could not grow even the most pitiful of beards. That was a real shame.

    '...I guess I'm not hero material.'

    With a bitter sigh, he stared at the lid of the treasure chest and tried to assess his physical state.

    Things weren't good, but they also weren't very bad. He had sustained minor internal damage due to the Crushing, as well as several rather ugly wounds in the battle against Mimic. The half-healed cuts left on his body by the Mirror Beast had also opened at some point, and were now hurting once again.

    The worst injury was, of course, his broken arm.

    His mental state was also somewhat in shambles after being ravaged by the visage of the Strings of Fate. Luckily, there seemed to be no long-lasting effects. Even the splitting headache was already growing fainter. Sunny also could not remember the exact details of what he had seen, as if his mind completely erased them from his memory to protect itself.

    The only thing that remained was the fragment of the memory that he had preserved on purpose �� the image of the thread of golden light leading deep into the Tear.

    Sunny stared at the black nothingness, waited for a while, then slowly exhaled.

    'Great. Now what?'

    There was no answer.

    ***

    After a while �� Sunny had no idea how long �� he got tired of waiting for something to happen and decided to act.

    'Might as well��'

    The first thing he did was summon the Covetous Coffer.

    Sunny expected that an identical chest would appear near the dead one, but instead, what he saw was a miniature version of it. A box made of dark wood, with strips of iron reinforcing it, appeared on the lid of the treasure chest.

    It was about the size of a jewelry box, but not at all elegant. In fact, the Covetous Coffer looked more mean than graceful�� somehow. As Sunny stared at it, the lid of the box raised slightly, revealing rows of sharp iron teeth.

    He blinked.

    'I guess that's all I can manage with my current Soul Core capacity.'

    Shaking his head, Sunny looked at the Coffer and said in an uncertain tone:

    "Come here."

    Immediately, eight short iron legs appeared from under the box, and it scurried over before plopping down near him.

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, glanced at his fingers, then cautiously opened the lid of the box. Luckily, it didn't try to bite them off.

    Taking off his pack, Sunny transferred its contents into the box. Although it seemed rather small, the Coffer swallowed all his supplies without any problem.

    '...Perfect.'

    Sunny closed the box, patted it on the lid, and dismissed it.

    Then, he summoned the Moonlight Shard and methodically cut his now empty pack into strips of leather. Using his one healthy hand and his teeth, Sunny tied them into a semblance of a rope, then tied himself to the treasure chest, and finally calmed down.

    Now, his coins weren't going anywhere.

    Satisfied with his handiwork, Sunny rested for a bit. He was starting to feel tired�� and sleepy.

    Falling through the endless abyss turned out to be way less exciting than he had thought. In fact, it was extremely boring.

    There were still a lot of things he had to do, though��

    With a grimace, Sunny cautiously shifted his weight and crawled to the end of the chest. There, he used the Moonlight Shard to widen a crack on the side of the dead Mimic and separate two long planks of wood from it.

    Then, he made a roll out of the last strip of leather he had and bit down on it.

    'This... is going to suck.'

    Without giving himself too much time to think about it, he removed his broken arm from its sling, and then proceeded to swiftly set the bones�� just like he had been taught.

    A sharp, blinding pain pierced his mind.

    When Sunny regained his vision and the ability to think straight, he saw that his arm did not look like jelly anymore. It seemed more or less straight.

    'That will have to do...'

    Hissing and cursing, he used the two planks of wood and the strip of leather to create a sturdy splint, then carefully placed it back inside the sling. Now, his broken bones had a good chance of growing back together correctly.

    Hopefully.

    After that, Sunny summoned the Endless Spring and the Covetous Coffer, took some of his remaining food out of it, and had a strangely relaxed meal on top of the dead Mimic's lid.

    By the time he was done, the Sky Below�� did not change at all.

    He was still falling into its depths, slowly moving the treasure chest toward the center of the Tear with the help of the Dark Wing.

    ��He was also absolutely exhausted.

    Sunny somberly stared at the distant false stars.

    He stared at them until his eyes started to water and his thoughts became slow and muddy.

    Then, he stared at them some more.

    After a while, he thought:

    'I can't take it anymore.'

    By then, his reserves of shadow essence were full by a third. Judging that around twenty-four hours had passed after the destruction of the Twisted Rock, Sunny sighed, then dismissed the Dark Wing and allowed the chest to start falling straight down.

    He was going to have to keep falling into the Sky Below for six more days... at least. Probably longer. Sunny shook his head, knowing full well that these estimations had almost nothing to do with reality.

    Then, he did something that he had never thought he would ever do��

    He cautiously lay down on the long lid of the dead Mimic, tightened the rope connecting them together�� and closed his eyes.

    Soon, Sunny was dead asleep, plummeting into the darkness of the abyss without a care in the world.

 Chapter 433 More of the Same Nothing

    Chapter 433 More of the Same Nothing

    Sunny's bed trembled slightly, and he felt the wind blowing across the room. Still mostly asleep, he sighed and tried to pull the blanket higher. However, that damned thing was nowhere to be found.

    'Where the hell is it��'

    Reluctant to let go of sleep, he blindly searched for the blanket. Instead of finding it, though, Sunny suddenly felt his whole bed careen to the side. Startled, he opened his eyes�� and saw nothing but darkness surrounding him.

    'What the?! Oh�� right.'

    He wasn't in his small room in the Sanctuary. He was plummeting into a lightless abyss atop the corpse of a Fallen Devil, instead.

    Sunny stared into the darkness for a bit.

    Then, he yawned.

    'Well. At least I slept well.'

    Indeed, he was feeling rather refreshed. Most of his aches had either disappeared or grown milder, and even his wounded mind felt soothed. He felt rested, energized, and much better overall.

    The only problem was, he was still falling into the endless void of the Sky Below.

    Sunny scratched the back of his head, though about this predicament, then summoned the Endless Spring and drank some water. Then, he concentrated and tried to assess the situation.

    ...The situation was absolutely the same.

    He was surrounded by nothing, nothing had changed while he slept, and there was nothing he could do about it.

    Sunny sighed and stared at the treasure chest beneath him. After a while, he thought:

    'If you think about it, this is just next-level pettiness. Not only did I kill this poor bastard, I even went so far as to take a nap on top of its dead body. Talk about insulting��'

    Somewhere down, down below, false stars shimmered with white light.

    Judging by how much of his shadow essence had regenerated, Sunny judged that he slept for about twelve hours. A bit longer than usual, but he was really exhausted after everything that had transpired.

    These calculations of his, of course, were very rough. But if he assumed them to be correct, that would mean that he had left the Sanctuary six days ago.

    He had no idea how long it was going to take to reach the thing on the end of the golden String of Fate, but had to assume that it would take at least a week�� much longer than that, most likely.

    Back in the real world, his body was safely hidden in the luxurious sleeping pod in the basement of his house. The pod would keep it alive for months, so Sunny was not too worried about his physical well-being�� yet.

    Would anyone miss him?

    ...Probably not. Kai and Effie were used to his long ventures into the Dream Realm, and even if none of them had been as long as this one was going to be, they would just assume that he was too lazy to answer their messages and go about their business. They were famous heroes now, after all, with packed schedules and plenty of problems of their own.

    Teacher Julius didn't expect any reports from him, too. The lookouts in the Sanctuary were not in the habit of keeping a detailed record of who went in and out of the Citadel. The most anyone was going to think about him would be when Cassie arrived from the Night Temple, and he wasn't there to help Saint Tyris receive her.

    But she would just think that he was avoiding her, as he had done before.

    Sitting on the lid of the dead treasure chest in boundless darkness, Sunny realized that no one was really going to care that he was gone. So many things had changed, but even more remained just the same.

    Throwing a long look at the beautiful glass bottle in his hand, Sunny remained motionless for a while, then dismissed it and knocked on the lid of the dead Mimic.

    'Whatever. I have my coins, at least!'

    ***

    Some time later, he was performing a strange aerial dance. Holding onto the rope connecting him to the dead Mimic with his one functioning hand, Sunny summoned the Dark Wing, then cautiously climbed onto the side of the big chest and tried to balance it so that the heavy thing didn't flip.

    Because of the fact that both of them were plummeting down with incredible speed, his body felt pleasantly light. Sunny thought about it for a while, then frowned.

    How did that even make any sense? Yesterday, he had thought that the speed of his fall was going to increase exponentially, which meant that at some point his body was bound to be simply torn apart�� probably.

    But now, he realized that his assumption was wrong. Since he could breathe in the Sky Below and felt the wind �� or rather, the air moving past him as he fell through it �� it meant that the speed of his fall had a limit dictated by the air resistance.

    He did not, however, feel that resistance too much. By all accounts, he should have been hearing the roaring of the wind and feeling it assault his body, instead of falling through the emptiness in something that resembled comfort.

    Common sense didn't seem to be working the Sky Below.

    'Better not think about it too much.'

    What was the point of trying to understand the laws of a place that simply denied all logic? He had far more practical things to do.

    Trusting the leather rope to hold his weight, Sunny let go of it and summoned the Moonlight Shard. Then, perched precariously on the side of the treasure chest, he inserted the narrow blade of the ghostly stiletto between its lip and the lid, and tried to pry it open.

    The task turned out to be far more difficult than Sunny had anticipated. Not only did he have to do everything with only one hand, he also had to balance the chest to prevent it from spinning in the empty void�� as well as keep an eye on the rope, hoping nervously that it would not break.

    After some time and plenty of exasperated curses, however, he finally managed to pry the jaws of the dead devil open.

    Inside its maw, a pile of golden coins was waiting for him to claim them.

    A dark smile appeared on Sunny's face.

    Then, he let out a shaky, slightly unhinged laugh.

    "Ah! It feels nice to be rich��"

 Chapter 434 A Lot of Nothing

    Chapter 434 A Lot of Nothing

    Summoning the Covetous Coffer, he commanded the toothy box to climb inside the�� bigger, toothier box and open its lid. Then, he started whistling a lighthearted melody while throwing the heavy coins inside.

    'One, two, three, four�� ah, what a day to be alive�� five, six��'

    One after another, the miraculous golden discs disappeared into the Coffer. After a while, Sunny shifted his weight slightly, got more comfortable, and continued gathering his spoils.

    In the end, he had recovered almost fourteen hundred coins from inside the dead devil. Just as Sunny had expected, the entire top layer of the treasure pile had turned out to be real.

    That was an incredible, astonishing boon! Suddenly, everything that had happened seemed worth it��

    Almost.

    Glancing at the lightless void around him, Sunny sighed.

    'Who knows if I will even be able to return to the Sanctuary? Without the altar, these coins are just dead weight.'

    Somewhat disheartened, he lingered for a few moments, then turned his gaze back to the opened treasure chest.

    The top layer of the treasure pile that he had successfully plundered was indeed real, but beneath it��

    Sunny struggled to keep the contents of his stomach inside. Beneath the treasure, the limbs and organs of the Mimic were tightly packed together, taking up most of the chest's volume. The whole thing was soaked in black blood and producing a sickening stench, not to mention looking like a butcher's nightmare.

    'Disgusting�� so disgusting��'

    Thinking about how repulsive the sight in front of him was, Sunny used the Moonlight Shard to cut through the terrible sludge and fished out four large soul shards with a wide smile on his face. After cleaning them up a little, he placed the alluring crystals inside the Covetous Coffer and dismissed the Memory with a feeling of great satisfaction.

    After that, Sunny stared inside the treasure chest with a dubious expression on his face.

    The thing was�� he only had around three days worth of provisions left, stored neatly inside the Covetous Coffer. If he rationed his food, it would probably last him for about a week. After that��

    Sunny scratched the back of his head, then shuddered and closed the lid of the chest with a loud thud.

    '...I'll think about it when the time comes. But, hopefully, it never does!'

    With that, he climbed back onto the dead devil and rested for a while, looking into the darkness.

    As time slowly passed, Sunny grew more and more solemn. Finally, he came to a frightening realization.

    ��He had nothing else left to do.

    ***

    "This is going to be a problem."

    An eternity later �� or just a few hours, who knew �� Sunny was sitting on top of the treasure chest and dying from boredom.

    He was still falling through the boundless dark abyss. Of course, what else would he be doing? There was nothing else to do!

    The Cruel Sight was in his hand, the silver blade shining with a bright radiance. He was using its [Light Eater] enchantment to summon the sunlight the somber spear had absorbed and project it into the darkness of the Sky Below. Thanks to that light, the shapes of his two shadows could be clearly seen, one resting on the surface of the chest to his left, the other to his right.

    Sunny shook his head, then said:

    "I am dying of boredom here. I have never been this bored. How are we going to survive weeks of this crap? What do you guys think?"

    The happy shadow to his right hesitated, then raised a fist encouragingly. Its sentiment was quite clear:

    "You got this!"

    The gloomy shadow to his left stared at him grimly, then simply shook its head. Its meaning was clear, too��

    "Just give up already��"

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then smiled.

    "Well, I think it's going to be fine. I'll just�� think about it as a vacation. Yeah. When was the last time I could just relax and do nothing? That's right�� never! If you think about it, guys, this is a godsend opportunity. An opportunity to rest and laze about as much as I want."

    He remained silent for a while, then added:

    "I literally have no choice but to do nothing. Lucky me, right?"

    The gloomy shadow glanced at him, then covered its face with a palm.

    Even the happy shadow hesitated for a bit before giving him a timid shrug.

    Sunny frowned.

    "What do you mean, go crazy? I am not going to go crazy! I'm so done with being crazy. Been there, done that, as they say. There is zero possibility that I will go crazy."

    The shadows didn't answer, making him huff angrily.

    "Whatever! Why am I even speaking to you two? It's not like you even have enough decency to pull your weight in the conversation!"

    He scowled and dismissed the Cruel Sight, letting the darkness shroud everything once again. The shadows became invisible.

    After a while, Sunny said scornfully:

    "And it's not like I don't have better alternatives to talk to, anyway."

    ��Where had he put the Ordinary Rock?

    ***

    By the time three days had passed �� at least Sunny suspected that it had been three days, since that was how long his shadow essence usually took to fully recover without the aid of the Soul Serpent �� he was, indeed, on the verge of losing his mind.

    It wasn't even the boredom that was the worst, it was the absolute lack of any external stimuli.

    Nothing ever changed in the Sky Below. Nothing ever happened. Nothing ever appeared, or disappeared, or was there at all. There was nothing but empty darkness, the distant shimmering stars, and him.

    And falling.

    At the start of it all, Sunny had been worried that he would encounter evil, colossal, inconceivably horrifying creatures in the abyss. That was what one would expect from an abyss, right? But there was none.

    By now, he almost hoped to encounter a stray titan or two.

    He had heard that people were prone to going insane in isolation, but never expected to be in such a situation himself.

    Sunny had spent the first day thinking about this and that, remembering his experiences and trying to learn something from them.

    He wondered about the Mirror Beast and the Cruel Sight. Why was the silver spear even called that? Then, he understood.

    It was called the Cruel Sight because its polished blade showed a person their own reflection.

    He wondered about the shipwreck, the coins, the Mimic, and the person called Noctis. How were all of these things connected?

    After a while, he guessed that Noctis had been the captain of the ancient ship, the master of the Mimic, and the person whose face was depicted on the miraculous coins. Noctis was also probably the one who had created the coins, in the first place.

    That's why they could only be used in his Sanctuary.

    He wondered about what Kai, Effie, and Cassie were doing.

    He wondered about Nephis.

    On the second day, he summoned the runes and saw that she had become a devil. Sunny stared at the counter that showed [2/4000] with a deadpan expression, then sighed and dove into the Soul Sea.

    There, he had studied all of his Memories and the shadows of all the creatures he had killed.

    That only took him a couple of hours.

    ...Or an eternity.

    On the third day, Sunny just lay on the lid of the dead mimic and stared into the void. His mind was starting to behave in strange ways. Although there was nothing around him, Sunny could sometimes see strange shapes and silhouettes in the darkness, as well as hear distant noises.

    He wanted to think that they were real, but knew that it was just the result of prolonged sensory starvation. Human minds were weird that way�� they couldn't really withstand a lot of nothing.

    Suddenly, the story of a man who had to turn back after seven days of descending into the Sky Below out of fear of going insane made much more sense to him.

    To make himself perceive at least something, Sunny summoned the Silver Bell and rang it in the darkness, listening to the melodious ringing as it disappeared into the abyss.

    And now, he was sitting on the treasure chest, looking at the distant stars, and speaking with the Ordinary Rock.

    "So, how has your day been, Rock?"

    The Memory answered in his own voice:

    "Same old nothing. Yours?"

    Sunny remained silent for a while, then said:

    "I am enjoying my vacation."

    The Ordinary Rock laughed.

    "Sounds wonderful! How is your vacation going?"

    He sighed.

    "Splendidly. I've yet to hit the rock bottom."

    For a while, there was nothing but silence. Then, a new question came:

    "...Why is it so dark?"

    Sunny smiled weekly.

    "Why wouldn't it be dark? This is the Sky Below, after all!"

    But then, he froze.

    '...What?'

    The voice that asked the question�� had not come from the Ordinary Rock.

    That voice was not his own.

 Chapter 435 Listening to Nothing

    Chapter 435 Listening to Nothing

    Sunny shuddered.

    The voice he heard�� was not his own. It sounded pleasant and calm, and seemed to have come from the darkness of the Sky Below itself.

    '...Have I finally lost it?'

    His first thought was that he had gone crazy again and was now hearing things.

    His second thought was much less comforting��

    'Damnation!'

    Had he summoned some unholy titan from the depths of the Sky Below, after all?!

    Sunny outstretched one hand, ready to manifest the Cruel Sight, but then hesitated.

    If the owner of the voice was not a figment of his imagination, but some harrowing being of the void, was it really wise to agitate it? Would the silver blade even do anything against it?

    'Calm down. Calm down. Maybe you just imagined the whole thing��'

    As if to answer his thoughts, the void laughed softly.

    "Ah, my apologies. I seem to have startled you."

    Sunny gulped.

    The pleasant voice seemed to belong to a young man, but no matter how hard he looked into the darkness, he couldn't see anyone�� or anything�� nearby.

    He was reminded of his first meeting with Kai, only this time... this time, things were much more frightening.

    "N��no worries. I just�� didn't expect to hear another human's voice here. You, uh�� you are a human�� right?"

    The void was silent for a while, then answered in a neutral tone:

    "A human? I used to be a human once, I guess."

    Sunny realized that he couldn't even pinpoint the direction from which the voice was coming. It was just�� there, somehow. Everywhere. Around him...

    He tensed, then asked cautiously:

    "Used to? Then what are you now?"

    The voice disappeared for a few moments, then sighed. Finally, it answered:

    "...Lost."

    Sunny blinked.

    'What the hell does he mean?'

    "Lost? As in lost in the Sky Below?"

    The darkness let out a sad laugh.

    "...No. Not in the Sky Below."

    As Sunny felt cold shivers run down his spine, it hesitantly added:

    "I am sorry. I haven't spoken to anyone in a long, long time. Instead of lost, It would be more proper to say that I am one of the Lost. My body in the waking world was destroyed, but my soul continues to exist here, in the Dream Realm. I hope that explanation is more clear."

    One of the Lost��

    Sunny knew of these people, although he had never met one in person. Just like there were Hollow �� people whose souls were destroyed, leaving an empty body behind �� there were also the Lost. People whose bodies had somehow died in the real world, leaving their souls stranded in the Dream Realm. There wasn't a lot of them, since most of the time the soul perished shortly after the body had, but there were some.

    Knowing that the owner of the voice was one of these lost souls made Sunny relax a little�� not that he had any reason to believe that the stranger was telling him the truth. He could have been a Nightmare Creature, still.

    Or something worse...

    But even if he was Lost, that didn't explain how they were able to converse. The Lost, from what Sunny knew, were just like any other Awakened in the Dream Realm. It was just that they couldn't return to the real world.

    What they certainly were not were disembodied voices coming from the void.

    He shifted his weight slightly, ready to�� do something to protect himself, if need be, and asked:

    "Sorry to hear that. But how is it that I am able to hear your voice, but can't see you?"

    The voice lingered for some time, that answered with a bit of amusement:

    "That is a good question."

    Sunny waited patiently for him to expand on that answer, but that seemed to be it. A bit irritated, he said:

    "Well? Aren't you going to explain?"

    Instead, the voice suddenly asked:

    "Why are you descending into the Sky Below? This is a very dangerous place."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then coughed.

    "Ah, that�� well, you see�� I am not so much descending into the Sky Below as I am falling into it. I got stuck on an island because of the Crushing, and sadly, that island broke off its chain. So, I had to jump off. And here I am."

    Then, he frowned.

    "Wait�� dangerous place? Why is it dangerous? I haven't seen anything dangerous anywhere in this dreadful pit!"

    The voice lingered for a while, then sighed with regret.

    "You'll see. When you reach the stars�� then you will see."

    Then, it disappeared.

    Sunny stared into the darkness, a bit disturbed. A deep frown appeared on his face.

    "What do you mean? What will happen when I reach the stars?"

    But there was no answer.

    No matter how long Sunny waited, the voice did not speak to him again. The void was silent and empty, just as it had been before.

    In the end, he just massaged his temples and cursed.

    "What the hell was that?!"

    Did he imagine the whole thing? Had his mind finally cracked?

    Sunny stared at the Ordinary Rock, as though expecting it to actually talk and collaborate his story. Sadly, the Memory could only repeat the sounds it had recently heard��

    'Wait�� the sounds it had heard!'

    Sunny hurriedly commanded the Rock to repeat everything it had recorded in the past few minutes. Then, feeling cold sweat appear on his forehead, he listened to his own voice speaking to nothing. His words were repeated, but where the words of the strange voice should have been, there was nothing but silence.

    Dismissing the Ordinary Rock, Sunny clutched his hair and groaned.

    "Crazy�� I've gone completely crazy�� curse it all, it has been just four days, and am already turning back into a lunatic!"

    Not even a full week passed by, and he was already going insane.

    "This is the worst vacation ever!"

    After a while, he frowned.

    Despite being mostly sure that the whole thing was just a symptom of his sanity slowly breaking apart, Sunny cautiously crawled to the edge of the chest and looked down, at the distant shimmering stars.

    ..Was he imagining things, or did they seem to be a little closer?

 Chapter 436 Nothing to worry About

    Chapter 436 Nothing to worry About

    After the conversation with the disembodied voice of the void �� whether it was real or not �� Sunny felt different. Not exactly better, but at least not as lost and unmoored as before.

    'That would be really ironic if the voice was just a figment of my imagination, wouldn't it?'

    The empty void around him didn't seem as empty anymore. Even if it was now full of potential danger, the danger was better than nothing.

    ��Anything was better than nothing. After four days spent in the endless silence of the dark abyss, Sunny realized just how terrible nothingness was. The human mind was simply not built to withstand it.

    In any case, he wasted some time staring at the distant stars, and then got to thinking.

    Now that his cores were once again full of essence, he had no tool left to measure time. After considering his options for a while, he summoned the Cruel Sight and activated the [Dark Mirror] enchantment.

    Even though he had no enemies to fight in the Sky Below, simply keeping the enchantment active was going to drain his shadow essence. Sunny felt that he could keep it going for about two hours straight.

    After his reserve of Essene became approximately half-empty, he dismissed the Cruel Sight and sat cross-legged in the center of the dead devil's lid.

    Plummeting through the lightless void, Sunny inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. Then, he concentrated on the flow of essence through his body, feeling it permeate every fiber of his being.

    Directing it into the coils of the Soul Serpent, he felt its flow accelerate and widen.

    By using the Shadow, he was going to replenish all of the spent essence in about a day. That was going to be his clock from now on.

    Sunny exhaled, directed the shadow essence into his left hand, and concentrated it in his thumb, then in his index finger��

    Thanks to the Soul Serpent, his control of the essence was better than that of most Awakened. However, it was still rather crude. Sunny innately knew how to enhance his physical attributes by expending it, but wasn't really efficient with how he did it. To him, it was a matter of instinct �� he just thought about making his hand stronger, and the essence flowed like a torrent to achieve the desired effect.

    That was how all young Awakened used it.

    True masters, however, were much more intricate in their control of essence. They could isolate every muscle, every nerve, every bone in their body and only enhance those parts of it that they needed to perform an action. Their expenditure of essence was more akin to a trickle than a torrent, but achieved the same result.

    That's why between two Awakened with similar soul core capacity, one could be able to fight at his peak physical prowess for much longer.

    ��Now that Sunny had nothing else to do, he decided to really work on this aspect of mastery over his own body and soul. He had practiced essence control before, of course, but between the constant need to hunt down Nightmare Creatures and the fact that Soul Serpent served as an effective replacement for months of training, not as much as he could and should have.

    Directing the flow of essence into his right hand, Sunny sighed and thought:

    'Vacation is over.'

    ***

    Two more days passed�� or rather, two cycles of spending shadow essence with the help of the Cruel Sight and then waiting for it to regenerate, which Sunny had decided to count as days.

    He spent that time meditating as he controlled the flow of the essence through his body, sleeping, and feeling hungry.

    Now that Sunny was rationing his food, the feeling of hunger that he had forgotten ever since becoming infected by the Nightmare Spell returned. Even then, his supplies were on the verge of running out.

    He only had enough for two meager meals left. After that, Sunny was either going to have to starve, or consider opening the treasure chest again and gnawing on the dead devil's raw meat.

    Both possibilities seemed rather bleak.

    What he was more concerned about, however, were the shimmering fake stars of the Sky Below.

    Now, he was more or less sure that they were slowly growing larger. If not for the conversation with the voice of the void, he would have never noticed the subtle change. But after being alerted to their importance and spending a lot of time observing the stars, he had become convinced that the voice �� whether it was one of the Lost, a Nightmare Creature pretending to be human, or simply a manifestation of his damaged psyche �� had been right.

    He was slowly drawing closer to the stars burning in the deepest reaches of the abyss.

    If only the voice had told him why, exactly, the stars were dangerous��

    Luckily, on the seventh day of his plummeting through the Sky Below, the voice returned.

    Sunny was grimly eating his second to last piece of food and staring into the darkness, feeling his mind teetering on the verge of madness, when the voice resounded from the void again:

    "...What a curious creature you are."

    'Oh, thank god!'

    Sunny choked on a piece of dried meat, took a sip of water from the Endless Spring to chase it down, and glanced at the empty expanse of the Sky Below with a dark expression.

    "Where the hell have you been?!"

    The voice remained silent for a bit, then answered apologetically:

    "Talking like this is draining for me. I was recovering."

    Sunny frowned, trying to glean some information about the nature of the owner of the pleasant voice from this statement, but then gave up. He had too few clues to guess.

    "Well�� if you are about to disappear for a few days again, at least tell me what's the deal with these stars first. Why are they so dangerous?"

    The void hesitated:

    "You don't know?"

    Sunny blinked.

    "Of course, I don't know! Why would I ask if I knew?"

    When the void answered in a few moments, it sounded slightly surprised:

    "Well. Those lights are not really stars. They are actually remnant conflagrations of the divine flame."

    Sunny thought about what he just heard, then tilted his head to the side.

    "Divine�� flame? What? Why would divine flame burn in the depths of the Sky Below?"

    The voice chuckled. Then, it said with a bit of amusement:

    "How do you think the Sky Below came to be? A long time ago, this was a beautiful and prosperous land, you know."

    The amusement drained from its voice, replaced with something much darker.

    "But then, its prideful ruler provoked the wrath of the Lord of Light. The Lord�� ah, you probably only know him as Sun God�� brought down his heavenly flame upon the lands, shattering the earth and burying an unquenchable fire beneath it."

    The void grew silent, and then sighed.

    "Over the ages, that fire devoured everything �� the earth, the land, even reality itself. All that is left is this empty abyss, and the remnant fragments of the divine flame still burning deep below. So, I am sorry to say this�� but unless you know a way to survive the searing heat of the all-destroying heavenly fire, you will probably burn to death in a few weeks."

 Chapter 437 Nothing, Nothing, Nothing

    Chapter 437 Nothing, Nothing, Nothing

    Sunny sat silently for a few moments, thinking.

    'Sun God��'

    So, the ruler of this land had angered the gods, and one of them struck down her kingdom. He could just imagine it �� a vast pillar of incandescent white flame falling from the skies, piercing the ground and causing the whole region to fracture, its fragments falling into the searing inferno of the divine flame one after another.

    Well�� not all of them had fallen.

    He glanced up, wondering if the Chained Isles were created to save the citizens of the destroyed kingdom from annihilation. If so�� that prideful ruler must have been not so simple herself.

    Who would be powerful enough to dare resist the wrath of the gods?

    And what had that being done to provoke it?

    But more importantly��

    How the hell did the voice of the void knew so much about it?

    A subtly suspicious expression appeared on his face.

    "...Really? This is very interesting. And how exactly do you know all this?"

    Sunny hesitated, and then cautiously added:

    "Did you, perhaps, have something to do with that prideful ruler?"

    The voice was silent for a moment, and then suddenly exploded with sincere laughter.

    "Oh my! I wish! Wouldn't that be grand�� but no, I am just an Awakened who had studied the Chained Isles, probably the same way that you have studied them in your travels. The ruins here are all but destroyed by the endless cycle of the Crushing, but if one knows where to look, there are still some answers left to find."

    Sunny smiled.

    "True. But I am actually a research assistant for the Wilderness Survival faculty of the Academy, and yet I have never seen any of the information you possess in the database. With the level of access that I have, that is very strange, isn't it?"

    The voice chuckled.

    "How am I supposed to report my findings to the Academy? I can't even leave the Dream Realm."

    Sunny blinked.

    That�� actually made a lot of sense. Sort of. Lost or not, an Awakened still had to survive somehow in the Dream Realm, so they were bound to live in one of the Citadels. Probably. So, it wasn't like they had no contact at all with the real world, even if it was only through the other inhabitants of their Citadel.

    Unless the owner of the voice was not a usual Lost. Or was lying to Sunny...

    Or was just a figment of his imagination.

    He frowned.

    "...By the way, where are you, exactly? I haven't heard a voice like yours anywhere in the Sanctuary. And I have spoken to most of the Awakened there at least once."

    The voice lingered for a while, then answered:

    "I am not in the Sanctuary."

    What was that supposed to mean? There was another Citadel on the Chained Isles, the Night Temple. But only those serving Valor were allowed to anchor there. Well�� excluding Cassie and her cohort.

    Did the owner of the voice have something to do with the great clan Valor? Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "Are you from the Night Temple, then?"

    ��But there was no response.

    It seemed that the mysterious young man Sunny had been speaking with �� if he was even real �� had once again reached his limit, thus ending their conversation.

    Sunny sighed.

    "I swear to gods, this is even more annoying than when Effie leaves me on read!"

    Who knew that a voice of the void could be more irritating than someone who had been almost literally raised by wild wolves?

    "No manners! No decorum..."

    ***

    Soon, Sunny regretted not asking the voice necessary questions. He would have to be more strategic with his words in the future...

    "Survive heavenly fire�� survive heavenly fire��"

    Sunny glanced at the stars and felt that they had drawn even closer.

    How was he supposed to withstand the searing heat of the divine flame?

    Could that flame burn shadows?

    He didn't really have an answer, but felt that it would be at least damaging to him, even in his shadow form.

    And then, there was a more looming problem. The voice said that it would take Sunny a few weeks to reach the layer of the abyss containing the false stars, which meant that he was going to be�� very, very hungry by the time he did.

    Humans could survive a surprising amount of time without any food, but it would take a heavy toll on his body. Sunny had no idea what he was going to find on the other end of the golden String of Fate, but doubted that it would be a warm welcome.

    He had to be ready to confront danger, and becoming starved and weak was not really an option.

    Sunny lingered for a while, then stared down, at the lid of the treasure chest.

    Was he really going to have to eat�� that?

    Even his shadows seemed disgusted by the idea.

    But hey�� food was food.

    'Right?'

    With a sigh, Sunny summoned the Covetous Coffer, took out his last meal out, and looked at it with regret.

    "Tonight�� we feast!"

    '...Tomorrow, we mourn. And barf. Probably.'

    ***

    A few days later, the stars were visibly brighter than they had been before. The sight of the black void littered with shimmering lights would have been beautiful if not for the terrible danger they represented.

    Sunny was sitting in the center of the plummeting treasure chest with an extremely miserable expression on his face. It was deathly pale, and his chin was covered with drying black blood.

    Raising a piece of raw devil meat to his mouth, he tore a piece of it with his teeth, and forced himself to chew.

    'Disgusting�� this is so disgusting�� who knew I would miss the taste of synthpaste one day? Maybe I should just starve, after all!'

    As soon as he thought that, the void suddenly spoke again:

    "Oh, gods! You are actually eating that!"

    Sunny stared into the darkness with hatred, swallowed the piece of mimic meat, and said evenly:

    "Sure. Want a bite?"

    The voice hesitated for several seconds, then asked:

    "You're eating it raw?"

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    "Of course I am eating it raw, you fool! How else am I supposed to eat it? I don't exactly have a kitchen here!"

    Then, with a furious determination, he tore another piece of meat and chewed on it. As it turned out, his face had not reached its maximum paleness before. Now, it seemed not only white, but also a little green.

    The void sighed. Then, it asked curiously:

    "Are you not afraid of poisoning yourself?"

    Sunny snarled.

    "...I have a strong stomach."

    He had, indeed, considered the possibility of catching a severe case of food poisoning from eating the corrupted meat of the vile devil. As an Awakened, however, his digestive system was much stro��ger than that of mundane humans. And on top of that, there was Blood Weave. So, he judged that his chances of dying from eating the mimic were rather low.

    ��Now matter how poetic it would have been. Choking to death on the flesh of a devil you killed would be, too...

    'How funny.'

    Sunny swallowed the disgusting meat and took a sip from the Endless Spring.

    A few moments later, the voice asked:

    "Have you thought of a way to survive the divine flames?"

    He stared at his broken arm, then shrugged.

    "I considered a few."

    The voice seemed to be pleased to hear that.

    "Good. I have thought about it, as well��"

 Chapter 438 Prince of Nothing

    Chapter 438 Prince of Nothing

    Sunny stared into the void suspiciously.

    "Yeah? And how come you are so concerned about my well-being?"

    The voice remained silent for a bit, then answered wistfully:

    "I haven't really spoken to anyone in a long, long time. It would be a shame to finally find someone to talk to, only for them to die soon. Don't you think?"

    'That guy is definitely not just a simple Lost�� what is his deal, really? Is he actually a human or only pretends to be one?'

    Sunny thought for a bit, then said:

    "I guess. And since we're on the topic�� how is it exactly that we are able to talk?"

    He expected the voice to change the subject or ignore the question, but to his surprise, it actually answered:

    "I am not really sure. This has never happened to me before, either."

    After a while, it added hesitantly:

    "Have you�� have you perhaps found a piece of a broken mirror somewhere?"

    Something clicked in Sunny's mind.

    "Broken mirror�� Mirror Beast�� Beastie��"

    The Ascended Reflection! The shard of a mirror that the strange creature had left behind was still inside the Covetous Coffer�� smeared with his blood��

    'Crap!'

    So the owner of the voice was the creator of the murderous Reflection Sunny had encountered on the Reckoning. That�� that gave him as many questions as it had given him answers.

    He couldn't really think about it right now, though, because the pressure of the Flaw was already building in his mind, forcing him to speak.

    "Now that you mention it, I did, indeed, recently find a piece of a broken mirror. With the word "Beastie" written on it in a child's handwriting."

    The voice remained silent for a while, then asked quietly:

    "Oh? How exactly did you find it?"

    Sunny did not answer for as long as he could, then reluctantly spoke:

    "That mirror shard was left behind by a powerful creature I killed. I took it with me, thinking that it might turn out to be important."

    This time, the voice was quiet for an especially long amount of time. When it finally spoke, there was a hint of anguish in it. The owner of the voice tried very hard to suppress it, but his pain seemed to be too deep to not seep into his words even slightly.

    "...So it's dead. I see."

    Then, it fell silent once again.

    Sunny tensed. After a while, he asked carefully:

    "You, uh�� you're not going to be angry with me for killing your pet, are you?"

    A deep sigh resounded from the void.

    "Angry�� with you? Why would I be angry with you? You are not to blame for what happened to us."

    Sunny shivered, suspecting that whoever or whatever it was that had been responsible for the Mirror Beast becoming separated from its creator �� and eventually dying by his hand �� was extremely lucky that the owner of the voice had become one of the Lost.

    Then, he asked cautiously:

    "What�� what exactly was it, though? I have never seen a creature like that."

    The voice seemed more in control of itself when it answered after a few long moments:

    "A manifestation of my Aspect Ability. A kind of an Echo, you can say. I�� I created him when I was just a lonely kid. We were together for a long time, before�� before we weren't anymore."

    Sunny tilted his head, then frowned slightly.

    "What do you mean, a kid? A kid with an Aspect Ability?"

    The voice laughed bitterly.

    "Ah, that�� I had my First Nightmare when I was twelve. It's rare, but does happen sometimes. Few children survive the trial, though."

    Sunny blinked.

    'Being sent into the Nightmare at twelve�� of course very few survive!'

    He did know that, in extremely rare cases, the people infected by the Spell were outside of the usual age range. The entire first generation of the Awakened had been, for example. And there were cases of this anomaly to this day, even though it usually happened to someone older than the norm, not someone younger.

    'And I thought that I was unlucky��'

    He cleared his throat, then said awkwardly:

    "Well�� I am sorry for your loss. If it makes you feel any better, the creature tried to say something before it died. Uh�� we never stopped searching. Something like that."

    The voice, however, didn't respond. It seemed that its owner had once again spent all of his soul essence�� or whatever it was that allowed him to communicate with Sunny�� and was now gone for another few days.

    Sunny sighed.

    "Curse it! I didn't even have time to ask him how to survive the damned stars!"

    More strategic with how he chose his words, damn it!

    ***

    Sunny spent a few more days plummeting into the void. By now, he was having trouble remembering what it even felt like, to not be falling. The darkness seemed to be eternal and everpresent, as though he had always been here, in its empty embrace, and all of his actual life was just a strange dream.

    'Maybe it was?'

    No... no, it wasn't. He was almost sure.

    By the time the voice returned, the void had changed slightly. Not only were the distant shimmering lights now closer and brighter, but it also felt as if the air was getting warmer.

    Sunny was in his usual spot, sitting cross-legged in the center of the treasure chest and training to better control the flow of shadow essence. On the surface of the lid near him was a dark longbow and a quiver of black arrows.

    "...You practice archery?"

    Sunny opened his eyes and glanced into the darkness, then shrugged.

    "Not really. But I hope to learn a bit of it soon."

    He made a grimace and nodded toward his broken arm:

    "I do need two functioning hands before I'll be able to, though."

    The bow and the quiver of arrows were the same he had entrusted to Saint before. Both of the Memories were Ascended, but only of the first tier. The bow's enchantments made it incredibly strong and sturdy, while the only enchantment that the arrows possessed was that they came as a whole quiver instead of a single one.

    His broken arm, meanwhile, was healing. He could already move his fingers, but the process was far from over. He was halfway there, though.

    Sunny healed much faster than mundane humans, and even other Awakened. He was sure that in another week or so, he would be able to take off the splint and draw the black bow.

    The voice lingered, then said:

    "We had no time to discuss the divine flames last time."

    Sunny nodded.

    "Indeed."

    Then, he remembered something and asked:

    "Oh, by the way�� what do I call you? Do you have a name? It's a bit awkward to keep thinking of you simply as the Voice."

    The voice laughed.

    "A name? I used to have a name, I guess."

    Sunny sighed.

    "Yeah? Well, what is it?"

    The void lingered for a while, then answered with amusement:

    "...Mordret. Or, rather... Prince Mordret, I guess."

    Sunny opened and close his mouth a couple of times, then asked with suspicion in his voice:

    "Prince? What are you the prince of?"

    Mordret laughed.

    "Nothing! I am a Prince of Nothing. Nothing at all��"

 Chapter 439 Do or Die

    Chapter 439 Do or Die

    Sunny stared into the darkness with an incredulous expression, then shrugged:

    "Sure. Whatever. Nice to make your acquaintance�� Your Highness. I am called Sunless, by the way. Sadly, no title."

    Silently, though, he thought:

    '...The young prince that the Dreamspawn had taken away?'

    Oblivious to his suspicions, Mordret hesitated, then asked politely:

    "Sunless? What an unusual name."

    Sunny grimaced.

    "Yes. My mother had a�� on second thought, forget that! Are you going to tell me about the divine flame or not?"

    The Prince of Nothing was silent for a bit, then said:

    "There is not much to tell. The heat of those flames is absolutely deadly. Unless you have some way to fly, you are in big trouble. Which, I assume, you don't�� otherwise, you wouldn't be in this predicament, to begin with. Right?"

    'Well�� you can't argue with sound logic, I guess!'

    Sunny sighed.

    "...I can control the direction of the fall, but yes, no true flight."

    He hesitated, then added reluctantly:

    "For what it is worth, my Aspect Ability allows me to turn incorporeal, as well as teleport for short distances."

    He didn't really want to share the details of his powers with the mysterious prince, but currently, there was no other choice. Mordret obviously knew more about the Sky Below than Sunny, so his advice was vital.

    The lost prince thought for a few moments, then said:

    "Turning incorporeal will help against being cooked by the heat, but it won't save you from the divine flame itself. However, not everything is lost. Even though you can't fly, you do have some mobility. With some luck, you might be able to dodge the conflagrations."

    Sunny glanced into the darkness with a resentful expression.

    "That I already figured out myself. Tell me something that I don't know, genius."

    The void chuckled.

    "Fine. But only because you asked nicely��"

    Then, it disappeared.

    Sunny's face twitched.

    "Goddammit! He's gone again!"

    But a second later, Mordret's voice suddenly resounded from the darkness:

    "No, no. There is still time. I was just thinking��"

    He was quiet for a few moments, then said hesitantly:

    "There is actually a path through the divine flame. An empty rift in the tapestry of stars where none of it remains. If you find it, you might survive."

    Although it was hard to control his emotions these days, Sunny tried his hardest to suppress the misplaced anger and calm himself down. When he spoke, his voice sounded almost even:

    "Why didn't you tell me sooner? How far am I from this rift, then?"

    Mordret sighed.

    "How would I know? It's not like I know where you are, exactly. More than that, I had never managed to find the rift myself. The Sky Below is vast and deadly, after all��"

    '...So, he was exploring this abyss, too. Why? What's out there, beyond the fake stars?'

    Sunny tilted his head, the asked cautiously:

    "If you never found it, how do you know that it's there?"

    The void remained silent for some time. After a while, when Mordret spoke again, his voice sounded distant and weak:

    "The Tear�� it should be somewhere near the Tear. I think��"

    With that, Sunny felt that he was alone in the darkness again. This time, the mysterious prince was truly gone.

    He sat motionlessly for a while, staring into the endless nothingness of the Sky Below.

    "Near the Tear��"

    The String of Fate, too, had pointed toward the Tear. To somewhere very near its center. If the rift in the annihilating field of the divine flames had anything to do with the golden thread, then Sunny had a much better chance of finding the path through the merciless stars than Mordret had ever had.

    ��He had already half-found it, really.

    Looking down, Sunny sighed and closed his eyes again, returning to the endless routine of circulating the shadow essence through his body.

    ***

    Day passed after day.

    The closer Sunny drew to the obliterating stars, the calmer he became. Now that mortal danger was getting near, his mind had no time and reason to slowly destroy itself. The absolute nothingness of the void that had assaulted it, too, was much less empty now.

    Not only was it full of threat, but also of heat and light.

    And shadows��

    Sunny had dismissed the leather elements of the Puppeteer's Shroud and undid the bands of its upper garment. Stripped to the waist, he meditated in the darkness, the Soul Serpent coiling around his pale and lithe body.

    Because of the rough diet of only eating the poisonous meat of a dead devil, he had practically no fat left. His skin looked a bit feverish and was drawn tautly across his lean muscles, making for a sight that was both splendid and a little disturbing.

    His broken arm had almost healed, so he removed the splint and spent some time every day doing simple exercises to bring it back to its former strength. He had to be cautious not to overexert it too soon, though.

    The plan of how to survive the field of stars was slowly forming in his mind. It was bound to be a gamble one way or another, but Sunny was not going to give up without doing everything he could to survive.

    ��His confidence was somewhat reinforced by the fact that he had, most likely, discovered the rift that Mordred told him about.

    Following the direction of the golden String of Fate that had been practically burned into his mind, Sunny studied a particular cluster of the stars for an entire week before finally noticing something that looked like a tiny, almost imperceptibly minuscule gap in the vast tapestry of countless shimmering lights.

    Trusting his judgment, he summoned the Dark Wing and used it to push the treasure chest toward that particular cluster. Luckily, he was already not too far away from it�� most likely because he had been aiming to follow the golden string from the very beginning of his fall.

    As a few more days went by and the stars grew even larger, Sunny became more or less certain that the tiny gap was, indeed, there. It had grown slightly bigger, too.

    What he was uncertain about, however, was his ability to reach the rift without being incinerated by the annihilating heat of the divine flame.

    The field of false stars was vast, and the rift was tiny in comparison. At the speed that he was falling, missing it would be far too easy.

    But what choice did he have?

    'Do or die...'

    Well... when had it ever been any different?

 Chapter 440 Merciless Stars

    Chapter 440 Merciless Stars

    After more than three weeks of falling into the Sky Below �� at least Sunny thought that it had been that long �� he sighed and stood up, balancing on the dangerously swaying treasure chest.

    His hair was wet with sweat, and his skin glistened in the piercing white light of approaching stars. By now, they did not resemble white dots in the boundless darkness of the abyss. Instead, each was the size of a fist, surrounded by a furious, blinding halo.

    The heat permeating the void was suffocating.

    Sunny stared down, at the ocean of white flames beneath him. If this was what remained of the inferno of heavenly fire after thousands of years of burning in an empty void�� he shuddered to imagine what it must have looked like right after the hammer of divine punishment had fallen on the ancient land.

    His gaze was locked on a small empty space between several radiant stars.

    The rift.

    This was his goal.

    As Sunny stared darkly at the tiny patch of emptiness amid the vast field of flame, the void suddenly spoke:

    "Have you�� huh? Is that a�� uh�� what a large tattoo you have."

    Sunny glanced at the darkness, then shrugged.

    "What about it?"

    Mordret lingered for a few moments, as though not sure what to say, then asked with amusement:

    "Sunless�� are you sure that you are a research assistant?"

    Sunny grinned.

    "Of course I am! Do you know how many contribution points they give me every month? I scribbled a few words about this and that, and that bought me a house. An entire house! Maybe being a researcher is not as swell as being a prince, but it's still a sweet gig�� with all due respect, of course. Your Highness."

    The void laughed.

    "You are such an interesting person."

    Sunny stared into the void with an incredulous expression.

    "You are a bit of an enigma yourself, are you not?"

    Mordret remained silent for a bit, then asked:

    "Are you ready for what is about to come?"

    Instead of answering, Sunny pointed to the ocean of merciless stars.

    "Look there."

    When the lost prince spoke, his voice was strangely regretful:

    "I can't really see that well. What is it?"

    'Oh�� right.'

    Sunny hesitated for a few seconds, then said:

    "I think I found the rift you told me about."

    Mordret asked with surprise in his voice:

    "...Really? You found it?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "We'll see. You said that it should be somewhere under the Tear, right? Since I fell right into the Tear, there's a chance that I'm right."

    The void lingered, then said in a somber tone:

    "What if you're not?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "Then it has been nice knowing you. Anyway�� anything else you want to tell me before you go? I doubt that we'll have the opportunity to speak again before I reach the stars."

    Mordred thought for a few seconds, then said:

    "I might not be able to reach you at all after that. So�� good luck?"

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "Really?"

    The voice of the void answered after a long pause:

    "Yes. Why?"

    He shook his head.

    "Nothing, really. I just thought that you are stuck somewhere out there, beyond the stars."

    Mordret chuckled.

    "...No. I am stuck somewhere else."

    His voice grew strangely distant. Then, an almost inaudible whisper reached Sunny's ears:

    "I hope�� survive�� Sunless��"

    Then, the lost prince was gone, leaving Sunny alone in the darkness once again.

    He sighed.

    "Me too. I hope I'll survive, too."

    ***

    After Mordred disappeared, Sunny waited for a bit, and then broke the rule he had set for himself for a second time since starting this expedition �� he summoned another Memory that should have been tied only to Mongrel.

    The Mantle of the Underworld.

    The intricate onyx armor weaved itself from sparks of darkness and covered him from head to toe. Sunny was not accustomed to wearing its closed helmet, since he was usually using Weaver's Mask instead, but it was not uncomfortable. His field of vision, however, became slightly constricted.

    'Hopefully, no one will be able to see me this far into the abyss.'

    Out here in the Sky Below, he felt as though no one, not even those who were attuned to revelations, could peer into his secrets and glean anything about them.

    ��The only exception to the rule was the Prince of Nothing himself. But he was gone now.

    The Mantle possessed two enchantments that would most likely prove themselves to be extremely helpful soon. The [Stalwart] trait of the armor imbued it with high resistance against various types of elemental damage, including fire. Just seconds after donning it, Sunny felt the suffocating heat retreat, replaced by a pleasant coolness.

    How long would that coolness last, he did not know.

    The [Living Stone] enchantment, on the other hand, allowed the Mantle of the Underworld to repair itself while being worn. This trait would come into play later, helping Sunny protect himself even after the divine flame became intense enough to damage the onyx armor.

    After that, Sunny summoned the dark longbow and the quiver of black arrows. By now, his hand had recovered enough for him to be able to draw the mighty bow�� he just hoped that he would not need to.

    Finally, he summoned the Cruel Sight and attached it to his belt.

    ��All preparations were now done.

    Looking down through the narrow slit of the visor, Sunny sighed��

    Now, everything depended on his resilience, luck�� and how deep his reserves of shadow essence were.

    ***

    In the stark darkness of the empty void, deeper than even the memories of a blue sky could reach, a cracked treasure chest was plummeting toward an ocean of searing white flames.

    Its underside was bathed in the furious light, while its lid was drowning in the deepest of shadows. Wisps of smoke were slowly rising from its smoldering wood, and the strips of iron reinforcing it were slowly starting to glow as they turned orange.

    Sunny, who had become a shadow and was once again hiding on the lid of the dead devil, felt fine�� for now. Until the treasure chest was destroyed, he was protected from directly touching the light of the divine flame.

    But how long would the corpse of the mimic last?

    He was thinking about something else, though�� something far more dreadful.

    'The rift�� the damned rift! I am going to miss it!'

 Chapter 441 Ocean of Flame

    Chapter 441 Ocean of Flame

    Sunny almost managed to direct his endless fall toward the tiny gap between the remnant conflagrations of the divine flame, but on that incredible scale, even the smallest mistake was bound to take him many kilometers away from the goal.

    ��A mistake that he had inevitably made, since there were no lessons on navigating eternal voids, especially without any tools except for his own two eyes.

    'Damn it!'

    Right below him, swiftly approaching, was an ocean of obliterating light, heat, and fire.

    The conflagrations themselves were rather small, no larger than a dozen meters in diameter, and chaotically scattered in the void at a considerable distance from one another. Each looked like a furious, undulant orb of dancing white flames.

    The space between them, though, was not safe. It was permeated by immolating heat that nothing could withstand�� at least nothing Sunny had at his disposal.

    As the adamantine wood of the treasure chest started to slowly catch fire, he hesitated, then glanced at the empty darkness of the distant rift in the ocean of light. Whether by accident or by design, there was a point in the field of false stars where no conflagrations remained. A roughly circular breach was torn through them, promising him safe passage.

    But how was he supposed to reach it?

    If Sunny jumped off the plummeting chest right now, he would probably be able to glide all the way to the rift�� the distance was just right. However, he was pretty sure that the Dark Wing would be instantly turned to ash by the terrible heat of the remnant vestiges of the divine flame.

    Not to mention that he himself would probably get thoroughly cooked inside the Mantle of the Underworld if he remained corporeal for that long.

    With a mental sigh, Sunny left the comforting embrace of the shadows.

    A kneeling figure in an intricate onyx armor appeared on the lid of the smoldering treasure chest.

    'Argh��'

    Despite the protection of the [Stalwart] enchantment, the air he breathed in was thin and scoldingly hot. It almost felt as if he was inhaling fire. Other than that, however, the Mantle of the Underworld did a good job of keeping the heat at bay... and yet, Sunny could feel it starting to slowly get warmer. He didn't have a lot of time.

    Standing up, he raised the dark longbow, nocked an arrow on its string, and gritted his teeth. Then, sending a thin trickle of essence into the muscles of his shoulder and back, he strained his body and drew the mighty bow.

    ��It felt as though he was lifting a mountain.

    '...How the hell does Saint make it look easy?'

    Feeling his muscles tremble, Sunny aimed toward the rift and hesitated for a second. After he did this, there would be no going back.

    'What is there to go back to, fool? Aren't you sick of that damned chest?!'

    Relaxing his hand, he let go of the string.

    The black arrow shot into the darkness with incredible speed, instantly becoming illuminated by a blinding radiance. It was strange�� the void was full of light now, but with nothing to reflect it, the Sky Below still appeared black and empty. Only when something entered the emptiness did the light become visible.

    Sunny felt the chest sway, and struggled to keep his balance.

    A couple of moments later, the fletching of the arrow suddenly caught fire and burned away. However, that didn't affect its flight too much. The arrow pierced the darkness and turned into a distant spark, covering almost an entire kilometer in just a few seconds. Then, however, it slowed down considerably, and its wooden shaft began to smolder.

    It was time to move.

    As Sunny felt flame licking his greaves, he held his breath�� and used Shadow Step.

    The arrow he had sent flying in the direction of the rift was wrapped into one of his shadows. As the shadow unfurled itself from the igniting shaft, Sunny shot out of it as if launched from a giant slingshot. As soon as he left the shadow, it instantly wrapped itself around his body, and then slid toward the quiver.

    'Crap!'

    Sunny found himself flying through the darkness with nothing to support or shield him from being directly exposed to the immolating radiance. The Mantle of the Underworld suddenly shone in the torrent of light, instantly growing considerably warmer. It wasn't burning his skin yet, but he suspected that there was not much time left before that happened.

    Especially because his momentum was not only horizontal, but also vertical, and was becoming more so with each moment. He was still plummeting toward the ocean of flames, approaching it with terrifying speed.

    The closer he got, the more obliterating the heat would become.

    Twisting as he fell to orient himself in the void, Sunny nocked another arrow and drew the bow again. This time, it was considerably harder, since he had nothing to stand on and had to rely solely on the strength of his arms and shoulders.

    Just in the few seconds it had taken him to draw the bow, the heat became much more destructive.

    Another arrow flew into the darkness, and several seconds later, he used Shadow Step again, appearing almost two kilometers closer to the rift.

    ��It was still decently far away, though.

    'Curses!'

    Sunny flew through the obliterating darkness and struggled to nock another arrow. The glossy black surface of the Mantle of the Underworld was starting to glow, slowly turning incandescent. He was still fine inside, though. For now. If a little hot��

    Another arrow disappeared into the darkness, and Sunny jumped through the shadows again.

    This time, the jump devoured pretty much all of his remaining shadow essence. Whatever little there was left would not have been enough to repeat the process the fourth time.

    However, maybe�� just maybe�� he wasn't going to have to.

    After using Shadow Step three times in a row, and turning some of his vertical momentum into horizontal one with each jump, Sunny was now plummeting diagonally through the void, seemingly toward the very edge of the rift.

    'I am going to make it�� am I going to make it?'

    Even if he would, it was going to be very, very close.

    The string of the bow suddenly caught fire and broke with a loud ring. Dismissing the bow and the quiver, Sunny sent both of his shadows to reinforce the Mantle of the Underworld and threw his hands and legs to the sides. He was trying to create as much surface area as possible to utilize the resistance of the air in his favor.

    He was well-versed in all kinds of falling and gliding thanks to using the Dark Wing so often, so this was not something new to him. Granted, he had never done it in a heavy armor.

    Speaking of which��

    Sunny hesitated, then directed some of his remaining essence into the Mantle of the Underworld to activate the [Feather of Truth] enchantment and make the armor as light as possible.

    Then, all he could do was endure the growing heat and wait and watch as both the obliterating ocean of flames and the circle of saving darkness approached him at tremendous speed.

    His life now depended solely on which of the two was going to swallow him first.

 Chapter 442 Burning Heaven

    Chapter 442 Burning Heaven

    Surrounded by a radiant halo, Sunny plummeted into the darkness. His breath was ragged and hoarse, and his eyes were blinded by the piercing shine of the immolating ocean of white flames beneath him.

    Fearing that his eyes would be permanently blinded by it, he closed them, which helped a little.

    'Hot�� it's so hot��'

    He was drawing closer and closer to the remains of the divine inferno, and as he did, the stonelike metal of the Mantle of the Underworld was growing hotter and hotter. Soon, its outer layer turned bright red. Then, it started to melt.

    'Damn!'

    Sunny directed more of his remaining essence through the coils of the Soul Serpent, activating the [Living Stone] enchantment of the Underworld armor.

    As the onyx melted and cracked, causing him excruciating pain, the Mantle began to repair itself. Before anything could fully breach the surface of the incandescent onyx, the damage was undone.

    ��For now, the enchanted armor could heal itself faster than it was being destroyed. In large part due to being augmented by both of his shadows, perhaps.

    Sunny encountered another problem, though.

    It was getting harder and harder to breathe�� not even because the air was scalding and hot, but because there was not enough of it.

    Fire fed on oxygen, after all.

    Luckily, Sunny was no stranger to being deprived of it. What's more, thanks to the Blood Weave, he could get by without breathing for much longer than most Awakened�� and he suspected that he would have to do just that very soon.

    Hopefully, he would be able to reach the rift shortly after that.

    And speaking of the rift��

    He carefully opened his eyes a little and glanced into the blinding inferno beneath, trying to judge whether or not he was going to make it. For now, it seemed that he would easily pass the field of fire and enter the dark emptiness�� but that was just an illusion.

    Sunny had to factor in that his forward momentum was constantly growing weaker, which meant that his trajectory would become more and more vertical the longer he fell through the searing abyss.

    It was too hard to tell whether or not he was going to make it.

    Gritting his teeth, he shifted his weight and lowered one hand, grabbing the hilt of the Cruel Sight. Then, he raised the silver blade to his chest, threw a cursory glance at his warped reflection, and activated the [Light Eater] enchantment of the somber sword.

    Instantly, the mirror blade began to absorb the merciless light of the false stars, growing white-hot and incandescent. Sunny, however, found himself able to see once again. He even felt a little cooler, although it might have been just wishful thinking.

    Surrounded by a strange bubble of darkness left behind by the devoured light, Sunny plummeted toward the obliterating stars.

    'Almost! I'm almost there!'

    By then, the conflagrations of the divine flame were so close that it seemed as though he could reach out and touch them. No matter how hard Sunny tried, he couldn't draw in even a little bit of air into his lungs. The rift was so close��

    But in the end, it turned out to be just a little bit too far.

    Sunny reached the very edge of the field of flames. He only had to fly past one last cluster of conflagrations. However, his fall took him straight into the embrace of fire instead.

    Sunny would have screamed if there was any air in his lungs. Moving at a terrible speed, he pierced right through one of the seething orbs and emerged from the other side of it, wreathed in white flame. A terrible pain enveloped his whole being.

    But it wasn't physical pain�� it was the similar kind of pain he had experienced while using the Broken Oath, only magnified a hundredfold.

    '...shadows... my shadows!'

    His shadows were wrapped around the Mantle of the Underworld, and so, they had been badly damaged by the divine fire. The armor itself had caught aflame and was now quickly disintegrating. The fire was spreading, too, threatening to envelop him whole.

    Half-blind from pain, Sunny did the only thing that could save him now �� he dismissed the onyx armor. The Mantle of the Underworld fell into countless sparks of darkness, which then disappeared, causing the fire to be extinguished.

    Naked and hurting, Sunny fell into the darkness and saw the Cruel Sight crack, the silver of its blade becoming dull and tarnished. Following an instinct, he activated the [Dark Mirror] enchantment, and then dismissed that Memory, too.

    Finally, he wrapped the wounded shadows around himself and circulated what little shadow essence he had left through his entire body, spending all of it to make himself more resilient��

    And then, he felt cool wind touch his blistering skin.

    Sunny fought through the terrible pain and opened his eyes.

    Behind him, there was a wall of ruthless radiance.

    But in front of him, there was nothing but darkness.

    ��He had reached the rift.

    ***

    'Hurts�� everything hurts. Crap�� this is so unfair!'

    Sunny flew deeper into the rift, creating more distance between himself and the conflagrations of the divine flame. Of course, they were too close for him to feel comfortable. But at least he could breathe again, and wasn't being cooked alive.

    Well�� at least not very fast.

    Before being badly hurt by the divine flame, Sunny had hoped that somehow, miraculously, he would turn out to be immune to it. He was technically a shadow of a Sun God's descendant, after all. Why wouldn't he be immune to the manifestation of his master's domain?

    Well�� his master's indirect ancestor's domain, to be precise.

    Plus, he was not just any shadow, but a divine one left behind by Shadow God himself. Light and shadows were two sides of the same coin, weren't they?

    As it turned out, the divine flame didn't care.

    'Argh!'

    Currently, Sunny was falling through the rift. He had reached its center and dove straight down, hoping to stay as far away from the surrounding stars as possible. It was as though there was a tunnel of empty darkness torn through the very heart of the field of flames, and he was following it down.

    Down, down, down��

    It was hard to even conceive of a world where he wasn't constantly falling down.

    Now that he had no Mantle of the Underworld to protect him from the blaze, Sunny was suffering a lot. Rift or not, the air was still permeated by the unbearable heat. His skin was red, with patches of it blistering. Some of it was badly burned by his unfortunate clash with the divine flame and because he had not dismissed the burning Mantle of the Underworld fast enough.

    It was not life-threatening, though.

    ��Yet.

    'Come on! End, goddammit!'

    But the field of flames showed no signs of ever ending.

    Until it did.

    After a while, when Sunny was on the verge of losing conscience from the constant heat, he noticed that the scattering of the immolating stars around him became a bit thinner.

    And then, even more so.

    And then, suddenly and without any warning, he fell out of the field of divine flame and found himself surrounded by nothing but blessed nothing once again.

    ��The radiant inferno was now above him, growing further away with each second. It looked as if��

    As if heaven was on fire.

    And beneath him��

    Sunny looked down and shivered.

    'What... how?'

    His eyes widened in shock.

 Chapter 443 Secrets of the Void

    Chapter 443 Secrets of the Void

    Out there in the empty darkness of the void�� something even darker loomed, hidden from the radiant light of the ocean of flame above.

    Sunny peered at the distant black silhouette and shivered.

    '...What the hell? What is it doing here?'

    Far below him, a small island cut from dark stone floated in the endless emptiness, surrounded by drifting slabs of shattered obsidian. A tall and magnificent pagoda stood in its center, built of a flawlessly black material that was neither wood nor stone. Its lusterless walls seemed to devour any light that touched them��

    It was the perfect replica of the Ivory Tower... but at the same time its opposite. The two pagodas were so alike that for a moment, Sunny even thought that he had somehow found himself high up in the Sky Above.

    But no.

    The island that the Obsidian Tower stood upon was different. It was larger than the one every Awakened on the Chained Isles was used to observing in the skies, and had no broken chains hanging from its stone slopes. On its desolate surface, remains of mysterious structures could be seen, turned to ruin by the passage of time. Several obsidian pillars protruded horizontally from its edges, stretching into the empty void like strange wharves.

    From high above, Sunny couldn't see much of the island in detail. But he was approaching it fast��

    '...Crap!'

    Too fast!

    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then suppressed the desire to immediately summon the Dark Wing. The divine flames were still too close, and their heat could damage the fragile Memory. He had to wait for a bit�� there was still time.

    Even if it was going to run out pretty soon.

    Sunny continued to fall, waiting. With every minute, the heat of the immolating stars dissipated a little. And with each minute, the dark island grew closer and closer.

    Finally, knowing that there was no more time to waste, Sunny summoned the Dark Wing and commanded it to turn his fall into a glide. The dragonfly cloak turned into a blur behind his back�� but it also began to produce thin wisps of smoke, threatening to catch aflame at any moment.

    'Curses!'

    Supported by the enchantment of the Dark Wing, Sunny's descent started to slow down little by little. His speed, however, was too great to be nullified in a single instant. It was dropping swiftly�� but was it swift enough to prevent him from splattering all over the surface of the mysterious island?

    And was the transparent cloak even going to endure for long enough?

    Sunny cursed and trembled as he watched the Obsidian Tower approach.

    'Here goes nothing! Damn!'

    In the end, he still landed with enough speed to shatter all bones in his legs from the impact against the ground. At the last moment, however, Sunny turned into a shadow and dove into the deep darkness enveloping the island instead. Safely embraced by the shadows, he submerged himself into them, and finally allowed his mind to relax.

    'Safe�� I'm safe��'

    ��He was finally safe.

    For a few seconds, at least.

    ***

    Sunny was in a world of pain.

    His shadow essence was running out, too.

    Also, he had no idea what terrifying danger was waiting for him on the mysterious island that remained hidden in the deepest reaches of the Sky Below for thousands of years, nor what deadly secrets waited for him inside the Obsidian Tower.

    ��But for now, he did not care. All he cared about was that he was not falling anymore.

    'Bliss�� this is pure bliss!'

    Floating in the dark embrace of shadows, Sunny couldn't get enough of the fact that, for the first time in almost a month, he was�� stationary. He finally had solid ground under his feet again! Metaphorically speaking, of course.

    In any case, it was such a beautiful feeling.

    Sunny allowed himself to relax and rested for a bit, safely hidden in the deep dark shadows.

    After a while, he sighed and forced himself to turn his attention to the outside world. Moving closer to the surface of the deep darkness that embraced him, Sunny cautiously took a look outside.

    '...Huh?'

    Strangely, what met him was complete and utter silence.

    There were no Nightmare Creatures on the island, no abyssal horrors, no terrifying beings to devour him whole. Not even a single unholy titan slumbered nearby, ready to wake up at the slightest disturbance.

    The island seemed�� empty.

    Which was very fortunate, considering that Sunny was running very low on shadow essence and was going to have to assume his physical form soon.

    He hesitated for a few moments, then took stock of his equipment and himself.

    His soul was seriously wounded, but not beyond its ability to heal itself�� in time.

    His body was not exactly whole, but in somewhat of a splendid shape, considering all that had happened. He even had all his limbs intact.

    Both the Mantle of the Underworld and the Cruel Sight, as well as the Dark Wing and Saint's bow were heavily damaged. Luckily, none of these Memories were completely destroyed. It was going to take a long time before he could use them again, though. Days�� maybe even weeks.

    On the bright side, Saint herself had recovered from the wounds received on the Shipwreck Island ages ago. Sunny actually could have summoned her at any point during his journey through the Sky Below, but there was no real reason to. Plus, the treasure chest would not have accommodated both of them, especially considering how much the living statue weighed.

    The [Dark Mirror] enchantment of the Cruel Sight now also had two elemental augmentations for Sunny to choose from. Its runes showed:

    Current Charge: Divine Flame.

    Latent Charges: Soul.

    'Divine flame, huh��'

    Well, if there was one benefit from being burned by the damn thing, it was that now he would be able to cause similar pain to others. So, it was totally worth it in the end... no doubt about it...

    'I guess we will have to see.'

    And lastly�� Sunny was now completely sure that the thing on the other end of the golden String of Fate was the Obsidian Tower. His intuition was calm and silent. That told him that he had arrived at his destination.

    Somewhere inside, a thing that was deeply connected to his fate waited.

    Glancing at the magnificent silhouette of the black pagoda, Sunny sighed�� and left the safety of the shadows, emerging from them to step onto the surface of the island that no other human had visited in thousands of years.

    If ever��

 Chapter 444 Obsidian Tower

    Chapter 444 Obsidian Tower

    Sunny stood naked on the rocky surface of the dark island. He grimaced and looked at his body, which was a map of burns �� some more severe than others �� then summoned the Puppeteer's Shroud.

    Not wishing for the soft fabric to touch the worst of his wounds, he left it the way it had been during the latter stages of his journey through the Sky Below, with the leather elements gone and the upper garment undone and tied around his waist.

    This time, his body was wrapped in shadows and appeared black, as if cut from the same obsidian that the dark island consisted of. The coils of the Soul Serpent seemed to shimmer as the essence flowed through them.

    A moment later, Saint stepped from behind him and moved forward, summoning the Midnight Shard as she walked. Knowing how badly his soul was damaged, Sunny decided to keep the Broken Oath locked away for a while, so the Shadow was not surrounded by the destructive aura anymore.

    He was also not in any shape to fight himself, at least not very effectively, and that was why the austere tachi was currently in the hands of the taciturn demon. If push came to shove, Sunny would either use the Moonlight Shard or command the Soul Serpent to assume the odachi form.

    With a heavy sigh, he summoned the Endless Spring and greedily drank the cold water from it, then leaned forward and poured some on his head. After that, he finally felt like a human once again.

    ��All in all, things weren't that bad. He was alive and in one piece, suffering from neither thirst nor hunger.

    Here on the dark island, the air was pleasantly warm. Bright stars burned in the empty void high above, making for a beautiful view. Right in front of them, the graceful silhouette of the Obsidian Tower rose from the ground like a black rift in reality.

    It turned out to be much larger than Sunny had thought, but nowhere near the scale of the Crimson Spire. That cursed thing seemed to be too gargantuan to even exist, while the ancient pagoda was more or less fit to have been built for humans. Well�� maybe for extremely tall humans. Or... tiny giants?

    As Sunny studied the Obsidian Tower, Saint tilted her head and stared at the black pagoda, too, her ruby eyes reflecting some strange emotion. Was it�� recognition?

    Why would his Shadow recognize a tower hidden in the depths of the abyss below the Chained Islands?

    'Strange��'

    Sunny frowned, then dismissed the Endless Spring. He remained motionless for a few moments, then slowly headed toward the tall pagoda. Saint followed.

    As they walked across the island, Sunny had time to look at the various ruins left on its surface.

    It was hard to determine what they had been once, but Sunny got the feeling that he wasn't looking at the remains of buildings. More like�� structures? Devices? Their purpose was now impossible to determine, but whatever it had been, he doubted that anyone could have ever lived inside.

    The closest he could get to putting his feeling in words was that these ruins reminded him most of the bowels of the underground factory his mom had worked in when he was little. Even though the factory was much larger and built of alloy instead of cut blocks of obsidian, not to mention being much more advanced, the sensation was the same.

    '...Just what was the purpose of this island? Who lived here? Who built that strange tower?'

    The closer Sunny got to the Obsidian Tower, the more he was impressed by its graceful beauty. Even though the pagoda was hidden in the depths of the Sky Below, where very few creatures would have ever seen it, the unknown builder spent time to ensure that it replicated the magnificence of its Ivory counterpart perfectly.

    It would have been breathtaking if it wasn't so�� menacing.

    Surrounded by nothing but emptiness and silence, the Obsidian Tower appeared ominous just by virtue of existing.

    'I am not�� not scared at all.'

    He did, however, was thinking about one thing in particular��

    Which tower was really the replica, and which one was the original?

    The beautiful white pagoda that flowed high above the Chained Isles, or the menacing black one that hid in the darkness below?

    Maybe he was going to find out��

    Soon, Sunny and Saint approached the tall gates of the Obsidian Tower. Nothing attacked them, and no frightening sound came from inside, announcing that something that dwelled beyond the black gates was awakening in hunger. The pagoda was silent, just like the rest of the dark island.

    The strange thing, though, was that Sunny could not feel any shadows on the other side of the massive door. Not because there weren't any, but because the walls of the tower seemed to shield the interior from his Shadow Sense.

    A cold shiver ran down his spine.

    'I have never encountered anything like this before. Have I?'

    He hesitated, then approached the black door, summoned the Moonlight Shard, and scratched its surface. A layer of black dust fell down, revealing a much harder, and even blacker surface beneath.

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    '...Soot?'

    The entire pagoda was covered in a thick layer of soot. He stood motionlessly for a bit, trying to understand what meaning was there in this fact, then simply shrugged and studied the ancient gate.

    The problem he was facing�� was that the gate didn't have a handle to open. Neither did it have a keyhole, a bell to ring, or a knocker to announce his arrival.

    'How the hell am I supposed to open it?'

    Without Shadow Sense, he couldn't use Shadow Step to simply appear inside. So, for the moment, Sunny was stuck.

    'It would be very, very funny to travel all this way only to find out that I can't open a damn door. Right?'

    Slightly embarrassed, he looked at Saint and asked:

    "Any ideas?"

    He didn't really expect an answer from the taciturn demon, but to his surprise, the Shadow stared at him for a few moments, and then lowered her sword.

    Then, she raised one hand and pointed to her eye.

    Sunny observed all of that in complete bewilderment, then blinked a couple of times.

    'Eye? What does she mean?'

    Then, an idea came into his mind.

    Turning back to the door, he put one hand on it, and then shifted his gaze in a similar manner he did when looking beneath the surface of Memories to look at their spellweave.

    And there, beneath the obsidian surface of the tower's gate, he saw it.

    A weave.

    It wasn't the weave of ethereal threads he was used to seeing, though. Instead, it was a much cruder and more primitive version of it, created from very physical diamond strings that stretched beneath the stone surface, creating a beautiful, but simple pattern.

    Sunny had only seen this type of weave one time before.

    Inside Saint herself.

    Back when she was just an Echo, he had noticed it hidden behind the radiant pattern of the spellweave. He had thought that it was what made the stone warriors alive, in the first place.

    That it was created by the last child of the Unknown in the cavernous halls of his dark domain��

    And that it might have been the precursor of the Spell itself, or maybe an imitation of it.

    Was this tower built by the Lord of the Underworld too, then?

    ��Sunny hesitated for a moment, then moved his hand to a particularly bright nod of the diamond weave and sent a small amount of shadow essence into it.

    For a moment, nothing happened.

    And then, the gates of the Obsidian Tower opened.

 Chapter 445 Respite

    Chapter 445 Respite

    Visible only to Sunny, the diamond weave beneath the surface of the gate ignited with ghostly light. Almost immediately, a thin vertical crack appeared in the ancient stone.

    Then, the gates silently opened, and a gust of wind hit Sunny in the back.

    He took a few steps away, hiding behind Saint, and cautiously looked over her shoulder at the dark entrance.

    Nothing was moving in the darkness. From what he could see, the interior of the Obsidian Tower seemed quite mundane. As soon as the gate opened, his Shadows Sense could finally penetrate the invisible barrier surrounding the graceful pagoda �� it didn't detect any danger, as well.

    It really did seem safe.

    He waited for a few moments, then coughed and waved a hand in front of his face, trying to get the soot that had flown into the air away from it.

    "Ah, well. Nothing to worry about, then. Let's go!"

    Sunny glanced at Saint, lingered for a second, and added in a polite tone:

    "...Oh, ladies first."

    The taciturn demon turned her head slightly, stared at him with one ruby eye, then simply walked forward and stepped over the threshold of the ancient tower. Sunny waited for a few moments, and followed.

    Tightly gripping the handle of the Moonlight Shard, he dove into the darkness that reigned behind the tall frame of the entrance, made a dozen steps forward, and found himself in a wide corridor that seemed to encircle the entire first level of the pagoda.

    The corridor stretched both far to the left and to the right. Here and there, Sunny could see large doors leading to differently sized rooms that were situated in the direction of the tower's outer wall, all the way to the bends of the corridor. And right in front of him was an intricate wooden gate decorated with beautiful engravings.

    Behind it was the central hall of the tower.

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then pushed the wooden gate, which opened easily and revealed a vast chamber on the other side.

    'That smell��'

    His eyes widened.

    Behind the gate was a large hall with a very tall ceiling. As soon as the gate opened, glass lanterns ignited on its walls, filling the interior of the Obsidian Tower with ghostly blue light. There were various things in the hall, all of which demanded Sunny's attention.

    There was a stand holding smith's tools and implements, all masterfully crafted from black obsidian and silver. A badly burned worktable with a scattering of beautiful soul crystals on its black surface. A stone wall with mysterious schematics cut into it, the cuts themselves so smooth and deep that he couldn't even begin to imagine what had left them behind, let alone what the schematics described.

    There were strange devices forged from silver and black steel, some of which reminded him of astronomical instruments, but also very mundane things, like chairs, tables, and even something that resembled a very long bed.

    All of it was perfectly preserved and immaculate, with not a speck of dust anywhere, cleaner than even his own house in the real world was�� despite the thousands of years that must have passed since the Obsidian Tower was visited last.

    It also all felt slightly�� wrong. The sizes of everything were almost fit to be used by a human, but slightly different. The shapes of the handles of all the tools were slightly strange. The way the pieces of furniture and equipment were arranged in space filled him with a slight feeling of unease, even though he didn't know why.

    ��But Sunny did dwell on this for too long. Neither did his gaze linger on any of these items. His attention was pulled toward one specific place.

    Not too far from him stood a simple wooden table. And on it�� was all kinds of delicious food.

    Juicy meat, freshly baked bread, succulent grapes, glass jars of exquisite wine, beautiful pots full of steaming tea, all of it waited for him, as if served only a few seconds ago.

    Sunny's mouth watered.

    'How is this possible? This has to be an illusion�� right?'

    Covered in layers of soot, sweat, and blood, he walked toward the table. His boots left black marks on the pristine floor of the hall. Arriving at his destination, Sunny reached out and grabbed a piece of bread with his dirty hand and greedily devoured it, then took one of the intricate silver goblets and filled it with wine.

    The rest of the goblets clattered to the floor, thrown off the table by his careless movement.

    Not paying it any attention, Sunny gulped down the sweet wine and laughed, sending breadcrumbs flying into the air.

    "Ah�� this is not bad, really��"

    He would have preferred something without alcohol, but then again, this wine tasted so good...

    There was a wide grin on Sunny's face, but also dirty traces left by tears. His shoulders trembled.

    "This really hits the spot��"

    He was aware of the fact that the food could have been full of poison, but didn't care too much. He was just too hungry, tired, and spent. His body and his soul both hurt too much. He was at his wits' end.

    Refilling his goblet and grabbing a piece of perfectly roasted meat, he wandered away from the table and took another look at the large hall.

    "There's no one here, right, Saint?"

    The Shadow silently walked behind him, vigilantly looking around and keeping the Midnight Shard ready.

    But there was nothing to use it against.

    Sunny wandered for a minute or so, and eventually stopped near a large bed covered with black, lavish furs. Dropping the empty goblet on the floor, he hesitated a little�� and then climbed into the furs.

    '...Who's been sleeping in my bed?'

    Sunny dismissed the Puppeteer's Shroud and lowered his heavy head onto a soft pillow.

    He wanted to give Saint the command to stand guard, but there was no need. The taciturn demon was already doing exactly that��

    Before Sunny could think about something else, the exhaustion of the past few weeks took over his mind, and, offering almost no resistance, it slipped easily into the embrace of darkness.

    The first thing Sunny ended up doing after discovering the Obsidian Tower and finding his way inside�� was falling on a bed and going to sleep.

    He slept well.

 Chapter 446 Relentless Destroyer

    Chapter 446 Relentless Destroyer

    Sunny slept for a long time, the exhaustion slowly leaving his battered body. After a while, though, his consciousness rose from the deepest layers of slumber, summoned back by pain and thirst. With a sigh, he turned to his other side and tried to go back to sleep. After a few more hours of tossing and turning, though, Sunny was finally awoken by the loud sound of something crashing to the floor.

    '...What is Saint doing?'

    He reluctantly opened his eyes and sat up.

    As Sunny's weight shifted, the bed beneath him suddenly broke with a loud crack. He rolled onto the floor with a startled yelp.

    "Huh?!"

    Standing up, Sunny looked at the broken bed, then at the hall of the Obsidian Tower, which was now submerged in darkness. A bewildered expression appeared on his face.

    The room he had entered before had gone through a dramatic transformation while he was asleep. The magical lanterns were now extinguished, and everything inside seemed dilapidated and decrepit, almost on the verge of crumbling to pieces.

    The magnificent tools and implements had rusted through and deformed, the worktable had collapsed under its own weight �� that was the sound which had awoken Sunny �� the food he had enjoyed yesterday had turned to dust. The pristine condition of the hall was gone, and now it was full of darkness, debris, and dirt.

    It was as though eons had passed since he fell asleep.

    A cold feeling appeared in his chest.

    '...Have I slept for a thousand years?!'

    Remembering fairy tales where similar things often happened, Sunny felt a hint of horror, but then thought about it for a few moments and calmed down.

    No, he had not�� judging by how much shadow essence had accumulated in his cores, he slept for about twenty-four hours straight, which was a lot, but nowhere near a thousand years. Saint, who was keeping watch nearby, also didn't look as if she had been guarding him for a few centuries.

    Instead, it was the pagoda itself that had aged. As if an invisible seal that had kept it untouched by the passage of time for all those thousands of years was now broken, and time was finally catching up with it.

    Time was the most relentless destroyer, after all.

    Sunny sighed with relief, then grimaced.

    'Curses! I should have eaten more yesterday�� much, much more!'

    All that delicious food, wasted!

    Shaking his head dejectedly, Sunny looked around, then accessed his own state.

    His wounds were already much better than they had been the day before. The burns were still rather painful, but within his capacity to endure without being slowed down in battle�� too much. A couple more days of rest, and he would be close to being fully functional again.

    He was really hungry, though.

    But that was going to have to wait.

    Summoning the Moonlight Shard, Sunny gave Saint a command to follow, and went to explore the Obsidian Tower.

    ***

    It took Sunny about an hour to fully explore the first level of the ancient pagoda. Some of the doors in the outer corridor had collapsed and turned to dust, some remained standing and required him to use a tiny bit of shadow essence to unlock them.

    Behind the doors were all kinds of rooms. Most of them were empty, suggesting that the master of the tower had moved away a long time ago, taking all the valuable things with him, while some contained weathered debris and dust. Sunny spent a lot of time trying to understand what all these things had once been, by the damage done by the accelerated time was too extensive to even guess.

    '...Such a shame.'

    Feeling strangely disappointed, Sunny decided that it was time to move on to other levels of the tower. He still had to find the thing that had pulled him toward this place, as well as �� hopefully �� some means of returning either to the Chained Isles or to the real world.

    The idea of being stuck on this island forever did not seem very appealing.

    Especially now that there was no food anywhere around...

    Not finding anything interesting on the first level, Sunny decided to explore further.

    From the outside, it had seemed as though the Obsidian Tower had six levels, which really surprised Sunny. He had expected there to be seven. However, after finding two stairwells �� one stair leading up, the other down �� he realized that there was an underground level, too, which explained this small discrepancy.

    Everything having to do with the Spell and the Dream Realm had a tendency to be tied to the number seven�� except the gods, of whom there had been only six.

    'I guess that's why they are called gods�� no law can bind them. Not even such a weird and random law as all things coming in sevens.'

    Sunny looked up, then looked down, and decided to explore the underground level first.

    Letting Saint go ahead, he entered the spiraling staircase and descended into the depths of the dark island.

    Unlike the ground level, the basement of the Obsidian Tower turned out to be one giant hall.

    And in it��

    Sunny recoiled.

    For a second, it seemed as though hundreds of dismembered corpses were piled at the center of the hall, forming a morbid hill. But as Sunny took a step back and instinctively raised the Moonlight Shard, he realized that he made a mistake.

    The bodies piled in the center of the chamber were not that of people. Instead, they were�� dolls.

    Hundreds of broken porcelain dolls, each the size of a human, were discarded in the underground hall. Their fragile bodies were shattered and broken, laying there like abandoned toys. Some were missing limbs, some were left with gaping holes in their torsos. Some had long ago turned into piles of small fragments, with not even their faces remaining.

    But those faces that did remain��

    Sunny tilted his head, then glanced at Saint.

    Every broken doll had the same face, or rather, all of their faces looked alike�� as if they were all imperfect copies of the same original.

    They had the same flawless, inhumanly beautiful features that Saint had, only the craftsmanship behind the faces of the broken dolls seemed much less refined, as though the sculptor had not yet perfected his skill when creating them.

    There all looked like Saint's lesser siblings.

    ...If Sunny ever had doubts that the Obsidian Tower had once belonged to a certain Underworld Demon, now there were none. The last child of the Unknown had clearly spent some time here. Was probably the one who had created the black pagoda, in the first place, for some mysterious purpose Sunny couldn't even begin to guess.

    Then, however, his attention was drawn to something else.

    The floor of the vast hall was covered by a thick layer of dust, which should not have been disturbed in a few thousand years.

    ��But it had been.

    A set of fleet footprints led all the way from the bottom of the stairs, where Sunny was standing, to the pile of broken dolls, circled it, and then mysteriously disappeared.

    Sunny stared at it for a few moments, surprised.

    'Someone�� someone had entered the Obsidian tower before me."

 Chapter 447 Primal Fear

    Chapter 447 Primal Fear

    Sunny stared at the footprints for some more, then frowned.

    'How does this make any sense?'

    The Obsidian Tower had been sealed before he opened its gates. After he did so, the magic that had preserved everything inside was dispelled, which meant that those doors had not been opened in thousands of years.

    It wasn't that easy to gain entry into the pagoda, to begin with. Not even mentioning the fact that one had to travel through the Sky Below and find the only rift in the boundless ocean of divine flames, there was also the fact that the gate had to be open by pouring essence into the weave of diamond strings beneath its surface.

    Sunny could only see the weave and understand its meaning a little because his eyes had been transformed by the drop of Weaver's blood. He assumed that there were other Awakened with similar abilities, but there had to be very, very few of them�� and what were the chances that one would find their way to the dark island beyond the immolating sea of stars, which was hidden in the depths of this endless void?

    And how would they enter the pagoda without causing its seal to break?

    'Just who was it that snuck into the Obsidian Tower unseen? And when?'

    It had to have happened long before today. Sunny knew for a fact that Saint would not have let anyone come and go without waking him up. Neither would his shadows: even when he slept, they were aware and vigilant.

    So�� it could have happened at any point in the thousands of years since the tower had been abandoned by its rightful owner.

    For now, he had no answer.

    Feeling a little apprehensive, Sunny approached the pile of broken dolls and studied them for some time. Saint came closer, too, and stared at them silently. Then, she poked one with the tip of the Midnight Shard and turned away indifferently, as if loosing all interest in the porcelain mannequins.

    '...I guess she doesn't care too much about lesser versions of her.'

    Saint repeatedly shown her disdain toward things that seemed to be replicas of her kind. It had been the same with the Black Knight, and even with the walking colossus of the Forgotten Shore. Sunny clearly remembered how unimpressed his Shadow had been with the awesome stone giant.

    Turning away from the broken dolls, Sunny looked around and noticed that the walls of the chamber were lined with massive glass vessels. Some were whole and some were broken, but all were empty. The glass was black and opaque, covered with a thick layer of soot�� from the inside.

    '...Weird.'

    Not finding anything else of interest on the underground level, he returned to where he had started and rested for a while, drinking water from the Endless Spring and trying to suppress his hunger.

    'This place is so�� eerie.'

    It was, indeed. The black tower stood at the edge of an endless void of darkness, empty and abandoned, with everything inside of it made out of nothing by an inhuman mind. It was not a very welcoming place... at least not for humans. Sunny stared at the ancient walls that surrounded him, and wondered about the secrets of the past.

    After a while, he stood up and cautiously headed for the second level of the great pagoda.

    ��As soon as Sunny set foot on it, though, he instantly felt that something was very, very wrong there.

    The feeling of deep, subtle, primordial terror he suddenly experienced was unlike anything he had known before�� with the exception, perhaps, of those few moments back on the Forgotten Shore when the walking colossus had lifted the giant three-eyed skull from the depths of the dark sea.

    But here, this feeling was even more dire, even more invasive.

    'What�� what is this��'

    Just like the underground level, this one consisted of only one great hall. The black walls rose high into the darkness, creating a magnificent and solemn atmosphere. At the center of it, cut into the obsidian floor, was a massive silver brazier. And in it��

    Sunny shuddered and took a step back.

    Something was�� growing from the brazier, spreading outward like a vile kind of rot. It had infected the very stone of the ancient tower, turning it into a semblance of repulsive, black, pulsating flesh. The silver brazier was infected by the terrifying growth, too, its metal somehow becoming a part of it. It seemed as if everything would become absorbed and transformed by the spreading corruption as long as it was touched by the harrowing growth�� entire worlds would be devoured by it, perhaps, if given chance.

    The thing slowly spreading from the ancient brazier felt like�� pure evil.

    Sunny shivered, gave Saint a signal to stay back, and shifted his gaze slightly. He was looking past spreading black flesh, at the source of this harrowing infection.

    At the very center of the brazier, blackened by the flames that must have raged in it once, lay a severed human arm. Well�� it resembled that of a human, at least.

    The arm was much longer than it should have been, and the hand had seven fingers that ended with sharp claws. The rot seemed to be spreading from a terrible torn wound on the forearm, to the charred and emaciated flesh, and then outward, to everything else around it.

    Despite the repugnant state of the severed arm, the cut that separated it at the shoulder seemed clean and perfectly smooth, as if delivered by a steady and unfaltering blade.

    But Sunny was more affected in something else.

    A deep frown appeared on his face when he noticed it��

    In his mind's eye, the vile arm was radiating a blindingly bright, overwhelming, beautiful golden radiance.

    It was awash in the light of divinity.

    A frightening thought appeared in Sunny's head.

    'Can... can it be?'

    In front of him, stricken by the harrowing rot, was... a severed arm of a deity.

    ...It was also the reason why fate had brought him to this lost and forgotten corner of the abyss.

 Chapter 448 Golden Needle

    Chapter 448 Golden Needle

    Sunny stared at the severed arm of an unknown deity, then at the harrowing, profane rot spreading from it. Then, he tiredly rubbed his face.

    '...Why can't anything ever be easy?'

    He was sure that his fate was somehow connected to that arm, which meant that he was going to have to get to it somehow. But Sunny was also sure that there weren't enough rewards in all of the universe to make him go anywhere near that rot, let alone touch something infected by it.

    He had the feeling that this thing was way, way out of his league.

    In fact, he suspected that a divine being had ruthlessly severed their own arm because even someone as powerful as that had no means to resist that spreading corruption.

    What was Sunny supposed to do, then?

    Well��

    Trying to remain as far from the rot as possible, he studied it for a while before coming to a strange conclusion�� or rather, a strange question.

    If the corruption was so terrible, then why had it not spread through the entire tower? Why had it only managed to crawl a few meters out of the silver brazier, turning a small portion of the second level of the pagoda into its flesh?

    'Scratch that. Why didn't the whole island become one giant chunk of rotten black... whatever the hell that thing is?'

    The answer was not hard to guess. It was because the rot, just like everything else inside the tower, had been sealed away from time for thousands of years.

    And now that Sunny had broken that seal��

    His frown deepened as he glanced at the silver hearth that was overgrown and had become a part of the spreading rot.

    Now, there were only two possibilities. Time was going to catch up to the devouring corruption, and it was either going to slowly consume everything�� or starve and die.

    Could that thing last for thousands of years with nothing to feed on except for cold stone? Did it need to feed on flesh and souls, or would anything do?

    '...I guess I am going to find out.'

    Keeping an eye on the patch of harrowing rot, Sunny tried to suppress his fear and took a step forward.

    It didn't seem like the rot was spreading. At least not yet.

    In any case, he wasn't going to get closer to it. But he also knew that if the worst happened, he had no tool at his disposal that would save him. If that thing began to grow, slowly spreading across the whole of the Obsidian Tower, and then across the whole island, Sunny was simply going to die. Probably jump down into nothingness to avoid becoming a part of that... thing.

    There was nowhere else to retreat to in the Sky Below, after all. And he doubted that he would be able to find a second secret island out there in the void...

    So, his only hope was to find something inside the pagoda to save him. He had to explore further��

    Plus, there was a possibility that the rot would swiftly wither and die. Not that Sunny would bet on it.

    Pressing his back against the cold obsidian, Sunny dismissed Saint and skirted around the outer wall of the great hall until he reached the staircase that led higher, to the third level. There, he summoned the taciturn demon again, hesitated for a bit, and then left one of his shadows to keep an eye on the devouring rot.

    Feeling irrational panic at the thought of turning his back to the silver brazier, Sunny gritted his teeth, and then cautiously ascended the spiraling stairs.

    As soon as the terrible thing disappeared from view, he let out a relieved sigh and realized that his entire body was covered in a cold sweat. Raising a trembling hand, Sunny wiped his face, and then continued to climb higher.

    Saint being by his side gave him a little confidence, at least. The Shadow seemed absolutely unperturbed by the horrific visage they had left behind.

    '...I bet fear can't even fit into that stone head of hers. Do Shadows have the ability to be afraid?'

    He didn't know whether or not Saint could feel fear, but the gloomy shadow certainly could. In fact, behind its haughty exterior, it was rather cowardly. He was sure that the bastard would have been trembling all over if not for the fact that it was currently wrapped around his body.

    Trying to distract himself with these thoughts, Sunny entered the third level of the Obsidian Tower�� and froze, dumbfounded by what he saw there.

    'I�� I see. Wait, no. What the hell am I looking at?'

    The chamber he found himself in was smaller than the previous three halls he had explored �� mostly because the pagoda narrowed the higher it went, but also because the level was separated into several chambers.

    And in that chamber in particular, dozens of porcelains arms floated in the air, each at a different level of being disassembled into tiny parts.

    It was as though someone had stolen them from the pile of broken dolls in the basement of the Obsidian Tower and then brought them here to�� to do what, exactly?

    Sunny stared at the floating garden of disassembled arms, and then walked closer. He felt as though he was in some bizarre anatomy museum��

    As it turns out, the porcelain dolls were much more complex than he had thought. In their disassembled state, their limbs showed how intricate the design was, and how many moving parts went into making each one as functional and articulated as that of a human. The joints, in particular, seemed like a marvel of engineering�� not to mention the incredibly delicate weave of the diamond string beneath.

    Even spelltech automatons could not boast of that level of ingenuity and intricacy.

    But why were these arms brought here and taken apart? Who had done it? The Prince of the Underworld himself?

    It didn't look like it�� why would he need to study his abandoned creations?

    It all became clearer when Sunny reached a stone pedestal standing at the far end of the chamber and saw a faint golden light emanating from a small object laying on it.

    On the surface of the table were numerous parts that had been scavenged from the disassembled porcelain arms, several skeins of beautiful diamond string�� and a long, narrow needle.

    It was the needle that gave off a faint, weak radiance.

    Sunny looked at the needle, then glanced at the floating porcelain arms, noting for the first time that each was missing a part or two.

    Finally, different pieces of information connected in his mind, and he felt that he understood something about what had transpired in the Obsidian Tower.

    Sometime after the Prince of the Underworld had left this hidden island �� perhaps years, or perhaps thousands of years �� an uninvited guest had snuck into the black pagoda like a thief, somehow getting past the closed gates without ever opening them or disturbing the seal that had been preserving this place from being ravaged by time.

    That thief was a divine creature themselves�� and also horribly wounded. One of their arms had been torn open and infected by the spreading rot that no one, not even a deity like them, could expel.

    That was why the thief had severed their infected arm at the shoulder and tossed it into the divine flame that had been burning in the silver brazier on the second level, and then went down to the basement to collect limbs from the broken porcelain dolls. It was that deity that had circled the pile of them and left the footprints in the dust for Sunny to notice.

    In the end, the thief ascended to the third floor and fashioned a new arm for themselves from the parts of the Prince's discarded mannequins�� and then sewn it onto their body with the diamond strings threaded through a sharp needle.

    ��That was the needle Sunny was currently staring at, and the divine light on it was emanated by the remnant traces of the thief's blood still left on its surface.

    But who was the thief? And why was Sunny connected to their severed arm by a golden String of Fate?

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then reached for the needle�� but suddenly froze.

    The shadow left behind to monitor the harrowing rot had noticed something.

    The black, ulcerous flesh�� was changing.

 Chapter 449 Thousand Years of Hunger

    Chapter 449 Thousand Years of Hunger

    'Here we go��'

    Sunny faced the stairwell and stood motionless, looking at the black rot through his trembling shadow. Sensing something, Saint turned around, too. The tip of her sword hesitantly rose into the air.

    The next few moments were going to decide whether he was going to live or die... or maybe be condemned to a fate much worse than death.

    One level lower, the harrowing corruption that had been spreading from the severed arm of a deity was moving. The black ulcerous flesh was rising and falling, as if in the throes of�� death? Or transformation?

    Sunny gritted his teeth, waited for a second��

    And then breathed out with immeasurable relief.

    'Dying�� it's dying.'

    It felt as though he had been sentenced to execution, only for a pardon to arrive at the last possible moment, when the rope was already pressing on his neck.

    Indeed, the terrifying rot was withering. As thousands of years that passed since it was locked in the Obsidian Tower caught up with it, the devouring corruption appeared to be dying of starvation. The stone surface assimilated into it convulsed and wriggled, as if consumed by pain. The silver brazier was melting.

    The growths of the bulbous black flesh were slowly receding, their color turning ashen. The process was slow, but at the edges of the patch of corruption, the rot was already turning into�� into wisps of darkness, which then disappeared without a trace.

    As tension left Sunny's body, he couldn't help but sway a little.

    'Good�� something has gone my way, at last.'

    Before, he had been considering his options and finding no possible way to escape from the rot if it was to start spreading.

    He had considered trying to damage it with Broken Oath, but doubted that anything the Awakened Memory could do would work, considering that even the original owner of the seven-fingered hand resorted to severing their limb completely instead of trying to destroy the spreading corruption.

    He had also entertained the idea of using the Cruel Sight, which was now infused with divine flame. But something told Sunny that the massive brazier where the rot had taken root had once been full of it, too�� that was apparent from how charred the severed arm of the transient deity was.

    If even thousands of years of burning in annihilating divine flame couldn't destroy or stop the black rot, then what hope did he have?

    In the end, though, the corruption had destroyed itself. Neither divine flame nor an actual deity had been able to damage the black rot, but its hunger �� and the relentless nature of time �� were.

    'Thank gods��'

    Sunny inhaled deeply and tiredly closed his eyes.

    The corruption was slowly dying, pieces of it slowly disappearing, bit after bit. All that was left behind were the damaged stone and the memory of primal horror.

    He grimaced.

    'But also, damn the gods! Why would they allow for such a thing to exist��'

    Shaking his head, Sunny wiped the sweat off his face, then turned around and walked back to the stone pedestal.

    Reaching with one hand, he picked up the long, sharp needle and stared at it for some time.

    The needle seemed to have been made out of polished iron, but due to the traces of divine blood absorbed by it, the cold metal had assumed a feint golden shine. Sunny looked at it for a long time, trying to understand if this was a mundane item or some mystical artifact.

    In the end, he had to admit that he had no clue.

    The needle did not turn into a Memory like Weaver's Mask had. He didn't see any spellweave inside of it, either. However, the needle also didn't feel like a simple object. It was�� strange.

    He thought for a bit, then summoned the Covetous Coffer and carefully placed the needle inside. The skeins of diamond string also went in, easily disappearing into the gluttonous box.

    'I will have time to study it later��'

    With that, Sunny hesitated for a bit, then reluctantly headed back toward the second level of the great pagoda.

    He was going to watch the harrowing rot die, and then try to approach the severed hand of the mysterious deity.

    ***

    Some time later, Sunny was sitting on the lowest step of the stairs leading to the great hall, staring at the massive brazier in its center.

    What was left of it, to be precise.

    The devouring corruption took its sweet time dying. Even the hunger of thousands of years could not destroy it so easily, it seemed. The black flesh writhed and pulsated, disappearing little by little.

    Several times, veins of rot tried to spread outward, clearly sensing the presence of a living being nearby and lusting to absorb it�� him. But the profane infestation was too weak to overcome the entropic power of starvation.

    The silver brazier, which had long ago become a part of the horrid corruption, melted and fell apart, then disappeared into wisps of pure darkness. Soon, it was clear that the rot was not long for this world.

    All that remained from its vile flesh were a few growths infused into the severed arm itself.

    Staring at the disintegrating rot, Sunny felt both deep, primal terror and a strange compulsion to try and damage it a little in hopes of being credited for the kill by the Spell.

    Who knew what reward he would receive?

    But in the end, Sunny remained still.

    Firstly, because he wasn't even sure that the corruption would be acknowledged by the Spell as a creature. He didn't really know if that thing was�� alive, for the lack of a better word. If it was an entity, a process, or a manifestation of some profane law that he didn't know of.

    Secondly, because he was absolutely unwilling to approach the rot, even now that it was dying. He wasn't even willing to let his Memories get anywhere near it. The Memories were connected to his soul, after all. Who knew if that thing was capable of spreading to a Memory, and then to his very soul through the invisible link?

    So, Sunny simply sat silently and waited.

    After a while, the corruption finally died.

    The charred flesh of the severed arm became ashen, crumbled into dust, and finally disappeared in wisps of deep, impenetrable darkness.

    All that remained was the empty hall, the patch of mangled obsidian in its center�� a single piece of pristine alabaster bone shining with blinding gold radiance.

    A sole phalanx of a finger.

    Sunny waited for a few minutes, gathering his courage, then sighed and stood up. He glanced at the small bone, scowled, and walked toward it.

    ��It was time to see what fate had in store for him.

 Chapter 450 Alabaster Phalanx

    Chapter 450 Alabaster Phalanx

    Sunny stepped into the patch of mangled obsidian and slowly approached the alabaster phalanx, then kneeled beside it and lingered, studying its golden shine.

    He was trying to determine if any sign of the harrowing rot remained, but also felt pulled toward the radiant bone and found it hard to look away.

    'All of this insanity, just for that little piece of bone. What secrets does it hold?'

    He hesitated for a moment, then reached down and picked up the phalanx.

    Sunny had instinctively expected it to crumble into a torrent of white sparks and hear the Spell proclaim that he had acquired a new Memory, just like what had happened with Weaver's Mask�� that Memory being, perhaps, another Drop of Ichor.

    But nothing of the sort happened.

    The bone felt cold and smooth to the touch. There was still marrow inside, wet and infused with bright golden radiance. Sunny tilted his head, stumped. What was he supposed to do now?

    In hindsight, the fact that the phalanx was not going to turn into a Memory was rather sensible�� obvious, even. After all, Memories were simply copies of real items recreated by the Spell, just like Echoes were copies of actual creatures �� or items conjured by it from scratch following some unknown principle.

    This, however�� this was the real deal.

    The alabaster bone had nothing to do with the Spell. It wasn't a recreation, it was�� the original.

    Sunny frowned, feeling unsure about how he was supposed to proceed.

    Then, a certain scene suddenly appeared in his mind. Back in the ruined cathedral of the Dark City, Saint stood above the rusted remains of the Black Knight, holding a black gem in her hand. With a hint of some dark emotion burning in her ruby eyes, she raised the gem to her mouth, and bit into it.

    Before he could fully process the implications of this image, Sunny followed a strange instinct. Without allowing himself time to think about it, he opened his mouth, put the phalanx inside�� and swallowed it.

    'What?!'

    He blinked a couple of times.

    'What did I just do?!'

    Sunny stared at his empty hand, in which a divine bone had been just a few seconds ago, with wide eyes.

    And then�� it was as though a furious fire ignited in his chest.

    'Crap!'

    ***

    Sunny tumbled to the floor, feeling a harrowing pain permeate his entire being. It was the unbearable agony he knew and remembered all too well�� the feeling of his very nature being forcibly changed into something that it was never meant to be. That nothing was ever meant to be��

    Or maybe simply not allowed to.

    It was the opposite of the euphoric sense of rebirth the Awakened experienced after completing the First Nightmare or returning from the Dream Realm for the first time... the feeling of your whole body being torn apart and reassembled, only to be torn apart once more.

    "Argh! Here�� here we go again!"

    The torturous suffering he was experiencing was very similar to what he had gone through after consuming the drop of Weaver's blood. Back then, it had felt as though every muscle, every fiber, every molecule in his body were destroyed and recreated over and over again, becoming slightly different with each time. The agony had been especially excruciating when it came to his eyes, which had felt as though two white-hot rods were inserted into them��

    This time was different.

    The pain was concentrated in his spine, in his bones, in the marrow permeating them. His fingers in particular felt as though there was molten, incandescent, liquid metal flowing through them.

    Sunny shrieked.

    "Damn it! God damn it! Damn it all!"

    It hurt so much��

    However, the torture did not last as long as it had back in the branches of the Soul Devouring Tree. After a few more minutes of it, Sunny felt the Blood Weave suddenly come alive and rush through his veins, absorbing the harrowing heat and then carrying it to every cell of his body. Slowly but surely, the pain lessened.

    But the process of transformation continued.

    Sunny sprawled on the floor, covered in sweat and breathing heavily. He could feel himself changing�� it was a strange and extremely unpleasant sensation, one suffused with a feeling of profound wrongness, but not as devastatingly excruciating as it had been just a few seconds ago.

    "Hell, that was... rough."

    His voice was hoarse and creaky.

    Sunny glanced to the side and noticed Saint, who was standing silently above him and looking away with cold indifference.

    'Such heartlessness! No sympathy at all��'

    At least the happy shadow seemed very concerned about him�� or itself. It was pacing nervously, turning to Sunny from time to time and timidly offering its encouragement.

    The gloomy shadow was currently wrapped around his body, so it couldn't offer any feedback. He had no doubt that it would have just mocked him, anyway.

    'That jolly guy is�� really irritating! I would rather be mocked, curse it all!'

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny closed his eyes and endured the unpleasant feeling of his body being demolished and reconstructed as best as he could.

    After a long while �� which felt like an eternity �� it was all finally over.

    A deep feeling of relief spread through Sunny's body. It felt�� more solid, somehow. Strong, firm��

    Resilient.

    'Just what have I��'

    The voice of the Spell suddenly thundered in the solemn dark hall, interrupting his thoughts.

    Was he imagining it, or had there been a note of dark excitement in it?

    It said:

    [One of your Attributes has evolved.]

    [You have acquired a new Attribute.]

    'You don't say!'

    Sunny struggled to sit up, and then hurriedly summoned the runes.

    'What�� what have I done to myself this time?'

    The runes shimmered in the air in front of him, and Sunny quickly looked at the cluster describing his Attributes.

    Attributes: [Fated], [Ember of Divinity]...

    'Wait�� ember?'

    This was new. He concentrated on the [Ember of Divinity] and studied the string of runes:

    Attribute Description: [Deep within your soul, an ember of divinity shines, almost ready to erupt into a radiant flame.]

    'Huh�� so I have an even higher affinity to divinity now. Makes sense��'

    He had just swallowed a phalanx of an actual deity, after all...

    Impatient, Sunny turned back to the list of Attributes, where three more remained. The first two he knew all too well��

    [Child of Shadows], [Blood Weave].

    But the third one was new. At the very end of the list, several new runes appeared. Sunny held his breath, and read:

    Attribute: [Bone Weave].

 Chapter 451 Bone Weave

    Chapter 451 Bone Weave

    'Bone Weave��'

    Sunny let the sound of it echo in his mind, overwhelmed by a feeling of savage joy. He didn't know what that Attribute gifted him, yet, but was certain that it would be something special. The Blood Weave had saved his life so many times, after all��

    And after his encounter with the Mordant Mimic, he learned that having strong bones was as important as having tenacious blood.

    Shifting his gaze away from the runes, he stared at one of his hands, then made a fist. This was the arm that had been shattered by the vile creature, and then slowly healed while he was falling into the Sky Below. Even though Sunny had already been able to use it for the past few days, it used to feel weak, awkward, and slightly damaged.

    But now, it was as good as new.

    ...More than that, actually. It was better than ever before.

    All of his bones felt much more durable and resilient. Stronger. His joints seemed to be slightly more agile, too. His teeth felt as though they could crush stones and cut through metal.

    The strangest change, however, happened to his fingers. It wasn't very apparent, though. On the surface, it simply felt as though they had grown subtly more sensitive, the tactile feeling of touching things becoming deeper and richer. However, Sunny suspected that the true change was more profound. He just didn't know what it was, exactly.

    Blood Weave had altered his eyes in a very fundamental way, so Bone Weave had to have a lot of promise.

    He ran his fingers across the soft surface of the Puppeteer's Shroud, vividly feeling the silken fabric slide against his skin.

    '...Neat.'

    Then, Sunny stretched his limbs, sensing their newfound agility. He was already weirdly limber due to practicing Shadow Dance, which demanded the utmost level of pliability from the practitioner's body. Now, however, it was even further enhanced.

    Satisfied, Sunny turned back to the runes and read:

    Attribute: [Bone Weave].

    Attribute Description: [You have inherited a part of Weaver's forbidden lineage. Your bones have been altered and imbued with steadfast temperance��]

    He tilted his head, stunned by the somewhat expected, but still profoundly fascinating piece of information he just received.

    'Weaver's legacy!'

    So the severed arm had actually belonged to the mysterious Demon of Fate. It was Weaver who had snuck into their sibling's tower while bearing a terrible wound, sliced off their rotting limb, and then fashioned a new one from the parts scavenged from the broken porcelain dolls before sewing it onto their body with diamond strings.

    It was Weaver's footprints that Sunny had seen in the basement of the great obsidian pagoda.

    He trembled.

    Even though Sunny had seen many incredible things and lived through many unlikely events, both wondrous and terrifying, he suddenly felt awe. It was as though... as though he was suddenly in the presence of divinity.

    Demon of Fate had been to this dark island, had walked the same halls that Sunny walked, and breathed the same air. The sharp needle infused with remnant traces of their blood was currently inside his storage Memory, as well as the diamond string they had used to sew a new arm to their body. Unlike the miraculous black mask, the needle was not a Memory, either.

    It was the actual thing.

    But most of all�� Sunny had swallowed a phalanx bone of the divine being in question.

    'Crazy! This is crazy!'

    He blinked a few times, then suddenly thought:

    'Was, uh�� was this how Neph felt when she first met Kai, I wonder?'

    What a random and ridiculous thought��

    Then, a slight frown appeared on his face.

    ��Why would Weaver secretly come to their younger brother's abandoned workshop? What was the harrowing rot that had been spreading from their wound, and what manner of creature could have wounded them so terribly?

    What could even damage a deity?

    Sunny had so many questions��

    Luckily, the description of the Bone Weave was not over. Several strings of runes still remained.

    He concentrated and read:

    [...When children of the -unknown- rebelled against the gods, Weaver was the only one to refuse the call of war. Despised and hunted by both sides, they disappeared. No one knew where Weaver went and what they did�� until it was too late.]

    Sunny shivered.

    A few things became more clear from this short description. Firstly, it cemented his suspicion that, at some point in time, the seven daemons �� children of the mysterious -unknown-, who were also strangely described as having created themselves �� had waged war against the gods. Or, rather, six of them�� since Weaver apparently decided to not join either side in this conflict.

    Secondly, Weaver's reluctance to participate in the war had landed them in big trouble with both the gods and the other daemons�� unsurprisingly. One side would have seen the Demon of Fate as one of the enemies simply by virtue of them being a daemon, while the other would have seen them as a traitor... for that same reason.

    That could potentially explain how Weaver ended up being ghastly wounded, and why they had to sneak into the Obsidian Tower in secret.

    These two pieces of information were extremely fascinating, but it was the third one that gave Sunny pause.

    'No one knew what Weaver did�� until it was too late.'

    That sounded so ominous. That made it seem as though Weaver alone had turned out to be more terrible than both the six daemons and the six gods combined, in the end.

    What exactly had Weaver done?

    Sunny really wanted to know the answer to this question, and not only out of idle curiosity.

    He was carrying two parts of Weaver's lineage inside of him now, after all.

    ��The lineage that was described as being forbidden.

    Was the reason for that connected to what Weaver had done?

    Just as always, the answers Sunny had received brought him a swarm of new questions.

    'Curses!'

    With a sigh, he dismissed the runes and stood up. There was no sense in pondering about that now, not without finding more information, both about the daemons and the gods.

    After all that had transpired, he was incredibly tired and hungry.

    ��But mostly hungry.

    With a resentful sigh, Sunny gave Saint a sign to follow and headed back toward the first level.

 Chapter 452 Above and Beyond

    Chapter 452 Above and Beyond

    Several days later, Sunny was sitting on a piece of broken furniture in the central hall of the first level of the Obsidian Tower. The Covetous Coffer stood near him, its lid open and its sharp teeth revealed.

    He was holding the Cruel Sight in his hand. The silver blade of the somber spear was incandescent with white radiance, infused with divine flame.

    ��Sunny was currently using said divine flame to roast a piece of repulsive, slightly rotten black meat. That was the last piece of mimic's flesh he had stored inside the Coffer before taking a plunge into the ocean of merciless stars.

    Saint was also nearby, staring into the distance with her usual cold indifference.

    He glanced at her, then sighed.

    "Sorry that I haven't fed you in a while."

    The Shadow did not react to his words in any sort of way.

    Sunny continued to talk, though, unbothered by the taciturn demon's apparent lack of interest.

    "Hey, that's not true! It is not my fault. Blame my incredible luck, instead. What can I do, the Memories I find are just too incredible. How can I let you eat them�� I can't..."

    He grinned, then threw a dubious look at the sizzling black meat, and sighed.

    "I guess it's done��"

    Dismissing the Cruel Sight, Sunny brought the meat to his mouth and took a bite out of it. As he chewed, an absolutely miserable expression appeared on his face.

    "...Ah, that's the stuff. I tell you, Saint, this meat absolutely delicious. I pity you, really, for being unable to taste this divine�� oh damn it, how can anything be so vile!... this divine dish. It's the best devil steak you can possibly eat in a lifetime. Just a single bite�� can really�� change your life��"

    'For the worst!'

    At least chewing the damned thing was much easier now. Before the acquisition of Bone Weave, eating mimic's meat felt like gnawing on an old leather boot. It felt pretty much the same now, but Sunny's teeth were different.

    They were able to slice and cut through the tough meat of the devil with ease.

    Plus, it wasn't raw. That was already a reason to celebrate.

    Feeling his eyes tearing up from disgust, Sunny glanced at Saint and forced the smile to remain on his face.

    "I see you are left speechless by my culinary skill. Fair, fair��"

    However, in the next moment, a voice suddenly resounded in the darkness of the Obsidian Tower:

    "...You actually survived!"

    Sunny choked on a piece of the vile meat. For a second, he thought that his loyal Shadow had only been pretending to be mute all this time, instead simply choosing not to speak to him��

    But no, he recognized the voice.

    Sadly, it wasn't Saint...

    It was Mordret. The Prince of Nothing was back.

    'Thank gods!'

    Sunny had been burdened by being all alone on the dark island much more than he was willing to admit. Even though he didn't trust the mysterious voice, he felt relieved to hear it.

    Swallowing the meat, he took a sip from the Endless Spring, then looked around the hall and said:

    "As you can see. Although, being the honest to a fault young man that I am, I have to admit that it wasn't easy�� or pleasant. In fact, I can hardly believe that I survived myself."

    He glanced at his body, which was still in a rather sorry state. His burns were healing, but much slower than they would have usually healed. Even though the divine flame had not touched him directly, just the heat radiated by it was enough to leave long-lasting traces that even Blood Weave wasn't able to remove fast.

    Mordret remained silent before speaking again, as he usually did. When his voice appeared, it was full of genuine surprise:

    "You really found the rift in the ocean of flames?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "As it turned out, I was more or less falling toward it the whole time. But even then, I almost burned to death trying to reach it. My most powerful Memories were heavily damaged, and I only survived thanks to a bit of luck."

    Which was technically true, although not nearly all of the truth.

    The mysterious prince hesitated, then asked:

    "...Where are you now?"

    Sunny tilted his head.

    'How much of my surroundings can he perceive, I wonder?'

    The first thing that Mordret had ever said to him was ask why it was so dark, so he probably could see something, at least.

    "Can't you see where I am?"

    The voice answered, most likely honestly:

    "I can see a big hall filled with ancient, broken things. That doesn't tell me a lot, though."

    'Makes sense��'

    Sunny nodded, feeling the pressure of the Flaw building up in his soul, demanding for him to deliver an answer.

    He gestured at the interior of the Obsidian Tower.

    "Well�� beyond the false stars, the void continues for who knows how much further down. But some distance from the flames, there is actually a single island floating in the emptiness. There is a magnificent black pagoda on that island, which looks like the exact copy of the Ivory Tower. That is where I am right now, inside that pagoda."

    Then, Sunny scratched the back of his head, and added:

    "But anyway, how come I can still hear you? Haven't you told me that your voice would not reach beyond the stars?"

    Mordret sighed.

    "That was what I thought. Luckily, I seem to have been wrong."

    After a short pause, he said in a strange tone:

    "The Ebony Tower�� so it does exist."

    Sunny blinked.

    'I guess it's one way to call it?'

    Then, however, a complicated expression appeared on his face:

    "Wait... you knew about it?"

    The mysterious prince remained silent for a bit, then answered:

    "That is what I had been trying to find before�� before I couldn't search anymore. There were some hints that a duplicate of the Ivory Tower exists somewhere in the Sky Below. I hoped to reach it."

    Sunny chose his next words cautiously:

    "Oh, really? What else do you know about that place?"

    Mordret thought for a few moments, then answered wistfully:

    "It is said that a very powerful being came to this shattered land after it had been destroyed by the Lord of Light. Back then, the Sky Below was not as boundless, and there were much more fragments of divine flame still burning in its empty darkness. That being�� wanted to harvest those flames."

    Suddenly, a lot of small details about the dark island and the Obsidian Tower became much clearer. Sunny already had suspicions about the true purpose of this place, but now, they were confirmed. The ruined machines outside the pagoda, the blackened worktable, the massive glass vessels covered with soot from the inside, the silver brazier��

    The Prince of the Underworld had not truly lived in the magnificent pagoda. It was not his home, just a station he had built in the ocean of flame �� which had been much larger back then �� to harvest some of the divine fire. Why he had need of it, Sunny did not know.

    But he suspected that the prideful demon had either succeeded in his purpose or failed, and that was why he eventually left and sealed the Obsidian Tower, which then stood abandoned for thousands of years.

    ��And at some point during that time, another child of the -unknown- had come here for a short while, although their purpose was very different.

    This revelation came and went. There was a question burning in his mind that had nothing to do with such distant past, instead.

    It was much more pressing.

    Sunny swallowed another piece of meat and asked casually:

    "Harvest divine flames? Very interesting. Was that why you wanted to come here, too?"

    Or had Mordret been after something else?

    ��Was after something else?

    The lost prince laughed.

    "No, not really. In fact, I wasn't that interested in the Obsidian Tower itself, to begin with."

    Sunny frowned:

    "Why did you want to find it if you weren't interested in it?"

    Mordret sighed.

    After a long pause, he answered, his voice dark and full of suppressed emotion:

    "What I was interested in was not the copy, but the original. The Ivory Tower. The two are supposed to be connected somehow. If one finds that connection�� they might just be able to reach past the Crushing and step foot on the heavenly isle��"

 Chapter 453 Shrine of Stars

    Chapter 453 Shrine of Stars

    Sunny remained silent for a while, thinking feverishly.

    A bridge between the two towers��

    That was his chance to escape this dismal place and return to the real world!

    ...The problem was, he had no clue what this connection Mordret had told him about was. However, he had an idea.

    In the past several days, Sunny had explored the rest of the Obsidian�� of the Ebony Tower. He had made a couple of fascinating discoveries, but most of it was now full of nothing except dust and rubble. Pretty much everything inside the pagoda disintegrated due to the onslaught of time after he had opened its gates.

    The most promising and mysterious of his finds, though, was situated on the last level of the tower, in a small circular hall that housed nothing except for a graceful stone arch, which stood lonesomely in its center and looked like a misplaced, empty doorframe.

    The most intriguing part about the arch was that it was surrounded by a circle of runes�� almost like the Gateway in the Crimson Spire had been.

    In fact, that was what Sunny assumed it to be �� an inactive Gateway. For that reason, he had spent these days trying to find a way to activate it. He had poured shadow essence into the arch itself, as well as every corner of the hall. He had studied the unfamiliar runes, hoping to either find a way to translate them or maybe discover a place where they had been damaged, thus rendering the arch useless.

    But nothing had worked�� yet.

    The information provided by Mordret instantly changed his perception of the arch, though. If what the lost prince had told him was true, then maybe it wasn't a Gateway to the real world. Maybe it was an entrance to the magical bridge connecting the Ebony Tower to its Ivory counterpart.

    Still... how was he supposed to make the damn thing work?

    With a deep scowl appeared on his face, Sunny asked:

    "If this place is really connected to the Ivory Tower�� then how would one go about using that connection? Do you have any ideas? There is something that looks like a portal here, but it doesn't work. I tried to open it a hundred times, to no avail."

    Mordret thought for a bit, then said uncertainly:

    "Have you tried saturating it with essence?"

    Sunny grimaced.

    "Of course! What am I, a fool? That was the first thing I attempted."

    He hesitate for a few moments, then voiced something that had been keeping him worried for a while:

    "Maybe�� maybe it requires some sort of a key to be opened?"

    The voice remained silent for a long time. Then, Mordret said:

    "No, I don't think so."

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "Really? Why?"

    The lost prince answered casually:

    "Because only doors that can be kicked open require locks and keys. The master of this place wasn't someone who needed such things to keep uninvited guests away."

    'Huh�� makes sense, I guess. He seems to know a lot about the Prince of the Underworld, though. I thought knowledge of daemons was really scarce��'

    Sunny sighed.

    "So, how do I activate the connection then?"

    Mordret considered the question for a second or two, the said with a hint of doubt in his voice:

    "The creator of the Ebony Tower was a builder of things. A genius artifex, but also of practical sort�� from what little knowledge of him remains. He would have probably used whatever was at hand, and went for the simplest solution. Builders don't like overcomplicated things, after all."

    Sunny considered his words.

    'The simplest solution��'

    A seed of an idea appeared in his mind.

    With a thoughtful expression, he took another bite out of the piece of meat and chewed it thoroughly.

    The lost prince politely remained silent while Sunny ate. After a while, however, he suddenly spoke:

    "Oh, by the way. I don't want to worry you, Sunless�� but there seems to be a powerful Nightmare Creature standing right behind you��"

    Sunny almost choked again. If not for the fact that he was looking both forward and back at the same time with the help of the shadows, he would have jumped and summoned the Cruel Sight immediately. But he knew that there was no one behind him. Except for Saint��

    He swallowed the foul meat, then smiled weekly.

    "Curses, you almost gave me a heart attack! That's... that's not a Nightmare Creature. Can't you differentiate a real demon from an Echo?"

    Mordret remained silent for a bit, then said with amusement:

    "She is your Echo? Fascinating��"

    Sunny frowned:

    "What's so fascinating about it?"

    However, there was no answer. The mysterious prince was gone once again, disappearing as suddenly as he had appeared. Usually, Sunny was irritated by this annoying habit of his, but this time...

    ��This time, he was glad.

    Sunny couldn't wait to go back to the sixth level, but didn't want Mordret to see what he had found on the level before.

    He still didn't trust the lost prince�� even though Mordret had been nothing but helpful up until now. Extremely so, in fact. Sunny didn't know if he would have even been alive without his guidance.

    'Later�� if I manage to return to the Sanctuary in one piece, I'll start trusting him then. A little. Maybe��'

    Finishing up his meal �� the last he was going to have in a while �� Sunny stood up, stretched, and headed toward the stairs.

    ***

    After he had received the Bone Weave and rested, Sunny explored the rest of the third level of the Ebony Tower. However, he had not found anything of note there. He also had not discovered any more traces left behind by Weaver, which disappointed him a great deal.

    The fourth level, however�� was much more interesting.

    The central hall of it was fashioned into a vast, somber shrine. At the center of it stood an altar cut from a single slab of black onyx, and behind it was an incredibly beautiful statue of a young woman dressed in a flowing tunic, her face obscured by a veil. The young woman was holding a star in one hand, and a bolt of lightning in the other.

    ��Sunny was pretty sure that she was none other than Storm God, also known as the Goddess of Black Skies. Deity of the oceans, of the depths, darkness, stars, travel, guidance, and disaster.

    Which was really interesting.

    Why would the Prince of the Underworld build a shrine to his sworn enemy at the very heart of the Ebony Tower?

    Their relationship, it seemed, was not as simple as Sunny had thought.

    He had been much more interested in the altar itself, though. After finding the shrine, Sunny had tried to place magical coins on the onyx surface, and even spilled a bit of his blood on it.

    But this time, the gods had not answered. The coins, too, simply remained laying on the altar instead of turning into shadow essence.

    It seemed that the altar was not mystical at all. In fact, as far as altars went, this one appeared to be quite mundane. Sunny had quickly lost interest and continued exploring the great pagoda.

    And he had not been disappointed by that decision.

    Because there was something very, very important on the fifth level of the Ebony Tower��

 Chapter 454 Hope

    Chapter 454 Hope

    The fifth level of the Ebony Tower had almost killed Sunny.

    It was completely empty, its black walls drowning in darkness and unadorned. There was no dust, no ruined pieces of furniture, tools, or strange metal devices. Not even lanterns.

    There were, however, countless runes carved into the walls themselves. And almost all of those runes were of the kind that radiated a sickening, dire sensation that made one feel as though their mind was breaking apart.

    The same mysterious runes that the Spell used to describe the Unknown, and that Sunny had seen written on the floor by the prisoner of the small cell that was hidden under the ruined cathedral in the Dark City.

    Back then, looking at them dealt a heavy blow to Sunny, but he persisted and was eventually able to read a single phrase that the prisoner had written, unlike everything else, in a familiar script��

    Hail Weaver, Demon of Fate. Firstborn of the -unknown-...

    On the second to last level of the Ebony Tower, however, there were much more of the terrible runes. And most of the seemed far more intense, far more... powerful.

    When Sunny had first set foot into the dark hall, he yelped and jumped back, then rolled down the spiraling stairs all the way back to the shrine of the Storm God.

    ��Good thing his bones were now much more hardy.

    Eventually, however, he had returned to the hall of runes.

    Sunny knew that looking at the vile writings could destroy his sanity, maybe even outright kill him, so he had done so with his eyes closed and while leaving the shadows behind, so that they, too, could not see the ancient walls.

    Even then, he felt a terrible pressure constantly assaulting his mind.

    He was not going to leave without learning at least something from this chamber of secrets.

    Where else would he ever be able to study writing left behind by an actual daemon?

    So, he tried to limit the scope of what he saw and glance at the obsidian walls, one little section at a time.

    The experience was nothing short of horrid, but at least tolerable.

    ��And only when Sunny summoned Weaver's Mask was he able to look at the portions of the hall without feeling like passing out or falling down in a fit of convulsions.

    The forbidden runes turned less dreadful, but did not give up their secrets. He didn't know their language, after all. The Spell, too, either refused or failed to translate them.

    His exploration, however, was not for naught. Because, while slowly moving around the dark hall, he discovered something extremely valuable.

    It was... a map.

    Or rather, a strange semblance of one.

    Both the runes and the images constituting the map were cut into the stone, their lines smooth and deep. Sunny did not know what tool the Prince of the Underworld had wielded to leave these markings behind, but imagined him simply using his nail to cut into the indestructible stone that even divine fire couldn't destroy.

    At the center of the map, jagged mountains were depicted, shrouded by mist. Directly south of them, an island with a familiar silhouette of a graceful pagoda floated above flames. Even further south, separated from the mountains by a vast emptiness, was a mighty castle.

    Far to the west, a snowy peak stood near a fuming volcano, and nestled between them was an arched bridge. To the south-west, a strange ship floated on ghostly waves. Sout-east of the mountains, divided from them by a long stretch of nothingness, a perfectly symmetrical pyramid was cut into the obsidian wall.

    And lastly, to the north, further away than any other image, above all of them, was�� a familiar shape. A fearsome mask stared at Sunny, crowned with three horns.

    ��Weaver's Mask.

    The map was strange, however, because the areas she depicted seemed... disconnected, somehow. There were no borders, no terrain, no measure of distance between them. The ideas of north, south, east, and west were only something Sunny had assigned to the map out of habit. Truly, it could have been the exact opposite, or impossible to apply to the logic of the map altogether.

    But at the same time, it fit with the geography of the Dream Realm as he knew it, somewhat.

    Each of the images had an inscription near them, written in a runic language that Sunny had trouble understanding. It was similar to the one used by the Spell, but also different enough to make translation either impossible or difficult.

    But even without reading the inscriptions. he easily guessed what the images meant.

    The mountains depicted in the center of the map were, of course, the Hollow Mountains. Even if the image itself was only familiar, their closeness to the Ivory Tower cemented that conclusion. The Ivory tower, of course, represented the Chained Isles.

    The castle to the south had to be Bastion. Although Sunny had never seen it with his own two eyes, he knew its silhouette and appearance from childhood, just like any other human in the real world. Its likeness was the stage for countless dramas, movies, and webtoons, after all. Similarly, he recognized the great stone bridge nestled between a snowy peak and a raging volcano �� it was the road to Ravenheart, the great Citadel ruled by clan Song.

    Knowing the position of Bastion and Ravenheart, it wasn't hard to surmise that the ship sailing on the ghostly waves represented the Stormsea, where the citadel of the third great clan, House of Night, was located.

    Sunny had no idea what the pyramid to the east represented. The seventh image, however, was rather clear�� it meant Weaver. By knowing who it described, he was also able to translate the inscription near the depiction of the mask��

    It read:

    "Fate."

    There was another symbol near it, though, which meant something akin to a question mark, an inquiry. So, actually, it was "Fate?". Basically, even the Prince of the Underworld had no idea where his eldest sibling lived.

    ��And this was what the images were, in Sunny's mind. They represented the seven daemons, or rather, their domains.

    Which was nothing short of tantalizing in and of itself, but also meant several things.

    Firstly, that the three great clans had inherited their Citadels from three daemons�� or at least built their strongholds in the regions of the Dream Realm where daemons had once dwelt.

    Secondly, that the Underworld, most likely, was situated beneath the Hollow Mountains. This Death Zone was the very dark and cavernous domain to which the Prince of the Underworld had retreated after his conflict with the Goddes of the Black Skies.

    And lastly�� that the ruler of the beautiful and prosperous land that had invoked the wrath of Sun God and doomed their kingdom to destruction �� and eventual transformation into the Chained Isles �� was a daemon, as well.

    Coincidentally, the inscription cut into the stone near the image of the Ivory Tower was the only one after that of Weaver's that Sunny was able to translate, since the runes closely resembled those usually used by the Spell.

    It was "Desire".

    The other meaning of the runes, however, was�� hope.

    The Ivory Tower had once belonged�� to the Demon of Hope.

 Chapter 455 Doorway to Heaven

    Chapter 455 Doorway to Heaven

    That revelation had given Sunny a lot to think about.

    The Demon of Hope�� or Desire. A daemon whose power was most likely tied to souls and mind. What act could such a being have committed to cause Sun God to destroy their whole domain?

    And what had happened to that being after?

    Just as usual, there were no answers.

    Sunny was slowly learning more and more, though. For now, the pieces of information he had earned were scattered and disconnected. But if he continued to slowly accumulate knowledge, one day, they were going to start clicking together. And then... what terrible and wondrous truths would he uncover?

    Enough to make up for a lifetime of lies, perhaps.

    ��Apart from inscriptions dedicated to Weaver and the Ivory Tower, Sunny failed to translate anything else. He had, however, memorized every little detail of the unfamiliar runes describing the Hollow Mountains, Bastion, Ravenhear, a ship sailing on the Stormsea, and the mysterious pyramid to the east.

    'I'll have to visit Teacher Julius when I'm back in the real world. He has to know something about this script, right?'

    Thinking about the map, Sunny entered the rune hall, kept his eyes closed, and walked to the entrance to the stairwell leading to the sixth level of the Ebony Tower.

    The last one.

    When he entered the chamber of the stone arch, he sighed with relief. The pressure emanated by the terrifying runes was finally gone, leaving his mind at ease�� the headache caused by them, however, was going to persist for a few more minutes.

    Sunny sat down, leaned his back against the wall, and stared at the arch while waiting to fully recover.

    The highest level of the great pagoda was not very large, in comparison to the six others. It was just one big hall, circular in shape, and almost completely empty. The only thing inside of it was the arch itself.

    It was tall and composed of the same material as the rest of the Ebony Tower. In fact, the arch didn't seem to have been built�� instead, it was almost as if it had simply grown out of the floor, without any seam separating it from the black stone. It looked like a doorway that someone had put in the middle of the chamber, for some reason, and then forgot to attach a door to it.

    This was Sunny's only hope of escape.

    He stared at it for a long time, thinking about how to make the portal work.

    In the past, he had tried a lot of things to activate the arch, as well as studying the circle of runes surrounding it. But nothing he had done accomplished anything.

    His recent conversation with Mordred, however, had given Sunny an idea.

    What had Mordret said? That the Prince of the Underworld was somewhat of a divine smith. A builder of things�� but also of the practical sort. That he would have used whatever was at hand, going for the simplest solution.

    That more or less confirmed what Sunny knew of the prideful daemon already. After all, Saint and her kin had been created by the Prince of the Underworld. In retrospect, Sunny had completely failed to understand the magnitude of that accomplishment.

    To create a living being from nothing�� a whole race of them, really. That did sound like something that only a god would be able to do, didn't it?

    The Prince of the Underworld, however, was not a god. He was a daemon, a lesser deity. Was the creation of Saint and her people his way of showing the true divinities that he was in no way inferior to them? Or was he guided by some different ambition?

    'I wonder how the gods reacted��'

    Teacher Julius had described daemons as terrible beings that inspired fear because of their unknown origins and strange powers. What happened after one of them had accomplished something that was supposed to be in the purview of only the gods? Saints description, back when was an Echo, said that she and her kin were designed to bring peace, but were born into an endless war instead...

    'Huh.' New novel chapters are published on Libread.com.

    But regardless, that was not the point. The point was that Saint was made out of stone. Sunny had always thought that it was an integral part of her design, a fundamental aspect of the vision her creator had for the living statues. To make them stronger, perhaps, or harder to destroy.

    But after witnessing the porcelain dolls and speaking with Mordret, Sunny was not so sure anymore. The broken dolls showed that the material from which to make his creations had not mattered to the Prince of the Underworld too much.

    'What was at hand�� the simplest solution��'

    Was Saint made out of stone�� simply because there was a lot of stone in the Hollow Mountains for its Prince to use in his experiments? There was nothing but stone there, really.

    'That, uh�� can't be right, can it?'

    But somehow, Sunny felt that it was, indeed, right.

    He glanced at Saint and blinked a couple of times.

    '...Lazy bastard!'

    Sunny shivered, half-expecting to be struck down for thinking about the mighty daemon in such unflattering terms. When nothing happened, he shook his head and returned to his thoughts.

    There was plenty of stone in the Hollow Mountains, but there was literally nothing around the Ebony Tower. But what about in the past? What had there been a lot of around it back at the time the Prince of the Underworld resided in the Sky Below? What would he have used to power his magical engines?

    This pagoda had been built to harvest divine flames, after all.

    Feeling the headache finally retreat, Sunny stood up and walked over to the arch. Then, he summoned the Cruel Sight, activated the [Dark Mirror] enchantment, and poured his essence into it, watching the silver blade become infused with incandescent white light.

    Then, he hesitated for a moment, and lightly pressed the tip of the somber spear against the cold black stone.

    ��Immediately, it was as though the floodgates had been open in his soul. The shadow essence flowed into the Cruel Sight, and through it, the divine flame flowed into the arch.

    Sunny staggered.

    In just a few seconds, all of his essence was spent.

    However... the portal did not open.

    Something in the hall did change, though.

    The circle of runes surrounding the obsidian arch began to glow with weak, shimmering light. That light was dim and barely visible, but it was, without a doubt, there.

    Sunny stared at the runes for a long time, and then, a wide grin appeared on his face.

    "...Bingo!"

 Chapter 456 Leaving Nothing Behind

    Chapter 456 Leaving Nothing Behind

    For the next few days, Sunny's life became rather monotonous. He would meditate while circulating the shadow essence through the coils of the Soul Serpent to enhance the speed of its recovery, pour it into the obsidian arch�� and repeat the process.

    With each cycle, the runes surrounding the portal became brighter and brighter. The portal was slowly coming to life, feeling Sunny with hope so intense that he struggled to contain it. He had no doubt that he would be able to activate the arch.

    And then�� he would go to the Ivory Tower, find a way to descend back to the Chained Isles, somehow, and return to the real word.

    And by a new refrigerator.

    'And stock it with all kinds of food!'

    Sitting on the stone floor of the highest level of the Ebony Tower, Sunny looked at the Covetous Coffer, which stood nearby, with a resentful expression. He knew full well that there was no meat left there, or any other kind of food.

    Who knew he would miss the vile flesh of the Mordant Mimic one day?

    'I guess one should never say never��'

    Sunny was close to fully replenishing the shadow essence, so his thoughts began to wander.

    Out of boredom, he dove into the Soul Sea, stared at the shadows for some time, then paced around, then summoned some of his Memories and read their descriptions for the hundredth time, then stared at the looming black suns of his Shadow Cores, then paced some more, the summoned a few other Memories.

    'Boring�� so boring��'

    After a while, something finally attracted his attention.

    The runes of Weaver's Mask... had apparently changed a little.

    Before, there was a [???] in place of the name of its third enchantment. After Sunny had activated that enchantment�� almost frying his brain in the process�� the name changed, however.

    He blinked a few times, then looked at the runes again.

    'Did I... did I read it right?'

    But no, there was no mistake. The first two enchantments were just as before, [Mantle of Lies] and [Simple Trick]. The third one, however, now had new runes describing it...

    Memory Enchantment: [Where is my eye?].

    [Where is my eye?] Enchantment Description: "Helps the wielder peer into the tapestry of Fate."

    Sunny looked at the runes with a deadpan expression for a few moments, and then laughed so hard that it threw him out of the Soul Sea.

    "Oh�� oh gods�� where is my eye! Priceless!"

    By the time he was done laughing at Weaver's strange naming sensibility, the cycle of restoring the shadow essence was complete.

    Sunny shook his head, smiled, then stood up and summoned the Cruel Sight.

    By now, the circle of runes was burning with a furious white radiance, turning the somber black hall into a stark tapestry of darkness and light. It seemed as if the air inside the arch was rippling slightly, hazy from heat.

    He walked toward the obsidian arch and, without wasting any time, touched it with the tip of the silver spear. Once again, his soul essence was devoured at terrible speed.

    This time, however, only half of it was consumed.

    As bright light suddenly hit Sunny in the eyes, he took an involuntary step back and raised a hand to shield them. A cool breeze caressed his face, and he could suddenly smell... bark, grass, soil.

    Life.

    When his eyes adjusted to the brightness, Sunnyslowly lowered his hand and looked at the arch with a bewildered expression.

    It was as though a rift in reality appeared inside the Ebony Tower.

    All around the portal, the hall was just as it had been �� dark, somber, cut from lusterless black stone.

    ��Inside the portal, however, was a clear blue sky. Sunlight had suddenly invaded the Ebony Tower after thousands of years spent in utter darkness, and brought with it the sounds of the wind and the rustling of leaves.

    Sunny could see the skies, but also the ground. A beautiful green meadow continued from where the obsidian floor ended, full of vibrancy and life. A shadow of a tall tree shaded the proximity of the portal, and there was a path of white stone leading from it toward��

    Some distance away, a pristine white wall rose higher than Sunny could see through the portal. Surrounded but the blue skies, clouds, and vibrant green grass, it seemed to be the epitome of beauty and tranquility.

    The whole sight was like a paradise.

    He swallowed.

    'The�� the Ivory Tower. Mordret was right!'

    What's more, judging by how softly the grass swayed under the wind and how lazily the branches of the tree moved, the heavenly island was really�� it was really not affected by the Crushing.

    In that regard, at least, it was safe.

    'Yes!'

    Suddenly tense, Sunny quickly glanced at the circle of runes. Just as he had expected, it was already growing dimmer. The portal was burning through the meager amount of divine flame Sunny had been able to charge it within these past days, and was going to close soon.

    "Curses!"

    Well�� it was not as though he had not been prepared to go through the arch as soon as it opened. He had done everything he wanted to do in the Ebony Tower, given the circumstances. There was not much to be done here, to begin with. Time had destroyed every possible trophy he could have found, and the most valuable treasures �� the Bone Weave and the knowledge of the map left behind by the Prince of the Underworld �� were already in his possession.

    Now, he just had to escape alive.

    Dismissing all of his Memories, Sunny wrapped both shadows around his body�� and dashed toward the light.

    'Please, please don't be an illusion!'

    He appeared near the portal, dove inside�� and stumbled, falling to his knees.

    His fingers touched the soft grass, and, with his tactile sense enhanced by the Bone Weave, Sunny felt every tiny detail of its texture, of the rich soil beneath, of the heat of the sun on his skin.

    It was all real.

    It was wonderful!

    As the portal shimmered and closed behind him, Sunny closed his eyes tightly and let out a short, quiet cry. He had too many emotions boiling in his heart to put them into words.

    He made it. He escaped from the void.

    He left nothing behind��

    ***

    While Sunny was feeling the joy of escaping from the Sky Below, something else happened.

    Somewhere far away, or maybe close by, there was a room built of cold stone, full of deafening silence. It was dark and empty, arranged in the shape of a heptagon, with seven corners drowning in deep shadows.

    There were seven mirrors standing at each of the seven walls of the room, pointed at its center.

    There was nothing there.

    ��However, in each of the seven mirrors, a figure of a young man reflected, sitting on the stone floor with his hands chained behind his back.

    The young man was still and motionless, almost as if he was just a statue and not a living being.

    But then, something changed.

    A few moments after Sunny crossed the portal and appeared on the isle of the Ivory Tower��

    One corner of the young man's lips curled upward slightly, forming a hint of a smile.

    Mordret was glad to see Sunny escape, too.

 Chapter 457 Ivory Tower

    Chapter 457 Ivory Tower

    "Saint�� come look at this��"

    Sunny sat on the soft grass, enjoying the sunlight and the cool wind. He had not even known how much he missed them... missed everything, really. Looking back, it was hard to imagine that he had endured more than a month of utter nothingness without losing his mind. His experiences in the Dark City, it seemed, made him far more resilient.

    ...The shadow of the Ivory Tower was slowly moving closer as the evening approached, marking the passage of time. It was peaceful and quiet on the green meadow of the heavenly island.

    Answering his call, the taciturn demon appeared nearby and stood silently, observing the magnificent white tower. Her ruby eyes, however, did not show any emotion.

    He sighed.

    "...Well, I think it's lovely."

    The soaring island was not very large, so Sunny could more or less see its edge not too far away, surrounded by floating slates of shattered marble. There was a meadow on this side of it, a grove that rustles under the wind, and a graceful gazebo built of the same white material as the Ivory Tower itself. The stone arch inside of it was also white, and empty. The portal was gone.

    Some distance away, connected to the gazebo by a stone path, stood the magnificent great pagoda that had once belonged to the Demon of Hope. If its copy in the Sky Below was somber and ominous, the original was the complete opposite. It was beautiful, graceful, and slightly surreal, as if too sublime to exist in the mortal realm.

    ��In a sense, it did not.

    Something about the Ivory Tower made Sunny uneasy, however. He couldn't quite describe the feeling, but it was as though he simultaneously felt pulled toward it and threatened by it. The sensation did not come from his intuition, but more so from the deepest corners of his soul. It was rather strong.

    And there was also something strange in the shape of the tower itself.

    There was a weird thing that went around the base of it, circling the whole perimeter of the great pagoda and disappearing from view. That thing was almost of the same color, but slightly less pristine, and made out of long and weathered sections.

    After looking at it for a while, Sunny finally realized what the thing was.

    ��Bone. Wrapped around the tower was what remained of the tail of some giant, dead creature. He frowned.

    '...Good thing it's dead. I hope it remains this way.'

    Sunny sighed, used the Cruel Sight to help himself stand up, and headed toward the edge of the island. Saint followed, putting the blade of the Midnight Shard on her shoulder.

    Reaching it, he cautiously looked down and saw the disjointed patchwork of the Chained Isles far below. From this high, they looked like pieces of a beautiful mosaic that someone had laid out on the backdrop of velvety darkness, with a scattering of radiant stars shining in between.

    Sunny gazed down for a while, then picked up a rock from the ground and threw it over the edge.

    The rock fell for a hundred meters or so without meeting any resistance. Then, however, it suddenly cracked and exploded into shards, which then became dust and were scattered in the wind.

    '...Curses.'

    It seemed that the Crushing was still there. It's just that the Ivory Tower itself was not affected by it, as well as the island it stood upon and a small area surrounding it.

    How was he going to come down?

    Sunny stood at the edge for some time with a resentful expression on his face, then turned around and walked deeper into the island, circling the Ivory Tower from the left.

    On the other side of the great pagoda was a clear lake, with streams of water flowing out of it and falling over the edge of the island. In the bright sunlight, it seemed as though the entire surface of the lake was shining with pure golden radiance. Sunny looked at his reflection in the water, then at an intricately engraved bench standing near it, cut from white stone.

    Finally, he walked further on and reached a vantage point from which the gate of the graceful tower could be seen.

    'Oh��'

    The gates looked very similar to those he had opened in the depths of the Sky Below, with the main difference being the color and the absence of soot.

    ��As well as that there were skeletal remains of a giant beast lying in front of them, its serpentine body wrapped around the tower, its massive skull resting right near the tall white doors. Each of the terrifying fangs of the great beast was as long as Sunny was tall, at least. Deep darkness nestled in its empty eyes.

    He shivered.

    'Is that�� a dragon?'

    Indeed, it was. Right in front of Sunny were the weathered, snow-white bones of an actual dragon. The image of the mighty creature laying dead in front of the pristine tower was solemn, mysterious, and terrifying.

    What could have killed such a being?

    Thinking that he didn't wish to know, Sunny lingered for a while, then headed toward the remains of the dragon. He was desperately hoping that the great beast would not stir and come to life. If that happened�� well. It was better to not even think about it.

    Reaching the white skull of the mighty creature, Sunny hesitated for a bit, then walked between the terrifying fangs and approached the gates.

    ��They were slightly ajar, so he didn't even need to use essence to unlock them.

    Sunny gathered his courage, raised his hand�� and pushed the gates open.

    Suddenly, he felt a bit sleepy.

    'What�� what is this?'

    Shaking his head to chase the sleepiness away, Sunny walked inside the tower and found himself in a great hall, bright light streaming through its tall windows. The air inside, however, was infused with a strange, shimmering darkness.

    And in its center, there were��

    Chains.

    Seven chains sprawled from the pristine white floor, as if growing out of it, each ending in a broken shackle. The shackles were inscribed with a myriad of runes and marred, their metal torn. They were also the source of the strange shimmering, which rose from their surface in ethereal wisps.

    A chaotic, everchanging mass of pure darkness pulsated in the very center of the great hall. No, it was not darkness�� rather, it seemed like a rift in the fabric of reality, one that could devour even light itself.

    Sunny tensed, then took a tentative step forward, hoping to see what was hidden behind the darkness.

    As soon as he did so, however, a familiar voice echoed in the silence of the great hall:

    "Stop, Sunless! Turn back if you wish to live."

 Chapter 458 Shackles of Hope

    Chapter 458 Shackles of Hope

    Sunny froze, then took a careful step back and stared at the walls of the great hall.

    Mordret's timing, this time around, was impeccable.

    It was not like Sunny had planned to get too close to the mass of darkness, but he might have underestimated the danger it presented. To be honest, he felt that he wasn't thinking entirely straight... it was not like he had lost control, but the strange pull he felt outside the tower was much stronger here, exerting a subtle effect on his mind.

    Sunny tensed and glanced at the pulsating dark rift, then realized that the pull emanated from the shackles that were the source of it.

    "...Why? What is that thing?"

    The lost prince remained silent for a few moments, then sighed.

    "I really can't make sense of you."

    Sunny blinked.

    That was not the answer he had expected!

    "What? What is that supposed to mean?"

    Mordret answered with a bit of doubt in his voice.

    "Nothing, really. It's just that�� some things about you suggest a certain background, but then there are as many contradictions. Don't you know what a Seed of Nightmare looks like?"

    Sunny jumped back, then cautiously looked at the mass of shimmering darkness again.

    So�� that was a Seed of Nightmare. A vile manifestation of the Spell that grew in the Dream Realm and eventually blossomed, opening a Gate to the real world for the Nightmare Creatures to enter. The thing that Awakened were supposed to seek out and destroy by challenging the Nightmare contained within.

    No wonder it exerted a pull on him.

    He scowled, then said with annoyance:

    "How am I supposed to know what a Seed of Nightmare looks like? I only became an Awakened a few months ago!"

    Mordret spoke in his usual polite tone:

    "Have your clan elders not taught you anything?"

    Sunny opened his eyes wide, a shocked expression appearing on his face.

    "Clan? What clan?! Do I look like a Legacy to you?!"

    The lost prince did not answer, letting Sunny boil with outrage in silence. Eventually, he slowly exhaled and asked dejectedly:

    "Anyway�� are you sure that that's what it is?"

    Mordret lingered for a long time, then said quietly:

    "I am. I searched for it for a long time, after all."

    Hearing these words, Sunny frowned.

    '...What?'

    "Wait�� is that why you were trying to reach the Ivory Tower? To challenge a Nightmare?"

    He rubbed his face in frustration, trying to find a way to make sense of that statement, then shook his head:

    "Why the hell would you do that? There's no shortage of Seeds of Nightmare everywhere in the Dream Realm, ones that are not hidden behind endless voids and oceans of divine flame!"

    These things were not so numerous that one stumbled on one every day, but also not so rare to go to this lengths to reach one. What had Mordret been thinking?

    The lost prince answered after a short pause, his voice slightly amused:

    "...You are not a Legacy, indeed."

    Sunny let out a heavy sigh.

    "Either you are extra obscure today, or I can't understand you for some reason. What do Legacies have to do with any of this?"

    Mordred thought for a bit, then said:

    "This Seed of Nightmare�� is a very, very special one."

    'What is he going on about?'

    The only thing that differentiated Seeds, in Sunny's mind, was their Category. A Category Two Seed would blossom into a Category Two Gate, and contained a Second Nightmare. If an Awakened challenged it and passed the trial, they would become a Master. If a Master challenged a Category Three Seed and survived the Third Nightmare, they would become a Saint.

    The same thing went for Sovereigns, although there only had been three Fourth Nightmares conquered in all of human history, as far as Sunny knew�� and he knew more than most people.

    How could a Seed be special?

    As if guessing what he was thinking about, Mordret spoke:

    "There are a lot of Master, but not all Masters are equal. There are a few dozen Saints, but not all Saints are equal. And similarly, there are numerous Nightmares�� but not all Nightmares are equal."

    Sunny scowled.

    "How so? Is it easier? More difficult?"

    The lost prince sighed.

    "Neither. As far as the difficulty of the trial is concerned, the Spell is always fair�� in its own perverse way. However, that doesn't mean that the outcome is always the same. What enemies you vanquish determine what Memories and Echoes you receive. What battles you fight determines what experience you will bring back."

    Sunny thought back on his own arsenal of Memories, and had to admit that the more unique Nightmare Creatures he had thought, the greater the reward was. In that sense, challenging a�� "unique" Nightmare would certainly pose more risk, but also promise a greater boon.

    Add the existence of the Lineage Memories into the equation��

    A deep frown appeared on his face.

    Mordret, however, was not done talking.

    "...But more than that, the nature of the Nightmare you challenge determines what knowledge you will receive, and what secret you will be able to glean. As a researcher, you should know that the lessons humans can learn from the decrepit ruins in the Dream Realm are not that profound. Where do you think most of our knowledge comes from? It comes from the stories people bring back from their Nightmares, of course."

    That�� made sense. There were actual natives of the Dream Realm out and about in the Nightmares, after all. Like Auro of the Nine.

    Even if he was really just an illusion, an illusion created by the Spell was no simple thing.

    Most of the knowledge Sunny possessed was built on the foundation of what he had learned from the noble swordsman and Scholar. How much more would he know if he had gone into the Nightmare with the intention to not only survive, but also learn?

    Sunny glanced at the dark Seed.

    It had grown in the tower that had once belonged to one of the seven daemons. What mysteries would such a Nightmare reveal?

    Mordret gave him time to think, then said in an even tone:

    "For that reason, Legacy clans �� not all of them, but the truly powerful ones �� select the Nightmares for their members to challenge very carefully."

    Sunny lingered for a bit, then raised an eyebrow:

    "...What crazy clan chose that cursed Seed for you to try and find, then?"

    The lost prince laughed.

    "Oh, no! No one had wished for me to seek it. It was my decision alone. In fact, I suspect that only two people in both the waking world and this one know about its existence. Me�� and now you."

    He chuckled again, and then added:

    "But that is what makes it so special, as well. None of them could have learned of its existence, reached it, and taken its rewards as their own."

    After that, Mordret suddenly grew silent. He remained that way for a while, and then added quietly:

    "Well�� it's not like I managed to do it, too."

    He sighed, lingered for a few moments, and then added in a wistful tone:

    "Can you imagine what secrets that Seed hides? What one would learn from that Nightmare? A Nightmare... a Nightmare that was created from the chains with which Hope herself had been bound��"

 Chapter 459 Seed of Nightmare

    Chapter 459 Seed of Nightmare

    'Hope�� herself��'

    Sunny stared at the seven chains, finding new meaning in their cruel visage and the misshapen, torn remnants of the seven rune-inscribed shackles.

    So the Sun God's ire had not been quelled by just destroying her kingdom. He had gone a step further, binding the Demon of Hope at the heart of her decimated domain�� for how long?

    And how had she escaped, in the end?

    He tilted his head.

    "So the Demon of Hope was chained here?"

    Mordret answered with a hint of surprise in his voice:

    "...You know of the daemons?"

    A crooked smile appeared on Sunny's face.

    "I do... a bit. Why wouldn't I? Although truth be told, there's not a lot of information about them, even among the Dream Realm researchers. So�� the ruler that you had told me about was one of the daemons? A lesser deity?"

    Mordret kept silent for a bit, then said dejectedly:

    "Yes. I am not sure that those two words really go together, though. I also don't know what Hope had done to earn the wrath of the Lord of Light. However, I do know that these seven chains are what holding is the Chained Isles from falling into the Sky Below."

    Sunny raised his eyebrows.

    "What?"

    The lost prince sighed.

    "People think that there are numerous heavenly chains connecting all the island, but in fact, there are only seven, and you are looking at their roots... or rather, there were only seven. Each of them had to be broken for the Ivory Tower to become untethered, of course. So, now the islands are linked by the fragments of the original seven chains, many of them severed from each other. That is why they are slowly crumbling, one after another."

    Sunny thought for a bit, trying to correct the way he used to think about the Chained Isles. The new information was interesting, but not very useful��

    Shaking his head, he turned back to the Seed of Nightmare.

    "So�� what is the category of that thing? I guess it contains a Second Nightmare, since you wanted to challenge it?"

    Mordret answered succinctly:

    "Correct."

    '...That's one way I can get out of the Dream Realm, then�� but am I suicidal enough to go into the Second Nightmare alone? Whole cohorts of experienced Awakened routinely perish in their attempts to become Masters. What would my chances of survival be with no one to cover my back?'

    Just as Master jet had said, no one survived in the Dream Realm alone. She probably knew from experience.

    He scowled.

    "Wait�� will this Seed create a Gate in the real world if it's not destroyed?"

    When Mordret answered, his voice was almost indifferent.

    "Indeed. But not for a long time�� maybe in a few years, or a decade. It has not matured enough to be able to bloom, yet."

    Sunny hesitated.

    "But it can be challenged, right?"

    The lost prince did not answer for a while, but then finally said:

    "Yes. A Seed can be challenged before it blooms, as well as after. If the Seed is not found in time and a Gate opens, challengers can fight their way through and enter the Nightmare directly. The Gate also disrupts the anchors of those near it, so Masters and Saints that enter the Dream Realm will appear in the vicinity of the blooming Seed. After that, they can lead Awakened to it."

    He paused, then added:

    "In fact, most of the Seeds are not found in time, because the Dream Realm is vast and only partially explored. That's why the Nightmare Creatures are entering our world so often. Challenging a Seed before it blooms is much better. In this case, however�� I would advise against it."

    Sunny turned away from the mass of shimmering darkness, then asked in an even tone:

    "Yeah? Why?"

    Mordred let out a heavy sigh.

    "Conquering a Second Nightmare alone is not impossible, but attempting it is tantamount to gambling your life away. The chances of returning alive are very slim. That is why Awakened challenge them as members of cohesive, experienced cohorts. Even then, many don't survive�� most, even. But this Nightmare is actually far worse. Entering it is a guaranteed death sentence, regardless of how many challengers there are. Unless��"

    Sunny kept his ears open, suddenly very attentive.

    "Unless what?"

    The lost prince remained silent for a short moment, then said:

    "There is a black altar in the place you call Night Temple. On it lies an ivory knife. Only those who have shed blood on the altar and received the Memory of the knife have a chance to survive the trial that hides within this Seed."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times.

    'Wait�� that sounds very familiar!'

    He thought for a few seconds, then asked:

    "Would the obsidian knife from the white altar of the Sanctuary of Noctis work?"

    Mordret laughed.

    "Sure. Having both would be even better, incredibly so. However, I don't know the method to receive the Memory of the obsidian knife. The ritual seems to be different from the one required for the altar in the Night Temple, and I have never figured it out."

    'You didn't�� but I might have.'

    The image of the Covetous Coffer appeared in Sunny's mind, full of golden coins. There were almost fifteen hundred of them inside. Would that be enough to allow him to lift the obsidian knife off the altar?

    He had a feeling that it would.

    "What do these knives actually do, though? And how the hell do you know all this?"

    However, there was no response. Mordret was once again gone.

    Sunny was left alone in the beautiful hall of the ivory pagoda, staring at its white walls and the darkness that had taken root between them.

    The Seed of Nightmare was calling to him, demanding to be challenged�� and destroyed. Or maybe simply to be fed a delicious human soul.

    'Crazy. This is crazy��'

    Challenging a Second Nightmare alone was very similar to throwing his life away, and that was even without the particular piece of information that Mordret had given him �� that no one would be able to survive this very special Nightmare without a Memory of one of the two altar knives, or better yet, in possession of both.

    The question was�� what was worse?

    Challenging the Nightmare, or attempting to survive the Crushing?

 Chapter 460 Fight or Flight

    Chapter 460 Fight or Flight

    Sunny remained in the Hall of Chains for a while, looking at the Seed of Nightmare and the shimmering darkness that suffused it.

    Then, he walked outside. Full of thought, Sunny passed between the jaws of the dead dragon and slowly headed toward the lake. There, he sat on the stone bench and stared at the water with a dark expression on his face. The wind lightly caressed his face and his pale skin, soothing the few remaining burns that he had received in the Sky Below.

    Saint stood silently by his side, her graceful onyx figure reflecting in the clear waters of the lake.

    A heavy sigh escaped from his lips.

    '...I am almost home.'

    More than a month ago, he had ventured on an expedition to explore the Shipwreck Island and search for clues about the whereabouts of the treasure left behind by mysterious Noctis. He had only planned to be gone for a week.

    He had found the treasure, but also fought and defeated two devils: one Fallen, and one Ascended, receiving two powerful Memories in the process. After that, he gazed at the tapestry of Fate through the eyes of a divine mask, and plunged into an endless abyss.

    He spent several weeks plummeting through a sea of nothingness, only to be met by an ocean of flames in its depths. On the other side of the fire was a black tower built by an ancient demon, and in it was a severed hand of a deity, consumed by a terrible rot. There, Sunny swallowed a phalanx bone of Weaver, and received the second part of their lineage.

    After that, he used divine flames to open a portal between the dark void and the sunlit heavens, and found the seven chains that a god had once used to bind Desire, the daemon of Hope.

    And somewhere along the way, he met a lost soul who called himself Mordred, the Prince of Nothing�� a disembodied voice that came out of nowhere, and helped him along the way.

    Now, Sunny just had to do one last thing�� either plunge into a deadly Nightmare, or off the edge of the Ivory Island, to be met with the obliterating fury of the Crushing.

    With a heavy sigh, he turned around and stared at the white bones of the great beast that had wrapped its mighty body around the base of Hope's beautiful tower once, thousands of years ago, before succumbing to death.

    "...Let's get this show on the road, I guess."

    ***

    Some time later, Sunny was leaning on the wall of the Ivory Tower. He was in a tight spot between the tail of the dead dragon and the white surface of the great pagoda, with Saint standing near him, her weapons dismissed.

    With a crooked smile, Sunny wrapped the two shadows around his body and circulated shadow essence through the coils of the Soul Serpent, preparing for what was about to come.

    Then, he looked at the taciturn stone demon and raised his eyebrows.

    "What are you waiting for? Push!"

    Saint gave him an indifferent look, then took a step forward, placed her hand on the surface of the massive bone in front of her, and pushed with all her demonic strength. Her feet sunk into the soil by a few centimeters, but the ancient bone did not move.

    ��Until Sunny joined his Shadow, that was.

    Pressing his shoulder against the adamantine white surface, he poured shadow essence into his muscles, and pushed, too. Although it felt as though the strain was going to kill him, the bone finally gave.

    One of the massive vertebrae comprising the dead dragon's tail rolled over, separating from the rest.

    "Come on! Keep at it!"

    ��Of course, Sunny was not going to challenge a Second Nightmare alone. What was he, crazy? Well, maybe he was a little. But being suicidal was not a part of his very mild, borderline charming craziness.

    Instead, he was going to throw a piece of the dead dragon's tail off the edge of the Ivory Island and ride it all the way down to the ground, hoping that it would survive the onslaught of the Crushing.

    If a dragon couldn't, then what could?

    "Put your back into it!"

    Saint didn't really need his encouragement�� or advice�� so Sunny was mostly shouting for his own benefit, since producing loud noises seemed to help him cope with the strain of trying to push the ancient bone, for some reason.

    Luckily, now that it had been dislodged, the process became easier.

    Together, they slowly moved the massive vertebra past the gazebo containing the inactive portal, then past the grove of ancient trees, and finally to the very edge of the island.

    There, Sunny stopped for a moment and tried to catch his breath. Then, he cautiously looked down.

    That�� was a mistake.

    If before the colorful mosaic of the flying islands far below was simply a breathtaking sight, now that he had to actually jump down, it made Sunny dizzy and frightened out of his wits.

    "Uh��"

    But it was too late to change his mind.

    ...Wasn't it?

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny tried not to think about the inconceivable height and climbed inside the vertebra, which, of course, was hollow at the center. There was just enough space there to fit his body, and that was the reason why he had chosen this particular one, in the first place.

    He lingered for a long time, trying to gather his courage.

    'Maybe it's not too late... maybe I should just enter the Seed. What's the big deal, anyway? It's... it's just a Second Nightmare.'

    But no, there was no way back. He simply had to do it.

    Inhaling deeply, Sunny held his breath for a moment, and then screamed in a small voice:

    "Saint! Push it over!"

    Outside the massive vertebra, the taciturn demon stared at the surface of the ancient bone for a moment.

    And then... gave it a devastating kick.

    As the tail bone of the dragon plunged off the edge of the Ivory Island, giving Sunny a serious rattle, he yelped, dismissed Saint, and dissolved into the shadow that dwelt in the hollow space inside the vertebra.

    Of course, he wasn't going to try and survived the Crushing in his physical form�� he just needed a large enough shadow to hide in. As long as the dragon bone endured, the shadow would too, and he would be safe.

    ��If it endured.

    For a couple of seconds, everything seemed fine, but then the vertebra left the bubble of safety surrounding the heavenly island, and suddenly�� an inconceivable pressure struck it from all sides like a hammer of a wrathful god, making the porcelain bone produce terrifying cracking noises.

    Once again, Sunny was plummeting with terrible speed through the sky. Only this time, the vehicle he had chosen to transport him was even stranger, as well as spinning like crazy, with the wind roaring deafeningly all around. Luckily, he couldn't get sick as a shadow�� otherwise, his already empty stomach would have become emptier.

    'Curses! Don't break, you damn bone!'

    The vertebra of the dead dragon was cracking and slowly breaking apart�� but, miraculously, still holding together.

    At this height, the Crushing was deadly enough to pulverize the flesh of a Saint �� a bona fide demi-god �� into a bloody paste. Maybe even a big, red cloud. But the adamantine dragonbone was only now beginning to slowly crumble apart.

    Once the process started, though, it became unstoppable.

    Sunny panicked as he watched wides crack appear on the white surface all around him. Then, a piece of the bone flew away, letting in a chaotic flood of light. Cursing, he shifted away from the breach, but seconds later, another appeared, and then another. The size of the shadow he could hide in was growing smaller and smaller.

    'Crap!'

    Soon, there were more holes and cracks in the bone than he could count.

    And then... it crumbled completely.

    At the last second, Sunny slid onto the biggest remaining slab of the ancient vertebra, and then went into a crazy dance, shifting from one side of it to another as the fragment spun and exposed different parts of it to the sunlight.

    Small pieces broke off from it, and then, the fragment itself cracked, too.

    'Argh!'

    Finally, the piece of the adamantine vertebrae disintegrated into a rain of splinters that were too small to fit Sunny into their shadows. With nowhere else to hide, he was thrown out into the physical world, his body instantly becoming the victim of the bone-breaking force of the Crushing.

    ��Luckily, his bones were now much more robust than before.

    And the Crushing was already not as irrevocably obliterating as it had been higher up.

    As a loud scream escaped from Sunny's mouth, he continued to fall, feeling his body go through a cruel meatgrinder. But with the help of two shadows and a generous outpour of shadow essence, it wasn't enough to kill him, or even seriously wound him. It was simply painful, damaging, and unpleasant.

    The tail bone of the dead dragon had carried him down for long enough to go through the worst layers of the Crushing.

    Now, all he had to do was stick the landing.

    With a suppressed groan, Sunny struggled to control his fall and finally managed to stabilize his body, preventing it from spinning madly.

    The Chained Isles were now much, much closer than they had been before.

    In fact, he could even recognize a few nearest ones.

    'Don't you dare miss, you pale bastard!'

    He really, really didn't want to repeat the whole damned process again.

    Summoning the Dark Wing, Sunny waited for a second for the dragonfly cloak to activate its enchantment, and then slowly started to turn his fall into a glide.

    A single thought rang in his mind:

    'I made it�� I actually made it�� crap, I really did!'

    ***

    Some time later, a figure of a young man fell from the skies and nimbly landed on the index finger of the giant iron hand that lay in the center of a peaceful, quiet island. The young man looked a bit strange�� he was naked above the waist, with several half-healed burns covering his pale skin, and a menacing, intricate tattoo of a coiling black serpent covering his arms, as well as a large part of his torso.

    His black hair was wild and disheveled, and his dark eyes seemed a little crazy.

    Sunny swayed a little, caught his balance��

    ...And turned to a group of Awakened who were sitting around a dancing campfire, staring at him with their mouths wide open.

    A bright smile appeared on his face.

    "Ah! Good day to you, fellow humans. Say��"

    As mad intensity appeared in his eyes, Sunny licked his lips and asked hoarsely:

    "...Is that food I see roasting over your fire?"

 Chapter 461 Welcome Home

    Chapter 461 Welcome Home

    The heavy lid of the metal sarcophagus opened, letting out bluish light and wisps of cold mist. Soon, a pale hand emerged from inside.

    Jumping out of the sleeping pod, Sunny landed on the floor, felt the ceramic texture of the armored plates beneath his bare feet, and let out a low, satisfied sigh.

    'I'm back, finally!'

    It was so nice to return to the real world.

    After meeting the cohort of the Sanctuary Awakened on the Iron Hand Island, he traveled back to the Citadel with them. Some were curious about where he had been for more than a month, but most weren't even aware that Sunny had gone missing. He used the full scope of his formidable ability to bend the truth ever which way, and left them with the impression that his recent expedition had been long, but not very exciting.

    ��They did continue to give him strange looks the whole way back, though. For some reason.

    But Sunny wasn't too bothered by that.

    After entering the Sanctuary, he went straight for the altar. Since it was the middle of the day and the moon was hidden behind the horizon, he couldn't use the coins immediately. So, instead, he simply touched the altar and left the Dream Realm.

    'Home, I'm finally home��'

    Even though Sunny had not spent a lot of time in his new house, the feeling of safety both its walls and the real world gave him was extremely comforting. Miraculously, even though he had been gone for many weeks, his body felt completely fine. It was as though he had only slept for a night.

    "That's the magic of technology!"

    Glancing at the extravagantly expensive sleeping pod, Sunny decided that he had spent his money well, and headed for the exit out of the basement while whistling a cheerful tune.

    Then, however, he froze.

    'What the hell��'

    Something was not right.

    First of all, he had never used the lighting in the underground dojo. But now, it was turned on, drowning everything with bright light.

    Secondly, the armored doors of the lift leading up were violently torn open. It was as though a massive Nightmare Creature had broken through the defense systems of the house and ripped them apart, bending the adamantine alloy like it was wax.

    'Crap!'

    Sunny jumped back and summoned the Cruel Sight.

    What could have come here? Did a Gate open nearby?

    Full of tension and grim determination, he used the stairwell to climb to the ground floor and cautiously entered his living room.

    The first thing he saw there were��

    Dirty�� dishes? Lots and lots of dirty dishes...

    The second thing he saw were two hazel eyes staring at him with scathing accusation.

    'Have I gone really�� really crazy?'

    Somehow, Effie was in his living room, sitting in her wheelchair with a bowl of steaming cup noodles in one hand and chopsticks in the other. There was a very disgruntled expression on her face.

    'What the hell is she doing here? What's going on?!'

    Staring at Sunny, Effie swallowed a mouthful of noodles, and then said in a dark tone:

    "You're back. Way to make your friends worry, asshole��"

    ***

    As it turned, back when Sunny had been falling into the Sky Below and thinking about how no one would miss him�� he was very, very wrong.

    In fact, the opposite had happened.

    About two weeks after he stopped answering their messages, both Effie and Kai got worried. Effie went to the Academy to check on him, and that was when they learned that Sunny moved out of the dormitory.

    "Bastard! You could have told us that you bought yourself a house, you know? You owe me a housewarming party!"=

    Sunny blinked.

    'A what party? Is there really such a thing or is she pulling my finger?'

    Not knowing where to find him, Kai used his connections to learn Sunny's new address. Since he was limited in where he could go without drawing the attention of the press, Effie went instead. And when she found the basement locked�� well��

    "My�� my armored doors! It was you, you broke them!"

    She sneered.

    "What are you crying about? Those "armored" doors of yours were pathetically easy to break, anyway. Buy yourself better ones! Anyway, I thought that I was going to find your corpse in the sleeping pod. Do you even know how that made me feel?"

    A heavy expression appeared on her face.

    "That would have been a�� a real tragedy��"

    Sunny sighed.

    'Well. At least she cares.'

    "...I mean, just think about it, all those amazing Memories you hoard, gone just like that! If you're going to die, at least give them to me before you do!"

    '...Spoke too soon.'

    After making sure that his life signs were stable inside the sleeping pod, Effie stayed to keep a watch on him, while both she and Kai tried to find out where Sunny was. Apparently, they went as far as contacting the representatives of the White Feather clan.

    "You didn't!"

    Sunny grabbed his head, realizing that he had a lot of explaining to do once he was back in the Sanctuary. A cohort of random Awakened was one thing, but if Saint Tyris herself was aware of his disappearance, things were going to get much harder for him.

    Effie snorted.

    "Of course we did! We also contacted Cassie and her Fire Keepers, since they have a cohort in that remote hellhole you are anchored at. But even she didn't know where the hell you have disappeared to!"

    'Curses!'

    They even brought Cassie into it��

    Sunny groaned.

    "But why�� why would you do all this?"

    Effie gave him a long look, then shook her head dejectedly.

    "Doofus�� can you stop being such a doofus?"

    He stared at her in bewilderment.

    "What is that supposed to mean?"

    She shook her head again and activated her communicator.

    "Ponder on it! And while you're at it, be quiet for a few minutes. I need to call Kai and tell him that you have turned up. Poor guy must have flown halfway to the Chained Isles by now."

    Sunny eyes grew wide.

    "F��flown�� what?!"

    Effie gave him a pitying look.

    Then, she said:

    "...What part of be quiet did you not understand?"

 Chapter 462 An Epic Quest

    Chapter 462 An Epic Quest

    After Effie gave Kai a call and let him know that Sunny was alive and back in the real world, they spent a minute in awkward silence.

    Sunny looked around, taking in the sight of his once pristine and orderly living room. Now, there were dirty dishes everywhere, as well as empty packets of take-out food�� at least he thought that that was what they were, since he had never actually bought one before.

    Effie was such a slob!

    There were even several pieces of clothing thrown into a corner!

    Speaking of clothing��

    'Crap!'

    "By the way, Sunny�� when did you get this badass tattoo? A big, long snake no less! Makes a girl wonder��"

    He sighed heavily, cursing the fact that he had not adjusted the Puppeteer's Shroud after summoning it back in the basement. There were no burns on his skin now, after all.

    "...It's not really a tattoo. It's a magical serpent that helps me control and regenerate essence faster. Don't ask why it manifests as a tattoo, because I have no idea, really."

    He hesitated for a bit, then asked:

    "So you've been just living here for these past few weeks?"

    Effie shrugged.

    "Sure. Someone had to monitor your vital signs. Plus, my family�� well, they deserved a break after taking care of my comatose body for four years, and everything before that. So I bought a very nice place for us, and then, sort of�� moved out."

    Then, an animated expression appeared on her face:

    "Don't worry, though! The stuff you keep in your bedroom remained a secret. I can't even go up the stairs, remember?"

    Sunny stared at her in outrage.

    "What stuff?! There's no stuff! I don't even use the bedroom! I can't really sleep, can I?!"

    Effie laughed.

    "...Right. Makes sense... that you are not doing it on the bed kind of guy. Oh, yeah! What happened to your fridge?"

    He glared, then looked away in embarrassment.

    "Ah, that�� I sort of broke it. By accident."

    Then, a sudden smile appeared on his face.

    "...Wanna go buy a new one?"

    ***

    Since Kai wanted to meet, Sunny and Effie decided to visit an elite shopping center in the center of the city, and then wait for him in a posh restaurant nearby. The former huntress also told Sunny that she would hold off on asking questions about his unexpected adventure until all three of them were together, so that he didn't have to repeat everything twice.

    Which suited him fine, since he needed time to decide what he wanted to tell his friends, and what would be better kept to himself.

    There was so much he needed to think about, and do�� the journey into the Sky Below had not only disrupted his plans in the real world, but also added new things to his agenda. From training to wield a spear better to setting up a shop to sell the soul shards he had brought back with the help of the Covetous Coffer, there were just too many opportunities in front of him.

    He also had to decide what to do about Rain. And continue practicing Shadow Dance in the Dreamscape... everyone had forgotten about Mongrel by now, surely. No doubt about it.

    'Adult life is hard��'

    They reached the shopping center with the help of a passenger PTV, which seemed a bit too luxurious to Sunny, but was a necessity, considering that it would have been hard for Effie to move around in public transport.

    Not only because of her disability, but also because she was somewhat of a celebrity.

    He had noticed at least three propaganda posters depicting her �� the way she looked in the Dream Realm, to be exact �� on buildings as the PTV drove toward the heart of the city. Even he had to agree that Effie looked�� impressive. Like a beautiful goddess of war that knew no fear or would never surrender to anything, not even the hopeless darkness of the Forgotten Shore.

    Triumph and perseverance�� that was what people needed to see, considering how hard and dire life in the real world could seem sometimes. Even if it was just a sweet, benevolent lie.

    It gave them hope, at least.

    A hope gave them strength.

    ...Noticing his gaze, Effie grinned.

    "Looking good, am I?"

    He had no choice but to tell the truth:

    "...Yeah."

    She giggled.

    "Do you remember how Scar and Park came up with a story to make me seem like some kind of a folk hero in the outer settlement, back when Gunlaug's people were searching for me? Well, the government ran wild with it, as you can see. Plus the fact that I was in charge of the first line during the siege�� they made me into a poster girl for the young generation of the Awakened. Right after Nephis, of course."

    Her face suddenly grew dark and solemn. After a long pause, Effie added:

    "...It's a shame that neither of them lived long enough to see their stupid story become a worldwide hit. Park would have been so full of himself now, if he did. I can just about hear him boast."

    And that was the bitter truth that people didn't get to see. The terrible price of the triumph they celebrated was known only to those who had gone through it, and somehow emerged alive on the other side.

    The two of them spent some relaxing time in the shopping center, Effie resting in her wheelchair, Sunny pushing it from behind. From time to time, someone recognized her as the famous Raised by Wolves, and politely expressed their respect and admiration. He, on the other hand, seemed almost invisible.

    Sunny didn't mind. It was better that way, really.

    Being invisible suited a shadow very well.

    More importantly, the act of buying a stupid refrigerator filled him with pure delight �� he had been fantasizing about it for so long in the Sky Below, after all. In a sense, this whole thing had just been a giant obstacle on his epic quest to buy a fridge. And now, after overcoming countless dangers and hardships, that deadly quest was over!

    Sunny worked out the details about the delivery, and soon, it was time to meet up with Kai.

    He had never been to a posh restaurant before, but it seemed as though his outer appearance was decent enough to not look out of place �� the mundane clothes he wore had been chosen with the help of the charming fashion icon himself, after all. Or maybe it was Effie's presence that made everyone there extra polite and a little bit reverent.

    They entered a tastefully decorated space and saw a tall individual in a black cap and an ordinary face mask standing nearby. The weirdo was wearing sunglasses inside.

    Before Sunny could understand what was happening, the masked individual quickly approached and gave him a big hug.

    'Uh�� does he really think that his disguise is fooling anyone? And why is he always trying to hug me?!'

    Of course, it was Kai.

    No amount of masks and sunglasses could hide the glamorous aura of the enchanting Nightingale.

    It only made him stand out even more.

    Sunny sighed.

    'That dashing bastard��'

 Chapter 463

    Chapter 463

    The three of them sat down and were presented with old-fashioned, paper menus to make their choice from. Sunny stared at the word "steak" for a bit, then shuddered and shifted his gaze to the salad section.

    A few minutes later, a waiter approached to take their order. Effie spoke:

    "I guess�� three portions of bibimbap, three portions of samgyeopsal, three bowls of jjajangmyeon, and three portions of tteokbokki."

    Then, she turned to them, smiled innocently, and asked:

    "...Oh, and what about you, guys? What are you going to order?"

    Sunny almost choked on the water he was drinking from a beautiful crystal glass.

    The waiter, though, somehow managed to keep a straight face.

    'What a professional��'

    ...Since they were seated in a private booth, Kai finally took off his cap and sunglasses, then smiled brilliantly. His voice sounded so sincere that it irked Sunny... a little.

    "It's so nice to see you, Sunny. Effie and I were really worried!"

    Sunny cleared his throat.

    "That's, uh�� thanks. I guess. I sort of�� assumed that you wouldn't notice that I was gone."

    Effie sighed.

    "I am starting to wish that I didn't, you idiot! Anyway�� what the hell happened? Why were you gone for an entire month?"

    He hesitated, then said:

    "Do you want to hear the long version, or the short version?"

    Kai gave him a curious look:

    "Let's start with the short version, I think?"

    Sunny scratched the back of his head.

    "Alright. Well, in that case�� it basically just wanted to find clues about a hidden treasure, but ended up almost being eaten by a treasure chest, falling into a bottomless abyss on top of a devil's corpse, and being burned by divine flames. Luckily, there is this voice I can hear in my head sometimes, and it helped me to only get burned a little."

    Effie tilted her head and gave him a strange look. Kai's smile paled a little.

    Sunny took a sip of water and continued in a carefree tone:

    "Anyway, deep in the void, I found a black tower. There were some broken dolls and a rotting severed arm inside, which I�� uh�� ate, sort of. From the black tower in the abyss, I went to a white tower in the skies, and then rode back to the ground on a dragon's tail. That's basically it. Oh, and before all that, I kind of killed myself, I guess. Got a very nice Memory out of it, too!"

    The two of them stared at him for a few moments, and then sighed almost simultaneously.

    Kai shook his head.

    "I take it back. Let's hear the long version��"

    ***

    Sunny explained the sequence of events that led to him being gone for more than a month, keeping a few things to himself �� like the true number of the miraculous coins he had collected, everything having to do with Weaver, and the real reason for why he was so desperate to grow stronger as fast as possible.

    When he was done, Effie giggled.

    "Well. That [Fated] Attribute of yours has really been in overdrive lately, hasn't it?"

    A sour expression appeared on Sunny's face.

    "I guess. I had solid three months of nothing too bad or too good happening before that, though. But that's the thing, when it does finally happen, one thing usually leads to another. It's not all terrible, though. I had to work really hard to survive, but other than that, this expedition was a windfall for me."

    Kai took a sip of tea, and then said thoughtfully:

    "And what about this voice�� Mordret? Do you trust him?"

    Sunny hesitated, then shrugged.

    "After I made sure that he is not just a figment of my imagination, I came to believe that Mordret is indeed one of the Lost, and most likely an Awakened just like we are. Most likely, he can communicate with me over a large distance because of the mirror shard I picked up after putting down that strange artificial Echo of his. Other than that, though�� I don't know. He is very mysterious, to say the least."

    He thought for a bit, and then added:

    "Every piece of information he had given me turned out to be true, so far. And very helpful. I might have not been alive right now if not for him. So it's hard to say, really."

    Kai smiled.

    "Well, in that case, he is alright in my book."

    Sunny paused as the waiter approached to bring the dirty dishes away and refill their glasses. After they were alone once again, he remained silent for a bit, then turned to Effie:

    "But anyway�� I do believe that what he said about the Seed is true. I think I can get the Obsidian Knife, which is supposed to make the Nightmare easier. So�� I wanted to ask. Effie, I know that you can snap your fingers and have a dozen of the most powerful Awakened cohorts in the world accompany you to conquer the Second Nightmare. But... would you consider�� challenging one with me?"

    He expected her to tease him a little before giving an answer, but Effie remained quiet for a bit, an uncharacteristically serious expression on her face. After a while, she said:

    "Challenge a Nightmare? Now, barely four months after we had become Awakened? Are you crazy, Sunny?"

    He smiled.

    "No, I don't mean now. Both of us need time to grow stronger and prepare, of course."

    After saying that, Sunny looked away.

    "...In seven months. After the winter solstice. That's when I plan to return to the Ivory Tower and go into that Seed. Will you come with me?"

    Effie looked at him for a long time, then smiled, too.

    "Sure. Why not? I wouldn't have it any other way, even. But, Sunny�� I have one condition."

    He raised an eyebrow.

    "Really? What is it?"

    Effie glanced at Kai, then said calmly:

    "You need to convince Cassie to join us, too. I don't know what happened between the two of you, but it doesn't matter. Members of a cohort don't need to be friends. They just need to work well together�� and our cohort worked perfectly, back on the Forgotten Shore. Caster is dead, and Nephis is gone�� but Cassie is still here, and we both know how invaluable her Aspect is."

    As Sunny's face darkened, she added:

    "Plus, isn't she anchored at the Night Temple? She can help you get the Ivory Knife, as well. That princeling said that having both would be much better. A Nightmare is a Nightmare and will be absolutely deadly, no matter how prepared you are. Letting go of any advantage is stupid."

    'Convince Cassie��'

    A wave of anger and protest rose from the depths of Sunny's heart. Even though he had time to recover from what had happened in the Crimson Spire and understood the reason why Cassie had done what she had, he was still full of resentment. He was still hurt. He was still unwilling to even think about forgiving her��

    But Effie was right.

    No matter how he felt about Cassie, she was a boon for any cohort�� especially now, since she had grown much more confident in her powers after becoming an Awakened. She also had other survivors of the Forgotten Shore following her as they waited for Nephis to return, and the connection to the Clan Valor emissaries in the Night Temple.

    He didn't have to forgive her to fight side by side with her. He just had to trust that she won't betray him again�� which he reluctantly did. Even though Sunny didn't want to give Cassie the benefit of the doubt, he knew that she had learned a bitter lesson.

    A heavy sigh escaped from his lips.

    '...What should I do?'

    ��It was at that moment that Kai, who had remained silent during their conversation, suddenly spoke:

    "If you don't mind�� count me in, too. I want to challenge the Second Nightmare with the three of you, guys, as well. In fact�� even if you do mind, I insist!"

 Chapter 464 Passion Blossoms Hotter in theCold Heart of Despair

    Chapter 464 Passion Blossoms Hotter in theCold Heart of Despair

    Both Sunny and Effie stared at him in surprise. After a while, the former huntress asked:

    "Challenge the Nightmare with us? Don't you have a great position in Bastion, safe behind its walls? Have Sunny infected you with his madness?"

    Kai frowned, then looked away. After a while, he said:

    "Yes, I do. But�� do you guys remember Aiko? She had a gambling den in the Bright Castle. Well, anyway, Aiko has a real talent for managing various things, so the agency hired her as my manager. One evening, we ended up talking about the Dark City."

    A sad smile appeared on his face.

    "Both of you only lived in the outer settlement, which had its own share of challenges, of course. Much more dire than what we who paid tribute faced in the Castle. But�� but life wasn't that bright there, too."

    He remained silent for a bit, then continued:

    "Aiko had it way worse than I, though. Especially after one of the Pathfinders made a point of making her life a living hell�� Andel, whose head Lady Nephis eventually took off his shoulders. We all knew it, but no one really helped."

    A heavy sigh escaped from Kai's lips.

    "Because what could anyone of us really do against one of the Pathfinders? But there was a lot of these compromises, of little lies we told ourselves as we closed our eyes to every dark, dirty thing that went on around us."

    He looked at Effie, and said:

    "People were starving in the outer settlement while we had our bellies full? Well, it wasn't our fault, because the Castle couldn't feed everyone. Surely, if there was more food, we would have shared. The Guards decided to harass someone? Well, that wasn't our fault either, because Tessai was too powerful, and we were too weak to resist him. And so on, endlessly. Everyone went as far as they needed to keep thinking of themself as one of the good guys."

    Kai grew silent, then said quietly:

    "But, you see, it actually was our fault. All of us have committed the same crime�� we were all weak. When I spoke to Aiko, I finally realized that in this world, being weak is a sin, too. At least for us, the Awakened. So�� yes, I want to challenge the Second Nightmare, despite being safe and sound behind the walls of the Bastion. Because I never want to close my eyes to anything, ever again."

    He looked at them, then smiled.

    "Seven months? That's more than enough time for me to prepare. Plus, don't you need someone who can fly? Or are you going to simply jump into that weird undersky again and just hope to miss all those flames?"

    Sunny coughed.

    Kai had a point��

    "Well�� if you put it like this��"

    ***

    After Kai's unexpected and poignant confession, they spent some time simply relaxing, laughing, enjoying their food, and chatting about this and that. Kai shared his experience of winning twelve consecutive weeks of the Avatar Singer and having to lose on purpose in the end, and the furor his face reveal and the subsequent announcement of Night&Gale's upcoming comeback album caused in the music industry and among the fans.

    ��He also complained about having to hire a second publicist because of a strange scandal he had gotten somehow involved in on the network, causing Sunny to look away in shame and keep his mouth tightly shut.

    Effie mostly talked about all the fried chicken wings she had eaten and all the sorts of beer she had drunk, as well as what types of Nightmare Creatures she had hunted�� and fried, and ate. She also joked about all the propaganda events the government wanted her to participate in, and the various ways with which she had managed to dodge most of them.

    Sunny shared his experience of buying a house, and how it made him feel. He almost got sentimental thinking about his beautiful armored doors that Effie had smashed through, and about his new, expensive, shiny refrigerator.

    Finally, Kai had to return to his schedule. Before they parted, though, he hesitated, then took out two colorful pieces of synthetic paper from his pocket with a very embarrassed expression on his face.

    Without saying anything, he handed the brochures to Sunny and Effie.

    Sunny took one, and stared at it with a confused expression.

    It appeared to be an invitation of some sort. On it was an image of two people standing back to back with swords in their hands, both of them extremely beautiful, in a professional kind of way.

    The guy was dark-skinned and handsome, with broad shoulders and an incredibly masculine face. The girl was thin and languid, with a slim figure that bordered on being gaunter than Sunny had been in his outskirts days. She had a doll's face with big, glistening eyes and full, slightly parted lips.

    ��She was also wearing a very strange and impractical armor, a regal cloak, and a very expensive silver wig.

    'What the hell is this?!"

    The title at the top of the brochure read:

    "A Song of Light and Darkness"

    And right below it, in a smaller font:

    "Light shines brighter in the darkest of nights. Passion blossoms hotter in the cold heart of despair."

    Sunny stared at the piece of paper in his hand with wide eyes.

    "Kai�� my friend�� what did you just hand me?"

    Effie laughed.

    "No way! They finished filming it?"

    Kai coughed.

    "That, uh�� yeah. The premier is in a week, actually. My agency arranged for me to attend and give a short speech. So, uh�� will you two come, please?"

    Sunny shook his head.

    "No, wait�� no, actually, what is this thing?!"

    Effie looked at him with pity.

    "Haven't you heard? They made a movie about us. I mean, about what happened on the Forgotten Shore�� sort of. Have you not heard about all the casting news?"

    He slowly shook his head.

    "No!"

    Then, Sunny frowned:

    "Alright�� alright, I get it. But why would I ever want to go and watch this? I would rather eat another Mordant Mimic! Sorry, Kai, but I am not going��"

    Effie looked at him with mischief and grinned.

    "Oh�� hey Sunny, do you remember how I said that I only had one condition to join you in the Nightmare? Well, scratch that. Actually, I have two��"

 Chapter 465: Subjective Value

    Chapter 465: Subjective Value

    After a white, Sunny a. Effie returned to his home ��Just in time to receive the dcevery of the refrigerator. Two tall antl broad-shouldered store workers unloaded it from the cargo hoLd of their delivery vehicte and placed the big box down wife a bit of strain After that, one of .em smiled a. asked

    "Good day Where should we put it?" Sunny waved a hand_ "Ah, . need I'LL do it myself" The Loaders Looked at him doubtfuLly, then simply shrugged and Left after getting his signature_

    After the vehicte drove off, Sunny Looked around, then ea.,/ Lifted the heavy box antl carried if inside the house without any effort wha.oever.

    Soon, the refrigerator was standing in the place where his ofd one used to be, the synthwood panels covering its doors Mending in with the minimalist design of the kitchen Effie and Sunny stared at rt.r a white, satisfied Then, he said

    "I Like it. a lot" Effie smiled_ "Yeah_ Beatty ties the whole room together.- doesn't it, Welt V any case, I hope you won't break if again" After that she yawned and said in a fired voice "Ugh- I'm beat lime. refire to the Dream Realm. What about you," Sunny thought fora few moments_ Suddenly, a wide smite appeared on his face "I have an errand to run, but after that, I am going in, too Oh _ wait Where are going to steep,"

    Effie shrugged 'Your guest room, where else] He blinked. "Don't you need a steeping pod," The former huntress giggled.

    "I have one In your guest room_ What? Why are you staring at me Like that, Was I supposed to shutle between the Academy antl your comatose body every day,"

    Sunny Lingered fora bit then sighed_

    "Make sense I guess I shot. have put one .ere, to begin wit. What are the chances of me having mundane humans as guests,"

    Then, he waved Effie goodbye and headed for the door as she tumed her wheelchair around antl rotted toward the guest bedroom

    He was very exerted about what he was going to do

    Some time Late, Sunny was in a beautifully Lit store, pushing a shopping cart forward and slowly fitting it to the brim wrth all kinds of food, as well as some other things_ He was quietly whs.-Ring a cheerful tune, imagining alt this stuff going into his new fridge

    The contents of the cart would have cost more than he couttl ever dream to make, back when he had been Living in the outskirts But now, he could not only afford if, b. even do so without having to count his money or feet apprehensive about the cost He route! Lust_ buy as much he wanted of any quality that he wanted antl bring it back home his own home.

    Life had changed so much_

    After a white, he felt as though he got enough Now that he had the Covetous Coffer, he cotttl not only bring soul shards out of the Dream Realm_ but also bring stiff from the real. woad to the Chained IstesiThat meant so much_ an unlimited amount of spices, all kinds of snacks to make the Long days of exploring Less dreadful various Little things to make hceseff more comfort.,

    Hell, if he wanted to, he couLd even bring a tent antl steep in if Like a king,

    'Incredible_. oh, this is simply incrediffiet

    Of course, not all of these things couLd be bought in a general store But he coutd visit other places or simply order stuff on the network

    As he was heading for the registers, a familiar voice suddenly putted him out of his thoughts " _MonniCan we get ice cream," Sunny froze fora moment, then slowly turned his head and Looked. his Left, down a Long aisle he was passing_ There, a pate girl of around fourteen years was standing near a tan, graceful woman in her forties_ An eight-year-old boy with Monde hair antl a bright scele was pushing a tub of ice cream into her hands_ Sunny watched Rain and her family for a .w moments, then turned away antl continued on his way, Leaving them behind A quiet sigh escaped from his lips

    At Least she's doing fine_ Well, of course she is. I W only been gone for a month. Why would anything happen simply because I wasn't here,'

    He reached the register, then heceated for a bit antl turned back

    When he returned,.ere were several tubs of delicious ice cream added to his cart

    As the Light of dawn shined on the Chained Isles, Sunny appeared on the Attar Island of the Sanctuary of Noces He stared at the sky, grimaced at the absence of the moon, and headed toward his room

    Some time Late, though, he emerged from there wrth a peculiar wooden box following him wrth the help of eight small iron Legs With the Covetous Coffer in tow, Sunny walked into the garden, found a facet!. rock, Lifted the toothy box, antl carefully ptaced if near hceseff

    Then, he took out a single soul shard antl put it where everyone coutd see

    Soon, one of the Awakened noticed him a. approached_ "Ah, Sunny, You're back, Looking to sell some shards again?" Sunny smiled. "Oh_ yes, sure_ But hey! That's not alt Brabant Emporium has some new merchandise," The Awakened Looked at him with doubt, then asked "Really? Like what," Sunny's grin grew wider. "How Lucky that you happened to ask Let's see_" He put his hand inside the coffer, which then somehow disappeared into the comparativ Then, Sunny began taking outvarious items, speaking as he did so

    et

    maLL box up to the shouLder.

    "What do I have A store] Take a Look for yourself- toothpaste, Solt dean underwear, Salt Poppet and all ',In., spices! Personal hygiene products! Are you a woman, No? Have a female friend, then? What really, Well, with the stuff I have here, .at can be fixed Oh, what is ffis? Woutd you Look at that"

    As more and more people gathered antl stared at the absolutely mundane, b. precious items that affiost none of them had access to in the Dream Realm with something resembling Lust in their eyes, Sunny's own gleamed with greed

    "By the way, Brilliant Emporium is also proud. announce the opening of a conveyance sercece _ want our dedicated staff to bring something specific from the real. world, No problems Want. se. something to the real woad in.ead? That's not a problem, either_ For just a small commission "

    'I am going to get rich So, so ricer Yes, soul shards were a rare commodity in the real. woad. But a good pair of underpants in the Dream Realm was, perhaps, even more valuable.

 Chapter 466 A Gracious lnvitation

    Chapter 466 A Gracious lnvitation

    Sunny spent a very pleasant morning selling all the stuff he had brought to the Dream Realm to a crowd of Awakened, each of them ravenous for the small comforts the real world could provide.

    Very few had a close enough relationship with a Master or a Saint to be able to get these things here, in a place as remote as the Chained Isles. Things were slightly different in large Citadels like Bastion or Ravenheart, but on the frontier, most people simply had to figure out ways to get by with makeshift replacements. Still, nothing could compare to the real deal.

    All in all, the Brilliant Emporium was performing splendidly.

    Of course, Sunny did not charge too much for the small necessities he sold, but it added up. He wouldn't charge a whole soul shard, even if it was from a Dormant creature, for a tube of toothpaste. But a few tubes, plus a toothbrush, plus some soap and a box of tea leaves, and a promise to bring some sugar with him the next time? That could work.

    Unlike before, he wanted soul shards instead of Memories. He was going to take these shards to the waking world, where their value was much higher.

    Out there, soul shards came from only two sources: some were brought back by Ascended and Transcendent from their journeys into the Dream Realm, and some were scavenged from the corpses of the Nightmare Creatures that had invaded reality through a Gate.

    They were always in short supply, because anyone in possession of a shard was more likely to use it themselves than to sell it for credits. Saturating their Soul Core meant much more to an Awakened than worldly currency�� after all, dead men could not spend their riches.

    The demand, on the other hand, was extremely high. Not only because all Awakened strived to become stronger, but also because young Sleepers, especially, were able to use these shards to increase their chances of returning from their first venture into the Dream Realm alive.

    That was the reason why even Caster, a scion of a prestigious Legacy clan, had not entered the Forgotten Shore with his core already fully saturated.

    And that was the reason why Sunny was going to profit a lot from being in possession of his new favorite Memory... the magnificent Covetous Coffer.

    After all, he �� for better or worse �� had no use for the soul shards whatsoever. He could not consume them, so there was no choice to be made between growing stronger himself or earning credits from others.

    He was going to sell the shards, buy Memories, and feed them to Saint.

    This simple system was almost unfairly lucrative for Sunny, because Memories, unlike shards, had no additional value in the real world. Every Sleeper and every Awakened could bring back Memories from the Dream Realm and freely exchange them there.

    ��Which did not mean that Memories were cheap. In fact, they were extremely expensive. But the correlation between the number of soul shards he would have to sell and the number of Memories he would be able to buy was very much in his favor.

    And of course, Sunny also didn't even need good Memories. The worse, the better! The usefulness of a Memory dictated its price, but did not affect the amount of Shadow Fragments Saint received from consuming them at all.

    His smile was growing wider and wider.

    'Two months�� three, max. That's how long it's going to take me to bring Saint to [200/200]. And what happens next? Oh my, I can hardly wait to find out��'

    His pleasant thoughts, however. were eventually interrupted by a shadow falling over him.

    '...Another customer?'

    Sunny looked up and tensed a little, recognizing the person in front of him.

    It was a young woman wearing a simple white garment�� the same one that had escorted him to meet Master Roan before his journey to the Shipwreck Island.

    The representative of the White Feather clan.

    He suppressed a heavy sigh.

    "Uh�� what can I do for you?"

    The young woman bowed slightly, then said in a neutral tone:

    "Saint Tyris invites you to share a meal with her, Awakened Sunless."

    'Curses�� that is what I have been afraid of.'

    Sunny shivered slightly.

    What were the chances of him keeping all his secrets to himself during a conversation with the fearsome demi-god in charge of the Chained Isles?

    Saints were creatures of another breed. It wasn't a coincidence that there were only a few dozen of them across all of humanity�� they were not only the most powerful, but also the most skilled, strong-willed, brilliant, and deviously cunning members of the human race. Each was a force to be reckoned with.

    Nothing less would suffice if one wanted to survive the harrowing trial of the Third Nightmare.

    He wasn't sure of his ability to fool such a person.

    Sunny forced out a weak smile.

    "...It would be my pleasure."

    The young woman nodded, then turned around, obviously expecting him to follow.

    Sunny sighed, then dismissed the Covetous Cover and stood up from the rock.

    It was time to face Sky Tide again.

    ***

    The graceful stone chateau perched on top of the tall menhirs of the Sanctuary was just as Sunny had remembered it. The open pavilion at the very edge of the ancient monolith had not changed, as well. It was bathed in sunlight and exposed to winds, opening to a breathtaking view of the Chained Isles.

    The Ivory Tower floated far above, shrouded in white clouds.

    This time, there was a simple meal served for three people on the round table in the center of the pavilion, and both Master Roan and Saint Tyris were preparing to eat. The young woman led Sunny to them, gestured to a free chair, and then moved to stand silently by Sky Tide's side.

    Sunny lingered for a bit, then said awkwardly:

    "Uh�� greetings, Lady Tyris, Master Roan. It's an honor to be invited to join you for dinner. Uh�� lunch? Yeah. To join you for lunch."

    Saint Tyris simply nodded and didn't say anything, but Master Roan looked at him and grinned. Then, he gestured to the food on the table.

    "What are you waiting for, Sunless? Dig in! Food's growing cold."

    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then smiled.

    If there was one rule he tried to follow faithfully in his life�� it was to never refuse free food.

    Master Roan didn't have to ask him twice.

 Chapter 467 Dinner with a Saint

    Chapter 467 Dinner with a Saint

    It seemed that the conversation was not going to happen until after the meal, which suited Sunny fine. Not only did he get to enjoy a simple, but delicious food provided by the White Feather clan, but he also received a bit more time to think about what he was going to say, and how.

    Sunny focused his attention on the plate in front of him, and after a few moments, a delighted smile found its way onto his face.

    'That's really good!'

    Noticing it, Master Roan chuckled:

    "You like it? Well�� I am not going to say that I cooked it myself, because that would be a lie, but I did hunt the beast with my own two hands. I also watched and gave very wise advice when Tyris was planting the vegetables!"

    Sunny choked.

    'Tyris planted�� what? Sky Tide grew these vegetables herself?!'

    The image of the stern Saint doing gardening did not fit into his mind at all. He threw a furtive glance at the unnaturally beautiful woman, and swallowed.

    'Yeah�� can't imagine it.'

    Saint Tyris was calmly eating, not a single emotion appearing on her face. At the mention of her name, she looked at her husband for a second, and then returned to her meal without reacting in any way. Sunny didn't know if she was simply like that around strangers, or always aloof�� in any case, it was hard to picture Sky Tide doing mundane things like gardening.

    Not knowing what to think of it, he lingered for a few moments, then said awkwardly:

    "...Yes. Thank you, it's very tasty."

    It was too good, in fact. The food was disappearing from his plate at a concerning speed, which meant that he had to sort out his thoughts fast.

    Basically, there were three things about his recent adventure that were better kept secret.

    The first one was the miraculous coins and their connection to the Sanctuary of Noctis.

    The second was Mordret�� despite the fact that Effie and Kai had easily believed him, telling total strangers that there were voices in his head was not the best of decisions. Besides that, Sunny got the feeling that the lost prince might have been in not so friendly relationship with the emissaries of the Valor clan that resided on the Chained Isle.

    Sky Tide did not serve Valor directly, but her clan was still allied to the rulers of Bastion, to the point that one might have gone so far as to call them a vassal clan.

    And lastly, there was the whole thing about the Ebony and Ivory Towers, the connection between them, and the Seed of Nightmare. If it threatened to create a Gate at any moment, he would have felt obligated to inform the White Feather clan, so that someone else could destroy it before that happened. But since the Seed was far from blooming, he wanted it all for himself.

    However, Sunny suspected that he will have to sacrifice one of these secrets to keep the others intact.

    The question was... which one?

    Finally, the food was gone from their plates, and the young woman in white poured beautiful ember tea into their cups. Sunny blew on his, and glanced at Master Roan:

    "So, uh�� not to appear impolite, sir, but to what do I owe the pleasure?"

    'Here it comes��'

    He hesitated, then added:

    "Is it about my friends making a ruckus after I have gone on an unusually long expedition? You weren't too inconvenienced by having to look for me, were you?"

    He was expecting a confirmation, but instead, a surprised expression appeared on the strapping Master's face.

    "Look for you? Uh�� why would we look for you?"

    Noticing that Sunny was confused, he remained silent for a moment, and then smiled.

    "Ah! There must have been a misunderstanding. Nightingale and Raised by Wolves did, indeed, bring your disappearance to the attention of our clan. I was going to explore the places where you had been seen last to investigate, but luckily, Lady Cassia arrived at the Sanctuary just in time. She informed us that you would return in a few weeks, so we didn't have to worry."

    A tense smile froze on Sunny's face.

    "She did? Well�� I'm glad your time wasn't wasted, then."

    'Damn it! Damned Cassie and her damned visions! How much does she know?'

    He took a sip of tea to hide his expression behind the cup for a second.

    That changed things�� on purpose or not, Cassie had helped him avoid the scrutiny of having to explain his absence to the White Feather clan. That, however, posed another problem.

    And that problem was Song of the Fallen herself. The timing of her visit to the Sanctuary of Noctis and this strange action of hers were probably not a coincidence�� what was she playing at?

    Or was he being too paranoid, looking for a meaning where there was none? Cassie was not some machiavellian mastermind, after all... unlike Sunny and Nephis both. At least she had not been.

    Putting down the cup, Sunny cleared his throat.

    "But then�� why did you invite me?"

    Master Roan smiled and produced a folded piece of paper from his pocket.

    "Oh, it was just to hand you this. Lady Cassia left you a message before leaving on an expedition with her cohort."

    Sunny tried to seem calm and nonchalant as he took the piece of paper and unfolded it. Inside, two words were written in awkward handwriting:

    "Desecrated Grove"

    They were, without a doubt, left by Cassie. After becoming blind, writing was hard for her. That's why the penmanship seemed so crude.

    'What the hell is that supposed to mean?'

    Desecrated Grove�� Sunny had heard of that place. It lay west of the Sanctuary, separated from it by a stretch of long chains. The Grove itself was not the most deadly of territories, but there were several Corrupted creatures nesting on islands in close vicinity to it.

    Had Cassie known that he would want to speak to her, and left him a direction to where to find her?

    Why would she lead her cohort to that remote place, which was situated as far from the Hollow Mountains as one could get on the Chained Isles?

    'Strange��'

    Sunny folded the note, put it under the vambrace of the Puppeteer's Shroud, and smiled:

    "Thank you."

    Things like that weren't too strange. Since he had gone on a long expedition and missed Cassie, who was planning to remain in the Dream Realm for a while herself, it was logical to communicate through messages. She could have just sent one to his communicator, though��

    Although, if he was honest with himself, there was a big chance that he would ignore the message if she had.

    Sunny finished his tea, and then asked cautiously:

    "So�� I can go?"

    Master Roan shrugged.

    "Sure. It was nice to see you again, Sunless. I hear your Emporium is doing well!"

    Sunny couldn't believe his luck. Expressing his gratitude, he rose to leave.

    Just as he did, though, Saint Tyris spoke for the first time. Piercing him with a penetrating gaze, she said evenly:

    "...Have you been to the Reckoning Island?"

    He froze.

    Under the stare of Sky Tide, twisting the truth didn't seem that wise anymore.

    Sunny hesitated, then said simply:

    "Yes."

    Saint Tyris looked at him for a few moments, then turned away.

    "Next time someone asks, say no."

    Taken aback, Sunny stared at the stunningly beautiful woman for a bit, gather his courage, and then quietly asked:

    "May I know�� why?"

    Sky Tide kept her gaze at the breathtaking vista of the Chained Isles below them. Then, in a calm voice, she answered:

    "You may not."

 Chapter 468 Desecrated Grove

    Chapter 468 Desecrated Grove

    Sunny descended from the White Feather's aery in a complicated mood.

    If he ever had doubts that the lost prince was harboring dire secrets, now, there were none. Why else would Saint Tyris caution him to not speak about the Mirror Beast, who had seemingly been the only trace left of Mordret's existence?

    Mordret had conquered the First Nightmare when he was only twelve�� such an individual, surely, would have been as famous as Nephis back in the real world. And yet, Sunny had never heard of him, or of anyone who had accomplished the same feat.

    It was almost as if someone very powerful had purposefully erased any mention of the mysterious prince from history.

    ��How had he lost his physical body, to begin with? And where was his spirit body in the Dream Realm? Did�� did he even have one? He must have had it once, at least. The pack Sunny had found on the Reckoning contained a detailed map of the Chained Isles, with the word "hope" written on it next to a question mark.

    Back then, he thought that the owner of the pack had been killed by the Mirror Beast. Now, however, he suspected that it had belonged to Mordret himself.

    So, the lost prince had at least visited the Chained Isles before disappearing. Was the great clan Valor complicit in his disappearance? Sunny had no real reason to come to that conclusion, other than the fact that the Chained Isles were in their sphere of influence, and that Saint Tyris hinted at her knowledge of the nature of the Mirror Beast.

    But why hadn't she killed it herself?

    'I am going to have to ask Mordret a lot of questions when he appears.'

    Which wasn't going to happen for many days, sadly.

    Until then, Sunny had other matters to attend to.

    He glanced at the sun and judged that it had barely reached its zenith. The moon wasn't going to appear for a while�� so, even though the desire to place his precious coins on the altar gnawed on him, he decided to address the most pressing problem first.

    ��Cassie.

    No matter how reluctant Sunny was to face his former friend, he had to speak to her. He couldn't make plans for the future without knowing who would be by his side as he challenged the Second Nightmare.

    And he absolutely needed to challenge it.

    Collecting essence was fine, but becoming a Master would change the power dynamic between him and Nephis much more. And even though creating future cores would be harder after he achieved a higher Rank, being an Ascended also meant that there would be much fewer things out there that could squash him like a bug.

    ��Not only among the Nightmare Creatures, but also among the humans. The more crumbs of information about the Sovereigns Sunny learned, the more disturbed he became. He was distrustful by nature, so he didn't believe that these hidden overlords would not try to exert their influence on him or try to destroy him one day, simply by virtue of being able to do so.

    And even without this threat�� there were hundreds of Master in the world, which meant that there were hundreds of people who could kill him without breaking a sweat. But if he became a Master himself�� well, then there would only be a few dozen individuals he would have to be really wary of.

    Like Saint Tyris.

    ...Not to mention that, as an Ascended, he would be free to come and go from the Dream Realm as he wished. He would even be able to abandon it forever, and never come back.

    Wouldn't that be a nice choice to have?

    'So�� the Desecrated Grove it is.'

    Sunny frowned, then returned to his room, took out his map from the Covetous Coffer, and spent some time adding all the details he remembered from Mordret's map onto it. Soon, he was in possession of an intricately detailed depiction of most of the Chained Isles on his hands, complete with descriptions of what dangers he was likely to meet, and where.

    With its help, traveling to his destinations was going to be much safer.

    Sunny studied the route to the Desecrated Grove and sighed.

    '...Shouldn't be too hard. I can probably reach it by morning, and return to the Sanctuary the next day at night, when the moon is high in the sky.'

    And finally get to use the coins he had bled so much to earn.

    He dismissed the Covetous Coffer, stretches his limbs, and headed toward the exit from the Sanctuary.

    ***

    The journey to the remote island that Cassie named in her note indeed turned out to be uneventful. Sunny rode the heavenly chains in the form of the shadow and traversed the islands on foot, avoiding any Nightmare Creature that crossed his path.

    The southern part of the Chained Isles was relatively safe, or at least safer than the northern part. Well, no surprise �� it was bordering regions of the Dream Realm that had been tamed by humans more than a decade ago, while to the north there was nothing except for the dreadful Hollow Mountains.

    The Desecrated Grove itself was somewhat near the main route from one of the Great Chains �� which connected all of the Chained Isles to the rest of the Dream Realm �� to the Sanctuary of Noctis. People who were either coming to or leaving the region used that route to travel between the Great Chain and the Citadel, so it was often patrolled by the White Feather forces.

    Sunny traveled along the established route, then left it to go deeper into the dangerous wilderness of the flying islands. He carefully avoided all the places where Corrupted Nightmare Creatures were known to dwell, and kept his eyes open for any sign of danger.

    However, nothing that couldn't be avoided happened. None of the islands Sunny wanted to cross were rising, so he even managed to escape having to endure the Crushing.

    The sun rolled down over the horizon and disappeared, and the moon followed its example.

    As the first light of dawn ignited in the east, Sunny flew through the shadows and then soared high into the air, cresting the edge of a large island and softly landing on its soil.

    The Desecrated Grove�� he had arrived.

    Sunny let out a heavy sigh.

    ��He had almost hoped that some terrible monstrosity would attack him on the way, making it so he wouldn't have to meet Cassie. The searing mess of emotions he felt toward her�� was much scarier than any Nightmare Creature could ever hope to be.

    At the end of the day, humans were much harder to deal with than monsters.

 Chapter 469 Fire Keepers

    Chapter 469 Fire Keepers

    The Desecrated Grove was a large island, its surface overtaken almost entirely by a forest of twisted, charred, dead trees. The ground was covered by a thick layer of ash, which was often thrown into the air by the strong winds. Grey flakes rained down from the sky.

    There were many Nightmare Creatures nesting in the dark forest, and although most of them were only of the Awakened Rank, one had to be careful to not get ambushed, surrounded, or stumble upon an especially ferocious abomination.

    Sunny couldn't even begin to guess why Cassie would choose such a place to establish a camp.

    However, he could already see the signs of human presence.

    There were four chains connecting the Desecrated Grove to other islands, but the one he himself had used was the most convenient. Any sane leader would have chosen the same route, and even though the Crushing was capable of making anyone's path unpredictable, the other three were just too much of a risk.

    That's why Sunny wasn't surprised to see human footprints leading toward the menacing wall of blackened dead trees, already mostly covered by a new layer of ash. There were also signs of a battle, with several misshapen carcasses laying on the ground and showing clear signs of their soul shards being removed.

    Judging by the fact that they were only partially devoured by the scavenging Nightmare Creatures, Cassie's cohort must have passed through no more than a week ago.

    Sighing, Sunny tied a piece of cloth around his mouth and nose, summoned the Cruel Sight, and started following the footprints.

    Soon, he entered the ashen veil of the twisted forest. His ability to see through any shadow proved to be invaluable once again: if not for that gift, he would have been scared witless, expecting a sudden attack to come from the surrounding darkness at any moment.

    With his sight, the Shadow Sense, and the ability to see all around himself with the help of one of the shadows, Sunny felt confident that nothing would be able to get close to him unnoticed�� at least not on this comparatively tame island.

    But that was the thing about the Dream Realm. Even creatures that were supposed to be easy to deal with could kill you in a second if you weren't careful enough. Tame or not, everywhere in this godforsaken world was a potential death trap.

    As Sunny went deeper into the forest, he discovered more signs of Cassie's cohort passing through. There were marks left behind by violent skirmishes, as well as several abandoned campsites. It seemed as though the Fire Keepers had been taking their time, slowly exploring the path ahead and moving their camp further and further into the depth of the Desecrated Grove after clearing a long stretch of it.

    'Why travel here all the way from the Night Temple? She had to cross the entire region, getting away from the Hollow Mountains, only to get stuck on an unexceptional island. I just don't get it.'

    Sunny was clearly missing something��

    With a slight frown, he turned into a shadow and glided through the darkness, covering much more distance with every minute than he had been on foot. He still preferred to be cautious, though, sending one of the shadows ahead and moving slow enough to be able to react in time if something unexpected happened.

    After an hour or so, he finally found them.

    Cassie and her cohort were camped at a secluded clearing that was around halfway to the heart of the island, dangerously far removed from the edge. If the Desecrated Grove entered the ascent phase, the time window for them to get back to the chain before the Crushing became deadly would be extremely narrow.

    Since it was early morning, most of the members were asleep, with only two lookouts standing watch with torches in their hands. Sunny observed them for a few seconds from the shadows, and then sent his own forward.

    He recognized both of the watchmen, since they had spent a lot of time together during the struggle for the throne of the Bright Castle, as fellow members of Neph's faction.

    The Fire Keepers were comprised of about forty survivors of the Forgotten Shore �� those who had decided against pledging their allegiance to the Legacy clans that wanted the recruit them, as well as the government, and had not become fully independent like Effie and Sunny had.

    Although Cassie was their nominal leader, she didn't command the whole host herself. Instead, Neph's followers were divided into several cohorts, each operating in different regions of the Dream Realm. Fire Keepers were not a formal organization, but more of a loose alliance of people who shared similar beliefs and principles, the main being the hope that Changing Star was going to return alive one day.

    ��Sunny's shadow entered the circle of light created by one of the torches, glared at the lookout, and then waved at him.

    The young man stared at it with wide eyes.

    "What the hell?!"

    The other swiftly turned, summoning her weapon.

    "What is it?"

    The first one remained silent for a moment, then sighed.

    "Ah, crap��"

    He massaged his temple, as if experiencing a headache.

    "...I think it's Sunny."

    ***

    There were eight people in Cassie's cohort, every one of them a familiar face.

    ��Well, Sunny more or less knew all of the survivors of the Forgotten Shore, had fought with them back to back, so that wasn't surprising. What did surprise him, though, was how warm they welcomed him.

    Even if some were clearly displeased with having to wake up a bit early and warry of his entrepreneurial ambitions �� which they had been amply subjected to during the war for the Bright Castle �� they were still clearly happy to see Sunny. Soon, his shoulder began to hurt a little from all the friendly slaps it received.

    "Would you look at that! Four months on these damned islands, and this is the first time we actually cross paths!"

    "How have you been, Sunny?"

    "Oh! I was so sad that we missed you in the Sanctuary. Glad you decided to visit!"

    Sunny smiled weakly and responded to their greetings, feeling both strangely warm inside and extremely uncomfortable with all the attention.

    Truth be told�� he was glad to meet them again, too. He still couldn't quite believe that anyone had escaped the Forgotten Shore, let alone a whole hundred of young men and women, some of whom were in front of him right now.

    After the greetings were done, he looked around and raised an eyebrow.

    "Uh�� sure, guys. Likewise. But where's Cassie?"

    The Fire Keepers glanced at each other, then one of them smiled.

    "Oh, right! You must be dying to see her."

    '...Not exactly.'

    The girl who spoke shook her head and turned toward a path leading somewhere away from the camp.

    "Let's go. I'll take you."

    ��Not too far from the camp, a deep hole was dug near the roots of one of the dead trees. Beside it, with her back to him, stood a delicate girl with pale blond hair and an elegant rapier hanging in a scabbard on her belt.

    Hearing their footsteps, Cassie turned around. A small smile appeared on her face.

    "Sunny. You've made it..."

 Chapter 470 Come Winter

    Chapter 470 Come Winter

    Cassie had changed since the last time they met.

    Her hair was longer, and there was a strange silver half-mask covering her eyes, its surface blind and intricately engraved. It matched the polished steel of the armor she was wearing on top of a midnight blue coat, comprised of a short cuirass, vambraces, greaves, and a segmented pauldron.

    The Quiet Dancer hung on her belt, but there was also a long dagger opposite it, its guard twisting upward.

    What changed most of all, however, was her demeanor. The blind girl seemed�� much older, somehow. Firmer, poised, but also weary. As if pressed down upon by the weight of years.

    'What? What years? She's younger than me!'

    Sunny struggled a little, then pretended to smile, too, for the benefit of the young Fire Keeper who no doubt expected a warm reunion.

    No one knew what had happened between them, after all.

    "Yeah. I received your note�� cryptic as it was. And here I am. In the flesh."

    The girl who had led him to Cassie glanced at them, then made an excuse and went back to the camp, tactfully deciding to remove herself from what she thought was going to be an emotional meeting of two old friends.

    ��Former friends, really.

    Sunny hesitated a little, then asked:

    "So�� how have you been?"

    Cassie sighed, then turned back to the excavated roots of the charred tree.

    After a while, she spoke:

    "Not so good, actually."

    Her voice sounded distant.

    "We�� we have tried to venture into the Hollow Mountains, as you must know. But it was hopeless. That place is pure death, for anyone who dares set foot into the mist. We hoped to find a way back to the Forgotten Shore. In the end, however, we were lucky to simply escape alive."

    Cassie remained silent for a bit, then asked:

    "What about you?"

    Sunny grinned:

    "Me? Oh, I've never been better��"

    With that, he summoned the Covetous Coffer, fished out some fresh, fragrant fruit from it, and sat down on a nearby stump. Taking a big bite out of a juicy peach, he chewed it with gusto, and then glanced at the blind girl.

    "Oh, sorry. I only brought enough for one."

    ��Yes, Sunny knew that he was being ridiculously petty. But so what? Pettiness was his middle name. Figuratively speaking.

    "So, you failed to return to the Forgotten Shore, and now�� what are you doing, exactly? Why are you digging up trees in this vile forest?"

    Cassie smiled a little, then answered evenly:

    "...I am looking for something."

    Then, she turned away from the hole and faced him.

    "Yes, I told the White Feather clan that you will return alive. No, I did not see a vision of where you were, and what you did in the past month."

    Sunny stared at her with a dark expression:

    'What is this?! She can read minds now?!'

    "...And no, I can't read minds. If you must know, my Second Ability allows me to sense what will happen in the next few seconds. That's why I can walk around without a cane, and knew what you were going to say."

    He grimaced.

    'That's�� going to be very annoying, I think.'

    Sunny looked at Cassie, reevaluating her armor and weapons. With an Ability like that, she might have become a very formidable fighter. Or not. He didn't really understand how it worked, to tell the truth.

    So, he asked curiously:

    "Does that mean that you can see now?"

    Cassie shook her head.

    "No�� not exactly. But if I want to take a step forward, and sense falling into a ravine, I can walk around it instead. If I sense being pierced by a sword, I can try to deflect it. And if I sense being asked a question, I can answer it."

    He thought for a bit, then said:

    "So, what is my next question?"

    The blind girl simply shook her head.

    "I don't need to waste soul essence to guess. You want to know how I knew that you will come back to the Sanctuary in one piece."

    Sunny finished his fruit, threw the pit into the hole, then smiled:

    "Indeed. If you did not spy on my recent adventures, then how did you know that I wasn't going to die?"

    Cassie lingered for a bit, then turned away. After a while, she said:

    "It's still spring."

    He scowled.

    "What does that have to do with anything? You knew that I would be fine because it's spring?"

    Cassie smiled.

    "Yes. I knew that you wouldn't die. Because, you see��"

    She paused for a moment, and then said calmly:

    "...I already saw you die, in winter. Both of us, actually."

    ***

    After Cassie dropped that bomb, Sunny simply stared at her for a whole minute, his eyes wide and the words refusing to come out of his mouth. Finally, he gritted his teeth and hissed:

    "What the hell?! You saw us die?!"

    Cassie sighed, then gave him a simple nod.

    "Yes."

    Sunny growled.

    "Elaborate!"

    The blind girl hesitated for a little while, then asked evenly:

    "Are you sure you want to know? You've seen what happened the last time I shared my vision with someone, and tried to challenge fate."

    A dark, resentful expression appeared on Sunny's face. With his voice full of anger, he spat:

    "Who cares?! Tell me what you saw this instant!"

    Cassie sighed and turned to face him.

    "Alright. But remember�� remember what happened to the three of us, before. How we tried to deceive fate, but were played by fate instead."

    She grew quiet for a moment, and then said:

    "This is what I saw: there was a crumbling island falling into the Sky Below, and the two of us �� bloodied, mangled, and weak �� falling down with it. It was snowing. Above us, a giant bird flew, wreathed in thunderclouds. It was fighting a terrifying black wyvern, their blood falling down like rain. Then the darkness swallowed us�� and we were gone."

    Cassie looked down, then added solemnly:

    "That was how we died."

 Chapter 471 Quid Pro Quo

    Chapter 471 Quid Pro Quo

    When Cassie was done speaking, Sunny remained silent for a bit. Then, he said:

    "Anything else? More details?"

    The blind girl shook her head.

    "Because of the blizzard, it was hard to see what surrounded the crumbling island, and it was already too damaged to recognize it. So�� no, no more details. Uh�� you were wearing a metal armor, I think? Not the Puppeteer's Shroud."

    Sunny massaged his temples with a bleak expression on his face.

    "Well�� it's not as bad as I expected."

    Cassie tilted her head a little.

    "It's not?"

    A dark smile appeared on his lips.

    "We already know that your visions are easy to misinterpret. You haven't seen us die, really�� right? The light go out of our eyes, our bodies being torn apart, and so on. You just saw us badly injured and falling into the darkness. So what? I have already fallen into the Sky Below once, and here I am, good as new."

    The blind girl hesitated.

    "You fell into the Sky Below?"

    Sunny waved a hand dismissively.

    "Yes, but that doesn't matter. Wait, no�� actually, it does matter. It's the reason I came to see you. I have almost forgotten because of this�� charming revelation of yours."

    After that, he grew silent, thinking about Cassie's vision of their death.

    Despite Sunny's bravado, inside, he wasn't as nonchalant about it as he wanted to appear. Yes, her visions had been misleading in the past�� but not all of them. Some were as straightforward as possible. And yes, although he had already gone through the endless void below the Chained Isles once, there was no guarantee that he would survive it second time, not unless he had chosen to do so himself.

    After the Twisted Rock was destroyed by the Crushing, Sunny managed to survive due to three reasons: one of them was Mordret, one was that he had already been near the Tear, and the other was the [Where is my eye?] enchantment that he had used in a moment of desperation.

    That enchantment had almost killed him, itself, and only failed to do so because his already exhausted shadow essence ran out just at the right time. If his reserves had not been depleted, and he was forced to endure staring into the eternity of Fate for a few seconds more, his mind would have been destroyed completely.

    If he was thrown into the Sky Below once more, away from the Tear, there would be a very slim chance of him finding the rift in the ocean of divine flame again. Especially if he was as badly wounded as Cassie implied.

    And there were giant birds fighting wyverns in the sky above.

    So, what he had to do now was�� well, what the hell was he supposed to do? The vision did not provide any actionable information. The only thing Sunny could think of was to work really hard to get himself a flight-capable Memory or Echo before winter.

    And maybe make a will.

    He sighed.

    "So�� what have you been doing to prevent the two of us from dying? How can you calmly dig around in the mud, knowing what is going to happen?"

    Cassie lingered for a moment, then smiled.

    "In fact, I am digging around in the mud for that very reason."

    Sunny snorted.

    "What are you hoping to find there? A pair of wings?"

    She shook her head.

    "No�� I am just hoping to find a preserved root."

    'A root? What can a root do to save us from dying?'

    He kept quiet for a bit, then said:

    "Alright. Suit yourself. Anyway, I wanted to talk with you about something."

    Cassie looked into the depths of the forest, then nodded.

    "About what?"

    Sunny gathered his thoughts, then explained:

    "I have found a Nightmare Seed. A very special one, that contains a very special Second Nightmare. And I want to challenge it after the winter solstice�� actually, scratch that. I want to challenge it by the end of the autumn."

    His initial plan was to give himself and his companions seven months to prepare, but considering what Cassie saw happening in winter, these plans had to change. Whatever it was that she predicted, facing it as a Master would be much more desirable than facing it as an Awakened.

    ��Unless her vision took place inside the Nightmare, of course.

    Regardless, now, he decided to return to the Ivory Tower before the autumn was over. Six months was a tight amount of time to get ready, but now so different from his initial plan. He could make it work, provided that other people whom he wanted to take with him would, too.

    "That Seed is also located in a very special place. In fact, it's right above our heads, in the Ivory Tower. I found a way to get there without being killed by the Crushing�� although that other path is, arguably, just as dangerous."

    Sunny pointed down.

    "It's in the Sky Below. Effie and Kai are coming to the Chaines Isles to join me. We hope that you will challenge the Nightmare with us, too. Oh... and we'll need your help getting into the Night Temple. There's an item we need to retrieve there."

    Cassie faced him and remained silent for a while. With her eyes being hidden by a mask and her face unmoving, it was hard to tell what she was feeling or thinking about.

    Finally, she said:

    "You want me to join? After what I have done to you?"

    Unseen to her, a cold expression appeared on Sunny's face. He looked at the blind girl for a long time, then shrugged.

    "Why not? We don't have to be friends to go into a Nightmare together. We don't even need to like each other. We can just be�� temporary allies. Wasn't that what I was to you, anyway? If you can handle that, so can I. I don't mind being used, as long as I get to use you in return. Pretty simple."

    Cassie turned away and didn't say anything for a few moments. Then, she answered:

    "Alright. I will go to the Night Temple with you, and help you conquer the Second Nightmare. But�� I want your help with something in return."

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "My help? With what?"

    The blind girl hesitated for a second, and then said:

    "You have been to the Shipwreck Island, haven't you? The creature that dwells there�� in a few months, I want you to help me kill it."

 Chapter 472 : Worthy Reward

    Chapter 472 : Worthy Reward

    Sunny stared at the blind girl with surprise clearly written on his face. Allowing this surprise to seep into his voice, he asked: "The vine creature? You want to kill that thing?" Why would she want to attemptto do something that dangerous? Cassie nodded.

    He shook his head.

    That bastard sprawls through the entire island, its vines buried underground. It is Corrupted, which means that our weapons will barely be able to out it. And, if that was not bad enough, the vines produce clouds of deadly poison. Are you sure that you want to attack It?

    The blind girl lingered for a few moments, then answered calmly:

    "It is a Corrupted Monster, indeed. It is terrifying and lethal, yes, But I am sure that we can destroy it, with enough preparation. Everyone has weaknesses, after all. That creature is susceptible to fire, for example. There must be other things we might be able to exploit, too!

    Sunny thought rota while, then shrugged. "Fine. I will help your cohort fight the monstrosity on the Shipwreck Island. I will not promise that we will succeed, though! Cassie sighed. Then we have a deal. My cohort and I will remain in the Desecrated Growth until our business here is done. I expect it to take a month, at least Maybe more. After, we will return to the Sanctuary, recuperate, and proceed to the Shipwreck Island!

    She paused for a moment and then added: "And then, I will help you challenge the Second Nightmare: Sunny smiled. "If we don't die before that, you mean?" The blind girl turned back to the roots of the dead tree. "...Yes. If we don't die before that!

    On his way back to the Sanctuary, Sunny had a lot to think about.

    Firstly, there was the fact that he would have to cooperate with Cassie again, which made him feel all sorts of complicated emotions. The manner of their relationship, at least, was set clear �� it was purely an alliance of convenience, and nothing else.

    He could put away his resentment for the sake of mutual benefit After all, Sunny could be a very pragmatic person when he needed to be.

    Secondly, there was the perspective of returning to the wreck of the ancient ship, this time to do bathe with the vine monster that ruled over the island. Sunny knew very well how dangerous that thing was, so he had a lot of preparations to do if he wanted to come out of that fight in one piece.

    The divine flame augmentation of the Cruel Sight, however, was going to come in very handy.

    And lastly, there was the ominous prediction that Cassie had made about both of them dying sometime in winter. Or falling into the Sky Below, at least. That_ he didn't even know what to think about that. However, Sunny was not going to let this vision affect his decisions. The last time he had tried to act on the knowledge received through Cassie's prophetic gift did not end well for him_ or. anyone, for that matter.

    The best thing to do was to keep it in his mind, but continue'. act as if nothing had changed. At least he thought that this was the best course. Tired and mentally exhausted from the long journey to and back from the Desecrated Grove, Sunny approached the Sanctuary of Noctis in the middle of the night. His shadow essence reserves were almost depleted, and his head buzzed from all the thoughts swarming inside of it. Landing on the soft grass and hearing the familiar sound of water falling over the edge of the island, Sunny gritted his teeth. "Forget about it for now. First things first.: The moon was high in the sky, which meant that he was finally going to get his sweet, enchanting reward. His desire to find the source of the miraculous coins the dead Chain Worm had brought with it to the Iron Hand Island staled this whole ordeal, and now, the coins would be its end. His prize was waiting for him up ahead_ Entering the Sanctuary, Sunny walked through the empty garden and approached the clear pond in its center. Stopping fora couple of moments to make sure that no one was watching him, he then crossed the stone path leading to the small island in its center. There, a white altar stood in the shade of an ancient tree, and an obsidian knife lay on its surface. 'The moment of truth.: Sunny summoned the Covetous Coffer, took out one of the gold coins out of it, and placed it on the altar. The coin shimmered, reflecting the moonlight and then disappeared. Your shadow grows stronger] A big smile appeared on Sunny's face. Summoning the runes, he read:

    Shadow Fragments, [224/2000], 'It works!' Initially, Sunny thought of going about using the coins in a slow and deliberate manner, throwing a dozen or so on the altar each time he had to return to the real world �� to minimize the chances of being noticed and well as arising suspicion.

    But now that the reward was in his sight he decided against It No_ he wanted all of it right now. He deserved it.

    Putting the wooden box on the altar, he turned it to the side, and then put his hand inside. A moment later, a stream of golden coins flowed onto the white surface.

    Then, they all started to disappear. [Your shadow grows stronger.[ [Your shadow grows stronger.[ [Your shadow grows stronger...]

    In the end, Sunny ended up sacrificing all fourteen hundred or so coins to the altar.

    Frightened to believe that it actually happened, he summoned the runes again, then rubbed his eyes, and read the line describing his shadow fragments three times in a row �� just to make sure that his eyes weren't deceiving to him.

    Luckily, they weren't. The runes now showed, 'I did it.. I did it?

    In the first two months on the Chained Isles, Sunny worked really hard to hunt down Nightmare Creatures and slay them. And yet, he had only been able to collect two hundred fragments. His last journey, harrowing as it had been, though... gave him so much more. A wide grin appeared on Sunny's face. '...Who said that greed is a sin? It's a virtue! A goddamn virtue, I say!'

 Chapter 473 : Mobius Loop

    Chapter 473 : Mobius Loop

    A Big Hit with Young Adults Feel the fighting spirit surge and burst through your Beautiful Warriors' tight armors.

    Queen's Blade Visit Site

    Because of the sudden influx of so many shards, Sunny got disoriented and swayed. His body was subtly rebuilding itself, growing stronger, more powerful_ the difference was stark enough for him to feel it with every fiber of his being.

    As Awakened absorbed soul shards��or shadow fragments, in his case��the capacity of their cores grew, and their physical capability was slightly enhanced. Usually, it happened at such small increments that the difference was hard to judge, but this time, Sunny had done something pretty preposterous and consumed fourteen hundred shadow fragments all at once.

    He wondered if anyone else in history had accomplished the same feat. 'Not... not likely.... Grabbing the edge of the altar to support himself, he endured the strange and euphoric sensation as best as he could. How could anyone do such a thing, if �� as far as Sunny knew �� everyone except Nephis and him were limited to having only one core? They wouldn't

    even be able to absorb this much...

    Back on the Forgotten Shore, Sunny had gone from having almost no shadow fragments to fully saturating his core at a thousand. In the process, he went from being no different from a mundane human, to the pinnacle of humanly possible, to breaking past those limits.

    Becoming an Awakened had elevated him even further above what was considered normal. He was much stronger and faster than any mundane human could ever hopeto be, and capable of enhancing his prowess even more with essence, achieving truly superhuman might.

    And now, he went through a transformation that was similar in scale. his rise on the Forgotten Shore, becoming so much more powerful. In fact, he was now probably the strongest Awakened both in the waking world and in the Dream Realm, with the exception of those whose Aspects directly enhanced their physique.

    And even then, he could soil double_ even triple his physical ability with the help of the shadows.

    'Insane!'

    Sunny drew in a deep breath, then silently flexed his muscles, feeling a new strength course through his veins. He felt.. incredible. Incredibly strong, incredibly fast, incredibly resilient

    But that wasn't all.

    The capacity of both of his Shadow Cores was also dramatically enhanced, almost doubling in a matter of seconds. Therefore, his e e of shadow essence were now also much deeper.

    That meant that he could fight M his peak form for longer, use the active enhancements of his Memories more, remain in the form of a shadow for a bigger amount of time, control his shadows at a larger distance, and travel further when using Shadow Step. In short.. Sunny had just become even more of a menace. Slowly getting accustomed to his new and improved physique, he couldn't help but smile. Now that he had finally made use of the miraculous coins, his previous disaster of an expedition came into perspective. Despite how much he had suffered and how close he had brushed with death, it all felt worth it, somehow.

    His goal was to grow stronger, and Sunny had just made a big step toward that goal. _It felt good. While Sunny was consumed with triumphant thoughts, his gaze fell on the obsidian knife that lay on the altar. He lingered for a while, then cautiously reached with his hand and touched the cold stone handle. Will it work?' That knife remained on the altar of the Sanctuary for as long as humans lived there. Pretty much every Awakened that had ever set foot into the Citadel tried to raise it off the white surface at least once... including Sunny.

    But none of them succeeded. The knife seemed to weigh more than the entire island itself, as if it was glued to the altar. No matter how much people tried, no one had ever managed to move it even by a millimeter.

    However, when Sunny used the miraculous coins for the first time, he seemed to have noticed that the obsidian knife moved a little.

    Therefore... he had made a conclusion that if he were to place enough coins on the altar, the knife might become detached from it and fall into his hands.

    Holding his breath, Sunny wrapped his fingers around the handle. '...Here goes nothing?' Putting all of his strength into the pull, he tried to lift the obsidian blade of the altar. The knife, however, offered no resistance at all. It behaved like any knife would, easily sliding off the white stone, which then caused Sunny to lose his balance and tumble to the ground in a graceless roll. Sitting up, he stared at the knife in his hand with wild eyes. Then, he shuddered. 'Crap!'

    Sunny half-expected for the entire Sanctuary to suddenly plunge into the Sky Below, or for the Gateway to stop functioning. That's why he wanted to just lift the knife a little, and then place it back down if something had gone awry. Instead, he was now a few steps away from the altar, with no way of getting back to it immediately.

    _luckily, none of his fears came true.

    Despite the fact that the obsidian knife had left its usual spot on the altar, the island seemed fine. Everything was just as it had been a few seconds

    ago.

    He exhaled with visible relief.

    'Well... good. I wouldn't want to mess things up too bad for everyone here on the Chained Isles:

    Rising to his feet, Sunny looked at the obsidian knife. It seemed. have been cut from a single piece of black stone, with its blade sharpened and polished. There wasn't anything special in how the knife looked. In fact, it seemed a little bit crude, almost primitive.

    There was also one little problem.

    The knife did not turn into a Memory.

    Sunny had expected it to disintegrate into a rain of sparks and enter his core, just like Weaver's Mask had done, or like Shard Memories behaved when raised by a new wielder. Mordret had mentioned something to that effect when speaking about the ivory knife in the Night Temple.

    He told Sunny that one had to spill blood on the black altar, to receive a Memory of the blade that rested on its surface. But the obsidian knife did no such thing. It just remained in his hand, as material and palpable as one could imagine. What was even stranger, though...

    Was that the knife didn't appear to have a spellweave. lt was, without a doubt a magical item. Sunny could feel that it was, even if he didn't know what properties that entailed. However, when he looked beneath the surface of the knife, he didn't see the familiar pattem of ethereal strings weaving themselves around anchoring lights.

    What he saw instead was just brilliant radiance, as though the knife was filled to the brim with soul essence. And in that radiance was just a single string... It wasn't the same type of ethereal string, though. It was a... Sunny frowned. A String of Fate. A single String of Fate was somehow placed inside the obsidian knife, folding on itself endlessly, with its two ends connected to create a perfect, neverending circle. Sunny stared at the strange String for a while, and then furrowed his brow. what is that all about?

 Chapter 474 Truth Be Told

    Sunny studied the obsidian knife for a while, and concluded that he had no idea what this thing was supposed to be capable of. It wasn't a Memory, and it didn't have a weave, so neither the Spell nor his own ability to perceive and somewhat understand such things could help him.

    The only thing Sunny knew for certain was that someone had plucked a string from the tapestry of Fate and placed it inside the knife, making a circle out of it�� for some mysterious purpose.

    Everything else was going to have to wait until the next time he heard from Mordret. The lost prince was bound to know more about the obsidian knife, since he seemed to know a lot about the Chained Isles and their past in general.

    Now, however, Sunny had to deal with another problem��

    He had to explain the disappearance of the knife to the White Feather clan, somehow.

    Come morning �� or at any moment, really, if someone decided to leave the Dream Realm or entered it in the middle of the night �� people would become aware that the knife that no one had been able to lift or move was now gone.

    Sunny had no doubt that it was not going to take a long time for them to figure out that it was him who had taken it.

    And after that...

    'What to do, what to do��'

    In the end, he came up with a really crazy idea. Something that he would have never even considered, in normal circumstances. Something that went against his very nature.

    ��He went and told Master Roan the truth.

    Well, the part that had to do with the miraculous coins, to be precise.

    Visiting the White Feather compound in the middle of the night was a bit strange, but luckily for him, the older man turned out to be up. He was preparing to leave on a patrol, and so rose early to make the necessary preparations.

    After Sunny was done talking, the mighty griffin rider stared at him for a while with a perplexed expression. Then, he asked to take a look at the knife.

    Sunny reluctantly handed the obsidian blade over and watched nervously as Master Roan inspected it. He was really hoping that the White Feather clan would not decide to keep it�� there were very few things Sunny could do if they did.

    Finally, the strapping Master returned the obsidian knife to him and asked curiously:

    "So you managed to lift it by using Noctis coins on the altar?"

    Sunny nodded.

    "Yeah�� wait, you know about the coins?"

    Master Roan nodded.

    "A few have been found here and there on the Isles over the years. It seems that this was the preferred currency people who lived here thousands of years ago used. No one had ever discovered a literal treasure trove of them, though, as you did."

    He thought for a bit, and then smiled.

    "Actually, I think I have one stashed somewhere. Wait here for a bit, alright?"

    With that, Roan disappeared into the stone chateau, and then returned ten or so minutes later, holding a familiar golden coin in his hand.

    "Found it! I used to carry it with me a lot before, as a lucky charm. Let's go."

    Together, they returned to the altar island.

    The first thing Master Roan did was glance at the moon, and then place the coin on the altar. Once again, it gleamed and disappeared, leaving a bewildered expression on the handsome man's face.

    "I'll be damned! I just received a bit of soul essence. You were right!"

    He shook his head in astonishment.

    "To think that these coins had such a use all this time, and no one was the wiser. Good job, Sunless!"

    Then, Master Roan hesitated for a few moments, and asked:

    "Can you place the knife back on the altar?"

    Sunny did as he was asked, and then watched as the mighty griffin rider used all of his formidable power in a vain attempt to lift the obsidian blade off the white surface. When he was done with that futile attempt and stepped back to catch his breath, Sunny simply took hold of the handle and retrieved the knife without any problem.

    "Interesting!"

    Then came the moment of truth. Sunny tensed as he waited for the older man's decision.

    After thinking about it for a while, Master Roan said:

    "Well�� I don't know if you know this, Sunless, but there is a sacred rule among us Awakened in the Dream Realm. The sanctity of this rule is unassailable and beyond reproach. And that rule is�� finders, keepers."

    Sunny blinked.

    'What?'

    The strapping Master grinned:

    "So you don't have to worry about either me or Tyris taking that knife from you��"

    Then, however, his smile dimmed.

    "...Other people, though, might not be as reasonable. Even if no one knows what power this thing has, or if there even is anything special about it, someone might get too excited and act in a regrettable manner. So I'd advise you to put the knife back on the altar, until the time you feel like using it."

    Sunny considered his words and had to admit that this, indeed, would be the best decision for now. Master Roan helped him confirm that no one else would be able to take the knife, and carrying it around before venturing into the Nightmare had no benefit.

    Summoning the memory of how exactly the obsidian blade had been placed on the altar, he put it in its previous spot and took a step back.

    Master Roan nodded.

    "Good choice. Please, do tell us if you find out anything about its purpose�� at least if it has anything to do with the well-being of the Sanctuary. If need be, we'll compensate you fairly to either take the knife off your hands or lend it for a bit, if that's what you prefer."

    Sunny agreed to this condition, since it sounded reasonable.

    With that out of the way, the strapping griffin rider looked at him with sparks dancing in his eyes.

    "So, uh�� what are you going to do now?"

    Sunny frowned.

    'What a weird question��'

    "Go home, take a shower, deal with some real-world business. Why? What are you going to do?"

    Master Roan laughed:

    "What do you mean, what I am going to do? I am going to go on my patrol, and then I'll go�� coin hunting, of course. I suspect that everyone in the Sanctuary is going to be searching for Noctis coins like madmen for quite some time after that discovery of yours. People are going to get really busy��"

    Sunny remained silent for a bit, and then said in a very serious tone:

    "Good luck, then. Oh, and one thing�� if you find a big chest full of them, make your griffin stomp on it a few times before coming closer. Better yet, do that to every chest you encounter in the future. Never trust a chest not to eat you, is what I am trying to say�� I sure won't!"

    With that, he said goodbye to the handsome Master, placed his hand on the altar, and returned to the real world.

    There was a lot he had to do there��

 Chapter 475: A Few Things To Do

    Chapter 475: A Few Things To Do

    Some time later Sunny was in his kitchen, eating the breakfast he had just prepared. He was thinking of all the things on his to-do list.

    They were, in no particular order selling the soul shards he had brought with him from the Dream Realm, and setting up a stable method to sell more in the future; returning to the Dreamscape to participate in duels on the professional arenas to practice Shadow Dance and feed the Mantle of the Underworld with victories; observing Rain and thinking of a way to deal with that whole situation; learning how to properly fight with a spear; visiting Neph; writing a report about the Noctis coins for Teacher Julius.

    There were probably more things he had to do, but was forgetting. But he already had enough on his plate.

    Finishing the breakfast and staring toward the door of the guest bedroom, where Effie still slept while her spirit wandered the Dream Realm, he shook his head and went out to sit on the porch as he drank some delicious tea.

    It was early morning. Sunny enjoyed the pleasant view of the terrace district, watched as Rain walked to the public transport hub on her way to school, and then activated his communicator.

    He was going to start with the simplest of tasks.

    Navigating to the market section of the network, he habitually imputed his identification number to access the Awakened section of it. Sunny had browsed the wares there before, even if back then he barely had enough money to buy anything.

    Today, however, things were different Today, he was approaching the network as a seller, not as a buyer.

    Sunny entered 'soul shards" as the keywords and stared at the listings, appreciating the number of zeroes in their prices. It seemed as though the value of shards was not uniform... of course, the higher Rank shards cost much more. But people, strangely, also seemed to care about what Nightmare Creature the crystal came from, and how it had been defeated.

    'What the hell?

    Apparently, there were_ collectors among the wealthy mundane humans who were very interested in this sort of thing. Some superstitious Awakened also believed, for some reason, that absorbing "bad" shards would be detrimental to the purity of their souls.

    Weirdos.:

    Sunny didn't Imew a lot of things, but one thing he did know was that there was not a single Awakened out there with a pure soul. Even the best of them were murderers by nature, and their hearts were painted black by the nightmares they had experienced.

    Not to mention that there were no bad or good soul shards. They were all pretty much the same, coming from terrible monsters and earned through bloodshed. Anyway, that was something he was going to consider when creating his own listing. After getting the gist of the pricing, Sunny opened the form to create his own digital shop. Without thinking too much, he named it "Brilliant Emporium and went on to fill out the entire form. Then, it came the time to put his soul shards into the auction. Sunny wrote simply:

    'Four soul shards coming from a Fallen Devil, Mordant Mimic. The creature was killed and eaten by the proprietor of the Brilliant Emporium himself. Before that, the Mordant Mimic had been pretending to be a treasure chest and devouring those lured by the promise of treasure. In the end, it bit off more than it could chew.'

    Satisfied with that, he finalized the listing and stared at it for a bit as if expecting someone to bid instantly. Howeves nothing of the sort happened. With a sigh, Sunny deactivated the communicator and went back inside. 'Soon... I will be rich soon....

    It took several days for all four of his soul shard to sell. After that, Sunny had to arrange secure delivery, which was somewhat of a headache on its own. Overall, the process took too much time from his already packed schedule.

    He also felt that he was missing some crucial knowledge on how to make his business really boom. Even though the product he was trying to sell was first class �� there was not a lot of Fallen Rank soul shard out there, compared to Dormant and Awakened ones��the bidding had not really taken off. He did make a sizable amount of money, but not as sizable as it could have been.

    Still, it was enough to purchase a couple of cheap lower Rank Memories. Sunny simply looked forthe most useless ones, which no one else would ever want to buy, and made the minimum offer. Whoever it was selling them must have been happy beyond belief to finally be rid of these things.

    Sunny was going to feed the Memories to Saint immediately after receiving them, but before that, he spent a lot of time training with the Cruel Sight in his underground dojo.

    He had a solid understanding of how use a short sword, but a spear was an alien beast to him. Even though Sunny knew the basic rules of combat technique and could perform somewhat effectively while wielding any weapon, he was far, far away from mastering them.

    How fortunate it was then, that he had a renowned spear master �� Raised by Wolves herself �� crashing in his guest bedroom.

    Granted, she couldn't really spar with him due to her condition. But he had Saint for that

    In the end, the three of them spent a lot of time in his basement Effie was observing and explaining to him what to do, how to do it and most importantly, what not to do. Saint served as his opponent and the mighty enemy to polish his nascent skill against And Sunny_ Sunny found himself once again in the role of a willing punching bag.

    It was just like in that week they had spent in the hidden chamber of the ruined cathedral in the Dark City. Sunny even got nostalgic, remembering how cozy and nice things had been back then.

    Now, howeves things were much better. Not only was there an unlimited amount of delicious food they could eat during the breaks in his training, there were even medicine and ice baths to ease the pain in his bruised and beaten body.

    Training with Saint was really effective, but she really didn't know how to pull her punches! Just like that a few days passed. And then, something that Sunny had been dreading for a while finally, and inevitably, happened. ...It was time to accompany Kai to the premier of the Song of Light and Darkness.

 Chapter 476 A Song of Light and Darkness

    Chapter 476 A Song of Light and Darkness

    Some time later, Sunny was pondering his life choices while sitting in the back row of a crowded theater. The lights were already off, which obviously meant nothing to him. People seemed to be really excited to see the movie, though�� especially Effie, who was to his side, munching on something called popcorn and staring at the screen.

    In the darkness, somber music started to play, reverberating through the entire space and making the audience shiver. Effie suddenly jabbed her elbow into his ribs.

    "Do you know who is the composer for this thing? It's Griffin! I don't know how they managed to get him, but he scored the entire movie. Such an honor! Can you believe it?"

    Sunny had no idea who this Griffin guy was, but judging by Effie's reaction, he was someone famous. Massaging his ribs with a grimace, Sunny offered a stifled answer:

    "I can."

    On the screen, the interior of a spacious and beautifully lit room appeared. A small girl with silver hair was playing on a carpet, while a handsome man with dark circles under his eyes was shown studying a map.

    'What the hell��'

    Was that supposed to be Nephis? If so, her hair should have been black. It only turned silver after her First Nightmare.

    Effie giggled.

    "So cute!"

    The girl, meanwhile, approached the table and reached to touch the strange sword that lay on it. The blade of the sword was short and misshapen, as though shattered a long time ago.

    Before the girl could cut herself, though, the man lifted the sword and brought it out of her reach.

    "This is not a toy, Nephis!"

    Sunny palmed his face and grimaced.

    "But, daddy�� why is your sword broken?"

    The man smiled.

    "So what if it is broken? It is still sharp."

    Then, he put his hand on the girl's shoulder and looked at her with a very serious expression:

    "One day you will wield a sword too, darling. When you do, remember one thing: we, Awakened, only raise arms to protect humanity. As long as we don't give up, no matter how dire the situation is, there will be hope. Just like this sword, humanity is more resilient than it seems!'

    Sunny tilted his head.

    'Wait, this doesn't even make sense��'

    The scene, however, was already over. The screen turned black for a few moments, and the movie transitioned into the future. Nephis �� now a languid jade beauty with a slim waist, generous figure, long eyelashes, and mesmerizing grey eyes �� was entering the Academy. What followed was a long training montage showing her defeating every other Sleeper there with a training sword, all the while offering words of wisdom.

    Like "never give up hope", or "remember your duty", or "we are humans!".

    The propaganda was so tacky and laid so thick Sunny could help but cringe

    The only person the jade beauty couldn't defeat was a handsome young man with masculine features, broad shoulders, and a noble bearing�� Han Li Caster.

    'Oh, no. Oh, no��'

    Sunny should have guessed by the invitation Kai had given him, but the director of the movie was obviously hinting at the nascent romantic feelings between the two. Their conversations in the Academy seemed to be about swordsmanship, but were also somehow deeply flirtatious.

    The actors had mad chemistry together.

    He wanted to vomit, but the audience was clearly enthralled by the two leads.

    Sunny didn't dwell on this preposterous thing for long, though�� because right about then, his own character was introduced.

    'What he Spell is this?!'

    The actor hired to play him�� was a literal child! It was a teenage boy of about thirteen years of age, with a mischievous grin and a face that, for lack of better words, simply begged to be punched. Worse than that, he was shown as extremely uneducated, clumsy, and naive.

    In short�� Sunny was the comic relief!

    He turned to Effie in outrage, only to see her laughing silently.

    "Oh, man�� who's the casting director for this movie, I need to send them flowers!"

    Even his shadows were laughing. Both of them!

    Sunny gritted his teeth, promised to exact revenge on Kai and Effie for making him endure this, and turned back to the screen.

    Finally, Nephis entered the Dream Realm and found herself on the Forgotten Shore. The coral labyrinth and the dark sea were recreated with such detail that he couldn't help but shiver.

    'Well�� they did their research, at least!'

    The audience was holding their breaths during Neph's journey to the Dark City. The terrifying nature of the dark tides and the deadly battles with Awakened Nightmare Creatures populating the Labyrinth created a truly tense, suffocating atmosphere.

    Of course, everyone knew that the main character was not going to die in the first half of the movie. But that's where Sunny �� as well as Cassie �� came into play. Just as he had expected, the movie showed them as a burden that had to be carried by Nephis on her heroic journey. But since very few people knew who Sunny was, his fate was uncertain.

    Nephis was bound to survive, but what about her friends?

    And, thanks to his character, there were also moments of pleasant levity amidst all the tension. A few times, the whole audience exploded with laughter after Sunny on the screen did something especially stupid or said something really outrageous.

    He had also slowly developed a catchphrase. It was�� "Are you crazy?!"

    That not only allowed the audience to chuckle, but also gave Nephis the opportunity to educate her worthless follower, thus naturally delivering a lot of necessary exposition.

    The real Sunny wasn't amused, though. Because they weren't laughing with him�� they were laughing at him.

    'Idiots! What do you even know?'

    They didn't know anything...

    Since no one really knew what the three of them had gone through on their way to the Dark City, the writer simply came up with some dire dangers for Nephis to overcome.

    Eventually, though, they made it to the ancient city, and met Effie.

    Effie was played by a very tall, athletic, and attractive actress.

    ��The way she played her, though, was a sight to behold. Basically, the actress went out of her way to portray the huntress as a charismatic, but not very bright savage who was all brawn and no brain. All she knew how to do was fight, eat, and break things.

    Sunny turned to Effie and grinned, full of malice and gloating.

    This was the first time he had ever seen the boisterous young woman... completely mortified.

    "Casting director, you say? I think I'll send them flowers, too."

 Chapter 477 Standing Ovation

    Chapter 477 Standing Ovation

    After Nephis reached the Dark City and the huntress was introduced, both Sunny and Effie watched the rest of the movie with bleak expressions.

    The second act took place in the outer settlement, and was dedicated to Neph's heroic attempts to protect and inspire the young men and women trapped there. There were a lot of impassioned speeches, blood-chilling expeditions into the Dark City, and tense altercations with Gunlaug's forces.

    There were also a lot of shenanigans from young Sunny, to the delight of the audience. At some point, people started to scream "Are you crazy?!" along with him. And a bit later, there was a sort of comical moment of growth for the character, when he asked "...Am I crazy?" instead and went along with Nephis without offering his usual critique, which was met with cheers.

    ��Most of this part of the movie, though, was dedicated to the genuine respect and camaraderie that blossomed between Nephis and Caster in this dire time. With the handsome male lead as her right hand, Changing Star successfully united the people of the outer settlement, reminded them what it meant to be humans, and challenged Gunlaug to save boisterous Effie from unjust imprisonment.

    The duel itself was choreographed somewhat well, even if it had nothing to do with the real thing. The moves both the radiant heroine and the cruel tyrant used were flashy and dramatic, and expressed the mood well, but anyone trying to actually fight like that would probably risk having their enemy die of laughter.

    The third act showed the siege of the Crimson Spire, the heroic stand of the warriors of the first line and Effie, Kai's battle in the skies with the Spire Messengers, and Neph and Caster fighting back to back, slaying dozens and dozens of Nightmare Creatures together.

    The audience seemed to have forgotten to breathe, and even Sunny had to admit that the battle scene was filmed especially well, showcasing the chaos, horror, and terrible toll of human lives that such a massacre was bound to reap. Many side characters that people had already grown to love died heroically, and he even heard a few sobs coming from the darkness.

    Enhanced by the beautiful music, the atmosphere was not tragic, though. On the contrary, it was triumphant and exalted, as if to die in this way was the highest honor a human could receive.

    A bit uncomfortable, Sunny shifted in his seat.

    'That Griffin guy really knows how to make a tune��'

    When the situation was the most desperate, with the dark water rising and threatening to drown all the surviving warriors, a sudden change happened. The sea suddenly retreated, and the monsters started to fall to the ground. Caster, covered in blood and wounds, looked at Nephis and whispered:

    "My Lady! The sun��"

    Indeed, the sun had suddenly turned menacingly red, its light eradicating the remaining Nightmare Creatures and assaulting the humans. For the first time in the entire movie, an uncertain and desperate expression appeared on Changing Star's face.

    Salvation came from someone who the audience would have never expected to see do something so profound �� a clear ringing of the bell resounded in the air, and the small figure of clumsy, useless Sunny could be seen near the tower, waving his hand in the air.

    The survivors rushed toward the Crimson Spire and entered inside.

    There, Nephis looked up, and then turned to Sunny.

    "Someone has to stall the Terror so that everyone could escape. I will do battle with that nightmare, but there's an important task you must complete. Lead all these people to the Gateway!"

    Sunny on the screen looked at Changing Star with fear:

    "Lady Nephis�� are you crazy? I am just a clumsy kid from the outskirts. How can you entrust something so important to someone like me?"

    Sunny in the real world suppressed an infuriated groan. People in the audience, though, were rather emotional:

    "You can do it, Sunny!"

    "You got this, kid!"

    "You're a great scout, don't sell yourself short!"

    On the screen, the beautiful actress playing Nephis looked down on the comical, slightly pathetic boy in front of her and put her hand on his shoulder.

    "We, Awakened, must rise to the occasion to protect humanity. As long as we don't give up, no matter how dire the situation is, there will be hope. I believe in you, Sunny. You are capable of much more than you think!"

    With that, she left the survivors and went off to fight the Terror, while Sunny guided everyone to the Gateway. And somewhere in the process, Caster left the group to aid Changing Star in battle.

    The last scenes of the movie cut between the hundred survivors fighting their way to the Gateway and the tragic duo battling the terrifying creature at the top of the Spire.

    Many people in the audience were crying, knowing full well that neither of them was going to return to the real world.

    In the end, Caster heroically sacrificed himself to protect Nephis, breaking the hearts of so many viewers. The survivors found the Gateway and escaped seconds before it was destroyed.

    The last shot showed bloodied Neph walking out of the tower, holding a broken sword in her hand.

    As she gazed at the Forgotten Shore, a lone tear rolled down her cheek.

    "As long as we don't give up�� there is hope."

    The screen turned black, and in the next moment, the audience exploded with applause.

    Sunny stared at all those people, many of them applauding with tears in their eyes, with a strange expression on his face.

    'Did they�� actually like that crap?'

    He turned to Effie, lingered for a moment, and asked:

    "Uh�� did you like it?"

    The former huntress gave him a long look.

    Then, she said:

    "What I am, an idiot? Of course I didn't like it. It's such a piece of crap!"

    Sunny exhaled with relief.

    At least there was one other sane person in this theater��

 Chapter 478 Credit Where Credit Is Due

    After the movie was other, Kai appeared to deafening applause and gave a short speech, congratulating the director and the crew of the movie and then inviting them on the stage for a short Q&A.

    Sunny stared at the director of this travesty, seriously considering silently assassinating him for a few moments. Then, he glanced at Effie, who �� judging by her face �� was thinking the same.

    He lingered for a few moments, then asked:

    "What do you want to do?"

    The young woman inhaled deeply, turned to him, and smiled.

    "...I am hungry. Let's go eat."

    Together, they snuck out of the screening hall and went to find the theater's restaurant.

    There were a lot of people there who, just like them, had decided to skip the PR portion of the event and were now enjoying food and drinks, discussing the movie with lively expressions. Sunny and Effie got themselves something to eat and sat at an empty table, then grew quiet for a while. Each was preoccupied with their own thoughts.

    Now that Sunny had a little time to digest the movie, his anger subsided a bit. In fact, he was even happy.

    Sure, the way he was portrayed in the story was as far from the truth as it could have been, and more than a little bit humiliating. But�� in a way, this was exactly what he needed.

    Now that Nephis had become his master, he didn't have to hide his strength and True Name that much. But he still preferred to remain in the shadows �� not only because there was a possibility of becoming masterless again, but also because it was the best way to be in the world so full of hidden dangers and powerful enemies.

    Being renowned would make a lot of things difficult for him, and make every battle he fought after that harder. After all, there was no better advantage than being underestimated by the enemy.

    From that point of view, the ridiculous way in which he was portrayed in the movie was a blessing. It made the possibility of anyone thinking highly of him that much lower. Of course, not everyone was going to watch that travesty, but many would, and their opinion was going to spread.

    Who would believe that a Changing Star's bumbling sidekick was, in fact, one of the most dangerous Awakened alive, and thus consider him as a serious threat?

    ...Pretty much no one.

    So, in fact, the director of the Song of Light and Darkness unintentionally made him a favor.

    Satisfied with that conclusion, Sunny looked around. He saw several people looking at Effie with stunned expressions, clearly gathering their courage to come and introduce themselves. But no one had, yet.

    He could hear their whispers, though:

    "Look! It's her, Raised by Wolves!"

    "Oh, my!"

    "I heard about her situation, but to actually see... She is so brave!"

    Effie herself was strangely quiet. She ignored the whispers, then looked at him and asked:

    "Hey, Sunny. Can I ask you something?"

    Sensing that this was not going to be a simple question, he tensed a little, and then said:

    "Sure. What is it?"

    Effie hesitated for a few moments, then lowered her voice, so that no one would be able to overhear:

    "Did Caster really leave to help Nephis?"

    'Ah��'

    Sunny stared at his friend for a bit, then shook his head.

    "...No. He left to make sure that she dies."

    Effie inhaled deeply.

    "...I see."

    She didn't continue that conversation, as though his answer confirmed something that she had already suspected.

    Well�� despite her often boorish demeanor and the way she was portrayed in the movie, Effie was anything but stupid. In fact, she was extremely intelligent, cool-headed, and cunning �� otherwise, she would have never survived for three long years alone on the streets of the Dark City.

    It was only natural for her to have suspicions, considering how much she knew.

    Luckily, Effie did not ask anything else.

    ��Mostly because of a strange man who entered the restaurant, looked around, noticed their table, and walked over with gleaming eyes.

    'Oh no�� another fan of Raised by Wolves��'

    The man stopped in front of them, glanced at Effie, and then turned to Sunny with an awed expression:

    "A�� are you Awakened Sunless?"

    Sunny blinked.

    'What?'

    "Uh�� yes?"

    A bright smile appeared on the man's face.

    "Oh my! Oh, goodness! It is such an honor! I am such a huge fan of yours!"

    'What is happening?!'

    Sunny stared at the beaming man, trying to comprehend what he was saying. Misjudging his expression, the man hurriedly said:

    "Oh, sorry! I was so nervous that I forgot to introduce myself. I am a writer�� in fact, it was I who wrote the screenplay for A Song of Light and Darkness. And it's all�� all thanks to you!"

    Effie stared at Sunny with an expression that didn't promise him anything good and asked in a sweet voice:

    "Oh? All thanks to him, really? How come?"

    '...I'm in trouble!'

    The man's smile grew even wider.

    "Exploration Report on the Forgotten Shore! Ah, it is such a brilliant piece of academic work. I based most of my research on your profound work, Awakened Sunless! Everyone on the crew and everyone in the cast read it at least once. I even insisted on giving you the co-writer credit, but sadly, it was impossible�� you know, due to you not being a member of the screenwriter's guild. But fret not! I'll let everyone know that if it weren't for you, this movie wouldn't exist!"

    Sunny stared at the man with wide eyes, and then said in a weak voice:

    "Please, don't��"

    But it was of no use.

    "Ah, you are so humble! So modest! Well, of course, what else would I expect from a researcher as talented as you? But it wouldn't be right for me to receive all the praise�� no, people must know��"

    He looked at the restaurant and proclaimed, not even trying to keep his voice down:

    "...that it is you, Awakened Sunless, who they must thank for being able to enjoy our wonderful film!"

    Sunny looked at the floor.

    'I guess I am going to have to kill Kai. Or wait, no. Actually, that probably makes us even after the whole Mongrel disaster...'

 Chapter 479 Delegation

    Luckily for Sunny, Kai was finished with his business soon, and they were able to leave the theater for a more private space.

    ��Otherwise, there might have been civilian casualties at the premier of the Song of Light of Darkness. After that damn writer had announced Sunny's identity to everyone in the restaurant, the amount of people asking him to say "Are you crazy?!" to their faces almost pushed him to the brink.

    In any case, soon he found himself in a sophisticated lounge in the company of Effie, Kai, and Aiko. The petite girl looked very sharp in a fashionable business suit and radiated a sense of cold professionalism that made people think twice before approaching laidback and friendly Kai�� which, Sunny supposed, was a big part of being an idol's manager.

    When they were seated, the idol in question gave them a guilty look.

    "Well�� uh�� it wasn't that bad, was it?"

    Effie smiled at him, and said sweetly:

    "Sure, sure! But also, the only reason you're still alive is that it would be a chore to clean the blood of my wheelchair."

    Kai chuckled nervously and glanced at Sunny:

    "What about you?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "I don't mind. Actually, I am happy to be portrayed as a bumbling fool."

    The charming archer blinked.

    "Really?"

    Sunny gave him a serious nod.

    "Of course! It's easier to fool people who think that you're the fool. So�� I don't mind."

    Kai looked away in embarrassment.

    "Anyway�� you don't have to worry too much, really. These types of films are usually made to boost public morale. No one is really going to take them seriously. Even mundane people understand the difference between reality and fiction when it comes to the Awakened."

    Sunny laughed.

    "Sure. When they want to."

    He was a mundane person for most of his life too, after all. And even though he grew up in the outskirts, he used to consume cheap entertainment just like everyone else in the waking world. Yes, he knew how to recognize propaganda and what to not take seriously, but at the same time, many things that had nothing to do with the truth found their way into his mind and silently became beliefs.

    That was how well-engineered falsehoods worked.

    They spent some time chatting and joking about especially ridiculous moments in the movie, and at the right moment, Sunny said:

    "By the way�� I talked to Cassie. She's in. But we'll need to do it before winter, so minus one month for preparations."

    Effie smiled.

    "Good news! I'll start packing, then. I am south of Bastion right now, so it will take me�� two, three months to get to the Chained Isles? Unless one of you knows a friendly local Saint."

    Sunny thought about Saint Tyris, and remind silent.

    No, that woman frightened him too much to ask for a favor. He wondered how Master Jet had managed to convince her, in the first place.

    Kai nodded.

    "We can meet in Bastion and travel north together. It will be safer."

    Aiko, meanwhile, was looking at them with a confused expression on her delicate face.

    "Travel north? Do it before winter? What are you talking about?"

    A guilty expression suddenly appeared on the charming archer's face.

    "That�� uh�� I haven't mentioned it before. But, basically, I am going to join Sunny, Effie, and Cassie to�� to challenge the Second Nightmare."

    Aiko stared at him with a shocked expression.

    "Not to steal from Sunny, but�� are you crazy?! Have you told the agency?"

    Kai smiled weakly.

    "...No? I was hoping that you will tell them, actually. They'll listen to you! Isn't it a good thing, really? For public relations. Plus, as a Master, I won't have to visit the Dream Realm every day."

    The petite girl scoffed.

    "If you survive!"

    Then, she glanced at Sunny and Effie, and shook her head.

    "Ah, who am I kidding�� I guess I'll be jobless again, soon. You guys have fun for a bit, I'll go get a drink."

    With that, she rose and went toward the bar.

    Sunny thought for a bit, then rose, too.

    "I'll go keep her company."

    Kai gave him a thankful smile.

    "I appreciate it."

    'What does he think I am going to do?'

    Sunny gave his friend a confused look, then followed Aiko.

    Of course, he wasn't doing it out of consideration. In fact, he wanted to talk to her about something in private.

    When he approached the bar and stood near the petite girl, she gave him a dirty look.

    "Whatever it is, no. Hell no..."

    Sunny blinked.

    "What do you mean?"

    Aiko smiled crookedly.

    "I know that look of yours. The last time you looked at me like that, Stev and I almost ended up as the Blood Lord bait. What, do you want me to join your suicide crusade?"

    He shook his head.

    "No, no. Nothing of the sort. In fact, it's about your job��"

    The petite girl raised an eyebrow.

    "Oh?"

    Sunny nodded.

    "Well, since there's a possibility of you losing a part of your income, and Kai tells me that you are really good at managing stuff... how would you like to help me manage a blossoming new business?"

    Aiko looked at him with a dubious expression.

    "Are you opening an assassination agency?"

    He almost choked.

    "What? What made you think that? No, I just found a way to move items between the real world and the Dream Realm. My dream, if you need to know, is to become the proprietor of an elite Memory store��."

    The petite girl stared at him with wide eyes.

    "...Really?"

    Sunny frowned.

    "Yes, really! Why, can't I have a dream? Just imagine, sitting safely in a fashionably decorated store without having to risk my skin in the Dream Realm, and have tons of money simply flow into my hands. That's the stuff dreams are made of, is it not?"

    Aiko shook her head with a bewildered expression on her face.

    "I guess?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "You understand! The others might think that it's silly, but I know you wouldn't, as a former business owner yourself. Anyway, I won't have a large enough arsenal of Memories for a while, but I can start creating a reputation for the store already. A brand name, or whatever it's called. So I just sold four Fallen soul shards on the network, from a devil I killed�� and ate. But for some reason, that bastard's shards did not fetch a really good price��"

    Aiko looked at him with a frown.

    "Well�� what category of the vendor license did you apply for? Who's your appraiser? What's your feature strategy? SEO approach? Pool of endorsements?"

    He remained silent for a bit, then said:

    "...You see, you said a lot of words, and most of them even sound familiar, but I have no idea what you mean."

    'What the hell was she talking about? What's a SEO? Are there different licenses? Wait, do I even need a license? Don't tell me that I need to pay taxes, too...'

    The petite girl closed her eyes for a moment.

    "None? You did none of these things?"

    Sunny nodded.

    "It's a miracle that you even managed to sell those shards!"

    He smiled.

    "That's why I need someone smart and resourceful like you to help me! For te�� five percent commission of every sale. Just think about it. How many Awakened out there can bring soul shards to the real world, and bring spices to the Dream Realm? We'll be rich in no time!"

    Aiko sighed and remained silent for a bit.

    Then, she said:

    "That is a high-risk business venture that wholly depends on two unpredictable factors �� you staying alive and you continuously hunting down Nightmare Creatures, which are usually in contradiction to each other. So in normal circumstances, I would have said no. But�� it is you, I guess. Plus, you have a good relationship with all three of the newest Named Awakened, as well as a lot of prestige as a member of Changing Star's cohort. And now even some pop culture fame��"

    Aiko shrugged, thought for a long while, and then said categorically:

    "Ten percent."

    Sunny grinned and offered her his hand for a handshake.

    "Perfect! Welcome aboard Sunny's Brilliant Emporium!"

    The petite girl stared at him in shock.

    "Wait�� you actually named the store Brilliant Emporium?! Can the naming be changed?!"

    He shook his head.

    "No. It's non-negotiable. But what's wrong with that name? It's a great name! I think that it's�� you know... brilliant��"

 Chapter 480 Busy Schedule

    After that night, Sunny became really busy.

    'Delegating�� that's the secret of success.'

    That was his thought after Aiko joined the Brilliant Emporium as a manager. With her help, he went through all the necessary paperwork to make his improvised network store seem legit. Sunny noticed the difference right after listing the soul shards he had gathered from the inhabitants of the Sanctuary for sale. Not only did they got purchased much faster, but the price was also pleasantly higher than expected.

    He also didn't need to spend a lot of his severely lacking time on managing sales, delivery, and purchases. Aiko streamlined the process and created a simple and efficient system where he handed her the inventory and the updated information on what items the Awakened wanted to receive from him in the Dream Realm, and she did the rest.

    While its volume of sales was not overwhelming, the Brilliant Emporium started functioning as a real business with a constant level of activity and a slowly growing client base. Sunny just had to collect the money and spend it on low-tier Memories to feed to Saint.

    Well, and remain alive while getting the soul shards, of course.

    Sadly, despite how appreciative of the concept of delegating he became, this was the only part of his busy life that he could entrust to someone else. All the other things he had to do were either too personal, or too secretive to recruit anyone to help.

    No one was going to do his research for him, so Sunny had to spend time writing reports, bringing them to Teacher Julius, and working with the old man to make them worthy of being rewarded with contribution points. Nothing had brought him quite as much as the Forgotten Shore report had, but the points were slowly accumulating.

    Similarly, now that Cassie was gone on a long expedition, he was the only one of Neph's friends �� of which there were only two, really �� who could visit her. That was not a burden, but took away some of his time nevertheless.

    He also kept an eye on the runes describing her status, and saw the number of soul fragments in her possession increase at a frightening speed almost every day. Sunny didn't know where Nephis was and what she was doing, what kinds of enemies she was fighting, but they must have been as powerful as they were ample in numbers.

    He had to keep up.

    Now that he had received a vast boost to his power through sacrificing the miraculous coins to the white altar in the Sanctuary of Noctis, less than four hundred fragments stood between him and being able to create a third core.

    That meant that he had to continue venturing into the wilderness of the Chained Isles to hunt down Nightmare Creatures. Armed with the Cruel Sight and the ability to infuse its blade with either invisible soul damage or radiant divine flame, he was now able to go further than he had before, and challenge creatures that previously he chose to avoid.

    Their deaths rewarded him with shadow fragments, while their bodies gifted him soul shards that were then sold and converted into Memories, and through those, into shadow fragments as well, this time for Saint to consume. It was a virtuous, but exhausting and wildly dangerous cycle.

    And as if the pressure of having to keep up with Changing Star wasn't enough, he also had to continue training, both with the spear �� with the help of Effie and his taciturn demon �� and without it, to practice Shadow Dance.

    That second task, however, had turned out to be much harder than Sunny expected.

    Before plunging back into the Dreamscape, he decided to be careful and check what the situation with Mongrel was. A quick search on the network could tell him if everyone had forgotten about the masked swordsmen or not.

    And as it turned out�� they did not.

    To Sunny's dismay, he found out that in the month of his absence, the people infatuated with Mongrel had not only persisted in their excitement, but also brought it to a whole new, truly ridiculous level.

    All of them were flooding the network with theories and discussions, and countless individuals �� even those who missed out on the initial sensation �� were waiting with bated breaths for one glorious moment.

    The return of Lord Mongrel!

    With each day that passed, their anticipation only grew stronger.

    No matter how discrete Sunny could be, once he appeared in the Dreamscape, it was going to create too much noise and attract too much attention.

    'Damn it all! What a disaster!'

    He was on verge of pulling his hair out in despair. It was worth remembering that the persona of Mongrel �� oh irony! �� had been created to help him stay anonymous, potentially in order to safely glean secrets about the sovereigns in the future.

    What a joke it was, that the faceless phantom he created ended up being much more famous and recognizable than its creator.

    In any case, the situation was seriously messing up Sunny's plans. He simply couldn't use Dreamscape, which caused his progress with Shadow Dance �� and the Mantle of the Underworld �� to stall.

    And if that wasn't enough, there was another unexpected problem he encountered. That one wasn't as inconvenient and pernicious, but made him worry a lot, for whatever reason.

    It was that Sunny had not heard from Mordret again after returning from the Ivory Tower.

    Despite the fact that several weeks had passed, the lost prince remained gone. Sunny's head, once again, had only one voice resounding in it �� his own. Usually, that would have been a good sign, but Mordret's absence made Sunny tense and full of vaguely bad premonitions.

    What could have happened to his mysterious helper? Was he simply unable to establish contact outside of the Sky Below and the Ivory Island, or had something happened to him?

    There was no answer.

    Sunny even took out the mirror shard from the Covetous Coffer and smeared a few drops of blood on it, to no result whatsoever. The piece of mirror remained the same �� absolutely dark and refusing to reflect anything.

    It was after one of these fruitless attempts that Sunny left Effie to enjoy the dinner he had cooked for them by herself and went out to sit on the porch in a dark mood.

    It was early evening, and shadows were slowly growing longer and deeper. Maybe because of his exhaustion, or maybe because of how used he was to being safe in his home, but Sunny got consumed by thoughts and lost track of his surroundings... something that rarely happened.

    ��That was why he was so shocked to hear someone's voice just a few meters away.

    "...What are you staring at?"

    Sunny blinked a few times, then focused his sight on the person who had addressed him.

    In front of him, at a bit of distance, just between the sidewalk and the path leading to his porch, stood a fourteen-year-old girl in a school uniform, with black hair and dark eyes�� and a very unamused expression on her pale face.

    Sunny's chest grew cold.

    'Crap!'

    It was Rain.

    Looking right at Sunny, she sighed and repeated:

    "I said what are you staring at... brat?"

 Chapter 481 First Meeting

    'What is she doing here?! Why is she talking to me?!'

    ,m Although Sunny was panicking on the inside, none of the emotions reflected on his face. Armed with the extensive experience of deceit, manipulation, and facing terrifying Nightmare Creatures in melee, he kept a straight face, threw a dark look at Rain, and calmly said:

    "I am not staring at anything. And who are you calling a brat, you brat? Respect your elders!"

    The girl scoffed.

    "What elders? You're obviously younger than me!"

    Sunny opened his eyes wide in outrage.

    '...Ouch.'

    He knew that he looked younger than his age, but to be mistaken for a middle schooler�� that was just too much!

    It was getting dark, so maybe that was the reason for her mistake.

    Rain, meanwhile, was not done speaking:

    "And you were definitely staring at me, with a very nasty expression. I almost tripped! Didn't your parents teach you not to stare?"

    Sunny opened his mouth, then closed it again. Then opened it once more.

    "First of all, I am eighteen. Second, I was just zoning out and thinking about stuff�� adult stuff that a youngster like you would not even understand! And lastly, my parents taught me all they needed to teach me, but what do they have to do with any of this? They're not here!"

    Rain mockingly raised an eyebrow.

    "Oh yeah? You live in this big house all alone?"

    Sunny furrowed his brow.

    "Not only do I live in this house alone, I also own it!"

    ��But right at that moment, Effie suddenly shouted from inside:

    "Sunny! Come eat, dinner is getting cold!"

    He froze, then felt the tips of his ears growing hot.

    'Damn it, Effie!'

    "Uh�� that's a guest of mine. She's staying over�� for reasons."

    Rain stared at him for a few moments with a funny expression on her face, then asked:

    "Your name is Sunny?"

    Sunny shrugged, trying to appear as indifferent as possible.

    "Sure. Why?"

    She suddenly laughed.

    "What's so funny?"

    "No, no! It's just�� my mom calls me Rainy. What a coincidence!"

    He relaxed.

    'Oh�� for a moment, I was afraid that she remembers me. But it doesn't seem that way. Good. That is good��'

    Was he a little bit disappointed?

    Sunny took out his communicator, pressed a button on it, and threw an etched chip that slid from the slick device to Rain.

    She was in process of asking another question:

    "Oh, and by the way, I often see you meandering on the porch and skipping school�� are you a delinquent or wh��"

    Then, she caught the chip and stared at it in confusion.

    "Uh�� what's this?"

    Sunny smiled with a corner of his mouth.

    "Can't you see? That's a government-issued citizenship chip. Now how would I have one if I wasn't of legal age?"

    Rain looked at the chip, then grew even paler than usual.

    "You, you really are eighteen?"

    She was so mortified that she even used the proper honorifics.

    Sunny laughed.

    "Of course I am! As a respectable adult, I never lie. I am the most honest person in the world, really."

    The girl seemed like she was currently wishing to sink into the earth.

    "Oh�� I am so s��sorry, then. I didn't think��"

    As a child that grew up in a good family, she was most likely taught to be very polite to elders, so this situation was more or less a nightmare. Sunny himself had never associated with types of people who were particular about etiquette, but from what he had seen in Rain's school, among her ilk, social hierarchy and proper rituals were all the rage.

    Luckily, Effie decided to appear at that very moment to put an end to the awkward situation. Opening the door, she rolled her wheelchair onto the porch while saying angrily:

    "Listen, doofus, are you going to eat or not? Because if not, I'll eat your portion too, you know��"

    Then, she stopped and stared at Rain, then at Sunny. After a few moments, she asked:

    "Who's your friend?"

    Sunny rubbed his face.

    "Eat as much as you want. And this girl lives in the neighborhood. She was just passing by."

    Rain nodded.

    "Nice to meet you, ma'am. I, uh�� am very sorry. I was just on my way home from school, and made a mistake. You see, what has happened��"

    Effie grinned, then gestured for her to stop talking.

    "Let me guess�� this one right here was zoning out with a nasty expression on his face, and then looked at you and said something wildly inappropriate?"

    Rain blinked a couple of times, then said:

    "Yes! I mean, no�� he didn't say anything. It was me, I said something inappropriate!"

    The former huntress shook her head.

    "Then you're lucky! Sunny here is a bit special. One of a kind! The things that sometimes come out of his mouth��"

    Sunny stared at her in outrage and hissed:

    "The things that come out of my mouth?! You're the one to talk!"

    She sighed, then looked at Rain with a hurt expression on her face:

    "You see how he bullies me? Ah, that's no way to treat a guest, Sunny. So ungracious! What will this nice neighborhood kid even think��"

    Rain energetically shook her head.

    "No, no! I won't think anything. I�� have to go home, actually. It's been nice meeting you!"

    With that, she hurriedly turned around a made a step to walk away.

    Effie raised her voice a little:

    "Bye! Nice meeting you, too! If you feel guilty about the misunderstanding, you can stop by any time! With food! All will be forgiven!"

    Sunny stared at her with wide eyes, not quite believing what he was hearing. Finally, when Rain's figure disappeared behind the green fence, Effie turned to him and smiled.

    "...It's almost like there's a factory somewhere in the city releasing whole batches of tiny, pale, bony teenagers. That girl is almost as pale as you, Sunny! I can't believe it��"

    With that, she shook her head, turned her wheelchair, and went back inside to continue her dinner.

    Leaving Sunny alone, flabbergasted and trying to determine if he was currently awake.

    '...What was that? What just happened?'

    Of all the countless scenarios he had in his head of how his first meeting with Rain would go��

    This was definitely not one of them!

 Chapter 482 Peace Offering

    Sunny was too shaken by what had just happened to do anything else today. So, he just went down to the basement, entered the Dream Realm, and remained in his small room in the Sanctuary instead of going out to fight Nightmare Creatures.

    There, he just slept peacefully for the entire night.

    This was a very strange way to act for Sunny, but many Awakened did just that every day. Unless their Citadel was under attack �� which happened frequently in most parts of the Dream Realm �� or they were assigned a certain duty, people just remained in their quarters, slept, and returned to the real world without throwing themselves into any kind of danger.

    Others performed various tasks to earn a livelihood in the Citadel, all the while staying safe behind its walls. Few frequently ventured outside and challenged the wilderness of the Dream Realm.

    And who could blame them?

    Most people were made Awakened against their will, after all. It was the Spell that wanted humans to risk their lives, go through deadly trials and endure terrible suffering, not people themselves. So there was nothing wrong with a person who wanted to stay as safe as possible, for as long as possible.

    If anything, it was Sunny who behaved abnormally.

    In any case, he felt refreshed and more balanced when he returned to the real world in the morning. A good night of sleep helped him put his unexpected encounter with Rain in perspective.

    Yes, it was an unfortunate mistake on his part, and yes, the fact that she now knew his face and name was less than ideal. But truly, nothing too bad had happened. Rain just thought of him as a neighbor. Not even an acquaintance, just a�� stranger.

    Which was just as Sunny wanted it. To be on the safe side, he could avoid leaving the house for a while, altogether.

    ��And yet, in the evening, he found himself sitting on the porch again, enjoying the view and a cup of tea, as he had already grown used to.

    'After yesterday, I doubt that she'll ever want to approach this house again. So I should be alright��'

    But as it turned out, he was not.

    Sunny noticed Rain walking from the public transport terminal long before she came anywhere near his home, because one of his shadows was stationed further down the street to keep a lookout. He sighed, then lowered his eyes and pretended to study the synthwood surface of the porch, hoping to avoid making eye contact with the teenage girl.

    This time, he was not going to give her a reason to come closer and talk to him.

    However, it was all for naught. When Rain approached the path leading to his door, she slowed down a bit, hesitated, then turned and walked directly to him.

    'What the hell��'

    Sunny raised his head and stared at her with a bit of surprise.

    "Uh�� hi. It's you again."

    She nodded, then took off her backpack and produced a big food container out of it, seemingly full of something delicious. Then, Rain handed it to Sunny.

    "Here. My mom made it. Your friend said to bring food, right? Oh�� and I'm really sorry. For, you know�� yesterday."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then took the container from her hands and stared at it for a bit.

    'Damn Effie�� who told her to ask for food? I cook great food for the both of us myself!'

    Then, he pretended to smile and said:

    "Yeah, she did. And no problem. Say thanks to your mom."

    Sunny thought that the conversation would be over after that, but Rain lingered. There was a sort of curious expression on her face.

    "It's nothing much, just some pasta with mushrooms and cream sauce. My favorite. Uh�� Sunny, right? I'm Rain, by the way."

    He looked at the food container again, reevaluating his stance on its existence. Nothing special, huh�� he was willing to bet that the ingredients she listed were all natural, too. A far cry from synthpaste people like him usually consumed to keep their bellies full in the outskirts. Sunny knew a few guys who would kill to eat something like this.

    His smile became more genuine.

    "Yup, I'm Sunny. Nice to meet you, Rain."

    She smiled slightly, hesitated for a few moments, and then asked:

    "So you're really eighteen? And live alone in your own house? I mean, with that nice friend of yours."

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Sure. She's just staying over until she finds a place of her own, though. Why?"

    The girl looked at him with wide eyes.

    "I mean�� aren't you a bit young to live on your own? Aren't your parents worried?"

    He stared at her for a couple of seconds, then tilted his head a little.

    "I think that I'm of a perfect age to live on my own. And no, my parents aren't worried about me one bit."

    Rain smiled, as though hearing the most fascinating thing ever.

    "But, like�� who cooks your food? No, wait�� who buys your wood? Do you get an allowance? Or do you have a stipend from your university? Wait�� do you even go to a university? I have so many questions!"

    Sunny mentally groaned.

    'Questions�� I hate questions!'

    Outwardly, though, he remained calm.

    "What kind of questions are those? Obviously, I buy and cook my food myself. And who needs a university? A stipend! I am a wildly successful young entrepreneur, if you must know. Basically, I do whatever I want."

    Rain stared at him.

    "And your parent just let you? They're not lecturing you every day about the future, the importance of having a productive career, and how you must be always ready in case you get infected by the Spell?"

    Sunny furrowed his brow.

    "No, none of those."

    Rain looked at him with envy and sighed.

    "You're lucky! My mom and dad are like hawks!"

    '...What the hell is a hawk? Something bad, I presume��'

    He remained silent for a while, a complicated expression appearing on his face.

    Finally, Sunny said:

    "...Don't be hard on your mom and dad. You're the lucky one, really. I sort of twisted the truth a little. My parents don't care about where I am and what I do�� because I don't have parents. So�� I would rather be in your situation than mine, great as it is. Yours is a bit greater."

    Rain stopped smiling and looked at him with a hard-to-read, sad expression on her pale face. Then, she said quietly:

    "Oh�� I see. Sorry. I didn't know."

    She smiled a little and waved.

    "Well, I'll be going then. Enjoy the pasta, Sunny!"

    The young girl put her backpack back on, turned around, and left.

    Sunny remained on the porch for a while, staring at the tray of food. Slowly, a dark expression settled on his face.

    'I can't continue doing nothing anymore�� I need to make a decision and proceed. I wasted too much time as it is, already��'

    He avoided doing anything about getting Rain ready for the possibility of becoming infected by the Spell, because he didn't know what to do, and how.

    But this inaction had to stop. He had to come up with something��

 Chapter 483 Two Hundred Seconds

    The problem was, he just didn't know enough to make a good decision. And even then�� was he even qualified to make it?

    Sunny had a lot of experience dealing with various situations, possessed a quick wit, and was street smart, as well as having a real talent for killing things and remaining alive.

    Without wasting time on false modesty, he could admit that he excelled at many things.

    But were the things he excelled at even applicable to training a young girl for the Nightmare Spell? After all, what he wanted to give her were not combat skills or survival tactics�� those she was being taught already, in an elite school that someone like him would have never been able to attend.

    What he wanted to give her was a mindset that would allow her to survive in the unforgiving hell of the Dream Realm. And mind�� mind was a delicate thing.

    If he went about it in the wrong way, he could bring more harm than good.

    Not to mention that everyone was different, and what worked for him was not guaranteed to work for someone else. Take his own friends, for example�� all of them had wildly diverging mindsets, but each had been able to thrive even in a place as dire and harrowing as the Forgotten Shore.

    'So�� what the hell do I do?!'

    Sunny massaged his temples, then sighed.

    First�� he had to observe more and understand more. Whatever he wanted to decide, it was stupid to try and base that decision on observing Rain for a single day as she went about her classes.

    'Maybe I'll get inspired. Or my intuition will give me a hint��'

    With that thought, he frowned, finished his tea, and went inside.

    ***

    The next morning, Sunny left his house early and used the transit system to reach the district where Rain's school was located.

    Now that he knew the place, he didn't need to follow his sister around. Instead, he went ahead, returned to the cafe he had hidden in the last time, and sent one of his shadows to keep watch on the entrance of the school as it waited for the young girl to appear.

    Half an hour later, he noticed her figure and silently ordered the shadow to follow Rain inside.

    'I am going to have to keep studying her demeanor for a while�� a few weeks, at least. By then, it is going to be clear if my initial impression was right, or if I need to reconsider my evaluation. I'll also understand her strengths and weaknesses much better.'

    Sunny had to stop himself from groaning.

    A few weeks�� that was going to really eat into his time. Both the hunt for shadow fragments and his training with Effie and Saint were going to suffer. Which was such a shame. Recently, he was starting to feel a hint of confidence when handling the Cruel Sight in its spear form.

    Previously, Sunny had mistakenly considered the spear to be a rather static weapon, one mostly capable of only straightforward thrusting attacks. And on the surface, it was�� more than that, this was actually one of its best features.

    Anyone could use a spear with a decent level of effectiveness. That was why it ruled the battlefield for thousands of years �� unlike the sword, a person didn't need endless hours of practice to become a proficient amateur with it.

    But in the hands of a master�� in the hands of a master, the spear was a completely different beast. It was swift, deadly, and unpredictable, capable of a vast variety of attacks at a wide array of ranges. It was a truly versatile weapon capable of dealing devastating damage to anyone who would dare to approach its wielder. What Sunny liked the most, though, was how deceiving a spear could be.

    Cruel Sight, in particular, was especially flexible due to its long blade, which could both piece and slash. Not to mention the fact that the length of its shaft could be changed at will.

    ��Sunny was still much more comfortable with swords, though. Especially familiar ones, like the Midnight Shard of the great odachi form of the Soul Serpent. He was growing rather fond of the ability to keep his enemies further away from his body that the Cruel Sight gave him, nevertheless.

    So it was a real shame that he was going to have to reduce the amount of time he trained by a lot. That was not even the main reason why he felt malcontent about the prospect of spending weeks observing Rain at school, though.

    The main reason was�� teenagers.

    Sunny clearly remembered the mental trauma he had experienced after being forced to watch the young elites attending the prestigious school making life difficult for both themselves and the teachers. Even after having to fall into an endless abyss while eating the rotten meat of a devil and burning in the ocean of divine flames, he would rather repeat the whole thing than experience school life again��

    Well, almost.

    Not really��

    With a sigh, Sunny concentrated on the pastry in front of him and prepared for a long and arduous day. That pastry alone made his mood better, simply because of the fact that it didn't come from a Mimic.

    The young elites were the same �� venomous, incredibly misguided, and infuriating. Luckily, Rain was also the same �� she studied quietly and avoided all the drama, which basically made her a pariah.

    'Good girl, Rain�� that's right, disregard all the nonsense and learn as much as you can. Knowledge is a privilege�� these classmates of yours are too stupid to value it, but you're not��'

    Well, it wasn't as though they were some delinquents, either. Academic achievement was the cornerstone of the social hierarchy in this elite school, so the competition among the students was fierce. It was just that most saw learning as a tool to earn status, as opposed to the goal.

    Not that their priorities were any of Sunny's business.

    Hour went after hour, and at some point, he decided to leave the cafe and take a walk to chase away the boredom.

    But before he could, however, something happened.

    His communicator suddenly let out a grating, echoing ringing sound. A second later, the sound repeated.

    ��And it wasn't only just him. Every person in the cafe, from the clients to the members of the staff, was receiving the same notification.

    Sunny's chest grew cold.

    He knew that sound, of course. Everyone in the world knew and dreaded it.

    Looking down, he saw the familiar text appear on the screen of his communicator.

    'No...'

    The notification read:

    EMERGENCY ALERT

    EMERGENCY ALERT

    GATE ACTIVITY DETECTED IN YOUR PROXIMITY

    ETA: 201 SECONDS

    EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!

 Chapter 484 The Gate

    Chapter 484 The Gate

    'A Gate�� there is a Gate��'

    Before Sunny even comprehended these words, he was trembling, cold fear rising from the depths of his heart to swallow him whole. This was not a conscious response, but an instinctual reaction �� something that his body had learned to do in the past, the terror that all modern humans came to bear in their very bones.

    The grating, echoing ringing meant only one thing �� run! Run if you wish to live, if you don't want to die in a manner so harrowing that words could not describe it.

    But Sunny wasn't a mundane human anymore.

    Strangling the instinctual fear, he threw it aside and stared at the screen of the communicator with a dark expression on his face.

    The notification was similar to the ones he had seen several times in the past. Previously, when he lived in the outskirts, he had learned of the devastation an opening Gate could bring firsthand. Wherever you lived, you were bound to hear that sound once every few years.

    Granted, the infrastructure in the outskirts was way less developed than in the proper parts of the city, and there wasn't a lot of Awakened around. So the results were often more disastrous.

    He was in a very respectable district right now.

    But ironically, things were much worse.

    Sunny wasn't very versed in the technology the government used to detect the appearing Gates in advance, but he knew that it failed this time. Usually, people would receive a notification at least ten minutes, half an hour, sometimes even days before the dreaded event.

    This gave most of them time to evacuate out of the impact zone, and also allowed the government forces to arrive before the flood of Nightmare Creatures broke free of the opening Gate and cut through the ranks of the nearby Awakened who tried to stall it.

    Two hundred seconds�� that was nothing. Less than nothing. It was not nearly enough time for people to run, and not nearly enough for help to arrive. Such a small time window meant only one thing��

    That unless something happened, there was going to be a massacre.

    He was safe, though. He could just Shadow Step away at any moment.

    As people jumped to their feet and ran to the exit with panicked expressions, Sunny sighed and pressed on the notification.

    Immediately, a map opened up, showing him the location of where the Gate was going to appear, as well as optimal evacuation routes.

    'Too close��'

    There was no way that Rain's school was going to be able to evacuate thousands of students in time. If their hazard protocols were well established, they were not even going to try. They would just gather the children in the most protected part of the school, activate their defense systems, and try to hold until help arrived.

    The school was in the direct vicinity of the opening Gate, though. Sunny wasn't sure how well its defenses would do, no matter how formidable they were. Even if there were several Awakened staffed as security personnel or instructors for this exact eventuality, they wouldn't be able to do much. The true elites would not take such positions, after all.

    'What to do��'

    This time, the notification interface was different from how Sunny had seen it in the past.

    There was an additional, urgently blinking symbol on the map. It was very similar to the insignia Master Jet wore on her sleeve, only this one had two stars on it instead of three.

    This symbol was there because the communicator knew that Sunny was an Awakened.

    ��There were one hundred and ninety-two seconds remaining until the Gate opened. Out in the classroom where one of his shadows was currently hiding, the children and the teacher were still staring at the notification with stunned expressions, not yet comprehending what it meant exactly. Or simply refusing to��

    Not paying a lot of attention to the chaos happening around him, Sunny pressed on the symbol, and additional information appeared on the screen.

    ATTENTION ALL AWAKENED

    REQUEST IMMEDIATE ACTION

    ATTENTION ALL AWAKENED

    REQUEST IMMEDIATE...

    Below that, several lines of text shimmered:

    Gate Category: 2 (89% probability), 3 (10% probability), HIGHER (undefined).

    Strike Force ETA: 16 min, 14 sec.

    'Thirteen minutes!'

    A corner of Sunny's twitched, a resentful grimace appearing on his face.

    The earliest any government force would be able to arrive to the Gate was in thirteen minutes after it had opened. Thirteen minutes�� that might as well have been an eternity.

    'Too long!'

    And now, Sunny had to make a decision.

    He had to either run away or respond to the call to arms to stand in front of the Nightmare Gate, hoping to survive in the flood of monsters for thirteen entire minutes.

    Well�� it wasn't that hard of a decision, really. Sunny knew that he was going to stay �� not out of any sort of moral obligation, but simply because he wanted to.

    He was equally as reluctant to turn tail and allow the Spell to invade his world with impunity as he was to see countless nice, mundane humans die in the maws of Nightmare Creatures. Like the polite waitress who served him the delicious pastries, or the baker who had made them.

    This was his world, his city, and his fellow humans. Before, Sunny was always weak and had no choice but to run, hide, and tremble in fear.

    ...He was done living his life in fear a long time ago, though. He was also done allowing anyone �� or anything �� to take what was his without a bloody fight.

    He was done being weak.

    But even that wasn't the real reason. Perhaps Sunny would have considered the approaching disaster too much of a risk and retreated�� but Rain was there, very near to the center of the map displaying the Gate's impact zone.

    So really, running away wasn't even an option.

    One hundred and eighty seconds remained.

    Now left alone in the empty cafe, Sunny stood up and stretched. A heavy sigh escaped from his lips.

    "This is going to be�� a wild, wild ride��"

 Chapter 485 Lesser Evil

    Now that he knew that he was �� insanity! �� going to act, Sunny had to decide how exactly, and do it very fast.

    Sadly, the question was not as easy as it seemed.

    His life was too complicated for anything to be easy��

    Not only was the answer to the question not too obvious, but, what's worse, he had mere seconds to make a decision, which was not nearly enough to think things through with any sort of clarity.

    But what choice did he have? None at all...

    Sunny grimaced.

    'Let's speedrun our options.'

    The safest and most cowardly option was to Shadow Step into the classroom through the shadow spying on Rain, grab the girl, and bring her away.

    At least it seemed safe on the surface.

    In reality, though, such an action would cause all types of terrible consequences both for him and for his sister. Not only was he going to have a lot of explaining to do, revealing all the things he wanted to keep hidden, he would also leave countless witnesses, as well as digital evidence, connecting Rain to him and vice versa.

    In the future, whenever he was going to end up having really dangerous enemies �� which Sunny had no doubt would happen one day, soon �� that evidence was going to come to light and lead them to her. Which was not something he was willing to accept.

    So, he was going to leave that option as the last resort, and act on it only if the school's defenses were breached and Rain was in imminent danger.

    With that out of the way, there was only one path left �� doing his civil duty and going directly to the Gate, in hopes of stalling the tide of Nightmare Creatures long enough for the cavalry to arrive.

    Awakened who didn't work for the government were expected and encouraged, but not technically obligated to respond to a call like that. Many, maybe even most, did not, and chose to run instead. And who could blame them? Not everyone with an Aspect was a combatant, and even those who were had not become one voluntarily.

    Forcing these already traumatized people to go to their potential deaths under the threat of retribution if they refused was not something the government was eager to do. Or maybe, it simply couldn't �� forcing Awakened to do anything was a dangerous idea, since they could potentially topple the government if pushed too much.

    So, the government preferred to use a carrot instead of a stick when dealing with them. It was a delicate balance.

    Sunny wasn't sure that he was even going to see that carrot, though. Because he was facing a dilemma.

    Yes, he had decided to fight in front of the Gate, but this could also be done in several ways.

    ��Two ways, really.

    Sunny could go into battle as himself, or�� as Mongrel, protecting his identity from the prying eyes, and himself from any attention.

    Using Weaver's Mask was not without risk, as every time he did so without proper preparations could potentially leave behind context clues that would allow smart people to narrow down the list of suspects.

    But the alternative�� right now, with not a lot of time to weigh all the pros and cons, Sunny felt that the alternative was worse.

    If he wanted to have a hope of surviving for thirteen minutes, he was going to have to go all out, showcasing the full scope of his true powers. That meant that all his efforts to create an image of a talented, but not too dangerous or noteworthy young Awakened were going to be destroyed.

    He was going to become really, really famous�� and draw the eyes of entities he wanted to remain blind to his existence for as long as possible.

    Perhaps even worse, he was going to create one too many coincidences for Rain to continue not noticing his secret attention. It was one thing to have a quirky neighbor�� if he suddenly showed up near your school in your moment of need, and turned out to be one of the most deadly Awakened of his generation, though�� that would most likely be enough to make her start asking questions that Sunny wasn't ready to answer.

    So��

    Awakened Sunless was going to have to cowardly run away from the Gate.

    While Mongrel was going to have to stand and fight.

    'What a messed up situation...'

    One hundred and seventy seconds remained.

    Sunny sighed, knowing full well that this decision was not ideal. At the minimum, Mongrel's persona prevented him from using some of his most powerful tools �� anything that people knew and associated with Sunny, no less. Like the Cruel Sight��

    Very few people had seen him use Saint, however. In fact, outside of Neph's cohort, Mordret was pretty much the only person who had. There were also the people he had fought the Lord of the Dead with, but all of them were gone now�� with one notable exception. Seishan was still alive and out there somewhere, in the embrace of one of the three Great Clans.

    So summoning Saint was not ideal, too. Even though someone else could have received a similar Echo, revealing her was really risky. He could only do it if things got really desperate.

    'Uh�� maybe I should reconsider��'

    But there was no time to consider things anymore.

    There were less than three minutes left before the Gate opened. He would just have to manage, somehow.

    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment, then checked where the cameras monitoring the cafe were located, and walked into their blind zone. There, he summoned the Covetous Coffer, placed his communicator on its lid, and sent the box scurrying in the direction opposite of where he himself was headed.

    After that, Sunny took a deep breath�� and dissipated into the shadows.

    A few seconds later and hundreds of meters away, an armored figure wearing a fearsome black mask walked out of the darkness, the blade of the great odachi resting on its shoulder.

    Mongrel had arrived to the Nightmare Gate.

 Chapter 486 Call Of A Nightmare

    The road ahead of Sunny was almost empty. Only several people could still be seen, running away from the vertical line where the air was rippling strangely, a hundred or so meters behind their backs. When they saw his menacing figure, the stragglers recoiled. Someone let out a frightened yelp.

    Not paying them any attention, Sunny calmly walked forward.

    The Soul Serpent rested on his shoulder.

    'Strange�� I have never seen an opening Gate up close before.'

    The deserted street in front of him did, indeed, look very eerie. Not only because it was almost entirely empty, both of pedestrians and of rushing PTVs, but also because light and shadows were behaving very strangely, the hue of the light slightly wrong, the movement of the shadows slightly erratic.

    The sound was strange, too. It was deadly quiet, but at the same time, Sunny couldn't get rid of the feeling that there were barely audible noises coming from all directions, assaulting his ears like an inaudible cacophony of muffled, distant, demented screams.

    There was a strange pressure rising in the air, getting stronger the closer he got to the nascent Nightmare Gate.

    The Gate itself was easy to recognize. It looked like a tall vertical depression in the fabric of the world, a place where light refracted in unnatural ways and the inaudible screams were the loudest�� not a rift in reality yet, but a hint of one.

    In front of the Gate, half a dozen people stood, staring at it in tense silence. The Awakened who, just like Sunny, decided to answer the call.

    'Only six of them��'

    While that fact didn't promise him anything good, it was to be expected. Two hundred seconds was just not enough for a lot of willing defenders to arrive. Even those who were ready to risk their lives in an attempt to protect the civilians needed time to get to the Gate, after all�� this bunch were those who had already been in the immediate impact zone when the alert was sent to their communicators, just like Sunny.

    Maybe they were overly confident in their abilities, or maybe, just like he, they had people they cared about in the surrounding area, perhaps even in the very same school where Rain was, a few hundred meters behind their backs.

    In any case, he couldn't help but feel a bit of respect toward these people. Coming to a Gate already required a lot of courage�� remaining even after it became clear that there were going to be less than ten Awakened fighting side by side to stall the tide of monsters was beyond that.

    These people were ready to die to fulfill their duty.

    '...Fools. Brave, brave fools.'

    What about Sunny himself, then?

    'I am a fool, too. But a cowardly one.'

    Sunny had no plans of dying today. He knew what he was doing, and had ways to escape if things got too dire.

    Without slowing down even a little, he calmly walked past the six Awakened and stopped with his back to them, closer to the Gate than anyone else.

    Unwittingly, Sunny found himself standing at the head of the small group of defenders.

    Unlike them, he showed no sign of fear. The others were staring at the Gate with pale faces, their bodies tense, their eyes full of unease and dark resentment. Sunny's pose, however, was confident, indifferent�� almost relaxed.

    And in the eyes of the fearsome mask, there was nothing but darkness.

    The others reacted to his arrival with excitement. One more Awakened to fight with them was already a good thing, but this one, in particular, looked especially imposing. His onyx armor and fearsome blade were obviously a cut above the Memories they themselves had in their possession, and his calm demeanor suggested either an experienced fighter�� or a madman.

    And then, someone recognized him.

    "Wait�� isn't that M��mongrel?!"

    The others looked at the girl who spoke with confusion.

    "Who?"

    She stared at them with wide eyes.

    "That's�� that's Lord Mongrel! Haven't you heard of him?"

    A hint of recognition appeared in the eyes of the Awakened gathered in front of the opening Gate. One of them glanced at Sunny, lingered for a moment, and asked:

    "I am sorry, friend. This young woman seems to have heard of you. If I may ask, are you an Awakened of some renown?"

    Sunny didn't move a muscle, and lied almost on autopilot:

    "...I am not an Awakened. I have no renown."

    The man raised an eyebrow.

    "What do you mean, not an Awakened? Then who are you?"

    Sunny cursed inwardly.

    'My damned tongue��'

    He gritted his teeth, remained silent for a second, and then answered in a calm tone:

    "I am just a human."

    Then, he sighed and turned his head slightly, staring at the six Awakened.

    From the look of their Memories and how they held themselves, they weren't elites. Several seemed to know how to hold a sword, but that was all. They were going to get eaten alive once the Gate opened.

    Disheartened, he asked:

    "Combat Aspects?"

    The defenders looked at each other, and then the girl who had recognized him answered:

    "I have an Awakened Aspect that enhances my agility and allows me to strike with deadly precision. Two guys have Dormant Aspects centered around endurance and strength, and the other two can perform ranged elemental attacks."

    So, three weak Combat Aspects, two supporting fighters, and no one capable of proper support or healing.

    He lowered his head for a moment.

    There were only thirty seconds left before the Gate opened. Slight tremors were running through the ground beneath his feet, and bits of dust and small pieces of gravel were slowly rising into the air, levitating on the invisible currents of energy coursing through the air.

    'How I am going to do this?'

    Sunny gripped the hilt of the Soul Serpent tighter, then said hoarsely:

    "Stay back, kill anything that gets past me."

    He paused for a moment, and then added:

    "...Make them bleed."

    The girl stared at him with wide eyes.

    "Stay�� stay back? But, sir, you can't do it alone! There will be a horde of them! Even if there were a hundred of you, that wouldn't be enough to kill them all!"

    Sunny turned away and looked at the slowly opening rift in front of him.

    How could he get these people to stay out of his way? The best place for them to be was at the back, finishing off anything that Sunny failed to kill and preventing the Nightmare Creatures from escaping into the city... escaping toward Rain's school.

    Failing to come up with a better lie, he opened his mouth and said coldly:

    "One of me is enough to kill them all."

    With that, Sunny left the girl standing there with an open mouth, and walked forward.

    'What's the big deal, anyway? It's�� it's just a Nightmare Gate��'

    His legs, however, were trembling a little.

    Just at that moment, an especially strong tremor ran through the ground.

    The shadows exploded in a mad dance, the sunlight growing dim and ghostly.

    The wind howled through the empty street, as if the air was being sucked into the widening rift.

    And then, an invisible shockwave spread out of it, making the windows in the surrounding building shatter.

    Sunny resisted the push and suddenly felt the familiar feeling permeate his soul.

    ...The call of a Nightmare.

    The Gate had opened.

 Chapter 487 First Wave

    Sunny took a step forward and brandished the Soul Serpent, feeling the indomitable nature of Saint's grounded battle style permeate his bones. The gloomy shadow wrapped itself around the blade of the odachi, causing it to shine with dark radiance.

    Just like the taciturn demon, this Serpent shared a kinship with the shadow, and as such, the augmentation it received was even more powerful than Sunny himself could enjoy. Even though the odachi was only of the Dormant Rank, for now, this alone made it equal to an Awakened blade in terms of sharpness, durability, and lethality.

    He activated the [Living Stone] and [Feather of Truth] enchantments of the onyx armor to make it light as a feather and able to heal the damage it was bound to receive.

    Then, Sunny summoned the Blood Blossom charm and willed the armor to integrate it, activating the [Underworld Armament] enchantment. This way, the enhancing effect the crimson flower had on his Memories and Shadows was going to be inherited by the Mantle itself, and then strengthened even further.

    He had not told the other Awakened to make the Nightmare Creatures bleed just to seem cool. He literally needed there to be as much blood flowing to the pavement as possible, so that his armor and sword became as powerful as possible.

    The Gate was open now, revealing a dark rift in the fabric of reality, as wide as the street itself and as tall as the buildings. It seemed to devour all light around it�� and call to him.

    Call for him to enter.

    ��Sunny wasn't too preoccupied with the gate itself, though. His gaze was locked on the unclear silhouettes moving through the darkness.

    Soon, the first Nightmare Creature burst into the daylight, leaving cracks on the asphalt with its black claws.

    '...Good.'

    Had he not wanted to accumulate shadow fragments? Had he not wanted to raise the counter of the [Prince of the Underworld] enchantment?

    Well, he should have been careful about what he wished for!

    There were going to be hundreds of abominations coming through the rift today to satiate his wish��

    The Second Category Gates were the most frequent to appear in the waking world. As such, everyone was familiar with how they functioned.

    The first few waves of advancing Nightmare Creatures were not going to be too terrible, at least for a fighter of Sunny's caliber. They would be comprised mostly of Dormant creatures, with some Awakened abominations mixed in. Their Classes and numbers, too, would be comparatively low.

    But these first few waves�� they were just a hint of the horror to come.

    Pretty soon, every Nightmare Creature coming from the Gate was going to be of the Awakened Rank, with more and more Fallen ones appearing as well. Their Classes were going to rise, until there were as many Demons as there were Monsters and Beasts around.

    And if Sunny was still alive by the time this second stage was nearing its culmination�� well, two things could happen, neither promising him anything good.

    Either the Gate was going to end up really being of the Second Category, or not.

    If it continued to grow, reaching the Third Category, then there would be more and more waves of Nightmare Creatures, hundreds of Fallen abominations lunging into the real world from the dark void between worlds, with Corrupted horrors and creatures of higher Classes appearing among them.

    If it didn't�� then, the Guardian of the Gate would manifest itself into reality. The Guardian was always at least one Rank higher than the Gate's Category, and could be of any high Class, from a Devil�� to a dreaded Titan.

    ��In any case, Sunny had to live through the initial waves first to find out what was going to kill him in the end.

    The first creature to appear from the darkness resembled a terrifying hound with bloodred bone spikes growing from its mottled, black fur. It landed on the road and opened its maw, then produced a guttural, hoarse roar.

    ��And then abruptly grew silent as Shadow Serpent's blade slashed across its neck, severing its head entirely.

    [You have slain a Dormant Beast��]

    Sunny jumped back, and just as he did, more silhouettes lunged at him from the dark rift, their eyes burning with madness and bloodthirst as they smelled what was waiting for them up ahead��

    A whole world full of defenseless, untainted souls for them to devour.

    'Not so fast, you filth��'

    Sunny had a very simple plan.

    He was going to build a barrier in front of the Gate.

    ��He was going to build a mountain of bleeding corpses right at the border of the darkness, to show the next waves of Nightmare Creatures how welcoming the real world was to their kind.

    As soon as more spiked hounds entered into the light, he lunged forward to meet them.

    Blood sprayed into the air, and as the menacing odachi reaped another life, Sunny shifted his weight, slammed the pommel of the sword into the face of a lunging creature, then swiftly stepped forward and pierced the third one through the throat.

    Before the drops of blood even fell to the ground, he tore the blade from the corpse of the abomination, slicing it almost in half, and brought his heel on the skull of the beast he had previously slammed to the ground. In the process, he increased the weight of the Mantle of the Underworld, so the creature's head simply exploded under his boot.

    All of it took no more than two seconds.

    ��And on the third second, a dozen hellish beasts emerged from the rift, some of them running, some of them jumping high into the air to land on him from above.

    Behind them, a macabre wall of flesh, claws, and fangs was spilling out of the darkness like a rabid tide.

    Sunny growled, feeling the enchantment of the Blood Blossom activate and fill his sword with an unquenchable bloodlust.

    'Come! Come, you bastards! Let this mongrel guide you all to hell!'

 Chapter 488 A Beast More Terrible

    No matter how fast Sunny was, how intricate his control of the shadow essence was �� he had spent a whole month doing nothing but practicing it, after all �� no matter how strong his body could become as the result, he still couldn't be in several places at the same time.

    Yes, he had two cores brimming with power, and his armor and his weapon were augmented by a combination of an Aspect Ability and enchantments. Killing one of the infernal hounds without receiving a hit was not that big of a problem�� several, even.

    But a dozen? That was too much, even for him.

    So Sunny didn't even try.

    At this point, Mantle of the Underworld was as close to the pinnacle of the Ascended Rank as a Memory could be, so these Dormant beasts had no chance of piercing it with their fangs. He could allow himself to be bitten a few times.

    He just had to be strategic about it.

    He had to protect his neck and the back of his head, as well as pay attention to balance and mass. Yes, the abominations couldn't get to his flesh just yet, but an impact was still an impact. If he wasn't careful, the bastards were going to topple him, and once he was on the ground, the game would be over.

    Luckily, he had [Feather of Truth] at his disposal and could manipulate the weight of the onyx armor, turning it from incredibly light to as heavy as a mountain. In conjunction with the cautious use of Saint's grounded style, which excelled at solid footwork and indomitability, he could stay upright no matter how many beasts attacked him.

    Ignoring the creatures that were lunging at him from the ground, Sunny dashed to the side to avoid being landed on by one of the jumping hounds, and received another on the tip of the odachi, allowing the momentum to impale it on the sword.

    Before the heavy carcass could weigh the Shadow Serpent down, Sunny used the long hilt as a lever and slammed the dead creature into the mass of its attacking kin.

    By that time, one jaw was already closing on his thigh, and another was centimeters away from his forearm.

    The bloodred fangs scraped against the stonelike metal of the onyx armor, not leaving even a scratch on it.

    Sunny let go of the hilt of the odachi with one hand, then hooked its blade under the throat of one of the attacking abominations and made a simple move forward, slicing through tough fur, skin, and vulnerable flesh beneath.

    His other fist landed on the head of the second beast. Unseen to anyone, the Moonlight Shard appeared in it at the last moment, its ghostly blade easily piercing the creature's skull and disappearing as fast as it had appeared after destroying its brain.

    Sunny spun, throwing both corpses aside, caught the hilt of the odachi with his second hand, made a small thrust to pierce a lunging hound's head right through one of its eyes, and then dashed forward to descend on the group of them entangled in the carcass of the abomination he had caught on the tip of his blade earlier.

    What happened next could only be described as a morbid, bloody dance. Sunny moved through the mass of Nightmare Creatures, much faster than any of them were, his great sword flying through them with graceful and fluid logic, sending more and more blood spraying into the air. Somehow, he managed to avoid most of their attacks, and those he did not ended up sliding fruitlessly from his armor.

    He almost made it look easy.

    ��But of course, it wasn't.

    Any of these beasts, even though they were only Dormant, could massacre countless mundane humans, or kill a less skillful Awakened in one fell lunge. It was just that today, they met a far more terrifying creature.

    A true Awakened fighter.

    And a monstrous one, at that��

    Sunny cut through the mass of spiked hounds, strategically leaving many of them maimed, but alive. They could only bleed as long as they weren't dead, after all. And he needed them to bleed a lot to bring the Blood Blossom to the peak of its strength.

    There were many of them around him�� too many, really. But that, too, could be used to his advantage. He used the corpses of the beasts he had slain, the ones he had left alive, and those who were yet to meet his blade as a barrier to slow down the others. Through superior speed and clever positioning, he was able to not only always remain moving, but also evade being surrounded.

    Things weren't exactly easy, but he was still managing without too much strain. His main problem right now was to not allow any of the abominations to move past him and escape into the streets.

    Luckily, the few that did manage to slip by were quickly finished by the six Awakened staying behind, observing the massacre with grim, tense, and darkly awed expressions.

    However, Sunny wasn't oblivious to the fact that this successful start was an illusion.

    The first wave was just an appetizer, after all. Simply a hint of the true calamity to come.

    So, his goal, for now, was to kill as many of the dormant beasts as he could, bring the augmentation of the Blood Blossom to considerable strength, and throw as many corpses at the stretch of cracked asphalt directly in front of the Gate as possible, to make it harder for the stronger abominations to enter into the real at full speed.

    He felt the dreaded change too soon, though.

    It came in a form of an eerie, long whistle that suddenly made the hounds lunge at him with renewed fury.

    And then��

    A crude arrow suddenly flashed out of the darkness of the rift, almost hitting him in the eye. The arrowhead, fashioned out of a splinter of a red bone, exploded against the wood of Weaver's Mask, throwing his head back.

    'What the��'

    He swiftly repositioned and caught his balance, then dashed forward and skewered several beasts on the blade of the Shadow Serpent.

    More arrows flew out of the darkness, piercing the flesh of the attacking hounds or sliding off the onyx surface of the Mantle of the Underworld.

    He felt each hit, though. The power behind these arrows was truly monstrous.

    'Awakened�� Awakened creatures are coming! Already?!'

    As soon as he thought that, the first of the hunters came out of the darkness, following their hounds into the real world.

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    A tall, desiccated humanoid with skin as black as coal and as rough as the bark of an ancient tree, wearing rotten remains of fur armor, raised a mighty bow made out of wood and bone, and looked at him with empty holes where his eyes should have been.

    Furious, red flames burned in their darkness instead.

    'Crap!'

    Sunny grabbed one of the hounds and hoisted its body up�� just in time for the arrow to pierce its body instead of hitting him in the face.

    'Bows, they're using bows?!'

    How was that even fair?!

    Feeling the bloodlust of the Blossom charm surge in his heart, Sunny threw the dying hound at the bone hunter, gripped his sword, and dashed forward once again.

 Chapter 489 Second Wave

    There were several ancient archers aiming at him already, and more and more of the hunters were appearing from the darkness. Some wielded bows, some spears with jagged flint blades and crude axes.

    Those were Awakened Monsters, each and every one �� equal in Rank and Class to Carapace Centurions Sunny had fought once, a long time ago, on the Forgotten Shore.

    And to Sunny himself, technically.

    ��A much tougher enemy for him to slaughter.

    Luckily, unlike the massive centurions, the hunters weren't covered in adamantine chitin from head to toe.

    Ducking under the flying arrow, Sunny lunged forward and thrust the tip of the odachi into the desiccated flesh of one of the bowmen. The black, bark-like skin offered a lot of resistance to the shadow-honed blade, but the force of the blow was terrible enough to rip through flesh and bone, allowing it to pierce the body of the hunter and emerge from his back.

    Sunny just hoped that these bastards had anatomy similar to humans, and that their hearts were located in the same place.

    From the look of it, they were�� however, the monster did not react to having his heart destroyed as a human would. Instead of dying, he simply grabbed the blade of the Shadow Serpent and took a step forward, skewering himself deeper onto it, in an attempt to reach Sunny with the other hand.

    'Curses!'

    Sunny twisted the blade, severing the monster's fingers, and then pulled the odachi upward, slicing through his ribcage, neck, and skull.

    This, finally, caused the bowman to die.

    [You have slain an Awakened Monster, Ancient Barrow Wraith.]

    'Revenants�� great! Simply great, damn it!'

    So he was fighting corpses that were possessed by some sort of a murderous spirit�� as such, the hunters weren't fully sentient. That didn't stop them from remembering some of their craft, though. Not only were they able to wield their stone weapons with deadly skill, they also seemed to coordinate their attacks, herding Sunny like prey.

    The archers moved apart so that he would have no choice but to show his back to one while attacking another. Those with melee weapons rushed forward, aiming to surround him. The situation was quickly turning desperate.

    Sunny gritted his teeth, dodged a strike of a stone axe, saw it shatter the asphalt into dust, and lashed out with the Shadow Serpent. Just a moment after the blade of the great odachi severed the attacker's legs, another arrow hit him in the shoulder, causing Sunny to stagger and almost lose his balance.

    He glanced around him, noticing that the enemies had succeeded in positioning themselves in a way that would have doomed a normal enemy. He was surrounded from all sides, with archers hiding behind mighty hunters wielding spears and axes.

    'Damn it. I didn't want to do this��'

    As a dozen arrows streaked through the air to bite at his armor�� Sunny suddenly disappeared.

    A moment later, he appeared behind one of the archers and decapitated him with one terrible strike.

    Before others even had time to register what had happened, Sunny was inexplicably at the opposite side of their formation, his odachi piercing the head of another archer.

    Almost leaving afterimages behind, the figure of the warrior in the menacing onyx armor seemed to blink between half a dozen monsters in the span of a few seconds. Each time it appeared, one of the creatures died, their black bodies crumbling into piles of severed limbs and shattered skulls. The blade of the great odachi shone with dark radiance, cutting through the ancient hunters like a reaper's scythe.

    A few moments later, Sunny slid backward on the broken asphalt, leaving a bloody trail behind.

    A low growl escaped from beneath his mask.

    Enhanced by the [Underworld Armament], the enchantment of the Blood Blossom was behaving strangely. It was supposed to augment his Memories, Echoes, and Shadows, but with so much blood flowing to the ground, Sunny found that even his body and mind were being affected by the morbid charm a little.

    He felt both exhilarated and frustrated �� exhilarated by the slaughter he was perpetrating, and frustrated because he wanted�� needed�� to kill more, cut more, make them bleed more, more, more, so much more��

    'Blood... blood... more!'

    Sunny basked in the ecstasy of bloodshed for a split second, and then lashed out at himself, making the rabid thirst recede.

    He needed to be careful. This bloodlust was beneficial, but could easily blind him. He had to maintain clarity�� that was the only way to control the flow of the battle and survive. Thankfully, he knew how to keep a cool head better than most.

    ��Regardless, although using Shadow Step so many times in rapid succession cost him a lot of shadow essence, he had managed to break the enemy formation and eliminate most of the archers. The rest were going to be much easier to deal with now.

    But of course, the Gate was not done with him. It continued to spew more and more enemies, making any progress he had made meaningless.

    As a new wave of hunters emerged from the darkness, a frenzied mass of hounds rushing between the wraiths, he paled a little.

    '...Too many!'

    No matter how superior his armor, weapon, and skill were, he was going to get buried under the tide of Nightmare Creatures due to their momentum.

    And even if he managed to cut a hole in the wall of abominations, the rest were going to move past him and descend upon the six Awakened, and then, inevitably, escape into the streets of the city.

    Toward Rain's school.

    'Damn! This is going to suck!'

    As the new wave of creatures lunged forward, joining the survivors of the previous one, Sunny shifted his Memories around. For a brief second, the Broken Oath took the place of the Blood Blossom, its soul-eroding aura being inherited and enhanced by the Mantle of the Underworld.

    A wave of nausea washed other Sunny's mind.

    'Argh!'

    A mental scream rang in his head.

    Luckily, he was prepared for the pain. His armor provided him with a solid defense against soul attacks, too�� even ones coming from the Mantle itself. The attacking Nightmare Creatures, on the other hand, had no resistance to it at all��

    Sunny had only kept the Broken Oath active for a second before changing the slotted charm back to the Blood Blossom, but it was enough to break the momentum of the tide of abominations.

    The hunters staggered, the hounds stumbled and slowed down. For a brief moment, the whole mass of monsters seemed disoriented.

    Sunny used this opportunity well.

    The dark figure wearing a fearsome mask suddenly appeared in the very middle of the enemies, and before the Nightmare Creatures could regain their bearing, the great blade of the odachi turned into a whirlwind of darkness, leaving clouds of bloody mist and severed corpses everywhere he went.

    Sunny had abandoned Saint's grounded style, reduced the weight of the Mantle of the Underworld to that of a feather, and turned to pure offense, dancing between the enemies like a dark, slaughtering demon.

    For now, he was still at his peak��

    But exhaustion was already not too far behind. As he fought, his breath was slowly becoming hoarse and labored.

    'How�� how long has it been?'

    He thought back to what had happened until now��

    And felt the first hint of desperation.

    Just a couple of minutes.

    The whole battle took slightly more than two minutes.

    And he had to continue for at least eleven more��

 Chapter 490 Break Point

    Six minutes.

    That was how long Sunny managed to hold on until things really went from bad to terrible.

    By then, the ground in front of the Gate was littered with piles of corpses, their blood flowing down the pavement like a crimson stream. He had lost count of how many dormant abominations he had slain, how many ancient hunters he had sliced apart. Despite how strong and fearsome the primeval wraiths were, their assault had broken against the impenetrable barrier of his blade, his Aspect, and his will.

    Sunny paid a price, though.

    By now, his muscles were burning, and he had to force the air in and out of his struggling lungs. The Mantle of the Underworld held, but his body beneath the black stonelike metal was beaten and battered. The armor itself was covered in blood and dented slightly in several places.

    Those dents did not come from the hunters, though.

    During the third wave, new Nightmare Creatures emerged from the darkness of the Gate�� among them were larger beasts, more terrifying than the hounds Sunny had been slaughtering.

    And their masters.

    The demons of the mysterious Barrow were similar to the desiccated huntsmen, but much taller, stronger, and better equipped. They wielded masterfully crafted flint weapons and armors made out of rotten leather and bone, their empty eyes burning with hungry red flames.

    What's worse, they really knew how to use their stone spears and swords.

    Met with the strange, ferocious, and deviously lethal battle style of the primeval demons, Sunny was sent for a loop. This was like nothing he had ever experienced before. They fought with the straightforward, yet insidious resolve of cunning apex predators, with the evil will to kill through any means necessary, always following the most efficient and barbarously cruel path to dominance.

    It should not have worked, but it did.

    The dents on Sunny's armor could attest to it.

    Well�� he shouldn't have been surprised. If these ancient wraiths came from people similar to his own world's prehistoric humans, then they were the most devastating of predators, ruthless killers on a planetary scale.

    From what little Sunny knew about history, ancient humans had spread across the whole planet like a plague, eviscerating whole types of living creatures �� including all other nascent branches of the human kind �� in one fell avalanche. With their flint weapons and the knowledge of fire, they became nothing less than the cause and perpetrators of the sixth mass extinction, equal to the likes of massive asteroids and climate shifts despite their puny size and lifespan.

    ��He was kind of starting to miss the carapace legion.

    In any case, Sunny somehow managed to kill these terrifying fighters �� a few of them, at least �� too. More than that, he reached into the very essence of Shadow Dance and greedily absorbed every nuance of their primeval and ferocious fighting style, and then reflected it back at the waves of Nightmare Creatures, bringing his already terrifying dance of death to a truly chilling level of brutality.

    The Blood Blossom had long ago reached its limit.

    Minutes passed, and despite the fact that Sunny was battered and growing dangerously tired, his reserves of shadow essence swiftly diminishing, for a few moments, he felt as though he had things under control.

    That maybe�� just maybe�� he was going to stand his ground for the whole thirteen minutes.

    And then, he realized that he would not.

    As the sixth minute came to an end, a furious bellow shook the world, and something massive lunged at him from the darkness of the Gate. The barrier of corpses he had built in front of it exploded, and a giant beast �� twice as tall as Sunny as weighing at least twenty times more �� emerged from it in a cloud of blood and bone fragments, two empty eye sockets full of ghostly red flame.

    Sunny stared at it with wide eyes.

    The creature resembled a giant bison, its black fur mottled and rotten, a ridge of long, scarlet bone spikes piercing the hide along the spine. The head of the monstrosity was crowned with two jagged, bloodred horns.

    'A Fallen�� that thing is Fallen!'

    The bison was also different from the hounds and larger beasts he had been fighting against, since it �� just like the ancient hunters �� was itself a wraith. A corpse reanimated by the malevolent spirit of red flame.

    'Crap!'

    Sunny hurriedly commanded the [Feather of Truth] to make his armor as heavy as possible and lowered his stance, knowing full well that he couldn't allow that thing to get past him.

    In the next moment, two thousand kilograms of rotting flesh and sharp horns crashed into him at full speed.

    'Cr��'

    For a split second, everything became dark.

    ��Then, Sunny found himself bouncing off the asphalt and then rolling across it at a terrible speed, up until the moment a wall of a building stopped him and exploded, shards of cement flying into the air.

    'Not... good��'

    Disoriented, he shook his head, feeling drops of blood seep under Weaver's Mask, and then used the Shadow Serpent to help himself stand up. Then, he looked toward the Gate through the red mist clouding his sight.

    The massive wraith was approaching the six terrified Awakened. Its speed, however, was slow, and its steps staggered.

    There was a big hole in its forehead where the thick, adamantine bones of the skull were shattered and cracked, bits of bloody pulp spilling out of it and falling to the ground.

    Just before the impact, Sunny had brought his armored fist down on it, summoning the Moonlight Shard at the last moment.

    His plan was to pierce the big bastard's brain, but because of the violent force and momentum of their collision, he ended up doing that, and then punching a hole through the creature's forehead with his spiked gauntlet.

    Sunny's thoughts were slow and astray, but he was already starting to regain his senses.

    'I have a concussion, I think��'

    Failing to breach the last few meters to the six Awakened, the bison stopped and swayed. Its legs suddenly caved, and it toppled over, sending a tremor running through the ground.

    ��A flood of abominations was already rushing into the breach it had created, though.

    Into the empty space where Sunny had been.

    Still disoriented, Sunny staggered, then raised the Soul Serpent weakly.

    'Bad. This is really, really bad��'

 Chapter 491 Desperate Measures

    As Nightmare Creatures rushed forward, the six Awakened began to act.

    The two with elemental Aspects attacked first. Something flashed in the air, and then one of them was suddenly surrounded by a swiftly spinning ring of fire. The fire disc then flew forward and collided against the mass of abominations, immolating one of the hounds and burning several more.

    The other raised her hand, and a thin blade made of nothing but air whistled as it bit into the flesh of one of the hunters, severing one of his arms at the shoulder.

    Sunny blinked.

    [You have slain a Fallen Monster��]

    The fastest of the Nightmare Creatures were already lunging at the defenders. The girl he had spoken to before took a step forward and attacked with a slender saber, striking at the neck of a spiked hound and opening its artery with a precise cut. Two more Awakened were covering her from the sides, both wielding a shield and a Memory weapon of their own �� one a short sword, the other a steel pike.

    The last one did something to repel the arrows that were already flying toward their bodies, but Sunny had no idea what.

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    The Awakened were performing well�� they acted with sufficient coordination and foresight, doing everything in their power to slow down the tide of approaching monsters. Although not elites, each of them was a capable combatant. They were brave and determined.

    ��And yet, it was not going to be enough. Not nearly enough to survive, let alone prevent the invaders from escaping into the city.

    [You have received a Memory.]

    'What to do, what to do��'

    Not fully realizing what he was doing, Sunny commanded the shadow to wrap itself around his body, and for the Soul Serpent to slither back onto his skin.

    Immediately, he felt much more powerful, his head more clear. His muscles brimmed with raw strength, double what he had just a second ago. His breathing became deeper.

    Sunny knew that he had to slow the abominations down, and then get back into the fight.

    That was the only way...

    Making a step forward, he swayed a little, and then grabbed the roof of an abandoned PTV to help himself keep balance.

    ��Bending down, he then grabbed the bottom of the heavy alloy vehicle with his other hand.

    Sending all of his essence rushing through his body, flooding it with as much strength as he could muster, he then growled and dug into the alloy with his fingers.

    And then, sending cracks through the asphalt, Sunny strained every muscle in his body to perform one devastating, explosive push.

    The window of the PTV exploded, and as its frame deformed, the whole vehicle suddenly flew into the air. It breached the distance between him and the rushing tide of Nightmare Creatures and crashed into it from the side like a bizarre cannonball, turning several dormant beasts into bloody pulp, breaking numerous bones, and sending most of the front row of abominations tumbling down.

    The runes shimmered in front of Sunny, and with no time to waste, he threw just one look at them, searching for the description of his new Memory. He was only interested in one thing:

    Memory Type: Weapon.

    'Good enough��'

    Not bothering with reading the rest, Sunny summoned the weapon and used Shadow Step to appear amid the reeling abominations.

    Some had avoided his improvised ram and were already either attacking the six Awakened or escaping into the streets.

    He couldn't do anything about it now.

    What he could do, though��

    As an ancient spear with a head crafted out of a long and sharp piece of black obsidian materialized in his hands, he thrust it into the throat of one of the wraiths, then used its back end to slam another one in the chest.

    Then, Sunny spun the spear and brought it down on the head of a lunging hound, shattering its skull with one terrifying blow.

    While he tried to overcome the ringing in his ears and continued to fight, more Nightmare Creatures got past him�� and more still were already emerging from the Gate

    'Die, die, die�� die, you damn wretches, die faster!'

    ***

    "They breached the line of defenders!"

    The voice of the headmaster seemed calm, considering the situation, so the children gathered in the combat training hall of the school didn't panic, either. Nevertheless, they could feel that the adults were frightened, and that fear spread like an infection.

    The children were frightened, too.

    For many of the younger kids, this was the first time they experienced being near an opening Gate. Those who were older knew what to do, in theory�� only none of those things could be done. There was just not enough time to evacuate or reach the nearest shelter, and so, the lessons they had learned were useless.

    Everyone was gathered in the most protected place in the school �� the gymnasium �� and huddled together. The younger children were placed in the middle, the older ones near the edge, with the teachers standing the furthest from the center.

    The combat instructors were armed with actual Memory weapons, which looked menacing and beautiful�� at least to Rain, who had never seen her teacher wield one of his real weapons before.

    With him, the other instructors, and a couple of bodyguards who happened to be inside the school because of those children whose parents were really important, there were five Awakened among them, each armed and ready to fight.

    The other teachers and older students were armed, too, albeit with mundane weapons. Rain herself was holding her training sword, realizing for the first time how flimsy and pathetic it was. Before, the sword had always seemed to weigh a ton and be unnecessarily sharp.

    Now, she wished that it was a real weapon, and not just a training one.

    'What is going to happen?'

    Because she happened to be standing near the headmaster, she saw her combat instructor glance at him and say something in a low voice. Rain wasn't supposed to hear it, most likely, but she did.

    He said:

    "It's a miracle that they held that long, really. Only seven of them�� I don't know who these people are, but they should have been overwhelmed in the first minute."

    'Overwhelmed? But�� but�� if seven Awakened were supposed to die in less than a minute, then what about the five protecting us?'

    Rain suddenly felt cold and scared. The whole thing didn't seem real�� how can something like this happen? This school was so prestigious and expensive, and so many important people sent their children here. Surely, the defenses��

    As if answering her thoughts, muffled sounds of firing penetrated the walls and sent shivers running through everyone's bodies. The automatic turrets had gone online, which meant that there were Nightmare Creatures approaching.

    Rain's father worked for the government, handling matters having to do with the logistical support of the Awakened, and although he didn't like to talk about work, she knew more about these matters than most kids of her age. Because of that, she understood how ineffective mundane weapons were against the creatures of the Spell, especially ones of higher Ranks.

    So she just hoped that...

    Something broke with a deafening crash, and the whole gymnasium suddenly trembled.

    '...C��curses!'

    Rain gripped the hilt of her sword tighter, and turned toward where the crash had come from with a pale face.

    Her eyes widened.

    ***

    Hundreds of meters away, in the mass of Nightmare Creatures, Sunny sent another abomination to hell, threw its body away, and growled.

    There were so many of them! Too many!

    Through the shadow hiding beside Rain, he saw that those monsters that had gotten past him and the other defenders had reached the school.

    He also saw more and more creatures arriving through the gate�� beasts, monsters, and demons, Awakened and Fallen�� there was simply no end to them!

    And he was dead tired and growing weaker, fast.

    His body was at its limit, his reserves of shadow essence were running dry, and even the Mantle of the Underworld was showing signs of straining to resist the neverending rain of blows he was not able to evade anymore.

    Feeling blood streaming down his face, Sunny briefly glanced toward the distant school, then back at the gate.

    And then, he shivered.

    Something had changed.

    Something was... coming.

    In the darkness of the Gate, a new silhouette appeared.

    A moment later, all the beasts that surrounded him froze, and then howled triumphantly, as if to welcome the new creature to the waking world.

    The Gate Guardian had arrived.

 Chapter 492 Gate Guardian

    Sunny stared at the Gate, momentarily paralyzed by dread. Then, he snapped out of it and fought through exhaustion, rushing to kill as many abominations as he could before the Guardian came out of the Gate.

    He had an inkling that after, there would not be an opportunity to pay them any attention.

    'Is�� is it the Guardian? How many minutes has it been?'

    He had no idea. Somewhere along the way, Sunny had lost count of the time. All he knew was that it had not been long enough��

    Meanwhile, a hulking figure emerged from the darkness of the Gate, and as it did, the red flames burning in the empty eye sockets of the ancient wraiths flashed brighter, their dead mouths opening to produce a litany of menacing howls.

    'C��crap��'

    The Guardian was more than four meters tall, his desiccated body resembling that of the primeval hunters and demons Sunny had fought, but at the same time much more frightening. He wielded a long spear, its blade cut out of a single slab of obsidian and covered in so many stains of ancient, dried blood that it seemed as if the stone itself had absorbed them and turned dark red.

    The giant was wearing an intricate leather armor, much more robust and imposing than those of the lesser wraiths, with strips of strange, bluish iron woven onto it. His wrists bore dozens of bracelets made out of iron and bone, and on his shoulders was a cloak fashioned out of the hide of some terrifying monster.

    The skull of the creature served as his helm, and his face was covered by a disturbing burial mask, its features twisted and bestial.

    The mask �� and the skull on his head �� each had three eyes, all six emanating intense, malevolent red radiance.

    Sunny felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

    'What�� what is that thing��'

    He didn't know what kind of a creature the ancient chieftain was, but had no doubts that he was a Fallen Tyrant�� and a very powerful one, at that. Maybe the barrow these wraiths were coming from had been built to entomb this ancient menace, to begin with.

    And his mask had three eyes.

    ��Anything with three eyes made Sunny shudder, for reasons he did not fully understand. After the Forgotten Shore, he knew that this was a sign of something too terrible for him to know.

    Could he kill a Fallen Tyrant?

    Maybe if he had a lot of time to prepare and study his enemy, and attacked from the shadow.

    But now, with Sunny exhausted and battered, his shadow essence running out, and hundreds of Nightmare Creatures surrounding their master in bloodthirsty exaltation, he stood no chance. None at all.

    Well�� maybe a very tiny one.

    And what else was he going to do other than try and fight, put his tail between his legs and run away?

    Well�� sure! Why the hell not? Sunny was not some kind of a hero, nor had he ever wanted to be one.

    ...But he wasn't going to run away just yet.

    As the Nightmare Creatures renewed their assault with even more frenzied rage than before, he gritted his teeth and brandished the obsidian spear, feeling the primal battle style of the ancient wraiths seep into his very bones.

    Sunny was not done spilling blood��

    He had a little bit of fight left in him, still.

    ***

    In the gymnasium, silence and fear gave way to mayhem and panic.

    The walls of the school had been breached, and Nightmare Creatures crawled inside, madness burning in their terrifying empty eyes.

    "Back! Get back!"

    The children were pushed against one of the walls, teachers standing between them and the terrible monsters with mundane weapons in their trembling hands.

    The Awakened were engaged in a ferocious battle, but just the five of them were not nearly enough to stop all the abominations. It was inevitable that sooner or later, some of the abominations were bound to get through.

    And soon, they did.

    A giant, harrowing beast that resembled an infernal wolf, jagged red spikes growing through its black flesh and drops of saliva falling from its maw, tore free of the battle and lunged at the children.

    Rain had never seen something so unstoppable.

    How was anyone supposed to fight such a thing? No human possibly could��

    The teachers tried, however.

    Several of them drew their bows, but the arrows simply slid off the mottled black fur of the hellhound. The headmaster tried to stop the creature with a heavy pike, but was simply thrown away, the weapon flying out of his hands.

    And then, there was no one else standing between the monster and the defenseless children.

    ***

    'God�� goddamit��'

    Sunny was at the end of his rope. Which, in a sense, was precisely where he wanted to be.

    He wasn't trying to stop the flood of Nightmare Creatures by killing all of them anymore. That was simply impossible, with how many there were, and how many were coming from the Gate every second.

    He was, however, trying to draw as much attention as he could.

    All of the attention, really.

    And to accomplish that, he had to do one simple thing.

    He had to attack the Tyrant.

    How hard could it be?

    'Let's find out��'

    Sunny wasn't planning to get into a prolonged fight with the damn Barrow Chieftain, or whatever that thing was called. He was just going to exchange one�� maybe two strikes with the scary bastard, hopefully deal him a tiny wound, and Shadow Step into safety.

    Enough was enough...

    He knew his limits.

    Tearing through the mass of abominations, Sunny cut a bloody path toward the hulking tyrant, and finally appeared in front of him.

    As soon as the burial mask with three burning red eyes turned his way, Sunny suddenly felt small and weak. The pain he felt in his battered body surged, and an involuntary groan escape from his lips.

    He just wanted to stop and fall to the ground.

    To kneel��

    'Argh�� a mind attack?! What, that is all?! Bastard, you should have met Gunlaug�� learned how to really make people cower��'

    And also, his own mask was much scarier than the crude thing covering the tyrant's face.

    Fighting through the oppressive hex, Sunny lunged forward and raised his bloodied spear.

    He didn't get a chance to attack, though.

    Although it didn't seem as if the Tyrant of the Barrow was moving with haste, his hand shot toward Sunny with such terrifying speed that he barely had time to react. The giant didn't even deem it necessary to use a weapon, intending to crush him with a fist.

    Making the Mantle of the Underworld as heavy as he could, Sunny turned the shaft of the spear around and held it with both hands, knowing to deflect the blow instead of blocking it.

    He should have been able to��

    The fist of the desiccated giant connected with the ancient spear��

    ��And easily shattered it, as though it was a mundane stick and not a Memory of the Ascended Rank.

    Before Sunny could even feel the terrible impact reverberate through his bones, five massive fingers closed around his torso like a steel bear trap.

    And squeezed.

    'C��crap!'

    [Your Memory has been destroyed.]

    What a shame... he didn't even get a chance to learn what it was called...

    The stonelike metal of the Mantle of the Underworld groaned, but held.

    His bones, reinforced by the steadfast temperance of the Bone Weave, held too.

    Not that Sunny was having a good time. It felt as though he was being slowly crushed to death, unable to draw in a single breath. It hurt as hell, too�� much worse than that, actually...

    But worse still, while the tyrant had him in his grip, he couldn't use Shadow Step.

    He couldn't escape.

    'I... I think... I messed up��'

    As Sunny struggled in the tyrant's iron grip, the giant tilted his head a little, and easily lifted him off the ground, bringing his prey closer to the three burning red eyes.

 Chapter 493 Advent Of Death

    Sunny gritted his teeth and groaned, feeling his whole body being slowly crushed by the monstrous chieftain of the Barrow Wraiths. One of his arms was pressed against his body, and the other one was, too�� but just barely.

    If only he could free it��

    But no matter how hard he tried, the tyrant's hold was just too strong.

    ��Back in the gymnasium, the terrifying beast was lunging at the defenseless children. Its maw was wide open, the red shine of the ghostly flames burning in its eyes reflecting from the jagged, sharp fangs.

    It was flying directly at Rain, moments away from closing its jaw on her throat.

    She felt paralyzed by fear, desperately wishing to run, but unable to move.

    Was this how she was going to die? No, no�� it couldn't be!

    But it was...

    Suddenly, a spark of a strange, dark emotion ignited in Rain's heart.

    'Die? No�� not like this�� I refuse!'

    She was holding a sword, was she not?

    Even if that thing was going to devour her, Rain was determined to die fighting, just like she had been taught to. She was going to remain human, not a cowering animal only good enough to be the stronger beast's prey.

    She owed that much to her parents, at least.

    Knowing full well that her dull training sword was not going to stop a Nightmare Creature, Rain stubbornly made a motion to raise it. Even though her mind was panicked and her thoughts scattered, the body remembered countless hours of practice��

    Not that it was going to do her any good.

    The hound was already so close that she could see every harrowing detail of its hideous snout and frothing maw. There was no escape...

    'Unfair! This is unfair��'

    This childish thought appeared in her mind, as it had undoubtedly appeared in the minds of countless people just before they were killed.

    ...And then, something strange happened.

    Suddenly, two beautiful magenta lights ignited in the darkness to the side of the lunging creature.

    A moment later, a dark blade of a strange, stonelike sword flashed out of the shadows and easily sliced through the abomination's neck, separating its head from its torso.

    A round shield made of something that resembled stone then appeared and swatted the headless body away from Rain, not allowing even a drop of blood to fall on her.

    As she froze in shock, a graceful woman wearing menacing black armor stepped out of the darkness, two ruby flames burning behind the visor of her closed helmet.

    Rain had never seen someone so terrifying, yet so magnificent.

    The woman glanced at her with indifferent calmness, and then turned around to easily pierce another hound with her stonelike sword, then sever one more in half with a swift, vicious strike. It was as though the flesh of the abominations offered her no resistance.

    'Three�� she just killed three Nightmare Creatures��'

    And not only that, but she also killed them in the span of a second, with a confident, relaxed ease.

    'Who�� who is she?'

    Before Rain knew what she was doing, she heard herself saying in a small voice:

    "Who are you?"

    The beautiful knight did not answer and simply stood between the children and the advancing monsters, her back straight and solid like a stone wall.

    Rain stared at that back, feeling as if nothing was going to get past this frightening, taciturn warrior.

    A burning desire suddenly appeared in her heart.

    She didn't know whether the menacing black knight was a human, a spirit, or a strange Nightmare Creature. But she knew one thing...

    'Strong�� I want to be strong, someday. Strong like her��'

    ***

    In front of the gate, Sunny was slowly suffocating in the iron grip of the Fallen Tyrant. He was being brought closer and closer to the three burning red eyes, and as he did, it felt as if life itself was being sucked out of him, his mind balancing on the verge of breaking apart.

    'What�� the hell��'

    There had to be something that he could do�� some trick he could employ to wrestle free. A Memory he could summon, an enchantment he could activate��

    But no matter how hard he tried, nothing worked.

    Sunny's vision was slowly starting to grow dark.

    'Dammit! I�� I need to��'

    He could have summoned the Cruel Sight if his hands were free, but they were not. He could have turned the Mantle of the Underworld too heavy for the tyrant to lift, but it was already as heavy as the [Feather of Truth] allowed, weighing as much as a small mountain�� what else was there in his arsenal?!

    Sunny was almost ready to panic, and then�� a subtle change suddenly happened to the world.

    If was easily missed or discarded, more of a feeling than an actual shift. Sunny only noticed it because it felt strangely familiar.

    ��It felt as though the whole world suddenly became colder by a couple of degrees.

    But why would it?

    Before he could properly consider the meaning of the subtle change, though, something flashed through the air, and suddenly, Sunny could breathe again.

    He could do so because�� because the hand holding him wasn't connected to the tyrant's body anymore, the arm severed cleanly at the elbow.

    'What��'

    Sunny fell to the ground and rolled away as a fountain of seething blood shot out of the stump that used to be a Wraith Chieftain's arm, evaporating and turning into a cloud of scorching red mist.

    'What just happened?'

    Steel reeling, he struggled to stand up and saw someone landing on a piece of rubble next to him.

    It was a beautiful woman who seemed to be in her late twenties. She was wearing a dark blue uniform with silver epaulets and leather boots, her short hair as black as a raven's feather, and her skin as white as snow.

    Her icy blue eyes were colder than the deepest reaches of a frozen hell.

    In her hand, the woman was holding a somber glaive, drops of boiling blood swiftly turning into ice on its slender blade.

    She looked like... like Death herself.

    'Master Jet!'

    Indeed, it was Soul Reaper Jet.

    ...The cavalry had arrived.

 Chapter 494 The Cavalry

    Sunny had never been that happy to see anyone in his entire life. Master Jet arrived just in the nick of time, saving him from having to regret the decision to send Saint to aid Rain.

    ��Not to mention that she was really pleasant to look at.

    More importantly �� taking off a Fallen Tyrant's arm with one strike! Even for an Ascended, this was an incredible feat. Tyrants were not creatures one usually dared to challenge alone. Instead, they were dreaded horrors that were capable of decimating whole cohorts of experienced, battle-hardened fighters.

    Masters rarely worked together, simply for the fact that there were too few of them and too much for each one to do. But facing a tyrant was one of the things that pushed them to band together. And even then, not everyone was guaranteed to return from the fight.

    Truly, Teacher Julius had not been exaggerating when he said that even Saints were wary of Soul Reaper Jet.

    And yet�� although her entrance was spectacular, would she be able to battle the tyrant and survive? Even though the chieftain was seriously wounded, that wound came from a surprise attack. Now that she lost the advantage, things could change really fast.

    As if answering his thoughts, Master Jet glanced at him.

    Despite the fact that they were surrounded by piles of corpses, the terrifying giant looming above them like an omen of doom, an unexpected smile suddenly appeared on her cold face.

    "...Cool mask."

    With that, Soul Reaper sprung forward, turning into a blue blur. Her movements were so fast that Sunny had only been able to perceive them because he was an Awakened, his senses vastly superior to that of a mundane human.

    Several things happened at the same time.

    The somber glaive flew away as it spun fast enough to appear as a blurry circle. It cut a bloody swath in the mass of abominations, eviscerating dozen in a matter of a second as it moved in a wide arc.

    At the same time, Master Jet streaked across the bloodied, broken asphalt and appeared behind the tyrant, then caught the glaive and immediately lunged forward in a devastating thrust.

    The chieftain was much faster, though.

    His spear seemed to almost teleport into the path of the glaive, positioned for an indomitable block.

    Something weird happened then.

    Master Jet's weapons suddenly turned ghostly and eerily luminous, and simply passed through the shaft to the spear, then effortlessly pierced�� no, phased through the creature's armor, burying itself deep in his chest.

    Right where one of the soul cores should have been.

    'What the��'

    Things didn't go as she had planned, though. Sunny got that suspicion because of a slight frown that appeared on Jet's face, and the fact that the tyrant did not slow down even one bit.

    Instead of having its soul damaged or one of his cores destroyed, the bastard simply took a step forward and raised his spear, which suddenly ignited with blinding light and flooded the area directly in front of the Gate with menacing red radiance.

    Sunny sighed.

    "Well�� that's my cue to get the hell out of here."

    This was not a battle he could handle, at least not in his current state. Master Jet seemed to have the situation under control �� even if she ended up as no match for the Barrow Chieftain, she would at least be able to stall him until the rest of the government forces arrived.

    Sunny, on the other hand, would probably just be erased from existence by the destructive fallout their battle was bound to produce.

    Since Saint was doing fine in the gymnasium of the school, protecting both the children and the teachers, he didn't have to worry about Rain, as well.

    All that was left was to do��

    Was to get more shadow fragments and, hopefully, an additional Memory or two while Soul Reaper was doing the heavy lifting, of course!

    'It's a good thing she arrived way faster than thirteen minutes, though�� what an exemplary employee! I am starting to understand why Master Jet always seems sleep deprived. I hope the government gives her a raise��'

    With that, Sunny picked himself off the ground and used Shadow Step to appear near the six Awakened, who were on the verge of being overrun by the advancing Nightmare Creatures.

    Honestly, it was a miracle that all of them were still alive.

    Summoning the odachi once again, Sunny cut down a hunter who had been aiming at the familiar young woman with a bow, and gave her a cursory glance.

    Something exploded behind him, in the direction where Master Jet was fighting the tyrant, painting him with shades of deep red.

    "L��lord Mongrel! What should we do?!"

    Wasn't that obvious?

    'Run, you idiots!'

    Grimacing behind the fearsome black mask, Sunny opened his mouth and said, his voice full of resentment toward the fact that he had to tell such an obnoxious lie:

    "Stand and fight."

    The girl stared at him, a sudden expression of shame clearly written on her face.

    "Of course�� of course�� that is what an Awakened ought to do��"

    Suppressing an infuriated groan, Sunny strained his aching muscled and raised the Soul Serpent.

    'What a joke! I better not see that quote going viral on the network��'

    ***

    In the end, the Gate was contained with, miraculously, no civilian casualties.

    Soon after Master Jet appeared, the government strike force finally arrived. Several swift air carriers descended from the skies in the howling of jet engines, and dozens of Awakened jumped down, all clad in high-quality armor and wielding powerful weapons.

    Almost at the same time, armored vehicles appeared on the road and opened fire on the mass of Nightmare Creatures, their spelltech cannons managing to obliterate the weaker abominations and herd the more powerful ones away from the city streets. Operated by mundane humans, these machines were meant to control the battlefield and make it easier for the Awakened to eliminate those creatures too tough for human weapons to destroy reliably.

    More cohorts, machines, and mundane soldiers followed.

    Master Jet, unbelievably, ended up actually killing the tyrant. The break in their battle came when she suddenly shifted from attacking the chieftain himself to aiming for the three-eyed skull he wore as a helmet.

    As soon as she managed to crack the skull, the red flames burning in the eyes of the wraiths were extinguished, leaving them disoriented and weakened. Many simply fell to the ground, losing their perverted unlives.

    The tyrant staggered, and then collapsed in a hip of rotten fur and desiccated flesh, sending a tremor through the bloody battlefield. This time, he was truly and utterly dead.

    After that, the scales of the battle tilted drastically in the favor of humans.

    Noticing a dedicated team of Awakened enter the school to secure the students, Sunny dismissed Saint and glanced at the scene of slaughter one last time.

    His heart was in agony.

    ��Not because of the havoc and destruction that seemed to envelop once peaceful streets, but because of all the soul shards and contribution points he was going to miss out on.

    'Such cruelty! Such injustice!'

    Well, at least he received a very large number of shadow fragments, several Memories, and even learned a new, profound and deviously deadly battle style.

    This thought did not console him very much, though.

    Almost on the verge of crying, Sunny sighed��

    And dissolved into the shadows.

    Without saying anything or demanding any credit, Mongrel was gone just as suddenly as he had appeared. All that was left behind were scores of dead Nightmare Creatures and the memories of those who saw him fight.

    And some time later, in a dark and empty alley, Awakened Sunless, who avoided the summons to defend the Gate, walked toward an especially remote corner and bent down to pick up the Covetous Coffer, which was furtively looking out from behind a big garbage container.

    Taking his communicator, Sunny patted the box on the lid and dismissed it, then stared at the screen with a dark expression.

    A heavy sigh escaped from his lips.

    "Ah, it's good to be a coward��"

 Chapter 495 Masked Hero

    By the time Sunny limped back to his house, the news of the Gate opening in a prestigious district of the city was all over the network. Luckily, the school Rain attended was situated really far away from where both of them lived �� none of the mayhem had reached the terrace neighborhood, leaving it as quiet and peaceful as ever.

    It was a bit strange, to see that nothing had changed here despite the fact that mere tens of minutes of riding the train away, the bodies of numerous Nightmare Creatures littered the ground. Life simply went on.

    Well, it wasn't really that surprising. If people reacted strongly to every instance of a Gate appearing, nothing would ever get done, and everyone would live every day of their lives in fear. So, those not affected by the disaster directly did not allow it to disrupt their moods or routines.

    People could get accustomed to anything, even the constant possibility of terrifying monsters suddenly coming out of an infernal rift in reality on their street. As long as important parts of city infrastructure weren't damaged, no one was going to care that much. And even if they were, citizens knew how to adapt �� public transport would be rerouted, power outages would be dealt with by switching to autonomous generators or simply using candles, and so on.

    The Gate was contained, the impact area was already being cleaned by the government workers. When tomorrow came, the cafe Sunny had visited would be open again, as if nothing happened. Life would return to normal.

    ...And those who had experienced the terror of the Gate firsthand would go on, silently bearing an invisible scar on their heart. But that was alright, too. Collecting scars was something that everyone who lived in this world had to do as they matured. This was the reality of the Nightmare Spell.

    'Why am I suddenly in a philosophical mood?'

    Sunny shook his head, then scoffed and opened the door of his home.

    Effie was in the living room, taking advantage of the state-of-the-art entertainment system Sunny had bought and paid for. When she saw him, a surprised expression appeared on her face.

    "Gods, what happened to you? Did a piano fall on your head?"

    'What a strange question��'

    Sunny sighed, then glanced at her arkly.

    "No. A Gate fell on my head�� sort of. Damned thing opened right near a cafe I sometimes visit. They sell incredible pastries, so�� good news is, I managed to finish my pastry! Before getting the hell out."

    Effie gave him a shocked look.

    "Goodness! You were near that mess? I heard that the government barely gave people time to evacuate this time."

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Near, yes."

    The young woman stared at him, then grinned.

    "So�� how many contribution points did you get? Enough to upgrade the entertainment system, maybe? You won't believe the quality of the haptic interfaces these days�� I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, of course. Just something to consider��"

    He gritted his teeth and let out a frustrated sigh.

    "None! I didn't get anything, okay?!"

    Effie blinked a couple of times, then looked at him with a bit of disappointment.

    "Well�� no need to get emotional. There's no shame in avoiding such fights. Everyone wants to live, you know."

    Sunny waved a hand dejectedly, then turned around.

    "Yeah, I know. Anyway, I'll go take a bath. Have fun."

    Leaving his guest�� well, more like an uninvited housemate�� alone in the living room, Sunny went away and prepared an ice bath for himself.

    When he lowered his aching body into the cold water and endured the initial shock, a pleasant numbness enveloped him. Sunny glanced at the tapestry of bruises covering his skin, and sighed.

    'Can I still be considered pale if I am mostly black and purple? Gee, I always wanted to stop being pasty. But not like this��'

    He closed his eyes and relaxed, enjoying the ice bath. None of his wounds were serious enough to really worry about, so he just had to wait for his body to heal itself. That was going to take a few days, which Sunny was fully intending to spend lazing about and doing nothing.

    Wasn't that the dream?

    After a while, he got a bit bored and decided to do something productive. He could either check on how much he had gained in the bloody battle, or see if someone had come close to connecting him to Mongrel.

    Sunny thought for a few moments, then reached for his communicator.

    'Let's see the extent of the damage first��'

    A few moments later, a low groan escaped from his lips.

    "Oh for Spell's sake��"

    ***

    "Shocking news! Mysterious online sensation Mongrel returns to single-handedly contain a Category Two Gate!"

    "In the Shadow of a Lord: Mongrel's heroic stand caught on camera!"

    "Who is Lord Mongrel, the courageous hero that everyone is talking about? The answer might shock you!"

    "WE KNEW IT ALL ALONG! Mongrel is a woman confirmed!"

    "STAND AND FIGHT: words to live by. Mongrel refuses to give up!"

    Sunny stared at the screen of the communicator with resentment, then suppressed the desire to crush it in his fist.

    'What is wrong with people?!'

    Apparently, a bit of his recent performance had been caught on tape. The shockwave of an opening Gate was supposed to mess with electronics, but one camera had miraculously survived.

    The image was really grainy and stuttered every few seconds, but he could make out a dark figure moving through the mass of Nightmare Creatures, the Soul Serpent flashing through the bloody mist, its blade surrounded by a halo of black radiance. The battle style of the Barrow Wraiths and his need to spill as much blood as possible added an extra layer of brutality to the recording, making him seem like a demon that had escaped from some lightless hell.

    Sunny grimaced as if in pain, and tentatively looked down, on the views counter beneath the video.

    When he saw it, the communicator slipped from his hand and fell into the water.

    Good thing it was waterproof...

    'Damnation�� well, you've done did it now, fool! Congratulations! You've gone mainstream��'

 Chapter 496 Stand and Fight

    Chapter 496 Stand and Fight

    "Today, a terrible tragedy almost happened in a peaceful and prosperous part of the city. It was a day like any other, until a sudden notification alerted the citizens that a Gate was about to open nearby.

    With no time to evacuate, numerous people were going to die�� but then, a courageous Awakened placed himself in the way of Nightmare Creatures, holding off the entire advancing hoard by himself and refusing to give ground until the government forces arrived!

    This hero then disappeared without demanding any reward, not leaving even his name behind �� only scores of slaughtered monsters and numerous saved lives. Who is this brave and modest savior? Where did he come from, and what is his true identity? Well, some readers might recognize him as the viral Dreamscape sensation, Mongrel��"

    Sunny stared at the communicator, which had water dripping from it, with a dark expression on his face.

    'An official newspaper�� this is a damn published article, not a random network thread!'

    Previously, Sunny had only gone really viral among the people who were interested in the Dreamscape and dueling. Even though the recording of his performance in the Colosseum reached a wider audience, most of the people who had seen it did not pay Mongrel a lot of attention, since they didn't understand the details of his achievements.

    This one, however�� this one was different. Everyone could relate to a Gate opening and knew how terrifying and calamitous such an event could be. So, the new video showed Mongrel in a context that revealed just how bizarre and exceptional his deeds were to everyone.

    Add to that the fact that the combination of the Mantle of the Underworld, the Soul Serpent, and Weaver's Mask looked really striking and menacing, and that �� miraculously �� no civilian had died despite the late warning by the government, and Sunny found himself in a sea of trouble.

    Suddenly, he was happy with the fact that he had not been able to augment himself with both of his shadows. At least his physical prowess did not seem too out of the realm of humanly possible�� or rather, possible for an Awakened.

    The other good news was that there, thankfully, was no recording of Saint. The cameras in the school had been properly damaged, and for that reason, people only knew of her by verbal description.

    ��Which caused its own share of problems because of how similar the Mantle of the Underworld was to her armor. Due to that and the nature of how rumors distorted the truth the more they were shared, soon, many people were convinced that Mongrel had protected the children in the school personally.

    And that led some to become convinced that Mongrel�� was a woman.

    Sunny tiredly covered his face with a hand.

    His worst fears had not come true, though. Despite the fact that the recording showed him using Shadow Step, no one learned the true nature of his Ability from the grainy image, and no one connected him and Mongrel together.

    Maybe because of the ridiculous way A Song of Light and Darkness portrayed Sunny, but no one even tried to assume that Changing Star's bumbling sidekick was actually the dark, deadly, demonic swordsman Mongrel.

    Instead, there were countless discussions like this:

    Mongrail_Seeker: "New information on Mongrel's Aspect! Previously, we all thought that his Ability had to do with physical enhancement or perception, right? But we were all wrong! The new video clearly shows that his Aspect is actually spatial sorcery!"

    Spirit of the Colosseum: "Do you realize what that means? It means that he didn't even use his Aspect in the Dreamscape duels! That was all just pure skill. Crazy!"

    Anonymous User: "...You mean HER Aspect?"

    Mongrail_Seeker: "Heresy! Lord Mongrel is not a her!"

    Anonymous User: "...You mean LADY Mongrel?"

    Spirit of the Colosseum: "I better ping @Mongrel's Son. He should know who his dad is!"

    Anonymous User: "... You mean his MOM?"

    Sunny let out an infuriated sigh.

    'Well, at least no one is mentioning me. If you think about it, the more people think that Mongrel is a lady, the better. Yes, this is good! No, seriously�� so good�� curse them all��'

    And of course, there were a lot of nonsensical threads assigning some deep and profound meaning to every stupid lie he had said.

    Like: "I am just a human: Mongrel reminds us of the only truth. There are no mundanes or Awakened, only humans and the Nightmare Creatures. He knows that everyone is equal before the Spell��"

    Or: "Make them bleed! Wow, I have no words. So cool�� how can anyone be so cool? At the end of the day, that is all that any of us can do. Repay each drop of human blood the Nightmare Creatures spill with a river of their own..."

    But mostly, it was the damned idiotic advice he had given to one of the six Awakened near the end: "Stand and fight�� am I the only one who got shivers after hearing that? Such simple, but all-encompassing adage. Lord Mongrel, he is a true Awakened��"

    Everywhere he looked, it was the same three words. So many people were repeating, praising, and adding them to their bios that Sunny wanted to vomit.

    'What is happening��'

    As people continued to watch the recording and discuss it, the truth got hazier and hazier. Pretty soon, everyone seemed to have forgotten that Sunny had not actually contained the Gate by his lonesome self.

    No one mentioned Master Jet, who had literally saved his skin and took on the Guardian alone, eventually defeating the Fallen Tyrant without a cohort of Masters supporting her. No one mentioned the six Awakened who had helped him, and a literal army of government soldiers who had done the really heavy lifting and wiped out the entire horde, which he had only stalled until their arrival.

    It was all Mongrel and his courageous, selfless, heroic stand against numerous Nightmare Creatures, as if he was some sort of a fearless, slaughtering demigod.

    'It's almost like no one even cares about the truth!'

    Sunny threw the communicator on the pile of clothes and closed his eyes in frustration.

    ��It was a very strange sentiment. The irony was not lost on him one bit.

    'Curses�� who knew that I would be lamenting a lack of truth one day? Me, of all people! What is this situation?!'

    Indeed, making Sunny care about the truth was not easy.

    It was no simple trick��

 Chapter 497 Unexpected Turn

    Chapter 497 Unexpected Turn

    Eventually, Sunny climbed out of the bath, dressed himself, and moved to the kitchen to make himself something to eat.

    After the intense gauntlet of the Gate battle, he was hungry like a wolf. Ravenous, really...

    Cooking calmed him down a little, and the pleasant smell made his mood a bit better. Now that Sunny had some time to think, he saw the whole situation in a new light.

    Yes, his hope for Mongrel to be forgotten was utterly shattered. But there was a bright side to this fiasco �� now that he had completely failed to keep a low profile... there was no more reason to. Which meant that he could resume practicing Shadow Dance in the Dreamscape, and hopefully master its second step before winter came.

    He just had to rethink how he viewed the persona of Mongrel.

    Initially, Sunny had planned for it to be unseen and anonymous, merely a camouflage he would put on to accomplish certain things �� things that were inconvenient or too dangerous to be tied to his own name.

    ...Well, that ship had sailed. He was pretty sure that from now on, anything having to do with Mongrel was going to be at the center of people's attention.

    But that wasn't necessarily bad. There were ways to remain unseen even in the spotlight. In fact, sometimes it was easier �� all magicians knew that the secret to pulling off a flawless trick was not to become invisible, but to direct the crowd's attention toward something eye-catching and away from the hand performing the switch.

    Sunny was not a magician, but he did consider himself to be an experienced cheat. The principle was more or less the same.

    So if he played his cards right, the more attention Mongrel received, the more freedom he would have to move unseen in the shadows, accomplishing his goals under everyone's noses with no one being the wiser.

    "Maybe��"

    Such a thing was hard to accomplish and hid more risk, but also promised a greater reward. So, not all was lost.

    Plus, he had protected Rain. That was the only thing that really mattered. Everything else paled in comparison.

    Sunny finished his decadently generous dinner and moved to the porch. Sitting in the shade, he relaxed, grimaced a little due to pain, and took a sip of tea.

    He was suddenly in a great mood. And why wouldn't he be? It was finally time to take a look at his spoils. The battle might have been hard and had almost cost him his life, but he had not fought for nothing.

    Summoning the runes, Sunny glanced at the familiar string of them and smiled.

    Shadow Fragments: [1814/2000].

    'Incredible��'

    In just ten or so minutes, Sunny had gained more shadow fragments than he usually did in weeks.

    From what Sunny remembered, he slaughtered almost a hundred Nightmare Creatures in front of the Gate. Granted, most of them were of the Dormant Rank and had not contributed any fragments to his growing cores, but still, it was a monumental accomplishment.

    It made him think back to the first abomination he had ever slain, the Mountain King's Larva. How tense and terrifying that fight had been, how convinced he was that the perverse creature would kill him. Who would have thought that one day in a not-too-distant future, he would be able to slaughter a hundred Nightmare Creatures of similar and greater power without being torn to pieces?

    Sunny had come so far��

    Lowering his gaze, he glanced at the runes describing his Memories and couldn't contain a delighted grin.

    'Oh, I was so lucky today��'

    Without even counting the obsidian spear he had gotten and then swiftly lost to the tyrant, there were six new Memories in his arsenal, most of them of the Awakened Rank.

    Sunny studied them for a bit and, coming to the conclusion that none were better than his current ones or performed something he wasn't already capable of, dove into the Soul Sea.

    He fed the Memories to Saint and looked at her runes, satisfied with what he saw:

    Shadow Fragments: [179/200].

    'So close��'

    At this rate, he would probably be able to reach the full two hundred before having to go into battle with the vine creature inhabiting the wreck of the ancient ship. If Saint grew even more powerful before then, her presence was going to change a lot of things.

    Sunny drank his tea in the peaceful silence of the terrace district, grimacing from time to time because of the pain in his bruised body. But even the pain couldn't spoil his mood.

    "Ah, today was a good day��"

    He watched Rain be brought home in a PTV, made sure that she was fine�� well, as fine as a young girl could be after experiencing a close brush with an opening Gate�� and went inside.

    He was due for some well-deserved rest.

    ***

    In the evening, when the sun hid behind the horizon and the street lamps were flooding the city with pale white light, Sunny was resting in his living room, doing nothing in particular. He was lazily scrolling through the pages of a popular webtoon and appreciating the twists and turns of its simple story.

    'Crazy. Do people really think about such stuff?'

    His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a strange sound. It took Sunny a couple of seconds to realize what it was, since he had never heard it in this house before.

    Someone was knocking on the door.

    'What the hell��'

    Who could be visiting him at this late hour?

    Putting the communicator away, Sunny sent his shadow to take a look and scratched the back of his head in confusion.

    ��Standing on his porch was none other than Rain, wearing her cozy home clothes and looking uncharacteristically nervous.

    'What is she doing here?'

    For a moment, Sunny considered pretending that he wasn't home, but then sighed and stood up. There was no point in hiding, since they literally lived almost next to each other. Walking over to the door, he lingered a second or two, made sure that none of his bruises were showing, and then opened it.

    "Uh�� yeah? What's up?"

    Not knowing that Sunny had already seen how nervous she was, Rain pretended to be calm and gave him a polite smile.

    "Hey, Sunny. I�� the food container? Mom wants it back."

    He stared at her for a couple of seconds.

    "Oh. Wait here��"

    He walked to the kitchen, retrieved the container from the dishwasher machine, and returned to the porch.

    "Here. Tell your mom that her cooking is delicious. We really enjoyed it!"

    Rain took the container, but didn't leave. Instead, she just stood there silently, looking at him with a tense expression.

    Sunny frowned.

    "Can I��"

    But at that exact moment, she suddenly blurted out:

    "I know who you are!"

    If Sunny had a drink in hand, he would undoubtedly do a spit take.

    'What?!'

    As his heart almost stopped, he looked at Rain with a deadpan expression. Maintaining it cost him a lot, though.

    'What does she think she knows?!'

    "...Well, of course you know who I am. I introduced myself when we met for the first time, didn't I?"

    She opened her mouth, then closed it again. After a bit of an awkward pause, Rain said:

    "No, I mean�� I know that you are an Awakened."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, but before he could come up with something to say, she hurriedly continued:

    "Sorry! It's just�� my dad works for the government, so he knows such things. You are so young, with no parents, but are able to afford a house in this neighborhood. Plus, you don't go to a university or to work. So�� you are an Awakened, aren't you?"

    'Solid reasoning...'

    He hesitated, then simply shrugged.

    "Sure. Not like it's a big secret, anyway."

    Rain remained silent for a few moments, and then asked:

    "...Are you any good?"

    Sunny stared at her for a bit. Then, a grin slowly appeared on his face.

    "Me? Oh... the best of the best! Probably the strongest Awakened in the world, really. No one else can even compare."

    A slight scowl appeared on Rain's face.

    "I'm being serious! Are you any good or not?"

    Sunny lingered for a moment, then sighed.

    "Yeah, I'm alright. Why are you asking?"

    Rain looked at him for a while, as if gathering courage.

    Then, she clenched her fists and blurted:

    "Can�� can you train me?"

    Sunny stared at her, dumbfounded.

    'Well, I'll be damned. That took an unexpected turn...'

 Chapter 498 Superficial Connection

    Chapter 498 Superficial Connection

    'Train her��'

    Wasn't that exactly what he wanted?

    It was.

    But wasn't it also exactly what he wanted to avoid?

    Yes, it was that too.

    Sunny was in a strange predicament. The solution to the problem that had tormented him for many months had suddenly fallen right into his lap out of nowhere, but to make use of it, he had to do something that went against all his previous reservations.

    He didn't want Rain to be connected to him in any way. If Sunny was honest with himself, he had to admit that he was drawn to her�� or rather, to the faint, half-forgotten memories of a different, happy time that she represented. His desire to reconnect with Rain was both selfish and misguided, since he knew that nothing was going to bring those memories back to life.

    ��And if Sunny was really honest, he had to admit that deep down, he harbored a lot of resentment toward her, too. For having a loving family while he had none, for being fine. For not needing him at all.

    What a mess of emotions that was! And if there was one thing Sunny was really bad at dealing with, it was his feelings. For him, fighting hordes of Nightmare Creatures was much easier.

    And then, as if his inner turmoil was not enough, there were external forces at play, too. There was his [Fated] Attribute, the strange connection he had to Weaver, and Nephis with her murderous feud against the Sovereigns and the inhuman will to see the Spell destroyed.

    The more he and Rain were connected, the higher were the chances of her being implicated in all this. But��

    Maybe, as long as they only had a shallow connection between a kid from an affluent family and her hired tutor, things weren't going to get out of hand.

    He also had to consider that the threat posed by a potential First Nightmare was much greater than that of being superficially tied to him. After all, Sunny had not done anything to attract the really dangerous kind of attention�� or rather, had not been caught doing anything like that yet.

    ��While he was torn between these conflicting thoughts, Rain waited patiently, and then, misjudging his silence, said:

    "Oh! Of course, I will pay you. I have some money saved for a trip, and�� well, I can also talk to my parents. It's just that you're the only Awakened I know�� you know? Apart from my combat instructor in school."

    Sunny looked at her, a deep frown on his face. Eventually, he asked:

    "What brought upon this conversation? Why do you suddenly want someone to train you? You said it yourself, you already have a combat instructor. I thought you rich kids get taught everything you need in school."

    Rain suddenly grew quiet and looked away.

    After a while, she said:

    "Ah, that�� you probably haven't heard, but there was a�� there was a Gate that opened near my school today. Many people almost died. I saw a real Nightmare Creature, even. It was�� was this close to me. An Awakened like you won't probably understand how it feels, right? Oh! Sorry, what am I saying? Of course you'd understand. I mean�� what I meant to say is that I was absolutely powerless, and that was�� not a nice feeling. Not a nice feeling at all."

    He glanced at him, and said with a suddenly serious voice:

    "So I want to become strong. Really strong. Strong enough to never feel that way again."

    Sunny almost laughed.

    'Oh, what irony�� here we are, so different and in such different situations, but our desires are completely the same. Become stronger, so much stronger. As strong as one could possibly be��'

    Rain paused for a few moments, and then added:

    "And what we are taught in school is not nearly enough. At least�� at least it wasn't today. Some of my classmates have private tutors that their parents hire for them, real Awakened fighters. But it's just a question of status to them. They don't really learn�� or if they do, I didn't see it make any difference when the Nightmare Creatures were trying to kill us��"

    Sunny smiled from the corner of his mouth.

    "That's because a thousand hours of training will never be as impactful as one real fight. My own�� mentor told me that once."

    He hesitated for a second, and then sighed.

    "I myself was trained by a very special person. The best fighter I have ever met, and probably ever will. The funny thing is, though, I sort of swindled her into teaching me how to handle a sword. Felt a little guilty about it ever since. So I guess it won't hurt to pay it forward and help someone like you out."

    Sunny looked at Rain with a dark expression, realizing that he had already made a decision.

    'Ah, to hell with this... why make things complicated when they are actually really simple?'

    He shook his head.

    "Be warned, though. If you want me to train you, I will really train you. It's going to be hard as hell and hurt a lot. I don't want to hear any complaints, or see you slacking off. Understood?"

    Rain suddenly giggled.

    Sunny scowled.

    "What's so funny?"

    She waved a hand.

    "Sorry! Sorry. It's just�� it's funny when you act all strict and serious, because you, you know�� are barely older than me. But I do understand. I'll work hard, I promise."

    Sunny stared at her for a bit, then said in a low voice:

    "What do you mean, barely older than you? I'm ages older than you! Just half the crap I've seen would be enough for a few lifetimes of the likes of you!"

    Then, he smiled menacingly and added:

    "Oh, and by the way, I also won't be cheap! I have mouths to feed, you know. That guest you've seen�� I can't seem to get her to leave. There's also a stone-hearted beauty who always follows me around, and her diet is unreasonably expensive. But what can I do, attracting women with terrifying appetites seems to be my curse��"

    He sighed, looked at Rain, and added:

    "But if you still didn't change your mind, then fine. I'll train you, Rain��"

 Chapter 499 Somewhere Far Away...

    ��Somewhere far away, in the depths of an endless and inescapable nightmare, a blinding disc of an incandescent sun was bathing the dunes of a vast desert in a flood of immolating heat. The sands of the desert were flawlessly white, and the azure sky above them was deep and boundless like an ancient ocean, with not a single cloud blemishing its silken expanse.

    Being battered by the heat, a lone figure moved across the sand.

    It was a young woman with striking grey eyes, her skin covered in terrible burns, her silver hair dirty with blood and surrounded by a radiant halo of reflected light. She wore charred remains of a shattered armor, and wielded a broken sword, its silver blade fractured and ending in a jagged edge close to the hilt.

    The young woman walked forward, the trail of her footprints stretching far into the distance and disappearing over the horizon. To her left, there was nothing but an endless sea of white dunes; to her right, a line of black mountains eventually created a boundary for the scorching desert.

    Far ahead, there was a tree with scarlet leaves and a scattering of something that looked like pale fruit hanging from its wide branches.

    ...This was where Nephis was headed.

    She had to reach the tree before the night came, or�� no, it was better not to think of it.

    Her water had long run out, and the thirst was slowly taking hold of her mind. Her tortured body was a sea of pain, but she could still walk. She could still fight.

    She was still not willing to give up.

    ,m ��After a while, the tree grew closer.

    Nephis stopped and stared at its white bark, its scarlet leaves, and the shapes she had thought were fruit. But they weren't. Instead, tens of thousands of skulls hung from the beautiful branches, fastened to them with glistening threads of black silk.

    A spring of water formed a clear pool in the shadow of the great tree, and on its bank, with his back to her, stood a figure clad in a strange, rusted armor.

    'A�� human?'

    No�� the figure was too tall to be one of her kind.

    As if hearing her thoughts, the creature turned around, revealing a desiccated face of a corpse, hollow eyes emanating ominous blue radiance, and six hands, each grasping the hilt of a weapon. Two hands held long swords, their blades sharper than a razor and curved slightly, two hands held menacing twisted sickles, and the last two held a heavy scepter and a broken shield.

    The chestplate of the creature's rusted armor was shattered, revealing a harrowing wound beneath.

    Being consumed by thirst and exhaustion, Nephis raised a hand, as if begging the creature to stop.

    But, of cause, it didn't.

    With furious madness burning in its eyes, the abomination lunged at her, striking down with one of the sickles. It moved faster than lightning, sending a scarlet cloud of fallen leaves swirling into the air with a strong gust of wind.

    Taking a step back, Nephis raised her broken sword to deflect the devastating strike, as if forgetting that it had no blade.

    At the last moment, though, a ray of pure sunlight appeared where the blade should have been and stopped the sickle from rending her flesh.

    Nephis swayed from the force of the impact, but remained standing. Her cracked lips opened, and a hoarse whisper escaped from them:

    "Let us burn, then�� let us burn together��"

    In the next moment, white flames ignited in her eyes.

    Her skin suddenly shone with pure radiance, which then became brighter, and brighter�� and then, brighter still.

    Throwing the sickle away, she dodged two thrusting swords and danced around the armored giant, her blade of sunlight piercing the rusted armor with terrifying ease.

    The two of them fought in the shade of the ancient tree, thousands of skulls staring at their battle with empty eyes as they swayed in the wind.

    Nephis was much slower and weaker than the six-armed demon, but her skill was flawless, inexplicable, and deadly. She moved with the flow of the battle as if it was her natural element, controlling its cadence with indifferent ease. Her flesh mended itself seconds after being torn, and the flames burning in her eyes only grew hotter.

    Deathly pale from the harrowing pain, her beautiful face grew colder and colder, becoming almost inhuman.

    Her sword of sunlight, meanwhile, left molten marks on the body of the ancient demon. And even though such wounds could never harm it, after a while, the creature suddenly staggered.

    ��Of course, it did. That was a Memory left behind by the Nameless Sun of the Forgotten Shore, after all. Everything it touched was doomed to have its soul destroyed.

    Finally, Nephis managed to find an opening and dashed forward, slashing upward with the Nameless Sun. The sunlight blade cut through the rusted armor and severed one of the demon's arms, then fell down and sliced through another.

    Before the creature could recover, she was already upon it. Nephis sidestepped a crushing blow of the heavy scepter and places her hand on the demon's face.

    The creature froze, and then opened its mouth, as if to scream.

    ��However, all that escaped from it were dancing tongues of white flame.

    As the pure radiance enveloping Neph's skin dimmed, it was as though the demon burned from within. Flaming fissures opened on its body, leaking pristine fire and radiating annihilating heat. His flesh boiled and blacked, and eventually, the blue shine of his eyes was replaced with blinding white light.

    And then, that light was extinguished, leaving two dark, charred holes behind.

    Nephis let go of the creature's face, and watched as its scorched body fell to the ground.

    She stared at it for a few moments, and then indifferently turned away. Making a few steps forward, Nephis swayed and fell to her knees.

    Then, she reached into the pool with trembling hands, put her palms together, and brought a handful of cold, sweet water to her lips.

    Finally, her terrible thirst could be quenched.

 Chapter 500 ...In The Depths Of A Nightmare

    After drinking her fill, Nephis sat silently on the edge of the pool for a while, staring into the distance.

    Her eyes, however, were moving, as if reading an invisible book that floated in the air above the calm waters.

    Some time later, a pale shadow of a smile touched her lips.

    'That guy�� he did something crazy again, didn't he?'

    She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply.

    'How is he so fast��'

    In the past months�� years, lifetimes?... spent traversing the Dream Realm, surrounded by nothing except for pain and bloodshed, Nephis had started doubting the memories of her previous life. Sometimes, all of it seemed like something that she had simply imagined�� a bittersweet dream she had invented to escape from the horrors of the real world. This world.

    The world of neverending nightmares.

    The change of the runes describing Sunny was the only connection she had left to the actual reality. Perhaps, it was the only thing keeping her sane.

    ...Even if the things she saw in the shimmering runes were sometimes hard to believe.

    The impossible Lineage that should not have existed, the divine Memory of the seventh Rank, the strange essence of his soul, the true nature of the taciturn stone demon�� and of course, of his Flaw.

    It seemed that Sunny had much more secrets than Nephis had suspected. With that knowledge, many things made much more sense now�� but at the same time, many others seemed much more incredible.

    Well, it was not like she didn't have secrets of her own.

    And anyway, it was all in the past.

    Everything was in the past.

    All that remained was the future.

    ...She did hope that he was doing well, though, out there in the real world. With Cassie...

    Looking up from the water, Nephis shifted her gaze to the ancient tree and saw two weathered skeletons cruelly nailed to its white bark. Both stared at her with empty eyes, their teeth bared in eternal grins.

    After some time, one of the skeletons said:

    "My, oh my. Am I that pleasant to look at?"

    The other grated its teeth and let out a creaky growl, then strained, trying to wrestle free of the large silver nails impaling it to the tree. However, no matter how furiously it struggled, the nails held true.

    Nephis looked at the skeletons with a calm expression, no emotion reflecting in her cold, grey eyes.

    The first skeleton spoke again:

    "Is that�� is that living blood I smell? Gods! What terrible sins have you committed, girl, to be cast into this hell alive? Even for a revolting nephilim like you, this is too harsh of a punishment."

    Finally, she opened her mouth and said hoarsely, in a voice of a person who had almost forgotten how to speak:

    "...What language do you use?"

    The skeleton laughed.

    "The only language there is in this place, of course. Why? Do you wish to learn it?"

    Nephis remained silent for a long time, and then said:

    "I seek a way back to the waking world. Do you know how to escape this place?"

    The skeleton stared at her with a grin.

    "The waking world? What is that?"

    The second skeleton suddenly spoke, his voice deep and full of rage:

    "Can't you smell the stench of a daemon on this abominable thing? She is one of Weaver's, you fool!"

    The first skeleton turned its skull a little, and then asked:

    "Is that so? My, oh my. In that case, you will not find guides better than the two of us. Just take us off this damned tree, and we will lead you to wherever you want."

    Nephis stared at them for a while, then turned away.

    "...I don't need two guides. Which one should I pick?"

    The second skeleton strained to free himself again, and then roared:

    "I am Azarax the Mighty, the Plague of Steel, King of Kings, conqueror of a hundred thrones! Choose me, nephilim! I will guide you to the shores of the Underworld and through its dark expanse, back to the world of the living! You will need a powerful guide if you wish to escape!"

    She spared him a glance, then said to the other one:

    "...What about you?"

    The first skeleton answered in an aloof tone:

    "Me? Oh, I am no one. Just a humble slave."

    Nephis lingered for a bit. Finally, she asked:

    "Why are�� the two of you�� nailed to this tree?"

    The skeleton who had called himself Azarax growled:

    "Don't you know where you are, abominable creature?! I am here because I led my armies into the great war, slaughtered a myriad of souls, and was punished for my strength and my pride!"

    She shifted her gaze to the other one.

    The first skeleton answered succinctly:

    "I have angered the gods."

    Nephis tilted her head a little.

    "How?"

    The skeleton sighed with regret.

    "Well, if you must know... I slit a god's throat. My, oh my! One could say that it was a misunderstanding. Was there really a need to be so petty?"

    The sun was already falling behind the horizon, and chilling cold was spreading across the white desert. Nephis summoned her white cloak and wrapped herself in it, shivering.

    Soon, night descended upon the world, revealing a myriad of bright stars. As it did, the sand moved, and slowly, countless figures rose from beneath it. All of them were corpses with no flesh remaining of their perfectly black bones, some of creatures that resembled humans, some of towering giants, and some of beings who were too strange and terrifying to describe.

    In a clamor of rusted armor and a litany of howls, the hordes of abominations clashed against each other, continuing their terrible battle even in death.

    Nephis moved closer to the tree, which somehow remained an isle of calm in the sea of terror, and looked at the first skeleton.

    "You�� remind me of someone I knew. Come morning, I will take you off the tree. To guide me though."

    The skeleton cackled.

    "Very well, vile creature. Even though you are revolting, I will keep my promise."

    Nephis grinned.

    "...What do I call you, then?"

    The skeleton remained silent for a bit.

    "A name? I used to have one of those, before. What was it? Oh!"

    He moved its jaw a little, and then said:

    "Eurys. Eurys of the Nine��"

 Chapter 501 Step Two

    As waves of summer heat assaulted the city, its concrete and alloy jungle had turned into a sweltering oven. The air filtration systems were running without pause to save the people from suffocating in the clouds of pollutants, and in poorer districts, water had to be rationed because of the draught.

    ��Luckily, none of that touched the peaceful terrace neighborhood.

    Here, people leisurely enjoyed the warm weather in the cool shade of the tall trees when they had free time, had unlimited access to fresh water and delightfully cold drinks, and lived their lives seemingly without a care in the world.

    Sunny was constantly surprised to find himself among these fortunate and prosperous people.

    For the past month, his life was very busy, but without any distress. He had been steadily working toward his various goals, slowly making progress toward each. His shadow fragments were nearing full saturation, and so were Saint's.

    He had returned to the Dreamscape and participated in countless duels in the professional arenas, where the fighters were much more capable and gave him the opportunity to witness �� and comprehend �� many different battle styles. As the result, Sunny was able to further develop Shadow Dance, making his mastery of it much more solid.

    The [Prince of the Underworld] enchantment of the Mantle was now also very different from how it had been before. Even if he wasn't going to reach the mark �� six thousand defeated opponents �� any time soon�� or even a third of it�� he was still making consistent progress. The counter already showed [1579/6000].

    The drawback, of course, was that with each day he went without losing a fight, Mongrel received more and more praise and attention. These days, each of his duels gathered an audience as large as that of the top Dreamscape broadcasters�� especially because some sort of a yearly tournament seemed to be approaching.

    Mongrel's fans, however, were doomed to be bitterly disappointed. Sunny had no plans of participating in a foolish imaginary competition. He didn't care about fame and recognition, and was too busy to even spare it a thought.

    Apart from practicing Shadow Dance, he also continued training with Effie and Saint, slowly bringing his mastery of the spear close to that of his knowledge of the sword. He also had to run the Brilliant Emporium, which was quickly blossoming into an actual enterprise thanks to Aiko's management and hard work.

    ��And of course, he had been training Rain.

    "Come on! Seriously?"

    She was currently in his living room, staring at him with outrage.

    Sunny tilted his head a little.

    "Sure. What seems to be the problem?"

    Rain opened her mouth, then shook her head.

    "Listen, Sunny, I understand that you are the teacher, I really do. But! It has already been a month, and all you taught me were wilderness survival lessons. And one �� only one! �� strike, which I had repeated thousands of times already. When I asked you to train me, I thought��"

    Sunny grinned.

    "You thought what? That I will teach you how to decimate Nightmare Creatures and bring all your enemies to their knees?"

    She coughed in embarrassment, then said in a small voice:

    "...Yes?"

    He shrugged.

    "But that is exactly what I am teaching you. Who do you think survives in the Dream Realm? The best swordsmen? The strongest fighter? No. You need to be alive to fight a Nightmare Creature, and for that, you need to know how to find food, water, how to read tracks and move through the environment without letting it kill you. And it will try to kill you, believe me."

    He paused, then added:

    "Yes, they taught you the basics in school, but not nearly enough. You want to live long enough to become strong? Then this is step one."

    Rain let out a long sigh, and then looked at Effie for support.

    The huntress was currently balancing in her wheelchair with a bored expression on her face, waiting at the door for some snacks she had ordered to arrive.

    "...What? Listen to Sunny, kid. He might look like a wet weasel, but this guy knows his stuff. The things he lived through are simply beyond reason. Honestly, if he had any shame, he would be dead."

    Sunny spared her a dark glance, and said:

    "Thanks. I guess."

    Rain frowned, accepting her defeat. A few moments later, she suddenly asked:

    "What's step two?"

    He raised an eyebrow.

    "What?"

    "You said that learning to navigate the environment without dying is step one. What's step two?"

    Sunny looked at her for a few moments, then said:

    "It's about your mindset. You're not ready for step two yet, though. We'll get to it when the time is right."

    ��For someone like Rain, that step was going to be the hardest. She didn't really have an aptitude for violence, yet, because her life so far had been nice and soft. But she would have to not only come to terms with violence, but also adopt it into the very core of her being, make it one of the cornerstones of her self. That was the only way to survive the Spell.

    Ironically, for Sunny, that step had been the easiest. In fact, he had made it long before his First Nightmare, long before the Spell even knew of his existence.

    Rain stared at him with disappointment, then sighed.

    "...I just want to be strong like her."

    He blinked a couple of times.

    "Uh�� like who?"

    Rain suddenly smiled.

    "The Awakened who saved me. She is so amazing! So strong, so beautiful. A true warrior, not someone like you��"

    Suddenly, a mortified expression replaced her wistful smile.

    "Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean it like that�� you are great, too, Sunny! I'm sure! Just, you know�� not on her level."

    Sunny stared at her for a bit, then said in a strange tone:

    "...Sure. No offense taken. Not everyone is made to be a true warrior, that's right."

    He wanted to say something else, but at that moment, his communicator suddenly rang, announcing an incoming call. Sunny frowned.

    'Who might it be?'

    Very few people ever called him. Looking at the screen, he suddenly felt a bit cold.

    ��It was the Sour Reaper herself, Ascended Jet.

    'What?! Why�� why is she calling me?!'

    Sunny hesitated for a couple of moments, then answered the call:

    "Uh�� yes? Master Jet?"

    The familiar voice, as relaxed as ever, came out of the speaker:

    "Oh, hey there, Awakened Sunless. Are you free right now?"

    'What does she want?'

    He glanced at Rain, thought for a bit, then said cautiously:

    "Sort of. Why?"

    For a few moments, there was nothing but static and the sound of a PTV moving coming out of the communicator.

    Then, Master Jet asked:

    "...Mind lending me a hand?"

 Chapter 502 Sudden Request

    A strange expression appeared on Sunny's face.

    'Lend her a hand? Me? Why would a Master need help from an Awakened?'

    Meanwhile, Master Jet added:

    "You'll be generously rewarded, of course. Well�� I can't guarantee the generous part, really, but there will definitely be a reward."

    His eyes gleamed.

    "Really? What kind?"

    She chuckled.

    "A fair share of contribution points? Enough to exchange for a decent Memory, at least. Plus, didn't you say that you owe me a favor?"

    That did not sound bad at all. Saint was on the verge of reaching the coveted [200/200] status, and was currently just a few shadow fragments away from it. However, Sunny couldn't really agree to the proposal without knowing what exactly she expected him to do.

    ��Or could he?

    Master Jet was one of the two Ascended he knew, and his only contact to the government. This was a relationship worth maintaining, which meant that it wasn't wise to refuse her request for assistance.

    Plus, Sunny quite liked her, and also owed her a lot�� even before she had saved him during the Gate battle. They were both from the outskirts, and had a rather good rapport.

    They had a connection.

    He lingered for a moment, and then said:

    "Alright, no problem. I'll do it."

    Master Jet answered with satisfaction in her voice.

    "Good. I'll come pick you up, then."

    Sunny glanced around, evaluating how presentable his living room was. He was suddenly a bit nervous.

    'What the hell? What are you nervous for, fool?'

    He cleared his throat, and then said:

    "Sure�� oh, wait. Let me give you an address��"

    Master Jet laughed.

    "Gee, Sunny. I work for the government, remember? I know your address."

    Before he could respond, the call was cut off. Sunny was left standing with a rather dumbfounded expression on his face.

    'She knows�� well, of course she knows. I wonder what else she knows?'

    Noticing the strange look on his face, Rain asked:

    "Did something bad happen?"

    Sunny sighed, then slowly shook his head.

    "No, nothing bad. Just some business I have to deal with. Sorry, we'll have to continue the lesson next time."

    She stared at him for a moment, then shrugged.

    "Well, alright. I'll practice back home, then."

    With that, Rain picked up her training sword, said goodbye to Effie, and left.

    A couple of seconds after the door closed behind her, the former huntress gave him an amused look.

    "That pupil of yours is a bit dense, isn't she?"

    Sunny frowned, offended by her words.

    "What do you mean?"

    Effie giggled.

    "Well, you've been tutoring her for a whole month, and she still has no idea who the two of us are. We're just two average, random Awakened to her. I mean, it's not surprising that she didn't recognize you. But I am a very famous person, you know!"

    Sunny smiled slightly.

    "Yeah, yeah. Your pride must be really hurt, venerable Raised by Wolves. Please accept my sincere apologies�� not everyone, you see, is obsessed with the Awakened. Rain for example is more interested in historical stuff, about or from before the Spell. Plus, the government mostly uses your Dream Realm appearance to plaster all over the city, so��"

    Effie waved a hand.

    "I'm joking, you doofus. She's a good kid."

    She paused for a moment, and then added:

    "...That's why it hurts me to see her wasting money on a hack like you..."

    At that moment, there was a sound of a PTV stopping nearby, and of light steps approaching their door. Effie's eyes shined.

    Turning her wheelchair, she opened the door and yelled:

    "Finally!"

    ��Master Jet stood on the porch in her usual deep blue uniform, with one hand raised to knock on the door. Her jacket, as always, was carelessly unbuttoned, revealing her slim waist and generous figure. Her short raven-black hair was a bit messy, and there was a look of slight surprise in her icy blue eyes.

    Effie stared at the older woman for a few moments, disappointment clearly written on her face. Then, she said dejectedly:

    "Oh. You're not food delivery."

    A polite smile appeared on Master Jet's face.

    "Ah. Awakened Athena. It's an honor to meet the famous Raised by Wolves. I am Ascended Jet."

    Effie glanced at her, then at Sunny, then back at Master Jet.

    Then, she smiled.

    "...Good job, doofus. I approve."

    Sunny gave her a murderous look, cursed inwardly, and turned to Master Jet:

    "Do I need to prepare?"

    She shook her head.

    "Your usual Memories should do. If everything goes well, you won't even need to use them."

    He hesitated, and then asked:

    "What if it doesn't go well?"

    Master Jet grinned, making Sunny suddenly feel very uneasy for some reason.

    "Well�� then it'll go badly, won't it? We'll know when we know."

    With that, she looked at Effie and said:

    "Please excuse us. Time is of the essence, so we will have to leave immediately. It was very nice to meet you, Awakened Athena."

    Effie winked at her.

    "Sure. It was nice to meet you, too. Bring snacks next time!"

    Sunny felt his ears turning red and promised himself to have a word with her when he got back.

    ...Or better yet, kill her. Yes, that would be much beter.

    'What next time? There won't be a next time!'

    He quickly put on shoes and followed Master Jet outside, then got into the familiar PTV. As soon as the doors closed, she sent the vehicle moving at full speed, the acceleration pressing Sunny into the seat.

    The streets of the terrace district flew by in a blur.

    Master Jet glanced at him, then said wistfully:

    "That's a nice home you have there. Feels strange, right? To own one. I did the same thing after becoming an Awakened, actually. Granted, it took me a bit longer to earn enough. You could have afforded a much better district, though. You know that, right?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Yeah, I know. But I like it here. It's quiet."

    She looked into the window and smiled.

    "Can't deny that."

    Sunny waited for a few moments, then finally asked:

    "Uh�� Master Jet? Sorry, but what exactly are we doing?"

    She briefly glanced at the control screen of the PTV, sent it into a sharp turn, and answered calmly:

    "We are going to hunt down a dangerous beast."

    He frowned.

    "Beast? What kind of a beast?"

    Master Jet remained silent for a few moments. Then, she glanced at him and smiled darkly:

    "...The most dangerous beast there is. A human."

 Chapter 503 Harsh Reality

    Sunny shifted in his seat, a bleak expression appearing on his face.

    'A human?'

    Why would a Master be hunting down a human? There was police for that.

    Unless, of course, that human was an Awakened��

    Sunny was aware that special government agents �� carriers of the Nightmare Spell themselves �� dealt with those Awakened who broke the law, simply because police officers were often helpless against criminals that possessed inhuman strength and wielded bizarre or dangerous Aspect Abilities. It made sense that Master Jet would be involved in that side of government work, too.

    But, honestly, he didn't know too much about how these things usually went.

    Glancing at her, Sunny asked:

    "Is it an Awakened criminal?"

    Master Jet spared him a short glance.

    "A�� criminal? Yes, you might say that."

    She remained quiet for a few moments, and then corrected herself.

    "No, actually, do not. The man we must find is not a criminal. He is an animal... a rabid one."

    Sunny frowned.

    "An interesting choice of words."

    Master Jet was concentrating on driving the PTV, so she didn't answer immediately. When she did, however, her voice was strangely calm:

    "You are not an inexperienced Sleeper anymore, Sunny, so I will be straightforward. You, of all people, should be able to understand. The Nightmares, the Dream Realm�� they take a toll. Some people endure, some people break. Some people carry the nightmares back with them to the real world."

    A dark expression slowly appeared on her face.

    "From what I heard about the Forgotten Shore, you witnessed the worse of what the Spell does to us. Yes, we Awakened are at the top of the world�� those who return alive, that is. We have all the privileges, all the money, all the power. But the mark it leaves on us never goes away. After all the pain, blood, and horror�� after all the crap we the lucky few are forced to survive, many crack."

    Master Jet looked at the road, her icy eyes full of unimaginable coldness.

    "...Some crack a little, and some crack a lot. The government portrays us Awakened as powerful and noble, the saviors of the world�� but really, most of us are walking on the edge, just one little step away from madness. All that trauma can mess one up really good, you know? It's all a big, big mess. So, when one of the Awakened loses control up and makes that last step�� what do you think happens?"

    Sunny remained silent for a while, thinking about the damage a deranged Awakened could do in the mundane world. His expression became dark and heavy.

    He didn't even want to imagine.

    "When that happens... you receive a call."

    Master Jet glanced at him and smiled.

    "Smart. Yes, when an Awakened goes out of control, I �� or someone like me �� receives the call. Things like that usually don't get out, because the government doesn't want them to. For obvious reasons. Everything is dealt with quietly, and so, here we are."

    Sunny didn't speak for a bit. Then, he asked:

    "So, what exactly is going to happen? We find this guy, talk him down or overpower him, and then put him in cuffs? Arrest him?"

    What a funny thought that was. Him, making an arrest. Sunny had been on the other side of this equation a few times in the past, and never in his life had he imagined putting handcuffs on someone, and not the other way around.

    Master Jet gave him a complicated look. There was almost... pity?

    "...No. We are not going to arrest him."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times.

    "Will he be free to walk around as if nothing happened until the trial?"

    Of course, there was another, much darker answer��

    As if reading his thoughts, Jet slowly shook her head.

    "No. No, he won't be walking around."

    Sunny looked into the window.

    "...Ah."

    Master Jet sighed.

    "If they summoned me, then things are already beyond that. Think about it�� if a mundane human needs to be contained, you can put them in prison. But we�� we are Awakened. Realistically, there is no prison that can be built to hold us. Not with every Aspect being unique, and demanding unique means of containment. So there will be no arrest, and there will be no trial."

    She accelerated the PTV even further, and then said evenly:

    "...There will only be an execution."

    Sunny looked out the window, not sure how he felt about that. Yes, what Master Jet said made sense. Awakened were too powerful, and too dangerous. If one of them lost control, then they needed to be dealt with, somehow. In a perfect world, they would go through the same process that mundane humans went through.

    They would be arrested, tried, and either locked in a cell or receive proper help in a mental institution.

    But this was not a perfect world.

    So, instead, they would just be hunted down and executed, and the whole thing would be swept under the rug to preserve the spotless reputation the Awakened enjoyed.

    Although harsh, this was the somber reality. He wasn't against the idea itself. He just didn't know how to feel about the fact that this time, he was going to be the executioner.

    Finally turning to Master Jet, Sunny lingered for a few moments, and then asked:

    "So why me, of all people? Why ask me for help?"

    Master Jet glanced at him, then grinned.

    "Three reasons, really."

    She blew through an intersection, almost crashing into a heavy cargo vehicle, and then dodged it at the last second.

    "First, I know you. There are many people who could have helped, but very few whom I would trust to have my back."

    Sunny nodded, strangely pleased to hear that.

    "Second, from the initial information I received, the suspect might have an Aspect that is somewhat similar to yours. High affinity to shadows. So, you'll be helpful when we're tracking him down, and if things go south, he won't be able to escape easily."

    'Another shadow user... interesting.'

    She gave him a calm look, and added:

    "And lastly�� there are a lot of people working for the government, but very few who are suited for this kind of work. Unlike you and I."

    Sunny considered her words. After a while, he asked:

    "Because I am from the outskirts, just like you?"

    Master Jet remained silent for a bit, and then gave him a bright smile.

    "...No. Because you are a killer. Just like me."

 Chapter 504 The Right People

    Sunny wanted to deny her words, but in the end, simply turned away to look at the city streets flying by.

    Master Jet knew, of course.

    She had long known that he had the capacity to be a killer because of the cruel past the two of them shared, and more than that, she had access to the records about the events of the Forgotten Shore that the government agents had compiled.

    Out there, Sunny had killed his fair share of people. He had not been the most active participant in the civil war for the throne of the Bright Castle, but his hands were covered in blood, too. There were very few survivors of the Dark City who, like Aiko, managed to go through that morbid ordeal without staining themselves with human blood.

    And then there were other lives that almost no one knew that he had ended �� Caster, Harus, the hunters who had kept Kai locked in the dark well�� and Harper.

    Even before that, he had killed the old slaver, Shifty, Scholar, and Auro of the Nine without batting an eye.

    ��Honestly, it was not a big deal. Except for maybe Harper, Sunny never lost sleep over any of the humans that had died by his hand. If he was honest with himself, he had to admit that some of them he even enjoyed killing, a little.

    And it was precisely the fact that he didn't think of it as a big deal that proved Master Jet's words. Sunny was a killer, and not in the sense that he had killed before or had been taught how to. He had an innate aptitude for that sort of thing, and there were not a lot of people who did.

    ? In fact, he only knew three. The first one was himself.

    The second was Nephis. She was the one who had taught him about murder, after all.

    ��Maybe that was one of the reasons why Changing Star had chosen to impart her family battle style to Sunny. Maybe she had recognized that the two of them were similar�� that both of them had seen and known the truth of this world. That he would be able to understand.

    The third one was Master Jet.

    Sunny suddenly realized that he didn't know much about her, apart from her Rank, her past as a kid from the outskirts, and her role as a government operative. Everything that he thought he knew about Master Jet had come from what others told him about her, painting an intimidating and imposing picture of the fearsome Soul Reaper.

    That picture, however, did not reveal the real human hidden behind the loud nickname. In fact, it only served to obscure her more.

    What nightmares Jet herself had survived on her path to becoming a Master? What were her hopes, her convictions? What were her goals?

    He had no idea.

    Thinking about it, Sunny hesitated for a while, and then said:

    "Master Jet? Can I ask you a question?"

    She glanced at him briefly and smiled.

    "Sure."

    Sunny carefully chose his words before formulating a question. In the end, he asked simply:

    "...Why are you not a Saint?"

    Master Jet laughed, her voice full of amusement.

    "What a peculiar question. You say it as though becoming a Saint is something that just anyone can do."

    He shook his head, not willing to let it go.

    "But you are not just anyone. Sure, you might be younger than most Masters out there, but very few of them can compare to you in terms of talent and power. The fact that you chose to challenge the Second Nightmare proves that you have ambition. So why stop?"

    She spared him another glance and asked with an easy smile:

    "Why? What have you heard?"

    Sunny shifted uncomfortably.

    'Crap...'

    "I've been told that no one wants to go into a Nightmare with you because of your�� problematic personality. Murderous savage and psychopathic killer �� these were the precise words they used. Uh�� sorry."

    Her smile turned wider.

    "Really? Haven't heard those before. Huh�� I like it. But what do you yourself think?"

    He remained silent for a bit, and then said with a bit of doubt:

    "I don't think I buy it. I just took it at face value as an inexperienced Sleeper, but after the Forgotten Shore, that statement doesn't seem to make sense. Sure, it is important to trust those who you enter the Nightmare with�� but at the end of the day, strength is strength. And you are very strong. You also work for the government, which proves your ability to be an adequate part of a larger collective. To work in a team. So, I simply don't understand."

    Master Jet did not speak for a while, concentrating on the road. Eventually, she answered, a hint of darkness finding its way into her voice:

    "...That is because you don't know enough. You're young, and haven't had to deal with the Awakened affairs a lot. Plus, some of these things people only learn after reaching a certain stage. You're not at that stage yet, but since you asked, I'll answer."

    She looked at him, the smile disappearing from her face.

    "It is very simple, really. Basically, you need the right people to help you become a Master. But to become a Saint�� to become a Saint, you need for the right people to not obstruct you. Take it as you will."

    She didn't say anything else, and Sunny did now ask, a deep frown appearing on his face.

    'For the right people�� to not obstruct you��'

    He understood what Master Jet was hinting at, of course. He knew enough to come to the right conclusion.

    What she just told him was that to become a Saint, one had to... receive permission.

    And it wasn't too hard to realize who had to give that permission.

    The Sovereigns.

    Who else but them? The three Supremes who ruled the most powerful Awakened �� the Legacy clans �� from the shadows. Come to think of it, such an arrangement made a lot of sense.

    There were just a few dozen Saints in the world, and each of them possessed unbelievable, mind-boggling powers. Would the Sovereigns have allowed for such powerful individuals to exist outside of their control?

    From everything that Sunny knew about the vile nature of power and how the world worked, the answer was obvious - no.

    So�� did every Saint out there actually belong to one of the Sovereigns?

    It seemed that they did. Even Sky Tide of the White Feather clan, who gave Sunny an impression of being a reclusive and fiercely independent woman, was beholden to a Great Clan�� and, therefore, to Anvil of Valor �� Vale of Aster, Song, and Vale �� the Sovereign of that clan.

    What about people like Master Jet, then? Someone capable enough to become a Saint, but either labeled as undesirable or simply unwilling to submit to one of the Supremes? What was the obstruction she had spoken about?

    Was it a simple lack of support, or would the Sovereigns go much further to prevent an independent Saint from appearing in the world?

    If they had no problem with sending assassins to kill the six-year-old daughter of their former comrade and companion, then they would surely have none with making someone like Jet meet an unfortunate end, should she act out of line.

    He lowered his head and briefly covered his eyes with a hand.

    'It's the same�� it's absolutely the same crap as what Gunlaug had done in the Bright Castle. Gods, how unoriginal��'

    But that was the thing about vile things. People loved to romanticize evil and those who committed it, creating countless alluring characters to act as compelling and brilliant villains. But in reality, human evil was almost always banal. It always followed the same disgusting, predictable paths, and led to the same hateful end.

    No wonder Nephis wanted to destroy them so much��

    Sunny's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the PTV coming to an abrupt stop. Looking out the window, he saw that they had arrived at a dark and narrow alley, which was currently blocked off by a police cordon. Blinking lights of several armored police vehicles drowned it in an unsettling glow, and there were many officers on the scene, their faces pale and tense.

    Master Jet yawned, stretched, and gave him a crooked grin.

    "Rise and shine, Awakened Sunless. We've arrived..."

 Chapter 505 The Slaughterhouse

    Sunny get out of the PTV, somewhat apprehensive of what he was about to see. The police officers present at the scene looked very relieved to see Master Jet and him appear �� their tense faces cleared, and the darkness hiding in their eyes seemed to dissipate a little.

    This was not at all how these types of situations were usually portrayed in popular media. In the crime mystery shows, whenever a plucky mundane detective encountered a cold and by-the-book Awakened agent, their relationship always started very confrontationally, with mutual disdain and debates over who was supposed to handle the case�� only to end as an entertaining team-up, of course.

    Once again, reality turned out to be very different from how storytellers liked to portray it. There was no conflict over jurisdiction or negativity expressed by the police officers. Instead, they were genuinely happy to see the Awakened specialists arrive.

    ��Well, of course they were. It was just as the old policeman had once told, right before Sunny faced the First Nightmare �� if he died there and no Awakened was near, they would have to fight the Nightmare Creature his body had turned into themselves. And that was not something mundane humans ever wished to do.

    Master Jet walked over to one of the policemen and greeted him with a short nod. Despite the fact that he was much older than her �� not to mention Sunny himself �� the officer treated them with the utmost respect.

    "Nice to see you again, ma'am. Greetings, sir. Let me show you the way."

    He led them deeper into the alley, toward a heavy metal door that hid in the deep shadows. It was wide open, and there were strange flashes of intense white light coming out of it, mixing with the red glow of the police sirens. The whole situation seemed a little surreal to Sunny, as though he was in the midst of a strange dream.

    'I mean�� where else would I be addressed as "sir" by a police officer? Life sure is funny sometimes��'

    Slightly amused by this thought, he turned to Master Jet and asked:

    "What is this place?"

    She hesitated for a few moments, then said in an unexpectedly dark tone:

    "It's a�� club, of sorts. Called the Slaughterhouse. One of the few such establishments in the city."

    Sunny stared at the door, which had no sign or any indication that there was a club on the other side of it. Was this a marketing ploy to create a feeling of mystique and exclusivity, or were there things going on inside that needed to be hidden?

    "...A peculiar name for a nightclub."

    Master Jet smiled with a corner of her mouth.

    "It is meant for a very specific clientele. The ground floor is your usual dance club, but beneath it, there is a VIP area with an underground arena. There is nothing illegal going on there, just�� things that are in poor taste."

    She paused, and then added somberly:

    "They send Echoes, usually dormant beasts, to fight against mundane fighters there. The fighters are paid generously, of course, and the club profits from the rich assholes who enjoy watching this sort of thing enough to recoup losses if one of the Echoes is accidentally destroyed. Everyone wins�� I guess."

    Sunny frowned.

    He knew that wealthy people were big fans of wasteful forms of entertainment, and that there were arenas where precious Echoes were made to fight each other just for the spectacle of it. Hiring mundane humans to battle them, though�� wasn't it a bit too much?

    'Did I suddenly become a child after the Awakening?'

    Of course, nothing was ever too much. Sunny knew all about how vice worked, from his childhood in the outskirts. His current surprise was just because he lacked knowledge of what forms it took among the more affluent layers of society.

    "So what happened in that Slaughterhouse?"

    Master Jet shrugged.

    "That's what we have to find out. All I know is that everyone inside is dead. Kind of ironic, actually!"

    The police officer guiding them spared her a glance, and then said hoarsely:

    "It's a�� proper mess there, ma'am. Not for people with weak stomachs. And also not something that a mundane human would have been able to do."

    'Charming��'

    Inside, the air was filled with the smell of blood. Sunny found himself in a vast hall flooded by flashing lights, blinding white mixing with short moments of absolute darkness to create a strange and invasive atmosphere. It was hard to perceive anything in this strobe light hell.

    Master Jet frowned:

    "What's with the light show?"

    The policeman looked down in embarrassment.

    "Sorry, ma'am. We figured out how to turn off the music, but the lights are giving us some trouble."

    She gave him an unamused look.

    "Well, get on with it."

    The officer turned around and walked away, shouting at his colleagues. A few moments later, the hall suddenly became enveloped in darkness, and then the regular illumination kicked in.

    Without the constantly flashing strobe lights, the club looked smaller and more worn down than Sunny had expected. He did not pay too much attention to the design of the interior, the raised stage, or the bar with hundreds of expensive-looking bottles standing on the shelves behind it.

    With a gloomy expression on his face, Sunny was looking at the bodies.

    There were more than a dozen of them, all broken and terribly disfigured, as if chewed and spewed out by a tornado. But of course, a natural disaster had nothing to do with what had happened in the seedy club. The result only looked like it.

    This was the work of an Awakened.

    Suddenly, he remembered Master Jet's question, seeing it in a new light.

    When an Awakened loses control�� what do you think happens?

    The answer was right in front of him.

    Terribly battered human bodies were lying on the floor, drowning in pools of blood. Indeed, this was not a sight for those who had weak stomachs... but, for better or worse, Sunny had seen enough horrors to not be moved too much by such a scene.

    It left a deep impression even on him, though.

    Sunny didn't have to look too closely to realize what had transpired. The position of the bodies, the nature of their wounds�� the murderer had not used some powerful Memory or let an Echo loose on these people. No, it was much simpler.

    They just did it with their hands.

    Back during the Gate battle, Sunny had thrown a heavy vehicle at the advancing horde of Nightmare Creatures, carving a bloody path in their ranks. That was the strength of an Awakened. Even if he had been augmented by a shadow, his own strength was still vastly superior to that of a mundane human.

    A frenzied Awakened could tear through a dozen humans in a matter of seconds, and none of them would be able to do anything to stop it. In front of a Spell carrier, mundane humans were like paper dolls. It only took a little effort to destroy them.

    'That bastard��'

    Sunny remembered how he had doubted whether or not he wanted to play the role of an executioner on the way to the crime scene.

    ...Rain could have been one of the victims. He could have been one, too, before becoming an Awakened.

    As he was looking at the broken bodies, all his doubts disappeared.

 Chapter 506 Silent Witnesses

    As Sunny studied the bodies, Master Jet went away to talk to the police officers, and then returned with one of them. There was a disappointed expression on her face.

    "No usable recordings left. Figures�� places like this one only exist because they value the privacy of their clients. And the few cameras they did have show nothing but darkness."

    Sunny looked at her, then sighed:

    "Not much to tell from the victims, too. The murderer just used their fists."

    She shrugged.

    "That's how it usually goes, in situations like this. The most likely scenario is that the murderer was one of the clients, who went on a rampage because of either alcohol or stimulants, and a momentary failure to hold on to their sanity. So I doubt that this mess was premeditated."

    Master Jet remained silent for a moment, and then added:

    "He was lucid enough to use his Aspect to obscure the cameras, though. So dealing with him won't be too simple."

    With that, she turned to the police officer and asked:

    "Any survivors? Do we have witnesses?"

    He hesitated for a bit, then gave her a strange look.

    "That�� yes, actually, there are a few. But��"

    The officer didn't finish the sentence, and just stared at them with an uneasy expression.

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "But what? Are they refusing to talk?"

    The policeman shook his head slowly.

    "No, they're not refusing. They just�� I don't know, something is wrong with them. They just don't speak, or even react really. I've seen a lot of people in shock, and sometimes, they can seem almost catatonic. But this�� this is something else. Gave us all the creeps, to be honest."

    Sunny and Master Jet glanced at each other, and then, one of them said:

    "Lead the way."

    The officer sighed, then escorted them to the back of the club, where an inconspicuous door led to the service rooms. The witnesses were gathered in a small office, standing there motionlessly, with nervous paramedics trying to determine the reason for their condition.

    There were five of them, all sharing the same blank, strangely peaceful expression on their faces. They were completely silent, motionless, and still. They did not react to the arrival of new people at all.

    Their eyes were calm and empty.

    Sunny paled.

    'How�� how is this possible?'

    It only took him a second to recognize what was wrong with the survivors, of course.

    In fact, they weren't survivors at all. These people were dead.

    To be more precise, they were Hollow.

    'How can a mundane human be Hollow?'

    Suddenly, he felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

    Looking at Master Jet, he saw that she had a deep frown on her face, too.

    The massacre in the dance hall was bad enough. But this, this just made the whole situation frightening and eerie. If before Sunny was just disgusted, now, he was starting to get concerned.

    "What the hell?"

    Master Jet stared at the five Hollows for a few moments, then turned to the paramedics.

    "Go take a break, guys. Let these people be. They are already dead."

    One of the paramedics �� a mature woman with short blond hair and gentle eyes �� looked at her with confusion.

    "I'm sorry, ma'am? But�� but they're fine. We need to��"

    Jet let out a heavy sigh.

    "Their souls are destroyed. There is nothing you can do to help them. Something else will take care of the rest."

    The paramedic looked at her for a while, then glanced at the ground and silently walked away. Her colleagues followed, expressions of regret, anger, and horror clearly written on their faces.

    The police officer stayed, but made a point of standing as far away from the Hollows as he could.

    Master Jet stood silently for a few moments, her scowls growing deeper, then turned to Sunny.

    "Answering your question, I don't know."

    He hesitated for a bit, then asked:

    "But how can a mundane human become a Hollow? It's only supposed to happen to those who die in the Dream Realm, right?"

    She glanced at him, then silently shook her head. Eventually, Master Jet said:

    "...Wrong. There is a very small chance of a powerful soul attack creating a Hollow. But beings capable of dealing direct soul damage are very rare, so it doesn't happen too often. Almost never, really."

    Sunny walked closer to the five empty humans and studied them.

    "Can you do something like this?"

    Master Jet lingered for a bit, then answered simply:

    "If I am really precise."

    Something was very wrong with these people. And not just the fact that they were Hollow. There was something else�� something that almost made Sunny's hair stand on end.

    A feeling of subtle, but profound wrongness.

    He reached out with Shadow Sense, and flinched.

    Master Jet did not miss that sudden reaction.

    "What? Did you discover something?"

    Sunny gritted his teeth, then nodded.

    "Their shadows�� they're dead."

    She stared at him with a raised eyebrow:

    "How does this work? I don't know much about shadow affinity, sorry�� it's a very rare type of Aspect. Does damage to a shadow correlate to soul damage?"

    Sunny thought for a bit, then shrugged.

    "I am not so sure myself. There's no manual for it, after all. But�� only two things ever managed to damage my shadow. One was another shadow, and the other was a soul attack."

    Sunny wasn't sure that he was comfortable providing Master Jet �� a person specializing in exactly such a type of attack �� with this information, but decided to share it nevertheless.

    He trusted her that much, at least.

    "So�� since shadows are susceptible to soul damage, it is not too much of a leap to assume that they share a deep connection to the soul, or are tied to it somehow, at least."

    She nodded, and remained silent for a while, thinking. Then, Master Jet echoed his recent question:

    "Can you do something like this?"

    Sunny shook his head.

    "No. My Aspect doesn't have means of dealing damage to someone's shadow. At least not yet."

    His Shadow Sense, meanwhile, spread throughout the whole club, allowing him to perceive it as a whole.

    And there, deeper underground, he noticed something strange.

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, and then turned to the police officer.

    "Gather your colleagues and leave. Don't come inside again until either Master Jet or I tell you to."

    The policeman opened his mouth, wishing to say something, then simply nodded and hurriedly walked away.

    Master Jet glanced at Sunny with a question in her eyes.

    "...What was that all about?"

    Sunny gave her a dark look.

    "That's... how do I say this? I think the killer is still inside."

 Chapter 507 ln the Spotlight

    Chapter 507 ln the Spotlight

    Master Jet remained silent for a second, then asked calmly:

    "Are you sure? This place has been swept multiple times before we arrived."

    Sunny nodded.

    "He is here. Underground."

    She looked down, her face slowly turning somber.

    "...Well, I guess we should go and say hi."

    Sunny nodded and made a step toward the door of the small office. However, she suddenly stopped him.

    "Wait."

    He looked at her with a bit of confusion.

    "Yes?"

    Master Jet hesitated for a few moments. There was a complicated expression on her face. Finally, she said:

    "There are very few people with a shadow affinity Aspect in the world, and even fewer who frequent places such as this."

    Sunny frowned.

    "What are you trying to say?"

    She looked at him darkly.

    "I'm saying that I might know this guy. In fact, when I heard that there was an incident in the Slaughterhouse, I already had a suspicion of who was responsible."

    He blinked a couple of times.

    "You know the murderer?"

    Master Jet shrugged.

    "There are hundreds of thousands of Awakened in the world. That seems like a big number, but in fact, it is not. If you live long enough, sooner or later, you will know of everyone who is worth knowing�� more or less. It's a small world."

    She paused for a moment, and then added:

    "Point is, if I am right, then this will be dangerous. This guy is not someone who has spent his whole life behind a Citadel wall. He is�� was the real deal. A specialist."

    Sunny glanced at the five Hollows, then frowned slightly.

    'A specialist�� what a peculiar word.'

    But he understood what Master Jet had meant. Most of the Awakened were thrust into the Spell and tried desperately to survive, striving to return to a semblance of a normal life. A much smaller amount, for whatever reason, embraced their new nightmarish reality and adapted to it�� even thrived in it. They shaped their lives to suit the deadly challenge of the Nightmare Spell, and not the other way around.

    Sunny was one of these specialists himself, after all.

    "If he is such a specialist, then how did this mess happen?"

    Master Jet shook her head.

    "Who do you think are the most compromised Awakened? Folks who spent as little time as possible in the Dream Realm and then return to their actual lives? No, it's people like us, the professionals."

    He thought on it for a bit, then said with confusion:

    "I don't get it�� even if he is a seasoned fighter, so what? You are an Ascended. Surely, dealing with him will be easy."

    Master Jet shook her head.

    "Nothing is ever easy, Sunny. That is a mindset that will get you killed. No matter how powerful you are, one mistake is all it takes. Raw power doesn't always decide the outcome of the fight. You should know this already�� every Aspect has a Flaw, and every power has a counter. So keep your guard up."

    Sunny had to agree that she was right. His own experience served as the perfect proof. Harus had died by his hand because Sunny's Aspect was a perfect counter to his formidable Ability, and Caster had been undone by his Flaw.

    He remained silent for a few moments, and then said:

    "When we confront this guy, pay attention to your shadow. Don't let him get anywhere near it."

    Master Jet frowned, and then gave him a simple nod.

    Together, they returned to the dance hall, and then found another heavy metal door. Behind it, a narrow staircase led further down, to the underground arena.

    The arena itself was larger than Sunny had imagined, and looked more like a luxurious theater than a fighting pit. The rows of seats were furnished with red velvet, and there were private boxes for the most affluent of the visitors. The arena itself resembled a stage and was surrounded by a protective barrier fashioned out of transparent alloy.

    The whole space was sparsely illuminated, with deep shadows nesting between the areas of light. Still, one could more or less see everything.

    Master Jet studied the interior of the arena, then said quietly:

    "There's no one here."

    Sunny lingered for a moment, then walked over to a control panel hidden in one of the boxes and moved several switches.

    A moment later, bright spotlights ignited on the ceiling, flooding the arena with a bright radiance. The wave of light chased away the shadows, and suddenly, a figure of a man could be seen in the very center of the stage, sitting on the floor with his face buried in his hands. Previously, that place had seemed to be utterly empty.

    The man grimaced, and then raised his head to stare at the lights with a dark expression. A hoarse voice resounded in the silence of the underground theater:

    "Bastards�� why can't they just live me alone��"

    The murderer was around thirty, with a gaunt unshaven face and bloodshot eyes. There were several used stimulant packs lying on the floor around him, as well as shards of a broken liquor bottle.

    His clothes, hands, and face were covered with blood, but the man didn't seem to mind.

    Blocking the light with one hand, he lowered his gaze and slowly focused it on Master Jet and Sunny.

    A hint of recognition slowly appeared in his eyes, which was then replaced with contempt.

    "...Is that you, Soul Reaper? Hell�� they sent the attack dog herself after me? Ha! What an honor��"

    Sunny sighed inwardly.

    What was it with people and calling others dogs? He really didn't get it. Dogs were marvelous creatures, from what he knew. Of course, only the rich could afford to have one. Dogs were the rich man's best friend��

    Jet took a step forward, piercing the man with a cold, cold gaze. The murderer shivered.

    "Hi there, Kurt. Long time no see."

    After hearing her voice, the man called Kurt suddenly grinned.

    "Yeah... long time indeed. You got really full of yourself lately, haven't you, Jet? Funny that a government lapdog like you finds it beneath herself to associate with upstanding people like me. Back in the day, you at least knew how to show respect, bitch."

    Ignoring his insult, she smiled, too.

    "...Do you even understand what you have done, Kurt?"

    The grin disappeared from his face. As Sunny and Jet slowly walked toward the arena, he furtively looked away.

    "What, that mess upstairs? Ah�� shit, who cares? They were just cattle, anyway. Mundanes only exist to produce more of us, right? So what's the big deal..."

    Sunny's eye twitched.

    'He's a proper bastard, isn't he?'

    Master Jet, meanwhile, stopped smiling.

    "...I care, Kurt. I care."

    He suddenly laughed.

    "Wait�� wait, you're being serious? You're really going to do the whole thing? I'm getting the full parade? Fuck, that's hilarious!"

    Suddenly, an ugly expression appeared on his face.

    "Have you forgotten who you are, Jet? Gods, did becoming a Master give you that big of a head? Come on�� we all know who you work for, and who I work for. You'll still be a Master when I am a Saint, wench."

    He glanced at Sunny, and then added in a mocking tone:

    "Look, you even had to bring a kid to help you out. I guess no adult is willing to get your stench on them."

    Then, Kurt got a bit serious and stared at Jet darkly, deep shadows slowly gathering around him.

    "Look�� I get it. I fucked up. So let's have it. Give me a slap on the hand, on be on your merry way, alright? I'm having a really hard day as it is... we all know that you won't dare to do more, anyway."

    Master Jet tilted her head a little, and then said with amusement:

    "Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Kurt. I do dare. Yeah, we both know who I work for, and who your sorry ass works for. But, the thing is�� I don't give a damn."

    She chuckled and outstretched one hand, as if ready to summon her weapon.

    Kurt laughed again. This time, however, his laugh was a bit desperate.

    Then, he looked down and whispered:

    "Ah, well. Not like it matters, anyway. You know about the Obel scale, so why even bother? Nothing will change��"

    He remained still for a moment, and then suddenly exploded with movement.

    ��After that, everything happened very fast.

 Chapter 508 Battle of the Shadows

    Chapter 508 Battle of the Shadows

    Kurt moved with terrible speed, covering the distance between the center of the arena and the first row of the seats, where Sunny and Master Jet were, in a split second.

    Just from the way he moved, it was easy to tell that his soul core had been fully saturated a long time ago. He was indeed a powerful Awakened.

    ��Still, it wasn't enough time to summon a Memory.

    The white sparks that were supposed to form into a glaive were just starting to manifest themselves around Jet's hand, but he was already upon her. One of Kurt's hands shot forward, a knife forged out of a strange lusterless alloy appearing in it as if out of nowhere.

    The was no magic involved in its sudden appearance, though. The knife had just been hidden in a secret sheath on his forearm.

    Of course, Master Jet was much faster. She blocked the strike before it could ever reach her flesh�� at the last moment, however, Kurt twisted his wrist and let go of the handle, sending the knife flying past her.

    ��Right at Sunny.

    He had barely any time to react.

    The Cruel Sight was still in the process of being summoned, so Sunny used his other hand to try and swat the knife away. It jerked up, but then froze.

    'No, wrong!'

    A fraction of a second too late, Sunny realized that the knife was not aimed at his body.

    It was aimed at his shadow.

    And since he had wasted precious time being mistaken about the killer's intentions, it was too late to move his body away to make the shadow shift out of harm's way.

    Luckily, Sunny's shadow could move on its own.

    It suddenly went out of the sink with his movements and jumped away, letting the knife bury itself in the floor and send a net of cracks through the sturdy synthwood boards.

    Shaken, Sunny belatedly jumped back.

    'What is this��'

    Any other Awakened would have been killed by that devious attack, most likely. To Kurt's misfortune, though, he had met a fighter well-versed in all things shadow.

    A few steps away, Master Jet was already turning her block into an attack. Her fist seemed to teleport forward, tearing through the air so fast that it sent a small shockwave rolling through the underground arena.

    Kurt had long disengaged, though. As soon as he threw the knife, he saturated his body with essence and lunged back, smashing through the velvet seats and momentarily appearing a dozen meters away. As soon as his feet touched the ground, he was already moving again, dashing sideways.

    At the same time, free more knives flew at terrible speed toward Master Jet and Sunny. Their purpose was not to kill or wound them, but just to slow them down.

    One was meant for the Ascended, one for Sunny, and the last one for his shadow.

    Sunny dodged the knife and summoned the shadow to wrap itself around his body, feeling his strength and speed become even more enhanced. He dashed forward, and finally felt the cool wooden surface of the Cruel Sight's hilt appear in his hand.

    'Not�� not too bad��'

    Jet's voice tore this thought to shreds:

    "Be careful! He's planning somethi��"

    Before she could finish the thought, a dark smile appeared on Kurt's face.

    In the next moment, something massive broke through the floorboards and struck her�� or at least tried to.

    Soul Reaper easily sidestepped the attack and jumped back, then suddenly twisted, making her shadow grow smaller. A fourth knife appeared out of nowhere and pierced the floor where it had been just a moment ago.

    Kurt clicked his tongue.

    "...So annoying."

    Sunny, meanwhile, was staring at the thing that crawled from under the floor.

    It looked like a mound of worn rags , with two long arms that had one too many joints growing out of it, each ending in three terrifying curved claws. The towering thing was vaguely humanoid in shape, with broad shoulders and a small head covered by a tattered hood.

    He felt angry at his own stupidity.

    'An Echo�� curses, of course he has an Echo!'

    Why else would the bastard frequent the Slaughterhouse and its underground arena?

    Something didn't add up, though�� whatever that thing was, it didn't look like any kind of a dormant beast Sunny had ever seen. If he had to guess, he would be willing to bet that the creature was at least of the Fallen Rank, and had at least three soul cores hiding in its raggedy carcass. Maybe more��

    Weren't the arena meant for dormant Echoes?

    As a vicious-looking curved sword appeared in Kurt's hands, Sunny got his answer.

    Three more Nightmare Creatures suddenly appeared out of the shadows. These seemed not to be Fallen, at least. He wasn't sure if they were beasts or monsters, though�� just that they looked rather menacing. One was covered in black chitin and had a long tail that ended in a jagged blade, drops of poison falling from it and leaving smoldering holes on the floor; the other was like a repulsive mix of a human and a pale centipede, its limbs numerous and thin as bone needles; the last one resembled a marionette with sharp knives sewn to its wrists.

    The four Echoes surrounded Master Jet. If it was anybody else, Sunny might have been worried�� Soul Reaper, though, seemed unperturbed. She simply raised her glaive and smiled darkly. The air in the underground arena suddenly felt bitterly cold.

    She was probably capable of handling the Echoes without too much trouble, even if one of them was a Fallen Demon or worse.

    Would she be able to do so while also paying attention to her shadow, though? That was not something people intuitively knew how to do��

    As the Nightmare Creatures attacked, Kurt surrounded himself with dancing shadows and dashed forward�� while Sunny simply took a step back, and suddenly appeared in his way.

    The more shadows the bastard used, the easier it was for Sunny to get to him, after all.

    He noticed a hint of surprise in the killer's eyes, and brought the Cruel Sight down.

    The somber Memory was in the form of a short sword right now, so the almost non-existent distance between the two of them was not an issue.

    Somehow, Kurt managed to dodge the silver blade and swiped at Sunny with his curved sword. Although he was incredibly fast, Sunny was much, much faster. He moved the Cruel Sight and blocked the strike without too much effort.

    'Easy��'

    Simultaneously, Master Jet's words echoed in his mind��

    One mistake is all it takes.

    Yeah�� Sunny knew it all too well. Usually, he was the beneficiary of this deadly truth, and exploited the mistakes of his enemies to bring them down.

    This time, however, the situation was reversed.

    As something broke with a deafening crash and a roar full of agony resounded behind their backs, a triumphant spark appeared in Kurt's eyes. At the same time, his shadow suddenly moved. Even though the curved sword was already blocked, its black reflection held in the shadows hand continued to swiftly approach Sunny's flesh.

    Before it could cut him down, though, the blade of the Cruel Sight suddenly ignited with blinding radiance, summoning pure sunlight into the underground arena.

    Sunny had activated the [Light Eater] enchantment, which could absorb and expel light.

    Because it shined much brighter than the lamps illuminating the theater, Kurt's shadow was suddenly thrown away, appearing behind him and far away from Sunny.

    An expression of shock twisted the killer's gaunt face, and he swiftly jumped back, creating distance between himself and the radiant shortsword, which was already flying toward his heart.

    The hilt of the Cruel Sight, however, suddenly elongated, turning into the shaft of a spear.

    Before Kurt could do anything, the silver blade pierced his armor and buried itself deep in his chest.

    He opened his mouth, eyes full of disbelief. Before any words could escape it, though, the spearhead turned furiously incandescent, and suddenly, the killer's body became enveloped with white flames.

    In mere seconds, he had turned into ash.

    Sunny sighed.

    [...You have slain an Awakened human, Kurt.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    'What a pity�� I hoped to receive more than a single fragment from a fellow shadow user.]

    The Spell wasn't done talking, though.

    [You have received an Echo.]

 Chapter 509 Ghastly Reward

    In the deadly silence that settled over the underground arena after the Spell had spoken its last sentence, Sunny stared motionlessly at the flakes of ash swirling in the air.

    '...An Echo?'

    He was now in possession of a new Echo.

    A human Echo.

    Of course, it was only logical that an Awakened could leave one behind. Sunny had received his first-ever Memory after killing a human, after all, and those were not too different. However, somehow, he had never considered commanding an Echo left behind by a dead man. One that he had killed with his own two hands, no less.

    Wasn't it a little bit too ghastly?

    He imagined the soulless, empty copy of Kurt staring at him with lifeless eyes, and shivered a little.

    The situation was only made more morbid by the fact that a softly glowing soul shard was left in the pile of ash that the killer had turned into. Just like with Nightmare Creatures, the strange nature of Sunny's Aspect left the crystal intact despite absorbing the shadow fragment. If an ordinary Awakened was in his place, the shard would have formed empty and cracked.

    Sunny had never dug into the corpses of his human victims to retrieve one, so this was his first time seeing a soul shard left behind by one of his own kind.

    ��Before Master Jet could see it, too, Sunny bent down, picked up the luminescent crystal, and hid it in his sleeve. His face twitched slightly.

    Just as he did, an amused voice resounded from behind him:

    "Well, I'll be damned�� that was fast."

    He hesitated for a moment, and then turned around.

    Master Jet was surrounded by a scene of devastation, the interior of the underground theater in her vicinity completely destroyed. She was casually leaning on her glaive, and there was an amused expression on her face. Kurt's Echoes, of course, had disappeared after his death�� however, Sunny didn't know how many of them she had killed before that happened.

    In any case, there were no wounds on her body.

    Master Jet whistled.

    "You actually put down the bastard all by yourself. That's, uh�� nicely done, Sunny."

    From her voice, it was clear that she was pleasantly surprised. And why wouldn't she be? Kurt was�� had been an Awakened with at least ten years of experience under his belt, with a fully saturated soul core and an insidious, deadly Aspect. While Sunny�� Sunny had become an Awakened less than a year ago. He was never formally trained, and had no clan or organization supporting his growth.

    Not bad for a kid from the outskirts.

    He shrugged.

    "He was overly reliant on the unique nature of his powers. A little knowledge of the shadows was all it took, really."

    She slowly shook her head.

    "Maybe you're right. Still, Kurt had quite a reputation back in the day. But hey, why am I surprised? They gave you the SS designation for a reason."

    With that, Master Jet sighed and looked at the pile of ash with a complicated expression.

    After a few moments of silence, she added:

    "...You know, he was a promising young Awakened too, once. One of the few who didn't treat me like a walking corpse back in the Academy."

    Sunny glanced at the ashes, trying to imagine Kurt as young and promising. It wasn't too hard�� however, thinking about a person he had killed this way made him uncomfortable.

    It was better to remember him as he had been at the end �� a depraved, demented murderer. More of a rabid beast, really, than an actual human.

    Sunny scratched the back of his head.

    "So then what happened to him?"

    Master jet lingered for a bit, and then shrugged.

    "Life, I guess. Not everyone is cut out for the kind of life we live. In fact, very few are."

    Sunny dismissed the Cruel Sight, thought for a few moments, and then asked the question he really wanted to ask:

    "So, uh�� that stuff he told about having a powerful protector. What was that all about? Are you going to be in trouble? Wait�� am I?"

    Jet smiled.

    "What, did you believe that fool? Don't worry, he was just being delusional. Sure, he had rather powerful masters. But these people�� they're not going to make a fuss about someone like him. Kurt became of no use to them the moment he lost control. What's more, he turned into a liability. So, if anything, we did them a favor by taking care of the mess ourselves."

    Her smile suddenly grew wider�� but also darker.

    "And if they decide otherwise�� I'm not so easy to deal with, Sunny. And they would have to go through me first to get to you."

    He frowned a little, then nodded, accepting her reasoning. It all made sense, after all. Powerful people were also practical sort. They wouldn't hesitate to discard a broken tool, and that was what people like Kurt were�� tools to be used and discarded once they couldn't be used anymore.

    'Good thing I didn't join a Legacy clan. I guess that is what I would have become if I did. Master Jet warned me against it for a reason..."

    Then, something else came to his mind.

    The strange words Kurt had said right before launching his suicidal attack��

    "Not like it matters, anyway. You know about the Obel scale, so why even bother? Nothing will change��"

    What did he mean? It almost seemed as though the knowledge of this mysterious Obel scale was the real reason for why he allowed himself to lose control. Of why he had lost�� hope?

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then asked cautiously:

    "Oh, by the way. What was that nonsense Kurt went on about? The�� Obel scale? What is that?"

    Master Jet gave him a long, somewhat strange look. Then, she simply shook her head.

    "Don't worry about it. It's not some secret, anyway. You can find the information on the network�� Obel was the name of a scientist who developed the spelltech system the government uses to detect signs of a manifesting Gate. The infrastructure of that thing is getting old, though, so the readings have become less reliable lately. Nothing that some thorough calibrations can't fix."

    Sunny tilted his head a little.

    "Why was he so fixated on it, though?"

    She looked at him with amusement.

    "How would I know what went on in that crazy head of his? The bastard massacred twenty people, and thought that I would let him go after a stern reprimand. He was obviously not all there at the end��"

    He frowned, and decided to let it go. Either Jet knew, or she didn't. Either way, it didn't seem like she was going to tell him.

    Instead, Sunny asked:

    "Uh, so�� what now?"

    Master Jet dismissed her glaive and massaged her shoulders.

    "Now? Nothing much�� give me twenty minutes to settle things down with the police, and then we'll go get you your reward."

    She looked at him and added with a smile:

    "...By the way, thanks. This would have been much messier without your help."

    With that, Master Jet walked toward the exit from the arena, leaving Sunny alone.

    He stood silently for a while, and then sighed heavily.

    It was time to see about his new Echo�� and decide whether he was going to keep the ghastly thing or not.

 Chapter 510 Human Echo

    Chapter 510 Human Echo

    Sunny looked around the destroyed theater, then found an intact seat and sat down. Relaxing on the soft velvet cushions, he crossed his legs and looked at the broken stage with a complicated expression.

    The shards of glass and empty stimulant packs attracted his attention for a moment. Sunny had expected the stimulants to be of the pleasure-inducing variety, but to his surprise, they were more or less the same as the ones he had used to stay awake for an entire week after returning from the Forgotten Shore.

    A slight frown appeared on his.

    'Don't tell me�� was this guy afraid of going to the Dream Realm?'

    ��Kurt might have been even more broken than he had suspected. From how Master Jet had described her former acquaintance, the man had once been a dedicated combatant, a specialist... but what kind of a specialist was scared of his specialty?

    With a sign, Sunny stared into the distance and summoned the runes.

    And there it was, written in the ancient symbols in the air in front of him:

    Echo: [Shadow Blade Kurt].

    Echo Type: Beast.

    ��All humans were considered to be Beasts by the Spell, since they only had one soul core, so this was not surprising.

    Well, all humans except for Sunny and Nephis.

    As the thought of becoming a Demon drifted into his mind, Sunny read further.

    Echo Rank: Awakened.

    Echo Attributes: [Swift Hand], [Shadow Sworn], [Mark of Death].

    [Swift Hand] Attribute Description: "Your blade strikes fast and true."

    [Shadow Sworn] Attribute Description: "You are known to shadows."

    [Mark of Death] Attribute Description: "You bear a mark of Death, as just like Death, you were created to be a weapon."

    Sunny tilted his head a little.

    So, an Attribute that increased perception and agility, an Attribute that gifted Kurt affinity to shadows �� although to a much lesser extent than his own �� and a third Attribute that�� actually, Sunny had no idea what the third Attribute did.

    Its description, though, was very interesting. He knew that death had been created by Shadow God, and now, he learned that it had been created as a weapon�� but against whom? What kind of enemy could have demanded the creation of such a terrible thing?

    Someone immortal, perhaps�� no, that didn't make sense. If there had been a time before death was invented, then everything back then was immortal, eternal, and endless�� right?

    Sunny wasn't sure that he understood the concept of a world without death. What he did know, though, was that something as harrowing as death would not have been invented without a reason.

    He frowned, then turned his attention back to the runes:

    Echo Abilities: [Shadow Manipulation], [Shadow Strike], [Awakened].

    [Shadow Manipulation] Ability Description: "You can affect the movement of shadows and walk through them unseen."

    [Shadow Strike] Ability Description: "You can strike at the shadows, and your shadow can strike at the living things."

    '...As expected.'

    Sunny had more or less surmised what Kurt's Aspect Abilities had been. They were different, but at the same time similar to his own. Both were much less versatile and powerful than what he was capable of himself, though, even if the ability to deal direct damage to and through his shadows was something Sunny would have loved to have access to.

    [Shadow Manipulation], especially, was almost no more than a slightly different version of his passive Attribute, [Child of Shadows].

    ��Still, having a Shadow like Kurt could add a new layer to his battle prowess.

    There was also the last Ability:

    [Awakened] Ability Description: "This Echo has the innate abilities of a carrier of the Spell."

    So... using Memories? That was a nice ability to have. Even Saint herself was limited to only using weapons and charms.

    Full of thought, Sunny looked at the last string of runes.

    Echo Description: [I have entrusted you with a beautiful blade, but all you created was a hideous nightmare.]

    He blinked a couple of times.

    '...What's up with that description? Oh my, am I imagining things, or does the Spell sound�� bitter?'

    What a funny thought that was.

    Sunny reclined in the chair and waited for a bit, then grimaced and dove into the Soul Sea.

    'Let's take a look��'

    He walked past the rows of silent shadows, noticing the dark figure of Shadow Blade Kurt standing among them motionlessly. Sparing him a glance, Sunny approached the spot between the black suns of his Shadow Cores, found a large sphere of light that orbited one of them, and summoned the Echo down.

    The sphere floated to the surface of still waters and slowly dimmed, revealing a gaunt, naked man standing inside.

    Sunny felt his skin crawling.

    In front of him was a human�� or rather, a soulless copy of a human. Echo Kurt looked almost like a person, but the lifeless emptiness in his eyes screamed of a profound, abhorrent wrongness. It was incredibly unnerving.

    The Echo was very much like the Hollow victims of its original, only even more vacant and devoid of the undefinable spark that all living things possessed. It was an artificial copy of a man that lacked the very thing that made him human.

    A ghastly effigy.

    ��The thing was incredibly creepy.

    Sunny hesitated, then tried to think about things logically.

    The Echo was more or less useless to him in its current state, but thanks to its [Awakened] Ability, it would possess the innate capacity to use Memories�� which meant that Sunny could provide Echo Kurt with an armor and a weapon.

    That question was�� did he want to?

    On the surface, that question was rather simple. Who wouldn't want to have a creature equal to a powerful Awakened in their service? But really, things were more complicated.

    Sunny frowned, then raised a hand and poked the ghastly creature in the shoulder.

    A new string of runes appeared near it:

    [Transform Echo into a Shadow?]

    He froze, thinking.

    Having a human Shadow certainly had its benefits. But having any Shadow also demanded a tremendous investment of resources. Nurturing Saint was very hard on Sunny, and especially on his pocket. Less importantly, but still somewhat pressing, was the need to spend a hundred shadow fragments to complete the transformation.

    Sunny had spent so much time and effort to get close to creating a third core, and the idea of being suddenly pushed back by a whole hundred fragments did not seem too alluring.

    The point was, he felt reluctant to turn just any Echo into a Shadow.

    So was Kurt a worthy Echo?

    Even though Sunny was very curious to see what would happen if one of the silent shadows was placed into a human Echo, the answer was�� no.

    Sunny wasn't sure that he was.

    There were two reasons.

    The first one was rather simple, but also not too convincing.

    Master Jet had said that all of them, seasoned Awakened, were walking one step away from the madness. Sunny felt like dragging around a reanimated copy of a man he killed would bring him closer to making that step. His humanity �� and sanity, to be honest �� were already on thin ice.

    However, that wasn't the main reason.

    The second reason, and the most important one, was the nature of the Shadows. Shadows weren't soulless, empty copies of their originals. They possessed a semblance of a consciousness, and a distinct personality�� Saint was living proof.

    Yes, she was created from a powerful Nightmare Creature, but her Attributes and Abilities were not what made her strong. Saint was strong because she was Saint. Her will, intellect, and unbreakable resolve were what made her such a deadly presence on the battlefield, and a valued companion for Sunny.

    And that was why he didn't want to create a Shadow of Kurt. Yes, Kurt possessed powerful Abilities that shared the affinity with Sunny's Aspect.

    But Kurt himself�� was weak.

    His weakness was the cause of why he had drowned himself in alcohol and distasteful hobbies, and why he had eventually surrendered to the burden of the Nightmare Spell and massacred defenseless humans in a fit of demented frenzy.

    No matter how powerful, Sunny didn't want to possess a Shadow of an unstable butcher�� but more than anything, he didn't want to possess a Shadow of someone who was weak. How could he rely on someone like that?

    On the path he was taking, there was no place for weakness�� at least not for the weakness of that kind.

    With a sigh, he summoned Saint, and watched her appear near the naked figure of Kurt in a whirlpool of black flames.

    The taciturn demon stared at him with her indifferent ruby eyes, not paying any attention to the human Echo. Seeing them side by side only made Sunny more sure of his decision.

    He remained silent for a few moments, and then gestured at Kurt:

    "Do you, maybe... want to eat him?"

    Saint remained motionless for a few moments, then silently turned to the Echo and raised one hand. Her gauntlet easily pierced the chest of the dead killer, and a few moments later, his body disintegrated into a flood of white sparks.

    Those sparks formed into three brilliant streams and entered into the darkness that hid inside the Shadow, then flowed into her three core remnants.

    [Your Echo has been destroyed.]

    Sunny felt a wave of bitterness wash over his heart, but very soon, it disappeared.

    He was watching the shadow fragment counter in the runes describing Saint.

    ��Apparently, feeding on Echoes was much more nourishing for a Shadow. She received much more fragments than she would have from an Awakened Memory of the first tier.

    Right now, the counter was showing a simple number:

    Shadow Fragments: [200/200].

    A triumphant smile appeared on Sunny's lips.

 Chapter 511 Ascension

    '...Finally.'

    How long had it been since he created Saint and saw the dreadful [0/200] written in her runes? A year, no less. That was how long it had taken Sunny to gather enough Memories to saturate the dark embers that burned in the black depths of his Shadow.

    ��What was going to happen now?

    The last time Saint had evolved, her transformation took a very long time. Was she going to retreat into the chrysalis of his Shadow Core again? Or was reaching two hundred fragments completely different from what had happened to her after the killing of the Black Knight?

    A few moments later, Sunny received the answer.

    Bathed in the lightlessness of his Soul Sea, Saint suddenly shuddered. The darkness hiding in her body surged, and the three embers hidden within it �� one in her chest, one in her abdomen, and the last one in her head �� shined with black radiance.

    It was very different, but also very similar to the process he himself had gone through twice, once after the First Nightmare, and once after going through the gateway in the Crimson Spire.

    'Is she�� is he ascending to a new Rank?'

    The thought filled Sunny with a jubilant thrill.

    Meanwhile, Saint was in the throes of her transformation. The still waters around her were now restless, as though assaulted by invisible winds. Wisps of dancing black flame suddenly appeared around her body, and it rose above the surface of the water, becoming partially obscured.

    Sunny took a step back and silently watched the strange and beautiful process, his heart beating wildly.

    After a few minutes, it was over.

    The invisible winds disappeared, and so did the black flames. The water turned tranquil and still once again. Saint landed on her feet and straightened, her graceful figure brimming with new power. The glow of her ruby eyes seemed to have become brighter.

    Unlike the previous time, the taciturn demon had not changed outwardly. Her onyx armor was still composed of polished, stonelike metal. Sunny knew that beneath it, her skin was still smooth and white as alabaster.

    ��On the inside, though, the changes were nothing short of profound.

    The darkness hiding in the body of the living statue now seemed much, much deeper, and the three embers seemed to have become substantially larger. More than that, they appeared to be�� more complete, somehow. Not yet whole, but also not as broken and fragmented as they had been before.

    Sunny hesitated, then summoned the runes.

    Shadow: [Marble Saint.]

    ��Her name didn't change. The next string of runes, however, was vastly different:

    Shadow Rank: Ascended.

    He froze.

    'I'll�� I'll be damned!'

    Ascended, Saint was now Ascended! Indeed, she had achieved a new rank�� the same Rank, in fact, as that of Master Jet, as well as the Black Knight, Mirror Beast, and Mordant Mimic.

    An Ascended human was called a Master, while Nightmare Creatures of the same Rank were called Fallen. Saint was now somewhere in between �� a creature possessing multiple cores, but following the path of ascension as opposed to the path of corruption.

    Like Sunny himself.

    Of course, she was much more powerful than him now.

    Sunny was torn between being mad with joy and slightly bitter. Back when he had created Saint, she was stronger than him for a long, long time. After becoming an Awakened, he had finally caught up to her�� but now, she was the stronger one once more.

    He sighed, then looked at his demon with a wide smile.

    "Good job, Saint! Who's going to stop us now, huh?"

    The taciturn demon did not answer, and just tilted her head a little.

    ��Then, however, she silently raised her hand, made a fist, and lightly struck the left side of her breastplate twice.

    Sunny stared, not accustomed to his Shadow being so chatty.

    "...Uh, yeah. Exactly."

    Feeling a little awkward, he lingered for a moment, and then looked back to the runes.

    Saint's Class, Attributes, and Abilities did not change. At the very end of the plane of runes, however, he was met with an unexpected surprise.

    'What?!'

    The last string of runes read:

    [Shadow Fragments: 39/200].

    He stared at the number for a few moments, then rubbed his eyes. No, he wasn't mistaken. It was indeed thirty-nine out of two hundred.

    Pleasantly confused, Sunny narrowed his eyes.

    'But how does it make sense?'

    Before Saint had consumed Kurt, the runes showed [179/200]. How many fragments exactly had eating the Echo given her?

    With a sudden suspicion, Sunny turned around and looked at the rows of silent shadows.

    ��The shadow of Kurt was gone.

    'So, she consumed it too��'

    He was starting to understand what had happened. Most likely, a larger share of the fragments came not from the Echo, but from the shadow of its original. Kurt had been an experienced Awakened, one in possession of a fully saturated core. By absorbing his shadow, Saint must have inherited a portion of all the soul fragments he had accumulated over his life �� just like a human would after slaying another human.

    That amount was enough to bridge the gap to the next Rank, and then some. Of course, since his Shadow was now an Ascended, she required shadow fragments of similar quality to grow one-to-one. Those that came from Kurt were only Awakened, though.

    So, in fact, the current number would have been [78/200] if Saint's Rank had not changed.

    That meant that she received almost a hundred shadow fragments by consuming the Echo of Shadow Blade Kurt�� an utterly insane number, considering that it had taken Sunny somewhere around half a year to feed her that much before.

    Suddenly, the regret he felt over sacrificing such a valuable Echo disappeared.

    'That's a windfall�� a crazy windfall!'

    Today, luck was truly on his side.

    ��And an Ascended Demon was now by his side, which instantly propelled Sunny to a completely new level of capability. Together with the newly transformed Saint, he would be able to do much more, challenge much more powerful Nightmare Creatures, and therefore, accelerate his own growth even further.

    Even better, this change could not have come at a better time.

    Because it was nearly time for him to return to the Shipwreck Island, and challenge the terrifying being that dwelled in the ancient wreck.

    Having an Ascended Shadow by his side would be of enormous help.

    ��Sunny only noticed that a wide, stupid smile appeared on his face when Master Jet returned to the underground arena. He hurriedly erased it and stood up.

    "All done?"

    She gave him a relaxed nod, then yawned.

    "Yeah. We are free to go�� a little paperwork, and the contribution points I promised will be yours to spend. We can grab a bite first, if you want."

    Sunny smiled.

    'Oh yes�� there is also the reward from the government.'

    Now that he didn't need to spend all the contribution points on bringing Saint to full saturation as soon as possible�� what else would he be able to get?

 Chapter 512 Unburdened

    Sitting on the very edge of the Sanctuary island with his feet dangling above the abyss of the Sky Below, Sunny was enjoying the view of the clear streams falling down into the darkness and turning into clouds of water dust.

    After a while, he lowered his eyes and looked at the item laying on his palm with a bit of confusion.

    'So�� that's it?'

    This was one of the two Memories he had exchanged for the contribution points given to him for helping Master Jet deal with Shadow Blade Kurt. It looked like a long, narrow needle forged out of black steel, with gold wire wrapped around one of its ends �� sort of like an antique acupuncture needle, but much sturdier.

    The needle's name was Heavenly Burden�� a very ironic name for a Memory, here on the Chained Isles. He had just received it this morning, and this was his first opportunity to properly study the thing.

    Very curious, Sunny summoned the runes:

    Memory: [Heavenly Burden].

    Memory Rank: Awakened.

    Memory Tier: III.

    Memory Type: Tool.

    Memory Description: [To be free of a burden, one has to let go of all attachments they hold in their heart. Only those who untethered themselves from everything can become truly free.]

    'Sounds wonderful...'

    At first glance, the Memory wasn't too outstanding. Its Rank wasn't high, and neither was its tier. With the amount of money Sunny was making, he could probably buy something like this after a week or two of collecting soul shards in the Dream Realm.

    But that was why contribution points were more valuable than credits. The government had access to things that were exceedingly rare or simply impossible to get on the market. Heavenly Burden was one such thing, and it was due to the enchantment the needle possessed:

    Memory Enchantments: [Unburdened].

    Enchantment Description: [Those pierced with this needle will rise to the skies.]

    ��Indeed, it was a Memory that could allow him to fly.

    Sort of.

    Flight enchantments were extremely rare and tremendously valued. In all honesty, Sunny had no business being able to get his hands on a Memory such as this �� he was already incredibly lucky to have the Dark Wing, which, while not capable of true flight, was pretty close to it.

    Usually, only Masters or Saints were able to purchase decent flight Memories. That was why Kai was so lucky�� but Master Jet pulled some string, and as the result, Sunny was currently holding the Heavenly Burden in his hands.

    Well�� from what he understood about the black needle, calling it a decent flight Memory was a bit of a stretch. Still, it was indeed capable of gifting him the ability to fly.

    He grimaced a little, then thrust the needle into his forearm. However, nothing happened�� well, of course it didn't. The thing failed to pierce the soft, but adamantine fabric of the Puppeteer's Shroud.

    Sunny thought for a bit, and then enhanced the Heavenly Burden with one of his shadows. This time, the needle went through, and buried itself in his flesh.

    '...Ouch.'

    The pain was sharp, but not too bad. More than that, Sunny had no time to think about it�� and that was because as soon as the Heavenly Burden pierced his skin, his body floated up.

    ��And continued doing so.

    Sunny was steadily rising into the sky, be it at a slow speed. It was as though he had suddenly turned into a balloon. The feeling would have been rather funny, if it wasn't so terrifying �� mostly because a sudden gust of wind threw him slightly to the side, and now, there was nothing but the darkness of the Sky Below beneath him.

    Both amused and slightly tense, Sunny summoned the Dark Wing. He also summoned the Prowling Thorn, just to be on the safer side. After both Memories manifested themselves, he hesitated for a moment, and then wrapped the black needle in his second shadow, too.

    Immediately, the speed with which he was rising into the air increased.

    Sunny allowed himself to float upward for a few moments, and then commanded the Dark Wing to activate. With its help, he changed the direction of his flight, and slowly moved back toward the island. Making sure that there was solid ground under him, he then dismissed the Heavenly Burden and smoothly glided down.

    '...Not bad!'

    Now, he had two Memories to deal with what Cassie had seen in the vision of their supposed death. One Memory could only move him upward, while the other allowed him to glide in any direction except up. Together, they gave him the ability of true flight. Even if it was slow and not nearly as effective as what Kai could do, it was still flying.

    The point was, he was not going to fall endlessly into the Sky Below again�� not unless he wanted to.

    Sunny returned to the edge of the Sanctuary, sat down, and stared at one of the chains leading to a neighboring island.

    It was early morning, and he was waiting for someone.

    'They're still not here��'

    With a sigh, he looked down and summoned the second Memory he received from the government. A piece of beautiful ember that looked like solidified flame appeared on his palm, inlaid in a frame made out of dull metal.

    He summoned the runes:

    Memory: [Memory of Fire].

    Memory Rank: Ascended.

    Memory Tier: I.

    Memory Type: Charm.

    Memory Description: [...And then, there was nothing but flame.]

    'Huh�� short and sweet.'

    Memory Enchantments: [Scorching Heat.]

    Enchantment Description: [This charm provides the wearer with moderate resistance to fire.]

    And that was that. With these two Memories, Sunny felt more or less ready to plunge into the dark abyss below the Chained Isles once more, when the time came. With Dark Wing and the Heavenly Burden allowing him to fly�� or rather, float�� and the [Underworld Armament] of the Mantle enhancing the protective effect of the Memory of Fire, his next trip to the Ebony Tower would be less perilous.

    Hopefully��

    His thoughts were suddenly interrupted. Looking at the chain, he noticed a row of black dots moving across it, far in the distance.

    Straining his vision, Sunny sighed.

    'They're here��'

 Chapter 513 War Council

    Soon, he was able to make out the silhouettes of seven people walking across the chain. They were led by a delicate beauty in a light polished armor, her pale blond hair dancing in the wind. Cassie walked with her eyes covered by the silver half-mask, her hand resting on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer. If Sunny didn't know that she was blind, he would have not suspected it.

    ��The Fire Keepers had returned from their lengthy expedition to the Desecrated Grove.

    In the end, it took them almost two months to find the�� whatever they had been searching for on that remote and ghastly island. And now, it was time for Sunny to join them in the assault on the ancient shipwreck.

    He grimaced.

    After two months spent without returning to the real world, members of Cassie's cohort looked weathered and exhausted. They were covered in dirt and dust, and their armor bore marks of countless battles. However, these young men and women seemed to be healthy and in good mood. There was a spring to their steps, and as they got closer, Sunny could see smiles on their lips.

    Two of them were carefully carrying a large box fashioned out of crude wooden boards. He assumed that it contained the thing Cassie had spent two months looking for.

    Sunny tilted his head, curious.

    'What might it be, I wonder?'

    Eventually, they noticed him, too.

    Cassie slowed down a little, and in the next moment, the Fire Keeper walking behind her gently touched her on the shoulder and said something. Then, he gestured toward Sunny and waved a hand.

    Sunny sighed and dismissed the Memory of Fire.

    'Ugh�� people��'

    In the six months spent on the Chained Isles, he had gotten accustomed to only dealing with other Awakened in small doses. Knowing that he was going to have to be in the company of relative strangers for a while and fight with them side by side did not make Sunny happy.

    In that regard, Mordret had been a perfect companion. He only appeared once every few days for a short while, helped Sunny with advice, and then disappeared without a trace, not asking for anything in return.

    If only all relationships could be so simple��

    Sadly, the mysterious prince was still nowhere to be found. Sunny had not heard from him ever since returning from the Ivory Tower, almost making him think that he had simply imagined the whole thing.

    The mirror shard he kept in the Covetous Coffer reminded him that he had not, though.

    Sunny forced a smile to appear on his face, and waved at the Fire Keepers in return.

    "Welcome back, guys! It's good to see you... sort of..."

    ***

    After the Fire Keepers had time to clean themself up and fill their stomachs, they gathered in a spacious room provided to them by the White Feather clan. Sunny looked around the room and signed inwardly.

    ��Why were his own quarters so tiny? Even if his True Name remained a secret, Sunny was still an SS class Awakened. Where was his preferential treatment, huh?

    The large wooden box was placed in a corner, and the seven Awakened gathered around a table. He hesitated a little, then joined them.

    "Hey, Sunny! How have you been?"

    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then said in a neutral tone:

    "...Busy. Really busy."

    The young man who had asked him the question smiled.

    "Really? What's keeping you busy?"

    Sunny summoned his runes, and glanced at a particular string.

    It read:

    Shadow Fragments: [1936/2000].

    He sighed.

    "...All kinds of things. Haven't you heard? I am the most indispensable shopkeeper on the Chained Isles. By the way, if any of you want to purchase something, just let me know. Toothpaste, spices, underpants�� we have it all!"

    The Fire Keepers gave him strange looks, then laughed.

    'What's so funny? That's a legitimate business, you fools!'

    ,m Shaking his head, he glanced at the table, where a map of the Chained Isles was placed, with possible routes to the Shipwreck Island marked on it. From the look of it, they were well-thought-out and as safe as could be.

    A somber expression appeared on his face.

    "So you were really serious. We are actually planning to attack a Corrupted Monster in its lair."

    Cassie gave him a nod.

    "Indeed."

    He sighed.

    "Let me ask you this. Are you cr��"

    However, then, Sunny fell silent without finishing the question and suddenly cleared his throat in embarrassment.

    The blind girl frowned.

    "Are you alright?"

    Sunny waved a hand.

    "Yes, yes! Don't mind me. I, uh�� oh right, you haven't been back to the real world in a couple of months."

    One of the Fire Keepers raised an eyebrow, and asked with confusion:

    "Sure? Why is that important?"

    Sunny looked at him with an unreadable expression.

    "It's not. Don't worry about it. No, really... anyway, let's get back to the Corrupted Monster. How much do you guys know about that thing?"

    Cassie lingered for a few moments, then said:

    "We know its Rank and Class, the general characteristics, and a few details that the White Feather clan had shared with us. Master Roan had thought the thing in the past, but only briefly."

    Sunny looked at her, then shook his head.

    "Well, I don't know what he told you, but I've seen that monstrosity in action with my own two eyes. So let me paint you the picture��"

    He pointed to the Shipwreck Island on the map, and said in a dark tone:

    "The wreck is situated in the center of the island, and the creature itself made a nest in its main cargo hold. Don't think that you'll be safe before we reach the ship, though. Actually, its vines stretch beneath the ground throughout the whole island."

    He paused, and then added:

    "Since it's a Corrupted Monster, most of you won't even be able to cut the vines, let alone sever them. You don't have the Dawn Shard augmenting your Memories anymore, after all. However, if you do manage to cut the vines, each cut will produce a cloud of poisonous mist. There will be poison in the air whether you cut them or not, though, especially inside the wreck. There, breathing is almost impossible."

    With each word he said, the Fire Keepers grew more and more serious.

    ��However, they were still in too good of a mood!

    'What is wrong with these idiots?!'

    Sunny cleared his throat.

    "Oh, and by the way, there are other Nightmare Creatures on the island, too. Big nasty Fallen Beasts called Sailor Dolls."

    He hesitated, and then said:

    "Well, if there is one good about the whole situation, it's that the creature in the wreck usually slumbers until one of its vines is disturbed. Cassie told me that it is weak to fire. So my suggestion would be to just burn the whole ship down, and the scary bastard with it."

    The Fire Keepers glanced at each other with strange expressions.

    Cassie remained silent for a bit, and then said awkwardly:

    "...No, we can't burn the ship."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times.

    "And why, pray tell, is that?"

    She turned her head to the large wooden box in the corner, lingered for a moment, and then answered:

    "Because we are going to repair it."

 Chapter 514 Hidden Blade

    Sunny was at a loss for words.

    Had he even heard it right?

    "You are going to�� repair�� the ancient, broken, monster-infected ship?"

    Well�� it made a lot of sense, actually.

    Cassie nodded.

    "Yes. We are going to cleanse, repair, and make it fly again."

    Oh, so it was a flying ship, too!

    'Perfect!'

    Honestly, Sunny shouldn't have been surprised. All the clues had been there for a long time.

    He had already known that the ship depicted on the miraculous coins was, most likely, the very same that lay broken on the Shipwreck Island. The connection was pretty easy to make, considering that they looked alike, and that the coins had come from its treasury in the first place.

    Sunny had also asked himself the question of what a sailing ship was doing in the middle of Chained Isles, which had no sea and no rivers for it to sail on. The thought that it had actually been designed to fly through the skies had crossed his mind, among other things.

    And finally, on the coins, the ancient ship was shown as having a beautiful tree wrapped around its mast. It had also belonged to the enigmatic person called Noctis. Wasn't it too much of a coincidence, then, that Cassie had come to the Sanctuary of Noctis and ventured on a long expedition to a Desecrated Grove?

    The word "desecrated" implied that the burned grove had been sacred once. After all, only sacred things could be desecrated. And a sacred tree sounded exactly like something capable of making a massive ship fly.

    ��Right?

    Sunny stared at the large wooden box with a ponderous expression. After a while, he asked:

    "So what's in the box?"

    Cassie walked over and gently put a hand on its lid.

    "...A sapling. We spent two months searching for a living root in that ghastly place. And finally, deep underground, we found the only one that remained. The wondrous tree which kept the ancient ship afloat in the sky had come from that grove, once. The sapling will grow into a new one."

    She sighed, and then turned to the Fire Keepers:

    "Shakti and Kaor were Artisans back in the Bright Castle. Shakti is gifted with an Aspect that helps plants thrive, and was Kido's apprentice. Kaor is an Awakened carpenter. We have more people on the way to the Chained Isles, too, to help with the reconstruction."

    Sunny remained silent for a while.

    So she had been planning to commandeer the ancient wreck for a long time. From before he had come to invite her to challenge the Second Nightmare with him�� was it a coincidence? They were going to have to brave the Sky Below to get to the Seed, after all, and here was Cassie, conveniently planning to claim and repair a flying ship.

    How much did she really know?

    As if hearing his thoughts, Cassie turned to him. Her face suddenly turned somber.

    "...With this ship, we might be able to cross the Hollow Mountains. At least�� at least that is our hope."

    The Fire Keepers grew quiet. After a while, the familiar girl �� Shakti �� said in a dark tone:

    "We have to try, no matter what. Going there on foot is suicide. Maybe flying will be different."

    They were all really, really resolute in their desire to find Nephis, it seemed.

    And what about Sunny himself?

    Well�� things were complicated.

    He sighed.

    "Alright, that answers the question of why you want the ship, and how you might be able to repair it. But how are we going to defeat its current tenant without using fire? No offense, guys, but I really don't think that you can handle that fight. Maybe you can hold on for a while outside the wreck, but inside�� it's a death trap."

    The Fire Keepers looked at each other again. Finally, their mood turned dark.

    Cassie hesitated for a few moments, and then said:

    "We are going to kill it the old-fashioned way. Use someone as bait, and strike the monster down while it's distracted."

    Sunny rubbed his face.

    "Let me guess�� I am the bait?"

    The blind girl smiled, then shook her head.

    "No. We are the bait. You are the blade that will pierce the creature's heart from the shadows."

    That sounded solemn and sort of grand, but she immediately ruined the moment by adding in an awkward tone:

    "I mean�� uh�� if it has a heart. If it doesn't, then�� well, you know. Kill it some other way."

    'Not exactly the icon of eloquence, are we��'

    Sunny frowned.

    He did like the idea of not being the bait for once�� well, to be honest, Neph was usually the bait. Actually, this plan sort of made sense. He already knew that he could survive in the poisonous miasma inside the ship, and that with enough augmentations, the Cruel Sight could damage the vines.

    And that had happened even before he infused the [Dark Mirror] enchantment with divine flame. Yes, Sunny couldn't burn the ship itself, but that didn't mean that he couldn't deliver once surgical, immolating strike to the main body of the monster. The bastard was weak to fire, so the result would probably be nothing short of spectacular.

    The problem was�� would the Fire Keepers be able to keep the monster preoccupied long enough for Sunny to achieve his objective?

    He looked at them gravely, and asked:

    "Why are you all so sure that I can kill that thing?"

    One of the Fire Keepers shrugged:

    "You were in Lady Changing Star's cohort, were you not? She wouldn't trust just anybody to have her back. If she trusted in you, then so do we. No one weak survived the Forgotten Shore, anyway."

    Sunny barely suppressed a laugh.

    'Wouldn't trust just anybody to have her back��'

    Oh, the irony! He almost wanted to tell them about how Neph made the person literally sent into the Dream Ream to kill her the second-in-command.

    But of course, he did not.

    "Yes, I suppose I was in her cohort."

    Another Fire Keeper smiled.

    "Plus, Cassie thinks that you'll be able to do it. She is rarely wrong, you know."

    'Do I ever...'

    Sunny scowled.

    She wasn't wrong this time, however. In fact, her plan to deal with the thing that dwelled in the wreck was simple, but ingenious. Mostly because it relied on the only Awakened capable of delivering a fatal blow to such a creature... him. Without Sunny, it would have been really impossible.

    What a fortunate thing, that he needed her help with something else...

    He thought for a bit, and finally asked:

    "Are you guys certain that you can survive drawing the monster's attention? Even after everything I told you?"

    The young man who Cassie described as an Awakened Carpenter, Kaor, chuckled.

    "Pretty certain. As much as one can be certain about anything in the Dream Realm, I guess? All of us survived the siege, so we're aware of what we are signing up for. We have a good combination of Aspects and know how to work together. We even have a healer, which should help against the poison. Point is, we are as ready as we ever going to be."

    Sunny stared at him for a while, then looked down at the map, and sighed.

    "Alright, then. Let's kill a Corrupted Monster."

 Chapter 515 Traveling Together

    The next day, Sunny left the Sanctuary in the company of the Fire Keepers. Traveling across the Chained Isles with Cassie and her cohort proved to be somewhat inconvenient �� after all, they couldn't all turn into shadows and swiftly glide across heavenly chains as he could �� but also a much more safe and pleasant experience than he was used to.

    In fact, this was probably the most relaxed and serene journey Sunny had ever undertaken in the Dream Realm.

    Even if the party moved slower, it was also much more battle ready and capable than any solitary Awakened could ever dream to be. Each of the Fire Keepers was a talented fighter with years of experience under their belt, and more than that, they fought together like a singular, finely tuned battle machine.

    Even though Sunny didn't want to admit it, he had to give Cassie credit. Under her leadership, the cohort had become a beautifully cohesive battle unit in less than a year. She must have learned well from how Nephis had built her cohort, and then her army, back in the Dark City.

    The fact that these young men and women shared a common past and had gone through a harrowing hell together must have helped a lot, too.

    Whenever the party encountered Nightmare Creatures, Sunny felt a very strange and unfamiliar sensation�� it was almost as if he didn't have to do anything. He could literally remain still, and nothing would happen to him �� his temporary companions were more than capable of dealing with the abominations themselves.

    Of course, that was only because the route they were taking had been carefully chosen to avoid the really dangerous places. There was another reason for why this expedition was going so smoothly�� Cassie herself.

    Traveling with a powerful oracle was a very convenient thing, indeed. Not only was she able to steer the cohort clear of anything they were not equipped to deal with, she also had a supernatural intuition when it came to predicting which islands were going to enter into a descent, and which were going to rise instead.

    Thanks to that, they were able to avoid being caught by the Crushing and having to either endure it or scramble to escape to the nearest isle �� which could have landed them into the hunting territory of extremely powerful Nightmare Creatures.

    Just like before, Sunny and she worked together to make sure that nothing unexpected happened. With Cassie's intuition and his shadows scouting ahead, the cohort always had plenty of time to avoid a confrontation with dangerous abominations or thoroughly prepare for it.

    ...It was almost like the good old times.

    The fact that Sunny �� unlike the Fire Keepers, who had spent most of their time on the Chained Isles up north �� knew this part of the region pretty well also helped. On the way, they had passed through many islands that he had explored and hunted on before.

    Plus, he had the Covetous Coffer now, which made their rest stops and meals much more enjoyable. So, as far as traversing the Dream Realm went, this journey was almost enjoyable.

    After a calm and comparatively uneventful week, they finally reached the Shipwreck Island.

    ***

    This close to the Tear, the Nightmare Creatures were much more dangerous and vile. Sunny and the Fire Keepers were currently on the island he had visited before �� the one with dozens of stone towers laying in ruins, overgrown by moss, and monstrous worms hiding underground.

    They had just fought off a swarm of them, and were now approaching the edge of the isle. Soon, the sight of the gargantuan chain stretching into the distance opened to them, and they heard the sound of rusty metal scraping against ancient iron on the wind.

    p The Fire Keepers froze and stared at the distant Shipwreck Island... and the corpse of the metal giant that was entangled in the remnants of a broken chain, swaying slowly above the dark abyss of the Sky Below. They were as stunned by this forlorn visage as Sunny had been when he first saw the mangled remains of the steel colossus.

    After a while, one of them said:

    "That wound in his chest�� what kind of force could have shattered such a creature? And his arm�� we saw it already, didn't we?"

    Sunny didn't respond, since the question wasn't directed at him, and thus his Flaw remained silent.

    Another Fire Keeper lingered, then asked in a curious tone:

    "Maybe we should climb down and investigate, after taking control of the island?"

    Sunny glanced at her, then shook her head.

    "I wouldn't recommend that."

    The young woman raised an eyebrow.

    "Why?"

    A dark smile found its way onto his face.

    "You think the monster in the wreck is bad? The being that dwells on the dark side of the island is much, much worse. Believe me. And that giant is well within its reach. In fact, I think that it uses him as bait to feed on the Chain Worms�� those are Fallen Demons, by the way, and of a very nasty variety. They're just candy to that thing, though."

    The Fire Keepers turned their attention to the underside of the Shipwreck Island, which was shrouded in darkness. Their faces turned solemn, and after a while, one of them asked:

    "But what is it?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "I have no idea. I only saw the tip of its root. That is why I am still alive, most likely�� if I saw the whole thing, we wouldn't be having this conversation right now."

    After that, everyone remained silent. Sunny used that time to take another look at the two tall pillars that rose into the sky from the ancient stone structure on the other end of the chain.

    Now that he knew that the ancient ship had been a flying one, the purpose of these pillars became clear, too.

    They were wharves�� or rather, mooring masts. The flying ship had to dock to something, after all, when it was not braving the vast expanse of the sky.

    That made him think�� there were several such pillars on the island, which suggested that Noctis had not been the only one in possession of a sky vessel in the ancient past. Maybe flying ships were how all the inhabitants of the Chained Isles traveled across the chasms of the Sky Below.

    That made sense, really. The chains themselves were not exactly convenient roads, it's just that the Awakened used them for that purpose.

    But how had the captains of the flying ships dealt with the Crushing? Or had there been no such curse on the Chained Isles before Hope escaped from its bonds?

    His thoughts were interrupted by the loud rattling of the heavenly chain.

    The Shipwreck Island was descending.

    The Fire Keepers looked at each other. Their faces turned grim. Cassie gripped the hilt of the Quiet Dancer, and then said, her voice calm and steady:

    "Get ready. You all know the plan, so I won't waste time repeating it. Stay strong, stay together, and stay alive. Today, we will be victorious!"

    Sunny stretched his neck, then summoned the Cruel Sight.

    'Let's hope your intuition is right this time, too...'

 Chapter 516 Legacy Of Ruin

    Returning to the Shipwreck Island felt strange. It was almost exactly the same, but also different.

    They followed the remains of the ancient road and crested the hill to see the desolate valley below. The wreck of the once graceful ship was at its center, the dead tree wrapped around its mast. Thick vines were growing out of the breaches in its hull and spreading outward, some laying on the ground, some buried beneath it.

    Here and there, piles of wooden debris could be seen �� those were the Sailor Dolls, which had yet to assume their humanoid form after shapeshifting to withstand the Crushing.

    What had changed, however, was that there was no chain on the other side of the valley anymore. The Twisted Rock had been destroyed and crumbled into the Sky Below, and now, the Shipwreck Island directly bordered the Tear.

    Sunny felt as if the air itself was slightly different as the result.

    He gestured at the wooden debris and said:

    "Those are the Sailor Dolls. In a few minutes, they will assume their usual form, and after one notices us, the others will know of our presence, too. They'll swarm you pretty fast."

    The Fire Keepers had already summoned their weapons and were prepared for a fight. The faces were calm, cold concentration burning in their eyes.

    Cassie nodded.

    "This is it, then. We will see you on the other side."

    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then glanced at the members of the cohort. Out of habit, he had wanted to tell her to be careful, but then remembered who she was, and who he was, what they had been through together, and how it all ended.

    The corner of his mouth twitched.

    "...Give them hell."

    The Fire Keepers smiled. One of them laughed:

    "I'm pretty sure that this place is already enough of a hell�� you stay safe too, Sunny."

    He sighed, then took a step back and disappeared into the shadows. Safely hidden in their dark embrace, Sunny observed as the Fire Keepers moved forward in a flexible battle formation. A few seconds later, he followed behind them unseen.

    Soon, the piles of debris shuddered and started assembling into tall, menacing wooden humanoids, their arms ending with jagged blades.

    The Fire Keepers did not wait for the first one to lunge at them, and launched an attack themselves.

    Shakti, the former Artisan with an Aspect revolving around plants, drew a heavy bow, and sent an arrow flying. It hit the nearest abomination in the head and suddenly exploded into shards, creating a cloud of icy mist.

    The creature swayed, then turned to face them, one side of its body in shambled. As it moved toward the humans, a thin crust of ice formed on its limbs, slowing the doll down.

    Before it could strike with its blades, another Fire Keeper dashed forward and brought the blade of a heavy axe on its shoulder, severing one of the abomination's arms completely. Another appeared by his side, receiving a retaliatory strike on his shield. The young man grunted, but held his ground.

    A moment later, the Sailor Doll was dead, hacked into pieces by the rest of the cohort.

    'Not a bad start��'

    But that was just the beginning.

    Soon, the eight humans were surrounded by a dozen more Fallen Beasts, all towering above them with menacing, bloodthirsty determination. Things were about to turn bad for the Fire Keepers, but at that moment, Kaor �� the Artisan specializing in carpentry �� froze for a moment and narrowed his eyes. Immediately, a subtle change happened to the wooden creatures.

    While not really rendered weak, they did, however, become a bit sluggish and slow. That made it possible for the members of the cohort to hold against the onslaught of the Nightmare Creatures a whole Rank above their own.

    ��It was not easy, though.

    The Fire Keepers held their formation, but only just barely. The young men armed with the heavy axe was now using his Aspect Ability, which made the blade of his weapon shine with an angry red glow. It bit into the wooden flesh of the abomination he was fighting, penetrating much deeper than it should have been able to.

    His partner was like a wall, refusing to take even a step back. He blocked strike after strike with his heavy shield, lashing out from behind it with a short spear from time to time to keep the enemies from simply overwhelming him with their size and mass. This was the healer of the cohort, so his fortitude and grit came from his physical prowess alone, not from any kind of Ability.

    There was another Fire Keeper that used a shield, a young woman with dirty blond hair and an Aspect that allowed her to exert vicious strength with each strike of her sword. She fought in tandem with a young man who wielded two great swords�� in his four hands. The second pair appeared when he activated his own Aspect Ability. These two were quite devastating together.

    Shakti continued to fire her bow, switching between Memory arrows and mundane ones, which were crafted by Kaor. Her bow was powerful enough, and her aim precise enough, to deal heavy damage to the advancing Sailor Dolls. The carpenter himself was sustaining the strange hex he put on the abominations and covering her with a wooden staff in his hands, his face grim and full of resolve.

    Another Fire Keeper possessed an Aspect that allowed him to gift his companions with an augmentation to stamina and endurance, as well as making one of them much more resilient. He wielded a curved sword and covering Cassie's back.

    ��And then, there was Cassie herself. Who had turned out to be perhaps the most deadly of them all.

    She wielded the Quiet Dancer in one hand and a long dagger in the other, using it to deflect blows and launch an unexpected, quick attack from time to time. The delicate girl wasn't the strongest, nor was she the fastest of the Fire Keepers. However, she fought with confident grace and deadly insight resembling that of a true master.

    If it was anybody else, Sunny would have assumed that they had long reached the pinnacle of skill and were now able to not only flawlessly follow, but also control the flow of battle�� it reminded him of how Nephis fought, of how deeply attuned she was to the underlying laws that governed combat.

    Of course, the difference was that while Changing Star was able to predict and manipulate the cadence of battle due to her knowledge, talent, and skill�� Cassie could actually perceive a few moments into the future.

    Which made her a frightening presence on the battlefield.

    As Sunny watched, a towering Sailor Doll raised one of its blades and brought it down on the blind girl, aiming to cut her body in half. However, Cassie simply moved slightly to the side a split second before the blade would have sliced her apart, and lashed out with her dagger. At the same time, the Quiet Dancer suddenly flew out of her hand and shot through the air.

    The dagger pierced the creature's chest, while the rapier threw its second blade a few centimeters of course, then continued forward and tore through another abomination's neck.

    In the span of a second, two Fallen Beasts fell were heavily wounded, and soon fell dead to the ground.

    ��Still, Sunny recognized the truth of it behind the superficial appearance. Yes, Cassie had an incredible advantage due to her unique and powerful Aspect. But not just anyone would have been able to make use of it.

    In fact, almost no one could have done what she did.

    In the havoc of a battle �� especially a battle between Awakened and Nightmare Creatures, where a fraction of a second could mean the difference between life and death �� it was already immensely hard to perceive, comprehend, and react to the enemy's actions in time.

    It must have been so much harder, then, to perceive both the present and the future, to comprehend not one but two states of the battle, and swiftly act in response to achieve the result�� not to mention that Cassie was doing all that while being blind. The mental strain and burden o it all�� Sunny couldn't even imagine it.

    What he did know, however, was that it was impossible to perform such a feat without one crucial thing.

    Clarity.

    ��It seemed that Cassie had not listened to the lessons Nephis had taught them for nothing. She was Changing Star's other pupil, after all.

    Soon, the Fire Keepers had dealt with the first wave of the Sailor Dolls. But the second, larger one was already approaching.

    Before it could reach them, though, Cassie grabbed the Quiet Dancer from the air, turned to her cohort, and yelled:

    "Prepare!"

    Then, she covered her mouth and nose with a hand, turned the rapier down�� and thrust it deep into the earth.

    A moment later, the ground shook.

 Chapter 517 Baiting The Monster

    Suddenly, the whole of the valley seemed to be moving. The ground shook and seethed, and slowly, green and brown vines started rising from beneath it like vile snakes.

    The hulking Sailor Dolls that were about to descend upon the Fire Keepers froze, as if consumed by fear. Then, they turned around and stumbled away. Some simply crumbled into piles of debris, pretending to be dead.

    Even these Fallen Beasts were terrified of the being that dwelled in the heart of the ancient wreck.

    Cassie and her cohort, however, remained unperturbed. Moving with swift determination, they made their preparations. Just a moment after the blind oracle thrust her rapier into the ground, the Fire Keepers had strips of cloth wrapped around their mouths and noses. The corpses of the slain Sailor Dolls were dragged to form a circle around them and set aflame.

    Soon, the cohort was surrounded by a ring of tall bonfires, the eight Awakened bathed in the waves of heat. They stood back to back, their weapons drawn and their faces full of grim resolve. Only Shakti was on one knee, her hand pressed to the ground. After a moment, she screamed something.

    ��Sunny was still observing from the shadows, his emotions in turmoil. Although he would no go so far as to call these young people friends, he had grown somewhat attached to them after going through the ordeal of the civil war in the Bright Castle and traveling together. These Fire Keepers were a likable sort.

    He didn't want to watch them die while doing nothing.

    But that was his role in this fight�� he had to remain safely hidden until the Corrupted Monster's attention was fully concentrated on Cassie's cohort, and then deliver one decisive strike, ending it all.

    That time had not come yet.

    Consumed by dark discontent, Sunny continued to watch.

    Reacting to Shakti's scream, one of the Fire Keepers suddenly dashed to the side. A fraction of a second later, the moss beneath his feet was pierced by a stem of a brown vine. It thrashed blindly, failing to catch anyone in its deadly embrace, but then seemed to have sensed the presence of life, and shot toward the nearest human.

    The vine was as thick as a man's arm, and there were black thorns protruding from its glistening surface.

    One of the Fire Keepers sliced at it with her sword, but the sharp blade just bounced off of the vine without leaving even a scratch on its surface. Two others simply fell on it, pressing the thing down with their shields. That gave enough time for the young man whose Aspect allowed him to enhance his weapon-type Memories to bring his glowing axe down, severing the vine.

    As soon as he did, a cloud of poisonous mist shot out from the cut, enveloping the young man. Luckily, he knew to hold his breath and immediately jumped back. Cassie, who had sheathed her rapier and was now holding a familiar wooden staff, pointed it forward and summoned the wind. The cloud of poison was blown toward the bonfires and devoured by flame.

    '...That axe is an Ascended Memory.'

    Indeed, it was. In fact, all of the Fire Keepers seemed to be equipped rather well, and several of them wielded weapons above their Rank.

    Quiet Dancer was also not the only Echo in their possession. Just as another vine appeared from the flames, its stem singed and damaged, a familiar shape suddenly weaved itself from sparks of light just beyond the ring of bonfires and pounced on it. It was a creature that looked like a giant praying mantis, its flesh composed of glass and bloodred clay.

    Sunny remembered seeing these creatures during the siege of the Crimson Spire.

    Two scythes came down on the vine, and bit deep into it. A moment later, the mantis dashed away with incredible speed, avoiding being entangled and shredded to pieces by the jagged black thorns.

    Despite this efficient start, more and more vines were crawling toward the circle of fire, and several more appeared from beneath the ground inside it. With each moment that passed, the size of the vines attacking the Fire Keepers was bound to increase, too. The further from the wreck, the thinner and weaker the vines were.

    But closer to the ancient ship, truly monstrous ones were already in motion, spreading outward with murderous intent. It was as though the monster was slowly unfurling its long limbs�� which both spelled doom for the cohort of Awakened and was their intent.

    Only when the primary vines were too far away from the main body of the creature to return at once could Sunny make his move. After that, he was either going to succeed and end the whole battle, preventing the Fire Keepers from perishing in the flood of vines�� or they were all going to die together.

    That moment of truth was swiftly approaching.

    Faced with more and more vines, Cassie and her cohort did their best to resist. They cut apart those that were damaged by the fire enough for their weapons to become effective, and concentrated the efforts of several members on those which did not. But no matter how hard they fought, soon, the scales started to tilt in the favor of the Corrupted Monster.

    Their formation was on the verge of being broken, and their actions, perfectly coordinated at first, were slowly turning desperate and hectic. Despite its terrifying speed, the Echo of the bloodred mantis was finally caught by the vines.

    Its glass body was immediately shredded, and the creature was only saved from being completely destroyed by the swift reaction of its master, who dismissed it just in time.

    ��That was the moment when the primary vines finally reached the ring of bonfires.

    Sunny threw one last glance at the desperately fighting Fire Keepers. His gaze lingered on Cassie, who wielded her long dagger at the head of the cohort, for a few moments.

    Then, he turned away and stepped through the shadows.

    A second later, Sunny emerged from the gloomy shadow on the hull of the ancient ship, far away from the mayhem of battle��

    And very close to the terrifying creature that was the source of all that horror.

    Summoning the Cruel Sight, Sunny held his breath, and jumped into the darkness nesting in a jagged breach in the hull.

    It was time for him to play his role.

 Chapter 518 Cargo Hold

    Landing into the poisonous miasma of the ancient wreck, Sunny immediately turned into a shadow and glided over the ancient wooden boards, which were long ago overgrown with brown moss and bulging, thorned vines.

    To be honest, he would have preferred to move through the ship as a human. Sunny knew that he was going to inhale at least some of the poison while fighting the being that dwelled in the cargo hold, so having some time to get accustomed to the debilitating effect of the toxin was better than going through that process in the middle of the battle.

    But he couldn't risk getting noticed too soon. The whole battle was supposed to be over in just a few moments, anyway... alas, Sunny had little hope that everything was going to go as planned.

    His previous experiences had taught him that very few things ever did.

    Remembering the path he had taken during the hunt for Noctis coins, Sunny glided through the narrow corridors. This time, they were vastly different from how they had been before�� after all, the monster was wide awake now.

    The vines sprawling through the ancient wreck were pulsating and moving, spouting clouds of deadly mist. The air was murky and full of disturbing sounds of something slithering beyond the wooden bulkheads. It was as though Sunny was inside a giant, living organism.

    A virus cell that invaded the ancient wreck to kill its host.

    ��Luckily, these were mostly just the roots of the vile vines. The parts that were really mobile and dangerous were far away, currently killing the cohort of Fire Keepers.

    Suddenly grim, Sunny increased his speed, and soon reached the gates of the cargo hold, which were bent outward, as if straining to contain something pressing on them from the other side.

    He could feel the vast space beyond the gate, and a massive shadow of the creature in its center, its form rhythmically expanding and contracting, as if breathing. With each contraction, a wave of warm wind blew through the remnants of the flying ship.

    He lingered for a fraction of a second, and then gathered his resolve.

    There was no time to waste.

    Spending a small fraction of his essence to step through the shadows once more, Sunny appeared in the cargo hold�� and froze, slightly stunned by the terrible visage of the Corrupted Monster.

    'What�� what the hell�� is that?'

    The cargo hold was very large, and filled almost entirely with thick, brown vines that snaked outward and disappeared in the breaches in the ancient wood. They all originated from a single source�� a vast, pulsating mass of moss in its center.

    In the very heart of the mass, however��

    There was a shape of a human, their body twisted in a terrible convulsion. Sunny couldn't tell if the human was a man or a woman, alive or dead, but he was sure of one thing�� the vines sprawling through the entire island all came from within the flesh of that creature.

    They grew from the mouth of the abhorrent corpse, from their ears, piercing their chest and abdomen, snaking from beneath the skin of their arms and legs. The sight of it was both terrifying and repulsive, but most of all, it was�� ghoulishly wrong.

    It was as though the vines had once exploded from the body of the ancient human, killing them, but also somehow keeping them alive and breathing. And as long as the human breathed, the vines would continue to exist and grow, too, slowly absorbing the ancient ship, the valley beyond, all of the Shipwreck Island, and then, one day�� who knew?

    ? 'That�� that is the thing I need to kill?'

    Sunny had seen many horrors in his life, and killed his fair share of them, but no matter how experienced and powerful he became, there were things that humans were just not meant to be able to behold calmly. Staring at the ghastly being trapped in the cargo hold of the flying ship, Sunny didn't lose his composure or resolve�� but he couldn't help but feel a deep, cold sense of fear.

    Fear, however, was a welcomed guest�� fear told him that he was still sane, and had some measure of humanity left in his soul. As long as Sunny did not surrender to fear, it was alright to feel it from time to time.

    'One strike�� get close, exit the shadows, and thrust the Cruel Sight into its chest. The divine flame is going to do the rest.'

    Steeling himself, he began to glide forward, trying to traverse the vast cargo hold as quickly as possible.

    The plan, however, went wrong just a moment later.

    Because as soon as Sunny moved, and long before he was able to get anywhere near the terrible creature, the corpse suddenly opened its eyes.

    Those eyes were empty, dead, and as dark as the abyss of the Sky Below.

    ��And they were staring directly at him, as if the creature could easily pierce the veil of darkness and separate the intruding shadow from all the rest.

    Sunny was caught.

    'N��no way��'

    He froze for a fraction of a second, stunned by the fact that the incredible stealth augmentation of his Aspect was broken with such ease.

    And then, all hell broke loose.

    ***

    Sunny's first thought was to retreat and run as fast as he could. After all, he was currently a shadow�� and as far as he knew, thorny vines and poison were not capable of harming a shadow.

    But if he did so, the Fire Keepers were going to die.

    And more than that, he was determined to kill this thing. He wanted its shadow fragments, its Memory �� if there were to be one �� and its secrets. The terrible creature had to die for his plans to go smoothly, for his challenge of the Second Nightmare to have as high a chance of success as possible.

    So, he didn't run.

    Instead, Sunny dashed forward, flying toward the pulsating mass of brown moss and vines with as much speed as he could muster. It was only going to take him a second to reach the ghastly corpse, as long as simply stepping through the shadows would.

    However, the host of the ancient wreck did not remain idle.

    Countless vines sprawling on the floor and the walls of the cargo hold suddenly surged, spewing clouds of poison, and more emerged from the mangled flesh of the ancient being.

    These vines, however, did not shoot at Sunny in a futile attempt to catch a shadow.

    Instead, they flew upward, tearing the hull of the ship apart.

    Bright sunlight flooded through the wide breach, and as it banished the shadows populating the cargo hold, Sunny was suddenly expelled from their safe embrace, rolling on the floor while the sharp thorns of the vines bit into his flesh through the fabric of the Puppeteer's Shroud.

    His thoughts were in a state of momentary panic.

    '...Not good!'

 Chapter 519 Trapped

    Sunny rolled over his shoulder and jumped to his feet, the blade of the Cruel Sight slicing through a vine that was flying through the air to ensnare him. Blood was streaming down his back, and poison was entering his lungs.

    What's worse, a concentrated dose of it must have been infused into his bloodstream by the black thorns. Sunny suddenly felt feverish and weak, and a sense of cold paralysis was spreading through the left side of his body, which took the most damage.

    He was still able to move, and Blood Weave was already working to contain and devour the toxin. But before it prevailed, Sunny was in a dire situation.

    Gritting his teeth, he dashed to the side, hoping to escape the sunlight and use Shadow Step to reach the abominable creature in the center of the cargo hold. Before he could dive into the saving darkness of the shadows, however, a massive vine crushed into the floorboards, shattering them and barring his way.

    Sunny froze for a fraction of a second, realizing that there was nowhere to escape. Dozens of vines were already moving in his direction, glistening in the sunlight as clouds of murky mist escaped from the pores on their surface. Even though the root section of the vines was not very mobile, the sheer amount of them made it almost impossible to survive the onslaught.

    What's worse, the vines were contracting, pulling more and more of their length into the cargo hold.

    He cursed.

    ...At least the pressure on the Fire Keepers should have diminished.

    Sunny, however... Sunny was one moment away from being killed.

    He was not going to be able to reach the monster without the help of the shadows, but bathed in the merciless sunlight, he also had no chance of diving into their embrace.

    All he could do was use his own.

    Commanding one of the shadows to unwrap itself from his body, Sunny sent it toward the ghastly corpse and staggered as the strength and resilience provided by it disappeared. The second shadow slid from the Cruel Sight and attached itself to his feet, meant to serve as a threshold through which he was going to step.

    Now, all he had to do was to survive the short second it was going to take the first shadow to reach its goal.

    ��That was easier said than done.

    Straining the flexibility of his body to its limit, Sunny felt his joint groan and his tendons tremble on the verge of tearing apart. Twisting at an almost impossible angle, he dodged one of the vines, placed his hand on the spongy carpet of the brown moss, and performed a bizarre spin, narrowly sliding between two more.

    If not for the torturous training he had put himself through to accommodate the inhuman demands of Shadow Dance, this would have been impossible.

    Feeling the skin of his palm burn, as though submerged in stomach acid, he retrieved his hand from the brown moss and immediately jumped backward to save himself from being entangled in the slithering vines. He was swift enough to avoid being caught, but not swift enough to escape unscathed. The black thorns tore into his right side, and more blood flowed down his body, while more poison entered his bloodstream.

    "Argh!"

    Sunny ducked, dashed desperately to the side, then rolled and threw himself upward from an impossible position, feeling his ligaments rip. Dodging the swarm of vines was like being a fly surrounded by a contracting mass of spiderwebs.

    Luckily, he only had to survive in their lethal, moving maze for a second.

    Before the vines could turn into an impenetrable barrier all around him, Sunny dove into his shadow and emerged right in front of the vile mass of brown moss�� and the remains of the human encased within it.

    The Cruel Sight flashed with pure light, and in one fluid motion, he thrust its incandescent blade into the chest of the monster.

    'Got you!'

    And then��

    Nothing happened.

    The corpse didn't react to receiving a mortal wound at all. Its ghastly face remained unmoving, its eyes full of terrifying emptiness, its body a harrowing mess of torn flesh and slithering brown vines.

    The mass of moss continued to contract and expand, and the vines themselves continued to pursue the invader. Even the divine flame seemed to have no effect on the Corrupted Monster.

    Sunny paled.

    'Crap��'

    ***

    He twisted the Cruel Sight, hoping that it would have some effect, but all was in vain. The Corrupted Monster simply refused to die, for whatever reason, and the ancient remains that were its source appeared to be immune to flame, even if the vines themselves were susceptible to it.

    The information Cassie shared with him came from Master Roan, who had fought the vines once. But he had never entered the wreck, so of course, the dashing griffin rider couldn't have known that the creature itself did not share the weaknesses of its sprawling thorned limbs.

    'Damn! Now what?!'

    The vines were already upon him��

    Before they could ensnare Sunny, though, two ruby eyes ignited in his shadow, and a graceful figure of the demonic knight lunged forward out of it. The blade of her stonelike sword flashed through the air, easily severing several vines, and then her shield crashed into the slithering vernicose wall, pushing it away and making the whole cargo hold shudder.

    Now that Saint was Ascended, and augmented by one of his shadows, her strength was truly frightening. The taciturn demon spun in the mass of vines, cutting them down like a demented gardener. For a moment, none of them could reach her.

    Sunny wrapped the second shadow around himself and retrieve the Cruel Sight, thinking feverishly.

    'What the hell�� how do I kill this thing?!'

    He could try to place the Broken Oath near it and retreat�� but no, that wouldn't work. Unlike the Mordant Mimic, who had been paralyzed by the Crushing, the being trapped in the cargo hold of the ancient ship could simply move the charm away with one of its vines, or crush it.

    And if Sunny tried to prevent it from doing so, he would succumb to the soul damage first. Even with the help of the Mantle of the Underworld, he would still be just an Awakened�� a Corrupted Monster's soul was much, much more vast and resilient.

    Leaving Saint to fend for herself was also not an option, since even with her newfound might, she had no chance of surviving in a battle against this powerful creature alone. Not all Corrupted Monsters were created equal, and the two fo them had the misfortune of stumbling on an especially dreadful one.

    So�� what else was there?!

    Sunny couldn't damage the abhorrent abomination itself�� but he could damage the vines. That would buy him some time to come up with a solution, at least��

    Jumping back, he sliced at the root of a thick vine growing out of the ancient human's forearm, severing it. As a side effect of this attack, the corpse seemed to retrieve some control of its hand, which slowly rose and stretched toward Sunny.

    'Damn!'

    Suddenly feeling a sickening, cold sensation in his heart, he hurried to create as much distance between himself and the corpse as he could.

    However, the abomination didn't seem to be launching an attack. Its hand strained to rise, held down by the mass of vines growing from it. Struggling against this terrible burden, it twitched and moved slightly, then froze. One of its fingers trembled.

    The creature�� seemed to be pointing at something.

    And for the first time, the expression in its empty eyes changed, betraying that there was still a hint of consciousness trapped in this mangled body.

    Those terrible eyes were not burning with bloodlust, hunger, or wrath. Instead, they were full of harrowing agony and�� pleading.

 Chapter 520 Deliverance

    Sunny almost stumbled because of the terrible realization.

    Was the mutilated body inside the nest of moss�� still alive?

    'How could that be?'

    Thousands of years must have passed since the flying ship crashed on this desolate island. How long had this poor soul suffered this harrowing torture? What sin had they committed, and who had doomed them for an eternity of ghastly suffering? How had the vines ended up growing from their flesh, and why?

    But most importantly�� how the hell was that mangled thing not dead?! Even divine flame was powerless to end its grisly, gruesome existence.

    If Sunny could find the answer, maybe he would be able to kill the Corrupted Monster, after all.

    Using the momentary lull in the onslaught of the vines that Saint's appearance had bought him, he faced away from the fight and tried to understand what the host of the abominable growth was pointing at.

    He desperately hoped that the ancient human was, indeed, trying to point at something, and not just convulsing in terrible pain.

    'Where is it�� what is it��'

    His gaze flew to a certain point on the wall of the cargo hold and lingered on it.

    At first glance, there was nothing different about it. That section of the bulkhead was just like all the rest, ancient and overgrown with brown moss. But as he looked closer, he noticed a small gap in the layer of moss, as well as a strange bend to the vines growing on that particular wall.

    It was as though they, too, wanted to avoid something lodged into the wooden boards.

    That had to be it!

    However, Sunny didn't see anything in the small circular gap, just a splinter of wood sticking out of it at a sharp angle. His heart was beating like a wild beast in a cage, consumed equally by hope and despair.

    Throwing a glance at Saint, who was slowly drowning in the flood of slithering vines, he hesitated for a moment, and then rushed toward the wall instead of joining her in the fight.

    'There has to be something�� there has to be!'

    He was certain that the ancient human pointed at that section of the wall for a reason. Or rather, he hoped that they had��

    Jumping over an attacking vine and staggering sideways to avoid another one, Sunny slashed, hacked, and tore his way through the cargo hold, feeling more wounds appearing on his body and more poison flowing through his bloodstream.

    At this point, even Blood Weave was having trouble resisting the deadly toxin. Well�� it was miraculous enough that he could withstand it at all, considering that the poison came from a creature two whole Ranks above Sunny. Weaver's lineage was, indeed, a terrifying thing. Maybe there was a reason for why it was described as forbidden��

    Finally, Sunny sliced through the last vine in his way, leaving it broken and singed, and crashed into the overgrown bulkhead near the small gap in the brown moss. Drawing in a hoarse breath, he stared at it with enough intensity to melt stones.

    'Wait�� is it?'

    His eyes widened slightly.

    The thing that he had thought to be a splinter turned out to be something else.

    Out there on the wall of the cargo hold, thrust deeply into it by someone's hand, was a rather simple-looking knife. Its shape, however, was very familiar to Sunny.

    It was exactly the same as the knife that lay on the white altar of the Sanctuary of Noctis, except for the fact that this one wasn't cut from a single piece of obsidian.

    However, it also wasn't cut from ivory.

    ...Instead, it seemed to be made entirely of wood, as if a tree branch had somehow grown in the shape of a knife, and was then broken off to become one.

    'What does it mean?'

    Sunny allowed himself to remain confused and perplexed for a split second, and then decisively grabbed the handle of the knife.

    'Act now, think later! Damn it all... please don't tell me that I need a thousand coins to lift this one, too!'

    Luckily, this time, there was no need for an offering. Although it took some effort, a moment later, the wooden blade slid from where it was thrust into the wall, and Sunny found himself holding the Cruel Sight in one hand, and the strange wooden knife in the other.

    Something else happened, though.

    As soon as he laid his hands on the wooden handle, all the vines in the cargo hold surged in his direction with frenzied fury, utterly forgetting about Saint and her vicious sword.

    Sunny paled.

    'Crap!'

    Before the mass of slithering vines could crush him, he abandoned all attempts to escape and thrust his hand forward instead.

    ��The wooden knife slipped from his grip, cut a sharp arc in the air, and was nimbly caught by Saint.

    Without wasting the opportunity that the sudden shift in the Corrupted Monster's behavior gave her, the taciturn demon immediately dashed toward the pulsating mass of brown moss�� and thrust the wooden knife right into one of the ancient human's empty eyes.

    In the next moment, the whole wreck shuddered.

    The mass of moss violently contracted, throwing Saint away. The vines suddenly lost any semblance of cohesion and thrashed violently, forcing Sunny to retreat as close to the wall as he could. Still, the sea of black thorns was mere centimeters away from his face, raging in a storm of chaotic movements.

    Even the brown moss he was pressed against seemed to be convulsing, as if overwhelmed by unbearable pain.

    Despite all that, the only thing Sunny saw was the one remaining eyes of the terribly malformed ancient human.

    It stared at him for a few moments, the emptiness and darkness slowly giving way to something else. A feeling of relief so vast that it was almost beyond the concept of emotion.

    Then, that look of deliverance was gone, too.

    The terrible eye was empty once again, now truly and forever.

    The head of the ancient human lifelessly rolled back.

    And as soon as it did, the vines suddenly fell to the ground, too, dead and motionless.

    Suddenly weak, Sunny powerlessly slid to the floor.

    The voice of the Spell whispered into his ear:

    [You have slain a Corrupted Monster, Wormvine.]

    [You have slain a Transcendent human, Solvane.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

 Chapter 521 Undying Chain

    Sitting on the floor of the cargo hold, with his back against the soft and spongy layer of rotting brown moss, Sunny bent down and spat a mouthful of blood. Breathing hoarsely, he stared at it for a moment, and then tiredly leaned back.

    He did not feel too well.

    [...Your shadow grows stronger.]

    A bitter smile appeared on his face.

    'What? Is that all?'

    After all that had just happened, Sunny felt that he really deserved more.

    This time, his hopes were not for naught.

    The Spell remained silent for a bit, as though to torture him, and then added:

    [You have received a Memory.]

    '...Better.'

    After that, he groaned and coughed some more blood.

    All around Sunny, the brown moss was rotting, withering, and turning into dust. The same thing was happening to the vile mass of vines, albeit at a slower rate. Now that both the Corrupted Monster and its host were dead, the ancient wreck seemed to be cleansing itself.

    He couldn't be bothered to pay attention to these changes, though, and was fully concentrated on his own miserable state.

    Even though the whole battle took less than a minute, Sunny had sustained a lot of damage. His body was pierced and torn by the black thorns, and he had too much poison running through his veins. One of his ligaments seemed to be seriously torn, too, which brought him a lot of pain now that the adrenalin was starting to dissipate.

    The Puppeteer's Shroud was a wonderful armor and accompanied him on his misadventures from almost the very start of it all, but Sunny had to reluctantly admit that with the caliber of enemies he was facing these days, its protective qualities left a lot to be desired. Sadly, even such a powerful Memory could not keep up with the progress of its master.

    If there was one good thing about his condition, though, it was that the effects of the poison did not seem to be growing stronger. Blood Weave had the situation under control, and he was bound to feel better soon.

    In any case, the battle was over. The plan worked, in the end, even if killing the Wormvine had turned out to be much more complicated than anyone would have thought. Still, somehow, Sunny had managed to achieve his goal.

    The Fire Keepers�� if they were still alive�� were going to have to clean up the remaining Sailor Dolls should the beasts regain their courage after the Corrupted Monster's death, but he couldn't muster enough energy to care, at the moment.

    Saint stared at the quickly disintegrating corpse of the person who had once been called Solvane for a bit, then walked over and stood above him silently, looking away in her usual indifferent manner.

    Sunny rested for a while, not even summoning the runes to take a look at his new Memory. Slowly, his exhaustion diminished, and he could think clearly once again.

    As that happened, numerous questions inevitably assaulted his mind.

    What had happened in the cargo hold of the ancient ship was just too peculiar��

    Who was Solvane, and how had they ended up as the host of the Wormvine? How had they survived for thousands of years? Why was Solvane immune to divine flame and couldn't be harmed by the Cruel Sight, but succumbed to one strike of the wooden knife?

    Where had that knife come from, in the first place? And why was it so similar to the obsidian one that lay on the altar in the Sanctuary of Noctis?

    As Sunny considered all these questions and found no answers, one thought gradually encompassed all the others:

    'A Saint�� I killed a Saint?'

    The Spell had described Solvane as a Transcendent human, which was what Saints were really called. Sunny knew it to be true, but still couldn't quite believe it.

    He was not someone to sell himself short, but not even in his wildest dreams had Sunny ever considered being able to kill a Saint�� at least not at his current Rank. Saints were simply creatures of another plane, unrivaled demigods with enough power to level entire cities.

    Technically, a Corrupted Monster was of the same Rank as a Saint, and even possessed one more soul core�� but there was no comparison. Due to their Aspects and nature, Transcendent humans were much more of a force to be reckoned with than any beast or monster could ever hope to be. Only a devil of the same Rank, or maybe a powerful demon, could stand a chance in a battle against them.

    And yet, Sunny had killed one.

    He had also killed a Corrupted Monster, with the same strike.

    Well, technically, it was Saint who had delivered the strike�� but it didn't matter. The result was the same.

    'Now that is definitely something that no one is going to believe, huh?'

    Sunny chuckled, then grimaced from pain, and finally summoned the runes.

    The first thing he did was check his fragments. The number was just as he expected:

    Shadow Fragments: [1958/2000].

    He had managed to kill a few Nightmare Creatures on the way to the Shipwreck Island, and killing a human and a monster two Ranks above him gave twelve more fragments �� four from the Saint, and eight from the Wormvine. Sunny sighed, lamenting the unfairness of his Aspect for the thousandth time, and looked at the list of his Memories.

    New runes appeared at the end of the list. He held his breath and read:

    Memory: [Undying Chain.]

    Memory Rank: Transcendent.

    His heart started to beat faster.

    'At long last!'

    This was the first Transcendent Memory he had acquired�� which was a very pleasant milestone. Granted, an Awakened like him was not even supposed to have Ascended Memories, let alone something one whole Rank higher.

    But then, an average Awakened rarely had to fight things above their Rank, too.

    Pleased, Sunny continued to read:

    Memory Tier: III.

    'Huh?'

    How was this possible? The Memory could have either come from the Wormvine, in which case it was supposed to be of the second tier, or from Solvane, in which case it was supposed to be of the first.

    However, it seemed as though the Undying Chain had actually come from both of his kills, maybe because Solvane and the parasitic Wormvine were irrevocably connected. As such, it ended up being of the third tier!

    Sunny had not even known that something like that was possible.

    Even more pleased, he grinned in satisfaction and returned his attention to the runes:

    Memory Type: Armor.

    His eyes glistened.

    "Now that... that's what I'm talking about!"

 Chapter 522 Lnvincible

    Sunny was really beyond himself. A good armor was exactly what he needed�� and what could be better than a Transcendent one? Most of the enemies he fought would not even be able to scratch it, let alone pierce it!

    His smile turned a little bitter when he remembered receiving the Puppeteer's Shroud and imagining how he would be nearly invincible to all the dormant creatures trying to attack him come winter solstice.

    Who knew that he would end up in a place where there was not even a single dormant bastard around? Not counting Sunny himself and all the other misfortunate Sleepers on the Forgotten Shore, of course.

    Still, he would have died a hundred times if it hadn't been for the Puppeteer's Shroud. The Undying Chain was an undeniable improvement, so he had high hopes for it.

    Moving his gaze lower, he read the armor's description:

    Memory Description: [In a beautiful tower at the end of the world, desire was bound by seven brilliant shackles. She was meant to be chained there forever, and so her shackles were made eternal. Yet in the end, desire was unleashed upon the world. Her shackles were destroyed, and the will of the gods was broken.]

    Sunny stared at the shimmering runes, wondering.

    He knew that the Spell, for whatever reason, behaved strangely when speaking about daemons. In fact, he had never seen or heard it use that term, as though the word itself was somehow forbidden. Sunny only learned it from the writings left behind by the prisoner of the hidden cell beneath the ruined cathedral in the Dark City.

    The closest the Spell had ever come to mentioning the word daemon was calling the Prince of the Underworld a prideful demon.

    Yet, there was no doubt that the desire it spoke about here was a daemon�� the Demon of Hope, who had been once chained in the Ivory Tower. Sunny had seen the place where she had been imprisoned himself, as well as the Seed of Nightmare growing from her broken shackles.

    At first glance, the meaning of the description was rather obvious. Or at least it was to him, with how much he already knew.

    But something told Sunny that it wasn't.

    The thing that didn't seem to add up was the fact that he had received the Undying Chain for killing Solvane �� or the Wormvine �� both of whom had seemingly nothing to do with the description.

    Unless he was thinking about it all wrong��

    Wormvine was susceptible to fire, as well as other means of dealing damage powerful enough to wound the abomination's flesh. But Solvane�� was not so simple. The Saint from whose flesh the terrible monster had been born seemed immune to any form of harm, including the immolating divine flame.

    Almost as if Solvane was... immortal.

    That would certainly explain how the poor Saint had survived thousands of years of harrowing torture after becoming Wormvine's host, and why the Memory Sunny received from their death had the epithet of Undying.

    Was there a second, less literal meaning to the seven brilliant shackles mentioned in the description of the Undying Chain? Which, apparently, were made eternal��

    Just like Solvane had been.

    Sunny frowned.

    'This is just too weird��'

    Even if his tentative theory was technically not impossible, the existence of the wooden knife went against it. What was that knife, and why had it killed Solvane when nothing else seemed to have been able to?

    The knives, perhaps, were an even greater mystery.

    In any case, he didn't have enough information yet to try and glean the truth. With a sigh, Sunny returned to the runes. Learning what his new armor could do was much more interesting than trying to guess at the ancient mysteries with no clues, anyway.

    Memory Enchantments: [Chains of Longing], [Brilliant Will], [Undying].

    [Chains of Longing] Enchantments Description: "This armor provides the wearer with high protection against mind attacks."

    Sunny blinked.

    'What are the chances?'

    Resistance to mind attacks was the second-rarest form of protection, right after resistance to soul damage. And yet, this was the third armor-type Memory he had received that boasted it. His luck was incredibly good!

    ��Or maybe his tendency to run into especially terrible monsters was incredibly bad.

    In any case, this enchantment made sense. If this Memory was connected to the imprisonment of Hope, whose powers had been most likely tied to mind manipulation, then having protection against such attacks was logical.

    The fact that the Undying Chain had only three enchantments, as opposed to five of the Mantle of the Underworld, was also to be expected. The tier of a Memory seemed to dictate how many enchantments it could accommodate, and the Mantle, despite being of a lower Rank, was higher by a few tiers.

    The second enchantment of the Undying Chain was very interesting.

    [Brilliant Will] Enchantments Description: "This armor becomes stronger when worn by those of divinity."

    Sunny grinned.

    Even without looking at the Undying Chain and its spellweave, he could tell how this enchantment worked. It was an overall enhancement based on how high the wearer's divine affinity was. Which meant that a random Awakened would not receive any augmentation to the resilience of their armor, while someone with the [Mark of Divinity] Attribute would receive a decent amount.

    Sunny, though? With his [Ember of Divinity], the augmentation would be enhanced threefold. It was a very solid enchantment.

    'This is great!'

    When his eyes fell on the third enchantment, though, he forgot all about his previous joy, intense as it was. His eyes widened slightly.

    The runes read:

    [Undying] Enchantment Description: "The wearer can not die."

    Sunny tilted his head.

    '...What?'

    Being unable to die surely sounded great�� even if he had just seen what terrible fate had befallen Solvane.

    However, Sunny quickly realized the limitations of this seemingly breathtaking enchantment. Unlike [Chains of Longing] and [Radiant Will], [Undying] was an active one. And he was willing to bet that sustaining it required an ocean of souls essence.

    Considering that Sunny was just an Awakened, his reserves would probably only amount to one moment of immortality.

    Still, one moment of immortality was more than fantastic!

    '...If used wisely.'

    Sunny could imagine a lot of situations where this enchantment could save his life�� but even more where using it would only amount to postponing his death by a fraction of a second.

    It was an amazing, but very dangerous tool.

    Full of thought, but extremely satisfied, Sunny stood up.

    Gunlaug, too, had possessed a Transcendent armor�� however, his golden Echo now felt inferior to the [Undying Chain]. The Bright Lord seemed so invincible and terrifying once, but Sunny had long surpassed him. And now, his arsenal did, as well.

    ...It was a strange feeling.

    With a sigh, Sunny dismissed the torn and bloodied Puppeteer's Shroud, then summoned the [Undying Chain].

    Immediately, a slender metal armor weaved itself from nothingness around his body. It was forged out of lusterless, bleak steel�� which looked very similar to the iron from which the heavenly chains themselves were made.

    The armor covered his body almost entirely, and the few gaps left between the fitted plates of steel showed a layer of thin, but incredibly strong chain mail underneath. His face became hidden behind a helmet that looked like a featureless mask, with only several vertical lines cut into it to provide a decent level of visibility.

    Shadow nested in the slits of the visor, creating a dark and ominous visage.

    There was a piece of black cloth wrapped around his waist, held in place by a wide belt fashioned out of dark leather, as well as a hood that provided additional protection to his head and neck.

    Surprisingly, the armor didn't seem very heavy, and neither did it restrict his mobility by much. The design was so intricate, and the steel plates fitted so perfectly to his body and to each other that it felt like a second layer of skin�� if that skin was cast of impenetrable steel.

    Of course, the Undying Chain wasn't as light as the Puppeteer's Shroud, but Sunny could move freely while wearing it, all the while not producing almost any sound.

    In exchange, it provided a vastly larger amount of protection.

    Standing in the cargo hold of the ancient ship, clad in his new Transcendent armor, Sunny couldn't help but feel invincible.

    '...Disabuse yourself of that thought, fool.'

    He smiled darkly, then looked at Saint.

    "Well? What do you think?"

    The taciturn demon didn't answer, of course.

    However, Sunny could swear that the glow of her ruby eyes, which were hidden behind the visor of a similarly closed helmet, became a bit��

    Approving.

    His smile widened, but then slowly disappeared.

    "A steel armor..."

    Suddenly grim, Sunny dismissed his helmet and turned in the direction where the Fire Keepers were supposed to be.

    After a few moments, he said quietly:

    "I see..."

 Chapter 523 Made Eternal

    Blood Weave was slowly devouring the toxin, but Sunny still felt weak and feverish. Dismissing Saint, he walked around the cargo hold, getting used to the feel of the Undying Chain and looking around to see if there was something interesting laying around.

    Like another chest full of Noctis coins, for example.

    Sadly, he didn't find anything. Even if the cargo hold had once stored ancient curios and treasures, everything was destroyed by the vines and the brown moss over thousands of years.

    However, he was pleasantly surprised to realize that the lusterless steel armor was not constricting his movements at all. It was really like a second layer of skin�� perhaps if Sunny wasn't augmented by the shadow, the Undying Chain would have been cumbersome. But he was, and on top of that, there were almost two thousand shadow fragments stored in his two cores.

    Even if an Awakened wasn't supposed to be able to wear the Transcendent armor effortlessly, Sunny had no such problem.

    'Sweet��'

    Finally, he limped over to the pile of dust that remained of Solvane and knelt beside it, then reached inside the ashes and retrieved the wooden knife.

    Of course, Sunny had not forgotten about it.

    To his disappointment, though, what he was holding in his hand was just the handle. The blade had splintered and broken off, and the wood seemed lifeless and dead.

    It was already starting to rot, and even when Sunny looked beneath the surface of the strange knife, he didn't see anything�� no spellweave, no brilliant radiance of a sea of soul essence, and no String of Fate folding endlessly on itself in a perfect circle.

    The wooden knife was truly and utterly broken.

    Almost as if it was created for a singular purpose, and had no reason to exist after fulfilling it.

    Sunny looked at the knife with a thoughtful frown.

    'Interesting��'

    Was the wooden knife created specifically to bring death to the immortal Solvane? If so, were the obsidian knife in the Sanctuary of Noctis and the ivory knife in the Night Temple meant to end the lives of two other immortals?

    Suddenly, he shivered.

    A single String of Fate, folded on itself and creating a perfect circle��

    If he had looked into the wooden knife before it was destroyed, would he have seen the same thing?

    A tentative hint of understanding appeared in his mind.

    Somehow, Sunny felt that he would. He also suspected that the String of Fate would not have been just a random one.

    No�� it would have been Solvane's fate.

    A String that was somehow torn out of the tapestry of Fate and tied in an endless circle�� would something like that make a person immortal?

    "And so the shackles were made eternal��"

    Who could have done such a terrifying thing?

    Well, the answer was rather obvious. The Lord of Light, Sun God, who had destroyed Hope's kingdom and imprisoned her in the Ivory Tower, certainly could. After all, he was not only the deity of flame and light, but also of passion, creation, and destruction.

    Looking at the remains of the wooden knife that were rotting and turning to dust in his hand, Sunny couldn't help but shudder.

    If he was right, then he was holding a weapon created by a god.

    ��And he had used that weapon to kill an immortal created by a god.

    For the first time since Sunny had learned about the divinities of the Dream Realm, he suddenly felt really glad that they were dead.

    ***

    Some time later, he jumped through the breach created by the Wormvine and climbed onto the ancient ship's hull. Hissing from pain, Sunny staggered a little, then limped toward where the wreck ended.

    Since the ship was laying on its side, the wooden surface beneath his feet was inclined down and uneven. Almost inevitably, he lost his balance and rolled the last stretch of the way, landing on the ground in a graceless heap.

    "...Ouch."

    Sunny remained motionless for a while, then sighed and picked himself off the ground. Standing up, he studied the desolate valley, and then headed to where he had seen the Fire Keepers last.

    The landscape of the Shipwreck Island was changed. The ground was overturned and scarred by deep trenches, looking like a battlefield of an ancient war. Some of the trenches were empty, some were filled with massive stems of dead vines that protruded from the soil like rotting serpents. The air was filled with dust, ash, and smoke.

    Using the Cruel Sight as a staff to support his weight, Sunny limped forward and soon found the ring of bonfires.

    A pale smile appeared on his face.

    'Well, what would you know�� they actually survived.'

    Indeed, the Fire Keepers seemed to be all there. Granted, they looked incredibly exhausted, battered, and injured all over.

    All of them were covered in blood, dirt, and soot, their armor torn. Some were sitting with tired expressions on their faces, others lay on the ground, with only the movement of their chests betraying that they were alive. Only the steadfast young man who had wielded a short spear and a heavy shield in battle �� the healer of the cohort �� was up and about, tending to his companions.

    Sunny walked between two of the bonfires and stopped, leaning on the Cruel Sight.

    His eyes darted around, lingered on the delicate figure of a young woman with pale blond hair for a moment, and then turned away.

    "...Sunny?"

    He glanced at Shakti, the Artisan girl, who was resting on the ground a few steps away from him.

    The young woman looked more or less like a corpse. Her armor was almost destroyed, revealing deep lacerations on her tanned skin, and her face was dirty and pale from blood loss. What's worse, her right arm was torn away, ending in a bloodied bandage near the elbow... such a wound was not permanent, since it was dealt to her spirit body and not the actual one, but still quite severe.

    Nevertheless, there was a wide grin on the Artisan's face.

    Looking him over, she whistled and said:

    "New armor? Looking good!"

    She tried to laugh, but then bent over in a fit of violent coughing. It seemed that all of them were still suffering from the effects of the Wormvine's poison, even if the healer had used his Aspect to make it less lethal.

    The others looked in their direction, alerted to his arrival by Shakti's voice. Their eyes brightened.

    "Thank the gods! Sunny, you're alive!"

    "Good work out there!"

    "Crazy bastard�� you actually did it?"

    Sunny couldn't help but smile.

    "Obviously. Why wouldn't I? It was just a Corrupted Monster��"

    His smile widened.

    "...Actually, I also went and killed an immortal Saint that happened to be nearby. One strike for the both of them, to not waste any time. All it took was a minute."

    The Fire Keepers stared at him for a bit, then rolled their eyes.

    Shakti shook her head.

    "Sure, Sunny. If you say so. But really�� I just don't get you. Killing a Corrupted Monster is already an incredible thing, why do you even have to invent some ridiculous story��"

    Sunny blinked a couple of times with an innocent look.

    "What do you mean, invent a story? It's the truth! I am a very honest person. The most honest person in two worlds, really��"

 Chapter 524 Forty-Two

    Sunny slumped on the ground, summoned the Endless Spring, and greedily drank some water. Since his injuries were light... well, at least compared to those received by the Fire Keepers... it was some time before the healer got to them. But, eventually, it was his turn to receive treatment.

    The healer �� a young man named Shim �� was pale and exhausted, his soul essence clearly almost entirely depleted. Still, he managed to repair the ligament Sunny had torn while dodging the vines to a large extent. It hurt like hell, though.

    Of course, this healing Ability couldn't compare to Neph's purifying white flames. But then, it was hard for anyone to compare to Neph. Sunny knew it better than anyone.

    With a dark expression, he summoned the runes and glanced at the painfully familiar string of them:

    Shadow Fragments: [1958/2000].

    He was only forty-two fragments away from evolving into a demon. This transformation was not only going to allow him to reinforce his body and reserves of shadow essence even further, but also reward Sunny with a third shadow. Having another invaluable helper would increase his power tremendously, making him capable of stacking three augmentations on top of each other, or spreading them over between his body, his Memories, and Saint.

    He was almost to two thousand fragments.

    To accumulate so many in only seven months�� that was an achievement worth celebrating. Very few Awakened ever fully saturated their cores, and those who did usually spent long years slowly collecting soul shards of the Nightmare Creatures they killed. Decades, even... and that was for only one core. Sunny could be proud of himself.

    And yet, he didn't feel happy.

    Looking lower, he concentrated on another, much shorter cluster of runes.

    Master: Changing Star.

    As soon as he did, new runes ignited in the air.

    ��Rank: Dreamer.

    Class: Devil.

    Soul Cores: [4/7].

    Soul Fragments: [399/4000].

    Seven months ago, the gap between them had nearly reached five thousand fragments. Today, it was much smaller�� but that was only thanks to the Noctis coins he had sacrificed to the altar. The truth of the matter was that Sunny had been slowly shortening the gap for a long time, but now, it had started growing once more.

    Not too long ago, something had happened to Neph in the Dream Realm, and as the result, the speed with which she gained soul fragments began increasing with each day. Sunny didn't know what Changing Star was doing, why she had suddenly become so much stronger, and even how she was still alive�� but he knew that he was being slowly left in the dust once again.

    Dismissing the runes, he gritted his teeth and looked darkly at the desolate, hellish landscape of the Shipwreck Island.

    'I have to get to that Seed�� that is the only way��'

    Compared to all other Awakened and their rate of growth, Sunny might have been a monster. But Neph�� Neph was not even human. She was the devil himself. He didn't know what else to do to surpass her.

    To become stronger.

    ��His heavy thoughts were interrupted by the light sound of approaching steps. Looking up, Sunny saw Cassie walking over to him.

    'Great. Just what I need��'

    She stopped a couple of steps away and lowered her head slightly.

    "Are you alright?"

    Sunny grimaced, then looked away.

    'What do you care?'

    "I'll live."

    ? He scowled, and then added in a slightly acrid tone:

    "Your information was wrong, by the way. That thing was not weak to fire."

    She tilted her head slightly.

    "How did you kill it then?"

    Sunny smiled crookedly.

    "...With a piece of wood."

    Cassie remained silent for a while, prompting him to speak:

    "So�� now what?"

    She sighed and turned toward the distant wreck:

    "All of us are tired and wounded, and there is a Crushing approaching. We will return to the Sanctuary to rest and regroup, and then come back to establish two camps �� one here, and another one on a neighboring island. Then, we will start repairing the ship."

    He nodded.

    "Good plan, I guess. Do you really think that you can make that thing fly again, though?"

    The blind girl hesitated. Eventually, she said without too much emotion:

    "We have to try, at least."

    Sunny studied the silhouette of the ancient ship, its hull full of breaches, its bow shattered and broken, the tree growing around its mast dead and resembling a black, twisted skeleton. Then, he shook his head.

    "How long do you think it will take you?"

    Cassie hesitated.

    "Two, maybe three months. We will be done before autumn is over, if that is what you want to know."

    He chuckled.

    "You remember our deal, then. Good."

    She frowned.

    "Of course, I remember."

    Sunny looked at the ground, then asked her coldly:

    "When are we leaving for the Night Temple, then?"

    Cassie lingered for a few moments, a troubled expression suddenly finding its way onto her face. Finally, she said:

    "When do you want to go?"

    Sunny thought about it. There were several things he still needed to do��

    After a while, he shrugged.

    "End of September. Everything should be ready by then. The journey to the northern edge of the Chained Isles and back shouldn't take us longer than a month. We'll be back just in time to see your flying ship rise into the air. And use it to reach the Nightmare Seed."

    He lingered for a second, and then asked:

    "Why do you look so uneasy, though?"

    Cassie slowly shook her head.

    "It's nothing. Just, the Night Temple�� it's a very strange place."

    Sunny frowned.

    'What is that supposed to mean?'

    "How so?"

    She shivered.

    "I'll�� explain it to you later. Right now, we need to move. This island is about to enter the ascent phase."

    Which meant that the Crushing was not too far ahead, as well.

    Sunny sighed, then stood up. He didn't have to limp anymore, at least.

    As for why Cassie had said that the second human Citadel on the Chained Isles was a weird place�� he could wait for the answer. He had no need for this information right now, anyway.

    Sunny was a very patient man, at least when he needed to be. Besides, he had something else on his mind.

    'Forty-two shadow fragments�� it's not that much."

    Looking south and slightly to the east, he gripped the shaft of the Cruel Sight and stared toward the horizon with a dark expression.

    '...I'll be a demon before we're back to the Sanctuary.'

 Chapter 525 Vengeful Ghosts

    Six days later, the cohort had almost reached the safe haven of the Citadel. The speed with which they traveled reduced significantly due to the heavy wounds the Fire Keepers had sustained, so all things considered, it was a very good result.

    As days went by, their healer had continued tending to his companions, so by now, most had already recovered �� except for those like Shakti with especially grave injuries, of course. Those would only be healed after they had returned to the real world and then came back. Even then, their physical bodies were going to sustain serious internal damage and require a prolonged period of treatment.

    As the sun disappeared in the Sky Below, the cohort reluctantly made camp. From where they were now, only a handful of islands separated them from the Sanctuary. However, some of those islands were populated by Nightmare Creatures too dangerous to attempt traversing their hunting grounds, so the Fire Keepers were going to have to make a big detour.

    Since traveling in the darkness was a big risk, they had no choice but to spend another night in the wilderness and continue their journey tomorrow.

    Sunny didn't mind.

    When everyone fell asleep, he quietly turned into a shadow and slid unseen between the lookouts. The darkness of the night might have been a threat to them, but to him, it was an ally.

    For Sunny, it was time to hunt.

    He had been venturing alone into the deadly expanse of the Chained Isles for the past five nights, and this one was not an exception.

    During that time, Sunny had taken more risks than he usually would, challenging Nightmare Creatures that he had studied before, and those that he knew almost nothing about. Hunting the latter ones was a deadly endeavor, but with Saint's help, he managed to emerge victorious from each battle without sustaining too many wounds.

    The Undying Chain had also played a big part in his success, since even when Sunny received damage, it blocked most of it. Nothing had been able to pierce the bleak steel of his new armor yet.

    ��Gliding across the heavenly chain, Sunny approached a neighboring island and soared into the sky, then crushed heavily to the ground. The silver blade of the Cruel Sight gleamed, reflecting starlight as it manifested in his hand. Sunny rose to his feet and grunted, then walked forward with a dark expression.

    The island he just reached was descending, but still high enough for him to feel the remnant effects of the Crushing. Still, Sunny didn't care. Tonight, nothing was going to stop him.

    He was just one step away from fully saturating his cores.

    Sunny walked between tall, jagged stones, approaching a large ruin that stood forlornly near the center of the island. He had been to this place and explored it before, so he knew what kind of abominations made their nest in the ancient structure.

    The ruin might have been beautiful once, but now, it was warped and misshapen, its walls full of cracks and on the verge of collapsing. Sunny didn't know what purpose it had once served, and how it was destroyed, but had concluded many months ago that a terrible battle must have taken place inside the ruin once.

    The clues were in the central hall of the shattered building, where the stones were damaged and looked like melted wax. Its walls had collapsed outward, which told him that whatever force had devastated the structure had come from within, as opposed to from the outside.

    Regardless of any of that, he had fought the dwellers of the ruin before. There were two types of Nightmare Creatures inhabiting the island of jagged rocks. The first ones were of the Awakened Rank, and resembled stone gargoyles. They had lived near the edges of the island, and Sunny had already killed most of them, if not all, during his first months on the Chained Isles

    The gargoyles never went near the ruin itself, because there were much more powerful creatures dwelling inside the ancient building. Those were of the Fallen Rank, and looked like beautiful specters. Beneath their eerie beauty, though, hid an ocean of madness, evil, and bloodlust. The first time Sunny had encountered these wraiths, he barely escaped alive.

    Luckily, the wraiths only appeared at night.

    ...And now that he was much stronger and had the Cruel Sight, which had the ability to harm incorporeal enemies, this night was going to be their last.

    Summoning his helmet, Sunny looked at the ruin through the narrow slits of his visor, and walked into the darkness that reigned between the ancient stone walls.

    ***

    [...Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Sunny growled, jumping back from the ghostly form of a beautiful young woman he had just pierced with the incandescent blade of his spear. Or rather, she had seemed beautiful before showing her true face �� a twisted, terrifying maks of inhuman hatred and corruption, ancient madness burning in the dark, bottomless pits of her eyes.

    Fighting phantoms had turned out to be much harder than he had anticipated, even if the [Ghost Blade] enchantment of the Cruel Sight allowed him to strike them down. Not only because their movements were fast and unpredictable, defying the logic of combat he was familiar with, but also because their attacks seemed to be able to deal soul damage as well.

    In fact, the claws of the wraiths of the ruin were able to bypass armor completely. The Undying Chain mitigated some damage due to its higher Rank, but not enough to make the battle even remotely easy. Currently, Sunny felt weakened and in the throes of terrible pain, as if he had spent too much time in the vicinity of the Broken Oath.

    'Curses��'

    This just went to show that one could never feel safe in the Dream Realm. After receiving a Transcendent armor, Sunny had allowed himself to become too complacent. He should have known better than to forget that, no matter how powerful a person was, all it took to die was one mistake.

    Every power had a flaw, after all.

    But still, he wasn't going to retreat now.

    As an ear-piercing scream echoed from the stone walls, growing closer and closer, Sunny gritted his teeth and summoned the runes.

    Shadow Fragments: [1994/2000].

    He raised the Cruel Sight and faced the direction of the eerie shriek with a grim smile.

    'One more to go��'

 Chapter 526 Demon

    Before the wrathful specter had time to appear, Sunny attacked first.

    Stepping through the shadows, he passed through the stone wall in front of him and entered a vast ruined hall. It was illuminated by the pale rays of moonlight that fell through the broken roof, but also full of deep darkness.

    That darkness was cut by the bright radiance emanated by the incandescent blade of the Cruel Sight.

    Jumping other a pile of rubble, Sunny brought his spear down on the howling wraith and then spun, sending an unexpected thrust in the direction where any enemy would have retreated.

    Sadly, the apparition was suddenly somewhere else.

    'Curses!'

    The wraiths moved through space as if they were suspended between two worlds, as well as between the ground and the night sky. Their feet, if they had any, never touched the stone floor, and as such, Sunny couldn't observe their footwork to judge their next move.

    What's worse, sometimes they simply disappeared and then appeared some distance away, as if phasing between different states of existence.

    ��It was a bit like fighting Sunny himself, when he used Shadow Step to zip around the battlefield.

    'So annoying��'

    Dashing forward, he barely avoided the ghostly claws and rolled over his shoulder on the floor. The steel of the Undying Chain scraped against the shattered stones, producing a dull sound.

    Considering how narrow the slits of the featureless mask that served as the visor of his helmet were, Sunny had a surprisingly wide and unobstructed field of view, almost as if he wasn't wearing any at all. Jumping back to his feet, he was finally able to take a good look at the hall he had entered.

    'Ah, so that's where she was coming from.'

    It was the central chamber of the ruin, where, as he suspected, a fierce confrontation had taken place in the ancient past. The stone slabs of the floor were cracked and misshapen, the pattern of destruction suggesting that something had detonated with tremendous force in the center of the hall once.

    The pillars supporting the roof were long toppled, and the walls themselves had mostly collapsed. In the center of the room lay the remains of something resembling a massive stone chalice, now broken and almost unrecognizable.

    ��And there were human bones littering the floor.

    Some skeletons were scattered entirely, and some were still whole. A few even wore the rotten remains of red silken garments that strongly resembled those of the deadly specters. Sunny had no doubt that these were the remains of people from whose souls the ghastly wraiths had been born.

    He had no idea how they had died, why their souls had turned into vengeful specters instead of dissipating into the void, and what drove them to madly attack anyone who approached the ruins�� all he knew was that the wraiths were very hard to destroy and full of seething hatred toward the living.

    ��Or maybe they just really hated him in particular, for whatever reason.

    He grinned, and then brought his armored boot on one of the skulls, crushing it into dust. That caused the damnable specter to let out another chilling shriek and lunge at him with murderous fury, as if she had lost all reason�� if the creature had any reason, that is, to begin with.

    Which was precisely what Sunny was hoping for.

    His body, conditioned by the endless hours of practice with Effie and Saint, reacted almost on its own. Shifting his weight to his right foot, Sunny burst with motion and threw his hand up. The polished shaft of the Cruel Sight slid between his fingers, suddenly extending forward to its full length. He only caught it near the very end.

    The reach of this strike was truly incredible, compared to how far a tachi like the Midnight Shard could effectively cut. The incandescent blade caught the wraith in the chest, sending tongues of white flame dancing on her spectral figure.

    Divine flames could burn even souls, after all.

    However, even engulfed in flames, the creature continued its attack. Since it was impossible to recover from performing such a strike quickly, Sunny would have been in trouble�� luckily, the Cruel Sight was a very special weapon. Its shaft started shortening at the same speed as the wraith was advancing, continuing to burn it without a pause.

    In the end, Sunny found himself face to face with the hateful apparition, gripping the hilt of a short sword. Without wasting any time, he pulled it upward, slicing through the incorporeal body of the enemy and reaching her neck.

    White flames suddenly tore through the darkness of the creature's eyes, and before her ghostly claw could reach his flesh��

    Just like that, the wraith was destroyed.

    As her figure shimmered and started to disappear, Sunny let out a shaky breath, then summoned Saint from the shadows and threw the Cruel Sight to her.

    "Guard me."

    [You have slain a Fallen Demon, Chalice Maiden.]

    The taciturn demon calmly caught the sword, weighted it in her hand, and then assumed her usual indifferent pose.

    [Your shadow grows stronger...]

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    'Ah, this is going to suck.'

    The voice of the Spell resounded once more, echoing in the darkness of the ruined hall:

    [Your shadow is overflowing with power.]

    He screamed and fell to his knees, feeling as though his very soul was on fire, as though something was rising from its dark depths, ripping it apart.

    [Your shadow is taking shape.]

    'D��da�� damn it all! Why does it have to hurt so much?!

    Sunny groaned and clawed at the floor, tears streaming from his eyes. The fingers of his armored gauntlet left deep grooves in the stone. The pain he was experiencing was not the worst he had ever felt, but really up there.

    "Argh!"

    He slammed his fist down, sending cracks through the slab of ancient stone, then did it again and again, pulverizing it into tiny shards.

    Eventually, those shards turned into dust, and only then did his agony finally begin receding.

    The Spell whispered into his ear:

    [Your shadow is complete!]

    Released from the paralyzing pain, Sunny fell down and sprawled on the floor. Breathing raggedly, he remained motionless for a few minutes, and then summoned the runes.

    Familiar symbols shimmered in the air:

    Name: Sunless.

    True Name: Lost from Light.

    Rank: Awakened.

    Class: Demon.

    Shadow Cores: [3/7].

    Shadow Fragments: [0/3000].

    Sunny smiled weakly.

    After a while, he said:

    "Back to zero, I guess..."

 Chapter 527 The New Guy

    Chapter 527 The New Guy

    Now that Sunny had experienced moving up a class without simultaneously rising to a new Rank, he understood the difference between the two more clearly.

    Ascending to a new Rank was a much more profound change. It elevated the quality of his shadow cores and essence, gifted him with new abilities, and allowed for a deeper access to his Aspect. The resulting jump in power was nothing short of tremendous.

    Reaching a new Class, on the contrary, primarily affected the quantity of his shadow essence, and as such, the increase in power was much more gradual. Sunny didn't feel much stronger than he had a few hours ago�� but that was because he had already been enjoying the extra strength and essence capacity for a long time.

    In fact, the main benefit of having several cores had been aiding him ever since Sunny passed the one-thousand mark on the counter of shadow fragments. Unlike all other Awakened �� excluding Nephis �� there was no limit to his capacity to store essence and reinforce his body. Or rather, that limit was so high that it might have as well not been there.

    ��However, that was not to say that Sunny didn't get other, incredibly potent benefits from manifesting a third shadow core.

    Standing up with a groan, he allowed the moonlight to bathe his slender figure and looked down, at the three dark silhouettes sprawled on the ancient stones in front of him.

    One shadow looked like it was suffering from a toothache, the other was beyond itself and jubilant, and the third one��

    'Uh��'

    The third shadow was just standing there motionlessly and staring at him, its dark figure not betraying any hint of emotion. Under its silent and unnerving gaze, he suddenly felt a bit uncomfortable.

    For some reason, Sunny shivered slightly.

    'Is it just me, or is this guy a bit�� uh�� creepy?'

    The creepy shadow didn't react at all to this thoughts and just continued staring at him without moving.

    Sunny hesitated, then cleared his throat.

    "Uh, well�� welcome to the team. Meet the other two, your elder siblings."

    The new shadow lingered for a few moments, and then slowly turned its head to look at his other ones.

    Immediately, the happy shadow made an energetic move to welcome it, but then stumbled midstep, shivered a little, and slowly backed away, somehow ending up hiding behind the gloomy one.

    The gloomy shadow sighed with contempt, then faced the new guy and glared at him, clearly unimpressed. Amused, Sunny watched the two stare at each for several minutes straight.

    In the end, the creepy shadow glanced at him, then silently walked over to one of the ancient skeletons and studied the skull with disturbing fascination.

    ��It was trying to act cool, but Sunny could tell that the new guy was a bit flustered.

    He smiled.

    'That's right�� that gloomy one is a real menace! Even I am afraid of him, a little!'

    The gloomy shadow looked at both of them with disdain, shook its head, and indifferently turned away.

    Sunny chuckled.

    'Alright�� time to experiment a little.'

    After that, he summoned all three shadows and wrapped them around his body. Immediately, he felt explosive might course through his veins, his skin turning hard as stone, his speed increasing tremendously. It was as though he grew four times more powerful than he had been a couple of seconds ago.

    A dark grin found its way onto his face.

    'So that is how it feels to be a demon��'

    Sunny dashed to the wall of the vast chamber, then ran back, raising a gale of wind in his wake. Then, he brought his fist down on a piece of rubble, making it explode into a cloud of shards. Finally, he saturated his muscles with essence and jumped up, easily flying a dozen meters into the air and climbing onto the roof of the ruin through the breach in the dome of its central hall.

    His heart was beating fast in triumphant exhilaration.

    "Incredible! This is amazing!"

    Sitting down, he glanced at Saint, who was far below him now, and laughed.

    Sunny was more powerful now than any Awakened was supposed to be. In fact, in terms of pure physical ability, he was much closer to Masters, perhaps even at the same level as those of them who had just reached their Rank and had no time to reinforce their cores yet.

    That was not to say that he had a good chance of prevailing in a fight against an Ascended. Physical ability was not what made them so deadly, after all. Remembering the ease with which Master Jet had severed the arm of a Fallen Tyrant, Sunny sighed wistfully.

    What's more, he now had the ability to augment three things at the same time. If Saint wasn't with him, Sunny could enhance his body, his armor, and his weapon simultaneously. Depending on the situation, he could also stack augmentations either on the Cruel Sight or the Undying Chain, which gave him much more choices during a battle with especially tough or dangerous opponents.

    And there was one other thing��

    Sunny summoned the runes and glanced at a particular string:

    Shadow: [Soul Serpent].

    Shadow Rank: Dormant.

    Shadow Class: Demon.

    'Aha! Just as I thought.'

    Before, the Soul Serpent was a mere Monster. Sunny had long thought that the Shadow's Rank depended on the level of Shadow Dance comprehension he was able to achieve, while its Class depended on his own. Now, he had proof.

    Looking down, Sunny noticed new runes shimmering in the darkness.

    Shadow Attributes: [Shadow Guide], [Soul Weapon].

    Shadow Abilities: [Serpentine Steel].

    The Ability was new. Excited, he read its description:

    [Serpentine Steel] Ability Description: "Shadow Serpent's Soul Weapon form can assume the shape of any weapon."

    A crooked smile appeared on his face.

    Commanding the Serpent to slither forth and assume the shape of the dark odachi, he studied the great sword for a few moments, and then gave another command. The lusterless blade suddenly flowed like black mercury, and a few moments later, he was holding a long spear in his hand.

    Almost unseen on the dark wood, the scales of a long coiling body were engraved on its shaft, the spearhead shaped to resemble that of a serpent.

    Sunny drew in a deep breath.

    'This is perfect. This is just what I needed��'

    Dismissing the predatory spear and allowing the Shadow to slither back onto his body, he looked east, where a pale lilac line had already appeared over the horizon, and smiled.

    "...I should be getting back."

    The new day was coming, and Sunny couldn't wait to return to the real world.

    With only a few months left until it was time to challenge the Seed of Nightmare, he had a lot of things to do��

 Chapter 528 Personal Style

    A few days later, Sunny was in his living room, watching as Rain performed the same strike over and over again, her eyes full of stubborn determination. The practice sword rose and fell, over and over again, cutting the air with a whistling sound.

    ��Actually, her form wasn't bad.

    Effie was currently traveling between Citadels, so she had not come out of her sleeping pod for a while now. Sunny and Rain were alone, which made the training session much less lively.

    'Finally, some peace and quiet��'

    Despite thinking that, Sunny couldn't help but feel that his home seemed a little bit empty these days.

    He sighed.

    There were other things on his mind, too.

    Now that his part of the deal with Cassie was complete, the journey into the Nightmare was drawing close. No matter how aloof about the whole thing Sunny wanted to remain, he was aware that there was a real possibility that he would not return from that trial alive. Even if he did, there was no telling how long conquering the Nightmare would take.

    Which meant that his remaining time with Rain was limited, and he couldn't waste it.

    He had to accelerate her training and teach her some actual battle skills.

    Observing the teenage girl, who continued to swing her practice sword while drops of sweat rolled down her face, Sunny was in deep thought.

    What style was he going to teach her?

    Rain was his sister, so his first instinct was to share his legacy, Shadow Dance, with her. Almost as if they were members of an actual clan...

    However, that wasn't a very good idea.

    Not only was her mentality poorly suited for his shapeless and insidious battle art, but she was also physically incapable of learning it.

    Since everyone received extensive combat training in school, there weren't really a lot of weak people in the waking world. But Shadow Dance was simply not meant to be practiced by mundane humans. It demanded a physical constitution of an Awakened, at least.

    Sunny was only able to master the first step as a Sleeper because of his unique Aspect, hundreds upon hundreds of shadow fragments he had absorbed on the Forgotten Shore, and the fact that this style was tailor-made for him, by him.

    What, then?

    The flowing and unpredictable battle art that Nephis had taught him obviously came to mind. It was designed to be a perfect foundational style, after all. However, Sunny didn't like the idea of teaching it to Rain. Not only because he felt that he didn't have the right, but also because it came from the Immortal Flame clan.

    Sunny suspected that this ingeniously adaptable battle art had been created by the martial genius, Broken Sword himself. He also had an idea of who Broken Sword's killers were. Who could tell what problems knowing this style could drag along?

    By now, Sunny had also learned a plethora of various battle styles in the Dreamscape. However, none of them impressed him too much.

    That meant that there was only one choice left. Coincidentally, he felt that it was the most fitting.

    Saint's solid, grounded battle style.

    ? It seemed to suit Rain's quiet, thoughtful, and meticulous personality very well. It was also the most precise and methodical technique Sunny knew, and one that provided the best defense. His goal was to ensure that Rain survives for as long as possible, and having a flawless defense went a long way if one wanted to not die.

    More than that, his sister seemed to share a connection with Saint. If she was such a big fan of the graceful demon, perhaps there was a reason for that. In any case, learning the style of her idol would not be the worst thing in the world.

    ��Noticing that he was staring at her with a dark expression, Rain stopped and gave Sunny a questioning look.

    "...What? Did I mess up?"

    He slowly shook his head.

    "No. Actually, your form was perfect for the last hundred strikes."

    A wide, incredibly bright smile suddenly appeared on the teenage girl's usually calm and collected face.

    "Aha! See! I practiced every day while you were gone on your trip. All my classmates think that I lost my mind. What do those fools even know!"

    The corner of Sunny's mouth twitched.

    '...Since when does she refer to people as fools? She was such a polite girl before�� uh�� before meeting me?'

    Rain blinked a couple of times, then asked:

    "But if I was doing it right, why were you staring at me with that "curses and damnation" expression of yours?"

    'A what now?! I don't have a��'

    Sunny cleared his throat.

    "That�� uh�� I think that you're ready to learn more than one strike."

    Rain beamed.

    "Yes! Finally!"

    She looked around the living room, and then said:

    "So, are you going to show me some real battle techniques? Effie said that you are decent with the sword. At least I think that was what she meant. Are you?"

    Sunny hesitated, then shrugged and stood up.

    "Yeah. I do know my way around a sword. Let me just�� actually, this place is too cramped. Follow me."

    Turning around, he went toward the hallway and pressed on a certain wall panel, which then moved aside, revealing the doors of an elevator.

    Rain stared at all that with a funny expression.

    "Uh�� you have a secret door in your house?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "Sure. Actually, I have two. One for the stairs, and one for the elevator."

    The girl thought for a second, and then gave him an understanding nod.

    "Ah. You have an underground shelter. That's smart�� we don't have one in our home, since building it is very expensive."

    He gave her a strange look.

    "Aren't your parents rich?"

    Rain laughed.

    "For a wildly successful young entrepreneur, you don't know a lot about money, do you, Sunny? Sure, our family is not poor. But there's rich�� and then there's rich. And we're not that kind of rich."

    Sunny tilted his head, trying to make sense of what he had just heard.

    'What the hell is that nonsense? Rich is rich�� isn't it?'

    He frowned.

    "I know lots about money, kid! I know to make it, and how to spend it. What else is there to know?"

    Rain stared at him for a few moments, and then silently shook her head.

    Together, they entered the elevator and descended into the underground dojo.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 529 Secret Lair

    The dojo was rather large and submerged in absolute darkness. Sunny gave the home a command, and immediately, bright light chased the darkness away, revealing the floor, walls, and ceiling that were covered by heavy plates of armored ceramic alloy.

    Some of the plates already had cracks in them, which Sunny was painfully aware of�� after all, those cracks had appeared as the result of Saint repeatedly slamming him against the floor. Simply looking at them made Sunny ache all over.

    'I'm going to have to replace a few soon��'

    He exited the elevator and walked over to a stand where various practice weapons were kept. These weapons were made out of reinforced synthetic materials to withstand the intensity of Awakened training, and had cost him a fortune. Sadly, Sunny had never even touched them, since training with the real deal was far more effective.

    'Hm��'

    Behind him, Rain walked into the dojo and looked around with curiosity. This space looked dark and mysterious, like a lair of a mythical monster.

    "Do you come here a lot?"

    Sunny gave her a short look.

    "Of course, I do. This is where I sleep."

    She was slightly surprised, but then seemed to understand the meaning of his answer.

    For mundane humans, such a shelter would only be useful if a Gate opened nearby. But Awakened were more or less defenseless while in the Dream Realm. They needed the protection an underground bunker could provide much more, since their empty bodies could be easily destroyed when the spirit wandered away.

    Her gaze traveled to the steel sarcophagus of the sleeping pod, and then moved past it. Suddenly, Rain's eyes brightened.

    "Wow! Is that a Dreamscape pod?"

    Sunny hesitated, surprised by her strong reaction.

    "Uh�� sure. Why?"

    'My super expensive sleeping pod is much more impressive! Why is she so fascinated by that silly thing?'

    The teenage girl walked over to the alcove with the two machines and studied one of them with excited curiosity. The luxurious, state-of-the-art sarcophagus received zero attention.

    "Do you play often?"

    He rolled his eyes, then shrugged.

    "From time to time, I guess? When I have time. Dueling other Awakened helps with my own training."

    Rain sighed with envy.

    "That's cool. Some of my classmates have personal Dreamscape pods, too. They play the version for mundane humans, of course, but it still sounds amazing."

    Sunny smiled.

    "What, do you want to play?"

    Rain looked at the pod for a few moments, then slowly shook her head. When she spoke, her voice sounded too mature for her age:

    "No�� not really. It's only fun with friends."

    He frowned a little, then asked in a neutral tone:

    "Why, don't you have any friends?"

    The teenage girl sighed, then turned away from the capsule.

    "No. I used to have a lot in my previous school, but after dad got me a spot in this one�� uh, I just study and go home. People there are not... very friendly."

    'That's one way to put it��'

    Sunny looked at her, then smiled widely.

    "Well, friends are overrated anyway! I never had any growing up, and look at me. Have I not turned out just fine?"

    She did look at him, doubt clearly written on her face.

    "Yeah�� but��"

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "But what?"

    Rain lingered for a few moments, then asked curiously:

    "Don't you have a girlfriend?"

    Sunny blinked.

    'Huh?'

    "Wait�� what? What girlfriend? Don't tell me that you think that Effie and I��"

    Rain giggled.

    "Actually, I did think that at the start. So I asked Effie, and she told me that you already have a girlfriend."

    Sunny's eye twitched.

    'Damn Effie! I'm really going to kill her�� better yet, I'll make Saint kill her! How many times will she repeat that stupid joke about us before realizing that it isn't funny? It wasn't funny the first time, and it's certainly not funny the hundredth!'

    ��He opened his mouth to retort angrily. However, Rain's next word made him fall silent.

    "She said that you bring her flowers every week, and even visit her mom from time to time. I think it's very sweet."

    Sunny froze, staring at the teenage girl with a heavy expression. Feeling that his reaction was a bit strange, Rain frowned.

    "Uh�� did I say something wrong?"

    He lingered for a few moments, then turned away.

    "No. Effie just likes to run her mouth sometimes. She shouldn't have told you that."

    Not quite understanding what was happening, but feeling dark undertones in his voice, the teenage girl awkwardly smiled.

    "Oh, did I just get Effie in trouble?"

    Staring at the practice weapons, Sunny sighed.

    "...No. It's just that�� there is indeed a girl I bring flowers to when I can. But she isn't my girlfriend."

    Rain glanced at him in confusion.

    "But�� uh�� why do you bring her flowers, then?"

    Sunny turned around and looked at her darkly. Rain suddenly shivered, realizing that she had never seen Sunny acting this�� cold.

    A few moments later, he said evenly:

    "It's because I made it out of the Dream Realm, and she did not. Do you understand?"

    The teenage girl thought for a few moments, then paled a little, and nodded.

    Sunny shook his head.

    "I don't think you do. And hopefully, you never will."

    With that, he took a round shield and a straight practice sword off the wall, closed his eye for a moment, and then forced an easygoing smile to appear on his face.

    "...Anyway, here's what you'll be training with from now on. They might be a bit heavy for you, but the weight will help you condition your body. What do you think?"

    Still feeling a bit awkward, Rain took the weapons, weighed them in her hands, and cleared her throat.

    "Uh�� actually, I prefer ranged weapons. That's what I've been mostly using in school."

    Sunny shook his head.

    "Ranged weapons are wonderful, and you should definitely know how to use them. But they stop being wonderful as soon as a Nightmare Creature gets close to you, and believe me, they will. So you should learn melee combat first"

    Rain looked at him with a bit of stubbornness.

    "But Night from Nightingale is an archer, and he is a hero who has a True Name."

    'Oh, gods�� don't tell me that my little sister is his fangirl, too! Damned Kai... just you wait...'

    Sunny stared at the teenage girl for a few moments, his expression unreadable. After a while, he said in a strange tone:

    "Night from Nightingale can fly. Can you? In any case, learn how to use a sword first. If you do, I'll get him to personally teach you how to shoot a bow. How about that?"

    Rain laughed.

    "Yeah�� sure! Why don't you invite him for dinner as well, while you're at it?"

    After that, she covered her mouth with a palm and laughed even louder.

    Sunny sighed heavily, then shook his head.

    'This child�� she's hopeless, isn't she?'

    He waited until Rain stopped laughing, and then said sternly:

    "Before we start, though, I am going to ask you a question."

    She looked at him, turning back into her serious, studious self.

    "Yeah?"

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, and then asked:

    "...What do you think the essence of combat is?"

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 530 Something Better

    Rain looked at him with a serious expression, thinking.

    Inwardly, Sunny sighed.

    He still didn't know how to change her mentality and make her vicious enough to survive the Dream Realm. He didn't even know if he wanted to, and if that was the right thing to do.

    At least she seemed to understand a little bit more about the truth of the world after surviving the Gate opening. For now, that was going to have to be enough.

    And this conversation was his attempt to make the lesson stick.

    After a while, Rain said with uncertainty:

    "Survival?"

    Sunny raised an eyebrow, looking at her with surprise.

    What were the chances that, despite their different life experiences, his sister would answer the question the same way he had, all that time ago, in the desolate hell of the Forgotten Shore?

    He remained silent for a while, remembering those terrible, wonderful days. Then, he shook his head.

    "No. The essence of combat is murder."

    Rain shivered slightly.

    "M��murder?"

    Sunny nodded.

    "Of course. What else would it be? You have to kill your enemy, or die. Either way, someone ends up murdered, and someone ends up as the murderer. So, the purpose of combat training is to make sure that you're the murderer. It is really that simple."

    He paused, and then added:

    "Survival is important, of course�� but that can't be your primary goal. Such a goal is a terrible one to have. Even in life, it is not enough. You have to survive to continue living, but if you only live to survive, then what is even the point? More than that, if you don't strive for something bigger, something better, then you will only ever do what is required and nothing else. Which will make you weaker than those who want and dare to do more, and that weakness will cost you your life��"

    His voice trailed off, and Sunny suddenly fell silent. Rain looked at him in confusion.

    "Uh�� Sunny?"

    He blinked a couple of times.

    "Yeah. Sorry. So��"

    'Well, what do you know? I guess it's true what they say, the best way to learn is to teach��'

    While trying to impart some wisdom, little as he had, on his attentive student, Sunny had accidentally stumbled on a truth about his own desperate desire to grow stronger. Everything Sunny had told Rain could be applied to himself. He had long ago abandoned his singular desire to survive at all cost, and now wanted much more.

    But was his desire to live free and with dignity really comparable to Neph's passionate, immolating obsession? Would he really be able to surpass her while being driven by such a mundane goal?

    That�� gave Sunny a lot to think about.

    He glanced at Rain, and then continued:

    "...Mastery of combat can be divided into two aspects. Mastery of the body, and mastery of the mind. Your body can be trained through exercise, but your mind�� is much more tricky. If you can understand the true essence of combat, however �� truly grasp it with your very core �� then you will have enough clarity to master the mind��"

    ***

    Sunny spent some time explaining the fundamental laws of combat �� at least to the extent that he himself understood them �� to Rain. In the end, he wasn't sure that she really grasped the knowledge he wanted to share with her, but it was at least a start.

    Thinking back to his own tumultuous education, Sunny couldn't really blame her. It was hard, or maybe even impossible, to really understand battle without experiencing it. He had met Nephis after surviving the First Nightmare and several days of fighting for his life on the Forgotten Shore. Even then, it had taken being nearly killed by a carapace centurion for him to reach the state of clarity.

    There were no carapace centurions around, and Sunny certainly wasn't going to run her through with a sword.

    So, for now, this was going to have to do.

    After the verbal lesson, Sunny showed Rain a few basic stances and katas of Saint's style, and watch her struggle to replicate them. The progress was slow, but she was really a talented kid. For now, what held her back the most was her weak body.

    But that was okay. One couldn't expect a teenage girl to be as strong as an Awakened. Her body could be trained�� of course, Rain was never going to be as strong and resilient as a burly, able-bodied man.

    But then, neither was Sunny. Due to his low stature and lean build, he couldn't compete with people like Caster or Master Roan in terms of physical might. However, this could be mitigated by Aspect Abilities, absorbing fragments, and mastering precise essence control.

    What's more, sharp weapons were the great equalizer. The purpose of a weapon was to reduce the amount of force one needed to apply to deliver a lethal blow. Unless one planned to beat their enemy to death with their fists, technique and skill were much more important than pure strength.

    And Saint's battle style could make that inherent disadvantage even slimmer.

    ��After a while, Sunny judged that Rain had enough. The girl seemed to be sufficiently exhausted, and pushing further would not do her any good. He gestured for her to stop and placed the practice weapons back on the stand, then summoned the Endless Spring and offered it to the tired girl.

    Rain was breathing heavily, her pale face glistening with sweat. Noticing the beautiful glass bottle, she smiled with excitement.

    "Wow! Is that a Memory?"

    Sunny tilted his head a little.

    "Sure�� why are you asking?"

    The girl grabbed the Endless Spring and studied it from all sides, then cautiously took a few sips.

    "You don't get it! I've never seen a real Memory up close before. It�� it feels so real!"

    He stared at her in bewilderment.

    "It is real. What are you talking about?"

    Rain glanced at him with scorn, drank the water greedily, and then handed the Endless Spring back with a bit of reluctance.

    "Did you get it after defeating some terrible monster? Or bought it?"

    Sunny frowned, hesitated for a moment, and then said darkly:

    "...It was a gift, actually."

    She blinked a couple of times.

    "Oh. From�� from that friend of yours?"

    He grimaced.

    "No. Not from a friend."

    Then, Sunny dismissed the Endless Spring and headed toward the elevator.

    "Anyway, it's time for you to go. Otherwise, your parents might think that I have kidnapped you. Oh��"

    He thought for a bit before saying:

    "I, uh�� I have some ice cream in the fridge. We can eat it before you go. If you want. Unless Effie had already devoured everything, of course."

    Rain giggled, then followed him with a very pleased expression.

    Before entering the elevator, she threw one last glance at the Dreamscape pod, and then suddenly asked:

    "By the way, the Dream Tournament is in a few days. Are you participating?"

    Sunny scoffed and pressed the button, sending the elevator up.

    "Do I look like I have time to play with kids in a playground? I have real things to do, you know!"

    Rain glanced at him, and sighed.

    "Yeah, I get it. What a pity, though. I hear that the main prize this year are especially amazing. You wouldn't be able to win it, of course, but there are many smaller rewards."

    Sunny's expression subtly changed.

    As the doors opened, he looked at Rain, remained silent for a moment, and then asked in a very, very disinterested voice:

    "Oh, really? There are prizes? Huh, how curious. What, uh�� what kind of prizes are we talking about, exactly?"

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 531 Dream Tournamet

    Some time later, Sunny saw Rain out, watched as she walked away, and then calmly closed the door.

    As soon as she did, however, his placid expression evaporated.

    "What the hell! How come I didn't know about this?!"

    Hastily taking out his communicator, he accessed the network and searched for information about the Dream Tournament.

    A few minutes later, he sat down on a chair, a little stunned.

    "What is this insanity?!"

    Sunny knew, of course, that Dreamscape duels were a popular form of entertainment �� both among the Awakened, who participated in them, and among the mundane humans, who followed their favorite duelists and created boisterous fan clubs.

    However, he had no idea that even the Great Clans paid attention to the illusory game.

    Apparently, the creator of the Dreamscape held a big tournament each year, and each year, one of the Great Clans �� either Valor, Song, or Night �� sponsored the prize pool. Participants who managed to achieve good results were able to receive cash prizes, Memories, and even Echoes.

    The rewards for the finalists were especially generous, and came directly from the Great Clan's armory. They were also of the Ascended Rank.

    Sunny trembled, his eyes burning with avarice.

    'No, no�� think about it rationally��'

    The Great Clans were obviously after a straightforward goal �� keep an eye on the rising talents among the unaffiliated Awakened. But did it matter? Sunny had already failed to keep his fake persona under the radar. Anyone who paid attention to Dreamscape had at least heard about Mongrel.

    What was there to even think about?

    'Free goodies! That's what it is!'

    Completely forgetting about his previous disdain for the tournament, Sunny got completely absorbed by the prospect of receiving Memories free of charge. He was almost drooling.

    And if free Memories weren't enough, there was another reason for why this tournament now seemed very alluring to him.

    For the past months, Sunny had participated in hundreds of duels in various arenas. His goal was to absorb as many styles as possible, to reinforce the foundation of Shadow Dance and make it more efficient. This way, he hoped to achieve the next level of mastery over his elusive battle art.

    Not all battle styles were made the same. Some were simple and straightforward, while others were complex and unique. The more unique a style was, the harder it was for Sunny to gain insight into its principles.

    It was not like he had a magical ability to peer into the very essence of a style�� this ability of his was more or less mundane, based on his own talent, mastery, and sensitivity to shadows.

    So, he had been working diligently to create a sizable library of simpler styles, which would in turn improve his capacity to discern the patterns of more complicated ones with sufficient speed. After all, all styles were constructed out of the same basic elements. The more basic patterns he knew, the easier it was to understand various styles on the fly.

    However, the quality of his opponents in the Dreamscape arenas was not that high�� for obvious reasons. True talents had better things to do than play games. Most of them also belonged to Legacy clans, who lived by a different set of rules.

    In the world of Legacies, strength and talent were not something to boast about. Renown only served to make the enemy aware of your weaknesses. In that regard, hidden tigers of the Legacy clans were very much like Sunny, remaining in the shadows until it was time to deliver a lethal strike.

    That was why his progress had stalled lately. These days, the only worthy opponents he could find were a few rare eccentrics and a rare gem here and there, not nearly enough to satiate Mongrel's hunger for a variety of distinct battle styles.

    What's more, at the highest levels of Awakened battle skill, styles were not only about physical movements and mindset anymore. They weaved unique patterns of essence control into the technique, too, which Sunny couldn't perceive and was only able to infer from indirect clues. Sadly, he wasn't exposed to a lot of opponents practicing such styles in the arenas.

    ��The tournament was going to change that, however. With the valuable prizes added into the mix, people who would usually not waste time in the Dreamscape were bound to show up, lured by the scent of rare Memories and Echoes. Even people from lesser Legacy clans would, without a doubt, be tempted to participate.

    A powerful Ascended weapon or armor could change their lives, too.

    So, Sunny could kill two birds with one stone. Compete for these prizes and enrich his library of styles at the same time.

    'Forget it! I'd be a fool to miss this chance��'

    Even knowing what a headache it would be to bring even more exposure to Mongrel, Sunny couldn't let such an opportunity go. Plus, he had some free time while Effie and Kai were traveling to the Chained Isles.

    Scrolling through the feed, he started reading everything he could find about the upcoming tournament.

    ***

    Several days later, Sunny locked the door of his house, descended into the basement, and approached the Dreamscape pod.

    As soon as he entered the fake black void, the familiar pleasant voice greeted him:

    "Welcome back to the Dreamscape, Challenger Mongrel!"

    Sunny didn't pay attention to it and briefly looked at his status.

    "Mongrel"

    "Victories: 813"

    "Defeats: 0"

    With a quiet sneer, he turned to several images floating in the boundless darkness in front of him.

    These were the arenas he had access to, and by now, there were significantly more of them than had been there at the start. Today, however, the list looked different.

    The images of the arenas were pushed to the sides, and a new one appeared in the very middle. It was completely white, with a golden shape of an olive wreath depicted beneath two shining words:

    "Dream Tournament"

    Sunny lingered for a moment, summoned the Mantle of the Underworld and Weaver's Mask, and then stepped toward the image.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 532 Ancient Forest

    The golden wreath disappeared, and Sunny found himself facing two new images. On one, a knight in a suit of polished armor was depicted holding a bloodied sword. On the other, a warrior in an archaic armor was shown standing back to back with the knight, a slender huntress drawing her bow behind them.

    The pleasant voice announced:

    "Challenger, select your dream."

    Several words appeared above the images.

    "Dream of Glory", "Dream of Camaraderie".

    'What's with the bells and whistles��'

    Sunny rolled his eyes.

    The choice was very simple �� one image was going to send him into the individual competition, while the other was meant for cohorts.

    The Dream Tournament was basically two separate tournaments happening at the same time. This way, those Awakened who didn't have combat Aspects could also participate and earn rewards. It was a good system.

    Sunny had no intention of searching for a cohort, so he simply chose the image of the lonely knight and closed his eyes.

    Unlike the usual Dreamscape duels, the tournament included various battle modes. They were also broadcasted and happened at a schedule, so he had to wait for the first qualifier round to start.

    Standing in the darkness, Sunny couldn't help but feel a little excited.

    ***

    "Challenger! Draw your weapon and prepare! Only the best will survive!"

    A bright light suddenly shone from above, and he found himself in the middle of a lush forest. All around him, ancient trees swayed lightly, their leaves rustling in the gentle wind.

    Some distance away, a tranquil lake glistened in the sunlight, and from its clear waters, a breathtakingly beautiful castle rose into the sky. The castle was built out of grey stone and was as large as a city, its ancient walls scarred by a thousand sieges that it had withstood. Still, those scars could not diminish the ethereal beauty of the great fortress.

    The arena was vast, and encompassed all of the forest. There was no other Awakened near Sunny, and for a good reason.

    The qualifying rounds of the Dream Tournament were held in the form of a grand battle royale. A thousand challengers were sent into a large environment, and only the last one standing would be allowed to move on.

    Depending on their performance, a few more people could also gain entry into the tournament�� but the only concrete method to qualify was to be the sole survivor. This was a necessary measure implemented in the last few years because of the sheer amount of participants.

    Arranging and broadcasting so many individual duels was not very practical�� or profitable�� especially considering that most of these Awakened were not very skilled. The battle royale was meant to weed out the weak and create an exciting show for the viewers.

    Sunny knew this, of course, because he had done some research in the past couple of days.

    ��He didn't need the research to recognize where he was, though.

    'Wow�� it's even more beautiful in real life��'

    Who didn't know Bastion?

    This year, clan Valor sponsored the tournament, so the arena was designed to resemble the seat of their power, great Bastion �� one of the three most populous human Citadels in the Dream Realm.

    Sunny had never been to the ancient castle, but its image was ubiquitous in popular culture. He recognized it instantly.

    'So�� this must be the Lake of Bones, then.'

    And all around him was the ancient, cursed forest that Anvil of Valor had destroyed.

    These days, of course, the landscape surrounding Bastion was very different. Instead of a lush forest, it was surrounded by a sea of ash and charred remains of the dreaded titan, with human forts built here and there to repel powerful Nightmare Creatures from wandering close to the Citadel.

    But thanks to the Dreamscape, Sunny got to enjoy the way this place had looked before, vibrant and pristine. The only difference was that there was no harrowing darkness hiding behind the veil of false tranquility.

    'Ah. How nice.'

    Compared to the Chained Isles, it was a nice change of pace.

    Just as he thought that, the voice of the Dreamscape suddenly announced:

    "Challenger Mongrel #19 was eliminated."

    Sunny tilted his head.

    'Well, that was fast. Also�� what's up with that alias?"

    Shaking his head, he commanded the Soul Serpent to assume the form of the odachi and calmly headed deeper into the forest.

    It was time to start hunting...

    ***

    On the official broadcast channel, the image of an eliminated player was shown briefly. Then, a rather lighthearted voice spoke:

    "What a kill! Just a few seconds after the start, and we already have a casualty. Let's all wish Mongrel #19 better luck next year!"

    An avatar of an exquisitely handsome young man appeared in the corner of the broadcast. Glancing at the camera with a bright smile, he continued:

    "And so, the fifth annual Dream Tournament has begun! Yes, it's me, Syclus. Your favorite commentator and Nightmare Creature expert! Hold the applause, he-he. Guys, I have a big surprise for you. Guess who decided to join me in the commentator booth today?"

    The young man paused, and then gestured to the other side of the screen, where an older man with sharp features, deep eyes, and a short beard appeared.

    "That's right, you're not hallucinating! It's Dimi, the great loremaster and former Dream Champion! Give him a warm welcome!"

    As a deluge of messages flooded the chat, the older man smiled.

    "Hey, everyone."

    Syclus, meanwhile, spoke again:

    "We have a couple of minutes before the real action starts, since challengers need some time to find each other in this beautiful arena. So, while we wait, I have a couple of questions for Dimi."

    He glanced at the broadcast, which switched between various Awakened traveling through the forest. Some of them were well-equipped and looked skilled, while others less so.

    "First of all, this year we had a record number of fighters signing up for the tournament. What are your thoughts on that as a veteran Dreamscape duelist, Dimi?"

    The older man smiled.

    "It's nice to see more Awakened taking up the illusory sword. Some of them might even know how to use one! Of course, I have to give a lot of credit to the generosity of the Great Clan Valor. They have really outdone themselves with the prizes this year. No, I am not salty. Not at all!"

    Syclus laughed, and then threw a mischievous glance at his colleague.

    "Alright, then I'll ask you the question that I am sure is on everyone's mind. As an expert, who do you think will win the tournament... and why is it Mongrel?"

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 533 Battle Royale

    As soon as the commentator mentioned Mongrel, the feed changed to the image of a menacing figure in black armor calmly walking through the forest, the blade of the infamous odachi resting on its shoulder. The lightless pits of the demonic mask's eyes stared directly into the camera, as if there was nothing but darkness beneath it.

    As soon as Mongrel appeared on the screens, the chat exploded.

    "YES! It's Mongrel!"

    "Hail to the Lord!"

    "Huh? Who is Mongrel?"

    "...You mean hail to the LADY?"

    Dimi laughed.

    "Ah, yes. This guy. Well, Mongrel is a really impressive fighter, but the results may not be as predictable as everyone thinks. Every year, the same thing happens �� at the later stages of the tournament, two distinct groups clash. One is the Dreamscape elites, and the other is newcomers attracted by the rewards. Historically, the newcomers tend to do better."

    He sighed and shook his head.

    "Plus, we don't really know a lot about Mongrel. Sure, he has a very impressive track record, but most of his wins were achieved against random opponents. Who knows what will happen when he faces the best of the best? If I were to bet, my money is still on Queen Bee. If anyone has a chance against the newcomers, it should be her."

    Syclus nodded a few times, expressing his enthusiastic agreement.

    "Sure! But, still, returning to Mongrel. Everyone is dying to know who he really is under that scary mask. And if anyone knows anything about you, Dimi, they'll know that you must have your guesses��"

    The older man smiled, his eyes suddenly gleaming with excitement.

    "Funny you should ask! Actually, I do have a theory��"

    ***

    "Challenger Lord Corvus was eliminated."

    "Challenger Fry was eliminated."

    "Challenger Erax was eliminated."

    Sunny stared at the three corpses at his feet, which were already turning into a flood of white sparks. These three Awakened attacked him as a group, and while their skill was not bad and even admirable, he had no problem dispatching the trio in the span of a minute.

    The fact that they had managed to remain alive for more than several seconds was already an excellent result, considering who their enemy was.

    Flourishing the odachi in the air, Sunny shook the drops of blood off its blade and continued walking.

    ...Technically, he didn't have to clean his blade, since the blood was bound to turn into sparks of light and disappear, too. But that was already a habit of his... not to mention being extremely cool.

    Truth be told, that short skirmish was not as easy as he had made it look. The Awakened were dangerous enemies, since each of them possessed a unique Aspect. They were cunning, resourceful, and unpredictable. That was why he had to act swiftly, making the fight appear much more brutal than it should have been.

    Currently, Sunny wasn't using any of his shadows to augment himself. He had decided against it a long time ago, since being able to crush his opponents with brute force was detrimental to his main goal �� polishing his battle technique and learning various styles.

    So, the gloomy shadow was currently behaving like any normal shadow would, while the other two were wrapped around the Autumn Leaf �� the Memory he used to change the color of his hair. Since it had no other purpose, the augmentation did not give him any advantage.

    ��His hair must have looked gorgeous, though.

    Snickering under the mask, Sunny jogged forward. He was in a rush to eliminate as many other players as he could before the first leaderboard announcement was made.

    Meeting the group of three allied Awakened reminded him of the inherent problem with the battle royale format of the qualifying rounds �� as soon as true powerhouses revealed themselves, weaker participants were bound to band together and start hunting them down.

    Very soon, there could be a dozen fighters launching a coordinated attack on him, or even more.

    Sunny was confident of his skill, but not to that degree. Even for a battle-hardened veteran like him, someone who had spent hundreds of days fighting for his life in the darkest depths of the Dream Realm, such a fight would not be easy.

    'This battle royale is going to be much more intense than I have expected��'

    Before Sunny could finish this thought, an ancient tree next to him suddenly exploded into a cloud of splinters, and something sharp shot at him with incredible speed. Cursing, he dashed to the side and barely dodged out of the way.

    The next moment, a giant arrow whistled past him and embedded itself into the trunk of another tree, its trembling shaft as long as he was tall.

    Sunny rolled over his shoulder and glanced at the arrow, then lunged into a sprint.

    'Curses! A sniper!'

    A second later, another giant arrow fell from the sky, almost skewering him to the ground.

    Sunny gritted his teeth and continued running.

    ***

    On the countless screen, an image of a broad-shouldered young man was shown, drawing the string of an oversized bow. His mightly muscles strained, and when he released the string, a thunderous sound rolled down the slopes of a tall hill the archer was standing on.

    Meanwhile, the two commentators were not paying him attention:

    "...And so, I can say without a shadow of a doubt that Mongrel is not, in fact, one of the Forgotten Shore survivors, but actually the son of the secret child of the legendary Nightwalker, the founder of the House of Night. Uh�� well, this is my theory, anyway."

    Syclus glanced at Dimi with a wide smile, and then turned the conversation back to the skirmishes in the ancient forest, which were starting to happen more frequently and grow in intensity.

    "Is that so! Well, that secret grandchild seems to be in big trouble! Despite Mongrel's savage victory over the three other challengers, now he seems to be in the crosshairs of one of the newcomers you spoke about earlier. Let's take a look!"

    The feed changed to the image of Mongrel running swiftly through the woods, dodging one giant arrow after another. His movements seemed steady and precise, as though he had a second pair of eyes at the back of his head.

    Syclus glanced at the indifferent black mask and involuntary shivered.

    "Wow! Look at that�� what a commendable feat, to maintain calm and composure in such a tricky situation! It is almost as if Mongrel is not afraid of anything, not even being bombarded by a rain of enchanted arrows, each of them powerful enough to pierce a Fallen monster through! Truly, that man has nerves of steel. I wonder what he is thinking about right now��"

    ***

    'What the hell?! How is this fair?! Crap! This is bad, this is so bad! I don't want to die so soon! What the Spell am I even supposed to do?!'

    Panicking and sweating under the mask, Sunny dodged one arrow after another and cursed non-stop.

    He had no idea who was shooting him, how they were able to aim through the thick canopy of the ancient trees, and where they were. All he could do was run, dodge, and pray to the dead gods that he survives this devastating barrage.

    Luckily, a few moments later, he noticed a rock outcropping not too far away, with a deep ravine hiding behind it.

    Dashing forward, he evaded another giant arrow and slid down the slope of the ravine. Reaching its bottom, he waded through the thick carpet of fallen leaves and pressed his back against the rocks, finally safe from the relentless sniper.

    Only then could Sunny finally catch his breath and look around.

    However, as soon as he did, a dark grimace appeared on his face.

    '...Damnation!'

    As fate would have it, he was not alone in the ravine.

    Growling in frustration, Sunny gripped the hilt of the odachi and once again dodged.

    A few moments later, the pleasant voice resounded over the ancient forest:

    "...Challenger Agick was eliminated."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 534 Demonic Swordsman

    Sunny remained in the ravine for a few minutes, considering his options and hoping that the unknown archer would have to shift to another target.

    He had already revealed his ability to teleport during the Gate battle, but the quality of the recording hid the details of how he was able to do it. With the crystal clear picture of the Dream Tournament broadcast, though, Sunny couldn't risk using Shadow Step again. Even if he really, really wanted to...

    Neither could he send his shadow to scout the position of the archer, which left him in a bind.

    The best option would have been to stay hidden for a while, but luck was really not on his side today. Shortly after he had defeated the other Awakened taking shelter in the ravine, the sound of the rustling leaves subtly changed, and an ominous darkness suddenly moved between the roots of the ancient trees.

    As more and more people were eliminated, the remaining challengers were bound to start having trouble finding new opponents in the vast arena. So, the arena was designed to grow smaller as time went by.

    This year, it seemed, the players would be forced to move toward the center by the fact that the beautiful forest was slowly turning back to its true nature �� that of a giant, abominable, flesh-devouring titan.

    'Great! This is just goddamn great!'

    Pushing off of the rocks, Sunny cursed and started climbing up the slope.

    ***

    Some time later, full of annoyance and with sparks of light falling off his armor, he walked out of the cover of trees and entered a small clearing. There, an Awakened in a lustrous brass armor stood above the disintegrating corpses of two others, holding a heavy war hammer in his hands. A few steps away from him, another was bandaging a shallow cut on her forearm.

    The man threw one glance at Sunny and rolled his eyes.

    "Great! Another Mongrel impersonato��"

    Before he could finish speaking, though, the blade of the odachi pierced his throat, sliding precisely between the lip of the brass breastplate and the bottom edge of the helmet.

    As the body of the Awakened hit the ground, his partner looked at Sunny with wide eyes. A battle axe fell from her hands.

    "Oh crap! You're�� you're actually him!"

    The girl turned around and tried to run, but before she could, Sunny was already upon her, ending her participation in the battle royale with one swift strike.

    "Challenger Abel was eliminated."

    "Challenger Wynne was eliminated."

    Sunny sighed and remained motionless for a bit, resting.

    ��He was more than a little bit tired.

    But the worst was still to come.

    Suddenly, the sound of trumpets rolled across the ancient forest, and the pleasant voice of the Dreamscpae announced:

    "Only five hundred challengers remain!"

    "Bravest warriors are: Dar of the Maharana clan, seventy-eight kills; Fireshing, thirty-three kills; Mongrel, twenty-seven kills."

    Sunny stared at the sky, the black mask hiding a grim expression on his face.

    "Seventy-eigh kills�� gee. Who is this monster?"

    He had a hunch that he already knew. Defeating his own twenty-seven opponents had not been exactly time-consuming, but looking for them was. Who wouldn't need to waste precious minutes prowling the woods in search of enemies to kill, though?

    A damned archer with a strange ability to sense his targets across vast distances and through any obstacle, perhaps?

    'I need to step up my game, I guess.'

    It wouldn't do for Lord Mongrel to lag behind some Legacy prince.

    As if to answer his thoughts, a dozen figures suddenly appeared from behind the trees, surrounding him. These Awakened were armed with all kinds of weapons, looking at him with satisfied expressions. It seemed that they had planned this ambush really well�� Sunny had nowhere to retreat, and no chance to escape.

    And since the midway results had been announced just a few seconds ago, it was obvious that there was at least one person with some sort of clairvoyant Ability among them. Otherwise, no one was supposed to be able to pinpoint his location this early into the battle.

    What else did this bastard know?

    Sunny sighed.

    One of the ambushers took a step forward and smiled.

    "Sorry, Mongrel. All of us here really respect you, especially after you risked your life to hold that Gate. But those Valor weapons are just too sweet, and we need to think about ourselves. No hard feelings�� right?"

    The menacing figure in black armor stared at the young man for a few moments, and then an elusive, but strangely familiar voice resounded from beneath the fearsome mask:

    "...None whatsoever."

    Inwardly, though, Sunny was not at all calm.

    'Bastards! Lowlifes! Scoundrels! Twelve against one?! Where is your shame, thugs?! Come here then, you damned cowards! I'm gonna kill you, and then your grandmas!"

    Just a moment later, the ambushers obliged. All kinds of Aspect Abilities activated at once, turning the small clearing into a furious storm of deadly elements and steel.

    '...Oh crap!'

    ***

    "Oh no! It seems like Mongrel is in trouble!"

    Syclus glanced at the sea of outraged comments, and then back to the broadcast. Both he and Dimi were glued to the screen, even forgetting to do their job and fill the silence with informative or entertaining chatter.

    The scene in front of them was just too�� terrifying.

    Just a moment ago, they saw a lone figure in black armor standing motionlessly in the center of a bright clearing, staring at the twelve ambushers surrounding him with cold indifference. Mongrel's voice sounded from the speakers, strangely dark and ethereal:

    "...None whatsoever."

    And then, everything exploded in a brutal symphony of violence. The ambushers attacked without wasting even a second, their assault deadly and well-coordinated.

    Syclus held his breath.

    'Come on, Mongrel! Use your spatial Aspect!'

    From what he could see, this was the only chance the demonic swordsman had to escape.

    However, as a fan himself, Syclus knew that Mongrel never used his Aspect in the Dreamscape, as if it was somehow beneath him. Mongrel only ever relied on his sword, his skill, and unadulterated technique.

    'Such dignity��'

    And this time, too, the mysterious warrior refused to compromise his unassailable, noble principles. Instead of activating his Ability, he simply lunged at the enemies without fear or doubt.

    Then, something strange happened. His infamous odachi suddenly turned into a stream of impenetrably dark, liquid metal and flowed onto his arm, soon turning into a round shield. With that shield, Mongrel deflected an incoming javelin, then twisted his body, dodging a hail of razor-sharp windblades, and dove into an immolating stream of fire that one of the Awakened breathed out of her mouth.

    ��Miraculously, he emerged on the other side unscathed, like an infernal monster that could not be burned even in the flames of hell. The black armor reflected the crimson flames, somehow becoming even more menacing.

    In the next second, Mongrel's spiked gauntlet connected with the face of one of the ambushers.

    It was as if the poor man was hit by a mountain. His skull caved, and then exploded, the lifeless body folding as it flew to the side and turned into a rain of sparks.

    What happened next could only be described as pure carnage.

    The black figure pounced on the ambushers, using both his gauntleted fist and his round shield to sow devastation among their ranks. Mongrel moved with terrifying speed and devious cunning, using the bodies of his enemies to block or prevent attacks from their comrades. Syclus wasn't sure, but he thought that he saw a couple of them die from friendly fire.

    The rest fell to the demonic butcher himself, though. Every move Mongrel made was precise, calculated, and deadly�� but also brutal and utterly cruel. He danced among his enemies like a grim reaper, killing them one after another without showing any sign of even knowing what mercy or hesitation were. Blood, screams, and flashes of light filled the clearing for a good couple of minutes.

    And when it was all over, the lone black figure was left standing alone amidst the bodies, covered in blood from head to toe. A moment later, that blood turned into sparks of light, too, and awash in light, Mongrel stepped forward, his armor as black as pristine as ever.

    Syclus remained silent for a few moments, and then said hoarsely:

    "Hey, Dimi�� Did Mongrel just�� slaughtered twelve Awakened solo?"

    The older man cleared his throat.

    "That, uh�� you know, I might rethink my bet. Actually, my money is on that man."

    His colleague blinked a couple of times. After that, he glanced at the comments and forced out a smile.

    "...Is he even a man, though?"

    ***

    Meanwhile, Sunny was on the verge of collapsing onto the ground.

    'Argh! Everything hurts! What the hell, why is this stupid battle royale so intense?! I almost sullied my pants!'

    That battle�� hell, it was too close. He barely managed to survive, and had only prevailed because the twelve Awakened were clearly not a real cohort. They were experienced enough to coordinate their physical attacks, but when varied and unique Aspect Abilities had come into play, all their cohesion turned into pure havoc.

    He had used that confusion to quickly get rid of the most dangerous opponents, and then somehow cleaned up the rest. The Mantle of the Underworld still took several solid hits�� the armor itself held, but his body beneath was bruised and battered.

    'Are these damn rewards even worth it? Damn, they'd better be!'

    Suppressing a pained groan, he willed the Soul Serpent to turn back into an odachi, and headed away from the clearing.

    'Just five hundred... four hundred and eighty-eight left. This is going to be a long day...'

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 535 No Hard Feelings

    A triumphant sound of trumpets resounded above the ancient forest.

    "Only three challengers remain!"

    "These brave heroes are: Mongrel, one hundred and eleven kills; Fireshing, eighty-seven kills; Kim Saitoh, fifty-nine kills!"

    "Dream of Glory awaits, heroes!"

    Sunny dragged his tired body out of the forest, feeling the ground under his feet shift and tremble. At this point, the titan was almost fully awake, and no part of the arena was safe��

    With the exception of the narrow strip of sand between the dark woods and the lake that he had just reached, of course.

    Sunny walked into the shallow water and stopped, using the Soul Serpent to support himself. His breath was ragged and hoarse, and there were several dents on the onyx surface of the Mantle of the Underworld.

    Almost at the same time, two more figures emerged from the darkness of the hungry forest.

    One was an attractive young woman with broad shoulders and an athletic build, her long auburn hair gathered in a ponytail. She was wearing a modest red tunic, her torso protected by a leather cuirass, and wielded a light spear. Her blue eyes were tired, but clear, full of intensity and focus.

    The other was a man in heavy armor, carrying a greatsword with its blade inscribed by a complicated weave of runes. His face was hidden behind the visor of a helmet, with only calm, cold eyes visible in the narrow slit. His steps were confident, but a little unsteady, betraying a dire level of exhaustion.

    'This must be Fireshing and Saitoh.'

    The mighty archer had not made it. Sunny could only guess what had happened to him, but the most likely scenario was pretty obvious. The powerful Legacy must have run into an ambush similar to those Sunny himself had encountered, only with a much less happy result.

    Well, that was life. Dar of the Maharana clan had paid the price for daring to stand out too much without having enough power to answer for such audacity. On one hand, it was not very fair, as far as tournaments went. On the other hand, when was anything ever fair?

    Sunny much preferred to stay in the shadows, even if this damned persona of his had somewhat failed to help him in that regard.

    Coincidentally, none of those who had conspired to form a group had made it this far, as well. And with a good reason �� the type of person who would resort to such methods did not have what it took to win this battle, to begin with.

    So Sunny was not going to underestimate his last two opponents. They had already proven how formidable they were.

    ��The three Awakened stood apart, looking at each other warily. The clear water of the tranquil lake splashed against their shins. The magnificent castle loomed in the distance, its ancient walls bathed in the bright sunlight. The vista was beautiful and peaceful, but the air was practically crackling with tension.

    After a while, the man in a suit of heavy plate armor turned to the fiery young woman and said hoarsely:

    "Let's deal with that demon together. We can decide who wins between the two of us after that thing is eliminated."

    Sunny rolled his eyes.

    'Wow. How unexpected.'

    He gripped the hilt of the Soul Serpent, preparing himself for a tough fight.

    To his surprise, though, the young woman shook her head a said simply, a clear expression of disdain appearing on her freckled face:

    "No."

    He raised his eyebrows.

    'Huh. Such nobility�� gods, what an idiot! What a fool!'

    The man called Saitoh laughed, and then glanced at Mongrel:

    "How about it, Mongrel? Same offer. Let's take care of the girl first, and then have a proper duel, you and I. Or is it beneath you?"

    Sunny gritted his teeth, but had no choice but to say:

    "It is."

    'Argh, curse it!'

    Saitoh shook his head.

    "Young people these days�� so naive. Have the Dream Realm taught you nothing?"

    Sunny raised the odachi and grinned.

    "...It taught me everything."

    With that, he shifted his weight and prepared to dash forward.

    The time for words was over.

    The other two also understood that, and in the next moment, the calmness of the clear lake was instantly no more.

    ***

    'What the!'

    As soon as Sunny moved, a powerful explosion thundered, and he was thrown into the air by the devastating shockwave. Landing in a roll, he hurriedly slotted the Memory of Fire into the Mantle and rose just in time to see a massive fireball dissipate into the air.

    His body felt even more damaged than it had been a moment ago.

    Kim Saitoh, however, took the brunt of the explosion. His heavy armor was mangled and torn, patches of burned skin visible through the tears. Just as Fireshing lunged at him, tongues of flame appearing on the blade of her spear, he suddenly moved with unexpected agility, thrusting his sword forward.

    He wasn't aiming at the girl, though.

    ,m '...Bad!'

    Sunny noticed the rows of runes ignite with a menacing purple light, and then hastily threw his body sideways. In the next moment, a phantom figure of an armored giant appeared in the air and slashed downward, cutting the air where he had just stood with the identical copy of the same greatsword.

    'What a powerful Memory!'

    Since both of his enemies seemed to possess deadly means of range attack, he had no choice but to close the distance. Luckily, Saitoh was already entangled with Fireshing, who rained a barrage of lightning-fast, but precise and deadly strikes on him. It was as if the young woman was dancing, her auburn hair and red tunic flying through the air like tongues of wild flame.

    'Interesting style�� I should leave her for last...'

    The man, meanwhile, didn't try to evade the burning spear and instead turned his body swiftly, making sure that it struck the undamaged parts of his armor. Despite being mangled by the explosion, the heavy armor held, betraying the fact that it, too, was a Memory of considerable power.

    It didn't matter, though.

    A moment later, Sunny was upon them and joined the fight, the dark odachi united with the flaming spear and a runic greatsword to sing the song of steel.

    ***

    A few minutes later, the voice of the Dreamscape spoke again:

    "Challenger Kim Saitoh was eliminated."

    "Challenger Fireshing was eliminated."

    "Challenger Mongrel is victorious! Glory to the victor!"

    As blood turned into a flood of sparks and the waters of the tranquil lake became clear once more, triumphant music thundered from all sides.

    Hidden behind the black mask, Sunny grimaced and suppressed the desire to plug his ears.

    'What's with this terrible noise... argh! That was way too hard��'

    Unbeknownst to him, the network was already exploding with countless articles, all titled more or less the same��

    "No hard feelings: Lord Mongrel easily defeats a thousand Awakened!"

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 536 Lcon Of Chivalry

    'What a chore��'

    Sunny dragged himself out of the Dreamscape pod and sighed.

    Even though the battle royale happened inside an illusion and his body wasn't tired or bruised, the mental exhaustion was real. The qualifier round had turned out to be much more demanding than Sunny had thought.

    Of course, he could have used the three shadows to augment himself and devastate the entire arena, but that would have defeated the purpose. Sunny had managed fine with just his own strength. This way, he was also polishing his technique and enriching his comprehension of Shadow Dance, which was not a small matter.

    Putting on some clothes, he returned upstairs, sprawled on the sofa, and then looked at his communicator.

    Currently, hundreds of similar illusory battles were being broadcasted for people to see. Some were already close to a conclusion, some were in the thick of bloodshed, and some were only just starting.

    However, not every broadcast received the same amount of attention �� those arenas where renowned duelists or especially powerful newcomers were fighting pulled the most of it. Sadly, due to Mongrel's infamy, the one Sunny had just finished was among the more popular broadcasts. It was also one of the earliest to end, so clips of the most exciting moments were already circulating on the network.

    Sunny groaned.

    'Perfect�� just perfect... another damned viral clip��'

    His final fight against Fireshing and Saitoh received a lot of views, but nowhere near as many as the clip of his brutal confrontation with the twelve ambushers.

    The comments were exploding.

    "Hell yeah! Our Lord taught these thugs a lesson!"

    "Only twelve? These guys are idiots, they should have gathered at least a hundred��"

    "No hard feelings? None whatsoever�� gods, how can anyone be so cool?!"

    "Did you see his odachi shapeshift? I was not hallucinating, right?"

    "...Is it just me, or does Mongrel's hair look extra gorgeous today?"

    He grimaced, then look at the comments under the other video:

    "That Saitoh guy�� why did he even ask? Doesn't he know that Mongrel is an icon of chivalry?"

    "Of course it is beneath Lord Mongrel! He is so noble!"

    "What are you fools talking about? Mongrel is not noble! He is a wild beast! He only said that teaming up is beneath him because a beast like him doesn't need anyone's help to kill everyone! "

    "Gee, so many edgelords in the comments today. Eh, I miss the early days when only true experts knew about Mongrel. His technique was way better back then, too��"

    Sunny stared at the screen for a while, then shook his head.

    'What's wrong with these people? Since when was I an icon of chivalry? Wait, what does chivalry even mean?'

    He shook his head again, then switched to the official feed and looked up the results of his match.

    Sunny, of course, qualified for the tournament the moment he had won the battle royale. However, other participants also had a chance to move on to the next stage. That depended on their performance and individual score, so there was no set number of people who would be allowed to continue.

    As it turned out, out of the thousand Awakened who had fought in his battle royale, two more qualified to participate in the tournament �� one of them was Fireshing, the young woman whom he had faced last, and Dar of the Maharana clan, the archer who had almost skewered Sunny with his giant arrows.

    'Huh. The bastard squeezed through, after all.'

    Losing interest, Sunny turned off the communicator and yawned.

    Tomorrow, the real tournament was going to begin. Around a thousand fighters �� those who proved their mettle in the qualifying rounds �� were going to face each other in proper duels, and after several days of intense competition, one victor was going to emerge to reap the best reward.

    'I better rest well.'

    He went back into the underground dojo, climbed into the sleeping pod, and closed his eyes. Soon, the familiar sight of the Sanctuary appeared in from of him.

    Without wasting any time, Sunny left the Altar Island, went to his room, crashed on the narrow cot, and almost instantly fell asleep.

    ...Who said that there was no rest for the wicked?

    ***

    The next morning, Rain appeared at his doorstep for the training session, punctual as ever. Luckily, the tournament was not going to start until noon, so Sunny didn't have to find an excuse to cancel their lesson.

    Not that he would. This was much more important than some stupid tournament. He could get powerful Memories elsewhere, but every day that passed was one less day for him to increase his sister's chances of survival. So, tutoring Rain took precedence.

    The girl repeated the movements and katas he had shown her the last time. Her form was as horrible as he had expected, but Rain was nothing if not diligent. She was improving with every set, slowly correcting the mistakes he pointed to her and absorbing the technique into her bones. For a complete novice, she was doing rather great.

    'Runs in the blood, I guess.'

    Making sure that she couldn't see, Sunny faced away and grinned. At that exact moment, his communicator received a message. After looking at it, his mood improved even further.

    The message was from Aiko, informing him that the soul shards he had retrieved from the Wormvine were finally sold. Transcendent shards were infinitely more rare and precious than those of lesser Ranks �� not only because they stored more essence, but also because there were Aspect Abilities and spelltech applications that depended on the quality of the raw materials used.

    So, Sunny just became considerably richer.

    He had not dared to sell Solvane's soul shard, though. There were certainly Awakened out there who could determine the nature and source of a shard. If anyone learned that he was in possession of one coming from a human Saint, Sunny would have to answer too many uncomfortable questions. So, he had just given it to Kai instead.

    Strengthening the members of his cohort was, in a sense, the same as strengthening himself, so Sunny didn't feel that aggrieved because of the loss of potential profit.

    ��It was still incredibly sad, though!

    After the training session was over, he made a tasty breakfast for himself and Rain. The girl was hungry as a wolf, so she destroyed the contents of her plate in record time.

    When she was almost done, Sunny glanced at her with an incredulous expression and asked neutrally:

    "Has that tournament of yours started?"

    Rain swallowed the last bite and smiled.

    "The Dream Tournament? Yes, the qualifying rounds were yesterday."

    He took a sip of tea, acting indifferent.

    "Oh really? Right, I think I saw some clips on the network. Uh�� did you?"

    She nodded.

    "Yeah��"

    Sunny lingered for a bit, then mentioned as if he just happened to think about it:

    "I, uh... hear that that Mongrel guy is quite good."

    Rain scoffed.

    "...Sure, I guess. But I don't like him."

    Sunny almost choked on his tea.

    "What? Why?"

    It took a lot of effort to keep his voice calm and conversational.

    'Why don't you like Mongrel?! Mongrel is awesome! He defeated twelve Awakened solo, you know!'

    The girl simply shrugged.

    "I don't know. He just seems pompous. And who does he think he is, going around teaching people how to live? Plus, what's up with that mask? A good person wouldn't have to hide behind a mask, that's what I think."

    Sunny glared at her with a bit of resentment, then forced out a smile.

    "Well, I don't know. The mask is a powerful Memory, for sure. And he probably doesn't even want to teach people anything�� at least that is my impression��"

    Rain frowned.

    "Plus, he caused so many problems for Night! If he had the tiniest bit of conscience, he would have come forward and refuted those ridiculous rumors�� but I bet that he doesn't!"

    Sunny's eye twitched.

    'Aha! So this is the root of all this! Just you wait, Kai�� I'll repay you for this one day!'

    He slowly took another sip of tea and asked, hiding his outrage.

    "You seem to know a lot about that tournament, huh? I thought you weren't very interested in that kind of stuff."

    Rain sighed.

    "I am not. I just thought that maybe I'll see that Awakened again�� the woman who saved me. But she's not participating."

    Sunny wanted to say something, but before she could, the girl added:

    "...Well, of course. A true Awakened like her would never waste time on something frivolous like this. She is probably busy doing something important�� exploring the Dream Realm to help humanity, protecting people from the Nightmare Creatures. Stuff like that, you know."

    Sunny smiled.

    "That is certainly a possibility�� wait, what do you mean? A true Awakened wouldn't waste�� didn't you suggest that I participate in that tournament?"

    Rain looked at him as though he was stupid.

    "That's you! And that's her�� what kind of question is that? By the way, what time it is�� oh, goodness! I have to run��"

    With that, she hurriedly waved Sunny goodbye and dashed to the door, leaving him completely stunned.

    '....What the hell is that supposed to mean? That's me, and that's her?'

    He remained motionless for a while, then slowly closed his mouth and looked at the time.

    As it turned out, he had to hurry, too. The tournament duels were about to begin.

    ��Walking toward the elevator, Sunny was seething with anger.

    'That's me�� well, of course, that's me! I'll show her�� hell, I'll show all of them! I mean, Mongrel will... ah, curses!'

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 537 Learning Curve

    The opening ceremony of the tournament was supposed to be a spectacular event, with thousands of challengers �� each of them a talented Awakened fighter �� gathered in the magnificent central courtyard of the illusory Bastion. Slightly more than a thousand of them were those participating in the individual competition, and the rest were members of competing cohorts.

    The representative of the great clan Valor welcomed them and gave a short speech, after which an androgynous person of undetermined age in exquisite silk garments �� the eccentric Saint responsible for creating the Dreamscape �� followed suit. This Transcendent had a hypnotically beautiful face that was, for some reason, plastered with an unreasonable amount of makeup, and a genteel, almost effeminate bearing.

    If Sunny was there, he would recognize their pleasant voice as the one that read all the announcements in the Dreamscape.

    But he wasn't.

    Why would he waste time on these theatrics? He skipped the speeches, the performances, the incredible montage of the most exciting moments from the battles of the previous day, and even the event that everyone had been waiting for with bated breath �� the formation of the tournament bracket that would determine who would face whom and in what order.

    Sunny didn't care who was going to fight him, he just wanted to kill somebody as soon as possible.

    With each round of duels, half of the participants were going to be eliminated. That meant that he had to win ten consecutive fights to receive the best reward. Of course, it wasn't an easy task�� by now, there were no amateurs remaining in the tournament. Every single one of the thousand challengers was a formidable warrior, and by the end of it, only true talents would remain.

    It was also a perfect chance for him to try and learn their polished battle styles.

    Sunny waited until the bracket was almost complete and finally dove into the Dreamscape. The menacing black figure of Mongrel appeared among the crowd of challengers, causing a bit of a stir. Immediately, those closest to him began to whisper.

    "Hey! It's him!"

    "Man. The bastard is even scarier in real life. That scene from the montage... gods, I'm so glad we chose to enter the tournament as a cohort!"

    "Ptui! What's the big deal? I hope I draw him as an opponent�� crushing this wannabe should be fun��"

    Ignoring the whispers, Sunny looked around with curiosity. He wasn't interested in the people gathered around him, but in the courtyard itself. This was his first time inside Bastion�� well, an illusory version of it. Still, he couldn't help but feel a bit of awe. This was a legendary place�� one of the earliest Citadels conquered by humans, their greatest foothold in the Dream Realm. The seat of a Great Clan's power.

    ...And the former stronghold of one of the daemons.

    It was like he was part of history.

    Sunny's curiosity didn't last long, however, quickly drowned by anger and annoyance.

    'That girl! What does she even know!'

    His hands were itching to slaughter someone.

    Finally, the bracket was complete. Sunny didn't bother to study it and just prepared himself for the battle.

    A few seconds later, his vision darkened for a moment, and then he found himself in the courtyard again �� only this time, the crowd of challengers was gone, leaving only him and his opponent standing opposite each other.

    There were flags streaming in the air, and thousands of excited spectators looking down from the stands. They were chanting, screaming, and waving their hands.

    His opponent was a young man in a striking bloodred armor, wielding a long espadon. His looked vaguely familiar.

    As soon as the young man saw the black mask, his face paled.

    "I knew this would happen! Crap, not agai��"

    Sunny growled and dashed forward, raising the Soul Serpent.

    A few moments later, a human head flew into the air, the audience exploded with cheers, and the pleasant voice announced:

    "Challenger Paradise in Red was eliminated!"

    ***

    Syclus was in the middle of a lighthearted discussion with Dimi when the producer of the broadcast addressed him through the earpiece, forcing the young man to blink a couple of times and mask his surprise with a smile.

    "Ah, sorry to interrupt you, Dimi, but it seems we already have a win! Wow, that was fast!"

    The feed changed to a replay of a swift and brutal duel that ended before the voice of the Dreamscape could even introduce the fighters. That was a first in his memory...

    "Ah, ha-ha! Of course, it was Mongrel. Who else?"

    His colleague laughed.

    "Such bad luck for his opponent! I hope that he is not disheartened. There is no shame in losing to such a fearsome enemy�� everyone who made it through the qualifying rounds already deserves our respect. Back in my day, getting into the tournament was much easier��"

    Syclus agreed, glanced at the figure in black armor standing motionlessly above the corpse of his opponent, and couldn't help but shiver.

    Was it just him, or did Mongrel look especially ferocious today?

    'Maybe he really is a Nightmare Creature��'

    After that first unexpected win, several other heated duels were shown. Syclus and Dimi switched from commentating on them to commercial breaks, to sometimes joining the other commentators to spectate the most exciting cohort battles. After a while, it was Mongrel's turn to fight again.

    This time, the producers switched the feed to his duel beforehand, expecting another fast and brutal kill. However, they were left disappointed. In that duel �� and during a couple of next ones as well �� the enigmatic swordsman seemed to lose all his edge, and engaged in protracted, slow, exhausting battles with his opponents, only managing to dispatch them after long and arduous fights.

    Syclus, who was somewhat of a Mongrel fan, but not a diehard follower, was a bit confused by the sudden change.

    Luckily, he had an expert partner.

    "Hey, Dimi�� why does it seem that Mongrel is struggling all of a sudden? After his performance yesterday, I was sure that we will see pure carnage again!"

    The older man chuckled.

    "Ah, I see that you did not do your homework! That is what Mongrel does, and what makes him so dangerous. Yes, it might seem as though he is struggling, but in fact, he is not. He is�� learning."

    Syclus glanced at the chat, then laughed.

    "No, I am sure that Dimi didn't mean "learning to suck". But, uh�� what exactly did you mean, Dimi?"

    The resident expert smiled.

    "Mongrel is known as a genius fighter not because he is strong and skilled �� there's plenty of such people among the duelists �� but because he has an uncanny ability to absorb and mirror his opponent's battle style. So what you see is not him losing, it's him trying to comprehend the enemy's technique through being on the receiving end of it. It is truly remarkable! And a bit terrifying..."

    Syclus stared at the feed and finally noticed that, indeed, Mongrel's style seemed to change with every duel, closely resembling that of his opponents. His strange weapon also shifted and changed to mirror theirs.

    '...So cool!'

    He turned to the camera with a wide, delighted smile.

    "Well, there you have it, folks! So don't dismiss Mongrel yet�� who knows, maybe he will shock us all yet!"

    ***

    Soon, it was time for Sunny's last duel of the day. Once again, he appeared in the courtyard and glanced at his opponent, excited to learn what style they were going to use.

    When he saw the enemy, though, a dark smile appeared on his face.

    'What a nice surprise�� so we meet again! Or rather, for the first time. Yesterday, we didn't have a chance to get properly acquainted, you bastard��'

    Opposite him stood a tall young man with broad shoulders and an incredibly muscular physique. He looked mighty and confident, like a statue of an ancient deity come to life.

    ...It was the damned archer who had almost sniped him from across the arena during the battle royale.

    'Dar of the Maharana clan, was it? Well, well. Let me introduce myself��'

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 538 Devouring Styles

    This was the fifth and final duel that Sunny had to fight today.

    His previous three opponents all practiced unique and interesting styles, so he had taken his sweet time trying to learn from them. He succeeded twice and failed once.

    The first opponent was called Straw Hat and used a curved sword, his technique relying on extreme speed and flexibility. Even Sunny, who had himself trained to make his body as malleable as possible, struggled to keep up with this unpredictable opponent.

    The alias of the second one �� The Other Fool �� was a bit familiar, but the style he used was not. Sunny spent a lot of time trying to understand the strange pattern of essence expenditure the fighter used, all the while dodging unpredictable attacks of his exquisite halberd. In the end, he learned a lot from this fight.

    However, it was the third opponent that had really tested him. This Awakened, whose alias was Blue Vash, wielded a slender rapier and practiced a deceptively simple battle style. What separated him from the rest was that each of his movements was utterly perfect, and every one of Sunny's mistakes had been instantly punished.

    It was as though the man had a supernatural ability to see even the tiniest flaw in his enemy's technique, and was able to immediately exploit it. No matter how hard Sunny had tried to comprehend the essence of the style Blue Vash was using, he couldn't grasp it. In the end, he was forced to overwhelm and kill the astute fencer just to survive. However, despite that failure, he learned from this fight even more.

    Regardless, after several duels against such talented fighters, Sunny felt that his mastery of Shadow Dance, which had stayed stagnant for a while, was finally progressing again. He was slowly approaching a precipice.

    That was why he was so glad to see Dar of the Maharana clan.

    To some, facing a Legacy might have seemed like a tough break. But for Sunny�� for Sunny, Legacies were like gift boxes! They hid all kinds of goodies, his for the taking.

    The problem was that, just like the Covetous Coffer, this box in particular could potentially bite off his greedy hand.

    ��The young Legacy fighter wasn't using a bow anymore, of course. Which wasn't a surprise. Legacies were trained to be proficient with a multitude of weapons, and a duel was not a place for arrows. Instead, he was holding a menacing great mace, its round head brimming with sharp spikes.

    What made this guy so dangerous was not his bow, in any case. It was his strange ability to zero in on the enemy and somehow perceive their every move�� or whatever it was that had allowed him to barrage Sunny with arrows from afar with frighteningly high precision.

    While Sunny was staring at the mighty Dar, he was looking back at Mongrel. The scion's gaze traveled across the Mantle of the Underworld, making Sunny shiver for some reason, and then reached Weaver's Mask.

    Suddenly, the muscular young man frowned.

    "...Strange. An Ascended armor, and an�� Echo?... for a weapon. Even if it is just Dormant, you've done well for yourself. But that mask�� where did you get it?"

    The corner of Sunny's mouth twitched.

    Chatty enemies�� they were the worst. Especially ones with such a kin vision.

    "Took it off a random corpse."

    He paused, and then added with calm indifference:

    "Shall we start? Or do you need time to run to the other side of the arena, hide, and summon your bow?"

    Sunny was trying to antagonize the young on purpose, hoping that he would forget this line of questioning. Luckily, his strategy worked.

    Dar of the Maharana clan grinned.

    "No�� no need. Who knows... maybe I'll take it off your corpse one day, too��"

    With that, he raised his heavy weapon, and suddenly lunged forward with a speed that no one his size was supposed to possess. The spiked mace whistled through the air, and in the next moment, the sound of clashing steel rang across the arena.

    ***

    'Strong��'

    Sunny was thrown back by the force of the impact. His block held, and the Soul Serpent held, too. However, he failed to adjust the weight of the Mantle of the Underworld enough, so his body was pushed back.

    'How the hell is he so strong? I have three soul cores, dammit!'

    Dar didn't care. He was much taller, had much more muscle mass, a much longer reach�� not to mention that as a Legacy, he could have had many charms and Memory enchantments feeding him strength, agility, and resilience. This fight wasn't going to be easy.

    Before Sunny could even properly land, the mace was flying at his head again. He pivoted on one leg, dodged the spikes, and dashed forward, hoping to close distance and get up close to the opponent, where his small stature and the shorter weapon would give him an advantage.

    The Soul Serpent lashed out, aimed at the enemy's heart. Dar was wearing a light leather cuirass that left his shoulders and arms exposed, so Sunny hoped to pierce it with one blow. However, to his surprise, the tip of the odachi slid off the light leather armor as if it was forged from adamantine steel instead.

    'Damn Legacies...'

    The Legacy in question spun his mace, forcing Sunny to retreat, then glanced down at the spot where a tiny scratch was left on his cuirass. When he looked up again, his eyes were full of dark amusement.

    "...Not bad."

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    'Still running his mouth! Let's see if you have any breath to waste in a couple of minutes!'

    The two of them clashed again, exchanging dozens of blows. Both were strong, fast, and skilled. Neither could easily overwhelm the opponent.

    This was the second time Sunny had to fight a Legacy�� third, if he counted Nephis. The difference was incredibly obvious.

    His previous opponents were talented and experienced, but none of them could compare to Dar. This young man was a deadly battle machine crafted to reign on any battlefield, trained from the moment he had taken his first step to wield weapons of war and destroy his enemies.

    He was no match for Caster, however... but Caster had never gotten the chance to become an Awakened. Once a Legacy learned to control the flow of soul essence, their power grew exponentially. Which was what Sunny was currently experiencing �� raw power shaped into a deadly weapon by long years of relentless practice, and superb skill.

    ��And yet, he wasn't worried.

    Dar was powerful, skilled, and experienced�� but he lacked something that people like Sunny had �� the memory of fear and bitter defeats, knowledge of death, and a vicious will to persevere.

    Sunny didn't doubt that the Legacy had spent a lot of time in the Dream Realm, battling Nightmare Creatures�� but he did doubt that Dar had ever found himself in absolute despair, having to claw his way back to life. His experience was that of fighting down, and not fighting up.

    As Master Jet would say... he wasn't a killer.

    But Sunny was, and so, the Legacy had already lost this fight, even if he didn't know it yet. He was only alive because his enemy was interested in learning sophisticated battle styles.

    And there was a lot of sophistication in Dar's aggressive and domineering battle style. Legacies were truly in a league of their own�� this was not something that Sunny could learn in a heartbeat. He needed time.

    And so, their violent duel had turned into a slow, but terrifyingly intense battle of attrition. A minute passed, then another, then another... the two fighters were still entangled in a ferocious melee. The spectators were at the edge of their seats, holding their breaths as they watch the incredible spectacle. The direct feed of the duel was gathering more and more viewers.

    'Bastard�� how are doing this? How?!'

    Sunny was trying to peer into the core of Dar's style, but failed to understand its essence over and over again.

    ��Until he didn't.

    'I see! So this is how! It was so obvious��'

    By that point, both of them were exhausted and wounded, their reserves of essence running dry. Sunny had much more left, of course �� even though continuously enhancing his physical prowess and using the [Feather of Truth] enchantment of the Mantle was hungrily eating through shadow essence, he had three times the capacity. He also had much better control of it, it seemed.

    All the time Sunny had spent meditating in the Sky Below was not for nothing, after all.

    Feeling the foundation of Shadow Dance grow stronger, Sunny grinned behind the mask, and suddenly changed his entire attitude. His movements turned sharper and more aggressive, his demeanor bold and overbearing. The Soul Serpent turned into liquid darkness, and then shaped itself into a spiked mace.

    Dar was thrown off by the sudden change, but only for a moment.

    ...However, that moment was all Sunny needed.

    Dodging the enemy's attack before it could even fully manifest, as if reading the Legacy's thoughts, he dove under the strike and delivered a crushing blow of his own.

    His enemy's leather armor still held, but the bones beneath it did not. Dar's ribcage caved, and he spat a stream of blood. In the next second, another hit connected with his jaw, turning the young man's face into a bloody mess.

    He fell to his knees and raised a hand, desperately trying to block the finishing blow.

    The demon in black armor knew no mercy, though. Calmly raising the mace, he brutally brought it down.

    The crowd let out a collective scream.

    In the silence that followed, a pleasant voice announced:

    "Dar of the Maharana clan was eliminated."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 539 Out Of Reach

    Sunny climbed out of the pod and stretched, lamenting the fact that Dreamscape capsules weren't as sophisticated as the sleeping pods used to enter the actual Dream Realm. Due to his luxurious metal sarcophagus, he had almost forgotten the rusty feeling of spending too much time inside one of these things.

    Despite the fact that the duels themselves had not lasted too long, an entire day already passed. Sunny was somewhat tired, but instead of resting, he commanded the Soul Serpent to shape itself into a weapon and walked to the middle of the dojo. He was impatient to cement the knowledge of the battle styles he had absorbed today.

    Sunny started to perform various katas, executing each one slowly at first, and then quicker, and quicker, and quicker still. Soon, he moved with incredible speed, his lithe and flexible body almost leaving afterimages behind. Lean muscles were rolling under his pale skin, which soon glistened with sweat.

    Sunny fluidly shifted from one style to another, his movements simultaneously firm and flowing, sharp and gentle, clear and unpredictable. The Soul Serpent flowed from one form to another, too, as insidious and shapeless as the person who wielded it. It was as though Sunny was performing a strange, graceful, viciously complicated dance.

    ��His three shadows danced with him, moving swiftly on the ceramic plates of the armored floor.

    If Sunny could look at himself right now, he would be surprised to see that his movements were eerily similar to the dance that the young slave girl had once performed in his dream. But while her movements were beautiful and smooth, his were deadly and sharp. Hers were flawless, while his were slightly crude�� as if he had not mastered his art yet.

    'I can feel it�� the second step. I can feel it, but why can't I reach it? Something is missing��'

    After a long time, Sunny tiredly fell on the cold ceramic floor and remained motionless for several minutes, his chest moving heavily. There was a tired, but determined expression on his face.

    'More, I need more. More and better��'

    ***

    In the morning, Sunny had some free time before he had to enter the Dreamscape again. Making himself a cup of tea, he relaxed in a comfortable chair and took out his communicator.

    After yesterday, the number of duelists remaining in the tournament had drastically reduced. Now, there were only thirty-two of them left. Each one was a formidable opponent, so Sunny decided to study their previous fights a bit. Luckily, all the recordings were readily available on the network.

    ��His were, too.

    "Now I am even more sure that Mongrel is a Legacy. Or an actual demon! Who else could have defeated that monster, Dar?"

    "Aww... Mongrel knew that this guy was an archer, so he even offered to give him time to get away. He's so cordial! So noble! What an inspiration!"

    "You mean an actual DEMONESS, right?"

    Sunny shivered and, not even trying to look at the comments, hurriedly scrolled past these videos to start doing his research.

    'Maybe one of these guys will help me advance to the next level of Shadow Dance��'

    Out of curiosity, he also glanced at the cohort competition leaderboard. The team that was currently in the first place was called "Librarians" and, weirdly, consisted of only two people. Their aliases were Unorganized Laundry and Iza, which didn't tell him anything. But considering that these two were currently dominating much larger cohorts, they must have been a truly fearsome duo.

    Initially, Sunny had only joined the Dream Tournament to reap the alluring rewards, so he had not thought much of it. But now, he was starting to suspect that it was going to be a humbling experience.

    He had already faced several troublesome opponents that earned his reluctant acknowledgment, and things would only get exponentially harder from here. Due to his recent progress, Sunny had allowed himself to become a little vain. He was stronger and more experienced than most of the Awakened he met, so he had almost forgotten to always expect the worst.

    Seeing these powerful Awakened helped him remember how dangerous it was to underestimate the enemy.

    And these weren't even the true elites. Real powerhouses of the Awakened world would never reveal their might in a public tournament.

    ��Sunny was one of these hidden tigers himself, after all, so he would know.

    With a dark expression, he shook his head and concentrated on the screen of the communicator.

    ***

    Very soon, he was back in the arena. Sunny had skipped all the theatrics again and only entered the Dreamscape at the last minute, hoping to avoid any situation that could lead to him being asked questions.

    Sadly, he couldn't avoid his opponents, and if they wanted to talk, he had to answer.

    Currently, he was facing a man wearing a peculiar armor made out of rusted metal, their face grim and full of dark apprehension. He was in his early thirties, and looked like someone who had led a rough life.

    "Challenger Mongrel has joined the fight!"

    "Challenger What? No, wait! Has joined the fight!"

    Hidden behind the mask, Sunny raised his eyebrows.

    'What's up with that alias? Wait... why does it sound familiar?'

    While he was trying to remember where he had heard this bizarre name, the man summoned a shield and an arming sword, glanced at him darkly, and asked:

    "You're the new guy everyone is talking about?"

    Sunny sighed, knowing what would follow.

    "No."

    His opponent frowned.

    "Why are you lying?"

    Sunny rolled his eyes, exasperated by all the talk. However, he didn't want to attack the older man recklessly. His opponent had to be quite powerful to get this far.

    "I am not lying."

    The man sneered.

    "That's exactly what a liar would say! Do you think I'm an idiot?"

    'Gods! Can you just attack already!'

    He took a step forward and said:

    "Yes."

    The older man stared at him for a few moments, his face full of anger and confusion. After a while, he hissed:

    "Brat, you must be courting death..."

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 540 Blood Feud

    The peculiar man had an excellent technique, but it seemed as though anger was clouding his judgment. Sunny spent several minutes dodging and blocking his attacks, carefully observing both the enemy and the enemy's shadow. It wasn't long before he was able to grasp the essence of the enemy's style.

    'There�� I understand now��'

    After more than nine hundred duels in the Dreamscape, his ability to comprehend different battle styles had considerably improved. And this guy wasn't using anything he had never seen before �� his technique was polished, but unoriginal. Not that there was anything wrong with that, except that it was also too straightforward and inflexible.

    'How did he even get so far?'

    Since there was nothing else for Sunny to learn, he switched from defense to attack and delivered a swift strike, leaving a shallow wound on the opponent's shoulder. A few drops of blood landed on the Mantle of the Underworld�� and in the next moment, Sunny learned just how the man was able to climb so high on the tournament ladder.

    Suddenly, the blood shone with menacing crimson light and exploded, throwing Sunny back and tearing the Soul Serpent from his hand. At the same time, his enemy's wound ignited with dim red radiance, and in the next second, his movements became much faster, his blow carrying much more weight.

    '...What the hell?'

    Sunny barely dodged a devastating downward slash, rolled away, and grabbed the hilt of the odachi �� just in time to block another strike and be thrown back a few steps again.

    'How is he suddenly so strong?!'

    He struggled desperately to keep up with the man in rusted armor, who had somehow instantly become utterly overbearing. In the process, another drop of blood landed on him.

    'Crap��'

    The Mantle withstood another explosion. Its surface did not crack, but Sunny could tell that the armor was weakened. Jumping back to his feet, he gritted his teeth and continued to fight.

    Pretty soon, his suspicion was confirmed. The enemy seemed to possess an Aspect related to blood. His first Ability allowed him to ignite it, and the second increased his strength and speed the more he bled. So every time Sunny managed to perform a successful attack, the man grew much more formidable, while Sunny himself had to either dodge the drops of blood or somehow survive another explosion.

    ��But he wasn't worried.

    By now, Sunny had realized that there were four types of challengers who tended to do well in this tournament. The first type relied on skill, the second type relied on a powerful Aspect, and the third type relied on excellent Memories.

    While the latter two were tricky to deal with, only the first type was really dangerous.

    The fourth type, of course, was the most deadly �� these were fighters who had both formidable skill and powerful Aspects, as well as an arsenal of fearsome Memories at their disposal. Luckily, there weren't many such people around.

    This guy was obviously an opponent of the second type, and relied too much on his bizarre Aspect. To defeat him, Sunny just had to think of a counter, and in this case, the counter was pretty obvious.

    Since every wound made his enemy stronger, he just had to finish the bastard off in one strike.

    And since the warrior in rusted armor neglected to truly develop his technique, that was not that hard to do.

    After another explosion, Sunny increased the weight of the Mantle of the Underworld and withstood the shockwave, then made it as light a feather and dashed forward. He understood the essence of the enemy's style already, so it wasn't hard to predict his next move.

    In fact, Sunny had manipulated the man into doing exactly what he wanted.

    Once his opponent raised his sword to block a vicious slash, Sunny shifted his weight and suddenly changed the direction of the attack, sidestepping as he pushed his sword forward. The Soul Serpent scraped against the enemy's sword and slid effortlessly into the visor slit of the rusted helmet.

    Immediately, Sunny dismissed the Shadow and jumped as far back as he could.

    He was just in time.

    The body of the man in rusted armor shuddered�� and then violently exploded, causing the whole courtyard to tremble. If Sunny was just a tiny bit slower, he would have been pulverized by the explosion, too, and his enemy would have avenged himself from beyond the grave.

    Well... from beyond being eliminated from the tournament, in this case.

    'What kind of an Aspect is that?! Phew... I guess this is why Awakened are so dangerous. You just never know what kind of weird crap they are capable of��'

    As the crowd exploded with applause, the voice of the Dreamscape announced:

    "Challenger What? No, Wait! was eliminated."

    Sunny, however, didn't pay it any attention.

    Because almost at the same time, the Spell whispered into his ear:

    [You have received a Memory.]

    ***

    A few moments later, Sunny was back in the black void, staring at the fake pattern of radiant strings with a perplexed expression.

    'Huh�� that's crazy!'

    He knew, of course, that it was possible to exchange Memories in the Dreamscape. This illusion was a mystical space created by a Saint's Aspect Ability, after all, and not an artificial VR simulation.

    What he had not known, however, was that one could just receive a Memory out of nowhere, without the usual requirement of being in physical contact �� even if that contact was illusory �� with its master. However, if the Saint in question was responsible for delivering the rewards, then it sort of made sense.

    More importantly, though�� he had received a Memory!

    His eyes gleamed.

    Sunny was already eligible for several smaller prizes, most of them in the form of credits or soul shards. He wasn't going to bother receiving them, though �� even if there was a way to do so without leaving a paper trail, Sunny didn't know of one.

    The Memories, however�� that was an entirely different situation!

    Summoning the runes, he quickly read:

    Memory: [Memory of Ice].

    'Wait... that sounds familiar. Don't I have a [Memory of Fire] charm already?

    Indeed, the Memory he received was eerily similar. It was another protective charm!

    Memory Rank: Ascended.

    Memory Tier: I.

    Memory Type: Charm.

    Memory Description: [...Even when the sun returned, they shivered and remembered the neverending winter.]

    Memory Enchantments: [Bitter Cold.]

    Enchantment Description: [This charm provides the wearer with moderate resistance to cold.]

    A wide smile appeared on his face, hidden behind the black mask.

    'Now that�� that is what I am talking about!'

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 541 Battle Of Two Demons

    "An incredible win by Lord�� uh, by Mongrel!"

    Looking at the cloud of blood rising above the arena, Syclus couldn't contain his enthusiasm.

    Today, there were no simultaneous duels, as there were only thirty-two contenders left. Each battle was intense and exciting, and received the full attention of the commentators.

    Looking at the cheering audience, Dimi laughed.

    "Indeed, indeed�� Mongrel did very well against No Wait. That Aspect of his is a real menace, believe me. I've been on the receiving end of those explosions way too many times!"

    Dimi had been one of the first renowned duelists of the Dreamscape, back when it had been just growing popular ten or so years ago, so he was talking from experience.

    Syclus glanced at the chat, knowing that it was a good time to involve the viewers in the discussion. Coincidentally, he noticed a comment concerning something that he himself was curious about.

    "Yeah, very devious! But, Dimi�� don't you feel like Mongrel behaved a bit out of character today? I mean, he practically called a respected Dreamscape veteran an idiot. With how noble, dignified, and chivalrous Mongrel usually is��"

    Dimi thought for a bit, then shook his head.

    "You see, Syclus�� I respected Mongrel before, but now I truly admire him. It takes a very talented fighter to quickly recognize a battle style, true. Mongrel is talented... but he is also wise."

    He smiled.

    "Because it takes a very wise man to quickly recoginze an idiot. And make no mistake, this guy is a complete buffoon! Believe me, I have the misfortune of knowing him pretty well. I mean�� only an idiot would end up with an alias like "What? No, Wait!"... right?"

    Instantly, a deluge of comments flooded the chat:

    "True! Mongrel is so wise!"

    "Wise, deadly, and handsome!"

    "How do you know that he's handsome, fool? He never takes off that creepy mask!"

    "You mean SHE is handsome? Wait, that doesn't sound right��"

    "...Can someone ban that troll already?!"

    "Dimi is right! Only a complete idiot would end up with that alias. Why would an idiot like that even try to fight someone as wise as Lord Mongrel? Ptui..."

    ***

    'Oh! I remember where I've seen that weird alias!'

    Sunny was preparing for his next duel when he suddenly remembered how he had entered the Dreamscape for the first time. Back then, he had almost ended up with that exact name after accidentally saying the words out loud. Luckily, it had already been taken. Otherwise, Sunny could have been called "What? No, wait!" himself.

    'So that's the guy! Poor fellow��'

    ��Not that being called Mongrel was much better.

    Slightly amused, he sat down and circulated his essence through the coils of the Soul Serpent, aiming to replenish it completely before the next fight.

    He had a feeling that it wasn't going to be easy��

    ***

    He was right. None of his next three duels were easy, although for very different reasons.

    The second opponent he faced today was called Lowph. It was a young man with shoulder-length hair who wore a light armor, wielding a round shield and a spear. His technique was impeccable, but the most dangerous thing about him was his speed.

    Lowph was fast. Very fast. So fast, in fact, that Sunny could barely see some of his movements. The worst part was that this speed did not come from an Aspect Ability, but simply from skill, training, and incredibly precise essence control.

    Unlike Caster, who could move with insane speed constantly, the young man seemed deceptively slow until he chose to attack, at which point his weapons almost teleported from one place to another. Sunny only managed to resist because his enemy skillfully masked the movements of his body, but didn't think to mask the movements of his shadow.

    The smart thing to do was to kill the deadly opponent as fast as possible, but Sunny was utterly fascinated by the way Lowph used his soul essence, so he lingered, trying to infer details of this technique from how the young man fought.

    That was why Lowph ended up being the first human to make Mongrel bleed.

    At some point, his spear slid between the breastplate of the Mantle and one of the spaulders, sinking deep into Sunny's armpit. The pain was blinding.

    Twisting the blade and then retreating to save himself from a retaliatory strike, Lowph glanced at the vibrant crimson liquid on his spear and smiled.

    "...So you're human, after all."

    Sunny suppressed the pain and tilted his head slightly:

    "Am I?"

    Then, he dashed forward and went all out, aiming to end the fight as soon as possible �� not because he was done learning Lowph's style, but because even with Blood Weave, he wasn't sure that he would last long, considering how serious his wound was.

    Thanks to his brutal battle with Caster, Sunny already knew how to deal with fast enemies. So, in the end, neither speed nor incredible mastery of essence managed to save the young man from his blade.

    The deep wound disappeared as soon as Sunny returned to the black void.

    'Interesting. Very interesting! I have ways to go as far as controlling essence goes, it seems.'

    The next duel could have been really, really tough, but ended up being only slightly torturous. His enemy this time was named Everain and possessed a powerful sorcerous Aspect centered around gravity manipulation.

    As soon as the fight started, it felt as though a mountain fell on his shoulders. Sunny was barely able to move, while his enemy masterfully weaved the effects of Aspect Abilities into an already swift and lethal combat technique, making for a truly deadly combination.

    ��Luckily, Sunny had [Feather of Truth], which diminished the burden a little. More importantly, he had a rich experience dealing with the Crushing. Even though Everain was able to make him sweat by manipulating gravity with admirable ingenuity, he was victorious in the end.

    The third duel, however�� made him rethink a lot of things.

    This time, his enemy was a friendly-looking guy with a funny alias, Dynisor. Weirdly, he wore simple garments instead of an armor and wielded no weapons. At first, Sunny fought that this was another sorcerer�� however, he couldn't have been more wrong.

    As soon as the voice of the Dreamscape announced the start of the duel, his opponent�� changed. His muscles suddenly ballooned and shifted, ripping through the simple clothes. His skin glistened, becoming covered by metallic scales. His nails grew into terrifying talons, and his teeth turned into long, sharp fangs.

    In just a few moments, what faced Sunny was not a human, but a frightening hybrid creature that resembled a predatory humanoid lizard. A split second later, the creature was already upon him in a furious whirlwind of claws and teeth.

    However, while it looked like a Nightmare Creature and was as strong and fearsome as one, the hybrid fought with a measured technique of an experienced, cunning, battle-hardened brawler. The effect was nothing short of terrifying.

    The Ability humans received after conquering the Third Nightmare and becoming Transcendent was called a Transformation Ability, but not all transformation-type Abilities were meant only for Saint. While extremely rare, some Aspects manifested similar powers at earlier stages. Song Seishan possessed an Aspect like that, as well.

    However, while Sunny knew that such Awakened existed, this was his first time facing one in battle. And what a battle it was!

    It was really worthy of being the penultimate spectacle of the whole tournament.

    It was also the first fight where Sunny felt that he really might lose. The enemy was just too strong, ferocious, and overbearing�� while also being skilled, intelligent, and subtle. Fighting him was like fighting a devil, or a demon at least.

    In fact, while Sunny had no idea, this was what their duel was being called on the network �� the battle of two demons!

    And one of these demons was bound to fall.

    Under the stunned gazes of numerous spectators �� both those in the Dreamscape and those watching the broadcast on the screens of their communicators �� Mongrel was pushed back by the rampaging monster, his dark odachi sliding off the steel scales without leaving even a scratch on them. Nothing he did seemed to have an effect.

    But then, something changed. At some point, the demonic swordsman dismissed his great blade and lunged into a violent, terrifyingly brutal hand-to-hand combat with the towering creature, using his fists, legs, and even the horns of his mask to attack the enemy. His style changed, turning savage and vicious, insidiously deadly, and utterly ruthless.

    Those who followed Mongrel for a while and knew a fair share about combat were stunned to recognize that style�� it was the same primal, devastating way of fighting the Barrow Wraiths had used during the recent Gate disaster!

    So Mongrel was able to learn from Nightwear Creatures, as well...

    What a terrifying thought!

    The uncompromisingly cruel brawl lasted for a dreadfully long time. In the end, both fighters were bloodied and broken, their bodies battered, but their murderous wills as sharp and unshaken as ever.

    Mongrel's onyx armor had cracked in several places under the unrelenting assault of adamantine talons, but the hybrid's scales were also shattered and torn, his movements slowing down more and more.

    And then, unexpectedly, it was all over.

    Mongrel had caught his enemy into an armlock, and then bent, straining with all his might. A loud crack could be heard in the deathly silence that had settled over the arena a while back, and the creature's neck suddenly twisted at an unnatural angle.

    At first, people couldn't believe their eyes.

    Only when the massive body of the hybrid reptile shuddered, and then turned into a flood of white sparks did they open their eyes wide and started screaming with shock, joy, and admiration.

    Swaying lightly, Sunny looked at the disappearing torrent sparks and grinned.

    '...One more left. Gee, I wonder what I'll get this time!'

 Chapter 542 Polite, Reasonable OnlineDiscussion

    Sunny had received generous rewards for these three duels�� well, for two of them, at least.

    One was an Ascended Memory of the second tier, which was an arrow. The second was an Ascended shield of the second tier. Both had pretty great enchantments, but he had no time to study them in detail. All he had determined was that the Memories were good enough to not be fed to Saint.

    The third reward, though�� was a bitter disappointment. It would have been rather amazing, actually, for anyone else �� a hundred soul shards, no less! In the waking world, this was a precious resource. Even lesser Legacy clans would not scoff at that amount.

    But since Sunny couldn't claim it, he was left with nothing.

    'Curses��'

    His disappointment didn't last long, however. In the end, it didn't really matter. The real boon was the prizes those in second and first place would receive �� and Sunny had already cemented his position in the final duel.

    The winner and the runner-up were going to receive Memories from clan Valor's personal armory. And this was something every Awakened desired, because the Great Clan was renowned not only for its knights.

    It was also famous for its forgers.

    Members of the Valor family often received Aspects tied to forging and creation. Some of them could even create Memories, tailor-made for destroying Nightmare Creatures and conquering the dangerous expanses of the Dream Realm. Sunny doubted that they would put something really unique as a prize for a public tournament, but anything from their vault was going to be precious.

    What's more, he had already enriched his mastery of Shadow Dance a lot. The last three duels especially had pushed him even closer to grasping its second step. Now, he felt as though it was almost within his reach.

    So, participating in the tournament was a pretty good idea, after all.

    'I should really thank Rain�� no, wait�� she doesn't know that I am participating. Also, I am not participating in the tournament�� Mongrel is! Damn, why is everything so convoluted�� I should really rest for a bit.'

    After the battle with Dynisor, he wasn't in the best shape. That fight was nothing short of brutal�� even Sunny, who usually thrived in brutality, was a bit stunned by how violent it ended up being. His wounds had disappeared as soon as the duel ended, but mental exhaustion remained. His essence was also really spent, since that was how the Dreamscape functioned.

    Luckily, the organizers of the tournament were smart enough to not schedule the final fight anytime soon. First, there would be the duel for the third and fourth place, as well as some entertainment. He had hours to rest and recuperate.

    With a tired sigh, Sunny left the Dreamscape, climbed out of the pod, and went to make himself a tasty dinner.

    ***

    While eating, Sunny studied his opponent.

    This year, the final duel was going to be a bit unusual, because both challengers were not powerful newcomers who entered the Dreamscape to win the tournament rewards, but habitual duelists �� well, if Mongrel could be considered one.

    He had heard about the woman he was going to face, too, but not much.

    Her alias was Queen Bee, and she was almost as enigmatic as Sunny himself. Unlike other popular duelists, she didn't broadcast or promote her fights, preferring instead to remain anonymous and under the radar. It seemed as though she was only interested in dueling itself, and nothing else. From what he knew, Queen Bee had never lost a duel. She was an undefeated champion of the arenas.

    Why would someone that powerful hang out in an illusory game? He had no idea. But Sunny wasn't one to judge, since he was also wasting his time there despite having better things to do. He had his reasons, so maybe she did, too.

    Or maybe it was just a fun hobby.

    In any case, the network was full of theories about who Queen Bee might be. There was even a rumor that she was not human at all, but instead an artificial construct created to keep the players from reaching the top spot and to remind them to always strive for greater mastery. Which was complete idiocy, of course, considering that Dreamscape was not capable of emulating actual intelligence.

    If it was, Awakened wouldn't waste time fighting each other and train against simulated Nightmare Creatures instead.

    But people believed what they wanted to believe��

    And people were also insane!

    'What the hell��'

    Sunny stared at the communicator with a weird expression.

    To no surprise whatsoever, Queen Bee had her own army of unreasonable fans �� even though she didn't want any. And currently, that army was engaged in an all-out war with Mongrel's own unwanted horde of followers. The network was bursting with venom and vitriol produced by both sides.

    "Lord Mongrel? That loser? Ptui! Come back when he's King Mongrel, you tasteless dimwits!"

    "You fool! Mongrel never claimed to be a lord, and he would not want to be a king! Mongrel is one of us, common people! Wanna follow a tyrannical monarch, do it privately, you sheep!"

    "Who are you calling sheep, you sheep?! That shady Mongrel guy has literal horns, so think before you bleat!"

    "Guys, can we all calm down? Why are we arguing? Isn't it obvious that Mongrel IS Queen Bee? They're the same person! The won't be a duel!"

    "That guy is insane! Mongrel can't compare to our noble Queen's left pinky!"

    "That guy is whack! That pathetic wannabe princess can't compare to honorable Lord Mongrel! Ridiculous!"

    "...Well, at least we can agree that the previous commenter is an idiot."

    "You're an idiot!"

    "...I guess not."

    Sunny stared at the screen, his eye twitching.

    After a while, turned away.

    'Humanity is a mistake. Maybe it's time to give someone else a chance�� I hear mushrooms are a pretty neat species��'

    Turning off the communicator, Sunny concentrated on devouring his food�� even though all that nonsense had almost killed his appetite.

    Sunny's appetite, however, was as resilient as he himself was. Maybe even more. It was more or less impossible to kill.

    ***

    A few hours later, Sunny returned to the arena.

    It was time to end this spectacle and reap his rewards.

    However�� first, he had to defeat the strongest opponent yet.

    'It's gonna be fine�� I'll get a sweet Memory either way��'

    But winning would be much better.

    ...As soon as he appeared, the crowd cheered.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 543 Finale

    Hearing the thunderous cheer, Sunny almost flinched.

    The last duel of the tournament was different from all the rest. The courtyard had changed slightly, somehow becoming even more magnificent. The grandstands were extended, with dozens of thousands of spectators crowding the stone seats. Their cheers blended into a deafening, excited roar that rose and fell rhythmically, like the sound of a turbulent sea.

    Rose petals were raining from above, covering the arena in a beautiful carpet.

    ��No matter how cynical Sunny wanted to be about the whole thing, it was hard not to feel his blood boil at this scene.

    He turned his head slightly, taking in the sight of the chanting crowd. Then, his sight lingered for a few moments on a tall tribune that loomed above the arena, decorated with the vibrant vermilion banners of the Great Clan Valor. Since this was the final duel, very special people were going to spectate it in person.

    Sunny easily recognized the creator of the Dreamscape, who was dressed in ridiculously colorful silken robes and looked like a parrot that had taken a bath in a tub of face powder. He still couldn't believe that this gaudy clown was an actual Saint��

    The person near him had to be the representative of Valor, then. Sunny couldn't see much, and just noted that it was a young woman with dark wavy hair and alabaster skin. She wore an intricate suit of lusterless, black armor and a red cape, which was the same color as the banner of her clan. Her sharp and austere appearance was in stark contrast with the Saint of Dreamscape.

    The tribune was too far away to see any details, but Sunny wasn't inclined to stare at a Legacy from a Great Clan, anyway. He was already uncomfortable knowing that she would be observing him fight.

    On the other hand��

    'I better put up a good show. Who knows, maybe if that girl likes it, I'll receive an extra good Memory!'

    Throwing these thoughts out of his mind, Sunny finally lowered his gaze and studied his opponent.

    Since Sunny knew some of the best fighters of his generation, he had entertained the idea that he might have met the formidable Queen Bee outside of the Dreamscape already. But no, she didn't seem familiar.

    The famous duelist was seemingly in her thirties, and even though the lower half of her face was hidden behind an elegant half-mask, he was sure that he had never seen her before. She stood calmly in the center of the arena, as if not affected by the cheering crowd and the esteemed guests in the audience at all.

    From just one glance, Sunny knew that he was looking at a combat master. Everything about the regal woman spoke of skill, grace, and resolve. She wore a light metal armor and wielded a slender estoc, its blade long and sharp. There was a strange serenity about her that somehow seemed simultaneously alien and familiar��

    '...Clarity? This is the same vibe Neph sometimes gave off��'

    Indeed, it was the same type of clarity that Nephis, and Sunny himself, possessed. But while Changing Star was sharp and inevitable like a striking sword, Queen Bee was not. On the contrary, she seemed deceptively placid.

    'What a weird contradiction.'

    The woman studied him, too, allowing Sunny to look her in the eyes. They weren't blue, grey, green, or even purple, and instead seemed to shift from one color to another, as if reflecting her mood. The strangest thing about them, though, was that�� those weren't the eyes of a killer.

    Sunny knew how to recognize one, because he was a killer himself.

    He suppressed the desire to scratch the back of his head.

    'Huh�� combat master, but not a killer? Don't tell me that this is really just her hobby��'

    What kind of a hobby was that?!

    In any case, this was going to make things a little easier for him. Sure, Queen Bee might have been a prodigal duelist �� she wouldn't have gotten to the finale of the tournament otherwise �� but without the killing instinct, defeating someone like Sunny would be nearly impossible.

    For him, combat was not something interesting or engaging. It was not something he did for fun, or even his profession. It was simply his life.

    God of War was not called the God of Life for nothing. Life was a constant, brutal struggle, and Sunny knew it better than most. That was why he was such a vicious and cruel fighter, never missing out on the tinies chance to destroy his enemy.

    ��That was not to say that the duel was going to be easy. Killer or not, Queen Bee was still a fearsome opponent.

    With a sigh, he summoned the black odachi, put its blade on his shoulder, and walked forward.

    ***

    The trumpets sang and the voice of the Dreamscape announced the names of the fighters, lunging into a solemn speech afterward. Sunny didn't listen to it and simply approached the middle of the arena, then hesitated and performed a small, awkward bow toward the graceful woman.

    He wasn't a courteous person, but in this situation, bowing seemed somehow appropriate.

    Queen Been looked at him calmly, and nodded lightly. Then, she raised her estoc into position.

    'This is going to be tricky��'

    He sighed, gripped the hilt of the Soul Serpent�� and lunged into a lightning-fast attack.

    What was the point of wasting time?

    Sunny was trying to overwhelm his opponent in one fell swoop, but of course, he failed. The long blade of the slender estoc flew with incredible speed, preventing him from approaching Queen Bee to deliver even a single strike. For a few seconds, nothing but the ringing of steel could be heard above the arena.

    Even the audience grew quiet, looking at the incredible fight with bated breath.

    Unlike the previous duels, there was nothing flashy or particularly spectacular about this one. It wasn't as brutal as the battle between Mongrel and fearsome shapeshifter Dynisor, nor was as strange and exciting as his fight against the gravity sorcerer Everain. There were no fascinating Aspect Abilities flying around, and instead, it was all about skill, steel, and technique.

    However, people who knew even a little bit about combat couldn't take their eyes off the intense confrontation. Every strike, every block, every step the fighters took was full of flawless precision, insight, and clear resolve. This was a battle of two masters, and thus it was much more thrilling and breathtaking than anything else they had seen in this tournament.

    ��Sunny, however, was having much less fun than the audience.

    In fact, he wasn't having any.

    'What the hell?! What is going on?!'

 Chapter 544 Glory To The Victor

    Something was very, very wrong with this duel. He had noticed it almost instantly, but couldn't do anything to prevent the whole fight from going sideways. In fact, although it seemed as though he was holding his own and even advancing on the regal Queen, Sunny was actually scrambling to save his life every second.

    This woman was just too weird!

    There was something wrong with her shadow�� not the harrowing, unnatural kind of wrong that he had felt before in the Dream Realm, but a very mundane kind of wrong which, nevertheless, threw him for a lop.

    It was as though there was a slight disconnect between how the shadow moved and how the woman casting it moved. More than that, although Sunny watched Queen Bee's movements and footwork carefully to predict her next attacks and react to them, each time, he was ending up being slightly mistaken.

    Even if he misplaced his sword by a centimeter, it was already enough to mess up the whole cadence of the fight and allow his enemy to bypass his defenses.

    'How is she doing this?!'

    He had to find the answer very soon, because every second that passed could potentially lead to his loss.

    Sunny tried to deflect an incoming thrust, but missed by a few millimeters once again. As the result, the swift estoc slid past the blade of the Soul Serpent and stung him in the chest, sending a tremor running through his entire body. The Mantle of the Underworld protected him, but Sunny wasn't deceived.

    Queen Bee was just measuring him, learning his patterns just like he was learning hers. When she achieved a sufficient level of understanding, the next attack would pierce his neck instead of ricocheting off his armor.

    'Like hell��'

    Gritting his teeth, he suddenly changed his style, summoning the domineering technique of Dar of the Maharana clan and applying it to the odachi. He was already losing to the slender estoc in speed, so turning the Soul Serpent into a heavy great mace was not the best choice. So, Sunny just made adjustments to the battle style on the fly.

    But just as he shifted to another style�� Queen Bee did the same, suddenly transforming her technique into a completely new one!

    'Damn!'

    They continued to fight, moving swiftly across the arena as their swords clashed against each other. Sunny was still at a disadvantage, which was only growing larger and larger as the seconds passed. Both fighters were proficient in various styles and could switch from one to another almost instantly, which made the duel especially thrilling.

    The audience was going crazy.

    ...Sunny was going crazy, too, but for an entirely different reason.

    'Think, think��'

    Facing an enemy like this was a golden opportunity to enhance his comprehension of the Shadow Dance. But to do that, he first had to understand what exactly Queen Bee was doing!

    Why was her shadow behaving so strangely? Why was he always mistaken when judging the precise placement of her attacks?

    At some point, Sunny almost slid on the damn rose petals that littered the arena and only barely managed to keep his balance, dodging the tip of the estoc at the last second.

    'Curses! Damned things! Whose bright idea was it to fill the damned arena with trash?!'

    In fact, it was a miracle that neither of the two duelists had suffered from this treacherous footing already!

    'A miracle�� wait... a miracle?'

    Dodging another lethal strike, he shifted from balanced technique to defense and glanced at Queen Bee's feet again.

    From start to finish, she had not been bothered by the rose petals once.

    And now that he paid attention to it��

    His eyes widened.

    '...Am I seeing things?'

    No, he wasn't.

    Not only did his graceful opponent avoid losing her footing on the slippery petals, but�� none of them were also crushed under her armored boots.

    It was almost as if she was always hovering a few millimeters above the ground without actually touching it.

    No, not almost�� that was exactly what was happening!

    Such a small difference was very hard to notice, but it explained why the angle of how Queen Bee's shadow hit the ground was ever so slightly wrong, and why Sunny was always misjudging her attacks a tiny bit.

    A few millimeters was a very minuscule amount, but in a battle as precise and calculated as theirs, it made for a huge difference.

    'Hell��'

    Was he right?

    There was only one way to find out��

    Sunny continued to fight for a few seconds, thinking carefully. He didn't correct his mistake, knowing that giving away his new understanding of Queen Bee's Aspect Ability�� if it was an Ability�� would be a wrong move.

    Instead, he had to construct a trap and end the fight with it.

    ��But trapping someone as skilled and talented as his current opponent was not easy. In fact, deceiving someone who had clarity was a very tall task.

    Luckily, Sunny was a skilled fighter himself. But better yet, he was an even more talented deceiver. So, he continued to pretend and prepare his ambush, all the while greedily absorbing his enemy's technique. Now that he knew the secret, he could see it much more clearly.

    At some point in the duel, Mongrel seemed to finally make a mistake. He once again misjudged Queen Bee's intention and threw his blade too low, allowing the estoc to slide above it and flash toward his throat.

    However, it never hit its mark. Instead of piercing Mongrel's neck, the slender blade simply left a deep cut on his skin�� because at the last moment, the demonic swordsman moved ever so slightly to his left, and then almost instantly dashed forward.

    The dark odachi hissed as it cut the air, and the figure in black armor moved past the graceful woman in light armor, stopping a couple of steps behind her.

    Feeling a stinging pain radiating from the shallow wound on his neck, Sunny sighed and lowered the Soul Serpent.

    Behind him, Queen Bee swayed lightly, and then fell into a torrent of white sparks.

    For a couple of seconds, the magnificent courtyard was silent.

    And then, it became filled with deafening cheers from the crowd.

    Sunny looked at the celebrating spectators, breathing heavily.

    'Did I�� did I really do it? Did I win?'

    As if to answer his thought, the voice of the Dreascape announced:

    "Challenger Queen Bee was eliminated. Glory to the victor! The champion of the annual Dream Tournament is��"

    However, the pleasant voice was drowned by the chanting of the crowd:

    "...Mongrel! Mongrel! Mongrel!"

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 545 Mongrel Victorious

    Sunny swayed slightly and thrust the Soul Serpent into the ground, leaning on it for support. His breath was labored and ragged. The wound on his neck had already disappeared, but drops of crimson blood remained on the onyx surface of his fearsome armor.

    All around him, the crowd was going crazy.

    "Mongrel! Mongrel! Mongrel!"

    The fight against the noble Queen had not been as savage and bloody as some of his previous ones, but it had been incomparably harder. Even though each of the fighters had only managed to land one strike, the mental strain and physical effort the duel had required of them was nothing short of tremendous. Facing a true battle master was a tough trial.

    Sunny was completely spent�� but more than that, he was also bitter and full of fury.

    'Damnation! I almost had it!'

    Not paying the crowd any attention, he closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on the dissipating sensation he had felt during the last seconds of the intense battle against the undefeated champion of the Dreamscape.

    During their fight, after grasping the secret of the elusive Queen, he had come close to making a breakthrough in his mastery of the Shadow Dance. It had been so close that Sunny could practically see it�� but in the end, he failed to make the last step. There was an invisible obstacle in his way that had pushed him back, one that he didn't know how to overcome.

    Something was still missing�� all the styles he had absorbed created a vast and solid foundation, but it was not enough. At this point, he knew that the problem was not quantity. He had already done the groundwork. Then what? What did he need to do to bring this stage of Shadow Dance to completion? Find a unifying element? Face even more formidable opponents?

    Sunny didn't know, which made him extremely frustrated.

    However, he didn't receive any time to savor his frustration or consider the issue deeper, because a thundering voice suddenly drowned out the roar of the crowd.

    Up on the central tribune, the Saint of the Dreamscape had risen from their seat and was now looking down with a brilliant smile, already in the middle of an excited speech.

    'Right�� I won! I am about to receive my reward!'

    Sunny grinned behind the mask and straightened, lifting the odachi and putting it back on his shoulder.

    The reward�� wasn't this why he had entered the tournament in the first place? And now, it was finally time to reap it!

    The Saint was going on and on, showering Sunny with praise.

    "...glory�� marvelous�� duty of the Awakened�� true warrior�� bravery�� courage�� future of humanity��"

    'Gods, can you just get to the point?!'

    Sunny didn't care about all that nonsense, he just wanted to receive his prize and disappear. However, he had to stand in the middle of the arena like the world's most fearsome scarecrow and endure the endless barrage of flowery words flying out of the grandiloquent Saint's mouth... for a while.

    'This guy�� uh, woman?... this person really likes the sound of their voice, huh��'

    At least it gave him a chance to recover.

    After something that felt like an eternity, the Saint was finally finished with their long speech and gestured at the representative of Valor.

    "... personally reward the winner!"

    As the crowd applauded, the young woman in black armor stood up and approached the parapet of the tribune. Then, smiled at the audience and looked down at Sunny.

    Suddenly, he felt a small shiver run down his spine.

    The young woman was smiling in a friendly manner, but her eyes were as cold as the sharpest of swords. They were also of a strange, vibrant color �� bright red, the same as her full lips and vermilion cape. With her alabaster skin and raven-black hair, she looked both beautiful and daunting, like a lethal blade.

    The pressure she exerted could be felt even from where Sunny stood.

    '...A Master.'

    The young woman spoke, her raspy voice easily reaching all across the arena. It sounded friendly enough, as well as strangely familiar, for some reason.

    "I am Ascended Morgan of clan Valor. Congratulations, warrior�� ah, what a splendid duel it was! You truly are a worthy winner!"

    Sunny stared at her for a moment, then bowed his head slightly, expressing his respect�� well, pretending to.

    Smiling in response, Morgan of Valor continued:

    "...And you are truly worthy of wielding a Memory forged by the smiths of the great clan Valor. In fact, your remarkable skill brought me so much joy that I have decided to gift you one of my personal armaments!"

    'Jackpot!'

    The thing Sunny had hoped would happen did, indeed, happen! Ascended Morgan seemed to be in a very good mood. Whatever it was that a Master of one of the Great Clans had in her arsenal was bound to be good!

    The young woman waited for the excited cheers of the crowd to quiet down and looked at him with a curious smile.

    "Tell me, what do you wish to receive? A weapon?"

    'Yes, a weapon would be great!'

    Sunny started to smile, but then, suddenly, his eyes widened.

    'Crap!'

    ��And before he could think of a crafty lie, the Flaw forced an answer out of his mouth:

    "...No."

    'Crap, crap, crap! Curse it!'

    Morgan of Valor tilted her head a little.

    "A suit of armor, then? Or maybe a powerful charm?"

    'Yes! Yes! Both would be good!'

    Sunny gritted his teeth, but the result was inevitable. He had no choice but to answer in a hollow voice:

    "Neither."

    The young woman laughed.

    "Really? Maybe you want to receive an Echo, then?"

    'Oh, no��'

    Mongrel remained silent for several seconds, and then answered:

    "I do not."

    Sunny was on the verge of shedding bloody tears. How had it all gone so wrong, so fast?

    Master Morgan studied him for a bit, then leaned on the parapet and asked in an amused voice:

    "Really? What do you want, then?"

    Sunny panicked. He obviously wanted to receive one of the rewards she had mentioned, but it was precisely because he did that Weaver's Mask would not allow him to say it. He scrambled to salvage the situation and get at least something out of this disaster��

    Suddenly, a crazy idea appeared in his mind.

    And then, in front of countless thousands of people, Mongrel said something shocking:

    "...You, Ascended Morgan. I want to duel you."

 Chapter 546 Morgan Of Valor

    A stunned silence settled over the resplendent arena. A sea of spectators was staring at Sunny with wide eyes, not sure if they had heard it right. Even the Saint seemed shocked and uncertain about what to do.

    Surely, Mongrel had not just�� challenged a Master of the Great Clan Valor to a fight?

    In that silence, a bright laughter suddenly rang, rolling over the vast courtyard. It was Morgan. She was laughing with a delighted expression on her face, her striking vermilion eyes full of mirth and amusement.

    A few moments later, she looked down and asked, her raspy voice relaxed and steady:

    "Oh, really? You want to fight me?"

    Sunny stared at her from below, and nodded.

    "Yes."

    ��But of course, he didn't. He might have been a little bit crazy, but not nearly crazy enough to wish to fight an Ascended serving one of the Sovereigns. Hell, that Morgan girl could have been Anvil's own daughter, for all Sunny knew.

    However, the fact that he would rather avoid such a confrontation didn't mean that fighting Morgan would be of no benefit to him. In fact, Sunny felt that it could push him to finally mastering the second step of Shadow Dance. A member of a Great Clan had to have a lot to teach him.

    'Plus�� who knows? If I win, she might give me the reward anyway. Anything else would just look petty��'

    So, even if Sunny was against the idea, it was the best bad idea he had managed to come up with.

    As for how he was supposed to win against a Master�� that depended on Morgan herself. If Sunny was right, she would not unleash her full power on him, be it out of pride, a sense of fairness, or simply to save face.

    The young woman, meanwhile, was still looking at him from above. Her scarlet lips were curved into a slight smile.

    "...Such an audacious wish."

    She leaned back�� and in the next moment, the crowd gasped.

    Morgan of Valor easily jumped over the parapet and plunged down, soon landing on the floor of the arena dozens of meters below. A whirlwind of rose petals rose into the air from the force of the impact, but the young woman herself seemed unperturbed. She simply straightened and walked toward Sunny with the same easy smile.

    He instantly tensed.

    'Curses�� she actually accepted?'

    Until then, Sunny still had hope that Morgan would refuse his daring request.

    But she seemed pleased by it, instead. Stopping opposite Sunny, the young woman studied him for a bit, and then glanced back at the tribune.

    "Venerable Thane�� if you would��"

    The bewildered Saint remained silent for a few moments, and then cleared their throat.

    "Uh, yes�� of course��"

    Almost immediately, the pleasant voice announced:

    "Challenger Morgan has entered the arena."

    "...Morgan has challenged Mongrel!"

    She smiled, then turned back to Sunny.

    "...That's better."

    Morgan studied him for a moment, and then shook her head.

    "No, that won't work. As an Ascended, I can't expect an Awakened �� even one as skilled and distinguished as you �� to really have a chance in a duel against me. Huh. What shall we do?"

    She thought for a bit, and then smiled again.

    "Ah! I have an idea!"

    With that, her dark armor and vermilion cape suddenly disintegrated into a torrent of scarlet sparks. The young woman was left standing in a simple black tunic, her feet bare. She then proceeded to hide one hand behind her back, and summoned an unremarkable straight sword into the other.

    "I will only use one hand and a dormant weapon. One minute�� if you survive against me for one minute, the win will be yours. That should be fair."

    Sunny scowled behind the mask.

    'Isn't she too full of herself?! What an arrogant�� and pretty�� wait, no! What an arrogant woman!"

    No matter how he felt about it, Morgan's offer was exactly what Sunny had wanted. This way, he really stood a chance�� even better, there was no need to augment himself with shadows and reveal more of his strength.

    He just had to fight for sixty seconds and try to learn as much as he could in that short time. And if he happens to win, maybe the prize would still be his.

    ��Lowering the Soul Serpent, Sunny stared at his Ascended opponent and calmly asked:

    "Shall we start?"

    Her smile widened.

    "You wish is my command, my lord Mongrel. Although�� a piece of advice for the future�� you should really be careful what you wish for��"

    Just a moment later, Sunny realized that sixty seconds�� were going to be an eternity!

    ,m 'What�� what the hell?! Is she even huma�� crap!'

    ***

    Sunny didn't have words to describe how monstrous Morgan was. It was obvious that she held back and did not use all of her strength, but even then, he was instantly overwhelmed.

    The young woman in a simple black tunic was just too swift, nimble, and skilled. She read his movements as if he was an open book and easily demolished his defense, raining a barrage of strikes on the onyx surface of the Mantle of the Underworld.

    Even though her sword was too weak to break the adamantine armor, each blow carried enough might behind it to make Sunny shudder and for flashes of sharp pain to radiate through his entire body. He was certain that his bones would have already cracked if it wasn't for the Bone Weave.

    He tasted blood.

    What's worse, Morgan of Valor had no blemishes on her mentality, as Dar of the Maharana clan or Queen Bee had. She was as vicious and ruthless as he himself was�� maybe even more so.

    A born killer.

    And while Sunny barely had a couple of years of battle experience, she was an older and much more terrifying beast. She was tempered, her skill was forged and sharpened by thousands of bloody battles�� that much was obvious.

    Just a few seconds later, he was already barely staying alive.

    'Curse it! How I am supposed to survive that?!'

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 547 Forged By Battle

    Feeling his flesh break apart and his heart grow cold, Sunny scrambled to defend himself, but to no avail. Morgan easily crushed his attempts to resist and delivered another series of devastating strikes, moving with terrifying precision and speed. Her movements were fluid and natural, as if wielding a weapon was as innate to her as breathing.

    As if battle was her native environment instead of peace.

    Her swordsmanship was unlike anything Sunny had ever seen, too. It wasn't even as though the sword served as an extension of Morgan's arm�� it was as though she herself was the sword, and so every motion she made was the purest expression of cold, merciless killing intent.

    He had never thought that he would meet a more terrifying swordsman than Nephis, but compared to this knight of Valor, the daughter of the Immortal Flame clan almost seemed like a novice.

    Sunny was instantly overwhelmed, and there was nothing he could do to maintain even a sliver of control. The situation was utterly hopeless. This feeling of absolute, bitter powerlessness�� he had not experienced it in a long time.

    Attain a breakthrough to the second step of Shadow Dance? Sunny wasn't even sure that he would be able to stay alive for another couple of seconds.

    ...He had to think of something fast.

    Following a mental command, the Mantle of the Underworld received one of his charms. Immediately, the familiar, but strongly enhanced pain of his soul being torn apart flooded his whole being with agony.

    Sunny didn't hope that the Broken Oath would help him defeat Morgan �� after all, as an Ascended, she had a much more powerful soul. All he wanted was a second of respite.

    Morgan suddenly slowed down, allowing him to disengage and take several steps back. For a moment, there was a slight grimace on her face, but it was quickly replaced by the same relaxed, amused smile.

    "A nice trick."

    Sunny bent slightly and vomited a mouthful of blood, thin streams of crimson flowing through the fangs of the black mask. The sight of it was both frightening and striking.

    When he straightened, something about him changed.

    ��Well, of course it did. He had commanded two shadows resting on the Autumn Lead to wrap themselves around his body, after all. Instantly, his strength, speed, and resilience tripled.

    Sunny had not wanted to augment himself before, but faced with the devastating onslaught of the terrifying battle master, he had no other choice. If he wished to learn anything from this fight, he had to make it last more than just a few seconds.

    Morgan noticed the subtle shift in his posture, and tilted her head slightly. Her smile suddenly widened.

    "...Good. This is good. This is much better!"

    Sunny dismissed the Broken Oath, but before the charm even had time to disappear, the young woman was already upon him once again in a whirlwind of ruthless steel. However, this time, things were different.

    Or rather�� slightly different.

    'What�� what the actual hell?!'

    Sunny was still hopelessly outmatched, barely managing to survive under the merciless barrage of lightning-fast, cruel attacks.

    Previously, he had judged that his peak physical might would be on par with a newly ascended Master. Even though Sunny wasn't currently using the third shadow �� it had to remain on the ground to keep his secrets �� the gap between Morgan and him was not supposed to remain that vast.

    But there was a mistake in his reasoning. He had compared himself to an average Master�� however, Morgan of Valor was not average in any way. She hailed from one of the three Great Clans, and was possibly even a member of its core family.

    Among the Awakened, she was a being at the absolute apex of might.

    'Come�� on!'

    And yet, he was able to do something now, at least. Even though Morgan was still dominating the fight and delivering one devastating blow after another, Sunny could perceive her movements and react.

    He dodged one strike, then deflected another. A third one still connected with his elbow, sending a blinding flash of pain through his body, but it was already an incredible achievement.

    Morgan seemed pleased by this new development. Her crimson lips curved, revealing pearly white teeth.

    "Yes! Finally! You are supposed to be a genius, aren't you? Show me! Come on, fight!"

    ? 'What the hell�� is wrong with this girl��'

    Sunny gritted his teeth and fought, barely staying alive. No matter how much he pushed himself, how much he struggled to keep up with the fearsome Master, all he could achieve was not being instantly obliterated.

    But that was it.

    Even with two shadows augmenting his body, Sunny saw no hope of winning �� despite the fact that Morgan was holding back her strength. She was simply a monster. No�� she was something much more terrible. He had faced and killed many monsters, many demons, and many devils�� but none of them could compare to this beautiful, horrifying young woman.

    However�� even if he was going to lose... it was all not in vain.

    With every blow he suffered, every strike he somehow defended against, Sunny was learning. Morgan's battle style was too elevated for him to grasp, but every glimpse of it he saw was fueling something inside of him.

    It was as though he had laid a solid foundation by absorbing numerous styles, and now they were being forged into something different, something whole by the insane pressure fighting this monstrous creature exerted on him.

    His body felt as if it was on the verge of breaking apart, and his vision was slowly becoming blurred, but Sunny felt�� he felt as though he was on the verge of a revelation.

    And when it came, it was as though a floodgate was opened in his mind.

    Suddenly, all the disparate fragments of knowledge he had absorbed formed into a cohesive tapestry, allowing him to see the shared logic between the various styles he had learned. He was able to perceive these styles from a new perspective, understanding not only their purpose, but also much of the reasoning behind each technique and movement much deeper.

    'Yes! This is it!'

    ��And due to this new level of insight, Sunny was also able to see a flaw in Morgan's assault. Her one and only weakness.

    Yes, the young woman herself was too powerful and skilled for him to destroy. But her sword�� that was a different matter. It was just a Dormant Memory, after all.

    Instantly, a plan formed in his mind.

    As time seemed to slow down, Sunny deflected another blow, shifted his body slightly�� and then suddenly took a step toward the flashing sword, catching its blade between his left arm and his torso, and then bringing his right fist on it.

    He put all of his strength behind it, increasing the weight of his gauntlet as much as he could at the last moment. All his muscles strained, on the verge of exploding.

    After numerous clashes against the adamantine surface of the Mantle of the Underworld, the sword was weakened already. So when Sunny's fist connected with it, the steel blade simply shattered, exploding into numerous sharp splinters.

    '...Got you!'

    Burning with dark excitement, Sunny continued his movement, aiming to bring the Soul Serpent down on now defenseless Morgan before she had time to process what had happened and adjust.

    ��But before he could, terrible pain suddenly exploded in his chest, and all strength left his hands.

    The hilt of the odachi slid from his fingers, and the dark sword silently fell to the ground.

    Sunny swayed, and then looked down in confusion.

    'What... what happened?'

    What he saw didn't make any sense.

    Morgan's pale, slender hand was protruding from his armor, blood streaming down the smooth onyx surface. She had�� she had pierced the Mantle of the Underworld with her bare hand, her fingers plunging through flesh and bone to tear his heart apart.

    Sunny had made a mistake.

    'How�� is this possible�� Ascended�� Memory�� sixth tier��'

    He looked up, darkness shrouding his vision.

    'Is this�� what it feels like�� to die?'

    Everything was dark, and all he could see now were two beautiful vermilion eyes, staring at him with regret and�� disappointment?

    Morgan sighed.

    "Thirty-six seconds.... well done. You fought well��"

    The last thing Sunny felt before slipping into nothingness was a spark of energy traveling from her hand into his body.

    And then, he found himself in the black void of the Dreamscape. His pain disappeared, as did his wounds. He felt healthy and whole.

    The duel was over.

    As he stared into the darkness, the Spell whispered quietly:

    [You have received a Memory.]

    But he didn't react, looking into the void with a heavy frown on his face.

    ��Somewhere above, near the set of images representing different arenas, a string of words floated:

    "Mongrel"

    "Victories: 923"

    "Defeats: 1"

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 Chapter 548 The Road So Far

    548 The Road so Far

    Sunny shut down the illusion. The underground dojo was silent and submerged in darkness, almost like the lightless expanse of his soul.

    Crawling out of the Dreamscape pod, he glanced at it, and then walked to the middle of the hall. There, he sat down on the cold ceramic plates of the floor, crossed his legs, and closed his eyes.

    Back in the illusory world created by the will of an eccentric Saint, the tournament was coming to an end. There were spectacles, festivities, and accolades being given to the winners. But he didn't care.

    He didn't care about the legend of Mongrel, either. Sunny had no doubt that his inexplicable refusal of the final reward and daring challenge had created quite a stir. Were people praising Mongrel for his resolve and ambition? Or mocking his defeat and calling him a fool? In any case, the network must have been boiling right now.

    Sunny couldn't be bothered to check.

    He had much more important concerns.

    There was the final reward he had received, given to him by Morgan of Valor despite his failure, as well as previous rewards he had no time to study well.

    And there was Shadow Dance. This was what he had to concentrate on now.

    Sitting in the darkness with his eyes closed, Sunny thought back to the revelation he had received during the battle with the monstrous Master and started to slowly digest it. He had the key now�� all that remained was to absorb it, turn it from a fleeting feeling into an inseparable part of his mind, body, and soul.

    That was going to take some time.

    Fragments of Morgan's battle will helped him find unity in the discordant collection of battle styles he had amassed. His comprehension of the fundamental, governing principles of battle techniques was vastly elevated, allowing him to understand them on a deeper level.

    This enlightenment was going to help Sunny grasp various styles much faster, as well as mirror more complex and sophisticated battle arts with ease. At this level, he needed to be able to recognize patterns of essence control from how the enemies moved, breathed, and attacked. The new understanding was going to help with that, too.

    He just had to assimilate it all.

    Time slowly passed. Sunny continued to meditate, making slow progress toward his goal. After a while, his thought began to wander.

    The Dream Tournament�� gave Sunny much more than he had expected.

    Yes, there were powerful Memories and a breakthrough in his comprehension of Shadow Dance, but there was also something else. Different, but no less valuable.

    Fighting the best of the best that the Dreamscape had to offer had helped him to put his own prowess into perspective. Facing formidable champions one after another showed Sunny just how much more powerful and experienced than them he was.

    Sunny was always comparing himself to Nephis, and inevitably finding himself falling short. He chased after her with desperate resolve, but was never able to catch up. Mongrel might have been only defeated once, but Sunny had been defeated countless times. He lived in the shadow of constant failure.

    But it was exactly because he had been chasing after Changing Star without rest that he had left everyone else in the dust without even noticing. Now that he had a chance to look back, Sunny finally saw just how wide the gap between himself and all the rest of the Awakened had become.

    It was so wide that he had been able to cut the best of them down while barely using a quarter of his power.

    Back on the Forgotten Shore, Sunny had learned a simple truth �� if one wanted to better themselves, they had to challenge those who were stronger than them. Nothing was more beneficial to one's growth than fighting against a superior opponent. That was why and how he had transformed himself into a lethal killer in the span of a single year.

    And even though Sunny had not understood it before, using Nephis as a reference point achieved the same result. Even if the goal of surpassing her often seemed bitterly unattainable, he had come far by struggling to do so against all odds. So, so far.

    He saw it clearly now.

    ��But he also saw how much further he had to walk.

    Just as fighting the participants of the Dream Tournament had shown him his strength, fighting Morgan had shown him his weakness.

    Yes, Sunny was incredibly powerful for an Awakened of his age. But there were other giants out there, no less terrifying than him. They were older, stronger, and had years of battle experience and vast resources that he lacked. In front of them, Sunny was like an ant��

    A subtle smile appeared on his face.

    '...Or, maybe, like a cockroach.'

    Morgan was a Master of the Great Clan Valor, and as such, she was a peak existence among those below the level of a Saint. She was kin to one of the Sovereigns. So he could use her as a benchmark to know what was the worst he could expect. Another reference point to strive for, one more superior opponent to temper himself against.

    One day in the future, they might have to cross swords again. And when that happened�� he knew that her vermilion eyes would not end up full of disappointment again.

    Instead, they would be full of fear.

    ��All these thoughts traveled idly at the edges of his consciousness, while most of his mind was occupied by absorbing the key to the second step of Shadow Dance. And just as that last thought disappeared, he finally felt that the process was complete.

    A moment later, the silence of the underground dojo was suddenly destroyed by the voice of the Spell. Sunny flinched, not accustomed to hearing it in the real world, let alone inside his home.

    The Spell said:

    [Your Aspect Legacy mastery level has increased.]

    [You have received the right to claim a Legacy Relic.]

    [...Your Shadow has evolved.]

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 Chapter 549 Soul Beast

    Sunny waited for a few moments, and then hurriedly stood up while summoning the runes. This was it�� the moment he had been waiting for! After so much time, all the sweat and blood, his effort had finally paid off. He had made another step toward becoming a true battle master.

    All it took was��

    Sunny thought for a second, then glanced at the runes describing the Mantle of the Underworld first. Under the description of the [Prince of the Underworld] enchantment, a runic counter glowed:

    Vanquished Foes: [2332/6000].

    All it took was killing twelve hundred enemies with his own two hands�� and dying by a Master's hand once.

    Around nine hundred of those kills had happened in the Dreamscape, one in the waking world, and the rest in the wild reaches of the Chained Isles. Sadly, creatures slain by Saint did not count toward the requirement of the strange enchantment, or the number would have been any higher.

    Still, it was good progress.

    Turning away, Sunny found the string of runes he wanted to see the most:

    Shadows: [Marble Saint], [Soul Serpent].

    He concentrated on the latter and read:

    Shadow: [Soul Serpent].

    Shadow Rank: Awakened.

    A wide grin appeared on his face. Sunny closed his eyes and listened to his soul, then circulated shadow essence through the coils of the serpent. He could feel that it was flowing even faster than before. The rate of essence expenditure and regeneration was also improved.

    'Perfect!'

    He had expected the process of evolving to a new Rank to take a long time, like it had happened with Saint back on the Forgotten Shore, but Soul Serpent had awakened instantly after he had reached the second level of mastery over the Shadow Dance, maybe due to its unique nature as an Aspect Legacy Relic.

    'What else changed, I wonder?'

    Sunny opened his eyes and looked back to the runes. He had already noticed that there were new ones in the description of the Shadow.

    Shadow Attributes: [Shadow Guide], [Soul Weapon], [Soul Beast].

    The [Soul Beast] wasn't there before...

    He concentrated on the new Attribute and read:

    Attribute Description: "Soul Serpent can assume the form of a beast."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times.

    '...What?'

    He looked down at his bare chest and stared at the intricate tattoo of a black serpent that coiled around his torso and arms. Then, Sunny carefully raised one hand and gave the Shadow a mental command.

    Immediately, the tattoo moved, slithering onto his palm and moving down his fingers.

    However, instead of the tip of a sharp blade, a triangular head of a massive snake appeared in the air instead.

    Enveloped in streaming darkness, the serpent crawled forward, leaving Sunny's skin and manifesting itself into existence. Its jet-black scales rustled quietly as they touched the armored plates of the floor, and soon, petrified Sunny was looking at a giant snake, at least six meters in length, its body as wide as a large man's arm and strong enough to crush granite into dust.

    The stygian creature coiled its long body and stretched into the air, its head slowly rising and soon reaching as high as Sunny was tall. A forked tongue flashed for a moment, and then the serpent looked him right in the eyes.

    ...Then, it opened its maw and hissed, revealing long, terrifying onyx fangs.

    Sunny gulped.

    The serpent's eyes were as black as its mighty body, and shone with dark radiance. They seemed as deep as the lightless expanse of an ocean of shadows, and were full of strange, alien intelligence.

    Luckily, there was no aggression or ill will in them. Instead, there was simply�� recognition.

    The Shadow Serpent was greeting its master.

    Sunny slowly looked away and studied the dark creature's body. Then, he sent the creepy shadow forward, and it swiftly wrapped itself around the serpent. Immediately, flowing patterns that were somehow even darker than the lusterless, obsidian scales revealed themselves, and the pressure that the shadow beast exerted instantly became much, much more frightening.

    Its body had turned ghostly, enveloped in wisps of impenetrable, moving darkness.

    Sunny hesitated for a moment, and then grinned.

    "...What a good buy you are!"

    Very satisfied, he glanced at the giant snake, and then patted it on the head with a delighted expression on his face.

    Now, it was the mighty beast's turn to blink�� if it had any eyelids. Was Sunny imagining things, or did the obsidian serpent seem a bit startled by such treatment?

    With a shrug, he glanced back at the runes, and lowered his gaze. There was one last surprise left for him to discover.

    At the very bottom, several new runes appeared.

    Shadow Abilities: [Serpentine Steel], [Soul Reaver].

    [Soul Reaver] Ability Description: "A portion of the soul essence of those slain by the Shadow Serpent in its Soul Weapon or Soul Beast form is absorbed and transferred to its master."

    Sunny's smile widened.

    'Excellent! That will help with the fact that I can't use the Serpent to regenerate essence while it is not on my body. In fact, as long as it continues to kill something, my essence might never run dry!'

    He glanced at the Shadow with gleaming eyes.

    "You and I are going to do great things together, buddy! You'll have plenty of tasty souls to eat, don't worry!"

    Saying that, Sunny opened his palm and commanded the Serpent to crawl back onto his skin. A few seconds later, the Shadow had already turned back into a tattoo and coiled itself around his body. It was as though there had never been a terrifying creature in the underground dojo, in the first place.

    "Now let's take a look at that relic��"

    Sunny looked at the runes and found the right cluster.

    Aspect Legacy: [Shadow Dance].

    Shadow Dance Mastery Level: [2/7].

    First Relic: Claimed.

    Second Relic: [Claim].

    Third Relic: Unearned��

    Concentrating on the second Relic, Sunny said confidently:

    "Claim!"

    For a second, nothing happened. Sunny waited, full of anticipation.

    'What could it be? Another Shadow? A weapon? An armor? Maybe a charm or a tool�� or something more unexpected? A new Attribute, perhaps?'

    And then, answering his call, the Spell spoke from the darkness:

    [You have claimed an Aspect Legacy Relic.]

    [You have received a Memory.]

    Sunny hurriedly glanced at the runes describing his Memories, searching for a new one.

    ��A moment later, when he saw it, his heart skipped a beat, and he momentarily forgot how to breathe.

    Out there in the darkness of the underground dojo, several familiar runes shone with ethereal light.

    They read:

    Memory: [Drop of Ichor].

 Chapter 550 Tournament Rewards

    Sunny held his breath, staring at the runes intensely. He knew what that Memory was.

    Another drop of divine blood��

    And knowing where the Shadow Slave Aspect had come from and to which deity it was connected, it wasn't hard to guess whose blood it was.

    Shadow God�� this Memory was of a drop of Shadow God's blood.

    ...And in that drop was his lineage.

    "Can't be��"

    But it was. Sunny had just received a second Lineage Memory�� more than that, that lineage was a complete one �� like [The Fire] that Neph had inherited from Sun God �� not a fragment of a forbidden bloodline that he had inherited from Weaver, the Demon of Fate.

    Sunny studied the runes for a while, then slowly turned away.

    He wasn't ready to summon the Drop of Ichor yet. Not because of the pain that consuming a Lineage Memory would bring �� who knew, maybe there wasn't going to be any this time. After all, this one was not forbidden.

    He simply had to prepare himself mentally.

    Sunny paced for a bit, then sat down and meditated for some time.

    Then, he decided to study the Memories he had received in the Tournament to distract himself.

    He had already studied the Memory of Ice in detail, so three more remained.

    The arrow, the shield, and the final reward he had received from Morgan�� the Memory created in the forge of the Great Clan Valor.

    The real reason he had joined the Dream Tournament, in the first place.

    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then looked at the list of his Memories.

    Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer's Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Ordinary Rock], [Prowling Thorn], [Endless Spring], [Blood Blossom], [Dark Wing], [Moonlight Shard], [Mantle of the Underworld], [Weaver's Mask], [Broken Oath], [Blackhorn Bow], [Full Quiver], [Autumn Leaf], [Cruel Sight], [Covetous Coffer], [Undying Chain], [Heavenly Burden], [Memory of Fire], [Memory of Ice], [Strike of Thunder], [Patient Avenger], [Morgan's Warbow], [Drop of Ichor].

    'So it's a bow�� but what's up with that name?'

    Well�� it made sense, actually. If this was really a custom Memory created for a specific user, then why wouldn't its name fit theirs?

    Sunny concentrated on the arrow first.

    Memory: [Strike of Thunder].

    Memory Rank: Ascended.

    Memory Tier: II.

    Memory Type: Weapon.

    Memory Description: [A powerful spirit was once trapped in a glass bottle for a thousand years. This lightning is a manifestation of his rage.]

    Memory Enchantments: [Caged Lightning].

    Enchantment Description: [This arrow strikes as fast as a bolt of lightning, and chains its devastating damage to several nearby creatures.]

    He grunted.

    'So�� lightning in a bottle, huh?'

    Even though the arrow's single enchantment was an active one and required a lot of essence to access, which meant that it couldn't be used often, the effect was very good. It was able to deal damage to groups of enemies, which could come in handy in many situations.

    Satisfied, he shifted his gaze to the shield.

    Memory: [Patient Avenger].

    Memory Rank: Ascended.

    Memory Tier: III.

    Memory Type: Weapon.

    Memory Description: [Aflame with hatred, she waited and watched. When the time came, her vengeance was colder than ice.]

    Memory Enchantments: [Tenacious], [Burning Heart], [Cold Steel].

    [Tenacious] Enchantment Description: "This shield is especially durable."

    [Burning Heart] Enchantment Description: "This shield can store a portion of fire damage it receives to augment another weapon of its wielder or unleash a devastating shockwave."

    [Cold Steel] Enchantment Description: "This shield can store a portion of impact damage it receives to augment another weapon of its wielder or unleash an immolating wave of fire."

    'Huh��'

    Sunny thought for a bit. So, this shield was basically able to convert heat to kinetic energy, and vice versa. The stored energy could be used to enhance another weapon or released all at once to deliver a powerful attack. Which meant that the more hits the shield received, the more devastating the resulting retaliation would be.

    Saint was long overdue for a good shield Memory, and this one would suit her very well. A weak smile appeared on Sunny's face.

    'And finally�� the main prize��'

    He sighed, then concentrated on the bow he had received from Ascended Morgan of clan Valor. He also summoned it.

    A composite bow made out of black horn and dark polished wood manifested itself from a storm of crimson sparks. It was entirely black, however, its string was of a vibrant scarlet color. There was also a brand carved into one of its limbs near the grip, its contour of the same color as the string. It depicted the crest of the Valor family �� a straight sword thrust through an iron anvil.

    The bow was quite beautiful�� but more importantly, it radiated a feeling of immense power.

    Sunny admired the weapon for a few moments, and then turned back to the runes:

    Memory: [Morgan's Warbow].

    Memory Rank: Ascended.

    Memory Tier: IV.

    Memory Type: Weapon.

    Memory Description: "Death is worth living for. Love is worth waiting for."

    'How romantic... and how morbid.'

    Sunny didn't know who created this description �� the Spell itself or the person who had forged the bow. If it was the latter, then maybe this was a message to Morgan, or a lesson the spellsmith wanted to impart to her.

    But what kind of a lesson was that?

    Curious, Sunny looked beneath the surface of the black bow, wishing to see if the spellweave of a Memory created by a human was different from that created by the Spell. However, it seemed pretty much the same �� vast, inconceivably complex, and eerily beautiful.

    In any case, he was excited to see that this Memory was of the fourth tier. It was powerful, indeed�� no less powerful than the Cruel Sight. Encouraged, he continued to read the runes.

    Memory Enchantments: [Soul Arrows], [Unbending], [Burden of Peace], [Death Dealer].

    'Four enchantments�� first two are passive, the other two are active. Not bad��'

    He concentrated on the first enchantment.

    [Soul Arrows] Enchantment Description: "This bow attunes to the soul of its wielder and is capable of creating arrows that share its affinity."

    [Unbending] Enchantments Description: "This adamantine bow demands a giant's might to be bent. Because of that, arrows shot from it travel as far as the eye can see, and strike with terrible strength, piercing both armor and flesh."

    The passive enchantments were not bad, to say the least. Sunny wasn't sure what arrows that shared the affinity of his soul could do, but the fact that the bow itself could produce an unlimited amount of arrows was already a great boon. It basically made the Full Quiver, his previous arrow-type Memory, pale in comparison and completely redundant.

    Each of the soul arrows would also share the tier and Rank of the Warbow that created them, which was simply incredible.

    To test it, Sunny grabbed the sting and tried to draw the warbow. Even with all his strength, Sunny was only able to do it after augmenting himself with two shadows. As soon as the string moved, a black arrow that looked as if it was made out of solidified shadows suddenly appeared on it.

    Sunny released the string, and in the next moment, one of the armored plates on the opposite wall exploded.

    'Crap!'

    He stared at the broken plate dejectedly, then sighed and looked back to the runes.

    [Burden of Peace] Enchantment Description: "After soul arrows pierce the flesh of an enemy, their weight can be drastically increased."

    'Interesting��'

    Sunny could already think of several useful applications for this enchantment, be it to make wounds dealt by the arrows more severe or simply to slow the enemy down.

    There was one last string of runes left:

    [Death Dealer] Enchantment Description: "This bow is able to consume a large amount of essence to deliver an obliterating strike."

    That sounded... ominous.

    Sunny was curious to know how obliterating exactly that strike was supposed to be, but he was not going to test it in his dojo. It already suffered enough.

    Morgan's Warbow�� was indeed a weapon worthy of an Ascended knight from a Great Clan. It was a truly formidable and versatile weapon. In any other circumstance, Sunny would have been mad from joy after receiving it.

    And he was�� sort of...

    But there was one more Memory he had to deal with.

    It was time. He couldn't postpone it anymore.

    Sunny glanced at the beautiful bow for the last time, then sighed and dismissed it.

    As soon as the flood of scarlet sparks disappeared, he summoned the Drop of Ichor.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 551 Slave’s Inheritance

    The underground dojo was submerged in darkness, and as soon as Sunny willed the drop of ichor to manifest itself into reality, that darkness suddenly came to life. Countless shadows moved and danced around him, forming an invisible whirlpool. Their movements were strange and erratic, fraught with anticipation, excitement, and longing.

    Slowly, golden sparks of light appeared in the air in front of him and then shot toward a single point in space, coalescing into a small radiant dot. However, the Memory did not appear yet. Instead, more and more sparks flew into it, thousands upon thousands of them, until, at last, it seemed as though wide streams of brilliant golden light were constantly flowing into the slowly growing sphere of radiance.

    This continued for almost an entire minute, and when the sparks finally disappeared, a brilliant drop of golden liquid was floating in the air in front of Sunny. It was suffused with a beautiful light that didn't seem blinding, but was somehow able to illuminate the entire expanse of the dojo.

    ��However, there was also something dark about the shining drop of divine blood. Contrasted against its golden radiance, the shadows around him were now suddenly much deeper, darker, and starkly pronounced. All their movement ceased, as though they were frozen still by awe and reverence.

    '...That is Shadow God's blood, alright.'

    Sunny forced himself to look away from the Drop of Ichor and summoned the runes describing it. He had to make sure that his guess was right.

    Tense with anticipation, he read:

    Memory: [Drop of Ichor].

    Memory Rank: unknown

    Memory Tier: unknown

    Memory Type: unknown

    'Just like the last time��'

    Not surprised, he lowered his gaze and studied the string of runes that were his real goal:

    Memory Description: [Before, there was only boundless, eternal void. From that dark abyss, the -unknown- were born. Just like chaos itself, they were endless and everlasting, vast and forever changing. But then came desire, and with it came direction. From it, the gods were born.

    When gods appeared, the void was not eternal anymore.

    When gods appeared, the darkness was not endless anymore.

    When gods appeared, the chaos was not orderless anymore.

    The gods appeared, and brought with them war. This drop of divine blood was spilled by Shadow on one of the battlefields of that war, before the void was bound.]

    Sunny stared at the runes, flabbergasted.

    That was�� a lot to take in.

    'So�� unlike the Unknown, the -unknown- were indeed a type of creatures. Primordial beings that existed before time, space, and even death itself, in a boundless dark void. And the gods were�� different from them. But also their kin?'

    At least it was clear now what terrible enemy the gods had faced long before the daemons and their rebellion. And why Shadow God had been compelled to create Death. How else would they be able to defeat eternal creatures? Were time, space, and other concepts Sunny had always thought to be absolute also created as weapons in the war of the gods against the -unknown-?

    ? At least it was easy to tell which side had emerged victorious. However...

    The most frightening detail was that the description never said that the primordial void had been destroyed. Only that it had been "bound".

    ...Was it still bound, now that the gods were dead?

    Sunny shivered and shook his head. The short description contained a vast amount of information, which had an even vaster amount of implications. He couldn't encompass all that in a small span of time.

    'Maybe after I consume the drop, I'll learn more.'

    He hesitated, then glanced at the radiant drop of golden liquid once again.

    Immediately, the Spell spoke. This time, however, its voice did not sound subtly excited.

    'Weird...'

    [You have acquired a drop of ichor. Do you wish to consume it?]

    Sunny sighed, remembering the agony of the previous two times he had decided to snack on a piece of divinity. Then, he gritted his teeth and said:

    "Yes."

    [...So be it.]

    'What is that supposed to��'

    The golden drop suddenly separated into three equal parts, which then shot toward his chest, abdomen, and head. The radiant droplets entered his three Shadow Cores and disappeared, dissolving into the darkness of his soul.

    Sunny flinched.

    'A��already?'

    The shadows surrounding him exploded with motion, and at the same time, the darkness inside of him seethed.

    He felt something entering his bloodstream, a cold and unfamiliar energy that brought with it both pain and euphoria.

    'This�� this is it! It's starting!'

    He lowered himself to the floor, preparing for the torturous process of transformation. The cold energy spread through his entire body, reaching every corner of it. It surged, on the cusp of assimilating into the very essence of his being��

    And then, something strange happened.

    Sunny opened his eyes wide in shock and horror.

    As the lineage of Shadow God flowed through his veins, Blood Weave suddenly surged, too. But its behavior was not at all normal, or caused by Sunny himself. It was acting of its own volition, and felt full of ominous, dark intent.

    ��And hunger.

    'What?!'

    He was prepared for indescribable pain, but the pain never came. Instead, he could feel the cold energy being hungrily and ruthlessly devoured by the Blood Weave, like it had been starving for thousands of years.

    'What the hell is happening?!'

    A sudden spasm ran through his body, and Sunny fell down with a short yelp.

    Inside of him, two forces were fighting for control over his very being. One was the lineage of Shadow God, and the other was Blood Weave. And despite the fact that one was complete and came from an actual divinity, while the other was fragmented and incomplete�� the forbidden inheritance of Weaver was winning.

    It was like a savage beast that sunk its teeth into the soft flesh of its prey and refused to let go.

    'Stop! What are you...'

    ��And before he knew it, it was all over.

    The cold energy of Shadow God's lineage was gone, and Blood Weave was back to its usual self, peaceful once again, as if nothing had happened.

    Peaceful, but yet�� stronger.

    As Sunny stared into the darkness in absolute shock, there was no announcement of him acquiring a new Attribute.

    Instead, the Spell said with a hint of dark satisfaction in its voice:

    [Blood Weave has evolved.]

    [Bone Weave has evolved.]

    [Ember of Divinity has evolved.]

    [...Your Memory has been destroyed.]

    Sunny remained silent for a long time, and then let out a furious, outraged scream:

    "...Weaver! You bastard!"

 Chapter 552 September

    ��The autumn was in full swing. Out in the waking world, the skies were grey and the winds were turning cold. The trees were showering the wet ground with a fragrant carpet of dead leaves.

    But under the boundless, lethal expanse of the Sky Above, the world was still warm and bright. On an especially large island, one covered with emerald grass and moss-covered ruins, a frightening Nightmare Creature was stalking its prey.

    It had four mighty paws, a lean body covered in black fur, and a wide maw full of sharp fangs. Above it, two furious red eyes burned with hatred and madness.

    The abomination noiselessly moved through the tall grass, approaching the source of loud noise. A human's voice was screaming, full of indignation:

    "I'm right here! Come and get me, damned bastards! Curse you all!"

    The creature snarled and prepared to jump.

    ��Before it could, however, a slender arrow fell from the sky and hit the abomination right in the eye, instantly killing it.

    [You have slain a Fallen Beast, Black Ravager.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    Several hundred meters away, safely hidden in the shadows cast by a fragment of an ancient wall, Sunny lowered his bow and frowned.

    The happy shadow jumped up and down several times, then turned to him and applauded.

    Sunny looked at it, his frown turning into a scowl.

    "What do you mean, great shot? I was aiming for its leg, you idiot!"

    Dejectedly shaking his head, he threw the bow on the ground and growled.

    ��It had been almost two months since the day he had gained �� and promptly lost �� the lineage of Shadow God, but Sunny's mood was still in shambles.

    He had spent most of this time training Rain and learning how to use a bow. By now, his aim wasn't terrible, but it was also not nearly as impressive as what he had seen Kai do. The fact that his archery was improving so slowly only added to Sunny's frustration.

    He wasn't using Morgan's Warbow, of course, reluctant to be seen with a Memory awarded to Mongrel �� even if no one except for the terrifying Master knew what exactly that Memory was, people could recognize the brand of clan Valor on its surface, which would lead to a lot of question.

    Instead, Sunny was training with the Blackhorn Bow, which Saint had used to wield back when he had been too weak to handle Nightmare Creatures populating the Chained Isles without her support.

    Sunny stared at the bow in question and suppressed the desire to give it a good kick. Dismissing it with a sigh, he retrieved the Cruel Sight from where it had been thrust into the ground and headed in the direction of the slain abomination.

    Compared to when he had just arrived on the Chained Isles, Sunny was much stronger now. He had a vastly better arsenal of Memories at his disposal, an additional Shadow Core and a third shadow, and his combat mastery was polished by hundreds upon hundreds of bloody battles.

    Additionally, after the damned and forbidden �� rightfully so! �� lineage of Weaver had swallowed the drop of Shadow God's blood, three of his Attributes evolved. The [Ember of Divinity] was now [Flame of Divinity], rising his divine affinity even more, which also increased the durability of the Undying Chain.

    Blood Weave and Bone Weave had not changed in name, but became much more potent. Sunny was now much harder to break and kill. He probably couldn't bleed to death even if he wanted to, and it would take a Saint�� or someone like Master Morgan�� to shatter his bones again.

    That was something, at least��

    Commanding the Ordinary Rock to shut up, he picked it up from the ground, hid it on his belt, and walked over to the carcass of the Black Ravager.

    The creepy shadow slowly turned its head and stared at the carcass with disturbing fascination.

    'This guy��'

    Sunny rolled his eyes.

    "Don't just stand there, pervert, come here and help."

    The shadow eagerly wrapped itself around the blade of the Prowling Thorn, which was then used to cut the tough hide of the dead Nightmare Creature.

    Sunny swiftly fished out the soul shard and threw it to the Covetous Coffer, which hopped into the air and swallowed it with a metallic click. Usually, that would be it, but today Sunny needed to retrieve something else as well. Grimacing from time to time, he cut several large slabs of meat off the carcass, wrapped them, and threw the bundle over his shoulder.

    "Should be enough�� right?"

    Finally done with the gruesome task, he stood up, picked up the Cruel Sight, and headed toward the southern edge of the large island.

    This island was a bit special, and for a good reason.

    Once Sunny reached its end, he saw a breathtaking sight.

    Far away and below him, the scattering of floating isles was no more. Instead, solid ground stretched as far as the eye could see, covered by a patchwork of forests, meadows, marshes, rolling hills, and glistening ribbons of rushing rivers.

    A dark, bottomless abyss stretched between the edge of the island and the rest of the Dream Realm, and those rivers fell into it, creating grandiose waterfalls.

    Near to where he stood, a ruined fortress rose from the ground, and from its gates, a colossal iron chain �� many times thicker than the giant chains connecting the isles together �� extended into the abyss, connecting to the soil on the other side of the dark chasm.

    This was one of the anchors of the Chained Isles, and the road by which Awakened traveled here from the lands to the south, which belonged to the Great Clan Valor�� as much as anything could belong to humans in this realm of nightmares.

    Sunny glanced at the sun, then got busy making a fire.

    By the time strips of meat were roasting over the coals, two figures finally appeared on the colossal chain.

    A small smile appeared on Sunny's first �� one of the few sincere ones he had shown in the past two months.

    ��Effie and Kai had finally reached the Chained Isles.

    Now, all of them were here.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 553 Gracious Host

    Effie and Kai climbed over the rubble of the shattered gateway and entered the crumbled fortress. Both were tired and covered in layers of dirt, their armors dented and their weapons nicked. The travel to the very edge of the explored lands had not been easy.

    Even though they had made stops and rested at human Citadels along the way, it took a lot of strength, endurance, resolve, and a bit of luck to reach the Chained Isles alive.

    However, both Raised by Wolves and Nightingale were calm and vigilant, their eyes sharp, their hands steady. They were ready to face any danger�� luckily, there were no enemies inside the ruin.

    Instead, several Nightmare Creatures lay dead on the ground, some of them cut to pieces, some strangely lacking any wounds, but utterly broken �� as though something terrifyingly powerful had crushed their bodies with inhuman strength.

    The shadows suddenly moved, and a split second later, Kai already had his bow drawn. However, Effie gestured for him to lower it.

    Out of the shadows, a tall and graceful figure in elaborate black armor stepped out, two ruby flames shining behind the visor of her helmet. In one hand, she wielded a steadfast kite shield forged out of dull steel, and in the other, an austere sword, its blade still dripping with rancid blood of the slaughtered abominations.

    Kai cautiously studied the menacing creature.

    "Is that Sunny's Echo? She looks�� different?"

    Effie grinned.

    "Yeah�� she does that sometimes. Hey there, beautiful! Where's your sneaky boyfr... I mean, master?"

    The taciturn demon tilted her head a little, stared at Effie for a few moments, then silently turned around and walked away.

    "...I guess we should follow."

    The three of them left the crumbling fortress and walked along the edge of the island. Soon, the heavenly smell of roasting meat reached their nostrils.

    A few seconds later, both Effie and Kai froze, their mouths hanging open.

    A firepit was built in the shadow of an ancient wall, strips of juicy, generously seasoned meat roasting over the coals.

    But that was not all.

    There were also fresh vegetables and succulent fruits, a copper cezve producing the unmistakable smell of freshly brewed coffee, and a few more things that people very rarely saw in the Dream Realm.

    The person responsible for all this revelry was sitting in a comfortable folding chair, lazily enjoying a slice of melon.

    When he saw them, an impish smile appeared on his face.

    "Oh, hi guys! You finally made it!"

    With that, the young man jumped out of the chair, reached into a pot full of ice, and then placed two frosty bottles of cold, expensive beer into their hands.

    Sunny grinned.

    "Welcome to the Chained Isles!"

    ***

    Some time later, Effie and Kai had satiated their hunger and were resting with dreamy expressions on their faces. Sunny had given up his folding chair and was now sitting on the ground. He was inwardly lamenting the fact that Covetous Coffer was not large enough on the inside to fit several... at least not yet. Maybe after he becomes a Master, things would be different.

    Kai took a sip of his beer and glanced at the branded bottle in his hand with a funny expression.

    "Sunny�� how do you even have all this stuff? Are you on such good terms with the White Feather clan?"

    Sunny laughed.

    "Nope, I delivered all these things here myself. What, you have forgotten about my Brilliant Emporium already? It seems that Aiko had not hounded you for an endorsement hard enough�� or maybe too hard, and you're suffering from trauma-induced amnesia? I mean, you are basically a co-founder! The first deal I ever made was with your help, remember?"

    Kai smiled.

    "Those terrible Memories you asked me to buy on your behalf in the Castle? Yeah, I do."

    Sunny nodded with enthusiasm.

    "My operation might seem small compared to what you two have seen in Bastion, but here on the Chained Island, I am the most successful entrepreneur. I guess it's true what they say about business�� you know. You have to find the right people in the right wells. Or something like that."

    The charming archer blinked a couple of times, but didn't comment.

    Effie, on the other hand, did. Finishing her beer, she glanced at the empty bottle with regret and sighed.

    "Sunny, I have a serious question�� think about it before answering�� take your time, too. Will you marry me? No, seriously! I am reformed. I swear I won't tease you anymore�� I won't even mind you having a girlfriend! Just continue supplying me with all this stuff!"

    He sneered.

    "No. Denied. You shameless gold digger."

    Effie made a disappointed face, then threw her head back and laughed out loud.

    "Oh, well. Alright then."

    Then, she grew a little bit more serious and asked:

    "So, what's the plan? How do we proceed from here?"

    Sunny sighed, then took out his map of the Chained Isles and placed it on the grass.

    Effie and Kai got closer and studied it attentively.

    He pointed to the southernmost point on the map and said:

    "We are here. First things first, we need to get you to the Sanctuary of Noctis, which is about three days of traveling away, and get you anchored there. White Feather clan patrols this route routinely, so we shouldn't run into anything too troublesome."

    Then, he pointed at a particular island marked with an image of a burned tree.

    "After you are settled, we'll go check up on the Fire Keepers and their progress on the ship. They won't be finished repairing that thing for at least a month more, from what I've heard, so you'll have to spend that time well. Hunt, saturate your cores as much as you can, search for better equipment."

    Effie nodded.

    "What about you and Cassie? Are you well prepared?"

    Sunny hesitated, then nodded.

    "I am reasonably prepared. Cassie�� I don't know. But the two of us have another task to accomplish before the ship is ready to set sail."

    He pointed to the very north of the Chained Isles, to a dark island that was almost touching the foreboding slopes of the Hollow Mountains.

    "There is something we need to retrieve from the Night Temple. If all goes well, we'll travel north and come back within a month. If it takes longer, we will rendezvous here."

    His finger landed on the Shipwreck Island.

    "...And challenge the Seed. That's the gist of it. Don't worry, though, we'll talk everything through in detail before Cassie and I leave."

    Effie and Kai glanced at each other.

    "Sounds like a plan."

    Sunny nodded, then glanced at the setting sun.

    "Good. Rest well tonight, then. We'll set off in the morning."

    ...Winter was drawing closer and closer.

    And the closer it got, the more nervous he became.

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 554 Coming Clean

    On the way back to the Sanctuary, Sunny tried to impart as much knowledge about the Chained Isles as he could to Kai and Effie.

    The archer, in particular, needed to go through a tough adjustment. His main combat tool was his ability to fly, which was obviously restricted in this strange land.

    Looking at the clear blue sky with a bit of trepidation, Kai asked:

    "So�� that Crushing. How deadly is it?"

    Sunny grimaced.

    "Deadly enough to kill a Saint. But it is also situational. After a bit, you'll develop a sense of how high or low the island you're standing on is. When it is at its lowest point, like right now, you will probably be able to rise several hundred meters into the air before feeling any pressure. The exact margin depends on how long the chains of the island are."

    He paused, then continued:

    "However, when it is ascending or descending, you'd better either stay on the ground or not fly more than a dozen meters up. And if it has already reached the peak�� well, you really should have already escaped to another island. But if you failed to do that in time, lay on the ground and pray. If the chains are short enough, you will survive."

    Kai studied the Sky Above some more, then looked down.

    "What about below the islands? Can I fly freely there?"

    Sunny nodded.

    "Theoretically, yes. The Sky Below is generally safe, there's just nothing there. But that is only true for its depths�� the underside of the islands is actually much more dangerous than their surface. The creatures that dwell there are the true horrors of this place. Some of them stay put, some move through the darkness as they hunt and migrate between islands. So flying under the islands is lethal in its own way."

    ��Effie was less concerned with the Crushing, since her mighty constitution allowed her to withstand it on par with someone like Master Roan or Sunny himself. She was, however, very interested in all the kinds of Nightmare Creatures that populated the region. The huntress was determined to finish saturating her core in the month left before their departure.

    Sunny shared all the knowledge he had about the inhabitants of the Chained Isles. He had spent many months fighting local abominations, so he knew a lot �� which creatures frequented which island, how they attacked their prey, what their weaknesses were, and so on. He also knew which islands had to be avoided at all costs.

    By the end of their journey, even Effie seemed impressed by the amount of knowledge he had accumulated.

    "I, uh�� I guess the Academy doesn't pay you for nothing. You really did do a lot of research."

    Sunny grinned.

    "When I hunt Nightmare Creatures, I get to sell their shards, and also get paid by the research faculty. So much money! Aint't it a dream?"

    She giggled.

    "The wonderful thing about you, Sunny, is that you are very easy to please��"

    'Uh... what is that supposed to mean?"

    Effie, meanwhile, looked east and asked with a bit of tension:

    "What about the Saint who rules this region? What's your opinion of her?"

    Sunny thought for a bit, then said with uncertainty:

    "Sky Tide�� she is a bit of a recluse. I don't really know. But her husband is a really decent guy, so that earned her some points in my book."

    Effie smiled lightly and didn't continue the conversation.

    ��On the third day, they finally reached the Sanctuary.

    Due to how high-profile both Raised by Wolves and Nightingale were, the trio was invited to have a meal with Saint Tyris before visiting the Gateway.

    The dinner was pleasant enough, but when the plates turned empty, the real conversation began.

    Saint Tyris looked at Effie and Kai with her usual expressionless severity and asked:

    "I was surprised to hear that two more of the most brilliant Awakened of the new generation had decided to visit my remote and unremarkable Citadel. If you forgive my bluntness�� to what do I owe the pleasure?"

    The three of them glanced at each other. They had discussed what to say in advance�� at this point, there was no reasonable way to keep their intention secret, so it was easier to just let the cat out of the bag.

    Kai smiled politely before answering.

    ��That smile of his was charming enough to make a crowd of women feint on the spot, but Sky Tide did not even blink.

    "We came here with the intention of challenging a Nightmare Seed. Sunny�� Awakened Sunless discovered one not too long ago. Since the Seed is years away from blooming and doesn't pose a threat to the waking world at the moment, he didn't inform you�� please forgive him that transgression."

    Master Roan frowned.

    "There is a Seed on the Chained Isles? Where?"

    Effie pointed down.

    "To reach it, we'll have to descend into the depths of the Sky Below. Song of the Fallen will also be joining us. We plan to use that ancient ship the Fire Keepers are repairing."

    Roan blinked a couple of times.

    "Well... how extravagant. At least that explains a few things, I guess?"

    Sait Tyris lingered for a few moments, then asked evenly:

    "Are you sure that you want to enter a Second Nightmare? It has been less than a year since the four of you Awakened. Most people take much more time to prepare for the rigors of the Spell's trial. And even then, many don't survive."

    A wild smile appeared on Effie's face.

    "Sure? Yes, I guess we are sure, as much as anyone can be. The decision to challenge the Seed was not made rashly, nor was it based on blind ambition. You are right, of course, but the circumstance of our Awakening was not ordinary. Even though it only happened recently, between the four of us, we already share a decade of battle experience. And the battles we fought were not soft."

    Sky Tide did not answer immediately, turning her face away to look at the vista of the Chained Isles.

    Kai cleared his throat.

    ,m "Are you going to try and dissuade us, my lady?"

    Tyris remained silent for a few moments, then slowly shook her head.

    "...No. If four Awakened with the SSA designation want to challenge a Nightmare Seed, they must know what they're doing. Your timing�� is actually good, as well."

    Sunny frowned slightly.

    'Good timing? What does she mean?'

    But Sky Tide wasn't going to elaborate. Instead, she looked at Effie and asked:

    "When do you leave?"

    The huntress shrugged.

    "Cassie and Sunny have an errand to run in the Night Temple. So, we'll depart as soon as they return."

    Tyris shifted her gaze to Sunny. Was he imagining things, or did her expression become darker?

    "You are going to the Night Temple, Sunless?"

    He nodded.

    "Yes. It is a part of our preparations�� why?"

    The beautiful Saint remained silent for a few moments, then said simply:

    "Be careful to strictly follow the rules while you're there."

    Sunny politely agreed.

    Inwardly, though, he was a bit disturbed.

    'Well, that�� did not sound ominous at all��'

    Cassie, too, had seemed a bit apprehensive about the Night Temple.

    Just what kind of a place was it?

    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

 Chapter 555 Dinner With Friends

    A few days later, a delicious aroma was slowly spreading through Sunny's home. He was currently in the kitchen area of the first floor, whistling an upbeat tune as his hands juggled several cooking utensils. There were several pans and pots simmering on the stove, and a scattering of fresh ingredients on the countertops around him.

    "Ah, this smells so good��"

    Taking a step to the side, he produced a strange knife out of nowhere and started slicing and dicing the vegetables, the triangular blade moving so fast that it turned into a blur.

    Rain, who was tasked with peeling the potatoes, gave him a long and dark look.

    "Sunny�� not to doubt your honesty and professional integrity, but how exactly is this a part of my training? Are you sure you're not just using me as cheap labor? No, wait�� it's not even cheap, I am actually paying you!"

    Without stopping what he was doing, Sunny looked at her and frowned.

    "Why, of course! I am very sure. Also, is this how you handle a blade? By gods, you just sliced half of that poor potato off and threw it into the sink! It's called peeling, not destroying, you know! Where's your finesse? Where's your precision? Control that knife better! These things are very expensive!"

    Rain stared at him with burning resentment for a few moments, then sighed heavily and continued peeling the potatoes. Sunny grinned.

    Effie, who was watching him cook with a wolfish expression, gulped.

    "So, uh�� it's not ready yet?"

    His eyes twitched.

    "...Forty seconds, damn it. That's how long ago you asked the same question. For a hundredth time. What do you think changed since then?!"

    Effie opened her mouth to retort, but at that moment, the doorbell rang.

    A sadistic light suddenly gleamed in Sunny's eyes.

    "Oh. I wonder who can it be."

    He glanced at Rain and said nonchalantly:

    "Rain, go see who it is."

    The teenage girl blew a strand of hair out of her eyes, wiped her hands on her apron, and glared at him.

    "What, I am your doorman now, too?!"

    Grumbling, she put the knife down and went to the door, then opened it.

    Sunny observed her with keen interest.

    Rain looked up, revealing that the unexpected visitor was quite tall�� and then suddenly froze.

    Her face paled so much that it turned almost entirely white, and her pupils became as wide as saucers. Her mouth hung open. It was as though the girl was paralyzed by horror.

    Sunny weighted the heavy kunai in his hand and walked over.

    As he walked, a strange sound escaped Rain's mouth.

    "N�� n�� n��"

    A tall and ridiculously attractive young man was standing on the porch, looking at her with a polite and friendly smile. His hair was auburn and absolutely gorgeous, and his electric green eyes were nothing short of stunning. He was dressed in simple, but exquisitely stylish clothes, holding fashionable sunglasses and a facemask in one of his hands.

    "Oh�� I am so sorry. I must have come to the wrong house."

    Even his voice was charming and velvety, causing one's ears to tingle.

    Rain was finally able to force out a word, her voice a panicked squeal:

    "N��Night!"

    Sunny gave her a short look, shook his head, then smiled at Kai.

    "Hyung! You're here! Sorry, the dinner isn't even ready yet�� come on in, come on in!"

    Kai returned his smile and came inside.

    Sunny raised a hand and poked Rain in the back, then narrowed his eyes and said with exasperation.

    "Rain, why are you just standing there? Get my hyung some slippers quick!"

    Then, he turned to Kai and sighed.

    "So sorry. That's Rain, a girl I tutor. She is a bit slow, sometimes."

    Kai glanced at her, two lethally cute dimples appearing on his cheeks.

    "I am sure that is not true. It is very nice to meet you, Rain."

    She opened her mouth, trying to say something, but no words came out of her mouth.

    Sunny waited for a couple of moments, then shook his head again and bent down to push a pair of house shoes to Kai.

    "Make yourself at home! This is the living room. I'll be over there in the kitchen area for a bit, but please, for the love of gods, can you distract Effie? She's driving me crazy."

    Kai laughed, patted him on the shoulder, and went in to greet the hungry huntress.

    Sunny and Rain were momentarily left alone.

    The teenage girl breathed heavily for a few moments, then slowly looked down, at her dirty apron and hands with pieces of potato peel stuck to them. An expression of utter horror appeared on her face.

    Then, she looked at him with wide eyes and whispered:

    "Sunny�� why is N��n�� N-n�� why is Night in your house?!"

    He blinked a couple of times, pretending to not understand the question.

    "...What do you mean? Kai is a dear friend of mine. We're practically brothers, one might say! What's wrong with you today?"

    Sunny shook his head in derision. Rain stared at him in shock, then opened her mouth to say something.

    However, before she could, the doorbell rang again.

    Sunny calmly opened the door, revealing a petite, exquisitely beautiful young woman standing on the porch. She had delicate features, pale blond hair, and stunning blue eyes. Despite the fact that the young woman was dressed humbly, there was an aura about her that made it almost impossible to look away. It was as though she was a pristine heavenly creature that had somehow found her way to the dirty, imperfect mundane world.

    In her hand, she was holding a long white cane.

    Cassie hesitated for a moment, then turned her head a little, facing Sunny.

    "I hope I am not late."

    Rain stared at her with a ghostly expression.

    "S��s�� Song of the��"

    Then, she turned to Sunny as well, her eyes even wider than before.

    Poor thing looked as if she was about to faint.

    Sunny smiled brightly.

    'Ah, finally! Vengeance!'

 Chapter 556 About Those Potatoes

    Kai, Effie, and Cassie settled in the living room and chatted while Sunny returned to the kitchen. The two areas were basically a single space, separated only by distance and a tall counter, so he could see them clearly. Watching his friends at ease and happy to be reunited with the blind girl turned his expression dark for a short moment, but Sunny quickly put on a carefree mask.

    Rain was by his side and staring at them, too.

    Her gaze lingered on Kai for a while, then on Cassie. Finally, she looked at Effie and studied her face with a complicated expression.

    'Here it comes!'

    A few moments later, her eyes widened. Sunny didn't think that it was possible for the teenage girl to become paler than she already was, but he was proven wrong. Looking like a ghost, Rain slowly turned to him and whispered:

    "Effie�� she is�� she's��"

    Sunny offered her a polite smile.

    "Huh? What are you mumbling about?"

    Then, he glanced into the living room and raised his eyebrows.

    "Oh, do you want me to call her over? No problem. Hey, Ef��"

    Rain waved her hands and pressed one against his mouth.

    "No! Don't!"

    Sunny stared at her with a silent question in his eyes.

    The girl looked at him, then at her hand, then awkwardly stepped back.

    "What I wanted to say was�� Effie, is she��"

    Sunny grimaced.

    "...Awakened Athena, also known as Raised by Wolves? What, you didn't know?"

    Rain suddenly swayed and grabbed the counter to balance herself. A comically mortified expression appeared on her face.

    Really, he couldn't blame her for not recognizing Effie. The girl wasn't that interested in the Awakened, to begin with, and the government mostly used the heroic visage of Raised by Wolves as she looked in the Dream Realm �� mighty, tall, and brimming with vitality �� in their propaganda.

    It wasn't easy to match that image with the weak, gaunt, and sickly young woman who was bound to a wheelchair. Not to mention that a normal person would never expect to meet a famed hero in their backyard... still, looking at Rain now was incredibly funny.

    "But�� but she and I�� oh gods, I even said�� oh, no. Oh, no!"

    She lowered her head, then suddenly looked up and pierced Sunny with an unexpectedly furious gaze.

    "Damn it! Sunny�� why are you friends with Raised by Wolves, Nightingale, and Song of the Fallen?! They are famous people!"

    He frowned in confusion, then shrugged.

    "So what? We used to be members of the same cohort."

    Rain blinked a couple of times. Her voice became even quieter.

    "But�� but Song of the Fallen, Raised by Wolves, and Nightingale were members of Lady Changing Star's cohort."

    Sunny smiled innocently.

    "Oh? Yup, that's the one."

    The girl lifelessly sat down, almost missing the chair. She remained silent for a long time, then asked slowly:

    "Sunny�� you know Lady Nephis? The Lady Nephis? Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan? You're from... from her cohort?"

    He grinned.

    "Who, Neph? Yeah, sure. I guess."

    Rain closed her eyes.

    Sunny did not say anything for a bit, then cleared his throat.

    He waited for a few more moments, then said gently:

    "So�� about those potatoes��"

    She flinched, looked down at her apron again, then answered weakly:

    "Oh, sorry. Actually, I have to go home. I, uh�� forgot to do homework. Sorry."

    With that, Rain stood up and rushed to the door.

    Sunny yelled at her back:

    "Hey! What homework? It's Saturday!"

    Without turning around, the teenage girl squealed "sorry" one more time and fled the house in a panic.

    Sunny watched as the door closed behind her and laughed.

    He felt avenged. He felt... wonderful!

    "Ah, priceless. That was priceless�� I do wish she would finish peeling the potatoes first, though��"

    ***

    After the dinner, the four of them settled around the table and moved on to the real reason for today's gathering �� the discussion of their plan to challenge the Nightmare Seed.

    This conversation could have taken place in the Sanctuary, but despite having a somewhat good relationship with the White Feather clan, Sunny didn't want to say some things aloud in their territory.

    Their territory was also a Sovereign's territory, after all.

    So, the cohort had made plans to meet in the waking world.

    There was a lot to discuss. The Second Nightmare was a deadly challenge, and they had to be as prepared to face it as possible. There were also a lot of preparations to be made for the journey to the Seed itself �� venturing into the Sky Below and locating the rift in the ocean of flames that hid in its depths was not an easy task in and of itself.

    So, they spent many hours going over every little detail, sharing knowledge, and finding solutions to potential problems they could encounter. The Nightmare itself was a mystery, of course, so no matter how much they tried to account for every possibility, they still had no way of knowing what awaited them inside.

    All they knew was that it would be dangerous, deadly, and terrifying.

    Still, there were things they could do to improve their chances. Grow stronger, improve their arsenals. But most importantly, aim for maximum flexibility in the collection of tools at their disposal. After all, it was not the strongest who survived�� it was the most adaptable.

    It was already deep night when the conversation stopped. It seemed as though they had discussed everything they could, at least for now.

    Sunny made a pot of coffee for everyone, poured it into the cups, and sat down opposite Cassie.

    "Now that everything else is settled, let's talk about the Night Temple. The more I hear about it, the stranger I feel�� isn't it supposed to be just a private Citadel of clan Valor? What's the deal with it?"

    Cassie remained silent for a bit, then took a sip of coffee and sighed.

    "Night Temple�� how do I describe it? It is an eerie place. The first thing you need to know, I guess, is that it's actually situated on the underside of the Northern Island, and not on its surface. In the eternal shadow... that makes it harder to access, but also more defendable. I doubt that even an army of Nightmare Creatures �� or Awakened, for that matter �� would be able to take it by force."

    She paused, and then continued:

    "At first glance, it's a frontier outpost for the knights of Valor, a transfer base that was supposed to serve as a staging ground for their push further north during the active expansion of the previous decades. But, as you know, after humans encountered the Hollow Mountains, our progress in that direction stopped. Night Temple remains, though."

    Sunny frowned.

    "So�� it's basically empty?"

    Cassie lowered her head.

    When she spoke, her voice sounded tense:

    "Logically, it is supposed to be. But it's not."

 Chapter 557 Night Temple

    Cassie chose her next words carefully:

    "Despite the fact that the Hollow Mountains were designated as a Death Zone, it seems that clan Valor still has ambitions of exploring them. Perhaps that is why Night Temple exists, and why a Saint is stationed there."

    Sunny frowned. Even Kai and Effie seemed to be perplexed.

    "...I thought Sky Tide was the only Saint on the Chained Isles."

    The blind girl shook her head.

    "No, there is another. Saint Cormac. He oversees the Citadel and ventures into the mist of the Hollow Mountains from time to time... as though searching for something. In fact, that was how I was able to receive permission to anchor myself and my cohort in the Night Temple. In exchange, I was meant to use my Aspect to aid him in the exploration. But nothing much came of it."

    Sunny thought for a bit, then said:

    "So far, everything sounds reasonable?"

    Cassie nodded, then shifted uncomfortably.

    "Yeah. But there are just too many strange things about that Citadel, ones that have nothing to do with the Saint and his mission. For one, there are just too many Awakened there �� around a hundred, I think. That is much more than is needed to support one Saint. However, the most eerie part is not their number, but who those Awakened are."

    She hesitated, then said somberly:

    "With the exception of two Masters who serve as Saint Cormac's lieutenants, all of them are�� Lost."

    Sunny perked up.

    What Cassie had told them was, indeed, strange�� and more than a little bit disturbing. There weren't that many Lost among the Awakened, so why would a hundred of them be gathered together in a remote and isolated Citadel?

    But that wasn't the reason why Sunny was suddenly excited. Leaning forward a bit, he asked:

    "Oh, yeah? Is there one called Mordret?"

    Cassie thought for a few moments, then shook her head.

    "...I don't know. We weren't really allowed to interact with the Lost while living in the Night Temple. You see, the whole Citadel is separated into three areas. The outward ring is where we were given a space to establish a base. We were forbidden from entering the temple itself, unless escorted by one of the Masters. That is where the Lost live and the Gateway is situated."

    She suddenly fell silent, and then added in a darker tone:

    "...But there is another area inside the temple, too. One that even the Lost aren't allowed to enter. The Inner Sanctum. One time, while we were entering the Gateway, I felt the doors of the Sanctum open, and accidentally glimpsed the people guarding it."

    '??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? N(ov)elBin',

    The blind girl shivered.

    "Or at least, they seemed like people. But they weren't. They were all Echoes�� human Echoes."

    Sunny scowled.

    'What the hell?'

    One human Echo was creepy enough, but many? What exactly were they guarding that actual humans couldn't?

    No�� that wasn't important. Clan Valor could keep its secrets. He just needed to get the knife from the altar.

    "So�� what about an altar? Have you perceived an ivory knife lying on it?"

    Cassie lingered for a few moments, then shrugged.

    "The Gateway in the Night Temple is different from the one in the Sanctuary. You don't need to touch the altar to activate it. So I've only felt the altar from afar�� it is indeed cut from a slab of black stone, from what others told me. There is a statue of a veiled woman holding a star and a bolt of lightning behind it. Other than that, I can't say."

    Sunny sighed, a bit disappointed.

    'Well, doesn't matter. I'm sure it's there�� the problem is to convince the representatives of clan Valor to let me approach the altar. Or even sneak to it when no one is looking."

    "Do you think you'll be able to convince them to let me inside?"

    The blind girl nodded, but there was a bit of uncertainty on her face.

    "I think there won't be a problem. Although I wasn't able to help Saint Cormac a lot, we parted on good terms. However�� that whole place is very mysterious. I am reasonably sure that they will at least allow us to anchor ourselves to the Gateway, but��"

    Sunny didn't like the sound of that.

    "But what?"

    Cassie sighed.

    "Performing a ritual over the altar is another matter entirely. They can also simply refuse to let us in. I doubt that this will happen, but just in case, we should be prepared �� the day we leave the Sanctuary might be the last time we'll have access to a Gateway before the Second Nightmare is over."

    Sunny grimaced.

    Although he hated to admit it, she was right. It was best to prepare for the worst�� he had a few things to do in the next few days, then.

    "Alright. Then we will leave in two days. Make your preparations, and I will make mine."

    '?? ??? ???? ?? ???? ???? ???????s, ????s? ??s?? Novel(B) in.??? ?? ?x???????? ??s??? ?????? s????.',

    Cassie nodded and fell quiet.

    In that silence, a strange sound could be heard. Sunny turned around and saw Effie noisily devouring the leftovers of their recent dinner. Noticing that he was staring at her, the huntress froze.

    "...What? You guys were busy, and I was hungry."

    He covered his eyes for a moment, then shook his head.

    'This woman...'

    Speaking of preparations, he had to do something right now.

    "Hey, Kai. Come here and give me your hand."

    Kai looked at him with a silent question, but didn't ask anything. He stood up and walked over, then stretched one hand over with a smile.

    Sunny put one finger on it and sent two Memories away with a regretful sigh �� the Blackhorn Bow and the Full Quiver. Effie was well-equipped with powerful Memories from her time on the Forgotten Shore and from the months she had spent hunting as an Awakened, but the charming archer lacked good armaments.

    Even though it pained Sunny to let go of two Ascended Memories, he knew that this was for the best. It was going to give Kai an opportunity to grow stronger in the next month and be better prepared for the Nightmare�� plus, he still had Morgan's Warbow and the Strike of Thunder.

    Kai frowned in confusion, then stared into emptiness, clearly reading the runes. Then, an excited light ignited in his eyes.

    "Oh�� thank you, Sunny!"

    Sunny scowled.

    "Now, don't get me wrong! This is not a gift. I am lending them to you�� lending, you understand? Brilliant Emporium is a respectable business, not a charity! I'll be expecting a full repayment or an exchange of equal value. In the future. Got it?"

    Kai beamed and looked at him with a wide smile.

    "Aww. That's so sweet..."

    Sunny's scowl deepened.

    'Sweet? What does he mean, sweat?! What's wrong with this idiot�� I just told him that he's now in debt��'

    The sun was already rising, and that meant that they had to part ways. Each had a lot of things to do.

    When everyone left, Sunny stared at the table full of empty plates for a while, and then sighed.

    Somehow, he felt that they won't be able to have a nice dinner like this for a while.

 Chapter 558 One Last Lesson

    It was already morning, so he didn't bother going to sleep and just brewed himself more coffee, poured it into a cup, and went to sit on the porch.

    The mental fatigue of the long planning session made his thoughts a bit slow, but Sunny knew that he would be able to remain awake and lucid for a couple more days without any problem. He wasn't going to return to the Dream Realm until all his business in the waking world was taken care of.

    So, Sunny just rested for a bit, watching the dawn and unhurriedly thinking through all the things that had to be done.

    "...say goodbye to Teacher Julius�� talk to Aiko about the Emporium��"

    The Second Nightmare could take a lot of time to conquer, so there was a question of how long the supply of soul shards he had given her would last. Sunny didn't want to return and discover that his store had closed doors and lost all its clients.

    He took a sip of coffee and looked down.

    ��Of course, there was a very real possibility that he would not return at all.

    Sunny did not delude himself. No matter how powerful he was and how swift his progress had been, this Nightmare was going to be nothing except for absolutely deadly�� like all Nightmares were. Better people than him had ventured inside and never returned. The possibility of death was very real...

    Was there even a point in planning for the future?

    As he thought about it, suddenly, a sound of light steps could be heard on the path leading to the porch. Sunny smiled a little, and then looked up.

    Rain was standing a few steps away, looking at him with a bit of awkwardness.

    "I, uh�� are your guests still here?"

    He shook his head.

    "Good! I mean�� bad? I just wanted to talk to you�� alone�� that's all."

    Sunny raised an eyebrow.

    "Oh? What about?"

    Despite the fact that Rain was obviously trying to be apologetic and respectful, a familiar angry light ignited in her eyes.

    "You know what about! I mean, uh�� sorry��"

    She stumbled, remained silent for a few moments, and then asked in a more polite tone:

    'This chapter is updated by Nov elB i n',

    "...Why didn't you tell me that you are a big deal?"

    Sunny stared at Rain for a bit, then smiled:

    "Have I not told you that I am probably the strongest Awakened in the world, the best of best, and all that? I think it happened right here on this spot."

    Rain scowled.

    "I'm being serious!"

    Sunny took a sip of coffee and looked at her for a few moments. Slowly, the smile disappeared from his face. Finally, he sighed and looked away.

    "Because I'm not. As far as Awakened go, I am not a big deal at all. In fact, I am very small, and easily squashed. So I don't like to advertise my prowess. It's best that everyone thinks of me as weak and stupid. That way, I'll be much harder to kill."

    Rain's looked at him in confusion.

    "I�� I don't understand. How would Nightmare Creatures know that you are considered strong? Why would that put your life in danger?"

    A dark, sad smile appeared on Sunny's face. He glanced at Rain, and then asked:

    "Who said anything about the Nightmare Creatures?"

    Sunny put his cup on the floor, then said:

    "After you left, you must have searched the network for all the information about the Forgotten Shore you could find, right?"

    Rain blushed, and then nodded.

    He nodded, too.

    "Then you must know that around four hundred Sleepers died during the Siege of the Crimson Spire. So many. But do you know how many were killed in the months before? Almost twice that."

    Her eyes widened slightly.

    Sunny looked at the young girl, no levity in his voice anymore.

    "And they weren't killed by the Nightmare Creatures. They were killed by people. So, ironically, more humans were killed by other humans while I was out there, in that hell, than they were by monsters. Well�� other monsters, to be precise. And that is a lesson you are going to have to learn, if you want to become strong."

    He sighed.

    'This chapter is updated by N o v elBin.c?m',

    "I can teach you how to hold a sword or a spear, how to traverse the Dream Realm and not starve, and how to kill your enemies. But I can't teach you how to be strong, Rain. That is something that you can only learn yourself. This world�� it is a cruel and ruthless place. Some people are lucky enough to never learn its truth, but some do. And out of those, soft ones never survive. You are very, very soft�� but are you lucky? I don't know. It's up to you."

    She listened to him attentively, an expression that was a bit too serious and somber for a girl her age appearing on her face. After a while, she said:

    "I�� I think I understand."

    Sunny smiled.

    "I hope that you do. But also, a part of me hopes that you don't."

    He hesitated, then took out his communicator.

    "Oh, and by the way�� our lessons are going to have to stop for a while. My friends and I are going on a big expedition, you see, and I am not sure how long it is going to take. Don't worry, though �� I have already taught you enough for you to continue practicing on your own. Do it diligently and don't get lazy! If you feel that you mastered everything before I return, call the number I just sent you. It belongs to a friend of mine. Her name is Aiko, and she'll find you a new tutor."

    Rain stared at her communicator for a long time, then looked at him and asked quietly:

    "You are going on a big expedition?"

    Sunny showed her a carefree smile and shrugged.

    "Sure. Why?"

    She hesitated for a few moments, and then asked, her voice suddenly uncharacteristically timid:

    "Will it�� will it be dangerous?"

    He picked up his coffee, took a sip, and then shrugged again.

    "Dangerous? Yeah, of course. Really dangerous, I guess. But�� anything having to do with Spell is."

    Rain looked at him with sudden intensity, her previous timidness gone. When she spoke, her voice rang with tension:

    "Then why? Why are you going?"

    Sunny looked at her in bewilderment, and then suddenly threw his head back and laughed.

    When he was done laughing, he glanced at her and said with an amused smile:

    "Why? The same reason you wanted to train. To become strong! Really strong..."

 Chapter 559 No One Path

    Some time later, Sunny waiting in a cafe, looking out of the window at a lively street outside. People were rushing past, in a hurry to get inside before the heavy clouds covering the bleak sky erupted with rain. The subtle smell in the air told him that this was going to be a bad one �� maybe not toxic enough to burn through clothes, but still unpleasantly hazardous.

    The acid rain didn't bother Sunny too much, since it was something everyone was accustomed to. Even in the outskirts, people knew how to avoid getting caught in one. Here in a prosperous part of the city, citizens had much more protections.

    What he was thinking about was the street itself.

    This was the same cafe he used to visit when observing Rain, and the same street that had become a scene of panicked evacuation during the Gate incident several months ago. Armored vehicles of the government had torn apart the road, and several violent skirmishes had spilled into the peaceful surroundings.

    And yet, there were no signs of the furious battle left. The road was long repaired, and the battle damage mended. The cafe was open again, and people went on about their business as though nothing had happened. They had endured the disaster and moved on, showing the astonishing resilience the human race possessed.

    Not even the Nightmare Spell could overcome it.

    At least it had not managed yet.

    Sunny sighed and glanced at the pastry in front of him. At that moment, the door of the cafe opened, and the familiar sensation of phantom cold enveloped him.

    Master Jet looked even more disheveled than usual, her uniform jacket actually sporting several small holes, their edges charred. However, she looked just as relaxed and strong as ever, her icy blue eyes radiating fierce energy. She seemed dead tired, but also, somehow, brimming with life.

    Jet looked around, noticed Sunny, and offered him a smile. Then, she flicked a few flakes of soot off her epaulet, walked over, and crashed on the chair.

    "I hope that this pastry is for me��"

    He smiled, and pushed the plate and a cup of fresh coffee toward her.

    "Of course."

    Master Jet took a bite out of the pastry, closed her eyes in delight for a few moments, and then cradled the cup of coffee in her hands. After a while, she looked at him and sighed.

    "So�� Second Nightmare, huh?"

    Sunny simply nodded.

    Soul Reaper Jet was the only Ascended he knew well enough to trust�� a little�� so he had asked her to meet him, hoping to receive some advice. Nothing he could read on the network, or even in the staff library of the Academy, could be as valuable as talking to a person who had actually conquered a Seed once.

    She took a sip of coffee and shook her head.

    "Crazy kid��"

    A slight smile appeared on his face.

    "Kid? I am not that much younger than you. Well�� I think?"

    Jet glanced at him with a dangerous grin.

    'This chapter is updated by Nov elB i n',

    "Are you asking me about my age? Damn. I guess I haven't slapped you in a while..."

    The two of them stared at each other for a few moments, and then laughed.

    In truth, Sunny knew that Master Jet was in her late twenties, so the age gap between them was not insignificant. Considering how much had happened to him in the past two years, ten seemed like a lifetime. But at the same time, he wasn't a kid anymore�� not by a long shot.

    He looked down, thought for a few moments, and then said:

    "Now is as good a time as any. I thought things through before deciding to challenge a Seed. This is for the best."

    She studied him for some time, then nodded.

    "I see. Well, there are a lot of benefits to being an Ascended. There are certain�� drawbacks, too. But you don't need to worry about that for now. Right now, you need to concentrate on surviving the Nightmare."

    Sunny smiled.

    "My thought exactly. So�� is there any wisdom a venerated elder like you can share with this ignorant junior?"

    Master Jet glared at him, then took another bite of the pastry.

    "Elder? Maybe I really should slap you��"

    She lingered for a few moments, then sighed.

    "The Second Nightmare�� it is a lot like the First, but at the same time very different. The Spell will send you and your cohort into an illusion of the past, one centered around a central conflict. To conquer the Nightmare, you will have to resolve that conflict �� one way or another. There is no right or wrong way to do so. You just have to end it somehow."

    Jet fell silent, as if remembering her own trial. Her icy blue eyes stared into the distance.

    "...That won't be easy, of course. Your friends might die. You might die, too. But you know this already�� let's talk about the differences, then. The first one is rather obvious �� the Nightmare will be larger, longer, and harder than your First one. The Nightmare Creatures populating it will be of higher Ranks and Classes, usually either Awakened or Fallen. But if you're unlucky, you might meet a Corrupted one, too."

    Sunny grimaced. His First Nightmare had pitted him against an Awakened Tyrant�� what were the chances that he would get lucky this time and only encounter abominations within his ability to handle?

    ��Slim.

    Master Jet, meanwhile, continued:

    "The other difference is less talked about, but very important. Unlike the First Nightmare, this one won't be tailor-made for you personally. You're smart enough to think through the implications of that fact on your own, but I'll mention one thing that very few people consider. The Spell will try to find you a body that closely resembles your own, but due to what I have just mentioned, it might not be as similar as what one might expect."

    Sunny tilted his head and frowned.

    "How different are we talking?"

    She shrugged.

    "You will be of the same Rank, that is certain. Your build will be more or less the same. But that's the thing�� if you are unprepared, in a fight, "more or less" might cost you your life. A specialist has to rely on his or her body�� it is our first and most important tool. Imagine that you are suddenly slightly higher or shorter, your limbs are of a bit different length, your center of gravity has shifted a little. Many people died because they weren't quick enough or couldn't adapt to that sudden change."

    '

    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment.

    For a fighter, their body was like a well-oiled machine that they knew in and out. They knew every detail about it, how it moved, how it performed in any given situation, what it could accomplish and what was beyond its ability. All battle techniques were finely tuned for that precise machine�� changing its parameters was like throwing a wrench into the mechanism, potentially causing its collapse.

    He had not known that detail. Luckily, now that he was informed, he would be able to prepare and shorten the adjustment period as much as possible.

    "Thank you. That is a very valuable piece of information."

    Master Jet shook her head.

    "It's not like it's a secret. People just don't think about this stuff."

    She hesitated, then said in a darker tone:

    "The last large difference�� hopefully, you won't have use for that knowledge. But if worse comes to worst, it is better to be prepared."

    Sunny looked at her and raised an eyebrow.

    "What?"

    She glanced at her cup, took a sip, and then carefully put it on the table.

    "The thing is�� I said that there is no one way to conquer the Nightmare. That means that some solutions can contradict each over. And people participating in the trial are not forced to aim for the same result."

    He scowled.

    "Uh... what exactly are trying to say?"

    Master Jet looked him in the eye and said, her voice cold and grim:

    "I am saying that not all challengers have to be on the same side. That rarely happens�� but you should keep that in mind, anyway."

    Sunny stared at her for a few moments, then turned away.

    He wondered what she wanted him to realize��

    Was Master Jet warning him that his allies could betray him and turn into another obstacle he would have to overcome to escape the Nightmare?

    Or saying that he�� could betray them, if needed?

    ��They talked for a while, discussing various matters having to do with the Nightmare Seed and the trial itself. Sunny acquired a lot of useful information, as well as several pieces of valuable advice.

    But throughout the whole discussion, he continued thinking about that one statement.

    'Rarely happens�� but you should keep that in mind, anyway��'

 Chapter 560 Pawns Of Fate

    Sunny left the cafe and caught a train to go visit Aiko. After that, he traveled to the Academy and said his goodbyes to Teacher Julius. The old man was a bit emotional to let him go, but did not try to dissuade his unruly pupil. Instead, he tried to offer encouragement.

    "The Second Nightmare! Ptui! No student of mine can be killed by a mere Second Nightmare. Don't you dare put a stain on my reputation, Sunny my boy�� you hear me?"

    Finally, Sunny left the Sleeper compound and stood outside for a while, watching the setting sun. Then, he turned around and headed deeper into the Academy complex.

    The room where Nephis slept did not change much. He replaced the flowers on one of the tables and sat down, looking at her pale and motionless face.

    No matter how many times Sunny came here, seeing her�� seeing her like this�� brought a dull pain to his chest. The cauldron of emotions burning in his heart was too deep and seethed too furiously for him to understand it. Sunny was never good with emotions, after all.

    There was resentment, longing, guilt, affection, fear�� and hope.

    Looking at the transparent lid of the sleeping pod, he sighed.

    "Hey, Neph."

    Just like before, this was the only thing he said out loud. He lingered for a bit, and then thought:

    'You are still alive, out there somewhere. That is good. That�� makes me happy. It really does. You know, right after everything happened, I wasn't sure if I wanted you to live. I thought that maybe it would be better for you to die. Sometimes, I did.'

    Sunny lowered his head and closed his eyes tiredly.

    'But after a while, as time passed, I... I started to miss you more than I wanted to be free of you. Maybe what Master Jet said is true�� maybe no one is really ever free in this world. Maybe the only freedom there is is the freedom to choose your own chains.'

    A dark smile appeared on his lips.

    'But that is the thing, isn't it? Even that choice was taken away from me. By you, by Cassie. By fate. I never had anything, and then, I had even less than that. Wouldn't you be angry to be dealt a hand like that? Because I am. I am so, so angry. And that is why... I am never going to stop trying to break free. Screw truth, and screw fate. Who said that its chains can't be broken?'

    Sunny shifted slightly, and stared at the sleeping young woman with burning intensity.

    'I just have to get strong enough to rip them apart. You want to destroy the Spell? Well, I want to destroy fate itself. Which one of us do you think is more crazy?'

    'This chapter is updated by Nov elB i n',

    He suddenly laughed, his voice full of both mirth and bitterness.

    'If Weaver did it, why can't I? And if Weaver created it, why can't you break it? If that is our will�� who dares to stop us?'

    Sunny smiled widely, and then grew quiet again, his eyes full of darkness.

    After a while, he rubbed his face.

    'Anyway�� Cassie and I are going to challenge the Second Nightmare soon. We might not be able to visit you again for a long time. So you�� you take care of yourself, Neph. Don't disappoint me. I am counting on you to stay alive... to keep me striving to surpass you."

    With that, he sighed heavily, stood up, and left without looking back.

    It was finally time for him to sleep, too.

    ***

    ...Before climbing into his luxurious sleeping pod, Sunny had a conversation with Effie. He moved her pod into the underground dojo and installed it near his own. The two of them were most likely going to spend a long time in the Nightmare, so the house had to be put on lockdown for the duration.

    Hopefully, Sunny would be able to do it himself after coming back through the Gateway in Night Temple, but if things went wrong with the representatives of Valor, Effie was in charge of making the final preparations. He gave her the passwords from the security system and explained the procedure.

    Then, Sunny ran the diagnostic on the pod, made sure that it was functioning perfectly and could sustain his body for months, if not years, and sighed.

    ��It didn't matter, really. After entering the Seed, he would either die or become a Master. If the former happened, the well-being of his physical body was a moot point. If the latter happened�� paradoxically, the same statement applied.

    Ascension merged the physical body with the spirit body�� however, even if the physical body was completely destroyed, the process would create a new one. So, maybe, it was more appropriate to say that Ascension allowed the spirit body to become corporeal. In any case, the result was the same.

    That was why Effie wanted to become a Master so badly, knowing that it would make her as strong and healthy as she was in the Dream Realm. Why many of the Lost dreamed of challenging the Second Nightmare, as well.

    ��And that was why it didn't matter even if the sleeping pod malfunctioned and thoroughly roasted Sunny's physical body instead of preserving it. If the Nightmare didn't kill him, he would be as good as new.

    Still, Sunny was very attached to his mortal shell. He didn't want any harm to come to it, if only out for sentiment reasons.

    With a sigh, he undressed, took one last glance at his spacious dojo, and climbed into the pod.

    'This chapter is updated by N o v elBin.c?m',

    Effie, who was watching him silently from her wheelchair, strained to raise a hand and waved him goodbye.

    "Sweet dreams!"

    Sunny wanted to snarl at her and remind the gluttonous huntress to not leave dirty dishes all over the house, but he was just too tired.

    As soon as the lid of the metal sarcophagus started to move, his eyes closed, and he fell into the deep, dark embrace of sleep.

    When Sunny opened his eyes again, he was already in the Sanctuary of Noctis.

    ***

    Sunny was standing on the edge of the island, looking at the heavenly chain that stretched far into the distance. His body was clad in a slender armor forged out of bleak steel, and in his hand was a somber black spear with a polished silver blade.

    Cassie was standing by his side, wearing her midnight blue coat beneath a polished cuirass. Her hand rested on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer, and an elegant half-mask rested on her face. A few strands of her long, golden hair were blowing in the wind.

    They were ready to depart.

    Sunny glanced at the two of them, then at the dull steel of the Undying Chain.

    He wasn't foolish enough to fail to recognize that this was exactly how her vision of their death happened �� with the two of them alone, and him wearing metal armor.

    The only thing missing was the snow.

    ��But Sunny didn't care.

    He had been deceived by the knowledge of the future once, and all his desperate attempts to avoid it had only helped the vision happen. This time, he was not going to allow himself to be a pawn of fate. He was going to do what needed to be done, in a way he wanted to do it, and face the consequences without regret.

    Sunny sighed, glanced at Cassie, and said:

    "Let's go."

    With that, he took a step forward and plunged off the edge of the island.

 Chapter 561 Journey To The North

    When they started their expedition, the last vestiges of summer warmth were leaving the Chained Isles. Not every region of the Dream Realm had seasons that were the same as those of the waking world, but this one was somewhat similar. By the time they were supposed to reach Night Temple, autumn would be in full swing.

    If everything went well, the journey was going to take two or three weeks. Sunny wanted to reach the mysterious Citadel and retrieve the ivory knife by the middle of October, then rendezvous with Effie, Kai, and the Fire Keepers at the Shipwreck Island in the first days of November. That would give them almost a full month to reach the Ebony Tower and enter the Seed before winter.

    Of course, in the Dream Realm, one could never put too much faith in any plan.

    Sunny felt reasonably confident in his ability to travel across Chained Isles, but he knew not to get arrogant. This was a wild and deadly land, one full of fearsome creatures and insidious threats.

    He had explored many islands and hunted down many abominations here, but even after nine months of fighting and traveling across the region, Sunny was only well-acquainted with the southeastern part of it, where the Sanctuary of Noctis was located. He had never ventured west or north of the Tear.

    The situation was only made worse by the fact that the closer one got to the vast emptiness at the heart of the Chained Isles, the more dire dangers they would face. To reach Night Temple quickly, Sunny and Cassie had to reach the Tear and skirt around its edge, which meant that they would be moving through the most perilous area of the entire region.

    Not all was bad, though. Cassie had some of the knowledge that Sunny lacked, since the Fire Keepers had spent a lot of time in the northern reaches of the Chained Isles. He also had all the information copied from Mordret's map, which contained a detailed description of many places they were going to have to travel through.

    '??? ????? ???????s ??? ?????s??? ?? N(ov)elBin',

    He was strong enough to face the dangers that awaited them there, and Cassie wasn't defenseless anymore. The two of them were enough... most likely. These were the reasons why Sunny had decided to attempt the expedition without a full cohort.

    The following days proved that he had been right in his decision. Their journey was surprisingly smooth. The traversal itself provided no problems �� Cassie was more than capable of moving from island to island without his help, which was a relief.

    Due to her second Aspect Ability and the Quiet Dancer, the blind girl was able to move through space with an adequate measure of accuracy. As it turned out, she also had an Ascended charm that provided a powerful augmentation to a single Echo, which she used on her rapier.

    With its help, the Dancer could carry her weight for a short distance, which allowed Cassie to get to and off the chains with ease. The only drawback of the charm was that it ate through her soul essence rapidly, and she couldn't use it often or for too long.

    Of course, traversal was the least of their problems. As they traveled further into the heart of the Chained Isles, more and more Nightmare Creatures picked up their scent. That was where Sunny came in.

    With the help of Saint and, when needed, the Soul Serpent, he was able to deal with anything that dared to attack them. Cassie helped, too, but there was rarely anything for her to do �� Sunny and his Shadows were just too swift, cunning, and deadly. Their combined power was almost terrifying.

    That was not to say that the blind girl was useless. On the contrary, her presence was perhaps the single most important factor of why they were able to move toward their goal with such ease.

    Her great affinity to revelations, keen senses, and supernatural intuition complimented Sunny's battle prowess perfectly. It was almost disturbing how well they worked together �� him scouting ahead and obliterating monsters, her guiding them through the maze of shifting isles in a way that took them past the true horrors, the hidden hazards, and the Crushing.

    '?????? ???? No(ve) l Bi n',

    The strangest part about all of this was that they didn't even talk to each that much, yet were able to achieve such a deep level of understanding. Most of the journey was spent in silence, with both of them preferring not to speak to another unless absolutely necessary. There was no small talk, no irrelevant conversations, and no friendly banter.

    Sunny didn't even talk to his shadows and Saint like he was already used to, which made the silence almost suffocating. It was indeed a bit awkward in the beginning�� but then, he got used to it. He actually started to enjoy the peace and quiet, as well as the company of another human being �� even if it was Cassie.

    Their cooperation was efficient, seamless, and not burdened with emotions and other troublesome complications. An alliance of pure convenience. What was there to complain about?

    They traveled across islands that were barren and stark, and across islands that were lush with beautiful verdure. Across islands that teemed with vile abominations, and islands that were full of nothing but bones and ash. Across islands that were open and vast, and islands that were small and hid unseen dangers behind a veil of deception.

    ��It wasn't long before a day arrived when a dark line became visible far away, over the northern horizon. When Sunny first saw it, he stood motionlessly for a while, looking north with a dark expression.

    The Hollow Mountains.

    After so long, he finally saw them again.

    Every day after that, the black line grew bigger and closer. Soon, he was already able to discern individual peaks and the jagged shape of the mountain chain that pierced the sky, like the fangs of a colossal dragon.

    And on the day that the dark peaks towered above, shrouded in flowing mist�� they finally reached Night Temple.

 Chapter 562 Lnto The Night

    The chain swayed lightly as Sunny and Cassie walked across it, rattling loudly from time to time. Since the island that they had just left was currently ascending, the one in front of them was below and fully visible.

    The Northern Island was not too large, maybe two kilometers in diameter. Its surface was one vast level plain, and covered entirely by a beautiful field of violet flowers, as if wrapped in a silken mantle. Despite the fact that the sun was high in the sky, the buds of the delicate flowers closed.

    From what Cassie had told him, Sunny knew that they would open only at night, emanating an eerie and beautiful light. He would have liked to witness that strange and magical sight himself, but right now, there were far more important things for them to do.

    Not to mention that, at the moment, Sunny's attention wasn't even on the island itself.

    Instead, he was looking past it, at the draconian peaks of the Hollow Mountains that towered above the island, submerging it into their vast and deep shadow.

    They were shrouded in white mist that flowed slowly down the dark slopes and fell into the black abyss of the Sky Below like an endless wall of white, swirling clouds. The image of it was both magnificent and frightening.

    It was as though the sky itself was slowly being devoured by the lightless void�� or maybe invading it.

    Looking at the dreadful mountains, Sunny couldn't help but wonder if Nephis was currently lost somewhere out there, in the white mist. Or had she not dared to enter it and instead chose one of the other directions?

    There was no way to know.

    '???? ????s? ???????s ?? No(v) e lBin ????.',

    With a sigh, he looked down and concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other.

    Soon, they reached the Northern island and flew up �� Sunny with the help of the Prowling Thorn and the Dark Wing, Cassie by unsheathing the Quiet Dancer, jumping, and holding tightly to the hilt as the flying rapier pulled her into the air.

    The two of them landed softly amidst the delicate flowers and looked around. Without the need to say anything, Sunny allowed the blind girl to take the lead and followed her as they walked toward the only landmark on the island �� the ruins of the ancient fortress that perched precariously on its northern edge. It was very similar to the crumbled stronghold where he had met Effie and Kai.

    Trying not to disturb the flowers, they crossed the island and entered the fortress. Nothing attacked them on the way, and there were no sounds except for the whistling of the wind and that of their footsteps. The Northern island was beautiful, silent, and strangely peaceful.

    Looking through the broken gateway of the ancient stronghold, Sunny studied the colossal chain that anchored the Isles to the Hollow Mountains. The swirling mist flowed down on both sides of it, obscuring the point where the chain sunk into the dark stone.

    He remained motionless for a few moments, then shivered and looked away.

    At the very corner of the platform that lay beyond the gate, almost unnoticeable, a narrow set of stairs led down, cut from weathered rock. The path snaked around the overhanging slope, clinging to the stone surface as it led to the dark side of the island.

    Cassie put one hand on the stones and, tracing her fingers across them, cautiously stepped onto the stairs. Sunny followed, looking down with a dark expression.

    The path leading to the Night Temple was long and narrow. There was barely enough space for two people to walk side by side. To his right was the stone wall of the island, and to his left was the bottomless dark abyss of the Sky Below. One careless step could spell a person's doom.

    The placement of the stairs was not accidental, as well. If an attacking force tried to lead an assault down the path, they would have had to fight the defenders one at a time, with the movements of the fighter's right hand being restricted by the slope. Range attacks wouldn't help much due to the curvature of the wall, too.

    '

    In a place like that, one warrior could stop an entire army.

    They descended lower and lower, finally reaching the dark side after a long time.

    At the point where the slope turned almost completely horizontal, the stairs transformed into a strange hanging bridge that was attached to the stone surface above by rusty chains. It swayed precariously above the dark chasm of the Sky Below, leading all the way to the center of the isle�� to the Night Temple.

    Sunny froze, startled by a mournful sound of a loud bell that suddenly rolled through the darkness.

    In front of him, at some distance, a magnificent structure protruded from the underbelly of the floating island. Made out of black stone, it resembled a tall, somber cathedral that was somehow built upside down and hovered above the abyss of impenetrable darkness. The foundation was its highest point, and its seven belfries descended into the depths of the black void, each ending with a short chain that held a massive bell cast of tarnished green copper.

    Since Night Temple was located under the island, the light of the sun never reached it. Instead, the cathedral was shrouded in eternal shadow, with only the pale shining of the distant divine flames caressing its black walls.

    In a strange reversal, the velvet darkness of the abyss and the scattering of false stars in its depths seemed like a vast night sky hanging above it.

    As Sunny watched, a second bell rang. He shifted a little and turned his attention to the narrow path, tracing its treacherous steps all the way to the massive iron gates of the cathedral.

    Cassie turned to him, lingered for a moment, and said:

    "Let's go. They've seen us."

    Sunny nodded and took a step forward.

    Night Temple waited ahead, its gates opened like a hungry mouth.

 Chapter 563 Lost Sentinels

    As they walked toward the gates, Sunny asked quietly:

    "So�� what happens now, exactly?"

    Cassie thought for a few moments before answering.

    "I am not sure. That depends on whether Saint Cormac is inside the Citadel or out exploring the Hollow Mountains. In any case, my standing should be good enough to at least get an audience with one of the Masters overseeing the Temple in his absence."

    She hesitated, then added:

    "If we are allowed inside, there are several rules you must follow. Outsiders aren't allowed to summon any Memories or Echoes inside the Citadel. We can only go into the allowed areas, unless a Master is escorting us. We may not speak with the inhabitants of the temple unless they address us first�� additionally, all items we bring inside have to be inspected."

    Sunny frowned. The rules were not only strange, but also strict and would put him at a disadvantage should anything happen. However, he remembered Sky Tide's warning�� she told him not to break any rules inside Night Temple.

    'Alright�� I won't do anything risky unless absolutely necessary. Let's see how this plays out first.'

    As they approached the ornate gates, two figures became visible standing on both sides of it. One was a man, and the other was a woman. Both sentinels were in their thirties and had calm, cold, dangerous eyes.

    'So�� these are the Lost.'

    It was Sunny's first time meeting their kind. In truth, there was not much difference between them and those Awakened who had not lost their physical bodies.

    ��That was not to say that the sentinels were ordinary.

    Both radiated an imposing, overbearing aura. Just from how the Lost held themselves, Sunny could tell that they were extremely experienced and fearsome warriors. Their armors were perfectly crafted, and their weapons had a dangerous luster, all clearly of a high Rank.

    The pressure these sentinels exerted reminded him of the oldest and most deadly hunters of the Dark City, those who had survived long years of bloody battles in the hell of the Forgotten Shore. If he was honest, he had to admit that most Awakened anchored at the Sanctuary of Noctis seemed like children when compared to the two Lost.

    These people were no joke. And there were a hundred more inside the cathedral, if what Cassie had told him was true. If all of them were the same as the sentinels��

    Sunny suppressed a shiver.

    He might have vastly underestimated the scale of the force that clan Valor had stationed at the precipice of the Hollow Mountains. The somber cathedral hid an entire army.

    But�� why only keep the Lost here? What purpose could it serve? The mystery had been tormenting him ever since he learned of it.

    ��At some point, one of the sentinels raised a hand, commanding them to stop. He studied both Sunny and Cassie for a while, and then said in a cold voice:

    "Lady Song of the Fallen�� what a nice surprise to see you again. I hope that the other members of your cohort are well."

    His tone did not match the friendly words at all.

    The blind girl simply nodded.

    '',

    "They are well and in good health, anchored at the Sanctuary of Noctis."

    The second sentinel raised an eyebrow and spoke:

    "Oh? What prompted you to make the long journey and return to our modest Citadel, then? In a company of a stranger and without your loyal comrades, no less..."

    Cassie glanced at Sunny and smiled.

    "This is Awakened Sunless, and he is not a stranger. In fact, he is a dear friend of mine and one of the few people in this world I would trust with my life. Both of us used to be Lady Changing Star's companions."

    Sunny almost choked.

    'Such smooth lies�� admirable!'

    The blind girl, meanwhile, lingered for a moment, and then said:

    "...We hoped to have an audience with Lord Cormac."

    The sentinels remained silent for a while, making Sunny feel a bit nervous. Finally, one of them answered:

    "Lord Cormac is carrying out one of his missions. He won't be back for several weeks, at least."

    Cassie's smile didn't waver. Without skipping a bit, she said, her voice as polite and pleasant as before:

    "Sir Pierce or Lady Welthe, then."

    The sentinels looked at each other. After a while, one of them sighed.

    "Wait here."

    With that, he disappeared, leaving Sunny and Cassie under the heavy gaze of the remaining Lost.

    Sunny stared back, shamelessly studying the sentinel. No matter how he tried, he couldn't tell the difference. She looked just like a normal Awakened would in the Dream Realm�� well, it made sense. Her spirit body was the same, after all.

    ��It was also shaped very nicely.

    "What are you staring at, boy?"

    Sunny looked up and smiled. For a moment, he was very tempted to answer honestly�� but then his common sense won other.

    "...Your armor, ma'am. It seems like a fine Memory."

    The sentinel snarled and didn't say anything.

    After some time, the second one returned and beckoned them to follow.

    'Follow current novels on No v elBin.',

    They were led into a small, chilly room at the side of the gate and handed two sets of simple garments made out of crude cloth, then locked inside. Sunny stared at the bundle in his hands with a perplexed expression.

    "Uh�� what is that for?"

    Cassie sighed and unbuckled her belt, then dismissed the Quiet Dancer and placed its empty scabbard on a bench.

    "No Memories or Echoes allowed, remember?"

    Sunny frowned, then glanced at his armor. If he dismissed it, he would be more or less naked��

    "They are expecting us to change here?"

    The blind girl silently turned her back to him. Sunny hesitated for a moment, then did the same. His shadow looked away, too.

    Cursing inwardly, he dismissed the Undying Chain, and felt the shadows in the tiny room shift as Cassie's cuirass and coat crumbled into a rain of sparks. They were close enough for him to hear the steady beating of her heart, and sense the heat emanating from her body. Trying not to let his imagination wander, Sunny put on a pair of simple trousers, and heard the fabric rustle as it slid across her smooth skin.

    'Bastards�� they couldn't give us two rooms to change?'

    Suppressing his anger, Sunny put on a tunic and frowned. Its sleeves were too short to hide the coils of the Soul Serpent. More than that, they revealed the two shadows that were wrapped around his body, shrouding it in a thin layer of darkness.

    ��Not to mention that both the tunic and the trousers were several sizes too big for him.

    With a sigh, Sunny commanded the shadows to crawl up his arms, hiding them from sight.

    Then, he dismissed the Serpent and bent down to roll up the pant legs and put on a pair of leather sandals, and cleared his throat.

    "Are you done?"

    Cassie answered after a short pause:

    "Yes."

    The clothes provided to her consisted of similar sandals and a long tunic that left her shoulders bare and her legs exposed below the knee. The silver half-mask was gone, too, revealing Cassie's beautiful blue eyes. Sunny stared at her for a few moments, realizing that he had almost forgotten how they looked.

    Then, he scowled and banged on the door.

    Soon, the same sentinel let the out and led them through into the depths of the Night Temple.

    As soon as they left the gateway behind, Sunny tensed, as if expecting something terrible to happen.

    ��But nothing did.

    The sentinel glanced at him and frowned.

    "What are you waiting for? Come. Sir Pierce will see be with us shortly."

 Chapter 564 Lnspection

    The interior of the somber cathedral was as bizarre as its exterior. Sunny expected the actual floors to be constructed properly, and some of the corridors they walked through were. But other parts of Night Temple were upside-down, as well, the flat floors serving as ceilings and the arching ceiling serving as uneven floors.

    And that was just the outward ring. He didn't even want to imagine how the temple itself and the inner sanctum looked.

    As they walked, he saw several Lost silently going about the mundane business of maintaining the Citadel. They were dressed in the same crude clothes he was now wearing, and wielded no weapons.

    However, every one of them, from a person calmly changing the oil in the wall lamps to a man sweeping the floors, radiated the same aura of strength and lethality as the two sentinels that had met them at the gate.

    They were all battle-hardened, veteran elites.

    '...Just what is this place?'

    After descending a few sets of twisting stairs, Sunny and Cassie were led to another, slightly bigger room. That one had a large table in its center.

    The sentinel gestured at it and said, his voice not betraying any emotions:

    "Sir Pierce is on his way. Please, present the items you brought from the outside for inspection."

    Cassie took a step forward and place her belt and scabbard on the table. The Lost shifted his gaze to Sunny and waited.

    "Uh�� all my things are stored inside a Memory."

    He considered hiding the existence of the Covetous Coffer, but thought better of it. There was nothing inside of it worth hiding, anyway... or rather, almost nothing.

    The sentinel frowned, then said in a dark tone:

    "Summon it."

    Soon, the small box was sitting on the table. Sunny opened it and started producing item after item, slowly building a large pile. They were spices, cooking utensils, hygienic products, several packs of underwear�� both male and female, which earned him a strange look�� a piece of a broken mirror, a couple of soul shards, a folding chair, various snacks, packs of tea and coffee, and many more.

    As the pile slowly became larger and larger, the sentinel's face grew more and more incredulous. Finally, his eye twitched.

    "How much trash do you have in that box?"

    Sunny smiled.

    "Almost finished!"

    He fished out a tube of sunscreen and several sticks of lip balm, threw them into the pile, then thrust his arm into the maw of the Coverous Coffer up to the shoulder, swept its bottom a few times, ignoring Weaver's needle and diamond string, then finally took a step back.

    "That is all."

    The Lost shook his head and started picking up the items one after another, inspecting them carefully. What he was expecting to discover, Sunny did not know.

    At that moment, the door of the room opened, and a tall man with sharp features and steely eyes came in. His dark hair was cut short, and there was stubble on his cheeks. The man wore a scale armor forged out of lusterless blue steel, and held himself with the relaxed confidence of an experienced killer.

    Sunny didn't need an introduction to realize that he was standing in front of a Master�� and a powerful one, at that.

    Sir Pierce seemed to be less frightening than Morgan of Valor, but Morgan was barely older than Effie while this man had a decade or two to sharpen his skill and accumulate battle experience. He was a knight of Valor, still. Sunny harbored no illusions �� in front of this monster, neither Cassie nor he stood a chance.

    '

    Especially not while surrounded by an army of a hundred Awakened elites.

    'Why am I thinking about this? We are here to talk, not fight��'

    And they really needed this conversation to go well. Depending on how convincing they could be and how receptive Sir Pierce was, Sunny would either have to do things the easy way, the hard way�� or abandon his plans to retrieve the second knife altogether.

    The sentinel greeted the Master respectfully, and then continued to inspect the mountain of items Sunny had produced from the Covetous Coffer. Sir Pierce glanced at it for a moment, then turned to Cassie.

    "Awakened Cassia. Welcome back to the Night Temple."

    Cassie bowed slightly.

    "Sir Pierce."

    Sunny suppressed the desire to roll his eyes.

    'It's like I am invisible.'

    Both the sentinels and the formidable Master had ignored his existence entirely, preferring to address the blind girl. Part of the reason must have been that they already knew her, but mostly it had to do with her status as a bearer of a True Name.

    Well, it suited Sunny perfectly. He liked to remain as unnoticeable as possible.

    Sir Pierce and Cassie exchanged several pleasantries, slowly approaching the discussion of the real issue. Sunny listened attentively, knowing how much rode on this conversation.

    ��At some point, however, he got distracted.

    'What�� what was that?'

    For a moment, he thought that he heard someone sigh deeply behind him. No�� he definitely did!

    But there was no one there.

    Sunny frowned.

    'Am I hallucinating, or��'

    It was then that a familiar voice suddenly resounded in his ears:

    "Sunless�� I am so glad that you made it."

    Sunny eyes widened slightly. He looked at the sentinel, Cassie, and Master Pierce. None of the showed any sign that they had heard anything. Turning away, as if to stare at the wall, he hid his face and said in a barely audible whisper:

    "Mordret! Where have you been, bastard?"

    His words sounded harsh, but his tone was actually elated.

    The voice chuckled, making Sunny feel a bit tense, for some reason.

    Was it just him�� or did the mysterious prince sound a bit different?

    "Me? Oh�� actually, I was with you this whole time, watching as you traveled across the Dream Realm. I just chose not to speak."

    '',

    Sunny blinked a couple of times. A heavy, cold feeling settled in his chest.

    Something was wrong. Very, very wrong��

    "You�� chose not to speak? Why?"

    Mordret remained silent for a few moments, then said in his usual pleasant tone:

    "With how cautious you are, I was afraid that you wouldn't come if I said too much."

    'What�� what does he mean?'

    Sunny felt his heart beating wildly in his chest. His intuition was sounding the alarms, filling him a sudden feeling of dread.

    'Fooled�� was I fooled?

    "Come where? Here, to the Night Temple?"

    At that moment, the sentinel picked up the piece of the broken mirror from the pile.

    Mordret spoke again, his voice still friendly, but suddenly much colder and deeper beneath the surface. Like a dark and restless ocean hiding under a thin veil of mist��

    "Indeed. Thank you to bringing this piece of mirror to me, Sunless. I am very grateful."

    Sir Pierce casually glanced at the sentinel while responding to Cassie. His gaze stopped at the mirror. In the next moment, his pupils widened.

    "...And very sorry for what is about to happen next."

    The formidable Master was suddenly near the table, the Lost thrown aside. The piece of the mirror was in his hand.

    Throwing a wild look at Sunny, he screamed:

    "Where did you find it, boy?! Answer me!"

    Sunny took a stoop back, stunned.

    "I�� I��"

    He remembered Saint Tyris telling him not to mention Reckoning island. However, at the moment, it seemed like Pierce would rip him apart if Sunny dared to twist the truth even a little. So, he answered honestly:

    "Reckoning. I picked it up after slaying a strange creature."

    Sir Pierce stared at him for a moment, and then his face suddenly changed. It became deathly pale and motionless, as if aged by ten years. His eyes grew wide and glassy.

    The fearsome Master was�� was��

    Terrified.

    But before any of them could do anything, a thin crack appeared on the shard in his hand.

    And in the next moment, all Sunny could hear was the sound of breaking mirrors.

 Chapter 565 Unleashed

    Sunny flinched as the sound of shattering mirrors filled his ears. No one else seemed to react to it, though �� and a moment later, as the cracked piece of glass in Master Pierce's hand exploded into a rain of shards, the sound abruptly disappeared.

    The fearsome man shuddered.

    "No��"

    'What is happening?!'

    Sunny took a step back. Things were happening too fast, and he couldn't comprehend the situation yet. All he knew was that his heart was cold, and his mind was overwhelmed by a premonition of something ominous, dreadful, and disastrous happening.

    He had been fooled�� he had made a mistake!

    Cassie shifted slightly, tilting her head with a tense and confused expression.

    In the next moment, Pierce swiftly turned to the sentinel, his face still pale and terrified, but now also full of grim resolve. His voice, which had been so confident just a few moments ago, now sounded panicked:

    "Seal the temple! Destroy the Gateway! Go, now! We can't�� we can't let that thing escape��"

    Sunny's eyes widened.

    'D�� destroy the Gateway?! What the hell does he mean?!'

    And what thing he was talking about?

    The sentinel didn't seem to have these questions. Pierce's terror had spread to him like an infection, but the man simply nodded and darted out of the room without letting fear slow him down.

    Cassie took a step back to let him pass, then asked tensely:

    "Sir Pierce? What is going on?"

    As though reminded of their presence, the Master turned around and threw a dark, menacing look at Sunny.

    "...You!"

    His voice shook with barely suppressed fury.

    'Crap��'

    Sunny thought about summoning the Cruel Sight, but before he could even move, the tall man was already beside him, grabbing him by the shoulder. If it wasn't for the Bone Weave, Sunny's clavicle might have cracked from the terrible pressure.

    With his other hand, Pierce grabbed Cassie, causing her to yelp in pain.

    "I'll deal with two of you later�� there's no time��"

    Next thing Sunny knew, they were being dragged out of the room. He threw a regretful glance at the pile of his belongings that was left laying on the table, stared at the Covetous Coffer for a moment, and then turned away.

    'What to do, what to do��'

    '?????? ???? No(ve) l Bi n',

    The situation was clearly out of his control now. Mordret has done something�� had manipulated him to do something�� and now, the whole Citadel was on high alarm and furious with Sunny. Whatever it was that the mysterious prince had used Sunny to achieve, it was bad enough to terrify a Master and justify the irrevocable destruction of a precious Gateway.

    So, there were two questions.

    'Should I try to fight my way out? And�� should I also be terrified of the thing that Mordret unleashed?'

    Suddenly, another thought occurred to Sunny.

    'Or is�� is Mordret himself that thing?'

    His heart grew even colder.

    There was not enough information to answer the second question, but the first one was rather easy. Sunny was strong, but not nearly strong enough to fight two Masters and a hundred deadly elites, especially not on their home ground. Plus, both he and Cassie had status�� even a great clan wouldn't dare to make them disappear without proper cause.

    'I... I need more information first. Let's see how this plays out and make a move if the circumstances demand it��'

    So, he didn't struggle as Master Pierce dragged them into the corridor.

    Outside the small room, the Citadel that had been peaceful and somber before was not in a state of pandemonium. Several Lost darted past them, their shadows dancing on the black walls in the orange glow of the ornate oil lamps.

    Sunny could see motion and sense hurried, but orderly movement in every direction. Unlike before, each inhabitant of the temple was now clad in armor and wielded deadly weapons. They were swift and disciplined, like professional soldiers that were preparing for war.

    And there was an army of them.

    But, despite all that��

    Was it nervousness he felt behind the facade of calmness the Lost showed?

    Master Pierce shouted at one of the sentinels, ordering him to stop, then pushed Sunny and Cassie toward the man.

    "Lock these two up in the lesser cell!"

    Sunny wanted to express his outrage, but before he could, the whole temple suddenly shuddered. A few moments later, a deafening soundwave rolled through the corridor.

    'The gates�� they have closed them��'

    But it wasn't as simple as that. Since they were still in the outward ring of the Citadel, his shadow sense had been somewhat able to reach into the emptiness beyond its outer wall. But as soon as the gates closed, that changed, as though the temple was now completely cut off from the outside world.

    It was now sealed�� with them inside��

    The sentinel silently grabbed the two of them and dragged them away. Staggering and trying not to fall, Sunny threw a glance behind his shoulder.

    The last thing he saw was a woman with beautiful red hair appearing before the fearsome Master. She wore a simple black tunic and leather vambraces, her shins protected by a pair of greaves. The woman's face was grim and full of tension.

    "...Pierce! What the Spell happened?!"

    A moment later, the two disappeared behind a turn of the corridor.

    'This must be Master Welthe��'

    '???? ????s? ???????s ?? No(v) e lBin ????.',

    The Lost swiftly dragged them through the disorienting maze of corridors and stairs. They were descending lower and lower, most likely heading toward one of the cathedral's belfries. His expression was dark and severe, and for a good reason �� everywhere they passed through, the inhabitants of the Night Temple were busy preparing for battle. It was as though they were expecting to face a terrifying siege��

    The threat, however, didn't seem to be coming from the outside. Instead, most of the Lost were rushing deeper into the temple, toward its inner sanctum.

    ��It wasn't long before they heard screams.

    The sound traveled through the confusing interior of the cathedral in a strange manner, so it was hard to say from which direction the screams came. They seemed distant, and yet, Sunny couldn't help but feel his blood run cold.

    These chilling wails were full of indescribable agony and terror�� he knew the type too well. These were the screams that humans let out when they were not only horribly hurt, but also maimed, knowing that their lives were either over or would never be the same.

    The sentinel in charge of them stopped for a moment. His face grew ashen, and without saying a word, he continued to drag them toward a heavy metal door at the end of a long corridor.

    The Lost used an elaborate key to open the door, and then pushed them inside.

    Sunny and Cassie found themselves in a circular chamber that had a tall ceiling�� or rather, a tall floor, since it was built in reverse. The domed ceiling of the chamber was actually beneath their feet, sloping down like a deep crater.

    In the center of the cell, a large iron cage stood, each bar of it as thick as a man's arm. Strange runes were inscribed all around the cage, circling it entirely.

    'What the��'

    A moment later, the sentinel unceremoniously pushed them both in the backs, causing Sunny and Cassie to roll down the slope of the dome and through the door of the cage, which he then promptly closed.

    It locked with a loud click, cutting their way to freedom.

    'No way...'

    Sunny rose to his feet, turned around, and watched as the Lost left the room and shut the door behind him.

    For a few moments, they were left in absolute silence. The room was dark, with only a single oil lamp burning on the wall near the exit. Its orange flame trembled and danced, barely managing to keep the shadows at bay.

    Sunny gritted his teeth, then kicked the iron bars with all his might and screamed in anger and frustration:

    "Damn it! Damn it all"

    Behind him, Cassie slowly stood up, then swayed a little.

    "Sunny��"

    He turned to her and snarled:

    "What?!"

    The blind girl grimaced.

    "Something�� something is wrong. I feel��"

    Sunny stared at her for a few moments, then blinked and looked outside the cage.

    ...The runes surrounding it were slowly starting to emanate an eerie, dangerous blue glow.

 Chapter 566 Lmprisoned

    Sunny looked at the runes. Their eerie glow was swiftly growing brighter and brighter, drowning the chamber in a ghostly light. Slowly, a deep frown appeared on his face.

    Then, suddenly, his eyes widened.

    "Crap!"

    But it was already too late. The runes shimmered, and in the next moment, he felt his reserve of shadow essence plunging. It was as though something was draining the essence out of his soul with terrifying speed.

    At the same time, the range of shadow essence diminished even further, becoming limited by the size of the cage. The gloomy shadow recoiled, trying to get away from the shining runes.

    Sunny hurriedly tried to summon the Cruel Sight, but he was a second too slow. Before the spear could form itself from the sparks of light, his essence ran dry, and it disintegrated before assuming a physical form.

    "...Damnation!"

    He looked helplessly at the bars of the cage and clenched his fists.

    This was indeed a jail cell built to contain Awakened. Without shadow essence, he wouldn't be able to use Shadow Step to escape. More than that, he couldn't summon Memories anymore �� manifesting them into reality demanded essence, as well, even if it was a tiny amount.

    The same went for Echoes�� and even Shadows.

    He also felt weak, and was only going to grow weaker in the coming hours �� without essence circulating through his body, Sunny's strength was vastly diminished.

    ...Whoever created this damned cage really knew what they were doing.

    With a resentful snarl, Sunny turned around and allowed himself to slide down to the center of the dome, where Cassie stood with a lost expression on her pale, delicate face.

    Raising one hand awkwardly, she tentatively moved it through the air around her and whispered:

    "...I am blind again."

    Sunny frowned, stared at her for a moment, and then turned away.

    "You were always blind."

    Of course, he knew what Cassie meant �� without soul essence, the Aspect Ability that allowed her to perceive the world from several seconds in the future was gone, too. It wasn't exactly sight, but something that had replaced being able to see to her.

    His words might have been cruel, but Sunny was not in the mood for pleasantries.

    Being locked in a cage, powerless to escape�� that was his worst nightmare.

    And he had no one but himself to blame for ending up that way!

    Turning away from the blind girl, Sunny sat down, lowered his head, and grabbed it with both hands.

    '',

    'Curse him��'

    Suddenly, the cathedral shook again.

    Cassie remained silent for a while, then said quietly:

    "This must have been the Gateway. They�� they really destroyed it."

    Sunny closed his eyes.

    "I guess you are right."

    He heard her sitting down opposite him and wondered about the black altar that was now laying somewhere in the depths of the Citadel in pieces. Was the ivory knife destroyed, as well?

    Had there even been a second knife, to begin with? Or was it just a lie Mordret had invented to lure him into the Night Temple?

    What else had he lied about?

    Sunny gritted his teeth, suppressing a groan. He felt scared, furious, and utterly humiliated.

    He had been so careful not to trust the mysterious voice after hearing it for the first time. But Mordret had been so helpful, and had provided him with so much valuable information that proved to be true. Sunny was, most likely, only alive because of the lost prince's aid.

    Even so, he had never lowered his guard. If there had been the smallest hint that Mordret wanted something from him, he would have suspected the worst. But the bastard was just too devious and cunning�� terrifyingly so.

    Mordret had played him like a fiddle...

    He had understood perfectly just how untrusting Sunny was, and went with the lightest of approaches. Knowing that any pressure would scare his paranoid mark off, Mordret had simply mentioned the ivory knife in passing and never spoke about it again�� in fact, after the hook was in, he had never spoken to Sunny again.

    Observing silently and waiting for his prey to come to him of its own volition��

    Sunny shuddered.

    'Oh, gods�� how much has he seen?'

    He was willing to bet that there had never even been a need for Mordret to wait days between their conversations. All of it was just a part of an intricate web of lies and manipulation.

    'Fool! I am such a fool!'

    How had he allowed himself to be fooled so completely?

    A crazy smile suddenly appeared on Sunny's face, and he let out a stifled laugh.

    Wasn't the answer obvious? Truth�� his downfall was the truth! Like a masterful liar, Mordret had mixed just enough of it into his lies to make them believable.

    "Oh, the irony..."

    'The latest_epi_sodes are on_the Nov elB i n website.',

    Cassie shifted slightly, and asked, her voice soft and cautious:

    "Sunny? What exactly happened back there?"

    He let out a bitter chuckle and answered in a dark tone:

    "Why? Don't you know everything?"

    The blind girl didn't answer, and after some more time passed, he sighed.

    "...Sorry. It was me. I got us into this mess."

    Sunny straightened and forced himself to calm down.

    Dwelling on the past was not going to do them any good. The situation was bad, but not hopeless. The future was uncertain, and there would surely be a chance to turn everything around�� he just needed to remain in control of himself and be ready to act when an opportunity presented itself.

    Who said that Mordret was going to have the last laugh?

    "Do you remember the mysterious Lost I told you about? The one who had taught me about the Seed, and the knives?"

    Cassie nodded slowly.

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then shook his head.

    "Well, as it turns out, he lured me into the Night Temple on purpose. He needed the piece of mirror I found a while back, for some reason. When Master Pierce saw it, all hell broke loose."

    She remained silent for some time, and then asked:

    "Do you think that this Lost is here, in the Night Temple?"

    Sunny looked away. When he finally spoke, his voice sounded grim:

    "I do. Actually�� I think that this whole Citadel is a prison. A prison that was meant to contain a single creature. Him."

    Cassie shivered and hugged her shoulders. A heavy silence settled between them.

    After a while, she said:

    "Maybe you are right. But, Sunny��"

    Her voice trembled:

    "...What kind of a being would require a hundred Awakened fighters, two Ascended knights, and a Saint to guard it?"

    Sunny stared at her, not knowing what to say.

    He had no idea.

 Chapter 567 No Escape

    Sunny felt that there was a hint about what manner of a creature Mordret was in the fact that only the Lost and human Echoes had been allowed to guard him, but that was too little information to make a guess.

    What else did he know about the man who called himself the Prince of Nothing?

    He was reasonably sure that Mordret was a human�� or at least had been once, at some point. A Nightmare Creature could fake a human voice, but not the knowledge of the waking world that Mordret had shown. Sunny also felt that the mysterious prince had told the truth about conquering the First Nightmare at twelve years of age.

    Other than that, all Sunny had was the description of the Cruel Edge, which told of a prince that had been given away to a monstrous Dreamspawn, and later returned only to find out that he wasn't welcome in his father's home anymore. That and the fact that the Mirror Beast had been created by Mordret, much like Saint had been created by him.

    That was not much to go off of��

    With a sigh, Sunny looked around the cage.

    Due to the concave nature of its floor, he and Cassie were forced to stay close to each other. The only surface flat enough to sit comfortably was at the very center of the dome, and not too large in diameter. The cage was utterly empty, with the exception of a rusty bucket that was covered by a wooden lid.

    Sunny stared at a bucket for a while, then grimaced.

    "How long do you think they'll keep us here?"

    Cassie remained silent for a while, then answered evenly:

    "That depends on whether they can contain the prisoner."

    A deep scowl appeared on his face.

    Would a hundred elite Awakened warriors and two Masters, all in service to a Great Clan, be able to handle Mondret? Before today, he would have said yes without a moment of hesitation. No matter how powerful the mysterious prince was, how could he contend against an entire army?

    ��But after seeing the terror on Sir Pierce's face and how nervous the Lost were, Sunny wasn't so sure anymore.

    And what would happen if Mordret somehow prevailed?

    Would they be safe?

    Or�� would they learn that terror themselves?

    'Crap��'

    Sunny threw a dark glance at the door of the chamber and closed his eyes.

    For now, there was nothing they could do but wait.

    Minutes passed, slowly converging into hours. With no windows, it was hard to measure the passage of time. Sunny and Cassie mostly remained silent, partially because each was preoccupied with their own thoughts, and partially because there was nothing useful they could say.

    The Night Temple shuddered several more times, but these tremors weren't as strong as the first two. Sunny silently meditated, feeling the shadow essence dissipate from his muscles and his strength slowly diminishing. After a while, he stood up, climbed to the walls of the cage, and studied the runes, then explored every centimeter of the cell.

    He even tried to bend and dislodge the iron bars, but it was useless. The cage seemed to be built to imprison Masters or, perhaps, even Saints. Even at his full power, Sunny wouldn't have been able to break free with brute force.

    After a while, he had no choice but to slide back to the center of the dome and resume doing nothing.

    ��He hadn't had an opportunity like that in a long while. Actually, doing nothing was sort of relaxing �� if he ignored the fact that their lives were hanging by a thread, of course.

    The blue glow of the runes and the orange light of the oil lamp were soft and dim, leaving the chamber dark and full of shadows. Somewhere outside, a gruesome massacre was perhaps taking place.

    But here, everything was calm and silent.

    Sunny was on the verge of dozing off when Cassie suddenly turned to face the door.

    "Someone is coming."

    He opened his eyes and stood up, then glanced at the oil lamp with a dark expression. Its dancing flame trembled, and then disappeared for a moment when the door opened with a bang and a gust of wind entered the cell.

    Five people came inside.

    Novel Top1.OR G

    Four of them were Lost warriors, their faces grim and their armor bloodied. One was the same sentinel who had locked them inside, his face ashen and pale, a piece of white cloth wrapped around his head like a makeshift bandage.

    The fifth was a woman with beautiful red hair, wearing a black tunic�� Master Welthe. There was a strange amulet in the shape of an anvil hanging on a thin chain around her neck, and murder in her eyes. The aura she emanated was truly frightening.

    'So, Mordret did not manage to escape, after all��'

    The Master threw a cold glance at Cassie, then turned to Sunny.

    "You! You brought that piece of mirror into the Citadel, correct?"

    Sunny shifted slightly.

    "I did."

    The corner of Welthe's mouth twitched.

    "Who instructed you to do so?!"

    He blinked a couple of times.

    "What? No one instructed me. I had no idea what that shard was. I just thought that it was curious and picked it up��"

    The beautiful woman glanced at one of the Lost, who nodded.

    "He is telling the truth. Or at least believes in what he says."

    Sunny studied the Lost, who was a man in his thirties, with a gaunt face and clear, grey eyes.

    'Great. Another walking lie detector��'

    Welthe frowned, then pierced Sunny with a heavy gaze.

    "What was your purpose in coming to Night Temple?"

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments. When he spoke, his voice sounded frightened and a little shaky:

    "I've been told that there is... there is a special knife here, on the altar. I am interested in that knife, because it has to do with the past of the Chained Isles. I am a researcher at the Awakened Academy, you see�� maybe you've read my previous exploration report? It's, uh�� quite famous."

    The Master stared at him for some time, then glanced at the Lost with clear eyes, and shook her head dejectedly.

    "All this�� because of one clueless fool��"

    'Yes, yes... I am a pathetic, useless fool. Believe it!'

    Sunny cleared his throat.

    "Master Welthe? I am very sorry for the trouble I've caused, but�� uh�� what is going on? And when are you going to release us?"

    She suddenly let out a stifled laugh, then looked at him with a dark, furious expression:

    "Release you? If you knew what your actions have caused, you would have begged me to keep you in this cell. At least that fiend can't get to you here�� no, the two of you will remain locked up until we deal with the mess you've made. And we will deal with it, believe me."

    That was not exactly the answer Sunny wanted to hear, but at least it gave him some information.

    Mordret wasn't contained yet... rather, he and the Valor forces seemed to be in some sort of a stalemate.

    Master Welthe gritted her teeth, then turned away.

    However, before leaving, she stopped for a moment and then said, her voice grim:

    "Now that the temple is sealed, no one but Lord Cormac can unseal it, anyway. With the Gateway destroyed, there's no escape. Where would you even go?"

    With that, she clenched her fists and left the chamber. The four Lost followed, closing the door behind them.

    Sunny stared at it for a while, a bleak expression on his face.

    Novel Top1.OR G

    'No one but Lord Cormac can unseal it��'

    "Crap!"

    The Saint was not supposed to return until a month from now!

    He looked at Cassie, then at their cage, and lastly at the glowing runes.

    This was going to be a long and terrible month��

 Chapter 568 Full Circle

    He sat back down, waited for a while, and then turned to Cassie:

    "Did you take a look at her Attributes?"

    She sat down, too, and sighed.

    "Yes. Her, the four Lost with her. Sir Pierce, too. I also saw the name and Rank of their Aspects."

    Sunny frowned.

    "What? Since when can you read Aspects, too?"

    The blind girl shrugged.

    "Since my Awakening."

    He stared at her for a bit.

    'What a useful Ability��'

    In worse news, if she had not known some of his secrets before, she surely knew them now.

    '...How infuriating.'

    Sunny grimaced, lingered for a bit, and then said:

    "Good. Chances are, we'll need that information before all of this is over."

    He didn't press her for answers yet, since there was a lot he had to think about.

    Some more time passed with both of them remaining silent. After a while, the door of the chamber opened once more, and the familiar four Lost entered. The one with a bandaged head was carrying a tray of food and a waterskin.

    He studied them for a few moments, a cold expression on his handsome face, and then threw the food and the waterskin through the iron bars without approaching the cage.

    Sunny suppressed his anger and opened his mouth, assuming the persona of a cowardly researcher:

    "Hey! Sir�� uh�� sir Awakened! Can you tell us what is going on? Please, we don't even know what is wrong!"

    The sentinel glanced at him darkly and spat in a commanding tone:

    "Silence!"

    His voice was clear and strong, full of arrogant confidence�� and deep animosity toward the two of them.

    Without saying another word, the Lost left, once again locking the door behind them.

    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, then slowly lowered his gaze and glanced at the food that rolled down the slope of the dome to his feet.

    Then, suddenly, he threw his head back and laughed loudly.

    "Oh�� oh, gods! Never thought I'll be eating this crap again��"

    Right in front of him, reflecting the blue glow of the runes, two colorless tubes of synthpaste were lying on the floor.

    He knew their shape all too well.

    ***

    Nove l B(in).C OM

    They had a late supper, which consisted of a synthetic paste that had the consistency of mud and tasted about the same. Still, this vile invention was cheap to produce and supposed to contain all the nutrients one needed to �� barely �� survive.

    Sunny had not missed the damned sludge at all.

    In the outskirts, the easiest food to get was called a "universal ration pack"... or simply a rat pack. It contained a tube of synthpaste, a cheap water filter, and several dry, tasteless crackers. This was what he mostly ate before becoming an Awakened, so now, Sunny felt as though his life had come full circle.

    Such irony...

    After a while, tired and weak without the essence sustaining their bodies, they decided to sleep.

    The flat space in the center of the cage was so small that Sunny and Cassie had to settle with their backs against each other. With nothing but two layers of thin fabric separating their skin, Sunny could feel the heartbeat reverberating through her lithe body.

    ...The cage was cold and chilly, but at least his back was warm.

    They lay in silence for a while, trying to fall asleep.

    Before they did, however, Cassie suddenly spoke:

    "Sunny��"

    Her voice was quiet and hesitant.

    "How�� how is she doing? Do you know?"

    He kept his eyes closed and remained silent for a few moments, then said with no particular emotion:

    "She is doing great. She is a devil already. Now stop bothering me."

    Cassie sighed, and didn't say anything else.

    ��In the middle of the night �� if it was night outside �� he suddenly woke up, disturbed by a sudden change in her breathing. Through the thin fabric of their clothes, he could feel the blind girl's body tense up, her breathing rugged and uneven.

    Sunny hesitated, then turned around and looked at Cassie.

    In the pale glow of the runes, her delicate face seemed white and bloodless. It was contorted in a tortured grimace, with beads of sweat appearing on her forehead. Her eyes were moving hectically behind the eyelids.

    He lingered, not knowing what to do.

    It was obvious that Cassie was having a vision, and that like most of her visions, this one was painful and terrifying. Was he supposed to wake her up? Or would it do more harm than good?

    Before he could decide, she suddenly sat up with a stifled yelp. Her chest was rising and falling wildly, and there was a panicked expression on her face.

    The blind girl raised her hands and tried to feel her surroundings, clearly not quite remembering where she was.

    Sunny caught one of them, making Cassie flinch, and said darkly:

    "Take a hold of yourself, damn it. You're in a cage in Night Temple. Stop thrashing around."

    She froze, surrendering to his iron grip. After a while, Cassie took a deep breath and said weakly:

    "...I'm alright."

    He let her go, picked up the mostly empty waterskin, and put it onto her hand.

    The blind girl drank the last of their water and closed her eyes, her breathing slowly returning to normal.

    Sunny waited for a minute, and then asked in a gloomy tone:

    "Another vision?"

    She silently nodded.

    A dark grin appeared on his face.

    "What? Did we die again?"

    Cassie shook her head, then opened her eyes and frowned.

    "No�� no, this time I saw someone else."

    She put the waterskin on the floor, hugged her knees, and spoke again, her voice still tense, but now much calmer:

    "It was one of the Lost �� the man with grey eyes who advised Lady Welthe. He was in front of a large crucible, throwing shards of broken mirrors into the fire. There were thousands of them, all reflecting his image. Only�� at some point, one of the reflections stopped."

    She shivered.

    "The Lost stopped, too, and stared at the motionless reflection, his eyes full of utter terror. It was as though he was paralyzed by fear. He opened his mouth to scream, but no sound came out of his mouth. After that, he didn't move anymore�� but the reflection finally did. It raised its head, and�� and smiled."

    Cassie grew silent, and then added, her voice trembling:

    "That smile filled me with so much dread that all I could think about was to run away. But I couldn't. That�� that was when I woke up."

    Sunny looked at her for a while, thinking. His face was cold and grim.

    It wasn't hard to understand what the vision was about. Mordret's Aspect was somehow tied to mirrors, after all�� but what did it all mean? What were his powers, exactly?

    He sighed and turned away.

    "It's fine. You did well. Go back to sleep, if you can."

    She listened to him and slowly lay down. However, Sunny could tell by her breathing that the blind girl was wide awake.

    He couldn't sleep, too.

    ��In the morning, the door of their cell opened, and the same group of Lost brought them more food.

    Only, this time, there were only three of them.

    The man with grey eyes was nowhere to be seen.

 Chapter 569 On The Seventh Day

    The three Lost seemed to be in a better shape than they had been the day before �� their armor was cleaned, and their wounds were properly tended to. However, somehow, they looked worse to wear. Their faces were paler, their movements were full of tension, and there was a strange darkness hiding in their eyes.

    Only the sentinel who had spoken to Sunny before was the same. If anything, his cold resolve seemed to have grown stronger�� as did his silent hostility. Without saying a word, he threw the tubes of syntpaste into the cage, then pointed at the waterskin laying on the floor near Cassie.

    Sunny tossed the empty waterskin out, and received a new one in return.

    "Sir! Can you please tell us what is going on? Where is your, uh... fourth friend? Did something happen?"

    The sentinel stared at him with a heavy, grim expression. When he answered, his voice was steady and even:

    "Don't speak unless spoken to."

    Nove l B(in).C OM

    With that, the Lost left. The door of the cell locked with a loud click, the flame of the oil lamp trembled, and everything became silent once again.

    Sunny sighed.

    "...What an unfriendly fellow."

    Just like that, their imprisonment started.

    There were no windows in the stone chamber, so it was almost impossible to track the passage of time. Their only hint was the appearance of the three Lost, who brought them food and water once every day, and sometimes changed the oil in the lantern.

    Sunny and Cassie spent the first few days in silence and tense, grim anticipation. They slept back to back, sharing the heat of their bodies to overcome the chilling cold of the prison cell, and suffered through the daytime without speaking to each other unless absolutely necessary. Both were waiting for something disastrous to happen.

    However, nothing did.

    The Night Temple had not shaken again, and nothing came through the heavy door to either set them free or destroy them. Neither Master Welthe nor Master Pierce had visited the enchanted chamber, as well, as if Sunny and Cassie were completely forgotten. The stone cell was silent and unchanging.

    However, they could still tell that something sinister and dire was going on outside. The evidence was in how the three Lost that brought them food �� their only connection to the rest of the world �� looked and behaved.

    With each day, two of them seemed more and more frightened, while the third grew increasingly cold and grim. No matter how much Sunny tried to get the sentinel to speak, the arrogant warrior refused to tell him anything, and only glared at the prisoners through the iron bars of the cage, his eyes full of ire.

    Their actions changed, too. If before all three used to look at Sunny and Cassie while delivering the food, now only the sentinel did. The other two stood facing the door, their weapons drawn.

    ��Sometimes, their hands were trembling.

    Realizing that nothing was going to change any time soon, Sunny had to reluctantly change his behavior. He shared everything he knew about Mordret with Cassie, and learned everything she remembered about the Night Temple in return. With nothing else to do but teach each other, they went over every little detail many times over�� only to end up with nothing.

    No new clues, no deeper understanding, not even a good guess or two. It was simply a dead end.

    For now��

    On the seventh day, the three Lost arrived as usual. The sentinel walked forward and threw the tubes of synthpaste into the cage, while the other two assumed defensive positions behind his back. Their eyes seemed dark and hollow.

    However, before Sunny could toss the empty waterskin outside, a chilling scream suddenly resounded in the corridor outside the door. A long, drowning shriek echoed from the cold stones, full of torment and indescribable agony.

    How could a human throat produce such a sound?

    The Lost tensed and gripped their weapons, one of them taking an involuntary step back.

    The sentinel snarled and pushed the man in the back.

    "Get a hold of yourself, cowards! Remember your duty!"

    With that, he threw the waterskin to Sunny and rushed outside, a slender sword appearing in his hand from a whirlpool of dancing sparks of light. The others gritted their teeth and followed, shutting the door behind them.

    The flame of the oil lamp trembled.

    ��On the next day, when the door opened again, only two Lost walked through it.

    ***

    One of the surviving Lost looked like a walking corpse. There were no wounds on his body, but his eyes were dull and glassy. He glanced at Sunny and Cassie lifelessly, then turned around and raised his weapon, staring at the open door with tired dread.

    Even the arrogant sentinel seemed a bit�� diminished. His handsome face was still cold and resolute, but there was a slight weakness to how his shoulders were set, and a slight uncertainty to his movements.

    He tossed the tubes of synthpaste and the water inside the cage, not even waiting for Sunny to return the other two waterskins. Sunny wanted to try to get the Lost to speak to him again, as usual, but then thought better of it.

    There was a sharp edge in the man's eyes that made the idea of pushing him even a little seem too dangerous.

    The two Lost left, leaving the prisoners alone again.

    Sunny stared at the door and the orange flame of the oil lamp dancing beside it for a few minutes, then shivered and turned away.

    Their jailers returned several more times. With each day, they looked more disheveled and exhausted, the darkness in their eyes growing deeper and deeper. A few times, Sunny could hear strange, disturbing sounds coming from the corridor, but the two Lost did not seem to react to them at all.

    A week later, the food did not arrive for an especially long time. Sunny glared gloomily at the door, feeling pangs of hunger torment his empty stomach. One tube of synthpaste a day was not nearly enough to satiate him, so he was always hungry�� just like he had been in the past, living on the streets in the outskirts.

    Hours passed, but the two Lost were nowhere to be seen.

    'Where the hell are they...'

    Then, something suddenly crashed into the door from the outside with a loud bang. A bit of dust fell from the ceiling, and then, everything became silent once more.

    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, then slowly looked down.

    Something was flowing from beneath the door, streaming down the slope of the dome toward the cage. In the dim orange glow of the oil lantern, the liquid seemed almost black.

    But he knew its smell too well��

    Blood. It was human blood.

    ��After that day, no one came to feed them anymore.

 Chapter 570 Thirst

    Sunny looked at the stream of blood that was getting closer and closer to the cage, then glanced back at the door and waited, wondering if someone�� or something�� would burst through it and enter the cell.

    But nothing did. After that first loud bang, everything stayed eerily quiet. Seconds passed, then minutes. Finally, he slowly turned away from the door and looked at Cassie.

    "Do you smell it?"

    She lingered for a moment, then nodded.

    "...Blood."

    Sunny remained motionless for a bit, then walked back to his usual place and sat down. His face was grim. After a while, he said in a dark tone:

    "We are going to need to start rationing water."

    Humans could survive for a long time without food, but water�� water was much more precious. Without it, a healthy human could die in a matter of days.

    And there were very few more agonizing ways to go.

    Cassie turned her head, then asked somberly:

    "Why? Do you think that they are going to just leave us here?"

    Sunny opened his mouth to retorn that she was the one who could see the future. But in the end, he held his tongue.

    ? "...Just in case."

    They had one full waterskin left. As Awakened, they would also be able to last longer without water than mundane humans �� especially Sunny, whose body was strengthened by three cores, Blood Weave, and his shadows.

    But would that be long enough?

    There was no way to know.

    He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, then tried to meditate.

    Time crawled slowly. Their hunger grew, but no one came to bring them food. With their last connection to the outside world gone, it was impossible to tell what day it was. Sunny and Cassie remained in the barely illuminated darkness alone, waiting for something to happen, or slept while shivering from the cold.

    It wasn't long before their water ran out. The waterskin wasn't that large, to begin with.

    ...Then, came the thirst.

    Sunny thought that he knew what madness felt like, but after spending several days �� at least he thought that a few had passed �� without drinking anything, he learned that there was a completely different realm of crazed delirium.

    The feeling of thirst was absolutely maddening, torturous, and suffocating. His throat hurt as if it was being cut, his lips had dried and cracked, and so did his tongue. His head was full of pulsating pain, and his muscles were experiencing excruciating cramps. All he could think about was water, water, water��

    The worst part of it all, however, was the fear. Fear that he was going to die in this cursed cage like a dog, forgotten and discarded. Maybe one day someone would open the heavy door, and find his desiccated corpse reaching hopelessly and pathetically toward it through the iron bars��

    Sunny had tried everything he could think of to get out of the cage, but nothing he had done helped. The only result was that his condition worsened even further.

    By then, his throat and mouth felt as though they were on fire, and his entire body ached terribly. He felt weak and lethargic, and his vision was starting to blur. Sunny spent most of his time staring at the orange flame of the oil lamp, because it was more or less the only thing he could see clearly.

    Then, it disappeared, too.

    The stone cell became even darker, with only the ghostly, dim glow of the runes illuminating the iron bars of the cage.

    '...The oil ran out.'

    Sunny closed his eyes.

    Was it really hopeless?

    No, he couldn't give up�� he refused to��

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    In all this suffering and despair, the only thing that kept him somewhat sane was the fact that Cassie was right there with him, going through the same hell. At least�� at least he wasn't alone.

    Despite all the complicated emotions and the heavy burden of past sins, sharing his pain with someone had made if not bearable, then at least a little easier. Neither of them would have been able to endure the agony and the terror of not knowing whether they were going to live or die, the fear of the unknown, alone. But together, the two of them managed to persevere, somehow. Maybe just to not let the other see them break first��

    Sunny didn't know how many days had passed since the flame of the oil lantern died out. Time lost its meaning a while ago. All he knew was the thirst, the pain, and the stubborn, spiteful will to hold on just a little bit longer.

    ��At some point, he opened his eyes in the darkness and stared at the blurry blue glow of the sorcerous runes. Then, he turned his head and looked at Cassie, who was sleeping in his arms.

    There was a sound�� a sound coming from behind the door.

    Sunny wanted to tell Cassie to wake up, but his throat was so dry that no sound came out of it. All it did was bring him more pain. He gritted his teeth, then shook her gently, waited for her to open her eyes, and carefully placed a finger on her lips.

    He wanted her to remain quiet.

    The blind girl hesitated for a few moments, then nodded.

    They let go of each other and shakily rose to their feet. By that point, the faint sound became more clear�� it was as though something sharp was scraping against stones as it was being dragged across them slowly.

    Scrrrrish�� scrrrrish�� scrrrrrish�� scrrrriiiiish...

    The haunting, grating sound was drawing closer and closer.

    Finally, it reached to just beyond the cell and stopped abruptly. Then, they heard another scrape, this one much smaller, and the click of the door's lock.

    It opened, and Sunny saw a blurry silhouette standing at the threshold of the stone chamber. Half-blinded by the thirst, he could tell who, or what, it was.

    ...But the smell of blood was back.

    Only now, it was much, much stronger��

 Chapter 571 Don’t Make A Sound

    Sunny stood motionlessly, gathering whatever strength he had left�� which was far too little. Cassie was silent, too, a tense expression on her pale face.

    With his vision compromised and his shadow sense limited to the circle of runes glowing around the cage, all Sunny could see was a blurry silhouette. He was almost sure that it was a human�� however, something about the dark figure was wrong.

    Utterly, terribly wrong.

    ...A strong smell of blood assaulted his nostrils.

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    The silhouette swayed, and then took a step forward. The scraping sound resounded once again, coming from it. Sunny strained his eyes, and thought that he had noticed a slender sword being dragged behind the person. A hint of recognition appeared in his clouded mind, but in the next moment, a sudden burst of creaky, gurgling laughter threw his thoughts into a spin.

    Sunny shivered.

    'That... voice��'

    The silhouette took another step forward, coming to the point where the flat surface of the floor gave place to the downward slope of the dome. Coincidentally, that was the moment when the dim glow of the runes finally reached it.

    Sunny flinched.

    'C��curses��'

    A familiar face was looming in the darkness above him. Even through the haze clouding his sight, Sunny managed to recognize the arrogant sentinel who had locked them in this cage a long, long time ago.

    Only now, that cold and handsome man was nowhere to be seen.

    Instead, he looked broken and gaunt, his face contorted in a demented grin.

    But much worse than that��

    In the place where the sentinel's eyes used to be, two bloody pits were gaping, crimson streams flowing down his cheeks like tears. His fingers were marred with blood, too.

    As Sunny recoiled, the Lost laughed again, and then suddenly clawed at his face, his laughter turning into a stifled groan, and then into a whisper:

    "...can't get me anymore�� can't, can't... get me... I tricked him..."

    Then, the lunatic abruptly froze. Slowly, his head turned, and the bloody pits of his eyes stared directly at the cage. A moment later, a grimace of hatred appeared on his face.

    "You! You! It is all your fault, yours! You let him free!"

    Sunny felt weak and barely able to stand, and he was suffering too much to have any energy for fear. So, although it was obvious that the sentinel had returned to exact revenge and kill them, he didn't mind.

    Instead, he welcomed it.

    'Good�� good! Come�� come here then. Just come here and open the door. You cant try to kill me all you want. Just open the damned door, you wretch!'

    As long as the door was open, they could escape.

    The Lost swayed again, then made a move to step forward�� and stopped. His sword fell to the floor with a clang.

    'Damn you!'

    ��Instead, a whirlpool of sparks swirled around his hands, and a curved bow appeared in them.

    Sunny's heart grew cold.

    'No, no, no...'

    The sentinel whispered:

    "Die, vermin��"

    With that, he drew the string of the bow. As soon as he did, a ghostly arrow appeared on it, its tip long and sharp as a razor.

    Sunny held his breath and stared at the tip of the arrow, then slowly turned his head and looked at Cassie, who stood motionlessly beside him. His face grew solemn.

    'Don't make a sound�� please, don't make a sound��'

    A moment later, he heard the sound of the string, and saw the arrow streak above the blind girl's shoulder, the wind throwing a few strands of her hair into the air, and shatter against the stones.

    Cassie flinched, but remained absolutely silent.

    The sentinel frowned.

    "Alive? I know that you are still alive�� but not for long, now��"

    He drew the bow again, and sent another ghostly arrow flying.

    This time, it flew mere centimeters above Sunny's head. For the first time in his life, he felt actually thankful for his short stature��

    But the crazed Lost wasn't done.

    Sunny turned his head and stared directly at him. A ghastly smile suddenly appeared on the sentinel's face.

    "...got you now."

    He drew the bow again, and then lowered it, aiming directly at Sunny's heart.

    Sunny did not move a muscle.

    A moment before the Lost released the string, something small and swift suddenly dashed toward him from behind, and bit his leg ferociously.

    ...It was the Covetous Coffer.

    Back when everything started, Sunny had left it in the interrogation room on purpose. He couldn't control a Memory like he would an Echo, but the Coffer was still able to follow simple commands. The command it had received from Sunny in those moments was to hide, and then find him.

    And then wait.

    The poor thing had loitered near the locked door of the cell for several weeks, hiding every time anyone approached. And now, it was finally able to receive a new command.

    'Attack!'

    The box scurried from its hiding place, reach the cell, and ran through the door on its eight short iron legs, just in time to sink its sharp triangular teeth into the sentinel's heel. They easily pierced the steel of his armored boot. Blood spurted into the air, and with a surprised shriek, the man stumbled forward, fell, and rolled down the slope of the dome, crashing into the bars of the cage.

    The arrow flashed past Sunny, missing him by a hair's breadth.

    But he did not care, already moving.

    As soon as the damage was done, Sunny dismissed the Covetous Coffer, and before the runes could devour the tiny amount of shadow essence returned to him by that act, sent all of it into his hurting muscles.

    And now, he was dashing up the slope toward where the Lost was trying to get back to his feet.

    Before he could, however, Sunny was already upon him.

    He thrust his hands through the bars, wrapped one arm around the man's neck, pressed him against the cage, and used the other hand to lock him into a stranglehold.

    Sunny was weakened by the runes, the hunger, and the thirst�� but he still had three cores, and three shadows wrapped around his body. His strength was fueled by fury, desperation, and cold, murderous will.

    ,m All of it was barely enough to hold the struggling sentinel in place.

    The two men struggled furiously, one trying to break free, the other trying to squeeze the very life out of his enemy. Sunny used everything he had, and then a bit more, strangling the Lost with all the strength he had left in his gaunt, starved body. He knew that there was not going to be another chance. He had to kill this man in order to survive.

    ��And even more important than that, he simply wanted to.

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    So, he bit his lip, feeling drops of blood flowing into his dry mouth, and pulled, pulled, pulled.

    After what felt like an eternity, when his vision had gone almost entirely black and his muscles were on the verge of collapsing, he felt something snap under his grip, and then the body of his enemy suddenly grew limp.

    The sentinel was dead��

    Probably��

    Sunny let out a shaky breath, let go of the man's corpse, and fell back, sliding down to the center of the dome.

    He couldn't stand up anymore.

    In truth, he couldn't even open his eyes. Not that he would be able to see anything. The fight had taken the last of his strength.

    His chest rose and fell, every breath sending a wave of agony through his body. He didn't think that he could move.

    '...I'm done.'

    Through the haze, Sunny heard someone walk unsteadily past him, and some time later, a loud click. Then, two small, weak hands grabbed him by the shoulders, and Sunny felt himself being dragged across the cold stones.

    He didn't quite understand what was happening.

    However�� soon, his whole body shuddered, and a dark grin slowly appeared on his face.

    A raging, revitalizing flood of shadow essence was flowing into his three cores.

    ...He was free!

 Chapter 572 Sweeter Than Heaven

    Sunny remained motionless for a while, then took a look into his Soul Sea. It didn't seem lifeless and drained anymore. The three black suns of his cores loomed above in a perfect triangle, burning with furious dark flames, and the tranquil sea was in turmoil, replete the raging energy.

    He glanced at the shadow of the sentinel that had joined the silent ranks of his brethren, made a grimace, and closed his eyes.

    His body was still weak and on the verge of shutting down, but now, satiated with essence, it was not completely useless anymore. He concentrated, then summoned the Soul Serpent and circulated the essence through its coils, feeling strength return to his aching muscles. His lethargy receded a little.

    Finally, Sunny opened his eyes and turned his head to look at Cassie. The blind girl was laying on the floor beside him, just outside the circle of runes, completely spent. She must have retrieved the keys from the sentinel's corpse, unlocked the door, then dragged him out of the cage. Sunny didn't know how she had managed to carry him all the way in her terrible condition, but she had.

    Now, Cassie was barely breathing. However, the color was slowly returning to her face �� she was regenerating her soul essence, too.

    Just the effort of turning his head made Sunny feel dizzy. He rested for a few moments, breathing heavily, then summoned Saint.

    The taciturn knight appeared out of his shadow, her ruby eyes burning in the darkness. He stared at her from below for a second, then gave a silent command:

    'Close the door. Guard us.'

    The demon silently turned and walked away, her steps echoing in the silence of the stone cell. Sunny rested some more, then gritted his teeth and tried to sit up. He succeeded on the third try.

    Water, water�� he needed water�� all of his being lusted for a single drop of the precious liquid��

    A swirl of sparks danced around his hand, and then, the most glorious thing he had ever seen appeared in it.

    It was a dazzling, beautiful, sublime bottle made out of patterned blue glass.

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then crawled closer to Cassie, held up her head, and brought the Endless Spring to her cracked lips. As soon as the first drops of water fell into her mouth, the blind girl opened her eyes, flinched, and then drank greedily. At some point, she raised one hand and grabbed his own, as if afraid that he would take the bottle away.

    Sunny observed her, his own throat spasming in pain. Finally, he wrestled his hand free and drank his own share.

    ��The cold water was, without a shadow of a doubt, the sweetest and most magnificent thing he had ever tasted. Drinking it was more euphoric than being reborn during the Awakening, and much more rewarding by far. With each sip, he could feel life returning into his tortured body, as if he was rising from the dead.

    In these moments, he was probably the happiest he had ever been.

    ,m After both of them satiated their thirst, they fell to the floor, dead tired. Sunny and Cassie were revatilized by the water, but mentally exhausted and utterly drained.

    It wasn't long before they fell asleep.

    ***

    When Sunny woke up, he felt much better. He was still in a rather bad shape and weak from hunger, his stomach pulsing with pain, but at least not dying anymore.

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    He sat up, drank more water, and looked around the cell.

    Cassie was still sound asleep, laying on the cold stone floor. She looked to be in a worse condition than him, but there was color to her face, and her breathing was calm and steady. Even though the blind girl did not possess the miraculous Blood Weave, she was still a powerful Awakened. Her body was much more resilient and quicker to heal than that of a mundane human.

    Sunny suspected that in a couple of days, both of them would be mostly back to normal.

    ��Provided that nothing else happens.

    What were the chances of that?

    He glanced at Saint, who was guarding the heavy door, then at the cage and the corpse of the sentinel laying near it. His face became contorted by a grimace of disgust.

    Sunny sighed, then closed his eyes and sent one of his shadows to take a look outside the door. The long corridor was empty and submerged in darkness. Nothing moved there, and nothing seemed to pose any threat. The only thing he saw was another corpse �� this one belonging to the partner of the dead sentinel �� sprawled near the cell, terribly mangled and in the early stages of decomposition.

    Sunny stared at it for a while, then commanded the shadow to return.

    The silence outside was almost eerie.

    At that moment, Cassie stirred and opened her eyes. She sat down and groaned quietly, then slowly turned her head in his direction.

    Her second Aspect Ability must have returned. Or maybe she just located him by the smell�� after weeks spent in the iron cage, both of them reeked terribly enough to scare away a pack of hungry wolves.

    Sunny handed her the Endless Spring, stared at the bottle in the delicate hand of the blind girl for a few moments, then turned away.

    Cassie drank the water, coughed, then returned the Memory and asked, her voice raspy:

    "...What are we going to do now?"

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then shrugged.

    "First, we need to find some food. Once we are full and strong enough to fight�� we'll see. Gather information, assess the situation, then act."

    She nodded, then slowly rose to her feet. The Quiet Dancer appeared in her hand in the glow of white sparks.

    Sunny stood up, too, and headed toward the door.

    Saint moved aside, allowing him to open it.

    Standing at the threshold, he hesitated for a few seconds, and then took a step forward. A dark expression appeared on his face.

    ...Sunny knew that he had to be careful. But he also felt entitled to some vengeance of his own.

 Chapter 573 Hunger

    Novel Top1.OR G

    Stepping over the corpse laying at the doorstep of their cell, Sunny and Cassie entered the dark, empty corridor and stopped for a few short moments. They listened tensely to the echoing silence that reigned over it, and then cautiously moved forward.

    Most humans would have felt lost in the impenetrable darkness, but neither of them found it uncomfortable. Stepping softly, they walked toward the entrance to the closest stairwell, the shadows gliding ahead of them to scout for potential dangers.

    Sunny didn't let the shadows go too far, though, knowing that he might need their help at a moment's notice.

    In the past weeks, he had learned everything that Cassie knew about the Night Temple, so there was a clear mental picture of its interior in his head �� the parts of the great cathedral that the blind girl was familiar with, at least.

    Currently, they were at the lowest levels of one of its seven belfries, deep below the outward ring of the main structure. There were two other belfries in the outward ring, and both the ring itself and the three towers descending from it remained uninhabited. They were mostly empty or occupied by storage rooms, workshops, and other facilities the Lost used to maintain the Citadel.

    ��Still, there was no way of knowing what might have changed inside the temple since their imprisonment, and what danger lay ahead, in the darkness.

    They moved from one level to another, not meeting a single living soul. Here and there, signs of battle could be seen �� the furniture was smashed to pieces, the walls scraped by sharp blades or cracked, a few of them completely shattered. The floor was stained with blood, but there were no more corpses around.

    All they found were a clump of torn, bloodied clothes and several overturned tables, as though someone had desperately tried to build a barricade. Whoever it had been, it didn't seem as though they succeeded �� the makeshift barricade was broken, and there was a lot of blood on the floor, the walls, and even the ceiling behind it.

    Sunny and Cassie walked past, their expressions turning somber.

    After a while, Sunny finally discovered a storage room full of wooden crates behind one of the locked doors, each containing hundreds of tubes of synthpaste. His mouth instantly watered.

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    'Food��'

    No matter how much he hated the muddy sludge, right now, he was ready to kill for a single mouthful.

    Sunny and Cassie opened the storage room with one of the keys attached to the keyring they had picked up from the body of the sentinel, entered it, and then locked the door behind them.

    Both of them were starving, but before Cassie had a chance to grab a tube, Sunny stopped her.

    "Don't eat more than one. And eat it slowly."

    She hesitated, then turned to him with a frown.

    "Why? I'm so hungry..."

    He shook his head and sat down on one of the crates.

    "If you eat too much, too quickly after going without food for a long time, you might die."

    The blind girl tilted her head.

    "What? Why? How do you know?"

    Sunny opened a tube and shrugged.

    "...Seen it happen."

    That was just general knowledge among the street kids in the outskirts. However, Cassie had probably never faced real hunger �� even in the Dark City, the inhabitants of the outer settlement had been fed generously by Changing Star and her hunting party during her time there.

    Sunny was surprised, actually, that normal children didn't learn about such stuff in school.

    The blind girl lingered for a few moments, but listened to his advice in the end.

    Each of them slowly ate one tube of synthpaste, and then rested for a while. After that, Sunny summoned the Covetous Coffer, patted it on the lid, and loaded a couple of crates into the small box.

    "What a good little box you are! Good job, Coffer!"

    Then, feeling refreshed and energized, the strength slowly returning to their starved bodies, they moved the crates around and took turns washing themselves with the help of the Endless Spring.

    Sunny went first. Taking off the reeking clothes and scrubbing his skin with cold water felt heavenly. When he was done, he summoned the Undying Chain, and finally felt like himself again.

    After that, he sat by the door quietly and, using one of the shadows, kept watch on the corridor outside.

    In the dead silence on the stone belfry, Sunny couldn't help but hear every sound around him �� the rustle of the crude tunic against Cassie's skin as she took it off and dropped it on the ground, the murmur of the water as it flowed down her petite, supple body, and the small sighs of relief she made as the weight of several weeks of imprisonment was washed away by it.

    After a while, she joined him, clad once again in her blue coat and polished armor.

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then said:

    "Come closer."

    Cassie tilted her head a little, then did as he told. Sunny reached toward one of the extinguished oil lamps, and then proceed to rub her cuirass, pauldron, and other steel elements of the armor with soot.

    The blind girl frowned, but didn't stop him.

    "...Are you trying to make it non-reflective?"

    He nodded.

    "Yeah. Just�� just in case."

    They still didn't know what powers Mordret possessed, but whatever they were, mirrors and reflections obviously had something to do with it. The Undying Chain was forged out of bleak steel, but Cassie's armor was too lustrous for him to feel at ease.

    ��That was also the reason why he had not summoned the Cruel Sight yet. The silver blade of the enchanted spear was like a clear mirror, and he wasn't sure what might happen if he did.

    After Sunny was done covering up the polished steel of Cassie's armor with soot, they rested for a while, ate a little more, and left the storage room behind. It was time to ascend the belfry and return to the outward ring of the Night Temple.

    ***

    As soon as they stepped out of the stairwell and found themselves between the black walls of the main structure of the Night Temple again, a terrible smell assaulted their nostrils. Sunny grimaced, and then covered his nose with a hand.

    This was the familiar, vile smell of death.

    Just like the belfry, the outward ring was submerged in darkness. No one had bothered to change the oil in the lamps, and there were no windows to let in the light. The corridors here were wider, and their adornments richer. However, just like before, everything was silent, and there was nobody around.

    Sunny shivered.

    '...Just where is everyone?'

    The Night Temple seemed completely deserted. At first, when they had been hungry and weak, he was glad for it. But now, the absence of people was starting to make him nervous.

    What the hell had happened here while they were locked up?

    Moving slowly, the two of them cautiously headed in the direction of the gates leading to the outside.

    ��It wasn't long before Sunny noticed a trail of dried blood on the stones beneath his feet, as though someone dead or dying had been dragged across them. Coincidentally, the trail led in the same direction. Soon, the smell of death grew stronger, making it hard to breathe.

    Sunny and Cassie entered the hall separating them from the gates, and froze.

    His face darkened.

    'That�� that is not good��'

 Chapter 574 Black Altar

    Before the gates of the temple, a large hall stood, submerged in darkness. The air was permeated with the smell of rot, and at least a dozen of eviscerated bodies lay on the cold stones, staring into nothingness with their empty eyes.

    Sunny had long become accustomed to such sights, so he wasn't too bothered by it. The implication, however, left him feeling cold.

    'Damnation��'

    He entered the hall, both Saint and the Serpent emerging silently from his shadows. Cassie followed, gripping the hilt of the Quiet Dancer so hard that her fingers turned white.

    Sunny walked over to the nearest corpse, held his breath, and knelt beside it, studying its wounds. Then, with a grim expression, he moved over to the next one and did the same.

    It took him some time to check on each of the slain Lost, and by the end, his eyes were full of darkness.

    The blind girl remained silent for a few moments, then asked, her voice tense and trembling:

    "...How did they die?"

    He lingered for a second, then shook his head.

    "Sword wounds."

    Each of the fallen sentinels was killed with one precise, fatal strike. However, most of them were terribly mutilated and covered in multiple wounds �� none of them lethal, but all aimed at inflicting the maximum amount of pain.

    The killer, whoever it was, wanted his victims to suffer before they died.

    Well�� Sunny was pretty sure that he knew who the killer was.

    Mordret. The man �� or thing �� that he had set free.

    It seemed that the Prince of Nothing had a sadistic streak about him.

    ��But that wasn't the problem.

    From everything that Sunny had learned before, he assumed that Mordret possessed a bizarre and powerful Aspect that allowed him to deal either mind or soul damage to other living beings. That made him extremely dangerous.

    The prerequisite for this Ability seemed to be looking the prisoner of the Night Temple in the eyes�� which was good, since both Sunny and Cassie could naturally counter it �� Sunny by fighting with his eyes closed, Cassie by simply being blind.

    However, these Lost had clearly died in a ferocious and bloody melee. That meant that, on top of everything else, Mordret was a fighter of incredible skill�� skilled and powerful enough to not only kill a dozen experiences Awakened with a sword, but also to play with his victims before he did.

    Just how was Sunny supposed to win against someone like that?

    He sighed, then walked past the corpses and approached the gate.

    Master Welthe had told them that the Citadel was sealed, and no one except for Saint Cormac would be able to open it. However�� Sunny had to check for himself.

    He wrapped all three shadows around his body and tried to push open the gates, but to no avail. The heavy doors didn't budge even when Saint joined him. None of the keys their jailers had carried were of any use, too�� there wasn't even a keyhole to insert them.

    Sunny looked beneath the surface of the gates, hoping to see the same type of primitive weave he had seen in the door of the Ebony Tower. But there was none.

    "Curse it."

    He gave the gates a good kick, then turned around and walked back to Cassie in frustration.

    "...I guess we aren't getting out of here until the Saint arrives."

    Which would happen in a week, at the earliest.

    Would they even be able to survive that long?

    The blind girl frowned, then asked with uncertainty:

    "Where to, then?"

    Sunny thought for a few seconds.

    Since they were already stuck in this damned place�� why not try and accomplish the task they had come here to complete, in the first place?

    "...Let's go check on the Gateway."

    Perhaps the ivory knife was still there, somewhere.

    Leaving the scene of the cruel massacre behind, the two of them headed deeper into the stone bowels of the Night Temple.

    ***

    It took them a long time to cross the outward ring and enter the central temple. The distance itself was not that considerable, but the bizarre interior of the cathedral was disorienting and sprawling, resembling a vast, convoluted maze of black stone. They also had to remain cautious and move slowly so as to not walk into an ambush.

    The darkness, silence, and eerie emptiness of the deserted Citadel were slowly stretching their already tense nerves. Both Sunny and Cassie had not recovered from their ordeal completely, so they had to stop and rest a couple of times, drinking water and eating small amounts of synthpaste.

    They also encountered more morbid remnants of the struggle that had been going on inside the Night Temple while they were slowly dying inside the cage �� rotting corpses of the Lost, signs of bloodshed and destruction, as well as things that were too strange and vile to be explained by any kind of sane logic.

    It was as though they were traveling through the workshop of a mad butcher.

    With each minute that passed, Sunny grew more and more grim.

    For the first time since this whole disaster started, he actually began to question the moral implications of what his actions had led to. Even if he had been an unwilling accomplice, Mordret only managed to escape because of him.

    Had Sunny accidentally released an unspeakable evil upon the world?

    He wasn't sure how to feel about that. On one hand, he didn't really care about the world�� but on the other hand, Sunny didn't like to leave behind a mess without cleaning it up. It was just basic decency.

    A bit conflicted, he sent the shadow ahead, made sure that everything was fine, and finally led Cassie into the grand hall of the Night Temple.

    This place was both magnificent and uncanny. It was vast and full of darkness, reminding him of his home in the Dark City... the only difference was that this tenebrous cathedral was built upside down.

    Far above them, the ceiling was flat and stretched into the distance. The floor, on the contrary, arched downward like a giant bowl, with load-bearing stone seams protruding from it like bridges and roads. The hall was silent and somber, and absolutely empty.

    In its center, there was a wide stone platform. It was covered in rubble, large pieces of black obsidian laying in piles where the black altar had once stood.

    'They really destroyed it��'

    Sunny stared at the shattered altar, still not quite believing that the Gateway was really obliterated.

    What madness was this?

    They lingered for a few moments, and then descended toward the platform. There, Sunny spent some time sifting through the rubble, hoping to find the ivory knife.

    But it was nowhere to be found. All he found was broken obsidian, and pieces of Storm God's shattered statue.

    Either the knife had never been there, to begin with, or Mordret had gotten to it first.

    'Curse it!'

    Sunny turned the head of the statue, looked beneath it, and then stood up, staring into the empty eyes of the dead goddess with dark fury.

    'Damned liar�� a prince of lies, that's who he is!'

    As he was boiling with rage, Cassie suddenly took a step forward and touched him on the shoulder.

    Then, she pointed toward the other end of the grand hall and whispered:

    "I hear footsteps. Someone�� someone is coming."

    Sunny stared into the darkness, his hand itching to summon a weapon. His eyes gleamed dangerously.

    "...Let them come."

 Chapter 575 Confrontation

    Sunny was tired of the silence, the emptiness, and the quiet dread. The fear of the unknown had been pressing heavily onto his heart, and for a short moment, he wanted for this burdensome uncertainty to end, no matter how violent and dangerous the resulting confrontation would be.

    But then, he had to grit his teeth and remind himself that giving in to anger and frustration was a sure way to die. Without knowing the scale of the threat, he had to remain calm and keep a cool head.

    His hand, already outstretched to summon a weapon, hovered in the air for a couple of moments, and then relaxed.

    Sunny sent one of his shadows forward, and soon saw human figures emerging from one of the passages, some of them limping, the others carrying stretchers with those of their brethren who were too heavily wounded to walk.

    The Lost�� they were the remaining guardians of the Night Temple. In front of them, a woman in a black tunic was walking, her red hair dirty and damp with sweat. There was a grim, dark expression on her face.

    'So there are survivors, after all��'

    There were a dozen or so warriors who could still fight, although they didn't seem to be in the best shape. Several were carrying lanterns and torches, the orange flames pushing the darkness reigning in the great hall back. They were still too far away to notice Sunny and Cassie, but he had no doubt that they would be discovered soon.

    'What to do, what to do�� wait, or hide?'

    A moment later, the decision was made for him.

    As Sunny watched, one of the Lost suddenly approached Master Welthe and whispered something to her, then pointed directly at the shadow that was observing them from the darkness.

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    'Crap��'

    Sunny was more or less certain in his ability to contend with one of the Ascended knights, provided of course that Saint and the Serpent were on his side. With the dozen Lost supporting the opponent, though�� it was a fight he would have preferred to avoid.

    Especially considering that what he needed the most right now was information, which the survivors possessed.

    Soon, a lone figure separated from the group of battered sentinels and headed their way with measured, steady steps. As soon as Sunny saw who it was, his face darkened.

    Master Pierce�� the man was as rugged and severe as he had been when they first met, his steely eyes cold and hard. The stubble on his cheeks had turned into a short beard and his lusterless scale mail was damaged in several places, but other than that, he looked exactly the same. It was as though the weeks of bloody horror had no effect on him at all.

    Now, the odds were really not in Sunny's favor.

    He was still sure of his ability to at least escape, though. If need be��

    Master Pierce approached the central platform and stopped, studying Sunny and Cassie with a heavy gaze. Sunny cleared his throat and faked a shaky smile.

    "S��sir Pierce! Thank the gods�� we weren't sure that anyone was left alive!"

    To his left, Cassie suddenly tensed. Knowing that she must have sensed something happening in the next few seconds, Sunny prepared for the worst. However, noting that the blind girl remained motionless, he didn't do anything rash, as well.

    Master Pierce spoke, his voice dark and heavy:

    "Well, well. What do we have here��"

    In the next moment, a vast whirlwind of white sparks surrounded the platform. Sunny cursed inwardly, and watched as ten human figures appeared from the sparks, surrounding them. In an instant, the number of their potential enemies almost doubled.

    These humans, though�� he had to suppress a shiver. Their empty eyes, their empty shadows�� no, they weren't humans at all. Instead, ten Echoes were staring at him with lifeless expressions, each radiating an eerie, deeply disturbing, and threatening aura.

    Pierce stared at them coldly.

    "I see that the two of you are still alive."

    Sunny looked around, feverishly thinking about how to turn the situation around.

    "Oh�� about that��"

    Before he could say anything, he noticed that Cassie turned her head slightly and glanced somewhere behind him, a small frown appearing on her face. Just like that, he knew that someone was there.

    ��Which was strange, considering that Sunny was always aware of what was behind his back thanks to the shadows, and couldn't see or sense anything right now.

    The blind girl was proven right, though, in the next moment, when something cold touched his neck and a vaguely familiar raspy voice spoke into his ear:

    "Don't move."

    Sunny froze.

    'That voice�� the female sentinel that was guarding the gates on the day we arrived? Why can't I see her, or sense her shadow?'

    The answer was rather obvious�� the woman must have been able to don some form of invisibility thanks to her Aspect.

    That was one nasty Ability��

    He pretended to tremble.

    "Yes, yes! I am not moving!"

    For a couple of moments, no one spoke. Then, Cassie turned her face toward the fearsome Master and said:

    "Sir Pierce�� I would appreciate it if you could give us shelter and explain what is happening. We barely escaped the cage you put us in alive, and being met with such hostility is not how we imagined finding fellow humans again."

    He stared at her for a bit, then grinned.

    "Give you shelter? That is a good joke. Give me one reason to not kill you both, instead."

    Cassie frowned, but did not show any fear. Instead, she remained silent for a few seconds, and then said in a calm and even voice:

    "...You can try. You will certainly succeed. But not without paying a cost. Awakened Sunless and I might not be Ascended, but we did not receive our designations for nothing. How many of your men and Echoes will we take to hell with us?"

    She paused for a moment, and then added:

    "...How many can you spare?"

    Master Pierce opened his mouth, wishing to say something, but was cut off by Welthe, who had approached from behind. The second Ascended spoke in a tired voice:

    "Enough. We can't spare anyone, or anything. I know this and you do too, Pierce. These two are strong�� they will be of use. We will take them with us."

    He grimaced, then spat:

    "What if that thing is hiding in one of them?"

    Lady Welthe glanced at Sunny and Cassie and shook her head:

    "They have been locked in the lesser cell for weeks�� between all of us, these two are the least likely to have been taken. Besides, we have just destroyed his previous vessel. There are no mirrors in the great hall, so��"

    She sighed heavily, then addressed Cassie:

    "Come. It is�� not safe here. We must return to the inner sanctum as fast as possible."

    Pierce gritted his teeth, then snarled and dismissed the Echoes.

    At the same time, Sunny felt the cold blade move away from his neck. In the next moment, the familiar sentinel appeared from the thin air decide him, holding a sharp dagger in her hand.

    She smiled and winked at him.

    "...Lucky you. Well, maybe next time."

    With that, the woman headed toward the group of the Lost and beckoned for them to follow.

    Sunny briefly glanced at Cassie, sighed, and started walking.

    He wasn't too happy about how things had turned out, and knew that their conflict with the forces of Valor was not over. But for now, at least, there seemed to be a shaky truce between them.

    Which gave him an opportunity to get some answers��

 Chapter 576 Lnner Sanctum

    The Lost entered the inner sanctum of the Night Temple �� its very heart �� and bolted the heavy doors behind them. As soon as they did, a field of glowing runes flashed for a moment on the dark wooden surface, and then disappeared without a trace.

    Sunny glanced at the door with a frown, but didn't say anything.

    Cassie had never been to this part of the Citadel, so neither of them had any information about what was inside. The area was not too large, but right below them was the main bell tower of the cathedral, which was taller and wider than the other six belfries.

    The two Masters led their people through somber corridors to a spacious hall that seemed to serve as their current stronghold. There were guards keeping watch in front of the entrance, crates with food and water, a fireplace keeping the cold at bay, and makeshift bedding for people to sleep on.

    Just from looking at the number of cots, Sunny understood that not everyone had returned from their latest hunt... or whatever it was that the sentinels had tried to accomplish.

    All in all, twenty-three Lost remained, some of them heavily wounded. With Pierce, Welthe, and the two of them, there were less than thirty humans left to oppose the mad prince. That meant that in several weeks, Mordret had eviscerated more than two-thirds of the temple's defenders.

    Remembering how confident Master Welthe had been in their ability to contain the prisoner at the start of all this, Sunny couldn't help but shake his head.

    N0 v el Next. CoM

    ...Mordret turned out to be more lethal and terrifying than even his jailers had expected.

    The wounded were quickly tended to, and the Lost fell on their cots, dead tired. A few went through the familiar motions of maintaining the camp �� cooking food, distributing water, and doing other miscellaneous tasks. Everything was performed swiftly and with trained precision, proving once more how experienced and professional these people were.

    They were obviously fatigued, both mentally and physically, but not nearly as beaten and unsteady as Sunny had thought. Their spirits were not broken... perhaps because only those with the strongest wills had survived.

    He also couldn't help but notice that there was not a single reflective surface in the whole of the inner sanctum. The Lost wore either armor made out of leather or dull steel that didn't give off reflections, and even made sure to store and drink water from opaque containers, not letting a single drop fall to the floor.

    After a while, the familiar female sentinel approached them and said:

    "Sir and Lady wish to see you."

    Sunny and Cassie were led to a separate room, where Pierce and Welthe were waiting for them behind a wide round table. Both of their expressions were grim.

    Welthe gestured to a couple of chairs and, after waiting for a few moments, said:

    "The two of you will follow simple rules. From now on, you are under our command. You will follow any order either Sir Pierce or I give you. You will not use any Memory or item that can be used as a mirror inside the inner sanctum�� or outside of it, if you wish to live. You will not conspire against your fellow soldiers or tell a single soul about what you have seen here in the Night Temple. If you disagree, leave right now."

    Sunny and Cassie glanced at each other, but remained seated.

    Welthe nodded, then looked at Sunny.

    "Awakened Sunless�� please, describe how you came in possession of that piece of a broken mirror. This time, in detail."

    Pierce suddenly leaned forward and growled:

    "And don't even think about lying to us, boy! You won't like the result!"

    Sunny pretended to look at him with a bit of fear.

    'I couldn't lie even if I wanted to, you fool��'

    He told the tale of how he had encountered the Mirror Beast on the Reckoning Island and almost lost his life to the strange creature.

    Knowing that he had to give up at least some valuable information, as well as explain how he had managed to defeat such a dangerous abomination, he shared the detail about using the flaw of his own Aspect against the Reflection �� while not mentioning what that Flaw was exactly, of course.

    After, both Masters were silent for a while. Finally, Welthe spoke, her voice solemn:

    "So one of his Reflections managed to escape, after all. To think that it had been so close all this time��"

    Sunny hesitated, then cautiously asked:

    "I am sorry�� but what was this piece of mirror, exactly? If it was so dangerous, why�� why was I even allowed to bring it inside?"

    Pierce clenched his fists and stared at him with fury. Then, he uttered through gritted teeth:

    "...The inspection was meant to prevent mundane mirrors from being brought into the Citadel. No one could have expected that there was one more fragment out there, somewhere. If we knew�� you would have been killed as soon as you set foot on the Chained Isles. As for what that fragment was, it's not for you to know."

    Sunny shivered slightly, realizing how big of a target he had drawn on himself by picking up the inconspicuous piece of mirror. No wonder Saint Tyris had warned him to never speak of visiting the Reckoning Island to anyone��

    While he was thinking that, Cassie finally spoke.

    "With all due respect, Sir Pierce�� we have the right to know. Or rather, we need to. How are we supposed to fight against the threat if we don't know what it is? What, exactly, have we unleashed? What kind of a creature is capable of causing so much death and destruction?"

    The Master opened his mouth to spat a cold response, but Welthe spoke first, her voice calm:

    "...She is right, Pierce. They need to know, if they are to be useful. "

    N0 v el Next. CoM

    She sighed, then looked away and remained silent for a while. Then, Welthe grimaced, rubbed her face, and said, her voice somber and grave:

    "The creature that you have unleashed�� that monster... is Mordret of Valor. The Prince of War��"

 Chapter 577 Only You

    After that statement, the room was silent for a while. Sunny frowned, thinking about what he had just heard.

    He wasn't really surprised to learn that Mordret was a scion of the great clan Valor. He had already known that there was some connection there�� he had also considered that one possible explanation for Mordret's strange insistence on calling himself a prince was a blood relation to one of the Sovereign.

    Now, it was more or less clear that Anvil of Valor�� was the mysterious prince's father.

    What made Sunny frown, however, was that Welthe called Mordret the Prince of War. Was that an indication that clan Valor had inherited the lineage of War God, just like the Immortal Flame clan inherited that of Sun God?

    If so�� what lineages did the other two Great Clans possess?

    ��And where did it leave him, who was supposed to become the inheritor of Shadow God, but ended up stuck with a forbidden lineage of an elusive daemon instead?

    Meanwhile, Cassie spoke, her voice slightly surprised:

    "...of Valor?"

    Master Welthe sighed again, then nodded.

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    "Yes. Prince Mordret was�� is the eldest son of Saint Anvil, one of the patriarchs of our great clan. As a young child, he was given as a hostage to a�� powerful ally. To keep peace and ensure prosperity for all. No harm was meant to come to him. And it didn't�� or so we thought. Years later, the prince was returned to us as a valiant Awakened, to our joy and relief."

    Pierce's face darkened, and he looked away. Welthe lingered for a few moments, and then continued:

    "But our joy was shortlived. Soon, it became apparent that the boy had grown up to be�� disturbed. He was cruel, uncaring, and had�� certain impulses that couldn't be controlled. The more powerful he became, the less human he seemed. And he was powerful, incredibly so. More powerful than any Awakened was supposed to be."

    She looked down, then grimaced.

    "In the end, Prince Mordret left the clan and, breaking the command of the elders, sought out a Seed of Nightmare to become a Master. Knowing that he was too dangerous to be allowed to Ascend�� or even to walk freely in the waking world�� it was with a heavy heart that a decision was made to eliminate him. Monster or not, he was our responsibility, after all."

    Sunny rubbed his temples. There was a lot of new information in what they were told�� provided it was true, of course. Which he wasn't sure that it was.

    Had Mordret really been given away as a "hostage"? Was he really disturbed and dangerous? Maybe he was, and maybe he wasn't�� or had not been, at least. Whatever the case, Sunny had no doubt that it had no bearing on Anvil's decision to get rid of his firstborn son. The key phrases in all the noble-sounding words Welthe had spoken were "too powerful" and "couldn't be controlled".

    Mordret had probably been forbidden from challenging the Second Nightmare for that very reason�� that was why he had come to the Chained Isles alone, seeking a Seed that had not been discovered �� and thus, couldn't be guarded �� by the forces of the Sovereigns.

    Which eventually led to his downfall.

    One thing, however, didn't make a lot of sense��

    Sunny glanced at the Masters, and then asked doubtfully:

    "If that Mordret was so dangerous�� why didn't you just kill him? Why go to all this trouble and imprison him, instead?"

    After a short pause, it was Pierce who answered, his voice grim:

    "...Do you think we haven't tried? His physical body was destroyed�� his spirit body, too. But that still didn't kill him. No matter what we attempted, that thing simply refused to die. Many of my comrades did in the process, however. In the end, we could only bind him�� and even that was only possible with the help of the Saints."

    Sunny stared at the fearsome Master, dumbfounded.

    'Both his physical and spirit body destroyed, and yet he still exists�� how is that even possible?'

    He opened his mouth, then closed it�� then opened it again.

    "...What is his Aspect, exactly?"

    Pierce and Welthe glanced at each other. In the end, the woman spoke:

    "It has to do with mirrors, reflections, and souls. Prince Mordret is able to travel through mirrors and control the reflections. His second Ability�� his second Ability, though, is much more terrifying. If one looks at him through any form of a mirror, their soul will be devoured, and their body will become his. By taking a vessel, the prince inherits their Memories, Echoes�� and even their Aspect. But also their Flaw �� similar to the being you have encountered on the Reckoning Island, which was one of his creations."

    She fell silent for a few moments, and absentmindedly touched the amulet in the shape of an anvil hanging around her neck.

    "...Pierce and I are immune to his powers. The rest of our soldiers, though, are not so fortunate. He had been taking one after another, using their bodies to kill the rest. The latest vessel of his was especially dangerous, since it possessed an Aspect that allowed him to create puppets out of�� out of the dead bodies of our brothers and sisters. We managed to destroy the vessel, but the prince himself got away�� just like before. We weren't able to use the binding and imprison him again."

    Sunny tilted his head a little.

    ��Now, finally, a lot of things had become clear. Why Mordret had been imprisoned, why the Night Temple was closed off to strangers, and why only the Echoes and the Lost were allowed to guard the prisoner �� the former did not possess souls and couldn't be taken, while the latter could not return to the waking world even if the prince somehow escaped and took them as a vessel.

    Back in the waking world, catching him would be all but impossible, so��

    Suddenly, Sunny shivered.

    Noticing his expression, Pierce grinned darkly.

    "I see you finally understand. Yes�� don't think that you can reason with that beast or make use of the fact that his hatred is aimed at clan Valor, and not you. Currently, there are only four people in this Citadel whose bodies can allow him to eventually return to the waking world. Welthe and I cannot be taken, and neither can Lady Cassia, due to her blindness. Which leaves��"

    Master Pierce stared at him with his cold, dangerous eyes.

    Sunny cursed.

    "...only you."

 Chapter 578 Perfect Vessel

    'Well�� that's just damn great!'

    The corner of Sunny's mouth twitched. The worst part was that he couldn't even disagree with Pierce's reasoning�� because his own conclusion was more or less the same.

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    Of course, Mordret was perfectly capable of making one of the Lost his vessel in hopes of traveling to the Sanctuary �� or a more remote human Citadel, if need be �� and stealing another body there. But why would he settle for a vastly inferior option when a perfect candidate was right there, his for the taking?

    Maybe that was the reason why he had not tried to seek out Sunny in the previous weeks. Mordret might have wanted to leave him for last.

    ��Thanks to Cassie, Sunny had a general idea about the Aspects of both Welthe and Pierce. The fearsome Master seemed to possess powers that made him highly resistant, if not outright immune, to various forms of attacks, while his more friendly counterpart specialized in enhancing her combat prowess and debilitating the enemy.

    Noting that only Welthe was wearing the strange anvil amulet, he made a guess that she was protected from Mordret's Ability by its enchantment, while Pierce was capable of countering the possession simply through the might of his Aspect.

    Cassie could not be taken, too, due to her blindness. One had to look at the reflection to be possessed, which she was incapable of.

    That left only Sunny��

    But more than that, Mordret had secretly watched him for months, and knew perfectly well how powerful Sunny actually was, as well as how he spoke, behaved, and carried himself. Who were his friends and who were his enemies. Mordret knew everything he needed to know to impersonate him perfectly, as well as how much would be gained by stealing his Aspect, Shadows, and Memories.

    Truly�� Sunny was an ideal vessel.

    It was almost as though this role had been predetermined for him from the very start.

    'Damnation��'

    He hesitated for a bit, then glanced at Pierce and Welthe, this time not even having to fake worry.

    "So, uh�� what is the plan, then?"

    The Masters lingered for a bit. Then, Welthe spoke, her voice dark and bitter:

    "We won't try to venture outside and try to bind that monster again. At this point�� at this point, we don't have enough numbers to trap him anymore. However, he also has no way of infiltrating the inner sanctum, and the vessel that made time his best ally is destroyed. So, we will just wait. In about a week, maybe even less, Saint Cormac will return. Then, Prince Mordret will have to face a Transcendent's wrath."

    She clearly was not happy about having to take a passive approach, since, in a sense, this was as good as admitting defeat. But this plan of action did, indeed, seem like the best way to go�� at least on the surface.

    All they had to do was barricade themselves inside the impregnable inner sanctum and wait for the cavalry to arrive. Surely, this much was within their ability.

    Sunny forced out a smile.

    "That is�� a good plan."

    Master Welthe nodded, then turned to Cassie:

    "Lady Cassia�� if your Aspect brings you a helpful vision, don't hesitate to inform me immediately. Now, please go and rest, you two. Eat your fill�� we all need to keep up our strength."

    Just like that, the conversation was over.

    Sunny and Cassie stood up, bowed to the masters, then returned to the main hall. There, they endured the unfriendly gazes of the Lost, filled two bowls with tasty-looking porridge, took a couple of opaque jars of water, and found a pair of empty straw mattresses in a remote corner.

    Sitting down, the two concentrated on the food, happy to finally eat something that was not synthpaste. The meat porridge wasn't much, but to them, it tasted heavenly.

    ��After a while, Cassie said quietly while pretending to chew:

    "What do you think?"

    Sunny swallowed a spoonful of porridge, took a sip of water, and answered as he continued to stare at the floor:

    "They are lying, of course. There is no way that Mordret won't get into the inner sanctum, somehow. He is too damn devious for that. I know it, and they know it, too."

    His shadow, meanwhile, watched the figure of the sentinel who could turn invisible, to make sure that she wasn't listening in on their conversation.

    He kept a neutral expression as he ate some more, then added without looking at the blind girl:

    "What is most likely to happen is that things are going to go south very soon. Welthe and Pierce will wait and observe for a bit, and then probably try to use us as bait to lay a trap for him."

    Cassie remained silent for a few moments, then asked:

    "How do you know?"

    He smiled.

    "...Because that's what I would have done."

    After that, both continued to eat, preoccupied with their own thoughts. A few moments passed before Cassie spoke again, her voice a bit uncertain:

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    "So then what do we do?"

    Sunny enjoyed the taste of the porridge, chewed it slowly, and then answered calmly:

    "For now? Nothing. Let's wait and observe, too. Rest and eat, just like we were told to. Restore our strength. Then�� then, we'll see."

    They didn't speak after that, and, after finishing their food, allowed the exhaustion to overwhelm them. Laying side by side on the thin straw mattresses, Cassie and Sunny fell asleep. Only his watchful shadows remain alert, guarding their master through the night.

    ��When the two of them woke up, the air smelled of blood.

    Only twenty-one of the twenty-three Lost were still alive.

    The two sentinels who kept watch outside the hall had been brutally slaughtered, without anyone even noticing how and when. Their bodies were still warm, and their blood painted the floors, the walls, and even the ceiling crimson, turning the somber corridor into a ghastly painting.

    In the center of the pool of blood, a single shard of mirror lay, as if mocking the surviving soldiers of the great clan Valor. Welthe growled and destroyed it before anyone could approach.

    �� It seemed that Mordret chose not to hide the fact that he had entered the inner sanctum.

    Instead, he wanted everyone to know.

    To see what he had done.

    And wait, wondering��

    Whom would he take next?

 Chapter 579 First Victim

    The Lost crowded near the entrance, staring at the grisly scene with grim expressions. Welthe was in the corridor. She was standing in the middle of the pool of blood, her fists clenched.

    Sunny wasn't clear on who had discovered the bodies, since he only woke up due to the noise of everyone rushing to the door and the shine of the sparks of light as they summoned their weapons. He remained at the back of the crowd, using one of the shadows to study the corpses, and another to observe the surviving sentinels.

    There was a thoughtful expression on his face.

    'I wonder��'

    Before he could finish the thought, Pierce appeared from behind the bend of the corridor, glanced at Welthe, shook his head briefly, and then growled at the Lost:

    "What are you standing around for?! Clean up this mess and secure the perimeter! No one moves alone or in pairs, three people minimum! Be ready, the bastard might return at any minute!"

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    The soldiers glanced at each other, seeds of fear blooming in the depths of their eyes. Then, they silently got to work, following the Master's command.

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then returned to Cassie and sat down on his mattress.

    The blind girl asked quietly:

    "Who died? And how?"

    He rubbed his face tiredly.

    "The guards. One was the guy who had noticed my shadow back in the great hall. The other, I didn't know him. As to how�� pretty much the same as everyone else. Butchered and cut to pieces��"

    She thought for a bit, then frowned.

    "And no one heard a thing?"

    Sunny sighed.

    "He must have done it really fast. Or his new vessel possesses an Aspect that can dampen sounds."

    He remained silent for a bit, then said somberly:

    "Anyway, you should prepare."

    Cassie tilted her head.

    "Prepare for what? Another attack?"

    Sunny didn't answer immediately, looking at the Lost. Everyone seemed busy and focused, moving with trained precision and purpose. However, there was a hint of uncertainty on their pale faces. The sentinels tried to hide it, but to no avail.

    He looked down.

    "No. Right now, everyone only thinks that Mordret somehow broke through the seals and got into the inner sanctum. However, once they have time to think, they'll realize that there's another possibility."

    The blind girl paled. Sunny smiled darkly and added:

    "...That he has been with them this whole time, hiding in one of the two strangers who had miraculously escaped an enchanted cell and insisted on being taken to this shelter. You or me."

    Cassie gritted her teeth.

    "There's no reasonable way to pin these murders on us."

    He chuckled.

    "What does reason have to do with any of this? Reason is always the first victim when fear arrives."

    With that, he fell silent and, after a few seconds, rose to go and get them some breakfast.

    As Sunny walked toward the part of the hall that had been converted into a makeshift kitchen, many gazes followed him. Just as he had expected, they were slowly turning dark and dangerous, full of hostility, fear, and suspicion.

    Pretending to be appropriately frightened, too, he put some porridge in the bowls.

    '...Interesting.'

    Mordret�� might not have been as crazed as Sunny had thought before.

    From the start of it, something about how the Prince of Nothing behaved had not sat right with him. Mordret had shown himself to be extremely cunning and meticulous, crafting such a masterful trap that even Sunny, who was an ingenious deceiver as well, fell into it without suspecting a thing.

    The sadistic way in which dozens of the Lost had been killed and the morbid displays of demented butchery that the prince had left in the halls of the Night Temple, however, were utterly impractical and did not fit into this image of a cold and calculating strategist at all.

    Now that Mordret had decided to reveal his presence in the inner sanctum and sacrifice the invaluable advantage of surprise in exchange for only two lives, Sunny became convinced that there was a method to this madness.

    ��And as the surviving Lost followed him with heavy gazes, dark expressions contorting their faces, he was pretty sure that he understood its purpose.

    Mordret wanted them to be suspicious of each other, he wanted them to be tense and scared. He wanted their spirits to break.

    Why? To make their souls weak and their willpower shaken, of course. Which suggested that his ability to devour souls was not absolute, and required the victim to be�� what? To be defeated? To surrender? Or simply to be weaker than his?

    '...What a bastard.'

    Sunny returned to Cassie and gave her a bowl of porridge, then frowned.

    Honestly, he wasn't sure who was scarier�� an unhinged lunatic that enjoyed torturing his victims before murdering them in horrific ways, or a cold-blooded killer that uncaringly did the same simply because it suited his practical goals.

    Either way, the result would be the same. The Lost were shaken, but not nearly close to breaking down. Which meant that Mordret was not going to stop�� no, he was only getting started sowing terror into the souls.

    The question was�� how was Sunny supposed to stop him?

    He ate his porridge, then glanced at Pierce and Welthe, who were speaking quietly near the doors.

    ��And should he?

    ***

    Soon, Master Pierce summoned the ten Echoes. Even though maintaining them at all times cost a considerable amount of essence, it was decided that the disturbing things would remain among the Lost from now on.

    Several were sent to explore the inner sanctum and try to find signs of the attacker, or at least learn how he had managed to get inside. The rest assumed guarding positions outside the hall, making the remaining sentinels feel both relieved and tense.

    Not even these experienced warriors felt comfortable in the presence of human Echoes.

    The security measures were enhanced, as well. No one was allowed to remain alone, and if there was a need to leave the common area, only groups of three could do so. Sunny and Cassie had to recruit the help of the female sentinel �� the one who had the ability to turn invisible �� just to visit the bathroom.

    And yet, none of these measures helped protect the stronghold.

    Come the next morning, two more Lost were dead. This time, they were killed inside the hall itself, not even in the corridor outside.

    After that, things turned really ugly for Sunny.

 Chapter 580 Presumption Of Guilt

    Two days had passed after the battle with Mordret's previous vessel and the army of corpse puppets he had created with its help. Those of the wounded who had received light injuries were already back on their feet, but three of the sentinels were still in bad shape.

    Their comrades were doing everything in their power to treat their wounds, but with every healer in the Citadel already dead, there was little that could be done to hasten the recovery. One of the corners of the hall was converted into an infirmary, where the three heavily injured sentinels rested and received care.

    ��In the morning, a piercing scream suddenly echoed between the black stone walls. Those who were sleeping jumped up, grabbing the weapons that they had kept summoned to be ready for an attack. Those who remained awake were already moving, rushing toward the source of the scream �� the makeshift infirmary.

    Sunny simply sat up on his mattress, a tense expression on his face.

    There were three cots for the wounded, standing in a row along the wall. It was the Lost who occupied the middle one that was screaming, his face contorted by an expression of sheer terror.

    The other two were dead.

    Their throats were sliced open, blood streaming to the floor. Both were killed in their sleep, without alerting anyone around�� as far away from the entrance to the hall as it was possible, right in the middle of the sentinels' camp.

    The third one clearly could have been murdered as well, and had been left alive on purpose, as if to mock the Lost.

    It was as though Mordret was telling them that no one was safe, and that he was perfectly capable of taking each of them whenever he pleased.

    "W��what?!"

    "How did he get inside?!"

    Nove l B(in).C OM

    "He might still be here!"

    The Lost were on the verge of panicking, but in the end, their training and skill prevailed. Instead of descending into chaos, the situation inside the hall immediately turned into a coordinated action. Even before Peirce and Welthe arrived, the sentinels were already moving to stand in a defensive formation, weapons drawn and ready for battle.

    The two Masters appeared mere seconds after the scream. They quickly assessed the situation and joined their soldiers, half of the Echoes moving closer, half barring the doors.

    For a few moments, there was a tense silence in the stronghold of the Valor forces. The surviving sentinels waited tensely by the infirmary, while five empty-eyed Echoes blocked the exit.

    There was no one else in the hall�� except for Sunny and Cassie, who had not moved from the start of it all.

    Slowly, all of the Lost focused on the two of them. Their gazes were dark, cold, and full of danger.

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    Sunny's face twitched.

    'Crap��'

    Was Mordret aware of how these actions would affect the two of them? Was he trying to force them out into the open on purpose, making it impossible to stay with the sentinels?

    What was his damn plan, really? What was his endgame? How was he planning to deal with Saint Cormac in a few days, and what role was everyone else supposed to play before that?

    He opened his mouth, wishing to say something to defuse the situation, but one of the Lost was faster:

    "It's them! It must be one of them!"

    As soon as this first accusation was made, the floodgates were open. A moment later, Sunny and Cassie were assaulted by a litany of cries, all blaming them for the deaths of the two wounded sentinels.

    Sunny stared at the crowd of Lost, feeling his heart grow cold. A single person could be reasoned with�� but what he saw right now was not a group of people, but a massive creature with many heads, many shouting mouths, and many eyes that burned with fury, fear�� and dark, murderous intent.

    A frightened crowd did not know reason, it only knew fear, and the desire to either escape or destroy its source.

    ...Ironically, there were very few things more frightening than a senseless crowd.

    The Lost were much more resilient and prepared than most people, but even battle-hardened warriors like them had a limit. After weeks of being hunted, slaughtered, and brutalized by the elusive and terrifying fiend, they seemed to have finally reached it.

    Of course, there was no logic behind the accusations. Neither Sunny nor Cassie possessed the means to commit the murder unnoticed �� simply for the fact that they had been watched this entire time, since no one really trusted them, to begin with.

    But his attempt to explain this was drowned by the chorus of angry shouts.

    Sunny noticed Pierce and Welthe exchanging a quick look, their faces calm, but somber. At least these two had managed to keep a cool head�� but would that change anything?

    His heartbeat slowed.

    Sunny mentally took in the entirety of the hall �� the Echoes standing guard near the doors, the two Masters, the formation of the Lost, the dead sentinels laying on the blood-soaked cots��

    Would he be able to fight his way out of this place? And what would happen next? The forces of Valor would surely pursue him and Cassie��

    It was at this moment that a sudden realization hit him.

    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then slowly rose to his feet. His hand hovered in the air, as if ready to summon a weapon.

    That action was enough to cause a chain effect among the Lost.

    One of them suddenly lunged forward, throwing a javelin at Sunny. Another drew his bow, an arrow already knocked on the string��

    Nothing came of it, however.

    Almost instantly, Pierce growled, his voice easily suppressing the shouts:

    "Stop, you wretched bastards! Who ordered you to attack?! Anyone who moves, I'll kill myself!"

    At the same time, Welthe turned into a blur and appeared in front of Sunny, catching the javelin before it could get anywhere near him. She looked at the weapon with a scowl, then threw it on the floor.

    The Echoes standing in front of the sentinel formation suddenly turned, facing the Lost. Their empty eyes stared at the frightened warriors, no emotion in them.

    ��Just like that, the two Masters tamed the wild beast of the human crowd. No matter how far gone the sentinels were, there were still remnants of discipline etched deep into their bones.

    More than that, the easiest way to defeat fear was with a different, much greater fear.

    Under the unnerving gaze of the Echoes, the accusing shouts abruptly stopped. The Lost hesitated, then hesitantly lowered their weapons.

    However, their burning gazes were still focused on Sunny and Cassie, their thirst for violence temporarily leashed, but not quenched.

    Welthe lingered for a moment, then looked at them over her shoulder.

    "...You better come with me. It is�� not safe for the two of you to remain with the others. Don't worry, though. We'll keep you safe."

    Sunny pretended to shiver, glanced at the crowd of the Lost, and nodded.

    "Sure. Yeah�� no problem."

    Inwardly, though, he was grinning.

    'Keep us safe... what a bunch of crap��'

    Sunny and Cassie were led deeper into the inner sanctum. They passed the room with the round table where the two Masters had first interrogated them, then the personal quarters of the Ascended knights, and were finally led to a small room with a single door.

    Welthe let them inside and remained at the threshold.

    She was quiet for a few moments, and then said:

    "Wait for a bit. I will bring you food and water later. This will be your lodgings from now on, so get comfortable."

    With that, she closed the door and left.

    Sunny smiled darkly.

    ��He didn't hear the click of the lock, but the implication was clear.

    The small room was much more comfortable than the iron cage, but it served the same purpose.

    Once again, they were in a prison cell.

    ...However, Sunny knew that this time, they won't be staying in it long.

 Chapter 581 Bell Tower

    Several days passed with nothing disastrous happening. Sunny and Cassie spent them inside the small room, eating the food Welthe or one of the Echoes brought them and restoring their strength. Even though they were constantly watched, both remained calm and somewhat relaxed.

    Outside, things weren't as peaceful.

    Of course, Mordret had not killed again�� doing so would have only compromised his efforts to frame Sunny for the murders. However, the air was so full of tension that one could almost cut it with a knife. With every day of nothing happening, the already frayed nerves of the Lost drew tauter and tauter.

    Fear, unease, and anxious anticipation built and built, mixing under the pressure of uncertainty into dark, viscous, and volatile dread.

    Sometimes, doing nothing produced the best result.

    ...Mordret knew when to push and when to pull too well.

    With nothing to do but wait for an inevitable attack and nowhere to release the tension, the Lost spent a lot of time staring at the closed doors that led to the quarters where Sunny and Cassie were kept, their face growing darker with each day.

    Something had to give�� at this point, even Pierce and Welthe didn't seem confident in their ability to keep these soldiers under control and battle-ready. The two Masters spent the time making their own plans. Sunny didn't know what these plans were, since he didn't dare to send one of his shadows to spy on the formidable knights of Valor.

    ��He had a pretty good guess, though.

    On one of these days, he noticed that the Lost seemed especially restless. Pierce and Welthe were behaving a bit strangely, as well.

    Sunny frowned, then walked to the door, picked up a tray of food that had been delivered by an Echo a few hours earlier, then brought it over and handed one of the bowls to Cassie.

    "Eat well today."

    The blind girl gave him a short nod. To an outsider, this exchange would not have looked like anything, but the two of them knew each other very well�� no matter how complicated this relationship was.

    Sunny had let Cassie know everything he needed to convey, and she had signaled that his message was received.

    Not saying anything else, they concentrated on the food.

    Although the Night Temple was sealed and cut off from the outside world, it seemed as though the temperature inside had dropped by a lot in the last few days. The cathedral was chilly before, but now, the cold felt intrusive and everpresent.

    Beyond the black walls of the Citadel, November was in full swing. It was at least one week past the date when Sunny and Cassie were supposed to rendezvous with the rest of the cohort on the Shipwreck island, in case Valor denied them access to the Gateway.

    Sunny wondered how Effie and Kai were doing right now. Were they worried, or waiting patiently, not knowing that everything had gone horribly wrong?

    There was no way to know.

    He sighed and looked at Cassie. The blind girl was sitting silently, staring into nothingness. They were close enough for him to see the reflection of his pale face in her beautiful blue eyes.

    Sunny smirked.

    'Huh�� not bad.'

    He had looked terrible after crawling out of the iron cage, but by now, his appearance was more or less back to normal. He felt much better, too.

    Whatever fate had in store for him, he was ready.

    ��A few hours later, the door of their small room opened, and Welthe appeared outside. The Master looked at them somberly and said in an even voice:

    "Lady Cassia, Awakened Sunless. The situation has changed a bit. It is�� not safe for the two of you to remain here anymore. Come. We have to move you to a different location."

    Sunny stared at her for a few moments, then asked cautiously:

    "Is, uh�� is everything alright?"

    She lingered, then answered succinctly:

    "...It will be."

    'Wow. Not ominous at all.'

    Without much choice, Sunny and Cassie stood up and followed the red-haired Master. They were led into the main hall of the fortified encampment and through it, feeling the Lost follow them with dark gazes.

    At some point, several Echoes appeared to their right and left, as if to protect them should anything happen.

    ��Or to prevent them from escaping, depending on how one was inclined to look at it.

    The small procession left the stronghold of the Valor forces and entered the corridors of the inner sanctum. They walked through the maze of them and entered a spiral staircase.

    Sunny looked around tentatively, then asked:

    "Where are we going?"

    Welthe gestured down.

    "The bell tower."

    She didn't add anything else, as if her answer had explained everything. Sunny scowled, but didn't press the issue.

    What was the point?

    The staircase was long and winding, circling the entire tower many times. With each revolution, the spiral became narrower. From time to time, they saw closed doors to their left, but never to their right.

    Finally, after a while, they reached the end of the stairs and waited as Welthe opened a heavy gate blocking the path forward.

    Sunny and Cassie found themselves at the very bottom of the main bell tower of the Night Temple. Somewhere below them, a massive bell was swaying gently on an ancient iron chain. The tip of the seventh belfry was narrow, encompassing only a circular corridor and one central chamber. Currently, they were looking at its door.

    The door was slightly opened.

    Welthe stopped, then looked at Sunny and gestured forward.

    "Come inside."

    Sunny threw a glance at her, then at the Echoes surrounding him. He hesitated for a few moments, then sighed, swung the door open, and stepped into the chamber.

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    He found himself in a room built of cold stone. It was dark and full of deafening silence, arranged in the shape of a heptagon. Its seven corners were drowning in shadows, and at each of its seven walls, a large mirror frame stood.

    However, the frames were empty. The mirrors they had once housed were long shattered and gone.

    Sunny stared at them for a moment.

    'Well�� at least it's now clear where those thousands of mirror shards came from.'

    That discrepancy had been tormenting him for a while. In a prison where no mirrors were allowed, where had Mordret found all those shards? Where had the piles of broken mirrors that Cassie saw in her vision appeared from? Now, he had an answer.

    Satisfied, Sunny lowered his gaze and looked at the figures waiting for him inside the dark chamber.

    Pierce was standing in its center, surrounded by the rest of the Echoes. His eyes were cold and heavy.

    The fearsome master grimaced, then said, his voice low and threatening:

    "Whatever you think of doing�� I would advise against it."

    At the same time, the door of the chamber closed with a deafening bang. The Echoes that had escorted them here were already inside, behind Sunny. Welthe was there, too.

    She was holding a blade to Cassie's throat.

    Her expression was dark and calm.

    Sunny lingered for a couple of seconds, then slowly raised his hands with his palms open.

    'Damn. How very unexpected... what a surprise...'

 Chapter 582 For The Greater Good

    N0 v el Next. CoM

    Sunny froze, trying not to move a muscle. His face grew pale and solemn.

    "W��what is going on? Master Welthe?"

    The woman stared at his back, the blade of a slender saber pressed against Cassie's throat. She remained silent, as though unwilling to answer. However, Pierce spoke in her stead, a dark grin appearing on his lips:

    "Don't worry�� we'll tell you shortly."

    With that, he commanded two Echoes to step forward. One was holding a large wooden box, its surface engraved with a complicated weave of a beautiful, but disorienting pattern. The other was holding a folded piece of black cloth.

    Pierce carefully took the box, then placed it on the floor in front of him and closed his eyes for a moment. A loud click resounded from inside, and its lid rose by a few millimeters. He didn't touch it, though.

    Instead, the fearsome Master sighed and took the folded cloth.

    Sunny stared at the wooden box with a bit of apprehension.

    "What is that thing?"

    Welthe finally spoke, her voice cold and even:

    "It is a mirror trap. A very special artifact created by the elders of our great clan. With its help, we can capture and bind the prince."

    He blinked a couple of times, then forced out a weak smile.

    "Well, that is�� good? Right?"

    Pierce snarled.

    "Indeed�� the problem is, the ritual requires some time to be performed. And that monster has proved to be too devious to be held back long enough for it to work. Every time we cornered him, he simply destroyed the vessel and slipped away. Because we were always a step behind, and he was the one in control of the battlefield."

    The Master smiled.

    "Well�� that is about to change."

    Sunny frowned.

    Behind him, Cassie suddenly spoke:

    "You�� you want to lure him into a trap? By using us as bait?"

    Welthe shook her head.

    "Not you, Song of the Fallen. Just your companion. He is the one Prince Mordret wants, after all."

    The other knight chuckled.

    "He is the one who caused all this�� isn't it only fair that he would be the one to end it?"

    Pierce took a step forward and looked down at Sunny.

    "I don't know why the bastard chose you as the final vessel, but from his actions, it is obvious that he is fixated on taking your body above all others. Why else would he have gone to such lengths to frame and excommunicate you? Going as far as to risk sneaking into our camp�� the mad prince is ill and unhinged. If we present an opportunity to possess you, he won't be able to resist."

    The Master scowled furiously.

    "...And this time, we will be the ones in control. He won't escape us again. So�� you wouldn't mind making a sacrifice for the greater good, would you, Awakened Sunless?"

    Sunny shivered and took an involuntary step back. However, there was nowhere for him to go �� Welthe and five Echoes were behind him, blocking the path of escape.

    "W��what if I do mind?"

    Pierce smiled.

    "Then Lady Cassia will tragically lose her life at the hands of the escaped murderer�� while heroically assisting the great clan Valor and saving lives, of course. And you will do as I say, anyway, only after a few additional�� and very, very unpleasant�� steps."

    Cassie gritted her teeth, then shouted:

    "Sunny! Don't do it!"

    In the next moment, Welthe moved her saber, making the blind girl fall silent. A drop of blood rolled down her neck.

    "Quiet��"

    Sunny froze, as if not knowing what to do. His eyes darted around the chamber, as if searching for something to save him. But there was nothing he could use �� only the two Masters and the ten Echoes, all ready to pounce at him if he were to try something.

    "I�� I��"

    He trembled, hesitated, and then suddenly hung his head, as if defeated.

    "...I'll do it. Just don't�� don't hurt her. Please!"

    'That wasn't too much�� right?'

    Cassie struggled in Welthe's grip.

    "Sunny! No!"

    He looked back, a solemn expression on his face. When he spoke, his voice sounded stifled and frightened, but also certain and full of resolve.

    ��Almost heroic.

    "It's�� it's alright. Don't be sad, Cassie. At least this way�� this way, one of us will survive."

    With that, Sunny faced Pierce and shivered.

    "What�� what do I need to do?"

    The fearsome Master smirked, then handed him the folded piece of cloth.

    "Good choice. Get down on your knees, first."

    Sunny took the cloth and kneeled in front of the wooden box. Slowly, Welthe moved to stand side by side with Pierce, and the Echoes dispersed, hovering near the walls as they surrounded him.

    He closed his eyes.

    "...Now what?"

    Welthe spoke, still holding Cassie with an iron grip. Pierce, meanwhile, bent down and put one hand on the lid of the box.

    "Open your eyes. Unfold the cloth, the look at the item inside. Don't think of playing any tricks��"

    She moved her saber, making Cassie whimper.

    Sunny flinched, but remained on his knees. Gritting his teeth, he glanced at the blind girl, then lowered his head and slowly unfolded the cloth.

    Inside, laying on the black fabric, was a single piece of a broken mirror.

    Sunny stared at it, and saw his pale reflection staring back.

    The Masters tensed.

    ��And then, nothing happened.

    Well, of course it didn't.

    If Sunny had thought otherwise, he would have never allowed himself to end up in this situation.

    In fact, he was pretty sure that he knew what Mordret was planning, and why. For that reason, he believed that staring into a mirror was perfectly safe for him, at least right now.

    That's why he and Cassie had acted out this little performance, pretending to be frightened and clueless, or at least resigned to their fate. Sunny was actually pretty proud of himself. It seemed that his acting ability had really improved. That last line, especially�� such intensity��

    Cassie had done surprisingly well, too.

    Pierce and Welthe stared at him, waiting for a sign that Mordret took the bait. However, after a few seconds of nothing happening, slight confusion appeared in their eyes, and then a hint of doubt.

    ��And then, fear.

    Welthe was the first one to understand.

    Her face paled, and she suddenly looked up, as if hoping to pierce countless layers of stone with her gaze.

    And see the fortified camp that they had left behind.

    Her lips trembled.

    "No��"

 Chapter 583 Web Of Lies

    It had taken Sunny a lot of time to understand what Mordret was doing, and why. But in the end, he had succeeded, and thus managed to predict what the elusive prince was going to do�� or at least do it with a sufficient degree of certainty to stake his life on it in this desperate situation.

    Just like everybody else, Sunny had been fooled at first. The initial revelation he had received had to do with the brutal murder of the two guards�� it was then that he realized that Mordret was not as insane and perverse as everyone seemed to think.

    Mordret's grotesque brutality was not the result of an irresistible, unhinged and sadistic compulsion. Instead, it was a cold and calculated strategy that the prince had employed to diminish his enemies, break their spirit, and make their souls susceptible to his attacks. He had weaponized terror itself, and made good use of it.

    After all, people were most scared of that which was unknown. And what was more unknowable than the mind of a deranged, murderous madman?

    ,m After Sunny realized that there was such a possibility, the next step was both simple and hard to take. He had to take a good look at himself and admit that he himself had fallen victim to this tactic.

    Mordret had gotten under his skin. Sunny was more resilient to deceit and manipulation than most, but he was also more vulnerable to the schemes of the Prince of Nothing. Their enmity was personal, and as such, involved powerful and destructive emotions. Humiliation, resentment�� the sense of betrayal. Such emotions were the enemy of clarity.

    Sunny had allowed his mind to be clouded by them, and through them, by fear.

    So, he had to separate his emotions from his perception of the situation, knowing that some of them were a dire obstacle, and some were engineered by Mordret in order to obfuscate the truth.

    Once he did, it was as though a veil had fallen from his eyes. Without it, several things became apparent.

    The first one was that Mordret was not as terrifying as he wanted everyone to think. Sure, he was astonishingly powerful for an Awakened, and equally as lethal�� enough so for Sunny to suspect that the prince possessed a divine Aspect.

    If he and Nephis could, why not Mordret?

    He didn't know how many soul cores Mordret possessed, but if his Aspect was indeed similar to theirs�� there had been much more time for the former heir of Valor to accumulate soul fragments and grow stronger. This could also explain why his power level was so anomalous.

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    In any case, it didn't matter. Regardless of how powerful Mordret was, he was clearly not powerful enough to obliterate his jailers completely �� otherwise, they would have been already dead. In fact, Sunny suspected that the Prince of Nothing was in the exact same situation as he himself was.

    Sunny could take on one of the Masters, maybe even both of them with Cassie's help and a lot of luck. He also stood a chance in the battle against the surviving Lost.

    But he couldn't fight them all together�� and neither could Mordret.

    It was not an accident that the guards had been killed in the usual brutal and ghastly fashion, but the wounded sentinels simply had their throats cut. The murderous prince had not abandoned his barbarous ways on a whim�� he simply wasn't capable enough to do more unnoticed. Mordret was not all-powerful.

    Just very, very good��

    The second realization came thanks to the first one, after the two wounded sentinels had been killed and the crowd of their comrades was hungry for Sunny's blood. Back then, he briefly considered running away, despite the fact that Pierce and Welthe would certainly pursue��

    And this was it. At that moment, he understood Mordret's true goal. It was not to single out Sunny, separate him from the Lost, and possess his body�� no, what the prince wanted was to separate the Lost from each other with Sunny's unwilling help. So that he could kill them, divided.

    Which didn't mean that he had no plans for Sunny's body. Only that he wasn't aiming for it yet.

    After Sunny understood Mordret's immediate goal, one last thing became apparent.

    ...It was that the murderer was indeed already among them.

    Only he wasn't hiding inside Sunny, as the Lost suspected. Instead, he was hiding inside one of them.

    This mystery tormented Sunny for a while. How could this be? After all, Pierce and Welthe weren't fools. They had a reason to be confident in their soldiers�� and that reason was that none of the sentinels had interacted with a mirror or any sort of a reflection after Mordret's last vessel had been destroyed. Everyone was careful, and watchful of their comrades to keep them safe, too.

    How could he have possessed one of them, then?

    The answer was both simple and frightening. Sunny understood it after thinking about the sentinel who had brought food and water to their cage, then lost his mind and tore out his own eyes.

    ��The eyes.

    The eyes were the mirror of the soul, after all.

    Locked in a small room with Cassie, Sunny couldn't help but notice his own reflection in her beautiful eyes. Seeing his own face staring at back him from their depths, he shuddered��

    Mordret didn't need a mirror to enter someone's soul. Every human in the Night Temple was a walking mirror �� they just didn't know it. Not by chance, but by design. The banished prince had purposefully kept this facet of his power hidden, only using the mirrors and mundane reflections to take vessels, thus creating a false impression that this was the only way he could achieve it.

    He was a devious monster, indeed.

    Sunny kept this dreadful guess to himself and tried to deduce who among the Lost was the real murderer. He considered both Pierce and Welthe, then the only wounded sentinel to survive �� using him as a vessel was just insidious enough for a fiend like Mordret.

    But then, he entertained the idea that Mordret had not chosen his victims randomly. He had the ability to kill people inside the stronghold, to a much more terrifying effect�� so why target the guards first?

    One of the murdered guards had been a familiar face�� the Lost who had an Aspect that allowed him to see the unseen, like Sunny's shadow hiding in the darkness.

    Or peer through the veil of invisibility that the female sentinel who had almost cut Sunny's throat, invited him to see Welthe and Pierce, and even escorted him and Cassie to the bathroom could create.

    Yes�� Sunny was almost sure that Mordret was hiding in her body. This was how he had been able to kill the two guards, and later the two wounded, without being seen or heard. The answer was so obvious�� the simplest solution was most often the correct one, after all.

    And so, Sunny had predicted what was going to happen.

    Mordret had pushed Pierce and Welthe into action. With their forces dwindling by the day and no definitive information on when Saint Cormac would arrive, the Masters could not simply wait. He lured them into leaving the stronghold to take Sunny away, thinking that they were luring Mordret into a trap instead.

    And while they were gone��

    The surviving Lost had no one to protect them from the monster hiding in their ranks.

    ��Welthe suddenly looked up, her face growing pale. Her lips trembled.

    "No��"

    Sunny lowered his head and suppressed a dark smile.

    At that moment, the Masters finally understood what he had known for a while.

    But it was too late.

    Utterly and irrevocably late��

 Chapter 584 A Dark Ocean

    Welthe froze�� but only for a moment. Then, she threw Cassie aside and dashed toward the door, disappearing in a blur. Sunny was pushed away, rolling on the floor and almost crashing against one of the empty mirror frames. By the time he regained his balance, she was already gone.

    Pierce growled, then threw a murderous look at him and screamed:

    "Kill them!"

    With that, he dashed out of the chamber, too, dismissing most of the Echoes to take them with him.

    ��The fools still hoped that they could save their men.

    Or avenge them, at least.

    Sunny also couldn't really be mad at Pierce for ordering their death�� he would have done the same. Now that their plan to bind Mordret had failed, the next best option was to make sure that there were no more vessels for him to possess. The sentinels were already as good as dead. That left only Sunny��

    However, Sunny was not one to let go of the grudge.

    'Curse you, you bastard��'

    There were only two Echoes remaining in the mirror chamber. One was moving toward Cassie, already thrusting its sword forward. The other was towering over Sunny, its heavy battle axe raised.

    Sunny glared at the Echo, not amused.

    In the next moment, a stygian serpent appeared from the shadows behind the creature, wrapping its long and powerful body around the macabre effigy. Then, its head shot forward, the maw opening to a terrible width. Sharp fangs closed on both sides of the Echoe's face, easily piercing through the skull and crushing it with a grisly crunch.

    At the same time, Cassie rose to one knee and deflected her enemy's sword with a long dagger. A slender rapier flashed from behind her, piercing the creature's neck and emerging from its other side in a shower of blood.

    Both Echoes fell to the floor, disintegrating into a rain of sparks. From start to finish, they had not made a sound.

    Sunny rushed to Cassie and bent down, trying to ascertain the severity of her wound. His voice sounded tense and worried:

    "Are you okay?"

    There was blood flowing down her delicate neck, but the cut seemed shallow and not at all dangerous. A sense of profound relief spread through his chest.

    The blind girl nodded.

    "I'm fine! Go! There won't be another opportunity!"

    He hesitated for a moment, then rose without saying a word, and stepped into the shadows.

    Cassie was right. There would not be another chance�� they were faced with two equal threats �� one was the pair of Ascended knights, and the other was the cursed hellspawn, Mordret himself.

    Sunny had to make sure that all three died today.

    Well�� two of them. He didn't know how to destroy the mirror fiend, so leaving Mordret without a vessel was going to have to suffice.

    Previously, Sunny had left one of his shadows at the precipice of the stairway, and then commanded it to hide. Now, he appeared out of it, turning into a shadow himself �� just in time to see Welthe and Pierce shoot past him.

    '...Fast.'

    Most of the Night Temple was submerged in darkness now that no one was alive to keep the lanterns aflame. Rushing through it, he followed the Masters, and reached the doors of the last stronghold of the Valor forces almost at the same instant as them.

    Welthe simply crashed through the door, pulverizing it into a cloud of splinters.

    What met them inside��

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    Was a bloodbath.

    ***

    The encampment of the Lost was unrecognizable. Before, it had been clean and orderly, somewhat somber, but looking like a well-inhabited space.

    Now, all Sunny could see was blood.

    The floor was slick with blood, and so were the walls. Even the ceiling was painted red. All of the hall was one vast, morbid pool of the crimson liquid, with severed limbs and mangled bodies sprawled in it, some of them mutilated so thoroughly that it was almost impossible to recognize them as former humans.

    The sight of it was revolting and horrid.

    ��And in the center of this vile slaughterhouse, a lone figure was sitting cross-legged, a carefree smile on her lips.

    The beautiful female sentinel looked different, too.

    Her appearance was the same, but everything else about her �� her bearing, her gaze, her presence �� had changed. It was relaxed and friendly, almost polite. She looked�� exactly how Mordret had sounded, back when he and Sunny spoke in the lightless abyss of the Sky Below.

    The dissonance between her pleasant demeanor and the gruesome bloodbath surrounding her was ghastly, bizarre, and deeply disturbing.

    When the two Masters appeared inside the hall, eight Echoes weaving themselves from sparks of light around them, Mordret's smile widened.

    He absentmindedly threw a knife cut out of a single piece of a pristine white stone into the air, then caught it again, and somehow made it disappear without a trace.

    "...Ah. Sir Pierce, Lady Welthe. You have finally made it."

    Then, he shifted his gaze and looked directly at Sunny, who was hiding in the shadows near the door.

    "...And you, Sunless! It is such a pleasure to finally meet you face to face. Well�� I guess we've already met a few days ago. Still, what an occasion. I've waited for it for a long, long time."

    He looked back to Welthe and Pierce, his smile remaining the same, but his eyes growing cold and frightening, as though there was a dark ocean of unfathomable depth hiding beneath their surface, full of harrowing terrors.

    "...But not as long as I've waited to meet the two of you."

    Pierce growled, taking a step forward:

    "You bastard!"

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    Mordret threw his head back and laughed.

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    "What? Don't you like my handiwork? I've tried so hard, just to impress you!"

    He grinned, then slowly rose to his feet, the friendly smile disappearing from his face. Instead, an expression of dark, cold, murderous wrath appeared on it.

    "Six years�� six long years you have kept me in that empty mausoleum. You and the rest of the great, noble, illustrious clan Valor."

    The female sentinel outstretched her hand, summoning a simple sword from the thin air.

    "You destroyed my body, stole my birthright�� you even destroyed my Reflections. Ah, but no matter. I had plenty of time to think of ways to repay your generosity. The things I have in store for you�� oh, my! When I am done with clan Valor, the word itself will gain a new meaning. Even the gods will look up from their graves, and tremble."

    Mordret smiled, then said evenly, not moving his gaze away from Pierce and Welthe.

    "...What do you think, Sunless? You and I have no quarrel�� well. Unless you are still angry about that little deception of mine. I can't really blame you... these two, however, will never let you leave this place alive. Shall we join forces, deal with them, and then escape together? Ah, I could be lying, of course. Maybe I'll just use you again, then kill that little oracle of yours, and take your body. Who knows��"

    Sunny lingered for a moment, then stepped out of the shadows, appearing between Mordret and the Masters.

    Welthe glanced at him with a hint of concern. Pierce grimaced, then uttered through gritted teeth:

    "Don't do anything stupid, boy. This thing isn't even a human�� I don't know what was done to him, but he had not been a human for a long, long time. He will consume your soul and wear your body like a suit�� and even then, it won't be of any use. Once Lord Cormac returns, even that which remains of you will be obliterated. It's not too late�� join us, and together, we can stop this demon."

    Sunny stared at him for a bit, then glanced at Mordret.

    Finally, he sighed, took a few steps, and stopped beside the female sentinel. Saint and the Soul Serpent appeared from the shadows to his left and his right.

    Together, the four of them �� Sunny, Mordret, and the two Shadows �� face the two knights of Valor and the eight human Echoes.

    ,m Sunny smirked.

    "I am somewhat of a demon myself, you know��"

 Chapter 585 Clash

    As the Cruel Edge started to manifest itself from swirling dark mist and the helmet of the Undying Chain was being summoned into existence, Sunny had a moment to evaluate their chances.

    The result�� wasn't too good. He didn't know how powerful exactly Mordret was, but the chances that he was considerably stronger than their enemies seemed to be slim enough to be considered non-existent. Otherwise, the banished prince would not have had to rely on his cunning so much.

    From how they were positioned and the little details of everyone's gazes, Sunny knew that Welthe was aiming for Mordret, and vice versa. That meant that he was going to have to face Pierce, while Saint and the Serpent would be tasked with holding back the Echoes.

    He wasn't too worried for Saint, who was an Ascended and excelled in defense and durability. The Serpent, however, would have to be really careful��

    Sunny was most worried about himself, though. He was not going to underestimate Pierce�� the man was not only a Master, but also an elite, a knight of the great clan Valor. He was as formidable as he was deadly.

    His Aspect made Pierce resistant to all sorts of attacks, as well.

    With this in mind, Sunny commanded two shadows to wrap themselves around his body, and reluctantly sent one to Saint. Ascended or not, fighting against eight Echoes was going to test the limits of her ability.

    That was all the time he had to prepare.

    Long before the Cruel Edge finished weaving itself from mist, the blood-soaked hall of the somber cathedral exploded with violence and motion.

    Welthe's eyes suddenly shone with a hypnotic scarlet light, and Mordret staggered as he was dashing forward. A pained groan escaped from his lips, and his movements slowed down considerably. In the next moment, the body of the female sentinel shimmered and disappeared.

    Moving with terrifying speed, Welthe lunged forward, then spun, her slender saber colliding against something midair. The clashing of blades echoed amid the black stones, and two fissures appeared on the layer of blood covering the floor, as if someone was sliding back, pushed away by the force of the impact.

    At the same time, the eight Echoes attacked. The creatures moved with the frightening precision of soulless machines, coordinating their assault with enough cohesion to make them a fearsome threat. Although their intelligence couldn't compare to actual humans, the morbid effigies retained enough of the skill of their originals to fight almost as human warriors would.

    ? Each of them possessed an Aspect, too.

    Saint collided with their formation like a demon born out of darkness, her kite shield receiving a rain of blows as the Midnight Shard shot forward. The Soul Serpent submerged into the shadows and flowed through them, appearing behind the six advancing Echoes to lunge at the two whose Aspect Abilities allowed them to perform ranged attacks.

    And lastly, there was Sunny.

    Pierce descended upon him like a siege ram, bringing down his longsword with enough force to make the whole hall tremble. Even augmented by two shadows, Sunny was still unable to compete with the Master in terms of physical ability�� but the gap between them wasn't large enough for him to be instantly overwhelmed.

    Sidestepping, he received the edge of the enemy's sword on the vambrace of the Undying Chain, angling it in a way that allowed for most of the force to be deflected instead of absorbed, and threw his other hand forward, the ghostly blade of the Moonlight Shard glinting dimly as it appeared out of nowhere, aimed at Pierce's throat.

    The Master simply lowered his head, allowing the tip of the stiletto to slide off the cheek guard of his helmet, and pushed the hilt of his sword forward, trying to deliver a crushing blow to Sunny's chest.

    Sunny jumped back, not at all disappointed by the failure of his treacherous blow. It had not been meant to do any damage, anyway. It just had to buy the Cruel Edge to finally manifest itself into a material form.

    And now, it had.

    Sunny thrust the somber spear forward, forcing the enemy to dodge out of the way and give him a moment to breathe.

    '...Strong�� the bastard is just too strong��'

    Through the insight of Shadow Dance, Sunny could see and understand some of the Ascended knight's battle techniques. Pierce possessed explosive strength and enough agility to channel it into almost inescapable attacks. His understanding of combat was tremendously deep, sharpened by years upon years of relentless training and countless battles.

    A warrior of such skill was not going to be led into an easy trap.

    His control of soul essence was also on a completely different level. From what Sunny could perceive, the Master was using it with terrifying efficiency, achieving results that he himself couldn't even dream of, especially without the help of Soul Serpent.

    That was the core difference between them, and his main disadvantage.

    The only advantage he had, really, was the Undying Chain. The transcendent armor was durable enough to withstand a few blows from Pierce, and his high divine affinity only made it stronger. He just had to make sure that he doesn't receive the brutal blows directly.

    His body beneath the bleak steel was not as resilient.

    Neither he nor Pierce possessed Aspect Abilities capable of dealing direct damage, so this fight was going to be decided by skill, cunning�� and the hidden aces they were saving for the right moment.

    Problem was, Sunny didn't really have any aces left. At least none that would work on the fearsome Master. He was already going all out��

    Sunny had a split second to check on how the others were doing before resuming the deadly dance of death with Pierce. He quickly glanced to the side, and saw the Soul Serpent entangled with the two Echoes, dodging destructive attacks as it slithered around them.

    Saint was forced into a defensive stance, being barraged by constant strikes as she somehow managed to deflect all of them with the Patient Avenger and the Midnight Shard.

    Mordret and Welthe seemed to be at a temporary stalemate, too�� or at least that was how it seemed. The second Master was moving too fast, and their battle was too bizarre to really tell.

    Sunny gritted his teeth.

    'Curses!'

    He couldn't divide his attention anymore. If he wanted to win against Pierce, he had to focus all of it on him.

    And make sure that the bastard had no time to pay attention to anyone else, as well��

 Chapter 586 Cold Steel

    Sunny used everything he had, moving with unimaginable speed, agility, and precision. Both shadow essence and the tenacious blood of Weaver flowed through his body, supplying his muscles with the strength and endurance necessary to perform with such an inhuman level of effort.

    His mind was aflame, devouring information about his surroundings and the enemy's movements, making lightning-fast decisions, trying to predict countless probable eventualities, and simultaneously studying the sophisticated battle style of the battle-hardened Master.

    ��And despite all that, he was barely surviving Pierce's unrelenting assault. Every moment, he was just a split second away from death.

    The knight of Valor was just too powerful, skilled, and overbearing. His cold eyes were full of calculating ruthlessness and dark, iron killing intent. They were calm and focused, like that of an experienced predator stalking helpless prey.

    That prey, unfortunately, was Sunny.

    'Damnation!'

    Nothing he had experienced could have prepared him for this. Sunny had fought many opponents that were stronger and faster than him, but he had never been this outmatched in terms of sheer power, at least not in a fight against a human�� who, unlike most Nightmare Creatures, also possessed a keen mind, devious cunning, and martial skill that were the greatest weapons of his kind.

    Maybe only Morgan of Valor�� but she had held back, and theirs had not really been a battle to the death.

    Sunny and Pierce clashed on the bloodied stones, their weapons flashing through the air fast enough to leave afterimages behind. The clangor of metal filled the somber hall, mixing with the furious sounds of battle coming from their left.

    There, two different storms of metal raged violently, one centered around Mordret and Welthe, the other from where his Shadows fought the Echoes of the fearsome Master.

    Sunny had no time to look that way, but he could hear the constant ringing of blades landing on Saint's shield. There were so many blows that their sounds almost merged into one dreadful, uninterrupted litany of steel. He had not heard the Spell yet, so he knew that none of the Echoes had been destroyed.

    The Shadows were in one piece, as well��even if he didn't know whether or not they were whole, damaged, or dying.

    He deflected another strike of Pierce's swift longsword, then whipped the butt of the Cruel Sight forward, hoping to catch the enemy in the face. Helmet or not, such a strike was bound to deliver some damage��

    Pierce received the blow calmly�� and didn't even flinch. Instead, he lunged forward and rammed into Sunny with his shoulder, sending him flying back.

    'Curse that bastard! Is he made of stone or what?!'

    Sunny twisted in the air and landed on his feet, tasting blood in his mouth. That shoulder bash was powerful enough to shatter a stone wall.

    His tempered bones had not shattered, though.

    Gritting his teeth, he immediately shifted, dodging a powerful thrust, and brought his spear down on the enemy.

    'Fine�� this is fine�� the longer I survive, the better I understand his style�� the better I understand his style, the longer I'll survive��'

    The two of them fought ferociously, neither showing any sign of doubt, hesitation, or weakness. Yes, Sunny was younger and less powerful�� but he was skilled and experienced, too. He was ruthless a cunning, too.

    He was a killer himself.

    Pierce had managed to land several debilitating blows, rattling his entire body. The Undying Chain held, but beneath it, Sunny was bruised and battered.

    However, he had been able to break through the knight's defense and deliver a few strikes of his own. The results were less than ideal, though. Even when he succeeded in thrusting the tip of the Cruel Sight through a crack in the enemy's armor, it was like trying to cut through a monster's hide. He only managed to burn the bastard a little, and make a few drops of blood roll down��

    Why was divine flame not as destructive as it should have been? What was wrong with this monster?!

    Pierce pushed him away, briefly glanced at the shallow wound, and grinned darkly, not showing any indication of being bothered by it.

    "...Is this all you can do? Not enough�� not nearly enough, little rat."

    Sunny growled.

    "Shut your mouth! You suddenly have time to waste breath?!"

    With that, he attacked again, this time switching the enchantment of the mirror blade from incandescent flame to invisible, insidious soul damage.

    Pierce snarled and deflected the blow without too much effort.

    ��It was almost time, though.

    When the Master decided to speak, without doubt aiming to distract and agitate the opponent, Sunny had a split second to steal a glance at how his Shadows were doing.

    The Serpent was on the verge of destroying one of the Echoes, and had already wounded another.

    Saint was doing worse. Faced with six opponents, she couldn't launch a successful attack. Some of the Echoes surrounding her were severely wounded, but none seemed to be close to death.

    That was not her task, though.

    Actually, Sunny preferred that she didn't eliminate any of the Echoes. He wanted them all in one piece, constantly attacking the taciturn knight.

    Landing more and more blows on her shield.

    The Patient Avenger��

    By now, its surface was glowing with an angry orange light, as if there were furious flames burning beneath the cold steel. And there were, in a sense.

    A string of runes surfaced in his memory:

    [Cold Steel] Enchantment Description: "This shield can store a portion of impact damage it receives to augment another weapon of its wielder or unleash an immolating wave of fire."

    Well�� by now, the Patient Avenger received more than enough impact damage to unleash an ocean of flame. A few more strikes, and it was going to overload, sending all that fire outward.

    Just as Sunny thought that, two more strikes landed on the shield, and the angry orange glow turned brighter, slowly turning incandescent white.

    Currently, Saint was wielding the Blood Blossom charm, as well. With all the dismembered corpses lying around, its enchantment had long reached its limit, augmenting all the Memories the Shadow wielded with rampant strength.

    Sunny blocked Pierce's strike and slid back, his hands trembling from the force of it.

    At the same time, Saint spun and deflected two more swords with her shield. Its surface was almost entirely white now.

    'Almost there�� d��damn...'

    Sunny gave a mental command, and the shadow that had been augmenting Saint flowed from the graceful demon's body onto the furiously shining shield.

    Another blow landed on the Patient Avenger.

    Saint braced, putting her shoulder behind it.

    'Crap!'

    ��And in the next moment, a terrifying explosion rattled the entirety of the inner sanctum.

 Chapter 587 The Explosion

    Just a moment before the Patient Avenger detonated, Sunny fell backward and dove into the shadow cast by a wide stone pillar. He noticed a hint of surprise in Pierce's eyes, and in the next second, everything was suddenly drowned by blinding white light.

    The sound came next, a thunderous roar that would have probably destroyed his ears if he had not turned into a shadow. Then, the shockwave arrived, obliterating the pillar and turning it into a mass of flying rubble. Sunny's shelter was destroyed, and he was thrown back into the corporeal world�� just in time to be engulfed by a terrifying, immolating flame.

    Luckily, he had summoned the Memory of Fire at the very start of the fight. Protected by its enchantment and by the Undying Chain, Sunny had withstood the terrifying heat. His eyes were tightly shut, and so only his eyelids were singed.

    The explosion�� had turned out to be much more powerful than he had expected.

    'D��damnation��'

    The hall was completely decimated. The pillars supporting its ceiling had been destroyed, and its walls had cracked, some sections crumbling completely. The bodies of the murdered Lost were practically erased from existence, and everything was obscured by a cloud of stone dust mixed with thin crimson mist, which had appeared after the pool of blood had evaporated.

    In all this mayhem, Sunny was able to sense a few familiar shapes. The Serpent had merged with the shadows before the explosion had hit, too so it was unharmed.

    Saint, however, was not as lucky �� her entire left arm had been torn off at the shoulder, the onyx armor mangled and revealing scorched alabaster skin. Fine ruby dust was flowing from the terrible wound, falling to the floor like a stream of a morbid hourglass, as if counting off how long she had left to live.

    That was the result of augmenting and overloading an Ascended Memory�� even the wielder was not safe from the consequences, as it turned out.

    Sunny's mouth twitched, and he immediately dismissed the taciturn knight, then called back his third shadow.

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    In the short moment before it reached him and wrapped itself around his body, he managed to sense the rest of the devastated hall.

    The Echoes seemed to be obliterated. Welthe was kneeling at a distance, shaken and superficially wounded, but still alive. Mordret was sprawled on the floor, seemingly thrown out of his invisibility.

    ��Only Pierce was still on his feet, as if not affected by the explosion at all. His armor was battered and scorched, wisps of smoke rising from the cracks, but the Master himself appeared unperturbed. In fact, his murderous intensity only grew more suffocating.

    He was like an impregnable stone cliff that could never be brought down by the raging winds.

    Not wishing to reveal himself, Sunny suppressed an infuriated growl and silently dashed forward.

    The silver blade of the Cruel Sight whistled quietly, shooting toward the bastard's heart.

    However��

    At the last moment, Pierce shifted and easily deflected the blow with his sword, throwing the spear off course. His armored fist flashed, flying toward Sunny's head.

    When the blow connected, Sunny was blinded for a moment. His eyes were still closed, but it was as if something exploded behind his eyelids, and at the same time, his mind blanked. He only felt the world spinning.

    Disoriented, Sunny continued his lunge and collided with the fearsome Master. The impact threw them both to the ground in a clatter of metal.

    They flew back, then collided against the stone floor. Pierce grabbed Sunny by the throat and drove a knee into his abdomen, causing another explosion of pain to spread through his body and sending him rolling over his head and away.

    ��But not before Sunny's free hand snaked toward one of the cracks in the Ascended Knight's armor and planted something deep into his flesh.

    A long, narrow needle forged out of black steel, with gold wire wrapped around one of its ends.

    Driven with all of Sunny's strength, the Heavenly Burden sunk into Pierce's flesh almost entirely, with only a few centimeters sticking out of his skin and barely visible in the narrow fissure marring the surface of the knight's armor.

    Of course, such a tiny needle was not going to wound a Master seriously, or even slow down his movements. But damage was not what Sunny used it for.

    Rolling on the ground, he twisted and landed on his knees, sliding a few steps back and almost instantly regaining his balance.

    A few meters away, Pierce was already rising to his feet, too. His eyes were brimming with killing intent, and his longsword was glistening as it reflected the flames burning around them. He was ready to finish this fight...

    But then, something strange happened.

    The fearsome Master suddenly swayed, a confused expression appearing on his face. A moment later, the soles of his armored boots separated from the stone floor and rose into the air.

    ��The Heavenly Burden was the Memory Sunny had exchanged for contribution points after helping Master Jet put down the demented Awakened, Shadow Blade Kurt. Its single enchantment was simple and straightforward: living beings pierced by the needle would float up, and up, and up, until it was removed.

    Sunny had acquired it to combine the enchantment with the Dark Wing and receive the ability to fly out of the Sky Below, if need be.

    Which did not mean that it had no other uses.

    ��Pierce was rising into the air, his feet already a full meter above the floor. His initial confusion was gone, and he swiftly looked down, at the tip of the needle buried in his flesh. The Master's hand shot toward it, but the fingers of his armored gauntlet were too thick and clumsy to dig the needle out on the first try.

    Sunny had no doubt that he would manage soon. He was also fairly certain that the Ascended knight possessed at least one Memory in his arsenal that would be able to help him either counteract or control the effect of the Heavenly Burden.

    However, both of these options were going to require some time, no matter how short.

    The time that Sunny wasn't going to give him.

    He thrust his hand forward, sending the Moonlight Shard flying toward Pierce's eye. Without anything to use as purchase, the knight was deprived of the very foundation of combat ability �� the warrior's connection to the ground. He couldn't move to dodge, couldn't control the distribution of his weight to mount an effective defense, and couldn't even use most of his strength.

    However, Pierce still managed to deflect the ghostly stiletto with his sword��

    Which left him open and defenseless to Sunny's true attack.

    As soon as the Moonlight Shard left his right hand, Sunny brought his left up and behind him, used all of the strength the three shadows gifted him, sent a flood of essence into his muscles, and cast the Cruel Sight forward.

    His throw was performed with perfect form, just like Effie had taught him.

    At the last moment, the three shadows flowed from his fingers and wrapped themselves around the somber spear's silver blade.

    Pierce's eyes widened.

    The Cruel Sight shot through the air like a black comet and sunk into the fearsome knight's chest. The force of the throw was so great that it went right through his damaged armor, his tough skin and bones, and then his heart.

    Still affected by the Heavenly Burden, the Master's body was sent flying up with terrifying speed and impaled on the stones, hanging lifelessly from the tall ceiling of the devastated hall.

    A stream of blood fell down like crimson rain.

    Sunny staggered then supported his weight with his hands and let out a shaky breath.

    'Come�� come on��'

    A moment passed in silence, and then, he finally heard the painfully familiar voice.

    This time, the Spell's whisper sounded like beautiful music to his ears:

    [...You have slain an Ascended human, Pierce.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    'Gods... I actually did it...'

    Sunny smiled darkly, allowed himself a second of rest, and then rose to his feet, knowing that the battle was not other.

    Mordret and Welthe were still there, both as deadly as the damned bastard he had just killed.

    He dismissed the Cruel Sight and immediately summoned it again, simultaneously checking on his reserve of shadow essence. Sunny had spent a lot, but not so much as to worry�� yet.

    The Soul Serpent appeared from the shadows and slithered onto his skin, turning into an intricate tattoo.

    Still keeping his eyes closed, partially out of caution and partially because his eyelids were burned and hurt like hell, Sunny extended his shadow sense forward and tried to understand what was happening to the other two participants of this hellish battle.

    Welthe was standing some distance away from him, swaying. Her hands were pressed against her face.

    Meanwhile, Mordret��

    Sunny froze.

    The female sentinel... was dead.

    He had not noticed it before, but she was laying lifeless on the floor, her neck twisted at an unnatural level.

    'How�� how can this be?'

    Something was not adding up�� how could Mordret lose his only vessel so easily? He had only fought one of the Masters�� surely, he had the ability to defeat Welthe one on one. Otherwise, what had he been planning to do if Sunny allied with the knights of Valor? How had he planned to resist both of them, let alone with a third enemy added into the mix?

    The Prince of Nothing could not have been that weak��

    Suddenly, a small detail attracted Sunny's attention.

    One of the sentinel's hands was clenched in a fist, something dangling from it.

    A piece of a torn chain��

    ...Didn't that chain feel awfully familiar?

    A cold, uneasy feeling appeared in Sunny's chest. He turned his head slightly and concentrated on the last survivor of the Valor forces, searching for...

    Welthe suddenly laughed. Her voice sounded strange and different.

    And her amulet... the anvil amulet was gone.

    The Master lowered her hands and smiled.

    "Ah! That is much, much better��"

 Chapter 588 Trust Lssues

    'Mordret�� he has taken Welthe.'

    Sunny shifted, lowering the Cruel Sight and slightly turning its blade. His heart was full of unease, his mind in the throes of a dark premonition. The banished prince had already been monstrously powerful�� how much more deadly would he become in a body of a Master?

    A few things were now clear, at least. Out of the two Ascended knights, Welthe had been the more powerful one. Her Aspect possessed Abilities that could debilitate her enemies, all the while enhancing her own physique. That was why she had been the one to sap Mordret of a large portion of his strength and attack him.

    ? And yet, it was strange to see that the Prince of Nothing had struggled to defeat her so much, and for so long. If he couldn't win against one of the Masters, how had he ever planned to face both?

    However, if he had decided to take Welthe's body and thus couldn't harm it too much�� that would explain his tardiness. Fighting an Ascended elite while not being allowed to wound her was a dreadfully harsh task.

    Had Mordret been aiming for Welthe's body from the start, or had he changed his plans on the fly when the opportunity presented itself?

    Was his intention to take Sunny as his vessel just a ruse, a misdirection�� or was Sunny still in danger?

    'No way�� he already has a body of a Master. There is no reason to abandon it for the sake of mine. Right?'

    "Ah! That is much, much better!"

    Mordret straightened, then stretched, looking at his own arms with curiosity. He clenched Welthe's fists, then grimaced slightly and let his hands relax. Finally, the Prince of Nothing turned slightly and looked at Sunny with a smile.

    "...Wouldn't you say, Sunless?"

    Sunny lingered for a moment, then nodded cautiously.

    "I guess. How does this work, exactly? Are you an Ascended now?"

    Mordret's smile widened a little.

    "So curious. Your inquisitive nature is truly worthy of an Academy researcher."

    'Dodging the questions like always, huh?'

    Sunny sensed the slender saber laying by the former Master's feet, then concentrated on the corpse of the female sentinel for a moment.

    "So�� what now? How are we going to escape this place before the Saint arrives?"

    The Prince of Nothing bent down, picked up the saber, and sighed.

    "Oh, that�� don't worry. I do have a plan. It's just�� I am not sure that you are going to like it very much, Sunless."

    Sunny felt cold shivers running down his spine. Mordret's tone was still friendly, but the implication behind his words did not promise anything good.

    'Bastard! He's going to double-cross me, isn't he?!'

    Well�� it's not like Sunny had not been planning to do the same.

    He gritted his teeth, then said somberly:

    "...We don't have to do this, you know. It is just like you said�� there's no quarrel between us. We can just go our separate ways. Maybe even work together�� uh, for a bit. Let's be friends?"

    Mordret chuckled.

    "Oh! I would like that very much. But, Sunless�� if you really want to be my friend�� why do you still have your eyes closed?"

    He took a slightly awkward step forward, as if not yet entirely used to his new body.

    "It's hard to trust someone who refuses to look you in the eye, you know. Why don't you look at me, huh, Sunless?"

    Sunny paled, then backed away a little.

    "I�� I'd rather not. My eyelids hurt."

    Mordret grinned.

    "That is a pity. But oh well�� to tell you the truth, we wouldn't have become real friends, anyway."

    Sunny took another step back, then asked tensely:

    "Oh yeah? Why is that?"

    The Prince of Nothing stopped smiling. When he spoke, Welthe's voice sounded cold and insidious, full of endless darkness:

    "Do you take me for a fool? Did you really think that I would not smell the stench of Dreamspawn on you? Huh? You better tell me, Sunless�� why did Asterion send you to the Chained Isles? Why hunt down my Beast? What is that abomination scheming now?"

    Sunny scowled.

    '...What?'

    He was genuinely confused. If his eyes weren't closed, he would be blinking in surprise right now. Did Mordret really lose his mind?

    "I have no idea what the hell you are talking about. What stench? Why would I be sent by Asterion? I've never met anyone by that name, let alone knowing anything about their schemes! Are you hearing yourself, you lunatic?!"

    'Wait a minute�� the prince�� the Dreamspawn�� could it be?'

    Mordret froze, then tilted his head a little.

    "Huh�� how curious. You can't lie, so this must be the truth. But if you never met Asterion, why do you reek of Dreamspawn?"

    Sunny grimaced, not wishing to answer. However, he had no choice. Surrendering to his Flaw, he uttered through gritted teeth:

    "I�� may have met another Dreamspawn."

    The Prince of Nothing raised his eyebrows, surprised.

    "Really? Who?"

    'Goddammit!'

    Sunny clenched his fists, then said darkly:

    "...Nephis."

    Mordret frowned.

    "Nephis�� Nephis of the Immortal Flame clan? Wait, she is still alive?"

    Sunny nodded, and the banished prince threw his head back, laughing.

    "Oh! Oh, my! So there is another Dreamspawn walking the Dream Realm, and she is the daughter of Smile of Heaven and Broken Sword! This must be fate�� ah, I wonder if the old bastard knows��"

    While Mordret was laughing, Sunny was feeling cold all over. Not because of this sudden outburst, but because of what the Prince of Nothing had said right before.

    'You can't lie�� so this must be the truth. H��how does he know that I can't lie?'

    Since when had Mordret known about his Flaw?

    Had he simply figured it out after watching Sunny for a few months? No, that wasn't possible�� Sunny had not spent that much time in the Dream Realm after escaping the Sky Below, and especially not communicating with a lot of people outside of selling them real-world items. He had not done anything to compromise himself��

    What�� what was going on?

 Chapter 589 Dark Mirror

    For a moment, Sunny's heart grew heavy, his mind consumed by murderous darkness. He thought that he had been betrayed again��

    There were very few people in the two worlds who knew the secret of his Flaw. Nephis was one, but she was far away. Kai and Effie probably had their guesses. However, they chose to remain silent out of respect for his unwillingness to speak about this matter.

    That left only Cassie.

    Cassie, who was right here in the Night Temple and had already turned on him once��

    But after thinking about it a little, Sunny realized that there had been another being who possessed the knowledge of his Aspect. The problem was that it had been dead for a long, long time.

    The Mirror Beast.

    The Ascended Reflection had mirrored his Aspect, so it had to have glimpsed it somehow. And it was connected to Mordret far more thoroughly than Cassie ever could be.

    The Prince of Nothing had not known everything about the Shadow Slave Aspect before, Sunny was sure of it. Back in the abyss of the Sky Below, Mordret had expressed genuine curiosity and surprise about things that he would have already learned otherwise.

    Which meant�� which meant that he had most likely only received that information after the mirror shard was brought into the Night Temple. It also meant that he was only informed about what the Mirror Beast had learned, and what had been true then. If this guess was correct, maybe Sunny would be able to use a gap in Mordret's knowledge to his advantage.

    ��Or he was wrong, and Cassie had really betrayed him again.

    A lot of things depended on whether or not he was ready to trust her again. His very life, most likely.

    Sunny frowned, then said, his voice even:

    "You seem to be having fun. So�� now that you know that I have nothing to do with Asterion, whoever that might be, are you going to rethink your previous plans and leave me be?"

    Mordret chuckled.

    "...What do you think?"

    Sunny sighed.

    "Honestly, I don't know what to think anymore. Not when it comes to you, at least�� you really are a devious bastard, you know that, right? Oh, don't take it as an insult, by the way. Coming from me, it's actually a compliment."

    The Prince of Nothing shook his head, then took another step forward.

    "Well. A mirror can only reflect what is in front of it, Sunless. Is it my fault that the things in front of me are cruel, vile, and deceitful? I think not�� then again, maybe it is. Either way, I don't really care. Blame your bad luck for being of use to me, if you wish."

    His eyes ignited with a hypnotic scarlet light, and although Sunny's own were closed, he suddenly felt slow and sluggish, strength draining from his muscles. He swayed, and used the Cruel Sight to support himself.

    "Argh! W��wait�� before we start this, answer me one last question��"

    Mordret smiled.

    "...Sure. Why not. What do you want to know?"

    Sunny strained, as if trying to speak. His mouth opened��

    But instead of saying anything, he simply attacked.

    The Prince of Nothing laughed, amused by this little deception. His saber flashed forward to meet the blade of the Cruel Sight.

    A moment later, though, his laugh abruptly stopped.

    ***

    Sunny had no illusions about his chances in the fight against Mordret�� not when the bastard occupied the body of a powerful Master, one whose Aspect allowed him to weaken his enemies and strengthen himself, no less.

    But then again, when had Sunny ever fought fairly?

    From the start of it, he had been subtly manipulating the banished prince. Every step back he had taken was meant to bring them into the right positions. The angle at which he held the Cruel Sight had been calculated so that the mirror blade only reflected what Sunny wanted Mordret to see��

    Or rather, so that it didn't reflect what Mordret was not supposed to see.

    And at the moment of his attack, his efforts finally paid off.

    ��Because, in the end, he had chosen to trust Cassie after all.

    The blind girl silently appeared at the entrance of the hall, behind the banished prince. Her eyes were hidden by the silver half-mask, but the polished steel armor and the midnight blue coat were gone. Instead, she was wearing the familiar light tunic and a cloak the color of sea waves.

    This was the Memory gifted to her by Nephis, one that Changing Star had received after slaying an Awakened Terror in her First Nightmare. The armor that possessed an enchantment which made enemies less likely to pay attention to its wearer.

    Unnoticed, Cassie knelt and placed something on the floor in front of her.

    It was a large wooden box, its surface engraved with a complicated weave of a beautiful, but disorienting pattern. The lid was still slightly opened, rising above the lip by a few millimeters.

    Sunny suppressed a grin.

    'Good thinking��'

    The box had not been part of the plan, but Cassie seemed to have made a correction when a beneficial opportunity presented itself.

    The moment the blade of the Cruel Sight met Welthe's saber, the blind girl grabbed the lid, threw it open�� and then poured her soul essence into the box.

    Inside, the mirror trap was lined with plates of polished silver, each reflecting the one opposite it, thus creating an infinite labyrinth of reflections. The pattern on its surface shined with a pale glow.

    Mordret staggered, his laughter cutting short. His hand seemed to weaken.

    Sunny easily pushed the saber aside and thrust his spear forward, aiming to end the fight with one ruthless strike. However, the Prince of Nothing wasn't done yet.

    He recoiled, narrowly avoiding the killing blow. Even though the tip of the Cruel Sight pierced Welthe's flesh, the wound wasn't fatal. In the next moment, Mordret disengaged, jumping back and staggering as he raised the saber into a defensive stance. His eyes darted toward the wooden box.

    "That cursed thing��"

    Blood was streaming down his side, but the banished prince didn't seem to care.

    Neither did Sunny. He dashed forward, feinting a downward slash, then turning it into a swift thrust. Who knew how long Mordret would be slowed down by the mirror trap? It hadn't helped the forces of Valor. He had to finish this fast��

    Mordret barely deflected the attack, moving with visible strain. His mouth twitched.

    "Hey Sunless�� why don't you�� go and destroy that box?"

    Sunny pushed forward, closing the distance between them and simultaneously turning the Cruel Sight into a sword. It flashed through the air, but was deflected once again. Even with his powers reduced so direly, the prince was still a formidable fighter.

    Mordret bared his teeth.

    "No? Ah... but I must insist. Why don't you go and kill that little oracle of yours��"

    His eyes gleamed with vicious amusement.

    "...Lost from Light? That is your True Name, is it not? Do it!"

    Sunny froze. His sword trembled.

    Then, as his face become pale as a ghost and his pupils widened in horror, he slowly turned, facing Cassie. A strange sound escaped from his lips.

    Mordret smiled, slightly relaxing his guard.

    ��It was at that moment that the Cruel Sight shot toward his body, easily sliding past the slender saber.

    Sunny scoffed.

    "...Why don't you go to hell? I already have a master."

 Chapter 590 The Host

    Indeed, it was as Sunny had thought.

    Mordret had learned his secrets from the mirror shard left behind by his Beast. He didn't really know of his Aspect�� he only knew of its reflection.

    And that reflection was incomplete.

    That was why the cunning prince had assumed that he would be able to enslave Sunny by using his True Name. Of course, Mordret would have been careful, taking the possibility that Lost from Light already had a master into account�� but Sunny was half a step ahead. He had doused that caution by being ready to pretend to be enslaved��

    And then attacked.

    ...The Cruel Sight shot forward, narrowly avoiding the mirror fiend's saber and sinking deep into his flesh. It cut through the enchanted black tunic, pierced Welthe's body, and emerged from her back.

    Mordret's face contorted, his eyes full of shock and pain.

    Sunny, of course, couldn't see it, since he was still relying on shadow sense to navigate the world. All he felt was a tremble that went through his enemy's body.

    A moment later, the Prince of Nothing groaned, a stream of blood escaping from his mouth.

    Then, he lashed out with the saber, forcing Sunny to stagger back. The Cruel Sight slid out of the terrible wound, wrecking more damage on its way back. Sunny was slightly disappointed that he had not been able to end the fight right there and then, but it hardly mattered.

    The wound he had delivered was not immediately fatal, but deadly nevertheless. Now, all he had to do was wait for the enemy to bleed out�� even a Master's body was not resilient enough to stem the flood of blood he had caused��

    Mordret, it seemed, realized the same, and dashed forward in a desperate attempt to kill Sunny before the blood loss made him too weak.

    ��Or so Sunny thought.

    'What��'

    Instead of attacking with the saber, the Prince of Nothing used it to push the Cruel Sight aside, and continued to move forward, eventually colliding with Sunny and grabbing him by the throat.

    'Is he crazy?!'

    At such a close distance, Sunny had all the advantages. Mordret couldn't slash with the saber, but he could easily bring his shortsword back for a killing thrust, long before anyone would have been able to strangle him.

    This attack made no sense...

    However, in the next moment, he felt that something was wrong.

    And then, his chest was pierced by a blinding explosion of pain.

    Sunny screamed and staggered back, falling to the floor. Somehow, against all logic, the Prince of Nothing seemed unscathed again, the bloody gash on his torso gone.

    Instead, it was as though Sunny had run himself through with a sword. He could feel a deep wound in his chest, even though the surface of the Undying Chain remained unbroken.

    'C��curses��'

    Fighting through the pain, he rolled away, dodging the descending saber. Luckily for him, Mordret did not pursue, instead choosing to dash toward Cassie and the mirror trap.

    'Damned�� damned Welthe!'

    Although Sunny was not entirely clear on what had happened and how he had ended up with a hole in his chest, he had an inkling. Welthe's Aspect seemed to be all about devoiding the enemy of their power while enhancing your own�� almost as if transferring it. A Master had three Aspect Abilities��

    Was her third Ability capable of transferring wounds from her body to that of others?

    If so�� was he going to die by his own sword?

    No�� no, he wouldn't.

    Unlike Mordret, Sunny was not going to bleed to death. In fact, he was barely bleeding at all. His body was pierced and heavily damaged, but fortunately, blood loss was one of the two causes of death he was practically immune to.

    The other being broken bones.

    The evolved Weaves of his body would not allow such a thing to happen.

    "Argh!"

    Growling from pain, Sunny stood up and swayed slightly. He didn't feel too well�� in fact, he felt pretty terrible. Every breath was torture, and his heartbeat was strange and irregular. Every contraction sent a pulse of suffering rolling through his body.

    'It's alright... I've been through worse�� I think��'

    Sunny willed the Midnight Shard to manifest itself into existence, and tried to assess what was happening around him.

    Mordret was already upon Cassie, his saber flashing toward her neck. The blind girl met his attack with a skillful block, the Quiet Dancer ringing clearly as it deflected the enemy's blade. The blind girl survived��

    However, she was pushed back, away from the mirror trap.

    As soon as her hand left the surface of the wooden box and the flow of soul essence was interrupted, the glow of the engraved pattern shimmered, dimmed, and was then extinguished.

    Mordret sighed.

    "...Not bad, guys. Truly, a valiant effort."

    He glanced at the mirror trap, and then brought the saber down on it, turning the box into a pile of splinters and mangled silver plates.

    Sunny shuddered.

    '...Crap.'

    Released from the burden and back to the full might of his stolen body, the Prince of Nothing inhaled deeply, an expression of delight on his face. Then, he turned to Sunny and smiled amicably.

    "Now, who should I deal with first��"

    At that moment, the austere tachi finished manifesting itself into existence. The [Unbroken] enchantment activated, filling him with newfound power. Its effect wasn't as incredible as when he had been a mere Sleeper, but still quite pronounced.

    Holding the Midnight Shard in one hand and the Cruel Sight in another, Sunny willed the mirror blade to ignite with the incandescent light of the divine flame, and grimaced.

    "Come here, your royal highness. I can promise to kill you quickly."

    With Sunny in front of him and Cassie behind, Mordret laughed.

    "So fun�� ah, what a pity. I am really going to miss you, Sunless��"

    With that, he blurred and was suddenly just a step away, the slender saber falling down with terrifying speed.

    The two of them clashed, with one attacking and the other desperately trying to defend. The ringing of steel merged into one deafening sound. Sunny cursed...

    Although it seemed like an eternity, in fact, just a second had passed. The Quiet Dancer had not even had time to reach them from the other end of the hall to help.

    ��And he really, really needed help.

    Perhaps if he had not been wounded and under the debilitating effect of Welthe's Aspect, Sunny would have been able to hold his ground against the deadly prince. With three shadows wrapped around his body and the gift of the [Unbroken], his prowess would not have been much less than that of a Master.

    But as things stood currently, fighting against Mordret was like trying to fend off a tornado. He barely managed to deflect the killing blows, but couldn't do anything against the rest of the rain of ruthless strikes. The Prince of Nothing fought with terrifying skill and purpose, not leaving Sunny any chances to retaliate�� well, what else did he expect from the heir of War God?

    The bastard truly lived up to his lineage...

    The Undying Chain held, for now, but Sunny knew that it wouldn't be able to protect him much longer.

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    Even when the Quiet Dancer joined the fray, things didn't change much.

    Sunny thought feverishly, trying to come up with some trick, some way for him to survive and prevail. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think of anything he could do to win this fight.

    It all seemed hopeless.

    Slowly, a creeping fear settled in his heart. Ignoring it, ignoring the terrible pain nesting in his chest, Sunny gritted his teeth and continued to resist with all his might, all his cunning, and all his will.

    And it was then that Cassie's voice suddenly reached his ears:

    "Open your eyes!"

    He shivered, suddenly experiencing a feeling of a terrifying deja vu.

    'What�� has she lost her mind?'

    "Open your eyes�� open them, Sunny!"

    Was Cassie hysterical or planning to kill him? Why else would she give him such stupid advice?

    Sunny couldn't come up with one logical reason to listen to her.

    ��In the end, it all came down to a question of blind trust.

    He sighed, then strained his singed eyelids and slowly opened his eyes.

    Mordret's figure came into focus, a surprised and joyful expression on his stolen face.

    Sunny saw his reflection in Welthe's eyes, clad in the bleak steel of the Undying Chain. No�� no, it wasn't him. There was another reflection hiding even deeper, almost lost in the darkness��

    ��And then, it was gone.

    Something cold and alien entered him through the reflection, sinking deep into the dark depths of his soul.

    A moment later, the world disappeared.

 Chapter 591 Sea Of Soul

    Sunny found himself in the tranquil darkness of his Soul Sea.

    It seemed as empty and silent as usual�� the three black suns burned with dark flames above him, arranged in a perfect triangle. Small spheres of light �� his Memories �� floated between them like dying stars. The silent waters were vast and motionless, and some distance away, just beyond the periphery of his vision, the rows of lifeless shadows stood, unmoving.

    However, this time something was different.

    Sunny did not remember entering the Soul Sea, or even wishing to do so. More than that, he couldn't perceive the real world at all. Usually, visiting this place resulted in a strange split of his consciousness, with one part of it exploring the depths of his soul, while the other remained aware of his actual surroundings. It was akin to imagining a landscape�� doing so did not turn you blind and deaf.

    But now, he was here and only here, as nothing existed outside of this dark and silent sea.

    Come to think of it, it was a lonely and frightening place. Untethered from the real world and surrounded by nothing except for deathly silence, Sunny did not feel as calm and comfortable as he usually would.

    ��And he wasn't really alone in the darkness.

    "What a strange soul you have��"

    Hearing those words, Sunny flinched, then turned around.

    The voice that had spoken them did not belong to Welthe. It was familiar and pleasant, just like it had been in the lightless abyss of the Sky Below�� Mordret was speaking with hi real voice once again.

    The Prince of Nothing stood some distance away, looking up with a curious smile on his face. Now, for the first time, Sunny saw how he must have looked before his true body was destroyed.

    Mordret was tall and slender, with pale skin and raven-black hair. He seemed to be in his twenties, older than Kai and Effie by a couple of years. His face was sharp and thin�� not exactly handsome, but at the same time charming and strangely beautiful. His most striking feature, though, were his eyes, which didn't seem to possess a color of their own, and instead reflected the world back on itself like two pools of liquid silver.

    Currently, they were as dark and lightless as the endless abyss of the void.

    Mordret was dressed in a simple tunic, its fabric long devoid of any color. He wore no armor, and didn't seem to bear any weapon. However, Sunny could feel immense pressure radiating from his slender figure, and knew that he was in mortal danger.

    What surprised him, however, was that Mordret's face seemed familiar. In fact�� he looked exactly like a slightly older, male version of Morgan of Valor. The resemblance was too striking to be a coincidence. It could only be shared by siblings��

    And there was another thing that Sunny saw which made him tense and apprehensive.

    All around the Prince of Nothing, he could see a pale golden glow. The same kind of beautiful radiance that hid in his own blood, and surrounded Nephis�� the light of divinity.

    'Curses��'

    Mordret studied the three cores of Sunny's soul curiously, then looked at him with a friendly smile.

    "I have never seen anything like it. How kind it was of you to invite me inside, Sunless! I really do wonder what your little friend was thinking, though�� does she, perhaps, think that you will be able to resist me?"

    Sunny stared at the invader somberly, then shrugged.

    "How would I know what she is thinking? Trying to understand an oracle is a fool's errand, you know."

    Mordret chuckled.

    "Ah, wiser words have never been said. Well, I guess we will find out soon��"

    Sunny shifted slightly, then asked, his voice gloomy:

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    "Why would you even want to possess my body, anyway? Didn't you get Welthe already? What's so great about it that you would rather have me than a Master?"

    The Prince of Nothing smiled.

    "Who says I can't have you both?"

    That seemed like an answer, but actually, it wasn't. Sunny had already experienced Mordret's habit of dodging questions to be misled this way. He frowned and glared at the mirror fiend, unamused.

    The invader laughed.

    "So serious�� don't sell yourself short, Sunless. You might be just an Awakened, but then, who else should I make a vessel if I wish to Ascend myself? Plus, your body suits my current needs perfectly. You have an Aspect that gifts you both stealth and teleportation Abilities. A perfect combination for someone who wishes to escape a Saint, don't you think?"

    He took another step forward and continued:

    "I also have never met or heard of anyone else who possesses a Divine Aspect. Imagine my surprise when I found out that you were just like me. And that thing you have�� I am very curious to find out what it is that allowed you to make me blind, back in the Ebony Tower. Such a powerful anti-divination artifact will make my life much, much easier�� so, you see, although I am not too happy about it, taking you as a vessel is a regretful, but inevitable choice I had to make."

    Sunny narrowed his eyes, trying to understand what Mordret was talking about. Making him blind�� back in the Ebony Tower? Sunny had worn Weaver's Mask to read the harrowing runes on the fifth level of the stronghold of the ruler of the Underworld. Was that what the mirror fiend meant?

    So the Mask had been able to hide Sunny from his spying, as well�� and more than that, the Mirror Beast had not managed to glimpse its secrets. So, Mordret did not know what it was, just that there was something in Sunny's possession that could prevent him from being tracked and seen by otherworldly means.

    ��When he narrowed his eyes, though, something else happened.

    Sunny didn't expect it, so he almost lost his composure. He had not known that he possessed such an ability, but it seemed that the evolution of the Blood Weave had enhanced his eyes, as well.

    Suddenly, he was able to peer beneath the surface of Mordret's soul, just like he was able to peer beneath the surface of Memories and Echoes to study their weaves.

    And what he saw there made him tremble.

    'Crap...'

    As a living soul, the Prince of Nothing did not possess a spellweave, of course. However, what he did possess were soul cores�� six of them��

    Mordret was a Terror.

    And that Terror was getting closer and closer to Sunny.

    "...to tell you the truth, Sunless, your body fits me so perfectly that I even thought, for a second, that the old man had sent you to me as a gift. Gods know he has a lot to apologize for�� to think that he had nothing to do with it, and all of this was just a coincidence! That funny Attribute of yours is really something, isn't it?"

    Sunny gritted his teeth, and then said in a grim tone:

    "That is really wonderful. I am very glad for you, pal. However�� what exactly happens now? You don't really expect me to just surrender my body to you, right?"

    Here in the Soul Sea, Sunny wasn't bound by his Flaw, since his words were nothing more than thoughts. It was actually a bit of a relief.

    Mordret stopped, now just a few steps away from him, and smiled.

    "Now? Why, what else�� now, I am going to destroy your soul, of course��"

 Chapter 592 Soul Slayer

    Sunny looked down on himself, evaluating his own state.

    The wound in his chest was gone. However, it wasn't as though he was unscathed�� his body, or at least this manifestation of it, seemed battered and beaten. However, it was also full of ferocious strength and vigor, as well as feeling light, as if a tremendous weight had been lifted off his shoulders just a few moments ago.

    He didn't know how exactly this battle of the souls was supposed to work, but suspected that his current form was a representation of his spirit. He had endured a lot in these recent weeks, enough suffering and fear to crush someone with a lesser will�� Sunny, however, had survived far worse, so his strength was not diminished by much.

    He was still clad in the bleak steel of the Undying Chain, and holding his weapons. Three shadows lay at his feet, and he could feel the presence of the Soul Serpent nearby. His enemy, meanwhile, was alone and unarmed.

    This was Sunny's soul, after all. Here, he was bound to have the ultimate advantage.

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    'Let's see who will destroy whom, you bastard.'

    With a smirk, Sunny commanded the shadows to rise and wrap themselves around his body. Instantly, his strength, speed, and resilience were enhanced manifold��

    In the next moment, however, his expression froze.

    Mordret looked at him, then smiled. As he did, six shadows descended upon him like a dark mantle, making the pressure that the Prince of Nothing exerted feel almost suffocating.

    "...You didn't think that it would be that easy, did you?"

    A split second later, he was beside Sunny, his fist crashing into the breastplate of the Undying Chain. As pain exploded through his body, Sunny flew back and fell onto the still water, sliding across it into the darkness.

    'What?'

    Before he could even rise, Mordret was already upon him, his foot slamming into Sunny's ribs. Sunny yelped as he was thrown into the air, then felt another blow landing on his chest, pushing all air out of his lungs and sending him plummeting back down.

    Knowing that he had to escape somehow, Sunny dove into the shadows and emerged from the darkness behind the Prince of Nothing, the blade of the Cruel Sight shooting forward.

    However, it pierced nothing but air.

    Mordret had turned into a shadow himself, and disappeared without a trace, his laughter echoing across the surface of the silent sea.

    "Weak! Too weak��"

    Something struck Sunny in the back, sending another explosion of pain rolling through the very core of his being. He groaned and tried to slash with the Midnight Shard, but the enemy was already gone. A moment later, he was kicked in the abdomen, then ruthlessly slammed across the face.

    Mordret's fist felt like a sledgehammer�� no, like a mountain descending.

    Half-blinded and disoriented, Sunny fell to his knees, spitting blood.

    'What the�� what the hell��'

    This was not how he had imagined things going. The damned mirror fiend clearly had to weaken his prey before attacking�� so, his victory was not set in stone. There was a way to defeat him, somehow, and since Sunny's spirit had not been broken, he had expected to be able to prevail.

    However, the bastard was just too powerful�� how was he supposed to resist such terrifying force?!

    Worse than that, Mordret seemed to be able to mirror all of his powers��

    "Bastard! Lost from Light, stop!"

    The Prince of Nothing laughed again, then struck Sunny in the side of his head, almost blinding him.

    "Sorry to say this, but that trick is not going to work�� this is an entirely different situation, you know��"

    Hurting and hoping to escape the next blow, Sunny turned into a shadow again. This time, however, he wasn't in a hurry to attack and remained incorporeal, thinking��

    Before he could form a single thought, however, another shadow lunged at him from the darkness, and suddenly, he was in the throes of indescribable agony, his very soul damaged and cracked. With a stifled shriek, Sunny escaped the shadows and assumed his human form again, only to be ruthlessly struck down a moment later.

    He fall on his back and desperately gulped for air, but his lungs seemed to be paralyzed. All he could do was try to block the next blow, only for it to fail and another wave of pain spread through his body.

    'Goddamit!'

    Sunny used Shadow Step to disengage, but his enemy simply followed. He deflected one strike, almost managing to cut Mordret's forearm open, but the mirror fiend was just too fast, strong, and skilled.

    No matter how hard Sunny fought, it was all useless. No matter what strategy he tried to implement, Mordret saw right through it. Fighting against the Prince of Nothing was like fighting against death itself �� he was terrifying, inevitable, and final.

    There was no escape��

    But Sunny was not going to give up. At this point, he wasn't even sure that he knew how.

    He gritted his teeth, endured the pain, and fought.

    After what seemed like an eternity, beaten and bloodied, Sunny was thrown down again. The helmet of the Undying Chain was bent and deformed, pressing into his temple and obstructing his vision. He dismissed it and raised a hand to defend himself, but it was easily wrestled down.

    Mordret had a few bruises of his own, but looked infinitely better than Sunny. Grabbing him by the throat, the banished prince inhaled deeply, and then asked in a somber tone:

    "Haven't you had enough? Why don't you just surrender? I am not enjoying this one bit, you know."

    Sunny looked at him through the red haze and grinned, his teeth painted red by blood.

    "R��really? Ah, too bad�� cuz�� I'm actually having the time of my life��"

    With that, he lowered his head and tried to sink his teeth into Mordret's hand.

    The Prince of Nothing sighed, then hit Sunny in the face, sending him rolling away.

    'Crap�� that one... really, really hurt��'

    Sunny slid a few meters and came to a rest just beyond the rows of silent shadows. He tried to stand up, but the world suddenly spun around, making him fall back down. A quiet groan escaped from his lips.

    Mordret shook his head dejectedly, and then walked over to the Cruel Sight, which lay on the surface of the tranquil waters where Sunny had dropped it. He bent down to pick it up, but the somber spear simply turned to tenebrous mist, dismissed by its master.

    The mirror fiend remained unperturbed. He lowered his fingers into the water and caught the reflection of the fearsome Memory before it fully dissipated, then brought it up, ending up with the exact same spear in his hand.

    "To think that the Spell would make it anew and return it to me... it's fitting, I guess."

    He studied the Cruel Sight for a moment, then turned to Sunny, a dark look in his eyes.

    "Let's end this now�� no matter what you may think, I don't enjoy torturing people. Ah, unless they deserve to be tortured, of course."

    Sunny finally managed to rise to his knees, and glanced at the approaching prince with a grim expression. One of his hands reached toward the hilt of the Midnight Shard, which lay some distance away, while the other was pinned awkwardly behind him.

    In it, a ghostly stiletto silently appeared, its transparent blade hidden from sight by Sunny's body.

    "Whatever you say��"

    Mordret willed the Cruel Sight to extend to its full length, then lunged forward, thrusting it toward Sunny's heart.

    Sunny tensed, preparing to dodge��

    But before he had a chance to, he was suddenly covered by a massive shadow, and a long, multijointed arm appeared from somewhere above, blocking the blade of the spear with its terrifying bone claws.

    Sunny blinked.

    Mordret froze, too, and then slowly looked up. As he did, Sunny mirrored the movement.

    ...Towering above him, the shadow of the Mountain King stood silently, one of its four arms extended forward. For a moment, nothing happened��

    And then, another shadow moved slightly, clicking its chitinous claws. One of the carapace scavengers took a small step forward.

    Like a chain reaction, a wave of movement spread through the ranks of the silent shadows, bringing them to life. All of them shifted, their gazes focusing on Mordret. Members of the carapace legion, dwellers of the Crimson Labyrinth, horrors of the Dark City, inhabitants of the Chained Isles... there were monsters of all shapes and sizes, each more terrifying than the other. A horde of creatures that Sunny had slain��

    There was an abominable Spire Messenger, a nest of slithering vines, a tall knight in a heavy suit of intricate armor, a strange creature with a chest in place of a head... and many, many more.

    For the first time, confidence drained from Mordret's face, and he paled. Taking an involuntary step back, the Prince of Nothing hesitated, then said evenly:

    "Sunless, my dear friend�� tell me�� why is there an army of dead Nightmare Creatures hidden in your soul?"

    Sunny finally managed to grab the Midnight Shard and slowly rose to his feet, using the tachi as support. His teeth flashed in a dark smile.

    "Oh�� I have human souls here, too. So, don't you worry, Mordret�� when I kill you�� you'll have good company, at least��"

    The mirror fiend chuckled nervously, then slowly brandished the reflection of the Cruel Sight.

    In the next moment, the horde of shadows surged forward, descending upon him like an avalanche of darkness.

    And Mordret suddenly��

    Vanished without a trace, as if he had never existed.

 Chapter 593 One Step Forward

    Sunny opened his eyes, disoriented. The orange glow of the fire and the dancing shadows on the shattered walls, the smell of blood, the tearing pain in his chest�� he had escaped the Soul Sea and returned to the scorched heart of the Night Temple.

    He had prevailed�� but what was going on?

    It felt as if he was falling��

    Why was he falling?

    Sunny crashed onto the cracked stone plates of the floor and heard Welthe's body falling somewhere nearby. A tortured groan escaped from his lips, and then a stifled curse.

    'What the hell��'

    Although his battle with Mordret had lasted for a while, it seemed that just a single moment passed in the real world. That time had not even been enough for Sunny to properly fall down.

    The Quiet Dancer was still in the same position, and Cassie was still rushing over, dagger in hand.

    'I... survived?'

    However, why did it feel like he was forgetting something?

    Sunny strained his wounded body, trying to sit up. He felt exhausted and weak �� both from his physical injuries and the damage his soul had sustained in the harrowing battle against Prince of Nothing.

    What�� what was it?

    Cassie was already by his side, reaching out to help him sit. Her rapier hovered in the air, and then turned, the tip of its blade aiming at Welthe's unmoving form.

    'Oh, right�� where did Mordret disappear to?'

    Suddenly, his eyes widened.

    Sunny raised his head, pointing at Welthe.

    "K��kill her!"

    The Quiet Dancer was already flashing through the air, reacting faster than its master. Cassie frowned.

    "What? Isn't he d��"

    But it was too late.

    Welthe suddenly moved, her hand shooting forward to catch the flying rapier by the blade. The sharp point stopped just a few centimeters away from her throat.

    ��No, Mordret wasn't dead. He had simply run away, retreating from a fight that he knew he wouldn't be able to win.

    Back to his previous vessel.

    Cassie stared at the Prince of Nothing in shock, and then shrieked when thin cracks appeared on the blade of the graceful rapier. She hurriedly dismissed the Echo, saving it from the crushing grip, and pulled Sunny to his feet.

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    "What�� what do we do now?!"

    Sunny saw the body of the Ascended knight stirring, as if slowly coming back to life. Her hollow eyes suddenly glistened, becoming full of dark will and lethal intelligence once again.

    His heart skipped a beat.

    Now that Mordret had failed to both enslave and possess Sunny, there was only one use for him left. Torture the Weaver's Mask out of him, and then dispose of what was left.

    With that fiend wearing a Master's body�� what were they supposed to do, indeed?

    Actually, Sunny had a perfect answer.

    He glanced at Cassie with a determined expression, and then screamed:

    "What else?! Run!"

    ��Mordret wasn't the only one who knew when to remove himself from a hopeless situation.

    Pushing the blind girl toward the large hole in the wall of the former stronghold of the Valor forces, Sunny turned his back on Welthe, who was slowly rising to her feet, and sprinted away as fast as he could. His eyes were tightly shut, so that the bastard couldn't spy on them through the reflections.

    The Night Temple was a large place. With some luck, they would be able to play cat and mouse�� or rather, mice and tiger�� with the damned prince for a few days.

    Hopefully, Saint Cormac would arrive soon.

    As he was diving through the breach in the wall, a mocking voice assaulted him from behind:

    "...What, leaving so soon?"

    Feeling Mordret taking a step forward, Sunny dismissed the Heavenly Burden. Pierce's corpse, which was still pressed against the ceiling, suddenly plunged down and crashed right in front of the mirror fiend, forcing him to jump back and slow down a little.

    Without turning his head, Sunny threw the Broken Oath behind him, then sent the Ordinary Rock flying into the depths of a random corridor, and ran in the opposite direction with Cassie.

    As they rushed away, the Rock ricochetted off the walls and screamed loudly in Sunny's voice:

    "Run! Run! Run!"

    ***

    Sunny didn't expect his tricks to slow down Mordret for long, but with enough of a head start, they were bound to be able to disappear into the confusing labyrinth of the great cathedral. They just had to get out of the inner sanctum in time�� once outside, catching them would be much harder.

    He might not have been a match for the Prince of Nothing in direct combat�� for now�� but when it came to stealth and traversal, Sunny had a decisive advantage. Not only could he use Shadow Step to jump across large distances, but he could also use his shadows and senses to scout, spy on the enemy, and navigate in the darkness.

    Mordret, meanwhile, was only able to see through reflections, which were few and far between in the Night Temple. Hiding from him was not an impossible task.

    Especially with the help of Cassie and her uncanny intuition �� the blind girl was going to slow Sunny down somewhat, but at the same time, having her with him was a boon.

    Just as he thought that, Cassie suddenly pulled him into a barely visible mouth of a narrow corridor, which then led them to a small staircase. They ascended it and ran through a circular hall, sliding down the domed floor and then climbing back up.

    As they did, an echo of a deafening crash reached their ears, announcing that the Prince of Nothing was not too far behind.

    What was the bastard doing, breaking through stone walls instead of searching for a path?!

    The interior of the Citadel was bizarre and confusing, so Sunny quickly lost his sense of direction. All he knew was that they weren't moving toward the familiar exit out of the inner sanctum, nor were they approaching the central bell tower.

    His doubts were dispelled, however, when Cassie opened a narrow wooden door, and cold wind hit him in the face.

    Somehow, they had reached the grand hall of the cathedral, where the broken Gateway stood in the center of the vast basin of the craterous dome. Instead of entering it through the tall gates of the inner sanctum, Sunny and Cassie appeared on a hidden gallery circling the hall's perimeter high above.

    Almost at the same time, a familiar figure emerged from the gates far below.

 Chapter 594 Two Steps Back

    Mordret was right below them, walking out into the great hall of the somber cathedral at a relaxed pace. Above his shoulders, a dozen blinding orbs of light hovered in the air, throwing white reflections of the dark stones.

    Sunny silently stepped back, pulling Cassie with him. Pressed against the back wall of the gallery and safely hidden in the deep shadows, they slowly moved away.

    Below, the spheres of light suddenly shot in different directions, illuminating a large portion of the dark nave. Luckily, their radiance did not reach the hidden gallery, be it just barely.

    ��What it did reach, though, were the hundreds of mirror shards scattered around the vast expanse of the inverse hall. Each of them shone, reflecting the white light.

    It was as though countless stars suddenly ignited in the darkness.

    Sunny silently cursed, knowing that those shards served Mordret as eyes. Who knew how many more were hidden throughout the cathedral? Without slowing down, he dismissed the Memories he had left behind, and continued moving toward the distant end of the vast circular chamber.

    The Prince of Nothing, meanwhile, tilted his head a little:

    "Where are they hiding? I wonder��"

    Suddenly, he was surrounded by a whirlwind of white sparks. Sunny did not linger to see what Memories Mordret was summoning, and instead concentrated on reaching another door.

    Before the sparks of light coalesced into tangible shapes, Cassie and he had already left the gallery, finding themselves in another corridor.

    They had successfully left the sanctum behind and were now in the main structure of the Citadel. It was a large and convoluted space, so finding them here was not going to be easy �� from where they stood now, just outside the nave, they could go anywhere in the temple proper, exit into the outward ring, or descend into any of the six belfries.

    They could even circle back and try to hide in the seventh, the main bell tower, hoping that the mirror fiend would not expect them to return.

    However, somehow, Sunny doubted that escaping Mordret would be that easy.

    The morbid remains of his butchered victims were all around them, after all. None of these people had escaped...

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    He hesitated for a moment, then pulled Cassie in the direction of the outward ring. That was the part of the Citadel they both knew the best, which was an important advantage. Of course, the banished prince understood that, too, which meant that he would most likely be moving there, too.

    This was a risk Sunny had to take.

    At the end of the day, their goal was to escape�� and they could only do that by reaching the sealed gates of the Night Temple.

    ***

    A few hours passed, suffused with fear and tension. Sunny and Cassie had moved through the main structure of the cathedral, getting closer and closer to the outward ring. On the way, they took a short break �� partially to eat and replenish their strength, but mostly because he simply couldn't walk anymore.

    The exhaustion and pain were taking their toll on Sunny. Finding a safe spot, he fell to the floor and remained motionless for a while, breathing hoarsely. Then, he dismissed the breastplate of the Undying Chain, pulled the shirt hiding beneath up, and tentatively explored the dire wound dealt to him by Mordret.

    The result was not too good�� Sunny wasn't going to die anytime soon, but neither was he going to heal quickly. For the time being, he was as good as crippled.

    "Curses��"

    At least he had not bled to death�� that was something, at least.

    He summoned the breastplate back, then opened the Covetous Coffer and took out a couple of tubes of synthpaste. The two of them hurriedly consumed the nutritious sludge, and then, it was time to get back up again.

    Before that, however, Cassie handed him something.

    "...Here. You hold on to this."

    Sunny took the item and raised his eyebrows, recognizing the shape. It was a small piece of cold steel, shaped into a semblance of an anvil.

    His fingers, though, could feel that the thing was not at all simple. In fact, it seemed like one of the most potent artifacts he had ever held��

    "Welthe's amulet? When did you grab it?"

    The blind girl sighed.

    "After you opened your eyes. I should have tried to reach his body in time, instead. If only I had more essence, I could have seen�� could have done something differently��"

    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then threw the amulet into the maw of the Covetous Coffer.

    "Why are you so down? Yeah, we might have failed to get rid of that bastard, but then again, we've done better than a hundred Lost and two knights of Valor did. That's not too bad of an achievement, isn't it? Plus, Mordret's plans are also ruined�� he might seem in control, but trust me, that guy is in as much trouble as we are. Things didn't exactly go his way, either��"

    The blind girl remained silent for a few moments, then nodded and helped him stand up.

    Somewhat rested, but not at all free of exhaustion, they continued moving forward, soon crossing into the outward ring.

    When they did, however, Cassie suddenly froze, then trembled.

    Sunny tensed.

    'What��'

    Then, he heard it too �� the insidious sound of approaching footsteps. And a second later, Welthe's familiar voice:

    "There you are��"

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny grabbed Cassie's hand and ran in the opposite direction.

    'Damn it, damn it, damn it��'

    His chest was burning, pulsating with excruciating pain. They moved with all the speed they could muster, but what was the point? A Master was so much faster than an Awakened. Even though Mordret didn't seem to be in a hurry, the sound of his footsteps was growing closer and closer.

    Before he could reach them, however��

    The whole Night Temple suddenly shook, throwing Sunny to the floor.

    An explosion of pain radiated through his body, and a moment later, his Shadow Sense was not constrained by the outer walls of the Citadel anymore. It pierced the black stone and easily reached into the vast emptiness beyond.

    Sunny clenched his fists.

    'The seal�� it's lifted!'

    ...The Saint had arrived.

 Chapter 595 The Saints Are Coming

    At that point, Sunny and Cassie weren't too far away from the gate chamber, where they had made a morbid discovery soon after escaping from the cage. Back then, the heavy gates had been closed and sealed�� now, however, it seemed that they were finally opened.

    Saint Cormac had returned from his expedition to the Hollow Mountains a few days sooner than expected.

    For a moment, Sunny was overcome by fierce joy��

    Then, however, the cold and rational part of his mind took over.

    Yes, the arrival of the Saint created a path of escape, and was bound to solve their Mordret problem�� most likely.

    But who was to say that the Transcendent warrior would not turn out to be an even deadlier threat?

    The first thing Saint Cormac was going to see after entering the Citadel was a pile of mutilated corpses. After that, he would most likely kill anyone who appears in his way. After all, any survivor would either be a potential vessel of the banished prince�� or a witness.

    Sunny gritted his teeth, then rose to his feet and pulled Cassie into a side corridor. There, they hid in the shadows, wrapped her cloak around themselves, and waited. He didn't dare to extend his shadow sense toward the gates or send his shadows forward to scout, fearful to draw the Saint's attention, so neither of them knew what was going on.

    A few seconds passed in terrifying silence, and then, Sunny heard something rustle through the corridor they had just left. A gust of wind blew past them, as if left behind by something moving at incredible speed.

    A moment later, they heard a distant impact, and the Night Temple trembled once again.

    It seemed that Saint Cormac had already found Mordret.

    Sunny pushed Cassie to her feet and hissed:

    "Hurry! To the gate!"

    They ran toward the exit. Soon, the familiar chamber came into view, fresh air mixing with the terrible smell of the rotting corpses. The gates of the Night Temple stood wide open, the impenetrable darkness of the Sky Below stretching into eternity beyond them.

    The tall doorway seemed like a portal into the endless night.

    Now slowing down even for a moment, Sunny and Cassie dashed toward freedom, passed through the gates, and finally escaped the cursed cathedral. After a month of suffering, bloodshed, and harrowing dread they had experienced in this ghastly stone trap, the air of the lightless abyss seemed sweet like nectar.

    Just as they left, the Night Temple shuddered once again, dust falling from its ancient walls. Far below, the bells rang somberly, their usually melodious song sounding strangely staggered and frantic.

    The Saint was battling the Prince of Nothing, the whole Citadel suffering the burden of their furious clash.

    "Hurry! It's not over yet!"

    The two of them dashed across the rickety bridge that swayed above the chasm of the Sky Below on rusty chains, and soon reached the treacherous stairs that skirted the slope of the Northern island.

    Running up the narrow steps, both of them knew that one wrong step can potentially cost them their lives. But Sunny was unwilling to slow down. They had to reach the surface, cross the island, traverse the heavenly chain�� all before Saint Cormac was done dealing with the escaped prisoner.

    'Too long�� this is taking too long��'

    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then summoned the Heavenly Burden.

    "Climb onto my back!"

    Cassie lingered, then did as she was told. He drove the black needle between the plates of the Undying Chain, cursed, and then threw his hand forward, the triangular blade of the Prowling Thorn shooting into the overhanging stone slope.

    With the blind girl's weight added to his own, the speed of their ascent wasn't too fast. However, with the help of the kunai and its invisible string, Sunny was able to increase it somewhat. It was an arduous and nerve-wracking journey �� the two of them were like a spider scaling a mountain with the help of a single thread of silk.

    The difference was that the mountain was steeper than vertical, and there were furious winds threatening to either crush them against the stones, or throw them away into the darkness of the Sky Below.

    However, after a dozen torturous minutes �� or maybe an eternity �� they still managed to reach the surface of the island, alive.

    Sunny dismissed the needle and fell onto the soft ground, gripping his chest. There were disturbing, wheezing sounds coming out of his lungs with each breath. He lay motionless for a few moments, then allowed Cassie to pull him to his feet.

    "...I know, I know. We need to move. It's not time to rest, yet��"

    They ran across the field of flowers, the Hollow Mountains towering behind them. White mist was flowing down their slopes, and there was something white dancing in the air in front of them, too.

    Sunny felt a pleasant cold spreading across his burning face.

    His heart contracted painfully.

    'Snow�� it's snowing��'

    Was it December already? Or did the first snowfall arrive ahead of time, as well?

    There was no escaping fate...

    The Northern Island trembled beneath them.

    ��And just a few moments later, a dark figure appeared in their way.

    Sunny had never met Saint Cormac, but he recognized him almost instantly. Only a Transcended could have such a deep, unfathomable shadow, and a presence that seemed to affect the very world around him.

    The Saint looked to be in his thirties, with a cold face and dark, ruthless eyes. His black armor was battered and worn, barely holding together after a month of exploring the Death Zone. Surprisingly, it wasn't too impressive, as far as armor-type Memories went. Neither was he wielding a terrifying weapon.

    ��His fingers, however, were covered with fresh blood, crimson drops falling down and painting the delicate violet flowers red.

    It seemed that Mordret had failed to gain freedom, in the end. His last vessel was destroyed.

    Saint Cormac frowned, looking at the two of them, then took a step forward. The snow swirled, surrounding him like a cold mantle. Sunny was suddenly overwhelmed by a feeling of suffocating killing intent.

    He shifted slightly, pushing Cassie behind him. His eyes darted around, hoping to find something�� anything�� that would save their lives.

    Then, suddenly, the world darkened, as though a transient shadow covered the sun. A second later, the shadow was gone in a rustle of wings, and a tall, slender woman was standing between them and the approaching Saint, her posture straight like an arrow.

    Sky Tide shielded Sunny and Cassie with her body and glanced at the other Transcended warrior, her beautiful face as cold and stark as always, her vertical pupils full of calm, grim resolve.

    "...That is enough, Cormac. Turn back."

 Chapter 596 And We Wwere Gone

    Sunny staggered back, stunned by the sudden appearance of Saint Tyris. A tense, dangerous silence settled over the island after she spoke, with only the wailing of the wind breaking it.

    Snow danced in the air, slowly settling onto the cold ground.

    His heart was beating like a caged animal.

    'Where did she come from�� what is going on, damn it?'

    Cormac scowled and looked at the slender woman with a dark expression on his stern, weathered face. The Saint did not seem amused by the sudden appearance of the leader of the White Feather clan.

    "Sky Tide�� stay out of this."

    Saint Tyris didn't move, still shielding Sunny and Cassie with her slender body. The wind picked up, and the clouds seemed to become heavier, as if expressing her suppressed emotions.

    ��Only, as Sunny realized, they weren't suppressed at all. Sky Tide just didn't show them on her face. Instead, the world itself did it for her.

    "I think not."

    Cormac winced, resentful sparks appearing in his eyes.

    "You don't know what you are interfering with, Tyris. Get out of my way. This is not your business."

    She shifted slightly, the howling of wind growing louder. The violet flowers bent, pressed down to the ground.

    "...This is my land. These Awakened are of my Citadel. Anything that happens here, and to them, is my business."

    The other Saint sighed, then took a step forward.

    "The entire garrison of the Night Temple was wiped out. These two are the only witnesses. Are sure that you want to make their fate your burden?"

    Sky Tide frowned, then spoke, her voice even:

    "If that is true, we can question them together, back in the Sanctuary."

    Cormac smiled darkly, then shook his head.

    "I'm afraid that won't be convenient. You might not know my task here, Tyris, but you know who gave it to me. Obstructing me in this matter is the same as obstructing the will of Valor�� you wouldn't want to do that, would you?"

    A corner of Sky Tide's mouth suddenly twisted upward. She stared at the fearsome Saint, and said, a hint of mocking in her voice:

    "What is he going to do? How is he going to punish me? Exile my clan to a remote frontier region, maybe? Oh�� wait��"

    She took a step forward, as well, her tone changing, becoming darker and heavier. The clouds swallowed the sun, submerging the world into shadows.

    "You have forgotten, Cormac�� I am Sky Tide of the White Feather clan, not Valor. I am a vassal of the King�� not his servant. Six years ago, I looked the other way and allowed your odious scheme to happen. I have regretted it ever since. This is my land, my isles. You are only a guest here. I warn you�� do not test the limits of my hospitality!"

    As he spoke the last words, a deafening thunderclap resounded, rolling across the Chained Isles like a herald of heavenly wrath.

    Cormac stared at her, unimpressed. An expression of contempt appeared in the depths of his cold, dangerous eyes. The Saint moved his shoulders, as if stretching his muscles, and then said darkly:

    "Your arrogance is so tiresome, Tyris. Warn me? What gives you the courage to warn�� me? You say that I have forgotten, but it is you who doesn't seem to remember. Who I am. What I am. And what I am capable of��"

    He stepped forward, his killing intent growing thicker and more suffocating, almost palpable.

    "What gave you the idea that this is a negotiation? You will stand down, or I will put you down. Either way, the result will be the same."

    Saint Tyris lingered for a moment, then looked over her shoulder at Sunny and Cassie. Her gaze was calm and somber.

    "...It's time for the two of you to go."

    Sunny took a step back, his mouth suddenly dry. He opened it, trying to force out a question:

    "But�� but what about��"

    Sky Tide was already looking at Cormac, who was approaching with steady steps. Her hair danced in the wind like a stream of pale gold.

    "Run! You won't survive the fury of this battle!"

    Sunny hesitated for a split second, then grabbed Cassie and ran. They dashed away from the two Saints, heading for the distant edge of the island. He didn't know what a fight between Transcendents would look like, but had no doubt that mere mortals like the two of them had no place in the middle of it.

    'Crazy�� the world has gone completely crazy!'

    A moment later, something collided with a thunderous roar behind them, and Sunny was thrown into the air. A violent shockwave passed through his body, causing a short scream to escape from his mouth.

    He hit the ground and felt it shifting, as if a powerful earthquake was happening mere meters away. Sunny struggled to rise back to his feet, then helped Cassie do the same and continued to run. Shards of stone flew past them like bullets, and the snowfall was already turning into a furious blizzard.

    Behind them, two vast shadows rose into the sky.

    One was a giant bird of prey, her feathers white, her sharp beak and devastating talons forged out of lustrous, polished steel. Her enormous wings were wreathed in thunderclouds, and bolts of lightning danced around her body like a radiant mantle.

    The other was a ferocious wyvern, his black scales as dark as the abyss, with mighty muscles rolling under them like iron chains. The head of the creature was crowned with twisting horns, and in his maw, countless sharp fangs glowed darkly, illuminated by immolating red flame burning in the depths of the beast's adamantine body.

    Tyris and Cormac flew into the skies, soon disappearing in the veil of storm clouds. A terrifying roar rolled across the island, and then, another shockwave hit, tearing a hole in the blizzard.

    Boiling blood suddenly streamed from above, falling on the snow like vermilion rain.

    'Gods�� oh, gods��'

    Sunny and Cassie could only run. From time to time, a violent tremor threw them to the ground. The hurricane wind threw snow and sharp bits of ice into their faces, and their ears were ringing from the thunderous cacophony of the titanic battle happening somewhere above them.

    They were almost to the edge of the island, ready to jump onto the chain, when there was a sudden lull in the terrifying havoc.

    And then, two shadows fell down from the skies, so fast that Sunny couldn't even tell who was who.

    The Saints collided against the center of the island with such force that its surface swayed like water. The shockwave of the impact was so fierce that it instantly obliterated the field of flowers, blew away the top layers of the soil, and made the stronghold on the northern edge crumble into dust.

    The ground itself split open, a wide crack spreading to both ends of the isle, cutting it in two.

    The Northern Island shuddered�� and then crumbled, large pieces of stone breaking off and flying into the darkness as more and more cracks appeared, and the tension of the heavenly chains tore the island apart.

    Sunny, of course, could not appreciate the full scope of the disaster. All he could sense was that they were sent rolling down once again, this time even more violently than before. Only this time, instead of soil or stone, what they found beneath them was�� nothing.

    The ground disappeared, and Sunny found himself falling down, down, down. Down into the endless darkness of the Sky Below.

    All he could do was grab Cassie and hold her close, making sure that they weren't separated.

    Bloodied, mangled, and weak, they plummeted into the abyss as all around them, devastation reigned.

    The Night Temple cracked, then disintegrated into a rain of black stones. The seven bells rang mournfully as they disappeared into the void.

    The colossal chain that served as one of the anchors of the Chained Isles shot toward the Hollow Mountains, colliding with their slopes with enough force to make the ancient slope shatter and create a momentary hole in the veil of flowing mist.

    ��Luckily for Sunny, his eyes were still closed, so he didn't see what hid beneath.

    And somewhere in all this chaos, the two Saint continued their harrowing battle.

    Sunny held Cassie tightly and fell, happy to be getting further and further away from that clash with each second.

    After a while, the sounds of the fighting disappeared far above.

    The signs of destruction disappeared, too, as well as the last remnants of the light.

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    Now, they were falling through absolute darkness in complete silence and solitude, with nothing threatening their lives.

    ��It was sort of peaceful.

    Sunny sighed, finally allowed himself to open his eyes, then glanced at Cassie and forced out a weak smile.

    "...See? We're not dead. Your vision was a bust, again."

    She trembled.

    "How�� how are you so calm? We are falling into the Sky Below! Not dead�� yet!"

    He tried to laugh, then winced and decided against it.

    "This place is actually not so bad. Just wait for a little�� we'll fall for a bit more, and then I'll summon Memories to either guide us back up or push us toward the rift. We have food and water, at least�� you won't believe what I had to eat the last time��"

    Remembering the dead mimic, Sunny shivered.

    "Yeah, this is definitely not bad. Believe me�� it could have been so, so much worse."

    However��

    As soon as Sunny said that, something changed in the lightless void.

    A swift shadow shot toward them, surrounded by a circle of furious light.

    'What��'

    Before Sunny could even react, two hands extended toward them, one grabbing him, the other closing around the nape Cassie's cloak.

    With nothing to stand on, they were as defenseless as Pierce had been moments before Sunny killed him.

    'Damna��'

    "Oh, thank gods! I found you!"

    He blinked.

    That voice�� why did it sound familiar?

    Sunny stared into the light, his eyes slowly adjusting to it. Soon, he was able to see the shape of a paper lantern that floated in the air, just above the shoulder of a tall, infuriatingly handsome young man in a needlessly fashionable armor.

    Sunny opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again.

    "...Kai? What the hell are you doing here?"

    The charming archer smiled, an expression of joy and profound relief appearing on his face.

    "What else? Rescuing you, of course��"

 Chapter 597 Welcome Aboard

    "Hold on for a bit more!"

    The archer strained a little, bearing their weight as he darted through the abyss, his flight swift and effortless. Illuminated by the paper lantern, the three of them traveled through the darkness like a small comet, moving faster and faster.

    The wind whistled in Sunny's ears.

    He remained silent for a bit, dumbfounded, then asked:

    "Wait�� was it you who brought Saint Tyris here?"

    Kai smiled, looking somewhere far away.

    "Of course! When you and Cassie didn't return to the real world, we knew that the negotiation with the representatives of clan Valor must have failed. But when you didn't arrive at Shipwreck Island by November, as the plan had been, it was clear that something went wrong. So, Effie and I waited for a bit, then went to the White Feather clan for help."

    He paused for a moment, and then added:

    "Eventually, we decided to come to the Night Temple ourselves. That was a week ago. We have just arrived yesterday."

    'But the Citadel was sealed��'

    Sunny frowned, suddenly catching an inconsistency in Kai's words.

    "Wait�� a week ago? How did you cross the Chained Isles so fast?"

    The archer smiled brightly.

    "...Look ahead!"

    'What does he��'

    Sunny glanced forward, and froze.

    They were swiftly approaching another source of light, this one much, much larger. Or rather, it was moving in their direction, even faster than Kai was flying.

    A few moments later, a graceful shape of a resplendent wooden ship became visible, flowing through the darkness of the Sky Below as though on water. Its sails were pristine white, and around the main mast, a young tree was growing, its branches brimming with vibrant green leaves.

    ��The Fire Keepers had succeeded in repairing the ancient vessel after all, it seemed.

    It looked elegant and swift, its hull devoid of the cracks and breaches that had marred its surface before. A patchwork of replacement boards still stood out on the polished wood, and here and there, the structure of the ship seemed rickety and slapdash �� especially near the bow, which had been previously almost destroyed. However, overall, the vessel was a magnificent sight to behold.

    There was a battery of light Memories illuminating the ship, an especially bright one burning at the tip of a long and sharp bowsprit. Human figures could be seen on the deck, moving around in a hurry.

    Sunny stared at the swiftly approaching ship, stunned by the sight of it. It was hard to believe that this had been the same abomination-invested wreck he knew.

    Now that the ancient vessel was repaired, it looked almost the same as on the golden coins he had sacrificed to the altar of Noctis.

    Kai accelerated even more, then slowed down, and landed on the wooden deck smoothly.

    Feeling a solid surface under his feet, Sunny swayed a little and looked at the Fire Keepers that surrounded them.

    Then, he sighed, and fell down, instantly losing consciousness.

    After the terrible day�� no, a terrible month he had, some rest was long overdue.

    ***

    A couple of hours later, Sunny came back to his senses. He was laying near the main mast of the ship, under the branches of the young tree, a soft pillow under his head and a warm blanket covering his body. He still felt terrible, but mostly due to the soul damage Mordret had dealt him �� the physical wounds were not bothering him too much anymore.

    It seemed that while Sunny was out of it, the healer of the Fire Keepers, Shim, had treated him.

    '...I am actually alive. What a miracle.'

    He grimaced and sat up, then stared into the darkness for a bit. The ancient vessel was swiftly flying through the abyss, descending into its depths. Due to that, his body felt nice and weightless.

    Sunny dismissed the outer layer of the Undying Chain and studied his chest, where the terrible wound had already closed, be it just barely. Now that he was conscious, he would be able to stitch it up, or at least cover the gash with a bandage�� as well as properly take care of the countless smaller injuries on his body.

    Satisfied with his state, Sunny looked around, noticing Cassie sleeping nearby. Her face was calm and peaceful.

    He remained still for a few moments, coming to terms with the fact that their harrowing adventure seemed to be over. Of course, in the future, he was going to have to deal with its consequences�� and even before that, the Second Nightmare awaited, perhaps much more terrifying.

    But at least they were free of the damned Night Temple.

    'What a fiasco��'

    He didn't get to dwell on his frustration for long, however, because a delicious smell suddenly reached his nostrils, and a few moments later, Effie appeared nearby, carrying two plates of somewhat that seemed like real, freshly cooked food.

    Sunny's eyes glistened, and his mouth instantly watered.

    The huntress grinned and handed him a plate.

    "Here you go, doofus. Welcome aboard!"

    He flashed her a smile, and then attacked the food like a ravenous beast. Effie sat down on the deck and placed the second plate near Cassie, who stirred awake soon after.

    A few minutes were spent in silence, disturbed only by the sound of energetic chewing. At some point, Kai landed nearby and joined them, an easygoing smile on his face.

    Finally, Sunny was done with his meal and pushed the plate away.

    "Hey, Effie. About that marriage proposal of yours�� I might have changed my mind��"

    She scoffed.

    "Pfft! You wish."

    He chuckled, then glanced into the darkness that surrounded them from all sides.

    "...From the fact that we're descending, I get it that we are going toward the Ebony Tower?"

    Kai nodded.

    "Yes. We are moving down and toward the Tear, as fast as we can. You will have to guide us to the rift in the flames once we reach them. We�� whatever had happened in the Night Temple, we thought that Ascending should take priority. Not to mention that facing the fallout as Masters might change everything."

    Sunny remained silent for a bit, then smiled crookedly.

    "Good thinking."

    As soon as he said it, though, his face darkened.

    Sunny suddenly looked up, and then paled a little.

    "...Get ready. Something is approaching."

    They hurriedly stood up and summoned their weapons. The Fire Keepers did the same, staring into the darkness with tense faces.

    A few moments later, something landed on the deck with a wet thud. Sharp fangs glistened, reflecting the light of the lanterns��

    It was the head of a giant black wyvern, torn viciously at the neck. Its eyes were glassy and empty, and its tongue hung lifelessly out of the terrifying maw, the red flames that had once burned within it gone.

    Saint Cormac�� was dead.

    The realization sent a shiver through Sunny's body, and a split second later, Sky Tide was suddenly standing above the head of the slain Transcendent, her face cold and expressionless.

    Tyris looked battered, her graceful armor torn and bloodied. Her golden hair was disheveled, some strands of it painted red. Her presence, however, was unchanged.

    It was calm and steady.

    She looked at the four of them, and frowned.

    Then, her gaze slid lower and focused on the empty plates.

    "...Do you have more food? Bring it. I am famished."

 Chapter 598 Broken Balance

    As the Saint ate, not at all perturbed by the head of the terrifying wyvern staring at her with dead eyes, the rest of them stood awkwardly and waited for her to satiate her hunger.

    Sunny observed Sky Tide with a somber expression, then glanced at what remained of the fearsome Transcendent Cormac. His heart was heavy.

    '...Damnation.'

    Being the cause of a hundred Lost and two Masters dying �� one of them by his own hand, no less �� was already bad enough, not to mention that the whereabouts of the sole prisoner of the Night Temple, Prince Mordret, were currently unknown�� also as the direct result of Sunny's actions.

    But causing the demise of a Saint was nothing short of an utter disaster.

    Saints were irreplaceable. In all of humanity, there were just a few dozen. Cormac's death was not going to go unnoticed�� or unpunished��

    'Would I even be able to return to the real world?'

    Sky Tide finally finished her meal, then drank some water and glanced at Cassie and him.

    "What exactly happened in the Night Temple?"

    The two of them looked at each other. After a few moments, Sunny spoke, his voice somber:

    "...Everything went wrong from the very start. As soon as we arrived, one of the Masters discovered a piece of mirror in my belongings. That shard�� I picked it up on Reckoning island. There was apparently a person imprisoned in the Citadel, and he escaped his bindings with the help of the mirror I delivered, somehow."

    He paused and studied the Saint's face, trying to ascertain if she had known what would happen. Tyris certainly knew of the Mirror Beast�� however, she could not have known that Sunny used to carry the mirror shard the creature had left behind.

    His attempt to read anything on her face failed, so he was left without an answer.

    With a sigh, Sunny continued:

    "The Masters destroyed the Gateway and sealed the temple. After that, the escaped prisoner slaughtered the Lost, and took possession of a Master's body. He even stole the knife from the shattered altar. In the end, it was just the three of us left alive�� and he would have probably killed us, too, but Saint Cormac arrived just in time. You know the rest."

    Saint Tyris stared at him for a few moments, then shook her head.

    "So the prince still lives�� how could this be?"

    She frowned and looked straight at him:

    "Where is he now?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "That we don't know. Saint Cormac must have destroyed his body, but as to where his soul went�� your guess is as good as mine. He is probably hiding in one of the mirror shards, falling into the Sky Below with the rest of the Night Temple as we speak."

    Sky Tide remained silent for a while, then sighed.

    "I see. You did well to survive. Don't worry about the rest�� there are no witnesses left, and even the Citadel itself is gone. I will deal with the fallout, as well as I can. However, it will be good for the two of you to disappear for a while. Proceed to the Seed of Nightmare as you have planned, and challenge it. By the time you return�� if you do�� the worst part will be over. The situation will be different, too."

    She rose and glanced into the darkness of the Sky Below, a somber expression on her face.

    "...Now that the Hollow Mountains anchor is no more, the Chained Isles will shift and change position. That will cause a mass migration of the Nightmare Creatures, both those from the surface and those from the dark side. Even some of the Corrupted abominations might move to new hunting grounds. I will have my hands full for the foreseeable future�� so, we won't see each other again for a long time. Good luck to you."

    Sunny stared at the beautiful Saint, then at the head of the wyvern. He cleared his throat:

    "I am sorry, Lady Sky Tide�� but won't you be in trouble? Killing a Saint is not something that can be simply forgiven, no matter your status. Right?"

    Tyris lingered, then shook her head.

    "I will be punished, sure. But not too severely. Do you understand why?"

    Sunny glanced at his friends, who had the same confused expressions.

    "Not really."

    She sighed.

    "There are�� were twelve Saints who swore loyalty to the Great Clan Valor. One less than those who are sworn to the Great Clan Song. Now, there are eleven, while Song still has thirteen. With Song Seishan back from the Forgotten Shore, that number will soon increase even further, while Lady Morgan is still too young and lacks the experience to challenge the Third Nightmare. The balance of power will be broken."

    Sunny listened to her words attentively.

    'So the great clans are at odds with each other�� two strongest are, at least. Makes sense��'

    Sky Tide frowned, remained silent for a few moments, and then said:

    "With the gap widening so drastically, Valor can't allow to lose me. Or any more of their Saints. So, I will be fine... more or less. That is also the reason why you will be, too."

    He raised an eyebrow.

    "Us? What do we have to do with any of this?"

    Tyris smiled slightly, looking at him, Cassie, Effie, and Kai.

    "Right now, the four of you are just people who have raw potential. You are valuable, but not irreplaceable. However, should you survive the Second Nightmare and Ascend�� you will prove that you have the courage, skill, and determination to realize that potential. You will prove that you can be Saints, and thus become precious. When you return, the great clans will not only be unwilling to eliminate you�� they'll be fighting for the right to have you."

    Sunny scowled, connecting that statement with what Master Jet had told him before. His eyes grew bleak.

    "...What if we don't want to be had?"

    Sky Tide looked at him for a while, then turned away. Her voice sounded even:

    "Then you are out of luck."

    ? With that, she jumped up. A gust of cold wind suddenly enveloped the deck of the flying ship, and a moment later, a massive shadow separated from it and shot upward, soon disappearing into the distance.

    Sunny, Cassie, Effie, Kai, and the Fire Keepers we left standing in the darkness alone.

    After some time, the huntress shifted and sighed heavily.

    "She... she ate all my food. What a disaster! What a tragedy..."

 Chapter 599 The Flying Ship

    The flying ship soared through the darkness, descending deeper and deeper into the empty void. After Saint Tyris had left, nothing much happened for a long time.

    They were surrounded by nothing, and nothing bothered them.

    This was the oppressive nothingness that Sunny was familiar with all too well.

    However, now, things were different. The first time he had fallen into the Sky Below, he was alone and desperate, without any way to escape and no certainty of what awaited him below. This time, he was surrounded by people, knew where he was going, and that they would be able to turn back at any point, if need be.

    Not to mention that Sunny had a whole ship to explore, as opposed to plummeting down atop the corpse of a dead devil.

    The ancient vessel was not giant, but large enough to make their journey rather comfortable.

    There was an upper deck, the main cargo hold, the lower deck stretching from the bow to the middle point of the ship, the auxiliary cargo holds beneath it, and various compartments near the stern, including living quarters for the crew, two separate mess decks, a spacious captain's cabin, several smaller cabins that seemed as though they were meant for either guests or officers, a large war room, and a few service compartments.

    ? Currently, there were less than thirty people on board, so there was more than enough space for everyone. In fact, the vessel seemed rather empty and rough around the edges �� the members of Cassie's cohort and other Fire Keepers that joined them to assist in the repairs had done a splendid job of restoring the flying ship's overall integrity, but had had no time to work on its interior.

    A few essential facilities had been haphazardly outfitted with everything necessary to barely function, but most of the compartments still required a lot of work. There was no furniture of any kind except for some crude tables, chairs, and flimsy hammocks, and most of the vessel looked empty and barebones. It was a far cry from how luxurious it must have been furnished, outfitted, and decorated once, in the ancient past.

    However, after the hellish month Sunny had spent in the Night Temple, this environment seemed almost like paradise. He had a whole cabin to himself, and the cargo hold was stocked with enough food and water to last them for a few months. The galley was also fully operational, so at least their meals were taken care of.

    More than that, the flying ship did not wobble constantly up and down like a seafaring one would, and instead swayed gently from time to time, which was sort of calming, and even a bit cozy.

    It was a strange vessel that moved partially due to sorcery, the sapling of a sacred tree growing around its mast serving as the source of it, and partially due to the wind. The Fire Keepers seemed more or less capable of operating the sails, be it somewhat tentatively, and used either their Aspects or Memories akin to Cassie's wooden staff to produce gales that pushed the ship in the right direction.

    As the result, their descent into the abyss was swift, smooth, and almost relaxing.

    Sunny spent around a week slowly recuperating from his wounds, restoring his strength, and resting. He slept a lot and ate as much as he could, knowing that the Second Nightmare was going to test the limits of his endurance. He had to enter it in as good of a shape as he could.

    He also used that time to think about what had transpired in the Night Temple, analyze everything he had learned about Mordret, and go other each of his thoughts and decisions, trying to learn from his mistakes. The memory of being fooled and manipulated by the Prince of Nothing still haunted him.

    There was also a lot of new information Sunny had received in that month �� information about the Awakened of higher Ranks, Anvil of Valor, the great clans, the tension between them�� and even about his own Aspect.

    The silent shadows that dwelled in his Soul Sea were not there just for decoration, after all. He had always suspected that there was a purpose to them, but never had any proof.

    Well, now, there was proof. Sunny just had no idea what it all meant, and what he was supposed to do with them. No matter what he tried after the battle with Mordret, the shadows refused to react. They just stood in their usual spots, silent and lifeless just like before, as if pretending that nothing had happened.

    It was almost like he had imagined the whole thing...

    In the end, Sunny had to accept the fact that the mystery of the shadows was going to remain unsolved, for now.

    He had learned that his soul had a fearsome defense system against those who would try to possess it. That was something, at least.

    ��After the first week, when his injuries healed enough, Sunny started training, slowly conditioning his body for the deadly trial ahead. This was somewhat of a useless process, really, since he would be inhabiting a different vessel entirely inside the Nightmare. But training the body helped him put his mind in order, as well.

    For that reason, Sunny practiced with the same ferocious determination as back in the Dark City. Kai, Effie, and Cassie joined him, too, working on improving their own condition, as well as learning how to work together as a single unit again.

    It had been a long time since the four of them fought side by side. All of them had grown since then, both in terms of power and experience. They were Awakened now, possessed new Abilities, and had improved in their understanding of combat, technique, and skill. They needed to find new and better ways of enhancing each other's strengths and shielding each other's weaknesses, as well as cooperating seamlessly to achieve a common goal.

    Without the guiding hand of Changing Star, it was much harder than they had remembered. None of them was really a natural leader, let alone one as talented and gifted in the art of battle as Nephis had been, back on the Forgotten Shore. Only now, faced with her absence, did Sunny understand how hard it actually was to build a powerful, cohesive, and effective cohort.

    Still, they did their best.

    ��A few days before they reached the rift in the divine flames, with the air outside of the flying ship already growing sizzling hot, Sunny woke up and stared into the darkness for a bit, then sighed and went to the galley to find something to eat.

    The food was tasty, but not very luxurious.

    And, once again, he failed to meet this day by drinking a cup of coffee, with a lot of sugar, and maybe even real milk �� as he had wished to do once, a long time ago, in the cafeteria of the Awakened Academy before venturing into the Dream Realm for the first time.

    Today was the day of the winter solstice.

    Sunny had turned nineteen. Last time, he celebrated his birthday in a blood-soaked castle standing in the middle of a cursed city.

    This time, he was going to celebrate it aboard an ancient ship that flew through a lightless abyss, descending toward an ocean of flames.

    '...It is somewhat of an improvement. I guess?'

 Chapter 600 The Departure

    Sunny was not going to do anything special on that day, more so because the whole crew was in a bit of a melancholic mood. This was all of theirs first winter solstice after escaping the Forgotten Shore, so the Fire Keepers huddled together, remembering their fallen friends and wishing the young Sleepers who were going to enter the Dream Realm come night well.

    However, Effie and Kai had other plans. It seemed that Cassie had told him that this was his birthday, so the huntress cooked up something special, and the four of them had a comparatively lavish dinner on the smaller mess deck, sharing the tales of what had happened to them in the past year and laughing about this and that.

    Laughter was much better than sorrow.

    Especially considering that none of them knew when they would have an opportunity to laugh again.

    ��On the next day, the dark void around them was already hot enough to make moving on the upper deck hard. All of them dismissed most of their armor and worked the sails, their bodies glistening with sweat. Everyone worked together to keep the ship afloat and moving in the right direction, divided into two shifts.

    One would control the vessel, while the other retreated inside to cool off and drink water. Luckily, with the hot air blowing from below, they didn't need all of the sails to achieve their goal, which made things easier.

    It had taken Sunny almost a month to reach the divine flames before, but the flying ship made the journey faster. Using several Aspect Abilities and ingenious tools, they were also able to navigate the abyss with a sufficient level of precision, quickly reaching the Tear and continuing to descend in a wide spiral.

    The memory of the golden string of fate was still burned into his mind, so, by knowing where the Twisted Rock had been located in relation to their position, Sunny was able to guide the ship toward the rift in the ocean of divine flames.

    By the evening, it was already visible, looking like a tiny black hole in the incinerating tapestry of furious light.

    However, the rift wasn't really that small. It just appeared so because of the distance. Sunny had almost missed it the first time, flying threw the very edge of the rift and being burned by the divine flames. This time around, they were going to keep to the very middle of it, separated from the immolating orbs of white fire by many kilometers of empty space.

    Hopefully, that would be enough to keep them from dying of heat.

    The sails were hoisted, and the ship continued to plummet toward the flames, supported only by the sorcerous power of the sacred tree and the ancient enchantments permeating the hull. Sunny was left alone at the helm, the rest of the crew seeking shelter in the main cargo hold, where the air was coolest.

    He had summoned the Undying Chain and the Memory of Fire, augmenting the protective charm with all three of his shadows. As the flying vessel came closer and closer to the rift, the leaves of the young tree rustles above him, and ghostly runes suddenly appeared on the surface of the ancient ship.

    Slowly, the heat retreated a little. Standing on the upper deck was still hard and uncomfortable, but at least tolerable �� especially with the help of his charm.

    Sunny carefully guided the vessel into the rift, keeping to the very center of it, as far away from the walls of divine fire as he could. It was as though he was guiding the ship through a vertical tunnel that twisted slowly, moving left and right, forward and back.

    Luckily, descending didn't require a lot of skill from the helmsman. Sunny was barely acquainted with how to steer a boat, let alone a flying one the size of a frigate, so he wouldn't have been able to do much if things went wrong.

    But they did not.

    Some time later, the ancient vessel left the rift and submerged into the darkness once again, the skies above burning like a sea of flame. He sent the ship flying toward the island that loomed in the void, not to far away, and let out a relieved sigh.

    They had made it.

    ***

    They moored the ship to one of the horizontal stone masts protruding from the island, and disembarked. Walking across the obsidian pillar, everyone reached the solid ground and stopped, staring at the somber landscape in front of them in stunned silence.

    The Ebony island was just as the last time Sunny had visited it. It was cut out of dark stone and floated in the endless emptiness, surrounded by drifting slabs of shattered obsidian. A tall and magnificent pagoda stood in its center, built of a flawlessly black, lusterless material that seemed to devour any light that touched it.

    Here and there on the desolate surface of the island, remains of mysterious structures stood, long turned to ruins. Several obsidian pillars protruded horizontally from its edges, stretching into the empty void like strange wharves. The flying ship floated near one of them, fastened to it by strong chains.

    Effie stared at the Ebony Tower, then turned to Sunny, her face uncharacteristically pale.

    "...I can't believe you made it all the way here alone. How did you even survive?"

    Sunny hesitated, then shrugged.

    "Barely. And with a bit of luck."

    With that, he sighed and headed toward the dark tower.

    Near its doors, it was time for the four of them to say goodbye to the Fire Keepers. Cassie's cohort, and the rest, were not going to follow them into the Nightmare �� some would maybe challenge their own in the future, when they felt ready, but one year was really not enough to prepare most of Awakened for this harrowing trial.

    Instead, the Fire Keepers were going to remain on the obsidian Island. Some were going to establish a temporary base there, while others would guide the flying ship back to the Sanctuary of Noctis, and then return with more supplies and enough materials to continue working on the vessel itself.

    In that manner, they would travel between the Sky Below and the Chained Isles, awaiting the return of the challengers for as long as needed.

    The farewell was a bit emotional, at least on the part of the members of Cassie's cohort. She entrusted the command of it to Shim, the healer, and turned away, the silver half-mask obscuring her expression.

    No one knew if they were going to see each other again. For the survivors of the Forgotten Shore, parting with those who they cared about was nothing new.

    However, it never became easy.

    Sunny opened the gates of the Ebony Tower and guided the others into its dark halls, ascending one level after another. Effie and Kai were looking around, curiosity mixing with fear on their faces. Cassie paled terribly on the second level, where the harrowing rot had once grown from the severed arm of a deity, but did not say anything.

    The hall of runes affected her even worse. Kai and Effie were guided through it by Sunny, their eyes tightly shut, but the blind girl could not do the same. Her keen intuition and enhanced senses, sometimes, were akin to a curse.

    However, for that very same reason, her mental resilience was also unmatched. She gritted her teeth, and persevered.

    Finally, they reached the last level, and drowned the stone arch of the portal with divine flame, taking turns feeding their soul essence to the Cruel Sight. With their combined efforts, activating it did not take as long as when Sunny had tried to do it alone.

    Soon, they were standing inside a graceful white gazebo, the portal disappearing behind them.

    In front of them, though, was the tranquil haven of the Ivory Island.

    Slates of shattered marble floated around it. There was a beautiful meadow near the gazebo, and a peaceful grove of trees, their branches rustling under the gentle wind. Some distance away, connected to the gazebo by a stone path, stood the magnificent pagoda built out of pristine white material that was neither stone nor wood. It was beautiful, graceful, and slightly surreal, as if too sublime to exist in the mortal realm.

    And around it, the bones of a dead dragon lay, reflecting the radiant light of the sun.

    They walked past the clear lake and through the jaws of the great beast, finally entering the solemn darkness of the ancient hall of chains.

    Where Hope had once been bound.

    Once inside, the four of them froze, suddenly overwhelmed by fatigue. Seven chains lay on the pristine white floor in front of them, each ending in a broken shackle. The shackles were marred and torn, their mangled surface inscribed with a myriad of runes.

    A strange shimmering rose from their surface in ethereal wisps, coalescing into a chaotic, everchanging mass of pure darkness that pulsated in the very center of the great hall.

    But it wasn't darkness, not really. Instead, it was a rift in the fabric of reality, one that could devour even light itself.

    Hypnotized by the visage of the Seed, Sunny felt it, deep in his soul.

    The magnetic, insidious call of the Nightmare.

    This time, finally, he was going to answer it.

    Sunny sighed, and then looked at his companions.

    They had already said everything that needed to be said, discussed everything that could be discussed.

    There was no reason to linger.

    "...Are you ready?"

    Effie, Kai, and Cassie remained silent for a while, staring at the pulsating darkness. Their faces were pale and vulnerable, devoid of the usual masks of confidence.

    Finally, the blind girl whispered:

    "What are we waiting for? It is�� it is just the Second Nightmare."

    Sunny smiled, then suddenly laughed.

    "Indeed��"

    With that, he gripped her shoulder for a moment, and then stepped forward, heading toward the pulsating rift in reality. With each step, the world seemed to dim a little, turning darker and darker.

    Effie, Kai, and Cassie followed.

    ��A few moments later, they were gone.

    The hall of chains was gone, too.

    Sunny found himself standing alone in complete darkness, surrounded by utter nothingness.

    In this nothingness, he heard the voice of the Spell:

    [Awakened! Prepare for your Second Trial��]

    He smiled darkly.

    'Just like the First one�� well, let's see where I land this time. I doubt that it can be any worse than before��'

    The voice of the Spell thundered again, making him shiver.

    [Five brave ones�� welcome to the Nightmare!]

    The darkness moved, turning into something else, something different.

    ��Sunny, however, was not paying attention.

    'Wait�� five? Did it say five? Who's the fifth one?! What��'

    He didn't get to finish that thought, though.

    His vision cleared, revealing��

    [End of volume three: Chained Isles.]

 Chapter 601 Kingdom Of Hope

    Sunny dreamt of boundless blue skies.

    Beneath them, a patchwork of islands floated in the air, laid on the backdrop of velvety darkness like a beautiful mosaic. Some islands were verdant and green, some were desolate and empty, and some were covered by ancient ruins, the weathered stones overgrown by moss.

    All of them were bound by colossal iron chains that rattled loudly as the islands rose and fell, hovering above the abyss, a scattering of pale stars shining somewhere far, far below them. In the center of the mosaic, an ugly wound gaped, a vast tear in space where nothing but emptiness remained.

    A lone island soared above that tear, seven torn chains hanging from its slopes, a beautiful white pagoda standing on its surface in a mantle of clouds.

    Suddenly, the sun rolled backward, soon disappearing behind the eastern horizon. The skies darkened, and then were illuminated again as a radiant moon streaked across them, swift enough to turn into a blurry trail of light. A moment later, it was day again, and then, it was night once more.

    The skies grew torn between light and darkness, time flowing in reverse with terrible speed. Sunny watched as the islands beneath him slowly changed their shapes, as ruins rose from the ground and assembled into unwavering structures, as the stars burning in the abyss grew brighter and brighter, new ones igniting each moment, until the whole void was suffused with a furious white light.

    One after another, fallen islands rose from that annihilating light, the chains that had tethered them to the rest of the mosaic repairing themselves. Soon, the tear in its center was no more, and instead, a vast ashen wasteland of scorched isles appeared in its place. The Ivory Tower descended from high above, taking its place at the very heart of the wasteland.

    An instant later, the ashes were no more, revealing a breathtaking aerial city that sprawled across dozens of islands, all of them connected to each other by arching bridges and overflowing aqueducts built out of pristine white stone, with vibrant flags fluttering in the wind and sparkling waterfalls flowing into the abyss below.

    Slowly, Sunny's gaze was pulled west, toward the very edge of the Chained Isles. There, one of the Great Chains anchored them to the lands beyond, and a mighty fortress stood at the precipice, similar to the other border strongholds he had seen before. The island next to it resembled a vast stone bowl, with rows of seats cut into its weathered white slopes and a circular arena laying at its bottom, painted dull red.

    And even further than that was an island with a strange river that flowed endlessly through it, forming a circle around an ancient statue of a beautiful woman wielding a spear in one hand, and gripping a beating human heart in the other, her nakedness covered only by a beast hide tied around her thighs, her face lost in the shadows.

    That was the island where Sunny found himself.

    ...And of course, he was thrown straight into the damn river.

    'G��goddammit! Why does this keep happening to me?!'

    Sunny was so angry that he didn't even feel any panic, unlike the previous two times the Spell had decided to give him a cold and wet welcome �� first on the Forgotten Shore, then at the Sanctuary of Noctis.

    This time, at least, he had an idea of where he was, and in which direction to swim if he wanted to reach the surface.

    Sunny strained his muscles to struggle against the strong current��

    And finally realized that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

    His body refused to listen�� or rather, it did, but in a way that made no sense at all. His limbs didn't move as he willed them to, and instead of swimming, he simply thrashed around, submerging deeper and deeper into the cold, dark water. His senses were all messed up, too, so he couldn't even understand what had gone wrong.

    'W��what the hell?!'

    Now, Sunny finally was starting to panic a little.

    This went way beyond what he had experienced in the First Nightmare. Back then, the body given to him by the Spell had felt almost the same as his own�� this time, however, it was way too unfamiliar!

    Was this what Master Jet had warned him about?

    Sunny tried to keep calm and swim ashore, but moving through water, especially with such a strong current, was not an easy task. It required a lot of coordination and a fair bit of balance, which he simply lacked right now. No matter what he tried to do, his efforts only made things worse.

    He fell deeper ad deeper into the river, drowning slowly.

    His lungs were already starting to burn from the lack of oxygen�� they also felt as weird as the rest of him. His vision was already darkening��

    Sunny gritted his teeth, which suddenly sent a wave of pain through his mouth and jaw, and then stopped struggling, letting the current pull him down. Then, he concentrated on his shadow sense�� and, as soon as his body struck the rocky bottom of the river, stepped through the shadows to appear near the stone statue.

    Sunny fell into the grass. Coughing violently, he tried to suck in a breath of fresh air, only to find out that even that was a struggle. His lungs were refusing to work as they were supposed to, and even though he managed to inhale, it was still not enough to chase the sensation of suffocating away.

    'What�� is going on�� damn it!'

    Sunny sprawled on the ground and closed his eyes, cutting off all of his senses to concentrate on trying to take control of the mess of his new body.

    'Don't think. Thinking will only make things worse. This thing has to have instincts�� you now have them, too��'

    He cleared his mind of any thoughts about breathing and oxygen, and soon, his instincts did, indeed, take over. It was like the story of a centipede that was asked how it walked, and fell down, unable to move. As soon as Sunny stopped thinking about inhaling, his body did so on its own.

    Suddenly, his lungs were full of sweet air, and he was strong and vigorous once more.

    'Oh, thank gods��'

    Sunny did not move for a few moments, breathing deeply, and then tried to understand what type of a vessel, exactly, had the Spell chosen for him��

    Before he could, however, a beautiful voice suddenly sounded above him, full of curiosity and amusement:

    "What a strange thing you are��"

    Sunny opened his eyes and struggled to rise to his feet, turning his head swiftly in the direction of the speaker.

    When he did, he froze.

    In front of him, kneeling near the statue, was perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She had soft skin and a delicate, exquisite face, her chestnut hair streaming down her shoulders like lustrous silk. Her eyes were suffused with light and shone gently, like two silver stars.

    Sunny had seen a lot of stunning beauties in his lifetime, but no one could even remotely compare to the quiet, breathtaking grace of this stranger. Just one look at her made his heart race, and his face flush. She was more like a fairy than a mere mortal��

    And, maybe, she was.

    The beautiful woman was wearing a simple red tunic that left her shoulders bare, and wielded no weapons. Despite that, her presence was vast and permeated the whole island. It was as though the blades of grass bent slightly to be closer to her, the rays of sunshine changed their path to caress her skin. As if she didn't exist in the world, but instead, the world existed around her.

    And something... something about her felt strangely familiar.

    Sunny opened his mouth, stunned, and said:

    "Uh�� greetings?"

    ��Or at least, he tried to. However, what came out of his mouth instead was a hoarse, bestial growl.

    'What the��'

    He tried to speak again, and once more, his mouth produced a low, threatening gnarl.

    The woman frowned.

    "One of Shadow God's creatures�� how curious. I didn't know that there were any of you left here, in the Kingdom of Hope."

    Sunny stared at her, dumbfounded. Then, he lowered his eyes and finally looked at himself.

    'Oh�� crap��'

    Well, at least one of his desires had come true. Sunny wasn't short anymore. In fact, he was at least two meters tall.

    The problem, however��

    Was that he wasn't a human.

    His skin was light grey, the color of stone. His legs were long and digitigrade, bending backward and ending with powerful, sharp claws. He had four arms, each longer and stronger than that of a human, and a long twisting tail. His face was like that of a demon, with sharp features and a mouth full of terrifying fangs. Two curved horns were growing from his forehead, and his hair was long, black, and coarse.

    His eyes were fully black, with no irises and two vertical, furious pupils.

    ��What's worse, Sunny didn't seem to possess the vocal cords of a human.

    He couldn't speak.

    'Oh, crap!'

    The beautiful woman looked at him, and smiled.

    Her smile was dazzling and breathtaking, but made Sunny feel cold and scared, for some reason.

    "You shouldn't have invaded my lands, little creature. But don't worry�� I will gift you a death most glorious. This, I promise before the gods."

    She rose, standing tall in front of the ancient statue.

    "After all, I, Solvane, am nothing if not merciful��"

 Chapter 602 Swarm Of Shadows

    'Slow down there, lady��'

    Sunny tried to take a step back, but ended it staggering and almost falling down. Somehow, he managed to keep his balance, crouching as his talons dug into the ground. His four arms rose, sharp claws aimed at Solvane.

    All that talk of glory and death made him very, very tense.

    'Solvane�� wait. Solvane?'

    A low growl escaped from Sunny's mouth as he realized who was standing in front of him. So this beautiful, graceful woman�� she was the ghastly living corpse he had destroyed in the cargo hold of the crashed ship? Or rather�� would be?

    He had traveled into the past of the Chained Isles, after all, or at least an illusory reenactment of it. It made sense that Solvane had not succumbed to her harrowing fate.

    ...Yet.

    Sunny shivered, remembering the silent pleading and boundless torment in the empty eyes of the Wormvine's host. How could those terrible eyes be the same as the radiant ones looking at him right now?

    Suddenly, he was overwhelmed by pity, compassion, and sorrow.

    And fear.

    Because if he was right and this was really the same Solvane, then this dazzling stranger who had just promised to gift him a glorious death�� was a Saint.

    And a Saint promising to kill him was not something Sunny had ever wanted to hear.

    He peered beneath the surface of Solvane's lovely figure, and saw a single sphere of light burning brightly in her chest, so radiant as to appear almost blinding. Her soul core�� the soul core of a Transcendent.

    His vertical pupils narrowed, a single thought ringing in his mind:

    'Run!'

    Sunny felt that his body was much more powerful than his own, inhumanly so, but without knowing how to properly control it, outrunning a Saint was out of the question. If it had ever been. So, his only hope was Shadow Step��

    He already started to fall into the shadows when a beautiful silhouette suddenly appeared near, a graceful hand falling from above to grasp one of his arms into an iron grip. If not for Bone Weave, his wrist would have shattered like glass.

    The hold of a Saint was as inevitable and inescapable as death.

    Sunny couldn't escape into the shadows anymore, and summoning any Memory would have taken too long to be of any use��

    All except for one.

    A ghostly stiletto suddenly appeared in his trapped hand and awkwardly shot upward, leaving a thin scratch on Sovane's perfectly smooth, silky skin.

    She glanced at the scratch, which was slowly welling with blood, a single crimson drop falling on the verdant grass. Her luminous eyes glistened.

    "Is this fate, then? A sacrifice of blood was made, on the altar of War. Little shadowspawn, how special you are! Ah, so be it��"

    With that, she smiled radiantly.

    In the next moment, her other hand moved forward, and before Sunny could even feel fear��

    The world exploded with pain, and then turned utterly dark.

    ***

    Shadows�� shadows��

    Sunny was surrounded by shadows.

    Some were close to him, and some were far. Some were small, and some were large. Some moved, and some were still.

    He was one of the shadows, too.

    No�� not one. A swarm of them. A legion of shadows, all hidden in one vast and lightless soul. Silent and tranquil, free of all burdens. Free of all desires, free of reason and will.

    For now��

    'Ugh�� my head hurts��'

    Slowly, Sunny regained his senses. The first thing he felt was pain, and then, the steady beating of his hearts. Hearts? Yes�� apparently, he had two now. As well as four lungs.

    His body was heavy and unfamiliar, too large, too cumbersome, and too strange. Something hard and cold was pressed against it, making him feel a dull pain in his limbs. His head ached, too, as if he had been struck on it hard enough to shatter a weaker skull.

    Well�� he had been. Had he not?

    The breathtaking beauty, Solvane, hit him. She killed him.

    'Damnation�� why am I still in pain if I am dead? What nonsense is this?!'

    Full of outrage, Sunny tried to chase the pain away. But it remained. Why wouldn't it disappear? It wasn't supposed to torment him still.

    Unless�� he wasn't dead.

    And the Saint had not, in fact, killed him with one strike.

    Sunny hissed, and opened his eyes.

    What he saw made him stare for a few moments, and then laugh. Or rather, he wanted to laugh, but what came out of his mouth instead was a chilling, deeply disturbing, uneven wail.

    'Oh, gods�� this is just too on the nose, really! Come on!'

    Sunny was so amused because the hard and cold things pressed painfully against his body�� were the sturdy bars of an iron cage.

    He was in a cage again, and there was a steel collar wrapped around his neck.

    Sunny was, once again, turned into a slave.

    'Hey, Spell! Is this funny to you? Are you happy with yourself, you wretch?!'

    His new cage was way smaller than his previous one in the Night Temple. In fact, it was barely large enough to fit his lanky body with all its limbs, claws, and horns. The cage was hung from the ceiling by a rusty chain, and his every move caused it to sway lightly, the bars digging painfully into his flesh.

    Sunny growled angrily and looked around, trying to make sense of his previous sensations. What were all the other shadows he had felt close by��

    '...Crap.'

    All around him were rows of hanging cages of different sizes, and each of them imprisoned a creature of some sort. There were monstrous wolves, stone gargoyles, giant slithering worms, bulging mounds of flesh with gaping circular maws, and all kinds of abominations, some of which he had seen and fought before, and some that he had never even heard of.

    There were closed metal boxes that produced the sound of hundreds of small feet rustling against their surface, and cages large enough to fit a Chain Worm. In fact, there was a Chain Warm trapped in one not too far away from Sunny. There were even cages that contained humans.

    Sunny stared at this dungeon of horrors for a bit, and shivered.

    'What the hell is this place��'

 Chapter 603 Menagerie Of Monsters

    Sunny stared at the menagerie of monsters for a bit, getting used to the fact that his eyesight was different now, too. His eyes seemed to be much keener and were naturally able to see in utter darkness �� as opposed to being gifted this trait by his Aspect �� but had trouble differentiating colors.

    The world was basically black and white, or rather consisted of various shades of grey, similar to how he used to see the world through shadows. His sense of smell was also enhanced, overloading his mind with an avalanche of new information. It was hard to concentrate on any one thing, let alone make sense of all this mess.

    'Ah, who cares. Let's just get out of here.'

    Just like in the Night Temple, the cage limited his shadow sense. However, this one did not sap him of shadow essence, which was a pleasant surprise.

    Sunny's joy was short-lived, however.

    As soon as he tried to Shadow Step away, he realized that he couldn't teleport through the iron bars. What's more, even his shadows couldn't slide through them, as though there was an invisible barrier blocking their way.

    Sunny gritted his teeth, and felt a sharp pain as his fangs sunk into the soft flesh inside his mouth. He tried to curse, and produced a furious growl instead. After that, he simply remained motionless for a bit, staring at the other prisoners of the dungeon with gloomy resentment.

    'Curse it all.'

    Finally, he shook his head and awkwardly knelt at the bottom of the cage, grasping the iron bars with all four of his hands. Moving twice the amount he had possessed previously was a bit of a challenge, but he did manage after a couple of attempts.

    'Fine. There are other methods�� I'll melt this whole damned cage, if necessary.'

    He stretched one hand through the bars, and summoned the Cruel Sight.

    And then�� nothing happened.

    The only thing that changed was that his steel collar turned a little colder for a moment.

    Sunny frowned, his black eyes growing even darker, then tried again.

    The somber weapon did not appear. There was no tenebrous mist shrouding his hand, and no feeling of a small portion of his shadow essence disappearing to grant the Memory a physical shape.

    Feeling unease, Sunny lingered for a second, and then tried to summon the Midnight Shard.

    Once more, his collar grew colder for a moment, and nothing happened.

    'What�� what is going on��'

    One after another, Sunny tried to manifest all of his Memories, to the same result. His Memories refused to appear, and not even a single spark of ethereal light ignited in the darkness of the dungeon. It was almost�� as if they were all gone. Stolen.

    Even Weaver's Mask��

    Panicking, he hurriedly summoned the runes, hoping to see that he was wrong, that the list of his Memories did not turn empty.

    'No, no, no, no, no!'

    But��

    The familiar shimmering runes did not appear. There was nothing in the air in front of him, just cold and dark emptiness.

    'Wait�� what?'

    Sunny called the runes forth again and again, but they were inexplicably gone. His collar was now as cold as ice.

    'Can't be!'

    It was almost as if��

    As if he was completely cut off from the Spell.

    When the realization hit him, Sunny leaned heavily on the bars of the cage and remained motionless for a while, utterly stunned.

    What kind of a Nightmare was that?

    How was it even possible to lose connection to the Spell?

    Spell! It was the Spell, damn it! The terrifying, almighty Spell!

    Who could snatch an Awakened away from it?

    He wasn't even able to enter his Soul Sea��

    The scale and scope of this tectonic change simply failed to fit into his mind. Sunny had spent so long living with the Spell that he almost didn't remember what existing without it felt like. It was as though an integral part of his being was suddenly taken away, leaving him hollow and incomplete.

    'I don't understand��'

    ��He was still trying to cope with this new reality when heavy footsteps suddenly resounded in the ghastly dungeon. Raising his head, Sunny saw a giant of a man walking between the hanging cages, his powerful figure radiating a sense of vast, solemn strength. The man was wearing a worn leather armor and a tattered red robe, its edges frayed and torn.

    On his back, a barbarous curved blade hung, wide and heavy enough to split any abomination in half, and on his belt, heavy chains rattled with each step.

    The giant's face was hidden beneath a hood, but Sunny didn't need to see it to know that he was looking at an Ascended.

    And that Ascended was walking straight to his cage.

    'Now is my chance! But, uh�� to do what, exactly?'

    Sunny was not accustomed to his new monstrous body, and was devoid of the ability to summon Memories. He was unarmed and defenseless. He didn't even know if his Aspect still worked.

    What was he supposed to do? Try to fight a Master with his bare fists�� claws, or whatever�� or wait and see what happens?

    In the end, the cautious part of his mind won.

    Sunny silently stared as the man in the red robe approached the cage, glanced at him, and then somehow made the iron bars disappear without a trace.

    One moment they were there, and the next, they were gone, throwing Sunny to the ground.

    The giant cruelly slammed his massive fist into Sunny's head, and before he had a chance to shrug off the disorientation, a thick chain was already fastened to his collar.

    Then, Sunny was dragged somewhere, sliding across the dirty floor as the collar dug painfully into his neck.

    Not too long after that, bright sunlight suddenly blinded him. A sharp pain pierced his black eyes, and a moment later, Sunny was thrown ruthlessly to the ground, landing on it in a graceless heap. Still unable to see, he felt the chain being removed from his collar.

    Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the light, and even though his vision was not as good as it had been in the darkness, Sunny was able to see that he was sprawled on the stone floor of a circular arena.

    All around him, rows of seats rose, cut from pristine white stone to form a vast amphitheater. The theater was not crowded, and yet there were a lot of humans seated in it, looking down at him with joy and excitement. They were dressed in simple tunics and other kinds of archaic garments, most of them of some shade of red.

    The arena itself was not white like the rest of the amphitheater�� instead, it was dull red, too.

    Or rather, it might have been pristine once, but now, its stone surface had absorbed too much blood and changed color.

    Sunny looked up and saw another monster being let off its chain some distance away.

    A cold shiver ran down his spine.

    ��Yes, he was a slave again.

    But it seemed that, this time, fate had made him a very different kind of slave.

    'Wait�� don't tell me��'

    As the crowd of spectators cheered, the other monster roared, spun around�� and fixed its bloodthirsty eyes on Sunny.

    'It's a damned colosseum!'

 Chapter 604 Shadow Gladiator

    There were wooden fences built throughout the arena, partitioning it into many small enclosures, each connected to a next one by a rusty iron gate. Currently, Sunny was at the very edge of the colosseum, with one of its stone walls behind him. Three sturdy fences formed the rest of the killing box, sharp spikes mounted on them to prevent the combatants from trying to escape.

    ��And that was unmistakably where he found himself �� a colosseum. A theater of death where slaves fought each other for the entertainment of the crowd, unless they wanted to be slaughtered by the other gladiators or their own masters.

    Granted, this one was rather strange. For one thing, the slaves were predominantly wild beasts and monsters of all kinds, as opposed to captured humans. The crowd was behaving weirdly, too. After his experience in the Dreamscape, Sunny expected to see the spectators overwhelmed by bloodthirst and dark, cruel fascination.

    Instead, these people seemed to be joyful and proud, almost solemn. It was as though they were genuinely happy for the gladiators, even a little bit�� jealous? The crowd was undulating and shifting, singing one word over and over again:

    "Glory! Glory! Glory!"

    Their voices merged into an echoing, thunderous roar.

    'What the hell is wrong with these bastards��'

    Sadly, Sunny didn't have a lot of time to think about the weirdness of the audience. He had bigger problems on his plate.

    Right in front of him, another creature was let go of the chain, its powerful body covered in dirty brown fur. Four mighty paws, a long muzzle with terrifying fangs, and six eyes burning with madness�� it was very similar to the Dread Wolves he had thought at the island covered by strange, twisted trees.

    And it wasn't alone.

    Two more beasts appeared from behind the first one, falling low to the ground as guttural growls escaped from their maws.

    'Damnation!'

    Sunny shifted his gaze, trying to discern the Rank and Class of the murderous beasts. They seemed a lot smaller than the Fallen Monster he had killed before, at least �� simply the size of a bull instead of a full cargo vehicle. His newfound ability to peer into the souls of living things and see their soul cores was going to come in handy...

    However, what he saw beneath their tough hides left him confused. Instead of spheres of radiant light, the creatures had hideous masses of swirling darkness at the center of their beings, veins of it spreading throughout their souls like cancerous growths. In the depths of that darkness, something unclear seemed to be moving, as if trying to break free.

    The sight of it was both frightening and repulsive.

    It reminded him, somewhat, of the harrowing rot he had witnessed in the Ebony Towe, growing from the severed arm of Weaver.

    '...So this is what soul cores of the Nightmare Creatures look like.'

    Sunny had no idea how to judge the Rank of such cores, since he only knew to measure the usual ones by their size and luminosity. The growths of darkness in the dread wolves seemed to have two swirling nods each, which at least told him that they were mere monsters.

    Not that it helped him very much.

    How was he supposed to fight against three monsters while barely being able to stand upright in this new, unfamiliar body?

    'Curse it!'

    ��He was also not at all happy with the fact that this gaunt and powerful body was standing more than two meters tall, devoid of any fat... and stark naked, with all his stuff hanging loose for everyone to see.

    Or bite off!

    Plus, there were a lot of women in the crowd...

    Hiding his discomfort, Sunny stared at the wolves, his black eyes full of menacing resentment. His lips parted, revealing sharp fangs that were in no way inferior to that of the monstrous beasts. A low growl escaped from his mouth.

    'Come on�� look how big and scary I am! You wouldn't want to fight a scary demon like me, would you? One would have to be insane to attack such a monstrosity��'

    Sadly, this was exactly what Nightmare Creatures were. Insane��

    The wolves lunged forward, madness burning in their bloodshot eyes. Their maws opened, foam glistening on jagged fangs. The crowd roared.

    'Damn it all!'

    Sunny commanded the shadows to wrap themselves around his body, which suddenly turned black and lusterless, as though cut from obsidian. Thankfully, at least that part of his Aspect still worked�� almost instantly, his might quadrupled, and so did his speed.

    He dashed through the darkness and appeared from the shadow of one of the wolves, his four hands shooting forward to grab the beast, sharp claws sinking into the soft flesh. Sunny was still struggling to control his body, and for that reason, his movements were much slower and messier than they could have been.

    But, embraced by the three shadows, he simply used brute power to overcome that disadvantage.

    Raising the massive monster above his head, he hissed and pulled with all his might. Lean muscles moved like steel cables under his onyx skin, and in the next moment, a river of blood flowed onto his horned head from above as the body of the wolf was mercilessly torn apart.

    The crowd went wild, their voices growing loud and triumphant �� at least of those spectators who were close to his enclosed box.

    'What�� what are you screaming for, idiots��'

    Sunny was more than a little startled by the violent strength of his new body. It was much more powerful than his human one�� however, it was also much taller, and his center of gravity was much further from the ground.

    For that reason, Sunny miscalculated his posture completely, lost his balance, and toppled over as soon as the dread wolf's body lost its integrity.

    He crashed onto the bloodied stones, instinctively raising two of his four hands to cover his throat. Almost instantly, one of the remaining two monsters was upon him, its maw opening wide before closing around his neck like a crushing bear trap.

    Luckily, Sunny's arms were already in the way, so instead of tearing his throat open, the wolf only managed to bite into them, sharp fangs burrowing through tough skin, piercing flesh, and scraping against bone.

    Overwhelmed by the explosion of terrible pain and the sudden fall, Sunny momentarily forgot how to control his limbs and operate the shadow demon's body. The second wolf jumped on him, tearing his abdomen with long claws.

    'Argh!'

    Not good�� this was not good! He was pinned to the ground, defenseless, seconds away from being disemboweled and having his head torn off. And he couldn't even remember how many hands he had, and what to do with them��

    Sunny shuddered, then opened his mouth and roared. His bestial scream washed over the wolves, momentarily stunning them.

    Then, he moved his two upper hands, grasping the first wolf by the jaws, and simultaneously threw his lower arms around the second one. Twisting his body, Sunny threw the monster digging into his abdomen off and pinned it to the stones, at the same time pushing the maw away from his neck.

    Growling menacingly, he pulled the jaws of one of the monsters apart, while crushing the other in a devastating embrace.

    The three of them struggled furiously for a few moments, more and more gashes and lacerations accumulating on Sunny's body. The pain flooded his mind, clearing it of all unnecessary thoughts.

    All that remained was a cold and murderous will to kill.

    He strained the muscles of his demonic body to the limit, and finally felt the spine of one of the wolves snap in his embrace, and at the same time, the lower jaw of the other one separate from its skull.

    A pitiful wail assaulted his ears, and he threw the paralyzed monster away, ripping the other's jaw off entirely.

    Both wolves fell to the ground, while Sunny was finally able to rise. His fists came down like sledgehammers, crushing the skulls of the abominations into paste.

    The massive bodies of the Nightmare Creatures shuddered, and then grew still.

    Sunny was left kneeling, his chest rising and falling heavily. His naked body was covered in deep lacerations and blood, most of it not his own. His eyes were as black as the bottomless abyss of the Sky Below, and his four hands hung low, claws marred with strands of brown fur, bone dust, and disgusting greyish-red sludge.

    The crowd cheered loudly, more spectators starting to pay attention to his box with disturbingly joyful and sincerely pleased expressions on their faces.

    Sunny sucked in the air into his four lungs, his two hearts beating wildly, and slowly rose to his feet. He scowled, painfully aware of the absence of the familiar voice announcing his kills. The Spell was silent.

    '...Now what?'

    As though to answer his question, a rattling of chains resounded from somewhere up ahead.

    And then, the rusty iron gate in the front fence of the box rose, opening a path to a new one, this one closer to the center of the arena and permeated with the smell of death even more.

    Sunny stared at the newly opened path with a bleak expression, then let out a low growl and walked toward it, now acquainted with his towering body a little bit better.

    'Damned Solvane... that witch! I am going to kill her�� kill her again, I mean. Anyway, she's going to answer for everything before the Nightmare is over... this, I promise before the gods!'

    Radiating a menacing aura of anger and resentment, Sunny passed beneath the rusted gates and entered the second box.

 Chapter 605 Hideous Demon

    As Sunny was walking toward the next enclosure, he had a few seconds to think.

    The first thing he realized was that, despite the fact that the Spell remained silent, he had in fact received the shadow fragments from the three dread wolves. The feeling of his cores, and thus body, growing a tiny bit stronger was there, even though it was hard to sense the minuscule change in all the chaos.

    'Strange�� this is all so strange��'

    His connection to the Spell seemed to be gone, cut by the steel collar on his neck, and yet not all of his powers disappeared. Sunny couldn't access his Soul Sea and summon Memories or runes, but he still possessed the ability to absorb fragments. He was also able to command his shadows to augment his body, as well as use Shadow Step... even though its range seemed to be limited by the walls of the arena.

    What did it all mean?

    Well�� from the look of it, while the Spell was gone, his Aspect remained. There was a lot of meaning hidden in this simple fact, but Sunny had no time to unpack it.

    What else was his Aspect capable of?

    Walking under the rusty gate, Sunny hesitated for a split second, and then summoned the Soul Serpent.

    A moment later, almost unnoticeable on his obsidian skin, an intricate tattoo of a coiling serpent appeared, wrapped around his arms and torso. When Sunny sent shadow essence coursing through it, the coils shone with dark radiance, revealing themselves for everyone to see.

    His lips moved, revealing powerful fangs in a frightening grin.

    'So you are here as well, buddy��'

    What did it mean? It meant that Sunny didn't have to fight unarmed anymore. It also meant that Saint was with him, as well.

    He might not have been the most deadly of creatures at the moment, still unaccustomed to this new lumbering body. But the two of them?

    Together, Sunny and Saint were a duo most fearsome.

    Full of new confidence, he entered the second killing box, sending his shadow sense forward to encompass it.

    What he saw there made him squint a little.

    ��There was already a battle going on in the enclosure, a pair of humans desperately trying to fight off a swarm of small, swift lizard-like creatures. Both of them wore white tunics, the younger one unarmed, while the older one had a simple sword in his hands and a leather cuirass protecting his torso.

    There were several human corpses laying on the ground, terribly disfigured by the sharp claws and triangular fangs of the abominations, with their once-white clothes soaked in blood.

    Sunny shifted his gaze and saw the vile darkness spreading through the souls of the lizard-like gremlins. From the look of it, they were all Awakened, the same as the wolves he had fought �� Sunny measured the strength of the monsters during the battle and judged their Rank to be the same as his.

    The younger man was an Awakened, as well, with a single radiant soul core, while the older one had none at all. He was a mundane human.

    As Sunny watched, the older warrior was finally overwhelmed and fell to the ground, the gremlins easily tearing through his cuirass and sinking their claws and teeth into the soft flesh beneath.

    The young man screamed and dashed to help him, but it was already too late. Even though the Awakened youth managed to kill several beasts with his fists and pushed the others away, his partner was already mortally wounded. He shuddered, a river of blood flowing from a ghastly gash in his neck, and weekly pushed the hilt of the sword into the younger man's hands.

    The crowd went wild, happily chanting the same damned word��

    "Glory! Glory! Glory!"

    The last surviving human raised his head, pain and sorrow mixing with hatred in his light blue eyes.

    He didn't get to dwell on his loss for long, though, because the remaining gremlins were already rushing to tear him apart.

    ��Some, however, found a new target.

    Sunny grunted and tried to control his body as precisely as possible. He didn't command the Soul Serpent to assume the form of a weapon or summon Saint yet, preferring to keep his cards hidden, for now.

    The lizard-like abominations did not seem too dangerous, anyway. At least not with their remaining numbers and their attention split between two targets.

    'Curses��'

    The four-armed demon's gaunt body was too tall, heavy, and unwieldy. Every motion required more effort, and was slower than he was used to. Even though there was inhuman strength in the shadow creature's steel muscles, which was supposed to translate into explosive speed, dragging so much mass around was still different from operating a small and slim human body he had possessed before.

    'Who would have thought that I would miss being short one day?'

    Four gremlins jumped at Sunny at the same time, more of them lagging a second behind. Their narrow eyes shone with rabid bloodlust, and their jagged claws were aimed at his flesh, lusting to rip it apart.

    Wrapped in shadows, with the coils of the Soul Serpent shining darkly on his skin, Sunny took a step forward and caught all four creatures from the air, then slammed their skulls against each other, crushing them.

    Even though he was having trouble controlling his new body, how could these beasts ever hope to survive a battle against a demon?

    And a very special one, at that��

    Sunny bared his teeth and lunged forward, a low growl escaping from his mouth. His four arms moved, crushing flesh and bone. Several beasts managed to slip past his assault and sink their claws into his thighs, one even trying to bite off a big chunk of flesh.

    Sunny hissed from pain and crouched, using his claws to rip four more gremlins apart. There was no free hand to finish off the last one, so he simply bit off its arm with his sharp fangs, feeling the bone crunch and the disgusting taste of corrupted blood on his tongue.

    'Argh! I'm going to vomit!'

    Sunny spit a mouthful of fetid, dark blood and silenced the shrieking creature with a bone-shattering backhand slap.

    Suddenly, the box became deathly silent.

    He groaned, overwhelmed by pain for a moment. The damned abominations had died rather easily, but not before doing a lot of damage. He might have overestimated his newfound prowess... or underestimated the gremlins due to their small stature and frail frames.

    The irony...

    Sunny gritted his teeth, this time careful not to pierce his own lips by doing so, then wiped his face and straightened. Finally, he glanced in the direction of the remaining group of abominations. To his surprise, they were already dead �� the young Awakened had slaughtered them with the sword, somehow, and was now standing there motionlessly, frozen stiff by fear.

    ��The youth was staring at him with a pale face, eyes wide with terror.

    Then, he took an unsteady step back and whispered:

    "Oh�� oh gods! Lord, protect me against the hideous demons of the night!"

    Sunny looked down at him from his immense height, his cobalt black body covered in terrible wounds and blood, more streaming from between his sharp fangs.

    He suppressed the desire to roll his eyes.

    'Hideous? Rude��'

 Chapter 606 Fate Of A Slave

    Sunny glanced down at the young man, then slowly moved toward him. The Awakened shuddered and took another involuntary step back, then gritted his teeth and lowered his stance, raising the sword into a proper defense position.

    "Lord, shine thine light upon me! Let my s��soul burn unextinguished, as the sun can never be extinguished��"

    'Huh�� I've seen suns fade away and disappear before. Never say never, fool��'

    Sunny listened to the strange prayer and allowed one of his shadows to slide off his menacing body, flowing to the ground like a dark veil. After that, he hissed from pain and stopped near a mangled human corpse.

    He stared at the trembling youth for a few moments, and then bent down, stretching his hands toward the body.

    The young man flinched and fell silent, then shouted:

    "Get your vile hands away from him, demon!"

    Sunny ignored the Awakened and used his claws to rip the white tunic off the corpse. Then, he straightened and glanced at it with displeasure, his black eyes narrowing.

    This one was not too dirtied by blood, bud sadly, its previous owner was of a normal size for a human. As such, the tunic was way too small for Sunny's new towering body. He snarled, and then tried to tie the tunic around his waist like a makeshift loincloth.

    There was a big problem, though�� his tail.

    Sunny froze, somewhat confused about what to do. Then, he awkwardly tore a hole in the tunic and made another attempt, this one, thankfully, successful.

    With his nakedness finally covered, he instantly felt better and turned his attention back to the trembling youth.

    The young man was staring at him with wide eyes, periodically glancing at the unceremoniously disrobed corpse at his feet. Finally, he opened his mouth:

    "You�� you barbarous beast! Have you no shame?!"

    Sunny grinned, revealing two rows of sharp fangs and four long, terrifying canines.

    In the next moment, though, his smile dimmed, because there was suddenly a familiar pressure rising in his mind.

    So, his Flaw remained, as well��

    'Damn it.'

    He hesitated, then slowly shook his head. Instantly, the pressure disappeared.

    'Figures. I can't escape the damned curse even if when I'm mute�� how is this even fare?'

    The Awakened blinked.

    "No�� of course not, why would a demon know shame�� it's�� wait! You... you can understand me?"

    With the Spell gone, its magical ability to translate any language in the Nightmare was gone, too. However, Sunny found himself able to discern what the young man was saying, as well as the only word the spectators seemed to know, even if it demanded some effort.

    The language they spoke was not exactly the same as the ones he had learned before, first in the Academy and later during his travels in the Dream Realm, but similar enough to make out some of the words. He was able to deduce the rest.

    Sunny stared at the youth from above, then nodded darkly.

    The young man blinked.

    "Wait�� you are not one of the Corrupted, then? What kind of a creature are you?"

    Sunny scowled. The word meant something that was tainted, infected, changed, and perverted�� a being cursed with some form of corruption. But what exactly was the Awakened asking? Was he referring to the Nightmare Creatures, perhaps?

    He hesitated, then shook his head again, and pointed to the coils of the Soul Serpent glistening on his skin.

    The youth frowned, confused.

    "A snake�� a serpent? Can that demon be Shadow's kin? No wonder the Warriors hunted him down, then�� their God and Shadow are old enemies��"

    'Uh�� is he talking to me? Or to himself?'

    Sunny lingered for a moment, then took a step forward. The Awakened flinched, torn away from his pondering, and raised his sword higher.

    "Stay away, demon, or I will��"

    He felt silent when the gaunt, towering monstrosity walked past him with absolute indifference.

    Sunny wasn't going to fight the youth�� unless the fool chose to attack first, of course. Made into a gladiator or not, he was not going to play the part of an obedient slave. He had no qualms with killing humans, but not to satisfy anyone's thirst for entertainment, especially not of anyone wishing to be his owner.

    They would have to come down in person if they wanted to force him��

    He studied the dead humans. Men, women, young and old�� the only thing in common they had was the color of their white garments. Some had been unarmed, and some had wielded weapons. The weapons were what he was really interested in��

    There was a couple laying on the red stones, none of them bearing any enchantments. He picked up a battle axe, glanced at it, and then threw it back to the ground. What was the point of having a mundane weapon? His claws were sharper and far more devastating.

    ��Luckily, the young man seemed to have decided against using the sword against him, too. He just stood there, staring at the corpses, a dark and inconsolable expression on his face.

    The steward of the arena, whoever that was, did not seem to want them to kill each other, as well.

    With a sound of scraping metal, another rusty gate rose, opening the path to the third box, this one even closer to the center of the coliseum.

    Sunny and the young Awakened glanced at each other warily��

    And then walked toward the gate together.

    ***

    Sunny's next cage was larger and more comfortable�� well, he at least could stand up straight in it.

    Not that he was in any mood to do so.

    In the end, he had been forced to fight his way through seven killing boxes, the last circular one at the very heart of the coliseum. In each box, a new Nightmare Creature, or a group of them, awaited �� those abominations who had prevailed in their own battles at the outer circles of the arena.

    In this way, only the strongest and the most ferocious of the enslaved creatures had a chance to reach the center. The further they went, the louder the cheers of the spectators became.

    And on the final stage, their salvation awaited.

    Kill the final enemy, and get the chance to live another day�� only to be forced to go through this meat grinder again, undoubtedly. Collecting more wounds, more kills��

    More glory.

    Sunny had received a lot of injuries, as for the glory, he wasn't so sure.

    Currently, he was sprawled on the bottom of a hanging cage, his body a map of gashes, lacerations, and bruises. Everything hurt, but at least he wasn't bleeding�� that was the benefit of losing his chance to receive Shadow God's lineage.

    He was slowly healing.

    In the cage next to him, the Awakened with light blue eyes sat, an empty and hollow expression on his smooth, youthful face. The young man had somehow managed to survive, as well, but grew quiet and despondent after they were brought back to the dungeon.

    Sunny didn't blame him.

    He was a bit desperate, too.

    Yes, they had survived today�� but just barely.

    And who knew how many such days there were going to be, in the future?

    Somehow, he had a disturbing feeling that once someone had entered the arena�� they never left it alive.

    Sunny closed his eyes, exhausted.

    So what if his fate was to die as a slave in this cursed coliseum�� fate was not something immutable.

    It was just very, very hard to change.

    Was he or was he not the heir to the Demon of Fate?

    If anyone could do it, it was him...

 Chapter 607 Shifting Sand

    Caged in the darkness, Sunny had a lot of time to think. All around him, a horde of Nightmare Creatures waited for their turn to be slaughtered in the bloodsoaked arena, a few unfortunate human slaves among them. Here in the nightmarish dungeon, both abominations and people were the same, equal in the face of inevitable death.

    His thoughts returned to the very start of the trial, to the announcement the Spell made. Five brave ones�� someone else had entered the Nightmare with them, and Sunny had a good idea who.

    Mordret�� the Prince of Nothing still lived, against all odds, and had found a way to reach his goal. Perhaps his reflection had hidden in the eyes of Saint Cormac, and then slid unnoticed into either Effie's or Kai's.

    Was one of his friends dead?

    No�� no, that didn't make sense. If Mordret had devoured one of the souls aboard the ancient flying ship, then someone would have noticed. The Fire Keepers were a close group, and knew each other too well to miss a sudden change in the demeanor of one of them.

    As for Effie and Kai, if they had fallen victim to Mordret's terrifying Ability, then there would have been only four souls entering the Nightmare.

    But who was to say that the Prince of Nothing had to invade a soul once his reflection jumped into the person's eyes? Maybe he could just hide in the reflections, biding his time and waiting for an opportunity to find a better vessel.

    And speaking of vessels��

    Sunny studied his monstrous body, his black eyes full of a somber apprehension.

    Why had he been sent into a body of a demon? The Spell was supposed to find suitable vessels for the challengers�� had he been made into a hideous abomination because of his three shadow cores? After all, it was hard to find a human with a soul worthy of a Divine Aspect.

    If so�� was Mordret in the body of a Terror right now?

    Hidden in the darkness, Sunny shivered.

    Yes, this was most likely the case. This fact had the potential to either reveal itself to be a blessing, or a curse.

    In theory, all five of them had the same goal �� to resolve the conflict of the Nightmare and Ascend. So, having a Terror fight on their side would be a boon, no matter how much resentment Sunny had for the bastard. He also suspected that Mordret wielded the ivory knife, increasing their chances of success even further.

    But Sunny also remembered what Master Jet had told them�� not all of the Awakened trying to conquer the trial of the Spell had to pursue the same goal. Sometimes, their solutions and ideals clashed, making them enemies.

    The idea of having Mordret as an enemy in this already insurmountable hell scared him. The Prince of Nothing�� was maybe the most dangerous opponent he had ever faced.

    Would Mordret turn on the other four humans that had entered the Seed? It was impossible to tell. He was not cruel for the sake of cruelty, and was not nearly as insane as everyone seemed to think. His hatred was directed toward Valor, and not them. But at the same time, Sunny could not say that the banished prince was completely of sound mind.

    Something about him�� when Sunny looked Mordret in the eyes, it felt as though something was missing in them. It was a very small difference, but one that made facing the Prince of Nothing strangely unsettling.

    Mordret was a wild card, one whose actions Sunny simply could not predict.

    '...No point in dwelling on it right now. Unless I find a way to escape this morbid place alive, all that awaits me is death, anyway.'

    He shifted and hissed slightly as pain radiated through his body, originating from countless wounds.

    Sunny thought back to his battle in the arena.

    Strange�� it was all so strange.

    Some of his powers were gone, but others remained. His Aspect seemed to be unaffected, by his connection to the Spell was gone.

    Then, did this mean�� did this mean that an Aspect was not a part of the Spell, but instead existed outside of it?

    Trapped in an unbreakable enchanted cage, Sunny scowled.

    A long, long time ago�� back when he had passed the First Nightmare and received his Aspect�� it had felt as though the power was coming from somewhere deep within him, as opposed to from an external source.

    Was the Spell only awakening inherent powers that were locked inside human souls, and not creating them?

    'Wait a minute��'

    Come to think of it�� Auro of the Nine had claimed to be an Awakened, and while the youth sitting silently in the nearby cage had not said it, he was an Awakened, too. But in this ancient past, the gods were still alive, and so were the daemons.

    Their terrible war had not started yet, and Weaver had not disappeared to create something that would spell doom for both the six gods and the six daemons�� to create the Nightmare Spell.

    If Sunny's suspicions were correct, of course. Than meant the Nightmare Spell had not even existed yet, in this era.

    But Awakened did.

    As well as Nightmare Creatures�� or the Corrupted, as the youth had called them.

    Sunny's vertical pupils narrowed.

    Were the Nightmare Creatures�� not created by the Nightmare Spell, as well?

    'What the hell��'

    The very idea seemed strange and ridiculous. The Spell had appeared in the waking world, causing the first Nightmare Creatures to be made from the bodies of those infected by it, and for the first generation of the Awakened to be born.

    It summoned those Awakened into the Dream Realm, which was populated by the abominations, and pushed them toward seeking out and challenging the Seeds of Nightmares. Unless a Seed was conquered, it eventually opened a path for more monsters to enter reality.

    The very idea of Nightmare Creatures, Aspects, and Awakened was inseparable from the Spell.

    And yet�� somehow, it was?

    'What... what does it all mean?'

    Sunny ground his fangs, overwhelmed by a myriad of thoughts, and a lot of confusion. It seemed as though the very foundation of his worldview had suddenly turned out to be built on shifting sand��

    He closed his eyes and scowled, feeling a dull headache approaching, then raised two hands and rubbed his face, careful not to slice it open with the claws.

    Suddenly, the cage next to his swayed. The young Awakened stood up and grabbed the bars, staring into the darkness.

    A few moments later, he said hoarsely:

    "Demon�� hey, demon. Wake up. They're coming!"

 Chapter 608 Reincarnated As A Demonic Gladiator In A Magical World

    "Glory! Glory! Glory!"

    Sunny growled, falling to the ground, the heavy body of a stone gargoyle pressing him down, its claws buried in his chest. A dark radiance rose from his skin, the scales of a coiling serpent becoming more visible, and then, one of the forearms of the abomination shattered, pulled apart by his hands.

    The creature roared, its tail shooting forward like a spear. He had no time to dodge or deflect the blow, so instead, Sunny simply endured the blinding pain of the stone spike piercing his shoulder, and pushed with his feet, straining to jump up.

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    As the result, his horns struck the gargoyle in the chin, impaling it through the skull.

    Something cold streamed down his face, and, momentarily blinded, Sunny struck the abomination in the chest with all his might, sending the stone goliath flying back.

    The gargoyle exploded into a rain of stone shards when its body struck the floor of the arena.

    Sunny breathed heavily, his torso a mess of torn flesh, and then tiredly searched for the remaining enemy, which was supposed to be fighting the Awakened youth�� if he was still alive.

    His second day in the coliseum had been both easier and more harrowing than the first.

    It was easier because Sunny was slowly growing accustomed to his new inhuman body. For someone else, this process might have taken longer, but he had always put adaptability and control of his physicality first.

    Both the flowing battle style Nephis had taught him and Shadow Dance were meant to make the practitioner as flexible and versatile as possible, the latter especially being the pinnacle of malleability.

    So, he had plenty of practice to prepare himself for waking up in the body of an actual demon, ironically. Who would have thought?

    ��But this day's battles were also much more lethal. At first, Sunny had thought that his luck was just this bad, but after he and the young Awakened had barely survived the first two boxes, the youth shared a bit of knowledge that put everything into perspective.

    Apparently, by surviving the previous day's slaughter and making their way to the center of the arena, the two of them earned the privilege of being added to the main herd of gladiators. In other words, everyone �� and every thing �� they faced today had won seven consecutive fights in the past, as well.

    This was the creme of the crop of the enslaved combatants, more or less.

    And the final stage was also going to be different��

    'Damnation��'

    He sensed two swift shadows some distance away, then finally saw them. His eyesight wasn't the best in daylight, so Sunny relied on shadow sense more and more��

    The kid was still alive, wielding a simple sword and a rusty shield that he had picked up in their second fight. He was dancing around the gargoyle, showing a good grasp of combat technique and more that a little bit of talent.

    The young man was inexperienced, but incredibly talented. His battle prowess was perhaps on par with what Sunny himself had shown on the Forgotten Shore. Or even greater.

    ��Not that it was going to help the youth. What was the point of knowing how to wield a sword, when that sword had no chance of piercing the enemy's stone skin?

    "D��demon! I can't hold it off much longer!"

    Sunny sighed, then stepped through the shadows, appearing behind the gargoyle in a whirlwind of claws. With a loud roar, he crashed into the towering creature and caught it in a deadly embrace. The steel cables of his muscles moved under the obsidian skin, and with a low growl, Sunny lifted the heavy abomination into the air.

    'Gods�� is this how much Saint weighs?'

    Even for his demonic body, the burden of a monster of similar proportions, made entirely out of stone, was almost too much.

    Almost��

    Without stopping his lunge, Sunny carried the gargoyle forward like a speeding train, and smashed the creature against the spikes mounted on the wall, impaling it on them.

    The crowd roared, expressing their joy and admiration of his brutality.

    Sunny watched as mad light was extinguished in the eyes of the abomination, then took a step back on fell heavily to one knee.

    'Can�� can you shut up for a moment�� you bastards��'

    Today, he hated the spectators even more than he had yesterday.

    The Awakened youth was already beside him, staring at the dead gargoyle with a dark expression. Then, he glanced at his sword, and finally at the four-armed monstrosity near him.

    "Demon, you�� you don't look too well."

    Sunny slookws at him with his black eyes, no recognizable human expression on his strange, bestial face.

    'No way, you noticed? Damn, what a fool��'

    Sunny, indeed, did not look too well. In fact, he looked terrible, with his obsidian skin torn in many places and sliced muscle tissue visible beneath. The most disturbing thing about it was the fact that his mangled flesh was awash with crimson blood, but none of it flowed out of the wounds, as if possessing a will of its own.

    He had not faired as well as he had thought he would in the battle against the gargoyles, in large part because the monsters had turned out to be much more powerful and swift than the similar creatures he had fought before�� in the future.

    Although Sunny was reluctant to do so, he suspected that he would have to reveal at least one of his two hidden cards �� the Soul Serpent or Saint �� before too long.

    The youth hesitated for a few moments, then suddenly stepped forward and put his hand on Sunny's torn chest.

    Sunny hissed, shocked by the unexpected gesture.

    "Don't move, demon�� I'm trying to help you��"

    'What the hell��'

    Suddenly, the young man's light blue eyes shone with cerulean light, and his curly blond hair moved, as if brushed by an otherworldly wind.

    A warm sensation spread from his palm into Sunny's aching body. Slowly, the pain receded, and at the same time, the torn fibers of his flesh started to repair themselves, growing back together.

    In a dozen seconds or so, miraculously, the terrible wounds on his body had almost closed. The young man, however, paled considerably and stepped back, his breathing fast and rugged. It seemed as though his soul essence was largely drained.

    'Well, I'll be damned��'

    The fool... was a healer.

    Sunny couldn't know whether to laugh or cry. On one hand, Awakened healers were incredibly rare, and having one as his only ally was of tremendous benefit.

    On the other hand, his only ally in the battle arena also turned out to possess an Aspect that was absolutely useless in a fight�� so there was that, as well.

    The iron gates rattled, opening the path to the next killing box.

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, and then rose to his feet.

    'No, this is good�� I can kill anything the slavers throw at us. He just has to keep me alive.'

    He glanced at the pale youth, then nodded curtly and headed toward the gates.

    Before walking through them, however, he stopped and tore off the long tip of the dead gargoyle's tail, then handed it to the young man.

    The stone spike of an Awakened Nightmare Creature was bound to perform better than a mundane weapon, at least.

    The Awakened stared at him for a bit, then sighed and dropped the sword onto the ground.

    They walked through the gate, and Sunny's face instantly darkened.

    'I know that smell��'

    The Chain Worm he had seen before in the dungeon was already crawling through the other gate, its terrifying maw dripping with black blood.

    The crowd began its chant again, ecstatic to see the Fallen Demon advance to the next box.

    "Glory! Glory!"

    He sighed, full of dread and hatred.

    'Alright. Alright, bastards. I'll show you glory��'

 Chapter 609 Glory

    Sunny tore the Chain Worm apart, pieces of flesh and puddles of blood covering the red stones of the arena like a ghastly carpet. Then, shrouded in impenetrable shadows, he thrust his hands into the mangled carcass of the slain abomination and ripped three bloody soul shards out.

    ��Ironically, killing the Fallen Demon had not been too hard for him. A long time ago, Master Roan had described these vile creatures as incredibly formidable and deadly opponents, someone that even he would not have wanted to face alone. But that was because Master Roan was a human.

    Chain Worms fed on metal, and as such, steel weapons and armor were useless against them. Sunny would have been in trouble if he was still in his human body, and most of his arsenal of Memories suddenly became ineffective. However, he was a demon now �� one of the shadowspawn, or Shadow's kin, or whatever it was he had been turned into.

    His claws, his fangs, and his shadows were the perfect weapon to destroy such abominations.

    Of course, fighting against a creature one Rank higher than him was not easy. But, augmented by three shadows, he had managed to dismantle the massive abomination without too much trouble. In fact, killing the Chain Warm had been much easier than killing Master Pierce. He wasn't even wounded, at least not seriously.

    The crowd grew silent, shocked by his display of ruthless brutality, and then exploded with cheers. Glory, glory�� it seemed that they enjoyed seeing someone triumph against a stronger opponent much more than anything else.

    'Crazy bastards��'

    Sunny glanced at the spectators with resentment, then walked over to the young Awakened and pushed the soul shards into his hands. The youth looked at them with a frown.

    "These�� are these soul shards?"

    'Gods. How can he be an Awakened and not know what a shard looks like?'

    Sunny stared at the young man darkly, then nodded and raised one hand to his chest, making a fist.

    The Awakened hesitated:

    "Don't you want to consume them yourself?"

    Sunny snarled, then shook his head. Finally convinced, the youth crushed the shards in his fists and froze, a funny expression appearing on his face.

    "Wh... what a strange feeling��"

    '...Whatever.'

    Sunny wasn't giving the shards away out of altruism. For better or worse, the young man was now his partner. The stronger he became, the better he would be able to aid Sunny, both in battle and while using his healing Aspect.

    And Sunny was going to need a lot of healing. That, he was sure of.

    After that was done, they proceeded to the fifth cage, and then to the sixth. And finally, to the last.

    By that point, Sunny was nearing his limit.

    Both battles after the Chain Worm had tested him in ways he had not expected, draining him of essence, damaging his body, and putting a heavy strain on his endurance. He was exhausted and overwhelmed by pain, the merciless sun shining blindingly in the blue skies and making his black eyes ache.

    At least the Crushing seemed to ignore the island where the colosseum was located. In fact, Sunny had not felt the island move either up or down even once. Perhaps it had a permanent altitude, like the Sanctuary of Noctis.

    The seventh battle�� the last one they had to survive today�� was, indeed, different.

    The central stage of the arena was circular in shape, with six gates in its walls. Four were already opened, and two still stood closed.

    Corpses of several terrifying creatures were laying on the red stones, steam rising from the pools of blood surrounding them. And in the middle of the killing stage, two humans stood, their faces hidden behind the helmet visors.

    Both were tall, strong, and clad in archaic armor. Their garments were painted bright red, and so were the plumes of their helmets. One was armed with a spear and a shield, while the other wielded an axe and a sword.

    These were worshippers of War God, just like the spectators singing from the stone seats of the great amphitheater.

    The young man shivered:

    "Warmongers�� these mad dogs��"

    Sunny tilted his head, paying no attention to the raging crowd as he studied the two humans. Both were Awakened, and from the look of it, of sufficient power and skill. They were calm and solemn, their eyes empty of even a hint of fear, and instead full of confidence and savage joy.

    ��Glory. That was what all of them were here for, willingly or not. The masters of the arena wanted their slaves to fight for it, but they also wanted to achieve it themselves. After the initial culling had taken place, the final obstacle the gladiators had to overcome each day was to kill some of their slavers.

    And the slavers had to survive the onslaught of the slaves, if they wished to live.

    In fact, all of the battles in the arena served a singular purpose �� to deliver the best and the most formidable opponents for the worshippers of War to temper themselves against, or die trying.

    'Mad dogs, indeed.'

    All these people were insane. Sunny was now more sure of it than ever.

    It didn't change anything, though. He still had to kill the two Awakened warriors, if he wanted to survive. Or rather, if he wanted to earn the chance to be killed in the arena some other day.

    With a low growl, Sunny sent one of the shadows to the ground. In this fight, being aware of his surroundings was going to be more important than raw strength. No Awakened human could challenge him in terms of raw might, after all�� unless their Aspect was solely focused on it.

    But such an Aspect was the least dangerous an enemy of his could possess. It was easy to understand and predictable, at least.

    It was the versatility and unpredictable nature of Aspects that made Awakened so dangerous��

    Without much fanfare, the four of them lunged at each other, an almost palpable killing intent permeating the arena.

    The two warriors fought with tremendous skill and combat prowess. The two warriors fought bravely and furiously, moving like two parts of a single organism.

    The two warriors fought with incredible insight and cunning, both wielding clarity like a deadly weapon. Truly, they were worthy of being the followers of War.

    ��But in the end, both of them died.

    How could they resist a creature that could turn their skill against them, who had faced terrors so vast that most humans would have been driven mad by a mere glimpse of them, and who lived his life wearing countless lies like a mantle?

    Sunny watched as the corpse of the second human fell to the ground, awash in blood, light dimming in his unbelieving eyes, and sighed.

    'Here's your glory, poor fools�� how does it taste? Is it sweet? Is it bitter? Or does it taste like nothing at all, like the empty lie that it is?'

    Turning away from the dead men, he glanced at the crowd, expecting to finally see sorrow and displeasure on the faces of the spectators.

    He had just killed two of their own, after all.

    But his hopes were instantly crushed.

    The people gathered in the amphitheater were not at all perturbed by the death of their brethren. Instead, they were even more excited, pride and joy gleaming on their faces.

    Laughing and smiling, they pointed at him and yelled one word, other and other.

    Only this time, it was a new one.

    All of them were shouting:

    ...Shadow!

 Chapter 610 Mind Of A Beast

    "Shadow! Shadow! Shadow!"

    ��Sunny swayed, looking at the broken sword in his hand. When did it break? He didn't quite remember. This was one of the first weapons he had picked up in the arena, right after killing�� wait, who had he killed for that sword?

    Dead faces spun in his mind, staring at him with empty eyes. There were so many that he couldn't even tell whether all of them had once belonged to real enemies or were simply created by his imagination. No, that one was real�� the first human he had killed in the coliseum. That had been the battle where he took the sword.

    These days, he was having trouble remembering things.

    Sunny threw the broken sword away and looked at the crowd that was chanting his name. Shadow�� right! That was him.

    'What is wrong with you, fool�� since when was that your name?'

    He growled, wishing that he had thrown the broken weapon at one of the humans. Not that it would have done any good �� there were powerful enchantments permeating the ancient stones of the coliseum. Some of them were meant to prevent the fighters from escaping, others protected the audience from their ire. Some, he had no idea about.

    All his attempts to break free of this cursed place had failed�� for now.

    "Demon�� are you alright?"

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then glanced at Elyas, slowly returning from the bizarre state of mind the battle had sent him into. The young man was looking at him with a strange expression on his face, a bit of apprehension hiding deep in his light blue eyes.

    The youth had grown considerably stronger in the weeks they had spent fighting all kinds of monsters �� both of the Nightmare and human kind �� in the arena. All those soul shards had not been wasted on him. His healing Ability was now much more potent, and his skill as a warrior blossomed. His face also changed, becoming gaunt and angular... almost mature.

    One had no choice but to grow up quickly in hell...

    The pain of the Flaw washed over Sunny, finally shattering his strange trans. He gritted his teeth, and nodded.

    "Well�� good. You are being weird recently, you know. I have some essence left, so let me heal you before they take us back to the cages."

    Sunny allowed the youth to approach and activate his Aspect Ability, staring at the Warmonger they had just killed. This one was a bit of a challenge�� the bastard had almost taken one of his arms off.

    The slavers they fought were growing stronger lately.

    'Something is wrong.'

    Sunny was not thinking about the Warmongers. He was thinking about his own state. At the start of all this, he had been in very bad shape�� day after day, he had fought in the arena, receiving terrible wounds and being beaten down, time after time, just to claw his way to survival, somehow, and be thrown back into the cage.

    At frist, he had kept his spirits high despite all the horror of his situation. He kept thinking and studying his surrounding, searching for a way to escape. He still had hope.

    But after a while, when nothing had worked, the weight of pain, torment, and hopelessness had grown heavier and heavier, and then heavier still. A seed of despair had taken root in his soul. And once there, it grew uncontrollably, threatening to break him into pieces.

    ��Sunny had not broken. But he had to search for a way to survive in the arena without losing pieces of his flesh each time, to bide his time until an opportunity to escape presented itself.

    He had found that way in Shadow Dance.

    The idea had been kept in the depths of his mind for a long time, but only now, faced with this soul-crushing despair, had Sunny summoned it into the light. He had decided to try and expand the purview of his battle style to include not only shadowing humans, but also Nightmare Creatures.

    The result... was a resounding success.

    Armed with a demon's body, Sunny had found it surprisingly easy to peer into the very essence of how the mad abominations carried themselves in battle, how they used their monstrous bodies and vile abilities to tear, ravage, and obliterate everything in their path. And then, he had stolen it.

    He had claws, too. He had fangs and horns, too. He had plenty of hatred and cruelty burning in his heart, too.

    ��Not that having a demon's body mattered, in the end. It was the willingness to shift the way he thought that was needed.

    Why couldn't he learn how to ravage, rip apart, and obliterate from these creatures?

    He had done exactly that, and slowly, his performance in the arena started to improve. Being able to shadow the Nightmare Creatures not only enhanced his battle style, but also made them more predictable, and thus less dangerous.

    Of course, the task had not been easy. In fact, understanding how the Corrupted fought and what impulses guided them was, in a sense, much harder than deciphering even the most sophisticated battle style. Their minds were perverted, bizarre, and alien to everything he had ever known.

    And yet, he had nothing else to do but practice, as if his life depended on it. Because it quite literally did.

    And eventually, his efforts bore fruit.

    Sunny couldn't quite remember when he had made a breakthrough, but at some point, he found himself being able to understand the Nightmare Creatures much better. From that point onward, his mastery of Shadow Dance, which had been stagnating since the Dreamscape tournament, finally started advancing once again.

    And with frightening speed.

    Now, Sunny was able to use Shadow Dance to assume the shape and form of all his enemies, at least in his mind, and thus know how they were going to try and destroy him. By knowing that, he had been able to anticipate and kill them first, instead, one after another, day after day, week after week��

    And here he was.

    Barely remembering who he was.

    As Elyas healed his wounds, Sunny stared at the dead Warmonger, his scowl growing deeper and deeper.

    'Am I�� becoming a Nightmare Creature?'

    The thought sent a cold shiver running down his spine.

    How did one become Corrupted, anyway?

    ��Some time later, back in the cage, Sunny stared into the darkness, scared. This�� this was not a danger he had anticipated. Thrust into the terrible meat grinder of the arena, he had been so focused on surviving the terrifying battles that the possibility of having his very self annihilated, piece by little piece, had never occurred to him.

    What, exactly, was happening to him?

    Sunny stared at the unbreakable bars of his cage, and shuddered.

    'Damn�� I really, really need to get out of here��'

    But how? He had been trying to escape all this time, with not even a hint of a chance. The damned collar around his neck made sure that he would never be able to leave the coliseum...

    His black eyes narrowed.

    'No�� no, I have to hold on, just a little longer. This madness is not going to last forever.'

    It simply couldn't. Half of the cages in the dungeon were already empty, their inhabitants slaughtered on the red stones of the arena.

    The Warmongers were slowly running out of slaves to kill.

    And when their number decreased too much, with only the most ferocious and deadly monsters left��

    Something was bound to happen.

    ...Wasn't it?

    A cold feeling of despair drowned his mind.

    'But what if it doesn't?'

 Chapter 611 Immortal Lords

    After a while, shrouded in darkness, Elyas suddenly spoke, addressing Sunny in his usual one-sided manner.

    In the past weeks, the young Awakened had developed a habit of sometimes speaking to his demonic partner, even though the frightening creature could not respond with anything more than an occasional nod, a shake of the head, or an indifferent shrug. Talking to Shadow was not much of a conversation, but...

    Perhaps this was one of the few things that were keeping him sane.

    ��Sunny could understand why the youth had to do that, since his own inability to talk was one of the things that were driving him mad, that was robbing him of even more of his humanity.

    "Hey, demon. Do you�� do you think it's true? About the wooden sword��"

    Sunny stared at the young man, then shrugged. He had no opinion on that topic, since he didn't know what the wooden sword was.

    Elyas sighed.

    "Before the Warmongers captured us, I had heard of their cruel Trials. Everyone back home has, really. The horrors of the Red Colosseum is something every parent tells their children, to make them behave."

    He grew silent, and then continued after some time, his voice even:

    "...But they also say that there is a way to escape this terrible place. If one is brave enough�� if they are righteous enough�� then they would eventually be given a wooden sword, and earn the right to fight for their freedom."

    Sunny shifted slightly, tilting his head.

    'What a nice fairy tale��'

    The poor kid was deceiving himself if he thought that the worshippers of War were going to just let them go. Bravery, righteousness�� these concepts were alien to the insane zealots.

    Or rather, they understood it all differently.

    Sunny had spent enough time observing the Warriors �� or Warmongers, as Elyas called them �� to understand that they were not evil people, or at least did not consider themselves as such. Their worldview was twisted and ruthlessly cruel, but more or less simple.

    They believed in struggle, and glory. One had to struggle to achieve glory, and the struggle itself was the most glorious thing. That was why they were happy and joyful when watching their new favorite, Shadow, slaughter his way through the arena, no matter who or what he was killing �� Nightmare Creatures or their own friends and family.

    ...Because dying while struggling against an overwhelming foe was the highest form of glory. Dying by his hand was a privilege and an expression of virtue.

    The only thing more righteous than being killed by a stronger enemy�� was to kill that enemy instead.

    In their mind, the Warriors saw what they were doing to the slaves not as a cruel injustice, but as a benevolent gift. The slaves were not forced to slaughter each other for the entertainment of the crowd. Instead, they were generously given a chance to walk the path of righteousness and strive toward glory...

    That was why Sunny didn't think that any of the slaves would ever be allowed to walk free of the colosseum. Doing so would be the greatest sin, a shameful offense that the Warmongers, in their perverse benevolence, would never visit upon their prisoners.

    To them, that would have been the vilest form of cruelty.

    'Damned lunatics��'

    Sunny was not sure that all followers of War God were this bizarre. In fact, he was pretty certain that this murderous sect had been born here, in the Kingdom of Hope. The slavers he had met in the First Nightmare worshipped the same god, but were nothing like these battlesworn zealots��

    The Kingdom of Hope was a very strange place throughout, from what little he had gathered from Elyas's words.

    Sunny now knew that he had been sent into a time period around a thousand years after the destruction of the real kingdom by Sun God. Now, only the name remained. People inhabiting these lands did not even know who the Demon of Desire was, really, only that she had been punished by the gods and imprisoned in the Ivory Tower.

    And that their duty was to guard her prison.

    In this duty, the people of the kingdom were led by seven lords. Or rather, five, since two had already perished.

    The Ivory Tower itself had not been separated from the rest of the isles yet, and remained at the center of the region, surrounded by a large city �� the beautiful city of aerial bridges and white aqueducts that he had seen rebuild itself from ashes at the start fo the Nightmare. Elyas's home.

    The Ivory City was populated by the followers of Sun God, and protected by two of the remaining five lords.

    The west of the region belonged to the second most populous faction of the Kingdom of Hope, the followers of War, and this was where Sunny had the misfortune to find himself. He had seen the statues of War God here and there in the arena, even though they did not resemble the one he had witnessed on the strange island that a circular river flowed through.

    These statues of the God of War, as well as of life, progress, technology, craft, intellect, and humanity all depicted him as a mighty warrior in heavy armor, wielding a bloodied spear and a cracked shield.

    The Warriors were also led by one of the lords �� a beautiful priestess of War whose name was...

    Solvane. The dazzling beauty was one of the rulers of the Kingdom of Hope.

    The followers of War God and Sun God seemed to be in conflict with each other, and so were the lords leading them. That was how Elyas and his family had ended up captured and brought into the arena, to serve as slaves fighting in the Trials.

    The remaining two lords were neutral and of no consequence, since their factions were much smaller and wielded no real power. One resided far to the north, and the other somewhere in the east. Elyas did not know much about them, and so Sunny didn't either.

    ��He just knew that the five lords were, without a doubt, the eternal shackles mentioned in the description of the Undying chain. Immortal jailers created by Sun God to keep Hope imprisoned in her tower, chained�� forever.

    What had once been a suspicion of his now turned into a certainty. There were just too many clues, some of which he had collected before venturing into the Seed, and some that he had picked up from the young man's words.

    And maybe�� just maybe�� that knowledge could help him gain freedom.

 Chapter 612 Red Colosseum

    'Wooden sword�� fight for their freedom��'

    Sunny shifted slightly, causing his cage to sway, and glanced at Elyas. The youth was not in a talking mood anymore and just sat quietly, staring into the darkness.

    There was something, a hint of a meaning, in what he had said. Sunny tried desperately to catch that meaning, but for some reason, his thoughts kept returning to the statues of War God.

    He had seen two depictions of the fearsome deity in the Kingdom of Hope. One was a warrior in heavy armor, wielding a bloodied spear and a cracked shield �� both, presumably, representing warfare and battle �� and the other was a woman wearing nothing but a beast hide around her waist, holding a spear in one hand and a beating human heart in another�� the spear representing her dominion over war, technology, and craft perhaps, the heart representing her connection to life and humanity.

    Why were these statues so different?

    Sunny was still exhausted after the furious battles of the past day, his thoughts slow and feverish, as they often were these days. Frustrated, he rubbed his face, then scratched at it with sharp claws, slicing the skin apart. The pain washed the fog shrouding his mind away, allowing him to think clearly for a few minutes.

    The Altar of War�� that was what Solvane had called the island where the primeval statue of the Goddess of Life stood. And that was the right word �� this depiction of the deity seemed much more primal, bestial�� ancient.

    The statue itself seemed incredibly ancient, too. Much older than the statues of the mighty warrior were�� in fact, it seemed as ancient as the Red Colosseum itself, or perhaps even older. Old enough to have been created before the Kingdom of Hope was shattered and turned into the chain of floating islands by Sun God, as it was today, and would be thousands of years into the future.

    Why would Hope have a monument to one of the gods in her domain? Well, the idea itself was not that strange. Gods and daemons had not been always at war, after all. In fact, the Prince of the Underworld had a shrine to the Goddess of the Black Skies, Storm God, in his very tower �� despite the fact that later, she would become his mortal enemy.

    So that question was not important�� the important thing was that Sunny couldn't stop thinking about the statue, for some reason.

    'As ancient as the Red Colosseum itself��'

    Suddenly, Sunny tilted his head.

    'Huh?'

    The white amphitheater, and the arena it surrounded, were the derelict of the true Kingdom of Hope, as well. He had realized that fact a while back, partially from how they looked, and partially from how deep and ancient some of the shadows hiding in the corners of the dungeon felt.

    In fact, Sunny suspected that the theater had not always been a battle arena. It reminded him of the giant quarry at the roots of the Hollow Mountains, where the seven heroes of the Forgotten Shore had excavated stone to build the mighty walls of their city, and the Crimson Spire itself.

    Ivory City had to have been built out of something, too�� so this place must have been a similar quarry, once, and had served as the source of the white stones used to construct those aerial bridges and aqueducts. Later, it had been turned into a theater, and later still, the Warmongers usurped that theater and made it into an arena, soaking the ancient stones with so much blood that they turned red.

    His black eyes narrowed.

    'This is it�� this must be it��'

    All this time, Sunny had been tormented by one paradoxical question. A question that was of utmost importance for his attempts to gain freedom.

    ��If this was an era where the Nightmare Spell did not exist yet, then how could Solvane put him on a leash capable of severing his connection to the Spell?

    The collar was a simple piece of enchanted metal, with no lock or any other way of opening it. It was almost impossible to damage or destroy, but the enchantment itself was not very complicated�� Sunny could feel that it wasn't. What it did, however, was tie him to the vast and incredibly powerful enchantments of the arena itself.

    Those enchantments were harnessed by the Warmongers to maintain the cages, prevent the slaves from escaping by any means, mundane or magical, and ensure that they behaved while being transported to and, very rarely, back from the arena.

    His inability to connect to the Spell almost seemed like a side effect of these measures.

    But what could even interfere with the Spell, let alone accidentally?

    And now, he felt as if he had found the answer! If the Red Colosseum was, indeed, not built by the Warriors, but only usurped by them, then it was indeed very clear.

    ��Sorcery of another daemon could. If the Demon of Desire was the original creator of the theater, then the enchantments left behind by her would probably do the job of messing with the Spell weaved from the Strings of Fate by her older sibling.

    Sunny shifted, grasping the bars of the cage.

    Suddenly, a powerful emotion burst in his chest, filling his muscles with renewed strength, and his mind with desperate resolve.

    ��Hope. It was hope.

    He didn't think of it as poison anymore. No... it was the opposite. A most powerful antidote.

    If the Spell had been created by Weather, and the enchantments interfering with it created by Hope�� if all of this was the result of a clash between two types of daemonic sorcery��

    Then why couldn't he, as an inheritor of a daemonic legacy, do something to resolve that clash?

    Sure, Sunny knew nothing about weaving magic�� but he had also not known anything about combat once, or how to live and fight in a body of an actual demon.

    If there was one thing he was good at, it was learning new things.

    Well�� that, and lying.

    And staying alive.

    Staring at the ghastly dungeon surrounding him with new eyes, Sunny studied its ancient stone walls, and frowned.

    So�� how was one supposed to start learning sorcery?

 Chapter 613 Schools Of Sorcery

    There were hours left until they were going to be taken to the arena again. Sunny stared at the walls of the dungeon intently, as though hoping to glean some secrets from the ancient stones.

    But what could he see? They were just old stones. There was nothing interesting on their surface, and neither was there anything interesting beneath it.

    After a while, Sunny took a deep breath and sat down again, trying to make himself as comfortable as possible in the narrow cage. Then, he shut down his senses, pushing away the presence of countless abominations surrounding him, the stench of the prison, the pain in his exhausted body�� everything that distracted him from thinking.

    'What do I know about sorcery?'

    That was a daunting question.

    Even the word itself was deceptive. Humans of his world used it to describe any Aspect capable of dealing direct damage to the opponents, as opposed to augmenting the Awakened's combat ability �� especially those that could do so from range. But that wasn't what Sunny was after.

    No, what he was interested in was not the type of abilities that existed within the familiar framework of supernatural powers, but the very means used to create that framework, or at least those that existed outside the realm of Aspects.

    That, to him, was true sorcery.

    'But there are different kinds of such sorcery, as well�� what are the ones that I've witnessed?'

    Three came to mind. The first one he was familiar with the best �� the spellweave, which he believed to be Weaver's own sorcery. The Spell itself was created from it, as well as all the magical items that the Spell gifted to the Awakened �� Memories and Echoes. This was the magic that all humans knew, and most believed to be the only kind there is.

    Sunny, however, had already learned that sorcery was not synonymous with the Spell, and that there were ways of creating magic different from spellweave.

    The first of them he had witnessed inside the Echo of Saint, which had remnants of a much more primitive weave hiding beneath the usual pattern of ethereal strings before he turned her into a Shadow. Later, he encountered the same type of alien weave within the walls of the Ebony Tower.

    This type of Sorcery belonged to the Prince of the Underworld, Weaver's younger sibling. The similarity between them was hard not to notice, but Sunny didn't know which of the daemons had copied which �� whether Weaver perfected the sorcery created by their brother, or whether the youngest child of the Unknown had based the method of his craft on the eldest's invention.

    Judging by these two types of sorcery, it was easy to imagine that all of them involved some kind of a weave. However, that conclusion would have been wrong�� Sunny knew this because of the third type of magic he had encountered.

    The miraculous creation of Sun God �� the obsidian knife he had taken from the white altar of the Sanctuary of Noctis before leaving for the Night Temple, and was now resting, inaccessible, on the bottom of the Covetous Coffer.

    The black knife had no weave hiding beneath its surface�� instead, it was full of blinding radiance, as if encompassing a boundless ocean of soul essence, with a single String of Fate placed into the pristine light as it folded on itself endlessly and formed a neverending circle.

    That was the sorcery of Sun God�� if a deific miracle could even be called sorcery. In any case, the obsidian knife �� and later, the wooden one he had used to kill Solvane �� proved that one didn't have to base their magic on a weave of some sort. This was just the unique way Weaver cast his, and their brother followed.

    So�� Hope's sorcery might have been completely unique, too.

    Trapped in the iron cage, Sunny frowned. How was he supposed to search for something that could have looked like anything?

    Come to think of it�� there was another type of sorcery that he had encountered. Or rather, several different ones, all united by the same method of creation: runic magic.

    The first time he had seen it was underneath the ruined cathedral of the Dark City, in a small cell where a corpse wearing Weaver's mask had been chained within a broken circle. That circle was carved into the stone floor, surrounded by countless symbols that Sunny had not recognized.

    The Gateway within the Crimson Spire was surrounded by a circle of runes, too�� as well as the stone arch on the last level of the Ebony Tower and the one connected to it, situated in the beautiful white gazebo on the Ivory Island.

    Another place where he had encountered sorcerous runes was the Night Temple�� there, they had been either inscribed by someone from clan Valor, or at least found and repurposed by them.

    So, basically, he was familiar with three general types of creating sorcery. One was the spellweave, as well as a version of it used by the Prince of the Underworld. The other was the divine miracles of Sun God, which he couldn't even begin to understand.

    And the last one was based on the inscription of runes, and seemed to have been mostly used by humans �� here in the Kingdom of Hope and on the neighboring Forgotten Shore.

    'Huh��'

    There was a small discrepancy, however.

    'Why was the portal in the Ebony Tower created with runic magic instead of the primitive spellweave, like everything else in there?'

    Was it, perhaps, because the connecting portal on the Ivory Island had been? The Prince of the Underworld had built the tower in the Sky Below long after Hope had built hers, after all. In fact, he had done so after his sister was already imprisoned, to harvest the divine flames that had destroyed her domain. It would have made sense for him to use runic magic to invade an already existing system of portals that had been based on it.

    So�� was Hope, perhaps, the source of runic magic? Or at least a user of it?

    Sunny sighed, feeling spent and tired, then closed his eyes.

    He had to sleep at least a little, to allow his body and mind some rest before tomorrow's battles.

    Especially now that he had not only to survive them, but also do so while searching for any sign of hidden runes throughout the arena��

 Chapter 614 Hopes Canvas

    A new day brought with it a new portion of pain, hardship, and despair.

    Sunny and Elyas were dragged into the arena, the same Ascended warmonger guiding them by the chains attached to the collars. Sunny stumbled forward, his gaze locked on the man's broad back.

    The jailer was incredibly tall for a human, his height more than even that of the shadow demon Sunny was currently inhabiting. His figure was solemn and powerful, a sense of terrifying strength radiating from it in almost physical waves. The apostle of War wore the same ragged leather armor and a tattered red robe, his features hidden behind a deep hood.

    In all these weeks, Sunny had never seen his face, or heard him speak.

    The great blade on the Ascended warrior's back looked special, too. It was definitely enchanted with very powerful magic�� now that Sunny turned his thoughts to the nature of sorcery, he was silently studying the line of runes inscribed along the edge of the heavy weapon.

    'Runic magic again��'

    That made sense�� how else were these ancient people supposed to enchant their weapons? It was not like they could rely on Memories and spellweave. That said, magical weapons seemed to be much rarer in the Kingdom of Hope than in the waking world. Most of the Awakened Sunny had fought in the arena wielded either mundane ones or those possessing weak, primitive enchantments.

    It was the far cry from the powerful Memories he was used to, although Sunny did not know if that was the nature of this era, or just another sign of the ubiquitous regression that seemed to reign in what remained of the Kingdom of Hope. Everything here seemed devolved, worn out, and on the verge of falling apart.

    The whole region was obviously in decline, and had been for some time now.

    ...While studying the runes on the great blade, he also noticed that it had a few new nicks. The leather armor of the silent giant had more scratches than before, as well��

    It seemed that the Ascended was participating in the battles in the arena himself.

    'I guess I'll have to fight that monster too, eventually...'

    Finally, a rusty iron gate appeared in front of them, blinding sunlight streaming through its bars. The rumbling voices of the crowd echoed from the stone walls, washing over him like a cursed tide.

    The gate swung open, and the chains came off of their collars. Sunny and Elyas entered the first killing box and watched as their opponents crawled out of a similar tunnel.

    The young Awakened brandished his weapon �� a short spear fashioned out of a long twisting horn �� and forced out a weak smile.

    "Luck... luck is on our side today, Demon! These creatures are called Burrowers. On solid stone, their main advantage is gone! Just don't let them swallow you��"

    Sunny snarled, then dashed forward with a roar.

    ��Hard. Today was going to be hard.

    He was forced to use Shadow Dance to peer into the souls of the Nightmare Creatures, despite suspecting that doing so too much threatened to destroy his already unsteady mind. He also had to both concentrate on the fight and thoroughly study the ancient theater, in hopes of discovering signs of Hope's sorcery.

    It was almost like his first training sessions with Saint, when he had to resist the taciturn monster while simultaneously keeping an eye on his shadow to decipher the secret of its dance. The problem was that, back then, he had ended up beaten black and blue by Saint most of the time.

    Now, he couldn't allow himself to lose.

    Sunny descended upon the repulsive Burrowers, which looked like sacks of bulbous flesh with giant circular maws gaping in them, and tried to slaughter the abominations without being eaten alive.

    ��The first fight came and went, and then, it was time for the second one, and then the third one, and then the fourth.

    Sunny had slain the vicious Burrowers, and then a creature that resembled a giant walking skeleton, its bones green and as tough as granite, and then a swarm of monstrous ants that covered the floor of the arena like a carpet, and then a being that was like an oozing mountain of mire sludge that had long, razor-sharp steel sickles protruding from it.

    His body was torn, and sliced, and crushed, and gnawed on. Elyas had healed the most terrible wounds, but the rest remained, not worthy of having precious soul essence wasted on them, yet.

    Sunny was once again overwhelmed by pain, rage, and the desperate need to fight for his survival. Everything else disappeared�� the only thing that remained was battle, blood, and murder.

    And fear.

    ...However, today, that wasn't enough.

    He fought through the battle fog that encompassed his mind and kept searching, studying every corner of the Red Colosseum �� the floor of the arena, the walls surrounding it, the rows of seats rising above �� in search of intricately engraved runes.

    But all he saw were the statues of War God, the jubilant faces of the spectators, and the weathered surface of ancient stones. There was no hint of any engravings anywhere.

    'Where are you�� where...'

    The fifth battle almost cost him his life. While fighting against a familiar foe �� a giant worm-like creature that possessed a seemingly endless reserve of vitality �� Suny had tripped on the uneven surface of the floor of the arena, lost his balance, and tumbled down.

    If not for Elyas, who fearlessly jumped forward and pulled the attention of the terrible abomination to himself, he would have been viciously mauled, or even lost his life.

    Back when Sunny had fought a worm like that the first time, the creature eventually succumbed to the soul damage continuously dealt to it by the Cruel Sight. Today, however, he had no deadly Memory to help him�� only his claws, his fangs, and his horns.

    In the end, Sunny had to literally rip the giant abomination to shreds. Only when its body was torn apart completely did the worm stop regenerating new flesh and recovering from all the wounds, and finally died.

    Exhausted, Sunny fell to his knees and breathed hoarsely, then threw a hateful glance at the crowd chanting his name. Finally, he lowered his head and glared at the wide groove in the red stone of the arena that had almost cost him his life.

    There were several grooves like that in some of the killing boxes, cutting through the floor of the colosseum like broad channels meant for the rivers of blood to flow through them. Usually, he took note of their placement in advance to avoid losing his footing at a dire moment, but today, with his attention split between the battles and the need to study the arena, Sunny had failed in that regard.

    'Damn thing�� why couldn't they just make the arena flat?!'

    Well, the answer was obvious. All that blood had to go somewhere, and if not for these grooves, the whole colosseum would have slowly turned into one giant crimson pool.

    He frowned.

    'Wait�� that doesn't make sense, though��'

    BEst

    Sunny lingered, noticing that the gate to the sixth box was already opening.

    The grooves were as ancient as the Red Colosseum itself�� which meant that they had been here long before the Warmongers started holding their demented Trials here. Long before the name Red Colosseum was even given to it.

    Which meant that these grooves had been cut through the stone back when it had still been pristine white, and had no blood spilled on it.

    So�� serving as channels that took away blood could not have been their purpose.

    Sunny's lightless eyes narrowed. Suddenly, he realized his mistake.

    All this time, he had been looking for the sorcerous runes while expecting them to look like they had the previous times he encountered them �� intricate, small, and numerous, arranged into shapes and patterns. And yet, he had found nothing.

    But, in fact, the runes were right in front of him the whole time�� or rather, beneath his feet.

    He was just too small and insignificant to notice them, like an ant crawling across a vast painting and failing to see the whole image for what it was.

    There were no circles of intricate runes carved anywhere in the colosseum�� instead, the whole vastness of the ancient arena was a runic circle, a canvas Hope had used to create her sorcery.

    ��He was standing on it.

 Chapter 615 Ancient Runes

    The runes Hope had used were not small, intricate, and elaborate. Instead, they were giant, spanning the whole width of the blood-soaked arena, and guided torrential floods of soul energy instead of thin streams of it to create the unimaginably powerful enchantments.

    Once Sunny knew where to look, it didn't take him long to start noticing a pattern and meaning in the placement and direction of the grooves cut in the ancient stone. The problem was, their scope was too great to be perceived from the floor of the arena. He would have been able to see the entirety of the runes, perhaps, from the very top of the amphitheater.

    But fighters were never allowed to leave the battlefield, unless it was to return to the dungeon.

    ��In the absence of an aerial view, all he could do was to try and compile the disjointed pieces of the puzzle in his mind. By now, Sunny had fought in most of the killing boxes in the arena, except for a few.

    After defeating another group of Warmongers and being thrown back into the cage, he spent the entire night trying to remember each of the stages he had shed blood on, and the pattern of the grooves on their floor. It was like assembling a complicated puzzle, only instead of the actual pieces, all he had were fragmented memories of them.

    Luckily, his memory had always been good. In fact, after becoming an Awakened and having the opportunity to interact with a lot of different people, many of whom were very smart and educated, Sunny realized that his ability to instantly memorize things were somewhat unnatural even among them. Before, he had just assumed that everyone could do the same.

    Still, he had to have paid attention to a thing in order to remember it, which was not the case with all of the grooves �� only those that had happened to appear in his way. Plus, he was also having trouble determining how the irregularly shaped killing boxes were situated in relation to each other, since that wasn't something he had thought about before.

    The task of creating a perfect three-dimensional replica of the entire arena in his mind was not an easy one.

    Over the next few days, he was somewhat distracted while fighting the Nightmare Creatures in the Red Colosseum. Confounded by the fact that their enemies were growing stronger and stronger as all the weaker slaves were being slowly slaughtered, his performance suffered.

    And that meant more injuries, more pain, and more torment.

    Sometimes, he felt utterly beaten, broken, and hopeless. Sunny was familiar with suffering and hardship, and had experienced a fair share of horrific anguish in his life�� but the Trial of the Red Colosseum had turned out to be a hell so dire that even he was having difficulty enduring its burden. It was simply too cruel, too odious, too vile��

    And that harrowing torture was not going to end until he gave up.

    But he didn't. The strange task of peering into the secrets of the Demon of Desire kept him going, no matter how wounded his body and how broken his spirit became. It was almost like an obsession. Sunny continued to fight, and kill, and suffer�� and study the ancient stones.

    His mental condition deteriorated so much that even Elyas, who was going through his own terrible ordeal, noticed that something was very wrong with his taciturn demonic partner. The young man tried to encourage the shadow creature as well as he could, but what could he say to soothe the soul-crushing despair of their situation?

    They were enslaved, locked in cages, and forced to fight for their lives against a swarm of deadly monsters, only to be thrown back behind the iron bars, fed the raw flesh of the abominations they had just killed, and go through the whole nightmare again the next day, with no hope of ever escaping except for through death�� through being killed and eaten by the other prisoners of the Red Colosseum.

    Even their captors seemed to be trapped by the Colosseum, chained in the same vicious cycle, and doomed to eventually share the same fate as their slaves. Inside this ancient theater, only bloodshed and madness reigned.

    ��And yet, all of it was not for nothing. Eventually, after Sunny had lost count of the days they had spent in the colosseum, he finally managed to create a complete image of it in his head. With it came the understanding of the shapes of the giant runes that were cut in the bloodsoaked stone.

    And with that understanding came the ability to peer into their purpose.

    After learning the shape and position of the runes, Sunny found himself able to peer beneath the surface of the stone and see their function. The ability had always been within him, hiding in the depths of his changed eyes�� he just had not known where and how to look, like he had not been aware of his ability to see the soul cores of creatures before clashing with Mordret within the Soul Sea.

    Armed with the new knowledge, Sunny was able to perceive vast rivers of soul essence flowing beneath the arena and through its walls, following intricate paths carved for it by the immense runes.

    In the end, that was what sorcery was �� the ability to guide and shape hidden energies, most often that of souls, to express one's will upon the world�� the enchantments were simply expressions of the enchanter's will, and the runes were the building blocks with which the enchanter manipulated the movement of energy to achieve their goal.

    BEst

    But where was all this soul energy coming from?

    At first, Sunny assumed that the Red Colosseum was similar to the Crimson Labyrinth, and fed on the souls of creatures slain within it.

    Slaves slaughtering each other in the arena must have been empowering the sorcery enslaving them by the very act of slaughter�� but after observing the flow of soul essence through the ancient structure for a while, he realized that his initial theory was wrong.

    Instead of the fighters... it was the crowd of spectators that fueled the enchantments. It was their jubilation, their elation, their sincere excitement that were the source of all the power flowing through the ancient theater. Of course�� why would the Demon of Desire base her sorcery on death?

    Her domain was built upon dreams, emotions, and passion. It was only after the followers of War God had usurped the colosseum that the subject of all this passion became battle, bloodshed, and murder. The current state of the arena was not how it had been supposed to be... it was stolen, perverted, and made into something utterly different.

    ? ...Corrupted.

    More than a month had already passed after Sunny entered the Second Nightmare. The dungeon was growing less and less crowded, most of the prisoners long killed on the bloody stones of the arena. The end of the hateful Trials �� whatever it was supposed to be �� was approaching.

    Now, he knew the basic principle of how the enchantments keeping him tied to the Red Colosseum functioned��

    So, the question was, how was he supposed to use that knowledge to escape?

 Chapter 616 Black String

    Sunny had no clue how to create, decipher, or manipulate runic magic. His inherent ability to see the weave and inner structure of magical items, the one he had received after consuming the drop of ichor that fell from Weaver's eye, also gifted him with an innate understanding of the essence of spellweave.

    While studying the Memories created by Spell, Sunny was not able to fully understand the intricate purpose of the vast patterns of ethereal strings�� but he at least could intuitively feel a hint of it.

    He had no such advantage when it came to other forms of sorcery. So, despite the fact that he had managed to perceive the enchantments encompassing the Red Colosseum, it was not like he could simply change them, or create new ones to counteract the old.

    He could study the runes, of course�� but with no teacher and only his wit and intelligence to help him draw the correct conclusions from observing various enchantments, it would take hundreds of years to gain enough insight to learn how to create any meaningful runic sorcery of his own.

    Sunny, however, wasn't discouraged. Yes, he would not be able to create runic sorcery any time soon.

    But destroying things was always much easier than making them.

    Locked inside the narrow cage, surrounded by the smell of Nightmare Creatures and filth, Sunny stared into the darkness and thought.

    Destroy the enchantments of the Red Colosseum��

    In theory, it was simple to achieve. He just had to break enough runes to disrupt the paths they created for the soul energy. The problem with that, however, was that the runes Hope had used were giant, and carved into nearly unbreakable stone. Sunny doubted that he would be able to do enough damage to the arena to cause its sorcery to fail.

    ...Causing a smaller and temporary disruption, however, was not entirely impossible. He felt that he would be able to achieve that much, at least�� perhaps enough to free himself of the binding enchantment for a second or few.

    Would several seconds of freedom be enough to escape this cursed place?

    It was going to have to be��

    As he waited in the darkness, a seed of a desperate plan started forming in his mind.

    ***

    At some point, Sunny straightened and sat cross-legged at the center of the cage, causing it to sway lightly. Raising one of his four monstrous hands, he stared at it for a while, and then commanded shadow essence to stream forward, concentrating at the tips of his fingers.

    Even since he had consumed Weaver's alabaster phalanx and acquired Bone Weave, the tactile sense of his fingers went through a strange metamorphosis. It was now much more nuanced, vibrant, and keen. Even though his hands were currently bestial and covered by thick calluses, this sensitivity remained.

    As shadow essence concentrated in the tips of his fingers, he felt a strange, ghostly tingling sensation. It was so real as to almost appear physical��

    Tentatively raising another hand, Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then pinched the air near one of his tingling fingers and tried to pull essence outward.

    To his surprise, it worked.

    In his mind's eye, a strand of darkness suddenly extended into the air, summoned by his hand. It didn't look like one of the radiant strings he was used to seeing inside Memories, and neither did it look like the flowing liquid that essence was usually depicted as.

    Instead, the strand of shadow essence looked like a tenebrous fog, similar to the grey wisps that rose from Saint's armor when one of the shadows wrapped itself around her.

    It was insubstantial, ephemeral, and elusive, not at all like the sharp and beautiful strings that spellweave was created of.

    Sunny frowned slightly, and pulled the fog with one hand while trying to get a hold of it with the other, wishing to draw it taut, and thus more concentrated.

    However, this small movement instantly caused the strand to break, dissipate, and disappear, blown away by a gust of wind.

    'This�� is going to take some time.'

    Grim, Sunny continued to draw on his shadow essence and try to form it into a thin and durable string, emptying a small portion of his reserves with each failure. By the time morning came, he had not made any progress at all, and only managed to waste most of his essence in futile attempts.

    Fighting after wasting so much power was going to cost him a lot.

    Soon, the Ascended jailer appeared from the darkness, chains rattling on his belt. Sunny glanced at the giant in a tattered red robe, and then closed his eyes for a moment.

    'Doesn't matter�� it doesn't matter. I'll be dead either way. But now, at least, there's a chance��'

    He fought in the arena, killed the Nightmare Creatures, retrieved the soul shard to empower Elyas, and then barely survived in the battle against the Awakened Warriors on the final stage.

    At night, he continued to experiment with shadow essence, trying to shape the elusive fog into something resembling an ethereal, resilient string. When his essence ran dry, he slept for a few minutes, and then woke up with a startle to start all over again.

    When the morning came, he fought. When the murdering was over and done with, hidden in the darkness, he tried to weave strings out of the effervescent fog. The idea itself seemed ridiculous, mad, and impossible�� how could something so intangible become something strong, durable, and distinct?

    He sundered flesh and had his flesh sundered, then struggled to create something out of nothing, day after day, night after day. Time lost any meaning�� Suny had already been struggling to hold on, but now, drained by the lack of sleep, the constant pressure of trying to shape essence into a magical string, and the need to fight in the arena with his reserves half-empty because of it, he was slowly sliding into the dark and bottomless abyss.

    And yet, he persisted in his obsession, teaching his fingers to feel the smallest fluctuations of the fog, to guide and shape it, trying one approach after another, endlessly, without resting or giving up.

    And by the time his second month in the Red Colosseum was coming to the end and most of the cages in the lightless dungeon hung empty��

    Sunny suddenly straightened, staring at his cut, trembling hands.

    Between them, a single ethereal string hovered, black as night, thinner than a hair, and as sharp as a diamond blade.

    A low growl escaped from his mouth.

    'It's done... I've done it!'

 Chapter 617 Simplest Weave

    Sunny remained motionless for a while, then shifted slightly, causing the chain of his cage to rattle. Attracted by the sound, Elyas woke up from his restless sleep and stared into the darkness, a tired expression on his young face.

    "...Demon? What happened?"

    In the next moment, he heard the sound of a heavy body slamming against the iron bars, and then another crash. His partner's cage swung widely, and at the highest point of its swing, a long arm suddenly shot from between the bars, claws scraping against metal as Sunny took hold of the youth's own gibbet.

    Elyas flinched.

    "Wha... what are you doing?"

    Sunny growled, trying to express his intention as best as he could. The young Awakened didn't know how to read the runic language he knew how to write, so this was the only way of communication between them. Luckily, an honest effort to answer truthfully was enough for the Flaw. It didn't punish Sunny for not being able to deliver the truth, as long as he really tried to.

    Their cages hung diagonally, connected by his hand. Sunny groaned, straining his muscles to pull them even closer together. Then, staring at the young man's pale face, Sunny took hold of the bars with two more hands, and stretched the fourth one to grab the Awakened by the throat.

    Elyas's eyes widened slightly, but he didn't even try to struggle. The youth simply looked at him, no fear written on his gaunt and emaciated, but still childishly soft face. Instead, there was only confusion... and trust.

    Sunny sighed.

    'What a fool. If I wanted to, I could have snapped his neck right here and now��'

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    Of course, he had no such intentions. Instead, Sunny brought the youth closer and stared intently at the steel collar wrapped around his neck, studying it. He couldn't really see his own, so this was the next best thing.

    Elyas remained motionless for a while, then said:

    "I don't know what you are trying to do, Demon, but you better stop it before the priest comes to check on the noise."

    Sunny scowled, then let go, causing their cages to swing away from each other. Elyas was right�� there were mere seconds left before the Ascended showed up, judging by how long it had taken the solemn giant to appear before. He was always somewhere near, ready to intervene in case the slaves misbehaved. Sunny had timed their jailer's reaction time many, so he knew that much.

    It didn't matter, anyway. He had already seen all that he needed to see. The pattern of runes carved inside the collar, and the stream of soul essence running through it�� this was what he needed to disrupt.

    Sunny was going to have to work fast.

    ***

    Several days later, looking more like a corpse than a living being, he was laying at the bottom of the cage, looking at his hands. Between them, a complicated cradle of black strings was weaved together, forming a strange and hypnotic pattern. Sunny had advanced a lot in his ability to thread shadow strings and loop them between his fingers�� sadly, it was not without cost.

    The strings were ephemeral and unseen to anyone except him, which also meant that they could not interact with the material world. However, they could interact with his flesh, which was why two of his fingers were missing, each sliced away so cleanly that it seemed as though they had never existed.

    Even his phalanxes, reinforced by the evolved Bone Weave, had not offered the essence strings any resistance. All that remained were two bloody stumps.

    The rest of his fingers were cut and mangled, but still in place. Considering that there were eighteen of them left, he still had more than a human would. Not that it diminished the pain he was constantly experiencing.

    It would have certainly been helpful to have a tool to work the black strings, instead of doing it with his bare hands�� something like a needle, perhaps. Coincidentally, he had one of those in his possession, a needle used by Weaver themself, no less. But it was locked away in his Soul Sea, safely kept and utterly inaccessible inside the Covetous Coffer.

    So, he just had to endure and be very, very careful, lest the number of his fingers diminished even further.

    ��There was another problem, though.

    Sunny had inherited an intuitive understanding of the guiding principles of spellweave, but it was not like he really knew what to do. All he had was his memory of the spellweave patterns he had seen before, and a vague feeling of the purpose behind them.

    This was not enough to master sorcery�� but it was at least a start.

    Each Memory he had studied before had unique enchantments, so he couldn't draw parallels between them and extrapolate how their weaves produced the desired effects. There were magical qualities that all Memories shared, however.

    The ability to be summoned and dismissed, the ability to repair themselves unless completely destroyed, and the connection to the owner's soul.

    Knowing these three ubiquitous traits, Sunny could, in theory, determine which parts of the weaves were the exact same across all Memories, and thus were responsible for these effects. Then, he could try to recreate them.

    Each spellweave was incredibly complex, so recalling even a single pattern perfectly was a challenge, despite him having a very good memory. Sunny, however, had to recall not only many, but also do so with a sufficient degree of precision to be able to compare and find similarities between them.

    And then, he had to somehow rebuild the repeating parts of those weaves with nothing but his bare hands and shallow reserves of shadow essence. The task seemed nearly impossible��

    But, fueled by obsession, resolve, and desperation, he had succeeded.

    ��And also failed.

    After thousands of attempts, Sunny was finally able to perfectly recreate one of the three patterns he had managed to isolate. But as soon as the pattern was complete, it instantly fell apart. No matter how many times he repeated the process, the result was the same.

    For some reason, the weave didn't hold. It wasn't able to sustain itself.

    Something was missing.

    Today, Sunny was going to perform another experiment�� perhaps the last one. He was tired, drained, and terribly hurt. Whatever hope he had managed to find before, in this bloodsoaked hell, was on the verge of running out. He was�� he was almost ready to give up.

    But not just yet.

    There was one other thing that all Memories contained�� not a part of the pattern of ethereal strings, but something different. A bright ember that served as the anchor and nexus for the strings, a point around which the whole pattern was structured. Memories of the first Tier had one, and those of the higher Tiers had several.

    After considering that fact, Sunny had brought something back from the arena today�� a single soul shard that he he had not given to Elyas, instead keeping it for himself. The shard had belonged to a fearsome Awakened demon he killed earlier today, in one of the killing boxes of the Red Colosseum.

    Now, looking at the cat's cradle of ethereal black strings drawn between his fingers, he hesitated for a long time, and then carefully placed the gleaming crystal in its center.

    Then, holding his breath, Sunny slowly started connecting each of the strings to the shard, moving his fingers with extreme speed and nimbleness. Slowly, a black pattern started shaping around the bright ember, strangely not permeating a different object, but instead looping back on itself.

    And after something that felt like an eternity, with drops of blood rolling down his hands�� Sunny finally let go of the strings and stared at the soul shard laying on his palm.

    A beautiful pattern of tenebrous strings hovered in the air around it, stable, without a single flaw or weakness to cause it to fall apart.

    He sighed, and then weaved the last string into the pattern, connecting its other end to the shadow core in his chest.

    Finally, Sunny closed his eyes and gave the mental command.

    In front of him, the soul shard disintegrated into a rain of white sparks, and then appeared once again, creating itself out of nothingness.

    Sunny let out a long, heavy breath.

    ...This was the first sorcery he had woven.

 Chapter 618 Plan Of Escape

    Sunny breathed in, then breathed out, calming down his widely beating heart. His hands were trembling so hard that the softly gleaming soul shard almost fell out of his grip.

    'Hey�� hey, Elyas. Look... it's finished!'

    He tiredly turned his head and let out a low growl, trying to attract the young man's attention. But his partner did not even move, laying at the bottom of his cage and staring into the darkness with bleak, hollow eyes.

    The last few days, the youth's condition wasn't too good. He even stopped having his one-sided conversations with Sunny, and just sat quietly in the darkness, not moving, until the next morning came and it was time to fight again.

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then turned away.

    'It's alright�� rest. I'll get us out of here soon. We will be free�� free, Elyas! Just hold on a little longer!'

    There wasn't much time left. In all of the vile dungeon, barely four dozen Nightmare Creatures were left alive. Their grotesque forms towered in the darkness, locked inside enchanted cages, the long stretches of empty space between hinting that the Trials of the Red Colosseum were going to come to an end soon.

    And then, Solvane and her followers would spend another decade hunting down a new hecatomb of monsters to sacrifice to their bloodthirsty god.

    Sunny's mouth twitched.

    'Who cares�� they are all just illusions, anyway. The real Solvane is long dead�� the real Elyas is dead, too. Who cares what happens to them?'

    He stole a glance at the crestfallen youth, and then looked away.

    ��But were they, really?

    Forcing his trembling hands to grow steady, Sunny hesitated, then studied the soul shard he had just enchanted.

    He didn't know what the Spell used to create the embers serving as anchors for its weaves. Whatever it was, there certainly was a connection to soul cores�� after all, the Tier �� and subsequently, the number of nexuses a Memory's spellweave possessed �� was directly tied to the number of soul cores that the source of the Memory had.

    However, those embers weren't actual soul shards, most likely, since shards were harvested from the carcasses of Nightmare Creatures even if the kill had produced a Memory. Sunny didn't care, though�� without a better alternative, all he could do was use one in place of the other.

    He steadied himself, looked upon his demonic figure through the eyes of the shadow, and then dismissed the soul shard once again.

    This time, however, Sunny did something strange�� he willed the enchanted crystal to remain in an ambivalent state, not quite gone, but also not quite tangible.

    Then, he reached into the weave of the black strings and slowly untangled it, breaking the loops and allowing the ends of the tenebrous threads to float free.

    And finally, after that was done, he started to weave the whole pattern, including the ethereal soul shard, into the cold steel of his collar.

    Slowly but surely, he integrated the spellweave into the band wrapped around his neck, submerging it into the flowing stream of soul essence. The task was tenuous, perplexing, and intricate�� but it wasn't too complicated. The pattern was already made, and all he had to do was to connect it to a new vessel.

    After a while, he was finished. The soul shard disappeared from his hands, and from the material world entirely. Instead, it was now burning beneath the surface of the collar, the black strings extending from it and spreading through the steel. Now, the collar looked almost like a Memory, and even its nexus was almost undistinguishable from the embers Sunny had seen before.

    Of course, there was a second enchantment inside of it, this one much more complex and elaborate, crafted from ethereal runes. It was all a proper mess�� just like he wanted it to be.

    Sunny held his breath�� and then tried to dismiss the collar.

    The band of metal around his neck shimmered, and suddenly turned extremely cold. Inside, two energies clashed with each other, both enchantments momentarily failing.

    He felt a sudden shift�� a sudden change in the air, and inside of him, as though a long-forgotten part of his being had awakened from a long slumber. Full of fear and excitement, Sunny did something that he had done countless times before, but never knew to value.

    'One��'

    He summoned the runes.

    Familiar symbols appeared in the air in front of him, their sight as sweet as honey.

    Name: Sunless.

    True Name: Lost from Light.

    Rank: Awakened��

    'Two��'

    Sunny turned away from the runes and peered into the collar, observing the battle of the two enchantments within. Simultaneously, he grabbed the steel with two of his hands and threw all his monstrous strength into trying to pull it apart.

    But the collar held firm, as if utterly indestructible.

    'Three...'

    On the count of seven, the soul shard he had placed within the band of steel suddenly burst into a myriad of sparks, and the weave of black strings he had so arduously threaded fell apart, turning into the grey fog and disappearing. The original flow of soul essence was unobstructed once again, and the runic enchantment resumed its function.

    ��Sunny was not disappointed. For now, all he wanted was to learn how long his sabotage was going to last.

    'Seven seconds��'

    A dark grin appeared on his face.

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    '...Seven seconds will be more than enough.'

    ***

    The next day, hurting and barely alive, he brought another soul shard back with him from the arena. Tonight was going to be the night of their escape�� Sunny wasn't sure that he would be able to endure any longer. If he had any chance to break free, he had to take it now.

    The plan was long finalized in his mind, and even though he was frightened to put it in motion, there was no other way.

    As Elyas fell on the bottom of his cage and closed his eyes, too tired to eat the disgusting raw meat thrown to them by the Ascended warrior, Sunny concentrated on weaving a new enchantment. He was now proficient enough to create black strings rather swiftly, even though hurrying threatened to cost him another finger or two.

    Still, in a few hours, he had threaded enough to repeat the simple weave of a summoning enchantment.

    Following the same steps that he had taken yesterday, Sunny created the pattern around the soul shard, and then integrated it into the collar.

    The two enchantments clashed again, gifting him several short moments of freedom.

    This time, Sunny did not waste any of them.

    As soon as the enchantment of the collar was disrupted, breaking his connection to the Red Colosseum, he took a deep breath�� and fell through the shadows.

    A moment later, Sunny found himself standing on the cold stone floor, a couple of steps away from of a swaying, empty cage.

    He was free!

    For six more seconds, at least...

 Chapter 619 Seven Seconds

    'Seven.'

    Sunny stepped through the shadows and appeared outside of the cage, his towering figure finally free and unconstrained by the suffocating iron bars. He staggered as excruciating pain spread through his mutilated flesh, a myriad of badly healed wounds reminding him of their festering existence, and hissed.

    Elyas suddenly moved, confused by the direction from which the familiar hiss came. Then, he grabbed the bars and stared at Sunny with wide eyes.

    "How��"

    All of a sudden, he could see his partner clearly in the darkness, because the obsidian body of the shadow creature had become enveloped by a storm of swirling sparks of light. Sunny had begun to summon his Memories �� the Undying Chain, the Cruel Sight, the Midnight Shard, the Prowling Thorn��

    'Six.'

    The stygian serpent drawn on his skin suddenly moved, slithering forth to turn into a fearsome black odachi. Its sharp tip appeared in the air above one of Sunny's hands, and grew, swiftly forming into the length of the great blade.

    At the same time, two ruby eyes ignited in the depths of his shadow with a furious light.

    Elys flinched, staring at the gaunt demon in front of him in stunned awe.

    'Five.'

    Saint stepped out of the darkness, her graceful figure as black as the onyx, her posture straight and indomitable. Her hands were empty, devoid for now of any weapon.

    Sunny stared at his Shadow with grim joy, and then bared his fangs, greeting her. He wasn't sure, but he thought that he noticed a slight change to the set of the taciturn knight's shoulders. Had she... missed him too?

    'Four.'

    ? The hilt of the Soul Serpent fell into his hand, the length of the odachi considerably increased to account for his towering height. Sunny didn't hesitate and threw the great blade to Saint, who caught it calmly and weighed the weapon in her hand, the hue of her ruby eyes suddenly growing a little brighter. It almost seemed like the Shadow was�� excited?

    Sunny glanced into the depths of the dungeon, where dozens of mighty Nightmare Creatures still remained locked in cages, waiting for their turn to be slaughtered in the arena.

    Then, he turned to Saint.

    'Three.'

    ...And said:

    'Kill them. Kill them all!'

    She tilted her head, sparing him a short look, and then wordlessly disappeared into the darkness, the black blade of the Soul Serpent raised to deliver the first killing blow.

    'Two.'

    A moment later, something whistled through the air, and a bestial scream thundered in the silence of the nightmarish dungeon. Sunny wasn't paying attention, though�� the plan was already in motion, and his efforts were required somewhere else.

    The familiar voice whispered into his ear, making him shiver.

    [You have slain��]

    ��Oh, how he longed to hear it once more!

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    In one of Sunny's hands, a somber shortsword appeared, weaved out of tenebrous fog.

    'One'.

    In another, a stalwart tachi manifested itself. Sunny gripped the hilt of the Midnight Shard with both of his upper hands, leaving the Cruel Sight in one of the lower ones.

    The Undying Chain finally finished appearing from a whirlwind of white sparks, covering his body with a caparace of bleak steel. Its shape changed to accommodate Sunny's monstrous body, new plates of perfectly fitted armor encompassing his digitigrade legs, his four arms, and even his long tail, a sharp metal spike protruding from the tip of it.

    His gauntlets ended in vicious steel claws, and his helmet had two holes at the top for his curved horns to fit through.

    Instead of a gaunt creature with a terribly mangled body, a fearsome steel goliath now stood amid the empty cages, jagged horns crowning the featureless steel plane of his face.

    'One.'

    Sunny dismissed his helmet and felt the collar snap back into function. Immediately, he sensed that his ability to Shadow Step was restrained again, and his connection to the Spell was cut. The sparks that had almost coalesced into the Prowling Thord disappeared, and the unfinished form of the heavy kunai with them.

    ��It didn't matter. He had already achieved everything he needed to achieve in these seven seconds.

    Sunny could have used that time to Shadow Step as far as he could, escaping the premises of the Red Colosseum. However, that would have left him with no essence in the middle of Solvane's territory, with the accursed collar still wrapped around his neck.

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    It was easy to leave the Red Colosseum, but it was much harder to escape it. As long as Sunny was collared, he was going to remain tied to the enchantments of the ancient theater. He was still going to be a slave.

    Plus�� there was a thing he wasn't willing to leave behind.

    Sunny heard Saint slaughtering the second Nightmare Creature and turned to Elyas, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

    The youth was still trapped in the cage��

    Of course, Sunny could have left him to die. In fact, doing so was probably an obvious decision. The young Awakened wasn't real, after all.

    Only, maybe, he was��

    Sunny had no idea whether these people were illusions or not. That was what the government and the common knowledge had told him. But was that knowledge the truth? He wasn't sure.

    All he knew was that the shadows of the Mountain King and the old slaver he had killed in the First Nightmare were still in his Soul Sea, undistinguishable from all the rest of the creatures he had slain in the real world and the Dream Realm. An illusion created by the Spell, if that was what they were, might as well have possessed a soul, and a shadow�� if so, were they so different from real people?

    In any case, it didn't really matter. In the reality of the Nightmare, Elyas was a living being. His partner. Sunny was determined to save him, as well.

    The two of them were fated to die in the arena. Well�� fate could go screw itself. They had kept each other alive in the Red Colosseum, and now, both of them were going to escape it. Together. That was his furious, adamant resolution.

    Plus�� Sunny really, really needed Elyas for his plan of escape to work.

    The problem, however, was the cage. It was forged out of the same indestructible alloy as their collars. So getting the youth out of it was not going to be easy��

    With a low growl, Sunny jumped onto the hanging cage, grabbing the bars with the curved talons on his feet, and swung the Midnight Shard. He wasn't aiming at the cage itself�� instead, he was aiming at the chain attaching it to the ceiling.

    Reinforced by the shadows, the austere tachi cut through the rusty chain, easily breaking it apart. The cage fell to the floor, sending a loud rumble rolling through the dark dungeon, and then toppled to the side.

    Locked inside, Elys was thrown down. Almost immediately, though, the youth regained his balance and crouched, staring at Sunny with wild eyes.

    "Hurry! Whatever you're planning, Demon, hurry! The priest is going to be here soon!"

    Sunny shivered, remembering the aura of savage, crushing strength radiating from their Ascended jailer, and the cold glint of his terrifying blade.

    Elyas didn't need to remind him�� Sunny was painfully aware of how little time he had left��

 Chapter 620 Death

    The metal of the collars and the cages could not be broken�� but it didn't mean that it couldn't be bent. Twisting a band of steel wrapped tightly around your neck would not have been a great idea, however, the iron bars trapping Elyas were another matter entirely.

    Sunny just needed good leverage, and that was why he had cut the cage down.

    Throwing a nervous look back, in the direction from which the Red Priest usually appeared, he gritted his teeth and thrust one hand through the bars, pushing Elyas back. He needed to soften the metal first, and that was going to be a dire process.

    The blade of the Cruel Sight suddenly shone with radiant white light, spreading an almost palpable heat into the cold air of the ghastly dungeon. Sunny didn't linger and pressed the somber sword against the steel bars, letting the divine flame contained within share its immolating incandescence with the enchanted cage.

    'Come on�� come on��'

    There were two possible results for his actions. One was that he would be able to soften the metal and bend it�� the other was that he was going to cook Elyas alive inside the gibbet.

    There was also the chance that their Ascended jailer would arrive quicker than usual, which would be really, really, really bad...

    Sunny counted the seconds and stared at the iron bars, willing them to heat up swifter. Slowly, the cold metal turned slightly red, then bright orange. Finally, at the point where the incandescent blade of the Cruel Sight touched them, a hint of pure white appeared.

    Sunny would have preferred to wait longer, but there was no more time.

    Dropping the shortsword to the ground and biting down on the Midnight Shard with his fangs, he grabbed the scorching metal with all four of his hands and endured the pain of the furious heat slowly spreading through the gauntlets to his bare skin. Then, Sunny set his foot on another bar, commanded all three shadows to wrap themselves around his body�� and pulled.

    Now that the cage was on the ground and stable, he could use all the muscles in his demonic body to put pressure on it, not just those in his arms. His core, his shoulders, his back, his powerful thighs and calf muscles, the entirety of his body worked in unison in order to bend the steel bars.

    A stifled roar escaped from his mouth, washing over the blade of the austere tachi and echoing in the cold darkness.

    Sunny pulled and pushed in opposite directions with all his monstrous strength. Already a demon and augmented by the three shadows, he was terrifyingly powerful. And yet, the incandescent bars refused to budge�� for a few seconds, at least.

    Then, when his muscles seemed to be on the verge of exploding from the inhuman strain, the metal finally gave in. With a metallic groan, one of the bars started to bend, slightly at first, and then more, and more��

    'Yes!'

    Elyas, however, did not seem to share Sunny's jubilation. Instead, he paled, a frightened expression appearing on his face. Without saying a word, the youth raised one hand, pointing to somewhere behind his partner's back.

    "Th��the�� the priest!"

    And just then, Sunny felt a mighty shadow flying toward him from the edges of his shadow sense, growing closer and closer with harrowing speed.

    'Damnation��'

    The Ascended arrived a few seconds earlier than he should have!

    Without turning around, Sunny pulled on the incandescent bar one last time, creating enough distance between it and the next one for the youth to squeeze through.

    Then, he reached inside the cage, grabbed the young Awakened, and roughly pulled him through the narrow breach.

    He already could hear the heavy steps behind him.

    'Crap, crap, crap��'

    Elyas stared into the darkness with eyes full of fear.

    "Demon! Behi��"

    Without letting him finish, Sunny forcefully pushed the youth away, then swiftly turned around, grabbing the Cruel Sight from the ground and catching the hilt of the Midnight Shard.

    The warrior in a tattered red robe and worn leather armor was already upon him, the terrifying heavy blade cutting through the air with unthinkable speed. Sunny moved his weapons forward, trying to block the obliterating blow��

    But his exhausted, wounded body seemed to have finally betrayed him. He swayed, missing the timing by a split second.

    It looked like the tiniest of mistakes��

    But one mistake was all it took.

    His luck had run out.

    The great blade of the mighty Ascended slid past Sunny's defenses�� and hit him right in the neck.

    The sharp metal sliced through his tough skin, his muscles, and his spine, emerging in a fountain of blood from the other side. Sunny felt terrifying pain spread through his whole being, and then the world suddenly spun.

    ...The head of the shadow demon flew high into the air, disbelief still frozen in his lightless eyes. It was as though it was screaming... as though it was trying to say something. To share a fatal revelation that had come a few moments too late.

    That there was no escape.

    ...No escape except through death.

    Elyas staggered, a stunned expression contorting his soft, youthful face.

    "D��demon�� you��"

    In front of him, the legs of the decapitated demon buckled, and his towering body, still clad in bleak steel, fell heavily to its knees.

    Just like that, his partner was gone.

    His partner's nightmare was over.

    The young man froze for a moment, then turned to the indifferent murderer, sorrow and wrath mixing in his hollow, tired, light-blue eyes.

    "You�� I'll kill��"

    The priest of War remained silent, disinterested in the rambling of the young slave. He turned to Elyas and made a step forward, raising the monstrous blade once again.

    It was all over.

    ��Or, perhaps, not. Because at that moment, the decapitated body suddenly stirred and attacked the indifferent slaughterer, the radiant blade of the Cruel Sight entering the man's abdomen while the tip of the Midnight Shard pierced his chest. At the same time, the tail of the dead demon shot over his shoulder, penetrating one of the red priest's eyes with the long steel spike.

    Laying on the filthy stones a few meters away, Sunny's head observed it all with a terribly pained expression.

    'Hurts�� crap, dying really, really hurts!'

    Yes, having your head separated from your body was not the most pleasant of experiences. In fact, it was probably one of the worst.

    However, Sunny really needed that to have happened. This was the only method to get rid of the unbreakable slave collar he had managed to come up with. He had even considered chopping his head off himself, but came to the conclusion that his own strength was not going to be enough to overcome the durability of Bone Weave.

    So, he had decided to try and use the might of an Ascended apostle of War instead. Death, indeed, was the only escape.

    ��In front of him, a river of blood flowed from the body of the taciturn Master. The red priest had lowered his guard, thinking that the shadow demon was dead, and received not one, but three whole fatal wounds as the result.

    Honestly, he should have been more careful. The dead were often the most troublesome of enemies, after all.

    As the body in the tattered red robe slowly toppled and fell to the ground, the headless body of the demon raised one hand, hooked a claw beneath the slave collar, and tore it off its severed neck.

    The band of metal rang as it hit the floor.

    ��Sunny was not dead, of course, thanks to the [Undying] enchantment of his Transcendent armor. For as long as it was active, he would remain alive, and even in control of his body. This was the good part��

    The bad part was that the enchantment was devouring his essence with an inconceivable speed, and in the next few seconds, when his reserves ran completely dry, Sunny was really going to die.

    Before that happened��

    The headless demon took a few unsteady steps forward, nonchalantly picked up its head, and awkwardly placed it on his neck. Then, he approached Elyas and fell to his knees in front of the petrified youth.

    'C��come one, fool! I don't have much time!'

    n0(????(e)lbi????.n(et

    Due to the fact that his mouth wasn't currently connected to his lungs, Sunny couldn't even growl to pull the young Awakened out of his stupor.

    Luckily, Elyas shook it off himself, flinching and throwing his hands into the air to place them on both sides of Sunny's mutilated neck.

    "Oh Lord�� oh gods�� oh Lord! Hold on, Demon!"

    He activated his healing Ability, trying to make the cleanly severed head of the shadow creature attach itself back to the flat stump of his neck.

    Sunny shuddered, overwhelmed by terrifying pain.

    'How�� how does it even makes sense?! Why am I in so much pain?! My brain isn't even connected to those nerves�� argh! Curses! Damnation!'

    For almost anyone else, recovering from having their head cut off would have been nearly impossible. However, Sunny was a bit special�� because avoiding death was one of his specialties.

    There were several factors that played to his advantage.

    Firstly, the Midnight Shard had judged his current state dire enough to unlock the hidden well of power that its [Unbroken] enchantment granted him.

    Secondly, his bones and his blood were transformed by Weaver's lineage, gifting him with inhuman tenacity. That was the reason why he had not bled out already, and why his body was capable of rapid healing. All those qualities were enhanced by the drop of Shadow God's ichor that Blood Weave had unceremoniously devoured, and then augmented ever further by the Midnight Shard.

    And lastly, while [Undying] was rapidly consuming his reserves of shadow essence, Saint was out there in the darkness, slaying one powerful Nightmare Creature after another. She was wielding the black odachi, whose [Soul Reaver] Ability transferred a portion of essence of all creatures slain by the Serpent in either its Soul Weapon or Soul Beast form.

    So, with each mighty abomination Saint killed, Sunny received a considerable amount of essence, thus allowing him to keep the [Undying] enchantment active longer.

    Was it going to be long enough for him to survive, though?

    That was what he was going to find out��

    Torturous seconds passed, with Elyas desperately trying to heal the harrowing wound, and Sunny desperately observing his reserves of shadow essence plummeting further and further. The rate with which the Undying Chain was eating through his essence was much, much faster than the rate with which Saint and Serpent replenished it.

    He was only able to slow down the inevitable, not stop it.

    His whole being was overwhelmed with agony and pain�� but what else was new? Even though Sunny had never had his head chopped off before, he experienced similar tortures, if not worse.

    There was almost no shadow essence left in his cores��

    And then, there was none.

    The [Undying] enchantment deactivated.

    ��But Sunny was still alive.

    He moved his lips, and tentatively touched his neck, which had a ghastly scar running all around it now.

    Then, he bent over and spat out a torrent of blood.

    Sunny felt terrible. He felt like a zombie...

    But he was not dead.

    More than that, he was now truly, really free��

 Chapter 621 Path To Freedom

    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, then hissed quietly, which made it feel as though his throat was being sawed open by tens of dull, rusty knives. His head was once again attached to his neck�� however, that didn't mean that he felt fine.

    In fact, although he had avoided becoming a corpse, he still felt like one.

    [...Your shadow grows stronger.]

    The dark dungeon suddenly grew silent. Saint must have finished off the last of the caged Nightmare Creatures, turning him and Elyas into the last surviving captives of the Red Colosseum. No matter what happened from now on, the ghastly Trials were over, finished before time by her hand.

    Sunny sensed a bit of shadow essence pour into his cores, replenishing the empty reserves a little, and scowled.

    That wasn't much�� the young Awakened had wasted all of his essence while healing Sunny, as well. The two of them were not going to survive if they had to fight a prolonged battle.

    So, they needed to flee the Colosseum swiftly and before the rest of the Warmongers noticed their escape.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny staggered and rose to his feet, then threw a somber glance at Elyas, who was staring at him with wide eyes.

    The youth still had a collar wrapped around his neck. However, there was not much Sunny could do about that right now �� it was not like he could behead the young Awakened, too. Hopefully, his strength alone was going to be enough to deliver them both away from this cursed place.

    Now that he was connected to the Spell and had access to all of his power, there were a lot of things that could be done. The damned zealots were going to regret ever capturing him...

    Elyas opened his mouth, then asked in a shaking voice:

    "Demon�� how? How are you still alive?"

    Sunny tilted his head, grimaced, and decided to not move his neck too much in the future. Then, he gestured at the breastplate of the Undying Chain.

    The young Awakened frowned.

    "Your�� your armor? It's a relic? Wait�� where did you even get this fearsome armor?! And all these magical weapons?!"

    Sunny sighed, then nodded and pointed at his chest again.

    Elyas blinked a couple of times.

    "What do you mean, they were inside of you all along? Why have you not used them in the arena, then?"

    One of the demon's hands rose and pointed at the collar that now lay harmlessly on the filthy stones.

    The youth frowned:

    "Oh�� I see. The War God's binding must have hidden you from the sight of the Lord of Shadows, and robbed you of his blessings. But then��"

    Sunny sighed, and pressed a finger against his lips, commanding Elyas to be quiet. At the same time, Saint appeared from the darkness, drops of fetid black blood still dripping from the blade of the great odachi. Her gaze was calm and indifferent, as always.

    The youth stared at the taciturn demon for a few moments, then bowed respectfully.

    "You�� you have my gratitude for coming to our aid, v��venerable lady Shade!"

    Saint looked at the young man without showing any sign of having an opinion on being addressed in such a peculiar manner.

    'Poor fool must be thinking that she is another shadow creature that came to rescue her kin�� me, that is. And judging by this reaction, he also seems to be convinced that she is my senior in the hierarchy of Shadows�� what the hell, why are teenagers always convinced that Saint is cooler than me?!'

    He was in no mood to disabuse the youth of this misconception, though. Plus, there was no time��

    A scorched kite shield manifested itself from sparks of light in Saint's hand, and at the same time, the Soul Serpent turned into a stream of flowing darkness and reformed itself into a straight double-edged sword, this one akin to the weapon the graceful knight had wielded in the past.

    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then pushed the hilt of the Midnight Shard into Elyas's hands. Holding the Cruel Sight in one of his own, he bent down and picked up the terrifying heavy blade of the red priest with the upper pair.

    Sunny didn't know what enchantments exactly the two-handed cleaver possessed, but since it had managed to slice through his adamantine spine without too much trouble, they had to be exceptionally powerful.

    Then, he took a deep breath�� and sent his shadows forth, along the familiar corridors of the underground part of the Colosseum and beyond them, to find a way to freedom.

    Sunny was good enough in a fight to survive in the arena, and even earn the love and admiration of the damned lunatics who spectated the slaughter and worshipped it�� but his true calling was to remain hidden in the darkness, move unseen, and strike at unsuspecting enemies from the shadows to kill them in one fell blow.

    The task of escaping the Red Colosseum unnoticed was much easier for him than that of conquering it.

    As all three shadows glided into the darkness, the skin of the four-armed demon he inhabited turned from obsidian black to pale grey once again, and Sunny swayed, sensing his strength and resilience vastly diminish.

    He gritted his teeth, and then gestured for Elyas to follow.

    While Saint disappeared into the darkness, the two of them headed toward the exit from the dungeon.

    They walked through the silent corridors, sensing the cold wind blow past, washing the stench of the dungeon off their aching bodies. Since it was night and the battles were not supposed to continue until the morning, the Colosseum was mostly empty, devoid of the jubilant crowds that filled it during the day.

    Here and there, Sunny and Elyas still encountered the Warmongers �� those who, perhaps, had duties to maintain, clean, and prepare the arena for the next day's slaughter. However, everyone they saw had already met Saint.

    Following in the wake of the taciturn demon, the two of them found only corpses. The followers of War had been killed ruthlessly and noiselessly, each requiring just one strike.

    ? With each death, Sunny's reserves of essence were replenished a bit more. But more importantly than that...

    The path to freedom was clear.

    Finally, after something that felt like an eternity, Sunny found his three shadows waiting silently before a small wooden door.

    He lingered for a second, and then pushed it open.

    In front of him, there was a vast green meadow, and beyond it��

    Nothing but boundless, vast, starlit sky.

 Chapter 622 Wooden Sword

    The dawn was approaching, which meant that they didn't have a lot of time left. Sunny and Elyas had to leave the cursed island of the Red Colosseum before the night ended and the crowds of War God worshippers arrived to spectate the sacrificial slaughter on the bloodsoaked arena.

    Once they were elsewhere, pursuing them would become much harder �� not only because the ancient magic of the Demon of Desire would remain far behind them, but also because the Warmongers would have to split their forces to search all the neighboring isles. The further the two of the escaped, the wider net their pursuers would have to throw.

    By then, the zealots would have to deal with the Crushing, as well.

    Sunny wasn't familiar with the western reaches of the Chained Isles, which belonged to the followers of War, since he had never traveled in this direction before. They could try to escape northeast, toward the Hollow Mountains and the Night Temple, but that region was unfamiliar to him, as well.

    Directly to the east, a long distance away, lay the Ivory City where Elyas hailed from, and the prison of Hope. However, the eastern direction would be where the pursuers were most likely to concentrate their search, since running toward the domain of their enemies, the Sun God's people, would have been the safest choice.

    After hesitating for a few seconds, Sunny pulled the young Awakened toward the southern edge of the Red Island. If they journey southeast, they would eventually reach the ruined fortress�� well, it might not have been ruined yet�� where he had once welcomed Effie and Kai. There, the influence of the War faction was bound to be severely diminished.

    More importantly, that was the boundary to the part of Hope's shattered kingdom that Sunny knew and had explored before.

    Before the start of the Nightmare, he and the other members of the cohort had agreed to travel to the Iron Hand island should they be separated. Sunny would be able to easily find his way there from the southern Great Chain that anchored the Isles to the mainland beneath.

    Hidden in the darkness, Sunny and Elyas ran across the meadow, aiming to reach the edge of the island and one of the heavenly chains that rattled below from time to time, disturbed by the turbulent winds of the border between the two skies.

    'Come on�� come on��'

    Once they were over the edge, Sunny could summon the Heavenly Burden and the Dark Wing to carry them to the chain, or even hide them in the darkness of the Sky Below for a while.

    Their salvation was so close! It was already just a few meters away...

    But then, his heart suddenly grew cold.

    'No��'

    ...In the end, it wasn't close enough.

    Just as they reached the edge, a quiet sigh resounded from the darkness, and suddenly, Sunny was laying on the ground, his vision blurred and his whole body numb.

    There was no oxygen in his lungs, and no matter how hard he tried to inhale, it was of no use. His chest seemed to be on fire.

    A few seconds of agony later, the shock of the terrifying impact that had cracked the breastplate of the Undying Chain and sent him flying to the ground began to fade, and Sunny was able to finally draw in a hoarse, desperate breath.

    'C�� curses��'

    He moved his arm, reaching for the hilt of the red priest's cleaver that lay near, buried in the soft grass.

    However, before his fingers closed around it, a delicate foot stepped on his wrist, and suddenly, it was as though the weight of a whole world descended upon him.

    Sunny groaned, then gritted his teeth and looked up at the harrowing creature that had attacked them from beyond the edge of the island.

    It was a graceful, breathtaking beauty wearing a simple red tunic, her face tender and solemn, her dazzling eyes shining like two silver stars.

    Solvane looked down at him and smiled with sadness.

    "I am afraid that this is as far as you go�� ah, we meet again, child of shadows!"

    ***

    Sunny stared at the beautiful Saint with grim resentment burning in his black, tenebrous eyes. He remained motionless, knowing that his worst fear had just come true��

    The Transcendent Immortal herself had arrived to hunt them down.

    He thought feverishly, trying to come up with some way to escape the Priestess of War�� Soul Serpent and Saint were still hiding in his shadow, so he could command them to attack.

    But what could an Awakened and an Ascended Demon do against a Transcendent? An undying one that was chosen by the gods and had lived for at least a thousand years, no less�� no, sending them to fight that horror would be just sending them to their deaths.

    In all of his travels, Sunny had never met a creature more frightening than Solvane. Of that, he was sure. Even the Corrupted leviathans of the Dark Sea had not instilled such caution in him. Maybe only the harrowing rot in the Ebony Tower had, but he hesitated to call it a living being.

    Then�� what? What he was supposed to do?!

    'Damn you�� damn you, fate! You never let go of your prey, do you?!'

    Sunny gritted his teeth, then growled, and tried to strike at Solvane with the Cruel Sight. However, the beautiful woman simply swatted it away, breaking his fingers and sending the somber blade flying over the edge of the island.

    She shook her head.

    "No�� not like that, little demon. You deserve a better end��"

    Then, Sunny felt himself being lifted into the air, and then thrown to his knees. A moment later, a stifled scream announced that Elyas, too, had not escaped the immortal Transcendent. His gaunt figure fell near him, a pained grimace contorting the young man's young face.

    Soon, the unassailable power that pressed Sunny into the ground disappeared, and he was able to breathe again.

    Looking up, he saw Solvane standing in front of them, his silken skin caressed by the gentle starlight. She looked at them with an inexplicable expression, her long chestnut hair dancing softly in the wind.

    'There has to be something I can do�� think, think!'

    The Transcendent priestess smiled, the world itself growing brighter from her mesmerizing smile.

    "Ah�� the Trials of Life are over! I congratulate you, champions. Although some of your foes were vanquished under the cover of darkness instead of in the bright light of day, under the gaze of the gods, you have defeated them nevertheless. You have even slain one of my blessed. Thank you! Thank you for giving that which I was unable to�� you have my gratitude. Both of you..."

    Sunny stared at the beautiful Saint, frozen in place. Despite all the hatred he harbored against the monstrous priestess, despite how much he wanted to pay her back a hundredfold for all the suffering she had caused him�� he couldn't help but forget his anger, and be enchanted by her beauty.

    Solvane was just too splendid, too lovely�� her eyes were too lustrous, her smile too charming, her soft lips too alluring. This woman was created to be worshipped�� for men to wage wars in hope of earning the right to stand by her side��

    'Snap out of it, idiot! Have you not seen beautiful things before?! Beautiful things are always the deadliest!'

    Sunny bit his lip, allowing his sharp fangs to pierce it. Pain sobered him up somewhat.

    Beside him, Elyas was staring at Solvane with grim eyes�� strangely, the young man did not seem to be affected by her transcendent beauty at all.

    It was understandable. After all, his whole family had been slaughtered by the followers and on the orders of the dazzling priestess.

    ��Meanwhile, something appeared in Solvane's hands. It was a small object that made Sunny's eyes narrow suddenly, and his breathing become quicker.

    The Saint sighed and stretched her hand forward, a simple knife carved out of a single piece of wood laying on her open palm.

    "...The Trials of Life are over, and so, I offer you this gift, and the right to fight for your freedom. To struggle for your life, as life is an eternal struggle. Will you accept, champions? Will you take this wooden blade and wield it? It�� it is all I can give you��"

    Sunny's heart skipped a beat.

    'I'll�� be damned��'

    The fairy tale about a wooden sword Elyas had once shared with him had actually, inexplicably, turned out to be true.

    ��And more than that, Sunny recognized the "sword" instantly.

    He had already held that wooden knife once, a long time ago�� far, far in the future.

    This was the knife he had killed Solvane with.

 Chapter 623 Ardent Desire

    Sunny stared at the wooden knife, suffocating pain still radiating from the spot where Solvane had hit him. The Transcendent was so fast that he had not even seen or sensed her strike�� not that it mattered anymore.

    As he studied the familiar blade, different pieces of knowledge suddenly clicked together, revealing a chilling truth. Stunned by the grim revelation, Sunny shuddered.

    'Of course��'

    Finally, the purpose of the Red Colosseum made sense to him. The cruelty of the Trials, the perverse faith of the zealous warriors, their worship of struggle, battle, and death�� the tale of a wooden blade that granted the champion a chance to win their freedom.

    When he looked back, it all seemed so obvious.

    The strange cult of War that had blossomed on the ruins of the Kingdom of Hope was built around the tenet of glory. Glory was both the highest virtue and the highest of honors, and it could only be won by prevailing against overwhelming odds, through mortal struggle �� which was the essence of life, and war, as far as these zealots were concerned.

    So, they enslaved a horde of abominations and threw themselves against it, fighting to the death against their slaves in the arena. With each battle, the weak were slaughtered, and the strong got to live and fight against more powerful enemies the next day. All under the beaming gazes of the jubilant crowd.

    Those who died perished in the pursuit of glory, and those who lived came closer and closer to earning it�� that was the sacrificial ritual the followers of War performed every decade or so, spilling blood in the name of their glorious dream.

    ��However, there was one problem with this demented arrangement. A glaring flaw that made the Trials of the Red Colosseum seem futile, hollow, and senseless.

    What was the end of all this?

    Was everyone participating in the battle destined to die? Would there be no victor? What happened to the person, or creature, left standing at the very end, devoid of enemies to struggle against? Where was their glory?

    Now, looking at the wooden knife that contained Solvane's death, freely offered to them by the immortal Transcendent herself, Sunny finally understood everything.

    That last champion would indeed be gifted a wooden blade, and a chance to fight for their freedom �� just like Elyas had learned from the fairy tales in the Ivory City. They just had to overcome one last enemy...

    To fight against Solvane herself.

    This whole feverish hell �� the Red Colosseum, the bloodsoaked arena, the cult of murderous glory she had built �� existed for one single purpose. To find, or rather create, a warrior capable of killing their Saint.

    Eternal Solvane�� undefeated Solvane... wanted to die. The madness of this nightmare was born out of the thousand years of immortality the beautiful priestess had endured, out of the desire to be free of her eternal duty as Hope's warden.

    ��However, Solvane didn't just want to die. She wanted to die a glorious death, one worthy of a true servant of War. Or rather, she simply could not allow herself to give up. Giving up without struggle was a sin against her faith, her god, and her conviction.

    So the beautiful Transcendent could only allow herself to die if she was defeated. That was her goal��

    Finding someone valiant enough to kill her was Solvane's most ardent hope. Her deepest desire.

    Feeling a hint of vague suspicion, Sunny frowned. He was certain that he was right, that his reasoning and insight were correct... but at the same time, there was still something out of place. Something still didn't make sense�� he just couldn't say what.

    And there was no time to think.

    Solvane was still offering them the wooden knife and a chance to save their lives. All they had to do was to take it�� and win.

    But he wasn't fooled.

    Her offer might have seemed like a gift, but it was just a death sentence. Sure, the knife contained a death�� Solvane's death�� and would be able to slay her with one strike. At this point, Sunny was certain that there had been seven knives once, each meant to kill one of the seven immortals created by the Lord of Light. And this one, the wooden knife, was meant to kill Solvane.

    However, taking it was only going to spell their doom.

    Wooden blade or not, the beautiful priestess was still a Transcendent. A servant of War with a thousand years of battle experience, an ancient warrior who had fought and triumphed in battles too many to count. And despite her desire to be defeated, she would not throw this fight. Giving in without struggling with all her might was against Solvane's conviction.

    Fighting against her was suicide.

    By his side, Elyas pupils widened dangerously.

    Feeling a small change in his partner's posture, Sunny shifted and glanced at him.

    'What�� what is this fool trying to do?'

    The youth gritted his teeth, and then slowly rose to his feet. His tattered tunic had long ago lost any remnant of its once pure white color, and was now hanging like rags on his gaunt, emaciated body. Despite that, the young Awakened looked full of resolve and determination, his eyes glinting with grim purpose.

    'What are you doing? No! You fool!'

    Despite the pain in his throat, Sunny growled loudly, trying to warn Elyas of how fatal his actions were. But his call fell on deaf ears.

    'Damn! Damn it! Why, why can't I talk?!'

    For the first time since he had entered the Nightmare, Sunny felt really desperate to speak. But he couldn't... the demon's body robbed him of the ability to converse with humans in any meaningful way.

    Panicking, he made a motion to stand up, hoping to grab the youth before the fool made a lethal mistake. But the pressure Solvane had exerted on him was back, paralyzing the body of the four-armed shadow creature. He groaned, suddenly unable to move, and struggled to even keep his head up.

 Chapter 624 A New Day

    Elyas hesitated for a moment, and then looked at Sunny with a sad smile.

    "It's�� it's alright, Demon. Thank you... thank you for getting us this far. But now, it is my turn. This is our chance. This is what we've been fighting for all this time, is it not? The tales my mother told me were all true�� I'll free us both! You'll see. The Lord of Light will guide my hand��"

    With that, he reached out and took the wooden knife from Solvane hand, his fingers wrapping tightly around its hilt.

    The priestess smiled radiantly and took a step back. He beautiful eyes shone with joy, and he voice resounded in the darkness of the dying night, full of longing and hope:

    "Be brave, boy. The gods are watching!"

    Sunny struggled desperately against the crushing force that pressed him into the ground, but it was of no use. A stifled roar escaped from his mouth��

    A few steps away, Elyas straightened, calmly looked the Transcendent beauty in the eyes, and then assumed a battle stance. He knew what he was doing, after all�� the youth was as talented of a fighter as Sunny had been at his age, or maybe even better.

    Two months of constant battles in the arena gave him plenty of experience. More than most would have acquired in a lifetime, and certainly no less than what Sunny had on the Forgotten Shore.

    'No! That is not enough!'

    But what if... what if Elyas really had a chance? Sunny had achieved many impossible things himself, as well, and seen others do the same.

    Even in the direst of situations, there was always hope... that was a lesson he had learned against all odds in the hell of the Forgotten Shore, and later in the stone mausoleum of the Night Temple.

    ��Without wasting any time on doubt and hesitation, Elyas sent his soul essence flowing in a raging flood, and shot forward, moving with grace and speed that few Awakened could ever hope to achieve. His hand flew through the air, swift enough to appear as an almost imperceptible blur.

    The strike was swift and cunning... however, it was just a feint. His true intention was to attack from below, and it was hidden almost perfectly. There was no sign of the fact that the young man was preparing to change the direction of the blow. He had learned well from watching Sunny fight...

    But if Sunny could see it, then so could Solvane.

    His eyes narrowed.

    A split second before the wooden knife reached the Transcendent's flesh, Elyas suddenly stumbled, then slowed down. Taking a few unsteady steps forward, he swayed, and suddenly toppled to the ground.

    A thin red line appeared across his chest, and then burst open in a flood of blood.

    Above him, Solvane sighed with sorrow and lowered her hand, a single drop of crimson falling from her delicate fingers. Her lips trembled, and then, a barely audible whisper reached Sunny's ears.

    "...Not today."

    He didn't hear it, though. Frozen, Sunny stared at Elyas, who lay motionlessly on the ground, the grass soaking in his blood. The young man's unmoving face was turned to him, his light-blue eyes still open. However, those eyes, which had been bright and lively once, were now dull and empty, reflecting the boundless darkness of the night sky. Elyas's face seemed almost... peaceful.

    The youth was finally free.

    ...Sunny roared, struggling furiously to stand up, but all he achieved was damaging his mangled body even further. Without paying any attention to that pain, he continued fighting against the invisible chains holding him down, feeling the ground itself shift beneath his knees.

    'Kill! I'll kill her! I'll rip her to shreds!'

    Solvane remained motionless for a while, and then silently bent down to pick up the wooden knife from the youth's bloodless fingers.

    Coming closer, she stared at Sunny with a dark expression, and then asked:

    "What about you? Are you willing to fight me, little demon?"

    Sunny glared at her, his teeth bared in a hateful grin. He wanted to... oh, how he wanted to!

    But he could not. Fighting Solvane meant nothing but death...

    Slowly, he shook his head.

    The beautiful priestess sighed.

    "...Of course. Why did I expect different from the servant of cowardly Shadow?"

    Her hand suddenly flashed, and terrible pain exploded through Sunny's body.

    Looking down, in a morbid deja vu, he saw a graceful arm protruding from his chest, the breastplate of the Undying Chain shattered into pieces.

    Solvane grimaced, and pulled his hand out of his broken chest, easily tearing the still-beating heart out in the process. She glanced at it with disappointment, and then sent the body of the four-armed demon tumbling over the edge of the island.

    The last thing he saw before plummeting into the abyss was her graceful, beautiful figure standing forlornly in the tall grass.

    Then, Sunny fell into the embrace of darkness.

    His body flew down, faster and faster, quickly disappearing into the nothingness of the Sky Below.

    Soon, it was so far away from the Red Island that even a memory of sunlight couldn't reach that far.

    His chest was torn open, and his heart was violently ripped from it, leaving behind a harrowing wound.

    ...After falling for a while, Sunny sighed.

    Luckily, this strange body of his had two hearts. And while anyone else would have succumbed to blood loss after having one destroyed, he possessed Blood Weave, which kept him alive despite receiving such a ghastly wound.

    It didn't feel too good, though. In fact, the pain was terrible.

    But it could not compare even a little to the anguish he felt in his soul.

    Sunny closed his eyes.

    'I'm sorry, Elyas. I failed. But... don't worry. I'll kill her on your behalf, one day�� kill her again. I'll kill her as many times as it takes to erase the very memory of her from existence. Just you wait��'

    He gritted his teeth, then summoned the Heavenly Burden, and then thrust the black needle into his flesh.

    Dark Wing appeared on his shoulders, swiftly turning into a blur.

    Sunny's fall slowed, then slowed some more, and finally turned into flight.

    He was flying into the darkness, moving further and further away from the Red Colosseum��

    Far above, the eastern horizon had already turned pale lilac, announcing the arrival of a new day.

 Chapter 625 Comfortably Numb

    Eventually, Sunny returned to the altitude where the dark undersides of the floating islands could be seen. He tiredly approached one, sensed something moving in the deep shadows, and glided past without coming too close.

    The next one didn't seem to harbor any horrors. He flew toward the rough stone surface and sunk his claws and talons into it, clinging to the bottom of the island like a bat. Strangely, Sunny did not need to exert any conscious effort to remain in that position, and simply lay upside down on the cold stones for a while, struggling against exhaustion.

    He was in much worse shape than it had seemed before. Two months of ruthless battles in the Red Colosseum had taken a toll on his body, and the terrible wound in his chest was still there, sapping him of strength and vitality.

    With the help of Blood Weave, the body of the four-armed demon managed to survive having one of its two hearts violently torn out. But that didn't mean that it was going to fully recover from that vicious injury�� with only one heart left to pump blood through his veins, Sunny felt lethargic and weak. That weakness would probably never go away, not unless he somehow managed to find or grow a new heart.

    He was tired to the bone, overwhelmed by pain, and numb. Terribly, utterly numb. After the harrowing intensity of the past two months and the crushing strain of their disastrous attempt to escape, Sunny finally reached safety, and found himself drained of all thoughts and emotions.

    He couldn't muster enough energy to feel joy or relief, grief or sorrow�� even anger or hatred.

    Tired�� he was just too tired.

    The island under which Sunny hid was separated from the Red Colosseum by four or five heavenly chains, far to the south. He was still deep within the territory of the followers of War, but no one was going to discover him, not unless they had wings�� and even then, finding the Child of Shadows in the cold embrace of darkness was not going to be easy.

    However, no one was looking. After all, he was considered to be dead.

    Sunny looked at the shattered breastplate of the Undying Chain, and then dismissed the damaged armor to give it a chance to repair itself. Then, he summoned the Mantle of Underworld and gasped when its onyx metal wrapped itself around his mangled chest.

    The intricate black armor embraced his tortured body, soothing its aches. Sunny doubted that anyone from the real world would be able to spy on him here, in the depths of a Nightmare�� but even if they could, he didn't care anymore. He just wanted to be safe and protected.

    As soon as the fearsome Mantle hid his wounds, Sunny tiredly closed his eyes�� and plunged into the nothingness of a deep, dreamless sleep.

    ***

    Thirst�� and pain.

    That were the first things Sunny felt before slowly remembering who he was, what he was, and where he had found himself.

    ...He was in hell. Where else?

    'I fell asleep��'

    He opened his eyes and saw the rough surface of the bare stone in front of him. Sunny was still clinging to the underside of the island, his claws buried deep into it and holding him in place like iron pitons.

    He felt�� better, somewhat. His body was still a labyrinth of pain, but it was much milder than before. Judging by the state of his wounds, he had slept for many, many days.

    No wonder he was so thirsty.

    Sunny shifted slightly and freed one of his four hands, then summoned the Endless Spring and drank a few gulps of water. Then, he turned his head and stared into the darkness, indifferent to everything.

    His body was healing, but his mind was still empty and numb, exhausted of its ability to feel anything. All that remained was cold rationality, but even that part of him was dull and apathetic, devoid of any interest and desire.

    He just didn't care about anything, or anyone, right now. The mere thought of caring seemed exhausting.

    After a while, Sunny sighed.

    '...What should I do?'

    Despite everything that had happened, his immediate goal remained simple and straightforward. He had to traverse the whole Kingdom of Hope and reach the Iron Hand island to regroup with the cohort. Once they were together�� if the others were still alive�� they would know what to do.

    Sunny didn't feel particularly motivated to attempt the perilous journey, but he knew that he had to. It was a simple enough objective, at least�� in his current state, he felt reluctant to think about anything arduous, obtuse, or complicated.

    All he had to do was to move southeast for a while, and then turn north. Maybe his condition would improve by the time he reached the eastern edges of the Chained Isles.

    The road, however, was not going to be easy.

    Sunny was going to have to sneak through the vast territory of the Warmongers without being seen, reach the southernmost boundary of the region, and then retrace the path he had taken to welcome Effie and Kai almost all the way back to the Sanctuary of Noctis.

    It was also unclear who ruled the eastern territories in this era, or if they were wild and overrun by Nightmare Creatures, like they would be in the future.

    He grimaced, remained motionless for a while, and then summoned the Covetous Coffer.

    Catching the frightened box before it plummeted into the Sky Below, Sunny freed one more hand and took a handful of synthpaste tubes out of the Coffer, then dismissed it. Consuming the tasteless sludge to replenish his strength, he summon the runes and finally took a proper look at them for the first time in months:

    Name: Sunless.

    True Name: Lost from Light.

    Rank: Awakened.

    Class: Demon.

    Shadow Cores: [3/7].

    Shadow Fragments: ��

    His pupils narrowed.

    '...What?'

    But there was no mistake. The runes read:

    Shadow Fragments: [2223/3000].

    Sunny stared at the number, then hung his head back and tried to chuckle, producing a disturbing bestial snarl instead. His throat pulsed with sharp pain, but he shrugged it off and bared his teeth in a dark, bitter grin.

    When entering the Nightmare, Sunny had less than three hundred fragments collected�� which meant that he had accumulated almost two thousand of them in the Red Colosseum.

    In fact, in those two months, he had probably slaughtered more Nightmare Creatures�� and humans�� than in the previous two years, his whole life as a carrier of the Spell.

    ��Was this the price of glory?

 Chapter 626 Hiding In The Dark

    Sunny remained motionless for a while, then shifted his gaze, moving it to the very end of the field of shimmering runes. Soon, Neph's description appeared before him. He lingered for a few moments, and then read:

    ��Soul Fragments: [2478/4000].

    The corner of his mouth twitched.

    'Of course. She is in a hell of her own, after all��'

    The gap between them had diminished, but barely. He was still behind�� still lacking��

    But she was alive, at least. And fighting with all her strength to return.

    If Neph refused to give up, then he would have to persevere, too.

    With a sigh, Sunny turned away and looked back to his runes, finding the list of his Memories and Echoes. His eyes suddenly gleamed, but then grew dark and slightly despondent.

    'What the hell�� how is this even possible��'

    Among the names of his Memories, dozens of new ones shimmered in the darkness. It seemed that the Spell continued to reward him even while their connection was obstructed by the sorceries of Hope. It sort of made sense�� the fact that Sunny had not been able to communicate with the Spell did not mean that it had not continued to watch his every step.

    He was inside one of its Nightmares, after all. Which created a swarm of questions on its own��

    Not caring to consider them, Sunny silently counted the new Memories.

    Thirty-nine�� there were thirty-nine of them!

    ��And yet, there was not a single Echo he had received after slaughtering nearly a thousand Nightmare Creatures. Not even a hint of one.

    'Doesn't make any sense�� none at all. What is this, a joke?'

    It seemed that his luck when it came to Memories had been incredible, while his luck when it came to Echoes had been beyond terrible. He should have received four of five, at least�� but he had not.

    Sunny stared into the darkness for a while, his expression glum. Then, he sighed.

    'Well, doesn't matter. It's a pity that I did not receive an Echo of the Red Priest, though. I would have made him into a Shadow... just to get a chance to kill that bastard again��'

    He studied his new Memories, slowly reading their names and descriptions. A few were good, and a couple was splendid. The rest, however, were worse than what he already had in his arsenal. Their only use was to feed Saint.

    This time, however, he did not hurry to give them away as sustenance for the taciturn demon. Instead, Sunny hesitated for a long time, and then dismissed the runes. He had other plans for these Memories.

    Each of them possessed a unique weave, one that he would be able to study and experiment with while not fearing to damage or destroy an actually valuable instrument. He would be able to use Weaver's needle now, too, instead of cutting his fingers on the ethereal, but perfectly sharp strings.

    Satisfied with that decision, Sunny finished the last of synthpaste tubes he had taken out of the Covetous Coffer, indifferently dropped them into the dark abyss of the Sky Below, and sent one of his shadows to scout out the situation above.

    The sun was rolling toward the horizon, and the night was swiftly approaching.

    That meant that he would have to move soon.

    ***

    Over the next few days, Sunny traveled southeast, staying in the darkness of the Sky Below during the night, and finding shelter on the undersides of the floating island during the day. He was still weak because of his injuries and had to make frequent stops to rest and sleep, which slowed him down considerably.

    In the course of these days, Sunny made several stunning discoveries.

    The first one was rather pleasant and beneficial to him. As it turned out, there were far fewer Nightmare Creatures populating the Kingdom of Hope in this era than there were in the future. That included the harrowing abominations that dwelled on the dark side of the islands.

    Their absence made the task of remaining below the isles far easier for him. Of course, there were still some monstrosities hiding in the darkness, but not nearly enough to make it too hard to avoid them.

    In retrospect, that made sense. These lands were not completely devastated yet, and there were plenty of humans living on the levitating islands. It was because of them and their efforts that the population of Nightmare Creatures was so low. It was also the reason why it took Solvane and her zealots a full decade or more to gather enough abominations to hold the accursed Trials.

    The second discovery he made was far less fortuitous, and also had to do with the human inhabitants of the Kingdom of Hope. He was still in the territory of the worshippers of War, which made it all but impossible to appear on the surface of the islands during the day, unnoticed. But the dark side wasn't completely safe, either.

    Not once and not twice, he saw humans traveling either across the heavenly chains or through the Sky Below. Hidden in the shadows, he observed several flying ships sail through the boundless darkness, some adorned with sails of pristine white, some of vivid red.

    He even witnessed two vessels locked in furious battle, arrows and pieces of burning wood falling into the abyss like rain. In the end, the ship with white sails rammed into the red one, splitting the vessel in half and sending the captain and the crew to their deaths in the Sky Below.

    These ships looked simultaneously similar and different to the one the Fire Keepers had repaired and guided to the Ebony Tower. They were much smaller and slower, and didn't have a magnificent tree growing around their masts. The vessel Sunny had spent several weeks on looked much more... ancient, in comparison.

    Like the original in front of lesser copies.

    ��The third discovery Sunny made was, perhaps, the most shocking.

    The Crushing... did not exist in this era. The islands rose and fell as usual, but no matter how high they climbed, no deadly force assaulted them, threatening to destroy anything too weak or too slow to run away.

    Many of the Nightmare Creatures Sunny had studied before hunting them down, in the future, were somewhat different here from what he knew. He had understood that fact in the arena, and confirmed it while observing the islands through the eyes of his shadows after escaping it.

    Now, he learned why. The Crushing did not yet exist, and for that reason, the Nightmare Creatures had not gone through thousands of years of adaptation to learn how to survive its burden. Neither their bodies not their behavior changed to accommodate the deadly force that would terrorize the entire region in the future yet, and that was why he had found them to be both familiar and strange.

    Armed with that knowledge, Sunny slowly made his way south, leaving the Red Colosseum �� and Saint Solvane �� further and further behind.

    His wounds slowly healed, and soon, he felt that he would not be entirely useless in the fight anymore.

    ��That was just in time, because his days of peace were about to come to an end.

 Chapter 627 Needlework

    It took Sunny almost two weeks to approach the southern boundary of the Chained Isles. The further from the Red Colosseum he went, the less presence the Warmongers had there.

    With Solvane's militant order occupying the western reaches of the Kingdom of Hope and the followers of Sun God in control of its center, engaged in a centuries-old conflict with each other, the south remained desolate and neglected. That made Sunny's life a bit easier, but also caused him to lower his guard a little.

    He still had to remain vigilant, though, because there were more and more unsightly horrors hiding in the deep shadows of the Dark Side as he traveled away from human settlements.

    On one of these days, Sunny found himself clinging to the underside of a small floating island as he waited for the arrival of night. He had already rested and dined on several tubes of synthpaste, so for now, there was nothing much for him to do.

    As had been his habit for the past week or so, he summoned one of the Memories from the Colosseum and studied its weave, trying to peer into the secrets of the complicated pattern of ethereal strings.

    Armed with his innate intuition and the ability to compare different Memories to each other, he was making torturously slow progress in his understanding of sorcery�� or at least of this type of it. Weaver's sorcery seemed elegant, strange, and marvelous�� but also inhumanly complex and elaborate.

    Sunny doubted that he would be able to comprehend its foundational principles any time soon. And even if he did, his human mind was simply unable to encompass the whole of the infinitely convoluted patterns, let alone create one from scratch.

    Maybe if he had a powerful supercomputer instead of a brain�� in any case, he was not going to be creating his own Memories just yet, or maybe ever.

    That didn't mean that he couldn't do anything, though.

    Sunny might not have had the capacity to create new weaves, but he had already proven his ability to copy those that already existed. He had reproduced the simplest and most common of them �� the pattern responsible for storing Memories in his soul and then summoning them back through essence �� in the dungeon of the Red Colosseum.

    With enough time and preparation, he would be able to copy other enchantments of the familiar weaves, too. Creating anything meaningful was going to take a while, though�� but that was not what Sunny was currently trying to achieve.

    Instead, he wanted to expand his sorcerous repertoire from one trick... to no less than two tricks. He was experimenting with his Memories in hopes of learning how to modify and change an existing enchantment.

    Right now, Sunny was holding a slim dagger in one hand and a small silver bell in the other.

    The Silver Bell was the first Memory he had ever received, and also the simplest, while the slim dagger was one of the weapons he had won in the arena. Its enchantment was rather straightforward �� it made the weapon utterly noiseless. It didn't ring when struck against armor or another blade, and didn't even rustle as it entered the enemy's flesh.

    Sunny had chosen these two Memories for the experiment because, at the core, their enchantments were very similar. One was that of sound amplification, while the other was that of sound nullification. He wanted to change the latter into the former.

    In other words, he wanted to turn the silent dagger into a very noisy dagger. Not because that would be very useful, but to prove that he was capable of modifying enchantments.

    After studying the spellweave of the Silver Bell for many days, Sunny was close to memorizing the staggering complexity of the pattern of strings entirely. Since the bell had only one enchantment, it was easy to isolate it from the parts of the pattern that were common to all Memories. So, in theory, he knew what shape to create.

    The dagger, on the other hand, was a bit different. It also only had a single enchantment and a single ember anchoring the pattern, but that ember was brighter, and the pattern itself was much larger and more intricate. However, there were certain similarities with the one in the bell�� so, Sunny could imagine turning one into another.

    He hesitated for a while, then sighed, and raised Weaver's needle. Just like on the day he had found it, the long and narrow needle was enveloped in a faint, weak golden shine that only he could see�� thousands of years ago, or maybe sometime in the future, it had absorbed some of Weaver's deific blood, along with tiny traces of divinity.

    Sunny suspected that the needle had not been a magical tool, and neither had it actually belonged to Weaver. Rather, it had been just a random needle that the Demon of Fate found in the Ebony Tower and made use of to sew a new arm to their body, and its magical properties came from being washed in the daemon's blood.

    ��However, now, the needle did possess magical properties. Just like Sunny's fingers, it was capable of interacting with the ephemeral strings that constituted spellweaves.

    Sunny threaded a shadow string through the needle, and carefully thrust it into the sorcerous pattern that created the enchantment of the silent dagger. He was hoping to replace some of the existing strings with his own, shift others around, and remove some completely.

    At first, everything went well. Sunny was on the verge of getting excited�� but then, the same thing that happened with all his previous experiments repeated itself.

    At some point, the strings trembled, and then the whole pattern tore and collapsed, turning into a chaotic mess of ripped and fluttering threads. Sunny hurriedly retracted his hand, afraid to lose it, and watched as the slim dagger shimmered and disintegrated into a rain of dim sparks.

    A few moments later, the Spell spoke solemnly:

    [Your Memory has been destroyed.]

    Sunny grimaced and closed his eyes.

    "Damnation! Another one..."

    Then, however, he suddenly shifted and turned his head up, staring at the stone surface above him as if trying to pierce its solid mass with his gaze.

    Up above, on the surface of the small island, one of his shadows had noticed movement.

 Chapter 628 From The Dark Side

    The grass covering the surface of the island moved, and strange shapes appeared from beneath it. Some were similar to each other, while some were not, but all shared the same deep emerald color. The shapes levitated upward, slowly coalescing together.

    The creepy shadow observed the eerie event from the shade of a large boulder, darkly excited. Sunny only understood what it was so excited about when the boulder suddenly split open and fell apart, making way for another of the shapes�� this one easily recognizable.

    It was a massive emerald jawbone, similar to a human one in all aspects except for size.

    ��The creepy guy had always been strangely fascinated by dead things. No wonder he got fixated on a bunch of flying bones.

    As Sunny watched, the emerald bones assembled into a towering human skeleton �� very similar to the powerful abomination of the same kind Sunny had fought and destroyed in the Red Colosseum, but much larger and way more frightening.

    The emerald skeleton stared north for a while, and then slowly headed toward the edge of the island, each of its steps making the ground shake.

    At the same time, a loud rattle of the heavenly chain rolled through the two skies. Sunny was so used to hearing them that he didn't pay it any attention at first, but then, a deep frown appeared on his face.

    Something�� wasn't right. The rattling of the chain sounded different, somehow.

    He lingered for a few moments, then silently dove into the shadows and glided to the northern slope of the flying isle.

    As soon as Sunny saw the heavenly chain stretching far into the distance, his heart grew cold.

    A terrifying abomination with a body that resembled a dirty mass of pitch-black tar was crawling underneath it, its back facing the Sky Below. Each second, a dozen tendrils of liquid darkness shot forward from the mass, sticking to the links of the giant chain and pulling the creature forward.

    The monstrosity was at least twenty meters long and so heavy that the iron of the heavenly tether groaned under its weight.

    '...What hellish nightmare is this?'

    Sunny peered beneath the surface of the black tar creature and shuddered once he saw the taint of corruption that hid within its soul. The two hideous nodes of swirling darkness that spread cancerous veins through the body of the abomination were especially ripe and horrid, revealing its Rank.

    'Corrupted�� a Corrupted Monster.'

    Earlier, when he had been passing the islands north of his current shelter, he had felt the shadow of a powerful fiend hiding beneath one of them. Who knew that the horror nesting on the Dark Side of the flying island would turn out to be equal to the harrowing Wormvine, and then decide to follow Sunny south on top of that?

    As Sunny froze for a moment, a large boulder suddenly flew from the island and hit the massive body of the Black Tar fiend, sending ripples across its liquid flesh. The force of the impact was so great that a destructive shockwave spread in all directions, causing the heavenly chain to rattle even louder.

    On the surface of the island, the towering emerald skeleton lowered its arms and stared at the invading horror, dark lights igniting in the pits of its empty eye sockets.

    The boulder it had just thrown disappeared within the body of the Corrupted abomination, seemingly dealing it no damage. The creature simply continued crawling, its massive body surging forward like a black tide.

    'I... I probably need to run��'

    But before he could do anything, the advancing monster suddenly convulsed, and in the next second, dozens of sharp stone shards shot out of its flesh, each covered by fetid black liquid. Some rained on the emerald skeleton, and some hit the slopes of the island, causing large chunks of weathered stone to be turned into dust.

    Sunny barely managed to dodge one of them, and stared with resentment at the small crater that appeared in place of his hiding place. Sure, he was an incorporeal shadow right now�� but he would not make the mistake of assuming that a Corrupted abomination had no way of wounding him.

    Who knew what this horror was capable of?

    And just as this thought entered his mind, he noticed that there was a thin layer of black tar spread around the point of impact �� and dozens of similar ones nearby. As he watched, the foul liquid started to move, coalescing into small dark blobs. Some of them began crawling up, toward the emerald skeleton��

    But some froze for a moment, and then flowed toward him, as though sensing his location.

    'Crap!'

    Sunny hurriedly summoned back the creepy shadow and lunged away, gliding through the shadows as fast as he could. By the time he reached the bottom of the island, the Black Tar monster was already upon the skeleton.

    Numerous tendrils of darkness shot forward, enveloping the towering abomination. Despite all its might, the emerald skeleton was instantly trapped and pulled inside the mass of liquid darkness. It struggled desperately, but to no avail �� seconds later, its massive figure disappeared within the body of the Dark Side fiend without a trace.

    'Now�� just forget about me, hellspawn... I'm too small and inconsequential, anyway.'

    Sunny was already on the southern slope of the island, rushing toward the other heavenly chain that led away from this damned place.

    Somewhere above him, the giant mass of liquid darkness rippled, perhaps grinding the ancient emerald bones into dust��

    And then, the Corrupted fiend suddenly surged forward with incredible speed, heading for the very same chain.

    Or rather, for the swift shadow that hoped to use the chain to escape.

    Luckily, Sunny reached it first.

    He burst from the shadows, flying across the span of empty air, and landed on the surface of the heavenly tether in a roll. Without wasting a single moment, Sunny pushed himself off of the cold iron surface with all four arms, wrapped the shadows around his body, and ran.

    As dull pain spread through his chest, the Mantle of the Underworld turned as light as a feather.

    Just a few seconds later, the chain swayed wildly beneath his feet, announcing that the Black Tar monster had reached it, too.

    'Curses!'

    There were a few hundred meters of giant sunlit links in front of him, and only past that was the heavenly tether submerged into the darkness of the Sky Below and shrouded in shadows.

    'I'll make it�� surely, I will.'

    Sunny growled, bared his fangs... and ran.

 Chapter 629 Pursuit

    Sunny's upper arms were much longer than that of a human. Bending down, he fell on all fours and broke into a bestial gallop, flying forward with incredible speed. With each jump, the saving darkness grew closer and closer. The links of the heavenly chain rattled and swayed wildly beneath him as the Black Tar fiend pursued.

    Sunny could have tried to find safety in the depth of the Sky Below, but his speed and maneuverability in the air would have been severely diminished. If the abomination decided to expel another rain of tar-covered projectiles, he would be shredded, torn to pieces, and consumed. Besides, there was no saying if the harrowing creature could follow him into the abyss.

    His best chance was to reach the segment of the chain submerged in darkness, glide across it as a swift shadow, and escape to the next island.

    Behind him, the mass of liquid darkness rolled forward with staggering speed, hundreds of black tendrils shooting out of it every moment to form a ceaseless tide. The distance between them grew smaller and smaller, and smaller still.

    'Oh, gods��'

    Just a split seconds before the tendrils of darkness descended upon him, Sunny finally reached a sufficiently low altitude and dove into the shadows, turning into one of them and rushing forward across the giant chain. The space where he stood just a moment ago was instantly enveloped by the foul flesh of the tar monstrosity, which then lunged after him, somehow starting to move even faster.

    A strange, deafening sound that resembled a gurgling wail escaped from the depths of the mass of liquid darkness, causing Sunny's whole being to wreathe in pain. It washed over the world like a wave, penetrating deep into the darkness of the Sky Below and the radiance of the Sky Above, and making both shudder.

    Sunny fled across the border between two skies, and the harrowing creature from the Dark Side followed.

    Soon, the length of the heavenly chain that was shrouded in shadows came to the end, and he escaped them at a terrible speed, sliding across the metal of the links and barely keeping himself from plummeting down.

    A tide of black, shifting tendrils fell at him almost instantly, but hit only ancient iron. Sunny had stepped through shadows, appearing a couple of dozen meters away, and then once again, teleporting to the surface of the island that loomed above him now.

    That last jump ate a lot of his essence, but he had no other choice than to make it.

    Falling to the ground, Sunny grabbed at his chest, which was pulsating with dull, crippling pain, and groaned. Then, he threw himself up and continued running.

    Behind him, the tendrils of black tar were already above the edge of the island.

    Sunny found himself among remnants of an ancient battlefield. Carcasses of broken ships lay forlornly on the barren earth, their blackened hulls covered with scorch marks and gaping with empty darkness. Here and there, pieces of rusty weapons and armor protruded from the ground, covered with ash. The ground itself was shattered and uneven, littered with pockmarks of deep craters.

    Knowing that he would never escape the giant fiend on foot, Sunny alternated between galloping and jumping through shadows for short distances, sometimes chaining several jumps in a row. By exerting every fiber of his demonic body to its limit, he managed to stay ahead of the pursuing abomination for now, even if it was just barely.

    Behind him, the monstrous creature barreled through wreckages of the fallen ships, breaking them apart with a thunderous cacophony of crashes. Its tendrils ripped the wooden hulls apart like paper, sending clouds of ash and debris flying through the air.

    On the opposite side of the island, Sunny saw the remnants of a colossal pyre, thousands upon thousands of charred human bones arranged into a solemn pyramid to form it. These were, perhaps, the remains of the warriors that had thought in this battle and once crewed the broken ships.

    What had brought them to this island, and what had they fought for? Who had won the terrible battle, and at what cost? Had this pyre been meant to honor fallen heroes, or dispose of dead enemies... or even prisoners, perhaps?

    Without sparing a single thought to these questions, he dove down from the edge and fell through the air, reaching another chain and escaping further south. A few moments later, the Corrupted fiend flowed over the edge, as well, landing at the heavenly teather with a deafening thud.

    Sunny was still ahead�� the fiend failed to outrun him. For now.

    The problem was that Sunny was growing tired and slowly running out of shadow essence, while the Black Tar monster was not.

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    South, south, south�� pursued by the fiend from the Dark Side, Sunny fled south, crossing one island after another. But no matter how fast he ran, the damned monstrosity was faster.

    Many of the islands he traversed were populated by Nightmare Creatures of all kinds, but unlike the towering emerald skeleton, these ones did not even try to fight the Corrupted abomination. Instead, they fled, too, scattering to the neighboring islands in something that resembled panic, or being consumed if they were not swift enough.

    At some point, Sunny found himself running side by side with all kinds of Nightmare Creatures that would have usually not hesitated to attack him. They were like forest animals escaping from a raging fire�� when a forest fire spread like an insatiable monster, devouring all in its way, predators and prey were made equal before its terrifying strength.

    Besides, with his monstrous body and his mind still clouded by the countless times he had shadowed the abominations of all kinds in the Red Colosseum, Sunny was less unlike the Nightmare Creatures than he had used to be.

    The Black Tar monster, however, was making a clear distinction between him and all the other creatures. It only paid attention to those abominations that were directly in its way, while its only goal, for some damned reason, was singular �� to catch and consume Sunny.

    'Curse it all�� what's so special about me?!'

    Was it the fact that he followed the path of Ascension instead of Corruption? Was it his nature as a shadow? Or maybe�� was it the flame of divinity that burned in his soul and flowed through his veins?

    Was that flame an irresistible lure for a creature like that?

    There was no answer. All Sunny could do was run, run, run... run as his chest became consumed with pain, and his soul became empty and barren, devoid of any essence at all.

    ...Some time later, he escaped from the shadows one last time and fell on the emerald grass of a new island, almost completely spent of essence and sapped of all stamina.

    He was done�� done for. His single heart was beating wildly in his aching chest, drowning as it tried to do the work meant for two. His four lungs were on fire.

    This was it. This was as far as he could go.

    Sunny drew in a hoarse breath, and then slowly rose to his feet. His eyes shone with grim darkness.

    'So be it�� good. Come and get me, beast. Let us see which one of us is stronger. I�� I have killed creatures mightier than you before��'

    Granted, during the battle with Wormvine, he had months of preparations and a whole cohort of Fire Keepers supporting him.

    Sunny used the last of his essence to summon the Cruel Sight and turned around, ready to face the assault of the black tendrils.

    However�� something was off.

    '...Huh?'

    The rattling of the heavenly chains... it had grown quiet.

    He frowned, then took a few steps toward the edge of the island and looked down.

    The Black Tar monster was some distance away, its massive body hanging motionlessly from the heavenly tether. It was frozen and unmoving, with only its tendrils pulsating in a bizarre and nauseating rhythm.

    The abomination�� seemed to be reluctant to approach this particular island. It was as though there was an invisible boundary that it refused to cross, for some reason.

    Sunny stared at the harrowing creature for a few moments, and then snarled.

    ��He had escaped an inescapable situation once again. He had successfully fled the pursuit of the terrifying fiend! It seemed that luck was on his side, in the end.

    However��

    Was it, really?

    Sunny shivered.

    'But what�� what, exactly, can scare a Corrupted Monster away?'

 Chapter 630 Wicked Warlock Of The East

    Sunny stared at the terrifying fiend for a few moments, then suddenly grimaced, clutched his chest, and fell to one knee.

    A bestial growl escaped through his sharp fangs.

    'Argh!'

    His heart was beating wildly, sending waves of pain rolling through his exhausted body. He felt weak and light-headed, beads of sweat glistening on his obsidian skin. This condition was only worsened by the usual sense of frailty that came from utterly depleting reserves of essence.

    Sunny felt�� infirm.

    'God�� damn it! Am I�� am I having a heart attack?'

    He groaned, remained motionless for a bit, and then slowly stood up. Still clutching his chest, he hunched awkwardly and looked around, trying to determine which island he had found himself on, and what wicked creature might have kept the Corrupted monstrosity at bay.

    His pupils widened slightly.

    'No way��'

    The night was slowly advancing, and the island was drowned by the dimming resplendence of a beautiful crimson sunset. Despite only having been here once, Sunny recognized the place�� the vastness of the island, the emerald grass that veiled its surface like a soft carpet, the rolling hills, the moss-covered ruins��

    He had reached the Southern island, where the crumbling fortress lay at the estuary of the Great Chain, one of the anchors which connected the Isles to the mainland of the Dream Realm far below.

    Well�� the fortress had been ruined in the future. Currently, it might have been still standing.

    '...Such luck.'

    Sunny was glad to learn that he had arrived at the southernmost point of the Chained Isles during his mad escape from the Black Tar fiend. However, he was still uneasy about the fact that the abomination refused to approach it.

    He was in no condition to fight anything, let alone a creature capable of scaring a Corrupted Monster.

    But what choice was there?

    Sunny glanced at the massive body of the terrifying abomination that loomed in the distance, then toward the center of the island. The choices, really, were simple: he could either jump back on the heavenly chain and try his luck in a battle against the Black Tar fiend, or remain on the island and risk meeting the unknown horror.

    He hesitated for a bit�� and then started limping away from the edge.

    Yes, an unknown danger was almost always worse than that which was familiar�� but who knew, maybe he was going to get lucky.

    Maybe the unseen horror was going to turn out friendly and nice.

    'Yeah�� why not? Sure. Statistically speaking, a thing like that is bound to happen�� one day��'

    ***

    By the time Sunny reached the center of the island, the night had already descended upon the world, and a full moon was climbing up the velvet surface of the starlit sky. The hills became shrouded in darkness, which hid and protected him, and there was a little bit of shadow essence, now, filling his three cores.

    The pain in his chest had subsided somewhat, but Sunny still felt weak and feverish.

    He was heading toward the southern edge of the island to take a look at the current status of the boundary fortress, and studied his surroundings carefully in search of any sign of danger. If there was indeed a terrible threat somewhere on the island, it would be better to discover it before it had the chance to discover him first.

    Cresting the top of a tall hill, Sunny suddenly froze, and then crouched down. Safely veiled by the shadows, he looked at a shimmering white light that danced some distance away, in the center of a small valley that was formed by the hill he was standing on and several others.

    'What�� what is this?'

    He hesitated for a moment, then commanded the gloomy shadow to slide off from his body and get closer to the source of light.

    However�� the shadow hesitated, too.

    Sunny blinked.

    'What the hell are you waiting for?! Get down there! You can run away if things go wrong!'

    The gloomy shadow gave him a long look, then shook its head resentfully, and timidly glided forward.

    Soon, Sunny saw a strange picture.

    In the center of the valley, a small fire burned, its color entirely white. In front of it, a lone human figure sat. The human's head was hung low, his face obscured by the falling hair. He was naked above the waist, his pale skin covered with dry blood. However, there seemed to be no wounds on the stranger's body�� in fact, there was not a single scar on it.

    On a stone in front of him, a diamond sickle lay, its blade painted crimson.

    The image of the bloodied man, half of his body illuminated by the warm light of the dancing flame, half washed in the cold pale moonlight, was eerie and strangely beautiful. Sunny found himself slightly hypnotized by the solemn mystery of it all, almost to the point of forgetting the danger he was in.

    After a while, the man let out a deep sigh.

    ��And then, suddenly, spoke in a bright and melodious voice:

    "Who is it there, hiding in the shadows? Don't be so timid, friend�� come out. Share the warmth of this fire with me, if you wish. The night is cold and dark."

    A sonorous laughter rolled across the valley.

    "...Oh, don't be scared. I won't eat you."

    Sunny shivered.

    'Keep your voice down, fool! There's something horrible hiding on this island!'

    But then, he thought for a moment and shuddered.

    Unless�� unless the man himself was the unknown horror.

    The horror in question, meanwhile, raised his head, finally revealing his face.

    It was young and beautiful, with smooth silken skin, high cheekbones, and exquisite features. The man's smile was carefree and pleasant, his eyes bright and humorous. There was a symbol of a crescent moon drawn on his forehead.

    Sunny recognized him immediately, of course.

    It was the exact same face he had seen a thousand times, depicted on each of the miraculous coins.

    ��However, Sunny had no time to pay this revelation any attention, because something else drew all of it. It was the fact that the young man shifted slightly, turned his head, and looked directly at him.

    Not even at the gloomy shadow that hid some distance away from the fire, but at the distant top of the hill where Sunny himself crouched in the shadows.

    'C��crap��'

    The young man beckoned him with a finger, still smiling.

    "Come, come. It is rude to refuse a sincere invitation�� especially one coming from such a nice person as me. Oh�� where are my manners? I didn't even introduce myself! Rejoice, stranger... you are in the brilliant presence of Noctis, the great Sorcerer of the East��

 Chapter 631 The Funniest Thing In The World

    Sunny froze, unsure of what the wisest course of action would be.

    'What to do, what to do��'

    After meeting Solvane, he had a heavy prejudice against crossing paths with powerful figures of the Kingdom of Hope. And Noctis was very powerful �� of that, he had no doubt. In fact, Sunny was pretty sure that the friendly young man who was looking at him with a charming smile was none other than one of the seven immortals shackles of the imprisoned daemon, the mysterious Lord of the East.

    Even without taking into account the otherworldly presence that all Transcendents seemed to possess, it was easy to tell there was vast and dreadful power within Noctis, hiding behind the deceptively carefree gleam of his lustrous eyes.

    Plus, there was a Citadel in the eastern reaches of the Chained Isles literally called the Sanctuary of Noctis�� who else could have been the ruler there? Who else could have possessed the beautiful flying ship, and had their image put on the miraculous coins?

    So, Sunny had no desire to meet the strange immortal, even though Noctis seemed weirdly friendly and unthreatening. Actually, that only made him more terrifying.

    But��

    Was there even a choice? It was not like Sunny was in any shape to escape from a Saint, let alone an immortal sorcerer that even Corrupted abominations seemed to be wary of.

    He hesitated for a bit, then sighed, rose, and headed toward the crackling fire. Noticing that, Noctis hummed in satisfaction and then slightly moved his hand.

    Immediately, droplets of dew flew from the grass, forming a clear stream that swirled around his body, washing the dry blood away. An exquisite silk cloak rose from the ground, wrapping itself around him. The diamond sickle whistled through the air, shaking itself clean, and hung itself on the sorcerer's belt.

    Sunny continued walking, still clutching his aching chest, and observed the bizarre occurrence with a deadpan expression.

    'Damn�� why don't I know how to perform tricks like that? That would make life so much easier...'

    Finally, under the gloating gaze of the vindictive gloomy shadow, he walked into the circle of light and couldn't help but tremble when the Saint threw a curious glance at him. It was hard to remain calm in front of a being that could obliterate you with one finger.

    ��The whole situation was sort of ridiculous, actually. Noctis looked like a pampered young man in bright silks, with an effeminate face and the body of someone who had never once exerted themselves physically. His hands were smooth and uncalloused, and his build was slender and soft, almost frail.

    Sunny, on the other hand, was a towering demon clad in an intricate and fearsome suit of onyx armor, his gaunt figure brimming with ferocious might. He had twisting horns, four powerful arms, and a mouth full of sharp fangs, his eyes completely black and inhuman.

    And yet, it was the demon who was afraid of the pampered young man, and not the other way around.

    '...Ridiculous.'

    Noctis studied the tenebrous demon in front of him, his smile growing wider.

    "Ah, what a fortuitous encounter. A shadow! Did fate guide you to me, I wonder��"

    Sunny grew very still.

    'Fate? What does he mean?'

    The sorcerer, meanwhile, gestured for him to sit.

    "Sit down, shadow. It seems that you are unwell. Rest for a bit and warm yourself."

    Sunny hesitated, then lowered himself to the ground, sitting across the dancing flames from the Transcendent. He gleaned at Noctis's soul to make sure that he was right to call the young man so, and saw a single resplendent core shining in his chest. That was a soul of a Saint, indeed.

    Noctis remained silent for a while, and then asked.

    "Say, shadow�� what is your name?"

    Sunny lingered, then stretched a hand forward and scratched two runes into one of the stones surrounding the fire.

    Sorcerer's brows flew up.

    "That, uh�� those runes, huh? Goodness gracious�� now I am sad that I wasn't as studious as my mentors demanded, all that time ago. Those boring charlatans. Well, let's see�� star? No, that should be "sun". Lost sun? Absence of sun�� Sunless?"

    Sunny nodded, causing Noctis to beam with a prideful grin.

    "Ha! There's indeed no one smarter than me in the Kingdom of Hope! The rumors are true�� well, of course they are true, I'm the one who paid storytellers to spread them. In any case, Sunless, what a fitting name you have. Truly a name worthy of a shadow�� a little on the nose, if you ask me�� but very nice nevertheless. Well done!"

    Sunny tilted his head, staring at the Saint in confusion.

    'What the hell�� is this guy just eccentric, or completely insane?'

    Noctis didn't mind being stared at, and instead seemed to enjoy it a great deal. He looked at the onyx demon in return, the smile frozen on his face.

    The humor in his eyes slowly disappeared, making way for a strange, dangerous gleam.

    "Sunless�� since fate itself has brought us together�� can you answer me a simple question?"

    Feeling tension spreading through his exhausted body, Sunny grew grim, and then slowly nodded.

    'This is not good... not good at all! Damn it! Why is everyone in this place crazy?'

    Noctis leaned forward and said, his voice deceptively calm and friendly:

    "Tell me�� do you, perhaps, have a knife cut from a single piece of black obsidian in your possession?"

    Sunny shivered.

    'How�� how the hell does he know?!'

    But there was nothing he could do. The question had been asked, and now, he was compelled to answer.

    He struggled against the Flaw for as long as he could, then gritted his teeth and nodded again.

    The immortal sorcerer stared at Sunny for a few moments, his lustrous eyes reflecting moonlight like two shining pools of pale-blue radiance.

    Then, he suddenly threw his head back and exploded with joyful laughter, as though he had just heard the funniest joke in history. Noctis laughed so hard that tears appeared in his eyes, glistening in the moonlight like crystals.

    Finally, he satiated his mirth and glanced at Sunny once again, the carefree smile returning to his face.

    "Ah, Sunless�� fate is the funniest thing in the world, don't you think? You and I�� I have a feeling that we are going to be great friends, Sunless. Believe it!"

 Chapter 632 Broken Heart

    Sunny froze, his tired body tensing up. His vertical pupils narrowed, and breath escaped through his gritted fangs with a hissing sound.

    'Damnation��'

    Despite the strange reactions of the eccentric Saint, he wasn't fooled. Out here in the Kingdom of Hope, there was no power greater than that of the immortal wardens that guarded its imprisoned Queen.

    And the only weakness the immortals had were the knives that held their fates hostage. The obsidian knife was a weapon that could destroy one of the eternal shackles, and as such, it was a priceless treasure. The very concept of value was too mundane and pedestrian to be applied to it.

    And he had just revealed the fact that he possessed one to an infinitely more powerful being.

    ��To one of the very immortals whose lives the knife could reap.

    It didn't matter if the obsidian knife was meant for Noctis himself or one of the other Shackles. If it contained his own fate, then the sorcerer would stop at nothing to gain control of it, so that no one else could. If it contained another's, he would be able to exert influence over one of the wardens, or dispose of them completely.

    Noctis would undoubtedly try to take the knife��

    ...But, inexplicably, the sorcerer did nothing of the sort.

    Instead, as Sunny stared at him in confusion, Noctis relaxed and started to hum a joyful melody. Then, he suddenly clapped his hands in excitement.

    "Ah, Sunless! How fortunate it is that I've met you."

    His smile dimmed a little, and his eyes, for a moment, grew dark and terrifying.

    "...Before we met, you see, I was prepared to do something�� rather drastic. But now, there is no need. The divination truly worked."

    He remained silent for a few moments, and then seamlessly switched back to his usual carefree persona.

    "This wonderful occasion demands a celebration! Yes, we simply must celebrate�� while you're still alive�� which won't be for long, regretfully�� so, better keep it simple��"

    Sunny flinched.

    '...What?'

    Meanwhile, something rustled in the air, and a figure of a very tall man suddenly appeared out of the darkness. Sunny tensed, surprised that the stranger managed to approach them unnoticed. Why had he not sensed the bastard?!

    The figure calmly stepped into the light, revealing itself to�� to not be a man at all. Instead, it was a wooden mannequin carved into a semblance of a man, wearing an elegant livery with embroidered sleeves and hem. It had simple features and held a trey with grapes, fresh fruit, and several beautifully painted amphoras of wine.

    The mannequin�� looked disturbingly familiar. In fact, it bore a close resemblance to a far less feral, ancient, and corrupted version of a Sailor Doll, who had been the Nightmare Creatures populating Shipwreck Island before Sunny and the Fire Keepers eradicated them.

    The strange Sailor Doll placed the trey in front of them, stepped back into the darkness, and froze, becoming undistinguishable from a dead piece of wood.

    Noctis smiled and reached out for one of the amphoras.

    Sunny's thoughts, meanwhile, were in turmoil.

    '...What the hell does he mean, I won't be alive for long?!'

    He opened his mouth, then closed it in frustration and hurriedly traced several runes in the ash:

    "What? Why?"

    The sorcerer scowled as he tried to read them, then gave him an unapologetic smile:

    "Why are we keeping it so simple? Yes�� of course, you would be confused. See, usually, I would have thrown a great feast to celebrate the occasion. I am the most gracious person in the Kingdom of Hope, after all! But, sadly, we will have to be satisfied with this shameful��

    Sunny furiously shook his head, and then drew several more runes:

    "Sunless. Death. Why?"

    Noctis stared at him with surprise:

    "Well�� aren't you dying? That broken heart of yours is giving out. I thought that this was why you came here, to spend your last few days near his resting place."

    Sunny blinked a few times, trying to digest what he had just heard.

    Was his one remaining heart really failing? It�� it did feel like it was on the verge of tearing apart, during his escape from the Black Tar monster. It continued to ache dully still��

    And whose resting place was Noctis talking about? No, that was not important right now.

    He erased the previous runes and traced two more:

    "Heart. Broken?"

    Noctis frowned.

    "Wait�� do you... do you, perhaps, not want to die? I, uh�� I didn't say anything before in order to respect your wishes, but if dying peacefully was not your intention, then why are you wasting time drinking wine with me? Sunless... are you crazy?"

    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, unamused, his eyes full of resentment. Then, he ground his fangs and wrote:

    "No. Don't know. Maybe. Heart. Heal?"

    The sorcerer scratched his head.

    "...You are a very strange shadow, Sunless. Well�� mending a broken heart is not easy. And yours is not only broken, you also seem to have misplaced one. Until you replace the lost heart, there is no point in healing the one that remains. It will just break apart again. But where would a shadow creature like you find a suitable heart in this godforsaken land?"

    He sighed.

    "The servants of Shadow are all gone, and so are the servants of Heart. Without them, only the greatest of healers would be able to build a heart worthy of a shadow demon from scratch."

    Noctis looked down dejectedly... but then, a mischievous smile appeared on his face.

    "...Luckily, I am the most gifted and renowned healer in the Kingdom of Hope! For me, creating a new heart for you won't be much of a problem. But, Sunless�� despite the fact that you and I are dear friends, a favor like that is not something to be given lightly. I wouldn't want to put a strain on our friendship, you know? So�� you will have to do something for me, too. That would only be polite, don't you think?"

    Sunny had a feeling that he was being swindled �� after all, he was an accomplished swindler himself. However, that didn't really matter. The part of Noctis's words about the inevitable failure of his one remaining heart, at least, rang true.

    Perhaps if Sunny managed to not put any excessive strain on it in the future, things would be fine. But what were the chances of him having a peaceful life in a Nightmare?

    ��Zero. He desperately needed a functioning heart, and better yet, two of them. Only then would he be back to his full strength and ready to face the challenges that lay ahead.

    Sunny sighed and drew several runes, already suspecting what he would hear.

    'He wants the damned knife, doesn't he? That bastard...'

    "Sunless. Do. What?"

    Noctis looked at him for a few moments, then smiled.

    What he said next, however, was not what Sunny expected to hear.

    The sorcerer suddenly turned around and gestured south.

    "Oh, it's nothing much, really. You see, there's an abandoned fortress on the edge of this island. All I want is for you to climb inside�� and remain there until dawn. Actually, it will be best if you can fall asleep. So�� a little nap in exchange for a new heart. Doesn't sound too bad, does it? I mean, it's just a few hours of sleep�� really, what's the worst that could happen?"

    ...The gloomy shadow grabbed its head in utter despair.

 Chapter 633 Dead Fortress

    Sunny remained silent for a long time, looking at Noctis with a grim expression. Finally, he shifted and drew several runes, the onyx claw of his armored gauntlet moving through the ash with swift precision:

    "Fortress. Danger. Inside?"

    The sorcerer laughed.

    "Danger�� of course there is danger. But don't worry. It is nothing that you won't be able to handle. Uh�� I think. Believe, even! Regardless, there's no one in the entire Kingdom of Hope better suited for this task thank you, Sunless. So�� hurry up. Time's a wasting��"

    Sunny scowled, unamused by the fact that Noctis avoided the question. Unwilling to let go, he growled and pointed to the runes again.

    The sorcerer sighed wistfully.

    "It's not that I don't want to tell you, Sunless. It's just that there's no point. You won't remember, anyway�� but this will benefit us both, trust me. This fortress once belonged to a friend of mine. He was one of Hope's shackles, just like me, and a shadow, just like you. Do you see now why I think that fate itself has brought us together?"

    Sunny held his breath.

    'So, I was right. Noctis is indeed one of the immortals.'

    And, more than that, one of the original seven had been a follower of Shadow God. Only five wardens were still alive, and none of them held dominion over the south�� so, it was safe to assume that this Shadow Lord was dead. Suddenly, the sorcerer's comment about this island being someone's resting place made more sense.

    If so�� maybe there were some relics that the Transcendent of Shadows left behind in the fortress?

    That changed things... a little...

    Sunny hesitate for a while, and then gestured to his chest.

    Noctis smiled.

    "What? Surely, you are not doubting my skill! Rest assured, Sunless, I'll create a wonderful new heart for you. I'll even replace the fingers you seem to be missing, as a bonus. Unless not having fingers is your preference, of course..."

    Sunny stared at him for a few minutes, then sighed and stood up. Picking up a bunch of grapes, he glanced at the eccentric sorcerer one more time, and then headed south, toward the edge of the island where the abandoned fortress stood.

    'You won't remember it, anyway�� I wonder what the hell did he mean?'

    ***

    As he walked, Sunny noticed several clusters of beautiful white flowers growing here and there among the emerald grass. The closer to the fortress he came, the more of these flowers there were. Despite the fact that it was the middle of the night, their buds were open, filling the air with a faint, but pleasant smell.

    A deep scowl appeared on his face.

    'These flowers��'

    They looked vaguely familiar. He slowly ate the sweet, succulent grapes and searched his memory for a hint of where he might have seen them. After a while, his expression turned even darker.

    There was an island in the eastern reaches of the Chained Isles, not too far from the Sanctuary of Noctis, covered by a vast and beautiful field of such white flowers. Everyone, even the most competent cohorts of Awakened and those from the White Feather clan, avoided this island like a plague.

    The ground there was littered with bones of all kinds, hidden beneath the delicate white petals. As soon as a person stepped on the surface of the island, they would feel an irresistible desire to stop, rest, and fall asleep.

    ��And if they succumbed to that desire, none ever woke up.

    Sunny silently cursed.

    'Is that bastard trying to kill me?'

    But, for some reason, he had trouble believing that Noctis simply wanted him dead. A Saint had far easier ways to kill an Awakened, let alone someone as tired and weakened as him. There was no need to go to such lengths.

    So, what the sorcerer had said must have been true, or at least close to it. He believed that Sunny was uniquely suited for the task and had a good chance of accomplishing it alive.

    But why? What was so special about Sunny? What could he do that even a Transcendent could not?

    Was it because he was connected to Shadow God, as the previous owner of the fortress had been?

    Full of dark thoughts, he crested another hill and saw the familiar silhouette of the boundary stronghold not too far away.

    It was in much better condition than it had been in the future. In fact, it almost looked whole�� if not for the moss covering its walls, the lack of lights, and the deathly silence that enveloped it, Sunny would have thought that the castle was still inhabited by humans.

    The tall walls built of grey stone rose high into the night sky, and the massive gates were closed shut. The ancient fortress was bathed in the pale moonlight, looking somber and foreboding, like a cursed tomb.

    Sunny grimaced.

    '...Not ominous at all.'

    Still clutching his chest, he made his way down the hill and approached the menacing stronghold. Its walls had not crumbled yet, so the path he had taken to get inside the last time did not exist yet.

    Full of grim unease, Sunny thrust his claws into the ancient stone and started climbing. These walls were nothing compared to the great wall of the Dark City�� getting to the top was not going to be hard, even for a human.

    And currently, he wasn't even human. He was a demon, be it a dying one.

    Soon, he finally reached the top of the wall and crouched on its lip, looking down into the empty courtyard. Here, the signs of abandonment were more pronounced �� there were dust and dirt everywhere, with weeds growing through the ancient cobblestones. The fortress was desolate and hollow, devoid of anyone to inhabit and take care of it.

    He hesitated with a decision for a bit, and then reluctantly send two of his shadows away to explore the stronghold. If there was indeed a powerful creature nesting inside, they would surely find it��

    Minutes passed in tense anticipation. The shadows glided through the empty corridors and halls of the abandoned stronghold, through its towers and dungeons. However, no matter where they looked, they did not find any sign of life.

    What they did find, however, were corpses.

    Here and there, human skeletons lay, still dressed in archaic garments and armor. There was no sign of struggle around them, no tears on their clothes, and no apparent wounds on their bodies. It just seemed as though the former garrison of the stronghold had lowered themselves to the ground and died for no reason whatsoever.

    All of it was just too eerie.

    'Curse it all�� curse the damned immortals, and curse this damned place��'

    Sunny almost turned around and ran, but then, his chest pulsed with pain, reminding him of the reason for why he had come here.

    With a deep sigh, he jumped down from the lip of the wall and walked toward the main structure of the fortress.

    'Time to find me a soft bed��'

    Sunny entered the donjon, summoned the shadows back, and walked through the silent halls on his way to the higher levels of the massive tower. Once there, he walked around for a bit, searching for a suitable room, and soon found one that seemed to be both comfortable and well-protected.

    Unceremoniously throwing a corpse in a rotten nightgown off the bed, he lay down in its place and tiredly closed his eyes.

    Sure, this place was beyond creepy�� but he was, in fact, tired to the bone and in desperate need of rest. Some sleep would do him good...

    'What's the big deal, anyway�� I've slept in far worse places��'

    Before falling into the embrace of oblivion, he summoned Saint from the shadows and gave her a mental command to watch over him. After hesitating for a bit, Sunny did the same with the Soul Serpent.

    Only once the two Shadows assumed guard did he allow himself to relax.

    In the silence of the abandoned fortress, Sunny could easily hear the strained beating of his heart. However, he was too exhausted to pay it any attention.

    Just a few minutes later, he was already sound asleep.

    ��And just a moment before falling into deep slumber, with his mind already half-gone, he thought that he heard an unexpected sound somewhere close, but also far away.

    It was like the ringing of hooves on the cold stone floors��

 Chapter 634 Pillar Of Flame

    Sunny woke up just before dawn. He lay still for a while, reluctant to leave the warm embrace of the blankets. Then, with a sigh, he sat up in shivered in the morning cold. It was time to face a new day, and there was a lot to do. He had no excuses to laze about��

    A dull pain suddenly radiated through his chest. He looked down with a confused expression, studying the old scars covering his tan, bronze skin.

    '...I guess it's going to rain?'

    Then, an ivory arm suddenly appeared from beneath the blankets, caressing his firm muscles.

    "Is it morning already?"

    Sunny smiled, grasped the hand of his wife, and nodded.

    "Yes, my sunshine."

    She sighed.

    "Alright�� go, get ready. I'll wake up the little devil."

    He remained motionless, leisurely enjoying the sight of the beauty he had somehow managed to coax into marrying a ruffian like him dressing herself, careful not to disturb the round belly where their second child slept peacefully, with not a care in the world. His smile grew a little wider.

    "I said go! Today is not the day for your mischief, hoodlum�� have you forgotten?"

    Sunny made a dejected face, then rose and dressed, as well.

    When he left their quarters, the servants were already hard at work, preparing for the day. When they saw him, each bowed respectfully and greeted him with warm voices. Being subjected to all this adoration and decorum, Sunny had to put on a face worthy of a lord, as well.

    'How bothersome...'

    The servants were going to prepare everything for the upcoming journey, but one thing he had to do himself. That was something that Sunny would not allow anyone else to perform, not for the lack of trust, but simply because it was his duty.

    Entering the stables, he greeted his steed and went about feeding and watering the noble beast before putting the saddle on his wide back. Sunny might have become a lord of some renown and left his turbulent past behind, but the bond between a warrior and his horse was sacred.

    Just because the two of them didn't have to risk their lives on a battlefield anymore didn't mean that he would forget it.

    When all was done, he led the horse to the courtyard and attached the weathered wooden scabbard to the saddle, the cold steel of a beautiful sword hidden safely within.

    Then, he stared at the scabbard for some time, massaging his aching chest with a distant expression. A subtle, dark expression appeared on his face.

    After a while, the sound of quick steps headed his way.

    "Dad!"

    Sunny turned around and grinned as he caught his son in an iron embrace.

    "Trying to sneak up on your poor old father, huh? Not so fast�� I was sneaking up on monsters long before you were born, brat!"

    The boy giggled, and then took a step back.

    He was turning seven today, and on that occasion, his mother had dressed him in the best clothes they had. The little devil almost looked like a proper child, and not a Corrupted abomination sent to the mortal realm to torture his helpless parents.

    "Why did you have to sneak up? Too weak to kill them outright, huh?"

    Sunny sighed in exasperation and stared at the heavens.

    'Lady, help me��'

    Why did their son have to inherit his poisonous tongue, as well?

    The boy, meanwhile, turned around and looked into the distance, where the beautiful silhouette of the Ivory Tower could already be seen in the morning haze. His eyes widened.

    "Dad�� is it true? Am I going to see her today? The Lady?"

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then nodded.

    "Of course. You are turning seven, are you not? Today is a divine day. So, you will meet our goddess... to introduce yourself, and pledge yourself to her service."

    His son frowned.

    "But she isn't really a�� a goddess, is she? Won't other gods be angry with me?"

    Sunny laughed.

    "Gods! Gods are too great and mighty to know what jealousy means, kid. Why would they mind? Lady Hope gives us shelter and safety, protects us from the Corruption, from war, famine, plague... and even ourselves. If that is not something worthy of worship, then I don't know what is."

    With that, he jumped into the saddle, and then lifted the boy to sit in front of him.

    "Let's go!"

    They left the manor and followed the road of white stones through a peaceful forest and up the hill. The horse walked forward at a steady pace, easily bearing the weight of two riders. Sunshine fell through the canopy of leaves in wide beams, making their surroundings look like a fairy tale.

    Sunny was enjoying the beauty of the forest and its tranquility. A long time ago�� before coming to the Kingdom of Hope�� he had known neither. His life had been nothing but bloodshed and pain, battle after battle, war after war�� only after coming to this realm and deciding to remain here did he learn the truth of how joyous life could be.

    Especially when shared with those you love.

    ��His son, however, didn't know anything about strife and darkness. This peace was all he had ever known. For that reason, he was extremely bored.

    The boy fidgeted for a few minutes, then stared at the hilt of Sunny's sword.

    "One day, I'm going to have a sword of my own! It will be way bigger and sharper than yours, old man. Mark my words!"

    Sunny laughed.

    "What do you need a sword for?"

    His son glanced at him with confusion.

    "What do you mean, what for? To become an Awakened! A warrior, like you!"

    Sunny looked away and didn't respond for a while. His eyes grew distant.

    ��His heart ached. Why did it ache so much today?

    "I was a warrior once, true. But I never chose to be a warrior. I just became one to survive. In the Kingdom of Hope, you don't need to fight, suffer, and kill others to live a long and happy life. Why would you still want to be a warrior?

    The boy fell silent, a comically thoughtful frown appearing on his face. He turned away and didn't say anything else for a while.

    Sunny doubted that his son really understood what he meant. And he hoped that the boy never would.

    Closing his eyes, he said a silent prayer:

    "Hail to you, Desire, Demon of Hope. Please, hear my yearning. Protect my son from all the horrors of the world and save him, as you have saved me��"

    Silently, the three of them �� the man, the boy, and the horse �� left the forest and climbed the tall hill. From its top, a breathtaking sight opened before them.

    In front of them, a vast plain was bathed in sunlight, emerald grass shining with the morning due. Here and there, farmsteads and fields stood, golden wheat swaying in the wind. Sparkling ribbons of rivers cut the plain, and in the distance, a beautiful city built of white stone rose from the ground, with a magnificent pagoda towering above it.

    Sunny couldn't help but smile.

    No matter how many times he saw it, he could help but feel a little bit sentimental.

    "...Hey, do you want to wave to your mother? I'm sure she's looking in this direction right now!"

    His son glanced at him with a pitying expression.

    "Are you crazy? She won't see us. We're too far away!"

    Sunny laughed.

    "Says who?"

    He turned around and looked back, at a similar landscape that lay behind them. Gazing past the forest, he saw the small town and a humble stone manor standing near it. From this distance, the building looked like a toy��

    He raised his hand and waved.

    "Hey, dad��"

    Sunny scoffed.

    "What? Are you going to mock me some more?"

    The boy shook his head.

    "No. It's just... what is wrong with the sky? It looks funny."

    '...Huh?'

    Sunny raised his head, then frowned in confusion.

    The sky, indeed, looked funny.

    The sun was still climbing up, but there seemed to be a second one right above them, swelling with incandescent light. The sky itself was growing brighter and brighter, as if permeated with intense heat. The clouds were all gone��

    A gust of hot wind suddenly blew past them.

    His eyes suddenly narrowed.

    "W��wait!"

    In the next second, a colossal pillar of incandescent flame suddenly fell from the sky, piercing the plain and shattering the land like glass. A blinding flash drowned the world in white, and through it, a terrible sound rolled across the forest. Deafened, Sunny felt his son screaming, but could not hear his voice.

    At the point where the pillar of flame fell, the ground itself was split open and thrown into the air, colossal pieces of melted earth raining down fire, ash, and death.

    The hill on which they stood shook, and then shifted, throwing Sunny off the horse.

    'No, no, no��'

    Still dazed, he tried to find his son, but failed.

    Instead, his gaze fell on the small town and the stone manor that stood in the distance.

    As Sunny watched in horror, the ground opened up, with fountains of fire shooting into the sky. The houses were instantly devoured by the flames and incinerated, turning into clouds of ash.

    'No, no, no!'

    In the next moment, the whole hill crumbled.

    The last thing Sunny saw before being smothered by the avalanche of scorching earth was the fragile figure of his son being swallowed by flames.

    'No!'

    And then, he died.

    ***

    Pain, pain, pain��

    Why did his heart hurt so much?

    Sunny opened his eyes in the darkness and sat down, throwing the furs aside. He stared at his feeble chest, then touched it with a shaking hand, surprised. Since when did his chest start to ache during the night?

    'Ah, being old is not fun��'

    Chasing the remnants of a terrible nightmare away, he struggled to sit up and massaged his joints for a while, waiting until some flexibility returned to them. Then, he slowly stood up and closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of the Sacred Grove that enveloped him.

    Well, at least he woke up alive. At his age, that was already an accomplishment!

    If only his heart didn't ache so much��

    But that was just what being old meant. Every dawn brought a new ache... actually, Sunny would have been more scared if he woke up and suddenly felt perfectly fine.

    In any case��

    It was time to face a new day.

 Chapter 635 The Will Of Gods

    Using a wooden cane, Sunny walked out of his hut and breathed in the clear, sweet air of the Sacred Grove.

    The ancient trees rustled gently, as if greeting him. The forest was slowly waking up, emerald leaves longing to be bathed in the warmth of the sun once more. A chilly fog was flowing between the mighty trunks, suffused with the vibrant lilac light of the early dawn. The nightingales sang cheerfully, jumping from branch to branch�� the sight of it was familiar, beautiful, and calming.

    Truly, the grove of Heart God was the jewel of the Kingdom of Hope. How lucky he was to have been born and spend most of his life here!

    These trees had stood upon the ancient land before it had been shattered, weathered the terrible cataclysm of Desire's imprisonment, and were going to remain standing here long after he was dead and forgotten, his bones buried at their roots. Now that Sunny was old and didn't have a lot of time left to live, that thought was very comforting.

    A human's life might be fleeting, but the beautiful grove was eternal.

    He patted one of the ancient oaks as an old friend, sighed, and limped toward the water spring to fill his jug.

    Since Sunny's hut stood at the outskirts of the grove, he could see the edge of the island through the spaces between the tree trunks. As always, it rose and fell slowly, the heavenly chains rattling from time to time. Everything was just as usual�� which was the very best thing in the world.

    Sunny had lived a long life. Some of it was peaceful, and some of it was turbulent�� but luckily, the turbulent times had not visited this quiet forest for a long, long time. And that was the only thing that he had always wanted �� to live a quiet and tranquil life, far away from all the strife and misfortune of the everchanging world.

    Change�� change always brought ruin on its wings. Sunny wanted no part of it.

    However, today, his desires were not meant to come true. Something unexpected did happen, disturbing the familiar routine of his day��

    At the very edge of the island, a mighty black steed suddenly appeared, as if jumping from below, where a giant chain connected to the soil of the Sacred Grove. He walked forward at a steady pace, approaching the line of ancient trees.

    The steed had no saddle, but there was a rider on his back. A pretty young woman in a simple red tunic sat there, her ivory legs svelte and bare. She had a graceful figure, a face so lovely that it simply demanded to be gazed upon, and chestnut hair that fell down like a silken waterfall.

    Sunny stared at the young woman, mesmerized by her beauty. Then, he scoffed, and shook his head.

    "What are you even doing, old fool�� your days of ogling pretty girls are long over! This beauty is young enough to be your granddaughter. Have some shame, you vile lecher!"

    He chuckled wryly, and then changed his course to greet the unexpected guest.

    A dozen meters or so away from the line of trees, the young beauty stopped her horse, jumped down with breathtaking grace, and knelt in the soft grass, looking down as other pilgrims would usually do.

    Sunny made his way toward the girl, panting a little from the strain, and tried to put on a smile worthy of an enlightened elder. For some reason, the closer he got to the beauty, the worse his heart ached.

    'Ah, what's wrong with this frail body of mine today?'

    "Greetings, young lady! Uh... welcome. What brings you to the Heart Grove? Tell this old man your worries�� maybe I'll be able to help."

    The beauty did not raise her head, still looking down, as if to show her respect and reverence. Her voice, when she spoke, was melodious and calm�� however, Sunny had been meeting pilgrims like her for many decades. All of them came here overwhelmed by sorrows and regret�� that was why they sought out a passage to the Sacred Grove. This was a place of solace.

    He could sense a deep ocean of darkness hiding behind the facade of calmness the young woman had put on, too.

    She said:

    "...I seek audience with the Lady of the Grove."

    Sunny lingered for a bit, then sighed.

    'So young, and yet so troubled�� how sad��'

    Then, he leaned on his cane and smiled.

    "Well�� she ought to be up and about, by now. How about that? I'll wait with you until the Lady arrives."

    The young beauty didn't answer, and simply continued to stare down, still like a statue. Her breathing was deep and steady. Even her scary black horse seemed patient and indifferent.

    Suddenly, Sunny felt a strange unease. He took a closer look at the girl, and frowned.

    'Do I have dementia now? What, in the name of Hope, is that?'

    His eyes seemed to be playing tricks on him. Sunny could swear that he saw a radiant sphere of light burning inside the young beauty's chest�� not that he was looking in that direction��

    Without any reason, his hand suddenly stretched sideways, his palm opening, as if waiting to grasp something out of the air.

    Sunny stared at it in confusion.

    '...Weird. What are you doing, stupid hand?'

    He awkwardly hid the willful hand behind his back and cleared his throat. Maybe he didn't quite recover from that terrible nightmare yet��

    As he did so, the young woman suddenly spoke, her head still bowed.

    "Tell me�� have you ever seen the Ivory Tower?"

    'What an unexpected question...'

    Sunny grinned.

    "Oh�� sure. When I was a senseless youth, not much older than you. He-he. It might not look like it, but this elder was quite a wastrel once! I ran away from home and went on an adventure. That was when I saw the Ivory City, and many other things. But eventually, I came back to this grove�� there is nowhere better than home, I believe."

    He thought for a few moments, and then said:

    "Why do you ask?"

    The young woman remained silent for a while.

    "...I heard that there's an evil demon locked inside the Tower. That the gods put her there as a punishment for her malevolence, corruption, and pride. Do you think it's true?"

    Sunny chuckled.

    "Ah, that. Sometimes I forget how much knowledge has been lost by us, the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Hope. Yes, young lady, there is indeed a daemon imprisoned within the Ivory Tower�� however, she was never evil, malevolent, or corrupt. In fact, Hope was very kind and generous to us, humans."

    The beauty shifted slightly.

    "Oh? Why did the gods punish her, then?"

    Sunny sighed dejectedly.

    "That is the question, isn't it? Why destroy this land and put its kind Lady in shackles? Who knows... if mortals like us could know the will of gods, then, maybe, we'd be gods instead��"

    There it was again! The radiant flame in the young woman's chest�� he wasn't imagining things, it was really there!

    Sunny was about to try and get a better look, uncaring of how improper such an attempt would seem, but at that moment, a dearly familiar voice came from behind him.

    ��However, he had never heard that voice sound so somber and grave.

    The Lady of the Grove said:

    "...Why are you here, Solvane?"

 Chapter 636 Desecration

    "Why have you come here, Solvane?"

    Sunny turned around, looking at the delicate woman who stood behind him, her dress woven out of simple green fabric, a girdle of tree bark wrapped around her thin waist. Despite looking only slightly older than their guest, with soft skin and sparkling hazel eyes, she had a calm and confident presence about her that brought peace and a feeling of safety to all who surrounded her.

    The woman looked beautiful, wise�� and young. So, so young. She also resembled Sunny very much.

    As always, seeing her brought both warm joy and deep sadness to his heart.

    Sunny smiled, hiding his sorrow, then said in a tone most gentle and loving:

    "...Hey, mom. We have a guest."

    The Lady of the Grove �� his mother �� looked at him for a short moment, and then answered in a voice that rang with tension and urgency:

    "Get away from her, child. Now!"

    Sunny frowned, confused, then did as he was told, arduously pushing his old body forward with the help of the cane. His heart was sending pulses of pain radiating through his chest�� ah, even walking was hard today��

    Behind him, a dark smile appeared on the face of the young beauty whom his mother called Solvane. She slowly rose from the grass and faced the Lady of the Grove, her radiant eyes burning with grim light.

    "You must know why I came here. There is no need to pretend, Aidre."

    Sunny finally reached his mother and stood beside her, turning around to look at the strange pilgrim.

    'Something�� something isn't right. How does she know my mother's name?'

    Was she, perhaps, a powerful Awakened? Well, whoever she was, the eternal guardian of the Sacred Grove was not going to let things get too out of hand. She was not only his mother, but also Transcendent Aidre, the blessed of Heart God, after all. So, there was no reason to worry.

    Nothing terrible ever happened in the Sacred Grove.

    His thoughts were interrupted by the fact that, suddenly, another brilliant sphere of light appeared in view�� this one inside the body of his own mother. Sunny stared at her back for a few moments, then glanced at Solvane. He even looked at the horse.

    'Huh��'

    Meanwhile, the smile disappeared from Solvane's beautiful face. Her voice turned cold and sharp as she said:

    "I have heard rumors that across all of the Kingdom of Hope, a cult of her followers was slowly spreading like a virulent plague. Imagine my surprise�� my indignation, my rage... when I discovered that you were the source of this disease. You!"

    Sunny's face darkened.

    'Ah�� so that's what this is all about��'

    He had warned his mother that this might happen. Saying anything good about a daemon was tantamount to offending the gods, these days. Maybe he should have followed his own advice and kept his mouth shut earlier��

    'Damnation.'

    Solvane, meanwhile, clenched her fists.

    "I came here wishing to be proven wrong, but instead, saw that the accusations were true. Your own son is infected by this heresy. How�� how could you betray us so? You have created a cult of daemon worshippers. You have nurtured the very thing that we were created to prevent!"

    The Lady of the Grove scowled.

    "So what if I did? Do you think, perhaps, that I have forgotten the solemn oath we had given? No�� no, you are the ones who are blind to the will of the Lord of Light. You are the ones who have failed in your duty."

    Solvane stared at the delicate woman in the green dress for a while, her expression grim. Then, she slowly shook her head:

    "You are�� so broken. How did you allow your soul to get so twisted? You, out of all of us, should have been the last to become lost. Your god should have protected you�� he is the God of Souls, is he not?!"

    Sunny heard his mother chuckle, her voice devoid of amusement.

    "Be done with it, Solvane. Did you not say that there was no need for us to pretend? Just say what you have come to say, and leave this place. War isn't welcomed here."

    The young beauty in a red tunic remained silent for a long time, then slowly raised her hand. Sunny frowned, noticing that there was now a strange knife forged out of a single strip of dull metal in it. Where did it come from?

    His mother suddenly trembled.

    ��He had never seen her afraid before.

    "You�� you wouldn't dare��"

    Solvane gritted her teeth.

    "You forced my hand, Aidre. None of us wanted this. But in the end, they all agreed."

    The Lady of the Grove fell silent, then shook her head.

    "...You lie. Noctis would never abandon me."

    She took a step forward, and smiled.

    "No one agreed. You are here of your own will, with none of the other Chain Lords giving their permission. Do you really think that they would allow something like that to happen? No matter which one of us falls, the one who remains will no longer be fateless. The balance of power between us seven will be no irrevocably broken, obliterated. Are you mad? Can you even imagine what kind of disaster will follow?"

    But then, her voice trailed off, and she stumbled. Her beautiful hazel eyes widened.

    Sunny shivered, feeling that, just then, something had gone terribly, terribly wrong.

    His mother stared at Solvane, her face growing deathly pale.

    And then, she whispered:

    "Unless�� unless you do, better than any of us. Oh... oh, Solvane! How ruthless you are!"

    Sunny felt his heartache growing stronger. There was a cold sensation grasping his chest, making him clutch at it with a pained grimace.

    'Argh.... what are they even talking about? I don't understand... what is going on?'

    Aidre of the Sacred Grove looked down for a long time, then spoke.

    Her voice was quiet and full of sorrow:

    "I see�� I see now. I understand. I should have known�� that out of all of us, you are the bravest. This sacrifice, Solvane... even in the Realm of Shadows, I won't forget it."

    With that, she turned to Sunny, who was really confused by what was happening, and smiled sadly.

    "And you�� I'm sorry, child. Please forgive me, if you can."

    With that, his mother faced the beauty in the red tunic and raised her delicate hand, a knife carved out of a single piece of wood suddenly appearing in it, as though out of nowhere.

    Her voice grew firm and determined:

    "However, Solvane�� you should not have never challenged me on this hallowed ground. I won't give up without a fight, and neither will my Grove."

    The young woman facing her smiled, her radiant eyes shining with a furious light.

    "...Prove it!"

    ***

    "Mom�� mom��"

    Sunny crawled through the ash, suffocating on bitter smoke. Tears streamed down his wrinkled cheeks, evaporating because of the terrible heat. His heart ached�� oh, it ached so horribly!

    All of him was in pain. And all around him, the Sacred Grove burned, enveloped by incinerating, raging fire. He could hear the screams of its inhabitants echoing in the dim darkness, humans and beasts alike, burning alive as their whole world was being slowly turned into ash.

    'How can this be�� how, how?!'

    p1ease visit n0ve1b(in).ne)t

    Pushing himself forward with the week hands of a useless old man, he crawled toward the delicate figure lying on the ground a few meters�� so, so far�� away.

    He refused to die before he reached it.

    The ground was scorching his palms, which were now covered in terrible blisters, but he persisted, unwilling to give up.

    'Mom...'

    And then, finally, he reached her.

    The Lady of the Grove lay dead amidst the fire, shards of a strange iron dagger sizzling in the bloodsoaked mud around her. Swallowing tears, Sunny awkwardly hugged her body and let out a stifled howl.

    Why�� why did it feel so familiar? As though he had felt this pain once, a long time ago, already�� in another world...

    "Why are you dead? Weren't you supposed to be immortal? How can this be? No, no�� this is just a bad dream, a nightmare. I need to wake up! Wake up, you old fool! Wake�� wake up!"

    But no matter what he did, he couldn't. Even if it was just a nightmare, he was trapped in it, unable to escape.

    'Trapped�� in a nightmare?'

    As this strange thought rang in his mind, a trunk of an ancient tree suddenly fell nearby, a whirlwind of fiery sparks and burning debris raising into the air. Sunny stared at it, feeling his vision darken and his thoughts disappear one after another.

    He was coughing, unable to stop�� he couldn't breathe�� he was suffocating��

    'How did this happen?'

    The old man stared at the burning forest, his eyes aflame with grief and mad disbelief.

    How could the Sacred Grove be destroyed?

    Wasn't it supposed to stand tall, beautiful and tranquil, long after he was dead?

    Wasn't it supposed to outlive him?

    A sense of utter, lightless sorrow and despair drowned his mind, just like smoke was drowning his lungs and pain was drowning his body.

    'This is a nightmare�� just a nightmare�� it can't be real�� no, no, no!'

    That bitter thought was the last one that appeared in Sunny's mind before he fell into the searing darkness.

    And in that darkness, alone and hurting, he died.

    ***

    Pain, pain, pain��

    Terrible, torturous pain.

    His heart was in pain, but so was the rest of him.

    Sunny couldn't open his eyes, because they were glued together with dried blood. But if he did, all he would see would be the dark walls of a dungeon cell, where he was strapped to a rusty torture device, red-hot metal spikes thrust into his body.

    Lost and forgotten, far away from the light of the blessed sun��

    A familiar voice invaded his ears, making him shudder.

    "...Ah, you're awake. Good. You've been out of it for so long this time, my friend. Shall we continue?"

    'More torture��'

    Sunny sighed, knowing what awaited him all too well.

    He could barely remember who he was before ending up in this cold dungeon, or why he was being tormented by the owner of the cursed voice. All he knew was pain, darkness, and despair.

    However, this time, all of it didn't seem so terrible. What could have been worst than the harrowing nightmare he had just seen?

    Solvane, Aidre, Noctis�� the names sounded familiar. Had he known these people once, perhaps? Before this hell... if anything even existed outside of it, of course.

    In any case, that didn't matter.

    All that mattered was pain, torment, and hopelessness.

    He gritted his teeth.

    It was time to face a new day��

 Chapter 637 Lron Cage

    The torture continued without end.

    Day after day, night after night.

    Sunny screamed when he had the voice, and remained silent when he lost it. A long time ago�� decades ago�� he still had pride, and endured the torment without giving the torturer the satisfaction of hearing him howl, cry, and beg.

    But there was no point. Pride had no place here�� only pain.

    Anyone should have died from the inhuman agony he was subjected to and the terrible wounds dealt to his body. But Sunny didn't die�� was unable to die�� and so, there was no end to his anguish.

    Every morning, his wounds were gone, as if he was born anew. Every morning, the torturer returned, and the cycle continued.

    The torturer, himself, never asked Sunny any questions. It was as though he was tormenting his prisoner just for the sake of torment. However�� the master of the dungeon never seemed to enjoy his cruelty. He never reveled in the agony of his victim, and instead seemed almost sad while performing his duties.

    Why was this happening?

    How long had it been happening?

    When would this neverending nightmare end?

    'Neverending�� nightmare��'

    Sunny didn't know�� he barely knew himself anymore. All he knew was fear, darkness, and pain.

    'Lord, save me��'

    On one of these days, he opened his eyes to see the torturer entering the cell. His personal executioner was tall and noble in bearing, with skin as white as ivory, lustrous golden hair, and amber eyes that were full of calmness, conviction, and melancholy.

    Just like always, the torturer started preparing his tools, and just like always, Sunny strained his mangled body, pointlessly trying to break free of his shackles.

    ��But this time, something unexpected happened. Sunny froze and stared at the radiant man in front of him, his eyes widening.

    'Can this be?'

    Just like in the harrowing nightmare he had seen a few days ago, there was a beautiful sphere of light burning within the torturer's chest. Its splendor washed over Sunny, making the terrible pain recede for a moment.

    A weak, pale smile found its way onto his face.

    Sunny bathed in the light, and whispered:

    "Sun��"

    Oh, how he had longed to see the sun again...

    The torture froze, then slowly turned to him. His amber eyes shone with sudden emotion.

    "...You are speaking again?"

    He took a tentative step forward and studied Sunny's face, then gently caressed it.

    "Brother, my brother�� how good it is to hear your voice once more."

    Sunny shivered.

    "...Brother? Are we�� brothers?"

    He was weak, and confused. Thoughts danced chaotically in his broken mind, fragile like snowflakes in the summer's heat. He found it hard to concentrate on anything, even if he wanted to. But�� he didn't want to. Not for a long time.

    The torturer smiled sadly.

    "Have you forgotten even me?"

    Sunny frowned, trying to remember. Brother�� did he have a brother? Yes, he used to, once. His brother was noble, valiant, and wise. His brother was blessed by the Lord of Light. He was entrusted with a sacred duty��

    And so was Sunny himself.

    ��Or maybe he was just remembering shattered fragments of old nightmares. Who could tell?

    He weakly shook his head.

    "If we are brothers�� then... why? Why are�� you torturing me?"

    The torturer remained silent for a while, then laughed sadly.

    "Ah, that old question. You haven't asked it in decades."

    He leaned forward and looked at Sunny with sorrow.

    "Don't you remember? You were the one who asked me to do this, after all."

    Sunny's pupils widened.

    'No�� no��'

    "I�� asked you?"

    The torturer nodded.

    "As penitence, for the terrible sin you committed. For betraying the trust of the Lord of Light. Was it�� a century ago? Yes, almost."

    He turned away and picked up a long blade, thrusting it into the flames that burned furiously in a golden brazier.

    "It has been almost a century since you abandoned me. Ah�� enduring our duty alone was not easy, my brother. It wasn't easy at all. But I never broke my word to you."

    Sunny stared as the blade was slowly starting to glow inside the flames. Knowing that it would be soon thrust into his flesh instead, he shuddered.

    "If I�� asked you�� then stop. I don't�� don't want it anymore."

    The torturer looked down, then smiled darkly.

    "Stop? But we can't stop. Not until you answered the question."

    Sunny's eyes were glued to the blade. He whispered:

    "Question? What question?"

    His brother was silent for a bit, and then asked:

    "Where is that which was entrusted to us by the Lord? What have you done with the knives?"

    'Knives? What knives?'

    Sunny couldn't recall any knife, and could only think about the one that was already glowing red in the golden brazier.

    "...I don't know."

    His torturer sighed.

    "Then your penitence can't stop."

    With that, he took the blade out of the fire and brought it to Sunny's chest, where an aching heart was beating wildly like a caged beast.

    Sunny searched his memory, desperate for the torture to end. No, no�� he couldn't remember!

    A split second before the tip of the blade cut his skin, he suddenly shouted:

    "Shadow! Shadow stole it! The ember knife�� Shadow took it from me! It was his fault! His!"

    The blade froze without reaching Sunny's flesh.

    The torturer looked away, a somber expression on his face.

    "...It is good that you finally spoke. However�� that mystery had been revealed some time ago. After all, Shadow is long dead."

    He glanced at Sunny, then asked coldly:

    "But what of the other? Where is the ivory knife that I have given you? Did Shadow steal it, as well?"

    Sunny shivered, then slowly shook his head.

    "No�� I... I hid it. I hid it far away."

    His brother closed his eyes.

    "Where did you hide it?"

    Tears streamed down Sunny face. He strained in his bindings, desperately trying to free himself.

    "I�� I don't remember�� I don't know!"

    The torturer signed, then dropped the searing blade to the ground.

    "...Useless. This is all useless. A century of this, and you are still resisting!"

    He grabbed his head and groaned, then suddenly laughed, his voice echoing from the stone walls of the dungeon.

    "I'm tired�� I'm more tired of this than you are, brother. Why have you deserted me? I can't save you, no matter what I do. I can't clear away your guilt, I can't redeem you in the eyes of the Lord!"

    He fell silent, and slowly, his face turned calm and solemn.

    Then, he glanced at Sunny and said, mad resolve shining in his eyes:

    "A century is enough. Going further will only break what is left of you, my dear brother. If we can't redeem your sin, then�� then, we must burn it away. The blessing of the Fire�� we will invent our own instead of the one you lost!"

    ***

    A day finally came when Sunny was freed from his bindings and dragged away from the dungeon cell. He was too weak to fight his jailers, and saw no point in it. He didn't really understand what was happening and was just glad to finally leave the darkness of the torture chamber.

    He was so happy that tears fell from his amber eyes.

    Sunny was brought to a vast chamber that was full of terrible heat and drowned by an angry orange glow.

    '...Strange�� what a strange place��'

    In front of him was a giant pit filled with molten steel. There were giant furs blowing a constant stream of wind into the fire below. He heard the sound of hooves ringing on the stones and saw a mighty horse with blinders on his eyes walk constantly in circles, spinning the wooden wheel it was attached to, which in turn worked the furs.

    In front of the pit, a strange iron cage lay on the floor. It was made in the shape of a man's body and opened, revealing the human-shaped emptiness within.

    'What... is this?'

    "Be brave, my brother."

    Sunny flinched, hearing the familiar voice. He turned his head and saw the torturer standing beside him, with a dark and determined expression on his face.

    "Today, we will burn away your sin�� we will make you into the tool of the gods once more."

    'I don't�� understand.'

    Before Sunny could realize what was happening, he was placed into the strange cage, which was then closed shut, leaving him in utter darkness. His new prison hugged his body like a metal carapace. He couldn't move, or see anything. He was like a soul encased inside the body of an iron man.

    Panicking, Sunny tried to struggle against his metal prison, but it was of no use.

    He heard the sound of chains, and felt himself being raised into the air.

    'W��what...'

    And then, he was lowered down�� down, down�� down into the giant pit of molten metal.

    The outsides of his cage grew hot, and then searing.

    And then, scorching, incinerating, immolating.

    Locked within the incandescent iron cage, Sunny screamed and screamed, his flesh constantly burning and restoring itself, his broken mind drowning in agony and heat�� in the fire.

    But no matter how much he screamed��

    The burning was eternal.

    Just like he himself was...

    ***

    Burning�� he was burning!

    Sunny woke up with a scream, still enveloped in the horror of the nightmare. He shuddered, then clutched at his chest, which was full of sharp, tearing pain.

    "Argh!"

    The shadows rustled around him, distressed by the sudden scream of their master.

    'A nightmare�� huh. I haven't had one in centuries.'

    He grimaced, and then stood up, listening to the rattling of the heavenly chains in the distance.

    It was time to face a new day��

    Hopefully, his last.

 Chapter 638 Dream After Dream

    Sunny walked through the empty halls of his castle, shrouded in shadows. Wherever he passed, the pale radiance of moonlight disappeared, devoured by the tide of flowing darkness. His steps were silent, and so were his thoughts.

    Raising a hand clad in a glove of black silk, he traces his fingers across the intricate engravings, uncaring to remember the events depicted on the ancient stone walls. They were his triumphs and his victories, etched into the annals of history�� but all of it was so distant and had happened so long ago, at the dawn of the Age of Heroes.

    He had been a hero once, too, battling the remnants of the Corruption across the mortal realms. He had been cunning and fearless, valiant and unrelenting, full of faith and hope.

    ��The Age of Heroes was over, but Sunny still remained.

    By now, all of his servants and warriors had long left, taking the treasures he did not care about anymore with them. The halls of the castle were populated by shadows, and nothing else.

    Well�� except for one loyal fool who was too stubborn to get the hint.

    'Sorry, kid. You should have found a better master��'

    Damnation�� why did his heart suddenly hurt so much?

    Sunny opened the gates to the courtyard, not bothering to close them as he left. This castle of his would be, without a doubt, overtaken by one of the other Chain Lords soon enough. Or maybe even a ragtag gang of random bandits�� he did not care too much about it, either.

    Standing in the darkness, Sunny hesitated, and then took out two knives from the hidden sheathes on his forearms. One seemed to be cut from a single piece of ghostly glass, the other from beautiful ember.

    One was the knife entrusted to him by the Lord of Light, and the other was the one he had stolen.

    The nightmare he had seen must have been because of a sense of guilt he had not known he felt. But why would he? The fool only had himself to blame for losing the knife to Sunny.

    And surely, the two brothers were not demented enough to come up with something that distasteful�� at least not yet.

    Sunny sighed and shook his head, indifferent to the fate of the other immortals. Then, he turned slightly and watched as a tall figure appeared from the darkness.

    A towering demon with pale grey skin, four arms, and twisting horns approached him and bowed his head, a sorrowful expression contorting the bestial lines of his face.

    Sunny smiled.

    "Don't look so gloom, kid. You knew that this would happen eventually."

    The demon didn't answer.

    ��Not that he was able to.

    With another sigh, Sunny hid the ember knife in its sheath, and handed the glass one to the tall creature, who hesitated for a few moments and took it with fear and reverence.

    "Be careful not to drop it. A god made that knife, you know? It is a very precious thing�� precious enough that even you aren't suited to wield it. The others will eat you alive if they ever find out."

    He looked northeast, considering something, and then added.

    "...Take it to the Temple of the Chalice and give it to the War Maiden. Tell her... tell her that we'll meet again, in the Realm of Shadows. That is my last order to you, kid. After that, you will be free."

    no(????(e)lbi????.n(et

    The demon clenched his fists, then slowly shook his head.

    Sunny chuckled.

    "And yet, this is how it has to be. Now, go! Your master commands you!"

    The creature looked down, then growled sorrowfully, and disappeared into the darkness.

    Sunny watched him go. Soon, the towering demon left the castle, crossed the hills of emerald grass, and climbed down to one of the chains leading away from the island.

    Making sure that the creature was gone, Sunny recalled his shadow scouts and then clicked his tongue.

    "Tsk. He didn't even look back once. What a heartless little imp��"

    With that, he walked toward the gates of the castle, followed by a sea of shadows.

    As he walked, a beautiful black stallion rose from them, his mane as dark as night, with long horns protruding from his head and his teeth resembling that of a wolf more than that of a normal horse.

    The stallion's eyes burned with menacing crimson flames.

    Sunny smiled.

    "Greetings, old friend. Will you let me ride on your back one last time?"

    He jumped into the saddle, and sent his terrifying steed galloping across the land. They flew through shadows and raced across the chains that swayed between two lightless skies, jumping from one island to another, full of bliss and exhilaration of speed.

    'Ah�� this is the one thing I will miss.'

    After centuries of being burdened by the crushing weight of knowledge and duty, Sunny was finally free, and at peace. The night sky above him was vast and beautiful, and so was the one below.

    Everything was perfect�� except for one thing. Why did his heart have to hurt so much?

    Surely, he didn't have any regrets left��

    Just before dawn approached, they reached a secluded and lonesome island. Sunny jumped off the horse, patted him on the back, and said his farewells. The steed then turned into a vast, sprawling shadow and disappeared, as though he had never existed at all.

    The black stallion even made an attempt to hide his heartbreaking grief, to not burden his creator with it, and not turn their final farewell bitter.

    Sunny remained still for a few moments, and then made his way to the edge of the island.

    There, he undid the strings of his tunic and bared his chest, then knelt, looking down into the endless darkness of the Sky Below, the divine flames burning in its depths.

    The other didn't know yet what awaited them all�� none except for maybe Solvane, who had sealed their fates with her merciless hand. Had she known the consequences of her cruel choice? Or had she been simply too blind to see?

    In any case, Sunny wanted no part of what was to come. He had always prided himself on being a cheat and a coward, and so, he chose an easy way out.

    ��The moon was already gone, and the sun had not yet risen. In this darkest of hours, he was surrounded by nothing except shadows and the singing of the wind.

    A deep sigh escaped from his lips.

    "...came like dew, disappears like dew."

    With that, Sunny raised his hand and, without even flinching, thrust the beautiful ember knife through the intricate scales of the serpent that coiled around his chest.

    As terrible pain drowned his mind with agony, a pale smile appeared on his face.

    "Free... I am... finally... free..."

    His body swayed, and then fell down into the endless abyss of the Sky Below, disappearing from the edge of the island just as the first ray of sunlight appeared over the horizon.

    Sunny fell into absolute darkness.

    Wrapped in its soothing embrace, finally, he died.

    ***

    Sunny woke up. His chest hurt, for some reason... but he couldn't allow himself to sleep any longer.

    It was time to face a new��

    '...What the hell? Doesn't�� doesn't this seem awfully familiar?'

 Chapter 639 Neverending Nightmare

    Sunny woke up from a nightmare where he was a shadow that had lost the will to live, who woke up from a nightmare where he was a prince being drowned in a fiery tomb of molten steel, who woke up from a nightmare where he was an old man dying as he held the body of his murdered mother, who woke up from a nightmare where he was a mortal watching his world being destroyed by a god.

    Soon enough, Sunny found himself tied to a stake, with fire spreading through the pile of tinder beneath his bare feet as a crowd of people whom he had considered friends and neighbors watched with demented glee. All he could do was struggle desperately against his bonds and pray that the smoke would smother him before the flames reached his flesh��

    But his prayers were not answered.

    Screaming from inside the fire, he died.

    ��It was time to face a new day.

    Sunny fought desperately as sharp fangs tore his flesh apart, as he was being eaten alive. But no matter how much he struggled, it was of no use. The monster was just too strong, and mad, and cruel.

    And then, he died.

    It was time to face a new day again.

    Sunny drowned, a heavy chain tied around his legs.

    Sunny bled to death on a battlefield, suffering from terrible thirst and too weak to move, hungry crows tearing at his face with sharp beaks.

    Sunny watched his entire family be executed before being hanged from the walls of a somber fortress.

    Thrown into the boundless darkness of the Sky Below by his heartless mother, Sunny died of hunger, thirst, and fear, too tired to scream or cry.

    Sunny was killed and turned into a wooden doll by a vengeful sorcerer, and then killed again after an eternity of silent servitude, the doll burning to ashes as it fell into an ocean of white flames.

    His heart was pierced with an obsidian knife on an altar made of pure darkness.

    His body was cleaved apart by the blade of a giant warrior in a red tattered robe while the jubilant crowd cheered from the stone seats of an ancient theater.

    ��It was time to face a new day again.

    The nightmares never ended, bleeding into one another. Each time, Sunny woke up sure that the agony he had experienced was just a harrowing dream. But very soon, his waking life would turn into pure horror itself.

    And then, he would die.

    And then, it would be time to face a new day again.

    Sunny dreamt of being mighty and weak, young and old, men and women, humans and beasts. Their end was always the same. Everywhere he went, everywhere he fled, no matter who he was, there was only pain and death.

    And madness. It was as though everyone he met was infected by a terrible, unexplainable madness.

    The whole world was mad��

    And he was slowly going mad, too.

    After a while, he found that waking up was getting harder and harder. Sometimes, he failed to differentiate which of his lives was real, and which ones he had just dreamt of. Even though the horrors he had experienced seemed like a nightmare, their weight accumulated, slowly breaking his spirit apart. His faces changed, his memories changed, but one thing always remain the same.

    The terror.

    The everpresent, chilling terror of waking up from a nightmare only to be thrust into a worse one instead.

    ��And two other things remained the same, as well. The pain in his chest, and the spheres of light that he saw from time to time burning inside someone's soul.

    Sunny was a soldier in a war between the Ivory City and the Red Colosseum. Consumed by terror, he watched as a brilliant colossus made of lustrous steel stepped forward, making the whole island shake. A giant metal hand slowly moved forward, catching a swift flying ship and crushing the vessel in its enormous fist.

    And then, the iron giant took another step��

    Suddenly, the sky disappeared, replaced by a vast expanse of polished metal. The colossus brought his foot down, crushing Sunny, and all of his comrades, into a bloody paste.

    Sunny died��

    And then, he woke up with a scream.

    It was time to face a new day again.

    'That�� that was too much.'

    He shivered, remembering the terrifying sight of the steel giant advancing toward the trembling row of soldiers. Who would be mad enough to challenge the indestructible Sun Prince?

    Well�� he knew who. The Warmongers were all insane, each and every one of them. Some said that they had been different and called by another name once, that they had been valiant and brave. Champions who protected the Kingdom of Hope from the beasts of Corruption��

    But he didn't really believe it.

    As long as Sunny was alive, and as long as his father was alive, and his grandfather as well, the Warmongers had been the same. Bloodthirsty monsters wearing human skins��

    Luckily, the war was raging far away from here. In the northern reaches of the Kingdom of Hope, people didn't have to worry about the madness of the followers of War, and the misguided righteousness of the followers of Sun.

    ��Granted, they had their own worries.

    Shuddering and still in the grasp of the nightmare, Sunny massaged his aching chest and rose. Today, his lady was going to meet with the emissaries of the Night Temple. It was a high honor, but also not without risk. As a knight tasked with protecting her, Sunny had to be ready for anything.

    'Why�� why does my heart so much today?'

    Shivering, he reached for his clothes.

    ***

    "No!"

    Sunny and a young girl in a beautiful silk dress that was passed down to her from her mother, and for that reason a little bit too long for the girl's awkward figure, had nowhere else to run.

    The pursuers, who had already slaughtered the rest of their party, chased them to the very edge of the island. Now, there was nothing but the darkness of the Sky Below in front of them.

    ��And behind them, steel hooves were already ringing on the stones, growing closer and closer.

    The teenage girl stared into the bottomless abyss, then turned to him. Her lips trembled.

    "Sir�� what�� what should we do?"

    Her face was soft and pale, not yet touched by the sharpness of maturity. Her eyes, usually so gentle and bright, were now dull and full of fear.

    Sunny hesitated, then drew his sword and turned his back to the abyss.

    "...Don't be afraid, my lady. I'm with you."

    He said those empty words, knowing full well that it was a lie. He was just one man�� he was not even an Awakened. What could a mundane swordsman like him do against this foe?

    The girl, young as she was, knew that he was lying, too.

    A few moments before the first of the pursuer appeared from the darkness, she grabbed his forearm and looked at him with desperate resolve.

    "You�� don't let them... don't let them take me alive, sir. Please��"

    Sunny gritted his teeth, remained silent for a second, and then slowly nodded.

    His heart hurt... it hurt so much. The pain was almost blinding.

    A second later, a mightly black stallion appeared in front of them, bearing an armored rider on his back.

    The rider jumped down, moving with a speed that no mundane human could ever hope to match. He unsheathed his own sword and glanced at Sunny, his eyes hidden behind a visor of a menacing black helmet.

    His voice sounded like a voice of an ancient monster:

    "...Step aside, warrior. We only need the maiden. You can still walk away alive."

    Sunny laughed.

    Ah, why did his heart hurt so much�� dying was already painful enough.

    He looked at the Awakened hunter in front of him, then at the young girl he had sworn to protect��

    'Why does this nightmare never stop?'

    ...And then, he lowered his sword, and stepped aside.

    Both of them looked at him, the pursuer with dark amusement, his lady with shock and disbelief. Her voice trembled:

    "Sir, what�� what are you doing?"

    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then sighed.

    'Why is this world so insane?'

    "I am very sorry, my lady. Please, don't hold a grudge against me. But, you see�� how do I say this��"

    He looked at her, then in the direction of the Awakened hunter. Then, he shook his head and said:

    "I am pretty sure that you are not real��"

 Chapter 640 World That Has Gone Mad

    Sunny looked at the terrified young girl, and then�� laughed.

    ...His laughter sounded more than a little bit unhinged.

    His lady shuddered:

    "Sir, you�� you��"

    Sunny waved a hand in the air.

    "No, no. No need�� I understand. I sound crazy."

    The night sky above them was covered in an impregnable veil of clouds, and the one below them was empty and dark. The ancient stones they stood upon were slick with rainwater, and it was too dim to see anything except for vague silhouettes.

    The silhouette of the Awakened hunter was towering, menacing, and embodied the very concept of terror.

    But Sunny didn't care that much.

    Massaging his chest, he smiled crookedly and said, his voice hoarse and raspy:

    "...But then again, this whole world is insane. Someone told me once�� ah, I don't quite remember who�� that we can only reflect what is in front of us. Is it my fault that there is nothing in front of me except for madness?"

    He looked down, his smile turning into a wicked grin.

    "And someone else once told me that they wanted to destroy the world. Back then, I thought them insane�� I think�� but now, I wonder��"

    The Awakened hunter took a step forward, his monstrous voice permeating the darkness like an insidious murmur:

    "Weak�� so weak�� his mind is broken..."

    Sunny laughed again.

    "Ah, yes�� I am very, very weak. But I am not weak enough, I guess? Somehow, I have a feeling that I wasn't supposed to be able to last that long. Who would be able to endure that much pain, that much horror, and that much suffering without losing their mind completely?"

    He glanced at his sword, then at the approaching enemy.

    "And yet, I did. Actually, while some of those nightmares�� gods, how cruel they were�� did hit a nerve, overall�� I am surprised to admit that... they really weren't that bad."

    Sunny stared at the Awakened hunter with a concerned expression, then scratch the back of his head.

    "Crazy, huh? It is almost as if after you have already been gutted once, nothing else can impress you that much. Or if you have already watched your mother die once, the second time won't be as�� well�� maybe it would? I don't know�� I am a bit confused about what is real, and what is not. Maybe I am myself not real. There's one thing I'm sure about, though��"

    The young girl slowly backed away from him, her face painted with fear. The Awakened killer tilted his head a little, then asked with curiosity:

    "What?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "Well, it's that, real or not, I am really... really, really hard to break. As it turns out. At least not to the point where I'll be unable to think. And notice things. Oh, and I did notice a few things��"

    He slowly raised his sword and pointed it at the approaching hunter.

    "One thing I noticed is that my heart always seems ache, doesn't matter whether it's in a nightmare or in the real life. So, that demands a question�� if the heartache is the same, then maybe the nature of both the dream and the reality is the same, as well?"

    He took a step forward, a confused expression on his face.

    "The second thing I noticed was that many of my thoughts, actions, and reactions don't really make sense. Sometimes my hands will try to do something on their own, and sometimes fragments of feelings, ideas, and judgments that I have to cause to possess will just appear on their own. Easy to explain in a dream�� not so much in the waking world. And I am awake, am I? Or am I? Or am I not? Sometimes, it's hard to say��"

    He laughed again and assumed a defensive position, waiting for the terrifying Awakened hunter to attack.

    "Well, and the last thing I noticed were the radiant spheres of light I seem to be able to see inside the souls of living beings�� or vile orbs of darkness in those of the Corrupted. It took me a few nightmares to realize that those were soul cores. Strangely, once again, this ability pursued me from the nightmares into reality, making the two seem so much alike. So�� with all that said�� I am really only curious about one thing."

    Sunny smiled, ready to meet his death�� once more.

    "You see�� in my nightmares, I met all kinds of creatures. Awakened warriors, Corrupted monsters�� even Transcendent immortals. Some of them had one soul core, some two or three��"

    He lingered for a moment, and then looked past his enemy, at the mighty black steed standing motionless behind him, barely visible in the shadows.

    "So, my question is�� why does this damned horse always have six?"

    ...With that, he dashed in the opposite direction from where the hunter's sword flashed, abandoning the young girl he was sworn to protect without a second thought.

    Sliding on the wet stones, Sunny dove under the flying blade and jumped to his feet, putting all of his weight into an attack of his own.

    However, his strike was not directed at the menacing killer�� instead, it was directed at the tenebrous steed.

    Unobstructed, the tip of the sword touched the mighty beast's onyx coat�� and shattered, as if striking adamantine stone instead of a living being.

    In the next moment, the Awakened hunter's blade pierced him from behind, exiting out of Sunny's chest in a fountain of blood.

    Ignoring the terrible pain and the blood that was flowing from his mouth, Sunny grinned and looked at the motionless horse.

    The stallion looked at him back, his eyes dark and full of boundless, terrifying malevolence.

    A gargling laughter escaped from Sunny's lips.

    "Doesn't matter�� it doesn't matter. Kill me again, bastard�� kill me as many times as you want. In this nightmare, I am just a mundane swordsman�� but in the next one, or the one after that, or the one after that�� I'll be someone powerful enough to rip you to shreds. And then I will kill you again, and again�� and again. Let's see which one of us is going to break first, you wretched pony!"

    The black steed looked down at Sunny, his eyes igniting with ghostly crimson flames.

    He snorted quietly, and then opened his mouth, full of sharp teeth that were more like those of a wolf than that of a horse.

    And then, the Nightmare bit down on the trembling human's head, easily crushing it between his mighty jaws.

    Sunny died.

    And woke up with a tortured scream.

    It was time to face a new day��

    He rolled out of the dingy tent he had been sleeping in and grinned, mad sparks igniting in his dark eyes.

    It was time to hunt an evil horse��

 Chapter 641 Dream Battle

    Sunny and the diabolical steed of the fallen Shadow Lord battled across an endless tapestry of nightmares. Both were possessed by an insatiable desire to destroy the other, burning with bloodlust, fury, and relentless killing intent.

    Their blood flowed across a hundred harrowing dreams, dissolving into the crimson rivers that had been spilled in the Kingdom of Hope across the centuries. As the weaker of the two, it was Sunny who bled most of the time�� but every time he was torn apart and killed, he made sure to at least leave a mark on the stallion's tenebrous black body.

    No matter how many times the damned horse killed Sunny, he had to share in the pain. Sunny was not only being hunted�� no, he was a hunter himself. What did it matter how many deaths he experienced, what ghastly torments the nightmares held in store for him? In this realm of terrors, he was as immortal as the stygian steed. Every time he died, he was reborn anew.

    And every time he was reborn, there was a chance of becoming someone �� or something �� that the infernal stallion would not be able to defeat. When that happened, their roles reversed, and it was the black horse that had to suffer, be broken, and die by his hand.

    Every kill filled Sunny's soul with jubilant, dark glee.

    He didn't care about dying over and over again, about witnessing atrocious horrors and experiencing the worst cruelty a person could imagine. He wasn't even sure that he was a person, after all. But no matter who or what he was, Sunny was content to endure as much agony as there was, as long as he could make the dark courser feel it too.

    Neither of them could die in the dream, so this battle was going to be decided by the tenacity of their wills.

    They were going to see whose spirit would break first��

    Sadly, the opportunities to really hurt the shadow steed were few and far between. Across all of the history of the Kingdom of Hope, there were not that many creatures that could challenge his vicious strength, and even less that Sunny was fortunate enough to inhabit in their darkest moment of despair.

    That was not to say that his hunt was without success.

    After giving in to madness and abandoning faith in the reality of the nightmares, and of his own memories, Sunny was left with a gaping emptiness in place of where his identity was supposed to be. He knew very few things about who he really was, and didn't really care to know more. It held no meaning for his goal of tormenting and killing the black horse, over and over again�� nevertheless, a few constant things soon revealed themselves.

    His aching heart, his gift of gazing into the very souls of living beings�� and his name. That was the only thing he managed to remember��

    Lost from Light.

    That was his name, and that was who he was.

    After Lost from Light managed to remember his name, it acted as an irresistible anchor that slowly pulled other things from the darkness of oblivion that shrouded his true self. Not actual memories, but far more useful things�� skills, fragments of knowledge, insights, patterns of thought��

    Just like a body had a memory of its own, a soul had one as well. Knowing one's name, the true name, was a key to unlocking it.

    So, he wasn't completely helpless against the infernal steed.

    What's more, Lost from Light discovered that he had a strange aptitude for this harrowing dream battle of theirs. Waking up in a new body after each death �� be it a man or a woman, a child or an elder, a human or a beast, a mundane creature or an Awakened one that possessed unique and unexplainable powers �� would have been utterly confusing and debilitating for any warrior. How could one fight if they didn't know themselves?

    But his mind possessed a remarkable flexibility to it, an insidious ability to adapt to any circumstance almost in an instant, as though it was formless and shapeless by nature, and thus easily molded to fit any situation.

    Lost from Light found out that he could masterfully wield a large number of weapons regardless of whom he was reborn as, as though he had fought in countless battles before. He was able to learn to wield any other by simply observing his enemies for a few moments. He could easily peer through their technique and intentions, and use that knowledge to destroy them.

    When he was reborn as a fearsome creature, he could almost instantly understand how to use his bestial body to rip the enemies to shreds, as though he had lived countless lives as countless monsters.

    But, most importantly, he found out that fighting against those who were stronger than him was his second nature. Lost from Light's mind was full of treachery and cunning, which he could use to deliver terrible wounds to the fearsome stallion even when their might was vastly incomparable.

    And so, they hunted and killed each other through numerous nightmares, waiting to see which one would break first under the weight of hopelessness and neverending suffering.

    Lost from Light wouldn't break.

    ...But the damned horse refused to break, too.

    The black steed was as resilient as he was, as stubborn, as willful, and as ruthless. It endured the endless stream of wounds and deaths Lost from Light delivered upon him with the same unbreakable determination, his hatred and murderous fury only growing stronger.

    The courser possessed an evil will and a devious mind of his own. He was ready to suffer terrible torment for eternity, too, as long as it meant destroying his enemy over and over again. Not caring about the agony, the stallion seemed darkly content to share it with his feral prey, as well.

    The black steed was as mad as Lost from Light was.

    Neither of them gave up, no matter how many times they were mangled, mutilated, ripped apart, and killed.

    Neither of them broke.

    ��So, in the end, it was the neverending nightmare that had to fracture and fall apart instead.

 Chapter 642 Rude Awakening

    Bloodied and crazed, Lost from Light dragged his body across a vast plane of weathered stone, his sword scraping on the black rocks. Behind him, the shattered remains of a warship were being consumed by fire, painting the darkness of the night with an angry orange glow.

    ��In front of him, some distance away, a beautiful black steed stood on shaky legs, red foam falling from his mouth. The eyes of the tenebrous beast shone with a dreadful crimson light, but behind the boundless fury and hate, a deep sense of exhaustion hid there, mixed with confusion, resentment, and pain.

    Lost from Light grinned.

    "What... what are you waiting for? Come here! Come and take me, wretch!"

    The stallion breathed heavily, streams of searing steam escaping from his nostrils. He snorted with anger, then lunged forward, lowering his head to skewer the enemy with sharp horns. His steel hooves rang sonorously, causing swarms of red sparks to fly off the ancient stone, and his black mane waved in the wind like a stream of pure darkness.

    They clashed beneath the empty night sky��

    And then, Lost from Light died.

    ��Or so he thought.

    Instead of dissolving into darkness and being reborn into a new nightmare, he fell to the ground, causing the whole world to shudder.

    'What is this? Am I finally done for?'

    He thought that he saw strange tears appear in the very fabric of reality...

    And then, reality crumbled like a vast black veil. Everything around him �� the stone island, the burning debris of the broken ship, even the lightless black sky �� rippled and swayed, as a silk curtain that was being crumbled by an invisible, giant hand. A moment later, torn and broken, that curtain fell apart.

    ��It was a magnificent sight, to see a whole world disintegrating right before your eyes.

    Some time later, Lost from Light found himself in a boundless darkness, surrounded by pure nothingness. His pain was no more�� in fact, he didn't even seem to possess a body. Instead, he had turned into a formless shadow, with three orbs of black fire burning furiously in its depths.

    Lost from Light laughed.

    "What happened? Don't tell me�� don't tell me that you ran out of nightmares, beast! Oh, what will you do now?!"

    Instead of a response, something moved in front of him�� behind him�� all around him.

    Out there in the darkness, there was another shadow. But this one�� this one was deeper, vaster, and much more ancient.

    It was full of malevolence and hatred.

    As his voice echoed in the nothingness, the vast shadow suddenly surged forward, enveloping him.

    And then��

    Lost from Light�� Sunny�� woke up.

    ***

    Sunny rolled out of the bed, clutching at his chest. His gauntlet scraped against the onyx metal of the Mantle of the Underworld, and in the next second, he fell onto the cold stone floor, looking around wildly, his eyes full of confusion and fear.

    "W��where am I? Another nightmare?"

    He saw a terrifying snake coiled in a corner, pale moonlight glistening on its stygian scales, and a graceful knight in black armor standing guard at the door. For a moment, Sunny panicked, but then remembered who they were.

    '...Saint? Soul Serpent?'

    And then, he remembered who he was.

    His pupils widened.

    "I'm�� awake."

    The fragmented memories of the countless nightmares drowned his mind, each one more harrowing than the other. Some of them were already fading away, like dreams usually did�� but some remained, almost as vivid and vibrant �� and terrible �� as when he had lived them.

    Sunny shuddered and let out a stifled shriek.

    For a few moments, his sense of self grew fragile, the madness of his nightmare self clashing against his actual being. But then, the real him, the one that was an Awakened fighter instead of a nameless being locked inside a neverending wheel of torturous nightmares, won over and absorbed the other�� somehow.

    It was a proper mess.

    But Sunny had no time to pay a lot of attention to the chaotic and, without a doubt, dire process of his different divergent selves melding together.

    Because, as soon as he fell to the floor, he heard the painfully familiar sound... loud, threatening... drawing closer and closer.

    The ringing of steel hooves on cold stone.

    'How��what��'

    He was too disoriented and shell-shocked to gather his thoughts and understand what was happening.

    He knew only one thing for sure.

    ...The damned horse was coming!

    ? Saint suddenly raised her shield and stared at the door, while the Soul Serpent silently blended with the shadows.

    Sunny was already trying to stand up, a desperate thought trying to form in his mind:

    'Memory�� I need to summon a Memory�� I need a weapon��'

    But he didn't get a chance to.

    Just a moment later, the wall of the chamber suddenly exploded into a flood of stone shrapnel, and two furious crimson eyes appeared in the darkness behind it.

    The black stallion�� the Awakened Terror that had once been Shadow Lord's steed and companion�� galloped into the chamber right through the stone wall and rammed into Sunny without slowing down one bit.

    In the short moment before that happened, Sunny got a chance to get a good look at him. The creature appeared exactly as it had in the nightmares.

    The stallion was tall and graceful, his coat as black as night and his eyes burning with menacing crimson light. Lean muscles rolled under his skin with each movement, making it glisten with dark luster. His hooves seemed to be forged out of somber adamantine metal, as were his curved horns and sharp, terrifying fangs.

    The tenebrous steed seemed to be surrounded by shadows, his silhouette cloaked in their dark mantle. He was as beautiful as he was terrifying��

    More importantly, the Terror was heading right for Sunny, with cold hatred burning in his dreadful eyes.

    A split second later, the stallion rammed him at full speed.

    'Argh!'

    The black horns failed to pierce the stonelike metal of the Mantle of the Underworld, but Sunny felt as though he was hit by a speeding train. His armored body was raised into the air and flung backward.

    The courser carried him forward on the sharp horns, and a moment later, rammed into the other wall of the room, shattering it with Sunny's back.

    Sunny felt another terrifying impact, and his vision momentarily went black.

    ��Surrounded by a cloud of stone debris, the two of them �� the demon and the Terror �� fell out of the jagged breach in the keep's outer wall and into the cool night air, plummeting down from the height of the abandoned castle's main tower.

    'Damned horse... why can't you just die?!'

 Chapter 643 Clash Of Shadows

    Sunny and the black steed plummeted down in a cloud of shattered stone. Far below them, the courtyard of the boundary fortress lay, shrouded in darkness. It was growing closer and closer, approaching with terrifying speed.

    Neither paid it any attention, however.

    The stallion bit down on Sunny's shoulder with all his might, his sharp fangs scraping against the stonelike metal of the Mantle of the Underworld. The fearsome onyx armor was an Ascended Memory of the sixth Tier, a whole Rank above the diabolical Shadow, so the courser was not supposed to be able to damage it.

    However, to Sunny's shock and dismay, the metal plates actually groaned and bent, crushing his flesh. He roared with pain and anger, then thrust his four hands forward, ripping the Terror's chest with his claws.

    Drops of blood fell down like rain.

    Intertwined, the two of them hit the cobblestones of the desolate courtyard. However, instead of being broken by the fall, both simply submerged into the veil of shadows drowning it, as if the ancient stones had turned into a lake of liquid darkness.

    For a moment, Sunny found himself floating in the tenebrous embrace of deep, unfathomable shadows. Usually, turning into a ghostly shade would have meant escaping to safety��

    But today, his enemy was a similar creature himself.

    A vast and terrifying presence lunged at him from the darkness, full of fury and boundless, chilling killing intent. The black steed had pursued him even into the shadows.

    However, this time, Sunny was ready.

    He had never fought anyone, or anything, as a shadow. But he had been attacked in this form twice, first by the Mirror Beast, and then by its insidious creator�� Mordret of Valor, the Prince of Nothing. Both were able to steal his own ability, and use it against him.

    What did it mean?

    It meant that while Sunny could not damage mundane shadows, as Shadow Blade Kurt had been able to, he was capable of destroying other shadow creatures, just like they were capable of destroying him.

    In his shadow state, Sunny was shapeless and formless�� but that also meant that he could assume any shape and any form. It was just a matter of his will, mind, and imagination.

    As the vast presence that was the nightmare steed lunged at him, he moved to meet it, turning into a long, narrow blade made of darkness. They clashed, tearing each other's souls apart. Sunny's whole being was instantly drowned by terrible suffering�� but he also felt a silent scream of agony escaping from the rippling shadow that was trying to enshroud him.

    Both the demon and the Terror were thrown back into the corporeal world, Sunny rolling away on the cold stones, the tenebrous steed sliding on them as his hooves struck sparks into the air.

    'Kill�� I'm gonna kill you, bastard�� just you wait��'

    Sunny roared and rose to his feet, outstretching one hand to summon the Cruel Sight, and another to summon the Moonlight Shard.

    Two burning crimson eyes streaked through the darkness, and he was hit in the chest again. His lower hands grabbed the horns of the infernal stallion, and the Mantle of the Underworld suddenly grew as heavy as a mountain.

    ��That didn't slow down the courser one bit, however.

    Together, they struck the wall of the dilapidated fortress. Sunny shrieked, feeling his spine come very close to snapping. If not for Bone Weave, he would have undoubtedly been shattered into pieces.

    Instead, the wall of the fortress was shattered instead.

    A whole section of it cracked, and then crumbled, making the ground tremble as a vast cloud of dust rose into the air and blotted out the stars. The damned Terror carried him through the cloud, emerging from the other side of it a split second later, and then threw Sunny to the ground, trying to impale him with the horns.

    But his enemy never let go of them, so instead, the four-armored demon was dragged across the emerald grass, tearing the soil apart. One of his hands flashed forward, piercing one of the stallion's eyes with a ghostly stiletto.

    Or at least, trying to.

    At the last moment, the black horse snapped its head sideways and bit down on the blade of the Moonlight Shard with his fangs, then jerked his neck and sent Sunny flying through the air.

    'Damnation!'

    Sunny spun in the air and landed on his feet, sliding back a dozen meters as the soles of his armored boots tore the ground. A moment later, he grasped the shaft of the Cruel Sight from the air and raised the somber spear, ready to strike the enemy.

    ��But the black steed had somehow disappeared and was nowhere in sight.

    His vertical pupils narrowed, and then Sunny spun, sensing a swift and vast shadow circling him from behind.

    The blade of the Cruel Sigh suddenly shone with pure light, tearing the darkness apart. The nightmarish courser was forced back into the corporeal form, and instantly came under attack. The tip of the spear bit deep into his shoulder, causing more blood to fall on the grass.

    Uncaring, the Terror twisted and shifted his weight, standing on his front legs as both hind ones were thrown into the air, drawn like powerful springs.

    Sunny shivered.

    'Cra��'

    In the next moment, the black horse struck backward with both legs, catching him square in the chest. The breastplate of the Mantle of the Underworld rang mournfully as a thin net of cracks appeared on it.

    Stunned and blinded, Sunny was sent backward, flying above the ground with terrible speed. He collided against an ancient tree and went right through it, the thick trunk exploding into a cloud of splinters. Then, he hit the ground and bounced from it, flew some more, then crashed down again and rolled for dozens of meters, blood shooting out of his mouth.

    'Hurt�� argh, that hurt��'

    His heart hurt, too.

    It hurt way, way too much.

    Gulping for air and unable to force it into his four lungs, Sunny shakily rose to his feet and stubbornly raised the Cruel Sight.

    n0(????(e)lbi????.n(et

    And then, the black steed shot from the darkness and rammed into him again.

    ��This time, both of them slid off the edge of the island.

 Chapter 644 My Enemy

    Sunny and the stygian courser continued their battle in the darkness of the Sky Below, then fell on the swaying surface of a heavenly chain. Turning into swift shadows, they clashed again and again as they glided across its length with terrible speed, ripping each other's souls to shreds.

    Traversing many kilometers in a matter of a dozen heartbeats, they emerged from the shadows and shot upward, then crashed on the surface of the next island, wrecking and destroying anything that appeared in their way.

    The courser rammed Sunny again and again, carrying him further and further away through the night, not giving Saint and the Soul Serpent any chance to catch up. The stallion used his devastating hooves, his adamantine horns, and his sharp fangs�� anything he had to deliver as much pain and damage to the wicked, tenacious, hateful enemy of his.

    But Sunny was consumed with the same murderous fury. He returned the favor with his weapons, his claws, and his own fangs and horns as well, forgetting everything except for the crazed desire to obliterate his foe.

    They rolled across the unfamiliar island like a wave of destruction and flew high into the sky �� Sunny with the help of the Dark Wing and the Heavenly Burden, the Terror with the help of nothing but the force of his hind legs and the terrifying range of his dashing jump.

    His fangs caught the fragile fabric of the transparent cloak, tearing it apart, and then both of them plummeted down once more, landing on another chain and instantly submerging into shadows.

    Just like that, they fought without stop, overwhelmed by the maddening desire to destroy the enemy. When they clashed in their corporeal forms, Sunny was always on the losing side, receiving more wounds and being thrown around like a tattered rag doll.

    However, when they became shadows, he held the advantage. Despite the fact that the black steed was three whole Classes ahead of him, they were of the same Rank. And while the courser was a more ancient and powerful Shadow��

    Sunny was a divine one.

    Suffused with the flame of divinity, each of his attacks dealt more damage, and that damage was far more terrible, as well. His shadow form, while much smaller, was far more fathomless and resilient. Held together by the bond of a True Name, his soul was much harder to destroy.

    They fought, and fought, and fought, flying through the night as their bodies became broken and bloodied, and their souls became tattered and torn.

    And yet, neither was willing to give up. Neither was willing to let the enemy live.

    Sunny had never experienced a battle that was so ferocious, swift, and devastating. Everything happened too fast, and hurt too much, for him to properly perceive and comprehend. At some point, he stopped trying to, giving in entirely to his intuition and battle instinct.

    There was only one truth and one unbreakable law, after all.

    He had to kill the enemy, and prevent the enemy from killing him.

    Everything else was just noise.

    ��Finally, exhausted and covered in wounds, they reached a deserted island where nothing living dwelled or grew. Rolling on the ground, Sunny used two shadows to augment his mangled body, and the third one to serve as his second pair of eyes.

    Deep in the battle trance of clarity, he was able to perceive the whole world as one interconnected picture, with each part of it existing within the same complicated pattern as all the rest. His mind was forged into a single sharp edge, all of his thought dedicated to the battle, clear, purposeful. and swift.

    He saw the silhouette of the infernal black horse approach him from the darkness, bloody foam streaming from the stallion's mouth, unshaken will burning in the dreadful crimson eyes.

    By now, the two of them knew each other better than they knew themselves. After all, they had spent countless nightmares hunting and killing each other, only to continue the battle in reality after the nightmares could not keep up anymore.

    They were evenly matched�� the black steed was far more powerful and had experienced centuries of bloody battles, but Sunny was devious, cunning, and full of insidious treachery that made up for his lack of strength.

    Neither could overwhelm the other, and at this point, both were probably going to die trying.

    The steed seemed to be at peace with such an outcome. And Sunny... Sunny was too.

    ��He would have preferred to stay alive, though.

    'Curse you��'

    A low growl escaped from his lips, and then, Sunny suddenly dismissed his weapons, and even his armor, standing motionlessly under the starlit sky, his nakedness covered only by a crude loincloth.

    Raising one hand, he massaged his aching chest, then bared his fangs in a dark grin and growled.

    'Let us end this, then.'

    The black steed stared at the hateful enemy for a few moments, and then lowered his head, starlight shining on the sharp tips of his horns.

    And then, the courser charged forward, breaking the ground with the push of his adamantine hooves.

    Sunny lunged forward, as well.

    He had only one gamble left. One desperate, devious trick��

    Since he and the tenebrous stallion knew each other so well, he was going to try and turn into the Terror's shadow.

    Using Shadow Dance against another shadow was a strange concept, since shadows were formless and shapeless by nature. How was he supposed to peer into the very essence of something that was shifting and everchanging?

    Well�� he was either going to do it, somehow, or die.

    That was why Sunny had dismissed his armor and his weapons. The black stallion did not use any weapons or armor, after all�� only his hooves, his fangs, his horns, his unbreakable will, and his furious desire to kill.

    That was what Sunny had to use, too.

    He recalled everything he could about the endless stream of nightmares�� every torturous death, every indescribable torment, every excruciating loss he still remembered�� and how his enemy had been in those vile dreams.

    He remembered a similar deserted island, centuries ago, where the Shadow Lord said his last goodbye to his faithful steed, and their exhilarating ride across the night skies just before that.

    He remembered every wound that the stallion had dealt him, and every wound that he had dealt in return.

    ...And then, he tried to use Shadow Dance like he had used it on countless humans and creatures before �� only this time, peering even deeper, wishing to understand even more.

    For a moment, it was as though Sunny himself became the stygian steed.

    He felt it�� the rage, the hatred, the dark resolve�� but also, deep underneath it, boundless loneliness, sorrow, and longing.

    Ah�� what a terrible fate it was, for a shadow to walk the world without its master��

    He saw himself wandering across the ruins of the Kingdom of Hope, mournful and lost, and then returning to the now empty fortress that had once been his home�� his master's home�� only to see it be overtaken and desecrated by marauding strangers.

    He felt a deep, maddening rage, and gave in to this madness, letting it consume him.

    And then, Sunny saw himself charging at a bloodied form of a four-armed demon.

    He saw clearly what the black steed was going to do to kill him, a split second before it happened.

    And so, he sidestepped the attack before it even came, raised his upper arms, locked his fists together, and brought them down with all the devastating, inhuman power he had.

    The charge of the stallion missed, and instead, a terrible blow descended from above, landing on his spine and shattering it.

    The black steed tumbled to the ground, suddenly paralyzed, and remained laying there, his side rising and falling shakily, his hoarse breathing slowing down and down��

    Sunny fell, too.

    'Ah�� hell��'

    It felt like he was dying, too.

    The pain in his chest had finally grown intolerable, as if his heart finally reached its limit.

    Turning his head, he stared at the dying horse, whose dreadful crimson eyes were slowly growing dim and cold.

    After a while, the madness burning in them was extinguished, and a shadow of a new emotion appeared in them.

    Confusion, pain�� and sudden recognition.

    The black steed breathed in one last time, then let out of quiet whine.

    And died.

    Sunny closed his eyes.

    He was so, so tired.

    '...I won.'

    Well�� then, maybe, it was time for him to die, too.

    In the darkness, the voice of the Spell whispered into his ear, its voice soft and solemn:

    [You have slain an Awakened Shadow, Nightmare.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    He felt a vast amount of shadow fragments flow into his cores, reinforcing them, and thought tiredly:

    'Strange�� that doesn't feel like just six of them��'

    ...But the Spell was not done speaking.

    It remained silent for a moment, and then said:

    [...You have received a Shadow.]

    [Your Aspect Legacy mastery level has increased.]

    [You have received the right to claim a Legacy Relic.]

    Sunny weakly tried to smile.

    'Such great news... this would have been great, if I was not dying.'

    And then, a strange sound invaded his ears. It sounded like... like... the rustle of sails...

 Chapter 645 Facing A New Day

    ��There was warmth, sunlight, and the smell of fresh sheets, wood, and green leaves. Sunny slowly opened his eyes and felt the bed beneath him sway gently. No... the world itself had swayed.

    It was time to face a new day.

    Suddenly overwhelmed by terror, he sat up with a growl, his eyes wildly searching for the signs of danger, disaster, and death. His four hands rose, sharp claws ready to tear flesh apart.

    'No, no, no�� it was all a dream, I'm in the nightmare again! I never escaped!'

    Panic washed over his mind, but the slowly receded.

    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, then lowered his gaze and stared at his four hands. Four�� this was the shadow demon's body. He was awake. He was himself�� well, the Nightmare version of himself�� ah, it was all so convoluted��

    He remembered the desolate fortress, the endless torments he had dreamt of, the fearsome battle with the black steed, and his eventual victory. The terrible pain of his last heart giving out.

    ��Tu-tum-tu-tump. Tu-tum-tu-tump. Tu-tum-tu-tump.

    Hearing the strange sound, Sunny looked at his chest.

    His three shadows were sprawled on the ground, so the rough skin of the shadow demon had lost its obsidian color and was back to its original complexion, as pale and grey as it had been back when he first entered the Nightmare. There was a thin, barely noticeable scar running vertically from his collarbone to his abdomen.

    And beneath it�� tu-tum-tu-tump�� two mighty hearts were beating steadily, circulating rivers of blood through the gaunt, towering body of the four-armed demon.

    He blinked a couple of times.

    'I am�� alive?'

    Not only was he alive, but he also seemed to possess two perfectly healthy hearts.

    Remembering something, Sunny shifted his gaze back to his hands and noticed that his two missing fingers were now back, be it of a slightly different color and seemingly carved out of ashen, polished wood. He tentatively made his hands into fists, and saw the wooden fingers bend as if they were no different from the other eighteen.

    He could even feel the texture of the skin on his palms pressing against their tips. His two new claws were forged out of lusterless steel.

    Finally, Sunny raised his eyes and looked around, trying to understand where he was.

    The room he saw was not very spacious, but also not small. Its walls and ceiling were made out of wood, and so was the floor, hidden under an opulent plush rug. The bed he lay upon was sturdy and large, with a mattress so soft that it seemed like a cloud, and pristine white sheets covering it.

    There were several pieces of luxurious furniture in the room, a pile of bright sitting pillows on the floor, a tray with succulent fruit on an intricate wooden table, and a large window on one of the walls, opening onto a breathtaking view of the boundless blue sky.

    Despite the lavish decor, the room�� felt familiar, somehow.

    Sunny frowned.

    'Wait a minute��'

    Wasnt' there a room just like this, but far more dilapidated and empty, on the ancient flying ship the Fire Keepers had repaired?

    Suddenly, something clicked in his mind, and his vertical pupils narrowed.

    'Noctis! That lying crook!'

    Sunny was back onboard the magnificent sky vessel that had a beautiful tree growing around its mast�� only that vessel had not been shattered and wrecked, then recovered and restored by Cassie's cohort yet.

    It was still owned by its original captain �� the great and powerful Sorcerer of the East, Noctis.

    He must have picked Sunny up after the battle with the black steed and kept his promise, fashioning a new heart for the shadow demon's body, and even replacing the fingers Sunny had lost while trying to learn how to weave.

    Which was very nice of him.

    ��But didn't mean that Sunny would not still enjoy ripping the bastard limb from limb!

    'That lying sack of monster crap! Spend the night in the fortress, Sunless�� what's the worst that could happen, Sunless! I'm going to strangle him!'

    Sunny growled hatefully and clenched his fists, almost slicing his own skin apart with the claws. He was full of resentment, fury, and vengeful wrath��

    However, after thinking about it for a few moments, he had to hide his fangs and make a sour face. Yes�� the thought of making the deceitful sorcerer squirm felt very nice. But no matter how weak and affable Noctis seemed, he was an immortal Transcended, a Chain Lord of the Kingdom of Hope. Someone whose mere presence was enough to scare a terrifying Corrupted Monster away.

    There were far more productive things in life than harboring thoughts of revenge against someone like that.

    Besides, there was so much Sunny had to think about instead. The nightmares, the battle with the Shadow stallion, the rewards he had received after emerging victorious from it, his future plans and actions��

    Sadly, he did not receive an opportunity to consider all these important and vital things.

    As if summoned by Sunny thinking of his name, the damned sorcerer suddenly opened the door and entered the room, whistling a jolly tune under his nose.

    Noctis was just as Sunny remembered him �� carefree, pleasantly likable, and dressed in extravagantly colorful silk garments. His raven-black hair was immaculate and lustrous, and his beautiful grey eyes sparkled with jovial light.

    Noctis saw the four-armed demon, and smiled brightly.

    "Ah, Sunless! You're finally awake!"

    Sunny stared at him, the corner of his eyes twitching.

    '...Bastard. You have the audacity to smile at me after sending me to that hell?!'

    He hesitated, then let out a low growl as a greeting.

    Come to think of it... what, exactly, was the sorcerer planning to do with him now?

    A vague memory of one of the nightmares suddenly entered his mind, one where he had been turned into an obedient wooden doll by a�� by a�� who had it been?

    Sunny suddenly shivered.

    Noctis continued to smile, and then said in a strange voice:

    "Well then, since you're up�� why don't you come with me, huh, Sunless?"

    Sunny gulped.

    Somehow, he felt that this invitation was not really something he could refuse��

 Chapter 646 Familiar Sights

    Thinking that it was unwise to refuse the immortal sorcerer, Sunny rose from the bed and hesitated for a moment, noticing that he was completely naked. Numerous wounds that he had received in the Red Colosseum and later, in the battle with the black steed, had turned his grey skin into a map of scars, with lean muscles rolling under it like mountain chains.

    Noctis gave him a funny look, then cleared his throat and pointed to a chair that had a black kimono hanging on its backrest. The garment was made out of silk, intricately stitched, and fit his towering figure perfectly. It even had four sleeves instead of two, revealing that someone must have sewn the thing specifically for him.

    Feeling the cool caress of the soft fabric on his rough skin, Sunny covered his nakedness, fastened the belt around his waist, and then put on a pair of leather sandals.

    Feeling somewhat like a proper human again�� or rather, a proper demon�� he then tied his wild black hair with a black ribbon and followed Noctis out of the room.

    As they walked to the upper deck, the sorcerer couldn't help but throw glances at him, mumbling some nonsense in a barely audible voice:

    "...wonderful�� marvelous! My complexion is, without a doubt, the fairest there is in the Kingdom of Hope, but alas, black doesn't suit me at all. I won't be caught dead wearing black. Or alive, really. But this is just perfect! Finally, someone to do justice to this Night Silk I bought! It must be fate, indeed, no doubt about it��"

    Sunny stared at the immortal Transcendent with a concerned scowl on his face.

    The man was clearly a raving lunatic. Another one��

    'Why the hell is everyone in this damned Nightmare insane?'

    They walked onto the upper deck of the flying ship, where Sunny saw a somewhat familiar picture. There was a beautiful tree growing around the main mast, with the middle of the vessel drowning in the cool shade of its wide branches. The bark of the tree was ivory white, and its leaves were vibrant emerald in color.

    The difference with how the flying ship had been in the future was that the original tree he was staring at right now was much taller, stronger, more robust�� ancient.

    Now that he had witnessed the consecrated grove of Heart God, Sunny easily recognized its origin.

    ...He also shuddered, remembering the nightmare in which he was reborn as an old man. That one�� that one was perhaps the most terrible of them all. Mostly because it reminded him of his own past, his own mother. His own loss.

    Noticing a subtle shift in the expression of the sullen demon and misunderstanding it, Noctis smiled proudly.

    "Ah, yes. She's a real beauty! This noble ship is the last of her kind. An original! All those flying buckets the rest of them use are just crude imitations."

    He patted the bark of the sacred tree in passing and continued forward, heading for the bow of the ship.

    "You are probably too young to remember, Sunless, but a long time ago, the Sky Below was full of divine flame. Back then, there were fearless daredevils who dove down into the ocean of immolating fire to harvest some of it. This is the last remaining vessel of their fleet."

    The sorcerer smiled.

    "All the rest were turned to ash, along with their crews. Even the memory of them is long gone. Shame�� those guys were really something, the Fire Hunters. A fun crowd. Not very bright, though, which was how I got my hands on this beauty. Won her in a game of cards, and made some improvements."

    He laughed.

    "I am the best player in all of the Kingdom of Hope, you know! I even won that obsidian knife you carry once, from the One in the North. Oh, you should have seen her face when she had to give me the prize! That was back when she cared about such stuff, of course."

    Sunny blinked and stared at the sorcerer, dumbfounded.

    'No�� no way. He won one of the seven knives playing cards? The seven knives created by Sun God?!'

    Noctis glanced at him and winked.

    "Ah, yes, the rest of the Lords had the exact same expression you do right now. They were very angry with us two. It was a giant mess. Uh�� I sort of lost that knife later on, though, so they mellowed out."

    He grew silent for a bit, and then added, his voice a little darker:

    "But these knives�� they never really stay lost for long, you know. It's really, really hard to get rid of one. Impossible, in fact."

    They continued forward in silence. Disturbed, Sunny turned away and looked over the railing of the flying ship.

    It seemed that Noctis had not moved the vessel away from the deserted island where the battle between Sunny and the black stallion had ended. It was still below, empty except for a few jagged rocks laying here and there.

    The only difference was that, now, there were beautiful white flowers growing from the soil where the drops of the lonesome steed's blood had fallen on it.

    'A giant mess��'

    Sunny knew that there were seven immortals created by the Lord of Light to guard �� or rather, contain �� Hope. Their strings were torn out of the tapestry of fate, made to loop endlessly onto themselves, and placed into seven strange knives. And so, the knives were both what made the Chain Lords eternal, and the only thing that could kill them.

    Each of Hope's wardens was entrusted with the key to another's death. This was what kept the balance between them�� so, of course Noctis had made a huge mess by managing to get his hands on a second one. No wonder the other Lords were angry.

    Even though losing one of the knives was something only a complete idiot would do, in this instance, the sorcerer had been lucky to somehow manage such a feat. Otherwise, he might have found himself in hot water�� or molten steel��

    Sunny shuddered and closed his eyes for a moment.

    Finally, they reached the bow of the ship and descended a set of stairs, eventually stopping in front of a heavily reinforced door that looked faintly familiar. Noctis unlocked the door, and invited Sunny inside.

    There, Sunny saw armored walls, a high ceiling, and three chests standing in the center of the room.

    Staring at one of them in particular, he suddenly paled terribly and took an involuntary step back.

    Noctis glanced at him with confusion, then shook his head.

    "You are very strange! Don't be afraid, these are just my treasure chests. They won't bite."

    He thought for a second, and then gave one of the chests a playful kick.

    "Well... except for this one. This one will eat you alive..."

 Chapter 647 Two Answers

    Sunny stared at the painfully familiar chest, his black eyes full of fright and venomous resentment. Of course, he had recognized it instantly. It was his old nemesis, the Mordant Mimic�� the vile creature that had almost eaten him alive once, in the distant future.

    Granted, he had ended up being the one to feast on the flesh of the abomination, instead. Which had been a traumatic experience in and of itself.

    But who was to say that he would be able to kill the Fallen Devil again? Sure, Sunny was much stronger and more experienced now. He had more cores, thousands more shadow fragments reinforcing them, much better equipment, and inhabited the body of an actual demon. But there was also no Crushing in this era to help him hold the creature down while the Broken Oath did its job.

    Thankfully, the bastard seemed to be behaving itself, maybe out of fear of its master. Actually��

    Sunny looked closer and frowned, noticing that the chest had only three soul cores, none showing any sign of Corruption. They were bright and pristine, just like that of any other creature following the path of Ascension. However, they were also too dim to be of the Ascended Rank.

    The Mimic was neither Fallen nor a Devil yet. It was simply an Awakened Demon masquerading as a treasure chest.

    Which was a bit of an improvement, but still didn't really explain why Noctis was using a powerful demon as a piece of furniture.

    'I guess the Mimic grew stronger sometime in the future�� and was also Corrupted, somehow.'

    Sunny relaxed a little, but then his scowl deepened.

    While Noctis opened one of the other two chests and started enthusiastically rummaging through it, two thoughts entered Sunny's mind.

    One was very simple��

    'Coins!'

    However, no matter how alluring the image of the miraculous coins was, the second thought took precedence:

    'What�� the hell?'

    Those words Noctis had just said�� weren't they mentioned in the description of the Covetous Coffer? Yes, they were! So Sunny was, and had always been, the pale friend mentioned in it?

    'Huh?!'

    How could the Spell have known that this exact scene would play out, all that time ago? Back then, Sunny had not even known about the existence of the Nightmare Seed in the Ivory Tower, let alone harbored any thoughts of entering it.

    There were two possible answers, both of them equally unnerving.

    One was that the Nightmare was not, in fact, a recreation of the past. Instead, it was just�� just the past. The Spell knew what Noctis was going to say because this conversation had already happened thousands of years ago, and possessed the power to send people back through time.

    Sunny wasn't quite ready to believe that, though. Things didn't really add up... if each Nightmare allowed Awakened to travel through time and return to the past, they would have been able to cause changes in the present through their actions. There had not been too many Nightmares conquered since the spell had appeared, but also not that few. Hundreds at least, and maybe even thousands...

    So, he was more inclined to consider the other answer.

    The second answer had to do with the nature of the Spell and the domain of its alleged creator. Weaver was called the Demon of Fate for a reason, after all. Their mask allowed Sunny to steal a glance at the tapestry of fate, and see the past, the present, and the future of everything, all at the same time. Just one split second of this terrible knowledge had almost driven him insane.

    Perhaps the Spell, which was woven out of those very strings of fate, was able to perceive the depths of the tapestry as well, and hence knew that it was Sunny's fate to enter the Nightmare, meet Noctis, and have this conversation in the treasury of the flying ship.

    ...That possibility was, perhaps, even more frightening.

    'Damnation, my head hurts.'

    The mystery of the seemingly innocuous description of the Covetous Coffer had turned out to hold a key to a very important piece of the grand puzzle, one that was too important to be considered hastily. The whole nature of the world as Sunny knew it could be changed entirely depending on which answer was true. He was going to have to think about it more, and later, in excruciating detail.

    And speaking of excruciating��

    Sunny lingered, then glanced at Noctis, suddenly remembering all the torment he had gone through because of that shameless crook. He gritted his teeth, thinking of all the ways he would have made the bastard pay, if he could��

    The crook in question, meanwhile, smiled widely as he pulled a sparkling emerald medallion out of the chest and threw it to Sunny.

    "Aha! There you are... here, catch!"

    Sunny caught the medallion and studied it with a dubious expression. There seemed to be an almost invisible, intricate string of runes carved into the precious stone...

    "What is this crook planning now, I wonder? Ah, I wish I could rip his flimsy body into tiny pieces, and listen to him scream. I would have started with the fingers, I think, and worked my way up. One little piece at a time��"

    Noctis stared at him with a strange expression, his face frozen.

    Sunny frowned.

    "Why is that idiot staring at me? Gods, what a lunatic. Huh? Wait a moment��"

    He blinked.

    "Why does it sound as if I'm speaking aloud? Damn, am I going crazy as well? Crazier, I mean."

    The sorcerer cleared his throat, then cautiously hid his hands behind his back.

    "Uh�� yeah. That emerald trinket you are holding is a very rare and precious magical amulet. It can project someone's thoughts outward and vocalize them, turning thought into sound. So, uh�� do stay away from my fingers, please. I am quite attached to them... unlike some people!"

    Sunny paled.

    "What?! No! He heard all that! Wait, crap�� he heard that, too!"

    He shuddered and hurriedly dropped the emerald amulet to the floor, then stared at it in abject horror.

    Noctis smiled.

    "Oh, Sunless�� don't fret, my friend! I know it was just a bit of friendly teasing. I've heard way worse, anyway. You are actually a very restrained individual, as far as demons go."

    He bent down, picked up the amulet, and offered it to Sunny with an innocent grin.

    "So�� how about we have a hearty meal and talk? There's so much we must speak about��"

 Chapter 648 With Good Intentions

    A few minutes later, Sunny was staring at a table full of all kinds of delicious food. The table was situated on the upper deck of the flying ship, allowing for a breathtaking view of the shattered Kingdom of Hope below.

    Being that high up in the sky, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of discomfort. The fear of the Crushing was already deeply ingrained into his bones�� however, the terrible curse that dictated the lives of everyone on the Chained Isles did not exist yet. He had nothing to worry about.

    Or rather, he did not have to worry about that particular danger. There were plenty of other existential threats surrounding him, however.

    The food had been served by obedient wooden dolls wearing tasteful silk liveries. Sunny was pretty sure that each of the animated mannequins had been a living creature once, their souls torn from their bodies and placed into the dolls by the person sitting across from him.

    Taking a sip of a cooled wine, the person in question smiled brilliantly and gestured at the food.

    "Come, Sunless! Enjoy."

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then reached out to put a few portions of several mouth-watering dishes onto his plate. He was careful not to touch the emerald amulet that lay in front of him, knowing that doing so would reveal all his thoughts to the damned sorcerer.

    That thing�� was maybe the greatest danger he faced. While the ability to communicate with people was something he had been thinking about from the first day of entering the Nightmare, sharing his every thought was not something Sunny was ready to deal with yet.

    His Flaw had been constraining what he was able to say for a long time now, so his mind was a kind of safe haven for Sunny. For that reason, he had developed a tendency to run wild with his thoughts�� revealing them all to a mad sorcerer was not a very great idea.

    Noctis watched him eat with a carefree smile, then said in a friendly tone:

    "By the way, great job killing that nasty horse! What a feat! What a gallant deed! Truly, vanquishing it was an exploit worthy of being sung about. But, Sunless��"

    The sorcerer hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward and asked with a bit of exasperated desperation in his voice:

    "Please tell me, why... why, for the love of the gods, did you kill the horse?!"

    Sunny, who was taking a sip of cold water, spat it all out.

    Coughing, he stared at Noctis with murderous fury burning in his bestial black eyes, then ground his fangs and put his palm on the emerald amulet.

    "...What the hell do you mean, why did I kill the horse?! You were the one who sent me into his damned lair! The horse was this close to becoming the end of me, what else was I supposed to do?!"

    Then, he clenched his four fists and growled.

    "The nerve of this bastard!"

    Sunny, of course, meant for that last thought to remain unsaid, but sadly, one of his fists was still touching the enchanted amulet.

    Noctis looked at him, blinked a few times, and then flung his hands into the air.

    "I never meant for you to fight it! Do I look like an idiot? That horse destroyed hundreds of creatures much scarier than you, why would I send a mere demon to battle it?!"

    Sunny opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again. Finally, he hissed:

    "Yes. I don't know. Why did you send me into the fortress?"

    The sorcerer gulped down his of wine, remained silent for a bit, then let out a bitter sigh.

    "Oh, well�� you know�� I just thought that since you are both shadow creatures, it might have liked you. Didn't you know each other back when your master was still around?"

    Sunny looked at the beautiful immortal for a few moments, then trembled slightly and covered his face with two hands.

    'That damn fool��'

    This time, he was careful to not touch the amulet while thinking that.

    The worst part of all of it�� was that Noctis was not entirely unfounded in thinking that the black steed would not attack Sunny. The body he was currently inhabiting had, indeed, been acquainted with the stallion centuries ago, back when their Lord had been alive.

    The problem was that Sunny had replaced the four-armed demon, and thus had no memory of knowing the black courser, while the courser himself had gone mad during the hundreds of years of solitude and only recognized his old companion seconds before death, when his madness receded for a few short moments.

    So, all that horror, all the pain and torment he had gone through in the nightmares�� was the result of a tragic and cruel twist of fate. It was just a series of wicked and disastrous coincidences, nothing more, and nothing less.

    Sunny let out a low growl.

    '...Forget it. It doesn't matter, anyway. Not now, and not anymore. The important part is�� Noctis might look like an eccentric idiot, but he is anything but. If he wanted me to reunite with Shadow Lord's steed, there was a reason for that. What does he really want?'

    He hesitated, then placed his hand back onto the amulet.

    "...Why did you want me to meet that thing?"

    The sorcerer remained silent for a bit, then smiled charmingly.

    "Oh, right. By any chance�� before you killed it�� has Nightmare shared anything with you? The location of a certain glass knife, for example?"

    Sunny snorted.

    "Ah. So that's what all of this is about."

    p1ease visit n0ve1b(in).ne)t

    He took a bite out of a loaf of delicious freshly baked bread, chewed it unhurriedly, thinking about nothing at all, and then responded in a calm tone:

    "Sure, there is something that I learned. Why?"

    Noctis cleared his throat, glanced at the scenery, then back at Sunny. Finally, he said with a bit of visibly forced indifference.

    "Oh? Well�� would you mind sharing?"

    Sunny stared at him for a bit, then grinned.

    ��With his bestial face and two rows of sharp fangs, that grin looked truly frightening.

    "Would I mind, huh? That depends. Why do you want that knife?"

    Noctis smiled with his usual carefree attitude, then waved his hand dismissively.

    "Ah, it's nothing much. A small thing, really�� you see, I just want to gather the knives, start a war against both the Ivory City and the Red Colosseum, kill all of the Chain Lords, defy the Lord of Light, break the will of gods, and release the Demon of Desire out of her prison. And then maybe have a cup of tea.

    The sorcerer grew silent for a moment, and then added thoughtfully:

    "Actually, on second thought, maybe I'll have the tea first��"

 Chapter 649 Kingdom Of Madness

    Sunny stared at the immortal sorcerer, stunned by those words. The scale and scope of the bloodshed and adversity Noctis was striving for were�� were simply beyond comprehension. And yet, he had confessed this terrible desire with the same carefree, nonchalant, jovial attitude�� as though he was indeed talking about brewing tea instead of waging war on four deathless Saints and their armies.

    Sunny remembered the first time he saw Noctis�� bloodied, crestfallen, sitting motionlessly in front of the fire with a diamond sickle laying at his feet, its blade marred with crimson.

    A grim and somber thought formed in his mind all by itself:

    "Insane�� you are insane. All of you are��"

    He flinched, then removed his trembling hand from the emerald amulet.

    Noctis threw his head back and laughed, as if he heard the funniest joke in the world. The silent sailor dolls stood around him, motionless, staring into emptiness with their crudely carved eyes. The scene that was strange and fantastical a few moments ago suddenly seemed threatening and eerie.

    After a while, the sorcerer grew quiet, then glanced at Sunny with a mischievous smile and asked:

    "Yes, indeed. I could not have said it better myself. All of us are insane. But don't�� don't you get it yet, Sunless? Don't you understand why?"

    Sunny frowned, then shook his head.

    'What the hell is he trying to say?'

    How was he supposed to know why everyone in this damned Nightmare seemed completely mad��

    And then, something moved in his mind. A seed of a thought�� a nascent hint of understanding.

    His pupils narrowed slightly.

    There was something... strange about the Kingdom of Hope. He had first sensed it after escaping the Red Colosseum and facing Solvane, that beautiful and utterly demented fiend�� her actions made a perverse, and yet perfect sense. But there was still something wrong about her.

    Back then, he had felt a vague suspicion. Something seemed out of place, something didn't make sense. And after, when he had been thrust into the neverending nightmares, this feeling only grew stronger. He just had no time to think about it.

    Everyone here seemed slightly�� or greatly�� off. Every emotion was sharper and cut deeper, every vice or virtue grew out of control until it turned into a destructive obsession. He had experienced it all, lived through all of it in the nightmares over and over again.

    Pain, sorrow, tragedy... madness.

    Even Sunny himself was affected by this insidious strangeness. His single-minded obsession with learning how to weave, the sudden intensity of his affection toward Elyas, the subsequent crushing heartbreak over the young man's death, the unquenching hatred he had felt for the black steed�� all of those things were not exactly out of his character, but slightly more consuming than they should have been.

    Remembering the past few months, Sunny shivered.

    'Wait�� wait��'

    Feverishly, he tried to recall all he knew about this Nightmare. The seven knives, the seven immortals�� a thousand years of solemn duty�� the terrible torture one of the rules of the Ivory City had been subjected to by his own brother�� the destruction of the Sacred Grove�� the Shadow Lord making a choice to take a coward's way out before, before��

    Before what?

    Suddenly, an expression of shocked understanding appeared on Sunny's face.

    He looked at Noctis for a while, and then cautiously picked up the emerald amulet. A single word formed in his mind:

    "Hope?"

    The sorcerer smiled, then nodded and looked at the vast expanse of the shattered kingdom below them.

    "...Indeed. Hope."

    Noctis took a sip of wine, the smile disappearing from his face. A few moments later, he said indifferently:

    "The Lord of Light bound Hope with seven brilliant shackles, and made those shackles eternal. That was us�� me and the rest of the Chain Lords. He entrusted each of us with the fate of another, and a solemn duty to never let the Demon escape. And, for a few centuries, everything was fine��"

    His face grew dark and cold. The sorcerer remained silent for a while, and then continued:

    "But slowly, we grew tired. Doubt found its way into our hearts. Eternity�� eternity is a heavy burden, Sunless. And under its weight, unnoticed, one of us grew twisted. So, another one made a choice to uproot the corruption�� that was how the first of the Chain Lords died. Aidre, my dear friend�� murdered by that wicked slayer, Solvane, her beautiful grove burned to the ground."

    Noctis remained motionless, but the wooden mannequins surrounding them suddenly clenched their fists, their fingers splintering from the immense pressure. Their crude faces did not move, but Sunny could feel an almost palpable feeling of fury radiating from their figures.

    The sorcerer sighed.

    "...And so, all of our fates were sealed. Yes, six shackles still remained. But Hope's prison wasn't perfect anymore. Her will, her insidious influence sipped out, little by little, infecting us all�� slowly devouring the whole kingdom, every living being in it, from the smallest insect to the mightiest immortal, igniting our desires, twisting them, changing us into something different. Something terrible, rampant, and vile."

    He laughed.

    "Oh! Of course, none of us noticed it for a long, long time. Hundreds of years, even. Maybe only Shadow�� and by the time the rest of us understood, at least those who were still sane enough, it was already too late. The whole of the Kingdom of Hope had been driven mad by its former ruler. Had been turned into a vicious hell. We were all taken by Hope."

    BEst

    Noctis smiled and sipped his wine, then chuckled.

    "So, yeah, Sunless. All of us here are insane�� I thought you would have known already, judging by the scars covering your body. The Warmongers are all insane, and so is their leader, Solvane. The citizens of the Ivory City are also mad, just as their two rulers are. The One in the North is perhaps the craziest of us all. Well�� except for me, of course! I am the maddest person in all of the Kingdom of Hope, I would have you know."

    Sunny stared at the gleefully smiling sorcerer, suddenly overwhelmed by terror.

    "That damned Seed�� that damned Mordret! Curse the day he told me about how rare and precious it is!"

    The sorcerer chuckled.

    "Uh�� well, I don't know who Mordret, and what seed you are talking about. However, there is one thing I do know. Actually, it's a question. That question�� it has been tormenting me for centuries, Sunless. Do you know what that question is? What was the seed of my personal madness?"

    Sunny frowned, then slowly shook his head.

    Noctis lingered for a few moments, then looked away and said with a wistful smile:

    "That is a question Aidre asked me, a long time ago. You see�� if the Lord of Light wanted the seven of us to keep Hope imprisoned, forever��"

    His smile widened slightly, then suddenly dimmed.

    "...Then why did he give each of us a key to her freedom?"

 Chapter 650 Drastic Measures

    Sunny remained silent for as long as he could, until, finally, the Flaw forced him to give an answer.

    He looked grimly at Noctis, and then said �� or rather, thought �� hoarsely:

    "...Maybe he just wanted to see you suffer."

    Noctis laughed brightly, then nodded.

    "Oh, indeed! Maybe you are right. Gods can be very cruel, sometimes. After all, they are much more ancient and vast than kindness and compassion. Or, maybe, it is not really our lives that keep the Demon bound, but instead our will and desire to keep her imprisoned. Or maybe it is a test of our conviction�� that is what the Sun Lord believes, at least. Or maybe�� maybe he actually hoped that we would free her. Who knows?"

    He smiled, then sighed, and finally added:

    "...If mortals like us could know the will of gods, then we'd be gods instead."

    After that, a somber silence settled over the deck of the flying ship.

    Sunny stared at the delicious food in front of him, realizing that he had lost all his appetite.

    Hope�� the Demon of Desire��

    How terrifying she was.

    Slowly, several things that had seemed random and meaningless fell into place.

    The jubilant crowd in the bloodsoaked Red Colosseum, the perverse conviction of beautiful Solvane, the harrowing torture of the Sun Prince, the madness that burned in the eyes of the black steed�� all of it was the result of her harrowing power.

    Hope held domain over desire, after all. And with that power, she had reached through the tiny cracks in her prison, and drove a whole realm utterly insane, turning it into a ghastly, hideous, demented hell. Every aspiration, every desire, every dream, every hope were twisted, set aflame, and turned into a weapon. An insidious, invisible weapon that struck at human hearts and minds from within.

    No one was immune to her power. Neither mundane humans nor Awakened... not even Saints. Those who were closed and those who were far, all fell victim to the daemon's curse.

    And what was her own hope? What was the Demon of Desire yearning for?

    Well, that was easy��

    Hope wanted to be free.

    ��Just like Sunny wanted to be free, really.

    She was driving her jailers mad, so that they would destroy each other. And from the looks of it, her curse was working all too well. Solvane was seeking out death, the two Transcendents of the Ivory City seemed to be on the verge of fratricide, and Noctis was planning to kill them all.

    The One in the North�� Sunny didn't know about the last Chain Lord, but from the little bits of what the sorcerer had said, she was not in her right mind, either.

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    Suddenly, he remembered the sight of the time running in reverse that he had witnessed at the very start of the Nightmare. The Ivory Tower had descended from the sky, and the burned wasteland around it had turned into a beautiful white city.

    ��Which meant that one day, perhaps soon, the Ivory City would be burned to the ground, and Hope's prison would then break off its seven chains and rise above the Chained Isles.

    And then, the Crushing would be created, somehow.

    A cold, dire feeling grasped his two hearts.

    'Oh, no��'

    Suddenly, Sunny came to a harrowing realization. His eyes widened, and he glanced at Noctis with fear.

    This�� this was the conflict they �� he, Cassie, Effie, Kai, and Mordret �� had to resolve to conquer the Nightmare. They had to either help this mad sorcerer free the terrifying Demon, or make sure that she would never escape.

    The five of them were pitted against the five immortal Saints.

    A barely audible groan escaped from his lips.

    'How is this possible�� what happened to the Spell always being fair? How the hell can this be fair?!'

    Another revelation suddenly appeared in his mind. Those words Aidre had said before accepting Solvane's challenge�� the gratitude she expressed�� had Solvane really eradicated the blessed of Heart God to punish Aidre for her heresy?

    Or had the beautiful warrior known all along what would happen if one of the Chain Lords was killed, and doomed all of the remaining immortals, including herself, to a fate worse than death �� to a slow and inevitable descent into madness, followed by eventual destruction? All in order to free Hope from her prison, and herself from eternal life?

    If so, she had indeed been the bravest of them all�� and also the most hateful.

    ...Or admirable, depending on how one looked at it.

    But that didn't really matter.

    Sunny grasped the emerald amulet and channeled a somber thought, which came out in a hoarse voice.

    There was one thing that he still couldn't understand.

    "The obsidian knife that I carry�� the one that you lost�� how were you going to kill the other Chain Lords without it, and without the knowledge about the glass knife that I received from the black steed?"

    Noctis looked at him for a bit, then smiled darkly.

    "Ah, that�� the drastic thing I was about to do? Well�� it was a really terrible choice. I am very glad that fate sent you to me when it did, Sunless!"

    He chuckled.

    "You see, Sunless�� desire is a very powerful thing. In fact, it is perhaps the most powerful thing in the world. It is what the gods were born from, after all, in the endless, everchanging void of chaos. But there is one force more terrifying than desire. And that force is fate."

    The sorcerer looked away with a distant expression.

    "Even gods are afraid of fate, Sunless. So�� I was going to make a deal with a certain creature. A harrowing, evil, and insidious monster. The vile Demon known as Weaver, who holds domain over fate. These knives can kill us because they hold the strings of our fates�� so, if anyone can find a way to end our lives without the knives, it would be Weaver."

    As Noctis mentioned Weaver's name, he shuddered, then forced out a pale smile.

    "But�� the Demon of Fate would have asked a terrible price of me, I'm sure. So, it is very fortunate that you came along! Just imagine�� that fiend would have made me into something ugly, or even worse, poorly dressed. The horror!"

    Noctis laughed and gave one of the Sailor Dolls a command to bring another amphora of wine.

    He either didn't notice or pretended to overlook the sudden tension that appeared in Sunny's eyes.

    'So�� Noctis wanted to make a deal with Weaver to free Hope�� and then, I suddenly appeared?'

    A cold shiver suddenly ran down his spine.

    'What, exactly, does that mean?'

 Chapter 651 Lnvisible Tethers

    Some time later, Sunny was back in his luxurious cabin, sitting on the soft bed and staring at the wall with a distant look on his bestial face.

    After the dinner conversation that was rife with revelations, each more terrible than the other, he had told Noctis that he needed time to think before giving an answer. Despite the fact that Sunny now held the keys to possessing two of Sun God's knives, the sorcerer had not pressed him at all and agreed to wait with his usual carefree attitude.

    If there was one redeeming quality about the immortals, it was that they could be very patient.

    Now, the flying ship was moving, sailing across the skies on its way back to the Sanctuary of Noctis. They would be arriving in a day or two�� by then, Sunny needed to know what he wanted to do, and how.

    He had to find the others, and conquer this cursed Nightmare, somehow.

    Help Noctis free Hope, or make sure that she stays imprisoned forever?

    A pale smile appeared on his face.

    Hope�� how funny it was, to learn that this whole realm had been driven mad by the subtle, irresistible, inescapable manipulation of the great and terrible Demon of Desire. Everyone here was subjugated by her wondrous, harrowing powers. Including himself.

    Back in the Dark City, at his lowest point, Sunny had given all hope of ever returning to the real world. In fact, he had convinced himself that hope was the deadliest, most vile of poisons. It was only after he had clawed his way back from the brink of madness and out of the Forgotten Shore, returning alive to the waking world, that he understood the erroneous and destructive harmfulness of that misguided belief.

    Sunny had built a modest life for himself and found out that there were people who genuinely cared about him... and even more importantly, that there were people whom he cared about himself. That hope was not something to fear, but instead something to draw power from. Something so vital that without it, there was no way to survive, and no real point, too.

    ��So, learning that his mind was now literally being poisoned by Hope was full of incredible, incredibly bitter irony.

    'How fitting��'

    He sighed, and then stared at his four calloused hands.

    The obsidian knife, the ivory knife�� the glass knife, the wooden knife�� and one more, which he knew nothing about. Could they really collect them all? Noctis, Solvane, the Sun Twins, the One in the North�� could they really survive them all?

    Whether he liked it or not, there was only one inevitable way to find out.

    First things thirst�� he was going to have to make his way to the Iron Hand island to see if the others had left clues to their whereabouts. Luckily, it was not that far from the Sanctuary. Noctis had said that Sunny's new heart needed a week or two to settle �� whatever that meant �� so he wouldn't be able to go right away. But the goal was already in sight.

    After the cohort was reunited, they would have to make a decision about which side to support.

    The others�� Sunny wondered where they were, and how they were doing. Were they even alive? Had their journey in the Nightmare been as harrowing as his?

    Recalling his own struggles, he shivered.

    The nightmares�� most of them had faded from his memory, their details dissipating until all that was left was one dark, chaotic mess of vague images, pressing weight, and sharp emotions. But some were still clear and vivid in all their terrible splendor, especially the first ones he had lived through.

    He remembered it all�� being a father who watched the flames consume his son, wife, and unborn child�� an old man who dragged his weak body across scorching ash as his whole world burned around him�� an immortal warrior being endlessly tortured by his own brother�� and a cunning shadow who had grown too tired and indifferent to care about life.

    That last one was, perhaps, the most damning. Not because it was especially torturous �� on the contrary, the Shadow Lord had been content and at peace in his last moments �� but because it showed Sunny the pain and sorrow of those whom the heartless immortal had left behind.

    That understanding was only made worse by witnessing how the Shadow's beloved steed had ended up�� lonesome, broken, and consumed by madness, guarding the empty castle that his master would never return to until his last pitiful breath.

    But that was the nature of life. As one went through it, they collected strings and tethers that connected them to others. Everyone's fates were intertwined, and everyone was tied down and bound by those numerous connections, some of them fleeting, some deep and precious. Sunny, too, was not untethered anymore.

    Which meant that, should he die or be destroyed, his would not be the only fate that was broken and damaged. Everyone connected to him would suffer, too. And that�� that, in a way, made him responsible not only for himself, but also for those whose lives he had made different. The weight of that unfamiliar responsibility pressed heavily on his shoulders.

    Sunny sighed.

    Was there�� was there really such a thing as freedom? And if there was�� would anyone really want to possess it?

    He closed his eyes for a moment, overwhelmed by all these daunting thoughts. Even though he had forgotten most of the nightmares, they still changed him. He felt�� older, somehow, and �� hopefully �� wiser. More mature and tempered�� but also more fragile.

    He spent some time in silence, listening to the hull of the flying ship creaking gently around him and his two hearts beating steadily in his chest.

    Then, Sunny breathed out and opened his eyes.

    There was not much time to spend on pondering and self-reflection. A Nightmare was a place for action, not philosophy.

    The corner of his mouth curved upward.

    'Fine�� let's get ready to act, then. First, I should probably �� finally! �� check on all those rewards I received, thanks to that damned horse!"

    And there were plenty��

 Chapter 652 Plentiful Gains

    Sunny got comfortable on his criminally soft bed, picked up a few succulent grapes from the tray placed on an intricate table near it, threw one in his mouth�� and finally summoned the runes.

    'Let's see��'

    The first thing he glanced at was the shadow fragments counter. He vaguely remembered receiving what felt like much more than six after slaying the black steed, who had been an Awakened Terror. So, Sunny was hopeful to see a pleasant number��

    However, when he did see it, he almost choked on the grape juice to death.

    'What�� what the Spell?! What?!'

    He even rubbed his eyes, thinking that he was seeing things, but no. The counter was the same.

    Shadow Fragments: [2823/3000].

    Sunny stared at it in disbelief.

    'Six hundred�� I received almost six hundred fragments for killing that damned horse?'

    Absentmindedly, he threw another grape into his mouth, and proceed to almost bite off one of his fingers from the sheer disorientation of it all.

    'How is this even possible?!'

    He thought about it for a bit, stunned, and then tilted his head a little.

    'Could it be��'

    One of the advantages, but also inherent drawbacks of Sunny's Aspect was that it operated through shadow fragments instead of the usual soul ones. So, while Sunny didn't need to collect and absorb shards to grow stronger, he also could not use the shards of creatures that he had not personally slain for that purpose.

    The other detail was that, unlike all human Awakened, he did not receive a portion of all the accumulated soul fragments after killing others of his own kind, and instead received just one or two, depending on their Rank.

    Was that, perhaps, because the Spell �� or rather, the world itself �� did not consider him a human? He was a divine shadow, after all, and shadows recognized him as one of their own. So�� would it be safe to say�� that in this context, his own kind were actually not humans, but shadows instead?

    The black steed had been a Shadow created by one of the Chain Lords. An Awakened Terror possessing six cores, and with a thousand years of battles and bloodshed behind his shoulders to fill them to the brim with shadow fragments.

    ��Did Sunny receive a portion of the fragments accumulated by the tenebrous courser throughout his long and grim life, as a normal Awakened would after slaying another human?

    The math certainly supported that theory.

    Sunny's eyes ignited.

    'That�� that is it!'

    Not only was he correct�� he might have just stumbled on one of the most crucial secrets about his own Aspect, power, and future.

    Even since finding out that his Aspect allowed him to form and possess multiple cores, Sunny had been wary of the eventual toll hunting down enough Nightmare Creatures to create a new one would exert. As a Sleeper, or even an Awakened, he was too small and vulnerable. Any powerful abomination would have been able to snuff him out of existence with no more than a glance.

    The higher he climbed on the path of Ascension, the less of such existences there would be, and thus, the higher his chances of survival were going to become. However, that also meant that there would be fewer creatures he would be able to hunt down to collect shadow fragments, since slaying those lower than him in Rank did not give him any at all.

    But�� now that he knew how much he could gain from destroying true shadow creatures�� perhaps, there was still a way for him to grow stronger rapidly even after becoming a Master.

    In any case, his progress was already staggering. First, the thousand fragments he had earned in the bloodsoaked arena of the Red Colosseum, and now these hundreds he gained by slaying the nightmare steed. Neither of these feats had been easy�� in fact, both rewards had cost him an unimaginable amount of pain, torment, and damage both mental and physical�� but the result almost made it seem as if it had all been worth it.

    ��Almost.

    At the start of the Nightmare, the idea of gaining enough fragments to create a fourth core had seemed so distant and unreachable. But now, just a few months later, Sunny was already near the finish line. This fact was both exciting and incredible�� even if its splendor was somewhat overshadowed by all the hideous scars he had received along the way.

    '...No. No, it is still amazing. I survived, did I not?'

    Both elated and reminded of the horrors he had been subjected to in the Nightmare, Sunny stared at the unbelievable number for some time, then shifted his gaze elsewhere.

    The second reward he had received was also very welcomed, be it strangely unexpected. In fact, Sunny stumbled upon it almost by accident while seeking the runes describing his Shadows. Before that, he had noticed that the runes of the Mantle of the Underworld seemed to shimmer a bit differently.

    Confused, he concentrated on them and shifted his gaze to the last string describing the enchantments of the onyx armor�� the counter of victories tied to the [Prince of the Underworld] enchantment.

    Now, it read:

    Vanquished Foes: [3291/6000].

    He blinked.

    'Huh��'

    Somehow�� sometime�� he had managed to raise the counter by almost a thousand victories. He knew that the Nightmare Creatures and humans he had killed in the Read Colosseum had not counted toward the requirements of the strange enchantment for a simple reason �� he had not been wearing the Mantle of the Underworld while fighting them.

    So where had the thousand vanquished foes come from?

    Sunny frowned.

    'Come to think of it�� I was wearing the armor while sleeping in the boundary fortress. Did it actually accept every battle I won in the nightmares as a true victory?'

    That would be very strange, since the enemies he had defeated in the neverending nightmares had been just phantasms summoned by the black steed, and not in any way real. However�� that would also make sense. After all, the Mantle did not care about him actually killing the enemies. All it cared about was that he had overpowered and defeated the opponent�� if so, did it really matter if the opponent was real or not?

    The duelists of the Dreamscape had been considered sufficiently real, so why would the creatures populating the nightmares be different?

    'A thousand souls�� had I really killed that many?'

    Suddenly, Sunny felt cold and somber.

    p1ease visi(t) nove1B(in).ne)t

    How many nightmares, exactly, had he lived through during those several terrible hours?

    Full of dark wonder, he shook his head and looked away from the runes describing the onyx armor. He was already halfway to satiating its mysterious enchantment�� which was already good enough.

    Finally, Sunny looked at the cluster that interested him the most.

    ��His Shadows.

    A few runes shimmered beautifully in the darkness.

    They read:

    Shadows: [Marble Saint], [Soul Serpent]...

    And then, a new one:

    [Nightmare].

 Chapter 653 Cute Little Snake

    Sunny remained motionless for a while, a pale smile appearing on his face. Beyond the window of his cabin, the sky was slowly turning black, the stars shining on its velvet surface as they welcomed the arrival of the newborn moon.

    'Nightmare�� so that is your name.'

    What better name could there be for a Shadow that moved through human dreams, turning them into visions of horror?

    He hesitated for a few moments, then looked away, turning to a different string of runes first.

    There was another Shadow of his that had changed. The Soul Serpent... every time Sunny moved up a Class, so did the Serpent. And every time Sunny mastered a new step of Shadow Dance, the Serpent ascended to a new Rank.

    ...At least, that was how things were supposed to go.

    Shadow: Soul Serpent.

    Shadow Rank: Ascended.

    Shadow Class: Demon.

    Shadow Attributes: [Shadow Guide], [Soul Weapon], [Soul Beast].

    Sunny sighed.

    'Ascended...'

    Now that he had mastered the third step of the Shadow Dance, the Serpent had, indeed, evolved as well. The tenebrous creature was now an Ascended Demon, just like Saint. Both of them had left Sunny in the dust.

    While it hurt his pride a little that his Shadows were more powerful than him�� not to mention way cooler, according to some tasteless brats�� having two creatures of such formidable might under his command was going to be of tremendous help, without a doubt. Especially considering the caliber of enemies he would most likely have to face in this trial.

    He glanced down, at the intricate tattoo coiling around his arms and torso. It seemed larger. Sunny could already feel the rush of the essence through his body, its rate of expenditure and speed of replenishment increased even further.

    Not only was the Serpent going to be much more powerful in its Soul Beast form, but also, from now on, any Soul Weapon Sunny would want to use would be of the Ascended Rank, as well.

    Basically, he now had a vast arsenal of Ascended armaments to choose from.

    '...Well, isn't that neat?'

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then continued to read the runes. The Serpent was not supposed to gain any new Abilities from rising to a new Rank, just like Saint had not. However, that Legacy Shadow of his was a bit strange�� it had come into possession of the [Soul Beast] Attribute and the [Soul Reaver] Ability the last time he mastered a step of the Aspect Legacy, after all.

    Who knew, maybe this time would be the same?

    And just as Sunny hoped, there was a new set of runes shining in the darkness.

    Shadow Abilities: [Serpentine Steel], [Soul Reaver], [Grace of Shadows].

    He frowned.

    'Huh? Grace of Shadows?'

    Sunny concentrated on the new Ability, and read:

    Ability Description: [The master of the Soul Serpent can grace another with the trust and companionship of their Shadow Guide. One should be careful whom they bestow with their grace; entrusting others with the loyalty of Shadows is the same as sharing one's soul, and thus should not be offered lightly.]

    He tilted his head.

    'Uh�� what?'

    So, basically, this Ability allowed Sunny to transfer the ownership of the Soul Serpent to someone else, as if the Shadow was just an Echo. No, not quite�� Echoes could be transferred only to other Awakened, while the Grace of Shadows could be bestowed upon anyone with a shadow, presumably.

    If Sunny wanted to, he could gift the Soul Serpent to a random Nightmare Creature. Like the Mordant Mimic, for example. That would have been funny��

    'What? No! No, it wouldn't have!'

    Why would he give away his precious Serpent? Especially considering that the description hinted that doing so would leave him vulnerable. What nonsense was this?

    Sunny grimaced. Well, not every Ability could be a winner. This one was rather useless�� he could imagine a situation where lending the Soul Serpent to one of the cohort members would be beneficial, but just barely. It would be easier to just command the creature himself.

    With a sigh, he commanded the Serpent to slither off of his skin and present itself for inspection.

    A few moments later, Sunny flinched back.

    'What?! Where�� where did my cute little snake go?!'

    The Shadow had changed a lot, indeed. Before, the Soul Serpent had not really been a "cute little snake", but its size was at least not too terrible�� no more than six meters in length, at best. But now, a stygian creature of at least twice that size sprawled through the cabin, its mighty body covered in adamantine jet-black scales and as thick as a tree trunk.

    Its terrifying maw was wide enough to swallow Sunny whole�� well, at least his real, human body�� and its triangular head however near the ceiling, two tenebrous eyes looking at him from above.

    The Soul Serpent was so large that it barely fit into the confines of the cabin, suddenly making it look small and fragile.

    Sunny gulped.

    'What�� what a good boy�� you are. Nice snake! Uh, you... you can return now, buddy.'

    The Shadow stared at him for a few more seconds, then hissed deeply and moved, its scales rustling on the floorboards. Soon, it turned back into an intricate, beautiful tattoo.

    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, shaken, and then slowly grinned.

    'Good... perfect! If even I am afraid of that thing�� imagine how my enemies will feel��'

    ***

    Some time later, Sunny commanded the Serpent to turn itself into the black odachi, and sat quietly for a while, glancing at its somber steel. Every centimeter of this weapon was familiar to him�� and yet, it felt different. The great blade felt sharper, stronger, far more devastating.

    This was a weapon one could cut a mountain with.

    He willed the Soul Weapon to shift into a spear, then a tang dao, then a tachi, and finally a battle axe. All of them felt the same �� deadly and brimming with dark power. Only the axe seemed a little bit off.

    The Serpent could take any form, but was limited by Sunny's knowledge. The better he knew a weapon, the better he could imagine it, to the smallest of details�� the greater the result would be. And so, while he could command it to assume any shape, those that he had experience with would produce the best result.

    He feasted his eyes on the somber steel for a bit, and then put the Shadow aside.

    It was time to check on the rest of his rewards.

    Since Sunny's mind had been preoccupied with the Soul Serpent and his Aspect Legacy for the last few minutes, he decided to continue with that.

    Summoning the runes one more time, he looked to the bottom of the shimmering field of symbols and concentrated on a certain string.

    Aspect Legacy: [Shadow Dance].

    Shadow Dance Mastery Level: [3/7].

    First Relic: Claimed.

    Second Relic: Claimed.

    Third Relic: [Claim]

    Sunny hesitated for a long time, his face turning grim.

    What the hell was he going to do if the third Relic turned out to be another drop of ichor? Waste it again?

    'Curses...'

    Finally, he inhaled deeply and thought:

    'Claim!'

    For a moment, nothing happened. And then, the Spell whispered into his ear:

    [You have claimed an Aspect Legacy Relic.]

    [...You have received a Memory.]

    Sunny gritted his teeth and looked up, at the list of his Memories. Then, a relieved sigh escaped from his lips.

    It was not a drop of Shadow God's blood.

    Instead, an unfamiliar combination of runes appeared at the end of the list. It read:

    Memory: [Shadow Lantern].

 Chapter 654 Shadow Lantern

    Sunny read the runes with curiosity:

    Memory: [Shadow Lantern].

    Memory Rank: Divine.

    ��He fell from the bed.

    'What?!'

    Another�� another Divine Memory?

    Feeling cold sweat rolling down his face, Sunny wiped it off with a trembling hand and slowly clenched his fists.

    'Should... should be interesting��'

    He looked back to the runes, trying to calm his wildly beating hearts.

    Just what kind of a Relic had he received?

    Sunny got ahold of himself and continued to read the description:

    Memory Tier: I.

    Memory Type: Tool.

    'A tool�� makes sense. It is a lantern, after all. But what does it do? Lanterns are supposed to produce light and illuminate things. That's not exactly what shadows are known for, is it?'

    With a concerned frown, he looked back at the runes.

    Memory Description:

    ["Death is just the shadow of life," said the Goddes of Life. "And peace is just the failure of war. Have you ever been something that had not been stolen, made empty, and vile? Have you ever done something that was not futile and hollow? Can you even exist without being cast by another? Look at how weak you are, how small you are. Am I supposed to be frightened of a small shadow?"

    Made pale and feeble by the radiance of day, Shadow laughed and rose from the ground. As he did, his figure swallowed the land, devoured the heavens, and blotted out the light of the sun. Soon, there was nothing left around them but darkness. And from that darkness, a hiss came, making Life tremble:

    "Life is just the prelude to death, and war is just the key to open its gates. Everything you cherish, everything you nurture, everything that starts with you will one day be mine, be welcomed by me, swallowed by me, and find peace within me. This is the mercy of Shadow. Hollow�� futile... you might have come first, my sister, but when your cruelty ends�� I will be all that remains��"]

    Sunny shivered.

    'D��damn�� was Shadow God always that creepy?'

    Due to his closeness and affinity to shadows, he had never thought about the God of Shadows as terrifying. After all, even other gods had not held Shadow in high regard, at least from what Sunny knew. His temples had been burned and destroyed, his followers turned into slaves�� even his aspects and attributes seemed to pale in comparison to others.

    God of peace, death, solace, and mysteries�� that sounded humble and rather inconspicuous when compared to something like Goddess of the Black Skies, the god of storms, depths, of the oceans, of darkness, stars, travel, guidance, and disaster.

    ��But things that preferred to remain unseen and unheard were often the most dangerous, weren't they?

    Sort of like Sunny himself.

    He shook his head, pondered about the description for a bit, and then smiled crookedly.

    'I guess War God did not like Shadow God at all�� well, that's not surprising. In many ways, they are the opposite of each other. No wonder every time I meet someone from the War camp, I end up either having my heart torn out or, even worse, lured into a Nightmare so cursed that all other Nightmares ought to give it face.'

    He sighed, then continued reading the runes:

    Memory Enchantments: [Gates of Shadow].

    Enchantment Description: [This lantern devours light and can contain, and then release, an infinite amount of shadows.]

    Sunny blinked.

    'Huh?'

    The enchantment didn't seem like much, for a Divine Relic�� that was unless one really thought about the meaning behind those words.

    Infinite��

    He suspected that in this case, the word was used to describe an actual infinity instead of a fake one, like with the Endless Spring. If that was the truth�� yes, an object that could contain infinity was indeed worthy of being divine. It simply broke all the laws of reason.

    However, how did it help Sunny?

    He frowned, a little bit disappointed.

    'Why couldn't it be a nasty all-destroying sword, instead?'

    He summoned the Memory and saw a small lantern weave itself from darkness in his hand. The thing was not too big, about the size of his palm, and made out of black�� something. It didn't feel or look like any material he had ever seen, resembling stone more than anything.

    The frame of the lantern was intricately engraved, making it seem and feel like the scales of a serpent, and its walls were made out of glossy black morion. There was a ring of dark metal on its top, with a short chain attached to it. It could be held in a hand or fastened to one's belt, if need be.

    As soon as the lantern appeared, the darkness of the night that surrounded Sunny instantly became deeper and colder, oppressive, and impenetrable. Any hint of starlight was devoured, turning the interior of the cabin completely black. He, of course, could still see through that darkness, but anyone else would probably have a lot of trouble.

    Suddenly full of a pleasant feeling of comfort, Sunny turned the beautiful lantern around and noticed a small door on one of its walls. He hesitated, then commanded the door to open.

    It instantly slid forward, revealing a square of utter nothingness behind. A moment later, Sunny felt his hair stand on end, and his hearts stagger in his chest. He was suddenly cold, overwhelmed by unease, and�� terrified. Like an animal facing something so much larger than itself that the difference in size could simply not be comprehended.

    He slowly exhaled, the breath escaping his mouth as chilling mist.

    '...I guess that is how infinity feels.'

    The lantern was empty, so he couldn't command any shadows to escape it. So, instead, he glanced at the happy shadow and raised an eyebrow.

    'Wanna come inside?'

    The shadow looked at him with fear, then energetically shook its head. Sunny rolled his eyes, then turned to the creepy one.

    'What about you?'

    The creepy guy stared at him for a bit, then shrugged indifferently�� and disappeared into the small door, as if he had never been there.

    Sunny could still vaguely feel their connection, but not in the way that he was used to. He couldn't see, hear, or sense what the shadow was seeing, hearing, and sensing. All he knew was that it still existed, somewhere else, in a terrible vast, dark, and cold place.

    His face grew dim, and he commanded the creepy shadow to return.

    The weird guy flowed out of the lantern, shrugged again, and planted himself back on the floor.

    ��Then, when it thought that no one was watching, the shadow shuddered and hugged itself for a moment.

    'What a strange Memory��'

    What was the use of it?

    Sunny summoned Saint and tried to repeat the experiment, but to no avail. The tenebrous knight remained motionless when he told her to enter the beautiful black lantern, not showing any signs of knowing how to abide by the order.

    'I guess it doesn't work with Shadows��'

    He frowned, then lowered the lantern to the ground and brought it closer to wild shadows hiding in the corners of the cabin. Then, feeling extremely stupid, Sunny thought aloud:

    'Uh�� do you want to come inside?'

    The shadows moved slightly, flowing toward the lantern, and then swiftly slid through the black door.

    A hint of a smile appeared on Sunny's bestial face.

    'Ah�� now we're talking. That�� that I can work with��'

    Satisfied, he closed the door of the lantern, and then dismissed it.

    Sunny was still a little bit sad that the Relic had not turned out to be a destructive weapon, but his disappointment waned. While not as immediately useful, the lantern would allow him to carry friendly shadows�� an infinite amount of them, no less�� with him at all times. That would counteract the main weakness of his Aspect �� the fact that most of his Abilities only worked within the veil of darkness �� to a large degree.

    And, without a doubt, as his powers grew and the number of his Abilities increased, having a swarm of deep shadows at hand would only grow more useful.

    Plus, he had a feeling that he had not discovered all the secrets of the Shadow Lantern yet...

    But now it was time to study his last, and most important reward.

    It was time to meet an old friend.

    The Shadow of the black steed whose name was Nightmare��

 Chapter 655 Nightmare

    Sunny sighed, then closed his eyes and dove into the Soul Sea.

    The tranquil, lightless expanse of his soul was the same as ever. The black water was still and silent, reflecting the three dark suns looming in a perfectly even triangle above. Only the rows of motionless shadows were different from how they had been before, crowded with countless victims of the Red Colosseum.

    Despite the fact that Sunny's body was now very different, his soul remained the same.

    He walked to stand between the three Shadow Cores, and called upon Nightmare.

    A beautiful black steed walked out of a whirlwind of dark flames in front of him and stopped, its adamantine hooves sending ripples through the silent waters. The Shadow was just as he remembered it �� tall and graceful, with a lustrous jet-black coat and lean muscles rolling under the skin. Its mane was long and luscious, and its tenebrous eyes glowed with fearsome crimson flames.

    The courser had two long horns and a mouth full of sharp fangs that resembled that of a wolf. The horns, the fangs, and the hooves were all forged out of a strange black metal that seemed to be able to compete with the impenetrable onyx of the Mantle of the Underworld. Sunny shuddered, remembering the pain and shock of being struck and bitten by them.

    As soon as Nightmare appeared, he felt a whispering fear appear in his mind. Strangely tense, Sunny took a step forward and raised one of his hands, patting the stallion on the muzzle.

    "Hey there. We... we meet again, old friend��"

    Nightmare was, indeed, an old friend of his�� at least of the part of him that had relived the final day of the Shadow Lord's life and their last exhilarating ride together. But just like Sunny was a different person now, this beautiful Shadow was, too. The madness was gone from the stallion's crimson eyes, and so was the burden of hundreds of years of sorrow and loneliness.

    It was as though the black steed was now reborn, still remaining the same being, but also somehow renewed by the purifying darkness of death.

    As Sunny patted his muzzle, Nightmare pressed it against the calloused hand and looked at his master with a pale, distant hint of recognition. The crimson glow of his eyes ignited with a new intensity, and the black steed snorted, its voice full of quiet affection.

    Satisfied, Sunny summoned the runes into existence and glanced at them, curious to see what, exactly, his new Shadow was capable of.

    He read:

    Shadow: [Nightmare].

    Shadow Rank: Awakened.

    Shadow Class: Terror.

    Shadow Description: [This beautiful steed was tamed by the treacherous Lost From Light in the depths of a harrowing dream. The two Shadows battled across countless nightmares, shattering them all apart; neither was willing to give up, so in the end, the nightmares did.]

    Sunny sighed.

    'Again with that treacherous nonsense. At least the Spell did not openly mock me, this time.'

    He still remembered the biting description of Shadow Dance...

    Shaking his head dejectedly, Sunny rubbed the terrible scar on his neck and turned his attention back to the runes.

    Shadow Attributes: [Swift], [Dark Destrier], [Dreadlord], [Dreamwalker].

    [Swift] Attribute Description: "This Shadow is especially swift and enduring."

    [Dark Destrier] Attribute Description: "This dark horse was meant to be a shadow warrior's steed, and accompany its rider into battle. It is fierce, loyal, and knows no fear. Its speed, strength, and resilience grow when surrounded by darkness and shadows."

    [Dreadlord] Attribute Description: "This Shadow's might grows the more he is feared."

    [Dreamwalker] Attribute Description: "This Shadow can travel through dreams."

    Sunny studied the black courser with a thoughtful expression.

    'Huh��'

    So, Nightmare was incredibly swift and enduring. He was also a war horse, bred to ride into battle without hesitation or fear. What's more, he had two passive Attributes that both increased his speed, strength, and resilience �� one when the destrier and his rider were surrounded by shadows, the other when the destrier inspired terror in the hearts of their enemies.

    That was�� an insidious and frightening combination. Especially because one effect fed into the other, creating a vicious cycle. Perhaps Sunny had only survived the battle with the Terror due to the fact that, at some point, his tortured mind had become too broken to experience fear.

    An Awakened Terror was already an immensely powerful creature, and with two passive augmentations added into the mix... he shivered.

    'Scary...'

    And then there was the last Attribute, [Dreamwalker]. That one, Sunny didn't even know what to think about.

    'We'll see about invading people's dreams later�� wouldn't it be fun, to jump into Mordret's mind one day and give him a taste of his own medicine?'

    With a dark grin, Sunny slowly exhaled and continued to read the runes. Attributes were, without a doubt, very important�� especially excellent ones like what Nightmare possessed. But it was the Abilities that mattered the most��

    Shadow Abilities: [Flowing Shadow], [Mantle of Fear], [Nightmare], [Dream Curse].

    [Flowing Shadow] Ability Description: "This steed can dive into shadows and move through them with incredible speed."

    Sunny smiled.

    'Ah�� so, basically, it is like Shadow Step without the teleportation part. Still very useful, and works perfectly with my own Ability.'

    He turned back to the runes, his mood elevated:

    [Mantle of Fear] Ability Description: "This Shadow is capable of delivering a continuous mind attack around it that infects its foes with crippling fear."

    Sunny couldn't help but whistle.

    'That's�� that is just... damn!'

    The ability to radiate an aura of terror was already incredible enough. It could debilitate weaker enemies completely, and even if more powerful creatures were able to resist some of the effect, a seed of dread was still going to be planted into their minds. And that�� that was directly tied to the [Dreadlord] Attribute of Nightmare, which made him stronger the more he was feared!

    'Scary�� so scary��'

    It was a good thing that Sunny had been wearing the Mantle of Underworld when he met the black steed. The onyx armor gifted him with a good amount of protection against mind attacks, after all.

    With his smile growing both wider and a bit pale, he moved to the next Ability.

    [Nightmare] Ability Description: "This Shadow can create and subjugate nightmares. The more nightmares serve it, the more powerful it grows, both inside and outside dreams."

    Dormant Nightmares: [0].

    Sunny stared at the runes for a while, trying to make sense of them.

    'Huh��'

    So�� Nightmare's tyrant ability, the one that allowed him to create minions, was meant to subjugate real nightmares �� not any kind of beings made of flesh and bone, but actual dreams. And the more of them served him, the more powerful he grew.

    These nightmares, it seemed, possessed a Rank of their own, which was currently Dormant �� one lower than the black steed's own. Additionally, there were currently zero of them under his authority. But how could one create a nightmare? Or subjugate it? Sunny had no idea.

    What he did understand, though, was why his own journey through the countless nightmares had ended when it did. It seemed that each of the harrowing dreams Sunny experienced had been either collected or made by the original Nightmare throughout the centuries, and once all of them were destroyed, he broke free of the black steed's hold.

    '...Interesting.'

    Sunny was going to have to figure out how to get his Shadow some minions of its own�� something told him that the process was going to be neither straightforward nor easy.

    With a sigh, he glanced at the last Ability that Nightmare possessed.

    This one was called [Dream Curse], but looked different from all the rest. The runes constituting the string were dull and lifeless, as though the Ability was not accessible. And indeed, when he tried to concentrate on it, a few new runes appeared:

    Nightmares required: [0/1000].

    Sunny grimaced.

    'Damnation. I guess being a true Terror is not that simple��'

    Still, his new Shadow was a fearsome one. Not only was it a swift and mighty steed, it was also a force on the battlefield in its own right, one that could instill fear in the hearts of his enemies, and then feed on it to grow stronger. More than that, it was a true shadow creature, which meant that its Attributes and Abilities went perfectly with his own.

    Sunny had experienced the terrifying fury of the black courser himself, so he felt giddy knowing that this fearsome creature was going to be fighting on his side from now on. Gods knew he was going to need as many powerful allies as he could find.

    His smile dimmed a little.

    There was one very obvious flaw about Nightmare. It wasn't the black steed's fault, of course, but saddened Sunny nevertheless. He let out a deep sigh.

    'Uh�� yeah. If only you came with a saddle��'

    How was he supposed to ride this scary horse without a saddle?! What nonsensical injustice was this?!

    Not wishing to disparage the noble steed, Sunny hid his dismay, patted Nightmare on the back, and grinned.

    "Good horse, Nightmare! Don't you worry�� you and I are going to terrorize so many humans, Nightmare Creatures, and vile immortals that you'll collect some nasty dreams in no time. They will all be scared of us, you'll see! The only thing scarier than a treacherous shadow is a treacherous shadow atop a magnificent shadow horse, after all. I think that's how the saying goes. Or not? In any case, you and I will do great �� and terrible �� things together! If there is no such saying yet, there will be soon."

    With a satisfied grin, Sunny dismissed the black courser, then left the Soul Sea and lay down on his bed, enjoying its immaculate softness.

    Tiredly closing his eyes, he thought:

    'I really, really deserve some rest��'

    And as the flying ship of a mad sorcerer sailed across the sky, he fell peacefully asleep.

 Chapter 656 Gardens Of The Moon

    By the time Sunny woke up, the ship was already approaching the Sanctuary. Looking out of the window, he saw a familiar island below them�� in his time, it was occupied by a fearsome Corrupted abomination. He wondered if it was still �� or rather, already �� nesting there.

    In any case, from here, the Sanctuary was just a couple of chains away.

    With a sign, Sunny dressed himself and left the cabin, heading for the upper deck. Once outside, he saw Sailor Dolls moving around with graceful precision, hoisting sails and performing other tasks. Noctis was standing at the helm, wearing a completely new extravagant robe and whistling a light-hearted melody. Noticing Sunny, the sorcerer smiled.

    "Ah, Sunless! How fortunate it is that you are awake. We are almost home."

    He glanced forward and waved a hand, accidentally sending the ship into a lateral spin. The wooden mannequins somehow remained attached to the deck, but Sunny had to grab a handrail to not be thrown overboard. He gave the immortal Transcendent a resentful look.

    Noctis smiled sheepishly.

    "Oh�� uh�� sorry about that."

    Shaking his head, Sunny ascended the stairs and joined the sorcerer at the bridge, which was situated at the stern of the enchanted vessel. From there, he observed the landscape of the Kingdom of Hope in silence, until a familiar silhouette of a vast ring of menhirs standing atop a small island appeared in sight, surrounded by a white cloud of water vapor that came from several beautiful waterfalls.

    The Sanctuary�� it was nice to see it again. In this harrowing Nightmare, it almost felt like home.

    Noctis grinned.

    "That is it! The Sanctuary of Noctis, my beautiful lair. Isn't it pretty?"

    Sunny hesitated, then took the emerald amulet out of the folds of his black garment and thought:

    "...I guess. But isn't it a bit presumptuous, to call it after yourself?"

    The sorcerer laughed.

    "Oh, no! You misunderstood. Initially, it was called the Temple of the Moon. I built it as a shrine to my great-grandmother. I was perfectly content living there alone, but as the Kingdom of Hope went from bad to worse, stragglers started coming to my lands in search of a safe shelter from all the madness. I didn't have the heart�� or rather, didn't care that much�� to turn them away. So, they started calling it the Sanctuary of Noctis. Why, it's a very nice name, if you ask me!"

    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, then said in a somber tone:

    "...Who is your great-grandmother?"

    Noctis turned to him and blinked a couple of times, an expression of surprise clearly written on his beautiful face.

    "Well, who else? The Goddess of the Moon, of course!"

    Sunny paled.

    '...How does this even make sense?'

    He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it and decided not to think about it too much. Noticing this reaction, Noctis shrugged with a confused expression.

    "Whom did you think I inherited my unparalleled looks from? People as gorgeous as I don't grow on trees, you know! Well�� usually. Unless it is a very special tree, I guess."

    Sunny gritted his teeth and tried very hard not to think anything aloud.

    Soon, the flying ship descended from the skies and hovered in the center of the ring of giant menhirs, the sacred tree that grew on its deck situated right above the one growing on a small island surrounded by the pool of clear water, an altar of pure white stone drowning in the shade of its wide branches. Sunny saw dozens of people staring up with awed expressions, and involuntary searched for familiar faces.

    It was futile, of course. Even if others were somehow here, they were going to look different from their real selves, after all.

    Noctis grinned.

    "Welcome to the Sanctuary! You'll like it here, for sure. Everyone here is very reasonable and nice. Just like me��"

    Hearing that statement, Sunny shivered.

    ***

    Together, they left the flying vessel and walked through the garden, heading to the sorcerer's private quarters. Coincidentally, the residence was situated in the same place where the White Feather clan had established their stronghold in the future. Noctis built his home inside the ring of menhirs itself, however, instead of on top of it.

    As they walked, Sunny studied the inhabitants of the Sanctuary of the past�� most of them seemed like normal people. Some of them were mundane, and some were Awakened. They didn't seem to be in the throes of madness. However, after the cruel lesson that had been taught him in the Red Colosseum, he couldn't help but keep his guard up.

    Sunny's gaze shifted from person to person, evaluating them for potential danger.

    That young woman holding a young child by the hand seemed harmless, but why was the child so frightened? That man with a neatly trimmed beard seemed gentle and kind, but why was the hilt of his sword so polished and worn? That beggar who sat lonesomely by himself, his body and face disfigured and wrapped in bandages like that of a leper, seemed too weak to pose a threat�� but why was his gaze so sharp, his fingers so calloused?

    And that old woman with a basket of fruit in her arms... why was she watching them so intently?

    Sunny shook his head, then looked away.

    'Being vigilant is good, but this is just the madness speaking. Wishing to be safe is also a desire�� and so, it can also be twisted by Hope's influence. After the torments I experienced in the Red Colosseum and the nightmares, my mind is already unstable�� I need to keep myself in check, or something terrible will happen...'

    What dangers could there be here, in the stronghold of an immortal Saint? As long as Noctis himself did not decide to attack Sunny, he would be more or less safe.

    And speaking of Noctis��

    The sorcerer led him to a beautifully engraved wooden door, then opened it and led Sunny inside. His residence was just as one could expect�� spacious, decorated with the most exquisite furnishings, and populated by all kinds of magical servants.

    Staring at a mop that was dutifully washing the floors without anyone holding it, Sunny felt cold shivers running down his spine. He had a suspicion of how the Sailor Dolls were made��

    'Don't tell me that the lunatic actually used someone's soul�� to enchant this damned mop��'

    Noctis grinned.

    "I know what you are thinking."

    Sunny flinched and stared at the immortal with tense apprehension.

    The sorcerer nodded solemnly.

    "...What is for breakfast, right? Oh, don't you worry, Sunless! I take breakfasts very seriously. Let us eat, then drink�� then talk."

    He sighed.

    "I'm sure you have a lot of questions�� I have a couple myself, to be honest..."

 Chapter 657 Chance Of Victory

    After a full and delightful meal, the two of them sat in silence for a while, enjoying their drinks. Noctis was consuming a truly unwise amount of wine with an absentminded smile on his face, while Sunny stuck to tea. The beautiful porcelain cup looked tiny and fragile in his massive clawed hand, sunlight reflecting from the ember surface of the fragrant drink.

    In this rare moment of peace, he suddenly found himself overwhelmed by apathy and melancholy. Sunny was used to often feeling his heart beating with anger, fear, and resentment, but this strange lethargy was new and unwelcome. He didn't like it at all.

    Searching for a way to entertain himself and chase it away, he suddenly glanced at the immortal sorcerer with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. Sunny lingered for a few moments, and then picked up the emerald amulet.

    "Lord Noctis�� you have been a very gracious host to me. You have given me shelter, showered me with gifts, and provided me with many delicious foods. Let me share the traditional food of my people with you, as well. That will make me feel better."

    The immortal Transcendent raised an eyebrow and looked at him with doubt. Then, a curious grin appeared on his face.

    "Oh! Exotic food�� how wonderful. Do you need any ingredients to cook it?"

    Sunny calmly shook his head, then summoned the Covetous Coffer. The toothy box weaved itself from sparks of light and appeared on the table. Then, it saw the sorcerer, trembled, and scurried over to hide behind one of Sunny's hands.

    Noctis watched the Coffer appear with sincere amusement.

    "Huh�� that little creature of yours reminds me of someone. What a cutie!"

    Sunny reached into the box and produced a tube of synthpaste, then handed it to the immortal with a polite smile. Noctis took the tube, stared at it in confusion for a while, then brought it closer to his face and sniffed it.

    "Such a�� peculiar�� uh�� container? It doesn't smell like anything."

    Sunny nodded solemnly and made a twisting motion with his hand.

    "You twist the cap off, pierce the membrane, and then squirt the contents into your mouth. Be warned, though�� some people have said that its flavor is simply unmatched... unparalleled, even... and that there is no other food like this in the entire world. Many shed tears just from tasting it!"

    The sorcerer blinked a couple of times after hearing words like "membrane" and "squirt", then twisted the cap off the tube and removed the foil membrane. Finally, he raised the tube with enthusiasm, opened his mouth wide, and sent a stream of viscous, colorless sludge into it.

    Noctis closed his mouth, chewed a couple of times, then froze. Slowly, his face changed, becoming pale and almost panicked. He glanced at Sunny with wide eyes, shuddered, then slowly chewed some more, and swallowed with visible effort.

    Sunny continued to stare at him.

    "Remarkable, isn't it?"

    The immortal Transcendent shivered, then forced out a weak smile.

    "That, uh�� is an unforgettable flavor, indeed. Truly�� truly a dish worthy of being eaten by those following the God of Death! Thank you v��very much, Sunless. I've been�� really enlightened��"

    Sunny grinned.

    "Don't be shy then. Eat some more!"

    Noctis dropped the tube on the table and energetically shook his head.

    "No, no. Sadly, I am very full. Thanks for the offer, though!"

    He reached out with a trembling hand and grabbed his glass, then gulped down all of the wine in one go.

    Sunny sipped his tea with a satisfied expression.

    'Serves you right, bastard��'

    The sorcerer poured himself some more wine, glanced at the tube of synthpaste with unrestrained horror, and then furtively moved it further away from himself. Finally, he looked at Sunny and lingered for a few moments.

    Then, the immortal asked:

    "So, Sunless. Now that we had a splendid... an unforgettable... breakfast, are you going to tell me where the glass knife is?"

    ***

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then answered with a measured thought:

    "I might. I need to know a few things first, though."

    Noctis sighed with disappointment, then reluctantly shrugged.

    "Knowing things is very overrated, if you ask me. But I understand�� creatures of Shadow are known to be drawn to mysteries, after all. What is it that you are curious about?"

    Sunny slowly inhaled, thinking. There were many things he wanted to learn�� but the most important of them was rather simple. It carried the most weight for his plans and his future�� was Noctis really capable of defeating the other immortals and breaking Hope's chains?

    It certainly didn't seem so�� as far as Chain Lords went, the sorcerer was not the most fearsome and terrifying. In fact, his whole persona and attitude made him look rather harmless. Sunny knew, of course, that it was just a mask, and that there was vast and dreadful power hiding beneath it�� but would that power be enough to challenge the likes of Solvane or the rulers of the Ivory City?

    Both factions had armies, countless Awakened, and enough resources to wage a war for centuries, while Noctis only had himself and a few Sailor Dolls. So was his desire to unleash hell upon the shattered kingdom just madness, or did he have a solid reason to be confident that there was at least a chance of victory?

    Sunny was going to make a decision on whether or not to join the sorcerer in this insane endeavor, after all, so knowing the answer was of utmost importance. His life depended on it.

    He hesitated, and then said�� or rather, thought:

    "How many knives do you already possess?"

    Noctis smiled radiantly, then answered in a carefree tone. His answer, however, was not at all what Sunny hoped and expected to hear:

    "Why do you mean? I don't have any!"

    Sunny's face twitched, and the porcelain cup suddenly exploded in his hand. He was to shocked to pay it any attention, though.

    "What? How�� how can you not have a single knife?! You have to have the one entrusted to you, at least!"

    The sorcerer waved a hand.

    "Oh�� I used to have one, true, but it is, sort of�� well, things happened, and now I don't have it anymore."

    Sunny stared at the immortal Transcendent with a stunned expression. He was so befuddled that he even forgot to remove his hand from the emerald amulet.

    "This guy can't be that insane�� right? How is he going to wage war against all of the Kingdom of Hope if he doesn't even have a single knife?! I have more of them than he does, goddammit!"

    Noctis laughed.

    "So fierce, so straightforward! Ah, but don't worry about it, Sunless."

    He remained silent for a few moments, drinking his wine, and then sighed.

    "You see�� in the beginning, there were seven knives, entrusted to the seven of us to hold the fate of another in their hands. The Iron Knife, the Wooden Knife, the Ember Knife, the Glass Knife, the Ivory Knife, the Obsidian Knife�� and the Ruby Knife."

    The sorcerer stared into the distance, as if remembering the past. A dark expression appeared on his face.

    "The Iron Knife was used and destroyed, and so was the Ember Knife. So, only five remain. However�� through coincidence, or maybe fate, none of the Chain Lords now possess one, except for Solvane, who wields her own fate and not that of the other."

    He smiled.

    "You see, the Shadow hid the Glass knife before his death. No one knows where it is. The Obsidian Knife had been entrusted to the One in the North, but she lost it to me in a game of wit��"

    Sunny growled.

    "Wait�� didn't you lose that one, too? How the hell did you manage to lose two of the damned knives?!"

    Noctis giggled.

    "Oh�� actually, I lost three. I had the Ivory Knife too, at some point..."

    Sunny groaned, then grabbed his head.

    "What is wrong with you... why is all of this so confusing..."

    The sorcerer remained silent, smiling politely. Finally, he sighed.

    "Oh, you are right. It is very convoluted, I guess, for someone who hasn't been living it all for centuries. So�� let me start at the beginning, and explain to you the fate of each of the knives. Then, you will understand why I dare to challenge all the other Chain Lords, and how I hope to defeat them."

    Sunny grimaced, then nodded dejectedly. Noctis poured himself more wine, remained silent for a few moments, and then spoke:

    "The Glass knife is the most simple to trace..."

 Chapter 658 Seven Knives

    Sitting on a plush cushion with a glass of fine wine in his hand, Noctis recounted the fates of the seven divine knives.

    "The Iron Knife was destroyed when Lady Aidre was murdered, and the Ember Knife was stolen and destroyed when the Shadow took his own life. Of the remaining five knives, the Glass knife is the most simple to trace. It belonged to the Shadow, and now, it is where the Shadow had hidden it."

    He paused, and then continued:

    "The Ruby Knife... that one was entrusted to me. Some time ago, well, I was a bit concerned about my state of mind. Hope's madness is very insidious, Sunless, and not even someone like me is immune to it. So, frightened of what I might do, I gave it to�� a dear friend, of sorts�� for safekeeping. Which means that you and I know the location of two knives already."

    The sorcerer sipped his wine and frowned.

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    "Then there is the Obsidian knife, which I won from the One in the North in a game of wit. The others weren't happy at all that I possessed two knives, so I, uh�� placed it on the altar in my Sanctuary and proclaimed that everyone who manages to gather enough of my coins can take it."

    A heavy sigh escaped from Sunny's lips.

    "You did�� what?"

    What was wrong with that guy? It was a relic created by Sun God they were talking about, the key to an immortal's death! Why would he just put it where everyone could see it and even put a price tag on it? What madness was this?!

    Noctis shrugged with a guilty look.

    "Listen�� those coins are very precious, I'll let you know! Who could have thought that someone would actually be crazy enough to collect them all? But, uh�� someone did. A very determined and reckless young man, in fact. That daredevil took the knife and disappeared. He was probably killed for it, but where and how, no one knows. The Obsidian Knife was lost�� but as I said, these knives never remain lost for long. And here you are, Sunless, wielding it. So��"

    The sorcerer raised a hand and showed Sunny three elegant fingers.

    "That is three. The next one is the most curious�� the Ivory Knife. It was entrusted to Sevras, the Sun Lord, who gave it to his twin brother, the Sun Prince. And that is where things get strange. The Sun Prince came to me one day with an unusual request. You see, he had hidden the Ivory Knife, and wanted for me to erase the memories of where from his mind. He also wanted me to make him forget that request."

    Sunny shuddered.

    'He�� he destroyed those memories on purpose? Even before the terrible torture?'

    Noctis sighed.

    "While my Aspect has to do with souls, I was very close to Aidre, the Priestess of Heart God, before she was killed by Solvane�� that cursed murderer. So, I inherited a few things and a lot of knowledge from her. That was why the Sun Prince came to me, although I still don't know what his motive was. Regardless, I agreed to help him, and removed the memory of the Ivory Knife's secret location from his mind. However��"

    The sorcerer smiled.

    "...I did not just destroy it. That would be too boring, don't you think? Instead, I kept the memory for myself and eventually retrieved the Ivory Knife."

    Sunny shook his head.

    "So where is it? How did you manage to lose that one, too?"

    The immortal Transcendent shrugged.

    "Well�� the One in the North was still angry with me and wanted a rematch. The stakes were high, and that time, sadly, I didn't win. She got the Ivory Knife, and then threw it into the Sky Below. That was very silly of her. It is impossible to really lose one of the knives forever, so it was bound to return one day. And recently, it did�� I don't know where it is, but it is back, that is for sure."

    Sunny looked at him for a while, a somber expression on his face.

    He was pretty certain that he knew who had the Ivory Knife�� Mordret, the Prince of Nothing. And if that fiend wielded it, even gods would not be able to predict what was going to happen.

    Noctis, however, didn't seem concerned. He sipped his wine with a smile:

    "No matter where it is, it will turn up soon enough. So, the only knife that remains is the Wooden Knife, which is in Solvane's possession. This one is the simplest to get, although not the easiest. The murderous witch, you know, is more than ready to give it to anyone whom she deems worthy enough to try and kill her. So, we don't even need to search for it. Sooner or later, it will fall into our hands all by itself."

    Sunny remained silent for a bit, then said in a somber tone:

    "So let me get this straight. There are five knives�� the Obsidian Knife is in my possession, and the Glass Knife is hidden in a place that is only known to me. The Ruby Knife is hidden in a place only known to you. The Wooden Knife will be given to us by Solvane if we defeat her�� and the Ivory Knife is somewhere out there, being pulled toward all this mess by fate."

    The sorcerer nodded with a smile.

    "Indeed! So, you see�� while I do not possess any of the knives yet, getting three out of the five would not be too difficult, and the fourth one will naturally appear on my path. Four out of five�� it doesn't look that crazy anymore, don't you think?"

    Sunny hesitated.

    Yes�� it only looked very crazy instead of utterly crazy now. But all he needed was to know that there was a chance of victory, and now, it seemed that there was. Noctis, eccentric and unreliable as he seemed, had not made the decision based on nothing.

    The sorcerer glanced at him and raised an eyebrow.

    "So, Sunless�� are you going to share the location of the Glass Knife with me, and help me free Hope? Shall we break her chains and free this land, and ourselves, of a fate worse than death? What do you think?"

    Sunny sighed.

    That was a very troublesome question... and completely inescapable, at that. However, he could not answer it yet. Looking at the immortal sorcerer, he said:

    "I can't make that decision alone. I need to discuss it with my friends first."

    Noctis blinked.

    "Oh�� well, why not? It is always good to have loyal friends. Where are they?"

    Sunny shifted slightly.

    "That, uh�� I don't know."

    The sorcerer scratched the back of his head with a perplexed expression.

    "I guess we'll have to find them first, then! Tell me, what are their names?"

    Sunny looked away, then cleared his throat awkwardly.

    "Uh�� I don't know that, either."

    Who knew what names the members of the cohort received in the Nightmare?

    Noctis stared at him for a few moments, then asked in an even tone:

    "...You don't know the names of your friends? How... interesting. Well, how do they look, then?"

    Sunny smiled sheepishly�� or rather, he tried. With his bestial face and sharp fangs, the result was far from being as innocent and apologetic as he would have wanted it to be.

    "Actually�� I don't know how they look, either."

    The immortal Transcendent slowly took a sip of wine, remained silent for a bit, then spoke.

    "So, if I understood correctly, you won't tell me about the Glass Knife until you have consulted with your friends, but you don't know where they are, what their names are, and how they look. Did I get it all?"

    Sunny shifted awkwardly, then shrugged.

    "Yes. But�� they were supposed to leave me clues of their whereabouts on the Iron Hand island. That's something, right?"

    Noctis emptied his glass and looked at him with a strange smile.

    "Sunless�� how do I say this�� there is no island by that name in the Kingdom of Hope��"

    'Oh�� right.'

    The iron giant might have been still alive and in possession of both of his arms, so there would not be an Iron Hand island, indeed. Sunny shook his head.

    "Ah, you just know it by another name. It does exist, don't worry. Actually, it is right here, near the Sanctuary. So, I will have to go there first, before giving you an answer.'

    Noctis looked at him, blinked a couple of times, and then sighed.

    "...Alright, then. In that case, wait for a week or two before your new heart settles. Traveling before that would be very unwise�� but after that, do go and find your friends. Invite them here, actually! I doubt that there's a friend of yours who is better, smarter, and more beautiful than I, but I'm sure that they are all nice people�� uh, or demons�� or whatever they are."

    He smiled, and then winked at Sunny with a slightly mischievous look.

    "...I can't wait to meet them!"

 Chapter 659 A Rest Before The War

    Sunny did not fully understand what the sorcerer meant by saying that the new heart needed time to settle. Physically, he felt fine�� great, even. Both of his hearts were beating steadily in his chest, powerful and dependable like relentless machines. However, he had not put them under any strain since the battle with Nightmare, so there was no way of telling how they would behave in a crisis.

    Remembering the frightening pain of having his heart give out, Sunny decided to take the immortal's word for it and allow himself to rest.

    He needed rest, anyway.

    While his body had healed, the mind was not that resilient. Sunny felt that his mental state was not in the best of shapes�� however, strangely, it was not as bad as he would have expected.

    After the hellish two months he had spent in the Red Colosseum with Elyas, their subsequent escape, and the young man's death, Sunny had beem numb and apathetic for a long time. He had gone through the motions of pursuing a simple goal without much emotion, hiding in the darkness as he traveled across the Kingdom of Hope, too hurt and defeated to feel anything.

    Already in a damaged and vulnerable state, he had been then thrust into the harrowing succession of nightmares and forced to experience one hideous torment after another. At this point, Sunny could have broken�� but instead, unexpectedly, he had found himself full of rapacious determination.

    That determination had banished the suffocating lethargy and allowed him to endure countless nightmares and continue to fight, until there were none left. It was as though the two ghastly experiences clashed and counteracted each other, leaving him in a semblance of a healthy state.

    Or maybe it was just the matter of suffering a bitter defeat by Solvane's hand, but then refusing to give up and clawing his way to victory in the battle against Nightmare. That victory, costly as it had been, ignited his tortured spirit despite all the suffering it brought, the same way that the previous defeat had extinguished it.

    Well�� healthy was a strong word. Perhaps functioning was more suitable.

    He could still feel barely closed wounds in his mind, which sometimes made their existence known. And added to that was the invisible, insidious poison of Hope��

    Yes, a week or two of rest did not sound too bad. Sunny had a feeling that later, there would not be such an opportunity again.

    ��After their breakfast conversation, Noctis offered to host him in the luxurious residence. However, Sunny felt that sharing a living space with the eccentric sorcerer would have been very conducive to peaceful restoration, so he politely refused. In the end, he settled in spacious quarters on the opposite side of the ring of menhirs, close to where his small room had been in the future.

    His new one was larger and much better furnished. It was comfortable, beautiful, and safe. However, Sunny didn't like to stay inside the room for too long�� being surrounded by its stone walls reminded him of the dungeon of the Red Colosseum too much, so he spent most of his days in the inner garden of the Sanctuary.

    The people living in the former Temple of the Moon did not seem as perturbed by seeing a horned demon walk among them as the humans of the waking world would have been, especially since they knew that Sunny had arrived with Noctis himself�� however, they were still tense and apprehensive around him. In the end, Sunny found himself being avoided at all costs, which suited him fine.

    Not wishing to disturb anyone unnecessarily, he tended to remain in a corner of the garden where very few people ever appeared�� coincidentally, it was the same place where he used to sell soul shards in the future. His favorite stone, sadly, was usually taken by the leper whose body and disfigured face were covered with dirty bandages.

    Oh, well�� life couldn't always be perfect.

    The first time Sunny sat down on the grass a few meters away from the leper, he spared the four-armed monster a short glance, lingered for a few moments, and then said in an ugly, grating, hoarse voice:

    "...What kind of a creature are you?"

    Sunny looked at the leper, not really wishing to engage in a conversation, then reluctantly produced the emerald amulet and answered.

    "A demon. What kind of a creature are you?"

    The leper smiled, causing a bit of yellow puss to sip from beneath the bandages covering his face.

    "...A cripple."

    Sunny studied the man, then made a grimace and asked in a sullen tone:

    "I won't catch whatever it is that you have, will I?"

    The leper let out a creaky chuckle.

    "...No. I'm not diseased. Just�� burned."

    Sunny tilted his head a little, then shrugged and turned away.

    So, the leper was not a leper. His body was just severely burned, and judging by the fact that the rags covering the bandages seemed to have been pristine white once, he had probably come to the Sanctuary from the Ivory City. Sunny wasn't sure that he wanted to know how a citizen of the Sun God's stronghold ended up with those burns.

    ��The memory of their lord's torture was still fresh in his mind.

    They haven't spoken after that, remaining in indifferent silence.

    Looking at the empty corner of the beautiful garden around them and the distant figures of humans going about their lives, Sunny couldn't help but remember his first day at the Academy. Back then, two outcasts �� Cassie and himself �� had been segregated from the rest of Sleepers in a similar fashion.

    Suddenly in a somber mood, he put the amulet away and thought:

    'Some things never change, don't they?'

    ��Of course, he would have preferred to be in the company of a beautiful oracle instead of a hideous cripple. That was only fair, considering that the cripple would have without a doubt preferred company of someone like Cassie to that of a ferocious-looking demon, as well.

    With a sigh, Sunny threw these thoughts out of his head and closed his eyes, trying to meditate.

    Two weeks�� that was all the time he had to prepare himself for the encroaching hell of an obliterating war.

 Chapter 660 Shadow Arrows

    For the next several days, Sunny did nothing but sleep, rest, and practice weaving. His two new wooden fingers were able to channel essence, which showed just how incredible Noctis was at his craft. However, they could not touch the ethereal strings. It seemed that only Sunny's own flesh and bone were capable of that.

    He was already accustomed to manipulating the shadow strings without those fingers, though, so the task had not grown much harder. There was also the long needle that shone with faint golden radiance to help him along. In those several days, Sunny made a bit of progress in his attempts to copy the simplest of enchantments.

    ...He also successfully destroyed several more Memories, which really stung his newly repaired hearts.

    'Ah, curses��'

    Sunny stared at the rain of disappearing sparks that had been an enchanted buckler just a few moments ago and sighed. Another failure, another lost Memory. He was going through his collection of them way too fast�� at that point, he was starting to wonder if there was a better use for it.

    Saint's shadow fragment counter was still at [59/200], and now, he had another Shadow to feed. Nightmare also demanded his fair share of resources to reach the next Rank, and his appetite was even steeper. Currently, the dark courser was at [1/300], and that single fragment came from a Memory Sunny had fed him to check if the horse also consumed them.

    The only silver lining was that Nightmare was still of the Awakened Rank, and as such, gained more sustenance from weaker Memories. Getting him to three hundred was going to require about the same amount as what Saint needed to get to two.

    ��That was another reason why Sunny wanted to master at least the very foundation of weaving. If he could create even the simplest Memories himself, he would effectively gain the ability to convert soul shards into shadow fragments, as far as Saint and Nightmare were concerned. Probably.

    He already knew enough to try, actually, and only lacked a few shards to experiment. However, the ability to copy and modify enchantments seemed even more alluring. Just imagining the utility of such a skill made him tremble with excitement.

    But enough was enough! He could not endure the heartbreaking sorrow of losing another Memory today. With each of them he destroyed, Sunny could practically see potential credits disappearing from his theoretical bank account.

    Shaking his head dejectedly, he returned the needle into the maw of the Covetous Coffer, dismissed the little box, and headed toward the door of his room.

    It was time for some fresh air.

    Finding his way to the familiar corner of the garden, Sunny noticed the motionless figure of the bandaged cripple and ignored him, then sat down on the grass some distance away. The two of them were perfectly content pretending that the other didn't exist. After that first conversation, neither uttered a single word�� which was a beautiful thing.

    'If only all humans were that reticent��'

    The cripple never bothered him, and so, Sunny liked him a lot. They had a perfect understanding.

    Closing his eyes, Sunny meditated for a while, but then grew bored. He still had a few hours to kill before dinner, and there was nothing to do. Well, that was not a problem�� really, there always was a mountain of things he had wanted, but never found time to address. For example, he was very curious to study the spellweave of the Shadow Lantern�� it was a Divine Memory, after all.

    But just the thought of staring at the inhuman complexity of weaves again made his mood grow foul, so Sunny decided to return to that task sometime later.

    What else was there?

    Come to think of it�� he had not practiced archery for a long time now. His skill in that regard was still very far from satisfactory.

    Sunny thought for a bit, then stood up and summoned Morgan's Warbow. The beautiful black bow weaved itself from scarlet sparks, which were the same color as its grip and string, as well as the small brand in the shape of a straight sword piercing straight through an avil that was burned into its surface.

    He turned slightly and glanced at the grey stone of one of the giant menhirs that loomed some distance away. Surely, the ancient stone pillar that had withstood a thousand years in perfect condition, and was going to withstand thousands more, would not be damaged if he used it for target practice��

    Not that Sunny cared too much. Noctis would just have to produce a new menhir if he destroyed one�� or several�� the bastard owed him this much, at least!

    With a short sigh, he raised the bow, placed his fingers on the string, and strained his muscles to pull it back.

    Due to the [Unbending] enchantment of the fearsome warbow, Sunny needed all of his might, as well as the help of the shadows, just to draw the string�� no mundane human would have ever been able do that, and even among the Awakened, only those with Aspects providing exceptional physical enhancement could hope to succeed.

    But thanks to that, every arrow sent flying by the black bow went especially far, and hit with devastating strength. And speaking of arrows��

    As Sunny was drawing the string, a shadow appeared on it, then grew heavy and solid, turning from a ghostly shade into a sharp arrow. The other enchantment of Morgan's Warbow, [Soul Arrows], allowed it to attune to the soul of the wielder and create arrows that shared its affinity.

    The arrow Sunny just created was utterly black, with dark fletching and a narrow head that seemed to be made out of a sharp piece of obsidian. This was a shadow arrow, which flew swiftly and didn't produce any sound at all. It was also perfect for finding cracks in the enemy's armor.

    Actually, he could create a different kind of arrow, too, due to his high divine affinity. Those arrows were lustrous and seemed to be forged out of pale gold, their broadheads perfect for slicing flesh and causing terrible wounds. There was probably another quality to them, but Sunny had yet to figure it out.

    ��In any case, that didn't matter right now.

    Bringing the string to his ear with some effort, Sunny struggled to hold it in place, then closed one eye, took aim, and jerked his fingers away from the arrow. The string hit the inner side of Sunny's forearm, and the black arrow shot forward with incredible speed.

    Attracted by the sound, the cripple turned his head and stared at Sunny from beneath his dirty bandages.

    A moment later, the arrow hit the giant menhir�� completely off the mark. He had aimed at a tiny crack on the surface of the ancient stone, but had not managed to strike anywhere near it.

    Looking down at his forearm, which now had a deep cut, Sunny clicked his tongue and let out a dissatisfied growl.

    Then, he wrapped his arm with a piece of cloth, summoned a second arrow, and repeated the process, this time almost managing to miss the menhir completely.

    'Damnation!'

    It seemed that his accuracy had only reduced in the past months. How had he even managed to grow worse?

    "...You're doing it all wrong."

    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, then turned around at stared at the cripple without any amusement in his frightening black eyes. Perhaps he was hasty to commend the man for his quiet and reticent nature�� who wanted to hear that hideously grating voice, anyway?

    Producing the emerald amulet, Sunny thought with some irritation:

    "Oh yeah? What, you are an archery expert now?"

    The cripple remained silent for a while, then turned away.

    "I used to be a captain in the Sun Legion. Before��"

    He sighed, and then smiled a little:

    "I led a hundred brave warriors into battle, for the glory of Lord Sevirax and the Ivory City."

    The cripple grew silent, and then added quietly:

    "...Before."

    Sunny stared at the bandages that covered the man's burned body, then glanced at his soul, which was illuminated by a radiant core of an Awakened. So this guy used to be an officer serving one of the Sun immortals?

    He hesitated for a moment, then asked:

    "How'd you end up this messed up, then? Where do all these burn scars come from? Did the Warmongers catch you?"

    The cripple stared into the distance for some time, then slowly shook his head.

    "...You have plenty of scars yourself, demon, some as terrible as mine. That wicked one around your neck�� where did it come from?"

    Sunny looked down at the crestfallen man, then grinned.

    "What, that thing? Funny you should ask�� you see, I did actually got captured by the Warmongers once. So, to escape, I tricked the biggest and meanest of them into cutting my head off. Then, I killed him, picked it up, and put it back on. True story."

    He grew silent for a while, and then added nonchalantly:

    "...Oh, and I killed Solvane too! You know who that is, right?"

    The cripple stared at him with wide eyes, shock, awe, and confusion mixing in them in equal measure. Sunny just wanted to mock the guy a little, but the poor fool seemed to have actually believed him. What an idiot��

    Actually�� something about the cripple's eyes seemed strangely familiar, at least in that moment��

    Sunny suddenly froze and stared at the bandages hiding the man's disfigured face, his mouth turning dry.

    A few moments passed in a strange silence.

    And then, both of the spoke at the same time:

    "...Kai?"

    "...Sunny?!"

 Chapter 661 Precious Tether

    The towering demon and the hideous cripple stared at each other for a bit, their eyes wide with shock.

    "Now way�� he was here all along? Wait, who dared to do this to Kai?! When I find the bastard, I'll tear them limb from limb!"

    Sunny was so stunned that he even failed to let go of the emerald amulet. He gritted his fangs, then asked a question, at the same time as Kai did:

    "...Who did this to you?!"

    "...Why are you so tall?!"

    Flustered, the two fell silent for a moment.

    Then, Sunny reached out and grabbed the cripple into a crushing hug, wrapping all of his four arms around him. Who knew�� who knew that this repulsive body, which was covered in dirty bandages that smelled of blood and pus, would suddenly become so precious and dear to him?

    "I was put into a body of a demon�� why wouldn't I be tall, you idiot?"

    Kai let out a startled yelp, struggled weekly, and then patted Sunny on one of the arms.

    "Argh�� Sunny�� I am very glad to see you, as well�� but�� my burns!"

    Sunny jolted, then hurriedly let go of the cripple's body and gave him an apologetic look.

    ��Beneath that simple emotion, though, a dark ocean of fury smoldered with dangerous flames.

    "Sorry�� I didn't... Kai! You're alive! Damn, I am so happy to see you! I was starting to wonder�� wonder if any of you guys have made it alive��"

    Kai looked at him, then smiled. Through the gaps in the bandages, his disfigured face looked ghastly and hideous�� but the sparks glinting in his eyes were the same. He sighed.

    "Yeah. I was fearing the same."

    The young man hesitated, and then added, his voice suddenly ringing hollow:

    "After the Iron Hand island�� I almost gave up hope. I didn't think that I'll see any of you ever again."

    Sunny frowned, confused by Kai's words. He dismissed his bow, and then thought tensely:

    "...Why? What is on the Iron Hand island?"

    The cripple looked at him with surprise.

    "You haven't been there?"

    Sunny shook his head.

    "No. I was going to travel there in a week, after my new heart settles. Ah�� I made a deal with a sorcerer, you see, to replace a heart I lost��"

    Kai stared at him for a bit, then looked down and let out a heavy sigh.

    "I see. Well�� there's not much to tell."

    He remained silent for a few moments, and then said quietly, his hoarse voice growing even more creaky and grating:

    "There was no sign that you or Cassie had ever managed to reach the rendezvous point�� even though months had already passed. But Effie�� Effie left a message there, carved into a stone pillar."

    "So Effie is alive, too!"

    Sunny clenched his fists, excited.

    Of course she was alive! That glutton would never die and leave all the food in two worlds uneaten!

    Encouraged, he eagerly asked:

    "What message did she leave?"

    Kai looked away, as if reluctant to answer.

    After a while, he finally opened his mouth and said quietly:

    "It was�� it was just one sentence."

    The young man glanced at Sunny, then added in a somber tone:

    "Do not come to the Temple of the Chalice��"

    ***

    As it turned out, Kai had reached the Sanctuary two weeks before Sunny. Although he did not go into detail, the archer explained that he had been sent into the body of an officer in the army of the Ivory City, and got entangled in the conflict between the Sun people and the Warmongers for the first months of the Nightmare.

    Eventually, he managed to escape and made his way east. The journey was slow and torturous because of how terribly mangled his body was, but he somehow made it to the Iron Hand island alive�� if just barely. There, his hope of reuniting with his friends was cruelly crushed by the fact that neither Sunny nor Cassie seemed to have made it, while Effie had only left an ominous message imploring them to not try to find her.

    Consumed by terrible pain and despair, Kai left his own message on the island and continued to the Sanctuary, where, as he had heard, stragglers like him could find refuge and shelter.

    He remained there since, trying to recover as much strength as he could and hoping against all logic that the others were going to read the message he had left and come to the Sanctuary, too. And then, through a strange twist of fate, Sunny arrived despite not even visiting the Iron Hand island!

    Kai shook his head and said, his voice full of amusement:

    "...How did you even end up here? Arriving on that flying ship, no less. Sunny, do you know who its captain is?"

    Sunny nodded.

    "Who else? It's Noctis�� that guy goes around insisting that he is now my best friend. You see... the Spell sent me into the Warmonger's territory, where I was captured and forced to participate in their wicked Trials. I barely escaped with my life, and stumbled upon him while fleeing to the Southern Island. He needed a favor from a shadow creature, and I needed passage to the eastern parts of the Chained Isles. So�� that's how I arrived here on that ship."

    He grew silent for a bit and scowled, thinking feverishly.

    Do not come to the Temple of the Chalice�� that was what Effie had written on a stone pillar. However, Sunny had heard of the place before, in the nightmare of the Shadow Lord.

    Give the glass knife to the War Maiden in the Temple of the Chalice �� that was what the immortal Shadow had told the original owner of the four-armed demon's body. And that was the secret Noctis wanted to learn from Sunny, while Sunny wanted to find his friends. So many coincidences...

    Kai cleared his throat.

    "You�� you know who he is, right? Lord Noctis is the master of this place, as well as one of the five Transcendent immortals. Throughout the Kingdon of Hope, he is feared and revered in equal measure, and his name is synonymous with mystery and power�� as well as debauchery, mischief, and disaster. A being like him�� although Lord Noctis is rumored to possess a merciful heart, he is still dangerous and terrifying. Sunny... are you sure that you should be getting entangled with such a being?"

    Sunny glanced at Kai and remained silent for a while, then said in a grim tone:

    "...There is not much choice. He is the axis of this Nightmare. Dangerous, terrifying... Noctis is all that, and also so much more. However, all of that is not very important right now."

    He sighed, and then turned toward the residence of the frightening immortal with a dark expression on his face.

    "What's important right now�� is that he can help us find Effie��"

 Chapter 662 Demons Bargain

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then looked at Kai and said with determination.

    "Let's go."

    Kai nodded and followed the four-armed demon, pushing forward his bandaged body with visible effort. Seeing his friend's suffering, Sunny gritted his teeth.

    The archer, meanwhile, glanced at him with a grim expression, and then said in his new, unfamiliar and ugly voice:

    "Sunny�� I have one question. Can you answer it?"

    Sunny slowed down and turned to him, a deep scowl contorting the bestial lines of his face.

    "Of course. What is it?"

    Kai remained silent for a bit, then asked cautiously:

    "Uh�� where, exactly, are we going?"

    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then tilted his head a little.

    "Oh, right. Where else? We are going to talk to Noctis!"

    With that, he turned around and continued walking toward the immortal sorcerer's residence.

    The archer hurried to catch up, then said in a stifled tone:

    "Ah�� that Noctis? The immortal Transcendent? Blessed of the Moon, Crimson Beast of Twilight, Chain Lord of the Kingdom of Hope, and all that?"

    Sunny glanced at him, then shrugged.

    "Yes, that Noctis. Don't worry, though�� he is indeed terrifying, but not unreasonable��"

    Together, they crossed the garden of the Sanctuary and approached the beautifully engraved wooden door. A pair of Sailor Dolls were standing guard outside, their indifferent faces staring at them with hollow stillness. Noticing Sunny, one of them moved aside and knocked on the door, which then opened all by itself.

    The two of them entered and froze, unsure how to react.

    "What the hell��"

    Noctis was levitating above the floor, his legs crossed and his eyes closed. He might have seemed like a wise sage in the middle of a deep meditation, if not for dozens of empty amphoras of wine that floated all around him. The terrifying Chain Lord, Blessed of the Moon, the Crimson Beast of Twilight�� was dead drunk.

    Hearing someone enter, Noctis lazily opened one eye and stared at Sunny, then at Kai. Finally, he landed on the floor and yawned, causing all the amphoras to fall down and shatter, sending drops of wine flying everywhere and staining the luscious carpets.

    "Ah, Sunless! What a nice surprise, to see you so soon. And�� uh�� you brought someone with you? What a hideous creature�� wait, did I say that out loud? No, surely not�� I am too wise and courteous to make a rude remark like that, of course�� nice to meet you, whoever you are! Welcome�� ah, to my quarters."

    He gave them a radiant smile, then waved a hand, causing the whole residence to shudder and the shards of the amphoras to disappear without a trace. Then, Noctis walked over to a small table, picked up a fresh apple, and glanced at his guests with a curious expression:

    "To what do you owe the honor?"

    'To what do we owe�� wait, wasn't it supposed to be the other way around?'

    Sunny frowned, then glanced at Kai, who was staring at the immortal sorcerer with an inexorable expression on his burned, disfigured face. Finally, he cleared his throat and turned to Noctis:

    "Actually, I am here to deliver some good news. Do you remember the friends I told you about? Well, this is one of them. And�� yes, you did say it out loud."

    The sorcerer stared at Kai, blinked a couple of times, then took a bite out of the apple.

    "Oh, so this is one of the friends that you were supposed to find after visiting an island that doesn't exist, despite not knowing how they look, where they are, and what they are called? He just happened to be here, in my Sanctuary? How�� fortunate."

    Sunny smiled.

    "Indeed! This is Nightingale, my dear friend. A man with a voice of an angel, and a face to go along with it."

    Kai spared him a sidelong glance, then bowed slightly and forced out a grating, creaky greeting:

    "It is�� nice to meet you, Lord Noctis."

    The sorcerer shuddered and looked right and left, then shook his head.

    "Gods, Sunless�� do not ever mention those creatures again, even in jest. Angels are not something to be called upon, whether by name or in passing."

    Then, he briefly touched the symbol of the moon on his forehead and sighed.

    "...Anyway, I am glad that you have found one of your friends. Have the two of you discussed my proposal?"

    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then answered somberly:

    "No, we have not. We still need to find two more friends for that. However��"

    He sighed, knowing that the luxury of having a choice was looking more and more distant by the day. But he needed the sorcerer's help and his knowledge to find and retrieve Effie from the mysterious Temple of the Chalice�� in that particular matter, he was willing to compromise.

    Even if he gave up the secret of the Glass Knife, he would still be in possession of the Obsidian one.

    Sunny crossed two of his four arms, and said:

    "I am willing to share the location of the Shadow Lord's knife with you, in exchange for some assistance."

    Noctis stared at him for some time, then suddenly grinned.

    "Really? What assistance do you require? I am the most helpful person in the Kingdom of Hope, you know!"

    Sunny raised two fingers.

    "First, you will help treat my friend's wounds. Second, you will help us rescue another of our other friends from the place she is being held in."

    He thought for a bit, and then raised a third finger.

    "Oh! And also, coins. You will give me lots of Noctis coins."

    The sorcerer ate his apple in silence for a bit, then laughed.

    "Well�� I think I can do two out of those three things, at least. No problem. So, tell me... where is your other friend being held?'

    Sunny lingered for a few moment, still hesitant to make the bargain. Finally, he sighed, and said:

    "Temple of the Chalice."

    Noctis suddenly choked on the apple, coughed violently a few times, then grabbed a glass of wine and nervously emptied it. Then, with a flushed face, he glanced at Sunny and forced out a strange smile.

    "...One. I think I can do one out of those three things, at least��"

 Chapter 663 Heralds Of War

    Sunny scowled, surprised by that reaction. He glanced at Kai, then motioned for him to sit down. From the looks of it, this conversation was going to be a long one.

    The archer cautiously lowered himself onto a nearby chair and let out or quiet groan of pain, then looked around, a hint of curiosity appearing in his cloudy eyes. His gaze lingered on various pieces of furniture and exquisite decorations, then finally settled on the flustered sorcerer.

    Noctis seemed to have regained his composure somewhat. He stared at his half-eaten apple with a somber expression, then threw it away and sat down himself.

    A heavy sigh escaped from his lips.

    "The three things you asked for�� are not that easy to accomplish."

    The immortal glanced at Kai, then raised one elegant finger:

    "I can help your friend, Nightingale, recover from his wounds�� somewhat. Those burns were not delivered by mundane flames, and so, even I would not be able to restore that which was destroyed completely. With my help, he will be able to regain most of his strength and vitality. I can also repair the damage done to his soul. But the flames�� their mark will remain. Unless you want me to build him a completely new vessel, of course��"

    Noctis smiled, and then glanced at one of the wooden mannequins, which was in the process of disposing of the carelessly discarded apple.

    "Something like that, but much better!"

    Kai shivered.

    "Will I be able to draw a bow and control soul essence after your treat my body?"

    The sorcerer nodded.

    "Of course! You might even grow stronger than you were before. But your face�� I am sorry to say this, Nightingale, but it will remain as hideous as it is now. The pain that consumes you will subside, but never go away completely. If you agree to transfer your soul into a doll, on the other hand, your strength will diminish slightly�� but you won't have to endure that suffering anymore. I can also promise to make a truly beautiful vessel for you, one worthy of carrying even the most radiant of souls."

    The archer remained silent for a while, then smiled.

    "...No need. This face suits me fine. As long as I can draw a bow and help my friends, I will be content."

    Noctis looked at him silently, an expression of confusion written clearly on his face.

    "But don't�� don't you want to become beautiful?"

    Kai chuckled, his voice hoarse and grating. Then, he shook his head and said simply:

    "...I already am."

    Both Noctis and Sunny stared at the archer with dubious expressions, thinking that he had lost his mind. Well�� more than anyone else in the Kingdom of Hope had already lost theirs. His disfigured face was ugly, grotesque, and unsightly�� what was he even trying to say?

    However, it did not seem that Kai felt compelled to expand on that strange statement. He just remained silent, calmly looking at the sorcerer. After a few moments, Noctis turned away and shrugged:

    "Well�� as you wish. The treatment will be long and painful, but it can be done."

    Then, he raised a second finger and glanced at Sunny.

    "The other thing you asked for�� lots of my coins, was it? To be honest�� how do I say this�� uh�� no?"

    Sunny blinked, surprised.

    "What? Why?!"

    The sorcerer yawned, then made a helpless gesture with his hands.

    "What can I say? Making those coins takes time. Do you know how long it took me to create a few thousand before? Each coin contains a piece of a Corrupted soul, after all. That is the reason why they are so valuable, precious, and coveted by everyone in the Kingdom of Hope."

    He thought for a few moments and added absentmindedly:

    "Oh�� now that you reminded me, only most of the souls were Corrupted. I think there were a few humans I fed to the Mimic, as well. Regardless, all those coins were consumed when that poor fool claimed the Obsidian Knife from the altar. So�� if you really want me to make new ones�� I guess I can quickly kill everyone here in the Sanctuary and cook up a hundred or two?"

    Sunny shivered, then hurriedly raised his hands:

    "No, no! No need! Uh�� let's not kill anyone, yet��"

    Noctis smiled.

    "Are you sure? Well, alright. So then��"

    He raised the third finger.

    "Lastly, the Temple of the Chalice�� I am sorry to say this, but there is absolutely no chance of me ever going anywhere near that place again. Not that I could, even if I wanted to. And I don't. Ever!"

    Sunny stared at the sorcerer with a deep scowl, then gritted his teeth.

    "Why? What is so terrible about that place?"

    Noctis shivered, then sighed and nervously seeped his wine.

    "Oh, it's not�� it's not that it's terrible. It's just that men aren't allowed to enter the Temple, unless they are serving a woman. They put that rule in place�� uh�� after the last time I visited��"

    Sunny really tried to not let his face change, and simply glared at Noctis, his eye twitching. Uncomfortable under that murderous gaze, the sorcerer shrunk and looked away.

    A low growl escaped from Sunny's mouth.

    "Who cares? You are one of the Chain Lords. What can they do if you decide to break that rule?"

    Noctis chuckled nervously.

    "You don't get it! Chain Lord or not... you see, Sunless, as I said, my lands became somewhat of a refuge for those who seek it. And one of the groups of refugees I sheltered was the remains of an ancient�� an ancient and rather terrifying sect. This sect takes in orphaned girls, especially those born with red hair, and trains them to become perfect vessels of War. His deadly tools, priestesses, and heralds�� the War Maidens are not someone to be trifled with."

    He grew silent for a moment, and then added:

    "...In fact, they only needed my protection because there was a schism within the sect, and one of their disciples left to create her own cult. However�� since no one can really leave that sect alive�� her departure was not amicable. Those who survived it came here to build the Temple of the Chalice, and remained there since. Oh, and that runaway disciple of theirs�� I think you have already met her..."

    Sunny grew cold and leaned back, feeling both of his hearts skip a couple of beats. Then, he closed his eyes for a few moments, and finally said in a hoarse voice:

    "Do you mean to tell me�� that the sect that dwells in the Temple of the Chalice�� is where Solvane comes from?"

    Noctis nodded and gave him a ghostly smile:

    "...Exactly! That is where that fiend was raised. And there is a bunch of little monsters just like her being trained there as we speak. I mean, no one can really compare to Solvane, but they are not too far off! So you can understand why I am reluctant to break my word and make enemies of the War Maidens�� right?"

    Sunny remained silent for a while, and then sighed heavily.

    Holding the emerald amulet in one of his calloused hands, he thought:

    "Well... tough luck. Because that is exactly where the Glass Knife is��"

    Despite his grim mood, Sunny felt a bit of vindictive satisfaction when he saw the sorcerer's handsome face pale, and the glass of wine slip from his hand��

 Chapter 664 Basic Logic

    A tense silence settled in the opulent residence of the mad sorcerer�� who, meanwhile, was staring at Sunny with an indescribable expression on his pale, beautiful face. Noctis didn't seem happy at all despite finally learning the secret that he had been searching for all this time.

    In that silence, Kai's hoarse voice suddenly resounded, full of polite curiosity:

    "I am very sorry�� but that glass knife you are talking about�� why exactly do we need it?"

    Both Sunny and Noctis turned to him. After an awkward pause, the immortal scratched the back of his head and answered:

    "Ah�� that thing, you see, is the only thing that can kill Sevras, the blessed of the Sun. And I really, really want to kill him."

    Noticing a slight confusion on the archer's face, he thought for a moment, and then added:

    "Right, these days people call him Sevirax, the Ivory Lord. You have heard of him, yes?"

    Kai lingered for a bit, then looked down at his bandaged hands and said evenly:

    "...Yes. You might say that I have."

    He closed his eyes for a moment, and then smiled.

    "In that case, we must retrieve the Glass Knife. And our friend. Lord Noctis�� surely, there is something that we can do? You know a lot about that sect of theirs. Is there a way for you to enter the Temple of the Chalice, find both the knife and our friend, and bring them back to the Sanctuary?"

    Noctis stared at him for a while, then shook his head.

    "No, there is no way for me to invade the Temple. At least not without destroying it completely, which would doom that friend of yours along with the rest of the sect�� sadly, that is also one of the places I can't infiltrate in disguise�� uh, infiltrate it again, I mean��"

    Sunny and Kai glanced at each other, and then, the archer cautiously asked:

    "If that is the case�� what if we infiltrate it, instead?"

    The sorcerer stared at them with surprise, and then laughed:

    "Sunless and Nightingale�� what a strange pair you are! Do you not know fear? I have just told you how frightening the War Maidens are!"

    Sunny smiled, showing his sharp fangs, and then shrugged. Kai shook his head and answered for both of them, saving him from having to do so:

    "Oh, on the contrary. Both of us are actually very cowardly. But, Lord Noctis�� you might not know this, but Sunless and I�� we can be a bit frightening ourselves."

    The immortal Transcendent gave them a dubious look, and then shook his head.

    "Somehow, I believe it. But no, no, it doesn't matter! Even if you are willing, you can't get into the Temple of the Chalice. Only women are allowed inside, and not any women at that. They will only give passage to female warriors of utmost skill, those who are veiled in dread and the smell of numerous bloody battlefields�� maybe with a couple of lowly servants, at best. You are both men, so it is useless to even try."

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then sighed deeply and said:

    "Actually�� that won't be a problem."

    Noctis blinked a couple of times and looked at him with confused amusement.

    "Uh�� how so? Sunless��"

    The sorcerer gave him a strange look, and then asked with a mischievous smile:

    "...Is there something I don't know about you?"

    Sunny glanced at him darkly, scowled, and answered in a sharp tone:

    "There's plenty! But that was not what I meant. I just have a female warrior of dreadful skill... at hand."

    With that, he summoned Saint. Two ruby flames ignited in the depths of his shadow, and then the taciturn demon stepped out of it, wreathed in darkness. Her graceful figure appeared in the middle of the sorcerer's residence, and then the Shadow turned her head slightly, staring at the master of the place with cold indifference.

    Noctis looked back at her, his eyes widening. His lips trembled.

    "That�� that��"

    The sorcerer leaned forward, his expression frozen, and then suddenly clenched his fists with excitement:

    "...That armor! The design! The fit! Oh, gods�� who forged that masterpiece?! Sunless, please tell me!"

    Saint tilted her head a little, while Sunny and Kai stared at the immortal Transcendent with inexorable expressions. After a few moments of dead silence, Sunny cleared his throat.

    "Uh�� actually, I am not sure. Prince of the Underworld, I think. Wait, haven't you seen me wearing a similar armor?"

    Noctis glanced at him with confusion, then waved a hand dismissively:

    "Ah, if I did, you must have not done it justice. This beauty, however�� so it was Hope's little brother, huh? Who knew he had such impeccable taste!"

    Finally, the sorcerer became aware of his surroundings and moved his gaze up, staring right into Saint's ruby eyes. His smile widened, but then grew rather strange. He glanced at Sunny with confusion:

    "Sunless�� this is one of your Shadows, yes? How come she is more powerful than you? Oh, did you inherit this sublime creature from the Shadow Lord? That rogue�� he had been hiding such a treasure from me all that time!"

    Sunny did not like the way Noctis was looking at Saint one bit. In fact, he suddenly felt a very strong impulse to wipe the lecherous smile off the immortal's face�� which would not have been very wise, considering who that immortal actually was��

    He gritted his teeth.

    "...No. If you must know, I've created her myself. And also, she can hear you. Have some manners, will you?"

    Noctis froze, then flinched and suddenly turned very courteous.

    "Uh�� sorry��"

    He glanced at Saint, then walked around her, studying the taciturn demon with a very serious expression. The Shadow didn't move, seemingly uncaring of his presence. Finally, the sorcerer returned to his previous spot and smiled.

    "That Shadow of yours might indeed be allowed into the Temple of the Chalice. She has... a presence about her. Even I am impressed! The two of you will pose as her servants, I assume?"

    Sunny and Kai looked at each other, then nodded. The sorcerer turned away, thinking, then said thoughtfully:

    "That�� might actually work. Once you are inside, you can find your friend and locate the Glass Knife. That will be extremely dangerous, but not impossible. If you succeed, I can ensure your safe escape�� however��"

    Noctis glanced at them, his expression growing somber.

    "Sunless, Nightingale�� if things go wrong inside the Temple of the Chalice, even I won't be able to save you. You will be on your own�� so ask yourself seriously whether or not rescuing your friend is worth risking your lives over. You can make new friends, you know�� but you can only die once."

    Kai looked at the immortal sorcerer, and smiled:

    "...It's worth it."

    Sunny wasn't so quick to speak. After a while, he snorted and looked away.

    "I don't make friends easily, so the ones I do have are extremely valuable. One has to protect their valuables, you know? That's just basic logic��"

    He glanced at Noctis with a dark expression and added:

    "Besides, who says that you can only die once? I have already died a hundred times, and that was just after meeting you�� killing me is really a very troublesome endeavor��"

 Chapter 665 Preparations

    After their conversation with Noctis was done, Sunny and Kai left the sorcerer alone. The immortal needed some time to make preparations, so they had a few hours left before the archer's treatment was going to begin.

    After that, they were not going to see each other again until it was over, which would take at least a week.

    Walking through the beautiful garden of the Sanctuary, Kai remained silent for a bit, and then said with a smile:

    "Well�� I think that went well."

    Sunny glanced at him with a dark expression.

    "You think?"

    The archer shrugged, then frowned a little. The bandages covering his disfigured face moved, revealing a confused expression.

    "Did it not?"

    Sunny shook his head.

    "No. We have been swindled, actually. Think about it�� I wanted to get three things out of Noctis in exchange for revealing the location of the Glass Knife to him. Heal you, rescue Effie, and receive his enchanted coins. Not only did he force the secret out of me without even lifting a finger, he even fooled us into retrieving the knife in his stead�� while thinking that it was our own idea, no less."

    He grimaced, then let out a heavy sigh.

    "...Scary. He is a cunning trickster, and my own mind seems to be dulled by the curse of Hope. Still�� all is well. Noctis will heal your body, nothing else matters."

    Kai frowned when Sunny mentioned Hope's influence, but didn't ask anything, revealing that he had made the discovery himself. After a while, he said:

    "When you put it like that, I do feel a bit foolish. But, Sunny�� if you knew that we are being swindled, why didn't you try to drive a harder bargain?"

    Sunny shrugged.

    "There was no point to. I did not expect him to honor all three of my requests, anyway�� two of them were just for show. While those coins of his are useful, I can do without them. As for rescuing Effie, that is our own task. I would not have entrusted it to an outsider, especially an ancient Transcendent with mysterious motives."

    He remained silent for a few moments, and then added:

    "We will have to ally ourselves with at least one of the Chain Lords in order to conquer this Nightmare, but becoming dependent on someone else's strength is a slippery slope. In the end, we can only put trust in our own efforts."

    Kai tilted his head a little.

    "So�� those two requests were just bait, and your real intention had only been to get Noctis to heal me?

    Lost in thought, Sunny simply nodded.

    The archer smiled, then mumbled under his nose:

    "I wonder who swindled whom, then��"

    They reached their corner of the garden in silence and sat down on the grass. There was so much Sunny wanted to tell Kai, and so much he wanted to ask. He was sure that Kai felt the same.

    But without even having to say anything, both of them decided to remain silent. They had already shared some things about their experiences in the Nightmare, and as for details�� that was going to have to wait until the cohort was back together.

    Even knowing that it was foolish, they both held on to the feeling that by postponing this conversation, they were somehow increasing the chances of the other two members joining them unharmed.

    After a while, Kai asked:

    "Do you�� do you think that she is alright? Effie? From what Noctis said, that sect is incredibly ancient, formidable, and cruel. If Effie was sent into the body of a disciple, with her temper�� I hate to admit it, but I am afraid for her. Plus, none of the maidens is allowed to leave that Temple alive. How are we going to take her away?"

    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then shook his head.

    "Effie is more resilient than any of us. Don't forget, she survived in the Dark City far longer than you or I�� completely alone. She held the line during the siege of the Spire and survived that, too. Effie will be fine. The War Maidens are not as formidable as you might think, either. After all, the Temple of the Chalice is destroyed in the future, and all of them are dead. I've seen the bones myself��"

    His face grew somber when he remembered the furious wraiths whom he had slain to create his third core. Who could have known that the ruin he had already explored and the Temple of the Chalice were one and the same? Judging by the destruction that reigned over the ancient temple in the future, someone was going to obliterate the fearsome sect between then and now. The War Maidens weren't invincible.

    Kai sighed.

    "...What about Cassie? There is no sign of her. She is�� she is not like the rest of us. Her combat skill is commendable, but her Aspect is not tailored toward direct confrontation. And with how terrible her Flaw is��"

    He grew silent, reluctant to finish the thought.

    Sunny grinned.

    "Cassie? She is the last person you should be worried about. Believe me, she is doing fine. Probably better than any of us."

    ��At least, that was what Sunny wanted to believe. His Flaw did not prevent him from saying those words aloud, so he must have been convinced that the statement was true to some degree, at least.

    However, that didn't stop his hearts from growing cold and heavy.

    He sighed, and then added in a grim tone:

    "Who you should really be worried about is our fifth�� friend."

    Kai frowned and looked at him with a dark expression.

    "It has to be that person�� right? The prince of Valor?"

    Sunny hesitated, then nodded.

    "That is what I believe, as well."

    The archer gritted his teeth and turned away.

    "...It doesn't matter. Here in the Nightmare, all of us are allies. Are we not?"

    Sunny looked down, his black eyes growing even darker.

    After a while, he said:

    "We are meant to be. However, that doesn't mean that we have to be."

    He sighed, and then looked at the people going about their lives in the distance.

    p1ease visi(t) nove1B(in).ne)t

    "Mordret is�� unpredictable. And dangerous. I don't know what his goals are, but in this Nightmare, his power would have grown considerably. Don't forget that he was the one who discovered this Seed, in the first place�� and that wasn't by accident. He was searching for it on purpose. He is after something��"

    Sunny grew silent for a few moments, and then added, his voice turning grim:

    "Plus, there was already something wrong with Mordret in the waking world. Who knows what effect Hope had on him? If he had truly gone insane��"

    He shuddered.

    "...Then the immortal Saints might end up not being our biggest problem."

    With that, Sunny stood up and summoned the vambrace of the Puppeteer's Shroud, then glanced at Kai with a strange glint in his eyes.

    "Anyway, since we have a few hours left before Noctis straps you to a table and does Spell knows what to your body... how about you show me how to properly use a bow? While you still can... uh, while there's a chance, I mean..."

 Chapter 666 Dark Rider

    The sun was slowly drowning in the darkness of the void, and as it did, a veil of shadows was devouring the world. The western horizon was still aflame with the scarlet pyre of the sunset, but the somber night was already approaching from the east.

    On a desolate island covered by tall pillars of jagged rock, a numinous temple stood, its beautiful stone walls painted red by the light of the drowning sun. All around it, countless swords were thrust into the petrous ground, rising from it like a solemn graveyard of steel.

    There was only one path through the forest of blades, and as the twilight of dusk approached it, a dull, echoing ringing suddenly resounded from the darkness, then traveled through it, slowly growing closer and closer.

    It was the sound of adamantine hooves ringing against stone.

    Soon, four crimson flames ignited in the shadows, and then revealed themselves to be four eyes. Two belonged to a stygian destrier, the other two to its dark rider.

    The steed was black as night, with dreadful horns crowning its head. It walked forward with a steady pace, fearsome and noble, lean muscles rolling under its lusterless coat. The rider was a graceful woman in intricate onyx armor, her face hidden behind the visor of a closed helmet, with only ruby lights shining through it with indifferent resolve. Her presence was both calm and fearsome, full of quiet confidence and frightening strength.

    The blade of a great odachi rested on her shoulder, its steel as dark as the heart of the night.

    ��Two steps behind the taciturn knight, two creatures walked with their gazes lowered to the ground. One was a towering, four-armed demon dressed in a black kimono, his dark hair tied with a silk ribbon. The other was a strange human with skin that resembled polished bark, wearing a fitting dark garment made of soft silk, his disfigured face hidden behind a wooden mask and drowning in the shadow of a deep hood. Neither of them was armed.

    The dark knight led her horse to the first steps of the path through the graveyard of swords and stopped, waiting. Her ruby eyes burned with cold calmness, as if the woman had a heart made of stone, incapable of feeling fear, unease, or trepidation.

    Her servants, however, were not as aloof. Both stole glances at the magnificent stone temple, tension clearly written on their faces. A few moments later, the human asked quietly:

    "It is too late to turn back, isn't it?"

    The demon did not respond�� not that he was capable of speaking in the human tongue. Instead, he simply nodded, then froze, as if sensing something. The other servant sighed and grew silent, as well.

    There was no one and nothing around them, just the pillars of jagged rocks and the swords thrust into the ground. The island was awash in the bloodred radiance of the dying sunset, with deep shadows nesting in the spots from where the sunlight had already fled. A gust of wind suddenly blew, bringing with it the smell of iron.

    ��And then, out of nowhere, they were surrounded by a dozen silent figures.

    All of them were beautiful women, wearing light garments made of red silk. Their bodies were slender and supple, their skin smooth and soft�� the sight of them might have been alluring if not for the sharp coldness of their eyes, the ruthless expressions written on their tantalizing faces, and the murderous glint of their blades, all aimed at the uninvited guests.

    Sunny shivered.

    '...Damnation.'

    Noctis had not been joking when he described the War Maidens as fearsome. Even though these women were just Awakened, his intuition was screaming that they represented mortal danger. However, Sunny did not need the help of his enhanced sixth sense to understand that�� the feeling he got from the female warriors was the same as he had experienced a few times before in his life, when facing true battle masters.

    Morgan of Valor had given him the same frightening sensation, as well as Auro of the Nine, Master Jet, Nephis, and a couple of others, all of them elite combatants of the highest tier. Some of these fiends he had fought and somehow survived, but not without shedding a lot of blood and receiving deep scars, if not on his body, then on his soul.

    And right now, he was staring at twelve of such monsters�� and these were just the sentinels, no doubt. Who knew what kind of battle saints would he meet inside the temple?

    ��No wonder this sect had been Solvane's cradle.

    Full of bad premonitions, he made sure to not make any sudden movements and continued staring at the ground. His role during this part was rather simple... he just had to do nothing.

    Her master might have been apprehensive, but Saint didn't seem concerned at all. She turned her head slightly and looked down at the War Maidens, her gaze as calm and indifferent as always. Noticing her calmness, a few of the female warriors gripped their weapons tighter.

    One of them, a tall woman with red hair and eyes the color of steel, frowned a little, and then asked in a raspy voice:

    "What brings you to the Temple of the Chalice, demoness?"

    Saint, of course, remained silent. Instead, Kai took a step forward and bowed, then spoke, his ugly voice sounding like grating scritching of rusty metal:

    "Greetings, warriors. My lady��"

    The War Maiden looked at him with distaste and interrupted:

    "Who allowed you to speak, man?"

    Kai remained bowed for a few moments, then straightened and looked at the woman from beneath his hood.

    "My lady's voice is not for you to hear. She only speaks to those who bested her in combat�� and thus, she has not spoken ever since taking this solemn vow."

    The War Maiden remained silent for a few moments, studying Saint's graceful and fearsome figure. Then, she smiled darkly:

    "...She must not have fought anyone worth fighting, then. You are her servant?"

    Kai nodded.

    "Indeed. I am her voice, and that creature over there is her shadow. We serve the lady."

    The woman lingered for a moment, then glanced at him and raised an eyebrow.

    "What is a human like you doing in the company of two Shadows?"

    The archer remained silent for a few seconds, and then responded:

    "A long time ago, evil people captured me and locked me in a deep, dark well. I was going to die in there of thirst and hunger, but my lady lifted the heavy grate and helped me escape, while that demon slaughtered the evildoers. I owe them a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid."

    The War Maiden stared at him silently, then nodded.

    "You speak with sincerity�� surprising, for a man. Tell me, then�� why has your lady come to our temple?"

    Kai glanced at Saint and hesitated for a bit.

    Sunny felt his hearts start to beat faster, as well. This was the most dangerous part of their plan... in fact, he was still not entirely sure that it was going to be a wise move. However... both of them had decided that while not very wise, this was something that would give them the best chance to succeed. Full of tense anticipation, he silently gritted his teeth.

    Finally, the archer looked at the War Maiden and said, his voice calm and steady:

    "...She has come to take back that which belongs to the shadows. To retrieve the death of the Ivory Lord from your hands�� whether you are willing to return it, or not."

 Chapter 667 Temple Of The Chalice

    The Glass Knife contained the string of fate that belonged to Sevirax, the Chain Lord of the Ivory City. It was his death, which the War Maidens had received from the Saint of Shadows hundreds of years ago.

    Now, two Shadows came back to retrieve it.

    Sunny suspected that none of the sect members that had been alive all those centuries ago lived still, including the particular Maiden to whom Shadow Lord had sent the Glass Knife before taking his own life. As such, none would remember the four-armed demon who had delivered it�� most likely.

    And yet, the current disciples of the cult had to know what was being kept in their temple, and how it got there. So, there was a chance that they will just hand it over to the original owners�� no matter how slim.

    If not, they would allow Saint and her entourage inside, at least.

    That was Sunny's hope, and judging by the fact that the Maidens did not immediately attack after hearing Kai's provocative statement, his calculations were not wrong.

    The tall woman who had spoken to them grew still as soon as the Glass Knife was mentioned, a somber expression appearing on her face. She studied Saint's motionless figure, then said coldly, her raspy voice growing slightly hoarse:

    "...So the day has come. How fortunate we are, to witness it! Someone finally dares to challenge the Red Sect for the ownership of the ancient relic. Who knew that I would witness this children's story come true?"

    She smiled darkly, then tilted her head, no humor in her sharp, grey eyes.

    "...However, you are wrong, Shadow. The Glass Blade does not belong to you, or any of your kin. It had been entrusted to our foremother, who passed on the duty of protecting it to her wards, and through them, to us."

    The woman lingered, then sighed.

    "However, it is not my place�� to put you in yours. Come, demoness. Let me welcome you to the Temple of the Chalice!"

    With that, the War Maidens slowly lowered their weapons, and then followed their leader as she turned to walk on the path through the graveyard of swords. Surrounded by them, Saint, Sunny, and Kai had no choice but to walk forward. After a few moments, the taciturn demon gracefully jumped down from Nightmare's back, who then dissipated into shadows and returned to Sunny's soul.

    Despite the fact that the beautiful female warriors had sheathed their swords, their hostility remained aimed at the three strangers, and their gazes were still as sharp and dangerous as steel blades.

    'What an unfriendly bunch��'

    Sunny sighed inwardly, and then looked around through his shadows, paying attention to the countless swords thrust into the ground all around them. Somehow, he felt that each of these weapons had a history�� a violent story of battle and bloodshed that ended in death. Perhaps some of these blades had once belonged to the War Maidens of the past, but most must have been wielded by those warriors slain by the members of the sect.

    ��There were really, really many swords thrust into the ground around the stone temple.

    Soon, they approached the gates of the magnificent structure and were led inside. Sunny was somewhat familiar with the interior of the ancient shrine, but it was hard to bring together two pictures that lived in his mind �� one of a desolate ruin, the other of the austere, but formidable and perfectly maintained temple fortress.

    They were ushered into a spacious entrance hall, where Saint followed his command and stopped, as though unwilling to go further.

    The tall Maiden with grey eyes glanced at her and smiled coldly.

    "...Wait here, demoness. I will inform the elders of your arrival. And you challenge."

    ***

    Saint stood with the blade of the Soul Serpent resting on her shoulder, motionless like a beautiful statue cut of black onyx. Her presence was aloof and indifferent, as though the three of them were not surrounded from all sides by fearsome warriors, with no way to escape.

    The tall Maiden left, but the rest of the sentinels remained, surrounding them in a wide circle. Their faces were calm, but their eyes remained sharp, steady hands laying on the hilts of their swords.

    Under their gazes, Sunny didn't dare to send one of his shadows to scout around the temple�� however, he also didn't need to. Instead, he listened to the sounds surrounding them with curiosity.

    The Temple of the Chalice seemed silent, but somewhere far away, a repeating sound could be heard�� the sound of something blunt hitting flesh, over and over again, and an occasional rattle of chains. Disturbed, he frowned slightly, and then glanced at Kai.

    The archer stood on the other side of Saint, his face hidden in the shadow of a deep hood. His pose seemed both polite and relaxed, however, Sunny could feel a strange tension hidden behind this casual stance.

    He frowned, and then moved his hand slightly, attracting his friend's attention.

    Kai lingered for a moment, then spoke in the language of the waking world without turning his head:

    "...Yes, I found it."

    Why would Sunny need to use his shadows to explore the temple if he had Nightingale by his side? Kai's Awakened Ability, after all, allowed him to see far and wide, and even peer through solid objects. Very few things could hide from his gaze.

    So, his task was to locate one of the two things they were looking for �� the Glass Knife.

    And just in a few minutes, he had already succeeded.

    Kai, however, did not seem too happy.

    "Sunny�� uh�� I think we might have a slight problem."

    'Damnation...'

    Sunny scowled, not liking the tone of his friend's voice one bit. He turned his head slightly, glaring at the young man in the wooden mask.

    The archer sighed.

    "You see�� in the center of the temple, there is a large hall. And in the center of that hall stands a giant stone chalice. The chalice�� is filled to the brim with raging white flame. That fire is just like the fires that burn in the Sky Below. In fact, I am pretty sure that one of those orbs of divine flame is somehow contained within it."

    He lingered for a moment, and then added grimly:

    "The Glass Knife is on the bottom of the chalice. Right in the middle of the annihilating divine flame��"

 Chapter 668 Vessels Of War

    'Damn it�� damn it all! Why did it have to be the divine flame, of all things?!'

    The three of them were finally allowed into the central hall of the temple, where a tall chalice cut of a single slab of grey stone stood, full of blinding white fire. The hall was drowning in stark light, deep shadows, and suffocating heat�� however, even that sweltering heat was too forgiving.

    ��This close to the orb of Sun God's flame, all of them should have been already turned to ash.

    Sunny stared at the chalice with a grim expression, remembering the suffering he had gone through in the Sky Below. This was a true remnant of the obliterating pillar of white fire that had been brought down on the Kingdom of Hope by a god, and then continued to burn in the depths of the shattered land, slowly devouring it until nothing but an empty void remained.

    The pale version of it that he was able to channel through the Cruel Sight was already immensely destructive, and this�� this was the real deal.

    How was the chalice even capable of containing the annihilating white star?

    He shivered, and then glanced under the surface of the stone vessel, noticing an intricate weave of ancient runes glowing inside the grey stone. An enchantment�� and a powerful one, at that. What kind of sorcerer had created it? Who had been powerful enough to contain a piece of divine fury?

    ��In any case, without knowing how to control the enchantment �� if there even was a way to control it �� getting the Glass Knife out was not going to be easy, or maybe even impossible. Their task just grew exponentially more difficult.

    'Damn it all!'

    Absorbed by the dire sight of the stone chalice, Sunny didn't even notice the three women standing in front of it for a moment or two. When he did, however, his mood dropped even further.

    Turned into black silhouettes by the furious white flame burning behind them, three Ascended battle masters watched the uninvited guests with eyes full of cold, cutting killing intent.

    One had red hair and wielded an odachi similar to his own, its blade forged out of vibrant scarlet steel. One had black hair and held a simple spear, its shaft covered by a complicated weave of runes. One had white hair and was unarmed.

    ��That last one scared him the most. Solvane, too, didn't feel the need to wield a weapon. If the first two Maidens seemed like warriors of terrifying skill, the third one�� the third one gave him a sensation of being something much more than that.

    A true vessel of War, perhaps.

    He carefully looked around the hall, remembering how it had looked in the future.

    The stone slabs covering the floor had been cracked and misshapen, the mighty pillars broken and toppled over, the roof had collapsed. The walls of the hall, seemingly so strong and unassailable, had been shattered outwards, suggesting that something had detonated in the center of the hall with tremendous force. The chalice itself had been destroyed, with only a few fragments laying on the floor in a molten pile.

    ��And there had been human bones littering the hall, some still covered by the remains of red silk garments, with vengeful wraiths carrying murderous fury even thousands of years after the tragedy.

    Sunny glanced tensely at the dancing white flame, then shivered. Someone had come to the Temple of the Chalice and destroyed it, slaughtering all the fearsome Maidens in the process. Had they been looking for the Glass Knife, as well? Was he going to meet that terrifying being?

    Or had he, perhaps, met them already?

    Two faces suddenly appeared in his mind�� that of Solvane, and that of Noctis.

    His thoughts were interrupted by one of the Ascended Maidens. The woman who seemed the most powerful, the fiend with white hair, looked at Saint with a cold expression and said, her voice echoing in the stark darkness of the hall:

    "I've been told that you wish to retrieve the legacy of our foremothers, shadow."

    Saint lingered for a moment, then moved her head slightly, nodding.

    The Maiden smiled, sending chills running down Sunny's spine.

    "Then your task is very simple. All you have to do is prove yourself before the Chalice. Kill me, and then my two sisters. If you do, the Glass Blade will be yours."

    Saint tilted her head a little, expressing an indifferent agreement.

    Sunny let out a furtive sigh of relief.

    So, there was a ritual to release that Glass Knife into someone's hands, after all�� a trial that those seeking it had to pass. A simple duel, or rather three consecutive ones, against the senior warriors of the ancient sect. These Ascended were truly formidable, but fighting them was better than having to face against the entire sect.

    His worst expectations had not come true. As for whether or not Saint would be able to kill the three Ascended priestesses�� he wasn't sure. However, there was at least a chance.

    And after the leaders of the sect were dead, finding and rescuing Effie would be much easier.

    As the War Maiden with white hair grew silent, another one �� the woman wielding the scarlet odachi �� spoke:

    "...However, first, you will have to prove that you have the right to challenge us. You will fight, and kill, a disciple of each of us."

    As soon as she stopped speaking, the third one said:

    "...Or you will die."

    Sunny hid a triumphant smile. Three Awakened warriors were not going to pose any threat to Saint, who was an Ascended Demon, and formidable well beyond her Rank and Class.

    However�� something felt off. He couldn't tell what at the moment, but his intuition was filling his hearts with unease.

    Sunny glanced at Kai, and noticed a similar apprehensive expression in the archer's eyes. He nodded slightly, prompting the young man to step forward and bow.

    "My lady accepts. However, it is unbecoming of her to slaughter your disciples, fearsome as they may be. Such a fight would not be a struggle for her, and as such, would not please the Goddess of Life, offending her in this sacred temple. If these disciples wish to challenge my lady, they will have to defeat her shadow first."

    The War Maiden with white hair laughed, then took a step forward.

    "So, she can only fight us after defeating our disciples, but our disciples can only fight her after defeating her pet demon? Fine�� fine, let it be so! No shadow can defeat a vessel of war. He was going to die after you lady's body is torn apart, anyway. Let the creature be destroyed first!"

    With that, she turned to one of the younger War Maidens and smiled darkly:

    "Let us not disappoint our guests. Go, bring the feral child I have the misfortune of calling my successor here. She will atone for her transgressions today by killing these two shadows!"

    Sunny was pushed forward and offered a choice of weapons. After hesitating for a few moments, he raised a fearsome greatsword with his upper hands, and took a buckler and a long dagger with the lower.

    Then, he walked into the center of the hall and froze, watching the divine flames burn in the darkness.

    ��All things considered, things had turned out well. The Ascended War Maidens had been cunning, offering the lives of their disciples as sacrifices, no doubt in order to glean the secrets of Saint's skill before facing her. Knowing the enemy was half the victory, after all�� by remaining a mystery while observing how their opponent fights, the three battle masters would have received an advantage that Sunny couldn't allow himself to give them.

    Now, however, he was going to fight and kill three of the Awakened Maidens, thus keeping Saint as mysterious as these battle masters were. Facing such fearsome opponents was not going to be easy, but he was sure of his ability to outsmart, overpower, and slaughter them.

    Fighting such skilled warriors was only going to enrich his mastery of Shadow Dance. More importantly...

    They were not going to have to fight against the whole sect�� the chalice containing the divine flame was not going to be shattered, and the temple was not going to be turned into a ruin. Whatever it had been that had happened here in the real world would not befall Sunny and Kai, leaving them unscathed.

    All he had to do was to kill three young women, one after another. They would be fearsome combatants, no doubt, especially due to the madness of Hope coursing through their veins... but he had faced far worse. Sunny felt confident in his ability.

    ��A few moments later, however, his black eyes narrowed.

    Staring at his first opponent, Sunny couldn't help but shudder and let out a low growl.

    '...Damnation!'

 Chapter 669 Feral Child

    When Sunny heard the white-haired War Maiden refer to her disciple as a feral child, he assumed that she was speaking about an especially ferocious female warrior being trained in the ancient sect of War.

    ��What he had not expected, however, was that his enemy would turn out to be a literal child.

    '...Damnation!'

    As Sunny watched with a grim expression, two of the Awakened maidens dragged a girl of about eleven, maybe twelve years of age into the hall, then threw her on the stone floor in front of him.

    The girl had a scrawny, juvenile body that did not seem to have touched on the path to maturity yet. Her short, wild hair was of a vibrant red color, almost the same as the torn silk garments she wore. Her skin was pale and white�� or at least, it was supposed to be.

    Instead, it was blue and black, almost the same color as Sunny's own, which had been made to resemble obsidian by the embrace of his shadows. The girl had obviously been often and cruelly beaten, to the point that it was hard to notice a spot free of bruises on her once tender body.

    The whites of her eyes were hidden by the cloudy red layer of blood that had burst from ruptured vessels, making the child look like an actual beast. Hitting the floor, the girl remained motionless for a few moments, then let out a long sigh and slowly stood up, lean muscles rolling under her bruised and lacerated skin.

    Even though she seemed tall for he age, she was still too small to reach up to Sunny's chest.

    'Curse these mad witches��'

    Suddenly full of fury, he glanced at the three Ascended War Maidens with a dark expression, then looked down at the abused child in front of him.

    Was this�� was this whom he had to kill?

    Just a few moments ago, the task seemed so easy��

    The girl, meanwhile, finished picking herself from the floor and faced the War Maidens with an insolent, contemptuous expression on her bruised face. With wild flames burning in her eyes, she spat a bit of blood on the floor and then bared her teeth in a feral grin.

    "...What now, you old hags? More training? Ah, and here I was just starting to enjoy my daily punishment!"

    Despite the rude words and the recalcitrant tone, the girl's voice was soft and childishly high, and as the result, what she had meant to sound defiant ended up sounding comical instead. Flustered by that, she gritted her teeth, and then proceeded to make a rude gesture with her hand, as if to better articulate her point.

    Sunny's heart suddenly grew cold. His flinched slightly, his pupils widening in shock.

    'No�� no, no, no��'

    He was already torn about the fact that he would have to kill a child �� and this was going to be a battle to the death, whether he wanted to or not. The War Maidens had made it abundantly clear. Showing mercy would be the same as admitting defeat, thus surrendering both his own life and that of Kai to their slaughter.

    But when the girl spoke, things took a turn from bad to worse.

    Because even if he had not recognized that tone�� which he instantly did�� Sunny was pretty sure that the inhabitants of the Kingdom of Hope were not in the habit of expressing their meaning with their middle fingers. That was a thing humans in the waking world did.

    Which left only one possibility.

    The feral child in front of him��

    Was Effie.

    'Goddammit!'

    Now, there was no chance at all that he would kill his opponent and follow the ritual set for them by the Maidens. All that stuff about not having to fight the entire sect he had felt relieved about a few minutes ago? Any possibility of that was basically gone!

    How were they going to get out of this one?!

    He gritted his teeth, a low growl escaping through them. Hearing it, the senior War Maiden smiled coldly, and then stared at Effie:

    "No training today, insolent child. Instead, a test. We have guests today, you see�� kill them, and I might order your older sisters to feed you today. You have been demanding food, have you not?"

    At the mention of food, a somber expression appeared on the girl's bruised face. She hesitated for a moment, and then turned around, searching for these guests she was supposed to kill.

    Because of how the hall was lit, the figures of everyone who stood near the entrance and along the walls �� Saint, Kai, and dozens of War Maidens who were here to witness the challenge �� appeared as dark silhouettes. The only one whom she could clearly see was Sunny.

    Effie stared at his abdomen for a few moments, confused. Then, she slowly craned her neck, looking higher, and higher, and then higher still. Her face gradually grew paler and paler, until a hint of fear appeared in her eyes.

    "Whoa�� hey there, big guy��"

    She shivered, then glanced back at her teacher.

    "Are you joking? I am supposed to kill that monster?!"

    The War Maiden shook her head.

    "Not a monster. A demon. Why�� are you not hungry?"

    Effie lingered for a few moments, then asked in a little voice:

    "Do I get any weapons, at least?"

    The white-haired warrior chuckled cruelly.

    "Your fists should be enough. Use your tongue if they're not�� it has been sharper than a blade lately, after all."

    The scrawny girl grimaced, then sighed and clenched her fist, turning to Sunny with hunger and resentment mixing in the bright eyes. Her soft voice resounded in the hall, full of reluctant determination:

    "...Alright then�� let's kill a demon�� ah, the things a girl must do to earn a dinner��"

    Sunny lowered his sword, staring at her with furious intent.

    'You idiot! It's me! Are you going to recognize me or not?!'

    A weave of runes suddenly ignited on the stone floor of the hall, creating a circle around them. There was some sort of a barrier preventing either from escaping now, and outsiders from offering them help�� the only ones left inside were Sunny, Effie, and the three War Maidens standing in front of the chalice.

    Sunny hissed, trying to get the child to look at him.

    'Crap�� the emerald amulet, I better get it right now...'

    He released the hilt of the greatsword with one hand, intending to use it to fish out the amulet from the folds of his kimono.

    'If Effie doesn't recognize me, I'll have to really fight her until I come up with a plan�� luckily, she is just an Awakened. With my three cores and shadow augmentation, it should not be too��'

    Before he could finish the thought, however, the scrawny girl suddenly lunged forward with shocking speed and struck him in the abdomen with her tiny fist.

    ��The towering four-armed demon folded like a piece of paper, spat a torrent of blood, and was thrown a dozen meters back like a weightless doll.

    Crashing into a stone pillar, he sent a net of cracks running through its grey surface and then rolled down to the floor.

    Stunned by the tremendous, ridiculous force of that single blow, Sunny tried to push air into his four empty lungs and stared at the little girl with dread.

    '...Right. That is Effie, alright. Curses!'

 Chapter 670 With Kid Gloves

    Because of Effie's easygoing personality and affable attitude, it was easy to forget just how fearsome of a warrior she was.

    Out of all the members of the cohort, she had survived on the Forgotten Shore the longest�� she had done so while hunting down Nightmare Creatures on the cursed streets of the Dark City all alone, as well. Mostly because anyone willing to help her would have been disposed of by the ruler of the Bright Castle, who had been scorned by her rejection.

    The fact that the young huntress had never bowed to his demands despite the black mark placed on her only went to show how unyielding her will really was.

    Her Aspect made Effie a perfect instrument of war. While not as drastic as the dire, but narrow speed augmentation Caster had possessed, it was still great and wondrous. More importantly, it was an all-around enhancement �� speed, strength, agility, endurance, resilience�� every facet of her physicality was elevated to an inhuman level.

    Sunny knew of her abilities better than most, since Effie had taught him how to wield a spear. However, due to the fact that their lessons had taken place in the real world, where the huntress was bound to a wheelchair, he never experienced her full strength in a fight himself.

    Until now.

    'Crap�� that really hurt��'

    Before, Sunny had hoped that their strength would be more or less equal, considering that he was augmented by three shadows. However, it was not even close�� that one blow almost shattered his body into pieces. That was only made more bizarre by the fact that it had been delivered by a scrawny child.

    Maybe if he had an additional shadow, or two...

    Sunny had become much more powerful, but Effie had grown much stronger after the Forgotten Shore, as well. Her core was now fully saturated�� more than that, while Sunny had been surviving in the Red Colosseum, she had survived a hell of her own, it seemed.

    Being tortured, taught, and tempered by the cult that had created Solvane, of all people.

    Sunny spat some blood, gritted his teeth, and slowly stood up.

    'This is�� not good��'

    The little girl glanced at him with surprise and tilted her head a little.

    "Huh�� still alive? Damn�� tough bastard��"

    He thought of taking out the emerald amulet once again, but Effie gave him no time. A split second later, she was already upon him, her leg flying through the air toward his ribcage.

    Sunny had no time to think about anything. He didn't want to hurt his friend, but he also didn't want to die. And getting hit by this bruised, wild, monstrous girl was going to kill him soon enough, no doubt��

    'I need to slow her down.'

    Even if his ribs survived Effie's wicked kick due to Bone Weave, the organs protected by them were not that resilient. The shock would surely rupture something important��

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny thrust one of his lower hands forward, putting the sharp blade of the dagger in the path of Effie's small, bony, and bruised leg. She was going to have to rethink that attack or risk having her calf cut wide open.

    Unless�� she was using her second Aspect Ability, of course.

    'Curse it a��'

    The dagger slid off the girl's skin without leaving even a scratch on it, as though it was made out of tempered steel. Luckily, Sunny had expected this outcome and was already dodging out of the way.

    Effie's shin hit the pillar instead of his side, sending a rain of large stone chunks and sharp shards flying through the air. Before Sunny could regain his balance, the next attack came�� and then the next, and the next, and the next��

    Unable to seriously hurt the girl, he had no choice but to retreat under the onslaught of deadly strikes, receiving several glancing blows that left him reeling and in pain. The scrawny girl was very small, but made up for it by being incredibly nimble and swift. The little imp was so wily and fast, in fact, that it almost felt as though she was in several places at the same time.

    "Stop running, big guy! Let us�� let us finish this quickly�� I am hella hungry, you know!"

    'Argh�� would you slow down for a second, you devil child!'

    Sunny growled with unrestrained fury and brought the greatsword down, creating some space between himself and the advancing girl. He felt very, very... very frustrated.

    All he had to do, for now, was to let Effie know who he was. That was not very hard to do�� there were many ways, really. He could use one of his shadows, or summon a familiar Memory�� if only she gave him a damned moment to breathe and think!

    The problem was that Effie did not. She was also not fighting in any style Sunny was familiar with. He knew her usual technique pretty well, but this assault had nothing in common with it. In fact, her current ferocious style was leagues beyond what the huntress had been capable of in the past, both in terms of purpose and lethality.

    It was sort of�� breathtaking. Even when performed by a scrawny child.

    A Memory�� a Memory was the easiest option, since summoning one took only a thought and several seconds. However, that was also the worst option, because doing so would reveal his ability to summon things out of thin air to the Maidens. He and Kai had not gone through the trouble of appearing unarmed just to give that advantage away immediately.

    'Think, you fool!'

    There had to be a better way...

    Sunny deflected another devastating kick and took a step back, then froze for a split second�� and threw his buckler away.

    The thing was hideously bent by now, anyway.

    With one of his hands now free, he made it into a fist, sent it flying forward��

    And extended his middle finger with a vicious snarl.

    Effie, who was already preparing to launch another attack, blinked a couple of times, then looked up at the towering demon with confusion.

    "...Huh?"

    'Finally!'

    Using Effie's momentary confusion, Sunny lowered his hand and mimed grabbing the rim of a wheel and moving it forward and backward, as if pushing a wheelchair.

    The little girl frowned, then lunged forward and delivered a crushing strike, but this time, her movements were a bit slower, allowing him to easily dodge out of the way... purposefully so.

    Making sure that Effie could see his hand, he attacked with the greatsword while simultaneously making a fist again and pretending to have an arm wrestling match with an invisible opponent.

    The little girl swatted the sword away with her naked forearm, and then, her bloodred eyes suddenly widened.

    She craned her neck and stared at the towering demon with an inexorable expression, then blurted out in a soft, childish voice:

    "D��doofus?!"

    'Thank god... took you long enough.'

    Sunny pretended to attack her with the dagger, then dodged a similarly half-hearted kick, and gave the little girl a short nod.

    Effie's face trembled, and then, she whispered:

    "Why�� why the Spell are you so damn tall?!"

 Chapter 671 Thunderstruck

    Sunny stared at the little girl, trying not to lose his composure.

    '...What is wrong with these people?'

    He had two horns, a mouth full of sharp fangs, long claws, and four damned arms�� and yet, the first thing that both Effie and Kai had reacted to was his height. Was he not allowed to be tall, for once?!

    Continuing to pretend to fight the monstrous child in earnest, he pointed to his chest instead of an answer. Effie, too, slowed down her relentless assault a bit �� just enough to give him some breathing room without making her changed attitude obvious.

    A few moments later, when they were close to each other, she hissed quietly:

    "Let me guess, you saw the message I left that said to not come to the Temple of Chalice�� and, naturally, decided to do the exact opposite."

    Sunny spun, avoiding her fist, and raised two fingers.

    The girl frowned.

    "Two�� someone else is with you? Cassie? Kai? Ah, it's Kai�� so, both of you decided to ignore my warning!"

    She deflected his dagger to the side, grimaced when it slid over a barely healed laceration on her forearm, and then squeaked in her childish voice:

    "Well�� good! I, uh�� I might have been too full of myself, thinking that I would be able to actually escape this damned place. So... I am really, really glad that you came��"

    Sunny thrust his greatsword forward, narrowly missing the girl's head, and then let out a low growl.

    Effie gritted her teeth.

    "But, Sunny�� we have two problems. One is that these lunatics never let their disciples leave the sect alive. The second�� the second is that if one of us doesn't kill the other in this duel, my teachers are going to kill us both�� so��"

    She caught his sword with one hand, then brought her fist on its blade, shattering it and making Sunny stumble.

    "...so I hope that you have a plan! No, I know you do! Don't you?"

    Despite how beaten and bruised the girl was, her soft voice sounded optimistic and cheerful. Knowing that Effie was confident in his ability to get them both out of this dire situation alive, somehow, Sunny felt very validated.

    ��The problem was that he did not have a plan. In fact, he didn't have the slightest idea about how to survive this mess.

    Yet.

    So, he simply shook his head, making Effie pale and grow silent.

    As they continued to fight, Sunny thought feverishly. He didn't see any chance of escaping the Temple of the Chalice without a bloody battle against the War Maidens, as well as any way for the three of them to come up on top in that battle.

    Effie was strong and fearsome, but she was not Solvane. She would not have been able to fight her way out of the sect as that fiend had. With Kai and Sunny added into the equation, however��

    Things still didn't look too good.

    Out of the three, Sunny was the powerhouse. Even though his physical might was lesser than that of the huntress, overall, he was a much, much deadlier creature. Added to that were his three Shadows, two of which were Ascended Demons, while the third was an Awakened Terror.

    Sunny alone was most likely enough to contain two out of the three senior War Maidens, at least. Effie would have to handle the third one�� which would leave Kai alone against dozens of Awakened warriors gathered in the hall. That wouldn't work. No matter how Sunny moved the elements of the theoretical battle, nothing gave them a good chance of escaping alive.

    However, there had to be a way�� the War Maidens had been defeated in the future, after all, so they were not invincible��

    Thinking of the future, he hesitated for a moment, and then glanced at the massive stone chalice towering in the center of the hall, full of furious white flame. Unlike in the future, it was still whole and imposing, the complex enchantment that permeated the ancient stone holding the mass of divine fire contained inside.

    His face grew dim.

    'I don't like this idea�� no, I don't like it at all��'

    Indeed, he was not happy with the seed of a plan that suddenly appeared in his mind. Not only because it would be extremely dangerous and hard to pull off, but also because going through with it had broader, far-reaching implications he didn't want to think about.

    But no matter how hard Sunny thought, he couldn't come up with anything else to do. If moving the elements did not work, the only way to achieve his goal was to change them.

    With a deep sigh, he concentrated for a few moments, and then gestured Effie to keep close.

    At the same time, several things happened.

    Outside of the circle of runes, Saint lowered the Soul Serpent and then outstretched one hand, which suddenly became shrouded in a swarm of white sparks. She took a small step to the side to shield Kai with her body. Both actions caused the War Maidens surrounding them to grow tense, their hands gripping the hilts of their weapons.

    Within the circle, Sunny had become surrounded by countless onyx threads that ensnared his body. One of his four hands was enveloped by a swarm of scarlet sparks, one in a black fog, and the other two in a swirling mass of dancing sparks of white light.

    The three senior Maidens overseeing the fight frowned when they saw the four-armed demon undergo a strange transmutation. Although just a little, their stances shifted, revealing their readiness to intervene should a need arise.

    But they didn't move yet, reluctant to intrude upon the duel without an undeniable reason.

    A few seconds later, a kite shield forged out of dull steel appeared on Saint's arm, while the odachi she held silently slid into the shadows. Sunny was suddenly clad in intricate onyx armor, holding a somber spear in one of his lower hands and an austere tachi in another.

    Finally, a black bow with a scarlet string and a strange arrow that seemed to be made out of a bolt of lightning appear in his upper hands.

    [Patinet Avenger], [Cruel Sight], [Midnight Shard], [Morgan's Warbow], [Strike of Thunder]... and [Mantle of the Underworld] augmented by [Memory of Fire].

    He had summoned all these Memories at the same time, knowing that he might not have a chance to do so later.

    ��And there was one last Memory that he had called upon.

    As the light around him suddenly dimmed, the shape of a small black lantern started to manifest itself in the air.

    Spinning around before the senior War Maidens reacted, Sunny nocked the Strike of Thunder on the string of his bow. Then, he poured a massive flood of essence into the bow and drew it, activating the [Death Dealer] enchantment.

    ��[Unbending] Enchantments Description: "This adamantine bow demands a giant's might to be bent. Because of that, arrows shot from it travel as far as the eye can see, and strike with terrible strength, piercing both armor and flesh."

    [Death Dealer] Enchantment Description: "This bow is able to consume a large amount of essence to deliver an obliterating strike."

    And, finally:

    [Caged Lightning] Enchantment Description: [This arrow strikes as fast as a bolt of lightning, and chains its devastating damage to several nearby creatures.]

    Feeling his reserves of essence instantly diminish by a vast amount, Sunny gritted his teeth and released the string. At the last moment, all three of his shadow slid off his fingers and wrapped themselves around the Strike of Thunder.

    And so, this Ascended arrow of the Second Tier was sent flying from an Ascended bow of the Fourth Tier, its power augmented manyfold by the three shadows and the obliterating influence of the [Death Dealer] enchantment.

    A shot like that�� would probably be enough to kill a Master. The arrow was too fast to be intercepted, as well.

    However, Sunny had not aimed at any of the three senior War Maidens.

    Instead, he aimed his arrow... at the stone chalice. And not anywhere on it, at that. No, he sent the Strike of Thunder at the exact spot on the ancient stone surface where the weave of invisible runes was the most intense and elaborate.

    Sunny doubted that even this combination of powers and enchantments would be enough to deal real damage to the stone vessel. However, if he could destroy a small, but important part of its enchantment�� the divine flame contained within would do the rest.

    ��As the bolt of lightning streaked through the air toward the chalice, he grabbed the little girl and dashed behind one of the columns, then knelt and hugged her with all four arms, covering her little body with his.

    At the same time, Saint pushed Kai back and raised her shield, covering them both.

    Before anyone could react, the furious lightning struck the side of the giant stone chalice��

    And then, everything became white.

 Chapter 672 Shadow Cohort

    The bolt of darkness-wreathed lightning shot between two of the senior War Maidens and struck the side of the stone chalice. A flash of light drowned the hall for a split second, and almost instantly, three arcs of electricity tore through the air, traveling back to strike the sect leaders. Since there was no one else near them, the lightning did not chain further, spending all its might while coursing through the bodies of the Ascended warriors��

    Sunny did not see any of that, however, because he was already dashing toward a wide stone pillar with Effie's scrawny figure held in his arms��

    Behind him, a single narrow crack appeared on the surface of the chalice.

    ��And through it, a furious white light suddenly shone.

    A moment later, countless fractures appeared on the ancient stone, and then, everything became white.

    "Argh!"

    Sunny was on his knees behind the column, his back to the center of the hall, hugging Effie with all his four arms. His vision was gone, replaced by an endless field of flawless white, and so was his hearing. He felt a shockwave go through his body, and the pillar behind him shatter, turning into a rain of broken, melting stone. Then, a flash of agony pierced his soul.

    Everything was enveloped by terrifying, suffocating heat. He felt it wash over him like a wave, and prayed that they would survive its immolating embrace.

    He had a reason to believe that they would. In the future, there had been bones littering the floor of the hall, after all. That meant that when the real chalice exploded, not everyone around it had been turned to ash.

    Sunny also had the [Stalwart] enchantment of the Mantle of the Underworld providing him with high resistance to elemental attacks, as well as [Underworld Armament] enchantment channeling and enhancing the protective effect of the Memory of Fire through the onyx armor.

    That was not going to be enough to withstand divine flame itself, but could save him �� and Effie, whom he was shielding with his towering body �� from the heat produced by the flame.

    A few moments later, the white field veiling his sight suddenly dimmed, and gave way to beautiful darkness. The Shadow Lantern was devouring the light surrounding its master, uncaring for what had produced it.

    After a couple more seconds, Sunny was finally able to discern the shape of his surroundings.

    The sight of the great hall�� was all too familiar.

    The stone chalice lay in a molten pile on the stone floor, which was cracked and shattered. Most of the pillars supporting the roof had toppled, and so did a section of the roof itself, revealing a piece of the night sky, with stars shining on its black canvas.

    The walls of the hall were fractured and had collapsed outward�� just like they would be in the future.

    All over the devastated chamber, small pieces of the divine flame burned. Some danced on shards of stone, slowly devouring it, some on the charred corpses of those War Maidens that had been killed in the blast. However, the flames did not seem to be spreading�� strangely, there were numerous runes shining on what remained of the hall's floor and ceiling, weakening them.

    ��Perhaps because of those runes, many of the War Maidens survived.

    'Curse it��'

    The three Ascended were all alive, although two of the three were severely wounded - whether by the lightning of the Strike of Thunder, the explosion, or the divine flame, Sunny did not know. Some of their Awakened disciples had survived, as well, and were now slowly rising from the ground, shock and fury written on their pale faces.

    And Sunny was alive, too.

    But not unscathed.

    His body was not damaged, but one of his shadows seemed to have been too slow to retreat from the chalice and had gotten itself burned a little by the divine flame. Since the three shadows were manifestations of his soul, it was burned, as well.

    Gritting his teeth, Sunny endured the pain and rose to his feet.

    Soul damage�� well, what else was new?

    Just as he thought that, the shadows slid between the dancing flames and attached themselves to his feet, one cradling its damaged arm with three hands.

    Effie looked around with shock, sweat rolling down her little face.

    "The hell�� happened�� you c��crazy��"

    She spoke and instantly regretted it when a torrent of scorchingly hot air streamed into her mouth.

    Sunny evaluated the situation, then pushed the little girl away, gesturing at the far end of the hall. There, Kai was levitating above the floor, his hood torn and his wooden mask glowing angrily, as if seconds from catching on fire. The young man was surrounded by a whirlwind of white sparks, no doubt summoning his armor and weapons.

    ��He was also surrounded by a dozen surviving War Maidens.

    Effie's eyes widened, and she took a step in his direction, but then hesitated and looked at Sunny with concern.

    "...What about the Masters?!"

    He glanced at the three Ascended warriors, and then simply pointed a finger at himself.

    The little girl wanted to say something, her eyes full of worry and unease, but then nodded and dashed away, summoning her own Memories.

    Left alone, Sunny dismissed Morgan's Warbow, transferred the Cruel Sight to his upper hands, and slowly walked toward the fearsome battle masters.

    Three shadows followed him, and whenever he passed, the light was destroyed and replaced by darkness.

    The four-armed demon in onyx armor stopped a dozen or so meters away from the leaders of the Red Sect and tilted his head a little, staring at them with his black eyes.

    The white-haired Ascended �� the only one who remained unscathed after the explosion �� looked at him with cold hatred, then smiled wildly and spat:

    "Foul shadow�� you dare challenge the three of us alone?"

    The Maiden with red hair gritted her teeth and moved her badly burned arm, raising the scarlet odachi into a battle-ready position. The one with black hair leaned heavily on her spear, then whispered something, causing the runes on the weapon to ignite with an angry red glow.

    Sunny remained motionless for a second, then shook his head.

    And grinned, revealing his sharp fangs.

    ��A moment later, three terrifying creatures burst from his shadows, fury burning in their eyes. One was a giant serpent with obsidian scales, one was a dreadful black steed with adamantine horns and fangs like those of a wolf, and the third one was a graceful knight in onyx armor, wielding a charred kite shield and a stone sword.

    Together, the four Shadows lunged forward.

 Chapter 673 War Masters

    An Awakened had no business fighting one Ascended... let alone three, each radiating an aura of an aberrant battle master. But then again, as far as Awakened went, Sunny was more than a little abnormal himself.

    He had already killed two Masters before: Pierce, one of the wardens of the Night Temple, and the fearsome Red Priest, the slave overseer of the Colosseum. Both victories had been won by the skin of his teeth and cost him dearly�� Sunny had even lost his head in one of those battles.

    The War Maidens seemed far more daunting than both of those men, and there were three of them. The previous clashes with the Ascended he had were nothing compared to the dire challenge of this one.

    ��However, during both of those fights, Sunny hadn't had the opportunity to go full out. The first time, Saint and Serpent had been preoccupied with the human Echoes. The second time, he had been cut off from the Spell, and thus from his arsenal of Memories. But this time��

    This time, nothing was preventing Sunny from unleashing the full and dreadful power of his Divine Aspect. It was time to show what he was truly capable of when nothing held him back.

    Fortunately, two of the War Maidens had already been injured by Sunny's treacherous attack. So, although attacking the three of them alone seemed more than a little bit insane, there was a good chance that he would win this fight.

    ��As the three Ascended prepared to deflect the assault of Shadows, Saint lowered her shoulder, put it behind the Patient Avenger, and aimed the charred kite shield at the enemies.

    [Burning Heart] Enchantment Description: "This shield can store a portion of fire damage it receives to augment another weapon of its wielder or unleash a devastating shockwave."

    A deep metallic groan resounded from within the shield, and then, an invisible shockwave exploded outward from its dull steel surface. The Patient Avenger had absorbed plenty of fire damage during the explosion of divine flames, and now, all that furious force was released forward, shattering the chunks of stone that littered the cracked floor into dust and sending the War Masters flying back, into different directions.

    Whatever chance of a coordinated defense they had before was now utterly gone.

    Without slowing down, Sunny and his Shadows split. The Soul Serpent slithered between the dancing flames, lunging at the Maiden that wielded a spear. Saint ran toward the Maiden that wielded an odachi. And finally, Sunny and Nightmare flew toward the Maiden that was unarmed, but radiated the most pressure.

    'Come on!'

    Everything was going according to plan... however, no plan ever survived a clash with reality. A moment later, something unexpected happened, putting a wrinkle into Sunny's stratagem.

    The woman with black hair twisted in the air and gracefully landed on her feet, plunging the tip of her glowing spear into the stone floor to stop herself from sliding back, into the white wall of divine flame burning behind her. And then�� there were suddenly two of her.

    Two identical War Maidens jumped to their feet, each holding an identical glowing spear. None looked like an illusion, and both possessed real shadows. Both were made of flesh and bone. Which meant... that the threat she posed instantly doubled.

    'What kind of an insane Aspect is that?!'

    Sunny bared his fangs, changing the plan on the fly.

    Nightmare pivoted and switched direction, aiming to join Soul Serpent and help it destroy the two spear-wielding Ascended. One of the shadows cast by Sunny swiftly glided forward, wrapping itself around the black steed. The other two rose and embraced Sunny himself, since he was now facing the most fearsome of the War Masters alone.

    Saint was going to have to deal with her own opponent without any augmentations. He wasn't too worried, though�� out of the four of them, she was probably the most powerful.

    A moment later, the War Maidens and the Shadows clashed.

    To Sunny's left, Nightmare and the Soul Serpent attacked the two identical black-haired women. Now that the shadow steed was apart from Sunny and outside the area where the Shadow Lantern was devouring all light, the effect of the [Dark Destrier] Attribute was lessened, depriving him of its augmentation. However, the [Dreadlord] Attribute was still working.

    No matter how confident and fearsome the War Maidens appeared, they had to be in the throes of fear in confusion deep down in their hearts. After all, their sacred chalice had just been unexpectedly destroyed, and scores of their sisters had been killed in the explosion. Added to Nightmare's [Mantle of Fear] Ability, even powerful Ascended like them would not be able to resist the creeping terror�� and the more terrified they were, the more powerful the black courser would become.

    So, Sunny was not worried about Serpent and Nightmare, either.

    To his right, Saint clashed with the red-haired Ascended, their blades crossing with melodious ringing. The War Maiden pushed, causing the taciturn demon to stagger and make a quick step back. Considering how much the living statue weighed, this must have taken tremendous strength�� so, this one possessed some sort of a physical augmentation Aspect.

    Her terrible burns seemed to be healing with incredible speed, too, which meant that the Aspect gifted her with a miraculous regeneration rate, as well. And lastly, there was a deep nick left on the blade of Saint's stone sword�� either the enchantments of the scarlet odachi were especially powerful, or the woman possessed an Ability capable of reinforcing her weapons, too.

    Still, Sunny was confident that his silent Shadow would be able to win.

    The only member of their team he was somewhat worried about�� was himself.

    Raising the Cruel Sight above his left shoulder and lowering the Midnight Shard to his right thigh, Sunny lunged at the white-haired War Maiden, who was still calm, entirely unscathed, and unarmed.

    'Let's see what kind of a fiend you are, then��'

    Looking at the attacking demon with cold hatred, the woman simply outstretched her empty hands��

    And in the next moment, the stone shards and the dancing flames around them suddenly moved.

 Chapter 674 Mercy Of Shadow

    'What the��'

    The shards of stone and the dancing flames moved, flying through the air toward the tall woman. Instead of crushing and burning her, however, they somehow assembled around her slender body, the pieces of stone levitating around it to form a strange armor, the fire shrouding her hands like incandescent gloves.

    Sunny suddenly felt a deep, dangerous sense of unease.

    "How dare you, vile shadow��"

    The voice of the War Madein thundered in the darkness that the Shadow Lantern had created, and then, two furious white eyes ignited in its depths, piercing Sunny with a murderous gaze.

    "How dare you challenge War��"

    A split second later, the Maiden disappeared from where she stood, the stone slab beneath her feet exploding into a rain of shards. Almost instantly, she was already upon him, a flame-wreathed palm shooting forward to pierce his chest.

    'Damnation�� what is it with women of War always going straight for my heart? This is already the third time this happens!'

    Sunny awkwardly blocked the devastating blow, and felt himself being thrown back by the terrifying force of the impact. Luckily, the Mantle of the Underworld had withstood the touch of the divine flames that shrouded his enemy's hands, if just barely, the enhanced enchantment of Memory of Fire still coursing through its polished onyx.

    'Argh!'

    Something wasn't right here�� even for a Master, the speed and strength of this woman were way too terrifying. With three cores nearing full saturation and augmented with two shadows, he was supposed to be near the realm of the Ascended, at least, if not more or less on par with some of them. And yet, her might was far greater than his.

    That could have been explained by possessing an Aspect that augmented one's physicality, but as Sunny had just seen, the white-haired War Maiden seemed to be some sort of an elemental sorceress.

    'Ah�� I see how it is��'

    Crashing onto the floor in a roll, he instantly threw the Cruel Sight forward to prevent his enemy from chaining the next attack after the first, and then slashed at her with the Midnight Shard.

    The blade of the austere tachi scraped fruitlessly across the carapace of levitating stone shards surrounding the War Maiden's body.

    It seemed that the effect of her Aspect was broader than just elemental control. Not only was the fearsome leader of the Red Sect capable of manipulating the elements, she also drew power from them. The stone probably enhanced her strength and endurance. The fire�� her speed? Attack power?

    Whatever it was, it seemed to also allow the white-haired Maiden to perceive her surroundings despite the veil of shadows his lantern was creating around them.

    With a ruthless scowl on her beautiful face, the woman easily swatted both the Cruel Sight and the Midnight Shard to the sides.

    ��However, she failed to defend against the sharp blade of the ghostly stiletto that suddenly appeared in one of Sunny's hands and slid between the chunks of stone protecting her body. The Moonlight Shard bit into the Maiden's body, failing to sink deep, but still drawing blood.

    Sunny grinned. There was a benefit to having four arms, after all.

    'Not so high and mighty now, are you��'

    The Maiden seemed more infuriated than hurt, though. The stone carapace swirled around her, sending the Moonlight Shard flying away from his hand, and then two incandescent fists descended upon him. A spark of flame traveled through the whirlwind of stone shards and licked her body, perfectly cauterizing the wound.

    'Bad��'

    The white-haired warrior and Sunny clashed, their speed and ferocity causing more destruction to befall the devastated hall of the temple. Since they were shrouded by a rolling cloud of darkness, no one would have been able to see what was happening under the veil of shadows, noticing only flashes of white radiance that tore through it from time to time.

    All they would be able to perceive were the furious sounds of a frightening, inhuman battle.

    The War Maiden was faster and stronger than Sunny. Her Aspect was fearsome, and her skill was unlike anything he had ever seen. It was different from how humans of the waking world fought, but in no way inferior�� in fact, her murderous technique was utterly sublime in its deadly power, stark perfection, and lethal precision.

    She was also able to control the flow of essence through her body with such an intricate and ingenious measure of control that it made Sunny realize how crude and clumsy his own, which he had been proud of before, really was. His essence was running low, too, because of how much he had spent on delivering the obliterating shot from Morgan's Warbow.

    However, he was not defenseless in that fight. While the War Maiden possessed a sublime technique, Sunny possessed a myriad of them. He was able to shift from one style to another effortlessly, dancing like a shapeless shadow, making it difficult to predict and prevent his next move.

    The Cruel Sight danced with him, swiftly changing its form from a somber spear to a mirror sword and jumping between his four hands �� Sunny had dismissed the Midnight Shard, knowing that it would not be able to withstand the immolating heat of divine flames shrouding his enemy's arms.

    He relied on his versatility and deception to keep himself alive under the ferocious assault of the monstrous Ascended�� and through all of it, he was observing how she moved, how her shadow moved, how they fought, how they reacted��

    Shadow Dance was slowly absorbing the War Maidens's sublime battle style, thus making her incredible technique more transparent and predictable. The process was helped by the fact that Sunny had recognized the same foundation in it that he had witnessed when Effie attacked him earlier�� the two were a master and a pupil, after all.

    For now, Sunny was locked into a desperate defense, with no hope of launching an effective attack of his own. It seemed as though his death was only a matter of time�� but in reality, he was just biding his time, waiting for the right moment to deliver a single, but singularly inescapable strike.

    And soon enough, that moment came.

    Sunny was battered and beaten, the onyx surface of the Mantle of the Underworld cracked and glowing orange in several places, as if on the verge of melting. His reserves of essence were almost empty, and his breathing was labored and arduous. One of his horns was broken, or rather cut cleanly, the edges turned glossy and black by the indescribable heart of the War Maiden's fiery palm.

    But then, he suddenly saw it. An opportunity��

    There was probably not going to be another one of those in this dire fight.

    As the white-haired warrior raised her hand to deliver another terrible strike, he suddenly turned the blade of the Cruel Sight slightly, so that it faced the enemy with the flat side.

    And then, Sunny activated the [Light Eater] enchantment of the somber spear, turning its blade into a source of bright, radiant sunlight.

    The War Maiden had used her Aspect to adjust her eyes to the darkness. And for that reason, a sudden flash of daylight blinded her, while Sunny remained unaffected by it. He was relying on his shadow sense to move around, anyway.

    His enemy was only blinded for a second�� but in the battle at their level, one second might as well have been an eternity.

    Simply losing her sight would not have made the War Maiden defenseless, of course. A warrior like her would have been taught how to fight with her eyes closed. And indeed, she instantly shifted her body and moved her hands, preparing to deflect the most probable attacks.

    Unfortunately for her, Sunny had already gained enough insight into her style to know exactly what these movements would be. And so, he knew how to slip through them.

    One of his hands suddenly shot forward, the clawed gauntlet shattering a piece of stone protecting the woman's neck. The other followed, passing through the momentary gap in the magical carapace�� and ripping her throat apart.

    A strange sound escaped from the War Maidens's lips. Her eyes widened, the white radiance burning in them growing dimmer. For some reason, Sunny felt himself be disturbed by that sight.

    The whirlwind of stone shards surrounding the Maiden's powerful body rained to the ground.

    "C��can't�� can't be�� a shadow��"

    With that, the fearsome leader of the Red Sect fell to her knees, life draining through the terrible wound on her neck.

    ��All it took to kill her was one calculated, treacherous strike.

    Before the Spell spoke, Sunny hesitated for a moment, then leaned down and whispered:

    "Find peace within me. This... is the mercy of Shadow."

 Chapter 675 Devastation

    A few moments later after Sunny spoke, the Spell whispered into his ear:

    [You have slain an Ascended human, War Maiden Hilde.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    He took a step back and grunted, pain and exhaustion permeating his battered body.

    "Why don't I feel happy��"

    Sunny did not mean to say those words aloud. With a frown, he pulled his gaze away from the corpse of the valiant maiden, briefly glanced at the emerald amulet grasped in one of his hands, and hid it back under the cracked breastplate of the Mantle of the Underworld.

    It was not every day that he achieved a victory in a battle against an Ascended. He should have been celebrating�� but really, Sunny was not too fond of killing humans.

    ��At least those whom he did not hate.

    Feeling pain travel through his scorched body and observing the sorry state of the Mantle, he activated its [Living Stone] enchantment and saw the stonelike metal start to restore itself. He also sensed most of his remaining essence flow through the armor, disappearing as it empowered the process.

    With a sigh, Sunny leaned on the Cruel Sight and looked around warily. He was not in the best shape, and the battle was not over. It wasn't time to celebrate yet.

    To his right, Saint was entangled with the red-haired Ascended, their weapons weaving a fearsome pattern of destruction across the remains of the great hall. The Patient Avenger was glowing with an angry orange radiance, and her stone sword was surrounded with flames �� augmented by the [Cold Steel] enchantment of the shield, it was somehow resisting the scarlet odachi.

    However, the blade of the sword was covered by numerous nicks and cracks, as if it was seconds away from falling apart. The body of the War Maiden, meanwhile, was washed in blood but free of any wound, betraying the fact that she had been able to heal all the damage dealt to her by Saint.

    To his left, Serpent and Nightmare were fighting the two identical Ascendeds. One, surprisingly, was already on the floor, the black steed stomping viciously on her chest with adamantine hooves. The sight of it was both disturbing and frightening, even though Sunny knew that the dreadful horse was on his side.

    The second maiden was entangled in a furious battle with Soul Serpent, her enchanted spear flashing through the air and leaving deep gashes on the stygian scales of the giant snake.

    Despite Serpent's advantage in size and might, the woman was too swift, cunning, and skilled to allow herself to be caught by its coils. What's worse, her weapon seemed to be able to follow the enemy into the shadows, striking at Serpent even when it dove into them to ensnare her.

    The black-haired warrior was truly terrifying. To be able to resist both an Ascended Demon and an Awakened Terror at the same time, even after being damaged by the Strike of Thunder and the explosion of the chalice was something only the most fearsome Masters of the waking world would have been able to do�� if any.

    However, her luck had run out.

    Because today, she met Sunny.

    Stepping through the shadows, he appeared behind the maiden and struck her in the back, not at all concerned with how cowardly and dishonorable such an attack was�� or would have been considered by some people, rather.

    Honor was for fools�� and while Sunny knew himself to behave like a fool on occasion, he was at least immune to this particular kind of foolishness.

    The blade of the Cruel Sight pierced the heart of the brave War Maiden and flashed with white incandescence of divine flames for a split second, dealing devastating damage to everything it touched. The woman died instantly, without even realizing who had killed her.

    At the same time, her second copy finally succumbed to Nightmare's hooves and stopped moving, her body a terrifying mess of torn flesh and broken bones. A moment later, it shimmered with a dark red glow, and disappeared.

    The Spell spoke:

    [You have slain an Ascended human, War Maiden Gvenravyr.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    'One more left��'

    Regretting his decision to not let the Serpent finish off the Ascended, thus replenishing his now empty reserves of essence, Sunny gritted his teeth and turned his head to glance at Saint��

    However, at that moment, the voice of the Spell suddenly resounded once again:

    [You have slain an Ascended human, War Maiden Kara.]

    [Your shadow grows stronger.]

    ��What he saw was the War Maiden's decapitated body toppling to the floor, the taciturn knight standing above it with a shattered sword in her hand. The length of its stone blade �� what remained of it, at least �� was painted crimson, heavy drops falling down from it.

    Saint remained motionless for a few moments, then glanced at her broken sword with regret. Her shoulders moved slightly, as if the Shadow sighed. Dropping the shattered blade, she then bent down and nonchalantly picked up the scarlet odachi that slipped from the Ascended's fingers.

    Finally, the taciturn demon brandished the odachi and turned around to look in the direction of the entrance to the great hall.

    'What is she looking at��'

    Sunny frowned, then suddenly shivered.

    'Oh, right�� Effie and Kai!'

    He spun, remembering that his friends were currently facing off against a dozen of powerful Awakened warriors.

    However, he didn't have to worry.

    The War Maidens�� almost all of them were already dead.

    Kai was just about to finish off the last one. The young man was clad in beautiful armor forged out of white steel and gold, wielding a swift saber. His battle skill seemed to have improved tremendously since their time on the Forgotten Shore�� those months in the army of the Ivory City must have taught him a lot.

    Effie was done with her share of enemies, as well. The little girl was now wearing a familiar bronze armor, the white chiton beneath it replaced by the red silken tunic of the War Maidens. The Dusk Shard was also there, on her hand. However, now the heavy round shield was almost the size of her entire body.

    Just then, Kai dodged a strike of his opponent, hovered above the floor at an impossible angle, and delivered an unexpected thrust to the War Maiden's abdomen. A moment later, Effie slammed into her with the Dusk Shard. The female warrior fell to the ground, either dead or dying.

    Suddenly, the devastated hall of the Temple of the Chalice was enveloped in silence.

    The three of them �� Sunny, Kai, and Effie �� stared at each other with confused expressions on their faces.

    It was all over.

    Have they really�� won?

 Chapter 676 Glass Knife

    Surrounded by devastation, Sunny, Kai, and Effie stared at each other with confused expressions on their faces. Their weapons were still raised, ready to strike at the enemies�� however, there were no enemies around.

    Just dead silence.

    Sunny tensely studied the devastated hall, then slowly pulled out the emerald amulet and looked at the little girl with a silent question written on his face.

    "Effie�� tell me�� is there, perhaps, a slumbering Saint somewhere in the temple?"

    She frowned, then shook her head.

    Sunny was genuinely perplexed.

    "Uh�� maybe there is an indescribable horror that had been contained by the chalice? And we have set it free? Or an ancient curse? "

    The little girl wiped the sweat off her bruised face, then said in her soft, childish voice:

    "Not that I know of. Uh�� no, there are no horrors. Or curses."

    Sunny blinked a couple of times.

    "So, what�� we really won? Just like that?"

    Effie stared at him for a bit, and then yelped in outrage:

    "What the hell do you mean by just like that?! We just wiped out half a hundred vicious Awakened battle zealots, and you yourself killed three Ascended champions! Not to mention destroying the chalice�� which was supposed to be indestructible, by the way�� was that not hard enough for you, you crazy demon?!"

    He tilted his head a little and thought about it.

    "Well, when you put it like that�� I guess it was a bit hard��"

    The three of them, especially Sunny, had indeed achieved something remarkable just now. But it still felt weird�� he didn't even lose a single limb, body part, or heart!

    Well�� he did lose half of a horn. That had to count for something, probably?

    ? Sunny scowled. That victory had not been easy �� in fact, it had been the opposite of that. However, it had not been as costly as he would have expected it to be.

    Three Ascended were no joke, let alone as fearsome as the War Maidens had been. Granted, they had faced him after being mangled by the Strike of Thunder and the consequent explosion of the chalice. And he had only been able to damage the chalice, thus allowing the divine flame contained within to destroy it, because of his insight into how true sorcery worked.

    So, in a sense, this victory was the result of those months Sunny had spent barely surviving in the Red Colosseum, as well as his trials in the countless nightmares that gifted him his third Shadow.

    ��And more than a bit of luck.

    He sighed, then asked dubiously:

    "So, what? We can just�� go?"

    Effie looked around, her gaze lingering on the corpse of the white-haired Maiden for a few seconds. Her little face turned somber, and then, she simply shrugged.

    "Unless you want to get roasted even more by the divine flames, I suggest we do."

    Kai, who had been silent this whole time, looked around, as well. His gaze, however, seemed to be aimed at something beyond the walls of the devastated hall. Then, he lowered his head, his eyes turning dark.

    The young man lingered for a few moments, and then said in a low, hoarse voice:

    "Are there�� are there other children that were being trained in the sect? Do we need to take them with us?"

    Sunny froze, then scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

    "Oh, yes. I, uh�� did not think about that. The War Maidens were known to take in orphaned girls, right? Where are they?"

    He wasn't too happy about the prospect of taking care of a bunch of kids, especially since he had just slaughtered their previous caretakers. But the idea of leaving them here did not sit right with Sunny, whether or not they were just phantasms of the Nightmare.

    Noctis would end up having to deal with settling the children in the Sanctuary, anyway.

    Effie's childish face slowly turned still, and she briefly glanced down, in the direction where Kai had been looking a few moments ago. She turned away and said in a strangely even tone:

    "Ah�� there were a few other girls with me before, indeed. But they�� well, they didn't make it."

    She dismissed the Dusk Shard, then bent down to pick up one of the swords laying on the stones.

    "The War Maidens were not bad people, you see�� at least not at the start of it all. But somewhere along the way, the sect changed. By the time the girl whose body I took over ended up with them, it was as though�� as though everyone here had gone insane."

    She walked to the next corpse, stared at it with strange darkness in her eyes, and then picked up another weapon.

    "They were obsessed with the idea of creating a warrior capable of slaying someone called Solvane. So, their training �� what they called training, anyway �� had grown vicious, cruel, and inhumanly hard. Of all the girls subjected to it, only a handful survived. In this batch, ah�� I was the only one."

    Effie sighed, then stopped, staring once again at the body of the white-haired War Maiden with a complicated expression.

    "Strange, isn't it? It was not like they hated us. On the contrary, they seemed to care about their wards a great deal. Didn't stop them from killing us, though."

    She remained silent for a bit, and then added:

    "...And despite the fact those girls were being tormented and killed, it didn't stop them from loving their killers. Humans are very weird that way, huh?"

    The little girl was silent for a few moments, then suddenly smiled.

    "So, yeah. I would like to get out of this place very much. If there is nothing else�� let's just go."

    Sunny hesitated, then silently motioned to Kai to come closer to Effie. She was putting on a brave face, but he could sense that beneath it, the huntress was... deeply disturbed by what had happened to her in this temple, and what they had done to the temple themselves.

    Then, he turned around and headed for what remained of the stone chalice.

    As he got closer, the heat of the divine flame grew almost unbearable. Sunny once again activated the enchantment of the Memory of Fire and the augmentation of the Underworld Armament, then moved carefully between the burning shards of stone.

    In the spot where the chalice had stood before, surrounded by a ring of flames, a simple knife made of a piece of ghostly glass lay, reflecting the furious white light of the fire. Because of the shape and position of the deep fractures that had spread through the cracked floor, it seemed as though the glass blade had been the epicenter of the terrible explosion.

    There was not a simple blemish on its surface, though.

    Sunny lingered for a moment, then leaned forward and picked up the Glass Knife. It was light and cool to the touch... just how he remembered it. Just to make sure, Sunny glanced beneath the surface of the glass blade and froze for a moment, transfixed by the sight of a single string of fate encased within it, looping endlessly on itself.

    Even if he had not seen that knife in one of his nightmares, he would have instantly recognized it for what it was.

    The key to an immortal's death. The Ivory Lord's death.

    ...He had found it.

 Chapter 677 Current Of Fate

    Outside of the now-empty Temple of the Chalice, the dawn was slowly painting the world in a beautiful shade of lilac. Sunny was sitting on the ground, staring at a scarlet odachi and a spear with a blade etched with runes that lay on the ground in front of him.

    Kai had dismissed his armor and was standing nearby, his wooden mask charred and blackened by the heat of the divine flames. His gaze was distant.

    Effie was also close. She was standing in front of a pile of weapons, some of them whole, some broken and melted by the fire. Despite her exhaustion and injuries, the little girl, whose body was almost entirely covered by bruises and lacerations, was picking up one weapon after another, then thrusting them into the rocky ground with somber determination.

    The graveyard of swords surrounding the temple was slowly growing, thanks to her efforts.

    Sunny observed Effie for a while, then sighed. He did not see a lot of sense in leaving so many enchanted weapons behind, even if most of them were only equivalent to Awakened Memories. However, he was also not going to stop the girl from performing the wasteful ritual, as long as it gave her some closure�� or whatever it was she was seeking by performing the strange burial.

    It gave him food for thought, however.

    In the future he knew, there was no such graveyard around the ruined Temple of the Chalice. Which meant that no one had done this last mercy for the War Maidens slaughtered in the great hall. Was that the reason they had turned into vengeful wraiths, perhaps?

    ��Maybe. Or maybe the swords had just been stolen or destroyed at some point later in time. He had not seen the rest of the graveyard in the future as well, after all.

    So then�� what, exactly, was the connection between the Nightmares and the Dream Realm?

    Before, Sunny had been sure that Nightmares were simply recreations of the past. Now, however, he was not so certain. After all, the Temple of the Chalice was destroyed in the same exact manner as it had been in the future. Which meant that�� he had always been the one to destroy it?

    The Seed of Nightmare was a portal to the actual past?

    Sunny scowled, then shook his head.

    No, this didn't make any sense. If that was true, then too many things would have been changed in the waking world every time an Awakened conquered their Nightmare. The connection was too easy to spot�� all he had to do was to go and carve his name into one of the menhirs of the Sanctuary, then check if it had actually appeared outside the Seed.

    People weren't fools�� they would have known, by now. Nightmares were almost certainly simply recreations of the past of the Dream Realm, and not the actual thing.

    However, the coincidence of how the Temple of the Chalice had ended up was too glaring to be natural. Logically, the appearance of Awakened from the Waking World should have changed the course of events that had happened in the past completely. And yet, it had not�� at least not yet.

    He could think of two explanations for that, one far less frightening than the other.

    The first explanation was that this was a simple case of his knowledge of the future informing his actions in the past. Sunny had thought of destroying the chalice because he had already seen it destroyed in the future, and so, the cycle had been complete without any ominous reasons. Just due to a logical connection.

    The second explanation�� was far more concerning, at least to Sunny. He knew more about fate than most people. He knew how hard it was to change it, let alone escape its stranglehold completely. So what�� what if fate had a pull on all things, had influence over all of existence, and pushed everything, everywhere in a certain direction?

    To a certain conclusion, no less.

    If so, the details of what happened could potentially change, but the end would inevitably, and inescapably, be the same. That�� that was a thought that terrified Sunny beyond belief.

    He had proclaimed fate to be his sworn enemy, after all. And now, that enemy seemed for fearsome than ever.

    ...With a grim expression, he glanced at Effie one more time, then rose from the ground and walked over to the pile of weapons, picking one of them up and thrusting it into the ground.

    The girl was breathing heavily, her little body seemingly on the verge of collapse. Nevertheless, she glanced at Sunny with a stubborn expression:

    "What are you doing?"

    Sunny picked up another sword and shrugged.

    "...Helping. You must be hungry, are you not? The sooner we are done with this, the sooner you can eat. Everyone wins, no?"

    Effie hesitated for a bit, then turned away and nodded slowly. Together, they continued to bury the swords of the Maidens in the rocky soil, with Kai soon joining them.

    Before too long, the pile of weapons had disappeared, joining the countless swords surrounding the empty, silent temple.

    Sunny did not know if what they had done was going to change fate, even a little bit.

    But he hoped ardently that it would.

    ***

    The next morning, the inhabitants of the Sanctuary saw a very peculiar thing. A man in a wooden mask and with skin that resembled tree bark effortlessly landed on the soft grass of the island, his tall figure covered by a fitting silk garment.

    A moment later, a towering four-armed demon climbed from beneath the island and joined him. However, that was not all��

    There was a scrawny girl of about eleven or twelve years of age sitting on the shoulders of the demon, holding his horns with her little hands and swinging her skinny legs wildly.

    "Gee-up! Faster!"

    Listening to Effie laugh, Sunny gritted his teeth, then said with irritation:

    "Can you�� stop swinging your legs? I am not a horse, damn it!"

    The huntress did not listen, so he grabbed her legs with two of his four hands and held them in place.

    ��Which was not easy to do, considering the little girl's monstrous strength.

    "Ouch! My bruises!"

    Effie made a pitiful face and whimpered.

    "Oh, no�� please don't hurt me, Uncle Demon! I'll be good, I promise! I'll try to recover from the beatings faster�� you don't need to get angry��"

    As the people stared at the girl's terribly bruised body with dark expressions, then looked at Sunny angrily, he hissed:

    "I didn't�� she's not�� you stop it right now, Effie! That is not funny!"

    The little girl threw her head back and laughed again, then leaned down with a mischievous smile:

    "Yes, of course! Whatever you say, Uncle!"

    After that, she glanced at the tall menhirs of the Sanctuary and lingered for a few moments, then whispered quietly into his ear:

    "...So, let me get this straight. Everyone in this Nightmare was driven insane by the Demon of Desire, and to conquer it, we need to set her free�� with the help of a mad Transcendent sorcerer who wants to defy the gods, start a war against the other four Chain Lords, and kill them. And it was that guy, Noctis, who sent you to the Temple of the Chalice. He is the one we are here to see?"

    Sunny looked forward with a dark expression on his bestial face, and then growled.

    "More or less. We have a thing or two to discuss with him��"

    He paused for a moment before adding, murderous flames igniting in his eyes:

    "...because I am pretty sure that Noctis, that rotten bastard, has swindled me again!"

 Chapter 678 Wind Of Change

    The three of them entered the Sanctuary, crossed the beautiful garden, and entered the sorcerer's residence through a familiar wooden door, Effie still sitting on Sunny's shoulders with a curious expression on her childish face.

    The rooms within, however, had changed since the last time Sunny had seen them.

    The luxurious furniture was gone, as well as beautiful decorations covering the walls. Instead, all that met them was barren stone, with a few broken Sailor Dolls laying on it, their limbs disassembled and laid out around the bodies like macabre pieces of art.

    The floor of the whole central chamber was covered by a circle made out of a myriad of runes, powerful currents of soul essence flowing through it and dissipating into the ancient stones. Noctis was sitting in the center of the circle, his eyes closed. Without the familiar carefree smile, his beautiful face seemed ominous and strangely terrifying.

    Hearing their footsteps, the sorcerer slowly exhaled. The crushing flood of essence slowly thinned, and then dissipated, retreating back into his body. He turned his head slightly and opened his eyes, which shone in the darkness for a moment, as though full of pale moonlight.

    Then, they slowly turned human again, and Noctis smiled, returning to his usual laidback persona so suddenly that it seemed almost disturbing.

    "Ah, Sunless, my friend! You are back! Sit down, have a drink�� welcome!"

    He stood up and outstretched a hand, as if trying to gesture at a set of comfortable seats. Then, a surprised expression appeared on the Transcendent's face, and he looked around the empty hall with a bit of confusion.

    "Oh, right�� I've been remodelling��"

    Noctis sighed, then clapped his hands together.

    "Well, no matter. Dolls! Bring my guests something to drink! They must be parched after their journey!"

    His voice echoed around the residence�� however, nothing happened.

    He hesitated, then glanced at the broken mannequins lying on the floor and awkwardly shifted his feet.

    "Ah. How unfortunate."

    The sorcerer shook his head, then shrugged and looked at the three of them with a smile:

    "Anyway... welcome!"

    He tilted his head and stared at Effie, then blinked a couple of times.

    "Ah, you have brought a ch��child with you. How curious. It doesn't bite, does it?"

    Suny frowned, but before he could speak, Effie blurted with feigned outrage:

    "I am not a child! I am twelve! Uh, almost."

    Noctis stared at her with doubt.

    "...It speaks. How bizarre."

    Sunny slowly inhaled, then said evenly:

    "This child is called Effie. She is the friend I have told you about."

    The sorcerer's polite smile remained glued to his face. He stared at Effie some more, then furtively glanced at Kai.

    "So, uh�� one of your friends is a cripple you randomly stumbled upon in my Sanctuary, and the other one is a small child?"

    Sunny nodded grimly.

    Noctis rubbed his chin, and then cautiously said:

    "Sunless, uh�� are you utterly sure that you did not just invent having friends? To make me value our own beautiful friendship more, perhaps? If so, let me assure you! I value it a great deal already! There's no need for you to feel insecure just because you are not as beautiful, wealthy, wise, generous, and delightful to be around as me!"

    Sunny gritted his teeth and then hissed furiously:

    "I am! Wait�� I mean I am sure... that I did not invent them! Are you sure that you really want to know the truth about me and my friends?"

    Noctis raised his eyebrows with a sincere look on his face.

    "Well, of course��"

    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, and then said:

    "In that case. My friends and I are not actually a demon, a cripple, and a small child. We are humans from a distant future whose souls were sent here by a nearly all-mighty entity known as the Nightmare Spell, after the gods had died and this whole world had been destroyed. Oh, and this place? It is not real! You are not real, too. All of it is just a complicated illusion created by the Spell to test us three�� no, us five, actually. That's the honest truth."

    The sorcerer looked at him with wide eyes. Then, he sighed, shook his head, and uttered in a hurt tone:

    "Sunless�� there's no need to weave such stupid lies to mock me. If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to."

    He pursed his lips and turned away.

    "...So childish! I take it all went well, then? Since you are in the company of a new friend, you must have successfully infiltrated the Temple of the Chalice, found her, retrieved the Glass Knife, and fled before the War Maidens noticed?"

    Sunny flinched, then cleared his throat and remained silent for a couple of seconds. Finally, he said in an even tone:

    "Uh�� well, actually�� not exactly. We did retrieve Effie and the knife, but��"

    Noctis looked at him with surprise:

    "But what?"

    Sunny coughed.

    "We sort of�� destroyed the chalice and killed all the War Maidens."

    The sorcerer stared at him in shock.

    "...You did what?!"

    Kai sighed, and then strained his vocal cords to speak:

    "We were left with no other choice. The Maidens were willing to give us a chance to earn the right to take the Glass Knife away, but they would have never let Effie go. That was a tenet of their sect. So�� the sect had to go, instead."

    Noctis stared at them with wide eyes, his face turning deathly pale. He swayed a little, and then yelped:

    "But what do you mean, you killed all the Maidens?! How did you manage to kill them?! What about their Transcendent sect leader�� did you kill her, too?!"

    The three of them looked at each other with confusion. Then, Effie cautiously spoke up:

    "Uh�� the venerable foremother, who was the last Transcendent of the Red Sect, died like two hundred years ago. There were no other Transcendents among the Maidens since."

    The sorcerer blinked a couple of times.

    "Wait�� really? Huh. So she just went and died? How�� pedestrian."

    Sunny stared at him, aghast. Did that fool... did he really forget that real people had a habit of dying from time to time, unlike his own immortal self? How insane could that charlatan really be?!

    But then, he had to stop himself. No, that was not right. Noctis was no fool, he just enjoyed playing one. There was no chance that the immortal would not have known whether or not there were Transcendents living in his territory. Which could only mean one thing...

    Sunny took a step forward and growled.

    "Do not insult us! You knew perfectly well that there were no Transcendents in the Temple of the Chalice. And you also knew that you could have easily obliterated that whole place and taken the Glass Knife, if you wanted to. We three are formidable, as far as Awakened go, but not nearly as formidable to be able to do something that a Chain Lord would not have been able to."

    He glared at the immortal and said, the emerald amulet almost cracking in his fist:

    "So, Noctis, my friend�� why don't you tell me the real reason for why you really sent me and Kai there instead of going yourself? And be very careful about what you say�� because our beautiful friendship might depend on your answer!"

    Noctis remained silent for a while, looking at him with an unreadable expression. Then, he sighed and waved a hand.

    "...Alright, alright. If you want to be boring, I'll tell you the truth. No need to get angry."

    He clapped his hands again, and the disassembled Sailor Dolls suddenly rose from the floor, their limbs flying up and connecting to the wooden torsos. Then, one of them disappeared for a moment and returned with a silver goblet full of fragrant wine, presenting it to the sorcerer with frightened reverence. The others backed away and froze, standing silently near the walls.

    Noctis took the goblet, took a sip, and looked away with a somber expression on his exquisite face.

    "Yes, it is true that I could have retrieved the knife, saved your friend, and destroyed the Temple of the Chalice myself. That would not have been too hard�� with or without the Transcendent guarding it. However��"

    He stared west, his eyes turning dark.

    "...If I made such a move myself, the other four would have learned of it. Then, they would have understood why I made it, and what I am going to do next, as well. They will know my intentions eventually, of course�� but now is not the time. Not yet. Revealing it all now would be troublesome."

    Sunny scowled, then briefly glanced at Kai. The archer was looking west, too, his shoulders tense.

    The Ivory City lay to the west. The Red Colosseum, too.

    He hesitated, and then said in a grim tone:

    "So you can't act openly out of the fear that the other Chain Lords will unite to attack you?"

    Noctis turned to him and smiled.

    "...Fear? No, nothing that whimsical. It is simply a matter of convenience. You see, until��"

    Suddenly, the sorcerer grew silent. His face turned grave, and his eyes shined with a glint of distant moonlight.

    ��This time, it was not a performance. Sunny could feel that something had really gone wrong, because the whole room inexplicably changed, becoming much darker, colder, and full of dire tension.

    Noctis slowly turned his head and whispered, his voice stunned and solemn:

    "Something�� something changed�� no�� no, it can't be��"

    He looked toward the doors, and then added with a grim expression.

    "We have another guest, I think. A messenger, from the north��"

 Chapter 679 Messenger From The North

    The sorcerer seemed shaken. No, more than that�� he seemed deeply troubled by something. Noctis stared at the door for a few moments, then frowned and said, his voice devoid of any emotion:

    "...Let us go and see who is knocking on my door, then."

    With that, he drained his goblet, threw it aside, and walked toward the exit.

    Sunny, Effie, and Kai glanced at each other, then followed along. No matter who it was that had come to the Sanctuary, they were currently enjoying the sorcerer's hospitality, so the identity of the new arrival concerned them too.

    Who could have affected Noctis that much? Or was the change he had spoken about the real reason for this strange behavior, while the appearance of a guest just happened to coincidence with it?

    They were going to find out soon.

    Together, the four of them �� three Awakened and an immortal Saint �� crossed the garden of the Sanctuary and walked between the ancient menhirs, to the field of grass beyond. There, an elegant figure waited for them, dressed in an austere black garment. It was a young woman none of them recognized.

    The young woman was tall and slender, with pale skin and lustrous raven-black hair that moved gently in the wind. Her face possessed an almost otherworldly beauty to it, its lines full of solemn grace and splendor. However, that lovely face was blemished by a stark flaw �� her eyes were covered by a simple strip of black cloth, the same color as the dress she wore.

    The contrast between the austere black dress and the flawless white skin, between the softness of her captivating face and the severity of the crude blindfold, created a tantalizing, ominous, and slightly disturbing sight.

    ��However, Sunny was not paying attention to the young woman's sublime beauty, or to her dress. Instead, his eyes were glued to a single detail��

    There was a leather belt tied around the beautiful stranger's slender waist, and on it hung a black scabbard. He recognized the hilt of the blade encompassed within in an instant��

    'Quiet... Quiet Dancer? Cassie!'

    For a moment, Sunny was overwhelmed by a feeling of profound, boundless relief. She was alive�� Cassie was alive�� all of them were. And now, despite all the dire trials of this harrowing Nightmare, the four of them were finally reunited.

    It was as though a terrible weight that had been crushing his heart all this time, without him knowing, was suddenly lifted.

    Sunny felt Effie's grip on his horns grow tighter, and glanced at Kai to see that the young man's eyes were shining behind the wooden mask. The two of them had recognized Cassie, too, and were sharing in his glee.

    However, a moment later, Sunny's elation was gone.

    He remembered how and why they appeared in this field of grass to meet Cassie, and looked at Noctis with concern. The sorcerer still had an ashen face�� and unlike them, he did not have any warm feelings toward the blind girl.

    The situation was still strange, and dangerous.

    As if sensing his gaze, Noctis frowned, then looked at the beautiful woman with a dark expression and asked coldly:

    "An eyeless of the Night Temple�� isn't it terribly far for a blind priestess like you to travel south, all alone? Speak, girl�� what do you want?"

    Cassie lingered for a moment, then bowed slightly. When she spoke, her unfamiliar voice sounded deep and pleasant. She said:

    "Greetings, Lord Noctis. I bring a message from my mistress, the One in the North."

    The sorcerer grimaced.

    "Oh, yeah? What does that dreadful woman want from me?"

    The blind girl remained silent for a few moments, then lowered her head slightly.

    "She doesn't want anything, Lord Noctis. My mistress, Lady of the North, blessed of the Black Skies�� is dead."

    ***

    Noctis swayed slightly, as if struck. He stared at Cassie with a pale face, then raised a trembling hand and silently grasped his neck. After a few moments, he spoke again:

    "What are you talking... what is the message she sent, exactly?"

    The blind girl was still looking down. Without raising her head, she answered evenly:

    "Just these three words. I am dead."

    The sorcerer scoffed.

    "It takes weeks to get from the Night Temple to the Sanctuary on foot�� if one can even make it alive! Was she dead when she sent you? Huh?"

    Cassie silently shook her head.

    "No. She was alive."

    Noctis gritted his teeth in outrage.

    "That woman�� so insufferable. If she knew she was going to die, she could have said more than three words, at least! After�� after everything we shared�� ah, she just had to be frustrating till the very end!"

    Despite the sorcerer's irritated tone, Sunny could tell that Noctis was deeply aggrieved by the stunning news Cassie had brought�� as if he had not been planning to kill the One in the North himself all along. The immortals were very strange people, indeed��

    But Sunny was stunned himself. One of the Chain Lords�� was already dead? Just like that? After a thousand of years of solemn duty, someone had managed to kill the undying Transcendent without alerting the other four?

    Suddenly, I feeling of unease grasped his heart. If not one of the Chain Lords, then who could have killed the ruler of the Night Temple?

    Who else possessed one of the seven knives?

    He knew of only one person��

    As if reading his thoughts, Noctis stared at Cassie and asked, his voice trembling with anger:

    "So, who was it? Who killed her? Solvane? Or the Ivory Lord?"

    The blind girl slowly shook her head.

    "Neither. It was a�� a creature. A creature that came from the fog."

    The sorcerer chuckled.

    "...I see. So the Ivory Knife fell into the hands of one of those. Ah, she could have saved herself, if she had only wanted�� but she grew indifferent to things like that a long time ago, didn't she? That�� that was her madness."

    Noctis remained silent for a while, and then suddenly asked, his eyes glinting with his own madness:

    "So then, the north is in disarray, the Night Temple is without a leader, and its army needs a new commander? Thousands of soldiers, hundreds of Awakened warriors, all hoping to find someone to serve and protect their families? Right?"

    Cassie lingered for a moment, then shook her head again.

    "...No."

    Noctis raised an eyebrow.

    "What? Why not?"

    She straightened, then answered simply:

    "They are also dead."

    The sorcerer blinked a couple of times.

    "Huh? Who is dead?"

    The young woman remained still as she said, her voice calm and even:

    "Everyone. The soldiers, the priestesses, the Awakened, the families. Everyone is dead, and the northern reach stands empty. The creature took them all."

 Chapter 680 Lost And Found

    Everyone seemed stunned into a grave silence by these words... even Noctis, who must have heard and seen a lot during his long life. Frozen, Sunny stared at Cassie, his lightless pupils narrowing into two vertical slits. Everyone�� was dead?

    Everyone?

    Had Mordret... slaughtered an entire region? Thousands of people, or even tens of thousands? Mundane humans, Awakened, Ascended�� even the Transcendent Lady of the North herself?

    Suddenly, a cold shiver ran down his spine.

    Sunny knew, of course, that the Prince of Nothing �� the owner of the friendly voice he had heard once, in the darkness of a bottomless abyss �� was formidable, and would have grown more formidable still after being sent into the body of a Terror. He also knew that Mordret was not completely of sound mind, and that the influence of Hope would have only exacerbated that subtle fissure.

    But a slaughter on such scale�� he had never even thought that Mordret would be capable of committing something like that�� and why? What goal was the banished prince pursuing? He was never cruel without a cold and calculated reason�� or at least he had not been, in the past. Every monstrous act that Mordret had perpetrated before was full of perverse, but deliberate practicality.

    How could something like that be practical? Even forming a seventh core would not have demanded a hecatomb of that magnitude...

    Sunny really did not know how to feel. On one hand, the news of a Chain Lord's demise was beneficial for his plans�� in that sense, the Prince of Nothing had already accomplished more to conquer the Nightmare than the four of them combined. But on the other hand, Sunny just couldn't help but feel uneasy about it�� about Mordret.

    What was the son of Valor planning?

    His thoughts were interrupted by Noctis, who let out a deep sigh.

    "Everyone is dead�� ah, I barely remember the last time something like that happened. But when I was young, at the dawn of the Age of Heroes, things like that were rather common�� you wouldn't remember, I guess. That is what happens when human champions grow unfit for their duty."

    He looked away with a dark expression, and then added in a grim tone:

    "And we, the champions of this kingdom, have been unfit for quite a while now�� if the Lords can even be called champions, still. Come to think of it, I am surprised that this had not happened sooner."

    He sighed again, then shrugged and turned to Cassie, seemingly having no desire to elaborate on this strange statement:

    "Thank you for delivering this message, girl. If everyone in the north is dead�� that makes you the last one, then?"

    The blind woman lingered for a moment, then nodded.

    Noctis pursed his lips.

    "Ah, well, I am very sorry. For what it is worth, you are welcomed to stay here, in my Sanctuary. This is a place for those who are lost, lonesome, and have nowhere else to go. Don't hesitate to ask if you need anything��"

    He turned away, as if losing any interest in the conversation, but at that moment, Cassie suddenly spoke:

    "Actually, there is indeed something that I need."

    The sorcerer stopped, then looked at her with a slight frown and asked with a bit of surprise:

    "Really? Oh�� then tell me! I am sure I'll be able to help."

    The beautiful young woman placed a hand on the hilt of her rapier, and then said, her voice deep and pleasant:

    "I am looking for my friends. I wonder if you would be able to help me find them, Lord Noctis."

    Noctis blinked a couple of times, then glanced at Sunny, Kai, and Effie with a strange expression on his face. Finally, he answered in a cautious tone:

    ? "Of course! Gladly. But... uh... do you, perhaps�� not know how your friends look, where they are, and what they are called? If so, finding them will be... difficult."

    Cassie tilted her head, remained silent for a few moments, and then answered with a bit of confusion:

    "...Why would I not know? I am looking for a four-armed demon, a cripple with a grating voice, and a little girl. Their names are Sunless, Nightingale, and Raised by Wolves. They should be here in your Sanctuary, my lord, or at least visited it not too long ago."

    Noctis smiled radiantly.

    "You would, wouldn't you? Not knowing something like that would be very strange! Gods, finally, someone normal... a four-armed demon, you say? A four-armed... four... huh..."

    The sorcerer's voice trailed off, and then he slowly turned to Sunny, seemingly struggling to say anything else.

    Before he managed to speak again, however, there was a sound of little feet pattering on soft grass, and a small figure collided with the young woman, hugging her with inhuman strength.

    "Cassie! You're alive!"

    Despite the fact that the blind young woman could perceive several seconds into the future and had to have known that Effie was going to tackle her, a bewildered expression still appeared on her beautiful face. She remained frozen for a few seconds, and then hesitantly lowered a hand to pat the little girl on the head.

    "Uh�� yes, yes I am. I am happy to see you too, Effie��"

    The little girl stared up at Cassie, and then made a pouty face:

    "What the hell, Cassie? How is this fair? Sunny was short but became tall, Kai was pretty but became hideous, and I�� let's not talk about that�� but you were pretty before and became even prettier now! The injustice!"

    The young woman smiled gently, and then tightly hugged the little girl.

    "...Why? I think you became very pretty, too."

    Noctis stared at all this, then looked at Sunny with an inexplicable expression. The immortal sorcerer hesitated for a couple of seconds, and then cautiously asked:

    "Ah, Sunless�� is this beautiful priestess one of your friends, too?"

    Sunny glanced at him, and then raised the emerald amulet.

    "Yes�� the last friend I wanted to find. Her name is Song of the Fallen."

    Noctis remained silent for a while, then looked away and mumbled in a barely audible whisper:

    "By the Moon�� I guess I really need to improve my friend-making skills. Otherwise, I would not be able to call myself the friendliest man in all of the Kingdom of Hope anymore��"

    Hearing that, Sunny smiled. He had a reason to.

    Their small cohort... was finally back together.

 Chapter 682 The Red Sect

    Effie stared at him with no amusement whatsoever on her childish face, which only made her attempts to appear serious look more comical. Then, she scowled and said evenly:

    "Wanna die?"

    Sunny shook his head with a grin, then went into more detail about the things he had learned, including various pieces of information he had gleaned in the nightmares, his experience with the Warmongers, and his observations about Solvane and Noctis.

    When he was done, there was silence for a while. The others were digesting all the information he had shared with them, full of thought. Well�� everyone except Effie.

    The somber silence was soon broken by the sound of loud chewing. The little girl swallowed a piece of meat pie, then blinked a couple of times, noticing that everyone was staring at her. Finally, she wiped the oil off her lips and said:

    "What? I am a growing child, you know! I need to eat well to grow big!"

    Then, she wiped her oily fingers on the tablecloth and shrugged.

    "Well, anyway�� I guess I'll go next."

    The little girl glanced at Sunny, made a face, and turned away.

    "There's not much to tell, anyway. My three months in the Temple of the Chalice were not at all as exciting as Sunny's wild misadventures. Although��"

    Her face suddenly grew dim and dark.

    "...They weren't very pleasant, either."

    Effie sighed, lingered for a few moments, and said spoke in a somber tone:

    "Basically, I was sent into the body of one of the Red Sect's younger disciples. An orphan girl who had been entrusted to the Maidens, for better or worse�� but mostly worse. As I already said, their teachings had grown cruel and perverse over the centuries. Now that I know about how Hope is manipulating everyone's desires, I finally understand why. That Solvane�� she had been raised in the Red Sect, too, a long time ago. The difference is, she managed to escape. But we didn't."

    The little girl trembled.

    "I ran away once, early on, and managed to make it to the Iron Hand island. But I was caught, and the punishment�� at the time, they already knew that nothing they did to me would make me obedient. So, they punished the others in my stead. After that�� well, I did not try to escape again. At least while the other girls were still alive."

    Effie grew silent for a bit, then shrugged.

    "So it was pretty boring. Just endless training�� battle training, essence training, body conditioning, and all that stuff. How to endure pain, how to endure fear, how to steel your will. How to be a perfect, merciless, lethal vessel of War. Of course, they were very inventive in their lessons�� what better way to teach someone to endure pain than to torture them to the brink of death? Or over it, if the pupil is weak."

    The little girl's face turned distant.

    "...In the end, everyone turned out to be weak. Except for me."

    She took a bite out of her piece of meat pie, chewed it slowly, and then said:

    "One time, they put me in a coffin and buried me alive, for a few days. To teach me how to conquer the fear of darkness. These wretches�� who said that I was afraid of darkness, to begin with? So�� so stupid. But mostly, it was just combat training. They trained us ruthlessly. There's a lot you can achieve with a few Awakened healers and no regard for whether your disciples survive or not. If we broke a bone, the healers would put it back together, and order us to continue. If we bled too much�� well, you get the idea."

    Effie shook her head.

    "The thing was, though, that I was getting it even worse than the rest. The girl whose body I took had the misfortune of Awakening at a very young age, you see. So, the Maidens saw her as their promised chosen one�� a prodigious warrior fated to slay Solvane and wash away the humiliation she had visited upon the sect, to avenge her sin and sacrilege. So, they worked me harder than anyone else."

    The little girl looked away, then sighed.

    "The weirdest part was that all the vile crap they did to us was done without any hint of hatred, malevolence, or bad intentions. On the contrary, the older Maidens treated us like their little sisters �� when they were not torturing and killing us, of course. My teacher�� Hilde�� I think she thought of me as her own daughter. She cared. A lot of good it did, in the end��"

    She hesitated for a moment, and then grimaced.

    "Well, anyway. Eventually, I was the only one left. Actually, I think they went harder on the other girls because of me. My presence�� reignited their fervor, I think. After everyone else died and the Maidens had nothing else to hold over my head, I started planning my escape. I had no idea if I would survive it, but luckily, before I had the chance to find out, Sunny and Kai came and obliterated the whole sect. Cheers! Thanks, by the way."

    She nodded at them, and then stuffed her mouth with another piece of the pie, clearly unwilling to say anything else.

    Everyone remained silent, until Cassie leaned over and put her hand on the little girl's shoulder. She gripped it softly, and said:

    "You did well, Effie. You did well to survive."

    Effie looked down, sighed, and then said darkly:

    "Ah, but this time, I didn't just want to survive. I wanted to save a few people, too. But I failed�� who cares, though? I am too really way too old to be this sentimental. Or maybe that Hope already did a number on my brain�� this is just a Nightmare, after all."

    Hearing a little girl proclaiming that she was too old to feel grief would have been funny, if it wasn't so sad. No one said anything, until Kai leaned back and sighed.

    Then, his grating voice resounded in the stone room, sending shivers running down Sunny's spine:

    "Well, in that case, I guess it is my turn. My story is not that long, though. I didn't do much."

    He glanced at his hands, with skin that had been replaced by polished tree bark, remained silent for a bit, and then added:

    "...I only fought a dragon. And lost."

 Chapter 682 The Red Sect

    Effie stared at him with no amusement whatsoever on her childish face, which only made her attempts to appear serious look more comical. Then, she scowled and said evenly:


    "Wanna die?"


    Sunny shook his head with a grin, then went into more detail about the things he had learned, including various pieces of information he had gleaned in the nightmares, his experience with the Warmongers, and his observations about Solvane and Noctis.


    When he was done, there was silence for a while. The others were digesting all the information he had shared with them, full of thought. Well�� everyone except Effie.


    The somber silence was soon broken by the sound of loud chewing. The little girl swallowed a piece of meat pie, then blinked a couple of times, noticing that everyone was staring at her. Finally, she wiped the oil off her lips and said:


    "What? I am a growing child, you know! I need to eat well to grow big!"


    Then, she wiped her oily fingers on the tablecloth and shrugged.


    "Well, anyway�� I guess I''ll go next."


    The little girl glanced at Sunny, made a face, and turned away.


    "There''s not much to tell, anyway. My three months in the Temple of the Chalice were not at all as exciting as Sunny''s wild misadventures. Although��"


    Her face suddenly grew dim and dark.


    "...They weren''t very pleasant, either."


    Effie sighed, lingered for a few moments, and said spoke in a somber tone:


    "Basically, I was sent into the body of one of the Red Sect''s younger disciples. An orphan girl who had been entrusted to the Maidens, for better or worse�� but mostly worse. As I already said, their teachings had grown cruel and perverse over the centuries. Now that I know about how Hope is manipulating everyone''s desires, I finally understand why. That Solvane�� she had been raised in the Red Sect, too, a long time ago. The difference is, she managed to escape. But we didn''t."


    The little girl trembled.


    "I ran away once, early on, and managed to make it to the Iron Hand island. But I was caught, and the punishment�� at the time, they already knew that nothing they did to me would make me obedient. So, they punished the others in my stead. After that�� well, I did not try to escape again. At least while the other girls were still alive."


    Effie grew silent for a bit, then shrugged.


    "So it was pretty boring. Just endless training�� battle training, essence training, body conditioning, and all that stuff. How to endure pain, how to endure fear, how to steel your will. How to be a perfect, merciless, lethal vessel of War. Of course, they were very inventive in their lessons�� what better way to teach someone to endure pain than to torture them to the brink of death? Or over it, if the pupil is weak."


    The little girl''s face turned distant.


    "...In the end, everyone turned out to be weak. Except for me."


    She took a bite out of her piece of meat pie, chewed it slowly, and then said:


    "One time, they put me in a coffin and buried me alive, for a few days. To teach me how to conquer the fear of darkness. These wretches�� who said that I was afraid of darkness, to begin with? So�� so stupid. But mostly, it was just combat training. They trained us ruthlessly. There''s a lot you can achieve with a few Awakened healers and no regard for whether your disciples survive or not. If we broke a bone, the healers would put it back together, and order us to continue. If we bled too much�� well, you get the idea."


    Effie shook her head.


    "The thing was, though, that I was getting it even worse than the rest. The girl whose body I took had the misfortune of Awakening at a very young age, you see. So, the Maidens saw her as their promised chosen one�� a prodigious warrior fated to slay Solvane and wash away the humiliation she had visited upon the sect, to avenge her sin and sacrilege. So, they worked me harder than anyone else."


    The little girl looked away, then sighed.


    "The weirdest part was that all the vile crap they did to us was done without any hint of hatred, malevolence, or bad intentions. On the contrary, the older Maidens treated us like their little sisters �� when they were not torturing and killing us, of course. My teacher�� Hilde�� I think she thought of me as her own daughter. She cared. A lot of good it did, in the end��"


    She hesitated for a moment, and then grimaced.


    "Well, anyway. Eventually, I was the only one left. Actually, I think they went harder on the other girls because of me. My presence�� reignited their fervor, I think. After everyone else died and the Maidens had nothing else to hold over my head, I started planning my escape. I had no idea if I would survive it, but luckily, before I had the chance to find out, Sunny and Kai came and obliterated the whole sect. Cheers! Thanks, by the way."


    She nodded at them, and then stuffed her mouth with another piece of the pie, clearly unwilling to say anything else.


    Everyone remained silent, until Cassie leaned over and put her hand on the little girl''s shoulder. She gripped it softly, and said:


    "You did well, Effie. You did well to survive."


    Effie looked down, sighed, and then said darkly:


    "Ah, but this time, I didn''t just want to survive. I wanted to save a few people, too. But I failed�� who cares, though? I am too really way too old to be this sentimental. Or maybe that Hope already did a number on my brain�� this is just a Nightmare, after all."


    Hearing a little girl proclaiming that she was too old to feel grief would have been funny, if it wasn''t so sad. No one said anything, until Kai leaned back and sighed.


    Then, his grating voice resounded in the stone room, sending shivers running down Sunny''s spine:


    "Well, in that case, I guess it is my turn. My story is not that long, though. I didn''t do much."


    He glanced at his hands, with skin that had been replaced by polished tree bark, remained silent for a bit, and then added:


    "...I only fought a dragon. And lost."

 Chapter 683 To Kill A Dragon

    Kai remained silent for a while, and then let out a heavy sigh. He looked away, picked up his charred wooden mask and stared at it for a few moments, then finally spoke:


    "I was sent into the body of a centurion of the Sun Legion, the army of the Ivory City. The city�� you must have seen it when we entered the Nightmare, rising from the ashes as the time flowed in reverse. It is a wondrous place�� beautiful, peaceful, and full of life, with people who are warm, kind, and care deeply for their neighbors. Dozens of flourishing islands, all connected into a single whole by the aerial bridges and arching aqueducts built of white stone��"


    The young man paused, grimaced, and took a sip of honey tea to smooth his aching vocal cords. Then, he glanced at the mask again, lingered for a moment, and continued:


    "At least that was what I thought, at the start of it. Looking back, I was terribly naive�� but it was so easy to be misled by how the Ivory City, and its people, appeared �� especially by the stark contrast between the splendor of that enchanting facade and the barefaced vileness of those who wished to destroy it. The merciless, mad killers... Warmongers."


    Kai shook his head.


    "The people of the Ivory City are just like those we know in the waking world. They have the same values, the same ideals, the same regard for decency and human life�� ah, now that I say it aloud, I realize they might be doing much better than us in that regard. My point is�� is that they seemed nice. Their city was like a beautiful paradise... like a place that all human cities should strive to be. Was it so unexpected, then, that in this Nightmare, there was someone who wanted to destroy it?"


    His eyes grew dim.


    "The followers of the cult of Glory, on the other hand, were exactly like what one would imagine the forces of evil to be. Merciless, cruel raiders that worshipped war, slaughter, and bloodshed, killing simply for the sake of killing. Their perverse fate, their zealous belief that by destroying the lives of innocent people they were delivering the gift of salvation to their victims�� murderers and madmen, each and every one of them. So, you might understand why I was blinded to the truth�� for a while."


    The young man took another sip of tea, then put down the mask and looked at them with a dark expression.


    "In my naivete, I came to believe myself to be a hero of a grim fairy tale. A noble warrior tasked with protecting a beautiful paradise from the tide of evil. I mistakingly considered the fate of the Ivory City to be the true conflict of the Nightmare, and so convinced myself that protecting it was what we had been sent here to do. Unable to abandon my duty and reluctant to become a deserter, I remained with the Sun Legion, thinking that, sooner or later, you guys will join me."


    Kai looked down and sighed heavily.


    "...And so, very soon, I became known as a hero of the Legion."


    His disfigured face contorted for a moment, but then the young man restrained his emotions and smiled bleakly.


    "I know, that fact might sound surprising. Unlike the rest of you, I have never been a fearsome warrior. I have never been a dauntless leader of men, as well. My only real act of bravery was facing the Spire Messengers in the shadow of the Crimson Spire, and even then, I only survived because of Cassie. So�� I was very surprised to find myself gaining fame and renown as a fearless battle commander."


    Kai looked at them, lingered for a moment, and then said with uncertainty:


    "The war between the Ivory City and the Red Colosseum, you see, has been going on for centuries. Its bloody tides come and go, like those of the sea. Sometimes, only small skirmishes and raids happen for decades, and sometimes, there are terrible battles happening every day. Sometimes, only mundane soldiers and Awakened officers fight each other, and sometimes, Ascended champions appear to sow devastation on the battlefield. Sometimes, even the Transcendent Lords descend��"


    He paused for a few moments, took a sip of tea, then continued in a neutral tone:


    "At the time, I found myself in the center of a sudden shift from a prolonged period of relative calm to the start of a massive offensive by the Warmongers. And very early on, I discovered an unexpected truth��"


    He glanced at them, thought for a second, as though carefully choosing his words, and said:


    "You see, I was always under the impression that warriors of this mythical era, when gods were still alive and magic permeated the world, were infinitely more knowledgeable, powerful, and proficient in battle than we, humans of the Waking World, are. But as it turns out, that is not so. Maybe a long time ago, during what they call the Age of Heroes, they had been. But now, most of them are far less deadly than we have become�� at least those of us who had been forged and tempered by the Forgotten Shore."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow, surprised by that statement. Noticing his expression, Kai tilted his head a little.


    "...Nightmare Creatures are nowhere near as numerous here as they are in the future. There is no Spell, no Nightmares, no trial of the Dream Realm, no Gates�� unlike them, each of us had been forced into a life of bloodshed and conflict, thrown against unimaginable horrors with no choice to retreat or surrender. The Spell might be a cruel teacher, but its vile lessons seem to be morbidly effective. Grow stronger or die, there is no other way for us. So, most Awakened from the real world would have experienced more strife and battle encounters than an average Awakened warrior of this time period."


    He sighed, and then added somberly:


    "That was why even I, despite my humble Aspect and lacking battle prowess, was able to stand out. I led my soldiers to victory, keeping them alive through the sudden attack by a large force of the Warmongers. And then, I kept them alive through the rest of the campaign, wreaking havoc on the enemy anywhere my centuria appeared."


    Kai grew quiet for a long time, and then added, his ugly voice suddenly sounding especially hoarse and grating:


    "And that was how I gained the attention of the radiant Lord of my city�� of Sevirax, the Ivory Dragon."

 Chapter 684 You Must Become A Dragon

    Kai poured more tea into his cup, then cradled it in his hands and looked away. He remained silent for a bit, then continued the ominous story:


    "After many weeks of battles and bloodshed, the Warmongers were pushed back, and my centuria was recalled back to the Ivory City, to rest and recuperate from the hardships of war. We were met by a jubilant crowd that showered us with rose petals and sang our names�� my name, too, louder than all the rest. Ah, what a beautiful sight it was! Victorious, we returned home, and everything was well. For a while, we enjoyed the beauty of the city and the warm company of our fellow citizens."


    He took a sip, then shook his head slightly.


    "The more I explored the beautiful Ivory City, the more elated I was by its prosperity and its harmonious way of life. It seemed as though people there were all content and happy, treating others with sincere kindness, love, and respect. It was as though they didn''t have a care in the world�� and there was a reason for that. The people of the Ivory City could live this way, and be this way, because they were protected by the mighty dragon, Sevirax, a true descendant of Sun God. Their lord and protector."


    The young man shivered, then added in a hoarse voice:


    "The dragon protected them, provided for them, and guided them with his wisdom. It was because of him that the Ivory City was safe, sound, prosperous, and welcoming. Why its citizens were so kind and happy. This�� was a paradise of his creation."


    Kai took a sip of tea and smiled sadly.


    "...Sounds too good to be true, doesn''t it? Ah, but it was. I was just too slow to see it."


    He remained silent for a bit, then let out a long sigh.


    "At first, I only felt it. A slight, vague�� wrongness. As if something was off with these kind, happy, beautiful people. As if there was something hidden behind their sincere smiles. I dismissed it, thinking that it was just my prejudice speaking. A mindset that I brought with me from the waking world. But the more time I spent with them�� the more strange details I started to notice. And soon, a harrowing suspicion took hold of my heart."


    Kai looked at them, his face growing dark.


    "...A suspicion that there was madness hidden deep in their lustrous eyes. The same madness that the Warmongers were infected with, albeit of a different shade. I had never�� had never felt as disturbed and afraid as when that thought first entered my mind. I was so afraid, in fact, that for a few days, I closed my eyes to the truth and pretended that nothing was wrong. But the suspicion kept gnawing on my heart, and so, I decided to investigate. It wasn''t hard to confirm it."


    A bitter grimace contorted his hideous face.


    "You see, as it turned out, the Ivory City was indeed prosperous, safe, and beautiful because of the dragon. Its people were indeed protected and provided for by the dragon. In return, the dragon only asked for one thing in return��"


    The young man clenched the teacup, almost causing it to crack.


    "...To feed him."


    He gritted his teeth for a moment, then said quietly:


    "To feed him with human flesh. Seven sacrifices had to be made to him every month, from the ranks of the citizens. And the kind, warm people of the Ivory City�� were more than happy to provide. Ecstatic, even. Being devoured by the dragon was considered to be a sacred honor, and having a loved one chosen as a sacrifice was a cause for celebration."


    The young man grew silent, then said hoarsely:


    "...The dragon never dictated who had to be fed to him. But the people of the Ivory City wanted above all else to please the dragon, and so, they always chose the best and the brightest. The most beautiful, the most talented, the most innocent, the most desirable. And there we were, young heroes who had just returned from a triumphant war. The month was up, and so, they chose me and six of my most brave and loyal soldiers."


    Kai smiled bitterly.


    "What a reward! The sight of them�� was the most disgusting thing I have ever seen. Parents surrendering their children to death with zealous smiles, husbands sending their wives into the dragon''s maw with wild joy, friends and neighbors singing and laughing as they led their fellow humans to be eaten by a hungry beast. Only little children did not share in their glee�� they cried when their mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters were torn away from them, not understanding what was happening. But the crying children were punished and taught a harsh lesson about how repugnant their behavior was."


    He grimaced, then put his cup down and looked away.


    "The whole city was insane. Perhaps�� perhaps one could argue that a few dozen souls a year are a small price to pay for a paradise. But what is a paradise built on blood worth? ��Worthless. It''s worthless. And even if it''s not, at least the wretches could have made the sacrifice without the ghoulish joy. Without the songs, and the zeal, and the kind, warm, sincere smiles on their beautiful faces."


    Kai took a deep breath, remained silent for a while, and then shrugged dismissively.


    "...Anyway, we were brought to an island that bordered the Ivory Tower itself, and chained to a white cliff. The jubilant crowd disappeared, and soon after that, we heard the rustle of mighty wings. The dragon landed in front of the cliff, as majestic and fearsome as he was in the legends. A great beast with beautiful ivory scales, and radiant golden eyes that were full of wisdom, nobility, and inhuman intelligence."


    Effie was listening with wide eyes, biting her fingers. Finally, she couldn''t bear it anymore and asked in her soft, childish voice:


    "How the hell did you survive?! Why didn''t the dragon''s flames kill you?"


    A sad smile appeared on Kai''s disfigured face.


    "How did I survive? Oh�� that was simple, really. When Sevirax appeared, I broke my chains and shielded my comrades, ready to defend them until my last breath. Seeing this, the dragon�� he spoke to me."


    His smile slowly disappeared, replaced by an expression of anger, shame, and regret.


    "You must have already guessed that Ivory Dragon Sevirax is also Sevras, the Ivory Lord. One of the Hope''s eternal shackles, a Transcendent whose Transformation Ability allows him to turn into a dragon. He is a human�� or at least was a human once, a long time ago. And so, he spoke to me."


    The young man sighed.


    "He was amused by my reaction. We spoke, and what he told me�� it broke me, a little, I think. You see, I had it all wrong. The dragon�� he had never once asked the people of the Ivory City to sacrifice anyone, or anything, to him. They had invented the story themselves, and chose the number of the victims themselves, and started bringing him sacrifices of their own free will. Because doing so made them feel as though they were binding themselves to the dragon�� that they were becoming a part of the dragon, and so, were of the dragon, and safe from him."


    Kai shook his head.


    "Sevirax�� Sevras�� he had lost a part of himself a long time ago, I think. He told me that, in the beginning, he wanted to be a good lord for the people, someone whom they could see, and whom they could strive to become. And so, he rarely appeared in his Transcendent form before them. But as centuries passed, he noticed that people were disturbed by his human face, and were only at peace when he came as a dragon. As if they needed him to be something else�� something greater than them. And so, after a while, he abandoned his human form completely. And not long after that, the sacrifices began."


    The young man lingered for a few moments, and then continued:


    "I asked him to spare our lives, but he refused. He told me that he had never accepted an unwilling sacrifice, and I was free. But the other six�� it was as though they were in a trance, or had gone mad. They didn''t even try to save themselves. No matter how I begged him to spare them, he refused. This was what his people desired, what they needed. They might have not been bound to him�� but he was bound to them. Burdened by them. And so, when nothing else worked�� I foolishly tried to stop him."


    He smiled bitterly.


    "But how could I defeat a dragon? I am not a dragon myself, after all. He swatted me to the ground with one swipe of his tail, breaking my ribs and almost killing me. But I did not die�� instead, paralyzed, I watched as he turned his head, opened his maw, and turned my soldiers into ash with one immolating breath."


    Kai grew silent, his face unmoving. After a while, he spoke again:


    "...Overwhelmed with anger, grief, and despair, I screamed at him, cursing him, swearing that I will tell everyone the truth, that I will make them realize�� that I will make them change. But he just looked at me tiredly and said�� that I will see. And then, the Ivory Dragon was gone, leaving me alone on the empty island."


    He looked down.


    "I was too injured to move, and spent the rest of the night in the throes of pain. In the morning, the citizens of the Ivory City came. When they saw that I was alive��"


    A pale smile appeared on his hideous face.


    "...they were stunned, scared, and angry. And so, they built a pyre, tied me to a stake�� and burned me. No matter what I tried to say, no matter how I tried to make them understand, they wouldn''t listen. They only grew more scared and hateful. The dragon�� he had been right. He had told me the truth. I saw."


    Kai picked up his tea, took a sip, and looked away.


    "My bindings broke before I died, and so, horribly burned, I shot into the sky like a spark. I flew away from the city, and somehow survived. Crippled and heartbroken, I slowly made my way east, finally reaching the Iron Hand island, and then the Sanctuary, where Sunny eventually found me. Lord Noctis had replaced my burned skin and damaged muscles with enchanted wood and tree bark, and here I am. As good as new."


    He sighed, looked at them, and smiled:


    "Luckily, I had friends that helped me pick myself up. You guys. I''ll do whatever it is you decide to do... but if there is one thing I want to say, it is this. If Noctis wants to kill Lord Sevirax and end the dragon''s reign, I would be happy to lend a hand."

 Chapter 685 Temple Of The Night

    ?


    When Kai was finished with his story, everyone remained silent for a while. Eventually, the young man sighed and stretched out his hands, which were covered in polished bark and looked more like those of one of the Sailor Dolls than those of a human. He moved his fingers, and then smiled lightly:


    "Noctis did a wonderful job of healing my wounds. Just as he had said, some of the pain remains, but I am as strong and capable as I had been before. No, even more so�� these enchanted limbs he gave me are much more sensitive to soul essence, and so, they are more durable and powerful than my own flesh had been. I also collected a few Memories during my time in the Sun Legion. Overall, my battle prowess has increased a lot since we entered the Nightmare�� not to mention the experience I earned, and the lessons I was taught. Whatever comes, I am ready."


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then let out a low growl:


    "What about the other Transcendent of the Ivory City? The Sun Prince? Have you met him?"


    Kai frowned and made a vague gesture with his hand.


    "Yes�� I think. The Sun Prince is supposed to be a brother of Sevirax. Among the people, it is believed that his soul resides inside the metal colossus that guards the Ivory City and sometimes leads the Sun Legion into battle. I''ve seen him once, from afar�� and to be honest, I am not quite sure if that thing is sentient or not."


    He hesitated for a bit, and then added:


    "You''ve seen him, too. I think that it is his corpse that swings beneath the Shipwreck Island, tangled in the chain�� although I can''t quite imagine what kind of force could have destroyed that implacable giant. He is at least ninety meters tall, with a body cast out of solid steel, and nearly invincible. He is... he is also not a living creature, really, and so can''t be killed by wounding or damaging his body."


    Sunny remained silent for a bit, and then said:


    "There is nothing that can''t be killed or destroyed... not even the gods. So then�� three of the Chain Lords are accounted for, in the future. We''ve seen the bones of the dragon, Sevirax, on the Ivory Island, and both his brother and Solvane found their doom near the wreck of Noctis''s ship. But what�� what exactly happened? How did they fall, and how did Hope escape? What happened to Noctis himself, as well as the One in the North? How was the Ivory City destroyed? How did the Tower break free of its chains?"


    No one answered, as perplexed as he was. After some time, Cassie finally spoke:


    "I am not sure what happened. But I know one thing �� because of our arrival, it is happening faster."


    They turned to her, and after a moment of silence, Sunny asked:


    "...Yours is the last story left. And, to be honest, it is the story I am interested in hearing the most. Because it concerns the fifth Awakened sent here by the Spell. Mordret�� he found a way to enter the Seed with us, didn''t he?


    Cassie sighed heavily and turned her head away. After a while, she said:


    "Yes. Yes, he did��"


    The blind young woman remained silent for a few moments, gathering her thoughts, and then faced them again.


    "Unlike what happened to the three of you, my arrival into the Nightmare was not too harrowing. At least not at the start. I was sent into the body of a young priestess whose duty was to tend to the High Priestess of the Night Temple�� the One in the North. In this era, the Night Temple still belongs to the cult of the Goddess of the Black Skies �� of Storm God. The deity of darkness, stars, and guidance. And so, no light is allowed on the temple''s premises."


    She touched her blindfold briefly, then slowly lowered her hand.


    "The acolytes spend long years living in the darkness, and blind themselves before becoming priestesses. For that reason, they are known as the Eyeless. Many of the Eyeless are seers, and possess powers of prophecy and divination. For most, becoming a blind priestess inside a lightless temple would have been a terrible trial. But for me�� it was strangely soothing. To find myself among those similar to me, in a place where my blindness wasn''t an aberrant oddity, but instead a choice."


    A pale smile appeared on her lips.


    "...However, it was my lady that I found the most comfort in. The One in the North, the Oracle of the Night�� she was not unkind. She treated me well enough, and I have learned a lot from her knowledge and wisdom. However, just like the rest of the Chain Lords, she was being consumed by an insidious madness. Hers�� was the madness of apathy. Over the centuries, my lady grew indifferent to most things happening in the world, or even to herself. That was why she needed attendants, and I was one of them."


    The smile slowly disappeared from Cassie''s face.


    "That didn''t mean that she was powerless or without responsibility, though. All of the northern reaches of the Kingdom of Hope were under her authority and protection. There were many villages and several towns full of mundane humans who relied on the Night Temple for safety and guidance. For that reason, the One in the North ruled not only over the blind priestesses, but also over a small, but fearsome army comprised of both mundane warriors and Awakened."


    She sighed slightly.


    "Their numbers might not have been as large as those of the armies of the Ivory City and the Red Colosseum, but due to their prowess and my lady''s prophetic gift, the north was never attacked by either. The people rarely suffered from the Nightmare Creatures, as well."


    Cassie grew silent, and a scowl slowly appeared on her beautiful face.


    "...But as the One in the North grew more and more indifferent, that slowly started to change. Still, when I found myself in the Night Temple, things were still more or less fine."


    Her scowl deepened, and her face grew dark and despondent. The blind young woman lingered, and then said in a grim voice:


    "Until they weren''t."

 Chapter 686 Creature Of The Fog

    It was getting late, and darkness crawled into the stone room, drowning its corners in shadows. Cassie sat motionlessly, the graceful lines of her beautiful face contorted by a deep scowl. Then, a heavy sigh escaped from her lips.


    "It started soon after I entered the Nightmare, but no one paid it much attention at first. There were just strange rumors that reached the temple, resembling scary stories that people like to tell each other when the sun is gone and darkness envelops the world. Rumors of a pleasant voice that came from the fog."


    She gritted her teeth for a moment.


    "Perhaps if my lady''s affliction was not as severe, we could have done something then. After all, in this world, scary stories often come true. And this one was more ominous than the rest, because it had to do with the fog. The Night Temple stands at the boundary of the Hollow Mountains, after all�� and of the mist that shrouds them. But she was distant and uncaring, and so, we have grown aloof, too."


    Cassie somberly shook her head, then continued, her low, deep voice enveloping the room and her three listeners:


    "As time went by, the rumors started to change. They grew more menacing and dire, telling tales of people who listened to the fog and disappeared without a trace. At that point, the Eyeless grew concerned, suspecting that a corrupted creature had found its way into their land. Many of them possessed a high affinity to revelation, after all, and they could feel it... unease, threat, danger. So, a priestess was sent to investigate, escorted by a squad of experienced Awakened soldiers. And at the same time, it was decided that a divination will be performed."


    She lingered for a moment.


    "The divination showed no result, and the priestess�� she failed to return with useful clues. In fact, she did not return at all. She and her escort disappeared without a trace, as though they had never existed. Just like the people from the rumors�� only, by then, no one thought of them as mere rumors anymore."


    The blind young woman shivered, then said in an even voice:


    "Finally, we became alarmed. The army was summoned, and many hunting parties were sent out to find the creature. Mundane soldiers, Awakened warriors, Ascended champions, the Eyeless�� everyone was determined to catch the abomination. But despite all our efforts, we failed�� how could we catch the fog?"


    Cassie''s face darkened.


    "And all the while, people continued to disappear. First one or two at a time, then scores of them, and then, one day�� we found a whole village that stood empty, not a sign of its inhabitants in sight. Everyone there �� every man, woman, and child �� was taken by the fog."


    She grew silent for a few moments, then added grimly:


    "And then, hunting parties started to disappear, too. Powerful, experienced soldiers... we even lost an Ascended. The worst part, however, was that there was no pattern to the creature''s movements�� at least none that we could recognize. It could attack a settlement far to the west one day, and then suddenly take someone far to the east the next. It was almost as if it could be in several places at the same time. Because of that, we couldn''t throw all our forces into one location and corner it on a single island. And so, we constructed a trap for it�� all we needed was a lure, and I volunteered to become one."


    The blind young woman shook her head.


    "...Of course, back then, I didn''t know that the fiend of the fog was far more cunning and devious than any Nightmare Creature I have ever faced. But I found out�� found out very soon. Because that was when I met him again. And as soon as I did, I realized that what we thought of as a trap for the fiend was, instead, a trap that the Prince of War lured us in instead."


    Cassie gritted her teeth.


    "Because while our forces were concentrated to form the encirclement, most of the northern reach remained unprotected. And so, left without defenders, one of the towns was taken by the fog. A thousand souls, gone. Slaughtered��"


    A deep scowl appeared on Sunny''s face. He leaned forward, piercing her with an intense gaze:


    "What? How? If he was engaged in a battle with the forces of the Night Temple, how did the bastard simultaneously attack the settlement?"


    She lingered for a while, then said with a hint of uncertainty:


    "That�� Mordret, he was not how he had been in the future. He had grown�� weaker, somehow. As if he did not possess six soul cores anymore. But, instead, there were five strange creatures helping him �� like the lesser versions of the one you had killed on the Reckoning island. While we fought the prince himself, the five creatures attacked the town that we had left unprotected, slaughtering every human who lived there."


    Sunny leaned back, stunned.


    "...What?"


    ''Five of them�� five Reflections? Did he tear his soul apart to create them, granting each a single soul core?''


    Suddenly, a frightening thought entered his mind.


    ''No�� no, this can''t be!''


    Divine Aspect holders like Mordret and him followed a slightly different path than the rest of the Awakened. Unlike those with Aspects of a lesser Rank, they could create seven soul cores by absorbing fragments �� whether of souls or shadows, didn''t matter. But there was still a limit to the number of cores they could create, and to grow more powerful after that, they had to challenge Nightmares like everyone else. So, Mordret''s slaughter did not make any sense. He had already been a Terror in the future, after all.


    ��Creatures, however, followed a path that was different entirely, and almost reversed. By absorbing fragments, they did not create new soul cores. Instead, they rose in Rank �� like Saint, for example, who had to consume shadow fragments from Memories in order to Ascend.


    If Mordret''s Reflections were the same as Saint�� if they only needed a certain quantity of fragments to rank up... then there was no limit to how many fragments they could devour, and no end to their growth, not until they reached the mythical Divine Rank.


    So if the Prince of Nothing sacrificed five of his six soul cores to create five Awakened Beasts��


    ...Then what was their Rank now, after consuming thousands upon thousands of souls?

 Chapter 687 Oracle Of The Night

    Effie and Kai seemed like they had some questions, but they chose to remain silent�� at least for now. Of course, they knew who Mordret was and had a general impression of his powers �� Sunny and Cassie had described their experience in the Night Temple to them in enough detail, so that their friends, as well as the Fire Keepers, knew what they would be facing should they cross paths with the Prince of Nothing.


    However, even Sunny himself had only a vague understanding of how Mordret''s Aspect functioned, and so did Cassie. So hearing how powerful he had grown in the Nightmare was a shock to him.


    ''The Mirror Beast was a devil�� had it been created as such, or had it earned more cores in battles with powerful Nightmare Creatures, as Saint did? If it is the former�� then does it mean that Mordret was more than a Terror once? He had many Reflections before clan Valor imprisoned him, too�� gods, just what kind of a menace Anvil''s firstborn was in the past?''


    And, more importantly�� just how dangerous was he going to become in the future?


    His somber thoughts were interrupted by Cassie, who spoke again after remaining silent for a while:


    "In any case, destroying Mordret''s body was not too hard. He appeared wearing the body of the priestess who had been first sent to find him, anyway. But, of course, doing so was useless, because he could just take another. In the chaos of the battle, I couldn''t explain what dire powers the enemy possessed to the forces of the Night Temple. And, more than that��"


    She shook her head somberly.


    "...In the moment, I was not sure that it would have been the right thing to do. Was I meant to help the inhabitants of the Nightmare slay one of the Awakened from the waking world? Were we not supposed to be allies? No matter how vile Mordret was and despite what had happened between us in the past, here in the Nightmare, both he and I were meant to pursue the same goal."


    The blind young woman sighed.


    "So, after a bloody battle, Mordret escaped our trap and disappeared. Soon after that, we learned of the massacre that had taken place while we were distracted by his deceit. And after witnessing the desolate town that his Reflection had slaughtered�� I was disabused of the notion that he and I were the same in any way. Sadly, by that time, it was already too late."


    Cassie lowered her head, then continued quietly:


    "After feasting on the souls of the town''s inhabitants, the Reflections became much more powerful. Mordret was not bound by the necessity to stay hidden anymore, as well. His attacks grew much more frequent and devastating, and the number of his victims started to grow with chilling speed. The more people he killed, the more dangerous he became. He was not invincible, of course�� among the Awakened serving the Night Temple, there were a lot of those who possessed means to contain him. Especially the Eyeless, who, like me, were immune to his possession. But Mordret knew that as well. And so, he went after those who could threaten him first."


    She paused for a moment, her face growing solemn.


    "...Eventually, people �� those who were still alive, at least �� became so terrified that they left their homes and fled to the Night Temple, hoping that the High Priestess would protect them. The army and the priestesses grew desperate, as well. We begged the One in the North to intervene. She was a Transcendent, and an oracle without an equal, after all�� and despite her indifference, my lady promised to face the creature herself. That day, people were so relieved that they held a grand celebration."


    Cassie remained silent for a while, and then continued, her voice growing sad and wistful:


    "...While everyone was celebrating, however, my lady summoned me in secret, and asked me to deliver a message to her old friend, Lord Noctis, in the east. Just three words�� I am dead."


    She paused for a moment and turned away, her beautiful face growing still.


    "I was appalled, of course. What about her immortality? What about all these people whom she promised to protect? She smiled sadly, and told me�� that they were all dead, as well. And that it was better that way."


    A heavy sigh escaped from Cassie''s lips.


    "I left the next morning, and made my way south all alone. Traveling through the wilderness of the Kingdom of Hope, blind and without anyone''s help, was not easy. But I managed to survive, somehow. Whether by luck or due to the One in the North protecting me, Mordret never intercepted me. I had to face a few powerful Nightmare Creatures, though�� as well as other dangers, along the way. I overcame these obstacles and eventually reached the Sanctuary. And on the day that I arrived, I finally felt it�� the sudden change."


    A dark expression appeared on her face.


    "My lady had died, and another flaw was added to Hope''s prison. The approaching disaster was accelerated even more. You�� you know the rest."


    For a moment, Sunny could sense a hint of profound sorrow in Cassie''s voice, but then it disappeared, and the blind young woman smiled:


    "So, now�� I guess we know enough to make a decision about whether or not to support Noctis in his war against the rest of the Chain Lords."


    He frowned, and then said in a grim tone:


    "There is one thing we don''t know, though. Something that can potentially change everything. Mordret�� what is his goal? What is he going to do when the four Chain Lords go to war?


    Cassie hesitated and slowly shook her head.


    "That I don''t know. He must have realized the nature of the Nightmare''s conflict himself, by now�� or maybe he had always known it, through means that none of us can even guess about. He was the one who had sought out this Seed, put the idea of seeking out the knives into our heads, and manipulated us into bringing him here, after all. No matter what his goal is, though�� I doubt that he just wants to become a Master. He is here for something else, as well."


    Sunny remained silent for a bit, then let out a frustrated growl and turned away.


    "Alright, then. I guess it is time to choose our fate��"

 Chapter 688 Big Decision

    No one spoke for a while, before Effie finally broke the silence:


    "...I mean, it is not much of a choice, is it? Sure, going against three immortal Saints does not seem like a picnic. But we already know that they had been defeated in the end, somehow, so it is not impossible to do. And we don''t even know what the alternative is. How do we ensure that Hope doesn''t escape her prison? Kill Noctis? That would only delay the inevitable, since this whole damned place is already on the verge of collapse because of her influence. That Hope�� she is scary��"


    She hesitated for a moment, then asked with a bit of confusion:


    "To be honest, I am not even sure what she is. What kind of a demon is powerful enough to drive a whole region mad? Is she Unholy?"


    Sunny sighed, then massaged his temples.


    "...No. If anything, she is Divine. She is also not a demon�� she is a daemon. Daemons were�� lesser deities, of sorts, who are said to have created themselves. They appeared out of nowhere, possessing powers that were similar to those of the gods, but different. The Spell has a weird tendency to never mention the word "daemon", though�� for some reason. In any case, it seems that the gods and the daemons eventually had a big, terrible war�� and Hope''s imprisonment and escape were a prelude to that war, I think."


    Effie listened to him without any particular expression, then said listlessly.


    "Oh, well in that case... that just proves my point! Trying to keep a thing like her in chains�� ah, doesn''t killing three immortal Saint suddenly seem easy, in comparison?"


    Kai moved slightly, and then, his hoarse voice suddenly resounded in the stone room:


    "I think we are looking at it wrong. The question is not what should we do�� it is what should be done, don''t you think? Yes, there is no particular way in which a Nightmare has to be resolved�� but that doesn''t mean that some resolutions cannot be right, and some cannot be wrong. This land has been turned into hell by Hope, who is trying to escape her chains. Until she is released, that will not change."


    He leaned forward, frowned, and added somberly:


    "The Red Colosseum, the Ivory City�� and all across the ruins of her kingdom, madness reigns, turning humans into wicked perversions of themselves. Sure, we can win by prolonging it. But should we? Would we be at peace with such a conclusion? You can call me naive, but I think that although the Spell does not dictate what the challengers do in the Nightmare, it still matters why we do it. We are still responsible for our actions, and their consequences. So, I think that we need to do what is right."


    Sunny glanced at him and then asked, his voice harsh:


    "Whose to say what is right? How do you know that by releasing Hope, we won''t be dooming everyone living here to an instant death? A thousand years in chains�� personally, I would have been a bit angry..."


    Kai lingered for a moment, then shook his head.


    "You are right, I might not know what is right. But I do know what is wrong. And what I saw here was deeply, deeply wrong."


    Sunny stared at him for a bit, then shrugged.


    "Well, it''s not like I disagree. In fact, I hate this place with a passion. I don''t really care if Hope simply kills everyone, either�� as far as I''m concerned, the bastards deserve it."


    He waited for a few moments, then turned to Cassie.


    "What about you? You''ve been terribly quiet."


    The blind young woman hesitated for a while, then spoke evenly:


    "I am�� willing to do whatever you decide. I''ll trust your judgment, Sunny."


    He frowned, studying her face with a dark expression.


    "Why? You don''t have an opinion?"


    Cassie remained silent for a bit, then simply shook her head.


    ''Damnation.''


    He knew, of course, why the blind girl was reluctant to speak. She must have seen something�� a glimpse of the future that she did not want to share, knowing that it would affect their thinking, possibly informing the very event she wanted to happen�� or wished to avoid.


    Her own opinion was already compromised by that knowledge, and so, Cassie had decided to remove herself from the decision completely. It seemed as though she had grown wary of her visions, and the consequences of acting on them, after the Forgotten Shore.


    ''Damned oracles...''


    Sunny sighed, then glanced at Effie and Kai.


    "Well, then there is not much to discuss. The two of you are keen to join Noctis, and... I guess I am too. He might be a madman, but at least he is a madman we know. And, uh�� I also sort of like the guy. Despite the fact that he is a dishonest, lying, conniving, crazy, dastardly cheat. No one is perfect, you know?"


    Effie giggled.


    "Wow, it''s almost as if he''s reminding me of someone. Huh, now who might that be��"


    Then, she grinned at Sunny and asked:


    "That''s settled, then. So�� should we go and deliver the good news to that dastardly cheat? You know�� about how he doesn''t need to kill us and put our souls into home appliances?"


    She seemed like she was ready to go, but Sunny stopped her with a hesitant gesture.


    This next part�� he had thought about it a lot, not knowing if it was the right thing to do, or a giant mistake. He was still not sure, but had a feeling that the decision he had made in the end was a correct one.


    At least it felt that way.


    In any case, there was no going back...


    Sunny remained silent for a bit, and then glanced at his friends with a tense expression.


    "Before we do�� there is something I need to tell you."


    Effie and Kai stared at him with slight surprise written on their faces, while Cassie''s eyebrows suddenly flew up.


    She already knew what was about to happen, of course.


    Kai looked at him and smiled.


    "Oh? What is it?"


    Sunny sighed, turned away, then faced them and shrugged.


    "Ah, it''s nothing too serious. Just�� well�� to tell you the truth��"


    He gripped the emerald amulet tighter, and said:


    "My Flaw is that I can''t lie. I have a True Name, which I received in my First Nightmare. My Aspect is of the Divine Rank. I have three Soul Cores�� uh, actually, Shadow Cores�� which technically makes me a demon. Hence this ugly body. I have already unlocked my Aspect''s Legacy. I inherited the lineage of one of the seven daemons. Oh, and also�� how do I say this... I might be Lord Mongrel? Sorry about that one, Kai��"

 Chapter 689 Trust

    Effie, who was already standing up to leave, froze, then slowly sat back down. Kai dropped his wooden mask to the floor and stared at him with wide eyes. Even Cassie seemed a bit stunned, despite knowing most of the things he had just said already.


    A deathly silence settle in the room, and Sunny found himself being pierced by two dumbfounded gazes.


    He scratched his neck, then coughed awkwardly and looked away.


    "Yeah�� that''s more or less all that I wanted to say��"


    Of course, the decision to reveal these secrets to his friends had not been an easy one. In fact, it went against everything that Sunny believed in�� every instinct in his body screamed that he was making a terrible mistake.


    But instinct was not always the best advisor. Otherwise, what was the point of having intelligence and the ability to think about your decisions?


    The fact of the matter was that Sunny had already done irreparable damage to his relationships once because of his untrusting nature. Back on the Forgotten Shore, he had kept his secrets a little bit too well, failing to understand how his deceptiveness would make others perceive him.


    Sure, he had a reason to behave the way he had�� and yes, he had never really lied to his allies, simply withholding or manipulating the information a little to keep himself safe.


    But the others did not know about his reasons. All they knew was that their trust was never returned fully, and that he was full of secrets, discrepancies, and insidiously subtle ways to keep those secrets to himself. Sunny had never explained himself�� and in the absence of an explanation, the misunderstanding was bound to inevitably take its place, perhaps to dire results.


    Who knew�� if had been more open with Nephis, she might have not considered him a liar, absorbing that false perception into her own forming self. Would things have ended differently, then?


    Regardless, currently, Sunny knew both the Aspects�� and, more importantly, the Flaws of every member of the cohort. But they couldn''t say the same. They revealed their weaknesses to him, but he held on to his own, failing to reciprocate this trust.


    For now, everything seemed fine�� but that one-sided nature of their friendship was bound to fester in the future, and the small crack it created could grow in size, eventually destroying it.


    Plus�� even Mordret knew his secrets. It would have been silly if the Prince of Nothing did, but Effie and Kai did not. Not to mention dangerous��


    So, Sunny decided to take a leap of faith and put his trust in his friends. It had been a long time coming, anyway�� but, damnation!


    Why did being honest with people feel so�� disgusting?


    ''What a loathsome sensation�� curses, I''m all itchy��''


    ��After a full minute of stunned silence, Effie finally spoke, her voice sounding uncharacteristically tame:


    "Now�� hold on, wait a minute��"


    She raised her small hand and showed one finger.


    "Your Flaw�� we sort of already had a general idea, after spending so much time with you. It is still�� wait, you can''t lie at all? What?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "I can''t say a lie aloud, and I am compelled to answer any question asked of me truthfully, or at least to the best of my ability."


    He expected some sort of spicy question to follow immediately, but Effie remained silent, showing just how bewildered she was. Even her usual mischievousness disappeared. Instead, the little girl simply raised a second finger.


    "...Alright. The True Name�� we sort of figured that out, too. You seemed reluctant to share it, for some reason, so Kai and I did not press."


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh, hesitated for a moment, then forced himself to speak:


    "That�� has to do with an Innate Ability of my Aspect. If certain conditions are met, it can make me vulnerable to those who know my True Name. That is why I kept it a secret�� and also put a lot of effort into appearing as weak and pathetic as possible, so that no one would even suspect that a weakling like me could possess a True Name."


    His face grew a bit dim.


    "Being considered a weakling is generally great, because it makes enemies underestimate you. I''m more than fine with people thinking little of me. But�� uh�� after I started pretending, things got out of hand really fast��"


    Effie blinked a couple of times, remained silent for a moment, and raised a third finger.


    "Well, I guess that explains a few things. Now, about Lord Mongrel �� we knew, of course! I mean, it was sort of obvious��"


    At that point, both Kai and Cassie turned to her and spoke simultaneously. Kai seemed even more surprised than before:


    "What?! I didn''t know!"


    ...Cassie, meanwhile, seemed a bit confused. She asked hesitantly:


    "Uh�� I am sorry, but who is Lord Mongrel?"


    Effie stared at them with a funny expression.


    "What do you mean, you did not know? You were the one who helped him buy that armor!"


    Kai opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again:


    "...Wait, what armor? I helped�� the stone armor from the Memory Market? That dusty, ugly thing? No, it''s not the same! The material is completely different! The fit, the design�� Mongrel''s armor is very chic! Not at all like that cumbersome stone clunker!"


    Sunny covered his face, then said somberly:


    "The stone changes to a stonelike metal due to an enchantment�� it was just broken and required an Awakened to activate the restoration process. As for the fit, you do remember that Memories adjust themselves to accommodate the owner''s body, right? Hell�� now that I have a tail, even it is armored when I summon the Mantle."


    The young man stared at him with a lost expression, then leaned back on his chair.


    "Oh�� uh�� I see, then. But, I mean... no, never mind..."


    Sunny massaged his temples.


    "I never meant for Mongrel to get famous. I just wanted to practice swordsmanship in the Dreamscape, and all good aliases were already taken. Who knew that a damned broadcaster would spread the clip of me dispatching him everywhere on the network? Oh, gods�� and things only got worse after that..."


    Effie looked at him, then at her three fingers, then made a little fist.


    "But the rest�� a Divine Aspect?! What?! Do those even exist?! Three soul cores?! A daemon''s lineage�� what even is that?! And what is next, are you going to tell us that you have a Divine Memory, or something?!"


    The little girl let out a nervous giggle and mockingly shook her head.


    Sunny stared at her for a bit, then cautiously cleared his throat.


    "Ah, well�� actually�� I have two��"

 Chapter 690 One Question

    Some time later, Sunny left the room, walked between the tall menhirs, and entered the sprawling garden of the Sanctuary. The cohort had intended to talk to Noctis together, but after his bombshell of a revelation, the others needed some time to digest all the new information and decided to stay behind.


    ''Understandable��''


    In truth, Sunny wanted to be alone for a few minutes, as well. Although he felt that he had made the right decision, revealing his secrets was�� an uncomfortable experience. He felt as if an invisible weight had been lifted off his shoulders, a bit, but also rattled and uneasy. He felt... naked.


    Sunny could use a little solitude to gather his thoughts, too.


    After the initial shock, he had gone into more detail about his capabilities, explaining how a Divine Aspect worked, and the circumstances of how he earned it. However, it was not like he knew a lot about this matter himself, so the conversation was not too long.


    It had helped the others better understand his powers, as well as that of Nephis�� and, most importantly, of Mordret. Now, they were as ready to face the Prince of Nothing as they could be, should a conflict with him happen. Additionally, due to everyone gaining deeper insight into Sunny''s powers, their already profound synergy as a battle unit was bound to grow even more refined.


    Sunny kept a few things to himself, as well. The difference was that if before there had been a strange dynamic between him and his friends, where they pretended to not know that he wasn''t being entirely honest with them, and he pretended to not know that they knew�� now, the existence of those white spots had been openly acknowledged by him.


    Effie and Kai understood that there were things he wasn''t ready to share, and why he was reluctant to do so. They seemed to respect his wishes.


    All in all, it went surprisingly well.


    Walking through the beautiful garden, which was illuminated by the pale light of the full moon, Sunny enjoyed the tranquil air of the Sanctuary. At some point, however, a slightly disconcerting thought entered his mind:


    ''I wonder�� was this decision of mine influenced, to some degree, by Hope''s poison? If so�� what deep desire of mine had she amplified to push me toward being honest with my friends, for a change?"


    Suddenly thoughtful, Sunny approached the door of the sorcerer''s lair, waited patiently for the Sailor Dolls to open it, and walked inside.


    ''Maybe I was always��''


    His eyes suddenly narrowed, and his hand shot to the side, ready to grasp the shaft of the Cruel Sight. Something was very wrong inside the dark hall�� a thick, nauseating smell of blood invaded his nostrils, sending adrenalin coursing through his own. It surrounded him like a suffocating wave, as though a terrible massacre had just taken place in the immortal sorcerer''s quarters.


    ��But Sunny did not see any corpses. The central chamber was just as he had left it the last time �� empty of all furniture, with a vast circle of runes drawn on the stone floor. No, not entirely the same�� the floor had cracked in several places, as though something was pushing at it from beneath, exerting devastating pressure on the ancient stones.


    Noctis was still in the center of the circle. One of his sleeves was rolled up, and there was a deep cut on his left wrist, a stream of blood running down his hand and falling down like a crimson ribbon. In his other hand, he held the diamond sickle. The sorcerer was surrounded by a shallow pool of blood, however, it somehow failed to touch the hems of his garments.


    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, noticing that the stone surface�� seemed to be slowly absorbing the blood. Then, he gripped the emerald amulet and asked evenly:


    "...Are you trying to kill yourself?"


    Noctis slowly opened his eyes, glanced at Sunny, and smiled brightly. Then, acting as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening, he wiped the diamond sickle, hid it in the folds of his silk garment, and stoop up:


    "What? Of course not! I''m too young to die!"


    Sunny gave him a dubious look.


    "Young? You are at least a thousand years old."


    The sorcerer tilted his head, scratched his cheek with a thoughtful look, and then smiled even brighter:


    "...What? Of course not! I''m too beautiful to die!"


    Happy with himself, Noctis somehow made the cut on his wrist close, jumped over the pool of blood, and walked toward Sunny with a relaxed expression.


    "Come�� this place needs to be aired, I think. The garden is nice and chill, though."


    Sunny threw one last look at the disappearing pool of blood. Did he imagine it�� or had the stone floor of the chamber trembled slightly, just then? Shaking his head, he turned away and followed Noctis outside.


    Together, they slowly headed for the Altar Island. Noctis seemed to enjoy the silence of the moonlit garden a lot�� a minute or two later, though, he broke it with a carefree question:


    "So, what did you want to tell me? Have you and your friends come to a decision?"


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then answered:


    "We did. We�� will help you free Hope."


    Noctis grinned.


    "Oh, wonderful!"


    After that, he didn''t say anything else.


    Sunny waited for a while, a little confused. They had already reached the white altar and sat down on a stone bench, enjoying the sight of the pristine lake, with a pale circle of the moon reflecting on its calm surface. And yet, the sorcerer seemed to lose his ability to speak.


    Slightly irritated, Sunny hesitated for a moment and then asked awkwardly:


    "...So? Do you need me to give you the knives?"


    Noctis looked at him with an easy smile and shrugged.


    "Ah, no need. Keep them."


    Sunny''s eye twitched.


    "What do you mean, keep them?! Wasn''t the knives what you were after?"


    The immortal sorcerer looked at the reflection of the moon, then waved a hand vaguely.


    "We can deal with them when the time comes. Things will sort themselves out, one way or another."


    He remained silent for a bit, and then added, his smile slowly disappearing:


    "Now that the One in the North is dead, things will start moving faster. The other Chain Lords are probably already in motion."


    Noctis sighed, then leaned back and looked up at the sky.


    "We won''t have as much time to prepare as I would have hoped. Two months, perhaps�� maybe even less. You and your friends should spend that time wisely. Once the end starts, we won''t have an opportunity to relax like this until it''s all over."


    Sunny grew silent, then looked at the tranquil lake. After a few moments, he said:


    "We will help you, but I have some questions."


    Amused by that statement, Noctis laughed.


    "You even have questions on a night like this? Sunless�� you should learn how to enjoy yourself, from time to time. Take a moment and appreciate the world. Otherwise, what is the point in living?"


    Sunny glanced at him with a deadpan expression.


    "Do I look like someone who knows what the point of living is? Thanks for the advice, I''ll take your words to heart. However, I still have questions."


    The sorcerer made a dour face and sighed.


    "...Alright. One question. I''ll answer one question. So think well before asking it!"


    Sunny did not speak for a while, staring at the reflection of the moon. His face grew serious, deep shadows veiling his eyes.


    After several minutes spent in silence, he finally frowned, looked at Noctis, and said:


    "...Then tell me this one thing. Why did Sun God destroy Hope''s Kingdom?"


    The immortal raised his eyebrows, then threw his head back and laughed.


    "By the Moon�� of all the questions in the world, you just had to ask this one, didn''t you!"


    He shook his head, and then looked away.


    "Well, a deal is a deal. I''ll answer... like many others who tried to answer this question over the centuries. Some said that it was because she was a daemon, others said that it was because she was too powerful. That she had grown too prideful, or that she had grown too radiant, outshining even the Lord of Light. But they were all wrong. In truth�� at least what I think is the truth�� Hope wasn''t punished because she was too powerful, too prideful, or too radiant."


    He remained silent for a few moments, and then sighed.


    "...It was because she was worshipped."

 Chapter 691 Heresy

    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, absorbing what Noctis had told him. The Altar Island was calm and tranquil, the lake surrounding it shimmering in the darkness with the reflected moonlight. The branches of the ancient tree swayed gently above his head.


    ''Because she was worshipped��''


    He snorted and looked away, feeling bitterly disappointed, for some reason. After a while, he said darkly:


    "So, what? That is all there is? Sun God was jealous?"


    The sorcerer glanced at him, lingered for a moment, and then slowly shook his head.


    "No�� no, he wasn''t."


    Noctis remained silent for a bit, then sighed.


    "The gods had never shown any animosity toward daemons. In fact, their relationship was somewhat friendly. In the battles of the ancient times, they even fought side by side as allies."


    He frowned.


    "Neither had the gods ever cared about whom or what the mortals worshipped. Ah, there were all kinds of silly cults before! There were rulers that proclaimed themselves divine, people who built temples to beasts and spirits�� some oddballs even worshipped rocks. Or the Corrupted abominations�� by the Moon, can you imagine? But the gods did not mind at all."


    The sorcerer glanced up at the sky, thought for a bit, and then said somberly:


    "However, people had never worshipped a daemon�� before Hope. The daemons, you see, are elusive and solitary creatures by nature. There is the eldest, mysterious Weaver �� the Demon of Fate, who is shrouded in countless layers of lies. Then there is the youngest, Nether �� the Demon of Destiny, who secluded himself in the darkness of the Underworld. There is the Demon of Oblivion, whose name is long forgotten��"


    Sunny listened attentively, absorbing the new information. Already accustomed to wielding the emerald medallion, he reflexively let go of the beautiful stone and allowed it to hand from the chain wrapped around his fingers, so that his thoughts remained private.


    ''Huh�� so the Prince of the Underworld was actually called Nether? I wonder which came first, the name of the title�� and he was also the Demon of Destiny, it seems. Wait, aren''t fate and destiny the same thing? I guess they''re not�� the rune for destiny can also mean choice, after all�� so, was he actually the Demon of Choice?''


    His thoughts were interrupted by the sorcerer''s wistful voice:


    "...and the rest, each a personification of calamity and disaster. Mysterious, distant, and terrifying, each and every one of them. Or at least they were, until the Demon of Desire decided to come and live among us mortals, becoming known as Hope. She built her kingdom here, and soon, people learned to love her. And not long after that, they started to worship her."


    Noctis paused and then continued, his face growing darker:


    "And that was when we learned that while the gods were friendly to daemons and indifferent to mortals building temples to beasts, spirits, and rocks�� they would not allow a daemon to be worshipped. They were so unwilling, in fact, that the Lord of Light brought down his flames upon the mortal realm, obliterating a whole chunk of it."


    Sunny frowned, feeling a cold sense of dread permeate his heart. Remembering one of his nightmares, he shivered.


    "...But why?"


    The sorcerer looked at him with a bit of surprise and shrugged.


    "Who knows? I guess only the gods do�� well, and maybe a daemon or two. I doubt that even Hope knew what she had done wrong... but maybe she does, now. In any case, after her imprisonment, slowly, the idea of worshipping a daemon became tantamount to heresy."


    Noctis suddenly laughed.


    "What a strange word, heresy! Don''t you think? It had not even existed when I was young, you know. But then, suddenly, each of the six cults started treating daemon worshippers as criminals, pests who were spreading a vile disease... and the concept of heresy was invented. Now, becoming a heretic means being hunted down and saying goodbye to your life��"


    He grew silent, and then sighed.


    "...We did not know it at the time, of course, but the destruction of the Kingdom of Hope was a turning point in history. With it, the Age of Heroes ended, and the current one �� whatever it will be called one day �� began. Ah, what a dreadful era! Nothing has gone right from then on��"


    Sunny remained silent for a while, thinking that there was something strange about this whole story. Nothing made sense�� the gods and the daemons had been allies once? Knowing that they would eventually clash in a devastating war, he could not quite believe it�� however, on second thought, the Prince of the Underworld�� Nether�� was indeed described as having been close with the Goddes of the Black Skies once.


    Who was to say that the other daemons had not consorted with the gods, as well?


    But that only made the divine punishment that the Lord of Light had brought down upon the Kingdom of Hope more inexplicable and strange. And who had they been allied together against? The creatures of the Void? What was the exact timeline of all this convoluted nonsense? The Age of Heroes had ended with the imprisonment of Hope�� but when had it started? And what had been happening before?


    ''Damn, so many questions��''


    Sunny glanced at Noctis, hesitated for a few moments, and then grasped the emerald amulet again��


    However, the sorcerer was having none of it. He glanced at Sunny and said with a smile:


    "...I feel like you are about to ask me a question. That would be the second question�� wait, no, the second one was whether or not Sun God was jealous! Wicked demon�� you tricked me!"


    Noctis shook his head, looked at Sunny with reproach, and stood up.


    "Shame on you, Sunless! Good night. Tell your friends to prepare well in the time that we have left��"


    With that, the sorcerer gave him another hurt look, then turned away and started walking back toward his residence.


    After a few steps, however, he stopped and said in his usual carefree manner:


    "Oh, yes�� I almost forgot�� you will have to go and retrieve the third knife, too. Don''t worry, though, it is not going to be hard. Rather easy, really..."


    Sunny, who was staring at the tranquil lake with a dark expression, simply nodded.


    "Sure�� wait, what? Why do we have to do it?! Go and get it yourself!"


    Noctis hesitated for a bit, then sighed.


    "Ah, I wish that I could. But�� well�� I might have said some nonsense about how my friend should only give the knife to someone of pure thought and heart�� or something like that. And sadly, while I am the most outstanding person in all of the Kingdom of Hope in many regards�� uh�� purity is not my strong suit. You and your friends, however! You reak of purity�� well, one or two of you, at least�� for now��"


    With that, the sorcerer winked at Sunny and strolled away, whistling a jovial tune.


    Sunny watched him go, and then shook his head with a bewildered expression on his face.


    ''Wait�� did he just�� swindled me into getting another knife for him? Again?!''


    He blinked a couple of times and clenched his four fists.


    ''...Damnation!''

 Chapter 692 Free Time

    After their conversation under that full moon, Noctis had secluded himself in his residence for a couple of weeks. Sunny tried to talk with the eccentric sorcerer a few times, but the silent Sailor Dolls refused to open the door and just stared at him with their crude wooden faces.


    There was, of course, the option of simply using Shadow Step to get inside�� but, somehow, Sunny suspected that intruding upon the immortal Transcendent would not have been the best idea. There were real souls trapped inside these Sailor Dolls, after all.


    In the end, he and the other members of the cohort had no choice but to follow the advice Noctis gave him �� to rest and prepare for what was about to come. Luckily, there were a lot of preparations they had to do.


    While all four had trained themselves extensively before entering the Nightmare, many things happened since then. There were a lot of lessons they had learned in these three terrible months, most of them bringing the four Awakened to the very door of death. Now that they had time, they could go over everything they had learned, revisit it, and truly absorb it into their bones, connecting the new knowledge and skills to their foundation in a solid manner.


    For Sunny, that meant several things.


    The first one was Shadow Dance. He had found himself in a strange situation, having made the recent breakthrough inside of a nightmare... that he did not really remember.


    Sunny could guess that mastering the third step of his battle style was tied to the fact that he had lived through countless nightmares and lost himself in them, becoming truly shapeless and formless�� forgetting himself and turning into other people completely.


    That observation was in line with how he had initially made progress to the third step of Shadow Step, back in the arena of the Red Colosseum, where he shadowed numerous Nightmare Creatures. Back then, he had almost lost himself, as well, but stopped at the last moment, fearing that he would not be able to come back.


    Being trapped in the nightmares had made that frightening step for him, and so, he had approached the very edge of a breakthrough. The final piece of the puzzle had been trying to shadow the epitome of formlessness �� another Shadow, Nightmare.


    As a result of the breakthrough, Sunny''s ability to recognize and gain insight into patterns of combat techniques had increased even more, now allowing him to understand and predict not only the movements and behavior of his enemies, but also intricately sense the flow of essence through their bodies, as well as �� almost, but not quite �� being able to predict their very thoughts.


    However, there was one glaring flaw in this miraculous ability, one that he didn''t know how to solve. For the first time since Sunny had created Shadow Dance, the elusive battle art was starting to seem�� dangerous. Not only for his enemies, but also for himself.


    What was the point of being able to kill something if he ran the risk of losing himself and becoming that thing forever?


    To kill a dragon, one had to become a dragon...


    Why would anyone want to achieve such a victory, if earning it meant ceasing to be themselves and becoming the very thing they had wanted to destroy?


    For now, he didn''t have a solution, and that made him more than a little bit nervous. So, Sunny decided to temporarily concentrate on other things.


    He spent a large part of his days practicing archery with Kai. Sunny quickly realized that he would never be as talented of an archer as his friend was, but that did not mean that he could not achieve great results. In fact, his aim and skill with the bow were increasing at a steady pace.


    Still, there was a question of distributing the tools the cohort possessed in the most efficient manner, so Sunny reluctantly tried to lend Morgan''s Warbow to Kai. It was for naught, though �� because of the [Unbending] enchantment of the bow, his friend was simply not strong enough to draw it.


    When their training sessions were over, Sunny would usually return to his room and spent the rest of the day fruitlessly practicing weaving. He had achieved some progress in his attempt to learn how to copy enchantments, but not enough to make the altered weaves stable. The number of Memories he had won in the Red Colosseum was dwindling by the day with no apparent result, with made Sunny very frustrated.


    It seemed that he had hit a bottleneck in his understanding of how spellweaves were supposed to work, and was in need of a mental breakthrough to push himself any further.


    That breakthrough was not in a hurry to come, though.


    ��When the day was over and darkness encroached upon the world, Sunny turned to the third, and most time-consuming, part of his preparations�� collecting shadow fragments to form his fourth core. Leaving the Sanctuary, he would travel to nearby islands in search of Nightmare Creatures to hunt, and killed those he could find and that were not beyond his ability to defeat.


    By now, less than one hundred and fifty fragments separated him from becoming a Devil. The number seemed so small, but at the same time was more troublesome than it should have been.


    The problem was in the fact that there were not as many Nightmare Creatures in the Kingdom of Hope as there had been on the Chained Isles in the future, especially not that close to the stronghold of one of the Chain Lords. As the result, his progress was torturously slow and tedious.


    To accelerate it somehow, Sunny had made a frightening decision to leave the surface of the islands and take his hunting to their underside, where the true horrors of this land dwelled. Luckily, his new body was somewhat fit to do so �� with his sharp claws and talons, he was able to climb any surface, no matter how steep, or even remain mobile while hanging entirely upside down.


    And if he made a mistake, the Heavenly Burden was always at hand.


    In combination with his swiftly improving archery skill and determination to form a new core before the culmination of the Nightmare arrived, Sunny was able to slay many dwellers of the Dark Side. There were indeed terrible and morbid creatures, and more than a few left scars on his body.


    But it was still not fast enough.


    By the end of the first two weeks, he was still not even halfway to his goal. And on that day, quietly and without any fanfare, something else happened.


    Somewhere out there, in the wild reaches of the Dream Realm��


    Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan had finally become a Tyrant.

 Chapter 693 Knowledge Of Everything

    Sunny was in his room, watching as a Memory disintegrated into a whirlwind of shimmering sparks, a dark expression on his face. He didn''t need the Spell to inform him to know that he had just lost another one��


    And yet, the ever-helpful Spell still whispered into his ear:


    [Your Memory has been destroyed.]


    Sunny snarled, then shook his head bitterly and summoned the runes, intending to check on how many expendable Memories he still had left. It was then that he decided to check on Neph''s progress, which had long ago become a deeply ingrained habit of his.


    Seeing that Changing Star was still alive and fighting brought him both relief and grim motivation.


    Already sensing what he was about to see, Sunny stared at the runes and read:


    Name: Nephis.


    True Name: Changing Star.


    Rank: Dormant.


    Class: Tyrant.


    Shadow Cores: [5/7].


    Shadow Fragments: [0/5000].


    He looked at the runes for some time, then sighed and dismissed them.


    Just a few days ago, she was still far away from reaching the fifth core. After the Red Colosseum and his battle with Nightmare, the gap between them had shortened even more�� but now, Neph had gone and done something crazy again, making it grow vast and infuriating once more.


    He stared at the walls of his room darkly. It was as though the two of them were constantly playing an insane game of tug of war, fully knowing that one wrong move meant death, but equally unwilling to let the opponent win.


    And from the very start of it, he had never been in the lead.


    ''How�� tiresome.''


    Sunny shook his head, realizing that he was in no mood to blindly throw himself at the impregnable barrier of weaving anymore. At least not today.


    ��His solemn mood changed, however, when the shadows he had stationed across from the sorcerer''s door saw it open, and the familiar figure walk out, then wince at the bright sun.


    Noctis looked a bit disheveled, with dark circles under his eyes and slightly messy hair. Considering who it was, though, Sunny could only guess whether the immortal was tired, or just hungover.


    Still, this wasn''t a chance he was ready to miss.


    Wasting some essence to step through the shadows, Sunny appeared a few meters away from Noctis and looked at him with a guarded expression. The sorcerer blinked a couple of times, then put on a friendly smile:


    "Sunless�� you are still here? Haven''t we just talked?"


    Sunny inwardly rolled his eyes.


    "...That was two weeks ago. Fifteen days, technically."


    Noctis raised an eyebrow, shifted from foot to foot awkwardly, and then cleared his throat.


    "Oh�� really? I, uh�� well, what a nice day! Can I help you with something, then?"


    Sunny stared at the sorcerer for a few moments, then nodded.


    "Yes. Yes, in fact, you can."


    The immortal Transcendent smiled brightly.


    "Well, why didn''t you say so! We are friends, are we not, and friends are supposed to help each other�� so, what do you need?"


    Sunny gripped the emerald amulet tighter, hesitated for a second, and then said:


    "...Can you teach me sorcery?"


    ***


    Noctis continued to smile for a bit, then laughed.


    "That''s it? Sure, no problem. I am the greatest sorcerer in the Kingdom of Hope, after all! Under my guidance, you will become a distinguished sorcerer yourself in no time. Let me think�� if we start right now��"


    As Sunny smiled tentatively, he looked at the sky to gauge the time of day, thought for a bit, and then added:


    "...we''ll be finished at about the same time, a hundred years from now. Let us start!"


    Sunny blinked.


    "What? A hundred years?!"


    The sorcerer frowned a little, then shrugged.


    "Well, maybe two hundred years. That was how long it took me to learn the basics�� if you mean true sorcery, of course, not those pitiful tricks others consider to be miracles. Uh, actually�� what do you think sorcery is?"


    Sunny hesitated, then said with uncertainty:


    "The ability to manipulate magical energies through means that fall outside one''s Aspect?"


    Noctis stared at him for a bit, then sighed.


    "A good enough answer, but no. Simply put, there is no such thing as sorcery. Or rather, there is no single thing called sorcery. But there are various ways to twist the underlying laws of the world to produce some effect, desirable or not. What we call sorcery is just a�� a structured method of achieving a predictable result while doing so, with whatever means you possess. Usually with the help of soul essence."


    He looked around, observing the landscape of the Sanctuary, and added:


    "...Take me, for example. My Aspect has to do with souls, and so, I was able to learn a few things from the followers of Heart God �� the God of Souls, as well as emotions, memory, hunger, and growth. However, I only became a true sorcerer after learning Hope''s magic."


    Sunny tilted his head a little.


    "Hope''s�� magic?"


    Noctis nodded.


    "Ah, yes. The most common type of sorcery used by mortals �� blindly and without a true understanding of its nature, I might add �� comes from Hope. She is the one who invented writing, after all, and gifted it to us humans. What a wonderful invention it was! Writing itself does not produce sorcery, though."


    He hesitated, and then added:


    "Before Hope invented writing, the most common type of sorcery used by mortals, even more blindly, was the Sorcery of Names. You see, Sunless, everything that exists has a name. In fact, you might even say that a thing only starts to exist after it is given a name. A flower is just a flower, one among many, until you call it a rose. Then, roses are suddenly different from all the other flowers, and so, they come to exist."


    Sunny frowned, not sure that he understood what the hell Noctis was talking about. Wouldn''t roses exist even if they were not called roses? Well�� in a sense, they wouldn''t? Flowers that looked like roses would, but they would not be called roses, and so, there would not be roses��


    ''How confusing��''


    The sorcerer, meanwhile, ignored his befuddlement and continued:


    "However, not all names are equal. So are simply given and aren''t worth much, while others have to be earned�� and those names, the true names of things, hold power over them. Names are a powerful thing, Sunless�� and so, a long time ago, people who learned those names could share in that power. However, their authority was obscure and fleeting, since it was only invoked when someone said the names aloud�� and saying them with a mortal mouth was not an easy feat."


    He suddenly smiled.


    "But that was what made Hope''s invention so ingenious, you see! Once writing appeared, one with enough knowledge could connect the names to material objects, granting the invocation permanence. Of course, it is not that simple�� in fact, knowing the names of things and how to shape them into songs and phrases is incredibly hard, because with the knowledge of names comes the knowledge of everything."


    Noctis let out a heavy sigh.


    "Simply scribbling a rune without understanding its meaning would not do anything. So, it takes centuries to learn the very basics of runic sorcery. Unless you are intrinsically predisposed to it, of course�� which no one is, except for Hope herself. But I will gladly teach you everything I know! If you have a century or two to spare, I mean..."


    The sorcerer smiled brightly and stared at Sunny, sincerity written all other his obnoxiously beautiful face.


    ''That slimy bastard��''


    Of course, Sunny did not have a couple of centuries to spare.


    But�� maybe�� he didn''t need to.


    ''Names are a powerful thing��''


    Suddenly, a seed of an idea appeared in his mind.


    "I�� uh�� maybe some other time."


    Noctis sighed with regret and opened his mouth to say something�� but the four-armed demon was already gone, swallowed by shadows.


    The sorcerer stared at the shadows with a sour face, then shook his head and sighed again.


    "What a strange fellow��"

 Chapter 694 Key Piece

    Back in the Red Colosseum, Sunny had spent an excruciating amount of time remembering and comparing the weaves of different Memories in order to understand what they had in common.


    In his mind, there were three traits that all Memories shared: the ability to be summoned and dismissed, the ability to repair themselves while dismissed, and the connection to the wielder''s soul.


    By recognizing these three universal parts of the weave patterns, he thought that he had learned how to reproduce these simplest enchantments, at least to the point where he managed to create a simple pattern that allowed an item to be dismissed and summoned from essence.


    ��However, there was a fourth quality that all Memories shared, one that he had not thought about.


    All Memories had a name.


    ''I am an idiot�� such an idiot��''


    He of all people should have known what power names wielded, considering that his own True Name was literally the key to having absolute control over him.


    Appearing from the shadows that nestled in his room, Sunny fell on the bed and summoned the Silver Bell �� the Memory with which he was familiar the most. He had spent countless hours studying its weave and trying to comprehend the secrets of how it worked�� to little avail, up until now.


    Staring beneath the surface of the small bell, he saw the beautiful and complicated pattern of ethereal strings that permeated it, with a single dimly glowing ember in its middle.


    By now, Sunny had managed to recognize the parts of the weave that were responsible for all its unique qualities�� or so he thought.


    There were the three segments of the pattern that he had learned in the Red Colosseum, and the rest was the single enchantment of the bell. However, despite knowing all the parts, Sunny could never make sense of the whole weave�� as though something was missing, making all his attempts to comprehend the logic and connections of the ethereal strings useless.


    ''There is one more element�� the Silver Bell does have only a single enchantment, but it also has a name�� the name that differentiates it from every other Memory, and thus, allows it to exist�� somehow.''


    Sunny stared at the part of the weave that he had thought was representing the enchantment for a long time, then summoned another Memory and studied it, as well. The task of separating one completely unique part of the weave from another completely unique part seemed impossible, at first�� after all, he had nothing to use as a reference.


    But he had something even better. The intrinsic predisposition to weaving that he had inherited from the Demon of Fate�� the very quality that Noctis had mentioned Hope possessed when it came to runic sorcery, as its creator.


    Sunny, of course, was no Weaver. But he was able to intuitively sense the purpose of spellweave elements due to his connection to the enigmatic daemon. That talent was literally in his blood. All Sunny had to do now�� was carefully examine each and every string comprising the vast pattern, and sense which ones were meant to create sound, and which had no purpose he knew of.


    The ones he knew nothing about had to do something with the name.


    ��Hours passed, and soon, it grew dark outside. Sunny continued to stare at the small silver bell, forgetting about his nightly hunt. And at some point in the middle of the night, his eyes suddenly widened.


    ''There�� is it? Yes! I see it!''


    Finally, he had managed to isolate the part of the weave that had nothing to do with the three universal enchantments, but also didn''t seem to be connected to the actual purpose of the bell �� producing a ringing that could be heard from miles away.


    This�� this had to be the part of the spellweave that described the name of the Memory. Such a vast and intricate pattern of ethereal strings, all to express two simple words��


    Silver Bell.


    As soon as Sunny mentally connected these two words with the pattern, a strange thing happened. The weave of the Silver Bell remained the same, but he suddenly saw it differently. It was as though the whole thing completely transformed in front of his eyes, while not changing at all.


    The disparate parts suddenly seemed harmoniously connected, and the chaotic and senseless structure of the weave suddenly appeared to possess a strange and mysterious, but elegant and undeniable logic.


    He was stunned.


    ''How�� how did I not see this?''


    The pattern was suddenly so much more open to him, so much easier to discern. And in the middle of it, weaving through every part of the tapestry of ethereal strings was the name, Silver Bell, which served as the bridge and the unifying element between them.


    ''...No wonder every Memory I tried to modify collapsed. I only missed the most important thing, damn!''


    Sunny studied the weave of the Silver Bell with wide eyes, seeing the familiar parts of it in a new light.


    ��Then, however, a slight frown appeared on his face.


    ''Wait�� what is that?''


    Now that he saw the entirety of the logic behind the pattern �� or rather, of the logic behind its foundational structure �� he could also see an element that seemed alien to his understanding. By now, no part of this weave was supposed to remain unknown to him.


    And yet, there was one.


    More than that, that part of the weave was vast and terribly complicated, as much inherent to the whole structure of the Memory as its name. It was hard to notice at first, but if one knew what to look for, it was almost impossible to ignore.


    ''Huh�� it is very pretty�� but what the hell is it?''


    He scowled, then glanced at the other Memory, wishing to compare its weave to that of the Silver Bell.


    To Sunny''s surprise, the vast and beautiful underlying pattern was there, as well, its presence as strange and unexplainable as before.


    Suddenly tense, he summoned all of his Memories one after another, studying them�� and finding the mysterious pattern everywhere!


    ''What the hell is it?!''


    Sunny had no idea, and even his intuition was silent, not providing any hint as to the purpose of the everpresent hidden weave. The only clue he found was that a part of it bore a distant resemblance to the weave of the Moonlight Shard, and that its overall structure slightly resembled that of the name of the Silver Bell. However, the mysterious pattern was incomparably vaster and�� deeper.


    He scowled, and then suddenly tilted his head with a surprised expression.


    "Moonlight�� light��"


    Sunny glanced at the weave again, and then froze.


    "...Lost from Light?"

 Chapter 695 Sonorous Silver Bell

    ��When morning came, Sunny was sitting on the floor with a wild look on his bestial face, his black coarse hair in a mess. There was a glowing golden needly in one of his hands and a small silver bell in the other. The other two held a flute that seemed to be either cut from jade or made out of polished emerald bone.


    That was probably the best Memory he had received in the Red Colosseum�� but right now, Sunny couldn''t care about the flute any less.


    Instead, all his attention was concentrated on the small bell.


    Holding his breath, Sunny raised and shook it. However, instead of the clear ringing that would be heard from kilometers away, all he heard was a barely audible, melodious whisper.


    I wild grin slowly appeared on his face, illuminating his face.


    "I''ve... I''ve done it. I really did!"


    Barely containing his excitement, Sunny summoned the runes and read the description of the bell:


    Memory: Silver Bell.


    Memory Rank: Dormant.


    Memory Tier: II.


    Memory Description: [A small memento of a long-lost home, which once brought its owner comfort and joy. Its clear ringing can be heard from miles away].


    Memory Enchantments: [Silver Song], [Sonorous].


    [Silver Song] Enchantment Description: "The ringing of this bell is not overly loud, but can be heard across a vast distance."


    [Sonorous] Enchantment Description: "The owner can decide how loud this bell will ring."


    Sunny''s eyes glistened with joy.


    Of course, these two enchantments were not that powerful. However, that did not matter�� what mattered was the fact that there were now two of them, despite that there had only been one before.


    He had finally managed to successfully copy and transplant an enchantment, albeit a simple one. He had studied the emerald bone flute, painstakingly recreated the weave of the [Sonorous] Enchantment, and integrated it into the weave of the Silver Bell�� without destroying it. He had done it! He added a new enchantment to a Memory!


    Failing to wipe the wide grin from his face, Sunny looked beneath the surface of the small bell. Now, its spellweave looked�� very different.


    Where there had once only been strings of ethereal light, now there were black strings made of shadows, as well. The two types of strings were intricately intertwined to create a complicated, and yet harmonious pattern.


    More than that, the pattern of the Silver Bell used to have only one glowing ember that served as a nexus for the ethereal threads... but now, there were two �� knowing that an additional enchantment would require a more powerful foundation, Sunny had used one of the soul shards in his possession to create a new anchor.


    All of this had only been possible because of his new insight into the structure of weaves. Knowing that the name of a Memory was integral to its spellweave allowed Sunny to see the pattern as a whole, and so, he was finally able to change it without destroying the thing entirely.


    Of course, he was still unable to even think about creating an enchantment of his own�� but taking an already existing enchantment pattern and transplanting it into a different Memory was not outside of the realm of possibility for him anymore. Granted, it was not an easy process�� just the simple [Sonorous] enchantment took a whole night and an ocean of shadow essence to create.


    And that was after he had spent months staring at the Silver Bell and studying its spellweave.


    But, still��


    ''Gods!''


    The possibilities�� were almost infinite. The ability to modify and change his Memories could open countless doors for him, in time�� and that was only scratching the surface of his recent breakthrough.


    Just the fact that he had been able to raise the Tier of the Silver Bell by adding an additional anchor was already promising enough.


    Yes, it would take a lot of time and effort to solidify this success and learn how to copy enchantments faster and more reliably. There would be plenty of failures along the way��


    But the more Sunny practiced, the more he would come to know about the logic and essence of weaving. One day in the future, he would gain enough knowledge and experience to take the next step and learn how to modify and change the enchantments themselves, altering their function.


    And one day after that, far in the future, he just might learn enough to try creating an enchantment �� and a Memory �� of his own.


    On the day he succeeded in that daunting endeavor��


    On that day, Sunny would earn the right to call himself a true sorcerer.


    ...On that day, he would become a weaver.


    ***


    Much later, Sunny emerged from his room, stared at the bright sun with a dissatisfied expression, yawned, and walked toward the spot where he and Kai usually practiced archery.


    His friend was already there, wearing his charred wooden mask. There was a bow in his hands, and a quiver of arrows by his feet.


    Noticing the four-armed demon, Kai turned his head and waved, greeting him.


    "Good morning!"


    Sunny rubbed his face, then revealed his sharp fangs in a frightening smile.


    "...What''s good about it? Ah, doesn''t matter. Shall we start?"


    The young man looked at him for a bit, then shrugged.


    "Sure. But where have you been these last few days?"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "In my room? Wait, a few days passed? Huh�� I must have lost the track of time��"


    Kai tilted his head, then suddenly glanced at Sunny''s hands:


    "Oh�� wait. Where is that emerald amulet Noctis gave you?"


    Sunny glanced down with a guilty look, lingered for a bit, and answered reluctantly:


    "Oh�� that thing�� I, uh, sort of broke it."


    The young man''s eyes widened.


    "You broke�� wait, then how am I hearing you?!"


    At that moment, Sunny grinned and produced a simple-looking rock from the folds of his black kimono, then proudly presented it to Kai.


    The archer stared at it with confusion:


    "Is it�� the Ordinary Rock?"


    Continuing to grin, Sunny shook his head. Then, the rock suddenly spoke in his voice:


    "It was. But now�� it is the Extraordinary Rock! I�� improved it, I guess. Now, it can do the same thing as the amulet, but as an active enchantment. So, no more blurting random thoughts for me! What a relief�� I can curse out anyone I want in peace again�� uh, I mean, can have some mental privacy again. It can also be really, really loud. So, its name changed as well."


    Kai stared at him in bewilderment for a bit, then shook his head.


    "Well�� this is great! But, sadly, we don''t have time to discuss it in detail�� or practice archery, for that matter."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Really? Why?"


    The young man sighed, then stood up and picked up his quiver.


    "It''s Noctis�� he wants to see us."

 Chapter 696 Extraordinary Rock

    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then sighed and followed Kai through the garden. He felt a little uneasy about meeting Noctis��


    ''Surely, he won''t be mad at me for breaking his amulet�� well, who cares, anyway? That slick bastard owes me too much, already��''


    Destroying the emerald amulet had not been his plan. Suny just really, really wanted to find a more efficient method of expressing himself, and the sorcerer''s gift was the only thing in his possession that had a suitable enchantment.


    The problem was that the enchantment was made with runes, and not a weave. So Sunny had no way to reproduce it.


    ��He could, however, try to turn the amulet into a Memory.


    Sunny had already achieved something similar back in the Red Colosseum by weaving a basic enchantment of summoning into his slave collar. However, the process had never been completed, because the enchantment was destroyed in the clash with the collar''s own magic, lasting only long enough to allow him to escape the cage.


    Now, however, Sunny had plenty of time to make another attempt.


    This time, armed with his new knowledge, he had a far better chance of success. Of course, it was not guaranteed, so he started by experimenting with a beautifully crafted wooden chair in his room.


    Slowly and tediously, he created countless strings of the essence and weaved the three basic enchantments into the piece of furniture�� only to see them �� and the soul shard he had used as an anchor �� disintegrate into a rain of ethereal sparks.


    After thinking for a while and replenishing his essence, Sunny repeated the process, but this time with one additional step. He also weaved his True Name into the pattern, using it as the beacon for the enchantment that was responsible for connecting the Memory to the owner''s soul.


    And so, the chair�� became a Memory, of sorts.


    Now, there was a [???] in the list of Memories he owned, with a description that stated "This chair was turned into a Memory by Lost from Light... for reasons unknown". The chair could be summoned and dismissed at will, and even repaired itself while stored within his soul.


    It could also be fed to Saint, increasing her shadow fragment count by half a point �� since the single soul shard Sunny had used to create the weave was of the Awakened rank.


    Satisfied with that, Sunny waited for his cores to regenerate enough essence, and repeated the process once again, now with the emerald amulet itself.


    Sadly, the result�� was not the same.


    He did manage to make the amulet into a Memory. What was more, in the process, the Spell itself transformed the enchantment of the amulet from runic to a weave, showing just how ingenious Weaver''s creation was.


    However, the resulting pattern turned out to be unstable. Perhaps because of the alien nature of the amulet''s magic, or perhaps because Sunny did not know its name, or how to name it using strings, it began to slowly unravel almost immediately after the transformation. All Sunny could do was feverishly study the weave of the swiftly decaying Memory before it completely fell apart.


    Soom, the amulet destroyed itself.


    But Sunny still managed to copy its enchantment onto the Ordinary Rock, as well as adding a new anchor to the weave of the Rock, thus elevating it to the Second Tier. He also went ahead and copied the [Sonorous] enchantment onto it, as well.


    When he did, the name of the Memory changed, and the Ordinary Rock�� became the Extraordinary Rock.


    Overall, Sunny was very pleased with himself �� not only because he managed to recreate another enchantment and confirm his ability to turn soul shards into food for his Shadows, but also because he would finally be able to speak his mind�� without speaking everything that was on his mind in the process.


    Gods knew he needed that!


    The only bad thing about the whole situation was that Noctis''s gift was destroyed. But, with some luck, the sorcerer would not even notice��


    ''Whatever��''


    They met Effie near the wooden door. By now, the little girl''s bruises had healed, and she looked like a vigorous, healthy child again.


    ...She was also gnawing on a large bone with a wild look on her face, seemingly making even the Sailor Dolls a bit nervous.


    Noticing the two of them, Effie smiled.


    "There you are!"


    Kai greeted her, and then asked:


    "Where''s Cassie?"


    The little girl swung her bone, pointing at the flying ship that hovered above the Sanctuary.


    "There. Noctis is, too. Let''s go?"


    With that, she swallowed the remains of the bone and raised her hands, as if asking for a hug.


    Kai sighed, then picked her up and flew into the sky. Sunny grimaced, summoned the Heavenly Burden, and followed.


    Soon, they landed on the deck of the ship and found Cassie there, already waiting for them. The sorcerer was some distance away, watering the sacred tree.


    The sight of him with a watering pot in hand was so mundane that it almost looked comical.


    The members of the cohort approached Noctis and then stopped, waiting respectfully for him to notice them.


    ��After a while, Sunny cleared his throat.


    Some time later, he growled loudly.


    Finally, the sorcerer flinched, then turned around and smiled.


    "Oh! You are finally here."


    Sunny nodded, then asked cautiously:


    "We are. What did you want to talk about?"


    Noctis scratched his chin, then sighed.


    "Well�� it''s time for the four of you to go and retrieve the Ruby Knife. It is not too far from here, being kept by a friend of mine. The whole trip should not take you more than a couple of days."


    ''...Sounds like another disaster.''


    Sunny frowned, hesitated for a second, and then said:


    "And what exactly do we need to do to get the knife from your�� friend?"


    Noctis blinked a couple of times, a confused look on his face.


    "Oh�� nothing? Just go there and tell her to give you the knife. As long as at least one of you is pure�� in heart and thought�� she will."


    ''Can''t be that easy�� and what does being pure even mean?''


    Sunny wanted to ask a few questions, but then changed his mind. Speaking with Noctis more than absolutely necessary was�� troublesome. It was also fruitless, since Noctis only ever revealed as much information as he wanted, and never more than that.


    So, he simply said:


    "And where does that friend of yours reside?"


    The immortal Transcendent smiled, then conjured a map of the Kingdom of Hope from somewhere and pointed to a particular island.


    "Here! See�� it''s really close��"


    Sunny looked at where the sorcerer''s manicured finger pointed�� and paled.


    He knew that island pretty well.


    It was the island of the tranquil, clear lake that he had been advised to never approach�� because the creature living in the lake was so terrifying that even Sky tide did not dare to venture there.


    The creature was surely Corrupted, and as for its Rank, no one even had a guess.


    Rattled, he glanced at Noctis with a dark expression and growled.


    "Are you joking? There''s a terrible, unsightly thing living in that lake!"


    The sorcerer looked at him with reproach, and then said bitterly:


    "Well�� that unsightly thing is my friend. Shame on you, Sunless. Of all the creatures in the world, I thought that you would be the last to judge someone on their appearance�� after all, you are a terrible and unsightly thing yourself�� and yet, we are best friends��"

 Chapter 697 Friendly Visit

    Sunny stared at the sorcerer for a few moments, unamused. He really wanted to retort�� but couldn''t. The four-armed demon was indeed a fearsome and unsightly creature, as far as humans were concerned. So, denying it would have been a lie.


    And while the Extraordinary Rock could repeat his thoughts, the thoughts it spoke aloud still had to be truthful.


    With an irritated snarl, Sunny looked away and said:


    "Fine. We will retrieve the Ruby Knife from your friend that lives in the lake. However�� it would only be polite for you to return the favor and give us something in return, don''t you think? To avoid putting a strain on our own friendship, you know��"


    These were more or less the exact words Noctis had used to lure him into a confrontation with Nightmare, so Sunny was pretty sure that the sorcerer would not be able to refuse his request.


    ? Indeed, the immortal looked at him with a pale smile, and then let out a slightly nervous laugh.


    "Oh�� yes, you are right, of course�� huh�� is there something particular you have in mind?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "As a matter of fact, I do."


    With that, he pulled an amulet in the form of an anvil from the folds of his kimono and handed it to Noctis. This was the charm Master Welthe had worn in the Night Temple to protect herself from Mordret�� after her death, the small talisman remained in his possession, revealing that it was not a Memory, but an actual object.


    Considering its shape and the fame of the great clan Valor, especially when it came to forging weapons and tools, it was not hard to imagine how the charm came to be. However�� that did not mean that Sunny understood how it worked.


    And he really, really needed to.


    Cassie was immune to Mordret''s possession due to her blindness, and Sunny himself was protected by the army of shadows contained within his soul. Kai and Effie, however�� when he imagined his friends meeting the Prince of Nothing, his blood turned cold.


    "I want you to make something similar to this."


    Noctis received that talisman and studied it with a curious smile. Slowly, however, the smile disappeared from his face. His grey eyes glinted with a strange emotion, and he said in a neutral tone:


    "...Where did you get this?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "Of an enemy''s corpse. Well�� more or less. Why?"


    The sorcerer studied the small anvil for a bit more, and then shook his head with a sigh.


    "I, uh�� can''t recreate this talisman. The sorcery used to enchant it is not something I have ever seen before. More than that, it was made for a reason that eludes me, and by someone far more powerful than I am. Which is a real feat, mind you, considering how mighty and talented I am! In any case, I can''t do it. Think of something else."


    Noctis glanced at the anvil amulet with a frown, and then returned it to Sunny.


    ''Someone�� far more powerful?''


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    Had Mordret''s father created the talisman to ward off his son personally? Just how dreadful the Sovereigns were to impress even an immortal Saint of the bygone era?


    He lingered for a bit, then hid the little anvil and sighed.


    "Alright then. I''ll�� think of something else. We will discuss it after the Ruby Knife is in our hands."


    Noctis waved a hand and turned back to the sacred tree, then continued to water it.


    "Fine, fine�� just don''t let your imagination run too wild. I am but a humble sorcerer, you know, not an actual deity�� I only look like one... ah, yes, my heavenly beauty is indeed divine��"


    Sunny sighed, then gestured to the other members of the cohort and turned around.


    It was time to visit another of the humble sorcerer''s friends.


    ***


    Four Awakened were walking across the giant chain that swayed lightly, suspended between two skies �� one blue and full of light, the other black and devoid of it.


    Well, to be more precise, only Sunny and Cassie were walking. Kai was levitating above the links of the ancient chain, while Effie was sitting comfortably on Sunny''s shoulders. In fact, the little girl was fast asleep�� and drooling on his head.


    In other circumstances, Sunny would have been outraged and shaken the fiendish child awake, but right now, he was too preoccupied with grim thoughts.


    He wasn''t even thinking about the creature they were about to face�� no, his mind was still on the anvil talisman.


    Since Noctis was unable to create a second one, someone in their cohort was going to have to remain without any defense against the Prince of Nothing�� and now, Sunny had to decide who.


    Was he going to give the charm to Kai, or to Effie?


    As if reading his thoughts, the little girl suddenly shifted, then yawned and opened her eyes.


    "Gods, Sunny�� stop grinding your fangs so loud, will you? I can''t sleep! What has gotten you so tense, anyway?"


    He hesitated for a few moments, then shared his concerns. Both Cassie and Kai listened, as well, their faces turning as grim as his own.


    ��Effie, however, seemed unconcerned.


    "What, that''s it? How is this a problem�� just give it to Kai, you doofus."


    Sunny jumped down to the next link, holding Effie''s skinny legs to prevent her from falling off, and then asked:


    "Aren''t you afraid of being consumed by Mordret?"


    The little girl grimaced.


    "You guys overestimate that Mordret guy a lot. He''s not that dangerous."


    Everyone grew silent, looking at her with doubt. Not dangerous? The hundred Lost warriors, two Ascended knights, and the whole of the northern reach of the Kingdom of Hope begged to differ.


    She shook her head.


    "What made him dangerous were the six cores he possessed. Inside the Soul Sea, that guy can mirror the Aspect of his enemy, correct? He can use the same Abilities, but charge them with the power of multiple cores."


    Effie snorted.


    "Well, he doesn''t have six cores anymore. He only has one�� maybe two or three, if he was very diligent and managed to create new ones. Doesn''t really matter. Point is, he sacrificed his personal power to create five mirror monsters, which made the overall threat he represents far greater, but the danger to one''s soul far lesser."


    She thought for a bit, and then added thoughtfully:


    "In fact, I would even say that what truly makes him dangerous are not his cores, but instead his skill and talent�� his genius, even, when it comes to combat. The ability to mirror someone''s Aspect sounds terrifying, but think about it�� how long did it take you to get a grasp on how to properly use your Abilities? That guy has to fight someone with their own Aspect seconds after coming in possession of it�� which is not an easy feat."


    The little girl yawned again, and then settled into a more comfortable position.


    "...More than that, he also inherits the person''s Flaw. So, actually, it''s just a question of skill and experience�� let him invade my Soul Sea�� I''ll teach him some manners��"


    With that�� Effie fell asleep once again.


    Sunny remained silent for a bit, then sighed and handed the anvil amulet to Kai, who received it with a doubtful expression on his face.


    Effie was not wrong�� now that Mordret did not possess an overwhelming advantage in raw power, this facet of his Aspect was less dangerous. It all came down to the nature of the victim''s Abilities and their skill.


    Effie was far more skilled in combat than Kai was�� more than that, her own Aspect was all about physical might and melee combat, and he had never seen anyone more comfortable in their physicality than Effie. Even Mordret would find it difficult to utilize her Aspect better...


    But, still��


    Looking ahead, he scowled and said:


    "...Let''s hope we won''t have to find out whether you are right or not. There is still a chance that we will not become enemies with Mordret in this Nightmare."


    Effie shifted slightly, then said in a sleepy voice:


    "Of course I''m right�� now let me nap in peace��"


    However, instead of doing that, Sunny shook her awake.


    The little girl sighed with irritation.


    "What?!"


    He simply pointed forward.


    "We''re here."


    ��Just a hundred or so meters ahead, the slope of a flying island rose upward from the heavenly chain.


    They had reached the tranquil lake.

 Chapter 698 Creature Of The Lake

    Sunny landed on the very edge of the island and froze there, looking forward with a dark expression on his bestial face. The others remained silent, too, feeling his unease and tension.


    The land in front of them seemed tranquil�� beautiful, even. There was an expanse of vibrant green grass, and some distance away, it made way for the calm waters of a vast lake. Its surface was perfectly still and reflective, making it seem as though a piece of the blue sky above had somehow gotten embedded into the ground.


    A gentle wind caressed their faces, and nothing broke the peaceful silence except for the rustle of grass and the distant rattling of chains.


    ��And yet, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a sense of imminent danger.


    He sighed, and then glanced at his friends with uncertainty.


    "...Should we summon our armor and weapons?"


    Kai hesitated for a moment, then said:


    "Wouldn''t that be seen as a sign of distrust and hostility? Pure heart, pure thoughts�� whatever that means�� does not seem to fit with being armed and ready for a fight."


    Sunny grimaced.


    "Yeah�� however, what if we do have to fight?"


    Effie smiled.


    "The four of us should be able to at least retreat safely, should things go wrong. I mean, how terrible can that thing be?"


    Sunny shivered, then shook his head.


    "Terrible enough for Saints to fear it. I''ve�� I''ve been to this island a few times, in the future, but stuck to the edges, never approaching the lake. So I don''t actually know what kind of a creature lives in its depths. However�� I did see bones laying on the shore. And just those bones alone looked like they had belonged to things I would not want to meet."


    He hesitated for a while, then glanced at Cassie.


    "What do you think?"


    The young woman tilted her head a little, then said calmly:


    "I don''t feel any danger. Maybe Noctis was honest, this time."


    Sunny sighed. Cassie''s intuition had guided each of them through countless dangers unscathed�� if she felt that it was safe, there was a good reason to listen.


    That didn''t mean that he had to be happy about it, though.


    "Alright�� no weapons or armor, for now. Just... pure thoughts��"


    Together, they crossed the stretch of land between the edge of the island and the shore of the lake, stopping just a few steps away from the calm water. Because of how still and reflective it was, no one could peer beneath the surface�� however, Sunny could feel something deep beneath the water. A vast and sprawling shadow�� ancient, deep�� unfathomable��


    He shivered.


    Sunny lingered for a bit, then cleared his throat and, feeling extremely stupid, addressed the lake:


    "Uh�� I am here to retrieve the Ruby Knife. Please�� give it to me?"


    There was a gust of wind�� and nothing happened.


    ''Is it�� is it because of Harper? Or all the things I''ve done to survive in the outskirts?''


    A few moments later, Effie laughed.


    "Oh�� I guess you are not pure, Sunny�� who would have thought!"


    He gritted his teeth, then growled at her angrily.


    "Go and try yourself, then!"


    The little girl shook her head vigorously.


    "No, no�� no one has ever accused me of being pure, I think! Although��"


    She thought for a bit, and then shrugged.


    "I guess I am in the body of a child��"


    The girl climbed down from Sunny''s shoulders, approached the water, and stretched out a hand.


    "Can I please have the knife, uh�� Aunty from the lake?"


    Once again, nothing happened. Effie remained there for a few moments, then sighed and took a step back.


    "...Figures."


    Finally, both of them turned and stared at Kai.


    The young man hesitated for a few moments, then shook his head.


    "I think Cassie should try."


    Sunny and Effie glanced at each other, a little surprised, then shrugged and made way for the blind girl to approach the water. There was no harm in trying, anyway��


    Cassie lingered for a few moments, then sighed and walked toward the shore. Stopping mere centimeters from the calm water, she lowered her head and said simply:


    "I am here for the Ruby Knife."


    At first, Sunny thought that she had failed as well�� but then, the young woman suddenly paled and took a step back.


    There was a ripple on the surface of the lake�� and although the vast shadow hidden within it did not move, something suddenly appeared from beneath the water.


    ��A pale, white hand that held a long knife, which seemed to be made of solidified blood.


    The hand rose from the water and offered it to Cassie, who suddenly trembled with her whole body and took another step back, shaking her head with a panicked look.


    Then, however, she stopped. Her bloodless lips turned into a straight line, and, gritting her teeth, the young woman returned to the shore. There, she knelt and leaned forward, taking the Ruby Knife from the deathly white hand.


    The hand let go of it easily and disappeared back into the water, and soon, nothing but a slowly dissipating ripple remained to remind them of its existence.


    Sunny observed all of this in shock.


    ''It didn''t move�� the shadow did not even move��''


    He was about to say something, but then, the water rippled again, and another hand emerged �� this one black as coal and holding nothing. It slowly moved toward Cassie, then rose, and softly caressed her cheek. The young woman flinched when the black flesh touched her, but remained in place. A few seconds later, the black hand retreated back into the lake as well.


    Cassie only moved when the ripples were gone, standing up and turning to them with a distant expression on her beautiful face. In the spot where the black hand touched her cheek, her skin turned grey and opened, drops of blood rolling down her chin.


    She was holding the Ruby Knife in her trembling hands.


    Sunny finally found himself able to speak:


    "What�� what the hell was that?"


    Cassie remained motionless for a while, then suddenly shivered.


    "I am�� I don''t know. Let''s just get out of here. Please?"


    He frowned, but did not object. To tell the truth, Sunny couldn''t wait to get away from the lake himself.


    As they were walking away, he briefly turned and looked at the tranquil water one last time.


    Was it an illusion, or did the reflection of the sky on its surface seemed�� darker?


    ***


    As they were walking back across the chains, he looked at Kai and asked, a bit of curiosity finding its way into his voice:


    "...How did you know that it will give the knife to Cassie?"


    The blind girl turned her head slightly, as if equally interested to hear the answer. Even Effie seemed stumped.


    The young man glanced at them and shrugged, smiling beneath his wooden mask.


    "Pure heart, pure thoughts�� all of us wondered what that means, right? Well�� I think we all made a mistake, because it didn''t really matter how we understood it. The only thing that mattered was how Noctis had understood it, centuries ago, when he entrusted the knife to the creature."


    He grew silent for a bit, and then added:


    "He gave the Ruby Knife away after finding out that Hope was driving the Chain Lords mad, fearing what he might do with it should the worst happen. So, to him, purity of heart and thought meant something very specific�� the ability to remain of clear mind, true to his oath, and loyal to his sacred duty. And while none of us is perfect, Cassie is the most clear-headed and dutiful person I know."


    Sunny tilted his head, not sure if he agreed with that statement�� the creature of the lake had, though, which meant that Kai was at least partially right.


    Or it had all been just a coincidence.


    As he was remembering the past with a dark expression on his face, the young man suddenly spoke again, his voice hoarse and somber:


    "...That was why Noctis had sent us to retrieve the knife instead of coming himself, I guess. Because he has gone mad, betrayed his oath, and abandoned his duty. And we�� we are helping him walk even further on that path. Walk further into the madness, until he reaches its end��"

 Chapter 699 Reverse Scale

    The journey back was, sadly, uneventful. Sunny had hoped that they would stumble upon a few Nightmare Creatures, but this close to the Sanctuary, there weren''t many �� except for those too powerful for the cohort to attack without a serious reason and thorough preparations.


    Come to think, these powerful abominations were probably the reason why the weaker ones kept away. Perhaps that was why Noctis had not eradicated them.


    Well�� that, or he was simply too lazy.


    They returned to the sorcerer''s stronghold at dawn, and went to find him without wasting any time. However, Noctis was not at his residence, and the wooden door remained shut. Eventually, they located him at the far side of the island, where the immortal was�� making a statue.


    There were several giant slabs of marble laying on the ground, and a dozen or so chisels hacking at them without anyone''s help. The sorcerer stood some distance away, his luscious black hair powdered by marble dust, and watched it all with a satisfied expression on his face while sipping from a glass of wine.


    The first of the statues seemed to be close to completion, and resembled�� something. It might have been a human, or a horse. Sunny found it hard to tell.


    Noticing them, Noctis grinned.


    "Oh, you''re back!"


    Then, he looked at the hideous stone abomination and raised his chin proudly.


    "What do you think? Majestic, right?"


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, and then said cautiously:


    "Uh�� that is one word to describe it, without a doubt. But�� what is it?"


    The sorcerer frowned with confusion.


    "What do you mean? It''s me! A monument to me, that is. I have decided to grace the generations to come with a vision of my matchless beauty. They deserve the privilege of witnessing it, as well! Who am I to devoid people of such blessing?"


    He glanced at the terrifying marble monster, scratched the back of his head, and added:


    "Of course, I, uh�� might have failed to grasp a couple of nuances of the sculpting art, just yet. This one is really not too bad, but it is just the first attempt. Luckily, I have plenty of these slabs to practice. Hmm�� seven should be enough to reach perfection. Well... maybe fourteen�� or twenty..."


    Sunny stared at the hideous statue for a bit, quite sure that it looked more like a monstrous gargoyle than Noctis. Then, he shook his head and said:


    "Good for you. Meanwhile, we have retrieved the Ruby Knife. So�� what comes next?"


    The sorcerer remained silent for a while, then sighed despondently.


    "I guess it''s time to take a break. Come, let''s have something to eat�� and drink, of course�� and discuss the future. Now that the knives are in our possession, the future will surely be upon us soon enough��"


    ***


    Some time later, they were enjoying a light breakfast in the shade of the ancient tree that grew in the heart of the Sanctuary. Noctis poured himself some wine, then offered them a polite smile.


    "You must be curious about what happens next."


    The four of them glanced at each other, then nodded. The sorcerer shrugged.


    "Well, to be honest�� nothing much. By now, the other Chain Lords already know that I am collecting the knives. The death of the One in the North would have distracted them for a bit, but at the same time, it would have made my actions look much more suspicious. So, they will hold a council and decide how to act."


    He took a sip of wine and smiled.


    "However, getting Solvane and Sevras into one room is not an easy task. It will take them some time to come together. After that, predictably, they will send a herald to give me some sort of an ultimatum. And only then, after their polite request is denied, will they act, joining forces to invade my lands, capture me, and make me bitterly regret the fact I am immortal."


    Noctis shook his head, then laughed.


    Sunny, on the other hand, shivered and asked, his voice full of tension:


    "Is this really something to laugh about? How are we going to repel an attack of three Transcendents?"


    The sorcerer grew silent, then shook his head.


    "Ah, well. Simple, really. We won''t."


    He took another sip of wine and looked up, at the flying ship that hovered above them.


    "...Instead, we will attack them first. We will lay siege to the Ivory City."


    Noticing their stunned gazes, Noctis laughed again.


    "Ah, children�� you are so fun to talk to! These expressions are priceless. However, even younglings like you should have learned by now that having more power doesn''t always mean achieving victory. The three Lords that oppose us are very powerful, indeed�� but they are not without weaknesses."


    He paused, and then looked at them, his eyes glinting with a hint of moonlight:


    "To tell you the truth, neither Solvane nor the Sun Prince concern me that much. The only one worth being scared of�� the only one who can defeat me�� is Sevras, the Ivory Lord. That dreadful dragon. Because between all seven of the Chain Lords, only he and I belong to divine bloodlines. Only the two of us trace our lineage to gods."


    Sunny frowned.


    "Wait�� aren''t Sevras and the Sun Prince brothers? How come he is the only one with a divine lineage?"


    Noctis shrugged.


    "All kinds of strange things happen when it comes to gods. Who knows? In any case�� he is the only brother who inherited the Fire. And he is formidable for it, beyond words. So we won''t be able to defeat Sevras, unless we strike at his Flaw."


    Sunny froze.


    "...You know his Flaw?"


    The sorcerer smiled gingerly, then chuckled.


    "Of course! We immortals spent more than a thousand years bound together. I know all of their Flaws, and they know mine. But Sevras�� that guy is rather special. In a sense, he actually has three."


    Noctis grew silent for a few moments, taking a sip from his glass. Then, he sighed and said with a hint of sadness:


    "One is his actual Flaw. The other... is his brother. And the last one, the direst of them all, is his city."


    He looked at the beautiful garden of the Sanctuary, his face turning cold and ruthless:


    "By using all three, we will destroy him."

 Chapter 700 Blood Of The Moon

    No one dared to speak for a few moments, unnerved by the sudden change in the sorcerer''s mood. After a while, though, Effie tugged on his sleeve and asked:


    "Uh, care to elaborate... Grandpa Noctis?"


    Noctis looked at her absentmindedly, then flinched and jerked his sleeve away, wiping the spot where the little girl touched it with a repulsed look.


    "G��grandpa? Who are you calling a grandpa, you critter?!"


    He moved his chair away from Effie and stared at her menacingly for a moment, then threw a hurt look at Sunny.


    Sunny shrugged.


    "...You are a thousand years older than her."


    The sorcerer opened his mouth with a deeply offended expression, then puffed and looked away.


    After a long and poignant pause, he continued:


    "Anyway�� as I was saying, Sevras has three weaknesses. The first one is his Flaw �� he is incredibly powerful during the day, but nearly powerless during the night. The second one is his brother�� surprising, I know, considering what he did to the poor guy. But the Ivory Lord still genuinely cares about his younger sibling. In fact, that is probably the only thing he cares about anymore, apart from his duty and principles."


    Noctis grew quiet for a moment, and then added in a somber tone:


    "And the third one is his city. That�� Sevras loves his people. But he also hates them. They are a burden that weighs heavily on his soul, one that he cannot escape. Their relationship had long been perverted by Hope, and by his own stubborn unwillingness to give up. Noble, righteous Sevras�� he might seem like the sanest among us, but in reality, he is the closest to utter madness. All it will take to send him over the edge is one push."


    The immortal Transcendent sighed, then shook his head reproachfully.


    "That guy�� ah, truly, he has always been too serious. You can''t survive in this place without a sense of humor�� even if you are immortal."


    The sorcerer giggled at his own joke, and then looked at them with a relaxed smile.


    "...So, we will attack at night, when the Ivory Dragon Sevirax is at his weakest. And we will kill his younger brother before dawn. That will be the push that sends him into the abyss, and dooms him."


    Sunny shivered, looked at the immortal Transcendent, and asked cautiously:


    "...Is it wise, to drive a dragon insane?"


    Hearing this, Noctis simply laughed.


    "Of course! Sevras the Ivory Lord is fearsome and dreadful, but Sevirax the Dragon is just a mindless beast. Killing a beast is not too difficult, for a cunning hunter. And while I might not be as righteous and as noble as Sevras��"


    His smile disappeared, and his eyes suddenly shone with pale light.


    "...I am blood of the Moon, Beast God... the God of Hunters."


    With that, the sorcerer leaned back and took a sip of his wine, slowly returning to his usual carefree self.


    "Granted, I have not hunted for a while�� the wilderness is just so ghastly, you know? The dirt, the insects�� the fashion. Oh, the horror!"


    He sighed heavily, and then smiled again.


    Sunny hesitated for a bit. There was a question that he really wanted to ask, but was not sure that he should.


    Finally, he said:


    "What is your Flaw, then? I know that it is not the kind of question people ask, or answer�� but our lives will be depending on your fight with the dragon. I think we have the right to know."


    Noctis waved his hand dismissively.


    "Oh, it''s nothing much. More or less the exact opposite of his. I am at my strongest under the moonlight, but grow weak in the sunlight. No reason to hide it from friends."


    He thought for a bit, and then added:


    "Solvane''s Flaw is perhaps the most cruel�� she is cursed with beguiling beauty. Being with her slowly drives people mad with longing and lust, like an insidious drug. The more someone spends time with her, the more they want to possess her, eventually giving in to irresistible desire. A terrible fate, no doubt, but�� not exactly something we can use. Unless, of course, one of you�� no, let''s not think about that!"


    Noctis grinned, then shook his head.


    ? "The Sun Prince''s Flaw�� well, it doesn''t matter anymore. Now that he is encased in that steel monstrosity and almost mindless, we won''t be able to make use of it, anyway. We will just have to kill him in a straightforward manner. So�� do you guys have questions?"


    The four of them looked at each other, and after a long pause, Kai asked hoarsely:


    "Yes, Lord Noctis�� just one. When we attack the Ivory City at night, and you are fighting the Sun Prince and Solvane�� what, exactly, are we four supposed to do?"


    The sorcerer stared at them in confusion, then raised an eyebrow.


    "Why, is it not clear? While I am preoccupied with the Chain Lords... you will simply have to destroy the Sun Legion and the army of the Red Colosseum."


    He thought for a bit, and then added:


    "Well, if you somehow fail to destroy them, at least keep them away from me for a while. Solvane and the Sun Prince�� yeah, shouldn''t take me too long�� I think you will manage��"


    ***


    At the precipice of night, Sunny came to the edge of the island alone and stood there for a while, shrouded in shadows.


    Now that things were nearing the final stage, there was a lot he had to think about. There was the seemingly insane plan of attacking the Ivory City�� the battle the cohort was going to wage against two armies while Saints fought in the skies above them��


    And then there was Mordret, who remained an unknown variable in this whole mess.


    What concerned him the most, however, was his unformed fourth core. Going into the dire battle as a Devil would have been far better�� what''s more, he couldn''t allow himself to undergo the debilitating process of forming a new core in the midst of the furious clash.


    With the culmination of the Nightmare swiftly approaching, he had no more time left to slowly seek out and kill Nightmare Creatures, and so, Sunny was forced to do something that he had always been reluctant to do.


    With a sign, he summoned his Shadows.


    The taciturn knight, the stygian steed, and the tenebrous serpent appeared in front of him, their figures drowning in the darkness. Two of his shadows slid forward and wrapped themselves around Nightmare and the Soul Serpent, with only the gloomy one remaining at his feet.


    Sunny lingered for a bit, and then said:


    "Go. Travel far and wide, seek out Nightmare Creatures�� and kill them. I need you to hunt for me, instead of with me, for a while."


    He paused, and then added somberly:


    "Be careful, however. This world�� is a dangerous place. No matter how strong you are, how powerful you are, there is always someone �� or something �� far stronger. Especially when you are alone. So, don''t let yourself get destroyed. Alright?"


    Saint stared at him for a few moments, then outstretched a hand. After he placed the hilt of the scarlet odachi in it, she silently turned around and jumped down, landing on the links of the heavenly chain far below.


    Nightmare and the Soul Serpent dashed in opposite directions, soon disappearing from view.


    Just like that, Sunny was left alone.


    He remained motionless for a few moments, then sighed and looked down, at the gloomy shadow.


    "I guess it''s just you and me again. Like good old times, huh?"


    The shadow stared at him darkly for a second, and then raised a hand, clearly unsure what good times he was talking about, exactly.


    Sunny smiled.


    "Yeah. Love you too, buddy��"

 Chapter 701 Four Hunters

    Soon after the Shadows left, the connection Sunny shared with them grew faint. He could still feel their existence, but not much beyond that. The same happened with the happy and creepy shadows �� when Nightmare and the Soul Serpent left the range of Shadow Control, which had grown to about four kilometers, he lost the ability to perceive them, and the world through them.


    Sunny felt that they were out there, somewhere, but that was it. The sudden loss of being able to see and hear through two out of his three shadows was abrupt and jarring, as though he had suddenly lost an eye and a limb. It made Sunny feel very uncomfortable.


    Not only was his power severely diminished in the absence of his loyal companions, making him extremely vulnerable, but he also worried about them. There had been many opportunities to send Saint away to hunt on her own in the past, but Sunny never did. The risk was just too high�� both for the Shadow and for himself. They were stronger together...


    Shadows were not meant to be apart from their master.


    But there was no other choice now. He did not know when the three Chain Lords were going to act, exactly, but there was not much time left before. Before the final confrontation began, Sunny had to become a Devil.


    ��Neph was already a Tyrant, after all. It would not do to let her remain so far ahead.


    With a sigh, he turned around and walked back to his room. The gloomy shadow followed, trying to not show that it, too, missed its siblings.


    The Shadows were gone, but there was still a lot Sunny had to do. He had to prepare himself for the battle, both mentally and physically.


    The next few days passed without too much happening. Sunny trained archery with Kai, practiced swordsmanship with Cassie, and sharpened his mastery of the spear with Effie''s help. The other three were busy with their own preparations, as well.


    From time to time, all four left the Sanctuary to hunt and put their teamwork to the test. Sunny received a few fragments from those small expeditions, as well.


    In the night, he continued to experiment with weaving. However, he was also careful to get enough sleep. It would not do to go into the final battle exhausted��


    After several days of this, while Sunny was laying in bed, the Spell suddenly whispered into his ear:


    [You have slain a Fallen Monster, Veiled Slayer.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    Sunny sat up and stared into the darkness, tense. So, one of them had found a prey�� he did not know which one it was �� Saint, Serpent, or Nightmare �� or even if they were wounded in the fight. All he knew was that one of his Shadows had emerged victorious, and was not destroyed.


    After that first kill, the shadow fragments started to pour into his soul frequently, making the goal of forming a new core before the fateful clash seem less hopeless.


    In the meantime, all Sunny could do was carry on.


    Two weeks of practicing weaving later, he could proudly say�� that he had successfully managed to destroy thirty-eight out of the thirty-nine Memories received in the Red Colosseum. The only one remaining was the emerald bone flute. However, that saved him from damaging his actual Memories, at least.


    After the initial success of transplanting enchantments, Sunny found out that it was not as easy as he had thought�� well, it had never really been easy, but now, he realized that there were more things he had to consider than simply the pattern of the weave itself.


    Each Memory had a certain capacity when it came to accommodating enchantments. The more powerful an enchantment was, the more burden it put on the weave. To withstand it, weaves needed to be moored to anchors, each serving as a nexus for the strings of essence.


    Sunny created those anchors from soul shards �� the more he used, the higher the Tier of the Memory was, and the higher its capacity. However, the Rank of the shards also played a role, albeit in a slightly different manner. Apart from capacity, weaves also had a threshold of intensity they could withstand.


    More powerful enchantments put too much strain on the strings and the anchors, and so, both the strings and the anchors had to be of a high enough Rank to endure it. Additionally, only the weakest of enchantments could be activated passively, relying on the Memory''s own ambient soul energy �� everything else would only function when saturated by the flow of essence from the wielder''s soul.


    ��But that was not all.


    Sunny had found out the hard way that not all Memories could accommodate all enchantments, regardless of whether they had enough capacity and tolerance. Some were simply not meant for each other. He suspected that the name of the Memory, and therefore its nature, played a role in that.


    He had transferred the [Sonorous] enchantments to the Silver Bell and the Ordinary Rock, and also made the Ordinary Rock, which had been able to repeat the sounds it heard, repeat the words Sunny thought of as well. Both of these changes improved upon the original qualities of the Memories, instead of introducing something entirely new. They were not in conflict with their natures.


    However, when he tried to do something more radical, the results were disastrous. He could not add an enchantment meant to destroy to a Memory that was meant to protect, unless he wanted the whole weave to break apart.


    It was not easy to understand the true nature of Memories, however�� the Patient Avenger, for example, was a shield, and its purpose was to protect its master. And yet, that shield possessed enchantments capable of sowing utter devastation on the battlefield. So, it took Sunny a lot of time �� and a lot of wasted Memories �� to get an initial grasp on the nuances of what enchantments he could transfer, and where.


    The hint was under his nose the whole time�� the name of the Memory hid the secret of its nature. He was still unable to fully grasp it, but after destroying dozens of Memories, Sunny managed to develop an intuitive sense that allowed him to gleam the general direction of things, at least.


    It was not much... but it was something.


    ***


    At the start of their fifth month in the Nightmare, Sunny found himself on a somewhat familiar island. Some distance away from him, a forest of tall trees stood, darkness nesting between their trunks.


    The forest looked different from how it had been in the future. There, the trees were twisted and bent, their bark turned dark and rough. But here, they had no need to change and adapt to the devastating burden of the Crushing yet. And so, the forest stood tall.


    ��The wolves, however, were more or less the same.


    The Nightmare Creature lunging at him was the size of a small truck, with fur as tough as steel wire and a long, terrifying muzzle. Its jaws were wide enough to bite a human in half, and strong enough to crush both bones and armor into dust.


    As the giant beast jumped at him, Sunny dodged left and allowed Effie to barrel into the creature, her fist sending it flying to the ground with a whimper. A second later, an arrow landed from above, piercing one of the wolf''s paws and nailing it to the ground. A slender rapier flashed through the air, doing the same with another.


    Effie appeared near the wolf, pressing it down with all her inhuman strength, and shouted:


    "Come on! The bastard is strong! R��really strong!"


    Sunny did not make them wait. Jumping forward, he brandished the Cruel Sight and buried it between the abomination''s six glowing eyes. Almost instantly, the flame of madness burning in them dimmed, and then was extinguished.


    Sunny sighed as the Spell whispered:


    [You have slain a Fallen Monster, Dread Wolf.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    He did not need the help of the cohort to slay a Dread Wolf, of course. These vile beasts were easy prey for someone like him.


    ...He did, however, require their assistance for what was about to happen next.


    Summoning the runes, Sunny found the familiar string of them.


    The runes read:


    Shadow Fragments: [3000/3000].


    He prepared himself, and a moment later, the voice of the Spell resounded once again:


    [Your shadow is overflowing with power...]


    It was time for him to become a Devil.

 Chapter 702 The Devil You Know

    Sunny sighed, then dismissed the runes, feeling the familiar heat igniting deep within his soul, growing stronger and stronger with each breath.


    Effie and Kai looked at him, curiosity and concern mixing in their eyes. Cassie silently retrieved the Quiet Dancer and turned away, listening to the dark forest that surrounded them.


    A few moments later, the little girl asked:


    "So, uh�� what exactly happens now?"


    Sunny gave her a grim look.


    "...Now I will scream and thrash for a while. Forming a new core is probably the third worst pain I have ever experienced�� and that was just the Demon core. Damnation."


    Effie blinked a couple of times:


    "What are the second and the absolute worst, then?"


    He hesitated for a bit, and then said hoarsely:


    "Attaining a daemon''s lineage was pretty bad. But the most terrible thing, by far�� was catching a glimpse of fate. That one I only survived by accident."


    The gloomy shadow shivered, remembering their past. Sunny, meanwhile, scoffed.


    ''Being gutted by the Black Knight did not even make the list, huh�� maybe I need to rethink my life choices.''


    At that moment, the heat burning within his soul reached a critical point, and the Spell whispered into his ear:


    [Your shadow is taking shape��]


    A blinding pain exploded in his chest, sending Sunny to his knees. He gritted his teeth and remained silent, refusing to let out a shriek, a wail, or even a growl. This was not his first time experiencing that pain�� even though, this time, it was far more intense.


    A human soul was not meant to contain many cores��


    That was the conclusion Sunny had come to a while back, thinking about how the process of Awakening was pleasant and euphoric, but gaining new cores and a daemon''s lineage was harrowing and torturous. Humans were meant to walk the path of Ascension, but becoming a different type of creature was against their nature.


    And Weaver''s lineage was simply against all nature�� it was aberrant and forbidden, something that was never meant to exist at all.


    ''Argh!''


    The pain grew stronger, and stronger, and then stronger still. Just like before, he felt as though his soul was being torn apart, something rising from its depths and cutting his very being with its sharp edges. However, Sunny was used to this torment. He accepted it, allowed himself to dissipate into it, and endured.


    However, then, something entirely unexpected happened.


    As his soul was going through a transformation, his body followed suit, as well, catching him by surprise. This time, Sunny failed to suppress a scream, and fell to the ground in convulsions. Effie and Kai stared at him with worry


    ''Curse it! What�� the hell?!''


    It felt as though his bones were breaking, his muscles were tearing, and his skin was on fire. Sunny clawed at the ground, then raised his head and let out a deafening, furious roar.


    ��As it rolled across the forest, the roar changed, growing lower and more frightening.


    Finally, an eternity later, the heat consuming his soul grew cold, and his tortured body was released from the cage of suffering. Sunny exhaled hoarsely, then relaxed and remained laying on the grass, motionless.


    The voice of the Spell resounded from the darkness, echoing between the ancient trees:


    [...Your shadow is complete.]


    And a few moments later, he heard another voice, this one soft and childish:


    "Goddamn. He is even bigger now!"


    ***


    Sunny slowly stood up, intending to take a look at his runes. However, even before that, he noticed that something was different.


    The ground�� was considerably further down than it had been before.


    ''Huh?''


    Effie and Kai were staring at him, forgetting their task of watching out for a potential attack. Luckily, Cassie was still vigilant�� Sunny frowned, then glanced down to take a look at his own body, as well.


    It seemed that because he was in a body of a creature, the transformation into a Devil changed it, too. The shadow demon�� devil�� grew even taller, now standing at almost three meters of height. His skin had turned into a darker shade of grey, and his claws seemed as if they were cut out of glossy morion.


    Through the eyes of his shadow, Sunny could see that his horns had grown longer and sharper, as well. More than that, there were now four of them�� well, three and a half, considering that one had been broken in the ferocious fight with the Ascended War Maiden Hilde.


    And his eyes, which had been entirely black previously, now seemed like two pools of eerie darkness.


    The shadowspawn had been fearsome before, but now, he was simply terrifying. Even Sunny himself would not have been happy to meet this towering fiend on a moonless night.


    Effie shook his head, then looked away.


    "...My neck hurts from staring at you. Is this how everyone feels when they''re talking to me?"


    Kai hesitated, the smiled slightly.


    "Ah�� well�� that is presuming that they are looking at your face��"


    The little girl snorted.


    "Wow! Good one! You''ve been hanging out with Sunny way too much, it seems! Or... uh... with me?"


    Ignoring her jabs, Sunny curiously looked at the ground.


    He had gained a new shadow, after all�� what would its personality be?


    Two identical shadows of a four-armed devil were there, staring at each other. Nevertheless, to Sunny, they seemed very different.


    One was gloomy and glowering, full of bad mood and disdain. The other�� was also full of disdain, but of another kind.


    The new guy somehow managed to seem noble and gallant despite being the exact copy of the other shadow, looking at it with arrogant contempt. They were of the exact same height, and yet, the haughty shadow somehow made it seem as if it was looking down at the gloomy one�� and everyone else, for that matter.


    Back when the creepy shadow appeared, it lost the staring contest to the gloomy shadow. The haughty shadow, however, did not seem impressed even a little bit. It was as though the very thought of looking away was beneath it.


    So, the two of them just continued to drill holes into each other with disdainful stares, unperturbed.


    Sunny groaned, then covered his face with a hand.


    ''Oh, gods�� there''s two of them now!''


    ***


    Observing the staring contest, Sunny sighed. He was beginning to miss the happy shadow, that hopeless fool �� something that had never thought he would ever feel.


    Shaking his head, Sunny looked away from the shadows and summoned the runes.


    The familiar symbols shimmered in the air in front of him:


    Name: Sunless.


    True Name: Lost from Light.


    Rank: Awakened.


    Class: Devil.


    Shadow Cores: [4/7].


    Shadow Fragments: [0/4000].


    A tired, but satisfied smile appeared on his lips.


    With a fourth core, his power would increase significantly�� his essence reserves had grown, the range of Shadow Control had expanded, and most importantly, he now had an additional shadow to augment either himself, his Memories, or his Shadows. He could increase his physical prowess fivefold, or send one each to Saint, Serpent, and Nightmare while leaving one for himself.


    And that was not all.


    The Soul Serpent evolved its Class when Sunny did, so it should have become a Devil, as well. That would make it the most powerful �� at least in terms of pure status �� Shadow of his.


    Not wasting any time, Sunny summoned the Serpent''s runes. Somewhat tense, he read:


    Shadow: [Soul Serpent].


    Shadow Rank: Ascended.


    Shadow Class: Devil.


    Shadow Attributes: [Shadow Guide], [Soul Weapon], [Soul Beast].


    Sunny was both glad and worried. Glad because his Shadow had attained a new Class, but worried because he did not see any new Attributes. The transformation to a Devil was supposed to gift creatures terrible and unnatural powers�� however, the Serpent was a bit strange in that regard. It had received a new Ability out of order when rising to a new Rank�� so would it receive anything now?


    Luckily, he was wrong to fear. Looking lower, Sunny saw a few new runes among the Serpent''s abilities.


    Shadow Abilities: [Serpentine Steel], [Soul Reaver], [Grace of Shadows], [Formless].


    The [Formless] one was new.


    Sunny concentrated on it and studied the description curiously.


    ...A moment later, a strange sound escaped from his lips.


    The runes read:


    [Formless] Ability Description: "When in the Soul Beast form, the Serpent can assume the shape of any shadow contained within its master''s soul, inheriting all powers and abilities. The shadow must be of the same or lower Rank and Class than the Soul Serpent for the transformation to take place, and won''t be consumed in the process."

 Chapter 703 Way Back

    Soon after settling into his new and improved body, Sunny dismissed his Shadows. He expected them to instantly return to his cores, but this time, there was a delay. It seemed that he had to wait for some time before Saint, Nightmare, and the Soul Serpent returned.


    And then there were the happy and the creepy shadows�� poor guys were going to have to come back the usual way, by gliding across the Kingdom of Hope one island at a time. They were swift and sneaky, so Sunny was not too worried about them�� he also knew that the shadows always sensed in which direction to go to return to their master.


    Sunny had gained this bit of knowledge a while back, when his experiments with Shadow Step left the gloomy guy outside of the range of Shadow Control. The shadow had swiftly returned, acting even more petulant and moody than usual.


    Its mood had only grown worse when Sunny decided to try and repeat the accident a few more times, just to make sure. But as the result, he learned that once separated from him, the shadows would always try to find their way back to their master, somehow sensing where he was.


    And speaking of shadows��


    The haughty newcomer was still acting cavalier, radiating a disdainful certainty that it was, without a doubt, better and more distinguished than everyone, and every thing, in every way imaginable. Sunny shook his head and silently commanded the haughty shadow to wrap itself around his body, which it did�� but not before giving him a look that clearly expressed how utterly beneath itself the arrogant guy considered such a trivial task to be.


    The members of the cohort had already collected the soul shards from the slain abominations, so there was nothing holding them on the island anymore. They started the journey back to the Sanctuary, and returned to it at dusk.


    On the way, Sunny was trying to get used to his new physique. Sure, the shadowspawn had grown taller and more powerful�� but as a side effect of that, he had to relearn how to move in this towering body all over again. The shock was not as dire as when he had first appeared in the Nightmare, but it would still require some time for Sunny to be able to adjust his mindset and battle technique for this new circumstance.


    Tired after the day of hunting Nightmare Creatures and traversing the heavenly chains, the four of them separated to go to their rooms. Reaching his own, Sunny fell on the bed�� which was not a bit too short for him�� and stared at the ceiling for some time, feeling restless and grim.


    Today, he had accomplished something that he never thought would be possible in such a short span of time�� he had formed the fourth Shadow Core and become a Devil. He was now more powerful than he had ever been, with three mighty Shadows by his side, an arsenal of powerful Memories at his disposal, and even possessing a nascent knowledge of sorcery and weaving.


    In fact, Sunny suspected that there had never been an Awakened as powerful as him�� except, of course, for Mordret. At least until Nephis returned from being lost in the Dream Realm and Awakened herself.


    And yet, he couldn''t help but wonder�� would that be enough for what was about to come?


    And if he survives the Nightmare, would it still be possible for him to hide his strength and avoid the gaze of Sovereigns?


    Tormented by these questions, Sunny remained awake for a long time, and then finally fell into the embrace of shallow sleep.


    ��When the morning came, he opened his eyes and instantly sensed a difference. His heart felt�� at ease, somehow. Complete.


    His Shadows had returned while he slept.


    ***


    Luckily, all three had survived their task. However, they were not unscathed�� both Nightmare and the Soul Serpent bore many wounds, and nestled in the nurturing black flames of his cores, slumbering as their bodies restored themselves. Saint was banged up, too, but to a much lesser extent.


    Even though she had not had the company of a shadow, the taciturn knight faired much better than the other two. Well, that was not a surprise�� she possessed Attributes that specifically made her tremendously stalwart and durable, after all.


    Plus�� Saint was Saint. In any case, she was going to heal and recover much faster.


    The happy and creepy shadows had returned, as well, and were now staring at their new sibling �� the former with delighted excitement, the latter with dark and disturbing fascination. The haughty shadow ignored their stares and pretended that the others did not exist, looking past them with flawlessly disdainful indifference.


    ''What a character��''


    Sunny smiled, then commanded the three shadows to wrap themselves around his body, leaving only the gloomy one on the ground.


    Finally feeling like himself, he climbed out of bed, freshened up, and went to find Noctis.


    There was a lot they had to discuss��


    When he saw the sorcerer, however, the words died on his tongue.


    Noctis was not onboard his flying ship, and neither was he on the edge of the island, sculpting his terrible statues. Instead, the immortal Transcendent had returned to his residence, for once. The wooden door stood open, and the Sailor Dolls let Sunny through without sparing him a single glace.


    The interior of the sorcerer''s quarters�� had changed once again.


    The floor stood cracked and broken, mounds of stone shards arching upward, as if displaced by something rising from below. The circle of runes was broken, as well, devoid of any essence and utterly empty.


    That, however, was not what scared Sunny.


    What made him stumble, instead, was that Noctis was not holding a glass of wine, as had been his habit. Instead, the sorcerer was whistling a carefree tune�� and brewing himself tea.


    Sunny froze.


    ''Oh, crap��''


    What had it been that the sorcerer told him soon after they met?


    ...Gather the knives, start a war against both the Ivory City and the Red Colosseum, kill all of the Chain Lords, defy the Lord of Light, break the will of gods, release the Demon of Desire out of her prison... and have a cup of tea.


    But then Noctis corrected himself�� and said�� that he should probably have tea first.


    Sunny gulped.


    ''It''s starting��''

 Chapter 704 A Cup Of Tea

    As Sunny was standing still, petrified by what he saw, Noctis finished brewing the tea and poured the amber liquid into a beautiful porcelain cup. Then, the sorcerer raised it to his face, inhaled the fragrant steam, and let out a satisfied sigh.


    Then, noticing an unexpected guest, he glanced at Sunny and smiled:


    "Sunless! What a nice surprise. Wait�� did something about you change?"


    The sorcerer tilted his head with a confused expression, studied the towering figure of the shadow devil for a few moments, and then suddenly brightened up.


    "Oh! It''s your horn! When did you break it?"


    ''Really? That is what he noticed?!''


    Sunny stared at the cup in the immortal''s hands, then grasped the Extraordinary Rock. He didn''t really have to hold the Memory to make use of it, but at the moment, Sunny was experiencing a desperate need to hold on to something�� anything.


    Taking a careful breath, he gripped the Roack and said hoarsely:


    "...Back in the Temple of the Chalice. You�� you are drinking tea?"


    Noctis lingered for a bit, glanced at his cup, and then smiled.


    "What a prudent observation. Come�� let''s not let this nice tea get cold."


    With that, the sorcerer turned around and headed deeper into his residence, gesturing for Sunny to follow. The teapot flew into the air and hovered above the immortal''s shoulder, as well.


    As soon as Sunny made a step forward, however, Noctis suddenly turned, looked at him with a strange expression, and said:


    "That, uh�� try not to step on anything that seems to be�� actually, just don''t move at all! We don''t want for anything to happen, right?"


    At that moment, the chamber trembled again, and more cracks appeared on its stone floor. Sunny stared down with a somber expression, then sighed and used Shadow Step to appear near the sorcerer.


    "Why? What''s under there?"


    Noctis smiled.


    "Oh, nothing. Just a, uh�� a memento from an old friend. Don''t worry about it!"


    Sunny, however, did worry. He was not a complete fool�� the vast circle of runes, the torrential flood of soul essence that the sorcerer saturated it with, the pool of blood that the ancient stones had absorbed �� all of it pointed to something dreadful being imprisoned, or maybe created, there in the darkness of the earth.


    However, he thought better of asking any questions and simply followed Noctis to the stone stairs situated on the other side of the chamber.


    Using them, they ascended to the top of the ring of giant menhirs and sat down at an elegant wooden table. The sorcerer leaned back in his chair, gazed upon the breathtaking vista of the Kingdom of Hope, and took a sip of tea with an expression of deep satisfaction on his face.


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, giving Noctis time to enjoy himself, and then asked:


    "It has begun, hasn''t it? The other Chain Lords, they are ready to make their move?"


    The sorcerer took another sip, sighed, and then said in a relaxed tone:


    "Oh, indeed. I suspect that their herald will arrive in a few days. So�� you might want to relax for a bit. Enjoy the tea. This will probably be the last moment of peace you will have for a while, Sunless. Or maybe even the very last."


    Sunny remained silent for a long time, a myriad of important questions pressing on his mind. But then, he simply shook his head, chased them away, and poured some tea into a delicate cup that stood on the table, as if waiting for him.


    Neither of them spoke for a while, enjoying the fragrant drink and the beautiful sight of the flying islands in peace.


    ��Despite the approaching doom, the world felt tranquil and warm here, on the parapet of the Sanctuary.


    After a while, Noctis sighed and said in a wistful tone:


    "I am going to miss this, I think."


    Then, he glanced at Sunny and asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice:


    "Tell me, Sunless�� why are you here? It is no surprise that someone like me would want to free Hope. But what would compel a shadow like you to attempt it, as well? You must know the risk."


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then sighed.


    "To tell you the truth�� I don''t really know. I used to know, or at least think that I knew. I had lofty desires. To grow stronger than others, to break free from the chains of fate. And maybe�� maybe I harbor those desires still. But after coming to this cursed land and being ground into dust by it�� now, everything is so unclear. And my ardent desires suddenly seem so�� lacking."


    He paused, looked down, and then added evenly:


    "Or maybe it''s just me who is lacking. And lost."


    Noctis glanced at him, took a sip of tea, and asked with a curious smile:


    "What is it that you think you are lacking? And from what are you lost?"


    Sunny did not speak immediately, letting the pressure of the Flaw build inside his soul for a few moments. Then, he said with a grin:


    "...How should I know? If I had an answer for that, I wouldn''t be feeling this way, would I?"


    He chuckled, and then asked:


    "Have you heard the legend of a hero named Odysseus?"


    Noctis blinked a couple of times, then shook his head.


    "Never heard of that guy. A legend, really? Huh. Strange that some third-rate hero I don''t even know got to have a whole legend to himself��"


    Sunny smiled, and then said:


    "A good friend told me that legend. Odysseus spent ten years away from home, fighting a war in a distant land. And then, he spent ten more years trying to find his way back home. He lost all his friends and endured countless hardships, facing terrible monsters and dangerous beings of all sorts. But he never gave up, and eventually returned home. To Ithaca."


    His smile disappeared, replaced by a distant expression. After a few moments of silence, Sunny sighed.


    "...I feel like Odysseus, too, sometimes. Lost in a distant land. Only, unlike him, I don''t have a home to want to return to. I have nothing to strive for, apart from saving my skin, keeping my friends alive, and maybe living a little bit better than a wild beast. Can someone really be lost, if they don''t belong anywhere?"


    Noctis took a sip of his tea, solemnly pondered on it for a bit, and then said thoughtfully:


    "I see. I understand... so what you lack is a house? That is why you are trying to free Hope? To get a house? Wait�� Sunless, are you trying to say that you want to repossess the Ivory Tower?!"


    Sunny choked on his tea, then glared at the sorcerer with outrage:


    "What even�� no, that is not what I am saying! Home is just a metaphor, you immortal fool!"


    Noctis blinked a couple of times, then asked with a deadpan expression:


    "...What''s a metaphor?"


    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, then snorted and opened his mouth, intending to answer��


    Before he did however, a loud rattling of chains resounded in the air, and the whole Sanctuary shuddered slightly beneath them.


    No�� it was the island itself. The whole island trembled.


    Sunny froze, and then asked, his voice tense and grim:


    "What�� the hell�� was that?"


    Noctis calmly finished his tea, closed his eyes in delight for a moment, and then looked west.


    "It''s their herald, I guess. He seems to have arrived sooner than I expected�� ah, what a bother. We didn''t even get to drink the whole pot��"

 Chapter 705 Herald Of The Sun

    Noctis sighed, then placed his empty cup on the table and stood up. He straightened the folds of his silk garment, then shook his head with a slight smile and headed across the stone plain of the menhirs.


    Sunny scrambled to catch up to him, full of apprehension. The first thing he said to the sorcerer, however, had nothing to do with the messenger of the Chain Lords.


    "A metaphor is a figure of speech�� uh... sort of like an analogy?"


    Noctis glanced at him with surprise.


    "I must say, your composure is commendable, Sunless. However�� do you really think that this is very important right now? Come now, we need to meet our visitor before he reaches the Sanctuary."


    The sorcerer gestured at the silhouette of the flying ship that hovered some distance away, almost at the same height as them. Sunny summoned the Dark Wing, and then said:


    "Uh... no. I don''t. Why can''t we meet the herald here, though? No, wait�� if he did not even reach the Sanctuary yet, why is the island shaking?"


    Noctis shrugged and gracefully rose into the air, flying toward the ship. What means he was using to do so, Sunny did not know. All he could do was jump as high as he could, and then glide forward.


    The sorcerer glanced at him, and then said somberly:


    "If we were to meet the herald here, my beautiful sanctuary might�� well... get damaged. That would not do. As to why the island is shaking, I guess we''ll see��"


    Soon, they landed on the deck. The Sailor Dolls had already raised the sails and were hurrying around, preparing the ship for departure. Cassie, Kai, and Effie were also there, although they seemed to have arrived only moments before Sunny and Noctis.


    As Sunny looked at them with a silent question, Effie simply nodded toward Cassie. The mystery of their swift reaction was easily revealed.


    The sorcerer went to the stern of the flying ship without wasting any time, and took his position as the kybernetes �� the guide who steered the ship as it flew through the air. The ancient vessel had no steering wheel, of course, and instead relied on two steering oars, which were situated at the very rear of it.


    There was a runic circle inscribed between the oars. Noctis stepped inside, turned, leaned comfortably on the bending inner surface of the tall aplustre, and placed his hands on the oars with a relaxed expression on his face. A moment later, the circle shimmered with ethereal light.


    The flying ship had to be controlled both physically and with soul essence. There were invisible energy pathways spanning the whole length of it, all leading to the roots of the beautiful tree growing around the main mast.


    Luckily, it was the tree that produced the tremendous flow of essence required to propel the vessel through the air, and not the kybernetes. Otherwise, Cassie would have never been able to fly it in the future. However, the pilot still needed to control that flow and serve as its nexus, and so, only an Awakened could do it.


    ��Or a Transcendent.


    Noctis sent his own essence into the runic circle, connecting his soul to the ship, and the ancient vessel slowly started to move, gaining speed as the wind filled its sails. Holding the oars with a carefree smile, the sorcerer then glanced at Cassie and said:


    "Song of the Fallen, my lady�� you wished to observe how I control this beauty? Here is your chance to see a master at work! Truly, there is no helmsman more skilled and distinguished than me in the whole of the Kingdom of Hope. Granted, this flight won''t be too long��"


    He suddenly grew silent, glanced at the blind girl with a guilty expression on his face, and then awkwardly cleared his throat.


    "Well, uh�� I guess "see" was the wrong word to use�� hmm��"


    Cassie remained silent for a few moments, then said neutrally:


    "...I am used to it. Do not worry."


    Knowing that the young woman had been interested in the flying ship and its mysteries, Sunny left the two of them alone and walked to the side, staring into the distance with a tense look on his face.


    Noctis had failed to explain why the approach of the herald caused the Sanctuary to tremble, but Sunny had an idea. The islands were all connected to each other by the heavenly chains, and so, any strong tremor was bound to spread outward like a wave. The question was�� what could have caused a quake strong enough for them to feel from several islands away?


    ��Perhaps a giant steel colossus could.


    He gritted his teeth.


    ''A messenger of the Chain Lords�� was that a joke? Noctis conveniently failed to mention that this herald was going to be one of those Lords himself��''


    And what the hell had the sorcerer meant, saying that they had to meet the herald elsewhere, to avoid damaging the Sanctuary? Weren''t they simply going to speak? That was what messengers were for, weren''t they, to deliver words?


    As several islands flowed past beneath the speeding ship, he suddenly caught sight of an especially familiar one. Of course, in this era, it looked different.


    The Iron Hand island was still rather large and covered by soft grass, but the ancient stone columns that had been broken in the future still stood tall, forming three concentric circles. From above, they seem like a giant sundial�� or moondial, perhaps.


    And, of course, there was no colossal iron hand laying in the center of the island, to give it the peculiar name.


    ��At least not yet.


    Sunny suddenly felt cold shivers run down his spine.


    He didn''t have time to think about it more, however, because, at that moment, something else attracted his attention.


    Some distance away, shrouded in the haze of dawn, he could see the neighboring island. Currently, it was in a higher position than them. The island suddenly swayed, and a small human figure jumped from its edge.


    Or rather, it just seemed small because of the distance.


    Sunny felt Kai grow still and tense by his side.


    As the sun shined on its steel surface, the figure flew through the air, covering an unimaginable distance with its leap. It seemed to be moving slowly, but Sunny knew that this was just a mirage caused by the scale of things.


    And indeed, the radiant figure grew larger and larger with each moment, turning into a brilliant steel giant as it drew closer.


    Easily breaching several kilometers with his jump, the giant landed on the surface of the Iron Hand island, causing the whole of it to lurch sideways and sway. The heavenly chains rattled widely, and a cloud of debris was raised into the air.


    Not paying the chaos he had caused any attention, the colossus then slowly straightened, grew motionless, and then slightly turned his head.


    ��He was looking directly at the flying ship, no expression written on his beautiful steel face, two suns reflecting in the polished surface of his steel eyes.


    The Sun Prince had come to deliver a message to Noctis.

 Chapter 706 Ultimatum

    Looking at the colossus, Sunny understood why Kai had called him terrifying. Sun Prince stood at nearly ninety meters tall, towering above the island like a mountain of steel. He was cast in the shape of a noble warrior wearing light armor. The surface of the armor was polished and shone blindingly in the sun, while the rest of the giant was dull and grey.


    The colossal statues of the seven heroes of the Forgotten Shore, including the walking one Sunny and the cohort had ridden once, were more than twice as tall, but it was hard not to get shocked by the sheer mass and crushing presence of the Transcendent Chain Lord�� or rather, of the steel shell he was entombed within.


    A sickening feeling of fear grasped Sunny''s heart, which he then strangled and banished, looking at the towering Lord with a grim expression.


    He had a reason to feel fear, however.


    A half-forgotten image of a nightmarish scene flashed before his eyes �� a fragment of a nightmare where he stood petrified on a blood-soaked battlefield, watching in horror as a giant steel sole descended from above to turn him, and his fellow soldiers, into puddles of crushed bones and bloody sludge.


    And another, a memory of endless, harrowing torture that he had endured at the hands of his brother, of a human-shaped cage and a pit filled with molten metal.


    And finally, the last one �� the vision of a giant steel corpse swinging forlornly in torn chains, upside down, its chest shattered by some devastating strike.


    ��So, this was Sun Prince.


    Sunny had never met him, and yet, it felt as though they were old acquaintances. For better or worse...


    As the giant stared at the flying ship with a motionless face of a statue, Sunny turned to Noctis and scowled.


    "...Now what?"


    The sorcerer sighed, then moved one of the oars, sending the vessel into a descent. His carefree smile was starting to look a little forced.


    "Now, well�� we go and talk to him, I guess? Have a civilized discussion..."


    Sunny turned back and looked at Sun Prince for a bit, then said somberly:


    "Do you think he knows that it was you who erased his memory of hiding the Ivory Knife, causing him to experience a hundred years of torture, and then end up in this state? And that you actually stole it instead?"


    Noctis suddenly choked, causing the ship to careen sideways, and hissed:


    "Say it louder, will you!"


    Sunny froze.


    "Oh�� sorry��"


    The sorcerer righter the vessel, then said with outrage:


    "First of all, I did not cause anything! I just granted a�� a colleague''s request. Back then, we did not even know that Hope was driving us all mad, so how was I supposed to know what will happen? Secondly�� I did not steal the Ivory Knife�� I just happened to find it where he had left it, alright? By pure coinscidence. And lastly��"


    He paused, and then added in a darker tone:


    "I am not sure that he really knows anything, anymore. He is still alive, somewhere inside, but I don''t think he is fully�� sentient. At least�� at least I hope that he is not��"


    The ship approached the ground in somber silence, stopping just outside the first ring of pillars, and hovered in place. Noctis lingered for a few moments, and then let go of the oars. However, he did not command the Sailor Dolls to lower the sails.


    The sorcerer straightened his garments, and then inhaled deeply.


    "Let''s go and see what he has to say, shall we?"


    Sunny glanced at his friends, then shook his head and followed Noctis. There was a high chance that they were going to witness a brawl between Saints�� he was sure that everyone understood what danger they were all in.


    The last time he witnessed two Saints fighting, a whole island had been destroyed and crumbled into the Sky Below. Sunny and Cassie had only survived that terrifying clash by promptly running away, and even then just barely.


    What was going to happen today? And was Noctis strong enough to ward off the colossus?


    Somehow, it was hard to imagine anything, let alone the flimsy sorcerer, stopping that mountain of steel. But Noctis was no fool�� surely, he had a plan. His madness was of an insidious kind, after all. He would not have risked his safety, and his desire to free Hope, without having a way out.


    Together, the five of them disembarked the flying ship, landed on the soil of the Iron Hand Island, and walked between the tall pillars. They approached the very center of the giant moondial and stopped there, waiting.


    When they did, Sun Prince finally moved, walking toward them with a measured gait. With each of his steps, the island trembled, causing the heavenly chains to rattle, and their hearts to tremble.


    Sunny was staring at the approaching colossus, feeling worse and worse about the situation. All his Shadows were yet to recover, and so, he was left with nothing but his own strength to react should something happen.


    ��Well, his own strength, and that of his cohort.


    But what could they do against this monstrosity, even together?


    Finally, the giant reached the pillars and stopped outside the outward circle, looking at them from high above. Drowned in his cold shadow, Sunny couldn''t help but feel like a tiny insect.


    Looking up with a grave expression, he gritted his teeth and said:


    "...I feel like an ant."


    Effie, who was also craning her neck to stare at the colossus, glanced at him, hesitated for a moment, and then smiled.


    "You are not an ant, Sunny. You are a cockroach. Remember?"


    He blinked a couple of times, then slowly grinned.


    ��Somehow, that made him feel better.


    And then, a thundering voice suddenly resounded from all around them, making their bones rattle.


    The giant�� spoke.


    He said:


    "...NOCTIS�� YOU HAVE�� THE KNIVES."


    The voice of Sun Prince did not sound human, but neither did it sound robotic. It was just�� strange, and empty. As if it was not a person speaking, but the world itself.


    A desolate world full of ruins.


    Hearing it, the sorcerer grimaced, then covered his ears.


    "Huh�� he still remembers how to speak��"


    The thundering voice of the colossus resounded once more, making them shiver:


    "...SURRENDER�� THE KNIVES."


    Sunny turned his head slightly and glanced at Noctis, wondering what his reaction would be.


    The sorcerer, meanwhile, blinked a few times�� and took a big step back, distancing himself from Sunny.


    Then, he raised a hand, pointed a finger at him, and said with sincere confusion:


    "What are you talking about? I don''t have any knives! It''s this guy over here, he has them. So�� if you want them, come and take them from him! Leave this poor sorcerer out of this, by the Moon��"

 Chapter 707 Treachery

    Sunny froze in place, dumbfounded, and just stood still for a moment. Surrounded by stunned silence, all he could hear was the wild beating of his hearts and the hum of blood rushing in his ears.


    His eye twitched.


    ''No way�� no way the bastard just did this to me��''


    As all four of his shadows wrapped themselves around his body, Sunny turned his head slightly and stared at the sorcerer''s finger, which was, without a shadow of a doubt, pointing straight at his broad back. His mouth turned dry.


    ''He did!''


    What the hell was Noctis thinking?!


    No, no... the sorcerer would not have sold him out. Yes, shifting the blame on Sunny had to be a con of some sort... but what would Noctis achieve by doing this? Nothing!


    Unless, of course...


    Unless this had been his plan all along.


    A cold, sickening feeling suddenly grasped Sunny''s heart.


    High above him, the gaze of the dreadful colossus slowly shifted from the elegant figure of the sorcerer to the four-armed devil standing by his side. The weight of that gaze pressed down on Sunny, making him bare his teeth in a snarl. It felt as if he was being pierced by it, his very soul laid bare.


    And somewhere within his soul, locked inside the Covetous Coffer, were the three knives �� one made of obsidian, one made of glass, one made of bloodred ruby.


    Something changed about the terrifying presence of Sun Prince, and his deafening voice resounded once again, now suffused by a distant, pale echo of a vague emotion.


    "...SHADOW."


    Sunny paled. He had forgotten that the master of the original shadowspawn was to blame for what happened to the prince of the Ivory City, as well. In fact, one could even say that Shadow Lord was the main culprit of the hundred years of harrowing torture that Sun Prince endured�� he had stolen the ember knife, after all.


    So, if the steel colossus had a reason to really hate someone��


    ''Curses.''


    Feeling his hearts turn cold, Sunny silently watched as the colossus shifted his weight, then bent slightly, preparing to reach down with his giant steel hand. He was desperately trying to calculate his chances of escaping this situation alive��


    At that moment, Noctis suddenly cleared his throat, and then addressed Sun Prince in a friendly tone:


    "Oh, but do be careful! You know how tricky shadows are, my friend. This one in particular is full of treachery, vileness, and unspeakable malice�� the beast even slaughtered a temple full of innocent maidens! He also tried to poison me... oh, the villainy! So, be careful when you grab him! Or you just might lose your hand..."


    A low growl escaped from Sunny''s mouth. He could feel the other members of the cohort grow tense and ready to fight. Cassie''s hand fell on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer, and Kai outstretched his own, ready to summon his bow. Effie was staring up with a somber expression on her childish face, her body drawn like a spring.


    But what were they supposed to do?


    Even if Sunny knew which of the three knives was meant for Sun Prince, how could he thrust it into the Transcendent''s flesh? The actual body of the Chain Lord was buried somewhere inside the walking mountain of steel. More than that, using the knife would only make him mortal�� after that, he would still have to be killed, somehow��


    Killing a Saint was no easy task.


    As the colossus leaned down and moved his hand to reach inside the moondial, Sunny was thinking feverishly. He saw only one option �� to run, run, run away as fast as he could. Using Shadow Step, he would be able to dodge, at least.


    But for how long would he be able to outrun the giant? Sunny had seen him breach the gap between two islands with one jump. Now that the range of Shadow Control had grown, Sunny could possibly do the same��


    The difference was that a single jump like that was going to drain all his essence, while Sun Prince would be able to pursue him indefinitely, tireless and inescapable like death itself.


    ''Damn, damn, damn��''


    The world suddenly grew darker, the sun obstructed by a giant palm. It was open, descending from above like a vast plain of grey steel. It was as though the sky itself was falling on his head.


    Effie took a step back and hissed:


    "Sunny! What do we do?!"


    Frozen in place, he hesitated for a moment.


    And then said:


    "Nothing. Don''t do anything�� don''t move��"


    There was no point in trying to fight Sun Prince, or even running away.


    Because��


    As the steel colossus leaned over the outer ring of the ancient moondial, the tall pillars shone with ethereal light, suddenly flooded with a mind-boggling amount of soul essence. A myriad of runes revealed themselves, carved in a vast circle that encompassed the whole structure.


    And then, everything around them turned to light�� cold, pale light of the moon.


    Blinded by it, Sunny didn''t see what happened next, and just felt something vast and chilling, and yet intangible, move past him with stunning speed. Then, he heard the thunder of a deafening impact, and the groan of steel that was being torn apart. The whole island shook, the quake throwing him to the ground. Sunny hit the cold stones, and sensed the shadow of Sun Prince�� changing.


    As the pale moonlight dimmed and was extinguished, he saw a shocking sight.


    The moondial lay broken, the pillars shattered and toppled over. Not too far away from him, a giant steel hand rested on the ground.


    However, it was not attached to the body of the colossus anymore.


    The giant was staggering back, his right arm torn at the shoulder. A river of molten metal was flowing from the terrible wound, falling down like blood. The grass was turning to ash where it fell.


    ��And amidst all of this, unperturbed, stood Noctis. The sorcerer''s expression was calm and slightly amused.


    Staring at all the chaos, he flicked a speck of dust off his silk garments, shook his head, and said:


    "Tsk, have I not warned him to be careful? I did, didn''t I? By the Moon, why does no one listen to me... I am the wisest man in all of Kingdom of Hope, after all��"

 Chapter 708 Crimson Beast Of Twilight

    The colossus staggered back, swayed, and then moved his foot to balance himself. The island quaked once more, and the giant grew still, bent slightly and grasping the gaping wound with his one remaining hand. His head turned, staring at Noctis with the same empty, unmoving expression.


    However, his polished steel eyes, which had been burning with the blinding reflections of the sun, became submerged in deep shadow.


    For a moment, there was silence.


    Sunny gritted his teeth, then slowly exhaled and raised a hand to wipe the sweat off his brow.


    ��After the initial panic of being sold out by Noctis, he had forced himself to calm down and think. It was then that Sunny had realized that they were not in real danger, and told his friends to stand down.


    The immortal sorcerer was many things, including a liar and a cheat. Sunny did not doubt that Noctis had lied to him on many occasions, and about many things �� sometimes for a specific purpose, and sometimes simply for the fun of it. However, one thing that Noctis was not�� was a fool.


    Sunny could imagine many situations in which the immortal would betray and damn him to death, but not without a good reason. And surrendering the cohort to Sun Prince was the opposite of what Noctis wanted to achieve �� at best, it would have bought him some time, at the expense of losing the three knives to the other Chain Lords.


    One thing that Sunny did not doubt was the sincerity of the sorcerer''s desire to free Hope. And so, he had understood that the immortal''s sudden betrayal was just another deception.


    It had not been hard to guess what the purpose of the deception was, as well. After all, Sunny had already guessed the fateful meeting between rebellious Noctis and the herald of the Chain Lords was going to end, and how the Iron Hand island would get its name.


    Sun Prince had walked right into the sorcerer''s trap, and Sunny�� Sunny had been used as bait.


    Not for the first time, and probably not for the last...


    So, he wasn''t very shocked by the sight of the giant''s missing arm and of the streams of molten steel that flowed out of it, slowly cooling on the broken stones�� or at least he wasn''t supposed to be.


    In reality, the scene in front of him was so striking, so tremendous that it was simply impossible to remain untouched by the vast and poignant scale of it.


    Still��


    He turned to Noctis, remained silent for a moment, and then let out a low growl:


    "...You could have warned me, you know?"


    The sorcerer looked at him with sincere confusion. Then, he smiled and said:


    "But... but what if I changed my mind at the last moment? Then, warning you would have made me a liar! I have a reputation to uphold, don''t I?"


    With that Noctis winked at him, then turned to face the motionless colossus.


    As Sunny stared at him darkly, the smile slowly disappeared from the sorcerer''s face, making way for something cold and frightening. His grey eyes shone with distant moonlight. And in that moonlight, there was��


    Madness.


    Taking a step forward, Noctis suddenly appeared to be taller than he had been, his previously contained presence spreading over the world like a flood. Sunny shivered, feeling�� feeling like prey being stalked by a hungry predator.


    The air suddenly seemed to smell of blood, the light of the sun appeared slightly dimmer, and in the echoing silence, they could almost hear the howls of countless beasts.


    Even though Sunny knew and somewhat trusted Noctis, he suddenly felt scared.


    ��And he wasn''t even the focus of the immortal''s furious gaze. Instead, it was aimed at the hunched colossus.


    The sorcerer grinned, revealing his canines, and spoke, his clear voice flowing across the island like a river of blood:


    "Surrender the knives? Ah, I don''t think so, my old friend�� if I do, how will I kill you and your vile brother?"


    He laughed, and then took another step forward, raising his hand. A toppled pillar than blocked his path exploded into a rain of shards and stone dust, obliterated in a split second.


    "...And that is what I intend to do. You, Sevras, Solvane�� I''ll kill you all, break the chains that bind the Demon of Desire, and set her free."


    Noctis took another step and then stopped, staring at Sun Prince with ruthless determination.


    "So, if you want to take the knives, you''ll have to take them off my cold corpse. Oh, wait�� you can''t. I am immortal."


    He threw his head back and laughed again. This time, the sorcerer''s laughter did not seem carefree and infectious�� instead, it was chilling and full of madness.


    The steel colossus looked at him from above, unmoving. His face was motionless and unexpressive, like that of a statue. However�� it seemed as though the shadows veiling his eyes grew even deeper.


    Noctis shook his head, and then said with disdain:


    "Oh, but you can try, of course. Go back�� go back and return with the Sun Legion, with the Dragon Sevirax, with the Warriors of the Red Colosseum, with Solvane. You know where to find me�� and I''ll be waiting to welcome you."


    The giant continued to stare at him for a while, the molten steel flowing between his fingers. Sunny held his breath, not knowing what was going to happen next.


    ��Then, Sun Prince straightened, turned around, and walked away, making the island shake with each step.


    He reached the edge of it, stepped down on the heavenly chain, and continued walking, somehow keeping perfect balance. The chain was colossal in its own right, and yet, the giant made it seem like a thin rope being traversed by a rope-walker.


    Soon, he reached the neighboring island, climbed on it, and disappeared from sight. Only the rattling of chains and the tremors running through the ground from time to time reminded them of his visit.


    ��Well, that, and the giant hand laying not too far away from them.


    Sunny studied it for a while, then walked over to Noctis and asked, his voice low and cautious:


    "Not to complain�� but why let him go? Wouldn''t it be easier to kill him right here and now? We won''t get another chance to catch him alone, most likely. And judging by how easily you took his arm off��"


    Noctis did not respond immediately. Instead, he slowly turned his head, looked at Sunny coldly�� and then gracelessly fell on his butt, his face pale, his chest rising and falling wildly, and his breath hoarse and labored.


    The sorcerer cursed, looking as if he was about to vomit.


    "...Easily? Are you insane? I am at my weakest during the day, remember! And that strike�� gods�� I spent several centuries infusing this shrine with moonlight. Do you think there''s another one just laying around nearby?! Just�� just be happy he believed my bluff. Otherwise�� things might have turned really ugly really fast for us��"


    Sunny stared at the sorcerer with wide eyes for several long moments, then shook his head and sighed.


    "Lunatic... you damned lunatic�� by the Moon, I take it back! You are a fool..."

 Chapter 709 Nature Of The Beast

    It was only later, when they returned to the flying ship and looked down upon the devastation that the short and furious clash between Noctis and Sun Prince had created, did the understanding of what had happened finally settled in their minds. There was no going back now.


    ��The war of immortals had finally started.


    Soon, the whole of the Kingdom of Hope was going to be turned into a battlefield and drowned in blood by its frenzy. And then, the repercussions of that madness were going to spread outward like a tidal wave, changing the world forever.


    Looking down, Sunny couldn''t help but shiver. The broken pillars, the severed hand of a giant, the ash swirling in the air�� this place, this event, this moment in time��


    Was that the spark that would eventually ignite another, much more terrifying war? A war between gods and daemons, one that would destroy them all and bring about the end of the world�� the war to end all wars. He still suspected that it was the unchaining of the Demon of Desire that had set it in motion.


    Looking down, Sunny silently whispered:


    ''But then came desire, and with it came direction��''


    Turning his head slightly, he looked at Noctis �� the person who had started it all. The sorcerer seemed calm and without a worry in the world. His beautiful face was pale with exhaustion, but other than that, he did not look too different from his usual self�� not at all like a person who had potentially ushered in the obliterating apocalypse.


    Did he not understand the consequences of his actions?


    ��Or did he understand them far better than Sunny ever could?


    With a sigh, Sunny threw one last glance at the Iron Hand island �� not truly and once again deserving of its name �� and walked to sit beneath the branches of the sacred tree. Despite the fact that he had not done much, he felt exhausted, too. And there was a lot he had to think about��


    ***


    On the way back, Sunny remembered the future. He had been to the Iron Hand island many times, had seen the toppled pillars and the severed arm of a giant, and had even sketched and described them in detail for an exploration report.


    And now, he had witnessed how the island came to be in that state.


    Another event from the distant past had repeated itself inside the Nightmare almost to a tee. Sunny had already formed a theory that fate was like a current, always pulling things toward an inescapable conclusion, after the destruction of the Temple of the Chalice. The details could be changed, but the result seemed to always be the same.


    The events that had transpired on the Iron Hand island only cemented that theory.


    By all accounts, the appearance of the cohort�� and Mordret�� should have drastically changed the flow of history in the Kingdom of Hope. They had accelerated the start of the war, and even slain one of the Chain Lords. If not for them, Noctis would have most likely spent several years searching for a way to make a deal with Weaver, and only then rebelled against the other immortals.


    Those several years were, perhaps, the countdown to the blossoming of the Nightmare Seed. If no Awakened appeared to challenge the Nightmare by then�� the Seed would have bloomed? Was that the logic? Seeds blossomed when the conflict inside them resolved itself and fate repeated unchanged?


    Before, Sunny had thought that the task of the challenger was to resolve a conflict that would have otherwise remained unresolved. But now, knowing what he knew about the Chained Islands and the Kingdom of Hope, he realized that he had been wrong. With or without his help, Noctis was always going to start a war, the Ivory Tower was always going to break free from its chains��


    The Temple of the Chalice was always going to be destroyed, and Sun Prince was always going to lose his hand to the enchanted moondial.


    Come to think of it, his First Nightmare would have resolved itself without his intervention, too... one way or another. The nameless temple slave would have probably died, and Auro of the Nine would have survived�� or would they? In any case, there would have been an ending.


    ''That�� doesn''t really make sense.''


    So what was the role of the challengers? If the conflict could resolve itself, why were they here? What did the Spell want from them? Prove that they were equal to the heroes of the past? Do it better than them? Simply survive?


    The Spell did not care what one did inside the Nightmare and how they went about solving the conflict. The reward was going to be the same, either way �� the challenger would ascend to a new Rank. They could receive a True Name, or even, in extremely rare cases, an evolution of their Aspect, but those things could be done outside a Nightmare, as well.


    The only thing the Spell cared about was that the challenger survived until the end.


    ��But that was not entirely true. The Spell would not give additional rewards, or deny the survivor their ascension. However, it did care a little�� at least enough to appraise the challenger''s performance. The appraisal did not really matter outside of the First Nightmare, where it was tied to the boon, but the Spell still gave them out each time.


    Good, Exceptional, Remarkable... Glorious... and so on.


    Was there a hint in there, somewhere, about what it wanted?


    If so�� Sunny had apparently pleased the Spell very much in his first trial.


    Sitting in the shade of the sacred tree, he sighed and looked into the distance with a solemn expression.


    ''I hope it will be pleased with us again, this time. I hope we survive��''


    ***


    Soon, the flying ship returned to the Sanctuary and descended to its usual position above the Altar Island. As they returned to the ground, Sunny could see hundreds of faces turned to them, fear and uncertainty written in their lines.


    The inhabitants of the Sanctuary had not seen the clash between Noctis and Sun Prince, but they all knew that something was wrong. By now, the island had stopped trembling, but their hearts did not.


    Without paying them any attention, the sorcerer tiredly landed on the grass, then turned to Sunny and frowned slightly.


    "I am going to rest for a couple of days. That�� most of the Sun Legion, as well as the army of the Red Colosseum, are arrayed along the border between Solvane''s territory and that of the Ivory City. It is going to take them at least two weeks to assemble together and march east�� so, we will give them enough time to break the current formation, but not enough to build a new one. We attack in seven days."


    He hesitated for a few moments, and then suddenly smiled:


    "Warmongers and the Sun Legion forgetting their hatred and fighting side by side�� truly, no one but me could have made it happen! Am I not the most talented diplomat in all of the Kingdom of Hope?"


    With that, Noctis laughed, turned around, and walked away.


    Sunny stared at his back for a few moments, then sighed and said quietly:


    "You are definitely not. But then again�� maybe you are��"

 Chapter 710 Departure

    The next morning, Sunny woke up in a strange mood. Knowing that they were nearing the end of the Nightmare �� and, perhaps, their own �� he had expected himself to be consumed by somber trepidation. But, surprisingly, Sunny felt fine. It was as though the scope of the approaching battle was simply too large to be evaluated, and so, his mind had not bothered with it at all.


    Instead, he had practical problems he needed to solve. Sunny still did not feel completely comfortable in his new body �� he barely had any time to get accustomed to its size and weight, after all. The next several days were going to be crucial, in that regard.


    His previous garments had been torn when he evolved, and so, Sunny summoned the Puppeteer''s Shroud to wrap itself around his towering body. Although not as powerful as his other suits of armor, the Shroud was much more comfortable. It was a bit nostalgic to wear the light armor once again, but also a bit sad to see it relegated to serving as a bonafide training suit.


    Remembering how he had planned to slaughter countless dormant Nightmare Creatures while being invulnerable thanks to his new, incredible Awakened armor of the fifth Tier just a few years ago, Sunny smiled wistfully and walked out of his room.


    The Sanctuary seemed�� different, somehow.


    The ring of giant menhirs was the same, and so was the beautiful garden. However, the people living in the ancient shrine had changed. They were hurried and full of fear, moving with panicked speed and feverish determination.


    Sunny noticed a few familiar faces. The old woman he had seen on his first day here was standing alone, a lost look on her face. The young woman was carrying the frightened child in her hands and a heavy pack on her back. The kind man with a neatly trimmed beard was gritting his teeth, his hand resting on the worn hilt of his sword.


    He sighed and looked away.


    An immortal Transcendent had started this war to free a daemon from a prison built by a god�� but these little people were the ones that were going to suffer the most as the result. In fact, they had been the ones to suffer the most throughout all of this, from the destruction of the Kingdom of Hope to the madness she had cursed this land with, to now.


    He had been one of the little people himself, once...


    Now, he was a devil destroying their lives.


    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, then looked up at the sound of steps approaching him. He saw Effie and Kai, both wearing their armors and packs, as though ready to go on a long hunt.


    He raised his eyebrows.


    "...Going somewhere?"


    The little girl glanced at the masked cripple, and then shrugged. Kai, meanwhile, smiled�� even though Sunny could not see his face, he could tell by his eyes.


    He could also tell that the smile was tinted with sadness.


    The archer simply nodded.


    "Yes... we are leaving."


    He hesitated for a moment, then added:


    "Not for long, of course. We will be back before the week is over. You see... the Sanctuary, it was a shelter for those who wanted to find peace in this land of madness. But now that Noctis started a war and both the Sun Legion and the Warmongers are marching to raze it to the ground, that shelter is no more."


    Effie shook her head, then sighed.


    "The west belongs to the warring cults of War and Sun, the south is abandoned and overtaken by Nightmare Creatures, the north�� well, you know. These poor fools have nowhere else to go. So, we are going to guide them to one of the Great Chains and help them cross to the other side. And leave the Kingdom of Hope behind, forever."


    She scratched the back of her head, then said thoughtfully:


    "...Actually, we are not even sure if the Nightmare goes that far. Maybe there''s nothing out there, beyond the Chained Island. And yes, we know that these people are not even real. Still�� we thought that we''d at least try. Cassie even went and convinced Noctis to lend her the ship, to help transport them."


    Sunny stared at her, surprised. The little girl raised her chin:


    "What? I know that it''s stupid. People need to do stupid things sometimes, you know?"


    He slowly shook his head.


    "...No. Actually, I don''t think that it''s stupid at all. It''s just�� the three of you are going, so why didn''t you invite me as well?"


    Effie grinned.


    "You have stuff to do! How are you going to get used to that lanky body of yours while babysitting a bunch of refugees? So, don''t be lazy and get that stone girlfriend of yours to beat you black and blue while we are gone. We have a date with two whole armies in a week''s time, remember?"


    Sunny made a sour face, then looked away.


    "Believe me, I remember. I am going to train hard."


    Kai gripped his shoulder for a moment �� well, the top of one of his lower arms that were in reach, anyway �� and then, the two walked away without saying anything else. There was no need to say goodbye.


    With them gone, Sunny suddenly felt a bit�� lost.


    Shaking his head, he threw stupid thoughts out of his head and walked to the center of the garden, intending to spend the rest of the day practicing with the Cruel Sight. Saint would have probably healed enough to be summoned, too�� so, he had his work cut out for him.


    Finding a secluded spot near the clear lake, Sunny went through the intense set of steps and exercises that he had developed to condition his body for the Shadow Dance. Of course, that had been in his human body. The shadowspawn, meanwhile, was a very different beast�� or rather, devil.


    Despite its size, the gaunt body of the devil was incredibly nimble and swift. It was also capable of bursts of monstrous, explosive strength that would leave many people stunned. In addition, it was itself a weapon �� with his talons, claws, fangs, and horns, Sunny was capable of delivering a lot of damage even unarmed.


    He could even kill things with the spike at the end of his tail.


    After that initial practice session, he summoned Saint and started the real training.


    As they sparred, Sunny observed the departure of the inhabitants of the Sanctuary. They left in a column, with Kai in the front, and Effie walking behind. Some were carrying their meager belongings, while some were empty-handed. Some cried, while some remained silent and stoic.


    Some even smiled.


    Above them, the flying ship moved, carrying those who could not walk. Sunny could not see, but knew that Cassie was controlling it. For a moment, he was curious about how she was able to communicate with the Sailor Dolls�� however, that short distraction cost him dearly when Saint delivered a painful blow to his abdomen, and so, Sunny decided to concentrate on himself.


    Turning his full attention back to the training fight, he thought:


    ''I wish them well�� even if they are not real, I wish them all the best��''


    Long hours passed in arduous training. Slowly but surely, he was growing accustomed to the new proportions of his strange and powerful body. His height, his reach, his might�� all of it was starting to click, making him feel confident in his own skin once more.


    At some point, dead tired, Sunny decided to take a break. Commanding Saint to stand down, he crouched near the lake and drew some water to wash the sweat off his face. Then, he poured some on his head and sighed, looking at the clear surface of the lake.


    The graceful figure of Saint reflected on it, and near her, his own. Obsidian skin, bestial features, eyes that seemed like pools of liquid darkness, twisting horns�� Master Jet had once joked that he would be a flower boy one day. Remembering it, Sunny smiled.


    ''I wonder what she would have said if she saw me that way��''


    And then, he froze.


    His sweat turned cold.


    ...There was a third reflection on the surface of the lake.


    It was a tall and slender young man, with pale skin and raven-black hair. His face was sharp and thin �� not exactly handsome, but at the same time charming and strangely beautiful. His striking eyes didn''t seem to possess a color of their own, and instead reflected the world back on itself like two pools of liquid silver.


    Currently, they were as blue as the boundless, vast sky.


    The young man smiled pleasantly, and then raised a hand in greeting.


    A painfully familiar voice suddenly resounded in Sunny''s mind.


    "Ah, Sunless�� how nice it is to meet you again, after all this time. Just look at you�� goodness! I almost failed to recognize you behind that fearsome face��"

 Chapter 711 A Simple Task

    Hearing Mordret''s pleasant voice reminded Sunny of the time they had shared in the Sky Below, and the closeness that had existed between them back then. A long time ago, he had considered the mysterious prince if not a friend, then at least an ally. He had been fond of the owner of the disembodied voice enough to worry when it disappeared.


    Of course, all of that had been a lie. A masterfully crafted net of deception that Mordret had created to lure Sunny into bringing the mirror shard into the Night Temple, and setting him free.


    The memory of the dark conclusion of that story �� the fear, the pain, the shame of having been led astray and betrayed... the slaughter �� gripped his hearts with icy claws. Sunny glared at the reflection of the young man for a few moments, then gritted his teeth.


    He hated to admit it, but there was no escaping the fact that he feared Mordret. Sunny had met many powerful men and even more terrifying abominations, but the Prince of Nothing was perhaps the only one whom he was truly scared of. Not because of the Divine Aspect or the lineage of War, but precisely because of how insidiously cunning and inexplicable the Prince of Nothing was.


    It was like what Teacher Julius had said�� what humans feared the most was the unknown. And no matter how many times Sunny tried, he simply could not understand how Mordret thought, what his motives were, and what was he scheming behind that friendly smile. Because of the eerie wrongness hiding in the depths of his eyes, the Prince of Nothing was impossible to predict.


    Hell, he was even impossible to kill. The whole of the great clan Valor had tried, and failed.


    ��Grasping the Extraordinary Rock, Sunny made sure that there was no one really standing behind him, and addressed the reflection in a gruff voice:


    "...Oh. It''s you. What are doing inside the lake? Don''t be a stranger, Mordret�� come, enter my Soul Sea, and let''s talk face to face."


    The reflection of the young man lingered, its smile turning a little forced. Then, it spoke again:


    "How strange�� I can hear you speak, but I don''t see your lips moving. Have you been learning new tricks, Sunless? Ah, good for you. I''ve been doing some of that myself��"


    Sunny scowled, shadows veiling his eyes.


    "I have�� I''ve heard. A whole region of the kingdom, Mordret? Really? I thought you did not enjoy killing innocent people. Or did you tell yourself that it was alright because they were not real?"


    Mordret tilted his head a little. Then, he said with the same pleasant smile:


    "What would have been the point of killing them if they were not real?"


    Hearing that, Sunny shivered.


    The reflection, meanwhile, shook its head.


    "They were real enough to serve a purpose... don''t get me wrong, however. I would not have done the same in the waking world. Those I killed were all already dead, Sunless. All of them were doomed, and uselessly so. I simply gave their deaths a different meaning."


    Mordret did not seem pleased with himself, but neither did he seem remorseful about slaughtering thousands of people. Just�� uncaring.


    Which was much more unnerving.


    The Prince of Nothing looked at Sunny and chuckled:


    "So, that little oracle of yours told you all about my adventures, then? Well, wonderful. I will not have to describe them myself. Time is of the essence, after all�� sending a reflection across such a distance is not easy, even for me."


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then sighed and crossed his four arms.


    "She did, even if I would not have used the word adventures to describe it. What do you want, Mordret?"


    The reflection remained silent for a bit, then smiled.


    "Why, what else? To conquer the Nightmare, of course. Don''t you?"


    A low growl escaped from Sunny''s mouth.


    "I do. Stop playing games and just tell me what it is that you want from me."


    Mordret sighed.


    "Well, if you insist. What I want is rather simple�� which is not to say easy. I want you to keep Noctis alive, at all costs."


    Sunny blinked.


    ''What is he trying to make me do�� does he really want me to protect Noctis, or is he hoping that I will do the opposite of what he wants and kill Noctis instead? Why would he want Noctis dead before the war even started? No, wait�� maybe he really does want Noctis to live�� argh! Damned Mordret�� I hate that lying bastard!"


    He stared at the reflection with a dark expression, and then said evenly:


    "Is that all?"


    The Prince of Nothing smiled:


    "Yes, that is all. If you can accomplish this simple task, I can guarantee that we will conquer the Nightmare and escape it alive."


    Sunny snorted.


    "You can guarantee it, can you? How? What are you planning? What about Hope, will you try to free her, or have you found a way to restore her prison to its original state?"


    A gust of wind suddenly disturbed the surface of the lake, and the reflection of the banished prince became distorted, swaying with the water.


    He spoke again, his voice sounding a little distant.


    "Ah, how inconvenient. It seems that I have run out of essence�� until we meet again, Sunless..."


    Sunny clenched his fists.


    "This again? Disappearing just when you have to answer a question�� bastard, you do understand that we are on the same side right now? We can kill each other after we Ascend�� but first, we need to survive the Nightmare!"


    Mordret laughed, his voice growing ethereal and almost inaudible.


    "...not�� a bastard. Ah, I wish I was��"


    With that, he was gone. The reflection disappeared from the surface of the lake, and Sunny was left alone once more.


    He glared at the clear water for some time, then grimaced.


    "A simple task�� as if anyone can keep up with that lunatic, let alone keep him alive��"


    With that, he gritted his teeth and rose to his feet.


    It was time to continue his training. Time was short...

 Chapter 712 Leaving The Sanctuary

    A few days passed.


    The Sanctuary stood empty and silent. The beautiful garden was devoid of its usual liveliness, and the winds howled as they passed through the ring of giant menhirs. Here and there, mundane things left behind by the people that had departed in a hurry lay, forlorn and forgotten. No one was ever going to return for them.


    Sunny had never seen the Sanctuary this desolate and hollow�� not in the future and not now, in the distant past. The sight of it was sad and eerie.


    He had spent these days training tirelessly and learning to control his new body. This latest transformation had not been as fundamental as becoming a demon after living his whole life as a human, so his progress was swift. More than that, mastery of Shadow Dance made Sunny especially attuned to his physicality and change.


    In truth, he did not need a whole week to achieve the goal. But practicing with Saint reminded him of the simpler times, and so, helped him prepare himself for the battle ahead mentally.


    ��On one of the last nights he had to spend in peace, Sunny woke up suddenly, thinking that he had heard a distant scream. Had he really, or was it just a vestige of a dream?


    He sat up and glanced into the window, a deep scowl appearing on his face.


    ''What dream, you fool? Awakened don''t dream��''


    But who could have screamed in the Sanctuary? There were only two people left here. Sunny himself��


    And Noctis.


    He hesitated for a moment, and then stood up, summoning the Puppeteer''s Shroud. After thinking for a bit, he also summoned the Cruel Sight, wrapped his shadows around himself, and walked outside.


    The full moon shone in the night sky, drowning the world in ghostly blue light. Guided by it, Sunny walked across the empty garden and approached the residence of the sorcerer, where the immortal had disappeared to days earlier and never came back out.


    The door stood open, and the Sailor Dolls guarded it silently, their wooden faces devoid of any sign of worry.


    Passing between them, Sunny entered the residence and studied the familiar chamber. It had changed slightly�� the stone floor was even more broken and littered with deep cracks, the piles of shards had grown taller.


    However, there were no tremors running through it from time to time anymore, as if whatever it was that had hidden beneath had either died, fallen into a slumber, or gone elsewhere.


    Noctis was in the middle of the room, sitting on a pile of rubble with a pained look on his face. The sorcerer looked�� unwell.


    His skin was deathly pale, with dark circles under his eyes. His lustrous hair had grown dull and was disheveled. Even his elegant garments, which had always been flashy and immaculate, were now wrinkled and in disarray.


    What''s more, Sunny could have sworn that there�� that there was something moving beneath the sorcerer''s skin. It appeared for a moment, and then was gone, making him unsure if he had seen it or just imagined the whole thing.


    Noticing his presence, Noctis slowly turned his head and smiled weakly.


    "Ah�� Sunless. You are just in time. How do I look?"


    Sunny stared at him for a moment, and then said:


    "You look like crap."


    The sorcerer blinked a couple of times, then threw a hurt look at him.


    "No, not me, you idiot! How does he look?"


    With that, Noctis gestured at a Sailor Doll that stood motionlessly a few steps away.


    Sunny had grown so accustomed to the silent mannequins that he did not pay the doll any attention after registering its presence and position. Now, he took a closer look and raised his eyebrows, confused by what he saw.


    The Sailor Doll was about the same height as Noctis, dressed in his best silks, and wearing a gorgeous black wig. It stared senselessly in front of itself and held a glass of wine.


    He titled his head, opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again.


    "...What the hell?"


    The sorcerer shrugged.


    "Well, we are going to unexpectedly attack the Ivory City, are we not? Surely, the other Chain Lords would notice if I suddenly disappear from the Sanctuary�� so, I prepared this doll to make it seem like I''m still here!"


    He smiled proudly and looked at Sunny with a glint in his eyes.


    Sunny covered his face with a palm for a moment.


    "Do you really think that this�� thing�� will fool anyone? Have you lost your mind? I mean, lost it even more?"


    Noctis glanced at him in confusion, and then laughed.


    "Oh, I forgot the last touch��"


    With that, he raised his hands and clapped them a couple of times. A moment later��


    There were two sorcerers in the chamber, one sitting on the pile of rubble, the other standing a few meters away and staring at Sunny with an obnoxious smile. Even though he knew that the second one was just a Sailor Doll, he couldn''t tell the difference.


    "How about now?"


    Sunny gulped.


    "Yeah�� it looks fine."


    The Sailor Doll remained motionless for a bit, then raised the glass of wine to its lips, pretending to drink. The likeness was uncanny�� but more than that, Sunny could feel that the real enchantment went much deeper than just looks. He could actually feel a suffocating presence radiating from the mannequin, similar to what he had felt on the Iron Hand island from Noctis himself.


    Looking beneath the surface of the Sailor Doll, he was stunned to see something that looked exactly like a Transcendent soul core burning in its chest. Sunny slowly inhaled.


    If Cassie were to look at the mannequin, would she have seen an Aspect Name and a list of Attributes?


    "...Better than fine. It is very convincing."


    Noctis grinned, then rose to his feet with a grimace. Once again, it seemed as if something moved under his skin�� but a second later, he seemed fine.


    "Good. Well then�� one last thing left to do before we leave. Follow me."


    Sunny threw one last look at the broken floor of the stone chamber, and then turned around.


    He knew that he would never return here again.


    Together, the two of them entered the garden and walked across it. Sunny did not know where Noctis was leading him, but felt that it was important. One of the Sailor Dolls followed them, carrying something heavy.


    As they walked, the sorcerer suddenly spoke:


    "I thought a lot about what you have told me, Sunless. About wanting to return home."


    Sunny glanced at him with surprise, but did not say anything.


    Noctis remained silent for a few moments, and then said in a wistful tone:


    "I used to have a home too, you know? A long time ago. There was a beautiful temple where my siblings and I grew up, being taught by priests and priestesses. It was surrounded by a vast forest where we played and hunted. There was a lake where we caught fish and swam to escape the summer''s heat, without a care in the world."


    The smile slowly disappeared from his face, and his eyes shone softly, reflecting the pale moonlight.


    "...I returned to that place some time ago. Ah, but it was not... it changed. The temple lay in ruins, the forest had been chopped down. The lake had dried up. Everything felt unfamiliar and strange, like a distant dream. And for a moment, I felt as if my whole life was just a dream that I have dreamt... and maybe was dreaming still."


    He paused, sighed heavily, then suddenly smiled and looked at Sunny.


    "But hey, by then, I already had this. This sanctuary that I have built with my own two hands, the people that I saved, the land that I tried to protect, the duty I made mine to uphold�� this was my home."


    He inhaled deeply and looked around, enjoying the sight of the Sanctuary��


    Sunny suddenly realized that the sorcerer was, perhaps, seeing it for the last time.


    His face grew heavy.


    After a few moments, Noctis said:


    "What I am trying to say, Sunless, is that you don''t need to belong somewhere, or to something. You just need to make something belong to you. That is how you can find home��"


    The sorcerer hesitated, and then added with a proud look on his face:


    "...I mean it as a metaphor, of course."


    Sunny looked at him for a long time, then smiled.


    "That was a great metaphor."


    Noctis grinned.


    "It was, wasn''t it? Well, why wouldn''t it be? I am the most learned man in all of the Kingdom of Hope, after all!"


    At that moment, they passed between the menhirs and approached the edge of the island, where the ugly monstrosities that Noctis had called statues of him stood. There were fourteen of them, each at least twice as tall as Sunny and cut of solid marble. He had not looked at the fruits of the sorcerer''s labor after that first time, and was momentarily disturbed.


    If the first statue could have been remotely called an image of a person, the rest of them, without of doubt, resembled terrifying abominations much more. They were giant and heavy, with talons, claws, fangs, spikes, and horns that made Sunny''s own look pathetic in comparison. The giant gargoyles looked frightening, unsightly, ferocious...


    And each had mighty stone wings.


    Surrounded by monuments of harrowing creatures, he suddenly felt small and weak.


    Feeling uneasy, Sunny glanced at Noctis and asked:


    "These are�� statues of you?"


    The sorcerer laughed.


    "Oh�� well�� I might have lied a little. These were never meant to look like me."


    With that, a Sailor Doll silently appeared from the darkness, carrying a heavy box that was wrapped in thick, heavy chains.


    As soon as Sunny saw the box, he felt his heart turn cold, and muffled whispers invade his ears. Involuntarily, he took a step back.


    "What�� the hell�� is in that thing?"


    Noctis calmly took the box, which trembled slightly, as if something inside was trying to break free. At the same time, Sunny thought that he noticed a movement under the sorcerer''s skin.


    The immortal grimaced, and then said:


    "...Souls. A few especially vile souls that I have collected across the centuries."


    Sunny scowled, gripping the Cruel Sight tighter.


    "And what, exactly, are you planning to do with these souls?"


    Noctis glanced at him, smiled, and then easily tore the heavy chains keeping the box shut.


    "What else? I am going to create a few little helpers for you and your strange friends. What, were you really going to take on the armies of the Ivory City and the Red Colosseum all by yourself? By the Moon, Sunless�� I do trust in your abilities, but what would people say if I turned out to be the only Chain Lord without an army? How would that look? Ah, no, such an embarrassment would simply not do��"


    With that, he opened the box, his eyes shining with cold moonlight.


    ��And in the next moment, the fourteen terrifying stone beasts suddenly moved.

 Chapter 713 War Drums

    The flying ship was moving through the deep darkness of the Sky Below, escorted by fourteen stone fiends. With the ocean of flames burning below and vast nothingness above, it seemed as though they were sailing through purgatory.


    Noctis stood at the steering oars, slouched, with a pale face and dark circles under his eyes. He did not seem to be doing too well, but his hand was steady as it controlled the ship.


    On the upper deck, the Sailor Dolls were preparing for battle. They were moving wooden ballistae into position and loading heavy bolts into them, with an especially fearsome siege engine placed at the bow. The bolts themselves were not that simple, too. Their surfaces were carved with runes, which shimmered with stored soul essence and brimmed with power.


    The mannequins themselves were armed, as well, their elegant liveries replaced with chainmail. They carried heavy bows, sabers, and hatchets �� both to kill the enemies and defend the ship from boarding hooks. There were plenty of quivers full of arrows around, as well as barrels of water to douse the flames should the sails catch on fire.


    The sails, meanwhile, were turned at a strange angle to catch the hot air rising from below, surrounding the vessel from the sides like wings.


    The ship was flying swiftly, but in the emptiness of the Sky Below, it was hard to measure how much distance they were covering. Sunny could only tell that their speed was tremendous because of the powerful torrent of essence flowing through the ancient wood, and the howling of the wind that was being cut by the armored ram of the ship.


    At this rate, they were going to reach the Ivory City soon.


    The cohort was preparing for battle, too.


    Kai had summoned his white and gold armor �� a Memory he had earned while commanding a centuria of the Sun Legion. Behind the charred wooden maks, his eyes were serious and focused. He was examining the fletching of arrows in his quiver, a mighty bow resting at his feet. This bow had come from a champion of the War Sect he had slain, and was a deadly weapon.


    Effie was standing nearby, leaning on the runic spear Sunny had given her. The Dusk Shard was propped against the board of the ship, almost as tall as the little girl, and there was a white cape that seemed to be weaved from starlight resting on her shoulders �� the Starlight Shard, which she had received after slaying the Lord of the Dead.


    Of course, Effie had a whole arsenal of other Memories at her disposal �� those that she had collected over the years on the Forgotten Shore, and those she received for slaying countless abominations to saturate her Awakened core before venturing into the Seed of Nightmare. Weapons, tools, charms�� she was going to summon them when the need arose.


    Knowing that the battle ahead would be long and arduous, the little girl was hungrily devouring a pile of roasted meat.


    Cassie was quietly observing Nocts, her hand resting on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer. Her role in the approaching battle was going to be especially important�� when the sorcerer clashed with Solvane and Sun Prince, she would have to control the flying ship and command the Sailor Dolls, drawing the bulk of the enemy''s ire.


    ��Sunny was getting ready, too.


    He had summoned the Mantle of the Underworld, which covered his demonic body like an onyx carapace. Since this battle was going to be against humans, and not mighty Nightmare Creatures, he had judged that its utility would be more valuable than the impregnable defense of the Undying Chain.


    There was no Elyas around to heal a mortal wound should he receive one, as well, so its incredible enchantment was less useful.


    The Blood Blossom rested in the onyx armor''s breastplate, ready to grant him its strength. In his four hands, he held the Cruel Sight, the Midnight Shard, and Morgan''s Warbow.


    Three Shadows rested in his soul, ready to be sent forth to destroy and slaughter.


    He was ready��


    Well, as ready as he could be.


    Just as Sunny thought it, Noctis suddenly moved, and then looked up, a wild smile slowly appearing on his lips. His voice sounded hoarse, but clear:


    "...Ah. They finally sensed us."


    The members of the cohort turned to him, their faces calm and collected.


    The sorcerer grinned, and then moved one of the oars, sending the ship flying up. His eyes glinted with distant moonlight.


    "No point in hiding anymore. We are close enough, anyway�� oh, what a night to be alive, my friends!"


    His laughter rolled across the deck as the ancient vessel climbed higher and higher, swiftly approaching the dark side of the Chained Island.


    Sunny stared up, knowing that just in a few minutes, the end of this Nightmare was going to begin.


    ...As he did, Cassie silently approached him and stood nearby for a few moments, silent.


    Then, she said:


    "No matter what happens�� don''t let him enter the Tower."


    Sunny frowned, looking at her with a somber expression.


    "Who? Noctis?"


    She lingered for a second, and then shook her head.


    "No. Mordret."


    Sunny smiled and turned away.


    "Why? Was his guarantee of conquering the Nightmare if we do as he says a lie?"


    The young woman did not speak for a while, then said simply:


    "No. I don''t think so."


    Sunny glanced at her and raised an eyebrow.


    "Why should I try to stop him, then?"


    She hesitated for a moment. Then, Cassie asked:


    "What happens after the Nightmare?"


    Sunny sighed, then chuckled wryly.


    "...Alright. I''ll take your request into consideration."


    He could already see the dark underbelly of the Kingdom of Hope above them�� and hear the distant whisper of war drums.


    Caught by surprise, the two armies were hurriedly preparing to meet them.


    Looking at his friends, Sunny sighed, and then said in a neutral voice:


    "I guess this is it. Good luck, guys. Don''t die out there."


    Kai and Effie looked at him, and then nodded. The little girls smiled crookedly.


    "Why would we die? It''s just a couple of armies and three Transcendents. No big deal��"


    She hesitated for a bit, and then added in a somber tone:


    "However, let''s make a promise to not do suicidal battles beneath giant towers again, okay? I mean, at this rate, it might become a habit��"


    Sunny looked at her and grinned.


    "So, what�� next time, we should do battle on top of a giant tower?"


    Effie sighed.


    "No... no towers. Let''s try to avoid giant towers in the future entirely. How does that sound?"


    Sunny laughed, then turned away and stared at the approaching islands.


    "Sounds fine to me�� can''t promise anything, though..."

 Chapter 714 Dread Naught

    As the silver circle of the full moon reached the highest point in the sky, a sudden movement tore through the darkness of the night. In the clamor of drums and human voices, an armada of wooden ships flew forward, each vessel illuminated by the orange flame of lanterns. Some had red sails, and some had white. In the pale moonlight, all of them looked grey and colorless.


    The ships rushed forward, seeming like a river of lights. On their decks, human figures moved, feverishly preparing for battle. The soldiers were drawing their weapons and nocking arrows on the strings of their bows, while the captains stared at the radiant moon, their faces tense and grim.


    ��Soon, a lonesome black dot appeared on the surface of the silver disk, and then slowly grew as it drew closer. A single ship, this one much larger and more graceful than the rest of them, was fearlessly flying to meet the luminous armada. There was a beautiful tree growing around its mast, and a man with pale skin and raven black hair standing at the oar, guiding the vessel forward. His eyes were grey and clear, shining with the reflected light of the moon.


    Standing near Noctis, Sunny could not help but feel a dark resentment grip his hearts.


    ''Curse it��''


    They had chosen the time of the attack to catch the armies of the Chain Lords unprepared. Most of the soldiers were still on march to the Ivory City, their formation broken and in disarray. It was not easy to unite two large forces, and Noctis had chosen the precise moment when the chaos was at its worse to stage his assault.


    And yet, there was still a considerable force ready to defend the city. At least a hundred ships rose into the air to intercept and destroy them, each carrying dozens of warriors �� some of them Awakened, and some even Ascended�� but all the absolute elite the warring factions had to offer.


    And somewhere out there, two immortal Transcendents were waiting to take their turn.


    That is what Noctis and the cohort were up against.


    Sunny lingered for a moment, and then glanced past the approaching river of lights, at the distant shapes of the Ivory City. It was as beautiful during the night as it was during the day�� the graceful arches of the tall aqueducts, the aerial bridges that connected the islands, the buildings made of white stone...


    The streets of the city were empty, but he could feel thousands of frightened souls trembling behind the walls that they had considered solid and safe. Not knowing what calamity he, and his friends, were bringing to their doorstep.


    Suddenly grim, he had to remind himself that these were the people that had tried to sacrifice Kai to satiate a dragon''s hunger, and then burned him alive for daring to survive.


    And the dragon himself was there, too, powerless for now�� at least until the dawn came.


    Gritting his teeth, he took a step forward and closed his eyes for a moment.


    ''Just a hundred ships�� what is there to fear? I just have to bring ten or twenty down. Maybe kill a few Ascendents. Big deal��''


    The armada was already close enough to make out the distant shapes of humans rushing on the decks. A gust of wind brought with it a chorus of voices. Sunny shuddered, recognizing the familiar chant.


    ��Glory! Glory! Glory!


    He opened his lightless eyes, all doubt and remorse disappearing from them. Leaving behind only the cold will to kill.


    Somewhere behind him, Noctis suddenly grinned, and then whispered in a hoarse voice:


    "Now�� witness us, gods..."


    A moment later, the massive siege engine standing at the bow of the ship suddenly rang, sending a heavy bolt flying through the darkness. As it pierced the sky, a weave of ancient runes shone on its surface, and the winds howled, cut by its sharp blades.


    Streaking toward the distant armada like a falling star, the bolt struck the hull of the forward vessel�� and crushed straight through it, pulverizing a large part of the bow. It tore through the innards of the enemy ship, and then, an explosion of pale light suddenly illuminated the vessel from within for a split second, leaving behind nothing but a cloud of bloody debris.


    The whole ship was destroyed in an instant.


    Noctis laughed madly, and as he did, the Sailor Dolls were already rushing to reload the engine. While they were busy with it, the sorcerer moved one of the oars, throwing his own ship into a turn to let its left bort, and the loaded ballistae situated there, face the rushing enemy fleet.


    ��And, just like that, the battle that was meant to change the course of history forever started.


    ***


    The sorcerer''s ship had an advantage in size, speed, power of enchantments, and the reach of its weapons. However, the difference was not insurmountable. Before the bow engine could be reloaded, they would already be being pelted by arrows and harpoons of the enemy.


    "Get ready, my friends!"


    The Sailor Dolls pulled the levers of the portside ballistae, sending several smaller, but still devastating bolts flying toward the approaching armada. Others readied their bows, staring forward with indifferent wooden faces.


    Sunny raised Morgan''s Warbow, ready to draw it, and threw a question over his shoulder:


    "What of Solvane? What of Sun Prince?"


    Noctis smiled wickedly.


    "Can''t you feel? They are approaching. Song of the Fallen, my lady�� I am afraid you will have to take the oars soon. Do not worry, however. As long as the moon shines, I will make easy work of those two."


    He lingered for a moment, sending the ship into another turn, and then added:


    "Do worry about the enemy ships, though. If you are not careful, they will tear my beauty apart in no time�� not to mention peppering you full of arrows."


    The ships he mentioned were almost in range to shoot their own onagers and ballistae. Even though the sorcerer''s vessel was graceful, swift, and stalwart, it seemed impossible for anything to survive the devastating rain of projectiles. Sunny tensed, his pupils narrowing into two vertical slits of pure darkness.


    A few moments before the onslaught came, however, fourteen fearsome shadows suddenly flew from below the islands and flashed upward, colliding against the first row of the enemy ships. Splinters of wood and torn limbs shot into the air, and for a moment, the enemy''s formation was broken.


    Using that moment, Noctis send the ship into a dive, narrowly avoiding the aim of the armada, and at the same time presenting its starboard. Another set of ballistae shot their bolts, adding to the mayhem.


    The sorcerer glanced at Sunny, Effie, and Kai with a wild smile.


    "It is your turn, Sunless! Now or nev��"


    Then, however, he abruptly grew silent and flinched.


    Noctis''s face, which had already been pale, turned white as a sheet. He groaned, and then slowly turned his head, looking up with a stunned expression.


    A moment later, Sunny heard the immortal let out an ominous whisper.


    "Oh�� this is not good�� not good at all��"


    Feeling a cold shiver run down his spine, Sunny turned and followed the sorcerer''s gaze, up and up, into the night sky.


    Then, he froze.


    ''W��what?''


    The moon��


    The moon was disappearing.

 Chapter 715 Boarding Party

    Out there in the sky, the silver disk of the moon was slowly being devoured by darkness, as if drowning in a vast and impenetrable shadow. One of its edges was already gone, and with each moment, more and more of it was being erased by the shadows. It looked��


    Like an eclipse.


    Noctis paled, and at the same time, Sunny suddenly felt reinvigorated. It was as though every shadow in the world had just become deeper and darker, and as one of them, he did, too. The feeling was strange and euphoric.


    But Sunny knew that this eclipse was an ill omen for all of them.


    Turning to the sorcerer, he asked:


    "What is going on?"


    Noctis stared at the disappearing moon with a dark expression, and then shivered.


    "I�� I guess Sevras had a trick of his own up his sleeve. I did not expect him to get his hands on a piece of Shadow''s domain, though�� how is this even possible?"


    Seeing a lost expression on the sorcerer''s face, Sunny growled:


    "How severe is your Flaw? How weak are you going to be when the moon is fully gone? What do we do now?!"


    The fleet of the Ivory City was still closing the distance to obliterate them, so there was no time to waste. They had a few moments before the clash, at best. He had to know what was going on��


    Noctis glanced at the dimming moon for one more second, then turned away and sighed.


    "Well��"


    A pale smile appeared on his lips.


    "...Do you guys remember how I told you that I will take care of both Solvane and Sun Prince while you distract their armies?"


    The sorcerer''s smile grew wider, a mad glint appearing in his eyes.


    "Change of plans! You will have to keep the Prince busy for a bit, too. I, uh�� will try to deal with Solvane. Best of luck to you, my friends! And to me, as well��"


    With that, he stepped out of the magical circle and gestured for Cassie to grab the oars, which she hurriedly did. A moment later, Noctis was already standing on the bort of the ship, his raven black hair dancing in the wind.


    Sunny opened his eyes wide and screamed:


    "Wait! How the hell are we supposed to keep a Transcendent busy?!"


    The sorcerer threw a quick glance over his shoulder and laughed.


    "I don''t know! Figure something out�� try to stab him with my knife, maybe? No, stabbing that steel behemoth won''t do anything��"


    With that, he simply took a step forward and fell down, disappearing in the darkness and the howling wind without a trace.


    Just like that, Noctis was gone.


    Sunny stared at the empty space where the sorcerer had been just a moment ago with a stunned expression. His momentary stupor was broken by Cassie''s shout:


    "Sunny! There are only a few seconds left! What do we do?!"


    The blind girl was controlling the flying ship, desperately trying to right its course so that it wouldn''t take the full brunt of the armada''s siege weapons all at once. Sunny had no idea how she was able to fly the ancient vessel without being able to see, and it did not matter right now. He hesitated for a moment, then turned away and let out a resentful growl.


    "We follow the plan. Nothing really changed��"


    Effie raised the Dusk Shard and asked, her voice grim:


    "What about the big bastard?"


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    "Last I checked, that monstrosity cannot fly. As long as we stay in the air, we should be fine��"


    Cassie pushed one of the oars down, then frowned. Her voice sounded hesitant:


    "But how do we stop him from going after Noctis?"


    He looked at her, then cursed.


    "No idea! Shoot him with the damned bolt thrower! The big one!"


    With that, Sunny left the blind girl behind and rushed forward.


    The enemy ships were already close�� close enough for him to feel shadows dancing on their decks.


    Which meant that it was time for him, Effie, and Kai to join the fight��


    ***


    A large fleet was closing in on a swift vessel, its formation in a mess because of the fourteen ghastly stone abominations wreaking havoc on the flying ships. Each of the massive gargoyles bore the soul of a vile Corrupted creature, so their might and ferocity were terrifying �� not entirely on par with the original fiends that Noctis had slain, but close to it.


    And yet, they alone were not enough. In fact, the fourteen gargoyles were merely a distraction.


    The main strike was yet to come.


    As the graceful ship came within range of the fleet''s siege weapons, it dove down, and at the same time, several figures jumped off its deck into the air.


    A few moments later, the air was suddenly filled with the smell of blood.


    The captain of one of the vessels shouted something, pointing upward. Then, however, he swayed and fell down, his neck pierced by an arrow. At the same time, something fell from above�� it was a young girl carrying a heavy round shield. Just above her, a man in a charred wooden mask hovered in the air, already drawing the string of his bow once again.


    Effie, who had been tossed down by Kai, hit the deck of the ship, slid on the Dusk Shard for a moment, then rolled and jumped to her feet, the runic spear in her hand glowing with an angry red light. That shine only grew brighter when the spear pierced a man''s chest and was painted with crimson blood.


    As another Awakened toppled over with a scream, struck down by an arrow. Effie twisted and shook her spear, throwing the corpse of her first victim at the rushing enemies. Her shield flashed, its rim crushing someone''s chest. Then, an enemy blade fell from above, landing on her shoulder�� and bounced off her skin, not leaving behind even a scratch.


    A split second later, the attacker was already dead, and the young girl continued her slaughter, fighting like a demon released from the depths of hell�� like a perfect vessel of war.


    There were only two pupils of the Red Sect left alive in the whole world, after all. One of them was Solvane��


    And the other was here on the ship, killing Solvane''s followers one after another with a feral grin on her childish face.


    If warriors on the other vessels of the fleet could have seen what was happening, they would have felt lucky to be safe from the little beast and her guardian''s deadly arrows��


    But their relief would have been misplaced. Because the young warrior and the flying archer were not the only ones boarding the flying ships.


    Much more terrifying than them��


    Were the coming shadows.

 Chapter 716 Head Of The Snake

    A swift figure streaked across the sky, and then, a black steed landed on the deck of a flying ship, its eyes burning with crimson light. The stallion had a coat that was as black as night, two horns of adamantine metal, and fangs that resembled those of a wolf.


    On its back rode a graceful knight clad in onyx armor, the scarlet blade of her odachi matching two ruby lights shining behind the visor of her closed helmet. Without pause, the dark rider sent her steed forward, and her sword flashed, beheading the nearest warrior of the Sun Legion in one smooth strike.


    The other Awakened froze for a moment, suddenly grasped by a cold feeling of dread.


    And as fear crawled into their hearts, the terrifying crimson flames burning in the eyes of the tenebrous stallion ignited even brighter. It moved its head, biting into the neck of another soldier and tearing it wide open. More blood flowed onto the deck...


    On another ship, the soldiers suddenly screamed and aimed their bows up as a massive shadow suddenly covered the deck.


    But they were too late.


    As a gale of wind raised by mighty wings threw some of them off their feet, a repulsive creature crashed into the deck. It resembled a giant lion with the head of a raven, its body gaunt and entirely black. The creature had two powerful hind legs and six limbs protruding from its wide chest, each ending with a set of long talons.


    Lean muscles were rolling under its skin like worms, and its terrifying beak was open, revealing rows of sharp, needle-like fangs and a long tongue. Both the fangs and the tongue were of the same black color as the rest of the abominable monstrosity.


    Using the momentary shock of the warriors, the Soul Serpent, who had assumed the form of a Spire Messenger, reached out with its six arms and sliced six bodies apart with its talons. Blood sprayed into the air, and a chilling, ghastly wail escaped from its beak.


    ��And lastly, on the stern of yet another ship, a towering devil wearing black armor simply appeared out of the shadow, silently and without anyone noticing him for a split second.


    That one second was enough for a bolt of lightning to fly off his bow and hit a warrior in red armor that had been preparing to pull the lever of a ballista on the bow of the ship. Instantly, arcs of furious radiance chained to a dozen nearest soldiers, killing several, burning a few, and stunning the rest.


    Dismissing Morgan''s Warbow, Sunny dashed forward and brandished the Cruel Sight, as well as the austere tachi he held in the other two of his four hands. He knew that his time was short�� yes, Sunny was powerful, and so were his Shadows. But when the defenders of the Ivory City recovered from the initial shock, they were going to show that each of them was an Awakened, too.


    And then, who knew how long he would be able to survive?


    The first thing to do was to cut off the head of the snake��


    Ramming into a tall soldier with his shoulder, Sunny sent him flying away and raised the Midnight Shard for a devastating downward slash. The captain of the ship �� a grey-haired man with a noble face and a thick beard �� reacted too fast, throwing his own sword up to block the attack.


    However, the tachi never came down�� if Sunny really wanted to attack it with it, he would have never telegraphed his strike so clearly. Instead, the Cruel Sight shot forward from below, piercing the captain through the chest. Infused with divine flame, it easily went through his armor and flesh, killing the man on the spot.


    The Warmonger only had time to look at Sunny with eyes clouded by pain�� and smile happily. Then, he fell down like a tree that had been cut down by an axe.


    ''Damned crazies��''


    The captain was dead, which would make things easier for Sunny. However, there were still dozens of Awakened warriors on the deck of the ship, now fully aware of his presence and clamoring to spill his blood. Sunny had fought plenty of Solvane''s followers in the Red Colosseum, and knew very well how skilled and powerful they were.


    He was not sure of his ability to survive a battle against that many, especially now that he had no shadows augmenting his body.


    Three of them were with Saint, Serpent, and Nightmare, and the fourth one lay on the bloodied deck behind him to serve as his eyes. With the enemy possessing such a terrible numeric advantage, he judged that being aware of his surroundings would be more useful than a bit of physical might.


    ��Regardless, Sunny was not going to fight them all unless he absolutely had to.


    Throwing the captain''s corpse out of his way with a powerful kick, Sunny dashed forward�� and grabbed one of the steering oars the man had been holding.


    He might not have known how to fly a ship, but from watching Noctis and Cassie do it, he at least knew how to crash one.


    As the Shadow Lantern appeared on his belt and devoured all light nearby, thus hiding him in a cloud of darkness and making it harder for the archers to hit him, Sunny pulled the steering oar all the way to the right.


    Slowly, the flying ship started to turn left, going off course and breaking formation.


    A few arrows zipped past Sunny, one bouncing off his helmet and throwing his head back. He could see ten or so of the closest Warmongers already running at him, and further back, even more rushing to join their comrades. Those who had been stunned by the Strike of Thunder were coming to their senses, as well.


    ''Crap��''


    Forced to keep the oar in place and thus immobilized, he gritted his teeth and threw the Cruel Sight as a javelin, aiming to kill the nearest of the approaching enemies. However, his spear simply froze in the air, as if the attackers were surrounded by an invisible barrier.


    In the next moment, a ball of furious light invaded the cloud of darkness that protected him, dimming somewhat, but not disappearing instantly.


    That was the problem with fighting against Awakened�� every one of them had an Aspect, and each Aspect was unique, making them excruciatingly unpredictable and hard to deal with.


    As more arrows were aimed at his head, Sunny cursed, let go of the oar�� and dissolved into shadows.


    Left with no one to hold it in place, the steering oar returned to its natural position.


    ...But the damage was already done.


    Before anyone could get to it, the flying ship careened�� and rammed straight into the side of another one, piercing it with the metal beak of the forward ram and wedging itself deep into the allied vessel.


    Both ships were heavily damaged by the collision, but the situation was still not unsalvageable. If an experienced captain acted with haste, at least one, or maybe even both vessels could be saved.


    ��But before that could happen, a four-armed demon suddenly appeared from the shadows on the stern of the rammed ship.


    And a few moments later, its captain was dead, too.


    Just like that, Sunny had doomed two ships and a hundred souls to death with two strikes of his weapons.


    He glanced into the night sky for a moment and groaned.


    ''Just ninety-something or so left... great!''


    A muffled, mad laugh suddenly escaped from his lips.

 Chapter 717 Slick With Blood

    As a hundred souls plummeted to their deaths in a rain of wooden debris, the four-armed devil who had doomed them to death laughed madly.


    Of course, he was falling with the rest�� but, unlike most of the warriors on the broken ship, the devil had long grown accustomed to plummeting from great heights. After all, he had once spent a whole month falling into the endless darkness of the Sky Below.


    Dissolving into the shadows, Sunny appeared on the deck of the nearest ship. His sword flashed, ending the life of a Sun Legion soldier that stood in his way and sending blood spraying into the night air. There was only a moment before the enemies would shrug off the shock of his sudden arrival�� and so, he did not waste any time.


    Lunging forward, Sunny struck another warrior in the back with the Cruel Sight, slashed the Midnight Shard across the throat of an enemy archer, and wrapped his tail around the neck of a third soldier. Sending the last one overboard with a powerful throw, he bared his teeth and briefly glanced into the night sky.


    Out there in the lightless void, Effie and Kai had managed to slaughter the entire crew of one of the ships and sent the vessel crashing into the rest of the formation. The little girl jumped off the rails at the last moment, and the swift archer caught her, carrying both of them away, toward the next target.


    The ship where Saint and Nightmare landed was silent and dark, with not a soul moving on it. Everyone was already dead, and the vessel was careening to the side, ready to plummet down. The black courser galloped across the bloody deck and soared into the sky, breaching a gap of a hundred meters with a single jump and landing among fearful Awakened on a different ship. Saint''s scarlet odachi flashed��


    The Soul Serpent crashed on the deck of another flying vessel, the previous one he had visited breaking apart as it fell into the darkness. Before the warriors could react to the appearance of the ghastly abomination, its shape suddenly shifted, turning into a mass of liquid darkness. Then, the darkness flowed into a figure of a menacing knight, his black armor forged from a lusterless, anthracite steel and decorated with intricate engravings. The great sword of the knight rose and fell like a guillotine, severing flesh and bone.


    Sunny grinned.


    ''Not bad��''


    Effie and Kai had taken out two ships, while he and his Shadows took out four. The gargoyles had destroyed even more�� at this rate, obliterating the entire fleet was not going to be as impossible as it had seemed.


    But, of course, that was just an illusion.


    The main reason for that was a simple but inescapable fact�� that their reserves of essence were not going to last that long. Every time Sunny used Shadow Step to travel between ships, he wasted a big chunk of his�� not to mention the fact that using multiple active enchantments at the same time was constantly draining it, as well. The Shadow Lantern was especially gluttonous.


    Every time Serpent killed an enemy, a small amount of essence flowed into Sunny''s cores. However, the formless Shadow was consuming its own essence at a terrible speed �� not only did it have to expend it to maintain the form of other creatures, but using their Abilities had a cost, too. The Soul Serpent was not going to be able to keep it up for long.


    The second reason was that for now, the cohort had the element of surprise on their side. As soon as the fleet realized what was happening, taking down the ships were going to grow much, much harder.


    So, all Sunny could do was deliver as much damage as he could, as fast as he could�� and then hope for a miracle.


    Of course, with his luck, chances were that he would have to create that miracle himself.


    ��Killing another enemy, Sunny threw his corpse aside and dashed toward the captain of the ship, hoping to slay him and sow discord in the coordination of the vessel''s crew. However, this time, he failed to behead the snake with one swift strike �� the officer of the Sun Legion that commanded the ship deflected his attack with frightening ease, and then delivered a blow of his own, throwing Sunny back.


    An angry hiss escaped from his lips.


    ''Damnation!''


    The captain�� was an Ascended, and one of remarkable might, as well.


    Throwing a quick glance at the dozens of warriors surrounding him, Sunny gritted his teeth��


    And fought.


    He fought, fought, fought�� as he had in front of the Gate in the waking world, surrounded from all sides by Nightmare Creatures�� using everything he had, every trick and deception he could muster, and every little bit of skill and experience he had earned in the past years.


    Soon, the deck of the ship grew slick with blood, most of it human, but not all.


    There were a few drops of his own mixed into it, as well, shining with the invisible light of divinity.


    Sunny killed as many enemies as he could, and then killed even more. The Mantle of the Underworld rang as a rain of blows landed on it, a few blades finding their way through the thin cracks and biting into his flesh. He spun and danced, reaping lives and jumping through shadows to avoid being entirely surrounded. The Awakened warriors were bad enough��


    But their Ascended captain was simply a menace. No matter what Sunny did, the man simply shrugged off all the attacks and pursued, closing distance in a split second no matter how far away from himSunny jumped. This could not go on any longer��


    ''I�� I need to kill this bastard�� now��''


    Once again forced to cross blades with the Ascended and struggling to withstand the blow, Sunny activated the [Gates of Shadow] enchantment, drowning his immediate surrounding in darkness. The soldiers stumbled, failing to adjust in time. The Ascended, however, had already learned of this ability of his and continued to attack, as though his eyes could adapt to the lack of light.


    This would have been very bad for Sunny... if he had not counted on exactly that fact.


    Deactivating the enchantment abruptly, he poured his essence into the Cruel Sight instead. Instantly, the darkness was replaced by a flash of brilliant sunlight. The captain might have been able to adjust his eyes to see in the dark�� but could he do the reverse in an instant?


    Surprised by the sudden burst of radiant light, the Ascended was blinded for a second. And a second was all Sunny needed��


    Guided by shadow sense, his spear shot forward, and pierced the man''s heart. A pulse of divine flame was all it took to make the terrible wound inescapably lethal.


    The rest was if not easy, then at least simple. Sunny faced the remaining soldiers of the crew and slaughtered them one after another. He was this close to victory when his shadow noticed something streaking through the air, aimed at his back.


    Sunny flinched, then fell sideways. In the next moment, a massive bolt flew past and struck one of the warriors in the abdomen, throwing the man back like a rag doll and pinning him to the mast, which then exploded into splinters and toppled.


    Sunny''s eyes grew wider.


    ...It seemed that the defenders of the Ivory City had finally understood the nature of the threat facing them and responded to it.


    Two more ships were hovering some distance away, both aiming their ballistae, as well as numerous arrows, at one spot��


    Him.


    Sunny gritted his teeth, and then dashed forward as fast as he could��


    ''Crap!''

 Chapter 718 Heavenly Carnage

    Sunny rolled over his shoulder, and just as he did, countless arrows hit the deck in the spot where he had been just a split second ago. Sent from powerful bows made for Awakened archers, each carried enough force to pierce plate armor with ease. Of course, the Mantle of the Underworld was not just any armor��


    And yet, Sunny was extremely apprehensive of the threat posed by archers. Being battered by a rain of arrows was going to take a toll on his body, and all it took was for one to slide into the slit of his visor�� not to mention that there were all kinds of Aspects the enemy could possess, and all kinds of runes the bows and the arrows could be enchanted with.


    The heavy javelins sent flying by the bolt throwers came next...


    Streaking through the air with terrifying speed, they hit the ship like missiles. Each possessed enough momentum to tear a hole in the deck, sending an explosion of splinters into the air. Sunny was not sure if he would be able to survive being hit by something like that, so he took no risks, diving into the shadows and turning into one of them.


    The wisest move right now would have been to step onto the deck of a different ship�� however, only the two attacking vessels were close enough to not require a truly vast expenditure of essence to perform a jump, and their crews were undoubtedly already prepared to resist an assault.


    Plus, Sunny was reluctant to leave without killing the remaining soldiers and destroying the ship completely. He had a very good reason for that.


    While the gargoyles and the four boarding parties were harassing the formation and slowly whittling down the number of enemy vessels�� the fleet''s main target still remained the same.


    All of them were attacking the graceful ship with a beautiful tree growing around its mast, surrounding it like a murder of hungry crows.


    Cassie was the fifth and final part of the cohort''s assault force, and the one in the most danger. While Sunny and the rest fought with the soldiers of the defending fleet�� she was battling the fleet itself.


    ? Guided by her hand, the sorcerer''s ship maneuvered between the enemy vessels, barely dodging constant shots of their harpoons and siege weapons while responding with its own attacks from time to time. The bolts sent by its ballistae were much more devastating due to runes carved into them by Noctis, taking whole chunks out of the enemy ships or obliterating them completely. It was larger, faster, and much more durable��


    But it was also alone against countless foes.


    As Sunny rushed through the shadows toward the stern, he caught a glimpse of the graceful ship as it dove down, the figures of Sailor Dolls bracing themselves against rails and releasing the strings of their powerful bows. There were deep scratches on its hull and holes in its sails, dozens of arrows sticking out of the deck like needles�� but it was still in one piece.


    Due to Cassie''s intuition and uncanny Aspect Ability, she had been able to predict and avoid the enemy attacks, at least to some degree�� for now. But the pressure on the lonely ship was mounting with each second, and no matter how many enemy vessels she destroyed, this deadly aerial dance could not continue much longer.


    Knowing that, the young woman threw the ship into a dive, falling from the dark sky like a star. She was leading the fleet down, toward the surface, where she would be able to maneuver between the flying islands and use their solid mass as a shield.


    That was extremely dangerous, since any ship moving that low ran a risk of crashing into an island or, even worse, into one of the heavenly chains. But Cassie had no choice�� she had to limit the amount of vessels that had a direct line of sight of her ship if she wanted to turn the threat posed by the enemy''s overwhelming numerical advantage from insurmountable to simply lethal.


    She was barely hanging on to life��


    And so, Sunny could not allow himself to leave this ship before it was disposed of completely. Sure, it was already damaged, and the few soldiers that still lived were not going to be able to both control it and mount the onagers and ballistae�� but it would take just one heroic fool with a death wish to ram the damaged vessel into Cassie, taking out the main force of their small army.


    Emerging from the shadows at the stern, Sunny used the second or two it took the enemy archers to notice him and take aim again to push one of the steering oars all the way up, wedge the Prowling Thorn into the wood, and then secure the handle of the oar in place with the invisible string attached to the heavy kunai.


    The ship shuddered, and then its bow turned down, sending it into a downward dive. Sunny made it just in time �� not a moment after he finished the task, a heavy arrow hit him in the back, sending a jolt of pain and a concussive shock running through his body.


    He was roughly thrown forward and hit the deck, which was slowly turning into a vertical wall. Sunny allowed himself to slide down, dodging a few more arrows that way, and saw the remaining soldiers falling into the night sky with terrified screams.


    A feral grin appeared on his face.


    ''Done!''


    It was time for him to abandon the ship, as well��


    By pure conscience, at that very moment, the falling vessel happened to be at the same altitude as the descending ship that Cassie controlled. Pushing himself off the deck to dive into the shadows, Sunny noticed the massive siege engine on the bow of the sorcerer''s ship take aim at an enemy boat. It seemed as if another enemy was going to be destroyed in a second...


    Then, however, Cassie suddenly gave up on the sure-shot and threw the ship into a desperate spin, changing course so abruptly that one of the Sailor Dolls was thrown overboard.


    Sunny frowned.


    ''What��''


    Before he could finish the thought...


    The vessel he was still standing on suddenly exploded into debris as something massive tore through it at a stunning speed and then streaked through the lightless sky, missing Cassie''s ship by a hair''s breadth. Instead, the thing hit one of the sorcerer''s gargoyles and obliterated it completely, turning the terrifying creature into a cloud of stone dust in a blink of an eye.


    It was only a second later, when Sunny found himself falling down with nothing there to support his weight anymore, that he registered what the thing was.


    ��It was a narrow pillar of polished steel, at least fifty meters in length, that ended in a sharp point. That pillar, it looked like�� like��


    Like a javelin worthy of a giant.


    Stunned, Sunny turned his head and looked in the direction of the Ivory City as he fell.


    His eyes widened.


    He did not like what he saw.


    ...He did not like it at all.

 Chapter 719 Dark Side Of The Moon

    Out there in the distance, just outside of the Ivory City, a steel colossus towered above a desolate island, his gargantuan body shrouded in darkness. The terrible wound delivered to him by Noctis was mostly repaired, with broken scaffolds hanging from the giant where he had torn himself out of them to join the battle. However, he was still missing an arm.


    The face of the giant was stoic and unmoving, and his eyes drowned in deep shadows. In front of him, dozens of enormous javelins were thrust into the soil, each tall enough to dwarf a siege tower. As Sunny looked, Sun Prince calmly grabbed one of them, then pulled it out of the ground and moved his hand up, preparing to make another throw.


    ''...Crap!''


    Plummeting down, Sunny balanced himself in the air and then dove in a certain direction. A few moments later, he crashed into a large fragment of the destroyed ship''s hull and disappeared, diving into the shadows on its surface.


    In a blink of an eye, Sunny rolled onto the deck of one of the two attacking vessels and jumped to his feet, ready to fight.


    He could not do anything to the steel colossus�� all he could do was continue playing his part and prey that Cassie manages to survive. If she failed to draw the giant''s attention away from Noctis, all of them were going to die�� but he could not do anything about that, either.


    Sunny could make sure that there were fewer enemy ships pursuing her, however, and that was what he intended to do.


    Killing things was one of his greatest talents, after all.


    With a loud roar, he dashed forward, toward a battle formation of Awakened soldiers. Unlike the crews of the ships he had destroyed already, these warriors had been waiting for an attack, and so were prepared�� but it would not save them.


    They were still going to die.


    Just a split second before the four-armed devil collided against the front row of the enemy, a sickening feeling suddenly permeated their souls, sapping their hands of strength and filling them with insidious pain. Augmented by the [Underworld Armament] enchantment of the onyx armor, the Broken Oath spread its eroding influence, slowly destroying the very souls of everyone around Sunny.


    ��Of course, his own soul was being damaged as well. But it was much stronger than that of mere beasts, and protected by the Mantle of the Underworld on top of that. He was not going to be able to endure the effect of the vile charm for long, but that did not matter. He just needed to last longer than his enemies.


    Turning the Cruel Sight into a sword and summoning the Patient Avenger into a free hand, Sunny crashed into the formation of weakened enemies and spun, dancing as he sowed death among them. His two blades and his tail moved as if possessing their own lives, and the charred kite shield soon started to emanate an angry orange glow as a rain of strikes fell on it.


    As it did, the blade of the Cruel Sight suddenly shone with incandescent white light, and the austere tachi with dim orange one. Infused with flames �� one divine, the other mundane �� both blades cut through steel armor as if it was made of paper. Screams of terror and agony rose above the deck of the flying ship, disappearing into the moonless night.


    ��Similar slaughter was happening on other ships of the fleet, as well.


    Effie was rampaging on a slippery deck, moving like a wrecking ball across its blood-soaked surface. When someone tried to attack her from the back, they were killed by sharp arrows falling from the darkness. Kai moved swiftly above the ship, dodging enemy archers and never missing a kill shot. He was dealing almost as much damage as the feral girl.


    Just like what had happened to Sunny, other vessels moved to assist the one where the two were fighting. But as they did, a black steed landed on the deck of one, while a dark abomination with the head of a raven landed on another. For a few minutes, the defensive formation was in chaos, and then, even more ships had to abandon the hunt for the graceful vessel of the traitorous sorcerer to come to their rescue.


    When they did, however, the stone gargoyles attacked them, causing even more mayhem.


    Some distance away, Cassie had managed to reach the Sky Below and was now being pursued in a deadly race between the flying islands, causing several of the enemy ships to break apart as they collided with the heavenly chains and allowing the Sailor Dolls to shoot several more down with the siege engines.


    Down there, she was protected both from the unobstructed attacks of the fleet and from the steel giant''s javelins.


    For a moment, things seemed to be going well��


    But that was exactly the problem.


    Left without a target, the steel colossus threw two more javelins, destroying one or two gargoyles with each of throw, and then paused, his gaze traveling across the lightless islands.


    Just as it did, one of them quaked viciously, and a large chunk of it suddenly crumbled, falling into the abyss of the Sky Below in a cloud of stone debris. The heavenly chain attached to it was released and whipped across the sky, pulverizing a couple of unfortunate ships that happened to be in its way.


    Then, something strange happened.


    The shadow devouring the moon finally spread across all of it, leaving nothing but an empty circle of darkness on the surface of the night sky. But then, that circle suddenly became infused with a dim red glow, and the moon slowly revealed itself once again. Only now, it was not silver anymore��


    Instead, the moon was red as blood, and drowned the whole world in an eerie crimson radiance.


    ��Still fighting on the deck of the ship and being poisoned by the soul erasure of the Broken Oath, Sunny spared a moment to glance at the sky, and then pulled his attention back to the battle. Moving through the dim crimson light, he killed another human, gritted his teeth, and then thought:


    ''I wonder�� If this�� is good news for us, or bad��''


    A distance away, Sun Prince stared at the crimson moon for a few moments, as well. Then, he shifted his gaze back to the broken island��


    And raised his hand, aiming a javelin at something only he could see on its dark, shattered surface.

 Chapter 720 Crimson Sky

    Sunny did not know much about astronomy. However, due to being born during a solar eclipse, he knew a thing or two about eclipses�� a useless piece of knowledge he had never thought would become so vital one day.


    After being devoured by the shadows, the moon had turned red, which seemed like a sign of its return. However, in reality, it just meant that the moon was now fully submerged in the deepest, darkest part of the planet''s shadow.


    So�� did Noctis get his power back? Had he grown more powerful than ever, even? Or was he currently the weakest he had ever been?


    Was the damn Dream Realm even a planet?!


    Sunny did not know, and had no time to wonder. He was being destroyed from the inside by the Broken Oath, and relentlessly attacked by the warriors of the Ivory City at the same time. No matter how many he killed, their tide did not seem to wane��


    Well, in that case, he just had to kill even more.


    Jumping back, Sunny braced himself, and then put his shoulder behind the Patient Avenger. In the next moment, a fiery explosion boomed on the deck of the ship.


    ��Far away, on a desolate island bordering the Ivory City, Sun Prince raised his hand and aimed the gargantuan javelin, his gaze locked on the ferocious battle between Noctis and Solvane that no one except for him was able to see. His emotionless face glistened with crimson light, reflecting the radiance of the blood moon.


    ''Damnation!''


    Thrown down by the detonation of the flames contained within the kite shield and surrounded by a red haze, Sunny rose shakily and stared at the steel colossus, his heart growing cold. Noctis�� the bastard had to be aiming at Noctis��


    If the sorcerer died, they were going to die with him.


    Powerless to change anything, Sunny just gritted his teeth and watched.


    That was why he saw a graceful ship suddenly emerging from the darkness of the Sky Below, its bow aimed at Sun Prince. Left with no other choice, Cassie had abandoned the safety of the treacherous gaps between the islands and threw her vessel up in a desperate attempt to stall the monstrous giant.


    The massive siege engine on the bow of the ship shuddered, and a heavy bolt streaked through the dark red sky, hitting the colossus right in the chest. Then, it detonated, drowning the world in pale blue light for a moment.


    Sunny froze, his eyes opening wide.


    ''Crazy girl�� she actually did it!''


    When the flash of the explosion disappeared, he saw the towering figure of the prince sway slightly and take half a step back. Then, Sun Prince indifferently looked down, at a barely visible scratch left on the breastplate of his polished armor. He did not seem damaged by the devastating detonation of the enchanted bolt at all.


    However, he did forget about Noctis�� at least for now.


    That had not come without a cost, though.


    Cassie''s desperate maneuver might have distracted the colossus, but it left her in a vulnerable position. Four of the pursuing enemy ships had managed to close distance and surrounded the graceful vessel, showering its deck with arrows. Several Sailor Dolls fell down, their wooden bodies damaged heavily or destroyed completely. The rest released their own arrows.


    There were two mannequins standing beside the blind young woman, each holding a heavy shield. By now, both shields were riddled with arrows, and this time, their protection turned out to be lacking.


    Two arrows slid past Cassie''s defenders. She deflected one with the Quiet Dancer, but the second struck her in the shoulder, throwing the slender girl back��


    At the same time, the four enemy ships shot the heavy ballistae standing on their bows, and four wicked bolts hit the hull of the graceful vessel. Two bounced off, but the other two must have possessed powerful enchantment �� they lodged themselves deep into the ancient wood, but failed to deal any substantial damage.


    However, dealing damage was not their real purpose.


    Each bolt was connected to the ship that had shot it by a thick chain. Harpooned by them, Cassie''s vessel was severely slowed down and pulled into two different directions, its hull groaning, as if on the verge of being ripped apart.


    The two ships that failed to sink their harpoons into it were free to either close in to send a boarding party over, or simply ram it at high speed.


    And not too far away, Sun Prince was already readying his javelin again��


    However, Sunny did not see any of this.


    After a few moments of disorientation, those warriors who had survived the blast of fire from the Patient Avenger had renewed their assault, thrown into a frenzy by the death of so many of their comrades. He was forced to fight without paying attention to anything else.


    In this battle, each of the members of the cohort had a role to play. He was powerless to help Cassie, even if he wanted to. Sunny had to survive his own ordeal, and the blind girl had to survive hers��


    That bitter feeling of powerlessness�� he had not tasted it in a long, long time.


    Deflecting a deadly blow of the enemy sword and killing the man wielding it with a lightning-fast slash of the Midnight Shard, Sunny let out a hoarse, resentful growl.


    ''Hate it�� I hate this feeling��''


    Far away, the Sailor Dolls somehow managed to sever one of the harpoon chains, a few of them silently falling into the crimson darkness in the process. Cassie broke the shaft of the arrow lodged in her shoulder, gritted her teeth, and took the oars again. Now held by only one vessel, she did not try to escape by playing tug-of-war with it, and instead suddenly turned her ship in the direction of the enemy.


    Not expecting this, the enemy captain did not react in time. As the result, the metal beak of the sorcerous ship''s ram crashed into its side at full speed, piercing the hull and splitting the whole vessel in half.


    A moment later, the Sailor Dolls shot the portside ballistae, several more bolts glancing ineffectively off the giant''s impenetrable steel body without leaving even a scratch. It did get his attention, however�� another javelin flew at the graceful ship, missing it just by a meter or two.


    Cassie did not die.


    And Sunny did not die, either.


    He slaughtered the last of the ship''s defenders and drew in a rugged breath, then braced himself when the deck suddenly shuddered under him.


    ''What��''


    Looking up, he saw boarding hooks biting into the wooden railings, and planks being thrown from the deck of another ship to the one he was standing on.


    Dozens of warriors in red armor were already jumping over, their eyes burning with bloodlust and a maniacal dream of glory.


    He remained motionless for a split second, and then tiredly smiled.


    ''Oh�� they came themselves. I see. How convenient�� I won''t have to waste essence on using Shadow Step��''


    Gripping his weapons, Sunny threw a glance overboard.


    Only nine gargoyles remained, but all members of the cohort seemed to be still alive, if a little worse to wear. The enemy fleet was missing two dozen ships, or even more��


    Things were about to get really hard, however.


    Now that they had the undivided attention of Sun Prince��


    Now that their reserves of essence were starting to run dry��


    The real trial was about to start.


    Illuminated by the dim crimson radiance, Sunny bared his fangs and dashed toward the rushing enemies.

 Chapter 721 Dreadful Threat

    Sunny cut through the crew of the boarding ship, leaving no one alive. His towering figure moved among the enemies with incredible speed and grace, as if performing a macabre dance of death.


    His battle style was as shapeless and unpredictable as the devil himself, effortlessly switching from grounded defense to explosive offense, to monstrous ferocity that only a Nightmare Creature could possess. He fought with his four hands, with his fangs and horns, even with his armored tail. As more and more enemies fell, cut down by the burning blades, a scorching haze of evaporating blood surrounded him like a crimson mantle.


    Here and there, the two connected ships were already catching on fire, their sails burning in the dim red darkness of the night sky like funeral pyres for the warriors dying by his hand.


    ��And then, suddenly, there was no one left for him to kill.


    Dismissing the Broken Oath, Sunny groaned and leaned heavily on the Cruel Sight. His breath was labored and rugged, and the Mantle of the Underworld was covered by countless scratches. Beneath the onyx armor, his body was bruised and battered, with several shallow wounds seeping with blood where the enemy blades or Aspect Abilities had found their way through the cracks.


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    ''How many ships did I take out? Three�� four? No�� five��''


    He looked around, trying to ascertain the situation.


    The others had done well, too. Together with the gargoyles, the cohort had managed to destroy��


    His eyes widened.


    ��Almost half of the enemy fleet was gone. Dozens of ships were obliterated, thousands of brave warriors killed. A lion''s share of that had been done by Cassie and the Sailor Dolls, as well as the gargoyles, but still��


    Sunny drew in a hoarse breath.


    ''When�� when did we become so scary?''


    The thought of being the big dreadful threat, for once, was refreshing�� and yet, his excitement was shortlived.


    No matter how powerful the cohort had become and how well they had planned the battle, it was still not enough.


    By now, the tide of it was already shifting, their temporary success waning with each second.


    Sunny, Effie, and Kai had exhausted most of their essence. The Soul Serpent was mere moments away from losing its ability to assume the form of other shadows. Saint and Nightmare were faring better than the rest of them, but they, too, seemed to be slowing down, more and more injuries accumulating on the black body of the fearsome steed, its taciturn rider moving with visible strain.


    Much worse than that, the sorcerer''s ship was playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with Sun Prince. Guided by Cassie''s hand, the vessel was still in one piece, but it was unclear how long she would be able to outrun death. Without her presence on the battlefield, the rate at which the enemy ships were being destroyed diminished drastically, and each had more freedom to move and attack.


    And the gargoyles�� were no more.


    Most of them were destroyed by the steel colossus, some were overpowered and shattered by the Ascended warriors of the defending fleet. The few that remained were struggling, caught in enchanted chain nets and moments from being obliterated.


    The blood moon still shone with crimson radiance, as though the eclipse had no intention of ever ending, and there was no sign of Noctis. There was no sign of Solvane, too, which meant that the sorcerer was still alive, at least.


    The only indication that the two immortal Transcendents were out there, somewhere, locked in a vicious fight, were the loud rattling of the heavenly chains and sudden quakes that run through one island after another. The islands swayed as pieces of them crumbled into the Sky Below.


    Hoping that Noctis would arrive and save them all like a god out of the machine was pointless. Hoping for anything was pointless�� they were here to release Hope from her shackles, after all, and not the other way around.


    The situation was about to turn really, really bad for the cohort, and there was no way Sunny could think of to change it.


    ''No�� no problem. I''ll just go and destroy five more ships�� somehow. And then five more��''


    Falling down, he dove into the shadows and stepped through them, wasting some of his last essence to appear on a different ship.


    Sunny might have been tired, but the battle went on. The world did not care about his exhaustion.


    It only cared about one thing��


    Sunny had to fight, or die.


    ***


    On a different vessel, Effie stared at the broken remains of the runic spear in her hand for a short moment, then let out an infuriated shout and bashed the attacking enemy with what was left of its shaft, using it as a club to shatter his leg.


    The Dusk Shard was growing heavy in her hand, and she had no essence left to spare to activate the [Indomitable] enchantment and change its weight. Because of that, Effie was a split second too slow, and a sharp blade passed beneath the shield to slash her across the shoulder.


    ��This time, the blade did not bounce off the girl''s skin, and instead sliced it apart. Drops of blood fell down to the slick deck.


    High above, Kai barely dodged an enemy arrow and reached toward his quiver, only to find it empty. Gritting his teeth, he dashed to the side, caught another arrow out of the air, then instantly nocked his on the string of his bow and sent it flying back at the archer, hitting the man in the eye.


    His essence was nearly gone, as well, and he had already lost too much blood to the Blood Arrow. Mundane ones were all he could use�� and now, he had none left.


    A few moments later, the man in a charred wooden mask crashed into the deck of the ship a few steps away from Effie and spun, summoning a sharp saber. He was prepared to cover the young girl''s back to his last breath, if need be.


    ��And some distance away, Cassie finally failed to dodge one of the monstrous javelins completely. It streaked across the deck of the graceful ship, turning the massive siege engine on its bow into a cloud of splinters, tearing out a part of the hull, and obliterating a dozen Sailor Dolls along with it.


    The young woman paled at the sounds of carnage, then hesitated for a few long moments.


    Then, a resolute expression appeared on her beautiful face.


    With a steady hand, she pushed one of the oars all the way down.


    Following her command, the ancient vessel abandoned the border between the two skies and started climbing up.


    Higher, higher, and then higher still.


    As if trying to reach the crimson moon itself.

 Chapter 722 Soul Reaver

    Landing on the deck of the enemy ship, Sunny swayed and caught himself, then stared somberly at the warriors of the Sun Legion, all of whom had already noticed his arrival.


    Following the command of the captain, the swordsmen advanced in a loose, but orderly formation. Behind them, the archers drew their bows and aimed them at the towering devil, their eyes shining with faith and resolve.


    ��They did not get a chance to shoot, however.


    A split second later, a ghastly abomination landed between them, its six front limbs and terrifying beak reaping half a dozen lives in an instant.


    This was Sunny''s signal to move.


    He dashed toward the ranks of the advancing swordsman, and at the same time, the Soul Serpent attacked them from behind. The two cut through the defenders of the ship and met in the middle of its deck.


    It was at that moment that the Shadow finally exhausted the last of its essence. The abominable form of the Spire Messenger suddenly lost its shape and crumbled into a tide of darkness, which then rushed toward Sunny.


    A serpentine black odachi then appeared in his hands. Sunny dismissed his other weapons, leaving only the great blade to keep him company... and roared.


    He was too low on essence to use any of their enchantments, anyway�� but each kill of the odachi was going to return a portion of it into his cores. More than that, the Soul Serpent was not the only one who reunited with Sunny �� the haughty shadow had returned, as well, and had already wrapped itself around his body, alleviating some of his exhaustion and gifting him with its strength.


    Now, all Sunny had to do was fight and kill. With each of the enemies that fell, he was going to replenish more of his dwindling shadow essence, and that essence would then be used to kill more enemies and destroy more ships.


    As long as he continued to kill, he would not have to stop. Unless he was killed himself, of course��


    [Soul Reaver] was, indeed, an insidious Ability.


    In a split second before the avalanche of enemies descended on him, Sunny glanced into the crimson sky.


    Out there, at a distance, the graceful ship was climbing high into the sky. Its hull was in shambles, with several sections of it shattered by the heavy bolts of the enemy ballistae. The powerful siege engine on its bow was gone, blown away by some terrible strike. There was a massive harpoon lodged in the vessel''s side, with a piece of an enemy ship swinging below it on a thick chain.


    Barely any Sailor Dolls remained on the deck, most of them broken or destroyed.


    Seeing the pitiful state of the once-majestic ship, Sunny couldn''t help but grit his teeth.


    Then, he frowned.


    ''What the hell is she doing?''


    Why was Cassie rising into the sky? Out there in the boundless vastness of the night, there was nothing to protect her from the ire of Sun Prince and the enemy ships. The winds were much stronger up there, and the air much thinner. It was very risky��


    However, Sunny had no time to think about it. The blind girl must have known what she was doing�� out of everyone he knew, he was confident in Cassie''s foresight the most.


    She always had a reason.


    ��Throwing these thoughts out of his mind, Sunny strangled his worry for her and clashed with the first few of the enemies.


    He slashed down, splitting the opponent''s helmet and skull with the sharp blade of the great odachi, then slammed its hilt into another man''s face, shook off the first corpse of the sword, and cut low, severing another enemy''s leg.


    Then, Sunny grabbed the disoriented man whose face he had just crushed with one of his free hands and, using his body as a shield, barreled through the enemies, slashing left and right. The Mantle of the Underworld rang, withstanding several powerful blows.


    One of the strikes was especially dire. Something managed to cut through the onyx armor and bit deep into his flesh, making Sunny stumble and hiss. It was the captain of the vessel �� the woman in bright armor stood among the slaughtered archers, her hands raised, two disks of sharp, blinding light forming on her palms.


    Cursing, Sunny threw the body of the still struggling enemy at the attacking legionnaires�� and then bent down, picking up a stray bolt meant for the ship''s ballistae.


    In the hand of the towering demon, the massive projectile almost looked like an oversized spear.


    Sending some of the newly received essence into his muscles, Sunny grunted, and then tossed the bolt with all his mind.


    ��The captain''s eyes widened, but before she could even move, the improvised javelin struck her in the chest with the force of a siege ram, ending the woman''s life immediately.


    [You have slain an Ascended��]


    Sunny had no time to celebrate, because he was once again being attacked from all sides.


    The corner of his mouth twitched.


    ''She was an Ascended, huh��''


    ***


    He slaughtered the remaining crew of the ship, then rammed it into another vessel and slaughtered its defenders, as well. By then, the Mantle of the Underworld was full of cracks and gaps, and his battered body beneath was full of holes.


    On the bright side, he had regained enough essence to freely activate the [Living Stone] enchantment of his armor, which allowed it to quickly recover from the damage and glisten darkly once again, its surface flawless and pristine.


    Sunny could not say the same about himself.


    Even though he had managed to recover some essence, his physical state was swiftly deteriorating. The countless shallow wounds were not too dangerous, especially because Bloow Weave refused to allow his blood to flow out of them. A couple of the more serious injuries he had received were not too bothersome for now, as well.


    However, his endurance was not limitless. Sunny was dead tired, and no amount of essence could fix that. He had only managed to last that long because of the Blood Blossom and the [Underworld Armament], but even that was not enough to sustain him anymore.


    And the battle�� the battle still raged on.


    Cassie had climbed so high into the sky that he could not even see her damaged ship anymore, taking most of what remained of the enemy fleet with her. The light of their lanterns turned into small dots that moved high above, resembling falling stars. From time to time, a piece of broken wood would fall from the darkness, reminding him that a fierce clash was still taking place up above.


    The pressure on the boarding parties reduced somewhat, but there were still a dozen ships left to stall them�� or rather, hunt them down. Now that Sunny, his Shadows, and his friends were tired and riddled with wounds, the roles they played subtly changed. He was not sure who was attacking whom anymore.


    But worse of all��


    With the distraction of Cassie''s ship gone, the steel colossus once again resumed his search for Noctis.


    Sun Prince grabbed two of his gargantuan javelins, then bent slightly, and lunged forward. Gaining incredible speed, the giant leaped into the air, flew across a vast gap between two islands, and landed on the surface of a new one with a thunderous crash.


    This island was just one chain away from the Ivory City, with several tall pillars rising into the air to serve as mooring masts for the flying ships. Much more importantly��


    From it, the colossus had a clear shot at the last place where Noctis and Solvane had shown themselves, still locked in terrible combat.


    Sun Prince gazed into the crimson darkness, and then slowly raised his hand��

 Chapter 723 Falling Star

    ''Crap��''


    The ship Sunny had just cleared happened to be very near to the island where Sun Prince was standing�� in fact, all of the remaining ships were close to it due to the fact that the battle had gradually shifted closer to the Ivory City.


    He was not sure how much time it took and for how long he had been fighting. All he knew was how terribly tired he felt�� and that were on the verge of utter defeat.


    Looking at the steel colossus that was just beyond reach, Sunny gritted his teeth.


    The bastard was not allowed to throw that javelin�� he had to be stopped at all cost.


    Noctis had to be protected.


    Not because Mordret told him so, but simply because the sorcerer was their best, and most likely only, chance to survive.


    Sunny hesitated for a split second, and then summoned Nightmare and Saint back. The Shadows were entangled in a bloody battle on the deck of a distant ship. Following his command, the black steed did not waste a single moment to turn and leap into the dark sky.


    Landing on another vessel, it flew past the startled and terrified soldiers, then jumped again. Just like that, the stallion soon reached Sunny and stopped, his sides rising heavily, covered in terrible wounds.


    Bloody foam was falling from his mouth.


    The courser''s eyes, however, were still full of unbreakable will and murderous resolve. He was a proud and stubborn creature, after all... almost as stubborn as Sunny.


    Sunny offered him a pale smile.


    "You did well�� rest now, for a bit."


    Saint dismounted and stood motionlessly, looking at him with her usual calm composure. Her ruby eyes, however, seemed to have become a little dim. The taciturn knight''s armor was cracked and battered, but she did not appear to be seriously injured. There was ruby dust streaming from the cracks, still...


    Sunny summoned the shadows embracing Nightmare and Saint back and then wrapped all four of them around his body.


    Below, the steel colossus had already taken aim and was prepared to make his throw��


    Before he could, however, a heavy bolt suddenly struck him in the neck. The giant lingered for a moment, then slowly turned his head.


    Standing at the bow of the ship, Sunny picked up another bolt and smiled grimly.


    He did not know how to load an aim a ballista, but his own strength was more than enough, or perhaps even greater than that of a siege weapon. Sure, his first throw did not seem to do any damage�� it had to have been rather annoying, though��


    Augmented by the [Sonorous] enchantment, the Extraordinary Rock boomed, spreading his voice far and wide:


    "Hey, you! Shadow sends his regard! Come and get me, rust bucket�� how''s that hand feeling, by the way?!"


    Illuminated by the dim light of the crimson moon, the colossus shifted slightly. The shadows veiling his eyes grew deeper, and then, his javelin slowly moved, changing its aim.


    Sunny laughed.


    ''I guess he remembers me!''


    Which was good��


    What was bad was that Sunny did not really know how to steer a flying ship, and so, he currently was a stationary target. A sitting duck, basically��


    With a shrug, he dismissed his Shadows and tossed the second bolt at the giant, then looked in satisfaction as it bounced fruitlessly of the Chain Lord''s stoic face.


    ''My aim did improve, huh?''


    Just one more throw, and it would time for him to abandon ship...


    Sun Prince lowered his head, and then suddenly lashed out, moving with stunning speed for a creature of his size. It was as though he was trying to kill an irritating fly.


    Sunny''s smile froze.


    He had not expected that fast of a reaction at all��


    A split second before the javelin hit the ship, a hand grabbed him from behind, and Sunny felt himself moving. Then, something exploded below him, and everything was momentarily enveloped in a cloud of splinters.


    Kai, who was holding him as he tried to fly up, grunted.


    "H��heavy��"


    In the next moment, they were hit by the shockwave, and the archer lost his hold of the four-armed demon. Together, they plummeted down. Effie was there, too, clinging to Kai''s back and holding for her dear life.


    The two seemed riddled with wounds, but still alive.


    Sunny felt the world spin for a couple of seconds, then shook of his disorientation, summoned the Dark Wing, and tried to slow down his fall.


    They landed on the surface of the island and instantly moved, dodging the debris of the destroyed ship. All three somehow managed to avoid being crushed��


    Then, however, the ground beneth them suddenly shook.


    Feeling a sickening emptiness in his chest, Sunny slowly turned his head and saw the towering mountain of steel walking toward them, the island quaking with each of the giant''s steps.


    The nightmarish memory of being smashed like a bug by Sun Prince''s sole flashed in front of his eyes once again, making Sunny flinch and back away.


    There was nowhere they could run, however.


    And more importantly, they couldn''t�� they still needed to draw Sun Prince away from Noctis.


    But what could they do but die, faced with the fury of an immortal Transcendent?


    Sunny paled.


    ''Think, think!''


    He raised his odachi with uncertainty, desperately trying to evaluate their chances. He still had some essence left�� enough for a few minutes of remaining a shadow, or making a jump or two. Would that be enough? What of the others?


    And what was he going to do when his essence run out?!


    Then, a sudden sound attracted his attention.


    Looking up, Sunny saw something that made his eyes widen.


    Far above, in the dark red sky��


    A silhouette of graceful ship appeared from the radiance of the moon.


    Battered and damaged, the ship was flying�� no, almost falling�� down. It had been descending from terrible heights, and so, gathered such staggering momentum that the winds screamed loudly as they were being cut by the bow of the plummeting vessel.


    This was the sound Sunny had heard.


    He could almost see a delicate silhouette standing at the stern, holding the oars in her hands.


    ''Cassie��''


    Falling from the sky like a star, the battered ship changed it''s course slightly��


    And then rammed into the giant steel colossus at full speed, casing the whole world to tremble.

 Chapter 724 Weight Of Regret

    The battered ship fell from the dim red darkness of the sky and, illuminated by the eerie radiance of the crimson moon, crashed into the towering steel colossus. The armored beak of the ship''s ram struck the giant''s chest with such tremendous force that there was a blinding flash of light, and then a powerful shockwave rolled across the island, violently throwing Sunny off his feet.


    The deafening roar of the impact came as he fell.


    Rolling on the ground, Sunny was assaulted by the thundering clash of the blast, the rumbling groan of shattering wood, and the booming shriek of heavy metal being ripped apart.


    Stunned and disoriented, he rose to his knees, then swayed a little and looked up.


    What he saw made him pale.


    The sorcerer''s ship lay broken on the ground. The fluid lines of its graceful hull were broken and gaped with terrible breaches, wide cracks running through the ancient wood. Its bow was completely shattered, and the damage in the front part of the vessel was especially severe. The beautiful tree growing around its main mast seemed damaged and... dead.


    Cassie was nowhere in sight.


    At the very edge of the island, thrown back, Sun Prince knelt. The steel colossus was swaying dangerously, clutching at his face with his one remaining hand. At the spot where the ram of the ship had struck, his chest was caved in and ripped open, rivers of molten metal flowing from the terrible wound.


    And in the depths of the wound, turned incandescent by the heat, a cage made in the form of a human figure was revealed.


    ��The cage was slightly broken, too, and a charred hand could be seen clawing at the edges. Under its fingers, the metal was bending like cloth, slowly being torn away.


    Sunny shuddered, and then turned his gaze back to the wreck of the flying ship.


    ''Cassie�� where''s Cassie��''


    He could not see the blind young woman anywhere in the wreckage.


    However�� Sunny saw someone else.


    A bloodied figure suddenly fell from above, bounced off the ground, and crashed into the hull of the ship, causing more cracks to appear on its surface. Raven black hair, pale skin�� it was Noctis.


    The sorcerer did not look good.


    His whole body was covered in blood, terrible wounds gaping open here and there. His beautiful face was broken and disfigured, the skin split open and white bone visible beneath, with one eye socket empty and full of darkness.


    He was still alive, though�� of course, he was.


    Noctis could not escape from the pain into the merciful embrace of death even if he wanted to.


    As Sunny watched, paralyzed for a moment, something flashed through the air, and a graceful figure appeared for a split second in front of the sorcerer, her beautiful chestnut hair dancing in the wind.


    In the next moment, a large portion of the hull of the ship exploded as Noctis was pushed through it by a vicious strike. Both Saints disappeared into the darkness of the ancient vessel, which then shuddered, hinting that their dreadful battle continued.


    Sunny froze, looking between the swaying colossus and the wreckage of the ancient ship. His mind was empty, and he did not know what to do��


    Or rather, he could not decide what took priority.


    There was not much time to decide, however.


    Gritting his teeth, he looked around, searching for his friends.


    Kai seemed to be knocked out by the blast a little, but Effie was already on her feet, staring in the same direction as he.


    There was a grim expression on her face.


    Sunny groaned, then slowly stood up.


    "Effie�� any... any ideas?"


    She hesitated for a moment, then flashed him a pale smile.


    "I guess it''s this time��"


    He frowned.


    "What time?"


    The young girl glanced at the wreckage, and then said wistfully:


    "You know, that time when, in the movies, someone says to split up!"


    Sunny stared at her, not entirely understanding what she meant.


    Effie''s gaze slowly shifted to the kneeling colossus and, in a steady voice, she said:


    "Give me the knife�� the Ruby one. I''ll deal with the big bastard. You and Kai go and find Cassie, then help the lunatic�� in that order. He''s not going to die any time soon, anyway..."


    He stared at her from above, deep shadows veiling his eyes. Sunny had a lot to say�� but in the end, he simply asked:


    "Are you sure?"


    The young girl laughed.


    "Don''t I look like I''m sure? Relax, doofus�� it''s just an immortal Transcendent. We better deal with that thing before it escapes the cage, anyway��"


    Sunny gritted his teeth, then summoned the Covetous Coffer and handed Effie the knife that they had gotten from the creature in the lake.


    There was no time to say anything else, and no need to. Effie took the knife, gripped his wrist for a moment, and then dashed away without looking back.


    Sunny helped Kai stand up and, supporting the disoriented archer, hurried toward the wreckage of the crashed ship. As they ran, an ugly expression appeared on his bestial face.


    ''Don''t you die on me, you freeloader�� your sleeping pod is still in my house, dammit! Do you even how much hassle it is to properly dispose of a corpse�� if you have any conscience, you will stay alive!''


    ��Behind him, Effie ran to the edge of the island, summoning the Dusk Shard. As the swirl of sparks surrounded her hand, she jumped up and landed on a toppled pillar that lay parallel to the ground, rising slightly at the far end.


    The young girl rushed across the long pillar and then leaped high into the air with all her prodigious strength, flying straight toward the kneeling giant''s chest.


    As she flew, Effie activated the single enchantment of the heavy shield.


    [Forged from a shard of a fallen star, this shield contains the weight of the heavens. Depending on the heart of its wielder, it can be light as a feather or heavy as regret.]


    She poured her essence into the Memory, making it feel as heavy as a mountain on her hand.


    A moment later, Effie crashed into the colossus with all that weight.


    The impact was not nearly as devastating as when Cassie had brought her ship down from the sky.


    But since Sun Prince was yet to regain his balance, it was just enough to push his upper body a little bit back.


    ...And that little bit was enough to send Sun Prince toppling over.


    A few seconds later, both of them �� the giant immortal and the little girl �� disappeared from view, falling over the edge of the island.


    Down into the empty darkness of the Sky Below.

 Chapter 725 Shipwreck Lsland

    As Sunny and Kai moved toward the wreck of the ancient ship, the heavenly chains suddenly rattled deafeningly, and the whole island quaked once more as it shifted higher. Turning back, they saw that the steel colossus was gone from the edge. Effie was nowhere in sight, as well.


    Sunny stared at the empty space where the giant had been kneeling not too long ago, then gritted his teeth and looked away.


    Effie knew what she was doing�� no one was more motivated to survive the Nightmare and return to the waking world alive. Not even Sunny. She would not have done anything that would leave her no chance to escape.


    In any case, every one of them was in terrible danger. If Solvane managed to defeat Noctis, she would be coming for them next. And Cassie could have been dying or dead already, somewhere in the wreckage.


    There was no time to waste on unnecessary thoughts.


    Sunny dragged Kai forward, lamenting the fact that the archer was coming back to his senses so slowly. His incredible sight would have been very useful right about now��


    His four shadows flew toward the wreck, gliding between the debris in search of the young woman. However, it was hard to make out anything in the chaotic mess of splintered wood, upturned soil, and shredded sails.


    And then, finally, he thought that he noticed weak movement under a pile of debris.


    With his two hearts beating wildly, Sunny rushed forward, then threw a piece of the ship''s hull aside and bent down, digging through the soil. Soon, he saw a piece of black fabric, and then removed some more dirt to reveal Cassie''s pale face.


    She struggled to sit, and then coughed violently.


    The blind young woman seemed to be�� fine. The piece of cloth covering her eyes had slid down, revealing two empty eye sockets, and her dress was soaked with blood from the arrow wound on her shoulder, but other than that, there were only mild scratches and lacerations on her body.


    Miraculously, Cassie was alive.


    Sunny stared at her with wide eyes, a sense of profound relief slowly spreading through his chest. The young woman coughed some more, wiped the dirt off her face, then turned her head slightly with an uncertain and vulnerable expression.


    "Who... who is there? Sunny?"


    He helped Kai sit down, then said:


    "Yes, it''s me. But can''t your Ability tell?"


    Cassie grimaced.


    "I''ve run out of soul essence. Damnation��"


    A stifled laugh escaped from his mouth.


    "That''s what you are concerned with? You damned fool�� what the hell was that stunt?! How did you even survive the crash?!"


    Cassie turned to him with a confused expression on her beautiful face.


    "How did I�� what? I jumped off the ship a few moments before it hit the Prince, of course. Dancer carried me down�� I am not crazy��"


    He stared at her for a moment, then covered his face with a hand and let out a long, relieved sigh.


    "You''ve been spending too much time with me�� only a madman would call ramming a flying ship into an immortal steel giant at full speed not crazy!"


    Now that he knew that the blind girl was alive, though, he could finally think about everything else. As cold shivers run down his spine, Sunny turned and stared at the dark gaping hole in the hull of the crashed ship where Noctis and Solvane had disappeared.


    The wreckage was still trembling and groaning, proving that the two Transcendents were still fighting inside.


    Cassie tried to stand up, fell back, then remained motionless for a few moments.


    "What is happening?"


    Sunny grimaced.


    "Effie is dealing with what is left of Sun Prince. Kai is here, but he had the wind knocked out of him. Noctis�� is also on the island. He seems to be losing to Solvane terribly."


    His shadows returned, wrapping themselves around his body and bringing with them vast and fearsome strength.


    Sunny lingered for a moment, and then stood up.


    "You stay here with Kai and rest for a bit. I�� I''ll be back shortly."


    The blind young woman frowned, then hurriedly fumbled for her blindfold and pulled it up, covering the empty darkness of her missing eyes.


    "W��where are you going?"


    He looked at the wreckage for a few moments, and then smiled darkly.


    "Ah�� I am just going to return a debt."


    He owed Solvane quite a lot, after all.


    Months of agony and desperation, the life of a dear friend�� and even a heart.


    When would he get a chance to repay her hospitality again?


    Leaving Cassie and Kai behind, Sunny gathered his courage, and dashed toward the wreck.


    ***


    Jumping through the breach in the hull, he landed on the skewed floor of one of the compartments at the stern of the ship and froze for a moment, hit by a strong sense of deja vu.


    All of this�� did it not feel very familiar?


    Was it not the same compartment he had entered the wreck through all that time ago, in the distant future, while hunting for miraculous coins?


    Of course, back then, the ancient ship had looked vastly different, at least on the inside. It had been infested by a sprawling mass of brown vines and moss, the murky air full of poison they secreted.


    Back then, Sunny had not known who Noctis was, and how his ship had ended up broken and abandoned on a desolate island near the rift.


    Well�� now everything fell in its place.


    This island was going to become the Shipwreck Island. The wound in the chest of the giant steel corpse, the terrible damage done to the bow of the crashed vessel, it all made sense now�� except for one thing.


    How would Solvane end up trapped for thousands of years in the cargo hold, so that Sunny could kill her in the future?


    Sunny did not consider his chances in a battle against the living embodiment of War to be very high, but the mere fact of knowing the future told him that it was not impossible to defeat her.


    At least that was what he wanted to believe, sneaking through the broken ship as he came closer and closer to the sounds of the furious battle.


    If he was wrong, however��


    The possibility of Sunny himself becoming the host of a monstrous Corrupted parasite was not out of the question.

 Chapter 726 Sweet Release

    As Sunny slowly approached the main cargo hold, he felt doubt crawl into his mind.


    What was he actually doing?


    A battle between two Saints was no place for an Awakened, no matter how powerful he had grown after absorbing thousands of shadow fragments and forming the fourth core. The gap in power between Sunny and Solvane was just too vast�� he had faced her twice in the past, and each time, the War Maiden crushed him without even putting any effort into her attacks.


    The bitter taste of those defeats still lingered in his mouth.


    ��Especially of the second one, when he watched helplessly as she slaughtered Elyas in front of his eyes.


    When he remembered that vile day, his pupils narrowed. An overwhelming feeling of hatred and anger drowned his mind, so scorching and consuming that Sunny was momentarily stunned by the intensity of it.


    Every wound, every second of torturous pain, every night of quiet desperation he had experienced in the Red Colosseum rose from the depths of his memory, making him feel as if he was reliving all that torment. The memory of the burning Sacred Grove was there, too, as well as that of an old man crying as he cradled the dead body of his mother in his trembling arms.


    And that of Elyas''s bright eyes suddenly turning empty and hollow. The grief, shame, and fury of not having been able to keep his promise and save the young man��


    Sunny tried to resist the hatred, but failed. It was just too vast, deep�� and deserved.


    Solvane had deserved his hatred.


    She put him in a cage��


    She tried to make him a slave.


    Gritting his teeth and suppressing a bestial growl, Sunny continued to move forward.


    ''I''ll make her pay... it is not impossible.''


    His task was not as hard as he had made it to be. He did not need to defeat Solvane�� he just needed to give Noctis an opportunity to defeat her. Anyone could be defeated, anyone could be destroyed... you just had to use the right weapon.


    Even the gods had not been able to save themselves.


    Sunny''s enemy was an immortal Transcendent�� but his weapon was an immortal Transcendent, too.


    Approaching a familiar door, he summoned the Cruel Sight, inhaled deeply�� and then turned into an incorporeal shadow, sliding noiselessly into the main cargo hold of the broken ship.


    There, two Saints were entangled in a vicious battle.


    ***


    Both Noctis and Solvane seemed to have forgone the use of weapons. Neither had they assumed their Transformed forms, preferring to remain in the shape of humans.


    They were not even using their Aspect Abilities, unless Sunny simply failed to comprehend the scope and magnitude of what the Transcendents were doing.


    Instead, the immortals chose the most direct, intimate, and brutal form of combat �� they were fighting with their bare hands.


    ��Each strike was devastating enough to crush a mountain, sending destructive shockwaves through the vast cargo hold.


    And Noctis seemed to be losing terribly.


    Up close, the sorcerer looked even worse than when Sunny had caught a glimpse of him outside of the ship. He was covered in blood from head to toe, his face broken and missing an eye. One of his cheeks was ripped open, revealing white teeth and making it seem as though Noctis was grinning. The sight of it was both ghastly and disturbing.


    Noctis looked more like a corpse than a living being.


    And yet, he was still moving.


    The speed at which the two Saints fought was almost too great for Sunny to discern anything, but he could still perceive the sorcerer deflecting some of Solvane''s vicious blows and trying to dodge others.


    Sometimes, he even succeeded.


    ��But mostly, he failed.


    With each strike that landed on his body, more blood was spilled, more bones were broken with a sickening crunch, and more of what made Noctis himself was destroyed. There was almost nothing left of the beautiful and charming person Sunny had once seen on the surface of a golden coin.


    Solvane, on the other hand, seemed perfectly fine.


    Her tantalizing face was calm and slightly sad, her soft skin free of any blemishes, her simple red tunic flawlessly clean. The only indication that she had been locked in a furious fight with another Transcended was that her hands were covered in scarlet blood, becoming of the same color as her garment.


    His thoughts darkened.


    ''Damnation��''


    Sunny hid in the shadows, watching tensely and waiting for his chance to interfere. There had to be a chance, a single instance where a momentary delay in Solvane''s onslaught would allow Noctis to turn the tables on the War Maiden��


    But no matter how long he waited and how closely he watched, the moment never came.


    Instead, after another blow, Noctis let out a terrible scream and fell to his knees, blood streaming from his mouth.


    Solvane calmly stepped forward and grabbed him by the hair, jerking the sorcerer''s head up so that his mangled face could be seen.


    With a solemn expression, she raised her bloodied fist to deliver the final blow and said in a voice that seemed to be more mournful than triumphant:


    "Is this all? I�� I expected more from you, Noctis�� I wished for so much more��"


    As Sunny cursed and prepared to attack the War Maiden from behind, the sorcerer struggled weakly in her grip. His gaze danced wildly across the cargo hold, as if searching for something to save him.


    And then, for a short moment, it landed directly at Sunny, making him freeze.


    Did�� did he imagine it?


    It seemed as though Noctis looked at him with purpose. It was just a split second, but Sunny was ready to swear that he noticed a silent message in the sorcerer''s one remaining eye��


    Don''t.


    ��And that he saw something moving beneath the immortal''s skin.


    Sunny only hesitated for a heartbeat, but by then, it was already too late to do anything. Solvane struck, breaking Noctis''s ribcage and thrusting her hand into his chest.


    But then...


    The War Maiden suddenly flinched and jumped back, letting out a quiet yelp. Her bloodied hand was pressed tightly against her body.


    Noctis, meanwhile, continued to kneel, staring expressionlessly at his broken chest.


    ��Then, he shifted slightly and let out a long, deep sigh of relief.


    "Ah�� this is so much better�� so much easier..."


    He looked up, his ghastly grin slowly turning into a sincere one.


    "...This was almost worth ruining my attire!"

 Chapter 727 Unforgiven

    Suddenly, Noctis seemed�� different.


    He was still beaten, mangled, and covered in blood, but the sorcerer''s presence subtly changed. If before it was faint and weakening, now, it became brimming with power, potency, and free-flowing energy.


    Vast, furious�� unrestrained.


    And suffused with madness.


    Despite the fact that Noctis was on his knees and crippled, he suddenly seemed terrifying. The morbid grin on his torn and disfigured face seemed more menacing than pitiful now. His one remaining eye glistened, reflecting the distant light of the crimson moon.


    It was as though something that had been suppressing the sorcerer''s true power all this time finally set him free.


    Noctis inhaled deeply, and at the same, Solvane suddenly swayed. The hand she had used to crush his ribcage was still pressed against her body, blood streaming down on the red tunic.


    Her beautiful eyes widened.


    And then��


    Something moved under her skin, making the War Maiden let out a pained scream.


    She staggered back and looked at the kneeling sorcerer with a pale face.


    "What�� what have you done to me?"


    Noctis smiled. His voice sounded hoarse and full of unfathomable emotion when he spoke:


    "What else? I have fulfilled your most ardent wish, Solvane. I�� have defeated you."


    She stared at him in shock, then suddenly shuddered and let out another tortured scream. As drops of blood flew out of her mouth, the beautiful Transcendent stumbled and fell to her knees. Her sublime face was deathly pale and contorted by a grimace of terrible pain.


    The sorcerer let out a croaking laugh and slowly stood up. Just like that, their roles were reversed. The War Maiden was on her knees, and Noctis was looming above her.


    He lingered for a moment, and then looked at the patch of shadows where Sunny was hiding, his mind full of vague suspicion.


    "You can come out, Sunless. It''s safe now."


    ''What the hell...''


    Sunny hesitated for a few seconds, then assumed his corporeal form and glanced at Solvane, his eyes burning with hatred.


    Slowly, a few things were clicking in place and starting to make sense. The magical circle in the sorcerer''s residence, the river of blood that Noctis had fed to the soil below, the cracks on the stone floor, the tremors that had been running through it from time to time��


    Even the faint scream that had awoken Sunny on his last night in the Sanctuary.


    He turned and stared at the sorcerer, a harrowing guess appearing in his mind.


    Solvane, however, was still in the dark. As the ghastly movement under her skin grew stronger and more noticeable, she groaned:


    "What�� is�� this�� thing? My�� my Aspect��"


    Noctis smiled.


    "Ah, you''ve noticed? Yes, there is no point in trying to summon your Abilities. My little pet is a bit hungry for soul essence, you see. I''ve been starving it for a few hundred years, after all."


    As he spoke, his own essence flowed freely, coursing through his mangled body. The terrible wounds covering it started to heal at an incredible pace. As Sunny watched, the bloody hole in the sorcerer''s chest closed, his shattered ribs coalescing back into proper shape. His torn cheek was already growing back together.


    A clot of blood formed in his empty eye socket, slowly turning into a new eye.


    Noctis took a step forward, leaned forward, and looked at Solvane. Then, he whispered:


    "This pet of mine is a very special creature�� it is a vine that feeds on powerful souls. The profane seed that eventually birthed it was created when the ashes of the Heart Grove mixed with Aidre''s blood. You remember Aidre, don''t you Solvane? Well�� allow me to return her last gift to you!"


    His voice seethed with boundless rage and sorrow.


    Sunny frowned, then glanced at the sorcerer with a complicated expression.


    So�� Noctis had created Wormvine, a Corrupted Monster capable of devouring Saints, from the ashes of the Sacred Grove and Aidre''s blood. He had kept it in the ground beneath his residence for hundreds of years, nurturing the abomination by feeding it his essence and blood.


    And then, when the time came, he took it into himself, making his body both the bait and the trap for the person who had desecrated the Grove and killed its Lady. All this time, the sorcerer was restrained by having to suppress the creature and prevent it from devouring him from the inside. And when the monster finally found a new host... he was finally free to exert his full power.


    A pale smile appeared on Sunny''s face.


    What a devious, patient�� and ruthless vengeance Noctis had envisioned for Solvane!


    He could learn a thing or two from the unforgiving sorcerer.


    ��The War Maiden looked at Noctis for a few moments, then bent in a violent convulsion, letting out a terrible shriek. The skin on her face broke, and a thin, worm-like vine appeared from beneath it, crawling forward through the blood. Another, thicker one, burst from her hand.


    Solvane groaned, then let out a stifled chuckle.


    "Ah�� after all this time�� I am defeated�� by you?"


    He gritted her teeth, and then suddenly smiled through the pain.


    "Glory�� to�� the Beast!"


    With that, the War Maiden struggled to move, and arduously reached forward with a trembling hand.


    A knife carved out of a single piece of wood rested on her bloodied palm.


    Noctis looked at her for a while, then silently took the knife and straightened, towering above the trembling, suffering woman. He remained motionless for a few moments, darkness veiling his face.


    Sunny took a step forward, being strangled by hatred.


    ''No�� no, not yet!''


    Let her scream! Let her suffer more!


    Let her suffer forever!


    Killing Solvane was what they had planned�� but now, looking at the beautiful, hateful priestess of War, he was unwilling to let her escape that easily! She had wanted this to happen all along! This was her true victory!


    Sunny''s ability to think clearly dissolved, consumed by fury. He had just enough of sense left to realize that this behavior was unnatural, that the intensity of his desire for revenge was unusual, even for someone as spiteful as him�� but he did not care.


    At that moment, the only thing he wanted was to see Solvane pay for what she had taken from him.


    Noctis looked at the knife, his eyes full of darkness.


    ��And then threw it aside, lodging the wooden blade into the wall of the cargo hold.


    When he spoke, his voice was trembling.


    "You don''t deserve to die. For what you did to us�� you don''t deserve to die, Solvane. You only deserve to live..."

 Chapter 728 Spiteful Shadow

    Hearing the cruel words that sentenced Solvane to thousands of years of harrowing torment, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a dark, euphoric sense of glee.


    The memory of pain she had visited upon him and the faces of those she had killed flashed in front of his eyes once again, making that glee grow even sweeter.


    ''Good�� good��''


    The only thing Sunny regretted was that he had killed Solvane in the distant future, releasing her from that torment. If he had known better back then, he would have left her to rot.


    Noctis coldly stared at the squirming priestess for a moment, and then turned around, as if intending to leave.


    Solvane let out a groan of agony, more vines breaking through her skin and crawling down to the floor.


    "W��wait!"


    She struggled to raise her head and look up, her eyes full of fear.


    "Noctis�� you have to�� kill me. You won''t be able to�� free her�� if I am alive!"


    The sorcerer stopped, lingered for a moment, and then glanced at her over the shoulder. His face was cold and unmoving.


    After a long pause, he said nonchalantly:


    "...Hope is a great, powerful daemon. She can handle a shackle or two on her own."


    As Solvane''s eyes widened, Noctis looked away and took a step toward the gates of the hold.


    And Sunny, meanwhile��


    Was doing the hardest thing he had ever done in his life.


    ***


    Sunny was walking toward the edge of the cargo hold, where the wooden knife was lodged into the wall.


    Every step he made felt as if he was dragging a mountain with him.


    No, it was much harder than that��


    A mountain would have been heavy, but dragging it along was a simple task. Hard, or maybe even impossible, but simple nevertheless. However, he was not struggling against physical weight.


    Instead, Sunny was struggling against his very nature.


    He had grown up in the outskirts, fighting for his life in a cruel, indifferent world. He had to learn a lot of vicious lessons to survive. Those lessons made him selfish, cynical, and jaded, unwilling to trust anyone or believe in anything.


    Those qualities had helped him to remain alive, but as his life changed, some of them turned into a hindrance. Slowly and painfully, he had shed his previous skin and learned new things. He learned to trust those who deserved to be trusted, and have hope in himself and the future.


    However, one thing he never managed to leave behind �� and did not really want to �� was his spite. Spite had been the only thing that motivated him to survive the First Nightmare, after all. Back then, and maybe even now, it was his only reason to live.


    And so, Sunny was not big on forgiveness. He could not even forgive Cassie, at least not fully, despite everything that they had been through together before and after her decision to put Neph''s life before his own.


    He believed in the value of retribution. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth�� that was the ancient law. No one should be able to trample on him and remain unpunished.


    That was why the very thought of letting Solvane die in peace seemed abhorrent to him.


    And yet��


    His trembling hand landed on the handle of the wooden knife.


    Sunny was a very stubborn person.


    Gritting his teeth, he dislodged the knife from the wall and swayed a little, struggling to keep the all-consuming hatred that drowned his mind at bay.


    Yes, he wanted Solvane to pay, he wanted her to suffer.


    But�� even more than that, he wanted fate to go to hell. He could not allow for another thing to happen just like it had happened in the real past. He needed to prove, once and for all, that he was not a marionette that hung powerlessly from the strings of fate, able only to dance to a predetermined tune.


    He was also really outraged at the thought of Hope messing with his mind.


    And this was where the scorching intensity of his hatred for the War Maiden had come from, without a doubt �� from the poisonous influence of the Demon of Desire, who had taken his trauma, sorrow, and anger, and turned it into a weapon to subjugate him.


    It was a weird thing, to know that his fury was fabricated, but at the same time welcome it and be tempted to surrender to it.


    And that temptation�� ah, it was way harder to overcome than the weight of a mountain.


    ''Why am I even doing this? She deserves to suffer�� wouldn''t it be splendid to leave her to suffer�� wouldn''t it be the most joyous thing ever? Oh, it would�� I can''t imagine anything sweeter��''


    Sunny struggled to even remember why he was holding the knife.


    ''Oh, right�� fate�� I did promise to destroy it, didn''t I? That was because�� because my fate is to be a slave. I don''t really want to be a slave�� but who cares? I want Solvane to be tortured for eternity much more than I want to be free�� freedom is distant, and abstract. Who even wants it? But retribution, it''s right here�� and feels so wonderful��''


    Gritting his teeth, he made a step forward.


    Step. Step. Another step.


    Walking across the cargo hold of the broken ship was much harder than it had been to climb a cold, dark mountain in chains.


    He wasn''t sure that he was going to make it.


    His face was contorted by an ugly grimace, and his dark eyes burned with mad glee.


    Then, Sunny stopped.


    ''I�� I change my mind. It is worth it! Surrendering to fate is worth it, if it means that this hateful witch will be tortured endlessly. This will be right�� this will be just�� this will be the best outcome of all��''


    Sunny sighed, and smiled with relief.


    Now that he decided to surrender to fate, it was as though a terrible weight was lifted from his shoulders. He was free to bask in the joy of revenge, revel in it. He was unburdened, ecstatic, and at peace.


    Sunny smiled��


    ��And thrust the wooden knife into Solvane''s chest.


    ''Damnation��''


    Yes, leaving the War Maiden to suffer felt right and just.


    But Sunny had never been righteous, and did not really care about being just. And more importantly than that, he wanted to spite fate much more than he wanted to avenge himself on Solvane.


    ...The beautiful priestess shuddered and looked at him with, pain and relief mixing in her mesmerizing eyes.


    Then, her gaze slowly turned empty, losing the spark of life, and her body fell to the floor.


    Sunny grimaced, feeling bitterly disappointed. He was not happy with his choice at all. He felt terrible.


    But it had to be done.


    As the wooden knife broke in his hand, the Spell whispered:


    [You have slain a Transcendent human, Solvane.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    [...You have received a Memory.]


    He blinked.


    ''Huh�� another Memory? How does it even work?''


    And then, Sunny suddenly felt really uncomfortable. As if someone was staring at his back.


    He turned around slowly and met the sorcerer''s dark gaze.


    Noctis looked at him, and then bared his teeth in a dangerous smile.


    "Sunless�� what did you do?"


    Sunny shivered, suddenly feeling very cold.


    ''Crap��''

 Chapter 729 Broken Shackles

    Noctis stood in the darkness of the cargo hold, looking at Sunny with a dangerous, cold smile. One of his eyes glinted with pale moonlight, the other, still suffused with blood, with a mad red glow.


    The air around them became cold, the darkness grew deeper.


    Sunny trembled a little, then glanced at the broken wooden knife in his hand. Now that the tool created by the Lord of Light had served its purpose, it was empty and mundane, the ocean of radiant energy and the string of fate long gone from within it.


    He dropped the remains of the knife on the floor, glanced at the sorcerer with a dour expression, and said nonchalantly:


    "I killed her. Why?"


    Noctis stared at him for a few moments, then took a deep breath.


    "...I''ve been planning and waiting for this moment for a very long time, you know. Hundreds of years, really. And you�� you just went and ruined it all. Ah, Sunless, we are friends, but I''ll be honest�� I am a little bit cross right now��"


    Something shifted in the darkness, and the walls of the cargo hold groaned. The sorcerer continued to stare at him, his red eye glowing brighter and brighter. Sunny himself winced, feeling the sorcerer''s presence crash into him like a wave.


    Then, he pretended to look unimpressed, took a step forward, and shrugged.


    "Well, get over yourself."


    Noctis blinked.


    Then, he tilted his head a little.


    Then, he stopped smiling.


    "Get�� over myself?"


    It did not seem like he liked that answer at all.


    Sunny nodded.


    "Yeah. Snap out of it and get over yourself."


    He pointed at the body of Solvane and frowned.


    "First of all, do me a favor and remember why we started all this mess in the first place. It was to kill the Chain Lords and free Hope. Oh, look! A dead Chain Lord. Isn''t it wonderful?"


    He smiled, revealing his sharp fangs. However, Noctis remained unmoved, still staring at him with a frightening coldness.


    Sunny took another step forward and pointed a finger at his chest.


    "Second of all�� aren''t you too full of yourself? Aidre''s last gift, really?"


    He judged that if there was a moment when the Transcendent would simply kill him with one strike, it would have been now. So, despite the smile, Sunny was actually trembling inside.


    Nocts gritted his teeth.


    "What''s wrong with that?"


    Sunny crossed his arms.


    "Who are you to deliver gifts on her behalf? Unlike the two of us, Lady Aidre had no hatred for Solvane. In fact, she was grateful to her. She swore to carry that debt of gratitude to the Shadow Realm, even�� I saw it all in one of the nightmares you had sent me into."


    The corner of the sorcerer''s twitched.


    "You are lying. Why would she?"


    Sunny shook his head.


    "I never lie. Lady Aidre was the first of the eternal shackles to question your duty, wasn''t she? She came to the conclusion that Hope should be liberated, and that was where you got that idea. From her."


    He sighed.


    "Well, who has done more to make it happen than Solvane? Without her, Hope''s prison would still have been perfect. The Chain Lords wouldn''t have been driven to desperation and madness. And we wouldn''t be standing here, trying to break the chains that bind Desire."


    Sunny grimaced and looked away, still in the throes of crushing regret about gifting Solvane an easy death.


    "So, as much as it pains me to admit�� in a sense, Solvane is the true architect of this rebellion. She made Lady Aidre''s desire come true. And although I would have loved to let her suffer for an eternity�� our task comes first."


    Noctis remained motionless for a while, staring into the distance.


    The mad light in his eyes seemed to subside a little.


    Then, he shifted slightly and glanced at Sunny.


    His voice sounded grim:


    "...I suggest you run, Sunless."


    Sunny froze.


    ''Crap! It didn''t work!''


    He took a step back and shuddered, staring at the sorcerer with fear:


    "Uh�� Noctis, wait! What I meant to say was��"


    The sorcerer shook his head.


    "No, you idiot! I''m not going to kill you! But have you stopped to think what would happen if Solvane dies?"


    Sunny raised his eyebrows.


    "I, uh... was a bit preoccupied. Wait, what?"


    Noctis glanced at the body of the War Maiden and backed away, too.


    "The Wormvine�� it doesn''t have a host anymore, you foolish shadow! So, run!"


    ***


    Some distance away, at the edge of the island, a small hand appeared from the darkness. A young girl in battered armor struggled to grab something, then pulled herself up, fell on the grass, and remained motionless, staring at the dark sky.


    Her small body was covered in burns and lacerations, the bronze armor shredded so thoroughly that it was falling apart, slowly turning into dimming sparks of light. She was severely wounded, drained of essence, and exhausted.


    But she was alive.


    Effie stared at the stars, too tired to move. Feeling pain course through her badly burnt body, she winced slightly, and then whispered quietly:


    "Oh... you should have seen the other guy..."


    A pale smile appeared on her bloodied face.


    ��Far below, a giant steel carcass was swaying in the wind, its leg tangled in a heavenly chain that the colossus had broken as he fell. His chest was split open, and deep within it, a half-open cage in the form of a human figure was slowly turning cold.


    Sun Prince was dead, as well.


    Now, only two Chain Lords remained.


    ***


    Sunny and Noctis left the cargo hold of the ancient ship in a hurry, barely escaping the Wormwine. Behind them, the brown vines were already crawling across the floor, growing in size with each second, hungry to find a source of soul essence to devour.


    Noctis did not seem too enthusiastic about the prospect of fighting his own creation, and neither was Sunny. The last time, he had destroyed the Corrupted Monster by killing its host�� but this time, he himself ran the risk of becoming the host!


    It was better to retreat and choose their battle wisely.


    Very soon, they climbed on the hull of the broken vessel and lingered there for a few moments, looking up.


    Above them, the remaining ships of the defending fleet hovered in the air, for some reason reluctant to approach and continue their relentless onslaught. There were still around forty ships left, but, perhaps stunned by the death of their commanders or afraid of the sorcerer, the enemies remained in place.


    Then, as if following an order, the ships turned and flew back, toward the Ivory City.


    Sunny frowned.


    "They are�� retreating?"


    He glanced at Noctis, unsure of what was happening.


    The sorcerer stared at the sky for a few more moments, and then sighed.


    "Well�� I have good news and bad news."


    Sunny did not like the sound of it at all.


    "What is it?"


    Noctis smiled.


    "The good news is that the eclipse is ending."


    And indeed, as soon as he said it, the crimson hue of the night sky changed. Looking up, Sunny saw that the shadow was leaving the surface of the moon, which was returning to its usual silver color.


    It''s position, though��


    Suddenly, he felt a very, very bad premonition.


    "...What''s the bad news?"


    Noctis silently pointed east.


    Turning around, Sunny saw a line of pale lilac painting the sky above the horizon as the edge of the sun slowly appeared from the darkness of the Sky Below.


    The sorcerer grinned.


    "The night is over. It''s a new day��"

 Chapter 730 Dying Wish

    Sunny watched the sun appear over the eastern horizon, his hearts growing cold. His vertical pupils narrowed, and his fists clenched.


    The night�� was over? Had it been that long, already?


    He had lost the track of time during the vicious battle in the skies, but it seemed as though their desperate assault on the flying fleet had only taken a second.


    But in reality, of course, it had not.


    He slowly turned to Noctis, whose battered face had almost healed and was now calm and carefree again. The sorcerer was looking at the sky with a strangely neutral expression.


    "Remind me�� wasn''t the plan to defeat Sevirax before dawn, when he was devoid of his vast and terrifying powers?"


    The immortal sighed.


    "Well, it''s good to have a plan. However, plans rarely go as you want them to go."


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    "So�� what happens now? How are you going to deal with the dragon?"


    Noctis shrugged.


    "He must be really, really angry right now. After all, we just killed his brother �� the only person Sevras still cares about in this world. Congratulations, by the way! I really did not expect you��"


    Sunny interrupted him with a low growl.


    "Get to the point! Now that the sun is rising, your powers will be diminished, while his will reach their peak. How are we going to survive?!"


    The sorcerer remained silent for a few moments, then scratched the back of his head.


    "I, uh�� will come up with something?"


    Sunny stared at him in disbelief.


    "You are joking, right? Come on�� you must have some devious trick up your sleeve! You have an incredible advantage, after all! You have the knife that can make him mortal, while he doesn''t have yours. Should I give you the knives? You have never asked me for the damned knives! Wasn''t that the reason you befriended me, in the first place?!"


    Noctis looked at him for a while, then simply shook his head.


    "No. No, that was not the reason, Sunless. In any case, giving me the knife won''t do much good. I will still have to defeat Sevras, whether he becomes mortal or not. Either I subdue him and we can use the knife to finish the job, or he subdues me, and then there''s no point. And... I really don''t have any tricks left."


    He smiled, and then added wistfully:


    "Ah, except one."


    Sunny exhaled with relief.


    "Finally! What is it?"


    The sorcerer turned to him with a smile.


    "Why�� it''s you, Sunless! Of course. Did I not say that fate brought us together for a reason?"


    Sunny stared at him, his expression slowly turning dark.


    "You did�� but what the hell do you mean?"


    Noctis looked away, at the beautiful silhouette of the flying city. After a few moments, he said:


    "No matter how my battle with Sevras goes, it will end near the Ivory Tower. One of us will fall�� maybe it will be him, and maybe it will be me. However, that doesn''t matter."


    He sighed, and then glanced at Sunny.


    "As long as one of us dies, there will be only one chain left. It won''t hold Hope for long. So, Sunless, my dear friend��"


    Noctis lingered for a moment, and then smiled.


    "Should I lose... I want you to kill me. That is my desire."


    The sorcerer looked at him, the smile disappearing from his face. Then, he said softly:


    "That is the fate I spoke about. You are my death, Sunless. Didn''t you know?"


    Then, Noctis suddenly cleared his throat and awkwardly looked away.


    "That is if I lose, of course! Don''t, uh�� don''t kill me by mistake if I win. That would be very inconvenient�� a bit funny, though��"


    Sunny glared at him for a while, then faced the Ivory City and scoffed.


    "I know�� you''d better win, then!"


    ***


    As the moon disappeared and the sky slowly grew brighter, Noctis and the members of the cohort gathered together and silently watched the sun rise.


    The five of them had just accomplished something truly impossible �� they had battled an army and two immortal Trancendents under the dim light of the crimson moon, and won.


    The army had retreated, the immortals were dead. And the five of them, somehow, were still alive.


    And yet, none of them felt relieved or triumphant.


    The incandescent disc of the sun was rising like the blade of a guillotine, ready to cut down their lives.


    The sorcerer was sitting on the grass with his eyes closed, gathering his strength for the approaching fight with the Ivory Dragon and trying to recover from his wounds as much as he could.


    Effie lay on the ground, too battered and tired to move. Cassie was tending to her wounds.


    Kai was grimly counting the arrows he had managed to gather. His charred mask was gone, revealing his burned, disfigured face.


    Sunny was standing a small distance away, looking at a small statuette that lay in the palm of his hand, connected to a thin chain.


    The statuette was cast of iron and depicted a beautiful young woman wielding a spear in one hand and gripping a human heart in the other, her nakedness covered only by a beast hide tied around her thighs, her face lost in the shadows.


    It was very similar to the statue of War God he had seen on his first day in the Nightmare, but different in one detail �� there was blood flowing from the wound in the statuette''s chest, as though the heart she was holding had once belonged to the young woman herself.


    Her figure felt strangely familiar.


    This was the Memory he had received for killing Solvane the second time.


    The runes read:


    Memory: [Dying Wish].


    Memory Rank: Transcendent.


    Memory Tier: I.


    Memory Type: Charm.


    Memory Description: [A young woman once wished to be free, but could only find her freedom in death. She called upon it, and touched by her sincerity, death came. But instead of embracing it herself, the young woman delivered death to those who held her in chains.]


    Memory Enchantments: [Death Wish].


    Enchantment Description: [Those who witness the wielder of this Memory are compelled; friends to be inspired, foes to seek the wielder out. The power of the Memory grows the more enemies they give the gift of death, and can be consumed to heal the wielder''s wounds.]


    Death Charge: [0/1000].


    Sunny hesitated for a bit, and then dismissed the charm with a sigh.


    This new powerful Memory of his could be extremely useful, without a doubt, especially its ability to bring him back from the brink of death. However, he suspected that he would have to kill a thousand enemies to make that healing really worthwhile.


    It was still a powerful ability to have, but not in the current situation. He would have to build the charm''s charge up for a long time to make use of it.


    For now, there was only one kill he was concerned about.


    He was going to deliver the killing blow to either Noctis, or the Ivory Lord.


    As if answering his thoughts, a sudden movement attracted his attention, out there in the Ivory City.


    And then, a thundering roar split the world apart.


    ...The dragon was coming.

 Chapter 731 Child Of The Sun, Child Of The Moon

    Sunny shuddered, turning his head to the center of the Ivory City. The thunderous roar that just rolled across the flying islands chilled him to the bone, making both of his hearts stutter.


    The voice of Sevirax, the Ivory Dragon, was filled with so much sorrow, wrath, and madness that every dire horror Sunny had experienced in the Kingdom of Hope paled in comparison.


    It was like the voice of death itself, coming to drag them down to hell.


    Taking an involuntary step back, he looked at Noctis and asked hoarsely:


    "Wasn''t�� wasn''t he supposed to be the sanest of the Chain Lords?"


    The sorcerer slowly opened his eyes, remained motionless for a moment, and then rose to his feet.


    "He was."


    Noctis glanced in the direction of the Sky Below, where the corpse of the Sun Prince swayed forlornly, tangled in the chains.


    "...He''s not anymore, though."


    As all of them watched, a gargantuan silhouette rose above the city. Sun glistened on the ivory scales of the great beast, and as he moved through the sky, a deep shadow covered streets and houses.


    The dragon was much more beautiful, majestic, and terrifying than Sunny could have ever imagined. It radiated a feeling of power and holiness that was so intense that it reached across dozens of islands and crashed into them like a wave, making the members of the cohort pale.


    Sevirax looked more like a creature of myth than an actual monster. In fact, calling him a monster would have been unthinkable�� whatever the Nightmare Creatures were, he was the opposite. His mighty body, his white scales, his shining eyes, his terrible maw, all of it was suffused with profound and dreadful splendor.


    The whole body of the great beast was surrounded by a golden halo of divinity, which only Sunny could see.


    ��And all of that immeasurable power, all of that immolating fury, all that inhuman madness was aimed at them.


    Only Noctis remained indifferent, looking at the approaching dragon with a steady gaze.


    Sunny''s face grew dark.


    "You are going to fight�� that?"


    The sorcerer lingered for a moment, then glanced at him and smiled.


    "He finally lost his mind. A mindless enemy is not too terrible to face��"


    With that, Noctis took a step forward and glanced over his shoulder.


    He said in a wistful tone:


    "...Remember your promise, my friend."


    In the next moment, the figure of the sorcerer shimmered, and then disappeared��


    Turning into a torrent of pure light.


    Sunny and the rest looked at the river of beautiful light that suddenly surged forward, pale under the bright radiance of the sun. All of them suddenly felt something moving in their hearts, as if they were touched by the presence of true divinity.


    As if they were witnessing something sacred.


    As the pale light rose to meet the white dragon, it flowed and swirled, shaping itself into the form of a colossal, ghostly wolf. On his forehead, a shape of a crescent moon shined radiantly. The wolf whose body was weaved of moonlight opened its maw and let out a deafening howl.


    Then, he collided with the frenzied dragon, and was obliterated.


    ��He was made out of nothing but ethereal light, after all.


    But although the shape of the wolf was broken, the light remained. It washed over Sevirax and clung to his scales, ten thousand radiant fangs sinking into them at the same time.


    It was as though the dragon was fighting a boundless swarm of fireflies instead of a single beast.


    Sevirax roared in pain, and then twisted his long neck. A stream of annihilating flame shot out of his maw, destroying thousands upon thousands of motes of light.


    Drops of sizzling blood fell to the ground from the skies.


    Sunny stared up, paralyzed by the mind-boggling scale and otherworldly sight of the heavenly clash.


    ''Beast of Twilight��''


    For better or for worse, he had no time to observe the fight between descendants of the gods.


    In this battle, he had a role to play, too.


    With a sigh, Sunny turned his gaze to the beautiful Ivory City and dashed forward.


    He had to enter the Ivory City.


    ***


    In the future, the Shipwreck Island had been connected to the Twisted Rock �� and then to nothing, directly bordering the Rift after the small island crumbled into the Sky Below. However, this had not happened yet. The Rift did not even exist.


    Instead, it bordered the Ivory City.


    Sunny jumped down to the heavenly chain, realizing that he had traversed this one already, once. Back then, it had been rusted and sick, being slowly devoured by Chain Worms. The Mordant Mimic had run across it, escaping the awakening Wormvine while Sunny pursued.


    Now, the heavenly chain looked as good as new. Trying to conserve his essence, Sunny held off on turning into a shadow and simply ran forward. With his four cores and the augmentation of four shadows, his speed was nothing short of staggering �� especially because he used his long upper arms to propel himself forward, as well, running more like a beast than like a human.


    As the four-armed devil shot across the chain, the two Trancendents continued their fight in the skies. He caught glimpses of it from time, or simply felt powerful shockwaves travel through the air, making his bones tremble and the heavy chain sway.


    The dragon was still enveloped by the swarm of light, spewing streams of fire to burn it away. The light, however, constantly moved, breaking apart and coalescing together, changing shape, and causing more and more pain to the great beast. Sometimes, the colossal form of the ghostly wolf appeared for a short moment to deliver a vicious attack, then dissolved again to avoid retaliation.


    It seemed as though Noctis was just one mistake away from being gravely wounded and broken by the dragon''s flames�� and yet, he was not making any mistakes. Fighting with a devious cunning and fierce will, the sorcerer always seemed one step ahead of Sevirax.


    But with every flash of annihilating fire, a small part of him was destroyed.


    Sunny did not know how much longer Noctis would be able to hold��


    And for that reason, his task was growing more and more pressing.


    He had to reach the Ivory Tower before one of the Saints fell��

 Chapter 732 Sevras

    As the battle between the Ivory Dragon and the Beast of Twilight grew more and more devastating, Sunny raced across the heavenly chain and approached the walls of the Ivory City. Up above, Sevras and Noctis continued to rip each other apart, their fury terrible enough to shatter the sky.


    Effie was in no condition to fight, and Cassie had exhausted all of her soul essence. She was had been battered during her escape from the falling ship, as well, so the two of them stayed behind, taking care of each over.


    There were only two members of their small cohort still capable of diving into the battle �� Sunny and Kai. Each had their own task, and had gone their own way to complete it.


    From now on and maybe until the very end of the Nightmare, Sunny would be on his own.


    Summoning the Dark Wing, he pushed his way to the top of the city wall and remained there for a moment, hiding in the shadow of a graceful guard tower.


    The Ivory City lay beneath him, bathed in sunlight. It was as beautiful as he had remembered�� even more so, up close.


    The graceful buildings were constructed of pristine white stone, with vibrant green vines crawling up their walls. Here and there, sparkling water murmured as it flowed through carved channels. Incredible aerial bridges and arching aqueducts connected dozens of flying islands together.


    Now that the sun had risen, thousands upon thousands of people poured onto the streets. All of them looked healthy and beautiful, their tan, dewy skin covered by white garments. Sunny could imagine Elyas growing up happily in this beautiful place��


    In this paradise built on blood.


    Right now, every person in the Ivory City was looking up at the sky, fear and awe mixing on their faces. With eyes burning with zeal, all of them were whispering prayers.


    "May the Sun shine upon you, Lord Sevirax��"


    "Bless us, Ivory Dragon��"


    "...Protect us!"


    "Protect us!"


    Their prayers rose like a sea, battering into the crazed dragon that roared in sorrow and pain as the ruthless light bit into him again and again, drawing blood and driving him even deeper into the madness.


    Suddenly, Sunny shivered.


    He remembered what Noctis had told him once about the noble, valiant, and wise Sevras, the Ivory Lord. That he was both the sanest of them all, and the closest to utter madness.


    Sevras had resisted Hope longer than any other Chain Lord�� but it was precisely for that reason that he was the most susceptible to her poison. Due to his uncompromising resilience, he had maintained most of his sanity intact, and so, had never had a chance to build up a tolerance for the insidious influence of the Demon of Desire over the ages.


    Now that the death of Sun Prince pushed him over the edge, everything that Sevras had been stalwartly keeping suppressed broke out of control and flooded his mind in an instant. Hundreds of years of harrowing struggle, crashing into the bastion of his sanity all at once.


    ��Noctis had also said that the Ivory Lord both loved and hated his people. That they were a burden that weighed heavily on his soul, one which he could not escape due to his sense of duty. That they had bound the dragon to themselves with their faith, their devotion, their trust, and their dependency.


    Looking down, Sunny saw a wide square directly under the section of the wall he was hiding at. It was crowded with thousands of people, all staring at the sky with faith and hope shining in their eyes.


    Slowly, another image appeared in front of his eyes. The visage of the Twisted Rock as it had been in the future��


    All of its surface had been nothing but an uneven expanse of dark stone. That stone, however, had looked really strange. It was as if once, a long time ago, it had been melted by unimaginable heat and then solidified again, creating strange shapes and swirls.


    Here and there, blackened bones had protruded from the molten stone, telling the tale of countless humans and beasts who had drowned in that scorching inferno. The sight of them was eerie and disturbing, like something torn from the actual hell.


    ��He paled.


    Below him, the citizens of the Ivory City prayed:


    "Protect us!"


    "Protect us!"


    In the next moment, the dragon roared as he received an especially painful wound, beads of crimson blood rolling down his ivory scales.


    Losing the last crumbs of sense, he twisted in the air to better see his enemy, and breathed out a torrent of immolating flame.


    However, his enemy was too cunning. Noctis had positioned himself between the dragon and the crowded streets, hoping to use the city below as a shield�� or maybe hoping to taunt Sevras into destroying it.


    His cruel trap had worked. The stream of pale light danced out of the way of the river of fire, which fell down and engulfed the square a moment later.


    Sunny staggered back.


    In an instant, thousands of people were burned to death, their flesh turning to ash. The square became a scorching inferno, with even the stone itself melting and turning into incandescent lava. Cries of pain and horror filled the air. Some of the people survived and tried to flee, but the fire was everywhere around them. There was no escape��


    ��This was the response the Ivory Lord sent to their prayers.


    Horrified, Sevirax froze in the air and looked down, shock swirling in his radiant, bestial eyes.


    Sunny could practically see an internal struggle that happened in the muddled mind of the magnificent dragon.


    For a short moment, the light of reason grew brighter in his eyes.


    And then, it became fully extinguished.


    Not caring anymore and longing for freedom, the dragon let out another furious roar, and then breathed out a powerful stream of fire, destroying a small part of the hateful enemy, but also drowning several streets of the Ivory City in flames.


    Sunny stared at the slaughter, petriefied, but then shook his paralysis off.


    It did not matter how vile and tragic the fate of the Ivory Dragon, and his city, had turned out to be��


    All that matters was that he now had to get through the burning hell below, himself.


    With a low growl, Sunny summoned the Memory of Fire into the Mantle of the Underworld and jumped down.


    There was not much time left...

 Chapter 733 Lnferno

    As two immortals fought in the sky above the Ivory City, more and more of it became engulfed in fire. Driven mad by grief, pain, and the terrible weight of his endless life, the noble dragon had lost the last of his sanity. In his frenzy to destroy the elusive, hateful enemy, he brought down a deluge of immolating flame upon the beautiful city.


    The loss of life was tremendous. The suffering of dying people was indescribable. The heat was unbearable.


    Thousands died in the fire, and thousands more were being burned to ash with every minute. Panic and horror drowned the whole city, turning its citizens into a mindless mob. They tried to run, trampling countless people to death�� only to be swallowed by the flame in the next second.


    The buildings of white stone were melting like candles, and graceful aerial bridges that connected the island were crumbling into the abyss. Suffering, death, and destruction reigned supreme.


    ��And above all of it, the Ivory Tower stood, sublime and heartlessly indifferent.


    Sunny traversed the dying city, witnessing the apocalyptic sight of its terrible demise. As he moved through the burning alleyways and streets, it seemed as though the whole world coming to the end. He was surrounded by smoke, fire, and an echoing cacophony of human screams, assaulted from all sides by the ghastly smell of burning flesh and the pervasive feeling of desperate, primal fear.


    The Lord of Light was the god of creation�� but he was also the god of destruction. Today, this aspect of his descended upon the doomed city in all its harrowing glory.


    Sunny himself was one mistake away from being destroyed.


    He was running through the burning nightmare, sticking to shadows where he could and using smoke to hide his presence from the panicking mob. With his powerful claws and talons, it was not hard for him to scale buildings or propel himself off their walls to stay above the crowd. Reaching the edge of an island, he could use a bridge, an aqueduct, or a heavenly chain to reach the next one.


    Sunny was fast and powerful enough to save himself from the fires that were swiftly spreading through the Ivory City, devouring flesh and stone with equal hunger. However, nothing was going to save him if Sevirax unleashed a river of flame on his head�� not even the Mantle of the Underworld was going to survive a direct clash against the dragon''s flame for more than a second.


    All he could rely on were his intuition and quick reaction.


    Reaching the edge of a large building''s roof, Sunny prepared to leap over the street below�� but then staggered back and dove into the shadows, appearing a dozen meters away.


    A split second later, a pillar of raging flame fell from above, erasing the building he was aiming for from existence, and taking the whole street with it. The roof he was standing on was cut in half, and the whole structure shuddered, starting to collapse into the sweltering inferno.


    The path forward was cut off by the annihilating fire, forcing him to change his course.


    Cursing, Sunny dashed to the side, jumped down, and glanced at the sky.


    Surprisingly, Noctis was still resisting the frenzied dragon.


    The river of light that his transformed form consisted of looked pale and weak in the overbearing radiance of the sun. The aura of terrifying might that emanated from Sevirax made it seem even more inadequate�� the difference in power between the two was clear and immense.


    And yet, the Beast of Twilight was holding his own.


    Now that the Ivory Lord had succumbed to madness and abandoned all reason, he had turned into a mindless beast. A great one, but a beast nevertheless. Despite being at a tremendous disadvantage, the sorcerer was using his cunning and devious malice to stay one step ahead of the enemy.


    Constantly moving and shifting its form, the pale light swirled around the dragon and seeped between his scales to relentlessly bit into his flesh. Even though each wound was small and inconsequential, they brought the beast a lot of pain. From time to time, the light coalesced into the giant wolf and sank its fangs into the dragon, shattering the scales directly.


    Noctis was also always careful to position himself between Sevirax and the Ivory City, forcing the crazed Chain Lord to cause more and more destruction.


    The more pain Sevirax experienced, the more of his beloved city he destroyed, the deeper his madness and desperation grew, and the less reason remained in his damaged mind, making it easier for the ruthless sorcerer to fight him. The countless tiny wounds he delivered to the dragon were slowly starting to accumulate��


    However, Noctis was being damaged himself, as well. Although he was able to dodge most of the flame, each time, a small part of him was irrevocably destroyed. The light that constituted him looked much paler, already��


    Sunny simply could not tell who was going to win this terrible battle. He had to be prepared for both outcomes.


    ��Just as Noctis had told him, as the two clashing Transcendents circled in the sky, they slowly moved toward the Ivory Tower. Sunny was getting closer to it, too. He had already traversed half a dozen islands, somehow managing to suffer only a couple of serious burns. Now, only a few chains separated him from the great pagoda itself.


    As he climbed onto the last island before the one he was aiming for, a terrible roar suddenly thundered from above, making the whole world shudder.


    Falling to his knees, Sunny pressed his hands against his ears and looked up, stunned.


    What he saw made him freeze in shock.


    The great dragon Sevirax��


    Was falling.


    His ivory scales were painted red, and a large chunk of flesh was missing from his neck. A river of sizzling blood was flowing from the terrible wound, and one of his mighty wings seemed to be broken. Unable to support his weight in the air, the dragon plummeted from the skies and crashed heavily into the Ivory Island, raising a cloud of dust and disappearing from view.


    Sunny swayed, then slowly stood up.


    ''C��crazy bastard�� he actually did it��''


    Noctis... had won?


    Turning around, he searched the sky and saw the form of a ghostly wolf being engulfed in flame. The pale light was being swiftly devoured by it, and then disappeared entirely.


    Instead, a small human figure fell down, landing somewhere far away in the city.


    He knew that Noctis was still alive�� the sorcerer was immortal, after all. However, Sunny doubted that he would be able to recover any time soon.


    It did not matter, though.


    The sorcerer had already done his part. Sevirax was mortally wounded, and all that remained was to thrust the knife into his flesh, making the wound actually kill him.


    Sunny dashed forward. The Ivory Tower loomed above him, obstructing the sky. He just had to reach the edge of the island and traverse one last chain to approach its foundation.


    The island he was currently traversing was devoid of any buildings. Instead, there was just one tall, jagged piece of white rock protruding from its center, with soot-covered chains hanging from it.


    Not paying it any attention, Sunny ran to the aerial bridge that led to the Ivory Island.


    As he approached it, however, he slowed down, and then stopped completely.


    ��A lone human figure was sitting on the steps leading to the bridge.


    The stranger was relaxed and seemingly unconcerned by the titanic battle that had just taken place. With his back turned to the Ivory Tower, the man was looking directly at Sunny...


    Waiting for him.

 Chapter 734 Final Obstacle

    The Ivory Island was separated from the rest of the city by a wide chasm. Once, it had been connected to seven islands by seven unbreakable chains.


    Now, only two remained.


    There had been several arching bridges leading to it, as well, but most of them long collapsed. Only one still stood, arching and monumental, built of pristine white stone.


    An old man with a wrinkled face and grey hair was sitting on the steps leading to the bridge, dressed in a white tunic. It was different from the clothes most of the citizens wore, resembling that of a priest. The man had a frail body and pale blue eyes.


    The old man''s face was strangely calm. He observed the burning city with solemn indifference, as if the weight of years made him numb to the cruelties of the mortal realm. Even though his world was ending, the elder remained poised and dignified.


    Noticing the approaching devil, the old man tiredly leaned on his cane.


    "Stop, creature! This is a sacred land�� you are not allowed to go further."


    Sunny stopped a few meters away from the stranger and studied him for a few moments. Then, he sighed and said, his voice even:


    "Why the charade? Drop it, Mordret."


    The old man looked at him with confusion, then suddenly grinned. His whole presence suddenly shifted, becoming much more energetic and unrestrained. He laughed dryly, and then shook his head.


    "Ah, what a pity. What gave me away?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "I knew that you would show up sooner or later. And there''s not much of later left."


    Mordret, who inhabited the old and frail body, smiled.


    "True, true. Thank you very much, Sunless! You have fulfilled my request to keep Noctis alive very well. In fact��"


    His face darkened a little.


    "...I''d say that you even performed a little bit too well. Who could have thought that the Beast of Twilight would still win, despite not having the Night Oracle''s support? That�� ah, it makes me feel as though all my ordeals in the north were a bit silly."


    The old man sighed, but then smiled again.


    "Well, no matter. It can still be salvaged�� however, I was very serious. Sorry to say this, but you can''t go any further, Sunless."


    Sunny tilted his head a little, staring at Mordret with a dark expression.


    "Oh, yeah? How are you going to kill that damned dragon without my knife? I am sure you know that I visited the Temple of the Chalice��"


    The old man gave him a polite nod.


    "Oh, I do! That was rather spectacular. But, Sunless�� you see, that is exactly why I can''t allow you to cross that bridge."


    Sunny frowned.


    "What do you mean? Why?"


    Mordret looked at him with surprise.


    "Well�� because I need Sevras alive, of course! Killing him would ruin months of torturous effort I put into preparing everything. Remaining in this feeble body all that time was not very pleasant, you know�� but there are very few people that the Ivory Lord allows to tend to him, and this priest was the best choice."


    Sunny gritted his teeth, then uttered with frustration:


    "Keep Noctis alive�� keep Sevras alive�� damn it! What the hell do you actually hope to achieve, Mordret? You are clearly not planning to free Hope�� what else can end this Nightmare? What do you want?!"


    The old man blinked a couple of times, confusion appearing on his face


    "Free�� Hope?"


    He thought for a moment, then shook his head with a smile.


    "Of course, I am not here to free Hope. That is not the reason why I entered this Seed..."


    His smile twisted slightly, a disturbing glint igniting in his eyes.


    "I am here to kill her."


    ***


    As the words echoed in the silence, Sunny stared at the frail old man with a deep frown. Then, he threw his head back and laughed.


    "Kill her�� kill Hope?! Have you completely lost your mind, Mordret?"


    The banished prince shifted slightly, then said in a neutral tone.


    "...Not completely."


    Sunny clenched his fists, then shook his head in indignation.


    "She is a daemon, you fool! A divine being! A god! How are you, a mere Awakened, going to kill her? How can you hope to even scratch her?!"


    Mordret shrugged, then looked at him with a friendly smile.


    "Why... have you never wanted to kill a god?"


    Sunny stared at him with wide eyes.


    "I am of a rather high opinion of myself, but I am not delusional. I know my limits, Mordret�� don''t you?"


    The old man sighed.


    "It''s not like killing a god is impossible. They are all dead, after all. However, I understand your concern. I would not have wanted to face the Demon of Desire in battle��"


    He lingered for a moment, and then added:


    "But she is not exactly able to fight right now, is she? She is bound, sapped of most of her powers. Imprisoned for a thousand years�� so, you see, I can''t let you go breaking more of her chains. Your part is done, Sunless. Leave the rest to me�� I will conquer this Nightmare for both of us. Well... and reap the reward, of course."


    Sunny bared his fangs.


    "She might not be as powerful as she had been before Sun God put her in chains, but she is still a creature of Divine Rank. Your power alone will not be enough to wound her, let alone kill her�� you are insane. Hope''s poison must have gotten to you!"


    Mordret smiled.


    "Ah, you are correct. I am not powerful enough to kill her alone. That is why I have spent months carefully putting a few useful ideas into the Ivory Lord''s muddled mind. I needed Noctis to give him a little push, though�� kill his brother, destroy his city. You did well to assist him!"


    A dangerous gleam appeared in the old man''s eyes.


    "Now that Sevras has nothing left, he will direct his endless ire on Hope. That will be my chance. So, Sunless�� I would advise you to stand down. If you truly know your limits, you won''t stand in my way."


    Sunny stared at Mordret for a few moments, his eyes growing darker and darker. A tense silence settled between the two of them.


    Then, a swirl of sparks appeared around the devil''s hand.


    The old man looked at it, his gaze growing sharp and cold.


    He was waiting to see what weapon Sunny was going to summon��


    However, Sunny did not summon a weapon.


    Instead, an exquisite wooden chair appeared in his hand.


    Glaring at Mordret, Sunny put the chair on the ground, sat on it, and crossed his arms.


    "Well�� go on, then. What are you waiting for? I wish you luck!"

 Chapter 735 Settling Debts

    Sunny sat comfortably on the elegant wooden chair, staring at Mordret with all four of his arms crossed. The chair was a bit small for his prodigious body, but due to the quality and durability of the materials it was made of, managed to carry the weight rather well.


    Noctis really knew the value of good craftmanship!


    The old man, meanwhile, met his deadpan gaze with a mildly surprised expression slowly appearing on his face.


    All around them, the Ivory City was being devoured by fire.


    After a while, Mordret shifted a little, and then said with amusement:


    "...To be honest, I expected you to attack me."


    Sunny scoffed.


    "Why would I bother? You seem to be hellbent on committing suicide. I can just wait until Hope kills you, then carry on with my initial plans."


    He thought for a bit, and then added:


    "Plus, in the improbable case that you somehow succeed, I don''t really lose anything. I will still become a Master. Sure, the great and mighty clan Valor might suffer as the result, but what do I care? I have no relationship with them."


    The old man glanced at him with a pleasant smile.


    "That bow of yours suggests otherwise."


    Sunny chuckled.


    "My warbow? Do you like it? Well, I like it very much. What a beauty�� your family really knows how to craft a Memory! However, you are mistaken if you think that I received it for rendering some service to Valor or being close to your father. In fact, they don''t even know that I have it. Uh�� I would prefer if it stayed that way, too."


    Mordret tilted his head a little.


    "Have no worry, Sunless... your secret is safe with me! All your secrets, actually. I have to admit, though, with how paranoid you are, I thought that you would try to silence me at all costs. Aren''t you afraid that I will reveal them after escaping from the Nightmare?"


    Sunny smiled lazily, then shrugged.


    "Not really."


    He sighed, and then said in a serious tone:


    "While it pains me that you know so much about me, you and I are similar in many ways. We both believe that knowledge is the origin of power, don''t we? So, sharing my secrets would be no different from giving your power away. Why share the leverage you have on me with anyone when you can have it all to yourself?"


    Sunny''s expression grew a little dour.


    "Of course, I would gladly kill you to destroy that leverage. However, the benefit of destroying you is not worth the risk of fighting you. You are one scary bastard, Mordret, you know that? Plus�� I don''t even know how to kill you�� so what''s the point?"


    He was not lying. Although Sunny had grown more powerful than he had expected inside the Nightmare, Mordret was much older and had vastly more experience. He also had a far greater background.


    If Sunny''s suspicions were correct, not only had the Prince of Nothing inherited the lineage of War God, but he had also been raised by both Great Clan Valor and Asterion�� he was a monster created by not one, but two Sovereigns.


    A monster capable enough to, maybe, outshine both of them.


    How could an outskirt rat like Sunny compete with that upbringing?


    He couldn''t��


    Yet. At least not in a direct fight.


    A competition of wit, on the other hand...


    Who could say which one of them was more devious?


    As Sunny stared at him with a smile, Mordret remained silent for a few moments, and then slowly stood up.


    "What remarkable restraint�� are you sure you don''t want to attack me, Sunless?"


    Sunny shook his head.


    "I really don''t want to."


    The old man looked at him, then said with uncertainty:


    "Well�� I''ll be going then?"


    He lingered for a few moments before turning around and taking a step away.


    Sunny cleared his throat.


    "There is one problem, though."


    Mordret froze, then faced him again, an amused smile appearing on his lips.


    His eyes glistened dangerously.


    "Oh?"


    Sunny sighed.


    "As much as I don''t want to fight you�� and as much as I wish you luck in ending this Nightmare�� I am a very, very petty person. I also have a great memory. I tend to remember my grudges."


    He raised a hand and started counting on his fingers.


    "You used me, lured me into a trap, put me in hot water with clan Valor, caused me and my friend weeks of terrible suffering, almost cost us our lives, and then even tried to kill me yourself! You really, really owe me a lot, Mordret�� don''t you think?"


    The old man grinned.


    "Ah, I see how you could have been a little upset with my actions. Well, how do you suppose we should settle my debt, Sunless?"


    Sunny made himself more comfortable and smiled. Then, he said in a cheerful tone:


    "...I accept Transcendent Memories. Six or seven should do."


    Mordret stared at him for a bit, then laughed.


    "I see. Sadly, that would not be very convenient for me. Anything else you might consider?"


    Sunny looked at him with regret.


    "Well�� in that case, there is one other thing. I guess I can just prevent you from killing Hope, ruin the plans you''ve been making for the better part of the decade, torture you ruthlessly for a few weeks, and then slowly destroy your body. That should make us even, I think."


    Mordret looked at him with a somber expression.


    "...I thought you couldn''t lie. Didn''t you say that you wouldn''t attack me?"


    Sunny shook his head.


    "I said that I don''t want to attack you. Never said that I won''t."


    The old man sighed.


    "Yes, I noticed. Pity. I hoped to avoid this��"


    With that, the shadows around Sunny suddenly shifted and moved.


    A moment later, five identical four-armed devils rose from them, each at least three meters tall. They wore fearsome onyx armors, with darkness veiling their bestial faces and black eyes.


    Each had four horns, and each had one of them broken. The devils radiated a suffocating, frightening feeling of malice and furious power.


    Still sitting on his chair, Sunny stared at the five shadowspawns that surrounded him with trepidation. His face grew still.


    Gripping the Extraordinary Rock, he shivered and said glumly:


    "Well, that''s�� that''s not good at all��"

 Chapter 736 Surrounded

    Five Reflections surrounded Sunny, each bearing his own image. The towering shadowkin devils looked nothing short of terrifying. Their gaunt, ironclad figures emanated a feeling of profound threat and malice, and their black eyes peered at him with inhuman intensity. It was deeply disturbing.


    ''Damn... am I that scary?''


    Sunny leaned on the backrest of his chair and said without skipping a pause:


    "Lost from Light�� kill that wicked old man!"


    The Reflections continued to stare at him, unmoving. A few moments passed, but nothing happened.


    An awkward silence hung in the air.


    Mordret chuckled.


    "You didn''t really think that this trick would work again, did you?"


    He smiled, then glanced at the shadow devils with satisfaction.


    "Naturally, I bound them to myself before you arrived."


    Sunny glared at the old man for a bit, then looked away and shrugged.


    "Well�� it was worth a try, anyway."


    ''Disappointing��''


    He studied the Reflections for a second, trying to determine how powerful they were, exactly.


    Unlike how Mordret had appeared during their soul battle, now, Sunny could only see one weak core in the frail body of the old man. It was dim and unremarkable, hinting that he was looking at the priest''s own soul�� or at least its perfect imitation. It seemed that determining which body the Prince of Nothing possessed in that manner was impossible. His own soul was perfectly hidden.


    The Reflections, on the other hand, were different�� and quite bizarre. Sunny could see shadow cores inside each of the creatures, but despite looking like shadow devils, none of them were.


    All of them were Ascended, but two out of five were mere Beasts. Two more were Monsters, and one was a Demon. Sunny had no idea how the Class progression worked when it came to Reflections, but he suspected that they were less powerful than the Mirror Beast, their elder sibling, had been.


    Mirror Beast had lived a much longer life and risen to an Ascended Devil, after all.


    ��Still, five Ascended Reflections were most likely more than enough to rip him to shreds. Especially considering that each of them was reflecting a wielder of a Divine Aspect.


    Sunny looked at Mordret, hesitated, and said somberly:


    "Very impressive�� but also a bit underwhelming. I guess slaughtering thousands of mundane humans was not very nourishing for your monsters, huh? Now that I see them, I do agree that your accomplishments in the north might have been silly."


    The old man looked at him with a dark expression.


    "They''re still enough to kill you."


    Sunny grinned.


    "Oh, let''s not. You are not going to kill me."


    Mordret raised an eyebrow.


    "What makes you say that?"


    Sitting comfortably on his chair, Sunny shrugged.


    "What''s the point? I am more useful to you alive. Plus, if you get rid of me, you can say goodbye to all the wonderful Memories I possess. I would have been a bit scared if you had weeks to torture me into surrendering them�� but you don''t."


    The old man smiled.


    "This is a very reasonable answer. However�� are you that sure I am a reasonable man, Sunless?


    Sunny felt a cold shiver run down his spine and forced out a weak smile.


    "Ah�� no. Not really. I am not sure. In any case, you are also underestimating me."


    Mordret frowned.


    "How so? Your allies seem to have abandoned you. Your Shadows are wounded and can''t be summoned again. What can you do against Reflections?"


    Glancing at the towering shadow devils with apprehension, Sunny lingered for a few moments, and then said:


    "Well, if you put it like that, it does seem like I can''t do much. They are all very powerful, indeed. I am already a bit of a menace, and these things possess all of my powers, wielding them with the might of Ascendeds no less. However��"


    He shifted his gaze to the old man, a wicked smile appearing on his lips.


    "The same can''t be said about you, can it? You sacrificed all your cores to create these Reflections. By now, you could have succeeded in creating one, maybe two. That still makes you weaker than me. More than that, I couldn''t help to notice that your Aspect, terrifying as it might be, doesn''t offer you any direct combat augmentations. It''s all pure Utility. So, while I can''t kill your monsters��"


    His eyes grew darker, suffused with a dangerous glow.


    "...I probably stand a good chance of destroying your body before they can stop me."


    His four shadows were wrapped around his body, filling it with explosive might. There were just a few meters separating him from the frail old man�� he could breach that distance in an instant.


    Mordret opened his eyes wide, took a shaky step back, and raised his hands to protect himself.


    "Oh, no! Please, don''t! What would I do without a body?!"


    Then, he shook his head and laughed.


    "It''s not like there''s a whole city full of people I can take, right? Come to think of it�� maybe I''ll travel outside the city, find one of your allies, and wear them instead. Which one should I pick, huh? The child or the cripple? I can kill two birds with one stone and deal with that infuriating oracle of yours at the same time. That is a great idea, don''t you think?"


    Sunny grew quiet.


    "...No, I don''t think that it''s a great idea."


    The old man looked at him darkly, then shook his head and turned around.


    "I suggest that you don''t move, Sunless. My Reflections won''t kill you, but that doesn''t mean that they will be gentle. Pain is pain..."


    With that, he started climbing the steps leading to the bridge.


    Sunny stared at his back, gritting his teeth, then summoned the Dying Wish. As soon as the charm weaved itself and merged with the Mantle of the Underworld, he sent all four of his shadows to wrap themselves around the onyx armor, thus augmenting its [Underworld Armament] enchantment four times over.


    Already strengthened by it, the effect of the Dying Wish became tremendously enhanced.


    Memory Enchantments: [Death Wish].


    Enchantment Description: [Those who witness the wielder of this Memory are compelled; friends to be inspired, foes to seek the wielder out.]


    Already a few steps away, Mordret suddenly slowed down, swayed a little, and then turned around.


    His face was tense and full of fury.


    "Argh�� what��"


    He stared at Sunny with madness and bloodlust in his eyes, then grimaced.


    "What a... vile Memory. Nice trick, Sunless. But it won''t work on me."


    The old man smiled then disdain, then suddenly froze. Slowly, a deep scowl appeared on his face.


    "But why would you�� why would you want me to attack, Sunless? That doesn''t make any sense�� you know how dangerous I am. Unless, of course��"


    His eyes widened.


    At the same time, Sunny grinned.


    And far away from them, across the vast expanse of emptiness leading to the Ivory Island, a small figure appeared from the darkness of the Sky Below, flying swiftly toward the bleeding dragon.

 Chapter 737 Self-Reflection

    After Solvane and Sun Prince had been defeated and the light of dawn washed over the shattered remains of the Kingdom of Hope, bringing with it the frenzied fury of the Ivory Dragon, Sunny knew that Sevirax would not be the only obstacle in their way.


    Throughout all of it, he had never forgotten about Mordret. In truth, he was warier of the banished prince of Valor than he was of the immortal Saints, no matter how powerful and dreadful they were.


    The full force of a great clan had failed to contain the Prince of Nothing. So what hope did Sunny have?


    Of course, he was not sure that Mordret would end up as their adversary in this Nightmare. They were allies during this hellish trial, after all�� at least in theory.


    But he could not discount the possibility. The advice Master Jet had given Sunny before he ventured into the Seed stuck with him. Most of the hard-won wisdom she had shared in the past ended up being instrumental to his survival, so he made sure to remember her words.


    For that reason, Sunny and Kai agreed on a very simple plan.


    One of them took the Obsidian Knife, and the other took the Glass Knife. Depending on which of the immortals fell, one man was going to finish the job, while the other was going to prevent the Prince of Nothing from intervening, in case the need to do so arose.


    As the saying went, it was unwise to put all your eggs in one basket��


    The type of egg Sunny had the most experience with had belonged to a Great Devil, so he was not quite sure why exactly keeping eggs in a basket was so detrimental. But he did agree with the general idea.


    And so, from the moment the frail old man appeared in his view, Sunny had pursued a single goal.


    He had to keep the attention of Mordret and all five of his Reflections on himself.


    Even though there was a small possibility that he could emerge victorious if the two of them clashed in earnest, Sunny did not consider his chances of defeating the banished prince in battle high�� especially not while being exhausted after the furious assault on the flying fleet and devoid of the support of his Shadows.


    He had never intended to actually fight the Mordret. All he wanted to do was to stall him.


    For that reason, Sunny engaged Mordret in a lengthy conversation, created the false perception that he was still in possession of the Glass Knife by asking a few misleading questions, and provoked his opponent into revealing the five Reflections.


    Perhaps the Prince of Nothing was poisoned by Hope enough to lose a small part of his cunning, or perhaps he fell for the trap that awaited most habitual liars and failed to account for how warped his impression of people was. Perhaps he underestimated how proficient Sunny grew in utilizing his Flaw for his own benefit.


    In any case, for once, Mordret ended up as the one being manipulated instead of the one pulling the strings. Sunny might have not been stronger than him, but he did manage to outwit the banished prince.


    Today, he turned out to be the more devious of the two, even if just barely. He won the fight without lifting a finger, using only a wooden chair and his devilish tongue.


    Well�� to be precise, he did not even use his tongue. He used a rock instead.


    As soon as all Reflections revealed themselves, Kai started to move. And by the time he reached the Ivory Island�� it was already too late to stop him.


    Almost.


    The Prince of Nothing still could have used his Aspect to move through the reflections and invade the archer''s soul. However�� Kai was wearing the anvil amulet that Sunny had given him.


    This talisman had been forged by the Sovereign of Valor himself, and made the wearer immune to Mordret''s soul possession. Even if the banished prince jumped through the reflections into Kai''s eyes, he was not going to be able to possess him.


    That left only the Reflections, which were currently turned into copies of Sunny and wielded his Divine Aspect. Each had access to the Memories he wore and his Aspect Abilities�� including Shadow Step. They could still reach the island in time to prevent Kai from delivering the killing blow to Sevirax.


    ...Sunny had to stop them at all costs and buy his friend a few precious seconds.


    But that was easier said than done!


    As a small human figure streaked from the darkness of the Sky Below toward the slumped silhouette of the Ivory Dragon, Mordret swiftly turned and narrowed his eyes, instantly realizing that he had been played.


    Before he could react, however, a tide of shadows suddenly exploded from the small lantern hanging on Sunny''s waist, enveloping everything around them in impenetrable darkness. The light of the sun was swiftly destroying the shadows, but at the same time, it was being devoured by the lantern, creating a strange equilibrium.


    The shadows themselves were ancient, deep, and resilient. Sunny had collected them from the dark sides of the islands surrounding the Sanctuary before departing for the war.


    With no light remaining around them, there were also no reflections. With no reflections, Mordret was robbed of a large part of his power for a moment.


    That did not help at all against the five Reflections, though, since each of them was as comfortable in the shadows as Sunny himself was. They were his perfect copies, after all��


    Knowing that, Sunny decided to try a desperate gamble.


    The Mantle of the Underworld was still augmented by four shadows, its [Underworld Armament] enchantment empowering the Dying Wish''s effect manifold. Sunny himself was strongly affected by the compelling aura of the charm, feeling an almost irresistible urge to throw himself at the Reflections and tear them apart.


    However, this sensation was swiftly disappearing, since he had already dismissed the iron statuette.


    Instead, he summoned the Broken Oath into the onyx armor.


    ��And since the five Reflections were mirroring him, each of them reflected that change, too. Only the Demon turned out to be smart enough to stop himself and consider the consequences. The Beasts and Monsters failed to realize the result of their actions in time.


    Mordret moved, and so did the shadow devils.


    But just as they did��


    The vile charm fully weaved itself into existence. Augmented by the enchantment of the Mantle of the Underworld, its soul-eroding aura was strengthened and flowed outward like invisible poison. The armor, however, was itself augmented four times over by Sunny''s shadows, making the empowering effect tremendously more pronounced.


    And on top of that��


    Four out of the five Reflections suddenly emanated the same ferocious aura.


    The five overcharged fields of soul erosion merged together, turning into something far more vicious and destructive than the sum of its parts.


    Into something truly horrid.


    Even though the Mantle of the Underworld provided Sunny with a substantial degree of resistance against soul attacks, he couldn''t help but let out a scream. The Reflections opened their mouths in agony, too, although no sound came out of them.


    Mordret, however��


    Mordret did not enjoy the same protection that Sunny and the Reflections received from the onyx armor.

 Chapter 738 Soul Annihilation

    The [Underworld Armament] allowed the Mantle to accommodate and augment a charm Memory, channeling its enchantment as if it was inherent to the armor itself. That alone made the Mantle of the Underworld incredibly flexible.


    What was more, this quality truly shined when wielded by Sunny. He could have augmented the Broken Oath with his four shadows, but chose to wrap them around his armor instead�� achieving an even better result. Not only was the effect of the augmentation shared and enhanced, but all the other enchantments of the Mantle of the Underworld were augmented as well.


    Among them was [Stalwart], which granted him extremely high protection against physical attacks, high protection against elemental attacks, and �� most importantly �� a moderate amount of protection against mind and soul attacks.


    Currently, the Mantle was simultaneously radiating a tremendously damaging soul-annihilation aura and providing him with vastly increased resistance to soul damage.


    Even then, when five of these auras clashed and combined together, he let out a scream and collapsed to the ground, consumed by harrowing agony. His already wounded soul was being frayed and eroded at a terrible rate, and all he could do was wreathe on the ground, barely clinging to any resemblance of consciousness.


    The five Reflections were not doing much better.


    Even though their Ascended souls, or whatever it was they had instead of souls, possessed a far better quality due to a superior Rank, they had fewer cores. While that was not enough to make them succumb to soul annihilation faster than Sunny by itself, that also meant that they had fewer shadows, and therefore their reflected versions of the Mantle enjoyed less augmentation, providing them with less resistance to soul damage.


    What it all meant�� Sunny had no idea. He could not guess who was going to be destroyed first �� the Reflections or him. As far as he could tell, their chances were about equal.


    However��


    Things were very different when it came to Mordret.


    Unlike Sunny and the Reflections, he did not enjoy the protection of the Mantle of the Underworld. He was also only able to steal the Aspect of the body he possessed, while his own strange and terrible ability to mirror someone''s powers only worked inside the victim''s soul. He could not simply copy the onyx armor onto himself, nor could he augment it.


    For the moment�� Mordret was defenseless.


    With a startled yelp, the old man awkwardly fell to his knees and then rolled down the steps, ending up on the ground not too far away from Sunny. A stifled howl escaped from his lips, and his eyes opened wide, full of shock and terrible pain. The suffering Sunny and the Reflections experienced affected him so much worse.


    Any other Awakened would have been swiftly destroyed, but the Prince of Nothing persisted, somehow. Several swirls of sparks instantly appeared around his body, heralding the appearance of protective Memories. Who knew how vast and powerful his soul arsenal was? Mordret could have possessed a Memory capable of turning the tide of events completely.


    But very few Memories were capable of manifesting themselves instantly. Most took several precious seconds to appear, and usually, the more powerful ones took the longest. By the time the sparks of light turned into tangible objects, he could have been either already dead or too severely damaged to be able to act.


    Wreathing in agony, Sunny threw a burning look at the old man and gritted his teeth so hard that his fangs pierced his lip, sending drops of blood rolling down.


    ''Die! Die, you bastard! Just hurry up and die!''


    A desperate hope that Mordret would fail to survive the soul annihilation filled his hearts, despite the fact that Sunny did not really think that getting rid of the prince would be so easy. He seriously doubted that Mordret would allow himself to be killed in this fashion��


    Not to mention that as far as he knew, the Prince of Nothing was as immortal as the cursed Transcendents of the Kingdom of Hope. Both his physical and spirit bodies had been destroyed in the past, but that did not stop Mordret from continuing to exist, somehow. The great clan Valor certainly did not lack means of dealing soul damage, but they had failed to get rid of his reflection.


    ''I don''t care! Just die!''


    Sunny would have been satisfied with just destroying Mordret''s mortal shell, anyway. His true task was to buy Kai enough time to kill the Ivory Dragon, and forcing the prince to search for another body would do just that.


    Sadly, Mordret had the same idea.


    If he had lost all reason because of the pain, things could have turned differently, but the Prince of Nothing was nothing if not coolheaded and calculating. Despite the terrible suffering of having his soul slowly torn to pieces, he kept some of his composure and ability to think intact.


    Twisting, Mordret struggled to raise his head and looked in the direction of one of the Reflections. The shadowspawn was on his knees, his bestial face contorted by a grimace of agony. The Prince of Nothing paled, and then whispered something.


    A moment later, the figure of the kneeling devil rippled and shattered like a piece of glass. Something swift and intangible moved through the air and entered Mordret''s body.


    Then, another Reflection shattered... and then another, and then another. In an instant, four of the five �� both Beasts and both Monsters �� were gone, leaving a lone Demon behind.


    As they disappeared, the components of the soul-annihilating field disappeared as well. Only Sunny''s own augmented aura was left to spread the invisible poison.


    He let out a trembling sigh of relief, and then dismissed the Broken Oath entirely.


    Almost at the same time, a silver bracelet, a necklace made of strange black pearls, and a bone scepter appeared on Mordret''s body and in his hand. Each of the Memories, without a doubt, provided him with a degree of soul protection�� but by now, they were of no use.


    With his soul in shambles and barely keeping itself together, Sunny remained laying on the ground. He groaned, and then threw a tired glance at his enemy. The flood of soul essence he was sending into the Shadow Lantern had run dry, and the sunlight finally prevailed, dismantling the dome of shadows that surrounded them.


    Mordret looked�� different, somehow.


    The old man''s body remained the same, but now, a subtle sensation of immense, turbulent power emanated from it. As if Sunny was facing a titan instead of a man.


    ''No... way�� could it be?''


    Two Monsters and two Beasts�� between the four of them, they had shared six soul cores. Had Mordret not dismissed the Reflections, but actually absorbed them in order to strengthen his soul and survive the powerful attack?


    How did it even work? How could an Awakened absorb Ascended cores? Would they weaken, or would all that excess power rip his soul to shreds from the inside?


    Sunny did not know.


    All he knew was that he was utterly beaten and spent, and there was an Ascended Demon and an Awakened Titan in the guise of an old man in front of him, wrath burning in their eyes.


    But that�� did not matter.


    Because at that moment, an inhuman, pained cry rolled across the empty expanse of the empty void and reached their ears.


    It was the voice of the Ivory Dragon, Sevirax.


    His dying breath...

 Chapter 739 Empty Skies

    While Sunny and Mordret struggled to survive as their souls were being destroyed��


    A human figure emerged from the darkness of the Sky Below and shot into the sunlight, flying with incredible speed. It was a man with skin that looked like polished bark and a burned, disfigured face.


    His armor was battered and painted dull by dried blood, and the quiver attached to his belt was long empty. The man had been an officer of the Sun Legion once, but now, he returned to kill its commander.


    His eyes were full of resolve.


    Months had passed since the terrible day when Kai and his most brave soldiers were chained to the white cliff on the Sacrifice Island and left there to be devoured by the Ivory Dragon. Who could have thought that he would be back to this cursed place so soon?


    Leaving the heat of the burning city behind, Kai had hidden himself under the island where his comrades were turned to ash by the dragon''s flame, waited for Sunny to get the full attention of the prince of Valor, and then dashed forward without looking back.


    He did not wish to see the white cliff and the soot-covered chains hanging from its surface ever again.


    Flying under the last bridge connecting the rest of the city to the Ivory Island, he avoided being noticed too soon, and then ascended into the sunlight. Behind him, a dome of shadows suddenly appeared at the entrance to the bridge, hiding his friend from sight.


    With his heart growing heavy, Kai soared above the emerald grass of the Ivory City and finally saw his goal.


    A magnificent dragon was laying on the ground, blood streaming from his mangled neck. His white scales were painted crimson, and one of his wings was broken. But the great beast was still alive. He was still breathing.


    He was immortal, after all��


    But not for long.


    In his hand, Kai held a knife made of ghostly glass. Inside the knife, the dragon''s fate was sealed, placed there by a ruthless god.


    Was Kai breaking the will of the gods by delivering it back to its owner? Or completing their design?


    He did not know, and he did not care.


    All he cared about was killing the dragon.


    Kai had never been very strong, or very brave, or very smart. It took him a long time to grow a little. He was not a person of great conviction, either. But if there was one thing he believed, it was that Sevirax had to die, and that his ghastly reign had to end.


    The beautiful city he ruled was just too vile.


    Gritting his teeth, Kai ignored the pain that had tormented him for months and lunged at the gargantuan form of the dragon.


    The Glass Knife glistened in his hand��


    But even terribly wounded, the immortal Transcendent was still immensely powerful and deadly. How could a mere Awakened ever hope to wound him?


    Before Kai could thrust the ghostly blade into the exposed flesh on the great beast''s neck, Sevirax suddenly stirred. His eyelids flew up, revealing inhuman amber eyes. His maw opened slightly, wisps of smoke escaping it��


    The dragon moved his healthy wing, and a torrent of wind crashed into Kai, sending him spinning. The glass knife scratched uselessly against impenetrable scales, and he was thrown away.


    A moment later, a giant claw brushed across his chest. The young man dashed away in time to avoid being killed, but just this light touch was enough to rip his breastplate open and shatter a few of his ribs.


    With a groan, Kai fell on the soft grass. His speed was so great that his body slid for a few dozen meters, and by the time he rose shakily to his knees, the dragon was already looking at him, ready to attack.


    A hint of confusion surfaced from the ocean of madness hidden in his eyes.


    Sevirax lingered for a moment, and then, a low, tired, sonorous voice resounded from all around them:


    "You�� I know you��"


    Kai gritted his teeth.


    His surprise attack had failed�� he failed.


    Now that the Transcendent was aware of him, there was little chance of delivering the fateful strike. No matter how wounded and exhausted the Ivory Lord was, he would still be immeasurably faster, stronger, and more powerful than an Awakened with a weak Aspect. He would crush Kai in an instant.


    The immortal was not going to die. Hope was not going to escape. The Nightmare was not going to end��


    His friends would not be saved.


    Kai might have been able to fly through the sky and see far and wide��


    But he was no dragon.


    The man with a disfigured face looked at the immortal beast towering in front of him. He shook slightly, and then lowered his head.


    ...And then, he lunged forward, sending bits of torn grass into the air.


    He was fast, incredibly fast�� but Sevirax was faster. The great beast twisted his neck, protecting the wound left on it by the fangs of the Beast of Twilight, and then opened his maw to crush the small human between his jaws.


    Perhaps Kai could have dodged��


    But he didn''t.


    Instead, he accelerated even more and flew straight into the dragon''s maw, which instantly closed, giant fangs striking against each over with a deafening sound.


    Just like that, the crippled man was gone.


    The dragon froze for a moment, stunned by the little human''s unflinching bravery.


    ��Then, he suddenly shuddered and let out a tortured cry.


    Kai, who had plunged the Glass Knife into the soft flesh of the great beast''s tongue, was thrown back and crashed heavily onto the ground. His bark-like skin was smoldering, scorched once again by the heat of the dragon''s flame. His armor was disintegrating.


    And the Ivory Lord, meanwhile, was becoming mortal again.


    Now that his fate had been returned to him, the terrible wound on his neck was sapping him of life. A few seconds more, and it was going to kill him.


    But no... not yet!


    As a long, sorrowful cry of the great beast echoed across the burning city, Sevras stubbornly refused to die. Straining his battered body, he slowly crawled forward, desperately trying to reach the Ivory Tower.


    Which he had sworn to protect.


    Leaving a trail of blood behind, the beautiful white dragon torturously wrapped his body around the great pagoda and tiredly lowered his head to the ground in front of its gates. His eyes slowly closed.


    It was his�� his duty.


    To protect it.


    He was going to it, even in death.


    He promised��


    Laying on the soft grass in the middle of a burning inferno, the dragon let out a soft breath.


    He imagined a different picture��


    A picture of a beautiful white city, its streets bathing in gentle sunlight... full of happy and kind people... thriving, peaceful, and safe.


    A few moments later, Sevras, the Blessed of the Sun, was dead.

 Chapter 740 Dream Is Collapsing

    As the Ivory Dragon died, an invisible ripple spread through the world. The whole city trembled slightly, and then, one of the two remaining chains that bound the Ivory Island to the rest of Hope''s shattered kingdom broke with a deafening ring.


    The broken chain fell into the darkness of the Sky Below, leaving only a single tether holding the island in place. The island''s position shifted�� not by much, but enough to cause the arching stone bridge to crack, shudder, and then slowly crumble.


    A cloud of stone dust rose into the air as the massive structure collapsed, enveloping the patch of grass where Sunny and Mordret lay, still reeling from the deadly soul attack.


    Sunny coughed and waved his hand in front of his face, weakly trying to chase the dust away.


    ''Damnation��''


    The Prince of Nothing, meanwhile, was slowly rising to his feet. With a stagger, he regained his footing and looked in the direction of the Ivory Tower, his old face growing dim.


    Mordret remained silent for a while, and then said evenly:


    "Well, that�� is a bit unfortunate."


    Sunny let out a hoarse laugh, causing the old man to turn around and glance at him darkly. Then, he tried to sit up, but failed.


    The Prince of Nothing scoffed.


    "Drop the act, Sunless. I know you are not that weakened."


    Sunny cursed, then stopped pretending and sat up with a groan. He was indeed in a very bad shape, drained of essence, and barely alive because of how severely damaged his soul was. However, he was indeed not as weak as he had wanted to mislead Mordret into believing.


    The old man shook his head, then smiled.


    "Using my own Reflections against me�� how clever. I expected something like that from you."


    Then, his face abruptly grew dark, and he gazed in the direction of the Ivory Tower once again. His voice sounded quiet and uncertain:


    "That, however�� that I did not expect at all. It should not have been possible! I don''t understand�� giving one of the knives away is not in your nature. With how cynical and distrustful you are, you should have clung to them to the end�� how did I make this mistake?"


    Sunny grinned.


    "I guess I''ve changed."


    Mordret frowned, then slowly shook his head.


    "People don''t change that easily."


    The grin on Sunny''s face became a little brittle.


    "...It wasn''t easy."


    The old man remained motionless for a while, then sighed heavily and turned around to face him. At the same time, his remaining Reflection did the same.


    The Prince of Nothing stared at the battered shadow devil for a few moments, then said amiably:


    "Sunless, my fried�� please give me one reason why I shouldn''t kill you."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then answered with a dark smile:


    "In case you didn''t notice, people who try to kill me tend to end up dead instead."


    Mordret grinned dangerously.


    "I am sure I can manage."


    ''Well�� crap. I''m a bit sure myself."


    He tilted his head, then said doubtfully:


    "Because I still have the Divine Memory you want to get your hands on?"


    The old man took a step forward, causing the Reflection to do the same.


    "Normally, that would have been a good reason. But right now�� to be honest, Sunless, I am starting to wonder if it''s worth the effort��"


    Sunny lingered for a bit, then raised an eyebrow.


    "...Pretty please?"


    The Prince of Nothing laughed.


    "Not good enough."


    Sunny stared at him, slowly circulating what little essence he had left through his body. His Shadows were damaged and restoring themselves in the nurturing black flames of his soul�� his strength was depleted�� his allies were far away and in even worse shape than him.


    Things were looking bleak.


    He sighed, and then said in a neutral tone:


    "Look�� sure, you can probably kill me. But make no mistake, I won''t make it easy for you. More importantly, I''ll make sure to resist for a long, long time."


    Mordret smiled politely.


    "...So far, I am liking everything that I am hearing."


    Sunny grinned.


    "Aren''t you forgetting something?"


    The Prince of Nothing lingered for a moment, then frowned.


    "And what might that be?"


    Climbing back onto his chair, Sunny leaned on the backrest and let out a relieved sigh. Then, he pointed at the Ivory Tower:


    "This Nightmare is coming to the end. There''s not much time left until we are returned to the real world. Precious time that you are going to waste trying to get rid of me."


    Mordret looked at him with a dark expression.


    "That is alright. My schedule is suddenly free, anyway. What else is there to do?"


    Sunny shook his head.


    "You might have lost the opportunity to kill the Demon of Desire. But have you forgotten about the Demon of Destiny? There is a whole Ebony Tower beneath us, free for the plunder."


    The old man''s frown deepened.


    "The divine flames are much more intense and plentiful during this time. The rift in them can''t be traversed by the likes of us. Not that there''s enough time to, anyway. Unless��"


    His expression suddenly changed.


    Sunny nodded.


    "Indeed. The Sky Below cannot be traversed, but we just happen to be near the Ivory Island, and the portal that stands behind the Tower. Now�� you can waste time trying to kill me�� or you can try to pour enough divine flame into it, and get your hands on all the toys left behind by Nether. Just don''t be an idiot like me and let the time catch up to them after the seal is broken��"


    Mordret stared at him for a few moments, and then grinned.


    "You are just hoping that the strange rot inside the Ebony Tower is going to devour me, aren''t you? After all, it is not as starved yet, in this time."


    Sunny coughed.


    "Uh�� guilty as charged. Still. Are you planning to kill a Sovereign without taking a risk from time to time? Hurry up and decide. The clock is ticking."


    The old man studied him for a while, not saying anything.


    Gradually, Sunny grew extremely uncomfortable under that gaze.


    ''Damned bastard�� your desire to kill me can''t be stronger than your desire to take revenge on clan Valor! Hope, do your thing! Come on!''


    Eventually, Mordret chuckled, shook his head, and said:


    "Two Sovereigns."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "What?"


    The old man turned around and headed to the edge of the island, followed by his Reflection.


    "Two Sovereigns! I plan to kill Asterion, too. Although that will probably be much, much harder than dealing with my father�� still, I am as good at remembering grudges as you are, Sunless�� so pray that we never meet again."


    He stopped near the very edge of the empty abyss of the Sky Below, lingered at it for a few moments, and then said somberly:


    "Although who will hear your prayers? The gods are dead��"


    With that, the Prince of Nothing stepped into the darkness and disappeared, taking his Reflection with him.


    Sunny was left alone on the empty island, struggling to believe that he actually survived.


    He looked down, at his exquisite wooden chair, then at the rock in his hand.


    Then, he let out a shaky breath.


    ''Damn. I can''t believe that worked��''

 Chapter 741 Chain Breaker

    For a few moments, Sunny remained motionless, staring at the beautiful ivory walls of the great pagoda that towered above the world. Although the whole city was being consumed by immolating flame, here at its precipice, everything was calm and quiet.


    He couldn''t quite believe it.


    Solvane, the Saint of War, was dead. The immortal prince encased in the mountain of moving steel was dead. The noble dragon that had dutifully guarded the tower was dead, as well.


    They won. The Nightmare�� was conquered.


    More or less.


    From the blood-soaked arena of the Red Colosseum, to the neverending prison of nightmares, to the numinous Temple of the Chalice, to the furious battle for the sky above the Ivory City, to confronting the Prince of Nothing�� somehow, he had lived through all of it, and triumphed.


    What were the chances of that?


    ''Just five months... but it felt like a lifetime.''


    Of course, there were a few issues left.


    Most of the army of the perished Chain Lords was still intact, and on its way to the city. The cohort had dealt a terrible blow to the small part of it, but hundreds upon hundreds of flying ships still remained, carrying thousands upon thousands of soldiers. Now that their commanders were dead, he was not sure what would happen to them, and how they would react.


    Noctis was nowhere to be found.


    And Hope was still chained, even if not for long now.


    With a sigh, Sunny stood up and grimaced as a feeling of sickening weakness overwhelmed him. His soul was terribly damaged�� he had never abused it to this degree before, not even during the siege of the Crimson Spire. His body was not doing too great, either. Sunny had given his all to come this far, and now, he was at the end of his rope.


    But he was also so close to becoming a Master.


    Slowly walking to the edge of the island, he looked into the darkness of the Sky Below for a few moments, summoned the Dark Wing, and then glided down to the last remaining chain holding the Ivory Island in place.


    There was not enough essence left in his soul to turn into a swift shadow, and he was too tired to run, so Sunny simply walked forward, using his enchanted cloak to scale the uneven links of the heavenly chain from time to time. It took him a while to traverse the wide chasm of emptiness and climb to the surface of the familiar tranquil island.


    The emerald meadow, the calm surface of a clear lake, the peaceful grove of ancient trees�� he had been here before, in the distant future. Of course, now, the island did not look exactly the same. There were pools of dragon blood sizzling in the green grass, and wisps of smoke floating in the air, brought over from the burning city by the wind.


    He looked at the Ivory Tower and saw the body of a beautiful white dragon wrapped around it, not yet reduced to weathered bones.


    Sunny remained motionless for a bit, and then went to find Kai.


    The young man was laying on the grass not too far away, unconscious. His armor had melted and disintegrated, and his bark-like skin seemed damaged and scorched. Many of his bones were broken, and his disfigured face was contorted by a grimace of pain.


    But he was alive.


    After checking on his friend, Sunny came to the conclusion that Kai''s life was not in danger. His wounds, while serious, were not enough to kill an Awakened. At least not in a short time��


    Not knowing what else to do, Sunny summoned the Puppeteer''s Shroud, rolled it, and placed the soft fabric under the archer''s head as a pillow. Then, he lingered for a few moments, patted Kai on the shoulder, and stood up.


    Then, he slowly walked forward and stood in front of the dead dragon''s head, looking at the closed gates behind it.


    This was it.


    The prison of Hope��


    As he studied the gates, something suddenly rustled behind him. Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, and then slowly turned around. His eyes were dark and hollow.


    ...Noctis did not look as bad as he had after the battle with Solvane, but he also did not look good. The sorcerer was battered and beaten, his body covered by terrible burns. His elegant garments had turned into rags, and his raven-black hair was singed and uneven.


    He also looked�� different.


    It was as though the burden of madness that had clouded his beautiful grey eyes finally disappeared, leaving them sparkling and clear. The sorcerer looked radiant and at ease, emanating a cool and calming aura. His friendly presence enveloped Sunny like an embrace.


    Perhaps this was how he had been centuries ago, before the duty of being a shackle to Desire turned him twisted and weighed down by the curse of eternal servitude.


    Noctis glanced up, at the ivory expanse of the great pagoda, and then looked at Sunny with a smile:


    "Ah, Sunless! Please excuse my disheveled appearance. Looks�� looks like we''ve won, doesn''t it?"


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then offered him a silent nod.


    After that, he faced the sorcerer and asked:


    "So. What now? This is it? We are done?"


    Noctis remained silent for a bit, then lightly shook his head.


    "Well�� actually, there is one small thing left to do."


    A crooked smile appeared on Sunny''s face, and he looked away, hiding his eyes from the sorcerer. His voice resounded from the Extraordinary Rock, tinged with a bitter emotion:


    "...I thought you said that she can break one chain on her own."


    Noctis smiled.


    "Oh, I think that she can. However��"


    The immortal''s smile paled and then disappeared, leaving his face strangely bare.


    "...That doesn''t mean that she should."


    He sighed, and then looked away, at the pillars of smoke rising above the dying city. His gaze was distant and solemn.


    "Have you ever seen a wolf gnaw its paw off to escape a trap, Sunless? Ah�� it''s a terrible thing to behold. I wouldn''t wish such a fate on anyone."


    Noctis remained silent for a while, and then added in a wistful tone:


    "Wolves... are meant to be free."


    Then, a carefree smile appeared on his beautiful face once again, and the sorcerer turned to Sunny with sparks dancing in his grey eyes.


    "So, my friend�� the time has finally come for me to request something of you."


    He reached out with his hand and opened his palm. Sunny remained silent, refusing to look in the sorcerer''s direction.


    "Will you give me the Obsidian Knife?"


    ''Goddammit!''


    Sunny wanted to say so much. He wanted to do so much. He felt so much��


    But he knew that it would have been a wrong and cruel thing to do.


    A betrayal.


    He sighed heavily, and then faced Noctis. A swirl of sparks appeared around his hand.


    "I have never seen a real wolf, you know? And yes, I will�� since you asked nicely��"


    He opened the lid of the Covetous Coffer, rummaged inside, and then placed the knife cut from a single piece of obsidian in the sorcerer''s hand.


    Noctis received it and then calmly looked at the black blade. His fingers slowly closed around the handle.


    A sad smile appeared on his face.


    "Well, then�� I guess this is a goodbye. Farewell, Sunless. You have been a great friend to me. And I�� I hope that I have been a good friend to you, too."


    He sighed, lingered for a few moments, and then added:


    "Before we part, however, I must tell you something."


    Sunny looked at him darkly and asked in a hoarse voice:


    "What?"


    Noctis silently shook his head.


    "You... you really should stop wearing all black. What a terribly drab color! Ah, Sunless�� you are better than this��"


    With that, the sorcerer laughed and took a step forward.


    He hesitated for a second, then locked Sunny in a hug. Because of the difference in their heights, Sunny had to bend down a little.


    Noctis chuckled, then grew silent for a moment.


    Then, he sighed and whispered, his voice suddenly low and somber.


    Just four words, each carrying immeasurable weight:


    "Never trust the gods."


    Then, the sorcerer let go of Sunny, smiled one last time, and walked away.


    Soon, he disappeared from sight.


    And not too long after that, the Ivory Island trembled slightly as the last chain holding it in place broke apart.


    Sunny gritted his teeth, then looked away and wiped his eyes.


    His shoulders fell.


    "Damn scoundrel�� you tricked me again��"

 Chapter 742 Hope

    Sunny stood motionless for a while, feeling the ground move beneath him. Now that all seven of the chains were broken and the Ivory Tower became completely untethered from the rest of the Kingdom of Hope, it started to ascend. Slowly at first, and then faster and faster, the island it stood upon soared into the sky, leaving the shattered land behind.


    And as it did, Sunny felt the Nightmare coming to the end.


    Slowly, he walked to the edge and looked down, at the burning city below.


    The beautiful buildings of white stone were melting. The aerial bridges and elegant aqueducts were collapsing, unable to withstand the terrible heat. The streams of clear water were turning into scolding steam. All around, he could see nothing but an ocean of flame.


    The wind brought with it the distant sound of human cries, smoke, and the smell of burning flesh.


    Thousands of people �� those who still lived �� were drowning in the fiery ocean, turning into piles of blackened bones and ash.


    The Ivory City was dying.


    Was this what salvation looked like?


    ��In the thousands of years to come, the scorched islands were going to crumble into the Sky Below one after another, forming the Tear. The Twisted Rock would eventually be the last one to fall.


    As the Ivory Tower rose higher and higher, the sight of the dying city did not encompass all of Sunny''s vision anymore. Now, he saw further and wider. The landscape of the Kingdom of Hope was laid bare in front of him.


    He saw the shape of a giant steel corpse swinging below a faraway island on a broken chain, and a shape of a shattered ship laying on the ground. Effie and Cassie were somewhere there, as well�� but the distance was too great for Sunny to see them.


    He saw countless islands, some of them verdant and green, some of them grey and desolate. There were forests and lakes, rivers and hills, human settlements�� small and large. He saw people, cattle, beasts, and Nightmare Creatures.


    He saw the chains stretching into the distance as they connected the islands together.


    Looking up from the ground, Sunny saw numerous flying ships rushing toward the burning city. There were hundreds and hundred of them, some with white sails, some with red. The army of the fallen Chain Lords had arrived.


    As the Ivory Island rose even higher, the sky around it started to change.


    The change was subtle at the beginning, but as the Ivory Tower continued to ascend, it became more and more pronounced.


    The invisible power that held the flying islands above the abyss of the Sky Below was shifting. As its heart climbed higher and higher, it was slowly becoming more and more overbearing. The giant enchantment was losing its balance.


    Sunny shivered as he realized what was happening.


    The Crushing�� the Crushing was coming to the Chained Isles for the first time.


    As he watched, it descended upon the shattered remains of the Kingdom of Hope in all its vicious might.


    Across numerous islands, dust suddenly rose into the air. Ancient forests were flattened in an instant, tall hills broke apart, rivers boiled and change their course, settlements were turned into ruins.


    Countless humans, beasts, and Nightmare Creatures were cruelly killed, not knowing what had killed them.


    The flying ships were hit the hardest, every one of them instantly turning into a cloud of splinters, debris, and broken bodies. The mighty army was gone in a second.


    The scale of the destruction was too large to comprehend.


    Sunny watched as the Kingdom of Hope was turned into the Chained Isles, paralyzed by the inconceivable horror of that sight. For a while, all thoughts disappeared from his head��


    Then, suddenly, his eyes widened.


    ''Cassie! Effie!''


    For a moment, he was consumed by fear, but then his hearts slowly calmed.


    No... they were alright.


    Cassie had always been good at predicting when the islands would enter the Crushing, back in the future. She would have warned Effie if they were in danger and taken them both to safety.


    Sunny sighed with relief. Now that his paralysis was broken, however, another thought suddenly entered his mind.


    He took an uncertain step back from the edge, then turned around and ran to the center of the island.


    Approaching the dead dragon, he hurriedly climbed over the beast''s massive head and jumped down, landing near the gates of the Ivory Tower.


    The ancient doors were closed shut, as if no one had opened them in a thousand years. Sunny gritted his teeth and pulled, putting the strength of all his shadows into it.


    Hope�� he had to see Hope!


    Succumbing to the pressure, the gates slowly moved. Torturously slowly, one side of them slid forward, creating an opening.


    Not wasting any more time, he pushed himself into the narrow gap and entered the Ivory Tower.


    Soon, he saw the familiar great hall, its vast expanse bathed in light that streamed through tall windows. Seven chains sprawled from the pristine white floor, as if growing out of it, each ending in a broken shackle. The shackles were bleak and marred, their metal torn.


    There was fresh blood on the broken shackles, suffused with a radiant golden glow.


    And between them��


    Sunny staggered and involuntarily fell to his knees.


    Every passion, every desire, every emotion dwelling in his heart suddenly surged forward and ignited, breaking out of control.


    In the center of the great hall, surrounded by a swirling hurricane of light and darkness, a vague and graceful silhouette towered above the broken chains. He couldn''t quite tell where the light ended, and where her numinous body began�� perhaps Hope had no body at all, and was instead made of pure radiance, pure darkness.


    He felt as if her nebulous visage was almost human-like, but also inexplicably alien. The shapes and contours were both correct and wrong�� both familiar and strange�� both pleasing and revolting.


    And beautiful��. so beautiful��


    She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.


    She was the most terrifying thing he had ever seen.


    She was��


    Divine, unholy, unknown, unknowable.


    ��A daemon.


    And she was leaving.


    Sunny couldn''t see much, but he clearly understood that Hope was ready to disappear. Maybe she was already half-gone, and all he saw was an afterimage.


    And yet, he had to�� he had to��


    His mind was scattered and empty, and he didn''t quite remember what he wanted to do.


    What he desired��


    Sunny gritted his teeth, and then screamed, letting his desire dictate the question:


    "Wait! Don''t go! Tell me�� tell me why the Lord of Light did this! Why did the gods imprison you?! Why couldn''t they just kill you?! Why?!"


    The Demon of Desire paid him no attention. For a moment, Sunny thought that he would not receive an answer.


    But then, something changed.


    Hope moved, and was suddenly beside him. Her face, which was weaved of light and darkness, encompassed the whole world. Her radiant eyes peered into the deepest, most hidden parts of his soul.


    And then, a voice that sounded like the rustle of countless leaves, like a myriad of prayers, like the wind that blew between the stars whispered into his ear:


    "...Because we are their Flaw."


    Sunny''s eyes grew wide.


    And then, everything became dark.


    ...The Nightmare was over.

 Chapter 743 Appraisal

    [Your nightmare is over.]


    [Prepare for appraisal��]


    Once again, Sunny found himself in the space between dream and reality. The boundless black void was illuminated by a myriad of stars, with countless strings of silver light connecting them together to form an infinite, beautiful pattern.


    Now that he had a nascent understanding of sorcery, Sunny saw the pattern differently. His old suspicions grew stronger, slowly turning into a certainty.


    This was the inner sanctum of the Spell. And if the Spell had been created by Weaver�� then what he was looking at was its weave.


    The myriad of stars were the nexuses. The strings of light, however, were not the same as the threads of essence he could create himself.


    ��Instead, the Spell was weaved from the Strings of Fate itself.


    As that realization took root in his heart, Sunny shuddered. The scale of the cosmic weave of silver light and numerous stars that surrounded him had already been too vast to comprehend. Now that he glimpsed its true nature, it suddenly seemed even more inconceivable.


    Yes, Weaver was called the Demon of Fate�� but harvesting its very fabric to create a titanic enchantment was too incredible, even for the firstborn of the Unknown.


    For a daemon��


    Sunny shivered once again.


    "We are their Flaw�� what did she mean?"


    Hope''s answer had shaken him to the very core. The implications were too�� unthinkable. He did not truly understand what she had meant, but felt as though he was at the precipice of a vast and terrible truth.


    Sunny was still far away from grasping that truth, however.


    Were the daemons personifications of the Flaws that the gods had shed? Is that how the gods had become flawless? Or had the gods been flawless before the daemons appeared, instead?


    None of it made any sense. How did the Unknown, from whom the daemons had come, fit into this? Was there a hint at who or what the Unknown had been�� or was?


    As always, there were too many questions, and almost no answers!


    If there was one thing that became clear, however, it was that the relationship between the gods and the daemons was even more complicated than he had thought.


    "How infuriating��"


    Sunny had learned a remarkable secret, but had no way to understand it. He stared into the distance for some time, then sighed.


    "Well, whatever. I am too small and weak to concern myself with the secrets of the divine, anyway."


    ��Although he was not as small and weak as he had been before.


    He was a Master!


    Or rather, was about to become one.


    As if answering his thoughts, the Spell finally spoke:


    [Awakened! Your trial is over.]


    It voice continued to resonate in the black void:


    [A lonesome shadow came to a land of shattered dreams. It was captured and thrown into a cage, but escaped by weaving sorceries from its own soul. The shadow beheaded itself to take the slave collar off its neck, and lost its heart to win its freedom.


    Leaving the coliseum behind, the shadow traveled far and got ensnared. It lived a hundred lives and died a hundred deaths within a dreadful nightmare, forgetting what it was and where it came from. The shadow did not break, and so, the nightmare broke instead.


    Free once again, the shadow befriended a mad sorcerer, a feral child, a crippled archer, and a blind prophet. Together, they collected the deaths of the immortal lords and waged a war against the holy city.


    The lords were killed, the city was destroyed.


    The shadow broke the chains of Hope, and set Desire free.]


    [You have slain an Awakened��]


    The Spell went on to list everyone and everything he had killed inside the Nightmare. Sunny felt that something strange was happening to time inside the black void, because it did not take too long for the Spell to finish with that part of the appraisal.


    And there was a lot for it to list�� Sunny had been busy in these past five months, after all. He had lost count at some point, but the number of his victims had to be somewhere between one and two thousand. He had slain a thousand enemies at the Red Colosseum alone��


    A few of them stood out from the litany of names.


    The Red Priest, Nightmare, the three War Maidens, a few high-ranking officers of the flying fleet, Solvane herself... that was the tally of his deeds. The Spell was not shy about showering him with praise, too.


    Of course, his most dangerous battle had been the battle of wits against Mordret.


    After a while, the Spell was ready to pass a verdict.


    [...You have set free a demoness chained by a god.]


    [Your achievements are remarkable!]


    [Final appraisal: excellent.]


    With that, it grew silent.


    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, then frowned.


    "Wait�� what?"


    Excellent? Just excellent?


    "What the hell, Spell?!"


    It did not even bother to add a remark after the appraisal. He had killed hundreds upon hundreds of Awakened humans and Nightmare Creatures, including plenty of Fallen abominations and Masters! He had even killed a Saint!


    He had learned true sorcery, won a battle against a whole army, caused the deaths of several immortals, and set free a daemon against a god''s will! He had his head cut off and his heart ripped out, and still lived to tell the tale! Was it not enough to earn a better mark?


    Not that it mattered, anyway�� unlike the First Nightmare, the Second did not come with an additional boon. Sunny already had a True Name and an Aspect Legacy. All he was going to receive was the Ascension, which was the only reward he truly cared about.


    But still��


    Why was his performance in the First Nightmare appraised as glorious, but his performance in the Second Nightmare as just excellent? Both achievements seemed equally improbable, but this one was without a doubt much more impressive.


    Suddenly, an idea entered his mind.


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    "Can�� can this be true?"


    If it was��


    His heart suddenly skipped a bit.


    What was the difference between what he had done in his two Nightmares?


    Yes, his deeds in the Kingdom of Hope were astonishing and bordering on impossible. But almost all of them repeated the events of the original past. They had followed the current of fate��


    The Temple of the Chalice had been destroyed, Sun Prince had lost his arm and ended up with his chest torn open, hanging from the Shipwreck Island with his leg tangled in a broken chain. Lord Sevras died wrapping his dragon body around the Ivory Tower.


    The only substantial change he had achieved was killing Solvane instead of letting her suffer for an eternity in the grasp of Wormvine.


    In the First Nightmare, however�� Sunny was not sure how the true temple slave fared, but he suspected that their paths diverged quite a lot.


    In other words, he had carved his own path through the Black Mountain, overcoming the current of fate to a much larger degree.


    But what did all of this mean?


    Sunny forgot to breathe.


    ��Was that what the Spell truly valued?


    What that what its true purpose was?


    Had Weaver created it��


    To change fate?

 Chapter 744 Ascension

    Sunny reeled from all the information he was receiving.


    He had already been exhausted after the battle against the flying armada, the race across the burning city, the confrontation with Mordret�� and the rest.


    Witnessing Hope in her true form and hearing her inhuman, beautiful voice had almost overloaded his mind. Looking at the Spell through the prism of his new knowledge of sorcery had been another shock.


    And this latest revelation��


    Sunny groaned.


    ''What does it all mean?''


    Of course, he could not be certain of the validity of his guess. But his intuition told him that he was at least partially right�� the appraisal of the challenger''s performance did not depend on the greatness of the feats they had achieved, but instead on how far they had strayed from the predestined outcome. How well they had resisted the current of fate.


    The Spell wanted humans to strain against the chains of fate�� maybe even break them.


    But why? Why would the Demon of Fate want fate to be subjugated? By mere mortals, no less.


    And what was the point of manipulating fate inside illusory Nightmares? No matter how much was changed, it was never going to affect the Dream Relm and the Waking World. It was never going to reach reality. Whatever changes had been made, they were going to disappear forever as soon as the Nightmare ended.


    As far as Sunny knew, no echo of the events that transpired in the First, Second, and Third Nightmares had ever affected change in the real world. The only thing that returned from the Nightmares��


    Were the Awakened.


    He frowned, feeling a vague hint of suspicion appearing in his mind. However, before he could grasp it, the Spell spoke again. Its voice resounded in the darkness, enveloping him from all directions:


    [The Third Seal is broken.]


    [Awakening dormant powers��]


    Sunny was about to Ascend.


    Just as before, he felt as though something was waking up inside him. His four Shadow Cores ignited with intense heat, the power within them surging. The heat spread through his soul and his body, rejuvenating and changing them.


    The feeling was familiar and euphoric. He felt his body being reforged into a stronger, better, more perfect version of itself. His soul was going through the same sublime transformation.


    This process was already familiar to Sunny, since more or less the same thing had happened to him twice before. However, this time�� something was different��


    Instead of stopping after reaching the threshold of qualitative change and immense fortification, the transformation continued. His body and soul, both turned incandescent and malleable by the furious heat flowing through them, started to melt into each other.


    They were slowly merging.


    But they were not simply joining into a single whole�� instead, the two parts of his being resonated with each other, reinforcing one another. The power of that resonance grew stronger and stronger, and then exploded once it reached his four cores.


    Under the influence of the resonance, the threshold was demolished, pushing him even further on the path of evolution. And as his body and soul became one��


    A profound change took place.


    Suddenly, Sunny felt the shadow essence coursing through every fiber of his being with stark clarity. The difference was so staggering that he almost yelped. The measure of control he could exert on his essence became incredibly precise and fine.


    Additionally, since his body and soul were now deeply interconnected, the effect of one on another also went through a fundamental change. He could do much more, and with much less.


    This was the true boon of the Ascension.


    And there was something else�� a deep and vast shift in his very being that he could feel, but not understand or express with words yet. All Sunny knew was that it had to do with his relation to the waking world, the Dream Realm, and his connection to both.


    Slowly, the heat suffusing his newly reforged self subsided and turned into a pleasant coldness. The coldness then disappeared, absorbed into his spirit, his flesh, and his bones.


    Sunny looked at the black void with new eyes.


    He felt��


    Powerful.


    He felt as though there was furious might boiling under his skin. He also felt calm and confident. Balanced.


    As he listened to his body, the Spell spoke from the darkness:


    [Awakening Aspect Ability.]


    [Aspect Ability acquired.]


    Sunny held his breath.


    [...Aspect Ability Name: Shadow Manifestation.]


    He clenched his fists.


    ''Is this�� is this what I think it is?!''


    However�� to his surprise, the Spell was not done speaking.


    Stunning Sunny, its voice resounded once again:


    [Your Attribute has evolved.]


    [Your Aspect Ability has evolved.]


    The Spell paused for a moment, and then added solemnly:


    [Your Ascension is complete.]


    Sunny opened his eyes wide.


    ''What?! What has evolved?!''


    He hurriedly summoned the runes and read them:


    Name: Sunless.


    True Name: Lost from Light.


    Rank: Ascended.


    Class: Devil.


    Shadow Cores: [4/7].


    Shadow Fragments: [744/4000].


    Sunny stared at the number of his fragments for a moment, then shook his head and skipped ahead to his Attributes.


    Attributes: [Fated], [Flame of Divinity]...


    He had expected the [Flame of Divinity] to transform once again, but it was the same. Neither did [Blood Weave] and [Bone Weave] change.


    Instead�� [Child of Shadows] was gone.


    A new Attribute had replaced it.


    Sunny stared at the runes.


    They read:


    [Master of Shadows].


    ''...What?''


    He sucked in a deep breath, waited for a moment, and then concentrated on the shimmering symbols.


    [Master of Shadows] Attribute Description: "Shadows recognize you as one of their champions."


    The first part was the same, but the second was new.


    ''Wait�� does this mean that I command wild shadows now?''


    He quickly concentrated on his Abilities, looking for the one that had evolved.


    It was [Shadow Control].


    Now, its description read:


    [Shadow Control] Ability Description: "[Your shadows are more independent than most, and are invaluable helpers. All shadows respect your authority.]


    ''It does!''


    The possibilities! If he could command natural shadows to move and change shapes according to his will, so many things would become easier. So many things would become possible!


    And that new and unexpected gift was going to, without a doubt, synergized not only with his familiar Aspect Abilities, but with his new one, as well.


    Finally, Sunny moved his gaze and concentrated on his Ascended Ability.


    The runes shimmered in the darkness.


    Aspect Ability: [Shadow Manifestation].


    Ability Description: [You can manifest shadows as tangible objects].


    Sunny read the description several times over, then froze for a few moments.


    The visage of the Mountain King being torn apart by tentacles made of pure shadows appeared in his mind.


    ��After some time, Sunny threw his head back and let out a loud, triumphant laugh.


    As his laughter echoed in the darkness, the Spell whispered into his ear.


    [...Wake up, Sunless.]


    [Your nightmare is over!]

 Chapter 745 Freedom Of Choice

    In a dark underground chamber, a metal sarcophagus stood shrouded in silence. Nothing had disturbed the silence and no light had penetrated the darkness in a long, long time.


    Until now.


    Suddenly, the sarcophagus came to life, and a scattering of lights ignited on its surface. A crack appeared on the smooth alloy surface, revealing where the edges of a heavy lid were. The lid smoothly slid away, and a flood of radiant light chased away the darkness of the underground chamber.


    Cold vapor shined as it rose from inside the sarcophagus. Then, a pale hand rose from within it and forcefully grabbed the metal lip, easily bending its armored alloy.


    Sunny struggled to climb out of the sleeping pod for a few moments, then lowered his feet to the cool plates of the dojo''s floor. A moment later, he swayed and fell down with a yelp.


    "Damnation!"


    Sunny remained sprawled on the floor for a few seconds, trying to understand what had happened and why he suddenly lost balance. Then, his eyes gleamed.


    "Wait�� I can speak again? I can speak again!"


    A happy smile slowly appeared on his lips.


    Of course�� he was back to being a human! He had returned to his own body. Trying to move like a towering demon was not going to do his sense of balance any good��


    With a mad grin, Sunny nimbly jumped to his feet and looked down, enjoying the sight of his slender, pale body. Then, he suddenly spun and performed several lightning-fast strikes and kicks.


    "Ah, it is good to be home!"


    He felt so light, so swift, so agile�� but most of all, so himself. It was as though a giant weight fell from his shoulders, quite literally �� the shadowspawn must have weighed three times what Sunny weighed. Being a tall, powerful devil had its own advantages, but he much preferred his true compact self.


    Not only was Sunny much lighter, but he also presented a much smaller target for the enemies to stick their blades in. And although having only two hands seemed rather inconvenient and silly, shedding the cumbersome shell of the inhuman creature feel nothing short of exhilarating.


    Besides, now that Sunny was a Master, his slender body packed more punch than the shadowspawn could ever hope to muster. Not to mention how in tune it was with shadow essence now, and how explosive the result could be.


    At the moment, Sunny was incredibly happy with his natural stature and height. Only after being forcefully turned into a lumbering monstrosity did he learn to appreciate all the benefits of being light, nimble, and swift.


    Inhaling the flawlessly filtered air of the underground dojo, he let out a satisfied sigh and glanced at the crumpled metal of the lip of the sleeping pod. He had inadvertently damaged the armored alloy by simply grabbing it too hard. Getting used to his new strength was going to take some time��


    For a moment, Sunny felt very disheartened about the damage he had done to the expensive machine. Replacing the bent panel was not going to be cheap. It was well within his means, of course�� but still��


    However, then, he tilted his head slightly.


    "Wait�� why do I even care?"


    Why would he worry about the luxurious sleeping pod?


    He didn''t need it anymore!


    He was a Master now�� a true Ascended. If Sunny wished to enter the Dream Realm, he would travel there physically. His body would not be left empty and defenseless in the waking world. More than that��


    He could leave the Dream Realm behind, forever. If he wanted to, he could never go back to that hell. He could just remain in the comfort and safety of the real world, enjoying all that it offered thanks to his wealth, citizenship, and social status.


    For the first time after becoming infected by the Nightmare Spell, Sunny was free to refuse it. He had won his right to have a choice. He�� he was not a slave to the whims of the world anymore.


    For now��


    He could concentrate on his business and open a true Memory shop, just like he had wanted. With his accumulated arsenal and knowledge of sorcery, creating a thriving enterprise would not be a problem. Sunny would be able to grow filthy rich and enjoy a lavish or even decadent lifestyle without having to risk his life or think about how to sustain it even again.


    He could even sleep in an actual bed, and see actual dreams.


    Would it not be a beautifully happy ending for a homeless street rat from the outskirts?


    Sunny froze, staring into the distance. Slowly, a pale smile appeared on his face.


    "Yeah�� as if that would ever happen��"


    Somehow, he doubted that extricating himself from the Spell would be that easy. Even if he learned how to manage the unpredictable nature of his [Fated] Attribute, there were other factors to consider.


    As a Master with a Special Strategic Asset designation, he was bound to attract the utmost attention of the forces that governed humanity. Neither the government nor the Great Clans would leave him be�� especially the latter. Sunny suspected that he was going to receive a friendly visit from a representative of one of the ruling clans in the near future.


    Thanks to subtle assistance from Master Jet, they had largely let him be when Sunny had been simply a promising Awakened. Now that he proved his mettle and elevated himself to the venerated status of an Ascended, the clans would not remain idle.


    At the very least, they had to pass on a message that trying to become a Saint without pledging allegiance to one of them would not be tolerated.


    And then there was the whole mess with the Night Temple��


    Saint Tyris had said that she would smooth things out with clan Valor, but Sunny did not know how successful her attempts to shield him from the consequences of Mordret''s escape had ended up being. Even though there were no witnesses left to tell the tale of what had transpired in the destroyed Citadel, he was hesitant to assume that a Great Clan had no means of finding out the truth.


    And finally��


    There was Nephis.


    Even though Sunny was inclined to believe that Changing Star would not abuse her power over him, he could not be absolutely sure.


    Worse still, whatever certainty he had was based on Nephis he knew.


    Who could tell what years of solitude in the harrowing hell of the Dream Realm had done to her mind?


    Sunny looked down, and then sighed.


    "No�� I''ll still be rich and lazy one day, no matter what�� you will all see!"


    His train of thought was interrupted, however, because in the next moment, the whole home suddenly shook, and a strangely exhilarated howl resounded from somewhere above.


    Sunny flinched, then looked up with wide eyes.


    "What... the hell was that?!"

 Chapter 746 First Steps

    Summoning the Undying Chain and the Cruel Sight, Sunny bypassed using either the elevator or the stairs, and stepped through the shadows to leave the underground dojo behind.


    No matter what kind of an abomination had found its way into his home, the creature was going to regret it dearly!


    For a moment, however, Sunny felt a hint of hesitation.


    ��He did not know what had transpired in the waking world during his absence, after all. He had left for the Night Temple seven months ago, and had not been back since.


    For all Sunny knew, humanity might have fallen in that time! The whole city could have been destroyed, with endless hordes of Nightmare Creatures stalking the desolate ruins. Any kind of horror could have been hiding in his living room��


    ''Well, so what? It is still my living room��''


    No matter what state the waking world was in, anyone and anything thinking that they could simply make themselves at home in a home that belonged to Sunny would have to reconsider their life choices.


    Ready for battle, he appeared from the shadows�� and froze.


    The exhilarated howl grew much louder above ground, but it was not produced by a Nightmare Creature.


    Instead, it was produced by Effie.


    With beads of condensation still glistening on her olive skin, the huntress was standing in the center of the room and howling like a maniac. Behind her, the door of the guest bedroom was taken off the hinges�� complete with a large piece of the wall and a chunk of the ceiling.


    ''That wall was reinforced with armored alloy, dammit!''


    Sunny stared at his friend in shock, then slowly blinked.


    ''Wait�� Effie�� is standing?!''


    Indeed, the young woman was standing tall, her long legs appearing healthy and strong. There was no wheelchair in sight.


    In fact, her whole appearance had changed. The weak, unhealthy girl with pale skin stretching over brittle bones and a twisted spine was gone. Instead, Effie looked almost like she did in the Dream Realm �� tall, attractive, with sparkling hazel eyes and perfectly defined, lean muscles rolling under the dewy olive skin. She was radiating an infectious feeling of vitality and vigor.


    Everything about her was screaming of strength, potency, and power. The only thing that changed was the length and cut of her hair, as well as the degree of her tan.


    Before Sunny could realize it, a joyous smile crept up on his face.


    ��Of course. The Ascension was a miraculous process. It merged the physical and the spirit bodies together, taking the best parts and perfecting both. Even the Lost could return from the Dream Realm and live in the real world once more after conquering the Second Nightmare. Effie''s disability was no exception to this magical rule.


    That was the reason why she had always strived to become a Master, to begin with.


    ��A moment later, Effie ended her triumphant howl on a high note and turned around, finally noticing him. Her eyes shined. She took a step forward and grinned brightly:


    "Doofus! I''m walking!"


    Sunny wanted to say something, but then forced himself to look away. He cleared his throat.


    "Congratulations! I am very happy for you�� I am. But, please�� can you put something on?"


    Effie blinked a couple of times, then looked down. In all the excitement, she had completely forgotten to dress after climbing out of the sleeping pod.


    Her grin turned a little sheepish.


    "Ah�� well�� pretend you didn''t see anything!"


    Hearing the young woman hurriedly stomp away, Sunny let out a heavy sigh.


    "I will�� try��"


    Effie''s voice resounded from the guest bedroom:


    "Sunny!"


    He turned his head slightly.


    "What?"


    For a moment, there was silence.


    "...Sorry about the doors! And the walls!"


    Sunny grimaced.


    "It''s not a big�� wait, walls? As in multiple walls?! What�� what the hell did you do?!"


    ***


    While Effie was clothing herself, Sunny looked around his house. It didn''t change much.


    In the seven months that passed since his departure, the cleaning systems had done a good job of keeping everything presentable. If not for the broken door of the guest bedroom and the debris of the collapsed wall laying on the floor, he could have thought that he had left only yesterday.


    It was a strange feeling�� so much had happened, so much had changed. He had changed most of all. He was a Master now, and that was perhaps not the greatest transformation Sunny had gone through after living through the Night Temple and the Nightmare.


    And yet, here in the waking world, everything was the same. Everything was unchanged.


    He did not know how to feel about it.


    The permanence and safety of his home were very�� comforting. But they also filled him with a deep sense of resentment, for some reason. The contradiction persisted, making him feel confused.


    Shaking his head, Sunny retrieved his communicator from where he had left it and turned it online.


    There was a backlog of unanswered messages he was going to have to go through, but right now, that did not matter. Only the last message caught his attention.


    It was from Cassie, containing only a couple of worlds:


    "I''m fine."


    He quickly sent a response, and then dialed Kai.


    His friend answered the call immediately, as if he was waiting for it. The charming young man was already dressed, although his gorgeous hair was wet and messy. In the background, multiple people in stylish business suits were feverishly running around with slightly shell-shocked looks on their faces. They were probably the representatives of his agency and PR team.


    Kai smiled.


    "Sunny! What�� what happened? How did the Nightmare end? Is everyone alright?"


    Sunny lingered for a moment.


    "I am alright. Effie and Cassie are alive and well, too. After you dealt with Sevirax, everything�� everything went smoothly."


    The young man sighed with relief.


    "Thank the gods. But what about��"


    He grew silent, not wishing to say Mordret''s name aloud. Then, Kai shook his head:


    "Actually, don''t answer. I''ll be there in ten minutes!"


    The image on the screen of the communicator shifted, and then cut off. The last thing Sunny heard was someone''s voice yelping:


    "Mr. Night? What are you�� what do you mean, step away from the window?!"


    Sunny lowered the communicator and smiled.


    A piece of the broken wall caught his eye, laying on the kitchen table. Everything else was perfectly clean and spotless.


    ��As Sunny stared at the piece of debris with displeasure, a dark tentacle rose from below, and easily swatted it to the floor.

 Chapter 747 Invisible Scars

    Usually, it would have taken Kai a lot longer to fly across the city to reach the tranquil terrace district�� not that he would have. But today, the famous idol neglected his habit of staying low and out of sight. It seemed that his speed increased tremendously, as well, because ten minutes later, he was already at Sunny''s door.


    Maybe because of that, there was no crowd of paparazzi following him.


    As they waited for Cassie, Effie rummaged through the empty refrigerator, then walked away from it with a disappointed sigh.


    "There''s no food!"


    Sunny, who was evaluating the damage the boisterous huntress had done to the guest bedroom, glanced at her darkly.


    "We''ve been gone for months. What did you expect?"


    Effie made a sad face, then shrugged.


    "But I''m hungry!"


    Sunny let out an exasperated breath.


    "...I have some synthpaste, if you want."


    She shuddered and opened her mouth to retort, but at that moment, there was a knock on the door. If not for the haughty shadow standing guard outside �� reluctantly, of course, since mundane tasks such as this were grossly beneath it �� Sunny would have tensed up.


    However, he already knew that it was Cassie.


    The blind girl walked inside, froze for a moment, then raised a deliciously smelling package.


    "...I brought food."


    Effie threw a quick glance at Kai and grinned:


    "See! Someone has some sense��"


    She did not stare at the archer for long, though.


    Kai had always been ridiculously charming, but after becoming a Master, his looks assumed an almost hypnotizing quality. It was easy to get distracted if one stared at him for too long.


    In fact, every one of them became much better looking, albeit to a different degree. After studying Kai and Cassie for a bit, Sunny couldn''t help but shake his head ruefully, a stunned expression on his face. He finally understood why Master Jet had called herself average when they first met, at least as far as Ascended went.


    Still�� it felt wrong to put the word average in one sentence with someone like her. Jet possessed an intangible quality that no one he had ever met was able to match. The four of them were Masters too, now, but they were far away from matching her arresting presence.


    And Sunny himself?


    He wasn''t sure that he qualified to be considered a flower boy, as Soul Reaper had once predicted, but even he couldn''t call himself unassuming anymore. The scrawny kid from the outskirts was gone. Instead, a young man with porcelain skin and striking black eyes took his place.


    Deep in their darkness, visible only to Sunny himself, golden threads of Weaver''s forbidden legacy glowed with the flame of divinity.


    ��The four of them settled around the table and shared a silent meal.


    Despite the fact that they should have been exhilarated by their triumph over the Nightmare, none of the four seemed too joyous�� well, except for Effie, who couldn''t stop grinning and stealing glances at her pristine, vigorous body. The huntress was overflowing with giddiness.


    The other free, however, just felt�� hurt, tired, and empty.


    And why wouldn''t they be? Inside the Nightmare, there was no time for weakness. They had to carry on no matter how deep the wounds dealt to their souls cut. Now that the danger had passed and the members of the cohort were back in the real world, all those invisible scars were starting to make their presence known.


    The slaughterhouse of the Red Colosseum, the nightmares, the assault on the Ivory City�� all of it was slowly coming back to haunt Sunny.


    The others had their share of demons to quell, no doubt.


    After a while, Kai poured himself a cup of tea, looked at Sunny, and asked with uncertainty:


    "So�� what happened? I don''t remember much after being swallowed by Sevirax."


    Effie dropped her fork and stared at the archer with a stunned expression.


    "Swallowed�� what? You were swallowed by the dragon?"


    Kai smiled with embarrassment:


    "Oh�� not really. I just, sort of�� jumped into his mouth. Because I didn''t know how else to kill him."


    The Effie blinked a few times, but didn''t say anything. She even forgot about her food for a moment.


    Sunny looked down, then sighed.


    "Nothing really happened. I managed to stall the�� the fifth challenger for a while. He fell for my deception because he had assumed that I would not trust anyone with the knives, I think. After you killed the dragon, there was no real reason for him to stay. He left to salvage at least some rewards before the Nightmare ended, and I crossed to the Ivory Island."


    He grew quiet for a few moments, and then added:


    "When Sevras died, one of the two remaining chains that held it in place broke. Then�� then the other one did, too. The Tower rose into the sky, and as it did, the force holding the islands afloat shifted, creating the Crushing. That is how Chained Isles came to be. Hope escaped, and the Nightmare ended."


    A somber silence settled over the table. After a while, Cassie asked:


    "So�� so Lord Noctis fell, too?"


    Sunny slowly nodded.


    "Yes. He asked me to give him the Obsidian Knife, and broke the last chain himself."


    Effie sighed, then glanced at the cup of tea in front of her.


    "Damn it. I wish we had something stronger to drink, in his honor. Some wine, maybe. Noctis, he was a devious, wicked, two-faced lunatic. But he was also�� great. In more than one sense. You know?"


    She smiled wistfully, and then shook her head:


    "Isn''t it strange? Mourning a figment of the Spell. They weren''t real, after all."


    Sunny looked down, knowing that Effie was not only talking about Noctis.


    Then, the corners of his mouth curled upward.


    He raised his cup of tea and smiled.


    "...Actually, I think that enjoying some tea is what he would have wanted us to do. That was his plan, you know? Win a war against the immortal Saints, defy the gods, release the Demon of Desire from her prison�� and then have a cup of tea."


    Sunny took a sip, and then let out a satisfied sigh.


    "So, let''s relax and do exactly that. We deserved this much, at least... don''t you think?"

 Chapter 748 Young Masters

    Some time later, Sunny left the house and sat on the porch by himself.


    His thoughts were in disarray.


    So much had changed, so much had happened. So much was going to happen in the next few days, as well. His life was inevitably going to transform�� hopefully, for the best.


    However, there were many obstacles he was going to have to overcome and many decisions he was going to have to make in order to avoid being destroyed by the changes instead. Although Sunny had grown considerably stronger, and obliterating him was not as easy anymore, there were still threats out there that he did not dare to face.


    He sighed, and looked down.


    ''I am a Master.''


    The knowledge rested in his mind, but he was yet to truly comprehend it. Ascended had seemed so distant and glorious to him, once. Not quite demigods, but also not mere mortals anymore. But now, he was one of these venerated beings himself. He could feel inhuman power coursing through his veins.


    That was something he couldn''t process that fast.


    And yet, time waited for no one. Sunny knew that there would be no opportunity to properly get used to his swiftly shifting circumstances. He had a lot to do, and he had to do it now.


    ''Just take it one step at a time.''


    What did he have to do immediately?


    Call Aiko, for one. He had to let his business partner know that he was back and get an update on how Rain was doing.


    Then, discover a way to contact the White Feather clan and find out about the fallout of the destruction of the Night Temple�� although Cassie could handle that.


    Finally, get in touch with Master Jet. For better or worse, she was his handler and his point of contact with the government. If things turned from bad to worse with the great clans, the authorities were the only force influential enough to shield him�� for a price, no doubt.


    Sunny grimaced.


    ''Not yet�� I need to collect my thoughts first.''


    He leaned back and studied the familiar, peaceful landscape of the terrace district.


    Despite the fact that the Great Clans possessed incredible powers, it was not too easy to deal with Sunny and the other members of the cohort anymore. All four of them were Masters now, and exceptional ones at that�� not only had they conquered the Second Nightmare, but they had also done it at an abnormally young age and after entering the Seed one measly year after Awakening.


    The survivors of the Forgotten Shore were already famous, and this latest accomplishment was bound to stir up a real storm, both in the media and behind closed doors. Sunny would not be able to remain fully under the radar anymore.


    Not to mention that each of them received extremely powerful Abilities.


    Effie''s was, perhaps, the most remarkable in how useful it was. Sunny had expected the huntress to receive another combat Ability, but instead, her new power appeared to bolster her allies as long as they could see her. It was as though they were receiving a part of her phenomenal, comprehensive physical augmentation.


    Sunny had experienced that enhancement himself when Effie enthusiastically activated her new Ability, and had to admit that it was�� powerful. Not comparable to what the young woman herself could accomplish, but still significant.


    What was even more amazing, it could be effortlessly shared with any number of people as long as they maintained the line of sight with the huntress, without an additional cost in essence. That basically meant that any cohort, any force, and even any army could benefit tremendously from having Effie fight in their ranks.


    Of course, Masters usually acted alone. There were simply not enough Masters and too much for them to do to form full cohorts of Ascended. However, that did not mean that one could not build supporting teams of Awakened or even mundane soldiers around them. Sunny had seen exactly that when Master Jet arrived to contain the Gate ahead of the government forces.


    So�� Effie was about to get very, very popular among the great powers of humanity.


    Kai was in a similar situation, although for different reasons.


    His Ascended Ability was�� strange, and a little bit frightening. None of them, not even Kai himself, had the chance to explore the full range of its capabilities. However, the potential of what it could achieve was vast.


    Basically, Kai''s voice acquired a supernatural quality that compelled people who heard it to follow his commands. The result and the consequence depended on how much essence he poured into the compulsion and the target''s resistance, as well as some other factors that no one understood.


    Direct commands were hard to force on people with strong willpower or high resistance to mind attacks. For example, if Kai commanded another Ascended to drop their weapon, they would be able to refuse the compulsion.


    ��However, their grip might grow weaker, and their attacks might grow slower.


    The same principle worked the other way around, too. The compulsion did not have to be aimed at an enemy. Kai could call upon his allies to fight with more fervor or to hold their ground no matter what. He could invoke any feeling he wanted in large groups of people, or lure them to their deaths like a siren.


    That Ability made him incredibly valuable for those who held power, as well. The government propaganda machine especially was going to lose its collective mind over Nightingale and his enchanting voice.


    And there was more�� Kai''s Aspect had evolved after he had faced and slain the Ivory Dragon. Instances like that were known to happen, but were also incredibly rare. His Awakened Aspect was now Ascended, which made his previous Abilities more potent, and maybe even introduced new facets to them.


    The archer had no time to explore these changes yet, so his friends had no idea what the evolution entailed. They only knew that their friend had grown stronger, although perhaps in a way that few would notice.


    And then there was Cassie.


    Her new Ability was perhaps the most obscure and esoteric. The blind girl herself described it as being able to perceive the world from a different perspective.


    In other words, she could now use someone else �� or something else �� to substitute her senses. She could smell through someone''s nose, feel through someone''s touch�� and see through someone''s eyes.


    While Cassie herself was still blind, she was able to look upon the world again, and see what the recipient of the connection saw. The connection could be established with several mediums at the same time, as long as she had the mental capacity to withstand the flood of input.


    What was more disturbing was the fact that the medium did not necessarily have to acquiesce to the connection, or even be aware of it �� although it took much less essence to sustain a connection with a willing recipient.


    Despite not being too flashy at first glance, that was an insidiously formidable Ability. After all, knowledge was the origin of power, and Cassie could potentially become a vortex of it. There were a lot of uses for such an Ability, from becoming the connective tissue between the commanders and the soldiers during a large-scale battle to establishing an invisible and undetectable spy network.


    Additionally, Cassie''s first Ability expanded once again, now allowing her to perceive not only Attributes and Aspect names, but also Aspect Abilities of other Awakened.


    In short, she would be a boon to any clan, great clan, or branch of the government. However, Sunny knew that the blind girl was deadset on remaining independent and continuing to lead the Fire Keepers.


    Perhaps she would even get a chance��


    In light of all these revelations, his own Ascended Ability, Shadow Manifestation, seemed to have paled in comparison.


    ��But that was just if one did not look closer.


    Sunny suspected that his new Ability was much more versatile, insidious, and powerful than that of the other three.


    And speaking of that��


    Wasn''t it time to get to know it better?

 Chapter 749 Shadow Manifestation

    For a while, Sunny silently experimented with his new power.


    Shadow Manifestation was an�� interesting Ability, especially when combined with the evolved Shadow Control. It was deceptively straightforward, but held so much depth that Sunny wasn''t sure that he would be able to figure out all of its potential uses in a short span of time.


    The fundamental function of Shadow Manifestation was rather simple �� it allowed him to turn shadows tangible.


    But the devil hid in the details.


    Now that Sunny enjoyed authority over all shadows, and not only his own, he could manipulate their shape and even make them move according to his will. However, that facet of his Aspect had its caveats.


    Not all shadows were the same. Some were young, and some were ancient. Some were deep, and some were shallow. Most importantly, some belonged to inanimate objects, and some belonged to living beings.


    Although Sunny enjoyed their respect and reverence, that did not mean that all shadows were going to submit to him implicitly. They simply chose to follow his commands due to his status as the Master of Shadows, as opposed to being forced to do it.


    That was not new to Sunny. He had already noticed this pattern of behavior when inviting wild shadows to enter the Shadow Lantern. Most did it of their own free will, but some obstinate ones refused his invitation.


    Now that the [Child of Shadows] Attribute had evolved, only the most ancient and deep of the wild shadows seemed reluctant to answer his call. However, not all shadows were "wild" �� that was a term he decided to use when speaking about those of them that were cast by inanimate objects.


    If a shadow was cast by a living being and connected to a living soul, no amount of authority Sunny had could compel it to abandon or betray their source.


    So, Shadow Control only allowed him to manipulate wild shadows. The deeper and older a shadow was, the more concentration it took to command it. He also experienced more strain when commanding distant shadows �� now that Sunny became an Ascended Devil, the reach of his control extended to almost ten kilometers. His shadow sense, however, did not usually extend quite that far.


    His human mind would have been overloaded if it did. So while Sunny could potentially control shadows that were very far away, he simply had no way of sensing them.


    ��Unless they were his own shadows, of course, or those he perceived through them.


    And then came the actual Shadow Manifestation.


    Unlike Shadow Control, manifestation required him to expend essence. The shadows would remain tangible as long as he continued to sustain them with essence, and return to their natural state if he stopped.


    This was both a blessing and a curse. For obvious reasons, Sunny would have preferred to keep his essence�� however, there was an unexpected and incredible boon to this Ability.


    Due to the fact that the manifested shadows were suffused with his essence, they assumed its property. In other words�� all of them were akin to Memories of the Ascended Rank in terms of durability and resilience.


    In other words, if Sunny shaped a shadow into a blade and manifested it, the blade would be comparable to an Ascemded Memory in terms of both sturdiness and the damage it could do.


    But he was not only limited to creating weapons! Shadow Manifestation offered him an incredible measure of utility. Since shadows were formless by nature, he could shape them into anything he wanted. He could create barriers, bridges, ropes, suits of armor�� the only limitations were his imagination and his reservoir of essence.


    Hell, he could even create a saddle for Nightmare, or an entire house!


    Of course, nothing came without a cost. The more complex and condensed a shape was, the more essence it took to sustain it. Creating a simple shadow tentacle was not too hard, but imbuing it with enough solidity to cut through an enemy like a sword was much more taxing.


    Manifesting deep and ancient shadows also took a toll, although they were more powerful.


    And lastly�� all the things he made tangible were able to move on their own, as long as their shape allowed it. A sword was not going to fly on its own, but a manifested shadow could move around and grab his enemies. That was not a very efficient form of attack in most cases, however.


    Each shadow possessed its own level of strength, which was usually not too high. Sunny was far away from being able to rip an Awakened Tyrant to shreds�� for now.


    And unless he really wanted to.


    By experimenting a little, he found out that he could enhance the might of the manifested shadows by pouring more essence into them. The more force he wanted to exert above their natural threshold, the more essence he had to burn. That would not have been too powerful in the hands of an average Master��


    But Sunny was a Devil. He had vastly more essence than almost any other Master had at their disposal. If he really wanted to, he could exert truly monstrous strength through his manifested shadows. Even though that would be grossly inefficient in terms of essence expenditure, he felt very happy to have such an option.


    Who wouldn''t want to rip enemies apart without having to lift a finger? Even if there were many easier and smarter ways to kill something�� very few were as cool!


    And as devious.


    ��Apart from the wild shadows, Sunny could also manifest his own. In fact, doing so was much easier, allowed him much better control, and demanded much less essence to be used. For a few moments, he imagined summoning Gloomy, Happy, Creepy, and Haughty, arming them with shadow blades, and making them fight in his stead.


    ''What a sight that would be!''


    However, after thinking for a bit, he decided that this was not a very good idea. There was a very simple reason for that �� while tangible shadows could affect the real world, they could be affected in turn. Manifested shadows could damage his enemies, but could also be damaged instead.


    Since his shadows were deeply connected to his soul, making them vulnerable to physical attacks was a very stupid thing to do. Sunny did not even want to think about what would happen if one of them was destroyed.


    At most, they would be able to perform simple tasks that did not pose any risk.


    ��Overall, Sunny was very happy with his new Aspect Ability.


    It was powerful and versatile, providing him with potent means of both attack and defense, as well as incredible utility.


    What made him especially happy, though��


    Was how perfectly it synergized with the Shadow Lantern.


    Shadow Manifestation had only one apparent weakness �� the fact that he would not always be surrounded by shadows. Without anything to manifest, its worth was almost nonexistent�� unless he wanted to risk his own shadows, of course.


    ? However, that weakness was made moot by the Shadow Lantern. With its help, Sunny could carry an infinite amount of shadows with him at all times. No matter where he went, he would never be without their assistance. He would never be a master without servants.


    Wherever Sunny went...


    A swarm of shadows would follow.

 Chapter 750 Home

    Sunny remained on the porch for a while longer, thinking about nothing in particular.


    He wondered about the future, and about the past.


    What had happened to the real Noctis? What had happened to the real Hope? What had really happened to her cursed kingdom?


    He had seen the corpses and Sevras and Sun Prince in the Dream Realm. However, Solvane had still been alive. The Obsidian and the Ivory knives had never been used, hinting that the real events of the liberation of Hope had been both similar and vastly different from how they had transpired in the Nightmare.


    Had Noctis succeeded in his ambition to make a deal with Weaver? Had the Demon of Fate helped him find a way to break the eternal shackles of Hope without using the knives?


    If so�� had the sorcerer, perhaps, survived his mad rebellion?


    What price had he paid?


    Of course, Sunny knew that there were no answers to his questions. He was never going to learn the truth. The events he had lived through in the Nightmare were too distant, and shrouded in too much mystery for him to discover it.


    ...As he thought about all these things, a familiar figure suddenly appeared on the crosswalk.


    A teenage girl with pale skin and black hair was walking back from school, a somber expression on her face.


    Noticing Sunny, she froze for a second, and then suddenly sprinted over.


    Halfway to the porch, Rain remember herself and slowed down, awkwardly trying to hide her excitement.


    She stopped near Sunny, hesitated for a moment, and then hit him on the shoulder with her little fist.


    "Where�� where the hell have you been? Are you back? You were gone for so long!"


    Sunny leaned back and grinned.


    "Hey, Rain. Of course, I am back. Can''t you see? As for where I was... I just visited a temple. Then, I went on a little cruise. Then, I visited a couple of towers, spent some time in a theater, befriended a horse, lived in another temple for a while. Finally, I visited a very pretty city and got to know its rulers. Why? Did you miss me?"


    Rain stared at him for a few moments, then scoffed.


    "Me? Ha! Why would I miss you, of all people?!"


    She grew silent, looked down, and then added shyly:


    "Well�� maybe I did miss you�� a tiny bit. My new tutor is a very respectable Awakened, but he is not at all as fun as you."


    Sunny looked at her for a few moments, and then smiled:


    "An Awakened, huh? What a pity. I am a Master now."


    Rain froze and threw a shocked glance at him.


    "You are a Master? As in�� an Ascended? Wait�� what?"


    His smile slowly grew smug.


    "Indeed, I am. Do you know what that means?"


    She hesitated.


    "What?"


    Sunny leaned forward and said in a friendly tone:


    "Why, it means that my lessons will be much more expensive, of course!"


    He laughed, then grew silent, and added after a short pause:


    "Oh, also�� I might have missed you a tiny bit, too��"


    ***


    ...A dark river flowed through a cavernous expanse of black stone. Fog nestled on the water, stifling its quiet murmurs and veiling everything in white. A lone source of light was traveling through the fog, tearing a path through it.


    It was a slender gondola cut from onyx, with a glass lantern hanging on its bow. A pristine white flame burned within the lantern, straining against the confines of its crystal prison. The fog opened up before the gondola, and then silently closed behind.


    A young woman with silver hair and ivory skin was curled into a ball, sleeping on the bottom of the onyx boat. In the stark light of the lantern, her face seemed deathly pale and vulnerable.


    On the stern of the gondola stood a skeleton dressed in rags. He was working the oar, staring into the fog or at the young woman. Despite the fact that the skeleton had no lungs, no lips, and no tongue, he was humming a song.


    "One day the gods will fall


    And reveal their lie


    The one who sleeps will awaken


    To devour his children


    Oh, and us all


    That which was forgotten


    Will be remembered


    And consume the world


    Oh, all of us will dream


    The nightmare


    Of the Forgotten God��"


    As he sang, the young woman stirred, and then slowly opened her eyes. The skeleton grew silent, glanced at her, then said:


    "Good morning, creature. How have you slept?"


    She sat up straight and did not answer, staring at the skeleton with tired grey eyes.


    The boatman waited for a bit, then shrugged.


    "Are you feeling well? You�� you have not been speaking much these past few weeks, creature. Has your mind finally gone?"


    The young woman remained silent, making the skeleton uncomfortable. He shook his head.


    "Huh�� something about you feels different today. Your shadow�� it seems to have grown deeper? How peculiar!"


    There was no answer.


    They continued to sail in silence for a while. Slowly, the fog receded, revealing a black shore. The skeleton changed the course of the boat and let it drift until its bottom scraped against the rock.


    There, he let go of the oar and sighed.


    "This is it, creature. That is as far as I go."


    The young woman remained motionless for a while, then stood up and touched the lantern, letting the white flame travel from it to her palm. After that, she jumped onto the shore, staggered, and slowly straightened herself, looking into the darkness.


    Finally, she spoke:


    "How close are we to that place?"


    The skeleton shrugged.


    "Close enough, I''d wager. Uh�� sorry for lying to you, by the way. In my defense, you only have yourself to blame, creature! Who would be foolish enough to believe that anyone can cross the Underworld? This place is not the likes of us to traverse. Getting this close to its inner border is already a miracle."


    He hesitated for a while, then added:


    "Are you sure that you want to go on? There are worse fates than death, creature. Trust me�� I should know."


    The young woman glanced at him, then asked:


    "What about you? What will you do?"


    The skeleton laughed.


    "Me? Oh, I don''t know. Now that I''ve been taken off that damned tree, there''s not much time left for me to exist. Maybe I''ll try to find what remains of the Shadow Realm, to have a proper death. Maybe I''ll just go back and tease Azarax for a while, one last time. That fellow was really insufferable, you know. Spending an eternity in his company was the greatest punishment of all! A piece of advice�� choose your eternal companions carefully, creature."


    The young woman lingered for a few moments, then nodded and walked into the darkness. Her steps were steady.


    Then, without turning her head, she said:


    "Thank you, Eurys. Farewell."


    The skeleton watched her go, and then sighed.


    "What a foolish abomination�� still, I wish her luck. Even though I don''t know what she seeks, I hope she finds it."


    As the young woman walked further and further away, the light of her flame grew distant and dim. The darkness surrounded the skeleton, and the white fog flowed slowly in his direction, as if wishing to consume him.


    Eurys watched the fog draw closer, and then sighed again.


    "...She is not as foolish as me, at least."


    Then, the white mist swallowed him, and his voice abruptly fell quiet.


    Soon, impenetrable darkness reigned the cold river once again.


    ��And far in the distance, a lonely spark of light continued to climb higher and higher, soon disappearing from view.


    [End of volume four: Chain Breaker.]

 Chapter 751 Master Sunless

    In one of the fortified lecture halls of the Awakened Academy, a large auditorium was slowly filling up with students. These young men and women, however, did not look like inexperienced Sleepers. Instead, most of them possessed the grim confidence of battle-tested veterans.


    They were sharp and rough around the edges, exhibiting the tell-tale signs of those who had just recently returned from the Dream Realm. For the same reason, the crowd of students was suffused with a sense of energy and liveliness typical to people who had recently brushed with death, but managed to escape its clutches alive.


    These were the newly Awakened. Several weeks after the winter solstice, most of those who were destined to survive had already found their way to a human Citadel and returned to the waking world. Now, they were settling into their new lives and responsibilities.


    While some chose to forge their own path, many decided to remain in the Academy for a while longer. Its curriculum was not only aimed at Sleepers, after all. A larger part of the complex was dedicated to continuous training of the Awakened students.


    Just because one had survived the crucible of their first venture into the Dream Realm did not mean that they could stop learning, after all. In fact, faced with its many challenges, most of the survivors learned one crucial lesson.


    No matter how prepared they were, that was never enough.


    ��Granted, the lecture that these particular young Awakened were about to listen to was not from a popular course. Titled "Resource Management during Prolonged Expeditions and Intercitadel Travel", the course had nothing to do with battle training or Aspect proficiency. As such, it was rather obscure and unpopular.


    The large crowd of students had more to do with the identity of the lecturer as opposed to the theme of the course. As an actual Ascended and a person of wide renown, this star lecturer presented an irresistible attraction to the Awakened students.


    Who was better to teach them than a person who had braved the dangers of the Dream Realm and slain countless Nightmare Creatures with their own two hands?


    As the time of the lecture approached, the students settled on the seats in the auditorium and waited for the lecturer to arrive.


    One of the last to come in was a young man in stylish civilian clothes. They were predominantly black, with subdued grey accents. The young man glanced at the young Awakened, then proceeded to walk to the center of the auditorium.


    A few people looked at him in confusion.


    Instead of joining his fellow students, the young man walked to the teacher''s desk and outstretched one hand. To everyone''s bewilderment, he was summoning a Memory!


    Stranger still, that Memory turned out to be in the shape of an exquisite wooden chair. The strange guy put it down, then took a sit behind the desk and looked at them as if this was the most natural thing in the world.


    Several Awakened opened their mouths to condemn his childish antics, but then hesitated. Although the eccentric student was bound to anger the lecturer with his disrespectful behavior, there was something about him that demanded attention. Another reason for their hesitation was that he was�� incredibly attractive.


    The young man was not very tall, but his slender build and stylish attire made him look very charming. With his porcelain skin and raven black hair, he looked like an exquisite doll. His striking dark eyes seemed to glint with good-natured humor.


    At the same time, there was something cold about them that made those who looked at the young man for too long shiver.


    It was as though shadows grew a little deeper around him.


    After a few moments, one of the young women in the first row cleared her throat and said in a friendly tone:


    "Hey! You better move before Master Sunless arrives. Here, there is a free seat�� uh�� right next to me��"


    The young man looked at her and smiled pleasantly.


    At the same time, the girl next to her whispered furiously:


    "What are you doing?! This is Master Sunless, you idiot!"


    The first girl slowly opened her eyes wide, then turned beat-red and raised one hand to cover her mouth in horror.


    A wave of whispers ran through the auditorium.


    "What? This is Master Sunless?"


    "But he''s our age!"


    "Of course he''s our age! It took him less than two years to Ascend! Why do you think he is famous?!"


    "...He''s not at all like the actor who played him in the Song of Light and Darkness! The casting director must be crazy!"


    Sunny, who listened to all that with the same pleasant smile, cleared his throat. Immediately, the students grew quiet.


    "Good morning, Awakened. I am Ascended Sunless. You can call me Master Sunless, or simply Master. Welcome to the first lecture of the Resource Management during Prolonged Expeditions and Intercitadel Travel course. As some of you might know, I have a tiny amount of experience with that��"


    I few polite chuckles resounded from the audience, making him wince internally.


    ''Damn. Tough crowd!''


    As this was his first day as a teacher in the Academy, Sunny was unsurprisingly nervous. He would much rather fight a room full of Nightmare Creatures than speak in front of a room full of people.


    He could kill the Nightmare Creatures, at least!


    Sunny paused for a moment, then said:


    "We will explore various topics in the course of these lectures. But first, let me ask you a question��"


    He looked at his students and smiled.


    "What was the biggest threat to your life in the Dream Realm?"


    ***


    Overall, the lecture went better than Sunny had expected. If not for the fact that many female students had stared at him a bit too intensely, for some reason, he would have been completely comfortable teaching these young Awakened.


    After all, he was basing the lessons on his own experience, and the students, while not as battle-hardened as him, were not amateurs themselves. Each of them had survived the First Nightmare and a journey to the Dream Realm. So, the lecture was more of an exchange of knowledge between professionals than a traditional lesson.


    It was even refreshing, compared to his tutoring sessions with Rain. Although his sister was incredibly talented and hard-working, not to mention nice to be around, there were many things he simply couldn''t explain to her with words.


    With a sigh, Sunny turned off the projector and looked at the empty auditorium.


    Was this his life now?


    Six months had passed since the cohort returned from the Second Nightmare. During this time, many things happened. He had celebrated his twentieth birthday just a few weeks ago�� some of the changes were good, and some were bad.


    On the bright side, he got to spend a lot of time with Rain, teaching her how to protect herself and slowly growing closer to her. Sunny had been careful not to appear too friendly, though. He still did not want anyone, including the girl herself, to know that they were siblings.


    He had also spent a lot of time talking to Aiko and trying to turn the Brilliant Emporium into a small, but thriving business.


    However, there was one big problem that loomed over everything he did.


    Ever since returning from the Nightmare, Sunny was not able to enter the Dream Realm again. He had spent all six months in the safety of the waking world. And the reason for that was the strange situation he had found himself in with clan Valor.


    While Saint Tyris had done everything in her power to shield Sunny and Cassie from the wrath of the great clan, her influence was not unlimited. The White Feather clan itself got into hot water with their overlords. From what Sunny learned, they were dismissed from ruling the Chained Island and burdened with another duty.


    What that duty was, he did not know.


    Both Cassie and he would have fared poorly if they remained Awakened. However, their Ascension changed things substantially and gave them more room to bargain. If before the great clans would have been inclined to make them disappear, now, they were more careful in their approach.


    Which did not mean that everything was fine.


    The issue was too nuanced and sensitive to be solved quickly. So, the preparations for the negotiations took a lot of time. For the time being, both of them had to protect themselves.


    Things were much worse for Cassie, who seemed more complicit in Mordret''s escape. After all, she had requested to be stationed in the Night Temple, only to leave after a while and return, causing the disaster.


    Since no one except for Saint Tyris knew about Sunny''s clash with Mirror Beast, it was easy to believe that Cassie had come in contact with the imprisoned prince during her stay in the Citadel, and then orchestrated his escape�� or that she had this goal in mind from the very beginning.


    As the result, things turned a bit ugly for the Fire Keepers. After a couple of them disappeared, the rest took shelter in the Ebony and Ivory Towers, where the ocean of divine flames and the Crushing protected them from any threat. They rarely returned to the waking world to avoid problems.


    Sunny was on the opposite side of things. Thanks to Master Jet, he enjoyed a bit of protection from the government. Since the Great Clans had a lot of influence in the Dream Realm, but were not as powerful in the waking world, he was advised to remain there for a while.


    Which meant that he could enjoy some peace and quiet for a bit.


    ��It also meant that he could not hunt the Nightmare Creatures and saturate his cores, unless a Gate suddenly opened nearby.


    This�� was a problem.

 Chapter 752 Solid Foundation

    After the Seed of Nightmare had been destroyed, something unexpected happened. A Gateway took its place, turning the Ivory Tower into a Citadel.


    At the same time, the Dream Realm anchors of the cohort members shifted, becoming tied to it. Masters did not have to travel to another world every time they slept, but they still needed a Gateway to return to reality. Changing an anchor was as easy as making use of another Gateway, but there lay the problem.


    The only way to leave their new Citadel was to either brave the Crushing, somehow, or to go through the portal to the Ebony Tower and rise from the depths of the Sky Below on the flying ship.


    While that made the Ivory Tower incredibly safe, it also meant that there were no Nightmare Creatures around for them to hunt. There was no point for Sunny to go to the Dream Realm at all, especially after he had explored Hope''s former prison, finding nothing of particular interest inside.


    ...It also meant that Mordret was most likely tied to the same Gateway. However, the Prince of Nothing had never shown himself. Either he had found a way to change his anchor, or he had chosen to remain in the waking world as well.


    In any case, there was no safe way for Sunny to collect shadow fragments in the Dream Realm. He was also cut from his main source of Memories, which he had hoped to put on sale through the Emporium.


    At first, Sunny was very unhappy with this situation. He was both much stronger and still far behind Nephis in terms of raw power. Even though there was a vast gap of two Ranks between them now, his soul lusted to grow even more.


    He could never have enough strength, never be powerful enough to protect himself and those he cared about from the vicissitudes of life. He was still too weak to challenge fate.


    ��But after a few days of peaceful life in the waking world, Sunny had started to slowly change his mind.


    In the past three years, his power had grown tremendously, and at a breakneck pace. While that was extremely beneficial overall, there was a negative side to such speed.


    His foundation had turned unstable. He had been so preoccupied with gaining more power, more strength, deeper insight, greater understanding�� that he had not spent enough time actually assimilating all these gains into a coherent whole. Internalizing and absorbing all the lessons he had learned into his very bones was very important, yet he had neglected it for the lack of time and opportunity.


    He needed time to truly make the vast power he had won his own.


    Additionally, there was something else that concerned Sunny. His... mental state.


    Ever since he had been infected by the Nightmare Spell at sixteen, his psyche had been subjected �� sometimes by the circumstances and sometimes through his own volition �� to incredible abuse. Sunny prided himself on the fact that he never broke, no matter what ghastly horror and gruesome agony he had to endure.


    And there had been plenty.


    However, he also never forgot the conversation he had with Master Jet on the way to Shadow Blade Kurt''s execution. He knew that Awakened, no matter how great and powerful they seemed, were also the most likely to crack. The nightmares they brought back from the Dream Realm haunted them, and many succumbed to the relentless strain.


    Sunny had been gutted, beheaded, and burned. He had watched friends die or be left behind. The amount of torturous pain he had gone through could only compare to the amount of mental anguish he had experienced. The Red Colosseum, the nightmares, and all the rest�� it was enough to crush a dozen people. And yet, he still stood tall.


    But for how long?


    While Sunny considered himself to be a resilient person, maybe even incredibly so, he was not prideful enough to think that he was better than every over human out there. Would his soul and mind continue to remain strong if he continued to carelessly abuse them, or would small cracks appear on their surfaces?


    Maybe there were countless cracks on them, already.


    ��In the end, he had decided that taking a break to consolidate his foundation and give his mind time to heal was worth it. The situation with clan Valor, while unpleasant, was not critical. It just demanded time and caution. Slowly but surely, the sides were going to come to an understanding and find a compromise through negotiations.


    As Masters of considerable renown, Sunny and Cassie had enough influence and weight to reach a favorable outcome in these negotiations, especially because fifty of the most promising Awakened of their generation were following Song of the Fallen.


    He was going to use the time before that happened to his benefit.


    So, although the past six months had not exactly been exciting for Sunny, they had been very fruitful.


    He had spent a lot of time practicing his combat skills and Shadow Dance, properly assimilating everything that he had learned to elevate his mastery of battle to a new level. He also had to relearn a lot of things to adjust to his new power as a Master, and adjust all his techniques to this new incredible reality.


    One of the more valuable discoveries he made during this time was that the inherent problem he had been struggling with �� the threat of losing himself to the formlessness of Shadow Dance �� was easily remedied by a simple thought exercise. He just had to remember his True Name. No matter how far gone he was, it always brought him back.


    Apart from that, every single aspect of Sunny''s combat ability was vastly improved by his newly profound control of shadow essence, as well as the time he had taken to fully absorb all of his rich battle experience.


    Battle techniques were not the only thing he trained, though. He also dove deep into the intricacies of Shadow Manifestation, first learning how to properly wield it, and then leveraging his cunning and creativity to push its uses to their limits.


    His new Ability was an incredibly versatile one, so there was a lot he could do with it. Not only did it have the potential to be powerful on its own, it could also be weaved into every other facet of his battle performance in unexpected and insidious ways. Almost every day, Sunny discovered something new he could do. The possibilities were simply limitless.


    That limitlessness, however, was its own problem. Just because Sunny could do a lot did not mean that it was wise to do it. So, it took a lot of time to find the most effective and efficient ways to use Shadow Manifestation. Slowly but surely, his arsenal of true and tested tricks and methods grew. He practiced each one until they became as instinctive as his combat techniques, so that he could use them without wasting even a split second on thinking about and concentrating on the desired result.


    Lastly, there was sorcery.


    After the initial breakthrough he had made in the Nightmare, Sunny spent a lot of time widening the scope of his understanding of spellweave. This was perhaps the most unassailable and tough field of expertise he was trying to study, since there was nothing and no one to teach him how to do it.


    The scope and complexity of the subject were boundless, and all he could do was blindly stumble in the darkness, learning tiny bits through trial and error. It did not help that he could only experiment with Memories, which were a rare and finite resource to him.


    Sunny worked around that limitation, somewhat, by turning mundane things into Memories and experimenting on them instead. However, that produced its own obstacle �� he needed soul shards to do so, and soul shards were very expensive in the real world.


    And he could not procure them in the Dream Realm, for now!


    To solve his resource problem, Sunny turned to the only source available to him�� the merit points provided by the government, which could then be exchanged for various valuable things.


    To get points and fund his research, he had compiled another paper with the help of Teacher Julis. The Exploration Report on Chained Isles, by Ascended Sunless�� did not produce as big of a ripple among the general public, but caused a real explosion in the Awakened academia.


    The data about all the ancient Nightmare Creatures, the culture, and the bizarre nature of the Kingdom of Hope was a true boon to the collective knowledge base of humanity. Sunny, of course, kept the most sensitive pieces of information to himself, but just what remained brought him vastly more contribution points than the report on the Forgotten Shore.


    Information from Nightmares was ten times more valuable, after all, since very few people ever challenged them, and even fewer returned alive.


    These contribution points, as well as other benefits and privileges he had become entitled to as a Master, allowed him to not only pour his mind and soul into studying sorcery, but also kept the Brilliant Emporium functioning without a constant influx of his hunting trophies.


    Sadly, even that was not enough.


    ��And hence, Sunny found himself teaching young Awakened at the Academy. While that was not the best and most efficient way for a Master to earn, it was still rather profitable for someone in his situation.


    Sitting in the empty auditorium, Sunny sighed and looked at his communicator. A pale smile appeared on his face.


    "She must be already here��"


    Today was a special day for more than one reason.


    A few days prior, Master Jet had suddenly contacted him. This was not too strange, since they interacted often in these past six months�� but this time, something about Soul Reaper''s voice sounded a bit off. Not exactly bad, just�� different.


    She had told him that she had some good news, and some bad news, and requested a face-to-face meeting to discuss an important issue.


    That meeting was about to take place at the Instructor''s Cafeteria.


    Shaking his head, Sunny stood up, dismissed his chair, and walked to the door.


    "I wonder what Master Jet has to say�� gods, was there really a need for all this mystery? She made it sound as if the world is ending��"

 Chapter 753 Crux Of The Matter

    Now that Sunny was a teacher at the Academy, he was very much looking forward to gaining access to the Instructor''s Cafeteria. He remembered the last time he had eaten there in perfect detail. The food was simply to die for.


    ��It might have been one of the major reasons why he had accepted the job of a lecturer, to be honest.


    ''No, no it wasn''t! I am not that shallow!''


    Walking inside, Sunny glanced at the tasteful interior, gaining a new appreciation for the wooden furnishings. By now, he was not shocked every time he saw natural wood in the waking world. However, this was not just any wood�� if he remembered correctly, all this lumber came from the corpse of a slain titan.


    A titan killed by the great clan Valor, to be precise. Perhaps even by Anvil himself. What irony it was, to enjoy a dinner on one of the cafeteria''s tables while being secretly hunted by the people who provided the titanic lumber for its creation.


    With a sigh, Sunny looked around and noticed a familiar face. An exquisitely beautiful woman in a deep blue uniform sat in the corner of the cafeteria, cradling a cup of coffee in her hands. He confidently walked over and sat down across from her.


    "Master Jet."


    Soul Reaper Jet looked up from her cup and smiled at him.


    "...Master Sunless."


    ''Well that�� sounds weird.''


    He shifted uncomfortably, not accustomed to being addressed that way�� at least not by her. Although the two of them were technically of the same Rank now, Jet was still older than him. The gap between them had grown much smaller, but he still felt a lot of respect for her.


    Looking at his fellow Ascended, Sunny suddenly frowned.


    Master Jet�� looked different today.


    He was accustomed to her usual, slightly unkept and careless appearance. However, the person in front of him looked like nothing if not an exemplary officer. Her uniform was perfectly ironed and buttoned all the way, with not a single crease or blemish marring its surface. Her silver epaulets were glistening with a polished sheen. Her leather boots were freshly shined.


    Her raven black hair was perfectly arranged, and her icy blue eyes were sharp and piercing.


    He raised an eyebrow.


    "You�� uh�� look nice?"


    Jet''s smile widened.


    "Oh, this? I had to attend a�� a special ceremony in the morning. Promotions are flying off the shelves in the government these days."


    Sunny cleared his throat.


    "Congratulations, I guess."


    Soul Reaper laughed, then pushed a small alloy box toward him.


    "No, no. Congratulations to you. Happy belated birthday."


    He blinked a couple of times, then opened the box and looked at the glimmering soul shard that lay inside. His eyes sparked when he recognized its Ascended rank.


    "Ah, this is exactly what I needed! Thank you so much! But�� isn''t it too luxurious?"


    A shard like that cost a lot.


    Master Jet shrugged.


    "Perks of being a public servant. I have more access to such things than most."


    She grew silent and looked at him expectantly. For a few moments, neither of them spoke.


    Finally, the Ascended beauty sighed.


    "What, no present for me? I recently turned thirty, you know."


    Sunny froze, then chuckled awkwardly:


    "Oh. Well, in that case, dinner is on me."


    Soul Reaper seemed more than happy with that arrangement.


    "Ah, you know me too well, Sunny. In that case, don''t mind if I do!"


    Some time later, they finished their food and leaned back on their seats in satisfaction.


    Master Jet took a sip of coffee and smiled:


    "Credit where credit is due�� you Academy people really know how to treat your staff. I am regretting my choice of career, a little."


    Her voice trailed off a little, and a wistful expression appeared on her face. Then, she shook her head and finally addressed the true reason why they met today:


    "Good news first. You can relax, Sunny. Valor seems to finally be ready to behave reasonably, so the worst part is over."


    He inhaled deeply:


    "At last! What changed?"


    Master Jet shrugged.


    "Well, a lot of things. But mainly, they just don''t have the energy to pursue small matters anymore. The tension between the Great Clans seems to be growing, so Valor elders have a lot on their plate. That plays in your favor, because you and your cohort have managed to make yourself valuable. With Saint Tyris advocating on your behalf, everything is ready for a sincere and friendly negotiation."


    Sunny frowned.


    "Sincere�� friendly? What about the Fire Keepers that disappeared? You might have not noticed, but the survivors of the Forgotten Shore are a tight group. To them, this is not a small matter."


    She smiled.


    "They are alive... although maybe not well. Their release is one of the points you and Song of the Fallen will have to negotiate. However, I don''t foresee any problems with that. As long as you told the truth and neither of you had conscious plans of assisting that mysterious prisoner of theirs in the escape, everything should be fine."


    A dark expression appeared on Sunny''s face.


    Master Jet knew the general situation, but not the details. The problem they had with the great clan Valor was very simple. Although Sunny and Cassie had caused a great deal of harm to the clan''s interests, because of the lack of witnesses and Saint Tyris volunteering to act as the scapegoat, that by itself was not something intolerable.


    However, the crux of the matter was that no one in the Great Clan knew if their actions had been simply the result of a misfortunate happenstance, or premeditated. What Master Jet had just told him meant that Valor was ready to abandon their hostile paranoia and accept the version of events where neither Sunny nor Cassie had helped Mordret escape willingly, as well as grant them an unofficial pardon.


    With the White Feather clan taking the responsibility for the death of Saint Cormac, that would leave them in the clear.


    However�� although the great clan knew that Mordret had escaped as the result of their actions, no one except for the members of the cohort knew that he had followed them into the Nightmare. If the fact that the five of them had become Masters together ever came into the light�� then, no matter what the truth was, no one would believe that the bastard simply manipulated them all!


    They would all think that Sunny and Cassie were his willing allies.


    So, this secret had to remain buried, forever.


    Sunny grimaced.


    "So what do they want?"


    Master Jet shrugged.


    "I can''t say, really. But you have to be ready to make some concessions. Valor will probably insist on recruiting you to their side, at least in some capacity. Whether you manage to resist their forceful invitation or not depends on you."


    She thought for a bit, and then added:


    "What works in your favor is that you, Song of the Fallen, Nightingale, and Raised by Wolves are a package deal, as far as everyone is concerned. Valor might have ambitions of making all of you their asset, but they will probably be satisfied by ensuring that none of you becomes entangled with their opponents. Recruiting just one would make it so that the rest would not join the opposite side."


    A deep scowl appeared on Sunny''s face.


    "...Are you telling me that we will have to sell one of us to clan Valor?"


    Master Jet smiled.


    "You make it sound as if becoming a member of a Great Clan is something horrible! Most Awakened would kill for such a chance, you know? Granted, you will never be treated as a trueblood descendant, but that does not mean that they won''t shower you with resources and opportunities. Probably."


    Sunny remained silent for a while, then sighed.


    "I know. But I... I need to think about it."


    She took a sip of coffee, then leaned back.


    "Well�� think fast."


    He looked at the beautiful Ascended with a dark expression and asked in a low tone:


    "And why is that?"


    Master Jet grinned.


    "Well, because the representative of Valor will be here tomorrow! Your friend Cassie is coming back to the Waking World, too. You will meet here in the Academy, as it''s neutral ground. So�� you have until tomorrow morning to prepare for the negotiations, Sunny. Good luck!"

 Chapter 754 History Lesson

    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then scowled.


    "What do you mean, good luck? Aren''t you going to be there to mediate the negotiations?"


    Master Jet took a sip of her coffee, then shook her head.


    "No. While the government often serves as a neutral party and the connective tissue between the Great Clans, this is not one of those cases. Besides�� I simply can''t. I am being transferred out of the city. This is my last day here, for a while."


    He stared at her, dumbfounded.


    Master Jet�� was not going to be around anymore? Sunny suddenly felt a pang of discomfort. He had grown accustomed to her being present out there somewhere... not exactly close to him, but at the same time within reach.


    Noticing the expression on his face, she sighed.


    "Actually, that is the second thing I wanted to talk to you about. The bad news."


    Soul Reaper casually looked around, then summoned a Memory that looked like a music box. Immediately, a dome of silence appeared around them, cutting off all outside noises. Sunny frowned, confused by the need for secrecy.


    She had seemed to be perfectly fine discussing private matters of a great clan in the public. What could have been more sensitive than that?


    Master Jet lingered for a moment, then said:


    "To be honest, Sunny, I was not going to have this conversation with you�� at least not yet. But since the situation changed, and the things we are going to talk about can affect the decisions you will make tomorrow, I decided that there is no point in postponing it."


    He shifted uncomfortably.


    "That is�� very suspenseful. What is the matter?"


    She smiled, then activated her communicator and summoned a projection. It showed a map of something that looked like a big chunk of the Dream Realm. Sunny saw a lot of water and several large landmasses, each no smaller than the Forgotten Shore by the looks of it. However, no matter how he looked, he could not find the familiar landmarks �� the Hollow Mountains, Bastion, Ravenheart�� either he was not as proficient at reading maps as he had thought, or he had never seen this land.


    Slightly confused, he glanced at Master Jet and asked:


    "Is that a previously unexplored region of the Dream Realm?"


    She looked at him with a strange expression, then coughed.


    "...No. That is planet Earth, you dummy."


    Sunny froze in embarrassment, then looked at the image again.


    ''Oh�� right. I am an idiot.''


    Soul Reaper grinned.


    "Sunny�� are you one of those Awakened that know more about the Dream Realm than about the waking world?"


    He cleared his throat.


    "Well�� it''s not like I spent a lot of time in school, you know."


    Her grin dimmed a little.


    "Right. Sorry. Sometimes I forget how young you are�� it took me a while to cover the basics after leaving the outskirts, as well."


    Master Jet sighed, then pointed to the map.


    "In any case, this is our world. As you can see, it is not in great shape. A few centuries ago, it looked very different�� there were around twelve billion people living across it. A few million even found their way to the moon, eventually."


    She sighed, then added:


    "But now, there''s barely three billion of us left. And we only populate four of the seven continents. Do you know which continent we are currently on? What our city is called?"


    Sunny looked at her with a dark expression.


    "I am not a complete fool, you know. We are in�� Asia? And the city is called�� wait, it has a name? I just thought it''s called�� uh�� the city."


    She rolled her eyes.


    "Well, you are half-right. We are indeed in Asia, which is one of the four populated continents and one that shelters the most people. The city we live in is the largest and most populous city left on Earth. It is also the industrial, military, and administrative heart of humanity. Around one-tenth of all humans live here�� that is why while it is technically called the Northern Quadrant Siege Capital, or NQSC, people usually just refer to it as the City."


    Master Jet hesitated for a moment, then said with a hint of darkness in her voice:


    "Most of the surface of the planet is either uninhabitable or overrun by Nightmare Creatures, so megacities are the most convenient way to sustain a large population. However�� even with spelltech and modern science, they are not capable of sustaining everyone. Hence the outskirts, where around twenty percent of the total city population is offloaded to slowly die out, out of the sight of the rest of humanity. But that is neither here nor there."


    She sighed, and then pointed to a continent directly connected to Asia:


    "This pit of desolation used to be known as Europe. It was turned completely unsuited for human life long before the Spell appeared."


    Her finger trailed across a large body of water.


    "This is North America. We lost it not long before you were born, when a Category Five Gate opened there. That was�� a big disaster. Because of its proximity to the Gate, South America was mostly abandoned, as well. Now, we only maintain a small presence in its southernmost part. Those settlements are incredibly important, however, because that is where most of our food is produced."


    Master Jet hesitated for a bit, and then gestured to a large archipelago situated below South America.


    "This is Antarctica, the second most populated continent after Asia and the logistical link between the rest of the continents, connecting both hemispheres together. Believe it or not, before the Dark Times, it was covered in ice. Actually, the melting of all that ice was one of the reasons that caused the Dark Times."


    She sighed.


    "The sea levels across the planet rose, drowning many cities and displacing billions of people. The percentage of the landmass that was devoured by water was not too radical, but the problem was that many civilization centers were situated along the coasts. With all of them gone and billions of refugees seeking shelter, the global infrastructure collapsed. It did not happen in an instant, of course, but quite fast. That is the danger of building a deeply interconnected society. Lack of self-sufficiency is perfectly fine and even beneficial during the good times, but makes civilizations vulnerable to cascade failure."


    Soul Reaper looked at him with a grim expression.


    "Which was exactly what happened. The worse things got, the more chaos there was, and the more chaos there was, the worse things got. Endless natural disasters, destruction of global infrastructure, and resource starvation led to an escalating series of wars. Orbital kinetic strikes, nuclear warfare, chemical warfare, biowarfare�� in the end, everything was being used. The planet was already in bad shape, and this was almost the last straw. In the end, the terribly reduced population achieved some form of stability�� and that was the Nightmare Spell appeared."


    Master Jet shook her head.


    "...Ah, but am I getting off-topic. The point is, almost all of humanity resides around the Indian Ocean today. Asia, Antarctica, Africa, and Australia are the four remaining bastions of our civilization, forming the Northern, Southern, Western, and Eastern quadrants."


    Sunny listened to the impromptu lecture with interest. He knew bits and pieces of human history, of course, but mostly from them being referenced in popular culture and government propaganda�� which were more often than not one and the same. Out there in the outskirts, people did not need to know a lot about the world, because their world started and ended in the outskirts.


    Even the city proper seemed like a distant land. He would have had more general knowledge, of course, if he had attended school, but Sunny''s formal education more or less ended when he was seven. Honestly, the fact that he knew that people lived on the outside of the planet as opposed to on the inside was already an achievement.


    He had managed to become a teacher despite all that, had he not?


    ''Still�� I probably should start educating myself on matters not having to do with the Nightmare Spell, now that I have the chance. There are plenty of people as ignorant as me, of course, but still�� this is kind of embarrassing��''


    Sunny looked at Jet and shifted slightly.


    "Uh�� thanks for the history lesson, Master Jet. But what does it have to do with anything?"


    She leaned back, smiled calmly, and answered in a relaxed tone:


    "Oh, it''s very simple, really. These four bastions of humanity I mentioned? They''re about to become three..."

 Chapter 755 Obel Scale

    Master Jet''s nonchalant attitude was in stark contrast with the gravity of her statement. Sunny froze for a few moments, then slowly put his cup on the table. When he spoke, his voice sounded a little hoarse:


    "What?"


    She sighed, then looked around the cafeteria. It was slightly surreal, to be discussing something that concerned the lives of hundreds of millions of people in the safety of this tranquil place.


    Several instructors were enjoying their meals, and there were members of the staff going about their business. None of them knew of the approaching disaster. This contradiction was chilling, too.


    Soul Reaper did not seem to mind.


    "I have told you about the Obel Scale once, right? It is a very complicated spelltech system that the government uses to predict the appearance of Gates across the globe. Well�� I was not entirely honest when I said that a bit of maintenance and calibration would solve all the problems it had been experiencing recently. In truth, the problems we''ve been having with its readings are not as trivial as I implied. They are just a symptom of a much bigger problem."


    Sunny''s eyes widened slightly.


    "Kurt�� Shadow Blade Kurt. He mentioned something about the Obel Scale. It was the reason he had given up and gone mad�� one of them, at least."


    Master Jet nodded, an expression of mild contempt appearing on her face.


    "Yes. However, Kurt was broken and weak. He really blew the issue out of proportion."


    The corner of Sunny''s mouth twitched.


    "I wouldn''t call losing an entire continent a small issue."


    She shrugged.


    "Neither would I. But is not the end of the world, either."


    Soul Reaper calmly took a sip of coffee.


    "Back when we lost North America, something similar happened. The Obel Scale went out of alignment, making its detection scope unreliable. In the end, a Category Five Gate appeared, and after that, everything went back to normal. However, a few years ago the government noticed growing irregularities in the readings again. After studying these irregularities for some time, we came to the conclusion that something massive was going to happen again."


    She pursed her lips.


    "This time, it is going to be different. Instead of one gargantuan Gate, there is going to be a�� a chain reaction, of sorts. Hundreds of smaller Gates are going to open in relatively quick succession, allowing countless Nightmare Creatures to invade the real world. And all that is going to take place��"


    A moment of tense silence passed before she finished the sentence:


    "...In Antarctica."


    Sunny felt his mouth turn dry.


    "But you�� you just said that Antarctica is the second most populated continent on Earth."


    Master Jet nodded.


    "Yes. There are around nine hundred million people living there."


    He remained motionless for a while, then looked away.


    "...You also said that a compartmentalized global infrastructure is vulnerable to cascade failure. And that Antarctica serves as a logistical hub between the four continents and South America, where most of our food is produced."


    Soul Reaper smiled.


    "Indeed. However, it is not as bad as you might think. Every megacity possesses robust hydroponic agriculture and is capable of sustaining itself, to a large degree. We''ve learned our lessons. Yes, losing the connection to South America will be a painful blow, but humanity will survive. There will be a big change, of course�� I think you have already guessed its nature. More people will be pushed out into the outskirts. Maybe there will be thirty percent of the population living there instead of twenty. Maybe more."


    Sunny still could not let go of his dismay.


    "What about the millions of people living in Antarctica? What is the government doing? Can''t you throw enough troops and Awakened there to contain the chain reaction?"


    She hesitated for a few moments, then let out a wistful sigh.


    "...Sure. If we mobilize all our forces �� and I mean all of them �� and get the Great Clans to fully support the operation, we might keep hold of Antarctica. However, it is not that simple. Everything has a cost, Sunny. There are three other continents we have to protect, and sending so much Awakened into the meat grinder will leave them defenseless. After all, the fact that hundreds of Gates will open in Antarctica does not mean that they will stop appearing everywhere else. Overextending our resources to protect one quadrant will doom all of them. Even if that doesn''t happen immediately, in the long term, humanity will cease to exist on Earth."


    Master Jet rubbed her face, then smiled.


    "That does not mean that we are going to remain idle, however. In fact, the government has been preparing a massive operation for the past two years. It''s just that�� the situation changed much quicker than anyone could have expected. The timetable has been brought forward by several years, at least. Our current preparations are entirely insufficient."


    She grew silent, then added in a neutral tone:


    "We thought that there would be much more time to get everything ready. But there isn''t, not anymore. So�� it''s going to be a damn mess of epic proportions."


    Sunny scowled, not entirely sure what that was supposed to mean. He could barely accept the fact that losing one of the four continents was an acceptable price for keeping the other three intact. Humanity had already lost North America, after all, and persisted despite the loss. It had arguably grown more powerful as the result.


    But if the government was willing to let Nightmare Creatures conquer Antarctica, what operation could it be possibly planning?


    "...What exactly is the government going to do?"


    Master Jet turned back to the map of the Earth, lingered for a few moments, and then pointed at the large archipelago in the south.


    "Why, what else? We are going to evacuate nine hundred million people from the doomed continent while a neverending horde of Nightmare Creatures is pursuing us. Or�� we will try, at least. To be honest, I think that most of those who try will probably die��"

 Chapter 756 Navigation

    Master Jet studied the map for a few moments, and then traced a line across the ocean that lay between the four continents. Then, she suddenly asked:


    "Do you know a lot about seafaring, Sunny?"


    He slowly shook his head.


    "As much as the next guy, I guess."


    She smiled.


    "Understandable. In truth, navigating the oceans is not an easy task. If it was, we could have just used the Pacific or the Atlantic to transport food from South America. But trying to sail them is pure suicide, for now."


    Soul Reaper leaned back and took a sip of coffee.


    "Most of our planet is covered by water, and most of that water is infested with dreadful Nightmare Creatures. That is because most Gates open underwater. And since we have very few methods of battling them below the sea �� and very little reason to �� we just leave those Gates be. Humanity might still hold four and a half continents, but we have surrendered all of Earth''s oceans to the enemy."


    She sighed, then dejectedly shook her head.


    "Still, no civilization can exist without efficient transportation, and shipping cargo across water has been the mainstay of transportation since the dawn of time. So, we maintain a presence in the Indian ocean. Navigating it is not easy, however, because there are unspeakable and uncountable horrors dwelling in the depths."


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then asked with a bit of curiosity:


    "Wouldn''t it be easier to ship stuff through space, then?"


    Soul Reaper grimaced.


    "It is not cost-efficient. Getting to orbit requires considerable resource commitment, more so with heavy cargo, and resources are something we desperately lack. Plus�� space is rife with its own dangers."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "What dangers?"


    She simply shrugged.


    "That�� is above even my pay grade. So I don''t know. Suffice it to say that simply maintaining a scattering of satellites that support the network and the Obel Scale is already a dire challenge. Whether you like it or now, water is the only way."


    He frowned.


    "So how do we manage to make use of the ocean if it''s so dangerous?"


    Master Jet smiled.


    "Ah, well. The answer is pretty simple�� House of Night."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "The Great Clan?"


    She nodded.


    "The representatives of the House of Night excel in guiding ships through turbulent waters. They are not called Nightwalkers just to honor the clan founder, after all. To move across the ocean, convoys that consist of massive, heavily armored ships employ the services of Nightwalker navigators��"


    Sunny leaned back, thinking. He knew a bit about the third and the least prominent Great Clan, but not too much.


    Unlike Valor and Song, which resembled most Legacy clans and had originated from a single family, House of Night was born from an alliance of several prominent clans. They resided in a dire region of the Dream Realm known as Stormsea, and controlled one of the three Great Citadels �� which, as far as he knew, resembled a giant ship and was most likely left behind by one of the seven daemons.


    Sunny also knew that the House of Night did not possess a Sovereign of their own. Anvil of Valor and Ki Song ruled their families, but Asterion was seemingly not related and had nothing to do with the third Great Clan.


    It was not clear why the other two powers did not consume the weaker one. Now that Sunny learned of the pivotal role Nightwalkers played in sustaining human civilization, he guessed that they simply offered too much utility to be pressured into submission.


    Alternatively, the nature of the region they controlled might have simply been too hazardous for either Valor or Song to invade, or their existence created a bit of much-needed balance and deterrence between the two dominant Great Clans.


    ��What was clear, however, was that the House of Night was deeply connected to Storm God. There were just too many coincidences between their powers and the deity of depths, oceans, darkness, stars, travel, guidance, and disaster.


    Did�� did Nightwalkers bear the lineage of Storm God?


    ''That would certainly explain a lot��''


    Master Jet, meanwhile, continued:


    "The scions of the House of Night allow naval convoys to reach their destinations, which is both a blessing and a curse. The problem with that situation is that while there are more Nightwalkers than there are descendants of the other two Great Clans, their number is still limited. And so, the number of convoys we can operate simultaneously is limited, as well."


    She sighed.


    "We can only evacuate people across water. By our calculations, it will take at least two years to evacuate the population of Antarctica that way. That is even if we commit the bulk of our navy to the operation. However��"


    Her voice grew dim.


    "The chain reaction is going to start in a few months, at most. It won''t be too severe at the beginning, but quickly ramp up, drowning the entire archipelago in Nightmare Creatures."


    Sunny remained silent for a bit, then asked:


    "So what is going to happen?"


    Master Jet finished her coffee and offered him a smile.


    "Well�� the government is going to transfer a very substantial part of its forces to Antarctica. Pretty much everyone who can be spared without leaving the rest of humanity completely defenseless will be transferred to the expeditionary force. They will try to stall the Nightmare Creatures for as long as possible to allow as many people as we can save to escape. Oh, also... I will be on one of the first ships myself."


    Sunny looked away, not knowing what to say. Master Jet herself had judged that many of those who were going to take part in the evacuation would not be coming back.


    Still, she was Soul Reaper Jet, was she not? Surely, she of all people was going to be okay��


    Master Jet sighed, then looked around once again. Then, she said calmly:


    "Of course, that will never be enough. In a couple of months, the government will announce a voluntary mobilization, both among the Awakened and among mundane humans. Many people will answer the call, while most will not. As I''ve said, the loss of Antarctica is not a world-ending event. Dying there is not really worth it."


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    "So why are you going? With your position, I am sure that you could have chosen to stay behind. Did you let the propaganda get to your head? Honor, duty, and sacrifice�� do you actually believe in that crap?"


    Soul Reaper laughed.


    "No. I am as cynical as you, Sunny. However, I have my own reasons."


    She lingered for a few moments, and then added in a suddenly serious tone:


    "...And I think that you might understand my reasoning very well. We''ve known each other for a while, Sunny, and I always shied away from giving you the recruitment speech. However, times have changed. So, tomorrow, when the representative of Valor tries to invite you into their great and illustrious clan, I want you to refuse."


    She leaned forward, looked him in the eyes, and added:


    "Instead, I want you to leave everything behind, enlist�� and come with me."

 Chapter 757 Professional Sensibility

    It was hard not to get swept up in Master''s Jet cool presence. However, Sunny was not so easy to sway. He held her gaze for a few moments, then turned away.


    His expression grew somber.


    "...You just spent a lot of time convincing me that losing Antarctica would not cause irreparable damage to humanity, and that most of those who go there would end up dead. And now, you suddenly want me to go as well? Why would I?"


    Sure, fighting a noble and glorious war against the Nightmare Creatures sounded exciting. But Sunny was not an inexperienced kid anymore. He knew the price of glory all to well. To him, war casualties were not an abstract concept, but instead a very familiar and grim reality.


    He was not arrogant and ignorant enough to consider himself immune to death.


    Master Jet leaned back.


    "Don''t you want to defend your fellow humans?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "Don''t get me wrong�� I really want all those people in Antarctica to survive. However, none of them helped me when I was starving to death in the outskirts. None of them were there when I was drowning in my own blood on the Forgotten Shore. The government didn''t do crap to uplift me, either."


    He frowned, and then added:


    "In fact, one might argue that the government not only abandoned me entirely, but even did everything in its power to make sure that I die swiftly after being used up to bring it a tiny bit of benefit. Like my parents did. But, despite all that, I survived and managed to build a decent life for myself. And now that I finally have something good going for me�� you want me to throw it all away and go risk my life to maybe save a bunch a strangers?"


    Master Jet sighed.


    "I get it. Trust me, I do. But��"


    Sunny raised his eyebrows:


    "But what? I do believe that you get it. You are from the outskirts yourself, after all. Maybe your life there was not as bad as mine, but it wouldn''t have been too different. So why are you going to Antarctica?"


    She lingered for a few moments, then looked away.


    "I guess it''s hard to explain. Honor, duty, sacrifice�� you''re right, those words don''t mean much to me. Working for the government is a means to an end. However�� I do work for the government. And I take pride in my work."


    Soul Reaper studied the visitors of the cafeteria with her icy blue eyes, then glanced at Sunny.


    "I might not have a lot of affection for humanity, but maintaining the fragile balance that allows it to exist is something that I chose to make my responsibility. My domain. So, watching Antarctica go up in flames from the sidelines would be against my professional sensibility."


    Sunny remained silent for a while, thinking about what she said. He felt that, in a sense, Master Jet was very much like him. Too stubborn to give up, unwilling to let the world have its way�� however, there was a big difference between them. While Sunny aimed all that spite and resentment at surviving and elevating only himself, she had chosen something much grander as her target.


    Instead of going it alone, Soul Reaper had decided to tie herself down to a much bigger whole.


    Was it worth it? He did not know for sure, but felt that it wasn''t. People like him and her deserved to be selfish. The world had never treated them well, and so, they had no obligation to return the favor. Dying for someone you did not care about was utter foolishness.


    He looked at her and said dakrly:


    "But I am not in the same profession as you."


    Master Jet smiled.


    "True. However, I wasn''t finished. My work ethic is only part of the reason why I am going to Antarctica. The other is�� the future."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "The future?"


    She nodded.


    "Yes. The world is changing, Sunny. What happens in Antarctica might not end humanity or even change it too much. But it will change the Awakened. Think about it�� with so many of us going, either as part of the initial force or as volunteer reinforcements, the power balance of the Awakened society will shift. Thousands will die, but those who survive will grow stronger."


    Soul Reaper leaned forward, her voice suddenly intense:


    "How many will fully saturate their cores? How many will achieve a breakthrough in their combat skill? How many will Ascend? There are less than a thousand Masters alive in the world right now. How many will there be after the battle for Antarctica? I''d wager much more than that. How many new Saints will emerge? Everything will shift, Sunny�� you can either be a part of that shift, or be left behind."


    Sunny studied her face for a few moments and shrugged. Then, he asked in a somber tone:


    "Are you hoping to become a Saint in all the chaos, while all the Great Clans are looking elsewhere?"


    Master Jet sighed, then slowly shook her head.


    "No, not really. You are mistaken if you think that their monopoly on Transcendence exists only through preventative measures. Even if you become a Saint, they still can, and will, make you disappear. Plus, entering the Third Nightmare is not something that can be done in the heat of the moment. If you want to survive, you need years of preparation and an ocean of resources, not to mention a powerful and cohesive cohort. Jumping into a random Seed will just get you killed."


    Sunny remained silent for a bit, then scowled.


    "...What are the Great Clans doing about this situation, anyway? The House of Night is supplying its navigators for the navy�� are they going to join the ground forces, as well? What about Song and Valor?"


    Soul Reaper grimaced and shook her head.


    "No. The Great Clans are staying clear from the ground operation�� for now. Maybe they will join eventually, but currently, all three are withholding their forces."


    His face grew dark.


    "Why? Isn''t protecting human lives the purpose for their existence?"


    She sighed.


    "It is. And they are. They just have their own thoughts on what that implies."


    Master Jet hesitated for a few moments, and then added:


    "The Great Clans have given up on Earth a long time ago, Sunny. Instead of trying to protect humanity''s old home from falling apart, they set their gazes at building a new one. They have big plans for the Dream Realm..."

 Chapter 758 Crossroad

    Sunny left the Academy with a lot on his mind.


    As a Master and a high ranking citizen, he had the right to acquire a PTV license and more than enough money to purchase one. However, Sunny had no idea how to control a personal transport vehicle and was too lazy to learn, so he still used public trains to move around the city.


    Around the�� Northern Quadrant Siege Capital.


    Paying no attention to the captivated glances people threw at him, he looked into the window as the train slid forward on its magnetic guideway, flying through district after district with incredible speed.


    The city�� was a nice enough place, as long as you were not born in the outskirts. Tall buildings burrowed deep underground and rose high into the sky, connected by tunnels and aerial bridges into a complicated maze of graphene composite and reinforced alloy. Here and there, artificial trees and grass broke the white monotony with vibrant shades of green, yellow, orange, and red.


    Everything seemed clean and bright despite the heavy snowstorms that were prevalent this time of year, not at all like the dirty, dim, poisonous clutter of the outskirts. There were large screens displaying beautiful vistas of breathtaking landscapes that had not existed on planet Earth since centuries ago, and propaganda projections that had been masterfully designed to brighten the mood of the citizens.


    ��Most of all, the city seemed full of life. Endless streams of people were crowding the crosswalks, with a rare PTV or two appearing from time to time. Millions�� hundreds of millions of humans called this place their home. Only here, protected by the colossal outer barriers and protective air filtration systems, as well as powerful Awakened, could they survive and thrive.


    It was strange to imagine that many similar human shelters in Antarctica were going to be abandoned and destroyed by the endless tide of Nightmare Creatures very soon.


    Sunny had seen the panic and mayhem that an unexpected manifestation of a Gate could cause. However, his imagination failed when he tried to envision what would the same disaster, but magnified hunderfold look like. All he could picture was the horde of abominations that the Dreamer Army had faced under the Crimson Spire suddenly appearing on these peaceful streets.


    Already, that image made him shudder.


    ��However, he still stood by his words.


    He did not owe these people anything. Sure, if a Gate opened right in front of him, Sunny would have been inclined to fight and buy the civilians time to run away. This was just human nature. But he was not going to go out of his way and seek death just to fulfill some abstract obligation. No one had helped when he had been desperate for help. He had survived despite humanity, not because of it.


    And he would continue to put himself first��


    Most likely.


    Sunny would have lied if he said that Master Jet did not put a seed of doubt in his heart. Sure, the expedition to Antarctica seemed like a suicidal exercise in futility, but she was right. Those who survived that ordeal were going to grow much stronger.


    Although Sunny would not be getting any shadow fragments from the hordes of Dormant and Awakened abominations that were going to flood the Southern Quadrant soon, he could still collect plenty of soul shards and Memories, maybe even Echoes. There would be more than enough of Fallen Nightmare Creatures roaming Antarctica, as well.


    ��However, he also did not believe in the government''s ability to accurately predict what would happen there. They seemed to think that only lower category Gates would appear during the chain reaction, but was that assessment right? Who could say with certainty that another Category Five Gate would not manifest itself instead?


    The last time it happened, the likes of Immortal Flame and Smile of Heaven perished in the fight. Could Sunny guarantee that he would fare any better? No, he definitely could not.


    In the end, it all came down to a simple choice that depended on tomorrow''s negotiations.


    If all went well, Sunny would regain the ability to enter the Dream Realm. There, he would be able to achieve much better results than the expedition to Antarctica could ever provide, and with much less risk.


    More than that�� he could even pledge allegiance to the illustrious clan Valor. By now, he had more than enough value to negotiate a supremely lucrative deal. With their training, support, and resources, becoming a Titan would not be out of the realm of possibility.


    The barrier that stood between him and Transcendence would instantly disappear, too. Instead, he would be in the best position possible to attempt conquering the Third Nightmare!


    Perhaps he would even be able to enhance his understanding of sorcery by leaps and bounds. Valor was widely renowned for creating incredible Memories, after all. He had also seen how proficient the representatives of the Great Clan were in using runic sorcery, back in the Night Temple. There was so much knowledge that they possessed! So much he could learn from them.


    As for the fact that the Great Clans seemed to be preparing to abandon Earth in favor of the Dream Realm��


    Were they even wrong?


    Sunny still remembered the conversation he had had with Effie in the ruined cathedral of the Dark City. She, too, believed that the waking world was dying, and that the Dream Realm could become humanity''s salvation. Her argument was�� dreadful, but compelling.


    In any case, if something went wrong, he would always be able to leave Clan Valor behind. Pledges of allegiance did not mean anything to Sunny, after all. As a person who abhorred the word honor, he was more than willing to betray any promise he made as long as it suited him.


    Deserting a Great Clan would probably not be easy, but by then, he was going to be powerful enough to manage.


    ��So, if negotiations went well, he had no reason to do something as stupid as following Master Jet to Antarctica.


    If they went poorly, however, that would be pretty much his only choice.


    That was why Sunny had not given Soul Reaper a definitive answer. She did not ask for one, anyway. Master Jet had just told him to think about her offer and inform her of his decision during the next two months.


    As the train approached the terrace distinct, Sunny sighed and headed for the exit.


    ''Damn�� my head hurts. Why did all of it have to happen on the day of my first lecture? That''s too much excitement for one day!"


    Worse still, tomorrow promised to be even more exciting��

 Chapter 759 New Developments

    Sunny continued to ponder as he walked from the train station to his home. Once there, he opened the door and walked inside, then sat down in the living room and stared at the wall for a while.


    ''This is not good.''


    Right now, he was supposed to be mentally preparing for tomorrow''s meeting with the representative of Valor. Antarctica or not, these negotiations had the potential to decide the course of his life�� maybe even whether or not he was going to live at all.


    The sudden revelation of the impending disaster discombobulated him, making it hard to concentrate on the immediate issue.


    Facing the emissary of Valor�� was going to be a delicate dance. Sunny was helped by the fact that he had never intended to set Mordret free. However, he was not entirely innocent, either�� after all, he had sided against Welthe and Pierce, even slaying one of the two Knights of the great clan with his own two hands.


    Not to mention that Mordret had followed him into the Nightmare and Ascended.


    Sunny had many things to hide... but could not lie. Even though he was confident in his ability to twist the truth with misleading answers, the negotiations could still derail really quickly.


    ''Whatever. As if anyone would believe that an Awakened like me was able to kill one of the famed Knights of Valor��''


    Now that Sunny had become a Master himself, he lost most of his ability to feign weakness. However, no one but his closest friends knew how powerful he really was, and especially had been. This was another fact that played to his advantage.


    ''It all depends on the emissary and how they conduct themselves.''


    If Valor sent someone cavalier and arrogant, Sunny would be able to dance circles around them. He had plenty of practice dealing with haughty individuals, after all.


    If they sent someone smart, however�� that could be a problem.


    Sunny stared at his shadow, then sighed and stood up.


    He really hoped that everything would go smoothly tomorrow, but it paid to be prepared. Worst case scenario, he was going to have to join the Fire Keepers in their Dream Realm exile for a while. So�� unless he wanted to return to a monotonous diet of eating nothing but monster meat, it was best to prepare a few things.


    Soon, a big metal chest appeared in front of him, then opened its heavy lid, revealing rows of massive triangular fangs.


    ��Covetous Coffer had changed after the Second Nightmare, as well.


    The [Mendacious Coffer] enchantment allowed it to mimic the form of any inanimate object, but was limited by Sunny''s core capacity. Now that he was an Ascended, the capacity of his cores increased tremendously, so there were a lot of options.


    Sunny had experimented with the form of the Coffer a lot in the past six months. He had made it into all kinds of things, from alloy safes to leather armchairs and sleeping pods. He had even made it into a refrigerator once. However, after having fun with it for a bit, Sunny came to the conclusion that not all forms suited the Memory well.


    Items that already had the function of storing things worked the best. So, he ended up simply turning it into a large chest of reinforced alloy.


    Now that the Covetous Coffer had grown up, its size and strength were enough to make the [Lurid Trunk] enchantment truly dangerous. If before the small box could only bite off a few fingers, now it could swallow a potential thief whole.


    The [Capacious Chest] enchantment had grown stronger, as well, vastly increasing the Coffer''s storage capacity. Now, it could store an entire room''s worth of items. The [Locomotive Chiffonnier], meanwhile, did not change a lot, but due to its new size, the chest could move around much faster.


    ��In fact, the Coffer was now large enough for Sunny to sit on top of it, using the Memory as a bizarre mount. In that regard, it was not too different from the original Mordant Mimic, whom Sunny had ridden all the way down to the Ebony Tower once.


    Not that he wanted to repeat the experience!


    And speaking of mounts��


    If there was one thing that had really frustrated Sunny in the past few months, it was that he had no opportunity to learn how to properly ride Nightmare. He had even ordered a custom-made saddle from an exclusive leatherwork boutique.


    The mundane professionals working there often received commissions to create various harnesses for Echoes of all shapes, so they were used to strange requests�� and since only wealthy Awakened possessed Echoes, their prices weren''t cheap. The cost only ballooned when Sunny had to sacrifice a precious soul shard to turn the saddle into a Memory.


    And yet, it had all been to no avail. Sunny was unable to travel to the Dream Realm, and summoning the dreadful steed to move around the city would not have been too convenient. Even if he did not mind attracting the wrong kinds of attention, there surely were laws and regulations in place to prevent exactly that.


    ��It was not all bad, though.


    As a terror, Nightmare possessed an ability similar to that of a tyrant. In his case, the stallion accumulated literal nightmares instead of corporeal minions, and the more of them he ruled, the more his power grew. Eventually, the dark destrier was supposed to unlock his final ability, [Dream Curse], by gathering an army of a thousand nightmares.


    Sunny had not known where to find these phantasms or how to create them, but the six months of idleness allowed him to figure it out.


    There were two ways: Nightmare could either create his dream minions, or subjugate them.


    Creating one was not easy. First, the black steed had to sow a seed of terror into an enemy''s soul. If the enemy escaped and the seed took root, they would be haunted by the memories of the dreadful destrier and see him in their dreams. The weaker the will of the victim was, the more chances there were for the nightmare to grow and become more and more potent. However, a brave person would cause the seed to wither and die.


    Eventually, if the nightmare fully formed, the stallion would be able to use his [Dreamwalker] Attribute to harvest it.


    The second way was also troublesome. The black steed could travel into the dreams of powerful beings and subjugate their own nightmares. In the waking world, that meant Ascended. However, that task was not easy �� the more powerful the dreamer, the more powerful the nightmares haunting them were. To subjugate such a nightmare, the Shadow had to defeat it in battle inside the dream.


    Nightmare had returned severely wounded more than once from such battles.


    Still, he managed to gather several minions that way. Neither of them faced any real enemies since returning to the waking world, so for now there was no other option.


    ��Sunny gathered a bunch of supplies and stored them in the Covetous Coffer, then dismissed the Memory and sighed. Accumulating a thousand nightmares for his Shadow was not going to be easy. Maybe he should have accompanied the black steed into other people''s dreams. However, there were enough things haunting him already. He did not need to experience someone else''s fears, as well. Getting close to sleeping Masters was also rather perilous...


    At that moment, one of his shadows noticed a familiar figure walking toward the door.


    Sunny checked the time and smiled.


    "Oh, she''s already here. My favorite pupil is nothing if not punctual!"

 Chapter 760 Valuable Lesson

    In the underground dojo beneath Sunny''s home, steel was ringing against steel.


    Rain was moving with a speed and precision unusual for a mundane girl of her age. Her nascent battle style was grounded, calculated, and sharp, merging steady defense with unexpected and explosive attacks. The heavy training blade sang in her hands, cutting the air as if it possessed an actual edge.


    The awkwardness of youth was almost gone from her body, ceding to the promise of maturity. She was much more fit and in charge of her physicality, as well, fighting with confidence and poise that would have left most of her privileged classmates consumed by envy.


    As much as Sunny wanted to, he could not boast that her progress was all thanks to him.


    Currently, he was facing his little sister, deflecting her blows with one hand while keeping another in his pocket. No matter what Rain did, the soft alloy stick he was holding seemed to be impenetrable, inevitable, and unbreakable. All her attacks crashed and shattered against it, and all her defenses seemed useless against her tutor''s lazy movements.


    Time after time, the stick suddenly shot forward and hit her on the shoulder, bounced off of her forehead, or stung her hands. Nevertheless, the girl did not allow herself to get frustrated and continued to exert herself without losing concentration.


    It was that will, cool mind, and meticulous discipline that had allowed Rain to advance so fast.


    ''Not bad��''


    Sunny deflected another swift attack, stepped forward, and poked the girl in the chest with the tip of his stick.


    "Here. You''re dead. Again. Ah�� I''m tired of fighting a corpse. Let''s stop!"


    Rain jumped back and grew still, breathing heavily as drops of sweat rolled down her pale face. She did not, however, lower her blade. Sunny had taught her the peril of lowering one''s guard a long time ago.


    ...Those bruises took a long time to heal.


    He grinned, then scratched his back with the stick and offered her the Endless Spring. After the girl was done quenching her first, Sunny sat down on the floor and asked in a commanding tone:


    "Where did I hit you?"


    Rain sat down, too, and answered steadily:


    "Head, right shoulder, right hand, left forearm, chest, right thigh, left shoulder, head, neck, left shoulder, left hand, chest, head, chest."


    He smiled with satisfaction:


    "When did I put my hand in the pocket?"


    She frowned.


    "...After hitting me on the thigh for the first time."


    Sunny nodded.


    "In which direction was I looking two hits before that?"


    Rain gritted her teeth.


    "Up! You were rolling your eyes!"


    He chuckled.


    "Good. Your awareness is�� sufficient, for that stage."


    The young girl threw a menacing look at him, then turned away. After a few moments, she sighed and suddenly asked:


    "Sunny... am I any good?"


    Sunny hesitated, then shrugged.


    "You''re doing alright."


    Rain remained silent for a while.


    "But not as good as you were, right?"


    That caused Sunny to laugh.


    "What? No�� you are way better than I was! I had not even seen a sword before my First Nightmare, let alone held one. In fact, when I got a chance to arm myself with a sword there, I chose to drop it. Because it was too heavy."


    Rain turned to him with surprise.


    "What? Then how did you survive?"


    Sunny thought for a bit, then shrugged.


    "Well�� I strangled one enemy with a chain. Poisoned two more. Fed the last one to a Nightmare Creature, and then simply got lucky. I guess you can say that I just survived out of spite."


    He hesitated, and then added:


    "Actually, that is a very important lesson. I''ve told you before�� sure, knowing how to wield a weapon is important. But having a mind that is more dangerous than a weapon is paramount. The world is a vicious place, Rain. You have to be vicious too. To survive."


    Rain was going to turn sixteen in a few months. In fact, she would probably celebrate her birthday not long after the first Gates start opening in Antarctica�� after that, his little sister would be vulnerable to the Nightmare Spell, as well.


    That was another factor he had to consider.


    Leaving with Master Jet meant leaving Rain, too...


    Granted, he had already taught her most of what he could without resorting to more drastic measures. Rain was more prepared to face the First Nightmare than he had ever been. Or most people, even. Very few kids ever received the chance to be trained by an Ascended, let alone one with as much battle experience as Sunny, or possessed as much talent as Rain.


    He glanced at her, lingered for a moment, and then asked:


    "Do you want to be an Awakened?"


    The girl hesitated for a long time, then slowly shook her head, surprising him.


    "No�� I don''t know. I really want to be able to protect my family. But I don''t want to be away from them. Or die. I had an older brother, you know��"


    Sunny almost flinched, but forced himself to remain still. An expression of mild curiosity appeared on his face.


    "Oh?"


    Rain remained silent for a bit, then sighed.


    "My mom and dad had a son, before adopting me. He got infected by the Spell, and died. I don''t think they''ll be able to bear it if I die, too."


    Sunny looked away. A few moments later, he said:


    "Sorry to hear that."


    The girl shrugged, then looked at him with a frown:


    "What is up with you today, anyway? You''re all�� serious."


    Sunny smiled.


    "Really? Well�� I got an important day tomorrow. Besides, I gave my first lecture today. Shaping young minds is a very serious matter!"


    Rain giggled with vindication.


    "Ah. So more people are going to suffer just like me. That makes me feel better!"


    She smiled, then patted him on the shoulder.


    "That''s good. I thought you were still moping around because Effie is not around that much, anymore."


    Sunny looked at her with outrage:


    "Moping around? I never moped around!"


    ��To be honest, he did feel a bit sad that his friends were out and about living their lives. The house seemed awfully quiet now that the boisterous huntress was gone most days.


    After the four of them had returned from the Second Nightmare, Effie got a bit drunk on having a healthy body. She greedily dove into all the things she never had a chance to do growing up as a disabled person. Since Cassie was indisposed and Sunny did not want to show his face in public, the government was very clingy in making her attend all kinds of events, as well.


    Now, the huntress only returned home once every week or two, and then disappeared the next day again.


    Kai got it even worse. Due to the nature of his new Ability, he could not perform music anymore �� it would have been strange to sing to crowds of people, knowing that his voice could literally mesmerize them. The famous idol group Night&Gale announced their retirement, with Gale launching a very successful solo career and Kai transitioning to acting for the betterment of humanity as an Ascended. At least that was how his agency spun his sudden decision.


    Now, the government paraded Kai around like a paragon of the human race. Cassie, Effie, and he had already been venerated as heroes after the Forgotten Shore, but after becoming Masters at such a young age, their celebrity rose a whole another level. So, he did not have a lot of free time, either.


    Both Effie and Kai were in a strange position. They had nothing to do with the events of the Night Temple, but also could not �� and would not �� move on with their lives until Sunny and Cassie resolved their issues with Clan Valor.


    In truth, Sunny himself had told them to stay away from him, for now.


    Still�� he missed their company.


    ''That is alright. This whole mess will end tomorrow, one way or another.''


    He sighed, and then turned to Rain:


    "You did well today. Keep it up. Now, go home before your parents call me again! The last time they very politely tried to explain to me that you have homework to do and I was keeping you too long was very awkward for all of us, you know?"


    Rain laughed, then stood up and headed for the elevator.


    "Alright. But... next time we spar, I am going to get you at least once! You''ll see!"


    Soon, she was gone, leaving him alone in the dimly lit dojo.


    Sunny sighed and looked at his shadows.


    After a while, he said quietly:


    "Until Rain is on Earth, those damned Sovereigns better not leave Earth behind�� otherwise, the great clans and I are going to have a problem��"

 Chapter 761 Burning Candles

    The next morning, Sunny approached the massive red gates of the Academy and stood there for a few moments, looking at the countless thousands of candles that burned in front of the deep moat surrounding it. Their flames swayed and shone through the falling snow, turning into a beautiful sea of orange radiance.


    Back when the Dreamer Army had suddenly returned from the Forgotten Shore, rising a storm with their unexpected resurrection, people started placing these candles in front of the Academy for the one who had stayed behind�� the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan, Changing Star. Some believed that Nephis would not die until at least one candle continued to burn.


    As long as it burned, the Immortal Flame would not be extinguished.


    Now, two years later, the number of candles had not diminished one bit. In fact, there were more of them than ever. Changing Star''s legend had not only remained alive, but continued to grow and spread.


    At first, the candles might have been just a desperate gesture by those who hoped against all odds that she would remain alive, but with each day that Nephis somehow defied death and continued to persevere, alone in the cursed darkness of the Dream Realm, her fame and influence rose.


    No one could explain how she was managing to survive in the desolate, lightless abyss of the Forgotten Shore, but she undoubtedly had not succumbed to its indescribable horrors. Sunny knew it better than anyone... but others knew, as well.


    The government was not shy about fanning the flames of the misguided fervor and use Nephis to fuel the propaganda machine, painting her as the symbol of the noble and unbreakable spirit of humanity. It was easy for them to confirm that Changing Star still lived, after all. Unlike those who turned Hollow, someone like her showed signs of brain activity similar to that of a dreaming person. So, they did not even have to invent false proof.


    ...By now, there were at least a hundred thousand burning candles placed in front of the Academy, where she slept in a heavily protected underground chamber.


    Sunny sighed, then shifted his gaze to a delicate silhouette kneeling in front of the candles. Cassie lit one of her own, waited until some wax melted and flowed to the ground, then place the candle near others and stood up.


    She was wearing civilian clothes. Her attire was tidy and mundane, but despite that, no one could mistake her for an ordinary person. The solemn and otherworldly beauty of the blind girl surrounded her like an invisible barrier, making a few people who came to light their own candles stay away, looking at her with stunned reverence.


    Not paying them any attention, Sunny scowled a little and walked other. As he approached, it seemed as though the shadows of the burning candles grew a little deeper.


    "Welcome back to the real world. When did you arrive?"


    Cassie lingered for a moment, then turned to him and smiled a little.


    "Just a few minutes ago. My tether is here, in the Academy."


    Sunny nodded.


    As Masters, they were able to travel to the Dream Realm physically and at will. Once there, they were still bound to a Gateway anchor, and had to use it to return to the real world.


    However, at the same time as their connection to the Dream Realm had grown stronger, their connection to the waking world had become a little less absolute. To return, each Ascended had to create a tether �� an intangible mark that served as their beacon on the return journey. They would appear at the spot where their tether was placed.


    Creating or moving a tether was not too hard, but required some time. Sunny''s own was situated in the dojo below his home, but Cassie had to choose where to place hers more carefully. Ambushing a Master at the moment of their return was the best way to catch them in their weakest state. So, the supremely defended Academy was a good choice.


    He looked at Cassie with some concern, then asked:


    "How�� how have you been?"


    The young woman smiled.


    "Not too bad. We''ve been busy these last six months. Exploring the Ivory Tower, restoring the flying ship to its true glory�� now that I had studied it at its prime, there is a lot more we can do."


    Sunny knew that Cassie had spent a lot of time learning from Noctis about his remarkable ship. It seemed that she was putting these lessons to good use.


    His face darkened a little.


    "...Are you still planning to take it over the Hollow Mountains?"


    The blind girl sighed.


    "Yes�� maybe. The Fire Keepers are still too weak to make that journey. But, perhaps�� perhaps today''s negotiations will change things. Clan Valor knows more about the Hollow Mountains than anyone else, after all."


    Sunny scoffed.


    "And you think they will just share that knowledge with you?"


    Cassie lingered for second, then weakly shrugged.


    "Why not? Now that Saint Cormac is dead, someone has to continue his mission."


    She hesitated for a bit and asked:


    "If we do go�� will you come with us?"


    Sunny laughed.


    "I don''t know. Gods�� why does everyone suddenly wants me to come with them these days?"


    Cassie faced him and remained silent for a few moments. Then, she simply said:


    "Because you are strong."


    Sunny looked at her with a faint smile, then turned away.


    "I guess I am. Anyway�� are you ready for the negotiations? Things can go really bad for us, you know."


    The blind girl nodded and turned her back to the sea of glowing candles.


    "...I know."


    As she said that, a luxurious black PTV appeared in view, stopping some distance away. Its door slid open, and the representative of the great clan Valor stepped out onto the pavement.


    When Sunny saw who it was, his face fell.


    He gritted his teeth.


    ''Crap��''


    Of all people... why did it have to be her?

 Chapter 762 Negotiations

    The young woman that exited the PTV looked sharp in a perfectly tailored, elegant business suit. It was entirely black, with buttons and cufflinks forged out of silver steel. Her hands were protected from the cold by leather gloves, and her raven black hair moved slightly in the wind.


    With alabaster skin and a slender figure, the young woman looked both beautiful and daunting. She resembled a lethal blade, and that impression was only exacerbated by the cold gaze of her striking, strange, vermillion eyes��


    Morgan of Valor had come to represent her clan herself.


    Sunny silently cursed.


    This was�� more or less the worst-case scenario. Now that a direct descendant of Anvil of Valor appeared to conduct the negotiations in person, his chances of fooling anyone dropped significantly.


    Not to mention that his heart suddenly ached, as if remembering the pain of being ripped out of his chest by Morgan''s slender hand. Even though that unfortunate incident had happened in the illusory Dreamscape, the memory of pain was very real.


    ��Much worse than that, Sunny couldn''t help but shiver when he realized how strongly Morgan resembled her older brother. The resemblance was almost uncanny. It was as though he was staring at a slightly younger, female version of Mordret.


    That made him deeply uncomfortable.


    Morgan looked up at the crushing mass of the Academy''s gates, then glanced at the sea of candles with curiosity, and walked forward. Stopping in front of Sunny and Cassie, she offered them a polite smile and said in her low, raspy voice:


    "Master Sunless. You look�� familiar. Have we met before?"


    If Sunny was in a bad mood before, now it turned really vile. Of all the questions out there, why did she have to ask that one?!


    He hesitated for a moment, then answered indifferently:


    "Not face to face. I once saw you from afar, during one of the Dream Tournaments. I doubt you got a good look at me, though."


    ��He also saw her up close, but she did not need to know that!


    Morgan seemingly lost interest and turned to Cassie.


    "Song of the Fallen. It''s an honor to meet you."


    Although her tone was not too deferential, she was treating the blind girl with a bit of respect. Anyone with a True Name deserved acknowledgment, even from a scion of a great clan.


    Cassie nodded.


    "Master Morgan."


    The daughter of Valor smiled.


    "Ah. So I don''t need to introduce myself."


    With that, she turned away and looked at the red gates of the Academy again. By now, the massive drawbridge had already started to move, slowly lowering itself to allow them entry.


    Morgan''s face became a little wistful.


    "This is the Awakened Academy, then... I''ve always wanted to attend. Sadly, that was never in the cards for me."


    Sunny glanced at her with a bit of confusion.


    "Why not?"


    The young woman lingered for a moment, then looked at him with a disturbingly familiar pleasant smile.


    "I''ve been trained by the best of the best since I was a child. There was nothing the Academy could offer me that I did not already have. Spending time here would have just been wasteful."


    She paused for a moment and sighed slightly.


    "...Still. I used to love dramas and webtoons about the Academy. It''s a shame."


    Morgan watched as the heavy metal bridge fell into the special grooves in the ground and grew still after a series of loud clicks. Then, she looked at Sunny and asked:


    "Would you mind giving me a small tour? I hear that you are a lecturer now."


    Of all the possible ways he had imagined the negotiations to start�� this was not one of them.


    Sunny hesitated, then shrugged.


    "Yeah, sure. Why not? Follow me."


    ***


    The Academy was something of a city within a city. It was self-sufficient and well-protected. The whole complex was surrounded by a deep moat and a wall of armored alloy that was tall and durable enough to slow down an attacking titan. Here and there, automated turrets of the air protection dome could be seen, their large-caliber barrels aimed at the sky.


    Sunny, Cassie, and Morgan of Valor walked for a few minutes before approaching a low, modern building with white walls. He pointed at it and said with little enthusiasm in his voice:


    "This is the Sleeper Compound. Most of it is underground, of course. Usually, there is a lot of activity inside and around it, but this soon after the solstice, there are no Sleepers around. The first batch is going to be inducted in a week or two."


    When he was done talking, Cassie added:


    "There are a few private academies here and there, but only one Awakened Academy. The government brings all willing Sleepers to this compound, no matter what Quadrant they are from. On an average year, around a thousand young men and women prepare for their first venture into the Dream Realm here."


    Morgan studied the Sleeper compound for a bit, then asked with a smile:


    "So, is it as lively and boisterous as it is portrayed in the dramas? Do Sleepers really get to all kinds of shenanigans, develop lifelong friendships and bitter rivalries, and go on risky adventures?"


    Her raspy voice sounded genuinely curious.


    Sunny laughed dryly.


    "...I don''t know. We are the last two people you should be asking that, honestly. Not only did we spend only a month here, we were also both at the absolute bottom of the rankings. Everyone treated us as walking corpses."


    Morgan looked at him, then said:


    "And yet, here you are. Only three years later, both alive and Ascended."


    He glanced at Cassie, then grinned.


    "Yes. Life can be funny that way, sometimes."


    They proceeded to walk around the Academy for some time. Since Sunny knew it much better than Cassie due to his research assistant position, he did most of the talking. He showed Morgan around, explaining the purpose of various compounds and buildings, while she listened with interest and asked questions from time to time.


    All in all, Morgan of Valor seemed really�� friendly.


    That was the danger of it, however.


    Sunny did not miss the fact that the more he talked, the more information about himself he was giving away, and the harder it was to keep his guard up. Although the daughter of the great clan seemed pleasant and well-meaning, the truth of it was that every one of her words was calculated and served a purpose.


    His worst fears were coming true. The emissary clan Valor sent was not some arrogant, cavalier fool. Instead, they sent a lethal princess with eyes so sharp that her gaze could almost cut skin.


    Although Morgan had not made it apparent�� the negotiations had already started.

 Chapter 763 Dangerous Questions

    They were walking past a painfully familiar building when the realization that the complicated dance of negotiating with the great clan had already begun hit him.


    As his face grew a little dim, Sunny lingered for a moment and then gestured at the building:


    "This is the hospital complex of the Academy. It is one of the best medical institutions humanity has to offer, combining state-of-the-art tech with ingenious spelltech, as well as employing many Awakened with actual healing Aspects. This is also where Sleepers enter the sleeping pods to venture into the Dream Realm. I myself spent about a year in one of them."


    He paused, and then added:


    "This is where many of the Hollow are kept, as well."


    Morgan looked at the alloy walls of the complex. A few moments later, she suddenly asked:


    "This is also where Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan is currently being kept, isn''t it?"


    Did Sunny imagine it, or was her voice suddenly a bit more cutting?


    He frowned.


    "She is not Hollow. But yes. Oh, by the way�� can we cut the crap?"


    Morgon looked at him with a cold smile.


    "...What do you mean?"


    Sunny met her intimidating gaze without flinching. If he wanted, his dark eyes could be as cold and oppressive as hers.


    In fact, the complete absence of fear or apprehension in their black depths was perhaps more frightening.


    "I doubt that you are really interested in sightseeing. Let''s not waste time."


    Morgan studied him for a moment, then chuckled.


    "As you wish, Master Sunless. Let us get the formalities out of the way first, then."


    She pierced him with a sharp gaze and asked:


    "Did you come to the Night Temple with the intent to set its prisoner free?"


    Sunny knew that the daughter of Valor had to have plenty of Memories on her to discern whether the answers provided to her were true or not. Not that he could lie even if he wanted to��


    He looked at her with a deep scowl and uttered through gritted teeth:


    "Of course not! If I knew, I would have stayed as far away from your damned Citadel as possible. I didn''t even know that it was a prison, let alone had plans of breaking the bastard free."


    Morgan lingered for a moment, then turned to Cassie:


    "What about you, Song of the Fallen?"


    The blind girl''s face grew dark.


    "You have no reason to trust our motives, true, but at least don''t disrespect our intelligence. If we really wanted to set that monster free, we would have found a way to do so without getting stuck inside the trap with him, don''t you think? Both Sunny and I only escaped that disaster alive because of Saint Tyris. If she had not happened to be nearby, we''d be dead�� or worse."


    Morgan tilted her head a little, then suddenly smiled.


    "Alright! I believe you. Still�� intentional or not, the two of you caused great harm to clan Valor."


    Sunny inwardly sighed.


    Just like that, the hardest part of the negotiations seemed to be over. Now, the long and arduous process of bargaining was about to begin. The end result was still very much unclear.


    Sunny and Cassie had to withstand the pressure and exert some in return. Aside from deciding their own fates, they also had to secure the release of the captured Fire Keepers, as well as negotiate other favorable terms.


    That�� was not going to be easy, especially against someone like Morgan. The most important part was to make sure that they would be the ones setting the tone and cadence of the negotiation, as opposed to following what their opponent said.


    They had to go on the offensive.


    He forced out a confident smile.


    "Can we not do that? Assigning blame is fun and all, but let''s be honest�� clan Valor needs us more than we need clan Valor."


    Morgan raised an eyebrow.


    "Do we? What makes you say that?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "We might not have helped that maniac escape, but that doesn''t mean that he did not have help�� or that he is not trying to find help as we speak. In fact, he might be having an identical negotiation with one of your enemies right now. He doesn''t have fifty of the most talented Awakened of this generation backing him, though."


    Morgan''s eyes grew even colder than before, making him shiver a little.


    "Oh? What do you think about that, Song of the Fallen?"


    She turned to Cassie, but strangely, the blind girl was not there.


    At some point, she seemed to have fallen behind. Cassie was standing a few meters away from them, still facing the hospital complex.


    She was as pale as a ghost.


    As a dark premonition suddenly grasped his heart, Sunny quickly stepped toward her and asked, his voice ringing with tension:


    "Cassie? What is it? What''s wrong?"


    The blind girl remained silent for a few moments. Her hand suddenly moved, as if trying to find the pommel of the Quiet Dancer.


    Then, still facing the hospital, she opened her mouth and whispered:


    "Fire��"


    ��In the next moment, the ground beneath their feet quaked.


    ***


    Deep underground, in a heavily protected room, a sleeping pod was glowing softly in the darkness.


    Inside, a young woman with silver hair slept, her face pale and still.


    Then, however, her eyes suddenly began to move beneath the eyelids, as if she was experiencing a terrible nightmare. A strange heat suffused the air.


    A split second later, something flashed.


    The room was instantly engulfed in furious flames.


    The armored door flew off its hinges and melted in the air, turning into a spray of liquid metal. The reinforced alloy walls cracked. The sleeping pod was violently torn to pieces.


    The force of the explosion was so dreadful that a destructive shockwave rolled through the whole level, causing incredible damage. Loud alarms screamed, and as the lights went off, emergency lamps ignited, drowning the burning corridors in a dim red glare.


    That light was almost instantly outshined by the angry glow of the spreading fire, however.


    ��In just a couple of seconds, the most protected level of the hospital complex was utterly devastated.

 Chapter 764 Spirit Of Flame

    A sea of white flame was spreading across the devastated underground level, hungrily devouring everything it could touch. Darkness, the red glare of the emergency lamps, and the searing white radiance mixed together, creating a hectic atmosphere of chaos and mayhem. Dust and smoke suffused the scorching air.


    Soon, the fire suppression systems came online, drowning the burning corridors in water and film-forming foam. The flames slowed down, but did not retreat. Instead, clouds of boiling steam flooded the underground level, reducing the already abysmal visibility even further.


    The alarms continued to scream, summoning the security forces of the Academy to the site of the explosion.


    And at the center of it all��


    A radiant figure slowly rose from the white flames, wreathed in blinding light. The flame ghost �� or whatever the being was �� seemed beautiful and pure, as if untouched by the imperfections of the world. It possessed the graceful silhouette of a slender young woman, but also seemed�� completely, utterly inhuman.


    As fire swirled around the figure without causing it any harm, the radiant creature slowly looked around, as if disoriented. Then, it took an unsteady step forward.


    At that point, more of the automated systems of the hospital complex finally activated. A cracked alloy plate shot down from the ceiling, and a compact security turret deployed itself from a hidden nest.


    Despite the low visibility and the damaged status of many of the cameras and sensors installed in the ravaged room, it received enough telemetry to identify the presence of a dangerous and unidentified being. It only took the turret a split second to take aim.


    The radiant figure sharply turned its head a stared at the twin barrels, confused.


    A moment later, the turret roared, spitting a stream of hundreds of high-caliber rounds at the intruder. Each was powerful enough to pierce an armored vehicle clean through.


    None of them managed to wound the fire-wreathed apparition, however.


    The white flames suddenly surged, wrapping around the radiant being like an armor. The tungsten bullets fruitlessly ricochetted off the creature''s naked skin, melting as they hit the walls. The being swayed, and then threw a hand up.


    In the next moment, a sliver of fire separated from the blaze, streaked through the air, and hit the turret. Another explosion rattled the complex. The turret was obliterated in an instant, and the section of the ceiling around it completely disappeared, revealing the torn lattice of reinforced alloy above.


    Different security measures were already deploying, however.


    More importantly, the Awakened charged with defending the hospital had already arrived.


    Two teams of experienced warriors appeared from both sides of the level, closing in on the epicenter of the explosion with speed. Every member was clad in heavily enchanted armor and wielded powerful Memory weapons.


    Before the radiant figure could react, a silver javelin hit it in the back, biting deep before melting and disintegrating in a rain of sparks. A warrior in polished plate armor appeared nearby, delivering a crushing downward blow of his battle axe.


    It did not matter.


    A moment after the silver javelin disappeared, the deep wound on the creature''s back closed itself. Instead of being cut by the enchanted battleaxe, it simply raised a hand and blocked the crescent blade with its forearm.


    The sharp edge failed to break the being''s skin.


    Behind the visor of the helmet, the Awakened warrior who wielded the axe paled.


    He had caught a glimpse of the creature''s radiant face, and felt the immolating wrath and ruthless killing intent burning in its eyes.


    The radiant figure moved, grabbing the man by the throat. The steel of his powerful Memory armor melted, and the flesh beneath it blackened. The warrior screamed. Before he was dealt a mortal wound, however, the creature shifted and threw his body at the advancing security officers of his cohort.


    There were thirteen Awakened left to deal with the invader, each an experienced, well-equipped combatant and a master of their craft.


    But the flame apparition was just too tyrannical.


    It cut through their ranks as if dealing with mere insects. No amount of skill, no amount of powerful Memories and devastating Aspect Abilities could slow it down, let alone damage it. Faced against such an overwhelming adversary, not even the perfect synergy of the security team could play a role.


    All the Awakened managed was to cover each other and save their wounded comrades from being killed by the unstoppable monster. Their ability to resist, however, was running out.


    Soon, they were going to start dying.


    What was worse, the whole battle only took a dozen seconds. That was not nearly enough time for reinforcements to arrive��


    Or so the desperate Awakened thought, before a swift shadow suddenly appeared in their midst.


    ***


    Sunny rolled out of the shadows and coughed, feeling terrible heat, smoke, and scalding steam assault him. He had used Shadow Step to jump to the underground level of the hospital complex almost as soon as the ground trembled, and only had time to summon the Undying Chain.


    As the dull steel armor and a couple of other Memories finished manifesting themselves, he tried to take in the sight of the devastated interior and shuddered.


    ''Gods��''


    He could not see much, but his shadow sense told a terrifying tale. It seemed as if a series of explosions had rolled through this hallway, cracking the walls, the floor, and the ceiling. There were fires burning all around, despite the streams of water and foam being discharged by a few parts of the fire-suppression systems that remained intact.


    ��White. White fire.


    He also saw the sorry state of the Awakened security team and the radiant figure rampaging between them.


    From the looks of it, the officers were not going to last long��


    "Back! Retreat! I''ll handle it!"


    Enhanced by the [Sonorous] enchantment of the Extraordinary Rock, his voice boomed in the scorching, fire-infused darkness. Not daring to disobey the authority in his order, the Awakened did not make him ask twice. Grabbing their wounded, they hastily disengaged from the combat and ran.


    At the same time, Sunny dashed forward.


    His heart was beating like crazy.


    ''Can''t be�� can''t��''


    Because of all the fire and the damage done to the ventilation system, there was not a lot of oxygen left in the air. It was hard to breathe��


    Following his will, the shadows suddenly moved and rose from the ground. Instead of touching the incandescent flesh of the radiant being and turning to ash, they swiftly formed a sphere around it and then solidified, turning into a large black orb.


    That orb was durable enough to hold��


    White cracks appeared on the surface of the shadow cage, which then exploded into charred pieces.


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    ''How?! That was an Ascended cage!''


    He closed in on the radiant being, allowing the Shadow Lantern to devour all the light around and submerge the hallway in absolute darkness.


    For a moment, everything became black.


    ��And then, two furious white eyes ignited in the blackness. A moment later, a white silhouette became visible again, surrounded by a blinding glow. That glow pushed against the darkness, on the verge of vanquishing it.


    However, Sunny was already near the radiant figure.


    He could attack it freely.


    But he did not.


    An incandescent hand shot forward, aimed at his throat. Sunny allowed it to grab his forearm, instead. A terrible pressure and heat descended on his arm, slowly turning the steel of the Undying Chain bright orange. He could feel his flesh beneath it starting to burn.


    But he still did not attack.


    Instead, Sunny dismissed his helmet and looked straight at the flame apparition.


    "Stop!"


    His arm was in a sea of blazing pain.


    Refusing to move, Sunny looked at the beautiful radiant face in front of him.


    "Stop! It''s me!"


    Slowly, a vague hint of recognition appeared in the burning white eyes of the radiant monster. The blinding light emanating from her skin dimmed a little.


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    "Changing Star!"


    Her hand trembled. The stark inhumanity of her face grew less frightening.


    The apparition opened its mouth.


    Her voice was hoarse and awkward, as if covered in rust after not being used for a long, long time:


    "...S��Sunny?"


    He forced out a pale smile.


    "It''s me! Snap out of it, damn it!"


    The radiant figure �� Nephis �� froze. Slowly, the light suffusing her skin dimmed, and then became extinguished.


    The fire devouring the underground level weakened, too, allowing the fire suppression systems to douse it.


    Standing naked amidst the devastation caused by her, Changing Star stared at Sunny with a confused expression.


    Then, she suddenly swayed, and fell down.


    Sunny was barely quick enough to fall to his knees and catch her.


    Holding Neph in his arms, he looked up and noticed the Awakened warriors of the security team staring at him in shock from afar.


    The corner of his mouth twitched.


    "...What are you doing, fools?! Bring me something to cover her up! Don''t you know who that is?!"


    He shook his head, hiding the fact that he was as stunned as they were.


    "This... this is Lady Changing Star, the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan. She''s back..."

 Chapter 765 Turmoil

    Shock. Confusion. Joy. Reprieve. Peace. Fear��


    Sunny sat on a flimsy chair in the waiting area in front of an armored door, shell-shocked by what had happened. What was happening. Failing to envision what was going to happen.


    His mind was thoroughly scrambled.


    The waiting area was situated on a different level of the hospital complex. By now, the one devastated by the recent events was already put off. The fires were gone. Teams of the Academy staff were sifting through the wreckage, trying to determine the amount of damage done to the structure of the building and various equipment.


    Those wounded by the explosion and the members of the security team were being hastily treated. It seemed that no lives were in danger�� mostly because Sunny had gotten there in time.


    What exactly had transpired?


    He had a good idea.


    Back when Sunny had Awakened, he had unconsciously activated his Aspect Ability before fully regaining his consciousness. As the result, he had come to his senses standing near the sleeping pod instead of inside of it.


    Shadow Step was a teleportation Ability�� what if he had gotten a direct damage Ability?


    What if he had been a Tyrant, at that?


    This was not an uncommon occurrence among the Awakened. Kai had gone through something similar, if Sunny remembered correctly. The same must have happened to Nephis.


    It was just that her new Ability had turned out to be nothing short of devastating. As expected from the daughter of the Immortal Flame clan��


    After spending a whole year on the Forgotten Shore and then two more wandering alone through the Dream Realm, she must have been extremely disoriented by the return to the waking world. Using her Aspect caused her to be in the throes of terrible pain, as well. Her Flaw was very cruel, after all.


    Perhaps Neph could have regained her composure, but sadly, the automated battle systems of the hospital complex were not sophisticated enough to differentiate between an unknown Awakened and an active threat. Even the members of the security team had failed to make the distinction.


    All they had perceived was that the guarded room where the heir of the Immortal Flame slept had been destroyed, and that a seemingly inhuman apparition stood among the fires.


    In any case, the turret had unleashed a hail of bullets on Nephis, causing her muddled mind to switch into combat mode. After that, all she saw was a threat.


    In combat, you had to kill the enemy and prevent the enemy from killing you.


    Who knew how much damage she would have done if Sunny had not appeared on time?


    ''Lucky��''


    But�� how was she so powerful? Fourteen powerful Awakened had failed to even slow her down. Not even the cage he had created from shadows could withstand the heat of her flames.


    Sunny scowled, then grimaced.


    Cassie was sitting nearby, gripping his hand so hard that even Bone Weave was struggling with the pressure. Both of them were waiting for the doctors examining unconscious Nephis to deliver some news.


    He patted the blind girl on the shoulder, then said awkwardly:


    "Cas�� my hand."


    She turned to him with a confused expression, then flinched and let go.


    "...Sorry."


    They weren''t alone in the waiting area. In fact, a small crowd of people was there with them �� doctors, faculty members, a few disheveled government agents, Academy administrators�� everyone was anticipating the news with baited breaths. Their faces were pale, shocked, and excited.


    Morgan of Valor was there, too, leaning against the wall and typing something in her communicator, her expression calm and nonchalant. She seemed to have understood that their negotiations would have to be postponed.


    What was the point of negotiating with Sunny and Cassie when everything had just changed? If Valor wanted to recruit the members of Changing Star''s cohort and the Fire Keepers, they were going to have to speak with Changing Star herself�� most likely.


    Or they would continue their attempts to assassinate her. Provided that Valor had been the great clan responsible for sending Caster, of course.


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment.


    ''...Right. There''s also that.''


    The situation had already been incredibly murky and complicated, and with Neph''s return, everything was turned upside down and made even more convoluted.


    Chaos�� it was pure chaos.


    Everything was changing.


    His own situation had also just turned much more dire, for obvious reasons.


    ...So why was he struggling to keep a sincere smile from appearing on his face?


    Sunny had reasons to be shocked, and reasons to be tense. And he was. But most of all�� he was happy.


    Incredibly happy.


    A sense of profound relief, contentment, and joy threatened to drown his ability to think clearly. He felt as though�� as though something precious, something vital that he had lost was suddenly returned to him. Something that he had been missing.


    And now that it was back, Sunny felt complete.


    ''What the hell is this nonsense? Since when am I that sentimental?''


    Although he tried to cover his raw emotions with a veneer of cynicism, in truth, Sunny could pinpoint the exact moment when he had changed.


    It was when he stepped into the circle of runes inside the Crimson Spire and escaped the Forgotten Shore, leaving Changing Star behind, to be devoured by darkness.


    After that, nothing had been the same.


    He gritted his teeth.


    ''Doesn''t matter! Take a hold of yourself!"


    Sunny had the right to be happy that Nephis had returned alive to them. She was his friend after all�� much more than that, even. But that did not mean that he could allow himself to relax.


    Just like her name suggested, Changing Star''s return was bound to cause a massive shift. There were many dormant dangers that were going to awake now�� more than that, there was a chance that she would become a danger to Sunny herself.


    He had spent years both hoping for and dreading her return.


    ''First things first��''


    He had to know how Nephis had managed to come back. There were no other Gateways in the Forgotten Shore�� had she found one in the Hollow Mountains, or had she gone north, east, or west in search of a less deadly region of the Dream Realm?


    Not that there would be�� no one had ever returned from those parts, too, after all.


    Now that Nephis had lost consciousness, she was bound to be sent back to the Dream Realm. Depending on how dangerous the area surrounding her anchor was, she might not be able to return soon.


    Or at all�� although Sunny doubted that the probability of that outcome was very high.


    The runes shown by the Spell also named an Awakened''s anchor. Since he could see both his own status and Neph''s, all he had to do to find out was summon them.


    Not wasting any more time, Sunny called upon the shimmering runes and concentrated on a certain string of them. A moment later, Neph''s status appeared in the air in front of him.


    Sunny started reading, but then froze.


    His eyes widened.


    ''How�� how is this possible?''


    But there was no mistake...


    The runes read:


    Name: Nephis.


    True Name: Changing Star.


    Rank: ��Ascended.

 Chapter 766 Making History

    As it turned out, Nephis had not found a Gateway to escape the Dream Realm and Awaken.


    Instead, after two long years of solitude and relentless battles for survival, she had found a Seed of Nightmare and conquered the Second Trial of the Spell as a Sleeper.


    She had done it alone.


    At least that was the only way Sunny could explain the runes he was staring at.


    Ascended.


    ''That is impossible.''


    Surviving the Second Nightmare was already not easy for a cohort of prepared Awakened. More people perished while trying than returned victorious. How could a lone Sleeper accomplish the same?


    No one had done it before.


    However�� no Sleeper had been a Tyrant before.


    No Sleeper had escaped alive from a battle with a Corrupted horror of the depths before.


    No Sleeper had slain a Fallen Terror before.


    Nephis had long established her penchant for accomplishing the impossible. Why was Sunny so surprised that she had done it again?


    No, he wasn''t surprised. He was�� dismayed.


    A deep, unsettling emotion nestled in his chest, making his face grow dark and his eyes grow dim. The shadows around him seemed to become deeper.


    ''...Doesn''t matter. That doesn''t change anything. The important part is that she is back. Who cares how she returned?''


    But it did matter. To him, it was of paramount importance. His obsession with becoming more powerful than Nephis was not born out of simple vanity or empty pride. Someone else might have been tempted to chase power just for the sweetness of it, but to Sunny, being anything else than the strongest was an existential threat.


    ? As he sat in stunned silence, the sound of hurried footsteps resounded near him. Looking up, Sunny saw Effie pushing her way through the crowd. She was not shy about using her prodigious strength, so people did not really have any choice except to let her pass. Even Instructor Rock, who had appeared ten minutes earlier, had to politely make way.


    ��The big man had been the person to send Nephis into the Dream Realm. It was no wonder that he dropped everything to come and wait with the rest of them. Sunny felt a bit touched.


    The huntress finally reached them and froze for a moment, then asked hoarsely:


    "Sunny, Cassie! Is it true? Princess is back?"


    Sunny looked at her for a bit, then simply nodded.


    "Yes. I�� I passed her to the healers with my own two hands."


    Effie did not move for several seconds. Then, a wide grin split her face. It looked as if she was on the verge of starting to howl again.


    "Hell yes! I never had a doubt! No Nightmare Creature exists that can keep that pampered psycho down!"


    Sunny couldn''t help but smile a little, infected by her jubilation.


    Before too long, Kai arrived, as well. Usually, his appearance would have caused a stir, but right now, no one paid the former idol any attention.


    When he received the confirmation, an expression of profound relief appeared on the young man''s beautiful face. Kai swayed a little, and then leaned on the wall to keep himself upright.


    "Gods�� thank the gods��"


    Sunny had not realized it, but his friend must have been blaming himself for leaving Nephis behind all that time. He was truly too decent of a person for this vile world, and infected by a misguided sense of nobility to boot. Knowing that he had escaped the hell of the Forgotten Shore because of someone else''s sacrifice must have pressed down upon him a lot.


    The four of them huddled together and waited. Sunny silently observed the faces of his friends, seeing sincere happiness and relief written all over them. Some�� Kai especially�� looked on the verge of getting emotional.


    Unlike him, they had no reason to feel a strange ambivalence about Changing Star''s return.


    And looking at them, Sunny decided to ignore the darker part of his mind for a bit, too.


    Whatever happened, he would have to deal with it then. If he had to die to avoid becoming a slave, he would. If he had to kill in order to remain free�� that was not out of the question, as well.


    But for now, he chose to just share this rare moment of joy with his friends.


    The founder of their cohort was back, after all.


    Soom, the armored doors finally opened, and one of the Awakened healers in the employ of the Academy appeared from them.


    Everyone gathered in the waiting area held their breaths. Even Morgan of Valor looked up from her communicator, strange sparks igniting in her vermillion eyes.


    One of the government agents couldn''t contain herself and asked:


    "How�� how is she? Lady Changing Star is really back?"


    The healer lingered for a moment, and then nodded.


    "She is. Her physical condition is fine�� better than fine, even. Perfect. As for her mental condition, we will know when she wakes up. Lady Nephis is currently sleeping."


    Someone from the crowd immediately spoke:


    "Sleeping? Do you mean that she is back in the Dream Realm?!"


    The healer hesitated, then slowly shook her head.


    "No. Lady Nephis seems to have�� Ascended. So, she is simply asleep."


    For a moment, the crowd seemed to have lost the ability to speak.


    And then, all hell broke loose.


    Despite the government''s attempts to stall for time and control the narrative, just in a few minutes, the incredible news of Changing Star''s return spread across the network.


    Not long after that, another explosive rumor appeared, claiming that she was now a Master.


    Just like that, all of humanity learned that Nephis of the Immortal Flame clan, the descendant of the two legendary pioneers and the famed hero of the Forgotten Shore, had become the first human in history to conquer the Second Nightmare as a Sleeper, thus jumping Ranks, and returned to the waking world unscathed.


    Her already prolific fame and exalted status instantly soared as high as the sun.


    While Nephis slept, her arrival was already creating titanic waves in the mindset of millions of people.


    In front of the Awakened Academy, a hundred thousand candles continued to burn despite the falling snow.


    ...And cast by their flames, a hundred thousand shadows danced on the ground.

 Chapter 767 Measure Of Strength

    The news of Changing Star''s return spread across the world like wildfire. The network practically exploded with an endless amount of discussions. Everyone wanted to share their excitement and celebrate the homecoming of the young hero who, without a doubt, was going to become one of the most powerful champions of humanity soon.


    While exaggerated, the reaction of both mundane humans and Awakened alike was easy to understand. In this dark and fragile world that balanced on the verge of destruction, everyone longed for something to illuminate their lives and chase their fears away. Everyone desperately searched for hope.


    Thinking about it, Sunny couldn''t help but remember the description of Neph''s Aspect. Light Bringer��


    [You are a creature of light that was banished and doomed to exist in the darkness. You bring radiance and warmth to wherever you go, but with it comes indescribable longing.]


    Was hope the longing it talked about? Longing was just another word for desire, after all��


    In any case, the government had long used Nephis to satiate that desire. They had constructed an uplifting narrative around the events of the Forgotten Shore and made her the linchpin of the story.


    No matter how much Sunny hated the abhorrent movie adaptation that had been rushed through production soon after their Awakening, he had to admit that it was a sign of how deeply the survivors of the Dreamer Army and their leader had affected the public.


    To be fair, the government had not needed to work too hard to turn Changing Star into an iconic figure. Her achievements had truly been singular and remarkable. Her perceived martyrdom had truly been compelling.


    What was more, Nephis had inherited an already established and powerful legend simply on account of her birthright. Her grandfather was the first human to conquer the Second Nightmare and become a Master. Her father was the first to conquer the Third and become a Saint. Both of them were great warriors, pioneers, and revered heroes of humanity.


    ��And now, she had joined their ranks by becoming the first human to Ascend directly from being a Sleeper.


    Considering all that, he was not surprised to see how intensely people reacted to the news. Already, there were a lot of discussions on the network predicting that Changing Star would inevitably become the first to conquer the Fourth Nightmare and push humanity one step closer to salvation, as her parents and grandfather had done.


    If only they knew��


    If only they knew that Sovereigns had already given up on their world, and that very soon, hundreds of millions of people would probably die for it.


    And that the hero they were praising had much grander ambitions.


    Conquer the Fourth Nightmare? No, that was too trivial for Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan. She was going to conquer all Nightmares. She was going to destroy the Spell itself��


    Or at least try to, even if the waking world had to burn as the consequence.


    While the government agents ran around with panicked expressions and most of the waiting crowd dissipated, Sunny found himself leaving the group and walking away to find something to eat. Morgan of Valor had left some time ago, so he did not feel too threatened.


    ''Oh, right�� the true negotiations ended up never happening. I wonder what it means for my future��''


    Eventually, he settled in the hospital''s cafeteria and forced himself to swallow some food. A few years ago, he would have been ecstatic to be able to feast on high-quality food like that. But now, he did not even feel the taste of various dishes. They might as well have been mimic meat or synthpaste.


    Sunny sat quietly, consumed by thoughts, when Effie suddenly appeared nearby and landed on a chair near him. There was a mountain of food on her own tray. The huntress looked at him with a smile:


    "Great minds think alike, huh?"


    She took a bite out of a small cake, then swallowed it entirely and said with satisfaction:


    "The healers want us four to come help them when Nephis wakes up. You know, in case she becomes... agitated again."


    Sunny silently nodded.


    Effie sighed.


    "I can''t believe that she just went and Ascended�� well, I can actually. It is still amazing, though! Neph must have one hell of a crazy story to tell. It might even be more unbelievable than our own."


    He shrugged, then put a spoonful of something mildly spicy in his mouth.


    The huntress studied him for a while, then suddenly said:


    "You know�� for someone who was just reunited with their first and best friend, you don''t look too happy, doofus."


    Sunny glanced at her.


    "Who said that we are friends?"


    Effie scoffed.


    "Don''t lie to me, Sunny. I know how you feel about Nephis, and how much of it you feel. What''s up with you?"


    He grimaced.


    "Lie? How can I lie?"


    Sunny lowered his eyes, hesitated for a while, and then said quietly:


    "Stronger�� I wanted to be stronger than her. I really, really tried. And to be honest, I am very annoyed that all of it was for nothing."


    The huntress looked at him with a strange expression.


    "Is that why you were in such a hurry to challenge the Second Nightmare?"


    He leaned back and turned away.


    "...Yeah. That was a big part of it."


    Effie lingered for a bit, then slowly shook her head.


    "Listen, Sunny. I am really sorry to say this�� but you will never be stronger than Nephis."


    He looked at her sharply, sparks of anger igniting in his eyes:


    "Oh yeah? Why is that?"


    She sighed.


    "It''s very simple, really. Both of you are exceptional, talented, and have great will. Both of you are incredibly strong. But, Sunny�� it doesn''t matter how fast you gain a new Rank, how many Nightmare Creatures you kill, how many soul fragments you absorb. She will always be ahead."


    She looked him in the eyes and said soberly:


    "It''s because she has something that you lack. Nephis, she has... conviction, Sunny. And you don''t. As long as that doesn''t change, you will always be behind."


    As he stared at her with resentment, Effie suddenly grinned and shrugged.


    "But hey�� who cares? I have even less conviction than you, and I''m doing great. Who needs it, anyway�� I would much rather have a full belly than something like that!"


    With that, she laughed and returned to her food, not paying the conversation any more attention.


    Sunny, however, remained still for some time.


    A somber expression appeared on his face.


    After a while, he sighed and silently resumed eating his meal.


    ''Conviction�� conviction... who needs it, indeed��''

 Chapter 768 Dark Shore

    Eventually, the four of them were invited into the room where Nephis slept�� this time on a hospital bed instead of inside of a closed coffin of a sleeping pod. The administrators of the Academy wanted to avoid any more damage, so asking the members of Changing Star''s cohort for help was a logical step.


    Seeing familiar faces first after waking up would probably calm her down. And if not�� having four Masters at hand would be enough to deal with any unforeseen complications.


    Most likely...


    Sunny stood in the corner, looking at Nephis with a somber expression. Her pale face, her silver hair. For the past two years, he had often seen her through the transparent lid of the sleeping pod, bathed in its ghostly light. Now that she was out and returned to the real world, Changing Star seemed much more�� material. And strangely vulnerable.


    She was truly back.


    He sighed.


    Cassie was sitting on a chair beside the bed, while Effie and Kai were resting on a sofa. None of them knew when Neph was going to wake up, and they had already spent a couple hours waiting. Without having to discuss it, all four decided to stay quiet. So�� by now, they were pretty bored.


    Sunny, on the other hand, was filled with more and more tension.


    The corner of his mouth twitched.


    ''This anticipation is killing me. It''s pure torture.''


    He did not think that Nephis would abuse her power over him. But it was better to prepare for the worst. For that reason, Sunny was mentally going over all the clever ways he had thought of to undermine her absolute authority as his master. There were always ways... owning an unwilling slave was not an easy endeavor. Especially one as powerful and resourceful as him.


    That had been one of the reasons why he had chosen to kill the Mirror Beast instead of subjugating it, all that time ago.


    Still, Sunny could not help but feel a hint of fear.


    ...After a while, he shook his head and moved slightly. Then, without being noticed by anyone, Sunny silently merged with shadows.


    Hidden in their dark embrace, he hesitated for a few moments, and then called upon Nightmare. A vast shadow appeared near him, all around him�� this was the dark destrier in his true, shapeless form.


    Sunny allowed himself to be enveloped by the larger shadow, and then gave it a silent command. What happened next�� was hard to describe.


    He had only done this a few times in the past, and each time was as strange. It was a bit like traveling to the Dream Realm, but also different.


    Tired of waiting, Sunny had decided to travel to Neph''s dreams. There was no sense in prolonging his anxious anticipation, anyway. He had to see if Changing Star was still sane. He had to know that she was still... herself.


    Soon, Sunny found himself on a dark shore.


    Beneath him was a vertical slope, with furious waves crashing against the cliffs far below. Some distance away, a tall and beautiful lighthouse stood, illuminating the absolute darkness with its radiant flame.


    Sunny studied it for a while, and then nudged Nightmare to walk along the edge of the cliff. Sitting in the saddle, he rode the black steed and tried not to look around too much.


    Dreams were a strange place. They did not adhere to the logic of the real world and were always flowing, always changing. The more powerful a dreamer was, the more solid they sometimes appeared.


    They were also dangerous for Dreamwalkers such as Nightmare and Sunny. The threats contained within them might not have been real, but by invading this subliminal space, the uninvited guests had to treat them as such.


    This was why Nightmare often returned wounded from his travels. If an Ascended dreamt of a powerful abomination, the dark destrier had to battle the abomination as if it was real. However, not only dreadful fiends posed a threat. His opponents were empowered by the dream itself, so their strength depended on the strength of the dreamer. Their actual shape did not matter that much.


    Nephis�� was very strong. So her nightmares were bound to be terrible, as well.


    Soon, the landscape around them changed. The dark shore and the lighthouse disappeared, and instead, the streets of a ruined city appeared from nowhere. With a bit of apprehension, Sunny recognized the familiar shapes of the stone buildings of the Dark City. However, they were simultaneously the alloy towers of the Siege Capital. Their facades were broken, with smoke and fire escaping from the cracks.


    A wide road was littered with burning debris, and a luxurious PTV lay overturned some distance away, its armored frame bent and riddled with holes. Blood was spilling on the melting asphalt from the shattered windows.


    Sunny slowly approached the PTV and then jumped off Nightmare''s back. After hesitating for a moment, he bent down and looked inside the cabin.


    There were several corpses inside, all wearing mundane clothes. Most disturbingly, these people lacked faces, and instead looked like smooth-faced mannequins. Their flesh, however, was quite real�� and terribly mangled.


    With a frown, he looked away and studied the surroundings. It did not take him long to notice a trail of blood leading away from the burning PTV.


    Leaving Nightmare behind, Sunny followed the trail.


    He crossed the street and entered the foyer of a business tower through a large hole in its wall. Looking around, Sunny noticed that the foyer strangely resembled the silent shore of the dark river they had crossed once, a long time ago, while searching for the remains of the First Lord.


    White fog swirled above the water, full of silent whispers.


    There was only one thing that did not seem to fit �� a large reception desk stood not too far away from him, drowning in shadows.


    Sunny slowly walked to it and then moved around.


    Behind the desk, leaning on it with her back, a young woman with silver hair sat on the ground. Her face was pale and tired, and her striking grey eyes were devoid of any light. She was wearing mundane clothes, which were marred with blood.


    Sunny sighed, and then said:


    "Hey, Neph."


    The young woman slowly looked up... and then smiled.


    "Hey, Sunny."

 Chapter 769 Maybe

    A beautiful smile illuminated Neph''s face, making her look much softer and younger than she usually seemed. In all the time they knew each other, Sunny had only seen her smile a few times, and every time he did, a hint of regret brushed against his heart. It was a shame, for such a brilliant smile to appear so seldom��


    Maybe in her dreams, Changing Star allowed herself to show it more often.


    Looking at the reception desk serving as her cover, he tried to make his voice sound calm and asked:


    "What are you doing here?"


    Nephis lingered for a moment, and then looked down.


    "...Hiding."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "From what?"


    Her voice grew quiet as she answered, still looking at the ground:


    "Bad people."


    He sighed.


    It seemed that the memory this nightmare had spawned from belonged to a much younger Nephis. Something similar must have happened to her when she was a kid�� and so, although Changing Star looked like her adult self, she was simultaneously a child. That meant that she was not supposed to have any memory of meeting and getting to know Sunny, and yet, she did.


    Dreams were strange that way. All kinds of contradictions could exist within them, merging things that could not coexist in reality.


    Sunny lowered himself to the ground and sat next to Neph, leaning on the surface of the desk beside her. He remained silent for a while, and then said with a reassuring smile:


    "Well�� don''t be afraid. I''ll hide here with you. I am very good at hiding, you know. If bad people come, they will never see us."


    Nephis slowly shook her head.


    "I don''t know��"


    Sunny crossed his arms.


    "And if they do see us, I''ll deal with them. I am very good at dealing with things, as well."


    She did not move for a long time, and then suddenly said:


    "This is a dream, isn''t it?"


    He almost flinched, and then tried very hard to suppress a curse. That question was�� extremely startling.


    Well, what else did he expect? This was Nephis, after all. Even the Awakened Terror of her First Nightmare had failed to contain her within a dream.


    Regaining his composure, Sunny simply nodded. Nephis sighed.


    "It is too nice to be real. Strange�� I haven''t dreamt in a long, long time."


    Slowly, the space between them started to change. It flowed, transforming into something different. The darkness was dispelled by the radiance of an incandescent sun. The cold waters receded, making way for pristine white sand. Above them, there was now a boundless azure sky. Sunny felt an unbearable heat assault his skin.


    A few moments later, they were surrounded by a vast, scorching desert.


    Instead of a modern desk, their backs were against the trunk of a tall tree. Its bark was as white as the pristine sand, and its leaves were scarlet. Tens of thousands of skulls hung from the beautiful branches, fastened to them by glistening threads of black silk.


    More disturbingly, two human figures were cruelly nailed to the tree, hanging from it like prisoners. One of them was a man with black hair, dressed in dark clothes. The other was a woman in white, her hair glistening like silver. From where he sat, Sunny could not see their faces.


    ��Perhaps that was for the best.


    He opened his mouth, but then froze, realizing that he did not know what to say.


    There was too much. Too much he wanted to tell her, too much he wanted to ask her. There were matters they had to discuss that had to do with their future, the great clans, the Sovereigns. There were matters they had to discuss that had to do with their past, the decisions they had made, the mistakes that had been committed.


    There were his emotions, as well. His resentment, his anger, his pain, his joy, his glee.


    There were her emotions, as well��


    All of this was so immense. Sunny was much older now than when they had first met�� even though only three years passed, those years contained lifetimes of bitter lessons he had learned. He had never been good with complicated feelings, and although he did make some progress on that front, Sunny was still far from being adept in these matters.


    So what was he supposed to say?


    He remained silent for a while. Then, finally, he looked at her and said the only thing that came to his mind.


    The most truthful one.


    "I missed you."


    Nephis smiled, and looked at him as well.


    "...I missed you, too."


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh, and slumped a little, full of strange relief.


    A moment later, however, his face turned dark and ugly.


    Gritting his teeth, he glared at her and spat:


    "If you really missed me�� then why the hell had you left me behind?!"


    Neph''s smile slowly dimmed. A few moments later, she looked away and sighed.


    "Because it was the better choice."


    Sunny clenched his fists.


    "Who the hell do you think you are?! Who asked for your righteousness?! Do you even know what you took from me?! Who gave you the right to make that choice for me?!"


    Changing Star looked down and remained silent for a bit. Then, she said:


    "But I did not make it for you. I made it for me."


    She studied the white desert for a while, and then sighed.


    "If you remained with me�� yes, maybe, we would have been stronger together. Maybe we would have grown faster together. Maybe we would have been better... together. Maybe we would have survived. But what were the chances of that? Unlike me, you can''t heal yourself from terrible wounds. Your soul is not infused with the Fire. Maybe, you would have just died."


    Nephis looked at him, soft sparks igniting in her grey eyes.


    "That was too many maybes, Sunny. I had to have the worst outcome in mind. So I made the decision that did not risk your life. But�� make no mistake �� it was not for you. It was for me. It was not that I did not want you to die, it was that I wanted to spare myself from having to watch you die. I had to protect myself, too."


    She stared at the white sand, and whispered:


    "I buried too many people, Sunny. I deserved the right to be selfish. Even if it did you harm��"


    He stared at her with a dark expression, then spat:


    "Why do you even care whether I live or die?!"


    Nephis looked at him and smiled. The wind moved her silver hair, making it dance.


    Then, she shrugged and said in an even tone:


    "Because I do."

 Chapter 770 Aimless Blade

    ''Argh! What an infuriating woman!''


    Sunny appeared from the shadows and resumed his position in the corner. No one seemed to have noticed his absence, which was for the best.


    Their short conversation with Nephis had been interrupted by the appearance of a ghastly demon with six arms and charred black holes instead of eyes. Sunny had done his best to restrain the abomination while Nightmare attacked it from the back. In the end, they managed to destroy it without sustaining any wounds.


    It had not been an easy battle, though.


    After that, Sunny felt too confused to continue the conversation, and instead chose to return to the waking world.


    ''Because I do�� that doesn''t even make any sense!''


    It seemed that Neph''s whole existence was designed to continuously stump him. From their first conversation on the Forgotten Shore until now, he just could not get how her mind worked. Protecting Cassie simply because she wanted to, caring about people simply because she did�� the sheer audacity of being so unapologetically strange and irrational made him fume.


    Especially so because he suspected that Nephis somehow derived strength from this bizarre attitude. Was that what Effie had meant when she talked about conviction?


    Sunny did not really understand what exactly it was that she thought he lacked. Was it will or determination? If so, the huntress was terribly mistaken. He might not have been the most principled of people, but few could boast of having more determination than Sunny. Otherwise, he would not have survived all the terrible trials that life had thrown his way.


    But maybe�� maybe conviction was something else. Maybe having will and determination was not enough, unless they were aimed at something precise, and guided by a singular purpose. After all, having a sharp sword was useless unless it was brandished against an enemy.


    Was conviction a guiding principle that shaped formless power and determination into a sharp blade? Was it an unbreakable will to achieve a certain purpose?


    No�� it was not so simple. Sunny was not without a purpose, after all. He had his own goals �� to have a good life, to be free, to make sure that those he cared about were safe. Why were these values not worthy of being called a conviction?


    If there was one thing he noticed, it was that all of his desires were centered around him. They were all aimed inside. He did not think that there was anything wrong with that�� in fact, he considered it a great virtue.


    Nephis, on the other hand, disregarded herself to an almost demented degree in pursuit of her goals. All her desires were aimed outside, and incredibly ambitious.


    Was that the meaning of conviction, then? Was it not only important to have a purpose, but also for the nature of that purpose to be larger than oneself? For the principles that guided one''s determination to be founded in something vast and deep, thus pushing the person to rise higher and strive for more?


    All that sounded too high and mighty to Sunny. He was more inclined to value his own simple goals over such lofty ambitions.


    However, he couldn''t help but feel a bit uncomfortable at the thought that someone with a greater purpose had an inherent advantage over someone who just wanted to be left alone, as he did.


    Unfortunately for Sunny, he was fated to compete against exactly this kind of people if he wanted to be free to live his life as he seemed fit. Only if he became greater than all of them would they leave him be.


    Which was bound to result in a very inconvenient paradox��


    ''Why am I even thinking about this? Damned Effie and her damned moments of insightfulness�� who says she''s even right?''


    In any case, he had other things to consider.


    His visit to Neph''s dream had not turned out how he hoped it would. Sunny did accomplish one of his goals and tentatively made sure that two years of lonely and, no doubt, harrowing travels through the Dream Realm had not driven Changing Star insane.


    The exact scope of damage done to her mind was yet to become clear, but at least she was not a raving lunatic. In fact�� Nephis seemed strangely stable for a person who had gone through something that no one should have ever been forced to endure.


    Whether it was the result of her stalwart willpower or something else entirely, he did not know. Regardless, a lot of tension Sunny had felt slowly dissipated.


    Not all of it, however.


    While he had determined Neph''s general mental state, he failed in his two other intentions.


    First, Sunny had not been able to find a bit of closure in dismantling her reasons for invoking his True Name. He had expected Changing Star to hide behind a false and misguided veil of having done it for his own good. He had been prepared, and wished to, obliterate her hypocritical pretense of righteousness.


    He wanted to express his anger, fury, and resentment. He wanted to cause her to feel at least a small part of the anguish that she had caused him to feel.


    Bus Nephis had subverted his expectations by readily admitting that her actions were nothing but selfish, making all the attacks and accusations he had prepared moot. That left Sunny confused and unsatisfied. The fight he had wanted to pick never happened, because the other person did not want to fight.


    His animosity was not only struggling against his own complicated feelings, but also completely one-sided.


    ''Infuriating��''


    Much more importantly�� Sunny had failed to learn the most vital information. He had not gathered the courage to ask the question that was bothering him the most.


    What were Changing Star''s intentions toward their strange and inescapable bond?


    What was she going to do with her power over him?


    So many heavy, complicated, and frightening things were tied to that question. Once he asked it, there would be no going back. He could lose so many things that he cherished, and even more that he did not even have the opportunity to experience yet.


    Depending on the answer, the nature of their relationship could forever change. There was a possibility that it would cease to exist, even.


    Although it might have seemed like he was burying his head in the sand, Sunny simply could not bring himself to have that fateful conversation yet. The stakes were too high. And so, for now, he decided to follow the easiest path and simply let some things remain unsaid.


    He wanted to see how the situation would develop, first. There would always be time to act later.


    ��At least that was what he told himself.


    As time passed, the four Masters remained silent. They were watching over the young woman who slept peacefully, her nightmare slain by a transient shadow and his steed.


    After a while, Neph''s eyelids quivered. And then, slowly, she opened her eyes.

 Chapter 771 Honor Guard

    After it became apparent that Nephis was not going to go on a destructive rampage, the cohort did not get a lot of time to spend with their friend before the government agents whisked her away.


    Cassie barely managed to squeeze her hand, while Effie and Kai could only express their joy with words. Sunny remained silent, still preoccupied with his tumultuous thoughts. The corner he was standing in became even darker than it had been before.


    Neph herself seemed a bit disoriented, so their short reunion had turned out to be somewhat muddled.


    There were certain procedures involved when a person Awakened, and even more once they Ascended. All kinds of interviews, evaluations, and tests had to take place. All kinds of reports had to be submitted, all types of permissions had to be granted, and all varieties of procedures had to be enacted.


    The bureaucratic machine stirred awake to legitimize and integrate a new Master into the larger framework of humanity.


    Sunny knew the process well, because he had gone through it himself. It was just that his own experience had been separated into two distinct instances, and made smoother by Master Jet''s participation.


    Nephis, on the other hand, had to go through both sets of procedures at once, which was more or less unprecedented. She also did not enjoy the patronage of a high-ranking government representative�� yet. Perhaps that would not last long.


    There were other complications, as well. Her situation was unique and abnormal in more than one sense. Just the fact that she had become a Master without establishing a Gateway anchor in the Dream Realm alone was enough to make the bureaucracy stutter.


    The government agents had their work cut out for them.


    ��It was not all bad, however. The process, while slightly obnoxious, was there for a reason. It was not only about gathering the necessary information and officially establishing the Ascended''s new and elevated status. It was also designed to help the returned deal with the most damaging effects of suddenly coming back to safety after experiencing untold horrors in the Nightmare, at least to a certain degree.


    No matter how strong Changing Star was, no one doubted that her harrowing adventure through the Dreaml Realm and the Nightmare had left its scars on her mind. The government was well aware of how fragile many powerful Awakened truly were. It was not only on guard against those who could break, but also experienced in employing all kinds of preventative measures to reduce the possibility of that happening.


    Due to how important Nephis was both to the propaganda machine and to the actual defensive efforts of humanity as another Special Strategic Asset, the government threw its best resources into ensuring that the initial steps of her rehabilitation went as smoothly as possible.


    Of course, she was free to decide how much exactly she was willing to share. Some basic tests, however, were mandatory, since it was necessary to determine how safe it was to release her into the population.


    What it meant was that it would take long hours before the members of the cohort would be able to see Changing Star again.


    They weren''t the only ones waiting, too.


    At some point, Cassie had left and returned to the Dream Realm to inform the Fire Keepers of the incredible new development. Soon enough, dozens of them used the Gateway in the Ivory Tower and returned to the waking world for the first time in months.


    Since their sleeping pods were situated right there in the hospital complex of the Academy, it did not take a long time for all of them to gather in the hallway near where Nephis was undergoing her interviews. Now, around fifty young Awakened crowded it, as if standing guard.


    After spending almost half a year in the Dream Realm, the Fire Keepers looked rough around the edges, if not a little feral. They were wearing civilian clothes, but no one would mistake these people for mundane humans, or even ordinary Awakened.


    There was a strong sense of silent threat radiating from them. Their expressions were full of glee, but their gazes remained firm and heavy, making anyone who approached feel ill at ease. That was especially true for the members of Cassie''s former cohort, which was now led by the stoic healer, Shim. They were all on high alert and ready to pounce on anyone representing a threat.


    With the Fire Keepers standing guard, any potential action by the great clans was bound to end in failure, or at least outright disaster. In fact, they seemed so fierce that even the security teams of the Academy became nervous and sent a few cohorts of their own to keep watch on the celebrating group.


    It was easy to read the extreme apprehension on the faces of the security officers, though. Awakened or not, they seemed to understand that they stood no chance against the elites of the Forgotten Shore if push came to shove.


    Observing all that, Sunny couldn''t help but ask himself a question.


    ��If six months of hiding in the relative safety of the Ivory Tower had such a drastic effect on the Fire Keepers, then what had two years of traversing some of the direst regions of the Dream Realm done to Nephis?


    After a while, he quietly approached Cassie and asked quietly:


    "How is it going?"


    She turned her head slightly and frowned.


    "What do you mean?"


    Sunny smiled darkly.


    "Come on. There''s no chance that you did not use your Ability on one of the government agents handling Neph''s processing. So what is happening?"


    She hesitated for a few moments, then sighed.


    "She seems to be in shock, somewhat. But mostly, she''s�� fine. Actually, it''s a bit disturbing how fine she is."


    He frowned.


    "Well�� it''s Nephis. You know how she is."


    Cassie slowly shook her head.


    "She is human too, Sunny. It''s just easy to forget that fact sometimes because of�� well, because it''s her."


    Sunny fell silent, not knowing what to say. After a few moments, the blind girl suddenly spoke again:


    "She seems reluctant to speak about most of what happened to her, but�� at least, she agreed to receive psychological counseling. That''s a good start."


    He blinked a couple of times.


    Nephis agreed�� to what?


    The idea of Changing Star being willing to undergo something like counseling did not fit into his head. It was just too bizarre to imagine.


    Sunny frowned.


    ''Maybe�� maybe she did change, a little.''


    Finally, after long hours of waiting, the government agents seemed to finish the bulk of their tests.


    The doors opened, and the familiar figure stepped out of them. Just like on the first day Sunny had met her, Nephis was wearing a simple government-issued tracksuit. Her silver hair, however, was now long and lustrous, framing her face and making her look strangely feminine.


    Her beauty was stunning.


    When Changing Star appeared, it seemed as though the whole hallway became a little brighter.


    Looking at the members of her cohort and the Fire Keepers gathered around them, Nephis hesitated for a moment, and then smiled awkwardly.


    "Hello, everyone. I�� I am glad to meet you all again. I did not think that I would."


    ...Before she was even done speaking, Cassie stepped forward and enveloped her in a tight hug.

 Chapter 772 Journey To The East

    Some time later, all five members of the cohort finally found themselves alone. The Fire Keepers were still around, but decided to give their leaders some much-needed privacy. As the result, only Nephis, Sunny, Cassie, Effie, and Kai remained in a spacious hospital room.


    Changing Star was standing by the window, looking at the peaceful landscape of the Academy ground with a strange, still expression. She seemed to have regressed to her old self, which had trouble communicating emotions and interacting with people. For that reason, it was hard to understand what she was thinking about.


    The others gave her some space. Despite the fact that Nephis was standing right in front of them, it was not too easy to come to terms with the fact that she was actually, truly back. They were still struggling to get used to this new reality, but a warm wave of relief and happiness was slowly rising in their hearts.


    Sunny was no different. It was just that his joy was somewhat overshadowed by a contradicting feeling of unease and apprehension.


    Finally, Nephis sighed and turned around. A pale smile appeared on her face.


    "You�� you are all Masters. I did not expect that."


    Effie, who was sitting comfortably on a cushy chair with her legs stretched, laughed.


    "You''re one to talk!"


    Neph studied the four of them, then let out a slow sigh.


    "I did not even know if all of you managed to survive. I�� I hoped, of course. So I am very glad to see that you did. And helped each other."


    A distant look appeared on Kai''s face. He remained silent for a bit, remembering the events of the Second Nightmare, and then said gently:


    "Yes, we had each other to lean on in our darkest moments. But you�� you were completely alone, all that time. Lady Nephis, please forgive me�� but how did you survive?"


    Nephis looked away with a smile.


    "...I wasn''t really completely alone, too."


    Then, she walked over to the hospital bed and sat down, facing them.


    "There is not much to tell, really. The Crimson Terror was in its most vulnerable state when I reached the top of the Spire. Unrestrained by the dark sea, she had absorbed countless souls and was in the middle of an arduous evolution. With the help of the Dawn Shard, I was able to strike her down."


    That simple explanation did not really do justice to the incredible accomplishment of slaying a Fallen Terror, but Neph seemed reluctant to dwell too much on that part of her story. She also decided to skip the part about their confrontation with Sunny entirely. Instead, she looked at the window and continued:


    "After she died, however, the Spire became unstable. The Gateway collapsed, and the tower itself soon followed. I barely escaped the debris. The artificial sun of the Forgotten Shore was extinguished, as well, submerging it into absolute darkness. The labyrinth itself perished, too, the crimson coral turning grey and slowly crumbling to dust. With no sea, no sun, and most Nightmare Creatures eradicated by the culling, it became a lightless and desolate place."


    She sighed.


    "I traveled back to the Dark City and spent some time there, hunting down the remaining abominations and preparing for a long journey. With the help of the Dawn Shard and the Nameless Sun, many powerful Nightmare Creatures fell to my blade. For a while, I entertained the idea of trying to cross the Hollow Mountains, but eventually had to abandon it. Nothing but death awaited me there. So, I had to choose another direction."


    Nephis paused for a moment, then continued in a steady tone:


    "I knew that the deadly mountain chain stretched further than Ravenheart in the west. There was no passage there. Going north meant moving further away from human Citadels. So, it only left east. There was a chance that the Hollow Mountains were not as tall and unassailable there, or even that there was an end to them somewhere in those unexplored regions. It was only a chance, but it was all that I had. So, I left the Dark City and retraced the steps of the journey that Sunny, Cassie, and I had made before�� avoiding the Ashen Barrow, of course."


    Sunny moved slightly, remembering their encounter with Soul Devourer. He had not forgotten his promise to come back and destroy the damned tree�� granted, he had no plans of returning to the Forgotten Shore, currently. Even his pettiness had a limit.


    Maybe he would still be able to exact his revenge on the vile fiend one day, though.


    Changing Star, meanwhile, continued her tale:


    "Eventually, I reached the edges of the Forgotten Shore and crossed into a vast and terrible desert. Seeing the sun and the stars once again�� it was like a blessing. But that blessing came with its own curse. The desert had once been the site of a great battle, I think�� or maybe that land had been turned into a lifeless desert by the battle, instead. In any case, echoes of the clash between powers well beyond our comprehension still linger there, making it a dire and deadly place."


    As Sunny remembered the white desert from her dream, Nephis paused, and then continued in a somber tone:


    "But at that point, it was too late for me to turn back. Following along the Hollow Mountains, I ventured into the desert and made my way further east. Unfortunately, no matter how many days I traveled, the misty peaks showed no signs of abating. Eventually, I knew that I could not continue. I think�� I think that the white desert is impossible to cross. The parts of it I only barely survived were on the periphery of the ancient battlefield. The deeper I went, the more terrifying it became. The inner reaches of that region, where the true clashes had happened, had to be a Death Zone of its own. Worse still, even if one manages to resist the many horrors dwelling there, the desert itself will eventually kill them. There is�� there is simply no way to survive it."


    She looked at them, white sparks igniting in her eyes.


    "With no way forward and no way back, I... I grew desperate enough to finally venture into the Hollow Mountains. However, I had no hope of traversing them and reaching the human territories on the other side. I had also failed to find any sign of a Gateway in my long travels. So, I did the only thing I could think of�� I tried to find a Seed of Nightmare. Eventually and with some help, I encountered one near the boundary of the dark realm that hides within the mountains�� and challenged it."


    A pale smile appeared on Neph''s face.


    "And here I am. Safe and sound."


    She grew silent for a few moments, and then added quietly:


    "Well�� not quite. But I am still alive, at least."

 Chapter 773 Catching Up

    It took some time for the members of the cohort to digest Neph''s story. Sunny, especially, felt like she did not tell them even a fraction of what had happened to her.


    But then again, was it even possible to describe two years of neverending struggle for survival with just a few words? Not even considering the things that Changing Star might have wished to keep to herself �� and he was sure that there were plenty �� she would have had trouble describing even the things that she wanted to share.


    It was going to take time.


    As for the actual secrets�� while he was dismayed and uneasy, Sunny himself was known to keep a lot of things close to his chest. More than that, they all had to be cautious about what they said. The room provided to Nephis by the Academy might have been safe, but that did not mean that it was not monitored.


    That was the reason why both Effie and Kai remained mostly silent despite the fact that they clearly had a lot of questions. Unlike Sunny, they did not possess a good understanding of Changing Star''s Aspect and current Class. All they knew was that she possessed a Divine Aspect, just like Sunny and Mordret did.


    Eventually, Cassie broke the silence:


    "It is fine. Now that you are back, everything is going to be fine."


    She paused, and then added somberly:


    "However�� our current situation is very delicate."


    Nephis looked at her and frowned, the white sparks in her eyes becoming a little brighter.


    "Were there any�� complications after you returned from the Forgotten Shore?"


    She was alluding to Caster, the great clans, and the Sovereigns that wished her dead, of course.


    Sunny finally spoke:


    "Not immediately. But we ran into some trouble not long before venturing into the Second Nightmare."


    Changing Star''s frown deepened.


    "Can you tell me what exactly happened?"


    He shrugged.


    "I can. But we''ll get you up to speed later, in a more private setting. For now, let''s just say that there was supposed to be a negotiation with the representatives of the great clan Valor today. Which fell through�� for obvious reasons."


    Sunny paused for a moment, and then added:


    "Other than that, the important things to know are�� let me think, actually. Uh�� I am a renowned academic and an instructor at the Academy now. Cassie leads the Fire Keepers. Oh, Fire Keepers are the Forgotten Shore survivors whom you saw outside. They are basically your groupies. Right, you are famous now! Very, very famous. There is even a movie about you, with a very well-received romantic subplot. What else�� we have a flying ship and an exclusive Citadel in the Dream Realm, Effie moved in with me, Night&Gale disbanded��"


    Neph''s face slowly turned paler and paler. Finally, she couldn''t take it anymore and raised a hand.


    "What? Wait�� what? Kai, is this true? Night&Gale disbanded?"


    Sunny glanced at her darkly.


    "Really? That is your first question?"


    Kai, meanwhile, looked down in embarrassment.


    "That�� yes, I am sorry to say this, but Gale and I decided to go our separate ways. It is for the best. My status as a Master would have just dragged him down, especially because my Aspect evolved after I killed that dragon��"


    Nephis blinked.


    "A�� a dragon?"


    Sunny grinned.


    "Oh yes, Kai killed a Transcendent dragon. Effie and I killed a couple of Saints, too. I even killed the same one twice. First time before I was beheaded, the second time after��"


    Changing Star slowly raised her second hand and grabbed her head.


    "I��I think I need a moment. Wait, can you start from the beginning?"


    A strange expression suddenly appeared on her face.


    "And did you say something about a movie? With a�� romantic subplot? What?!"


    ***


    Sunny had a bit of fun filling Nephis in on what had been going on with the four of them, and the waking world, during her absence. There was a lot of ground to cover, but he chose only the juiciest moments.


    Like falling into a bottomless abyss for a month straight on top of a dead demon, being burned by divine flames, and discovering an ancient tower left behind by a mysterious deity.


    Or finding out that Effie was confined to a wheelchair in the waking world, only to see her leave it behind after conquering the Second Nightmare.


    Or slaying a Corrupted Monster to get their hands on a shipwrecked flying vessel and repair it.


    Or watching two Saints obliterate an entire island as they thought to the death.


    The list went on and on��


    After a while, Neph weakly waved her hand.


    "I�� I think I need a break. Can you guys give me a few minutes?"


    By then, it was already late into the night. It was dark outside the window, with only pale moonlight and powerful beams of defense turrets illuminating the black sky.


    Sunny grew silent, then shrugged.


    "Sure. You need some rest, anyway. We can continue in the morning. The government should be ready to release you by then, too. Have you thought about where you want to go? Staying here in the Academy is an option too, of course."


    He thought for a few moments, and then added awkwardly:


    "Uh�� I feel stupid asking this, but do you have a place to stay? Do you have money? Are there people we need to contact? What is your clan''s situation, exactly?"


    Nephis absentmindedly touched her neck, then answered in a neutral tone:


    "There is�� a manor. That is pretty much the only property the clan has left. Everything else was liquidated and sold a long time ago. I sealed it before leaving for the First Nightmare, so it should have remained empty for the last three years. It''s hard to say what state it''s in."


    She lingered for a moment, and then added:


    "I should have a bit of money left. And there are no people. Most of our retainers fled over the years, and the rest left after my grandmother passed away. That�� that was not too long before my Nightmare, too. I''ll have to think about what to do now."


    Sunny looked at her, and then frowned a little.


    "What about safety? Aren''t you concerned about, you know�� your previous issues?"


    Nephis remained silent for a long time, then shook her head.


    "I don''t think anyone will try to kill me anytime soon."


    He glanced at her with dark curiosity.


    "Really? Why? Some people weren''t shy about it before."


    Changing Star looked at him, and then said evenly:


    "...Because now, I am not easily killed."

 Chapter 774 Fundamental Changes

    She wasn''t wrong.


    As the members of the cohort left the room to give Nephis time to rest, Sunny was deep in thought. Changing Star was an Ascended Tyrant now. Killing her was much harder than assassinating a mundane child that was protected only by the dwindling forces of a fallen clan, especially due to the nature of her powers.


    In fact, short of sending a Saint to do the job, nothing the great clans could throw at her would work. Saints were a precious resource, however, and more than that, rare enough to make their movements almost impossible to hide. Unless the Sovereigns were ready to abandon all pretenses of civility, there was no easy way to get rid of Nephis anymore. She had ensured that by becoming a Master directly.


    The situation had fundamentally changed.


    And that was not even accounting for the tremendous public outcry that would result from something like that ever coming to light. Whether the great clans wanted to admit it or not, they were still tied to the rest of humanity. All Awakened came from mundane humans, after all. Losing the support of the masses would threaten the very base of the power that the Sovereigns enjoyed.


    Come to think of it, getting rid of Sunny was almost equally as hard. He doubted that any Master, with the exception of maybe direct children of Anvil of Valor, would be able to pose a serious threat to him. There were two more great clans to consider, of course. But he doubted that any scion of Song or Night was more dangerous than the Princess of War, Morgan.


    So�� what did it all mean?


    It meant that their position in the negotiations had vastly improved. They could exert much more pressure on Valor, and achieve much better results.


    ��That was if Nephis did not do anything extreme, of course. Which she was more than capable of doing, considering her searing hatred for the three Sovereigns.


    After hesitating for a bit, Sunny walked over to Cassie, leaned on the wall near her, and asked quietly:


    "What do you think she will do?"


    The blind girl understood his meaning without having to specify what exactly the question was about. Perhaps she was considering the same issue.


    Cassie lingered for a moment, then said quietly:


    "Negotiate."


    Sunny barely suppressed a chuckle.


    "Negotiate? Are we talking about the same Nephis? Do you know how much she despises the great clans? What her insane ambitions are? Somehow, I feel that two years of barely clinging to life in the Dream Realm did nothing to blunt her resolve. If anything, I think that it has only been sharpened."


    The blind girl remained silent for a while, then sighed.


    "I think so too. However, there is little choice. She is still too weak to face the�� the enemy directly. It is because her resolve remains the same that she will have to make herself flexible."


    A dark expression appeared on Sunny''s face.


    "When have you ever known Neph to be flexible?"


    Cassie turned her head slightly, facing him. Her expression was somber and serious.


    "Neph can be whatever she needs to be to achieve her goals. Same as you. Don''t forget that."


    What was that supposed to mean?


    Sunny grimaced, then looked away. After a while, he asked in a grim tone:


    "So where does it leave us?"


    Whether he wanted it or not, he was tied to Nephis. That bond was strong, but not unbreakable�� if he really wanted to, he could attempt to destroy it. He could kill her. He could run away. He could try to find a more obscure method.


    However, Sunny did not know if he was willing to pay the price of destroying their bond. At least not until he saw a sign that Changing Star was willing to wield her power as his master, not just possess it.


    Unless she did, he was only a slave in the name. Although reluctantly, Sunny was barely able to tolerate such an arrangement. Having a master that was unwilling to exercise her power was even beneficial to him, since it protected him from others who would want to abuse that power�� like Mordret, for example.


    If his position as Neph''s shadow ever gained substance due to her actions, however�� then, one of them was going to have to die. That Sunny was certain of. He wouldn''t hold anything back to make sure that he was the one left standing in the end, as well.


    But that moment had not yet come. And hopefully, it was never going to.


    So, for now, his future was doomed to be influenced by the decisions Nephis made.


    The blind girl sighed.


    "Where does it leave us? Even I don''t know. Everything is changing, Sunny, and all we can do is try to change as fast as it does. That is the only way to keep ourselves and those we care about safe from the world."


    Sunny looked at Cassie, trying to understand the implications hidden in her words.


    Then, he said in a grim tone:


    "...Who''s going to keep the world safe from us?"


    ***


    The next day, a small convoy of PTVs left the Academy grounds. Most of them carried the Fire Keepers, while the members of the cohort were seated together in one of the vehicles.


    For obvious reasons, neither Sunny nor Effie knew how to drive. Cassie was unable to steer a PTV, as well. So, in a strange turn of events, Ascended Nightingale �� a famous idol and global celebrity �� ended up playing the role of the chauffeur.


    Kai and Sunny sat in the front, while the three young women remained at the back of the vehicle. As the convoy moved through the streets of the city, they briefly explained the more sensitive details of the cohort''s current situation to Nephis.


    The column of PTVs was headed toward a remote district where Immortal Flame''s sealed manor was situated. It was decided that the Fire Keepers would establish their waking world headquarters there.


    ��At some point, however, a single vehicle quietly separated from the convoy and dove into a high-speed tunnel, unnoticed.


    Soon, it appeared in a peaceful neighborhood full of beautiful terraces and parked near a grey two-story house with a cozy synthwood porch. Sunny left the PTV first and then stood silently for a few moments, waiting for others to do the same.


    Then, he looked at Nephis, cleared his throat, and said awkwardly:


    "Welcome to my humble abode, I guess. It, uh�� has designer lamps and a state-of-the-art refrigerator. Among other things��"

 Chapter 775 Cafe Sunless

    After the five of them walked inside, Nephis remained silent for a few moments as she looked around. Although her face was still and stoic as ever, Sunny could have sworn that he noticed a hint of curiosity reflected in her cold grey eyes.


    After a while, she asked:


    "This is your home?"


    Due to her sheltered upbringing, Changing Star had probably never been in a normal residence. Strangely, she was someone who had only experienced living in upscale manors and squalid Dream Realm slums, with nothing in between.


    Still, Sunny was not discouraged. He grinned and nodded proudly.


    "Yes. Bought it fair and square, with the contribution points from my first research paper. I own this place!"


    Nephis hesitated.


    "What happened to the walls?"


    His smile dimmed a little.


    "...Effie happened."


    Of course, he had long cleaned the mess that the huntress created after Ascending. However, Sunny had been too preoccupied with other matters to enact proper repairs. As the result, the guest bedroom only had a flimsy curtain covering its irregular-shaped entrance, but no door.


    ''Maybe I should get to it��''


    Sunny cleared his throat, then gestured at the living room section of the main space.


    "Make yourself comfortable. I''ll make us something to eat."


    As the cohort settled, he walked to the kitchen area and stood in front of the open refrigerator for some time, thinking. For some reason, Sunny had a strong desire to cook up something special. Nephis must have been sick of eating monster meat for years�� so��


    Finally, he produced a number of ingredients and laid them out on the cooking surface, then started the preparations.


    ''Fried rice�� fried rice should do the job. Omurice? Do I have eggs?''


    As he went about it, the discussion reached a poignant moment. Cassie was finishing describing the important details of the reason for their tense relationship with Clan Valor.


    "...And so, we accomplished our goal and Ascended. However, that man�� Mordret�� he must have Ascended, as well. His clan doesn''t know that yet, so their response was only mildly aggressive. Sky Tide of White Feather took most of the blame for his escape and the consequent death of Saint Cormac. That did not save us from all fallout, sadly."


    She paused, and then added somberly:


    "They have secretly captured two of the loyalist Forgotten Shore survivors. The rest of us took shelter in the Dream Realm. For the past six months, Sunny''s contact in the government acted as an intermediary to arrange a peaceful negotiation. It seems that Valor is finally ready to talk, but they aim to recruit at least one of us into their clan."


    The blind girl sighed.


    "The four of us are already a very important asset, but with the addition of the Fire Keepers, our value is nothing short of tremendous. If they can''t get all of us, they are determined to at least make sure that we don''t pledge allegiance to their competitors. Of course, now that you are here, the situation has become even more fraught with tension. Valor will be much more motivated."


    Cassie smiled weakly, and then said in an apologetic tone:


    "Uh�� I''m sorry to have to burden you with all that right after you return.


    Nephis remained silent for a few moments, then shook her head.


    "No. You were right to inform me. Thank you."


    A grim and thoughtful look appeared on her face.


    Sunny, meanwhile, listened to the conversation silently. He was darkly perplexed by the fact that his life had turned out in such a way that encountering words like "loyalists", "government contact", and "allegiance" in a casual conversation did not seem out of place.


    Effie, meanwhile, looked at Changing Star with curiosity and asked:


    "I get what our problem with the great clans is. What''s your problem with them? I thought that you, of all people, would have been chummy with the top Legacies, princess."


    Nephis looked at her without any amusement.


    "They want me dead."


    The huntress blinked a couple of times.


    "What? Why?"


    Changing Star shrugged.


    "You''ll have to ask them."


    Effie remained silent for a while, thinking. After some time, she frowned and asked:


    "So was Caster��?"


    Nephis simply nodded.


    "He was."


    Kai looked at them with confusion:


    "He was what?"


    Everyone turned to him, suddenly realizing that the archer was less informed about some of the darker secrets of what had happened on the Forgotten Shore than the rest of them. After a while, Effie shook her head.


    "I mean�� aren''t you the walking lie detector? What do you think Caster was up to?"


    Kai coughed.


    "Oh�� he was indeed a bit dishonest sometimes. But I just assumed that he was trying to hide his feeling for Lady Nephis��"


    At that moment, Sunny walked over carrying seven plates. He held two in his hands, two more in shadowy limbs that played the role of a second pair of hands, balanced two on his forearms, and the seventh was swaying slightly on top of a tangible shadow that resembled a long tail.


    Placing a plate of delicious, steaming omurice in front of Kai, he said with a crooked grin:


    "Oh, he had feelings for her for sure. The feelings of wishing to kill her to complete his mission. Sadly, he stumbled on me first."


    It was a sad thing, indeed. If Sunny had not killed Caster, if Nephis had known in advance that slaying the Crimson Terror would force the Spire to seek another conduit, if Cassie''s vision had been more detailed�� well, there was no point in feeling regret now. What had been done was done.


    The current conversation just went to show that Kai''s strange Flaw, while useful, was also often detrimental and misleading.


    As Kai stared into the distance in stunned silence, Sunny placed the other plates on the table, pushed three of them toward Effie, dismissed the shadows, and landed on a soft armchair.


    Then, he picked up his utensils, smelled the omurice, and let out a satisfied sigh.


    "What are you waiting for, fools? Dig in��"

 Chapter 776 The Enemy Of My Enemy

    The omurice disappeared from the plates with a speed that made Sunny a bit full of himself. He smiled proudly, and then looked at Nephis:


    "So, what do you think about the mess we''re in?"


    She put down her utensils, looked at the empty plate with a hint of regret, and then asked:


    "That Mordret�� the Rank of his Aspect is the same as ours?"


    Sunny nodded, prompting her to frown. While she thought, he reluctantly added:


    "He is also older and more powerful than us, and possesses more knowledge than anyone in the waking world should have. Other than that, he is�� actually, I don''t know what he is, I just feel that something is very wrong with that guy. Regardless, he is dead set on destroying Clan Valor. It is just hard to tell how he is going to go about accomplishing that goal."


    Changing Star remained silent for a few moments, then said evenly:


    "He is going to search for allies."


    Sunny''s expression grew a little darker.


    "Mordret is not exactly a team player."


    Nephis slowly shook her head.


    "It doesn''t matter. No matter how powerful he has become, it won''t be enough to reach his goals. The�� the enemy is too strong. Their power is too absolute."


    She did not say it, but from the grim expression on her face, Sunny could guess what Changing Star was thinking about. That she was in the exact same position.


    Which did not bode well��


    He grimaced.


    "So�� do you think that we should expect to find the bastard on our doorstep one day? The enemy of my enemy, and all that."


    Sunny was not looking forward to meeting Mordret again, let alone getting entangled with him in any shape or form. As far as he was concerned, the Prince of Nothing would bring nothing but trouble.


    Nephis frowned, then said with uncertainty:


    "No�� I doubt it."


    Well, if she was right, that was a relief.


    At that moment, Cassie deactivated her communicator and turned to face them.


    "The Fire Keepers have reached the Immortal Flame manor. They are putting on a show to make it seem like there are all kinds of activity going on inside. Hopefully, that is going to make most people think that you are there with them. You should not be bothered by anyone here, for a while."


    She paused for a moment, then sighed.


    "But that is not going to last long. Maybe a week�� the rest of us should not linger, as well. It would be strange if Kai, Effie, and I are not seen at the manor. We will leave shortly and join the Fire Keepers."


    Which would leave Sunny and Nephis alone...


    He did not know how to feel about that.


    Effie, meanwhile, glanced at the empty plates and said in a petulant tone:


    "I live here as well, you know!"


    Cassie turned to her with a deadpan expression.


    "Not for the next week, you don''t."


    As the huntress let out a sigh, the blind girl hesitated for a few seconds, and then said:


    "I am also in contact with the government representatives and Clan Valor. They understand the pressure you are facing so soon after you return, so they are willing to be�� patient. For now. That will buy you a short buffer before they come knocking. Be ready to receive some requests for public appearances and so on in a week or two, as well as demands to resume the negotiations. We can stall for a time, but not forever."


    Nephis looked at her calmly, then asked:


    "What about Song and Night?"


    Cassie frowned.


    "Clan Song might try to get involved in the negotiations, but I don''t expect them to be too forceful. They are in a more advantageous position than Valor right now, after all. As for the House of Night�� they are remaining strangely passive these days, for some reason. Maybe they just know that they have less to offer than the other two great clans, and don''t want to bother."


    Sunny had a different explanation for why the Nightwalkers had less time to participate in the schemes of the two greater clans, but chose to remain silent. The information provided to him by Master Jet had been shared in confidence. Even if he wanted to, he couldn''t go around spreading it.


    The blind girl sighed, then rose from her seat.


    "Try to rest well during this week, Neph. Don''t neglect your recovery. We know that you are strong�� but no one is truly infallible. Perhaps none of us has experienced as much pain as you had in these past few years, but we faced our share. Some more than others��"


    She briefly faced Sunny, then turned away and lowered her head.


    "So, we understand how precarious it is to go on as if nothing happened without giving the old wounds a chance to heal. Don''t be stubborn and have some pity on yourself, for a change."


    Nephis looked at her. After a few moments, a pale smile appeared on her face.


    "You don''t have to lecture me, Cas. You are overestimating my resolve. I am more than willing to rest for a while. Happy, even."


    The words rest and happy hardly fit in the image of Changing Star they were accustomed to, but no one said anything. An ordeal like the one she had gone through was bound to change anyone, even someone as determined and unflinching as Nephis.


    Cassie smiled, and then addressed Effie and Kai:


    "Let''s go, then. There''s a lot of work to be done at the manor. We need to renovate it a little and make some adjustments to convert it into a proper clan headquarters."


    Soon, they said their goodbyes and left. The PTV came online and swiftly disappeared from view.


    Sunny and Nephis were left alone in the cozy grey house.


    He hesitated for a bit, and then looked at her with a bit of awkwardness.


    "Well�� make yourself at home, I guess. Actually, let me give you a tour��"

 Chapter 777 Blind Date

    In one of the most upscale districts situated near the heart of the city, a fancy, but not overly opulent restaurant was welcoming the first few visitors of the day. While some owners made a point of following the archaic traditions and hired human servers, this particular establishment was aimed at at a mostly young audience.


    For that reason, a lot of things were automated and could be easily accessed through personal communicators of the patrons. The chefs were still human, of course. They were also true masters of their craft. Every ingredient used by them was natural, as well, while some were even imported from other quadrants.


    The interior design was similarly luxurious, with natural wood visible everywhere. Authentic paintings from centuries past hung on the walls, protected by thick sheets of transparent alloy. Everything was expensive, stylish, and screamed of class.


    Such a restaurant, of course, was only accessible to citizens of the highest ranks, who could afford to dine here. It was especially popular among young heirs of the city elite, and had a reputation for being a prime spot for arranged dates and romantic occasions.


    Currently, a couple of such meetings were taking place inside, with wealthy young men and women going through the awkward motions of attending a blind date arranged for them by their families.


    Strangely, the most striking visitor of the famed restaurant sat alone, as if her date was running late.


    The young woman seemed to be in her mid-twenties, but possessed elegance and grace that spoke of strange maturity. She was exquisitely beautiful, with a supple figure and flawless skin. The beauty was wearing a stylish red dress and a black leather jacket. A few tasteful pieces of jewerly adorned her fingers and delicate neck.


    Other female visitors of the restaurant couldn''t help but feel exasperated by the fact that their dates seemed to be unable to stop stealing glances at the beautiful woman. The men, meanwhile, were all wondering what kind of a fool would keep such a belle waiting. If only they were in his place, they wouldn''t be so tardy!


    Finally, the doors opened, and a new visitor came in. The young man looked around, scratched the back of his head, and then headed toward the table where the striking beauty sat alone.


    Sitting down, he smiled sheepishly and said:


    "Sorry for being late. I hope you did not have to wait too long."


    The young woman smiled politely, revealing her pearly white teeth.


    "No problem at all."


    She studied the young man for a few moments, and then said with a bit of reproach in her pleasant, velvety voice:


    "I hate to say it, but you don''t look like the images I was shown at all."


    He looked down, as if embarrassed.


    "Oh�� I had to wear something inconspicuous. Walking around as my usual self would be a bit too ostentatious. However, isn''t it the same for you? All that makeup to hide your complexion��"


    The young woman frowned.


    "It is a cosmetic Memory, I''ll have you know. Regardless�� I have already ordered something to eat. You can peruse the menu while we wait."


    The young man hesitated, then looked around with an amused expression. Finally, he asked:


    "How do I do that?"


    She glanced at him with curiosity:


    "You don''t know? Have you never been to a proper restaurant before?"


    ? The young man smiled and shook his head, then said wistfully:


    "To tell you the truth, this is my first time visiting a restaurant. I was raised in the Dream Realm, after all. I only returned to the waking world when I was around thirteen. Many things here seem very strange to me��"


    With that, Mordret thumbled with his communicator for a bit and finally managed to open the menu. The body he was wearing used a biometric lock, at least�� otherwise, he wouldn''t have known how to access the communicator at all. He looked at all the options projected in front of him and asked:


    "What do you recommend?"


    The beauty smiled.


    "I doubt that we have similar tastes."


    At that moment, the dish she had ordered finally arrived. It was a steak, prepared so rare that it barely looked cooked at all. The young woman elegantly sliced a small piece and brought it to her sensual lips, which were as red as blood.


    Mordret observed her with a pleasant expression.


    "Ah, yes. I''ve heard that you and your sisters follow a very special diet, Lady Song."


    The young woman licked her lips and looked at him with a neutral expression.


    "Just call me Seishan. There''s no need to be formal."


    He smiled.


    "So, Seishan�� why did she send you, of all people? Are you so expendable that the Queen does not mind sacrificing you to me, should the date go badly?"


    Song Sei Shan calmly ate another piece of the steak, then wiped her lips with a napkin.


    "Why would our date go badly? We have a common goal, after all. Our clan is your best chance to achieve it."


    Mordret thought for a bit, then nodded and sighed.


    "True. However, with that Antarctica thing going on, I would have thought that she would be reluctant to move forward. After all, it''s not the best time to do anything drastic."


    Seishan studied the Prince of War for a few moments, and then smiled.


    "Oh, on the contrary. We think that the event in Antarctica sets the best stage to do something drastic."


    He hesitated for a while, then shrugged.


    "Well, fair enough. So, what now? Do I have to kneel and recite a vow? Kiss your ring? Or do something else?"


    The beauty shook her head.


    "Usually, you would have had to sign a contract with a drop of your blood. However, considering your propensity to change... attires�� that would hardly do anything, wouldn''t it?"


    She smiled.


    "So, there''s no need. Welcome to the Clan Song, Prince Mordret. I look forward to all the great things we will accomplish together."


    Mordret reciprocated her smile, then chose a couple of options in the menu and pressed them.


    Then, he sighed and said with a bit of amusement:


    "Ah�� it feels strange to be adopted��"

 Chapter 778 In The Shadows

    Eventually, Sunny and Nephis ended up in his underground dojo. Changing Star looked around, her gaze lingering on the racks of training weapons and the deactivated sleeping pod that stood forlornly in its alcove, all but forgotten by its former occupant.


    After a few moments of silence, she asked:


    "Do you make use of all these weapons?"


    Sunny glanced at the training equipment, lingered for a moment, then shook his head.


    "Yes and no. In the past two years, I did expand my repertoire to include all kinds of sharp implements. But I practice with something better."


    He was still most confident when wielding swords akin to Azure Blade, Midnight Shard, and his serpentine odachi. His proficiency with spears was also quite high, and he was steadily improving his archery skill. However, while Sunny had learned enough to feel comfortable with other types of weapons as well, he had a long way to go before truly mastering them.


    Nephis nodded thoughtfully.


    "Do you use the... Soul Serpent?"


    Sunny stared at her for a moment, then looked away.


    "Yes."


    He was reminded of the Shadow Bond that connected them. Beyond its main function, it also allowed Sunny to peer into some of Changing Star''s secrets. However, she was able to learn a lot of his, as well.


    Sunny had suspected that this was the case from the very start, but now those suspicions were confirmed.


    He remained silent for a few moments, then suddenly grinned.


    "Were you surprised?"


    Nephis looked at him, hesitated for a moment, and said:


    "I was. Very... very much."


    She sighed, sat down on the floor, and crossed her legs.


    "I always knew that you were extraordinary. I just didn''t�� didn''t think that you possessed a Divine Aspect, too. To be honest, I thought that I was the first."


    Sunny sat down opposite her and shook his head.


    "Yeah, I thought so too. But neither of us was the first. It was Mordret, instead. He is older than us by four or five years, and had his First Nightmare when he was twelve. So�� he received a Divine Aspect when you were around eight, and I was around seven."


    He paused, and said with a bitter smile:


    "Come to think of it, he probably became a Sleeper around the time my mother died. Oh�� your mother is fine, by the way. Cassie and I visited her from time to time, while you were gone."


    As a hint of emotion appeared on Neph''s face, she lowered her head.


    "...Thank you."


    Then, she lingered for a moment and asked:


    "Do you mind telling me where the Divine Memory in your possession came from? The�� Weaver''s Mask?"


    Sunny smiled darkly.


    "Do I mind? I do. But I''ll tell you anyway�� I found it below the cathedral in the Dark City, on an ancient corpse that turned to dust as soon as I took the mask from it."


    Changing Star tilted her head a little.


    "Do you mind telling me what it does?"


    He laughed.


    "Why not? I''ll tell you... it can reverse one''s Flaw."


    A sudden silence settled in the dark chamber. Nephis looked at him, a hint of longing and pain reflecting in her striking eyes. Sunny grinned.


    "Why? Do you want to take it from me? All you have to do is to say the word. It''s not like I can refuse."


    She stared at him for a long time, then silently turned away and did not say anything.


    Sunny''s grin turned somber.


    "...Good decision. Did you think that it will save you from the pain? It won''t. The Mask does not nullify the Flaw, it just reverses it. No matter what, the Flaw is still a curse. By now, we both should have a good sense about such things�� chances are, the new curse would be more terrible than the old. Right now, you have to burn yourself alive every time you actively use your Aspect. With the help of the Mask, you would most likely be burning without reprieve, forever, unless you were using it."


    He grew silent, and then added:


    "The Mask can also kill you in many other ways. It is�� too powerful to be used lightly. At least by the likes of us."


    Nephis hesitated for a few moments, then gritted her teeth.


    "It is fine. I don''t need to be liberated from my Flaw. I don''t need a powerful Memory to uplift me. I�� I myself is enough."


    Sunny stared at her, then shook his head.


    "You are exactly the same�� you did not change at all. I thought that two year of despair would have made you a little smarter. But you are still clinging to your deranged dreams, aren''t you?"


    She looked at him, remained silent for a while, and then smiled with the corner of her mouth.


    Despite the smile, however, her eyes remained calm and cold.


    "Two years? No�� I''ve been desperate for much longer than that, Sunny. Why would I change now?"


    He let out a long sigh, then looked to the side.


    "Indeed. So�� Aster, Song, Vale. They are your next targets, aren''t they?"


    She nodded silently, prompting him to add:


    "You told me once that just knowing these words can get a person killed. However, I went ahead and did some digging of my own. Aster, Song and Vale are Asterion, Ki Song, and Anvil of Valor, correct? The former members of your father''s cohort?"


    Nephis nodded again, looking at him intensely. Sunny scowled.


    "They are also knows as the Sovereigns. Because�� because they have conquered the Forth Nightmare. They are one Rank above the Transcendent. They are Supreme, are they not?"


    Without saying anything, she just nodded for the third time. Sunny hesitated for a while, and then asked:


    "...They killed your father, didn''t they?"


    Nephis continued to look at him, white flame dancing in her eyes. After some time, she sighed.


    "Yes. I believe so. My father�� he died when I was four. Before that, the members of his cohort were like aunts and uncles to me. Aster, Song, Vale�� that was what he called them. They were his friends."


    Her expression turned dark.


    "But after he was gone, something changed. I was too little to understand, but none of these�� friends�� came to our help. Instead, the Immortal Flame clan fell while their clans soared. And a couple of years after that, the first assassin was sent to eliminate me."


    Sunny rubbed his face, then asked in an exasperated voice:


    "But why? Why did they turn on him?"


    Nephis looked away.


    "...I don''t know."


    He frowned and hesitated for a moment. He had suspected that he would receive such an answer. However, there was one small detail that did not make sense to him.


    "If they are so mighty and powerful�� then how are you still alive? Why did the Sovereigns fail to kill you? All they had to do was pay you a visit in person. No amount of Awakened guards, or even Masters, would have been able to stop even one of them."


    Neph glanced at him with and said, her voice even:


    "They can''t."


    Sunny raised his eyebrows.


    "What do you mean, they can''t? Is there some agreement that prevents them from acting directly?"


    Changing Star slowly shook her head.


    "No. They simply can''t. The Sovereigns�� it is hard for them to enter the waking world."

 Chapter 779 Unmoored

    Noticing the astonished look on his face, Nephis sighed.


    "You must have felt a change in your connection to the Dream Realm and the Waking World when you Ascended. Didn''t you?"


    Sunny slowly nodded, remembering how he first explored his ability to enter the Dream Realm physically. The process wasn''t instantaneous, but it also wasn''t too burdensome. He just had to concentrate, feel his connection to the anchor, and reach for it. After a few minutes, he would poof out of existence in reality and appear near the Gateway in the Ivory Tower.


    Leaving a tether in the waking world wasn''t hard, either, although it took more time and some essence. It was as instinctual as summoning Memories or commanding Echoes.


    With the knowledge Sunny had received from being collared in the Red Colosseum, he understood that this hinted at the fact that traveling between the two worlds was one of the functions of the Spell, as opposed to something tied to his Aspect.


    After he nodded, Changing Star continued:


    "Awakened establish a connection with the Dream Realm by anchoring themselves to a Gateway. Ascended expand on that connection, making them less tied to the Waking World, and thus capable of traveling between the two at will. Transcendent exist in a state of perfect balance. They are connected to both worlds in equal measure, which makes them independent of Gateways. In a sense, they are the Gateway�� which is why they can even bring another person with them in their travels."


    She paused, and then added in a somber tone:


    "However�� that balance is broken once a person becomes Supreme. It shifts, tying them to the Dream Realm instead of the real world. In truth, I don''t know much about the power of the Sovereigns. All I know is that it is restricted in the waking world, and that they can''t enter it freely. That is why�� that is why none of them could harm me directly."


    Sunny stared, shocked.


    That revelation�� it made so much sense. It explained so many things, from how Nephis was able to survive to why the government still wielded a lot of power in the waking world.


    It also gave credence to Master Jet''s statement that the Sovereigns had long given up on reality.


    Was that what awaited Sunny if he somehow became Supreme one day, himself?


    Feeling as if the world was spinning around him, Sunny frowned, and then asked in a dark tone:


    "...What happens if one becomes Sacred, then? Would they lose their connection to the real world entirely?"


    Nephis shrugged.


    "I don''t know. No one knows. No one had ever conquered the Fifth Nightmare, after all."


    A heavy silence settled between them. After a while, Sunny suddenly asked:


    "...What are Domains?"


    He had not forgotten that detail, either. Back on the Ashen Barrow, Nephis had asked him which Domain he belonged to. He had not known what she meant then, and he did not know now.


    Neph sighed.


    "That�� I am not entirely sure, myself. All I know is that each Sovereign rules over a Domain. It is an expression of a�� a function of the Aspect, distinct from Abilities, but sharing a lot in common with them. In practice, it is synonymous with their authority and the territories they control, as well as people that serve them."


    She paused for a few moments, and then added grimly:


    "The Sovereigns are already immensely powerful�� but within their Domains, they are practically invincible. Not even Saints can hope to challenge them."


    Sunny let out a stifled laugh.


    "And these�� these are the people you want to destroy?"


    Changing Star smiled.


    "Why not? Nothing is absolute, Sunny. Two years ago, I would have never challenged a Sovereign. Today�� today, I am still too weak to do it. I am still insignificant. But will it still be the case two years from now? Will I still be as weak, and will they still be as powerful? What about in five years? Things never remain the same. Everything is always changing�� even gods can die. Asterion, Ki Song, and Anvil of Valor are no gods, so why should they be spared?"


    Sunny shook his head.


    "I don''t know. Forget about two years from now, or five, or ten. How are you going to survive now? How are you going to avoid being squashed by them today? What is your actual plan?"


    Nephis looked at him for a long time, and then sighed.


    "I don''t have a plan."


    She remained silent for a moment before adding evenly:


    "...Yet."


    Sunny did not know what to say, so he simply shook his head.


    It was pointless trying to dissuade her from her obsession, regardless. Nephis wanted to destroy the Spell, and the Sovereigns stood in her way. It was as simple as that, with an added weight of good old-fashioned vengeance.


    He was not so sure that she was completely misguided, either�� not anymore.


    Sunny wanted nothing to do with the Sovereigns and the great clans, but was there really a choice? Simply by daring by be someone and possess something, he put himself in their crosshairs. As long as he had something of value, others would want to either take it away or make him serve them.


    That was the nature of the world. Since the great clans insisted on being in control of humanity, there was no escape from them. Unless Sunny wanted to spend the rest of his life as a hermit in the Dream Realm, he would have to interact with the�� Domains�� in one way or another.


    He would have to allow himself to be controlled, as well.


    A bitter smile appeared on his lips.


    ''Isn''t that ironic��''


    Why was it so hard to gain even a tiny bit of freedom in this damned world? Sunny wanted to become strong to be free, but the stronger he became, the more formidable powers wanted to subjugate him.


    Now, it seemed that the only choice he had was to either give up, or become even stronger still�� stronger than anyone, and anything.


    Which was more or less exactly what Nephis was trying to achieve, even if for a different reason.


    He sighed, and then waved a hand dismissively.


    "Anyway, I''m tired of this conversation. Want to spar?"

 Chapter 780 Friendly Spar

    Sunny and Nephis stood opposite each other, holding training swords. Both felt more than a little disturbed by how much this scene resembled their bitter confrontation at the very top of the Crimson Spire.


    Of course, today, the situation was completely different. They were just going for a friendly spar, not a battle to the death. There were no stakes in this training fight, no emotional investment�� no complicated mixture of regret, fury, and resentment.


    ��So why did Sunny feel as though he had to prove something?


    Forcing himself to relax, he glanced at Nephis and attacked. Their swords met with a deafening clangor.


    A few seconds later, Sunny jumped away and shouted:


    "Stop! Stop! Stop!"


    Changing Star froze while he looked around, breathing heavily.


    Sunny gritted his teeth and spat a muffled curse.


    "Damnation��"


    His idea to have a spar might not have been the wisest one he ever had. Yes, the underground dojo was designed specifically to allow Awakened to train their powers. It was isolated, reinforced, and heavily armored, able to transform into an impregnable bunker in case a Gate opened nearby and a tide of Nightmare Creatures flooded the district.


    The interior was furnished with heavy plates of armor-grade ceramic alloy and supplied with training equipment meant to withstand the rigors of Awakened power.


    ��However, Sunny and Nephis weren''t Awakened anymore! They were full-fledged Masters, and abnormal ones at that!


    The alloy sword in his hand was shattered. A few plates on the floor were broken. If this continued, the repair bill for the dojo was going to really sting Sunny''s wallet.


    More than that�� Nephis was not exactly at her best. She had just returned to the waking world yesterday. Before that, she had been a Sleeper, which meant that she had no experience of controlling soul essence whatsoever. Let alone doing it with intricate precision and efficiency of a Master, she had never even done it crudely as an Awakened.


    Sunny could tell exactly how chaotic and unrestrained the flow of her essence was, because Shadow Dance now allowed him to sense the movement of the mystical energy through the bodies of his opponents.


    Sure, every Master had an instinctual understanding of how to augment their physicality with essence, but it still took some time to get used to it, and even more to master it. However, every Ascended before Changing Star enjoyed having the experience of making the first steps on that long and arduous road as an Awakened.


    In fact, by the time Awakened reached Ascension, controlling essence was as natural to them as breathing.


    Not so much for Nephis. Her return as a Master might have been miraculous, but it also deprived her of a lot of things that people who did not break the natural order of things usually enjoyed.


    She was out of her depths.


    As Changing Star stared at the broken sword in her hands with a deep frown, Sunny waved a hand in the air and forced out a smile.


    "That�� you''ll have to spend some time learning how to guide your soul essence. After that, you will have to spend even more time relearning how to fight with its help. I had years of practice already, so fighting at full force won''t do us any good."


    He thought for a bit, and then said:


    "Alright, let''s try this again, but without using any essence at all. It will be a pure test of skill��"


    Sure, Nephis had one more core than him. But with all things considered, if both of them neglected using essence or augmenting themselves with their Abilities, the gap in physical prowess should not have been too overwhelming.


    Once again, they stood opposite each other and concentrated. Each discarded their broken weapons and took new ones.


    A moment later, they clashed.


    This time, thing went better. However�� not by much.


    One of the problems was their battle techniques. Due to Shadow Dance and his familiarity with Nephis, it didn''t take Sunny long to sense the core of her style. It had changed a lot and matured over the past two years, but so did his mastery of his Aspect Legacy.


    Although Sunny could not master the style yet, he attuned himself to its flow and cadence enough to be able to predict some of Neph''s moves with a good degree of precision.


    The problem, then�� was that Changing Star herself could do more or less the same. Her ability to discern, predict, and control patterns of combat was not based in affinity to shadows, and was sufficiently different from it�� but achieved a similar result. It was the product of her talent, training, and incredible combat intelligence.


    As the result, Sunny was able to somewhat predict what Nephis was thinking of doing, while she could predict what he had predicted her actions, and change her approach on the fly�� which he would also discern, and so on.


    It was very confusing. Sunny had never found himself in a battle that demanded so much mental gymnastics before. He was not even entirely sure what was happening! There had to be a solution for this predicament, of course, but he had no time to come up with one yet.


    However�� that was just half of the problem.


    The other half was that Neph''s essence control was so rudimentary and bad that she couldn''t even prevent herself from instinctively using it. As the result, Sunny had to endure sudden outburst of speed, strength, and agility that were too chaotic to predict. Because he was holding himself back, handling this pressure was rather troublesome.


    At some point, Changing Star overdid it during one of her strikes, causing her second training sword to shatter, as well. The jagged end slid forward and bit into Sunny''s cheek.


    Drops of blood fell to the floor.


    Sunny jerked back and grimaced, feeling that the left side of his face was seriously torn. The wound was bad enough to cause Blood Weave to shed a few drops. It was nothing that he wouldn''t be able to heal quickly, of course�� but it still hurt!


    ...Before he could say anything, Nephis suddenly reached forward and placed a cool palm on his torn cheek. In the next moment, a brilliant white radiance illuminated the underground dojo.


    His pain instantly disappeared, replaced instead by relief and gentle warmth. He felt... he felt as though he was being cleansed by something pure, precious, and sacred.


    ? A pristine white flame.


    Standing close to each other, the two of them froze for a moment. Neph''s hand rested on Sunny''s cheek, which was swiftly healing. The soft radiance emanating from her skin reflected in her calm, grey eyes.


    Beneath that calmness, there were pain and suffering in them.


    Sunny moved slightly, wishing to say that she didn''t have to do this.


    Before he had the time to speak, however, something unexpected happened.


    The white flames suddenly sipped under his skin��


    And then engulfed him.

 Chapter 781 The Brightest Light

    Sunny shuddered, thinking that he was caught on fire... but then froze. Somehow, it did not seem like the white radiance was harming him at all. It just enveloped his body, making his skin shine with a suffused glow.


    However, it was also not healing him.


    Instead��


    Sunny stared at Nephis with astonishment and asked in a low voice:


    "What�� what is happening?"


    From the confused look on her face, she did not do whatever it was that had happened on purpose. Changing Star took an involuntary step back, removing her cool palm from his cheek, and briefly glanced at her hand.


    The white glow was gone from it.


    "I... I don''t know."


    Sunny opened his eyes wide and looked down on his shining body. Very strangely, he felt��


    Empowered.


    In fact, his condition was very similar to how he felt when one of his shadows was wrapped around him. His physical prowess seemed to have doubled. There were small differences, of course. The augmentation of Neph''s flame seemed to be more furious and active, centered around strength and resilience. It also filled him with a soft, pleasant feeling of warmth.


    What was more, it did not only affect his body. It reached into his soul, as well, igniting and enhancing it. The shadow essence flowing through his body became much more potent and vibrant, full of greater energy.


    Sunny blinked.


    Did Nephis just�� augment him with her Aspect Ability?


    "Since when can you augment other people?!"


    Changing Star seemed to be as bewildered as he was, even though it did not show on her face.


    "I can''t! This�� this was not supposed to happen. My Dormant Ability only evolved to include soul augmentation when I Ascended, it never evolved to be able to spread to other people!"


    Sunny opened his mouth, then closed it again. Eventually, he hissed:


    "Then how do you explain this?! I''m glowing!"


    He waved his hand in the air, causing the shadows of the underground dojo to move and shift.


    Then, a bizarre though entered his mind.


    "Wait��"


    Following his suspicion, Sunny lingered for a moment, and then commanded the gloomy shadow to wrap itself around Nephis.


    The shadow did not even roll its eyes as it usually did when receiving an order. It eagerly slid forward and swiftly wrapped itself around the lithe, slender body of Changing Star.


    Neph flinched.


    "Huh?"


    She studied her arms with wide eyes. Her ivory skin had turned grey, as if covered by dark film. Then, she made her hands into fists and frowned.


    "I feel stronger..."


    The two of them remained silent for a few moments, processing the implications of this unexpected discovery. Usually, Sunny felt a lot of negative emotions every time he thought about the Innate Ability of his Aspect, Shadow Bond, which tied him to Changing Star''s will.


    On this occasion, however, his curiosity and greed for power briefly overpowered his resentment.


    If Shadow Bond allowed Nephis and him to augment each other to this degree�� what else would they be capable of?


    Neph seemed to come to the same conclusion. They glanced at each other, understanding the other''s thoughts without having to say anything.


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then said:


    "It causes you pain to use your Ability. We can stop now."


    She slowly shook her head.


    "No�� no yet��"


    With that, Sunny simply nodded and commanded the gloomy shadow to return and wrap itself around his body. At the same time, he ordered the other three to do the same.


    Changing Star, meanwhile, concentrated for a moment, causing the white radiance suffusing his skin to grow many times more intense.


    Sunny let out an audible gasp.


    Four shadows made him five times more powerful. That he already knew.


    Flames summoned by Nephis �� who was a Tyrant �� were more or less akin to five additional shadows. In theory, his physical prowess should have grown tenfold as the result.


    What a stupendous augmentation! Combined with his might as a Master, his four cores, and the subtle but consequential physical enhancement he received from Blood Weave, Sunny should have become monstrously strong.


    But in reality��


    The effect was even great.


    The shadows and the brilliant light seemed to resonate with each other, making the sum greater than its parts. Sunny turned into a silhouette shrouded in broiling darkness. That darkness, however, was permeated with blinding white light. The light made the darkness deeper, while the darkness made the light much more stark and radiant.


    He looked like an abyssal spirit of the starlit void.


    He felt�� powerful. Immensely powerful.


    Powerful enough to face a Saint in a fight.


    He looked at the training sword grasped in his hand, and easily made the reinforced alloy shatter in his grip. He did not even have to exert a lot of his strength.


    Deeply stunned, Sunny whispered:


    "Scary��"


    A few moments later, Nephis sighed and recalled her flames. Sunny allowed his shadow to slid back to the floor.


    Changing Star looked at him and asked, her voice unsure:


    "How did it feel?"


    Sunny remained silent for a while.


    Eventually, he forced out a pale smile and said:


    "Like a dream��"


    ***


    They stayed in the dojo for the entire night, experimenting with the strange and frighteningly powerful application of their unnatural bond. There were many things they had to explore, even though it was too dangerous to test the limits of this new power here.


    The last thing Sunny wanted was to completely wreck the foundation of his home. It wouldn''t have been fun if the whole building suddenly collapsed��


    Still, there were a lot of things that they have discovered.


    First, both Sunny and Nephis could be enhanced by the white flames and the shadows. All of this might could be concentrated on one person, or shared between them in any proportion they chose. Mixing any light into the shadows or even one shadow into the radiant light made the end result more powerful.


    Secondly, the same could be done to their Memories. Pouring all of their power into the Cruel Sight, for example, made it somewhere around fifteen times deadlier. This scale of enhancement went well beyond the confines of its Rank, making the somber spear as powerful as a Transcendent weapon. Applied to an armor, the augmentation was just as strong.


    However, doing so would have been a bit wasteful. Memories had no souls, and as such, the part of Changing Star''s flames that made a person''s soul more active and resilient was wasted on them.


    ��It did, however, affect Shadows and Echoes.


    Sunny and Nephis tested the full augmentation of their combined Aspects on Saint first, and then on the Echo of a six-armed Ascended Demon that Changing Star possessed.


    The result was as frightening as what Sunny had experienced himself.


    As the dawn painted the world in shades of pale violet and lilac, the pair was still cooped up in the underground dojo. Although neither spoke, their eyes were full of thought.


    Both understood what their discovery meant. Each of them bore a Divine Aspect. Each was immensely powerful when compared to other Ascended.


    When two bearers of Divine Aspects combined their power, however��


    Imagining what they could do was indeed a bit scary.


    After a while, Sunny glanced at his communicator and flinched.


    "Crap! It''s morning already! I am going to be late for my lecture!"


    He looked at Nephis, suddenly realizing how tired and spent she looked. Using her Ability so much must not have been easy��


    She simply nodded.


    "You can go if you wish. I''ll�� I''ll rest for a while."


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then nodded and used Shadow Step to jump to his closet on the second floor of the house.


    A few minutes later, he was already running out of the door, wearing civilian clothes that Kai had helped him pick a while ago.


    Changing Star was left alone.

 Chapter 782 Grand Teacher

    On the way back from school, Rain couldn''t think about anything else except for the news that she had heard from her classmates. At first, she had dismissed them as a wild rumor, but then her inquisitive nature forced her to check the respectable government portals to make sure. A minute of research revealed that the rumors were true.


    Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan, the lost hero of the Forgotten Shore, had Ascended and returned to the real world. She was alive!


    ''Can''t be��''


    By now, the news were spreading across the network like wildfire. Rain could tell that many of the passengers riding the train with her were thinking and talking about the same thing. Everyone looked shocked and excited.


    She did not pay other people any attention, however. There was only one thought on her mind.


    She had to tell Sunny!


    Her friend and mentor was a member of Changing Star''s cohort, after all. More than that, from the hints she had received from Effie and a short conversation she had had with Sunny, Rain knew that there was much more between the two than simple camaraderie.


    He had basically admitted as much.


    ''Sunny will be so happy!''


    Despite the fact that she was not supposed to have the next lesson with her young tutor for a few days, Rain decided to bring him the news personally... and right away! She simply couldn''t wait. Of course, in all her excitement, she had failed to account for the fact that if the news were indeed true, Sunny would have been one of the first people to learn of it.


    Full of anticipation, Rain rushed from the tram station to her mentor''s house, opened the door, and walked inside. Throwing her backpack into the corner by habit, she took off her shoes and shouted:


    "Sunny! Sunny! Are you home? You won''t believe��"


    Then, however, the teenage girl froze with her mouth wide open.


    As she watched in stunned silence, the curtain hanging over the entrance to the guest bedroom parted, and a tall, incredibly beautiful young woman walked into the living room. Suddenly, it seemed as if sunlight pouring through the windows became a little bit brighter.


    The young woman was slender and graceful, with flawless ivory skin and striking grey eyes. Her face was calm, aloof, and strangely mesmerizing. What shocked Rain much more, however, was that the beautiful stranger''s skin glistened with moisture, as if she had just left the shower. She was wearing nothing but one of Sunny''s black shirts, leaving her long legs mostly bare.


    And her wet hair�� her hair�� was of a strange silver-white color.


    The silver-haired young woman walked toward the kitchen, then stopped and looked at Rain. A hint of confusion appeared on her face. She hesitated for a moment, then said:


    "...Hey."


    Rain raised a trembling hand and pointed a finger at the stranger''s head. Her teeth chattered as she forced out:


    "You''re�� you''re�� you''re��"


    The beautiful stranger raised an eyebrow and remained silent. Rain finally managed to finish her sentence:


    "You''re Changing Star!"


    The last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan tilted her head a little, then shrugged.


    "Yes, I am. Who are you?"


    Rain swallowed, slowly realizing that she was in the presence of one of the most talented battle commanders and heroes of humanity�� a person so renowned that there was hardly anyone in the entire world who did not know her name�� and Sunny''s�� Sunny''s��


    Remembering the lessons he had taught her, the teenage girl forced herself to calm down �� somewhat �� and said weakly:


    "I am�� I am Rain. Sunny is my teacher."


    Changing Star remained silent for a moment, studying the unexpected guest. Then, a small hint of a smile appeared on her beautiful face.


    "Really? Well... I used to be your teacher''s teacher. I guess that makes me your grand teacher."


    Rained opened her eyes wide.


    "Wha��"


    Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan�� was her what?


    The concept simply failed to register.


    The supposed grand teacher, meanwhile, walked over to the kitchen counter and poured herself some water. She drank it, then looked at Rain. After a few seconds of silence, she said:


    "I''ll be staying here for a few days. You can call me Neph."


    Rain slowly nodded, not quite sure what she was just told.


    Was she sleeping? Was the famous Lady of the Immortal Flame clan in front of her�� wearing Sunny''s shirt�� telling Rain to call her by her fist name? A nickname, even��


    If that bastard Sunny had not subjected Rain to stumbling into Song of the Fallen, Raised by Wolves, and Nightingale, she would have probably fainted by now. As it was, Rain was barely able to remain on her feet.


    Lady Changing Star�� Neph�� looked at her attentively, and then suddenly asked a strange question:


    "Rain�� does your home have a big window and a lawn?"


    Rain silently nodded.


    "Yes? Why?"


    Neph lingered for a moment, and then turned away.


    "Just wondering."


    Then, she looked toward the living room area and sipped her water.


    "Oh. By the way, do you know how to control the entertainment system of this house?"


    Rain nodded again.


    "Uh�� yes, I do."


    Changing Star smiled with satisfaction.


    "Great. I was told that there is a movie about me. Can you put it on the projector?"


    Rain made a deep breath, obediently walked over to the projected, connected it to her communicator, and searched for the Song of Light and Darkness on the network.


    A few minutes later, she found herself sitting on the sofa next to Master Changing Star�� the legendary heiress of Immortal Flame�� as the somber music reverberated all around them. The movie was starting.


    ''Am I�� am I dreaming? This can''t be real, can it?''


    On the wall in front of them, the interior of a spacious and brightly lit room appeared. A handsome man with dark circled under his eyes was studying a map�� while a little girl with silver hair was playing on a carpet near him.


    The man was speaking:


    "...we, Awakened, only raise arms to protect humanity!"


    Sitting next to Rain, Nephis sighed and palmed her face.

 Chapter 783 Captive Audience

    Projected onto the wall, a languid jade beauty with a slim waist and long eyelashes was traversing a labyrinth of crimson coral, her voluptuous figure barely covered by a flimsy seaweed attire. A teenage boy of about thirteen years of age was scurrying along as he shouted:


    "...Are you crazy?!"


    Sitting on the sofa near the real Changing Star, Rain felt like sinking into the earth. As the movie went by, her cheeks slowly turned bright red. The daughter of the Immortal Flame clan, on the contrary, became increasingly more deadpan and devoid of emotion. By now, her face was so still that it seemed paralyzed.


    Rain awkwardly cleared her throat.


    "Uh�� come to think of it, the actress they chose does not look like you at all. You are much prettier!"


    Nephis shifted and briefly glanced down. Then, she said evenly:


    "Thank you."


    After a while, she added:


    "Why would they cast a child to play Sunny? What a strange decision. Only a complete fool could mistake him for a young boy."


    Rain let out a nervous laugh.


    "Yeah! Yeah�� definitely��"


    She looked away in utter embarrassment, and then forced out:


    "And what is up with that stupid catchphrase? That does not sound like something Sunny would say at all!"


    Changing Star moved, suddenly becoming a little more lively.


    "Oh, no. That actually happened. A lot!"


    The movie, meanwhile, continued. The three Sleepers braved the wilderness of the Forgotten Shore and eventually reached the Dark City. The brief moment of liveliness passed, and instead, Changing Star seemed to grow more rigid and cold with each scene. Rain felt so uncomfortable that she could not bring herself to say anything.


    What kind of idiot directed that stupid movie?!


    Meanwhile, a handsome young man with broad shoulders and a noble bearing appeared on the screen. Rain glanced at Lady Nephis curiously, wondering how much of what was shown about her relationship with the heroic Han Li Caster was true.


    And how her apparent relationship with Sunny fit into it.


    Could it be�� that there had been an actual love triangle between them?!


    ? Sadly, she failed to glimpse anything from Changing Star''s stoic face. The movie progressed, slowly reaching its culmination.


    On the wall, the masculine face of the actor playing Sir Caster radiated courage and passion. Holding the grief-stricken jade beauty by the hand, he looked her in the eyes and said with passion:


    "Should I fall, do not cry for me, my lady. My life does not matter�� but yours does! Immortal Flame must never be extinguished! As long as it burns, humanity still has hope! The Dreamers of the Dark City have hope! As long as you live, I can face a thousand deaths with a triumphant smile!"


    Rain shifted uncomfortably.


    ''Is it me, or is it getting hot in here?''


    Not a single muscle moved on Changing Star''s face. She looked at the projection with a deadpan expression.


    ��The projection, however, suddenly stuttered.


    Rain frowned.


    ''Huh?''


    In the next moment, she thought that she smelled smoke. Turning around, the teenage girl noticed a thin stream of it rising from inside Sunny''s expensive projector.


    ''That''s strange...''


    Rain opened her mouth to say something, but before she could...


    The projector suddenly exploded.


    ***


    After the movie was suddenly and violently interrupted, Rain only stayed for long enough to help Changing Star clean up the debris of the malfunctioned projector. Then, she found an excuse, grabbed her backpack, and hurriedly left.


    Who knew what was going to explode next!


    Once the teenage girl was gone, Nephis was once again left alone in the empty house. She lingered for a bit, then went back into the guest bedroom and rummaged through Effie''s closet. She had no clothes apart from the tracksuit that the Academy had issued to her, which was soaked with sweat after the night she had spent with Sunny underground.


    There were Memories, of course�� but she had worn armor for the better part of the last three years. Putting on something mundane was strangely comforting.


    Leaving Sunny''s shirt on, she found a pair of gym shorts to match it. Sadly, other articles of Effie''s clothing did not fit her too well. She was going to have to do some shopping soon...


    Considering such matters again felt very strange.


    Eventually, Nephis found herself back in the living room with nothing to do. She simply sat in silence for a while, trying to deal with the disturbing oddity of not being in danger. Then, she shifted uncomfortably, looked around, and took out the state-of-the-art communicator the government provided to her.


    She stared at it for some time, then tentatively accessed the network.


    After a while, Neph found herself senselessly scrolling through popular clips. A few minutes later, one video caught her attention.


    A demonic figure in black armor and fearsome mask stood in a small clearing in the middle of a thick forest, a long blade of an odachi resting on his shoulder. The swordsman''s white hair moved slightly in the wind. Something about him seemed�� odd.


    Suddenly, twelve figures appeared from behind the trees, surrounding the demonic swordsman. One of the ambushers spoke:


    "Sorry, Mongrel�� no hard feeling, right?"


    Nephis shook her head slightly and sighed.


    "Twelve against one��"


    The man in black armor, meanwhile, remained silent for a moment and then said calmly:


    "...None whatsoever."


    Already knowing how the fight would end, Neph moved her finger to scroll on�� but then stopped.


    Something very unexpected was happening on the screen of her communicator!


    Instead of being instantly overwhelmed, the warrior dodged several attacks and dove through a stream of scorching fire, his black armor reflecting the crimson flames like the scales of an infernal monster. His gauntlet collided against the head of one of the enemies, instantly breaking the skull.


    White sparks slowly ignited in the depths of Neph''s eyes.


    "Interesting��"


    She lingered, watching the brutal slaughter with a hint of excitement. After spending years fighting against overwhelming odds, Nephis couldn''t help but root for the lonesome swordsman.


    A few seconds later, she was fully engrossed in the video.


    "Remarkable!"

 Chapter 784 Single Whole

    The second lecture had turned out to be a challenge for Sunny. Not because he felt unprepared to teach the less experienced Awakened, but because all of them were very enthused and full of questions about Changing Star''s return.


    The whole Academy was abuzz.


    "Master Sunless, have you met Lady Changing Star?"


    "Is it true? Did she Ascend?!"


    "Are you going to join the Immortal Flame clan now? Can we join, too?!"


    Normally, that would not have been a problem. Sadly for Sunny, he could not refuse to answer any question due to his Flaw, so it took some time and ingenuity to not let anything important slip while reigning the students in. Eventually, he forced them to concentrate on the lecture.


    After the lecture was over, he had to take care of some administrative issues, as well as visit Teacher Julius and assist the old man with a few tasks. Seeing that his assistant was very eager to leave, the elderly Instructor did not keep Sunny long and soon let him go with a knowing smile.


    "Ah, youth��"


    Sunny frowned a little as he hurried to the door.


    ''What is that supposed to mean?''


    Throwing the confusion out of his mind, Sunny decided to not waste time and used Shadow Step to reach the train station as fast as possible. On the way home, he was deep in thought.


    After the night of experimenting and exploring their bond, he was very curious what else Nephis and him could do. As far as Sunny understood it, Shadow Bond made it so that their souls were strangely considered to be two parts of a single whole, at least when applied to the function of their Aspects.


    So�� did that mean that he could pool Neph with him through the shadows when using Shadow Step?


    If he used a charm like Blood Blossom, would its effect be shared to her?


    If so, would the boost granted to them remain the same, or grow twice as weak?


    He had many questions like that, and answers to them could only be found through further experimentation. Sunny was very excited.


    Why wouldn''t he? He was always resentful of his weakness and of the fact that stronger Awakened or powerful Nightmare Creatures could snuff out his life without too much trouble. Anything that could grant him more power to defend himself was a boon, and the memory of how powerful he had felt last night was still fresh in his mind.


    Of course, reality was not so simple��


    Firstly, any experiment would demand Neph to go through torturous pain.


    Secondly, he had not forgotten that this power came at a cost.


    The cost was his freedom.


    Nephis seemed to be reluctant to use the Shadow Bond to compel him to do her bidding, but he could not be completely sure of her intentions. Not until they talked openly about it.


    It was just that�� he didn''t want to have that talk yet. Talking openly about anything was the last thing he usually wanted to do.


    ''Later�� I''ll do it later��''


    Neph was barely out of the Nightmare. Sunny himself had not been in the best of shapes after Ascending, for a while.


    It was better to give her some time to balance herself.


    ��Soon, he was nearing his house. The security system automatically scanned his biometrics and unlocked the door. Opening it, Sunny walked inside and took off his shoes. Then , he looked around and noticed Neph sitting on a tall stool near the kitchen counter, staring at her communicator with strange intensity. Her eyes were burning, and it seemed as if she had spent a lot of time without moving.


    She seemed to be so engrossed with what was happening on the screen that she did not even pay attention to his return. Clenching her fist, Neph suddenly spoke:


    "Come on. You can do it. She is good, but you are better!"


    He blinked a couple of times, unaccustomed to hearing such enthusiasm in Changing Star''s voice. She was usually far more reserved. And what did she mean? What was he supposed to do? Who was he better than?


    ''Ah, she must be talking to herself. But what the hell is she watching?''


    Sunny took a few steps forward and looked over Neph''s shoulder.


    A strange expression appeared on his face.


    On the screen, a ferocious swordsman in black armor was fighting against a graceful woman who wore a light metal armor and an elegant half-mask. Rose petals fell from above, carpeting a grandiose arena. A dark odachi and a slender estoc clashed against each other, filling the air with the clangor of steel.


    ''Wait. Isn''t that�� isn''t that my duel against Queen Bee?''


    That was a memorable fight! He had barely won that one.


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, remained silent for a few moments, and then coughed.


    "Uh�� hey? I''m back."


    Nephis froze. She paused the video, hesitated, then slowly turned and looked at him with a startled expression.


    "Oh�� hey."


    Sunny stared at her for a couple of seconds, then asked with a little smile:


    "What are you watching?"


    Nephis suddenly livened up and gestured at her communicator.


    "That�� I stumbled on a video of a very interesting fighter. Have you heard about that guy, Mongrel? He''s incredible! I''ve been watching�� uh�� studying his fights for a few hours��"


    Sunny scratched the back of his head, and then said evenly:


    "Mongrel? Yeah, I''ve heard a few things about him. Incredible, you say? Do tell what is so incredibly about him�� in detail��"


    Then, he suddenly frowned and sniffed the air.


    ''What''s this smell? Crap, don''t tell that the filtration system is glitching��''


    Sunny looked around, and then froze.


    His eye twitched.


    "What�� what happened to my projector?!"


    A familiar deadpan expression appeared on Neph''s face. She glanced in the direction where the expensive model of the projector had used to be, lingered for a moment, and shrugged nonchalantly.


    "Oh. A malfunction, I guess. How strange��"

 Chapter 785 Solitude

    As Sunny bitterly explored the damage done to his entertainment system by the strange�� malfunction�� Nephis silently watched him from her stool.


    "Doesn''t make sense�� gone, the projector is completely gone... it was so expensive!"


    After a while, he turned to Changing Star with a miserable expression and opened his mouth, then frowned in confusion.


    "Wait�� is that my shirt?"


    Neph shifted a little and then said, her voice even:


    "I don''t have any clothes."


    Sunny stared at her for a few moments, then waved a hand and looked away, forgetting what he was going to say.


    "Never mind. You can keep it. We can also order a delivery of anything else you need. I am an incredibly rich entrepreneur, you know!"


    He paused, then added with a bit of embarrassment:


    "Well, I used to be rich, anyway. These days, I pretty much spend everything on�� research."


    She tilted her head a little, then suddenly said:


    "...The girl you''re tutoring visited."


    ''What?!''


    Pretending to be nonchalant, Sunny glanced at Nephis and answered in a neutral tone:


    "Oh? Strange. We weren''t supposed to have any lessons until a few days from now."


    Neph remained silent for a few moments, then looked away with a smile:


    ? "She is a bright kid. I''m glad you are teaching her."


    He studied her expression with a frown.


    ''What'' up with that smile?''


    Finally, Sunny shrugged.


    "Well, money is money. My lessons aren''t cheap."


    After that, he sighed, threw the destroyed projector out of his mind, and walked into the kitchen.


    "Are you hungry? I can cook something up. My culinary skills have improved a lot, you know! As you should have already noticed��"


    It was a strange thing. Back on the Forgotten Shore, Nephis had always been the one in charge of feeding the cohort. Now, their roles seemed to have reversed, in more ways than one.


    She deactivated her communicator and said neutrally:


    "I could eat. Thank you."


    Then, Changing Star frowned slightly and added:


    "Oh, but I don''t have a lot of time. There is a�� a consultation with the government psychiatrist I need to attend shortly. By remote, of course."


    Sunny stared at her for a while, then shook his head.


    ''This is so weird��''


    Deciding to prepare something that did not demand a lot of time to make, he took out a pack of ramen, some vegetables, a piece of natural meat, and a pair of eggs.


    "I never thought that I would hear something like that from you, of all people. A... psychiatrist, really?"


    He started the process of cooking ramen, and added:


    "...Was it really that bad?"


    Changing Star sighed and looked down. After a while, she suddenly said:


    "No. It wasn''t too bad."


    Her voice sounded distant, and a bit strange.


    "In fact, out there in the Dream Realm, I felt��"


    Nephis inhaled deeply, and then looked at him somberly:


    "...Happy."


    Sunny almost dropped the cooking pot. Of all the answers out there, he had not expected to hear that one. Looking at Nephis with an incredulous expression, he asked:


    "What? Did you say happy?"


    She sighed, and nodded.


    "I know that it sound strange. And yes, traveling through that hell alone was excruciating, terrible, and hard. Many times, I did not think that I would survive. Other times, I wanted to die. There was so much pain, so much hunger, so much thirst. So much cold, so much unbearable heat. So much�� silence."


    A wistful expression slowly settled on her face.


    "But it was also so... simple. So liberating. All I had to do was walk, fight, kill. Survive. There was no space for unnecessary thoughts. No burdens I had to carry. No complicated feelings, no responsibility. I did not have to remember where I came from, and where I was headed. I did not have to a part of�� anything. It was just me against the Nightmare Creatures. And the Dream Realm itself."


    He listened silently, trying to imagine what living like that would feel like. Well�� he didn''t have to try too hard. Had he not experienced something similar while living alone in the ruined cathedral of the Dark City? Yes, he had not been entirely himself back then, but��


    But he was also the happiest he had ever been, perhaps. There was a bliss in giving up on everything except for the things he needed to survive. Even if the things he was giving up on were his sanity, his future, and his very humanity��


    Granted, his isolation had only lasted for several months instead of years, and the environment had not been as dire.


    What would have happened to him if he had not abandoned the cathedral to join Changing Star''s ill-fated crusade?


    She looked down and added evenly:


    "I have never felt truly connected to the rest of humanity. I was always�� a bit of a stranger, I guess. Out there in the Dream Realm, with only Nightmare Creatures surrounding me, that connection grew even more ethereal. Sometimes, I even felt like everything except for that desolate purgatory had been just a fleeting dream�� a strange illusion that I had imagined. The Dream Realm�� it seemed much more real. It seemed like a place where I belonged. With other monsters like me��"


    She sighed, then looked at him and added:


    "So, that''s why I agreed to the offer to receive counseling. It is not because I feel fragile and on the verge of breaking apart. It''s just that�� I''m afraid to lose what little humanity I have left. I never had a lot, to begin with."


    After Neph was done speaking, Sunny stared at her for some time, then shook his head.


    ''I don''t think I have ever heard Neph speak so much��''


    Placing ramen in the boiling water, he glanced at her with a frown.


    "Well�� if you put it like that, I guess a little counseling would do you good. However�� I can tell you right now and without a shadow of a doubt that you are not a Nightmare Creature. You''re a human through and through. Believe me, I would know."


    A pale smile appeared on Changing Star''s face.


    "Thank you for saying that."


    Sunny looked at her with an amused expression, and then smiled:


    "I don''t think you understand. I am not saying this because I consider you a human, or because I feel like you are a human. Or because I believe that you are a human. It''s just a fact."


    He pointed to his eye.


    "I have special eyes, remember? From that Attribute of mine. I have seen what people look like, and what Nightmare Creatures look like inside."


    He peered into Neph''s soul and grimaced, almost blinded by the brilliant radiance of five flaming, incandescent suns that burned inside of it. There was no sign of the vile darkness that dwelled in the souls of the corrupted abominations.


    Cracking an egg on the edge of the pan, he looked at her and scoffed.


    "...You don''t look anything like a Nightmare Creature, that''s all."

 Chapter 786 Lifeline

    Soon, two bowls of delicious steaming ramen were on the table in front of them. Sunny had never invited anyone to taste his ramen, but he was quite pleased with the result.


    His past of only eating synthpaste seemed so distant that he did not even want to remember it.


    Both dug in and finished their portions in record time. Sunny drank the last of the fragrant broth and let out a delighted sigh. Nephis acted more reserved, but he could feel that she was very satisfied, too.


    Putting the bowl away, Changing Star smiled slightly and looked at him. A hesitant expression appeared on her face.


    A few moments later, she suddenly said:


    "Be that as it may�� while I was lost and wandering the Dream Realm, slowly forgetting what it felt like to be human�� there was one thing I clung to that reminded me that all my prior life had not been just a dream. Do you know what it was?"


    Sunny thought for a bit, then shrugged.


    "I don''t know. A Memory? Your sword, Dreamblade?"


    She lingered for a few moments, then slowly shook her head.


    "No. It was�� you."


    Sunny froze and stared at her with surprise.


    "Huh?"


    Nephis smiled slightly.


    "Your runes. Although I could not know what was happening to you, Cassie, and the others, I could still feel connected to you through the runes. I could see that you were still out there, alive, and doing incredible things. The new Memories you received told me a little about what kind of enemies you fought. The speed at which your Aspect Legacy progressed told me how hard you were working to sharpen your battle skill. As long as I saw the runes, I knew that I had not imagined the past... and did not feel as alone."


    She shifted, and then added:


    "When I was bored, I liked to imagine what exactly happened to give you a sudden influx of fragments, what the Nightmare Creature that gifted you a Memory looked like, how you defeated it. Things�� things like that. Oh�� and I was bored often. While my journey was often full of hardship and dread, it could also be terribly monotonous sometimes. So�� that was pretty much the only way I could entertain myself."


    Changing Star looked at him, lingered for a moment, and then said:


    "I know it was not really something that you did consciously. Still. I wanted to say�� thank you. You helped me a lot, Sunny. You made it easier for me to keep going. I won''t forget that."


    He stared at her, suddenly uncomfortable. Then, he looked away in embarrassment and cleared his throat.


    "Are... are you sure that you have not received counseling already? I mean, that doesn''t sound like you. Very�� uh�� enlightened. Anyway�� you''re welcome, I guess."


    Nephis smiled, and did not respond.


    Sunny remained silent for a bit, and then forced himself to say:


    "...Actually, I spent a lot of time staring at your runes, as well."


    He looked at the floor.


    "Granted, I was not exactly going crazy from isolation like you. Well�� except for a short stretch of falling into a bottomless abyss all alone, I guess. But, the point is�� to be honest, I was... I am... unsatisfied with the fact that you are so far ahead of me. Every time you gained a soul fragment, it urged me to try and get two. The stronger you grew, the more I wanted to become stronger, as well. A large part of those things I gained�� was because of you. I guess you, too, kept me going. In a sense."


    He fell silent, and then glanced at Nephis with a slightly bitter expression:


    "Of course, no matter how hard I tried, I had never managed to catch up to you. Every time, I fell short. It did not feel nice at all. But it also forced me to try harder, I guess."


    She studied his face for a few moments, and then shook her head.


    "It is much easier for me to gain soul fragments. You know that. Even though I am still ahead, I suspect that you have fought, and slain, much more Nightmare Creatures than I have. In fact, I know you did."


    Sunny smiled.


    "Who cares? It''s not a competition where you get rewarded for the effort. Only the result matters. In the end, a person is either strong, or they are weak. The stronger ones will always trample those who are weaker. Isn''t that how the world works?"


    Nephis looked down, then slowly shook her head.


    "You are wrong. I think. Results matter, yes�� but it''s not like how you got there doesn''t. Every victory you achieve teaches you a lesson. Every defeat you suffer teaches you even more. I guess it all depends on what you call strength."


    Sunny grimaced.


    "Well, let me ask you a question. Can you say that I am stronger than you?"


    Changing Star stared at him with an even expression. Several seconds passed by, but she remained silent.


    A dark grin appeared on Sunny''s face. He sighed, and then collected the empty bowls to clean them.


    "Effie doesn''t seem to think that I am. According to her, I lack conviction. I don''t even really know what conviction is and where does one find it, but even I can''t honestly say that I am stronger than you. That should tell you something, considering... you know, my clear conscience."


    Nephis lingered for a few moments, and then suddenly said in calm tone:


    "You are stronger than you think you are."


    Sunny put the bowls into the sink and turned on the water.


    Standing with his back to her, he stayed quiet for a while. After some time, he started to wash the dishes and said:


    "...Your counseling session is about to start. You should hurry."


    She looked at his back for a few moments, then silently stood up and went away.


    Sunny was left alone in the kitchen. He finished washing the bowls, put them on the drying rack, and wiped his hands with a towel.


    Then, he glanced in the direction of the guest room, shook his head, and scoffed.


    "Ah, who cares? Apparently, I am incredible��"

 Chapter 787 Training Session

    A week later, two people sat across from each other on the cold floor of the underground dojo, their eyes closed. With their legs crossed and their hands resting on their laps, it seemed as though they were meditating.


    Of course, they weren''t.


    While Sunny was calm and in relaxed, Nephis was the opposite. There was a furious torrent of soul energy flowing through her body, making it hard for her to remain still. Invisible to anyone except for her partner, radiant streams of ethereal essence rushed through her veins like rivers of flame.


    Her breathing was uneven, and there were beads of sweat on her face.


    Sunny observed Changing Star through his shadows. After a while, he said:


    "You are doing much better. While crude, your control is already stable. However, there is no precision to it�� a Master has to be intricate in how they apply and expend their essence. That is what truly separates us from the Awakened. While the soul of an Ascended is more potent, the gap is not too large. It is our ability to make better use of this potential that really separates us from the rest of them."


    Neph was doing well. In fact, her rapid progress in learning how to control her essence was nothing short of exceptional. However, she was facing substantial obstacles in her training. Not only was Changing Star completely new to that aspect of her power, she also simply had too much soul essence. Compared to normal Master, she had at least five times as much of it.


    If most Ascended contained a tranquil current of essence within their bodies, Nephis contained a furious sea.


    Her soul essence was also different from anything Sunny had ever faced. It was much more potent, fiery, and vibrant, probably because of [The Fire] Attribute she had inherited from her mother.


    What it effectively meant was that Neph would have to put much more effort into learning to control her essence. However, once she did climb over that steep obstacle�� the result was going to be simply terrifying.


    Showing her the way put Sunny''s own experiences in perspective, gifting him a few new insights of his own. Just as it had been with Rain, the role of a mentor allowed him to learn a lot himself.


    Teaching was truly the best way to learn.


    Now, Sunny felt that his own essence control was far more precise and nuanced than that of most, even without the help of Soul Serpent.


    ��Of course, he had no chance to test it in actual combat yet. He was also growing more and more sour about the fact that both Blood Weave and Bone Weave were purely corporeal in nature. Although shadow essence was unique, it did not receive any augmentation from his Attributes.


    In fact, the only time its strange nature played a role had been during his encounter with the Vile Thieving Bird''s Spawn. Even though that single instance had saved his life, Sunny really wished for more.


    ''Maybe I am not utilizing its full potential��''


    If there was a way to do so, however, he had no idea how. Maybe if Weaver''s lineage had not devoured the Shadow God''s, Sunny would have been in a different situation. As it stood, though��


    ''I wonder if there is a Soul Weave��''


    Nephis sighed, and opened her eyes. The turbulent flow of soul essence in her body settled, returning to a calmer cycle. She rested for a moment, and then rose to her feet.


    Sunny did the same, commanding the four shadows to wrap themselves around his body.


    "Are you ready?"


    She nodded, and then exploded in motion, attacking him with her fists.


    Empowered by the shadows, Sunny easily dodged, deflected, and blocked the torrent of devastating punches and kicks. This was the second part of their training �� Nephis not only had to learn how to control soul essence, but also how to use it in battle. She head to retrain herself from the ground up to account for all the new possibilities that the Ascension granted her.


    This was not an easy task, considering that the difference went much deeper than simple physical ability and explosive might. At their high level, combat became much more tactical. Soul essence was a precious resource that could achieve a lot, but was also easily wasted. A Master had to be strategic in how they unleashed their powers.


    Their physical performance, Aspect, and Memories could all benefit from vast amounts of essence. However, they could also quickly deplete it. The same statement held true for Awakened, but to a much lesser degree, since Masters had much greater powers at their disposal�� and thus could exert much greater volumes of soul essence.


    It was a constant and complicated dance that required a lot of skill, foresight, and cunning to be performed to the best result.


    Sunny himself still had a lot to learn.


    Serving as a bona fide punching bag for Nephis was not the most efficient way of learning, but it had its own merits. By dedicating himself to nothing but withstanding a constant barrage of attacks and rationing his essence in the most efficient way, Sunny was teaching himself how to prepare for long battles of attrition.


    ��At least she had mastered essence control enough to not ruin dojo!


    For a while, the underground chamber was filled with nothing but the sounds of heavy breathing and flesh slapping against flesh. Both fighters were exerting themselves to the utmost degree. Sunny had it easier since he was defending, but receiving so many crushing blows in a row was still not for the weak of heart.


    Each of Neph''s essence-empowered strikes could have punched through an armored vehicle, after all. If not for the fact that she was not using her flames to augment herself, Sunny''s would have been suffering from internal bleeding by now. Having nearly indestructible bones was a big advantage, but it did not make him invincible.


    Their furious clash lasted until Nephis exhausted most of her essence. Determined to launch one last attack, she stepped closer. Her slender leg whipped forward, threatening to crush Sunny''s ribcage. He swiftly turned and caught it in the air, then gently placed it on the ground.


    "That�� that''s enough for today."


    Since this had been their routine for the entirety of the last week, neither said another word. Both fell to the floor, spent and utterly exhausted. Their breathing was hoarse, and their clothes were soaked with sweat.


    ''Damn�� I need a shower��''


    However, the idea of standing up seemed too cruel right now. Sunny turned his head to glance at Nephis and judged that she was in an even more pitiful state. So, they simply remained on the floor for a few minutes, laying side by side and trying to catch their breath.


    After a while, Sunny''s communicator suddenly made a sound.


    Of course, it was not on his person. A clash of such intensity would have quickly destroyed the expensive device, so Sunny had left it on the lid of the Dreamscape pod. Now, he faced the necessity to walk all the way to the alcove to retrieve it.


    Instead, Sunny commanded the happy shadow to glide there, turn tangible, pick up the communicator and bring it back. The fool was utterly delighted to oblige, anyway��


    As the shadow gingerly crossed the underground dojo and presented the communicator to Sunny, he glanced at the screen, and then sighed.


    "Time to go, Neph. Cassie is on her way��"

 Chapter 788 Cordial Invitation

    Sunny took a quick shower and went downstairs. By the time he came down, Nephis was just exiting the guest room. She changed from the gym shorts and a tank top that she had been wearing for their practice session and put on some of the clothes they had ordered for her a few days back. Her silver hair was wet, glistening in the rays of sunshine that poured through the windows.


    Without having to say anything, Sunny went to the kitchen, opened a drawer, and took out a can of grounded coffee. Then, he stretched his arm back. By then, Nephis had already filled a pot with water and placed it into his hand. Soon, the pleasant aroma spread through the house.


    By the time the coffee was ready, a PTV was in the process of parking nearby. Sunny dumped two spoons of sugar into his cup, left the one intended for Neph without any, and added cream to the third. Changing Star, meanwhile, was opening the door for Cassie.


    Soon, all three were seared around the table, enjoying their respective beverages. After a while, Sunny glanced at the blind girl and asked:


    "Well? What''s the news?"


    She lingered for a bit, then pushed her cup away and produced two flat, white squares. Sunny stared at them for a bit, confused. Then, he blinked a couple of times.


    "Is that�� an envelope?"


    Indeed, that was what the white squares were. They seemed to be made out of paper, and each had a round piece of red wax attached to it. Sunny had only seen an actual paper envelope used in period dramas, so he was justifiably surprised to encounter one in real life.


    Taking one of the envelopes, he curiously studied it from different sides.


    "How quaint��"


    There was an image of a sword piercing an anvil etched into the red wax, so at least he did not have to wonder where the strange things had come from.


    ''Legacies��''


    Amused, he furtively glanced at Nephis to learn what one was supposed to do with a paper envelope, and then repeated her actions. Soon, a different piece of paper appeared in his hands.


    "Master Sunless, you are cordially invited�� what? What is this?"


    Even more confused than before, he turned to Cassie and raised an eyebrow. She was supposed to bring them an update on the situation with the government and Clan Valor, not some weird messages.


    The blind girl smiled slightly.


    "Basically, this is a gesture of good will."


    She paused for a moment, and then added in a bright tone:


    "It is an invitation. Clan Valor is holding an annual ball in about a month. We are all invited to attend�� which is usually considered a great honor. Not every Master receives the privilege to brush sides with the most powerful representatives of the great clans and actual Saints."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "...Is holding balls some weird Legacy ceremony? Wait, what kinds of ball are we talking about? Something like a football? Why do people hold it annually, and more importantly, why do we have to attend this�� ball holding ritual?"


    Nephis silently covered her face with a hand and said, a hint of exasperation finding its way into her voice:


    "Sunny�� a ball is a social gathering, usually accompanied by a dance. It is not a literal ball!"


    He stared at her for a moment, then glanced at the piece of paper in his hand and coughed.


    "Oh�� that makes more sense, I guess��"


    Cassie listened to them speak with a strange expression, then tilted her head a little and said:


    "...Of course, in our case, this invitation holds special meaning. It is a sign that Clan Valor is willing to be patient and wait for Nephis to recover. It is also the indication that the final negotiation is going to take place during the ball, one month from now. This gives us time to prepare."


    This was a good piece of news, all things considered. Basically, it meant that now that the initial week was over, Changing Star had more time to get ready to face the representatives of Clan Valor. It also meant that the great clan was not going to do anything before that, giving her freedom to recuperate in peace. It was more or less an armistice.


    A bright smile appeared on Cassie''s delicate face.


    "But there is more! To show their sincerity, Clan Valor released the Fire Keepers they were holding hostage. Both are already back, and resting in the Immortal Flame manor. This�� this means that they are serious about building a good relationship with us, I think."


    Sunny let out a sigh.


    He was not really attached to the Fire Keepers. Still, they had gone through the civil war in the Bright Castle and the siege of the Crimson Spire together. The fools also treated him as one of their own, for some reason. He had felt a bit guilty knowing that some of them were suffering because of the terrible mess in the Night Temple.


    Effie, Kai, and Aiko were going very happy to hear the news, too.


    However... it was not like Clan Valor to let go of leverage. Sunny glanced at Cassie and frowned.


    "What are they scheming?"


    The blind girl hesitated for a few moments, then shrugged.


    "I am not entirely sure. However�� I do have a suspicion. This sudden change must indicate that something important happened to shift the balance of power even more in favor of Clan Song. That is why Valor is willing to make concessions to ensure that Immortal Flame becomes their ally."


    Sunny suddenly felt a strong sense of unease. What could have happened to change the power dynamic between the two great clans so much?


    He took a sip of his coffee, and then asked.


    "Well�� so what now?"


    Cassie smiled.


    "Now? Now, we are free to do anything we want for a month. The government is going to insist that Nephis makes at least one public appearance, but they won''t be too forceful in their demands. So�� we can do whatever."


    She turned to Changing Star and said, her voice full of warmth:


    "Neph�� how do you feel about finally coming home? We can go to the manor right now. If you''re ready..."

 Chapter 789 Only Forward

    Nephis looked in the window and remained silent for a while. Her face was distant and still. After a while, she lightly shook her head.


    "No�� not yet."


    Cassie seemed to be surprised by that answer.


    "No? But�� why?"


    Changing Star sighed.


    "The�� Fire Keepers. That is what people call the Awakened who follow you, right? They all look up to me, do they not?"


    The blind girl silently nodded.


    "Of course! We�� they have been waiting for your return ever since escaping the Forgotten Shore. Even though the Dreamer Army was an alliance of convenience, the bonds that were forged between its members are real. Their bond to you is real, too."


    Sunny sipped his coffee with a strange expression. Neph, meanwhile, lingered for a moment, and then said:


    "But they want more than just to welcome me back. They expect me to lead them, like I did on the Forgotten Shore. Am I correct?"


    Cassie nodded once again.


    Neph looked away.


    "How can I lead them when I don''t know where I am going? I�� I need more time to figure things out before I face them."


    The blind girl remained silent for a while, then sighed.


    "I�� I understand. I think."


    ��Sunny, meanwhile, did not understand.


    Sure, on the surface, what Nephis said made perfect sense. She was not sure of what she was going to do, so she could not offer the remnants of the Dreamer Army guidance. She could not become their general again until she decided on the direction her soldiers had to follow.


    However, Sunny harbored doubts about the sincerity of this indecision. Nephis had never been one to allow her hesitation to slow her down. More than that, she had spent two whole years alone in the Dream Realm�� if he knew anything about her, he knew that she must have dedicated a considerable amount of that time to obsessively making plans of how to destroy her enemies once she returned.


    Of course, there was a lot of new information that became available to Neph after she came back. That had to change her approach a little, but should not have affected the core of it. So why was she hesitating?


    What was she struggling with?


    Sunny did not know, and was not sure that he wanted to know�� yet. In any case, he was going to learn sooner or later.


    There was something else that bothered him, though��


    He glanced at Nephis and Cassie and then said, his voice grumpy:


    "Aren''t you two forgetting something? This is still my home! We only agreed that Nephis would stay here for a week. Shouldn''t you at least ask me before deciding to leave her here for a while longer?"


    He was not going to let Changing Star pull off an Effie that easily!


    Neph turned and looked at him with an unreadable expression. After a few moments of silence, she asked:


    "Sunny, do you mind if I stay for a couple more weeks?"


    He coughed, and then glanced away in embarrassment.


    "Of course! Sure, no problem. Glad to have you, and all that. See, was that so hard?"


    ***


    Cassie remained for a bit longer to get Nephis up to speed about the state of the Fire Keepers and the renovations they were making to the Immortal Flame manor, and then left. Running a prominent Awakened organization was not an easy task, so she had a lot on her plate.


    Sunny and Neph were left alone again.


    He hesitated for a few moments, and then asked:


    "Do you really not want to go home? I mean�� I never really had one, more or less, before buying this house. But if I did, I imagine I would have missed it a lot."


    Nephis glanced at him, then slowly shook her head.


    "That place is not really my home. We were moving a lot while I was growing up. Sometimes because our financial situation changed, sometimes due to security issues. That manor is just the last in a long series of temporary shelters."


    She remained silent for a few moments, then added:


    "I guess it were the people who surrounded me that created the feeling of home. But they are all gone now, one way or the other. So, there''s nothing for me to return to."


    Sunny sighed, remembering the conversation he once had with Noctis.


    "I don''t really understand what the Immortal Flame clan is, to be honest. And who those people were. You once said that you were raised by your grandmother?"


    Changing Star nodded.


    "The Immortal Flame�� is just me, now. At its height, it was one of the most influential Legacy clans. You could have called it a great clan, even, although that distinction was not established yet back then. Apart from the immediate family, the clan also encompassed hundreds of other people. Professionals to manage our properties, craftsmen, mundane soldiers, Awakened retainers, their dependents�� a Legacy clan is more than just a few powerful warriors. It is a�� a large, self-sufficient institution. A tribe, even."


    She grew silent, and then said:


    "Of course, our fortunes turned after Immortal Flame himself died, and my mother became Hollow. Then my father was gone, too. Only my grandmother remained to take care of me. She was not an Awakened�� however, don''t think that she was weak because of it. On the contrary, although my grandmother was a mundane human, she was also the strongest person I''ve ever known."


    Nephis looked away, a hint of emotion appearing on her face.


    "She was a member of the First Generation. She was born during the darkest times of humanity, survived the bloody descent of the Spell and the final convulsions of the old world order, then participated in the establishment of the new one. She was strong. She was also wise, and kind. I couldn''t wish for a better guardian."


    She looked down.


    "However, she was not enough to keep the Immortal Flame Clan from falling, especially not when we found ourselves in the crosshairs of my father''s former companions. Slowly but surely, we lost our assets and our standing. Some of the people in our employ left of their own free will, others were forced to abandon us because of adversity. Many of those who remained died trying to protect me. The most loyal ones still persisted�� there were several Awakened among them, and even a Master. My mentor."


    Nephis sighed.


    "But in the end, he was gone, too. By the time I turned sixteen, all that remained were a few mundane servants who had been with us for so long that they had nowhere else to go. After my grandmother passed away and I felt the call of the Nightmare Spell, I paid them a generous stipend from what little funds the clan had left, and let them go. You know the rest."


    Changing Star remained silent for a while, and then added:


    "...I remember walking through the manor before leaving it to comply with the Third Directive and surrender myself to the police. It was so strange, seeing it completely empty. My grandmother was gone. My mother was in the care facility. The servants had left. It was just me, alone."


    She looked away. Suddenly, a pale smile appeared on her face.


    "Nothing held me back. So, I wasn''t sad to leave at all. There was only one direction left for me�� forward��"


    Sunny looked at her silently, a somber expression hidden in the depths of his eyes.


    Only forward... that was true for the both of them, still.


    However, was it worth it to not be held back by anything, if in return you had nothing to hold dear?


    Turning away, he sighed.


    Life was not that simple anymore...

 Chapter 790 Outing

    Despite the fact that Nephis had decided to stay with Sunny for a couple more weeks�� or rather, that he had allowed her stay!... their routine somewhat changed. Because of the armistice with Clan Valor, she did not have to stay inside all the time anymore. So, while the two of them still continued having exhausting practice sessions every day, the intensity of the training diminished.


    On the first day after receiving the invitation to the ball, Nephis had left to visit her mother. Soon after that, she made a strange request.


    The counselor assigned to Neph by the government had suggested that she should not isolate herself from mundane humans and, instead, seek out opportunities to participate in collective activities people usually enjoyed. So, she asked Sunny to help her figure out what it was that people did with their free time.


    Sunny was glad to help.


    The problem was... he had no idea himself. His life experience was richer than hers, but the knowledge of how people lived their lives in the outskirts did not exactly apply to their situation. After becoming a citizen and moving to a better part of the city, Sunny had spent all his time doing more productive things than�� relaxing.


    Who had time to relax? There were so many things he needed to achieve!


    As the result, they had to turn to other members of the cohort for advice. When they did, Effie enthusiastically volunteered to arrange an outing. Although Sunny had a bad premonition about her proposal, he found no polite reason to refuse the giddy huntress.


    So, a few days later, he found himself doing something that he had never thought he would ever do��


    Sunny was getting ready to go to a dance club.


    ''What am I even doing? This�� this is so stupid��''


    Standing in front of the mirror, he somberly looked at the pale young man that stared back at him. The young man was dressed in stylishly understated clothes that mixed black with different shades of dark grey. He was�� undeniably attractive, although not exactly masculine in appearance. The attractive young man, of course, was him.


    Or his reflection, rather.


    Sunny studied it and frowned.


    ''Whatever�� it''s just a nightclub. I have fought Saints and survived. I have conquered the Red Colosseum. I have faced a daemon! How scary can a bunch of drunk mundanes be?''


    Shaking his head, he let out a heavy sigh and went down to the living room.


    As he sat and waited with a dark expression on his face, an expensive PTV arrived and parked near the house. At that moment, Effie and Neph emerged from one of the smaller bedrooms on the second floor and started descending the stairs.


    "Finally! What took you so��"


    He turned and froze, unable to finish his thought.


    Standing on the polished steps, Neph looked�� different.


    Although she was famous across the world, most people only knew her by name. Very few had actually seen the renowned Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan �� mostly because she had yet to appear in public after her return from the Dream Realm. However, it was still prudent to mask some of her more recognizable features to avoid being mobbed by an excited crowd.


    For that reason, Sunny had lent her the Autumn Leaf. Using the cosmetic Memory, Nephis changed the color of her distinct silver hair.


    Now, her hair was black and lustrous, falling to the middle of her back like a waterfall of finest silk. Contrasted against it, her calm grey eyes seemed even more striking. Her ivory skin seemed to glow despite the fact that she was not channeling the radiant white flames.


    What was more�� Effie had been the one who chose and bought the clothes for the two of them to wear today. As the result, Nephis was wearing a vibrant red dress that barely reached the middle of her thigh, and left her shoulders bare.


    She looked�� stunning.


    Sunny gulped, then forced himself to look away. A few moments later, he finally was able to say something:


    "That�� uh�� never thought I''d see you in a dress... one day."


    Nephis glanced at herself, then shrugged with indifference.


    "I like it. The style does not diminish my range of motion. I can move freely if something happens."


    Sunny hesitated and then glanced at Effie �� who was wearing less flashy clothes �� with suspicion.


    "...How come you get to wear pants?"


    Effie grinned.


    "Why else? That''s because I''m not a princess, doofus!"


    She giggled, and then did a spin.


    "What, you don''t you think that my ensemble is flattering?"


    It�� was. Maybe even too much so!


    Not knowing where to put his eyes, Sunny gritted his teeth and forced himself to stare at the wall.


    ''This is going to be�� a long night��''


    He cleared his throat, and then said:


    "Yeah... you look nice, too. Anyway, we should go. Our ride is already here."


    Effie giggled again, patted him on the shoulder, and headed for the door. Sunny and Nephis followed.


    Soon, they entered the PTV and greeted the others. After seeing Kai, Sunny''s mood improved a bit. At least the former idol seemed to be in his element��


    Cassie, on the other hand, seemed uneasy. Well, no wonder. A club filled with thundering music was not the best environment for a beautiful, blind girl to be in. Of course, anyone who got the wrong idea was bound to learn that they made a giant mistake by approaching her with ill intent.


    Kai smiled at him from the driver''s seat.


    "Sunny, you look great!"


    Then, he turned to Nephis and Effie and smiled even wider, almost blinding them with his dazzling grin.


    "...But not as great as the ladies do, of course!"


    Sunny rolled his eyes.


    "Just drive, alright? Let''s get this finished with as soon as possible."


    Kai winked at him, then looked at the road and sent the PTV forward.


    "Relax, Sunny. It''s just a dance club. What''s the worst that could happen?"


    Sunny and the gloomy shadow simultaneously shuddered.


    "Are you kidding me?! Did you have to say that out loud?!"

 Chapter 791 Human Rituals

    Standing at the edge of the VIP area that loomed above the dance floor of a popular nightclub, Sunny and Nephis looked down at the undulating mass of human bodies below them with strange expressions. The music thundered and reverberated from all sides, making the whole space vibrate. The darkness was filled with flashes of light and glowing figures of elaborate moving projections.


    People were having the time of their lives.


    The club Effie had brought them to was an exclusive and luxurious establishment that only the members of the elite classes of human society could visit.


    The amount of credits being spent every minute on exotic alcoholic beverages and legal stimulants was nothing short of astronomical. The value of designer clothes, cutting-edge tech accessories, and precious jewelry present in the dance hall was almost revolting. The bestial excitement permeating the air was almost palpable.


    Staring at the mass of dancing humans in bewilderment, Sunny shook his head.


    "What a�� strange ritual."


    Nephis turned her head slightly and raised an eyebrow.


    "...I know, right?"


    The members of the cohort were occupying a large part of the VIP lounge intended for the most distinguished patrons of the club. Even among the mass of elites, their status was a cut above the rest. Kai and Cassie were enjoying something called champagne at the table, while the other three moved to the edge to take a look at the main hall of the club.


    Changing Star peered at the dancing crowd and frowned.


    "Their behavior doesn''t make any sense."


    Sunny nodded in solidarity.


    "Indeed."


    After a while, he added:


    "They''re not even dancing, they''re just�� rhythmically gyrating their bodies. It also appears that the proximity at which one is allowed to gyrate his or her body to other participants is representative of their�� desirability? Anyway, they all look incredibly stupid."


    Nephis tilted her head a little.


    "It is not that simple, I think. This strange dynamic actually seems to be very nuanced. Just look at the women�� they seem to be using their looks, physical coordination, and agility in order to attract the men. However, once men are attracted, the women act as if they are disinterested. Most of the time they truly are, other times it is just a signal for the men to try harder."


    She grew silent, and then added with slight confusion:


    "The most startling part is that all this information, including the complicated evaluations based on obscure parameters and much more, is communicated absolutely non-verbally and in a way that both men and women somehow seem to understand while chaotically jerking their bodies. It is like they all developed telepathic abilities."


    Sunny scowled.


    "Anyway, these gyrations are clearly meant to illustrate one''s high value as a romantic partner. And that is what this "dance" is, a venue for the "dancers" to seek out physically desirable partners. However, everyone acts as if it''s not. In fact, most of these people are pretending that the exact opposite is true."


    He rubbed his chin.


    "As if showing interest is in itself an admission of inadequacy and undesirability. Those who do manage to find partners do it through a series of obscure hints and silent signals. This is so... inefficient. Why can''t people just honestly state their goals and desires? They are all pursuing the same result, anyway."


    Changing Star nodded thoughtfully.


    ��Effie, who was leaning on the railing near them, stared at the two of them with a perplexed expression. Then, the huntress slowly shook her head.


    "You are both idiots, you know that?"


    Sunny and Nephis looked at her with surprise, their movement almost simultaneous.


    "What?"


    "Why? Is this analysis wrong?"


    Effie let out an exasperated sigh.


    "They are just having fun! Gods, don''t you know what fun is? Believe it or not, it''s just pleasurable to let loose and move your body to loud music sometimes. Actually, you should try it!"


    A very similar expression of subdued revulsion appeared on both of their faces.


    "No, thank you."


    "I''d rather not!"


    The huntress rolled her eyes.


    "As for that stuff about seeking partners, what''s wrong with that? Other things can be pleasurable too, you know��"


    Both Sunny and Nephis blinked.


    "...How frivolous."


    "Of course, I do! Don''t I know it well!"


    Effie groaned and grabbed her head.


    "Hopeless�� both of them��"


    After a few moments, she sighed, then looked at Nephis and asked:


    "Well, anyway. This is a perfect example of what humans like to do. Is it working? Do you feel better connected to humanity?"


    Changing Star hesitated, then looked back at the mass of dancing people and remained silent for a while. Then, she said:


    "It is strange. To see so many people, acting so�� carelessly. To be honest, all I can think about��"


    Her face turned somber. Nephis lingered for a moment as she studied the crowd with a dark expression.


    "...Is how easy it would be to kill them all. They are just so unaware, and unprepared."


    After long years of living in a state of constant pain and struggle, desperately trying to survive and fighting harrowing enemies almost every day, it must have been hard for her to come to terms with this strange, peaceful reality. Neph might have returned to the waking world, but her mentality was slow to adjust. It was still in the dreadful grasp of the Dream Realm. Mentally, Changing Star was still living in a nightmare.


    Effie looked at her with a dubious frown.


    "You would be surprised. This is an expensive club, so a lot of these people are Awakened. In fact, I''d say that places like these have a higher concentration of Awakened than pretty much anywhere else in the city, except for the Academy. This club is better suited to resist a sudden Gate manifestation than the headquarters of most Legacy clans."


    Neph glanced at her with surprise.


    "Really?"


    The huntress grinned.


    "Of course! Not all Awakened are obsessed with fighting like the two of you. They treat the Dream Realm as their job, not their whole existence. While they sleep, they perform their duties �� man the walls, fight the attacking Nightmare Creatures, maintain their Citadels, and so on. When they wake up, they go about their actual lives."

 Chapter 792 Blind Spot

    Effie smiled, then gestured at the dancing crowd and added:


    "After they return from the Dream Realm, most Awakened spend at least a part of their day training to raise their usefulness to the Citadel and increase their chances of survival. Some have important jobs to perform in the waking world, as well. Our infrastructure runs on spelltech, after all."


    She shook her head.


    "But other than that, here''s plenty of time to live and have fun. It doesn''t have to be all work, without stop�� some might even say that not having any other interests is detrimental."


    The huntress looked at them and shrugged.


    "I mean, how can you be motivated to fight for this world if you never experience all the nice things that it has to offer? Maybe that is why your counselor told you to participate in mundane human activities, Neph. Awakened and especially Masters like us need to anchor ourselves to humanity, somehow. But there''s no Gateways here."


    Sunny took a sniff of the strange sparkling liquid in his glass, then carefully tasted it. This champagne, or whatever it was called, was way too expensive for him to pass the chance of getting his money''s worth out of it. Well�� he wasn''t paying today, but still. It was a matter of principle!


    Of course, Sunny had sworn off alcohol, but with him being a Master now, there was no way for him to get drunk unless he wanted to. Not because of mundane drinks like this one, anyway. Unless he consciously willed otherwise, his body was going to treat alcohol as a weak poison and resist it.


    ''Tastes�� sweet. But also bitter. Very refreshing, though. How strange!''


    Effie''s words made him thoughtful. She was not entirely wrong�� Sunny himself felt a bit ambivalent about the waking world, which had not been kind to him in the past. He only liked it better than the Dream Realm because it was safer and had nice things, like delicious food, comfortable furniture, and network dramas.


    Also, Rain was here.


    But what if an Awakened was indifferent to all those things? Would they even feel compelled to do anything to protect the waking world? What was going to stop them from abandoning the mundane completely after they became a Master or a Saint?


    Or a Sovereign?


    Nephis, meanwhile, continued to study the dance hall. After a while, she said:


    "There might be many Awakened here, but how prepared are they to fight against a flood of Nightmare Creatures? It takes a lot of courage to face an opening Gate. Out of those who are courageous, how many are competent enough to make a difference? Not everyone is like Mongrel. Very few can stand their ground and fight."


    Effie gave her a strange look.


    "Huh? Have you been watching a lot of videos on the network, princess? You are quoting Mongrel now?"


    Changing Star shrugged.


    "I just find him admirable."


    The huntress suddenly grinned and said in a conspiratorial tone:


    "Neph�� do you maybe have a crush on Lord Mongrel?"


    Sunny almost spat out his champagne. He turned slightly and threw a murderous glance at Effie.


    Nephis, however, remained nonchalant. She showed no reaction, and simply said:


    "I just appreciate his skill and his integrity. At first, I was merely attracted by how beautiful his swordsmanship is. Flowing, unpredictable. Supremely adaptable. I watched a few of his duels, as well as his performances in the Dream Tournament. His dedication, versatility, and... domineering attitude... left a deep impression on me."


    Changing Star shook her head.


    "But those were just games. It was only when I stumbled on a clip of Mongrel single-handedly stalling several waves of Nightmare Creatures in front of a Gate that I truly grew to appreciate his character. In my opinion, he is what a true Awakened should strive to be. Someone who is not resigned to bowing down to the Spell, and is determined to resist it instead. His will, mastery of combat, and wisdom are commendable. It warms my heart to know that there are warriors like him out there."


    Sunny gripped his glass and forced out an awkward smile:


    "Hey�� let''s not go overboard about that Mongrel guy, shall we? He''s not that great. I mean, he was not really alone at that Gate, there were other Awakened helping him. As for all that wisdom stuff, I am willing to bet that he did not mean any of the crap he said��"


    Nephis looked at him with surprise.


    "I disagree. I think that Mongrel deserves all the praise. He is truly remarkable!"


    Effie, meanwhile, were looking at them with a grin.


    Sunny suddenly got a bad feeling.


    Before he could say something, however, the huntress leaned forward and whispered into Neph''s ear:


    "You do know that Sunny is Mongrel, right?"


    Sunny choked on his champagne. The exquisite glass cracked slightly in his hand.


    Nephis froze.


    Her face remained still as ever. However, despite the dim lighting of the night club, he could swear there was a hint of pink slowly appearing on her cheeks. Was she... blushing?


    ''Damned Effie! I''ll kill her!''


    Changing Star remained silent for a while, then said in her usual even tone:


    "...Of course. I definitely knew that."


    She straightened her back, and then added:


    "I was just commenting on his perceived accomplishments. Now, if you''ll excuse me�� I need to visit the restroom."


    She glanced at Sunny and Effie with a deadpan expression, then turned around and walked away. Her pace was calm and steady. Not rushed at all.


    Effie waited for a few moments, then threw her head back and exploded in laughter.


    "Oh, gods�� "doesn''t make any sense", "so inefficient"�� I can''t with these two!"


    Sunny glared at her with murder in his eyes. He remained silent for a few moments, then said softly:


    "Hey, Effie?"


    She looked at him with a wide grin.


    "What, doofus?"


    He sighed, then rotated his shoulders a few times.


    "Do you have a will?"


    The huntress blinked a couple of times.


    "Sure. I made one before the Second Nightmare. Why?"


    Sunny looked at her and smiled politely.


    "Oh, no reason. No reason at all��"

 Chapter 793 Memories Of The Future

    Effie wisely chose that moment to disappear and join the dancing crowd below. Sunny ground his teeth for a few moments, then shook his head and walked to the table, landing on a luxurious lounge chair with a sigh.


    Kai briefly glanced at him and smiled.


    "Where are Effie and Lady Nephis?"


    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, then looked away.


    "Effie went to dance. Neph is in the bathroom. Also, will you cut it out with the "lady" stuff? The two of you spent months traversing the Forgotten Shore together, back when we were returning from the Hollow Mountains. She is also younger than you. That is more than enough to drop the formalities, don''t you think?"


    The archer coughed.


    "Oh. Well�� I''ll try."


    He didn''t sound very convincing, forcing Sunny to roll his eyes.


    "Anyway, what do we have here?"


    At some point, a waiter had entered the lounge and placed a tray of various foods on the table... while trying very hard not to throw reverent looks at the distinguished guests. Knowing that there would be no chance for him to taste anything once Effie returned, Sunny used the opportunity to try a few.


    As he chewed on a piece of cheese that had been dipped into a sweet, viscous amber liquid, Sunny smiled in delight and asked:


    "Wow. What''s that sugary syrup?"


    Cassie turned to him, then smelled the air.


    "I... I think it''s honey."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times. The word was familiar, but he usually heard it used as a term of endearment. Who knew that it had actually come from something this delicious?


    "What is honey, though?"


    The blind girl tilted her head a little, then said with a bit of surprise in her voice:


    "Well, it is... a sort of liquid that special insects produce by ingesting and regurgitating floral nectar. I guess."


    Sunny froze, grew a little pale, and slowly pushed the cheese plate away from himself.


    "...I see. I see. Good to know."


    With that, he gulped a mouthful of champagne and tried to discreetly rinse his mouth.


    Sunny was never picky about his food. He had even sustained himself on raw, rotting mimic meat for an entire month once.


    But even he had his limits!


    ''Damned rich people�� what are they going to come up with next?!''


    Soon, Nephis returned. She was acting as if nothing had happened, and her face was perfectly composed. However, there was a hint of confusion in her eyes.


    As she sat down, Kai hesitated for a moment, and then said:


    "You seem concerned. Did anything happen�� uh�� Nephis?


    Changing Star paid no attention to the lack of "lady" and simply shook her head.


    "Nothing. I just overheard a bit of a strange conversation on my way back. Apparently, there is a little snack here in the VIP lounge that those women would want to taste? Odd. Why wouldn''t they just order it themselves... well, maybe it is not on the common menu?"


    Sunny glanced at the small bowl of honey with disgust and sneered.


    "If they want it, they can have it. I have no objections. They are free to gobble it up, as far as I''m concerned."


    Ignoring a strange glance from Kai, Sunny took a sip of champagne and relaxed a little. That was the point of today''s outing, anyway. After days of serving as a punching bag for an untrained Master, he deserved some rest��


    Soon enough, Effie returned. The huntress was practically beaming with delight. She quickly destroyed most of their food, poured herself a drink, and grinned.


    "This is fun! We should go out more often!"


    Sunny and Nephis looked at her in horror, while Kai nodded.


    "Indeed. It''s just a shame that they don''t have live music��"


    Effie, meanwhile, looked around with a bit of curious expression.


    "...This is strange, though. I never imagined living like this. I mean, my goal was always to become a Master. But now that I did, everything seems a little surreal."


    The archer smiled wistfully.


    "Yes�� life is full of surprises, isn''t it? Before the Forgotten Shore, I had a clear picture of what my future would look like. Then, for years, I tried not to think about the future at all. And now that I reached that future, it''s not like what I thought it would be. Not even a little bit."


    Cassie let out a small sigh.


    "Me too. When I look back on my younger self and think about what she expected from the future, I�� I can''t believe how naive and shortsighted she was. She... feels like a stranger."


    A few gazes fell on Sunny. He raised his eyebrow, and then said:


    "What? This is exactly how I imagined my life would go, actually. After I returned from the First Nightmare, I thought that I would soon be a full citizen, super rich, and have unlimited access to tasty food. So I don''t know what you''re talking about. For me, everything went according to plan!"


    Effie rolled her eyes, and then glanced at Nephis.


    "What about you, princess?"


    Changing Star lingered for a moment, then shrugged.


    "I am exactly where I expected to be, too. Of course, the details are different. But the result is the same. Legacies don''t really have a choice in these matters."


    Sunny suddenly became curious.


    "I heard that all children of Legacy clans are inevitably infected by the Nightmare Spell. There is just no chance for them to remain mundane. Is this true? If so, why? What is so special about your kind?"


    Nephis took a sip of champagne, thought for a moment, and the said calmly:


    "There is nothing special about Legacies, as far as one''s chances of becoming infected go. We are not inherently predisposed to Awaken, unlike what many people believe. There are just certain measures that a clan can undertake to make sure that its heirs do."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "...Like what?"


    Neph looked at him evenly.


    "It is simple, really. The parents of a Legacy child just have to implore for assistance from a Saint. That is why lesser clans always seek to ally themselves with more powerful ones. The child is brought to the Dream Realm, and then returned to the clan. This way, the seed is already planted in their soul. Once they come of age, it is inevitable for the seed to bloom, and bring them to the First Nightmare."


    Sunny frowned, feeling something strange about her phrasing.


    "Seed? As in�� the Seed of Nightmare?"


    Changing Star calmly nodded.


    "Of course. The First Nightmare is not different from all the rest. It is also born from a Seed. It is just that this Seed does not grow in the Dream Realm. Instead, it grows in a human''s soul. Have you never thought why there are no Gates of the First Category? Well�� there are, of course. Every Aspirant that fails their First Nightmare becomes a miniature Gate, allowing a single Nightmare Creature to enter the waking world. That is why their corpses turn into monsters."

 Chapter 794 Adulthood

    The sudden revelation brought the mood down for a few minutes. Sunny silently drank his champagne, thinking about what Neph had just said. It made a lot of sense, in a dark and disturbing way. It also shed some light on how the Spell chose its victims.


    He doubted that a Seed of Nightmare, no matter how small, could bloom in just any soul. It probably required fertile soil to take root�� of course, in this ravaged world, there were plenty of broken and traumatized people whose souls could nurture a Nightmare Seed. It had been even more so fifty years ago, when the Spell first appeared.


    Had the collective anguish and torment of those lucky few who had survived the Dark Times summoned it from whatever hell the Spell existed in, ushering the rise of the First Generation of the Awakened and everything that followed?


    He did not know, and doubted that he would find out anytime soon, if ever. Nevertheless, there was another interesting hint in what Nephis had explained to them.


    If Legacies wanted their children to inherit the mantle, and only Saints could ensure that the poor kids would be doomed to either Awaken or die�� then Saints held even more power among the Legacy clans than he had thought.


    And who were the first Saints of humanity?


    Asterion, Ki Song, Anvil of Vale�� and Broken Sword. They were the first, and at some point the only people who all Legacy clans had to befriend if they wanted to ensure that their bloodlines continued walking on the path of Ascension.


    Was that, perhaps, the initial reason that had elevated the great clans above all the rest?


    ''Interesting��''


    He was not in the mood to ponder the origins of power that the Sovereigns held, however. Thinking about the great clans made him feel sour. Since today was Sunny''s day off, he chased the weary thoughts away and tried to enjoy his drink instead.


    Cassie, meanwhile, said with a deep frown:


    "Isn''t it too cruel, to subject your children to such fate? And without even giving them a choice! Only one out of three Aspirants survives the First Nightmare. Of course, that strongly depends on how well-prepared they are, so the number should be less gruesome among the Legacies. But�� still�� what kind of parent would do something like that to their child?"


    Nephis lingered for a while, then sighed.


    "It all depends on your point of view. Sure, it might seem cruel to some. But some might see it as giving their child a chance to grow strong in a world that is not kind to the powerless. Legacies are a warrior caste, at their core. They were born from a ruthless war, one that almost destroyed all of humanity. I can understand why they value strength and duty above all else."


    All that talk about parents and children brought Sunny into a dark mood. He was twenty now�� he was more or less an adult. In fact, he was already older than his mother had been when she had him.


    This realization made him feel very strange.


    Sunny stared into his glass for a few minutes with a grim expression, then sighed and stood up.


    "I''ll be back in a few."


    With that, he left his friends and went away in search of a bathroom. In truth, he just wanted to be alone for a bit.


    Soon, he was staring at his reflection as the water was running from an exquisite brass faucet. The young man staring at him from the mirror did not seem amused.


    Sunny frowned, thinking about whether Mordret was hiding somewhere in the mirror. It had become a habit of his to consider such things from time to time.


    Luckily, this time, the Prince of Nothing seemed to be nowhere to be found. Sunny sighed in relief, and then left the bathroom to return to the VIP lounge.


    On his way, however, he encountered a small disturbance.


    A group of young men and women were blocking his way, discussing something with one of the club''s employees in loud voices. Their clothes look extremely expensive, and their appearance was impeccably high-class. As he came closer, he heard the most extravagant-looking member of the group saying with outrage:


    "...What do you mean, you can''t let us inside? This is our usual spot! I can see from here that there''s plenty of room left in the lounge! The beautiful ladies inside wouldn''t mind some company, I''m sure. Actually, I am willing to bet that my friend and I can show them far greater time than their present�� companion."


    The hostess looked at him and said in an awkward tone:


    "Sir�� I am very sorry�� but the whole VIP lounge was reserved by the esteemed guests��"


    The young man scoffed.


    "Esteemed guests? Do you even know who I am? I sincerely doubt that anyone in this ramshackle parlor of yours has more esteem than I!"


    Sunny sighed, approached the group of young people, and patted the loudmouth on the shoulder. The young men looked down in confusion, then frowned.


    "I suggest you unhand me, friend�� what do you want?"


    Sunny smiled.


    "Relax, buddy�� I just want to give you a small piece of advice."


    He hugged the young man with one arm, turned him to face the VIP lounge, and pointed at Nephis, Cassie, Effie, and Kai, who could barely be seen from that spot.


    "Do you see these people? Do you know who they are?"


    The loudmouth scowled, then thought for a moment and ask with curiosity:


    "Oh, you know these beauties? Who are they?"


    Sunny''s grin grew wider.


    "Well, let me tell you. They are all experienced murderers and killers. I once saw the tall one tear a Fallen Beast apart, devour its meat, and gnaw on its bones. The pretty guy next to her used to be nice, but after being burned alive and having his skin replaced with primitive grafts by an unlicensed medical practitioner, he developed some strange ideas. That delicate blonde girl is actually the most terrifying. There are fifty powerful Awakened that follow her around like lost puppies and eat from the palm of her hand, all willing to obey her commands. Every one of them is a maniac. That stunning, incredible beauty next to her�� boy, I don''t even know where to start. She was contemplating killing everyone in this club just half an hour ago. Luckily, we managed to distract her��"


    With each word, the young man grew paler and paler. His friends were suddenly silent, too. When Sunny was done speaking, the loudmouth nervously looked at the pale hand that was resting on his shoulder, and asked in a small voice:


    "A��and�� and who might you be?"


    Sunny smiled brilliantly:


    "Me? Oh, I live with two of these girls. I have a nice house, you know, with very special facilities�� of the underground kind, if you know what I mean. The third, I had to spend almost a month locked in a cage with that one. Gods, that was rough. As for the skin-graft guy�� he drives me around��"


    The young man turned slightly green, then gently moved Sunny''s hand off his shoulder and backed away.


    "I�� I s��see. Thank you very much for the advice, fr�� sir. On second thought, we should be going. My, oh my, look at the time!"


    His group suddenly disappeared, as if they had never been there in the first place.


    Sunny looked at the hostess and shrugged.


    "Well, whatever. By the way, we''re out of snacks. Could you bring us some more? Just�� no honey, please!"

 Chapter 795 Moment Of Peace

    To Sunny''s absolute shock�� nothing really happened for the rest of the night. There was no deadly brawl that forced the cohort to intervene, no emissary of the great clans arrived to crash the party, no Gate opened right in front of the club. He had been fully prepared for something to go terribly wrong, but in the end, nothing did.


    ''How odd!''


    The five Masters simply had a good time listening to loud music, being served delicious drinks and food, and enjoying each other''s company. Sunny did not know if this outing was helping Nephis in a way that she had hoped it would, but he found it unexpectedly relaxing. Spending quality time with good friends was what normal humans were supposed to enjoy, after all.


    However... he had never had such an opportunity as a mundane. Sunny had never really fit into any of the groups he had tried to become a part of in the outskirts. He had always existed on their periphery before being expelled from them, as if something about him caused a subconscious rejection.


    He did not really know what had changed. Maybe it were the people he was with, or maybe it were the circumstances that had brought them together. Most likely, it was Sunny himself that had become different. In any case, for the first time in his life, he felt safe and secure about his place. He felt as if he truly belonged with these people.


    That did not mean that they were connected at the hip, of course. In fact, the members of the cohort had plenty of differences and underlying conflicts that had the potential to push them away from each other. Even the phrase itself was not exactly accurate�� at this point, they were not really members of a distinct cohort anymore.


    Even if all five chose to pursue the same goal together �� which was rather improbable �� Masters rarely operated in groups. They were too rare and powerful for such an arrangement. Most Ascended acted independently, only gathering together to face especially terrible threats.


    But that was alright. This was how mature relationships were supposed to work. Sunny and his friends did not have to spend every waking minute together to preserve their bond. It was deep and tempered enough to remain strong even if each of them walked their separate path from now on.


    Still�� the prospect of separation made Sunny feel wistful. He would have preferred for the five of them to stay together, at least in some capacity. However, the future was too obscure. Until the fateful ball, it was hard to say in which direction their lives would go.


    That was why this rare moment was so precious.


    Throwing all serious thoughts out of his mind, Sunny relaxed and tried to enjoy it as much as he could.


    Who knew when they would have a chance to spend such a peaceful evening together again�� if ever.


    ***


    Steel was once again striking against steel in the underground dojo.


    Well�� alloy was striking against alloy, to be more precise.


    For once, Sunny was not suffering on the receiving end of Changing Star''s assault. The slender young woman was actually sitting on top of his inactive sleeping pod with her eyes closed, meditating as she controlled the soul essence rushing through her body.


    Instead, Sunny was defending himself against earnest, but amateurish attacks delivered by Rain.


    ''What a nice change of pace��''


    The teenage girl was trying her best to get through his defense, but even when Sunny drastically toned down his speed and strength, her efforts were simply not enough. Despite her hard work, outstanding talent, and the swift improvement she had made, Rain was like an open book for him.


    Of course, he couldn''t expect much from a mundane teenager. Still�� her performance today was far from stellar.


    Sunny frowned.


    "Concentrate! You are distracted!"


    Rain gritted her teeth and tried, but her mind was obviously elsewhere. A few minutes later, he was forced to command her to stop and stared at his pupil without dissatisfaction.


    "Are you going to take it seriously or not? What is wrong with you today?"


    Sunny knew that he had lucked out with his student. Unlike most teenagers, Rain had never given him any trouble with regard to her diligence and motivation. It was only natural for her to try and slack off eventually�� but he had already gotten used to his sister giving it her all during their lessons. Now, nothing short of excellence would do!


    Rain breathed heavily, then threw a furtive glance at the alcove containing the sleeping pod and the Dreamscape pod. He cheeks turned slighltly red.


    "Sorry�� I just�� I can''t! Lady Changing Star is here!"


    Sunny scowled.


    "What about her?"


    The teenage girl looked at him with embarrassment and then said in a small voice:


    "You don''t get it... she''s watching��"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times and then stared at her in confusion.


    "Her eyes are closed! And anyway�� you can''t fight properly because someone is watching? Are you kidding me? Do you think that battles happen in private or something?"


    Rain shook her head.


    "It''s not just someone! It''s the Changing Star! She is�� she is�� you know! Famous!"


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    "I am famous too, you know. But look at Nephis. She is somewhat of my number one fan, as it turns out�� yet she is practicing diligently, without letting anything distract her. She is not starstruck at all!"


    The teenage girl shook her head again.


    "It''s different! I know that you are a big deal. I am also used to seeing Effie and Lady Cassia. Even�� even Night. But Lady Nephis is on a whole other level. She''s not just a celebrity�� she actually matters! She is one of the most�� the mostest people!"


    Sunny glared at his little sister.


    ''Actually matters? Ouch.''


    He sighed, then lowered his alloy stick and summoned the Endless Spring.


    "I guess we''re going to have a different kind of lesson today."


    Sunny put a hand on Rain''s shoulder and pointed at Nephis.


    "You''re a smart kid, Rain. Your father works for the government. You should be able to separate truth from propaganda. Sure, Neph is an extraordinary individual, and she achieved a lot of incredible things. But she is just a human. All that stuff that is clouding your head is just an illusion that other humans created to shove an uplifting narrative down the population''s throat. You can''t be that gullible and believe in things that aren''t real."


    The teenage girl remained silent for a bit, then frowned.


    "But... these things are real. Whether they are true or not, people believe in them. So they''re real."

 Chapter 796 Real Deal

    Sunny tilted his head a little.


    "What do you mean?"


    Rain glanced at him and shrugged.


    "It is because my father works for the government that I know this stuff. Well�� let''s say that millions of people believe that Lady Nephis is the hero that is going to lead humanity to conquer the Fourth Nightmare. It doesn''t matter if she truly is. As long as people believe it, she has influence over them. Her image might be an illusion, but that influence is real. Which means that her power is also real. Do you understand?"


    He stared at her in bewilderment.


    "So�� you are saying that just because someone decided to make Neph into a powerful hero and manipulated people into believing that she is, she actually became one?"


    Rain nodded.


    "Think about it. If Lady Nephis decides to appear in public tomorrow and appeal for people to take arms and join the government army, tens of thousands of new recruits will answer the call. Maybe even hundreds of thousands! How can something that can affect hundreds of thousands of lives not be real? So, she is different from a celebrity like Night, or a Master like you. She is the real deal."


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    ''Why am I getting schooled by my student? About lies and deceit, of all things!''


    The worst part of it was that Rain made a lot of sense. Power was an elusive concept�� so was the difference between the real and the unreal. It was easy to point at an object and say that it was real. One could see it, touch it, and break it. But what about less tangible things? Was friendship real? Or love? Or belief, for example?


    If belief in something could affect millions of people, cause them to throw themselves into a war, persecute a group of individuals, or build incredible miracles of architecture, it was indeed stupid to say that the thing they believed in was not real. Since it was able to exert influence on the real world, the object of their belief stopped being an illusion and became something different.


    Something like a�� a deity?


    Sunny frowned.


    ''What the hell am I thinking about? I was supposed to discipline my lazy student, not go on a philosophical tangent about the nature of divinity!''


    It did not apply to actual gods, anyway. When they had been alive, the gods did not care about who believed in them and why. Why would they, if their power had been born long before humanity even existed?


    At that point, Nephis suddenly turned her head and said without opening her eyes:


    "You talk too much. Keep swinging that sword, Rain."


    The teenage girl flinched and obediently raised her weapon.


    "Yes, Lady Nephis!"


    Sunny opened his mouth.


    ''Wait�� who''s the teacher here?!''


    Neph, meanwhile, lingered for a moment and added:


    "The power you talk about might be real, but it is fragile and insubstantial. It can be broken just as easily as it was created�� unless the person wielding it has actual strength to defend it. At the end of the day, nothing that has been handed to you is as valuable as what you have nurtured and cultivated yourself. So�� don''t slack off in your training."


    Her expression softened a little, and the corner of her mouth curved upward.


    "You are doing very well already. Just continue practicing with the same determination."


    A bright smile suddenly appeared on Rain''s face.


    "Really? You really think so? Sunny said so, too! He said that I am way better than he was!"


    Nephis slowly shook her head.


    "Sunny did not have a systematic education and the solid foundation that you enjoy. He never had a proper teacher, let alone a personal tutor. And yet, he has achieved so much, in such a short time. You are far from his level�� for now. Even if you catch up to his corresponding accomplishments, it won''t be enough. With your background and advantages, the only acceptable result is to surpass them."


    Sunny scoffed.


    "Yeah, no way that happens��"


    Rain threw an angry look at him, and then said defensively:


    "But�� I am not even a Sleeper. I don''t have a soul core and an Aspect. I can''t do what he did."


    Neph opened her eyes and looked at the teenage girl somberly.


    "It doesn''t matter if you are an Awakened, a Sleeper, or a mundane human. Chances are, you won''t even be infected by the Spell. That doesn''t mean that you have an excuse to remain weak. In fact, that only makes your need to grow stronger more dire."


    She sighed.


    "Most people in this world are mundane, and yet, they face the same dangers. I''ve known many brave individuals who did not possess supernatural strength or a powerful Aspect. It takes�� a lot of courage to resist the tyranny of the Spell without them. Those people might have not wielded weapons or fought on the frontlines of this war, but they were more courageous than most Awakened I''ve seen. And the impact they made was no less real."


    Nephis closed her eyes again and resumed cycling her essence.


    "Strength is strength. Whether you become an Awakened or not, you''ll need it. So, train earnestly. Don''t let my presence distract you."


    Sunny felt like he urgently needed to say something. He cleared his throat and looked at Rain solemnly:


    "Uh�� yeah. This world is not kind to the weak! Well, you know this�� wasn''t that the reason you asked me to train you, in the first place? So, stop staring at Neph and get to work!"


    The teenage girl hesitated for a few moments, and then bowed.


    "Thank you, grand-teacher!"


    Sunny ground his teeth.


    ''What? Why don''t I get a thank you? What the hell?!''


    The alloy stick in his hand came to life, shooting forward to strike Rain on the shoulder. However, the girl had not let down her guard. Reacting with surprising speed, she sidestepped his attack and deflected the stick with her training sword, then counterattacked. Sunny almost got hit in the nose.


    He hid his surprise and continued pressuring his student.


    ''Well, whatever just happened... appears to have worked?''


    Rain did not seem distracted anymore, at least.

 Chapter 797 Different Side

    On a cold winter morning, two people were making their way through the black slush that drowned a rundown street, piling high near the dirty walls of the cheap panel buildings that clung to each other, as if for warmth. The loud sound of their steps echoed in the dim twilight, making it seem as if a monster was chewing on rotten flesh.


    Nephis glanced at the dirt covering her expensive boots, then smelled the air and grimaced. Adjusting the collar of her white coat, she then glanced at Sunny and asked:


    "Why are we here, exactly?"


    He shoved his hands into his pockets and shrugged.


    "Weren''t you told to submerge yourself into how mundane humans live? Well, here we are. This is life, too."


    He gestured at the ugly landscape that surrounded them and sighed.


    After several years... Sunny was back in the outskirts.


    ''Brings back memories��''


    In the aftermath of the collapse of old humanity, ravages of war and natural cataclysms made most of the planet uninhabitable. To exist in relative safety, people had to congregate in large cities like the one he had grown up in�� the Northern Quadrant Siege Capital. Everywhere else was either drowned underwater or looked like a desert.


    Of course, life persisted. Some trees and plants were still clinging to life. Large mammals mostly went extinct, but a few species of animals and insects had managed to adapt. However, the damage to most ecosystems was too severe. The earth turned barren, the water turned poisonous, and even the air itself was not safe to breathe anymore.


    Luckily, humans had technology to help them survive. The city incorporated sophisticated water filtration systems, food distribution infrastructure and other means of keeping the population alive. It was surrounded by tall barrier walls that prevented excessive microdust, various toxins, stray remnants of weaponized bacteria, harmful radiation, and other hazards from getting into the air supply.


    Sunny did not know much about how the barriers worked, but they were sufficiently effective in keeping the city in a bubble of breathable air. Of course, each district also possessed its own additional means of purifying the air even further.


    The problem, however�� was that the barriers were stationary, while the city was not. The human population across the planet had dropped, but here in NQSC, it was slowly growing. As a result, the city grew, too. It stretched further and further, both into the sky and underground. Of course, it also sprawled horizontally. Eventually, the city had outgrown the circle of barriers.


    Hence, the outskirts appeared.


    Although there were new barrier walls in construction, their completion required vast amounts of funding, human resources, and even more time. The colossal, skeletal frames of unfinished barriers had loomed above the outskirts for as long as Sunny could remember, unfinished. With what he knew now, he doubted that they would ever be completed at all.


    In any case, whole generations of people like him had already lived and died outside their protection. The air in the outskirts might not have been as bad as in the desolate wilderness beyond, but it was far from safe. Those who breathed it every day did not tend to enjoy good health or long lives.


    It reeked.


    Breathing in the familiar stench, Sunny struggled not to follow Neph''s example and grimace. He had been accustomed to the smell for most of his life and never paid it much attention, but just a few years of sweet life in the Dream Realm and in the better parts of the city made it seem rather intense.


    ''What''s the big deal�� it''s not that bad in winter, anyway��''


    Just like the air, all other facets of life in the outskirts were barely suited for human life, as well. The buildings were straining to keep themselves together, clean water was scarce, most food came in the form of synthpaste rations provided by the government. Everything was dirty, worn out, and on the verge of collapse. The infrastructure barely functioned.


    Theoretically, there was supposed to be a working transportation system with connections to the rest of the city, but in practice, it broke down and malfunctioned so often that getting anywhere with its help was hard. That was the reason why Sunny and Nephis were currently on foot.


    He did not regret this turn of events, however, because that gave them the chance to get a good look at people who lived in the outskirts. Just like the slums themselves, the inhabitants looked decrepit. They were all frail, thin, and with unhealthy skin. The most striking difference was their height. People who lived in the outskirts were much shorter than those who lived in the inner city, mostly due to malnourishment and sickness.


    In short, they all looked similar to how Sunny had been before the First Nightmare.


    Looking at them now, he couldn''t help but think of his past. Only three years and a few months ago, he had left this place, thinking that he would never return. But Sunny was already a very different person. He saw the familiar sights differently, too.


    ''This is so strange��''


    Sunny had always thought of himself as someone from the outskirts, but now, after traveling through several regions of the Dream Realm and building a life for himself in the city, Sunny suddenly understood that the outskirts were not a monolithic place.


    They were actually vast and encompassed numerous different areas. He had only ever known and explored a small part of them. The only world he had known for most of his life was even smaller than he had thought.


    How could it not be so? Sunny had never considered such things, but after his last conversation with Master Jet, he realized the true scope of it all. From what she had told him, there were somewhere between sixty and seventy million people living in the outskirts. Twenty percent of the total population of the city existed in these unpleasant conditions, barely surviving as they were slowly ground to dust.


    If the mass evacuation from Antarctica succeeded, that number was going to grow even further.


    The outskirts�� were much greater than Sunny had ever thought. More than that, every city that remained on Earth had its own version of them, even if the excess population of NQSC was by far the largest.


    Thinking about all the struggle, misery, and desperate hope that surrounded him, Sunny sighed. People were people. Even in this pit, they found ways to adapt and find moments of happiness. They never lost their motivation to live and seek purpose. It''s just that those moments were rare, and their lives were usually on the shorter side.


    His family had not been unhappy, until it was destroyed. People more lucky than him could have a semblance of a decent life even in the outskirts, although their chances were slim.


    Nephis grew silent, observing the inhabitants of the outskirts with her usual distant expression. However, there was a hint of emotion hiding deep in her eyes.


    After a while, she turned to Sunny and asked:


    "Are we here to just walk around?"


    He looked forward, then shook his head.


    "No. We came here for a reason��"

 Chapter 798 Lonely Tree

    Soon, the narrow street they were walking on made way for a small lot. Spaces like these were not rare in the outskirts, since no one really bothered with city planning here. The mess of streets and alleys grew chaotically, with many of them being nothing but an accidental result of tall buildings, factories, and massive human hives being constructed in close proximity to each other.


    As a result, there were plenty of random gaps like this one around. What made the empty lot special, however, was that it had somehow turned into a small park. Greenery was exceedingly rare in the outskirts, which made the park especially precious.


    The modest space in front of them was currently covered by dirty snow, but come spring, patches of real grass were going to appear from beneath it. There were a few bushes, a frozen pond, and a lonely tree that somehow clung to life despite all reason. Currently, it stood bare and dark, devoid of the bright crown of its leaves.


    The park was surrounded by tall buildings, making it seem as if it was situated on the bottom of a deep well. Sparse sunlight fell on the tree from far above, illuminating its thin branches and the grey snowflakes that swirled in the air around them. There were several clean pathways through the snow, as well as a few damaged and vandalized benches here and there.


    Several people were sitting on the benches, enjoying a quiet moment of respite. They gave the young woman dressed in white and the young man dressed in black uneasy looks.


    Nephis studied the park for a few moments, then glanced at Sunny:


    "Aren''t you wary that something can happen?"


    He took a look at her, then at himself. Both were obviously out of place, considering their physical appearance and expensive clothes. Everything about them screamed of wealth, status, and citizenship.


    Sunny doubted that the inhabitants of the outskirts would recognize them as Ascended, but they would inevitably come to the conclusion that the strangers were rich.


    He shrugged.


    "What can happen? Even if some idiots decide to try and rob us, the worst they can do is shoot at us with cheap firearms. I doubt that their bullets can bruise our skin, let alone penetrate it."


    One would have to use a heavy assault vehicle with state-of-the-art magnetic cannon, or better yet a spelltech armament, to leave a small scratch on the body of a Master. Even then, landing a shot would not be easy.


    Nephis shook her head.


    "I''m not worried about us. I''m worried about�� the idiots."


    Sunny smiled.


    "Well, don''t be. If there is one thing we outskirt rats are good at, it''s self-preservation. Anyone can see that both of us are killers. They''ll stay away."


    Changing Star gave him a hesitant nod.


    A few moments later, she asked:


    "...So what is the reason?"


    He lingered for a moment, then shrugged.


    "I met your mother already. So I thought I would bring you to meet mine."


    Nephis raised an eyebrow.


    "I thought your mother was dead."


    Sunny nodded.


    "She is. Come��"


    He headed toward the tree, knowing that Neph would follow. As they approached, Sunny sighed and said in a neutral tone:


    "Most people in the outskirts don''t get to have a burial, so there are no graves, either. Space is a precious commodity�� energy and fuel are, too. Human remains are usually dissolved, and then discarded. Still, it is nice to have a special place to remember them by. This tree is such a place for me. A long time ago, I carved two lines into it �� one for my mom, and one for my dad."


    He stopped and stared at the tree, a distant expression appearing on his face.


    In truth, Sunny had been thinking about his mother a lot recently, and that prompted him to visit the small park. Taking Nephis along was just an afterthought. He had decided that showing her the hidden side of the city would do her some good. It could give her perspective, at least.


    As they stood silently under the tree, Nephis studied it for a while, and then suddenly said:


    "There are three lines."


    Sunny looked at her in confusion.


    "What?"


    Neph pointed to the bottom of the trunk.


    "There is a third line."


    He stared at her for a moment, then turned away.


    "Oh. The third line is for me. I added it before going away to face the First Nightmare."


    Changing Star glanced at him, then asked in her usual even tone:


    "Were you not confident of conquering it?"


    Sunny laughed.


    "Gods, no! I was pretty sure that I would die. I was ready to, actually. Back then�� I was sort of ambivalent about life, I guess. Very few people from the outskirts survive their Nightmares. We are physically weak and less educated than proper citizens. Local schools are not exactly known for training skilled fighters."


    He remained silent for a moment, and then added:


    "It''s weird, actually. A large part of why I survived the First Nightmare was exactly because I did not really care to survive. Since I already accepted that I would die, I did not worry too much about anything. No matter what happened, I was able to calmly react instead of panicking. I acted with unrestrained coldness and calculation."


    Sunny sighed.


    "Of course, such an attitude is of limited utility. It helped me at the start, but one can''t get far by acting like a walking corpse. It was only halfway through the Nightmare that I suddenly decided that I wanted to live. And once I did�� I really, really wanted to live. That was what pushed me to go on despite all reason, and eventually escape."


    He looked at the lonely tree, lingered, and said:


    "I haven''t been back here since. When I was carving the third line for myself, I had no idea that I would return one day as a Master, let alone one with the Special Strategic Asset designation and enough value to make both the government and the great clans fight over me."


    Sunny shook his head and grinned.


    "...What a strange turn of events, huh?"

 Chapter 799 Outskirt Rat

    They stood silently under the tree for a while. Eventually, Nephis looked at him and said evenly:


    "You did well."


    Sunny glanced at her with a pale smile, then nodded.


    "I guess I did, didn''t I? My mom would have been very happy. If she was alive, that is. I am healthy, well-fed, and have a house in a good part of the city. I even found my�� a student. These things might not sound like much to you, but to her, they would have been like a dream."


    He turned to the tree and added after a short pause:


    "I don''t really remember my dad too well, because I was too little when he passed away. But my mom, I remember her perfectly. She was�� like a ray of sunshine. The strangest thing, though, is that when I was a kid, she was the whole world to me. I thought that she knew everything, could do anything. But now, I realize that she was barely older than we are. She was more or less a kid herself."


    Nephis looked at him and said:


    "But we aren''t kids."


    Sunny tilted his head, then shrugged.


    "That is true, I guess. We are adults, which is a strange thought. I don''t really feel very different from how I was before, at least not in terms of being confident and knowing what the hell I am doing."


    Changing Star sighed, then shook her head a little.


    "That is because you have been an adult for a long time. People like us have to grow up early."


    Sunny thought about it for a moment.


    "I don''t know. I have a suspicion that when I look back on today in a decade or so, I will be dismayed by how big of an idiot I was."


    Nephis smiled with the corner of her mouth.


    "...That has nothing to do with adulthood."


    He spared her a short glance and scoffed.


    "That was the point where you were supposed to say that I am not an idiot, you know."


    She stared at him with a deadpan expression, then said in her usual tone:


    "I know."


    Sunny couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Anyway. I don''t really understand why I wanted to come here. I guess I expected to feel something�� and I do. It''s just not what I thought I wouls feel."


    Nephis lingered for a few moments. Eventually, he said with a hint of hesitation in her voice:


    "Do you maybe want to say something to your mother?"


    Sunny lingered for a while, then shook his head.


    "What is the point? She is dead, and the dead can''t hear anything. They are simply gone. They only exist in the memories of the past. I would rather concentrate on the future."


    Despite the fact that he had achieved many things that his mother would have wanted for him, it had not been without a cost. His house, his wealth, and the fridge full of food he had back home were only one side of his life. The other side was full of dire things like the Sovereigns, the Obel Scale��


    And Nephis.


    His bond with her was a dire thing, too.


    His future was not cloudless at all.


    The past few weeks had been some of the calmest and most enjoyable in Sunny''s life. He had mostly been in Neph''s company, doing nothing but training and spending time with her. He had hidden his head in the sand and refused to think about all the troubles that loomed on the horizon.


    That pleasant time was coming to an end.


    In a few days, Nephis was going to finally leave to face the Fire Keepers. About a week after that, they were going to accept Clan Valor''s invitation and attend their ball. After that, everything was going to change.


    Their futures were going to be decided on that day.


    Sunny found himself standing at a crossroad, not knowing where any of the roads actually led. Even worse, he was not the only one making the decision on what turn to take.


    All of it was so tiresome.


    He sighed, then walked over to the tree and touched it for a brief moment.


    ''Hey, mom. It''s me. I am�� doing well, I guess. Rain is well, too. She looks like you very much. You would have been really proud of her.''


    Sunny felt rather stupid at that moment, but at the same time, strangely soothed. He hesitated for a few seconds, and then thought:


    ''Anyway, I don''t think I will be able to visit again for a long time. Not that you''re really here. Oh�� that young woman right there is Nephis. She is my�� well�� it''s complicated. In any case, I think you would have liked her. I have several other friends, too. So I am in good hands. You don''t have to worry about me.''


    With that, he stepped back, looked at the lonely tree one last time, and turned away.


    "Let''s go."


    As they walked away, Neph looked at him and asked tentatively:


    "Are you alright?"


    Sunny smiled crookedly and shrugged.


    "Of course. Why wouldn''t I be?"


    She opened her mouth to say something, but at that moment, several figures suddenly appeared from behind a corner, surrounding them. They were all dirty and disheveled, looking like typical outskirts thugs. The leader, a muscular man with a chemical scar on his face, pointed a kinetic handgun at them and grinned.


    "Not so fast, lovebirds. Rich kids like you really should think twice before coming to where you don''t belong��"


    Sunny silently palmed his face.


    "...so why don''t you give us your communicators and other valuables, before something bad hap��"


    ''Damn it! This is... so embarrassing!''


    Before the thug was done speaking, Sunny appeared near him, grabbed the barrel of his gun and squeezed gently, turning it into a deformed steel pancake. The muscular man stared at his weapon in shock, then suddenly let go of it and jumped back.


    "A��Awakened! Run!"


    The thugs all froze for a second, then paled and dashed away, disappearing as fast as they had appeared a few moments ago.


    Sunny was left standing with a broken gun in his hand.


    He sighed heavily, then threw it into a rusty trash container that stood a couple dozen meters away. The gun clanked against its edge as it disappeared inside.


    ''Unbelievable��''


    The most disheartening thing about it all was that he knew the leader of the thugs. Growing up in this area of the outskirts, Sunny had run into this particular gang more than once, something being mistreated by them, something running small errands for the thugs in hopes of earning some food.


    And yet, none of them had recognized him, instead mistaking Sunny for a rich city kid.


    He looked at Nephis and cleared his throat.


    "Uh�� sorry about that."


    She shook her head.


    "No need to apologize."


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then shrugged and continued walking away from the park.


    ''I guess I am really not an outskirt rat anymore��''

 Chapter 800 Facing The Music

    A few days passed in pleasant tranquility. Eventually, however, the time ran out. Nephis gathered her things and left for the Immortal Flame manor, leaving Sunny alone.


    It was a bittersweet feeling.


    Sweet because he finally had the house for himself once again. Bitter because�� well�� Sunny was not sure that he enjoyed his home being so empty anymore.


    Nevertheless, he had chosen not to follow her to join the rest of the cohort yet. Sunny felt like the looming ball was going to change a lot of things, and had to prepare a few contingencies. If the worst happened, there was a big possibility that he would be gone for a very long time again.


    There were several things he had to do, just in case.


    His lecture course at the Academy had just started, but at this rate, it was under threat of ending prematurely. Sunny spent some time imparting his students with the best and most essential knowledge he could relay in such a short amount of time, but other than that, there was not much else he could do to prevent his academic reputation from potentially receiving a hit.


    Luckily, all Masters led hectic lives. The administration was long accustomed to their star lecturers disappearing for months on end without much of a warning, so his case was not unique.


    His second worry was the Brilliant Emporium. The Memory store was already in a difficult position because of the invisible blockade that had prevented Sunny from visiting the Dream Realm and hunting down Nightmare Creatures for half a year. Their inventory was running low.


    In the past six months, Sunny had slowly shifted his business in the direction of selling Memory versions of mundane items that he weaved. That was not a straightforward endeavor, however. Sure, the idea of having a toothbrush Memory sounded pleasant�� but he had to use a soul shard to create one. Considering how expensive soul shards were in the real world, the price of a simple toothbrush would have been simply unreasonable.


    So, after thinking for a while, Sunny had come up with a strategy of shifting his focus from necessities and toiletries to luxury items. That way, he could price them high enough to earn more than the price of a soul shard. Rich clients already had access to mundane items in the Dream Realm due to their connections to Masters and Saints, but were willing to pay a lot for the convenience of having various luxuries readily at hand.


    So, Sunny spent a few days painstakingly creating an especially large batch of these extravagant Memories and then met with Aiko to transfer them. After thinking for a while, he gave her a strange set of instructions.


    Sunny wanted the Brilliant Emporium to stock up on as many Memories that provided either warmth or resistance against cold as possible. The second priority went to Memories that could serve as a source of light, which were usually cheap and plentiful. He also told Aiko to sell every soul shard they had left.


    The reason behind this decision was simple�� the approaching disaster in Antarctica. Once the government announced the voluntary mobilization, a lot of people were going to need to equip themselves for the harsh realities of polar night. The large amount of opening Gates would also flood the market with soul shards, probably crashing their price to a certain extent.


    In any case, he hoped that the Brilliant Emporium would survive for a while thanks to these measures, should something happen at the ball.


    Lastly�� there was Rain.


    His sister was going to turn sixteen in a few months, which meant that Sunny had very little time left to prepare her for the potential First Nightmare. On the other hand�� there were not a lot of things left that he could teach her. Of course, Rain still had a lot of room to improve, but at that stage, Sunny''s presence was only of marginal use.


    What she really needed to do was to truly internalize and assimilate the skills and knowledge that he had already imparted to her. While Sunny could help his sister along, most of the work had to be done by Rain herself.


    Still, he used the week before the ball to the fullest extent. The teenage girl might have been sour about how intense their lessons suddenly became, but it was for her own good. She was already better prepared to face the Nightmare than he had been, by far.


    Whether or not that would be enough, he did not know.


    Other than these three things, there was not a lot for Sunny to do.


    He prepared his home to go into conservation mode in case he did not return from the ball. He restocked the Covetous Coffer with various supplies for a long expedition. He fought against Saint to clean the rust off his battle instincts. He tinkered with his Memories for a bit, trying to improve them.


    All of these preparations might have been for nothing�� but Sunny was more willing to be wrong than to be unprepared.


    Finally, the fateful day came.


    Wincing at the thought of how much money he had spent on that thing, Sunny donned a stylish black suit and briefly looked at himself in the mirror. The bespoke attire had been made by a luxury establishment that serviced many prominent Legacies and incorporated the most rare and durable materials, many of them coming from the Dream Realm.


    The suit was made in the style that many Awakened preferred, existing somewhere between the modern fashion and the more antiquated aesthetic that Memories adhered to. It was elegant and fitting, including a stylish half cape and tall leather boots.


    Even though Sunny had said a few strong words to Kai during the fittings, now that he looked at himself, he could not deny that he looked�� rather good.


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then sighed.


    "Let''s face the music, I guess."


    With that, he briefly circulated essence through the coils of Soul Serpent, wrapped three of the four shadows around his body, and walked outside.


    His carriage �� in the form of a luxury PTV �� was already waiting.

 Chapter 801 Distinguished Guests

    Five of them sat inside the sleek PTV, watching as the streets of the city flew by. Sunny was not the only one who had donned an extravagant suit. Kai was wearing an even more stylish attire, radiating so much grace and elegance that the interior of the moving vehicle seemed almost electrified.


    Cassie had chosen a simple, but flattering gown of soft colors. Her bracelets and jewelry were picked to match the silver half-mask that she wore like a crown. The familiar blue-green cloak was draped around her shoulders. She was holding the Quiet Dancer by the scabbard, as if it was a cane.


    Effie wore a white tunic with tasteful gold accents. There was a golden laurel resting on her head, with similar bracelets and anklets accentuating its sheen. With her olive skin and toned physique, she looked like an ancient goddess. The huntress seemed to be enjoying herself as she sipped champagne from a tall glass.


    Nephis chose to wear a more practical attire, which was nevertheless equally splendid. Her knightly suit consisted of black trousers, a black doublet with silver embroidery, and a pristine white cape. The simple band of the Crown of Dawn accentuated the steely grey of her striking eyes. Her hands, clad in white gloves, rested calmly on her knees.


    All of Sunny''s worries about how pompous he looked in his expensive suit disappeared. Compared to the others, he looked almost underdressed.


    Was there really any time to worry about appearances, anyway?


    Looking at the members of the cohort, he hesitated for a moment, and then asked:


    "Are you ready?"


    Nephis glanced at him, then turned back to the window.


    "...It''s just a ball."


    He stared at her for a moment, then grinned. Then, he laughed.


    "Oh, indeed. Indeed��"


    Soon, the PTV left public streets and entered the road that led to the stronghold of the Valor clan. Although their main seat of power was situated in the Dream Realm, safely protected by the great walls of the legendary Bastion, the family obviously maintained several prominent properties in the waking world.


    This one resembled a hybrid between an embassy and a sprawling fortress. The complex took enough area in the center of the city to be considered a separate district and encompassed a multitude of buildings, most of them just a few storeys high. More floors, of course, were situated underground, where the bulk of activity took place.


    The purpose of the buildings ranged from serving as residences for the members of the clan and retainers to training centers for the household troops, research facilities dedicated to various applications of spelltech, and everything in between. Just like Nephis had said, a Legacy clan was not just a handful of people united by a bloodline. It was a large organization that, in the case of Clan Valor, included thousands upon thousands of people from all walks of life.


    The fortress also housed vaults where the sleeping pods of those Awakened who either belonged to or served the great clan were located, so security measures were nothing short of exaggerated. Sunny himself could see and feel plenty of sentries, both mundane and possessing greater powers. Judging by a slight frown that appeared on Kai''s face, there were plenty more that he had failed to notice.


    The complex was fully prepared to face any kind of attack, be it a manifestation of a Nightmare Gate or a sudden assault perpetrated by the forces of rival clans. On one hand, that made Sunny feel safe. On the other hand�� escaping this stronghold would not be easy.


    ''Let''s hope I won''t need to.''


    Other than that, the aesthetics of the complex were very pleasing to the eye. There were plenty of trees and grass around, with architecture that did a great job of hiding the utilitarian and militaristic design of the sprawling fortress. In fact, if Sunny did not know any better, he would have thought that he was in the middle of a blissful garden district that was meant for people to relax in peace and tranquility.


    Living here must have been very nice.


    ��Chances were, he would have an opportunity to experience that life rather soon.


    ''Yeah, as if that would happen.''


    Sunny glanced at Nephis and then turned away, his face darkening.


    A few minutes later, their PTV approached the center of the complex, where a grand structure stood, illuminated by bright spotlights. He felt a bit of awe when he noticed that it was built of stone blocks similar to those that Bastion itself consisted of. This hinted at the fact that the stones were brought to the waking world from the Dream Realm.


    Considering that only powerful Masters and Saints could transport matter between two worlds, the cost of the great hall was nothing short of astronomical. He could hardly imagine a more impressive and effective proclamation of wealth and power�� the great clans really knew how to set the stage.


    The walls of the hall were decorated by vermilion banners that stretched from its roof to the very ground, each bearing the image of an anvil pierced by a sword. A red carpet led from the grand stairs to the road where a row of similarly luxurious PTVs were parked, slowly moving as their distinguished passengers disembarked.


    Neat rows of uniformed honor guards stood at the sides of the red carpet, forming a living corridor through which the guests had to walk before they reached the entrance. Everything about them screamed of discipline and power. These soldiers alone were enough to protect people invited to the ball from most dangers��


    Not that the guests needed any protection.


    Although there were a few high ranking mundane humans among them, most were either promising Awakened or Masters. There were even Saints here, which made Sunny feel rather uncomfortable.


    If there was one group of people in the city he really wouldn''t want to provoke, it were those attending the ball.


    Sunny felt like a little fish being thrown in a tank full of hungry sharks.


    He could probably fight off or at least escape from any one of these sharks. But all of them together?


    ''Still�� I''m not without sharp teeth myself��''


    Finally, their PTV reached the vermilion carpet.


    Sunny waited for the door to open, then sighed and stepped outside.

 Chapter 802 Feast Of Deceit

    Nephis walked forward with her usual impassive confidence. It was as though the magnificence of the towering hall, the rows of armor-clad honor guards, and the distinguished guests surrounding them did not deserve her attention, let alone apprehension. Her face was still and inscrutable, and her eyes were cold and focused.


    As the rest of the cohort followed behind her, Sunny couldn''t help but feel uneasy. Right now, he was especially frustrated at his lacking ability to read her moods. He just hoped that Changing Star was not going to try and assassinate the members of the Valor clan as soon as she saw them.


    ''No, no way�� she wouldn''t. Right?''


    Their arrival caused a bit of a stir. Many eyes were suddenly directed at the four members of the cohort, but it was nothing compared to how many people were staring at Nephis, either openly or in secret.


    She did not pay them any attention, so Sunny looked straight ahead and pretended to not care, either. Of course, he was tensely studying everything and everyone around them through his shadow.


    Somehow, he felt as if he had returned to the Red Colosseum. Sunny almost expected the people surrounding them to start chanting "glory!" at any second.


    Of course, that did not happen.


    The cohort walked up the stairs and entered the grand hall, where they were led to massive doors that were carved of familiar wood.


    As the doors opened into a vast chamber full of exquisitely dressed people, a loud voice announced:


    "Lady Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan! Ascended Song of the Fallen! Ascended Raised by Wolves! Ascended Nightingale! Ascended Sunless!"


    For a moment, every conversation in the hall paused. Everyone turned to look at the new arrivals.


    Sunny frowned.


    The amount of pressure that crashed into him was enough to make a mundane person kneel. It was not that the guests were consciously exerting it, just the side effect of so many powerful people being gathered in one place.


    Just at first glance, he identified nearly a hundred Masters and a handful of Saints in the crowd, with each of the latter basically glowing like a beacon of power in the sea of people, surrounded by a small island of empty space. A very large chunk of humanity''s defensive capabilities were gathered in this hall.


    ��If Sunny was pressured, then Nephis must have felt as if a mountain landed on her. And yet, she did not bat an eye.


    A wave of whispers rose, barely audible in the harmonious hum of relaxing music.


    "It''s her."


    "What? Changing Star is here?"


    "Look, look! It''s the heiress of Immortal Flame."


    Even among the absolute elites, Neph''s status was immense enough to create a commotion. The other four members got a lot of attention, too, as the brightest stars of the younger generation of Awakened. Both their SS designations and the rapid speed of their Ascension made them noteworthy people.


    Subjected to hundreds of gazes, Nephis nodded curtly and walked toward the tables that offered drinks and refreshments. As she did, the arrival of another guest was announced, causing the excitement of the crowd to subside a little.


    Sunny�� felt incredibly awkward.


    "So, uh�� what do we do now?"


    Kai simply smiled.


    "We don''t have to do anything, really, before the host arrives and commences the ball. Usually we would use this time to walk around and socialize, but in this case, there is no need. Everyone will come to us. So, just enjoy yourself, smile, and answer politely if someone addresses you."


    Sunny shifted his shoulders.


    ''That is terrible advice!''


    How was he supposed to enjoy himself and smile, knowing what was at stake? As for being polite�� politeness often required a person to lie. What was he supposed to do if someone asked him a question that demanded a rude answer?


    Luckily, he had nothing to fear. Very soon, a stream of people started to approach them, somehow making it seem as if they all just happened to walk by. However, all their attention was concentrated on Nephis. Barely anyone spared a moment to chat with the other members of the cohort, and even then, Sunny was the last in line.


    Which suited him fine.


    "Lady Changing Star, it is an honor to meet you!"


    "You made us all proud, young lady. I was actually friends with your grandfather��"


    "I once fought a battle side by side with your parents. The memory of their valiance was forever etched into my heart��"


    Everyone wanted to if not become friends, then to at least establish a connection with the daughter of the hallowed clan that seemed to be rising from the ashes. Nephis remained calm, conversing with the great and powerful people that approached her in a neutral, but slightly stifled tone.


    Sunny could feel the flames burning in her soul growing hotter and hotter, however.


    She was filled with masterfully suppressed rage.


    Well�� he would be, too.


    All these well-wishers could not wait to share the tales of how highly they valued and admired her parents and grandfather. And yet, they had been perfectly fine to do nothing when the Immortal Flame clan needed help. None of them had raised a hand to help Nephis when she was young, weak, and being hunted by the assassins of the hidden rulers of the Awakened society.


    It was only now that she had become Ascended, and an absolutely outstanding one at that, that they remembered past friendships and tried to ingratiate themselves to her.


    Their smiles and pretty words were worthless.


    Their friendship was worthless.


    This was all just a big charade.


    Sunny observed the elites with a bit of bewilderment. Were they all such shameless liars, or did they actually believe their own lies? In any case, this feast of deceit was nothing short of delectable. If only it was not so amateurish��


    After a while, he suddenly felt a cold shiver running down his spine. Turning his head slightly, Sunny noticed a familiar face.


    An exquisitely beautiful woman in a dazzling dress the color of red wine was approaching them. She was graceful and elegant, with a supple figure and full, scarlet lips. Her most striking feature, however, was her skin�� it was grey like stormy clouds, smooth like silk, and devoid of any imperfections.


    The woman smiled, revealing perfectly even, pearly teeth.


    "Lady Nephis. I am so glad to see you again."


    Changing Star looked at her and lingered for a moment.


    Then, she said:


    "Seishan. I am�� glad to see you, as well."

 Chapter 803 Friendly Reminder

    Seishan, the former lieutenant of the Bright Lord Gunlaug and leader of the handmaidens, was standing in front of them with a calm smile. Sunny had not seen her after the tumultuous escape from the Forgotten Shore, where she had held the line as the commander of the second defense bulwark of the Dreamer Army.


    He had thought that becoming a Master would make him less susceptible to her presence, but it did not. Her striking beauty, her exotic looks, and the aura of mystery that surrounded Seishan were just as compelling as ever. The knowledge of how frightening her true nature was also made it impossible for him to remain unaffected.


    Not to mention the most important fact of all��


    Seishan was one of the adopted daughters of Ki Song, the ruler of the great Song clan and one of the three Sovereigns.


    If anything, knowing more about her background only made Sunny pay the beautiful woman extra attention.


    ''What the hell is she doing here?''


    Seishan, meanwhile, looked at the other members of the cohort and said with a small, but seemingly sincere smile:


    "Athena, Kai, Cassia�� Sunless. It is good to see you doing well, too."


    Effie gave her a long look, then shrugged.


    "Likewise. How have you and your girls been?"


    After the return from the Forgotten Shore, half of the members of the former Dreamer Army had decided to follow Cassie and became known as the Fire Keepers. Of the remaining half, most had chosen a different path, either remaining independent like Sunny and Aiko or joining various Legacy clans. All the surviving handmaidens, however, had followed Seishan back to Song.


    Just like that, the great clan had not only received its lost daughter back, but also earned the utmost loyalty of a dozen extremely promising recruits.


    Come to think of it, that might have been one of the reasons why Valor wanted to gain the allegiance of the Fire Keepers so badly.


    A group of exceptional and supremely battle-hardened Awakened might not have been able to change the balance of power between the two great clans immediately, but in a few years, when the survivors of the Dreamer Army started becoming Masters or maybe even Saints, eventually, that could easily change.


    Seishan responded in a serious tone:


    "We are doing well. My clan embraced us with open arms. After reuniting with my sisters, I was also able to bring a lot of value to the Song family with my unique knowledge and experience�� the long years I had spent on the Forgotten Shore were not for naught."


    She had been stuck in that hell for far longer than any of them. In fact, Sunny did not know how many years Seishan had spent in the Dark City, exactly, but it might have been as high as nine or ten.


    Being able to survive and hold on to power for so long spoke a lot about how resourceful and dangerous the daughter of Ki Song was�� especially considering that, in the end, she was the only one of the old guard who had managed to escape.


    No wonder the great clan was so eager to get her back.


    Seishan looked at them and smiled.


    "Of course, we have yet to achieve the same measure of success as the five of you. Reaching Ascension so soon after becoming Awakened is no small feat. You have my respect."


    Her smile paled a little.


    "...I will be going away to challenge my own Second Nightmare in a few days, as a matter of fact. This ball is the last opportunity I have to experience the wonders of the waking world before that."


    She looked around wistfully and sighed.


    ''So�� she is also in a hurry to become a Master, huh?''


    Sunny stared at the grey-skinned beauty with a bit of apprehension. Seishan was already scary enough as an Awakened. How much more powerful would she become after Ascending?


    Kai offered the former leader of handmaidens a reassuring smile.


    "I am sure that you and your cohort will do fine. The Second Nightmare is a terrible challenge, but people who survived the Forgotten Shore are suited to face its dangers more than anyone else. You will triumph."


    Before Seishan could answer, Nephis finally spoke. Looking at the daughter of Song impassively, she said in her usual even tone:


    "I have to admit�� I am surprised to see you here."


    Seishan lingered for a moment.


    "Oh. You must have heard about the recent disharmony between Song and Valor. Do not pay it too much attention, Lady Nephis. Despite our disagreements, it is still important to present a united front. I am here to keep up appearances."


    Changing Star thought for a moment, then nodded.


    "I understand�� you are here to send a message. However, I find it curious that a junior member like you was chosen above more senior representatives of the great clan Song. One can''t help but wonder what message exactly such a choice is intended to deliver."


    Seishan''s smile widened a little.


    "Well�� it is not my place to question the decisions of the elders. In any case, I am very happy that I got the chance to see you all again. While we were never truly friends, I value what you have done for me and my wards, as well as what we went through together, a great deal."


    Her pearly teeth glistened in the bright light of exquisite chandeliers, suddenly seeming much sharper.


    "I hope that we will be able to deepen that bond one day. Of course, whether or not it blossoms into a real friendship depends on our decisions."


    Sunny sighed.


    ''Ah��''


    Seishan looked at them one last time. Strangely, her gaze lingered on him for a few extra moments. Then, she politely excused herself and left to mingle with other guests of the ball.


    ''So that''s what it was all about.''


    Her meaning was more than clear. Clan Song decided to not go as far as making an earnest effort to spoil the negotiations with Valor and try to recruit the members of the cohort and the Fire Keepers into its ranks instead.


    However, they did issue a warning�� make the right decision if you know what''s good for you.


    Stay away from our rivals�� or else.


    That threat might have been packaged into an exquisitely beautiful cover, but the underlying message remained quite clear.


    Looking at the back of Seishan as she was walking away, Sunny shook his head.


    ''Did I somehow end up involved in�� politics? By the Spell, I did, didn''t I? Curses�� why can''t a guy just grow stronger than everyone in the world and unreasonably rich in peace?!''

 Chapter 804 Whispering Blade

    A few minutes later, the atmosphere in the great hall suddenly changed. The hum of voices grew quiet, and many of the guests shifted, turning to a particular spot. As Sunny watched, a tall figure appeared on a wide balcony above them.


    The man was strong and severe, with a sharp face and even sharper, cold eyes. His black hair was touched by silver at the temples. He was wearing an elegant attire that somehow looked like a suit of impregnable armor despite being made of nothing but black fabric. His vermilion cloak moved slightly, as if touched by invisible wind.


    As soon as the man appeared, Sunny felt a considerable pressure descending on the hall. The dignified stranger radiated so much power and authority that it was hard not to admire him�� or fear him. He was a Saint, without a doubt.


    What was more, his features looked slightly like that of Mordret and Morgan. For a moment, Sunny thought that he was looking at Anvil of Valor himself�� but no, that could not be. Although the familial likeness was there, it was not too pronounced. The mythical Sovereign was also not supposed to be able to enter the waking world easily, let alone openly show himself in public.


    That would just go against everything that the Sovereigns did to remain in the shadows.


    ''This�� must be Saint Madoc of Valor, also known as Whispering Blade.''


    Saint Madoc was one of Anvil''s siblings and the nominal leader of the great clan Valor. Of course, Sunny knew who truly called the shots�� but the status of this powerful man was by no means for show. Whispering Blade was a legendary warrior and one of humanity''s most formidable champions in his own right.


    As the guests quieted down, Saint Madoc looked at them from above with his steely blue eyes, and then smiled slightly. Instantly, the pressure receded, making the mundane humans in the crowd sigh with relief.


    Morgan''s uncle spoke, his strong voice easily reaching into every corner of the great hall:


    "Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests. Welcome to the annual ball of the great clan Valor. It is my honor and pleasure to welcome you all under our roof once again. In the past year, many things have happened. Some of our brothers and sisters... are not with us anymore."


    A somber silence settled over the hall. Every year brought a lot of death to Awakened. Even Masters were not spared from that fate... this year, in particular, had dealt a heavy blow to humanity.


    Even though few knew of what had really happened, the absence of Saint Cormac was clearly felt by many. Transcendents were so exceedingly rare that the loss of even one of them echoed across the world.


    As the guests turned somber, Whispering Blade''s smile suddenly widened, dispelling the solemn mood.


    "...Despite that, it pleases me to see many new faces among you. Humanity has grown stronger yet again! New heroes rose to carry the torch for those who had fallen in battle. With champions like these, our world has nothing to fear! Despite it all, we persevere. But more than that�� we rise. Nothing can stop our ascension."


    He looked at the guests, and then sighed.


    "Well, those of you who know me also know that I am not one for long speeches. To be honest�� this one was actually written by my beloved wife, who is far more eloquent and wise than me. Not to mention pleasant to look at."


    A wave of polite chuckles spread through the crowd. Saint Madoc smiled once again.


    "Today is not a day for sorrow. Today is a day for joy. And so�� let the ball commence!"


    As soon as he said that, the space in the middle of the hall was cleared, and the musicians started to play a magnificent and emotional composition. Whispering Blade danced the first dance himself, accompanied by a beautiful, mature woman. Moving with elegance and grace, they both looked breathtakingly splendid.


    Soon, other pairs joined them.


    Sunny observed the dance with a bit of interest. He had not known what to really expect from this ball, but to his relief, it was nothing like the awkward and almost comical sight that he had witnessed in the nightclub a few weeks ago.


    The dancers were much more purposeful and elaborate in their movements. Both partners had to move in synchronicity to not disturb the flow of the dance, following the music with surprising skill. The gracefulness of their steps, the exquisite attires, the radiant physical beauty common among the Awakened, the luxurious decorations of the great hall�� all of it made the ball look rather dazzling.


    He was also able to appreciate the ceremony due to his familiarity with Shadow Dance. Of course, his battle style was not a literal dance�� however, it was derived from one. In fact, every battle style had something in common with dancing, since both had to do with motion, coordination, agility, and rhythm.


    So, even if Sunny was never taught how to dance, he was able to quickly learn the basics from just observing those who were better versed in it. He could have even joined the dancers�� if he wanted to.


    Of course, he didn''t.


    Sunny noticed that it was customary for men to invite the women to dance. As he watched, many handsome and distinguished guests offered their hands to their beautiful counterparts and led them to the center of the hall.


    More than a few burning gazes landed on Nephis, but were quickly doused by her cold, unapproachable expression. Fortunately or unfortunately, the other members of the cohort were caught in the cone of silence that surrounded her, so no one approached them either.


    After some time, Kai invited Cassie to dance, while Effie wandered away in the direction of the tables that were barely standing, burdened by the weight of various delicacies.


    Sunny, meanwhile, grew bored.


    ''Damn�� how long do we have to wait? Are these negotiations going to start, or what?''


    Eventually, he glanced at Nephis, then left her and walked away in search of a bathroom.


    A few minutes later, he was washing his hands in front of a mirror. Looking at his pale reflection, Sunny lingered for a few moments, and then said:


    "I know that you are there. Stop hiding."


    Nothing happened for a few seconds.


    ...Then, his reflection suddenly offered him a pleasant smile.


    "Oh. How did you know?"

 Chapter 805 - Settlement Building

    What the hell?


    A Divine Foundation in a settlement? Wasn��t that something only lesser gods could do? Draco had definitely rejected a Divine Emblem, so why was he being given this choice?


    Because of the Eyes of Caelo? So owning a divine item automatically allowed one to become a deity if they managed to tie their Divine Foundation down to a settlement? Was that why Madam Carrie had been so ecstatic when he chose the Divine Treasure Chest over the Minor Divine Emblem?


    Wait... Could it be...?


    Draco��s mind began to whirl at really scary speeds.


    Could it be that those two fellows in the number 1 and number 2 spot from his past life had discovered this feature and exploited it? It was extremely possible in Draco��s opinion. The reason why he though so was because those two weren��t the official number 1 and number 2. Technically speaking, Draco had been worldwide number 1 while Riveting Night had been worldwide number 2 in terms of pure prowess.


    They had been shifted to number 3 and number 4 due to the unanimous assumption that skill could not overcome divine equipment. Of course, in terms of skills, everyone lauded Draco as unparalleled in the world and those other two had been only given that tag due to their possession of divine items.


    Who would be satisfied with such a thing? Naturally anyone would walk over to Draco and Riveting Night to properly settle the statistics.


    However, they never did. Like turtles in their shells, they had remained in their kingdoms quietly, not rising to provocation by other players due to the fact.


    Draco had pat himself on the back, thinking egotistically that they were scared to fight him in terms of skills.


    Now, he didn��t agree with his previous thinking.


    Draco shared his opinion and findings with Riveting Night, who affirmed his train of thought. Unlike him who had focused solely on his revenge, the ever vindictive Sublime Notion had sent multiple challenges to the two of them, which they always replied with gentle refusals.


    "Are you going to do it?" Riveting Night asked while staring at Draco through her ever dark hood.


    "Nah. It��s too much of a stretch." Draco answered. For that matter, Draco didn��t mind if Riveting Night kept her hood up or not since he could see through the darkness and capture her beautiful face 24/7.


    "Too much of a stretch, you say?" She queried with a raised eyebrow.


    "Well, yeah. Ever since I��d reincarnated, I��ve been lucky in everything I do. If it were before, I wouldn��t have thought much about it... but now, with knowledge of the lineages and the fact that our world... our universe, isn��t as normal as we thought, I��m a bit worried."


    "I��ve never really believed in anything like karma or the like, but balance will always be met one way or another. Too much good will be offset by an amount of bad to render everything equal."


    Draco��s heavy tone made Riveting Night feel cold. It was something that had tickled the back of her mind when she found out just how great Draco��s first days in Boundless had been but...


    Would things always be so lucrative?


    "Let��s not think about it too much. Whatever happens, will happen and we can only rise to the challenge." Riveting Night suggested with a confident smile.


    "Yeah, that��s the way to go." Draco agreed with a nod.


    Returning to the settlement building confirmation pop-up, Draco selected no. He didn��t want to be tied down to one settlement in exchange for power. Sure, he would become invincible within the area, but externally, he would be weaker than normal.


    Even a Divine Emblem would be a much better method to reach divinity than this. Draco decided to have the settlement built immediately, and the funds were deducted from his inventory.


    First came the foundation, the earth started... terraforming rapidly. It became a lot more flat and bare. Square-ish holes were dug in a linear fashion. Some of these holes were larger than others, and each of them was equidistant from the other.


    It was like watching a fast forward of a construction video. Soon, scrambled sounds of hammering, sawing �C and swearing? �C came out of a sudden cloud of dirt surrounding the expanse of the settlement��s land.


    In no time, a fully constructed settlement was placed before the Evil Duo. Draco walked into the Settlement and called up the screen for it.


    ?Settlement Name: Unnamed


    Tier: 0


    Loyalty/Upset: 100/0


    Gold: 0


    Worldly energy: 3%


    Tax rate: 5%


    Population: 0


    Personnel: 0


    Food: 100


    Lumber: 100


    Stone: 100


    Metal: 100


    Prestige: 0?


    It was as he expected, as pathetic as possible.


    In the world of Boundless, the city building aspect wasn��t as simplistic as those in typical FIVR games of today. It wasn��t as simple as paying money and having everything done for you.


    It required a much more pragmatic and hands on approach. One would need to secure Tradeskill workers to build properties, train one��s own army or hire mercenaries for defense, acquire farmers, lumberjacks, quarry workers and miners for resource harvesting among other things.


    However, these were solved with some difficulty that didn��t make things too strenuous. One could also appoint an NPC mayor to handle these things while away. Once the settlement reached city level, a mayor would be compulsory, as most players wouldn��t have the politician class.


    Still, the greatest headache when managing settlements wasn��t resources, defense or development... it was population.


    Exactly where the f.u.c.k was one supposed to get people from? Unless the AI required it, new beings wouldn��t spawn unless through the natural process which was procreation. One could say that they could attract people from around the world, but that was bullshit. Did you expect people to leave cities and towns that they were born in for your shabby settlement? What at all could you offer them?


    Many player guilds had suffered through this headache for years in Boundless, struggling to make their settlements into towns. In fact, no player guild had managed to reach that level until update 5 in the previous timeline, even Draco himself.


    However, with the coming of update 5, a new method was developed.


    Yep, you guessed it.


    If we couldn��t attract people into our settlements, we will make our own people!


    As such, the era of debauchery was born. This was around the time that r.a.p.es escalated like crazy. Rina��s brutal assault occurred around this time as well.


    Draco didn��t want to remember that time too much. An insane amount of evil had occurred at that point, some which he had performed himself. Looking back, he realized that he was less of a cold and calm fellow, rather more of a monster at the time.


    Obsession with anything was usually a bad idea.


    However, Draco and Riveting Night didn��t have the luxury of update 5��s childrearing mechanic to kickstart the growth of their settlement. Still though, Draco had an idea of how to get things in motion. He predicted that he should be able to hit kingdom tier before update 3, much less update 5.


    Draco assessed the completed buildings in the settlement. There were a few cottages that were of an average size and medieval design. They were built with wattle and daub for the walls, also possessing one entrance, two floors and a thatch roof. Each building was whitewashed and looked clean.


    Draco wasn��t interested in checking the interior, as he wouldn��t be living in such a house. These well built cottages were for more important members of the population. Where the majority would live in were a few large longhouses. They were mostly built with wood but also had thatched roofs. Draco already knew the interior of these buildings since he had slept in one during his time as a low-tier member of Darkrow.


    It was like a barracks but a bit cleaner, more spacious and there was more privacy. There were much smaller rooms that were divided by very thin and hollow walls, which didn��t do much to prevent sound from going through, but at least one was able to change without everyone seeing their groin flopping about.


    Apart from that, there was one blacksmith shop, one apothecary, one hospital, one warehouse, one granary, one farmyard and lumber mill near the outskirts of the town, one stable, one general goods store, one barracks/guardhouse and one mayor��s hall.


    Most of these buildings were unsurprisingly unpopulated. They looked like they were able to begin functioning the moment human being occupied them. The Tradeskill buildings were filled with pre-made equipment and even some raw materials. The Guardhouse had some common weapons and armor lined up in the arsenal for potential defenders to wear.


    Draco and Riveting Night walked up to the Mayor��s Hall and took in the sight. It was less of a hall and more like a small mansion. It was built with pure stone and looked fortified. There was a gate, walls and even a garden within the property. Draco and Riveting Night walked inside the manor and took in its layout.


    There was a foyer with stairs that lead to the second floor. Beyond the foyer on the ground floor was the courtyard, in which a magically enchanted fountain stood smack dab in the middle. The corners of the courtyard had a more vibrant garden that wasn��t limited to just grass. Beautiful varieties of flowers swayed to the gentle breeze, radiating ambiance and peacefulness.


    To the right of the foyer on the ground floor was the parlor, which was the reception room for important guests. To the left of the foyer on the ground floor was the dining hall. The doorway behind the dining room led to the kitchen, which was arguably the largest room in the manor.


    Climbing up the stairs to the upper floor, one could see that the area was marked as private. The bedrooms were here, one for the mayor and a few others for his family or concubines. There was an office near the end of the hall way that was the executive center of the whole settlement.


    All in all, Draco was satisfied with his new settlement. After exiting the manor with Riveting Night, the two stood at the entrance to the settlement. Staring at the unimpressive palisade walls. Even the gate to the settlement looked like it could be smashed in by a reasonably strong fellow.


    Riveting Night gently caressed Draco��s hair while whispering in his ear;


    "You can��t run away from it forever."


    Draco sighed, wishing that she wasn��t right. Draco had put off naming the settlement as that would finalize everything. Naturally, that meant that another game announcement would be made. If players worldwide were curious about him before, they would be antagonistic now.


    "What should we call it? Draco asked with a frown.


    Riveting Night seemed to ponder the question for a bit. "You should give it a name with meaning to you. It��s our first settlement in our new life."


    Draco thought for a bit before turning to Riveting Night and grasping her chin in his hands. "The only meaningful thing that followed me into this timeline is you, Eva. I��ll call it Vita."


    (Authors note: Eva��s name in hebrew means ��life��. It has to do with Amaterasu��s bloodline ability, similar to Draco��s name and his bloodline ability. Vita means life in latin, hence the significance in this scenario.)


    Riveting Night��s heart began to race in her chest. Her cheeks flushed and her whole body felt like putty under Draco��s intense gaze.


    "En."


    She clung onto his arm like a lovestruck teenage girl who couldn��t imagine life without her boyfriend. Anyone from the previous timeline who had known this woman would think she was a twin or something. That vile and evil woman couldn��t possibly have such normal emotions!


    Once Draco affirmed his decision to name the settlement, the feared announcement was blared out of the system.


    ?Sturgehaven Kingdom Regional Announcement


    Player Draco has created the first player owned settlement, Vita. Players can now visit the settlement to help foster development. Bonuses are given to all Tradeskill players who work in the settlement. Settlement has a 20% bonus gold and experience reward for players who function out of it.?


    ?Cario Continent International Announcement


    Player Draco has created the first player owned settlement, Vita. Players can now visit the settlement to help foster development. Bonuses are given to all Tradeskill players who work in the settlement. Settlement has a 20% bonus gold and experience reward for players who function out of it.?


    ?Boundless System-wide Announcement


    Player Draco has created the first player owned settlement, Vita. Players can now visit the settlement to help foster development. Bonuses are given to all Tradeskill players who work in the settlement. Settlement has a 20% bonus gold and experience reward for players who function out of it.?


    Draco and Riveting Night tilted their heads at that. According to their memories, no real bonus had been given for building the first settlement aside from an announcement.


    Then again, it might be that players in their past life had taken so goddamn long to build one. This reinforced the notion that the AI rewarded feats that far surpassed its own estimates.


    The Evil Duo were satisfied with the bonus though. If players hadn��t wanted to join Umbra before, even with the impressive Guild Hall and Rank 7 Shop, they would definitely indenture themselves now. Since it had no benefits to NPCs, it meant that they wouldn��t get to grow the population faster than they predicted.


    "I leave the Guild in your hands Eva. I��ll be going to do a unique quest after I pop back into the castle to play with that Succubus." Draco told Riveting Night with a gentle smile.


    "Go. If by the time you return this guild hasn��t reached tier 3, I��ll display my face to the world." Riveting Night replied with a look so hard that it could smash diamond.


    "I know."


    Draco knew his woman. If she said she would do it, she would do it. One should not forget, all the knowledge Draco possessed that made him overpowered in this timeline, she possessed as well! There were many ways she could get the guild up to that standard while Draco was partaking in that unique quest.


    "Before that though..." Draco��s face became little rigid as he gazed at the location of the Aether mine.


    Naturally, he planned to use his divine eyes to see the Dragoness said to reside within the mine. If she was a below Supreme Rank, he would be able to see her by using the ��see�� ability of True Sight. If she was Supreme Rank, he would need to use ��see through�� to pierce through the mental barrier that had prevented Riveting Night from going further in.


    However, if she was God Rank... Draco would need to ��see beyond�� and that would be too strenuous for him at the moment as a measly Rank 1 player. However, if the previous two True Sight sub-abilities failed to see trough, that would be confirmation enough.


    Draco took a deep breath before trying to see into the Aether mine. It was easy to see into the mine itself, as if he were there himself. There were rows of prism like crystals that contained something blueish green in them. The colored mass swirled within the crystals like a whirlpool, mesmerizing the eyes and the mind.


    The deeper Draco went into the mine, the lower the number of crystals, but each of them had a much more intense l.u.s.ter than the ones above them. When Draco reached the bottom, he ��saw�� a shield like construct that resembled the scales of a fish. The shield was colorless, making it impossible to see by traditional sight.


    When Draco tried to ��see�� the other side of the shield, all he got was a rebuttal for his efforts. Hardening his expression, he tried to ��see through�� the shield, but his attempts failed once again.


    At this point, his heart began to thump vigorously in his chest. There was no doubt about it, that was a God Rank Dragonness down there! She was probably injured and recuperating from the last War of the Gods, and had missed the missive to retreat into heaven!


    A God Rank Dragonness! The real deal! Even his Dragon Soul was probably a remnant of a God Rank Dragon��s soul, Draco had reasoned. A mere remnant had led him to possess the means to acquire a divine item! What benefits could a live Dragoness bring him?


    When he shared this with Riveting Night, she nodded her head and told Draco to leave it to her. She would research on the identity of the female Dragon down there and share her findings with him.


    Sigh, how good it was to have capable partners!


    At that, Draco blinked away from the settlement, leaving everything in the hands of Riveting Night, who had began by summoning the Five Generals.


    When Draco re-appeared, he was within the walls of his castle. As he stood in his foyer, the maids who had been shuffling about were startled at first, then ecstatic. One of the cuter ones, who looked like she��d be the type of little sister one would spoil, came up to Draco.


    "Hello, My Lord. Would you need any thing from us?" She asked gently with a curtsy.


    Draco couldn��t resist the urge to ruffle her hair, to which she seemed to like. "Bring some refreshments to my room please."


    As he was about to blink away, he suddenly remembered something else. "Also, bring the succubus to my room as well. Make sure her body is clean from top to bottom."


    One shouldn��t forget, this was the medieval era. One thing most media failed to mention about the medieval era was how much people stank. Wearing armor all day didn��t do much for hygiene. Of course, players weren��t subjected to this yet, but the NPCs were. Baths were taken infrequently in this era and Draco wasn��t fond of smelling some sardines while he was having fun.


    When he appeared in his room, he slowly removed his armor, ogling his body as he did. The narcissistic fellow was free to let his real self out!


    Words from the Author:


    So, this is the last but one chapter of the filler segment. Next chapter will be R-18 stuff so bring your ID cards before reading.


    The next arc, Flora and Fauna, is pretty long because it��s a self-contained story within the story. Like a side quest that��s 1 player only.


    Just to give you a heads up, this arc will be a mix of horror, nonstop battles and in-game politics, a battle of wits in a way. There will be IRL segments that would feature extremely dark stuff, even more than the previous one.


    Also, there will be interludes with Eva and how she builds up the guild while Draco is away.


    Also, the biggest teaser: During the Flora and Fauna arc, the first Guild War will occur!

 Chapter 806 [R-18] The Taste of a Succubus

    Draco observed himself for a few seconds, marveling at how one human being could look so fantastic. He really lamented on behalf of all the woman out there who could look but not touch. The fellow was so deep in his own world that he didn��t notice when the cute servant had arrived with a tray of refreshments as well as Zaine in tow.


    Zaine herself looked demure at this moment. One couldn��t reconcile the confident and sharp witted leader of the hamlet with this woman who seemed to be gentle and soft hearted. She moved behind Draco and pulled him to a single seater sofa in the room.


    Draco allowed himself to be led, as he was sat and waited upon. At this moment, all he wore was a pair of men��s britches. His body was bare in every other way. Even though he wasn��t muscular, there was no excess fat. He wasn��t as skinny in Boundless as he was in real life too. There were lines that defined his abs, chest and shoulder blades, like an architect drawing the plan of a building. All that was left was to fill it up with the necessary materials.


    Zaine first took a towel from the now stocked wardrobe and soaked it in hot water. Quietly and deftly, she wiped Draco��s body down. Draco allowed her to take the lead this time, because he didn��t want to embarrass himself.


    What a joke! How could he compare his few years of sleeping with women to the knowledge of a succubus on s.e.x.u.a.l matters? Sure, Maria had abused a godly amount of skill and technique into his mind, but that wasn��t going to impress this succubus. Rather than prove his mediocre skill, he would rather let her do her job.


    Zaine eventually wiped down his whole body except his groin area. She came to his front side and got onto her knees, gently pulling down his britches, releasing the beast from its cage. Zaine��s eyes gleamed with interest and slight marvel. Who would��ve thought that this fellow would be quite well-endowed?


    Draco had an impressive member that was roughly 3.4 inches flaccid, a number Zaine was instantly able to grasp with one look. A succubus bloodline trait perhaps? His girth was also an impressive 4.9 inches flaccid.


    Zaine retracted her intense gaze and returned to her demure demeanor, wiping away Draco��s groin area gently, When dealing with the shaft, she stretched it out and wiped the length of it with gentle yet firm motions. Her soft hands held onto his tip, dexterously caressing it under the guise of cleaning it.


    What frustrated Zaine was that there was no reaction to her teasing. Normally, a man should be raving mad just by looking at her clothed body. She was immensely impressed by this fellow when he showed only a basic interest in her. So far, she only knew of two people who could resist her charms head on.


    She didn��t show her frustration though, her expression only stated that she was going to overcome this challenge no matter what! Her pride and dignity as a succubus was on the line here!


    Draco watched her with an even expression, but inwards, he was chuckling. To try and make a Control master feel anything? Unless he wanted it to, everything she did was akin to pouring a bottle of water into the ocean.


    Zaine got hands on when she realized that in order to make her new master reach climax, she would need to drop all pretenses.


    Her soft hands grabbed his d.i.c.k with an easy motion, her left hand holding his shaft while the right grasped the glans. Her ambidexterity was displayed as both of these hands began caressing his member with differing movements.


    It was like tasting the food of a master chef. The seamless and extremely precise movements co-ordinated with each other to create sensations that didn��t clash with each other, but harmonized perfectly.


    Of course, Draco had dropped his Body of Godliness. There was no point in being serviced if he was going to feel nothing from it in the end.


    He had to admit, Zaine��s skill was on another level. Draco had never known that such sensations were even possible before today, but the extremely deft hands of the succubus showed him the way.


    Zaine looked into the eyes of Draco, her attractive face morphed into an expression of enjoyment and l.u.s.t. This further enhanced the pleasure Draco felt, as nothing was more alluring than a partner who loved pleasing you. Zaine stroked his shaft and kneaded his glans, her movements lubricated by the pre-c.u.m that began leaking from the tip of Draco��s rod.


    The natural lubricant was like giving wings to a tiger. Zaine was able to move her supple palms over his sensitive d.i.c.k and increase her tempo while maintaining the same effect. Draco had to admit that anyone inexperienced in the pleasures of s.e.x would have blown by now. Even he himself felt his resolve weakening under the efforts of this dark-skinned beauty.


    Zaine paused her handjob to pull down the frilly chest piece that held her amazing b.r.e.a.s.ts in place. Once the melons were out, Draco��s mind blanked for a second.


    Such a beautiful pair of tits!


    Her a.r.e.o.l.a weren��t large, despite her above-average b.r.e.a.s.ts. They were small spots of slightly darker brown that blended seemlessly with her caramel skin tone.


    Her a.r.e.o.l.a didn��t have any bumps as well, seemingly as smooth as her unblemished skin. Whoever designed this succubus decided to factor in appearance solely, without leaving even an inkling of reality in her.


    She was too perfect physically.


    Her n.i.p.p.l.es weren��t huge, but not small either. They were just the right size for one to enjoy looking at them, as well as relish sucking on them.


    Draco wasn��t much of a b.r.e.a.s.t lover, but damn these tits were god-tier. Zaine shook her chest provocatively in front of Draco, making the fellow follow their movements with the eyes of a hawk. Zaine might not show it, but Draco��s reaction made her so pleased that she felt extremely excited for the rest of the service.


    She grabbed her beautiful tits in her hands and brought them to Draco��s hard rod, which stood at a solid 7 inches in length and 5 inches in girth. This was the perfect size in most cases, as anything bigger wouldn��t pleasure females, but cause pain instead. Those myths about 9 inch d.i.c.ks being godlike were just idle fantasies.


    Naturally, that meant that when Zaine enveloped his p.e.n.i.s with her soft tits, the tip poked out with a bit of shaft left over as well. Not even her lovely D-cup b.r.e.a.s.ts could smother this monster! She marveled inside as to how a human could have this much power in their groin. It was mostly orcs, giants and such races which had males with unreasonably large p.e.n.i.ses.


    Zaine transformed into her succubus form at this point, her horns, tail and eyes morphing, leaving her nails and wings hidden. Those would only get in the way of her mission. She began rubbing Draco��s member in between her soft tits gently, allowing his leaking cowper��s fluid to act as the necessary lubricant.


    She twisted and turned her chest in different angles in order to pleasure Draco, to which the fellow couldn��t help but twitch from. He was struggling to keep his voice in, but he knew he would succ.u.mb soon. This succubus was too godly!


    When there was sufficient lubrication, Zaine hit second gear, as she began thrusting Draco��s p.e.n.i.s through her cleavage with vertical motions. She alternated between moving her whole upper body up and down, mimicking the feeling that Draco was penetrating her b.r.e.a.s.ts.


    She would also rest her upper body and move her hands, which had cupped her b.r.e.a.s.ts, up and down on Draco��s d.i.c.k, which was the traditional method of giving a titjob.


    Her timing in switching between these two variants was impeccable. Just when Draco thought he was hitting his limit as she cascaded her tantalizing b.r.e.a.s.ts up and down, she would switch to another method and delay his orgasm.


    Zaine lowered her neck and caught the tip of Draco��s d.i.c.k in her mouth, rolling it about with her tongue. Once Draco felt her warm and moist orifice on his d.i.c.k, he felt like his brain was about to short circuit.


    Zaine never paused in her movements with her b.r.e.a.s.ts. She stuck to pleasuring Draco through moving her b.r.e.a.s.ts up and down with her hands so that she could remain sucking and licking on his glans, which was the most sensitive part of the p.e.n.i.s.


    Draco had to close his eyes and forcefully think of uninteresting things to fight back his coming explosion. He could use Body of Godliness to reduce the sensation, but that would be meaningless. He wanted to resist the feeling of orgasm while experiencing the whole range as sensations as long as he could.


    Zaine was impressed by his resilience, but laughed inwardly. She increased her tempo and removed her b.r.e.a.s.ts from the equation, using only her mouth. She bobbed up and down Draco��s d.i.c.k, deepthroating him with no gag reflex whatsoever.


    Draco could feel his d.i.c.k hitting the back of her throat and even slightly penetrating into her gullet. Her eyes had misted over with pleasure and l.u.s.t as she relished this feeling from the bottom of her heart.


    There was nothing compared to having one��s throat assaulted by a d.i.c.k to a succubus. Zaine could feel her body shivering from expectation and pleasure as she devoured Draco��s c.o.c.k.


    Draco also began twitching heavily as his d.i.c.k began to throb powerfully. Each movement by Zaine made the throbbing increase in frequency and intensity. He could feel something hot begin to climb up his shaft slowly, aiming to burst out at the pinnacle moment.


    Zaine could also feel the intensified throbbing of the d.i.c.k in her mouth and felt raw excitement well up in her. Like a shark that had smelled blood, her movements became more fierce and demanding, as if saying she wouldn��t stop until she was given her reward.


    Her efforts paid off when Draco grunted loudly, his throbbing d.i.c.k bursting with a hot and sticky fluid that traveled right down Zaine��s throat. Draco��s c.o.c.k twitched powerfully, each spasm sending waves of s.e.m.e.n into Zaine��s mouth.


    For that matter, Zaine herself was like putty at this moment. Her eyes betrayed her euphoria as she felt that delicious liquid spurt into her mouth. For her, it was like drinking ambrosia, a heavenly liquid that nourished her very soul.


    Eventually, Draco came down from his orgasm, but his d.i.c.k was still rock hard. Zaine managed to barely pull herself from cloud nine, slowly sucking off the remainder of Draco��s s.e.m.e.n into her throat and cleaning his rod.


    After that, she stood up and slowly removed the straps of her outfit, letting the whole garment fall to the floor beneath her. Stepping out of it, her fully n.a.k.e.d body was on display.


    A flat stomach, with slightly toned abs, wide h.i.p.s that funneled out into a fat ass, thick thighs that one would love to be crushed in between of. Her whole body screamed of a high s.e.x.u.a.l appeal, without even factoring in the natural effect of succubi.


    She relished Draco��s sharp look on her body. Instead of primal l.u.s.t, there was a look of respect and possession in his eyes. Her bloodline instincts were firing all sorts of signals, but majority of them were that this new master of hers was exactly what she wanted in life.


    Zaine began to dance lewdly for Draco, her body twisting and turning in ways that displayed every nook and cranny of her body. Nothing was hidden from his sight in her sensual movements, making Draco��s breathing become a little more rough than it already was.


    Her v.a.g.i.n.a was clean shaved and her vulva was slightly thick, but closed up. She had a camel toe, but her v.a.g.i.n.a looked like a flower bud, instead of a wide open lotus.


    Eva had a similar vulva, which Draco felt was exactly to his preference. Some preferred meatier looking v.a.g.i.n.as, but Draco wasn��t one of those people.


    She turned around and bent over, displaying her precious place to Draco. He could see the glistening liquid that was leaking out of it. This succubus was wet enough to allow even the c.o.c.k of a giant to penetrate her easily, much less Draco.


    She slowly and tantalizing twirled her h.i.p.s as she brought them down over Draco��s lap. As she lowered the entrance of her canal right over the tip of his c.o.c.k, she began to tease it gently. Her wet and waiting p.u.s.s.y looked like a hungry mouth that wanted to swallow a thick d.i.c.k at any cost.


    Zaine realized that her patience was thinning out quickly. She had wanted to tease Draco a bit, but her body couldn��t resist it any longer.


    She wanted to be penetrated!


    When she realized that, she lowered herself on Draco slowly, allowing his long and thick c.o.c.k to part her folds slowly. While she was penetrated like this, Zaine screamed out in pleasure and pain, her l.u.s.t finally tasting what it desired most in this world.


    Draco was languidly enjoying the feeling of penetrating Zaine until he felt a thin barrier being snapped by his c.o.c.k halfway through. His expression changed when he felt that. What else could it be but a h.y.m.e.n that had been snapped apart?


    Draco refused to believe that a succubus had matured to this age while retaining her v.i.r.g.i.nity. This wasn��t some romance story where he was her destined man, so by some miracle, she never indulged herself in her natural hormonal cravings.


    However, there was no mistaking it. What he tore was her h.y.m.e.n. He had felt this with Eva and few other women he had played with in his past life.


    Zaine seemed to be unbothered by the pain, instead raising and lowering her h.i.p.s slowly. Her extremely round, perky and thick ass vibrated like waves on the seas every time her skin met Draco��s skin.


    It was a beautiful sight that set Draco��s l.u.s.t aflame. After all, he was an ass man and this particular peach was why he was largely attracted to Zaine in the first place.


    His d.i.c.k felt like it was being squeezed by Zaine��s v.a.g.i.n.a as the soft and mushy walls enveloped and massaged the whole length of his d.i.c.k. Because of their position, his whole d.i.c.k was able to enter her, and it pushed the limits of her v.a.g.i.n.a with every thrust.


    It was warm and wet inside her, and Draco felt like his d.i.c.k was being caressed by all the angels of heaven themselves. His d.i.c.k was sending intense sensations to his brain, some of which made him grit his teeth in order to suppress his m.o.a.ns.


    Zaine slowly began to pick up the pace as she got used to the huge rod inside her. Unlike Draco, her voice was unbridled as she let herself succ.u.mb to her primal desires. When Draco��s d.i.c.k hit her cervix each time, she would scream with ecstasy, which also affected Draco.


    Zaine��s tongue lolled out from her mouth and her eyes became cloudy with l.u.s.t and pleasure. She looked like a possessed person as she rode him so vigorously while m.o.a.ning and drooling.


    Her back arched and her thick legs moved powerfully, allowing her to send Draco��s d.i.c.k into her deepest reaches, making her want to throw her head around with pleasure. She could barely prevent herself from reaching climax as it were, because her job was to service, not be serviced.


    However, there was very little she could do when a long and fat d.i.c.k was pushing apart the walls of her p.u.s.s.y and rubbing inside her with such power. Their genitals were soppy with her juices, as her natural lubrication flowed out unceasingly.


    Pah! Pah! Pah!


    That was the sound of their flesh slapping together as Zaine rode Draco in a reverse cowgirl position. Her arms gripped the armrests of the sofa for dear life. Her h.i.p.s had long developed a mind of their own, refusing to obey her commands to slow down.


    For that matter, Draco himself was on the verge of bursting again. His d.i.c.k was slick with her fluids that made penetrating her so easy and so intense that his legs were trembling.


    The familiar hot fluid began traveling his urethra, with an even more intense and heavy feeling this time. He knew he was about to release his seed into Zaine, but it was all he could do to remain sane at this point.


    Draco realized he had bitten off more than he could chew this time. The v.a.g.i.n.a of a succubus was too godly! It molded itself into the shape of his d.i.c.k, taking the optimal form that could cause him the most pleasure. Such a perfect canal was a taboo and should not be used on any man.


    Draco could��ve held on longer had he shut his eyes and focused harder, but his mistake was looking down and seeing Zaine��s beautifully fat ass swallowing his d.i.c.k as he heard her loud m.o.a.ns of ecstasy. She had bent over, displaying everything to Draco, including exactly how powerfully his impressive d.i.c.k was penetrating her.


    This was the breaking point for him. With a low and deep m.o.a.n he could no longer keep back, he burst his s.e.m.e.n into her with unparalleled vigor. It was almost as if his d.i.c.k wanted to penetrate her with his c.u.m as well.


    Zaine grabbed Draco��s testicles as he came, massaging them in order to release more. She bounced up and down very slightly on Draco��s lap with each powerful shot of c.u.m sent into her canal, her expression euphoric as she screamed out her joy.


    She tightened her v.a.g.i.n.a around his d.i.c.k, like a snake swallowing its prey, in order to push out more c.u.m from Draco. It took him a full minute of non stop c.u.mshots to release all he had into her.


    While this was unrealistic in terms of real world biology, Boundless easily allowed for such acts if the users wanted it to be so.


    When Draco was done, Zaine didn��t even manage get off him properly. She slowly fell to the floor with her ass facing upwards, displaying the thick fluid leaking out of her v.a.g.i.n.a. Her face was locked in a mask of dazed elation, her tongue lolling out and her eyes cloudy.


    If it wasn��t for her occasional twitching, Draco would think she was unconscious.


    He himself panted a little, coming down from the sheer intensity of s.e.x with a succubus after a few minutes. He eventually climbed out of his sofa and waddled over to the super mini small world bathroom to clean up. Once he landed in the hot springs, he covered his face with a towel as he relaxed into the warm waters.


    With a difficult expression, Zaine also came down from her euphoria and dragged herself to her feet. She barely managed to put on her attire and stagger back to her room, where she fell to her knees.


    Before her, a face suddenly emerged from the currents of worldly energy present in the area. It was a familiar face, the same one that had appeared after Draco had killed Ratchet.


    It was Mephisto, The Devil King!


    "Well, how was it?" He asked her with an intense gaze.


    "It was excellent, My Lord. I��ve never felt such a powerful feeling in my life. Nothing could prepare me for-" Zaine began as her eyes lit up, but was stopped short.


    "I don��t care about your feeling of losing your true v.i.r.g.i.nity! I meant, did you succeed in acquiring his seed?" Mephisto asked impatiently.


    At that, Zaine��s eyes dimmed a bit. "Yes, but there��s only raw energy in it. No genetic code for procreation whatsoever."


    "Sigh, I expected as much. They are still fresh out of the World of the Gods after all. Keeping trying a few more times and let me know of the good news." Mephisto ordered before fading away.


    Zaine remained in a kneeling position, while replying. "As you command, Father."


    ...


    In the hot springs, Draco lifted his towel up a bit. His expression was one of interest and mocking.


    "A bunch of clowns." He said, returning to his lax posture as if all he saw with the Eyes of Caelo was a joke to him.

 Chapter 807 - Dorian Purple

    A carriage bobbed along on the slightly paved road that led to Farst City. Within that carriage sat a man in blue colored medium armor, his blood red eyes gleaming with a weird pulsation. It was bizarrely fascinating to look at from up close, but anyone who did would feel the weight of a million tons on their spirit. His black hair was curly and messy, following no particular order on his scalp.


    His skin was surprisingly smooth and his lips were thin. His face was angular, tapering into a sharp point. All of this combined to define a very handsome individual who would get the blood pumping of anyone who was oriented towards him.


    This was Draco, naturally.


    Draco was on his way to report to the Duke of Farst in order to begin the Flora and Fauna quest officially. When he had chosen to start the unique quest, a few limitations had been placed on him by the AI.


    ?Flora and Fauna �C Unique Quest


    Description: There have been strange mutations in the environment around the Four Point Valley. Investigate and report to the Duke of Farst.


    Note: Certain impositions have been placed on the execution of this quest;


    1. All reputation, social relevance and title intimidation would be negated. Player would be regarded as a mercenary by default.


    2. Large scale active spells are unavailable.


    3. The Omega and Subservience effects of the Divine Eyes of Caelo are unavailable.


    4. True Sight is limited to ��seeing��.


    Rewards: 200 reputation with Sturgehaven Kingdom, 2000 reputation with the human race, 100,000 platinum, 2x Legendary Treasure chest?


    As it could be seen, Draco had been ��nerfed�� heavily. However, the AI couldn��t make such decisions without a proper balance. After all, large scale spells, the Eyes of Caelo and his reputation were things he had earned fairly. They couldn��t be considered as outside help. The AI could impose limitations on players, as was set in its code, but there had to be an equivalent reward for it.


    If it hadn��t made these limitations, Draco would��ve taken an hour to complete the quest, which would be meaningless to the AI. After all, it had to dedicate a huge amount of processing resources for every special unique quest.


    Unique quests were a sort of independent scenario that occurred for a brief period and wasn��t accessible by players or NPCs that weren��t part of the event. It was sort of like an instance dungeon, but with a much bigger field of play. These quests boasted unique rewards and absurd difficulty that wasn��t listed in the description.


    Draco couldn��t leave the boundary of the unique quest until he was done, so he had to power on in spite of the unfairness. Well, it wasn��t technically unfair, as the provided rewards had jumped from some measly reputation, gold and one epic treasure chest to what was there currently. Honestly, the money and the legendary treasure chests were good, but it would never beat the 2000 reputation with the human race.


    2000 reputation with the human race meant that Draco was eligible to become an emperor! He could build a minimum of five kingdoms and combine them to become an empire! Even the King of Sturgehaven kingdom would have to treat him like his grandfather.


    Draco pulled out four books from his bag. He gazed at them calmly, crossing his legs as the carriage bumped along the road.


    ?Instant Healing �C Active skill


    Effect: Heal 30% or 15,000 HP, whichever is greater, instantly.


    Cooldown: 2 minutes?


    ?Rain of Arrows �C Active skill


    Effect: Fire a flurry of arrows nonstop with no penalties to stamina in exchange for accuracy.


    Duration: 30 seconds


    Cooldown: 1 minutes?


    ?Cooking �C Basic Tradeskill


    Effect: Learn how to prepare basic recipes for consumption. Food tastes 10% better than it��s optimal sensation and may provide boosts to stats.?


    ?Taming �C Advanced Tradeskill


    Effect: Learn how to tame and domesticate various beasts. Also grants the knowledge on how to take care of tamed beasts.?


    Draco wasted no time in learning them all. Instant Healing was something he had l.u.s.ted for in his past life. Since he didn��t have the optimal trait then, his only option for self healing was either a third party, potions or the passives of the avenger class. It was a fact in most MMORPGS that every class, even the assassin class, had a self heal skill.


    However, the usefulness of each skill varied greatly. Classes like the paladin, cleric, necromancer etc had extremely potent self healing skills. Classes like the swordsman, assassin and lancer had very weak self-heal skills.


    The Avenger class�� version was a passive that was like Guinevere��s Necklace, only boosting HP regen by a healthy percentage. This was useful when trying to recover from battle, but not much during battle itself.


    The Instant Healing skill was the self heal ability of the Holymancer class, a variation of the cleric class that had no attacking capabilities whatsoever, just healing, healing, healing!


    Every Divine-tier guild had to have one core member that was a holymancer in order to survive at the top. This was how Draco even knew this skill existed.


    Rain of Arrows was a skill he picked up because he wanted to train his archery. Draco was undoubtedly a combat genius, but he wasn��t a jack of all trades. He had walked the path of the sword to the very end in his past life. While he could now utilize anything to fight, he never actively trained with other weapons.


    However, the Phoenix Cry arrow was too powerful an item to be ignored. If Draco could match his shooting skill to the level of a professional, he would be unstoppable in ranged combat.


    Rain of Arrows was a high-tier archery skill that required no mastery, just a bow and deep vault of arrows.


    Speaking of a bow, Draco had agonized over looking for a bow to match the potency of the Phoenix Cry arrow, but couldn��t find anything to fit that criteria. legendary bows weren��t available and epic bows were too rare. They would also be able to bring out only 30% of the arrow��s true power, which was a waste.


    As such, he had to put aside Phoenix Cry and use a rare bow as well as rare arrows, which he didn��t have to pay for at any Rank 1 or Rank 2 shop. He had practically filled 55% of his maximum expanded inventory with rare arrows, draining all the stocks from shops throughout Sturgehaven Kingdom. Any shop he entered had thrown the arrows at his feet while kowtowing to expedite his passing, hoping he didn��t want anything else.


    Draco had found the whole thing amusing.


    Cooking was a Tradeskill that was largely ignored during the first update of Boundless, but would become extremely popular after update 1. Update 1 introduced the first changes to Boundless�� playstyle, including the removal unlimited stamina out of battle, the need for sleep in-game, the need for consumption of food, introduction of excrement activities and technique boosting.


    Draco only picked it up now because he wanted to be able to eat well during the quest. He certainly didn��t need to do so, but what was a journey like without good food? Especially since he was a mercenary, it meant he would have to sleep under the stars.


    He hadn��t taken this Tradeskill in his past life for obvious reasons, so he couldn��t magick anything above common rank at the moment.


    The Taming Tradeskill was an advanced craft, known to belong to the best beast tamers around. How was one to get a mount in Boundless? Only by either being a tamer and struggling it out, or finding a tamer who had what you wanted and pay an absurd price. Occasionally, one could get them in drops, but those mounts would either be absolute shite or above epic, both of which required a certain amount of luck.


    Of course, Draco knew where to get some good mounts, but he wasn��t in a rush. The blink skill already satisfied a large majority of his needs as it were and he had to build a firm foundation as quickly as possible. That was why he had put off crafting a unique set for Eva, as well as trying his hands at a bow.


    After learning all the skills, Draco took out the Drake��s egg and analyzed it. With his nerfed divine eyes, he could only see the embryo inside that was balanced within the protein. Draco��s taming skill kicked in and he instinctively knew that he had to provide the egg with a high level of heat.


    Since he had the skill, the screen for the Drace��s egg changed.


    ?Drake �C Combat Pet


    Rank: Legendary


    Description: This egg contains the offspring of a low rank fire Dragon and a Rank 7 Sea Serpent.


    Skill:


    - Time left till hatching: 108 days


    - Egg viability: 91%?


    The egg was doing incredibly well. After all, the Fire of War burned perpetually within Draco, making his body the optimal level of warmth one could find. The egg shivered a bit when Draco lit the magic flame under it, as if a little worm wriggling with excitement.


    "We dun reached m��lord."


    The peasant carriage driver who looked around Draco��s age, knocked on the top of the carriage to alert Draco. He probably assumed that Draco was asleep due to his total lack of activity the whole time.


    Draco put away the egg and got down from the carriage. He paid out the fare of 20 silver, which was expensive in the eyes of a normal NPC or player, and activated Appearance Deception: 9 forms. Instead of wasting his limited slots - after all, each form was permanent after being designed - he decided to use the tried and true form of Drake.


    The handsome rogue was born again, free to roam the world and trample on the hearts of innocent maidens.


    Before him stood the gates to a mansion that was quite literally no less than Rank 4. It was almost the size of a castle, just barely falling short of one. The mansion was walled very simply, no real fortifications present. However, just like how Draco could see the mansion��s level, he could tell that there was a myriad of building enchantments that were either defense, attack or traps.


    Anyone below Rank 4 who tried to intrude here should be ready to meet their comrades in the otherworld.


    Two guards in a purple livery, which were the colors of the Duke of Farst, came up to Draco with their spears in a relaxed position.


    "Ho there fellow! What brings you to the mansion of Lord Duke?" The older one of the duo asked.


    "I��m here to investigate the recent happenings in the Four Point Valley. His Excellency is expecting me." Draco answered with a friendly smile.


    His demeanor made the guards like him, as they became much more amiable instantly. Draco made some small talk with them as he entered the mansion and gazed upon it��s magnificent decoration.


    It had almost the same layout as the manor in the Vita Settlement, but with almost four times the scale and a few other functional rooms.


    Draco was led into the private parlor and asked to wait. A few servants brought in some beverages and scones for him to enjoy while he waited for the Duke of Farst to meet him.


    Draco sorted out what he pilfered from the minds of the guards.


    It seemed as if the issues were of a bizarre and parasitic nature. A few flowers that had been harmless pickings for some of the female maids had become monstrous entities that almost killed them if they hadn��t been quite skilled themselves.


    More than a few animals like rabbits, squirrels and even mice had gone from gentle and timid creatures to rabid animals that would rip and tear anything that had blood flowing through its veins.


    It was bizarre to the guards, who had no idea what the cause was. Most figured the Four Point Valley had been cursed. Draco would��ve agreed with them, but he suspected that it was possibly a new breed of parasite that caused all this. It was either a plant-like being or a creature with warm/cold blood.


    He also gleaned the situation within the Four Point Valley itself. Within the Four Point Valley were four groups of people that lived together in forced harmony. Each of them occupied a corner, leaving them in each 90 degree section of the valley while remaining almost equidistant from each other.


    The beings to the top right, situated in the rocky section of the Four Point Valley, were the Green Orcs, who were larger than common orcs. They were the most hated group in the Valley as they frequently raided the other three, capturing food, women and wealth. The only reason they hadn��t been ganged up on was because the Duke of Farst promoted their actions, stating that it was survival of the fittest.


    The group at the top left, within the savanna, were the Wood Elves, a fair race of men and women who lived off the land. They were physically attractive but extremely hardy unlike High Elves, favoring the art of hunting and sports. These Wood Elves weren��t the type to shy away from meat or killing animals, as long as it was for nourishment only.


    The group in the bottom left, smack dab in the middle of the forest, were the Dryads. They were the ones with the closest relationship to the Wood Elves, being entities that were born from trees and were bonded with them for life. Dryads were neutral towards everyone, even the Green Orcs. The Green Orcs also dared not attack the Dryads unnecessarily, as those forests belonged to them in every way possible. Each skirmish they��d launched towards them ended similar to Hitler��s assault of Russia.


    The final group, who lived in the plains to the bottom right, were the Gypsies. This group of dark skinned humans were similar to the indigenes of the Paradise Lands, but much more attractive and intelligent. Do not dare challenge a Gypsy in philosophy unless you were Socrates reincarnated. They mostly focused on dancing and music, being the most potent with illusion arts. Many of their men and women had been captured by the Green Orcs, making their enmity as high as the sky.


    The political situation of the Four Point Valley was equivalent to a kettle that was reaching the boiling point, it would soon overflow and blow steam. With this new bizarre occurrence going on, an indiscriminate slaughter would��ve occurred had the Duke of Farst not suppressed everything.


    Draco sighed after putting together all he knew. He hadn��t even started the quest truly and he began feeling the onset of a headache. Dealing with those incompetent fools alone would require precious time he didn��t have. Especially those Dryads. The easiest to deal with would be the Green Orcs. Wood Elves and Gypsies had the same difficulty in his eyes.


    Soon enough, a tall middle aged man in spectacles entered the room with a casual smile. His eyes were the shape of crescents, seeming to be perpetually closed. His smile was so wide that it looked a bit bizarre. His hair was greenish-blue and his skin tone was a pallid color. He wore a simple overcoat with golden-black buttons and a reddish-brown color. His house logo was embroidered onto the side of his coat, denoting his origins and status.


    Underneath, he wore a simple purple shirt that was buttoned up to his neck. The buttons on this one was plain white thankfully. His fitting pants looked like it was made of cotton, bearing a pitch black color. His loafers were also black, giving his attire��s color scheme a bizarre combination.


    "I hope I didn��t make you wait too long, Mr...?"


    "Drake. No last name." Draco replied with an outward smile, but inwardly, he was frowning.


    "Aha, right. To make things more casual, you can call me by my first name, Dorian." He replied, plopping down casually onto a seat opposite Draco.


    Dorian��s eyes roamed about the room idly, before landing on Draco. "What would you like to know about the situation you��re here to investigate?"


    Getting straight to it, eh? That sounded just like Dorian Purple, Duke of Farst and the most hated Duke in the history of Boundless. Yep, as you might imagine, Draco knew Dorian very well. Not from this life, but his past one.


    While Dorian might be treated well now, his name would be later smeared in the history books forever.


    This Duke was a spy from the demons! At a critical moment, he had betrayed the human race and allowed the Demon race to infiltrate the defensive lines of the battleground through a waypoint in this very manor. That was why Draco and Eva had gone through extreme hell during the Great War in their timeline, having to defend over and over, dying so many times that the experience gained from killing demons balanced out the experience lost from death.


    It was natural that he didn��t like being around such a fellow. With his Omega blocked and the Duke of Farst��s existence required to claim the rewards, he couldn��t end the fellow right away. However, he planned to do so the minute the quest was completed.


    "Please tell me everything you know, My Lord." Draco asked humbly.


    Dorian began to explain everything Draco knew, but with much more detail. Draco made sure to act and react as if an ignorant person would, sharing his preliminary insights and suspicions with Dorian. Dorian himself seemed impressed with Draco��s knowledge and skill. He probably expected a dunce who could only swing a weapon to show up.


    "Thank you for all you��ve shared so far, my Lord. I��ll be taking my leave in order to begin work immediately."


    Draco stood up and began to leave the room. Dorian also stood up and replied to Draco with a smile. "Take care, Drake. The Four Point Valley is a dangerous place."


    Draco nodded and left the room stately, the eyes of Dorian never leaving his back throughout.


    For a brief instant, the perpetually closed eyes of Dorian opened slightly as he hummed with interest.

 Chapter 808 - Interlude - Birth of the Ultimate Lifeform

    At the exact same moment Draco began his unique quest, a world-shaking occurrence took place within the central area of the Four Point Valley. If the northeast was rocky, the northwest was a savannah, the southeast were plains and the southwest was the forest, then the central area was comprised mostly of water bodies, green grass and a few small woodlands here and there.


    Within one of these water bodies, a small seed rose to the surface and attached itself to the bank. This seed was larger than most others, almost the size of the fist of an a.d.u.l.t human. The seed reached land and retained its grip on the earth, almost as if for dear life. The way it trembled, one could get the uncanny felling that if it hand lungs, it would be gasping and coughing by now.


    The seed didn��t look like a seed on closer inspection, but rather more like the shell of a nut. This fact became more logical when the seam that divided the seed into two split open, allowing a the shape of a tiny entity out.


    The organism looked no different from a smaller version of a humanoid with strange oval like green gems on its shoulders, elbows, knees and forehead. It��s eyes were essentially two bright green irises, instead of a cornea and pupils. Its skin was a pale blue color and seemed elastic. It had no genitalia for that matter.


    (Authors note: look up Echoes: Act 3. It looks a lot like that stand.)


    When it came out of the seed, it fell into a kneeling position, its body trembling with effort as it struggled to rise to its feet. When it finally managed to achieve that feat, it spent an even longer time stabilizing itself.


    A squirrel that was level 1 with only 10 HP came skittering by, not even bothering to avoid the strange organism near it. Even a mammal that was classified as prey, with the strongest instincts of caution and wariness, deemed it to be harmless in every essence. When the organism saw the squirrel, its emotionless eyes gleamed as it wobbled over towards it.


    The squirrel, seeming oblivious to the approach of the organism, remained still while searching for its next meal. The acorns and nuts within the woodland were reducing in quantity, leaving it with an increasing difficulty in finding food for sustenance.


    The organism took weak and unsteady steps towards the squirrel at first, but if any sentient being were around, they would be terrified at how quickly this newborn adapted to the world around it. Each step became steadier and more fluid, like fast forwarding the learning years of a toddler into a child.


    The squirrel eventually noticed the seed that the organism was born from, thinking it to be a nut. Excited, it rushed up to the seed and began nibbling at it as if it had no care in the world. The organism, which had now mastered the art of walking, calmly walked up to the squirrel. When it stood behind it, it paused for a few seconds before doing the unthinkable.


    It opened its small mouth, which was toothless, and somehow managed to bite out a chunk of the squirrel��s flesh. Squealing in pain and terror, the poor rodent fell on its back and tried to unsuccessfully flee away before dealing with its assailant.


    The organism swallowed the flesh of the squirrel. What was even more harrowing was that it instantly grew 10% larger the moment the flesh hit its belly, assuming it had one.


    Still though, it was but a pipsqueak to the squirrel and the rodent treated it as such. It screeched and leapt at the organism with anger.


    Any sentient being would hesitant to go near this organism as it raised a ton of biological red flags, but the squirrel wasn��t that clever. However, what was shocking was that the organism didn��t display any inhuman skill or powers, it was pushed down by the squirrel and had one of its arms ripped off.


    It didn��t display any form of discomfort or pain, instead it replied to the assault by ripping out another chunk of the squirrel and swallowing it whole. The moment it did, its destroyed arm regenerated and it grew 5% bigger.


    The rodent squealed in pain, but couldn��t recognize the exact danger of this organism��s ability. It continued to bite with its buck teeth, ripping out a large portion of the organism��s torso, even as another piece of it was consumed, triggering the regeneration and growth of the organism.


    The horrifying and bizarre battle continued until the squirrel felt the call of death upon it. Even if it was an animal, it recognized that it had kicked a steel plate this time and wanted to flee. However, the organism had consumed enough of it to attain the same size as the rodent.


    Just as it want to flee, its half eaten neck was grabbed firmly by the organism. It was now its turn to be pushed down and consumed bite by bite, as its screams slowed weakened until it died. Its flesh was absorbed by the organism until only bones were left.


    By that point, the organism had grown into a human toddler��s size and its bizarre makeup looked a lot more intriguing rather than worrying. Anyone player who saw it would think it looked cool as hell.


    It cricked its neck ominously, looking around the bank of the pond to see that it was a lake that resided in a clearing within a forest. That was why the squirrel had been present here, it was looking for dropped acorns as well as coming to drink water.


    It also wasn��t the only one that used this watering hole. The very next instant, a cute looking bunny hopped towards the clear pond, bending its head to drink the water contained within. It also acted obliviously to the organism, its danger level not registering on its timid instincts whatsoever.


    Just like before, the organism walked up to the bunny. Instead of biting into it, it gripped the mammal by its neck and held it own while it struggled. It was clear that the organism had learned that other beings would respond negatively when being consumed.


    In order to prevent its growth from being stunted, it wanted to minimize the damage it had to heal. Its ability to reason and think was growing per bite. It ripped into the poor squealing bunny and reduced it to bones as well.


    When it was done, its body mass grew, but not as much as before. Clearly, in order to grow greatly, it either needed to consume something significantly bigger than it or eat a lot of things like the bunny.


    As if the gods themselves wished to see the success of this dangerous being, a level 2 boar with 50 HP casually strutted into the area, ignoring the organism, just like the ones before it.


    Just like that, a terrifying characteristic of the organism was revealed. It seemed as if any living thing that looked upon it would disregard its existence, treating it like a mere ant. Even animals that were berserk in nature like the boar would disdain attacking it.


    What was it that every predator desired in this world? Was it not the ability to approach prey without being detected? If so, then this organism clearly was a king of predators, an ultimate lifeform of sorts.


    It slowly walked up to the boar this time, but it halted when it got close. It wasn��t due to any reaction from the boar but... something was tingling in its mind. Its developing brain was morphing, become fuller and more intricate with every growth support it achieved so far. Due to its already humanoid like appearance, one could assume its brain to be similar to a human��s as well.


    Since it had achieved the size of a toddler, its thinking capacity naturally increased from purely instinctual to some form of sentience. That tingling in its head was simply the formation of its first thoughts, which it had no idea of what it signified.


    ��Dangerous...��


    Finally, the tingling morphed into a coherent thought that conveyed the meaning of the word, but not in the human language of course.


    Its raised leg fell down as it watched the boar drink water casually and without fear. It looked around the clearing once again, trying to ascertain how to consume this perfect source of flesh for its growth.


    As it looked towards one of the trees nearby, it saw a snake bite into a large rat. The rat began fighting and clawing to escape, but the snake held on. Eventually, the rat��s body stopped moving and became limp, allowing the snake to swallow it down.


    The organism stared at the snake emotionlessly before walking towards it and climbing up the tree. It fell down multiple times in the attempt, but after each try, its body adapted and it climbed a little higher than the last time.


    Eventually, it managed to reach the branch in which the snake was resting as it digested its prey. Like the bunny before it, it grabbed the animals neck tightly before consuming it to the bone.


    Its mass didn��t grow at all, which would render any bystander flabbergasted. No matter what, it should gain something, right? This wasn��t some tiny snake, but one that could swallow a large rat!


    The organism jumped down to the ground and gazed at the boar which had plopped itself down on the bank of the lake, totally unconcerned with anything, even the horrific consumption that occurred behind it.


    The organism walked up to the lazy boar and opened its mouth. Instead of the stubs, two sharp fangs protruded out of its mouth, dripping with a ghastly green liquid.


    Without hesitation, it bit into the neck of the boar and climbed into its back, holding on for dear life. The boar, after being bitten, began to screech and cry in pain, attempting to get the assailant on its back off by any means necessary. It jumped and run about, banging itself on tress to no avail.


    The organism clung onto it without letting go, continuously pumping lethal venom into the body of the boar. After a period of struggling, the boar also died with grievance, not understanding how it could��ve ignored such a lethal threat all this while.


    The organism wasted no time on chomping down and gorging on all the flesh of the boar. By the time it was done, it had reached the size of a 13 year old human and its body became smoother, more tensile and more resilient. Its arms became a little more buff and its legs became slightly thicker. Its face became less gender neutral, looking more and more like a male.


    It clenched its own hands repeatedly, feeling the increase of strength that came with its growth. However, a much more important increase occurred in its cranium, as its mind became much more astute.


    ��What... am I?��


    As would be the first question of any life form that achieved sentience without the guidance of any other of its kind, as well as bloodline memory, it questioned its own existence.


    ��I... who am I?��


    ��Do I have an identity? What was I born to do?��


    It pondered over its own questions as it continued to feel up its own body. As the thoughts keep repeating in its head, it realized that answers seemed to be sprouting from... somewhere. Where from, it had no idea.


    But any man dying to know the answer to his questions would not chase after the source, only relish in the answer.


    ��I am an Ultima Sunt of the humanoid genus.��


    ��My identity... is vague. I have a name though... King.��


    ��My name is King.��


    ��My purpose...��


    As it pondered this answer, its eyes became sharper and sharper, going from emotionless to passionate then to a cold arrogance.


    ��My purpose is to rule over all.��

 Chapter 809 - Green Orc Settlement

    Riveting Night stood in the office of the mayor of Vita settlement, quietly waiting for a certain group to arrive. It was eerily silent in the office, and anyone who had been there would��ve felt extremely uncomfortable.


    Eventually, Riveting Night sensed some presences outside the door, coming down the hallway. Unlike Draco, whose body was weak, she was essentially the same as she had been in their previous life. She could activate her Control abilities to the max and without restraint.


    The double doors to the large office were pushed open, admitting five people.


    In came Uno, Boyd, Rina, Cobra and finally Kiran. They had been chatting on their way there, but upon entering the office, the eerie atmosphere made them go silent. It was like walking down the streets with your friends, bantering all the way and suddenly realizing that it was far too quiet.


    That sense of danger and creeping fear enveloped the Five Generals like a blanket in the night. They all stared at the source of this eerieness, the woman in tight leathers that displayed a modest body that was definitely impressive, but not mind-boggling. However, her raised hood didn��t even outline her face, making her seem like a humanoid version of the Nazgul.


    She remained still for more than half an hour, in which the Five Generals had dared not move for reasons they themselves didn��t understand. It was similar to when a huge black widow was crawling slowly around your body, you��d stay still until it got off.


    In this time, their bodies had gone from pristine to sweaty. Since sweat wasn��t considered excrement in Boundless, like feces, players could still release it.


    Eventually, Riveting Night raised her head slowly, gazing at each of the Five Generals in turn, her eyes lingering slightly on Rina and even longer on Kiran.


    For that matter, Kiran felt a strange feeling when that happened. He felt like his bloodline squirmed when the woman called Riveting Night gazed at him, which should be impossible! Only the top three lineage bloodlines should be able to...


    ...


    Kiran��s mind instantly became tense as his expression turned solemn.


    ��This...This is not good.�� He thought.


    Riveting Night didn��t say anything to him personally, but that look had conveyed a lot to him. Since Riveting Night had decided to keep quiet, Kiran��s true identity wouldn��t be unveiled just yet.


    "I see you��ve finally arrived."


    When they heard the pleasant and sonorous voice that came out from under that hood, they were startled. The feeling she gave physically compared to the one her voice gave created a dissonance.


    "You��re the members of Umbra, the First Guild of Boundless. Do you understand what such a title means?"


    Riveting Night��s question made them look at each other with confusion. Sure, the title sound great but... so what? It was just a pretty cool FIVR game, what was the big deal about it?


    Riveting Night could almost read their thoughts from their body language, or something close to it. She sighed internally, as she pondered why Draco hadn��t bothered to drill this into their heads before.


    The problem was, Draco had much bigger issues on his plate than to baby these fellows. Before now, he didn��t have his OP acquisitions and Riveting Night herself by his side, meaning he had a wide range of issues to cover as just one man.


    Riveting Night reasoned as such and settled down. She realized she would have to finish what Draco started properly before she could even get to the reason why she summoned them there.


    "All of you, follow me."


    Riveting Night led the silent group to a random field zone nearby. This zone was called the Frost Fortress, and it was an ice-heavy region. The monsters here were between level 10-30, meaning it was prime leveling for early Rank 1 players.


    She hadn��t chosen this place intentionally, but was a random field zone that was reasonably nearby the Vita settlement. It was about 5km2 which was the size of a district in the modern world.


    As the group traversed the snow capped area, the generals began to feel uncomfortable with the temperature. Rina had it reasonably easy as she could auto-cast her basic fire attack every now and then to keep warm, but the others had to fend for themselves.


    They didn��t encounter any monsters on their trek, they just kept walking. Thanks to the limitless stamina out of combat, they could go on and on, without stopping, rendering them unable to find an excuse to rest.


    It also didn��t help that the lady boss was silent the whole time, not even bothering to check up on them. She also didn��t make a peep of complaint and her body didn��t shiver in the slightest.


    How could they, as men, hold their heads up high if their lady boss was totally unfazed?


    After four hours of this torture, their HP bars were left with only 20% remaining and they were hit with the debuff. Their movement speed had been reduced by 70% and they were regenerating health and mana much more slowly. Also, they were taking 0.1 HP DoT every minute.


    After an extra two hours, the first to fall to his knees at 1% HP was Cobra, who dressed like a male p.r.o.s.t.i.t.u.t.e. Next was Uno whose armor had become a great burden as it became stiff, forcing him to exert more effort to move it.


    Boyd was next to go, as his face reflected his unwillingness and shame. Kiran went on for a long while after, his face locked in an expression of calm determination. Surprisingly, Rina fell before he did, her fire magic abilities only allowing her to go on for a little bit longer compared to others.


    Kiran kept walking behind Riveting Night, her back his only anchor as he took every step forward. He went on like that for another two hours, which seemed like years to him, until he finally died as well.


    Riveting Night stopped when he did. Then she returned to where each of them had died and picked up the items they had dropped before returning to the entrance of the field zone.


    When players died in Boundless, they respawned at the entrance of wherever they were unless they had special skills to counteract that. Also, special circ.u.mstances, like the unique quests, modified this mechanic.


    At Rank 0, they lost absolutely nothing but an item and 10% exp. As they climbed the ranks, the penalties would become so steep that death in Boundless would be much more fearful than actually dying in real life.


    Riveting Night met the Five Generals who stood around quietly, expressions of unhappiness on their faces for being put through such an experience. If it wasn��t for the fact that their lady boss terrified them even more than Draco did, they��d have quit halfway.


    "What did you learn?"


    The Five Generals were silent for a bit before Uno spoke hesitantly.


    "Uh... that we are weak?"


    Riveting Night didn��t acknowledge his words, so they assumed he was wrong. Boyd made an attempt after that.


    "We were ill equipped?"


    Once again, Riveting Night remained silent. Cobra took the mantle here.


    "We did not utilize the terrain to our advantage?"


    Seeing her silence, they almost choked. They were grasping at straws just to get this over with. Rina decided to try.


    "We did not utilize our classes to our advantage well enough?"


    Riveting Night turned to gaze at Rina, which was her only response so far. This gave them all the hope that they were onto the right path.


    However, Kiran, who had been silent as usual, opened his eyes that had been shut all this while and displayed a wry smile. He, unlike the other four, understood the fundamentals of what Riveting Night was trying to teach. The others had the general idea, but they had sugarcoated it too much.


    "We are trash."


    The other four��s expressions changed, turning to look at Kiran with irritated and disdainful gazes. Who was trash here? If you were trash, why add us unto the equation?


    "You are. All of you." Riveting Night replied coldly.


    Kiran nodded, but the other four looked unsatisfied. No one liked being told they were trash, especially without knowing why. After all, they were made to walk through an ice zone without preparation and without any goal at her behest, yet they were trash because of that? Bullshit!


    If they had planned to come here, why wouldn��t they have prepared ahead of time? Did this lady boss think she was the only one with brains or skills?


    Kiran looked at his fellows expressions and shook his head. He, as a proud member of the lineages, hated being called trash even more than they did because it wasn��t just a smear on his name, but on the name of his lineage and even their progenitor.


    However, pretending as if he wasn��t would be an even graver insult.


    "I can see you feel unsatisfied. Let me tell you why I called you trash." Riveting Night began, looking at Uno first.


    "You are moving towards the Paladin class clearly, and they way it looks, you might just get it. However, do you even understand what a Paladin is?"


    Uno was startled by the question but answered immediately. "A Paladin is a holy warrior that is imbued with the energy of his deity to be their champion in battle."


    "Exactly, for all intents and purposes, that is what being a Paladin entails usually." Riveting Night replied with a light nod.


    "However, what if I told you there were no deities in this realm?" She continued with a mocking tone.


    The Five Generals were startled, then their faces changed, especially Uno. Grudgingly, he filled in the logic. "A Paladin without a deity is... trash. Like a battery without any charge in it. A bottle without any water."


    Riveting Night nodded. She knew Uno��s story and specifications, after all, he had been one of Draco��s generals. This fella had given Darkrow a massive headache with his assault tank combat style. She was aware how he quite literally carried the Paladin class from general mockery to respect.


    Riveting Night turned to Cobra. "You are like me, going for the assassin class. I see that you have the talent for the job, since you practice the profession in the real world too."


    "But that is not enough. I can bet you that if I placed you, with all your skills in the real world, against a teenager who played FIVR games extensively, you would lose terribly."


    Cobra seemed sullen. This was after all, a massive insult to his skill. His body count wasn��t low at all and he had refined the art of murder for years. To be told that he couldn��t even beat some nerdy kid made him angry.


    "I know you feel it��s untrue and that would only hold in the real world. If I were to create that same scenario in the real world, you would kill that teen 99 times out of a hundred."


    "Uh, what about that one time that Cobra loses... you can��t really expect a teen to kill him... right?" Boyd asked uncertainly.


    "No, that would be impossible, That one scenario where he might lose was if Cobra was struck by lightning or had a sudden heart attack." Riveting Night replied with amus.e.m.e.nt in her voice.


    She looked to Boyd himself next, and the one eyed fellow began to sweat. "I see you��re going for a berserker class. With your body structure, it would be a perfect match for you."


    "However, you will never reach the pinnacle with this class for the same reason Cobra and Uno will fail."


    Riveting Night turned to Rina and gazed at her quietly. This woman... Riveting Night remembered her well. She, like Draco, knew Rina��s damage and as a fellow victim of forced s.e.x.u.a.l abuse, she sympathized with her a lot. Still, Rina had bedded Draco far too many times in their past timeline for Riveting Night to let it go so easily.


    Rina tilted her head slightly. What was this? She felt like she was being pitied one moment, then felt slight killing intent the next. Was she hallucinating or what?


    "You chose the path of the mage. Out of all the people here, your choice is the one that I could spend hours explaining on how much trash you will be in the future, but let me make it short."


    "What is magic?"


    This question caught Rina offguard. "Magic is the ability to do the impossible."


    Riveting Night shook her head slowly. She knew Rina��s case would be the worst, so she would have to work on her the hardest. "That is the answer any elementary school, child can give. Magic has nothing to do with making the impossible possible. Magic is simply the ability to influence the world with willpower and energy."


    Riveting Night hadn��t taken a magic class in their past life, but her sister for life, Sublime Notion, had been a magic class user. She had told this to Riveting Night so many times that it was stuck in her head.


    Riveting Night then turned to Kiran. She sized him up quietly and he did same. The other four noticed there was a tense danger lingering in the air between these two and they suddenly felt as if they were side characters in a show that had no idea what was going on behind the scenes.


    "You already know your faults, so I don��t need to explain." Riveting Night finally acquiesced on behalf of Draco.


    Kiran seemed to relax at that moment, as if he had been tensed to either fight or flee the moment she spoke. The other four also calmed down a little when they noticed that the dangerous feeling had dissipated.


    Riveting Night gazed at them collectively, shaking her head.


    "The fundamental issue underlining your trashiness is your mentality first and foremost. Second, would be your ignorance. Then your skills. Finally, your willpower."


    "Let��s start with your mentality. The five of you came into this world thinking that it��s a game, just like everyone else. Let me be frank with you, it is not. This is, and will be, the new era for mankind. Why do I think so? Here��s why..."


    Riveting Night scanned each of them with a tilt of her head. "This world is almost not different from the real one. Your senses, actions and thoughts are unrestrained. It feels just like reality does it not?"


    "Yet, it isn��t. It is a thousand times better. In this world you can do anything you want and make progress. You can be a blacksmith, a physician, a fighter, a gambler. You can be a diviner, a farmer, an alchemist and more. Those are just tradeskills I��m mentioning. Let��s not even start with the combat classes."


    "In this world that feels like real life, you will never die. You will live forever and never age. You can fight, f.u.c.k, steal, eat and play. As you get stronger, you can do things that are physically impossible in the real world. All the cool stuff you see in the movies are easily achievable here with enough effort."


    "The most important aspect of this world however, is the extension of life. If, and I say, if, a method to stay fully immersed in the game, like some sort of gaming pod or cabin, were developed, do you understand the magnitude of such a thing? The time dilation in this game grants us 4x more time than the real world does. Essentially, staying fully immersed in the game means that you��ll live four times longer."


    "Do you understand?"


    How could they not? The Five Generals were trembling where they stood. Riveting Night��s words had hit them right in the place they didn��t want to acknowledge. When they had been training with Draco, they had simply thought that this game was super cool and might become big in the future.


    However, they hadn��t know exactly how big. It was like when smart phones first came. We found them nifty and an impressive step up, but no one could have predicted how staple it would become to modern life.


    Now that they had a firm grasp of the effect this new game... no, this new world, would have on society, they slowly bean to understand exactly why the lady boss was so disdainful of them. They also began to feel the burning desire to get stronger. After all, everyone would be entering this world soon. The ensuing chaos as everyone fights for a piece of the pie would be catastrophic for weaker players.


    Only the upper echelon could ride the waves like a calm sea surfer and direct where they wanted events to go. The rest would rise and fall at the whims of those at the top.


    It was Uno who spoke up first after a bout of silence.


    "You were right Madam, we are trash."


    "I agree with him." Cobra added simply.


    "We were thinking far too simply, failing to assess the facts." Boyd concurred with a wry smile.


    "This world would become a pillar of mankind. We that are early have the privilege of steering future events, yet we failed to take the opportunity seriously." Rina lamented with a shake of her head.


    Kiran remained silent, just looking at the other four with a hint of disdain.


    Riveting Night gazed at the silently before shaking her head. "You think you��ve understood something, but really, you��ve only understood 20% of what I��m trying to get across. The reason you are trash is compound, not so simple."


    "The second reason I mention was your ignorance, and your earlier statements buttress that. In the world, in any world, knowledge is power. Even the strongest fighter can be defeated by the smartest weakling."


    "What do you all even know about Boundless? Nothing. And you��ve made no effort to rectify that."

 Chapter 44 Cassie’s Dream

    Chapter 44 Cassie''s Dream


    With pretty much every muscle in his body sore, Sunny walked over to the girls and fell on the ground. After catching his breath, he looked at Cassia.


    "Cassie? Do you feel better?"


    Several seconds later, the blind girl slowly nodded.


    ''That''s a relief.''


    He shifted and hesitated for a bit. Cassia didn''t look too well. Her face was still very pale, with a distant, dazed expression on it. Her body at least was no longer trembling. Sunny wasn''t very good at talking to people, let alone placating them. He wasn''t sure what to say.


    He cast a gaze at Nephis and sighed inwardly. Who knew that one day he would turn out to be the most sociable person for as far as the eye could see? What a joke��


    "Can I have some water?"


    Cassie turned to him and scowled, as though confused by the question. Then, she suddenly gasped and opened her eyes wide.


    "Oh! Oh, sorry. Yes, of course��"


    She summoned the limitless water bottle and offered it to Sunny. He took it with a grateful smile and greedily drank a few gulps before giving the bottle to Nephis. Eventually, it returned to Cassie.


    "You drink some too."


    After she did, he awkwardly patted the blind girl on the shoulder.


    "Everything seems to be fine now. Uh�� did you dream of another vision? You can tell us. If you want."


    Cassie hesitated for a bit before saying:


    "I�� don''t know. Maybe it was just a nightmare."


    Sunny and Nephis exchanged glances. They both doubted that what Cassie saw was a simple nightmare. After all, people usually did not dream in the Dream Realm. The blind girl, meanwhile, continued:


    "I don''t really remember. It''s all in fragments."


    Sunny carefully considered his words, not wanting to pressure Cassie too much.


    "You can just tell us what you remember. Maybe we''ll be able to make sense of it together."


    Cassia sighed and tentatively nodded. After a long pause, she finally found the courage to speak:


    "At first, I saw a�� a boundless darkness locked behind seven seals. Something vast was churning in the darkness. I felt like if I directly saw it, I would lose my mind. As I watched, terrified, the seals broke one after another, until only one remained. And then that seal broke, too."


    She trembled a little.


    "After that�� I don''t know. It was as though my mind shattered into a thousand shards, each shard reflecting its own image. Most of them were dark and scary. Some I have already forgotten. The other��"


    Cassie fell silent, remembering.


    "I saw the human castle again. Only this time, it was at night. There was a lonely star burning in the black skies, and under its light, the castle was suddenly consumed by fire, with rivers of blood flowing down its halls. I saw a corpse in a golden armor sitting on a throne; a woman with a bronze spear drowning in a tide of monsters; an archer trying to pierce the falling sky with his arrows."


    Finally, she looked up, her face full of horror.


    "In the end, I saw a colossal, terrifying crimson spire. At its base, seven severed heads were guarding seven locks. And at the top, a�� a dying angel was being consumed by hungry shadows. When I saw the angel bleed, I suddenly felt as though�� as though something so precious that it can''t be described with words was taken from me."


    Her voice became quieter.


    "Then, I felt so much sorrow, pain and rage that what little remained of my sanity seemed to disappear. That was when I woke up�� I think."


    Nephis and Sunny remained silent for a while, trying to make sense of what Cassie had told them. Even if Nephis had an idea, she didn''t show it. Sunny, however, was totally lost. He couldn''t even begin to decipher the hidden meaning behind the vision�� if it even was one.


    Previously, Cassia''a vision about the castle was pretty much straightforward. It showed her a human fortress and even the direction in which it was situated. This time, however, her dream was disjointed, full of weird symbolism and vague, uncertain images, much more like a charlatan''s prophecy than a vision gained through an Aspect Ability.


    Finally, he sighed.


    "Maybe it actually was just a nightmare. Your previous visions weren''t like this, right?"


    Cassie silently shook her head.


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    "Well�� people don''t usually dream in the Dream Realm, but you do. Perhaps seeing a random nightmare once in a while is a side effect of your ability."


    The blind girl turned to him, a faint relief written on her face.


    "You really think so?"


    He hesitated, trying to find the right words.


    "Why not? It''s a possibility."


    Inwardly, however, he felt uneasy.


    ''A dying angel being consumed by shadows�� why does it sound so ominous? I should try and stay away from angels in the future. Gee, what has become of my life. A sentence like that doesn''t even sound insane anymore��''


    With that, they were finally ready to welcome a new day.


    ***


    Some time later, they were sitting on the western edge of the stone platform, looking at the scavengers below. Sunny''s shadow was busy scouting a path to the next high landmark.


    "Were there always that many?"


    Sunny glanced at Nephis and shook his head.


    "No, there were much more. They seem to be almost done with the carcass. I doubt it will last until nightfall."


    Which meant that, by tomorrow, all these beasts would be roaming the labyrinth, making it hard for the three Sleepers to make any progress. It would be best to leave today and put some distance between themselves and the horde before the scavengers were done with their feast.


    However, without scouting a path in advance, there was a chance of not making it to safety in time. Both options were risky.


    Nephis frowned, seemingly thinking the same.


    After a while, she said:


    "I don''t want Cassie to spend another night near this statue. Let''s leave now."


    Sunny thought for a while, then opened his mouth to offer his own opinion. However, a sudden commotion below prevented him from speaking.


    Down at the bottom of the disappearing sea, amidst mounds of broken coral, the carcass of the giant shark-like monster �� the remaining half of it, to be precise �� was almost stripped of meat. And between its white bones, something was shimmering in the mud.


    Two extremely large, luminescent crystals.


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    "Are those��"


    "Yes. Shards of two transcendent soul cores."


    Transcendent�� two of them��


    Suddenly, he was simultaneously filled with greed and fear. Greed because of how rare and precious transcendent soul shards were; fear because the giant shark turned to a be a corrupted devil, at least.


    One corrupted devil, if not stopped by a Saint or a large number of Awakened, could potentially destroy an entire city. Sunny belatedly realized that he was much closer to death on that first night than he had previously thought.


    "Should we��"


    "Wait and listen."


    He stared at Nephis and then obediently listened to the distant, barely audible clamor of the scavengers.


    After a while, he noticed some disharmony in it.


    Nephis suddenly tensed up.


    "There."


    She pointed in the direction of the labyrinth. After concentrating on it, Sunny was finally able to notice two massive shadows stepping out of a particularly wide passage.


    A second later, the creatures casting those shadows appeared in sight. Sunny gulped.


    ''Damn.''


    The monsters looked like the scavengers, but not quite. To start with, they were much larger, towering above the surroundings at more than three meters of height. Their carapace seemed to be thicker. It was colored in deep black and scarlet, like an ancient armor drenched in blood. Here and there, vicious-looking spikes were growing out of the carapace, making their every move much more dangerous.


    Additionally, instead of heavy pincers, their upper arms ended with long, curved, terrifying bone scythes.


    Sunny felt cold sweat running down his spine.


    "What the hell are those things?"


    Nephis tilted her head.


    "Monsters, I guess."


    Nightmare Creatures with one soul core were called "beasts". They were dangerous and strong, but mindless. If they were able to develop or were created with a second core, they became "monsters". Monsters were much more devastating and possessed some rudimentary, warped form of intelligence. They were the next step in a Nightmare Beast''s evolution.


    And these two seemed to be bigger, deadlier versions of carapace scavengers.


    Sunny and Nephis watched as the two monsters approached the carcass. The scavengers were visibly afraid of them, rushing to get out of the way. Those who were two slow were mercilessly thrown to the side or cut apart by the bone scythes. Rivers of azure blood were flowing into the mud.


    ''What are they doing? Did they come to absorb the soul shards?''


    Finally, the monsters reached the carcass. Each of them took one of the shards. However, instead of absorbing them, they simply turned around and carried the precious crystals away. The scavengers made way, following the shards with their little, hungry eyes.


    Sunny blinked and looked at Nephis.


    "Do we still leave now?"


    Changing Star frowned and hesitated. A few moments later, she shook her head.


    "No. We''ll go tomorrow."


    Then, she turned west and observed the retreating monsters.


    "...Get your shadow to follow these two back."

 Chapter 81 Weaver’s Eye

    Chapter 81 Weaver''s Eye


    Sunny blinked.


    [You have received a Memory: Drop of Ichor.]


    ''Wait a moment�� wait a moment��''


    A Great Devil? He gulped.


    Nightmare Creature with four soul cores was called a devil, just one class below the dreaded tyrant. From that detail alone, the evil ancient egg had been potentially more powerful than the Carapace Demon.


    However, what shocked him the most was its rank, not class.


    The quality of most things having to do with the Nightmare Spell followed a similar hierarchy, from Dormant to Awakened, Ascended, Transcendent, Supreme, Sacred and Divine.


    Humans had only ever managed to reach the Transcendent rank. These heroes were known as Saints, each wielding an unimaginable amount of power and leading humanity in its war against the Nightmare Creatures.


    The Nightmare Creatures, too, were different from each other in a similar fashion, with seven ranks of power. They were, in order of growing strength: Dormant, Awakened, Fallen, Corrupted, Great, Cursed and Unholy.


    A Great Devil, therefore, was a Nightmare Creature with four soul cores, each one of the Great rank. Which were the same in terms of power as a Supreme soul core would have been if a human ever managed to pass the Fourth Nightmare and rise one step above the Saints.


    ��Sunny had just killed one of the most powerful Nightmare Creatures to ever fall by a human hand. At least as far as he knew. Victories against the Great Devils were rare enough to be of historic importance.


    ''Uh��''


    What a stroke of luck, to find one absolutely defenseless, yet to be fully born and weakened by thousands of years of neglect. Not to mention the fact that he was probably the only human alive to be partially immune to the egg''s terrifying life-sucking powers.


    ''Wait�� how many shadow fragments did I get?''


    Sunny felt stronger�� a lot stronger��


    He was used to receiving two fragments for each awakened beast he killed. Thus, it was fair to assume that a Fallen beast would give him four, a Corrupted beast would give him eight, and a Great beast would give him sixteen �� forgetting the ridiculousness of the notion that a Sleeper would ever be able to slay a great beast.


    However, the Vile Thieving Bird''s Spawn was not a beast, it was a devil. It had four cores, so�� sixty-four fragments?!


    Dumbstruck, Sunny summoned the runes. In his excited state, he even disregarded the insistent forgetfulness that prevented him from doing so earlier.


    Shadow Fragments: [196/1000].


    After seeing the number, he was giddy with joy at first. But then, Sunny frowned.


    ''Wait, that doesn''t make any sense. I had ninety-six fragments before coming to the Ashen Barrow. I received sixty-four just now, that makes it hundred and sixty. Where did the additional thirty-six fragments come from? From the fruits? No way�� we''ve been eating them for less than a week, one fruit a day. To get that much�� a whole month would have to pass��''


    But how could so much time pass without him noticing? Yes, his memory was strange lately�� but��


    Sunny tried to concentrate on the discrepancy, but it was very hard, for some reason. The more he thought about it, the less clear he became on what exactly he was thinking about.


    ''Uh�� what was I trying to remember? Something about the shadow fragments? Yeah��''


    A few minutes later, he massaged his temples and sighed in frustration.


    ''I guess I was trying to calculate how many fragments I got from killing that vile egg. It''s sixty-four. What is there to think about? That is great!''


    He would spend more time celebrating the insane amount of shadow fragments he had received, but there was another amazing thing waiting for his attention.


    A Memory. He had actually received a Memory from a Great Devil! A real, actual Supreme Memory of the fourth tier. That was�� that was��


    ''Fantastic!''


    Sunny summoned the runes once more and looked at his Memories.


    Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer''s Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Drop of Ichor].


    Hurriedly, he concentrated on the new one.


    Memory: [Drop of Ichor].


    Memory Rank: unknown


    Memory Type: unknown


    Memory Description: [The loathsome Thieving Bird was hated both by the gods and -unknown-. However, it only cared about shiny things. Enamored by Weaver''s beautiful eyes, it stole one of them on a dark, starless night. Impatient, the vile creature looked at its bounty while still in flight. However, when it saw the reflection of -unknown- forever frozen in the depths of Weaver''s pupil, it went mad and screamed, dropping the eye on the mortal realm below. All that was left in its greedy beak was one drop of pure, golden ichor.]


    Sunny frowned.


    What the hell was that?


    He had never heard of a Memory with an unknown rank and type. How was this even possible? Did the Spell really not know or was it simply refusing to let him know? Why would it do that?


    And the description itself�� what were these words that it failed to translate? He tried to forego the automatic translation and look at the runes themselves, but they were beyond his ability to translate. In fact, he had never seen runes of this type before. Weirdly, studying them caused him to feel dizzy and nauseated.


    ''That is�� very, very weird.''


    Also, to his shame, Sunny had to admit that he had no idea what the word "ichor" meant. It simply wasn''t in his vocabulary. Maybe if he went to school and got an education like other Sleepers, he would know.


    Sunny hesitated for a minute or two, then cautiously summoned the strange Memory. Instantly, golden sparks of light appeared in the air in front of him, coalescing into a spherical drop of radiant, golden liquid.


    ''What am I supposed to do with thi��''


    Before he finished his thought, the Spell spoke again. Its voice sounded a bit strange. It was almost�� excited?


    [You have acquired a drop of ichor. Do you wish to consume it?]


    Sunny blinked.


    Consume�� a Memory?


    Things were getting weirder and weirder.


    He hesitated.


    What was going to happen if he did consume it? Memories were rewards given by the Spell to the Awakened. As such, they were usually useful, very rarely useless, and never harmful. At least that was the common knowledge. However�� this one was out of the ordinary. And it was the Spell he was talking about. The damn thing was nothing if not unpredictable�� usually with catastrophic consequences.


    The safest approach would be to put the golden liquid back into his Soul Sea and never touch it again.


    But it was a Memory received from a Great Devil! Chances were he would never hold another one in his whole life, not even in his dreams.


    Sunny was simply unwilling to let this opportunity go.


    Trying to calm his rapidly beating heart, he licked his lips and said:


    "Yes. I want to consume it."


    [As you wish.]


    The golden sphere separated into two streams of beautiful, radiant liquid. The streams flowed through the air, approaching Sunny''s face. He felt a gentle touch caress his cheeks.


    Then, the golden liquid reached his eyes and flowed through them, entering his soul through the pupils.


    Soon, it was gone.


    Sunny was frozen, not knowing what to expect.


    A second passed, then another.


    He raised his trembling hands to his face, finally feeling something.


    In the next moment, Sunny opened his mouth and let out a terrible, wailing shriek as unimaginable, blinding pain tore through his entire being.

 Chapter 89 Demon’s Bones

    Chapter 89 Demon''s Bones


    Sunny had a lot to do before the sunset.


    The parts of the plan spun in his head, making it ache. He had to constantly remain focused, straining his will to its limits, just to keep himself from forgetting everything. When it was not enough, he had to use pain to augment his concentration.


    His hands and arms were covered in ghastly bite marks. Without the Blood Weave, Sunny might have fainted from blood loss already. Still, with his pale face turning even whiter from exhaustion and feverish light burning in his eyes, he must have looked like a zombie.


    Luckily, Cassie couldn''t see any of it.


    It didn''t take much to convince her to join their strange endeavor. The blind girl''s state was way worse than his or Neph''s. She seemed to be barely holding on, her thoughts slow and meek. Sunny''s heart was gripped with worry.


    ''Why is she affected so much more than us? Is it because we have True Names, but she does not?''


    Names were anchors of one''s sense of self, after all. Could it be that True Names served a similar role, only in matters having to do with the Spell?


    He didn''t know.


    Sunny guided Cassie to the carcass of the Carapace Demon. Nephis was already busy stripping plates of armor from its back. Her silver sword was seemingly able to cut through the deteriorated metal, making the task not as hard as he had been afraid of.


    Gently sitting the blind girl down in a spot where Neph could see her, he climbed atop the dead demon and evaluated the progress of Changing Star''s work.


    She looked at him with a frown:


    "Aren''t you going to help? This was your idea, after all."


    Sunny shrugged.


    "Maybe later. You seem to be enjoying yourself, anyway. Some people might say that it''s a fun little project to chase the boredom away, right?"


    She blinked a couple of times, then said:


    "I guess."


    Sunny nodded a couple of times, looking down at the spots where, stripped of armor plates, the demon''s flesh was laid bare. The azure blood had coagulated, turning it dark and as hard as stone. Here and there, though, white layers of fat remained in pristine condition.


    "Actually, I have another project in mind."


    Nephis raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh really?"


    Sunny summoned his sword and stepped closer to the gap in the creature''s armor.


    "Yeah. I want to make a candle."


    Saying those words, he began to cut, separating the fat from the hardened muscle tissue.


    Neph blinked a few times and then looked at Cassie:


    "Hey, Cas. Has Sunny lost his mind?"


    The blind girl perked up at the sound of her name.


    "Huh? Uh�� I''m not sure. I think he''s just bored."


    Sunny concentrated on his task, not paying them any attention. For a moment, he entertained the idea of cutting himself with the Midnight Shard''s razor-sharp blade, but then dismissed it. Cutting through the Puppeteer''s Shroud would have been really hard, and he couldn''t dismiss the armor in front of the girls.


    Well�� to be more precise, he didn''t want to.


    With a sizable chunk of the demon''s fat in his hands, Sunny jumped down from the carcass and landed on a pile of fallen leaves.


    Making a candle out of animal fat was not very hard. He just needed fire, water, and time. The wick could be made out of seaweed fibers. It was not going to be pretty, but he didn''t care about aesthetics.


    Leaving Nephis and Cassie behind, Sunny rushed back to their camp.


    The sun was already high in the sky.


    He spent the rest of the day doing two things: watching over the process of making the candle and running around the island, gathering as much fallen leaves as he could.


    From time to time, he would catch a glimpse of Nephis working on the boat, sometimes instructing Cassie to help her with menial tasks. From what he could see, the boat was coming along nicely. Changing Star knew what she was doing.


    Of course, this was only possible because he had convinced her that this was just something he wanted to do for fun. In the girls knew that Sunny was planning to use the boat to escape the Ashen Barrow, the effects of enthrallment would have kept erasing their memories of the task, making finishing it impossible.


    As it stood, Sunny was the only one who knew the true purpose of the boat. That''s why he was forced to bear the full weight of Soul Tree''s mind corruption alone.


    He felt as though he was about to drop dead of exhaustion. His head felt like it was filled with molten iron. His vision was starting to become blurry.


    But, stubbornly, Sunny refused to give up. No matter how tired he was, how much he wanted to let go and ease this suffering, returning to the bliss of not knowing, he kept his thoughts on one goal, and one goal only.


    Escaping the clutches of the Soul Devourer.


    Finally, with the evening approaching, the boat was ready.


    Looking like a walking corpse, Sunny slowly approached the demon''s carcass, which was now cut open and sliced apart. It was as though a mad vivisector had visited the island to perform an autopsy on the giant and forgot to sew the poor creature back up.


    Nephis looked at him with concern.


    "Sunny�� are you alright?"


    Giving her a crooked smile, he shrugged.


    "I''m fine. Comparatively."


    He did not specify what exactly he was comparing his current condition to.


    Turning his head, Sunny looked at the boat with dark satisfaction.


    It was�� not how he had imagined it.


    The hull was made out of curved plates of polished metal, with sharp spikes protruding from them in all directions. The plates were held together by the golden rope that was tied tightly around them. Changing Star had managed to make the gaps between the different parts of the hull so thin that no water could sip through.


    The mast was made out of the demon''s spine and ribs, with Cassie''s enchanted cloak hanged on them to serve as the sail. There was even a steering oar, fashioned out of the tip of the giant''s scythe.


    He had expected to see a makeshift raft, but what met him was an actual vessel. Yes, it looked crude�� but also strong, eerily macabre, and strangely impressive.


    ''Sailing upon the cursed sea on a boat made of demon bones�� sound like the beginning of a legend,'' he thought, temporarily mesmerized by the ghastly visage of the carapace vessel.


    Nephis looked at him with a hint of satisfaction.


    "Happy? Now what?"


    Sunny gathered his thoughts.


    ''Now��''


    As soon as he tried to think of what they had to do next, an invisible barrier appeared in his mind, blocking any attempt to continue that thought.


    ''Now we�� we��''


    No matter how hard he tried, Sunny couldn''t quite remember what he wanted to do.


    With a scowl, he raised his hand and bit down on his mangled palm, feeling drops of blood flowing into his mouth.


    But even that pain did not help him destroy the barrier.


    Sunny smiled darkly and kneeled, placing his hand on the ground. Summoning the Midnight Shard, he raised his other hand and brought the pommel of the sword down without any hesitation.


    As the brittle bones of his ring finger shattered from the powerful strike, a wave of agony washed over his mind, obliterating the adamantine barrier.


    ''Now we get the hell out of here!''

 Chapter 97 Hunter’s Dream

    Chapter 97 Hunter''s Dream


    Life, indeed, was good. In fact, Sunny would even go so far as to say that, currently, it was wonderful.


    One would expect that being stuck in a cursed city located in the middle of an actual hell, surrounded by nothing but ruins and horrifying monsters, was not really the best way to live your life. But to him, this was somewhat of a paradise.


    To his surprise, Sunny had found out that this type of existence suited him pretty well. He had no obligations, no need to worry about the future and, most importantly, was not required to interact with other humans.


    Humans always made things hard and complicated. He was sick of them.


    Being on your own was much better. He didn''t have to pretend to be someone else, force himself to behave differently from how he wanted to, and strain his mind trying to understand people''s convoluted feelings.


    For the first time in his life, Sunny could simply be himself.


    Turns out, his true self was very easy to please. He had no shortage of interesting things to do, explore, and kill. His life was very entertaining and comfortable, all things considered.


    It was at least way better than his pathetic existence in the outskirts, back in the real world.


    The key to this harmonious feeling was very simple. It was to have no hope.


    Sunny discovered that hope was the true enemy of peace. It was the most vile and poisonous thing in the universe. If there was even a glimmer of hope to return home, he would have been desperate, full of anxiety, and probably in the middle of some insane disaster right now.


    Like he had always been before.


    But without hope, things were simple and pleasant. He really couldn''t wish for more.


    "Keep telling yourself this crap. You might really believe it."


    Sunny grinned.


    "What is there to believe? It''s the truth!"


    The shadow silently shook its head, long accustomed to his crazy tirades. Lately, Sunny had been talking with himself a lot, having long arguments that sometimes descended into screaming matches. It was a good way to pass the time.


    ��A bit later, he emerged from his secret chamber. Sunny''s lair was situated in the upper part of a ruined cathedral, the entrance hidden behind a tall statue of some unknown goddess. There was a small balcony that allowed him to observe the grand hall of the temple over the goddess''s shoulder, concealed from sight by the strands of her stone hair.


    The balcony was really high above the floor, making it impossible for any creature to climb on it by accident. Falling down would certainly kill a normal human.


    Sunny had discovered the hidden room while spying on the bastard that had gutted him. He had entered the cathedral through the hole in its roof and landed on one of the wide support beams, then walked across and accidentally noticed the small balcony.


    That''s how he and the bastard had become neighbors. The bastard was, in fact, the guardian of this place. He patrolled the grand hall, killing anyone who dared to come inside. Sunny saw plenty of powerful Nightmare Creatures fall to his sword, cleaved apart without much effort.


    Of course, the bastard was a Nightmare Creature of considerable power himself.


    Sunny was pretty sure that he was at least a devil.


    Sharing the cathedral with a devil was very convenient. Sunny could sleep easy knowing that no monster would be able to reach the inner sanctum alive. Of course, he had to be careful to never be seen by his murderous roommate.


    On the upside, he could observe the devil as much as he wanted, waiting for a chance to exact his revenge. Sunny was hellbent on killing the damn knight, eventually. The bastard had to die.


    But before that, Sunny had to become stronger. Much, much stronger.


    Walking across the beams of the cathedral, he approached the hole in the roof and climbed through it.


    Outside, the night was already reigning over the world.


    It was time to hunt.


    ***


    A skeletal, hunched figure was slowly walking along the narrow street of the cursed city. The creature had long arms that ended with vicious claws and a deformed head with a wide mouth full of razor-sharp fangs.


    Even with its back bent, the monster was at least two meters tall. It was dressed in a torn shroud that was once white, but had long ago turned brown from the dried blood.


    This was Sunny''s prey.


    The creature, which was called a Blood Fiend, was among the weakest dwellers of the cursed city. It was merely an awakened monster, barely intelligent and comparatively easy to kill.


    Of course, nothing was really easy to kill here. After all, each and every human on the Forgotten Shore was just a dormant beast.


    Despite the fact that they shared the same rank and class, Blood Fiends were less formidable than Carapace Centurions in terms of strength and speed. However, that was only until they smelled blood, which sent them into a murderous frenzy. In that state, these fiends were a true menace.


    ''Pathetic,'' Sunny thought, stalking the Nightmare Creature from the shadows.


    He had killed a few of these monsters in the past and had a great time each time�� well, except for this one encounter where he had accidentally scratched himself on a sharp stone. That was not fun at all.


    ''Time to die, you ugly freak!''


    The Blood Fiend was just about to turn the corner when a sudden sound attracted his attention. With unnatural speed, the monster turned around and fell on all fours, his sensitive ears picking up the slightest rustle. Then, he took a few careful steps forward and stopped at a certain spot.


    In front of the fiend, an ordinary-looking rock was lying on the ground.


    A second later, the rock suddenly spoke:


    "Behind you," it said politely.


    The creature froze for a moment, then turned around with lightning-fast speed.


    Something whistled in the air, and the upper part of the Blood Fiend''s body separated from the lower. Still refusing to die, the monster reached out with its long arms.


    "Too slow!"


    Sunny slashed with the Midnight Shard, severing one of the arms at the elbow. Continuing the motion, he took a quick step forward and performed another strike, this time piercing the creature''s skull. The tip of the tachi entered through one of its eyes and exited through the back of the head.


    All of it took less than a second. By the time both parts of the monster fell to the ground, Sunny had already retrieved his sword.


    Looking up with expectation, he smiled and waited.


    "Come on, say it!"


    As if answering his call, the Spell whispered:


    [You have slain an awakened monster, Blood Fiend.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    Sunny grinned.


    "Ah, thank you kindly. You''re so sweet."


    The runes shimmered as they appeared in the air in front of him. Looking down, he read:


    Shadow Fragments: [398/1000].


    Just two fragments away from four hundred. These days, he was progressing at a very respectable speed. In the beginning, back when he had not known the city and the creatures that populated it, Sunny was lucky to get a few fragments in a week.


    He had also been much more prone to ending up bloodied and one step away from death.


    But now, things were slowly changing. He couldn''t even remember the last time he felt compelled to say goodbye to life.


    ''Ah, you idiot. You just had to go and think that out loud, huh?''


    Just as he finished that thought, a distant sound of footsteps reached his ears.

 Chapter 189 Sunny’s Brilliant Emporium

    Chapter 189 Sunny''s Brilliant Emporium


    The expressions on the faces of Casper, Effie and Kai were simply priceless. Sunny had to stop himself from laughing out loud.


    ��His shadow, however, did not. Luckily, it had no vocal cords, so all it could do was hold its stomach and shudder silently.


    ''Hey, you! Behave yourself!''


    Meanwhile, Nephis just looked at him. The corner of her mouth slightly curled upward.


    After a while, Caster was finally able to answer:


    "Just a fallen devil? Did you say j��"


    However, Changing Star interrupted him. Glancing at the cathedral, she simply shrugged and said:


    "This is acceptable."


    Everyone became silent. They simply stared at Neph with bewildered expressions.


    With some satisfaction, Sunny nodded and said:


    "Don''t be so quick to judge. We won''t be going into that battle unprepared. I spent months studying the bastard. I know his every ability, every trick, and every weakness. More than that�� if you can''t even handle someone like him, how are you going to challenge Gunalug? Isn''t that what this expedition is all about?"


    Actually, he debated for a long time whether he should demand that they attack the Black Knight now or after the expedition was over. In the end, he decided that they were all too weak to face the devil�� for now. But after months spent in the Labyrinth, things were bound to change.


    There were more Nightmare Creatures out there, and most of them were not impossible to kill. By the end of the expedition, every member of the cohort was going to have much more soul essence in their cores than they had now. They would also have a wider arsenal of Memories at their disposal.


    More importantly, they would have time to hone and perfect their teamwork. If they wanted to have a chance in a fight against the Black Knight, this was the most important part.


    Nephis nodded.


    "Sunny is right. It''s not like it''s impossible to kill a Fallen creature. In fact, both Gemma and Tessai had done so in the past, not to mention Gunlaug himself. It just takes a lot of preparation and a little bit of luck. By the end of this, we should be able to take on a single devil and win, provided that we learn its secrets in advance."


    Sunny smiled.


    "Exactly! Oh, right. Speaking of preparations��"


    While everyone was looking at him with confusion�� well, except Cassie, of course�� he took the rucksack off his shoulders and placed it on the ground. Then, he opened it, revealing the soft shine of numerous soul shards.


    "Welcome to Sunny''s Brilliant Emporium! This here is around fifty soul shards, each of them of the Awakened rank. Since we will be venturing into the Labyrinth, I''ve decided to give you guys an opportunity to empower yourself a bit before facing the terrible dangers of that ghastly place. Of course, I''ll give you a family discount��"Pa nda


    Novel He had emptied his treasure chest before leaving the hidden chamber. Currently, all of his remaining shards were inside the rucksack.


    Of course, he hadn''t done so out of the kindness of his heart.


    Sunny never had any money and so, understandably, didn''t know a lot about how to handle it. But one thing he did know was that rich folk never allowed their riches to sit idly. Even money had to work to create more money once it fell into the hands of the wealthy.


    In the language of rich people, this was called an investment.


    By investing his shards into the cohort, Sunny was increasing his own chances of making it back alive. No matter how hard he thought, he couldn''t imagine a worthier cause.


    Plus, he wasn''t going to just give the shards away for free.


    "The rules of the emporium are rather simple. You give me Memories, I give you shards. I don''t care about how powerful or useful the Memories are. In fact, the worse, the better! Any useless junk you have gathering dust in your Soul Sea will do. If you don''t have any �� no problem. You can just promise to give me a Memory in the future, once you receive one in the Labyrinth."


    He smiled at the members of Neph''s cohort.


    "Not bad, right? No need to thank me, really��"


    Kai stared at the shards, then raised his eyes and looked at Sunny:


    "Sunny�� buddy�� please forgive my bluntness, but why do you need all these Memories?"


    What a good question. Sunny grinned.


    "Uh, you see�� how should I put this? Let''s just say that there''s a beauty I know who just can''t get enough of them. If you know what I mean..."


    Saying that, he winked at the pretty archer. With a strange expression, Kai turned away and shook his head.


    However, after this performance, no one else asked any questions.


    In the end, Sunny was able to exchange his shards for five Memories. Nephis distributed the shards between the five members of the cohort, with each of them getting ten.


    This was a boon equal to slaying ten awakened beasts. After absorbing the shards, all five of them were going to receive a significant boost to their power.


    As far as deadly expeditions went, this was the best start possible.


    Without wasting any time, Neph, Cassie, Effie, Kai and Caster absorbed the soul essence from the shards.


    While they were busy doing that, Sunny silently dove into the Soul Sea and fed the Memories he had received to the Stone Saint.


    [...Stone Saint has grown stronger.]


    [...Stone Saint has grown stronger.]


    [...Stone Saint has grown stronger.]


    Satisfied, he summoned the runes and glanced at them.


    Shadow: Stone Saint.


    Shadow Fragments: [27/200].


    Then, he looked at his own.


    Name: Sunless.


    True Name: Lost from Light.


    Rank: Dreamer.


    Shadow Core: Dormant.


    Shadow Fragments: [318/1000].


    ��Not bad.


    Looking south, he smiled darkly and wondered��


    How much would these numbers increase by the time he returned to the Dark City? It had to be by a lot.


    When everyone was done absorbing their shards and getting accustomed to the changes caused by the sudden influx of soul essence, the cohort was ready to move out.


    The six of them headed south, cautiously traversing the cursed city.


    Nephis was walking in the front of the party, her stark black and white plate armor contrasted sharply against the grey stones of the ancient ruins. A step behind her and to the right was Caster, clad in a polished scale mail that glistened in the morning light like the skin of a silver dragon. To her left was tall and powerful Effie, clad in the archaic bronze armor with a white chiton beneath.


    A few steps away, wearing his elegant lamellar armor made out of burnished brown leather, walked Kai. On his back, there was a quiver full of heavy arrows. Cassie was walking beside him, her light tunic and bright cloak just the same as before. However, now there was a sheath with a graceful rapier attached to her belt.


    At the very back, with an unhappy expression on his face, was a pale young man with messy black hair and a ragged light armor made out of dark-grey fabric and black, lusterless leather. He was periodically lowering his gaze and grimacing, as though unaccustomed to being in the sun.


    Of course, it was Sunny.


    Their journey to the edges of the Forgotten Shore had begun.

 Chatper 276 Black Door

    Chatper 276 Black Door


    The hidden passage led Sunny underground, twisting and turning through the mass of stone. Despite the fact that he had been cautiously walking forward for a few minutes now, Sunny felt that he was still beneath the cathedral. In fact, by his estimation, he was approaching its center.


    And indeed, right beneath the spot where the statue of the goddess should have been, the narrow passage opened into a larger room. In it, a deep well leading even further down was situated, with a winding staircase spiraling down into the darkness.


    Sunny frowned.


    ''What is it with this place and creepy dark wells?''


    Going further down was going to place him dangerously close to the catacombs. He knew all to well what kind of danger that would pose �� the last time Sunny had ventured into the maze of ancient tunnels below the city, he barely escaped alive.


    After hesitating for a while, he stepped onto the staircase and began descending. Deep, ancient shadows surrounded Sunny, giving him a little comfort.


    At least he was among his kin.


    After a minute or so of walking down the stairwell, Sunny entered a large chamber that seemed to be carved into the bedrock, as opposed to being constructed by human hand. On the other side of it, a large door forged from black steel stood, illuminated by two burning torches.


    Two thoughts entered Sunny''s mind simultaneously.


    The first one was that the metal from which the monolithic door was made looked eerily familiar. It was the same dark, lusterless, impenetrable alloy that the Black Knight had been made of.


    The second thought was even more disturbing.


    ''...How come those torches are still burning?''


    Had they been aflame for several thousand years?


    Come to think of it, the torches looked very strange. They seemed to be producing light, but it was pale and ghostly. There was no heat that came with it, too.


    The shadows cast by the ghostly flames were the most disturbing, though. Because of the movements of the fire, they were supposed to be dancing on the floor. But instead, the shadows were absolutely motionless. It was as though the light of the torches had trapped and paralyzed them somehow.


    Sunny thought for a while, and that ordered his own shadow to stay back. The shadow did not protest �� in fact, it was visibly relieved. Taking a few exaggerated steps back, it merged with the deep darkness at the exit of the stairwell and waited there, glancing nervously at the strange motionless shadows from time to time.


    Sunny cautiously approached the black door and lowered the Midnight Shard into a protective stance. He was ready to face any sort of danger.


    ��But nothing attacked him.


    The only thing that happened was a sudden shill that run through Sunny''s body when he had entered the circle of light cast by the two ghostly torches.


    ''These torches are�� they are definitely some sort of a protective charm. I am almost sure that their power can harm even shadows.''


    The question he had to ask himself, though, was this �� were the torches meant to keep something from entering the space that hid behind the black door��


    Or were they meant to keep something in?


    Well�� there was only one way to find out.


    What Sunny was doing seemed absolutely crazy. But in fact, it was not. He had not come into this underground chamber just because of idle curiosity or because of being blinded by greed and the prospect of finding a treasure.


    What led him here and pushed him to study the black door was his intuition.


    By now, Sunny had to admit that his intuition was more than a mere manifestation of his subconscious. It had turned out to be correct one too many times.


    Especially ever since he had consumed the drop of ichor.


    After that day, he was able to sense the presence of divinity. And sometimes, he was even drawn to it �� like he was drawn to this cathedral and to the mysterious key that lay buried in the body of the Lord of the Dead. The two seemed connected��


    And Sunny felt that he was about to find out how and why.


    But it was not all his intuition was capable of. There were other aspects to it, too.


    In fact, Sunny suspected that it had more to do with his [Fated] Attribute than it had to do with the [Spark of Divinity.] If he were to guess, he would say that after he had been changed by the ichor, that Attribute was slightly enhanced, giving him the ability to sense subtle tremors that ran through the strings of fate from time to time �� the strings that were, apparently, tightly wrapped around his body.


    The combination of the change that happened to his eyes and his close relationship with those strings gave Sunny a slight affinity to revelations and fate �� similar to the one Cassie had possessed, but infinitely less potent.


    It was enough to guide him to this door and make him want to open it, nevertheless.


    Stepping close to the monolithic black door, Sunny gazed at it and came to the conclusion that not even an entire army would have been able to break through this monstrous barrier.


    There was, however, a small keyhole hidden on its dark surface.


    Pulling on the string tied around his neck, Sunny took off the small metal key that hung on it and gripped it tightly in his hand.


    After hesitating for a few moments, he carefully inserted the key into the lock of the black door.


    ��It fit perfectly. As soon as Sunny put the key into the lock, the faint light of divinity it emanated suddenly became a little bit brighter.


    Sunny sighed, then readied himself and turned the key.


    Something clicked inside the metal door, and then it silently opened. The pale light of the ghostly torches swayed, as though moved by an otherworldly wind.


    Behind the door, a small room was carved into the rock.


    And in it, a corpse in a dark mantle was chained to the floor inside a circle.


    Sunny couldn''t tell if the corpse belonged to a man or a woman, because there was a strange mask covering its face.


    The mask was made out of black lacquered wood and carved to resemble the face of a ferocious demon. Its teeth were bared, with four fangs protruding from its mouth. The mask was crowned with three twisted horns.


    Inside the black chasms of its eyes, there was nothing but utter darkness.

 Chapter 363: Citizen Sunny

    363 Citizen Sunny


    At first glance, the interior of the Instructors Lounge seemed simple and cozy. Most of the furniture was made out of wood, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Bright sunlight streamed through the tall windows, which were open slightly to let in the chilly winter air.


    However, his eyes widened slightly when Sunny realized that all the wood around him was natural, not synthetic.


    ''Extravagant! Wasteful!''


    Noticing his expression, Master Jet smiled slightly.


    "Let me guess, you have never seen that much real wood in one place?"


    Sunny hesitated, then gave her a nod.


    "Only in the Dream Realm��"


    The young woman grinned, moved a chair back with her foot, and sat down at one of the tables.


    "Where do you think all this came from?"


    He looked around, seeing the Instructors Lounge of the Academy from a completely new perspective, then silently sat down, lost for words.


    Master Jet summoned the menu, made a selection, then leaned back and tiredly rubbed her face.


    "Believe it or not, the chair you''re sitting on is made out of a dead titan."


    Sunny stared at her, shocked. Suddenly, he had a strong impulse to jump out of the chair.


    "...What?"


    She chuckled and gestured around:


    "All of this, actually. Back when Bastion was first established, it was surrounded by a vast �� and very hungry �� forest. The whole thing was one giant Nightmare Creature. Clan Valor spent decades at war with it, losing many knights. In the end, the forest was destroyed, leaving behind a lot of high-quality lumber. And here we are."


    Sunny scratched the back of his head, then cautiously knocked on the wooden table. The thing seemed dead, but he decided to remain alert, just in case.


    ...It had once been a part of a titan, after all!


    Soon, their food arrived. Sunny half-expected for it to be delivered by an actual Echo, but luckily, it was brought by a mundane automated server.


    Taking his plates off the motorized tray, Sunny stared at the feast in front of him with wild eyes. There were fried potatoes, baked beans, juicy roasted meat, a salad made out of real vegetables, a bowl of fragrant soup, several pieces of oven bread, butter, jam, and even chocolate pudding for dessert.


    It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.


    It was also his first time seeing some of these things in real life. Suddenly, the position of a research assistant once promised to him by Teacher Julius did not seem so unattractive.


    "Uh�� please excuse me��"


    Master Jet waved at him and concentrated on her own food. Not wasting any time on manners, Sunny assaulted his breakfast with the same level of ferocity as when battling Nightmare Creatures.


    ��Some time later, with his belly on the verge to bursting open, he pushed away empty plates and leaned back with a satisfied smile on his face.


    ''Ah�� this is life!''


    Master Jet glanced at him with a dry smile.


    "What did I tell you? This is where they hide the good stuff."


    Sunny looked at the empty plates with regret and sighed.


    "Yeah. Although after a year of eating almost nothing except for monster meat, I would have been satisfied even by synth paste."


    Her smile dimmed at the mention of the most common food in the outskirts.


    As two glasses of beautiful dark tea steamed in front of them, Master Jet sighed, then took out something from the inner pocket of her uniform. It was a small metal box with a sensor on its lid.


    Placing the box on the table, she looked at Sunny and asked:


    "You must be wondering why I visited you, right?"


    Sunny tilted his head slightly, stared at the metal box for a few seconds, and then answered in a cautious tone:


    "...Yes. To be honest, I am very curious."


    She nodded, then smiled reassuringly.


    "Don''t be nervous. It''s just a formality, and a very beneficial one, at that. Put your finger on the sensor."


    He hesitated, then did as she had told. The sensor buzzed for half a minute, and then a small green light ignited on the metal box. With a quiet click, it unlocked.


    Master Jet opened the box and took out several objects �� a slick communicator made out of flexible glass, a memory chip with the government seal etched on its surface, and a small iron badge with two stars engraved into it.


    Pushing them toward Sunny, she lingered for a moment, and then said in a light tone:


    "Congratulations, Awakened Sunless. You are now officially a citizen. Of the seventh rank, no less."


    Her words struck Sunny like a hammer. Silent, he stared at the three objects in front of him, his face not betraying even a hint of emotion.


    A citizen��


    Back in the outskirts, people lived and died dreaming of becoming one of the true citizens. That simple word hid so much meaning. Access to proper food, human rights, and better life. To all the things that none of them really had.


    To having a future.


    Very few of these people had ever gotten the chance to hear the word "citizen" in connection to their name. Being poor and lowly only led to becoming destitute and falling to the bottom. It rarely led to rising higher, let alone soaring to the peak.


    And here he was, not only becoming a citizen, but even jumping over all the steps and arriving at the very pinnacle of the social hierarchy in one go. Not just a citizen and not even one of high rank, but of the highest.


    ''Seventh rank�� there''s literally nothing higher.''


    Finally, his expression changed, becoming grim. Looking up at Master Jet, he asked in a somber tone:


    "I get it that I would be made a citizen after Awakening. But�� seventh rank? Isn''t that a little too much?"


    Master Jet laughed.


    "Sunless�� you don''t really know what you did, do you?"


    Sunny looked at her without humor, then said:


    "I''m pretty sure that I do, but please, enlighten me."


    She shook her head and sighed.


    "Listen�� of all the Sleepers that had returned from the Dream Realm in the last few years, there are only five whose files were marked as SS. And you are one of them."

 Chapter 465 Subjective Value

    After a while, Sunny and Effie returned to his home �� just in time to receive the delivery of the refrigerator. Two tall and broad-shouldered store workers unloaded it from the cargo hold of their delivery vehicle and placed the big box down with a bit of strain. After that, one of them smiled and asked:


    "Good day. Where should we put it?"


    Sunny waved a hand.


    "Ah, no need. I''ll do it myself."


    The loaders looked at him doubtfully, then simply shrugged and left after getting his signature.


    After the vehicle drove off, Sunny looked around, then easily lifted the heavy box and carried it inside the house without any effort whatsoever.


    Soon, the refrigerator was standing in the place where his old one used to be, the synthwood panels covering its doors blending in with the minimalist design of the kitchen. Effie and Sunny stared at it for a while, satisfied. Then, he said:


    "I like it�� a lot. "


    Effie smiled.


    "Yeah. Really ties the whole room together�� doesn''t it? Well, in any case, I hope you won''t break it again."


    After that, she yawned and said in a tired voice:


    "Ugh�� I''m beat. Time to retire to the Dream Realm. What about you?"


    Sunny thought for a few moments. Suddenly, a wide smile appeared on his face.


    "I have an errand to run, but after that, I am going in, too. Oh�� wait. Where are going to sleep?"


    Effie shrugged.


    "Your guest room, where else?


    He blinked.


    "Don''t you need a sleeping pod?"


    The former huntress giggled.


    "I have one. In your guest room. What? Why are you staring at me like that? Was I supposed to shuffle between the Academy and your comatose body every day?"


    Sunny lingered for a bit, then sighed.


    "Make sense. I guess I should have put one there, to begin with. What are the chances of me having mundane humans as guests?"


    Then, he waved Effie goodbye and headed for the door as she turned her wheelchair around and rolled toward the guest bedroom.


    He was very excited about what he was going to do.


    ***


    Some time later, Sunny was in a beautifully lit store, pushing a shopping cart forward and slowly filling it to the brim with all kinds of food, as well as some other things. He was quietly whistling a cheerful tune, imagining all this stuff going into his new fridge.


    The contents of the cart would have cost more than he could ever dream to make, back when he had been living in the outskirts. But now, he could not only afford it, but even do so without having to count his money or feel apprehensive about the cost. He could just�� buy as much he wanted, of any quality that he wanted, and bring it back home... his own home.


    Life had changed so much.


    After a while, he felt as though he got enough. Now that he had the Covetous Coffer, he could not only bring soul shards out of the Dream Realm�� but also bring stuff from the real world to the Chained Isles! That meant so much�� an unlimited amount of spices, all kinds of snacks to make the long days of exploring less dreadful, various little things to make himself more comfortable.


    Hell, if he wanted to, he could even bring a tent and sleep in it like a king!


    ''Incredible�� oh, this is simply incredible!''


    Of course, not all of these things could be bought in a general store. But he could visit other places or simply order stuff on the network.


    As he was heading for the registers, a familiar voice suddenly pulled him out of his thoughts.


    "...Mom! Can we get ice cream?"


    Sunny froze for a moment, then slowly turned his head and looked to his left, down a long aisle he was passing.


    There, a pale girl of around fourteen years was standing near a tall, graceful woman in her forties. An eight-year-old boy with blonde hair and a bright smile was pushing a tub of ice cream into her hands.


    Sunny watched Rain and her family for a few moments, then turned away and continued on his way, leaving them behind. A quiet sigh escaped from his lips.


    ''At least she''s doing fine. Well, of course she is. I''ve only been gone for a month. Why would anything happen simply because I wasn''t here?''


    He reached the register, then hesitated for a bit, and turned back.


    ��When he returned, there were several tubs of delicious ice cream added to his cart.


    ***


    As the light of dawn shined on the Chained Isles, Sunny appeared on the Altar Island of the Sanctuary of Noctis. He stared at the sky, grimaced at the absence of the moon, and headed toward his room.


    Some time later, though, he emerged from there with a peculiar wooden box following him with the help of eight small iron legs. With the Covetous Coffer in tow, Sunny walked into the garden, found a familiar rock, lifted the toothy box, and carefully placed it near himself.


    Then, he took out a single soul shard and put it where everyone could see.


    ? Soon, one of the Awakened noticed him and approached.


    "Ah, Sunny! You''re back? Looking to sell some shards again?"


    Sunny smiled.


    "Oh�� yes, sure. But hey! That''s not all. Brilliant Emporium has some new merchandise!"


    The Awakened looked at him with doubt, then asked:


    "Really? Like what?"


    Sunny''s grin grew wider.


    "How lucky that you happened to ask! Let''s see��"


    He put his hand inside the coffer, which then somehow disappeared into the comparatively small box up to the shoulder. Then, Sunny began taking out various items, speaking as he did so:


    "What do I have in store? Take a look for yourself�� toothpaste! Soft, clean underwear! Salt, pepper, and all kinds of spices! Personal hygiene products! Are you a woman? No? Have a female friend, then? What, really? Well, with the stuff I have here, that can be fixed. Oh, what is this? Would you look at that��"


    As more and more people gathered and stared at the absolutely mundane, but precious items that almost none of them had access to in the Dream Realm with something resembling lust in their eyes, Sunny''s own gleamed with greed.


    "By the way, Brilliant Emporium is also proud to announce the opening of a conveyance service�� want our dedicated staff to bring something specific from the real world? No problem! Want to send something to the real world instead? That''s not a problem, either. For just a small commission��"


    ''I am going to get rich. So, so rich!''


    Yes, soul shards were a rare commodity in the real world.


    But a good pair of underpants in the Dream Realm was, perhaps, even more valuable��

 Chapter 551 Slaves Inheritance

    The underground dojo was submerged in darkness, and as soon as Sunny willed the drop of ichor to manifest itself into reality, that darkness suddenly came to life. Countless shadows moved and danced around him, forming an invisible whirlpool. Their movements were strange and erratic, fraught with anticipation, excitement, and longing.


    Slowly, golden sparks of light appeared in the air in front of him and then shot toward a single point in space, coalescing into a small radiant dot. However, the Memory did not appear yet. Instead, more and more sparks flew into it, thousands upon thousands of them, until, at last, it seemed as though wide streams of brilliant golden light were constantly flowing into the slowly growing sphere of radiance.


    This continued for almost an entire minute, and when the sparks finally disappeared, a brilliant drop of golden liquid was floating in the air in front of Sunny. It was suffused with a beautiful light that didn''t seem blinding, but was somehow able to illuminate the entire expanse of the dojo.


    ��However, there was also something dark about the shining drop of divine blood. Contrasted against its golden radiance, the shadows around him were now suddenly much deeper, darker, and starkly pronounced. All their movement ceased, as though they were frozen still by awe and reverence.


    ''...That is Shadow God''s blood, alright.''


    Sunny forced himself to look away from the Drop of Ichor and summoned the runes describing it. He had to make sure that his guess was right.


    Tense with anticipation, he read:


    Memory: [Drop of Ichor].


    Memory Rank: unknown


    Memory Tier: unknown


    Memory Type: unknown


    ''Just like the last time��''


    Not surprised, he lowered his gaze and studied the string of runes that were his real goal:


    Memory Description: [Before, there was only boundless, eternal void. From that dark abyss, the -unknown- were born. Just like chaos itself, they were endless and everlasting, vast and forever changing. But then came desire, and with it came direction. From it, the gods were born.


    When gods appeared, the void was not eternal anymore.


    When gods appeared, the darkness was not endless anymore.


    When gods appeared, the chaos was not orderless anymore.


    The gods appeared, and brought with them war. This drop of divine blood was spilled by Shadow on one of the battlefields of that war, before the void was bound.]


    Sunny stared at the runes, flabbergasted.


    That was�� a lot to take in.


    ''So�� unlike the Unknown, the -unknown- were indeed a type of creatures. Primordial beings that existed before time, space, and even death itself, in a boundless dark void. And the gods were�� different from them. But also their kin?''


    At least it was clear now what terrible enemy the gods had faced long before the daemons and their rebellion. And why Shadow God had been compelled to create Death. How else would they be able to defeat eternal creatures? Were time, space, and other concepts Sunny had always thought to be absolute also created as weapons in the war of the gods against the -unknown-?


    ? At least it was easy to tell which side had emerged victorious. However...


    The most frightening detail was that the description never said that the primordial void had been destroyed. Only that it had been "bound".


    ...Was it still bound, now that the gods were dead?


    Sunny shivered and shook his head. The short description contained a vast amount of information, which had an even vaster amount of implications. He couldn''t encompass all that in a small span of time.


    ''Maybe after I consume the drop, I''ll learn more.''


    He hesitated, then glanced at the radiant drop of golden liquid once again.


    Immediately, the Spell spoke. This time, however, its voice did not sound subtly excited.


    ''Weird...''


    [You have acquired a drop of ichor. Do you wish to consume it?]


    Sunny sighed, remembering the agony of the previous two times he had decided to snack on a piece of divinity. Then, he gritted his teeth and said:


    "Yes."


    [...So be it.]


    ''What is that supposed to��''


    The golden drop suddenly separated into three equal parts, which then shot toward his chest, abdomen, and head. The radiant droplets entered his three Shadow Cores and disappeared, dissolving into the darkness of his soul.


    Sunny flinched.


    ''A��already?''


    The shadows surrounding him exploded with motion, and at the same time, the darkness inside of him seethed.


    He felt something entering his bloodstream, a cold and unfamiliar energy that brought with it both pain and euphoria.


    ''This�� this is it! It''s starting!''


    He lowered himself to the floor, preparing for the torturous process of transformation. The cold energy spread through his entire body, reaching every corner of it. It surged, on the cusp of assimilating into the very essence of his being��


    And then, something strange happened.


    Sunny opened his eyes wide in shock and horror.


    As the lineage of Shadow God flowed through his veins, Blood Weave suddenly surged, too. But its behavior was not at all normal, or caused by Sunny himself. It was acting of its own volition, and felt full of ominous, dark intent.


    ��And hunger.


    ''What?!''


    He was prepared for indescribable pain, but the pain never came. Instead, he could feel the cold energy being hungrily and ruthlessly devoured by the Blood Weave, like it had been starving for thousands of years.


    ''What the hell is happening?!''


    A sudden spasm ran through his body, and Sunny fell down with a short yelp.


    Inside of him, two forces were fighting for control over his very being. One was the lineage of Shadow God, and the other was Blood Weave. And despite the fact that one was complete and came from an actual divinity, while the other was fragmented and incomplete�� the forbidden inheritance of Weaver was winning.


    It was like a savage beast that sunk its teeth into the soft flesh of its prey and refused to let go.


    ''Stop! What are you...''


    ��And before he knew it, it was all over.


    The cold energy of Shadow God''s lineage was gone, and Blood Weave was back to its usual self, peaceful once again, as if nothing had happened.


    Peaceful, but yet�� stronger.


    As Sunny stared into the darkness in absolute shock, there was no announcement of him acquiring a new Attribute.


    Instead, the Spell said with a hint of dark satisfaction in its voice:


    [Blood Weave has evolved.]


    [Bone Weave has evolved.]


    [Ember of Divinity has evolved.]


    [...Your Memory has been destroyed.]


    Sunny remained silent for a long time, and then let out a furious, outraged scream:


    "...Weaver! You bastard!"

 Chapter 571 Dont Make A Sound

    Sunny stood motionlessly, gathering whatever strength he had left�� which was far too little. Cassie was silent, too, a tense expression on her pale face.


    With his vision compromised and his shadow sense limited to the circle of runes glowing around the cage, all Sunny could see was a blurry silhouette. He was almost sure that it was a human�� however, something about the dark figure was wrong.


    Utterly, terribly wrong.


    ...A strong smell of blood assaulted his nostrils.


    The silhouette swayed, and then took a step forward. The scraping sound resounded once again, coming from it. Sunny strained his eyes, and thought that he had noticed a slender sword being dragged behind the person. A hint of recognition appeared in his clouded mind, but in the next moment, a sudden burst of creaky, gurgling laughter threw his thoughts into a spin.


    Sunny shivered.


    ''That... voice��''


    The silhouette took another step forward, coming to the point where the flat surface of the floor gave place to the downward slope of the dome. Coincidentally, that was the moment when the dim glow of the runes finally reached it.


    Sunny flinched.


    ''C��curses��''


    A familiar face was looming in the darkness above him. Even through the haze clouding his sight, Sunny managed to recognize the arrogant sentinel who had locked them in this cage a long, long time ago.


    Only now, that cold and handsome man was nowhere to be seen.


    Instead, he looked broken and gaunt, his face contorted in a demented grin.


    But much worse than that��


    In the place where the sentinel''s eyes used to be, two bloody pits were gaping, crimson streams flowing down his cheeks like tears. His fingers were marred with blood, too.


    As Sunny recoiled, the Lost laughed again, and then suddenly clawed at his face, his laughter turning into a stifled groan, and then into a whisper:


    "...can''t get me anymore�� can''t, can''t... get me... I tricked him..."


    Then, the lunatic abruptly froze. Slowly, his head turned, and the bloody pits of his eyes stared directly at the cage. A moment later, a grimace of hatred appeared on his face.


    "You! You! It is all your fault, yours! You let him free!"


    Sunny felt weak and barely able to stand, and he was suffering too much to have any energy for fear. So, although it was obvious that the sentinel had returned to exact revenge and kill them, he didn''t mind.


    Instead, he welcomed it.


    ''Good�� good! Come�� come here then. Just come here and open the door. You cant try to kill me all you want. Just open the damned door, you wretch!''


    As long as the door was open, they could escape.


    The Lost swayed again, then made a move to step forward�� and stopped. His sword fell to the floor with a clang.


    ''Damn you!''


    ��Instead, a whirlpool of sparks swirled around his hands, and a curved bow appeared in them.


    Sunny''s heart grew cold.


    ''No, no, no...''


    The sentinel whispered:


    "Die, vermin��"


    With that, he drew the string of the bow. As soon as he did, a ghostly arrow appeared on it, its tip long and sharp as a razor.


    Sunny held his breath and stared at the tip of the arrow, then slowly turned his head and looked at Cassie, who stood motionlessly beside him. His face grew solemn.


    ''Don''t make a sound�� please, don''t make a sound��''


    A moment later, he heard the sound of the string, and saw the arrow streak above the blind girl''s shoulder, the wind throwing a few strands of her hair into the air, and shatter against the stones.


    Cassie flinched, but remained absolutely silent.


    The sentinel frowned.


    "Alive? I know that you are still alive�� but not for long, now��"


    He drew the bow again, and sent another ghostly arrow flying.


    This time, it flew mere centimeters above Sunny''s head. For the first time in his life, he felt actually thankful for his short stature��


    But the crazed Lost wasn''t done.


    Sunny turned his head and stared directly at him. A ghastly smile suddenly appeared on the sentinel''s face.


    "...got you now."


    He drew the bow again, and then lowered it, aiming directly at Sunny''s heart.


    Sunny did not move a muscle.


    A moment before the Lost released the string, something small and swift suddenly dashed toward him from behind, and bit his leg ferociously.


    ...It was the Covetous Coffer.


    Back when everything started, Sunny had left it in the interrogation room on purpose. He couldn''t control a Memory like he would an Echo, but the Coffer was still able to follow simple commands. The command it had received from Sunny in those moments was to hide, and then find him.


    And then wait.


    The poor thing had loitered near the locked door of the cell for several weeks, hiding every time anyone approached. And now, it was finally able to receive a new command.


    ''Attack!''


    The box scurried from its hiding place, reach the cell, and ran through the door on its eight short iron legs, just in time to sink its sharp triangular teeth into the sentinel''s heel. They easily pierced the steel of his armored boot. Blood spurted into the air, and with a surprised shriek, the man stumbled forward, fell, and rolled down the slope of the dome, crashing into the bars of the cage.


    The arrow flashed past Sunny, missing him by a hair''s breadth.


    But he did not care, already moving.


    As soon as the damage was done, Sunny dismissed the Covetous Coffer, and before the runes could devour the tiny amount of shadow essence returned to him by that act, sent all of it into his hurting muscles.


    And now, he was dashing up the slope toward where the Lost was trying to get back to his feet.


    Before he could, however, Sunny was already upon him.


    He thrust his hands through the bars, wrapped one arm around the man''s neck, pressed him against the cage, and used the other hand to lock him into a stranglehold.


    Sunny was weakened by the runes, the hunger, and the thirst�� but he still had three cores, and three shadows wrapped around his body. His strength was fueled by fury, desperation, and cold, murderous will.


    All of it was barely enough to hold the struggling sentinel in place.


    The two men struggled furiously, one trying to break free, the other trying to squeeze the very life out of his enemy. Sunny used everything he had, and then a bit more, strangling the Lost with all the strength he had left in his gaunt, starved body. He knew that there was not going to be another chance. He had to kill this man in order to survive.


    ��And even more important than that, he simply wanted to.


    So, he bit his lip, feeling drops of blood flowing into his dry mouth, and pulled, pulled, pulled.


    After what felt like an eternity, when his vision had gone almost entirely black and his muscles were on the verge of collapsing, he felt something snap under his grip, and then the body of his enemy suddenly grew limp.


    The sentinel was dead��


    Probably��


    Sunny let out a shaky breath, let go of the man''s corpse, and fell back, sliding down to the center of the dome.


    He couldn''t stand up anymore.


    In truth, he couldn''t even open his eyes. Not that he would be able to see anything. The fight had taken the last of his strength.


    His chest rose and fell, every breath sending a wave of agony through his body. He didn''t think that he could move.


    ''...I''m done.''


    Through the haze, Sunny heard someone walk unsteadily past him, and some time later, a loud click. Then, two small, weak hands grabbed him by the shoulders, and Sunny felt himself being dragged across the cold stones.


    He didn''t quite understand what was happening.


    However�� soon, his whole body shuddered, and a dark grin slowly appeared on his face.


    A raging, revitalizing flood of shadow essence was flowing into his three cores.


    ...He was free!

 Chapter 805 Conversation With A Mirror

    When his reflection suddenly spoke; Sunny flinched and jumped back; A startled expression appeared on his face;


    He stared at the mirror with wide eyes, then cursed and remained silent for a few seconds; Finally, Sunny uttered through gritted teeth;


    "I did not know; I just developed a habit of saying random rubbish to mirrors in case something like this happens; Who knew that this time you would actually turn up?!"


    Mordret, who disturbingly wore his face, blinked a couple of times, then laughed;


    "So it was a bluff? Goodness�� I can''t believe I fell for this trick;"


    ? Sunny''s reflection shook its head.


    ��Sunny himself. who felt incredibly troubled by the sight of his own likeness being inhabited by the Prince of Nothing. sucked in a breath of air. and then hissed:


    "What are you even doing here? Have you entirely lost your mind?! This is the stronghold of Clan Valor!"


    Mordret shrugged.


    "Why? Can''t I visit my own clan''s ball?"


    Sunny suppressed the desire to palm his face;


    "Not if you want to live!"


    But then again; why would he care if Mordret lived or died? Actually; it would have been wonderful if the troublesome mirror wraith was caught and either destroyed or imprisoned again by his mighty family; Sunny would have one less headache if they did;


    Unless Mordret decided to trade away his secrets, of course;;;


    ''Damnation!''


    The Prince of Nothing. meanwhile. waved his hand dismissively.


    "Ah; don''t worry so much; Sunless; I am not here to do anything; I just wanted to take a peek at the festivities; No one will notice;"


    Judging by his confident smile; Mordret was sufficiently certain of that statement; This probably meant that he had acquired at least one potent anti-divination tool; Well�� the mere fact that the great and mighty clan Valor had failed to track him down; yet; already hinted at that possibility;


    If not for Sunny''s random shot in the dark, no one would indeed have noticed the transient reflection;


    Mordret looked at him and lingered for a few moments. Then. he said in a pensive tone:


    "You know; Sunless�� for someone who keeps denying his ties with the great clans; you sure brush sides with them a lot;"


    Sunny was so outraged that he lost the gift of speech for a second;


    "And whose fault is that, you bastard?! If you didn''t involve me in your mess, I would have been living happily ever after somewhere else!"


    ''Well�� probably;''


    Mordret awkwardly coughed. Then. he regained his composure and said with a bit of reproach:


    "I already apologized, didn''t I? In any case�� complications or not, you should choose your friends carefully, Sunless;"


    Sunny glared at the reflection for a bit.


    "Am I having a d��j�� vu? I swear I just had this exact conversation with someone else a few minutes ago; You did not steal Seishan''s body by any chance; did you?"


    Mordret tilted his head a little.


    "I don''t think so? Uh... who is Seishan?"


    Sunny opened his mouth, then frowned.


    ''No�� he wouldn''t have.''


    The damned lunatic was already being hunted by one great clan. Killing an heiress of another would do him no good.


    "An�� acquaintance of mine. Never mind about her."


    Mordret smiled.


    "If you say so. I must say. you do have a lot of interesting acquaintances."


    A curious expression appeared on the reflection''s face.


    "That Changing Star is... rather fascinating. To think that the Immortal Flame clan was able to return to a semblance of its former glory... and with the help of a young Dreamspawn, no less! Maybe I should take her body, instead. What do you think, Sunless? Should I?"


    He was obviously probing to get a reaction out of Sunny, but luck was not on his side. Sunny simply shrugged and said indifferently:


    "Be my guest."


    It seemed as if he was absolutely disinterested in whether Mordret would kill and replace Nephis or not.


    Of course, he wasn''t�� not really. He just thought that the Prince of Nothing would dearly regret trying to consume Changing Star''s soul. Not only was she a Tyrant, which would make battling her a nightmare, he also suspected that her soul possessed its own formidable defenses.


    Nephis had already hinted that the lineage of Sun God strengthened it somehow. But that only accounted for the quantity of her force. There was also the quality�� Sunny had a hunch that Mordret would be burning himself alive if he tried to invade her radiant Soul Sea.


    ''Wouldn''t that be a sight to see?''


    He glanced at his reflection, then said coldly:


    "Is this all you wanted to say? Because if that''s it�� I have a ball to return to."


    Then, Sunny scoffed and added:


    "And by the way, didn''t you give a very pompous speech about how I should pray to never meet you again, the last time we saw each other? Kind of presumptuous of you to then go ahead and place yourself straight in my sights. In a bathroom, of all places!"


    Mordret''s smile paled a little.


    "Ah, that�� I did not forget about that, Sunless. Truth be told, I am still very peeved about what you have done. Come to think of it, maybe I should do something to lessen my frustration. Say, which of your friends do you value the least?"


    Sunny''s fist slammed in the mirror, shattering it. Mordret laughed, staring at him from the shards. His face�� Sunny''s face�� became distorted by the cracks.


    "Oh, Sunless, Sunless�� so passionate��"


    Sunny stared at the broken mirror for a few moments, then said through gritted teeth:


    "I value all my friends, you bastard. Affection is not something you can assign a numerical value to, and then compare which number is bigger�� well, you wouldn''t know, I guess. Not only do you care about no one, no one has most likely ever cared about you, either."


    He took a step forward and stared directly at his reflection.


    "You like to talk big, Mordret, and make it seem as if I should be afraid of you. But that is true the other way around, too. I can be scary when I want to, too. Think long... and think hard... before making me your enemy. Or you will learn to fear the shadows."


    Mordret stopped laughing and looked at him silently for a few long moments. His smile slowly disappeared.


    After a few moments of silence, the Prince of Nothing sighed.


    "We understand each other, then. Let''s not become enemies, Sunless. Crushing you won''t bring me any joy."


    With that, he disappeared, as if he had never been there. The reflection still looked the same, but the alien presence seemed to be gone from it.


    All that remained was a broken, distorted, angry image of Sunny.


    He grimaced, and then turned away.


    ''We''ll see who crushes whom, bastard. If time comes��''

 Chapter 806 A Dance Of Light And Shadow

    After returning to the dancing hall; Sunny saw it in a new light; His perception had shifted; making everything seem darker and more dangerous; He had already been apprehensive about the crowd of guests; but now; every one of them looked like a potential threat;


    Mordret might have said that he was not planning to do anything and had just come to take a look, but could the banished prince be trusted? As far as Sunny was concerned, the lunatic could have been on his way to publicly assassinate one of his relatives, or slaughter as many as he could, right now;


    Much worse. he could be hiding inside of anyone; Every guest was a potential host; Every mundane human. every Awakened. every Master�� none of them were beyond suspicion;


    Even Saints were not off the list, perhaps;


    Sunny suppressed a groan.


    ''Curse it all��''


    There were two carriers of Divine Aspects in the world that had made it their life''s goal to destroy the great clan Valor at all costs. And now, both of them were in this building!


    Even if nothing happened. the threat alone made him itchy;


    The great hall where dozens of beautiful pairs danced suddenly did not look as splendid;


    Turning around. Sunny looked at Nephis. lingered for a few moments. and then walked in her direction with steady steps;


    As he came close, he offered her a hand and asked;;;


    "Shall we dance?"


    Neph looked at him in confusion for a couple of seconds, then shrugged and placed her hand in his.


    Together. they walked to the middle of the hall; Sunny put his second hand on her waist. while she put hers on his shoulder; Suddenly. they were extremely close to each other;


    Sunny''s heart skipped a beat.


    ��It was in moments like this one that he missed having two;


    Without wasting any time; Sunny led Neph into a dance; It wasn''t too hard�� he just had to listen to the music and repeat what the other dancers were doing; With his proficiency in Shadow Dance; understanding the logic and cadence of their movements was incredibly easy for him;


    Although Sunny was dancing for the first time in his life; he looked more comfortable and adept at it than most of the guests; Changing Star seemed like a natural; too; Perhaps it was due to her own combat mastery; or perhaps she had received lessons as an heiress of a Legacy clan; In any case; almost instantly after they started the dance; the pair caught a lot of admiring stares;


    Sunny did not care; He had much bigger problems on his mind;


    Trying to not let her closeness affect him too much and failing at it. he waited for a bit and gathered his thoughts. Finally. Sunny said. his voice drowned by the music and the hum of the great hall:


    "I''ve been meaning to ask��"


    The time to hide his head in the sand was over;


    Nephis silently raised an eyebrow, prompting him to continue.


    "...What, exactly, are you planning to do today? You know that Valor won''t take no for an answer. They want to have all of us, but if that is not possible, they''ll only settle for getting at least one. That way, they''ll be assured that the rest of us won''t join a rival faction. So�� which one of us is going to become a retainer of the great clan Valor?"


    Changing Star lingered for a while, allowing him to lead her in the dance. Her hand rested easily on his shoulder.


    After a few steps, she suddenly asked:


    "You don''t really understand, do you?"


    Sunny did not frown, but his eyes suddenly became darker.


    "I don''t? What is it that you think I don''t understand?"


    A somber expression slowly appeared on her face.


    "Valor and Song are not rival factions, Sunny. They''re warcamps."


    As they spun under the light of beautiful chandeliers, she leaned even closer and said:


    "I''ve studied the facts for a long time after returning to the waking world. The ripples caused by the death of Saint Cormac, the subtle machinations that happen in the darkness, the growing imbalance of power between Bastion and Ravenheart�� even the timing of Seishan challenging the Second Nightmare. It all paints a clear picture."


    A slight scowl appeared on Sunny''s face.


    "What are you trying to say?"


    Nephis sighed.


    "I am trying to make you see that the conflict between the great clans has grown into something more than mere disagreement. They are at war�� or rather, they will be soon."


    Sunny felt her hand growing tense in his own.


    "War? Wait�� what does a war between great clans even look like?"


    Changing Star shook her head.


    ? "Something like that has never happened before. So�� who knows? Three things are certain, however. It will be hidden. It will be bloody. It will claim the lives of many people."


    He suddenly felt cold.


    ''Damned Legacies�� Antarctica is about to fall, and they choose that exact moment to lunge at each other''s throats! Bastards!''


    Sunny remained silent for several steps, and then looked at Nephis intently:


    "Alright. But what does it have to do with us?"


    She suddenly gripped his shoulder tighter and met his gaze. Cold, dangerous white sparks were dancing in her eyes.


    "Don''t you see? It has everything to do with us."


    Sunny stopped himself from snarling.


    "I don''t! Nephis�� whether the great clans are embroiled into a secret war or not does not change anything. You are still too small and weak to openly oppose them. Please, tell me that you understand that. You were the one who said that the�� that these people are too strong. That their power is too absolute."


    Changing Star stared at him for a while, her face turning impassive. After a few moments of silence, she said:


    "I remember. I understand."


    She looked down, and then added:


    "Which is why�� which is why the answer to your question might not be what you want to hear, Sunny. You asked me which one of us will become a member of the great clan."


    Nephis raised her head and looked him straight in the eyes. Then, she said evenly:


    "It''s me. I will join Valor."

 Chapter 807 From Within

    When Sunny heard what Nephis had to say, he almost stepped on her foot. His rhythm was broken, making it difficult to remain in the flow of the dance. He narrowly avoided stumbling, regained his composure, and threw a burning gaze at her.


    "What?"


    Her expression did not change.


    "You heard me."


    Sunny opened his mouth, lingered for a moment, then simply turned around and pulled her by the hand. Despite the fact that many people stared at this sudden turn of events, he cut through the dancing guests, forcing Neph to follow. They left the middle of the great hall, then disappeared from the central chamber entirely.


    Finding himself in a corridor that ran along the length of the dancing hall, Sunny walked swiftly, searching for an empty room. Eventually, he had to settle for a kitchen of sorts. Several chefs and their assistants were busy preparing more refreshments for the guests of the ball�� or rather, they had been.


    Even before Sunny entered the room, the shadows inside suddenly moved and grew darker, startling the kitchen staff. Throwing a heavy glance at them, he said in an even voice:


    "Leave."


    The chefs stared at the two Masters in confusion for a couple of moments, then silently backed away and left through a different door, their faces pale.


    Sunny and Nephis were left alone.


    He waited for a bit, then let go of her hand and outstretched his own. A strange flute carved of emerald bone appeared in it from a swirl of sparks. Sunny brought it to his lips and blew into the hole.


    Surprisingly, no sound came out of the flute. Instead, it seemed to have absorbed all sounds, enveloping them in a cone of silence. Now, no one would have been able to listen in on their conversations.


    Sunny''s shadows also kept watch outside the kitchen, just to make sure.


    Finally, he turned to Nephis and snarled:


    "You? Join Valor? What�� what the hell?!"


    Changing Star sighed, then took a step back and leaned on the wall. Then, she spoke in her usual calm, steady voice:


    "Why are you so surprised?"


    Sunny stared at her in stunned silence. Then, he shook his head.


    "What about your great goals? After all the crazy stunts you pulled, after all that talk about wishing to bring the three ghouls to their knees and destroy them�� you are just going to join them?"


    Neph''s eyes grew somber.


    "My plans did not change, Sunny."


    He frowned.


    "So you are going to destroy Valor, but you are also going to become one of their own. Don''t you see the contradiction?"


    She looked at him intensely, then said with boiling, but suppressed emotion in her voice:


    "There is no contradiction. On the contrary, this is the only way I can advance my goals."


    Nephis took a step forward and pierced him with a searing gaze.


    "The Sovereigns are, indeed, too strong. Their power is, indeed, too fearsome. And I am truly too weak to contend with them�� for now. However, they will fall by my hand, in the end. Did you hope that two years of being lost in the Dream Realm would have dulled my resolve? Did you think that I would give up?"


    Sunny shook his head with a dark expression.


    Changing Star smiled.


    "No�� my resolve was only made sharper. I spent so many days, so many nights thinking about how to move forward and bring these old monsters down. It was not too hard to realize that if my own strength is not enough, I have to borrow it from someone else. Whose strength should I borrow, then? Ah, but that is so obvious. If the Sovereigns are so powerful, why would I not use their own power to destroy them?"


    Sunny blinked slowly.


    "So�� divide and conquer? This is your great plan?"


    Nephis shrugged.


    "They are already divided. I have to thank you for that, by the way. Although the conflict between Valor and Song had been brewing for a long time, the sudden appearance of the Dreamer Army made it worse. But most of all, the death of Saint Cormac and the return of the banished Prince of War was what finally made it intolerable for the great clans."


    He scowled.


    "What? What does Mordret have to do with any of this?"


    Changing Star smiled darkly.


    "He is in the same position as me. Which means that he will do the same thing as me. He would have sought out a way to use one of the Sovereigns against the other, too."


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    Mordret had a vendetta against his two fathers�� both the one who had spawned him and the one who had raised him. That left only��


    "Don''t tell me�� is that lunatic going to join forces with the Song clan?"


    Nephis nodded with satisfaction.


    "I would be surprised if he did not already. And if I can come to that conclusion, then that means that Valor knows, as well. Why do you think the strife between the two great clans has suddenly grown so dire? Valor has fewer Saints. Thanks to Seishan, Valor has fewer promising Awakened seeds. And now, one of their most formidable creations has joined hands with the adversary. How do you think they''ll react?"


    Sunny looked at her grimly.


    "...Not well."


    Changing Star lingered for a few moments, then nodded.


    "But that is what puts me in a unique position. Yes, I am small and weak. Yes, my individual strength is more or less insignificant. However, because of how disadvantaged the great clan Valor is�� they desperately need me. My value in this situation is disproportionate to what it would have been otherwise. Which is why they are ready to put aside their desire to see me dead, and are willing to embrace me instead."


    Sunny scoffed.


    "That is all great. But why would you want to embrace them, too? Wouldn''t it be better to stay away and watch as the two great clans maul each other, then swoop in and finish off the weakened victor?"


    Nephis shook her head.


    "No matter how much one of the great clans weakens, its armor would still be too strong and impenetrable for me to break through it."


    He raised an eyebrow.


    "So, what?"


    Changing Star looked at him, cold white flames dancing in her eyes.


    "So I won''t try to. Instead, I''m going to bypass the armor and attack them from within."

 Chapter 808 A Long-Awaited Conversation

    Sunny grimaced.


    What Nephis had said made sense�� as much as the word "sense" could be applied to her.


    Changing Star wanted to destroy the Nightmare Spell, and the Sovereigns were in her way. Just like Gunlaug, the ruthless tyrant of the Bright Castle, they had seemingly given up on pursuing liberation from the Spell, and instead settled for the great power that it had already bestowed upon them.


    What was worse, they were holding others back from rising high enough to threaten their position�� at least that was how it looked from below. Perhaps the Sovereigns had other reasons for their despotism and inaction, but Sunny had no way of knowing if they did.


    Not that it mattered to Nephis. To her, they were simply an obstacle that had to be destroyed. Her personal desire to avenge the Immortal Flame clan and bring retribution to those who had betrayed her father only made the task sweeter.


    However, her enemies were much too strong. She would only be able to challenge them if she became Supreme herself, but the path to Supremacy was guarded by the very people she needed to destroy. Faced with this dead end, she had decided to use the Sovereigns'' own power to vanquish them.


    She also wanted to infiltrate the ranks of her enemy and put herself in the position to attack one of the great clans from within, when the time came.


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh.


    "So, let me get this straight. You are going to join Clan Valor, fight for them until Clan Song is destroyed to earn Anvil''s trust, then turn your blade against him?"


    Nephis lingered for a few moments, then shrugged.


    "More or less. Why?"


    He rubbed his face.


    "This is a terrible plan! There are more holes in this plan than in Swiss cheese�� whoever Swi is. Who says that Valor will win this war? Who says that Anvil will ever treat you as anything but a latent threat? Do you think that he is a fool? Surely, he knows how much you have to hate his guts!"


    Changing Star looked at him calmly.


    "I do. I say who wins. I say whether he trusts me or not. It all depends on me, does it not? If I want the great Song clan to fall, I have to make sure that it falls. If I want to win Anvil''s favor, I have to make sure that he favors me. I am not a passive observer in this, Sunny. I have agency to shape the future into what I want it to be�� or at least try to. Sure, the chances of success are poor. But when were the odds ever on our side?"


    Sunny scoffed, then shook his head.


    "I''ll give you that. Our luck was always terrible. However, there is a difference between being thrown into overwhelming danger against your will and deciding to put yourself at risk of your own volition. Unlike before, we don''t have to be underdogs. You are choosing this!"


    Nephis shook her head, as well.


    "That is where you are wrong, Sunny. Do you really think that I have any choice? Do you think that I can turn back now? That the Sovereigns will ever let me be? No�� it is too late for that. It is as you said, Valor are determined to have their pound of flesh. All I can choose is where they sink their teeth."


    He glared at her for a few moments, then spat:


    "Aren''t you forgetting something?"


    Looking at him, Changing Star frowned.


    "What?"


    Sunny took a step forward.


    "Me! You are forgetting me! I have a say in this too, goddammit!"


    She remained silent for a while. Eventually, Nephis said:


    "I am not forcing you to do anything. You don''t have to follow me to Valor if you don''t wish to."


    A crooked smile appeared on his face.


    "Oh, great! But is this really true? There is a certain bond between us, after all. I am only free to do as I wish until you decide otherwise. Who knows if you mood will change one day?"


    Neph stared at him for a few long seconds. Then, she sighed and crossed her arms.


    "Ah, so this is what it''s all about."


    Sunny gritted his teeth, then said slowly:


    "Since we are talking about it, let''s talk. This conversation was a long time coming. So, Nephis, tell me�� what are you going to do with your power over me?"


    Her face remained impassive. Neph looked at him coldly for a moment, and then said:


    "...Nothing. I will never order you to do something for me, ever again."


    Sunny was already opening his mouth to retort before she finished speaking, but then froze. He stood still for a few moments, then let out a long breath.


    "Well�� good. Because if you ever tried, one of us would have died. That is not a threat, just a fact."


    Suddenly, white sparks ignited in Changing Star''s eyes. She leaned forward slightly and said, her voice full of barely suppressed emotion:


    "And do you know why?"


    Suddenly feeling a sense of unease, Sunny frowned.


    "No, I can''t say that I do. Why?"


    She took a step forward and stopped in front of him, almost as close as they had been during their dance. Her face was still, but her eyes were full of searing flame.


    "...Because I don''t need anyone to follow me against their will. I don''t need a magical collar to make people serve me. I don''t need slaves. That is not enough for me, Sunny. Why should I settle for submission when I can have loyalty? People who will follow me, serve me, and obey me will do so because that is their most ardent desire. They will do so with a smile. If I ever want to make you mine, Sunny, you will become mine �� not because you were forced to, but because you would want to. That... is also a fact."


    He stared at her for a few moments, startled by the sudden intensity of her words. Then, a stubborn expression appeared on his face:


    "Aren''t you too full of yourself? Who do you think you are, to decide what I want?"


    Nephis looked at him, then turned away and sighed.


    "I am... I am the person who knows you best in the world, Sunny. Two worlds, even."


    She lingered for a few moments, and then added quietly:


    "As I said, I will never force you to do anything. But whether you like it or not, our fates are intertwined. And that bond has nothing to do with your Innate Ability. In truth, they were entangled the moment we met, in front of the Academy gates. We just did not know it yet. You can''t escape it."


    ''Can''t�� escape�� fate?''


    Sunny looked at Nephis for a long time, and then smiled darkly.


    "Watch me."


    With that, he dismissed the bone flute, turned around, and left the kitchen.


    Entering the corridor, Sunny walked away. His nostrils were flaring, and his face were contorted by an expression of anger.


    As he walked, he took out his communicator and dialed a familiar number.


    After some time, a female voice resounded from the speaker:


    "Sunny? What a nice surprise. It''s good to hear from you."


    He hesitated for a few moments, and then took a deep breath.


    Then, Sunny smiled and answered in a friendly tone:


    "Master Jet? Hey�� I have a question for you."


    He paused for a second, and then asked:


    "...How cold is it in Antarctica?"

 Chapter 809 True Strength

    Sunny was riled and angry. Once again, talking to Nephis made him lose his sense of balance.


    ��However, the decision he made was not an emotional one.


    He had enough composure to keep a clear head even while being affected by seething feelings. Years of battles and dire conflicts had taught him how to keep a cool head.


    So, his choice was cold and calculated.


    Two things had become clear during the conversation.


    The first one was very simple �� Nephis intended to join the great clan Valor, while Sunny didn''t want to have anything to do with it.


    It was one thing to become a retainer of a powerful and prosperous clan in order to make use of its vast knowledge, arsenal, and resources. Despite his strong desire to remain independent, Sunny had entertained the idea himself.


    However, it was a completely different thing to join an embattled clan that was on the verge of entering a destructive and bloody war against a similarly fearsome adversary. To add insult to injury, Valor was on the losing end of the equation. Their enemy, the great clan Song, held all the advantages.


    And even worse than that was the idea of joining a warring faction with conscious plans of betraying it further down the line. Nephis was more than willing to eventually face not one, but both great clans in battle.


    She had her goals and conviction, but Sunny just wanted to be left alone. He saw no reason to follow her into the dragon''s maw. More than that, with her joining Valor, the initial condition that had forced him into the damned negotiations in the first place was resolved.


    Since Valor was willing to settle for recruiting just one member of the cohort, and Changing Star was willing to play the role of the recruit, then why the hell would he follow suit?


    In short, despite all the contradictory feelings raging in Sunny''s heart, the situation was rather straightforward. There was no compelling reason for him to enter into service of the great clan, but there was a convenient opportunity for him to take a step back and walk away. He would be a fool not to use it.


    ��Of course, in reality, things were a bit more complicated.


    What Changing Star had said might have angered him, but she was not wrong. Their fates did, indeed, seem to be intertwined.


    From being born in the same year to receiving Divine and complementing Aspects, from meeting at the gates of the Academy to being sent to the same small patch of the Forgotten Shore�� whether by coincidence or not, their connection went far beyond the tether of the Shadow Bond.


    Sunny had a strong suspicion that his intrinsic Attribute, [Fated], had a lot to do with placing Nephis in his path. And as much as Sunny wished to defy fate, he was not arrogant enough to think that he was ready to break its chains just yet.


    He could already see how, no matter what he did, he would not be able to escape colliding against Changing Star again. She had been right when she said that escaping the notice of the great clans entirely was impossible for them �� more so for her, but also true for Sunny.


    With his meteoric rise, his Special Strategic Asset designation, and his connection to both Nephis and Mordret �� not to mention Shadow God and Weaver �� coming into contact with the Sovereigns and their Domains was just a matter of time. Even if Neph joined Valor and Sunny did not, they would most likely meet again soon enough.


    The question, then, was more about the nature of their future relationship than whether it would exist or not.


    So�� what could Sunny do to shape it into something that had a semblance of corresponding to his desires?


    Perhaps the most important revelation that had resulted from their conversation was the nature of Neph''s intentions toward Sunny and her power over him.


    Sunny had spent several weeks burying his head in the sand and avoiding this pivotal discussion. As the result, those weeks had been�� perhaps some of the nicest in his life. However, his actions had also caused everything to blow up in his face in the end.


    Nephis had said in no uncertain terms that she had no intention of ever issuing another order to him. Not because of any moral consideration�� but simply because it was beneath her.


    Changing Star had no need for an unwilling slave. She disdained the idea of forcing anyone to obey her. Instead, she planned to have people follow her of their own free will. Instead of enslaving anyone, she preferred to have people enslave and bind themselves by their desire to serve her.


    Neph had told him that she would never force him to do anything. But she also seemed to be certain that he would follow her willingly, in the end.


    And that, to Sunny, was the core problem of the dynamic between them.


    He believed that Nephis valued him. She even respected him. But despite all that, she still saw him as a follower.


    ��And a follower could never be an equal.


    ''Damn it.''


    Worst of all, her stance was not baseless.


    Sunny couldn''t help but think back to his conversation with Effie. The huntress had told him once that he would never be stronger than Changing Star, because Changing Star had something that he lacked.


    Conviction.


    Sunny had been tempted to dismiss her well-meant, but biting remark. However, he could not dismiss the fact that despite all his desperate attempts, despite him almost killing himself several times to catch up to Nephis, there was still a noticeable gap in power and accomplishment between them.


    He did not think that he lacked determination. Gods knew that very few people have pushed themselves as hard, and endured as much, as he had.


    But his last conversation with Changing Star had finally given Sunny an inkling of what it was exactly that he lacked.


    As far as Sunny saw it, his determination was no less intense than Neph''s. However, all his goals were internal. All he did was react to things. He did not strive to reach anything, instead, he only strived to avoid and get away from things. Get away from danger, from poverty, from fate itself�� he had always been reactive.


    Neph, on the contrary, had always been active. She had always pursued a goal that was larger than herself. As the result, her conviction pushed her forward like an external force, while Sunny was stuck trying to pull himself up with nothing propelling him forward.


    That was why he was destined to always lag behind. Selfish desire to attain material wealth and live free would never be able to push him as hard and as far as Changing Star''s insane and unattainable dream was pushing her.


    ��At least that was his current thinking.


    Maybe it was all senseless crap.


    In any case, Sunny was determined to try and find an equally powerful motivation. Either it would help him, or it would not�� however, no matter what happened, he was not satisfied being seen as a valued follower instead of an equal. He was still determined to grow stronger, much stronger, and if conviction was what it took to speed up his progress, he was willing to give it a try.


    Where was one supposed to find conviction, though?


    Well�� Sunny was pretty sure that attempting to save hundreds of millions of people in Antarctica was a good place to start.


    That was where he was going to go in search of true strength.

 Chapter 810 Secret Gift

    A couple of days later, Sunny was staring at his living room with a strange expression on his face.


    Everything had already been settled. He was leaving on another long expedition�� this time, in the waking world instead of the Dream Realm. Somehow, it promised to be even more of a nightmare.


    ''Well, whatever.''


    High matters of fate and conviction aside, Antarctica was still a perfect place for him to grow stronger. Now that Sunny was a Master, it was not as easy for him to gather shadow fragments. Only Fallen Nightmare Creatures and those more powerful would do.


    Finding swarms of them was a task in and of itself, and the Southern Quadrant that was about to be devoured by an endless horde of abominations offered a perfect opportunity. Not only would he be able to work toward becoming a Tyrant, test his mettle, and sharpen his skill, there would also be plenty of soul shards for him to collect, which he needed to continue practicing weaving.


    So, Sunny was supposed to be gathering his things and preparing to leave.


    The thing was�� that he had already done that before the ball, just in case he would have to run away in haste. Sunny had prepared so thoroughly that he could just walk out of the door and disappear right now.


    ''Huh. Weird.''


    He sighed and then checked the refrigerator again, just to make sure that he did not leave anything that could spoil there.


    ''Nope, all clean.''


    His communicator vibrated, then displayed a notification. The title of a network article appeared in view:


    "Breaking news! A young hero is adopted by the brother-in-arms of her late father. Changing Star joins hands with the great clan Valor!"


    The corner of his mouth twitched.


    At that moment, the door opened, letting in Effie and Kai. The two looked around, noticing the condition of the house. A few moments later, the huntress shook her head.


    "Damn�� you are really leaving?"


    Sunny closed the refrigerator, then walked over and patted her on the shoulder.


    "I am."


    Effie stared at him for a couple of moments, then sighed.


    "And you''re still not going to tell us where?"


    He smiled.


    "Ah, I''m not at liberty to say. Don''t worry, though. You''ll probably learn in about a month."


    She blinked.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    Sunny waved a hand.


    "It just means that you''ll know soon."


    Effie remained silent for a few moments, then shrugged with irritation.


    "Well, alright. Be that way, then."


    Sunny hesitated for a bit. Finally, he asked:


    "What about you? And�� the others?"


    This time, it was Kai who answered:


    "You must have already seen the news. It hasn''t been officially announced yet, but a thing like that is hard to keep secret. Nephis is being adopted by Clan Valor. Cassie and the Fire Keepers will follow her as retainers. As for Effie and I�� well, to be honest, we haven''t decided yet."


    Sunny glanced at his friends with a somber expression.


    "What are you guys thinking?"


    Effie leaned on the wall and grimaced.


    "Ah, I don''t know. I was always thinking about becoming a Master, but weirdly, I never really thought about what I would do after. Those pompous Valor folks rub me the wrong way, but they do have a lot to offer. Plus, pretty much everyone I know is with them now."


    Kai smiled weakly.


    "I am even more lost. I didn''t even have thoughts of becoming a Master. Now that I am�� I want to do some good, I guess. It''s just hard to determine what is the best way to do it."


    Sunny lingered for a few moments. A heavy sigh escaped from his lips.


    "Well�� don''t be in a rush to make a decision. Wait for April, at least."


    It was February right now. By April, the collapse of Antarctica would be slowly starting, and the government would have already announced voluntary mobilization. Sunny had wanted to tell his friends about the approaching disaster, but Master Jet insisted on keeping it confidential, for now.


    He was not sure that Effie and Kai would want to go there, anyway.


    The two of them, meanwhile, glanced at each other. Then, Kai cautiously asked:


    "Does it have anything to do with your sudden departure?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "It does. Don''t ask anything else, though, or you''ll put me in an awkward position."


    Neither of them did, respecting his request.


    A strange silence settled between them. Finally, Sunny scoffed.


    "What are you guys doing? It''s not like we''re saying goodbye. I''m still anchored at the Ivory Tower, you fools. I can always hop in the Dream Realm and meet you there."


    Kai scratched the back of his head.


    "Oh�� yeah, true! I didn''t think about that."


    Sunny shook his head.


    "Same goes for Nephis and Cassie, since they''re not planning to move to Bastion yet. We might not be an active cohort anymore, but we''re still a big, dysfunctional family of sorts. I can guarantee that you won''t miss me. In fact, you''ll probably wish that I appeared in front of you faces less often."


    He grinned and then gestured to the door.


    "In any case, thanks for dropping by, but now I really have to go. I''m on a bit of a schedule."


    He walked them outside, then watched as they boarded a PTV and left. There were no emotional goodbyes, since what he had said was true. They would all be seeing each other in the Dream Realm often, no matter where they were in the waking world.


    So�� that meant that he had one last thing to do.


    Sunny sealed the house by inputting a security code into the lock panel, looked at it one last time, and walked to one of the neighboring buildings. He took out his communicator, sent a short message, and then waited for a bit.


    A minute later, a slightly surprised teenage girl walked out onto the porch, wearing cozy home clothes.


    "Sunny? Uh�� why are you here? We''re not supposed to have a lesson today?"


    He smiled, and then pointed to the backpack that hung from his shoulder.


    "Hey, Rain. I just came by to say that I''ll be going away again. This time, it might take a bit longer for me to return."


    Her expression subtly changed.


    "Oh."


    She remained silent for a while, then asked in a guarded, tentative voice:


    "Is�� is it going to be dangerous again?"


    Sunny shrugged with a carefree expression.


    "Dangerous? Well, I guess. I''m pretty certain that I can handle it, though. I''m a pretty tough guy. So, don''t worry."


    He sighed, and then added:


    "Plus, I am staying in the real world this time. You can message me whenever. The network connection is going to be patchy where I''m going, so I might not be able to answer immediately. I will eventually, though. That''s a promise."


    Finally, she relaxed a little.


    "Really? That''s great!"


    He nodded. After hesitating for a few moments, Sunny took a step closer and said:


    "...You are going to turn sixteen in a couple of months, Rain. That means that you have to be ready. You might be chosen by the Spell, or you might not. In any case, I think that you are sufficiently prepared."


    He fell silent for a bit, and then added:


    "I taught you as much as I could. The rest depends on you. Keep practicing with your sword. Keep sharpening your mind, as well. Most importantly, keep working on your mentality."


    Rain looked at him and nodded seriously.


    "I will."


    ��She did not notice that something strange had happened in the spot where their shadows intersected. A massive, dark silhouette that resembled a stygian serpent flowed from Sunny''s shadow, then hid itself in hers.


    Sunny had invoked one of Soul Serpents Abilities.


    [Grace of Shadows] Ability Description: "The master of the Soul Serpent can grace another with the trust and companionship of their Shadow Guide. One should be careful whom they bestow with their grace; entrusting others with the loyalty of Shadows is the same as sharing one''s soul, and thus should not be offered lightly."


    He could not give Rain any Memories. Neither could he give her any Echoes. Rain did not possess an Aspect or a soul core to encompass them. She certainly did not possess a shadow core to receive one of his Shadows.


    But Serpent was different. [Grace of Shadows] allowed it to accompany anyone who had a shadow, including a mundane human. So, Sunny transferred Serpent to Rain and commanded it to hide itself unless the girl was in mortal danger.


    With the help of an Ascended Devil, she would be able to survive anything.


    Sunny knew that by providing Rain with his handicap, he might have been stunting her own growth. But he did not care. His sister did not have to grow strong, or die. He was more than capable of being strong for the both of them.


    Looking at her, he smiled.


    "Well, anyway. Don''t be a stranger. If you need advice, just message me. You''re my only student, after all, so if you suddenly die, my reputation will be ruined. No one will ever hire me as a tutor again!"


    Rain glared at him for a moment, then scoffed.


    "Why would I die? I''m too smart for that. You, however�� make sure not to die yourself. I won''t be able to brag that my tutor is a Master if you''re dead."


    Sunny grinned, then waved at her and turned away.


    It was time to leave the city where he had grown up, both for the first time and once again.

 Chapter 811 Train Ride

    Sunny had never thought that he would leave the city one day. He had barely ever thought that there was anything beyond the city, actually. More than that, for him, the city proper itself had always seemed like an alien land. His whole world used to start and end with the outskirts.


    Tens of millions of people who lived in the outskirts had a very special relationship with the wilderness beyond. They spent their lives much closer to it than real citizens, and were not separated from it by the tall barrier walls that encompassed powerful air filters. On one hand, it made them more attuned to the existence of the outside.


    On the other hand, they associated the outside with death, disease, and starvation on a much more visceral level. To them, the wilderness meant death in a very practical sense of the word, as opposed to distant and purely theoretical.


    That was why Sunny felt very weird as he stared at the train that was supposed to take him to the rendezvous point where Master Jet was supposed to to meet him.


    The long-range transcontinental train did not look anything like the light intracity ones Sunny was familiar with. It resembled a massive, heavily armored metal beast that stretched for hundreds and hundreds of meters, its long body composed of various bulky segments.


    There were passenger carriages, massive cargo carriages, various utility carriages, and even a mobile repair and fabrication unit capable of restoring damaged sections of the railway should the train encounter any hindrances on the way. Rows of large-caliber turret, automated cannons, and gun emplacements rose from the roof, manned by the railroad technicians and security officers.


    It was a fearsome, moving fortress. Anything less would not have been reliably safe, considering that the government rarely paid attention to the Nightmare Gates that opened away from population centers.


    Sunny studied the train curiously for a while, then went ahead and found the carriage he was assigned to.


    As a Master, he was entitled to ride in the lavishly furnished car meant for high-ranking citizens, government officials, and members of Legacy clans. He also got a whole cabin to himself. The cabin was comparable in size to his room at the Academy, but much better stocked and equipped.


    Sunny threw his backpack on a shelf and sat down near the window, enjoying the softness of an expensive-looking armchair. A strange expression appeared on his face.


    ''Well�� as far as wars go, this one is weirdly opulent so far.''


    Of course, he was sure that these luxurious conditions would not last long.


    No one had bothered him until the train started to move, slowly at first, then faster and faster. Soon, the familiar sights of the city and the outskirts flew by, and the great metal beast finally escaped into the wilderness.


    Sunny felt a solemn mood overcome his senses. Despite spending years of his life in the much more wild and untouched reaches of the Dream Realm, he somehow felt as if he was stepping outside human civilization for the first time. He held his breath as the various human-built structures disappeared behind.


    However, the actual landscape of his world did not make any impression on him. It was just sort of�� boring.


    The wild expanse of the Northern Quadrant mostly looked like a desolate, empty place. It was almost entirely made out of mud and snow. Whatever flora still clung to life in the barren soil looked sickly and dull. The sky was heavy and grey, and the air was slightly hazy.


    Apart from occasional skeletal carcasses of dead Nightmare Creatures or rusty wrecks left behind from the times of human wars, there was nothing much to look at.


    Sunny sighed.


    ''What a waste��''


    The waking world was not entirely uninhabitable, but it was certainly inhospitable to the species that had once populated its every corner.


    Maybe Effie had been right, back when they spoke in the ruined cathedral of the Dark City.


    He stared through the window for some time, then stood up and walked to a narrow bed, deciding to go to sleep early. This was probably going to be his last opportunity to rest well for a long, long time. It would have been a shame to let the opportunity go.


    Burying his face in a soft pillow, Sunny closed his eyes and soon fell asleep.


    ...At some point during the night, he was awakened by strange vibrations spreading through the frame of the train. Looking up, he saw pale flashes of light outside the window and heard distant, muffled pounding.


    The turrets on the locomotive and front carriages of the train were firing.


    Since none of his shadows, which were standing watch, seemed alarmed, Sunny sighed, turned on his other side, and closed his eyes again. Soon, he was back to sleep.


    ��He dreamt of ice and darkness.


    In the morning, the train was moving forward as if nothing had happened. Sunny had expected as much, so he wasn''t surprised. After freshening up in the small bathroom attached to the cabin, he walked over to the dining car and had a scrumptious breakfast. The cooking could not compete with the Instructor''s Cafeteria at the Academy, of course, but it was decent enough.


    As he ate, Sunny studied the other people present in the carriage. Most of them were government officers and had a military bearing. A few of them were Awakened, and gave him respectful nods. Even though nothing about Sunny revealed that he was a Master, they were able to sense it.


    Most of these people were probably traveling south for the same reason that he was. They were going to Antarctica, as well, so the mood in the dining car was somber. No one talked very much, and those who did kept their voices low.


    Sunny doubted that all the participants of the massive operation knew the full scope of the disaster that was approaching the Southern Quadrant. In fact, he was willing to bet that very few were as well-informed as he was. More than that, none of them probably had as much battle experience as he had.


    If they understood the real horror of what was about to come, they wouldn''t be so calm.


    He did not really know how to feel about that.


    The next morning, the armored train finally reached its destination.


    Sunny disembarked from the lavish carriage and froze for a moment, staring at the endless grey expanse of restless waves.


    In front of him...


    Was the sea.

 Chapter 812 Naval Convoy

    As Sunny already knew, water was the optimal way of transporting cargo �� and people �� across vast distances. Human civilization had always made use of this property to its benefit.


    The earliest paths of trade and cultural exchange, and therefore progress, were situated along great rivers, and later shifted to seas and oceans. That had led to many prominent civilization centers being situated along various coasts.


    However, humanity had regretted that fact dearly when the water slowly crawled forward and devoured all those beautiful, important cities. Even worse, once the Nightmare Spell appeared, seas and ocean became infested by terrifying Nightmare Creatures.


    For that reason, very few populous settlements were situated near water. The further inland they were, the better. Humans still needed to make use of the convenience that only the ocean could provide, though. For that reason, there were many fortified ports in each Quadrant.


    Sunny was looking at one such port.


    Even after experiencing the dread and grandeur of the Forgotten Shore and the Chained Isles, he could not help but feel a bit of awe. The port itself looked like an unassailable fortress, with tall walls rising from the water and various fortifications protruding far into the bleak waves.


    Colossal cannons were aimed at the horizon, ready to bring down hell on anything that would dare to approach the crowded harbor. Various spelltech defensive measures brimmed with energy. He had no doubt that even more were hidden underwater.


    ��Much more impressive than the port itself, however, were the ships.


    Sunny froze when he saw them.


    Around forty metal leviathans were anchored along the shore, each more than a kilometer long and as tall as a castle. Their hulls bore such thick and heavy armor that it seemed strange for these mountains of steel to stay afloat. Some seemed shiny and new, but most bore deep, giant, ugly scars. Many armor plates were bent and corroded, while some were deformed by some unknown titanic blows.


    Each ship possessed a plethora of armaments, ranging from heavy artillery cannons to rapid fire anti-air guns and snub-nosed mortars. Rows of rockets, missiles, and torpedoes could be seen in the hidden nests. The main cannons seemed especially fearsome, most of them resembling oversized railguns that stretched the whole lengths of the vessels.


    Each of the railguns was capable of propelling a heavy kinetic round with such ferocious speed that barely any human structure would have been able to survive the impact. Maybe not even a whole district would.


    The ships rested on the water like slumbering giants. Looking at them, Sunny couldn''t help but shiver.


    Humanity was accustomed to regarding the Awakened as their most deadly weapon, so it was easy to forget how mighty and destructive mundane people could be with the help of the right technology.


    ��Sadly, the technology grew less and less reliable against Nightmare Creatures of higher Ranks.


    Fallen abominations could more or less shrug off the most devastating of bombardments, while Corrupted ones were capable of surviving nuclear blasts. Science couldn''t explain the principles at work in these instances, but plenty of empirical evidence had been gathered, to ruinous results, during the early days of the Nightmare Spell.


    So, despite how impressive the forty steel leviathans looked, Sunny knew that the ships alone were not enough to brave the ocean. Unless they were complimented by Awakened fighters and guided by a Nightwalker navigator, even these floating juggernauts weren''t capable of surviving the journey to a different Quadrant.


    Still, Sunny couldn''t help but admire the silent majesty of them.


    ''One thing is certain�� that train is nothing, as it turns out.''


    As he stared at the fleet, a familiar voice suddenly called out to him:


    "Hey, Sunny! Welcome to our small port."


    He turned his head slowly.


    Master Jet had had not changed much. She was still the same �� confident, beautiful, with raven black hair and cold, icy blue eyes. Her usual uniform was gone, though, replaced by a deep blue military trench coat.


    There was a satisfied smile on her lips.


    The crowd of people parted as she walked closer and glanced at the anchored ships.


    "Impressive, aren''t they?"


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then nodded.


    "Yeah�� now that I see them, I am starting to understand how we are going to evacuate eight hundred million people from Antarctica."


    Soul Reaper shook her head.


    "Don''t be so sure. This is just one of the several convoys that is going to sail to the Southern Quadrant. They are going to deliver the First Evacuation Army to Antarctica, load up a few millions of refugees, and sail back. If everything goes well, by the time the ships return, the mobilization would have already started. The fleets will bring us reinforcements, take more civilians aboard�� and repeat the process as many times as it takes."


    She sighed.


    "Of course, there''s more or less zero chance that everything will go well. Even if it does, it will take us at least a year to gather everyone�� if we are still alive by then. Who knows, maybe we will be all overwhelmed and devoured by abominations in the first few months."


    Sunny glanced sideways at her, his expression bleak.


    "...You really know how to raise morale, you know?"


    Master Jet grinned:


    "Ah, don''t be so serious. In any case, I am really glad that you decided to join the party, Sunny. I really need someone who I can trust by my side. Don''t get me wrong, my other subordinates are all honorable and accomplished warriors�� but they''re not you."


    He blinked a couple of times.


    "I didn''t know I was so special."


    She looked at him, then shrugged and started walking away, prompting Sunny to follow.


    "It takes a certain kind of person to face the very depths of despair, and still continue to fight. You are one such person, Sunny."


    Soul Reaper glanced at him, then added in a voice that was devoid of any humor:


    "...And we will all experience a lot of despair in the coming months. I have a feeling."

 Chapter 813 First Evacuation Army

    Master Jet led him to an armored military PTV that stood a few meters away from the crowded platform. It seemed that vehicle access to this part of the station was heavily restricted, but she paid it no attention. Apparently, her rank and status tramped some of the rules.


    The PTV itself was very different from the civilian models Sunny was accustomed to, as well as the heavier police cruiser he had ridden on occasion in the past. It was much more robust and angular, weighted down by several layers of composite armor, and entirely grounded. Even if the vehicle possessed limited levitation ability, it was perfectly capable of traversing natural terrain on its own.


    As they entered the cabin, towering humanoid loader robots moved in to unload cargo from the train, piloted by servicemen who could be seen in the open cockpits. The crude exoskeleton platforms were devoid of armor and failed to reach the smoothness of motion, scale, and sophistication of their military siblings, but were more than enough to perform various labor-intensive utility tasks.


    The PTV roared to life, startling Sunny. It seemed that the distinctions from civilian models were even more pronounced below the surface. The systems propelling the vehicle forward were entirely different, producing much more noise and vibrations, but also raw power. The PTV shot forward, narrowly avoiding several barriers before reaching the primitive cement road that led to the port.


    As they came closer and closer to the naval fortress, Sunny was able to study the swarm of activity boiling all around it.


    Currently, the port became a staging ground for a much greater force than it was designed to accommodate. Thousands upon thousands of government servants and soldiers were busy with frantic preparations for the approaching deployment.


    Numerous recently assembled prefab buildings stood in neat squares, some meant to provide the personnel of the First Evacuation Army with a temporary place to live, some serving as storage depots, production hubs, training facilities, field hospitals, and so on.


    A lot of heavy machinery was constantly moving between these squares, either transporting cargo or participation in the disassembly of various structures. Despite the impressive scope of the military camp, its makeshift and transient nature was apparent to the naked eye. The army was already busy deconstructing many of the buildings in order to move their components to the holds of the forty battleships.


    Thousands of humans swarmed the camp like ants. Sunny saw a lot of non-combatant servicemen hurrying to accomplish their tasks, as well as plenty of soldiers busy with training exercises and drills. Some of them were Awakened, but most were mundane humans.


    There were all types of specialist units in view �� engineering corps, mechanized infantry that moved around in fearsome exoskeleton armor suits, artillery vehicle operators, and many more that Sunny could not name. He even saw several mobile war platforms that resembled giant cyclops forged of metal, ranging from six to ten meters in height. These humanoid robots and their pilots left an especially strong impression on him.


    They were nothing like the primitive loaders he had seen a few minutes ago. Even though Sunny knew that these machines were built and operated by humans, he couldn''t shake off the feeling that he was looking at hulking Nightmare Creatures.


    Slowly, the scale and scope of the upcoming operation started to dawn on him. Sure, he had known the approximate numbers for a long time�� but knowing and seeing were two different things.


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then asked in a slightly hoarse voice:


    "...You said that there would be several such convoys?"


    Master Jet nodded as she easily controlled the PTV:


    "Yes. Four, for now. Two will sail from the Northern Quadrant, one from both the Eastern and the Western. Each will transport around a hundred thousand soldiers to Antarctica in the coming month. That will also include around twenty thousand Awakened, and fifty or so Masters."


    She paused, and then added:


    "If the mobilization goes well, we will eventually have at least sixty thousand Awakened and anywhere between a hundred and three hundred Masters participating in the evacuation efforts."


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    These numbers�� while the amount of mundane humans being sent to Antarctica was much more immense, it were the latter two that gave him pause. Sixty thousand might not have seemed like much, but it meant that a quarter of all Awakened in the world was going to be concentrated on one continent�� and that was without even counting those who had already been based in the Southern Quadrant.


    The number of Masters was even more unbelievable. Three hundred was more than a half of all Ascended alive today! The government was truly pulling out all the stops.


    Such might.


    ...But was it going to be enough?


    Sending so many Awakened to war would also inevitably leave the other three Quadrants with less protection, and their inhabitants more exposed to the vagaries of the Nightmare Spell. The pressure on the existing infrastructure was bound to increase dramatically after the flood of refugees reached the strongholds of humanity, too.


    ''It is... all such a mess.''


    Looking at the thousands of people moving around the temporary camp, Sunny couldn''t help but wonder how many of them would be coming back.


    ��He had no choice but to wonder if he himself would survive, as well.


    Even though the members of the First Evacuation Army seemed trained and disciplined, he could see hints of fear and uncertainty hidden deep in their eyes. These people might have been dedicated and professional soldiers, but none of them had ever faced the kind of threat they were going to throw themselves against, soon.


    Funnily enough, Sunny �� despite his young age and lack of a service record �� had come much closer to this kind of warfare and was much better prepared to withstand its horrors than most members of this hastily assembled army.


    Finally, he felt something that he had not felt even once since learning about the approaching disaster.


    The weight of responsibility slowly settled on his shoulders.


    Sunny sighed, and then mentally shook it off.


    ''What nonsense is this?''


    He looked at Master Jet, lingered for a moment, and then asked:


    "So�� when do I get a dapper uniform?"

 Chapter 814 Special Company

    Once they entered the confines of the port fortress, the human traffic lessened to a considerable degree. However, there were still plenty of people around, all moving with determined haste. Master Jet parked the PTV near a blocky, low building and opened the hatch to exit.


    Breathing in the cold winter air, she closed her eyes for a moment, and then let out a long sigh.


    After that, Soul Reaper glanced at him with a grin.


    "Actually, you arrived just on time. The officer roster of our company is more or less full as of a few days ago, so we were about to hold our first briefing. It was supposed to start half an hour ago, but I postponed to come grab you from the train station."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh?"


    Master Jet nodded:


    "Everyone more or less only knows as much as you do, so I''ll bring all of you up to speed in one go. Granted, the rest had more time to prepare, not to mention the fact that they have been with the government for years. Don''t let those old dogs intimidate you, though."


    Sunny smiled.


    "Do I look like someone who is easily intimidated?"


    She glanced at him and laughed.


    "You do, actually. That is one of your advantages, as far as I''m concerned. Being underestimated is always a boon."


    She walked forward at a brisk pace and said without looking back:


    "The paperwork can wait for later. We''ll get you settled and processed after the briefing. Usually, you would not have been allowed anywhere near the classified information without proper clearance and documentation, but these days proper procedure has taken a backseat to efficiency. Plus, there are very few people who can�� resist my charm."


    Sunny hurried to keep up with Master Jet as they entered the low building. After cutting through several checkpoints without anyone daring to look directly at Soul Reaper, let alone say something about the apparent civilian she was dragging into the guts of the military bunker with her, he understood that her status and reputation truly trampled procedure, at least to a large extent.


    Not only mundane humans, but even Awakened treated her with fearful respect. Even an occasional Master they walked past seemed to give her face.


    He hesitated, then asked with curiosity:


    "Can I ask�� what, exactly, is your official title in the First Army?"


    Master Jet glanced at him, then smiled.


    "Why, I am now Colonel Jet, senior officer of the First Awakened Irregular Company of the Northern Quadrant Corps of the Evacuation Army. Kind of a mouthful, huh?"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then reached into his memory of the government force organization and hierarchy. He had studied the topic a bit before leaving the city.


    "Wait�� aren''t companies supposed to be commanded by captains? Colonel is�� three or four ranks above that. It''s just one step away from being a general!"


    Soul Reaper nodded.


    "Usually, you would be right. However, titles and authority become messy when Awakened are involved. As a rule of thumb, Awakened are one rank above what they would have been as mundane soldiers. That''s just for normal ones, though. As irregulars, we will exist somewhat outside the army hierarchy, so our status was bumped up to reflect that."


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    ''Outside the hierarchy? What?''


    He hesitated, then said in a subdued tone:


    "I am�� not sure what "irregulars" mean."


    She flashed him a smile.


    "You will be in a few minutes."


    Together, they entered an elevator that brought them deep underground. Master Jet led him through winding corridors of the military bunker and then pressed the palm of her hand against a complicated biometric lock to open a thick alloy door.


    Sunny found himself in a spacious chamber that housed a large, round table. Five individuals were already seated around it, quietly waiting for the start of the briefing.


    When Master Jet entered, they all stood up and saluted her.


    ��It was then that Sunny realized that all of them were Ascended.


    Three of them were men, while the other two were women. The oldest Master seemed to be nearing his fifties, while the youngest was only slightly older than Soul Reaper. All of them wore serious expressions on their faces and looked at her with somber respect.


    She waved a hand.


    "At ease. We are all Ascended here. There''s no need for ceremony."


    The Masters hesitated for a few moments, then relaxed and sat down.


    Master Jet unbuttoned her navy blue trench coat, then threw it on the backrest of an empty chair.


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh, then made sure to look somewhere else. His cheek suddenly started to burn, for no apparent reason.


    As it turned out, his new superior had dismissed her usual uniform in favor of a tight-fitting black bodysuit. In fact, all the Masters present in the room were wearing one.


    It made sense. People like Sunny and them had no need of army-issued armor. They would all be using their Memories in the field. A bodysuit like that could easily fit under any type of enchanted armor, so wearing it instead of a uniform was not only more convenient, but also practical.


    That didn''t make it easy on Sunny, though. There were very few places he could rest his eyes on without potentially getting into trouble.


    It was pure torture!


    Master Jet sat down, prompting him to do the same. As much as Sunny was flustered by the black bodysuits, the rest of the Ascended were similarly confused by his civilian clothes and age.


    Finally, one of them glanced at Soul Reaper and asked:


    "Excuse me, ma''am. Who is this�� young man? Is he your new adjutant?"


    She glanced at them, remained silent for a moment, and then smiled.


    "He? Gods, no�� this "young man" is Master Sunless, the latest and final additions to the command structure of the First Irregular Company. He is not only one of the youngest humans in history to reach the Rank of an Ascended, but also has a kill count higher than most of you combined. So�� give him a warm welcome, I guess��"

 Chapter 815 First Irregular Company

    The five Ascended were surprised by such a colorful description, but quickly got over their shock. No one seemed to have doubts about Sunny''s credentials, and for a simple reason �� there were no weak Masters. Every person who had chosen to challenge the Second Nightmare and survived was an elite by definition. So, his Rank was the only proof of competence he needed to be accepted by them.


    That was not to say that these government officers felt threatened by Sunny''s accomplishments. All of them were experienced, battle-tested fighters... specialists. They had well-deserved confidence in their own capabilities.


    Master Jet looked at them and smiled.


    "Since we have already started, let''s get introductions out of the way. Some of you may know each other, while others are relatively new faces��"


    She went down the line, introducing each of the Ascended that were going to serve as the backbone of the First Irregular Company.


    The oldest among them was a muscular man that seemed to be in his lat forties or early fifties. Of course, as an Ascended, he looked incredibly well for his age. Master Randall was mature and grizzled, with grey hair and a full beard that perfectly suited his chiseled, masculine face.


    The black bodysuit lay snug against his well-pronounced muscles. Everything about the man told that he was a seasoned, consummate soldier. His presence was solid and steady.


    Master Randall might have not fought side by side with the members of the First Generation when the Spell had appeared, but due to his age, he most likely witnessed its descent as a child. His well of experience was of great benefit to the company�� in fact, one would have expected him to be in charge instead of Soul Reaper.


    However, even if the man had any thoughts about that matter, he did not let them show.


    The gorgeous woman sitting next to him stood out among the group of Masters due to her good-natured, friendly demeanor. Ascended Jesse looked almost like the opposite of Master Jet: she had straw blond hair, a healthy tan, sparkling blue eyes, and radiated a strange feeling of warmth. Coincidentally, she was the closest to Soul Reaper in terms of age.


    No one would have called the beautiful blonde soft, though. Her tall, slender body brimmed with energy and barely suppressed strength. The relaxed attitude hid a sharp and cutting edge. This Master seemed to be not only enthusiastic about life, but also about combat and the carnage of battle. She was a formidable warrior, without a doubt.


    So were the others.


    The third woman among the officers of the company was called Ascended Winter. She was in her late thirties and seemed to be the most calm of the group. Her curly hair was dark brown and tied into a simple ponytail. Sunny didn''t know what color her eyes were because, strangely, the woman wore a pair of polarized sunglasses even though they were all currently deep underground.


    She sat on her chair in a pose so relaxed that it almost seemed inappropriate for this important meeting. Her beautiful face was aloof and nonchalant. The sleeves of her bodysuit were rolled up, revealing toned forearms and a solid tattoo that turned one of them completely black.


    If not for the fact that Master Winter had stood up to salute Soul Reaper when they entered, Sunny would have thought that she was fast asleep.


    The man next to her seemed to have the same tattoo, hinting that they were, or had been, members of the same unit in the past. He was of the same age as his female colleague, with honest eyes and a gallant bearing. There was dark stubble on his handsome face, and black circles under his eyes.


    Ascended Dale seemed like a steady, stalwart warrior. Sunny did not know for sure, but felt that the man''s Aspect had at least some relation to defense and protection. He sensed that if Master Dale decided to stand his ground, very few things in the world would have been able to move him.


    The last officer of the First Irregular Company was slightly older and stood in stark contrast to Master Dale. His cold eyes, inexpressive face, and chilling gaze all expressed one thing��


    Ascended Davis was a killer. He seemed like the most offense-oriented Master of the bunch, but that quality was not without subtlety. On the contrary, it seemed to be shrewd, quiet, and absolutely deadly.


    Sunny suspected that Davis was what he himself had once wished to be �� the kind of fighter who utilized cunning and stealth to destroy the enemy with one surgical strike, thus avoiding the trouble of having to withstand retaliation.


    Together with Sunny and Jet, the five Masters were going to lead the First Irregular Company.


    Coincidentally, just like Soul Reaper, each of the five Ascended had a nickname. Masters Randal, Jesse, Winter, Dale, and Davis were also known as Vandal, Mustang, Queen, Knight, and Pride.


    Sunny was the only person without one, which made him feel slightly jealous.


    ''Well�� I can always go by Mongrel.''


    He blinked.


    ''What? No! That''s a terrible nickname, and an even worse idea!''


    Who said that he even needed a nickname? He was perfectly fine being called Sunny, anyway!


    After the initial introductions were complete, Master Jet glanced at them again and said:


    "We will get to know each other''s Aspects and combat capabilities later. It is not too important for now, anyway, since I expect all of you to act independently of the rest more often than not. Now, let''s get down to business. Today, I will bring you up to speed about the projected composition of the First Irregular Company, our purpose, and guiding military doctrine��"


    She pressed something on her communicator, and a large projection appeared in the middle of the table.


    Sunny studied the large archipelago with a prominent landmass in the east.


    Master Jet lingered for a moment, and then continued.


    "But to do that, you will have to understand the general shape of the upcoming operation. As all of you already know, this is Antarctica."


    She gestured at the projection.


    "All Antarctica is divided into three parts��"

 Chapter 816 Three Phases

    Master Jet gestured to the projection.


    "All of Antarctica is divided into three parts. West Antarctica, East Antarctica, and the Antarctic Center."


    West Antarctica was mostly submerged in water and consisted of a scattering of islands, some of them small, some of them large. East Antarctica was one large landmass that was peppered by numerous lakes, with a prominent mountain chain in the middle of it. The Antarctic Center was a long, narrow landmass that rested between the two, occupied almost entirely by tall mountains.


    Soul Reaper continued:


    "West Antarctica is mostly devoid of human population, so it presents little interest to us. The Antarctic Center is an administrative and technological hub of the quadrant, while East Antarctica is the largest and most densely populated region of the continent."


    She paused for a moment, and then added somberly:


    "The First Evacuation Army is going to set sail in two weeks. We will reach Antarctica two, maybe three weeks after that. By that time, the Chain of Nightmares would already be starting. Local garrisons are already experiencing an increased number of manifesting Gates, but the number will explode by the end of March. After that, it will only keep growing."


    Master Jet stared at the projection for a bit, and then said calmly:


    "No matter how many soldiers we send, we won''t be able to contain the flood of Nightmare Creatures that enter through these Gates. This�� is something that had never happened in history before. Even the great wars that the First Generation fought pale in comparison to the Chain of Nightmares. Don''t forget that almost all abominations back then were of the Dormant Rank. We aren''t that lucky."


    She sighed, then leaned back and crossed her arms.


    "According to our scientists and diviners, the mass of Gates is going to be of the Second Category and Third categories. That means Awakened, Fallen, and even Corrupted Nightmare Creatures, in numbers greater than anything we had seen. Of course, something even worse can happen. So�� we are not going to try and contain them."


    The faces of the Master slowly grew dim. Noticing it, Soul Reaper shook her head.


    "There are better ways to achieve our objective. Once the army makes landfall, it will split into three parts, with each part pursuing a distinct objective during the first phase of the operation. One of the objectives is to turn a small number of select cities into fortified evacuation centers that can withstand the siege of Nightmare Creatures for months, or even years ahead."


    Master Jet pointed at several point on the map, then continued:


    "The second objective is to relocate all external human population to these centers, where they will wait for their turn to board the ships�� neither the relocation nor the wait are going to be a short process. Finally, the third objective is to establish and maintain the evacuation corridors for the relocating citizens. Once everyone is safely behind the established perimeter of siege strongholds, the first phase of the operation will be considered to be complete."


    Sunny tentatively raised a hand.


    "Yes?"


    He glanced at other Masters with a dubious expression, then asked:


    "Why are we waiting for the disaster to strike before starting to evacuate people? Wouldn''t it be easier to get at least some of them out right now?"


    Soul Reaper gave him a rueful smile.


    "That is because everyone was convinced that the event won''t happen for at least a few more years. Our level of preparation is wholly inadequate, and there are no established means to start the evacuation prematurely. In short, the government was caught with its pants down. The deployment of the First Army is a messy and slapdash affair, which means that a lot more soldiers are going to die as the result. Make no mistake, though�� this is the best we can do, considering the situation."


    Sunny sighed, then nodded in understanding.


    Master Jet glanced at him and continued:


    "After the first phase of the operation is complete, the second one will commence. By then, the Second Evacuation Army should be already fully formed and arrive to reinforce the depleted First Army. This phase is simple�� which is not to say easy. We will pull back all our forces to the siege capitals and hold them for as long as it takes to evacuate every civilian. After that, the third phase will result in a complete exodus of humans from Antarctica and the consequent heavy continental bombardment. The Southern Quadrant will cease to exist."


    She took a poignant pause, then smiled darkly.


    "That is the gist of the operation in broad strokes. Now, for details�� as you must have already surmised from the name of our company, it is going to play a special role throughout all three phases of the evacuation. The First Irregular Company will not be tied to any existing battalion, regiment, or division. We will not be supporting or leading any of the grunt soldiers. Instead, we will act as elite irregulars."


    Soul Reaper leaned forward and looked at them with her icy blue eyes.


    "Each of you will be in charge of a cohort of some of the best Awakened warriors in the government employ. The cohorts will act semi-independently and respond to any overwhelming obstacle that threatens to slow down the evacuation. Whenever the mundane soldiers or their Awakened counterparts encounter a problem that they can''t handle, we will be sent to resolve the situation through any means necessary."


    The room suddenly became very cold, and so did Master Jet''s expression.


    "What it means is that we will be thrown into the most dire, bloody, and hopeless flashpoints of the entire operation on a consistent basis. Unlike regular soldiers who will most likely have time to rest and recover between battles, we will be enduring a constant succession of rapid combat deployments until the evacuation is completed�� or until we all die. That is why the First Irregular Company was not only allocated seven Ascended, but also why these Ascended are the absolute best we have. Each of you is an elite among elites. Make that count."


    She studied the faces of her subordinates, and then raised an eyebrow.


    "Any questions?"


    Master Winter suddenly raised a hand, revealing that she was not, in fact, asleep.


    When she spoke, her voice was unexpectedly relaxed:


    "What''s our logistics situation? Is there going to be food, or are we going to spend months chewing on monster meat? You know�� like usual��"

 Chapter 817 Captain Sunless

    The briefing lasted for a while longer. The seven Ascended of the First Irregular Company had a lot of things to discuss, and while a few nuances went over Sunny''s head, he slowly gained a better understanding of the upcoming ordeal.


    That said, each of them had way too much to do before the naval convoy left for the Southern Quadrant, so wasting precious time on long conversations was not in anyone''s interest. Eventually, the five Masters left, leaving Sunny and Jet alone in the meeting room.


    There was a grim expression on his face.


    Sunny sighed, then glanced at his superior.


    "I am not going to lie�� all of this seems a bit overwhelming."


    Soul Reaper smiled and shook her head dismissively.


    "Don''t be too concerned. You already have the necessary experience and qualifications to make things work. It is not like the others are better prepared to deal with something of that scope�� above all, we will need the ability to swiftly learn and adapt. That is how we will survive this unprecedented mess of a disaster."


    He looked at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression. Well, when Master Jet put it like that�� yes, it made sense to say that he was qualified to face the challenges of the Chain of Nightmares. The other irregulars might have been older and more experienced, but no one had ever lived through something like that. In the absence of relevant experience, adaptability was arguably more important.


    In that regard, his young age and flexible mindset could even be called an advantage. Plus, Sunny had always excelled at being able to adapt to anything.


    Soul Reaper stood up and beckoned as she headed for the exit.


    "Come on. Let''s get you settled."


    They moved to a different level of the bunker, where some sort of administrative center had been hastily established in recent weeks. The military admins were even busier than the soldiers above ground. An atmosphere of feverish, barely contained chaos hung in the air as hundreds of officers tried to juggle tens of thousands of issues as they prepared the army for departure.


    Maybe because of this haste, or maybe because of Master Jet''s presence, the paperwork did not take long. To Sunny''s astonishment, it took less than half an hour for him to officially become a government agent and an officer of the First Evacuation Army. He was issued the rank of a captain, along with all the status and privileges of one.


    Sunny couldn''t help but blink a couple of times.


    ''Captain Sunless�� damn, it has a nice ring to it.''


    Without wasting any time, they moved to another level, where Sunny was issued with a basic set of gear corresponding to his rank. Among other things, he also received the ubiquitous black bodysuit. His communicator was already of a high-grade government model, so it simply received an extensive software upgrade.


    As they waited for all the routine procedures to be performed, Sunny and Master Jet quietly discussed business.


    "So�� what exactly happens now?"


    She looked at him for a few moments.


    "Well, you will have to do a lot of things to get ready for Antarctica. Don''t worry too much and take it one step at a time."


    Soul Reaper paused.


    "First things first. In the next few days, you will have to make several important decisions. Don''t rush and really think matters through before committing to a choice. However, don''t wait too long, either. The longer you take, the less time you''ll have to accomplish other tasks."


    She gestured to his communicator.


    "All the necessary features and permissions have already been added to your comm. Your credentials should have been added into the system, as well, so you can access the data through it."


    Sunny checked the new features added to the operating system of his communicator and nodded.


    "So what exactly are these decisions?"


    Master Jet smiled.


    "First of all, you are an officer of an elite combat unit now. The members of the First Irregular Company are entitled to receive a fair share of rare equipment and precious resources that the government has to offer. That said, each cohort is unique and has special demands. To make sure that you and your soldiers are outfitted with not only great tools, but also ones that suit them best, a very generous amount of contribution points has been added to your personal balance."


    She gestured to one of the symbols on the screen of his communicator.


    "Your cohort will be provided with a basic set of assets, but on top of that, you will be able to customize them or acquire additional equipment yourself. You can peruse what the logistics and supply has to offer through that interface, as well as claim whatever you choose. Of course, the inventory available to the First Irregular Company is much more robust and exclusive than what mundane units have access to."


    Soul Reaper sighed wistfully.


    "What you settle on is at your discretion. You can decide to upgrade your personal gear with powerful tools, Memories, or even Echoes. You can choose to equip your soldiers with better equipment instead. You can assign most points to comprehensively upgrade the technical assets provided to your cohort. Hell, you can even convert all the contribution points into credits and transfer them to your personal account�� not that I would advise doing something like that, of course."


    Sunny''s eyes glistened.


    If there was one thing he loved, it was receiving free stuff! Even if most of the contribution points would go into strengthening his cohort, it was still a great opportunity to soothe his greed. He was sure that the government had a lot of amazing stuff in its coffers��


    The decision to enlist was already starting to look much more appealing.


    ��There was one problem, however.


    He gave Master Jet a curious look.


    "I can''t really fine-tune gear and equipment to the needs of my cohort if I don''t have a cohort, though. Right?"


    She nodded.


    "Indeed. Actually, that is the second set of decisions��"

 Chapter 818 Irregulars, Assemble

    Master Jet pointed at another new symbol on the screen of his communicator.


    "The process is basically the same. You can shop for members of the cohort through your comm�� well, not really. Contribution points have nothing to do with the selection, of course. There is a pull of elite Awakened fighters that have been transferred to this port. The First Irregular Company has priority right to recruit forty-two of them, six per cohort. As the youngest captain, you get the first pick."


    Sunny stared at the screen, deep in thought.


    So, the first thing he had to do was to pick six Awakened that would become his soldiers during the Antarctica campaign. He had no doubt that each of them was an elite warrior among the government forces�� but being a good fighter was not enough.


    Creating a strong cohort was no small feat. Its members not only had to be able to pull their own weight, but also meet a long list of needs that a combat unit possessed. This was especially true for the seven cohorts that were going to comprise the First Irregular Company, since each of them was expected to operate independently.


    In a sense, this approach was more familiar to him. Awakened serving a large force were able to specialize within the confines of their units. One cohort could do especially well in melee combat, but lack the means of dealing damage from range. Another cohort could specialize in attacking exclusively from distance. By working together, these different units were able to shore up each other''s weaknesses and allow the soldiers to express their greatest strengths.


    An independent cohort was very different. Although it could possess a specialization, it had to be well-rounded and excel in various aspects by necessity. This is how most cohorts in the Dream Realm functioned, and what Sunny was familiar with.


    In any case, choosing six Awakened that could fulfill a multitude of roles while synergizing with each other was a daunting task. There was a lot of factors he would have to consider.


    And after that�� he had to assume command of these strangers and lead them into battle after battle. Their survival was his responsibility. Their deaths, should any of his soldiers fall, would be on his conscience, too.


    Sunny let out a long sigh, then looked at Master Jet.


    "Any advice?"


    She lingered for a few moments, then nodded.


    "No matter how good these elites are, you will still be the core element and the deadliest weapon of the cohort. Don''t neglect variability, but choose those whose Aspects compliment yours."


    Sunny smiled.


    "Ah, that won''t be a problem. I might not excel in any one thing, but at the same time, I am sort of a jack-of-all-trades. While my Aspect leans toward utility, I can do a bit of everything. That leaves me at a disadvantage in some situations, but it also means that I can work well with a great variety of Awakened. Anyone can benefit from having me by their side, and vice versa."


    Master Jet thought for a few moments.


    "Versatility is a strength in and of itself. Since you are not limited by a narrow focus, the best course of action would be to assemble a well-balanced group of fighters that can respond to any situation with a high level of effectiveness. That will actually make my job a bit easier, since I''ll be able to send your cohort to solve a wider variety of problems."


    She lingered for a bit, and then added:


    "If there is one piece of advice I can give, it''s to not neglect utility in favor of direct combat strength. Antarctica�� no matter how prepared we think we are, it is going to test us in ways that no one expects. Things will go wrong, and then go from bad to worse. Mobility, survival, mental resilience�� all these things and plenty others might turn out to be much more important than we think. It is also going to be a long, cruel, and punishing campaign. Keep that in mind."


    Sunny sighed. Long, cruel, and punishing�� that was basically the description of most of his experiences with the Nightmare Spell. That was nothing new.


    He stared at his communicator for a bit, then asked:


    "What about after I''ve assembled the cohort? Most of these soldiers are probably older than me. They are also devoted government servants, while I am somewhat of a hired mercenary. I doubt that they will be happy to be under command of someone like me, instead of one of the other distinguished Masters."


    Soul Reaper shook her head.


    "You are not exactly correct. Sure, you are younger than the other captains of our company. Some might see it as a weakness, but at the same time, it''s a sign of excellence and greater potential. After all, none of us managed to Ascend before turning twenty. I am considered somewhat of a prodigy, and you beat my record by five years. So, I don''t expect these soldiers to show reluctance to respect your command."


    She paused, then added in a serious tone:


    "However, there is a great difference between being able to issue orders and being able to inspire confidence. There is no easy method to make your soldiers follow you, not simply obey you. You will have to find a way to win their loyalty on your own, Sunny."


    Master Jet smiled.


    "However, I don''t think that it will be too hard. Once we reach Antarctica, things will fall into place. Lead them to victory, keep them alive, and they''ll learn to trust you."


    Sunny thought for a bit, then nodded.


    Actions spoke louder than words. He might face some resistance at the start, but battle would swiftly resolve everything. Either he would win his soldiers over, or all seven of them would die. In any case, the problem was going to disappear.


    Soul Reaper briefly gripped his shoulder, and then said:


    "Anyway, I don''t think you should worry about these matters yet. You have plenty of other issues to solve. No matter how professional and prepared these guys are, forming a strong cohort takes more than simply assembling all its members together. You will all have to learn how to fight side by side and leverage your unique powers to form good synergy. Well, I don''t have to tell you. You''re not a novice."


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    "Yeah�� I have some experience with that."


    She sighed.


    "Do remember that you will only have three, maybe four weeks left to prepare. That is not nearly enough time to deepen the cooperation level of the cohort, but do as much as you can. There will be proper training facilities aboard the ships, so don''t stop working until we make landfall."


    Sunny looked at her with a serious expression.


    "I won''t."


    Master Jet nodded, then waved a hand.


    "Well, I bet you have enough to think about. I''ll leave you to it, then. Don''t take too much time deciding on who you want to recruit. The sooner you settle that, the sooner you can start bringing your cohort to shape and spending those sweet contribution points."


    He smiled and looked as she turned around and disappeared into one of the corridors of the underground bunker.


    Then, Sunny lowered his gaze and studied the screen of his communicator.


    He had a lot to think about, indeed.

 Chapter 819 Alloy Beast

    The room provided to Sunny was a far cry from the luxurious cabin he had enjoyed on the train. It was small, spartan, and lacked windows due to being located deep underground. The designers of the military bunker did not even install a false one, so the walls lacked the lifelike projections of the outside.


    Not that Sunny cared about such things. In fact, he quite liked the solid nature of his temporary quarters. Perhaps things would have been different if he did not possess the ability to escape to the surface with the help of Shadow Step, but since he did, the fear of being buried under countless tons of stone and soil was not bothering him too much.


    The room reminded him of his hidden lair in the ruined cathedral of the Dark City, which was a pleasant bonus.


    Sitting on a narrow bed, Sunny sighed and projected the screen of his communicator on the opposite wall. Leaning back, he then got lost in thought for a few minutes.


    In the next day or so, he would have to make a lot of important decisions. There were a lot of things to consider. While the task seemed daunting, he was rather excited to start.


    ''It''s like playing a game�� only without checkpoints and real human lives at stake. Including mine. So�� uh�� I guess nothing like a game, actually.''


    The first thing he did was acquaint himself with the default set of assets provided to his future cohort by the government. This generous and highly optimized array of premium gear and equipment included everything to cover the basic needs of his unit during their deployment in Antarctica, from thermoregulated outerwear to priceless spelltech medical kits and beyond.


    The centerpiece of the set was, without a doubt, an advanced all-terrain personnel carrier that was going to serve as the mobile home of his cohort in the future. This heavily armored transport vehicle resembled an angular, high-tech mix between a turtle and a rhinoceros.


    ��Of course, Sunny only knew what a rhinoceros was because he had looked up the extinct beast after learning that the APC was colloquially known as Rhino. It was hard to believe that the massive thing was an actual animal and not a strange Nightmare Creature.


    Despite its prodigious size and thick armor, the Rhino armored personnel carrier was capable of moving with immense speed across various terrains. It could even climb mountains without too much problem, provided that the driver knew what they were doing.


    The advanced variant provided to the cohorts of the First Irregular Company was additionally modified with even more robust armor, inordinately powerful engines, enhanced internals, and a sophisticated command and communications suit.


    Of course, there was always room for improvement. In fact, the interface offered Sunny a lot of opportunities to enhance the APC much further. These additional augmentations were going to cost him a lot of contribution points, however.


    Still, he was inclined to believe that they would be worth it. The armored vehicle was not only going to be responsible for keeping his cohort mobile, it would also serve as the logistical core of their deployment. Its importance was already apparent due to the fact that the default set of assets provided by the government was based on its carrying capacity.


    The logistics and supply officers in charge of compiling this array of gear were not familiar with the Covetous Coffer, of course. Thanks to his loyal toothy chest, Sunny would be able to more or less double his cohort''s storage space. That alone gave him a lot of flexibility as far as spending contribution points on additional equipment was concerned.


    ''The tech is important�� however, it is also unreliable.''


    Gates were known to mess with technology in various ways. The military vehicle certainly included several measures to minimize that effect, but it would still be prudent of him to beef this aspect up. After all, no one knew what would happen if dozens, or even hundreds of Gates came to exist in the area around the APC at the same time.


    That was something for Sunny to think about later, however.


    Now that he knew what he was dealing with, he had a clearer picture of what kind of Awakened he wanted to recruit.


    Closing one interface and opening another, he rubbed his temples and sighed.


    ''That is not going to be easy.''


    ***


    Soon enough, hundreds of concise dossiers were in front of him, each containing the personnel file of one of the best Awakened soldiers stationed in the port. Most of them were going to be assigned to other units, while forty-two would become members of the elite First Irregular Company.


    Six of them would be his own subordinates.


    For a while, Sunny was paralyzed by all the choice.


    Each dossier contained the description of the Awakened''s Aspect and Abilities, their service record, and psychological profile, as well as of additional skills and specializations that the soldier might have mastered and other information.


    His task was to pick six warriors who would not only comprise a well-rounded cohort and compliment his own powers, but also work well with each other both in terms of combat ability and interpersonal compatibility. The former was already hard enough, but the latter gave him a headache.


    Luckily, very few people working for the government possessed contrarian and antisocial personalities. People who chose the life of service were predisposed to having a certain level of agreeableness by definition.


    ��Unlike Sunny. He was contrarian and antisocial enough to balance out their agreeableness all by himself!


    One thing that the files did not include, regretfully, was detailed information about the Flaws of these elite soldiers. Not even the government servants were comfortable sharing something like that with their employer. Each file only mentioned how severe the Flaw had been judged to be through passive observation, and sometimes an approximate evaluation of its specific effects.


    Which was a shame. A serious enough Flaw could derail any battle plan.


    Just out of curiosity, Sunny looked up the dossiers of the other Ascended captains �� Vandal, Mustang, Queen, Knight, and Pride �� as well. Their files were also there, although in a much more redacted version.


    Reading what little was left unredacted, he couldn''t help but whistle.


    ''...Impressive.''


    Master Jet''s personal file was even more obscure. Pretty much everything except for her name and Rank was blacked out.


    His own dossier was rather short and mostly consisted of question marks. Either the government truly knew so little about him, or simply chose not to show how well they were informed.


    ''Well�� at least they got my height right.''


    Sunny closed the file and shook his head.


    He could not allow himself to delay the task any further.


    He was in for a long and sleepless night��

 Chapter 820 Importance Of Utility

    Sunny knew what he needed, more or less.


    A couple of frontline fighters, a couple of ranged specialists, someone to provide utility. A healer, ideally, although even among these elites, there were too few.


    Fortunately, Sunny himself possessed a wide range of versatile abilities that could cover many needs of the cohort. He was able to fight up close or at range. He could scout or flank the enemies by using Shadow Step. He could use Shadow Manipulation to accomplish a multitude of tasks.


    Still, covering all the basics was not enough. The Antarctica campaign was promising to be long and grueling, maybe even unbearable. He had no doubt that they would face all kinds of Nightmare Creatures, from landbound to aerial to aquatic. Some of them were going to try and kill them with brutal force, some would employ more insidious means.


    To ensure the best chances of survival, the cohort had to be strong, balanced, and capable of accomplishing more than the sum of its parts would suggest. They had to be able to work together and respond to all kinds of threats.


    Even with several hundred candidates, he was not sure how possible it was to build something as formidable as his own cohort had been, both on the Forgotten Shore and the Chained Isles.


    ''First things thirst��''


    Although some would have been tempted to go for offensive powerhouses thirst, Sunny made a different opinion. He filtered the dossiers, allowing only those of Awakened with Utility Aspects to remain.


    Master Jet had been right�� although pure combat strength was immensely important, a war was often lost or won off the battlefield. As far as Sunny was concerned, utility was just as vital.


    His own experience confirmed it. Back on the Forgotten Shore, fighters like Nephis and Caster had shone so bright that everyone paid them all the attention. People like Sunny and Cassie remained more or less unnoticed.


    However, they had contributed as much, if not more, to the cohort''s survival. Yes, those with pure combat Aspects played a larger role in direct confrontations with the Nightmare Creatures. But it was only because Sunny had scouted ahead that they had been able to avoid battling swarms of abominations that would have overwhelmed them in an instant.


    Cassie''s uncanny intuition and affinity to revelation had saved them too many times to count. It had helped the cohort avoid lethal dangers that often could not be seen, let alone slain with a blade.


    Not paying enough attention to utility would have been a grave mistake. More than that, this choice would allow Sunny to hand-pick other members of the cohort to suit the ensuing situation. The first decision would widen and define the cohort''s foundation, making the rest easier to make.


    He spent a lot of time reading through dozens of dossiers. There were all kinds of talented Awakened that possessed incredible Abilities. Eventually, Sunny narrowed the selection to just three of the most interesting candidates.


    A mature and experienced Awakened caught his eye due to the Ability to move and shape earth as if it was a liquid, and then swiftly turn it back to solid state. With his help, the cohort would be able to literally shape the battlefield to stack the odds in their favor.


    While that Ability was too slow and weak to deal direct damage, Sunny could imagine building all types of funnels, defensive walls, and trenches with the man''s help. Hell, in certain situations, they would even be able to turn the ground into quicksand, trapping multiple abominations or at least reducing the mobility of the enemy.


    Their own mobility was also an issue. No matter how versatile the Rhino was, there would be situations, without a doubt, where its incredible all-terrain maneuverability would fail. The Ability to create a road was going to come in extremely handy at that time.


    Another government elite seemed even more useful. This tall and athletic man was capable of creating stable short-distance spatial rifts. Basically, he could allow the fighters of the cohort to teleport around the battlefield with impunity.


    Sunny did not have to think long to understand how incredible this Ability was. He had used Shadow Step to vanquish his foes numerous times, and granting the same advantage to the whole cohort was an indescribably potent tool.


    Hell, he didn''t even have to send people through this rift�� throwing a spelltech grenade or a manifestation of a sorcerous Aspect Ability would wreak havoc among the enemies just as well.


    The third candidate was a young woman with mousy hair and an unassuming face. Her Ability seemed less potent than that of the two men, but could also be quite useful in the right situations.


    Just like Cassie, the young woman possessed an affinity to revelations, be it a much lesser one. While she couldn''t compete with Song of the Fallen in the broadness of application, the narrow focus of her Aspect was capable of producing more palpable results.


    The young woman was able to perceive weaknesses and vulnerabilities of living creatures, as well as share visual perception among several people. She, too, could comprehensively enhance the cohort''s battle effectiveness, although in a less direct way.


    ''Hmm��''


    Sunny spent a long time staring at the three dossiers.


    Which one should he choose? Each held incredible value in his eyes. He was even tempted to claim all three��


    But no. While Sunny was not blind to the importance of utility, he needed powerful fighters to make use of it. Without offensive strength, the cohort would be simply unable to act on the provided opportunities. Plus, his own Aspect already leaned toward utility.


    ��Eventually, he dismissed the dossiers of the two men and left only the image of the meek young woman with mousy hair on the wall.


    ''Awakened Kim��''


    The more Sunny stared at her portrait, the more he was sure of his choice.


    Yes, the first candidate could shape the battlefield to their advantage. But Sunny was able to achieve a bit of that himself with the help of Shadow Manifestation.


    Yes, the second candidate could provide an indescribable tactical flexibility to the cohort. However, the short range and the stationary nature of the spatial rifts was not easy to exploit in the chaotic and unpredictable mayhem of combat.


    Awakened Kim, on the other hand, could provide a powerful boost to any offensive action. Her Ability synergized with the widest variety of Aspects, including Sunny''s own. More than that, unlike the other two soldiers, her powers scaled with the threat.


    Being able to create a wall of stone was useless if the enemy could turn stone to dust. Being able to attack an abomination from the flank would accomplish nothing if the abomination was of a high enough Rank to become immune to Awakened weapons.


    Being able to see the vulnerabilities of the enemy, however, would be a boon for the cohort no matter how powerful of an enemy they faced. In fact, the more dire their foe, the more important Awakened Kim''s Ability could become.


    There was also another, much simpler reason why Sunny decided to choose the third candidate.


    The young woman could share visual perception between multiple people. Antarctica, meanwhile, enjoyed an uninterrupted night that lasted for several months.


    What it meant was that the First Irregular Company would be fighting in near-complete darkness for at least four months after arriving into the Southern Quadrant. While this problem could be somewhat solved with technology, there was a better and more reliable solution.


    Sunny could see in the dark, and with Awakened Kim''s help, his soldiers would share in this ability, too.


    He looked at the dossier one last time and nodded.


    ''Good��''


    This young woman was going to be the first cornerstone of his cohort.

 Chapter 821 Offense Pillars

    Now that Sunny knew what kind of logistical and combat support his cohort would be able to enjoy �� thanks to him, Awakened Kim, and the heavily armored Rhino �� he had a tentative understanding of what direction he had to follow.


    In the next several hours, he carefully studied hundreds of dossiers, slowly narrowing the list of potential candidates. By the time the night was drawing to a close, he was more or less ready to make the final selection.


    Of course, ideally, Sunny would have preferred to meet the recruits face to face and put them through a gauntlet to get to know their characters, styles, and limits better. But in the current situation, being able to study their personnel files was already good enough.


    He had chosen several important traits that most, or better yet each, of the candidates had to possess. First of all, Sunny decided to favor sustainability and lasting battlefield presence over pure might and burst damage potential.


    Sure, many of the elite government soldiers possessed awesome Aspect Abilities that could deliver truly fearsome results in a short span of time. However, these Awakened also burned through essence with a frightening speed. The Antarctica campaign promised to be a marathon�� or rather, a marathon stacked on top of a marathon, stacked on top of a marathon, stacked on top of a marathon. Longevity was king.


    He vastly preferred fighting side by side with people who could maintain their peak battle state for long stretches of time, even if their immediate combat performance was not as impressive.


    Secondly, he deliberately paid more attention to fighters who implemented higher than usual amounts of finesse, calculation, and cunning in their approach to combat. Not only were such people better at conserving their energy, but they also suited his own inclinations very well.


    Additionally, fighters like these were bound to make better use of Awakened Kim''s Ability to recognize vulnerabilities of the enemy.


    The third and last trait he sought out was mental fortitude. No government elite was a slouch in terms of determination and resilience, but some stood out among all others. Most of them were those Awakened who had gone through crushing defeats, but were nevertheless able to pick themselves up and grow stronger for it.


    Sunny was more or less certain that he had endured more torment and hopelessness than even the other Ascended captains of the First Irregular Company. As such, he had a better idea of how ruthless and punishing the long campaign in the Southern Quadrant could turn out to be.


    So, even if it meant settling for someone with less power or talent, he was determined to pick the most dogged and tenacious of the Awakened elites.


    In the end, six dossiers remained projected on the wall of his small room.


    Awakened Kim had been his first choice. This young woman was the cornerstone of the cohort due to her valuable Aspect, which allowed her to reveal the weaknesses of the enemy and share visual perception among herself and her allies. Additionally, she was a certified technician who could look after the cohort''s armored personnel carrier and perform field repairs if need be.


    His second choice was a charismatic man in his late twenties. Awakened Belle had a lean figure, athletic build, and blond hair. His expression on the portrait attached to the dossier was laid-back and slightly carefree. Belle was a talented swordsman who excelled in offense and agility. His Aspect made him especially deadly.


    The young swordsman was able to turn his body intangible and phase through solid matter. Although he couldn''t maintain this state for long, even a second was enough to avoid an enemy attack if used at the right moment. His second Ability allowed him to infuse his weapon with unnatural sharpness and cut through most obstacles.


    Although both Abilities devoured soul essence with terrible speed, Awakened Belle was incredibly proficient in using them in precise, short bursts. He only needed a fraction of a second to dodge a strike or deliver a killing blow, so there was need to maintain them for more than that. As the result, he was able to last much longer on the battlefield than the description of his Aspect would suggest.


    Belle was going to be one of the two pillars of Sunny''s melee vanguard.


    The second pillar was a man named Dorn. Looking at his portrait, Sunny couldn''t help but grimace.


    ''No, this�� this is just ridiculous.''


    Awakened Dorn was a giant of a man. He was easily taller than Effie, and possessed robust musculature to boot. Just one look at him would have made most people feel small and feeble. The only consolation that Sunny could find was that this powerhouse would be fighting on his side.


    Dorn''s weapon of choice was a hammer. And not a traditional war hammer, which �� despite its usual portrayal in popular media �� was actually a relatively light and elegant weapon.


    No, Awakened Dorn preferred to fight with something that could only be described as an enchanted version of a sledgehammer. This heavy two-handed implement of destruction was able to crush flesh, bone, stone, and steel with equal ease.


    All that would have made one think that the man was a straightforward and single-minded brawler with a penchant for solving problems through brute force, but that couldn''t be further from the truth. Instead, the man possessed a serious, sedate attitude and deeply intelligent eyes.


    His Aspect could be described in three words: push and pull. Awakened Dorn was able to manipulate gravity �� or at least something that resembled gravity �� to empower his strikes with crushing weight and throw his enemies off-balance. By combining these two effects in a precise and calculated manner, he was able to make use of both to vastly elevate the potency of his attacks.


    No matter how strong and enduring Dorn''s body was, no one would have been able to wildly swing his heavy weapon around for too long. That was why he preferred to conserve his stamina and kill the enemy with one crushing, deliberate, well-timed, and devious strike.


    In short, despite his ridiculous size, Awakened Dorn was a man after Sunny''s own heart.


    Together, Belle and Dorn were going to be the core of the cohort''s battle formation.


    However, there was another person whom Sunny intended to add to the melee vanguard��

 Chapter 822 Shadow Cohort

    The third member of the melee vanguard was, perhaps, the second most important person in the cohort �� after Sunny himself, of course.


    He had agonized over that choice a lot, but eventually settled on a handsome and chivalrous man named Quentin.


    Awakened Quentin preferred wearing full plate armor and wielding a sword and a shield. Unlike Belle and Dorn, he was not going to be serving as an offensive powerhouse. He was going to become the defensive bulwark of the melee vanguard�� which was not to say that he wasn''t a deadly fighter in his own right, of course.


    Quentin''s Aspect centered around restoration and corrosion. In battle, he was able to continuously repair his shield and his armor no matter what kind of damage they received. There were limits to this Ability, of course, but as long as his Memories weren''t outright destroyed, they would eventually regain their original shape.


    He was also able to apply a corrosive property to his weapons. The corrosion was not very potent, but as long as enough of his attacks landed, the enemy was bound to eventually succumb under the weight of accumulating decay. This was a slow, but insidious and impactful Ability.


    However, it was the first one that made Awakened Quentin so valuable.


    That was because he was not limited to restoring only Memories. Quentin''s restoration was near universal and could repair various things�� including human flesh.


    He was a healer.


    Of course, as far as these rare specialists went, he wasn''t the most powerful. His Ability was comparatively slow and limited. Quentin could not even hope to compete with someone like Nephis or Elyas in terms of speed and efficiency, and even among other healers whose dossiers were available to Sunny, his restorative power did not stand out.


    But after thinking about it for a long time, Sunny still decided to go with Quentin. He did not want to employ a more potent healer if that meant that the healer would not be able to fend for themselves in a furious fight. Even though his final choice was somewhat mediocre in terms of healing wounds, the chivalrous man was a more well-rounded and versatile combatant.


    Sunny was inspired to make that choice by his memories of Shim, the Fire Keeper healer who had eventually inherited the leadership over Cassie''s personal cohort. Despite his lack of a combat Aspect, Shim always fought on the frontline and supported his companions with his blade, his shield, and his steady presence.


    Plus, Quentin was also a trained combat medic who possessed deep knowledge of modern medicine. He could even use his Ability to help repair the Rhino should Kim be unable to do it through mundane means.


    Overall, Sunny was happy with his decision.


    With four members of the cohort already chosen, only two spots remained.


    Knowing that he would have to strengthen the ability of his soldiers to attack the enemies from distance and fight against flying abominations, Sunny spent a lot of time searching for a suitable ranged specialist. In the end, his attention was drawn to the dossier of a woman named Samara.


    Awakened Samara was tall, beautiful, and aloof. She possessed a very interesting Aspect, though�� Samara was capable of infusing material objects with soul essence, as well as converting soul energy into kinetic energy or heat.


    What it meant was that she could turn soul essence into charged explosives. In a sense, Awakened Samara was the opposite of Master Jet �� while Soul Reaper was able to deal soul damage with physical weapons, she could deal physical damage with soul essence.


    She was also very inventive in the applications of her Aspect. Samara was probably the only Awakened Sunny knew of who actively utilized modern firearms. By infusing her ammunition with charged essence, she effectively made them analogous to enchanted weapons.


    Nightmare Creatures of higher Ranks were more or less immune to mundane armaments, but susceptible to Memories and even unarmed attacks of Awakened. In Samara''s hands, however, any weapon turned into an Awakened weapon.


    ''What a fascinating Ability��''


    As an added bonus, she was also a capable spelltech engineer and technician. Since the APC the cohort would be using was chuck-full of advanced spelltech, that was going to come in handy.


    The last member of the cohort Sunny had chosen was called Awakened Luster.


    Staring at the man''s dossier, Sunny could help but narrow his eyes.


    ''What a weird name��''


    He shook his head, and then sighed.


    ''Well, maybe his mother had a poetic soul, too.''


    The young man was not a very distinguished fighter �� that was comparatively, of course, since all the elite government soldiers were solid combatants. His talent and usefulness lay mainly in his unique Aspect.


    Although Sunny had not wanted to recruit more utility specialists, he couldn''t help but change his stance after reading what young Luster was capable of. This guy was nothing short of a soul healer�� or an essence battery, in more crude terms.


    His first Ability allowed him to enhance the regeneration rate of soul essence, both his own and that of his allies. His second Ability allowed him to transfer his essence to others.


    Sunny did not even have to think to know how vital such an Aspect was going to be in the coming months. Sure, by choosing Luster, he would be sacrificing the opportunity to recruit another battle powerhouse�� but the trade-off was worth it, in his opinion.


    In other circumstances, Sunny would have been reluctant to make this decision, but Luster''s Abilities synergized simply too well with that of Awakened Samara, not to mention serving as a force multiplier for every other member of the cohort.


    Additionally, the young man was, apparently, an ace pilot. With him in control of the Rhino, Sunny did not have to worry that the APC would fall off a cliff or get stuck in mud.


    Or be turned into an alloy pancake by a random Titan that happened to walk by.


    So, the choice was clear.


    Awakened Luster would be the last member of his cohort.


    Sunny moved slightly and looked at the six dossiers one last time.


    Kim, Belle, Dorn, Quentin, Samara, Luster.


    These six people were going to be his soldiers.


    He lingered for a moment, then let out a small sigh and marked the dossiers with his personal identification code.


    Soon, the bureaucracy of the First Evacuation Army would approve the recruitment request.


    And then, he would finally face his new subordinates face to face.

 Chapter 823 Six Awakened

    Awakened Luster was in a strange mood.


    On one hand, his life and career were going better than ever. Not only had he managed to become a member of the special forces, he also received a chance to participate in the most exciting operation of the last several decades!


    His status, citizenship rank, and even salary were now higher than he had ever hoped. It was hard to imagine that a guy like him managed to climb so far without being a Legacy or even possessing a combat Aspect. It was certainly better than working in a boring spelltech research facility, which he had been considering before joining the government army.


    Plus, he was surrounded by tons of pretty girls every day. There were thousands of them in the port fortress, and even more in the greater encampment beyond. With his dashing uniform, reputation of a valiant elite, and irresistible personality, many of them paid Luster special attention.


    Overall, things were great!


    ��On the other hand, the world seemed to be falling apart. The exciting operation he was so enthused about could very well become his last.


    ''What a bummer.''


    Sitting on a broken panel of a discarded prefab building, Luster watched the swarm activity in the camp below and sipped his coffee. That was another thing�� once they shipped to the Southern Quadrant, luxuries like coffee would probably become scarce. He would have to go back to synthetic substitutes, or even worse, drink something as disgusting as tea!


    ''The horror!''


    Luster grimaced, then glanced at the plain-looking young woman sitting next to him.


    "What do you think, Kimmy? Are we going to receive our assignments today?"


    Awakened Kim hesitated for a bit, then said in an awkward tone:


    "I, uh�� I don''t know?"


    Luster shook his head. Kimmy was the strangest person he had ever met. This timid girl was the only Awakened he knew�� who somehow managed to not look hot! As far as he was concerned, that was a bizarre accomplishment. Every Awakened was hot. That was just common knowledge.


    ��Every one except for Kimmy. She single-handedly destroyed Luster''s whole worldview. He just did not know what to make of that fact.


    Belle, who was perching on the same prefab panel, looked at them and flashed a smile.


    "I think we will."


    Luster felt a rush of excitement.


    "Oh, do you know something?"


    The blond daredevil leaned forward, then said in a hushed tone:


    "I heard from my pal in logistics that Soul Reaper finalized the command structure of her unit yesterday. That means they''ll start recruiting today. After that is done, the other elite units will be free to pick out the rest of us."


    ''Hell yeah!''


    Luster grinned, remained silent for a bit, and then sighed wistfully.


    "I know that the chances are slim, but wouldn''t it be great to be picked by Soul Reaper''s unit? Just imagine�� Ascended Jet, she''s such a ba��"


    Before he had the chance to finish his sentence, their communicators suddenly received a notification.


    The strange part of it was that all three lit up simultaneously.


    Kimmy was the first to read the message. Her eyes widened.


    Seeing her reaction, Luster felt his heart sinking.


    "Kimmy? W��what is it?"


    She lingered for a moment, and then showed him the screen.


    "First�� First Irregular Company! We''ve been assigned to Soul Reaper''s unit! It''s actually her!"


    ***


    Luster, Kimmy, and Belle left their observation spot and headed toward the training facility where they had been ordered to gather by the end of the hour.


    They were a strange trio. Sure, each was considered an elite, but in usual circumstances, a combat specialist like Belle would not have been keeping company with two younger support operators. Unless they were members of his cohort, of course, which neither Luster nor Kimmy were.


    The Antarctica campaign, however, had changed a lot of things.


    While troop movements in the waking world were happening on a massive scale, something similar, but less noticeable, was currently happening in the Dream Realm. The Awakened assigned to the First Evacuation Army were hastily relocating to larger and better protected Citadels, so that a sudden attack of Nightmare Creatures could not disrupt their deployment in Antarctica.


    Some were going to government Citadels, while some were going to impregnable Legacy strongholds like Bastion or Ravenheart. All across the Dream Realm, thousands of Awakened were participating in this quiet exodus.


    Luster, Kimmy, and Belle had just happened to reside in the same general area of the Dream Realm. The Awakened serving the government banded together to brave the wilderness and reach Bastion, forming a large caravan that only grew bigger as it passed various Citadels.


    Eventually, a couple hundred Awakened all traveled together while their physical bodies were being relocated to various ports, locked inside the sleeping pods.


    It was a weird thing. Luster had fallen asleep in one place, but woke up thousands of kilometers south of it. In any case, in the month that it had taken him to reach Bastion on foot, he and the two other elite specialists traveling with the caravan had become somewhat close. They were not really friends, but at least knew each other.


    That could not be said about the other three Awakened they met after reaching the reinforced prefab building.


    Luster''s face grew a little dim when he realized that two of them were dudes. The third one, however��


    ''Wow!''


    The tall, gorgeous redhead was a real bombshell! Sure, she seemed unapproachable and older than him by a good decade�� but that only added to her charm��


    Belle lightly tapped the young man on the shoulder.


    "Get your head out of the gutter, fool."


    Luster blinked a couple of times, then looked at the swordsman with a sheepish smile.


    "Oh�� sorry."


    Kimmy glanced at the two of them with confusion and said quietly:


    "I�� I think I know her. That is Awakened Samara. When I trained to receive the technician certificate, she taught the spelltech introduction class to us."


    She squirmed a little, then approached the tall woman and forced out a small smile.


    "Instructor Samara. I��it is so nice to see you again."


    The aloof beauty glanced at the meek young woman and nodded.


    "...You can call me Sam. We are colleagues now."


    Kimmy froze for a moment.


    "Yes! I will, Instructor Samara. I mean�� uh�� Instructor Sam."


    She blushed a little, and then gestured at his two companions.


    "These are Awakened Belle and Awakened Luster. We traveled to Bastion together."


    Samara looked at the two men, then said in an emotionless tone:


    "These are Awakened Quentin and Awakened Dorn. We just met."


    The six elites studied each other for some time.


    Eventually, Belle scratched the back of his head and asked:


    "Uh�� does anyone know who our commanding officer is?"

 Chapter 824 Mysterious Master

    Nobody was sure who exactly the Ascended in charge of their new cohort was. Nevertheless, after briefly getting acquainted, the six Awakened couldn''t help but wonder.


    Quentin, the handsome warrior with a gallant demeanor, seemed thoughtful.


    "Master Sunless�� I don''t think I have ever heard of him. There is no Ascended of that name among those who had been with the government for a long time, that I am sure of."


    He lingered for a moment, and the added with slight reluctance:


    "I did hear a few rumors, though."


    Luster looked at him with a lively smile.


    "Come on, then, don''t leave us hanging!"


    Quentin sighed, clearly uncomfortable to be participating in something that could be amounted to gossip. Eventually, however, his curiosity won over decorum:


    "Well, it''s not much. I just heard that Master Jet deliberately postponed the formation for the First Irregular Company to give this gentleman enough time to arrive. And that she personally recruited him."


    Luster blinked a couple of times. If Soul Reaper had gone out of her way to make sure that the guy joined her unit, then he had to be a beast!


    Belle confirmed his suspicion:


    "I actually heard that Ascended Sunless is a real monster. A demon of a fighter with a wild, bloodthirsty streak. Apparently, he killed four hundred Awakened abominations�� as a Sleeper. Some even say that he hunted down an ancient Fallen Devil before Awakening."


    A strange silence settled in the training gymnasium.


    Luster scoffed.


    "Yeah, right�� that''s impossible."


    Samara, who had remained mostly silent before that, suddenly spoke:


    "My information is different. From what I''ve been told, he is a distinguished explorer and academic researcher. His published works are supposed to be available in the government database. They are very extensive exploration reports about dangerous regions of the Dream Realm and the Nightmare Creatures populating them."


    That sounded more believable. Explorers of the Dream Realm might not have been the most renowned fighters, but they had to be capable to survive its wild expanse. It would make sense if Soul Reaper wanted to recruit a knowledgeable academic, since the other captains of the First Irregular Company already covered the combat prowess in spades.


    Vandal, Mustang, Queen, Knight, and Pride were legends among the government soldiers. Their renown only paled in comparison to the dreaded Soul Reaper herself.


    Kimmy suddenly moved and said in a faltering voice:


    "I�� uh�� I heard that he is utterly mad. Some say that he actually comes from the Forgotten Shore, where he lived completely alone in the Dark City for a long time. They even say that Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan once said that he was the only person he was afraid to fight. I mean�� it''s ridiculous, of course��"


    Her voice gradually grew quieter and then trailed off.


    After a short and somewhat awkward pause, the giant man, Dorn, spoke in a steady tone:


    "Those are all just rumors. I only know that Ascended Sunless is relatively young�� however, we don''t need to guess. There is a lot that we can assume just from who he chose as the members of his cohort."


    Luster craned his neck and looked at the intimidating strongman.


    "Yeah? Like what?"


    Dorn shrugged.


    "Well, for one, our composition is quite telling. We have two offensive fighters, a healer, a ranged specialist, and two support specialists. The cohort seems to be well-rounded, but it lacks means to fulfill several key roles. We don''t have a reliable scout, and our defense is comparatively subpar."


    He paused for a moment, and then added:


    "That suggests that Ascended Sunless is a utility specialist with a scouting Ability. Alternatively, he might be a defense-oriented fighter or simply a believer in an offense-centered military doctrine. He might also possess a powerful Echo that can serve as a defensive bulwark."


    Dorn thought for a bit.


    "What is especially interesting to me is that he deliberately chose Awakened with higher than usual mental resilience. He also neglected direct combat efficiency in favor of Aspects that possess sufficient longevity. The presence of Awakened Luster only confirms the fact that our commanding officer puts a lot of value in sustainability. All of that tells me that he has a very mature outlook on combat that is in direct contradiction to his young age."


    Luster followed along, surprised that he had not come to these conclusions himself.


    ''The big guy is wicked smart!''


    He cleared his throat, then said:


    "Well�� he is a Master. Everyone says that the Second Nightmare is the game changer. Who knows what kind of crap he experienced there? Stuff like that can make a person mature real fast."


    "Well said."


    Luster nodded, pleased to receive a bit of praise, but then almost jumped.


    ''Wait�� who said that?!''


    At some point, a seventh person had somehow appeared in the gymnasium without being noticed by any of them. He was of small stature, with flawless ivory skin, black hair, and unfathomable dark eyes. The guy was extremely young, and looked like a porcelain doll. In fact, he was kind of cute�� in a strange, unsettling sort of way.


    Luster frowned.


    ''Who''s that shorty?''


    Then, realizing who was in front of him, he froze.


    The new arrival smiled.


    "Good morning, Awakened. I am Master Sunless. You can call me Captain Sunless, or simply Captain. From today forward, I will be your commanding officer."


    He remained silent for a few moments. Then, his pleasant smile slowly turned strangely ominous.


    Captain Sunless stared directly at the six of them and added:


    "Yes, I killed four hundred Awakened abominations and hunted down a Fallen Devil as a Sleeper. Yes, I am a distinguished explorer and researcher whose published works are well-known in academic circles. And yes, I indeed come from the Forgotten Shore, where I lived in the Dark City completely alone and went�� slightly�� mad."


    The frightening smile grew a little wider.


    "But all of that is in the past. I am utterly sane now. I am not deranged at all. You truly have nothing to worry about!"

 Chapter 825 Under Pressure

    The next two weeks passed in a blur.


    Sunny had so much to do that there was no time to concentrate on any one thing for too long. The First Evacuation Army camp around him was in a similar state, becoming increasingly more hectic and busy as the date of the naval convoy''s departure approached.


    Luckily, he was more than familiar with having to act fast while enduring immense pressure.


    The first thing Sunny did after introducing himself to the members of his cohort was briefly reiterate the key objectives of the upcoming campaign, as well as share several pieces of information about the hardships they would most likely have to endure and the intended role of the First Irregular Company that his soldiers had not been privy to before.


    After Sunny finished his briefing, the mood in the empty gymnasium turned somewhat grim. Not wishing to let the six Awakened stew in their apprehension, he immediately transitioned to the next stage of getting to know his subordinates.


    Summoning the Cruel Sight, Sunny smiled pleasantly and asked them to attack him, one at a time.


    He wanted to kill two birds with one stone by dueling each of the cohort members right off the bat.


    First of all, Sunny knew that he had to win their respect. No matter what Master Jet had said, these experienced soldiers were not going to put their trust in him easily. He was young, small, and a complete stranger. Although forging a real bond would take more time and effort, a simple demonstration of strength was a good start.


    Secondly, he needed to understand their powers and techniques better. A simple duel was the best way to do that. Sunny had an additional advantage in that regard, since his mastery of Shadow Dance allowed him to learn much faster, and peer much deeper, than almost anyone else.


    In the next thirty minutes or so, he ruthlessly demolished each of his subordinates without even breaking a sweat. Although all of them were very good at what they did, his power and skill were simply too domineering.


    The only ones who gave Sunny a bit of a problem were Dorn and Samara. The former''s Aspect was very insidious when used with sufficient foresight. While Sunny was strong enough to shake off the force of the big man''s Aspect, even he had to improvise when subjected to it at exactly the worst and most inconvenient moment.


    Samara presented a different challenge. Although her preferred method of combat centered around infusing bullets with charged soul essence, she was perfectly capable of simply forming her essence into projectiles without a tangible medium. Even if these soul darts weren''t as fast or far-reaching, fighting her meant being subjected to a constant barrage of explosive energy.


    It was a good thing that the gymnasium was built with Awakened in mind. Otherwise, the whole structure might have collapsed.


    In any case, neither of them managed to really slow Sunny down. Of course, he took care to exert just enough strength to defeat the members of the cohort in a decisive fashion, but not wound them.


    After the six duels were finished, he had a much better understanding of what his subordinates were capable of. Not only had Sunny been able to grasp the core tenets of their battle techniques, he was also very satisfied with adding six nuanced, polished styles to his mental library.


    Knowing what to expect from the six Awakened not only allowed him to form a tentative vision of how the cohort would perform in battle and how to command it to achieve the best result, but also helped him come up with an optimized training plan that would turn them into a semblance of a cohesive fighting force in a short amount of time.


    Sadly, four weeks was not nearly enough time to turn seven relative strangers into a truly coordinated battle unit. The insight he had received due to Shadow Dance helped substantially accelerate the process, but the progress was still insufficient. Hopefully, they would reach at least the minimal threshold of mutual understanding by the time the naval convoy reached Antarctica.


    After coming up with the plan, Sunny did not linger before putting it in motion.


    To his amusement, the training facility assigned to the cohort happened to include seven Dreamscape pods. These were different from the one he had back home, however. Instead of being connected to the public selection of arenas, it was integrated into a closed network operated by the government.


    It was also centered around battles with simulated Nightmare Creatures, as opposed to personal duels. Sunny was even able to tune the battle scenarios to fit his goals and personal preferences, to a certain extent.


    At first, he was very enthusiastic about this novel method of training, but then grew slightly disappointed with it. Dreamscape was simply incapable of simulating the true madness and dread of the Nightmare Creatures. The illusory monsters they fought were strong and threatening, but lacked the spark of life and the perverse intelligence that made the real deal so deadly.


    Illusions were simply incapable of pressuring the cohort enough.


    So�� Sunny found something else to really pressure his people.


    Himself.


    After the first few days, he allocated significant time to battles where all six had to contain a single target �� their captain. While Sunny looked much less frightening than a Nightmare Creature, his subordinates quickly learned that he was infinitely more terrible.


    After an especially intense clash, the six Awakened crawled out of the Dreamscape pods and wandered off to grab a bite and rest for a bit.


    Soon, several of them gathered in the staff kitchen attached to the gymnasium. Luster was rubbing the shoulder he had bruised in one of the real-world training sessions as he groaned:


    "...devil! He is a devil!"


    Sunny, who sat comfortably in his luxurious Memory chair on the other side of the building, studying a topographical map of Antarctica, looked up from the screen of his communicator and grinned.


    ''That guy is closer to the truth than he thinks...''


    Meanwhile, back in the kitchen, Samara glanced at Luster with disapproval and shook her head. Unexpectedly, Kim decided to support the young man:


    "Actually, our captain, he�� he might really not be a human. I think."


    The aloof beauty looked at her with confusion. Exposed to so much attention, Kim shifted uncomfortably.


    "That�� uh�� all humans share common weaknesses. Temple, inner thigh where the artery is close to the skin�� and so on. But Captain Sunless, he d��does not. It''s like his skull is indestructible, and he doesn''t bleed."


    Luster''s eyes widened.


    "See! I am telling you, guys, he is a Nightmare Creature in disguise! We will all die before even reaching Antarctica!"


    Samara stared at him for a few moments, and then said nonchalantly:


    "You know that he''s probably listening, right?"


    Luster flinched and almost fell off his chair.


    On the other side of the building, Sunny put a hand over his mouth to stifle a wicked laugh.

 Chapter 826 Shopping Spree

    While the intense and arduous training slowly taught the members of the cohort how to fight together, Sunny had several other time-sensitive tasks to complete. Keeping up with all these concurrent responsibilities really tested his mental capacity, but there was no other choice than to simply grit his teeth and do it.


    Probably the most important of the tasks facing him was to allocate his contribution points and acquire various assets to strengthen the cohort. However, that was not a straightforward issue. After several days of studying how his subordinates fought and getting acquainted with their Memory arsenals, he was finally ready to make some decisions.


    To do so, he chose a moment when the three members of the melee vanguard �� Belle, Dorn, and Quentin �� were busy in the Dreamscape pods, and called his other three subordinates over.


    After all, all three of them were specialists in various support fields that had to do with the cohort''s equipment. Kim was a technician, Samara was a capable spelltech engineer, while Luster��


    Well, Luster was supposed to be an ace pilot. That wasn''t really useful in this situation, but what was Sunny supposed to do, leave the poor guy to sulk all alone in a corner?


    After consulting with Kim and Samara, he gained a lot of insight into what would be the best way to spend the contribution points.


    The Rhino might have seemed like a simple transport vehicle, but it was really so much more. Sunny did not know a lot about war and strategy, but he knew that mobility was one of the most important factors when determining the impact a combat unit could make.


    That was especially so for the cohorts of the First Irregular Company, which were supposed to be elite rapid-response units that had to constantly travel between various flashpoints to provide support to the ground troops.


    So, upgrading their APC was of paramount importance.


    The question was which aspects of the Rhino had to be upgraded the most.


    In the end, Sunny settled on several major upgrades. They were not what he had expected to pick before consulting with the pair of tech specialists. Instead of adding more armor to the Rhino''s hull or incorporating a powerful cannon to its forward section, most of the improvements ended up being hidden from sight.


    The Rhino received a comprehensive overhaul that replaced its already formidable power reactor with a much more potent alternative, which in turn demanded the whole energy transmission system to be torn out and replaced with a more robust one.


    Among other things, this upgrade vastly improved the logistics of the cohort, since the new spelltech reactor did not need mundane fuel and could be charged by Luster instead.


    The guy turned out to be useful for something, after all!


    The second major upgrade, unexpectedly, centered entirely around the command and communication suite situated in the rear of the vehicle. Sunny had not paid it much attention before, but after receiving input from Kim, he understood how important it was to get his hands on a better system.


    With all the Gates opening in Antarctica, communicating with other units and the command HQ of the Evacuation Army was going to quickly turn into hell. Being able to maintain a stable connection was even more important for the Irregulars, since the cohorts were meant to act semi-independently while being coordinated by Master Jet from a distance.


    Luckily, the upgraded reactor was capable of supplying a lot of juice to the communication suite, so Sunny could easily replace it with a much more advanced and powerful system that, hopefully, would have no problem punching through the mass of interference. The added external antennas, both the comically tall telescopic one and the more modest parabolic one, could be retracted and hidden beneath the armor at any moment.


    The third upgrade was the most esoteric and abstruse. It involved extremely advanced spelltech applications which Sunny did not really understand, so he simply told Samara to choose the best option.


    It had to do with shielding and insulating the core systems of the APC from the detrimental effects that the Nightmare Gates produced. Everyone knew that Gates messed with technology and electronics in weird ways, but very few people understood how and why.


    Considering the nature of the Chain of Nightmares, Sunny had to make sure that the Rhino would not simply stall and die in the middle of nowhere for no apparent reason. So, even though it cost him a painful amount of contribution points, he chose to acquire the most expensive set of countermeasures available.


    Sunny did not shed a tear only because his subordinates were watching.


    Before letting the specialists go, he made another acquisition.


    Knowing what Samara was capable of with the right armament, he decided to enhance her combat performance by getting his hand on the most powerful mundane weapon available to the members of the First Evacuation Army.


    As the result, the cohort became entitled to receive an incredibly powerful �� by the standards of mundane soldiers, of course �� mechanized rifle.


    The thing was made of incredibly tough alloy and included various dampening materials to make its internals more resistant to concussive damage. It was as tall as Samara herself, and possessed a long, fearsome barrel. Sunny initially thought that the rifle was a railgun, but was corrected and found out that it was actually a different type of a mass driver known as a coil gun, or Gauss rifle.


    He had heard all those words before, but had no idea what the difference was. Not that it mattered. All he needed to know was that the rifle was incredibly powerful and capable of propelling solid slugs forward with stunning speed. It could also fire them in two modes �� subsonic and supersonic �� which could be useful if the cohort ever wanted to remain discreet.


    Technically, the rifle was too heavy and powerful to be wielded by a human. It was meant to be utilized by a soldier encased in a full exoskeleton armor suit, or even serve as a light weapon for the smaller humanoid war platforms. But as an Awakened, Samara was just strong enough to manage.


    After making this acquisition, Sunny let the three specialists go and rubbed his palms together.


    Then, he went forward and spent his remaining contribution points on miscellaneous items�� and, more importantly, better Memories for his soldiers.


    As a mad grin appeared on Sunny''s face, his eyes shone with greedy light.


    Staring at his communicator, he couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Ungrateful brats�� daddy brought you gifts, hehe!"

 Chapter 827 Daunting Task

    Chapter 827 Daunting Task


    Sunny spent a lot of time considering what was the best use of the contribution points allocated to him by the army, as far as Memories were concerned.


    He had no doubt that the cohort was going to encounter hordes of Nightmare Creatures in Antarctica. Hopefully, he and his soldiers would survive�� which also meant that they would receive a lot of Memories, and eventually even Echoes, throughout the campaign.


    Still, most of those abominations were going to be either Dormant or Awakened. How powerful of a Memory could killing such a creature bring? Additionally, any boon received in battle was bound to be arbitrary. Even if it possessed considerable power, who was to say that this power was going to fit the members of the cohort well?


    So, now was his best and only chance to get his hands on potent Memories that perfectly suited his soldiers and himself.


    However, nothing was ever simple.


    Despite the fact that the government had been extremely generous, outfitting six Awakened, let alone a Master, was not cheap. If Sunny had not spent the lion''s share of contribution points on upgrading the Rhino, he might have been able to acquire a good amount of powerful tools. As it stood, he was desperately short on funds.


    This was why he had to make several painful decisions. Firstly, he gave up on getting something that he himself could use and chose to concentrate on the needs of his subordinates.


    ''That really leaves a bad taste in my mouth��''


    Sunny let out a mournful sigh. There was just no denying it�� his personal arsenal was already a bit too outstanding. He had to console himself by remembering that his six soldiers were, in a sense, an extension of this arsenal. They were meant to become his most powerful weapons.


    So, empowering them was the same as empowering himself.


    Secondly, purchasing Echoes were also out of the question. Although there were plenty to choose from, the cost was just too high. Sunny might have considered getting one if he could turn it into a Shadow, but he already knew that he had to possess the corresponding shadow in his Soul Sea to transform an Echo.


    So, his main goal was to enhance the equipment of his soldiers in a meaningful way.


    Sadly, even that was mostly out of his reach now.


    ��That was if Sunny did not cheat, of course.


    ''But why wouldn''t I?''


    An ominous smile appeared on his face.


    Sunny was in a unique position to get most of what he wanted while spending a vastly smaller amount of contribution points than anyone else would have had to shell out. After all... he was an aspiring sorcerer.


    Purchasing dozens of powerful Memories might have been out of his reach, but with some luck, he would not need to. Requesting a powerful Ascended sword for Belle would consume a considerable chunk of his remaining contribution points, for example.


    But purchasing a Dormant weapon with a suitable enchantment would not. All he had to do was study its weave, and then transplant the enchantment on the swordsman''s current blade.


    In other words, Sunny planned to treat the Memories he purchased as building blocks of powerful tools, as opposed to tools themselves. That way, he could get much more value from the contribution points in his possession


    The only disadvantage of this approach was that it would immensely burden Sunny in the coming weeks. Nevertheless, he was willing to try. Even if not all of his attempts of transplanting weaves were going to succeed, he was confident that a sufficient amount would�� if he chose the right ingredients, of course.


    Sunny studied the vast list of available Memories for a while, then sighed and left the gymnasium. He had to inspect the goods personally. Sometimes, it was easy to forget that most Awakened did not enjoy his ability to peer into the very essence of Memories and receive a handy description of what each enchantment was supposed to do from the Spell.


    That was something that consuming a drop of ichor that had fallen from Weaver''s eye gifted him, and while there surely were Aspects that allowed a select number of people to do something similar, most Awakened simply had to rely on vague feeling and experimentation to unlock the full potential of their Memories.


    It took some convincing to make happen, but eventually, Sunny was allowed into the main armory of the army encampment. There, he found several dozen of Awakened busy with paperwork. There were no thousands of Memories resting on the shelves, waiting to be allocated to various units.


    The logistics of the whole system were a true nightmare, since Memories could only be transferred in person.


    As the result, each was assigned to an Awakened supply officer who served as a walking arsenal and was supposed to personally deliver the chosen Memory to the recipient when requested. Sunny would have looked like a complete fool if he demanded each of these officers to manifest their entire inventories for his perusal, not to mention that such a thing would take forever to complete.


    Luckily, he had narrowed his selection to a comparatively short list of Memories that were both cheap and had great potential. Now, he just had to take a look at them to make sure that the weaves were suitable and easy enough to copy.


    Sunny had a lot of goals, ranging from comparatively simple to achieve to those that required a great effort on his part and could end in failure.


    For example, there was a Dormant Memory that came in the shape of a straight razor. Its only enchantment, according to the description in the government database, made it extremely sharp. Trying to hack and slash Nightmare Creatures with the tiny blade was a recipe for disaster, but what if he could imbue Belle''s sword with the same unnatural sharpness?


    There was a cloak that had no other purpose than to make its wearer weigh less by a couple of kilograms. In and of itself, the enchantment was not too useful, but what if he applied it to Dorn''s unwieldy sledgehammer?


    Better yet, what if he managed to transplant the [Feather of Truth] enchantment of the Mantle of the Underworld to it? Even though Sunny still had trouble working with complex weaves of Ascended Memories, he felt that he had a solid chance of success.


    What if he could purchase six cheap charms, and enhance each of them with resistance to cold that the Memory of Ice provided? Thankfully, he could spend his contribution points to receive souls shards required for these manipulations, as well.


    Of course, the task was daunting and complicated. Not only did Sunny have to collect all the necessary ingredients, spend a lot of time and essence to create countless strings of essence, study the new weaves, and actually succeed in replicating them�� he also had to take other factors into account.


    The difference between passive and active enchantments, the capacity of the Memories being changed, the rate at which his Awakened soldiers would have to expend their limited reserves of essence to maintain the more powerful effects, the synergy between them�� all of these concerns were enough to drive a person mad.


    Not to mention that he only had several weeks to achieve this ambitious goal while simultaneously overseeing the training of the cohort and performing other important tasks.


    He would probably improve his nascent mastery of sorcery, at least.


    Staring at the confused supply officers, Sunny rubbed his face and groaned.


    ''So much to do�� damn, is being a captain always so stressful?''

 Chapter 828 The Call

    Chapter 828 The Call


    Several days later, Sunny was sitting in the mess hall of the military bunker, consuming a generous portion of food without too much enthusiasm. A couple of other captains of the First Irregular Company, as well as Master Jet herself, ate with a bit more appetite.


    Sunny did not look too good. There were dark circles under his eyes, and his whole presence was subdued and listless, a telling sign that someone was running low on essence.


    At some point, Winter gave him a dubious look and asked:


    "What''s up with you? You look like you''re about to topple over."


    Sunny waved a hand dismissively.


    "...It''s nothing. I''m just tired because of all the stuff I have to do before we depart. Being an army officer is not a breeze, as it turns out. Who could have thought?"


    The woman stared at him for a few moments, then grinned.


    "Oh, right. I forgot that this is your first command posting. You have yet to discover the wonders of delegation!"


    Master Randall shook his head.


    "There are many things that can''t be delegated. Plus, you have to know what your subordinates can handle to assign them tasks. I think that you are doing fine, kid."


    Sunny wanted to retort that he was not a kid, but thought better of it after glancing at the grizzled veteran. Vandal was almost old enough to be his grandfather. If anyone had the right to regard him as a junior, it was Master Randall.


    Winter shrugged.


    "That''s true. I am actually impressed by the cohort you''ve managed to form. It is unexpectedly well-rounded, although I am surprised by several of the choices you made."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Really? Why?"


    She leaned back and looked at him. Well�� Sunny assumed that she was looking at him. In truth, the laid-back beauty could have been staring at anything from behind her old-fashioned sunglasses.


    "Don''t get me wrong, each of us has tried to create a cohort that can remain effective in all kinds of situations. But we have our biases, nevertheless, so every cohort except yours tends to lean toward a certain specialization. Take Pride, for example. That slippery bastard recruited all the stealthy creeps from the roster."


    Sunny stared at her without amusement.


    "...You do know that I am a creep myself, right?"


    Then, he froze for a moment.


    "Wait, that didn''t come out right! What I meant to say was that I specialize in stealth, as well."


    Winter snorted.


    "Really? You don''t really look like a backstabber."


    Sunny crossed his arms and looked at her with a smirk.


    "Well, obviously. If I go around looking like a backstabber, people would be on guard against being stabbed in the back, wouldn''t they? That just defeats the purpose."


    Master Randall let out a gruff chuckle.


    "He makes a good point."


    Sunny nodded, then let out a heavy sigh.


    "To tell you the truth, I did my fair share of backstabbing in the past, which really helped me survive. But mostly I tend to find myself in situations where I''m surrounded on all sides. Stealth is a powerful tool, but it can only get you so far. So�� a well-rounded cohort is the best choice, in my opinion. Luckily, my Aspect is versatile enough to support all kinds of compositions."


    He lingered for a bit, then asked with curiosity:


    "What do other cohorts specialize in? I''ve been too busy to keep up with what you guys are doing."


    Winter took a bite out of her sandwich, chewed it slowly, and shrugged.


    "Ah, the usual. Davis went with the stealthy approach. Venerable Vandal here is all about melee carnage�� so is Mustang, with the added emphasis on speed and finesse. I am more of a ranged superiority gal. Dale is a bit like you, but with a slant toward robust defense. As for our courageous leader��"


    She looked at Master Jet and smiled.


    "...Actually, I have no idea. Her cohort is weird."


    Soul Reaper gave them a nonchalant glance.


    "It''s not that weird. I just picked people who can enhance my own battle performance in various ways. We are meant to wipe out the enemy by channeling our deadliest weapon �� me �� in the most efficient way."


    She remained silent for a few seconds.


    "In any case, there are only several days left before we have to board the ships. Once we do, most of our decision power will be gone. Any additional preparations we''ll be able to make at sea are going to be limited to a specific direction. So�� now is your last chance to account for things you might have missed."


    The captains looked at each other with somber expressions. After a long pause, Sunny asked:


    "Any suggestions?"


    Master Jet thought for a bit.


    "You are not too familiar with how Gates affect us, are you?"


    He shrugged.


    "I know the basics, I guess."


    Randall shook his head.


    "That is not really enough. For us government officers, a big part of our duty has to do with containing the Nightmare Gates, so we know them the best. You are a Master, so you must have experienced the Call at least once. Correct?"


    Sunny cautiously nodded. He had indeed experienced the strange pull that both Gates and Seeds exerted on Awakened. It felt like the Nightmare was calling to him.


    The grizzled veteran continued with a scowl:


    "Well, the Call does not just affect the mind. It exerts a very substantial influence on reality, as well. Namely, it can mess with your tether and the Dream Realm anchor."


    Sunny scratched the back of his head. He knew about that strange anomaly, of course. He had just never encountered it himself.


    "How severe is the interference?"


    The older Master lingered for a second.


    "Not too severe, but it grows worse the closer you get to the Gate. In the immediate area around it, the Call overrides both the tether and the anchor. What it means is that if you decide to jump into the Dream Realm near an active Gate, you will be pulled toward its Seed instead of your Citadel. Same goes for the Awakened who fall asleep in the vicinity."


    He paused, and then added:


    "Actually, we often make use of that property. If a Gate manifests in a populated area and needs to be closed quickly, we can dispatch a cohort of challengers to the Seed through the Call. A Saint might help out and bring them there immediately, or they can wait until the first wave of Nightmare Creatures is cleared and take a nap�� although that is more dangerous, since the challengers will have to search for each other and the Seed in a potentially hostile region of the Dream Realm."


    Master Jet sighed.


    "That is not important right now. Usually, it is not too difficult to avoid being displaced by the Call. All Awakened have to do is maintain a bit of distance between themselves and the Gate. However��"


    Her expression darkened.


    "With how many Gates are expected to manifest during the Chain of Nightmares, who knows what the situation will be? We''ll have to keep the potential danger in mind and manage the sleep schedule of our soldiers, lest they are whisked away. I advise each of you to stock up on stimulants, at least."


    Sunny remained silent for a while, thinking. Eventually, he tiredly rubbed his face and said in a somber tone:


    "...I''ll take that into account."

 Chapter 829 Battle Scars

    On the second to last day before the departure of the First Evacuation Army, Sunny and his cohort had nothing much to do. The gymnasium they used had actually been dismantled the previous night, so it was impossible for them to continue training.


    Of course, Sunny could have come up with an inventive way to put his soldiers through more grief, but he eventually decided against it. Instead, he gathered them on the wall of the port fortress for an improvised picnic.


    Leaving the Northern Quadrant was a big occasion, especially considering that they were going to war. This was probably going to be their last chance to relax and enjoy themselves in complete safety, so it would have been a shame to miss it.


    The cohort enjoyed a lavish meal consisting of various tasty dishes Sunny had commandeered from the officer''s mess hall. There were even beverages that were technically prohibited by army regulations, even though they had very limited effect on Awakened.


    The seven of them watched as heavy containers were being loaded on the massive ships in wistful silence. Well�� at least six of them did. Luster, meanwhile, was secretly ogling Samara.


    After a few moments of silence, the tall woman suddenly said in an even tone:


    "What are you staring at?"


    The young man flinched and awkwardly looked away.


    "That�� uh�� that''s a wicked scar you have! How did you get it, Sam?"


    Samara, indeed, had a prominent scar that stretched all the way from her shoulder to her forearm. Since the sleeves of her bodysuit were currently rolled up, a part of it was on display.


    She briefly glanced down at her arm, then shrugged.


    "When I was around your age, there was a Gate that opened on top of an unfinished city barrier. As one of the closest Awakened to the site, I was among the first responders. We held the Nightmare Creatures off while the construction crews were evacuating. Anyway�� there was an explosion, and I was thrown over the edge. Luckily, my arm got caught on some scaffolds. It hurt like hell, but at least I didn''t fall all the way down to the ground and turned into a puddle."


    Luster blinked a couple of times, then grinned.


    "That''s nothing! I actually had my entire right arm bitten off once. A giant stone worm somehow tunneled under the Citadel I was anchored in, and then emerged from underground, swallowing the Gateway in one go. Those of us who survived had to fight it off, but then got stuck on the pieces of rabble, surrounded by a swarm of smaller worms."


    He paled a little.


    "...Smaller compared to the first one, of course. Each was at least ten meters long, actually. The only good thing about the bastards was that they could only move through soil, so we were safe as long as we remained on top of big chunks of stone. We did so for a couple of weeks. But when our food and water were gone, we had to make a run for it. I killed an entire worm myself�� but not before the damned thing gobbled up my arm!"


    Luster was fortunate that he had lost his limb in the Dream Realm. Although it must have caused a lot of damage to his physical body, he had not been crippled for life.


    The young man looked around and gave Belle a cocky smile.


    "What about you? What''s the worst you''ve been hurt, huh?"


    The swordsman thought for a bit.


    "Well�� I guess it was a few years back. I was stationed at a remote research outpost, all the way out there in the wilderness. We had a Gate open nearby, and the entire facility ended up being overrun. I was pretty much the only one to survive, but the Nightmare Creatures were on my heels. I had no means to contact the HQ, as well, and the nearest human settlement was half a thousand kilometers away."


    An amused smile appeared on his face.


    "It took me about a month to reach it on foot. The pursuing abominations were easy enough to deal with, but the air�� suffice it to say, by the end of it, I was constantly coughing out chunks of my lungs. That was the worst I have been hurt. Luckily, a kind Ascended healer lent a hand to help me recover."


    A disturbed silence settled over the cohort. A few moments later, Dorn suddenly snorted.


    "That reminds me of my solstice. The very first Nightmare Creature I stumbled upon managed to thoroughly crush both of my legs. I had to drag myself through the mud for two entire weeks of slow, painful crawling to get to the nearest Citadel. That was many years ago, of course, but no abomination has managed to do such a number on me ever since."


    Since everyone seemed in the mood to boast about their battle scars, Quentin hesitated for a bit and then decided to share a story, as well:


    "I was captured by a Nightmare Creature that looked like a giant spider once. It put me in an impenetrable cocoon and filled it with digestive fluid, to turn me into an easily consumable slushy�� as spiders do. The problem was, I was able to heal myself a little bit faster than the acid was dissolving me. Still, after several weeks of that, my patience grew really thin."


    Kim looked at him in horror.


    "H��how�� how did you escape?"


    The gallant man smiled.


    "Well, while the acid was slowly corroding my body, I was slowly corroding the cocoon. It gave out before I did, fortunately. However, I failed to avenge the other victims and kill the spider�� it is still out there, somewhere. I hope we''ll meet again, one day."


    Kim looked down, and then sighed.


    "I�� was actually never hurt too badly. There was this one time when my entire cohort contracted a strange plague, though. It was a�� a really torturous disease, and it quickly spread to the entire Citadel. Many people died in agony. Eventually, we found out that the plague was a manifestation of a bizarre Terror. Once we did, a Saint of the great clan Song arrived, and somehow managed to destroy it. I, as well as those who were still alive, were spared."


    Luster patted the young woman on the shoulder.


    "You did well, Kimmy."


    Then, he looked at Sunny, hesitated for a few moments, and cautiously asked:


    "Uh�� what about you, captain? Have you ever been hurt real bad?"


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    "Oh? Let me think�� I had my ribcage crushed once, I guess. I was also disemboweled, poisoned, burned, and drowned. One time, I was even burned and drowned at the same time."


    Luster blinked.


    "How could anyone be burned and drowned at the same time?"


    Sunny gave him a lively smile.


    "Easy! You just need to be drowned in molten metal. But the very worst physical wound I have ever received�� huh�� has to be getting beheaded, I guess? That one really stung. Honestly, I do not recommend getting decapitated, if you can avoid it. It''s really not worth it�� in most cases��"


    The six Awakened were staring at him with strange expressions.


    Sunny cleared his throat.


    "What? It truly isn''t! Trust me, I should know��"

 Chapter 830 Departure

    The next day, the exodus of the First Evacuation Army from the Northern Quadrant finally started.


    Sunny and the other captains observed the mass of humans, machinery, and cargo containers flowing into the seemingly bottomless cargo holds of the forty metal leviathans from the tall walls of the port fortress. None of the six spoke, consumed by somber thoughts. Master Jet remained silent, as well.


    Behind them, the large encampment that had been bustling with activity just a few days ago was completely dismantled and gone. In front of them was the endless grey expanse of the sea and an uncertain future.


    Even though only a quarter of the entire evacuation contingent was sailing south from this port today, the scope of it all was truly immense. Looking at the fearsome ships and the flood of soldiers boarding them, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a bit of awe.


    It was easy to believe that nothing would be able to stop such a tremendous force.


    ��However, he knew better.


    After a while, Master Jet sighed.


    "Alright. It''s time for us to go. Regroup with your cohorts and proceed to your assigned ships. You know what to do if the convoy encounters a disaster on the way. Try your best to survive. Should the flagship go down and I with it, follow the chain of command. Vandal is going to assume leadership over the company in my absence."


    Master Randall glanced darkly at her and grimaced.


    "Hopefully, I won''t need to."


    Even though the convoy was going to be guided by the emissaries of the House of Night, it was not a given that all ships would reach Antarctica. Naval navigation was always dangerous, and most of the Awakened and Ascended of the First Army were all but useless in aquatic combat.


    Including Sunny.


    Glancing at his colleagues one last time, he stepped through the shadows and appeared near a crowded dock. It was not hard to find the members of his cohort, since most people gave them a bit of space out of respect.


    Walking up to them, he put on a confident mask and asked in a relaxed tone:


    "Are you ready?"


    Everyone nodded�� except for Luster, who suddenly seemed concerned.


    "Uh�� actually, I''ve never been on a ship. I won''t get seasick, right?"


    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, then shrugged.


    "You are an Awakened, are you not? Awakened are supposed to be resilient to such things. So�� we''ll see, I guess."


    Luster''s face dropped. He lingered for a few moments and sighed.


    "...Somehow, I feel like you don''t like me very much, captain."


    Sunny did not respond. However, Belle suddenly patted the young man on the shoulder.


    "Well, I, for one, am very happy that you''re with us."


    �Ѧ���d�� n?��?| ��om Luster beamed.


    "Really?"


    The swordsman gave him a friendly smile and nodded


    "Sure. People like you are very valuable to have around. I mean, one look at you, and it''s clear that you are going to die first. Which, therefore, means that it won''t be me. I feel better already!"


    The young man glowered at him and scoffed.


    "Don''t joke like that. It''s not funny."


    Belle blinked a couple of times.


    "...I wasn''t joking."


    Meanwhile, Sunny shook his head and turned away to hide a smile.


    "Enough talking! Let''s go."


    Together, they entered the long pier and moved toward the distant ship. The mass of people parted to let them through and then closed behind them like water. It felt a little surreal.


    Soon, the solid steel mass of the battleship obscured the sky. Feeling its thick shadow embrace him, Sunny suddenly felt a little calmer.


    He glanced at the grey waves below, sighed, and stepped on the wide linkspan connecting the pier to the massive vessel.


    A few seconds later, the dark maw of the cargo hold swallowed him and his people.


    ***


    Once aboard the ship, the cohort split to perform several tasks. Kim, Luster, and Samara went to check on the supplies allocated to the cohort, including the modified Rhino which had already been stored in a special cradle in one of the lesser cargo holds of the giant vessel for some time. Since they had had no access to it prior to today, there was a multitude of checks and diagnostics they had to run.


    Belle, Dorn, and Quentin followed one of the ship''s logistical officers to secure the living quarters for the cohort and get the lay of the land, while Sunny wandered off to the upper deck.


    There, he walked close to the edge and leaned on the tall handrail, looking down at the distant surface of the water. Images of the Forgotten Shore and the dark sea rose from the depths of his memory, making him shiver.


    As Sunny waited for the fleet to depart, his shadows explored the battleship. Even if he would not be too useful should a swarm of Nightmare Creatures or some colossal horror of the depths attack the convoy once in transit, he was still determined to memorize every nook and cranny of this giant steel coffin�� just in case.


    The prospect of handing his life into the hands of strangers did not appeal to Sunny, to say the least, but he did not have a lot of choice. For the next two to three weeks, the crew of the battleship and the Nightwalkers in charge of the convoy were going to decide whether all of them lived or died.


    ''Curses��''


    Sunny was suddenly very unhappy with the fact that he did not acquire any powerful swimming-related Memories. Even if they could only give him an illusion of being safe, it would have been still better than nothing.


    ''Maybe I should make it a priority once we reach Antarctica. I doubt that this is the last time I have to traverse vast amounts of water. Come to think of it�� isn''t it strange that I, of all people, have neglected seafaring so much? After spending so much time trying to escape the dark sea, even a complete fool would have learned to respect water��''


    But maybe that was the reason. On the Forgotten Shore, Sunny had grown very accustomed to equating depths to death. He had never considered the sea as anything else because of that.


    Slowly, the last stragglers of the First Evacuation Army boarded the metal leviathans. The gates of the cargo holds were closed, the hatches were fastened. Massive chains rattled as the anchors were raised.


    The whole battleship beneath him vibrated as its mighty reactors came to life. Slowly at first, then faster and faster, the convoy started to move. Forty mountains of alloy and steel sailed forward, their bows cutting the waves like giant blades. Thousands of people moved in their metal bellies, breathing life into the iron beasts.


    Sunny looked as the port fortress slowly grew smaller and smaller. Soon, the shore became veiled in a murky haze.


    The First Evacuation Army had left the Northern Quadrant.

 Chapter 831 Master Naeve

    After a while, nothing surrounded the convoy but the vast expanse of rolling waves. The forty colossal vessels moved in a narrow formation, with the fearsome flagship serving as the arrowhead of the expeditionary fleet. Hundreds of formidable cannons were aimed in all directions, their fields of fire overlapping to create a lethal exclusionary zone around the procession.


    Nevertheless, Sunny was not reassured.


    He stared at the undulating surface below for some time, a dark expression never leaving his face. Despite the grandiose magnitude of their passage, the convoy moved with a surprising measure of quietness. If not for the sound of water being displaced by the mighty bows and splashing against the alloy armor, Sunny could have closed his eyes and imagined that there were no other ships around him.


    Wasn''t it strange that he had felt much more comfortable aboard flying ships than these far more reliable seafaring vessels?


    He sighed, then activated his communicator and accessed the maritime safety procedures manual provided to each member of the First Army. In the past weeks, everyone had to study the sizable document and run a few exhausting drills to familiarize themselves with the strange rules of proper naval conduct.


    Sunny had a better memory than most, so he practically learned the manual by heart. While its general structure was rather easy to understand and explained what passengers of the ships had to do if a ship or fleet-wide alert was issued, there were a lot of strange and seemingly esoteric rules included, as well.


    For example, the manual had passages like "if you start to experience recurring nightmares or experience persistent auditory hallucinations, report to the nearest navy officer immediately" or "in case of alert level being raised to Condition Black, cease all activity and motion; do not produce any sounds, disturbances, or vibrations; do not summon Memories and above all else do not actively circulate soul essence", and so on.


    There were several alert levels, differentiated by their color. Condition Black was among the highest and most dire, inferior only to Condition Red, which meant that the whole fleet had to prepare for an all-out battle. However, there were plenty of regulations that fell outside these established routines.


    Even though Sunny had no idea what most of these rules were supposed to prevent from happening, he felt a little bit calmer knowing them.


    ''Ships move between the Quadrants all the time. Hell, there are even some that constantly travel between West Antarctica and South America. There''s no reason to worry too much.''


    He sighed, then shook his head dejectedly and decided to leave the upper deck. Whether Sunny liked it or not, he was going to have to spend the next several weeks at sea. Letting paranoia get the best of him would not do anyone any good.


    There was a lot for him to accomplish, still, from checking up on the Rhino to finding out what kind of facilities would be available to the cohort during this dangerous cruise, and implementing changes to the training plan. Not to mention the fact that he had to continue upgrading and augmenting the Memories of his soldiers.


    As he walked toward the nearest hatch, Sunny suddenly spotted a lone figure standing at the bow of the ship, gazing at the vast expanse of water as he himself had been just a minute ago.


    The man was tall and wore a midnight blue coat that moved slightly in the wind. Beneath it was a black bodysuit much like the one Sunny was wearing, but also slightly different. It was made out of a strange material and looked much more like a wetsuit than a garment meant to be worn under armor.


    Although the stranger stood some distance away, Sunny could somehow feel his presence all the way near the hatch. It was subdued, deep, and mysterious�� tantalizing, even.


    Sunny had no doubt that he was looking at another Master.


    He hesitated for a few moments, then shrugged and decided to approach the unfamiliar Ascended. As he did, the man turned around and glanced at Sunny with a wary gaze.


    He was around thirty years old, handsome, and with eyes of an unusual, beautiful indigo color. Strangely enough, his black hair also seemed to possess slight accents of dark blue, at least when exposed to direct sunlight. This close, the feeling of mystifying depth radiating from the stranger was more pronounced, as if most of him was hidden from sight.


    Sunny already had an idea of who he was looking at. He thought for a bit, and then simply said:


    "Good day. I am Ascended Sunless of the First Awakened Irregular Company."


    The man lingered for a moment, studying him. His indigo eyes seemed to be searching for something.


    ��Then, unexpectedly, a wide smile appeared on his handsome face.


    "Ah! I am Ascended Naeve, of the House of Night."


    He stared at Sunny with a strange expression for a few moments, and then suddenly blurted out:


    "Are you crazy?!"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times. Naeve, meanwhile, laughed and waved his hand in the air a couple of times.


    "Sorry, sorry! I didn''t�� it''s just that my daughter is your biggest fan!"


    ''...What?''


    Utterly flabbergasted, Sunny stared at the scion of the famed great clan Night while trying his best to appear calm and composed. Eventually, he shifted slightly and forced out a question:


    "How�� old is your daughter, if I may ask?"


    Naeve smiled.


    "She''s five. A Song of Light and Darkness is her favorite movie�� she must have watched it a hundred times! The censored version, of course. She just adores your character. You''re her idol! Ah�� I really do apologize, Master Sunless. Please forgive my lack of decorum. I just�� got excited."


    The scion of the House of Night remained silent for a few moments, then suddenly produced a piece of synthetic paper and a pen from somewhere and offered them to Sunny.


    Sunny looked down with a deadpan expression and raised an eyebrow.


    "Uh�� what am I supposed to do with these?"


    Master Naeve stared at him for a long, awkward moment.


    "That�� can I get an autograph? Please. You know, to earn some points with my daughter��"

 Chapter 832 Heirs Of The Storm

    Chapter 832 Heirs Of The Storm


    Sunny knew how to write, of course. That said, he certainly did not have a lot of experience writing by hand, let alone had a signature �� simply because people at large, and especially those in the outskirts, almost never used paper and pens to relay information. Why would they, if everything was usually stored digitally?


    However, he was in a better position than most. Out there in the Dream Realm, many long-abandoned traditions had found a new life, so Sunny managed to scribble down his name on the piece of synthetic paper with at least some semblance of finesse.


    Handing it back to Master Naeve of Night, he smiled awkwardly.


    "Here. I�� hope your daughter likes it."


    The scion of the great clan received the piece of paper with gratitude and hid it in the pocket of his coat.


    "Thank you very much. I am away a lot, so this will go a long way. Next time I see her, she will probably already be six�� and terribly peeved that I''ve been gone for so long. Coming back with a present is bound to help!"


    He looked at Sunny with genuine mirth. Then, a knowing spark gleamed in his strange indigo eyes.


    Naeve gestured at the ocean and asked:


    "You are not too comfortable on water, are you?"


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then scoffed.


    "You must have seen the movie yourself. Is it really a surprise that I have a complicated relationship with the sea?"


    The handsome Master smiled.


    "Oh, yes. I haven''t thought about that, sorry. Still�� at least you are familiar with it. Most people just don''t understand."


    He did not have to say what exactly it was that people failed to understand. For a moment, the two men shared a strange feeling of closeness. Both had known the unfathomable dread of the depths, which was a rare thing these days.


    Sunny sighed, then studied the massive silhouettes of the iron ships for a few moments, and asked:


    "So�� what are our chances of making it to Antarctica alive?"


    Naeve laughed.


    "Well�� I wouldn''t worry too much if I were you. Sure, anything can happen. But this convoy is as safe as we can make it."


    He pointed to the especially fearsome dreadnought that moved in front of the fleet.


    "There is a Saint of the House of Night aboard the flagship. There are several Nightwalkers such as I spread around the other ships. There are also at least one cohort of experienced Awakened warriors of my clan on each vessel. We know what we are doing, so�� very few things can threaten the fleet. It will reach Antarctica, have no doubt."


    The scion of the great clan lingered for a moment, then added in a more somber tone:


    "We will have to make the journey many times, bringing the refugees away and returning with reinforcements for the government army. Each of the four fleets was made to be nearly indestructible. Still�� that doesn''t mean that our passengers can relax. Keep your wits about you, Master Sunless, and do remember the rules formulated in the safety manual. We put them there for a reason."


    Sunny looked at the handsome man and smiled.


    "Oh, you don''t have to worry about that. I have already memorized the whole thing, more or less. I may be lacking in many regards, but being unreasonably paranoid is not one of them."


    Naeve smiled.


    "That is a truly remarkable trait to have. I wish more people were that unreasonable..."


    ***


    Sunny chatted with the Nightwalker for a few more minutes before taking his leave. Master Naeve had turned out to be unexpectedly friendly and pleasant to be around. He was not at all like the arrogant representatives of the other great Legacy clans.


    By the end of their talk, Sunny felt a lot better about his current circumstances. He had also grown a bit fascinated with the House of Night.


    The third great clan had always been a mystery to him. Nightwalkers did not enjoy the patronage of a Sovereign, but wielded an irreplaceable power. That unique advantage had carved a place for them at the very top of human hierarchy.


    But what was that advantage, exactly?


    After meeting a scion of the great clan Night in person, Sunny all but confirmed his suspicion. The feeling Naeve gave him was somewhat similar to what he had experienced twice before �� one time in the shrine at the fourth level of the Ebony Tower, the other time in the great hall of the Night Temple.


    Both were dedicated to Storm God �� the deity of depths, oceans, darkness, stars, travel, guidance, and disaster. The aspects of the Goddess of the Black Skies were all eerily related to the role the House of Night played in human society, and Sunny did not think that it was a coincidence.


    His previous guess seemed to have been correct. It was all but certain now that the founder of the great clan, an enigmatic Awakened of the First Generation known as Nightwalker, had inherited the lineage of Storm God and somehow shared its power with the rest of the House of Night.


    ''So, then�� all six divine lineages are accounted for?''


    House of Night had inherited the lineage of Storm God.


    Immortal Flame had inherited the lineage of Sun God.


    Valor had inherited the lineage of War God.


    Song had most likely inherited the lineage of Beast God �� that was clear from what he knew about Seishan, the adopted daughter of Ki Song.


    Sunny had been meant to inherit the lineage of Shadow God, but it was devoured by Blood Weave.


    That only left the most elusive of the six divinities, Heart God�� and the most elusive of the Sovereigns, Asterion?


    Of course, Sunny could be wrong. Ki Song might have been the heir of Heart God, instead, while Asterion might have been the heir of Beast God, or lacked a lineage entirely.


    But what were the chances?


    ''That is all great. But what the hell does it all mean?''


    What were divine lineages, exactly? Did they have any purpose except for bestowing their wielders with additional power? Were they just chance remnants of ancient bloodlines, or something that had been left behind for a reason?


    More importantly, now that one of the six divine bloodlines had been hijacked by the forbidden lineage of a meddling daemon�� how would that affect things?


    Sunny had no idea.


    Shaking his head, he descended into the metal depths of the giant battleship and reunited with his shadows, which had been exploring the vessel all that time.


    ''One way or another, I will find out later. Right now, however�� I should really go and take a look at the Rhino.''


    Sunny hastened his steps and scowled.


    ''After all the contribution points I sank into it, the damned thing better be good��''

 Chapter 833 Rhino

    The vehicle stable of the battleship took up a whole lesser cargo hold. Calling it lesser, of course, did not do the space justice �� it was a vast metal hall filled with all types of heavy machinery and bustling human activity.


    Feeling the floor sway slightly beneath him, Sunny walked along various cradles, each holding a powerful engine of war, until he reached the one assigned to his cohort. There, he finally saw the Rhino.


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, studying the formidable vehicle.


    The armored personnel carrier was angular and stocky, with heavy plates of composite alloy armor covering its solid frame. Its design was stout, sleek, and strangely predatory. The whole machine was almost the size of a train car, with six mighty wheels supporting its overbearing weight.


    Each massive wheel was as tall as a human and as tough as the alloy hull of the Rhino. A lot of engineering went into making the APC as mobile as possible �� not only were the wheels connected to an extremely robust suspension system, they were also attached to a set of short integrated limbs that could be extended from the frame of the vehicle to raise its profile and maneuverability.


    The APC also possessed powerful boosters that allowed it to sustain brief bursts of autonomous levitation, hop over short distances, or soften the blow of landing from height. It could even move across water as an amphibious vessel�� not that Sunny had any plans to do so.


    The feature that gave the Rhino its peculiar name was a massive steel wedge that was raised slightly above its wide snout. This plow could be lowered down to the ground, turning the APC into a semblance of a heavy siege ram. With this sharp catcher lowered, the alloy beast looked like it was capable of tearing through walls, piles of debris, natural obstacles, and the flesh of the Nightmare Creatures with equal ease.


    Sunny studied it with a dark sense of glee.


    ''Well, alright. I have to admit�� it does look good.''


    He lowered his eyes and looked at Kim and Samara, who were busy inspecting the vehicle. He walked over to his technicians and asked in a neutral tone:


    "So, what''s the status?"


    Samara glanced up from the screen of her communicator, where a diagnostic program was displaying the results of a series of complicated tests. She offered him a small smile.


    "Everything seems to be in order, Captain. He''s a real beast."


    Kim affectionately patted the surface of the APC, which had been painted in a grey camouflage pattern.


    "This is a superb machine. Rhino is really fast despite being burdened by heavy armor, highly maneuverable, and has exceedingly durable internals. With the expensive upgrades we procured, he had become nothing short of a beast, indeed."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, coming to terms with the fact that his personnel carrier was, apparently, a "he".


    Kim, meanwhile, shifted from foot to foot and said in a tentative tone:


    "Uh�� would you like to take a look inside, Captain?"


    Sunny looked at her nonchalantly and shrugged.


    "Sure."


    ''Of course I want to take a look inside! What kind of question is that?!''


    He entered the Rhino through an opened hatch, climbed a set of steep steps, and found himself in the interior of the massive vehicle.


    Everything there was spartan, highly utilitarian, and designed with maximum durability in mind. It was clear that he was inside a military machine�� and yet, Sunny couldn''t help but feel that he was surrounded by pure luxury.


    Maybe it was because he knew how much all this seemingly unassuming equipment cost.


    The front of the Rhino was dedicated to a slightly raised pilot''s cabin, where Luster was currently studying various control panels and switches with an excited expression. There was enough space in there for a couple of additional seats, as well. The reinforced windshield was long and narrow, but offered almost a panoramic view of the surroundings.


    Of course, there were plenty of monitors displaying the feeds from various external cameras and sensors, as well.


    The middle of the vehicle was dedicated to a modest living space. There was a small lounge area where the crew could rest and spend time together, a compact galley, and a partitioned hygiene compartment. Six sleeping nooks were situated on the opposing walls. Sunny could already imagine the competition for who would get the bottom bunks.


    Of course, each of these "bunks" could actually function as a dedicated sleeping pod, should the need arise.


    Behind the lounge area was a cargo hold that also served as the armory and integrated a high-tech engineering workstation. The engineering compartment itself was situated below the floor and ran the whole length of the vehicle.


    Finally, the very back of the Rhino was taken by the command and communication suite. There was a large holographic table, a powerful console connected to the antennae array of the APC, and a set of monitors that received the same input as the ones in the pilot''s cabin.


    Most importantly, behind all that was an alcove where Sunny''s own bed was situated, complete with a privacy partition and a dedicated storage space.


    The mattress was the very best the First Evacuation Army could offer.


    He grinned, imagining how pleasant it would be to sleep on that thing.


    ''This is actually better than what I have back home��''


    Such an addition was not simply to please the officers. As an Ascended, Sunny possessed an ability that his soldiers lacked �� he did not have to travel to the Dream Realm every time he fell asleep.


    What it actually meant was that his soldiers were going to be utterly defenseless while they slept. Even if a swarm of Nightmare Creatures attacked the Rhino, they would not wake up. He was the only one who could guard the cohort no matter what happened.


    A staggered sleeping schedule was supposed to help with this problem to a degree, but Sunny had no illusions about how often he would get the opportunity to properly rest. Which meant that the rare occasions when he did get a chance to take a nap had to be as comfortable and efficient as possible.


    Sunny walked around the Rhino for a bit, trying to suppress a satisfied grin as he studied the layout. Eventually, he approached his personal alcove and sat down on the soft bed.


    There, he glanced at his shadows and smiled.


    "Not bad, huh?"


    The shadows stared at him silently. A few moments later, the happy one energetically raised both hands, showing him two thumbs.


    Sunny nodded.


    "Yes�� indeed. I like it, too!"

 Chapter 834 Cohesion

    Over the next few days, Sunny slowly grew somewhat accustomed to life aboard a giant, floating metal coffin. Of course, the thought of being separated from the bottomless abyss of dark water by just a few layers of alloy was not too comforting�� but at least he did not think about it too much anymore.


    What helped Sunny the most was the fact that he was simply too busy to entertain frivolous thoughts.


    His schedule was packed to the limit. There was so much he had to do��


    Most of his days were still dedicated to trying to improve the level of cooperation between the members of the cohort. Now that they had left the Northern Quadrant, there was no spacious gymnasium for them to practice in. The Dreamscape pods were a thing of the past now, too.


    Of course, there were some facilities available on the giant battleship, as well as the whole upper deck, but none of it was sufficient to put six elite Awakened fighters through the paces. Still, there was a lot they could do to learn how to work well together.


    From low-intensity training to mental exercises and games, anything that could give the members of the cohort a glimpse into how their comrades thought and acted was a step in the right direction. Sunny''s insights that he had gained thanks to Shadow Dance helped a lot, as well.


    Slowly but surely, his soldiers were clicking together and learning how to fight side by side. Belle''s swift and mercurial nature, Dorn''s solid and calculated approach, Quentin''s stalwart persistence, Samara''s steadiness and deadly aim, Kim''s mastery of sight and quiet competence, Luster''s spirit and inexhaustible bravado�� guided by Sunny, all of it was slowly melting together.


    The cohort had not reached the point where they could move as a single organism yet, but at least they were already able to reinforce each other''s strengths while simultaneously covering each other''s weaknesses.


    Sunny had gained a deeper understanding of their powers, as well. For example, Belle''s ability to sharpen his sword was actually more complicated than he had fought �� as it turned out, the actual effect surrounded the blade with an incredibly thin, invisible displacement field instead of actually making the edge sharper.


    Kimmy could not only share visual perception between several people, but also mix and match it as the situation demanded. She could see the weaknesses of the enemy, but simply channeling her point of view to a fighter in the middle of furious battle would have been too disorienting. Instead, she was able to transfer only the vision of the vulnerabilities, almost like a composite overlay that lighted the chosen spots up.


    Luster could speed up the soul essence recovery, both for himself and his allies. Strangely enough, the better he knew a person, the more distance he could maintain between himself and the target while channeling the beneficial effect. If there was one flaw to his Ability, it was that it did not seem to work on Sunny.


    As it turned out, shadow essence did not react to Luster''s presence at all�� which was a big disappointment, considering that Sunny had stripped himself of Serpent''s support in order to protect Rain.


    ''Damnation�� why did I even recruit this fool?''


    Despite being upset, Sunny had to reluctantly admit that this was not a big issue. Luster''s unique and useful Ability would not have had a great effect on him, anyway. The young Awakened was not able to dramatically affect the much more potent essence of a Master, let alone of an abnormal one who possessed four cores.


    When Sunny was not training his cohort, he was busy modifying their Memories. The process was long, arduous, and complicated, but he was steadily making progress.


    He had imbued Belle''s sword with a potent, but passive sharpening effect of the enchanted straight razor. He had somehow managed to transfer the [Feather of Truth] enchantment of the Mantle of the Underworld to Dorn''s sledgehammer.


    The latter was an especially incredible achievement, considering that the weave of the onyx armor was one of the most intricate and complicated he had ever seen.


    Even more impressive were the six charms that he had presented to the members of the cohort. Each carried an altered version of the single enchantment of the Memory of Ice, which was supposed to raise their resistance to cold.


    While the effect was much weaker than that of his personal charm, that was exactly what made this accomplishment so important. It was the first time Sunny succeeded in not only copying and enchantment, but also modifying it.


    While the Memory of Ice was more powerful, it was an Ascended charm that devoured a lot of essence to sustain its effect. The version Sunny imbued into the six weaker charms was more modest, but also much less demanding. His Awakened soldiers were going to be able to keep it active more or less permanently, unless their reserves were completely drained.


    ��If there was one thing that he had failed to do, it was turning Samara''s destructive rifle into a Memory. Sunny had really wanted to, but no matter how hard he tried, the high-tech weapon was just too intricate, complicated, and contained too many moving parts.


    There was a limit to what Sunny could achieve. The more complex the structure of the object was, the larger its size and mass, the harder it was to integrate the rudimentary weave into it. Perhaps if he knew more, he would have known how to overcome this limitation. But as things stood, Sunny had to abandon this particular ambition.


    ''Oh well��''


    His dreams of turning the Rhino into a Memory were utterly shattered.


    It had already been a week after the departure from the Northern Quadrant. Sunny was currently in his private cabin, sitting on the bed as he stared dejectedly at the heavy rifle. The battleship vibrated subtly around him, but its corridors were enveloped in silence. This far into the night, most members of the First Army were fast asleep.


    Sunny himself had not slept in a long while. Of course, as an Ascended, he could easily last a week without sleep�� the problem was that it was already his second week.


    Or was it third?


    With a sigh, he put the heavy rifle aside and threw the unused soul shards into the maw of the Covetous Coffer.


    ''To hell with it. I need some rest.''


    He yawned and put his head on a soft pillow. Suddenly, all the exhaustion of the past weeks descended upon him, making his thoughts slow and sluggish.


    A few moments later, Sunny was already asleep.


    ��And after what felt like a minute, he was rudely awoken by a loud and persistent sound.


    Irritated, he turned on his other side and tried to dive back into the rejuvenating darkness.


    ''Bastards! Quiet down!''


    But no matter how hard Sunny tried to continue to sleep, he couldn''t.


    After a while, he sat up and listened to the noise with a resentful expression on his face. He could clearly hear several voices. By the sound of it, they all belonged to young women.


    And these women were��


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    "Singing? Who the hell sings in the middle of the night?! People are trying to sleep here, damn it!"

 Chapter 835 Sirens Song

    Sunny sat silently on his bed for a while, irritated by the fact that someone had disturbed his sleep. With singing, no less!


    Slowly, however, his expression softened.


    ''Well�� at least they have good voices�� yeah��''


    The young women sang beautifully. Their voices flowed and resonated with each other, creating harmonies that made him feel tingly. The song was neither sad nor happy �� instead, it made Sunny feel a deep, poignant longing. A wistful sigh escaped from his lips.


    ''Maybe�� maybe I should go introduce myself?''


    Since these beauties were having a party, surely they wouldn''t mind some company?


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then frowned. Slowly, he looked down and studied his shadows, which were silently trembling. His face darkened.


    ''There is just this one problem��''


    How the hell was he able to hear the singing so clearly? His cabin was separated from other neighboring compartments by thick alloy bulkheads. The entrance hatch was securely fastened, isolating him from the rest of the battleship. No sound should have been able to penetrate inside so easily.


    Suddenly, an old memory surfaced from the depths of his mind. For some reason, Sunny remembered how the members of the cohort had sealed their eyes with wax before traversing the dark river below the Hollow Mountains.


    ''Odysseus��''


    His frown turned into a deep scowl. Sunny hesitated for a moment, then summoned the Undying Chain. As the lusterless, bleak steel of the slender armor weaved itself from light and encased his body, his thoughts seemed to have turned a little clearer.


    The [Chains of Longing] enchantment provided the wearer with a high amount of protection against mind attacks.


    However, contrary to his expectation, the beautiful singing was not affected at all. Sunny could still hear it clearly. He still felt moved by the alluring voices.


    ''Wait�� what language are they singing in?''


    Strangely, Sunny found himself unable to understand the words of the melodious song.


    Even stranger, he had somehow failed to notice that fact earlier.


    The words of the unknown language seemed to seep straight into his mind, unobstructed. They echoed and resonated with each other there, making him feel a bit weird. However, their influence was not invasive or harmful. Instead, it was rather�� pleasant.


    Sunny blinked.


    ''I''m hearing voices.''


    Then, he tilted his head a little.


    ''...Does hearing voices constitute an auditory hallucination?''


    Wasn''t there a rule concerning exactly these circumstances in the safety manual? Right�� he was supposed to immediately inform the nearest navy officer in case something like that happened.


    Sunny sighed, then stood up. No matter how much his heart desired to meet the beautiful singers, there was no way he was going to follow the call of their soothing song.


    There was already someone who was aggravatingly adept at tugging on his heartstrings. His heart was all but overcrowded.


    Sunny left the cabin and went to find an officer to report his hallucinations to. After a few steps, his foot suddenly made a splash, as if it landed into a shallow puddle. Looking down, Sunny saw a thin layer of clear water covering the floor of the passage ahead of him.


    His scowl deepened.


    It was still night, so the passageways of the colossal battleship were mostly empty. Of course, activity never ceased on a vessel of this size. The crew slept in shifts to make sure that a complete complement of sailors and specialists always tended to its internal systems and manned the posts.


    One such post was right ahead, behind a corner. There was not a soul around, and the thin layer of water made Sunny feel uneasy. After hesitating for a moment, he sent one of his shadows to take a look.


    To his relief, the security checkpoint seemed in perfect order. A junior officer in a blue uniform was standing near the wall, studying the panel mounted on it, or maybe simply staring at the wall in boredom.


    ''Does he not see all that water?''


    Or�� was the water a hallucination, as well?


    Sunny gritted his teeth, then walked forward and approached the security checkpoint.


    "Excuse me."


    The officer turned around and looked at him without any particular expression.


    "Yes?"


    The man was seemingly in his early thirties, with pale skin and dark, slicked back hair. There was nothing particularly memorable about him, except for how still his face seemed to be.


    Sunny sighed, and then said awkwardly:


    "That, uh�� the safety manual says to inform the nearest officer if I hear voices. Well, I do. Hear them. So��"


    The impassive man suddenly became more lively. A strange gleam appeared in his eyes.


    "Oh? What do you hear?"


    Sunny rubbed his face.


    "...Singing. I hear beautiful singing."


    The officer stared at him for a few moments, then nodded.


    "I see. In that case, please follow me to the upper deck."


    Sunny shifted his weight to take a step forward, but then lingered for a moment and leaned slightly to the side instead. Glancing behind the naval officer, he took a short glance at the man''s shadow.


    The shadow appeared exactly how it was supposed to appear. It swayed slightly on the surface of the water, staring at Sunny as shadows often did.


    Nevertheless, he felt very disturbed, for some reason. His intuition was not exactly ringing an alarm, but it had become strangely alert.


    Sunny looked back to the officer.


    "Why the upper deck?"


    The man smiled.


    "Please, follow me to the upper deck."


    ''Something is�� wrong.''


    Sunny frowned, trying to understand what was making him uncomfortable. Was it the navy officer''s unblinking stare?


    Unblinking�� yes. The man wearing the uniform of a junior officer had not blinked once since they started talking.


    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, and then took a tentative step back.


    "...I''d rather not."


    The polite smile slowly disappeared from the officer''s pale face. His dark eyes turned a little hollow.


    "Oh."


    As Sunny backed away under the man''s glossy stare, his communicator suddenly vibrated and let out a sharp sound.


    The navy officer did not seem to react to it at all.


    Sunny, on the other hand, recognized the sound immediately.


    ''Crap��''


    In the next moment, the lights in the passageway blinked in a specific pattern and simultaneously went out, submerging it in utter darkness. The battleship vibrated intensely for a split second, and then went still as its reactors were shut down.


    Absolute silence enveloped the mighty vessel.


    Condition Black had gone into effect.

 Chapter 836 Black Water

    As the lights went out and the reactors of the colossal vessel grew quiet, Sunny froze. His Shadow Sense extended outward as he sensed other people doing the same.


    Condition Black meant that the fleet was on the cusp of dire danger. After the alert was issued, every member of the First Army aboard the forty ships had to cease all activity. They weren''t supposed to make any noises or movements. They were not even allowed to agitate their essence in any way.


    The problem was��


    The strange navy officer was still mere meters away from Sunny. He, too, stood motionlessly in the darkness. His head was lowered, so Sunny could not see the man''s face.


    He could only hear his breathing.


    It sounded�� wet.


    "Don''t do it. Don''t��"


    Suddenly, the man''s shoulders twitched.


    Frozen a few steps away, Sunny gritted his teeth.


    ''Curse it all.''


    The officer swayed slightly, and then took a step forward. The water covering the floor parted, allowing him to move without making any sound. The air grew colder.


    A resentful expression appeared on Sunny''s face.


    Don''t move. Don''t make noise. Don''t circulate essence. Don''t summon Memories.


    What was he supposed to do? Break the regulations of Condition Black and risk putting the fleet under threat, or remain still and allow the officer�� or whatever it was pretending to be one�� approach him?


    Sunny could not summon any weapons or use his stronger Aspect Abilities. Simply backing away was against the rules.


    ''D��damnation��''


    The man, meanwhile, took another step. Now, only a couple of meters separated them.


    Sunny tensed.


    ''To hell with this��''


    The moment the bastard tried to make a sudden movement, he would learn not to mess with a Master. High alert or not, Sunny was not going to let the creepy thing touch him.


    The singing voices suddenly grew louder. He even thought that he started to understand the meaning of some of the words of their beautiful song.


    The man took another step toward Sunny�� and suddenly disappeared.


    For a few moments, he was surrounded by nothing but darkness.


    ''Where��''


    And then, the water quietly splashed right behind him.


    ''What?!''


    His shadows did not see anything!


    Before Sunny could turn around, something flew through the passageway and collided with an invisible object behind him, producing a blinding flash of light. He was thrown off his feet and landed on the wet floor in a roll.


    Almost at the same time, the rising voices abruptly disappeared, and the battleship trembled as its reactors came back online. The lamps in the corridor ignited, drowning it in light.


    Jumping back to his feet as the Cruel Sight was manifesting itself into reality in his hand, Sunny looked ahead and saw a familiar figure pressing something dark and slithering into the metal bulkhead.


    Master Naeve had lost his midnight blue coat somewhere and was now wearing only his black wetsuit. There was a strange bone knife in his hand. Impaled on that knife was a��


    Before Sunny could make sense of what the creature looked like, it suddenly lost its shape and turned into a formless mass of black water, which then fell to the floor and formed a puddle.


    Naeve''s indigo eyes shone with dark light as he turned his head.


    "Master Sunless! Are you alright?"


    Sunny cautiously nodded.


    "What... what the hell was that thing?"


    The scion of the great clan Night opened his mouth, but before he could answer, the battleship around them shuddered, and a muffled thunder sounded somewhere in the distance.


    The main railgun was firing.


    Naeve shook his head.


    "No time right now. Check on your cohort!"


    With that, the handsome man seemed to disappear.


    A moment later, the lamps illuminating the passageway blinked and changed their color to ominous red.


    ''Condition Red�� all-out battle!''


    Sunny flinched, and then hurriedly used his communicator to send his soldiers an order to gather near the Rhino.


    Before he joined them, however, he hesitated for a moment, and then stepped through the shadows, appearing in a secluded spot of the upper deck.


    It took him a moment to comprehend what was going on.


    The night was suddenly obliterated by hundreds of bright flashes as hundreds of cannons roared, discharging an endless rain of steel and tungsten rounds into the ocean. A large section of it had changed color at some point, becoming absolutely black.


    Although the force of the wind had not increased, the black waves seemed taller and more violent than those rolling far away. They reached toward the ships like fingers of an unknown monster.


    In an especially blinding flash, the main cannon of the flagship of the naval convoy fired, causing countless tons of the black water to be displaced and rise high into the sky like a colossal pillar. A second later, the thunderous roar of its discharge reached Sunny and made him grimace.


    The scope of the heavy bombardment was truly mind-boggling.


    However, it did not seem to do much except for slowing down the churning black water a little.


    As Sunny watched, he noticed human figures diving into the waves from the tall decks of the ships. They were the cohorts of Awakened that the House of Night had stationed on the forty ships.


    Although the flagship was situated at a considerable distance from where Sunny stood, he still noticed a lonely figure jumping into the ocean from its towering bow. For some reason, that diver in particular demanded attention.


    A moment before the figure hit the waves, it shimmered slightly.


    Then, something massive and ferocious dove under the water. A giant black fin cut the waves before disappearing into the depths.


    The Saint guardian of the convoy had joined the battle.


    Sunny stood among the thunderous roars of the firing cannons and stared at the rolling black waves, awed and dismayed.


    Slowly, a grim expression appeared on his face.


    ''There is no place for me in a battle like this. None at all.''


    What could an ant like him do when it seemed like the heaven itself went to war against the ocean?


    His eyes gleamed in the darkness.


    ''...Not yet, at least.''


    With that thought, he swallowed the bitter feeling of powerlessness and disappeared into the shadows, leaving to join his soldiers.


    Tonight, all they could do was stick together and hope to live until the morning.

 Chapter 837 Naval Engagement

    The vehicle stable of the battleship was quiet and tense. Hundreds of people were moving with somber haste as they secured various tools and pieces of machinery. Thankfully, most of the vehicles were safely fastened in their cradles. As Sunny stepped out of the shadows, he had to make way for a lumbering loader that thundered past, carrying a half-disassembled bulk of a massive engine.


    All around them, the colossal vessel was trembling as its cannons continued to fire without stop. Muffled sounds of heavy ordnance sliding into the feeding mechanisms spread through the deck. From time to time, an especially loud noise announced that a powerful torpedo or a salvo of ballistic missiles were launched from their nests.


    Sunny was not the only person who felt a grim sense of powerlessness as the titanic battle continued to unfold in this nameless patch of the deep, dark ocean. While the crews of the battleships and the Awakened serving the House of Night were locked in a furious fight with whatever ancient horror it was that had attacked the convoy, the hundred thousand soldiers of the First Army had nothing to do but wait and beg the dead gods for salvation.


    He was better off than most, at least. Sunny had left one of his shadows on the upper deck to observe the battle. Even though it could only see the turbulent surface of the seething water and not the true confrontation that was taking place deep beneath, there was some relief in knowing what was going on.


    The rest did not enjoy such a privilege. They could only infer what was happening beyond the metal confines of the vehicle stable by paying attention to the sounds and vibrations spreading through the ship.


    Occasionally, a loud and startling bang would roll through the massive compartment, indicating that something had collided against the hull of the vessel from the outside.


    Full of dark thoughts, Sunny walked toward the cradle holding the Rhino. Many people threw furtive glances at the passing Master, hoping to find comfort and reassurance in his authority. Noticing that, he made an effort to hide his unease and project an image of absolute confidence.


    It seemed to have worked, calming the people down a little.


    ''Poor fools. What can I do that they can''t?''


    Reaching the Rhino, Sunny saw four Awakened standing near it with reserved expressions on their faces. Dorn, Quentin, Kim, Luster��


    He frowned.


    "Where are Belle and Samara?"


    Quentin straightened a little when he saw his superior approaching.


    "They are in the Dream Realm, Captain. We have already secured their bodies in the sleeping pods inside the Rhino."


    Sunny sighed.


    Well�� it was not outside the expectations. In fact, Sunny had lucked out, considering that only two of his subordinates had happened to be asleep when the battle started.


    ''At least everyone is alive.''


    Sunny had almost expected to find Luster missing. The dolt was exactly the kind of guy to be lured to his death by a vision of young beauties singing sweet songs.


    He stared at the young man, who shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, and then turned to the Rhino.


    The armored APC was, theoretically, seaworthy. So, it was going to be their last hope in case the battleship went down.. getting the massive machine out of the vehicle stable was a tall task, of course.


    In fact, Sunny doubted that it was possible at all.


    He glanced at the sealed blast doors of the giant compartment, then at the solid alloy bulkheads. Would he be able to tear through the hull of the ship, should the need arise?


    After thinking for a few moments, Sunny judged that he stood a good chance of breaching the heavy armor of the colossal vessel, provided that he used his most powerful Memories and had enough time. However, there was a big difference between creating an opening that a person could squeeze through and one that a vehicle the size of the Rhino could.


    Things would have been different if Nephis was here�� with her flames and the shadows resonating with each other and augmenting Sunny, he could have ripped through the thick armor plates with ease. Better yet, Changing Star could have simply melted a giant hole through the side of the battleship.


    But she wasn''t here. There was also the mass of black water outside. Why was he even entertaining these thoughts?


    Sunny sighed and shook his head.


    "Get comfortable. This will probably take a while."


    His soldiers obeyed, sitting down on crates or leaning against the side of the Rhino. However, none of the four looked particularly at ease.


    Luster lingered for a moment, and then asked in a cautious tone:


    "Uh�� Captain�� sorry, but what exactly is going on?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "Something big and scary is trying to take a bite out of the convoy, what else? Don''t worry too much�� House of Night probably has things under control. I personally saw their Saint joining the battle."


    Despite the precarious situation, Luster''s eyes suddenly gleamed with excitement.


    "Really? Wow�� I hope I can see a Saint fight, one day!"


    Sunny''s face turned bleak as he threw a dark glance at the young man.


    "Be careful what you wish for, fool. If you are ever close enough to see Saints fight, then something has definitely gone horribly wrong. Believe me�� I should know��"


    Luster opened his mouth to respond, but at that moment, something collided against the hull of the ship again, making him flinch and lose his train of thought.


    Despite the fact that these loud bangs had been occasionally resounding across the vehicle stable for some time now, each was still extremely jarring. People trapped in the vast compartment could not treat them with indifference, no matter how much they might have wished to. Still, slowly but surely, they were growing accustomed to the startling noise of the collisions.


    This last one, though��


    Sunny scowled.


    The last one was different.


    He slowly turned around and stared at a certain spot on the opposite wall of the stable.


    Was Sunny imagining it�� or did the bulkhead look a little deformed?


    Before he could finish the thought, something collided against the ship once again, and the alloy wall visibly bent inward.

 Chapter 838 Bang

    ''Crap��''


    As hundreds of petrified people watched in fear, one of the sections of the giant compartment''s outer wall bent slightly. An ugly deformity appeared on it, and as the echo of the loud and jarring bang died down, they heard the sound of water rushing into the narrow gaps between the different layers of the battleship''s armored hull.


    A dark expression appeared on Sunny''s face. His fingers twitched, and then he turned his head slightly.


    "On your feet, soldiers."


    Dorn, Quentin, Kim and Luster rose, ready for battle. However, there was a subtle sense of hesitation hiding behind their masks of professionalism and composure.


    As elites of the government forces, they knew how to fight against Nightmare Creatures, other Awakened, and horrors of all kinds.


    But how were they supposed to fight the ocean?


    A moment later, something crashed into the side of the ship with a thunderous bang once again, making the indentation in the bulkhead of the vehicle stable grow more pronounced. People that were closest to it shuddered and backed away. Some turned around and ran.


    Soon, the space around the damaged section of the wall became completely empty. Everyone in the large compartment had moved as far away from it as they could, pressing against the opposite wall and staring at the massive deformity. A second passed in utter silence, then another. Then, one more.


    All that could be heard was the sound of rushing water.


    Someone cursed in a stifled...


    BANG!


    As several people yelped, the wall bent inward even more, its misshapen portion growing in size and reaching slightly deeper into the vehicle stable. A loud, deep groan of contorting metal rolled through the air, reverberating in their very bones.


    "Captain!"


    Kim paled as he stared at the deformed bulkhead. Sunny felt her Aspect Ability brushing against his mind, and then his perception of the world changed.


    Everything was largely the same, but the damaged wall became tinted by several subdued colors. It was as if a mad painter had vandalized it with an unsteady brush.


    Most of the wall remained metal grey, but closer to the massive dent, the armored alloy turned anxious orange and pale red. A small patch of the red was vibrant and vivid, instead.


    Sunny gritted his��


    BANG! BANG! BANG!


    Three consecutive strikes crashed into the outer hull, exacerbating the damage and making the wall bend even more. People screamed and tried to get even further away from it, but there was simply nowhere for them to go. Some eyed the exit from the vehicle stable, while some stared at the contorted bulkhead, frozen still.


    Somehow, it still held. The metal groaned once more, but endured.


    Nothing happened for a dozen seconds.


    Then, another blow crashed into the damaged section of the hull, and the wall bent a little more. As it did, a thin crack appeared right where the alloy had been painted vibrant red.


    A single drop of black water seeped through the crack and rolled down.


    Hundreds of people watched the drop with horror written on their faces.


    ��Before the next strike tore the hull open, however, a tide of shadows suddenly rose and rushed toward the deformed wall as a wave. Converging on the damaged section, the wave splattered across its surface and then somehow solidified, turning into an improvised brace.


    Sunny grunted, feeling the strain of keeping such a heavy mass of shadows tangible. It was well within his limit, though�� if plugging the leak was the only thing he had to do.


    The problem was that the crushing blows against the dented bulkhead did not stop coming. One after another, they impacted against it, sending tremors running through the entire vehicle stable.


    Sunny had to keep exerting opposite pressure to keep the wall intact. It was as if he was trying to brace a castle gate as a heavy ram was pounding on it from the other side.


    Keeping shadows tangible was hard, but forcing them to continuously press forward with that much force was even harder.


    Clenching his fists, Sunny looked at his subordinates and said in a strained voice:


    "Dorn�� help me push the brace against the bulkhead. Quentin, try to use your Aspect to repair the cracks. Luster, keep Dorn and Quentin supplied with essence�� transfer your own to them if one or both come close to running out."


    Then, he turned to the rest of the humans gathered in the vehicle stable and barked:


    "What are you staring at?! Make yourself useful, fools! Those of you who are Awakened with useful Aspects, help if you can! Those of you who are mundane�� there are literally tons of equipment and handy machinery in this damned compartment! Even a complete idiot can find a way to reinforce the hull with all that gear, so get to work!"


    The people stared at him for a split second. Then, Dorn and Quentin dashed toward the shadow brace. This prompted the others to start moving, as well.


    Another bang rolled through the spacious compartment, but no one paid it any attention. Now that Sunny broke the veil of fear that had paralyzed the members of the First Army, everyone got busy making sure that the bulkheads held.


    With the mass of shadows reinforcing the most damaged section, it was not too hard for them to make sure that several smaller dents that soon appeared elsewhere never broke.


    The immediate crisis passed. The people in the vehicle stable survived.


    Now, all that remained was to wait and see if they would be able to continue staying alive in the coming hours.


    ...They did.


    After what felt like an eternity of intense and terrifying struggle, the battle outside finally started showing signs of slowing down. Sunny, who was slowly growing concerned about his reserves of essence, let out a sigh of relief.


    Through his shadow on the upper deck, he could see that the fleet had escaped from the vast blotch of black water that marred the surface of the ocean. The cannons were slowly ceasing their bombardment, and the crews of the battleships had already started evaluating the damage.


    A giant shape rose from the depths and broke the surface of the water as it jumped into the air. Sunny saw a glimpse of a creature that resembled a monstrous killer whale, with its black-and-white hide torn and showing many signs of an intense confrontation against an unknown and ferocious enemy. Then, it shimmered and turned into a tiny silhouette of a human, who then tiredly climbed onto the deck of the flagship and disappeared.


    More human figures emerged from the water and returned aboard the ships of the convoy. Master Naeve was among them.


    The handsome man climbed onto the deck not too far away from where Sunny''s shadow was hiding and sat down with an exhausted expression. Drops of water were falling from his black hair. His wetsuit appeared more ragged than it had been when they first met, but the scion of the House of Night did not seem to bear any serious wounds.


    Soon, his indigo eyes shined as they reflected the first rays of sunshine that broke through the eastern horizon. A new day had come.


    The fearsome battle was over.

 Chapter 839 Unholy Blood

    In the end, none of the forty colossal ships had been lost. Some received moderate damage to their hulls, but the high compartmentalization and the rugged engineering of the war vessels prevented them from going down.


    As the fleet escaped the vast blot of black water, it continued moving south without ever slowing down. In fact, the reactors were sent into a controlled overload to enhance the speed of the convoy even further and quickly increase the distance between it and the latent danger.


    As the battered ships cut the waves, thousands of crewmates were assigned to repair brigades that started patching up the torn sections of the hulls. None of them paid any attention to the fact that the fleet was still in transit, hinting that this precarious type of work was not new to them.


    The rows of cannons were checked and reloaded. New missiles and torpedoes were slotted into the empty nests. The wounded were moved to infirmaries, and the dead were given burials at sea. Despite the frightening scope of the battle, not too many humans had lost their lives.


    Things could have been different if the the Awakened of the House of Night had not acted so swiftly.


    A few days later, Sunny was resting in the officer''s lounge of the scarred battleship as he chatted with Master Naeve. Since there were no other Ascended stationed on the vessel, the two sometimes kept each other company.


    "...So, anyway, the giant just whacked the creepy skull with his hammer. Boom! Let me tell you, at that moment, I was glad that my pants were already wet. I don''t know if that thing died or not, but it did not bother us after that."


    The scion of the great clan looked at him with an amused expression.


    "The dark sea of the Forgotten Shore has to be a Great Titan then, at least."


    Sunny shrugged.


    "That is what I think, as well. But who can say for sure? That whole place is weird."


    He hesitated for a moment, and then asked:


    "Do you think that it is connected to the black water? What is that thing, anyway?"


    Naeve''s expression dimmed a little.


    "Well�� no one really knows. We have stumbled on the Black Water many times, both in the real world and in the Dream Realm. It is one of the more prominent hazards in the Stormsea. Some think that it is a type of Nightmare Creature, some think that it is a powerful Terror that had been torn into numerous pieces, thousands of years ago. Some even think that is the blood of an ancient, long-dead Titan."


    He shook his head and sighed.


    "In any case, everyone agrees that it is best to avoid it. The Black Water is not really sentient, so hiding from it is not too hard. It''s just that this convoy is too damn large. There are too many souls, too many Awakened. Their scent attracted it, as well as all the abominations that dwell within it. Luckily, most of them were not too powerful, this time."


    The handsome Master thought for a bit.


    "I don''t think that the Black Water is the same as the dark sea of the Forgotten Shore, though. They seem similar on the surface, but that sea of yours is much more vast and powerful. It is a miracle that you and your friends managed to seal it, as mere Sleepers."


    Sunny glanced at Naeve with a somber expression.


    "It was not a miracle. Countless thousands of young men and women had died on the Forgotten Shore across two decades to uncover the secrets that eventually allowed us to seal the Dark Sea. Many of them would have been pillars of humanity by now, if they had survived. We just finished what they had started."


    The First Lord and his cohort, the members of the Dream Army�� even Gunlaug and his lieutenants. If not for their contributions, Nephis and Sunny would have never been able to lay siege to the Crimson Spire and conquer it.


    The scion of the House of Night sighed.


    "Most problems can be solved if you throw enough bodies at them. Hopefully, the Antarctica campaign will be different."


    It had to be, considering that no amount of bodies would have been enough to bury a problem of that magnitude.


    Sunny grimaced.


    "How long before we reach it, anyway?"


    Naeve shifted slightly and smiled.


    "Conditions are good. If all goes well, a week at most."


    Then, he leaned forward and added:


    "Oh, by the way�� I just received the news. The government is going to be announcing the voluntary mobilization in the next couple of days. The Second Evacuation Army will already be starting to form by the time you guys make landfall."


    Sunny gave him a dubious look.


    p��nd��`no��?1~��o�� "That''s great. I doubt that it will arrive to reinforce us any time soon, though. Things like that take a lot of time�� not to mention that the best and the brightest that the government has to offer are already aboard these ships. With the Legacy clans remaining on the sidelines, the reinforcements are not going to change much."


    The Nightwalker shrugged.


    "I wouldn''t be so sure that the Legacy clans won''t join on the fun."


    Sunny frowned.


    "I''ve been told that neither Song nor Valor are interested in participating in the campaign. And while you guys are helping out, the House of Night is not going to send its land troops, either."


    Naeve lingered for a moment.


    "My clan is most useful at sea. As for the other two �� indeed, they have only sent token forces to the First Army. They are acting reluctant�� for now."


    He shook his head.


    "However, don''t let their act fool you. The Legacies are definitely going to join the fight. They might not come in the first wave, or even the second�� but they will come."


    Sunny looked at him, unconvinced.


    "What makes you say that?"


    The handsome Master simply smiled.


    "Have you ever met a Legacy that could resist joining a glorious fight?"


    He leaned back and let out a laugh.


    "Especially when there are countless treasures, advancements, and spoils of all kinds to be made in the fight��"


    Sunny''s expression darkened.


    Legacies were known to pursue power and opportunity, indeed. If the two remaining great clans did really join the Antarctica campaign, the army would be relieved of a large part of its burden.


    However, with what he knew about the conflict between Song and Valor...


    Would they be joining the struggle against the Chain of Nightmares to help humanity, or would they be joining it simply because Antarctica could become the most convenient battlefield for their own private war?

 Chapter 840 Mobilization

    As the naval convoy moved closer and closer to Antarctica, Sunny had to accelerate his attempts to weave new and better enchantments into the Memories of his soldiers.


    Although his rudimentary knowledge of sorcery was not nearly enough to create something truly powerful, he did manage to comprehensively upgrade the cohort''s arsenal. Even if the modifications he had made were mostly modest, they were all targeted and suited the tasks facing the First Irregular Company.


    While Sunny failed to make the Memories considerably stronger, he succeeded in tailoring them to the situation and, more importantly, to their users.


    This was already enough.


    Now, many of the Memories that his subordinates wielded looked rather peculiar to his eyes. If he were to touch them and peer deep inside, he would see strange weaves that combined the usual strings of ethereal light with the lightless threads made of shadow essence. The sight reminded Sunny of himself and Nephis.


    And speaking of Changing Star��


    A few days before the fleet reached Antarctica, the world was shaken by an emergency announcement transmitted by the government. Of course, the propaganda machine managed to present the approaching cataclysm in an easily digestible and inspiring light.


    It was almost as if the Chain of Nightmares was going to be a glorious stage for heroism, valiance, and human triumph�� instead of a bloody, unmitigated disaster.


    However, no matter how hard the government tried, people weren''t that easy to fool. Although nothing much changed for the soldiers of the First Evacuation Army, Sunny was sure that a wave of panic was spreading through the rest of the world.


    The population centers of the Southern Quadrant were, of course, hit the worst. He could not even imagine what the people living there were going through�� but other continents had to be consumed by fear, as well.


    If something like that could happen in Antarctica, then it could happen anywhere else. The infrastructure was bound to come under terrible strain when hundreds of millions of refugees from the besieged continent arrived�� if they could even be saved. What if the evacuation failed?


    How did people living in South America feel, knowing that they would soon be cut off from the rest of humanity?


    ��No one was left unaffected by the shocking news.


    Nephis and the rest of the cohort had to have seen the announcement, as well.


    Knowing that the next few weeks were going to be extremely turbulent, Sunny retreated into his cabin, spent some time establishing a new tether, and then closed his eyes.


    It took him several minutes of intense concentration to grasp the elusive sensation of the Dream Realm anchor. Then, he circulated his essence in a swift, complicated pattern�� and disappeared.


    The cabin was suddenly silent and empty. All that remained was a slight, eerie feeling of coldness that permeated the air.


    ***


    The Ivory Tower did not change much in the many months since Sunny last visited his current Citadel, at least on the outside.


    Well, what did he expect? The great pagoda remained the same for thousands of years, so why would it suddenly change now. The Fire Keepers might have made it their home, but they were hardly capable of reshaping the ancient structure.


    The island itself, however, looked a bit different.


    To his surprise, Sunny noticed a large garden surrounded by a neat and tidy wooden fence. Inside, various vegetables were growing in the soil. There were also several other structures here and there, all built of wood. Some seemed like they were meant for training, some reembled simple barns. They all looked rather harmonious.


    ''That''s probably Kaor''s and Shakti''s handiwork.''


    The two members of Cassie''s former cohort had used to be Artisans in the Bright Castle. One was an Awakened carpenter, the other Kido''s disciple with an Aspect related to plants.


    The Ivory Island looked much more�� inhabited now.


    More than that, a familiar ship rested on the surface of the lake. Despite thousands of years that had passed since its former captain disappeared, the flying vessel remained much the same.


    Sunny sighed.


    He had been rather taken by the Rhino. But now, looking at the graceful lines of the ancient ship''s hull, he couldn''t help but feel that the armored APC was rather small and shabby.


    ''Whatever�� it has better plumbing, anyway. That''s what really matters!''


    Somewhat vindicated, Sunny allowed himself to enjoy the peace and tranquility of the beautiful island for a few moments, and then headed toward the Tower.


    As he did, a thundering voice boomed behind him:


    "Sunny!"


    He slowed down, and then cautiously turned around.


    Effie was traversing the green meadow with long strides. Her eyes were burning with intense emotion.


    ''Oh-oh.''


    A second before the huntress reached him, a swift shadow flew across the grass, and Kai suddenly landed on the ground. The archer seemed concerned.


    "Sunny��"


    Effie growled, interrupting him:


    "What the hell, Sunny?! Antarctica, that was your big secret? You up and left... to go to war? Without telling us?!"


    Sunny stared at them for a few moments, and then cleared his throat.


    "...Actually, it''s Captain Sunless to you, citizens. Please maintain some decorum."


    Effie''s eye twitched.


    Before the huntress did something that one or both of them would regret, Sunny raised his arms.


    "Alright, alright! Yeah, I am currently in the Southern Quadrant. It wasn''t my secret to tell, okay? The government is very particular about classified information, you know!"


    He lingered for a moment, and then added:


    "Besides, it''s not like you can''t join me. The Second Army would be very glad to get its hands on two renowned Masters. The life of service is not for the faint of heart, of course, but the benefits�� are to die for��"


    The huntress stared at him in stunned silence. Finally, she palmed her face and said:


    "Doofus�� no, sorry�� Captain Doofus, are you really giving us the recruitment speech?"


    Sunny looked her up and down and grinned.


    "Well, not really. However�� I do think that the uniform will suit you very much��"

 Chapter 841 Prudent Decision

    For a few moments, there was an awkward silence between the three of them. Eventually, Sunny sighed.


    "Listen, it is what it is. I have my own reasons to join the campaign in the Southern Quadrant. Both of you are smart enough to realize that the picture painted by the government is far removed from the truth. The truth�� the truth is that Antarctica is going to be a disaster, and no one �� not even Masters like us �� can guarantee their survival. So�� you have to decide for yourself."


    He looked at Effie and Kain with a heavy expression and added:


    "If you decide to join the Second Army, do it for a good reason. Do it for yourself, your desires, your principles�� point is, whatever you do, definitely don''t do it for me. Chances are that we won''t meet even if you ship to Antarctica. It''s a big place, you know?"


    His friends stared at him with unreadable expressions.


    A few moments later, Kai shook his head with a subtle smile.


    "Thank you very much for caring, Sunny. But you don''t have to remind us, really. We both have good heads on our shoulders. We are more than qualified to make prudent decisions."


    Effie nodded.


    "Exactly! If anyone should be giving sage advice here, it''s us. We''re older than you, and also�� it''s pointless, anyway, because we have already enlisted."


    Sunny blinked.


    "You what?"


    The huntress grinned and patted him on the shoulder.


    "What, did you think that we would miss our chance to fight an apocalyptic horde of Nightmare Creatures? Dream on, buddy! Both Kai and I were among the first ones to submit our applications to the recruitment bureau."


    He stared at her for a second, then rubbed his temples.


    "Wait�� you did? Why?"


    Effie and Kai glanced at each other and shrugged. The archer was the first one to respond:


    "Because there are hundreds of millions of people that need help. Is this not reason enough?"


    The huntress shook her head.


    "Because I am a warrior. When an enemy invades your home, you don''t hide. You go to war and kick the enemy''s butt. We humans need to protect what''s ours �� if we can''t even do that much, then we won''t be humans for much longer. We''ll just be�� food."


    Sunny studied their faces, then scratched the back of his head.


    "Well�� alright. I guess that makes sense. Welcome aboard, then! With your power and Abilities, the Second Army is probably salivating over your applications right now. Chances are, you guys are going to outrank me very soon."


    ''Prudent decisions, huh? Doubtful!''


    As they walked toward the Ivory Tower, he shared some details about the operation with them, including the disposition of human forces, the intended phases of the campaign, and his own role as a captain of the First Irregular Company.


    As he did, both Effie and Kai grew a little pensive.


    "Yeah�� I am not sure that the government can actually pull it off. Even if we maintain control over the evacuation centers, repelling the siege of the Nightmare Creatures for months won''t be easy. It would be a miracle if we hold out for a year. But can the fleets even evacuate everyone in a year?"


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then tentatively nodded.


    "That is the plan. The ships�� they are massive. The naval convoy I''m currently at is carrying a hundred thousand soldiers, but that is only because most of the space is taken by the war machines, supplies, and all the logistical stuff needed to support a massive army. On its way back, the same convoy can carry millions upon millions of refugees. There are more convoys than that one, too. So, a year is not an unrealistic goal. Actually, it''s more than most projections suggest."


    His face grew darker.


    "However, that is only if the convoys don''t meet obstacles of their own. So, who can say? I doubt that these projections will survive collisiding against reality."


    Kai sighed.


    "It seems that the Second Army won''t be ready to deploy any time soon. By the time we arrive in Antarctica, the situation might be entirely out of control. Many things can go wrong in a few months."


    Sunny shared the same sentiment.


    "For what it''s worth, I don''t expect the worst to happen before you guys have the chance to experience it personally. The Chain of Nightmares is going to be ramping up as time goes on, as well. So, you''ll have plenty of opportunities to live through the truly terrible parts."


    They entered the Ivory Tower, where Hope had once been imprisoned. As always, Sunny felt a subtle shiver run through his body and soul when he saw the great hall where he had faced the ineffable daemon.


    Now, Hope''s former prison cell served as the heart of the human Citadel. The seven broken chains lay on the ground, forming the wide borders of the circle that served as the Gateway. Myriads of runes glowed softly on their surface.


    The Fire Keepers made their home on the upper levels of the great pagoda, so the first level was mostly empty. Only a couple of them were here, busy with chores. Noticing Sunny, they greeted him with excited smiles.


    ''Weirdos��''


    Sunny waved at them, then turned to Effie and Kai.


    "By the way�� where''s Nephis? Has she arrived?"


    Getting Changing Star to the Ivory Tower was a complicated process. She had to travel to the Sanctuary of Noctis first, which demanded cooperation from the Saint that had replaced Sky Tide as the person in charge of the Chained Isles. After that, the Fire Keepers had to fly their ship all the way from the Ebony Tower to the surface, pick her up, and return into the depths of the Sky Below.


    ��However, it had not escaped his notice that the flying ship had somehow ended up on the Ivory Island itself.


    Had the Fire Keepers found a way to brave the Crushing?


    Kai nodded.


    "She reached the Tower a couple of days ago. It didn''t take as long as we thought. With Noctis''s help, Cassie had studied the flying ship extensively in the Nightmare. I don''t know how exactly, but she managed to repair its enchantment circuits enough to move directly between here and the Isles. The process is a bit precarious, but the travel time between here and the Sanctuary was cut by several weeks."


    Sunny lingered for a moment, and then sighed.


    "Well, where can I find her?"


    Effie gave him a long look and gestured back to the gates that they had walked through.


    "She''s there, by the lake. Do you want to say hi?"


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    "Yeah�� something like that."

 Chapter 842 Lessons Of The Past

    Leaving the great pagoda, Sunny glanced warily at the bones of Sevirax the Ivory Dragon, whom Kai had slain in the Nightmare, and slowly headed for the lake.


    Its surface was calm and clear, as always. Sunlight reflected from the tranquil waters, making it seem like a pool of shimmering silver. Despite the beauty of the heavenly lake, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a hint of unease as he approached it. The memory of the furious naval battle was still fresh in his mind, so no body of water felt safe.


    On the shore, an intricate bench cut from white stone stood, inviting people to rest and enjoy the idyllic view. Currently, it was occupied by a familiar figure. Nephis sat with her legs crossed, staring at the sparkling water with a distant look. When Sunny''s shadow fell on her, she lingered for a moment and then looked up.


    "Sunny."


    He remained silent for a while, then sat on the bench and studied the beautiful lake, as well.


    "How''s life treating you? Being adopted into a great clan has to be a weird experience."


    Nephis frowned.


    "It''s�� fine. Feels a bit strange to be addressed as sister by Morgan of Valor, I guess. She seems to enjoy my discomfort."


    Considering who Morgan''s other sibling was, she probably put a different meaning into the word "sister"... one that entirely lacked affection, most likely. For a moment, Sunny was darkly amused.


    ''Never thought I would pity the Princess of War one day, but having both Mordret and Nephis as siblings�� damn, her luck must be even worse than mine. If that''s even possible.''


    Changing Star let out a heavy sigh and turned slightly to face him.


    "You should have told me, Sunny."


    He smiled.


    "What, about Antarctica? Oh, that was classified information. I thought that Cassie would have informed you, anyway. She had to have known, right?"


    She studied him for a few moments, then shook her head.


    "If she did, she kept the knowledge to herself. Cassie�� has changed a lot since the Forgotten Shore. She carries a lot of secrets."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    ''Huh. I guess there''s trouble in paradise.''


    "I was under the impression that she''s utterly loyal to you�� like a lost puppy, you know. It''s surprising to hear."


    Changing Star did not respond immediately. After a while, she said:


    "Cassie has her own thoughts and her own desires. She is powerful, too�� no less than the rest of us. Brushing her agency aside would be a mistake."


    Sunny laughed.


    "Of all the people in the world, I would be the last one to underestimate Cassie, don''t you think?"


    Nephis simply looked at the lake.


    "...Are you safe?"


    He lingered for a bit, then shrugged.


    "Is anyone safe? I am surrounded by thousands of soldiers, Awakened, Masters, and even a few Saints. Plus, I''m me. Antarctica is no worse than the Forgotten Shore or the Kingdom of Hope. In fact�� if anyone is in danger, it''s you. Are you safe?"


    Her face grew dark. Nephis gritted her teeth for a moment, and then said with unusual intensity:


    "You don''t understand, do you? This is not the first expedition of that kind. Humanity has tried to resist the Spell before. The last attempt�� the last one took the lives of both my grandfather and my mother. They were powerful, too. They were exceptional and ahead of their time, too. What makes you think that you''ll do better than them?"


    Sunny shook his head.


    "Many things have changed in the past two decades. Back then, humanity had much less Awakened. There were barely any Masters around. No Saint had even emerged yet�� at least officially. Our tech, spelltech, and strategies were much more primitive. We had no experience dealing with something like that. Yes, North America was a disaster, but we learned our lesson there. This campaign, it will be different. It will be better. I will survive it, and grow stronger as a result."


    Nephis looked at him with a challenge.


    "Says who?"


    He smiled.


    "I do. I say if I die or not. It all depends on me, does it not?"


    Sunny sighed and glanced at the radiant lake.


    "The Nightmare Creatures don''t scare me. The Chain of Nightmares doesn''t scare me, either. If there''s one thing that does, however�� it''s the great clans and their ambitions. Will they really come to Antarctica to start a war of their own?"


    A troubled expression appeared on Changing Star''s face. She hesitated before giving him an answer.


    "I�� don''t know. Maybe. It is a perfect opportunity."


    His own face grew ugly.


    "Why? Why are they doing it now? This is insanity! Our civilization is already on its last leg!"


    Nephis lingered for a while, then sighed.


    "There has to be a logic to their actions, but what is it? I am not sure. All of it is very strange. We are missing something, I think. A key piece of information that can explain everything. The Sovereigns�� they never do anything without a reason."


    Sunny scoffed.


    "Is there something you are sure of?"


    She looked at him and said in a serious tone:


    "There is one thing."


    Changing Star remained silent for a moment, distant flames dancing in her cold grey eyes.


    "When the great clans do come to Antarctica�� all of us better be ready."


    ***


    Several days later, Sunny ascended to the upper deck of the colossal battleship and walked over to its bow. The guards stationed here and there on the deck let him pass freely, both because of the three stars on the shoulder insignia of his black bodysuit and his close relationship with Naeve of House Night, their direct superior.


    Stopping in the shadow of a massive cannon turret, Sunny endured the cold winds that pelted him with drops of icy water and looked ahead.


    In front of him were the towering hulls of other metal leviathans of the naval convoy, which cut the waves as they sailed toward a distant horizon.


    And out there, on the horizon��


    A dark line slowly appeared, finally putting an end to the vast expanse of undulating water.


    Antarctica��


    After several tumultuous weeks at sea, the fleet had reached its destination.

 Chapter 843 Falcon Scott

    ...Perched precariously on a broken mountain road, the Rhino stood still as the members of the cohort cautiously climbed higher. Belle, Dorn, and Luster were hiding a hundred steps ahead, just below the crest of the tall hill, while Sunny and Kim were currently on the roof of the armored vehicle.


    "I see them."


    Samara was tensely studying the screen of her military communicator, which was receiving the video feed from a compact spy drone that she had sent ahead. On it was a small valley. The image was grainy and noisy, sometimes breaking out entirely because of the interference of the Nightmare Gate exerted on it.


    Flooding the valley, a swarm of Nightmare Creatures could be seen.


    "There are hundreds of them. Most are Awakened, but there are several Fallen abominations, as well. The Gate Guardian�� has already emerged. It seems to be a Devil."


    Sunny nodded.


    "Correct. There are two hundred and seventy-four abominations, of them two hundred and forty-two are Awakened, while thirty-two are Fallen. The Guardian is indeed a Fallen Devil."


    One of his shadows had snuck much closer to the swarm of Nightmare Creatures. It wasn''t suffering from any interference, as well. Sunny, however��


    Maintaining a calm facade, he shivered inwardly. The Gate was whispering into his ears, calling to him on a level much deeper than thought or emotion. He had experienced the Call before, but now that he was a Master, it became so much stronger and harder to resist.


    Sunny had experienced this change almost instantly after the First Evacuation Army made landfall in Antarctica. While the other three convoys were sent to East Antarctica �� the largest and most populated region of the Southern Quadrant �� the one he had traveled with was meant to deliver troops to the Antarctic Center.


    The Antarctic Center was a long, narrow, mountainous landmass that served as the administrative and industrial center of the continent. As such, it harbored many priority targets that had to be evacuated at all costs.


    The first several days after the arrival of the army was pure chaos. The large city they entered, Falcon Scott, was in a state of utter havoc. Millions of people had just learned that their entire lives would be uprooted, or maybe even lost. While the local government forces had done their best to maintain order and prepare the civilians for evacuation, that did not amount to much in the end.


    The situation had been only made worse by all the Gates that were opening near and within the city.


    As one of the Southern Quadrant Awakened had put it, it used to be that one Gate opened every few weeks. Then, it was one every week. Then, several a week.


    Then, one every day.


    By the time the Evacuation Army arrived, the situation was swiftly growing even worse.


    With so many Gates around, every Awakened, Master, and Saint felt their Call, some more than others.


    It wasn''t easy for Sunny to adjust to this new, subtly maddening reality. He wouldn''t be surprised if the prolonged exposure to the Call drove many people insane.


    But they had not reached that point yet, even if the world seemed to have lost its mind.


    After spending several days in the panicked chaos consuming Falcon Scott, a large chunk of the army corps stayed behind to start converting it into an impregnable fortress. The northernmost city of the Antarctic Center was going to serve as its largest evacuation center, so it had to be converted into a full-fledged siege capital in the coming months.


    Most of the government forces, however, moved out and started their long march south. Their job was to reach other population centers, establish safe evacuation corridors, and start moving civilians through them to the handful of siege capitals.


    The First Irregular Company left with the field army and split up to assist its various divisions.


    And now, just a day later, Sunny''s cohort was going to fight its first battle.


    The division they were escorting was already engaged in a low-intensity confrontation against a mass of Nightmare Creatures that had emerged from half-a-dozen Gates at the lower altitudes. To wipe the abominations faster, they needed to flank them, but the most suitable road skirted the mountain slopes and was itself blocked by the seventh Gate.


    Deploying soldiers to fight on such rough terrain was problematic, so the Irregulars were sent instead.


    Standing on the roof of the Rhino, Sunny sighed.


    "We are in luck."


    Both Samara and Kim turned and stared at him with inscrutable expressions. After a few moments of dead silence, the latter said in a timid voice:


    "I am sorry, sir�� but how can facing three hundred Nightmare Creatures and a Fallen Devil b��be called luck?"


    He shrugged.


    "That is what I call a low-threat Gate. Do you have a guess why?"


    Samara frowned.


    "Because�� there''s no Tyrant?"


    Sunny nodded with a smile.


    "Indeed. Sure, there are a lot of abominations, but without a Tyrant or a Terror to control them, they''re just a herd. Things would have been much, much worse if all these creatures could coordinate their attack. Plus, we''re smarter. That means that we can stack the odds in our favor."


    She lingered for a moment.


    "I think the odds are already in our favor. We have higher ground, and the wind is blowing in the right direction. The Nightmare Creatures have not caught our scent yet, which means that the element of surprise is on our side."


    Sunny shook his head.


    "Don''t be fooled. They already know that we''re here�� abominations have other ways of sensing human flesh and souls. In fact, they would not have stayed put near the Gate unless they were up to something, in the first place. They would have spread around and tried to find something to tear apart and devour."


    Kim shivered.


    "Then�� what are they waiting for?"


    He glanced at her with an amused expression.


    "Isn''t it obvious? They''re waiting for us to walk into the trap. That Fallen Devil is much smarter than it looks."


    Sunny''s expression hardened.


    "Which is why it has to die first."


    Samara studied the screen of her communicator for a few moments and sighed.


    "I can probably make the shot from this distance, but we don''t have a direct line of fire. The crest of the hill that hides us from sight also protects the enemy from ranged attacks."


    Sunny''s smile turned into a dark grin.


    "That is true�� as far as your rifle goes."


    A swarm of scarlet sparks shimmered into existence around his hand, and then, a black bow appeared in it, radiating a feeling of devastating strength. Its string was bright red, and there was a small brand of the same color on one of its limbs, in the shape of an anvil pierced by a straight sword.


    "But arrows, unlike bullets, do not have to fly in a straight line��"

 Chapter 844 Opening Act

    Sunny studied the swarm of abominations that flooded the small valley. These ones didn''t seem as dangerous as the primal hunters he had once fought in front of Rain''s school. The creatures had bestial bodies, with four bony limbs that ended in sharp claws and long, slithering tails. Ridges of jagged spikes rose from their spines, and their maws were full of sharp fangs.


    Most disturbingly, all except for the Fallen ones seemed to have had their eyes violently torn out. Now, only darkness nestles in the empty, gaping holes of their eye sockets. The abominations did not move as if they were blind, though. There was a strange, predatory precision to their subdued motions.


    ��The Devil was different from the eyeless beasts, though. It resembled them outwardly, but possessed a more humanoid body. The creature stood on its hind legs, while his front limbs resembled human hands. Its eyes were closed, and even seemed sewn shut. Something constantly moved behind the eyelids, giving Sunny the creeps.


    The powerful abomination towered above its ilk, reaching almost three meters in height.


    Two hundred and seventy-four Nightmare Creatures�� was a lot. Most cohorts of Awakened would not have even considered attacking that many abominations, and quietly retreated instead.


    ''I need to be careful about this.''


    Sunny thought for a few long moments, and then spoke:


    "Samara, move forward and assume a position higher up the slope, where you''ll be able to shoot over the crest of the road. Vanguard, prepare to advance and secure the crest. Kimmy�� work your magic."


    His words reached the melee fighters of the cohort without any problem. Of course, he could have used the usual technological solutions to ensure good communication�� but with how unstable tech was near Nightmare Gates, it was always good to have a backup.


    For that reason, Luster was currently in possession of an extremely ordinary, very unassuming rock�� which, nevertheless, was somehow able to speak with their captain''s voice.


    One of Sunny''s shadows was following the vanguard, as well, so he had no trouble hearing their responses.


    As the cohort''s ranged specialist hoisted the heavy rifle on her shoulder and jumped down off the Rhino, the melee vanguard crept forward. Quentin served as the center of the formation, with Belle and Dorn flanking him. Luster stayed behind, to cover their backs and prevent any monsters from escaping toward the Rhino.


    He was confidently wielding a beautifully etched halberd in his hands, which both gave him some range and allowed the young man to support the three fighters from the back, should the need arise. Its versatility also gave him a lot of options on how to engage the enemy.


    During the past weeks, Sunny had done all he could to raise the battle effectiveness of the cohort and enhance the Memories of his soldiers. The weapons received most of his attention, but he also augmented their armors by transplanting the [Tenacious] enchantment of the Patient Avenger into their weaves. With its help, the survivability of the cohort had reached a new level.


    The Patient Avenger itself had been entrusted to Quentin. Sunny also transferred the Blood Blossom to Belle�� with much reluctance, of course. With his current strength, the augmentation granted by the morbid charm could not benefit him in any substantial way. It was a different story for the Awakened swordsman, however, so the decision, sadly, made too much sense.


    Each member of the cohort was additionally protected by a charm that gave them slight resistance to cold, which is why they were able to all but ignore the slowly falling snow and the chilling wind that blew through the mountains.


    ��Standing near Sunny on the roof of the Rhino, Kim �� who was wielding a round buckler, a sharp rapier, and had a snub-nosed automatic carbine slung around her back �� concentrated and unleashed her ability.


    First, she borrowed Sunny''s sight. This also allowed her to see what his shadows saw, even though receiving so many different perspectives put an immense strain on her mind. Then, she used her Dormant Ability to concentrate on the Fallen Devil and find its weaknesses. Finally, she shared her own perception back to Sunny, allowing him to see where to strike, as well.


    The shadows did not see color, so to him, the body of the towering abomination became painted in different shades of grey. The lighter areas were the most resilient, while those that were darker were less protected.


    Strangely enough, a small spot at the very center of the Devil''s forehead was almost entirely black.


    That was where Sunny aimed.


    As he wrapped two shadows around his body and strained his muscles, the black bow bent... despite possessing an enchantment called [Unbending]. Because of it, Morgan''s Warbow required a giant''s strength to draw, but was also capable of sending arrows very far, and translated devastating force to them.


    Luckily, Sunny was incredibly strong, even for a Master.


    A ghostly shade appeared on the string of the bow, and then turned into a black arrow with dark fletching a narrow arrowhead that seemed to have been crafted from a long, sharp piece of obsidian. The shadow arrows were swift, flew without producing any sound, and had an unnatural ability to find cracks in the enemy''s armor.


    Sunny closed his eyes and moved the bow higher. Aiming at an abomination that was more than a kilometer away and was only seen by his shadow was not an easy task, but he had not trained with Kai for nothing. He held his breath, and then corrected his aim by a couple millimeters when the wind suddenly picked up.


    Lastly, Sunny poured his essence into the bow, instantly emptying one of his four cores. The [Death Dealer] enchantment was a gluttonous one, as far as essence was concerned.


    But it was worth it.


    A moment later, Sunny relaxed his fingers, allowing the string to slide off them on its own. The black arrow noiselessly disappeared into the sky, so fast that it was hard to see it at all.


    It arched above the crest of the road, soared high, and then fell down. The Fallen Devil might have still dodged if it knew what was coming, but the shadow arrow was so swift and silent that the abomination never stood a chance.


    A black streak flashed in the air, piercing the center of the Gate Guardian''s forehead with stunnig ease and exiting from the back of its head a split second later.


    The Devil''s eyes suddenly opened, revealing��


    Sunny never learned what had been hiding behind the creature''s eyelids, because a moment after his shadow arrow disappeared into the ground, the creatures'' entire skull suddenly deformed and violently exploded. Every bone in its upper body was shattered by the residual force of the impact. The misshapen, headless corpse was thrown back with so much momentum that it killed several Nightmare Creatures that just happened to stand in the way.


    Just like that, the Fallen Devil who guarded the Nightmare Gate was gone.


    All members of his cohort froze for a moment, astonished by the ghastly sight.


    The Nightmare Creatures seemed to have been stunned by the sudden and gruesome death of their leader, as well.


    ��Standing on top of the Rhino, Sunny lowered his bow and smiled with vicious glee.


    ''Not a bad start��''


    A second later, the small valley exploded with movements as hundreds of abominations lunged in the direction from which the black arrow had arrived.

 Chapter 845 Ranged Specialists

    [You have slain a Fallen Devil, Defiled Witness.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    [You have received a Memory��]


    A swarm of fearsome Nightmare Creatures flowed up the slope of the small mountain valley, rushing toward the crest of the road, where a handful of Awakened warriors were preparing to make their stand. The eyeless abominations were moving with ferocious determination, covering many meters with each stride as viscous saliva streamed from their terrifying maws.


    To their right was the slope of the mountain, while to their left was a canyon that grew deeper and deeper as the road climbed up.


    Standing at the top of the hill, Quentin, Belle, Dorn, and Luster studied the approaching avalanche of monsters with grim apprehension. Lowering the enchanted sledgehammer off his shoulder, the striker of the melee vanguard glanced at his comrades and spoke in a reserved tone:


    "What do you think?"


    Belle readied his sword and smiled.


    "This�� is going to be fun. If we survive, I won''t have to be embarrassed about sleeping through the last one anymore!"


    Quentin silently shook his head, while Luster, who stood behind the three, closed his eyes for a moment.


    "Crazy bastard��"


    The swordsman simply laughed.


    At that moment, they heard a subtle electric whine, and then a loud crack of a highly compressed sonic boom. A moment later, the head of a hulking abomination that towered above the rest of the swarm exploded into bloody chunks. The massive carcass toppled over like a marionette that had its strings cut, instantly turning into a lifeless heap of twitching meat.


    ��Standing on the roof of the Rhino, Sunny drew his bow and let an arrow fly.


    "Keep aiming for their foreheads, Samara. Take down as many Fallen as you can before the enemy reaches the two hundred meters mark, then switch to explosive ammunition and concentrate on the front rows of the Awakened abominations. We must break their momentum."


    Hidden between large rocks higher up the slope, the deadly sharpshooter recharged her coilgun as she poured a steady flow of essence into an armor-piercing tungsten slug.


    "Understood."


    A heartbeat later, the rifle whined again, and another abomination fell to the ground. At the same time, a black arrow pierced the head of an especially frightening creature. This time, the effect was not as drastic, but the eyeless horror was killed just the same.


    Drawing the unbending warbow once more, Sunny briefly frowned.


    ''Too slow��''


    They had barely two dozen seconds left before the swarm reached the melee vanguard. That was not nearly enough to kill all the remaining Fallen abominations, and then there were the two hundred and forty Awakened ones left, as well.


    Sunny and Samara would just had to do their best.


    Standing by his side, Kim nervously grasped the grip of her carbine and checked its magazine, which was loaded with bullets that seemed to glow slightly in the dim twilight. Each had been charged by Samara prior to the battle... sadly, the supply of this powerful rounds was limited. The bullets slowly lost their charge as time went by, so the cohort could not hoard them.


    ��Black arrows rained from the sky, reaping one life after another. Head after head exploded, turning the cracked asphalt on the mountain road slick with blood. A fearsome Nightmare Creatures fell almost every second as the number of the Fallen abominations slowly dwindled.


    At some point, Samara shifted her aim to the mass of the rabid eyeless beasts. Her eyes shone with ethereal light as a different kind of bullet escaped from the thick barrel of the Gauss rifle with a thunderous roar.


    In the next moment, a powerful explosion tore through the front row of the rushing swarm. A dozen abominations were instantly ripped apart. Chunks of mangled flesh flew into the air in a cloud of bloody haze. Sharp shards of broken bones pelted the surrounding creatures like shrapnel, wounding and maiming them.


    Almost instantly after the disfigured corpses fell to the ground, the sound of another thunderous explosion rolled over the mountains, and then another. Two more bloody rifts appeared in the mass of the frenzied abominations. Now that Samara didn''t have to aim, her rate of fire increased.


    However, so did her consumption of soul essence.


    "That''s enough. Conserve your essence and switch back to priority targets."


    Sunny felled another Fallen creature and drew the black bow again. However, this time, a different arrow appeared on its string.


    Instead of wood and metal, it seemed to be made of pure lightning.


    Just a couple of seconds before the first Nightmare Creatures reached the crest of the hill, a furious bolt of lightning fell from above. Augmented by the Death Dealer enchantment and two of Sunny''s shadows, the Strike of Thunder instantly turned the abomination it hit into a cloud of swiftly dissipating ash. Then, powerful currents of electricity arced to the nearest beasts, spreading through the swarm in a destructive chain reaction.


    Because the monsters were so close to each other, the lightning spread far and wide. It grew weaker with each jump, but still, the damage it dealt was devastating. Sunny failed to count how many abominations he had killed, but it had to be several dozens, at least. Even more were burned and wounded to various degrees.


    ��But he wasn''t done yet.


    A moment after the lightning chained through the swarm, the shadows cast by large rocks suddenly surged forward and shot into the air, turning into long, vicious spikes. The Nightmare Creatures that had tried to leave the road and climb higher were either pierced or blocked by them, turning the slope of the mountain into a macabre forest of impaled bodies.


    With the deadly spikes blocking the slope and the deep canyon on the other side, the swarm had no other choice than to attack along the narrow line of the road. Funneled that way and with their momentum broken, the abominations that had jumped over the corpses of their slain kin failed to overwhelm the melee vanguard of the cohort in one fell swoop.


    As Qunetin stepped forward and received the first attack on his shield, the true battle started.

 Chapter 846 Melee Vanguard

    In early April, Antarctica was enveloped by eternal twilight. The sun seemed to have frozen in place as it plunged behind the horizon, painting a persistent line of vibrant scarlet in the cold purple sky. Stuck between night and day, the Southern Quadrant was slowly slipping into the embrace of pure darkness that would last for many months.


    The behavior of the moon was strange and erratic, as well. It remained in the sky for several weeks, then disappeared without a trace for long stretches of time. The radiant tapestry of Aurora Australis sometimes appeared to keep it company. Sunny had heard that the Southern Lights were breathtakingly beautiful, but he was yet to witness them himself.


    In any case, he did not care about heavenly miracles right now. All he cared about was whether his soldiers would be able to see the enemy clearly. Even though the long night had not descended yet, it was already hard enough to discern important details in the dim twilight. For that reason, Kim was currently channeling his vision to the rest of the cohort.


    The difference it made could be easily seen.


    Unencumbered by the absence of bright light and without the need to rely on luminescent Memories, the melee vanguard moved as confidently as they would have in the middle of the day.


    Quentin stepped forward and leaned into his shield, meeting the charging abomination without giving any ground. His sword flashed forward, dealing a deep wound to the beast. Already, the edges of the cut started to rot, and the damage was even worse inside, since the blade bit deep.


    The combat healer flung the convulsing body of the Nightmare Creature aside and slashed at another one without any hint of hesitation.


    To his right, Dorn brought his heavy sledgehammer down, turning the head of a snarling abomination into bloody pulp. To his right, Belle''s sword shimmered through the air, decapitating another.


    The road was narrow enough to prevent the swarm from surrounding them, and the slope of the mountain had turned into a killing field because of the bloodthirsty shadow spikes. The enemy could not flank the vanguard, so all the abominations could do was charge forward and up, half-a-dozen at a time.


    As the pressure of the mass of Nightmare Creatures mounted, the three fighters turned into an impregnable bastion. Quentin drew most attention and withstood an attack after attack, which granted Belle and Dorn a modicum of freedom. They used it well, visiting unabashed slaughter upon the tide of eyeless beasts.


    The swordsman danced between them, phasing through his enemies and slicing their bodies apart as if they were made from paper. Dorn fought in a more reserved fashion, but his devastating and inescapable attacks were even more fearsome.


    Luster thrust his halberd forward from time to time, finishing off wounded enemies or preventing them from breaking through the walls of steel created by Quentin, Belle, and Dorn.


    Streams of foul blood were soon running down the surface of the mountain road.


    However�� not everything went well for the cohort.


    Despite the unshakable will, ferocity, and deadly skill of the melee vanguard, there were just too many Nightmare Creatures for them to fight. Each of the abominations was powerful and deadly, as well. Already, a few heavy hits landed on Quentin''s armor, sending a net of thin cracks running through the polished breastplate.


    The healer easily managed to restore its integrity, but how long would he be able to keep up this lethal dance?


    Belle and Dorn were better off than him, but not by much. For now, one managed to avoid being torn apart due to his elusive Aspect, while the other used his strength and calculating mind to avoid danger.


    ��Worse still, there were also the Fallen abominations to think about.


    Just then, the first of the lumbering monstrosities finally reached the crest of the hill, ruthlessly throwing several of the lesser creatures into the canyon to clear a path for itself. The Fallen lunged forward, opening its maw to bite down on Quentin''s shield, and maybe take the healer''s entire arm off with it.


    Before it could, however, a black arrow silently slid into its throat. The abomination twitched and fell down, sliding forward on the asphalt as a river of blood poured out of its mouth.


    Sunny was already drawing his bow again.


    Higher up the slope, Samara was calmly sending slug after slug into the attacking swarm.


    Kim was standing still, concentrating on providing all six members of the cohort with a clear view of the battlefield, as well as letting them know where to strike to deal as much damage as possible.


    ''Hell�� we might actually make it.''


    Sunny had several trump cards saved up in case things went south, but he was reluctant to use them unless necessary. This clash was an important step for the cohort�� up until now, they had only trained together. Being christened by blood in an actual battle would not only show how capable his soldiers were, but also truly bring them together.


    Sadly�� just as he thought that, the situation suddenly and dreadfully changed.


    As the whole swarm of the eyeless abominations got close to the crest of the hill, the creatures froze for a split second.


    And then, the long jagged spikes growing from their spines suddenly grew hazy, producing a strange vibration that covered the surrounded area like a dome. Sunny heard a high-pitched ringing that burrowed into his ears like a hot needle, and then, the entire world suddenly spun.


    ''Curses!''


    He swayed, almost falling off the Rhino''s roof. Suddenly, Sunny couldn''t tell where was up and where was down, where was left and where was right. Everything around him turned blurry, disorienting, and impossible to tell apart.


    Through the shadows, he felt Quentin missing a step and being thrown back by a charging abomination. Dorn swung his sledgehammer to cover the falling healer, but missed and was pulled off balance by the inertia of his mighty strike. Belle phased back and staggered, almost tumbling to the ground.


    ''Sonic attack?''


    Sunny gritted his teeth and dove through the shadows, disappearing from sight and emerging between the fighters of the melee vanguard a moment later. A flute carved out of emerald bone appeared in his hands.


    Kicking a nearby beast hard enough to crush its ribs and send the revolting creature flying away, Sunny brought the flute to his lips and blew into it softly.


    A moment later, a cone of absolute silence enveloped the crest of the hill.


    Instantly, the world stopped spinning, and he could see clearly again.


    As Quneting, Dorn, and Belle picked themselves up and readied their weapons with a visible relief, Sunny smiled darkly and stared at the approaching monsters.


    The Cruel Sight was already weaving itself into existence, surrounded by swirling fog.


    Taking a step forward, Sunny gripped the shaft of the somber spear and grinned.


    "Denied!"

 Chapter 847 Slaughter

    The swarm had lost its leader, the momentum of its charge had been crushed, the secret weapon of the eyeless abominations had been rendered useless, and most importantly of all, scores of them had already lost their lives


    But the Nightmare Creatures still presented a mortal danger to the cohort.


    There were still enough of them to bury Sunny and his soldiers under a mountain of flesh, claws, and fangs. More than a dozen Fallen abominations remained, as well, rushing forward to devour the seven humans.


    An ugly smile appeared on Sunny''s face.


    ''Come get us, then��''


    As the blade of the Cruel Sight shone with incandescent light, he sliced through the body of a lunging beast and issued a quick command:


    "Vanguard, follow me!"


    He put the shaft of the somber spear in the way of a snarling maw, shifted his weight to throw the enemy to the ground, and struck another abomination with the butt of his weapon.


    "Kim, move forward to the crest of the hill. Samara, get closer and keep pressuring the Fallen!"


    As he spun and unleashed a diagonal cut, beheading a disoriented monster, a new Memory was already weaving itself into existence.


    A thin iron chain was soon wrapped around his neck. On it hung a small statuette in the form of a beautiful young woman that held a spear in one hand and a human heart in another. Blood was pouring from a gaping wound on her bared chest.


    The Dying Wish seemed to come alive as his essence flowed into it.


    [Death Wish] Enchantment Description: "Those who witness the wielder of this Memory are compelled; friends to be inspired, foes to seek the wielder out. The power of the Memory grows the more enemies they give the gift of death, and can be consumed to heal the wielder''s wounds."


    Death Charge: [0/1000]


    Now that Sunny was at the front of the cohort''s battle formation, both his soldiers and the Nightmare Creatures could see him clearly. Well�� he wasn''t sure if the eyeless abominations could see anything, but they definitely perceived him in some mysterious way.


    The effect of the Transcendent charm could be felt instantly. Behind him, the four fighters of the melee vanguard were suddenly reinvigorated. Their movements grew faster, sharper, and more focused. The enemies, on the other hand, became even more frenzied. They lunged at Sunny like rabid beasts, consumed by blind hatred, hunger, and madness.


    With all this fury mostly concentrated on him and him alone, Quentin, Belle, Dorn, and Luster gained some space to breathe.


    Which was a good thing, but...


    ''Crap!''


    This was the first time Sunny used this particular Memory, and he was already starting to regret it a little. The pressure of the mad onslaught that the affected Nightmare Creatures unleashed upon him was no joke!


    Gritting his teeth, he spun and danced, slaughtering one abomination after another. Guided by him, the vanguard slowly pushed into the swarm, taking a few tentative steps forward. Sunny served as the tip of their formation, turning into a bloody hurricane of radiant silver and bleak steel.


    Despite his superior strength and speed, another fighter would have been quickly overpowered by the sheer mass and ferocity of the countless Nightmare Creatures, then brought down to the ground and either crushed or torn apart. Luckily, Sunny was just too slippery and elusive to be surrounded and piled upon. As three shadows wrapped themselves around his body, his agility and swiftness reached superhuman heights.


    More importantly, when even that wasn''t enough, he easily stepped through the shadows to avoid being swarmed by the onslaught of frenzied beasts. Empowered by his incredibly high divine affinity, the Undying Chain effortlessly withstood stray blows that managed to get past his defenses from time to time. The Cruel Sight sang, harvesting life after life like the scythe of the Grim Reaper.


    Behind him, the melee vanguard fought with murderous resolve and swiftly improving cohesion. Not only were they able to provide Sunny with much-needed support and block the enemies from attacking him from the back, each also killed one abomination after another.


    Belle''s sword sliced through bodies as if not meeting any resistance, Dorn''s sledgehammer crushed them like a devastating wrecking ball. Quentin''s attacks were not as spectacular, but each abomination wounded by him soon stumbled, convulsed, or simply fell down and died. Even Luster was doing his part, either thrusting his halberd forward like a spear or using its hook to throw the eyeless beasts off balance and make it easier for others to slay them.


    Samara had abandoned her sniper nest and moved closer to the crest of the hill to dive into the dome of silence created by Sunny. Her new position was not as advantageous, but she still managed to lend most of her shots. Although not all of them were able to hit the weak spot on the forehead of the Fallen abominations, even those that had not dealt the powerful creatures serious wounds.


    A few eyeless beasts had managed to slip through the defensive line of the melee vanguard back when the swarm first unleashed its sonic attack. They were already hurtling in her direction with nothing slowing them down.


    ��As they did, a hail of bullets suddenly struck the abominations from the side, tearing into their bodies. Kim, who was running up the road, aimed her carbine without ever slowing down and unleashed a rain of charged rounds on the Nightmare Creatures barreling down on Samara.


    Reaching the last one, she let go of the weapon and allowed it to hang freely from its sling. The young woman sidestepped the lunge of the rabid monstrosity, then delivered a powerful uppercut with her buckler. As its edge connected with the beast''s jaw and jerked the eyeless head up, a slender rapier short forward, piercing the abomination''s neck.


    A moment later, the beast was dead.


    Not too long after that, Kim reached the crest, fell on one knee, and took up her carbine once again. Now that the melee vanguard advanced slightly down the road, she had a clear line of fire at the swarm. Firing it in short bursts, the young woman joined the mayhem.


    Suffocating under the constant flood of frenzied monsters, Sunny grinned.


    "Dorn, don''t try to kill every abomination, just push them off the cliff when you can! The fall is unlikely to kill them, but we can easily clean up the stragglers later. Luster, disengage and help Samara regain some essence. The rest�� continue doing what you''re doing! Slaughter them all!"


    The members of the cohort obliged, echoing his last command with battle cries of their own:


    "Slaughter them!"


    "Slaughter them all!"


    "...Slaughter!"


    And so they did.

 Chapter 848 Persistent Threat

    In the end, the cohort eradicated the swarm of the eyeless Nightmare Creatures. It was not easy, and there were moments when each of them brushed with death. But eventually, the seven humans observed the vast killing field with tired expressions �� exhausted, but alive.


    Hundreds of cut, crushed, and torn bodies littered the broken asphalt of the mountain road. Blood flowed down the hill, pooling into crimson puddles at its base. The carcasses of the Fallen abominations towered above the corpses of their lesser ilk like mounds of rotten meat.


    Looking at the ghastly sight, Sunny felt very happy that the army supplied them with actual food. Right now, he was very reluctant to go back to the familiar diet of only eating monster meat.


    With a sigh, he turned away and glanced at his ragged band of soldiers. Despite the fact that their battle was over, time was still of the essence.


    "Luster, go inform the Army Command that the road is secured, then bring the Rhino to the crest and park it on the slope. The rest of you, rest while you can. Oh�� and also, good work."


    The members of the cohort looked at each other, lively smiles appearing on their tired faces.


    "We did do alright, didn''t we?"


    With that, they walked away from the mass of mangled bodies and sprawled on the ground, steam rising from their blood-covered armors into the cold air. Soon, the Rhino arrived, its headlights painting a much more morbid picture of the recent battleground. The soldiers rested and recovered their essence. Since no one was seriously injured, Quentin was in no hurry to tend to the wounded.


    No one stood guard, as well, since Sunny''s shadows could fulfill that role better than any human.


    Everything seemed to be peaceful and safe�� however, he was not fooled.


    Down in the valley, the ugly rift in the fabric of reality was still pulsing with eerie darkness, silently calling to Sunny. The Gate was still open. Although they had defeated the initial wave of Nightmare Creatures that had emerged from it, more could arrive at any moment.


    The first wave was usually the most dangerous, but not always. It ordinarily consisted of the abominations that had been close to the Seed of Nightmare when it bloomed, but as long as the Gate remained open, more monsters could wander through it into the real world.


    In fact, Sunny suspected that Nightmare Creatures experienced a Call that was very similar to the one that Awakened felt. It drew them from the reaches of the Dream Realm toward the blooming Seed. Those that had been near it arrived first, but many more could eventually come.


    That was why if a Gate could not be closed, it had to be contained and constantly monitored by the government forces�� at least near or within the population centers. With time, the number of such containment zones grew, stretching the ability of the government to secure them.


    So, the cohort was not entirely safe.


    ��He stared at the eerie rift for some time, feeling the Call slowly eating away at his sanity. Then, Sunny shook his head, walked over to the Rhino and sat down in its shadow.


    He was tired, as well.


    It was time to sort out the results of the battle.


    Summoning the runes, he thoughtfully studied them.


    Name: Sunless.


    True Name: Lost from Light.


    Rank: Ascended.


    Class: Devil.


    Shadow Cores: [4/7].


    Shadow Fragments: [1246/4000].


    ''Curses��''


    Despite the scope and ferocity of the recent battle, he had only received thirty or so shadow fragments from it �� four for killing the Gate Guardian, the rest for slaying the Fallen abominations. Since Sunny was Ascended now, he gained nothing from slaying Nightmare Creatures of the Dormant and Awakened Ranks.


    Becoming a Tyrant�� was not going to be easy.


    ''Whatever.''


    He continued to read the runes with a sour expression.


    Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer''s Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Extraordinary Rock], [Prowling Thorn], [Endless Spring], [Dark Wing], [Moonlight Shard], [Mantle of the Underworld], [Weaver''s Mask], [Broken Oath], [Autumn Leaf], [Cruel Sight], [Covetous Coffer], [Undying Chain], [Heavenly Burden], [Memory of Fire], [Memory of Ice], [Strike of Thunder], [Morgan''s Warbow], [Shadow Lantern], [Bone Singer], [Shadow Chair], [Overpriced Saddle], [Dying Wish], [Evil Eye]...


    Sunny had learned to weave names into the Memories he created after coming back from the Nightmare. [Shadow Chair] was the exquisite wooden chair he had borrowed from Noctis�� sadly, no other item Sunny had tried to bring back to the real world survived. Everything had simply ceased to exist once he returned, to his bitter disappointment. However, the artificial Memory remained.


    The [Overpriced Saddle] was the stupidly expensive saddle he had commissioned for Nightmare. The [Evil Eye] was the new Memory he had just received for killing the Devil named Defiled Witness. There were also a few Awakened Memories he had gained, but they seemed only good enough to be fed to his Shadows.


    ''I''ll deal with them later.''


    He turned his attention back to the runes:


    Echoes: ��


    Shadows: [Marble Saint], [Nightmare], [Soul Serpent].


    Attributes: [Fated], [Flame of Divinity], [Master of Shadows], [Blood Weave], [Bone Weave].


    Aspect: [Shadow Slave].


    Aspect Rank: Divine.


    Aspect Abilities: [Shadow Control], [Shadow Step], [Shadow Manifestation].


    Aspect Legacy: [Shadow Dance].


    Flaw: [Clear Conscience].


    Dream Anchor: Tower of Hope.


    The name of the Soul Serpent was dim and lifeless. Sunny could not dismiss or summon the Shadow back after gifting it to Rain, at least not from a distance. He still felt a subtle connection to it, though. He knew that Serpent was alive and well.


    ''That''s something, at least. They are both alright.''


    With a sight, Sunny concentrated on his new Memory, the [Evil Eye]. After reading the description, he learned that it was capable of enhancing one''s vision, making a person capable of discerning more details, and seeing things clearly from a greater distance. The effect had to be rather powerful since it came from a Fallen Devil, but he had to decide what to do with it.


    Sunny could either use it himself, feed it to one of his Shadows, or give it to one of his soldiers.


    Samara and Kim were the best candidates. The Awakened sharpshooter would be able to pick off targets from much further away, which was an obvious benefit. The timid seer, however�� Sunny was very curious to find out how the augmentation of the Evil Eye would affect her Ability to see the vulnerabilities of his enemies.


    After thinking about it for a bit, he turned his head and said:


    "Hey, Kimmy... come here for a second��"

 Chapter 849 Pincer Maneuver

    The [Evil Eye] seemed to suit Kim''s Aspect very well. Of course, the cohort was only going to really learn how much it had been improved during their next battle. Which, without a doubt, would follow very soon.


    ��But not yet.


    Sitting on the ground and watching snowflakes dance in the dim sky, Sunny rested and evaluated the performance of his soldiers �� and his own �� in the clash against the swarm of eyeless beasts. Overall, he was satisfied with the result. Why wouldn''t he be, considering that the enemy had been destroyed while none of his subordinates had suffered a serious injury?


    Everyone had performed well. Belle, Dorn, and Quentin had shown their value as elite combat specialists. Samara had confidently surpassed his already high expectations. Kim had been instrumental to their overall effectiveness and provided adequate support. While Luster''s contribution had not seemed that spectacular, his presence actually made all the difference. The young man had also done well enough for himself as a second-line fighter.


    However, things weren''t that simple.


    A subtle frown appeared on Sunny''s face.


    ''How troublesome��''


    The relative ease of their victory had been predicated on several factors. Firstly and most importantly, control over the terrain and the proper use of its advantages. Secondly, the immediate elimination of the Fallen commander of the swarm�� without the Defiled Witness, none of the Nightmare Creatures had possessed fearsome unnatural powers.


    The vile abilities that Devils and abominations of higher Classes possessed added an element of unpredictability to every battle. It was that instability that made any kind of strategy and planning unreliable. This time, Sunny had been able to remove the threat and maintain tactical superiority, but what about the next? He doubted that every future battle would be as orderly.


    Lastly, the cohort had not held back and unleashed its full power to destroy the swarm. Sunny had avoided using his trump cards, but his reserves of essence were now depleted by more than a half. His soldiers were in an even worse situation. It was going to take a couple of days for them to recover�� maybe less if Luster was involved.


    Sunny did not regret going all out, since it allowed him to create a benchmark of what the cohort was capable of. However, he had a nagging suspicion that they would not be allowed the luxury of carelessly burning through their essence in the future. Who knew when the next combat engagement would come? There was no guarantee that the cohort would receive the time they needed to recharge.


    ''Conserving essence is going to be a priority�� I feel it in my bones.''


    His expression darkened. The more his soldiers were constrained in how to express their powers, the more risks they would have to endure.


    Turning his head slightly, Sunny threw a calculating glance at Luster. The young man suddenly shivered and looked back.


    "Uh�� Captain? Why are you staring at me?"


    Sunny gave him a reassuring smile, which only made Luster appear more nervous, for some reason.


    "Oh, just thinking about the future. But since we are talking�� take Kim and go collect us some soul shards. Don''t bother with the Fallen abominations, though. Their hides are too tough, so it would be a waste of time to dress them."


    The army would take care of this.


    As the officer in charge of the cohort, Sunny was privy to the information about how saturated the soul cores of his subordinates were�� not to mention that he could make a rough estimate himself simply by taking a look. Actually, they did not need too many shards. Dorn and Samara had long reached full saturation, while Belle and Quentin were extremely close to it. Only Luster and Kim lagged behind a bit due to their age.


    The cohort was going to reach its full potential sooner rather than later.


    As Luster and Kim left �� chaperoned by one of his shadows, just in case �� Sunny leaned on the hull of the Rhino and closed his eyes.


    After spending years in the deadly and unpredictable expanse of the Dream Realm, he knew not to miss the rare and precious opportunities to rest.


    ***


    For a while, the small mountain valley was calm and silent. Not too far away, behind the rugged slopes, the bleakness of the twilight sky was being torn apart by orange flashes of heavy artillery fire. The echoes of thunderous explosions reached the valley from time to time, but the mayhem itself remained somewhere in the distance, where the main body of the army division was engaged in a bloody battle against the small horde of Nightmare Creatures.


    Soon, however, a low rumbling drew closer, and subtle vibrations spread through the surface of the broken road.


    Opening one eye, Sunny looked down, where a long column of army vehicles was climbing up the slope. At its front, a squad of war platforms marched, their wide metal feet sending cracks through the asphalt with each step. A few of the smaller ones were holding rifles not unlike the coilgun wielded by Samara.


    Of course, in their giant hands, the massive rifles looked small and lightweight, like modest sidearms at most.


    The battalion whose path the cohort had been ordered to secure finally arrived. They were going to follow the road and flank the horde of abominations, finishing the pincer maneuver.


    This probably meant that Sunny and his soldiers were done with their short respite.


    Soon, the towering war platforms reached the crest of the hill where Rhino was parked, lingered there for a moment, and continued down into the valley. The army vehicles and members of the mechanized infantry arrived next, accompanied by a good number of Awakened.


    One of them stopped near the spot where the cohort was resting and glanced at the carnage below. His face paled.


    The man remained silent for a while, then glanced at Belle, who was relaxing on a boulder nearby.


    "You�� you guys killed all these abominations by yourself?"


    The swordsman simply smiled.


    "Sure did."


    The Awakened stared at him incredulously.


    "But there are hundreds of them!"


    Belle blinked a couple of times, then shrugged.


    "So? We''re Irregulars."


    The soldier opened his mouth, then closed it, then opened it again.


    Belle, meanwhile, thought for a bit and added:


    "Ah, don''t be too impressed. Our captain probably killed half of them. We just stayed back and tried to make ourselves useful."


    The Awakened soldier was clearly impressed. He looked at the swordsman with begrudging respect, remained silent for a few moments, and asked:


    "...Who is your captain?"


    Belle suddenly laughed.


    "Our captain? He is the Devil! The Devil himself��"

 Chapter 850 Surrounded

    At that moment, Samara appeared from the hatch of the Rhino and called out to Sunny:


    "Captain! We are being hailed on the comms."


    He sighed, then opened his eyes and reluctantly stood up. As the Awakened soldier stared at the pale young man with wide eyes, he smiled pleasantly�� and then disappeared without a trace, prompting the man to flinch and take a step back.


    ��Back inside the APC, Sunny emerged from the shadows, walked over to the communication suite and sat down behind a terminal. At the press of a button, Master Jet''s face appeared on the screen.


    Soul Reaper seemed to be standing in front of a pile of mangled corpses, illuminated by an angry orange glow. Dancing flames reflected in her icy blue eyes, making it seem as if they were glowing.


    Set against that backdrop, her smile looked rather sinister.


    "Hey, Sunny. I heard that your cohort won its first battle. I guess congratulations are in order?"


    He nodded and studied the carcasses of Nightmare Creatures behind her.


    "Yeah�� you seem to have achieved a victory, as well. What''s the situation like with the other divisions?"


    The field army had separated into seven divisions after reaching the Antarctic Center�� or was it brigades? Sunny was still a bit confused about the hierarchy of army units. In any case, one of them had stayed behind in Falcon Scott, while the other six had deployed south and were currently on the move. Each consisted of ten to fifteen thousand soldiers and was accompanied by seven hundred Awakened or so.


    Master Jet shrugged.


    "It''s not too bad�� yet. The Irregulars are doing their job as well. For now, everything seems to be going according to plan. What about you? How did your cohort perform?"


    Sunny sighed.


    "Not�� bad. We mopped up the opposition easily enough. However, we wasted a lot of essence. If the intensity of the conflict picks up, I''m not sure if I can employ the same strategy again."


    She nodded.


    "It will definitely pick up, so�� good thinking."


    At that moment, something thundered from the dynamics, and the image on the screen became noisy for a few moments. Soul Reaper lowered her communicator and looked somewhere to the side with a resentful expression.


    She pursed her lips, then said in a neutral tone:


    "Anyway, I have to go. Follow the flanking battalion for now and help them deal with the horde that''s blocking your division from advancing south. Don''t exert yourself and your soldiers, though. Take it easy and conserve your essence."


    Sunny smiled.


    "Will do."


    Master Jet glanced at him briefly and nodded.


    "Good luck, Sunny."


    He sighed.


    "Good luck to you, too."


    ��However, the signal had already cut, turning the screen black. All that remained was his pale reflection.


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then shook his head and headed toward the exit hatch of the Rhino.


    Nothing much had changed outside. The sky was still cold, dim, and illuminated by the distant cannonade of human artillery.


    In the valley below, the army engineers were setting up autonomous observation posts around the active Gate and laying explosive charges around it. While humanity could not close every Gate, it had learned to diminish their threat in various ways over the years. Encasing them in cement or burying the rift under tons of soil were just a couple of methods to slow down the emerging Nightmare Creatures at least a little.


    Another group of support personnel was already cleaning up the road and harvesting the soul shards. Sunny could have made a point about securing his share of the spoils, but it was too much hassle. The results would be tallied and converted to an appropriate amount of contribution points, anyway.


    Plus, Luster and Kim were already back with their trophies.


    Stepping out of the APC, Sunny looked at his soldiers.


    "Gather up!"


    As the cohort assembled around him, he pointed to the glimmering crystals:


    "Those with unsaturated cores, share the soul shard among yourself and absorb them. We have ten minutes to get ready to move out. Our next task is to support the assault on the flank of the bunch of abominations making a ruckus on the other side of the mountain. Only Dormant Abilities and passive enchantments this time, so don''t get too rowdy. Once the threat is eliminated, we can get some sleep. Understood?"


    There were no questions. Ten minutes later, the Rhino joined the column of the army vehicles and rolled forward, in the direction where the flashes of light and the sounds of explosions were coming from.


    The flanking battalion passed the small valley, climbed high up the slope of the mountain, then crested a narrow pass and came in view of a massive battle below.


    Around two thousand Nightmare Creatures were pressing down on the defensive line of a well-organized human force. The soldiers were not in a hurry to attack and concentrated on keeping the abominations away from themselves. The barrage of explosive shells, squall of slugs unleashed by the towering war platforms and countless soldiers of the mechanized infantry, and several hundred Awakened were doing a good job of containing the raging horde.


    Looking at the chaotic battlefield from above, Sunny grimaced.


    At this distance, the six Nightmare Gates that had disgorged the horde were already whispering into his ears.


    ''This is going to get old really fast, isn''t it?''


    The Army Command soon sent them a packet of information, marking down priority targets in the mass of abominations and transferring other important data.


    As the battalion formed to start the assault on the flank of the enemy force, Sunny studied it all and then pointed at an especially ugly monstrosity.


    "That will be our target. We must take this Gate Guardian down. You guys help me clear the path to the big bastard, then stay back."


    Sure, Master Jet had told him to take it easy�� but Sunny was not going to miss a chance to earn a few shadow fragments!


    His eyes gleamed with bloodlust, making the members of the cohort shift uncomfortably.


    Soon, the preparations were done, and the flanking force attacked. At the same time, the main body of the division changed its routine, initiating a charge of their own.


    Pressed between the two, the horde of Nightmare Creatures stood no chance.


    ��Of course, the battalion attacking from the slope of the mountain �� and the Irregulars accompanying it �� got it much worse than the rest of the human force. Nevertheless, the resistance of the abominations was quickly crushed, and they were ruthlessly eradicated.


    Sunny managed to take down another Gate Guardian, as well.


    As the exhausted soldiers celebrated the decisive victory, he scowled deeply, and then looked south.


    The whispers assaulting his mind were growing stronger and stronger.


    A moment later, the ground shook, and the fabric of reality seemed to split open in the distance.


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment.


    ''One, two, three��''


    As he watched with a weary expression, several new Nightmare Gates suddenly tore a path into the waking world.


    Then, even more.


    The shocked soldiers rushed to get back into formations while countless abominations were appearing from the rifts, flooding the air with their frenzied howls and shrieks.


    ��Worse still, one of the Gates opened directly behind the army, putting it into an encirclement.


    Standing on top of the corpse of the massive Guardian, Sunny sighed and shook his head dejectedly.


    ''This�� is going to be a long day.''


    Well, of course it would be. Since they were in Antarctica, this day was going to last for another few weeks, and then turn into a night that would last for many months.


    He had a feeling that this endless night would feel even longer.

 Chapter 851 No Holds Barred

    Seven new Gates. A flood of Nightmare Creatures. Thousands of tired soldiers who had hoped for a well-deserved reprieve after the long and furious battle, only to have that hope snuffed out in an instant.


    Sunny could feel the resolve of humans surrounding him falter�� but in the end, they quickly collected themselves. The officers barked orders, the soldiers hurriedly gathered in proper formations, the lumbering mobile war platforms repositioned to open fire on the new threat.


    Truth be told, the new development was well within the division''s ability to handle. Luckily, none of the Gates showed signs of reaching Category Three, so they did not pose more threat than the previous six. The human force had barely suffered any casualties, if any at all, in the recent battle, and they had a theoretical chance of repeating that success.


    If there was one problem, though, it was that the division �� just like Sunny and his soldiers �� had overexerted itself in the previous engagement. Logistical vehicles hastily moved forward to give the fighters an opportunity to reload their empty magazines and recharge their armor suits. Artillery needed new batches of explosive shells, infantry needed energy cells and ammunition, MWP companies needed to cool down to avoid a forced shutdown...


    All that demanded time, which caused humans to blunder the immensely important opening act of the second offensive. Additionally, they had lost the precious terrain advantage and strategic control due to the fact that one of the Gates opened behind them.


    ��That just meant that the warriors of the Awakened detachment had to pick up the slack and buy their mundane comrades a chance to regroup and properly enter the battle.


    That included Sunny and his soldiers, too.


    "Damnation."


    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, studying the approaching flood of Nightmare Creatures as his mind went into an overdrive. He had no doubt that hundreds of Awakened accompanying the division would be able to stall and destroy the threat�� eventually. However, this time, the human force was not going to achieve victory with minimal losses. Many people were going to die.


    Was it time to unleash his trump cards, already?


    ''This is just day one, for heaven''s sake!''


    He had come to Antarctica in search of greater strength. Saving the lives of his fellow soldiers sounded very much like something that a man of conviction would do. However�� Sunny was not convinced.


    Why should he go above and beyond to help these people to even the odds? It was not like they were going to suffer a crushing defeat. Victory was all but guaranteed, with only its cost remaining in doubt. Showing his aces, on the other hand, was a bit risky.


    Sunny would have felt more comfortable if he and his cohort were acting alone, but here in the middle of a massive battlefield... the thought left a bad taste in his mouth. He was tempted to bide his time.


    ...There was a grim feeling slowly rising in his heart, though.


    Indeed, it was the very start of a campaign that promised to be long and arduous. If Sunny did not go all out and his division lost a bunch more soldiers as a result, the losses would not be anywhere near substantial, in the grand scheme of things.


    However, what would happen if a bunch of soldiers died tomorrow, too, and then the day after that, and the day after that? Pretty soon, there would be no one left to fight by his side. And that�� was a big problem.


    Suddenly, a simple and chilling realization struck his mind. Sunny''s eyes widened slightly.


    The thing he had come to understand was so straightforward that it bordered on obvious:


    Antarctica�� was not a place where one could hold back. Even though the Chain of Nightmares was far away from reaching its full magnitude, everyone had to exert themselves to the absolute limit already, or face eventual and inevitable destruction.


    In fact, even that might not be enough.


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    He had known that this cataclysm was going to be a dreadful trial, of course, but now it became starkly clear that even Sunny had underestimated the true scope of the disaster. Theoretical understanding was very different from actual knowledge.


    Standing on top of the corpse of a mighty Gate Guardian, he sighed, and then glanced at his soldiers.


    "That Gate over there seems to be bringing our old eyeless friends to the real world. Since we already know how to handle them, it will be our next target."


    As one of the very few Masters in the division and a captain of the First Irregular Company to boot, Sunny had a larger responsibility than most. It was a given that his cohort would have to lead the charge on one of the seven Gates.


    However, he couldn''t be in several places at the same time.


    The Gate that had opened behind the human formation �� the one that posed the most threat and prevented the division from presenting a united front, thus constraining every soldier on the battlefield �� was too far away from his position, and so the Irregulars had no hope of reaching it in time.


    Someone else would have to handle it.


    "Move out! Samara, change position to get a clear line of fire on the designated Gate. Kimmy, stay close to Luster and assist him in covering the vanguard''s back. Stay alive... kill them all!"


    Without wasting any more time, the cohort rushed forward to meet the onslaught of frenzied abominations. Hundreds of Awakened joined them, creating a buffer between the Nightmare Creatures and the line of mundane soldiers. Buying time for the division to form an effective response.


    ��A dozen seconds after they left, however, something moved in the shadow of the massive carcass.


    Suddenly, a terrifying black steed emerged from it, carrying a fearsome dark rider. The rider observed the battlefield with cold indifference, and then sent her destrier into a gallop. Their eyes burned with infernal red flames.


    Nightmare and Saint were heading away from the approaching abominations... toward the hastily assembled battle formation of human soldiers.

 Chapter 852 The Return Of The Lord

    A soldier named Ash was not having a great day. Early into the battle, his powerful exoskeleton armor suit sustained damage to one of its knee joints. Although he could still fight and shoot his rifle, not to mention more than willing to face the abominations despite having his mobility severely reduced, the command judged that the risk was not worth it.


    As a result, he had to abandon his fellow infantrymen and retreat to the supply train of the division, where a team of techs tried to repair his suit as fast as possible.


    ��Sadly, they weren''t fast enough.


    Who knew that a bunch of new Gates would open, with one of them appearing almost on top of the scarcely defended supply train?


    While the techs and other non-combatants desperately tried to retreat closer to the main formation, Ash and a small number of soldiers that happened to be nearby had no choice but to face the advancing Nightmare Creatures alone.


    They unleashed a torrent of bullets at the monsters, but there were just too many of them. Even when he emptied his shoulder-mounted launcher to send a hail of miniature rockets into the mass of rabid abominations, the surprisingly potent explosive load his missiles carried failed to make any difference.


    He had managed to slaughter a number of Dormant bastards with that salvo, but those of them that were Awakened��


    You needed an Awakened to kill another Awakened. All mundane soldiers knew that, more or less.


    Slowly, Ash''s blood turned cold in his veins.


    ''Bad, bad, bad��''


    An officer''s shout reached his ears through the communication system of the armor suit, barely legible because of all the distortion produced by the mass of Gates:


    "...tach�� bayonets!"


    Attach bayonets��


    That was the order that every soldier dreaded.


    Ash resolutely pressed a button on the side of his rifle. A moment later, a powerful alloy blade slid from underneath its barrel, turning the weapon into an improvised spear.


    ''Come then, wretches!''


    Despite his bravado, Ash felt more and more like he was not going to live to see the next day�� or whatever it was that counted as a day in the damned Southern Quadrant. The odds just seemed too slim. The Awakened abominations were bad enough, but he at least had a theoretical chance to take down one or two with the help of his powered armor.


    But there were also Fallen ones. Most terrifyingly of all, a creature that resembled a giant, ancient, rotting carcass of a monstrous deer had just emerged from the Gate, sending the other ghastly beasts into a frenzy. It had to be a Devil, at least�� or maybe even a Tyrant.


    Ash shuddered and readied himself.


    ''Well�� so be it. We need to give the supply guys time to run. These bastards are going to learn what humans are capable of! Hell, who knows! Maybe reinforcements will arrive in time!''


    In the next moment, the Nightmare Creatures closed in on the thin line of soldiers, making ranged fire useless. Ash caught a lunging Dormant beast on the tip of his bayonet and grunted, feeling his powered armor suit being pushed back.


    ''Strong��''


    The mini-busters on the back of the heavy exoskeleton ignited, pushing him forward. Ash sliced through the flesh of the revolting creature, then tried to land a blow on another snarling abomination.


    Sadly, at that moment, the damaged joint of his armor finally gave out, throwing him off balance. The bayonet slid off the hide of the Awakened monster without leaving even a scratch on it.


    Ash helplessly toppled to the ground. Before he could move, sharp fangs closed on his shoulder, easily crushing the tempered alloy of his armor and the complicated internals of the powered suit. A terrible pain tore through his side.


    ''D��die�� I am going to die!''


    He looked up and stared at the ugly snout of the monster that was going to kill him, his eyes wide.


    ��And then, the monster''s head exploded into bloody chunks.


    Ash blinked as a visage out of a nightmare flashed past him. It was a black horse carrying a human rider that wore an intricate onyx armor�� at least, the rider looked like a human.


    Or a demon, perhaps.


    It was the black steed''s hoof that had crushed the Nightmare Creature''s head. Without ever slowing down, the demonic knight continued forward, killing numerous abominations in passing. Suddenly, the pressure on the mundane soldiers reduced.


    The dark rider and his�� hers?... nightmarish steed flew through the mass of rabid creatures, slaughtering one after another.


    ''The sword��''


    The knight wielded a strange weapon. The sword he�� she?... held was made out of black stone, and broken. Its edge, however, was still sharp.


    As Ash struggled to stand up, the demonic knight tore through the onslaught of Nightmare Creatures, getting closer and closer to the monstrous deer. At some point, the rider gracefully jumped off the black steed''s back, soaring high into the air and landing right in front of the charging Guardian.


    Ash didn''t see what happened next, because the figure of the infernal knight became hidden behind the mass of Nightmare Creatures. All he perceived was a chilling, absolutely inhuman shriek that suddenly rolled across the battlefield, so loud that the auditory systems of his exosuit failed to filter the deafening wail out.


    ''Gods��''


    Finally, he managed to raise himself from the ground. The battle was still not over�� in fact, it was only starting. Even though Ash would have to struggle to do anything with only one functioning leg and a torn shoulder that reduced the range of motion of his right arm, he was determined to do his part.


    Rising his rifle once again, he glanced forward and saw the dreadful black horse rampaging among the Nightmare Creatures. There was no sign of its demonic rider, but judging by the erratic movements of the giant deer-like monstrosity, the onyx knight was fighting it.


    ''Who is crazy enough to attack that horror alone?!''


    But the mysterious warrior did not just attack the terrifying Gate Guardian ...


    Ash froze for a moment.


    ''Wait�� did he�� no, she�� did that demon actually?''


    The rotting body of the ghastly deer suddenly swayed�� and then toppled. Another shriek pierced Ash''s ears, and then, the mass of Nightmare Creatures seemed to lose most of its coordination.


    The Gate Guardian was dead.


    Ash couldn''t believe his luck.


    And, as if fortune truly smiled on him today, not too long after the fearsome abomination fell, reinforcements arrived from behind, forging an impregnable defense line to stop the enemy''s advance.


    Ash fired the last of his bullets, then stumbled away and retreated. This time, he was sent to the field hospital instead of a repair vehicle, to have his body tended to instead of his powered suit.


    There, wincing as his torn shoulder was hastily mended together, Ash frowned.


    ''Wait�� that armor�� that demonic aura�� the cold indifference and dark charisma��''


    His eyes suddenly widened.


    The battle still raged on, but Ash was utterly preoccupied by something else.


    ''Was I saved�� by Mongrel?!''

 Chapter 853 Bone Singer

    This time, Sunny chose to dove into the melee from the very first moment of the battle. His bow was a fearsome tool to slay powerful targets from a distance, but now that the situation had come to a full-fledged frontal assault, restraining the horde of lesser Nightmare Creatures was more important.


    After all, they were only less than when compared to utterly terrifying abominations. Each was still a deadly threat. Plus, using the [Death Dealer] enchantment again was out of question.


    Not to mention that the value of the Dying Wish was vastly increased, considering that he was leading a good hundred of Awakened instead of a single cohort right now. Any ally who could see Sunny clash with the monsters would feel inspired to fight with renewed zeal and resolve.


    ��On the other hand, he was also facing an entire horde of Nightmare Creatures instead of a single swarm. That meant that the Dying Wish would make him the target of hundreds of frenzied abominations.


    Its power had also increased due to the fact that he had already killed dozens of enemies affected by the [Death Wish] enchantment in the previous two battles.


    ''Oh well��''


    He would just have to manage, somehow.


    Sunny had already decided to go all out, but now, for the first time in a long time, he suddenly felt a dire lack of powerful tools at his disposal. He had always prided himself on how formidable and versatile his arsenal of Memories was�� but it seemed to have fallen behind the kinds of threats Sunny was facing these days.


    He didn''t even have anything to arm Saint with! To his shame, her broken stone sword was deadlier than any melee weapon he possessed, except for the Cruel Sight. As a part of an Ascended Demon, the stone blade carried the power of an Ascended weapon, as well. Sadly, unlike taciturn Shadow herself, the sword had not shown any sign of being able to repair itself... yet.


    Sunny was clad in the Undying Chain, wielded the Cruel Sight, and harnessed the power of the Dying Wish. He was also augmented by two of his shadows. Saint only had the Broken Oath, which she could not use recklessly while riding Nightmare. The black courser and his rider were empowered by one shadow each.


    Other than that, there was not much Sunny could employ to change the odds in his favor.


    ''Damn it, I really need more Memories!''


    What of the tools he did have, though?


    "Kimmy, what do you see?"


    His soldiers were his tools, too. Considering that the last powerful Memory Sunny had found went to Kim, he hoped to get some results.


    There were just a dozen seconds left before they clashed with the enemy. The young woman lingered for a moment, and then said something that ignited a small flame in Sunny''s heart.


    "I�� I see! These beasts are vulnerable to sonic attacks!"


    ''That!''


    Sunny had formed a similar suspicion after facing the eyeless abominations for the first time, but unsubstantiated suspicions were not something a good strategy could be built upon. Now, however��


    ''I bet it''s their perception. Has to be.''


    He summoned the flute carved out of a strange emerald femur... the Bone Singer. This Ascended Memory of the third Tier, which he had gained in the Red Colosseum, possessed three enchantments �� [Sonorous], [Silenced], and [Sepulcher Song].


    The first one allowed the flute to sing at various volumes. This was the enchantment Sunny had copied to the Silver Bell and the Ordinary Rock. The second allowed the flute to create a dome of silence around itself. The third one�� Sunny had not been able to use it yet.


    It was supposed to raise the dead.


    However, one had to know how to actually play the flute to activate it, which Sunny did not. Additionally, the risen corpses would be murderous, wicked, and uncontrolled. The only way to command them and prevent them from attacking the summoner was to soothe them with a correct melody�� which he had no way of knowing, as well.


    In any case, Sunny was only interested in the [Sonorous] enchantment right now.


    Commanding the flute to sing as loud as it could, he saturated it with his essence and then threw the bone instrument to Luster.


    "Play it!"


    The young man caught the emerald flute and stared at it with a startled expression.


    "But, Captain�� I have no idea how to!"


    Sunny was already turning back to the tide of abominations.


    "Just blow into the hole, damn it!"


    Luster hesitated for half a second, then obediently brought the Bone Singer to his lips.


    A moment later, a deafening, discordant, ear-piercing whistle exploded from the flute, spreading far and wide.


    And just a moment before the flood of eyeless abominations crashed against the Awakened�� they suddenly stumbled and lost their momentum, as if severely disoriented.


    Sunny grinned as the Cruel Sight reaped the life of his first victim.


    The Bone Singer had not produced a sonic attack, per se. It was just terribly loud and hideously shrill. However, just like he had thought, that turned out to be enough. The beasts were blind, after all�� they had to perceive the world through some other means, and their hearing had turned out to be the dominant one of those.


    If Sunny had to guess, he would have said that the long spikes on their backs were meant to sense sound waves spreading through the air, which the abominations were then able to interpret into a coherent picture of their surroundings.


    Subjecting them to the terrible song of the Bone Singer was akin to using a flashbang grenade.


    Without ever slowing down, Sunny cut into the horde of Nightmare Creatures. Driven into a murderous frenzy by the Dying Wish, hundreds of them rushed forward to tear him apart�� only to die by his blade.


    Sunny had fully unleashed his powers.


    Dancing between the abominations like a dark deity, he slaughtered them without stop. Now that Sunny did not have to control the shape of the battlefield, he used Shadow Manifestation to enhance his own might. Dark tentacles rose from the ground to ensnare and rip his enemies apart. From time to time, two additional limbs appeared on his body, piercing the abominations or slicing their bodies with adamantine claws.


    The Cruel Sight shrieked like a banshee every time it cut the air�� over the years, Sunny had been subjected to all kinds of attacks and tortures. The [Dark Mirror] enchantment of the somber spear had long accumulated a vast library of elemental damage types. He had just never had a reason to use any except for divine flame and soul attacks.


    Things were different now.


    ��Soon, piles of corpses and rivers of blood surrounded him. The more abominations attacked him, the more he was able to kill.


    The sight of the slaughter was both terrifying and eerily beautiful.


    The Awakened detachment of the human division faced the onslaught of the Nightmare Creatures, shuddered, but managed to hold the horde off for a few precious minutes.


    Then, the mundane soldiers of the First Evacuation Army joined the fray. Supported by the destructive might of their high-tech armaments, the Awakened changed their tactic and went on the offensive.


    Sunny led one of the charges. With his cohorts serving as the tip of the spear, almost a hundred warriors cut deep into the horde and moved to where the Gate Guardian was hiding.


    It was another Fallen Devil, similar to the one Sunny had killed a few hours before. This one, however, seemed slightly smaller, and yet more powerful.


    It was a female.


    "Stay back!"


    As the distance to the dreadful abomination grew shorter, Sunny commanded his soldiers to keep away and dove through the shadows, appearing near the Gate Guardian.


    Once again, the creature''s eyelids trembled, as if about to open. Somehow, he knew that he would be in terrible danger if he ever looked into those eyes.


    Trusting his intuition, Sunny closed his own and dashed forward while relying entirely on shadow sense. A small lantern hanging from his belt suddenly came to life, and a flood of darkness shrouded everything around.


    In the embrace of shadows, Sunny suddenly felt a mortifying chill assault his senses��


    The Defiled Witness was looking at him.


    A moment later, a bright flash tore the darkness apart. Imbued with divine flame, the blade of the Cruel Sight drew a line across the abomination''s neck, beheading it. As the decapitated corpse fell to its knees, the bestial head flew away, enveloped in white flames.


    ...Not long after that, the battle was finally over.

 Chapter 854 Perfect Alibi

    ''What a day��''


    Sunny tiredly dragged his body back to the Rhino, wincing in disgust at all the bodies littering the ground. Why did Nightmare Creatures have to be so ugly?


    ''Why, do you prefer to be surrounded by pretty corpses? That would probably be even worse.''


    War was ugly, and maybe�� just maybe�� it was actually a redeeming quality.


    His soldiers followed him, just as exhausted. No one was seriously wounded, which was the best result Sunny could have hoped for. However, they were in no mood to speak.


    Other fighters of the First Army, however, felt differently.


    A buzz of voices surrounded them. The division was in the process of regrouping after the unexpectedly strenuous confrontation with not one, but two entire hordes of abominations. The logistics of the whole process were pure hell, which was only made worse by the strong interference produced by the Gates.


    The Gates�� in the immediate area around the human force, separated merely by a few kilometers each, there were now fifteen of them. Seven had opened at some point in the past, and eight more opened simultaneously just a few hours ago.


    The idea of something like that happening would have seemed preposterous before, but with the Chain of Nightmares descending upon the Southern Quadrant, nothing was impossible anymore.


    Sunny shook his head. At least he collected plenty of fragments today, as well as earning himself some reputation. Anyone who had seen him fight had to be impressed.


    And why wouldn''t they be? Sunny had personally slain three Gate Guardians today.


    There was one problem, though��


    As he walked through the battlefield, he couldn''t help but overhear bits and pieces of various conversations.


    "Damn�� these Irregualrs are no joke. Have you seen their captain? The man is a demon! I heard�� no, I saw him tear the head off a Fallen Devil''s body with his bare hands!"


    "Wait, really? Although, now that I look at him... it''s easy to believe. That giant guy with a sledgehammer, right?"


    "No, you idiot. The pale kid�� you know, the one who looks like a haunted vintage doll��"


    "Man, who cares about some captain?! Haven''t you heard?!"


    "...Heard what?"


    "That Gate behind us, do you know who cleared it? It was Mongrel! Lord Mongrel himself!"


    "No way! He''s in Antarctica?!"


    Sunny blinked.


    ''...What?''


    The more he listened to what the soldiers were talking about, the more he heard the damned nickname.


    Mongrel, Mongrel, Mongrel��


    ''Are they all insane?!''


    Sure, Saint''s armor looked somewhat similar to the Mantle of the Underworld, but everything else was different! Firstly, and most importantly, she was clearly a woman while he was obviously a man. Secondly, his Shadow wore her closed helmet instead of Weaver''s Mask!


    Who could mistake one for another?


    After thinking about it for a bit, however, Sunny came to a disturbing conclusion.


    He knew what Weaver''s Mask could do and why he wore it. People, however, did not. To them, the fearsome mask was just another Memory, so it was perfectly natural that Mongrel would don a helmet instead of it before going into battle.


    Additionally, he doubted that anyone had gotten a good look at Saint. She was moving incredibly fast while galloping to the rear of the human formation, and then dove into a mass of Nightmare Creatures without ever slowing down.


    Whatever recording remained had to be of terrible quality, considering the disrupting effect of the Gates.


    And speaking of recordings��


    As soon as they reached the Rhino, Sunny connected his communicator to the vehicle''s powerful communications suite and accessed the network.


    Almost immediately, the sensational titles of several recent articles attracted his attention:


    "A Humble Hero! After eschewing the allure of fame and avoiding the limelight for almost two years, renowned swordsman Mongrel appears in Antarctica to save fifteen thousand soldiers from certain doom!"


    "Guardian Angel of Humanity: true to his word, Long Mongrel, who once proclaimed that he was just a human, courageously puts his life at risk to protect the human race!"


    "Exclusive footage of Lord Mongrel vanquishing a Fallen Tyrant!"


    "Lord Mongrel confirmed to be�� a lady!"


    Sunny silently covered his face with a hand.


    ''Gods�� that was fast.''


    The government propaganda machine must have decided that Lord Mongrel, whoever he might be, was a good tool to prop up the current recruitment efforts. A somewhat hot celebrity appearing on the battlefield was a good tool to inspire more people to enlist.


    His face turned a little bitter.


    ''I killed three whole Gate Guardians, dammit! Three! Saint only killed one, and even then, it was with the help of Nightmare. Why is no one speaking about me?''


    Even the soldiers of his division seemed to have completely forgotten about Sunny''s contributions once the news of Mongrel appearing during the battle spread.


    Not that Sunny wanted to be recognized for anything�� in fact, he vastly preferred being a complete unknown.


    But still!


    With a sigh, he looked up the recordings uploaded to the network. Just as he had expected, the quality was terrible. Saint looked like a blurry black silhouette with no definable features. What little the government allowed to be shown did not paint a clear picture of her clash against the Nightmare Creatures. It just looked like a mess of movement accompanied by a litany of bestial howls.


    However, that only added fuel to the collective imagination of people who had watched the video! He read a few of the discussions and closed his eyes for a moment, holding back a groan.


    ''What is this crap?''


    From what people were saying, it seemed as if Mongrel single-handedly eradicated several thousands of Nightmare Creatures while actual soldiers helplessly stood back and applauded.


    Suddenly, Sunny let out a small laugh.


    Before unleashing Saint, he had been worried that people would connect the dots and realize that he was Mongrel��


    Reality, however, turned out to be the exact opposite. Thousands of humans had witnessed him fight at the front of the formation, while at the same time, thousands more had seen someone who they mistakenly assumed to be Mongrel fight at the back.


    The two couldn''t possibly be the same!


    The action that could have potentially revealed his secret�� had become a perfect alibi instead.


    Sunny sighed, and then shook his head in bewilderment.


    ''Well�� that''s something, I guess��''

 Chapter 855 Snow And Ash

    There were a lot of things to do before the division resumed its march. Souls shards had to be extracted from the carcasses of the Nightmare Creatures, the carcasses themselves had to be piled into mounds to clear the way for the vehicles. Usually, each would have been dressed to harvest useful materials �� the hides and bones of the abominations were a precious resource, especially that of the Fallen ones.


    However, no one had time to properly process the remains of the fearsome horde, so the corpses were simply discarded by the side of the road, doused in incendiary liquid, and burned.


    The transports and artillery vehicles, damaged war platforms, and powered suits of mechanized infantry had to be checked and repaired. Spent ammunition had to be replaced, wounded had to be healed. Soldiers, both mundane and Awakened, needed time to rest and recover.


    Aboard the Rhino, members of the cohort slept in shifts. Three entered the Dream Realm while the other three remained on guard. As soon as the first shift returned, the second shift took their place inside the sleeping pod. Sunny remained awake, meditating silently at the back of the vehicle.


    ��In the morning, the division had to perform one final task.


    In a solemn silence, the bodies of the fallen soldiers �� about a hundred or so �� were covered by pristine white flags. The general in command of the division gave a short speech, and then lowered his head. After that, several war platforms towering above him activated powerful flamethrowers attached to their mechanical arms, unleashing long streams of furious fire to consume the bodies.


    In the harsh conditions of the Antarctic campaign, the First Army could not give its fallen a better burial. Even if the division could spare time to dig graves in the frozen soil, the risk of a stray Nightmare Creature disturbing them in the future was too high. And with so many living people waiting for their turn to board the evacuation ships, sacrificing precious space to send the bodies back home was a luxury that no one could afford.


    Looking at the funeral pyre in silence, Sunny couldn''t help but fall into a somber mood. Although the ritual itself was beautiful and dignified, in truth, the soldiers who had sacrificed their lives were treated not much different from the Nightmare Creatures that had killed them. In the end, both were consumed by flames.


    For some reason, the image of countless candles burning in front of the Academy gates appeared in his mind. With a sigh, Sunny turned away and spoke to his subordinates:


    "Let''s go."


    At least the losses weren''t too terrible. If Saint had not struck down the Guardian of the northernmost Gate so swiftly, things could have been much worse.


    Soon, the division moved forward. All that was left behind was a landscape decimated by the battle, with snow and ash mixing as they swirled in the air.


    Sunny remained at the back of the Rhino with a contemplative expression on his face. Soon, however, he was distracted from his thoughts by an incoming communication.


    Master Jet''s alabaster face appeared on the screen.


    "Sunny. I have a new mission for you��"


    ***


    The field army dispatched to the Antarctic Center had a straightforward objective �� turn a small number of cities into impregnable strongholds, relocate all human population of the region to these strongholds, and then entrench themselves for as long as it was going to take to evacuate everyone.


    At some point, reinforcements were supposed to arrive and make the task of withstanding the siege of Nightmare Creatures easier.


    Before that happened, however, the First Army had to complete the most perilous stage of the operation alone. Siege capitals had to be built, evacuation corridors had to be established, and millions of people had to be moved through them in a timely fashion. All of that demanded the human forces to be split into numerous smaller detachments, which posed a significant risk.


    Additionally, there were too many moving parts to this plan, and each of them could fail and end in disaster.


    Right now, the division Sunny was assigned to was swiftly moving toward a large city that was going to become an entrenched stronghold. In the process, they were also laying the groundwork to establish transportation connections to smaller settlements, either by bolstering the existing civilian infrastructure or creating their own.


    After yesterday''s battle, there seemed to be no serious obstacles in the division''s path. Some of the other divisions, however, were not faring that well.


    Soul Reaper seemed a bit tired as she spoke from the screen:


    "...a bit of a problem. There is a Category Three Gate blocking their way, guarded by a powerful Corrupted creature. From the initial observation, it is at least a Devil�� however, it could also be a Tyrant. Winter can''t handle it alone. You and I are the closest, so�� buckle up. Separate from your division and move south-east at full speed until you reach the rendezvous point. It''s about seventy kilometers away from your current position."


    Sunny briefly studied the map, then said hesitantly:


    "A Corrupted Tyrant�� are you sure that the three of us can manage killing it?"


    All Corrupted abominations were frightening, but a Tyrant�� the thought of facing one in battle made Sunny feel ill at ease. He had only ever fought one creature of that Rank, the Wormvine. Even then, he had only killed the vile Monster by slaying its host with the Aidre''s wooden knife.


    Of course, Sunny had been a mere Awakened back then. He was much more powerful now. But�� what truly disturbed him was the lack of information. Fighting an enemy after studying it for a while was completely different from going in blind. He probably had a slim chance against a Corrupted Tyrant if there was ample time to prepare. As it stood, though��


    Master Jet did not seem to share his concerns. She grinned darkly, and then shook her head:


    "The three of us is enough. However, this time, we won''t be fighting alone. Someone else will be joining the fun."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Who?"


    Soul Reaper leaned forward a little.


    "A Saint��"

 Chapter 856 Alien Landscape

    The First Evacuation Army was accompanied by three Saints. One was loyal to the government, while the other two�� the other two had been sent by the great clans.


    Unofficially, Valor and Song had refused to participate in the Southern Quadrant campaign. Officially, however, they still had to keep up appearances. For that reason, each had provided a token force to support the evacuation effort, and the two Saints in question were in charge of these forces.


    Sunny did not know who these Transcendent were. All he knew was that the government had wisely chosen to separate them, sending one to East Antarctica, while the other ended up in the Antarctic Center.


    And now, apparently, that latter was coming to aid the Irregulars in vanquishing a powerful Corrupted abomination. He was not sure how to feel about that.


    On one hand, the help of a Saint was more than welcomed. On the other hand�� one of the reasons he had decided to participate in the Antarctica campaign was to get away from the great clans and their machinations.


    Now, it seemed that he just couldn''t escape coming in contact with the Sovereigns and their forces.


    ''Curse it all��''


    With a sigh, Sunny sent Luster the coordinates of the rendezvous point and walked over to the pilot''s cabin.


    "We have new orders. Get to this location as fast as possible."


    The young man yawned, studied the coordinates for a bit, and then nodded.


    "Aye, sir."


    He lingered for a moment.


    "Uh�� by the way, what''s there?"


    Sunny shrugged with a nonchalant expression.


    "A Corrupted Tyrant? Something like that."


    Luster paled, stared at him with wide eyes, and suddenly grew very quiet.


    Rhino left the marching formation of the division and accelerated forward, quickly overtaking slower vehicles. Then, it made a sharp turn, left the wide highway entirely, and entered uneven terrain. Its massive wheels easily rolled through mud and rocks.


    Thanks to the high-tech suspension system, the members of the cohort barely felt any disturbance.


    In the next several hours, the armored vehicle briskly traversed the wild expanse of the Antarctic Center. Powerful spotlights installed on the Rhino''s roof flooded the landscape in front of it with stark light, cutting the dimness with wide beams. Various sensors supplied Luster with additional information to better steer the heavy carrier.


    The Antarctic Center�� was very different from the wilderness of Asia that Sunny had seen during his brief train ride. It was just as lifeless, but in a different manner. There were fewer signs of past wars and disasters here, but at the same time, the land somehow seemed even more desolate.


    It was much more uneven and mountainous, too. Basically, most of the landmass was covered by a vast mountain chain. Because of that, the horizon was obscured most of the time, and it was hard to notice any approaching threats. More than that, the landscape itself looked strange and alien.


    Well, no surprise. After all, Antarctica had been covered by ice for millions of years, and only recently shrugged off its heavy veil. The passing of monumental glaciers had left many strange things behind.


    The Rhino was doing an amazing job of navigating the complicated terrain. It moved toward the rendezvous point with sufficient speed, sometimes making use of existing roads, sometimes cutting through untouched wilderness. It climbed or descended tall hills and mountain outcroppings, traversed stretches of frozen marshlands, and waded through labyrinths of giant boulders with equal ease.


    If there was one thing that kept Sunny tense, it was that he rarely had an opportunity to see far ahead. These days, the Southern Quadrant was not as lifeless as it had used to be. The life that was spreading through its reaches, however, was not the kind anyone in the waking world would welcome��


    Eventually, he sighed and climbed on the Rhino''s roof through one of the upper hatches. Since Samara was yet to return from the Dream Realm, Sunny was the only member of the cohort with decent means of ranged attack. Using the open lid of the hatch to shield himself from the cold winds, Sunny summoned Morgan''s Warbow and peered into the dimness that surrounded the moving vehicle.


    In the next few hours, he had to use his bow three times. Several stray abominations wandered into the Rhino''s path, only to be slain by a swift black arrow before having the chance to approach it. Luckily, none of them turned out to be too powerful or laid a dangerous ambush.


    ''For now��''


    By noon �� which, of course, looked the same as morning, evening, and night �� the Rhino reached the ruins of a small outpost, where two similar carriers were parked in the shadow of a broken wall. A handful of people could be seen gathered around a fire, having a cozy meal.


    As Luster stopped the vehicle, Sunny jumped off the roof and walked toward the fire. Orange light gleamed, reflecting from the bleak metal of his armor.


    "What are you guys drinking?"


    The members of Queen''s and Soul Reaper''s cohort looked at him with wistful expressions.


    "That, uh�� just hot water, sir. The cargo capacity of our carriers is limited, so we couldn''t bring anything better."


    He shook his head, then summoned the Covetous Coffer. As the large chest manifested itself into reality and opened its toothy maw, Sunny thrust his hand inside, and then threw a can of instant coffee and an expensive chocolate bar to the startled Awakened.


    "Oh�� sir! Thank you, sir!"


    The bunch of Irregulars did not look like people who were about to fight a Corrupted abomination of a high Class. They seemed relaxed and nonchalant about the whole ordeal, and paid more attention to the can of coffee than to a menacing mountain that loomed above them.


    The Category Three Gate was situated on its peak.


    As the grateful Awakened brewed coffee for themselves and Sunny''s soldiers, who emerged from the Rhino and joined them, he looked around and noticed Master Jet and Winter. The two were standing some distance away, discussing something between themselves in low voices.


    He headed toward them and caught the tail end of their conversation.


    "...is definitely a woman. Hot as hell, too!"


    "I am telling you, idiot, I saw that Mongrel guy myself once. He''s definitely a man."


    "Everyone knows that you''re blind in both eyes when it comes to these things, Reaper. I mean�� remember the time when that handsome Saint tried to hit on you?"


    "What are you talking about? He was just hoping to cooperate with us to claim a new Citadel."


    "Damn. You are hopeless, you know that? All men��"


    At that moment, Sunny approached them, glanced at Master Jet, and then cleared his throat. Winter stared at him for a moment.


    "See? Case in point!"


    ''What is that supposed to mean?''


    As Sunny pondered what she alluded to, Master Jet smiled and waved at him.


    "Ah, Sunny. You''re just on time. The Saint should be arriving any moment now, too."


    He couldn''t help but frown.


    "Who, exactly, is��"


    At that moment, a vaguely familiar feeling suddenly overwhelmed him. Sunny sensed a massive shadow covering the ruined outpost, and then heard a sound that resembled the rustle of a thousand wings.


    Suddenly, a fourth figure was standing among them.


    Sunny blinked, momentarily lost for words.


    "Saint... Saint Tyris? What are you doing here?"


    In front of his stood none other than Sky Tide of the White Feather Clan.

 Chapter 857 Jade Beetle

    The woman standing in front of Sunny was tall and slender, with long hair that fell down in a gentle cascade of pale gold. Her posture was perfectly straight, and her cold face was dazzlingly beautiful.


    Sky Tide was wearing a suit of light steel armor, with pauldrons and greaves decorated with stylized feathers. The gaze of her stern amber eyes was piercing and heavy, while her strange vertical pupils resembled that of a bird of prey.


    Snowflakes swirled and danced in the air, as if trying to get closer to her.


    Sunny was rather startled to see the familiar Transcendent.


    "Saint Tyris? What... what are you doing here?"


    Sky Tide glanced at him


    "Master Sunless... it is good to see you again. I am glad to find you in good health. As for why I am here, isn''t it obvious? I have come to hunt the beast."


    He shifted awkwardly.


    "No... uh... I meant why are you here, in Antarctica?"


    She stared at him expressionlessly


    "White Feather clan has been tasked with supporting the evacuation effort in the Southern Quadrant."


    Oh...


    Suddenly, a few things clicked into place. Back when Sky Tide had killed Saint Cormac to protect Sunny and Cassie, she told them that she would be punished by the great clan Valor. She had also told them that they would not dare to penalize her too severely.


    It seemed that having the Chained Isles taken away was not enough of a punishment for the willful Saint. Valor had to make a gesture by sending a token force to Antarctica, and so, the White Feather clan had drawn the short straw. It seemed that they had lost their idyllic demesne and were banished to the cold reaches of the war-torn continent, at least for the time being.


    Looking around, Sunny suppressed a sad sigh. The dark and inhospitable land surrounding them was a far cry from the empyrean beauty of the Sanctuary of Noctis. He felt a bit guilty about the whole thing.


    Sky Tided did not seem to mind, though... or at least hid her displeasure perfectly.


    Master Jet, meanwhile, looked at them with curiosity.


    "Ah. I have forgotten that the two of you know each other. In any case, we are grateful for your assistance, Saint Tyris."


    Sky Tide simply nodded. Soon, the gaze of her striking amber eyes drifted to the tall mountain looming above the ruined outpost.


    "What do we know about the enemy?"


    Soul Reaper shook her head slightly.


    "Not much..."


    Then, she smiled and looked at the youngest member of the group.


    "...Yet Sunny, do your thing,"


    ***


    Do your thing... do your thing? What kind of request is that?"


    As Sunny grumbled silently, his shadows nimbly scaled the slopes of the mountain. By now, the range of Shadow Control had exceeded a dozen kilometers, so it was not impossible for them to reach the peak.


    There was hardly anyone better suited to spy on the Corrupted abomination. However...


    Sunny grimaced as the Call of the Nightmare assaulted his mind. Now that he was observing a Category Three Gate, its subtle influence grew much stronger and harder to ignore.


    There was a wide crack that had almost split the peak of the mountain in two.


    The dark rift of the Gate pulsed inside the cavernous schism, and there was stone debris littering the immediate area around it. Many shards had rolled down the steep slopes, while a few giant boulders had even reached all the way down, smashing large parts of the outpost the Irregulars were currently hiding in and decimating the road that led to it.


    Strangely, he did not notice the Nightmare Creatures immediately.


    It was only after the creepy shadow, true to its name, crept closer that a sudden shiver ran through his body. Sunny noticed hundreds of shapes resting between the rocks.


    The abominations were easy to miss because their carapaces were as white as the snow covering the top of the mountain, and had a texture that resembled rock. They looked like giant insects that were as large as adult humans. Some of them were Awakened, some were Fallen, and a few larger ones were even Corrupted.


    None of them could compare to the enormous abomination hiding in the shadow of the shattered peak, however. With its smooth milky-white chitin and unmoving black eyes, the jade creature resembled an oversized, appalling, monstrous beetle. It was easily three times the size of the Rhino, with six mighty legs and terrifying mandibles that seemed powerful enough to crush heavily armored war platforms.


    Looking at the motionless abomination. Sunny suddenly felt an eerie sense of foreboding


    He glanced at Saint Tyris, Master Jet, and Winter with a dark expression.


    " ...It''s a Tyrant, alright. Large, thick armor. Resembles an insect. There are around five hundred drones under its command, many of them Fallen. I''ve noticed at least two dozen Corrupted lieutenants, as well."


    He lingered for a moment, and then called out:


    "Kimmy!"


    The seer of his cohort activated her Aspect Ability, allowing him to see the swarm of stone beetles in a new light.


    Studying their tough carapaces, Sunny slowly listed a few vulnerable points. then shifted his gaze to the Tyrant.


    Unlike its minions, the giant white beetle did not seem to possess any pronounced weak spots. Sunny did not know whether the armor of the powerful creature was that good or whether Kim simply could not peer through the defenses of an enemy that outranked and outclassed her so much, but the result was the same.


    Killing the Tyrant was not going to be easy.


    He shared what little information he had been able to gather and glanced at the other officers with doubt.


    "So... what do we do now?


    Saint Tyris remained silent, but Master Jet smiled.


    Her smile was dark and vicious.


    "What else? We kill it."


    Sunny blinked.


    "How?"


    Soul Reaper waited for a few moments, then looked at Sky Tide.


    The Transcendent crossed her arms.


    "I will handle the Tyrant. As long as it''s bound to the ground, I can attack the creature with impunity. If one attack doesn''t crack its shell, ten will. If ten attacks fail, a hundred will do the job?"


    She looked at the Irregulars and frown;


    "However, you will have to deal with its retinue. That task... is not going to be easy."


    Winter snorted, and then suddenly laughed.


    "Easy? What''s that?"

 Chapter 858 Aerial Superiority

    They did not spend too much time trying to come up with a detailed plan. Firstly, because the Nightmare Creatures could have discovered the Irregulars at any moment. Secondly, because no plan they could come up with would have been reliable.


    There was just too little information at their disposal. Without knowing what the Tyrant, the few Devils serving it, and the lesser soldiers of the stone hive were capable of, what was the point of creating rigid strategies?


    The battle ahead was going to be decided by raw power, resolve, and ability to swiftly adapt to changing circumstances.


    Luckily, the Irregulars had more than enough power at their disposal. With three elite Masters and an actual Saint leading them, there was hardly a more fearsome human force in the Antarctic Center.


    Would that power be enough, though?


    They were going to find out soon...


    ''How did I end up here?


    Creeping up the slope of the mountain with a morose expression, Sunny bitterly remembered his dreams of becoming a rich, decadent, cowardly shop owner. What was he doing on a continent drowning in Nightmare Gates, preparing to battle a Corrupted Tyrant and its army?


    He could have been relaxing in the hot springs of a luxurious spa with a a bunch of beauties right now... that was what rich people did, right?


    Instead, Sunny hid behind a tall boulder, shivered in the cold, and glanced at the handful of people pressing against rocks around him. Sure, there were plenty of beauties among them, as well.. ah, but it wasn''t the same...


    It couldn''t be more different, really.


    ''...Damn!''


    There was still a good stretch of the mountain slope remaining until the peak. That high, the air was not devoid of oxygen yet, but it surely tasted different. None of the Awakened would be hindered by the slight hypoxia or suffer from the high-altitude illness, of course, but it still required some adjustment.


    Sunny sighed and watched as Saint Tyris calmly walked forward. A swarm of sparks surrounded her hand, and then coalesced into a long javelin. At the same time, Winter summoned a strange silver bow and two arrows. She nocked one on the string of the bow and waited.


    A shadow hiding at the peak of the mountain watched as one of the hideous insects wandered to the edge of a protruding rock outcropping and froze, its long antennae twitching in the wind.


    Sunny frowned.


    "I think... I think we''re noticed!"


    Before he could warn anyone, however, Sky Tide took one last step, raised her javelin... and silently threw it into the dark sky.


    Her throw caused the snow around Saint Tyris to be cleared away by the gale of crushing wind. The rocks beneath her feet cracked.


    In the next moment, a thunderous roar of a sonic boom rolled across the mountains as the javelin accelerated toward the peak with terrifying speed. It streaked across the sky like a radiant star, and then collided against the Tyrant''s carapace with devastating force.


    The milky-white chitin did not shatter, though.


    The javelin shattered instead.


    As Saint Tyris tilted her head a little, Winter shot an arrow almost straight up. It flew into the sky and then exploded with brilliant radiance, flooding the gloomy slope with bright light.


    Illuminated by it, the Nightmare Creatures hiding behind the rocks moved.


    They ran forward with surprising agility and then jumped, twisting their bodies into tight spheres. Hundreds of these spheres then rolled down, approaching the hiding Irregulars like with terrible speed.


    Sunny felt his heart growing heavy.


    Because of how similar the carapaces of the stone hive soldiers were to actual rock, it seemed as if the mountain itself was falling on them.


    And that wasn''t all.


    The Tyrant moved forward and opened its maw, disgorging a cloud of darkness from it. The cloud flowed down like an avalanche of volcanic ash, swallowing the figures of rolling drones as it overtook them.


    "Bad!"


    Sunny did not know what the black avalanche consisted of, but his intuition was screaming that inhaling, or even being touched by the black ash was deadly to humans.


    At that moment, Sky Tide suddenly disappeared, and a massive shape shot forward from their formation. A giant bird of prey with white feathers and talons forged of lustrous steel appeared above the mountain, gaining speed as It flew into the sky. Her body was wreathed in a radiant mantle of dancing lightning bolts.


    As Saint Tyris moved her enormous wings, the cloud of black ash was torn apart by the hurricane winds and dissipated long before reaching the Irregulars. She soared high into the dim sky and then plummeted down, aiming to savage the jade beetle with her terrifying beak.


    The two monstrous creatures collided, and the Tyrant jumped back with an ear-piercing screech. A beam of darkness escaped from its maw, but Sky Tide was already rising into the sky as she circled to deliver another devastating attack. The bolts of lightning gathered on her body and then shot forward, colliding with the dark beam. It seemed to weaken considerably and missed the swift Saint, disappearing into the somber expanse of cold heavens.


    A net of lightning descended from above and bit into the milky-white jade chitin of the Tyrant. A devastating thunderclap battered it like a physical attack. Tyris folded her wings and fell down again, leaving deep grooves on the enemy''s armor with her talons. The whole mountain shook from the ferocious force of their clash.


    Comparatively uninjured, but hopelessly outmatched by the flying opponent, the jade beetle seemed almost... aggrieved.


    Its black eyes stared at the silhouette of the colossal bird with an indescribable. inhuman emotion.


    And then, the Tyrant straightened. Its carapace suddenly seemed to split in the middle and move aside like a giant gate.


    From beneath it, four long, translucent wings emerged and then blurred, causing the massive creature to rise into the air.


    It would have been an eerily beautiful image... if it wasn''t so dreadful.


    Looking from below, Sunny gritted his teeth.


    "Well... crap!


    Occasionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 859 Summit

    The Corrupted Tyrant and Sky Tide were of the same Rank, but there was an abyss of four entire Classes separating them. Nevertheless, Saint Tyris had been confident in her ability of defeating the perverse creature.


    ... As long as it was bound to the ground. That was what she had told them.


    Watching the giant insect spread its four translucent wings and soar into the somber sky, both grotesque and eerily beautiful at the same time. Sunny froze for a moment. Then, he looked back down.


    Nothing ever went according to plan. That was just the reality of things, and the Irregulars had been prepared to face unforeseen circumstances from the very start. Saint Tyris was going to have to manage, somehow, on her own... the rest of them had their own trial to face.


    He couldn''t spare attention to the titanic battle happening above.


    Hundreds of Nightmare Creatures were bearing down upon the three cohorts of Irregulars like an avalanche. Contracted into balls of white chitin, the soldiers of the stone hive were rolling down the mountain slope with tremendous speed, all their vulnerable spots safely protected. Their advance could be easily seen in the light of Winter''s radiant arrow.


    Among them were Awakened, Fallen, and even Corrupted abominations. Beasts, Monsters, Demons, and even Devils. The air this close to the summit of the mountain was cold and thin, and unlike the previous battle, humans held an unfavorable position below the enemy.


    Worse still, Sunny had yet to recover from yesterday''s exertion. He had barely half of his essence left. Saint and Nightmare were mending themselves in the dark flames of his soul after the clash with the powerful Gate Guardian. Things... weren''t looking good.


    ''Whatever. More fragments for me...!''


    As he thought that, Winter sent a second arrow into the sky. It disappeared into the darkness and then seemed to explode into a thousand brilliant shards.


    Her Aspect... was a strange one. From what Sunny knew, it combined some sort of powerful combat augmentation with an affinity to revelation. Winter was both a warrior and a seer.


    As a result, she never missed. That was not an exaggeration, just a frightening and bizarre fact. She had literally never missed a shot since becoming an Awakened.


    It did not matter what weapon Winter used, be it a bow, a sling, a throwing dagger, or simply a rock. They always struck true. Of course, simply being able to hit the target did not always mean victory.


    What made her truly formidable was an extensive arsenal of enchanted arrows that she had accumulated over the years.


    Master Winter was basically a walking artillery unit.


    As the thousand brilliant shards rained from the sky, each revealed itself to look like a small silver arrow. They bit into the mass of rolling abominations, shredding their carapaces and finding their way through the smallest cracks in the chitin armor. Instantly, fetid blue lymph flowed onto the snow-covered rocks.


    A moment later, another arrow was already nocked on the string of Winter''s bow, with several more already manifesting themselves from a whirlwind of sparks. Each appeared exactly as the previous one was sent flying. Shooting the bow with unnatural speed, she unleashed a squall of death on the mass of descending Nightmare Creatures.


    Every arrow was unique, but absolutely deadly.


    Studying the nimble, calculated, and lethal movements of the older Master, Sunny couldn''t help but sigh.


    "So that''s what a professional looks like..."


    He had a long way to go if he hoped to reach this realm of archery.


    Soon, the other ranged fighters among the Irregulars joined the fray. Almost all members of Winter''s own cohort were sharpshooters of some kind, so it easily outshone the rest in this phase of the battle, reaping dozens of abominable lives. Often, the Awakened marksmen aimed at the breaches in the white carapaces that the rain of arrows summoned by Winter had created.


    As blue runes ignited on the silver limbs of her bow, she grinned:


    "Show them hell! Whoever kills the most gets a hug, haha!"


    The information about the weak spots of the stone hive soldiers that Kim and Sunny had provided also helped. Soon, he heard a familiar electric whine and saw a powerful explosion bloom among the abominations, ripping a few of them apart.


    Samara was adding her prodigal firepower to the deadly onslaught of the ranged specialists.


    Sunny, however, restrained himself from using a bow. In this battle, he needed to conserve his essence as much as possible. Plus, he was meant to play a different role.


    The tide of abominations was almost upon them...


    "Sunny!"


    He turned around and saw Master Jet running at him. Her short raven black hair was dancing in the wind, and her eyes were burning with chilling blue light. There was a light armor of black leather wrapped tightly around her body, and a familiar dark glaive trailing behind her.


    Lowering himself slightly, he interlocked his fingers and offered his hands to her as a step. As soon as Soul Reaper''s foot landed in this cradle, he strained his muscles and threw her into the air.


    Augmented by three shadows, his strength was nothing short of monstrous. Boosted by Sunny, Jet flew forward as if she was an arrow herself.


    The somber glaive flashed, cutting... no, passing through the body of one of the Corrupted abominations before it could even react. The creature rolled forward with tremendous speed for a few more moments, but then suddenly convulsed, unfurled its massive body, and came to a shuddering stop. Its white carapace was perfectly whole, with not even a smallest crack on it... and yet, the massive beast was dead.


    As Soul Reaper landed slid on the icy rocks, hundreds of abominations attacked the line of Irregulars and the swift human who had managed to kill one of their leaders. The massive balls of white chitin instantly unfurled into terrifying insect-like abominations and lunged at their victims, their sharp mandibles clicking and their segmented legs scraping against the stones.


    Master Jet was already moving, dodging numerous attacks as she dashed toward the next Corrupted target.


    Looking at her, Sunny blinked.


    "Fast..."


    Then, he had no more time to think.

 Chapter 860 Stone Hive

    Even though the archers managed to kill and wound a lot of Nightmare Creatures, there were still enough of them left to bury the Irregulars under a mass of chitinous bodies. Master Jet''s sudden advance divided their attention and lessened the pressure on the rest of the human force, but that was not her primary goal.


    In this battle, Soul Reaper was tasked with the most important objective- eliminating the Corrupted abominations that threatened to wipe out the Awakened soldiers.


    Awakened were supposed to fight Nightmare Creatures of their own Rank. Facing a Fallen abomination was usually a recipe for disaster, and only a small amount of human warriors could be confident in defeating an overbearing foe like that. Killing a creature of a higher Rank was a rare enough accomplishment that it could substantially change one''s reputation.


    Still, it was not impossible. Sunny himself, as well as every other survivor of the Forgotten Shore, had slain plenty of beings that they had no business fighting. That was what made them so abnormal... in the terrible crucible of the Forgotten Shore, only the strongest of the strongest survived. Of course, there were plenty of equal talents among the rest of the Awakened, and the elites chosen to become Irregulars were among them.


    But they stood no chance against the Corrupted. The power gap of two Ranks was just too insurmountable. In the rarest of circumstances, a victory could still be possible... but usually, Awakened would not even be able to leave a scratch on the bodies of these monsters. No conventional weapon could harm them, either.


    That was why the Corrupted lieutenants of the stone hive had to die first Considering that these revolting insects possessed immensely durable armor, Soul Reaper had been chosen to strike them down. Her dreadful Aspect, after all, allowed her to ignore all forms of physical protection.


    That did not mean that the rest of the Irregulars were going to get it easy. Even without the strongest abominations, the rest of the hive was more than capable of tearing the few humans apart... unless humans destroyed them first.


    This time, the terrain they had to fight on did not give the Irregulars any advantages. They could not create a layered formation where melee fighters held the enemies off in the front while the archers pelted them with arrows from the back. The small human force was destined to be instantly surrounded.


    That was where Sunny came in.


    Most of the Irregulars created a defensive line slightly higher up the slope, while the ranged specialists continued to shoot arrows and other projectiles over their heads. Their line bent like a crescent moon so that the abominations could not attack them from the sides. He alone stood behind the formation, holding the Cruel Sight and breathing deeply.


    Sunny''s task was simple. To not let even a single Nightmare Creature attack the human force from the back.


    ''Let''s go...''


    The tide of stone hive soldiers broke against the single blade of Soul Reaper''s glaive, collided against the defensive line of Irregulars, and spilled over it. He saw a mass of abominations slide past him from the sides, slow down, then turn around and scurry back up the slope.


    His fourth shadow had just returned and wrapped itself around the blade of the Cruel Sight, and at the same time, the Dying Wish called the enemies forth.


    Sunny dashed forward with stunning speed. At the same time, the shadows around him seethed, and then exploded forward with four long and powerful tentacles.


    Each tentacle pierced the carapace of a nightmarish insect and tore its body apart. A moment later, the Cruel Sight shone with furious white light and slid into a thin crack between the thorax and the head of a Fallen abomination, turning its soft innards and brain into ash.


    Sunny twisted his spear, decapitating the appalling creature. To his surprise, even without its head, the insect continued forward, trying to skewer him with two of its long, segmented legs.


    With a startled snarl, Sunny crashed into it with his shoulder and sent the heavy monster flying back like a cannonball. At the same time, his shadow tentacles twisted and shot forward, breaking the legs of several more abominations.


    ''Bastards... do you really think you can touch me? Pathetic bugs like you... can can... never hope to kill a noble cockroach like me!''


    Suddenly, a mad smile appeared on his face,


    Grinning like a lunatic, Sunny spun in the growing tide of stone hive soldiers, killing them one after another. After the Red Colosseum, it was not hard for him to shadow Nightmare Creatures. Even though bestial abominations like these did not possess sentience, let alone refined battle techniques, they still had unique instincts, behavioral patterns, and character. As such, he could mirror and predict their attacks just as well as that of humans.


    In fact, it was much easier.


    ...But also much, much harder. It was not difficult to peer into the essence of their ferocious combat instincts and adopt them, but doing so put him in terrible peril. It was hard to not lose himself. It was hard to remain human.


    Luckily, there was an anchor that held that which made Sunny a person together... his true name,


    ''Lost from Light..."


    With its help, he could always return from the formless depths of Shadow Dance, no matter how far he dove into its strange embrace.


    Stonelike chitin cracked and shattered. Bloe lymph shot into the air. Broken mandibles and segmented limbs rolled away, severed by the ruthless blade of the Cruel Sight.


    For now, Sunny managed to prevent any Nightmare Creatures from getting past him. Most fell into a murderous frenzy because of the Dying Wish and aimed to kill him and no one else, and the few that managed to shrug the effect off were dragged back and killed by the long and malleable shadow tentacles.


    There were more and more abominations attacking him, though.


    And among them, much more powerful creatures suddenly appeared.


    An ominous feeling brushed against Sunny''s mind.


    ''What the hell?''


    He could have sworn that an especially large insect had been barreling toward him just a moment ago. Four tumorous growths of darkness within its body revealed that the giant abomination was a Fallen Devil.


    But now, it was gone.


    ''''Where is it?''


    Before Sunny could find and answer, the mountain slope beneath his feet suddenly split open.


    ...And from it, a hungry maw appeared, too close and swift for him to escape.

 Chapter 861: Entombed

    The ground split open, and the head of a massive insect appeared from beneath. Sunny was thrown off balance, and much worse, there was no time for him to dodge the sudden attack. He could not even use Shadow Step.


    ''Crap!''


    Before he could do anything, the maw of the Fallen Devil closed around one of his legs. Sharp mandibles scraped against his greave, smearing revolting mucus all over the bleak steel of the Undying Chain.


    The good news was that his Transcendent armor turned out to be too tough to be bitten through by the damned abomination. No matter how hard the creature pressed with its jaws, the armored greave refused to bend or be pierced. It also withstood the corrosive effect of the liquid oozing from the insect''s maw.


    Perhaps things would have been different if Sunny did not possess such a high divine affinity, but with the [Brilliant Will] enchantment reinforcing his armor, it reached a stupendous level of durability.


    The bad news, however... was that Sunny was completely immobilized. Even if the Fallen Devil could not bite off his leg, there were countless other abominations that were already dashing forward to press the attack and rip him apart. Every armor had its cracks, and the Undying Chain was no different.


    "Let go, you filthy bug!"


    Sunny reversed his grip on the Cruel Sight and thrust it down. His strike was so powerful that the incandescent blade pierced all the way through the impregnable chitin of the insect, cracking the thick plate protecting its forehead and melting parts of it away.


    Despite the terrible wound, the Devil refused to die. Even with its listless black eyes turning into liquid and evaporating, it rose from the ground and then viciously jerked the upper part of his torso, swinging Sunny into the ground.


    No matter how tough his armor was, at this point, human bones would have shaped and shattered.


    However, [Bone Weave] stubbornly held his femur and tibia together.


    It hurt like hell, though.


    "Argh!"


    Slamming into the rocks, Sunny stubbornly thrust his spear deeper into the Devil''s head and then briefly glanced at the approaching soldiers of the stone hive. Following his command, the shadow tentacles shot forward and crushed a few closest ones.


    At the same time, two dark hands appeared from his lower torso and grabbed the Devil''s jaws, trying to pry them apart.


    It was of no use. The creature was just too strong.


    ...The Fallen Devil possessed a wicked intelligence, too.


    Seeing that neither its bite nor its slam managed to damage the thorny opponent, it decided to change tactics. Instead of trying to savage the enemy, the glant insect simply clenched its jaw tighter... and then dove into the ground, pulling Sunny with it.


    The solid stone parted around them like liquid.


    ''Not good...''


    Like every human, Sunny harbored a deeply rooted fear of being buried alive. And this was exactly what was happening... pulled dozens of meters into the solid stone, he was going to be buried under its crushing weight if the Devil let go.


    Perhaps that was exactly the bastard''s plan.


    Before that could happen, however, Sunny snarled and thrust the Cruel Sight even deeper, pushing it into the body of the Devil as far as he could. At the same time, he commanded the spear to assume its maximum length, and then send all four of his shadows from his body onto the somber blade.


    Augmented by them, the divine flame summoned by the [Dark Mirror] enhancement suddenly grew even hotter. For a moment, it seemed as though the giant insect became illuminated from within. A blinding light escaped from the cracks of its carapace, and then, the Devil contorted in a terrible convulsion. Just a few seconds later, it was immolated from within, turning into nothing but an empty, blackened shell.


    [You have slain a Fallen Devil, Stone Titan Flea.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger...]


    Sunny shuddered, feeling his heart turn cold.


    ''That''s great, but...''


    The Devil was dead, and so, its unnatural power dissipated. The stone surrounding them turned back into its solid state, encasing Sunny in a cold, inescapable coffin.


    There was no light, no room to move, no air to breathe. Even with a Master''s prodigious might, digging himself out was impossible. A creeping horror entered Sunny''s mind...


    Luckily, he was not just any Master.


    Stretching his Shadow Sense upward, Sunny simply used Shadow Step and emerged from a stretch of darkness above ground.


    ...The cold air of Antarctica had never felt so sweet. The inhospitable, dim sky had never looked so beautiful.


    Suppressing the desire to fall to his knees and take a gasping breath, Sunny swiftly looked around to evaluate the situation.


    He had only been absent from the battlefield for a dozen heartbeats... but in a clash like this one, just a few seconds was an eternity.


    Just as he had suspected, things were not looking great. His absence left the rear of the human formation wide open, and a tide of stone hive soldiers was already flowing up the slope, approaching it. Most were already well outside the range of effect of the Dying Wish. That was really, really bad.


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    I have to come up with something. Fast!"


    Since there was no time to think, only a single idea came to mind. It could lead to a lot of unforeseen circumstances, but forced to act immediately, he did not see any other choice.


    Commanding the Extraordinary Rock to relay his command, Sunny barked:


    "Samara, Kimmy! Turn around and open fire!"


    At the same time, he... dismissed his armor.


    As both of his soldiers unleashed a hall of bullets at the flood of abominations advancing from the back, the Undying Chain disappeared into a swarm of sparks. At the same time, wisps of dark fog swirled around his body.


    For a few seconds, Sunny was left without any protection.


    Ignoring that chilling fact, he dove into the mass of Nightmare Creatures, rampaging between them as the dark fog slowly coalesced into a different suit of armor. Luckily or rather due to his panicked effort - no attack managed to land on his body in that time.


    Glossy onyx, ominous lines, intricate and ancient design.


    Finally, the Mantle of the Underworld wove itself into existence. His shadows slid onto its black surface.


    Merged with it, the Dying Wish was suddenly augmented by the [Underworld Armament] enchantment.


    The Nightmare Creatures advancing on the rear of the human formation slowed down and stalled. Then, they froze in place.


    And then, one after another, they slowly turned around and peered at Sunny.


    Subjected to an almost palpable pressure of immense hatred and bloodlust, he smiled nervously.


    "Uh... come eat me, bastards. Look! I am very tasty!"


    With fervor and frenzy that made him shudder, the mass of Nightmare Creatures obliged.

 Chapter 862: Soul Reaper

    The [Death Wish] enchantment worked.


    ... In fact, it worked a little bit too well.


    ''Damn! Damn! Damn!''


    Sunny was drowning in the tide of Nightmare Creatures. No matter how strong he was, no matter how fast he was, no matter how well he understood the attack patterns of the stone hive soldiers, there were just too many of them for him to handle without paying the price.


    The Mantle of the Underworld sustained more and more hits. The onyx armor mostly held, for now, and what little damage it did sustain was swiftly mended by the [Living Stone] enchantment. His body beneath it, however, was hurting There were no holes in him yet, but it was just a matter of time.


    If there was one good thing about the situation, however, it was that the Irregulars were completely safe from being attacked from the back. Sunny was holding the mass of abominations advancing from the rear single-handedly, killing more and more of them as he desperately tried to survive.


    By now, all the snow around him had melted, and the rocks were covered by the viscous blue lymph.


    Savaged carcasses of Nightmare Creatures littered the ground, and three shadow tentacles were rampaging among those that remained.


    The fourth had been destroyed by another Fallen abomination, whom Sunny then finished off with the shining blade of the Cruel Sight.


    The twilight enveloping the summit of the mountain was long gone. High above, a constant stream of lightning tore the darkness of the cold sky, and on the mountain slope itself, chaotic flashes of light produced by Winter and other Awakened ensnared in a bloody battle with the stone hive created a strange and beautiful illumination.


    Sunny himself was surrounded by nothing except for darkness, however, since the Shadow Lantern devoured any light that reached him.


    ''I can''t go on like this for much longer...''


    His only solace was that he did not need to. Soon, help would arrive. Sunny just had to hold on long enough for Master Jet to finish off the Corrupted lieutenants of the hive and join the battle against the lesser abominations.


    Slaying a score of Corrupted was not something an Ascended was supposed to be able to do... but he had faith in Soul Reaper''s ability. After all, even Saints were wary of fighting her.


    Speaking of Colonel Jet...


    Killing a frenzied Fallen beast with a devastating slash of the Cruel Sight and at the same time piercing the head of an Awakened monster with the ghostly blade of the Moonlight Shard, Sunny used the carcasses of the dead creatures to buy himself a moment of respite and glanced higher up the slope, where Soul Reaper was in a similar position as him- drowning in abominations as she was trying to hunt down the strongest among them before they could hunt her.


    Master Jet was moving with murderous purpose and terrifying speed, dodging the storm of attacks as she descended upon one Corrupted after another, the blade of her glaive ignoring all physical armor as it viciously struck directly at their darkness-infested soul cores.


    All of it was very bizarre, and also gave him a better understanding of why Soul Reaper was so feared by other Awakened.


    Very few humans possessed powerful means of defending themselves from soul attacks. However, she was not even delivering blows infused with soul damage... Instead, her glaive was somehow able to deliver physical damage directly to the souls of her enemies. More than that, it could bypass all forms of armor and strike at the vulnerable cores.


    ''Scary...''


    But there was more strangeness about how Master Jet fought. She was just too fast, too strong... too deadly. Even knowing that her cohort was assembled based on their ability to augment the combat performance of their commanding officer, Sunny could not explain how Soul Reaper was so frighteningly powerful.


    Just her physical prowess alone was almost on par with his own, which was not supposed to be possible. Not only did Sunny possess more cores, he also enjoyed the enhancement of shadows. And yet, he couldn''t deny what he saw.


    Her battle style, meanwhile, was brutal and domineering, honed and perfectly sharpened to achieve a single purpose - deliver swift death and utter devastation to her enemies. While it lacked flair and refinement, when Sunny looked at how Soul Reaper fought, he felt something that he had never felt before.


    It was the lethal weight of thousands and thousands of deathly battles... he did not think he had ever encountered a human fighter that seemed to possess quite as much combat experience. Her technique possessed a dark depth to it that he had yet to sense from anyone else.


    Not even Pierce and Welthe, two high-ranking Knights of Valor, could compare to Soul Reaper let. Not even the Saints he had met.


    It made sense, in hindsight. Saints serving Legacy clans might have been more powerful, but they led a very different life than someone like Master Jet. The government was always short on personnel and resources, and so, every capable fighter serving them had to do more.


    Considering that Soul Reaper was possibly the most capable of them, she had to also be one of the most active government operatives. What it meant was that while Master and Saints of the Legacy clans only undertook the most important combat missions and enjoyed sufficient rest between each battle. she had been sent to deal with emerging Gates, rampaging Nightmare Creatures, Awakened criminals, and other dangerous issues almost every single day.


    No wonder Master Jet always seemed a bit sleep-deprived.


    Battle after battle, day after day... considering that she had entered government service more than a decade ago, that would indeed make Soul Reaper the most seasoned human fighter Sunny had ever met, at least in terms of pure number of combat encounters and confirmed kills.


    Strangely, not even the other Irregular captains seemed as accomplished in battle and slaughter, despite being older than Jet.


    Suddenly, he was overcome by burning curiosity.


    ''I wonder if I can shadow her combat technique...''


    At the level of Masters, a battle style was more than just a set of moves combined with a special mental framework. Due to how intricate their control of essence was, a style also included unique patterns of essence reinforcement.


    Knowing that he only had a split second left before his own battle would continue, Sunny strained his eyes and peered beneath the surface of Master Jet''s mortal shell.


    After reaching the third step of Shadow Dance, his ability to observe and understand the flow of essence had vastly improved, and so...


    However, what he saw left him shaken and disturbed.

 Chapter 863: Fractured

    Chapter 863: Fractured


    Sunny had seen souls that were radiant and full of light, and he had seen souls that were being consumed by a spreading corruption.


    However, he had never seen a soul like Jet''s.


    It was lightless and shrouded in darkness, almost like his own. A single powerful core burned in its depths, superposed against her heart... the core itself was strange, bizarre, and filled him with an eerie sense of profound unease.


    The ethereal orb was irregularly shaped and much larger than it was supposed to be, grossly overshadowing the size of other Ascended cores he had witnessed. Its surface was covered by a net of deep, twisting cracks... no, not quite. It was more like the whole core was assembled from numerous shards, as if it had been shattered once and then crudely assembled back into an uneven sphere.


    Some shards seemed to match each other, while others did not fit well. bringing a sense of chaos to an already flawed and fractured, disfigured construct of Soul Reaper''s core. However, there was also a certain order and beauty to the ugly disharmony of it.


    The patchwork sphere of broken shards shone with furious, radiant light. It was brimming with a stunning amount of soul essence, which was much more than an Ascended should have possessed. However, unlike most cores, this one''s radiance was not uniform. Instead, most of the light was concentrated in its depths, while the outer edges were dark and dull.


    More than that, thin streams of light were constantly flowing through the cracks of the shattered core and dissipating into nothingness. They were like water slowly seeping out of a cracked vessel.


    Despite that, Master Jet''s essence did not seem to be diminishing. Instead, as Sunny watched, the strange soul core only grew brighter.


    ''What the...''


    At that moment, Soul Reaper had just slaughtered another Corrupted abomination. This one had taken her longer to put down, since as a Monster, it possessed two cores. Each had to be destroyed with separate strikes.


    As soon as both perished, however, the creature twitched and collapsed to the ground. Then, something strange happened...


    When the Corrupted insect died, a flood of tainted essence seemed to rush into Master Jet''s fractured core. The remnants of the fetid darkness permeating it were then burned away by the furious light, and soon, a stream of pure radiance flowed into the brilliant center of the shining sphere.


    Sunny was left very puzzled by what he had just seen... and a little bit troubled, as well.


    "I guess there really are all kinds of bizarre Aspects...''


    He was one to talk. His own soul was not exactly the picture of normalcy.


    In any case, distracted by the unusual nature of Master Jet''s soul core, Sunny had missed his chance to study her battle technique. All he managed to notice was that her flesh was saturated by essence to a much larger degree than usual. It was as if, unlike all the other Awakened, Soul Reaper''s ability to reinforce herself with essence was not limited by the modest capacity of human flesh, or at least had a limit so high that it put the rest of them to shame.


    That would partially explain why she was so strong and fast despite possessing only a single core. This just went to show that having multiple cores was not an absolute advantage.... there were a lot of strange and unimaginable powers out there, many of which could achieve the same result through different means.


    However, they wouldn''t be as versatile.


    ''Would I be able to win against her in a fight?''


    Sunny was not sure. He was reasonably confident in his ability, but then again, as someone who often achieved victory through being underestimated, he did not want to fall into the same trap.


    Even if he won, what would be the cost? Losing one or two cores was not going to kill him, most likely, but being left with a crippled soul was small consolation for victory.


    Maybe that was why Saints were reluctant to fight Soul Reaper despite being much more powerful than her... and why many people treated her with fear and resentment.


    Sunny would have loved to ponder on these issues, but sadly, his time was up.


    The stone hive soldiers were already jumping over the carcasses he had used to hide behind, and their frenzy was just as murderous as before.


    Gripping the Cruel Sight, he lunged forward and pushed it into the tough carapace of another enemy.


    ***


    Hundreds of Nightmare Creatures descended upon the three cohorts of the Irregulars. With Soul Reaper diving into their tide alone to hunt down the most dangerous foes, the initial clash was not as obliterating as it could have been. Supported by Queen and her sharpshooters, the melee fighters held, but were instantly surrounded.


    Behind them. Master Sunless the youngest of the First Company captains - was somehow holding off the entire flanking force of abominations by himself. Even if Irregulars had time to look back, they wouldn''t see much except for a veil of strange darkness that refused to dissipate despite the constant flashes of bright light produced by the battle.


    All they could perceive were the deafening shrieks of dying Nightmare Creatures and the cracking noises of parting chitin that resounded from the depths of unnatural darkness, as well as smell the sickening stench of burning flesh.


    One of the soldiers staggered back after killing another bug and briefly looked back. At that exact moment, a disfigured body of a massive Fallen Beast flew out of the darkness and crashed onto the rocks, splattering fetid blue lymph all over the mountain slope.


    It was more or less torn into two halves...


    Not cut. Torn.


    The soldier shuddered.


    ''Gods..... what kind of monster is that kid...''


    Suddenly, a blinding flash momentarily turned the world white. High above them, two gargantuan forms clashed furiously, producing a deafening thunderclap. The whole mountain shook from the violent force of their impact.


    Cursing his luck, the Irregular tried to throw all unnecessary thoughts out of his mind and lunged back into the deadly melee. There were still hundreds of the damned bugs for them to kill.


    By his side other soldiers of the First Irregular Company fought for their lives. No one faltered, no one allowed despair to poison their mind. Each of them gave it their all, full of determination and resolve worthy of the government''s best.


    And yet, things weren''t going too well. The enemy was just too numerous, vicious, and overwhelming.


    Worse than that, the cursed bugs were wickedly smart and coordinated.


    Something had to change soon......

 Chapter 864: Breaking The Balance

    Chapter 864: Breaking the Balance


    Stuck in the middle of a neverending massacre, barely holding on, and sensing a ruinous hint of exhaustion already seeping into his muscles, Sunny knew that the battle was entering its decisive stage.


    For now, it seemed to remain in a fragile equilibrium. The jade beetle and Saint Tyris were clashing somewhere high above, neither of them capable of striking down the adversary yet. On the ground, Master Jet were fighting alone in the tide of Nightmare Creatures, seeking out the most powerful foes. She had already killed many, but her task was far from being accomplished.


    The Irregulars held, pushing back against the rabid onslaught of the stone hive. They had managed to avoid being overwhelmed, but could not throw the enemy back and go on the offensive. Even with Winter and her sharpshooters taking out the most deadly Fallen abominations, the situation was extremely precarious.


    And finally, Sunny was protecting the rear of the formation. He was containing his share of Nightmare Creatures, as well, but was not anywhere near prevailing against them. For every hive soldier he killed, two immediately took its place.


    Neither side could wipe out the other. This balance, however, could be


    destroyed at any moment.


    Time was working against the Irregulars, for the most part, since their soul essence and endurance were not infinite. The soldiers were not going to be able to keep up with the ruthless tempo of the furious battle for much longer.


    Their only hope was that Soul Reaper would finish off the last of the Corrupted abominations and join the fight against the mass of lesser soldiers soon. However, from a few glimpses that Sunny had caught, things weren''t going too well for the commander of the First Irregular Company.


    Master Jet had quickly dealt with the comparatively weak Corrupted, but now, only the most powerful of them remained. More than that, the stone hive seemed to have understood how much of a threat this single human represented. With each second, it was getting harder and harder for Soul Reaper to move and attack her targets.


    She would probably be able to kill them all eventually, but was that going to be fast enough?


    Currently, Sunny was not sure.


    ''I need to do something...''


    He had extinguished the divine flames burning within the blade of the Cruel Sight to conserve essence, and was now fighting against the frenzied abominations with nothing but its somber silver steel. Mounds of corpses surrounded him, and more creatures were jumping over their fallen brethren. every second to lunge at the hateful human.


    ''But what can I do?''


    How was he supposed to break the balance of the battle in favor of the human force?


    He had already done his best to gain the upper hand in his own section of the battlefield... and failed. Preventing the soldiers of the stone hive from advancing at the rest of the Irregulars was all that he could achieve here.


    Changing the scales of the main frontline was also outside his ability. If Sunny chose to join the Awakened fighters, they would gain a boost of inspiration from the Dying Wish... however, they would also be forced to split their focus and defend against attacks from two directions. Whatever benefit he could bring would be invalidated by the increased pressure.


    Assisting Master Jet was out of the question... although Sunny was more than capable of slaying a Corrupted abomination or several. It would take him some time. Not to mention that to achieve real results, he was going to have to abandon his position behind the formation of the Irregulars.


    So then...only one component of the battle remained.


    Dodging an especially fierce attack of a bloodthirsty bug, he used one of the shadow tentacles to suddenly pull himself away from the advancing enemies and pierced the body of a somewhat startled abomination a dozen meters further down the slope instead.


    Then, he briefly looked up.


    Two giant shapes were entangled with each other high in the dark skies. Arcs of lightning danced between them, and rivers of caustic black ash were flowing through the air like clouds.


    His face turned grim.


    ''It''s too strong. I can''t kill it. Can''t kill it fast enough...''


    But then again... did he need to?


    Deciding something. Sunny sighed and threw the Cruel Sight into the maw of a lunging abomination. Then, he closed his eyes and tried to forget about the fact that he was surrounded by a swarm of Nightmare Creatures, each of them driven crazy by the desire to tear him apart.


    The shadows unleashed from the small lantern that was tied to his belt suddenly surged forward and formed a barrier around him. Even the tentacles that had been slaughtering hive soldiers dissipated and merged into its dark walls.


    Within the barrier, Sunny summoned Morgan''s Warbow.


    As a swarm of scarlet sparks appeared in the air, a heavy blow shook the shadow cage he had constructed around himself. Then, another, and another, and another. Soon, countless strikes were raining on it, making the surface of the barrier shake and crack.


    Sunny had made the cage as durable as he could. Infused with his Ascended essence, it was much more resilient than the armored hull of the mighty battleship he had once helped preserve.


    And yet, just a few breaths later, it was already crumbling. Wide cracks appeared on its surface, and then a sharp chitin blade shot through one of them, scraping against the onyx surface of the Mantle of the Underworld and throwing Sunny back.


    However, it was enough.


    As the black bow appeared in his hand, Sunny commanded the shadow cage to transform itself. Immediately, it lost solidity and substance... instead, long and sharp spikes shot forward from the barrier in all directions.


    A few abominations were skewered by them, but most were only stalled for a moment as deep scratches appeared on their carapaces.


    Not paying them any attention, Sunny looked up and drew his bow.


    [Soul Arrow].


    [Death Dealer].


    This time, a lustrous arrow that appeared to be made out of pale gold appeared on the string. Its wide broadhead, which was perfect for slicing flesh and dealing devastating wounds, was radiating a soft golden radiance.


    As time seemed to slow down, Sunny took aim, wrapped his shadows around the arrow, and then sent it soaring into the sky.


    Flying through the darkness, the arrow reached its target almost instantly.


    The target, of course, was the Corrupted Tyrant.


    However. Sunny was not aiming to kill it. He knew all too well that a creature like that would not be destroyed by a single strike, no matter how much escence he poured into it.


    The golden arrow did not strike the milky--white chitin, or pierced the creature''s eye.


    Instead, it hit one of its translucent wing, tore through it, and then bit deep into the base of another one.


    At the same time, Sunny activated a third enchantment.


    [Burden of Peace] Enchantment Description: "After soul arrows pierce the flesh. of an enemy, their weight can be drastically increased."


    Lodged deep into the jade beetle''s flesh, the golden arrow suddenly grew as heavy as a ship''s anchor.


    Far below the monstrous Tyrant. Sunny smiled in satisfaction.


    ''Try and fly away now, bastard.....''

 Chapter 865: Lucky Shot

    Chapter 865: Lucky Shot


    Sunny was not powerful enough to casually slay a Corrupted Tyrant... yet. Defeating one was not outside the realm of possibility for him anymore, but it would require a good amount of meticulous study and preparation. Even then, challenging a Nightmare Creature of such immense power meant dire risk to his life.


    However, Sunny did not really need to kill the jade beetle.


    All he really needed to do was to break the balance of power between the monstrous Tyrant and Sky Tide.


    Something like that was more easily said than done, but Sunny had several advantages that very few people possessed. He had a bow created by the best forgemasters of the great clan Valor, or maybe even King Anvil himself. That bow demanded immense strength to be drawn, but was capable of sending arrows much further, and imbued them with much greater force.


    He had the [Death Dealer] enchantment, a rare divine affinity that translated into highly destructive soul arrows, and the ability to see through the darkness devouring the cold sky of Antarctica.


    More importantly, he had enough power and ability to buy himself enough time


    to make a good shot.


    As a result, the divine arrow he had sent tore through one of the Tyrant''s wings and dealt modest damage to another. Just like that, two of the four wings of the jade beetle were wounded.


    That alone might have not robbed it of the ability to fly, but combined with the weight of the [Burden of Peace), the result severely reduced the creature''s mobility in the air. Sadly, it did not plummet to the earth as Sunny had hoped.


    But it was enough to give Saint Tyris a crucial advantage.


    Using the window of opportunity created for her by Sunny''s arrow, she lunged into a recklessly committed attack without wasting a single moment. Slashed at the two untouched wings of the jade beetle with her steel talons, Sky Tide finally managed to break them.


    Then, she delivered a terrible blow with her beak and threw the abomination


    down.


    Wounded and barely able to keep its weight in the air, the Corrupted Tyrant was ruthlessly sent into a perilous fall. The jade beetle tried to slow down the speed of it, but failed. A few moments later, the massive body hit the slope of the mountain with a thunderous crash...


    However, Sunny was too busy to see any of this.


    Because, while his arrow had managed to turn the tables of the titanic clash in the skies...


    He had to survive the consequences of that success, somehow!


    Sunny had to burn through a lot of essence to have a hope of dealing serious damage to the Corrupted Tyrant, and so, his reserves were now very close to being empty. He had discarded the Cruel Sight to summon Morgan''s Warbow and buy himself enough time to create the shadow cage, and so, he was now more or less unarmed in front of the swarm of Nightmare Creatures.


    He had wrapped the soul arrow in three of his four shadows, and so, they needed time to return. Ever worse, making the fateful shot left him open to enemy attacks for far too long.


    Even before Sky Tide delivered her vicious strike, Sunny was already dearly regretting his actions.


    Dismissing both the warbow and the distant Cruel Sight, he then summoned the latter back. However, the somber spear would only appear after several precious seconds, leaving him not much choice but to face the avalanche of chitin and sharp mandibles with his bare hands, or the short and thin blade of the Moonlight Shard at best.


    Instead of using the ghostly stiletto, though, Sunny simply commanded one of the wild shadows surrounding him to flow into his hands and turn into a dark odachi.


    Manipulating the shape of shadows was not a straightforward task. Forming a simple tentacle was the easiest, since it was not too far removed from the natural state of the shadows. However, the more precise, specific, and compressed the shape was, the more concentration and essence it took to achieve it.


    A sword hard enough to withstand the rigors of battle and sharp enough to cut through the flesh of the enemies was not easy to create. Usually, it would have taken Sunny some time and a lot of mental exertion to make one from a formless shadow...


    However, the black odachi appeared in his hands almost instantly.


    That was because Sunny had methodically trained several applications of Shadow Manifestation during the six calm months after the Second Nightmare. He had come up with a small number of forms that could serve his basic needs in battle- such as a barrier, a spike, a chain, a sword- and created them over and over again, day after day, until manifesting them became an instinct.


    That was why it only took a split second for the shadow sword to manifest when he needed it.


    ...Of course, as a blade created from Ascended essence, it was comparable to an


    Ascended weapon in terms of sharpness and lethality.


    Sunny was just not sure how long he would be able to maintain the dark odachi, considering that keeping it tangible was slowly eating through the scarce remains of his essence.


    ''Crap!''


    He barely managed to meet the first foe with a strike, neatly cutting its body in two halves. Although Sunny had long grown accustomed to using a spear, holding a sword still felt the most familiar to him. Fighting with an odachi again felt like meeting an old friend...


    He would have smiled if there was not a crushing wave of abominations falling down on him.


    Sharp blades of chitin struck at the Mantle of the Underworld, throwing Sunny off balance. Using the residual momentum of his previous strike, he slashed with the odachi and severed the legs of a Fallen beast attacking him, then thrust his sword forward, piercing the head of another....


    Something crashed into him from the side, causing Sunny to stagger.


    ''Bad...''


    Sunny paled as he realized that a moment later, he would fall and become buried under a mass of abominations.


    Luckily, at that moment, something massive and dreadfully heavy crashed into


    the mountain with terrible speed.


    The impact caused the whole slope to tremble, as if from a powerful earthquake.


    As a result, not only Sunny, but also every other Irregular, as well as every soldier of the stone hive, were suddenly thrown to the ground.

 Chapter 866: White Stone

    Chapter 866: White Stone


    A huge cloud of snow and stone debris rose into the air. Hitting the ground with a muffled yelp, Sunny rolled and tried to maintain the shape of his odachi. Luckily, his training had not been in vain - even after being startled by the earth-splitting fall of the Tyrant and jolted by the sudden collision with the slope of the mountain, he did not allow the shadow sword to unravel.


    ''Argh... damn...''


    Slightly disoriented, Sunny sat up and looked around, expecting to see monstrous insects rushing to finish him off. To his relief, the soldiers of the stone hive were in a similar position as him - despite possessing six legs and a center of gravity that was much lower to the ground relative to their height, they were all sprawled on the cold rocks, trying to get up.


    Actually, there were surprisingly few of them around him. Those that were alive, at least... crushed corpses littered this particular stretch of the slope, flattened so thoroughly that it was hard to recognize the shape of the chitin-clad abominations.


    Sunny strained to regain his wits and frowned.


    ''...Did I do that?''


    The damage seemed too exaggerated to be done by Sunny or his shadow tentacles. He couldn''t see very far, either, because a wall of white stone was blocking his view.


    ''Where... where did this crag come from?''


    If he remembered correctly, there were no large boulders or tall outcroppings near where he had fought. Had he rolled that far down the slope?


    As Sunny was trying to understand why a wall of rock suddenly appeared in front of him, a stream of inky black liquid flowed down its smooth white surface.


    Then, the wall of stone slightly moved.


    ...His eyes widened.


    ''Oh... crap...''


    Craning his neck, Sunny managed to get a better look at the thing that he had assumed to be a stone cliff. Of course, it was not.


    Instead, it was the carapace of the Corrupted Tyrant that had been thrown into the mountain by Sky Tide''s vicious attack. The creature seemed battered, with its milky-white chitin cracked in several places and leaking viscous black blood... but very much alive.


    In fact, at the same time as Sunny looked up at it, the jade beetle''s expressionless black eye shifted and peered directly at him. Its terrifying mandibles move slightly.


    ''Oh, crap!''


    Sunny jumped back at the same time as one of Tyrant''s legs came down, shattering the mountain slope and sending another tremor running through it He was only saved by his quick reaction and a bit of luck.


    The shadow odachi whistled through the air and struck the white chitin, only to bounce off of it without dealing any damage. The jade beetle stared at him with its unfathomable black eyes and moved, slowly rising. It opened its maw, where a cloud of black ash was already swirling, ready to be spat out.


    Sunny knew that if that ash enveloped him, something very bad was going to happen.


    For a split second, he was paralyzed by fear.


    Then, the familiar weight of the Cruel Sight calmed Sunny down. The somber spear finally finished manifesting itself into reality, and he instinctively caught it by letting go of the hilt of the shadow odachi with one hand.


    ''What difference does it make?!''


    Sunny stared at the domineering Tyrant in horror, and then did the only thing he could think of infusing some of his last drops of essence into the Cruel Sight to imbue it with an elemental property, he threw the spear again, only a moment after being reunited with it.


    He did have enough presence of mind to put some thought into what type of elemental damage to choose, though. Neither divine flame nor soul damage would do much in this situation, so....


    ''Ah, that might work... I think?''


    The somber spear disappeared into the cloud of darkness wreathing in the creature''s maw without a trace. A moment later, the Tyrant suddenly shuddered and let out a shrill, deafening shriek. Its movements slowed down for a second or two.


    ...That was more than enough time to give Sunny a chance to run away. Turning around, he dashed up the slope with as much speed as he could muster. The cloud of ash shot to chase him, but quickly dissipated due to the fact that the jade beetle was distracted by torturous pain.


    The element Sunny had chosen was not the most destructive, but it was insidious, persistent, and extremely painful... that element was corrosion.


    To be more precise, it was a special kind of wicked corrosion that the [Dark Mirror] had memorized after Sunny inhaled a lungful of Wormvine''s poisonous miasma back on the Shipwreck Island.


    Blood Weave had overcome it without any trouble, so he did not expect to deal much damage to the Tyrant. However, it had hurt like hell to deal with it, so Sunny hoped that the damned monstrosity would be distracted for a few seconds, giving him a chance to retreat.


    ''That''s right.... retreat with dignity. Not run away in panic''


    As he swiftly... retreated... Sunny felt a cold shiver running down his spine. The jade beetle had to be preparing another attack.


    At that moment, a shadow fell from the sky. Saint Tyris - in her human form and wielding a saber that seemed shar enough to cut the fabric of the world itself-flashed through the air and collided with the Corrupted Tyrant somewhere behind his back.


    Sunny, meanwhile, finally saw the battlefield through the cloud of snow that had been thrown up by the jade beetle''s fall.


    The Irregulars were slowly rising to their feet, and so were the soldiers of the stone hive. Only one figure appeared to have withstood the earthquake and used the shock of it to her advantage.


    Some distance away. Master Jet landed on the swaying body of the last Corrupted abomination and thrust her glaive deep into its flesh. A vicious smile appeared on her face as the creature shuddered and fell down.


    The battle formation of Awakened warriors was broken, but Soul Reaper was finally finished with her dreadful task. Despite how much she must have exerted herself to slay a score of Corrupted beasts and monsters, as well as a couple demons, she seemed to be still brimming with essence. Master Jet would be able to join the main line of the First Irregular Company soon.


    The flanking force that Sunny had been holding back, meanwhile, seemed to be all but destroyed by his own efforts and the devastating fall of the Tyrant. What little remained of it was currently being torn to pieces by the furious confrontation of the jade beetle and Sky Tide.


    ....All in all, the situation was not too terrible. The scales definitely tilted in the favor of humans now.


    They just had to capitazlie on that advantage.


    Running terribly low on essence, battered, and exhausted, Sunny let out a silent groan.


    ''Damn it... damnation! This is just day two...

 Chapter 867: Tooth And Nail

    Chapter 867: Tooth and Nail


    The tide of the battle had turned.


    The terrifying confrontation between the Tyrant of the Stone Hive and Sky Tide of the White Feather clan went on, but now, the eerily beautiful jade beetle was clearly losing.


    On the battlefield itself, the force of abominations trying to attack the Irregulars from the rear had been decimated under the cover of unnatural darkness. The Corrupted lieutenants leading the main assault had been dealt with by Soul Reaper, Although human soldiers had been feeling hints of despair just a few minutes ago, now, a new strength filled their bodies.


    "Fight! We can do this!"


    "Crush the bugs!"


    The Irregulars knew that the moments when hope finally shined from the distance were often the most dangerous, so they did not allow themselves to relax and fought with fierce determination.


    Then, something strange happened. The veil of darkness enveloping the lower part of the slope suddenly flowed forward and drowned a large swath of Nightmare Creatures assaulting their defensive line from the flank.


    Immediately, frenzied shrieks of the abominations resounded from it, only to stop abruptly in the cracking noise of splitting chitin.


    At the same time, Soul Reaper Jet broke through the ranks of the hive and joined the crescent battle formation.


    Suddenly reassured, the humans fought with doubled ferocity.


    The effect was even more pronounced for the members of one of the cohorts, who could actually see through the unnatural darkness thanks to Kim''s unique Aspect.


    Luster, who had lost count of the number of repulsive bugs he had killed or wounded with his halberd, threw a quick glance to the flank of the defensive line and almost stumbled.


    "W-what?"


    Out there in the darkness, their captain was dancing between the abominations, slaying one after another with graceful strikes of a long and somber blade. His swordsmanship was elegant and exquisite. However, what stunned the young man was not the battle skill of their commanding officer, but the armor Captain Sunless was wearing, as well as the shape and color of his odachi.


    ''That''s that''s Monorel''s armor and sword!''


    Luster''s eyes widened.


    ''Don''t tell me...''


    Suddenly, a lot of things made sense.


    Influenced by the [Death Wish] enchantment that spread to those who witnessed Sunny fight, an intense fire ignited in Luster''s heart. His eyes gleamed, and he threw himself into the battle with burning determination.


    ''More, more... I need to kill more!''


    After learning their captain''s true identity, Luster was extremely inspired. He had given up on his goal not long after the clash with the stone hive started, but now, it did not seem as impossible anymore.


    ''I must vanquish these abominable bugs! If I kill enough... I might get a hug from Master Winter! Oh, I can''t wait!''


    Similarly - although, of course, in a different manner - the other members of the cohort experienced the bolstering effect of the Dying Wish, as well. All of them fought like devils, earning themselves a fearsome reputation among the Irregulars.


    And the man who had made it all possible...


    Was currently cursing his fate.


    ***


    ''Damn! Crap! Curse it all!''


    Surrounded by a swarm of Nightmare Creatures, Sunny fought while feeling extremely aggrieved. Things were not going great for him... he was extremely tired, bruised and battered, and worst of all, his essence was running dry.


    Keeping the shadow sword tangible was eating through what little he had left with frightening speed, but the worst offender was the Shadow Lantern. A Divine Memory was as gluttonous as one would think. On top of that, there were the Dying Wish and the Mantle of the Underworld.


    Pretty soon, he would be completely spent.


    Sadly, he could not dismiss the veil of shadows, since doing that would reveal his identity as Mongrel to a lot of strangers. The members of his own cohort had already seen enough, most likely, but he somewhat trusted them to keep his secret. Due to the fact that Sunny had kept them alive through several dire battles, the bonds of loyalty were already forming between the six soldiers and their captain.


    He had to dismiss something, though...


    The first thing to go was the Dying Wish. Although it brought benefit to his soldiers and, to a lesser degree, to all Irregulars he simply could not allow the expenditure of essence that both the [Death Wish] and the [Underworld Armament] required.


    The next Memory to go... was the Mantle of the Underworld itself. Sunny was reluctant and more than a little scared to continue his fight without a suit of armor, but there was little he could do. Without sufficient essence to feed the [Living Stone], many cracks appeared on the stonelike onyx surface of the Mantle. Not only had it lost some of its protective quality, but there was a risk that the ancient armor would receive too much damage and succumb entirely.


    It was also growing heavy without the effects of the [Feather of Truth] enchantment.


    He just had to fight carefully and concentrate on dodging the enemy attacks from now on. Even if he made a mistake or two, a couple wounds were not going to kill him. Thankfully, there were not as many enemies left around him as at the start of the battle.


    Once the most damning evidence was gone, Sunny had no reason to keep the Shadow Lantern active, so he dismissed it as well.


    With no enchantments to keep powered and the small amount of essence he received back by dismissing these Memories, he could maintain the shape of his sword for a bit longer.


    Sunny killed a few more enemies, barely avoided a stream of acid that one of the monstrous insects spat, and retaliated by neatly severing its body in half.


    ''When is this going to end, damn it''''


    A few seconds later, his odachi turned hazy, and then dissipated into a shadow. Sunny was at his limit.


    ''Please, gods, let it stop... let it stop... let it stop... argh, damnation, this is such crap! What the hell?! What kind of damned situation is this?!''


    With nothing better to do, he grabbed a severed chitin blade of one of the abominations and used it as a makeshift sword.


    At that moment, the veil of shadows created by the Shadow Lantern finally dissipated. The Irregulars saw a stunning image...


    Wearing no armor and only clad in a torn black bodysuit, Captain Sunless hammered a severed limb of an enemy into the carapace of a Fallen abomination. The white chitin split, and the creature let out a painful shriek. With indescribable fury and resentment burning in his eyes, the young Master


    bared his teeth and punched the beast with his naked fist, crushing its head.


    The veteran soldiers shuddered.


    ''Such righteous wrath... Master Sunless must really hate Nightmare Creatures, huh?''


    Sunny, meanwhile, kicked the Fallen Beast away and let out a trembling breath.


    ''Phew... that was close. How did I even survive that last attack?''


    At that moment, something imperceptible changed on the battlefield.


    The stone hive, which had been unified and deviously intelligent before, suddenly seemed to lose much of its coordination.


    At the same time, the Spell suddenly whispered into Sunny''s ear:


    [You have slain a Corrupted Tyrant, Remnant of the Jade Queen.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    [You have received a Memory.]


    He blinked.


    ''..What?''


    What had just happened?


    It seemed....... it seemed that the persistent corrosion, which the Cruel Sight had learned to reflect thanks to the Wormvine''s miasma, turned out to be more powerful than Sunny had thought. Much more likely than that, though, was that it just happened to finish off the mighty abomination after it had been brought to the very edge of death by Sky Tide, but before she could deal the killing blow.


    What were the chances of that? One in a million?


    Standing above the dead Fallen Beast. Sunny grinned.


    ''I guess I''m lucky today.....''

 Chapter 868: Reputation

    Chapter 868: Reputation


    After the death of the Tyrant, the battle did not last long.


    The stone hive had already lost many soldiers, as well as its most powerful champions. Without the guiding sentience of its ruler, the lesser creatures seemed to lack most of their intelligence and coordination. Feeling this weakness, the exhausted Irregulars advanced and slaughtered them without a hint of hesitation.


    With Soul Reaper rampaging at the front of the formation, the number of the monstrous insects quickly dwindled. Then, Saint Tyris joined the battle and more or less wiped out the remaining abominations single-handedly.


    Sky Tide seemed to have received several wounds in her fight with the Remnant of the Jade Queen, but it did now slow her much. Moving between the giant insects like wind, almost too swift to be seen with a naked eye, she disposed of all the remaining Nightmare Creatures in mere seconds. Her saber


    cut through their impregnable white carapaces as if they were made out of water.


    Just like that, suddenly, silence settled over the summit of the mountain.


    The soldiers looked at each other in confusion, struggling to believe that that bloody battle ended so abruptly. Then, when the sweet understanding dawned on them, the Irregulars lowered themselves to the ground with relieved sighs, drained of all strength.


    Everyone was too exhausted to move and needed a few minutes to rest and


    collect their thoughts. Tired smiles appeared on their faces.


    Sunny found a patch of rock that was not covered by fetid blue lymph and plopped on it, as well. He was utterly spent. As the excitement of the battle died down, his thoughts turned slow and lazy.


    ''Ah, I''m hurt all over...''


    He felt a pleasant satisfaction. Not only had they won a hard fight, but he also received a fair share of shadow fragments. Better yet, there was a Transcendent Memory of the Fifth Tier he was yet to take a look yet....


    For a moment, he wanted to summon the runes immediately, but then gave up on that idea. He was too tired to think properly right now. The Memory could wait until the cohort was safely back aboard the Rhino.


    For now, Sunny was content to just sit on the ground and rest.


    As he did, his shadow naturally took a look around.


    The summit of the mountain had been transformed. The snow had melted or turned into blue sludge, the slope itself was littered with hundreds of dead Nightmare Creatures and deep cracks. The Gate still pulsed with darkness at the very peak, but one side of the deep schism it filled had collapsed and crumbled down.


    Further down the slope, the massive carcass of the Jade Beetle lay on the cold stones. It seemed that the final stage of its battle with Saint Tyris had taken them away from the battlefield.


    As a result, it was now pretty far from the stretch of the slope where Sunny had fought with the flanking force of the hive Only corpses of Awakened and Fallen creatures remained. Some were cut apart, some were torn apart by the shadow tentacles, and many were utterly crushed by the fall of their ruler.


    Of course, the Irregulars did not know that, since that area had been covered by the veil of darkness summoned by the Shadow Lantern. To them, it all looked like Sunny''s doing.


    Their whispers entered his ears.


    "Gods... look over there. Is that where Master Sunless fought?"


    "So many dead bugs... wait, what the hell? Why are these corpses so mangled? It''s like they were put through a meat grinder!"


    "I mean, it does not even look like they were cut by a blade... it''s more like he ripped them apart and crushed them with his bare hands."


    "He did. Did you not see him, at the end? His weapon and armor must have been destroyed in the fight, so he just tore a leg off a Fallen abomination and then beat the bastard to death with it. And then... I swear to the gods. I saw it myself... he stood there and smiled, as though someone gave him the best present in the world!"


    "I think he really hates Nightmare Creatures. His expression before that... so much anger, so much resentment. It looked, I don''t know, personal? Maybe there''s a tragic story there..."


    "No wonder Soul Reaper went into trouble to personally recruit him."


    "...What kind of devil is that kid?"


    Sunny blinked.


    Had he really smiled? Oh, that must have been the moment when he received the Transcendent Memory. He had indeed lost composure and grinned like an idiot for a few moments there....


    In any case, none of these soldiers seemed to have connected him to Mongrel. They just thought that he was some kind of monster with a personal grudge against Nightmare Creatures. His own cohort, meanwhile...


    Sunny turned slightly and caught sight of Luster, who was staring at him with an intense expression. The young man''s eyes seemed extremely bitter, for some reason.


    "What''s up with that clown?"


    At that moment, someone approached and sat down near him. Sunny turned around and saw Winter, who stared at him with a nonchalant expression.


    "Wha..."


    Before he could finish the thought, she suddenly grinned and pulled him into a very tight hug.


    ''You did great, Little Devil! Let''s be friends...''


    ****


    Soon, the Irregulars caught their breaths and started moving. Saint Tyris departed after approaching Sunny to thank him for his contribution in slaying the Tyrant, her voice cordial and stern as usual. This time, however, it almost sounded..... partial.


    Since the threat of the stone hive had been eliminated, a signal was sent to the First Army that the path was clear. Not too long after that, a long column of vehicles appeared on the road that stretched far below, on the other side of the mountain. One of the divisions was proceeding with haste to its next destination.


    The Irregulars themselves were busy with collecting soul shards from the stain abominations. A dozen heavy loaders arrived to drag the carcass of the Remnant of the Jade Queen away. Even in death, a Corrupted Tyrant was extremely valuable. Its impenetrable carapace and other parts had a lot of uses for advanced spelltech applications.


    Sunny would not be surprised if some of the jade beetle ended up being used to bolster the defenses of one of the siege capitals, most likely Falcon Scott itself.


    After some time. Master Jet left for the base camp where the APCs were parked in order to contact the Army Command. Since there was nothing for Sunny to do at the summit of the mountain, he followed her and climbed into the Rhino to rest.


    There, sitting on his comfortable bed, Sunny finally summoned the runes.


    ''A Transcendent Memory.... ah, let''s see...''


    Soon, his eyes gleamed.

 Chapter 869: Sin Of Solace

    Chapter 869: Sin of Solace


    The runes shimmered in the air:


    Memory: [Sin of Solace].


    Memory Rank: Transcendent.


    Memory Tier: V.


    Memory Type: Weapon.


    Looking at ethereal weave of symbols, Sunny felt a cold shiver running down his spine.


    ''A weapon...''


    The [Sin of Solace] was the third Transcendent Memory he had received. However, it was of a higher tier than both the Undying Chain and the Dying Wish combined. More than that, it was a weapon... something that could express its power much more directly than an armor or a charm.


    Something that he desperately needed here in the cold expanse of Antarctica.


    A weapon bestowed by the slaying of a Corrupted Tyrant... had to be truly powerful.


    Holding his breath, he continued to study the runes.


    Memory Description: [This blade is a whisper of Ariel, the Demon of Dread, who turned a beautiful monster into a queen and gave her a sinister gift of forbidden knowledge.]


    Sunny tilted his head, suddenly excited.


    ''The Demon of Dread... another daemon? There are five of them I know of now!''


    Demon of Fate, Demon of Hope, Demon of Choice, Demon of Dread...


    ''Wait, who was the fifth one?''


    He strained his memory for a while, and then scratched the back of his head.


    ''Oh, right. The Demon of Oblivion. How did I forget?''


    Sunny pondered about the fact that the Demon of Oblivion was so forgettable for a bit. Then, he slightly shook his head.


    In any case, if this Memory was connected to a daemon, it had to be immensely powerful.


    His heart started to beat faster.


    Memory Enchantments: [Sinister Whisper], [Perfect Jade], [Omen of Dread], [Hideous Truth], [Cursed].


    Sunny blinked.


    ''Wait... what? Cursed?''


    What did that mean, cursed?!


    Somewhat disturbed, he decided to read the description of the last enchantment first. Soon, an ugly expression appeared on his face.


    [Cursed] Enchantment Description: "This blade slowly drives its wielder mad."


    ''What the hell?!''


    His new shiny Transcendent weapon... had come with side effects?


    ''What kind of crap is this?! Since when do Memories have Flaws? Mad... it wants to drive me mad? We''ll see who goes mad first, damn it...''


    Glancing at the runes with resentment, Sunny decided to study the other


    enchantments before coming to conclusions.


    [Sinister Whisper] Enchantment Description: "This blade can deal both physical damage and mental damage to those that it cuts, destroying not only their bodies, but also their minds. The mental damage persists like a curse, even after a single cut."


    He grunted.


    ''How insidious...''


    Mental attacks were almost as rare as soul attacks, and equally as hard to defend against. There was something terrifying about them, too, especially to those beings that were very hard to kill or nearly immortal.


    After all, what was the point of living if one''s sanity was gone? A blade like that... truly, it would have been a bane of someone like the eternal Chain Lords of the Kingdom of Hope.


    ... If only the damned Memory did not deal the same mental damage to the


    wielder!


    Sunny grimaced, and then continued to read the runes.


    [Perfect Jade] Enchantment Description: "This blade is carved from a piece of sublime jade, and as such is sharp and durable beyond logic and reason."


    ''Straightforward...''


    [Omen of Dread] Enchantment Description: "A faint remnant of Ariel''s presence lingers on this blade, striking terror into the hearts of all beings."


    Sunny frowned.


    ''Another mental attack enchantment, but this one is passive and affects an area. Not bad... should work wonders when Nightmare is around, too...''


    Finally, the last one made him frown.


    [Hideous Truth] Enchantment Description: "The more the wielder''s sanity is shattered, the more powerful this blade becomes. It bestows revelations of madness on those who give in to its will."


    Sunny sighed.


    ''Damnation...''


    So, basically, this already formidable weapon could grow many times more terrifying, but only if the person wielding it went completely insane. Conveniently, the Sin of Solace also drove anyone who wielded it to madness, thus providing an easy solution to unlocking the potential of the [Hideous Truth].


    ''What am I supposed to do with this thing? And what does that mean, give in to its will? Does this cursed sword have a will of its own?''


    While Sunny liked to joke that he was a bit crazy, he did not really want to turn


    into a raving lunatic.


    He lingered for a few minutes, then took a deep breath and summoned his new Memory into existence.


    Soon, a beautiful shuangshou jian appeared in his hands. It was a straight, thin double-edged greatsword with a narrow guard and a graceful blade that gradually tapered to a sharp tip. Despite the fact that it was almost as long as Sunny was tall, the Sin of Solace surprisingly did not weigh much... in fact, it was as light as a feather.


    Its hilt was carved out of black obsidian, and the blade itself was stark white, with beautiful patterns etched on it. Despite the description of the [Perfect Jade] enchantment, it did not seem rigid as stone... instead, it was both hard and flexible in perfect proportion.


    A sword such as this was nimble and swift, but also capable of dealing


    devastating damage.


    Despite its breathtaking beauty, however...


    As soon as Sunny touched the cool obsidian hilt, it was as though someone whispered into his ear. He shivered and turned around, only to find that there was nothing behind him.


    The whisper, however, did not disappear. It continued to flow from somewhere just out of reach, too quiet to discern any words... for now. Sunny felt that if he just concentrated hard enough, he would be able to understand what the rustling voice was saying.


    And it was important... very important... to understand it.


    There was a meaning to them that he just had to know...


    Had to..


    Before Sunny noticed. his body was covered in cold sweat. He stared at the Sin of Solace with a complicated expression, and then summoned the Undying Chain.


    As soon as the bleak armor wrapped itself around his body. the insidious whisper seemed to grow weaker. Sunny was only slightly obsessed with listening to it now.


    ''Ah... good.''


    The [Chains of Longing] enchantment of the Transcendent armor provided him with a high protection against mind attacks, and the [Cursed] attribute of the beautiful jian seemed to be just that..... a strange and sinister mind attack aimed at the sword''s own wielder.


    Which meant that Saint, who was completely immune to mind attacks, would be able to use the jade sword without any problem. Sunny was sufficiently certain what he would be able to withstand the tantalizing whispers if need be, as well.


    It was a small price to pay for being able to wield such a frightening Transcendent weapon.


    ''If push comes to shove, I can afford to lose a bit of sanity, too. I mean, what''s wrong with going a little mad? Been there, done that......''

 Chapter 870: To Do List

    Chapter 870: To Do List


    Dismissing the beautiful sword, Sunny breathed a sigh of relief. The insidious whispers assaulting his mind disappeared, leaving only a lingering sense of chill and unease behind.


    The pressure of the Call was already enough to drive a person insane. Adding the curse of the Sin of Solace to this burden was not for the weak of heart.


    ''Well, whatever. I''ll just let Saint use it for now!''


    He was impressed by the cursed blade, though. Its fundamental properties were already fearsome enough, considering that this Transcendent weapon''s sharpness and durability were further enhanced by the [Perfect Jade] enchantment. It also synergizes well with Nightmare''s [Dreadlord] Attribute and the [Mantle of Fear] Ability.


    What made it so alluring to Sunny was the mental damage it dealt, though. Mind attacks... were an insidious thing. While not as obviously destructive as more straightforward elemental damage types and not as universally deadly and hard to defend against as soul attacks, they possessed one frightening quality.


    The more sentience a being possessed, the more that being stood to be damaged by a mind attack.


    What it meant was that while lesser Nightmare Creatures - Beasts and Monsters - would not be as susceptible to the [Sinister Whisper], the truly dangerous foes - Demons, Devils, Tyrants, Terrors... and humans - would suffer terribly from it.


    And since those were the enemies Sunny was wary of the most, the Sin of Solace was a perfect tool to satisfy his needs.


    ''I just have to be careful not to suffer terribly myself!''


    But even if he did... at least he would be reaping the benefits of the [Hideous Truth]. Sunny felt that the cursed sword would become truly terrifying if its wielder managed to unlock that strange enchantment. At its full force... maybe the Sin of Solace would be powerful enough to strike down even Great Nightmare Creatures.


    Or Supreme humans...


    With a wistful sigh, Sunny decided to check his progress in other areas, since he already had the runes summoned.


    Shadow Fragments: [870/4000].


    Not bad... after being stuck at [744/4000] for half a year, he had gained more than a hundred fragments in just two days. If this continued, Sunny would become a Tyrant in a not so distant future.


    Of course, if he continued to fight at that intensity every day, he would also probably be dead by then.


    Somewhat reassured, he shifted his gaze to the Mantle of the Underworld.


    Vanquished Foes: [4555/6000].


    The monumental task of satisfying the requirement of the [Prince of the Underworld] enchantment was nearing its final stage. With how many Nightmare Creatures ran rampant in Antarctica, Sunny would certainly be able to complete it soon. Now that his identity as Mongrel was, most likely, known to the members of his cohort, there should be no problem wearing the Mantle more often.


    He still did not know how the onyx armor would grow after the limit was reached, but hoped to see something incredible.


    Then, Sunny concentrated on his Shadows, starting with Saint.


    Shadow Fragments: [101/200].


    Saint was already halfway to becoming a... Saint. Or a Transcendent Demon, to be more precise. He could not even imagine how powerful she would be once he collected enough Memories - or Echoes - to feed to his loyal knight.


    Still, a hundred or so Ascended Memories was not a small amount. Luckily, he could also use Memories of lesser Ranks, although the process would be much slower in that case.


    Finally, he read the runes describing Nightmare.


    Shadow Fragments: [14/600].


    He sighed. To be honest, Sunny had not been very diligent about feeding his steed. For some reason, the black courser required much more fragments to Ascend than Saint had needed... maybe because he was already a Terror, or maybe because Saint had come from a race created by Nether, the Prince of the Underworld.


    In any case, Sunny felt that helping her become Transcendent was more important than elevating Nightmare to an Ascended Terror. Especially considering that his Terror Ability, [Dream Curse], was still locked.


    And speaking about that Ability... at least there had been more progress on that front.


    Nightmares required: [112/1000].


    His steed had already subjugated more than a hundred nightmares, both making himself stronger and growing closer to unlocking the [Dream Curse]. Of course, that task was still far from being over... but Sunny had a feeling that there would be a lot of progress soon.


    Antarctica was in the throes of a cataclysm that had become known as the Chain of Nightmares, after all. It was bound to breed a lot of them. Better yet, up until now, the black steed had been limited to only subjugating nightmares of Masters - simply because Awakened humans did not dream.


    Awakened Nightmare Creatures did, however. Which meant that Nightmare would be able to plant seeds of fear into their souls, and then visit the dreams of those abominations that had survived the encounter to harvest them.


    ''Maybe I should let him loose more often!''


    And that was that, more or less. His own shadow fragments, that of Saint and Nightmare, the [Prince of the Underworld] enchantment, and the [Dream Curse]. These were the things he needed to concentrate on.


    Then there were other things - his arsenal of Memories, the power of his


    cohort, and the equipment of its members.


    Oh. and he also had to survive, somehow.


    ''I probably will;''


    Sunny had made a lot of progress, but there was a lot more progress still to be made.


    Luckily. Antarctica was just the place to make it. It had an inexhaustible reserve of Nightmare Creatures of all kinds, with numerous new ones soon to arrive. As long as one could stay alive, there were countless opportunities for growth.


    Master Jet had been right. This campaign was going to shift the balance of power across all of humanity... many new champions would emerge, many renowned warriors would become even stronger. Many would die.


    Thinking about that. Sunny suddenly felt somber. Now, he was even more convinced that the great clans would not be able to stay away from the Chain of Nightmares for long.


    He just had to make the best of it before they arrived. then.

 Chapter 871: Wild Imaginations

    Chapter 871: Wild Imaginations


    "...A thousand duels, undefeated! He even went against Morgan of Valor before Ascending!"


    "No way..."


    "What do you mean, no way? The recordings are all over the network, dude!"


    "No, Luster is right. I don''t know much about the Dreamscape, but it is a fact that he contained a manifesting Gate as an Awakened. Alone."


    "I also heard that he is a bastard son of a Saint from the House of Night... maybe


    even of Nightwalker himself..."


    "Actually, some say that he was created in a secret government laboratory from the DNA of powerful Nightmare Creatures. But the research was abandoned, with all records destroyed, because he was the only test subject who did not go completely mad."


    "...I''ve heard that he is a woman, though?"


    "Does he look like a woman, you idiot?"


    "Well... now that you say it... he is strangely petite. Has anyone seen Captain undressed?"


    "Belle. Did you get hit in the head during the last battle?!"


    "Keep your voices down! You''ll wake him up!"


    ...Already awake, Sunny was laying on his comfortable bed and listening to his subordinates gossip at the front of the steadily moving Rhino. His expression was... hard to describe.


    ''These fools...''


    He had expected that much from Luster... but Kimmy? Not to mention Belle. Belle was supposed to be their reasonable senior, damn it!


    With a sigh, Sunny rose, threw a neutral glance at the suddenly quiet trio, and then went to the kitchen to make some coffee. He poured himself a cup of the fragrant drink, added some synthetic sugar to it, then sat down in the lounge area of the APC and took a delighted sip.


    Throughout all of it, three pairs of eyes were following his every move. Sunny shifted slightly, then looked at them in return.


    "What? Is there something on my suit?"


    His black bodysuit had already repaired the tears it received in the battle against the stone hive. Its smart fabric was truly something else... the more Sunny wore it, the more he understood how well-designed this unusual uniform was. One could argue whether it was dapper or not, but overall, he was extremely satisfied with his new equipment.


    Hearing his question, Kim and Luster suddenly looked away with furtive expressions.


    "No, no. It''s nothing. Uh... you look great today, Captain!"


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    Belle, meanwhile, continued to stare at him with a strange expression. For some reason, Sunny suddenly felt an impulse to cover his chest with an arm. He frowned.


    "Anything you want to ask?"


    The swordsman simply nodded and smiled.


    "Yeah... Captain, are you Mongrel?"


    Luster and Kim flinched and looked at him with horror. Sunny, meanwhile, scowled.


    "... Who are you calling a mongrel, bastard?"


    Belle shook his head.


    "No, I mean... are you Lord Mongrel? You know, that guy?"


    ''Damn. As expected...''


    Truth be told, the moment the question had been asked, he had no choice but to answer. Sunny just stalled a little to collect his thoughts.


    He shrugged.


    "Oh. Yeah, that''s me."


    Then, Sunny took a sip of his coffee with an absolutely nonchalant expression. Luster and Kimmy, meanwhile, were staring at him in shock. Their eyes were as wide as saucers.


    For a few long moments, there was nothing but dead silence. Sunny enjoyed his drink for a bit, and then scratched the back of his head.


    "Ah... but don''t tell anyone. It''s a secret. I wasn''t really supposed to become known to the public... you know?"


    Their expressions slowly changed. A hint of grave understanding appeared in their eyes. The three looked at each other, and then Kim resolutely nodded.


    "Of course, Captain! We will keep silent about... about who you really are. We''ll


    tell Samara, Quentin, and Dorn, too. Don''t worry!"


    Sunny nodded with satisfaction.


    ''Isn''t it great, to have such understanding minions?''


    Of course, he had no idea what it was that they thought they understood. But that was the beauty of it... he did not need to. The best and most convincing lies were those that people built in their heads themselves. Human imagination was a wild thing... whatever idiotic theory his soldiers decided to believe, be it that their Captain was a secret love child of a famous Saint or a product of a forbidden government experiment, it was all good with him.


    The point was that they would keep it to themselves.


    Just like that, a few more people learned that he was Mongrel. Sunny felt a bit sad about that fact.


    On the bright side, it seemed that he would have no problem summoning the Mantle of the Underworld in the future, at least not when the cohort acted independently of other human forces. Luster, too, was looking at him with a newfound reverence.


    If there was one inconvenient thing about the revelation that Captain Sunless was, in fact, the famous Lord Mongrel..... it was that Belle kept throwing strange glances at Sunny.


    ''What.. the hell...''


    With a friendly smile. Sunny took his cup of coffee and returned to the back of the Rhino. Climbing back onto the bed, he then took out his communicator.


    There, a new message was waiting for him.


    As his smile grew a little wider. Sunny concentrated on the lines of text.


    "Rain: Hey, Sunny! How are you doing? Everyone is talking about the Southern Quadrant campaign... that is where you went, right? Are you an officer now? Tell me so that I could brag about it in school. One of my classmate''s sister is apparently an ace MWP pilot. She won''t shut up... uh... stop talking about it. Anyway, are you doing well? The news says that everything is going great, but my dad seems very stressed. I don''t think I''ve ever seen him so tense. Oh, I am doing well, myself. A few kids in my class stopped coming to school, so... I guess they are at the Awakened Academy now. But I am not showing any symptoms, yet. I am practicing my archery and swordsmanship every day, though. You''ll be proud of your pupil!"


    Sunny reread the message a few times. then finished his coffee, grinned, and started composing a response:


    "Sunny: Hey. An officer? Gods, who do you think I am..... of course I am! Let me tell you, I am a captain of the most elite unit in the whole army. I have a bunch of powerful Awakened under me, and a reputation so fearsome that other Masters want to be my friends. The Devil of Antarctica, that''s what they call me... well, I''m sure someone does... maybe. Just yesterday, an actual Saint personally expressed gratitude to me. I will probably get a medal soon, too. Oh, I am also in charge of a cutting-edge armored personnel carrier called the Rhino. You won''t believe how amazing it is. Let me describe it! First of all..."

 Chapter 872: Spreading Nightmares

    Chapter 872: Spreading Nightmares


    The initial several weeks of the Antarctica campaign were the most intense... at least for now. The divisions of the First Army steadily moved south, fighting through the swiftly growing swarms of Nightmare Creatures and establishing strategic encampments along the way. These encampments were going to serve as the transit points of the evacuation networks soon.


    Moving through them, all the population of the Antarctic Center was going to be relocated to the siege capitals to await eventual salvation. The same thing, only on a much larger scale, was happening in East Antarctica, where most people of the Southern Quadrant lived.


    As days went by, the Chain of Nightmares grew more rampant. New Gates manifested with increased frequency, disgorging more and more abominations into the waking world. Luckily, the burden pressing down on the First Army also grew lighter, since more and more divisions reached their destinations and entrenched themselves inside the cities that would become humanity''s strongholds in the coming months.


    Without the need to brave the enemy-infested wilderness, the lives of the soldiers became less perilous. That was not to say that they were not terribly busy - turning a populous city into a wartime fortress was a laborious task, too.


    However, no one was as busy as the First Irregular Company.


    Just like Master Jet had promised, the Irregulars almost never rested. While other soldiers had specific tasks that sometimes forced them into battle with the Nightmare Creatures, and sometimes did not, the seven cohorts of Irregulars constantly moved between various flashpoints to douse their flames.


    Day after day, battle after battle... soon, the novelty of Antarctica''s sobering reality dissipated, and the endless procession of combat engagements blurred into one continuous, bloody ordeal.


    They were doing their job, still.


    Not all battles were as large-scale or as dire as those in the first two days of the active operation. Some demanded more precision than all-out effort, others simply had to be fought because no one else could be spared to address the situation.


    Tempered in this terrible crucible, Sunny and his cohort were becoming accustomed to the trials of the Chain of Nightmares, as well as each other. Their ability to fight as a single cohesive entity increased, finally reaching a satisfactory level. Their personal power grew, too.


    Sunny was not the only one who had managed to enhance his arsenal of Memories, for one. With so many Nightmare Creatures that needed to be slaughtered, each member of the cohort acquired new combat tools.


    Quentin, for example, had received a beautiful suit of plate armor for killing a Fallen officer of the stone hive. Just like the carapaces of the monstrous insects, it was pure white and incredibly durable. Luster managed to acquire a charm that was supposed to increase his luck, even if no one could really tell whether it actually worked or not. Samara was now wearing a chameleon cape that blended into the environment and masked her position.


    Others were using new Memories, too.


    Armed with them, the cohort managed to survive these perilous weeks without suffering any casualties. The swiftly racked up kills and contribution points, as well as soul shards and reputation among the soldiers of the First Army.


    ...However, their fearsome reputation paled in comparison to that of Mongrel, who was slowly turning into somewhat of an urban myth.


    Sunny had had no plans of unleashing his weird alter ego again so soon, but the circumstances forced him to make a different decision. There was just too much for him to do. Often, several missions of utmost importance appeared simultaneously, and since he could not be in two places at the same time... he sent Nightmare and Saint to take care of the easier ones instead.


    This approach turned out to be surprisingly effective. Armed with the Sin of Solace, which synergized extremely well with both of them, his Shadows had become a real menace on the battlefield. They were also able to traverse the mountainous terrain of the Antarctic Center with great speed, allowing Sunny to dispatch them to complete missions that required speed above all else.


    Of course, these missions had to be on the lower spectrum of hardship. A Transcendent weapon or not, Saint and Nightmare could not compare to the power of the cohort itself, especially since he led it personally.


    So while Sunny and his soldiers dealt with the most dangerous tasks, Mongrel popped up here and there without any discernible pattern, appearing from nowhere and disappearing without a trace after dealing devastating damage to the Nightmare Creatures and leaving only severed corpses behind.


    Suffice it to say, Saint''s popularity among the rank and file of the First Army grew explosively. The Guardian Angel of Antarctica... that title, coined by a random network journalist, was spoken by them more and more often, jokingly at first, but then a bit less so.


    Sunny, meanwhile, finally earned his own nickname. Unsurprisingly, he was being called Devil now..... or, infuriatingly, Little Devil! The latter one, however, was only used by the other captains of the Irregulars. No one else dared to speak it to his face - or behind his back, really, considering that the rumor that he young Master was always watching and listening quickly spread through the army.


    .......Of course, not everything went well for the human force.


    The First Army experienced several painful setbacks. More soldiers fell. and more were critically wounded. The technical equipment was starting to grow less and less reliable as time went by, even if the most critical pieces worked as intended due to expensive spelltech countermeasures. It was getting harder and harder for the Awakened to find a safe place to sleep without being whisked away by the Call.


    Worst of all, however, was the effect that the Chain of Nightmares exerted on mundane humans.


    Nephis had once told Sunny that each person infected by the Spell carried a small Seed of Nightmare in their soul...... and that those of them who failed to pass the first trial became a Category One Gate themselves.


    The Chain of Nightmares increased the rate of Gate manifestations manifold, and that rate, terribly, spread to mundane humans as well. Not only was there an anomalously high amount of young people falling prey to the Spell in Antarctica, but also - for the first time in half a century - people outside the usual age of infestation started to succumb to the First Nightmares en masse, as well.


    Which meant that, just like during the emergence of the First Generation, no one was safe. Anyone could become infected, fail the trial of the Spell, and turn into a murderous Nightmare Creature. The people locked inside the siege capitals, those being relocated through the evacuation corridors...... even the soldiers themselves.


    A tense and fearful atmosphere slowly settled over Antarctica.

 Chapter 873: And Full Of Terrors

    Chapter 873: And Full of Terrors


    Chilling darkness veiled Antarctica like a burial shroud. The twilight of the dusk had finally succumbed to the inevitable advent of the cruelly lasting absence of light, and the long night had come to the Southern Quadrant, pregnant with countless horrors.


    This night was going to last for many months, and by the end of it... who knew if any of the humans it embraced would still be alive? How many of them would be lucky enough to see the light of day again?


    ...Sunny had never experienced a night quite like that.


    The sun was gone, and the empty sky was full of brilliant stars. The pale visage of the moon lingered among them from time to time, coming and going as it pleased. Despite how dark and cold the world had become, it was strangely beautiful.


    Back in the alloy jungle of the Northern Quadrant Siege Capital, stars were rare guests. Light pollution kept them away. Similarly, there were no stars shining upon the cursed expanse of the Forgotten Shore...


    Antarctica was different. Despite the coming of the night, it only grew more dazzling. The stars, the moon, and the breathtaking tapestry of the Aurora Australis that shimmered above them as ethereal shades of green, blue, purple, and red flowed into each other... all of it was very beautiful.


    However, that beauty hid oppressive horror.


    ''Dread... that''s the word to describe it. This is a land of dread!''


    Sunny and his cohort were walking through the encampment of the First Evacuation army, their armor covered in dents and painted by the blood of the Nightmare Creatures they had recently killed. The tense and tired soldiers hurried to get out of their way, throwing intense looks at the Irregulars.


    "Look, it''s the Devils! They''re here."


    "Thank the gods..."


    Recently, they had become a comforting sight for the rank and file of the First Army. Wherever Irregulars appeared, problems seemed to disappear and the number of casualties drastically fell. Of course, these victories had a cost. It''s just that the soldiers weren''t the ones paying it.


    With a grim expression on his face, Sunny glanced at Dorn, who was limping and seemed barely able to walk. The giant man''s face was pale and covered in cold sweat. He had received a severe wound in the last battle... even with Quentin''s help, Dorn was going to be out of commission for at least several days. Which meant that they would be short a man should a new mission arrive.


    The campaign was still on track, but it was getting more dire with each day. The air in the encampment was full of fear and tension. More and more Nightmare Creatures poured into the waking world, and now that darkness reigned Antarctica unopposed, any area that was not illuminated by powerful spotlights could be hiding a deadly threat.


    Even then, the spotlights tended to flicker and break down spontaneously, which made even artificial light unreliable. People were constantly on edge and afraid of every shadow. After all, most couldn''t see through them like Sunny.


    Even worse, danger lurked not only in the darkness outside, but also inside the fortified encampments. The Spell was spreading through the ranks of mundane humans like a plague, and anyone could turn into a rampaging monster if left alone for too long.


    There was no real safety anywhere.


    ''If things are like that after just one month, how are we going to last the whole year?''


    Shaking his head, Sunny looked ahead and caught a glimpse of the Rhino. His eyelids suddenly grew heavy... he really needed rest.


    Despite the glum atmosphere in the camp, objectively, things were going reasonably well for the field army dispatched to the Antarctic Center. It had already advanced almost all the way to the southern edge of the narrow landmass. All but one division - the one Sunny and his cohort were assigned to - had already reached their destinations and were in the process of converting them into siege capitals.


    Evacuation networks had been established, with fortified transit outposts placed near the strategic points. Constant patrols maintained protected corridors for the armored convoys to ferry the civilians from smaller settlements into the handful of human strongholds. Up north, the relocation was already in full swing. Here in the south, however, it was only starting... still, the first phase of the operation was well on its way.


    ''Maybe we''ll get to relax behind a thick wall of a siege capital soon, too.'' Climbing into the Rhino, Sunny glanced at Kim.


    "Status?"


    She studied her military communicator.


    "Army Command designated this camp as a green zone. Last check was thirteen minutes ago."


    He nodded. A green zone was one with no Gates close enough to affect the Dream Realm anchors of the Awakened. People could sleep safely within its confines.


    "Okay. Quentin, tend to Dorn. Kimmy, Luster, Samara, and Belle - enjoy the first sleep shift. I''ll stand watch until you guys return."


    They nodded and soon disappeared inside the sleeping pods. Quentin got busy dealing with Dorn''s injury, using both his Aspect and an extensive medkit. Sunny, meanwhile, walked over to the command and communication suite and sat behind a console.


    He lingered for a moment, and then summoned his runes.


    Shadow Fragments: [1332/4000].


    Shadow Fragments: [133/200].


    Nightmares required: [209/1000].


    And finally:


    Vanquished Foes: [5523/6000].


    He had achieved a lot in the past month. So much, in fact, that exhaustion had seeped into his very bones. Sunny had long lost count of how many Nightmare Creatures he had slain, but it had to be a couple of thousands, at least. Even more if he counted those that Saint and Nightmare had hunted down.


    ''Mantle of the Underworld will probably be first!''


    Even though he could not wear the onyx armor in every battle, its counter was swiftly approaching the limit.


    Sunny sighed, and then dismissed the runes. Almost simultaneously, the symbol of an incoming communication appeared on the console''s screen.


    He closed his eyes for a moment.


    ''Looks like a new mission is here, after all...''

 Chapter 874: One Last Mission

    Chapter 874: One Last Mission


    A moment later, a familiar face appeared on the screen. Despite the pressure of leading the First Irregular Company into the meat grinder of the Southern Quadrant campaign, Master Jet looked relaxed and at ease. Like she always did...


    No, actually, she almost seemed to look better than how she had back in the safe haven of the NQSC. It was as though the exhaustion that everyone in Antarctica felt could not touch her. The perpetual dark circles under her eyes were gone, and her whole presence appeared strangely invigorated.


    ...Sunny had a suspicion of why.


    Soul Reaper flashed him a bright smile.


    "Hey, Sunny. How is it going?"


    He simply nodded.


    "We cleared that Fallen nest. Dorn was wounded, though. He''ll need a few days to recover."


    In the past month, his relationship with Master Jet had gradually changed. They grew a bit closer and more familiar with each other. That sense of camaraderie could only be forged by fighting side by side in numerous battles, and was only enhanced by the exceedingly rare background they shared.


    Wasn''t it funny, to see two outskirt rats leading the elite government Awakened into battle?


    However, at the same time... after observing Soul Reaper in combat more, Sunny felt that he had come to understand the nature of her Flaw. And it was a grim one, for sure.


    A long time ago... in a different lifetime, almost... before even the Forgotten Shore, Sunny had heard from Teacher Julius that Master Jet was feared by many Awakened. As the old man had put it, her problematic personality destroyed any chance she might have had of ever becoming a Saint. Actually, the exact words he had used were...


    Who would want to help a psychopathic killer become a Saint?


    Later, Sunny had learned more about the unspoken rules of the Awakened society and came to believe that these rumors were just a pretense to justify the suppression of the Sovereigns. A product of the contempt proud Legacies felt toward a clanless nobody from the outskirts who dared to become stronger than them, and refused to bend the knee to their power.


    But now... he was not so sure.


    Sunny had seen that Jet possessed a bizarre ability to absorb the soul essence of those that she killed. He had also witnessed her powerful, but fractured core that constantly leaked essence like a broken vessel. Later, he also observed that she seemed to lack the ability to naturally regenerate essence, as all Awakened could.


    And so, he now suspected that Soul Reaper''s Flaw forced her to constantly pursue murder. It seemed that killing was the only way for her to prevent her fractured core from becoming lifeless and empty.


    That would actually explain a lot of things, from the true reason she had chosen to come to Antarctica to why a girl from the outskirts - someone who had never been treated like a human by the government - would decide to become a dedicated government operative.


    Working for the authorities might not have been the most glamorous job, but if there was one thing it did not lack, it was an endless amount of targets that had to be killed.


    So... maybe those who treated Soul Reaper Jet like a person obsessed with killing were not wrong. They were just mistaken about the reason for her morbid obsession.


    Which posed a question... could he really trust her? What would happen if Soul Reaper''s essence was running low, and Sunny was the only one around?


    If he was correct in his suspicion, of course.


    ...While Sunny was thinking about that, Master Jet grinned and waved her hand in front of the camera. In it was a strange charm... no, actually, it was just a mundane... piece of jewelry? The thing looked like a golden circle with four stars engraved on it, beautiful filigree surrounding them, and a purple ribbon attached to the top.


    ''What the hell is that?"


    Noticing his confusion, she shook her head.


    "Gods, Sunny. Don''t you know what that thing is? This is the Transcendent Star of Valor! The highest military decoration once can receive. It''s your medal, fool. I finally managed to get the Army Command to issue it."


    Sunny blinked.


    "Oh. That''s... great."


    Master Jet let out an exasperated sigh.


    "... It comes with a very sizable contribution point reward, too."


    Instantly, his expression livened.


    "Oh! That''s great!"


    Finally satisfied, Soul Reaper nodded.


    "It took some convincing to make happen. Anyway, I''ll hold on to it until we meet in person. About that... plans changed a little, so you''ll have to complete one more mission before that happens. Ah, but don''t worry. This one is a calm one, so your man will have plenty of time to recover."


    Sunny stared at her with a dubious expression. Master Jet summoned the map of the Antarctic Center and highlighted several points on it.


    "The division you''re with is not going to proceed further south, since there are no big population centers there. However, there is a very important research installation at the southernmost point of the landmass. It''s about four hundred kilometers away from your current position."


    Sunny studied the map. The Antarctic Center resembled a gargantuan snake that sprawled across the ocean, and the installation Jet mentioned was situated at the very tip of its tail.


    "What about it?"


    She shrugged.


    "Your mission is to reach the installation, secure the VIP currently residing there, and bring him back to the nearest siege capital. There is a garrison of local Awakened commanded by a Master at the installation, too. They will be responsible for evacuating the regular staff and scientists. You can choose to go back on your own, but... that would be a jerk move, considering that they are expecting reinforcements to help them make the journey."


    Sunny thought for a bit, then nodded.


    "Sounds easy."


    ''..Yeah, no way. Something bad is definitely going to happen.''


    Master Jet smiled.


    "It does, doesn''t it? In any case, after that is done, we will probably remain within the walls of siege capitals for a long time, and finally have time to rest. Good luck!"

 Chapter 875: Old Roads

    Chapter 875: Old Roads


    The next day, Sunny and his cohort separated from the battered division. The mass of vehicles and soldiers marched down the broad highway, heading to a large city that was situated behind the mountain peaks to the cast. The Rhino, meanwhile, continued south.


    "Four hundred kilometers... how long do you think it will take us to reach the research installation?"


    Sunny was currently in the cabin of the APC, leaning on a bulkhead as he looked ahead. Luster glanced at him from the pilot''s seat and shrugged hesitantly.


    "Hard to say, sir. The terrain here is really rough, and we''ll need to climb over many mountains before reaching the coastal plain. There are some old roads here and there, with tunnels that can serve as convenient shortcuts. But since no one took care of them for half a century, it''s mostly a stone labyrinth. So... several days at the least. Maybe even a week if we want to be really careful and lower the risk of stumbling into a horde of Nightmare Creatures."


    He hesitated for a few moments, and then added:


    "Of course, I can get us there in a day if we leave the mountains and drive along the coastal thoroughfare."


    Since most of the Antarctic Center was mountainous in nature, moving across its expanse with speed was somewhat of a problem. It would have been much faster by air, but no one was suicidal enough to use an aircraft in these circumstances.


    The reason was very simple... it was impossible to load enough armor on a flying vehicle. Not only would its electronics and navigation be swiftly fried by the interference of the Gates, but even worse than that, countless Nightmare Creatures in a hundred-kilometer radius would be able to see and take the aircraft down.


    Since very few Awakened could fight effectively in the air, being swarmed by winged abominations or taken down by a hail of ranged attacks from the ground was their worst nightmare.


    Still, that did not mean that there were no means of traversing the Antarctic Center quickly. Since the terrain was much more flat near the coast, there was a convenient highway running along the shore of the cold ocean. It''s just that traveling by it was not exactly safe, especially these days.


    The ocean, too, was overflowing with Nightmare Creatures. All kinds of horrors hid beneath its restless surface.


    Sunny sighed.


    "... No, let''s not go anywhere near the coast. Avoid those old tunnels, too. Just take your time and take us over the mountains, Luster. Dorn needs time to recover, anyway."


    The young man smiled.


    "Yes, sir! Will do, sir!"


    Sunny gave him a bleak look and shook his head. Ever since the revelation of his identity as Mongrel, Luster had been acting as an overly enthusiastic sycophant. It was honestly a bit bothersome.


    "Well... alright then..."


    He walked back to the back of the Rhino and sat down to meditate. In the past month, the importance of replenishing one''s essence had become painfully clear to all Awakened in Antarctica. There were just too many Nightmares Creatures around and too many battles that had to be fought... maintaining one''s reserves was often the difference between life and death. It was also an inescapable restriction that defined how often and how well one could fight.


    Sunny''s essence capacity was roughly four times as vast as that of almost any other Master, but the rate at which his soul restored it was only twice as fast. As a result, he needed three to four days to fully replenish it. Sleep, rest, and meditation helped... but who had time to rest in Antarctica?


    All of them had to get accustomed to fighting while suffering from a dire deficit of essence. That was another reason why the campaign grew harder as days went by, and why everyone was exhausted. His cohort was in a much better spot than most thanks to Luster, but Sunny himself had not been able to make use of the young man''s extraordinary Aspect.


    ... Luckily, they were not supposed to fight any serious battles in the next few days. That was already a blessing.


    Keeping his eyes closed, Sunny rested as his shadows scouted the route ahead.


    The Rhino climbed the steep slopes of the mountain chain with agility that was surprising for a machine of that size. The Aurora Australis shimmered with ethereal lights in the black sky above it, but the mountains themselves were shrouded in darkness.


    Driving a heavy APC up and down the treacherous slopes at night was not for the faint of heart. since one small mistake could send it plummeting down from a deadly height. Still, Luster seemed to be doing fine. He even had his lucky charm summoned, rubbing it from time to time with a nervous look.


    Everything seemed calm.


    Slowly but surely. they were moving toward their destination. Sunny made an effort to memorize as much of the landscape as he could, knowing that they might be coming back the same way after picking up the VIP at the research installation. The southern edge of the Transantarctic Mountains was, indeed, a real labyrinth.


    Tall peaks rose into the sky, with remnants of broken roads clinging to their slopes. Dark maws of tunnels that had been burrowed through the mass of stone appeared from time to time, filling him with a sense of alarm.


    The roads. as well as the tunnels, had been constructed long before he was born, during the Dark Times. Back then, humanity had been busy destroying itself in a series of devastating wars as the world fell apart around it. Then, the Nightmare Spell came, and many things changed. The old roads were now abandoned and in a state of disrepair, but the Rhino could still make use of them.


    The progress was slow, however, and it was only made slower by the need to avoid active Gates and prowling swarms of Nightmare Creatures.


    In the end. it took them almost four days to traverse the mountains and descend to the coastal plain at the southern edge of the Antarctic Center. From here, they could proceed to the destination at full speed. As the Rhino accelerated and flew across the plain, a powerful blizzard enveloped it, reducing the visibility almost to zero.


    .......That was when things started to go wrong.

 Chapter 876: LO49

    Chapter 876: LO49


    Sunny woke up with a start. The familiar sounds and vibrations of the Rhino told him that everything was okay, and that the vehicle was moving at high speed toward its destination. No one seemed to be attacking them...


    And yet, for some reason, he felt a sense of deep unease. Sunny frowned and rose from his bed, then went over to the pilot''s cabin. On his way, he passed Kim, who was running diagnostics on the secondary control panel, and Samara, who was tinkering with her rifle on the workstation in the cargo bay.


    Reaching the front of the Rhino, Sunny silently looked through the armored windshield at the white wall of the blizzard that enveloped the world. Of course, he could have just accessed the feeds of external cameras from the command suite, but he trusted his own eyes much more.


    ...Nothing seemed out of place.


    He hesitated for a few moments, then spoke to Luster:


    "Did something happen just now?"


    The young man glanced at him in confusion.


    "Uh... no? Oh, there was a tiny spike of seismic activity a few minutes ago, but that''s nothing unusual. Happens all the time. Don''t worry, sir... we''ll reach the installation in about half an hour."


    Sunny scowled.


    "...Good."


    He returned to the lounge area, poured himself a cup of coffee, and then walked over to the command suite.


    "Kimmy, contact the research facility. Tell them we''ll be arriving soon."


    She paused the diagnostic software, activated the transmitter and sent a communication request to the installation they were approaching. For a few minutes, there was only static on the channel. Kim frowned, then repeated the call, this time extending the antennae of the Rhino to their full length.


    Still, nothing.


    Sunny took a sip of coffee.


    "What, no one''s responding?"


    She studied the monitors, then said in a tentative tone:


    "No, it''s not that... it''s just... uh, our signal doesn''t seem to be coming through for some reason."


    He scratched the back of his back.


    "Contact Army Command then, ask them for an update on the installation''s status."


    Kim did as she was told, but there was still no result. Her face grew a little dim.


    "That... I can''t contact Army Command, either, sir. All communications seem to be down."


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments.


    "So we''re completely cut off from everyone? Is it because of the blizzard?"


    Establishing a stable connection had grown a bit hard lately, but they were yet to experience a complete communication blackout. After all, Sunny had spent a ton of contribution points to upgrade the Rhino''s comms array.


    Kim hesitated.


    "I can''t say, sir. A simple blizzard is not supposed to mess with the signal so much."


    Sunny rubbed his face.


    "That doesn''t sound good...''


    He sighed, then sent his shadows out into the snowstorm. They spread around the speeding Rhino, searching for any sign of danger that could have been hiding in the white haze. However, no matter how hard the shadows looked, nothing seemed out of the ordinary.


    Sunny remained on guard throughout the remainder of their journey. Minutes passed by without anything happening. Soon, there was a soft sound and some movement in the lounge area - Belle, Quentin, and Dorn returned from the Dream Realm and climbed out of the sleeping nooks, looking rested and refreshed. Even though the big man still showed some discomfort, his injury was well on its way to being healed.


    Just like that, half an hour flew by. Sunny caught sight of the research installation long before the powerful projectors of the Rhino flooded its gates with light.


    The facility looked more like a small fortress settlement than a scientific base. It was perched dangerously close to the ocean shore, and had a thick wall surrounding it, with powerful turrets aiming at the dark waves. There was a large dome-like structure towering above the formidable fortress, painted white on the backdrop of the black sky. It resembled a giant, perfectly smooth egg.


    The facility had no official name, and was known simply as LO49. Sunny had no idea what kind of research was being done on its premises, but considering that there was a sizable garrison of Awakened guarding the installation - complete with an Ascended commander - it had to be pretty important.


    The best evidence that the scientists living here were doing very valuable work, though, was the fact that Sunny and his soldiers had been sent to retrieve them.


    "Luster, slow down. We''re near."


    The Rhino gradually reduced its speed and approached the settlement. Beams of light soon illuminated a small fleet of transport vehicles parked in front of it, seemingly waiting to take the staff away as soon as the reinforcements arrived.


    For a moment, Sunny felt a pang of fear. It was as though the whole facility was empty, with only ghosts populating its streets.


    Then, however, the turrets above the gates moved, taking aim at the approaching APC. Powerful spotlights ignited on the wall, cutting through the snow and flooding the immediate area with stark light.


    The Rhino drove to the fleet of transport vehicles and parked nearby. At the same time, the heavy gates of the fortress opened, and a lone human figure walked into the blizzard.


    With a sigh, Sunny opened the hatch of the Rhino and climbed out into the cold.


    He walked forward and studied the stranger.


    The man was tall. strong, and looked to be around forty. He was dressed in a black bodysuit similar to one Sunny wore, with an unzipped parka resting on top of it. He had dark hair and calm, intelligent eyes. There was a composed expression on his stern and weary face.


    Overall, everything about the stranger spoke of experience and discipline.


    Sunny stopped a few steps away and gave him a nod.


    "I am Ascended Sunless, captain of the First Irregular Company of the Evacuation Army. You should have been informed of our arrival."


    The tall man lingered for a few moments, studying him, then returned his nod.


    "I am Ascended Verne."


    He offered his hand to Sunny and said in a steady voice:


    "..Welcome to LO49, Master Sunless."

 Chapter 877: Disconnected

    Chapter 877: Disconnected


    Sunny and his soldiers entered the fortified settlement, happy to hide from the blizzard behind its thick walls. There, they saw teams of Awakened soldiers walking between buildings as they patrolled the territory. All of them looked tense and tired.


    Master Verne led them deeper into the complex, giving a wide berth to the central dome-like structure. His gait was steady and confident.


    "I have around a hundred Awakened under my command, as well as close to a thousand mundane soldiers. There are about five hundred scientists and civilian staff members under our protection. Things were going fine until recently... but, as you can imagine, all of us can''t wait to get away from the ocean."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "...Were going fine?"


    Verne grimaced.


    "Yes. Several Gates manifested nearby, but our garrison and defenses were more than enough to keep the Nightmare Creatures away. However... there have already been instances of people succumbing to the Spell within the walls. We suffered a few casualties because of that."


    He lingered for a moment, and then asked:


    "How is the situation outside?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "Pretty bleak, but more or less under control. Don''t worry... we scouted a good path through the mountains on the way here. Leading a convoy back shouldn''t be impossible. There is just one problem..."


    Verne stopped and looked at him with a somber expression.


    "The communications? You lost contact with Army Command too?"


    Sunny blinked.


    "Yeah. Wait, too? You''re cut off from the army network as well?


    The local Ascended remained silent for a second, then nodded.


    "All communications ceased around forty-three minutes ago. We have failed to establish a new connection, for now."


    Sunny frowned. He could reluctantly accept that the Rhino lacked the ability to pierce through the growing interference field enveloping Antarctica. However, a facility like LO49 should have had an immensely powerful communication array. If even they could not connect to the outside world...


    ''Something is very wrong here!''


    He did not know the reason for that sudden blackout, but just the consequences of not being in contact with Army Command were troublesome. They were supposed to check in with Master Jet and receive further instructions after reaching their destination.


    Sunny glanced at Verne.


    "That is really weird. Uh, no offense, but... a remote research facility in the middle of nowhere, suddenly losing contact with the outside world as we approach it... it''s all a bit creepy. This blackout wouldn''t have anything to do with what the scientists are doing here, would it?"


    The tall Ascended smiled with the corner of his mouth.


    "I can see how you would think that. However, let me assure you, the research being conducted in this installation is perfectly safe. I am not much of a scientist myself, but what they do here is purely theoretical. There are no practical experiments being conducted at the premises, so there''s nothing that could have gone wrong. The worst that could have happened is someone making a mistake on a spreadsheet and being reprimanded by the old man."


    Sunny studied his face, found it sufficiently sincere, and shrugged.


    "Well, if you say so. The old man you mentioned is the VIP I am supposed to deliver to safety?"


    Verne nodded.


    "Yes, the chief researcher. He is a bit eccentric, but means well... most of the time. I was about to introduce you to him."


    Sunny sighed.


    "Lead the way, then. But we should probably solve the communication problem before that."


    Sunny didn''t like being blind, and becoming cut off from Army Command was similar to losing his sight. Without the information about what was happening throughout the Antarctic Center, he felt more vulnerable than he would have preferred.


    Neither the Rhino nor the communication center of this research facility were currently able to establish a connection with the outside world, but there were other ways to achieve what he wanted. They were Awakened, after all, and Awakened were free to travel between two worlds.


    Even if hundreds or thousands of kilometers separated him and his cohort from Army Command and the other cohorts of the First Irregular Company, out there in the Dream Realm, that distance did not matter. As long as two Awakened were anchored to the same Citadel and visited it at the same time, they could freely exchange information even if the technological means of communication had broken down in the real world.


    Knowing that, he glanced at Verne and asked a very important question:


    "What''s the status in this place?"


    Verne hesitated.


    "It was green forty-three minutes ago."


    Of course, with no Army Command, there would be no updates on the condition of Gate interference and the potency of the Call surrounding the base. However, Awakened - and especially Masters - could make a judgment on that matter themselves. They were the ones affected by the Call, after all.


    It''s just that their personal senses were not as precise as the complex calculations and observation data provided by the headquarters. That was why Army Command had issued a recommendation to only trust the verified status updates.


    Verne was someone who liked to do things by the book, it seemed.


    Sunny closed his eyes and listened to the whispers of the Call. They were so faint as to be almost nonexistent. Nothing appeared to have changed in the past forty-free minutes.


    He opened his eyes.


    "....Should still be green. Luster, Samara, and Kim. Go get some sleep and find out what the hell happened. Try to get information from Colonel Jet herself or one of our captains, if you can. We were supposed to receive more detailed orders, anyway."


    With that. he would be able to find out more about the situation in about eight hours. Considering that Sunny had to guide a convoy containing more than a thousand people to a siege capital, he needed to know as much as he could about the condition of their supposed route.


    Verne nodded.


    "You can bunk in that building over there. The sleeping pods we have here are rather nice."


    The rest of the cohort followed him into another building, where they entered an elevator and descended underground. Soon, Sunny found himself in a spacious chamber that resembled a lecture hall. There, an extremely old man in a white lab coat was discussing something with a young assistant.


    Verne cleared his throat. attracting his attention.


    "Professor, this is Master Sunless. He will be in charge of getting you out of here."


    Then. he glanced at Sunny and added in a subdued tone:


    "Master Sunless, this is the chief researcher of LO49. Professor Obel....."

 Chapter 878: VIP

    Chapter 878: VIP


    There were not a lot of old people in the outskirts, where average life expectancy was rather low. However, even in the city proper, elderly were not a common sight - simply because the previous generations had been decimated by the arrival of the Nightmare Spell. So, Sunny had little experience dealing with really old people.


    The man in front of him, however, was not just old... he was certifiably ancient. He had to be eighty years, at least, or even older. His skin was thin like paper, with knotty blue veins clearly visible beneath it, and his neatly combed hair was completely white. The old man''s eyes, however, were still brimming with sharp intelligence and awareness.


    This was someone who had been born long before the descent of the Nightmare Spell, and lived both through the terror of the Dark Times and the turbulent chaos of the modern era.


    Sunny hesitated for a moment.


    "...Obel? The Professor Obel?"


    The old man smiled.


    "You know who I am, Master Sunless? How flattering! It''s nice to see that the young generation still appreciates obscure scientists like me."


    His assistant - a young woman with dark hair that was gathered in a bun and eyes full of attitude - sneered.


    "Indeed. I thought all Awakened only know how to swing a sword."


    Sunny gave her a deadpan stare.


    "... For your information, I am a researcher and lecturer back in the Academy, with several academic publications under my name. I only swing a sword when there''s a reason to."


    The assistant blinked, then looked down in embarrassment.


    "Oh..."


    Professor Obel let out a good-natured chuckle.


    "Don''t be rude, Beth! In any case... we''ll be in your care then, Master Sunless."


    He looked at Sunny with curiosity, and then asked:


    "What department are you assigned to in the Academy, if you don''t mind me


    asking?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "Wilderness Survival. My specialty is Dream Realm exploration and the history of dead languages."


    Professor Obel raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh? Do you, perhaps, know a brat named Julius?"


    Sunny stared at him in bewilderment.


    "Uh... Teacher Julius? Of course. He is my mentor, after all. But I wouldn''t call him a... a brat. With all due respect."


    The old man laughed.


    "He is to me! Julius used to be my student, you know, before Awakening and choosing a different field of expertise. How is that rascal doing?"


    Sunny scratched the back of his head. Never in his life had he imagined hearing someone address Teacher Julius as a bratty rascal...


    "He is doing great. His health is good... and he is very passionate about his research..."


    Professor Obel nodded in satisfaction.


    "Good, this is good. Then... Master Sunless, what happens now? Are we leaving LO49 already?"


    His assistant frowned and looked across the chamber, where lots of scientists were busy copying data on external storage devices and running around in something that resembled panic.


    Sunny shook his head.


    "That... we can''t contact Army Command right now, so it''s hard to say. There will be news in around eight hours. That is the earliest we can leave, but depending on what information comes back, there can be a delay."


    The young woman - Beth - sighed with relief.


    "Ah, great. I was afraid we will have to abandon a lot of data. We will continue preparations for departure, then..."


    A few moments passed in awkward silence. Finally, she looked at Sunny in confusion.


    "... Are you not going to leave?"


    He grinned, then shook his head.


    "You''re in my care now, so I''ll stick around. If the Professor suddenly dies on my watch... well, I can say goodbye to a lot of contribution points... that would be very sad."


    Beth stared at him with indignation, then scoffed and left to help the scientists pack things up. At the same time, Master Verne bowed slightly and took his leave, saying that he had a lot to do. Belle, Dorn, and Quentin left, as well.


    Professor Obel watched them go and sighed.


    "Don''t mind my assistant, Master Sunless. All of us are on edge these days."


    Sunny shrugged.


    "Understandable."


    After a while, he looked at the old man and asked:


    "So, Professor... what exactly are you researching here? Also, LO49... that''s a strange name for a facility."


    The old man smiled.


    "The name? Oh, it''s just an abbreviation. Lunar Observatory Forty-Nine, that is what it means. Have you not noticed the telescope dome when you arrived?"


    Sunny coughed.


    ''An observatory...''


    So that was the purpose of that weird dome-shaped structure. Sunny had thought that it was some kind of strange magical construct, but it was just a mundane observatory. To his defense, he had never seen one of those before, at least not in real life...


    "Ah, yes. I did notice a dome. You''re studying... the moon?"


    Professor Obel laughed.


    "Goodness, no. Around a hundred of these observatories were built when the Nightmare Spell first appeared, but most of them are now sealed and abandoned. This one had its telescope dismantled and was repurposed as a research facility, though."


    Sunny frowned, feeling like he was missing something.


    "Wait... why were these observatories constructed? And why were they abandoned?"


    The old man glanced at him with curiosity.


    "Why, they were constructed to observe the moon, of course. There were human settlements on the moon in the past, you know... not that that is important. What is important is the Nightmare Spell."


    Sunny shook his head.


    "I don''t follow."


    Professor Obel lingered for a moment.


    "Ah, you might not know this. Actually, the first registered case of the Nightmare Spell infection happened in one of the moon settlements. Mind you, that doesn''t mean that it was the first case... just the first documented one. No one really knows where the Spell came from, but many point to Luna as its origin, or at least the point of contact. So, of course, there was a strong desire to study the moon many decades ago."


    Sunny looked at him with a wary expression.


    "Really? Wait...... so what did people find out?"


    The old man shook his head.


    "Nothing. As it turned out, staring at the moon for too long can lead to some very, very dire consequences. After many casualties among the researchers, the LO program was discontinued, and the observatories were sealed. I would advise you not to look at the moon too closely, young man... actually, it''s better not to think about it at all."


    Sunny remained silent for a long time. Eventually, he said:


    "Alright, I guess that answers one of my questions. But what about the other? If you are not studying the moon, what are you researching here?"


    Professor Obel smiled.


    "Oh. that is very simple. We are studying the Nightmare Spell. More precisely, we are trying to understand its causality."

 Chapter 879: Signs Of Lightning

    Chapter 879: Signs of Lightning


    Sunny glanced at the old scientist with interest.


    "Causality? Do you mean its reason?"


    Professor Obel smiled.


    "No, nothing so philosophical! What I mean is that we are exploring the cause and effect of various phenomena having to do with the Spell, as well as correlations between them. Of course, our study mainly has to do with the Nightmare Gates, but since nothing exists in isolation, we need to consider the system in its entirety."


    Sunny considered his words for a while.


    "Is this how you make the Obel Scale work?"


    The old man shook his head with an amused look.


    "That thing? No, not quite. The so-called "Obel Scale" is a primitive work that I and many talented colleagues of mine created in the early days of the Spell. It is relatively effective for what it is supposed to do, but the solution is purely practical. It can track and predict manifestation events, but does not shine a light on how and why they are happening. Back then, we had no time to ponder such things. We needed to come up with an immediate and effective measure, limited as it might be."


    He sighed, and then said in a wistful tone:


    "You see... a caveman can observe lightning and know that being hit by lightning is dangerous. Therefore, he can learn to recognize the signs of an approaching thunderstorm and take shelter from it. However, without understanding the principles of why and how lightning appears, a caveman cannot invent a lightning rod, build a Faraday cage, or harness the power of electricity. So, that is how our work here differs from the "Obel" Scale. That old solution is simply a tool to recognize the signs of a thunderstorm and assign a numerical value to the probability of a lightning striking in a particular spot, while we are trying to understand its principles."


    Sunny listened to the elderly scientist attentively. When else would he get a chance to converse with someone so learned and knowledgeable? Luckily, Professor Obel seemed to either be fond of educating young people in general, or was simply in a talkative mood.


    Deciding to use this chance to learn something new, Sunny asked:


    "How does the Obel Scale work, anyway?"


    The old man chuckled.


    "Ah, it''s not too complicated. You are familiar with a pulse that the manifestation of a Nightmare Gate produces, right? Depending on the Category of a Gate, it differs in potency and characteristics, spreads over a certain radius, and affects a certain volume of space. The more powerful the Gate, the greater the impact."


    Sunny tentatively nodded, prompting Professor Obel to give him a small smile.


    "Well, in truth, that pulse is a bit more complicated than that, because it spreads not only through space, but also through time. So, if we know what to look for, we can detect faint aftershocks of a Gate impulse before it actually appears. Of course, that requires a vast and expensive network of sensors and monitoring satellites to monitor the entire globe, or at least those areas that we deem important."


    Sunny blinked.


    "Uh... what exactly do you mean when you say that the impulse spreads through time, Professor?"


    The old man looked at him and remained silent for a few moments.


    "How do I put it... try to imagine time as a river, young man. It always flows forward, from the past into the future, and we travel forward with its current. Now, imagine that someone threw a rock into that river. There would be ripples on its surface, wouldn''t there? And those ripples, unlike the waters of the river itself, would travel both downstream and upstream. Hence, he can detect those ripples. From a bit further up the stream."


    Sunny couldn''t help but scratch his head. What Professor Obel said was not hard to understand... however, it was a bit harder to accept.


    ''Perhaps if I think about it in a different way...''


    Sunny imagined a string of a harp. Someone plucked it in the middle, sending a vibration spreading both up and down. Downward was the furure, and upward was the past.


    Then, he imagined the inconceivable tapestry of Fate, and the neverending expanse of its countless strings, each stretching from nowhere to infinity. A certain event happened, making small sections of several strings tremble.


    Was that what the old man was talking about?


    A subtle frown appeared on his face.


    ''Come to think of it... does affinity to revelations, perhaps, work based on the same principle?''


    Sunny hesitated for a bit, and then cautiously said:


    "I... I think I understand? Maybe."


    Professor Obel smiled.


    "Good! However, as I said, this is just a primitive solution. That solution only observes the effect without understanding the cause. And the cause... why, it is much harder to comprehend. Truth be told, I don''t think that humans like us can even conceive of it in its entirety. In fact, the predominant school of modern thought states that the Nightmare Spell is acausal by nature, meaning that it does not even adhere to the principle of cause and effect. That it''s magic, so to speak."


    He grimaced.


    "I don''t agree, obviously. But, anyway, trying to understand even a little bit of the causality of the Spell is a daunting task, so we limit the scope of our research to a small fraction of it... namely, the Nightmare Gates."


    The old man''s face darkened a little.


    "...However, even that has proved to be an insurmountable task, I''m afraid. For now."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "How so?"


    Professor Obel smiled bleakly.


    "Oh... well, to be honest... this might sound funny to you... but we are not even sure that Nightmare Gates have anything to do with the Nightmare Spell..."


    He seemed to have expected to be rebuked, but Sunny did not react to that statement too much. Instead, the thought for a bit, and then asked calmly:


    "Really?"


    The old man looked at him with a bit of surprise.


    "You are not against that idea??"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "During my Second Nightmare, I was separated from the Spell for a while. I couldn''t summon my Memories, visit my Soul Sea, or even hear its voice. However, my Aspect and powers were still with me. So, I figured that Aspects, at least, exist outside the Spell. If Aspects are their own thing, why can''t Nightmare Gates be? Oh... that doesn''t mean that I''m convinced, though. I am just open to the possibility."


    Professor Obel looked at him with gleaming eyes.


    "Separated from the Spell? Fascinating! Young man... please, do share your experiences with me later."


    Sunny grinned.


    "No problem. However, if you do publish something as a result..... I''ll be entitled to receive some points, right? You know, as a contributor."

 Chapter 880: Cause And Effect

    Chapter 880: Cause and Effect


    The old man chuckled and looked at his subordinates, who were packing things up in a hurry. After a while, he signed.


    "Whether Nightmare Gates are produced by the Spell or not, there is definitely a connection between the two. Or rather, the three... since Awakened are also part of this equation."


    He grew silent after that, and then added in a more serious tone:


    "What interests me the most, however, is which of the three came first."


    Sunny looked at him with surprise.


    "Forgive me, Professor, but isn''t that common knowledge? The Spell came first, bringing with it the Nightmares. Then, we Awakened appeared as the result."


    He frowned slightly.


    "... Of course, common knowledge is not always trustworthy. But in this case, it seems to follow logic."


    Professor Obel shook his head.


    "Who can really say? The beginnings of the Spell are not documented well. Back then... the world was not in the best shape, and by the time we knew that something was happening, it was already out of our ability to prevent, contain, or control. We tried, of course, but... even then, some truths never get to become widely known, or even be put on paper at all. It is very likely that what you said is true. There are other possibilities, though, ones that would demand entirely different solutions."


    Sunny looked at him with a perplexed expression.


    "What do you mean?"


    The elderly scientist hesitated.


    "Have you ever asked yourself this... did the Spell bring Nightmares with it, or did the Nightmares bring the Spell? Ah, forgive me. This is still too broad. Here is another question - do the Nightmares produce the Awakened, or do the Awakened produce the Nightmares?"


    Sunny blinked.


    "What?"


    The old man smiled.


    "Consider it a mental exercise. Of course, it is widely known that one becomes an Awakened through surviving the First Nightmare. However, after that, things become more interesting... you are too young to remember, but at the beginning of it all, the disasters of the Spell descended on the waking world in stages. Otherwise, we would have never survived."


    Professor Obel''s eyes suddenly became distant, as if he was remembering a distant past.


    "At first, there were only those infected by the Spell. Some of them became Sleepers, and some became Dormant abominations. Then, after the first solstice, there were Awakened. However, there were also Nightmare Gates of the Second Category, and with them, more powerful creatures came into our world. Eventually, there were more Sleepers, more Awakened... there were also Masters. But with them came more Gates, and more Gates that were unlike anything we had ever seen."


    He paused.


    "Then there were Saints. And North America. And now, we have the Chain of Nightmares... one can''t help but wonder."


    Sunny did not like the sound of that.


    ''What is he trying to say?''


    "...Wonder about what?"


    The fragile old man let out a heavy sigh.


    "This is just a scientific inquiry, Master Sunless. Don''t take it close to heart. As scientists, our duty is to ask questions, and one of these questions is whether there is a correlation between the number and power of Awakened in our world and the number and power of the Nightmare Gates that manifest here. Awakened and Nightmares... which of these elements is the cause, and which is the effect?"


    Sunny thought for a bit, then simply shook his head.


    "Your argument has a big flaw, Professor. If there really was a correlation and we, Awakened, were somehow responsible for attracting bigger and better Nightmare Gates, then there would not have been a Category Five Gate in North America before a bunch of Supremes ran around the world. I think you are just giving in to the desire to see patterns in the chaos that all us, humans, share."


    There were three Sovereigns alive in the world right now, but there had not been any when that Gate swallowed an entire continent. In any case, Sunny was not going to mention the Supremes as anything but a theoretical possibility.


    Professor Obel nodded with appreciation.


    "Good thinking, young man! It is always good to have a healthy amount of skepticism. However... your point is only unassailable if we assume a crucial detail to be true."


    Sunny frowned.


    "Yes? What detail?"


    The old man looked at the scientist surrounding them and smiled with a bit of sadness.


    "That the impact of a powerful Awakened emerging only flows down the river of time as we, mortals, do. However... if it spreads like a ripple through time, just like the aftershock of a Gate manifesting itself into reality, then it doesn''t matter when their Ascension happens. The first Supreme might appear in a few years, but the consequences of their rise could have already burdened us years ago."


    His fatigued eyes suddenly shone with strange light.


    "As for the harrowing Gate that destroyed North America... who knows? Maybe it is just an echo of a god emerging from the human race in a distant, dire future..."


    ***


    Some time later, Sunny left his shadow in the laboratory to stand watch and went to check on his soldiers. As he walked through the underground complex, his expression was dark.


    What Professor Obel had told him... Sunny was not exactly buying it. At least not entirely. However, he felt that there were a few nuggets of truth in what the old man believed, even if the scientists might have come to the wrong conclusions based on those theories.


    The ripples of time, the disasters that came from the future and thus paved the path for their eventual inception, thus creating a weird self-contained paradox... Sunny was dubious about the validity, and even sanity, of these ideas.


    In his experience, the simplest answer was most often correct. Professor Obel seemed to have lost sight of that fact.


    There was one theory, however, that made him restless.


    ''Can the Ascension of many Awakened really cause the growing number and intensity of the Nightmare Gates?''


    He did not really see how that could be the case. After all, one had to go through a Nightmare first to become Awakened, not the other way around. However, however......


    If he assumed that there really was a correlation...... one thing would make more sense.


    Walking through the dark corridors. Sunny scowled.


    ''...Can this be the reason why the Sovereigns are suppressing the emergence of new Saints? No, more than that. Can this be the reason why none of them challenged the Fifth Nightmare yet?''


    In the past. he had thought that all of this hidden oppression was just the result of the ambition and lust for power consuming Asterion, Anvil of Valor, and Ki Song.


    But was that the only reason?


    Sunny let out a frustrated sigh.


    He simply did not know......

 Chapter 881 881: Change Of Plans

    Outside, the blizzard was still rampaging across the world, drowning reality in a murky white haze. It was hard for a Master like Sunny to get cold, but even still, he shivered and hurried to get back inside. Entering the building that housed the sleeping pods of the cohort members, he nodded at Verne, who was already waiting there with a somber face.


    By now, around eight hours had passed since their arrival. The people Sunny had sent into the Dream Realm would be returning any minute now.


    The steady Master looked at him and asked:


    "How did your meeting with the Professor go?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "We had an... interesting talk. He is an outstanding person."


    It was strange, really. Professor Obel was a mundane human, but he had probably saved more lives than any Awakened Sunny knew of. Without the predictive system the old man had developed, countless people would have been swallowed by the emerging Gates over the decades. Sunny knew how dangerous a sudden manifestation of a Gate in a populous area could be. He had faced one himself, after all.


    Verne silently nodded.


    "That he is. I hope you understand now why it is so important to deliver him and his scientist to safety, Master Sunless. Their work must continue."


    Sunny wanted to answer, but at that moment, the sleeping pods came to life, announcing that the people occupying them were waking up.


    Samara, Kim, and Luster returned almost at the same time. They climbed out of the pods and put on their clothes with dark expressions on their faces.


    ''I guess the news is not too good..."


    At that moment, Luster blurted:


    "Captain, sir! Bad... it''s really bad!"


    Sunny looked at him darkly.


    "...I gathered as much. Speak."


    The three Awakened looked at each other. Eventually, it was Kim who addressed the Masters:


    "The situation is still unclear, but there was some sort of earthquake, followed by the manifestation of multiple Category Three Gates. There were also several titans that emerged. The three Saints fought one of them above the strait between West Antarctica and the Center... and then, communications across all the Southern Quadrant went down. By the time we left the Citadel, people were still trying to understand what happened."


    Sunny''s face darkened. All of that sounded very troublesome. It seemed that the Chain of Nightmares had reached a qualitative change, plunging Antarctica in chaos.


    "What about our orders? Have you heard from Colonel Jet?"


    Samara spoke in a subdued tone:


    "She did pass on instructions, sir."


    ''Well, at least something went well."


    Judging by the heavy gazes of his subordinates, however, he would not like what they were about to say.


    Master Verne frowned as he looked at the beautiful sharpshooter.


    "Well? What does Army Command want us to do?"


    Samara sighed.


    "The region between this installation and the nearest siege capital is judged to be too dangerous to traverse. All the Antarctic Center is affected, but its southern edge was seemingly hit the worst. So... we can''t go back. The previous evacuation plan was scrapped."


    Verne did not say anything, but his jaw muscles tightened. It looked as if he was on the verge of uttering a curse, which said a lot about how dissatisfied the man was with the news.


    From what Sunny had observed, Verne was a very uptight and proper person.


    ...He himself was far from feeling elated, as well. Being stuck in a remote facility with no route of escape was not as bad as it could get, but very close to it.


    Sunny cursed for the both of them.


    "So, what? Are we supposed to just stay here and wait for death?"


    Samara shook her head.


    "We received new orders, sir. Although evacuation by land seems to be impossible at the moment, the naval convoy that delivered us to Antarctica is already on the way back to pick up the second batch of refugees. One of the vessels, battleship Ariadne, is going to be rerouted to the southern edge of the Antarctic Center. If all goes well, it will reach us in two to three weeks. We are ordered to fortify LO49''s defenses and await its arrival."


    Verne let out a relieved sigh.


    "I see. Three weeks... that should be doable."


    Sunny, however, was not too enthused. The thought of going back aboard a ship did not sound very alluring... on the other hand, traversing hundreds of kilometers of rugged terrain with two thousand local soldiers and civilians, as well as no reconnaissance data from Army Command and an unknown number of titans walking around, seemed like an even worse idea.


    He shrugged with a grimace.


    "I see. Well... I guess we got ourselves a small vacation."


    ***


    Considering that the cohort was going to spend at least two weeks at the research facility. Sunny told his soldiers to make themselves at home. The Rhino was brought within the walls of the fortress, and they chose to use it as their living quarters instead of settling in one of the buildings.


    The new environment. really, was a welcomed change. The cohort was exhausted after a month of constant fighting, and this forced break, although unexpected, could potentially give them ample time to rest and recuperate.


    If something did not go really, really wrong, of course.


    LO49 was a large facility. and offered the members of the cohort a lot of opportunities to entertain themselves and pass time. They could eat in the mess hall, relax in one of the recreational lounges, or even visit a small library. The most refreshing change, however, was simply being among new people. Conversing with the civilian staff of the installation reminded them of the calm times before the Chain of Nightmares.


    There were just two places that Sunny forbade his soldiers from approaching a?? the old observatory and the outer wall that oversaw the ocean. Even though the observatory had its telescope dismantled, he still didn''t like it. The ocean, meanwhile... Sunny was just prejudiced against dark water, for a good reason.


    A few days passed in relative peace. and then a week. The news coming from the north were still strangely vague and fragmented.


    Then. however, that peace was spoiled by a sudden and dangerous development.

 Chapter 882 882: Condition Yellow

    Sunny was staring at the black waves that came and went, licking the stone shore not too far away from the tall wall of the fortress. Even though he had told his soldiers to stay away from the ocean, Sunny came here once or twice every day, perhaps hoping to see the fearsome silhouette of the giant battleship emerging from the darkness.


    That was silly, of course, since the arrival of their ride away from LO49 was days, or even weeks away. Still, he found himself in a contemplative mood whenever he observed the waves.


    He was also reasonably sure in his ability to get away should anything other than Ariadne appear from the ocean...


    The blizzard finally subsided a few hours ago, so today, Sunny saw much further than before. Not that there was anything to see.


    Shivering in the cold, he sighed and turned around to go find warmth inside one of the station''s buildings.


    It was at that moment that Sunny froze and tilted his head, as if listening to something. His eyes narrowed.


    "...Crap."


    The maddening whispers assaulting his mind had just grown much louder.


    Jumping off the wall, Sunny walked quickly and soon reached the security center of the facility. There, several Awakened were monitoring the sensor feeds. Verne was standing in front of a wall of screens with a dark expression on his face.


    Hearing Sunny''s steps, he turned his head.


    "You felt it too?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "Yeah. It''s strong."


    Verne closed his eyes for a few moments.


    "This complicates things."


    That was an understatement. What they sensed was the Call, which had suddenly grown much stronger. That meant two things, none of them promising anything good to the people isolated inside LO49.


    The first thing was rather obvious... somewhere out there, very close to the facility, one or more Nightmare Gates had just opened. Considering how loud the Call was, Sunny was willing to bet that there were two of them, at least.


    The second thing was not immediately dangerous, but vastly more insidious.


    Verne gritted his teeth, then sighed and pressed a few buttons on the console in front of him. Then, he spoke, his voice being carried all across the fortress by the integrated speakers:


    "Attention all Awakened personnel. This is Master Verne speaking... effective immediately, the interference status of the LO49 facility should be considered to be changed from green to yellow. I repeat..."


    Sunny''s face was bleak. With the strength of the Call growing so much, the stability of the Gateway anchors of the Awakened inside the fortress was bound to become weaker. It was not at the stage where falling asleep would definitely lead to being thrown into an unknown region of the Dream Realm, yet... but close to it.


    What it really meant was that, from now on, falling asleep within the walls of LO49 was a gamble for all Awakened defending it. The probability of becoming pulled away by the Seed of Nightmare was not high, but it was also not zero.


    ''"Damnation.a??


    Worse still, there were the Gates themselves to deal with. Considering that they had to have opened close enough to strengthen the Call, the Nightmare Creates brought by them would undoubtedly come to visit, attracted by the smell of human souls.


    Finishing his announcement, Verne looked at Sunny with weary eyes. Sunny nodded.


    "I''m on it."


    Four shadows burst from his figure, swiftly gliding across the floor and leaving the security center a second later. They flew across the facility, climbed its walls, and plunged into the cold dark night beyond.


    Verne, meanwhile, started giving orders to his subordinates. Soon, junior officers of the security force, which numbered close to a battalion, were summoned from all over LO49.


    Considering their expertise and rank, the Devils were naturally included in this list.


    By the time everyone arrived, Sunny''s shadows were already scouring the vicinity of the fortress, searching for the manifested Gates. Verne briefed his people on what had happened.


    Ass he spoke, the faces of the soldiers changed slightly, knowing that they were going into battle soon.


    Only the Irregulars remained nonchalant.


    Finally, Sunny sighed.


    "Found it."


    The coastal plain did not have a lot of geographic features, so it was easy to discover the menacing rift that tore apart reality. He was slightly surprised that there was only one Gate, but then again, it seemed to be a potent one.


    As everyone stared at him, Sunny winced slightly.


    "...There is a single Gate, about three kilometers away from the northern wall. It seemed to be Category Three."


    The mundane soldiers among them paled, and even Awakened seemed disturbed. He did not pay them attention.


    "The Nightmare Creatures are... wait, what the hell?"


    He frowned. Usually, a Gate disgorged Nightmare Creatures of similar origin, at least during the first wave. These ones, however, were all over the place. Some were comically small, while some were large. Some were bestial, while some were bipedal. It was a whole menagerie of monsters.


    "The Nightmare Creatures all look different from each other."


    A fi??rce scowl appeared on Verne''s face.


    "The Scavengers...... we fought their kind before. They start weak, but quickly grow stronger by devouring corpses. They inherit qualities of the things that they eat, too. Younger abominations are easy to deal with, but the older ones... the older ones are truly vile."


    Sunny pond??red for a bit.


    "I see. Well, we seem to be in luck. There are about three hundred them, and I only see two Corrupted. The Gate Guardian... is a Demon."


    The soldiers shuddered and stared at him with a bit of resentment. If that was what the captain of the Irregular considered luck, then what the hell could be called misfortune?!!


    Three hundred powerful Nightmare Creatures led by two Corrupted, against a hundred Awakened, two Masters, and a thousand mundane servicemen of the local garrison... the situation did not look too good.


    Sunny lingered for a few moments. and then smiled.


    "Ah, and the last piece of news. The bastards have caught our scent. So...... they are already heading here..."

 Chapter 883 Sortie

    There was not much time to prepare and make plans, since the abominations were going to reach LO49 in mere minutes. The Shrill alarms blasted throughout the facility, and poweriul spotlights ignited on its walls, flooding the snow-covered plain with light. Civilians rushed to shelters, while soldiers ran to man the defensive fortifications.


    Sunny and his cohort followed, summoning their Memories as they calmly prepared for battle. As they walked through bitter cold, he spoke:


    "After we deal with the Nightmare Creatures, everyone is to remain awake until we board the ship. You know the drill. We won''t be sleeping for a week, at least. Maybe two. Get the stimulants from Quentin and keep each other in check."


    The Devils grumbled. They had already completed a few long missions in areas where sleep was deadly. A week was unpleasant, but doable... two weeks, however, was going to be a hellish challenge.


    ''I just hope that Ariadne arrives on time.''


    It was not like they had any acceptable choice other than sit and wait...


    At that moment, someone called out to Sunny.


    "Hey, you... uh, Master Sunless, or whatever... what is going on?"


    He looked to the side and saw Beth a?? Professor Obel''s assistant a?? shivering in the cold in her civilian clothes and flimsy lab coat. The young woman''s hair was gathered in a bun, like always, but a few stubborn locks had wrestled free and were now dancing in the wind.


    Her pale face wore an irritated scowl, but he could see fear and alarm hiding behind that temperamental mask.


    In the past week, Sunny had spent most of his time with or near the scientists. When he was away, one of his shadows usually kept watch. He had spoken with the old man a lot, learning all kinds of things about the tumultuous times of the First Generation, the world before that, and the scientific understanding a?? or rather, the lack of it a?? of the Nightmare Spell.


    So, he had come to know Beth rather well, too. That was why he knew for a fact that she was pretending to barely remember his name on purpose.


    ''Gods. She is even more petty than I am!a??


    As the bleak steel of the Undying Chain appeared from nothingness and embraced his body, Sunny looked at the young woman and smiled.


    "What do you think is going on? There''s a big Gate and a lot of nasty Nightmare Creatures coming this way. We''ll go deal with them real quick. You head back, gather the scientist, and lock yourselves in the safe room. Alright?"


    She lingered for a moment, then nodded.


    "Yeah... alright."


    With that, Beth turned around and ran back into the door of the research center. Sunny shook his head and continued forward. Soon, they reached the top of the northern wall and observed the vast expanse of the coastal plain.


    None of the abominations had reached the facility yet, but it was just a matter of time. As turret towers whined, ramping up their engines, Samara placed her rifle on the lip of the wall and looked through its scope.


    Verne, who was now clad in polished plate armor, holding a shield and a short sword in his hands, looked at Sunny.


    "What do you think?"


    Sunny remained silent for a moment. His shadows were still following the swarm of Nightmare Creatures, so he was studying them.


    He had been honest a?? of course a?? when he said that they were lucky. As far as Category Three Gates went, this one was surprisingly weak. He was even confused by the fact that it affected the strength of the Call so much. The power of the wave of abominations brought by it was incomparable to the Stone Hive, for example. Back then, the Irregulars had to face a whole score of Corrupted creatures.


    This time, there were only two, and the strongest of them was merely a Demon. Of course, the word "merely" could hardly be applied to a Corrupted Demon, but still...


    Finally, Sunny spoke:


    "It is not a big deal. I will deal with the Gate Guardian, and you deal with the other Corrupted. Awakened Kim will support you. Can you handle it?"


    Asking an average Awakened to fight a Fallen abomination was not an easy request. However, asking an average Master to face a Corrupted one was less so, because all Masters were elites by definition. There was a fundamental distinction between Awakened and Ascended, since most of the former had no choice in what they had become, but the latter could only be what they were by choice.


    So, Sunny was reasonably sure that Verne would survive a battle against a Corrupted scavenger.


    The local Master hesitated for a moment, then nodded.


    "I''ll handle it."


    Sunny grinned.


    "That''s the spirit."


    With that. he stepped forward and leaped off the wall into the cold darkness below. The soldiers of the garrison seemed startled by his sudden jump, but the Devils remained nonchalant. They were long accustomed to their captain''s bizarre actions.


    Landing on the snow, Sunny considered the situation for a moment. He was thinking whether he should summon Saint...... eventually, he decided against it, for now. Her help would only be needed if the enemy turned out to be more dangerous than he had judged.


    Sunny did. however, summon the Sin of Solace.


    As his hand took hold of the onyx hilt of the beautiful longsword, ghostly whispers assaulted his mind. It was already strained by the insidious and exhausting pull of the Call, so the additional burden seemed even heavier. Sunny winced and shook his head, chasing them away.


    ''So annoying......''


    The Sin of Solace scratched at his sanity, its murmurs slowly growing clearer, louder, more insistent...


    At that moment. Samara''s rifle discharged, and the sound of a magical slug breaking the sound barrier boomed from somewhere above. A moment later, the turrets came to life, sending a hail of tungsten rounds into the swarm of approaching abominations.


    Grinning. Sunny sent essence flowing into his muscles and chased after the bullets.

 Chapter 884 Sinister Blade

    Four shadows flew across the snow, following the swarm of Nightmare Creatures. As a shining slug flashed through the darkness, gruesomely tearing apart one of the monsters, they surged forward and fused with a lonely figure that was running to meet the charging abominations.


    In the next moment, several streams of tracer rounds swept across the first row of the swarm, sending pieces of bone armor and chunks of flesh flying into the cold air.


    Sunny wrapped one of his shadows around his body, one around his armor, and one around his blade. The last slid past and flew back to the tall wall of the LO49 installation. Its task was to find Professor Obel and stand watch, should something unexpected happen in the civilian shelter.


    ...Sadly, the turrets had not been as effective as Sunny had hoped. Several abominations were slowed down or wounded, but most of the bullets bounced off their tough hides ineffectively. The defense systems of the fortress continued to rain hellfire on the Nightmare Creatures, though, tearing the silent night apart with bright muzzle flashes and the thundering staccato of the fusillade. Long plumes of fire bloomed from the thick barrels of the turrets like the breath of a dragon.


    ''I need to be careful not to be shot in the back...''


    Lunging forward, Sunny clashed with the vanguard of the approaching swarm. He did not really have time to engage with the mass of grotesque Scavengers, especially because each of them possessed unique shape and abilities. Even with Sunny''s power, there was a risk of drowning in the tide of abominations simply for the lack of understanding of them.


    Still... he could slow them down a little bit, at least.


    The jade blade of the Sin of Solace drew a line across an Awakened Monster''s body, seamlessly parting it in two. Sunny was still amazed by the power of the beautiful, cursed sword. It felt so light in his hands that it almost seemed as though they were empty, and cut through the bodies of his enemies so easily as if not meeting any resistance at all.


    It felt like he was cutting water with a blade made of air.


    Despite its length, the jade jian was incredibly nimble and swift. It almost demanded to be used, to dance gracefully through the air while shedding rivers of blood. For that reason, Sunny had to adjust his technique a little.


    The Sin of Solace was comparable to the odachi he had grown accustomed to in terms of sheer size, but it was much lighter. It had a double-edged blade, too, and a sharp point that was perfectly suited for lethal thrusts. Although the foundational mechanics of using the two-handed jian were the same, it was better suited for a more agile, swift, unpredictable, and devious swordplay.


    Luckily, Sunny was proficient in using all kinds of weapons and battle styles, weaving them together to achieve the optimal outcome.


    ...Not that he needed a lot of technical skill to slaughter these pathetic abominations. For these waifs, pure speed was enough.


    Severing the first creature in half, he shifted his weight slightly, made a step to the side, and easily beheaded another. This one was a Fallen, so its flesh presented more resistance to the jade blade of the Sin of Solace... however, it was still eerily easy to cut it down.


    Black blood rained on the white snow.


    By the time Sunny finished off the two stragglers that had broken away from the swarm, the mass of abominations already reached him. Instead of clashing with countless Nightmare Creatures, he simply dissolved into shadows and appeared two dozen meters away, in the midst of them. The Sin of Solace whistled through the air, reaping another life.


    Then, he was gone again.


    Just like that, jumping from one abomination to another, Sunny soon reached the heart of the Scavenger mob, where the Gate Guardian towered above the lesser creatures.


    The Corrupted Demon... was different from the rest of them. It was taller, stronger, and seemed much more ancient. Most importantly, it filled Sunny with a cold feeling of dread. His intuition was ringing alarm, screaming at him that this foe was strong, dangerous, perilous... deadly.


    The creature resembled a giant with a body that was covered by pale, strangely organic, bone-like armor. It was littered with deep scars and signs of corrosion, but seemed almost impossible to break. On the Demon''s face... or rather, instead of its face... a single bone protrusion extended forward like a vicious horn.


    Sunny hesitated for a split second.


    ''... You''re an ugly one, huh?''


    Then, there was no time to think. The Demon noticed him almost before Sunny had appeared from the shadows, and brought his devastating fists down, aiming to crush the enemy into a puddle of blood. Sunny silently cursed and jumped back. The Gate Guardian struck nothing but the cold ground. splitting it open and causing a small earthquake with this single blow.


    A powerful shockwave spread from the point of impact. throwing several Nightmare Creatures down. If a mundane human had happened to be nearby, just this shockwave alone would have been enough to rupture their organs, killing them on the spot.


    Sunny. fortunately, was not mundane. His armor and Ascended body absorbed the shock, and all he felt was a little rattle. The localized earthquake, nevertheless, was violent enough throw him to the ground.


    ''Ah, not good...''


    Usually, in a battle against something so powerful, losing his footing would have meant death. A Corrupted Demon was fast enough to unleash a finishing blow long before the enemy managed to get back up and regain their mobility..... in this case, however, no attack followed.


    The shadows in the place where the creature''s fists landed suddenly surged forward and wrapped themselves around its wrists like black shackles. The Gate Guardian tried to straighten and unleash another blow, but was pulled back down by the shadow bindings.


    It let out a rambling growl that rolled across the battlefield like an ill omen, and strained its mighty muscles. A moment later, the dark shackles exploded into a myriad of shards, and it was free again.


    That moment was all Sunny had needed, though.

 Chapter 885 Myriad Eater

    Using the short window of opportunity, Sunny jumped back to his feet, dashed forward, and thrust his jade sword into a small crack between two plates of armor that covered the giant''s knee joint. The thin blade of the Sin of Solace easily slid into it and bit into the Demon''s flesh, drawing a few drops of putrid black blood.


    That was all he had time to do before leaping back.


    The shallow wound Sunny had delivered was by no means mortal, or even seriously debilitating.


    But it didn''t need to be.


    The plague of the [Sinister Whisper] had already been passed to the Gate Guardian by the swift jade blade.


    ''Let''s see how strong your mind is, bastard.''


    Even diminished by the potent mental barrier of the Undying Chain, the eerie whispers of the Sin of Solace were constantly assaulting his own sanity. Of course, it was strange to think of any Nightmare Creature as sane... they were all mad to begin with, after all.


    But Sunny had high hopes. A demon was a demon - no matter how wicked, it was still a sentient being. That sentience, which made these creatures so dangerous, could also be destroyed.


    The Gate Guardian finally unleashed another attack, this one so fast that Sunny barely had time to react. With no other choice, he gritted his teeth and blocked it with the blade of the


    Sin of Solace. Another shockwave exploded outward, and he was thrown back like a cannonball.


    ''Crap...''


    Sunny flew back, smashing into several Nightmare Creatures on his way. Several devastating impacts rattled his entire body, and bits of broken flesh flew into the air. Landing dozens of meters away from the Gate Guardian, he collided against the ground, bounced, and then rolled for a bit, leaving a deep groove in the snow.


    Throughout all of it, there was a vicious smile on his lips, however. That was because he had managed to deliver a cut to the wrist of the Demon just before his block crumbled.


    The giant was already near, so Sunny rose without wasting any time and dashed forward to meet him.


    For a short stretch of time which, nevertheless, felt like an eternity, he danced around the Corrupted abomination. Diving through the shadows and using Shadow Manifestation, Sunny was able to just barely stay ahead of the terrifying creature by a split second. Several more shallow wounds appeared on the giant''s body, drops of blood rolling down its bone armor.


    At first, the Demon did not seem to be affected at all. Then, however...


    First, his movements slowed down a little, becoming slightly erratic.


    Then, his body grew tense.


    The creature twitched and suddenly struck itself in the head, as if trying to shake off a dizzy spell.


    The more wounds accumulated on the giant''s body, the louder the whispers of the sinister blade grew.


    Eventually, the Demon froze in an awkward pose, its arms hanging limp and its neck twisted at a strange angle. It remained motionless for few long, tense seconds.


    Then, a chilling roar escaped from its maw, making the world shake.


    ''What the...''


    As the Gate Guardians sanity... insanity... or whatever it was that guided its perverse sentience collapsed, an endless sea of bloodlust and frenzy seemed to overwhelm the abomination. Letting out a bestial growl, it moved again and lunged at Sunny like a mountain of muscle, bone, and murderous rage.


    Sunny stared at that frightening sight for a short moment, then calmly stepped through shadows and appeared twenty or so meters behind the crazed horror.


    His disappearance did not seem to affect the Demon much. Maybe the broken abomination did not even notice it, consumed by rabid


    long arms forward, grabbed the nearest Nightmare Creature, and brutally ripped it apart.


    Then, not satisfied by the ghastly sight of the ruptured corpse, it howled and dove into the surrounding swarm, crushing and tearing bodies to shreds. Just in a few seconds, the crazed Demon killed more Nightmare Creatures than Sunny had on his way to meet it.


    ''D-damn...''


    Looking at the rampaging Gate Guardian, Sunny couldn''t help but shudder. Sin of Solace was truly a frightening weapon.


    ...Did it only seem so, or had the whispers of the jade blade grew a little clearer?


    He really felt like he could learn to understand them. If he just listened a little bit closer... a little bit longer... yes, surely, he would...


    ***


    The rest of the battle did not take long. Verne''s Awakened and the Devils fought the swarm of Scavengers at the front, while the frenzied Demon decimated its center. Many Nightmare Creatures tried to attack the Gate Guardian to save their lives, but all of them failed.


    Sunny did not, however.


    Felling a mindless enemy was infinitely easier than a cunning one, and the maddened giant seemed to have lost all its ability to think straight. Being consumed by the curse of the [Sinister Whisper], it had turned into a rabid beast. Sunny used that to his advantage, pulling the attention of the Corrupted Demon toward other abominations while he methodically worked on dismantling its armor.


    The trick was to remain out of sight and only attack the giant from the back. Of course, navigating through the swarm of abominations without being cornered was not an easy task, but the havoc consuming the battlefield was so thorough that Sunny had even less trouble with that task than usual.


    Eventually, he bled the Gate Guardian, diminished its power with dozens of cuts, and finally pierced its black, wildly contorting heart.


    A few moments later, the voice of the Spell reached his ears through the clamor of battle:


    [You have slain a Corrupted Demon. Myriad Eater.]


    [..Your shadow grows stronger.]


    The giant''s corpse crashed to the ground. making it tremble.


    Sunny stared at it for a moment, surprised.


    A Corrupted Demon...... suddenly, he remembered his first moments on the Forgotten Shore, and the monstrous shark that had almost scared him to death. It was a Corrupted creature, too. Either a Demon or a Devil, considering the two soul shards that the Carapace Centurions later harvested from the half of the carcass that a much more harrowing being had left behind.


    Who could have thought that, one day, he would be killing abominations comparable to that fearsome monstrosity?


    Shaking his head. Sunny brandished the Sin of Solace and looked around.


    It was time to clean up the rest of the mess.......

 Chapter 886 Clean Up

    Although Awakened were still fighting the remnants of the Scavenger swarm, the battle was more or less over.


    The Gate Guardian was dead, and Verne had handled the other Corrupted abomination with Kim''s support. Belle, Dorn, and Samara had hunted down the most dangerous Fallen while the local garrison eradicated the rest. By now, only the weakest Nightmare Creatures remained.


    They were still deadly, of course, but the Scavengers did not seem too dangerous unless they were old and had devoured a lot of powerful enemies. The lesser ones even succumbed to their bestial instincts and got distracted from the fight, forgetting everything to sink teeth into the flesh of the slain members of their own kind.


    For them, any world was a dog eat dog world.


    Sunny prowled the battlefield for a while, searching for Fallen abominations in hopes of earning a shadow fragment or two. Sadly, it seemed that there were none left. The rest of the defenders of LO49 were quite thorough. Eventually, he gave up and joined the soldiers of the garrison in cleaning up the remaining enemies.


    What followed was a swift, but tedious chore. They quickly swept the field where the ground was drenched by blood and littered with the revolting corpses, slaughtering the last of the Scavengers.


    At some point, Sunny found himself back near the corpse of the Corrupted Demon he had defeated. Since there was nothing much left for him to do, he decided to dig out the soul shards from the massive carcass. With these, both Luster and Kim would probably be able to fully saturate their cores, thus bringing the cohort to its optimal strength.


    The other members had long achieved full saturation, leaving only these two. Still, even they were awfully close.


    Heading for the dead giant with greed shining in his eyes, Sunny accidentally heard the subdued voices of the Awakened from the local garrison.


    "Gods... look at that monstrosity."


    "Damn. I heard rumors, of course, but to see it with my own eyes. He really went a Corrupted Demon it alone."


    "Yeah, it was scary. I couldn''t see much, but their battle must have been a fierce one. One third of the whole swarm was destroyed simply because the bastards got caught in the crossfire, can you believe that?"


    "...I guess they call him Devil for a reason."


    Hiding a small smile, Sunny stepped close to the carcass of the Myriad Eater and raised the Sin of Solace, planning to cut through the tough bone plate on its chest. Then, however, he tilted his head a little.


    There were strange sounds coming from the other side of the dead giant.


    "Nyam-nyam... crunch... nom-nom... slurp..."


    Frowning, he noiselessly jumped on top of the massive corpse and looked down.


    There, a tiny Scavenger was greedily biting into the tough flesh of the dead demon. The pathetic creature looked like a gaunt, starved gremlin that was only as tall as Sunny''s knee. It


    had a mouth full of sharp triangular teeth, though, which were doing a surprisingly good job of tearing into the Corrupted corpse.


    ''Huh. I guess even Nightmare Creatures have runts.''


    As Sunny watched, the little imp tore a piece of bloody meat off with its teeth, raised its head, and swallowed the chunk of its former master''s flesh with an excited snarl.


    ...It was then that the vermin noticed the human looking at him from above.


    Perhaps because of the [Omen of Dread] enchantment of the Sin of Solace, or perhaps because the adolescent abomination had enough brain to feel terror in front of a superior predator, its eyes widened in fear.


    The tiny Scavenger froze for a moment...


    Then, it shrieked and dashed away from the carcass of the Myriad Eater, trying to run away.


    Sunny blinked.


    ''Well, that''s a first.''


    Since he didn''t want to waste essence on Shadow Manifestation, he simply summoned the Prowling Thorn. By the time the heavy kunai manifested itself into his hand, the vile critter was already far away.


    Not bothered too much, Sunny aimed and sent the kunai flying. The Scavenger was a split second away from dying, but at the last moment, it tripped and pathetically tumbled down. As a result, the blade of the kunai only sliced two fingers off its hand.


    Sunny scowled and pulled on the invisible string, summoning the Prowling Thorn back to throw it again. This time, he wasn''t going to miss...


    Suppressing the whispers of the Sin of Solace and the oppressive pull of the Call, he banished every other thought away and concentrated solely on the tiny figure of the fleeing imp.


    It was then that someone said, in a tone of cold disdain:


    "Fool."


    Sunny flinched and looked around.


    ''Huh? Who said that?''


    Although the familiar voice sounded as if it came from somewhere very close by, there was no one else around.


    Come to think of it... Sunny knew that voice very well. It was his own voice.


    Confused, he scratched the back of his head with the tip of the Prowling Thorn.


    ''Was that an intrusive thought?''


    Because of the sudden distraction, the wounded Scavenger was getting farther and farther away.


    ...More importantly, though, Sunny''s concentration was broken. All the information he had been ignoring to make a good throw flooded into his mind.


    His eyes widened.


    ''Professor!''


    Sunny flinched and turned around, staring in the direction of the research installation.


    There, deep below one of the science buildings, around a hundred civilians were locked in a heavily reinforced shelter, nervously waiting for the soldiers of the garrison to announce that it was safe to come out.


    Professor Obel and his assistant, Beth, were among them.


    There was also another person in the shelter... someone who had been quietly sitting in a dark corner.


    Dozing off......


    Until a few seconds ago.


    ''No, no, no......''


    Sunny jumped off the Demon''s corpse and dove into the shadows, stepping through them to appear in the shelter.


    However. he knew that he wouldn''t be able to appear there in time.


    A few moments was more than enough for the worst to happen.


    .......So, he made a swift decision.


    In the short moment that it took him to complete the shadow step. a sharp pain suddenly pierced his very being.

 Chapter 887 Lapse Of Judgment

    It only took Sunny a split second to understand what had happened. One of the scientists locked in the shelter had fallen asleep... in their sleep, that person had been pulled into the First Nightmare.


    And died.


    Perhaps the trial of the Spell was especially harsh, or perhaps the scientist was especially weak. Perhaps luck was simply not on their side. In the end, it did not matter.


    What mattered was that the Seed of Nightmare in their soul bloomed, and a deadly abomination was unleashed into the waking world.


    Crimson blood on the white lab coat. A grotesque figure that resembled a ghastly amalgamation of a human and a monstrous mannequin made of flesh. Screams of fear, eyes full of shock. Even though the Nightmare Creature had just been born, it already unleashed its murderous madness on the defenseless civilians in the shelter.


    Everyone was late to react - the automated defense systems, the sentries posted in the bunker... even Sunny himself.


    Although he was already diving into the shadows, he knew that the short moment it would take him to travel the vast distance between the bloodsoaked battlefield and the shelter could mean the difference between life and death for Professor Obel.


    Summoning Saint was a fast affair, but it, too, took a second or two to complete.


    So, he went for a measure that would be immediate... using Shadow Manifestation, he commanded the shadow that had been observing the old scientist to assume a tangible form and resist the frenzied Nightmare Creature.


    Almost instantly, a sharp pain pierced his very being. The shadow sustained damage, which meant that his soul did, too.


    ... No matter how many times Sunny had endured soul attacks, the sheer agony of them was still a shock.


    A single heartbeat later, he rolled out of the shadows nestling in the corners of the underground shelter and looked around, trying to evaluate the situation through the pain.


    It had been only several seconds since the unfortunate scientist turned into a grotesque abomination. Still, several people that had been close to the transformed monstrosity were already dead. Their severed limbs littered the floor, which was slick with blood.


    The creature itself was lunging at a group of terrified civilians, among whom were the dazed Professor and Beth. The young woman was trying to shield the old man with her body, which was useless, considering that the creature would not be slowed down at all by her fragile mundane flesh. Screams of horror filled the air...


    However, the abomination seemed to be stuck in place.


    That was because an arrogant shadow was standing between the monstrosity and the scientist, pushing it back with a hand. Its other hand was wrapped around a bone scythe that had pierced the shadow''s side, preventing it from cutting deeper.


    Unlike Sunny himself, the shadow did not show any sign of being in pain... well, of course! The haughty bastard was utterly above breaking decorum because of a small and inconsequential thing like being skewered by a Nightmare Creature''s blade. More than that, it would never stoop so low as to show weakness or discomfort in front of its lessers.


    ...Which was everyone. Everyone in two worlds was, naturally, its lesser.


    ''That guy...''


    Right then, the haughty shadow raised one leg and kicked the abomination in the abdomen, sending it stumbling back. Then, it disappeared, turning back into a black silhouette on the floor. Its job was already done.


    Jumping over a body of one of the killed scientist, Sunny flashed through the underground shelter and attacked the Nightmare Creature before it could regain its balance. The Sin of Solace passed through the abomination without meeting almost any resistance, and then, the grisly mutant silently fell to the ground.


    It was only then that the sentries managed to raise their rifles, and the turrets mounted on the ceiling came to life, swinging in the direction of the dismantled abomination.


    Sunny had been faster than all of them.


    [You have slain an Awakened monster, Bone Slayer.]


    But still... still...


    Standing above the dead creature, Sunny scowled, a dark expression appearing on his face.


    He had missed it. He had been distracted, and lost awareness of what was happening around him.


    That was not like Sunny.


    ''How did this happen?''


    He had been keeping an eye on the Professor even while fighting the Myriad Eater, but then, at some point... his attention was drawn elsewhere.


    Was it because of the Call? Was it because of the Sin of Solace? Or simply because of the accumulated exhaustion of having to fight intense battles one after another? A combination of all these reasons?


    In any case, Sunny was not happy with himself. The pain lingering in his wounded soul served as a reminder of his failure. He had killed a Corrupted Demon and won the battle, but


    almost failed his mission. Countless people had almost died.


    With a grim sigh, Sunny dismissed the jade sword and the helmet of the Undying Chain, revealing his pale face and hair, which was damp with sweat. Then, he looked around one more time, counting the dead and observing the fearful expressions of those who survived.


    ''Six victims, in just a few seconds. It could have been much, much worse.''


    Despite this conclusion, he couldn''t help but be appalled by the gruesome sight of the severed corpses laying on the floor. It was rotten luck, for an Awakened Monster to appear as a result of a failed First Nightmare.


    "M-master Sunless! You''re here!"


    One of the soldiers called out to him, still aiming at the unmoving abomination.


    Sunny exhaled slowly, then looked at Professor Obel, making sure that he was okay. Beth was still shielding him, slow to realize that the threat had been dealt with.


    "... Yeah. You can lower your rifles. It''s dead."


    He lingered for a moment. and then addressed the terrified crowd of civilians:


    "Someone failed their First Nightmare, so...... but it is over now. The battle upstairs is over, too. We won. You should all be safe now."


    ''..For now.''


    Of course, he did not say that last part aloud. Instead, Sunny stared at the bodies once again and gritted his teeth. This was the first time when a victory felt so bitter. In fact, despite having killed one of his most powerful foes yet, Sunny did not feel like he had won anything at all.


    Things were getting worse and worse with each day.


    A week... two weeks...


    How many more people would die before the Ariadne arrived to take them all away??


    Standing in a puddle of blood with hundreds of frightened civilians looking at him with gratitude and relief. Sunny had no answer.


    Occasionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 888 Vanishing

    After cleaning up the unexpected Gate, things settled down within the walls of LO49. For the next few days, Sunny and his soldiers did not have a lot to do they just had to rest, remain vigilant... and above all else, stay awake.


    That task turned out surprisingly hard for Sunny. As an Ascended, he should have had no problem with keeping himself from falling asleep for a couple of weeks. However, because of the damage his souls had sustained, he felt weak and strangely lethargic.


    Minutes and hours passed with an excruciating slowness, but his mental exhaustion did not seem to diminish with the passage of time. Instead, it only grew, aggravated by the insidious pressure of the Call.


    Of course, soul wounds were not permanent. They healed naturally over time, and that one in particular was not even the worst one Sunny had ever received. The haughty shadow, too, was on its way to full recovery. The other shadows fussed around it a lot, but the arrogant guy pretended to not care.


    Secretly, though, he seemed to be enjoying all the attention.


    ''Don''t sleep, don''t sleep, don''t sleep...''


    On top of the wall overseeing the dark ocean, Sunny pressed his forehead against the lip of the wall, and then lightly struck his head against it several times.


    ''Ah, how annoying.''


    There was nothing useful for him to do in the research facility, which only aggravated the dangerous feeling of boredom. They were disconnected from the network, which meant that he could not access any entertainment or receive messages from Rain. They could not travel to the Dream Realm, making the tiresome isolation complete.


    Of course, he could immerse himself in all kinds of interesting endeavors. Sunny could continue his experiments with weaving, or hold an engaging conversation with Professor Obel... he could go and check how much Luster and Kim had improved after saturating their cores...


    But all of that demanded mental strain, which would only make him more tired.


    That damned ship couldn''t arrive any sooner...


    As he was resentfully contemplating the situation, a lone figure ascended the wall and approached him. It was Beth, who seemed to be searching for Sunny, for some reason. She was a long parka on top of the usual lab coat.


    He looked at her bleakly, and asked:


    "What?"


    She glowered.


    "What do you mean, "what"? Can''t I look at the ocean, too?"


    Sunny stared at her for a moment, then turned away.


    "Be my guest."


    The young woman remained silent for a while. After a minute or two passed in silence, she said awkwardly:


    "Anyway... about what happened that time... I guess you are not completely useless. For a Master."


    Sunny smiled with a corner of his mouth.


    "... Is this your way of saying thank you?"


    Beth looked down, but then answered with unexpected sincerity:


    "Yes. I mean... thank you. From me and all the other scientists. If it wasn''t for you... Professor might have..."


    He studied the black waves silently.


    "Don''t thank me. If I did my job well, that wouldn''t have happened, in the first place. I was negligent."


    The young woman suddenly scoffed, ruining the somber mood.


    "Gosh! How cool. You are very full of yourself, aren''t you, Master Sunless?"


    Sunny simply grinned.


    "Naturally. Who else am I going to be full of?"


    Beth sighed.


    "Still... you are a human, too. Awakened often seem to forget that fact, so don''t be too hard on yourself. Just keep the Professor alive. That is enough."


    He nodded.


    "...That''s the plan."


    With that, she lingered for a few moments, and then left him alone.


    Sunny stared into the distance, imagining the formidable silhouette of the battleship appearing on the horizon.


    ''When I get out of this place, I''m going to sleep for a week straight. Argh, no... don''t think about sleep... sleep... sleep...''


    He grimaced, then slapped himself and turned around. It was time to go and find himself a cup of strong, bitter coffee...


    The next morning, which was no different from the evening, a familiar figure approached the Rhino. Sunny, who was sitting on its roof and fiddling with a stimulator patch, looked down and raised his eyebrow.


    "Verne? Did something happen?"


    The tall Ascended looked up and remained silent for a few moments. There were dark circles under his calm, weary eyes.


    "...Yes. Something happened."


    Sunny frowned, suddenly feeling uneasy.


    "Well, what is it?"


    Verne sighed.


    "One of my soldiers is missing."


    ***


    The missing soldier had disappeared from the living quarters in the middle of the night. The man''s absence was noticed in the morning, when he failed to assume his post.


    He was one of the hundred Awakened of the local garrison, an experienced warrior who had been on track to becoming an officer. Tardiness was not in his nature.


    As Sunny and Verne walked toward the building where the soldier had resided, there was a tense atmosphere around them. Sunny was asking the obvious questions:


    "Have you searched the facility?"


    The other Master nodded.


    "Yes, every area that he could have access to. There is no sign of him anywhere."


    Sunny frowned. People did not just vanish into thin air... well, usually, they didn''t... especially with no one noticing.


    "What about security cameras? Did they record anything?"


    Verne gritted his teeth, then shook his head.


    "Most of the observation system went down during the blizzard. What little remains is almost useless because of the interference from the Scavenger Gate. There are no recordings that we can use."


    They arrived at the barracks and proceeded to the missing soldier''s personal room, in front of which a few Awakened were already crowding with worried expressions on their faces.


    Walking inside, Sunny felt his unease growing stronger.


    That was because there was... nothing.


    Nothing in the small room said that something had happened there. There were no signs of a struggle, no drops of blood, no unusual smells lingering in the air. Even with his special eyes and unnatural intuition, he could not notice anything out of the ordinary.


    Still, Sunny made a point of studying every small detail, both with his vision and Shadow Sense. He sent his shadows to sweep through the facility, too... with no result whatsoever.


    The soldier had, indeed, somehow vanished into thin air.


    After a while, Sunny looked at Verne and asked a somewhat awkward question:


    "Could he have...... deserted?"


    Verne stared at him blankly.


    "..Where would he go?"


    Sunny nodded. Even if someone had lost their mind and decided to run away from the remote station, there was nowhere for them to go.


    The other Master, meanwhile, gritted his teeth.


    "I hoped that you would be able to notice something that I missed. Have you found anything?"


    Sunny remained silent for a while. Eventually, he sighed tiredly and shook his head.


    "No.. Nothing....."


    Occasionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 889 Without A Trace

    The Awakened warrior was simply gone. The whole facility was swept, both by the soldiers of the garrison and Sunny''s shadows, but no trace of him were found. Verne even made the decision to unseal the dome of the old observatory. However, there was nothing but old equipment, darkness, and dust inside.


    Sunny then sent his shadows to scour the coastal plain outside the fortress, hoping to discover a clue. He did not.


    A sense of unease and foreboding spread through the isolated fortress.


    As people were crowding together to alleviate this tension, Sunny, Verne, and Professor Obel gathered in the security center to have an emergency discussion. However, none of them


    seemed too eager to speak first.


    They simply had nothing to say.


    Eventually, Sunny rubbed his face with a sigh.


    "Well, there are only three possibilities, right?"


    Verne looked at him darkly.


    "And they are?"


    Sunny hesitated for a moment.


    "First... he might have really deserted."


    The stern Master simply shook his head. There was no hostility or defensiveness in this gesture, since Verne was not the type of leader to be insecure about his people or himself. He did not have the kind of fragile pride that would make the statement sound offensive.


    "That is improbable. I know this Awakened very well. He was... is a stalwart man."


    Sunny moved on with a shrug.


    "Still, that would be the best outcome. The other two possibilities are much more troublesome."


    A tired frown appeared on his face.


    "The second possibility is that he was killed, for whatever reason, by another person stationed at LO49. The killer subsequently disposed of the body and removed the signs of the crime. Considering that it is not easy for a mundane human to kill an Awakened, the most likely suspect would be one of your people, Verne."


    Professor Obel let out a heavy sigh.


    "Surely, you don''t think that one of these brave soldiers..."


    Sunny looked at him with a somber expression.


    "I am just exploring what could have happened. However, don''t be mistaken. We Awakened are always only one step away from turning into monsters. With how much pressure Antarctica exerts on people... many will inevitably start to break. In any case, we should pay attention to those Awakened that have Aspects suitable for getting rid of incriminating evidence. Verne, you know your soldiers best, so this task will be on you."


    Verne pursed his lips, but then silently nodded.


    "What about the last possibility?"


    Sunny lingered for a few moments.


    "There might be a Nightmare Creature that has infiltrated the facility and is now hiding somewhere within these walls. Considering that we failed to find any traces at all... it has to be either very powerful, very elusive, or both. Since I am the best scout among us, investigating this possibility will be my task."


    Verne remained silent for a while, then said somberly:


    "That sounds like a plan. However, what happens if neither of us discovers anything?"


    Sunny looked at him. His eyes were full darkness.


    "Then we just need to wait for the Ariadne to arrive and hope that no one else disappears. According to the last communication we had with the outside, it will reach us in four days at the earliest, and in eleven at the latest. Surely, we can hold out for that long."


    As he spoke, the persistent noise of the Call kept scratching, pressing, seeping into his mind.


    Verne closed his eyes for a moment.


    "Then, that is what we will do."


    ***


    Verne started investigating his own soldiers, while Sunny climbed back on top of the Rhino and sent his shadows to explore LO49 for the third time that day. He had little hope of finding anything, but the thought of an elusive, uncanny horror hiding somewhere within the confines of the fortress, waiting to snatch its next victim, prevented him from remaining idle.


    At least he had something to do now.


    People locked inside the facility had already been tense and exhausted, but with a new, unknown threat looming somewhere just out of sight, their moods grew even more bleak and unstable. Most held up fine, for now, due to the hope of the Ariadne arriving soon.


    Sunny knew all about hope and how important it was in situations like these.


    While the search went on, new safety protocols went in effect. Mundane humans were prohibited from remaining alone, and a mutual responsibility system was established to keep


    anyone from succumbing to the First Nightmare unexpectedly. Living quarters were fitted with additional sensors and alarm locks, Awakened were supplied with powerful stimulants to remain awake, and so on.


    Many soldiers were pulled off the walls to reinforce internal patrols and make sure that the protocols were followed.


    There was no established tradition of dealing with a crisis like this, since the Chain of Nightmares had changed the rules of the game. Cut off from Army Command, Verne was forced to come up with enhanced measures on his own. Luckily, Professor Obel was able to help out. The old man still had memories of the cataclysmic descent of the Spell, and of how the First Generation had dealt with similar problems.


    Isolated from the outside world and surrounded by an unknown number of active Gates, LO49 was holding on as best as it could.


    But was it good enough? Sunny did not know.


    ''Damn it, damn it, damn it...''


    To his frustration, he failed to find any proof that an unknown Nightmare Creature was hiding somewhere in the settlement. His shadows had explored every corner of the fortress, both above and below the ground, as well as many kilometers of the snow-covered coastal plain beyond the walls. But all of it was to no avail.


    Either the abomination was too cunning, possessed truly frightening powers, or it simply did not exist.


    Verne failed to discover anything. as well.


    At some point. Sunny found himself studying the spot where his cohort and the garrison of LO49 had defeated the Scavengers. Two of his shadows were sniffing around the battlefield, one was studying the distant Gate, and one was keeping an eye on Professor Obel.


    ''...Maybe that soldier really just ran away. I looked everywhere. There''s just no sign, of anything.''


    He was almost ready to believe that theory.


    It was then that a tall figure approached the Rhino. Sunny shivered in the cold and walked to the edge of the APC''s roof. then looked down on Verne, experiencing a sense of d��j?  vu. His heart suddenly fell.


    "What happened?"


    Verne stared at him with a dim expression. A few long moments later. he opened his mouth and said in an even voice:


    "..Three more people have vanished."


    Occasionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 890 Mutual Responsibility

    Three more people gone, and zero new clues were found. This time, the vanished were not Awakened. One was a mundane soldier, one was a scientist, and one was a member of the civilian support staff. They did not have anything particular in common, no thread that connected them together or to the first victim. All three vanished from different locations, and had been last seen at different times.


    Sunny and Verne silently investigated their living quarters, the areas they had been known to frequent in the settlement, and their last known locations. They did not find anything.


    In the process, both of them grew more and more somber.


    ...At some point, Sunny threw a suspicious look at the other Master. What did he really know about Verne? Verne was a local of Antarctica, a career serviceman with a stellar record, a competent fighter, and a leader that was loved and respected by his men. His Aspect centered around heat transference and physical augmentation.


    Not exactly something that could have been used to dispose of bodies... but then again, who said that it had to be done with an Aspect Ability?


    Almost at the same time, Verne suddenly glanced at Sunny with his usual stoic expression. His eyes, however, were cold and heavy.


    "I heard that you have a spatial storage Memory."


    Sunny looked at him darkly.


    "...So what if I do?"


    Verne held his gaze for a few long moments, then turned away with a sigh.


    "This is not good."


    Sunny had to agree.


    If the two of them were already paranoid enough to suspect each other, then the rest of the installation residents had to really be on edge.


    A bit of vigilance was never a bad thing, but with how pressured people already felt, one additional burden could become a spark that had the potential to cause a violent explosion.


    He sighed.


    "We have to... be ready to implement measures."


    Verne gave him a sideways glance.


    "What kind of measures?"


    Sunny stared at him calmly... or coldly, even.


    ...He was so tired.


    "Whatever kind that works."


    The other Master remained silent for a while.


    "I am confident in my people. Even exhausted and sleep-deprived, they will remain disciplined. The civilians, however... that might be a challenge. However, the best way to resolve this issue is to prevent it from happening in the first place. For that, we need to understand what is going on and stop more people from disappearing."


    Sunny lingered for a few moments. Eventually, he shrugged.


    "Yeah... let''s hope that we will."


    With that, they moved to the next item on the agenda - interviewing the witnesses.


    Perhaps "witnesses" was the wrong word. This time, all three victims were mundanes. That meant that they had been assigned a partner by the updated safety protocols that Verne had established. They had not been supposed to remain alone at any point, not to mention long enough to vanish without a trace.


    And yet, they had.


    The interviews did not reveal anything substantial. The mutual responsibility partners of the three victims reported the same thing... the vanished had been with them throughout the day, but at some point disappeared, completely unnoticed. The scientist and the staff member had been gone by the time their partners woke up, and the soldier seemed to have


    vanished while his comrade turned away to concentrate on servicing one of the wall turrets.


    It was after the remaining soldier had reported his partner''s absence that the fact that two more people were missing was discovered. None of the three victims had been acting strangely or revealed any discomfort prior to their vanishing. There was simply nothing for Sunny and Verne to catch, no thread they could pull to unravel the whole mystery.


    Their moods grew darker and darker.


    ...While they were interviewing the witnesses, there were two deaths inside the settlement. One was a scientist that had reported symptoms of being infected by the Spell a day prior, was confined to a secure room in the installation''s medical center, and quietly passed away in her sleep. Several Awakened monitoring the situation dispatched the Nightmare Creature


    that the dead scientist had turned into, preventing the repeat of the safe room massacre.


    The other was a staff member that had been so afraid to fall asleep that he stole a batch of military stimulants from the same medical center. Inevitably, these stimulants, developed for Awakened soldiers, had put too much strain on his body. The man collapsed and swiftly died of acute heart failure in front of dozens of frightened civilians.


    Sunny and Verne received the report about the deaths right after finishing the fruitless interviews.


    A heavy silence settled in the empty room, where only the two of them remained.


    Eventually, Verne gritted his teeth.


    "...This is all a bit suffocating, isn''t it?"


    The local Master looked weary, but still composed and resolute.


    Sunny leaned back on his chair, tiredly thinking of the soft bed that was waiting for him inside the Rhino.


    "Yes. There are very few things that are more suffocating than powerlessness. You get used to it, though."


    Verne grimaced.


    "If the two of us feel powerless, then how do the rest of them feel?"


    He was quiet for a bit, and then asked:


    "Three days. That is when the ship will arrive, right??"


    Sunny silently shook his head.


    "Don''t expect the Ariadne to arrive at the earliest opportunity. Naval navigation is not easy. It''s better to plan for the worst."


    ...Soon, Verne made an announcement reiterating the importance of the updated safety measures and ordering all personnel at LO49 to follow them to the letter, as well as introducing stricter measures of mutual responsibility.


    People were forced to always stay in groups. mark their comings and goings in special ledgers, share cramped living quarters, and were confined to areas of the settlement that had to do with their direct responsibilities. They couldn''t even visit the bathroom on their own.


    More soldiers had to leave their posts on the walls of the fortress to saturate the patrol schedule and stand guard inside the buildings. Every Awakened with an Aspect suitable for scouting was put to work monitoring the interior of the settlement. Verne himself oversaw what little of the observation system was still functioning. Sunny''s shadows kept watch at key points of LO49.


    But despite all that.......


    Throughout the next day. six more people went missing.

 Chapter 891 Fatigue

    Six people vanished. There were still no traces. It seemed that the killer - whoever or whatever the killer was - did not care if the person was alone or in a group. The mutual responsibility system was not working. Everyone was scared.


    The next day, seven people vanished. Four of them were experienced Awakened, some of the best soldiers Verne had. The other three were scientists. On the same day, two more mundanes succumbed to the Spell. One of them died and was eliminated, the other was still struggling somewhere out there, in the First Nightmare. Perhaps that person would become a Sleeper soon.


    A day after that, twelve people vanished. No clues were found, and fear continued to spread through the facility like a plague. It had yet to transform into panic, but the residents of LO49 were starting to grow restless, trapped in the suffocating atmosphere of dread, exhaustion, and doubt.


    Sunny really wanted to sleep.


    Then, the day that the Ariadne could have arrived came. People were uplifted a little by the excitement, but Sunny did not share in their enthusiasm. He expected the rescue to reach them no sooner than after another week. A lot of things could happen in a week.


    ... The Ariadne did not arrive, but a horde of Nightmare Creatures appeared instead, descending from the mountains. It seemed that things were not going well up north, considering that such a large swarm of abominations had been allowed to assemble and travel freely. What was the army even doing?


    Isolated at the edge of the world, they had no way of knowing.


    The battle was long and fierce, but ended in a decisive victory. The tired soldiers retreated back into the fortress without even bothering to burn the corpses. They would be covered by the snow soon, anyway.


    Everyone felt the growing fatigue.


    The mundane person who had been making their way through the First Nightmare woke up as a Sleeper.


    ...The next day, that Sleeper disappeared, along with fourteen more people.


    The Scavenger Gate released a new wave of abominations. There were just a handful of them, so Sunny slaughtered the Nightmare Creatures himself before anyone else had time to arrive.


    On his way back, he noticed that many of the carcasses laying under a thin veil of fresh snow seemed to be missing large chunks of flesh.


    Sunny was too tired to care.


    ''I should sleep. There''s nothing preventing me from sleeping. In fact, it is detrimental to remain awake. I''ll think better if I rest.''


    But that was not true. Despite his exhaustion, Sunny''s mind seemed to only become sharper. He had lost a bit of situational awareness and reaction speed, but was now able to enter a state of being laser focused on something in exchange. He was also extremely calm, almost as if lacking the energy to feel anxious or agitated.


    His mind was... clear.


    That evening, Sunny was standing on the southern wall of the fortress, looking at the undulating black ocean. The cold waves rustled as they washed over the stone expanse of the beach, carrying pieces of ice. The wind was howling, and the full moon shone in the dark sky, surrounded by an ethereal scarlet aurora.


    The Ariadne was somewhere out there, illuminated by the same moon.


    After some time, a lumbering figure climbed the wall and approached him. Dorn looked as tired as the rest of them. However, the giant man seemed to be holding up comparatively well.


    Sunny turned and looked at him.


    "Captain... I have an idea. Can I share it?"


    He nodded silently. Dorn hesitated for a few moments, and then said:


    "Well, it''s about the bodies. By now, we have explored every millimeter of this facility. We have searched the coastal plain extensively, too. You probably swept it all countless times. And yet, we did not find even a single drop of blood."


    "It seems that we have searched everywhere, but actually, there is one place where we did not look. Since the bodies are not anywhere else, they had to be in that place... in the water. That is the only logical conclusion."


    The large man leaned on the lip of the wall.


    The black waves continued to sway, indifferent to his words. The unfathomable ocean remained the unchanged.


    Sunny was silent for a while, and then nodded.


    "... Yeah. That is my thinking, too. So, I''ll be keeping a close eye on the beach."


    Somewhere in the base, one of his shadows was on its usual patrol. Gliding past a personnel lounge, it noticed Luster, who was sitting on a couch with a glassy look in his eyes. The young man seemed to be on the verge of dozing off.


    The shadow momentarily turned tangible and looked at him with disdainful reproach. Then, it slapped him across the face and disappeared.


    Luster jumped to his feet and looked around in shock.


    "What?! Who?! What... ouch, it hurts!"


    Back on the wall, a pale smile appeared on Sunny''s face.


    "Dorn... that mutual responsibility protocol. You guys start following it, too. Make pairs and watch each other."


    Dorn nodded, lingered for a few moments, and then left.


    Sunny continued staring at the ocean.


    ''This doesn''t make sense. Even if the killer disposes of the bodies by throwing them into the water, someone would have noticed something. Dozens of people vanished already. All of it is very strange...''


    While he was thinking, two more people ascended the wall. One of them was an Awakened soldier, and the other one was a scientist.


    Sunny turned around and looked at them with a confused look on his face. Since he was standing close to the ladder, the newcomers had no choice but to bump into him. Sunny remained motionless for a few seconds, then took a step back to make way.


    The Awakened and the scientist calmly approached the lip of the wall, climbed over it, and jumped down. One of them landed well, but the other hit the rocks and silently fell. A disturbing sound of breaking bones could be heard, carried by the wind.


    Sunny rubbed his face and continued to study the ocean.


    The Awakened walked toward the waves, while the scientist crawled. Because of that, the freezing water reached his knees, then his waist. Then, his chest.


    Finally, the Awakened disappeared beneath the undulating black surface, and drowned.


    At that time, the scientist had crawled far enough to reach the edge of the water. His figure silently vanished into the cold waves, as well.


    Nothing remained of the two.


    Standing atop the wall. Sunny calmly looked at the ocean.


    ''....huh? What was I thinking about? Ah, yes...... it is strange that no one had seen anything. How do the bodies get dumped into the ocean without anyone noticing?''


    He did not know. Maybe his theory was wrong, and the killer had not been using the water to hide the corpses.


    The water...... it surely looked inviting. Suddenly, Sunny felt a strange urge to go for a swim.


    A moment later, he shivered.


    ''A swim?? What am I, crazy? Who swims in the freezing water, during the winter, in Antarctica of all places?''


    Shaking his head, Sunny continued to stand watch above the beach. He had not seen anything suspicious yet...... but if he remained vigilant, he would surely discover something soon...

 Chapter 892 Futility

    Sunny remained on the southern wall for two days, silently staring at the ocean. In the meantime, thirty-six people vanished. Some of them were Awakened, and some of them were mundane. Despite safety measures growing more and more draconian, Verne had failed to prevent the disappearances. It was all futile.


    And deeply, eerily frightening.


    The stern Master came to talk to Sunny at some point, but left more frustrated than he had been before.


    The fortress withstood another attack from a transient swarm of Nightmare Creatures. Just like the previous one, it came from the north. This time, Sunny did not participate in the battle, choosing instead to remain where he was. There were a few casualties.


    The Awakened soldiers were all exhausted after remaining awake for more than a week. The stimulant patches were gradually losing their effectiveness. The mundane soldiers were better rested, but much more disturbed. They were all wary of the Nightmare Spell.


    The civilians... were both exhausted and afraid. They had not been trained to withstand this kind of stress, and the seemingly unknowable nature of the vanishings was pushing them to the verge of panic. If not for the sense of order established and enforced by Verne''s protocols and the hope of the Aridane''s nearing arrival, they would have come completely undone by now.


    The rescue ship was supposed to arrive in three or four days.


    ...Sunny silently looked at the water, deep in thought.


    Hearing light steps, he glanced sideways and saw Beth, who was shivering in the cold as she approached him.


    "Hey... Master Sunless."


    He frowned.


    "Hey."


    The young woman looked at him silently for a while, then gritted her teeth.


    "What are you doing? You''ve been stuck on this wall for days! You even ignored the last attack!"


    Sunny tilted his head a little. When he responded, his voice sounded a bit strange:


    "I''m investigating."


    Beth stared at him in disbelief.


    "You... you are doing nothing and expect me to believe that it''s all a part of the investigation? Please! Both you and Verne have turned out to be completely useless! So many people are gone, and the two of you failed to produce even a tiny clue!"


    At that moment, another person appeared on the wall. It was a mature woman in a white lab coat, with a tranquil expression on her face. Both of them moved to let her pass, not paying any attention as the woman silently climbed over the lip and jumped down. The undulating darkness of the ocean reflected in her eyes.


    Sunny frowned slightly at the sound of a body hitting the rocks down below and shook his head, instantly forgetting about it.


    "Believe what you want."


    Beth glowered at him for a bit, then sighed and turned away.


    "...Sorry. It doesn''t matter, anyway. We just need to persevere for a few more days, until help arrives. But... you promised to protect the Professor. And yet, you left him alone to sit on this wall. That is unacceptable."


    ''Gods, how devoted can she be? Professor this, professor that... can''t that girl think about herself for once? She''s in danger, too!''


    He rolled his eyes.


    "Who says I left him alone? Beth... I''ve been watching Professor Obel and you twenty-four hours a day, every day, since this whole mess started."


    She blinked.


    "Uh... what? How?"


    Sunny scoffed.


    "My first specialty is scouting. Wherever my shadows go, my gaze follows. One of them had been keeping an eye on the Professor, so... how do you think I was able to get to the safe room so fast, when you were attacked?"


    Beth looked at him for a bit. Then, suddenly, her cheeks turned red.


    "T-twenty-four hours a day? What kind of a creep..."


    Sunny palmed his face.


    "Gods! Get over yourself. Do you think I have time to spy on mundane girls while all this crap is going on? The point is, Professor Obel is as safe as I can make him."


    At that point, another person climbed to the top of the wall and jumped down. Neither of them spared them a single look, although Sunny seemed to shiver a little.


    Beth opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again. After a long pause, she finally forced out a few words:


    "Well... fine. I guess I''ll be going, then."


    Sunny nodded.


    "Alright."


    Then, he suddenly called out to her:


    "Wait... do you know my soldiers? There''s a big guy called Dorn. Can you ask him to come here?"


    Beth frowned, then nodded and hurriedly walked away, hoping to get away from the cold as soon as possible. Sunny sighed.


    Soon, Dorn arrived. After understanding what his captain needed, he disappeared, and returned some time later carrying recording equipment. These cameras were a bit old, but that was exactly what made them more reliable than the more modern ones.


    Together, they installed the cameras on the wall and stared at the screen of the terminal the recording equipment was connected to.


    One more day passed. Twenty people vanished.


    Their passage was easily recorded by the cameras, but while Sunny and Dorn were studying the recordings, they didn''t seem to notice anything strange about it.


    One of Verne''s Awakened soldiers fainted, or maybe simply fell asleep while standing at his post. Although chances of his anchor breaking were not high, that was exactly what happened. The soldier did nor return from the Dream Realm after eight hours passed, or even sixteen. Some time later, his body went through an almost imperceptible, but eerie and frightening change.


    He had become Hollow.


    His body was placed in a closed room in the medical center.


    Several members of the civilian staff got into a violent fight, but were dragged away from each by the sentries, isolated, and injected with sedatives.


    A stray Nightmare Creature wandered close to the fortress, and was torn apart by a rain of bullets. The thunderous noise of firing turrets made everyone inside the facility shudder.


    Another day passed. Twenty-two people vanished.


    The moon was gone, but Sunny and Dorn were still on the wall overseeing the ocean.


    Standing there, Sunny looked at the dark waves, then at the screen showing the feed from the cameras... then back at the cold black water.


    Finally, he scratched the back of his head, pulled the memory storage device from the terminal and turned to Dorn.


    "... We''re done here. Let''s go."


    Not waiting for a response. he turned around and headed in the direction of the security center. As Sunny walked through the settlement, many people looked at him. Some of them seemed frightened, some of them seemed angry. Some were simply numb.


    Everyone was exhausted.


    Arriving at the security center. Sunny found Verne and Professor Obel sitting in silence with dark, tired expressions on their faces. The old man looked even more fragile and ancient than usual.


    Sunny placed the memory storage on the table in front of them.


    Verne stared at it for a moment. then looked up. "Why are you here?"


    Sunny sat down and rubbed his hands together to warm them. A dark. ominous smile appeared on his lips.


    "..My investigation is complete. I know why people are vanishing."

 Chapter 893 Negative Space

    Verne and Professor Obel were suddenly very focused on his words. Even Dorn, who had spent the last two days on the wall with Sunny, seemed to shake off his fatigue and paid rapt attention to what his captain had to say.


    Sunny shut his eyes for a moment.


    "When the first victim vanished, I said that there were only three possibilities - that he had deserted, that he had been killed by another human, and that a Nightmare Creature had infiltrated the facility. Well... I was wrong. None of these theories were correct. The third one was the closest to the truth, though."


    He sighed.


    "There is indeed a Nightmare Creature. Only it is not inside the fortress."


    Verne frowned, looking at him with dark intensity.


    "What do you mean?"


    Sunny lingered for a bit before answering.


    "The answer is almost obvious when you consider two things, and then put them together. First, the bodies. People don''t just vanish without a trace, and yet we failed to find anything - not at LO49, and not on the coastal plain beyond the wall. So, the most obvious answer is that the bodies are being taken to somewhere where we can''t find them... into the water. There is a whole ocean out there, after all."


    Verne wanted to say something, but remained silent at the end, waiting for Sunny to continue. Sunny nodded.


    "The second thing is the Call. Its strength had a qualitative change on the day we fought the Scavengers... too drastic of a change, really, to be produced by a single Gate. Especially one as unimpressive as that. I remember being convinced that there were two, at least, before exploring the plain and finding just one. I even said that we were lucky."


    He stared at them for a moment, and then shook his head.


    "However, we were not lucky. And there was, indeed, another Gate... one more powerful than the Scavenger Gate that we cleared. We just did not find it."


    Professor Obel did not seem to follow his reasoning. That was only to be expected, considering that the old man did not experience the Call himself. Verne, however... finally, a hint of understanding appeared on his face.


    "A second Gate... water... you think that there is another Gate? That opened underwater?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "I am more or less convinced that there is. And that is the reason why people are vanishing."


    Verne shook his head.


    "That doesn''t entirely explain it all. Yes, we have pulled a lot of soldiers off the walls to augment internal patrols, but the ocean is still being watched. Nothing would have been able to crawl from beneath the waves, grab people inside the facility, and drag them back into the water unnoticed."


    Sunny smiled darkly.


    "...I was just about to get to that."


    He rubbed his eyes tiredly.


    "Right... we are all under a mind hex. That is why no one noticed anything."


    Professor Obel, Verne, and Dorn looked at him with confusion. Finally, the old man asked:


    "Master Sunless... do you perhaps have a piece of evidence to substantiate your theory?"


    Sunny simply shook his head.


    "No. But... that is exactly the point. It is the absence of evidence that proves my theory. No matter how elusive, devious, and powerful a Nightmare Creature is, we should have found some kind of clue by now. Although security equipment of the facility barely works because of the interference, the cameras would have captured something. The strict protocols and mutual responsibility system Verne had implemented would have produced some result. My shadows would have found some traces. But nothing of the sort happened... which is nothing short of impossible. There is a big negative space in the place where all the results should have been. However, we can infer certain things from that negative space itself. "


    A dark expression appeared on his face.


    "What I am trying to say is that there are, in fact, traces. We were just rendered incapable of comprehending them. Something like that... something like that had already happened to me once. Back then, I spent an entire month being mesmerized by an insidious Nightmare Creature. However, I was utterly oblivious to its influence, simply for the fact the first thing that the hex did was take away my ability to become aware of its existence. I am convinced that something like that is happening to all of us right now, too."


    Sunny looked at Verne and Professor Obel somberly.


    "There is a powerful Gate below the surface of the water, somewhere in the vicinity of this facility. The Gate brought a dreadful Nightmare Creature into the waking world, and that creature is using mind manipulation to both lure people into its maw and make others incapable of stopping it."


    An uncomfortable silence settled in the security center. Professor Obel seemed resigned, but Verne, on the contrary, was suddenly energized.


    "If that is true... then we just have to kill that abomination. Then, everything will be resolved."


    There was hope and resolve in his eyes. For a warrior, having a clear enemy to fight was familiar territory.


    With a sigh, Sunny shook his head.


    "No. We won''t be able to kill that Nightmare Creature."


    Verne scowled.


    "What? Why?"


    Sunny pointed at the bleak steel of the Undying Chain, which he had been wearing ever since people started disappearing.


    "Because this is a Transcendent armor of the third tier. One of its enchantments provides the wearer with a high degree of protection against mind attacks. And yet, I wasn''t spared from the effects of the mind hex at all. You know what that means..."


    Verne''s face suddenly grew dim.


    "..That the Nightmare Creature''s attack is more powerful than your armor''s defenses."


    Sunny nodded.


    "Indeed. Which would make it of the Corrupted Rank, at least. My bet would be that it is a Corrupted Terror. Neither of us is its match, especially not in the water. We can''t kill it."


    At that moment. Professor Obel finally spoke:


    "So then... what should we do?"


    Sunny remained silent for a while. looking at the memory storage device that lay on the table in front of him. Finally, he shifted slightly and said:


    "First...... we break the mind hex."

 Chapter 894 Cold Waves

    Sunny''s plan was rather simple. Since the mental protection granted by the Undying Chain was not enough to break through the mind hex of the unknown horror, he just had to get better defenses.


    Of course, he could have summoned Saint, who was completely immune to that kind of attack. If he had no choice but to fight the abomination, which Sunny suspected to be a Corrupted Terror, he would do exactly that... but at this point, he was simply trying to understand what exactly was happening, and how.


    Considering that Saint would not be able to communicate what she saw, he had to try breaking through the hex himself, first.


    Several minutes later, Verne summoned the officers of his Awakened force, and then sent them away with a simple task - to get every Memory that could offer at least some form of protection against mind attacks to Sunny. Considering that there were still around ninety Awakened soldiers at the facility, at least a couple of them had to have something like that in their arsenal.


    Soon, Sunny found himself in possession of several loaned Memories. He was wearing the Undying Chain, which was his best tool to solve this situation. There was a new charm hanging around his neck, a strangely mercurial cloak on his back, and a flint dagger with a handle made out of weathered bone in his hand.


    The dagger came from Verne itself, so it was especially powerful.


    There were many people in the security center now, including Verne, Professor Obel and Beth, all six of his soldiers, and several sleep-deprived Awakened officers. Sunny was sitting in front of a screen, holding the memory storage device.


    Taking a deep breath, he wrapped all four of his shadows around the Undying Chain and felt its bleak steel become stronger, more durable, and more powerful.


    Then, he inserted the memory device into the socket of the terminal and accessed the recordings stored on it.


    Everyone watched the video feed of the undulating ocean with a morbid sense of curiosity. However, none of the people present in the security center noticed anything special about the recording.


    After a while, Beth said in a tentative tone:


    "I... don''t see anything?"


    However, when she looked at Sunny, there was a grim expression on his pale, tired face.


    Because, unlike everyone else, Sunny was seeing things that he had been unable to notice earlier. To him, the recording showed an immensely macabre reality.


    The things he saw on the screen left him disturbed, shaken, and dismayed.


    ''Damnation...''


    As the recording went on, replaying the shifting landscape of the lightless beach from the past two days at enhanced speed, Sunny slowed it down to a crawl several times, seemingly for no apparent reason. Every time, his expression turned more and more ugly.


    ...He had known, of course, to expect something like that. However, watching himself nonchalantly make way for the mesmerized victims, only to forget about their existence a moment later, was deeply unsettling.


    Sunny had witnessed dozens of people being swallowed by the cold waves, and yet, this was the first time his consciousness managed to become aware of that fact.


    As it did, the hex was broken, and suddenly, all the memories that had been suppressed before flooded his mind.


    Sunny shuddered.


    ''Gods...''


    Noticing his strong reaction, Verne leaned forward.


    "What is it? What do you see? What kind of Nightmare Creature is it? How does it capture people from within the facility?"


    Sunny lingered for a moment, and then stopped the playback with a trembling hand. He stared at it in confusion and made a fist, causing the tremors to stop.


    Finally, he let out a heavy sigh.


    "...I was right, mostly. There is indeed a mind hex affecting everyone in this fortress. It makes us indifferent and unaware of the victims, and the traces left behind by them. However... I did not see the creature itself. It never appeared. The victims... they just walked into the ocean themselves, and vanished. Some right in front of our eyes. It seems that the bastard is somehow controlling them to come to it, and us to be blind to their passing."


    Verne gritted his teeth.


    "... There has to be a way to stop it."


    Sunny hesitated for a long time.


    "In my experience, the only way to deal with a creature like that is to run away from it. While we can."


    The other Master shook his head with a resentful expression. That resentment was not aimed at Sunny, however... instead, it was aimed at the dreadful being that hid beneath the waves, the Chain of Nightmares, and the sorry state of the waking world in general.


    "Leaving LO49 now would be no different from suicide. We won''t make it across hundreds of kilometers of rough terrain alive, not with hordes of Nightmare Creatures prowling this region of the Antarctic Center seemingly unopposed, with no intelligence about the state of the territory and cut off from Army Command."


    His eyes grew cold.


    "...We have to remain here and wait for the Ariadne to arrive. It should be here in two days... or if not, soon enough. We can survive this abomination for two days."


    Sunny looked at him for a while, thinking. Although remaining this close to a potential Corrupted Terror made him extremely uneasy, he had to admit that what Verne had said was reasonable.


    The Ariadne, indeed, was their best chance.


    He sighed.


    "So, what do you propose we do in the meantime? Just let the bastard continue gobbling up humans?"


    Verne crossed his arms and frowned.


    "No. Now that we know what is happening, we can prevent more people from vanishing."


    Sunny raised his eyebrow.


    "And how do you propose we do that?"


    The other Master looked at him. deep in thought. After a few moments, he said calmly:


    "Well. Someone just has to prevent the victims from jumping into the ocean. Right?"


    A pal?? smile appeared on Sunny''s face.


    Somehow, he already knew who was going to get that job.......

 Chapter 895 Catcher In The Night

    Sunny was the only one who could prevent more people from silently walking into the cold ocean. Even if he returned the borrowed Memories and gave the Undying Chain to someone else, the other person would not be able to enjoy the augmentation of the four shadows. So, the mind hex would remain unbroken.


    If there was one good thing about the situation, it was that after Sunny had rid himself of the hex, he did not need to keep up his mental defenses at such a high level anymore. It was as though he was now inoculated against the unknown creature''s influence.


    At least for now.


    He returned the charm, the mercurial cloak, and the flint dagger to their owners. One shadow continued to follow Professor Obel, while the other three remained wrapped around the Undying Chain, just in case. After that, everyone got to work.


    Although Sunny was the only person who could perceive the mesmerized, it did not mean that nobody else could help prevent more people from vanishing. Now that Verne knew what they were dealing with exactly, he could tune the safety protocols of the fortress to make it harder for the enemy to snatch victims away.


    Soldiers received new instructions, while all non-essential personnel were confined to their living quarters. If they couldn''t leave, they would most likely be unable to reach the water, after all.


    Sunny, meanwhile...


    Walking onto the dark beach, he sighed, then placed an intricate wooden chair at the very edge of the rustling waves and sat down with his back to the ocean. Facing the wall of the fortress. Sunny shivered in the cold wind for a few moments, leaned back, and leisurely crossed his legs.


    ''It''s a bit chilly..."


    The world was dark, and the only sounds surrounding him were the howling of the wind and the incessant murmur of the waves. Sitting with his back to the ocean was not pleasant, especially with a Corrupted Terror hiding somewhere beneath its lightless surface.


    The only thing that made Sunny feel better was the unmoving silhouette of Saint, who was hidden in the shadow of the wall with Morgan''s Warbow in her hands. Even then, Sunny had a lot to worry about.


    Would he really be able to stop people from reaching the water?


    Would they resist, or would they allow themselves to be brought back inside L049?


    ...Most importantly, what would the Terror do if its source of sustenance was suddenly cut off? Somehow, Sunny doubted that the creature was going to just leave them be.


    He just had to hope that the rescue ship would arrive before the eventual retaliation, and take them away before the creature could cast its hex on the crew, as well.


    With a sigh, Sunny released his shadows and sent them forward. The shadows climbed the wall and separated, assuming watching positions in three different spots.


    Then, all he could do was wait and listen to the rustle of the waves behind him.


    A minute passed, then another. Then, a few more.


    Sunny opened a thermos he had brought with him and poured himself a cup of fragrant coffee. Sipping it in the bitter cold, he continued to wait and pretend that the ocean did not concern him at all.


    After about an hour, a human figure finally appeared on the wall. Sunny slapped himself in the face to chase away sleepiness, then put the thermos down and stood up. One step through the shadows brought him to the mesmerized person.


    The man... he knew that man. It was one of the Awakened officers in charge of the local garrison. This soldier had usually been cheerful and energetic, even after staying awake for close to two weeks. But now, there was a blank, empty expression on his face, and no light in his hollow eyes.


    Sunny stood between the slowly walking Awakened and the lip of the wall.


    This time, he did not step aside to make way.


    Instead, he hesitated for a moment, then put his hand on the soldier''s shoulder, stopping him. The man made a few more awkward steps, not realizing that he was walking in place.


    Then, he ceased moving and slowly turned his head, staring at Sunny with calm, glassy eyes.


    ''Damn. That''s creepy!''


    Sunny opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment, a strong blow sent him flying back. Crashing into the rampart, he broke through it and tumbled off the wall, landing on the rocks far below in an undignified heap.


    ''Argh. What the hell?"


    The strike was much, much stronger than anything a mere Awakened should have been able to deliver. Even without augmenting his body with the shadows, Sunny was a Master. He also had four cores and a sea of essence at his disposal.


    Why was the mesmerized officer so strong?


    Cursing, he slowly rose from the ground. At the same time, the Awakened landed on the rocks a few steps away from him, swayed a little, and continued marching toward the dark waves. Since Sunny was not blocking his path anymore, the soldier did not pay him any more attention.


    "Not so fast, you damned fool..."


    Creating a long chain out of the shadows, Sunny made a loop out of it and tossed it forward, ensnaring the mesmerized man. Taking the unexpected strength that the soldier had shown into account, he added another chain for good measure and grinned weakly.


    "Huh... just like the good old times.''


    The memory of throwing a chain loop at the Mountain King was still vivid and fresh in his mind.


    Making sure that Verne''s officer was immobilized, Sunny dragged him back, and then scaled the wall.


    A few minutes later, slightly out of breath, he reached the old observatory and walked inside. There, the first few containment units had already been built, and a working crew was hurriedly creating more. They glanced at Sunny with confusion, but then quickly lost interest, distracted by the mind hex.


    Ignoring the workers, Sunny walked to the nearest unit, threw the mesmerized officer inside, and locked the door. Even for an Awakened, escaping from a prison like that was not supposed to be possible.


    A moment later, several furious strikes landed on the walls of the containment cell from inside, making it shudder. However, in the end, the sturdy construction held. Realizing that he would not be able to break free, the mesmerized soldier walked to the corner that was the closest to the ocean, pressed against it, and froze.


    He just stood there, unmoving like a statue, not doing anything.


    Sunny slowly exhaled.


    ''Well. that''s not bad.''


    He had been afraid that the mesmerized would bang their heads against the walls of their cages. attempting to reach the ocean even if it was not possible.


    "Oh...... Master Sunless? When did you get here?"


    Now that he was not holding the soldier, the workers finally noticed his presence. They stared at Sunny with surprised eyes.


    He blinked a couple of times. then smiled.


    "...Carry on. I am just passing by."


    At that moment. his shadows noticed another human climbing onto the wall.


    Sunny sighed. lingered for a moment, and then stepped through the shadows once again.

 Chapter 896 The Obstacle

    Sunny felt like he was going insane.


    He was tired, sleep-deprived, and cold. He was stuck in a fortress on a remote continent, which had been built around an eerie abandoned observatory. The fortress was being besieged by an unknown horror from the depths, and he was the only person who had managed to escape from the horror''s hex.


    The strangest thing about all that, however, was that Sunny was sometimes invisible. Every time he subdued and dragged one of the victims to the containment facility built inside the old observatory, everyone in the settlement acted as though he did not exist.


    No, not exactly invisible... people were able to observe him. But the fact of his existence seemed to flow out of their consciousness almost immediately after being registered there. As long as Sunny was in the presence of one of the mesmerized victims, the residents of LO49 looked at him, frowned, and then went about their business, instantly forgetting what they had seen. It was really unnerving.


    In his exhausted state, Sunny felt a deep and irrational fear that if this went on, he would be forgotten by everyone, forever.


    He wondered if that was how the Demon of Oblivion had felt.


    ...Luckily, the bizarre effect seemed to only last for as long as Sunny was transporting prisoners to their cells. As soon as he placed them in the containment units, his existence was made normal once again. Well... as far as his existence could be called normal, to begin with.


    On the first day of his catcher duty, Sunny had fought, subdued, and imprisoned twenty-nine people. His muscles were sore, and his armor was wet from being close to the water for so long. Despite his efforts - and to his relief - the Terror had not reacted to the sudden obstacle that appeared in the path of its satiation. At least not yet.


    Saint continued to hide in the shadow of the tall wall of the fortress, monitoring the deep, dark, cold waters of the ocean.


    At midnight, Sunny reported the results of his effort to Verne. They walked over to the observatory together, where the other Master remained silent for a long time.


    "Are you telling me that there are people in these cells?"


    Sunny struggled with a yawn, failed to suppress it, and then nodded.


    "...Yeah. Around thirty of them."


    Verne stared at the cells with a deep frown for a minute or two, then shook his head in bewilderment.


    "Strange. Even though I know that they''re there, I can''t see anything. To me, the cells seem empty."


    Sunny was a bit late to react.


    "Oh. Believe me, they''re there. They just stand near the southern side of their units and do nothing. At least they are staring at the walls, and not at us. That would be really creepy."


    Verne looked at him with dark amusement.


    "...I think this situation is sufficiently creepy as it is."


    Then, he turned away from the cells and asked in a somber tone:


    "Any change in the Terror''s behavior?"


    Sunny shook his head.


    "No. At least not that I''ve noticed."


    Verne remained silent for a moment, and sighed.


    "Good. Continue, then. The Ariadne should be arriving soon, so... we just have to endure a little bit longer."


    Just like that, Sunny continued his eerie task. He waited by the water, caught the people trying to drown themselves in the ocean, and locked them up in cells while suffering from being invisible.


    ''Damn cold..."


    He had long summoned the Memory of Ice and continuously fed it with essence to save himself from the chilling wind.


    Just like that, another day passed. During that day, Sunny rescued thirty-five people from being devoured by the waves. His skill of making chains out of shadows improved by a lot.


    A few minutes before midnight, Sunny was sitting on his chair with an empty thermos in his hand, and stared at the sky. Today, there was no moon, and no aurora. Only the stars remained, shining softly up above.


    ''The waves sound differently today...


    He rubbed his face, then turned around and stared at the undulating black surface of the ocean with intense distrust.


    Just then, something seemed to change about the world. Sunny frowned, but before he could do anything, another figure appeared on the wall, forcing a long sigh to escape from his lips.


    ''Forty... it is accelerating.''


    He stood up, ready to step through the shadows and subdue the fortieth victim, but there was something strange about the figure. Instead of moving toward the edge of the wall like the rest of them, it stopped and raised a hand, as if signaling to him.


    "Huh?"


    It was Quentin.


    Sunny conserved his essence by jogging forward, then lowering his body slightly and mounting the wall with one inhumanly high jump. He landed on the concrete surface of the rampart, walked a few steps, and looked at Quentin with a deep frown.


    "What? What happened?"


    The chivalrous healer smiled, excitement shining in his eyes.


    "Captain! The observatory... you need to see..."


    Without wasting any time, Sunny jumped down to the roof of the nearby building, and then hurried toward the white dome at the center of the settlement. Walking inside, he instantly heard a swarm of confused, frightened, and angry voices.


    "What? Where am I?"


    "What happened?"


    "Hey! Someone! What the hell is this?! Let me out!"


    He stared, dumbfounded.


    These voices...... were coming from within the cells. They belonged to the victims he had imprisoned. Somehow, they seemed to have shrugged off the mind hex and regained their awareness.


    And it wasn''t just them.


    Sunny turned his head and looked at the maintenance workers that were in charge of keeping the containment units secure. They were all speaking with excitement and glancing at the cells with relieved faces. They heard the victims. too.


    ...Which meant that the hex was not affecting them anymore, either.


    "Thank the gods!! That abomination must have left!"


    Despite the happy circumstances, Sunny was suddenly overwhelmed by a deep, cold, urgent feeling of unease. It grasped his heart and remained there, growing slightly stronger with each second.


    He shivered.


    ''..What is going on?''

 Chapter 897 Silent Ocean

    After Sunny had broken through the mind hex and spent two days rescuing the mesmerized people, saving dozens of lives, the horror hiding in the cold black waves seemed to have left the vicinity of LO49.


    The victims had regained their senses, and every person in the settlement was able to see and hear them clearly once again. In the next few hours, no one showed any sign of being under the influence of the hex. The vanishings stopped.


    And the Ariadne was supposed to arrive soon.


    The exhausted, frightened, and shaken inhabitants of the fortress were tentatively starting to unwind. Their fragile hope bloomed and blossomed.


    However, the person most responsible for the positive change - Sunny - did not feel any of their cheer or relief. On the contrary, with each passing minute, his unease and sense of foreboding only grew stronger.


    He did not like what was happening, not at all.


    Walking through the snowy streets of the settlement, Sunny studied the lively faces of patrolling soldiers with a troubled expression on his own. It was dark and somber.


    ''...Doesn''t make sense. None of it makes any sense.''


    Approaching the security center, he placed his hand on the panel of a sophisticated biometric lock. The sensor was supposed to initiate a thorough scan, but as seconds passed, nothing seemed to happen. The damn thing was on the fritz.


    Sunny stared at it for a moment, then sighed and banged on the heavy alloy door with his fist. Soon, it was manually unlocked from the inside by a sleepy soldier, who then allowed Sunny in.


    Walking inside the security center, Sunny dusted snow off his shoulders, looked around, and headed toward Verne.


    "What is the situation?"


    Verne sent one of his officers off with a list of orders, then looked at his younger colleague and shrugged.


    "Nothing changed. The Terror - or whatever that abomination was - seems to have truly moved on."


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    "When has a Nightmare Creature ever moved on? You''re deluding yourself."


    The older Master frowned.


    "We can''t know for sure, of course, but the disappearance of the hex speaks for itself. Don''t sell yourself short. Although creatures capable of mind manipulation are exceedingly dangerous, they often lack direct means of launching an effective attack. Maybe it decided to search for easier prey after you proved capable of dismantling its mental attack."


    Sunny stared at him for a bit, then shook his head.


    "A Corrupted Terror is a Corrupted Terror. We probably haven''t seen even a fraction of its power yet, so why would it simply give up and leave?"


    Verne tiredly rubbed his face and sighed.


    "Do take into account that the creature''s Rank and Class are only your conjecture. We don''t really know how powerful it actually was. In any case, how else do you explain the fact that the hex is gone, and no one is vanishing anymore?"


    Sunny hesitated for a moment.


    "Maybe it decided to change tactics. Maybe it is gathering power for a singular, overwhelming attack. Maybe it just enjoys toying with its prey. Who the hell knows?!"


    His counterpart looked away with a somber expression.


    "...Alright, but what do you want me to do? It''s not like I''ve relaxed the security measures. We are still on high alert and prepared for battle. We are still keeping the civilians locked up and concentrating our defenses on the southern wall. I don''t see what other contingencies are there to prepare."


    Sunny let out a frustrated sigh.


    "All I am saying is that it''s not a good time to become complacent. On the contrary, we must be preparing for a rapid escalation of the crisis."


    Verne stared at him blankly for a few seconds.


    "And all I am saying is that we are already doing everything we can. No matter how small, the possibility that you are right still exists, so we must. That is my position as the officer responsible for the safety of every person inside this facility. But personally... I think that exhaustion and paranoia are getting the better of you, Sunless. It''s been hard on all of us."


    Sunny remained silent for a bit, then said in a subdued voice:


    "My paranoia has never led me astray, though."


    With that, he winced and left.


    ''Maybe I am really wrong this time. Even if I''m not, Verne is right... what else are we supposed to do? Until the damned ship arrives, there''s not much more we can prepare.''


    But why did he feel so disturbed? Why was his sense of unease so urgent?


    Walking out of the security center, Sunny stood in place for a while with a dark expression on his face. After some time, he noticed Luster loitering around, and called him over.


    "Uh... yes? You wanted something, Captain?"


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then nodded.


    "Yeah. Gather the others and tell them to stick close to the Rhino. Also, make sure that it''s ready to move, in case we need to get the hell out of this damned place in a hurry."


    Luster blinked a couple of times, looking at him with a startled expression. Then, he gulped.


    "Ah...... understood, sir. I''ll go do that, then."


    Letting the young man go. Sunny turned south and stared at the distant wall for a bit. Frowning, he then headed toward it.


    The beach was cold and shrouded in darkness. like always. The black waves continued their eternal, fruitless assault on the shore. They came and went with a wide, reverberating rustle, making it seem as though the whole ocean was breathing.


    His chair was still standing at the edge of the water, with an empty thermos laying on the stones nearby.


    Descending from the wall. Sunny slowly walked toward the water and stopped just outside its reach, staring at the vast undulating expanse of the cold ocean with a deep scowl. His tired eyes were hidden in shadows.


    Looking at the waves, he whispered:


    "Where are you, bastard?? What are you planning?"


    ......Of course, the ocean remained silent. There was no response.

 Chapter 898 Going For A Swim

    Sunny sttod at the edge of the water for a while, looking at the ocean with a wary expression on his face.


    ''Funny...''


    Back when he had first developed the habit of climbing the southern wall of the fortress, he stared at the ocean in hopes of witnessing the fearsome silhouette of the mighty battleship appearing from the darkness. But now that the Ariadne was about to arrive, his thoughts were far away.


    Eventually, Sunny sighed and finally dismissed his chair, planning to return into the warmth of the settlement.


    ...However, just before he turned away from the dark water, something attracted his attention. A subtle gleam a few steps further down the shore, revealed from beneath the retreating waves. As though bleak starlight was reflecting from a small piece of glass.


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then walked a meter or two forward, stopping at the spot where he had spotted the gleaming object. A new wave rushed in, licking his armored boots. He had to wait for it to crawl back before kneeling and taking a closer look at the wet rocks.


    There, between them, something glistened, buried under several shards of ice. Sunny brushed the ice away and picked the object up, then stood up before the next wave came.


    His frown deepened.


    In his hand was a simple brass button, similar to those that could be found on the countless winter coats issued to soldiers of the First Evacuation Army as part of their kit.


    By itself, the button was nothing special.


    However...


    "Huh?"


    However, Verne and the soldiers under his command were not part of the First Evacuation Army. They were locals of Antarctica, and had served at LO49 long before the Chain of Nightmares. As such, their uniforms were slightly different. In fact, they were of a far better quality, considering that the First Army had been assembled and outfitted in a tremendous hurry.


    Their kits were far better suited for cold weather, and included well-designed parkas that could keep a person warm in most dire of circumstances instead of cheap mass-produced coats.


    So how did this button end up here?


    Sunny stared at the round piece of brass for a few minutes, and then slowly looked up, facing the darkness of the ocean. There was a strangely resigned expression on his pale face.


    With a sigh, he closed his eyes and extended his shadow sense forward, as far as it could go.


    ''Alright. Fine. Come on... show yourself, bastard. I know you didn''t leave.''


    His senses spread forward, diving deep under the black surface of the cold water. Everywhere light reached, there were shadows, after all. And even where light never entered, there was its absence.


    However, Sunny did not sense the Terror no matter how hard he tried. He did find something, though.


    Twenty or thirty meters away from him, deep underwater, there was a large shape. It rested on the seabed, moving slightly from time to time as the currents pulled it back and forth.


    The shape was irregular and mostly flat, with a very slight curve. Its edges were sharp and jagged.


    That was all Sunny could say from sensing its shadow... that and the fact that the shape was not that of a living thing, considering that the shadow lacked the quality of being cast by something possessing a soul.


    He had no idea what it was.


    The ocean contained all kinds of junk, so why would he care?


    But for some reason, he did.


    Opening his eyes, Sunny looked at the undulating waves for a bit. Then, he slowly took a step forward, and then another. And then, another.


    The cold, freezing water reached his shins first, then his knees. Then, his waist. He shivered, gasped for breath, but continued walking forward.


    ''I... I am not mesmerized, am I?''


    No, he couldn''t be... he had broken the hex... his mind was his own...


    When the water reached his chest, Sunny took a deep breath and dove down into the black depths. Swimming in a suit of steel armor was not an easy task, even one as thin and light as the Undying Chain. However, he possessed strength and endurance that far surpassed a mundane human, so Sunny persisted, plunging deeper and deeper into the ocean.


    Despite the Memory of Ice hanging from a string on his neck, a cold like he had never experienced enveloped his body, making it hard for him to breathe, think, and move his limbs.


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny ignored it and swam toward the distant shape.


    After what felt like an eternity, he finally reached the seabed and pushed himself along its uneven surface, getting closer and closer to his target. Far away on the shore, Saint emerged from the shadow of the wall and approached the edge of the waves, raising her bow. If anything happened, she would be able to send an arrow flying instantly.


    That made Sunny feel a little better, even though he did not know how powerful the arrow would remain after piercing tens of meters of water. Considering the strength of Morgan''s Warbow, it should still be deadly, but...


    The efficacy of the arrow, of course, would depend on the power of the potential enemy.


    ''Don''t think about that yet..."


    Concentrating on his task, Sunny moved forward, reached the strange shape and opened his eyes. He observed it through the mass of murky water.


    The shape...... was a piece of torn alloy. It was around ten meters in length and slightly less in width. The tough material was viciously bent and broken, with jagged edges and deep cracks crawling through its surface. It seemed to have been torn away from a larger whole by something large and incredibly powerful.


    However. there was no rust on the damaged metal, suggesting that it had not spent a lot of time in the water.


    Sunny got closer, feeling as if he recognized the composition and characteristics of the alloy. His mind raced, trying to confirm that familiarity......


    He placed one hand on the cold metal, remembering.


    Then. his eyes narrowed, and a few bubbles of air escaped from his mouth.


    ...Of course, he knew where this strong and thick alloy was used. The same type of metal comprised the inner layers of a naval vessel''s reinforced armor.


    The deformed mass of twisted alloy..


    It was a broken piece of a battleship''s hull.

 Chapter 899 Only Hope

    Gasping for breath, Sunny rolled out of the shadows and fell on the wet rocks at the edge of the rolling waves. Streams of water flowed from his armor, and his whole body was trembling.


    "C-cold... ah, s-so cold..."


    Gritting his teeth, he stood up and shivered as the wind assaulted him. At that moment, not even his Ascended constitution and the Memory of Ice could protect him from being chilled to the bone.


    But even then, the claws grasping his heart were much colder.


    "Curse it..."


    Sunny took a step forward, stumbled, then righted himself and stopped. His fists were clenched.


    ''Ariadne. It must have been the Ariadne.''


    The broken piece of the hull, the brass button, it all made too much terrible sense. Of course, this evidence alone was not enough to make a definite conclusion, but Sunny was sure of it.


    His intuition told him that much.


    No one was coming to rescue the people trapped inside LO49.


    ...And the Terror was going to descent upon them soon, without a doubt.


    Suddenly forlorn, Sunny glanced at the wall of the fortress with a lost look on his face. A few moments passed, accompanied by the howling of the wind. Then, he looked down, closed his eyes, and groaned.


    "Ah... I''m so tired."


    It was the cold that made him shrug off this moment of indecisiveness and start to move. No matter the situation, he had to get somewhere warm first.


    One step, and he was on top of the wall. A second step, and he was standing on one of the streets of the settlement. A third step, and he suddenly appeared in the corner of a research laboratory where a group of scientists, including Professor Obel and Beth, were staying under guard.


    The young woman was the first to notice him. She was slightly startled by the sight.


    "...Ascended Sunless? What are you doing here?"


    Sunny looked at her and forced out a pale smile.


    "Don''t mind me. I just got cold outside."


    He stared at Beth with a strangely heavy expression for a few moments, and then shook his head.


    "In any case, I''ll be going now."


    Sunny had to see Verne first. He dried himself off, then went back to the security center, feeling the urgent sense of alarm growing louder and louder in his head.


    Before, Sunny had not known its source, and thought that he had days to discover it. But now, he wasn''t so sure...


    Maybe there were only hours left before the disaster his intuition was warning him about would happen.


    ...Maybe even minutes.


    ***


    "...You''re not listening."


    Sunny glared at Verne as the seconds ticked away. Tick-tock. With each second, their fates were coming closer to being sealed. And yet, the tall Master was being difficult.


    "I am listening."


    Sunny suppressed the desire to hit the table with his fist. Not only would the table shatter and create a lot of noise, but it would also not help his argument in any way. More than that, he was too tired, and had no energy to go around breaking furniture.


    "Then why the hell are you not doing anything?!"


    Verne sighed.


    "What am I supposed to do?"


    Sunny blinked.


    "Gather everyone, load them into the transports, and drive away from this cursed place! What else?!"


    Verne looked at him for a while, his frown growing deeper.


    "With all due respect, Sunless, you are not making a lot of sense. You are trying to convince me that the Ariadne is not coming, but your only piece of evidence is a button and a piece of metal that you found underwater. We both know how much junk and old wreckage was left in the oceans after the Dark Times. That armor fragment could have come from anywhere, rust or no rust."


    Sunny wanted to answer in anger, but managed to hold himself back. Verne was not wrong to doubt his rather unsubstantiated theory. Any good leader would question the validity of such information. The problem was that Verne did not have the benefit of being intimately connected to the Strings of Fate, like Sunny was. He did not have Sunny''s intuition.


    He was blind to fate.


    "Listen... this is what my gut is telling me. Staying here would be a terrible mistake."


    Nevertheless, Verne remained unmoved. He lingered for a few moments, and then shook his head. His next words sounded polite, but had a sense of weight to them.


    "I can''t gamble with the lives of fourteen hundred people because of your gut, Sunless."


    "This damned fool!"


    Sunny let out a frustrated sigh.


    Verne... was an experienced government officer. From their brief but intense partnership, it had become clear that he was reserved, methodical, and did things by the book. He had received orders from Army Command to reinforce LO49 and wait for the naval rescue, and that was what he was determined to do. Breaking an order was not an easy thing for him. His mind was not flexible enough.


    "You have to admit that I at least might be right. So, staying is also a gamble. We are outside the parameters of standard procedure, Verne! Can''t you think for yourself, for once?"


    Although that last statement was a bit rude, Verne did not react much. He just stared at Sunny with his usual serious expression, then turned away and sighed. A few moments later, he said quietly:


    "It doesn''t matter, anyway."


    Sunny scowled. The words caught him by surprise.


    "What the hell does he mean?''


    "..What?"


    The older Master looked down.


    "Sunless...... we are cut off from Army Command. The situation in the north is bad. We don''t know how bad, but it has to be dire for so many Nightmare Creatures to travel freely through the mountains. The last thing we heard was that several Titans had emerged. We don''t even know if any of the siege capitals still stand."


    As he spoke, his tired face grew darker and darker.


    "The terrain between here and the last known encampment of the First Evacuation Army is a maze, with countless swarms of abominations prowling in the dark. Our tech is barely working, if at all. Our soldiers are all exhausted or on the verge of collapse. What I am trying to say is that a convoy transporting hundreds of civilian non--combatants won''t survive the journey. Not with what we have left to protect it."


    Verne gritted his teeth.


    "So, it''s not that I refuse to entertain the idea that the Ariadne won''t arrive. It''s that I can''t.. because that ship is our only hope."


    His words echoed in the empty room of the security center. making Sunny feel even colder.

 Chapter 900 Dont Look Back

    A somber silence settled in the conference room of the security center. Eventually, Verne was the first to break it. Straightening, he looked at sunny and said in a heavy tone:


    "The... the best I can do is ask for volunteers among my Awakened. To risk falling asleep. Some of them might die, but a few should return with the news from the Dream Realm. Then, we can discuss evacuation by land."


    Sunny stared at him without saying anything. His anger was suddenly gone, and instead, all that was left was fatigue, regret, and a vague feeling of dark resentment.


    ''Damn it all...''


    If Verne indeed sent volunteers into the Dream Realm, even knowing that it would be a one-way trip for some of them... they would return in about eight hours. Finding out what was happening up north would help Sunny tremendously.


    But eight hours was too long.


    His growing panic was already almost suffocating. He did not know if they had eight minutes left, let alone eight hours.


    "There''s no time. You can''t."


    Verne leaned on the table and closed his eyes for a moment. It was hard to know what was going through his mind, but Sunny somehow knew that he would not be able to convince the stern officer.


    His heart felt cold.


    ''Ah, that feeling... this bitter feeling. I have not tasted it in a while, I think.''


    At that moment, Verne suddenly said:


    "...A large convoy won''t make it. But a single, robust vehicle probably can."


    Sunny frowned, struggling to follow the line of thought, perhaps due to his exhaustion.


    "What exactly do you mean?"


    The older Master looked at him and shrugged with strange calmness.


    "I mean that we don''t have to put all our eggs in one basket. Your mission is not to protect every person in this facility, Sunless. Unlike mine. Your mission is to rescue one specific, high-value target. Both of us have to carry out our duty to the best of our ability, though. So... take Professor Obel, load up your APC, and leave immediately. This way, even if your theory is right, it won''t be... a total loss for humanity."


    There was a lot that had been said, and a lot that had remained unsaid. But there was no need to speak some words aloud. The two Masters looked at each other for a few moments, a silent understanding between them. In the end, the corner of Sunny''s mouth twitched.


    "I still think that you are wrong. People don''t know what is possible and what is impossible until they try it. Well... that was often the case, at least, in my life."


    Verne simply nodded.


    "Then prove me wrong, Sunless. I wish you luck."


    Sunny grimaced, lingered for a second or two, and then turned around. A moment later, he was gone from the room.


    He had nothing more to say, and no time to waste.


    There was no time at all.


    Feeling a frightening sense of urgency, Sunny used Shadow Step to appear directly inside the research center. This time, Beth was even more surprised to see him.


    "Are you... wait, no way... Master Sunless, do you perchance keep frightening me just for fun?"


    He shook his head, looked around, and then beckoned for the young woman to come closer. What he had to say needed to be kept from other ears.


    Frowning, Beth left Professor Obel''s side and walked over to where he was standing. Grabbing her by the shoulder, Sunny unceremoniously dragged the young woman to an adjacent room.


    "Wha... what the hell do you think you''re..."


    He closed the door and turned around, his sunken, manic eyes making Beth shudder.


    "Be quiet and listen. There has been a change of plans."


    With no time to explain everything in detail, Sunny just told her the necessary parts - that the Professor was in danger, and that he had to be evacuated immediately. That sudden revelation was hard to digest, and there would be a potentially fatal delay if Beth refused to listen immediately, so Sunny constructed his words in a way that played on her deeply ingrained values - loyalty to the old man and the desire to keep him alive.


    Beth''s eyes widened.


    "But... but why come to me? Why didn''t you just approach the Professor?"


    "Professor Obel is a noble man. He would be reluctant to leave his people to save himself... so, I need you to persuade him. Fast. You know him best, after all."


    The young woman still did not understand.


    "But... but can''t we just take everyone?"


    Her voice was small.


    Sunny looked at her somberly, knowing that was something that he couldn''t do.


    "My vehicle can only carry so many people. Now, go and do what I said. Every minute we waste can mean the difference between life and death."


    Beth nodded in a daze, then slowly turned around, rearranged her lab coat, and left the room.


    Sunny looked through the crack of the opened door at the scientists surrounding the professor, and then turned around in shame. However, this self-indulgence only lasted a second.


    He had no time for regret, too.


    Not caring about the expenditure of essence, Sunny traveled through the shadows and soon appeared near the Rhino. He could feel three shadows inside, while Luster, Kim, and Quentin were standing in front of the APC.


    Noticing him, they straightened their postures.


    "Captain, sir! Uh... I did as you told."


    Sunny glanced at Luster and nodded.


    "Go and run the startup sequence. I want the Rhino to be ready to depart at any second."


    The young man''s eyes turned into circles, but he swiftly dove into the hatch without asking any questions. Sunny, Kim, and Quentin were left alone in the biting cold.


    Feeling his heart beating wildly, Sunny looked up at the sky.


    The sky was covered by white haze.


    ''...The blizzard is starting again.''


    At that moment, Quentin cautiously asked:


    "Captain... I am sorry, but what exactly is happening?"


    He gave the gallant healer a short glance.


    "We''re leaving."


    Both his subordinates seemed startled.


    "Leaving? Right now? But... why?"


    Sunny lingered with the answer.


    "Because we have orders to keep the VIP alive."


    That seemed to make them stop asking questions.


    A minute passed, then another. His bloodstream was full of adrenaline, as though he was in the middle of a battle. Time crawled at a snail''s pace, and for some reason, Sunny felt as though he was locked inside a pillory, waiting for the guillotine''s blade to come down.


    ''Walk faster, damn it!"


    His instincts were screaming that they had to leave LO49, now.


    Finally, two figures appeared from the milky-white haze. Professor Obel was walking stiffly, with a troubled face. Beth was both supporting him and carrying a small bag.


    The old man stopped near Sunny and looked at him with a solemn expression. He hesitated to speak.


    "Young man... I hear that you will be taking us away now."


    Sunny nodded.


    "Yes, Professor. Get inside, please. Hurry. I''ll explain later."


    They entered the Rhino and closed the hatch. While Beth was looking around with subdued curiosity, Luster sent the heavy vehicle moving.


    The sentries had already been informed by Verne, so they opened the gate and allowed the Irregulars to drive through them.


    ...Until the last second, Sunny was certain that something would go horribly wrong. But, somehow, it didn''t.


    The Rhino drove away from the fortress, passed by the fleet of transports parked outside, and disappeared into the white wall of the blizzard. Only when the lights of the facility vanished from view did Sunny feel an almost overwhelming sense of relief.


    He leaned... no, almost crashed... on the bulkhead behind him and let out a trembling breath.


    ''We made it. We made it in time...''


    Although there were many confused and concerned gazes aimed at him, Sunny remained silent. Slowly, the distance between the Rhino and the Lunar Observatory Forty-Nine grew larger and larger. A kilometer, then another... then a dozen.


    They were leaving it behind.


    ***


    Some time later, when the heavy vehicle traversed approximately half the length of the coastal plain separating the ocean shore from the mountains, Sunny commanded Luster to stop and hide the Rhino in the wreckage of a massive war machine left behind from the Dark Times.


    He closed his eyes and concentrated for a few minutes. His shadows made sure that there were no Nightmare Creatures laying around in wait.


    After that, Sunny inhaled deeply.


    "The Call is not too strong here. It should be condition green, so... congratulations, guys. You can finally rest."


    Despite their unease and doubts, his soldiers reacted to that statement with visible excitement. They, too, were on the verge of collapse from fatigue and exhaustion.


    "Luster, Kim, and Dorn. You guys sleep first. The other three, keep watch and take care of our guests."


    They nodded, already knowing their roles.


    "Yes, sir! But... uh... Captain, what about you?"


    Sunny looked at Belle with a dark expression.


    "...I have something to do."


    He headed for the exit hatch. Beth tried to get in his way with a question, but he simply looked at her, and the young woman suddenly backed away.


    Exiting the Rhino, Sunny walked into the blizzard, and then summoned the Nightmare. His loyal steed rose from the shadows, its eyes burning with dreadful crimson flames. Jumping into the saddle, Sunny sent it galloping through the snow.


    He left one shadow to stand guard near the Rhino, of course.


    By now, the range at which he could control it was past thirteen kilometers. That was more or less half the current distance between the Rhino and LO49.


    He flew back south, summoning the closed featureless helmet of the Undying Chain to protect himself from the cutting wind. His shadow sense spread outward, replacing sight that was useless in the furious snowstorm.


    Stopping at the very edge of Shadow Control''s range, Sunny remained in the saddle, and sent another shadow forward. It slid south with tremendous speed, and eventually reached the walls of the facility.


    There were formidable turrets on them, powerful spotlights flooding the immediate vicinity of the fortress with light, snowflakes dancing in the wide beams. The gates that the Rhino had left no more than an hour ago were tightly shut. A fleet of transport vehicles was parked in front of it, covered in snow, their initial purpose long forgotten.


    The blizzard obscured the world, and for a moment - just like when he had first arrived - Sunny felt a pang of fear. It was as though the whole facility was empty, with only ghosts populating its streets.


    ...Only, this time, his fear came true.


    There was no one standing watch on the walls. No soldiers patrolled the deserted streets. The buildings stood empty, with screens still showing recordings of entertainment programs, food laying on the plates, and coffee growing cold in the mugs.


    But there were no people.


    There were no scientists in the research laboratory, and no officers in the security center. The feed of the functioning security cameras showed no movement throughout the whole settlement.


    The doors of the living quarters where the civilians had been confined were still locked. but there was no one inside. There were no signs of struggle, and no fresh footprints in the snow covering the ground outside.


    Everything was just...... still.


    Fourteen hundred people had disappeared into thin air. They seemed to have simply vanished. like they had never existed at all.


    ...Many kilometers away, Sunny looked at the southern wall of the fortress through the eyes of his shadows. He felt compelled to send the shadow forward, and gaze at the dark ocean once more.


    But in the end. with a shiver, he decided against it.


    Soon, the shadow returned. Wrapping it around his body, Sunny commanded Nightmare to turn around, and rode into the blizzard without looking back.


    Maybe he did not want to......


    And maybe he simply did not dare.

 Chapter 901 Degrees Of Danger

    Well, actually, it was black. Shrouded in the darkness of the long night, Sunny rode north through the wailing hurricane of snow. To his eyes, which could see through any shadows, the snow appeared as light-grey, bordering on white.


    The way back was not long enough to deal with thoughts and emotions raging in his heart, but luckily, Sunny had too many worries about the future to drown in the regrets of the past.


    ''...Doesn''t matter, anyway.''


    Verne was dead, and everyone else was also dead. None of the people Sunny had come to know in the past weeks survived. Now, all he could do was make sure that his soldiers, Professor Obel, and Beth did not share their fate.


    That was not going to be an easy task.


    Soon, the wreckage of the old war machine appeared in view. Sunny dismissed Nightmare, walked into the rusted metal frame and lingered for a few moments in front of the Rhino.


    Then, he opened the hatch and climbed inside.


    Quentin, Samara, and Belle were keeping watch, each of them tense and ready for battle. Noticing him, the Irregulars sighed with relief.


    "Captain. You''re back."


    Sunny nodded.


    "Did anything happen in my absence?"


    Quentin shook his head.


    "There were no Nightmare Creatures yet. Professor Obel and Miss Beth were both exhausted, so they''re sleeping. We settled the Professor in your quarters. I hope you do not mind."


    He remained silent for a moment, then added with a hint of melancholy in his voice:


    "...Of course, we are keeping an eye on them. In case one or both have become carriers of the Spell."


    Sunny did not particularly care about the accommodations at that moment, so he simply nodded. The first point of Quentin''s short report was the most important.


    ''No Nightmare Creatures, yet..."


    That could change at any point.


    In fact, he had taken a risk by allowing his soldiers to sleep and leaving the Rhino, even if one of his shadows had stayed back to observe the surroundings and be a potential exit point of Shadow Step.


    Out here in the wild expanse of the Antarctic Center, it was Nightmare Creature country now. Hordes of them moved through the mountains, many spilling down onto the coastal plain.


    A transient swarm could have stumbled on the cohort''s camp at any moment, so it was not secure.


    But security was a thing of the past now.


    Before, he had had choices that were safe, and choices that were dangerous. But after leaving the protection of LO49 and its thick walls, he could only choose between different degrees of danger. It was all about calculating the probable risk.


    ...Even then, with his [Fated] Attribute, such calculations were more or less useless.


    Grimacing, Sunny covered his face with a hand and then rubbed it. He was too tired and numb to care right now. He needed rest, too.


    "Well. I am going to take a nap, then. Wake me up if there''s movement outside."


    Since his comfortable bed was currently occupied by Professor Obel, Sunny climbed into one of the free sleeping nooks and closed his eyes.


    How risky was it to fall asleep right now?


    Before letting his consciousness plunge into the comfortable embrace of darkness, he summoned Saint and ordered her to guard the Rhino from the shadows.


    That was all Sunny could do...


    ***


    The night never ended, and morning never came. When Sunny woke up, the world was exactly the same as it had been before. The raging blizzard enveloped the world, obscuring the cold dark sky. He had been pulled out of his dreamless slumber by the wholesome of a sleeping pod opening nearby.


    Opposite him, a panel on the wall of the Rhino slid away, revealing a sleeping niche hidden behind it. Dorn''s massive figure could be seen inside. The giant man had drawn a short straw when they were assigned the transport vehicle, since standard pods were a little bit too small for his prodigious body. Watching him climbing out of one was slightly comical, every time.


    Sunny did not smile, though.


    Making Sure that his shadows and Saint did not perceive any threat, he left his niche. Soon, Luster and Kim woke up, too.


    "Quentin, Belle, Samara - you turn."


    The three Irregulars could not wait to get some long-awaited rest. Their exhaustion and desire to sleep were so overwhelming that they did not even linger to listen to the report that their colleagues had brought from the Dream Realm. A minute later, all three were gone into the sleeping pods.


    Sunny studied Kim, Luster, and Dorn. They looked much better than they had yesterday. Even though one night of rest was not enough to remove all the accumulated fatigue, Awakened were resilient creatures.


    Sunny, who had only slept a few hours, felt utterly broken instead of rested himself. However, that feeling would pass soon.


    "So?"


    His soldiers glanced at each other. After a few moments, Dorn was the first one to speak.


    "It''s not good, Captain."


    ...This time, Sunny did smile.


    "Wow. Who could have thought."


    The giant man nodded awkwardly, and then started the report.


    "From what we were able to find out, East Antarctica is still under human control, but the Antarctic Center... it''s all a big mess."


    His face darkened.


    "The Saints were eventually able to kill one of the Titans, but two more remain. A chunk of the mountain chain was destroyed in the battle, too. But that''s not the worst of it..."


    Sunny let out a frustrated sigh.


    "Tust come clean with it."


    Dorn looked down.


    "The siege capital that our division was supposed to establish... it is gone. Wiped out of the map completely. The survivors, whoever remains - both soldiers and civilians - are in the process of trying to retreat to other strongholds. There''s no organized First Army force left from here to Mount Erebus, sir"


    Sunny remained silent for a long time, a resentful expression appearing on his face.


    ''Just like that.''


    Their four hundred kilometers journey... seemed to have just turned into a thousand kilometers journey.

 Chapter 902 State Of Affairs

    Dorn, Kim, and Luster brought other news from the Dream Realm, too. All of it was fragmented and chaotic, since the First Army itself did not seem to have a strong hold on what was happening throughout the Antarctic Center.


    With all modern forms of communication down, whatever information trickled in and was disseminated through the Dream Realm was doomed to be incomplete, and often became obsolete on arrival. The lack of reliable intelligence was the worst fear of all armies.


    The strange blizzard raging across the Antarctic Center was the cause of the collapse of the interaction network. It was attributed to one of the Titans that had emerged around a month ago, designated as the Winter Beast. The Titan''s current location was unknown, but its impact could be felt throughout the region.


    The field army tasked with evacuating the Antarctic Center was in a rough spot. The southern reach of the landmass - where Sunny and his cohort were currently stuck - was lost and all but abandoned. People were scrambling to preserve the remaining six siege capitals, not knowing when and where the Titans would strike next.


    Even worse, the Titans were merely the harbingers of a new phase of the Chain of Nightmares. The frequency and potency of the opening Gates seemed to have increased drastically, and countless Nightmare Creatures were pouring into the waking world every day.


    ...In other words, humans in the Antarctic Center were in trouble, and Sunny was in the biggest trouble of all.


    ''Wonderful.''


    His soldiers had not only received information, but also reported the cohort''s current status and location. The information was going to take some time reaching Master Jet, and then more time would pass to get her response back to Sunny. For now, he had nothing to do.


    Sunny contemplated for a few minutes whether he should start moving north immediately, or remain in place for a few days to give his soldiers time to recuperate and learn more about what was happening in the region. In the end, he decided to postpone the decision for when the second shift of sleepers returned from the Dream Realm.


    Keeping the Rhino static in the open was not an ideal situation, but neither was blindly venturing into the mountains. Either way, there was a big chance that a disaster would find them, but at least the former choice gave his soldiers a chance to get back to their peak battle states.


    There were also the two civilians to think about.


    After Kim, Kuster, and Dorn finished their report, Sunny moved to the compact kitchen of the large vehicle, summoned the Covetous Coffer, and concentrated on preparing a hearty breakfast for the crew of the Rhino. Cooking always made him feel calmer.


    He wondered about a lot of things. How close was the Second Army to being assembled? What were the Great Clans doing? How hard would it be to reach the distant siege capital, which stood near Mount Erebus?


    That city was famed for its well-off geothermal fields. At least they would not be cold anymore after getting inside its walls.


    He also wondered how Rain was doing. Was she worried about his long silence, perhaps? Was she in the midst of a First Nightmare?


    He could visit the Ivory Tower and ask one of the cohort members to check up on her. Effie was quite close with Rain, and so was Nephis. Kai kept in touch with Aiko, who was responsible for taking care of Rain in Sunny''s absence, and Cassie seemed to know everything about everyone, in general.


    But no... he could not go right now. There was a difference between taking a nap and leaving for the Dream Realm. The former would make him several seconds late to react to danger, but the latter would make him miss it completely. With how dire the situation was, he could not allow himself to be absent.


    Soon, the smell of cooking food brought everyone inside the Rhino to the lounge area. Even Professor Obel and Beth woke up because of it. Sunny secretly studied the old man, trying to ascertain his condition.


    The Professor seemed to be holding up well, considering how sudden their departure had been. He still seemed ancient and fragile, but there were no signs of a sudden deterioration of his health. Nevertheless, Beth used a portable medical scanner to take a few readings, and then produced a batch of medicine pills and supplements from her bag, acting like a concerned nurse.


    Sunny placed plates of fragrant curry on the table, as well as a pot of coffee and several bars of dark chocolate for the dessert. Considering their situation, this modest meal seemed strangely opulent.


    Before eating, Professor Obel looked around with curiosity, then smiled and uttered in his usual friendly tone:


    "That is an impressive machine you have here, Master Sunless."


    Luster, who was already bringing a spoonful of curry to his mouth, paused and grinned.


    "It is, isn''t it? Of all the vehicles I''ve driven, our Rhino is the most fearsome! This one time, we had to plow through a whole swarm of low-rank Nightmare Creatures... ah, it was spectacular."


    The old man smiled.


    "It''s conducive to see this design still being used and kept up to date. I knew the engineer who initially created this APC concept, you see. Of course, back then, it was far less advanced. Spelltech was not even in its infancy, so the solutions she proposed to make such a massive vehicle move at an acceptable pace were nothing short of revolutionary."


    Sunny tilted his head, trying to imagine it. A world without spelltech... it was hard to conceive of such a thing.


    And yet, Professor was obviously right. Just half a century ago, it had not existed.


    ''Huh.''


    Everyone ate, knowing that they would need a lot of energy to face what was about to come. At some point, though, Beth threw a complicated glance at Sunny and asked:


    "Now that things seem to have calmed down a bit... can you finally explain what prompted this sudden turn of events, Master Sunless? Why did we have to leave LO49 in such a hurry? Uh... not that I am doubting your decisions, though..."


    He remained silent for a bit, sipping his coffee.


    What was there to say?


    Sunny shrugged.


    "It''s begive rise to the Ariadne was destroved, and LO49 is gone. Everyone back there is dead. The nine of us are the only ones who survived."

 Chapter 903 Abstract Numbers

    His words caused a dead silence to settle over the Rhino, Luster, Kum, and Dorn froze, grave expressions appearing on their faces. Professor Obel looked down, suddenly appearing even more fragile and old. A heavy sigh escaped from his lips.


    Beth''s eyes widened.


    "W-what... what do you mean, dead? That is impossible."


    Sunny looked at her silently, and then shook his head.


    "This is the era of the Nightmare Spell. Anything is possible, and terrible things are doubly possible. In fact, they are all but inevitable. We were lucky to get out in time, but the others were not. That is all there is to it."


    His voice was full of grounded confidence, but in fact, Sunny felt very unsettled. He was not entirely sure if he was trying to convince Beth, or himself.


    Professor Obel, who had been born during the Dark Times and lived through the horrors of the First Generation, seemed to understand what Sunny was trying to say. He must have experienced many such calamities throughout his long life, and lost a lot of friends. His young assistant, however, did not.


    Looking at Sunny with a pale face, she forced out:


    "B-but..."


    He interrupted her.


    "Don''t think about it too much. Concentrate on your own survival instead. We are not out of the woods yet, and what is to come is far more important than something that is already over. And it is over."


    With that, the conversation died down. The previous lively atmosphere disappeared as if it had never existed. Sunny studied the faces of people gathered in the lounge area, and then stood up.


    He did not really want to console and manage anyone''s feelings right now. They were all adults... actually, he was the youngest person here, so why was he the one who had to take care of everyone?


    Well... because he was in charge, both in terms of power and authority. And with those, uninvited, also came responsibility.


    ''...Ugh. How irritating.''


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, and then said:


    "The best way to honor those that are gone is to make sure that we don''t follow them. So, rest well and gather your strength. I''ll keep watch outside."


    He sighed and walked away, leaving them behind.


    Climbing to the roof of the Rhino, Sunny commanded Saint to dismiss Morgan''s Warbow and summoned it into his own hands. Then, he shivered, enveloped by snow. Chilling wind howled through the rusted frame of the ancient war machine, the remains of which rose from the ground like the bones of a giant beast. Even though staying outside was cold and uncomfortable, right now, he preferred it to being in the company of other humans. There was a lot for him to think about.


    Observing the surrounding area through the senses of his shadows, Sunny closed his eyes.


    There was no way back, and the path ahead was dangerous and unclear. Remaining in this spot was not at all safe, as well.


    Funnily enough, the unnatural blizzard not only made it harder for humans to see the approaching Nightmare Creatures before they launched into a frenzied attack, but also hid them from the sight of the abominations. Unless a swarm stumbled directly on the rusty wreckage, it would pass by this shelter without catching the smell of human souls inside.


    That, at least, played in Sunny''s favor.


    Before he knew it, his thoughts wandered back to the lost personnel of LO49.


    Fourteen hundred people... sixteen, even, if he counted those that had died in the weeks before. Just like that, so many lives had been lost.


    It was... expected, actually.


    With a strange grimace, Sunny remembered hearing about the Chain of Nightmares from Master Jet for the first time. Back then, he was rather callously indifferent. What did the fates of humans in Antarctica have to do with him? Their number was much higher than fourteen hundred, too. There were seven hundred million people living in the Southern Quadrant, and he had not been inclined to give a damn about a single one. At least not enough to risk his life over it.


    He was still indifferent.


    Seven hundred million was too large of a number to conceive of. It was too distant and abstract. When speaking about millions of people, people stopped being people and turned into numbers. Sunny did not wish them ill, but he also could not bring himself to care about mere numbers.


    But soldiers and civilians that had died in LO49 were different. Even though fourteen hundred could not compare to seven hundred million, to him, they were real. He had lived with them, shared bread with them, and fought side by side with them. He had come to know them as people, and not numbers.


    So, their deaths affected Sunny much more than the potential evisceration of the whole quadrant. Knowing what he knew now, he couldn''t help but see the First Army and its mission in a different light.


    ...There would be much more death, for sure. The government had an ambitious goal of evacuating the whole continent, but their plan was already bursting at the seams. Many more people were going to die. Millions of them. In the end, how many of the seven hundred million would be saved? Six hundred? Five? Even less?


    Of course, he had no way of knowing.


    So... how did it make him feel?


    Was he outraged? Motivated? Burning with resolve? Did he find conviction?


    Not really.


    Letting out a bitter breath, Sunny whispered:


    "Such a waste..."


    All he felt was contempt. It was such a waste, all of it. Of human lives, resources, and potential. It made him sick to know that the world was gobbling up so much...


    While the people who could have prevented it from happening were too busy fighting among each other. Those bastards.


    In the end, all Sunny could do was follow his advice and concentrate on himself, and that which belonged to him.


    He couldn''t save seven hundred million people, but he could make sure that he, his soldier, and civilians in his care would make it to the other side of this disaster alive.


    That, at least, he could possibly manage.

 Chapter 904 A Journey Of A Thousand Miles

    Two days later, they finally received a word from Master Jet. The message, which had passed through several people before reaching Sunny, was simple - retreat to Erebus and rendezvous with Davis and his cohort of Irregulars there.


    Godspeed.


    Sunny took a deep breath after hearing the news.


    It was as he had expected, even though a small hope that some miraculous help would be sent to assist them on the thousand-kilometer journey had been still somehow aflame in his heart. Now, it was completely extinguished.


    With that, the cohort''s short period of rest was over. It was a good thing, too.


    Over the past couple of days, Sunny killed several Nightmare Creatures that had wandered close to the camp. Strangely, there had not been as many of them as one would have expected, and he was quick to dispose of the bodies. Still, the smell of blood was slowly permeating the area, and pretty soon, it was bound to attract bigger threats.


    The blizzard was still raging outside the wreck of the old war machine. Piercing the swirling snow with beams of light, the Rhino growled as it drove forward and abandoned its temporary shelter. Accelerating, it then moved north, toward the slopes of the towering mountains.


    The atmosphere inside the vehicle was tense, but as minutes passed without anything lunging an unexpected attack on the APC, everyone calmed down a little.


    ...Except for Sunny. He had no plans of calming down until they safely reached the stronghold of the First Evacuation Army. In fact, he would prefer if his people remained tense and paranoid, as well.


    But there was such a thing as too much pressure, too. People tended to break if subjected to persistent and overwhelming stress without any chance to take a breath. Actually, his soldiers were holding up surprisingly well, considering everything they had gone through in the past two months... and for a good reason. One of the criteria he had chosen these particular Awakened by was their mental resilience, after all.


    Even Luster, who seemed like a carefree fool most of the time, was enduring the rigors of the calamitous Antarctica campaign with a surprising tenacity. Maybe it was exactly that lighthearted and frivolous personality of his that made the young man so immune to despair.


    ''...Do I need to learn from Luster?''


    That was something Sunny had never expected to think about.


    The Rhino drove forward, and, hidden by the veil of snow, Saint and Nightmare followed it from a small distance. Even though the mountains were obscured from view by the snowstorm, the jagged peaks were getting closer and closer. Sunny''s shadows prowled outside, scouting the path ahead.


    Just before they reached the terminus that separated the coastal highway, which stretched along the whole length of the Antarctic Center, from the road leading to the former LO49 and the path that took a turn to climb high into the mountains, one of the shadows noticed something strange in the snow.


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, frowning. Then, he moved closer to the pilot''s seat and spoke calmly:


    "Turn to the left a little and slow down. We are going to take a stop in a couple of kilometers."


    Luster obediently followed his instructions, gradually slowing down. Eventually, the massive vehicle came to a halt.


    Sunny opened the hatch and dove into the blizzard, the polished black wood of the Cruel Sight''s shaft falling silently into his hand. Struggling against the wind, he then walked forward and stopped in front of a tall pile of snow.


    Less than a hundred meters forward was the terminus of the coastal highway, with several empty buildings standing with their doors ajar. Some distance away to his left was the ocean, which made Sunny feel very tense.


    Right now, however, his attention was concentrated on the tall mound in front of him. Under a thick layer of snow, portions of a massive carcass could be seen. The Nightmare Creature had not been dead for long - a day at most, maybe two. From a cursory look, it had been a Demon, probably of the Awakened Rank.


    Judging by the vicious wounds covering its body, it had not been killed by human weapons, and as if to illustrate that point, large sections of the carcass seemed to have been devoured.


    ''...Strange.''


    Nightmare Creatures were known to fight amongst themselves on occasion, but only in the Dream Realm. Out here in the waking world, there were too many human bodies for them to tear apart, and too many human souls to devour. So, even when different tribes of abominations collided with each other, they rarely showed any sign of hostility. Hunting down much tastier prey always took precedence.


    However... with how many Nightmare Creatures were currently rampaging across Antarctica, and how concentrated the human population had become due to being moved to a small number of siege capitals, things could have changed. If there were instances of infighting between the abominations, it could potentially help the mission of the First Army tremendously.


    Of course, Sunny prevented himself from becoming too optimistic about that prospect.


    He had more important and immediate concerns, anyway. A Nightmare Creature capable of slaughtering an Awakened Demon had to be sufficiently strong, and it could still be near.


    What kind of abomination was it, and where had it gone? Was it alone or accompanied by a whole swarm of other monsters?


    If he managed to deduce something about the nature of the enemy from the corpse, he would be able to better prepare to defend the threat.


    Sadly, the dead demon did not offer any clues. The only thing Sunny found out was that the killer was not too fearsome, since there were signs of a furious confrontation all over the place. If the other party was truly powerful, their victory would have been entirely one-sided.


    p��nd��---no��?1,��o�� ''Waste of time...''


    Shaking his head, Sunny was just about to turn back when he sensed something through his shadows. One of them had glided a bit further up the highway, and was currently observing some disturbances in the blizzard.


    He slowed down, turning to the north.


    ''...What is that?''


    A moment later, a troubled expression appeared on Sunny''s face.

 Chapter 905 Bearer Of Bad News

    The shadow hid on the slope of a tall cliff, observing the wide highway that stretched north between the momuntaind and the ocean. The world was obscured by a white wall of snow, but it could feel slight tremors running through the ground.


    Something was approaching.


    A few moments later, two bright dots appeared inside the blizzard, slowly growing larger as their source drew closer. Then, powerful beams of light cut through the snowstorm, making the shadow shift its position.


    ...Several kilometers away, Sunny frowned with a troubled expression.


    ''People.''


    What approached from the north was not a swarm of Nightmare Creatures or a lumbering monstrosity, but a small procession of civilian transports, accompanied by a handful of military vehicles. They cut through the blizzard, rolling down the highway at a slow speed. Several of them appeared battered and barely functioning. Soldiers could be seen manning the turrets, shivering in the vicious cold.


    His scowl deepened.


    "What are they doing here?"


    "...Luster. Bring the Rhino to the edge of the coastal highway"


    Leaving the carcass of the dead demon behind, Sunny walked forward. A few minutes later, he was standing on the snow-covered surface of the highway, with the Rhino positioned behind him. His silhouette was drawn against the backdrop of the blizzard by the beams of two powerful spotlights.


    The convoy was already close, but they did not notice him yet.


    Striking the butt of the Cruel Sight into the ground, Sunny hesitated for a moment, and then activated the [Light Eater] enchantment.


    Immediately, the silver blade of the spear shone with brilliant light. It was as though a small sun bloomed in his hand. Somewhere behind, Belle and Dorn emerged from the APC, carrying their weapons with guarded expressions. Samara had climbed to the roof of the vehicle and was now laying on it, resting her chin on the stock of her rifle.


    The other three Irregulars remained inside, protecting Professor Obel and Beth.


    The radiance of the Cruel Sight was too intense to not be noticed. Finally, the soldiers protecting the small convoy reacted, turning the turrets in the direction of the unknown threat.


    Their faces were tense and frightened. The lead vehicle slowed down.


    ''I hope those fools don''t start shooting blindly...''


    Using the Extraordinary Rock and its [Sonorous] enchantment, Sunny augmented the volume of his voice. Calm and oppressive, it rolled across the highway, easily breaching through the howling of the wind.


    "This is Captain Sunless of the First Irregular Company. Think twice before you shoot."


    Luckily, the soldiers seemed to have preserved at least some of their composure. No bullet flew in his direction... not that a mundane bullet would be able to do him serious harm, let alone scratch the surface of the Undying Chain.


    A few minutes later, the lead vehicle of the strange convoy came to a screeching halt not too far away from the Rhino, forcing the transports to follow suit. A figure in a military uniform emerged from it, hesitated for a bit, and then headed toward Sunny. Judging by the lack of an armor-type Memory and the way the man was holding to the collar of his coat, shivering in the cold, his was a mundane human.


    While the soldier walked, Sunny''s shadows got closer to the convoy and studied it. The transports were full of frightened civilians, and their military chaperones were few and far between. Everyone seemed to be in a rough shape, tired, and numb. There were women, children, and elderly among the refugees, all scared and exhausted, but not a lot of men.


    And there was not a single Awakened among them.


    Sunny''s mood turned darker and darker.


    Finally, the soldier walked close enough to see him. Raising a hand to shield his eyes from the Rhino''s lights, he mumbled in a startled voice:


    "It really is the Devil..."


    Sunny looked at him with a frown.


    "I can hear you, you know."


    The soldier flinched, and then lowered his hand, trying to stand at attention.


    "Oh... sir! Sorry, sir!"


    �Ѧ���d��---n?��a| ��om His voice, despite the effort to sound professional, sounded haunted.


    Sunny sighed and shook his head.


    "At ease."


    Then, he looked past the man''s shoulder at the battered convoy, wondering what it was doing here.


    "Please explain who you are, and why you are in this area. I thought that the First Army abandoned the southern reach of the Antarctic Center."


    The soldier remained silent for a while. Eventually, he said:


    "Sir, you must know that our division suffered heavy losses when... when the siege capital we were building was destroyed. A sufficient number of us had time to evacuate, taking the civilians with us. However, the aftermath was... chaotic."


    Sunny did not know the details of how the city had been obliterated, except for that it had been done by a titan. Nevertheless, he could imagine the panic and mayhem that had ensued in the aftermath. He nodded.


    The man let out a heavy sigh.


    "Most of those who escaped retreated north, but for many of us, that direction was cut off. We gathered as many people as we could and eventually headed south..."


    Something about that story did not sit right with Sunny. He interrupted the tired soldier:


    "...You made it all the way here driving on the highway?"


    Staying so close to the ocean was too dangerous. Even Sunny did not dare choose that convenient, but dire path. How did a bunch of mundane soldiers survive it?


    The man''s face grew bleak. He lingered for a while, and then said grimly:


    "There were a lot more transports in the convoy at the start of it, Captain. This... this is just the ones that remain. I have three hundred and forty free civilians in my care, and forty soldiers."


    Sunny sighed.


    "Ah."


    Now, things were making much more sense.


    Put in a somber mood, he asked:


    "There were no Awakened assisting you?"


    The soldier shook his head.


    "There were. They stayed back to buy us time. That... that was a week ago, sir."


    Sunny thought that he understood the full picture... except for one, most important, thing.


    "Why come so far south?"


    He stared at the man for a bit, and then asked directly:


    "But why would you head here, of all places? Why not circle back and head north, to one of the remaining siege capitals?"


    The answer soon came, making the corner of his eye twitch.


    "Evacuation, sir. After the initial chaos died down, the Awakened escorts... they were still alive, back then... received orders through the Dream Realm. We were to proceed to a facility called LO49, rendezvous with the battleship Ariadne that is supposed to be waiting for us there, and escape. Although... we are a little late. Just, just by a day or two."


    Sunny stared, lost for words. The soldier suddenly seemed excited:


    "Captain Sunless, sir! Have you come from that facility? Were you sent to escort us the rest of the way?"


    Exposed to that hopeful gaze, Sunny felt a bitter taste in his mouth.


    He lingered with the answer, but his Flaw only allowed him to remain silent for so long.


    ...Eventually, he opened his mouth and said simply:


    "No. The Ariadne was destroyed, and LO49 is lost. I am sorry to say this, soldier... but you and your men have made it all the way here for nothing."

 Chapter 906 Moral Conundrum

    Sunny had never seen a few words crush a man''s spirit so thoroughly.


    ...Except for maybe himself, when Nephis had spoken his True Name and commanded him to leave her for dead on the Forgotten Shore.


    The soldier managed to remain standing, but he looked like a marionette with its strings cut. All light was extinguished from his eyes. He remained motionless for a while, and then turned slightly, throwing a forlorn glance at the small, battered fleet behind him.


    Sunny could imagine how he felt. After surviving the cataclysmic destruction of the siege capital, these people weathered untold horrors to make it this far alive. What had kept them going was probably the hope that salvation was drawing closer and closer. And now, when they almost reached the destination, that hope was cruelly crushed.


    He sighed.


    "It just happened a few days ago. The news would not have reached you. My people and I are the only ones who survived."


    The soldier looked down, silent.


    Eventually, he asked:


    "If I may ask. What are your plans now, sir?"


    Sunny looked at him with a deadpan expression.


    "My orders are to proceed to the Erebus Field siege capital to rendezvous with another cohort of the First Irregular Company."


    Suddenly, a tentative spark appeared in the soldier''s eyes.


    "Master Sunless, sir. Will you consider..."


    Sunny knew what he was going to say. It was not that hard to guess.


    ...He wanted to laugh.


    In fact, he almost did. It took a lot of self-control to remain outwardly calm. A bitter, familiar, unhinged laugh got stuck somewhere in his throat.


    Of course, Sunny knew. The soldier was going to ask if the Irregulars would escort the civilian convoy to safety. Why wouldn''t he? They had persevered for the last week without any Awakened to protect the handful of transports from the rampaging Nightmare Creatures. And even though their hope of sailing to safety aboard the Ariadne was gone, there was an actual Master standing in front of them.


    And not just any Master, but one of the most deadly ones in the First Army, accompanied by a cohort of absolute elites. The Irregulars were the cream of the crop of human forces.


    Surely, they wouldn''t leave defenseless civilians behind.


    Surely...


    The problem was that this decision was not an easy one. Heavily armored and exceedingly maneuverable Rhino could potentially make the thousand-kilometer journey to Mount Erebus. The flimsy and damaged civilian transports, however... their ability to traverse the mountains was doubtful. At the very least, they would slow down and limit the versatile APC.


    Which would put its crew in danger.


    By agreeing to take charge of the convoy, Sunny would not only make his task several times harder, but also drastically increase the chance of his own soldiers dying.


    That was why he wanted to laugh.


    In Sunny''s last conversation with Verne, the stalwart Master had told him that it was impossible to get hundreds of civilians through the mountains alive. Back then, Sunny had responded by saying that people could not know what was impossible until they tried it.


    And now, he had to either leave these people to die...


    Or eat his own words, and put his money where his mouth was.


    ''Oh, this is a good one. This one is great! I see you, [Fated]...''


    The soldier''s words died on his lips as he watched Sunny''s unmoving face. Sunny remained silent.


    So, what was he supposed to do?


    Was he supposed to take responsibility for hundreds of refugees, at the expense of his soldiers and Professor Obel? Or follow cold logic and do what had to be done, abandoning them to fate? No, but there was no need to hide behind words. There was no fate, in this case, only death.


    What was the right choice?


    A strange smile appeared on his face.


    "What would a man of conviction do? Ah, a man of conviction would have probably stayed at LO49 and died. How complicated."


    Despite his aspiration to find the elusive thing called conviction and grow stronger through it, Sunny had not had any success in that regard yet. He still stood for nothing and was as unmoored as he had been at the start of it. Some people might have had an unwavering moral compass, but he was not one of them. Sunny mostly acted on a whim and pursued his own narrow interests. In fact, simply hearing someone speak about morality always filled him with suspicion.


    So, he did not have a straightforward answer to what was the right thing to do in this situation.


    However...


    However. Sunny might not have known what he believed in - if there even was such a thing - but he knew what he despised very well. Just a few days ago, he had sat on the roof of the Rhino, full of contempt for the bastards who could have saved countless lives in Antarctica, but decided not to. The damned Sovereigns.


    So, following that logic... wouldn''t he be doing the same by leaving the refugees to die in order to serve his personal convenience?


    ''What a weird and perverted way of thinking about things.''


    Sunny was honestly nor sure about the validity of that conclusion, or if it even made any sense. But it was the best one he had managed to come up with.


    So, after a long stretch of silence, he said:


    "How much food and clean water do you have left?"


    The soldier did not seem to understand his question. He stared blankly at Sunny for a few moments, and then perked up a little.


    "We have a large surplus of both food and water, sir. That is one thing we don''t lack... we also have a working water filter."


    Sunny remained silent for a little while, and then nodded.


    "Alright. Then you will follow us to Erebus Field. Do note that we will be moving through the mountains... do not worry, though. My cohort has scouted the road networks in this region of the Antarctic Center extensively. We''ll guide you well."


    The soldier took in a shaky breath and saluted.


    "Yes, sir!"


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then asked:


    "What is your name and rank?"


    The man responded after a short pause, fidgeting with the collar of his coat:


    "It''s Sergeant Gere, sir."


    Sunny glanced at the caravan of battered vehicles behind him, and sighed.


    "Here''s my order, Sergeant Gere. From now on, I''ll be assuming command of this convoy. You did well getting them here. Leave the rest to me..."

 Chapter 907 Burden Of Command

    As expected, the refugees were devastated by the news that their salvation had slipped away from their grasp at the last moment. Many of them looked like they were about to give up, but strangely, the terrible change did not end up being as crushing to their already crumbling morale as Sunny had thought it would be.


    The reason... he was the reason. Or rather, his status and reputation.


    Although being found by a Master was not really comparable to boarding a rescue ship, Ascended were a kind of symbol among humans. Saints were too mysterious and distant, so it were the Masters that dwelled in the human subconscious as the epitome of valor, achievement, and might.


    Sunny did not know about valor and achievement, but Ascended were indeed immensely powerful. And he was more powerful than most.


    So, when the refugees learned that Master Sunless of the First Irregular Company had taken command of the convoy, many of them were elated despite their extreme exhaustion. He had a fearsome reputation, after all... in fact, Sunny felt that the mundane soldiers had gone out of their way to embellish his achievements as much as they could when they delivered the news. Their purpose was transparent - the soldiers, too, wanted to keep the morale of the civilians from reaching the very bottom of despair.


    As a result, the refugees regarded him as some sort of intrepid hero, who was both the scourge of Nightmare Creatures and a dauntless savior of men. When they looked at him, their eyes were full of hope and reverence.


    Sunny was weirded out by these gazes.


    ''Fools. How easy are you to deceive?''


    Did they not hear the part of the story where a whole settlement that he had been stationed at was completely destroyed? But no, they didn''t. People just wanted to believe in something that would give them solace, no matter how far removed from the truth their belief might be. It was strangely easy for them to ignore anything that conflicted with such a belief.


    In the end, making people lie to themselves was the best and most effective kind of deception.


    ...Regardless, Sunny was not going to dispel their mistaken impression of him. Not only did it make the refugees easier to control, but there were other things to consider. Namely, the spreading plague of the Spell.


    Now that Sunny knew that a First Nightmare was born of a tiny Seed, as well, he couldn''t help but feel that it could only be planted into fertile soil. Wouldn''t a soul that was full of fear and despair be more fertile, while one illuminated by hope less so?


    If he thought about it like that, it was no surprise that the Nightmare Spell had descended during the height of the Dark Times. Back then, the whole world had been drowning in desperation.


    Maybe by managing the morale of the convoy, he would be able to reduce the number of mundane humans succumbing to the Nightmares.


    ''Look at me, thinking strategically.''


    Shaking his head, Sunny walked back to the Rhino and climbed inside. Remembering the mangled corpse of an Awakened Demon that rested under the snow less than a hundred meters away, he wanted to leave the terminus of the coastal highway as soon as possible... but there were a few things he had to do before that.


    "Professor Obel, can I speak to you?"


    The old man had lived through the havoc of the First Generation, so he would have valuable insight about the task facing Sunny, without a doubt.


    And indeed, speaking to the Professor gave him a few good ideas. However, something like the Chain of Nightmares had never happened in the history of the world before, so there was no handbook on how to survive it. He had to come up with his own solutions.


    Ten minutes later, Sunny gathered his cohort, as well as Professor Obel, Beth, and Sergeant Gere in the command suite of the Rhino.


    He didn''t waste any time and got straight to business:


    �Ѧ���d��---n?��a| ��om "The situation is far from being perfect, so I''ll be brief. Our first task is to inspect the vehicles of the convoy and service them as needed, to make sure that they will be able to make it across the mountains. However, we can''t do it here in the open. There is an abandoned military bunker not too far from our position... if all goes well, we will reach it within a day and make camp."


    His thinking was rather simple. He couldn''t have the civilians sleeping in the cramped transports, since the consequences of someone turning into a Nightmare Creature inside one would be devastating. So, ideally, they needed to find a well-protected campsite every time they needed to rest.


    The old bunker, which had stood empty since the Dark Times, was hidden in the mountains at a sufficient distance from the ocean. It was a conducive place to achieve a lot of pressing tasks.


    Sunny paused and looked at his subordinates with a grim expression.


    "For now, we''ll assume a standard march formation. Our immediate task is to reach the bunker without suffering any losses. There are two types of threats we need to be wary of: those from beyond, and those from within. I won''t say anything about the former, since they just mean that we must enter battle with the enemy. The latter, however... I desire soldiers keeping eyes on the civilians at all times. Don''t let anyone fall asleep."


    He lingered for a moment, and then added:


    "Clear one of the transports completely and move all passengers to the other four. That will be our mobile infirmary. If someone does fall asleep, wake them up. If they don''t wake, transfer the sleepers to the infirmary and get ready to put them down, should anyone fail the First Nightmare."


    Sergeant Gere shivered, but remained silent. It was not easy for mundane soldiers to fight Nightmare Creatures, especially not without working exoskeleton armor suits and inside a moving transport with no space to retreat and maneuver.


    Sunny had thought about it in advance. There were five civilian transports and four smaller army vehicles escorting them, so the math wasn''t too hard.


    He looked at his soldiers.


    "Luster will drive the Rhino, while each of you is to be stationed inside one of the transports from now on. Keep the refugees safe and observe your surroundings. If the convoy is ambushed and the enemy gets past me, it''s your job to make sure that no one dies... or at least as few of them die as possible. Belle, you will watch over the infirmary. The others, divide the transports among yourself. Sergeant Gere, the crews of the military vehicles will be responsible for themselves. The same protocol applies."


    The soldier nodded.


    "Yes, sir."


    After that, they all stared at him in silence.


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "What are you waiting for? Go! I desire to get off the coast as soon as possible."

 Chapter 908 Delegation

    After a short stop, the battered convoy started moving once again.. The Rhino was driving at the front, followed by the five civilian transports. Two military vehicles flanked them, and two more protected the rear. It would not be possible to mainting the formation higher into the mountains, but for now, the roads were wide enough.


    Taking a turn, they drove away from the coast, slowly climbing higher and higher into the outskirts of the mountains. Observing the multitude of screens in the command suite of the Rhino, Sunny felt thankful for the fact that he had scouted this whole area with his shadows a month ago, while en route to LO49.


    He roughly knew the twists and turns of the mountain roads, the shape of the slopes and the deep canyons, and what path to take. He knew where the most dangerous spots were, where a large-scale ambush could be waiting for them, and where it was possible to make camp.


    This stretch of the mountains was like a maze, and with civilian transports following the Rhino, its mobility was severely reduced. There were only so many paths the convoy could take... luckily, Sunny remembered them all.


    Of course, a lot of things could have changed in a month. The devastating battle between the three Saints and an unknown Titan had destroyed a few mountain peaks further up north, and caused a powerful earthquake. Although only a weak echo of that clash had reached this region, it was still enough to potentially change the topography.


    There would be rockfalls that had blocked previously clear roads, while some roads would have simply broken down and collapsed. A glacier or two could have come undone, obliterating everything in their path. And, of course, there were swarms of Nightmare Creatures lurking in the dark.


    There was also snow. The blizzard seemed to be growing weaker, but it had already covered the world with it. As a result, the Rhino was forced to lower its wedge-shaped ram and clear the path forward for the convoy. Just like that, the proud war machine was reduced to playing the role of a snowplow.


    The progress was torturously slow.


    Sunny had to simultaneously scout ahead and think deeply about how to manage the convoy. He wanted to consider as many problems as possible before they actually happened, to hopefully prevent them. It had been easy to command a small cohort, but now hundreds of people were depending on him. The complexity of the task and the amount of moving parts comprising it were giving him a headache.


    Not to mention the daunting trial of daring to guide a caravan of refugees through a war-torn, apocalyptic expanse of the continent that was being slowly devoured by the inescapable tide of darkness.


    ''...At least there is no giant tower this time.''


    Sunny smiled bitterly and turned his head, staring at Beth, who was looking at the external camera feed with a detached expression.


    Feeling his gaze, she looked back.


    "...What?"


    Sunny studied her for a few moments.


    "Beth, you have administrative experience, right?"


    The young woman frowned in confusion.


    "Sure? I used to do that sort of thing on behalf of the Professor. Running a research facility demands a lot of paperwork, you know."


    He nodded.


    "Good. Then, congratulations. You''re in charge of the refugees now."


    Beth blinked a couple of times.


    "What? Wait... what do you mean?!"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "I mean that you are responsible for their well-being. Food, water, health, morale. Find responsible people among the civilians and coordinate with them to solve any problems that you can handle yourself. Report the rest to me. You will be a filter between me and the civilians, understand?"


    She scowled.


    "I do, but my priority is the Professor."


    Sunny shook his head and waved a hand dismissively.


    "He''s a civilian too, is he not? Now that we are escorting a convoy of refugees, it''s in your own interest to make sure that everything is running smoothly. The safer the convoy is, the safer the old man will be, as well. In any case, I need to delegate these things to someone. Otherwise, I won''t be able to concentrate on the military side of things, and our safety - including the Professor''s - will be compromised. Would you prefer I entrust the civilian side of things to someone who does not care about him as much?"


    She glared at him for a few moments, then scoffed.


    "Fine. I guess I''ll be the housekeeper, then. You be the guard dog."


    Sunny grinned.


    "That sounds swell. From what I hear, all dogs do is sleep all day and get treats. Who wouldn''t want to live like that?"


    The young woman gave him a strange look, and didn''t answer.


    ***


    Above a mountain road that clung to the side of a canyon, a tall cliff stood, covered in snow. On a deep ledge cutting into its face, veiled by darkness, a dozen monstrous forms lay as they hid from the howling wind.


    The Nightmare Creatures were resting, their bloodshot eyes staring aimlessly into the blizzard.


    Then, something changed.


    As if catching a faint smell, the abominations stirred. The maws opened, and their muscles rolled under the desiccated hides. One by one, they rose from the snow and listened.


    From a distance, a barely audible hum of engines and the rustle of wheels could be heard. Frenzied flames ignited in the eyes of the vile creatures, and hoarse growls escaped from their maws. Using their powerful limbs, the Nightmare Creatures moved toward the edge of the ledge, lusting to sink their fangs into human flesh.


    ...Before they could, however, a shadow suddenly moved between them, and something landed in the middle of the pack, sending snow flying into the air. The abominations only had a moment to see what it was.


    There, between them, a graceful knight in intricate onyx armor stood, raising a beautiful jade jian. A split second later, the white blade flashed.


    ...Back inside the Rhino, Sunny closed his eyes for a moment, listening to the voice of the Spell whispering into his ears. The convoy was climbing higher into the mountains. The moved slowly, but had not encountered any serious problems yet.


    A few minutes later, he suddenly received a radio transmission from one of the flanking vehicles.


    "M... ster Sunl... ss, sir!"


    Sergeant Gere''s voice came through, marred by interference. Sunny manipulated a few switches to improve the quality and asked:


    "What is it? Is there danger?"


    The man answered after a short pause, with doubt in his voice.


    "No... yes. I don''t know, sir. It''s just that the cliffside ahead... there''s blood flowing down it."


    His voice sounded nervous.


    The response came a second later, startling the soldier.


    "...Don''t mind it. The situation is under control. Keep your eyes open and move forward."


    Gere stared at the radio in his hand, and then glanced at the soldier near him.


    "He said that the situation is under control."


    The other soldier shivered.


    "... Then I guess it is."


    The approached the cliffside what seemed to be seeping blood, and drove past it. Nothing happened.


    A few more hours passed, full of similarly strange events. However, no abomination had managed to get close enough to the convoy to pose a serious threat to it. In the evening, when the blizzard had grown thin enough to see the stars in the sky, they finally reached their destination.


    Up ahead, hidden between tall cliffs, was the entrance to the old, abandoned bunker.


    That was going to be their base for the next couple of days.

 Chapter 909 Underground Nest

    During the Dark Times, humanity had come to the brink of destruction. A series of cataclysmic natural disasters had brought it to its knees, causing several waves of mass migrations, each of them accompanied by plagues and famine. Previously arable lands had turned into wastelands, and many resources that had previously been the lifeblood of civilization were suddenly running dry.


    There had not been enough food for everyone, not enough livable space for everyone, and not enough power source for everyone. So, humans had done what they knew best.


    They had turned to war.


    ...The marks left by those devastating wars still haunted the planet. From the polluted air to the derelicts of broken military machines, they littered the Earth like scars caused by a deadly infection. The old bunker Sunny was facing right now was one of those scars.


    He knew neither what army had built it and for what purpose, nor what had happened to those people and why the bunker now stood abandoned. He also did not care.


    There were always stories about terrifying doomsday weapons hidden in such places, waiting to be unleashed by a carefree explorer, but most of them were just that - stories. In reality, places like that one were usually empty for one simple reason: everyone had died or left, and those who survived had no need and no capacity to return.


    Plus, the bunker had already been unsealed a long time ago. Its massive blast doors stood open, covered with snow.


    Sunny was much more worried about the present than the past. Anything could have made its way inside during the Chain of Nightmares. If a tribe of Nightmare Creatures had made a nest in the narrow underground passages, laying siege to the bunker would not be easy. In fact, it was as tough of a task as a military unit could get.


    But he could not turn back.


    The civilian transports were crowding the mountain road behind him, with nowhere else to go. The vehicles needed maintenance and repair, and the people inside needed rest. It was his obligation to provide for them.


    Looking at the dark entrance gloomily, Sunny turned and addressed his cohort:


    "Prepare yourself. The seven of us will enter the bunker in fifteen minutes."


    Sergeant Gere, who stood nearby, hesitated for a few moments.


    "Sir... what if there are Nightmare Creatures inside?"


    Usually, the task of clearing an underground nest would only be entrusted to a much larger and better prepared force. Sunny stared at the soldier silently, and then shrugged.


    "There are. So what?"


    His shadows were already creeping through the dark bunker, scouting its many chambers and passages. There were indeed abominations hiding underground... a lot of them. They had turned the abandoned complex into their lair some time ago, and its nature was going to make any potential assault both hard to pull off and bloody.


    For a regular military force.


    Sunny and his people, however, were elites. He was confident in their ability to clear out the bunker without suffering any losses. They had no other choice, anyway.


    Most of his confidence, though, came from himself.


    As minutes passed by, Sunny used his communicator to project an image on the snow and started to slowly fill it out as the Irregulars watched attentively. Passage after passage, room after room... soon, a detailed map of the bunker was projected in front of them.


    Then, Sunny marked every Nightmare Creature and its position on the map. Lastly, he sketched a rough figure of a snake-like monstrosity and drew several red dots on its body. Those were the weak spots he had observed with Kim''s help.


    e��glesn?��el Sergeant Gere stared at the projection, dumbfounded.


    ...Not paying him any attention, Sunny addressed the Irregulars:


    "There are ninety-four Nightmare Creatures inside the bunker, as well as several hundred... eggs. The plan is simple. We''ll go in and clear them all out, level after level. The first two levels only have Awakened abominations, and the heart of the nest seems to be situated on the fourth, with several Fallen protecting it. There''s not a lot of room to move, so mind the walls. Sam, leave the rifle behind. It won''t be of any use underground, anyway..."


    He spent the remainder of the fifteen minutes going over the important points and explaining what kind of enemy they would be facing.


    Then, without any fanfare, the cohort brandished their weapons and entered the bunker, disappearing into the darkness without a single radiant Memory illuminating their way.


    Hidden in the shadows, Saint and Nightmare remained outside to guard the convoy.


    An underground nest was always a dire target. The lack of light, the unpredictable nature of the terrain, the twists and turns of narrow passages that could lead to an ambush at any second, the limited space that made it hard to move and fight... it was a nightmare for a cohort of Awakened, especially if the abominations had both the numbers and the home ground advantage on their side.


    ...It wasn''t too hard for the Irregulars, though, because they knew where the enemies were, what the lay of the land was, and had already developed an optimal plan of attack. Even if something unexpected happened, Sunny''s shadows were keeping an eye on everything, so the cohort would know about any potential attack in advance.


    Swiftly moving from room to room, from corridor to corridor, they methodically slaughtered the Nightmare Creatures. Despite being inside a beast lair, it appeared as though the abominations had found themselves inside an enemy stronghold instead. The Awakened seemed to know the structure of the bunker better than its current inhabitants, as well as how to separate, flank and box the monsters in.


    There were no avoidable movements, no words spoken. The Irregulars were fast, efficient, and deadly. Belle especially seemed to be born for this type of assault, since he could freely phase through walls and attack from any angle. His sword made short work of the monstrous snakes, striking precisely at the vulnerable sections that Kim''s Aspect had pointed out.


    Sunny was in full control of the situation. His shadows spread throughout the underground complex, informing him of the movements of the enemy. Whenever there was a possibility of danger appearing, his spear lashed out, obliterating the threat. Whenever there was a change, he adjusted the plan on the fly and informed his soldiers.


    They went through the first level like the Reaper''s scythe, cutting down all living things on it, then did the same on the second.


    Then, the third.


    In the end, not even the Fallen abominations could do anything. The last rabid assault of the Nightmare Creatures was completely dismantled by an essence trap that had been set up by Samara. Whoever survived the blast was finished off by the melee fighters.


    Just like that, the deadly nest of powerful abominations was obliterated.


    As soon as the last of the creatures lost its life, shadows surged across the underground complex, dragging the corpses away to hide them out of sight.


    ...About an hour after the cohort had entered the bunker, Sunny emerged from the darkness and breathed in the cold air. Then, he looked at the soldiers waiting outside and calmly said:


    "Bring the transports inside."


    The soldiers stared at him for a few seconds in silence, then turned around and walked toward the vehicles without saying anything.


    ...What was there to say?

 Chapter 910 Master Of Cartography

    The old abandoned bunker was not exactly the best place for a few hundreds of exhausted refugees to rest, and that had been before Sunny and his cohort had smeared monster blood all over the place. It was dark, cold, and in no way suited for people to live in.


    And yet, there was no other choice. They needed a temporary shelter to prepare for the journey ahead, and there was nothing better than this derelict facility for dozens of kilometers around.


    In the end, the civilian transports and the military vehicles entered the large hangar behind the blast doors, and the refugees disembarked, throwing frightened gazes at the dark interior of the bunker.


    The rest was both simple and demanded a lot of work.


    Six comparatively clean rooms were designated as living areas, each welcoming around seventy residents. Lighting fixtures were installed, and heater elements were taken off the vehicles and placed in the corners to chase away the cold. Awakened were assigned to the living quarters to keep people safe.


    There was so much to do that Sunny was momentarily at a loss. People needed blankets, food, medical care, and a hundred other things that he had not stopped to think about. Luckily, he did not have to solve all these problems alone. Sergeant Gere already had sufficient experience taking care of the refugees, and Beth seemed to have taken on her responsibility as the civilian representative with zeal.


    After about an hour of working things out, Sunny was left mostly alone. In the morning, there would be a lot to do, but for now, people just wanted to rest. No one knew when they were going to get a chance to leave the transports again.


    Sunny himself chose to watch over the infirmary, sending Belle away to a less stressful post.


    Currently, there were three people inside - two refugees and a young soldier. All three slept as their souls wandered in the First Nightmare. Their shallow and rare breaths were almost inaudible.


    Glancing at them, he summoned his chair, sat on it, and prepared for a long night. Unlike the rest of the convoy, Sunny would not be resting any time soon. There was too much for him to do.


    He closed his eyes.


    Above ground, the blizzard finally subsided, and the dark canvas of the mountains could be seen once again. The eerie lights of the aurora danced in the black sky, making it seem as though it was aflame with ghostly fire. Distant stars burned coldly up above.


    ''What a sight...''


    Sunny relaxed as his shadows climbed four different peaks. Now that the blizzard was gone, he could finally observe the surroundings. He could control his shadows from as far as thirteen kilometers or so. Of course, that number seemed small compared to the thousand kilometers the convoy had to travel to reach the Erebus Field siege capital... but here in the mountains, where the terrain was rough and uneven, that was enough.


    One could see a lot, if they just climbed high enough.


    Naturally, trying to study the landscape from the summit of a tall mountain would have been hard for most people, considering that the whole continent was obscured by the veil of impenetrable darkness. The long night of Antarctica was still lingering, and would be for several more months.


    But Sunny could pierce through that veil with ease. To him, that darkness was an ally.


    As the first shadow reached sufficiently high, he sighed and opened his eyes. Then, he activated his communicator and projected the map of the area from its memory storage.


    ''So outdated...''


    If Sunny wanted to guide the convoy through the mountains, he had a lot of tedious work to do.


    First, he recalled the journey to LO49, and started to mark all the old roads that he had scouted back then on the map, as well as their condition and degree of disrepair. Some were too damaged for the civilian transports to drive on, some were comparatively fine, and some could be used, but only if there was no other option.


    In the process, Sunny also marked all points of interest - potential campsites, possible ambush spots, entrances to the old tunnels that could be hiding untold threats, and so on.


    The process was long and boring, but the result was going to allow him to plan a good route.


    After a while, feeling tired, Sunny glanced at the map and sighed. Its current state was satisfactory, as the starting point.


    Then came the harder part.


    Relying on the four shadows looking at the world from high above, he started to add changes to the map. Some roads had been destroyed in the past month, some were blocked. Whole areas were buried under ice after several glaciers rolled down from the mountain peaks, and everywhere, Nightmare Creatures prowled.


    Due to his credentials as an academic explorer, Sunny was not a novice to drawing maps, although they had all been that of the Dream Realm in the past. The more he filled in the current one, the more bleak his expression became.


    Things were not looking good, at all.


    There were too few paths the convoy could take, and none of them was particularly easy or safe. The sheer number of abominations flooding the mountain range was appalling. Even though Sunny could not judge their exact numbers and power from afar, there were too many.


    They were like maggots swarming in dead flesh.


    e��glesn?��el Nevertheless, he diligently marked the larger swarms on the map, as well as the direction they seemed to be heading in and their approximate speed.


    After hours of arduous work, the projection in front of him looked like a piece of psychedelic art, with a chaotic net of lines and symbols of different colors covering its surface.


    The most prominent color, however, was red.


    With a sigh, Sunny leaned back and remained motionless for a while.


    ''What a disaster.''


    It would have been much easier to slip through the hordes of Nightmare Creatures if he only had to worry about the Rhino. The APC could conquer all types of terrain and was as durable as they came. The vehicles of the convoy, however... Sunny felt as though he had gone into battle with his hands tied behind his back.


    ''Curse it all...''


    As Sunny was pondering the optimal course of action, there was a sound of footsteps in the corridor outside, and the door of the infirmary slowly opened. Behind it, Professor Obel stood, holding a plate of food in his hands.


    Sunny raised an eyebrow, surprised by the unexpected visit.


    "...Professor? What brings you here?"


    The old man smiled.


    "Ah, don''t mind me, Master Sunless. I just noticed that you have not gotten your portion of the food the soldiers had cooked for us, so I thought to bring you some."


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments.


    ''What a thoughtful old man.''


    Something told him that the Professor had not just come here to give him food. Considering how much time had passed, the old man should have been asleep. It was also strange to see him without Beth, who always followed him like a shadow.


    The question was, what did Professor Obel want?

 Chapter 911 Question Of Value

    "Come in."


    The old man entered, closing the door behind him. Then, he looked around, found a rusty stool and sat down, handing Sunny the plate.


    "Sorry. It''s not much."


    Indeed, it wasn''t. The broth the soldiers had cooked was made out of synthpaste, monster meat, and spices. It was a common army dish that could be made with all kinds of ingredients, as long as there was water and basic rations at hand. This particular version looked almost edible, too.


    Sunny shrugged.


    "That''s alright. I''m from the outskirts of NQSC, so... I''m not a stranger to synthpaste."


    Professor Obel nodded, then curiously studied the map Sunny had created as he ate. After a while, the old man said:


    "It is in moments like this that I am reminded of how potent Utility Aspects can be. Their wielders tend to be overlooked in favor of combat specialists, who get all the glory. But your ability is truly incredible. Someone more versed in battle would have been able to kill a few dozen more Nightmare Creatures... maybe even a hundred or two. But with this, we will be able to sneak past thousands of them, and defeat those that we do encounter with minimal losses, or none at all. This map will vastly increase our chances of survival, more than any warrior would be able to."


    He paused for a moment and looked around.


    "...This bunker, too. Your soldiers are a fearsome bunch, Master Sunless, but without your sight and awareness, liberating this outpost without casualties would have been a tall task even for them. You seem to be able to see everything, and be in several places at the same time. I think I owe my life to that last ability of yours, actually."


    Remembering the bloody incident that had happened in the safe room of LO49, Sunny swallowed a spoonful of broth and nodded.


    "That is a lot of compliments. Don''t be mistaken, though. I am a menace in battle, too."


    Professor Obel chuckled.


    "I am just giving credit where credit is due. You might have not realized it, but you are uniquely suited to lead this convoy, Master Sunless. Still, it is a lot of responsibility, especially for a young man such as you. How are you holding up?"


    Sunny stared at him blankly.


    "...I am fine, thank you. I''ve been through worse."


    The old man sighed.


    "I''m sure that you have."


    His tone seemed strangely regretful.


    "What is he getting at?"


    Sunny frowned, then asked frankly:


    "Professor... I am sure that this is not just a social call. What is it that you want from me?"


    Professor Obel remained silent for a few moments. Eventually, he smiled:


    "I guess I am really easy to read, huh? Comes with the territory, I guess. At my age, people don''t have time for pretense. Yes, you are right. I wanted to talk to you about something, Master Sunless... or rather, I have a favor to ask."


    He looked at Sunny with a fatherly expression - which was an entirely new experience for Sunny - and said:


    "There is a long road ahead of us. In the future, you will have to make a lot of decisions as the leader of this convoy. Our lives are literally in your hands, Master Sunless... so, I wanted to ask you in advance. If a time ever comes when you have to decide between saving my life and that of someone else - especially my assistant Beth, that stubborn child - I want you to choose against me. Keep someone else alive and leave me behind."


    Sunny stared at the old man for a while, perplexed by the sudden request.


    e��glesnovel`c,om "With all due respect, Professor, I can''t agree. My orders are to deliver you safely to a siege capital... you, and you alone. Everyone else is just a bonus. They don''t have the same value."


    Professor Obel simply shook his head.


    "Value... you are wrong, Master Sunless. I am old, and don''t have much time left. It is young people like you and Beth that hold true value. I might have done a few worthy things in the past, but you are the ones who will accomplish great and amazing feats in the years to come. You will carry the flag of humanity into the future... not old fossils like me. If a species starts to cannibalize its young to prologue the lives of the old... there''s no value in that. None at all."


    Sunny looked away.


    "...That''s great, but I am not even sure if humanity has a future."


    The old man laughed.


    "Oh... forgive me, young man, but I''ve been hearing these words for almost a century. When I was young, many people were convinced that we were all going to go extinct soon. But we didn''t. Then, they went around saying that if things did not change for the better, humanity would surely be doomed. Things changed for the worst, but humanity still persisted. Then, the Nightmare Spell appeared, and it seemed like all their fears came true... and yet, here we are. Still kicking. Humanity is far more tenacious than you think, Master Sunless."


    ...That it was. Humans were incredibly adaptable, resourceful, and stubborn creatures. They tended to cling to life so ferociously that eradicating them was often a futile endeavor.


    But not always.


    Sunny glanced at the Professor darkly.


    "Humans that used to inhabit the Dream Realm were tenacious, too. Where are they now?"


    The old man did not seem to have an answer, so he just sighed dejectedly.


    After a while, he asked:


    "So, are you going to grant my wish or not?"


    Sunny remained silent for a bit. Then, he scoffed.


    "Why do I have to choose whom to keep alive? I''ll just make sure to save everyone. There''s no need to decide between you and Beth, so why would I?"


    Professor Obel looked at him with a slightly somber expression.


    "That might be an unreasonable ambition, young man."


    Sunny shrugged, his expression nonchalant.


    "This whole campaign is an unreasonable ambition. Should we just give up?"


    The old man studied him for a while, then suddenly smiled. His smile, for some reason, seemed a bit brighter than usual.


    "Indeed, that is also true..."


    At that moment, Sunny glanced at the three people sleeping in the infirmary and frowned. His eyes seemed to grow a little darker.


    Deactivating his communicator, he looked at Professor Obel and said in a cam tone:


    "I think it''s time for you to go, Professor. I have... some matters to attend to. Thanks for the food."


    The old man lingered for a moment, but then nodded and stood up. As soon as the door closed behind him, Sunny summoned the Moonlight Shard and walked over to the Sleepers.


    It seemed that two of them were about to wake up. Whether as people or Nightmare Creatures, though...


    That, Sunny did not know.

 Chapter 912 Soul Of A Man

    e��glesnovel`c,om The first infected was a young solder from Sergeans Gere''s unit. The other two were refugees - a man in his thirties and a woman who seemed enough to be Sunny''s grandmother.


    All three were outside the usual age for a Sleeper, but the soldier, at least, was young and strong. He had a higher chance of survival, from what Sunny could tell... not that anyone knew a lot about how and why people survived the First Nightmare. It was a mystery why the Spell had eventually settled for teenagers of about sixteen to eighteen years old after devastating the First Generation indiscriminately.


    But even back then, younger people had been more likely to survive. Humans might have not known the reason, but they were very good at gathering statistics.


    Perhaps it had something to do with the soul. Some believed that it was hard for a soul to form a stable core after becoming set in its ways... so, a situation was possible where an older person could survive their Nightmare, only to die anyway after their soul collapsed while trying to create a core.


    ''That hardly seems fair...''


    But fairness was a human concept, in the end. The Spell had its own principles, which did not always coincide with what humans considered just.


    ...Currently, the soldier and the male refugee were stirring, as if on the cusp of waking up. Sunny observed them from above, holding the Moonlight Shard in his hand.


    He was strangely fascinated.


    To his eyes, the changes happening to the souls of the Sleepers were revealed in detail. The weak, faint golden light inside them was swirling and moving, caught in the throes of a growing turmoil.


    Sunny had gone through the process himself, many times. However, he had never seen it happening in front of him, to someone else.


    Right now, the souls of the two humans were weak and... insubstantial. They were more like an idea of something than an actual thing. They were alive, and had shadows, but that was pretty much it. However, through a mysterious process, the formless state of a mundane soul was being galvanized, slowly creating a more solid shape.


    A soul core was not a soul. Rather, it existed within the soul, serving as both its fulcrum and nexus. At least that was how Sunny perceived it. Encompassing a core granted a lot of benefits to a soul, but it also placed a burden on it. Not every soul was powerful and vast enough to sustain one, let alone several.


    The proof of it was the terrible pain he went through every time his Class rose.


    Regardless... both the soldier and the civilian seemed resilient enough for the task at hand. The faint golden light saturating their bodies grew slightly brighter, and in it, streaks of a stronger radiance appeared. These streaks flowed to their chests and swirled, slowly merging into spheres of brilliant light. The whole process seemed miraculous.


    As the two spheres grew fuller and more defined, the familiar shapes of two soul cores started to emerge from the brilliance.


    But then, there was a change.


    The nascent soul core of the young soldier exploded with a flood of ethereal flame, which rolled through his body as a radiant wave, rejuvenating it.


    The civilian, however...


    As Sunny watched with a bleak expression, a seed of darkness appeared in the center of the forming core. It quickly expanded, spreading like a cancerous growth. Repulsive veins of darkness spread through the dying light, consuming it.


    The more of the light was consumed, the faster it spread.


    ''...Corruption.''


    Sunny was almost certain that this was what he was observing. A living being succumbing to the Corruption. The Corruption had existed long before the Nightmare Spell, and although he did not know its source and purpose, he knew that it was an enemy.


    The enemy, perhaps.


    Sunny suspected that he had once come very close to becoming corrupted himself, on the second level of the Ebony Tower. The terrible rot that had eaten through Weaver''s arm and forced the cunning daemon to sever it... had it not been the same thing, only in a far more pure and harrowing form?


    As Sunny watched, revolting tentacles of the Corruption spread through the body of the man, becoming one with it.


    Then, the body started to change.


    The skin turned dark, and the teeth suddenly elongated, piercing through his lips. The bones cracked, rearranging themselves...


    Before anything else could happen, though, the narrow blade of the Moonlight Shard pierced the man''s chest, going straight through his heart. The forming soul core, now parasitized by the Corruption, was torn apart. The grotesque body convulsed and grew still, its last breath escaping as a hoarse groan.


    Sunny sighed and looked at the dead man with regret.


    After a while, he whispered:


    "Rest well, now. Your Nightmare is over..."


    ''Find peace within me.''


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then glanced at the other one. Everything seemed to be going fine for the young soldier. His soul core was all but formed, as there were faint streams of weak essence coursing through his body. The body itself was being rebuilt by it, growing healthier and stronger... getting one step closer to perfection.


    Before too long, the convoy would welcome another Sleeper.


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, then dragged his chair closer and sat down, dismissing the Moonlight Shard. Several shadowy tentacles rose from the ground and dragged the corpse of the unfortunate refugee away.


    Come to think of it, they were not too practical for such tasks... a simple tentacle was the easiest shape to create and demanded the least essence to maintain, but came short in terms of function and versatility. Maybe he needed to come up with a better shape.


    In any case, for now, all Sunny could do was wait.


    Suddenly, he felt very tired.


    By that time, the first of the shadows had already returned from its trip to the peak of a nearby mountain, so he closed his eyes and observed the infirmary through it.


    A minute passed by, then another. Then, a few more. Everything was quiet.


    ...Some time later, the soldier slowly opened his eyes. A hint of consciousness returned into them, and the young man looked around in confusion.


    The scarcely lit room, the rusted metal walls, the three makeshift cots, one of them drenched in blood... and a pale youth sitting on a luxurious wooden chair, as if on a humble throne.


    The youth seemed almost like a human... was he human?


    His eyes were closed. Was he alive, or was he a corpse?


    ...Was he both alive and a corpse?


    And that moment, Sunny said:


    "What are you looking at?"


    The soldier flinched away. Then, shivering, he asked something stupid:


    "..Am I dead?"


    Sunny frowned.


    Well, it was not surprising that the guy was confused. He had been lost in the First Nightmare for several days. For all the poor fool knew, the convoy should have been still driving toward LO49, racing to rendezvous with the Ariadne. He had slept through the meeting with the Irregulars, Sunny assuming command, and the short journey to the bunker.


    To him, everything would appear strange and frightening.


    With a sigh, Sunny opened his eyes, leaned forward... and then slapped the soldier across the face. Not too hard, but just enough to feel it.


    As the young man yelped and grabbed his cheek, Sunny shook his head.


    "Would it hurt like that if you were dead? You''re not lucky enough to die, fool. Welcome back to the waking world, Sleeper... uh... whatever you name is..."


    Occasionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 913 Lucky Sleeper

    The Devils were the only Awakened in the convoy, so the newly returned Sleeper had no one else to learn from. After finding out that the young soldier''s Aspect had to do with melee combat, Sunny sent him to Belle and told the swordsman to show him the ropes.


    The Sleeper was in a strange position - he was not a mundane soldier anymore, but also not a true Awakened. He had an Aspect, an Ability, and was capable of summoning Memories.


    However, his power was barely enough to face a dormant Nightmare Creature, and potent Memories with active enchantments were wasted on him.


    ''Whatever. I was killing Fallen Devils left and right as a Sleeper...''


    Sunny sneered.


    Of course, no matter how much he wanted to, he could not hold everyone to the standards of the Forgotten Shore survivors. Everyone who had escaped from that hell was abnormal, and for every one of them that had, there were hundreds of those who had not.


    In any case, the Sleeper was at least capable enough to watch over the refugees, lessening the burden on the Irregulars. To make his task easier, they had bestowed a few Memories to the young man. Now, he was wearing sturdy snakeskin armor and wielding Belle''s spare sword. He even had an enchanted bow and a quiver of poison arrows, as well as a magical lantern and a charm that protected him from cold.


    If there was one thing the Irregulars did not lack, it was Memories of lower Ranks. Pretty much every battle they fought resulted in one or two of them receiving something. Most of these Memories were useless to the members of the cohort, whose equipment had been of high quality even before Sunny improved it, but they were just right for a new Sleeper.


    There was enough to arm several more, even.


    Come to think of it... Sunny had been mostly paying attention to the human toll that the rampant proliferation of the Spell had levied, but there was another side to the epidemic devouring Antarctica, as well. Before too long, there would be a lot of Sleepers like that one on the continent. So many, in fact, that their numbers could potentially rival that of the Evacuation Army in the future.


    ...That belated realization gave him pause.


    Those were thoughts for the future, however. For now, he only cared about the convoy and its fate. The convoy was not going to have thousands of Sleepers protecting it any time soon, but there might be enough of them to form a cohort of their own one day.


    "Well... I better tell Belle to do a good job of mentoring that guy, then."


    With that, he threw the thoughts about the Sleeper out of his mind, for now. There was a lot to do, and not enough time to do it all.


    In the morning, Sunny sent Quentin, Samara, and Kim to take a look at the vehicles of the convoy. Each had to be inspected, serviced, and hopefully repaired well enough to make the journey to Erebus Field in one piece. At the same time, he assigned Dorn and twenty of Gere''s soldiers to explore the bunker and see if there was anything inside that could be recovered and used for their benefit.


    The underground complex had stood abandoned for half a century, at least, but there was a possibility that a few intact pieces of machinery remained, ready to be cannibalized to repair the vehicles. There could also be untouched caches of preserved provisions, and so on, not to mention the carcasses of Nightmare Creatures that needed to be dressed and dismantled.


    Every member of the cohort already had their cores saturated, so there was no better use for all the remaining soul shards than to feed them to the rookie Sleeper. Just like that, the young soldier was going to consume hundreds of soul fragments in his very first day after returning from the Nightmare.


    ''What a lucky bastard..."


    Recalling how arduous it was for him to get even a single fragment on the Forgotten Shore, Sunny listened to Beth with a dim expression. She was in the process of reporting what state the refugees were in, which, if put succinctly, was... not too good.


    Well, what else had he expected? It was already a miracle that these people were holding on to their sanity. Many of them were the most vulnerable members of humanity, too - children and elderly. The shock of watching their whole continent go up in flames right in front of them was not something one could endure without a paying the price.


    With a sigh, Sunny summoned the Covetous Coffer and started unloading the precious things he had stored inside in preparation for the Antarctica campaign. Quality food, sugar, salt, spices, dried fruit, chocolate, tea, coffee, toiletries, expensive alcohol for special occasions, and much more... he had prepared a lot, thinking that this stash was going to last the cohort at least a year.


    e��glesnovel`c,om There was even foldable furniture, a spacious field tent, and a few things to make leisure time between missions more enjoyable.


    Beth watched more and more items appear from an average-sized chest with wide eyes. Sunny, meanwhile, felt extremely bitter.


    The mountain of supplies was large enough to fill an entire room. Not too long ago, it seemed like a lot... but with hundreds of mouths to feed, it was barely enough to sustain the refugees for a few days.


    However, the supplies were not meant to sustain them. Sergeant Gere had that covered, even if all the civilians had to eat was synthpaste broth, and all they had to drink was filtered water. Rather, Sunny''s pile of treasures was supposed to achieve something different... improve their mood, even if just by a bit.


    Enduring the apocalypse was much more bearable if you had some toothpaste and a clean toothbrush. Although that statement seemed nonsensical and foolish, it was nevertheless - somehow - true. Sunny had experienced the fact himself.


    "Here. Talk to Gere and distribute this stuff among the civilians. Tell the cooks to step up their game, too. I want the next few meals to be really tasty... until we leave the bunker, at least."


    Beth, who was staring at a pack of cheap scented soap as if mesmerized by it, slowly nodded.


    "Ah... yes... I will... huh..."


    Sunny sighed and clicked his fingers a few times, fruitlessly trying to get the young woman''s attention.


    ''Damn. Do I need to slap her, too?''

 Chapter 914 Moving On

    In the end, they stayed in the derelict bunker for three days. The vehicles of the convoy had turned out to be in a worse state than Sunny had thought, so it took a lot of work for Kim and Samara to get them in shape with Quentin''s help. The patchwork repairs they implemented were not pretty, but at least the transports were not going to fall apart on the road, stranding dozens of refugees and bringing the convoy to a halting stop.


    In the freezing cold of the polar night, stopping meant death. That was without even considering the swarms of Nightmare Creatures prowling in the dark... the world itself was more than happy to kill them.


    Throughout these few days, Sunny continued to monitor the surroundings and diligently updating his map. The four shadows spent a lot of time either climbing mountains or hiding on their icy summits. He knew for a fact that shadows did not experience getting cold... and yet, Sunny could not shake the feeling that the gazes they threw at him from time to time were less friendly than usual.


    ''Tough... do as you''re told and don''t complain, bastards.''


    He was not a very friendly person himself.


    The days spent in the bunker were strangely uneventful. There were no large hordes of Nightmare Creatures in close proximity to it, yet, and whatever small swarms passed by were not strong enough to pose a serious threat. If they did attack, the abominations would have a hard time assaulting the underground complex - its defensive capabilities, which Sunny and his cohort had braved themselves while clearing out the snake monsters, were now on their side.


    No one would find it easy to get to the civilians.


    ...Unless they were capable of borrowing through the ground, of course, like the monstrous lieutenant of the stone hive that had almost buried Sunny in solid stone. If they were, the bunker would become nothing short of a free buffet for such a Nightmare Creature.


    After thinking about that, Sunny ordered Luster to remain in the Rhino and monitor the seismic sensors like his life depended on it.


    But no dangerous abomination appeared.


    e��glesnovel`c,om When Sunny was free, he silently patrolled the bunker, studying the refugees. These people seemed strange to him. After losing their homes, loved ones, and having the promised salvation be ripped out from their hands - twice - he would have expected many to break. And some did... but very few.


    For most, life simply went on. Especially the children. The last thing Sunny had expected to hear in the gloomy corridors of the abandoned bunker was the sound of laughter, but nevertheless, there it was. Kids were playing around, watched over by the elderly. They ran around, made friends, and invented various games to chase away the boredom.


    One even had the gall to slam directly into him while chasing after their playmates. The boy let out a startled yelp, then looked up with wide eyes and mumbled:


    "Uh... sorry, Uncle Awakened..."


    With that, he rubbed his forehead and dashed away, giggling.


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    ''...Uncle? Uncle?! The... the nerve!''


    Who was he calling an uncle?!


    ...Kids were doing fine, but even the adults, pressed down by the burden of knowledge, showed pale smiles from time to time.


    They were warm, had both water and food, as well as a temporary, but safe shelter. That was all it took for the human spirit to hold on, it seemed.


    Maybe Sunny himself had something to do with their mood, as well. The refugees decided to trust in the competence of the Master who had taken charge of their survival. They surrendered their fates into his hands, and, unburdened, found enough strength to believe in the future, even if only a little.


    ''Strange. So strange. I would never entrust my life to anyone...''


    At the end of the third day, Sunny gave the command to start preparing for an immediate departure. That decision was met with a lot of turmoil, both from the civilians and the soldiers. Even his own men spoke up.


    "Sir... if I may."


    Samara gestured to the ramshackle vehicles, slight concern apparent on her usually nonchalant face.


    "We have done a lot, but I am not sure how well our repairs will hold. If you give us two more days... maybe even one... we''ll accomplish much more."


    Beth and Sergeant Gere were similarly in favor of postponing the departure by a few days.


    "The people are just starting to come to their senses. A few more days of rest will do wonders for both their mood and their health. We have a lot of old people here, you know? They require care..."


    But Sunny was adamant. He simply shook his head.


    "You don''t get it. We must leave now. There is a huge horde of Nightmare Creatures moving in from the east, and another one coming down from the north. If we go now, we''ll have a chance of slipping past them before they arrive. If not, we''ll simply drown in abominations. Do you actually think that they won''t find us underground, or that seven and a half Awakened can stop them? Wake the hell up and start loading people into the transports. That''s an order."


    No one could challenge his authority, and no one had any reason to. While hard to accept, his words were true... which was to be expected, considering that Sunny could not lie. He would have loved to lie and manipulate these people, but sadly, he could only manipulate them by telling the truth.


    Weirdly enough, he was starting to earn a reputation of a rough, but fair leader as a result.


    Who could be more dependable than the Devil, after all?


    After three days of rest for some, and back-breaking work to prepare the convoy for the journey ahead for others, the small fleet of vehicles finally left the hangar of the old bunker.


    The blizzard had yet to come back, so their position was instantly revealed to everyone who would bother to look. Cutting the darkness with beams of bright light and tearing the silence apart with the rumbling growls of powerful engines, the convoy moved north.


    Their long journev had begun.

 Chapter 915 Fools Errand

    In the cold darkness, a small procession of vehicles was climbing an old and battered mountain road. The road clung precariously to the stone slope, so narrow that the wheels of the transports barely fit on its cracked surface.


    Looking through the windows to their right, all the refugees could see was a sheer drop. It was as though they were driving on nothing, a few centimeters away from plummeting to their deaths. From time to time, a stray rock would be pushed off the road by the wheels of the slowly moving vehicles, and then fall down, ricocheting off the cliffs with startling clangor.


    The sound traveled far through the deep gorge, reflecting from its stone walls as it grew louder and louder. For the frightened refugees, it seemed as deafening as thunder.


    Their fear was only made worse by the darkness. The headlights of the transports cut wide swaths through it, but beyond that, the night was impenetrable and oppressive. The drivers were already struggling with keeping the vehicles on the narrow road, and with most of it obscured by the chilling gloom, their task seemed all but impossible.


    Traveling through the mountains at night was an ill-advised and perilous affair. It was a fool''s errand.


    ''...Who''s the fool, then?''


    Studying sensor feeds in the command suite of the Rhino, Sunny was mentally calculating the rate of their progress. No matter how he thought about it, the convoy''s speed was appallingly slow.


    Sadly, it couldn''t be helped.


    The powerful APC was moving at the head of the column, clearing the path for the other vehicles. Its ram was lowered and once again serving to push through the snow. From time to time, the Rhino had to remove other obstacles from the road, as well - stone debris, large boulders, and massive chunks of ice that had split from the glacier at the peak of the mountain.


    It was doing a good job of it, for the most part. Very rarely did they stumble on something that the Rhino could not move through or push away. In these instances, the whole convoy had to come to a halt and wait for Sunny to remove the obstacle that the APC could not handle safely with his own two hands.


    The Rhino was a powerful machine, but it could not compare to the might of a Master. There were very few things that Sunny could not throw off the road, and even if there were, he would simply cut through them with the Sin of Solace. The jade blade of the beautiful jian was sharp enough to cut through granite as if it was water.


    Not that he enjoyed listening to its invasive whispers.


    In any case, each such stop made their already slow progress even slower. The darkness, the cold, the precarious nature of the old mountain roads, the rough state of the area after the recent earthquake... none of it was making Sunny''s life easy.


    And that was just the natural side of things. Of course, there were other threats around them, as well...


    The whole region was teeming with Nightmare Creatures.


    For now, Sunny had managed to lead the convoy past the large swarms of abominations, but it was only a question of time before they had to fight. With how much noise they were making and how much light they were producing, it was inevitable for something hungry to notice them.


    Some already had, of course. However, Saint had been able to kill the few solitary Nightmare Creatures without drawing too much attention. Sunny was using her as an outrider, so she traveled apart from the convoy to intercept any emerging threats before they could deal damage to the transports.


    He did not know how long her protection would last them, though. Sunny felt as though the envelope of safety around the convoy was getting smaller and smaller.


    ...At least he and his soldiers could see through the darkness. If they were as blind as the mundane soldiers protecting the convoy, Sunny would have probably gone mad by now. As it was, he remained surprisingly calm and analytical.


    To him, the situation was both simple and unreasonably difficult.


    There were two types of things at his disposal. One of them was assets - Saint and Nightmare, himself, the Irregulars, and the mundane soldiers. The other was dependents - the refugees, as well as Professor Obel and Beth.


    There were also four types of danger facing him. One was the Nightmare Creatures, whom he had to track through his shadows and either avoid or slay. The other was the threats from within - people succumbing to the Spell or going mad, which he could mitigate through various measures. The third was the environment itself. The world could easily kill them without even needing the help of the abominations, but that could be dealt with, as well.


    And finally, there was the fourth kind of danger, the most dire one - the unforeseen threats. That one could not be preempted, dealt with, or mitigated.


    Sunny''s task was simply to apply his assets in the correct way, in order to protect his dependents from the danger. However, even if he made all the right decisions, nothing stopped a new Gate from opening right in the middle of the convoy, so... there was that to think about, as well.


    ''Great. And on top of it all, we''re too slow.''


    Not only was the convoy too slow to escape from an attack if need be, they were also desperately behind schedule. At that rate, the refugees would have to spend a night or two inside the transports instead of a comparatively safe campsite.


    "Well... there''s nothing I can do about that, for now."


    If he had better vehicles... if he had more Awakened... if there were more tools at his disposal...


    Sunny sighed. There was no point in thinking about such things.


    At that moment, his expression slightly changed.


    Sunny looked to the side, as if piercing the hull of the Rhino with his gaze.


    There, several kilometers ahead... the slopes of the gorge came together, forming a small valley with a frozen lake taking most of its surface. A swarm of Nightmare Creatures had just appeared from behind a tall rock protrusion and was descending toward the lake.


    eaglesnov?1,��o�� And on the other side of the valley, still hidden from sight by the slope of the mountain, there was another swarm, this one smaller, but composed of much more powerful abominations. They were heading in the same direction.


    What Sunny had feared came true. The convoy could not turn back, and would not be able to avoid colliding with the two swarms. A fight was inevitable.


    The corner of his mouth twitched.


    Standing up from his seat, Sunny stretched his limbs, and then glanced at the Irregulars with a deadpan expression. His people instantly tensed.


    "Summon your weapons. It''s time to get some fresh air..."

 Chapter 916 Divide And Conquer

    Chapter 916 Divide And Conquer


    From what Sunny had seen, each of the two groups of Nightmare Creatures was about as strong as the swarm of eyeless abominations his cohort had eradicated at the very start of the Antarctica campaign. The first swarm consisted of about two hunred creatures, most of the Awakened, with several dozen Fallen leading them.


    The second was further away and much smaller, with no more than fifty creatures comprising it. However, all of them were Fallen, and there were four Corrupted among them.


    Fighting each of the swarms separately would have been hard, but not impossible. But if they were allowed to join forces... Sunny did not know what would happen then.


    There was a faint hope in his heart that Nightmare Creatures would obliterate each other, but he knew that it was too improbable, at that stage. Whatever animosity there was between these two tribes of abominations could not compare to their frenzied desire to devour humans, and with hundreds of defenseless civilians close by, that bloodlust was already starting to flow like fire through their veins.


    A battle was inevitable.


    The question was... how was he supposed to go about fighting that battle?


    The best possible solution would have been to stop the onslaught of abominations near the convoy, on the narrow mountain road. There was no space here for the enemy to exploit their overwhelming numerical advantage, so the defenders could face them a few at a time.


    However, Nightmare Creatures were not known for their reason and strong sense of self-preservation. They would madly press on, potentially burying Sunny and his cohort in an avalanche of bodies. It would not matter how many of them ended up being cut down or falling into the abyssal chasm of the mountain gorge, as long as some could sink their fangs into human flesh.


    Additionally, he did not know what strange powers the abominations possessed, so he could not guarantee that the convoy would not sustain damage.


    But most importantly...


    Sunny simply could not let the two swarms merge. The only chance of a swift and decisive victory he saw was to obliterate them before that happened.


    Which meant that the Irregulars had to advance and face the enemy on the wide, open battlefield of the valley ahead. They had to either destroy one swarm before the second arrived, or somehow engage both at the same time. Otherwise, a lot of people would die.


    ''Curses...!''


    The Rhino had already stopped, forcing the vehicles moving behind it to follow suit. The APC''s width blocked pretty much the whole road, so they couldn''t move past it even if they wanted to. Sunny and his people had to climb to the roof through one of the upper hatches, and then jump down.


    Before too long, Gere''s distorted voice came through the speakers of a portable radio:


    "Captain Sunless? Is there another obstacle?"


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then responded in a measured tone:


    "Negative. There''s trouble ahead... deploy your soldiers and prepare to defend the convoy. My cohort will advance to engage the enemy, but if something gets past us, it will be up to you and your men to stop it."


    Sadly, Gere couldn''t do much. There was the lone Sleeper, and a small amount of charged ammunition that Samara had supplied to the soldiers before leaving the bunker - the charge wasn''t supposed to dissipate completely yet, so they had a few hours left to make use of the few enchanted bullets.


    However, that was pretty much it. Without even the powered exoskeleton armor suits, mundane soldiers were no match for Nightmare Creatures above the Dormant Rank.


    Gere''s answer came after a few seconds of silence.


    "...Understood."


    ''What to do, what to do..."


    Looking ahead, Sunny feverishly went through numerous scenarios, calculating risks and trying to come up with a way out of the dire situation, one that would not spell disaster for the convoy. No matter how he looked at it, something had to be sacrificed to balance the scale in their favor...


    His mind was running on all cylinders, but failing to come up with a decision.


    Soon, he gritted his teeth and commanded the Irregulars to advance. They dashed forward, braving the snow in cold silence. It did not take long to reach the small valley. They managed to arrive at its edges before the first swarm of Nightmare Creatures had time to descend from the mountain, but just barely. There was maybe a minute or two left.


    The second swarm was still some distance away, hidden behind a tall slope.


    In front of them was a large, empty space. It was covered with snow and almost perfectly flat... that was because most of the valley was taken by a mountain lake, which was frozen now that the long night had come to Antarctica.


    This was where they were going to fight. Soon, the pristine surface of the snow would be painted by blood... hopefully, of Nightmare Creatures, but maybe that of humans, too.


    Sunny ordered his soldiers to hide behind tall boulders and climbed on top of one. Then, he summoned Morgan''s Warbow and closed his eyes for a moment.


    He was just not strong enough. There were just too few assets at his disposal. This damned war was just too unfair.


    Someone had to stop the larger swarm, and someone had to stall the smaller but more powerful one. Someone had to advance, while someone had to stay back and defend the convoy.


    There was simply no way to achieve all these goals without suffering a loss of something, and even though Sunny knew what decision he had to make, it was not easy to make it.


    ''...Sorry, Saint.''


    His loyal demon would have to pick up his slack and face the second swarm with just Nightmare by her side. He could not even spare a shadow to reinforce them. One was watching over the convoy, and he needed the other three himself.


    Saint had always been an outstanding warrior, but even she was not capable enough to handle fifty Fallen and three Corrupted abominations alone. The black steed would be of help, of course, especially now that he had subjugated a lot of nightmares, but still... the odds were not in their favor. If left to face the enemy alone, both Shadows would eventually be destroyed.


    That was why speed was of the essence. If the Irregulars handled the larger swarm fast enough, they would be able to come to Saint''s rescue.


    If not...


    Sunny would have to either risk losing his Shadows, or dismiss them and compromise the lives of the Irregulars, who would then be attacked from two sides.


    "Kim, I need your help."


    With a grim sigh, he raised his bow and pulled on its string.

 Chapter 917 Black Tongues

    A black arrow noiselessly flew through the darkness of the moonless night and disappeared into white snow without a trace. Then, another. Sunny tried to send as many arrows flying as he could before the swarm arrived.


    In the end, he managed to draw his bow fourteen times.


    Knowing that he would have to - and, hopefully, have time to - rescue Saint, he had chosen to wear the Mantle of the Underworld into the upcoming battle. The Dying Wish was already fused with it, but Sunny had not poured his essence into the Transcendent charm yet, not wishing to draw attention to himself.


    For now, he was just a black silhouette on the dark backdrop of the night, almost unnoticeable if not for the pale radiance of the crimson aurora that swirled above, devouring the skies with its ghostly light.


    Soon, the swarm descended into the valley.


    The Nightmare Creature were bestial in appearance, with dirty fur and emaciated, gaunt frames that brimmed with feverish power. Their snouts were long and narrow, revealing hungry maws with black tongues and countless fangs, all sharp enough to cut through metal.


    The Fallen abominations were especially ferocious. Their lean bodies were twice the size of Nightmare and had bloody bone protrusions rising from the patchy fur, like morbid armor.


    Their tails resembled slithering snakes, and their long black tongues were dripping with venomous saliva.


    Sunny had not encountered this type of abomination before.


    Two months into the Antarctica campaign, the First Army had learned a few things about the Chain of Nightmares. Despite all the precautions, many Awakened had been pulled into the Dream Realm by the Call... most of them never returned, but two or three managed to locate the Seed and survive its trial, thus becoming Masters.


    They had all brought the same story back. There was a previously unknown region of the Dream Realm where countless Nightmare Seeds seemed to be blooming, sending myriads of Nightmare Creatures into a frenzy. It was a vast desert covered by eerie ruins, with a giant black pyramid sometimes appearing on the horizon like a terrible mirage.


    Considering that most of the Gates originated from the same cursed land, it was no surprise that the Nightmare Creatures arriving into the waking world through them were also often similar. The First Evacuation Army had battled the same tribes of abominations many times. The Eyeless, for example, were a common sight throughout Antarctica, so humans had developed methods of dealing with them.


    ...But these Black Tongues were new. Sunny had never seen or heard about them before.


    ''Come down, you bastards.''


    Lowering Morgan''s Warbow, Sunny crouched and disappeared into the embrace of the shadows. Surrounded by them, he was all but invisible... which was good, because he did not want the abominations to notice him yet.


    Following his command, the members of the cohort were also hiding. Even if it meant giving up the opportunity to bombard the Nightmare Creatures with ranged attacks during the approach, Sunny had ordered them to wait for his signal.


    Seconds passed torturously slowly. The wind howled through the mountains, bringing with it the fetid smell of blood and rot. Cursing silently, he gritted his teeth.


    Somewhere not too far away, Saint and Nightmare must have already engaged the second swarm. Sunny had expected to hear a litany of furious howls, but to his surprise and unease, all he could hear was the wind.


    Three of his shadows were with him, wrapped around the bow, while the fourth one was with the convoy, so Sunny could not ever see what was happening behind the mountain slope.


    The lack of information was driving him insane, and his muscles ached, begging him to explode into action.


    But, following the plan, he forced himself to remain motionless.


    Sunny needed the whole swarm of Black Tongues to descend into the valley before he launched his attack.


    "Hurry, you damned wretches! There is no way you have not seen, heard, or smelled the convoy! Aren''t you hungry for some delicious human flesh?!"


    After a minute or so, the last of the abominations finally reached the flat surface valley. The mass of bestial bodies flowed south, aiming to cross the frozen lake. They''re clearly moving with purpose, aware that there was prey nearby.


    ''Nearer than you think...''


    Sunny waited until the swarm reached the middle of the lake, and then finally started to act.


    Concentrating, he poured his essence into Morgan''s Warbow. However, he did not draw the string again...


    Instead, he activated the [Burden of Peace] enchantment, causing the fourteen arrows he had sent flying earlier to suddenly become unbearably heavy.


    Maintaining and controlling so many arrows at the same time was not an easy task, even for him. Sunny had to test the limits of his essence control and concentration to achieve what he wanted. It felt like he would cough blood and faint soon...


    But in the end, Sunny had passed that test.


    Each of the arrows had sunk into a weak spot of the ice sheet covering the lake, which he had found with Kim''s help. Now that all fourteen of them were suddenly bearing down on the ice with crushing weight...


    The ice started to crack.


    Slow at first, and then faster and faster, a net of cracks spread under the snow, as if a massive pane of glass was breaking. An indescribably beautiful wholesome of shattering ice drowned the howls of the wind for a few moments, and the Nightmare Creatures tensed.


    But it was too late.


    Before they could do anything, the surface of the lake beneath their feet broke, sending hundreds of abominations into freezing cold water. Instantly, the vast space of pristine snow was no more, replaced instead with a scene of utter havoc. Massive pieces of ice were collapsing and overturning as countless Nightmare Creatures fell into the utterly black, unbearably cold water below.


    They struggled to climb back onto something solid, but there was nothing to support their weight anymore. The whole swarm was being swallowed by the lake.


    ...Of course, cold water was not going to kill a Nightmare Creature. They weren''t going to drown, either. If need be, the abominations would swim to shore or simply walk on the bottom of the lake until they reached the surface again, breaking through the ice on the other side. For monsters like these, being thrown into a freezing lake was a small hindrance, at most.


    Letting out a low growl, Sunny rose to his feet and drew Morgan''s Warbow once again. This time, a different kind of arrow appeared on its string...


    A strange arrow that looked like a caged bolt of lightning.


    Wrapping three shadows around the [Strike of Thunder], Sunny did not bother to aim and simply let go of the string, sending the Ascended arrow into the middle of the lake.


    The moment the furious bolt of lightning touched the surface of the water...


    There was a blinding flash, and Sunny was momentarily blinded.


    Before he regained his sight, the voice of the Spell spoke into his ear like a choir:


    [You have slain a...]


    [You have slain a...]


    [You have slain a...]


    [You have received a Memory...]


    [You have received a Memory...]


    [You have slain a...]


    [You have slain a...]

 Chapter 918 Voiceless Wraiths

    The Spell kept whispering, the rich tapestry of its voice creating a strange harmony with itself. The result was almost distracting. Sunny instantly lost count of how many creatures he had killed with that single arrow, but it seemed to be... seemed to be close to a hundred, at least.


    The swarm was nothing short of decimated. Half of the Black Tongues were dead, and the remaining half were fried and damaged to different degrees. The water of the mountain lake, which had been freezing cold just a few seconds ago, seemed to be boiling.


    He had also been lucky enough to receive a bunch of Memories. Even if most of them came from Awakened abominations... Saint was definitely going to eat well tonight.


    If she survived, that is.


    ...Before Sunny could come back to his senses, the familiar electric whine reached his ears. Samara was already aiming her heavy rifle. Its muzzle flashed, and in the next moment, the head of a wounded Fallen abomination that was trying to climb onto a large piece of ice exploded into bloody chunks. A split second later, Kim''s carbine was firing, too.


    ''Right...''


    Any other Master could have probably spared a few moments to appreciate the unbelievable feat of slaying a hundred powerful Nightmare Creatures in less than a second, but Sunny did not have such luck. He was still racing against time, and there was still an entirely different swarm of abominations for him to fight.


    The pristine white expanse of the mountain valley was gone. Instead, all he could see was black water with charred corpses floating in it, and scores of viciously burned Nightmare Creatures feverishly trying to get to the shore.


    Abandoning their attempts to climb onto the ice, they were diving down into the lake instead, to travel across its bottom. Since electricity only spread over the surface of water, summoning the Strike of Thunder for the second time was not going to do him any good.


    Glancing at the macabre scene, Sunny turned his head and spoke:


    "Dorn, I''ll leave you in charge. The bastards sustained a lot of damage, and will be vulnerable while trying to break through the ice. Have Samara take out the strongest ones, and finish off the rest as they come up with Belle and Luster."


    The giant man nodded, staring at him with a very strange expression.


    "Understood. But, Captain... what about you?"


    Sunny was already jumping off the boulder.


    "I''ll go deal with the second swarm!"


    Dorn blinked.


    "...There is a second swarm?"


    Sunny did not hear it, though. Turning into a swift shadow, he flew through the darkness as fast as he could, rushing to the spot where he had sent Saint to.


    ''Hold, hold, hold... hold just a little bit more, Saint, I''m coming..."


    Soon, he crested the sheer wall of the mountain slope and froze for a moment, looking down.


    Far below, in a narrow ravine, a furious fight was taking place.


    The Nightmare Creatures resembled grotesquely tall humans with inky black skin, sunken eyes, and motionless faces. They''re wearing strange armors forged out of dark metal, and wielded no weapons. However, Sunny had a strong feeling that being touched by their empty hands would be the end of him.


    Their mouths... were also sewn shut.


    "No wonder there were no howls."


    Saint was the silent type, and these wretches were the same.


    She was currently facing three of the four Corrupted abominations alone. Corpses littered the ground, and the Sin of Solace danced, deflecting one blow after another. The taciturn demon had abandoned her usual grounded style, and was not fighting with composed, but desperate urgency. Looking at it, Sunny could not help but be reminded of the first time he met the living statue, back on a barren plaza of the Dark City.


    Back then, the original Stone Saint had slain several creatures of a higher Rank, at the cost of her life.


    The fourth Corrupted was wandering aimlessly, straining to rip the black threads piercing its lips open. Inky blood was smeared all over its eerily still face. The creature''s mind seemed to be gone, shattered by the cursed blade... however, Saint was also wounded, ruby dust flowing through the cracks of her onyx armor.


    She was slowly losing strength...


    Some distance away, Nightmare was holding back dozens of Fallen abominations. The black steed rampaged in their midsts, using its iron hooves, bestial strength, and wolfish fangs to tear them apart. His body was wreathed in shadows, with two crimson flames glowing furiously through the haze of darkness. The black steed looked like an incarnation of terror and dread.


    But he was not doing well, either. For now, Nightmare was able to stay ahead of the enemy due to his overwhelming speed, but he could not allow the abominations to swarm Saint from the back. Every time they tried, the dark courser had no choice but to give up his advantage and put himself between the voiceless and his rider.


    His sides were torn, and there were strange marks lingering on his sable coat, glowing with ghostly blue light. Around these marks, Nightmare''s flesh seemed to be rotting.


    The two Shadows were no match for the swarm of terrible abominations, which seemed to have come from a Category Three Gate. They could escape from the voiceless wraiths, but they could not defeat them... only be defeated. Saint and Nightmare only lasted this long because of the perfect combination of their innate abilities and the Memories Sunny had entrusted to his Shadows.


    Saint was using the Broken Oath, which continuously weakened and damaged the Corrupted. She also wielded the Sin of Solace, which was a Transcendent weapon that possessed an insidious power. That power came at the cost of dealing mental damage to its wielder, which Saint was immune to.


    A combination of soul damage and mind damage was truly a formidable one, especially when paired with her sublime mastery of the sword.


    Additionally, the Sin of Solace possessed the [Omen of Dread] enchantment, which caused terror to poison the minds of its enemies. That enchantment augmented the potency of the


    [Mantle of Fear] and [Dreadlord] that Nightmare possessed, making the black steed more powerful the more he was feared.


    In the past, that seamless synergy had never failed. But today, it was not enough.


    ...Well, that was before Sunny himself was added into the equation.


    Dashing toward the ravine, he sent his senses forward.


    The voiceless abominations were strong enough to bully his Shadows...


    But how long would they last now that the Master of the Shadows had arrived?

 Chapter 919 Defying Gravity

    Flying down the slope of the mountain, Sunny left the shadows and did something that would have usually been considered a very stupid move in a battle - he leaped into the air, soaring high above the ravine, and then plummeting down.


    Experienced warriors all knew that performing a jump in combat had no benefit, and instead left one open to a potentially lethal attack. Worst of all, the jumper had nothing to use as support, so dodging or changing direction to avoid the strike was all but impossible. It even prevented one from performing a truly powerful attack, since power was born from the ground beneath the soles of one''s feet and traveled all the way up through their body, to the tip of their blade.


    However, desperate times demanded desperate measures.


    Falling, Sunny strained his muscles and drew his bow. Even that was much harder in the air, but he managed somehow.


    As wind whistled in his ears and the ground rushed toward him with frightening speed, he opened the floodgates of essence and activated two enchantments.


    One was [Death Dealer] of Morgan''s Warbow.


    The other was [Feather of Truth] of the Mantle of the Underworld.


    ...Below, Saint was desperately fighting three Corrupted abominations. Her armor was covered by a net of cracks, and fine ruby dust was flowing through several of the breaches.


    The enemy was on the verge of overwhelming the stalwart knight.


    But then, an arrow that seemed to be forged out of pale gold flashed through the air and struck one of the tall Nightmare Creatures in the shoulder. The force carried by it was so great that his dark armor exploded into shards, and the arrow''s sharp broadhead sunk into the flesh beneath.


    No, more than that...


    The abomination''s whole arm was cleanly severed, taking a big chunk of the shoulder with it. Dark blood splattered on the snow as the Corrupted was thrown off balance, staggering back. The sight of it was both gruesome and spectacularly morbid.


    ...And a moment later, Sunny landed on another Voiceless like a cannonball. There was no sophistication in this attack... he had simply turned himself into a living, breathing torpedo.


    Making the Mantle of the Underworld weigh several tons with the help of the [Feather of Truth] and enlisting the help of gravity, he fell from high above and crashed right on top of a Corrupted Demon assaulting Saint.


    The result was... earth-shattering.


    The towering abomination was not exactly flattened, but it did topple like a house of cards, its armor bending and breaking. Both of them hit the ground with a deafening bang, Sunny on top. Something snapped with a nauseating crunch. The stones beneath them violently cracked, and a cloud of snow was thrown into the air by the shockwave.


    Sunny was tossed aside and bounced off the ground before coming to a halting stop. If not for the Bone Weave, his neck would have been twisted at an unnatural angle...


    ''...''


    But he was seemingly alive, and even in one piece.


    ''...Ouch.''


    Just like that, in less than a second, two of the three Corrupted abominations were severely wounded and debilitated. However...


    That was just the opening act of Sunny''s arrival. Luckily, what came next did not require his active participation. It was a good thing, too... since he was not capable of doing anything at the moment. He needed a second or two to come back to his senses.


    ...Maybe three.


    Two shadows burst from his body. One of them wrapped itself around Saint, while the second one flew toward Nightmare.


    The next moment, Saint''s armor shone with dark radiance, and the ruby flames of her eyes slightly changed hew. Although Sunny was momentarily stunned, she was not. More than that, she did not waste even a split second, using the opening he had created for her to instantly launch a ruthless attack.


    Radiating a sense of newfound power, the taciturn demon exploded forward. Before the disoriented Nightmare Creatures could react, she descended upon the Voiceless that Sunny had sent crashing into the ground. The Sin of Solace flashed, sliding through the wide crack in the damaged armor and piercing the demon''s heart, then emerged from his back in a rain of blood.


    As Sunny was struggling to stand up, the Spell whispered:


    [You have slain a Corrupted Demon, Voiceless Prelate. ]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    [You have received a Memory...]


    That was all he needed to hear to regain his bearings and shrug off the disorientation. The world had stopped spinning. Everything hurt, but... what else was new?


    The Cruel Sight was already weaving itself from a tenebrous mist, a second or two away from manifesting into reality.


    Sadly, he did not have those seconds.


    A black hand was already stretching toward him, its grasp promising nothing but suffering and death. Ghostly blue light was swirling beneath the inky skin.


    Instead of Sunny''s throat, the hand was met by the blade of the Moonlight Shard. The long stiletto pierced the palm of the abomination and then twisted, tearing it open. The ghostly light flowed out of the wound, clinging to the transparent blade, but failed to do any damage to it.


    The cadence of the battle had drastically changed.


    Before, Saint was fighting alone against three Corrupted abominations. Now, only two of them remained, and one was missing an arm, bleeding profusely from the terrible wound.


    She was also not alone anymore. Sunny was by her side.


    And the two of them...


    Sunny pitted the fools who would choose to oppose them.


    The Corrupted were strong and menacing, but they lacked the skill and tenacity of the Master and his Shadow. They also lacked a crucial quality - the ability to fight as one, seamlessly cooperating to achieve the result that was larger and more lethal than the sum of its parts.


    Sunny and Saint, though... they had that quality in spades. They knew each other so well that there was no need for trivial things like words between them. Sunny did not even have to use Shadow Dance to understand his loyal demon''s combat will perfectly. She was his Shadow, after all, and also one of the masters from whom he had learned the most.


    Fighting back to back with Saint... ah, he had missed that feeling. She had been forced to act independently by the circumstances as of late, so they rarely received opportunities to enter battle together.


    ''Let''s kill these wretches fast and go help Nightmare...''


    Brandishing the Cruel Sight and the Sin of Solace, the two of them faced the towering Corrupted.


    They wasted no time to attack.

 Chapter 920 Sum Of Its Parts

    Chapter 920 Sum Of Its Parts


    It had noot been too hard to cut down the two Corrupted abominations.


    Well... of course, it was. Both were terrifyingly powerful and vicious. A single creature like that could have decimated a whole brigade of mundane soldiers and erased an entire human citadel from the map. The smallest touch of their hands was enough to obliterate the soul of a powerful Awakened.


    But Sunny and Saint were stronger.


    Not in the literal sense, since both were lacking in terms of physical strength when compared to the Voiceless. However, their skill, synergy, and murderous resolve were unrivaled.


    Luring the abominations into a trap after trap and helping each other avoid the retaliatory strikes, they swiftly cut the looming creatures down. The fact that one of the creatures was missing an arm and losing rivers of blood helped, too.


    In a sense, it was similar to facing Carapace Centurions back on the Forgotten Shore. Those monsters had been higher than Sunny in both Class and Rank, and yet he had killed his fair share. These ones... even though Corrupted Nightmare Creatures were much more powerful, he was not a Sleeper anymore, either. Sunny''s own power had grown immensely in the past years.


    In fact, he could have dealt with the two voiceless abominations even faster, but his mind was also preoccupied by manifesting shadows to help Nightmare hold on. With a swarm of black tentacles supporting him, the dark courser managed to last until Sunny and Saint were done with their prey.


    The rest was simple, if not at all easy.


    Facing dozens of Fallen abominations was a daunting task, as well. It took all Sunny had to obliterate them while keeping his Shadows alive. The battle was arduous, brutal, and bloody.


    His body was full of holes but the end of it, and his mind was on the verge of collapse due to exhaustion.


    However, the three of them were a harrowing threat to oppose. Without the Corrupted leading them, the rest of the Voiceless had no choice but to succumb to the aura of fear emanating from Nightmare, Saint''s merciless blade, and his shadows.


    The Sin of Solace severed their bodies, Nightmare''s hooves and fangs tore them apart, the Cruel Sight burned them down, and the swarm of manifested shadows restrained and blocked them to make the killing easier.


    By the end, the narrow ravine was all but buried in corpses.


    The last one to die was the Corrupted whose mind Saint had destroyed before Sunny arrived. Feeling a sense of dreadful threat from the tall abomination, Sunny chose not to approach it and summoned Morgan''s Warbow once again, instead.


    The creature turned out to be incredibly resilient. He had to sink dozens of arrows into its flesh to kill it. The Corrupted eventually fell to its knees, burdened by the weight of them... but even then, it did not die for a while.


    The black threads piercing its lips did not give until the very end, no matter how much the abominable creature clawed at them with its immense strength. Through all of it, the emotionless expression on the gaunt face of the Corrupted had disturbingly not changed once.


    But eventually, its hands fell down, and it grew still, still kneeling.


    Only then did the Spell speak:


    [You have slain a Corrupted Devil, Defiled Herald.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    Letting out a heavy sigh, Sunny lowered his aching arms and sunk to the ground, utterly spent.


    At long last, the battle was over.


    He had survived, and the convoy had, too. He could see the transports through the shadow that had stayed back. They were safe and sound.


    Numb, Sunny stared at the ghostly flames of the aurora burning in the black skies above.


    His mind was empty.


    ''...Who could have thought?''


    ***


    On the shore of the lake that had turned into a scene of slaughter, Luster was sitting on a shard of a boulder, breathing heavily. In front of him, countless corpses were floating in the black water, and a mess of severed bodies and limbs littered the icy shallows. The smell of it all was truly revolting.


    ''Ah, what a disgusting sight.''


    He was alive, at least. So were the rest of the Irregulars. After Captain had somehow obliterated half of the swarm with a single arrow - and acted as though that was a perfectly normal thing to do, in his usual manner - they had fought the remaining Nightmare Creatures and prevailed.


    ''Are all Masters insane?''


    No, that shouldn''t be the case. Captain had to be extra insane. If everyone was that bizarre, humanity would have collapsed a long time ago.


    ...The Captain was alive, as well. Luster had no idea how he was dealing with the second swarm, which was out there somewhere, close by, but the simple fact that Kimmy was still able to channel his dark vision to the Irregulars meant that their leader had not died... yet.


    ''Someone that evil probably can''t even die. I bet he''s immortal.''


    And yet, Luster found himself a little worried.


    For his own skin, of course! If Captain died, how would Luster himself survive? And if Luster died... how sad would all the beauties in the world be?


    ''What a tragedy. For their sake, I must live on... yeah... robbing beautiful women of my company would be too cruel...''


    Like Samara. Or Miss Beth. Or that pretty soldier he had gotten to know in the bunker. Or those refugee sisters in the third civilian transport... the list went on!


    ''Not Kimmy, though. Well, she can''t help it, poor thing. Being unattractive must be her Flaw... so sad.''


    And yet, the thought of dying on Kimmy made him especially upset, for some reason.


    "Who else would spare her the time of day if I die?"


    Therefore, Luster had to live.


    At that moment, he saw a familiar silhouette appear from the darkness.


    Flinched, Luster hurriedly stood up and took a step forward.


    "Captain, sir! You''re back! Ah... I am so glad..."


    However, something about the silhouette was wrong.


    The armor seemed about right... but since when was Captain so tall? And... feminine?


    ...And cool?


    Luster stared at the approaching silhouette for a few moments, dumbfounded.


    "What the..."


    Then, another figure emerged from the shadows, wearing a very similar suit of fearsome black armor. That was the Captain.


    Staggering back, Luster tripped and fell on his down. His eyes widened in horror.


    "...Gods! There''s two of them!"

 Chapter 921 New Pets

    Sunny stared at Luster for a few moments, then sighed.


    "What is wrong with that guy?"


    The young man seemed unsure where to look. His startled gaze jumped between Sunny and Saint, full of confusion. Then, strange sparks ignited in his eyes.


    "Ah, I see! So that is..."


    Sunny did not let him finish.


    "You are alive. Good. I take it that the swarm is dealt with..."


    By that time, the other members of the cohort approached, as well, so it seemed that all of them had survived. They looked relatively unscathed, too... which couldn''t be said about Sunny and Saint.


    Both were in a rough shape, the taciturn demon worse off than he was. Nightmare was severely wounded, too, so Sunny had dismissed him. Now, the black steed was being nurtured back to health in the dark flames of Sunny''s soul.


    He could not let Saint go, though... not yet. He needed her strength to keep the convoy safe. If a Shadow sustained serious damage, it would enter a slumber once dismissed. That slumber would last until the damage was sufficiently repaired, which meant that Sunny would not be able to summon the sleeping Shadow for some time.


    Since Saint''s wounds, while plentiful, were not life-threatening, he hoped to find a different solution - one that would keep her by his side in the coming days.


    ...Luster was not the only one who stared at the graceful knight with curiosity. The other Irregulars seemed to have a lot of questions, as well. Some of them had known that their captain possessed a hidden ace, but none of them had seen her before.


    Surprisingly, usually quiet Kim was the first one to ask:


    "Captain, sir! Uh... who is that? Oh, sorry, ma''am... it is nice to meet you?"


    Saint remained silent and indifferent, like always. Her aloofness seemed to give Kim pause. The timid girl looked at the demon awkwardly...


    Sunny tilted his head a little and glanced at her with confusion.


    ''...Ma''am? What''s up with that tone? And why do I feel that she''s being more respectful to Saint than to me?''


    Frowning slightly, he said:


    "This is Saint. She is... an Echo, of sorts."


    Luster''s eyes turned into circles.


    "Wha... A Saint?! Captain... you have a Saint as an Echo?"


    Sunny grimaced as an especially strong pulse of pain rolled through his body, stifled a groan, and shook his head.


    "What kind of idiot would believe something like that? Gods..."


    "No... she is merely an Ascended Demon. She''s just called Saint. In any case, Saint has been warding off a lot of threats before they had reached the convoy, but now, she''ll be traveling with us for a bit. So... get used to it."


    The Irregulars did not mind. His use of the world merely had not been entirely appropriate... and Ascended Demon was an Ascended Demon. Facing one would give most Masters a lot of trouble. Having such a powerful creature fighting on their side was an incredible boon, as far as the members of the cohort were concerned...


    At that moment, Quentin suddenly spoke, his usually gallant voice sounding a bit haggard:


    "Oh... I need to report something, Captain. We received a few Memories after wiping out the swarm, as usual. But, this time, there was something else."


    He looked at Samara, and then, a whirlwind of sparks appeared around them.


    Sunny blinked.


    ''Is that what I think it is...''


    Soon, two shapes appeared from the storm of sparks. Both were monstrous in appearance, resembling nightmarish hounds. One was about the size of a large wolf, while the other was larger than a PTV. Black tongues hung from their ferocious maws, dripping with venom.


    Quentin smiled brightly and patted the smaller monstrosity on the head.


    "...We also received two Echoes. This one is Blackie, an Awakened Beast. The other one is an Ascended Monster, and... oh... I am actually not sure what Sam called it."


    He glanced at the giant abomination, and then looked at Samara questioningly.


    Her face remained as deadpan as ever. She remained silent for a few moments, and then uttered laconically:


    "...Abomination."


    Quentin cleared his throat.


    "And the other one is called Abomination. We were bound to get an Echo sooner or later, of course, but two at the same time... isn''t this great news, Captain?"


    Sunny tried very hard to appear calm. His expression was perfectly composed.


    ''Are you... goddamn... kidding me?!''


    What the hell? How could they get two whole Echoes, while he had not received even one after Nightmare, despite slaughtering literal thousands of enemies?!


    What rotten luck was that?!


    Suddenly, the Transcendent Memory he had received and could not wait to study did not seem as that much of a jackpot anymore.


    A shaky smile appeared on Sunny''s face.


    "Yeah... great news, indeed."


    He glanced at the two monstrous hounds - one small, the other one large - and swallowed his bitter envy. Then, Sunny turned to Quentin and said:


    "In any case, I want you to see if you can use your Ability to heal... uh, repair... treat Saint. I do not know if it will work, but... do your best. We''ll need her strength soon."


    ***


    Sunny had a good reason to believe that Quentin''s healing Aspect would be effective in helping Saint, at least to some degree.


    The graceful knight was a strange creature. Her body was different from that of a human, or most Nightmare Creatures for that matter. It was not exactly made of flesh, but it was also not really stone. Instead, it was something in between, having characteristics of both.


    Applications of modern medicine would obviously not work, since even the greatest surgeon would be utterly lost at what to do with Saint''s mysterious anatomy. Healing Aspects might not be of any use, either, since most of them were aimed at mending flesh.


    However, Quentin was a bit special in that regard.


    His Ability was not actually to heal, but instead to restore. It was slower and less effective than more straightforward healing powers, but also more universal. Sunny had seen Quentin treat people, repair machine parts, and even mend cracks in the hull of a ship. In battle, he used that Ability to keep his armor from breaking apart no matter how much damage it sustained.


    So... since the chivalrous healer could restore both living organisms and inanimate objects, was there anyone better suited to treat Saint, who seemed to be a bit of both?


    That was what Sunny was thinking about as they walked through the snow, returning back to the convoy.


    Luckily, his guess turned out to be correct. Although slowly, Saint''s broken armor started to mend under Quentin''s touch, and the flow of fine ruby dust that served her as blood was stemmed.


    For now, she would still be able to help him defend the refugees.


    ...But how many battles like the one they had won today were there ahead?


    How many would it take to kill them all?

 Chapter 922 Little By Little

    Chapter 922 Little By Little


    Back in the Rhino, Saint remained in the cargo hold, standing near the engineering workstation while Quentin continued the slow process of mending her armor and stonelike flesh. If people did not know better, they would have thought that she was an actual statue.


    Since the healer was busy with the Captain''s Echo, the rest of the Irregulars found themselves robbed of his care. Although no one sustained serious wounds... except for Sunny... there were still a few scrapes that had to be tended to.


    Unexpectedly, Beth volunteered to administer first aid. As it turned out, she had some medical knowledge. The members of the cohort did not care too much about who treated their wounds, really... well, except for Luster.


    The fool seemed very excited, for some reason.


    Sunny himself had long ago dismissed his battered armor and was sitting in the lounge area, looking at his black bodysuit with some regret. The uniform was truly the result of a magnificent design. Among other features, it was even able to repair itself... however, everything had its limits.


    With how much abuse he had put it through, the bodysuit was definitely a goner. It was full of holes, looking like a set of rags. His body beneath hurt all over, too.


    ''Well. Figures...''


    At least there was good news, as well.


    The convoy was already moving forward. After reaching the valley, the mundane soldiers and the civilians had been shocked to see the scene of slaughter there... they were even more disturbed after witnessing the narrow ravine where Sunny, Saint, and Nightmare had fought the Voiceless.


    In fact, even the members of the cohort seemed a bit pale.


    Regardless, the battle had gone surprisingly well for the convoy. Not only had they survived without suffering any losses, but the Irregulars even managed to acquire two Echoes. The monstrous hounds were going to be of great help in their long journey.


    Sunny''s list of assets was slowly growing.


    He had made use of the Echoes right there and then, commanding his soldiers to send them to recover soul shards from the corpses of the Fallen and Corrupted abominations of the Voiceless swarm. Fishing out the Black Tongues from the water was too much trouble, so he had just left them there.


    Soon, the lake would freeze again, encasing the mangled corpses of the Nightmare Creatures in ice. That would probably be a macabre sight.


    Sunny had kept the souls shards of the Corrupted to himself while sending the rest to the lone Sleeper... whatever his name was. Just like that, the lucky bastard got even closer to fully saturating his core, without ever lifting a finger.


    At least he was getting stronger. Sunny needed all the strength he could get.


    Still, he was a bit infuriated by how easily his subordinates were getting the good stuff. Was there no justice in the world?


    ...At least there were the Memories he had received.


    Before Sunny could summon the runes, however, Beth approached him, carrying one of the unreasonably expensive medkits he had outfitted the Rhino with. He looked at her in confusion.


    "What?"


    The young woman frowned.


    "What do you mean, what? I''m here to treat you. Come on, get out of that raggedy uniform. I don''t have all day, you know."


    Sunny stared at her for a bit.


    "...No need."


    Beth let out a heavy sight.


    "Let''s not do that whole bravado thing, okay? Even if you are a Master, you are still going to bleed to death if I don''t administer the clotting agent, with all these wounds. I need to clean them, too... unless you desire to risk going into septic shock, of course. In that case, be my guest. Stay where you are."


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then shook his head.


    "I don''t bleed."


    The young woman blinked a couple of times.


    "Huh?"


    He waved his hand and pointed to his body. Indeed, although there were plenty of holes in the bodysuit, there was very little blood.


    "Bleeding is too pedestrian. So, I do not bleed."


    Beth stared at him, lost for words.


    He shrugged.


    "If that''s all, go away. I''m busy."


    She gritted her teeth and glowered at him.


    "Oh, yeah? What are you so busy with?"


    Sunny silently studied his bodysuit for a few moments and then answered in a somber tone.


    "...Being miserable."


    Beth flung her arms up, turned around, and walked away.


    ''Finally...''


    Left alone, Sunny summoned the runes, looking up his shadow fragments first:


    Shadow Fragments: [1601/4000].


    His progress had slowed after being dispatched to L049, but now, its speed was picking up again. Still, he had a long way to go.


    Next, Sunny checked on Saint and Nightmare.


    Shadow Fragments: [146/200].


    Nightmares required: [333/1000].


    Once he fed the Memories received from the Black Tongues to the taciturn demon, she would finally cross the one hundred and fifty fragments mark.


    ''Three fourths there...''


    If Saint became Transcendent, his power was bound to increase drastically. However, progress on that front was torturously slow. With how many soul shards he now had access to, Sunny could have tried to create a few Memories himself. But weaving Memories required a lot of time, and even more essence - and while the former was scarce, it was the latter that was truly precious.


    Essence was the most valuable thing in Antarctica. There was never enough of it, and since Sunny did not know when the next battle would come, he could not allow himself to waste it on weaving ethereal strings.


    Making Saint a Transcendent in the future was not going to help him if he died today, starved for essence and unable to fight well.


    ...On the other hand, his steed was collecting nightmares with a extraordinary speed. It was probably because the dark destrier was harvesting the seeds that he had planted into the souls of abominations during the last two months.


    That was good, too... Sunny could not wait to learn what Nightmare''s Terror Ability was like.


    Lastly, he studied the runes describing the Mantle of the Underworld:


    Vanquished Foes: [5732/6000].


    ''...So close.''


    If things did not go well, he would probably fill the counter of the [Prince of the Underworld] enchantment before arriving to Erebus Field, or very soon after.


    ''Good... I mean, bad... I mean, good? I do hope that we won''t have to fight battles like the last one often on the way to safety, but if we do... at least I''ll get something from it.''


    The problem was that the Mantle was currently damaged, and needed some time to restore itself. He could have summoned it and activated the [Living Stone] enchantment, but, once again... that would consume a lot of essence, and Sunny was already dangerously short on it after slaughtering two entire swarms of abominations.


    ''Let''s see the main prize, then...''


    He inhaled deeply, and then looked at the list of his Memories.


    Among them, two new ones especially attracted his attention.


    One was called [Bitter Cusp].


    The other was called [Stifled Scream].

 Chapter 923 Secret Of The Estuary

    Sunny shifted a little, trying to find a position that caused him the least pain. His wounds were already healing, so to add insult to injury, he also felt itchy all over. Masters were vastly more resilient than mundane humans, and their bodies could naturally recover from being severely damaged - and that was without even counting the onto potency of the Blood Weave.


    ...However, the process was still not pleasant.


    Trying to ignore the discomfort, Sunny decided to take a look at the [Bitter Cusp] first. It was one of the Memories he had received after decimating the swarm of Black Tongues, and while all the rest would be best used to feed Saint, he felt like holding on to that one.


    The reason was very simple - unlike the other Memories, [Bitter Cusp] was of the Ascended Rank.


    Concentrating on the runes, Sunny read:


    Memory: [Bitter Cusp].


    Memory Rank: Ascended.


    Memory Tier: I.


    Memory Type: Tool.


    ''A tool, huh...


    What kind of tool would the monstrous beasts have left behind? Sunny knew not to underestimate the value of utility, but still, he couldn''t help but feel a little disappointed. The usefulness of this type of Memories was often situational. The [Autumn Leaf] he had used to change the color of his hair was also a tool...


    ''Hopefully, this thing will be more practical.''


    He continued to study the runes.


    Memory Description: [They entered the beautiful halls of the Jade Court harboring venomous desires in their black hearts, and hiding rapacious snarls behind their admiring smiles.


    The mistress of the palace herself presented them with a cup of the sweetest nectar. No matter how much of the sweet nectar they drank, the cup remained full. The more of it they consumed, the more of it they desired. Soon, there was nothing but bestial need left, and nothing but bitterness remained.]


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    ''Well... that''s one weird description. I do wonder if the Jade Court has something to do with that beetle I fought, though...''


    He turned his attention to the enchantments. There was only one.


    Enchantment: [Black Venom].


    Enchantment Description: [This cup overflows with a bitter venom. Do not drink it.]


    ''...Huh?''


    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then summoned the Bitter Cusp. Soon, a beautifully engraved chalice of white jade appeared in his hand. Indeed, it was full of a perfectly black liquid.


    ''Yeah... not drinking that... definitely...''


    For some reason, Sunny had a strange compulsion to take a sip. Maybe it was because the Spell had straightforwardly instructed him not to... however, his intuition was telling him that the black liquid was, indeed, a deadly poison. And if it felt deadly to him, then it had to be rather potent.


    Politely asking an enemy to have a drink did not seem like a good idea, which was not to say that there was no use for the Ascended toxin. Smearing the Black Venom on a blade was one of them, for example.


    It would also not be a problem to stealthily add a drop or two into someone''s food or drink... not that he would do such a thing, of course...


    Satisfied, Sunny dismissed the Bitter Cusp and concentrated on the second Memory that had caught his attention. He had high hopes for this one, considering that it came from a Corrupted Demon, Voiceless Prelate.


    The runes read:


    Memory: [Stifled Scream].


    Memory Rank: Transcendent.


    Memory Tier: III.


    Memory Type: Charm.


    ''Jackpot.''


    Charms were rare and extremely useful, and it was especially so for Sunny, considering that both Saint and the Mantle of the Underworld had the ability to fuse one into themselves.


    He already had one Transcendent Charm, but a second one was most welcome.


    He continued to study the runes.


    Memory Description: [...a great river was contained within it, flowing endlessly from the future into the past. When doom came, many entered to seek shelter from it, and many had come to seek the truth. That was because the Great River existed outside time, and so, it was said that a dreadful secret was hidden at its estuary. Few of those capable dared to approach it, and none of those who had returned.]


    ''...Mysterious.''


    That description really had not told Sunny much. Perplexed, he remained motionless for a few moments, then shook his head and continued to read the runes.


    Enchantments: [Echoing Silence], [Word of Power].


    [Echoing Silence] Enchantment Description: "When wearing this charm, the physical power of its master is augmented... but only as long as they remain silent. The longer their silence lasts, uninterrupted, the greater the boon of power they''ll receive."


    Sunny tilted his head.


    ''Interesting...''


    So it was a comprehensive physical boost. It started off modest, but would slowly grow for as long as the person wearing the charm did not speak... or used their voice in any kind of way, be it to scream, laugh, or groan. The stretch of silence also had to be uninterrupted, meaning that the augmentation would be reset both if the condition was broken or if the charm was dismissed.


    Of course, there was a ceiling to this augmentation, but considering the Transcendent Rank of the Stifled Scream, that ceiling had to be a rather high one.


    That did not seem too useful for Sunny, at the moment, since he constantly had to talk to people and give orders. However, it was simply perfect for Saint, who was either incapable of speaking or chose not to.


    Even after all this time, Sunny still did not know whether it was the former or the latter.


    Thoughtful, he glanced at the second enchantment.


    [Word of Power] Enchantment Description: "A word spoken by the master of this charm is a command. If born of great silence, the word of power can hardly be ignored. If not, it has no worth."


    That one was different. The enchantment was extremely powerful, since there were few limitations attached to it. Commanding the enemies to kneel or turn on each other... Sunny could imagine many great uses for such an ability. However, its compelling power also depended on how long the wearer had remained silent before uttering the command.


    Ironically, this enchantment was extremely useful to Sunny, but utterly useless to Saint.


    ''...What a complicated Memory.''


    With a sigh, he dismissed the runes, and then stood up.


    Walking to the communication suite of the Rhino, he then hailed Sergeant Gere on the radio. A few seconds later, Sunny heard a response.


    "Yes, Captain?"


    Sunny summoned the Bitter Cusp, placed it on the surface of the terminal, and stared at it with a pondering look.


    He had a great idea on how to use it.


    "...Ah, yes, Sergeant Gere. Listen. When we reach our next stop, I''ll give you a very pretty cup. Be sure to have all our ammunition be treated with the black liquid from that cup."


    A tiny bit of an Ascended poison smeared across the blade of the Sin of Solace or the Cruel Sight would have very little effect on his performance in battle, considering that the only Nightmare Creatures that gave him enough trouble to require additional solutions would be all but immune to a negligent dose of the Black Venom.


    The only abominations such a small dose would kill were of the lower Ranks, and he could already dispatch those easily.


    ...That was not the case for the mundane soldiers, however. To them, even Dormant Nightmare Creatures were a great challenge, not to mention the Awakened ones.


    The Bitter Cusp could potentially change that situation entirely.


    Grinning ominously, Sunny lingered for a bit, and then added:


    "Oh, but make sure to not touch the liquid. If even a single drop gets on your skin, you''ll die. In gruesome, terrible agony. So... wear gloves, I guess. Better yet, use a long stick..."

 Chapter 924 Wear And Tear

    The convoy moved forward in the darkness. Climbing the slopes of icy mountains and navigating the complicated network of old, forgotten concrete roads, they traveled north in a desperate hope to survive the calamity of the Chain of Nightmares.


    A day after the battle on the frozen lake, the convoy reached a derelict meteorological station and made camp. Military vehicles were arranged in a circle, with turrets facing out. Food was cooked and distributed to the refugees, and tired people settled in the half-collapsed buildings to sleep and rest.


    Sunny used that time to make his plans of coating the bullets of mundane soldiers with poison come to fruition. The process had turned out to be harder than expected, but they managed to find a solution in the end. The task of handling the Bitter Cusp was entrusted to the convoy''s lone Sleeper, whose green snakeskin armor imbued the young man with a high enough resistance to toxins.


    ...The old woman who had been going through her own First Nightmare quietly passed away during that night. The fact that her body did not turn into a frenzied abomination proved that she had passed the trial of the Spell. However, it seemed that her weary soul was unable to form a stable core, and so, it collapsed, turning the woman Hollow.


    Sunny took the dark responsibility of disposing of the body upon himself. In the morning, they held a somber funeral under the eerie lights of the aurora, and then dove back into the bitter cold of the twisting roads.


    The small column of vehicles continued to struggle against the rough terrain and the dreadful conditions of the polar night as it slowly ventured deeper into the mountains. In the next few days, they had to fight against several more packs of prowling Nightmare Creatures, but none of them were as large and threatening as the two swarms the Irregulars had eradicated before.


    The battle readiness of the convoy had increased due to Sunny''s efforts and a bit of luck. The two new Echoes served as forward scouts and provided invaluable support in combat. The Ascended one, Abomination, was especially fearsome. The Sleeper Belle was mentoring was growing into his power, too, and his core was well on its way to being fully saturated.


    The mundane soldiers were now capable of dealing with weaker Nightmare Creatures thanks to the Bitter Cusp. Saint was slowly growing stronger as her wounds healed and the


    [Echoing Silence] enchantment of the Stifled Scream continued to accumulate power, little by little.


    To the people of the convoy, things appeared to be looking up.


    ...However, Sunny knew that it was just an illusion.


    In truth, their situation was becoming direr with each day.


    The further north they moved, the more Nightmare Creatures there were. Navigating between powerful swarms of them was getting harder and harder, and so was avoiding the truly overwhelming hordes. The amount of small skirmishes the Irregulars and their Echoes had to fight was growing in both frequency and ferocity. For now, they were handling the pressure fine, but their fatigue continued to mount, while their physical condition deteriorated.


    Small scrapes and injuries they received were bound to add up, sooner or later. Their reserves of essence were also getting closer and closer to not having enough time to replenish between fights, even with Luster''s help.


    Additionally, the deeper they went into the mountains, the more signs of destruction caused by the earthquake they encountered. Many roads were completely destroyed by rockfalls or buried under countless tons of glacial ice. Increasingly often, the Rhino could not handle clearing the path through the roads that remained.


    All of that meant that there were more and more enemies around, with less and less suitable paths to take. Sunny felt like a noose was being drawn tighter around his neck with each day.


    As a result, he had to lead the convoy forward using more risky routes. A few times, the civilian transports were very close to falling off the crumbling roads and plummeting into the deep gorges below, or being destroyed by falling debris. He had to leave the Rhino and use shadow chains to secure the vehicles, shield them, or pull them to safety with his own two hands.


    He even had to resort to coming close to the abandoned tunnels that pierced the mountains here and there, promising convenient shortcuts and shelter from the chilling wind.


    However, just looking at the dark portals of their hungrily open maws made Sunny shiver. Driving past the old tunnels filled him with a sense of deep, gnawing unease.


    ''No goddamn way...''


    The condition of the transports was also getting worse and worse. The rougher of a path he chose, the faster they broke down. Samara and Kim had to administer hasty field repairs more than a few times, but there was only so much they could do.


    The engines of the vehicles stalled. Their wheels got stuck in the deep snow. The heating elements malfunctioned and filled the interiors with acrid smoke. The batteries cracked and leaked because of being both overheated and exposed to terrible cold.


    There was no end to the problems Sunny had to solve.


    ''Damnation...''


    Sitting in front of a screen in the command suite of the Rhino, he stared at the map. Sunny had just finished updating it with the information his shadows had brought back from a lengthy scouting mission.


    Many lines had been crossed out, and many red marks shifted position, drawing a narrow net around the convoy.


    In the absence of the black bodysuit, he was back to wearing the Puppeteer''s Shroud outside of combat. His old and reliable armor possessed an enchantment called [Doubtless], but ironically, he was full of doubts.


    ''Just how am I supposed to..''


    At that moment, one of the transports behind the Rhino came to a screeching halt. The lights illuminating its interior went out, signaling a serious malfunction. The rest of the vehicles were forced to stop, too.


    Sunny looked down and sighed.


    ''...What now?''


    Standing up, he stretched, massaged his tired shoulders, and left the APC through the main hatch.


    Darkness and bitter cold welcomed him, and the cutting wind immediately tried to suck all warmth out of his body. Walking through the light snowfall, Sunny headed to the back of the convoy. Saint''s silent figure gazed at him from the roof of the Rhino, where she stood with a bow in her hands.


    Looking up, Sunny found that the stars to the east appeared a bit hazy, as if veiled by something. A resentful frown appeared on his face.


    ''Don''t tell me... is the blizzard picking up again?''


    This was grave news.

 Chapter 925 Low Growl

    Walking toward the broken transport, Sunny was deep in thought. If the blizzard was really returning... things were going to get ugly for the convoy


    Sure, the snowstorm would hide their location from the roaming swarms of Nightmare Creatures, but it would also all but destroy his own ability to track the abominations and keep his map up to date. Sunny and his shadows could see through the darkness of the polar night, but they could not see through the impenetrable wall of billowing snow.


    Additionally, the mundane drivers were going to have even more trouble with keeping their vehicles on the road. The vehicles themselves would suffer more stress, as well...


    Should he insist on continuing to drive through the blizzard, or find a place for the convoy to wait it out? Sunny did not like the thought of traveling across treacherous old roads in such hazardous conditions, but neither did he like the idea of being stationary, holed up in some cave like a blind rat, with no way to escape should things go south.


    ''Damned blizzard... damned rustbuckets... why can''t they all be like the Rhino?''


    Of course, that was not a fair comparison to make. His Rhino was a state-of-the-art military carrier, while the civilian transports were just that - some of them could barely be used to carry people, even, since they had been hastily refitted from industrial cargo vehicles in preparation for the evacuation campaign.


    It was a miracle that they were able to move, honestly.


    Approaching the cause of the current setback, Sunny had to walk around the massive body of Abomination, who was laying on the road and staring east. The massive beast seemed to have sensed the approaching blizzard, as well, considering how intently it was looking at the sky. Snowflakes were falling on its rugged fur.


    The smaller Echo... Blackie, or whatever the Awakened Beast was called... was there as well, leaning against the larger one. It had a habit of following the stronger monster everywhere, while Abomination mostly ignored its existence.


    ''Damned mongrels... would it kill you to make way for me? I am the master of your masters, you know! Show some respect..."


    Shaking his head, Sunny reached the transport. Samara, Kim, and Quentin were already there, running diagnostics with grim expressions on their faces.


    He did not like the look of that.


    "What''s the situation?"


    Samara glanced at him with a deep frown.


    "Captain. It is serious this time... there was a charge overload in the hub relay, causing the main battery to be cut off from the rest of the systems. Usually, that wouldn''t be too debilitating, but this transport already lost both the support battery and the backup accumulator. There''s... a lot of melted wiring. Quentin can restore some, but other parts will need to be replaced."


    Sunny did not understand much of what she had said, but then again, he did not need to. That was the whole reason for employing specialists.


    He had become a big fan of delegation.


    "So... how long is it going to take to get this transport moving again?"


    Samara looked at Kim and Quentin, then hesitated for a bit.


    "About two hours, if we move fast."


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment.


    Two hours... that was not impossible, although cutting it close. Their window of opportunity to drive past the nearest horde allowed for such a delay, but not much more. If he let the convoy stall for two hours, there would be no space for mistakes in the next day or so.


    Could he afford that? Or should he abandon the transport and relocate people to the remaining ones, thus overloading the struggling vehicles even further and increasing the risk that they themselves might break down in turn?


    ''Curse it. Did Nephis have to deal with this amount of nonsense during her short stint as the Bright Lord?''


    Leading half a thousand crazed Sleeper through a bloody revolt and a suicidal crusade might have been a bit harder than he had thought.


    ''Being in charge of hundreds of people was not at all fun...


    Sunny was slowly starting to understand why the Sovereigns were all suffering from some sort of lunacy.


    He sighed.


    "I can give you one hundred and ten minutes. If it''s not done until then, though, we''ll load the refugees on other transports and abandon this one. For now, do what you can. Gere will make sure that the passengers aren''t cold."


    With nothing much to do after that, Sunny walked aside and stood in the shadows as his subordinates got busy with their tasks. He thought about returning to the warm interior of the Rhino, but decided against it. He had been cooped up inside it for a while, so some fresh air - even if it was bitterly cold - was a welcomed change.


    The refugees inside the dead transport did not seem too discouraged, especially after soldiers brought a portable heater. The Sleeper was there too. His lantern Memory chased away the darkness, helping the civilians cope with their fear.


    And speaking of the Sleeper...


    ''Currently, we do not have any more infected. Which means that the infirmary transport is empty... if things don''t go well with the repairs, I can just reassign the passengers there. That can be a good stopgap solution. There''ll be trouble when someone does catch the Spell, of course...''


    His thoughts were interrupted by Abomination, who suddenly let out a low growl. Considering the size of the massive monster, its growls reverberated through one''s very bones, and were not easy to ignore.


    Sunny turned and looked at the Echo with a frown.


    "What''s up with him... her... whatever. What''s up with that thing?"


    Abomination''s monstrous snout was gnashed, revealing rows of terrifying fangs. It was still laying on the road, staring at the eastern skies. The Echo looked... tense.


    The other beast by its side was also acting nervous. However, it seemed to be simply repeating after the larger one without understanding the reason. Sunny''s frown deepened, turning into a scowl.


    ''...That can not be good.''


    He walked over to Abomination and tried to climb on it to get a good vantage point.


    "Don''t move, you bastard!"


    Reaching the creature''s withers, he looked east, seeing the same thing that it saw.


    The veil of the blizzard had grown closer, and a large part of the horizon - what little of it could be seen between the towering mountain peaks - was now hidden by it. Sunny did not notice anything else, though.


    ''Does it not like snow?''


    Then again, that blizzard was not of natural origin. It was caused by a titan called Winter Beast. From what Sunny knew, the titan was currently being suppressed by Saint Tyris somewhere far to the north... that was why the snowstorm came and went, hinting at who was prevailing in the clash at the moment.


    Sky Tide''s Aspect also had to do with controling winds and storms, so while it did not directly counter the titan''s powers, she could at least challenge its authority.


    In any case, Winter Beast could not be anywhere near the convoy.


    Then why...


    Suddenly, Sunny''s eyes narrowed.


    Looking closer at the distant haze obscuring the cold dark sky, he suddenly had a very disturbing idea.


    ...Was it really the blizzard?

 Chapter 926 Stormfront

    Sunny stared at the distant haze for a rew moments, then glanced at Kim, who was busy with repairs. The [Evil Eye] memory he nad given ner was supposed to make one capable of seeing things at a greater distance... however, there was an easier way.


    He called out to Sergeant Gere, who happened to be hurrying past at that exact moment.


    "Hey, Sergeant."


    The man stopped and looked at the Captain... who was standing on top of the terrifying monster the Irregulars had recently received from the Nightmare Spell, for some reason.


    Already accustomed to their leader''s eccentric behavior, the soldier did not even bother to try and guess the reason.


    "Yes, Captain?"


    Sunny lingered for a moment.


    "Do you have... what are they called... binoculars?"


    Gere nodded.


    "Of course, sir. We have several pairs, one per vehicle. Standard military issue."


    Sunny gave him a tense look, then said quietly:


    "Go bring me the best ones."


    Slightly disturbed by that tone, Gere glanced at the bundle of blankets he was carrying, then dropped them into the snow and dashed toward the tail of the convoy. Very soon, he returned with a pair of modern binoculars and, not daring to approach the monster, threw them to the Captain.


    Sunny caught them, brought the unfamiliar device to his eyes, and looked east. At first, the image was blurry and unclear, but then, something hummed softly, and it came into focus on its own.


    Suddenly, it felt as though he was standing much, much closer to the slope of a distant mountain. Sunny could even see the individual boulders, as well as mounds of snow between them. Moving the binoculars, he searched for a stretch of open sky.


    A few seconds later, he finally laid his eyes on the haze that obscured it.


    Sunny remained motionless for around a minute after that, then silently lowered his hands. His face remained still, but his eyes were suddenly terribly bleak.


    Feeling something, Sergeant Gere cleared his throat.


    "Sir? What is it?"


    The Captain looked at him with those bleak eyes, making the soldier shiver.


    ''What is it...''


    Sunny repeated the question in his mind.


    What he had seen was... was not a wall of swirling snow.


    Instead, it was a ghastly creature that resembled a mix between a bat and a leech, with leathery wings, a long neck, and a head that seemed to be one giant, fleshy, circular maw.


    In fact, he saw thousands, and thousands, and thousands of them.


    The hazy veil that obscured the sky was not caused by the returning blizzard. It was a horde of flying abominations that was so vast that it resembled a rolling stormfront from a distance.


    That vast horde of horrid abominations was swiftly moving in their direction.


    Suddenly, Sunny''s mouth was terribly dry. He glanced at the convoy that stretched along the narrow road, a few vehicles blocked from moving any further by the broken transport.


    "..Sir?"


    Sergeant Gere''s tense voice caught his attention. Sunny forced himself to focus on it, pulling his mind back to reality.


    ''Dead, dead... they are all dead...


    Throwing the binoculars back to Gere, he threw all unnecessary thoughts out of his mind and issued an order:


    "Get these people out and load them into the infirmary transport. Do it as fast as possible... no, faster than that."


    Gere blinked.


    "The infirmary transport? But..."


    Interrupting him, Sunny barked:


    Interrupting him, Sunny barked:


    "Now!"


    The soldier flinched. This was the first time he heard the usually cool-headed Captain shout...


    Understanding that something had gone terribly wrong, Gere ran toward the broken transport.


    ***


    "...Move, move, move!"


    A few minutes later, the frightened refugees were being hastily loaded into the infirmary vehicle. The soldiers were running around, preparing for a swift departure. The Irregulars were getting ready for a fight.


    Sunny was in the middle of all this havoc, giving orders.


    "Load the poisoned ammunition immediately, all of it. Empty the reserves entirely. Throw all non-essential cargo out, we need as much speed as we can get. Samara! You have three minutes to charge as many bullets as you can. Luster... prepare the Rhino for an all-out charge..."


    ''We''re never going to make it... there''s no chance... simply none...''


    The enormous horde of flying horrors was traveling too fast. The fleet would never be able to outrun it, even if they were moving on a flat and well-maintained road. Of course, fighting it was not an option, either. If the appalling creatures descended upon the convoy, everyone would be devoured without seconds. Sunny might be able to survive by turning into a shadow, but the rest...


    Everyone would die a gruesome death.


    And yet...


    The horde seemed to be traveling from east to west, while the fleet was heading north. If, by some miracle, they managed to escape from the path of the abominations... maybe, there still was a sliver of hope for them.


    Perhaps there even was some shelter ahead, one that Sunny had missed when he was compiling the map.


    In any case, he could not bring himself to just give up. No matter how small the possibility, he owed it to these people to make an effort to save them. He had taken them under his command, after all.


    They were his responsibility.


    "Move!"


    Finally, the broken transport was cleared of civilians. Sergeant Gere ran up to Sunny.


    "It''s done! Captain, what do you desire to do with..."


    Before he could finish the sentence, Sunny grabbed the massive vehicle by the front bumper, strained his muscle a little, and then tossed it over the edge of the road with his bare hands.


    The transport plummeted into the deep, dark gorge with thunderous clangor. It was so heavy that the road under them quaked from the violent force of the first impact.


    Sunny glanced at the stunned soldier.


    "Get everyone inside and start the engines. Hurry!"


    As everyone ran to their vehicles, Sunny stepped through the shadows and appeared inside the Rhino. Sparing a glance at Professor Obel and Beth, he lingered for a moment and said:


    "Strap yourself in. It''s going to be a bumpy ride."


    They listened without asking questions.


    Since most of the Irregulars were assigned to the civilian transports, the only other person there was Luster. He was already in the pilot''s seat, ready to send the APC forward at Sunny command.


    Sunny did not make him wait long.


    "What are you waiting for? Go!"


    The Rhino shot forward, plowing through snow as it cleared the way for the other vehicles. The fleet followed as they moved across the mountain road with reckless speed...


    But not enough of it.


    ...On the roof of the APC, Saint was effortlessly holding her balance. Standing there like a statue, she slowly turned her head east.


    Then, the taciturn demon lingered for a moment, and silently raised her bow.

 Chapter 927 Racing Against Time

    The Rhino flew forward, somehow navigating the twists and turns or the narrow mountain road without plummeting off its crumbling edge. There was nothing but darkness anead, with snow swirling as it melted in the powerful beams of light that shot from the roof of the heavy vehicle. For once, Luster seemed serious and completely concentrated, his fingers wrapped around the yoke so tight that they had turned white.


    The convoy did its best to keep up. The civilian transports were sandwiched between the APC and the military vehicles, shaking precariously as they rolled forward at high speed.


    Sergeant Gere and his soldiers were hastily loading the poisoned ammunition into the feeding mechanisms of the turrets, turning their barrels east and aiming spotlights at the sky.


    The veil obscuring the horizon was getting closer and closer.


    ''Damn, damn, damn...''


    Sunny was standing behind Luster, perceiving the world through the eyes of his shadows. They were gliding far ahead, scouting the path in search of serious obstacles and possible shelter.


    Shelter... there was none to be found.


    And the devouring swarm was too fast to outrun.


    Suddenly, his head jerked sideways. A dozen or so meters ahead, a swift silhouette lunged at the approaching Rhino from a deep crack in the cliff''s face. All Sunny had time to see was a powerful body, a glint of madness burning in a pair of frenzied eyes, and dozens of sharp claws that shimmered as if made of metal.


    Before the attacking Nightmare Creature that had laid in ambush received a chance to collide with the APC, a black arrow pierced its neck, throwing the abomination back and nailing it to the stone slope. Standing on the roof of the Rhino, Saint drew the string of Morgan''s Warbow again as the pinned corpse flashed by.


    Luster flinched, but kept the vehicle steady.


    "...That was a close one, sir."


    Sunny had nothing to answer.


    They had to move with as much speed as they could muster, but advancing in such a reckless manner brought its own risks. Not being able to discover ambushes in advance was one of them.


    And even then, it would most likely not be enough.


    "...Go faster."


    By now, everyone could tell that the approaching haze was strange and unnatural. They would not be able to see the flying horrors with their own eyes for a few more minutes, but fear was already spreading through the convoy. Sunny did not really need to tell anyone to hurry.


    But staying silent was too nerve-wracking, even for him.


    ''Curse it...''


    In his mind was the image of the map of the mountains. Studying it, Sunny was feverishly trying to find a way to escape. He already knew the optimal route to take, but had a sinking feeling that it was already too late.


    He did not know the speed of the approaching horde, but judging by how fast the distant sky was being devoured by it, their chances were slim.


    ...Up ahead, a stray Nightmare Creature appeared on the road. Before it could react, a massive shape lunged at it from the darkness. Abomination''s powerful jaws closed on the monster''s throat, and then, the Echo threw it into the abyssal darkness of the gorge with a powerful twist of its neck.


    Then, the Ascended Monster dashed forward, followed by the smaller Echo. Soon, they reached a fork in the road and stopped, unsure of where to go.


    ...Sunny knew, however. His shadows had already explored both roads, confirming the information reflected on the map.


    A few moments before the Rhino reached the fork, he leaned forward and spoke to Luster:


    "Take the right path."


    The right path was the only acceptable choice if they wanted to have even the tiniest hope of getting out of the path of the flying swarm. There was one problem, however...


    A few hundred meters ahead, it was blocked by the bodies of a pack of prowling Nightmare Creatures.


    Soon, Luster saw them, too.


    "...Captain! What... what do we do?"


    Sunny gripped the back of the pilot''s seat and leaned forward.


    "Just plow through them!"


    What else could they do?


    The wedge-shaped ram of the Rhino was already lowered. The abominations were Awakened, at best... tons of swiftly moving metal were bound to make short work of them, or if not, at least toss them off the road.


    Luster gulped and followed the instruction, accelerating toward the fearsome Nightmare Creatures without even a hint of slowing down or trying to avoid a direct collision... not that it was possible to maneuver around the abominations on the narrow road, anyway.


    Before the creatures had time to properly react...


    The Rhino shuddered it slammed into the abominations, and its armored windshield was instantly splattered with a revolting mix of blood and mangled flesh. Without skipping a bit, Luster prevented the vehicle from lurching sideways with a small shift of the yoke and moved his gaze to the screen showing the feed from the external cameras. Until the wipers managed to clean the armored glass, looking through it was all but impossible.


    Just like that, the pack of abominations was either torn apart or thrown off the road, clearing the way for the convoy.


    Except for one.


    Clinging to the ram of the Rhino, a bleeding beast hoisted its massive body up, a powerful limb rising to strike a devastating blow on the windshield.


    ...Before it could, however, the shadows nesting between spotlights on the APC''s front surged forward, forming into sharp spikes. They pierced the creature and then lost their solidity, turning into black tentacles.


    A moment later, the abomination was torn apart from the inside and flung into the darkness below.


    "Keep going!"


    Sunny gritted his teeth and then flinched as one of the rearview cameras registered a flash of light coming from the turret of Gere''s military vehicle. Turning his attention to it, he saw that the soldiers had opened fire.


    They were firing at the sky.


    The devouring horde was still some distance away, but the first straggler had just appeared from the cold darkness and dove down toward the convoy. The creature was not too large, but looked even more terrifying and revolting up close.


    A rain of bullets tore at its body, delivering the Bitter Cusp''s toxin. It should have been enough to kill the flying abomination, but the effect of the poison was not instantaneous. Either the soldiers had reacted too slowly, or the Nightmare Creature was too fast... no matter the reason, its mangled, convulsing body kept falling, approaching the windows of one of the civilian transports.


    That was before another arrow flashed through the air, slicing the abomination in half. The severed parts struck the slope and then rolled down, soon disappearing under the wheels of the speeding vehicles with a repulsive crunch.


    Sunny let out a shaky breath, relieved.


    ...The worst was only starting, though.


    Because, after that first creature was killed, the turrets did not stop firing.

 Chapter 928 Devouring Cloud

    [You have slain an Awakened Beast, Brood of the Devouring Cloud... ]


    The road sloped down, soon reaching the bottom of a deep gorge and continuing forward along its twists and turns. Not afraid of sliding into the abyss anymore, the convoy received some breathing room and accelerated even more.


    However, despite that, their situation only worsened.


    By now, the distant mountains had already disappeared, swallowed entirely by the veil of the approaching swarm. Only a few nearest peaks remained visible, but even they were already turning hazy.


    More and more flying abominations that had traveled ahead of the horde were diving at the convoy, their fleshy circular maws opening wide to bite at the speeding transports and the soldiers operating the turrets.


    At first, they came one after another. Then, a few appeared at the same time. At some point, the rumble of the firing turrets turned into one continuous, rolling cannonade.


    The soldiers fought with desperate determination, relying on their spotters to find the targets in time. The murderous darkness of the polar night was cut and torn by the stark beams of powerful spotlights, and tracer bullets painted it with red streaks.


    High above, the ghostly aurora glimmered among the stars, slowly turning crimson.


    Sunny was cursing the world.


    Tired of waiting powerlessly inside the Rhino, he climbed to its roof though the upper hatch and swayed as a furious wind assaulted him with cutting cold. A few steps away, Saint was standing straight, sending one arrow after another into the dark sky. Each arrow reaped a life, and the bodies of abhorrent creatures were raining down on the snow behind the convoy.


    In a gun nest on the roof of one of the civilian transports, Samara was discharging her rifle time after time, and somewhere high above, bloody explosions of charged essence bloomed with each shot.


    The other Awakened were assisting the soldiers, as well. However, even though each possessed a Memory capable of dealing damage at range, they were less proficient with them. The Sleeper, ironically, was the closest the convoy had to a marksman after Saint and Samara. His quiver was full of poisoned arrows.


    ...In an infuriating turn of events, Sunny was the only one without a suitable weapon. He only had one bow, and that one was currently being used by his Shadow.


    ''Curses...''


    The Undying Chain was already encasing his body, and the Dying Wish was calling out to the Nightmare Creatures, compelling the nearest ones to aim at him, and him alone. That made the pattern of their attacks a little bit more predictable, causing more bullets to hit their mark. He did not know what else to do...


    All of it was meaningless, anyway.


    The convoy could kill a thousand of these flying monstrosities, and it would still be no more than a drop in the ocean. With each minute, the number of attacking abominations was mounting, and with each second, the Devouring Cloud was drawing closer.


    Soon, it would envelop the gorge completely, and then, all their efforts would end in a gruesome and bloody finale. Sunny did not think for a second that the convoy would be able to fight through countless thousands of the flying abominations.


    "Why did I not account for it... fool, damned fool!"


    It was not as though he had not fought swarms of flying Nightmare Creatures before. And yet, Sunny had never considered a situation like this one seriously enough to come up with effective countermeasures.


    What countermeasures were there, though? What was one supposed to do if the sky itself decided to devour them?


    He gritted his teeth.


    There was no way out, as far as Sunny could tell. They had already failed to escape from the path of the harrowing horde, and had not found a shelter to weather the heavenly plague.


    The soldiers continued to fire their turrets, hurriedly swinging the steaming barrels around to catch the Brood beasts before they crashed into the transports. Saint and Samara continued their slaughter.


    But there was no point.


    Feeling a bitter taste in his mouth, Sunny looked up.


    The mountains had disappeared completely, swallowed by the seething haze of the Devouring Cloud. Numerous abominations blotted out the sky, making it seem as though the crimson lights of the aurora itself were spawning the all-consuming deluge of them. A minute or two later, the horde would flood the gorge and descend upon the convoy...


    His only solace was that not even a fraction of the Nightmare Creatures would be able to satiate themselves with human flesh. There were too few humans in the convoy to fill their stomachs.


    ''Starve, the rest of you, bastards...


    Lacking a suitable weapon, Sunny could not even help his people in their last stand.


    But... that was not his job. His most important job as a leader was to think, and yet, Sunny could not think of anything, either. The image of the map was still flashing in his mind, almost burned into it. All the potential campsites and shelters he had marked in advance were too far away, and all the convenient roads he had scouted were useless.


    Saint suddenly stepped back, and in the next moment, a corpse of one of the Brood beasts crashed into the roof of the Rhino. The APC shuddered, but continued to speed forward. A drop of fetid blood hit the visor of Sunny''s helmet.


    He inhaled deeply and stared at the ugly maw of the dead abomination, numb to its repulsive appearance.


    Maw... these ghastly, hungry maws would soon be feasting on the flesh of his people.


    A hungry maw...


    Suddenly, a grim expression appeared on his face, hidden by the helmet.


    Turning around, Sunny dove back into the hatch, noiselessly landed on the floor of the APC''s floor, and dashed toward Luster.


    ''Where is it... where is it...''


    Soon, one of his shadows noticed an old, almost entirely crumbled road that forked away from the main one a hundred or so meters ahead. The Rhino was just about to reach it...


    "Turn left!"


    Luster''s hands reacted faster than his mind, sending the Rhino into a sharp turn. The vehicles trembled as its wheels left the somewhat intact surface of the better preserved road and entered the more dilapidated one.


    The young man spared a glance at his captain.


    "Sir? Where are we going?"


    Sunny paled a little.


    "...Into a hungry maw."


    He did not need to explain further, really. Now that they had entered the derelict road, there was only one way - forward.


    And there, ahead of them, waited something that he had hoped to avoid at all costs.


    The dark portal of an old, abandoned tunnel.


    Not too long ago, Sunny had sworn that he would never enter one.


    But now, he could only pray that they would reach it...

 Chapter 929 Swarm

    As the convoy desperately drove toward the distant entrance of an old tunnel, the Devouring Cloud finally reached the gorge. The sky disappeared, blotted out by a slithering mass of the winged abominations, and submerged the world into impenetrable darkness. Even the dim glint of the shimmering stars was extinguished.


    The swarm flowed down the slopes of the mountains like a tidal wave.


    Penetrating the armored frame of the Rhino, a deafening rustle of countless beating wings assaulted Sunny''s ears. He grimaced, glanced at the screens one last time, and dashed back to the roof hatch. Once he climbed outside, the noise grew many times more violent, making it seem as though a hurricane was raging around him.


    The mass of Nightmare Creatures was seconds from swallowing the rearmost vehicles of the convoy. The overheated barrels of the turrets continued to discharge a barrage of bullets into the rushing wave of abominations, long tongues of flame blooming from their glowing muzzles. At that point, the soldiers did not even have to aim to hit the enemy... however, all their efforts were in vain.


    Sunny would have needed thousands of soldiers and hundreds of heavy artillery vehicles to put a dent into the swarm of abhorrent abominations.


    But he just needed to buy a little time...


    "Saint!"


    Following his mental command, the Shadow turned and threw Morgan''s Warbow in his direction. Catching it, Sunny took a moment to balance himself on theswaying roof, and then drew the string with furious determination.


    All four of his shadows flowed forward from his fingers.


    A bolt of lightning streaked through the air, striking one of the Brood beasts. The creature''s body disintegrated in a blinding flash, and then, dancing arcs of electricity spread through the swarm, stretching in all directions for dozens of meters. For a moment, the whole world was illuminated by a stark radiance.


    ...That bought the convoy a few more seconds, at most.


    ''Not enough...''


    Even if Sunny had essence to spare, he could not use the Strike of Thunder repeatedly. Like almost all Memories, it needed time to be summoned and dismissed. Although the whole process took no more than a dozen of seconds, right now, that was enough of a delay to doom them all.


    If Winter was here, she would have had a solution... but, sadly, Sunny was all alone.


    Well, not quite.


    On the roof of one of the civilian transports, Samara overcharged her powerful rifle, causing some of the circuitry inside of it to melt in a rain of sparks. The usual electric whine of the activating coil was devoured by the cacophony of thousands of beating wings, but the thunderous roar of the resulting shot was not.


    A brilliant particle of light traveled toward the swarm at a tremendous speed, and then detonated with staggering violence. A huge explosion shook the ground, swallowing a whole swath of attacking abominations.


    Samara swayed and spat a mouthful of blood, showing signs of severe essence depletion, but the rest of the Irregulars were not remaining idle, either. The deluge of poisoned bullets and their Memories were doing their job, buying the fleet precious time. The tunnel was getting closer and closer...


    But it was still not enough. The rearmost military vehicle was already suffering under an onslaught of attacks. Its armored hull was being cut open and peeled off, and blood was flowing down its sides. The soldier that had been operating the turret was nowhere to be seen, but another had already taken his place - only to scream a moment later when the razor-sharp fangs of a frenzied Brood beast sunk into his arm.


    As blood rained down, the soldier gritted his teeth and drew his sidearm, discharging several mundane bullets into the creature''s neck without any result.


    Sunny did not see the rest.


    The Strike of Thunder had finally manifested itself back into existence, and the shadows had just returned, so he sent the caged lightning into the swarm once again.


    Attracted by the Dying Wish, many abominations were ignoring the rest of the convoy and lunging at the Rhino. For now, none of them had gotten past Saint, who brandished the Sin of Solace as he protected him. However, Sunny knew that he was not going to remain safe for much longer.


    Their salvation was so close...


    And yet, their time was up.


    Despite all their efforts, Sunny and his soldiers could not hold the Devouring Cloud back anymore. The convoy was already surrounded by the mass of Nightmare Creatures from all sides.


    In stunned horror, Sunny watched as the rear vehicle was swallowed by the swarm of abominations. Its armor disintegrated as if made of paper, shredded into nothingness in a mere second. What followed...


    ''To hell with this!''


    Before Sunny knew what he was doing, his body moved forward. Dashing to the back of the Rhino, he flooded his muscles with essence... and jumped.


    ''...I must have... gone crazy...''


    Sunny soared into the air above the convoy, sensing sharp fangs scraping against the bleak steel of the Undying Chain. On his belt, a attractive lantern cut of black stone suddenly opened, letting out a surge of darkness. Wreathed in that darkness, he plummeted down and landed on the roof of the


    damaged vehicle.


    Dozens of tentacles exploded from the kneeling figure that was shrouded in shadows, tearing countless Brood beasts apart. More shadows flowed down like water, covering the breaches in the vehicle''s hull and solidifying into impenetrable armor.


    At the same time, black walls rose from the ground, surrounding the convoy. Hundreds of Brood beasts furiously crashed into them, causing the walls to shudder.


    However, at least for the moment... they held.


    Ahead of the column, the Rhino finally reached the tunnel and drove through its entrance, disappearing into the lightless emptiness within. One after another, the other vehicles, as well as a few Nightmare Creatures, followed. The abominations were swiftly gunned down or killed by the Irregulars.


    The damaged vehicle that Sunny had landed on entered the old tunnel last, rolled forward for a few seconds, and then came to a screeching halt.


    He fell down from its roof and hit the ground hard, then stood up with a stagger. Another wall of shadows rose, blocking the mouth of the tunnel behind them, this one much thicker than the previous ones.


    Instantly, it came under a savage attack. Its black surface trembled, not cracking yet, but also visibly struggling to withstand the neverending rain of blows.


    In the echoing silence of the tunnel, Sunny bent over, spat blood, and then tiredly looked up.


    His voice sounded stifled:


    "Someone better blow up that entrance, fast..."

 Chapter 930 Old Tunnel

    The convoy stopped soon after entering the tunnel. For a few'' moments, nothing apart from the muffled blows that continued to rain on the wall of shadows could be heard. Scared and exhausted, the people were all lost and slightly disoriented.


    Sunny''s voice brought them back to reality.


    Glancing into the depths of the tunnel to make sure that nothing was attacking them from that direction - at least not yet - he backed up a little and studied the cold stones above him.


    Surely, detonating a part of the tunnel''s roof was not the smartest of ideas, considering how old it was. However, the alternative was even worse. They had to stop the Brood beasts from following the convoy inside, and his wall of shadows was not going to last long, considering how little essence Sunny had left.


    He had truly burned through a lot of it during that last desperate dash to save the rear vehicles. Actually, Sunny had not even known that he was capable of doing something like that. The scope and scale of that complex use of Shadow Manifestation was unlike anything he had been able to achieve before. The urgency of the situation and the raging adrenaline had helped him achieve a new level of mastery over his Aspect... And now, he was exhausted. So, the entrance of the tunnel had to go.


    ''I''ll feel really awkward if there''s a collapsed section of it further ahead.''


    Still, the convoy could find a way to dig through stone debris. They would not be able to resurrect from dead if the Devouring Cloud swallowed them whole, though.


    ...With the help of explosives that Sergeant Gere provided, Kim''s ability to see weak points of both living and inanimate objects, and Professor Obel''s knowledge of mundane science, they were able to detonate a few small charges and collapse the entrance of the tunnel, cutting themselves off from the outside world.


    Now, there was no way back. Only forward, deeper into the darkness.


    Nevertheless, the people were finally safe... relatively speaking, of course. They still did not know what awaited them ahead, in the eerie expanse of the old tunnel, so Sunny, posted plenty of sentries in front of the Rhino. Only then did he have time to assess the state of things.


    The convoy looked... battered. Every vehicle received at least a little damage, and many were splattered with blood of the Nightmare Creatures that the Irregulars and the mundane soldiers had killed. However, almost all of them could still move.


    The only exception was the rear military vehicle that Sunny had saved. That one was a complete goner. In fact, it looked more like a heap of scrap metal than a working machine now - the fact that it had somehow managed to drive into the tunnel was nothing short of miraculous.


    Its crew had suffered, too.


    One of the soldiers was dead, and the rest were seriously wounded. A few of them would have died from those wounds, too, if not for Quentin. Currently, he was trying to stem the bleeding of a turret operator, whose arm was terribly mangled.


    Even with the healer''s abilities, the man''s limb was too damaged to preserve. After taking one glance at the terrible mess of torn flesh and splintered bones, Sunny knew that it would have to be amputated.


    He had already been in a somber mood because of the exhaustion, but now, it turned even darker. Perhaps he should be thanking the dead gods that only one of his men had been killed during the desperate escape from the Devouring Cloud... but Sunny did not feel thankful.


    Instead, he remembered the brazen claim he had made to Professor Obel not too long ago... a promise to try and save everyone who had entrusted their lives to him.


    Sunny had already failed that promise twice. The death of the old refugee woman had been outside his control, but the fallen soldier... that one was a direct result of his decisions.


    Sunny had killed many people in the past, but he had never been responsible for someone''s death... or rather, had never experienced the death of someone whom he was responsible for.


    It was a bitter, scathing feeling. Why did he have to bear the burden of some stranger''s death? Who asked that soldier to be so weak?


    Sunny clenched his fists.


    ''So... annoying.''


    He remained motionless for a while, then winced.


    In any case, the loss of a military vehicle was painful, but not impactful. Losing another civilian transport would have been much more damaging, not to mention lethal.


    The wounded soldiers would be out of commission for a few days or longer, depending on the severity of their injuries, but in the end, they''re going to survive.


    All in all, they had all gotten off easy. Sunny had fully expected to watch the whole fleet be destroyed after finding out about the approaching horde of flying abominations. Losing just a single soldier, no matter how resentful he felt about it, was incredible luck.


    ...Of course, they were not out of the woods yet.


    He did not know anything about the old tunnel, but suspected that traveling though it would not be very safe. In fact, his decision to seek shelter inside could potentially result in a fate similar, or even far worse, than being quickly gobbled up by the Devouring Cloud.


    ''Brimming with optimism, am I?''


    Any kind of Nightmare Creatures could have built a nest here after the Chain of Nightmares came.


    ...More disturbingly, the tunnel could be home to something that had entered the waking world much earlier.


    Humans did a good job of either closing or containing those Gates that opened within the borders or in the vicinity of population centers, out of necessity, but no one bothered or had resources to do the same in the wilderness. Provided, most Gates manifested near places where a lot of people lived... but not all.


    Somewhere inside the tunnel, they could potentially meet an abomination that had been dwelling here for decades, or maybe even half a century.


    Surely, there was also a possibility that there were no Nightmare Creatures inside, and they''re completely safe. Honestly speaking, the chances of that were equally high.


    ...Unconvinces, sunny walked to the front or the convoy, passed the massive form of the Rhino, and stopped near the sentries.


    Up ahead, a long stretch of the tunnel was illuminated by the headlights of the APC. He stared into the darkness beyond. After a while, Sunny looked down and let out a heavy sigh.


    ''That... does not bode well.''


    He could not see anything.


    Not in the sense that there was nothing ahead, but rather that he could not see through the gloom that enveloped the tunnel. Which could mean only one thing...


    That this place was not shrouded in shadows, but instead drowned by true, pure, elemental darkness.

 Chapter 931 Rival Of Light

    True darkness was different from light and shadows.


    Shadows existed in places where light was obscured or could not reach. If the shadow was vast and deep enough, people mistook it for darkness. but all it truly was was the absence of light.


    True darkness. however. was more than that. it was an elemental force of its own. one that was both independent turd opposed to light. Instead of a simple lack of light, pure darkness was its rival.


    And. since light and shadows always went hand in hand, it was also the enemy of shadows... strange as it may sound.


    That was why Sunny suddenly felt the cold touch of unease when he discovered its presence.


    True darkness was exceedingly rare and mysterious. He had only encountered it once before, in the ruined cathedral of the Dark City. where it had been born of and controlled by the cathedral''s guardian... the Forsaken Knight. The bastard that had gutted him like a pig.


    In fact. that unfortunate encounter had been the fault of the darkness that the Fallen Devil wielded. if not for its veil, Sunny might have not allowed the black knight to get so close.


    That was because his eyes. which were capable of peering through any shadow. were, as blind in true darkness as that of a mundane human. Sunny had not seen the approaching Forsaken Knight in the Shroud of darkness, and now, he could not see into the depths of the tunnel.


    Worse still...


    The Fallen Devil ot'' the ruined cathedral had only controlled a modest amount of true darkness. Here in the tunnel, however... there was a whole ocean of it.


    Sunny grimaced.


    ''Well... here goes the hope that there are no abominations inside.''


    He remained near the sentries for a minute or two, then turned around and tiredly walked back to the Rhino.


    "We''ll rest here. for a few hours."


    The convoy was not in any condition to continue tnoviug, anyway. The vehicles needed to be repaired, and the wounded had to receive treatment. People desperately needed rest.


    Pills. what good would it do to leave the tunnel before the Dcvouring Cloud moved on? They had to wait until the swarm passed through.


    Sunny was exhausted. as well.


    Entering the Rhino. he fell on one of the seats in the lounge area and closed his eyes.


    ''Why do i feel like we jumped out of the frying pan straight into the fire?''


    Nothing good ever came from going underground... every time Sunny had, something nasty had been waiting for him there. His distrust of underground passages and tunnels was only rivaled by his dislike of the sea.


    At least the tunnel seemed dry.


    Scowling, Sunny tried to empty his mind and concentrate on circulating what little essence he had left through his body.


    No matter what came next, he had to be ready.


    ***


    Samara was recovering from utterly depleting her essence, and Quentin was busy healing the injured soldiers. Kim and Luster were performing field repairs on the civilian transports. The Sleeper was creating a new batch of poisoned bullets to replace those expended during the flight from the Devouring Cloud... Sergeant Gere''s ammunition reserves were at a point where each round had to count.


    Only Belle and Dorn had nothing to do. which was why Sunny chose them to accompany him on a scouting mission. He wanted to find out how far the exit from the tunnel was, or if not, then at least explore a long Stretch of it before leading the convoy forward.


    Nobody knew how long the tunnel was. There were a lot of them cut through the mountains in the Antarctic center, where the terrain was too uneven to build straight roads. Whenever a road met a mountain outcropping that was too wide to go around, though. people had often chosen to simply burrow through it to create a convenient Shortcut.


    As a result. the length of tunnels varied greatly. from several dozen meters to ten kilometers or more. Most of them had been created during the Dark Times. Later, when the constant wens, environmental cataclysms, and the descent of the Nightmare Spell had reduced human population and concentrated it inside a small amount of vast and easily defended cities, most of the mountain roads went out of use and were abandoned.


    So. there was no information on the tunnel. It could have been only a few hundreds meters long. or stretched forward for a dozen kilometers. Considering the local terrain, Sunny suspected that the latter would turn out closer to the truth.


    Summoning the Cruel Sight, he glanced at Belle and Dorn.


    "Are you ready?"


    They nodded.


    "Yes. sir."


    They were standing in front of the Rhino. A few people were looking at the three Irregulars, but only Professor Obel approached to see them off.


    "Be careful. young people. Places such as this can be quite dangerous. Don''t use any Memories or Abilities that have to do with fire, too... now that we are underground. it would be all too easy to burn all the oxygen away."


    Sunny looked at the old man with a bit of tension hidden behind his outwardly confident expression.


    "Anything else we should know?"


    Professor Obel thought for a moment. then shnlgged.


    "Many of these tunnels went through several rounds of additional excavation to serve as bomb shelters during the latter stages of the war between the... ah, but those names probably won''t tell you much. Suffice it to say. you might find that the structure of the tunnel is not as straightforward as one might expect."


    Sunny sighed.


    "Alright. We are going, then. lfwe aren''t back after two hours... well, I am not going to lie, if something manages to kill me, then all of you will probably die soon, too. So, there''s nothing much you''ll be able to do at that point."


    He tried to force out an encouraging smile. failed. and simply turned around.


    Carrying luminous Memories, Sunny and his people walked past the nervous sentries. and dove into the darkness without looking back.

 Chapter 932 Blinded

    Sunny had grown accustomed to using his shadows to scout ahead in dangerous situations. explore the world around him, and discover hidden threats. However. this time. he could not - simply because the shadows were as blind as him in the embrace of true darkness.


    Walking deeper into the tunnel, he instantly felt tense and incredibly vulnerable. Things were even worse than Sunny had thought. Not only was his sight suddenly limited to a mere single point of View. not only could he not see anything outside the narrow circle of light created by the luminous Memories like a more human...


    Even his ability to sense the shapes and movements of shadows was crippled. Because. of course, no shadow existed within darkness.


    That unique part of his perception had become so ingrained into him that now that it was gone, Sunny felt blinded. It was as though he suddenly lost his eyes and ears. The whole world seemed strange, unclear, and muddled.


    The sudden change was so severe that he almost lost balance.


    ''D-damn...''


    Belle and Dorn. who lived their whole lives like that, did not seem to be disturbed. Sure. they had somewhat come to rely on the ability to see in darkness that Kim often shared to them. but not to a degree where it became their second nature.


    Sunny, on the other hand...


    He was disoriented. and felt utterly exposed.


    ''How horrible...''


    Grimacing. he gripped the shaft of the Cruel Sight tighter and continued walking. The blade of the somber spear did not shine yet. instead absorbing some of the light produced by the lanterns of the Irregulars, in case he needed it in the future.


    The tunnel was wide enough for two vehicles to pass each other without brushing sides. and utterly empty. Nothing but impenetrable darkness filled its silent expanse. and so. their steps echoed. reflecting from the cold stone walls.


    Sunny glanced at Belle and Dorn will] a bit of displeasure. He was walking as noiselessly as usual, trained to remain unnoticed by the long months of hunting down powerful abominations in the Dark City. However, the two fighters of the melee vanguard were not versed in stealth, and their equipment was not suited for it, either.


    ''Way to announce our position to everyone... and every thing. I have a bad feeling about this...''


    Although many Nightmare Creatures possessed some way to perceive the world in the absence of light, he was still used to being the one to stalk his prey unseen. Now. however. the roles were reversed... Sunny was at the mercy of whatever creature it was that hid in the darkness.


    And there had to be something there, without a doubt.


    True darkness. after all. had not come from nothing.


    ''What kind of ghastly horror will I have to fight this time?''


    They carefully moved forward. sticking close to the wall of the tunnel. A few minutes passed. then a dozen. What Sunny feared the most: did not happen - nothing attacked them, and there were no collapsed sections of the tunnel''s roof that could block the convoy''s way out.


    However. there was also no Sign of exit.


    The tunnel simply stretched forward, seemingly endlessly, and completely empty. After a while, Sunny managed to shrug off his discomfort and adjust to having his perception severely crippled. as well as he could.


    It was still deeply disturbing. though.


    Half an hour passed without them encountering any threats.


    "How far do you think we have walked?"


    Belle. alld Dorn thought for a moment. The giant man shrugged.


    "Three kilometers? Maybe less."


    A deep frown appeared on Sonny''s face.


    Three kilometers was not a small amount. Of course, there were far longer tunnels out there... the floor also seemed flat and did not slope neither up llor down.


    Still, it was strange that they had not been attacked yet.


    "...Keep your eyes open."


    The small scouting squad continued forward. After a while, the encountered a small opening in the wall of the tunnel, leading into the depths of the mountain. The narrow branch, too, was drowned ill true darkness.


    Standing near it, Sunny thought that he heard a distant hum. However, a moment later, it was gone, chased away by Dorn''s voice.


    "This must be one of the additional tunnel shafts that Professor Obel spoke about. There''s probably a whole network of them inside the mountain, excavated to house the population in case of a nuclear strike."


    Belle scratched the back of his head.


    "Who uses nuclear bombs to kill people? Aren''t bioweapons far more effective?"


    Sunny looked at. him darkly.


    "''l''ll tell that to Europe."


    At that moment, Dom cleared his throat.


    "Actually, Captain. they used both nuclear and bioweapons in Europe."


    ''Oh.''


    Well, it was not like Sunny had received a good education. He had barely known that places other than NQSC existed before the fateful conversation with Master let.


    In any case, he had to decide whether they should explore the side branch of the tunnel or continue forward along the main one. In the end, he chose to stick to their current path.


    He did not really care what was out there, ill the old network of abandoned passages. As long as the convoy could drive past and reach the exit. Sunny did not have to know.


    They walked, and walked, and walked.


    ...And nothing happened.


    At some point, the lack of terrible Nightmare Creatures lunging at them from the darkness started to disturb Sunny more than the possibility of a sudden attack.


    ''This is too eerie...''


    Eventually, one hour mark passed without them finding anything - not the source of the true darkness, not the Nightmare Creatures that might have made a nest in the tunnel, and not the exit. There was not even a hint of it.


    "Stop."


    Sunny frowned as he looked forward.


    There was nothing but darkness ahead.


    In the end, he sighed and turned around. The scouting mission was both a resounding success and a resounding failure. They did not find any active threats to the convoy, but they also failed to conclusively prove that there were none.


    In any case, the time he had allotted for the scouting mission was up.


    "Let''s head back."


    Now, his best choice was to lead the convoy forward and hope for the best.


    Despite the lack of Nightmare, Creatures - or of anything, really - inside the tunnel, Sunny felt very uneasy.


    Occasionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 933 Darkness At The End Of The Tunnel

    Bravig the silent darkness, they retraced their steps and arrived back to the collapsed entrance ot the" tunnel after a long and tense hour. Nothing dangerous happened on their way back, and the convoy seemed to have fared well in their absence, too.


    The uneventfulness of it all was deeply disturbing.


    Hiding his concern, Sunny glanced at the dark walls surrounding them. The battered vehicles stood motionlessly, their wheels resting on the cold asphalt floor. Here and there, people could be seen resting or hurrying to complete various tasks.


    ''...I don''t like this.''


    Frowning, he headed toward the hatch of the Rhino. The people he needed to hear from were already gathered there, ready to report the state of things.


    As Sunny passed the sentries, one of them suddenly called out to him.


    "Captain Sunless, sir..."


    He slowed down and gave the soldier a dark look.


    "Yes?"


    The man hesitated for a few moments. His face was still, but his tired eyes were full of some unknown, intense emotion.


    "Outside, l was part of the rear vehicle''s crew. What you did for us back then, near the end... you really saved us. Thank you, sir."


    Sunny stared at him blankly for a bit, then turned away with a scoff.


    "I am in charge of this convoy. These are my vehicles, and you are my people. No one takes what''s mine... especially without paying a price. Do you even know how much a vehicle like that costs?"


    With that, he shook his head and walked away.


    ''What a weird guy...''''


    The Irregulars, as well as Sergeant Gere, Professor Obel, and Beth were waiting in the command suite of the Rhino. Sunny received several reports, which slightly improved his tnood.


    The convoy had lost one civilian transport and one military vehicle as the result of encountering the Devouring Cloud. Luckily, it did not affect their logistics too adversely. After sacrificing the mobile infirmary to accommodate the displaced refugees, all they had really lost was a bit of firepower.


    The remaining vehicles had all been patched up and ready to move.


    Sergeant Gere sighed.


    "We don''t have a lot of ammunition left, sir. Additionally, our reserves of drinking water are also severely reduced. We discarded a lot of it to lighten the load on the transports before the swarm arrived. It should not become a problem in the next several days, but after that..."


    Sunny waved a hand dismissively.


    "Don''t worry about water. I have a literally endless source of water."


    He remained silent for a while, considering the options. They could either pass through the tunnel, or remain where they were and try to dig their way out when some time had passed.


    Both options were less than ideal.


    ''It all comes down to how long I want to remain in the tunnel, it seems.''


    The first option would allow the convoy to escape from underground sooner... if all went well during the drive to the opposite exit. The second option would force them to stay inside for much longer, but did not demand diving deeper into the chilling darkness. Neither was free of risk.


    ''Curses...''


    In the end, Sunny just really disliked the idea of staying in the eerie tunnel even a minute longer than it was necessary.


    He sighed.


    "Start the engines. We''re leaving."


    A few minutes later, the Rhino came to life and rolled forward. slowly gaining speed. The beams of powerful spotlights installed on its roof cut through the darkness, forcing it to flee and cling to the walls of the tunnel. The civilian transports and the military vehicles followed, staying close to the massive APC.


    The darkness flowed back and devoured everything once again behind them, making it seem as though the convoy was traveling inside a small, fleeting. fragile island of light.


    Sunny climbed to the roof of the Rhino and stayed there with Saint, staring into the darkness with a grim expression on his face. He was still blind to everything that was happening outside the small bubble of light, which made him incredibly nervous.


    ''Where is it... where is the source of all this darkness? When will it attack?''


    Minutes passed, but just like during the scouting mission, nothing happened.


    The convoy rolled forward with modest, but constant speed. Meter after meter of old asphalt disappeared under the wheels of the Rhino, and the stone walls seemed to move past them, vanishing into the darkness. The tunnel was silent, with only the passing of the human vehicles making any noise.


    From time to time, side passages opened up to either left or right of the convoy, making Sunny especially nervous. All these paths sloped down, leading deeper underground. He was prepared for something to lunge at them from the darkness... but nothing did.


    ''lgnore them... we don''t need to set: foot in those passages. We just need to reach the exit and escape this dreadful place.''


    Just like that, an hour passed, and then another, and another. The tunnel continued to stretch forward, seemingly endless. The more time passed, the deeper Sunny''s scowi became.


    ....After a while, he finally left the roof of the Rhino anti dove back into its interior with a dark


    expression. Walking up to Luster, be ground his teeth and said:


    "That''s enough. Stop the convoy."


    Luster glanced at him questioningly, then shrugged.


    The APC slowed down, and then stopped. The other vehicles followed suit, and soon, the whole convoy came to a halt.


    Sunny left the Rhino and stood still for a few moments, staring at the weathered asphalt. Sergeant: Gere. and the members of his cohort soon approached from the direction of other vehicles, while Luster, Professor Obel, and Beth exited the Rhino through the hatch. Saint walked over to the edge of the roof, looking at them from above indiffereutly.


    Most of the gathered people had grave expressions on their faces.


    Noticing the grim mood, Luster blinked a couple of times, then turned to Sunny.


    "Uh... Captain why did we stop? is there a problem?"


    Sunny looked at him silently.


    "...Yes. there is a problem, you fool. Can''t you tell?"


    Luster scratched the back of his head.


    "What, is there a Nightmare Creature ahead?"


    Sunny sighed, then looked up.


    "No... there''s nothing ahead. That''s the problem. We''ve been driving for about seven hours, correct? What was our average speed?"


    The young man hesitated for a moment.


    "Thirty kilometers per hour, sir."


    They had not rushed and kept a modest speed, to be able to react in case danger appeared front ahead.


    Sunny nodded.


    "That is more than two hundred kilometers of going straight forward. And yet, there is no exit. Do you see the problem now?"


    Luster''s eyes suddenly widened.


    "Oh... well, if you put it like that... it really is weird..."


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    "It''s not just weird. If there was a tunnel of that length in Antarctica, it would have been the longest one in the world, by far. Everyone would have known about it."


    Luster paled a little, then studied everyone''s faces.


    "How come no one did, then? Sir?"


    Sunny looked down and shook his head.


    "There is only one possible answer. This tunnel... something is very, very wrong with it."

 Chapter 934 No Way Out

    There could not have been a tunnel that stretched under the Antarctic Center for hundreds of kilometers. Not only would a structure like that be a miraculous feat of engineering, but far too many people - especially the army strategist and someone as knowledgeable as Professor Obel - would be aware of its existence.


    However, no one had been.


    Sunny remained silent for a while, then looked at the old man. Professor Obel simply shook his head.


    "I am afraid I can''t explain. Which... is not too surprising. After the Nightmare Spell descended, there are many things in the world that science - or rather, our limited scientific understanding - fails to explain."


    Sunny sighed.


    ''Great.''


    What was he supposed to do now?


    It was clear that the laws of nature were either broken or worked differently inside the tunnel. Space was not behaving as it was supposed to behave... or maybe they had simply traveled to some. strange pocket dimension that was filled with nothing but true darkness.


    Maybe they were all under the influence of another mind hex. Maybe they had all been devoured by the swarm of Brood beasts, and were now condemned to an eternal purgatory.


    Who could tell?


    Sunny cursed silently, then wrapped all four shadows around the Undying Chain to ramp up its mental protection. Nothing changed. The oppressive darkness did not disappear... if anything, it seemed even more foreboding now.


    He closed his eyes for a moment.


    "Alright. Let''s not panic yet."


    Sunny looked around, then walked to the wall of the tunnel and struck it with his fist. A startling bang rolled through the tunnel, echoing in the darkness. In the place where his steel gauntlet had landed, a small impression appeared, with a net of cracks spreading from it through the cold stone.


    "Get back into your vehicles."


    Everyone followed his instructions without asking questions. The convoy continued to move forward. However, this time, Sunny made it stop after ten minutes and left the Rhino alone.


    Wrapping the shadows around his body, be activated the [Light Eater] enchantment of the Cruel Sight to illuminate the path and ran back into the darkness. Moving much faster than the vehicles had, he soon reached the point of the previous stop and studied the cracked section of the wall, then made his way back.


    The convoy moved for another ten tninutes. After that, Sunny commanded them to put the vehicles in reverse - the tunnel was not wide enough for the Rhino and the civilian transports to turn around - and drive back.


    After a while, he gave the order to stop.


    ''...This is bad.''


    His seemingly erratic actions, of course, had not been without a reason.


    Sunny already knew that it was possible to go back to a previously visited spot inside the tunnel - Belle, Dorn, and himself had walked for around six kilometers during the initial scouting, and then safely returned to the convoy.


    The first stop he had ordered was to make sure that the same principle still applied. Indeed, he had been able to return to the marked portion of the wall from five kilometers away.


    The second stop was to test if something would change with more distance... and it bad.


    They should have long seen the imprint of his fist and the net of cracks around it, but there was none. At some point in time. somewhere between five and ten kilometers of separation, the mark had disappeared without a trace.


    Which was very, very bad news for Sunny. It meant that they could not return to the collapsed exit from the tunnel. The way back, and the second option he had of escaping to the surface, did not exist anymore.


    Staring into the darkness, Sunny felt a cold shiver run down his spine.


    if he had led the scouting party a few kilometers further... would they have been separated from the convoy forever? Would they be doomed to wander the darkness alone, for the rest of their lives?


    He had come close to disaster without even knowing it.


    ''I was lucky.''


    One of his worst fears had become reality. Sunny was more than capable of fighting against enemies that he could strike down, even if their strength seemed overwhelming. However, he was as powerless as the rest against circumstances like the one they found themselves in right now - against threats that were both unseen and unexplainable. dooming those who encountered them silently and without warning.


    Simply by existing.


    Against threats like that, he needed someone like Cassie. Sadly, she was far away, probably preparing for the war between Valor and Song with the rest of the Fire Keepers.


    ''...Damnation!''


    He looked at the stone walls of the tunnel, then at the battered vehicles of the convoy. There were almost four hundred people in them that he had promised to rescue... was he going to become a liar? Sunny tilted his head a little, then blinked.


    ''Wait, what nonsense am I thinking about? I have always been a liar! There''s nothing for me to become...''


    lie took a deep breath.


    ''No... no, it is alright. I''ll find a way out.''


    After all, he did not need to understand the nature of the trap. He just had to break it.


    Somehow...


    Sunny rubbed his face, glanced at the darkness one last time, and gestured for Luster to continue driving the Rhino forward. Before anything else, they had to make sure that there was really no limit to the strange endlessness of the dark tunnel.


    The convoy traveled through the darkness, traversing kilometer after kilometer. More hours passed with nothing changing. Then, some more.


    Eventually, an entire day was gone. Slowly, a sense of dread was spreading through the exhausted refugees and the mundane soldiers. Even the Irregulars seemed tense.


    Sunny commanded everyone to stop and make camp. People needed rest, and nothing would improve if they persisted forward despite everything.


    As the soldiers started cooking food and arranging sleeping places for the civilians, he walked some distance away from them and called Sergeant Gere over.


    Gere jogged to where Sunny stood, half-swallowed by darlutess, and asked in a hoarse voice:


    "Yes, Captain? Did you need something?"


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, looking back at the convoy. Then, he looked at the sergeant and


    said:


    "Yeah. I have two questions for you... how much food do we have left? And how long will the fuel cells


    of the transports last?"

 Chapter 935 Unmoored

    While the people of the convoy were settling in to rest, Sunny observed them with a dark expression on his pale face. Finally, he winced and headed back into the Rhino.


    There, the Irregulars were waiting, unsure what to do. It was not like he had answers, either, but Sunny had to decide what their next steps would be.


    He hesitated for a few moments.


    "Luster, Samara, and Dorn. Go to sleep and report our situation. Perhaps Army Command has some. idea about what we are dealing with here."


    Despite the ominous nature of the dark tunnel, things weren''t as bleak as they seemed. The convoy was cut off from the First Evacuation Army in terms of actual support, but information still flowed between the cohort and their superiors.


    Somewhere in the government databases, there had to be a hint on how to escape the endless darkness. Even if no one had ever encountermi its source before, people would have clashed against something similar in the past.


    ...If not, Sunny would venture into the Dream Realm himself and seek out Cassie. With her powerful divination abilities, she was his best bet. More than that, he could transport food and other resources from the Ivory Tower with the help of the Covetous Coffer, so his people were not going to starve.


    For now, time was not their enemy. They just had to find a way to solve the puzzle, and escape.


    He sighed.


    ''Unless something changes for the worse...''


    to any case, there was no point in panicking yet. Sunny watched as three of his soldiers climbed into the sleeping pods, then sent the rest to keep watch over the refugees.


    The oppressive veil of darkness that muted his senses was still there, grinding on Sunny''s nerves. He was tired, too.


    ''At least there is no Call here.''


    In fact, this was the first time in a long while when Sunny did not hear the Call at all. Everywhere else in the Antarctic Center, it kept whispering quietly into the ears of Awakened, but here in the dark tunnel, the whispers were gone. lie was not sure if that was a good sign or a bad omen.


    ''We''ll see soon.''


    Ordering his shadows to observe the temporary camp, Sunny climbed into a sleeping niche himself. Things were going to get better after he slept... if nothing else, his reserves of essence would be somewhat replenished. That alone was enough to make him feel more confident.


    ***


    That night, Sunny had a nightmare. He dreamt of the ditch that he had crawled into after being gutted by the Forsaken Knight, and of cold, overflowing darkness. That was an unpleasant surprise, since he had grown accustomed to sleeping peacefully - ever since the Kingdom of Hope, his dreams were usually guarded by Nightmare. If a bad dream appeared, it was promptly destroyed or subjugated by the shadow steed.


    But now that Nightmare was himself slumbering after receiving wounds, Sunny was left without his protection.


    ''...Too bad.''


    Feeling less rested than he would have preferred to, Sunny went to the command suite of the Rhine and studied the monitors to get a glimpse of the convoy''s camp. Everything seemed to be in order... the shadows would have woken him up if anything happened, but it was nice to make sure.


    He lingered for a while, then walked over to the kitchen area to brew himself some coffee. Some time later, carrying a steaming cup, Sunny returned to the living area and leaned on a bulkhead. With nothing else to do, he simply stared at the closed panels that hid the sleeping niches.


    The Awakened he had sent to the Dream Realm were going to return soon.


    Finally, when his coffee was almost gone, one of the panels slid away, revealing the insides of the pod. There, Luster slowly opened his eyes and looked directly at Sunny.


    Then, the young man flinched back with a startled expression on his face.


    "C-captain? What are you doing here?!"


    Sunny silently brought the cup to his lips and look a sip.


    "I am drinking coffee, fool. What does it look like l''m doing?"


    Luster opened his mouth, then closed it He seemed to be very confused.


    "No, I mean, what are you doing in my Citadel? How did you get here? That doesn''t... wait..."


    He finally looked around, realizing that he was inside the Rhino. However, Luster''s confusion only grew.


    "That... is not my Citadel..."


    Sunny frowned, studying the young man''s expression.


    "Why would you think that you are inside a Citadel?"


    Luster blinked a couple of times.


    "...Well, that is how things work, right? You go to sleep in the real world, and are sent to the Dream


    Realm."


    ''Don''t tell me...''


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment.


    "So what you are trying to say is that you did not return from the Dream Realm? You fell asleep in the waking world, and woke up in the real world?"


    Luster let out a nervous laugh.


    "Ha! That''s impossible. Awakened don''t stay in the real world when we sleep. But also... yes? The last thing I remember is settling inside the pod... sir."


    The corner of Sunny''s mouth twitched.


    it seemed that the impossible had iust happened. An Awakened fell asleep without being transported to the Dream Realm.


    Luster''s son had remained in the dark tunnel.


    ...So did the souls of Kim and Samara, When they woke up shortly after. the result was the same - they had been confused and startled. None of the three had managed to reach a Citadel.


    ''That is not good, not good at all...''


    Without saying much, Sunny reached within himself and tried to sense the familiar pull - the pull of his anchor in the Dream Realm. Usually, as long as he concentrated on the anchor, he would initiate the process of traveling across worlds.


    However, this time, there was nothing. No matter how hard he searched, his soul scented devoid of the Dream Realm''s pull.


    His connection to the Ivory Tower was gone, just like the Call.


    Suddenly cold, Sunny glanced at the sea of darkness surrounding the fragile island of light where hundreds of refugees were trapped, shivering as they slept.


    ''...What the hell is this place?''

 Chapter 936 Anything That Can Go Wrong

    ''I should have known that something like that would happen...''


    During one of his conversations with Professor Obel, Sunny had learned of a thing called Murphy''s Law. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong... he did not know who Murphy was and why that person had been in a position to establish world-governing laws, but their veracity was hard to dispute


    ...Perhaps that Murphy had been a bit of a tenacious cockroach himself, to come up with such an undeniable rule.


    In any case, that was exactly what had happened. Everything had gone wrong. Sunny had hoped to receive information and resources through the Dream Realm, but now, that hope was destroyed. The strange nature of the endless tunnel prevented Awakened from traveling across worlds.


    He had not even known that something like that was possible.


    ''Damnation.''


    Instructing the members of the cohort to keep the news to themselves, Sunny hesitated for a bit, and then gave the convoy an order to break camp. They had to continue moving forward.


    At that point, he did not expect to reach the exit... however, Sunny still needed information. The tunnel was not looping on itself, as yesterday''s experiments had proved, so there had to be some other type of magic involved. IIe suspected that it was spatial in nature, but had to observe more to come to a reliable conclusion.


    The Rhino rolled forward, and the civilian transports followed. Once again, they waded through the silent darkness, cutting it with beams of light. Stone walls flew by, and since their surface always looked the same, it was easy to imagine that the convoy was not moving at all, and was instead stuck in place, cursed to repeat the same moment in time over and over again.


    The only thing that broke the monotony were the foreboding entrances to the side passages that occasionally appeared from either left or right.


    ...Sunny knew that the most logical solution would be to try and explore them instead of stubbornly trying to reach the exit of the main tunnel. However, he felt reluctant to do so, at least for now. it was as though everything was forcing him to make that decision... which was exactly what sent his paranoia into overdrive.


    ''It''s almost like something is trying to lure. us deeper underground... curse it...''


    The side passages were too narrow for the Rhino to pass, anyway. And he was not going to abandon the APC unless absolutely necessary.


    Sunny did pay the side passages a lot of attention, though. As he studied the entrances and the darkness that shrouded them, a small hint of suspicion appeared in his mind.


    Apart from that, he was not remaining idle... even if it might have looked like that to the rest of the people riding inside the Rhino.


    Throughout the next day, Sunny remained in his chair in the command suite. He did glance at the screens from time to time, but rarely. Mostly, he just moved his fingers in a strange way, making it seem as though they were performing a complicated dance.


    At some point, Beth couldn''t stay quiet anymore and asked in an irritated tone:


    "What on Earth are you doing? Are you trying to cast a magic spell, or something?"


    There was deep unease and fear hidden behind that annoyance, though.


    Sunny smiled.


    "...Actually, that is exactly what I am trying to do. i am an amateur sorcerer, you see."


    The young woman scoffed.


    "Fine, don''t tell me. I guess you finally lost your mind!"


    But Sunny had told her the truth. Although she could not see them, he was actually weaving strings of essence between his fingers.


    At that point, Sunny was proficient enough to not cut off any of his fingers in the process, like he had in the Red Colosseum. There was not even a single cut on them. However, creating strings of shadow essence. - not to mention arranging them into an actual weave - required a lot of time, concentration, and, most of all, of essence itself.


    That was why he had not been able to practice weaving a lot, if at all, after disembarking in Antarctica. The Chain of Nightmare was too dire and hectic, and demanded too much of him to waste those precious resources on unnecessary things.


    ...But now, things were different.


    By the end of the second day inside the tunnel, Sunny was able to create enough strings to turn an object into a Memory. He needed a bit more for what he wanted to achieve, though, so he continued with the task through the night.


    On the third day of traveling though darkness, when people turned quiet and fear spread through the convoy like a plague, he produced Weaver''s Needle from the Covetous Coffer, as well as one of the Transcendent soul shards he had stored there before.


    Any shard would have worked, but Sunny only had these at hand.


    The needle glowed with soft golden radiance. Using it to create the basic weaves, he began the process of turning it into a Memory. Doing so was relatively easy for him, since he had done so many times in the past.


    This time, however, there was an especially thorny part of the process. Sunny had learned how to name Memories through their weave at some point, but each rune took time and additional strings to create. Learning how to weave runes had not been easy, either, and had required both a good understanding of weaves and a deep knowledge of the runic language the Spell used.


    He could skip that step, of course, in which case the Memory would be simply called [?] by the Spell. But Sunny was going for something else this time.


    In the end, he tiredly put the needle down and let out a shaky breath. Both Professor Obel and Beth were staring at him with curiosity.


    The old man had not wanted to break Sunny''s concentration before, but now he finally asked:


    "Young man... I am sorry, but could you perhaps explain what you were doing these past two days? I must admit, it looked quite bizarre in the start, but now, we are both very intrigued."


    Sunny smiled.


    "Ah... I was preparing to send a message."


    With that, he dismissed the needle, which disappeared into a rain of golden sparks, making both Professor Obel and Beth blink.


    Then, Sunny summoned the runes and looked at the list of his Memories.


    Visible only to him, the runes shimmered in the air.


    [Sin of Solace], [Bitter Cusp], [Stilled Scream]...


    ...And then, the last one:


    Memory: [I Am Stuck in an Endless Tunnel Full of True Darkness. How the Hell Do I Get Out? Ask Cassie].


    Memory Rank: Transcendent.


    Memory Tier: I...


    The corner of his eye twitched.


    ''What an ugly sight. I''ll definitely rename it later...''

 Chapter 937 Exchanging Messages

    The Memory Sunny had created was, of course, a message to Nephis. The [Shadow Bond] that connected them was an innate Ability of his Aspect, and as such, existed outside of the Spell. It did not matter that the convoy was isolated from the Dream Realm... their tenuous link remained active. Sunny knew it because he himself was still able to see Neph''s runes, so she should have been able to see his, as well.


    ''Well, that''s done...''


    The only question was how soon would Nephis see the message, and how long would it take for her to come up with a response. Sunny suspected that he was going to have to wait for a while.


    Morgan''s Warbow proved that forgemasters of clan Valor were capable of naming the Memories they created. However, he did not know how high Changing Star''s standing in the great clan was at the moment, and if it was possible for her to charge them with forging a specific Memory for her, let alone do it quickly.


    In any case, he was sure that she would come up with something. Nephis was a frighteningly resourceful person, when she needed to be.


    ...Kind of like Sunny himself.


    ''It won''t be fast, though.''


    With a sigh, he glanced at Professor Obel and Beth.


    "The message is sent. Now, we just need to wait for a response."


    The convoy continued its meaningless march. Hour after hour, the small column of vehicles drove through the overflowing darkness, their sense of time and direction slowly disappearing. The dark tunnel was just too eerie, inexorable, and unchanging. Everything there seemed like a strange, foreboding dream.


    From time to time, one of the vehicles would break down, forcing them to stop for quick repairs. The Rhino was operating on an advanced spelltech engine, which meant that its fuel was soul essence. Luster was more than capable of keeping the APC moving indefinitely. The military vehicles had primitive spelltech batteries serving as a backup energy source for their hybrid systems, so he was able to help the soldiers, too.


    The civilian transports, however, were entirely mundane in nature. Their fuel cells were immaculately designed and possessed a vast charge capacity, but were going to gel exhausted sooner or later. Although it did not seem like it, Sunny knew that the convoy was on a clock.


    They drove for the rest of the day, and then made camp.


    The next day went by in the same manner. Sunny spent it on the roof of the Rhino, staring at the entrances to the side passages that would sometimes appear in the stone walls of the tunnel.


    By that time, they had traveled more than a thousand kilometers inside the tunnel. If this place was abiding by the laws of nature, the convoy would have been passing under Erebus Field, their final destination, right about now. With no mountains to climb and no Nightmare Creatures to fight, only the straight road and no obstacles ahead, the distance that Sunny had hoped to cover in weeks was traversed in a few days.


    He doubted that it would translate to the same amount of covered ground in the real world, though.


    ...Two days after he had sent his message, Nephis finally responded.


    Sunny had actually not expected to receive an answer so soon, but there it was. He habitually summoned the runes to check on Neph, and then blinked a couple of times, noticing that the list of her Memories seemed much longer than it had been before.


    Ever since Changing Star joined hands with Valor, her soul arsenal improved by a lot. There were certainly benefits to being an adopted daughter of a great clan, so she would occasionally receive a Memory or two. It seemed that she was being provided with a constant stream of soul shards, as well, even if their influx had slowed at some point, most likely to hide the fact that Nephis possessed multiple cores.


    ''I am not envious at all... yeah... I am not regretting my decisions... even a little bit!''


    Sunny maimed at the dismal walls of the dark tunnel, then at the battered convoy, the desperate people who clung to what little warmth they could find inside the ramshackle vehicles, and sighed.


    Then, he looked back at the runes, which showed that Nephis had gained fifteen new Memories in the Span of a couple of days.


    Even if she was being nurtured by a great clan, that was too many.


    Frowning, he read the names of the new Memories:


    ''Faint Glimmer, Ire Hearth, Nebulous Veil, Dire Warning, Haunting Eversong, Eager Cut, Altar of Denial, Rust Reaver, Testament of Malice...''


    And six more.


    None of them seemed to have been created by the forgemasters of Valor.


    Sunny scoffed.


    ''...Clever.''


    Smiling faintly in the darkness, he read the first letter of each Memory in order.


    What he ended up with was a concise message:


    FINDHEARTCUTRUN


    ''Find heart... cut... run.''


    The meaning was quite clear. He had to seek out the heart of the true darkness that drowned the tunnel, destroy it, and then run as fast as he could. The first two parts did not promise anything good, but the last one was downright ominous.


    Sunny did not know what Cassie had seen or learned, but she would not have included the word "run" if the consequences of destroying the mysterious Heart of Darkness were anything short of terrifying. However, how was he supposed to find it? And if that thing was so frightening, how was he going to destroy it?


    ''Really now, would it have killed them to be more specific?''


    He shook his head with a bittern expression.


    Well, it must have not been easy to scrounge up fifteen new Memories, let alone ones with names that could be arranged into a simple cipher. So, Sunny thought that he should be thankful.


    ''Yeah... thank you kindly.''


    Regardless of how he felt, the course of action was rather clear.


    As Sunny stared at the walls of the tunnel that flew by, a dark entrance to a side passage appeared in view. What little of it could be seen showed a narrow road that sloped down at a steep angle.


    He quietly grimaced.


    ''I guess I won''t be able to avoid crawling deeper underground, in the end... how unexpected.''

 Chapter 938 Food Delivery

    The convoy had stopped once again. This time, however, there was one significant difference to the place Sunny had chosen to set camp - it was situated near one of the side passages, which they had avoided at all costs in the past.


    Currently, the Irregulars were gathered around the dark entrance, staring at it with gloomy expressions on their faces.


    Sunny did not look too enthused, either.


    After a while, he sighed and glanced at his subordinates.


    "Have any of you noticed it?"


    They looked at each other, not sure what to say. After a while, Dorn spoke in a somber voice:


    "What exactly were we supposed to notice, Captain?"


    Sunny silently shook his head.


    In the past few days, he had been observing the side passages attentively as the convoy passed them, trying to see if there was a pattern to when and where they appeared. The tunnel looked to be endless, after all, so it seemed that there was an endless amount of these branching paths, too... which was a bit weird.


    in the process of observing the side passages, a sinking sense of suspicion took hold of his heart, and by now, that suspicion was all but confirmed.


    He frowned.


    "Well, i don''t blame you. It''s pretty hard to notice."


    Then, Sunny pointed at a particular spot on the stone wall of the tunnel, right where it made way for the open chasm of the entrance to the side passage.


    "There''s a small protrusion there, and on the opposite side, the stone is chipped near the floor. There''s also that crack over there."


    They stared at the spots he showed, not quite sure of the meaning of these small, barely noticeable features.


    "What about them?"


    Sunny lingered for a moment.


    "Nothing, really, in and of itself. But if you watched closely, you would have seen that these exact imperfections are present at each of the entrances we passed in the last couple of days. The first one we saw during the initial scouting had them, too. With how rough the walls of the tunnel are, it is only expected that there would be nothing smooth about the side passages, but still. Exact cracks. at exactly the same spots, at hundreds of entrances... don''t you think it''s strange?"


    Luster stared at the chipped portion of the wall, then scratched the back of his head.


    "I don''t get it. Did someone leave these marks on purpose?"


    Sunny shook his head.


    "No. What I am trying to say is that there are no hundreds of entrances. There''s just one entrance, and one side passage, repeating over and over across the tunnel. All these entrances we saw were the same, and lead to the same place."


    The irregulars paled. After a long stretch of grim silence, Belle finally spoke:


    "So, we are being invited somewhere."


    Noticing his carefree smile, Kim shivered.


    "...More like being lured somewhere, don''t you think?"


    The swordsman just shrugged.


    "Well, an invitation has to be alluring, right? Otherwise, no one will come."


    Kim stared at him with a deadpan expression for a few moments, then turned to Sunny.


    "So what are we going to do, Captain?"


    Sunny echoed Belle''s smile, making her eyes widened slightly.


    "What else? We are going to answer the invitation, of course. Sure, it all seems like a dreadful trap... after all, the damned tunnel more or less left us no choice but to try and explore the side passage. It''s an ingenious food delivery system, if you think about it... the food delivers itself. We are the food in this metaphor, of course, and we are going to deliver ourselves to whatever it is that''s waiting underground."


    Belle''s eyes glinted.


    "And then we eat it instead of it eating us?"


    Sunny cleared his throat-


    "Right. That''s the plan... we are going to try to only he eaten a little, at the very least."


    Something told hint that his plan did not sound too encouraging to the lrregulars.


    He coughed.


    "Also, I have it on good authority that we will have to get the hell out of the tunnel as soon as the thing trapping us inside is found and destroyed. So, we will split into two teams. One team will go down, the other will remain with the convoy and make sure that all vehicles get to the surface."


    The Irregulars looked at each other, trying to guess who will be assigned to which team. Luster was their best pilot, so he would have to remain with the Rhino... Samara''s Aspect was less useful in narrow spaces, so there was no point in taking her deeper underground, either. The rest of them... that was the question.


    Quentin looked into the darkness, and then asked calmly:


    "So who is going to accept the invitation, Captain?"


    Sunny glanced at him with a dour face.


    "Ah, that''s easy. I am going to take a look underground, while all of you will stay with the convoy."


    The members of his cohort immediately protested.


    "It''s too dangerous to go alone!"


    "Captain! Someone has to watch your back!"


    "Please reconsider!"


    Sunny listened to them for a while, then waved a hand.


    "Shut up, you idiots! Do I look like a hero to you? If I could take you with me, I would. Hell, l''d take a whole army. However, none of you can traverse the distance fast enough to return to the convoy in time. I can, though."


    He sighed, remembering one of the recruits he had decided to pass on. The guy who could create rifts in space... that Aspect would have come really handy right now. However, there was no time to regret past choices. He. was very happy with his cohort, too.


    "Plus, I am not going alone. i am taking Saint with me. What, did you think that l''d risk my hide it she wasn''t close enough to save it?"


    The lrregulars grumbled for a bit, but eventually accepted his decision. Captain''s Echo was truly powerful... it a Master and an Ascended Demon couldn''t handle the source of the unnatural darkness, then the members of the cohort would not be of much use there, anyway.


    They were not an ordinary Master and an average Echo, either.


    Sunny gave a few more orders, making sure that the convoy would be fine in his absence, then called Saint and returned to the mouth of the side passage.


    The two of them faced the darkness, remained still for a while, and then silently dove into its cold embrace.


    ''Damnation...''

 Chapter 939 In The Belly Of The Beast

    The side passage was full of impenetrable darkness, too, flowing around Sunny as it turned him blind and deaf. The blade of the Cruel Sight was shining with a soft radiance, creating a small circle of light around him. That light seemed to be struggling against the tide of chilling blackness, making it appear more absolute.


    The walls of the passage were much closer to each other than that of the main tunnel, its roof lower, and the circle of light was even narrower still. All of that made Sunny feel extremely claustrophobic. He walked forward with a resentful expression on his face, feeling the floor slope downward beneath his feet.


    If there was one thing that reassured them, it was the silent silhouette of Saint, who was by his side. The taciturn demon moved with her usual indifference, wielding the Sin of Solace in her hands. Together, they descended deeper into the belly of the mountain.


    ''Curse it... damn it... this is such crap...''


    Sunny was, unsurprisingly, very nervous.


    There were a lot of things for him to be nervous about. Not only was he willingly walking into a trap of an unknown, but immensely powerful Nightmare Creature, he was also surrounded by true darkness - the element that directly countered most of his abilities.


    Not only that, but he also found himself in a strange situation. Most Awakened possessed at least one luminous Memory - those were usually both cheap and easy to get, so everyone had some sort of enchanted item to serve as a lantern in their arsenal. However, Sunny had never needed one, so he only had the Cruel Sight.


    Its [Light Eater] enchantment allowed the somber spear to absorb light, and then expel it. After months spent in the darkness of the polar night, most of the sunlight that it had devoured in the past was long gone. What little remained was supposed to last him a few hours... but what if he failed to complete his mission by then?


    Sunny brought several chemical flares with him, just in case, but he really hoped to not get a chance to use them.


    Additionally, he had to leave one of his shadows with the convoy. Surrounded by true darkness, he could not turn into one to swiftly travel across the network of tunnels, but he could still Shadow Step back to one of his invaluable helpers. That was why Sunny had ventured into the depths of the mountain alone, hoping to escape whatever disaster waited ahead in an instant.


    So... a quarter of his power was gone, as well.


    Right now, gloomy shadow was with Saint, creepy shadow was augmenting the Cruel Sight, and the haughty one was wrapped around his body. The five of them were a fearsome quintet... nevertheless, Sunny did not feel confident.


    The odds were just stacked against him too much.


    ''Whatever... what''s the big deal, anyway? It''s just a creepy, inescapable mountain full of true elemental darkness. Which apparently has a heart. A piece of cake...''


    Saint turned her head a little and stared at him, the ruby jewels of her eyes glowing with cold crimson light. It was only then that Sunny noticed that his teeth were chattering.


    He forced out a weak smile.


    "What? It''s... really cold here, you know..."


    Indeed, it was. Steam escaped from his lips, and his voice echoed off the stone walls, traveling far into the narrow passage. Sunny grew quiet, not wishing to announce his position to anything that might have been hiding in the darkness.


    They continued to descend, soon arriving at an intersection, which was drowning in darkness It was the first one of many - just as Professor Obel had said, there was a whole network of tunnels excavated during the Dark Times here, meant to serve as a bomb shelter in case of an all-out war.


    The tunnels cut deep into the mountain, creating a strange labyrinth. Sunny was sure that there was some. logic to how they were arranged, but the intent of the engineers that had built this place escaped him. If anything, the system of passages and chambers cut roughly in the stone seemed random and disorderly.


    Almost... organic.


    And, of course, each was consumed by darkness. At this depth, Sunny started to feel as though the darkness was moving around him, flowing through the tunnels, like blood rushing through colossal veins.


    He shivered.


    ''Calm down, damn it...''


    Find the heart, and destroy it.


    ...What if it was not a metaphorical heart, but a quite literal one?


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny continued forward. Faced with the complicated maze of passages. he navigated through it following a simple principle - each time they arrived at an intersection, he chose the path that led further down. For now, this method seemed to be working, since the surrounding darkness seemed to have become thicker, and flowed faster.


    ...After a while, he started to hear a strange hum. Low and distant like a quiet whisper, it reverberated through the cold stone, echoing and growing more persistent as Sunny ventured deeper into the network of tunnels.


    Struggling against a sense of vast, primordial fear, he glanced at Saint, and then stubbornly continued walking.


    Soon, Sunny arrived at a dead end... or rather, what should have been a dead end. The tunnel he was following came to an abrupt stop, but the wall in front of him had collapsed... or had been shattered... at some point in the past, revealing an entrance to something that looked like a natural cave.


    He hesitated for a few moments, then climbed over the pile of rubble and entered the cave. It stretched forward, twisting and turning, growing so narrow that Saint had to fall back and now walked behind.


    The dark passages had changed from those cut through the stone by human tools to being rough and uneven. The floor rose and fell, too, making moving forward hard. If Sunny had felt as though he was in a maze before, now, he had completely lost his sense of direction. All he knew was that he was still moving down, and that the darkness was flowing past him with increasing speed.


    The nuclear hum was growing louder and louder.


    By then, Sunny had been completely overcome by an irrational feeling that he was not traveling through a network of caves, but instead crawling through the veins of a bizarre, colossal, terrifying creature.


    ''If... if it really is alive... then I don''t want to know what kind of creature it is...''


    Just as that thought flashed through Sunny mind...


    The radiance of the Cruel Sight''s blade suddenly flickered, and was instantly extinguished.


    All that was left was utter darkness.

 Chapter 940 Heart Of Darkness

    ''l... damned... knew that this would happen!''


    There was a scratching sound in the utter darkness, and then, a stream of bright scarlet flame shot out of a chemical flare. Rising it above his head, Sunny looked at the narrow cave, which was now flooded with dim, ominous red light. The darkness retreated, for now, but it seemed ready to pounce on him at any moment.


    Feeling his heart beating wildly, he glanced at Saint, who still stood behind him, unfazed. Turning away, Sunny grumbled:


    ''Well... what did I expect... she was born in the Underworld, of all places. I bet Saint is feeling right at home in this misbegotten darkness...''


    He remained motionless for a few moments, getting accustomed to the blood-red gloom that surrounded him. Then, Sunny hit his lip and took a step forward.


    "Let''s go. We still need to find the heart."


    The Cruel Sight was not supposed to burn through its reserve of absorbed light so soon. The chemical flare, which was supposed to burn for at least fifteen minutes, stuttered and drowned in just five, forcing him to ignite a new one. It was as though keeping true darkness at bay exhausted any source of light faster than it should have been possible...


    And the deeper into the mountain they went, the more pronounced that discrepancy became.


    ''Curse it all...''


    Sunny had dreaded reaching the heart of darkness, but now that he was literally burning through his flares at a concerning speed, he couldn''t wait to find it.


    Sadly, it turned out to be harder than he had thought.


    The human-made tunnels above had an obvious direction, but the chaotic network of caves was both harder to traverse and all over the place. Sometimes, he would follow a path downward, only to end up climbing for a while. Other times, descending deeper into the mountain only made the distant hum grow quieter, which told him that he was getting further from his goal.


    In the end, Sunny abandoned all pretense of knowing what he was doing and chose where to go randomly, relying on his intuition to show him the way.


    Soon, he discovered a new pattern.


    The passages where the darkness seemed to flow faster were the ones that fell correct to him. Armed with that knowledge, he hurried forward, knowing that there was not much time left.


    Time had lost all meaning, and Sunny only measured it by the amount of flares he had burned through. When there were only two of them left...


    He finally reached his destination.


    The walls of the narrow passage he was following suddenly disappeared, and he found himself in a vast, spherical cave. 1n the dim red light, he could see dozens of similar dark holes opening into it, each leading to a different natural tunnel.


    "However, Sunny did not pay them any attention.


    All he could look at was a giant orb of jet-black stone that floated in the center of the cave, burning darkly with the crimson reflections of the flare''s fire. The darkness... the darkness flowed through it, or maybe was born from it. The hum he had heard came from the orb, like a rustle of waves that were imprisoned within it. Suddenly, he felt a terrible chill spread through his body.


    Whatever that black sphere was... he knew that it was not something any human was supposed to see.


    ''Cut... run...''


    Sunny gupled.


    He couldn''t believe that no one was guarding that thing. Then again, there was nothing guarding his own heart, either... if something managed to crawl into his chest, it would find his rib cage empty of defenders, as well.


    ...Maybe not, if Blood Weave had to say anything about it.


    Sunny stretched his senses outward, checking if his connection with the fourth shadow still remained. It was there, albeit strangely muddled. Nevertheless, he knew that he would be able to use Shadow Step to get the hell out of the dark cave after destroying the Heart of Darkness.


    ''No time to waste, then...''


    His second to last flair was about to burn out.


    Stepping forward, Sunny chased all hesitation away from his mind and thrust the blade of the Cruel Sight forward. It struck the side of the black orb... and slid off its surface without leaving a scratch. Sunny froze.


    The sound of the spear hitting polished stone seemed deafening, and when it died down... was it just him, or did the tuna coming from the sphere grow a little louder?


    Glancing at Saint, he felt cold sweat rolling down his face and whispered:


    "Help me with it, will you?"


    The taciturn knight remained motionless for a moment, staring at the sphere with a hint of subdued emotion. Then, her eyes suddenly flared, the flames inside them turning darker.


    Saint did something strange.


    She took a step forward and handed him the Sin of Solace.


    Confused, Sunny grabbed the hilt of the jade jian, feeling the infuriating whispers assault his mind.


    "Pathetic."


    He frowned, surprised at the sudden thought.


    ...Was it a thought?


    At that moment, Saint took another step forward and unsheathed her broken stone sword. The jagged line of its shattered blade flashed through the darkness...


    And sunk into the black surface of the sphere to the hilt.


    A small crack snaked its way up and down through the surface of the orb. Suddenly, the bum became almost deafening.


    ''What...''


    Then, the giant orb suddenly burst open, releasing a tide of darkness that washed over Sunny and Saint, throwing him back.


    He fell on the cold stone, feeling something rustling against the steel of the Undying Chain. The flare was swiftly extinguished.


    In the last split second that it burned, Sunny saw what the darkness released from the sphere was, and understood what the hum he had heard represented.


    It was not the rustle of the waves.


    ...lnstead, it was the rustle of countless tiny feet scraping against the shell of the black sphere from within.


    The flood of darkness that had escaped from the cracked orb was actually myriads of tiny beetle-like creatures that were now swarming over him like a river, already shredding the Transcendent metal of his armor.


    Worse still, the tide of them was still flowing out of the broken sphere, rushing into the dozens of passages leading out of the cave like a flood. The sight of it was both terrifying and bizarre... no matter how large the shell of black stone had been, the mass of beetles it released - and was continuing to disgorge - was many times larger than what could possibly fit inside.


    At this rate, the whole mountain was going to be filled with them in mere minutes.


    ''Ah... so that''s why she told me to run...''


    Feeling a sharp pain suddenly pierce his side, Sunny belatedly realized a dreadful fact.


    He needed to enter a shadow to use Shadow Step.


    ...And with all light gone, there were no shadows left in the true darkness of the flooded cave.

 Chapter 941 Time To Run

    Sunny was buried under a moving carpet of dark beetles. His armor was being chewed through, and a few of them had already gotten inside somehow, their razor-sharp mandibles sinking into his flesh.


    ''C-crap...''


    For a moment, his thoughts were scattered, but the sudden pulse of pain cleared them. Blinded, Sunny shuddered and tried to move. his hand to cover the eye slits of his helmet''s featureless mask...


    It was too late.


    One of the insects had already crawled through. Since Sunny could not see anything, he only realized it when something cold and slithering brushed against his nose. l-le instantly closed his eyes, and a split second later, a sharp pain pierced his face as one of his cheeks was torn open.


    A repulsed hiss escaped through Sunny''s lips.


    Jerking his head, he felt the beetle fall down, and then caught it with his mouth, crushing the bastard between his teeth. It felt like chewing on steel, but the resilient shell broke with an appalling crunch, filling his mouth with sharp fragments and an indescribably bitter taste.


    ''Argh!''


    Finally, he managed to free his hand from underneath the mass of beetles and covered the eye slits with it, then struggled to stand up. Sunny managed to rise to his knees, but at that moment, a new wave of beetles smashed into his chest, throwing him back down.


    It felt as though he was drowning.


    A crushing weight of the endless river of creatures pressed him down, making it hard to breathe. With each second, there were more and more of them, and the weight grew more unbearable...


    in the dark cave, the seething darkness that consisted of countless myriads of tiny insects was rising like a tidal wave, already flooding most of the tunnels. The uninterrupted surface of wriggling black insects was slowly crawling higher and higher, the shards of the broken sphere already disappearing beneath them. The rustling httm of tiny feet scraping against stone turned into a rumbling roar.


    ...Then, a hand in an armored gauntlet broke through the surface, the chemical flare grasped by it igniting with intense scarlet flame.


    Growling, Sunny pushed himself through the squirming mass of dark beetles and managed to rise to his feet with a stagger. Even standing, he was waist-deep in the rushing river of the black shells. As several of them continued to bite into his flesh, he briefly looked around. It took him a split second to take in the sight of the underground cave, which was painted crimson by his last flare and swiftly drowning in the tide of darkness.


    He had already dismissed Saint, so now, all that was left for him... was to run.


    ''Damned bugs... why did it have to be bugs...''


    The flare in his hand stuttered, the stream of red flame it was spewing rapidly growing shorter.


    But before it died, he already dove into the shadows, disappearing from view.


    The fluttering flare fell into the mass of dark beetles, and was instantly swallowed by it, the last hint of light disappearing from the hidden cave... perhaps forever.


    ***


    Back in the main tunnel, the convoy was nervously waiting for something to change. Everyone was already loaded into the vehicles, and waiting for the Captain to return. Minute passed after minute, with no news of hint. The ever-present darkness remained the same.


    Inside the Rhino, Luster was sitting quietly in the pilot''s seat. Professor Obel and Beth were in the lounge area, discussing something among themselves. The young woman glanced at her communicator, then took a medicine pack from her bag...


    At that moment, something fell from under the roof, and a familiar figure crashed into the floor, shattering one of the robust alloy chairs in the clangor of metal. All they saw was the battered surface of the bleak armor and a mess of limbs...


    Rolling over his shoulder and jumping to his feet, Sunny wasted a second to catch his balance, and then jerked his head sideways to look at Luster.


    "...What the hell are you waiting for?! Drive! Go as fast as you can! Now!"


    In the next moment, the whole mountain shuddered, and streams of dust fell from the tunnel''s roof. Luster''s eyes widened, and he sent the APC forward without asking a single question.


    If the Captain was shouting, things were seriously, seriously bad.


    Beth and Professor Obel both rose, startled by Sunny''s sudden arrival.


    "What..."


    He threw a hand in their direction.


    "Stop! Don''t get closer!"


    As the Rhino rolled into the darkness, swiftly accelerating, the rest of the vehicles promptly followed. Inside the APC, the Undying Chain disappeared into a rain of sparks, leaving Sunny half-naked.


    His pale body was covered with small, ugly lacerations, but there was almost no blood in sight. Several tiny black insects fell to the floor, and were promptly and viciously stomped to death by him. Nevertheless, even after disposing of the beetles, Sunny did not look relieved.


    Instead, he paled even more, and then bent over, vomiting a mouthful of dark blood.


    Beth took a step forward, looking around in search of a medkit with a worried expression on her face.


    "What is going on?"


    Sunny bared his teeth in a growl.


    "I said stay back!"


    with that, a strange stiletto appeared in his hand. its blade was long, narrow, and seemed to be forged out of ghostly glass.


    Without hesitating even for a second, Sunny sent both the young woman and the old man into a momentary shock by turning the stiletto against himself... and plunging it into his chest.


    "Hey! What are you..."


    A startled yelp escaped from Beth''s mouth, drowning Sunny''s own groan.


    ''Ah... damn it!''


    He twisted the Moonlight Shard in the wound, causing an ugly grimace to appear on his face, and then pulled the stiletto out.


    Impaled on it was the body of a strange beetle with a jet-black carapace, its shell broken, crushed, and smeared with blood.


    The tiny creature had almost reached his heart. A few moments later... and Sunny would have been in a sea of trouble.


    He stared at the dead insect for a few moments, and then shivered. The mountain quaked again, and a net of cracks appeared on the roof of the tunnel just ahead.


    Sunny looked through the windshield of the speeding APC and inhaled deeply, not paying attention to the pain.


    ''Time to run...''

 Chapter 942 Tide Of Darkness

    ''Ah... it hurts...''


    Sunny had escaped the dark cave fast enough to not be eaten alive, or even to a serious degree. Just as he had joked, he ended up only being eaten a little.


    There were a few bites on his body and one on his cheek. The most serious wound by far was the one he had inflicted on himself to get the last beetle from under his skin. The Moonlight Shard had cut deep, but, guided by his steady hand, missed both his heart and anything else that was important.


    Still, it stung. Not that Sunny had time to pay it any attention.


    The Rhino was speeding forward, almost flying through the shuddering tunnel. All around it, the darkness was rippling and shifting, as if out of control. It felt like the thing they were inside of - whatever it might have been - was convulsing. Not exactly in the throes of death, but maybe in agony. Sunny was pretty sure that the blow Saint had delivered to the black sphere was not fatal to be unknown being, since he never heard the Spell announcing a kill. The source of the true darkness was not destroyed, just damaged.


    ...Or maybe set free.


    "Captain! That... that is new!"


    Hearing Luster call out to him, Sunny looked forward and saw an unfamiliar shape appear from the darkness. It was a rusted frame of an old personal vehicle, which they had never seen before. The implication made a pale smile appear on his face.


    ''It''s broken...''


    The strange anomaly that had been keeping them inside the tunnel seemed to be no more. They were actually moving forward instead of traveling endlessly through a neverending sea of darkness. Destroying the black sphere had really broken the binding.


    He let out a shaky breath.


    If he had not received a message from the outside... things might have turned out differently. Sunny would have ventured into the side passages eventually, but probably without leaving one of the shadows behind. Even if he did, he would have definitely taken the rest of the Irregulars with him.


    Then, they would have died.


    Actually, he still struggled to believe that everyone survived.


    ...For now.


    ''We''re not out of the tunnel yet.''


    Suddenly cold, he looked at Luster and said:


    "Top speed! Get us out of here!"


    The Rhino flashed past the rusted vehicle, pushing it aside with its ram. The rest of the convoy followed, and soon, they could feel the floor of the tunnel starting to slope up. That had not happened before, so Sunny took it as a good Sign.


    Sadly, good things had ended after that.


    The mountain seemed to be coming to life around them. it shook and trembled, more and more cracks appearing on the walls and the roof of the tunnel. At some point, one of the walls collapsed just as the last vehicle passed it, and a flood of something dark and soothing flowed into the underground passage. Sunny shuddered, realizing that it were the beetles.


    The tide of them rushed into the tunnel like a river of black liquid. However, that liquid was behaving as if it possessed a maleficent sentienee. Instead of spreading in every direction like water would, it seemed to deliberately rush in pursuit of the convoy.


    Up ahead, a deep crack appeared on another section of the wall, and a few tiny bodies fell from it on the road.


    ''Crap!''


    All Sunny could do was pray that they would pass the swiftly growing crack before the stone wall '' shattered.


    Somehow, they did.


    At that point, it seemed like the whole tunnel was ready to collapse. The civilian transports struggled to keep up with the Rhino, climbing up the quaking road. Behind them, the endless flood of dark beetles was gaining speed, swelling as new streams of them poured in. Dust and pieces of stone were raining from above.


    ...But ahead of them, in the distance, a circle of dim light appeared.


    The exit.


    It was still night outside, but at least there were the stars, the ghostly flames of the aurora, and maybe even the moon. Although small, the difference between the true darkness of the underground tunnel and the mundane darkness of the outside world was apparent.


    They almost made it...


    No, they''re going to make it!


    Sunny gritted his teeth as he watched the distant exit approach while the tunnel was breaking down around them.


    ''Just a bit more... just a little bit...''


    Finally, the Rhino shot through the round opening, escaping into the chilling cold of the polar night. The vast expanse of the black sky appeared above, looking more beautiful than ever. Sunny grinned triumphantly.


    Then, his grin disappeared.


    Finally able to see, he sent his shadows to take a look outside, and studied their surroundings.


    The tunnel had led them quite high into the mountains. Behind them, the stone slopes were cracking and breaking, with giant boulders rolling down into deep gorges with deafening noise. Rivers of darkness were flowing out of the mountain, all twisting to take aim at the escaping convoy.


    The damned beetles were continuing to pursue them even now.


    In fact, the wide streams of black insects seemed more like limbs of a colossal being than swarms of tiny creatures. They stretched and slithered, looking like giant tentacles... very much like those that Sunny could create himself, but on a much, much larger scale.


    He felt a sudden chill spread through his wounded chest, and belatedly summoned the Undying Chain back. Their battle might not have ended just yet.


    But how could he fight something like that?


    No, their only chance of survival was to run. Even Cassie had said that he had to run. So, that was what Sunny planned to do...


    Luckily, the fleet appeared to be a little bit faster than the flood of darkness.


    "Oh crap!"


    Hearing Luster''s shout, Sunny felt the Rhino come to an abrupt stop. It was so violent and sudden that he was thrown off his feet, while Beth and Professor Obel grimaced in their seats, secured in place by durable straps.


    ''What... what is he doing... has that bastard lost his mind?''


    Before even standing up, Sunny commanded his shadows to look away from the approaching tide of black beetles and try to see what had made Luster stop.


    What they found made him utter a curse.


    ''Damn it all...''


    Right in front of them, there was a vast canyon that seemed so deep that it might have as well been bottomless. There was a long, wide vehicle bridge connecting the two sides of the canyon.


    ...Sadly, the bridge had collapsed at some point in the past, maybe decades ago.


    Now, all that remained of it was a piece of broken road that hung over a dark abyss, and Rhino had stopped precariously just a few meters away from the edge.

 Chapter 943 No Way Forward

    ''Curse it...''


    Sunny stared at the dark abyss of the canyon, his mind empty. A second passed in stunned silence, then another. Finally, he turned around and looked back, as though capable of gazing through the armored hull of the Rhino.


    Which he was, in a way.


    There, behind the heavy AFC, the other vehicles of the convoy had hit the brakes, barely avoiding slamming into each other. They were crowded on the mountain road, snow dancing in the narrow beams of the headlights.


    And behind the convoy, the flood of darkness was rushing forward, stretching its tentacles in their direction.


    They had maybe a minute before the mass of dark beetles reached the rear vehicle.


    ...This time, Sunny was not going to be able to protect it.


    He might: manage to destroy hundreds, or even thousands of the ghastly insects, but: it would be like a drop in the ocean. None of his attacks would be able to deal the titanic wave of darkness any serious harm... especially because, as Sunny suspected, the beetles were not technically alive.


    Not only did he not hear the Spell announcing the kills while slaying the few that had crawled into his armor, but the mere fact that the damned creatures traveled with him through the shadows meant that they were somehow akin to inanimate objects - Sunny was only able to carry those with him through Shadow Step, after all.


    What good would it do to kill a bunch of bugs that were not even alive, to begin with?


    "Captain! What... what do we do?! "


    Sunny glanced at Luster, then said in a hoarse voice:


    "What else? Run... we have to run..."


    Then, he silently disappeared into the shadows. A moment later, Sunny was standing at the edge of the broken road, looking into the bottomless abyss below. The biting cold of the polar night caressed his skin, and the strong winds instantly tried to push him down.


    Behind him, the tide of black beetles was devouring the cracked surface of the road, getting closer and closer, and the mountain continued to quake, erupting with a flood of darkness.


    The canyon was somewhere between one and two hundred meters wide, with steep vertical slopes that stretched far, far down. There was no secondary road to skirt its edge or descend to its bottom, only the broken bridge and the vast schism separating the fleet from the opposite side.


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    There was not much time to think, so he did the first thing that came to his mind, without even stopping to consider if it was possible to pull off.


    If it was impossible... he would just have to change that.


    His essence surged, coursing through his veins with tremendous speed, and then flowed outward. His face paled as his eyes turned into two pools devoid of any light.


    Just as the darkness disgorged by the mountain moved, the shadows covering its slopes moved, too. The deep murk drowning the deep canyon boiled, rushing upward. Two black pillars suddenly broke through the snow covering the sides of the shattered road and rose into the sky, growing taller and taller with each second.


    At the same time, the tide of shadows rushing from below reached the edge of the broken bridge and bent, freezing for a moment above the bottomless canyon like a wave that was about to break.


    But, instead of breaking, the shadows continued to spread forward and solidify, as if forming a dark path above the abyss.


    ...If there was no bridge for them to cross, Sunny would just have to build one of his own.


    ''Argh...''


    He was expending so much essence that his soul felt as if it had come under strain. However, instead of slowing down, Sunny doubled his efforts.


    On the far side of the canyon, two more pillars rose, and another surge of shadows stretched into the air, growing meter after meter to meet the first one. Long tentacles of darkness shot from the tops of the pillars, turning into unbreakable chains. From them, dozens of smaller chains fell, fusing into the black surface of the growing bridge.


    Sunny was not concerned with how much essence. he had, however, he was worried about the structural integrity of the hurried construct, and the speed with which he would be able to connect the two parts of it.


    There was not much time left...


    But there were very few people in the world who knew more about forming connections out of chains. After all, he had spent so much time in the ruined Kingdom of Hope, traveling from one island to another across the heavenly chains that bound them together.


    Chained together... inseparable... and stronger for it...


    There was probably some philosophical lesson to learn from it all, but Sunny was too preoccupied to care. With a groan, he stepped aside and waved to Luster, who was staring at him through the windshield of the Rhino.


    "Drive!"


    The young man looked at him with wide eyes, then glanced at the eerie black road that hung above the abyss, connected to nothing and only supported by dozens of swinging chains.


    Then, with trembling hands, he sent the APC rolling forward. Its massive wheels soon abandoned the cracked asphalt of the broken road and touched the black surface of the shadow bridge.


    The manifested path of shadows shook slightly... but held.


    it bore the full weight of the Rhino, and then that of the next vehicles that drove onto it. And then, the next.


    Soon, the whole fleet left the solid ground and entered the aerial road built by Sunny. He grabbed the metal handle on the hatch of the last vehicle and allowed its momentum to pull him with it, then climbed onto its roof and crashed down on the cold alloy.


    After several seconds, Sunny glanced back, at the approaching wave of darkness.


    It was already so close... too close.


    Somewhere ahead, the Rhino almost reached the end of the growing road of shadows. The ABC was moving faster than Sunny was capable of making the bridge manifest itself, but luckily, the second part of the path was already close.


    The two sides of the black bridge connected and fused with each other just a few seconds before the massive Rhino rolled over the invisible seam and continued to speed forward without pause.


    Soon after that, Luster let out a shaky breath as the wheels of the Rhino touched solid ground on the other side of the canyon.


    Sunny was feeling like he was on the verge of fainting, but forced himself to remain absolutely focused. Behind him, the myriads of dark beetles were already crawling across the shadow bridge. The wave of them were almost halfway across, putting so much pressure on the chains that a few of them were on ready to snap.


    ''Bastards...''


    It was at that moment that the vehicle he was riding on shuddered as it passed between two tall black columns.


    Looking back, Sunny grinned.


    ''...this is a toll bridge. Pay up or die.''


    ...On second thought, just die.


    With a quiet groan, he released the mass of shadows that had followed his will, allowing them to return to their natural immaterial form. A sense of profound reprieve almost sent him stumbling off the roof of the moving vehicle.


    The shadow bridge suddenly turned ghostly, collapsing into shapelessness, and then dissipated into the night. Myriads of dark beetles plummeted down, and even more of them continued to flow front the slopes of the battered mountain, plunging into the abyss of the canyon like waterfalls of pure darkness. But the fleet was safe.


    It continued moving forward, putting more and more distance between itself and whatever it was that had dwelled in the network of old tunnels.


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh, and then sprawled Iistlessly on the roof of the military vehicle, looking at the distant tapestry of cold stars.


    ''...No more tunnels. Damned ever. I... I hope.''


    ----


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 Chapter 944 Safe And Relatively Sound

    After the ominous mountain disappeared from view, hidden by the snowy slopes and darkness... the mundane darkness of the polar night, not the unfathomable true darkness that they had just barely escaped from... the convoy finally came to a stop.


    Around them was the familiar landscape of the Antarctic Center. Deep in the mountains, they were temporarily protected front the wind by an overhanging cliff, and had reaclted a wide area that was somewhat fit to serve as a campsite. The vehicles needed to be checked after the recent mad dash, and the people needed time to come to their senses.


    Pitts, they had no idea where they were. Sunny had to scout the area, determine their location on the map, and come up with a route forward. He also needed to make sure that there were no swarms of Nightmare Creatures close by or heading in their direction, and do a thousand other things.


    ''Ah... I don''t want to...''


    Creating a bridge of shadows had cost him a lot of essence, but the mental strain had been far worse. Sunny felt tired and lazy, but he had no choice except for to get busy right away. Rolling off the roof of the military vehicle, he landed on the snow, sighed, and sent his shadows to explore.


    By then, the members of his cohort and other people had already emerged from their transports. Some went about establishing a camp and searching for good watch posts, while some headed toward him with complicated faces.


    Pretty soon, he was surrounded by the Irregulars. A few of them looked relieved to find him safe and relatively sound, others were mostly full of questions. Luster, who had witnessed more titan the rest, was the first one to speak:


    "Captain, sir! That... that was something else."


    Sunny simply nodded, in agreetnent with the young man, for a change.


    Luster hesitated for a few moments, then asked cautiously:


    "But, uh... what was it, exactly?"


    He stared at Sunny, and added in a suddenly hoarse voice:


    "I don''t mean that amazing bridge you made, I mean the... the other thing. The one that almost gobbled its up."


    Sunny did not answer for a while. Eventually, he shook his head and looked south with a dark expression.


    "I do not know."


    He had a few ideas, though.


    The being that had dwelled in the old tunnels was too vast and powerful to be a simple Nightmare Creature. it reminded him a lot of the Crimson Terror of the Forgotten Shore... so, perhaps, it was also a terror, one that had gone into a slumber to evolve into a titan. Or maybe a titan that was in the process of evolving to a higher Rank.


    Or maybe it was a creature that had entered the process of evolution, only to be devoured from the inside by a different, more insidious abomination.


    ...In any case, Sunny was certain that he and Saint had messed the whole process up, somehow, and even lived to tell the tale.


    Speaking of Saint... he wondered if site was alright. The damned beetles had not seriously wounded him, but she had been standing much closer to the eerie black dimension - whether it was a heart, a harrowing egg, or a Chrysalis - when it burst open. Sunny had not seen his Shadow since.


    He was also curious why her broken stone sword had managed to harm the sphere when the Cruel Sight failed.


    Sunny knew that Saint was not destroyed, since he had felt her return back into his lightless soul after being dismissed, but she might have sustained severe damage.


    Sunny gave several orders to the Irregulars, checked on Professor Obel, and then found a quiet place to find out. Somewhat: nervous, he summoned Saint... but nothing happened.


    ''Damnation! Just as i thou... huh?''


    Something was not right. The taciturn demon''s absence felt different from how it usually was when wounded Shadows slept in the nurturing black flames, repairing themselves.


    He almost could not feel her at all.


    Concerned, Sunny dove. into the Soul Sea, stared at the four dark suns of his shadow cores for a few moments, and then summoned the runes.


    Shadows: [Marble Saint], [Soul Serpent], [Nightmare].


    The runes describing the Serpent were lifeless, indicating that it was outside his control. Saint''s, however, appeared normal. He concentrated on her name and read:


    Shadow: Marble Saint.


    Shadow Rank: Ascended.


    Shadow Class: Demon...


    Everything looked normal. However, at the very end of the field of shimmering runes, a new string of them appeared.


    Sonny''s heart skipped a beat.


    [...Marble Saint is evolving]


    ''...What!''


    He remained motionless for a while, then sighed.


    ''So that''s how it is...''


    Leaving the Soul Sea, Sunny looked up, breathed in the cold air of the polar night, and smiled crookedly. He was both happy and despondent.


    Saint had risen to a higher Class once before, after slaying the Forsaken Knight. Back then, she had ripped a strange dark jewel from his chest, and ate it. Then, his Shadow - who had been an Awakened Monster at the time - disappeared back into his soul to enter the process of evolution.


    Saint must have gotten something from the dark sphere as well.


    Sunny was elated to know that she was evolving once again, wondering what form his shadow knight would assume, and what powers she would gain. However, he also remembered that, last time, her evolution to a higher Class had lasted for more than a month, robbing him of her support throughout the civil war in the Bright Castle.


    This time, too, he would be left without his strongest aide for a while.


    Saint must have known that, too, so this time, she did not return into his soul core of her own free will, instead choosing to remain in the waking world to assist him. However, Sunny had dismissed her himself, not knowing what that would entail.


    He sighed.


    "Well... there was no other choice, anyway. That was the only way to get her safely back to the convoy."


    And now, the safety of the fleet was laying squarely on his shoulders, and his alone.


    ''Rest well, Saint. You deserved it.''


    When she returned, her powers would undoubtedly be much greater. Sunny was going to need every bit of that power to survive the rest of the Antarctica campaign, but for now...


    For now, he would have to lead the fleet the rest of the way to Erebus Field without his faithful Shadow.


    ''I better get busy, then. It would not do to have Saint return only to see that we are still stuck somewhere in the mountains... no, not at all. We''re both going to be Ascended Devils, so I''ll have to work hard to... you know... not be. overshadowed by my own Shadow!''


    He looked down and let out a bitter sigh.


    ''Again...''


    ----


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 Chapter 945 The Road Ahead

    Somehow, almost everyone in the convoy was still alive. Looking at it from the roof of the Rhino, Sunny felt both burdened and surprised. He had not really expected to get this far into the mountains without suffering severe casualties.


    Was he supposed to feel proud of himself?


    ''...Let''s try to keep it this way, then.''


    By now, his shadows had already climbed the nearest peaks, allowing him to observe the surrounding area. The tunnel they had escaped from might not have been endless, but as it turned out, it was actually quite long. More than that, it cut straight through the mountains instead of meandering its way around the gorges and canyons. As a result, and due to the previous days of travel, the convoy had managed to cover a lot of ground and was more than a third of the way to Erebus Field.


    Sadly, the good news ended there.


    ''That... is troubling.''


    Sunny glanced at the screen of his communicator, then climbed back into the interior of the APC and opened the map of the Antarctic Center as a projection in the command suite.


    They had reached the edges of the section that he had marked back in the abandoned bunker. From here onward, all Sunny had to go on was the stock map, which was not very detailed, and outdated on top of that. The battle between the Saints and the Titans had changed the topography of the entire region, and there were the effects of the Chain of Nightmares itself to consider, too.


    Of course, he could always repeat the process and update the map with the help of his shadows again. Which was exactly what he had been planning to do...And why his mood was currently so foul.


    With a sigh, Sunny started to put new marks on the projection. Soon, the position of the convoy was surrounded by a sea of red lines and symbols that stretched far to the north, with barely any green in between.


    ''Damnation.''


    The path ahead... was going to be rough, to say the least. They must have been relatively close to the place where the three Saints of the First Evacuation Army had battled the Winter Beast, the Goliath, and the Whispering Legion, eliminating the latter Titan. The resulting earthquake had destroyed a good chunk of the mountain range and made a mess of the surrounding area.


    Sunny was trying to come up with a way to get the convoy through that mess, but it seemed all but impossible.


    Most of the roads were destroyed, and those that remained were buried under heavy debris. Avalanches, landslides, and rockfalls were everywhere, reshaping the landscape. The damage was much worse here than Sunny had expected.


    And there were Nightmare Creatures, of course. The whole area was seething with them, and he had already spotted at least two dozen active Gates, with more probably hidden from view by the overturned terrain.


    Sunny was not sure if the Rhino would be able to make it through, let alone the civilian vehicles. No matter how hard he tried to find a safe route, there seemed to be none to be found.


    His mood turned dark.


    After a while, Sunny decided to get a fresh pair of eyes to take a look at the map, or better yet, several. He ordered the Irregulars to gather in the APC, and invited Sergeant Gere as well. Professor Obel was already there, so Sunny simply asked the old man to join him in the command suite.


    Soon, everyone arrived, and an improvised strategy meeting started. The result was about as disturbing as Sunny had expected. No one seemed to have a good idea on how to proceed. Dorn was currently pointing at a certain point of the map:


    "... if we can use our Echoes to lead the Nightmare Creatures deeper into the gorge, we might be able to drive past this Gate without being swarmed by enemies. From there, we can follow the auxiliary road to the pass and get some breathing room."


    Samara shook her head.


    "Even if we manage to avoid the Nightmare Creatures, you are overestimating the civilian transports. Most of them won''t make it on this extremely rough terrain. We are already struggling to keep them from falling apart, and this whole stretch of the mountains is basically a high intensity obstacle course."She sighed, then looked at Sunny with a somber expression.


    "There is one more thing everyone is forgetting about, too. Fuel cells. They are not exhausted yet, but going through a gauntlet like that will put them under strain, which I don''t think we can afford. Driving through the mountains is one thing... driving through this disaster zone is another."


    Sunny frowned, then glanced at Sergeant Gere.


    "Can''t we improvise something to charge the transports up?"


    The soldier hesitated for a few moments. Eventually, he sighed.


    "We can cannibalize the military vehicles, if need be. The power systems are not exactly compatible, but with the help of Awakened Kim and Samara, some sort of converter can be rigged. The soldiers can join the refugees inside the transports... but, apart from the obvious loss of defensive capability, there are other factors against that solution. We are not too high on energy reserves ourselves, and the transports are much more power-hungry. So it won''t be a drastic change... maybe a difference of another hundred kilometers or so, in this cold."


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh, thinking of other solutions.


    There were all kinds of wild ideas in his head, like hitching one of the transports to Nightmare and letting the black steed pull it like a mundane drudge. The Rhino could manage one, too.


    ...Hell, with a proper harness, Sunny would probably be able to pull one of the transports himself. That would be a sight to behold!


    He grimaced.


    ''Join the army, she said. You will earn lots of contribution points, she said! Curse it all...''


    Was that why he had become an officer? To be strapped into a damned yoke and pull a wagon like a glorified ox?


    The idea was ridiculous, anyway. Sure, it was theoretically possible to pull the civilian transports in case they lost power, but what about heating? What about light? How would the civilians survive hundreds of kilometers of traveling through the mountains, in the middle of a polar night, without those things?At that moment, Luster suddenly spoke:


    "There is an option that we are all overlooking, isn''t there? One that is not only viable, as far as terrain is concerned, but will also get us to Erebus Field within a day."


    The others looked at him with confusion, while Sunny''s face darkened.


    The young man smiled sheepishly, then added:


    "I mean, I know that it''s risky... but it''s right under our noses."


    With that, he pointed at the map. There, at the very edge of the mountains, a thick red line was stretching far north.


    The coastal highway.


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 Chapter 946 Scenic Route

    The coastal highway... that damned thing.


    Sunny was, of course, aware that traveling by means of the highway was an option. An incredible option, even, considering that the highway was wide, flat, kept in good condition, and stretched most of the way to the very northern edge of the Antarctic Center as it skirted the whole landmass between the mountains and the ocean.


    But that was exactly the problem with it. Built along the coast, it was both awfully close to the water and utterly exposed. Here in the mountains, they were hidden from most of the prowling Nightmare Creatures by the terrain, and could use it to their advantage. Out there on the coast, nothing would be protecting them from the hordes of abominations, both those on land and those hiding beneath the waves.


    Sergeant Gere and the other survivors of the initial, much larger convoy could attest to the horrors of the coastal highway. They had barely escaped it once, losing most of the transports and every member of their Awakened escort in the process.


    Indeed, the soldier looked incredibly tense at Luster''s suggestion.


    "With all due respect, you don''t know what you are talking about. That place... it''s a death trap. A handful of us managed to survive a shorter journey across the highway than what you are proposing, and even that was by some miracle."


    Luster scratched the back of his head.


    "Yeah, but your situation back then was different."


    Gere frowned.


    "How so?"


    The young man looked at him with surprise.


    "I mean, isn''t it obvious? You didn''t have the Captain with you!"


    ''...What?''


    Sunny stared at Luster for a few moments, dumbfounded. Did the fool finally lose his mind?


    However, Sergeant Gere reaction to the ridiculous response was out of his expectation. Instead of mocking Luster, the soldier looked down and cleared his throat in embarrassment. "Well... that is true, indeed..."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "...Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I am not a miracle worker. I am afraid of the coastal highway, too."


    There was a reason for why he had chosen a much longer, much more arduous journey through the mountains, after all. Even if the highway offered a convenient path to their destination, it held a much higher risk of running into something that none of them was prepared to handle. From hordes of Nightmare Creatures akin to the Devouring Cloud to the damned Terror that had slaughtered every living soul at LO49, to countless other horrors no one knew about.


    Even running into a Titan was not out of the question. The Winter Beast was being contained somewhere in the north by Saint Tyris, but the location of the monstrosity that Army Command had designated as Goliath was currently unknown. Nothing was stopping the bastard from showing up the moment the convoy got stuck in the open.


    However-


    Traveling through the mountains had turned out much more dangerous than Sunny had anticipated, despite his habit of always expecting the worst. By now, he had successfully managed to lead the convoy into pretty much every possible terrible situation that they had been supposed to avoid by not choosing the highway.


    With the path ahead so close to being impassable and the civilian transports falling apart on the steep, unreliable mountain roads... the more dangerous route was starting to look more and more attractive.


    Kim sighed.


    "Sorry... I hate to agree with Luster... but there are about six hundred kilometers between us and Erebus Field. That is if we go straight, of course. If we have to maneuver through the mountains and circle around them in search of passable roads, fighting Nightmare Creatures as we go... I doubt that many of us will make it."


    She sighed, then threw a tentative glance at Sunny.


    "If we descend to the coastal highway, however, and go at full speed... we can cover these six hundred kilometers in a matter of hours. Of course, this is a huge risk, b-but... isn''t it an even bigger risk to stubbornly push forward through the mountains, if it means staying in the wild for days, maybe even weeks more?"


    Sunny winced.


    Kim was somewhat right. The coastal highway was dangerous, but so were the mountains. They were teeming with Nightmare Creatures of all sorts, and were too hard to navigate in the wake of the earthquake.


    There was also the matter of time, which no one except for Sunny - and perhaps Professor Obel - seemed to be aware of, since they were not looking at the bigger picture.


    And the bigger picture, from what he could tell, was not looking too swell. The First Army was not earning any victories against the tide of abominations... instead, its position was gradually worsening. Those additional days and weeks Kim had mentioned were much more important than she knew, for more than one reason.


    Sunny sighed.


    ...In the end, both choices were terrible. Remaining in the mountains was a bit safer, but also a bit hopeless. Trying to charge the coastal highway was much more dangerous, but also offered a much more realistic chance of salvation.


    It was like rolling a die.


    ''...Do I feel lucky today?''


    He remained silent for a long time, then deactivated the projection and looked at the people gathered in the command suite. Everyone tensed, waiting to hear his decision.


    Sunny tiredly rubbed his face.


    "Prepare the vehicles to go all out. I want them to be able to keep their top speed for at least six hours without ever slowing down... do everything you can. I don''t care if the transports completely fall apart and explode after that, just make sure that nothing breaks down on the road. Either way, it will probably be their last ride, so... prepare well. We will be taking the scenic route along the coast."


    With that, everyone was suddenly extremely busy. Getting the convoy ready for a high-speed charge across the coastal highway was not a small task, especially considering that it was most likely going to turn into a rolling battle.


    Sunny was one of the few soldiers that had nothing much to do, so he simply went outside and stared at the night sky, with a full moon staring back at him like a giant blind eye.


    A few meters away from him, the lone Sleeper of the convoy was busy applying Black Venom to whatever bullets Sergeant Gere''s soldiers had left. He was also doing the same to his arrows.


    Suddenly curious, Sunny called out to the young man.


    "Hey, you. What do you think? Will we make it?"


    The Sleeper looked up at him with wide eyes. He was apparently not expecting to be addressed by the Captain.


    "Sir? Yes, sir! Without a doubt, sir!"


    Sunny chuckled.


    "That''s the spirit... oh, right. I was meaning to ask... what is your name, anyway?"


    The Sleeper stared at him blankly for a few moments, then looked down and whispered under his nose:


    "Goddammit... what the hell, really?"


    Sunny frowned.


    "What was that?"


    The Sleeper flinched.


    "Oh... sorry, sir! It''s just that... uh... I have already told you my name, like twenty times. It''s my Flaw, sir. Everyone seems to forget!" ''Huh?''


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    "Well... alright. As you were, then."


    ''What a strange Flaw. Not the worst one to have, though...''


    He left the Sleeper alone and walked forward, stopping in front of the Rhino and looking ahead. Then, he started stretching his muscles. The road ahead was desolate and enveloped in darkness.


    ''This... is going to be a wild ride.''


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 Chapter 947 Highway To Hell

    The small convoy turned west, rolling down a narrow road that descended from the mountains and eventually met the coastal highway. The Rhino was moving at the front of the column, with four remaining civilian transports following it and the three battered military vehicles guarding the rear.


    This was Sunny''s siege army for the next six hours or so.


    The three armored vehicles at Sergeant Gere''s disposal still had some ammunition left - just barely enough to last them the rest of the way to Erebus Field, provided that their charge across the highway would be as dire as Sunny anticipated.


    The civilian transports were not only flimsy, but also lacked any kind of integrated defense systems to ward off the attacking Nightmare Creatures. However, they were protected by something far more lethal - the Irregulars.


    Samara was already setting up her rifle in an improvised gun nest on the roof of the rearmost transport. To allow the Awakened sharpshooter complete freedom in picking off targets from distance, Quentin was by her side, his sword and shield ready to strike down any Nightmare Creature that would dare to get too close.


    Kim was on the roof of the next vehicle, with a dozen magazines of charged rounds prepared in advance for her carbine. The nameless Sleeper was keeping her company with a bow and a quiver of poisoned arrows.


    Belle and Dorn were protecting the last two transports. Both had Memories capable of ranged attacks, but neither was a proficient marksman. Their main job was to prevent abominations from attacking the refugees directly. So, knowing that they would probably have to move around the roofs of their assigned vehicles a lot, the two fighters had neglected modifying the vehicles with any kinds of protective emplacements.


    All four transports had been prepared for the charge as well as the soldiers could manage. There were plates of armor and alloy spikes welded to their sides, as well as makeshift rams attached to their fronts, in a pale imitation of the Rhino.


    ...And lastly, there was the heavy APC itself. Since Saint was gone, Sunny was sitting on its roof instead, holding Morgan''s Warbow in his hands. Despite the howling of the chilling wind, he did not feel cold at all, fueled by adrenaline. His body was encompassed by the dull steel of the Undying Chain, the Dying Wish hidden beneath its sleek breastplate.


    He was ready for battle.


    Traverse the highway as fast as possible, killing anything before it had a chance to approach the convoy. That was the plan.


    Not that Sunny really expected everything to go according to it...


    Blackie and Abomination were running ahead of the column, serving as the vanguard and forward scouts, while Nightmare was still slumbering in the depths of his soul. The dark courser was already sufficiently healed to be summoned, but Sunny was holding back on calling upon him until things inevitably went south.''Which they will... I just know they will...''


    Descending the mountains was easier than trying to push through them, so it did not take long for the convoy to reach the final stretch of the road before the coastal highway. The terrain had turned much smoother, and then entirely flat. Finally, the beams of light shooting from the Rhino illuminated the wide expanse of weathered concrete... and the dark waves rising and falling not too far behind it.


    The highway was wide enough for ten APCs the size of the Rhino to drive side by side, but a section of it was separated from the main thoroughfare by a thick barrier. Behind it, closest to the mountain slopes, a railway stretched both north and south, meant to carry armored trains across the landmass. That still left them enough space to maneuver, but also placed the convoy closer to the ocean.


    The full moon shone in the black sky, drowning in the undulating lights of the ghostly aurora. The highway was utterly empty and basked in the pale moonlight. All of it - the dark slopes of the mountains, the wide expanse of the road, and the black waves beyond it - looked eerie, ominous, and foreboding.


    However, Sunny had no time to appreciate the ambiance.


    ''...That was fast.''


    A few hundred meters ahead, the two Echoes had already caught the scent of Nightmare Creatures hiding in the darkness. Unfortunately for them, very few things could hide from Sunny''s gaze in the gloom of the polar night...


    Even before Abomination had a chance to lunge at the dark shapes laying on the road, a black arrow fell from the sky, piercing the head... at least Sunny thought that it was the head... of a monstrous centipede that seemed to have been resting on the concrete.


    [You have slain an Awakened Beast...]


    A moment later, the Echo''s powerful jaws crunched on the chitinous carapace of a different abomination, while Blackie jumped on the third, trying to copy the ferocious attack of the larger hound. A second arrow helped him finish the job.


    Without slowing down, the Rhino plowed through the corpses of the massive centipedes, tearing them apart and clearing the way for the rest of the convoy.Sunny felt the APC vibrating as it gradually gained more and more speed. The coastal highway seemed to be in good shape despite the recent earthquake, so nothing was slowing them down. For now, at least, it seemed as though they had a chance of making it to Erebus Field in a timely fashion.


    However, he could already see more Nightmare Creatures in the distance, their frenzied eyes slowly igniting with dangerous flames as the lights and the noise of the convoy attracted their attention.


    There were unclear shapes moving on the slopes of the mountains, too, rising from the darkness and starting to descend toward the highway to intercept the column of human vehicles.


    ...Much more disturbingly, the black waves continued to murmur to the speeding convoy''s left as they continuously assaulted the shore, coming and going without showing any sign of a harrowing threat hiding beneath their dark surface.


    That lack of movement filled Sunny with much more unease than the swiftly approaching silhouettes of murderous abominations.


    ''Whatever it is that is going to show up... just show up already.''


    There was no response.


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny turned away from the ocean and raised his bow.


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 Chapter 948 Dire Marathon

    There were all kinds of Nightmare Creatures who had apparently decided to take a nap on the flat concrete surface of the coastal highway. Bestial maws opened in vicious snarls, sharp mandibles dripping with viscous saliva, jagged claws, curving bone scythes, and various implements of death that Sunny did not even know how to describe... all of it was flying toward the convoy, drawing closer and closer with each second.


    The faster the vehicles moved, the faster the abominations converged on them.


    ''Damnation...''


    Sunny was standing on the vibrating roof of the Rhino, drawing Morgan''s Warbow time and time again. In a short span of time, he had let loose a veritable rain of arrows, slaughtering at least a dozen of the approaching Nightmare Creatures. His muscles were already protesting the unforgiving pace, but augmented with all four of his shadows, Sunny knew that he could keep the same rate of fire for much longer.


    The battle was only starting, anyway. Although the menagerie of monsters rushing toward the convoy seemed ghastly and dangerous, these were only the dregs of the Chain of Nightmares. They were the lone stragglers or small packs of abominations that had broken away from larger swarms and hordes, and as such, did not pose a real threat.


    For now, they were also only attacking the column from the front. Very soon, Sunny and his people would be surrounded and forced to resist attacks from all directions.


    To postpone that, Samara finally opened fire. Most of the Nightmare Creatures on the highway were obscured from her by the other transports and the wide shape of the Rhino, but she had a clear shot of the mountains slopes and the abominations that were rushing down the treacherous surface of the icy stone to attack the convoy from the side.


    A shining slug flashed through the air, and one of the distant silhouettes ruptured, mangled remains sliding down the steep slope. Even before the echo of the first thunderous shot dissipated into the cold air, the powerful rifle was already humming with electrical whine once again, charging to spit another devastating round.


    T am not fast enough to kill all of them...''


    For now, Sunny was conserving his essence. He was only using one of the active enchantments of his mighty bow, [Soul Arrows], which did not demand a lot of it. The Dying Wish was also inactive, for now, since there was no need to draw the attention of abominations away from the civilian transports yet.


    He considered summoning the Strike of Thunder for a moment, then decided against it. Their charge toward Erebus Field was going to be a marathon, not a sprint. They had to be frugal with how to spend their power and resources...


    Instead of laying waste to the approaching Nightmare Creatures with a strike of lightning, he picked the most threatening ones and concentrated on taking down these high-priority targets first. Abomination fearlessly dove into the mass of enemies, tearing them apart with ruthless determination. Since there were very few Fallen creatures among this first wave, most were much weaker than the massive Echo.


    Blackie, however, was in danger of being slain if he was not careful. The smaller hound separated and dashed to the edge of the highway, concentrating on attacking the outliers of the rushing mob.


    ''So far so good...''


    Sunny killed most of the Nightmare Creatures that could seriously threaten the Rhino, but at that point, the APC was already only meters away from the swiftest of the attackers.


    Moving at its top speed, the enormous bulk of the Rhino smashed into the lunging abomination, practically pulverizing it into a cloud of crimson haze. The second creature crashed on the concrete with an arrow in its eye, and then, the convoy was in the thick of the disorganized crowd of Nightmare Creatures.


    Some of them were quick enough to change direction and dash toward the civilian transports, the others were too slow and allowed the column to flash past, then wasted precious seconds to stop, turn around, and hurry to pursue the speeding vehicles.


    The turrets of the military vehicles barked, sending poisoned bullets toward those abominations that were fast enough to catch up with them, and ignoring the rest. It was not their goal, nor was it realistic, to slaughter every single Nightmare Creature across six hundred kilometers of the coastal highway - but then again, there was no need to. They only had to kill those that the convoy could not outrun.


    Samara continued to fire her rifle, choosing to concentrate on the more powerful targets, just like Sunny had. On the next civilian transport, Kim was using her carbine to cut down those that managed to get close to the column, while the nameless Sleeper was sending one arrow flying after another. Belle was using a small throwing hatchet that gruesomely sliced the abominations apart, and then magically returned to his hand.


    Dorn was armed with a set of iron javelins that seemed to hit much harder than they were supposed to, even with his prodigious strength.


    The convoy cut through the first wave of Nightmare Creatures, leaving broken bodies and bleeding corpses behind. Its defenders continued their barrage, finishing off those Nightmare Creatures that were now gaining on the column from the back.


    Sunny rotated his shoulder and winced slightly, then nocked another arrow on the string of his bow and froze for a moment. Peering into the distance, he tried to evaluate the situation. His face darkened.


    ''Curse it...''


    A few hundred meters ahead, a stream of Nightmare Creatures was spilling on the highway from the mountain slope. And ever further away, behind them, the whole width of the road was blocked by a dark mass of monstrous bodies.


    ...This time, it was a proper swarm.


    One of many they would have to fight their way through, most likely.


    Sunny studied the swarm for a split second, then quickly glanced at the ocean.


    ...At least the dark waves were calm, for now.


    With a contemptuous sigh, he sent the arrow flying in the direction of the mountain slope, and then drew his bow again.


    This time, his fingers were illuminated by the furious light of a caged lightning.


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 Chapter 949 Moving Slaughterhouse

    As soon as the Strike of Thunder flashed through the darkness of the polar night and burst into blinding arcs of electricity, decimating the center of the swarm, Sunny spoke into his communication device:


    "Wedge formation!"


    He had created a rift in the middle of the mass of Nightmare Creatures, but it was not enough to clear a path through the blockade. There was the flanking force spilling from the mountains to worry about, too.


    The abominations were already dashing toward the convoy, bits of broken cement flying from beneath their sharp claws. The fastest and strongest one, however, suddenly collapsed, a golden arrow piercing its throat.


    Behind the Rhino, two military vehicles and two civilian transports accelerated and left the column, assuming positions on both sides of the convoy. From above, it would have looked like a wedge with the APC taking the point, while the other four vehicles formed its wings.


    The purpose of that formation was very simple - with the massive shape of the Rhino not blocking their view of the road anymore, both the military vehicles and the Awakened on the roofs of the two civilian transports were free to target the swiftly approaching swarm.


    Samara''s rifle thundered, and Kim''s carbine cracked, sending a rain of bullets into the mass of abominations. Two turrets joined the fray, clearing a path for the convoy to charge through. Sunny continued to let loose arrow after arrow, as well, taking down the most threatening of Nightmare Creatures.


    Just a few moments before the column reached the swarm, the four vehicles veered back and returned to their positions, hiding behind the bulk of the speeding Rhino.


    ''Here we go...''


    The ram of the APC plunged into the mass of bodies, both dead and alive, with a violent shudder. Pieces of flesh flew aside as it cleaved a bloody trail through the mob of Nightmare Creatures, allowing the rest of the convoy to follow. They made it through, even if just barely...


    However, all was not well.


    More than a few abominations managed to lunge at the lead vehicles from the sides. Two or three were clinging to the front of the Rhino, and several more had crashed into the Belle''s and Dorn''s civilian transports. Their claws were already tearing into the alloy.


    The more heavily armored Rhino received a few ugly scars, but was still holding. Sunny swiftly drew his bow, finishing off the unwanted passengers. Behind him, Belle dashed toward the edge of the transport''s roof and struck down with his hatchet, severing the abomination''s limb before it had a chance to rip through the makeshift plate of armor and allow the beast to climb inside.


    There was a Nightmare Creature on the other side of the transport, but its body had been caught by the spikes welded along the frame of the civilian vehicle, so it did not manage to rip through the hull before one of Dorn''s javelins took it down.


    The giant man himself dealt with an abomination that had leaped at his transports by pulling it down mid-jump with his Aspect Ability. The creature hit the cement surface of the road instead of crushing into the side of the vehicle, and was promptly crushed by its wheels.


    The weight of the transport loaded with close to a hundred people was not enough to kill an Awakened monster, however, so although it was severely injured, the abomination still tried to get up. Before it could, the next transport rolled over it, and then the next, ending the creature''s life in a string of sickening crunches.


    Just a few moments after crashing into the swarm, the convoy was through.


    The turrets of the military vehicles instantly turned around, unleashing a barrage of bullets at the fastest of pursuing Nightmare Creatures. Samara''s tungsten rounds and Sunny''s arrows took care of the most resilient of the enemies, while Kim was hurriedly reloading her carbine. The nameless Sleeper had almost emptied his quiver, so he was busy summoning the spent arrows back.


    The thinned out swarm was falling behind...


    But there were already new enemies appearing from the darkness ahead.


    Letting out a frustrated sigh, Sunny spun to face north again and drew his bow.


    ''This is going to get old, fast...''


    Surrounded by bloodshed, the convoy continued to devour kilometers as it sped across the wide highway. The battle never really stopped, instead stretching into one continuous, moving slaughterhouse. Even if there had not been too many Nightmare Creatures near the coast at the start, the lights and noise of the charging column mixed with the smell of fresh blood, attracting more and more of them from the mountains.


    All that ever changed was the intensity of combat.


    Sometimes the defenders of the convoy only had to repel disorganized mobs of strugglers, killing them off before the abominations could launch an attack on the vehicles. Sometimes a true swarm would appear to block off the road, forcing them to fight their way through while sustaining minor damage and desperately trying to prevent anything from getting to the refugees.


    Despite it all, the vehicles were in a good enough shape to remain operational... for now.


    The Rhino was covered in scars, and its ram - as well as the whole front section - had turned slick with blood, making it look like an infernal machine of morbid carnage. The civilian transports had chunks of flesh stuck on their spikes, with deep grooves left behind by the claws of abominations decorating their sides. The barrels of the turrets on the military vehicles were glowing red, steaming as the chilling darkness of the polar night cooled them down.


    The people were starting to get tired, but, prepared to give it their all to reach the destination, continued to perform their duties with stalwart determination.


    The highway itself was changing, as well. The further north they moved, the more Nightmare Creatures and the more signs of sustained damage there were. Wide cracks appeared in the concrete, and the column had to maneuver around broken vehicles and carcasses of massive abominations from time to time - the latter picked clean to the bone by other monsters.


    Killing the enemies before they reached the column was getting harder and harder because of these obstacles. At some point, Sunny tensed as he noticed an especially troublesome obstruction blocking off the road ahead. His face darkened.


    ''What now?''

 Chapter 950 Derailed

    Still some distance from the convoy, the whole width of the highway was blocked off by something that looked like a tall wall of alloy. It was surrounded by a scene of pure mayhem, with torn pieces of metal and massive chunks of concrete laying on the road in a chaotic mess.


    Sunny scowled, trying to make sense of what he saw. After a second or two, he uttered a silent curse.


    Ahead of them, the barrier between the thoroughfare and the railroad was shattered to pieces. The object he had thought to be an alloy wall was actually the roof of a train carriage laying on its side. One of the armored behemoths must have been derailed here at some point in the past, turning a whole section of the highway into a nightmare of broken concrete and mangled alloy.


    ''Damnation...''


    Sunny had ridden an armored train once before, so he knew how fearsome these moving fortresses were. What could have even destroyed an alloy beast like that? He wasn''t sure that an earthquake would be enough to derail one of them, even though it was the most reasonable theory he had.


    In any case, Sunny had more pressing problems than guessing the fate of the crashed train.


    The convoy was not allowed to slow down... the fragile equilibrium they had been able to create was all dependent on the assumption that the column would keep moving. If they lost speed or, even worse, were forced to stop, there would be no escape from death. They would simply drown in Nightmare Creatures.


    "Sam and Quentin, make the Echoes fall back to the Rhino."


    Then, he closed his eyes for a moment and reached forward with his senses.


    After becoming a Master and before coming to Antarctica, Sunny had received no opportunities to test the limits of Shadow Manifestation in combat. Now, he knew that his Ascended Ability was more powerful than he had thought... so, he was going to call upon it again.


    Before the convoy reached the wreckage, the shadows on the slope of the mountain came to life and flowed forward, forming long tentacles. These tentacles tore through the alloy of the overturned carriage, taking hold of it, and then pulled the massive structure aside. A deafening sound of metal scraping against concrete filled the air.


    ''Come on... come on...''


    The carriage was moved just far enough to create an opening for the approaching Rhino. The APC pulverized several chunks of the concrete barrier with its ram, clearing the road, then maneuvered to the side and slid past the mangled alloy structure.


    Behind it, the highway was revealed to be in terrible condition, so it took a lot of skill to navigate the Rhino past the mess of broken metal. Luster was just the man to do it, though. He masterfully avoided all the serious obstacles and rammed through those that could be destroyed without ever slowing down. The rest of the vehicles weren''t as large as the APC, so it was not too hard for them to follow.


    Several abominations crawled from the wreckage to lunge at the convoy, but were swiftly pierced by arrows and poisoned bullets.


    Soon, the convoy left the field of debris... but instead of being relieved, Sunny only gritted his teeth.


    Obscured by the remains of the armored train, there was another swarm of Nightmare Creatures ahead of them - this one much larger and dangerous than all the previous ones. Worse still, since they were late to discover it, there was not much time to thin the abominations out with ranged attacks.


    The convoy was under real threat.


    ''Goddammit!''


    Sunny briefly glanced at the black bow in his hands, knowing that just its power alone was not going to be enough this time. The situation was dire. ...Which meant that it was time to call the cavalry.


    He considered summoning Nightmare near the Rhino and stylishly jumping into the saddle from the roof, like he had seen cool heroes do in webtoons, but then decided against such theatrics. It was not that Sunny was not capable of landing on the back of a galloping horse from a moving vehicle, it was just that Nightmare''s saddle was a Memory, and had to be hoisted on the black steed by hand each time he was summoned.


    By now, Sunny was capable of riding his horse without a saddle, but using any kind of melee weapon effectively without stirrups was more or less out of the question. Stirrups were essential to mounted combat, insignificant as they might seem.


    He sighed.


    I guess I''m just not cool...


    With that, Sunny summoned Nightmare directly onto the roof of the Rhino, simultaneously calling upon the Sin of Solace and the [Overpriced Saddle].


    Soon, the fearsome black stallion was standing in front of him, looking forward with ferocious crimson flames burning in his eyes. Nightmare snarled, revealing two rows of metal fangs that resembled those of a wolf. It seemed that he had plenty of sleep, and now hungered to tear some abominations apart.


    Moonlight glinted on the dark surface of the courser''s adamantine horns.


    "Don''t you worry... you''ll get a chance to rampage in just a few moments..."


    Sunny swiftly put the saddle on the courser''s sable back, fastening it into place. Just at that moment, Samara''s rifle barked, sending a shining round flashing into the darkness. A chorus of bestial howls was the reply.


    He cursed, grabbed the hilt of the Sin of Solace, and jumped into the saddle.


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment, sensing insidious whispers assault his mind. Today, they seemed especially clear.


    He took a deep breath, then looked forward and sent Nightmare charging.


    The black steed lunged forward, jumping from the roof of the Rhino in a tall arc.


    ...Inside the APC, Luster flinched as adamantine hooves thundered right above his head, and then craned his neck to stare at the swift shape of the leaping steed.


    "Aaaa, what the h-hell!"


    He paused for a moment, and then added in a stifled voice:


    "...Damn majestic."


    Plummeting toward the mass of abominations, Sunny gripped the hilt of the Sin of Solace tighter and poured essence into the Dying Wish, activating its sole enchantment.


    ''Let''s teach these bastards the meaning of true fear, Nightmare...''

 Chapter 951 Outrider

    Nightmare landed on the surface of the highway less than a hundred meters away from the rushing swarm and galloped forward without ever slowing down. The wind howled in Sunny''s ears as the dark stallion''s adamantine hooves rang sonorously on the cold concrete.


    A vicious grin somehow found its way to Sunny''s face.


    ''I must have lost my mind...''


    Diving headlong into a tide of hundreds of Nightmare Creatures was no cause for a smile, but for some reason, he felt exhilarated. Perhaps it was the sinister whispers of the cursed jade sword that were subtly influencing him...


    Perhaps, Nightmare was simply not the only one who longed to go on a murderous rampage. Ever since LO49, nothing had gone right for Sunny. The bitter pressure of it all fueled him with frustration and anger, and the anger wished for a way out.


    Now, he was going to unleash it on these damned abominations.


    "Die!"


    Driven into a mad frenzy by the call of the Dying Wish, the first of the Nightmare Creatures leaped into the air, its fangs glinting in the moonlight. Sunny leaned forward to cut it apart, but before he could, Nightmare''s jaw snapped and tore the beast''s throat open. With a violent twist of his neck, the black stallion sent the convulsing body flying into the mass of abominations.


    ...In the next moment, they plunged into the swarm.


    The Sin of Solace sang, slicing a creature after creature apart. Wrapped in shadows, Sunny fought with stunning speed and precision, obliterating any abominations that tried to get close. It was as though he was surrounded by a whirlwind of rending jade. The flesh of Nightmare Creatures parted before the white blade of the beautiful jian like water.


    Nightmare was no less deadly. The dark steed galloped forward, slaughtering creatures with his fangs, his horns, and his hooves. Some were torn apart, some were thrown to the ground and trampled to death, some were simply tossed aside like broken dolls by a shattering crash with the destrier''s wide chest.He rushed through the mass of abominations like a dark omen of dread, leaving a bloody trail in his wake.


    To Sunny, it seemed as though Nightmare was especially lethal today. Perhaps it had to do with the black steed''s long slumber, or maybe it was just a powerful combination of enchantments, Attributes, and Abilities that made the spacious coastal highway a perfect battlefield for his Shadow.


    Nightmare''s speed, strength, and resilience were enhanced when surrounded by darkness and shadows, and the polar night provided plenty of both. The tenebrous stallion''s might also grew the more he was feared, and currently, both his own [Mantle of Fearl Ability and the I Omen of Dread 1 enchantment of the Sin of Solace were poisoning the rabid minds of hundreds of Nightmare Creatures with insidious terror.


    Maybe most importantly, the [Nightmare! Ability made the black steed more powerful the more nightmares he had subjugated, and by now, there were hundreds of conquered dreams serving as his thralls.


    All of this meant that the large swarm of abominations blocking the convoy''s path was in for a sea of suffering.


    ...However, that was not enough.


    Even while sundering one revolting body after another, Sunny saw that there were simply too many abominations ahead of them to slaughter them all. For now, Nightmare and he had been able to continue their bloody charge without slowing down, but as soon as enough abominations threw themselves into the carnage, that was bound to change.


    Once the rampaging stallion was stopped, the swarm could potentially overwhelm them by burying both under a mountain of bodies. Sunny and Nightmare could escape such a trap by turning into shadows, of course...


    But, even if Sunny could eventually kill every single abomination, it would take too much time. Not only would more Nightmare Creatures inevitably join the mayhem, but the convoy was less than a dozen seconds from reaching the swarm.


    He had to remind himself that his goal was not to slaughter the hateful wretches that had dared to stand in his way... his goal was to clear a path for the column of battered human vehicles, whose passengers all depended on him to deliver them to safety.


    ''Curses...''


    By now, most of the swarm must have been affected by the pull of the Dying Wish. All of them had nothing on their mind but one all-consuming desire - to rip Sunny apart. Using that to his advantage, he commanded Nightmare to veer left, cutting through the tide of abominations and getting closer to the ocean.


    The black stallion pivoted and changed the direction of his murderous charge, but was soon met by an impenetrable wall of claws, fangs, suckers, and hideous appendages of all kinds. Even with Sunny dismantling one abomination after another with the Sin of Solace, the mass of them right ahead seemed too overwhelming to fight through it.


    Nightmare, however, seemed to think differently. Continuing forward at the same speed, he let out a contemptuous snort, and then soared into a powerful jump. His hooves landed on the sea of abominations, crushing a few skulls, and then used the bloody pulp as support for a second leap.


    Before the Nightmare Creatures could react and tear at the stallion''s belly, the two of them landed just outside the swarm, on the narrow stretch of empty land between the highway and the vast expanse of undulating black waves.


    Suppressing a shiver, Sunny sent Nightmare closer to the ocean, and then closer still, almost into the shallows, to the point where fountains of cold water started to fly from the courser''s hooves with each stride.


    Just as expected, the swarm rushed to pursue the terrible steed and its slaughtering rider. The mass of abominations spilled from the highway both behind and in front of them, aiming to surround the enemy once more.


    ...Just as planned.


    With that many abominations leaving the road, the convoy received a chance to slip through. Luster sent the Rhino crashing through the barrier separating the railroad from the thoroughfare, and continued forward along the slopes of the mountains, plowing through a few stragglers with its ram. The column of vehicles followed, with the Irregulars clearing the path ahead as well as they could.


    Looking to his right, Sunny saw the massive silhouette of the APC speeding past his position, barely visible behind the sea of monsters. With a sigh, he ordered Nightmare to slow down, so that the swarm would concentrate on them and give a convoy a chance to pull ahead.


    A few moments later, the tide of abominations descended upon them. Sunny and Nightmare fought like fiends, eviscerating dozens of creatures - the Shadow in a brutally gruesome way, his Master with clean cuts of a pristine jade blade. Slowly, a pile of corpses started to grow around them, making it hard for new enemies to lunge at the dreadful pair.


    After this battle, Nightmare would have sown plenty of seeds of fear to harvest later... of that, Sunny had no doubt.


    But even then, their luck was bound to run out.


    At some point, the mass of abominations pressing down on them had become too great to resist. The pile of corpses careened dangerously, threatening to entomb both Nightmare and Sunny, and new creatures were raining down on them like a flood. Behind them, the deep dark ocean murmured, cutting off the retreat.


    Just a moment before the tidal wave of Nightmare Creatures crashed on them...


    Both the horse and the rider disappeared, turning into elusive shadows.


    As they glided past the frenzied sea of abomination, embraced by darkness, a choir of maddened howls tore the night apart

 Chapter 952 Hidden Giant

    On a dark desolate highway, a black steed and its bleak rider emerged from the shadows. Adamantine hooves rang on concrete as they flew forward through the falling snow, soon catching up with a small column of battered vehicles.


    Overtaking one transport after another, Sunny briefly evaluated their condition. The convoy was roughly halfway to its destination, and none of the vehicles had failed... yet. Each looked as if it had gone through a meat grinder, but whatever the technicians had done to the transports was still keeping them from breaking down on the road.


    Hopefully, that would continue to be the case.


    His soldiers were doing a good job of warding off the Nightmare Creatures, as well. Nothing had managed to attack the column in his absence. The refugees were all intact.


    Glancing at the military vehicles, Sunny sent a short communication to Gere:


    "How much ammo do you have left, Sergeant?"


    The response came in a crackle of interference:


    "Glad... you back, Captain... sufficient... or two... nearly spent..."


    Sunny frowned. The worsening quality of the signal could mean only one thing. They seemed to be approaching a powerful Gate.


    He concentrated for a moment to sense the Call, and felt that it was gradually growing louder.


    ''Goddammit...''


    With a grimace, Sunny sent Nightmare forward and soon reached the head of the convoy, galloping alongside the Rhino. He caught a glimpse of Luster, who was concentrating on driving the APC, and then looked into the darkness ahead.


    At the moment, there were not enough stragglers on the road to make him summon back Morgan''s Warbow - Abomination and Blackie were enough to deal with them. However, in the distance, still a few kilometers away, Sunny saw a hint of wrongness hidden in the darkness of the polar night.


    There was an ugly rift in the fabric of reality there, one that seemed small and inconsequential from distance, but had to be considerably wide and tall up close, blocking most of the highway.


    A Nightmare Gate.


    The question was... how long ago had it manifested?


    Depending on the answer, the abominations brought into the waking world by it could have long wandered away in search of prey, or were still lingering around.''There is only one way to find out, I guess.''


    Not in a hurry to get back to the roof of the Rhino, Sunny remained in the saddle, wielding the Sin of Solace in one of his hands. He was tensely looking at the swiftly approaching Gate, trying to notice the shapes of Nightmare Creatures that could have been hiding on the highway or the mountain slope nearby... even in the cold waters of the dark ocean.


    There were no enemies in the water, and no enemies on the road. However, the mountain slopes made him feel tense, for some reason. Disturbed, Sunny studied the cliffs rising above the highway to understand what he had missed. Their shape was somewhat irregular, but he did not see any movement...


    That was until the slope itself moved, unfurling long limbs and turning away from the mountain to face the highway.


    Sunny uttered a stifled curse.


    At ten meters tall, the creature was gargantuan. Its rough and uneven hide was almost of the same texture as the stone slope of the mountain, and its eight segmented legs resembled wide pillars. It looked like a giant spider with an enormous, bulbous beehive attached to its carapace, and there were hundreds of small crimson eyes burning in the dark holes of that massive hump.


    Sunny''s mouth turned dry.


    ''...A tyrant.''


    He did not know what Rank the creature was, but it had to be a tyrant... one that carried an army of minions within its body, no less. The towering abomination was a dire threat itself, just from its sheer size alone, and there was no telling how strong and numerous the lesser monsters were.


    Worst of all, the convoy had no choice but to rush toward it.


    Overtaking the Rhino, Sunny gritted his teeth. Ilis mind was in disarray, and the damned whispers of the cursed sword were not making it any easier for him to think.


    ''How the hell do I deal with that thing?''


    There was still almost a minute left before they would reach the Gate and its Guardian, so that was how long he had to come up with a solution.


    Sunny swiftly considered his best options. He could send Nightmare charging forward and attack the tyrant with his most powerful weapon, the Sin of Solace, to either cripple, kill, or lead the creature away from the road.


    Depending on the Rank of the giant spider, that could either be a very good or an utterly terrible decision.


    Alternatively, he could summon his bow and finally use the wasteful, but devastating [Death Dealer] enchantment, potentially delivering a severe wound or outright killing the tyrant on the spot. The minions could be dealt with if he followed up with the Strike of Thunder, too...


    But if that did not work, he would be risking the entire convoy.


    ''Damnation!''


    Sunny almost commanded Nightmare to rush toward the tyrant, but at that moment... something strange happened.


    The giant spider, who had been staring at the approaching human vehicles with malevolent intensity, suddenly froze for a moment, and then took a step back.Then, the creature turned around and rushed toward the mountain, climbing the slope with its long, powerful legs. Just a few seconds later, it was far away from the highway, and continuing to get further, large boulders rolling down from where it had passed.


    It was almost as if the tyrant was scurrying away.


    Sunny blinked, dumbstruck by the unexpected turn of events. In front of him, the highway was empty, with only the pulsating rift of the Gate obstructing its middle section.


    ''What... the hell?''


    Why did it look as though the tyrant was... running from something?


    Before Sunny could digest the new information, a cold shiver suddenly ran down his spine, and his hair almost stood on end. A sense of danger and fear like he had never experienced before suddenly burst into his mind.


    Swinging his head to stare at the ocean, his eyes wide, Sunny felt a colossal shadow rising from the depths of the cold water.


    The waves retreated a few meters back, and then...


    A titanic stone hand suddenly broke the surface and soared into the night sky. The arm of the submerged giant rose above the coastal highway like a dark tower, easily reaching twenty or thirty meters into the air.


    ...And then careened, starting to fall in the direction of the convoy.


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 Chapter 953 Titan

    Sunny froze, mesmerized by the harrowing sight of a dark expanse of weathered stone rising from the depths of the ocean. It rose higher and higher, rivers of water flowing down from the numerous grooves and ravines covering the surface of the giant''s arm. Due to the scale, it seemed as though the arm was moving deceptively slowly, but he knew that to be an illusion.


    A single thought formed in Sunny''s stunned mind.


    ''Goliath...''


    One of the three titans that had come to the Antarctic Center. It had to be him... the Whispering Legion was dead, and the Winter Beast prowled somewhere far to the north. The last one, stone giant Goliath, had disappeared without a trace. Army Command had no accurate data on his current location, the last time Sunny had been in contact with them.


    ...No wonder, if the missing titan had been traveling through the shallows off the coast of the landmass.


    ''It''s... it''s a damn Fallen Titan.''


    A moment later, Sunny suddenly came to his senses, shrugging off the dread and awe of witnessing the enormous creature... or rather, one of its limbs. What was the big deal, anyway? The Goliath was a runt, as far as titans were concerned. He was simply a giant stone abomination, instead of a sentient force of nature. Even then, Sunny had seen far greater beings before...


    However, the damned titan - no matter how he compared to others of its kind - could destroy the convoy with one brush of his finger.


    Barely suppressing his panic, Sunny stared at the falling hand of the giant, then twisted around and waved at Luster, shouting as loud as he could:


    "Go, go, go! Speed up!"


    If there was one blessing in this dreadful situation, it was that Goliath''s aim seemed to be a bit off. If the convoy accelerated, they had a slim chance of shooting underneath the gargantuan arm before it slammed into the highway.


    Should they end up being just a little bit too slow, at least a couple of vehicles would be instantly flattened by the titanic blow... but stopping meant death, so there was no other choice.


    The Rhino dashed forward, gaining a bit more speed. Sunny and Nightmare galloped ahead of it, diving into the shadow of the swiftly falling hand and emerging from it on the other side. The APC was just behind them.


    Sunny''s heart was beating wildly as he counted off seconds... the first of the civilian transports appeared behind him, then another, and another.


    ''Not yet, not yet...''


    Finally, the rear vehicle shot past the Gate. A few moments later, Goliath''s arm hit the concrete surface of the highway, pulverizing a large swath of it and sending a localized earthquake spreading from the point of impact.


    Nightmare stumbled, but righted himself a split second later. Some distance behind, the wheels of the rearmost military vehicle momentarily flew into the air, then hit the cracked surface of the road with a screeching sound. Somehow, the driver managed to maintain control of the vehicle and desperately sped forward, hoping to get away from the colossal threat.


    ''Made it...''


    Sunny let out a groan, knowing that their narrow escape from death was both temporary and futile. No matter how fast the convoy was moving, they had no hope of outrunning a titan. Now that Goliath was aiming for them, there was no chance of salvation.


    Unless something managed to stall the giant for a few minutes, the convoy was doomed.


    ''Not fair, not fair... this is not fair!''


    After all they had been through, after everything he had done, this was the end? Sunny felt like howling at the moon in sorrow and anger.


    Behind them, the enormous hand scraped against the concrete, and then, a titanic shape started to rise from the ocean. Goliath was pulling himself out of the cold water, its ugly head emerging from beneath the waves first.


    Sunny shuddered.


    The titan was somewhat humanoid in appearance, but far from resembling a graceful statue. Unlike the magnificent monuments of the Forgotten Shore, Goliath looked more like a small mountain that had come to life than an effigy of a human. The surface of its body was rough and unpolished, like a natural cliff, and its proportions were all wrong.


    His legs were powerful and stocky, and its torso was massive and asymmetrical, with mounds of stone rising from its back like humps. The giant had three arms, each hand possessing a different number of thick, short fingers.


    His head was like a misshapen hill of brown rock, with two cavernous holes gaping in it, drowned by darkness, and a single circular eye set deep in the center of his forehead.


    At least Sunny thought that it was an eye. The thing was milky-white and round, but seemed to be cut of stone, like the rest of the titan''s body. The thought of being gazed upon by the giant eye made him feel a deep sense of primal terror.


    ...Or rather, even more of it.


    Sunny knew that the convoy had no hope of escaping the titan. But they still had to try.


    The column sped up as much as it could, the battered vehicles burning through whatever they had left to distance themselves from the terrible monstrosity. The turrets unleashed a barrage of bullets, which hit the weathered stone of the titan''s body in twisting streams.


    However, their impacts were like mosquito bites to the giant... less than, even. Mosquitos could break the skin of their prey, at least.


    Goliath climbed onto the highway, his massive shape barely fitting between the mountains and the ocean. Countless waterfalls continued to stream off his body, falling down and forming a pool in the obliterated section of the road.


    The titan''s single eyes moved, locking on the escaping convoy. And then, the creature took a step forward...


    The whole world seemed to tremble from the terrible weight of Goliath''s massive foot.


    Just with this single step, the damned giant covered a lion''s share of distance between him and the desperately speeding convoy. Whatever hope of escape Sunny had left was instantly shattered.


    ''...Curse you.''


    He stared at the towering shape of Goliath for a few seconds, his pale face full of dark resentment.


    Then, Sunny turned Nightmare around and dashed past the convoy, charging directly at the fearsome titan.


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 Chapter 954 Only Darkness

    Because of how close they were to an active Gate, the internal communications barely worked across the convoy. However, Sunny had been prepared for something like that.


    Translating his thoughts to the Extraordinary Rock, he sent a short message to Luster:"No matter what happens, continue forward and don''t slow down. I''ll catch up with the convoy later."''...Hopefully.''


    He shot past the column of vehicles, heading in an entirely wrong direction. What kind of madman would be riding toward a Fallen Titan? Sunny only had enough time to notice frightened expressions on the faces of the Irregulars, who stared at his flashing silhouette in shock, and then the convoy was somewhere behind him. Getting further and further away.


    The towering shape of Goliath, on the other hand, was drawing closer. Looking at the approaching titan, Sunny shivered.


    ''Can I kill a titan?''


    He was honestly not sure. One thing he did know, though, was that he wouldn''t be able to kill this particular titan.


    If Sunny had time to study Goliath, learn his weaknesses, and prepare, then things might have been different. But Army Command knew very little about the stone monstrosity, and so, he knew even less. If the two of them fought to the death, there was no question of who would end up dying.


    Luckily, Sunny did not have to make a heroic last stand. He was no hero and had no plans of being killed any time soon. And so, his goal was not to destroy the colossal creature... he just wanted to slow the big bastard down.


    If the convoy was given time to get away, there was a good chance that Goliath would not follow them. A bit further north, a long stretch of the highway was built under overhanging cliffs, so the giant''s enormous size would become a hindrance. Unless Goliath was ready to smash through many kilometers of solid rock or dive back into the ocean, he was going to have trouble keeping up with the swift vehicles.


    And even if he was ready to wreck the whole mountain range, that would also slow him down.


    A few minutes... Sunny just had to buy the convoy a few minutes.


    ''...How the hell do I stop a titan for a few minutes, though?''


    Nightmare stopped in the middle of the road, dwarfed by the nearing silhouette of Goliath. Sunny stared at the stone giant, shivering as he felt the inhuman gaze fall on him in return. The weight of it was almost palpable, pressing him down like an echo of the Crushing.


    There was a stretch of the quaking highway left between them, but with the creature''s colossal height, it was going to be covered in just a few steps.


    Sunny took a deep breath, and then forced his wildly beating heart to calm down.


    Jumping off his steed, he walked a small distance forward and stopped, his face full of defiant spitefulness.


    "You really shouldn''t have done this during the night, blockhead..."


    With that, he sent his essence forward.


    On the slopes of the mountains and on the dark ribbon of the ocean shore, the mass of shadows moved, coming to life. Then, a thick black chain shot from the darkness, wrapping itself around one of the titan''s arms.


    It was followed by another, and another. Dozens of dark chains flew from the ground, the mountain slope, and the edge of the coast, shackling Goliath''s arms and legs. Sunny was utterly focused, his eyes drowned by deep shadow. His essence surged and flowed like a tide, saturating the deep darkness of the polar night.


    He was burning through all of it without looking back, knowing that nothing but would be enough for the impossible task.


    ...Fortunately, if there was one thing he knew all about, it was chains - both literal and metaphorical. He might have not learned how to escape every chain just yet, but he had learned about being bound a long time ago.


    At first, Goliath did not seem burdened by the shadow chains at all. He continued moving forward, dragging them along. He did not even show a sign of noticing them.


    However, Sunny was not done. A crooked grin appeared on his pale face, and suddenly, it seemed as though the night itself had come to life. Countless chains shot toward the towering titan, binding his limbs.


    Where there were dozens, there were now hundreds. Sunny felt as if his brain was on fire, and wasn''t quite sure how he was managing to keep this many manifested shadows shaped, tangible, and strong at the same time.


    But he was doing it, and more than that, new chains appeared from the darkness every second. Goliath looked like he was carrying a forest of them on his body, anchored to the ground so thoroughly that, finally...


    The titan''s march slowed down.


    Just a little bit at first, but then more and more. The towering monstrosity lowered his torso and pushed forward, a hint of irritation appearing in his bearing. But the more he pushed forward, the more the chains held him back.


    And there were new ones appearing every moment, wrapping themselves around him like snakes.


    In the end, the titan came to a stop just a few dozen meters away from Sunny, less than a step, bent low and utterly immobilized. The shadow chains groaned, cracking as if on the verge of snapping, but held.


    From the side, it looked as if the giant was trying to kneel in front of a defiant ant.


    Sunny let out a shaky breath, and then swayed slightly, feeling drops of blood falling from his nose. His essence was disappearing at a terrible rate. At this point, he wouldn''t be able to sustain the hundreds of shadow chains for long... but no matter how much time that was going to buy, it was already enough.


    ...Probably.


    His mind was somewhat hazy.


    I think I overdid it this time...''


    And when had the whispers of the Sin of Solace gotten so loud?


    Right now, Sunny felt like he could make out what they were saying.


    No... he definitely could.


    The cursed sword whispered into his ear, its voice indistinguishable from his own. It only said one word:


    "Useless."


    Sunny''s eyes widened slightly.


    In the next moment, dozens of chains wrapped around one of Goliath''s legs snapped with a deafening crack.


    ''Oh.''


    The titan''s foot shot forward with astonishing speed and smashed into Sunny with the weight of a mountain.


    There was the howling of the wind and indescribable pain, but mercifully, it did not last long.


    Then, there was only darkness.


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 Chapter 955 The End

    Sunny died.


    Being dead... wasn''t too bad, all things considered.


    More or less every bone in his body was shattered. His rib cage had caved in, and sharp bone fragments were piercing his lungs. His limbs were twisted at unnatural angles, and his skull had cracked. There was excruciating pain, but it went away almost immediately, since his spine was broken, and his spinal cord was severed.


    Bone Weave had tempered his hones and made them incredibly durable, but everything had its limits. For Sunny, that limit had turned out to be being kicked by a literal mountain, apparently.


    He could not see anything, because his eyes had burst, and could not hear anything, because his eardrums had ruptured. The world was dark and silent.


    It was almost comfortable, if not for the terrible cold.


    Sunny was very, very cold.


    ''Ah, damnation...''


    Could he not just die in peace?


    "...You really are a useless piece of outskirt trash."


    Despite not being able to hear anything, he heard the cold, contemptuous voice. His own voice.


    ''Gods, can you shut the hell up?''


    Sunny sent his shadow sense outward and found out that his broken body was laying on the very edge of the dark water, with icy waves washing his blood off the stone shore and licking his skin.


    No wonder he felt cold.


    Goliath was nowhere to be seen, but the weakening tremors that shook the world from time to time told him that the titan was walking away, heading inland. Unable to move, Sunny imagined letting out a sigh.


    ''...What luck.''


    He might have died, but at least the giant had not stepped on him. His body had stopped just outside the dark waves after flying away and ricocheting off the concrete surface of the highway, too. Otherwise, to add insult to injury, he would have had to drown as well.


    But since he had not... now, it was time to come back to life.


    ''Oh, this is going to hurt...''


    Sunny was dead, but of course, such trivialities were not going to stop him. He had not spent most of the Antarctica campaign wearing the Undying Chain without a reason, after all. [Undying] Enchantment Description: "The wearer can not die."


    ...As long as he had essence to spare, death was just a temporary condition for Sunny. It was no different from having his head cut off in the Red Colosseum, and he had survived that debacle without too much trouble.


    Simply being unable to die for a few minutes was not going to save him, sadly. Back then, Sunny had been healed by Elyas before running out of essence... but now, there was no one to help him.


    As soon as he burned through his essence, he would inevitably die.


    ''Well, I''ll just help myself, then...''


    Sunny summoned the runes.


    He did not have eyes anymore, and yet he was still able to perceive them, somehow. It was both strange and logical, explaining how Cassie had been able to communicate with the Spell all that time.


    ''Huh...''


    Finding the Dying Wish in the list of his Memories, he concentrated on it and read the description of the Transcendent charm''s sole enchantment:


    [Death Wish] Enchantment Description: "Those who witness the wielder of this Memory are compelled; friends to be inspired, foes to seek the wielder out. The power of the Memory grows the more enemies they give the gift of death, and can be consumed to heal the wielder''s wounds."


    Death Charge: [1000/1000.]


    ...Sunny had not been idle since coming to Antarctica. He had saturated the counter of the Dying Wish a long time ago by slaughtering countless Nightmare Creatures across the Antarctic Center.


    Now, it was finally time to use that hidden ace.


    Feeling his essence running dry and a numbing fog enveloping his mind, Sunny activated the healing enchantment.


    Instantly, there was a change.


    A furious flood of power rushed into his broken body, repairing it. His eardrums were restored, his liquified eyes slowly started to coalesce back into solid shape. His fractured bones assembled themselves from hundreds of small fragments.


    The severed sections of his spinal cord connected back together.


    "Argh! Crap!"


    The pain was back, sending him into a violent convulsion. Sunny bit his tongue hard enough to feel the salty taste of blood, but a moment later, that wound, too, was healed. The agony of it all was nothing short of exquisite.


    "C-curse it!"


    ...But it was all good. Pain was good. Pain meant that he was alive, or at least coming back to live. It was its absence that was frightening.


    A full charge of the powerful Transcendent Memory was enough to bring his body back from being utterly devastated, but the process was not instantaneous. Even with Blood Weave helping, it took some time. Sunny had no choice but to endure, and wait.


    He was no stranger to agony, anyway.


    At some point, he regained his vision. Rising his head weakly, Sunny looked at himself through the veil of tears. What he saw made him feel disheartened.


    The Undying Chain was all but gone. The bleak steel of his armor was shattered and mangled to the point of being unrecognizable. A few pieces of it were bent at sharp angles and pierced his flesh, slowing down the process of healing.


    Sunny stared at the bloody mess that was his body for a few moments, then thought that he should probably dismiss the armor.


    However, he did not need to.


    Almost at the same moment, the Undying Chain suddenly shone with soft radiance, and then disintegrated into a whirlwind of white sparks. The brilliant sparks danced around him for a few seconds, caressing his skin before disappearing without a trace, forever.


    The familiar voice of the Spell whispered into his ear:


    [Your Memory has been destroyed.]


    ...Sunny dropped his head back into the water.


    ''...Thank you.


    The Undying Chain had held long enough for the healing power of the Dying Wish to bring him back from the doors of death, refusing to succumb to the terrible damage before he was safely on his way to being healed... as if on purpose. True to its name to the very end.


    It was sort of poetic.


    I guess dying makes one sentimental.


    What the hell was he thinking about? It was just a suit of armor... an armor-type Memory. Memories did not have thoughts, aspirations, and feelings.


    Well... most didn''t.


    Turning his head slightly, Sunny stared at the beautiful jade shape of the Sin of Solace, which was laying on the stones a few steps away from him. His eyes darkened a little.


    ''So it was you, all that time. Messing with my mind and calling me names?''


    The moonlight glinted on the pristine white blade. Everything was silent for a few moments, and then, Sunny''s own voice answered, full of disdain:


    "Took you long enough to realize. As expected of an uneducated rat."


    Sunny gritted his teeth and stifled the desire to dismiss the damned sword immediately.


    He had already lost his armor, and leaving himself without a weapon would not be a very good decision.


    Ignoring the insidious whispers, Sunny let out a pained groan, and then stood up with a stagger.


    He was all but naked, terribly fatigued, and suffering from extreme essence exhaustion...


    But he was also, undoubtedly, not dead.


    Sunny came back to life.

 Chapter 956 Follower

    Sunny stood on the shore of the ocean, shivering and considering if he should fall down and take a long, relaxing rest in the cold water. His reserves of essence were utterly spent, and with it came the sickening feeling of fragility and weakness.


    Awakened experienced a form of backlash when burning through all of their essence, but it was only a little bit harmful. The weakness would pass, and there would be no long-term harm done... he just had to weather the immediate consequence.


    The more concerning aspect of the situation was that he did not even have enough essence to summon a single Memory. Looking down at the threadbare rags of his once-pristine black bodysuit, Sunny sighed.


    For now, that was all that separated him from the bitter cold and the chilling winds of Antarctica.


    ''I need to get back to the convoy.''


    Trying to get his tired mind to work properly, Sunny hesitated for a moment.


    ''...But first, I need to check on Nightmare.''


    The stallion was nowhere to be seen, so he was afraid of what had happened to his steed. The runes were still shimmering in the air in front of Sunny, so he turned his attention back to them.


    ...Death Charge: (0/1000].


    The charge of the Dying Wish was completely spent, but it had done its job...


    The Undying Chain was gone.


    Turning away from the list of Memories with a sigh, he looked at the status of his Shadows. The runes describing Nightmare shone as always, so the black steed was not destroyed.


    ''Then where is he?''


    Sunny frowned, then softly hit himself on the forehead, remembering that he could simply check his innate connection to the Shadow. Without wasting any time, he reached inward and tried to sense it within his soul.


    Soon, Sunny felt Nightmare''s presence. The connection was not really meant to share information, but he could still tell that the black steed was nearby, and in the middle of a battle... the battle did not seem dire or dangerous, though.


    The stallion was most likely dealing with stray Nightmare Creatures that could have attacked Sunny while he was still healing.


    ''...Good, then. We can get away from here as soon as he is finished.''


    Sunny swayed a little, then glanced at his four shadows, who were all staring at him with different expressions. The happy shadow was beside itself... but strangely, the other three were also showing some degree of uncharacteristic positivity. Even the gloomy one appeared somewhat relieved.


    He grinned.


    "What, did you think that a mere titan would be enough to get rid of me? Dream on..."


    With that, Sunny looked north, wondering how long it would take to catch up with the convoy, then took a couple steps forward and leaned down to pick up the Sin of Solace.


    ''That damned thing...''


    The closer his fingers got to the jade hilt, the more it seemed as though the cursed sword was smiling ominously.


    "Behind you."


    Sunny scoffed.


    "As if I would be gullible enough to..."


    At that moment, a swift shape shot through the darkness and collided with him.


    A tearing pain pierced Sunny''s side, and he was sent flying into the water. Hitting the dark surface with a pained scream, he scraped his hands on the cold stones beneath and rolled, jumping to his feet a split second later.


    A handful of sharp rocks flew in the direction of the unknown attacker, meant to slow whoever it was down. However, the creature was still standing in the spot where Sunny had been a few moments ago, staring at him with inhuman eyes.


    Sunny staggered.


    Briefly looking down, he saw that a sizable chunk of flesh was torn out of his side. Blood Weave had stemmed the bleeding, but the wound still looked gruesome.


    Then, he glanced back at the bastard who had bitten him.


    The creature... looked vaguely familiar. It was short, barely reaching Sunny''s abdomen, with dark skin and bone plates covering its scrawny body like a suit of light armor. The damned goblin did not look too formidable, but it had a wide mouth full of sharp, triangular teeth.


    ...It was also missing two fingers on its right hand.


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, remembering a tiny imp that he had once failed to finish off. The wretch had grown a lot since their last meeting... however, it was still on the smaller side.


    Looking up, he noticed a lump of bleeding flesh in the abomination''s mouth. His face contorted in anger.


    Sunny clenched his fists and opened his mouth, but before he could say anything... the Scavenger seemed to grin spitefully, and then swallowed the lump of flesh with a look of pure hatred written on its ugly face.


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    "You... you wicked little shit!"


    He had let the imp go once, but the bastard did not know his luck.


    ''That''s great... I''ll just kill him now!''


    Full of fury, Sunny took a step forward, but then staggered. The world suddenly turned hazy, and his head spun.


    ''What the...''


    His side somehow both growing numb and burning with terrible pain. His body felt even weaker than before.


    Slowly looking down, he saw a strangely familiar black liquid flowing out of the gruesome wound. No... it was his blood, which was not stopping, for some reason. The blood had simply turned black.


    His face paled.


    ''...Black Venom?''


    How did he get poisoned with Black Venom?


    Sunny froze for a split second.


    ''No way...''


    The abomination in front of him was a Scavenger - a type of Nightmare Creature that inherited traits of that which it consumed. Had he feasted on the flesh of slain Black Tongues that the convoy had left floating in the mountain lake?


    ...Fiad the little bastard been following the convoy all that time, stuffing himself with all the corpses and carcasses that they had left behind?Growing and waiting for a chance to avenge himself on Sunny?


    Suddenly, he wanted to laugh.


    "Bastard... you waited all that time, only to deliver yourself into my hands now..."


    Sunny took another step forward, commanding the shadows to wrap themselves around his body.


    Before he could, however...


    The Scavenger suddenly dashed forward with tremendous speed, and a dreadful blow crashed into Sunny''s abdomen. With the wind knocked out of him, he was thrown back and fell on his back.


    A split second later, the abomination was on top of Sunny, two unexpectedly powerful hands wrapped around his neck, strangling him. A vicious, hateful snarl escaped from between the creature''s bloodied teeth.


    Sunny''s head was pushed beneath the surface of the waves, and ice-cold water instantly filled his mouth and nose. He tried to push the Scavenger off, but his body was too weak to resist the furious fiend.


    ''Wait... wait...''


    Before Sunny could come up with a single coherent thought, his consciousness started to fade, and a dangerous darkness encroached on his mind.


    ...And then, he got angry, too.

 Chapter 957: Tooth and Nail

    Chapter 957: Tooth and Nail


    ''Why... is this happening to me... twice in a row? W-what is this crap?!''


    Sunny was being strangled and drowned, with his mutilated side on fire because of seawater getting into the ugly wound. The hateful Scavenger had turned out to be astonishingly strong for his demure size... or maybe it was Sunny who was too weak. He was utterly drained of essence, still recovering from being stomped on by a titan, and had a powerful toxin coursing through his veins on top of everything, after all.


    In any case, no matter how desperately he tried to shake the little bastard off his body, it was all in vain.


    ''Argh!''


    The thought of surviving an encounter with a Fallen Titan, only to be killed by this pathetic waste of an abomination, made him feel bitter and slighted. Especially because the damned gremlin was barely half his size...


    "Just give up. Your life is meaningless, anyway."


    Feeling his consciousness starting to slip, Sunny tried to snarl.


    ''Shut... the hell... up!''


    The Sin of Solace remained silent for a moment, and then laughed.


    "...It is amusing how desperately you are trying to survive, knowing that all that is waiting for you is a lifetime of being a slave."


    That was the last drop... no, actually, being ambushed by the odious little goblin had been the last drop. After months of suffering setback after setback and enduring the stress of guiding men through a disastrous war campaign, having to restrain himself to project the image of a capable and composed leader, Sunny had finally had enough of it.


    Suddenly, he was very, very angry.


    He was positively furious.


    Sunny was furious at the world itself, but since the spiteful gremlin was the only creature near him, the bastard was going to have to be the sole target of his anger.


    ''Get here, you wretched waif...''


    nib iingei''s uiT/dliu d siidip pdin pieiceu ounny s iigiu muniu.


    Luckily, the scrawny abomination was no Goliath. Bone Weave might have surrendered to the titanic blow of the giant''s stone foot, but it did not give in to the Scavengers unreasonably sharp teeth. So, Sunny had kept his finger, even though it got cruelly mangled.


    Not even noticing the pain, he grabbed the hateful gremlin''s face, and then pressed his left thumb into the creature''s eye as hard as he could.


    That, at least, got a reaction.


    Shocked, the Scavenger recoiled... and even if it was only for a moment, his grip on Sunny''s neck weakened.


    That was all he needed.


    Shifting beneath the abomination, Sunny managed to bend his knee, insert it between their bodies, and then throw the bastard away. The gluttonous goblin might have been far stronger than he had any business being, but he was still comparatively light. His scrawny body flew away, landing back on the stone shore.


    ''Where do you think you''re going... I''m not finished with you yet, damned pest...''


    Rising from the water, Sunny sucked in a hoarse breath, and then glared at the Scavenger with bloodshot, murderous eyes.


    "Come here..."


    The spiteful creature was happy to oblige. He jumped back to his feet and lunged forward, but then stumbled and grabbed his abdomen with a confused look.


    Sunny grinned.


    "What, do you have a stomach ache?"


    That was probably Blood Weave doing its thing.


    Sunny''s blood was not really poisonous, but it had a disturbing propensity of trying to return to its source when separated from it. So, swallowing a chunk of his flesh was almost like swallowing a handful of metal shavings, and then walking to stand in front of a powerful magnet.


    The bastard had to be in a world of pain...


    ''No... not yet, he isn''t...''


    Sunny dashed toward the vile goblin, and used the momentary lapse in their battle to shift his vision and get a look at his enemy''s soul. What he saw surprised him.


    The Scavenger, who had started as a tiny pipsqueak of a Nightmare Creature, had not only grown many times its size physically, but also spiritually. Judging by the hideous darkness spreading through his soul, he was now a Fallen Demon... Sunny was pretty sure that the pathetic abomination he had failed to kill at LO49 was both of a lesser Rank and a lower Class, so it was a bit startling.


    ''Well, no matter. He''ll die all the same...''


    The two of them clashed at the edge of the water. The Scavenger was strong, fast, and vicious, but Sunny was augmented by four shadows.


    Sadly, the augmentation of the shadows was not set in stone, instead enhancing his own physical state. And since his physical state was currently at the rock bottom, Sunny was still far away from being able to perform at his peak. Weakness multiplied by five might have transformed into a kind of strength, but not the sort he was used to.


    Still... he was both bigger and stronger than the feral gremlin, even if the gap was not as large as it was supposed to be. The creature only had a slight advantage in speed.


    Wishing to crush the bastard with his own two hands, Sunny tried to grapple the Scavenger and bring him to the ground, but the hateful imp managed to slip from his grasp at the last moment and lashed out with his maimed hand... delivering a vicious blow right into Sunny''s wounded side.


    The explosion of pain made stars appear in his eyes. A strange wheezing sound escape from between the abomination''s sharp teeth, sounding almost like... almost like hoarse laughter. "You wretch!"


    Hissing, Sunny caught the abomination''s arm and twisted it. The familiar sound of snapping bones made a smile appear on his face, but a moment later, it was replaced by a pained grimace. Without skipping a beat after having his arm broken, the Scavenger sunk his teeth into Sunny''s forearm, making more blood splatter on the rocks and more venom to enter his system.


    "Goddammit!"


    Livid, Sunny slapped the scrawny fiend across the head, sending him flying away. Even before the abomination landed, he was already closing in, prepared to annihilate the little bastard.


    However...


    The Scavenger just happened to fall on a very particular spot on the stone shore. His maimed hand ended up mere centimeters away from the hilt of Sin of Solace, which was still laying on the wet rocks.


    The familiar voice laughed coldly.


    "Well, would you look at that. What a turn of events..."


    Before Sunny could reach the evil goblin, the creature hurriedly reached forward, grabbed the cursed sword, and swung it fiercely in Sunny''s direction.

 Chapter 958: A Series of Unfortunate Events

    Chapter 958: A Series of Unfortunate Events


    Sunny was too close to dodge the sudden strike, and the Scavenger was too quick to let him. Even though the Sin of Solace was longer than his whole body, the little fiend managed to swing it fast enough to leave the enemy no time to retreat.


    ''What... the hell...''


    Knowing that the jade blade would easily cut him in half, or at least deliver a devastating wound, Sunny stared at the deadly white blur as it approached his torso. The time seemed to have slowed down.


    ''Is this a joke?''


    Without having to do anything, he simply dismissed the Sin of Solace. Instead of the lethal touch of the perfect jade, his skin was washed by a scattering of white sparks.


    The gremlin blinked in confusion and then awkwardly clenched his fists, as if trying to understand where the sword he had been just holding went. In the next moment, Sunny kicked him in the chest, sending the abomination flying again. Judging by the satisfying crunch he felt, the plate of bone armor on the Scavenger''s chest was broken, and very likely a few of his ribs, too.


    ...Best of all, the damned sword finally stopped talking.


    The wounded fiend bounced off the rocks, rolled a few meters, and then jumped to his feet. He did not seem too wounded to not be able to continue the fight, and more than eager to. However, his expression was slightly pained, and before doing anything, the gremlin hit his head a few times.


    Sunny smiled.


    It seemed that the annoying whispers had done a number on the Scavenger''s mind, as well.


    Now, all that was left was to finish the little menace off. Preferably, without losing any more pieces of flesh or getting even more poisoned than he already was...


    Sunny just started to consider the best and most painful way to kill the Scavenger, but at that moment, a beautiful sound reached his ears.


    It was the ringing of adamantine hooves that was approaching them from somewhere further up the road.


    A nasty grin appeared on his face.


    "Oh, you are so done now, bastard..."


    Nightmare had obliterated his foes and was coming back to assist his master.


    The Scavenger seemed to understand the meaning of the ringing, too. He hesitated, staring at Sunny with an expression of burning hatred.


    ''Time to die.''


    ...Then, something changed. The expression on the ugly face of the vicious gremlin shifted, turning into one of indescribable fear. Moving his head, the little fiend stared at something behind Sunny''s back. But there was nothing there...


    Sunny wanted to scoff.


    ''Does this cretin really think that I will fall for the oldest trick in the book? I wrote that damn book, fool!''


    ...except for the ocean.


    Then again... Sunny had already neglected to look behind himself once today. Which had led to his current pitiful state.


    Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.


    With all four shadows wrapped around his body, Sunny could not see what was happening behind him. Gritting his teeth and knowing that he would regret it, he briefly glanced at the dark surface of the water.


    The ocean was just as it had been a minute ago, and no horror was lunging at him from the cold waves.


    ''...No, no, no!''


    By the time he looked back, the Scavenger was already gone.


    Sunny did not know where the little bastard had disappeared to, but he could not see any trace of him. It was as if the Scavenger had never been here at all.


    A stunned expression appeared on Sunny''s face.


    "Did... did he really... slip away from me? Again?!"


    He opened his mouth in disbelief.


    ''...Damnation!''


    Infuriated, Sunny kicked the nearest rock and then spun, hoping against reason to find the hateful gremlin, somehow. He could not have gotten too far away, or hidden too well... there was no telling just what sort of powers the hateful abomination had absorbed by devouring countless Nightmare Creatures, though.


    The Scavenger was thoroughly gone.


    "I can''t believe it! Curse that damned wretch!"


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny sent his shadow sense outward, reaching as far as he could in the hope of discovering a hiding goblin.


    He did not sense a scrawny shadow of the fiend anywhere...


    ...He did sense something else, however.


    Suddenly, Sunny felt very cold.


    Slowly turning around, he looked at the ocean again. The surface of the undulating waves was unchanged...


    But somewhere beneath it, at the very edge of his senses, he could feel shadows moving across the ocean floor, drawing closer and closer.


    Dozens... no, hundreds and hundreds of them, all heading toward a single point.


    Him.


    Backing away, Sunny gulped.


    ''Was... was the little wretch not faking, after all?''


    What could have frightened the Scavenger so much that he had chosen to abandon his attempt at murdering Sunny?


    ''I... better not find out.''


    Without a drop of essence in his cores and Black Venom coursing through his veins, Sunny did not feel particularly keen to learn what horrors were approaching him from beneath the waves.


    He took a few more steps away and then turned around, noticing a familiar shape.


    Nightmare appeared in his view, galloping across the shattered surface of the highway. Following Sunny''s command, the black stallion flashed past him without ever slowing down.


    As he did, Sunny grabbed the hook of the saddle and pulled himself up, jumping on the back of the galloping steed.


    Together, they dashed away from the water, heading north as fast as they could.


    Throughout all of it, Sunny never looked back. The feeling of cold dread he felt from the approaching shadows...


    It was eerily familiar.


    ''To hell with this... to hell with it all. This is too damn much for one godforsaken day!''


    ...The silhouette of the dark courser and his half-naked, battered rider disappeared behind a bend of a mountain slope. And just a few seconds later, the dark waters parted, and the first of the eerie visitors stepped from the water onto the shore.

 Chapter 959 Lonesome Rider

    Sunny was riding north through the bitter cold of the polar night, shivering in his raggedy, tattered bodysuit. The coastal highway stretched forward, strangely silent and empty. From time to time, he encountered bleeding carcasses of slain Nightmare Creatures that lay on the concrete, staring into the darkness with glassy eyes.


    Those were the only signs left behind by the passing of the convoy. The rest of the abominations must have been pulled away by it, rushing in pursuit of the small column of vehicles. That gave Sunny a chance to catch his breath.


    ''Ah... I am tired...''


    Now that the thrill of the battle was gone, he found himself in a somber mood. The cold, dark, and desolate landscape of the Antarctic Center was only adding to the gloom. Looking ahead, Sunny winced as he rocked in Nightmare''s saddle. His wounds were hurting, and the lethal toxin was still trying to kill him from the inside.


    Most people would have been dead already, but Blood Weave was slowly overcoming the black venom. Sunny was still bleeding from the torn bite wounds on his side and his forearm, though. His thumb was also a mess.


    Since he had not encountered anything capable of making him bleed in a long while, that was a bit disconcerting. However, there was very little that Sunny could do. He had a mundane medkit stored inside the Covetous Coffer, but lacked the essence to summon it.


    He could not summon an armor to protect himself from the cold for the same reason, as well. After being completely exhausted, essence was slow to return to the vast reservoirs of his cores.


    What little he had received from dismissing the Sin of Solace was almost instantly absorbed by his essence-starved body. Until his flesh w''as saturated at least to a small degree, he was not going to be able to summon any Memory.


    It was not too bad, though. The more of the rejuvenating essence returned to his body, the better he was able to resist the cold, and the stronger Blood Weave became.


    Slowly but surely, the feeling of sickening weakness permeating his whole being was receding.


    Then, a small trickle of essence flowed into his cores.


    ''...Finally.''


    Sunny commanded Nightmare to stop, and then dismounted. He knelt on the concrete for a minute or two, steadily breathing in and out and thinking about what Memory he should summon first. He was cold and required armor to protect him from both the elements and the enemies, but he also felt very uncomfortable without a weapon. His wounds needed to be tended to, and the Memory of Ice was another worthy candidate.


    Eventually, he sighed.


    ''Nightmare can be my weapon, for now.''


    With that, Sunny summoned the Covetous Coffer. Opening the metal chest, he took out a medkit and awkwardly applied the clotting agent to his wounds, then plastered the sealing patches on top of them. After that, he reached deep into the cavernous storage space of the Coffer, searched for a bit, and pulled out a military coat.


    Sunny stared at the brass buttons on the coat for a few minutes, then put it on and raised the collar, hoping to save himself from the chilling wind.


    ''That should do it for now.''


    Climbing back into the saddle, he sent his steed forward. Nightmare went slowly at first, so as not to disturb his master''s wounds too much.


    They traveled in silence for some time. Eventually, Sunny recovered enough essence to summon another Memory, choosing the Cruel Sight this time. He had considered calling upon the Sin of Solace, but then decided against it. His mood was already dark, and listening to the damned sword was not going to improve it one bit.


    Plus, with the Undying Chain gone, his mental defenses were not as good as they had been. Sunny scowled when he remembered the loss of the Transcendent armor, and hurried to throw the bitter thoughts out of his mind.


    ...It seemed that after subjecting him to all kinds of misfortune, [Fated] had finally decided to bestow Sunny with some luck. He had not encountered a single Nightmare Creature while traversing a long stretch of the highway.


    Eventually, though, that luck was bound to run out.


    Looking through the eyes of one of the shadows, which was scouting ahead, Sunny frowned. There was a dark mass of moving bodies blocking the road about a kilometer further north... the concrete was littered with corpses, and the abominations were feasting on the flesh of their fallen brethren, devouring them in a nauseating mess of squelching noises.


    As Sunny looked past the morbid feast, his eyes darkened.


    Soon, adamantine hooves rang on the concrete, and a nightmarish rider plunged into the mass of abominations. His steed stomped and tore them apart, and the shining spear of the rider himself flashed, making stark shadows dance on the surface of the highway, and streams of evaporating blood fountain into the cold air.


    It did not take Sunny long to eviscerate the scavenging Nightmare Creatures. By then, he had recovered enough essence to channel it into the Cruel Sight, and by the time the short and brutal battle ended, he still had enough left to summon the Mantle of the Underworld.


    Finally, he was not cold anymore.


    ...His mood, however, only grew darker.


    Out there behind the mass of dead Nightmare Creatures - both those who had been killed before he arrived and those he killed himself - the familiar shape of one of the civilian transports could be seen on the road, standing motionlessly.


    The lights of the vehicle were gone, and its frame was littered by deep gouges. Several large holes revealed the dark interior. Carcasses of the abominations were piled around the transport especially high, as if there had been a desperate fight around it.


    Sunny sighed, then walked over and climbed inside, expecting to see the worst.


    However, there were no human bodies littering the interior. There was no blood, either, just emptiness and shards of broken glass. ''...What the hell happened here?''


    He lingered for a few moments, then returned outside and jumped into the saddle with a deep frown on his pale face. Full of tension, Sunny sent Nightmare galloping north once again. This time, his posture was full of a sense of urgency.

 Chapter 960 Erebus Field

    About an hour later, Sunny reached the spot where the convoy was supposed to leave the highway and turn inland, scaling the mountains once again to eventually reach Erebus Field.


    Of all the siege capitals in the Antarctic Center, only the first and the largest one - Falcon Scott - was situated near water. Even then, the actual port was a separate and solitary fortress, connected to the city above it by a network of industrial elevators. The rest of the human strongholds were built away from the ocean, on the outskirts of the mountains.


    So, the last stretch of the way was going to take the convoy away from the coast... if they continued on the route Sunny had planned for them, of course.


    He had killed a few more Nightmare creatures while trying to catch up with his men, and the corpses he had encountered seemed fresher as of late. From what Sunny could tell, the column was not too far ahead of him now. If he was lucky, he might even be able to rejoin the convoy before reaching Erebus Field.


    The siege capital had to be surrounded by a ring of active battle engagements, so Sunny really hoped to accompany the refugees through that mess.


    ''No time to waste, then.''


    He commanded Nightmare to turn east. Not long after they started to ascend the mountains, the snowfall seemed to pick up, making it harder to see.


    There was something strange about that snow, though.


    ''What is this smell?''


    Frowning, Sunny raised a hand and caught a few snowflakes on his palm. While he could see in the dark, differentiating colors that way was not his strongest suit. Sunny could instantly tell that something was wrong, though, because the white snowflakes did not contrast against the onyx metal of his gauntlet nearly as much as they should have.


    In fact, they were not white at all.


    He tilted his head a little, then smeared the snowflakes across his palm. What was left behind was a trail of black soot.


    ''...It''s ash.''


    Looking up at the sky, he scowled. The strong snowfall was no snowfall at all. Instead, it was raining ash. Countless grey flakes fell from high above, dancing in the wind as they slowly obscured the world in a thick fog.


    ''That can''t be good.''


    Full of bad premonitions, Sunny sent Nightmare into a gallop.


    They moved deeper into the mountains, following the twisted road. By now, Blood Weave had mostly dealt with the toxin, and his wounds were already healing. His essence was slowly being replenished, as well, so overall, Sunny was in relatively good shape. Not enough to face something truly dreadful yet, but well on the way.


    ''Where the hell is my convoy?''


    Just as he thought that, the scouting shadows noticed something ahead. Just short of the highest point of the nearest mountain pass, protected from the wind by tall cliffs, a group of battered vehicles was parked in a circle, with tired soldiers standing guard around it. He noticed Belle sitting on the roof of one of the transport, holding a sword in his hand.


    A sense of profound relief grasped Sunny''s heart.


    ''...They''re fine!''


    He let out a heavy breath, and asked Nightmare to go faster.


    A few minutes later, the figure of an infernal rider clad in fearsome black armor entered the circle of light surrounding the parked convoy. The soldiers flinched and raised their rifles, aiming at the frightening apparition.


    Sunny raised a hand.


    "Don''t shoot, bastards! What the hell is this, a mutiny?!"


    The soldiers blinked a couple of times, staring at him with wide eyes. Then, someone yelled:


    "It''s the Captain! He''s back!"


    "Thank the gods!"


    "Someone, tell the Devils!"


    There was no need to inform the Irregulars, though. Belle was the first one to notice him, and just a few moments later, the whole cohort emerged from the camp to meet him.


    Sunny jumped off the back of Nightmare, patted the stallion on the shoulder, and then dismissed him. Then, he turned to his people.


    Kim was the first one to speak:


    "Captain! You''re alive! I... I mean, of course, you are. That rock of yours would have disappeared if you died..."


    Luster grinned.


    "See, I told you!"


    Quentin glanced at him, then nodded with a smile.


    "We shouldn''t have doubted the Captain, indeed. But, to be honest, sir... none of us believed that you would manage to stop a Fallen Titan, let alone live to tell the tale. All by yourself, no less. That is simply incredible! How did you even survive?"


    Sunny stared at him blankly for a few moments, then said evenly:


    "I didn''t."


    As the members of the cohort looked at him with wide eyes, he scratched the back of his head and added:


    "...Being dead was not all it''s cracked up to be, though, so I walked it off. Anyway, I found the empty transport on the highway. What the hell happened?"


    The Irregulars glanced at each other. Dorn sighed, then pointed to the convoy.


    "It broke down in the middle of the road, sir. We had to stop and transfer the refugees to the other three vehicles. The abominations did not let us do it in peace, of course... it was a hell of a fight, but in the end, we managed to get everyone loaded up safely, broke through the crowd of Nightmare Creatures, and fled. We... lost a couple of soldiers, but none of the civilians were seriously hurt."


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh.


    ''So, more people died.''


    He closed his eyes for a moment.


    "What is the situation now, then?"


    Dorn''s face darkened.


    "The remaining transports are in bad shape and severely overloaded, sir. I don''t think that they''ll be able to travel for much longer."


    That was to be expected. Sunny waved a hand.


    "Are they going to make it to Erebus Field, at least? And, by the way, why did you stop? Is there a large number of Nightmare Creatures between us and the city gate?"


    None of the members of the cohort answered... which was strange in and of itself.


    What made Sunny really anxious, though, were the fallen expressions on their faces.


    "...What?"


    Dorn remained silent for a bit, then turned his head in the direction of the mountain pass.


    "It would be easier if we just showed you, sir."


    They walked through the camp, and then crested the slope of the pass. From there, Sunny had a clear view of Erebus field, which was supposed to be half a dozen kilometers further north.


    ...Supposed to.


    With a frozen expression, Sunny looked through the falling ash at the dreadful sight below. His sunken eyes were hidden by deep, dark shadows.


    ''Curse it all.''


    Erebus Field... was no more.

 Chapter 961: Sand Castles

    The dark skies were shrouded by a veil of slowly falling ash. Far below the mountain pass, illuminated by foreboding red glow, a vast metropolis lay in ruins. The shattered buildings were drowning in rivers of lava, and a terrible conflagration was raging across the devastated land, devouring what little was left of the once-thriving city.


    Above the scene of devastation, the dark shape of Mount Erebus was wreathed in smoke. A flood of molten rock was flowing down its slopes, glowing through the haze. The walls of the city were breached, and uncountable hordes of Nightmare Creatures were prowling in the ruins, some bathing in the flames, some avoiding it.


    ...Looking down with a dead expression on his pale, tired face, Sunny found himself momentarily unable to feel anything.


    ''Doesn''t make any sense...''


    Erebus Field was... had been one of the most prominent cities in Antarctica. Famous for its geothermal energy farms, fertile soil, and warmth, it had been home to tens of millions of people even before becoming an evacuation center.


    The local government branch had been supposed to have the volcano well under control. Even if all the safety systems they had in place were to suffer a cataclysmic failure, the city had possessed formidable fortifications long before being converted into a siege capital. With those in place and a whole division of the First Army working on reinforcing the defensive infrastructure, as well as the presence of hundreds of Awakened and more than a few Masters, Erebus Field simply could not succumb to something as mundane as a volcanic eruption.


    ''How did this happen?''


    Sunny had been supposed to guide the convoy to this stronghold, deliver the refugees to the authorities, rendezvous with Davis and his cohort of Irregulars, and then resume acting in his usual capacity as the captain of a fast-response combat unit.


    Instead, the city was gone, Davis and his people were nowhere to be found, and the responsibility of caring for the convoy of defenseless civilians was still pressing heavily on his shoulders. If anything, that weight had only become more burdensome.


    He was at his wit''s end.


    With a sigh, Sunny rubbed his face, and then sat down on a nearby boulder. His eyes were still glued to the horrible scene below. He was simply unable to look away.


    The members of the cohort stood awkwardly around him, keeping silent. Sunny remembered that he was meant to be projecting an image of confidence as their leader, but was too rattled and angry to care.


    After a while, Belle cleared his throat.


    "...We are awaiting your orders, sir."


    Quentin glanced at the swordsman reproachfully, then sighed.


    "None of us really knows what to do. The mood among the civilians is pretty dark, as well. Ah... everyone is a bit shaken, I think. We did check the maps, though. The next siege capital is to the north-east of here, over the mountains. About three hundred kilometers away. Miss Beth and Professor Obel are currently searching for a good route..."


    Sunny silently shook his head.


    "...There''s no point. Siege capitals seem to be crumbling like sand castles these days. Who says that the next one will still be there by the time we arrive? If we even make it..."


    The Irregulars glanced at each other with uncomfortable expressions. After a poignant pause, Kim asked:


    "What... what should we do, then? Sir?"


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh, then looked north.


    After a few moments of silence, he said:


    "...Go to Falcon Scott. That is our best hope. Even if all other siege capitals fall, it will stand. It is the most fortified, and the First Army''s presence is the strongest there. Most importantly... that is where Saint Tyris is. As long as she is defending the north, we''ll be safe there."


    Sunny did not add that if something capable of taking Sky Tide out appeared, all of them would be better off committing suicide. Once Saints started to die, mortals like them had no hope of making it out, really.


    He also did not mention that there were another two thousand kilometers between them and Falcon Scott, twice as much as they had barely survived to get to Erebus Field from LO49. Everyone here knew that, since the cohort had started this damned campaign at the distant northern stronghold.


    Returning to Falcon Scott would complete the calamitous circle.


    Granted, the situation would be slightly different as they moved further north. Since that was where the First Army had first established its presence, the territories between Erebus Field and Falcon Scott were far better entrenched than the desolate regions in the south, where the army had come last.


    There would be established evacuation corridors, or at least remnants of them. Supply depots, fortified outposts, well-maintained roads... perhaps they would even meet friendly forces on the way.


    ''Come to think of it, I should probably contact Army Command as soon as possible, to get detailed information about the big picture.''


    The timing would be tricky, since the convoy was currently in a dire situation, with numerous Nightmare Creatures flooding the area. Sending even one Irregular into the Dream Realm would diminish their ability to defend themselves, but it was better than remaining blind. His people needed sleep, anyway.


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then said:


    "Leave me for a bit. I need to think. Oh... make sure that the transports are as ready to move as they can be, while you''re at it."


    He doubted that it would be safe to remain near the fallen city for long.


    The Irregulars nodded, then backed off and headed toward the convoy''s temporary camp.


    Left alone, Sunny forced himself to look away from the ruins of Erebus Field and stared up at the sky, which was dark and obscured by clouds of ash.


    ''...Damn it.''


    The three remaining civilian transports were overloaded and on the verge of irrevocably breaking down. Military vehicles should still be operational, but Sergeant Gere had probably run out of ammunition by now.


    ''What the hell am I supposed to do?''


    As Sunny watched the sky, a black dot appeared above him. At first, he thought that it was just another flake of ash, but the dot moved too swiftly to be one.It dove down, slowly growing as it drew closer.


    A few seconds later, a black bird landed on a rock near him. It had glossy black feathers, smart round eyes, and a sharp beak that reminded him of Spire Messengers. With mild surprise, Sunny recognized it as a crow.


    He knew that one, at least. Birds were a little bit less extinct than mammals, so even though they were a rare sight in the outskirts, there were some. They usually did not last long, though.


    However...


    ''Why is there a crow in Antarctica?''


    Just as he thought it, the crow opened its beak and cawed.


    ...Its caws sounded terribly like words.


    "Sah-nee! Sah-nee!"

 Chapter 962: Reapers Crow

    As soon as the strange crow appeared, Sunny was ready to kill it. Summoning the Moonlight Shard would have only taken a split second, and a swift strike of his armored fist was going to do the job just as well.


    If it was an ordinary bird, of course. Which he seriously doubted.


    He did not expect the crow to speak, though.


    "Sah-nee! Sah-nee!"


    ''...Is it calling my name?''


    Sunny temporary postponed his plans of killing the crow and stared at it for a bit. The crow tilted its head and stared back.


    "Sah-nee!"


    He blinked, then shifted his vision and looked into the bird''s soul. Sunny expected to see an orb of repulsive darkness, but what he saw instead were two radiant cores. The crow was an Awakened Monster... however, it was not a Nightmare Creature.


    ''Is it an Echo, or am I losing my mind? Again?''


    He hesitated for a little while, then said cautiously:


    "Yes, I am Sunny."


    The bird jumped closer with a satisfied look, shook its entire body to get rid of flakes of ash clinging to the black feathers, and then cawed again.


    "Jet! Jet!"


    A spark of hope ignited in Sunny''s heart. He studied the crow some more, then leaned closer and whispered:


    "Did Master Jet send you?"


    The small monster bobbed its head up and down several times.


    "Jet! Send!"


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply.


    ''So she did not forget about me after all, huh...


    The crow appeared to be Soul Reaper''s Echo, which she had sent to find Sunny. It felt... nice... to be remembered. However, he was not sure how the black bird was supposed to help him, if that was Jet''s intention at all.


    Was it simply a messenger to deliver new orders? Someone to guide him to Davis and his cohort of elite assassins?


    He hesitated for a moment.


    "Why did Master Jet send you to find me?"


    The small monster jumped a couple of times.


    "Crow! Help!"


    So it was not just a messenger. The Echo was meant to assist him, somehow. Sunny tried not to get too excited.


    "How are you going to help me? Are you going to lead me to Davis?"


    The black bird silently shook its head, making Sunny frown.


    "Why not?"


    The crow tilted its head.


    "Da-vees! Dead..."


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh. So, Pride was gone... his men probably hadn''t made it out of Erebus Field, either. He did not know the cold man too well, but the loss of a full cohort of Irregulars still hit him hard.


    ...Not to mention that Sunny''s hopes of linking up with another powerful Master were crushed.


    From what he knew, that was the first serious casualties the Irregulars had suffered from the start of the campaign. His information was outdated, though.


    ''Who says that any of them are still alive?''


    The Irregulars, and especially their captains, were elites among elites. But with how unreasonably dreadful the Chain of Nightmares was turning out to be, at least in the Antarctic Center, there were no guarantees.


    Hell, he himself had all but died just a few hours ago.


    At least Soul Reaper was still out there, somewhere...


    A dark grimace appeared on Sunny''s face. Looking back at the small bird, he asked in a dubious tone:


    "How are you supposed to help me, then?"


    The crow flapped its wings.


    "Crow! Show!"


    Sunny frowned.


    "Show what?"


    The bird stared at him for a few moments, then cawed again:


    "Crow! Show!"


    Then, it added:


    "Sah-nee! Follow!"


    ''It wants me to follow it?''


    He did not have too much trust in the mere Awakened Monster''s abilities, but if Master Jet had sent it, then there had to be a good reason. In any case, Sunny did not have too many choices.


    Although he did not want to think it aloud, the convoy''s situation was more or less hopeless. With failing vehicles and an ocean of NighLinare Creatures surrounding them, the chances that he would be able to keep the refugees alive were not too high.


    Sunny sighed, then nodded.


    "Alright. We''ll follow you. Just give me a bit of time to get my people on the road."


    The crow stared at him for a bit, then flopped its wings again.


    "Hur-ry!"


    ''You don''t need to remind me...''


    Standing up, Sunny descended toward the convoy''s camp and ordered everyone to prepare for departure. Soon, the column of vehicles left its temporary shelter and followed a narrow mountain road that circled the former Erebus Field from a good distance.


    The crow flew above them, guiding the convoy deeper into the mountains. The bird had turned out to be an amazing scout. Not only was it able to notice swarms of Nightmare Creatures from high above long before they could threaten the column, but it was also smart enough to lead Sunny and his people around the prowling abominations.


    After about an hour of tense, but uneventful driving, they left the sight of the destroyed city behind. The scene of devastation was now obscured by the slopes and peaks, but the plume of smoke rising from the crater of Mount Erebus and the angry orange glow of the burning stronghold could still be seen.


    The crow guided the convoy to a wide crossroad, and then dove down, landing near a small structure standing at the side of it.


    The convoy came to a halt, the civilian transports looking like they might not ever be able to get their engines running again. Sparing them an uneasy glance, Sunny jumped down from the roof of the Rhino and approached the structure.


    It seemed freshly built, and was most likely constructed by the First Army just a month or two ago. He had no idea what its purpose was, though.


    Uncertain, Sunny glanced at the black bird, who looked very proud of itself.


    "What am I supposed to do with that?"


    The crow tilted its head.


    "Door! Open!"


    ''Oh.''


    Despite its small size, the structure had actual blast doors blocking its entrance. The gate was large enough to be rammed by the Rhino, but of course, Sunny was not going to order Luster to do something that stupid.


    He briefly thought about cutting through the blast doors with the Cruel Sight, but then shook his head with a roll of eyes, walked over to a small panel at the side of the gate, and placed his palm on it. The panel lit up, and then, a mechanical voice came from the in-built dynamics.


    "Captain Sunless. Verified. Sufficient clearance."


    The blast doors opened, revealing the entrance to a wide tunnel.


    ''Oh. Hell. No.''


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, cursing his fate, then reluctantly sent one of his shadows into the tunnel.


    Despite his newly established aversion to tunnels of all kinds, that one turned out to be rather short, leading to a vast underground chamber. It was rectangular in shape, and large enough for the several convoy''s the size of the one Sunny was leading to take shelter inside.


    ''It''s a hidden supply depot... a big one, at th... huh?''


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    Inside the underground garage...


    Rows and rows of pristine military vehicles stood, ready to be powered up and armed with full compliments of heavy assault weapons.

 Chapter 963: Supply Depot

    Sunny remained motionless for a while, until eventually there was a sound of footsteps approaching him. Turning around, he looked at Sergeant Gere with a blank expression.


    The soldier tensed, habitually expecting dreadful news.


    "...What? What''s in there?"


    Sunny lingered for a bit, then simply shook his head.


    "Order the convoy to drive inside. You''ll see soon enough."


    Before too long, the column of battered vehicles drove past him, disappearing into the dark tunnel. Once they were all inside, Sunny glanced at the falling ash one last time, then walked into the darkness himself. The blast doors closed behind him with a reverberating hum, cutting off the bitter cold and the chilling wind of the polar night.


    Just before the two plates of armored alloy touched, Master Jet''s crow flew between them and landed on Sunny''s shoulder. The bird glanced into the tunnel with curiosity, then stared at him and cawed a couple of times. For a change, those were simple caws, and not mangled words of the human language.


    A pale smile appeared on Sunny''s face.


    "...Yeah. Good job."


    With that, he walked down the tunnel, soon reaching the underground garage.


    The convoy was parked in the empty corner of the vast chamber, and excited soldiers were already moving around the pristine military vehicles, evaluating their state. Someone else was busy opening alloy crates that were stacked along one of the walls, full of all kinds of supplies.


    The depot was brightly illuminated by powerful light fixtures, which had come online as soon as Sunny opened the gate using his command authority. The ventilation systems were also online, filling the underground space with the familiar, calming smell of artificially cleaned air.


    Sunny breathed in deeply and waited for Sergeant Gere to approach him.


    "So? How is it?"


    The soldier smiled, which made Sunny realize that he had never seen the dependable sergeant do that before.


    "...It''s nothing short of amazing, sir. This is a divisional field resupply station, from what I can tell. It''s meant to replenish the expended resources of an entire division between battles, if there''s no convenient opportunity to reach a fortified stronghold or if the supply lines are cut. There''s enough here to support the deployment of thousands of soldiers."


    He paused for a moment, and then pointed at the rows of vehicles.


    "We have not assessed the full inventory yet, but you can already see that this is far more than we need. There are different types of machines, too, from armored personnel carriers to assault vehicles and light scouts. I mean, there''s even a dozen MWRs here, with enough ammunition to load all their armaments."


    Sunny glanced at the towering shapes of the mobile war platforms standing near the back wall. These giant humanoid robots were about six meters tall, on the smaller side compared to their larger cousins, but they still packed a heavy punch. Samara''s powerful rifle had been meant to serve as a light weapon for one of these formidable machines, but was later refitted to be used by the Awakened sharpshooter.


    The presence of MWRs was a pleasant surprise. Mundane soldiers were somewhat capable of facing Dormant Nightmare Creatures, but had troubles dealing with the Awakened ones, even with the help of exoskeleton armor suits. The fierce arsenal of guns and launchers installed on the war platforms, however, made them destructive enough to accomplish that task.


    There was just one problem...


    Sunny gave Sergeant Gere a dubious look.


    "Do we even have anyone capable of piloting these things?"


    The soldier coughed and awkwardly scratched the back of his head.


    "Oh... no, not really."


    He remained silent for a few moments, then smiled again.


    "Still. There''s also ammunition for our turrets, as well as food, medicine, spare fuel cells, necessities... basically, all that the refugees need. We can even arm them all, if that is what you want to do. Those vehicles that we can drive are much faster than the civilian transports, too, have better armor, and can navigate more difficult terrain. Not to mention that there''s more of them than we can possibly use, or everything, really. The infrastructure between here and Falcon Scott is also much better developed, so... I think both our speed and defensive capabilities are going to increase tremendously."


    Sunny nodded, then glanced briefly at the crow, who had left his shoulder and was now perching on one of the beams of the support framework near the ceiling of the depot, looking down at the hustling humans with a curious expression.


    "...Good. We''ll be staying here for a couple of days, to let the people rest and give us time to get acquainted with all these shiny new toys. Make sure that everyone has a warm meal and a comfortable place to sleep."


    With that, he left Gere to figure out the logistics of settling in hundreds of refugees in an underground storage bunker that was not really meant to be used for such a purpose, and tiredly walked toward the Rhino.


    There were many robust vehicles in the supply depot, but he did not see anything that could compare to his personal ride. The fearsome APC was still the best there was.


    ''...I need some rest myself.''


    Climbing inside the Rhino, he exchanged a few words with Professor Obel, then told Luster to figure out the sleep schedule between the Irregulars and bring him some news from the Dream Realm by the morning... or whatever it was going to be once he woke up.


    Then, Sunny took off his military coat and dismissed the Mantle of the Underworld, which had been hidden beneath.


    At that moment, Beth was approaching him to say something, but lingered after noticing the dried blood and scaling patches glued to his skin. She paled a little, remained silent for a few moments, and then forced out an unconvincingly sarcastic remark:


    "So... you do bleed, after all."


    Sunny looked down at his battered body, and smiled.


    "Only on special occasions."


    With that, he turned away, climbed into a sleeping niche, and closed his eyes in utter exhaustion.


    ''That... was a long, dreadful, utterly terrible day...''


    It did end on a positive note, though. That, at least, was something to be thankful about.

 Chapter 964: Proof of Competence

    Shockingly, nothing disastrous happened while Sunny slept. A Gate did not open in the middle of the supply depot, and a stray titan did not break through the blast doors to devour every last person under his protection. Somehow, the world did not collapse.


    Instead, Sunny woke up to the sounds of peaceful conversation and the smell of cooking food. He remained still for a few minutes, then climbed out of the sleeping niche, checked on his healing wounds, and summoned the Puppeteer''s Shroud to cover his bruised body.


    In the lounge area of the Rhino, several members of his cohort were eating a hearty breakfast. Surprisingly, Professor Obel was the one cooking, masterfully using rations scavenged from the depot supplies to create something that smelled unexpectedly tasty.


    Walking closer, Sunny heard Luster speaking with surprising enthusiasm:


    "...amazing! How did you even make this?"


    The old man chuckled.


    "Ah, food was much more scarce during my youth than it is now. Ancient relics like me all know how to make a feast out of nothing, young man."


    Noticing Sunny, Luster pointed to his plate.


    "Captain! You have to try it!"


    He stuffed his mouth with something that looked like vegetable lasagna - which was rather strange, considering that military rations did not include fresh vegetables - and smiled.


    "Oh! And we are also flush with water again. Shower is back online!"


    That... was a piece of surprisingly good news. The Rhino had a very robust water filtration system, but they had to start rationing it many days ago. The thought of an actual hot shower made Sunny smile.


    He sat down and curiously tasted Professor Obel''s cooking. It was, indeed, rather delicious.


    Noticing his reaction, the old man chuckled.


    "Everything potslop. That''s what we used to call this Frankenstein of a dish, back in my days. Times may change, but some things always remain the same."


    Sunny stared at his plate, and then frowned.


    "...What''s a frankenstein?"


    Professor Obel gave him an amused look.


    "Well... it is a fictional monster. A sort of jigsaw corpse reanimated by a troubled scientist. Actually, perhaps it was the scientist who was the monster."


    Sunny gave him an understanding nod.


    "Ah, I see. A jigsaw corpse... I think I fought one of those before. Although it was more of a mountain of bones. I guess you could make bone broth out of that?"


    ''The Professor is really being too harsh on himself. His cooking does not taste like corpse meat at all. I should know!''


    Ignoring the strange glance directed at him, Sunny shrugged and concentrated on his food.


    The first shift of the Irregulars sent into the Dream Realm was not back yet, so there was nothing pressing for him to do. Sunny finished his meal in peace, then chatted with his men for a bit. One after another, they left to resume their work on preparing the convoy for eventual departure. Beth was probably dealing with the refugees, so she was nowhere to be seen.


    That left Sunny and Professor Obel alone with each other.


    The old man studied his face for a few moments, and then suddenly asked:


    "How are you holding up, Captain Sunless?"


    Sunny looked at him in confusion.


    "Me? Fine... I guess."


    Professor Obel sighed.


    "It must be hard, especially for someone so young. In this dire situation, you are responsible for the wellbeing of hundreds of people... but there is no one caring for your own wellness. So, that was why I asked. How are you, really?"


    Sunny wanted to retort, but then thought for a while, and shrugged.


    "Actually, it''s a bit strange. Everyone here is fighting tooth and nail to survive. Most of them have no control over whether they live or die. Every minute might be their last... and they all know it, too. But not me. I am more or less safe. Unless I actively try to do something stupid, I will most likely survive even if the whole convoy is obliterated. My Aspect makes it really easy for me to escape most dangers, you know."


    He hesitated, and then added with some uncertainty:


    "So, the mental strain that I experience should be far less than that of all these vulnerable people. But... for some reason, it does not feel that way. I should not really care how many strangers die around me, but I do. It''s like a mental hex, really, me caring... actually, it''s exactly like that. Especially because I do find myself doing stupid things to prevent them from dying."


    Sunny frowned.


    ''...Wait. I am not really under a hex that compels me to defend this damned convoy, am I?''


    Professor Obel suddenly laughed.


    "A mental hex... that is a very unique way to put it.


    Isn''t it normal for people to care about each other?"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "No? Of course not."


    He shook his head, then added with slight bewilderment:


    "No one ever cared about me... until I became powerful, and thus useful. That''s just how things work."


    Sunny had been alone for most of his life. True, after becoming infected by the Spell, he had made several good friends... but he had no illusions about the reason for the bond between them. If he had been someone weak and useless, people like Effie, Kai, even Nephis and Cassie... would have never wasted time on becoming close with him.


    And why should they?


    Well, there was Rain, too... but that was different. She was family, not a random stranger.


    Professor Obel let out a sad sigh and remained silent for a while. Eventually, he asked:


    "So why do you think you care about whether the refugees and the mundane soldiers survive? Why are you risking yourself to help them?"


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    "That... I am actually not too sure myself. Ah, maybe it''s pride. These people are under my protection, so their deaths would demonstrate my incompetence. Makes sense... it is weird, though. I never really claimed to have something as useless as pride."


    The old man looked at him with a strange expression, then shook his head.


    "Do you want to know what I think? Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    Yes?


    Professor Obel smiled.


    "1 think that you are giving yourself too little credit, young man."


    Sunny stared at him in confusion.


    ''Huh?''


    What is that supposed to mean?


    The old man chuckled.


    "Ah, don''t mind me. It''s just an old man''s rumblings... maybe you''ll understand when you''re my age. Until then, please keep caring for these poor people, stupid as it might seem. There''s this one truth that I''ve learned after long decades, you see... humanity would have never survived without a bit of stupidity..."

 Chapter 965: New Plan

    The news Sunny''s people brought from the Dream Realm were both disturbing and ominous. There was a wealth of updates on the state of affairs in Antarctica, but all of it was overshadowed by one simple fact.


    Army Command was seemingly unaware that Erebus Field had been wiped off the map. They knew that something had happened, but it was the members of his cohort who brought the first-hand account of the devastation to the Dream Realm, prompting an intense reaction.


    That did not bode well for Sunny. Either the siege capital had been destroyed very recently, or the First Army was in much worse shape than he had thought. In any case, the situation meant that the validity of all information received from Army Command had to be taken with a grain of salt from now on. Things were changing too fast for their compromised communication network to keep up.


    It was just as well. He had already decided to proceed to Falcon Scott, bypassing the less impregnable siege capitals. It was going to be their eventual destination, regardless - that much was clear.


    It seemed that the situation in East Antarctica was not as dire as the utter disaster of the Antarctic Center, which had much fewer soldiers and less resources allocated to it due to the smaller territory and population, but was being hit by the Chain of Nightmares much harder, for some reason!


    As a result, the previous plan was scrapped, and hastily replaced with a new one. The incoming naval convoys were going to be redirected to start ferrying the civilian population and the army contingent over the strait, to the larger and better protected eastern landmass. Falcon Scott would become the staging ground for the relocation, as well as humanity''s last stronghold in the region.


    The First Army was abandoning the Antarctic Center entirely.


    So, there was no point in seeking shelter in any other siege capital, even if some of them could still be holding out. All divisions were going to retreat to Falcon Scott eventually, anyway, taking the civilians with them.


    Sunny sighed.


    ''Sounds like a plan.''


    A plan that could very well end in disaster, but a solid one, nevertheless. Army Command was not entirely clueless... Master Jet had to have known about Erebus Field to send her crow after him, after all, so it was not like the entire leadership was compromised. It was just that there were gaps in the flow of information between the headquarters and the people on the frontlines, which was detrimental, but inevitable for as long as the Winter Beast still lived.


    As much as it pained Sunny to admit it, everyone was doing their best in a terrible situation. There was no one to blame. It was just that he personally had the misfortune of finding himself on the more dreadful end of the terribleness spectrum, as far as circumstances were concerned.


    ''...Damn it.''


    Shaking his head, he climbed on the roof of the Rhino and silently observed the flurry of activity inside the resupply station. Everyone was busy. Even the refugees were helping load cargo into the vehicles Sergeant Gere had chosen to commandeer.


    The crow flew off its perch under the ceiling and landed near him, snuggling close to stare at the humans together. Sunny glanced at the black bird incredulously.


    "What do you think? Will we make it?"


    The small monster glanced at him in confusion and cawed a couple of times.


    Sunny scoffed.


    "Figures. You''re just an Echo. Oh... what do I call you, anyway?"


    The bird tilted its head.


    Crro! Crro!


    Sunny smiled.


    "Your name is Crow Crow? Huh... well, I''ll just call you Crow, if you don''t mind."


    The bird stared at him for a few moments, then cawed and flew away.


    Shaking his head, Sunny shifted his perception and concentrated on the view of the outside. One of his shadows remained there to watch the approach to the depot, hiding in the darkness.


    The ash was still falling from the sky, obscuring the stars and the crimson flames of the aurora. Black soot was marring the white surface of the snow, turning it into a dirty grey sludge. The silhouettes of the nearby mountains were outlined by the red glow that emanated from the sea of lava, making the whole landscape seem eerie and infernal.


    ''...This entire continent is way too weird. It''s like I never left the Dream Realm.''


    As Sunny thought that, a slight movement attracted his attention. Soon, a flicker of light appeared in the distance, and then, a whole river of them showed itself from behind the cold slopes. The stream of light flowed down the mountain road, heading straight for the entrance to the supply depot.


    His face fell.


    ''Ah, not again...''


    Out there in the ashen wilderness, a large column of battered vehicles was rolling down the road, escorted by scores of disheveled soldiers. Some were on foot, some moved with the help of powered exoskeleton armor suits, aiming into the darkness with their high-caliber rifles. The haunted expressions, the lightless eyes, the faces of frightened refugees behind the cracked windows of makeshift transports... all of it was too familiar.


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment.


    ''Those would be the survivors of Erebus Field, then.''


    With an exasperated sigh, he shook his head, and then jumped off the roof of the Rhino.


    Outside the underground depot, a long column of vehicles had come to a halt. The soldiers were running to assume defensive positions, and their leaders were barking orders to get them moving faster.


    In front of the locked blast doors, several people stood with tired expressions on their faces. One of them, an Awakened woman in a tattered robe, was cursing as she placed her hand on the security panel over and over again.


    The mechanical voice was not amused.


    "Lieu... lieu... lieutenant Carin. Verified. Insufficient clearance. Access denied."


    Goddammit!


    The woman slammed her fist into the panel, then glanced at one of the other officers near her. After a few seconds of somber silence, she asked:


    "Do you think one of you guys can hack it? Or are we going to have to blow through this damned gate?"


    The man hesitated for a while, then opened his mouth to say something.


    Before he could, however, there was a reverberating hum, and the blast doors suddenly slid to the sides, revealing the entrance of a dark tunnel... and a very pale, very ominous-looking young man in black garments standing there with a strange, eerily calm expression on his face.


    "I would appreciate it if you don''t try to blow up my gate, actually."


    The Awakened woman jumped back with a yelp and outstretched one hand to summon a weapon.


    "W-what the hell are you?!"


    The pale stranger tilted his head a little and stared at her with his cold, dark eyes.


    "...Master Sunless, First Irregular Company."


    With that, he looked past the officers, at the long column of vehicles behind them. Suddenly, the young man''s face grew a little lively.


    The Awakened woman let out a relieved sigh.


    "Oh, you''re human... wait. Master?


    Glancing back at her, the young man suddenly smiled.


    "Say, you wouldn''t happen to have a few MRW pilots in that convoy of yours, would you?"

 Chapter 966: Reinforcements

    The new arrivals did, indeed, turn out to be one of the splinter groups of the Erebus Field survivors. There were many more people in their caravan than in Sunny''s caravan, but none of the soldiers held a higher military rank than him, the most senior officer among them being an Awakened lieutenant named Carin.


    Needless to say, there were no Masters among them, either.


    So... ironically, he ended up being in charge again.


    Sunny had been responsible for six Awakened and two civilians after leaving I.o49, which suited him fine. Then, more than three hundred refugees and several dozens of mundane soldiers joined them.


    Those numbers seemed like a joke now.


    After the Erebus Field survivors joined his group, Sunny found himself in command of a significantly larger force. There were more than four thousand civilians currently sheltered in the crowded resupply station, as well as five hundred mundane soldiers.


    her, as well as four new Sleepers. Sunny sent the latter to their nameless counterpart, placing the young man in charge.


    The guy had turned out to be quite resourceful, and Belle''s mentorship seemed to be bearing fruit. Not to mention that his core was close to being saturated already.


    In the end, there were now three full Awakened cohorts - and a half - under Sunny''s command. There were also twelve powerful MRWs being piloted by mundane specialists and more than enough powered armor suits for the soldiers, which drastically increased the caravan''s defensive ability.


    The vast supply reserves of the underground station suddenly did not look so inexhaustible anymore.


    ''Ah, this is going to be a headache...''


    Studying the crowded depot, Sunny grimaced. The increase in power and in the number of tools at his disposal was welcome, but he would have to rethink his entire strategy as to how to traverse the two thousand kilometers separating them from Falcon Scott.


    Before, Sunny had mostly put his efforts into avoiding combat engagements, meticulously circumventing Nightmare Creatures and only attacking those swarms that could not be bypassed. But with a caravan this large, that was not an option anymore. There was just no way to perfectly hide so many people.


    Luckily, the caliber of threats they could take on also increased. With several cohorts of Awakened and a small army under his command, Sunny would be able to simply roll over many swarms, maybe even cut a path through the weaker hordes of abominations.


    But all of that required a lot of mental adjustment, and even more work for his shadows. His map would also have to be updated to account for the changes in the caravan''s composition.


    ''Oh, well. No sleep for me today, it seems.''


    Walking toward the Rhino with a slightly exasperated expression, Sunny couldn''t help but hear bits and pieces of the conversations the new arrivals were having with the members of the initial convoy.


    "...I don''t think any of us can survive."


    "What''s that? Cheer up, man. The Devil himself is with us, so who can be against us?"


    "Oh... so it''s that Master Sunless? No wonder the name sounded familiar. I heard about him, even though he was assigned to a different division. Still... what can one man do?"


    "Damn... what can''t he do? I swear to the dead gods, I saw him kill a hundred Nightmare Creatures with a single arrow once. There was also this one time when he summoned a whole damn bridge out of thin air for us to cross a canyon. Hell, the man fought a titan to a stalemate just yesterday... actually, I am not even sure that it was a stalemate. All I know is that the Captain came back, but the titan did not..."


    A corner of Sunny''s mouth twisted up a little. His people were surely fond of embellishing his deeds, but he was not going to intervene. At this point, anything that raised morale of the troops was a good thing, even if it was not entirely based in truth.


    He climbed into the Rhino and walked to the command suite, studying the new faces among the usual participants of strategic meetings. Sunny already knew Awakened Carin, but the two mundane officers she brought for debriefing were strangers.


    "Let''s start."


    What he wanted to know first was how Erebus Field had fallen.


    The truth... turned out to be as disturbing as Sunny had thought.


    As he had suspected, the city had been destroyed very recently. In fact, it had just happened two days ago, around the time he and his people were deciding to try their luck by charging the coastal highway.


    The main culprit of the disaster was also familiar... it was none other than his good friend Goliath.


    ''...Damned bastard.''


    After missing for the better half of two months, the stone giant had suddenly emerged from within Mount Erebus, breaking through one of its slopes and causing a whole side of the volcano to collapse. The resulting conflagration and the flood of lava had little chance of destroying a city that had been well- fortified against exactly such an event, even if on a smaller scale...


    However, that was before the towering colossus smashed through the city defenses, destroying the grandiose magma barriers, drain vents, and most other contingencies the government had put in place.


    With the perimeter of the siege capital breached, a titan rampaging on its periphery, rivers of lava flowing through the broken barriers, and hordes of Nightmare Creatures using the chance to get inside, there had been nothing that the First Army division stationed at Erebus Field could do to stop the cataclysmic assault.


    The few Masters of the accompanying Awakened force had joined forces to stall Goliath for as long as they could while the soldiers desperately tried to evacuate the civilians.


    That was probably where Davis and his cohort of Irregulars had perished.


    Lieutenant Carin did not know how many people had made it out of that hell in the end, but judging by her expression, it was probably much less than the total population of the city. The last thing she had witnessed before leading the caravan away was the colossal figure of Goliath, turned incandescent from bathing in the molten lava, plunging into the ocean and disappearing under the dark waves.


    From where the titan had emerged the next day to attack Sunny''s convoy.


    ...After Carin was finished speaking, a somber silence settled inside the Rhino. No one know what exactly to say.


    Eventually, Sunny sighed.


    ''Their nightmare is over...''

 Chapter 967: Smooth Ride

    Two days later, they abandoned the resupply station. The underground depot was left almost empty, since Sunny had decided to take everything they could on the road. Not all the vehicles were loaded to capacity, but even if there was just a driver and a shooter inside, every last one was commandeered and put to good use.


    Only the discarded civilian transports and those of the Erebus Field vehicles that were too damaged to remain reliable were left behind.


    Nightmare, Abomination, and Blackie moved at the front of the caravan, serving as its vanguard. The Rhino was still at the head, but it was now flanked by two lumbering MRWs, both of them constantly scanning the surroundings with their high-tech optical arrays.


    Behind them, the long column of vehicles stretched for more than a kilometer on the mountain road. The remaining ten MRWs and two dozen Awakened were spread along its length, meant to protect the caravan in case of an attack from the flanks. Most of the vehicles were armed, and there were personnel carriers with full companies of mechanized infantry placed strategically among the refugee transports.


    All in all, the caravan looked like a big, delicious target for Nightmare Creatures... but also one that would be extremely hard to swallow.


    ''I''d like to see the bastards try... uh, actually, scratch that. I''d rather not...''


    Sunny was positioned on the roof of the Rhino, wearing his military coat over the Mantle of the Underworld. With the elemental resistance of the onyx armor and the Memory of Ice slotted into it, he was more or less immune to mundane cold, so the chilling nature of the polar night was not bothering him too much. The falling ash, though, was still irritating. Hopefully, they would leave the area near Mount Erebus soon.


    The wind was blowing in the other direction, which not only moved the clouds of ash away from the caravan, but would also make it harder for those Nightmare Creatures that relied on their sense of smell to detect the approaching humans far in advance.


    Still, he had no illusions that theirs would be a smooth ride.


    Luckily, Sunny was extremely well-suited to serve as a guide. Lie had updated his map with as many details as he could and planned multiple suitable routes for the caravan. With his shadows scouting ahead and the crow keeping an eye out for hidden threats from high above, he was as informed about the surrounding area and the enemy movements as anyone could be.


    The shadows scouted most enemies long before the long column of vehicles approached, and the black bird with its magical eyes was able to notice anything that they missed. The combination was extremely effective.


    Information was the lifeblood of warfare, so Sunny had a considerable advantage. He was going to use it well to navigate the treacherous expanse of the Antarctic Center and reach Falcon Scott unscathed.


    His task had grown much harder because of the sheer size of the caravan, but on the other hand, the land they were traversing was also different from the complicated network of decrepit old roads in the south. The infrastructure between Erebus Field and the northern parts of the landmass had indeed been much more developed, and then expanded on by the First Army in the recent months to boot.


    Plus, they were moving away from the area that had been affected by the earthquake the most, so there were fewer signs of destruction and obstacles on their path the further north the caravan drove.


    The roads were wider and better preserved, the terrain was less rugged. It was not as flat and straight as the coastal highway, of course, but Sunny felt reluctant to return to the ocean just yet. Even if he did, it would only be to bypass an especially difficult region and then swiftly return to the mountains.


    ''...Or not at all.''


    At first, there were not too many Nightmare Creatures in the way - most of them that had been in the immediate area probably migrated to the ruins of Erebus Field and were yet to return. What little resistance the caravan did meet was promptly obliterated by the Irregulars and Carin''s Awakened.


    For the first day or so, the MRWs did not even have to fire a single shot.


    The next one brought more enemies with it, however. The caravan did not stop, with drivers working in shifts to keep it moving, so the destroyed city was now far behind them. Here, the abominations ran free, and plenty of them caught the scent of the large group of refugees.


    Swarm after swarm assaulted the column of vehicles, shattering against its defenses. The devastating barrage of bullets tore them apart, accompanied by arrows and magical projectiles tossed by the Awakened. The MRWs let their monstrous Gatling guns and heavy mass drivers cut large swaths through the mass of abominations, sending swarms of explosive missiles flying from the mounted launchers from time to time.


    If the Nightmare Creatures got too close, destructive flamethrowers and Awakened fighters made short work of them. If there were Fallen or Corrupted abominations among the swarms, Sunny and Nightmare charged forward before the creatures could do any harm to the refugees.


    With Sergeant Gere running logistics and organizing the mundane soldiers, Lieutenant Carin commanding most of the Awakened, and Beth caring for the needs of the civilians... that was pretty much all he had to do.


    Dealing with various powers Nightmare Creatures possessed was a bit challenging, but mostly, Sunny found himself unexpectedly free. Which was good, since he had plenty of time to address his tasks as the strategist and guide of the caravan, but still...


    ''Weird. Am I actually... a little bored?''


    Looking at the remains of another swarm that the column had all but rolled over, Sunny scratched the back of his head. Ie knew, of course, that this rate of progress would not continue indefinitely... in fact, they were bound to get bloodied as soon as he failed to lead the caravan past a real horde of Nightmare Creatures, which was getting harder and harder to do.


    That had not happened yet, though.


    Am I suddenly very lucky, or have my luck just been really terrible up until now?''


    Sunny pondered about it for a few moments, and decided that it was probably both.


    The question was how long would the stretch of good fortune last...

 Chapter 968: Shifting Scales

    A few more days passed in the clamor of firing armaments and frenzied howls of dying Nightmare Creatures. The dark landscape of the Antarctic Center flowed past the incessantly moving caravan, with the starlight and the undulating visage of Aurora Australis finally appearing from behind the clouds of ash, only to be devoured by the veil of snow.


    The blizzard was picking up again, making Sunny wonder if he was going to meet the second titan raging in the region. He was not very enthused to make its acquaintance, to say the least.


    The journey... was a strange one. Sunny was used to things going south fast, but the situation of the caravan was very different. Instead of something dreadful and devastating happening all at once, their circumstances were growing slightly more dire with every hour, bringing them closer to annihilation little by little.


    The confident pace the caravan had established after leaving the resupply station was long gone. Instead of rare skirmishes with weak swarms of Nightmare Creatures, they were now embroiled in a nearly unstoppable battle with the sea abominations flooding the northern reaches of the Antarctic Center.


    The pressure on the Awakened and the MRW pilots had increased tremendously, and the infantrymen had to bloody their bayonets on more than one occasion already.


    Worst of all was the inescapable corrosion that the multitude of Gates were exerting on their tech. The military vehicles were shielded from the detrimental effects of the Call to some degree, but very few had the same rare and expensive modifications as the Rhino had. They were managing for now, but there was no telling how long it would last.


    The problems were mounting.


    ...The casualties were mounting, too.


    During the harrowing push to Erebus Field, Sunny had lost only a handful of people to the vagaries of the Spell and the deadly crucible of battle. Their losses were few enough to consider each one a poignant event.


    It was not so much for the current step of the journey.


    The caravan had grown too much, and the combat engagements they had to fight were too frequent and intensive to avoid losing soldiers. The attrition rate was not terrible, and in fact remained admirably low, but it seemed that every time Gere contacted him to give an update on the state of the column, more names had to be added to the list.


    Sunny was strangely bothered by it. He had thought that with the drastic increase in numbers, the loss of individual soldiers would not affect him too much, especially if the casualties were below expected. He had also thought that he would eventually grow numb to the news of people under his command dying.


    But he had not.


    The more of his soldiers died - no matter how few - the more bitter and angry he felt. However, the most powerful emotion he experienced was rather unexpected: indignation.


    Sunny felt indignant about the fact that he was forced to watch good men and women die, to see mundane humans putting their lives on the line to protect the defenseless refugees... all the while the truly powerful ones were nowhere to be seen, embroiled into their own internal strife.


    ''Damned bastards...''


    Maybe he wasn''t cut to be a leader, after all.


    ...That was not to say that Sunny was ineffective. On the contrary, he was doing a good job of leading the caravan and pretending to be an intrepid commander. However, it was all alien to him. It was something he was doing because the circumstances had forced him to, not because he wished to play that role.


    Living alone in the Dark had been much more comfortable.


    ''Ah, good old times.''


    There was another strange thing about the caravan''s advance north... something that Sunny should have expected, but nevertheless failed to account for.


    Despite the slow attrition, the number of people under his command was not reducing. Instead, it was growing... ballooning, even. The further they drove, the larger the caravan became.


    There were other large groups of people who had escaped from Erebus Field, squads of soldiers that had lost contact with Army Command due to the blizzard, and evacuation convoys that had gotten stuck in a limbo after their destination was destroyed. All of them were happy to see a well-organized force moving north, especially since it was led by a Master.


    So, they joined the caravan. Sunny could not really turn the stragglers away, and at that point, there was no point to.


    So, the four thousand refugees under his protection turned to five, then six, and then twelve. The five hundred soldiers turned into more than a thousand.


    The three cohorts of Awakened swelled to seven, and there were now two auxiliary Sleeper cohorts instead of one.


    There were many more vehicles, too. The bloated caravan stretched for two kilometers now, and showed no signs of stopping the rapid expansion.


    Looking at it, Sunny couldn''t help but shake his head.


    ''That''s just a recipe for disaster...''


    At this rate, he was going to end up leading a whole division by the time they reached Falcon Scott. If they reached it.


    Hopefully, he would stumble on a colonel or two and push the command responsibility on them soon. If the colonel was not an idiot, of course.


    ...Sunny had just finished dealing with a very nasty Fallen Demon laying in ambush in the path of the caravan and returned to the head of the column. As soon as he appeared from the shadows on the roof of the Rhino, the Crow flew down and perched on his shoulder, his feathers ruffled and covered with snowflakes.


    He glanced at the miserable bird and sighed.


    "What? Did you see something?"


    The small monster bobbed its head.


    "Crro! Saw!"


    Sunny waited for the Crow to continue, knowing that it had to be bad for the Echo to seek him out. The flying monster cawed again:


    "Mord! Hord!"


    With that, the bird turned its head and pointed its beak in a certain direction.


    ''Curse it.''


    There was a horde of Nightmare Creatures ahead... one that the Crow did not know how to avoid. Finally, Sunny''s fears had come true.


    He hurriedly sent the shadow that was closest to the direction where the Echo was pointing to forward. It had already been scouting far ahead, but apparently not far enough.


    Soon, Sunny''s eyes narrowed.


    There was indeed a vast horde of abominations, and bypassing it was out of the question.


    Well... unless he used the coastal highway, of course.


    In that case, the caravan would have a chance of skirting the sea of abominations unmolested. A slim chance, at that.


    They would also be risking a meeting with something even worse.


    ''...Damnation.''

 Chapter 969: Gifts of the Shore

    Sunny''s shadow swiftly glided through the darkness, climbing the steep slopes above the vast river of Nightmare Creatures. Sunny was trying to gauge the true size of the horde, but no matter how hard he looked, there was simply no end to it. All kinds of abominations were gathered in a tremendous mob which spilled over the cliffs, undulating and crawling over the landscape.


    The horde was stretched into a long line, moving from east to west... toward the coast. The width of it was somewhat bearable, making the thought of trying to cut through the mass of Nightmare Creatures appear tentatively in his mind. However, the length of the horde was simply too oppressive.


    The caravan was very large now, and even if Sunny managed to create a breach in the river of monsters, not all vehicles would be able to pass through before a tide of abominations ripped them apart.


    ...It was still an option, though. He had to think strategically.


    To the east, the horde stretched for as fast as his shadow could see. To the west, there was still some space between the front ranks of the mob of Nightmare Creatures and the coastal highway. If the column of vehicles sped up while the abominations maintained their pace, there was a good chance that they would narrowly miss each other.


    If not, the caravan would be caught between the horde and the ocean, potentially suffering even more casualties. That was not even considering that something could attack them from the water, as well.


    Sunny sighed.


    ''...Crap.''


    The first option all but guaranteed that people would die, but had a lower damage ceiling. The second promised a small chance that no one would be killed at all... but had the potential to turn really disastrous if things went wrong.


    He hesitated for a few moments, then contacted Gere.


    "Yes, Captain?"


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    "There''s a horde of Nightmare Creatures ahead. Full forward, and we will be taking a detour via the highway. Inform everyone to prepare for a tough battle."


    There. The decision had been made. Sunny was not happy with it, but at least the caravan stood a chance of escaping unscathed. He was not ready to callously send people to die yet, even if it meant risking a more dire result.


    At the end of it, Sunny would know that he at least tried.


    Following his orders, Luster sent the Rhino flying forward. Their MWP escorts strained to keep up, but eventually adjusted to the increased pace. The military vehicles comprising the caravan followed suit, and soon, the whole column was moving forward at a reckless speed.


    ''Do not break.''


    Sunny stared back, hoping that nothing would go wrong. If a vehicle broke down in the middle of the charge, there would be no saving its passengers... a faulty transport could also potentially slow down everyone behind it, which would be a complete disaster.


    However, the fewer number of Gates along the coast was one of the reasons he had chosen the second option, so if anything, leaving the mountains for a bit should only lessen the probability of a serious malfunction.


    The Rhino maneuvered to a branching road and led the caravan east, descending toward the highway. As they approached it, Sunny tensely observed the horde and tried to calculate if they were going to make it past the advancing mob of abominations before it reached the coast.


    For now, it seemed that there was still a narrow window of opportunity.


    ...But then, as soon as they reached the highway, that window was gone.


    For some reason, the front ranks of the horde suddenly went into a frenzy and rushed forward, with the rest of the mob soon following in an avalanche of flesh. Sunny was sure that the Nightmare Creatures could not have sensed the caravan yet, so he did not know why their behavior changed so abruptly. It was as though something on the coast was pulling the abominations toward it.


    In any case, with the horde moving much faster now, any chance of passing by without a battle the column might have had were gone. They would have to fight their way through, in the end.


    ''Curses!''


    At least the caravan was only going to be assaulted from one side. Their left flank would be protected by the ocean, precarious as it might sound.


    ''What the hell spooked these bastards?!''


    Looking forward to see the first abominations spilling onto the highway some distance away, Sunny froze for a moment.


    ''...Oh.''


    Out there ahead of them, laying on the shore like a mountain of white flesh, the corpse of a colossal abomination towered above the highway. It looked like a monstrous jellyfish of mind-boggling proportions, some of its lifeless tentacles stretching for hundreds of meters into the dark water.


    The strange, transparent flesh of the dead dweller of the depths was torn and scorched, with large chunks of it missing. Strange organs could be seen beneath it, and a lake of freezing slime covered a long stretch of the highway around it. Something had thoroughly savaged the terrifying creature, and then left without devouring its prey.


    ...And now, the horde of Nightmare Creatures was rushing to finish the job.


    As Sunny watched, the tide of abominations flowed over the highway. The first ranks sunk their fangs into the dead horror with rabid hunger, followed by a hundred other creatures the next second.


    The appalling corpse was giant, but not giant enough to satiate them all. Soon, the slower Nightmare Creatures reached the coast, ruthlessly tearing at the bodies of their feasting brethren to reach the succulent white flesh. They crawled over the towering jellyfish like ants, slowly eviscerating its upper layers.


    And behind them, countless more were already flowing down the mountain slopes.


    Sunny gripped his bow, knowing the caravan would have to fight their way through that dreadful barrier of monstrous bodies soon.


    ...Actually, a few stragglers were already close enough for Samara to start firing her rifle.


    Looking at the approaching scene of morbid carnage, Sunny felt a chill run down his spine.


    ''It''s... it''s alright. We can still pull through this...''


    That was what he thought...


    At least until eerie flashes of crimson light ignited in the haze of the blizzard to his left, far in the ocean.


    An enormous, gargantuan shape was moving through the waves, getting closer to the shore.

 Chapter 970: Hellfire

    As the caravan approached the spilling horde of Nightmare Creatures, Sunny readied himself for battle and feverishly tried to come up with a way - any way - to save the lives of as many people as he could.


    However, no matter how much he thought about it, there was just no solution. Many souls were going to be lost today, and the best he could accomplish was to make sure that those who were dying were the soldiers, and not the refugees.


    He knew that the caravan would be able to break through the horde of abominations eventually, but he also knew that at least several vehicles, as well as scores of his soldiers, would perish in the process. Hundreds, if not thousands of humans were going to die today.


    His gamble did not pay off.


    Sunny felt a bit resentful about that.


    With a sigh, he summoned the helmet of the Mantle of the Underworld and raised Morgan''s Warbow...


    It was at that moment that eerie crimson lights flashed through the haze of the blizzard, followed by a scattering of small sparks. He froze and looked to his left, at the dark expanse of the ocean that was obscured by the veil of snow.


    Out there, something inconceivably gargantuan was hiding, its enormous shape only revealed by the hazy flashes of crimson light.


    ''What...''


    In the next moment, a deafening roar assaulted his ears, and then, something that he had never expected happened.


    Ahead of the convoy, the mass of Nightmare Creatures were suddenly torn apart by a series of earth-shattering explosions. Bits of concrete, flesh, and bone flew into the air, creating a cloud of red fog. A moment later, flowers of angry red flame bloomed on the slope of the mountain, obliterating even more abominations.


    The whole world trembled.


    Sunny''s eyes widened as he swiftly looked back at the ocean. The wall of the blizzard had been unmade, as well. And although the breach in the snowstorm was already closing, he still managed to catch a glimpse of the source of all that carnage.


    The gargantuan shape drifting on the waves... was a massive, battered battleship.


    He thought he even recognized the lines of its mangled alloy hull.


    The vessel was strangely slanted, one of its sides resting much lower than the other one, the deck railings almost touching the water. Its hull was marred by terrible scars and breached in many places, with some of the holes being large enough for the Rhino to drive through - and was just what remained above the surface. The bow of the ship seemed shattered and deformed.


    It was a mystery how the vessel remained afloat.


    ...And yet, it was still capable of firing its armaments. The crimson lights Sunny had seen were the batteries of starboard cannons unleashing hell, and the scattering of sparks was the salvo of missiles being launched from their nests.


    As Sunny watched, the ghostly battleship fired another barrage of heavy explosive rounds at the horde of Nightmare Creatures, this time aiming entirely at the slopes of the mountains.


    He blinked.


    ...I''ll be damned.


    Did they really receive... reinforcements?


    Sunny did not know where the wrecked vessel had come from, but he was not going to waste this opportunity.


    The intention of the unknown captain was clear - the first salvo somewhat cleared the highway, and the second one overshot it by a good degree, slamming into the mountain slope and obliterating a large swath of advancing Nightmare Creatures.


    Cutting off those who still remained on the road from the rest of the horde, for now, while simultaneously opening a path for the caravan.


    That was his chance!


    Silently thanking the daredevil who had used the sinking ship to come to their rescue, Sunny drew his bow and sent the Strike of Thunder flying forward. A moment later, it hit the mountain of white flesh, electrocuting scores of abominations that had been fighting to devour the giant jellyfish just a few moments before.


    "All forward units, attack!"


    The MWPs running beside the Rhino simultaneously raised their bulky hands and opened fire.


    Their accuracy while on the move was not too great, but that was not important when massive Gatling guns were involved. Streams of heavy rounds whipped across the surviving Nightmare Creatures, ripping many to shreds. A moment later, two swarms of missiles shot from the shoulders of the lumbering machines, adding to the chaos.


    From somewhere further behind, heavy-duty mass drivers joined the fray, with the turrets of the assault vehicles soon following. The front of the caravan had once again formed into a wedge to open lines of fire for more attackers.


    Only this time, there were many more vehicles, Awakened, and war platforms shooting.


    The already thinned front rows of the mass of Nightmare Creatures covering the highway were all but erased from existence by their onslaught. A moment later, the Rhino plowed into the remaining stragglers, painting itself with red.


    Sunny sent several arrows flying, and then dismissed his bow, summoning the Cruel Sight instead. As soon as he saw the APC clear the stretch of the road obstructed by the horde, he stepped through the shadows and appeared in the thick of the enemies descending from the mountains.


    Even though most of them were being destroyed by the continuous barrage from the mangled battleship, many were still getting through. The cacophony of bestial howls, thunderous explosions, and roaring artillery strikes was shaking the world, but he did not let it distract him.


    Now that the head of the caravan had broken through the blockade, the battle was not over. On the contrary, it was just starting - they had to hold back the tide of monsters to let the whole column drive through the created corridor, and then stall the abominations to let it escape.


    Moving with practiced grace, he butchered a lunging monstrosity that resembled a wingless bat, and then crushed another creature''s skull with the butt of his spear. The Dying Wish weaved itself into existence, summoning the ire of the frenzied horde upon him.


    But also inspiring his soldiers.


    One after another, the cohorts of the Awakened joined Sunny in building a wall of sharp steel along the edge of the highway.


    The MWPs stood behind them, drowning the mountain slopes with hellfire unleashed by their flamethrowers. Several personnel carriers stopped, releasing companies of mechanized infantry, each soldier clad in an exoskeleton suit of powered armor and carrying a heavy rifle.


    In a matter of minutes, the safe corridor was secured. Now, all they had to do was hold the line and show the abominations what the First Army was really made of.


    "Devil is with us!"


    Show them hell!


    "Burn in fire, you wretches!"


    Sunny was rather surprised by the enthusiasm the soldiers who had just recently joined his caravan were showing. Well... he was not going to complain...


    Maybe it was the effect of the Dying Wish, or maybe they just wanted to avenge Erebus Field and wash off the shame of defeat off their souls.


    Thrusting the Cruel Sight into the open maw of a Fallen abomination, he suddenly felt a strange jolt run through the Mantle of the Underworld. Suddenly, the onyx armor felt slightly... lighter?


    ''...What is that about?''


    Shaking off the weird feeling, he jerked the corpse of the Nightmare Creature off his spear''s blade and looked around, searching another target.

 Chapter 971: Strategic Retreat

    Sunny and his soldiers held back the abominations while the long column of vehicles drove through the cleared corridor. The pressure the horde was exerting on them was dire, but not impossible to overcome thanks to the artillery support from the mangled battleship.


    The Awakened and the mundane soldiers worked together, aided by the lumbering MWPs and assault vehicles. Soon, the whole mountain slope was torn apart and enveloped in flames. An angry red glow spread through the blizzard, making it seem as though the snow itself was aflame, and the sounds of firing armaments, detonating explosives, and bestial howls fused into an ugly, deafening litany.


    The battleship grew quiet, and the rain of artillery shells stopped. Either the vessel had run out of ammunition, or the stress of sustaining the heavy barrage had turned out to be too much for its already failing hull, causing it to sustain even more damage.


    In any case, by that point, most of the caravan had managed to pass the advancing horde. With artillery bombardment gone and no killing field between them and the highway anymore, a flood of Nightmare Creatures rushed forward, aiming to slam into the defensive line of humans and rip them apart.


    That was when Sunny finally utilized Shadow Manifestation. He had not used it before in order to conserve essence for this exact moment, but now there was no point in holding back anything anymore.


    Rows of dark spikes rose from the ground, obstructing the advance of the abominations and forcing some to impale themselves on their sharp tips. Pushed from behind by the frenzied mob, more were run through, perishing right there and then. Others were simply slowed down.


    The spikes were soon destroyed, but their job was already done-the momentum of the horde was stalled, and the MWPs were able to create a wall of fire in its way.


    A few moments later, burning monsters burst through the flames, lunging at the defensive line with rabid rage. They were met by sharp steel and a rain of bullets.


    "Hold! We are not done yet!"


    Following his command, the soldiers held. The Awakened were burning through their essence, while the mundane fighters were exhausting their ammunition, but they held. One minute, then two...


    Finally, the last of the vehicles drove past and disappeared into the haze of the snowstorm.


    Sunny let out a relieved sigh. The battle was not over yet, but at least the refugees were safe.


    "Infantry, retreat!"


    Pulling out of the furious engagement was not an easy task and had to be done in stages.


    First, the mundane soldiers orderly retreated, loading into the personnel carriers. After the massive vehicles drove off, the weakened defensive line shifted, slowly moving back.


    As they did, the MWPs fired clusters of remote-controlled landmines, leaving hundreds of them in the wake of the retreating human force. Once enough of the pushing Nightmare Creatures entered the blast zone, the mines detonated, momentarily shaking the world.


    The defenders used that moment to abandon the battle. The Awakened jumped onto the roofs of waiting vehicles, which then sped away. The MWPs followed, turning their torsos one hundred and eighty degrees to continue firing back as they ran.


    Sunny was left alone to face the wrath of the bloodied horde.


    Well... not quite. Nightmare emerged from the shadows with fury and bloodlust burning in his crimson eyes.


    Looking at the approaching tide of abominations, Sunny smiled coldly.


    "Come at us, bastards..."


    The shadows surged around him, shooting forward like dark chains.


    He used the chains and walls of shadows to funnel the Nightmare Creatures, killing and maiming as many as he could with his spear. Nightmare rampaged in their midst, too swift to be caught and brought down... at least for now.


    But then again, they were not going to linger for long. All Sunny had to do was buy his soldiers time to put some distance between themselves and the enemy.


    Soon, all his defenses were obliterated, and it seemed like he and his Shadow were going to be overwhelmed in mere moments...


    That was when both of them turned into incorporeal shadows-Nightmare Creatures behind.


    Now, the battle was truly finished.


    What was especially great about its conclusion-and a pleasant surprise to Sunny-was that while some abominations lunged in pursuit of the caravan, most remained, seemingly more interested in the carcass of the monstrous jellyfish and the corpses of their own slain brethren.


    It seemed that the caravan had managed to escape.


    ''Thank the gods...''


    A minute later, Sunny and Nightmare emerged from the highway, soon catching up to the retreating soldiers. The caravan was still out of sight, hidden behind the wall of snow, but they would rejoin the main column soon-in cases like these, the forward force was meant to slow down so as not to leave itself without sufficient protection for too long.


    Sunny ordered his steed to get close to the rearmost vehicle and looked at Samara, who was unsurprisingly sitting on its roof. With her red hair dancing in the wind, she was aiming her rifle back, firing a shot into the blizzard from time to time.


    "How are you on essence?"


    Samara glanced at him briefly, then smiled.


    With a nod, he jumped up, placing his feet on the saddle, then leaped over to the roof of the vehicles and settled next to his sharpshooter. Sunny was confident in his riding skill, but not confident enough to try sitting on Nightmare backwards and shooting his bow.


    As Morgan''s Warbow started weaving itself from scarlet sparks, Sunny lingered for a moment, and then summoned the runes.


    ''That strange jolt I felt at the start of the battle. Don''t tell me... did I finally fulfill the requirements of the Mantle of the Underworld?''

 Chapter 972: Soulbound

    Sunny zoned out for a little, not paying attention to Samara and the MWPs discharging their weapons from time to time to pick off the most stubborn of the pursuers. The rate of their fire was slowing down, anyway, meaning that the bulk of abominations had either fallen behind or were already killed.


    The [Prince of the Underworld] enchantment and its dreadful counter of vanquished foes... gods, he had been stuck with that thing for so long. Despite the fact that Sunny had inherited the onyx armor with some of it already filled, it still took him years to accumulate six thousand victories.


    Come to think of it, the whole Mongrel debacle had happened because of his desire to increase the number on the counter somewhat.


    ''T can''t believe I''ve finally done it.''


    Curious to see what changed, Sunny looked at the runes. He was a bit tense... after all, the description of the [Prince of the Underworld] only said that the armor would be growing stronger the more foes he vanquished, and it had - over the years, the cost of keeping its active enchantments running had diminished slightly, and their effects had become a little more pronounced.


    The description said nothing about the Mantle receiving an upgrade after the counter was filled. That was just his assumption.


    ''Come on...''


    Concentrating on the name of the Memory, he read:


    Memory: [Mantle of the Underworld].Memory Rank: Ascended.Memory Tier: VII.


    ...Oh.


    The Mantle seemed to have grown from a Tier Six Memory to a Tier Seven one. That was... not bad, but it did leave Sunny a little disappointed. He had hoped that it would increase in Rank, instead.


    He sighed, then continued to study the runes, turning his attention to the enchantments.


    The [Living Stone], [Feather of Truth], [Stalwart], and [Underworld Armament] enchantments remained exactly the same. None of them received any enhancements. The [Prince of the Underworld] had not changed, either, except for the fact that the counter now showed a pleasant [6000/6000] as the number of vanquished foes.


    ...There was a new enchantment at the end of the list, though.


    [Soulbound Relic].


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    ''Huh?''


    Suddenly excited, he concentrated on the enchantment to read its description. The description, however, left him largely confused. It did not provide any information about what a soulbound relic was, or what powers that title entailed.


    Instead, the shimmering runes simply stated:


    [Bind the relic?]


    He was probably supposed to answer "yes" or "no".


    However, Sunny lingered.


    He had no idea what binding the Mantle of the Underworld to his soul meant, and how it would change the onyx armor... or his soul, for that matter. Of course, the effect was most likely meant to be beneficial, since it was a reward for achieving an amazing feat.


    The Spell often had a very strange notion of what "beneficial" meant, though, which did not always coincide with what a person would consider advantageous. He knew that from his own Aspect, for example... its innate Ability, [Shadow Bond], had become the bane of his existence, and yet the Spell clearly thought of it as a precious boon.


    Further still, the Mantle of the Underworld was not even the Spell''s creation. Rather, it was a Memory of an artifact created by Nether, the Demon of Destiny, most likely for one of his stone children. Sunny suspected that it had once belonged to the Stranger, one of the seven heroes of the Forgotten Shore, who had been of Saint''s tribe and possibly her previous lord.


    So... what would actually happen if he bound that artifact to his soul?


    Huh...


    He hesitated for a while, then dismissed the runes. Not because he had decided against activating the new enchantment, but rather because his shadows had noticed something strange on the road ahead - the tail of the caravan.


    The caravan, for whatever reason had stopped.


    ''Damn it.''


    That was outside the scope of the action plan he had established. Luster was not supposed to stop the Rhino unless something truly drastic happened.


    Sunny, soulbound or not, jumped off the vehicle, turned into a shadow, and glided to the front of the caravan. Returning to his human form near the Rhino, Sunny dismissed the helmet of the Mantle and headed toward the welcoming party.


    ''I should really thank whoever it was in charge of that battleship. They saved our skin back there.''


    As he neared the small crowd, he heard a pleasant, but strained voice asking a question.


    "... your commanding officer, then?"


    One of the soldiers responded:


    "Oh, that would be the Devil. Uh... I mean Captain..."


    The representative of the ship interrupted him, sounding surprised and a little tense.


    "Your commanding officer... is a devil?"


    The soldier grunted.


    "Not a devil. The devil. But don''t worry, sir, it''s just a nickname... I think..."


    At that moment, Sunny finally reached them and saw the speaker. His eyes widened a little.


    Tall, handsome, with black hair... and eyes of an unusual, beautiful indigo color. No wonder the voice sounded familiar...


    "...Naeve?"


    The Nightwalker seemed a bit ragged and worse for wear, but it was unmistakably Master Naeve of the House of Night, his temporary pal. Hearing Sunny''s voice, Naeve looked away from the soldier he had been talking with, then lowered his gaze a little and smiled in surprise.


    "Sunless? Wait, is it really you? How are you here?"


    Sunny coughed awkwardly, then glanced at the talkative soldier with murder in his eyes.


    "Ah. That''s me, actually. I''m the Devil... in charge of delivering these fools from hell..."

 Chapter 973: Mutual Rescue

    Naeve stared at him in bewilderment for a few moments, then glanced at the column of military vehicles that stretched far.


    "You are the commanding officer? Things must have changed, then... not that I''m complaining! It''s actually great to see a familiar face. I just thought that you were supposed to be in charge of a single cohort of elite Awakened."


    Sunny sighed.


    "Yeah, well... the situation is a mess, so I ended up being in charge of an entire battalion instead. As well as around twelve thousand refugees. Anyway, thanks for the rescue... I really owe you one, Naeve. That battle could have turned ugly without your ship''s support."


    He studied the gargantuan shape of the beached vessel, finally recognizing it as the battleship that had delivered his cohort to Antarctica several months ago. Or what was left of it, rather.


    "Ah, yes, the rescue... truth be told, it is us who need to be rescued. As you can see, the ship is not exactly in great shape, and the crew - the ones who are still alive - are not in any way prepared for a long landbound march across Antarctica. We are only truly capable at sea, and even then..."


    He glanced at the mangled remains of the fearsome vessel.


    "...ah, the sea turned out to be more capable than us, in the end. In any case, your caravan is pretty much our best hope. So... do you maybe have space in these vehicles for a few thousand shipwrecked sailors? Give or take."


    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, then smiled.


    "Sure, no problem. That can be arranged. There''s a lot of useful stuff left in those cargo holds, I assume? Come with me, and we can discuss the details. How the hell did your ship end up here, anyway? Wasn''t the convoy supposed to be coursing between Falcon Scott and the Northern Quadrant?"


    As it turned out, Naeve''s vessel was one of those that, like Ariadne, had been reassigned to patrol and relocation duty after the situation in the Antarctic Center worsened with the appearance of hostile titans. His last orders were to scout and secure the stretch of the coastal highway between Erebus Field and the northern parts of the landmass, probably for the upcoming exodus of the First Army to Falcon Scott.


    Sadly, Erebus Field had been destroyed, and the battleship met an adversary that was a little bit too tough for it. In the end, they had managed to kill the monstrous jellyfish, whose corpse eventually washed up on the shore, but not before sustaining catastrophic damage. With no friendly port nearby, the vessel drifted along the coast for a while before encountering Sunny''s caravan.


    Sunny spared Naeve a grim look.


    "...I was actually supposed to be evacuated from the southernmost tip of the region by a vessel called Ariadne. It was destroyed, too, leaving me stranded there. What was Army Command thinking, separating individual battleships from the convoy? Wasn''t it obvious that it would be too dangerous for them to sail alone?"


    The tall Nightwalker sighed somberly.


    "Not as obvious as you might think. The coastal waters are not usually that dangerous, when compared to the true deep sea. Or at least they used to be safer. There were risks involved, of course, but that is a given when you are desperate. Still... we might have underestimated how much influence the Chain of Nightmare would exert on the ocean."


    ''Makes sense, I guess.''


    Sunny was not surprised that Army Command had chosen to send the divisions spread across the Antarctic Center some naval support. Logistically, it was a risky, but somewhat necessary decision, considering that the Winter Beast had shut down the entire communication network across the landmass.


    And it was not like Naeve''s battleship had been immediately sunk. The fearsome vessel operated along the coast for close to two months before stumbling on the abominable jellyfish and suffering a Pyrrhic victory that led to its demise.


    If anything, Sunny was more surprised that the House of Night had agreed to play ball. Since when were the great clans so altruistic?


    ''That''s a conversation for later...


    For now, both Naeve and Sunny had a lot to do. The structure of the caravan had to be reorganized to make room for the surviving sailors, the sailors themselves had to disembark and reach land, the maimed battleship had to be scoured for anything that could be useful for the long journey to Falcon Scott.


    All of that required time, which meant that the column would remain static for a while. A proper defensive perimeter had to be established, guard duty shifts had to be set, refugees needed to be fed and cared for. Sunny might have as well given an order to make camp, but he was extremely reluctant to remain on the coast for an entire night.


    So, all these things had to happen fast.


    Luckily, he was not the only Master defending the caravan anymore. Even though most of Naeve''s powers seemed to have to do with water, he was still an Ascended... more than that, he was an Ascended from a great clan. The Nightwalker was an absolute elite among fighters, with long years of battle experience under his belt and a vast arsenal of powerful Memories stored in his soul.


    Having someone like that by his side made Sunny feel much more confident in their chances of reaching Falcon Scott in one piece.


    ''But, coming back to a vast arsenal of Memories...''


    Sunny looked at Naeve with a strange expression on his face.


    The handsome man noticed it and raised an eyebrow in confusion.


    "Uh... yes? Did you want something, Sunless?"


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then smiled.


    "As a matter of fact, I do. Say, Naeve... you Nightwalkers are all about naval combat, right? You wouldn''t happen to have a Memory or two that can help a land rat like me do well in water, would you? You know... things like breathing under it, swimming like a torpedo, and so on. Because, if you do... I am willing to trade. No, actually, I am really, really willing to trade. I all but swore to never get close to water without a Memory like that, you see."


    "Well... actually, I do have something like that, yes. What do you want to trade for?"


    Sunny hesitated, then pointed at a young man who just happened to walk by them at that moment.


    "See that guy? His name is Luster. He''s a very valuable Awakened. A top-notch talent! Do you want me to trade him to you?"


    The Nightwalker coughed.


    "Uh... I am pretty sure that Army Command would not be happy if you sold me one of your subordinates, Sunless."


    Sunny remained silent for a moment, then sighed.


    "That''s true. A pity..."

 Chapter 974: Shadow in the Shell

    In the end, Sunny did make a trade with Naeve. He had a surplus of Memories after slaying many Nightmare Creatures to defend the convoy, and the Nightwalker was in dire need of weapons and armor suited for land combat, to arm his own Awakened.


    There had been a full cohort of them aboard the battleship once, but now, only four remained. Since these warriors of the House of Night would be defending the caravan along with the other Awakened in the near future, and Saint was still slumbering, Sunny did not drive a hard bargain.


    That was how he received two new Memories, which were meant to cover the gap in his arsenal when it came to traversing and fighting in the water.


    One of them was a simple Awakened charm that allowed him to breathe underwater. It was called [Essence Pearl], and had two enchantments. One passively produced air, the other had to be activated and gifted the wielder with the ability to see clearly, as if they were wearing a glass mask.


    The description of the charm simply stated that breathing was the essence of life, and beauty was its purpose. One had to be able to see clearly to appreciate beauty, and live long enough to enjoy it.


    ''How romantic.''


    The second Memory was Ascended, and appeared to be an... armor, of sorts. In truth, it was more of a harness made out of a fisherman''s net, which provided no protection whatsoever, but allowed the wearer to swim with surprising speed.


    The harness was called [Nimble Catch], and its description told the story of a muskrat king who had sworn to eat a wondrous fish, only to learn that it could only be caught by using the eyes of the monarch of birds - his brother - as bait. The whole thing was very weird.


    ''...What''s a muskrat, though? Do rats eat fish?''


    The only drawback of the strange harness was that, as usual, no other armor-type Memory could be used while wearing it. Nevertheless, Sunny was happy with his acquisitions. The inability to defend himself in water had been eating at him ever since the sea journey to Antarctica, and even though he hoped to never have to use these new Memories, simply possessing them was calming.


    Several hours after encountering the beached battleship, the caravan drove forward once again. The length of it remained the same, but there were much more people in the vehicles now.


    Naeve had not been joking when he said that there were thousands of sailors on the mangled vessel. And even then, those were only those who had survived. Sunny honestly did not know whether to consider them soldiers or refugees, but he knew that Sergeant Gere and the other officers would sort that out for him soon.


    The caravan had a lot of spare weapons, especially now that they had unloaded the surviving cargo holds of the battleship, so there was a good chance that many of the sailors would become active combatants. Even if not, Sunny was already satisfied to have another Master around.


    Naeve''s presence also did wonders for the morale of everyone in the caravan, not only because he was an Ascended, but also because of how flamboyantly he had appeared. If there was a sure way to win someone''s adoration, it was to shower a horde of Nightmare Creatures trying to eat them with a barrage of artillery fire at just the right moment.


    ''Huh... maybe I should remember that method...''


    Sunny remained on guard until the column of vehicles turned and left the coastal highway behind, climbing back into the mountains. It was only then that he allowed himself to relax and descended from the roof of the Rhino to its interior.


    After exchanging a few words with Professor Obel and Beth, he climbed into one of the sleeping niches and closed it to receive some privacy.


    There, he lingered for a few moments, and then summoned the runes.


    After thinking about it for a while, Sunny finally decided to take the risk and bind the Mantle of the Underworld to his soul. He did not know what would happen, and the idea of being left without a proper suit of armor was more than slightly disturbing, but...


    To tell the truth, Sunny was extremely curious to see what would happen.


    Soon, he was staring at a string of shimmering runes.


    [Bind the relic?]


    He hesitated for a few moments, sighed, and then whispered quietly:


    "Yes."


    Sunny had dismissed the Mantle, just in case, and was now wearing the soft fabric of the Puppeteer''s Shroud. For that reason, he did not see any changes immediately.


    For a few seconds, nothing happened.


    And then, the voice of the Spell spoke.


    It said:


    [Your Memory has been destroyed.]


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    ''What?!''


    He flinched, almost hitting his head on the roof of the niche. His heart skipped a bit.


    ''What the hell?! What do you mean?!''


    But then, the voice of the Spell resounded again.


    [You have received an Attribute.]


    At the same time, Sunny felt a... a profound, but unexplainable change. The change seemed to affect both his body and his soul.


    It was not painful, and did not feel harmful... just very, very strange.


    It was as if his skin turned to stone, but also remained exactly the same.


    At the same time, he felt as if the enchantments of the Mantle of the Underworld were at his fingertips, even though the onyx armor was not summoned, and in fact had been destroyed.


    ''...Huh?''


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, trying to understand what had happened to him. Then, unable to find answers, he turned his attention to the shimmering runes.


    In the list of his Memories, there was no Mantle of the Underworld anymore.


    However...


    He now possessed a new Attribute.


    Holding his breath, Sunny read:


    Attributes: [Fated], [Flame of Divinity], [Master of Shadows], [Blood Weave], [Bone Weave]...


    And there, a new string of runes appeared at the end.


    Attribute: [Marble Shell].

 Chapter 975: Marble Shell

    Marble Shell...


    Sunny stared at the runes with a thoughtful expression on his face, then concentrated on them. Immediately, new strings appeared in the air, forming a description.


    Attribute: [Marble Shell].


    Attribute Description: [In the deep darkness of the underworld, a prideful demon forged seven suits of splendid armor for his favorite creations. The intricate shells were both a boon and a test, since only those worthy of his regard could unlock the mantle''s true potential and bear its weight.]


    There were more runes, but Sunny stopped to think for a bit.


    ''Favorite creations...''


    He knew that Saint and her kind were an artificial race created by Nether, the ruler of the Underworld and the Demon of Choice... or Destiny, depending on how one decided to translate the runes. He also knew that Saint''s armor bore a strong resemblance to the Mantle of the Underworld, although it was not quite as impressive.


    The original Stone Saint had been one of the smallest and weakest living statues that used to dwell in the Dark City. By the time Sunny reached the place of their battle against the Fallen attackers, the bigger and more powerful warriors of her kind had already been destroyed, leaving only her, an Awakened Monster, to finish the fight.


    What he got from all that was that Saint had only been a foot soldier in Nether''s army... most likely.


    The armor she wore was a true masterpiece of craftsmanship, but not something on the level of the seven Mantles, which had been gifted to the high-ranking officers of the stone legion by the Prince of the Underworld.


    ''Gods. If Saint is just a foot soldier, then just how terrifying was Nether''s army?''


    Well... they had to have been pretty terrifying, in order to challenge the gods. The Stone Saint he had killed on the desolate plaza of the Dark City was a pale remnant of her original self, as well, since the living statues had not been consumed by Corruption yet during the war between the daemons and the gods.


    Shaking his head, Sunny turned his attention back to the runes. The description of the Marble Shell was a bit unusual, since it included much more information than that of other Attributes.


    He continued to read:


    Attribute Traits: [Living Stone], [Feather of Truth], [Stalwart], [Underworld Armament], [Mantle], [Shell], [Bound].


    The first four were just like the enchantments of the old Mantle, with the exception of [Stalwart]. The extremely high protection against physical attacks and the high protection against elemental attacks remained the same, but the moderate protection against mind and soul attacks had been elevated to high protection, as well.


    ''Very good...''


    The defensive trait of the Shell was passive, but the other three traits required essence to function. From now on, Sunny would have to circulate it through his own body in certain ways instead of pouring it into the Memory to activate the effect.


    That was... a bit weird. Luckily, he seemed to possess an instinctive understanding of how the essence had to be circulated exactly, and his control over it was intricate enough to achieve the desired result.


    The other three traits, however, were extremely interesting.


    The [Mantle] and [Shell] were connected, and in fact mutually exclusive. That was because those were not really traits, but actually forms that his new Attribute could assume.


    The Shell was a dormant form, while the Mantle was an active form.


    As the Shell, the armor existed under his skin... or rather, was his skin? Basically, it provided all the benefits of the Mantle of the Underworld, including access to its enchantments, albeit in a muted and somewhat weakened form.


    Sunny dismissed the Puppeteer''s Shroud and stared at his arm incredulously.


    His skin looked... pretty much the same, but somehow even paler and smoother.


    ''Great. As if I wasn''t being called a creepy porcelain doll often enough, already.''


    He sighed, then jabbed his arm with a finger. There was something strange... his skin remained soft and elastic, but when sufficient pressure was applied, it suddenly became hard as stone. Basically, it was becoming rigid when struck. After a few experiments, which must have looked really weird from the side, he determined that he could control the process consciously, too.


    ''That''s neat. So I will always have passive resistance to all kinds of damage. I''ll be able to repair damage to my skin with the [Living Stone], as well, although that won''t help me against internal injuries.''


    He activated [Feather of Truth] and felt his fist becoming much, much heavier. Then, he made his entire body extremely light.


    ''Ah! This feels so weird!''


    Sunny did not exactly start to float, but he could potentially jump extremely high or hit extremely hard with the help of this new ability. The applications were nearly endless!


    A silly smile appeared on his face.


    ''And I can always enhance the effect of a single charm, as well!''


    Better yet, by augmenting his body with the shadows, he would be augmenting his Shell, too, considering that it was a part of him. That, in fact...


    That was the real benefit of binding the armor.


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    ''Wait a second...''


    Had he not dismissed the Puppeteer''s Shroud to take a look at his skin? Which meant... which meant that he could benefit from the defensive qualities of the Shell and summon an armor-type Memory on top of that, using both to protect himself at the same time!


    Damn!


    That was simply incredible.


    Sunny was consumed by excitement for several minutes, then remembered that he currently had no powerful armor- type Memories to speak of. Well, it did not matter too much... he would find one eventually.


    Plus, there was the [Mantle] trait of the Marble Shell, as well.


    Its function was pretty simple - it activated the Attribute, making it assume the form of a full suit of armor. Unlike Memories, Sunny did not have to spend essence to summon the Mantle, since it was simply a transformation of the Shell. Similarly, the Mantle was considered to be a part of his body, and so augmenting one with the shadows would strengthen the other in turn.


    In its active form, the Attribute awakened its full power - the effects of [Stalwart], [Living Stone], [Underworld Armament], and the [Feather of Truth] were not weakened anymore, reaching their full potential.


    Sadly, wearing another armor- type Memory on top of the Mantle was out of the question.


    ''Still great!''


    So, Sunny had not really lost his armor. On the contrary, it had become stronger, and could be summoned in its full glory at any moment. It''s just that the Mantle was now an innate part of him, as opposed to a Memory.


    And finally, there was the [Bound] trait.


    Its function was very simple... it bound the Marble Shell to Sunny''s soul, which meant that one would grow alongside the other. Currently, the Attribute was of the Ascended Rank, just like Sunny.


    If Sunny became a Saint, the Marble Shell would become Transcendent, too.


    ...Laying in the sleeping niche and feeling the Rhino vibrate around him, Sunny closed his eyes and let out a satisfied sigh.


    ''Six thousand kills... ah, it was worth it...''

 Chapter 976: Ubiquitous Law

    Sunny had planned to catch a couple of hours of sleep, but in the end, he was too mesmerized by the promise of the Marble Shell to close his eyes even for a second. That new Attribute of his was both supremely powerful and complex, which meant that unlocking its full potential would demand a lot of insight and ingenuity.


    If he did manage to master it, though...


    Laying in the darkness of the sleeping niche, Sunny smiled ominously.


    ''What a great present. It should not have come as a surprise, though.''


    The challenge of the [Prince of the Underworld] had been a steep one. Six thousand defeated opponents... most Awakened - those normal people that did not go out of their way to seek out battle after battle - would never face that many adversaries in their entire lifetime, perhaps.


    More than that, Sunny suspected that the enchantment had actually had several stages, while he only completed the last one. After all, the counter of vanquished foes had already been filled to some extent by the time Sunny repaired the Mantle of the Underworld.


    An Ascended armor of the sixth Tier, demanding six thousand kills to rise to the seventh.


    If the onyx armor had started off as a Memory of the first Tier, demanding a thousand kills to rise to the second, two thousand to rise to the third... then it might have taken no less than twenty- one thousand defeated enemies for it to acquire the [Soulbound Relic] enchantment.


    ''What a scary number...''


    No wonder the Marble Shell was such a potent Attribute... not to mention its connection to one of the daemons.


    Whether it had been the First Lord of the Bright Castle or one of his companions that wore the Mantle before, Sunny really owed them some gratitude. Even more of it, to be precise.


    Regardless of the past, though, there was a lot for him to think about when it came to the future.


    Sunny instantly understood that the Marble Shell would drastically - and, most importantly, passively - increase his defensive capability and resilience. Yes, the dormant state of the Attribute was a weakened version of its active form, and yes, the [Living Stone] trait only allowed him to mend his skin, as opposed to his entire body. Sure, he did not currently possess a powerful Memory armor to synergize with the Shell.


    But it did not matter. In a sense, Sunny himself was the armor now.


    What truly enthused him about the new Attribute was the possibility of finally breaking one of the most ubiquitous laws of the Nightmare Spell - in the world ruled by it, attack almost always trumped defense. No matter how tough an armor was, a powerful and well-placed strike from a weapon of a similar Rank would most often overcome it.


    Otherwise, he would have never been able to kill Awakened Nightmare Creatures as a Sleeper, or continuously challenge enemies that were, strictly speaking, out of his league.


    Everything had its limits, of course, but generally, that was how things worked.


    Not anymore, though. Not with what his Aspect was capable of. Someone else would have found the Marble Shell a powerful aid in battle, but in Sunny''s hands, it could be so much more.


    Possibly the most important quality of the strange Attribute was that it had become a part of his body, and as such, could be augmented with the shadows at the same time. An Ascended armor might be vulnerable to an Ascended blade, but with four shadows enhancing it?


    Maybe not.


    That went for elemental, mind, and soul attacks as well, albeit to a slightly lesser degree.


    Add Blood Weave and Bone Weave to the equation, with the [Living Stone] on top of it all...


    Sunny might not be ready to go around slaying titans just yet, but he was halfway convinced that being hit by Goliath would not instantly kill him anymore.


    And that was just defense.


    The Marble Shell had the potential to do wonders for his attack potency and lethality, too.


    The [Feather of Truth] had always been an unassuming, but insidiously powerful enchantment. Now that it could be applied to his entire body, as opposed to only his armor, though... that really changed everything.


    Making himself lighter could drastically increase his speed and mobility. Making himself heavier could help Sunny weather powerful blows, as well as increase the impact of his own strikes - force was heavily dependent on mass, after all, and it was hard to achieve one without the other.


    The second part of force was acceleration, so...


    If Sunny could learn how to skillfully weave two sides of the [Feather of Truth] together, his combat performance would take a significant leap forward. Wearing a light armor on top of the Shell would be the most optimal choice, in that regard, since doing so would grant him a double layer of protection while not encumbering him too much.


    Sunny already had some knowledge of how to use the [Feather of Truth] in battle, but he was going to need to adjust to its new scope, as well as relearn a lot of things, both about the trait itself and about how he approached combat in general.


    It would demand a lot of time, practice, insight, and most of all thinking... not to mention perfecting his ability to guide essence in just the right way. However, dismantling and mastering battle styles was something Sunny was exceedingly good at, so he had no doubt that he would see some improvements very soon.


    A modest improvement was not his goal, though. He wanted to reach a state where using the [Feather of Truth] to its full potential was an instinct for him, to make it something that he did not even have to think about to do.


    That... would be a bit harder to achieve.


    Not impossible, though.


    Sunny''s personal progress in terms of pure combat mastery had been stalled for a while, so now, he was actually excited about a new challenge.


    Shifting his perception to one of the shadows to observe the dark landscape flowing past the moving Rhino, he smiled wryly.


    ''...Luckily, I have a whole continent of Nightmare Creatures to practice on.''

 Chapter 977: Through the Blizzard

    Eventually, Sunny climbed out of the sleeping niche and went about the business of managing the caravan. They had made it far into the mountains and were already moving north, toward their true goal.


    The blizzard was still raging, reducing visibility to almost zero. The landscape was as grim and foreboding as ever.


    Surrounding areas needed to be scouted, maps needed to be updated, reports needed to be received, and a hundred other things demanded his attention.


    Before getting down to it, Sunny spared a few moments to stare at the grey fabric and lusterless black leather of the Puppeteer''s Shroud.


    Who could have thought that he would be reduced to seriously using it again, after all that time?


    ''It sure is much more comfortable than walking around in a full plate of steel armor. Ah, the old me had it good...''


    Actually, not really.


    Sunny was ready to climb to the roof of the Rhino when he noticed Beth staring at him with a strange expression. He lingered for a moment.


    "What?"


    She blinked a couple of times, then pulled her gaze away.


    "No, no... nothing..."


    Sunny frowned.


    "Just say it, will you?"


    Beth remained silent for a second, then asked hesitantly:


    "Are you... uh... are you wearing makeup?"


    This time, it was his turn to stare.


    "...What? No! Why would you think that?"


    The young woman gave him a dubious look and shook her head.


    "You just look a little different, that''s all."


    Sunny grinned.


    "Oh. I naturally have the complexion of a marble statue, no makeup involved. Didn''t you know?"


    Beth turned away with a sigh and mumbled under her nose:


    "Damned Awakened... how is this fair?"


    Suppressing a chuckle, Sunny dissipated into the shadows and appeared on top of the Rhino, sighing as the bone-chilling wind smashed into his chest.


    Surprisingly, though... he was not that cold. His passive resistance to the elements was already making itself known.


    Without wasting any time, Sunny made himself heavier for better stability, summoned the Memory of Ice, and wrapped the shadow he kept with himself around his body, simultaneously circulating essence to double the enhancement granted to the charm.


    A couple of seconds later, he felt even more comfortable. Sunny still sensed a slight chill, but it was in no way bothersome. Additionally, the winds were powerless against him. It was as if Sunny had turned into a small cliff.


    Huh.


    Summoning Morgan''s Warbow, he sat down on the roof and closed his eyes.


    ''I can get used to this...''


    Their journey to Falcon Scott continued. Traversing the abomination-infested expanse of the Antarctic Center was still hard and dangerous, but with Naeve assisting Sunny in defending the caravan, things became a little bit easier.


    The two Masters rarely saw each other, communicating mostly over the chain of relays in the military vehicles. Sunny was stationed at the head of the column, while Naeve stayed in the rear to provide the best possible defensive coverage.


    Mostly, they only met face-to-face during the rare stops and when an especially dire threat demanded both of them to fight side by side to vanquish it. Going into battle with the Nightwalker was both comfortable and effective.


    ''Ah. Finally, a professional...''


    Naeve was an extremely skilled warrior, using a long bone harpoon and a net woven out of unnaturally durable threads to herd and decimate Nightmare Creatures.


    It was obvious that he was not entirely comfortable fighting on land, and his Aspect powers seemed to be under severe restriction, though, so the scion of the House of Night mostly supported Sunny and made it easier for him to kill their enemies.


    Which was more than welcome.


    Naeve was also more cautious than most Masters tended to be. Not overly so, but enough for Sunny to notice the difference between the two of them. It was understandable... after all, the Nightwalker had a family to come back to. He carried more than one life on his shoulders.


    That perspective was a bit new to Sunny, and made him think about things that he had never considered before.


    Other than that, things were going... as expected. The caravan continued to grow, several more groups of Erebus Field survivors joining it. By then, Sunny was secretly starting to thank the gods that Naeve''s ship had suffered catastrophic damage. Without the additional supplies looted from its holds, he would have to deal with a supply shortage pretty soon.


    As it was, though, he had enough to feed everyone and arm those who could and knew how to fight, for now.


    Sunny was curious to see if anyone else would notice his subtle change, but in the end, the only other person other than Beth who showed any reaction was Kim. At some point, she gave him a very weird look and hastily turned away without asking anything.


    Kim was able to see vulnerabilities in everything she looked at, after all, and Sunny had recently become much less vulnerable. No wonder she was surprised.


    ''Great. What bizarre stories are they going to come up with now?''


    Hopefully, Belle would not be giving him weird looks again...


    The Crow also noticed that something about Sunny had changed. The Echo landed on his shoulder, stared at him with curiosity for a few moments, and then suddenly tried to peck him in the neck. After that, the bird let out a startled caw.


    Ston! Ston!


    Then, it flew away and stayed in the air for a while.


    Being pecked by an Awakened Monster was not a pleasant experience, but the Shell did not show any sign of giving in to the sharp beak. Overall, Sunny was very satisfied by the strange incident.


    ...The tumultuous march north continued.


    Swarms of Nightmare Creatures were slaughtered.


    More soldiers died.


    More refugees died, too.


    With thousands and thousands of them cooped up in the moving vehicles, it was inevitable that some would succumb to the Spell. Despite all Sunny''s efforts to make sure that new Aspirants were found and isolated in time, there had been a couple instances where the security measures failed.


    The results were bloody.


    Sunny was shaken by the loss of civilian lives, but in the grand scheme of things, they were just drops in the ocean. An entire metropolis had been erased off the map just a few days ago, and that was simply one instance of the inconceivable carnage and destruction reigning over the Southern Quadrant.


    Sunny was growing really tired of watching people die.


    He also knew that the death toll would not stop growing anytime soon.

 Chapter 978: Back Again

    The Rhino let out a disturbing, screeching sound and came to a shuddering stop. Sunny remained on the roof for a few moments, looking down with a grim expression on his face, then jumped down. Landing softly in the snow, he took a few steps away and studied his battered APC.


    The mighty machine... had seen better days.


    Its armored hull was littered with deep gouges and makeshift patches of scavenged alloy. The wedge-shaped ram at the front of the Rhino was deformed and painted dull red, its deployment mechanism irreparably damaged and stuck in the lowered position.


    The six mighty wheels were still intact, but all the additional thrusters were either spent or destroyed.


    What worried Sunny the most, though, were the sensitive internals of the APC. Despite the fact that Kim and Samara had been desperately trying to keep them from deteriorating completely, most of the systems were slowly dying. The Rhino had been put through too much abuse, and now, it seemed to be on the verge of failing.


    A sad, bitter sigh escaped from Sunny''s lips.


    ''Damn it.''


    ...Behind him, the rest of the caravan was in a similar condition. The column of dilapidated vehicles stretched for many kilometers, each showing some signs of battle damage and stress. Most vehicles had not suffered as much as the Rhino, which served as the vanguard machine, but then again, most of them were also not as shielded and robust as the custom APC of the Irregulars.


    After studying the state of the caravan for a minute or two, Sunny turned around and walked forward. Passing between the massive shape of Abomination and the much smaller, but similarly fearsome shape of Blackie, he stopped and looked at the vast valley below.


    As he did, the Crow landed on his shoulder.


    Sunny and the three Echoes remained silent for a while.


    The valley was covered in snow, but it could not hide the upturned soil and the signs of a devastating battle that must have raged here once. Craters and mounds of frozen earth littered the landscape, hinting at a heavy artillery bombardment. A ghastly mountain of charred bones towered near the slopes, and some distance away from it lay a graveyard of broken war machines.


    Thousands upon thousands of Nightmare Creatures were moving through the snow.


    Worse than that, thirteen active Gates ringed the valley, tearing reality apart.


    "What a terrible place."


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then looked at Naeve, who had just reached the crest of the hill. The Nightwalker was looking down with a sour face, his broken arm still resting in a makeshift sling. He had been wounded in a random battle a few days ago and was yet to fully recover.


    Sunny smiled.


    "...Yeah. It was even more terrible when seven new Gates opened right when we tried to deal with the six that had already manifested, encircling the whole division. That was how Antarctica welcomed us, all that time ago."


    Indeed, Sunny knew that valley well. It was where he had fought his first real battle in the Southern Quadrant, unleashing Saint to defend the mundane soldiers. Looking down, he could recognize the spots where he had slain the Gate Guardians, as well as the spot where the division had burned its dead before moving on.


    Was he feeling... nostalgic?


    Well, it did not matter, anyway.


    What did matter was that the valley was only a day''s travel away from Falcon Scott.


    They had finally made it... almost.


    In the end, it took the caravan two weeks to get here. June was almost over, but the long night of Antarctica still showed no sign of ending. The world was dark, as always, and full of abominable horrors, as always.


    Nothing truly noteworthy had happened in these two weeks. It had just been a constant, grueling, arduous struggle to survive. Every kilometer they traversed had been a little bit harder than the previous one. The numerous skirmishes and battles they had fought all started to blend into one, at some point, and the names of soldiers and civilians Sunny had lost did, too.


    All in all, few people died... comparatively. Considering the overall size of the caravan, the number of casualties was statistically insignificant.


    But people were not statistics.


    Sunny grimaced and looked away.


    He might have brought most of the caravan this close to Falcon Scott in one piece, but the hardest part was still ahead of them.


    Due to its nature as a place of a massive - and static - concentration of humans, the siege capital naturally attracted numerous Nightmare Creatures. It was constantly besieged by hordes of abominations, with more arriving from the south every day.


    The caravan had to somehow break through that blockade to reach the city gates.


    Fortunately, they did not have to do it alone.


    Sunny had already contacted Army Command through the Dream Realm, reporting the date they would arrive in this valley. He was promised assistance and reinforcements, as well as a special envoy to help the refugees make it through safely.


    The envoy was running late, though.


    His shadows would have noticed anyone on the slopes of the mountains, and he did not see any humans in the valley. If someone really planned to make it to the other side and meet the caravan, Sunny had no idea how they were planning to fight their way through the sea of Nightmare Creatures below.


    Glancing at Naeve, he frowned.


    "...Where the hell is that envoy?"


    Before the Nightwalker could answer, the Crow suddenly let out a nervous screech and hurriedly flew away.


    In the next second, a massive shadow suddenly dove down from above, approaching the caravan with stunning speed.


    Sunny was already drawing the string of his bow but paused at the last moment, looking at the landing creature with wide eyes.


    Massive... powerful body that resembled that of a lion, mighty white wings, beautiful golden eyes of an eagle...


    In front of him, proud and majestic, was a very familiar griffin.

 Chapter 979: Full Circle

    The mighty griffin landed in front of the caravan, a cloud of snow rising into the air around it. A moment later, a human figure jumped off its back, landing not too far away from Sunny and Naeve.


    The man in front of them was tall and had broad, powerful shoulders. His light armor was crafted from the adamantine scales of an unknown monster, with a blue scarf wrapped carelessly around his neck. His hair was the color of straw, as was his thick beard.


    The stranger''s eyes were bright blue and piercing.


    ...Master Roan had not changed a lot since the last time he and Sunny met. Sky Tide''s husband seemed a little more rugged and weary, but other than the length of his bear, everything else was exactly the same.


    ''How the hell is he even more handsome now?1 Sunny blinked a couple of times, then smiled a little.


    It was good to see Roan alive and well.


    In retrospect, his sudden appearance made sense. Since the whole of the White Feather clan had been banished to Antarctica, where else would Roan be?


    The man in question, meanwhile, studied the caravan for a few moments, and then headed toward Sunny and Naeve. As he approached, he paused slightly and stared at them with a strange expression. Then, a surprised smile appeared on Roan''s face.


    "Sunless? Wait... it''s you? You''re the famous Devil of Antarctica?"


    Sunny shifted a little, then cleared his throat in embarrassment.


    "Uh... yes? That''s what people call me these days, I guess. Anyway, it is very nice to see you again, Master Roan. Really."


    Roan remained silent for a few moments, then suddenly laughed.


    "Ah... why did nobody tell me? It makes sense, though! You do love striking deals with people... in exchange for soul shards..."


    As Sunny coughed, Naeve looked at them with curiosity.


    "You know each other?"


    Still a little startled, Sunny nodded.


    "...Yes. Master Roan of the White Feather clan, meet Master Naeve of the House of Night. The two of us are in charge of this caravan."


    The two Ascended briefly studied each other, then exchanged nods. There was no real tension between them, but Sunny noticed that they were not entirely at ease with each other, unlike how they were with him.


    It was understandable. White Feather was a vassal clan of Valor, while Naeve came from the great clan Night. Politically, there was somewhat of a wall between them... which was probably only made taller by the fact that Valor and Song were at war, while the House of Night remained neutral.


    Would it continue to stay on the sidelines, though? That, nobody could tell.


    Master Roan offered a handshake to Naeve, then glanced at the column of battered vehicles again.


    "How many people do you have?"


    It seemed that the time for pleasantries was over, and they were about to discuss business. Sunny was extremely motivated to get his people out of the open and to safety as soon as possible, so he was all for it.


    Looking back, he said:


    "Four thousand soldiers, thirty thousand civilian refugees, plus a few thousand shipwrecked sailors. I also have one hundred Awakened and around twenty Sleepers, as well as my own cohort of Irregulars. Oh, and a dozen or so Echoes between all of us, including a couple of Fallen ones."


    Abomination and Roan''s griffin were currently having a staring contest, so the last point was self-evident.


    The handsome Master gave him a long stare.


    "...You really brought these people here all the way from Erebus Field?"


    Sunny smiled bleakly.


    "Most of them, yes. A few hundred were with me from before that, though. These poor souls have crossed more than three thousand kilometers in search of shelter."


    Roan lingered for a moment, then briefly grasped his shoulder. "You did well, Sunless. You did very well."


    His words were encouraging, but his tone was somber.


    Thirty thousand refugees might have sounded like a large number, considering how hard it was to escort such a caravan across the ravaged expanse of the Antarctic Center... but there had been tens of millions of people in Erebus Field.


    Of course, there were more survivors than those gathered by Sunny, who had found their way to Falcon Scott or other siege capitals on their own, but the loss of life must have still been tremendous.


    With a sigh, he looked away.


    "So, how are we going to do this? I suspect that fighting our way to the city won''t be easy."


    Master Roan remained silent for a few moments, then smiled.


    "Actually, you don''t have to worry about it... too much, I mean. We''ve been receiving many refugee convoys in the last week or so, so the procedure has been polished a lot by now."


    He turned around and looked at the valley ringed by thirteen Gates.


    "At my signal, there will be a sortie from within the city walls to create a distraction. At the same time, your Irregular colleagues will clear the side road that circles this valley. All we have to do is cut through the remaining abominations and reach the entrance to the road. Are you and your people up to that?"


    Sunny looked into the distance and smiled.


    ''How fitting.''


    Wasn''t it the exact same road that his cohort had been ordered to secure during the first days of the campaign?


    Sunny had left Falcon Scott three months ago, and now, he was returning. The circle was complete.


    What a tough road it had been.


    Had he ever suspected that things would turn out this way? Millions of people were dead, the First Army was in retreat all across the Antarctic Center, and he had somehow ended up being responsible for tens of thousands of lives. Humanity had been thoroughly beaten by the Chain of Nightmares in this region of the Southern Quadrant.


    ...Not a chance. He had a suspicion that things would turn out disastrously for the First Army, but not so soon, and not to such an extent. Not to mention how bizarre his own situation.


    ''Well, what does it matter?''


    Giving Roan a nod, Sunny stretched his shoulders and said: "...Yes. Yes, we are. Let''s get the hell out of here."

 Chapter 980: Siege Capital

    The preparations did not take long. As the caravan was getting ready for one last push, the three Masters briefly discussed the plan of the battle.


    There was not a lot they had to do. If things went well, most of the Nightmare Creatures would be pulled away by the city defenders, and the mountain road would be cleared by the Irregulars. However, it was always a good idea to prepare a few contingencies, just in case.


    At some point, Roan gave Sunny a studying look and said:


    "...You''ve look different, Sunless."


    Sunny tilted his head a little, confused.


    "Why wouldn''t I? The last time we saw each other, I was still an Awakened. Oh... or do you mean my skin?"


    Roan shook his head with a smile.


    "No, I don''t mean your appearance. You just seem... older."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "I am older, though? By about two years?"


    The handsome Master chuckled.


    "That you are. Anyway, I think we are as ready as we can be. Should I send the signal?"


    Sunny nodded, prompting Roan to summon a Memory that resembled a waxed clay tablet. He simply drew a jagged line on it, then waved at them and walked over to his griffin.


    Not long after that, the sortie that was supposed to lead most of Nightmare Creatures away from the valley commenced. It started with a heavy missile barrage, which was then followed by a full company of MWPs appearing on the far side, accompanied by many cohorts of Awakened.


    Sunny and Naeve silently watched as the sea of abominations rushed forward, then glanced at each other and dashed toward their vehicles. Abomination and Blackie rose from the ground and shook their gaunt bodies, preparing for a battle.


    They did not have to wait long.


    As soon as the horde of Nightmare Creatures shifted to the far side of the valley and spilled out of it, pursuing the retreating diversion force, the Rhino growled and lunged forward. The battered APC was functioning perfectly, as if it had gathered all its remaining strength for one last glorious charge.


    The long column of vehicles followed the mighty machine.


    The caravan rolled down into the valley. Before any of the remaining Nightmare Creatures could react, an onslaught of bullets, arrows, and magical projectiles fell upon them, tearing the monsters apart.


    Further away, the tail of the deceived horde sensed that something was wrong. Scores of abominations turned around and saw the descending column of vehicles. Their howls and shrieks informed the rest of the creatures, and a mass of them staggered, struggling to change targets.


    Before the tail of the horde could reorient itself, however, a rain of strange metal roads fell from the sky, piercing the ground in front of them in a loose line. Then, blinding arcs of electricity suddenly shot between the rods, creating a wall of lightning.


    The first few Nightmare Creatures that tried to pass through the barrier were instantly turned to ash. Roan was holding them back, for now, but his reserves of essence were probably not going to last long.


    Plus, the more powerful abominations could weather the damage and slip through the lightning wall. Others could simply leap over it... one was already trying, for that matter.


    Before it could land, though, a javelin fell from the sky, piercing the creature through.


    The Rhino was already heading for the distant entrance to the mountain road.


    The caravan''s Echoes were moving ahead of the vehicles, tearing apart those abominations that had somehow survived the ranged attacks. Even Crow was helping, diving down to rip into the weaker enemies with its beak and talons.


    Sunny was sending one arrow flying after another. Each pierced an especially vulnerable spot on the bodies of the Nightmare Creatures, killing them instantly. His accuracy was scarily perfect... months of fighting in Antarctica had really honed his once rudimentary archery skill.


    ''Kai would have been proud...''


    Shifting his aim a little, Sunny sighed. What was his friend doing right now? Probably staring at the anchored battleships and waiting for his turn to board them.


    Chasing away all distractions, Sunny concentrated on the task at hand.


    ...By the time Roan''s lightning barrier failed, the caravan was already climbing the steep slope, well on its way to leave the valley. Naeve had arranged for an improvised minefield to be set up in the way of any potential pursuers, so their retreat had a good chance of happening without a hitch.


    And indeed, to everyone''s surprise, nothing went wrong.


    Higher in the mountains, Sunny was standing on the roof of the Rhino and staring at the familiar Gate up ahead. That was the place where he had slain the Gate Guardian, Defiled Witness, a few months ago. Very little had changed in this place.


    The mountain road was suspiciously empty of enemies, and very soon, he realized why. A man in heavy plate armor suddenly appeared from behind a large boulder and effortlessly jumped to the roof of the Rhino, landing just a few steps away from Sunny.


    His face was hidden behind the visor of a closed helmet, but Sunny recognized Ascended Dale - Winter''s former partner and one of the captains of the Irregulars - by his steady bearing and equipment.


    Master Knight glanced at him and nodded curtly.


    Sunny grinned.


    "Hey, Dale. You really are a sight for sore eyes. Say, have you always been so mesmerizing?"


    The ironclad warrior stared at him for a moment, then shook his head. A calm voice resounded from behind the helmet:


    "...You''re not too bad yourself, Sunny."


    With that, he dismissed his shield and summoned a powerful longbow instead.


    "Now, would you please concentrate? We did the best we could, but it will still be a bumpy ride."


    ...And it was, indeed.


    But in the end, the caravan still made it safely to the gates of Falcon Scott.


    As the Rhino drove past the mighty fortifications of the siege capital and approached a colossal, seemingly impregnable alloy wall, Sunny couldn''t help but stare at it in wonder.


    Back when they had left, the city possessed robust defenses... but not nearly as fearsome.


    The alloy wall was at least seventy meters tall, surrounding the whole siege capital. Its many bastions housed devastating railguns, which seemed like they had been scavenged from decommissioned battleships. Thousands of turrets were placed along the wall''s length, some aiming at the ground, some staring into the dark sky. Sunny could see lumbering MWPs patrolling the battlements.


    The killing field around the city was littered with countless corpses, most of the abominations utterly torn apart. Teams of engineers moved among them, gathering soul shards and valuable materials.


    The whole might of the First Army was gathered here, and the city itself had been converted into a fortress on such a scale that Sunny struggled to imagine the amount of effort, resources, and ingenuity that had gone into building these awe-inspiring fortifications.


    Falcon Scott looked... like it was too large to fail.


    Sunny''s whole attention was concentrated on the massive gates of the siege capital, though, which the caravan was currently swiftly approaching.


    As soon as the shadows of the city wall fell on him, he let out a quiet sigh and suddenly staggered, as if robbed of all strength.


    An intense, overwhelming sense of relief flooded Sunny''s entire body. He slowly lowered himself to the roof of the APC.


    Hazy images of what had happened in the last few months flashed in his mind. The empty streets of LO49, the eerie darkness of the underground tunnel, the terrifying silhouette of Goliath rising from beneath the ocean waves... and so, so much more.


    All of that was behind him now.


    ''We... made it?''


    The gates of Falcon Scott started to open, as if to answer his question.


    Indeed, Sunny was right.


    He had finally managed to bring his people to safety.


    All across the Antarctic Center, humans were retreating north, to the last bastion of their kind in this forsaken place.


    ...However, humans were not the only ones moving in its direction.


    Somewhere on the coast, a swarm of Nightmare Creatures was behaving strangely. Slowly and silently, the abominations were marching toward the murmuring waves. One after another, they walked into the dark water, only to disappear under its surface without a trace. A day later, the same eerie scene could be seen further north.


    Far away, deep in the mountains, a river of darkness was flowing through a deep gorge. If anyone could take a closer look at it, they would see that the darkness was actually composed of numerous small, black beetles. Devouring everything on their path, the beetles were heading north, as well.


    In some other place, a walking mountain seemed to be moving in the same direction. The stone giant was making its way across the ravaged landscape, the world shaking with his every step. His single eye stared blindly into the distance, as if capable of piercing thousands of kilometers to gaze at something hidden.


    When the moon appeared in the night sky, the giant''s eye closed.


    There was also a blizzard raging somewhere far away. In its center, surrounded by a circle of absolute piece, a grotesque creature was hovering above the snow. Soon, the winds picked up, blowing furiously in a single direction...


    North, north, north.


    ...And on a slope of a jagged mountain, a powerful abomination was preparing to feast on the remains of an adversary it had killed. Before it could, however, the shadows around it suddenly came to life, and a dark silhouette emerged from them.


    The creature was tall and human-like, with jet-black bone plates covering its lithe and powerful body. Before the abomination could react, something moved, and a fountain of blood painted the snow red, soon followed by pieces of torn flesh and viscera.


    The dark creature raised the abomination''s severed head with its hand, which was missing two fingers, and stared at it for a few moments. Soon, disturbing crunching sounds could be heard, drowned by the howling of the wind.


    When the creature was done with its morbid meal, it lingered for a few moments, and then looked north, its eyes burning with cold hatred.


    Below it, in the distance, a large city sprawled near the ocean... Falcon Scott.

 Chapter 981 All Quiet

    Rain had recently turned sixteen.


    For every teenager, that was a special date. It signified more than words could describe, because from that point forward, for about two or three years, they would be vulnerable to the infection of the Spell.


    She had expected to feel a large change within herself, but to Rain''s surprise, everything about her seemed more or less the same.


    ...The world around her, however, had changed a lot.


    Her daily routine was exactly as it had been before, but beneath the surface, everyone was acting differently. Her parents tried to hide their fear, but she knew how worried they really were. Her classmates were putting on a brave face, but none of them could act nearly as well as they thought they could. Even the teachers seemed much more subdued.


    The mood on the streets of the city was subtly different, too.


    Of course, Rain was not the center of the universe. Most of these changes had nothing to do with her, and were instead caused by the event that had everyone glued to the news portals - the grand evacuation of the Southern Quadrant. It was a historic event, after all.


    Granted, none of it had truly affected NQSC. The refugees were yet to arrive, and the danger they were running from was so far away that it did not feel real. It was just that everyone seemed to have an opinion about what was happening, and there were military vehicles on the roads sometimes.


    There were numerous recruitment posters all around the city, too, encouraging people to enlist in the Second Evacuation Army. The First one was already achieving victory after victory in Antarctica, pushing back the abominable Nightmare Creatures each day. Anyone who wanted to win glory and help the victorious heroes defend humanity was invited to join the war effort.


    Or at least that was what the news told them. Most people just took the propaganda at face value, believing that the Antarctica campaign was going well, but Rain had a slight advantage over them when it came to such things. Her father worked for the government, after all, and although he rarely talked about his job at home, she had learned a few things over the years.


    These days, her dad looked very stressed. He looked more stressed with each passing day.


    ...And Sunny was gone.


    Rain had grown accustomed to her eccentric neighbor coming and going as he pleased, sometimes disappearing for long stretches of time. At least she knew where he was, on this occasion... if anything, the idea of Sunny ordering soldiers around was more comical than frightening.


    ''Those poor people...''


    She knew, of course, that her impish teacher was an actual Master. Despite Sunny''s ridiculous attitude and strange antics, he was an Ascended of considerable power... not just anyone could have been a member of Changing Star''s cohort.


    But still, still...


    Lady Nephis, Effie, Night... all of them were exalted warriors. But Sunny was a scout. Even if he was a splendid swordsman and a cunning tactician, his Aspect was not suited for battle, let alone the kind of battles that must be happening in Antarctica.


    What the hell was that fool doing in the middle of a war?


    And why the hell was he not answering her messages?!


    ''Damn it, Sunny!1


    Sitting in class and finding herself unable to concentrate on the lesson - it was just a perfunctory summer course, anyway, and everyone was sleepy after an intense combat drill - Rain was staring at the screen of her communicator with dark intensity.


    Things had been fine at first, but then everything went wrong. When Sunny stopped answering, she had not been too worried. For a couple of weeks.


    It had been two months now, though, and there was still no sign of him.


    At some point, Rain had grown concerned and, not knowing what else to do, contacted Aiko. But Aiko simply told her to relax, and that Sunny was definitely doing great somewhere out there. The petite young woman seemed to have a lot of confidence in Sunny''s abilities, it seemed.


    And yet, Rain was ill at ease.


    It was funny... right now, she should have been worried sick about being chosen by the Spell, but Sunny''s strange silence bothered her much more.


    And so, Rain was staring at the screen of her communicator in the middle of a class.


    Her message log would have been embarrassing, if things weren''t so scary.


    "Hey, did you get my last message?"


    "Rain to Sunny, hello?"


    "Stop ignoring me."


    "Why aren''t you answering?"


    "Sunny?"


    "If you''re too busy, just say so and I''ll find something more interesting to do."


    "What, not even an ''okay''? Come on."


    "Seriously though, are you alright?"


    "Did something happen?"


    "If I find out that you just forgot to read my messages, you are a dead man."


    "You are not really dead, are you?"


    "Ha-ha, just joking."


    "What the hell, you did not even congratulate me on my birthday?"


    "Sunny, are you okay?"


    "Answer me dammit."


    "Sunny, answer me."


    "I might be a little worried, so... please send me a message when you have free time."


    "Please answer me."


    Rain gritted her teeth and put the communicator away. She tried listening to the lecture, although it was hard to hear anything with how much her classmates were whispering around her, gossiping about this and that.


    The class, the gossip, it all seemed so... inconsequential.


    The whole classroom seemed surreal, actually. It was too peaceful, too warm, and too normal. Somewhere out there, millions of people were being displaced or dying. The loss of one of the four Quadrants could have long-term and catastrophic consequences for all of humanity. The same thing that was transpiring in Antarctica could just as easily happen to other continents soon.


    And yet, people were behaving as if nothing out of the ordinary was going on. They just went about their lives, acting unconcerned. Did they not understand what was happening? Did they not know that soldiers were dying on the frontline every day?


    That Awakened were dying, too?


    ''Fools... damned fools...''


    At that moment, one of her classmates turned around, leaned forward, and whispered:


    "Hey, Rain. Why are you so down lately? Wanna go eat something spicy after class? There''s probably going to be food rationing for a while after those refugees arrive, so this might be our last chance to..."


    Before Rain knew what she was doing, an angry response flew out of her mouth:


    "Is food all you''re thinking about?!"


    She blinked, realizing that she was standing, and that the whole class was staring at her. Apparently, she had forgotten to keep her voice down... and to remain in her seat...


    The teacher gave Rain a bewildered look.


    "...Why, yes. This topic might not seem too interesting to you youngsters, but it would be unprofessional for me to be thinking about something else while presenting it. Now, please sit down and behave, young miss. Where are your manners?"


    Embarrassed, Rain returned to her seat and turned to the window.


    The class continued, and the gossip continued, too. Only this time, she was the subject of the whispers.


    On her way home, Rain passed a familiar grey house. She paused for a few moments, looking at the porch where a certain insufferable Master could often be seen in the past, drinking coffee and acting as if he did not have a single worry in the world.


    The porch was empty, and the house was empty, too.


    With a sigh, she turned away and continued walking.


    ''Why do I care about that idiot, anyway? Damned Sunny. Even if he sends me a message now, I won''t answer.''


    At that moment, her communicator vibrated, announcing that there was a new notification.


    Rain glanced at it absentmindedly, and then suddenly froze. There was a new message on the screen.


    It read:


    "Sunny: Gods! What is up with all these messages? Are you a stalker? I was just stuck in an area without a network connection for a while, there was no need to assault my inbox! Anyway... happy belated birthday, I guess. How are you doing? Data transfers are limited where I am now, so I''ll be short. I''m fine. Oh... and I received another medal. Pretty cool, right?"


    Rain stared at the screen for a few moments, then took a shaky breath and started typing furiously.


    -----


    Erdiul Notes: Rain is quite the cutie, isn''t she?

 Chapter 982 Dark, Empty, And Silent

    Cassie opened her eyes in the darkness.


    For a few moments, she was disoriented by the onslaught of colors and sensations.


    She was looking at the bright blue sky and the sea of white clouds rolling beneath the Ivory Tower. Sunlight was caressing her skin, and gentle winds were singing into her ears.


    She was enveloped in heat, red sparks flying from a crucible where molten steel was shining with an incandescent glow. A tired voice was chanting something in an ancient language, the alien words drowning in the clamor of the forge.


    She was locked in a small office, reading a document. The paper was cold to the touch, and smelled of fresh ink. Her vision was blurry from the lack of sleep, and her heart was heavy. The contents of the document were grave...


    There were other places, other people. It took her some time to find herself among the strangers.


    Cassie''s was the only world that had no colors, and no shapes. It was dark, empty, and silent.


    She could feel the soft fabric of her pajamas touching her skin, and the warmth of her bed. The smell was all wrong, though. Wrong, but nice and familiar.


    ''...Where am I?''


    She frowned, and then remembered. These were not her chambers in the Ivory Tower. She had returned to the waking world, and was now in her room.


    She was home...


    Cassie allowed the perspectives of various people marked by her Ability to fade into the background, and concentrated on her own.


    She rose from the bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower. The layout of her room was orderly and familiar, and she was careful to keep everything in its proper place. That was why she could orient herself without problem here, not needing any help. This darkness was safe.


    It had not always been that way, however. For the first few weeks after receiving her Flaw, Cassie had been a walking collection of bruises.


    ...And then, the solstice was upon her.


    After a short, but pleasant shower - way better than anything they had been able to arrange in the Ivory Tower - she walked over to her wardrobe and got dressed. Her clothes were organized according to a strict system, with a tactile script tag added to each hanger to label colors, so Cassie could find anything she wanted quickly.


    Finally ready, she left her room and headed downstairs.


    Outside of her own space, she felt less confident. Her parents tried to be mindful of her Flaw, but it was still something unfamiliar to them. In the years after becoming blind, Cassie spent most of her time someplace else, after all. How could they have grown accustomed to it?


    She was almost sure that there would not be a piece of furniture moved, or a random item left carelessly in the way. But the mere possibility of stumbling into something or falling down made her feel tense. Cassie felt... felt like a stranger in her own home.


    She hated that feeling.


    Of course, nothing here could really harm her. Her Ascended physique was beyond being bruised by a mundane accident, but today was a special day. She wanted to make it perfect.


    Cassie hesitated for a little, and then activated her Awakened Ability. With so many perspective mediums out there, her essence was in a state of delicate equilibrium. She had to be mindful not to spend more than she could passively replenish, and indulging herself without a real reason was not very responsible.


    ''...Just for a little bit.''


    Immediately, the world changed.


    Cassie was standing near the stairs, but she was also cautiously descending them. One step, two steps, three steps...


    Cassie lowered her foot to the first step, but she was also on the fourth step.


    Cassie reached the fourth step, but she was also on the landing.


    Her hand was sliding along the banister, but it was also hanging by her side. She did not smell anything in particular, but she could also feel the scent of her mom''s shampoo and... flowers?


    Cassie was still on the stairs, but she also felt a pang of pain as her shin slammed into something hard, followed by the sound of a glass vase shattering as it hit the floor.


    ''That was nothing there before...''


    Cassie moved to the side, avoiding the unfamiliar stand, and leaned forward a little to smell the flowers. The vase was standing still, and perfectly whole.


    At the same time, there was the sound of an opening door, and her mother''s scent became stronger.


    Cassie turned to the closed door.


    The door opened, and her mother walked inside from the street.


    "Ah! My baby is awake!"


    Cassie smiled and released her Awakened Ability. Instead, she sent her essence forward and substituted her sight with her mom''s. Immediately, the full room came into view, including an unfamiliar wooden stand with a beautiful vase of natural flowers on top of it.


    ...She saw herself, too.


    Cassie could see her own face, but not that of her mother.


    She frowned a little.


    ''My skirt is wrinkled...''


    "Happy Birthday! I can''t believe it, my lovely daughter is turning twenty!"


    Cassie smiled. She didn''t feel like she was twenty... she felt like she was two hundred.


    Before she could say anything, her mom enveloped her in a hug.


    "I am so glad that you managed to come! Work is work, but a young lady like you should not forget about her poor, old parents. Would it kill you to visit more often? All, what am I saying? Visit, what visit? This is still your home, you know! You live here!"


    Cassie''s smile widened.


    "I know."


    "And where are these friends of yours? What do you mean, no one is coming to the party? I get it that Lady Nephis might be busy, but what about the others? That young man, Sunny, the one you always mention? Where''s he?"


    Cassie remained silent for a while.


    "...He''s busy, too."


    "All, that daughter of mine is too nice. If it were me, I''d give these so-called friends a piece of my mind... missing a birthday party is never okay!"


    Cassie just hugged her mom tighter. She couldn''t help but cling to her a little longer than she should have.


    ...That was because Cassie knew exactly how many more birthdays they would be able to celebrate together.


    She knew when her mother would die, and how.


    He knew when her father would die, too.


    She even knew the day of her own death, and where she would be entombed.


    Cassie knew a great number of things, and because of that, she felt sorry.


    Fate was not easy to break, and it could not be broken without paying a price.


    "Alright, baby, let me go so that I can cook you a very special birthday breakfast."


    She reluctantly ended the hug and sighed.


    "I am not a baby, you know. I am an Ascended already."


    Her mom laughed.


    "Who says that an Ascended can''t be a little baby? Now tell me what you want for breakfast!"


    Cassie masterfully hid her sorrow and put a big, bright smile on her face.


    "How about eggs? With bacon?"


    Her mother was already walking to the kitchen.


    "No problem! We only have synthetic bacon, though. Will that be alright, Miss Ascended?"


    Cassie followed, careful not to smash into anything else. "That''s the best kind!"


    There was a digital clock in the kitchen, and when her mother glanced at it in passing, the time was ten in the morning.


    Cassie quietly sat down and turned to the clock, even though she could not see it.


    A few minutes later, when a delicious smell filled the kitchen, she sighed and stared into the distance, as if able to see something far, far away.


    Her smile faltered a little.


    ''It is starting, then...''

 Chapter 983: The Fall of Falcon Scott (1)

    Falcon Scott was not the largest city in the Southern Quadrant, but it served an important role. Situated dangerously close to the ocean, it served as an entry point to the Antarctic Center.


    A constant stream of people and cargo used to flow through it, making it the heart of the infrastructure of the region.


    The city itself sprawled across the foothills of the mountain range, perched on top of tall cliffs. At the bottom of the cliffs, an independent port-fortress stood at the edge of the water, surrounded by its own ring of walls. The fortress was much larger and better fortified than the one Sunny had departed the Northern Quadrant from, and the First Army did not spare any resources to reinforce it even further.


    The port was connected to the city by a chain of industrial elevator platforms, which could haul a formidable amount of weight up and down. Due to that, the fortress could be supported by artillery fire from the city wall, and even if it fell, the enemy would have to scale the tall vertical barrier of the cliffs under a rain of defensive fire.


    ...Not that losing the port was an option, in the current situation.


    Several alloy leviathans were currently anchored near the fortress, swaying on the waves and flooding the dark ocean with the moving beams of powerful searchlights. The city itself was grossly overcrowded, housing ten times its intended population. After all remaining siege capitals of the Antarctic Center had been evacuated here, Falcon Scott sheltered close to two hundred million people.


    All of them were waiting for their turn to board the battleships and be transported over the strait, to the much better protected expanse of Eastern Antarctica, where the First Army was still maintaining a semblance of control. One of the four naval convoys had been reassigned to ferry people over, but even with the prodigious capacity of the massive vessels, it was going to take a while.


    The fact that several of the battleships, like Naeve''s former berth and the Ariadne, had been lost to the ravages of the Chain of Nightmares did not make the process faster.


    ''...That''s more than half of the population of NQSC. Crazy.''


    Sunny was looking at the live image of the city, which was projected onto a false window in one of the offices of the local government''s complex. The city shone with a myriad of lights in the cold darkness of the polar night, with the ghostly aurora swirling eerily above. There were too many people everywhere, and most of them looked lost, disoriented, or outright defeated.


    The larger part of the complex, of course, was located underground, so the window had to be fake. The complex also housed the regional branch of Army Command, which was why Sunny had received instructions to visit today.


    With a sigh, he turned away from the window, walked to the conference table, and sat down.


    Sunny was still wearing the Puppeteer''s Shroud, but the difference was that he had been given time to sleep, take a proper shower, and eat a full meal. Much more important than that, the weight of tens of thousands of souls was not pressing down on him anymore. All in all, he looked pretty refreshed.


    ''Where is she...''


    He did not have to wait long. A minute or two later, the door opened, and Master Jet walked inside.


    Soul Reaper looked pretty much the same as she had the last time he saw her. Granted, she was wearing the usual bodysuit instead of battle armor today... ah, the bodysuit... but other than that, it did not seem like the hellish months of the Antarctic campaign had impacted her in a negative way.


    Noticing Sunny, Jet smiled.


    "Well, if it''s not young Master Sunless, valiant slayer of abominations and savior of men. It''s good to have you back, Sunny."


    Sunny forced out a smile in return.


    "Yeah... it''s good to be back. How have the last two months treated you? Because, you know, I had it a bit rough."


    Master Jet took a seat at the head of the table and gave him a humorous look.


    "You have no one but yourself to blame. Who asked you to be such an overachiever? I sent you to retrieve one man, and you brought me forty thousand instead. I must say, if everyone here had this kind of attitude, the Chain of Nightmares would have been over in a week. Hell, we might have reclaimed America by now."


    Sunny glanced at her darkly.


    "No thanks."


    Considering how many refugees were currently in Falcon Scott, forty thousand was not a large number. However, a few of those thousands were actual soldiers, and a couple more were experienced sailors. That was actually significant enough to make a splash, so the news of his return spread far and wide.


    All of them - both the refugees and the soldiers - also seemed to be very fond of telling tales about the Devil''s many exploits. Sunny was not entirely sure what kind of reputation he had earned, but he definitely had a reputation now. All throughout the city, people were familiar with his name.


    ...For better or worse.


    "Oh... thanks for sending me your crow, by the way. It helped a lot."


    Jet grinned, but before she could say anything, the door opened again. Winter and Dale entered and took their seats. With only the four Irregulars in the office, it seemed a bit empty.


    Sunny looked around.


    "...Where are Randal and Jesse?"


    Master Jet lingered for a moment.


    "They''re dead."


    He grew quiet.


    "Oh."


    Soul Reaper sighed, then picked up her datapad, scrolled through a few documents, and addressed them in a bright voice:


    "Well then, let''s begin. There''s going to be a big strategy meeting in an hour for everyone important enough to attend, but before that, I should update you on the current situation. In the next few days, Falcon Scott is going to be besieged by an endless sea of abominations. Our task is simple: we must ensure that it doesn''t fall for at least three weeks..."

 Chapter 984: The Fall of Falcon Scott (2)

    The situation was both clear and grim. Sunny already knew some of the things that Jet told them, but some were a complete surprise.


    The First Army was planning to withdraw from the Antarctic Center, taking its entire population with them. The previous plan of hunkering down in a number of fortified siege capitals for gradual evacuation had been abandoned, or rather postponed - it was going to be enacted eventually, but not before everyone was safely relocated to Eastern Antarctica.


    Eastern Antarctica was doing much better than the central region of the Quadrant for a number of reasons. Firstly, it was much larger and more densely populated than the Center, with better terrain. That was why the First Army contingent sent there was several times more powerful.


    The field army Sunny was a part of numbered a hundred thousand soldiers, with around five thousand Awakened accompanying them... or rather, had numbered. Now, there was maybe half of them left. The three field armies operating in Eastern Antarctica, on the other hand, had three hundred soldiers and fifteen thousand Awakened, not counting the local forces.


    If that was not enough, two of the three Saints participating in the campaign were stationed there, as well. The emissary of the Song clan and the government Transcendent were both assigned to the larger landmass, with Sky Tide alone responsible for the whole of the Antarctic Center.


    The Chain of Nightmares also seemed to be hitting the central region especially hard...


    Lastly, and perhaps most pivotally, the Antarctic Center was where the Winter Beast had appeared. That titan alone was responsible for numerous deaths, since its influence had collapsed the communication network across the entire landmass. If it were not for the fact that Saint Tyris was a direct counter to its powers, the situation could have been even worse...


    Sadly, she could only contain the Winter Beast, not slay it.


    In any case, Army Command had decided to cut its losses and concentrate all the remaining human forces in the Quadrant on defending a single region. The first detachments of the Second Army were scheduled to arrive at the end of the month, so their decision at least seemed prudent.


    ...The problem, of course, was that the battered defenders of the Antarctic Center had to survive the relocation first.


    There were close to two hundred million people in Falcon Scott, and relocating them to Eastern Antarctica was going to take at least three weeks. The strait was not very wide, so ferrying refugees across it would be ten times faster than trying to evacuate them all the way to the Northern Quadrant. Still, there were just too many of them to accomplish anything in a timely manner.


    So, the remaining members of the field army had to make sure that the siege capital would survive those weeks under constant siege by the Nightmare Creatures.


    Master Jet leaned back.


    "We resisted three large-scale assaults yesterday, and there are probably going to be four or five today. That number will only increase in the future. We will have to stop counting them eventually, I think, since it''ll just be one uninterrupted onslaught of abominations, twenty-four hours a day."


    Winter and Dale glanced at each other. Eventually, the Ascended sharpshooter sighed.


    "...It''s not the number of Nightmare Creatures that worries me. It''s the particularly powerful bastards that have nowhere to go but here, now."


    Soul Reaper shrugged.


    "We''ll have to develop strategies against each one. That is what the big meeting is for, though, so let''s not speak about it yet..."


    Sunny checked out of the conversation a little, looking at the empty chairs around the table.


    Davis, Randall, and Jesse... three of the six Irregular captains were now dead. He did not know them too well, but their loss still seemed like a bad omen. Especially Randall. Somehow, Sunny imagined that the grizzled veteran would be the last of them to go.


    Jesse had seemed like a very nice person, too.


    ''Curse it...''


    It did not slip his attention that the three fallen Masters were the ones who specialized in direct offense - be it frontal assaults, hit-and-run tactics, or stealth operations. The ones who survived were Sunny, Winter, and Dale - a utility specialist, a ranged fighter, and a defensive powerhouse.


    If there was a philosophical lesson in all that, he was too disturbed and saddened right now to figure it out.


    "...speaking of that... hey, Sunny, are you listening?"


    Sunny glanced at Master Jet and blinked a couple of times. "Yeah, a little."


    Soul Reaper chuckled, then threw something at him. He caught it, then looked at a small box in his hand in confusion. Opening it, Sunny saw an iron medal with an image of a burning heart etched into it.


    The medal looked very ostentatious, if a bit solemn. Much more elaborate than the previous one he had received, with the attached ribbon painted in rich red. However... it was made of simple iron... so it couldn''t be too valuable.


    He looked at Master Jet with a silent question, making her laugh.


    "Gods, don''t you know anything? That is the Order of Humanity, Sunny, the highest military honor a person can receive. Congratulations. You are officially a hero."


    He frowned a little, prompting Jet to smile.


    "...And yes, it comes with contribution points. Lots of them. You have also been promoted to major. That comes with an increased stipend, too."


    Sunny relaxed, and then looked at the iron medal with a bit of fondness.


    "I do know some things, actually..."


    He doubted that he would be able to use his considerable amount of accumulated contribution points in Falcon Scott, since logistics here had to be under dire strain. Most resources would instantly be distributed to those who needed them, including valuable Memories... or not-so-valuable Memories, for that matter, considering how many new Sleepers had to be armed.


    Once they reached Eastern Antarctica, however...


    Master Jet glanced at her datapad and sighed.


    "It''s time for us to head to a bigger office. The strategy meeting is about to start."


    Sunny stood up, glanced at the false window one last time, and headed for the door.


    ''If we reach Eastern Antarctica, I mean...''

 Chapter 985: The Fall of Falcon Scott (3)

    The next conference room was much larger, and there were even some refreshments for the participants of the meeting. Sunny found the darkest corner of the room to settle in and tore open a packet of sweetened snacks - after making sure that there was no honey involved in their creation, of course.


    Chewing on something that felt like a dried berry, he glanced around.


    The most prominent figures of the First Army were arriving one after another. There were a few mundane commanders, but most of them were Ascended. Eventually, he counted no less than twenty-one Master - including the four Irregulars.


    Naeve and Roan were also present, so he gave them a wave.


    Master Jet, who was relaxing on a chair next to Sunny, gave him a curious look.


    "What interesting friends you keep, Sunny."


    He shrugged.


    "What about them?"


    Soul Reaper chuckled.


    "No, nothing. It''s just that here''s a room full of government Ascended, and the two you''re waving to are both connected to the great clans. If I didn''t know you better, I''d think that you have a bit of a fondness for social climbing."


    Sunny scoffed.


    "The only climbing I''m fond of is... actually, never mind that. Weren''t you the one who helped me broker a deal to get out of joining Valor, anyway? Surely you understand that a precious jewel like me doesn''t need connections to earn the favor of a great clan..."


    Hearing Jet laugh quietly, he added with a straight face:


    "Oh... thanks for that, by the way. The mere thought that I could have been living like a prince somewhere in Bastion instead of spending quality time here in Antarctica makes me feel slightly nauseous. Who needs luxury when you can have unlimited military rations, right?"


    Winter stared at him from behind her sunglasses and grinned.


    "I did not know that Valor tried to recruit you. And you refused, huh... was she really ugly?"


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "No? What do you mean?"


    Winter shook her head.


    "I mean the bride they offered, of course, to marry you into the clan. Either she was really ugly, or you are really stupid... huh, I guess I have my answer?"


    He opened his mouth to retort, but at that moment, the door opened, and two people entered the room. The atmosphere inside instantly changed.


    The first of them was Saint Tyris, just as striking as stem as Sunny remembered her. The second was a man with smooth ebony skin and perfectly white hair, his eyes glinting with shades of indigo and deep blue.


    Sunny had only seen the man once, and from afar, but he knew who the stranger was.


    Bloodwave, a Transcendent of the House of Night. He was in charge of the naval convoy that had delivered the field army to the Antarctic Center, and the Saint Sunny had witnessed diving into the black water as a monstrous killer whale once.


    ''Oh! He is also in Falcon Scott?''


    It made sense, in retrospect. The naval convoy was assigned to ferry the refugees across the strait, so of course, Bloodwave was involved. He was most likely in charge of making sure that nothing destroyed the ships during the relocation.


    The emissaries of the House of Night were not a part of the First Army, which was why Sunny failed to realize that there was actually a fourth Transcendent in the Southern Quadrant right now... no, there had to be even more, since the other three convoys also required a mighty guardian to protect them.


    Initially, they were not supposed to involve themselves with the ground operation, but the situation seemed to have changed somehow.


    Sky Tide greeted everyone gathered in the room, then proceeded to take a seat at the head of the table. Bloodwave simply leaned on the wall after exchanging a few words with Naeve, forcing a few Masters to shift uncomfortably as his presence brushed against them.


    ...Sunny felt it, too.


    ''What an awesome man.''


    As he studied the mysterious Saint through his shadows, Sky Tide started the briefing.


    "You all know what must be done..."


    Without wasting any time, Saint Tyris briefly described the overall state of the First Army contingent, the scope of tasks in front of them, as well as the enemy forces arrayed against them. Her voice was calm and composed, as though they weren''t facing an existential threat of dreadful proportions.


    To be honest, Sunny struggled to imagine Sky Tide losing composure in any circumstance. What would that even look like?


    ''...Actually, I hope to never find out.''


    Most of what she told them were things that he already knew to some extent, but hearing all of it listed in a structured manner was helpful to get a solid glimpse of the big picture.


    The big picture... did not look too good.


    Pointing to the projected map of the city and its surroundings, Saint Tyris continued:


    "...now that Falcon Scott is the only target in the region, the infighting between Nightmare Creatures will increase drastically. The terrain limits their approach, which means that various swarms and tribes of abominations will have to compete with each other for the right to attack the wall. Many will be slaughtered long before they reach us."


    Her gaze was cold and heavy.


    "So, we should not worry too much about being overwhelmed with pure numbers. What we do need to worry about, however, is that only the most brutal, lethal, and powerful creatures are going to make it through. The main purpose of this meeting is to identify priority targets among these creatures and come up with a way to deal with them."


    Saint Tyris gestured to the projections, where several images replaced the city map.


    "The preliminary analysis shows that these Nightmare Creatures represent the most acute threat to this city"


    Sunny looked at the images, feeling a grim weight settle on his heart.


    He was already familiar with most of them.


    A cloud of flying vermin devouring the landscape. An unclear image of a river of darkness flowing through a deep gorge. A still image of the LO49 facility. A hazy drawing of a grotesque beast hiding behind a veil of snow.


    And a walking mountain with a single inhuman eye, emerging from a sea of incandescent lava to attack a vast city.


    Sunny sighed.


    ''...Three weeks, huh?''

 Chapter 986: The Fall of Falcon Scott (4)

    Saint Tyris waited for a few moments, then spoke again:"Some of you have already faced one of these monsters.Master Sunless over there has even survived encountering four out of five..."


    Without prompting, everyone in the room turned to stare at him, their expressions varying from pity to astonishment. He even heard a few whispers:"Four? And he''s still alive?""That kid must be cursed or something.""Devil''s own luck, ha..."


    Sunny cleared his throat."Ah, yes. Using this moment, I might as well sincerely thank Army Command for giving me the opportunity to complete my collection and get to know the Winter Beast, as well."


    A wave of laughter spread through the room.


    Sky Tide gave him a stern look."I''ll mark you as a volunteer, then."


    Before Sunny could protest, she continued:"The first target is a swarm entity known as the Devouring Cloud. Our diviners were able to determine that it is not a powerful Nightmare Creature, per se, but instead the remains of one. The Devouring Cloud was most likely a Fallen Terror, one that had its main consciousness destroyed at some point in the past. The swarm of its brood remains, however, and that is what we need to counter."


    She glanced at the Irregulars."Master Winter, considering your proficiency in ranged and area-of-effect attacks, you will be in charge of bolstering the city defenses when it comes to deflecting aerial threats."


    Winter nodded. After explaining a few more details, Saint Tyris continued:"The second target is a creature that was designated as the Heart of Darkness. Not a lot is known about it, except for the fact that it is composed of numerous insect-like drones, wielding powers connected to elemental darkness and possibly spatial distortion. The knowledge of this being was brought to us by the First Irregular Company."


    That would be Sunny and the members of his cohort, who had been diligently reporting everything about the enemies the convoy encountered during their visits to the Dream Realm.


    Sky Tide looked in the direction of the four Irregulars."The Heart of Darkness has been present in the Antarctic Center since before the Chain of Nightmares. Its Rank and Class are unknown, but the current theory is that the Irregulars disturbed the creature''s evolution to titan... if so, we might have avoided an even bigger disaster. In any case, the people most suited to deal with that threat are..."


    She named three unfamiliar First Army Ascended. Apparently, their Aspects would work well against a myriad of murderous, darkness-infused beetles. Sunny was happy to hear that he would not have to face the damned insects himself again.


    ...If things went according to plan.


    "The third target was designated as the Terror of LO49. Once again, its exact Rank and Class are unknown, although the creature is most likely to be a Corrupted Terror. It is responsible for destroying the battleship Ariadne, as well as massacring the garrison of the LO49 installation. Master Sunless is the only known survivor of the attack, so he is the best person to inform us about this threat."


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then shrugged."There''s not much to tell. The bastard hides underwater and kills people by luring them into the ocean with immensely powerful mind manipulation. It also places a mind hex on everyone else to make them ignore the victims. That is the pattern of behavior that I witnessed, which is not to say that the creature does not have other means of attack. You can read the details in the reports we submitted."


    He thought a little, and then added:"If there is one strange thing about that Terror, it is that it emerged from the Gate alone. It does not seem to have an entourage of weaker Nightmare Creatures to defend it, either, which might be a vulnerability. Oh... also, there has to be some kind of limitation to its ability to wipe out large groups of people. Otherwise, it would not have waited weeks to kill everyone at LO49."


    Sky Tide nodded."Saint Bloodwave, Master Naeve. Since the creature appears to be aquatic in nature, it is going to be your responsibility to hunt it down. The Terror cannot be allowed to approach the city."


    The emissaries of the House of Night simply nodded....Sunny hoped that they had enough mind-protection Memories.


    Meanwhile, Saint Tyris turned to the image of the Winter Beast. A hint of contempt appeared on her beautiful face."The Winter Beast... was recently confirmed to be a Corrupted Titan. I can''t kill it, but I will contain it. Dealing with the creature will be my responsibility."


    Many of the people in the room paled at the mention of the creature''s Rank. Master Roan especially seemed to have a grave expression.


    Ignoring the somber mood, Sky Tide turned to the last image."Which leaves us with the Fallen Titan Goliath, the creature responsible for the obliteration of Erebus Field. Do note that, as of now, we have only experienced its physical might. The exact nature of Goliath''s powers is still unclear, so... we do not know enough to determine how to destroy him."


    The Masters grew silent, staring at the frightening image of a stone colossus walking across a desolate landscape.


    ...In that silence, there was suddenly a calm voice:"I''ll kill Goliath."


    Everyone turned around, staring at Sunny with confused expressions. He smiled."What? The bastard owes me a new armor. Plus, I''ve never killed a titan before... should be an interesting experience."


    Most of them shook their heads."This is not a good time for empty boasts, kid."


    Sunny shrugged."As good a time as any."


    Saint Tyris studied him for a few moments, then turned away."In any case..."


    Before she could finish, though, several communicators in the room notified their owners about a received message.


    Sunny raised an eyebrow. That was... unusual. Falcon Scott was still in the area of effect of the Winter Beast, so there was no network connection anywhere inside the city walls.


    There was a powerful communication array, though, connected via a chain of special relays to Eastern Antarctica.


    Its bandwidth was very limited and mostly monopolized by Army Command - Sunny had to spend a considerable sum of contribution points to receive a small quota, which allowed him to get in contact with Rain.


    Still, the quota was small enough for him to have to count symbols when composing messages, and instead of a constant connection, data packets were uploaded and downloaded twice a day, according to a strict schedule.


    He glanced at his own communicator to check time. It was around ten in the morning in the Northern Quadrant, which, translated to local time, would be... nowhere near the scheduled activation period of the array.


    ''Interesting...''


    Even more interesting were the people who received the message. There were only three of them - Sky Tide,Bloodwave... and Soul Reaper Jet.


    Saint Tyris read the message and frowned slightly. The other Transcendent sighed, then briefly showed his communicator to Naeve and hid it. Master Jet glanced at the screen and showed no reaction whatsoever, remaining in her usual relaxed pose.


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then leaned toward her and asked quietly:"What was that about?"


    Master Jet glanced at him and shrugged."A Saint died this morning in the Dream Realm, while heroically defending a Citadel from some vicious Nightmare Creature. One of Valor''s."


    Sunny was taken aback a little. Saints did not die too often...


    "Some vicious Nightmare Creature, huh?"


    Soul Reaper smiled a little.


    "Yeah... things are going to accelerate a lot now. Not that it matters to us here. For now..."

 Chapter 987: The Fall of Falcon Scott (5)

    Sunny was sitting on the battlement of the defensive wall, looking at the apocalyptic sight of a giant horde of Nightmare Creatures advancing on the city. There were so many of them that it seemed as though the ground itself was moving, flowing forward as it seethed and churned.


    The darkness surrounding the city was chased away by dozens of flare rockets, which slowly drifted down from the black sky like bright falling stars. On the ground, rivers of flame were devouring the carcasses of the abominations that had been slain in the previous assaults. The incendiary mixture burned long and hot, but luckily enough, the stench of scorched flesh could hardly reach the top of the wall.


    Pillars of smoke rose into the sky, twisting as they struggled to support its weight. And above it all, obscured by dark clouds, ghostly lights of the aurora swirled with shades of crimson.


    The battle was about to begin.


    As the advancing sea of Nightmare Creatures crossed an invisible line, the powerful mass drivers installed on the bastions of Falcon Scott came to life, flashing with electric light as they sent heavy tungsten rounds flying forward with terrifying speed. The rail gun fire was accompanied by deafening thunderclaps, making the whole wall shake and vibrate.


    Even though the tungsten rounds were not explosive, they impacted the horde with enough force to produce flashes of light and a devastating shockwaves that pulverized dozens of Nightmare Creatures and cut bloody swathes through their mass.


    The horde, however, continued forward unperturbed. A moment later, the breaches created by the first salvo of the rail guns were entirely gone, and the abominations rushed forward with murderous frenzy.


    As the mass drivers accumulated new charges, the heavy- caliber turrets placed along the wall joined the fray. Long tongues of fire bloomed from their barrels, and thousands upon thousands of bullets filled the air. The shining streams of them twisted as they slid across the horde, decimating countless creatures. The noise of the turret barrage was dire and cacophonous.


    Sunny winced unhappily.


    War was a lot of things, but mostly it was... loud.


    He glanced at the seventy-meter drop below him, then concentrated on his hands again. His fingers were spread apart and moving, as if performing an elaborate dance. From the side, it looked as if Sunny had either gone crazy or was trying to cast some strange hex.


    Of course, he was doing neither. Instead, he was weaving shadow strings - it was just that the slowly forming threads of essence were only visible to him.


    Luckily, the members of his cohort were long accustomed to their leader''s eccentric antics, so they were not paying it any attention. Instead, all six were tensely observing the approaching horde.


    Once the hundreds of MWPs stationed on top of the wall braced themselves and opened fire, Samara placed the barrel of her rifle on the battlement and leaned into the scope. Before she could charge a shot, however, Sunny placed his hand on her shoulder and shook his head.


    ...His third hand, that was, since he was currently using four two of them made of flesh, two of them made of shadows. Samara glanced at him with a slight frown.


    "Sir? Why not?"


    Sunny continued to weave shadow strings as he answered:


    "There''s no need. The garrison has the situation under control, for now, so don''t get involved unless the Nightmare Creatures scale the wall. Conserve your essence."


    He lingered for a moment, then added:


    "According to the latest reports, the Devouring Cloud is only one day away from reaching Falcon Scott. We are going to need all our strength tomorrow."


    The Irregulars shifted uncomfortably, remembering their last brush with the flying swarm. Sunny, meanwhile, disregarded his own advice and turned his attention back to the invisible threads of essence.


    The battle progressed more or less as he expected. The horde advanced despite suffering heavy losses, and not long after the MWPs unleashed a hail of rounds and missiles into the mass of abominations, the mundane soldiers joined, followed by Awakened sorcerers and archers.


    The siege was a strange one, considering that most of the defensive measures of the city were only able to deal with Dormant and Awakened Nightmare Creatures. To slay the Fallen ones, Awakened fighters had to abandon the safety of the battlements and sortie out, emerging either from heavily armored hatches in the wall or from hidden tunnels stretching beneath the killing field.


    Those tunnels were also used to intercept those abominations that were capable of burrowing through the ground, and could be easily collapsed in case the enemy took control of one.


    If a Corrupted Nightmare Creature appeared, the Masters were sent out to destroy it.


    It all sounded well-planned and controlled, but the actual reality was pure chaos and mayhem. Abominations possessed all kinds of vile powers, so each assault was unpredictable and dangerous. Each victory took a lot of human lives to achieve.


    Noticing a line of hatches open lower down the wall and a dozen swift figures jump out of them, Sunny sighed. He caught a glimpse of Dale''s heavy armor, which meant that something truly dangerous had emerged. Army Command was strangely protective of the Irregulars, mostly keeping them in reserve for now. They were probably meant to do their part of the dying once the priority targets showed up.


    Considering that Knight''s cohort had been unleashed, though, the current battle must have been going less smoothly than he thought.


    And indeed, not long after Dale eliminated his target and retreated, the horde broke through the protective barrage and reached the wall. It seemed that the abominations had learned to use the piles of corpses left behind by the previous assaults as cover.


    The lowest part of the wall was also the most reinforced. All materials retrieved from the carcasses of well-armored Nightmare Creatures went into making it hard to breach, so the horde stalled at the bottom for a while, suffering under a flood of bullets and explosive projectiles.


    Then, however, the abominations started to pile one on top of another, forming morbid ziggurats of bodies. The ziggurats grew, rising higher and higher as more Nightmare Creatures climbed the ladders made of writhing flesh. Ten meters, then twenty, then thirty... eventually, it became clear that there was a substantial risk that the horde would scale the wall.


    With a sigh, Sunny paused his weaving and stood up, easily holding his balance on top of the battlement. A black bow appeared in his hand, and an arrow that seemed to be made of lightning ignited on its string.


    ''They know how to build siege towers now?''


    Drawing the bow, Sunny lingered for a moment, and then sent the Strike of Thunder flying down.


    A moment later, the howls of the Nightmare Creatures tore through the clamor of the battle, and the Spell whispered into his ear like a sonorous choir.


    The battle raged on...

 Chapter 988: The Fall of Falcon Scott (6)

    ...And it still raged on by the time Sunny and his cohort were done with their shift. Or maybe it was already another assault - by now, it was often hard to tell where one attack ended and a second one began.


    Descending from the wall, the Irregulars passed through the busy camp below. Lumbering loaders were racing to send heavy ammunition containers up, wounded soldiers were being triaged and tended to, fresh reinforcements were waiting their turn to enter the elevators. Here and there, a damaged MWP stood, being hastily repaired by a crew of technicians.


    Leaving the staging area, they soon reached the Rhino. The mighty vehicle was not in the best shape, but it could still be used to get around the city. Plus, while the members of the cohort had decided to bunk in comfortable barracks, Sunny chose to remain in the familiar APC. He had even learned how to drive it... well, more or less... from Luster.


    "Are you coming with us, Captain? Oh... sorry... Major."


    Kim looked away awkwardly after asking the question. Sunny simply shook his head.


    "Not today. I have a couple of errands to run, so just take the Rhino to the barracks and then park it in the usual spot. Oh... and rest well. Tomorrow is going to be a long day."


    Although the cohort had ended up not doing much today, everyone was still tired. They quickly drove off, leaving Sunny alone.


    ...Day four of their stay in Falcon Scott was coming to an end.


    Circulating his essence to fasten its replenishment rate, Sunny walked for a few minutes, breathing in the cold air as the hum of distant explosions washed over him. Then, he jumped on the step of a moving transport and allowed it to carry him closer to his destination.


    The vistas of a city at war floated past him, too many refugees crammed into too few buildings. Everyone was doing their best to create some sort of passable environment for themselves and their neighbors... but there were a lot of problems, too.


    Most of these people were shaken and traumatized, some very close to breaking down. There were a lot of conflicts and violent outbursts, and even more dark feelings.


    ...There were a lot of Nightmare Creatures being born from the bodies of failed Aspirants, as well, since the Spell ran rampant among the refugees and there were not nearly enough soldiers to find all the infected before the worst happened.


    A suffocating atmosphere of fear, tension, and sorrow permeated the air.


    And yet, people lived on. Their resilience and adaptability triumphed over everything, allowing them to endure and even find moments of happiness in this hell.


    Sunny saw plenty of smiles, heard plenty of laughter, and witnessed many small details of how the refugees were handling their changed conditions while looking forward to being evacuated.


    ''They still have hope...''


    Eventually, he jumped down and walked the rest of the way on foot, reaching a section of the staging area where large white warehouses stood in several rows, surrounded by a mass of activity.


    That was where scavenged materials were being processed and refined for the use of the First Army.


    A tired-looking engineer met him at the gate.


    "Major Sunless?"


    Sunny nodded and allowed the man to lead him toward a particular row of warehouses.


    "Yeah, we received your request. The approval came fast enough, so as long as you have enough contribution points, you can cut a good chunk for yourself. Not that I know what you need it for... usually, it''s the mundanes we arm with processed material that dream of wielding Memories, not the other way around..."


    Sunny smiled.


    The warehouses were full of Nightmare Creature carcasses - those valuable enough to be retrieved from the battlefield and processed by the army.


    The corpse of the Remnant of the Jade Queen - the Corrupted Tyrant he and Sky Tide had killed - had been placed here once, for example. The incredibly durable jade carapace of the monstrous beetle was then refined and used to reinforce a section of the wall.


    Most of the processed material was instantly used to strengthen the fortifications of the city or the First Army itself. There were all kinds of things that could be done with various parts of Nightmare Creatures, from crafting melee weapons and upgrading the armored shells of MWPs to powering exotic spelltech mechanisms.


    That was why Sunny had to push his weight around, bargain a little, and spend a bunch of contribution points to receive a modest quota.


    Studying the warehouses, he asked:


    "There was a Corrupted Devil yesterday that managed to breach the wall. Where is it kept?"


    The engineer stared at him for a few moments.

 Chapter 989: The Fall of Falcon Scott (7)

    Carrying the needle on his shoulder, Sunny chose to walk to his next destination. The thing was heavy enough that even a Master like him felt a bit of strain after a while, so he had to wrap himself in the shadows at some point.


    People were giving him weird glances, but no one said anything - the Puppeteer''s Shroud identified Sunny as an Awakened, and Awakened were known to do strange things on occasion. Sunny also found that mundane people often acted shy in front of him ever since he had become a Master, which pleasantly cut the number of awkward conversations he had to have. So, he just had to be careful not to hit anyone with the unwieldy needle by accident.


    As he walked, Sunny decided to check on his runes out of boredom.


    Shadow Fragments: [2471/4000].


    He smiled a little.


    The siege of Falcon Scott might have been a terrible affair, but one thing it did not lack was enemies to kill. The rate at which he earned fragments increased a lot in the past three days. By now, the change made by each individual fragment was insignificant, but it added up.


    He was now considerably stronger than he had been at the start of the Antarctica campaign, and the fifth core was not as unachievable as it had once seemed. Nephis was still far away from reaching Terror, too, which meant that he finally had a chance of catching up to her Class... at least for a short while.


    ''Does it even matter now? In the end, both of us will either be titans, or dead.''


    Nightmare was subjugating many dreams these days, as well. All in all, Sunny was in good shape. His cohort had been forged into one of the deadliest combat units on the continent, with each member honing their skills to a truly fearsome degree.


    All that was left to propel him to an entirely new level of power was for Saint to emerge from her evolution. Maybe... just maybe... they would indeed manage to hold Falcon Scott for three weeks.


    Sunny made way for a column of military vehicles and looked at the crowd of refugees around him.


    ''Yeah... doubtful.''


    With a sigh, he made a turn and approached one of the hastily erected dormitory towers. This one looked more substantial than most, but not by much. Looking up, he saw a vast expanse of glowing windows, with thousands and thousands of humans taking shelter from the cold within.


    He glanced at the devil''s needle, then awkwardly spun it and thrust the point deep into the ground. Taking it into the building would have been a hassle, and Sunny was sure that no one would steal it - the thing weighed more than any mundane human, or even a group of them, could carry away.


    ...The problem, though, was that the needle was so sharp that it continued to sink into the frozen soil under its own weight. Sunny stared at it resentfully for a moment, then repeated the process, this time thrusting it into the ground with the dull end.


    Finally satisfied, he walked to the entrance to the tower, where a lone civilian was shoveling snow away. As he was passing, the man flinched and stared at him with wide eyes.


    Sunny sighed inwardly.


    ''Am I really so scary?''


    "Captain? Captain Sunless, is that you?"


    Surprised, Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Uh... yes? Technically, it''s Major now. Do I know..."


    Before he could finish the sentence, the civilian dropped the shovel and grabbed his hand, shaking it vigorously. Sunny froze.


    ''What the hell is going on?''


    "It is you! Master Sunless, sir... my family and I are only alive because of you. After Erebus Field, I thought... ah, sorry... but you brought us all here. Thank you. Thank you so much!"


    Sunny did not know how to behave in that situation, but thankfully, the civilian finally let go of his hand and hastily opened a small bag hanging on his belt. A moment later, Sunny found himself holding a carefully packed sandwich.


    "Please take this! I know it''s not much... but my wife made it herself. You probably don''t get a lot of home-cooked food, standing there on the wall!"


    Sunny wanted to return the sandwich to the man, but then lingered. The refugees were not starving, but he knew for a fact that most of the rations they had access to were no different from what he had been accustomed to in the outskirts. Getting the ingredients to make this simple sandwich must not have been easy... it was made with love and care. Which meant that this small, but sincere gift meant much more than it seemed.


    He smiled slightly.


    "Thank you. I''ll enjoy it well."


    The man seemed exceedingly happy to hear that and gingerly let Sunny go, picking up his shovel and returning to clearing away the snow while whistling a tune.


    Walking inside the building, Sunny glanced at the sandwich and frowned a little. He did not really know how to feel about the strange encounter. On the one hand, it was nice to see a tangible result of his efforts. After the caravan reached Falcon Scott, the refugees were quickly processed and assigned to various dormitories, so Sunny had not seen any of them again.


    On the other hand, the cheerful man was clearly deluding himself if he thought that Sunny had saved him and his family. All Sunny had done was postpone their deaths by a few weeks... they would only be truly saved once carried across the strait, to Eastern Antarctica. Until then, a sharp sword still hung above their necks.


    ''...All the more reason to hold the damn wall for as long as we can, then.''


    Suddenly thoughtful, Sunny used an elevator to descend underground and approached a particular door. A few moments after he knocked, Beth opened it and gave him a long look.


    "Oh. It''s you."


    He raised a hand with a wide grin.


    "I brought sandwiches. Well... a sandwich."


    She stepped aside to let him in and turned around.


    "Professor! Your favorite Awakened is here!"


    Sunny dismissed the boots of the Puppeteer''s Shroud before coming inside. That small action made him feel strangely nostalgic.


    ''Huh... civilian life. How come I barely remember what it is?''

 Chapter 990: The Fall of Falcon Scott (8)

    Sunny had no particular reason for this visit, apart from simply wanting to check on how the old man had settled in. From his first impression, the dormitory apartment was too small and bare-bones for someone of Professor Obel''s stature.


    There were five compact bedrooms connected to a shared living room, kitchen, and bathroom, with three of the bedrooms occupied by other people. He could hear a child''s voice behind one door, which meant that there might have been entire families of refugees living here. In that regard, maybe the fact that the Professor and Beth each received an entire room for themselves was already a privilege.


    ''Still... what the hell...''


    Maybe he should not have been surprised. Professor Obel was indeed a distinguished scientist who had made great contributions to humanity, but the Antarctic Center was the administrative center of the whole Quadrant. With two hundred million people concentrated in Falcon Scott, there must have been a whole lot of distinguished people waiting for their turn to be evacuated.


    Beth led him to the kitchen and put a kettle on the stove. Now that they were not busy trying to keep the caravan from falling apart, Sunny noticed that the young woman looked a bit haggard in comparison to how she had been at LO49.


    There were dark circles under her eyes, a slight uncertainty to her movements, and a grim slant to her brow. Beth''s temper, however, had not changed one bit.


    "Tell me straight... is the wall going to hold?"


    Sunny lingered for a bit, stumped by the frank question.


    "How should I know? Sure, it is going to hold... until it doesn''t."


    Beth scoffed, pouring synthetic tea into three cheap alloy cups.


    "And yet you seem to be terribly calm."


    Sunny scratched the back of his head in confusion.


    "Do I seem calm? Well, I guess I am. I mean, what''s the worst that can happen?"


    The young woman stared at him with outrage.


    "Death! You can die!"


    He thought about it for a few moments.


    "I''d rather not die, of course. But death is definitely way better than some other things. Believe me."


    Sunny had lived through several ghastly experiences himself, and still remembered a few of the harrowing nightmares he had been subjected to by his shadowy steed. It seemed that he had developed an abnormally high tolerance to pain and fear somewhere along the way, without even noticing.


    Of course, his aloofness would look strange to a mundane person.


    Sunny opened his mouth, thinking that he should probably try to console Beth, somehow, but at that moment, Professor Obel finally appeared - sparing them both a moment of awkwardness.


    "Ah, Major Sunless! How nice of you to spare time for this old man."


    The three of them settled behind a small dining table, enjoying tea. At first, Sunny was the one doing most of the speaking.


    "...so, city defenses are in good condition for now. Ah, but we expect a big assault tomorrow. Make sure to remain inside, and don''t go to the surface levels of the building, no matter what happens."


    Beth and Professor Obel shared a glance. For some reason, the young woman seemed to be unhappy with her mentor.


    "Yes, everyone received instructions on how to behave when an air attack alert is activated. Thank you for reminding us, young man."


    Sunny nodded, then hesitated for a while. Eventually, he asked in a cautious tone:


    "I am sorry to ask, Professor... but why are you still here? I would think that you would be put on the priority list for the evacuation."


    Every civilian in the city was designated as a member of a certain group, each having a different... value.


    The high-value citizens were meant to be ferried across the strait first, with all the rest placed in a long queue by a randomized algorithm. Various factors could affect one''s "weight" in the algorithm, though - families with young children had a much better chance of being placed higher, for example, while people with genetic defects would be placed lower.


    Citizenship level also affected the algorithm, which meant that non-citizens from the local version of the outskirts would be evacuated last.


    ''Figures...1


    However, none of it had anything to do with Professor Obel. By all accounts, he should have been on one of the first ships out of the harbor. The giant vessels had been coursing between Falcon Scott and Eastern Antarctica for several days now, bringing many millions of people away.


    Beth gave the old man a scathing glance.


    "Yes, Professor. Why are you still here?"


    Before he could say anything, the young woman turned to Sunny and said with indignation:


    "Believe it or not, the old f... the Professor gave up his position on the priority list, saying that he wouldn''t leave without his assistant. And since I have nothing to do with the high-value group, we are both stuck in the standard selection group now. Gods only know when we''ll be assigned a placement in the queue, let alone get to leave!"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "Is that true, Professor?"


    The old man looked down in embarrassment.


    "Oh... you kids don''t understand. I am an old man, you know? My bones still hurt from the long weeks spent on the road. Can''t I rest a little before jumping on a ship?"


    Beth scoffed, and this time, Sunny was inclined to agree.


    ''What kind of bullcrap reason is that?''


    There was obviously something deeper going on. Hopefully, the Professor simply did not want to leave Beth behind... which was already stupid... if he was on some self-sacrificial mission, though, Sunny had to set him straight.


    He opened his mouth to say something, but at that moment, the kid he had heard earlier barged into the kitchen, holding a makeshift toy in her hands.


    "Grandpa Obel! Grandpa Obel! It broke!"


    Professor Obel gave Sunny an apologetic look, then smiled at the child and picked up the toy.


    "What? It broke all by itself, huh? Well, don''t worry... I''ll fix it up again. Your friend is going to be as good as new in no time..."


    Sunny stared at the two of them, then said in a subdued tone.


    "Professor, there''s a difference between being brave and being suicidal. You have to get on a ship as soon as possible. The wall is not going to hold back the enemy much longer. Not everyone will..."


    The old man patted the child on the head, then simply looked at Sunny and smiled.


    "All the more reason for the army to make sure that it holds for as long as possible, then."


    ''It''s not as if we''re not trying! Wait... isn''t that what I said myself?''


    Sunny winced, then finished his tea in one gulp and stood up.


    "I guess you are right. I''ll be going, then."


    He glanced at Beth.


    "Contact me if you need anything."


    With that, Sunny left the small apartment and returned to the surface.


    Picking up the devil''s needle, he grunted and put it back on his shoulder.


    ''Damned Professor... as if I don''t have enough headaches, already...''


    Grumbling quietly, Sunny carried the heavy needle as he headed toward the distant barracks.

 Chapter 991: The Fall of Falcon Scott (9)

    Sunny found the Rhino without any problem, since it was parked near the military barracks. Getting the Corrupted Devil''s needle through the main hatch had turned out harder than he had expected, so he ended up climbing to the APC''s roof and lowering it through the upper hatch there.


    Eventually, though, he found himself inside the dark, silent interior of the slumbering machine. It was a bit weird to see the Rhino so empty... but not unpleasantly so. With the whole APC to himself, Sunny felt as though he could relax and took off the mask of the confident commander that he was forced to wear in front of most people these days.


    "Ah... that damned thing is so heavy!"


    He dragged the needle to the armory, dropped it on the floor, and returned to the lounge area to take a quick shower. Then, feeling fresh and rejuvenated - if a bit sleepy - he summoned the Endless Spring, plopped down on a couch, and put his feet up, using the Shadow Chair as a footstool.


    Sunny took a sip of cool water, then carefully unpacked the sandwich and took a bite.


    The sandwich, indeed, had been made with love. It was truly tasty.


    Mentally thanking the generous refugee, Sunny enjoyed his meal in peace. It was going to be his last opportunity to rest tonight, so he made sure to chew as slowly as he could.


    Very soon, however, the sandwich was gone, and it was time to get to work. Sunny closed his eyes, sighed, and walked to the rear section of the vehicle. There, a small pile of Memories lay on the holographic table of the command suite. Sunny summoned a few more, dropped them into the pile, and counted everything. A small grimace appeared on his face.


    Sunny had not only been keeping watch on the wall the past few days. After reaching Falcon Scott, which had become the hub of everything in the Antarctic Center, he had been very busy spending all of his contribution points, as well.


    Getting good Memories was hard, but luckily, he was once again going for quantity over quality. Additionally, Sunny had no reason to stick to the official channels - receiving anything through the army requisition system was a tough and slow process, especially with the network being down most of the time, so he just traded his points directly to the Awakened soldiers for the Memories that were useless to them.


    He had even hired a few Sleepers from the caravan to be his errand boys, which made the whole process faster.


    ''...Not fast enough, though.''


    Shaking his head, Sunny departed the pile of Memories alone, cleared some space on the table, and summoned two weapons. One of them was his old and loyal tachi, the Midnight Shard, and the other was Morgan''s Warbow.


    Sunny concentrated for a moment, allowing his gaze to peer through the surface of the two Memories. The intricate tapestry of ethereal strings hidden inside them was vast and mind-numbingly complicated. He could already feel a hint of a headache coming on.


    Sunny was trying to do something that he had never done before... a few things, actually.


    Firstly, he wanted to recreate an Ascended enchantment, which were much, much more expansive and complex than the Awakened and Dormant ones he had mostly copied before.


    Secondly, he wanted to disassemble the structure of a particular enchantment into its basic elements, then heavily modify one of those elements and turn it into an independent enchantment of its own.


    And lastly, he wanted to create a functional Memory from scratch. That he had done on many occasions before, but only in the most rudimentary form.


    The first two steps were already hard enough, but it was the last one that had turned unexpectedly troublesome. As Sunny had discovered out, not all materials had the capacity to sustain powerful enchantments. They would simply disintegrate under strain, or be torn apart by the raging essence.


    He needed refined material to create a powerful Memory... hence the needle of a Corrupted Devil. Since Sunny was planning to use Transcendent soul shards, nothing less would do.


    Actually, he wasn''t really sure if the needle was good enough for his purposes, either. But it was his best bet.


    Sunny studied the weave of ethereal strings, and at the same time wove essence threads of his own - he was going to need a lot of them, so there was no time to waste.


    Minute passed after minute, merging into hours. Sunny continued sitting motionlessly in front of the two Memories, with only the fingers of his four hands moving in the air.


    Eventually, his deep concentration was broken by the sound of an incoming call. Sunny lingered for a few moments, then slowly shifted his gaze to the communicator.


    As soon as he pressed on it, Master Jet''s face appeared on the screen. She was chewing on a piece of roasted monster meat, seemingly very hungry or in a hurry to finish her meal.


    "Hey. How... ah... is your side project going?"


    Sunny stared at her incredulously.


    "It''s going. It would go better if I was not distracted by unexpected calls in the middle of the night, though... well, anyway. Did you manage to get what I asked for?"


    Just swallowed the last piece of the roasted meat, wiped the juice off her lips, and smiled.


    "Yeah. I gathered all the Memories that the members of my cohort have no use for. Anyway, why do you need them? That''s a crazy amount of contribution points to waste on a bunch of Tier One trinkets."


    Sunny grinned from the corner of his mouth.


    "I am thinking of giving them to a beautiful lady."


    A spark of curiosity glinted in Jet''s eyes.


    "Oh... better be quick with it, then. If she really is a lady, reaching her bedroom might be a slow affair. And we all might be dead very soon..."


    Sunny blinked.


    "What? No, that was not what I..."


    Soul Reaper laughed.


    "Gods, Sunny, relax. In any case, are you prepared for tomorrow?"


    Sunny glowered at her for a couple of moments, then scoffed. "Yeah, sure. As prepared as I can be."


    Jet sipped some water from her flask, then shut it and grinned again.


    This time, her smile gazed very ominous.


    "Well, good. Because tomorrow came a little early. Go get your cohort, Major Sunless."


    ...In the next moment, loud sirens of the aerial attack alarm howled eerily throughout the city, echoing through the crowded streets.

 Chapter 992: The Fall of Falcon Scott (10)

    ''Damnation!''


    Sunny scrambled to his feet, hastily dismissing the Midnight Shard and grabbing his bow. On the screen of the communicator, Jet''s face disappeared, replaced by an incoming message that named the section of the wall he and his cohort were supposed to go to.


    ''South...''


    This time, they were meant to fight right above the main gates of the city, on the part of the defensive barrier that faced inland - and where the battle was going to be the fiercest. It seemed that Army Command was finally done holding the Irregulars in reserve.


    Sunny glanced at the clock. It was just past the earliest time the members of his cohort could return from the Dream Realm, if they had chosen to sleep tonight.


    ''That''s good.''


    He dashed to the pilot''s cabin of the Rhino and ran the vehicle through the startup procedure. The APC sluggishly came to life, making many sounds that were probably not a excellent sign.


    As Sunny waited, he mentally went over each member of his cohort, thinking about what task he would assign them and whether their Flaws would be detrimental in this particular battle. The chances of that were low, but he still needed to check.


    No one with an especially crippling Flaw would have made it through years of service, and soldiers were not required to disclose them - sharing something that personal and potentially dangerous could only be done voluntarily. There was nothing about the Flaws in the dossiers Sunny had read, but after spending months fighting side by side with his people, he deduced most of them.


    The Flaws of the Irregulars were indeed not too dire, and most of his people were mature Awakened who had had at least a decade to learn how to deal with them. Quentin, for example, seemed to be unable to break a promise. Kim was naturally unassuming. Samara had a leisurely rate of soul essence regeneration. Belle had to work especially hard on his impulse control. Luster... well, that one was beautiful apparent.


    Dorn''s Flaw was the cruelest, but it would only become detrimental years from now. His body was slowly, but constantly growing... and would most likely collapse under its own weight one day, some time in the future.


    Nothing that would play a role in today''s battle, though.


    ''All good.''


    At that moment, the hatch of the Rhino opened, making the eerie wailing of the sirens much louder. The members of his cohort rushed in, summoning their armor and weapons as they did.


    "Captain! Everyone''s here!"


    Without waiting for Luster to get to the cabin, Sunny lowered himself into the driver''s seat and sent the Rhino forward. His driving skills were not really top-notch... or any good, really... but he could get the APC to the wall, at least.


    "Get yourself ready. You all remember the plan, correct?"


    Since Winter was going to take center stage in the battle against the Devouring Cloud, the Irregulars had come up with a few strategies in advance.


    "Yes, sir!"


    Sunny nodded.


    "Well, then, go rub Luster''s lucky charm. Gods know we''re going to need some luck today."


    Hearing the laughter of his comrades, Luster crossed his arms. "Hey! That thing really works!"


    "Four out of the five most deadly Nightmare Creatures in the region... you call that luck?"


    "Exactly! And I survived meeting every one!"


    Chuckling, Sunny concentrated on controlling the massive APC.


    The Rhino sped through the streets of Falcon Scott.


    Thankfully, they were mostly empty by now - the air raid sirens had sent the refugees scrambling to get inside. He could see a lot of frightened people still hurrying to reach their assigned dormitories, but mostly, there were only military transports in sight.


    Briefly, Sunny wondered about the man who had gifted him a sandwich. Hopefully, his family had a room below ground... if not, surviving the Devouring Cloud might not be effortless for them.


    ''Concentrate.''


    Finally, the Rhino reached the staging area under the wall. Not bothering to park it properly, Sunny picked up Morgan''s Warbow and headed for the exit hatch. His soldiers followed.


    The army camp was in a state of perpetual, organized chaos - more so today than it had been before. A tense, anxious mood hung in the air. Everyone had a grim expression on their faces, sometimes glancing south with fear hiding in their eyes.


    Sunny thought that he could already hear the distant, low hum of the approaching swarm.


    "Look alive!"


    His shout seemed to energize the soldiers. Glancing at him with hints of recognition and reverence, they parted, letting the Devils march through. Sunny made sure to put on the most calm and arrogant expression he could manage, as if the vast swarm of flying abominations was nothing more than a little annoyance.


    His performance seemed to have worked, since some of the tension dissipated.


    Even the members of his own cohort seemed to relax a little.


    ''What... why the hell are you relaxing, idiots?! You of all people should know how damn terrifying the Devouring Cloud is! I mean, even I am scared!''


    ...But he wasn''t, not really. Mostly because the brood monsters had no means of attacking incorporeal targets, so his personal safety was not at risk. And because the Devouring Cloud was the least dangerous of the enemies converging on Falcon Scott.


    It was still supremely dangerous, however.


    The Irregulars entered an open elevator that took them to the top of the wall. Falcon Scott looked strangely empty from the moving platform, its usual liveliness gone. It seemed as if the whole city was holding its breath, hoping that the predator would not notice the prey.


    ''Zero chance of that happening...''


    Stepping onto the wall, Sunny looked around and noticed a few familiar figures some distance away.


    A minute later, he was standing side by side with Jet, Winter, and Dale, looking south over the battlements. The four of them remained silent for a while, until Soul Reaper finally spoke, her voice measured:


    "Wow. That is... a lot of abominations."


    Below them, in the distance, the ground was slowly disappearing behind an immense wall of swirling haze. It looked as if the world itself was being devoured, erased from existence by the approaching cloud.


    ...Suddenly, Sunny caught himself missing the calm darkness of the underground tunnel.

 Chapter 993: The Fall of Falcon Scott (11)

    The Devouring Cloud posed an existential threat to Falcon Scott, but strangely, Sunny was not too worried, at least for himself. Perhaps it was the Marble Shell that gave him confidence, or perhaps it was the presence of the other Ascended Irregulars. The four of them were a fearsome force by themselves, and there were thousands of other Awakened defending the city, to boot.


    Not to mention countless mundane soldiers, impregnable fortifications, and two entire Saints.


    Sky Tide had been away, fighting the Winter Beast somewhere in the wilderness. It was unknown whether she would be able to return in time to participate in today''s battle, but Bloodwave was here, protecting the anchored ships. If things went south, he would undoubtedly interfere.


    Master Jet studied the approaching brood swarm, her icy blue eyes cold and calculating. Then, she sighed.


    "Something is different."


    Sunny glanced at her with a silent question, prompting Soul Reaper to shake her head.


    "The Devouring Cloud is behaving differently from how the reports described it."


    He frowned, then glanced at the distant haze.


    ...Indeed, the swarm was acting a bit differently from how it had been before. It seemed slightly less erratic, slightly more driven. The speed with which the Devouring World consumed distance was greater than Sunny had expected.


    Summoning his helmet, Dale shrugged.


    "They probably sense the two hundred million souls behind us. Who wouldn''t hurry to get to a feast?"


    Winter smiled.


    "Well, then... let''s show them some hospitality."


    She remained motionless for a few moments, then raised her hands and cautiously removed her sunglasses. A deep sigh escaped from her lips.


    That was the first time Sunny saw Winter''s eyes. They were entirely black, with pupils that resembled two drops of coagulated blood. Looking into them made him deeply, irrationally uncomfortable.


    "Begin."


    Several Awakened - three from Soul Reaper''s cohort and one from Dale''s - stepped forward. Following Sunny''s nod, Luster did the same.


    In this battle, Winter was going to be the tip of their spear.


    Her Aspect would play a key role, and so, it had to be augmented as much as possible.


    Several Memories started to manifest in the air around the Ascended archer - a beautiful handheld mirror, a small skull with a precious jewel embedded into its forehead, a silver coin with the image of a beautiful woman on one side and that of a hideous monster on the other - and at the same time, the four Awakened activated their own Abilities.


    One started to draw a complicated circle around Winter, saturating it with essence as he went. Another concentrated on the Memories, somehow channeling more power into them... Luster simply placed his hand on her shoulder, and then sent Sunny a strangely pleased glance.


    ''That fool...''


    Sunny rolled his eyes and walked a few steps away. He wrapped one shadow around his body and the other three around Morgan''s Warbow, then evaluated how much essence he had left.


    It was not as much as he would have wanted, but enough to summon the Strike of Thunder many times, as well as manifest countless [Soul Arrows] in between the shots. He would be able to activate the Dying Wish, as well, if the abominations managed to get close to the wall.


    Today, Sunny had a personal goal - to slaughter as many of the brood beasts as possible. Hundreds of them, or maybe even a thousand. With almost all the vile creatures being Awakened, he would not be getting many fragments, but that was alright. What he wanted were Memories, anyway - the more, the better, no matter how weak.


    "What do you think, Sunny? Are we going to win today?"


    He glanced at Master Jet, who was calmly spinning a simple shuriken in her hand. The aura of illusory cold radiating from her seemed especially chilling right now.


    He shrugged.


    "Sure. Why not? It''s just a bunch of ugly flying leeches."


    Soul Reaper grinned and did not say anything else.


    A few minutes later, the Devouring Cloud entered the firing range of the rail guns. Once again, the thunderous sound of heaving tungsten rounds shattering the sound barrier made the whole wall vibrate. Even though Sunny knew that the bombardment had to have killed countless creatures, it seemed as though the distant haze simply swallowed them. There was not even the smallest ripple or rift in the uninterrupted veil of flying horrors.


    ''...Crap.''


    Then, the turrets and the MWPs joined the barrage and unleashed a hail of bullets. Numerous tracer rounds flew from the wall into the rolling cloud of brood beasts. It was strangely beautiful - as though a shining rain was falling from the ground into the sky, struggling to pierce the black veil of extinguishing darkness.*As if utterly untouched by the devastating onslaught, the Devouring Cloud continued forward without ever slowing down. By now, the hum of countless leathery wings had grown loud enough to seep through the clamor of the firing guns, spreading through the air like the murmur of a vast sea.


    The creatures were already close enough for the illusion of a hazy veil to fall apart into the harrowing visage of myriads of black dots swarming in the air. Sunny grimaced, then drew his bow and sent the Strike of Thunder into the approaching horde.


    Before the furious bolt of lightning reached it, he was already pulling on the string again, an arrow of pale gold appearing on it.


    A flash of stark, eclectic light illuminated a tiny portion of the swarm, followed by the whispers of the Spell.


    ''Crap!''


    At that point, the Devouring Cloud was supposed to slow down. It had just reached the edge of the vast killing field between the city wall and the mountains, coming into view of numerous piles of Nightmare Creature carcasses covering the ground. The brood beasts were supposed to turn their attention to that plentiful source of food before continuing toward Falcon Scott in full force.


    However, they did not.


    Acting in contradiction to all the analytical reports by Army Command, the swarm ignored the feast of rotting flesh completely, and instead accelerated forward even more.


    ...That was when Winter finally made her move.


    Taking a deep breath, she raised her bow and summoned a single, fiery arrow. Her black eyes seemed to become even darker still, and the crimson blood drops of her pupils shone with an eerie, ominous glow.


    The string of the bow rang, and the flaming arrow flashed through the darkness, leaving a blazing trail behind.When it hit, the darkness of the polar night was suddenly no more.

 Chapter 994: The Fall of Falcon Scott (12)

    The moment Winter''s arrow reached the Devouring Cloud, a brilliant flash of light blinded everyone for a moment. A vast sphere of flame bloomed in the middle of the swarm, spreading far and wide like a rolling wave of destruction.


    Then, it collapsed on itself and exploded once more.


    Tongues of flame spread through the mass of abominations, swallowing countless brood beasts. Some were turned to ash, some fell down to the ground like burning stars. Others continued to burn as they streaked chaotically through the sky, their flesh boiling and dissipating.


    But they did not die before colliding with some of their vile brethren.


    The fire spread.


    As if possessing a mind of its own, it continued to spread from one abomination to another, until it seemed as though the sky itself was aflame. The darkness was chased out by the furious orange-white glow, and Sunny felt something that he had never expected to feel in the middle of winter in Antarctica.


    Scorching heat caressing his skin.


    He sucked in a shaky breath.


    ''...Damn.''


    It seemed that all their preparations were not in vain. Winter''s opening was nothing short of breathtaking. It was outright frightening, if he was honest.


    But it was just an opening, nevertheless- although the Devouring Cloud had sustained considerable losses and had to slow down, it was in no way stopped. Already, some brood beasts were charging through the wall of fire, lunging toward the city.


    Grinning at the sight of the fiery slaughter, Sunny shook off his momentary shock and drew Morgan''s Warbow again.


    ''More, more... I need to kill more...''


    Another bolt of lightning slammed into the swarm, reaping a multitude of lives. An arrow of pale gold pierced a brood beast clean through, then continued to fly forward, killing several others. There were so many abominations that Sunny did not even have to aim.


    The four cohorts of Irregulars, as well as all the rest of the Awakened defenders, poured all their strength into destroying the descending tide of winged horrors. Even though it seemed as if the sky itself was falling on them, vast swathes of it enveloped in flame, no one''s courage broke.


    It was natural to fear for one''s life, but with two hundred million people depending on their protection, the soldiers of the First Army stubbornly clung to their positions despite the terror of the approaching swarm.


    By his side, Soul Reaper waved her hands, dozens of throwing stars appearing between her fingers and shooting forward with terrible speed, shredding a whole swathe of the swarm like a steel rain.


    A few steps away, Samara was methodically discharging her rifle, explosions of essence blossoming in the mass of Nightmare Creatures. Pieces of torn flesh and streams of blood rained down without stop.


    The rest of the Devils were doing their part.


    ...Winter was not at all done with her part of the slaughter, either.


    One after another, enchanted arrows flew from the string of her bow. With four Awakened elites using their Aspects to augment hers and a number of powerful Memories feeding her their power, the Ascended archer became a source of shocking devastation.


    Sunny finally understood why Winter was sometimes called a walking artillery unit. There were a lot of arrows in her arsenal capable of widespread destruction, and augmented as she was, the scope of that destruction only grew. Thanks to her Aspect, the arrows never missed.


    ...And with Luster continuously feeding her soul essence, she had no reason to stop.


    The Devouring Cloud was melting in front of his eyes.


    ''Morel''


    Sunny strained his muscles to draw the string, the process of dismissing and summoning the Strike of Thunder back finally finished... just in time. A fierce bolt of lightning pierced the air once again.


    [You have slain...][You have slain...][You have slain...][You have received...]


    And yet, even with all that destruction summoned upon the brood swarm, it was still advancing on the city. Half of the vast killing field had already disappeared in its shadow, and the first of the winged horrors were already reaching the wall.


    Somewhere to his left, a massive MWP stumbled, the appalling shape of a brood beast disappearing into the breach in the war platform''s armor that it had just created with the circular, fleshy maw. The creature crawled into the pilot''s cabin - in the next moment, the massive machine jerked erratically and stepped back, plummeting from the battlement into the darkness.


    Sunny uttered a silent curse.


    At the same time, Dale stepped closer to Winter. A spherical dome of transparent energy enveloped the two of them, as well as all the Awakened standing nearby. Their arrows and bullets easily passed through the dome to hit the enemies, but when a lone brood beast lunged at Winter from above, it collided against the wall of shimmering energy as if against solid stone. The creature''s body bounced away in a rain of blood.


    ''I guess it''s time for...''


    "Sunny! Now!"


    Jet''s voice confirmed his own thoughts. They briefly glanced at each other, then dashed away from the Irregulars. Sunny dismissed his bow, took a deep breath, and summoned the Sin of Solace instead.


    Instantly, an insidious voice - his own voice - spoke into his ear:


    "Huh. Are you still pretending that you can actually save anyone? You know..."


    ''Shut the hell up! No one asked!''


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny followed Soul Reaper until they reached a relatively empty section of the wall a couple of hundred meters away from the position of the Irregulars. She shouted at the nearby soldiers, commanding them to retreat.


    Then, Jet turned to Sunny and flashed him a wicked smile.


    "Are you ready?"


    He nodded.


    "Then activate that charm of yours!"


    Sunny sighed, then poured essence into the Dying Wish. At the same time, he wrapped all four shadows around his body and activated the [Underworld Armament] trait of the Marble Shell, enhancing the effect of the charm.


    His goals here were rather simple... he needed to give Winter as much time as possible to eradicate the swarm, and at the same time, prevent brood beasts from flying into the city.


    What better way was there to achieve both than to present the Devouring Could with an irresistibly tasty target?


    The plan was bound to work...


    Its only downside was that, for a while, Sunny would have to survive the attention of the entire swarm.


    Somehow.

 Chapter 995: The Fall of Falcon Scott (13)

    The world seemed trapped in a violent seizure. The darkness of the endless night was savaged, tom apart by the spreading wildfire and the disorienting flashes of numerous firing armaments. The cacophony of thunderous salvos and inhuman shrieks fused into an almost palpable force, pressing down on Sunny from all sides.


    Some distance away, above the burning nightmare of the killing field, the Devouring Cloud had reshaped itself to create a breach in the wall of flames. A dark mass of brood beasts poured forward, rushing to reach the defensive barrier of the last human city. The incoming segment of the swarm swirled, forming into a long and vast protuberance.


    It looked like a giant tentacle that grew and twisted, aiming for a single spot on the city wall... the dome of shimmering energy where Dale and Winter were making their stand.


    ''Something is indeed very wrong...''


    Since when was the Devouring Cloud so purposeful? How could the swarm of mindless brood beasts not only identify the deadliest threat, but also show enough coordinated intent to try taking it out first?


    Feeling a chill run down his spine, Sunny activated the [Dying Wish] and watched as the tip of the dark protuberance pivoted, changing its direction to attack him instead.


    ''Wonderful.''


    He glanced at Jet, lingered for a moment, and then asked in a hoarse voice: "Are we sure that we want to do this?"


    Soul Reaper lowered her graceful glaive, a thin layer of ice slowly thickening on its silver blade. Brushing her raven black hair back, she smiled from the corner of her mouth.


    "What do our wishes have to do with anything?"


    Sunny looked back at the approaching swarm and sighed. "...Fair enough."


    At that point, most of the weapons on the southern section of the wall had concentrated their fire on the advancing protuberance. It was being tom by the heavy tungsten rounds of the rail guns, the storm of bullets unleashed by countless turrets, the sporadic rifle fire of mundane infantrymen, the Memories and Abilities of Enlightened soldiers.


    As Sunny watched, masses of miniature missiles shot from the shoulders of the towering MWPs, streaking across the sky and blasting countless monstrosities to shreds.


    The attacking swarm was continuously breaking and rebuilding itself, new brood beasts instantly taking the place of the killed ones to close the gaps... it was not showing any signs of slowing down, though, which meant that Sunny would not escape it.


    Well... he was not worried.


    "Sure you are."


    Sunny winced and glanced at the Sin of Solace with displeasure. His mental defenses were supposed to be quite high right now. Why wasn''t the damned sword affected at all?


    "Ah, yes. Your new, shiny shell... as good a reason to feel confident as any, 1 guess. And if that is not enough, you can always escape into the shadows. Right?"


    Sunny pretended not to hear the insidious voice.


    "Have you not stopped to think about Jet, though? Where would she escape? Are you ready to watch her die? You better be... an outsider like her does not matter, anyway..."


    Sunny glanced at Master Jet, who was observing the swarm by his side. Her beautiful face was calm and focused.


    He sighed.


    ''You are very proud of yourself, aren''t you? Toying with me, playing on my deepest fears and insecurities... but aren''t you embarrassed of yourself a little?''


    The Sin of Solace did not answer.


    I''ll admit, you did catch me by surprise a couple of times. However, now that 1 know what to expect, why would such childish jabs have any effect on me? I don''t know whether you really are the voice of the cursed sword, or simply a part of my own subconscious twisted by it... although the latter seems more probable. However, one thing I do know is that you are out of your league here, buddy.''


    He shook the beautiful jian slightly.


    I mean, who do you think you are? You are not the voice of Ariel, the Demon of Dread. You are merely a memory... of an echo... of a whisper. Something that pathetic wants to drive me crazy? Please, don''t make me laugh.''


    There were a few moments of silence, and then, the insidious voice answered mockingly:


    "And yet, here you are, talking to an imaginary voice in the middle of a battle."


    Sunny smiled.


    .So what? Hearing voices and talking to myself is somewhat of a hobby of mine.''


    Been there, done that.


    He pushed the annoying whispers to the back of his mind and concentrated on what was about to come.


    A small shadow suddenly fell from the sky. Sunny almost moved to attack it, but then held himself back. In the next moment, a familiar crow landed on Jet''s shoulder, glanced at him arrogantly, and turned to its master.


    "Swam! Swam!"


    Jet patted the bird on the head with a small smile.


    "Yes. I know. Now go, it is going to be too dangerous for you."


    The crow let out an outraged caw and spread its wings to make itself look bigger, but to no avail - she had already dismissed the Echo, making it dissipate into a swirl of sparks.


    A few seconds later, the swarm was upon them.


    The first of the lunging brood beast was cleanly severed in half by Jet''s glaive, two bleeding slabs of hideous flesh flying over the wall to fall into the siege camp below. But the next one was already attacking.


    Sunny allowed his mind to switch into the state of battle clarity - or rather, dive deeper into it, since clarity had long become like second nature to him. His thoughts accelerated, and his perception of the world became sharper, clearer, and more encompassing.


    He moved forward with light steps, the Sin of Solace flashing through the air to pierce the creature''s body. Its flesh parted before the jade blade like water.


    At the same time, the shadows around them stirred, and a dozen black tentacles rose from them, grabbing the attacking brood beasts and tearing them apart.


    The tentacles were different and much more complex than the ones he had usually summoned before - these ones had joints and a semblance of structure, ending with crude, but nimble and powerful hands. Sunny''s long hours of practice had not been in vain. He had pushed his grasp of Shadow Manifestation forward by a lot.


    ...Of course, using it burned through his essence. Everything Sunny did required him to spend essence - weaving shadow strings, repeatedly summoning the Strike of Thunder, sustaining and augmenting the effect of the Dying Wish, saturating his body with resilience and strength. Any other Master would have been drained of all energy already.


    But Sunny''s reserves of essence were vast and potent, more than four times the volume of almost anyone else of the same Rank. At the same time, his control of it was nothing short of exquisite, allowing for near-perfect efficiency.


    He had a lot of fight left in him, still.


    The question was whether that would be enough.

 Chapter 996: The Fall of Falcon Scott (14)

    The swarm of brood beasts descended upon Sunny and Master Jet. The two of them moved with speed that would have seemed utterly inhuman to mundane soldiers, if any of them had remained nearby... curiously enough, a Master would have been stunned just as much.


    Both Ascended Irregulars were showing a level of physical prowess that only those with extremely powerful combat Aspect were supposed to possess.


    Soul Reaper''s glaive turned into a blur as she spun it, dissecting scores of the ghastly abominations. The gorgeous jade jian danced like a feather, harvesting life after life.


    Of course, neither Sunny nor Jet remained static, moving across the wide expanse of the battlement similar to a hurricane of cutting steel. They danced between the attacking Nightmare Creatures, never remaining in one spot long enough to be buried under their onslaught.


    Well... Sunny danced. His battle style was graceful and fluid, to the point where it seemed as though he had no rigid shape at all. Master Jet, on the other hand, fought with the dire and straightforward inevitability of an experienced butcher, slaughtering her enemies both methodically and ruthlessly.


    ...There was an awful beauty to her mesmerizing savagery, as well.


    "Get ready!"


    Sunny did not need the warning. The whirlwind of abominations surrounding them was already poor enough, but it was also just the beginning - most of the protuberance of the Devouring Cloud had yet to reach them, and the situation was about to become numerous times worse.


    ''Oh, oh... why did I come to this damned continent?''


    Full of self-pity, he pivoted to the right, narrowly avoided a diving brood beast, and brandished the Sin of Solace to cut down another one. At the same time, he glanced over the edge of the wall, where a long stretch of the world was obscured by the swarm of abominations.


    By now, the two of them were surrounded from all sides, but most of the enemies were still coming from a single direction. The excellent news was that the Dying Wish was working, preventing the brood beasts from passing the wall and escaping into the city.


    The poor news was that he could not see the glow of Winter''s flames at all now, which meant that the part of the swarm attacking them was a second at most from growing much harder to deal with. There had to be really, really numerous of them to obscure the wildfire entirely.


    Sunny called upon the shadows, and a black wall suddenly rose between the battlement and the main body of the protuberance. Countless brood beasts slammed into it in the next moment, impaling themselves on the sharp spikes that shot from the black surface. Even more had to twist in the air to avoid the obstacle.


    That did not slow the swarm much, but it did funnel it somewhat, giving Sunny and Jet some room to breathe.


    At least for a moment.


    Then, things got really tense.


    "Argh, dammit!"


    There were too numerous brood beasts lunging at him to kill and evade them all. Sunny did his best, but it was still not enough. Even with the help of shadow hands, he was forced to receive several attacks head-on.


    Making his body as heavy as a slab of rock, Sunny gritted his teeth and stood his ground. A disgusting leathery body slammed into him - if he had not used the Feather of Truth to change his mass, the impact would have thrown Sunny to the ground, or even worse, off the wall.


    As it was, he only took half a step back, while the brood beast bounced back with the nauseating crunch of breaking bones.


    ''Ah, that hurt...''


    Before Sunny could do anything, another creature tore into his forearm. The leather vambrace of the Puppeteer''s Shroud held some of the horrid fangs back, but not all of them...


    However, the creature''s fangs scraped fruitlessly against Sunny''s skin, not leaving even a scratch on it.


    He grinned.


    ''Chew on this, bastard.''


    With that, Sunny spun the Sin of Solace into reverse grip and easily cut through the abomination''s long neck. Usually, it would have been difficult to deal any damage from such an awkward position, but the jade blade of the cursed sword was so sharp that he did not have to put any effort into the cut at all.


    The brood beast''s body convulsed and fell down. Its severed maw, however, was still stubbornly trying to gnaw on Sunny''s flesh.


    ''Whatever...''


    Ignoring the vice-like and unpleasantly moist grasp of the creature''s jaw, he threw himself back into the battle. A few moments later, it flew off his forearm, pulled away by powerful inertia.


    Sadly, that was not the last abomination that managed to hit him. As their number grew and grew, Sunny started to miss more attacks. Most of them failed to penetrate the adamantine barrier of the Marble Shell, but a few did not - there were now shallow scratches here and there on his body, and their number was swiftly increasing.


    Master Jet was in a similar position, although she did not seem to be bothered by it at all. Even though her black leather armor was torn and shredded, revealing glimpses of alabaster skin and trickles of crimson blood, she fought with the same unrestrained, magnificent brutality. There was even a dark, wicked grin on her face.


    ''What is wrong with that woman?''


    He wasted a moment to shift his sight and glance at her core, only to see that it was brimming with essence, full to the limit. That cost him another scratch, as well as a pang of envy.


    ''Damn it, Master Jet''s Aspect is simply cheating...''


    To be fair, his Aspect was somewhat of a cheat as well. More than that, both of them were fighting in nearly optimal conditions - Soul Reaper was well suited to fight against large numbers of weaker enemies, who could provide her with a nearly endless supply of essence, while Sunny was a true menace when surrounded by shadows.


    Throughout the cruel length of the polar night, the whole world was enveloped by shadows, and he was their Master.


    And yet...


    Both of them were in dire danger.


    Even if individual brood beasts did not pose much of a threat to the two Ascended, thousands and thousands of them did. An army of ants was more than capable of killing an elephant.


    Whatever an elephant was.


    Grinding his teeth, Sunny danced between the countless abominations and felt his own essence disappear with frightening speed.


    ''Winter better be very busy obliterating the main body of the swarm... fast!''

 Chapter 997: The Fall of Falcon Scott (15)

    Black pillars of smoke rose into the sky, obscuring the stars like a smoldering veil. Between the roiling dark heaven and the cold ravaged land, a fiery inferno seethed and swarmed, drowning the world in a scorching orange glow. Surrounded by numerous abominations and the cacophonous roar of heavy armaments, Sunny and Jet fought against the Devouring Cloud.


    The wind was picking up.


    Struggling not to slip on the fetid blood that covered the alloy expanse of the battlement, Sunny pulled Soul Reaper close and bent down, summoning a dome of shadows to surround them. His breathing was hoarse and labored.


    There was no light inside the improvised shelter, and the brood beasts were already attacking it, the whole structure trembling under an onslaught of heavy blows. Worse still, he did not dare to sustain the barrier for more than a few seconds, afraid that the swarm would lose interest and shift its attention to the city beyond.


    "I won''t last much longer."


    Master Jet was uncomfortably close, her physical state as battered and bloodied as his. Her chest rose and fell erratically, betraying the same level of exhaustion. Nevertheless, her voice sounded calm:


    "You can''t fight anymore?"


    He shook his head, then spoke after realizing that she probably could not see him.


    "No, not that. The charm... I don''t have enough essence left to keep it active for long."


    She lingered for a moment.


    "Do what you can. After that, let''s see what fate has in store."


    Sunny winced at her choice of words, then considered if it was time to summon Nightmare. The black steed would be helpful in surviving the tide of brood beasts, but the two of them were not at the point of needing to be rescued yet. It was supplying the Dying Wish with essence that was the problem.


    Nightmare was also large and lacked armor. His main defense was speed and viciousness, which would not protect him against the swarm. If the shadow stallion sustained heavy wounds today, Sunny would not be able to call upon him tomorrow.


    ''Back to the slaughter, then.''


    He glanced at Jet.


    "Ready?"


    She smiled in the darkness.


    "Always."


    He allowed the suffering shadows to lose substance, and the black dome fell apart around them.


    Immediately, a flood of brood beasts descended upon the two Ascended. Sunny and Jet were pushed back to back, unable to move. The jade longsword and the silver glaive blurred, tearing through the ghastly abominations. The smell of blood permeated the air.


    It was somewhat of a heroic scene, exactly like what he had often seen in dramas and webtoons about valiant Awakened... not very practical, though. Stuck in one spot and limited in where he could move, Sunny became a perfect target.


    ''Curse it!''


    A strong gale of wind slammed into them, throwing many brood beasts off course. Jet used that moment to lunge forward and brandish her glaive, causing an explosion of frost to spread through the swarm, and clear a bit of space around them.


    High above, the veil of smoke looked like storm clouds.


    Sunny was still feeding his essence into the Dying Wish and sustaining the augmentation of the [Underworld Armament], hoping to buy Winter another minute... maybe half a minute... of time.


    But the Devouring Cloud seemed to have suddenly learned how to resist Solvane''s charm.


    Without any provocation, the mass of brood beasts shifted, flashing past the two bloodied Masters. Ignoring the alluring enchantment of the Dying Wish, they lunged in the direction where Dale''s protective barrier still gleamed with mystical energy.


    ''What the hell!''


    Sunny slashed at the nearest abomination, cutting it in half. The other brood beasts simply ignored him and flew away.


    [You have slain an Awakened Beast, Brood of the Devouring Cloud.]


    [You have received...]


    He ignored the quiet whisper of the Spell and stared at the apocalyptic scene of the battlefield.


    The killing field below the wall was enveloped in flame. The sky was burning with red embers, as well. The main body of the swarm seemed... diminished, somewhat. Where once there had been an uninterrupted wall of winged horrors, now there was a tattered curtain of them, with vast breaches and gaps in its vile, seething mass.


    Winter and all the other defenders did not waste the time he had bought them.


    The problem, however, was that the flames unleashed by the Ascended archer in her initial attack had almost died down, and now, the whole of the Devouring Cloud was advancing on the city.


    This was a key moment. Winter had to break their advance once and for all... and for that to happen, nothing could interrupt her.


    ''Goddammit...''


    Sunny prepared himself, ready to dash toward the position of the rest of the Irregulars.


    He could see a dark tentacle of the thinned protuberance slamming into Dale''s barrier, the wind howling so loudly that it drowned out the thunder of the firing rail guns for a moment. The barrier grew dimmer, but held... for now.


    A radiant arrow escaped from it, streaking across the killing field and disappearing into the Devouring Cloud. Then, it was as though a large portion of the swarm imploded in on itself, countless abominations being violently pulled and crushed by an invisible force.


    However, it was still not enough. Dale''s barrier was growing dimmer and dimmer, and the swarm was still advancing, a dozen seconds away from crashing into the defenders of the city.


    ''Not enough...''


    ...And then, a vast shadow fell from the sky, tearing through the veil of smoke and storm clouds obscuring it. At the same time, a destructive net of lightning surrounded the Devouring Cloud, turning the world white for a second. Thousands of abominations were instantly burned to ash.


    A giant bird of prey with white feathers and devastating talons of lustrous steel dove into the swarm. Her enormous wings were wreathed in thunderclouds, and bolts of lightning danced around her body like a cloak. A hurricane of wind summoned by her arrival threw the center of the Devouring Cloud into disarray.


    Sunny froze.


    "Sky Tide!"


    Saint Tyris looked beaten and exhausted, but still incredibly fearsome. Her white feathers were painted by blood, and there was a thin layer of ice covering many parts of her body.


    Despite all that, she cut through the swarm like a blade of a guillotine, and at the same time, powerful winds squeezed the monstrosities down and pushed them away from the city.


    Sunny stared at the incredible scene in tired silence. He had never been that happy to see a Saint before.


    Lowering the Sin of Solace, he looked at Master Jet. A somewhat disoriented question escaped from his lips:


    "...Have we won?"


    She lingered for a moment, then shrugged.


    "It seems that w..."


    Before Soul Reaper could finish the sentence, however, the city wall suddenly quaked under them.

 Chapter 998: The Fall of Falcon Scott (16)

    The wall trembled violently, almost throwing Sunny off his feet. He caught himself from falling and spun, the Sin of Solace flying into a defensive stance.


    "What the hell was that?!"


    Master Jet used her glaive to keep herself upright and looked around. For the first time since the start of the battle, her expression became grim. She did not answer for a couple of seconds. Then, her icy eyes widened slightly. Soul Reaper turned to Sunny, trying to say something, but he had already sensed it himself.


    A cold shiver ran down his spine.


    "The Call..."


    The Call of the Nightmare had suddenly grown much louder, assaulting his mind with an onslaught of screaming whispers.


    In the next moment... the world came undone, and the piercing sound of tearing alloy filled Sunny''s ears. The battlement beneath him was falling apart, and a strong aftershock of whatever it was that had destroyed it rolled through the air, throwing him away.


    ''No!''


    Sunny did not see it yet, but he already understood what had happened.


    A Nightmare Gate had just opened right below where he and Jet had fought, annihilating a large section of the wall.


    An ugly rift in reality tore through the armored alloy, turning it into nothing. The vertical schism of pure nothingness played strange tricks with both light and darkness, making it appear simultaneously perfectly flat and inconceivably deep. A litany of inaudible screams thundered out of it in deafening silence, washing over the world like a demented call.


    The wall was breached from top to bottom - some of it devoured by the Gate, the rest simply collapsing when the supporting structure suddenly disappeared.


    Sunny plummeted down in a rain of debris.


    Before he could truly comprehend what was happening, his body brushed against the boundary of the Gate. Instantly, an explosion of blinding pain enveloped his body and soul, and a strange repelling force pushed him away.


    A Nightmare Gate was a one-way path - creatures of the Dream Realm could enter through it into the waking world, but nothing from the waking world could pass through it into the land of nightmares. Only Awakened could answer its Call by sending their souls on a perilous journey. All they had to do was fall asleep in the vicinity of the rift.


    Masters and Saints could answer it, too, by pulling on their own anchors - but not by physically stepping through the Gate. Maybe Sovereigns were different, but Sunny had no time to ponder about it.


    Or could ponder about it, really. For a few moments after experiencing the shock of brushing against the lightless rift, his mind became utterly blank.


    And when he came to his senses, he found himself falling from a seventy-meter height, the ground approaching him with frightening speed.


    Still disoriented, Sunny scrambled to summon the Dark Wing, but then froze for a split second.


    There was not enough time for the translucent Memory to manifest itself into existence and for its enchantment to activate. He had maybe three seconds left...


    Would a fall from that height murder him?


    Sunny did not know, and he did not want to find out. Even if he survived somehow, a flood of Nightmare Creatures would soon flow out of the Gate to finish the job.


    ''D-damn!''


    Something heavy and sharp suddenly slammed into Sunny''s head. A torn piece of the wall''s frame... following an instinct, Sunny reached forward and called upon the shadows of the falling pieces of debris. They moved, sliding toward his body.


    Sunny made himself as light as he could, and then manifested the shadows. In the next moment, a vast mantle of darkness surrounded him like a streaming black cape, catching the wind and slowing down his fall.


    It was almost enough.


    He hit the ground hard enough to bounce off of it and black out for a moment. The mantle of shadows was torn apart and dissipated. Sunny rolled away, his body a mass of pain, vaguely recognizing the landscape of the staging area around him. He came to a halt after violently slamming into the feet of a loader robot, then weakly crawled under it, hoping to hide from the raining debris.


    It was good thinking - not a second later, a piece of alloy that must have weighed several tons crashed into the ground in the spot where Sunny had been just a moment ago.


    ...That was all Sunny could do, though. After taking shelter between the legs of the loader, all strength seemed to abandon him. All that was left was pain.


    ''A-argh...''


    He was alive, at least. Bone Weave and the Marble Shell, as well as his Ascended physique, had protected Sunny''s body from being severely damaged. He was a bit shocked, that was all...


    Arguably, touching the Gate had caused much more harm.


    Sunny did not know what kind of damage he had received, but it felt serious. He knew he could still fight... maybe... but not right now.


    Right now, he could hardly move.


    ''Not good...''


    From his temporary shelter, Sunny had a clear view of the broken wall and the vast rift of nothingness pulsing darkly in the breach. A few soldiers and logistics specialists were running away from it, consumed by panic.


    A few more lay dead, killed by the debris.


    A tide of Nightmare Creatures was about to emerge from the Gate, flood the staging area, and devour everyone here before escaping into the city.


    And Sunny was utterly defenseless.


    A cold voice suddenly resounded in his ear:


    "See. I told you that you''re useless."


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    ''Shut up.''


    His own laughter was the answer.


    "I also told you that Master Jet was going to die, didn''t I?"


    He growled.


    "I said shut the hell up!"


    Pushing through pain and weakness, Sunny forced himself to start crawling. He wanted to crawl away, but somehow found himself crawling toward the Gate. The desire to flee had been subtly defeated by the desire to finish his duty and defend the city, without him even noticing.


    ''I must have really lost it... what am I planning to do in that state?''


    Maybe there was some strategy left... no, there surely was. He was just too rattled and concussed to ponder it.


    There was the Dying Wish... huh... there was also Nightmare...


    As a massive shape slowly revealed itself in the pulsating darkness of the Gate, a familiar tone whispered into his ear.


    Sunny felt a flash of rage sear his mind.


    "Shut your mouth!"


    But then, he froze.


    That voice... was not his.


    Ignoring the rude outburst, the Spell spoke:


    [...Your Shadow has evolved.]

 Chapter 999: The Fall of Falcon Scott (17)

    "...My Shadow?"


    Sunny unlocked his eyes wide.


    ''Saint!''


    It seemed that Saint had finished her evolution into a Devil ahead of schedule. All things considered, her timing was nothing short of impeccable.


    Even in his disoriented state, Sunny knew that he could not ignore such luck.


    As the first of the Nightmare Creatures emerged from the Gate, he abandoned his attempts to crawl forward and called upon his Shadow, instead.


    The coldness of the polar night seemed to grow slightly darker. Then, an intricate sabaton forged out of black, stonelike metal stepped on the ground beside him.


    Sunny weakly turned his head to look up at Saint, who was as aloof as ever.


    His taciturn knight... had changed.


    Initially, she had been roughly the same height as him, becoming taller after evolving into a Demon. Now, Saint towered above Sunny. Obscured by the beautiful onyx armor, the lines of her stone body were still slender and graceful... but at more than two meters of height, the fearsome Shadow seemed extremely imposing.


    Her oppressive presence was worthy of a Devil.


    The black armor itself had not changed much - it had always been a product of magnificent craftsmanship, and seemed even more superb and menacing now. However, Saint''s skin, which had been grey like stone before, then white as alabaster, was now as smooth and black as polished onyx - at least what little of it could be seen through the slits of her visor.


    The ruby jewels of her eyes burned with ominous crimson flames.


    Saint studied the vast rift of the Nightmare Gate indifferently, then glanced at Sunny. It almost seemed... as though she had a lot of questions.


    He forced out a weak smile.


    "Yeah... stuff happened. I''m glad to see you, too."


    Then, he raised a trembling hand and pointed at the emerging Nightmare Creatures.


    "Go... argh... go deal with them, if you don''t mind. I''ll stay here for a bit."


    Saint lingered for a moment, then silently turned to the flood of monstrous creatures and strolled forward. Her steps were calm and steady.


    Sunny let his hand drop back to the ground.


    ''Ah, it''s good to have her back.''


    Hoisting himself up to sit, his back leaning against a piece of rubble, Sunny used some of his last essence to send the Broken Oath to the taciturn Devil. Then, he commanded all four of his shadows to abandon him and embrace Saint, instead.


    Her tall figure shone with a dark radiance. The shadows around the demonic knight swelled, becoming deeper and darker, surrounding her like a tenebrous mantle... which was all expected.


    What Sunny had not expected, however, was that there was a hint of true, elemental darkness in that lightless glow. It made him shiver.


    ...A few dozen meters away from them, the Nightmare Creatures were being born from the revolting nothingness of the Gate. A flood of them rushed forward, chasing after the retreating soldiers and non-combatants.


    The abominations gazed like tall, insectine humanoids with six hands each, their inhuman faces brimming with black eyes and jagged mandibles. They wore carapace armor and wielded weapons made of sharpened chitin, moving with astonishing speed and possessing dreadful might. As Sunny watched, one of the creatures easily threw a piece of the broken wall that must have weighed a ton aside.


    Unfazed, Saint unlocked her arms, as if trying to embrace the broken, burning world. Darkness flowed from under her vambraces, over her palms, and into the air.


    A moment later, the flowing darkness formed into the shape of a familiar stone sword - it was whole once again, but utterly black in appearance. A feeling of dark, nebulous power radiated from its stygian blade. On her other hand, a round shield of stonelike metal appeared, its surface the same polished onyx as the fearsome armor of the taciturn Shadow.


    Walking toward the enemy, Saint raised her sword...


    And struck the rim of her shield twice with its blade, as if challenging the harrowing tide of monsters.


    ''D-damn...''


    Sunny was too weak and mentally shaken to do anything, so he just sat on the ground, using a piece of rubble for support, and watched Saint fight.


    His Shadow had simply strolled forward, and then dove into the mass of enemies as soon as the last of the soldiers ran past her. She collided against the arachnid warriors with her shield, sending a dozen of them stumbling to the ground, and then twisted into a whirlwind of annihilating darkness, her sword slicing through carapace armor, flesh, and bone as if nothing could stop it.


    Black blood, severed limbs, and broken bodies covered the ground.


    Saint was an Ascended Devil now, and augmented by all four of Sunny''s shadows. The Broken Oath received the same augmentation, seeping strength and vitality from her enemies. The graceful knight fought with stunning clarity and sublime skill... and yet, that was not enough to explain why Saint was so deadly and devastating.


    The abominations were not weak... it was she who was too strong, too fast, and too tyrannical. A simple evolution of one Class could not explain the difference.


    ''A Devil... a Devil commands unnatural powers. That is what separates them from Demons.''


    Sunny''s thoughts were slow and tangled, but he remembered that much.


    What powers had Saint received?


    ''Might as well take a look.''


    It was not like Sunny could be of much use, currently.


    He lingered for a few moments, staring at the fearsome battle that was taking place merely two dozen meters or so away from him. Saint was holding back the whole mob of Nightmare Creatures by herself... for now. He did not know how long she would last, or whether the abominations would flow past the slaughtering Devil to escape into the city.


    If they did, he would be the first one to die.


    ''Huh...''


    Sunny gathered his thoughts and activated the healing property of the Dying Wish first. That, at least, did not demand any essence - or maybe slowly accumulated it with each kill, creating a hidden reserve. The main effect of the enchantment had been deactivated long ago.


    A wave of healing energy spread through his body, repairing the damage done to it and lessening the pain. He was still weak, muddled, and suffering, though - whatever touching the Gate had done to him seemed to be more than a mere physical wound.


    ''Whatever...''


    Next, Sunny summoned Nightmare. He did not send the black stallion to join the battle yet, ordering him to stand guard above his master.


    Somewhat satisfied with these measures, Sunny glanced at Saint again, and summoned the runes.

 Chapter 1000: The Fall of Falcon Scott (18)

    ''What the hell am I doing...''


    Indeed. The wall of the city was breached, a menacing Nightmare Gate was towering above him, and not too far away, a furious conflict was raging in the rabble of the staging area. And yet, Sunny was staring at the runes that shimmered brightly in the air in front of him.


    His vision was a little blurry, but the runes were clear and perfectly legible, as if existing outside of reality. Which they probably did.


    ''Oh, well...''


    Sunny needed a couple of minutes to recover, anyway.


    He looked at the field of runes, searching for the names of his Shadows. A new string of them replaced the old one:[Onyx Saint]


    ''Onyx, huh...''That had a nice ring to it.


    Marble Saint had turned into Onyx Saint. Was his Marble Shell going to evolve into the Onyx Shell, as well, once he Transcended?


    Sunny would have loved to pursue that train of thought, but unfortunately, he couldn''t. His thoughts were slow and erratic, refusing to consider anything too complicated.


    Giving up, he concentrated on the runes of Saint''s name and started to read the descriptions.


    Shadow: Onyx Saint.Shadow Rank: Ascended.Shadow Class: Devil.Shadow Attributes: [Battle Master], [Stalwart], [Ember of Divinity], [Heart of Darkness].


    ''Heart of Darkness... that''s new.''


    Sunny glanced at the mass of attacking arachnid warriors, catching a glimpse of Saint decapitating an especially menacing abomination with a swift slash of her black sword, then sending its body flying into the mob with a strike of her shield. Even before the rim of the shield connected with the creature''s chest, the blade of the stone sword was already moving to deflect an incoming blow.


    ''...She''s not dead yet.''


    He looked back to the runes.


    Attribute Description: [A vestige of an ancient darkness dwells in this Shadow''s heart, granting her tenebrous powers.]


    So, Saint had not just destroyed the sphere of black stone in the tunnel... she had taken something from it. Sunny had expected as much.


    The [Spark of Divinity] was also gone, replaced by the [Ember of Divinity]. The light of divinity and true darkness now coexisted within Saint, somehow... there was something interesting about that fact, but Sunny, in his pitiful state, could not quite point to what.


    The sounds of the conflict grew louder, and a little closer, forcing him to look past the runes nervously and then hurry up. The Gate Guardian could arrive at any moment...


    Sunny lowered his gaze.


    Shadow Abilities: [Weapon Sage], [Underworld Armament], [Mantle of Darkness], [Blade of Darkness].


    ''Two new ones.''


    The name of the first Ability was a bit familiar. He concentrated on it and read:


    Ability: [Mantle of Darkness].Ability Description: [Darkness embraces this Shadow. When surrounded by darkness, and true darkness more so, her swiftness and might will increase. Her wounds will be healed, and her heart will grow fuller.]


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    ''Well... that explains how she is so powerful right now.''


    If there was one thing that Antarctica did not lack, it was darkness. Although the staging area was usually well lit, most tech nearby had been destroyed by the pulse of the opening Gate. Saint was wreathed in shadows.


    The physical augmentation of the [Mantle of Darkness] seemed to be a formidable one, and combined with the embrace of his four shadows, it produced a truly terrific result.


    What made him especially happy was that Saint would also be able to heal herself from now on, at least when surrounded by darkness. That alone was an incredible boon.


    The last part of the description spoke of her heart, but the rune could also mean soul. Sunny suspected that it alluded to both the true darkness dwelling in Saint''s heart, and her essence... or whatever it was that the Shadow used instead of essence. The point was that its replenishment rate would be increased.


    These abilities... were very similar to what the Black Knight had possessed, with one serious caveat.


    Unlike the Fallen Devil of the ruined cathedral, his own Ascended Devil seemed to possess dual affinity - both to the shadows and to the elemental darkness. Those were supposed to be mutually exclusive, but were not, in her case. It seemed that Saint''s nature as a Shadow led to a curious result...


    His graceful knight paradoxically enjoyed the favor of both mundane and true darkness. Recalling how harrowing his journey through the underground tunnel had been, Sunny could not help but feel envious.


    ''Interesting...''


    Finally, he turned his gaze to the second of the two new Abilities...


    [Blade of Darkness].


    Ability Description: [The true darkness dwelling in this Shadow''s heart can be summoned in the form of a fearsome weapon, as long as the Shadow has mastered the use of that weapon. The Blade of Darkness can slay those of flesh and those of spirit; it never dulls, never falters, and never breaks. Alternatively, the darkness can be summoned to augment a mundane weapon.]


    Sunny smiled.


    ''So she fixed her sword herself, in the end...''


    The Blade of Darkness was a truly powerful Ability, indeed. Since Saint was a Battle Master and a Weapon Sage, she could wield any weapon with superb proficiency... which meant that the true darkness she was a vessel of could take any form.


    The dark weapon would be as strong as Saint was herself, growing stronger if Saint evolved again in the future. It was capable of killing both corporeal and incorporeal creatures. It could even be used to augment an existing weapon or a weapon-type Memory, both making it more powerful and adding an elemental property to its attacks.


    All of it was simply amazing.


    And when Sunny gathered enough Memories...


    He flinched when something thundered, sending a strong shockwave through the ground. Looking past the runes, Sunny saw a massive shape emerging from the Gate.


    The Guardian had arrived.


    Somewhere beyond the wall, Sky Tide was still fighting the Devouring Cloud. The wall had been breached, and he had no idea if the other Irregulars still lived. Master Jet was nowhere to be seen, and probably...


    ''No, don''t think about it! She won''t be so easily killed, anyway.''


    ...And lastly, Saint was standing her ground against a whole swarm of dreadful Nightmare Creatures, surrounded by nothing but enemies and carnage. Even as powerful as she had become, the force arrayed against her was still dire and overwhelming.


    Sunny let out a tortured sigh.


    "Ah, no rest for the wicked..."


    Struggling against pain and sickening weakness, he staggered to his feet and grabbed Nightmare, terrified that he might fall again. Then, Sunny gazed at the Gate and the tide of Nightmare Creatures flowing out of it. A strange countenance appeared on his face.


    ''I might die... but I do require more Memories, so... I guess my greed is much greater than my fear?''


    With that, he groaned and hoisted himself on atop of his black steed.


    It was time to join the fight...


    Erdiul''s Note: I decided to manually add this note from the author because of how special it seemed to him, don''t know if this event is only for priviliege buyers, but fuck it, check out his discord during the date, maybe you get lucky.


    Author''s Note: Today, I published the 1000th chapter of Shadow Slave. It has been a long journey, and I am delighted to know that so many people enjoyed making it with me. The joy and pride I feel when looking at that beautiful number... can only be compared to the dread I feel knowing that there is a couple thousand more chapters I still have to write ;D


    In honor of this milestone, the Shadow Slave community will be having a small celebration on July 10th. If you wish join us, visit the Guilty Guild - our Discord server :]


    Hope you''re having a fantastic day


    Cheers!

 Chapter 1001: The Fall of Falcon Scott (19)

    Sunny realized that he would not be able to do a lot in this fight... but then again, he did not have to. Right now, his role was to support Saint and let his Shadows do all the heavy lifting.


    Maybe that was how he was supposed to fight every battle, really... but sadly, fate rarely gave him such opportunities.


    In any case, there was one thing that he could do. Dismissing the Sin of Solace and the Dying Wish to get back a bit of essence, he summoned the Shadow Lantern instead. As soon as it manifested, Sunny tossed the Lantern in the direction where the towering Gate Guardian - a monstrous arachnid wielding six weapons carved of bone - advanced on Saint.


    He did not have enough essence to sustain the divine Memory''s enchantment for long, but he did have enough to open its gate, unleashing a swarm of shadows onto the battlefield. The darkness enveloping it grew even deeper than it had been before.


    In the next moment, Sunny and Nightmare slammed into the crowd of the abominations.


    ''Crap!''


    The rest of the battle... was a hazy mayhem of violence.


    Sunny struggled to remain atop his black steed, lamenting that there had not been enough time to saddle it. At some point, he simply slid to the ground, using Nightmare''s body to shield himself from the enemies. Not trusting himself to wield a weapon that demanded strength in his weakened state, Sunny summoned the Moonlight Shard instead.


    A beautiful chalice of white jade appeared in his other hand. Submerging the narrow blade of the ghostly stiletto into the black liquid, he used it to strike at the cracks in the enemy armor and finish off those abominations that Nightmare had wounded with his fangs, horns, and steel hooves.


    At some point, other soldiers and Awakened joined the fight. More Nightmare Creatures emerged from the Gate, and more humans threw themselves into the meat grinder to stop the enemy from reaching the streets of the city. Their resistance was desperate and haphazard, but for now, at least, they held the tide of abominations back.


    Beyond the wall, obscured by the hideous rift of the Nightmare Gate, the sky was painted white by lightning.


    Sunny knew that they were going to win when the Spell whispered into his ear, its voice drowning out the sounds of the battle:


    [You have slain a Corrupted Devil, Silkway Archon.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    Staggering back, he let out a relieved sigh and glanced in the direction where Saint had been fighting the Gate Guardian.


    The creature lay sprawled on the ground, its limbs severed and its massive body cleaved apart. His Shadow was standing above it, her black blade already seeking another target.


    Saint''s armor was battered, and there were thin streams of fine ruby dust flowing from the breaches. However, wreathed in darkness, her body seemed to be healing already. Without ever slowing down, she shook the dark blood off her sword and dashed forward to face a new enemy.


    ...With the Gate Guardian slain, the scales of battle slowly started to tip in favor of humans. Sunny was not of much use, but with Saint and Nightmare rampaging amidst the abominations, dealing with them was not an insurmountable task.


    And then, almost abruptly... the battle was over.


    Sunny leaned tiredly on a piece of rubble, observing the scene of utter slaughter. His armor was bloodied, but his body was nearly devoid of wounds - most had been healed by the Dying Wish, and the rest were repaired by the [Living Stone].


    Having a magical shell reinforcing his skin was very handy.


    He still felt terrible, though...


    Around him, Awakened and mundane soldiers were busy building improvised barricades around the Gate. The first wave of abominations might have been destroyed, but more could emerge from the rift at any moment. A few of them suddenly froze, staring at a menacing black figure that had emerged from the darkness into the dim light.


    Saint''s eyes burned with demonic crimson light, and her onyx armor was glistening, awash in the blood of the arachnid warriors. She looked both graceful and terrifying.


    One of the soldiers raised his rifle with trembling hands, but the other suddenly shouted, his eyes wide:


    "Mongrel! It''s Lord Mongrel!"


    A hum of voices soon rose above the barricade:


    "Mongrel is in Falcon Scott!"


    "He killed the Gate Guardian! It was him!"


    "It''s clearly a she, you idiot... thank you, Lady Mongrel!"


    "We''re saved!"


    Ignoring them, Saint passed between the invigorated soldiers indifferently, the Broken Oath long dismissed. She approached Sunny and froze, looming above him like a beautiful monument of darkness. Her ruby eyes stared at him intently.


    Unaccustomed to craning his neck to look at Saint, Sunny awkwardly cleared his throat.


    "Uh... great job out there. You really saved my skin."


    She lingered for a few moments, slowly raised her hand...


    And poked him in the cheek with a finger.


    Then, Saint tilted her head slightly, as if studying him. Her ruby eyes betrayed a hint of some unknown emotion, making Sunny blink.


    ''What is happening?''


    Without saying anything... of course... the taciturn Shadow then took a step back and turned away, looking at the Gate.


    However, she seemed strangely pleased.


    Sunny blinked a few more times, then rubbed his cheek.


    ''Huh... alright?''


    Was it because of the Marble Shell?


    He shook his head, knowing that there was no time to waste pondering the weird occurrence. Maybe he imagined the whole thing...


    "Anyway, I have to go. Stay here in case more Nightmare Creatures emerge, and don''t let any of them escape into the city. I''ll... leave Nightmare with you."


    Sunny had to find out if the battle against the Devouring Cloud was over... whether there were more Gates that had opened within the city... how his men were doing...


    Most importantly, he had to find Master Jet.


    Leaving the gloomy shadow with Saint, he wrapped the other three around his body, grimaced, and started walking. Despite the fact that there were no physical wounds on his body, Sunny still felt hurt. Every step was a struggle.


    But what else was new?


    Whispering quiet curses, he summoned the Cruel Sight to use as a walking stick and headed deeper into the staging area.

 Chapter 1002: The Fall of Falcon Scott (20)

    Sunny did not have to wander the stretch of the staging area that had been ruined by the destruction of the wall for long. It was a mess, with broken prefab buildings laying shattered and broken, buried under piles of alloy debris. Finding anyone here would have been a challenge.


    Before he allowed himself to drown in dark thoughts, however, a familiar black beard appeared from above and landed on a bent steel beam protruding from the ground nearby.


    The Crow waved its wings, clearly agitated, and cawed:


    "Jet! Jet!"


    Sunny let out a shaky breath, feeling a lot of relief. If the Echo was still here, Soul Reaper couldn''t be dead. He took a step toward the bird and asked:


    "Where is she?"


    Instead of answering, the Crow flew away, landed on a communication relay a dozen meters away, and looked back expectantly.


    In this way, the Echo led Sunny to Master Jet.


    After finding her, Sunny remained silent for a few moments.


    Then, he coughed.


    "Well, uh... that was not what I expected to see."


    Jet was hanging upside down, her body caught in the jagged mess of torn alloy beams. One of them was piercing her abdomen like a hook, and her arm was caught between two others. Despite the ghastly situation, there was a calm and slightly annoyed expression on Soul Reaper''s face.


    "Yeah, well. Care to help me get down? I can do it myself, of course, but... I would prefer for my insides to remain on the inside for a little bit longer."


    She could probably free herself. Simple alloy would not have held back a Master for long... but with how thoroughly trapped Jet was, ripping herself off the hook would have probably exacerbated her wounds by a lot. Not everyone had the lineage of a tenacious daemon to help them recover and skin as hard as enchanted marble.


    Sunny studied the tangled mess of alloy beams, then floated up with the help of the Dark Wing and carefully pulled Master Jet off the jagged hook. With a quiet hiss, she slid off the bloodied alloy and fell down, landing softly on her feet.


    "Argh, damn it..."


    Jet clutched her abdomen with a grimace, and then slowly straightened. Sunny landed nearby and looked at her with concern.


    "That... are you going to be alright?"


    Instead of answering, Soul Reaper spat a mouthful of blood, then looked at him with a dark smile. Her teeth were all painted red, so the smile was not very reassuring.


    "Don''t worry about it. I am a very sturdy girl... woman. Whatever. The point is, it will be as good as new in a couple of days, even without a healer."


    Sunny scratched the back of his head, then hesitated for a few moments. Eventually, he said:


    "...I was afraid that you died."


    Master Jet laughed, then winced and clutched her wound tighter.


    "Died? That''s... the last thing you should be afraid of. Believe me, Sunny, I won''t die on this godforsaken continent. It''s impossible."


    He shook his head at her bravado, then sighed.


    "Alright. Do you want me to tell you how the battle went?"


    Soul Reaper waved her hand.


    "Crow saw it. Good job handling the Gate... I am a bit embarrassed that I wasn''t there to help. There are several others that opened either near or within the city. All of them were contained, it''s just this particular one that was an unpleasant surprise. The Devouring Cloud also seems to have retreated, for now."


    She frowned.


    "You observed it too, right?"


    Sunny nodded with a dark expression.


    "A new tyrant must have risen from within the swarm. The damned leeches were acting too purposefully."


    Master Jet used his shoulder for support and pulled him forward. They slowly walked through the ruins of the staging area, looking like two cripples.


    "Yeah... that is why the Devouring Cloud pulled away before being destroyed. It will probably be back later."


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment.


    ''Gods... there are so many priority targets converging on the city. I hoped that we would destroy at least one today.''


    He glanced at Jet, his eyes tired.


    "So what do we do now?"


    She simply shrugged.


    "Go find our people. Rest, recover. Prepare to repeat the whole thing tomorrow."


    Indeed. What else was there to do?


    Life was a constant struggle.


    Since the wall was broken now, they had to find an elevator that would take them to the proper side of the breach. Even worse, the pulse of the Gate had destroyed a lot of fine machinery, so finding a working platform was not easy.


    Eventually, however, they made it to the top of the defensive barrier and returned to the position of the Irregulars.


    The first one they saw was Winter, who sat tiredly on the alloy surface of the battlement, her eyes hidden once again behind the sunglasses. A thin crack ran through one of the lenses. Hearing their steps, she turned her head slightly.


    A pale smile appeared on her face.


    "The heroes return. You two... look like crap."


    Master Jet scoffed, which caused her to wince once again. "Thanks for the compliment."


    Sunny helped her sit down, then looked around, searching for his cohort. Noticing the towering figure of Dorn a dozen or so meters away, he breathed out heavily with relief and asked, his voice almost devoid of tension:


    "So, how did it go? Do we have any casualties?"


    Winter did not respond, prompting him to look down.


    Her face was uncharacteristically somber.


    Sunny felt something cold brush against his heart.


    "What?"


    The Ascended Archer sighed, then looked down.


    "About that... I''m sorry, Sunny. Things were a bit chaotic back there."


    He remained motionless for a while, then turned away and silently headed toward where he had seen Dorn. As Sunny approached, he mentally counted:


    ''Dorn, Belle... Luster, Kim... Samara...''


    When he reached the cohort, they turned to him, their faces pale and grim. Kim''s eyes were glistening, and she avoided looking directly at him.


    Luster was the first one to speak, his tone subdued.


    "Captain! We... we..."


    Sunny cut him off.


    "Show me."


    They stepped aside, revealing the figure of Quentin, who was laying on the cold alloy with his eyes closed. Sunny discovered himself taking a few steps forward and kneeling beside the gallant healer.


    His face was calm, and his body seemed untouched except for a shallow wound on the side of his head.


    His chest was rising and falling, which meant that Quentin was still alive.


    He had not been killed... he had just lost consciousness. However, it did not matter.


    Sunny closed his eyes.


    ...Quentin had lost consciousness near an active Gate, which meant that his soul was stolen away by the Call.


    He had been thrown into an unexplored, dire region of the Dream Realm, surrounded by numerous Nightmare Creatures and abominations so vile that words could not describe them. His only chance of survival was to fight his way to a Seed, challenge it, and conquer the Second Nightmare alone.


    For all intents and purposes, Quentin was already dead.


    A few hours later, Sunny discovered himself alone in the Rhino. The area surrounding the military barracks was quiet, and the interior of the APC was dark. He sat on his bed, unmoving, his eyes like two pools of darkness.


    He was cold.


    ''It is what it is.''


    War was like that. People died all the time... Sunny had sent many to their deaths himself. He was not new to losing soldiers.


    And yet...


    He was weak, his body and soul were both in pain because of the brush with the Nightmare Gate, but somehow, his heart hurt much worse.


    There was a lot for him to do. Feeding Saint, continuing his attempts to weave a Memory from the devil''s needle.


    However, Sunny felt unwilling to move. Or maybe incapable.


    He just sat silently and stared into the darkness.


    After some time, his communicator lit up. He gazed at it, then slowly brought the screen to his face.


    There was a new message from Rain.


    "Rain: Hey, Sunny! It is really hard to imagine that it is winter in Antarctica, and that the night there lasts for many months. And that aurora thing you described... I gazed it up on the network, and wow! It''s so pretty! There''s nothing like that in NQSC. Well, you know, we can hardly even see stars here, because of the light pollution and the air being full of dust. However, the weather is warm and the nights are short, so I won''t complain. You stay warm, too! Nothing really interesting happened to me. Did anything interesting happen to you? How are you doing? I hope everything is alright."


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, staring at the screen. Then, he closed his eye for a moment, took a deep breath, and started writing a response.


    "Sunny: Hey, Rain. Lots of interesting things happened to me, of course. I am one of the most interesting people in two whole worlds, after all. Didn''t you know? I am doing great, too! I mean, all things considered. Since I am such a dashing and heroic figure, people go around giving me sandwiches, medals, and the like. So..."


    Sunny paused for a few seconds, then briefly wiped his eyes and continued.


    "...life is pretty sweet!"

 Chapter 1003: The Fall of Falcon Scott (21)

    "Hold, you wretches!"


    A mass of Nightmare Creatures was advancing through a city street, mere meters away from slamming into a makeshift barricade formed by the hulking frames of firing MWPs. The surface of the road was broken and melted, and the ruins of the surrounding buildings were enveloped in flames.


    Leaping off a slowly collapsing roof, Sunny plummeted down and landed between the abominations. The emerald blade of the Sin of Solace moved, sending fountains of blood into the air. He dashed sideways, dodging a stream of bullets, and groaned.


    It was already the second week of the siege, but the damage done to his body and soul by the Nightmare Gate was slow to heal. Sunny shrugged off the pain and called upon the shadows, erecting a black wall of them to block off the street.


    "Flamethrowers!"


    The pilots of the MWPs did not stop firing their mass drivers, but long streams of orange-red fire shot from their wrists over the wall. Sunny danced between the flames, circulating his energy to activate the Underworld Armament. The effect of the Memory of Fire was enhanced, elevating his elemental resistance even higher.


    The Nightmare Creatures were not that lucky.


    While he dealt with the head of the swarm, Belle and Dorn attacked its tail from the flanks. A sharp sword and a heavy sledgehammer made short work of the frenzied abominations, and at the same time, charged tungsten rounds flashed from a nearby dormitory tower, slaying the most dangerous targets without fail.


    Caught between the hammer and the anvil, the swarm swiftly melted. The last one to die was a hideous creature with hardy scales covering its reptilian body. Sunny simply struck the abomination with the edge of his palm, turning it as heavy as a boulder and as hard as stone. The reptile''s skull shattered, disintegrating into a disgusting rain of blood and bone.


    Even before the heavy body touched the ground, the Spell was already whispering:


    [You have slain an Awakened Monster, Scaled Prowler.)


    [You have received a Memory.)


    His eyes glinted.


    ''Another Memory!''


    Wiping his hand with a revolted expression, Sunny looked around. Luster and Kim appeared on a nearby roof, signaling that none of the creatures escaped. He let out a sigh of relief.


    ...The situation was under control.


    After the ill-fated battle with the Devouring Cloud, the pressure on the defenders of Falcon Scott had steadily increased. The fact that there was a giant breach in the wall did not help things one bit. Eventually, the defensive barrier had been broken through in two more places, forcing the First Army to evacuate civilians deeper into the city and create a secondary ring of defense on the empty streets.


    The topography of the siege was not simple anymore. Humans still held the wall, deflecting most of the Nightmare Creatures from its height - but now, various sections of the great barrier were separated, almost turning into independent fortresses. A detachment of soldiers was tasked with defending the breaches from the ground.


    They mostly managed to prevent the Nightmare Creatures from breaking through the barricades into the city, even if the rate of casualties among the ground crews was much higher. However, some monstrosities still reached the streets from time to time.


    Sunny had just dealt with one of these invading swarms.


    ''That''s the fourth one today... not a good sign.''


    He bent in a painful hacking fit, feeling a sickening weakness permeate his body once again. After a while, the coughing subsided, and Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, breathed hoarsely and waiting for the weakness to subside.


    Soon, it was gone, and all that remained was a gnawing pain in his chest.


    "Damnation..."


    He straightened and glanced at his people, who were making their way through the burning carnage of the destroyed city street. Once they reached him - everyone except Samara, who was still in her sniper nest on top of the empty dormitory tower - Sunny glanced at Kim and asked:


    "Any updates from Soul Reaper?"


    She nodded.


    ''Yes, sir. Master Dale pushed the enemy back, reclaiming control over Breach C. We are ordered to stand down and rest. Our next shift starts in sixteen hours."


    Sunny tiredly rubbed his face.


    "Sixteen hours, huh? Either Army Command is feeling generous, or they expect real trouble tomorrow. Well... all the more reason to make sure that we''re fresh and full of essence. Signal Sam to come down and retreat to the barracks."


    He studied his soldiers for a moment, making sure that none of them was wounded. Without... without a healer in the cohort, recovering between battles had become somewhat tricky, it demanded outside help, at least.


    Fortunately, the members of the cohort were unscathed. He nodded, letting them go, and turned around.


    The MWPs stood motionless, the incandescent barrels of their guns glowing in the gloom. The coolant liquid was dripping down, evaporation into clouds of haze. Some pilots had opened the cockpits, sitting on the doors of the hatches with tired expressions on their faces. They would retreat inside soon, chased back into the overheated war machines by smoke and the smell of charred corpses.


    But, for now at least, the soldiers were enjoying the short moment of respite in the coldness of the neverending night.


    Noticing Sunny, one of the pilots raised a hand and made it into a fist. Sunny returned the stalwart salute, and then silently walked away.


    A few minutes later, he stumbled, grabbing a wall in a dark and isolated alley. The Divine Sword of Solace whispered, mocking him, but it was not too hard to suppress the hateful voice these days. Sunny rested for a few moments, and then took a step back.


    Saint emerged from the shadows, as silent and menacing as ever. Nightmare joined her, moonlight glinting on his adamantine horns.


    Sunny sighed and summoned the Overpriced Saddle. Fastening its straps on the black stallion, he glanced at the two Shadows and said:


    "You know what to do. I''ll return in sixteen hours... be cautious today. Chances are, we''ll have to go all out tomorrow."


    Saint nodded indifferently, then mounted the dark destrier and outstretched a hand. Sunny placed the hilt of the Divine Sword of Solace into it, at the same time sending two of his phantoms forth. Then, he watched the taciturn knight leave as she headed in the direction of the wall.


    These days, the two of them worked in shifts. If the Devil of Antarctica was not defending Falcon Scott, the Guardian Angel of Antarctica did.


    Millions of people had already been evacuated from the doomed city, but millions more remained. The siege capital could not be allowed to fall, yet.


    Sunny coughed some more, uttered a quiet curse, and walked in the opposite direction of where Saint had left.

 Chapter 1004: The Fall of Falcon Scott (22)

    As he walked through the empty streets, Sunny breathed in the cold winter air and tried to calm his wildly beating heart. He should not have been that fatigued, but he was. The strange ailment tormenting him had become less severe in the last couple of days, however, it was not gone yet.


    ''All, curse it...''


    Sunny grimaced, then noticed a group of soldiers ahead and forced himself to put on the mask of a confident commander. Mundane humans looked up to Masters, and if they saw one walking around with hollow eyes and a troubled expression, their morale would suffer.


    He had never thought that being preoccupied with concerns about people''s morale would become something he bothered with, yet here he was.


    As Sunny walked closer, he heard bits and pieces of their conversation.


    "I saw Mongrel fight yesterday. Gods, he truly is a fiend. My whole unit would have been dead if not for him. I wish I could thank the man... but he is definitely not from the First Army. Maybe he''s a Legacy from a local Antarctica clan?"


    "No, no... haven''t you heard the rumors? Mongrel is that Master from the First Irregular Company. The Devil."


    "You lost your damn mind, fool. Mongrel is like two meters tall, while Master Sunless is on the shorter side. Believe me, I saw them side by side, the day the wall was first breached. Also, Mongrel is definitely a woman."


    "Yeah, I saw it too. She even caressed his cheek... well, uh, more like poked it. Wait... guys, do you think there''s something going on between them?"


    "You are all idiots. Mongrel is obviously several people..."


    Usually, hearing such conversations amused Sunny, but this time he remained detached and indifferent. The soldiers grew silent when he approached, straightened, and then bowed respectfully. He nodded at them in passing and continued on his way, uncaring.


    ''Alt. But that reminds me...''


    Sunny summoned the runes and glanced at the description of Saint:


    Shadow Fragments: [185/200].


    ''So close.''


    With the two Memories he received today - one from an Awakened Monster, the other from a Fallen Beast - the counter would increase by two fragments, bringing it to one hundred and eighty-seven. From here, he only needed thirteen more for Saint to Transcend.


    He was somewhat pressed for time, but also had a few of his personal Memories that could be sacrificed to accelerate the process. Things were still going according to plan.


    ''It''s the weaving that is the problem... I feel like I am almost there, but the Midnight Shard is still giving me trouble. Too risky.''


    Sunny pondered the intricacies of the spellweave, grimacing when the thundering clamor of the distant battle grew especially loud and made it harder to think.


    Gradually, the noise became quieter, although it never went away entirely. Sunny passed through the barricades, left the secondary defense ring, and entered the crowded streets of Falcon Scott.


    Despite the fact that numerous civilians had to be relocated deeper into the city, the signs of overpopulation were not as dire as one could have expected. The naval convoy had been busy ferrying the refugees across the strait, after all. By now, somewhere around eighty million people had already been transported to the relative - extremely so - safety of Eastern Antarctica.


    It almost looked as though Army Command''s plan was working.


    Seeing actual proof that all his efforts were not in vain made Sunny feel a little better.


    Up ahead, a crowd of refugees was waiting in line to receive rations. He studied it for a moment, noticing a familiar figure handing out packs of synthpaste at the front.


    Sunny smiled a little, then headed in that direction. As he walked closer, the person growled without looking up:


    "You better not be cutting the line, ba..."


    Then, Beth looked up and blinked a couple of times.


    "Oh, Sunny? What are you doing here?"


    He shrugged.


    "On my way back from the wall."


    She called one of the other volunteers to switch with her, then led him aside, to a humming heat projector. Beth stopped in front of it, shivering and rubbing her hands together.


    "How was your day?"


    Sunny remained silent for a bit, not knowing how to answer. "Hectic."


    The young woman peeked at him and scoffed.


    "A man of few words, are you now?"


    Sunny dismissed again.


    "How is the old man? Did you guys receive placement in the queue yet?"


    Beth sighed.


    "...No. People say that another ship went down in the strait, so many placements were postponed again. As for Professor, he is doing fine. The Army got him consulting on how to upgrade the communication array, so he has something to do, at least."


    She looked at him questioningly.


    "Are you coming over today?"


    Sunny hesitated, then slowly shook his head.


    "No. There''s a lot I have to do. Also... my gut tells me that tomorrow will be a tough day. Your dormitory is away from the wall, but still. Be careful. Well, you know the drill."


    The young woman turned back to the heat projector.


    "Yeah, yeah..."


    Then, she suddenly opened the bag hanging over her shoulder, scrounged in it, and took out a tube of toothpaste.


    "Here. You forgot this last time."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "I did not forget it. I left it for you, because I know that the supply chain is in shambles."


    Beth tilted her head and looked at him fiercely.


    "You think I can''t get us some toothpaste?!"


    Sunny laughed.


    "I mean... if you are so principled, then why are you not returning two cans of coffee I left in your dormitory, as well?"


    The young woman looked down, her cheeks turning slightly red.


    "That... what cans of coffee? I haven''t seen anything of the sort!"


    Sunny nodded a couple of times and gently pushed the toothpaste away.


    "Okay, okay. Anyway, I''ll try to drop by soon. If you do find that coffee, please enjoy it."


    He farewelled Beth an awkward farewell and strolled away, feeling slightly refreshed.


    Here in the city proper, public transportation was still functioning. There were military vehicles rolling down the streets, as well. It did not take him long to reach the barracks.


    Entering the Rhino, Sunny gazed around, his gaze pausing on one of the closed sleeping pods. Then, he strolled to the back of the APC, hauled the devil''s needle from its place on the floor of the armory, and sighed.


    ''Fifteen hours left... but I probably should sleep for at least a couple...''


    Shaking his head, he got to work.

 Chapter 1005 The Fall of Falcon Scott (23)

    Chapter 1005  The Fall of Falcon Scott (23)


    Sunny did not recall falling asleep, but he was woken up by someone banging on the hatch of the Rhino. Sitting up, he looked around and realized that he must have passed out while studying the weave of the Midnight Shard. The austere tachi was still laying on the holographic table, glinting as if to mock him.


    He had almost solved the problem. That elusive element of the weave was almost isolated, but to...


    As someone banged on the hatch once again, making the massive APC shake a little, Sunny flinched, rubbed his face, and went to the hatch.


    "Coming! Who the hell��"


    He opened the hatch and froze, swallowing the rest of his irritated shout.


    "Oh, ah�� Master Jet. Good�� morning?"


    She glanced at him with amusement.


    "Technically, it''s evening. Go wipe the drool off your face and come out, Sunny. We''ve been summoned to attend a meeting."


    He frowned, then threw an angry look at the gloomy shadow, which was hiding in the darkness not too far away. The bastard was supposed to warn him if anything approached, protecting Sunny from a sudden attack�� or from embarrassing himself, in theory.


    The shadow shrugged innocently and looked away.


    Shaking his head, Sunny returned inside and quickly washed his face. A couple of minutes later, he left the APC and closed the hatch behind him. Since Soul Reaper mentioned that he had to come out, they were most likely heading for the complex that the local branch of the First Army Command used as headquarters. It was only a short distance from the barracks.


    Indeed, Jet walked in that direction, with Sunny following as he looked around with sleepy eyes. A few moments later, he asked:


    "...What is the meeting about?"


    She shrugged.


    "We''ll find out. All I know is that White Feather wants to see us."


    ''White Feather, huh��''


    The two of them made their way to the army headquarters, but then walked past it, approaching a heavily fortified compound instead. Winter and Dale were already waiting for them near the gates, looking as ragged and fatigued as Sunny.


    He greeted them.


    "I heard you retook Breach C yesterday? Must have been a tough fight."


    Dale simply shrugged.


    "Not really. We still hold both sections of the wall above the breach, so all I had to do was persuade the abominations to stay put until the garrison forces shredded them with ranged weapons."


    He remained silent for moment, and then added:


    "Things would have been much worse if they were better climbers, though."


    Sunny nodded somberly.


    Together, they entered the compound and were led to a spacious room on one of the underground levels. There, two people were waiting for them.


    Master Roan was standing in front of a false window, studying the projected image of the night sky. His face was painted ghostly green by the ethereal tapestry of the swirling aurora. Saint Tyris was motionless, sitting in an imposing chair with her back held straight.


    Sunny had not seen Sky Tide in a while �� at least in her human form. She looked�� battered.


    Her elegant armor was bent and broken, white steel marred by dried blood. Her hair, which had once fallen down like a cascade of pale gold, now looked lifeless and bleak. Her dazzlingly beautiful face was pale, blackened by ugly bruises.


    It seemed that holding the Winter Beast back was taking a toll on the Transcendent of the White Feather clan.


    ��Her expression was still aloof and stern, however, and her amber eyes burned with the same fierce, cold resolve.


    Master Roan turned at the sound of the steps.


    "Ah. Ascended Jet, Ascended Winter, Ascended Dale, Sunless�� welcome. Sorry for the sudden invitation."


    Sunny noticed black circles under the handsome man''s eyes. Roan was acting uncharacteristically subdued, his usual charisma gone. That did not bode well.


    Master Jet waved a hand.


    "War waits for no one. What did you want to discuss?"


    Roan smiled slightly.


    "Straight to business�� well, it is for the best. There is not much time to prepare."


    He walked away from the false window and stopped beside Sky Tide, then gestured at the holographic projection in front of them. On it, the map of the surrounding area disappeared, replaced by the blurry image of a grotesque creature.


    Leathery wings, lean body with six segmented legs, a tail that ended with a long, jagged stinger�� and three long necks, each ending in a harrowing circular maw. The abominations looked like a mix between a wyvern, a worm, and a scorpion. It was large, formidable, and utterly hideous.


    "Our scouts have confirmed that the Devouring Cloud has produced a new Tyrant. A Fallen one, but still a dire threat to the survival of the city. The creature mostly hides within the swarm, controlling it from behind."


    Winter cursed.


    "Yeah. We figured as much, after the last time."


    Master Roan slowly nodded.


    "It is our priority to eliminate the Tyrant. The Devouring Cloud will descend on Falcon Scott today. You will be the blade to strike its puppeteer down."


    The Irregulars glanced at each other. After a short pause, Jet asked:


    "How do you know that the swarm will come?"


    Roan scowled slightly, but before he could answer, Saint Tyris suddenly spoke:


    "Because our clan will lure it here."


    The four Ascended grew silent, looking at her incredulously. Sky Tide met their gazes with a calm expression, her face as motionless as ever. Somewhat stunned by that confession, Sunny asked:


    "Why the hell would you do that?"


    Sky Tide inhaled deeply, then turned away.


    "Goliath draws near. We have to eradicate other threats before he comes. If they attack together�� you can imagine the devastation. The window of opportunity grows narrower with each day, so we can''t passively wait for the Devouring Cloud to return anymore. So, Roan and other Awakened warriors of my clan will lure it here. Today."


    She glanced at the Irregulars, studied them for a few moments, and added:


    "Ascended Winter will contain the swarm. Roan will bring the Tyrant down. The three of you will make sure that the creature never takes flight again. That is the battle plan."


    Sunny smiled darkly.


    "What if Winter fails to hold back the swarm? What if Roan fails to isolate the Tyrant? What if the three of us fail to kill it in time?"


    Saint Tyris gazed at him for a while, her amber eyes both beautiful and cold. Then, she uttered simply:


    "Don''t fail."


    Master Jet laughed. Shaking her head, she patted Sunny on the shoulder and walked toward the projection of the Fallen Tyrant.


    "Alright. I like that plan. Let''s discuss the details��"


    ***


    The discussion did not take long. Soon, the Irregulars uttered their goodbyes to Sky Tide and headed to the exit, each in a hurry to prepare for the coming battle. Sunny, however, stayed back after a bit of hesitation.


    When there were only three of them left in the room �� Sky Tide, Roan, and him �� Sunny peeked at the battered Transcendent with a complicated expression.


    After a few moments, he said:


    "You must have heard that another of Valor''s Saints was killed."


    Saint Tyris gaped at him silently, not saying anything.


    Sunny tilted his head a little.


    "You and I have helped that monster escape from the Night Temple. If it weren''t for you, I would have been dead, and Mordret would have still been contained. Do you regret saving me now that he is out there, slaughtering people?"


    Sky Tide remained motionless for a bit, then trembled her head.


    "No."


    A pale smile appeared on Sunny''s face.


    "Why?"


    She sighed.


    "Years ago, when the young Prince of War came to the Chained Isles, I offered him my hospitality. Like any other Awakened, he was under my protection�� roaming the Dream Realm in search of something, much like you did. When Valor plotted to ambush and eliminate him, I followed orders and did nothing to prevent it. I have carried the shame of that wrongdoing ever since."


    He pondered her words for a few moments.


    "They had a very good reason to get rid of him, though. That guy is like a Nightmare Creature. There''s not much human left in him."


    Saint Tyris gazed him in the eye, her beautiful face expressionless.


    "Is it worth it, to do the wrong thing for the right reason? No. Life is unpredictable, and the future is unclear. All we can strive for is to act according to our principles, and do what we consider right. The rest doesn''t matter."


    Sunny gazed around, his gaze lingering on the traces of dried blood on Sky Tide''s armor. His eyes turned dark.


    "Doing the right thing is what got you and your clan banished to this hellhole."


    She gazed at the false window, where the image of the night sky was projected. A full moon was shining on its velvet expanse, surrounded by the lights of the ghostly aurora.


    A hint of some deep, hidden emotion appeared on Sky Tide''s beautiful face. After a while, she said:


    "The sky is suffocating here. But other than that�� this is precisely where I wanted to be."


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then bowed slightly to Master Roan, and silently strode away.


    He had to prepare for battle.

 Chapter 1006 The Fall of Falcon Scott (24)

    Chapter 1006  The Fall of Falcon Scott (24)


    Standing on the battlement and peering into the cold darkness beyond, Sunny had a contemplative expression on his face. The wind smelled of snow as it played with his black hair, which had grown a bit too long by now. Pale moonlight permeated the air, failing to reach the ravaged land.


    Winter and Dale were sitting nearby, leaning on alloy parapet of the wall and sharing a flask. The two captains seemed calm �� one in her usual relaxed manner, the other solemn and staid. As the contents of the flask ran out, Winter sighed and looked at Sunny.


    "You seem terribly serious today."


    He lingered for a moment, then shrugged.


    "Just thinking about stuff."


    She did not press, content to rest with her eyes hidden behind the cracked sunglasses.


    Sunny felt strangely thoughtful after his conversation with Saint Tyris.


    He was not sure that he agreed with her uncompromising views, but there was one thing Sky Tide had said that was unquestionably true.


    Life was, indeed, unpredictable.


    Take his own relationship with the steely Saint�� Sunny did not know Saint Tyris very well, or share any of her principles, but he found himself respecting the stern Transcendent a great deal. He liked Master Roan, too. The three of them even shared some history.


    Several years ago, Sunny had held nothing but contempt toward Legacies. He had regarded them as arrogant, dangerous, and hateful people, someone who did not deserve the unfair privileges bestowed upon them by nothing except for birthright. Who would have thought that he would come to value and admire some of them, one day?


    Take Cassie, too��


    When she surrendered his secret to Nephis on the Forgotten Shore, Sunny had thought that it was the darkest moment of his life. And yet, if she had not made that choice, he would have stayed behind a Sleeper. Sunny had no way of knowing if he would have survived the same journey Changing Star had.


    What he did know, though, was that Rain would have been dead if not for his return. If Sunny had not been there to hold back the tide of Nightmare Creature advancing on her school, his sister would have been ripped apart by the rampaging abominations.


    There were too many instances like that to count.


    ...Life was unpredictable, and no one could predict the twists and turns of fate�� except for Weaver, perhaps. Even oracles like Cassie could only see glimpses of it, blind to the context and powerless to change the outcome.


    So where did it leave him?


    ''The same place where I started, I guess.''


    An ignorant fool struggling against something he could not even comprehend.


    Antarctica, at least, was terribly straightforward��


    With a sigh, Sunny moved strands of hair away from his eyes and sat down near Winter and Dale. His hands were aching for a simple fight.


    "How much more do we have to wait, dammit?"


    Dale peeked at him with a smile so faint that it was almost nonexistent.


    "Rest while you can. You''ll be regretting that this calm did not last longer, very soon."


    Sunny grimaced and looked away, staring at a squad of soldiers that marched by. The soldiers were acting a bit strange, sticking painstakingly to the better illuminated parts of the battlement and hastening their steps in the darker areas. Their faces were glum and nervous.


    He frowned.


    "What''s up with them?"


    Winter turned her head slightly, studying the soldiers.


    "Huh? Haven''t you heard the rumors?"


    Sunny thought for a moment, then shook his head.


    "What rumors?"


    The Ascended archer chuckled.


    "You should really come out of your APC more often, you know? Well, anyway�� there are a lot of scary stories spreading among the refugees these days, one more nonsensical than the other. The latest story is that there is a shadow wraith stalking the city, hiding somewhere in the darkness. Apparently, it lures people away from light, never to be seen again."


    She took a deep breath and then added in a more somber tone:


    "...Although, maybe there''s some truth to that one. Soldiers are not usually easily spooked, but as you can see, they are on edge. Too many disappearances lately."


    Sunny frowned. In a city of two hundred million, there were bound to be some disappearances�� especially with the Nightmare Spell infecting people left and right. However, he felt concerned. A shadow wraith�� that was right up his alley, no?


    There could also be a different explanation for the increased number of disappearances. The Terror of LO49 was known to start its meals in just that manner.


    In any case, he sensed some unease.


    "A shadow creature�� I don''t know. They''re extremely rare. I only ever met one in the wild, and even that was inside a Nigthmare. I''m not sure if any survive to this day."


    Well, there was that one little bastard who got a chunk of his flesh. Did Scavengers need to devour a corpse to inherit new abilities, or would any piece of flesh suffice? What were the chances of the vile gremlin developing an affinity to shadows?


    Dale simply shrugged.


    "If there is something strange going on, Army Command should already be investigating. Since we weren''t officially informed, either the rumors are baseless, or the incidents are not serious enough to inform the Irregulars. Regardless, we should concentrate on the task at hand."


    As if on cue, there was the sound of light steps, and Master Jet approached from further along the wall. The members of her cohort �� now fewer than before �� followed.


    She looked around briefly, then said:


    "I''ve just received the word. Roan and his people are approaching. The Devouring Cloud is in a frenzy�� do not know what they did, but it worked. Prepare yourself."


    The rest of the defending force seemed to have got the same news. All along the southern stretch of the wall, a flurry of activity commenced. Soldiers were checking their weapons for the last time, Awakened were summoning their Memories, rail gun crews were hurriedly finishing maintenance procedures and hauling crates of tungsten rounds closer to the feeding mechanisms.


    Thousands of turrets came alive, turning their twin barrels toward the sky.


    Sunny rose and stretched, breathing in the cold winter air.


    Looking at the members of his cohort, he grinned.


    "Same arrangement as the last time. Hopefully, no Ga�� actually, never mind. I''m not saying it aloud. Just do well, and do not die."

 Chapter 1007 The Fall of Falcon Scott (25)

    Chapter 1007  The Fall of Falcon Scott (25)


    Pretty soon, the distant horizon turned hazy with a myriad of flying horrors. The scene was eerily familiar �� the only difference from their last attempt to destroy the Devouring Cloud was that, today, the landscape was illuminated by pale moonlight.


    And that there were a few less Irregulars standing watch on the wall.


    Sunny silently observed Winter, who was preparing to unleash hell. Once again, she was surrounded by several mysterious Memories, and once again, a cohort of Awakened used their Aspects to augment her powers.


    He stood several distance away in the company of Master Jet and Dale. None of the three were going to participate in the ranged barrage, conserving their potency for the sortie to hunt down and kill the Tyrant. The atmosphere was tense, but not as oppressive as the first battle against the harrowing swarm.


    On the alloy battlement in front of them, a man in leather armor was sitting with his eyes closed, meditating. The falling snowflakes swirled in strange ways around him, as if following invisible paths.


    He was one of Dale''s Awakened, and someone of whom Sunny knew �� the man possessed the Ability to open stable spatial rifts, and had been one of the candidates he had considered when assembling the cohort. Since no one knew where the Tyrant was going to fall after having its wings cut by Roan, the strike team would need to get around the perimeter of the wall fast.


    ��If Roan succeeded.


    "Gods��"


    Hearing Dale''s quiet whisper, Sunny observed south and saw arcs of thunderbolt dancing deep within the distant swarm. His face paled a little.


    "They''re... inside it?"


    It seemed that Roan and the Awakened of the White Feather clan were leading the Devouring Cloud to the city with the smell of their own blood.


    Suddenly, the task of slaying the Tyrant of the swarm seemed even heavier than before.


    ''So what? Nothing changed��''


    Sunny had some contingencies, at least. Saint and Nightmare were currently guarding one of the breaches in the wall. Should the three Masters prove inadequate, his Shadows would help them reach and kill the broodmother of the swarm�� or was it a father?


    ''Who cares?''


    Sunny clenched his fists and watched as the horde of flying horrors swiftly drew closer to Falcon Scott. Soon, the city defense systems opened fire once again, and so did Winter.


    The mass of brood beasts obscured the sky, drowning out the light of the moon. In front of the swarm, a horde of Nightmare Creatures moved, seemingly as desperate to escape from it as humans would be. Caught between the Devouring Cloud and the wall of Falcon Scott, they launched themselves at the alloy barrier, dying in scores under the barrage of bullets and arrows.


    Somehow, today''s battle felt more frenzied, more dire. Shrieks and howls of abominations fused with human shouts, all disappearing into the rustle of countless leathery wings.


    A dark expression appeared on Soul Reaper''s face. Gripping her glaive, she said:


    "Hold. Wait for the signal."


    At the moment, everything depended on Roan and his Awakened. They had to lure the Tyrant forward and bring it to the ground, so that the three elite Ascended of the Irregular Company could sortie out, find it, and finish the creature off once and for all before it escaped.


    Seconds passed, then minutes, but the promised indication was not coming.


    Sunny felt his nerves reaching a breaking point when a swift shadow suddenly fell from the sky. It was not a brood beast, however �� instead, it was a young Awakened woman wearing the white colors of her clan, her armor decorated with beautiful etchings of hawk feathers�� and marred with blood.


    Sunny remembered seeing her several times in the Sanctuary, back when Sky Tide had still ruled over the Chained Isles.


    The young woman landed gracelessly on the battlement and staggered, barely keeping her balance. Then, she observed around, took a step toward Master Jet, and stumbled. Dale caught and supported her, his face grim.


    Soul Reaper frowned.


    "What happened to sending us a signal? Where''s the Tyrant?"


    The young woman gritted her teeth, and then said hoarsely, her voice full of ire:


    "Two. There''s two of them��"


    It took a few seconds for her words to register. Sunny cursed and observed at the dark mass of the swarm that obscured the sky.


    ''Two Tyrants? How does it make any sense?!''


    Jet''s face twitched. She stared at the young woman for a moment, then asked evenly:


    "So where are they?"


    The Legacy leaned on Dale and turned slightly to face the Devouring Cloud.


    "The�� signal��"


    As if answering her words, two radiant spheres of light suddenly appeared in the distance, tearing through the darkness. One deep within the swarm, across the killing field. The other, unexpectedly, was even further away, but in a different direction �� to the west of the city, near the ocean. The Devouring Cloud had barely reached there.


    Her job done, the young woman from the White Feather let out a sign and slumped, losing consciousness. Dale barked something, and one of his men �� most likely the healer �� took her off his hands.


    The three Masters briefly glanced at each other.


    Master Jet uttered a swear that would have made Sunny blush if the situation was slightly less dire, and then smiled darkly.


    "I guess we are going to have to split up."


    She observed between the distant spheres of light, then sighed and moved her shoulders, as if to loosen the muscles.


    "I''ll take the southern one. Sunny, Knight�� you two go west and deal with the second Tyrant. Get it done."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then took a step forward.


    "But��"


    She raised a hand, stopping him.


    "That''s an order. No time to waste."


    With that, Jet began summoning a Memory. Before the whirlwind of white sparks even manifested into reality, Soul Reaper was already moving, leaping over the parapet of the battlement to disappear into the haze of falling snow below.


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    When he turned around, there was a shimmering portal in the air in front of him, leading to the point on the western wall not too distant from where the sphere of light still burned in the air. Dale was already heading toward it, his helmet weaving itself from light.


    Sunny followed.


    Before stepping into the spatial rift, however, he sent a mental command to Saint.


    Not a few seconds after Soul Reaper landed on the ravaged ground beyond of the killing field, a dark rider leaped through the breach in the wall, and followed.

 Chapter 1008 The Fall of Falcon Scott (26)

    Chapter 1008  The Fall of Falcon Scott (26)


    Stepping through the spatial rift experienced no different from taking a mundane step. It was only a little bit disorienting �� the sudden change of the landscape, the direction of the wind, the subtle shift in the tone of the firing armaments. For Sunny, it was especially so, because he could also feel that the shadows around him were entirely different.


    However, there was no time to waste on being confused.


    Forcing himself to focus, he followed Dale to the edge of the wall and peered down.


    Far below, there was a stretch of land flooded by attacking abominations, with brood beasts swarming above them�� and behind those, the edge of a tall cliff that descended toward the shore. The dark expanse of the ocean stretched for as far as the eye could see, moonlight dancing on its restless, black surface.


    The sphere of light was slowly growing dimmer as it burned somewhere above and beyond the cliff.


    Dale spoke, his voice sounding slightly muffled by the helmet:


    "We will have to fight our way through."


    Sunny nodded.


    "I''ll clear the way, you follow."


    The Sin of Solace was already manifesting itself into his hand, and shadows were wrapped around his body, filling him with resilience and strength. The Marble Shell was augmented, as well.


    Sunny lingered for a moment.


    "What about when we reach the Tyrant? We can''t allow it to escape, and with Master Jet gone��"


    The stalwart Master shook his head.


    "I''ll trap it and us within the barrier. Then, either the Tyrant dies, or we do. No one will escape."


    Sunny had already seen one of Dale''s barriers �� the one that allowed things to pass from within, but blocked everything coming from the outside. Today, he would see the second one, which functioned in reverse.


    More than that, he was going to be trapped inside that barrier with a damned Fallen Tyrant. If they wanted to be sure of the result, there was no better way.


    "Great. I''ll be going, then. Come down in a few seconds."


    Instead of summoning the Dark Wing, Sunny simply turned into a shadow, slid over the edge of the battlement, and swiftly glided down the surface of the wall. In a moment, he was already on the ground, emerging from the darkness with the jade jian whittling through the air.


    By the time Dale landed behind him, using some sort of rope Memory, half a dozen abominations were already bleeding on the ground.


    The defenders on that section of the wall had already received orders to support their sortie, as well, shifting their fire to help the Ascended create a corridor through the mass of Nightmare Creature. Granted, they were spread too thin between the Devouring Cloud and the abominations attacking the wall in a desperate attempt to escape from the swarm, so the results were modest.


    At least Sunny did not have to worry about catching a tungsten round with his back.


    ''Goddamn�� great��''


    Sunny and Dale rushed forward, fighting their way through the tide of frenzied Nightmare Creatures. The stalwart Master used his heater shield and heavy flanged mace to crush and break the abominations, flinging their bodies out of the way. Sunny simply cut through them, rendering the hideous body with the jade blade of the Sin of Solace.


    However, there were just too many enemies to kill. Even if Dale''s plate armor easily shrugged off blow after blow, and Sunny could simply ignore most of the attacks that got through his defenses, the weight of the horde threatened to push them back. More than that, they were constantly accosted by the brood beasts from above, making it much harder to remain alive.


    For now, they had not met a creature powerful enough to be a lethal threat �� which was a testament to how incredibly durable both Masters were... but it was only a matter of time.


    Sunny growled, and then called upon the shadows.


    Instantly, dark hands rose from the ground, grabbing the abominations and either throwing them aside, or outright tearing their bodies to pieces. Black chains whipped in the air, obliterating lunging brood beasts.


    "If you have a good Memory or two, use them now!"


    Dale bashed a leaping abomination with his shield, turning its body into bloody paste, and tore something off his belt.


    In the next moment, there was a blinding flash, and then a sound akin to the roar of an angry dragon shook the world. Sunny smelled the carnage before he witnessed it. In front of them, a morbid path of charred corpses cut through the horde.


    Dale pushed Sunny forward and lunged into the momentary rift in the mass of Nightmare Creatures.


    "That one has to accumulate charges for a long time! We won''t be able to use it against the Tyrant��"


    Sunny snarled as he ran.


    "We need to find the damned bastard first! Don''t hold back!"


    A few minutes of frenzied slaughter later, battered but alive, they reached the edge of the cliff and plunged down. Sunny had turned into a shadow once again, while Dale utilized an enchanted rope with a vicious hook tied to its end. The hook had been ruthlessly thrust into the flesh of an especially massive Nightmare Creature just a second before.


    ��Down on the stone beach, there were much fewer abominations. Some of them had already been cleaned to the bone by the brood beasts, while others were alive and full of murderous fury. Some distance away, Sunny could see the tall walls of the port fortress and the shapes of gargantuan ships resting on the waves.


    As he looked around in search of their prey, something flew from the darkness, forcing him to jump aside. It turned out to be a massive chunk of bleeding flesh that had been the torso of a Nightmare Creature seemingly only moments ago.


    Looking at where the chunk of flesh came from, Sunny witnessed a chilling sight.


    Out there ahead of them, halfway to the dark water, a towering being being besieged by a mob of abominations. Six segmented legs, a tail with a long stinger, torn and broken leathery wings�� and three terrifying circular maws swaying on the ends of long necks.


    As he watched, one of the monstrosity''s maws shot down, biting into the body of a powerful Nightmare Creature. With a violent twist, the creature came undone, rivers of blood and viscera spilling onto the cold stones. At the same time, the other two maws shredded a couple more abominations, swallowing large chunks of them whole. The tail stinger shot forward with blinding speed, piercing another and pumping poison into its convulsing body.


    Sunny gazed at the macabre scene with dark resentment.


    ''...Be careful of what you wish for, I guess.''


    They had discovered the Tyrant of the Devouring Cloud.

 Chapter 1009 The Fall of Falcon Scott (27)

    Chapter 1009  The Fall of Falcon Scott (27)


    As Sunny watched, the Tyrant tore apart several more abominations, devouring their flesh with its three enormous maws. This creature�� it was on par with the Lord of the Dead that Sunny had faced in the catacombs below the Dark City.


    Back then, he was merely a Sleeper. Now, he was an Ascended himself, and an abnormally powerful one at that. His loyal Shadows were indisposed, but he was accompanied by Dale instead.


    There was no reason for this fight to be too hard��


    However, they had a big problem.


    The more Nightmare Creatures the Tyrant killed and devoured, the more invigorated it seemed. The ghastly injuries on its wings were already healing, and very soon, the monstrosity would be able to take flight again.


    Sunny could not allow that to happen.


    Glancing at Dale with a grave expression, he said:


    "It''s now or never."


    Above them, a swarm of brood beasts separated from the dark mass of the Devouring Cloud, rushing down to protect their ruler.


    Dale nodded and silently lunged forward, closing in on the Tyrant to trap the monstrosity �� and the two of them with it �� inside a barrier of shimmering energy. Sunny followed, cutting down several abominations that had tried to bar their passage.


    However, the towering monstrosity seemed to have sensed the advancing threat, or maybe grew tired of the relentless attacks by the other Nightmare Creatures. It suddenly jumped, soaring high into the air, its broken wings raising a powerful gale.


    The Tyrant had not managed to stay in the air for long, at least not yet, but it succeeded in creating some distance between itself and the pursuers. Then, moving with stunning speed, it turned in the direction of the port fortress�� and ran.


    Sunny''s eyes narrowed.


    ''Damnation!''


    It only took him a split second to make a decision and shout:


    "I''ll slow it down! Catch up as fast as you can and set up the barrier!"


    With that, he left Dale behind and turned into a swift shadow. Flying with terrible speed across the stone beach, Sunny pursued the Tyrant. The monstrosity barreled forward like a speeding train, its six legs turning countless stones into rubble and dust. Its wings were healing more and more��


    Close enough from the port fortress to be seen from its walls, Sunny finally overtook the monstrosity and jumped out of the shadow right in front of it. The Sin of Solace flashed, cutting one of the creature''s limbs, and it toppled heavily to the ground. He barely managed to dodge the massive body, but in the next moment, the Tyrant''s stinger was already shooting through the air, aimed at his heart.


    ''Ah��''


    Sunny blocked the terrifying spiky spike with the flat of the jade jian, at the same time turning his body as heavy as he could. The impact pushed him back, his feet leaving two grooves in the stones. The monstrosity struggled to stand up, but a dozen jet-black hands rose from the ground, grabbing and pressing it down.


    Three long necks of the Tyrant twisted like snakes. Two maws bit into the shadow hands, tearing them apart, while the third flew toward Sunny. Staring at the repulsive fleshy circle full of razor-sharp fangs, he shuddered and realized that the thing could swallow him whole.


    Sunny shifted his weight and dashed aside, narrowly dodging the maw, then lashed out with the Sin of Solace. As a bloody wound appeared on the abomination''s neck, a ear-splitting wail slammed into him like a hammer.


    The shadows he had manifested were all but gone, and the Tyrant was nowhere near being immobilized. Sunny could waste more essence creating shadow implements�� maybe even encase the monstrosity and himself in a large dome�� but what he really needed to do was damage its wings.


    Sadly, the monstrosity was fiercely determined to protect them. As shortly as Sunny tried to get closer to the abomination''s wings, its stinger, three maws, and five remaining legs all came after him. He scrambled to dodge the hurricane of attacks, dancing between them like a demented acrobat. Shards of stone and wet sand rose like a cloud into the air.


    ''Curse you��''


    The Tyrant''s movements were growing more frenzied and chaotic. Its mind was being assaulted by the [Sinister Whisper] of the cursed sword �� the effect of the charm was going to persist, too, driving the monstrosity utterly mad.


    ��Funnily enough, the same erratic behavior seemed to be repeating in the skies above them, where a large portion of the Devouring Swarm seemed to have lost a lot of its unnatural cohesion.


    They would only cease to be a threat to the city once both Tyrants were dead, though.


    The massive abomination understood that there was something strange going on with its mind, as well. It tried to disengage and lowered itself to the ground, as if preparing to jump again�� only this time its wings might have been healed enough to allow the Tyrant to fly.


    ''No!''


    Before it could escape, however, a dome of shimmering energy suddenly appeared around them. The Tyrant jumped, slammed into the roof of the dome, and plummeted back down.


    Heavily armored figure of Dale slammed into its body, a flanged mace falling down to crush another of the creature''s legs.


    The three of them were now locked inside the barrier. The Tyrant would not be able to escape anymore��


    However, the dome of energy was not particularly large. It barely encompassed the enormous body of the winged monstrosity and a few meters of the stone shore around it, leaving Sunny and Dale no room to maneuver.


    It was like being locked in a tiny cage with a very angry, starving tiger.


    If the tiger was the size of a small building, had three heads, and possessed the tail of a scorpion.


    And had also been driven into rabid insanity by a whispering jade sword.


    ''Crap��''


    The Tyrant wailed again, its screeching voice full of madness and fury.


    Then, it rose from the ground, and all hell broke loose.

 Chapter 1010 The Fall of Falcon Scott (28)

    Chapter 1010  The Fall of Falcon Scott (28)


    Trapped in the small bubble of the energy barrier, the Tyrant turned into a murderous hurricane. Moving with speed that was surprising for such a large creature, it thrashed and spun, trying to rip the hateful humans apart.


    Sunny and Dale had managed to dodge or deflect the barrage of devastating attacks, for now, but avoiding being crushed by the sheer mass of the frenzied monstrosity was even harder. The barrier was just too small to move away, leaving them no choice but to try and straddle it.


    That had not been a good choice�� even on the Tyrant''s back, the three maws and the stinger could attack them freely. More than that, the abomination instantly rolled on the ground, throwing them off.


    Sunny barely avoided being buried under the mountain of flesh. Just a handful of seconds after Dale had erected the barrier, he felt the salty taste of blood on his tongue. Both Ascended were battered and wounded.


    Of course, the Tyrant was not unscathed, either.


    Three of its legs were gone, its body was covered with a multitude of deep cuts, and one of its necks was halfway to being severed. Better yet, the creature seemed to have surrendered to its most primal instincts, driven into madness by the Sin of Solace.


    The bestial rage of the Tyrant was terrifying, but it would have been much more dangerous to fight the monstrosity if it had retained its inhuman intellect. A smart enemy was infinitely deadlier than a senseless one.


    Now, all they had to do was put it down.


    "Cut off its head!"


    "I''m�� trying��"


    Dale''s shield was wedged into one of the Tyrant''s necks, and as Sunny yelled, he hammered its rim with his mace, as if driving a nail into wood. The heater shield sliced through the flesh of the abominations like a blade, causing a river of black blood to spill onto the stones.


    Half-deafened by the creature''s shriek, Sunny manifested a wall of shadow to defend Dale from one of the remaining two maws. The wall broken under the monstrous assault, but by that time, the Ascended had hammered his shield one last time, and one of the Tyrant''s heads flew off.


    ''Damn!''


    After that, Sunny had to worry about himself. The wounded creature shifted, slamming him into the barrier with the looming bulk of its body. Bone Weave and Marble Shell saved him from being turned into bloody paste, but he was trapped, crushed, and unable to breathe. What''s worse, there was no escape��


    Well, for most people. Sunny simply dissipated into the shadow projected onto the creature''s body by the shimmering barrier, and appeared on the other side of the abomination, his sword already falling to bite into the its side.


    Just like that, the dire battle continued. Sunny and Dale were one mistake away from being greatly injured or killed at every moment, but neither of them had made that mistake yet. As time went on, their enemy grew more and more frenetic, but the two Masters only grew more effective in their attempts to butcher it. They were learning how to better hurt it with every blow, dodge, and step.


    Dale''s armor cracked, but in return, the Tyrant''s stinger was shattered by the heavy flanged mace. Sunny was now bleeding from a deep cut above his left eye, but in return, one of Tyrant''s maws was missing half of its fangs.


    Using a momentary opening created by the monstrosity throwing all of its weight against the barrier, Sunny finally managed to position himself for an all-out attack. He dashed forward, turning his body light to create momentum, and slashed the Sin of Solace across the base of one of the creature''s necks.


    The jade jian seemed to laugh as it sliced through the tough hide, steel muscles, and unbreakable bones of the Tyrant, emerging from the other side of its neck in a fountain of blood. The second of the three maws fell to the ground.


    "One more!"


    Dale received an earth-shattering blow on his shield and slid back with a low grunt. His hand trembled a little.


    "The barrier won''t hold for much longer. We must... hurry..."


    Sunny did not need to be reminded. He already felt that the shadows surrounding them were changing �� the shimmering energy was growing dimmer every time the Tyrant slammed into it. By now, most of its shine was already gone.


    But the creature had lost most of its weapons, as well.


    It was bleeding heavily, maimed and wounded, its speed gradually decreasing. Sunny knew not to let his guard down �� these last moments were often the most deadly, both because human fighters tended to get overconfident when the victory neared, and because their enemies would often abandon all caution in one last desperate attempt to destroy the opposition and survive.


    Still�� this had to end quickly.


    ''Risky��''


    The thought flashed through his mind, but Sunny was already moving. Pushing himself forward, he deflected a glancing blow from the creature''s tail�� and slammed into the Tyrant like a cannonball.


    Thrown off balance, the monstrosity reeled, and then threw itself into a fierce retaliatory attack. Sunny managed to dodge its legs, but not its maw. He simply slashed at it with the Sin of Solace, feeling the flesh part before the jade blade.


    At the same time, the creature left itself completely open to Dale. The stalwart Master lunged forward, his mace suddenly igniting with a dangerous red glow. The moment it connected with the base of the Tyrant''s last remaining neck, the flanged head of the mace exploded with ominous light, and something thundered.


    Sunny saw the shape of the abomination''s neck melting in the furious red light as it was torn apart.


    Then, for a second, he could not think about anything anymore.


    Moments before it died, the Tyrant managed to grab his shoulder with its maw and fling Sunny into the air. Feeling a pulse of tearing pain, he found himself flying backward away from the dying creature. His back connected with the weakened barrier�� and shattered it, the Marble Shell turning rigid from the impact.


    Sunny landed gracelessly a dozen meters away from the convulsing body of the Tyrant, rolled for a few meters more, and came to a stop at the edge of the water. A pained groan escaped from his lips.


    ''That�� hurt��''


    He slowly sat up and glanced at his shoulder. The leather pauldron of the Puppeteer''s Shroud was pierced in several places, and there were deep scratches on his skin. The Tyrant''s fangs, however, had not cut deep. The lacerations were shallow.


    He took a shaky breath and looked up. High above, the Devouring Cloud seemed�� aimless and lost. Without malevolent purpose guiding the swarm of brood beasts, they were being slowly obliterated by the city defenses.


    Saint and Master Jet must have finished off their Tyrant, as well.


    Sunny glanced at Dale, who seemed rather battered, but alive.


    ''We�� won.''


    By all accounts, he was supposed to feel jubilation and relief. Even though the battle was not over, the Irregulars had accomplished their task. Today, the First Army was going to celebrate a victory.


    However, Sunny did not feel relieved.


    Instead, he felt�� cold. Very, very cold.


    And frightened.


    ''What the hell is this feeling?''


    Struggling against a deep sense of unease, Sunny shivered and turned to the black waves, his hand reaching for the hilt of the Sin of Solace.


    Just as he did, the water parted, and something�� someone�� appeared from below it.


    Sunny froze, staring with wide eyes. His face paled terribly.


    There was a man walking out of the ocean, water flowing from his armor. He was tall, with a powerful build. His hair was dark, and his bloodless face�� was empty, not a hint of emotion hiding in his hollow eyes.


    Instead, there was something different in them. Something vast, alien, and terrifying.


    The man slowly appeared from the water and took a firm step toward Sunny, looming above him like a hollow wraith. The empty stare of his glassy eyes fell down.


    Sunny''s hand shook.


    Stunned, he tried to crawl back and whispered in a faint, trembling voice:


    "...V��Verne?"

 Chapter 1011 The Fall of Falcon Scott (29)

    Chapter 1011  The Fall of Falcon Scott (29)


    For a moment or two, Sunny''s mind was empty. He crawled back, looking up at the familiar figure towering above him.


    Verne�� it was Verne. There was no mistake.


    ��Or something wearing Verne''s corpse, at least.


    His shadow was much more vast and dreadful than a human''s shadow was supposed to be.


    The hollow gaze of the dead Master pursued Sunny, his face still and unmoving like a mask. Behind him, the dark waves stirred, and more figures rose from the water. Men, women�� dozens of them, hundreds even. They marched forward like an army of the dead, silent and emotionless, their eyes drowning in darkness.


    All their shadows were wrong.


    The people of LO49 that Sunny had left to die. He recognized all of them, staring at the undulating surface of the ocean in horror.


    ''The�� the Terror��''


    Strangely, it was the contemptuous laugh of the cursed sword that shattered his paralysis.


    "Look, Lost from Light�� your sins have come to haunt you!"


    Sunny shuddered, coming to his senses.


    ''What sins, you bastard? I did everything I could to save them!''


    The insidious voice laughed again, then whispered, its hissing words falling like drops of poison:


    "Weakness is also a sin, you pitiful worm�� it is the greatest sin of them all��"


    Sunny snarled, then rose to his feet and froze for a split second, thinking feverishly about the situation.


    After chasing the Tyrant, he was now behind the city. There were tall cliffs between the ocean and the northern wall of Falcon Scott, so nothing could escape the shore without being torn to shreds by the defensive armaments�� granted, most of the First Army forces were currently concentrated on the southern side of the wall, fighting against the Devouring Cloud.


    The port fortress was nearby, though, and defended by its own garrison. Bloodwave and the Awakened of the House of Night were also there, protecting the anchored ships and overseeing the loading of the refugees.


    A thousand enthralled corpses were not going to put a dent in the defenses of the port. As for the Terror itself��


    Just as that thought flashed through Sunny''s mind, he saw something that made his blood run cold. There, behind the slowly advancing figures of the drowned residents of LO49, the black water seethed and boiled, releasing even more thralls. Nightmare Creatures�� thousands of them�� were rising from the waves, all moving with the same silent, harrowing dispassion.


    He took an involuntary step back, then steeled himself and raised the Sin of Solace.


    The Terror''s thralls could not be allowed to reach the port. Hundreds of thousands of refugees were currently there, with even more already on the ships. Thankfully, the elevator platforms leading to Falcon Scott were empty, the evacuation stopped briefly on account of the Devouring Cloud.


    The defenders of the metropolis had also spotted the new threat. Powerful beams of light fell from above, illuminating the quiet horde. A instant later, a hail of bullets was supposed to tear into it��


    But it didn''t.


    The spotlights moved on, as if not noticing anything. Instead of an obliterating onslaught of heavy rounds, all that came were a few sporadic streams of rifle bullets.


    The armaments on the wall of the port fortress were silent, too.


    Sunny felt a chill run down his spine.


    ''The hex��''


    He did not get a chance to finish the thought.


    Verne suddenly disappeared, moving with much more speed than he had been capable of as a human. Sunny shifted, trying to deflect the incoming attack, but his reaction was too slow. A devastating blow sent him flying backwards, the breath knocked out of him entirely. He crashed to the ground and rolled, feeling cold numbness spreading through his chest.


    ''Curse it��''


    He had been mistaken to assess the enemy''s power based on how powerful the thralls had been before falling prey to the Terror. Whatever the creature had done to them�� had made them into�� was much more dangerous than their former selves.


    "You are a neglectful fool, aren''t you?"


    Struggling to inhale, Sunny gritted his teeth. Indeed, he was�� he had already known that the hexed residents were capable of showing unnatural strength. Why would the slaves be different? If anything, their change would be greater.


    One Master, a hundred or so Awakened, close to a thousand mundane soldiers, several hundreds of civilians�� and thousands upon thousands of Nightmare Creatures, all controlled and changed by the Terror.


    With everyone seemingly blind to their existence.


    The situation was not good��


    Feeling true fear for the first time in a long while, Sunny forced himself to rise once again and look at the hollow-eyed horde.


    ''No, not everyone��''


    Although most of the defenders seemed to be ignoring the Terror''s thralls, some were still firing their rifles. That meant that the creature''s hex was not absolute. With so many residents around, it could only do so much.


    There was a restriction to its power. Which meant that it could be defeated.


    There was a sound of metal scraping against stone behind him. Looking back, Sunny saw Dale approaching, his buckler raised and dripping with blood. His heart skipped a beat.


    "Dale! Do you see them?!"


    The heavily armored Master turned his head slightly, darkness nestled in the slit of his visor. His voice sounded a little muffled:


    "What are you talking about?"


    Sunny''s heart fell, but then, Dale continued:


    "How would I miss thousands of creatures crawling from the ocean? Of course, I see them. Question is, why are the wall armaments still silent?"


    More and more Nightmare Creatures emerged from the water, flooding the shore. Sunny found Verne and shivered, noticing that the dead Master was staring at him, as well.


    "It''s the Terror of LO49! The wretched thing is messing with people''s minds! We need to��"


    The hollow horde suddenly stopped moving. Thousands of heads turned in unison, countless empty eyes all staring at a single point��


    Sunny.


    He shivered.


    ''...I guess it recognized me, as well.''


    The horde rushed forward.

 Chapter 1012 The Fall of Falcon Scott (30)

    Chapter 1012  The Fall of Falcon Scott (30)


    Across the city to the south, the majority of the First Army forces were fighting the Devouring Cloud. Even directionless, the gluttonous swarm still posed an existential threat to Falcon Scott �� the sky was torn asunder by fire and explosions, countless brood beasts melting in that inferno as they threw themselves against the siege capital''s defenses.


    Somewhere further south, far away, Sky Tide was once again engaged in a dreadful battle against the Corrupted Titan, Winter Beast.


    And yet, here, on the shore of the dark ocean, a new threat appeared�� one that was perhaps no less dangerous than the Devouring Cloud.


    Worst of all, no one except for two Masters and a handful of disparate soldiers seemed to be aware of it.


    ��Or so Sunny had thought.


    The instant the hollow horde surged forward, the port fortress finally came alive. Numerous turrets turned their barrels, unleashing an onslaught of bullets at the thralls of the Terror of the Depths. Bright beams of light once again shone on the shore, and several rail guns thundered, cutting rifts through the horde. Arrows and magical projectiles fell down like rain.


    The thralls had turned out to be too potent to be obliterated by the sudden assault, but they did slow down for a moment.


    ''Finally, some luck��''


    Sunny prepared to launch himself into the mass of enemies, but Dale suddenly pulled him back.


    "What�� the hell�� are you doing?"


    The stalwart Master glanced at him calmly, then shook his head.


    "There''s no time for that. The real foe is the Terror, not its puppets. You need to go�� find Bloodwave, or someone from the House of Night at least. They need to find the creature and destroy it, before it''s too late."


    Sunny blinked.


    "What about you?"


    Dale turned to the advancing horde, lingered for a moment, and shrugged.


    "I''ll stay and make sure that they do not breach the wall of the port."


    There were a lot of words left unsaid, but they both understood the implication. Dale was best at stationary defense, while Sunny was swift and elusive. Their roles were decided for them by that uncomplicated reality, and there was nothing to discuss.


    The heavily armored Master took a step forward, raising his shield and mace.


    "Go, Sunless. Don''t linger."


    Sunny opened his mouth, then closed it without saying anything. Throwing one last glance at the figure of Verne, who was walking steadily through the hellish barrage of bullets without paying them any attention, he gritted his teeth and dove into the shadows.


    Behind him, the first of the thralls was already lunging at Dale, hollow eyes shining with the reflected moonlight.


    ''Damn it, damn it, damn it��''


    Swiftly gliding through the darkness, he soon reached the wall of the port fortress and scaled it, emerging from the shadows on the battlements. Here, a chaotic flurry of activity was boiling, soldiers and Awakened feverishly sending rivers of bullets, arrows, and magic into the horde of thralls.


    On the other side of the wall, Sunny could see a large crowd of terrified refugees filling a large courtyard below. They had come here to board one of the ships and escape the doomed siege, but got stuck in the middle of the battle instead.


    Ignoring the grim sight, he ran across the battlement toward the citadel of the fortress. If he could not find what he sought there, he would proceed past the citadel toward the pier, and from there to the battleships, if need be. As Sunny ran, he looked around, hoping to see someone from the House of Night among the defenders.


    He got lucky sooner than he had expected.


    The wall of the port fortress had towers rising above it at set intervals, each serving as a bunker. As he passed through one of these bunkers, observing the complicated machinery of the rail gun housed within, he noticed a familiar figure standing near a targeting interface. Tall, handsome, with black hair that sometimes seemed inky blue��


    "Naeve!"


    Sunny dashed toward the Nightwalker, who looked up from the terminal with a surprised expression.


    "Sunless? What are you��"


    Sunny waved a hand, interrupting him.


    "Long story. Are you free from the hex? Can you see the monsters?"


    He realized something, then looked around with a bit of confusion.


    "Actually, never mind. How are all of you able to see them?"


    Naeve lingered for a moment.


    "Nightwalkers like me have a high affinity to guidance and revelations. The ocean and its depths, too. So, many of us were able to see through the�� hex? As for the rest of the garrison, they don''t see anything. But they also don''t need to, as long as someone provides them with the targeting data. Basically, they are shooting blindly in the direction where we point."


    Sunny froze for a moment, admiring the effective crudeness of that simple solution. Then, his face darkened.


    On the wall outside the bunker, one of the soldiers suddenly lowered his rifle, remained motionless for a moment, then took a step forward and jumped over the parapet of the battlement, disappearing into the cold water below without a sound. No one seemed to notice his absence.


    "Where''s Bloodwave?"


    Naeve pointed north, toward the pier.


    "Protecting the ships. Why?"


    Sunny answered with urgency obvious in his voice:


    "This battle can''t be won unless the source of the hex is destroyed. The Terror of LO49�� we need to find and kill it. Staying on the defensive will only allow that fiend to propagate its influence throughout the city, killing countless people and growing its army. The House of Night and your Saint are our best bet."


    The Nightwalker stared at him for a few moments. His tired face paled a little.


    "You want us to forsake the ships, dive into the ocean, and fight the Terror in its territory?"


    Sunny simply nodded.


    "Exactly! And I''ll dive with you, too."


    Naeve hesitated for a bit, then sighed.


    "Well, alright. Follow me, then. I''ll take you to see my uncle."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "Wait, that''s it? I�� uh�� I thought I would have to persuade you."


    The Nightwalker gave him a strange look.


    "I was persuaded the instant you uttered "this battle can''t be won unless". That Terror is one of the top targets, anyway. So�� come. Let''s hunt the bastard down��"

 Chapter 1013: Т?h?е? ?F?а?l?l? ?о?f? ?F?а?l?с?о?n? ???с?о?t?t? ?(?3?1?)

    Chapter 1013: ��?h?��? ?F?��?l?l? ?��?f? ?F?��?l?��?��?n? ???��?��?t?t? ?(?3?1?)


    As Naeve and Sunny made their way across the wall of the port fortress, the battle grew louder behind them. Sounds of screams rose into the night sky, and the battlements beneath them shuddered. Ignoring all of it, they rushed forward.


    As they ran, Naeve yelled: "Have you ever even fought in the water?!" Sunny spared him a tense look, remembering the harrowing journey across the dark sea in the forgotten shore. The boat that Nephis had built from the bones of demons that did not survive till the end... "Once!" The Nightwalker let out a nervous laugh. "How did it go?" Sunny gritted his teeth. "I''m still alive, aren''t I?!"


    There was not much of a choice, anyway. Naeve was probably the only ascended from the House of Night inside the fortress �� the rest were protecting the battleships sailing across the strait. Bloodwave was going to need all the help he could get. So, Sunny had to join the hunt for the dreadful terror.


    Plus, he wanted to. The abominable creature deserved to die, and especially so by his hand.


    It won''t be easy, though...'' Sunny had a couple of Memories that would help perform well underwater, but he lacked experience when it came to fighting in the depths of the ocean. Worse than that, Shadow Step and Shadow Manifestation would be nearly useless there �� a shadow needed a solid surface to exist, and those were hard to find where he was going.


    Actually, Sunny was unsure how his Aspect would function underwater. Much more distressing was the fact that he did not know much about the Terror of L049, and what the abomination was truly capable of.


    I think you should take a look at lightnovelworld.com. The fact that it relied on mind attacks and manipulation suggested a lack of physical might, but even then, such things were highly relative when it came to a Corrupted creature.


    Really, he was not even sure that the terror was of the Corrupted Rank. ''What the hell am I doing here?'' The Sin of Solace laughed, forcing Sunny to grimace.


    It did not matter. Even disregarding the fact that he had a personal score to settle, the creature had to be destroyed to protect the city.


    "But what are you doing risking your life to protect that city? That''s not like you, Lost from Light..." Sunny did not know how to answer, but he refused to let the voice of the sword distract him from the task at hand. They were already on the pier, swiftly moving towards its end. Some distance away, two gargantuan battleships rested on the undulating black waves. He looked around, not noticing the distinct figure of the enigmatic Saint anywhere.


    "Where is Bloodwave? Is he aboard one of the ships?" Naeve gave him a confused look as he took off his midnight blue coat. Beneath it was a black wetsuit, an armour type Memory already weaving itself from sparks of light. "What do you mean? He''s in the water, of course. Below the ships." Sunny blinked. "Oh. Of course..."


    He hesitated for a moment, the dismissed the Puppeteer''s Shroud. Left wearing nothing but his underwear, Sunny shivered in the cold wind �� his pale skin was painted black by the shadow wrapping around his body, and his lean muscles seemed like they had been cut from matte obsidian. There may be other stuff on lightnovelworld.com that catches your interest. He sighed, then summoned three Memories.


    First, a large and beautiful white pearl appeared in his hand. Sunny lingered for a moment, then placed it on his tongue before closing his mouth. The [Essence Pearl] would allow him to breath and see clearly underwater.


    Then, a piece of an icy blue crystal inlaid in a from of dull metal appeared, hanging around his neck on a black string �� the [Memory of Ice]. Using two charms at once would consume essence faster, but Sunny had to protect himself from the lethal cold of the winter ocean. It was only possible to augment one at a time with the Underworld Armament trait of the Marble Shell, so he chose the blue crystal.


    Lastly, a harness made from a fisherman''s net wrapped around his torso �� the [Nimble Catch].


    With that, Sunny was more or less ready to dive into the water... at least physically. The only problem was he needed both hands to swim, but that was easily remedied by fastening the Sin of Solace to the Nimble Catch �� the harness was very handy in that regard.


    With the jade blade strapped safely to his back, Sunny walked over to the very edge f the pier and glanced at Naeve. The Nightwalker was already clad in a light armour that seemed to be made of black seaweed and nacreous shell.


    A pale smile appeared on Naeve''s face.


    "Ready?" Sunny stared at the tumultuous dark wave beneath them and shook his head. Then, he jumped.


    The ocean grasped him in it''s cold embrace a moment later. Sunny almost panicked, a deluge of unpleasant memories instantly surfaced in his mind, but then discovered that he could breathe normally despite being surrounded by water, That calmed him down a little.


    The Essence Pearl had a strange effect. Sunny could breathe through his nose as if he was standing on solid ground, and there seemed to be an invisible barrier preventing the salty water from flowing up his nostrils. Additionally, the active enchantment of the charm allowed him to see clearly through the dark expanse of the ocean, as if he was wearing a diving mask.


    He was cold, but not terribly so. It seemed that the high element resistance of the Marble Shell, augmented by the shadows, was enough to protect him from freezing to death �� adding the Memory of Ice on top of the that turned out to be overkill. Sunny dismissed the blue crystal, relieved to save some Essence.


    ''Not_ Not too bad.''


    A moment later, Naeve plunged into the water beside him and swam nimbly forward and down. Sunny had learned how to swim during his Wilderness Survival lessons back at the Academy and practiced it a few times on the Forgotten Shore... And yet, one glance at the Scion of the House of Night made him feel embarrassed.


    The Nightwalker moved through the water with great speed and ease, looking like some kind of graceful aquatic creature. It almost seemed as if he was more comfortable in the water than he had been on land.


    Maybe he was.


    Sighing inwardly, Sunny followed. His movements might not have been as natural or graceful as Naeve''s, but with the frightening strength of an Ascended Devil and the help of the Nimble Catch, he found himself more than capable with keeping up.


    They dove deeper into the dark water, soon reaching the ships. Sunny felt a tremendous shadow floating silently, below, a few moments before he saw it... There, in the darkness, a monstrous killer whale was waiting, watching them with its giant blue eyes.

 Chapter 1014 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (32)

    1014 The Fall of Falcon Scott (32)


    Sunny had seen Bloodwave in his bestial form once from afar, but up close, the Saint of Night was much more terrifying.


    The creature he had transformed into looked somewhat like a killer whale, its hide black and white, the lines of its body smooth and predatory. However, it was much, much larger than any mundane beast had any right to be.


    There was a patchwork of ugly scars covering its hide, and steel armor encasing its long fins, edges sharp like blades. Its enormous eyes glowed in the darkness of the ocean with blue light, full of willpower and intelligence.


    Even knowing that the giant killer whale was actually a human, Sunny couldn''t help but feel tense in front of the great predator.


    Since the beginning of the siege of Falcon Scott, Bloodwave had rarely shown himself �� he mostly remained underwater, protecting the anchored ships and fighting those Nightmare Creatures that would try to attack the city from the depths.


    Army Command did not dare leave the port fortress and the vulnerable vessels without a defender...


    And yet, today, that was exactly what had to happen.


    While Sunny stared at the mighty Saint, Naeve glided forward and then hovered in front of the killer whale''s snout, keeping himself in place with barely noticeable movements of his arms and legs. The tall Master looked tiny beside the giant creature.


    ''Huh...''


    Sunny realized that he did not know how to communicate with others underwater. He couldn''t really speak, or even open his mouth �� unless he wanted to lose the Essence Pearl and suffocate. There was probably a system of signs one could learn, but he had not done that in advance.


    The world was silent.


    Not, not quite... actually, the ocean was full of sounds. They were just strange and muffled, reverberating through his bones as if he was hearing them with his entire body. The noise of the battle above was like a low, all-encompassing, distant roar. Sunny knew that sound was supposed to propagate very far in the water, but had no tools to distinguish and interpret what he heard.


    Nevertheless, the Nightwalkers seemed to possess some method of sharing information. A few moments after Naeve approached Bloodwave, the killer whale shifted slightly, staring into the depths of the ocean. His pupils narrowed.


    Then, a strange thing happened. The eyes of the great predator remained clear and blue, but the water itself seemed suddenly tinted dark crimson around them. Sunny felt extremely uncomfortable, as if Blood Weave did not like what was happening at all.


    Then, the sensation passed as swiftly as it had appeared, and the ocean was normal once again.


    Naeve turned around and beckoned for him to come closer. Struggling against the instinctual fear of large predators, Sunny swam toward the monstrous killer whale. Once he got close, there was suddenly a familiar voice in his ears:


    "My uncle agrees. We have to kill the Terror."


    Sunny stared at the Nightwalker silently. Naeve tilted his head a little.


    "Oh... you can''t speak. Well, there''s nothing to discuss, anyway �� all the available information about the creature was already given to us by Tyris of White Feather. We can only attack the Terror and do our best. How is your resistance against mind attacks?"


    ��?��m Sunny made a fist and raised his thumb... he doubted that any Master had better mental defenses than him. Plus, he was already inoculated against the Terror''s hex.


    The Nightwalker nodded.


    "Good. Taking our Awakened into the depths would just mean giving the creature more puppets to control. The three of us will have to hunt alone. Once we discover the Terror, Bloodwave will lead the charge, while our task will be to support him... maybe we''ll even survive, who knows. Are you ready?"


    Sunny shrugged, which was an awkward thing to do underwater.


    "Then follow me."


    Naeve swam even closer to the great beast, gliding parallel to Bloodwave''s back. Reaching the dorsal fin that stood tall like the mast of a ship, he grabbed onto a small depression in the armor encasing it, and gestured for Sunny to do the same.


    ''Great... 1 am going to ride a damned Saint into the depths of a damned ocean...''


    Cursing his fate, Sunny followed the Nightwalker''s example and latched himself to the killer whale''s fin like some sort of hitchhiker fish. He could feel a vast, powerful heartbeat somewhere below him, and a mighty presence that was beyond all mundane senses.


    Naeve''s voice resounded once again in his ears:


    "Don''t let go. Well... unless you feel like the pressure is too great for you to handle. I don''t know how deep the Terror hides, and how deep you can dive. Sorry, Sunless... you''ll have to learn how to traverse the abyss fast, and on your own."


    Before Sunny could think of an answer �� even though he could not relay it �� Bloodwave suddenly moved. His great body lunged forward with stunning speed, and a powerful current almost threw Sunny off the fin. He grabbed tighter to the steel armor, feeling how strange it was, to be able to breathe freely despite the rushing water. Naeve stretched a hand to support him, but then brought it back, seeing that there was no need.


    ''This is... this is...''


    Riding a giant killer whale into the dark depths of the ocean was perhaps not the strangest journey Sunny had made, but it was definitely up there with the weirdest of them, especially considering that the whale was actually a Saint of the great clan Night. The whole situation would have been comically surreal, if it wasn''t so dreadful.


    A terrible enemy waited for them at the end of this journey.


    Bloodwave journeyed away from the shore, submerging deeper and deeper into the watery abyss. The world around them was ruthlessly cold and absolutely lightless, eerily similar to the Sky Below of the Chained Isles... but much more frightening.


    In fact, that was not the only similarity. The deeper they went, the more Sunny felt as if something was pressing down on him. It was as if a titanic slab of stone was weighing on his body, making it harder to move and breathe. The feeling was not dissimilar to the torturous force of the Crushing, and thinking of that analogy made him very, very uneasy.


    The Crushing was capable of killing even Saints, after all.


    He tried to control his breathing.


    ''No mundane ocean can kill a Saint. And in terms of sturdiness, I''m not that far from one...''


    Down and down they went.

 Chapter 1015 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (33)

    1015 The Fall of Falcon Scott (33)


    The deeper Bloodwave descended into the vast, boundless, dark abyss of the ocean, the more disturbed Sunny felt �� and he had already been deeply uncomfortable before taking the plunge into the shallows. There was nothing but emptiness and oppressive darkness both above and below them, stretching endlessly into the unknown.


    Even though Sunny could see through the water, unlike how it had been in the impenetrable darkness of the cursed sea of the Forgotten Shore, he was still distressed. The depths of the ocean were not a place meant for humans... they were its opposite. Coming here voluntarily was nothing but pure madness.


    ''I might have misunderstood the Nightwalkers. They are all lunatics...''


    He shifted slightly and glanced at Naeve, who was holding tightly to the fin of the monstrous killer whale. The currents battered them, and the pressure was slowly growing unbearable. The scion of the House of Night was not exactly calm, but his unease was caused by the prospect of fighting a Corrupted Terror, not the watery abyss itself.


    Strangely, Sunny''s feelings were reversed. The Terror of LO49 was a harrowing foe, indeed, but he had faced plenty of those. The ocean, on the other hand, was an alien, unfamiliar, and fundamentally hostile space. It was abysmal in the purest sense of the word.


    Grimacing, Sunny pulled himself closer to Bloodwave''s fin and waited.


    He did not know what exact means the Saint was using to track the hidden Terror. There was some pattern to his movements, but Sunny wasn''t sure what it was. Sometimes, it felt as though the great predator was choosing the direction at random, but one thing remained constant �� they were always moving deeper into the darkness.


    Naeve had not spoken to him again, but there was also no reason to. Sunny briefly considered summoning the Extraordinary Rock to relay his thoughts, but then discarded that idea. He had nothing useful to say, and making too much noise could attract unwanted attention.


    Who knew what horrors hid in the dark depths, beside the Terror?


    At some point, he felt a coughing fit rising from somewhere in his lungs and nearly panicked. The last thing Sunny wanted was to drown because of the residual trauma caused by brushing against a Nightmare Gate. He gritted his teeth and concentrated on suppressing the cough, forgetting even his fear of the ocean in the process.


    That was why he almost missed the moment when the Terror finally revealed itself.


    ...Hidden in the depths of the lightless abyss, an eerily beautiful creature floated in the vast and silent darkness.


    Feeling a slight tremor run through the enormous body of the giant killer whale and hearing its booming heartbeat change pace, Sunny looked into the distance. He shivered.


    From a distance, the Terror looked akin to a strange, ghostly flower... a lily, perhaps, or a white lotus. Its pallid petals flowed and danced slowly in the darkness, some stretching for hundreds of meters into the empty abyss, some swirling around the small nebulous shape hidden in their center.


    The sight of it was both breathtakingly beautiful and deeply terrifying. The wide ribbons of white looked both like the petals of a flower... and like the long tentacles of an ethereal creature, too alien to be described with words.


    When they got closer, however, Sunny discovered that they were neither petals nor pale flesh... instead, he thought that he was looking at long stretches of white, flowing cloth. He did not know if he was right, or how it even made sense.


    And that was not what Sunny was preoccupied with at the moment, either.


    There were other shapes surrounding the ghostly white blossom, hundreds of them. Drowned bodies surrounded it like a morbid barrier �� humans, Nightmare Creatures, and things he could not name. They floated silently around the Terror, unmoving, their empty eyes staring blindly into the darkness. Some had cloth petals wrapped around them like a burial shroud.


    The eerie scene made him shudder. The otherworldly beauty of it all only made the visage more appalling. There was a powerful presence emanating from the mass of billowing white cloth... one of utter horror and malice.


    Sunny felt that presence overwhelm him, making it impossible to look away from the Terror, but also unbearable to witness it. He felt mesmerized, frozen, and paralyzed.


    ...That feeling was broken by another presence, though. Suddenly, the darkness around them seemed to become tinted red, and he felt a deep fury rising from within him. Sunny recognized that fury as something that was not his own, but instead belonged to someone else...


    Bloodwave.


    The Saint of Night was incensed, and whatever fear they might have felt was washed away by the murderous rage of the great predator.


    It almost seemed as though the cloth petals trembled slightly.


    In the next moment, the hundreds of drowned creatures all came alive, their hollow eyes turning to stare at them. Sunny uttered a silent curse and freed the Sin of Solace from its makeshift scabbard with his free hand.


    ''Here we go, then...''


    He felt Bloodwave''s body move, and then a furious roar spread through the water like a fearless battle cry. The force of it was almost physical in nature, moving through the dark abyss like a devastating shockwave.


    The monstrous killer whale surged forward, and with him, the ocean itself came alive. Powerful currents assaulted the pallid flower, throwing its ghastly defenders away. The crimson hue of the water became more apparent, and wherever it spread, Bloodwave seemed to gain even more speed, even more might.


    At the same time, the cloth petals exploded with motion, unfurling like long limbs, grabbing the thralls, and throwing them forward.


    By Sunny''s side, Naeve glanced at him and outstretched a hand, a bone harpoon appearing in it. The Nightwalker smiled, indigo lights dancing in his eyes.


    "It''s time!"


    With that, he pushed himself off the fin and shot forward with incredible speed.


    A moment later, Bloodwave crashed into the moving barrier of hollow-eyed thralls.

 Chapter 1016 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (34)

    1016 The Fall of Falcon Scott (34)


    The monstrous killer whale snapped its jaws, savaging several massive Nightmare Creatures at once. Clouds of blood and pulverized flesh escaped from his maw like a red tide.


    Powerful currents of crimson water swirled around his massive body, ripping even more abominations apart. A dozen thralls were destroyed when the great predator rammed through them at dreadful speed.


    Armored fins moved, slicing bodies like giant blades.


    A split second later, Bloodwave shot past the barrier of flesh, leaving devastation in his wake. He continued forward, heading for the eerie flower of white cloth that was the Terror.


    Naeve and Sunny were left behind, though. Their task was to deal with the thralls and prevent them from attacking the Saint from behind.


    ''How the hell... do I do this?''


    Fighting underwater was not at all like fighting on land. At this depth, Sunny felt as though he was constantly being pressed down by an immeasurable weight, both from without and from within. His Ascended physique and augmented strength were enough to deal with it, but he still felt a strain considerable enough to demand adjustment.


    It was a lot like fighting while under the effect of the Crushing.


    More importantly, though, there was nothing to support him here. Usually, a fighter''s might came from being grounded �� without the ground under Sunny''s feet, his blows would lack power. They would also push him away with the same force that had been exerted on the enemy, making battle flow and positioning a nightmare.


    So, he saw two ways to fight effectively �� one was to grapple the enemy and use their own body as support, bringing combat to an extremely close range. He would be greatly disadvantaged in such a scenario due to the length of his blade. The other was to use acceleration and maneuvering to turn each of his attacks into a deadly charge.


    Sunny had a sinking suspicion that he would have to utilize both approaches today.


    Ahead of him, Naeve clashed with one of the thralls �� his harpoon shot forward, piercing the creature''s head. The Nightwalker pushed it through all the way, then let go of the shaft, grabbed it again near the head a moment later, and tore the spear free.


    Then, Sunny had no more time to observe the Nightwalker, forced to concentrate on his own enemy.


    A vaguely familiar abomination that resembled a grotesque mannequin of flesh lunged at him, its hollow eyes full of darkness. A menacing bone scythe cut down, threatening to split Sunny apart. He was somewhat certain that his skin would withstand the edge, but there was no point in taking the risk. The Sin of Solace moved to intercept the strike, much slower than he was used to, but still viciously fast.


    The jade blade easily cut through the scythe, breaking it, and then continued forward to sever the flesh mannequin from shoulder to thigh.


    The Spell whispered into his ear, its voice unaffected by the heavy mass of water:


    [You have slain a Fallen Monster...]


    [Your shadow...]


    With no time to listen to it, Sunny suppressed his revulsion and used the bleeding remains of the abomination to launch himself sideways. A moment later, a chitinous body barreled through the spot he had been occupying.


    Five more were already closing in on him from five different directions.


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    ''This... this is not too bad.''


    The situation was dire, but not as hopeless as he had expected. The greatest threat �� the Terror itself �� was currently preoccupied with Bloodwave. The thralls, meanwhile, were numerous and much more powerful than they had the right to be. However, there was one factor working against them.


    Most of the thralls were no more native to the dark abyss of the ocean than he was.


    Their movements were purposeful, but a little bit awkward. Their initial assault was dreadful, but mostly because many had been launched forward by the long pieces of white cloth that swirled around and trailed behind the Terror, behaving like the tentacles of a giant monster. Now that their momentum was spent, the thralls were much slower and less maneuverable than Naeve.


    And Sunny, too, thanks to the Nimble Catch. An Awakened would have been torn to pieces in an instant, but the two Masters found themselves at a certain advantage.


    More than that, Sunny realized that his Aspect was not as useless underwater as he had thought. There were no shadows around him to manifest... but that was only because he could not compel living shadows to obey him. Of those, there were plenty �� shadows required a surface to exist, and each thrall''s body was a surface.


    Each of the thralls possessed a shadow, which allowed Sunny to sense their movements even if he did not see them. It also allowed Sunny to use Shadow Step, as long as the abomination was large enough.


    As five thralls lunged at him, Sunny swam forward, dodged the claws of an especially large Nightmare Creature... and dove into its shadow, appearing on top of the chitinous monstrosity that had missed him a few moments earlier.


    The Sin of Solace plunged through the thick carapace, instantly killing the abomination.


    [You have slain a Fallen Beast...]


    [Your shadow...]


    Sunny almost grinned.


    ''So many fragments...''


    He pushed himself off the convulsing carcass, narrowly escaping the cloud of blood, and looked up just in time to see Naeve clashing with another thrall.


    The bone harpoon once again struck first, beheading the hollow-eyed creature.


    However, this time, the Nightwalker was a split second too late to dodge the incoming attack.


    Even though the thrall had lost its head, the creature''s tail still flew forward, carried by momentum and inertia. The long, vicious spike at the end of the tail struck Naeve square in the chest, easily piercing the nacreous shell armor and plunging deep into his body. Then, it emerged from his back.


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    But then, something strange happened. The scion of the House of Night seemed to ignore the terrible wound... and in fact, there was no wound. Instead, it was as though Naeve''s body had turned into liquid �� the spike pierced that liquid and then flew out of the Master''s side without leaving a trace. A second later, Naeve turned solid once again, already attacking the next thrall.


    His movements were swift, graceful, and flowing.


    Sunny tore his gaze away and lashed out with the Sin of Solace to deflect a blow from a hollow-eyes thrall.


    ''...Neat.''


    Behind them, Bloodwave had finally reached the beautiful, harrowing white blossom.

 Chapter 1017 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (35)

    1017 The Fall of Falcon Scott (35)


    The monstrous killer whale cut through the crimson darkness, descending upon the ethereal blossom of flowing white cloth.


    His mouth opened, revealing a palisade of terrifying fangs. His blue eyes had turned deep red, glowing like spotlights and full of murderous intent.


    As the great predator approached, the pallid flower exploded with movement. The shorter petals swirled, creating a barrier of white cloth around the small, unclear shape hidden in their center. The longer ones, which had been drifting gracefully on the currents, suddenly contracted and shot forward like tentacles.


    Bloodwave roared.


    Powerful currents surrounding his body churned, surging forward to meet the petals. He dodged nimbly, continuing to move forward as his jaw closed on one of the white tentacles.


    There was no blood, no torn flesh, and no crushed bone. It was as though the petal was indeed nothing but white silk, and damaging it was like cutting a piece of lifeless cloth.


    Sunny did not see much of what happened after, because he had his own problems to worry about.


    There were just too many thralls around him, all powerful enough to pose a serious threat. Even with most of them assaulting the port fortress somewhere far away and above, the Terror''s drowned guard was enough to kill him and Naeve ten times over, if they were not careful enough.


    ''Damn it...''


    Propelling himself forward through the dark water, Sunny collided with a hideous creature made of iron and bone. The Sin of Solace passed through the abomination''s body, cleaving it apart. However, the next thrall was already upon him.


    Two human hands wrapped around his throat, trying to rip it open with dreadful strength. Sunny''s skin turned hard as stone and resisted the pale fingers, but he still found himself being strangled. Using shadow sense to perceive the shape of the enemy, Sunny slashed back with the jade sword, severing both of the arms.


    Tearing the cold hands off, he twisted and kicked back, pushing himself and the thrall away from each other. His adversary was hindered and maimed, but not eliminated.


    And more were already closing in.


    ''...This is not going to work.''


    He was doing well, for now, but death was only one mistake away. Sunny relied on his superior speed and maneuverability to slay the thralls, which meant that the moment he was immobilized or stalled, the tables would be turned. He was not a stranger to fighting with everything on the line, but not in an environment as strange and unfamiliar as the depths of the ocean.


    It was far easier to make a fatal mistake in a place the rules of which he did not know.


    Sunny willed himself to swim forward, then hesitantly turned onto his back and looked in the direction where Naeve was battling a throng of abominations. The Nightwalker moved with ease and graceful precision, navigating the dark waters like a creature born in and for the depths.


    He certainly knew the rules.


    An idea slowly formed in Sunny''s mind. He adjusted his battle strategy in order to always keep Naeve in his sight, earning a few shallow scrapes as a result.


    Sunny was a talented fighter, possessing combat intelligence on par with the best of the best. He had plenty of insight into the underlying laws of conflict, and much better than that, his mastery of Shadow Dance allowed him to read most of his opponents like an open book.


    And that was exactly what he had been doing throughout this battle, like most of the battles of the Antarctica campaign.


    There were too many thralls around to truly grasp all of their patterns, but their rudimentary battle styles were also crude and unsophisticated. Sensing the movements of their shadows for a few moments was enough to gain a shallow, but sufficient level of understanding.


    However... that approach might have been the wrong one, today.


    So, instead of trying to shadow his enemies, Sunny concentrated his will on trying to shadow his ally. Naeve''s battle style was much more complex, profound, and refined �� in terms of scope and sophistication, it was up there with the most intricately designed combat arts Sunny had witnessed.


    As expected of a scion of a great clan.


    That style was not something that he could learn in mere seconds, or even several minutes.


    But even the few minor insights Sunny did gain were already enough to qualitatively change his performance.


    ''Huh... so that''s how you do it...''


    The lessons he learned from using Shadow Dance to study how the Nightwalker moved were not anything grand, but they were extremely valuable. What better teacher could there be than a man supposedly carrying the lineage of Storm God, the god of the depths?


    It was all about how his body related to the water, and how the water related to his body. How to position himself to cut through it unimpeded, and how to use the mass of water for his advantage.


    Shadow Dance, and the harsh training Sunny had put himself through to master its first steps, made both his mind and body extremely malleable and adaptable. That was why he was able to quickly put what he had just learned into practice.


    Changing minute details of how he moved, which muscles he strained, and the timing of sending targeted impulses of essence to reinforce them, Sunny was suddenly able to navigate the dark abyss much more freely. He felt more... in control of his environment, now.


    Working with it instead of against it to achieve his goals.


    A massive Nightmare Creature lunged at him, its claws missing the target by a few centimeters �� just as Sunny had planned. He cut into the abomination and at the same time circled around it, using the carcass to hide from the next enemy. A moment later, the second thrall was dead, too.


    ''Good...''


    But then, there was even more Sunny could do by fusing his unique abilities with what he had learned from Naeve. Using the [Feather of Truth] to make himself lighter or heavier, he could float up or plummet deeper like a stone. Using Shadow Step, he could jump between the large abominations. He could even turn incorporeal and cling to their bodies as a shadow.


    If he used all of this smartly... the ocean would not be as inhospitable.


    In fact, it was even a little liberating. Being able to freely move in three dimensions instead of just two opened up all kinds of neat tricks he could pull... the only limit was his intellect, cunning, and imagination.


    ''Get ready, bastards...''


    Brandishing the Sin of Solace, Sunny cut through the dark water to meet the attacking thralls. A pale smile appeared on his face.

 Chapter 1018 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (36)

    1018 The Fall of Falcon Scott (36)


    Sunny and Naeve fought against the drowned guardians of the Terror, while Bloodwave assaulted the eerie flower of white cloth itself.


    From what Sunny could see �� and he rarely got the chance to glance in that direction, embroiled in a furious and lethally dangerous battle of his own �� the Corrupted creature and the Saint were at an impasse of sorts.


    The Terror did not seem to have a lot of physical power. His graceful petals possessed a harrowing strength, of course, but not enough to threaten the Transcendent in his bestial form. Not all Saint transformations were those of beasts, and out of the ones that were, not all possessed overwhelming physical might.


    But Bloodwave certainly did.


    The monstrous killer whale attacked again and again, and the pallid blossom avoided his teeth and fangs again and again. Its shorter petals danced, making the Terror glide away, moving in irrational and mesmerizing patterns. The sight of it was eerily beautiful.


    Its longer petals, though �� some of them hundreds of meters long �� slithered through the crimson darkness like white tentacles, battering the great predator and trying to wrap themselves around his enormous body. Nevertheless, Bloodwave did not seem hindered.


    A few of them were already torn apart, swathes of billowing white cloth drifting silently into the dark depths.


    ...Some distance away from the two clashing giants, Sunny and Naeve were feverishly battling the legion of hollow-eyed thralls. The cold abyss was littered with blooming clouds of blood and sliced remnants that floated around them like a morbid veil. Almost a hundred abominations had already been slain, but twice as many still remained.


    ''Curse it...''


    The Nightwalker was a good partner in this battle, perhaps even the best Sunny could have hoped for. And yet, he still missed his Shadows... granted, neither would have been of much help in the depths of the ocean. Stone knights were not exactly the best divers, and neither were horses, as far as he knew.


    Sunny, meanwhile, had grown somewhat confident about fighting underwater. He had managed to learn a few things by observing Naeve, and understood how to deal with the unbearable pressure by borrowing from his experiences with the Crushing.


    Everything was going well...


    Sunny decapitated another thrall, then spun, bringing the Sin of Solace in front of him. A creature that had been hidden by a cloud of blood suddenly lunged forward, only to impale itself on the jade jian �� he had sensed its shadow long before the abomination appeared in view.


    His lungs were burning, which was a concerning thing when one was deep, deep below the surface of the ocean. However, Sunny knew that it was just a sign of physical exertion. The Essence Pearl was still supplying him with a steady stream of air to breathe, and although he felt tired, that tiredness was nowhere near being debilitating.


    With every kill they made, the number of thralls attacking Sunny and Naeve diminished. They had already survived the assault of the full three hundred, so fighting against the remaining two was much more manageable, and it would only grow more manageable soon.


    ''So why do I feel so uneasy?''


    Sunny shivered, allowing himself to drift down for a brief moment.


    Indeed, despite the fact that they seemed to be prevailing, his heart was growing heavier with each kill. It did not make any logical sense, but nevertheless, Sunny''s intuition seemed to be telling him that he was missing something.


    But what?


    There was not much time to think between the clashes with the abominable thralls, mostly because Sunny had to spend that time observing the dark waters around him and frantically calculating how and where to move in order to survive, as well as put himself in position for the next attack.


    And yet, the longer the battle went on, the more it felt as though something was not right.


    ''What is it?''


    He would have said that it was too easy, but it was not �� fighting hundreds of menacing thralls underwater was one of the hardest and most demanding battles he had the misfortune of going through in the Southern Quadrant. Sunny was not only pushing his limits, he had ventured well past them, going so far as to learn an entirely new dimension of combat. Even then, it was barely enough to keep him alive.


    Perhaps... perhaps it was the fact that the Terror of LO49 had yet to launch a devastating mental assault on them, or pull some other diabolical trick.


    Not that it was not already doing more than enough �� in fact, the powers that the pallid blossom wielded were truly harrowing.


    It was controlling thousands of thralls that laid siege to the port, spreading its hex through the garrison of the fortress and the First Army soldiers manning the northern section of the wall, puppeteering hundreds of abominations that sought to kill Sunny and Naeve, and fighting a powerful Saint... all at the same time.


    It was just that Sunny had expected... something more. The bitter defeat he had suffered at LO49 left a mark on his heart. Although he did not want to admit it, the truth of the matter was that Sunny was afraid of the Terror.


    Was that fear irrational?


    ''The Marble Shell gives me high protection against mental attacks. It is currently an Ascended Attribute, one Rank below the Terror, but it is also augmented by my shadows.


    Bloodwave and Naeve... I don''t know what tools they have to defend their minds, but anyone from a great clan has to have a great arsenal of Memories at their disposal...''


    Maybe the truth was just that simple �� the three of them were too tough to be affected by the Terror''s greatest weapon.


    As he dispatched another thrall and briefly met Naeve, the two of them grasping hands to propel each other in different directions, the Sin of Solace sighed.


    "Such a fool..."


    Sunny grimaced, raising the jade jian to meet another enemy.


    He had grown accustomed to the cursed sword striking at all his deepest insecurities, the lack of education and intelligence �� mostly emotional �� being one of them.


    However... why had the Sin of Solace spoken now?


    ''What was I thinking about?''


    The three of them being highly resistant to the Terror''s most powerful means of attack... and before that, about how many things the creature was doing at the same time, from fighting Bloodwave to controlling the assault on the port fortress.


    He continued to slay one thrall after another, becoming more and more distracted by the feeling of impending doom. His intuition was almost screaming now.


    ''I don''t get it... I don''t get it, damn!''


    Sunny tore through a group of abominations, gritting his teeth. Luckily, there were much fewer of them left, so he had some space to think. Because of that, a random thought found its way into his mind.


    ''I wonder how Dale is doing...''


    Then, he froze, which almost cost him an eye.


    Dale, and the other defenders of Falcon Scott, must have obliterated a lot of the thralls on the shore by now.


    And here in the depths of the ocean, Sunny and Naeve had killed their share, as well.


    ��?��m And the Terror... which had been spread thin, controlling all of them... was freed from the burden of commanding the thralls.


    With each of its puppets the humans destroyed, the creature was gaining back the ability to concentrate all its powers into a single point.


    Suddenly chilled to the bone, Sunny turned around to see the battle between the Terror and the Saint.


    But he was a few moments too late.

 Chapter 1019 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (37)

    1019 The Fall of Falcon Scott (37)


    Some distance away, the ethereal flower suddenly swirled, its beautiful petals billowing outward like a current of white silk. Ghostly tentacles of flowing cloth shot toward the charging Saint, too swift and insidious to dodge.


    As Sunny watched in fear, Bloodwave''s head became enveloped by the silk, his glowing eyes disappearing from view. The body of the monstrous killer whale shuddered, moved weakly, and then grew strangely still.


    ''Gods...''


    He saw something much more frightening, as well.


    Two of the longer petals were already flying through the dark abyss, approaching Sunny and Naeve. They were fast... too fast. Inescapable.


    He had no time to dodge, or even react. There were no thralls close enough to hide in their shadow, and not enough time to try and swim away. All Sunny managed to do was slash forward with the Sin of Solace. The jade blade met the white petal, cutting through the cloth. A small piece of it drifted away, but the petal was not slowed down at all.


    It seemed to unfurl into a vast expanse of billowing silk, surrounding Sunny from all sides. Then, he was wrapped in the cold whiteness, encompassed and immobilized by it. The feeling of smooth satin brushing against his naked skin made Sunny shudder.


    ''Damna... tion...''


    Then, the world grew still.


    The dark abyss of the ocean disappeared, replaced by an eternity of fluttering white cloth.


    His exhaustion and fear disappeared, too.


    His memory, foresight, awareness, intent, and resolve were gone.


    His mind was empty.


    Sunny vaguely remembered having thoughts, desires, and hopes. But those words seemed senseless now, their meaning unfathomable. In fact, the word he had used to describe himself �� Sunny �� was meaningless, too. What a strange one it was...


    Surrounded by billowing silk, he sensed movement. There were... shadows... moving around him. He was moving, too, being drawn closer to the largest one.


    With each passing moment, his sense of self was dissolving more and more. Soon, it would be gone completely. And then, something new, something old, something darker, something... waiting... was going to take its place.


    He felt at peace with that.


    He felt... empty.


    The emptiness was comforting.


    There was just one thing blemishing the peaceful white flawlessness of the empty satin world.


    ...A sinister, mocking voice. It whispered into his ear, gloating:


    "Here we go. A pathetic end for a pathetic fool."


    Spurred by the hateful voice �� his own voice �� Sunny suddenly remembered.


    Lost from Light.


    That was his name.


    That one memory unlocked all the rest like a key.


    ''What... is... going on?''


    He struggled against the white cloth enveloping his body, but it was hopeless. The terrifying understanding flooded his mind, making him remember what had happened, and what was happening.


    What was probably about to happen.I think you should take a look at


    Sunny''s consciousness was strangely split, one part of it sensing the reality of being dragged through the mass of water by one of the Terror''s petals, the other still lost in the endless expanse of billowing silk.


    He could feel a boundless alien presence encroaching upon both, seeing through his eyes, thinking his thoughts, and hungrily wanting for more. Its progress was slow and labored, but inevitable. Sunny tried to fight against the harrowing invader, throwing all of his willpower into a fierce assault, but it simply shattered against the vast, ancient, malevolent enormity of it like glass.


    ''Ah... not good...''


    His thoughts were slowing down.


    Suspecting that fighting the Terror in the mindscape was a futile endeavor, Sunny tried to free himself from the physical bonds instead. However, his arms were pressed tightly against his body, and the white cloth refused to part before the blade of the Sin of Solace, like the flesh of other Nightmare Creatures usually did. He wasn''t going to cut through it while only being able to move his wrist a tiny bit.


    ''Curse it!''


    Sunny could vaguely sense the shadows of Naeve and Bloodwave some distance away from him. It seemed that he was the only one trying to struggle against the Terror''s petals. Both were probably still mesmerized... why was he not, then?


    The Sin of Solace and possessing a True Name might have helped, but it could not have been the only reason. Bloodwave was the enigmatic Saint''s True Name, as well, and yet the monstrous killer whale was motionless, silently drifting on the currents in the dreadful embrace of white silk.


    Which meant that this small degree of awareness was probably the result of Sunny''s unreasonably high resistance to mental attacks. Even though he now shared his head with the Terror, a part of his mind was still fighting against it.


    What good was it, though, since Sunny could neither free himself nor stop the creature from replacing his very self?


    As he was drawn closer and closer to the beautiful blossom of white silk, he could feel himself growing... insubstantial. With each moment, his thoughts became less his own. His eyes stared at the silken veil, moving on their own. As if something else was looking through them.


    Finally, Sunny felt true horror.


    He had been scared before, but never like this. Sensing something else take possession of his body, while utterly helpless to resist the slow dissolution of his will... it was the realization of all his deepest, most guarded fears.


    And it was being done by the Terror of LO49... the hateful, abominable creature that had already defeated him once.


    Full of dark resentment, Sunny gritted his teeth, and summoned two Memories. That much he could still do, at least.


    One was a small lantern cut out of obsidian.


    The other was a fearsome mask of black lacquered wood, with vicious fangs and three sharp, twisting horns.


    Weaver''s Mask... Sunny had not called upon it in a long time.


    It frightened him, as well, almost as much as the Terror.


    Trying not to think about what he was about to do, Sunny activated the single enchantment of the Shadow Lantern, commanding it to devour all light around it.


    There was no light to devour in the dark abyss, but that was not what he wanted. What he really wanted was for the divine Memory to gobble up as much of his essence as it could.


    The Shadow Lantern burned through most of the essence Sunny had in the time it took the white tendril of silk to bring him to the pallid blossom. There was very little of it left, now...


    Sunny felt like his mind was almost gone.


    Struggling to wrestle control of his face from the terrifying presence, he forced himself to grin. He wanted that smile to be menacing, but all it ended up being was weak and scared.


    ''A pity...''


    He sensed a vast shadow that was full of harrowing wrongness looming close, and thought:


    ''You wanted to see through my eyes? Well, then... look...''


    With that, Sunny reached into Weaver''s Mask and activated its second enchantment...


    [Where is my eye?]

 Chapter 1020 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (38)

    1020 The Fall of Falcon Scott (38)


    Sunny had never even thought about using that deadly enchantment after the first time. Back then, moments before falling into the Sky Below, he had activated it out of sheer desperation.


    His gamble had paid off, but it almost cost him his life.


    [Where is my eye?) allowed the wearer of the mask to gaze upon the tapestry of fate in all its harrowing glory. The endless, beautiful eternity of twisting threads transfixed all existence, stretching infinitely in every direction, as well as into the past, present, and future. It connected everyone and everything like an inconceivable, unknowable web.


    Weaver might have been capable of witnessing the great tapestry... but mere mortals like Sunny were not.


    A single moment of looking at fate had almost caused his mind to collapse. If his essence had not run out after that single moment, he would certainly have been killed, his head exploding in the most violent fashion. Luckily, he had gotten off easy by only experiencing unimaginable pain and pure agony, the memory of which still made him shudder.


    ...The Terror was very welcome to try doing the same.


    As the last of Sunny''s essence was disappearing, causing him to experience painful backlash, the inconceivable sight of the great tapestry of fate superimposed itself through and above the world. It was as stunning, breathtaking, and utterly overwhelming as he had remembered... however, funnily enough, Sunny saw the beautiful threads differently this time.


    To him, they seemed like nothing but chains now.


    Granted, he did not linger trying to look, only catching a small glimpse of the cosmic tapestry. Prepared for what was to come, Sunny used a little, but rather devious trick.


    His consciousness was still split between reality and the illusion of the endless expanse of billowing white silk that the Terror had created to mesmerize its prey. So, Sunny made himself blind to the actual world, concentrating entirely on the illusory realm of pure whiteness.


    That was why the Terror, who had almost stolen his body and was now looking upon the world through his eyes, was the only one to gaze upon the harrowing infinity.


    Sunny felt the white silk enveloping him quiver, as if the pallid blossom was convulsing.


    Even though his head was full of splitting pain because of that one short glimpse of the Strings of Fate, his weak smile finally turned into a real grin.


    ''...Look well, wretch."


    A split second later, his essence ran dry, and the deadly enchantment deactivated. The tapestry of fate disappeared, and Sunny suddenly found himself freed from the alien presence devouring his mind... or rather, it was still there, but now stunned and writhing in pain.


    The physical binding of white silk that wrapped his body had come a little loose, as well.


    Not wasting a single moment, Sunny used that slack to thrust his hand forward. The tip of the Sin of Solace pierced the wall of the cloth prison, and then moved upward, cutting a vertical rift in it.


    A second later, he sliced the white petal open and burst into the dark water, incredibly happy to be in the oppressive embrace of the dark ocean once again.


    Sunny hastily studied his surroundings, knowing that he did not have much time.


    Witnessing the tapestry of fate had not killed him as an Awakened Monster, so he doubted that it would kill a Corrupted Terror �� if that was truly what the dreadful flower of silk was. In any case, the creature would most likely not stay stunned for too long.


    Currently, the pallid blossom seemed to be seizing, its petals contorting in grotesque convulsions. The graceful harmony of their eerily beautiful dance had been broken, replaced instead by chaotic and jittery movements devoid of any logic.I think you should take a look at


    The thralls appeared to be pained and disoriented, too.


    Looking at the agony consuming the abominable creature, Sunny became even more convinced that fate was something that only gods were meant to see... or maybe no one at all. If even a Corrupted abomination of great and terrible power was reduced to a convulsing mess, what hope did mere humans have of withstanding the sight of eternity?


    Shrugging off his own pain, Sunny glanced briefly at Naeve and Bloodwave. They seemed to be showing signs of life, but had not even begun trying to free themselves yet. Chances were, the Terror would come to its senses before they ever could.


    He had to finish the battle himself.


    Gripping the hilt of the Sin of Solace, Sunny propelled himself forward. He fought against the weakness that had been left behind by draining all of his essence, pushing his body through the water as fast as he could.


    The Nimble Catch had turned into a useless piece of net, its active enchantment silent. Luckily, the enchantment of the Essence Pearl was a passive one, so he could still breathe.


    His muscles and his lungs were burning by the time he reached the white flower. It had only been a dozen seconds or so, but the convulsions of the billowing petals were already growing weaker.


    Feeling cold terror grasp his heart, Sunny gritted his teeth and dove into the mass of white silk.


    His goal was the small shape hidden in the center of the petals.


    Swimming between the dancing swathes of white cloth, Sunny could not shake the feeling that he would be caught again at any moment. That his mind would be devoured, and his will would be replaced by something alien and vile.


    Nevertheless, he pushed forward.


    After an eternity of fear, he finally reached the heart of the pallid blossom.


    And there, he saw...


    Sunny froze for a moment.


    In front of him was a shape wrapped in white silk. He could see the vague contours of a human body, desiccated and short in stature. It was feminine and small, almost delicate. Pressed tightly against the wrappings, a hint of a face could be discerned... two hollow pits where eyes should have been, and a larger one of a mouth that seemed to be open in a silent, eternal scream.


    A cold understanding suddenly dawned on him. Looking at the expanse of white cloth extending from the wrapped body, he realized that what he had thought to be a flower was not a flower at all... it was simply a great burial shroud of white silk, its sleeves and draping drifting in the cold dark water.


    Sunny lingered only for a split second, then grabbed onto the desiccated body, coming face to face with it, and drove his sword through its heart.


    A strange, sorrowful sensation overwhelmed him for a moment.


    Then, the white cloth around Sunny suddenly exploded with frenetic motion, and soon grew still.


    In the silence that followed, the Spell whispered solemnly into his ear:


    [You have slain a Corrupted Terror...]

 Chapter 1021 The Fall of Falcon Scott (39)

    1021 The Fall of Falcon Scott (39)


    The voice of the Spell resounded in the boundless darkness of the ocean, making Sunny shudder.


    [You have slain a Corrupted Terror, Sybil of the Fallen Grace.] [...Your shadow grows stronger.]


    As the veiled body drifted down, wreathed in billowing white silk, one last whisper brushed against his ears:


    [You have received a Memory.]


    The Terror was falling down, deeper and deeper into the cold abyss. Sunny spared one last glance at the pallid blossom of the great burial shroud, knowing that it would be consumed forever by the dark depths soon. Then, he turned away and tiredly pushed himself in the opposite direction.


    Sunny... was not in great shape.


    His mind was slowly recovering from the dreadful mental assault, but his head was in the throes of a splitting headache thanks to catching the smallest glimpse of the tapestry of fate. His body felt weak and feverish, still suffering from the backlash of draining all of his essence.


    There were the remnants of the trauma caused by touching a Nightmare Gate, as well. Sunny felt like he was about to cough his lungs out. Holding it back was not an easy task...


    And yet, a hint of dark, somber glee still managed to overcome the cold numbness that encompassed his battered mind.


    ''...I did it. I killed that vile thing.''


    In the end, he ended the Terror with his own hands. The stain of their disastrous first meeting had not been erased, but his failure at LO49 was... vindicated, now. Somewhat.


    Or rather, it would be if he managed to return to the surface alive.


    ...Which, looking at the dark expanse of the ocean around him, Sunny was not sure that he would be able to do.


    ''Curses.''


    The Terror... Sybil of the Fallen Grace... was dead and drifting lifelessly into the lightless depths. However, its thralls had not perished with their master. They seemed directionless and sapped of power, but there were still almost a hundred of them left.


    In his current state, and especially without the active enchantment of the Nimble Catch, Sunny did not count his chances against the creatures as high. A dark grimace contorted his pale face.


    ''Essence! I need essence...''


    Even knowing that it would not be enough, Sunny dismissed Weaver''s Mask and the Shadow Lantern. A tiny stream of essence fell into the arid desert of his drained soul, and was instantly consumed by his body. The feeling of weakness diminished a little, but not nearly enough to change the situation.


    The thralls were already coming to their senses, their hollow eyes peering through the mass of dark water at Sunny, Bloodwave, and Naeve. Some had begun moving in their direction, full of murderous intent.


    ''Bloodwave and Naeve?''


    Sunny glanced at his companions, hoping against all hope to see them up and about.


    Naeve was still stunned, drifting listlessly on the currents.


    The Saint, however...


    As Sunny watched, the monstrous killer whale flinched, then jerked his head sideways. The span of white cloth still wrapped around it slid off, revealing the great beast''s glowing blue eyes. For a moment, they seemed disoriented, but then sharp intelligence shone through the fog of confusion, obliterating it.


    An indignant growl escaped from Bloodwave''s mouth as he gazed at the drowning remains of the Terror and the approaching swarm of the liberated thralls.I think you should take a look at


    The Saint lingered for a moment, then moved his giant body and shielded Sunny from the enemies with its bulky mass. The enormous jaws snapped, pulverizing the fastest of the approaching Nightmare Creatures. Then, the killer whale surged forward to meet the rest of them.


    In the next couple of minutes, a one-sided massacre took place in the dark depths.


    Sunny realized in the first few seconds that his participation wasn''t required. Instead of getting in the way, he swam closer to Naeve, grabbed him, and dragged both of them further away from the boiling battlefield.


    "S��sunless?"


    The Nightwalker''s voice sounded weak in his mind, but he was conscious, at least. Sunny nodded, then turned the two of them so that Naeve could see his uncle obliterating the thralls.


    After a few seconds of silence, he heard the Nightwalker''s voice again.


    "What... about... the Terror?"


    Sunny thought for a moment, then dragged his finger across his throat.


    "Ah... good..."


    The two of them watched silently as Bloodwave tore the hundred abominations to shreds. Watching a Saint in action was a... sobering experience, to say the least. Sunny shuddered at the thought of having to battle someone like that directly.


    And yet... the Terror of LO49 had dealt with the fearsome Transcendent, only to end up being dealt with by Sunny. So...


    ''Don''t get a big head now.''


    Sunny was all but certain that Mordret had already killed a Saint. However, knowing how diabolical that fiend was, that clash might not have been a direct battle, either.


    ...On the other hand, Sunny could easily imagine the Prince of Nothing doing exactly that and crushing a Transcendent in a straightforward fight, somehow, in order to terrify the rest of his enemies and break their wills.


    Would Sunny be able to do the same?


    T have no reason to find out.''


    He had no desire to kill Saints. If anything, Sunny wanted to have more of them around... the more, the merrier. The position of the First Army in Eastern Antarctica was much better than here, in this godforsaken hell, and the Second Army was already on its way. However, the Chain of Nightmares was far from being over.


    Who knew what would happen in the coming months?


    ...It had taken Bloodwave no more than two minutes to annihilate the thralls. Sunny had thought that the Saint would rest for a bit after having to fight a Corrupted Terror and its minions, but the great predator did not waste any time.


    Returning to where Sunny and Naeve were floating, he studied the two Masters with one of his giant glowing eyes, then shifted slightly. The tall fin that they had ridden into the depths was now right in front of them.


    Sunny helped Naeve find a handhold, then tiredly clutched the steel armor himself.


    ''Time to go back...''


    The pallid shape of the slain Terror had long ago disappeared from view, devoured by the lightless depths. The mangled corpses of the thralls still drifted around them, slowly being carried away by the currents.


    Ignoring them, the giant killer whale bellowed and surged forward...


    This time, he was moving up.

 Chapter 1022 The Fall of Falcon Scott (40)

    1022 The Fall of Falcon Scott (40)


    On the way back, Sunny couldn''t help but retreat inside himself. He did not know what was happening on the surface �� whether the port fortress still stood, whether the Devouring Cloud had breached the walls of the city. The very idea of a world outside of the cold, dark, muted, oppressive abyss of the ocean seemed strange and distant.


    Chances were, he would have to fight again as soon as Bloodwave delivered them under the walls of Falcon Scott.


    However, Sunny was too tired, both physically and mentally, to care. He just wanted to forget about everything and rest, at least for a short while.


    Luckily, the killer whale seemed to be moving much slower as they ascended from the depths. That, most likely, was done for the benefit of Sunny and Naeve �� even though they were Masters, they were still fundamentally humans. Neither would have died from the decompression sickness, but it could do a lot of damage to their already strained and battered bodies.


    Actually, Sunny was not sure if he was even susceptible to the bends, considering how strange and tenacious his blood was. However, he welcomed the short moment of respite.


    Somber and unchanging, the dark ocean remained the same as they retreated from its cold depths. The only difference Sunny could feel was the slow, gradual lessening of the pressure that weighed on him like a slab of stone. With each minute, his body seemed to become a little lighter, and breathing was a little easier.


    He closed his eyes, allowing the cold currents to carry him.


    ''...Right. There was a Memory. I should... probably... study it before we return to the battlefield.''


    Sunny was in no shape to fight, but he might have no choice but to join the battle soon. He had to use any advantage there.


    He summoned the runes and watched as they shimmered in the darkness, slowly forming into coherent shapes. Before turning his attention to the Memories, he briefly checked the list of Shadows. Both Saint and Nightmare seemed to be alive. Relieved, Sunny let out a mental sigh and looked up.


    A new set of runes appeared at the end of the list of his Memories.


    Memory: [Shroud of Graceless Dusk].


    He lingered for a moment.


    ''Huh.''


    That was the second Memory in his arsenal named after a burial garb. Was the Spell trying to insinuate something?


    Too apathetic to care, Sunny shrugged and continued to read.


    Memory Rank: Transcendent.


    Memory Tier: VI.


    Memory Type: armor.


    He closed his eyes again, for a moment.


    A Transcendent Memory of the Sixth Tier was the strongest he had ever received after slaying an enemy... of course, it was, since Sybil of the Fallen Grace was the strongest enemy he had ever slain. There was the Spawn of the Vile Thieving Bird, as well, but Sunny did not really consider that victory a true, honestly earned kill.


    In any case, the Shroud of Graceless Dusk had to be an extremely potent Memory. And it was an armor, too �� something that he desperately lacked at the moment.


    ''Lucky.''


    Somewhat encouraged, he opened his eyes and looked back at the runes.


    Memory Description: [Sybils were the heralds of the gods and conduits of divine grace. Many mysteries were known to them, and so were many truths. There was one being, though, who knew much more �� the graceless caitiff, Demon of Dread. He knew every truth there was, because he knew everyone''s fear- even that of the gods.


    And so, seeking salvation from the end, the sybils abandoned the mortal realm and guided their people on a long and arduous journey. They led them far away, across the lands consumed by war...


    To the Tomb of Ariel.I think you should take a look at


    There, they found solace, safety, and shelter. In time, the voices of the gods grew silent one after another, leaving behind only a vast and dreadful silence. That was how the sybils embraced the Estuary, and that was how they fell.]


    Sunny frowned.


    ''That guy again...''


    By now, he was all but certain that the region of the Dream Realm where the Chain of Nightmares had originated �� and the black pyramid hidden within �� had something to do with Ariel, the Demon of Dread. Was the pyramid really his tomb, then? How would a daemon die, and who would build him an opulent grave?


    And what did the great river that allegedly flowed back in time have to do with any of that? Its estuary was mentioned in the description of the Stifled Scream as a place where a dreadful secret had been hidden. Was this the same estuary?


    The sybils had been, apparently, some sort of oracles that received revelations from the gods. Once the gods died, those revelations obviously stopped. The timing didn''t really make sense, though, because the Tomb of Ariel had seemingly existed long before that.


    ''Mysterious...''


    With a tired sigh, Sunny tried to ignore the myriad of questions and turned his attention to the enchantments of the Graceless Dusk. There were no less than six of them:


    Enchantments: [Blessing of Mind], (Blessing of Soul],


    [Blessing of Spirit], [Blessing of Flesh], [Sublime Silk],


    [Blessing of Dusk].


    Somewhat invigorated, he studied the descriptions:


    [Blessing of Mind] Enchantment Description: "This Memory enhances one''s mental acuity."


    [Blessing of Soul] Enchantment Description: "This Memory enhances one''s rate of passive soul essence replenishment."


    [Blessing of Spirit] Enchantment Description: "This Memory enhances one''s ability to endure and recover from mental fatigue."


    [Blessing of Flesh] Enchantment Description: "This Memory enhances one''s ability to endure and recover from physical fatigue."


    [Sublime Silk] Enchantment Description: "This Memory is woven out of sublime, mystical silk. It is impervious and possesses a beautiful splendor."


    [Blessing of Dusk] Enchantment Description: "This Memory carries the blessing of Dusk, last sybil of the Estuary. The wearer can establish a mental connection with another being to hear their voice and thoughts, or make their own be heard."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, and then apathetically dismissed the runes.


    ''Well... I''d say it''s a jackpot.''


    The Shroud of Graceful Dusk was an incredible Memory, indeed. Its value was only increased by the fact that all but the last of its enchantments were passive �� a rare case for Memories of the higher Ranks.


    The silk garment would enhance Sunny''s thinking, passive essence regeneration, as well as make him tire less and recover from fatigue faster. He would also be able to communicate with other people... or maybe even creatures... telepathically, which was an incredibly valuable ability.


    If there was one thing about the Graceless Dusk that made Sunny feel a bit regretful, it was that it did not seem to be oriented toward battle, and instead gifted the wearer with great utility outside of it. That was not too strange, since there were a lot of armor-type Memories like that. Still... a Transcendent one, even if it was made of fabric instead of steel, would not be too shabby.


    And he was already thinking about how to use the [Blessing of Dusk] to cause savage mental shock to people. Sunny had plenty of harrowing experiences to share through a mental link...


    As he thought about that, the temperature of the ocean surrounding him subtly changed. Looking up, Sunny could see dim lights through the mass of water.


    They were approaching the surface.

 Chapter 1023 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (41)

    1023 The Fall of Falcon Scott (41)


    Sunny crawled onto the shore and lay on the cold stones of the pebble beach for a bit, breathing heavily. It was incredibly nice to lie on solid ground again, but at the same time, his body felt heavy and cumbersome. A part of it had to do with spending some time in the depths of the ocean, and a part of it was simply because he was still tired and low on essence.


    ''Curse it...''


    He had enough sense left, at least, to let one shadow slide off his body and take a look around to make sure that there were no enemies in his immediate vicinity.


    There were none, at least not close by. There was only Naeve, who seemed to be doing a little bit better than Sunny. The Nightwalker took a few deep breaths, then slowly sat up.


    "We... we actually made it. Gods, I really did not expect to live through this one."


    He glanced at Sunny, receiving a vague gesture of confirmation. Sunny shared the feeling.


    Naeve grasped his shoulder for a moment, then asked with a hint of morbid curiosity in his voice:


    "How did you manage to kill that horror, anyway? Such a devastating mental attack... even Uncle failed to resist it."


    Sunny remained motionless for a few seconds, pushed himself off the ground with a tired groan, and glanced at the scion of Night somberly.


    Spitting out the Essence Pearl, he then grimaced and said:


    "I guess it was just fate... that fiend was fated to die by my hand, and so, fate helped me kill it."


    Naeve smiled weakly, then looked away.


    "Never took you for a fatalist."


    That was when a third figure rose from the water. Bloodwave walked onto the shore, his eyes glinting with shades of deep blue and indigo. Drops of water were rolling down his smooth ebony skin, contours of steel muscles clearly visible under it.


    The Saint remained silent for a few moments, looking into the distance. Then, he sighed, and suddenly disappeared. A strong gale threw a scattering of pebbles into the air, making Sunny cover his face with his hand.


    ''What... what is that speed?''


    He lowered his hand and looked in the direction where Bloodwave had dashed. Slowly, his face grew still.


    "No..."


    Naeve''s voice sounded defeated.


    The shore around them was empty. Here and there, a few dead Nightmare Creatures lay on the ground, their blood steaming in the cold. Snowflakes were dancing in the air as they fell from the empty sky. There were no brood beasts in sight, and the roar of the distant cannonade was much quieter than it had been when they left...


    All good signs.


    However, the illusion of peace was destroyed when one saw the port fortress that loomed some distance away.


    A large section of its wall was torn asunder and collapsed, and most of the lights that had illuminated the battlements were now dark. There was movement in the breach, silhouettes who looked like people walking between the rubble with unsteady steps. Beyond that, Sunny could see nothing else.


    Remembering the sight of the vast crowd of frightened refugees cowering in the courtyard, he felt his heart turn cold.


    ...The battle was over, at least. Otherwise, Bloodwave would have already been rampaging among the remaining abominations. The ships anchored near the fortress were intact, as well. Whatever damage had been done to the port did not reach them.


    Sunny stood up with a stagger, then dismissed the Essence Pearl and the Nimble Catch. Black threads surrounded his body, soon turning into the grey fabric of the Puppeteer''s Shroud.


    Glancing at the crestfallen Nightwalker, he said evenly:I think you should take a look at


    "Let''s go."


    The two of them slowly made their way to the fortress.


    As they approached, more details became visible.


    The bodies of the thralls littered the ground, mangled and torn apart. There were much more of them here than there had been protecting the Terror �� thousands of them, all slain despite their dreadful power. It seemed that the defenders of the fort had not surrendered even a single meter of the approach without making the abominations pay a steep price.


    Sunny saw Nightmare Creatures of all kinds among the felled thralls, some of them large enough to make him shiver. There were human bodies among them, as well �� the former residents of L049, who had finally found their final resting place thousands of kilometers away from the distant research base.


    Perhaps they would have been glad to lay on solid ground again, as well, instead of floating endlessly in the lightless abyss of the ocean.


    When Sunny and Naeve walked closer to the breached wall of the fortress, they saw the bodies of the First Army soldiers among the dead thralls, too. Mundane humans, Awakened... there were too many of them to count.


    Sunny felt a bitter feeling grasp his heart.


    ...This was a part of his victory, as well.


    He had been proud, gleeful, and elated after killing the hateful Corrupted Terror, happy to receive a powerful Memory.


    However, his victory was made possible because most of the creature''s drowned guard had been drawn away by the defenders of the port. While Sunny was fighting the Sybil in the depths of the ocean, these men and women were dying here on the shore to give him a fighting chance.


    That did not diminish his accomplishment... however, it did put it in perspective. Cruelly so.


    Suddenly, Sunny remembered something Master Jet had told him once, years ago, while driving him to the gates of the Academy.


    No one can survive in the Dream Realm alone.


    ''The waking world... it''s no different from the Dream Realm these days, is it?''


    Maybe it never had been.


    Passing between the soldiers that were walking among the bodies, recovering the dead humans and hopelessly searching for wounded survivors, Sunny climbed the rubble to enter the breach and looked at the courtyard of the fortress that was revealed behind it.


    The refugees... were alive, pressed against the opposite wall of the yard and pale with terror. There was a light barricade built to shield them from any potential enemy, with soldiers vigilantly standing guard behind it.


    The battle seemed to have been the most fearsome just beyond the breach. An actual mountain of corpses was piled up where the defenders had made a desperate last stand, refusing to let the thralls reach the civilians.


    Sunny descended into the courtyard and looked around forlornly.


    He found Verne''s body soon. The enthralled Master was laying on his back, staring at the sky with empty, glassy eyes. His ribcage, shoulder, and skull were crushed by some devastating blunt weapon. He was finally, and mercifully, truly dead.


    ...Dale was laying nearby, too.


    Sunny almost failed to recognize the Irregular captain without his bulky armor �� the Memories, of course, had disappeared after the owner''s death �� and because the body was terribly mangled. However, the insignia of an Ascended of the First Army could still be discerned on the bloodied sleeve of his bodysuit.


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny took a few steps forward and kneeled near the mangled body.


    He did not really know what to do. The wind was picking up, making him shiver.


    Sunny remained silent for a while, and then said quietly: "You... rest well now, Master Dale. You did well."


    ''Your nightmare is over.''

 Chapter 1024 The Fall Of Falcon Scott (42)

    1024 The Fall of Falcon Scott (42)


    The second week of the siege was over.


    A few days ago, the Devouring Cloud had been eliminated. The Terror of L049 had been slain on the same day, as well. More people had been evacuated. More people were being evacuated, still.


    The siege capital still stood, firmly in human hands and mostly unbroken.


    Sunny was in a familiar office in the underground government complex �� the same one where he had met the rest of the Irregular officers before the siege started. The office was much the same, with only the image projected on the false window changed.


    It was still showing the view of the city, only now, there were fewer people on the streets. The blizzard was picking up again, too, so the visibility wasn''t great.


    There was also one more vacant chair.


    There were currently only three people inside �� Sunny, Jet, and Winter. The three of them were not enough for the large room, so it felt painfully empty.


    Winter''s eyes were hidden behind her sunglasses. This was the first time Sunny saw her after the day of the battle with the Devouring Cloud... he hesitated for a while, then forced himself to say:


    "Dale, he was... a good man."


    She turned her head slightly and stared at him for a while. Probably. Sunny could not really see where she was looking.


    Eventually, Winter sighed and briefly touched her forearm, where an edge of a tattoo could be seen peeking out from beneath the rolled sleeve of her bodysuit.


    "It''s alright. I knew that the fool was going to get himself killed, eventually. There were six of us at the start, you know?"


    She grew quiet for a bit, then shook her head.


    "Back at the Academy. Then, there were only two of us left after the Second Nightmare, and now there''s just me. I''ll probably be dead soon, too. No regrets, though, as long as it''s for a good cause."


    Her voice sounded as laid-back as usual, but Sunny could sense a bit of strain in it.


    "I''m sorry."


    Winter smiled.


    "If you''re really sorry, Little Devil, make sure to stay alive. You''re too young and cute to die. Reaper, you too... I mean, you too try to stay alive. Not that you''re young and cute..." Master Jet laughed.


    "Well, if you insist, I''ll have to give it a try. Might be a bit problematic, though."


    They remained silent for a few moments, enjoying the relaxed atmosphere. All three had been fighting with very little rest in between combat shifts for the past few days, so this meeting was a bit of a reprieve, if nothing else.


    Soul Reaper sighed and glanced at her datapad.


    "I''ll update you on the current state of things. Most of the information has been sent to your communicators, so take a look at it later. The important stuff is... the wall is still holding, but just barely. Three breaches have turned into five, as you must know. Army Command expects that we won''t lose control of the defensive barrier unless something catastrophic happens, though."


    Winter raised a hand, interrupting her.


    "What''s the point of talking about it? Let''s just get to the actual business. The priority targets... hey, two out of five are dealt with. Sunny killed the Terror, while the Brood Mommy and Brood Daddy of the Devouring Cloud were done in by you, Sunny, and Mongrel. That''s great news. What about the other three, though?"


    Master Jet lingered for a bit.


    "Actually, that''s why I called you in today. The Heart of Darkness seems to have disappeared, so we don''t have to worry about it yet. Maybe that... thing... won''t reach Falcon Scott before we retreat. Goliath, on the other hand, was supposed to show up yesterday. He has been moving very slowly recently, however, for whatever reason, so the time window changed. We should expect the big bastard to arrive tomorrow, or the day after that."


    An uncomfortable silence settled in the underground office.


    Winter broke it by whistling.I think you should take a look at


    "Speaking of something catastrophic happening, huh? Are you sure we can handle a titan?"


    Soul Reaper lingered for a while.


    "...Don''t fret. Sunny and I will handle him. Saint Bloodwave agreed to come out of the water to assist, too, if we need him. He''s not as powerful on land, but a Transcendent is a Transcendent. Overall... it seems like the situation is not entirely hopeless. The First Army has suffered heavy casualties in the past two weeks, true, but no more than Army Command expected. The evacuation is also only a little bit behind schedule. I''d say that as long as Tyris continues to keep the Winter Beast at bay, we have a real chance of pulling this off."


    Sunny shifted in his seat.


    "How is she doing, anyway?"


    Master Jet gave him a long look and thought before answering. Her voice was a bit wistful:


    "Well... Sky Tide is doing fine. White Feather lost a lot of people during the battle with the Devouring Cloud, but her husband and immediate family survived... Roan will be out of commission for a couple more weeks, sadly. Coincidentally, the House of Night lost many Awakened on the same day, as well. The forces of the great clans here are diminished, but they still pack a bite. Their heavy hitters are all alive."


    Sunny let out a sigh of relief. He had been somewhat worried about Saint Tyris and Master Roan... it was good to hear that both of them were fine.


    Soul Reaper yawned, then put her datapad on the table and gave him a poignant look.


    "Back to Goliath, though. How is that project of yours coming along?"


    He stared at her for a moment or two.


    "That depends. Have you gotten those Memories I requested?"


    Jet winced.


    "...No. There are a lot of Sleepers that need to be armed, and a lot of Memories being lost every shift with people carrying them dying before having a chance to transfer anything. I''ll be able to receive a few in a couple of days, but... we probably don''t have that long."


    Sunny sighed, then gave her a bitter smile.


    "That''s fine. The project is all but finished. I have a few spare Memories as an emergency replacement, it''s just that I would have preferred not to waste them."


    Winter gave them both a curious look.


    "Are you two talking in code? What project? What Memories? You guys are not trying to buy a boat on the black market and sail into the sunset together, are you?"


    Soul Reaper grinned.


    "Just a little something Sunny has cooked up in that devious head of his, to solve our titan problem. I''ll tell you if we have some free time today."


    She glanced at the clock, the smile disappearing from her face.


    "That said... you should go get to it, Sunny. Don''t linger. Army Command has been known to make wrong estimations before."


    He nodded, then stood up and spared the two women one last glance. They were probably not going to see each other again until Goliath showed up... and maybe never again, after.


    He remained silent for a moment, then smiled.


    "We don''t need to buy a boat on the black market, by the way. My Rhino is a fully amphibious vehicle, so it can take us over the strait no problem. As long as nothing swallows it on the way, of course. Anyway, if something happens... you are both invited, so..."


    With that, he winked and hurriedly left the office.


    Once Sunny was outside, however, his smile disappeared, and was replaced by an expression of focused concentration.


    ''This is it, then... no more time to waste.''

 Chapter 1025: The Fall of Falcon Scott (43)

    1025 The Fall of Falcon Scott (43)


    Sunny followed the network of underground tunnels to reach the barracks, and then emerged from them near where the Rhino was parked. Breathing in the cold air, he spent a moment to enjoy the lack of desire to cough �� the strange trauma he had received after touching the Nightmare Gate was all but gone now �� and walked forward through the darkness.


    Snow was crunching under his feet.


    ��Weird. Is this a good sign, or a bad sign?��


    The street illumination in the city often went awry because of the numerous Gates outside and within the wall. Usually, the army technicians and civilian personnel would fix and replace the damaged components promptly, but this section was barely lit. No one seemed to have cleaned the snow in a while, either.


    Had the state of the city deteriorated to the point where no one bothered with these things anymore, or was it simply the result of so many people having already been evacuated? By now, only about a third of the initial two hundred million remained trapped in Falcon Scott. Maybe the person assigned to maintain this small corner of the city was already safely across the strait, with no one to replace them. Perhaps it was both.


    Glancing at the dark sky, Sunny rubbed his face and walked toward the Rhino.


    The last few days had been... hectic.


    By all accounts, he should have been dead tired and on the verge of collapsing from sleep deprivation. However, Sunny felt fine... in fact, he felt rather great. His body was full of vigor and vitality, while his mind was fresh and focused.


    The reason, of course, was the Shroud of Graceless Dusk.


    He glanced down, studying the Transcendent Memory.


    The Graceless Dusk looked like a simple tunic of fine, soft silk. He had expected it to be white, but to his surprise, the tonic turned out to be of a rich and beautiful black color, with intricate patterns embroidered along its collar, hem, and sleeve edges with silver thread. The hem reached just below his knees, while the sleeves ended at his elbows.


    The tunic was tied at the waist by an unadorned cord of black silk, and came with a pair of dainty shoes made of the same fabric, with a soft sole that was more suited for a well-tended garden than wilderness. Sunny enjoyed the fact that it allowed him to move around without making the slightest noise.


    The shoes only looked dainty, too.


    The black silk that the tunic and the shoes were made of was light and soft, but more durable than tempered steel. Sunny had tested how impervious it was, exactly, and was surprised to find out that the Cruel Sight could not pierce the thin fabric no matter how hard he tried.


    It did not burn, get wet, dissolve in acid, or suffer damage from any other elemental attacks he had at his disposal. Only the Sin of Solace managed to cut the black silk, and even then with a lot of trouble. ...Which was not to say that the Graceless Dusk could serve as a good suit of combat armor.


    The tunic itself left his forearms, shins, head, and neck exposed, while the soft shoes only covered his feet and ankles. Worse than that, neither were rigid �� while the black silk was very hard to pierce, it did nothing to stop blunt attacks and concussive trauma. The Marble Shell could deal with that, to some extent, but it was still not an ideal situation.


    However, Sunny did not really care. The Graceless Dusk did not make any noise and was extremely light, not constraining his movements at all. More importantly, the other benefits of the Transcendent garment far outweigh its lackluster defense. l?ghtn��v��lw��rld?���m ���n b�� �� gr�֧�t ��l�ѧ�� f��r ���u?


    The four Blessings were a great boon, as well as the reason why he felt so invigorated despite the recent. lack of rest and sleep.


    The [Blessing of Flesh] and the [Blessing of Spirit] made him tire much slower, both mentally and physically, while the time he needed to recover from fatigue was drastically cut. In the days after the battle with the Devouring Cloud, Sunny had only slept for a couple of hours at best, and yet he felt very refreshed and energized.


    The [Blessing of Soul], meanwhile, boosted the rate at which his essence regenerated. That was an awfully pleasant and valuable benefit, especially here in Antarctica.


    Finally, there was the [Blessing of Mind]... that one was the strangest, but also the most powerful.


    The enchantment did not exactly make him smarter or more insightful, but it did make his mind more... productive. It was as though there were several compartments within his head now, each capable of running a separate task concurrently �� as long as it was not too demanding. That made simple calculations and analyzing clear information easier and faster.


    The effect was not new to Sunny, since he had been doing more or less the same thing for a long time, in order to control his shadows. lie was long used to perceiving and comprehending the world from several different viewpoints, which all but required him to sort of split his consciousness into several streams... however, after doing some research due to the Graceless Dusk, he had discovered that most people found such a task to be hard, or even impossible.


    In any case, his already deviant ability to partition his mind and multitask was boosted even further by the [Blessing of Mind].


    ...Needless to say, all of that was extremely useful when applied to weaving.


    With his mental capacity increased and his essence regenerating at a much faster rate, Sunny had finally been able to crack the case and turn the devil''s needle into a Memory. ��v��r��th?ng ?? m��r�� ���nv��n?��nt ��t l?ghtn��v��lw��rld?���m? He was not sure that he would have been able to achieve quite the same result without the boost provided by the four blessings.


    There was the fifth blessing, too...


    The Blessing of Dusk.


    This active enchantment was a very insidious one. It allowed Sunny to establish a telepathic connection with another person, or even several, to communicate with them through words and other, more crude means of sharing information such as emotions and vague images.


    Sadly, he could not simply read their minds, since the communications had to be intentional. That said, the recipients of the link were also unable to refuse it �� if Sunny wanted, he could bombard them with the most gruesome and loud thoughts, causing something akin to a mental shock.


    Those with weaker minds were outright stunned, while those with resilience and discipline were at least bound to be disoriented.


    Of course, the first person Sunny had tried to communicate with telepathically was Saint. To his disappointment, the [Blessing of Dusk] did not work on her at all, probably due to the Shadow''s immunity to mind attacks. He still did not know what was going on in that beautiful onyx head of hers. And speaking of Saint...


    Entering the dark interior of the Rhino, Sunny called the taciturn knight forth. She stepped out of his shadow, the plume of her helmet brushing against the vehicle''s roof. Suddenly, the massive APC seemed cramped and narrow.


    Looking up at his loyal devil, Sunny smiled.


    "Are you hungry? How about a late-night snack?"

 Chapter 1026: The Fall of Falcon Scott (44)

    1026 The Fall of Falcon Scott (44)


    The graceful knight stared at him indifferently, not showing any reaction. The ruby jewels of her eyes glowed with menacing crimson flames, revealing no emotion. Sunny sighed.


    "Oh, come on... don''t you understand what is happening? Just... emote, please! It won''t kill you... I think..."


    Saint remained silent and as aloof as ever, causing his heart to ache.


    Cursing under his breath, Sunny looked away and summoned the runes. The shimmering symbols appeared in the air in front of him:


    Name: Sunless.


    True Name: Lost from Light.


    Rank: Ascended.


    Class: Devil.


    Shadow Cores: [4/7].


    Shadow Fragments: [2973/4000].


    Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer''s Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Extraordinary Rock], [Prowling Thorn], [Endless Spring], [Dark Wing], [Moonlight Shard], [Weaver''s Mask], [Broken Oath], [Autumn Leaf], [Cruel Sight], [Covetous Coffer], [Heavenly Burden], [Memory of Fire], [Memory of Ice], [Strike of Thunder], [Morgan''s Warbow], [Shadow Lantern], [Bone Singer], [Shadow Chair], [Overpriced Saddle], [Dying Wish], [Sin of Solace], [Bitter Cusp], [Stifled Scream], [Weaver''s Needle], [Essence Pearl]. [Nimble Catch], [Shroud of Graceless Dusk], [Siege Souvenir], [Incessant Seeker].


    His shadow fragments were already closing in on three thousand. That was not the important part, though.


    Sunny studied the list of his Memories with a pained expression, then looked down and concentrated on Saint''s name.


    Shadow: [Onyx Saint]


    ...Shadow Fragments: [196/200].


    He was so close... she was only three and a half fragments away from saturating the counter.


    Sadly, there was no time to hunt for Memories anymore. There was no time for Saint to slowly recover in his care in case she got wounded, either, which was why he had not sent her to defend the wall in the last couple of days.


    Sunny could have gone and begged for a few Memories from people he knew, but there was no need. He had been prepared to fail to reach his goal on time. All it meant was that he had to sacrifice several Memories of his own.


    The problem was that he cherished all of his Memories. They were all useful in their own way.


    Some were integral to his battle prowess, some were a form of insurance for unexpected situations. The Dark Wing and the Heavenly Burden, for example, were far from stellar Memories �� however, he needed them in case there was no way to avoid an aerial fight. Other Memories possessed useful euchanlments that he wanted to replicate one day.


    Some Memories Sunny had outgrown, but was attached to them sentimentally. More than that, he hoped to pass them on to Rain should she become a Sleeper.


    Really, there was only one useless Memory in his arsenal �� the Silver Bell. However, Sunny was reluctant to sacrifice it. That was the first Memory he had ever obtained, and the first Memory he had changed with sorcery. It was also a... a memento that reminded him of happier times.


    ''It''s just a Dormant Memory of the Second Tier, too. Consuming it won''t satiate Saint at all.��


    Nevertheless, he had to sacrifice something. In the end, Sunny sighed bitterly and summoned three Memories.


    A heavy kunai, a glistening gem made of polished red coral, and an arrow with green fletching appeared in front of him.


    The last one was the [Incessant Seeker] �� an Ascended arrow of the Second Tier he had received recently. It was as powerful as the Strike of Thunder, but possessed enchantments that guided it toward a single target and enhanced the damage dealt to that sole enemy.


    Which was a real boon. However, Sunny had many other ways to deal high damage to a single target. The second Memory... was the Broken Oath. As always, Sunny winced when its soul eroding aura started slowly dissolving his own soul. l?ghtn��v��lw��rld?���m ���n b�� �� gr�֧�t ��l�ѧ�� f��r ���u? It was a great charm that had served him well many times in the past, and synergized perfectly with Saint''s immunity to soul attacks.


    Its power as an Awakened Memory of the First Tier was not great, though. With the caliber of enemies Sunny was facing these days, it was like a drop in the ocean. Aside from that, Saint was mostly fighting alongside Nightmare now, and would hopefully be surrounded by more Shadows in the future. The others did not possess the same immunity, which limited the usefulness of the red gem.


    The first Memory Sunny summoned was the Prowling Thorn. He sighed again, looking at the kunai with regret.


    There was nothing wrong with the throwing dagger, and they had gone through a lot together. But it had outlived its usefulness. Sunny would have preferred to keep the Prowling Thorn simply for utility, but the situation demanded he let go of something.


    ...Sunny had already lost the Patient Avenger, and now, he was going to lose three more perfectly fine Memories. He felt as if his heart was bleeding.


    ''Waste... such a waste...��


    He closed his eyes, and then handed the dagger, the gent, and the arrow to Saint without looking.


    "Here. You... you eat these. Enjoy your meal!"


    The graceful onyx knight silently took the Memories and crushed them in her fists without pausing even for a moment. Hearing the dreadful sound, Sunny was stunned.


    ''She... she didn''t even hesitate! Those were very precious. damn it!''


    Opening his eyes, she saw four streams of radiant sparks being absorbed into the Shadow''s body. Then, her eyes flashed with dark glee.


    The tunes still ttung in the air, the counter showing:


    Shadow Fragments: [200/200].


    In the next moment, the shadow that existed where Saint''s soul should have been suddenly rippled. The four dark etnbers in its depths shone with lightless radiance, and wisps of black flames rose from her armor.


    Sunny took a step back, mesmerized by the familiar scene.


    He had already seen it once, back when his taciturn knight Ascended.


    In the next moment, Saint''s figure was enveloped entirely by the black flames, making it impossible to see her. A powerful gust of wind blew through the interior of the Rhino, both unbearable heat and chilling coldness assaulting Sunny at the satne time. He blinked.


    ''Uh... crap... maybe I should have done this in the Soul Sea...''


    But there was nothing he could do now but wait. Nervous for his expensive APC, Sunny summoned a barrier of shadows to surround Saint. A minute passed in tense silence, then two...


    Then, something exploded within the barrier, shattering it easily and sending Sunny flying back.


    A wave of darkness rolled through the Rhino, turning its interior into a mess and cracking its armored windows from within. The enormous vehicle shook and trembled, then grew still with a loud groan. Sunny scrambled back to his feet and stared at Saint, who was standing in the same spot, seemingly unchanged.


    However, the darkness dwelling within her was now much deeper and more frightening. Her onyx body was radiating a sense of vast, dreadful power, and the menacing crimson flames dancing in her ruby eyes were brighter.


    His Shadow �� now a Transcendent Devil �� tilted her head slightly, looking at him with her usual indifference. But Sunny could feel a hint of emotion hidden behind it.


    Pride, Satisfaction.


    Gratitude?


    Slowly, a wide grin appeared on his face.


    Sunny brushed the Graceless Dusk, straightened, and looked at the menacing devil with a smile.


    "...Should I start calling you Saint Saint now, huh?"10

 Chapter 1027 The Fall of Falcon Scott (45)

    1027  The Fall of Falcon Scott (45)


    His Shadow was a Transcendent now.


    Sunny found it hard to believe, even though he had been the one who made her Transcendence possible. It was just that Saints held a special place in human culture �� they were the epitome of vast and unobtainable power. They were more demigods than people�� enigmatic and awe-inspiring, so distant as to almost be ineffable.


    He was now a Master himself, and on top of that, one of the strongest there was. But even still, a huge gap separated Sunny from someone like Sky Tide or Bloodwave, which he did not dare test.


    To think that a similar existence now served him��  it was hard to comprehend. Saint''s Transcendence, without a doubt, marked a new chapter in Sunny''s rise to power.


    Of course, it was unclear where the onyx knight was truly equal to the mighty Saints of the human race.


    In terms of purely physical prowess, she was at least on par with them, and most likely far superior. Her skill was outstanding, as was her talent and willpower�� after all, Saint had always been outstanding. She often triumphed over adversaries that were much more powerful than her.


    But so were human Transcendents. There was no such thing as an average Saint �� each and every one of them were the absolute best of the human race, battle-hardened warriors of utmost talent, resolve, and ability, with thousands upon thousands of bloody fights under their belt.


    There was also one fundamental difference between humans and creatures such as his Shadow�� humans possessed Aspects, while creatures did not.


    Saint had just gained her powers, wielding elemental darkness to strengthen her body and her weapons. However, every human Transcendent wielded a powerful Aspect and was armed with several potent Abilities, including the Transformation.


    They were also all carriers of the Nightmare Spell.


    Simply put, Sunny did not know who would end up victorious if Saint fought a human Transcendent. He had a feeling that, by herself, the onyx knight would lose�� however, if she was augmented by his shadows, the result might be very different.


    ��Luckily, he had no intention of combating Saints any time soon.


    Dismissing the Shadow, Sunny sighed and spent some time cleaning up the mess her Transcendence had made of the interior of the Rhino. The APC was in a sorry state, but still functional.


    ''See, the day is only getting better and better��''


    Or was it night?


    Here in Antarctica, it was always night, so sticking to the old notion of time was getting harder and harder.


    He made himself a late supper �� or an early breakfast �� and settled in the lounge area for a few minutes. After a while, his communicator made a familiar sound. It seemed that the siege capital''s communication array had activated, as it usually did twice a day, sending packets of data to those with a bandwidth quota.


    Sunny looked at the new message with some relief. Rain was doing fine, it seemed�� her response was shorter than usual, but she was obviously not experiencing any symptoms of being infected by the Spell.


    He had always been worried about his sister, and after observing so many mundanes being killed by the First Nightmare here in Antarctica �� and having killed many monstrous abominations their bodies had turned into �� that worry only grew stronger.


    Sunny sighed.


    ''She''s okay. She''s safe�� there is no reason for her to contract the Spell, to begin with. And even if she does, Serpent is with her.''


    Sunny missed his serpentine Shadow. It would have been tremendously useful during the Southern Quadrant campaign, considering how dire his need for essence had been from day one in this cold hell. Not to mention the versatile and powerful nature of Serpent''s abilities.


    And yet, Sunny had not regretted leaving it with Rain even once. Her safety took precedence�� and he ''Over my dead body. Well... obviously, that''s kind of a given...''


    With that, Sunny forced a pale smile onto his face and picked up his communicator.


    had many other ways to protect himself. If anything, experiencing the bitter hardships of the Antarctica campaign without the Serpent had given him an opportunity to learn how to manage his essence with utmost efficiency, as well as vastly improve his control over it.


    Thinking of his Shadows, Sunny suddenly felt curious about their relationship to his Class. Even though the Soul Serpent was currently away, each of the Shadows occupied one of his cores. Did it mean that he would only ever be able to control seven of them, at most?


    If that were the case, maybe the dismal rate at which he received Echoes was not such a terrible thing. He might have been very upset if someone like Kurt �� the Awakened psychopath he had killed in the waking world �� prevented him from turning Nightmare into one of his Shadows.


    That time, his dislike of the man, and of the idea of owning human Echoes, had prevented Sunny from wasting fragments on the transformation, but he would have caved in if given a better opportunity.


    Or, wait�� would he have even been able to make Kurt into a Shadow without losing Saint or Serpent? He was just an Awakened Monster back then, possessing only two Shadow Cores��


    ''I''m rambling.''


    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, staring into the distance.


    He was thinking about unnecessary things to distract himself from what was about to come.


    Goliath was approaching.


    The creature that had almost killed him once.


    The Fallen Titan had already destroyed one siege capital, so there was a real chance that Falcon Scott would be destroyed by the abominable giant, as well. Sunny and Jet were determined to slay the gargantuan creature of stone, but anything could happen.


    Even if their preparations worked, there was no telling what damage would be done to the city wall before the titan perished�� if he perished.


    This day might turn out to be the last day for many, many people. Maybe even Sunny himself.


    He closed his eyes for a moment.


    ''Over my dead body. Well... obviously, that''s kind of a given...''


    With that, Sunny forced a pale smile onto his face and picked up his communicator.


    His response to Rain did not contain any of the grave worries that gnawed at him. Even though she was smart enough to read between the lines, Sunny made an effort to hide the ugly truth as well as he could.


    That was for his benefit, too.


    While writing messages to Rain, Sunny was almost able to believe in his own lies.


    Not knowing the truth was a solace��

 Chapter 1028 The Fall of Falcon Scott (46)

    1028  The Fall of Falcon Scott (46)


    Some time later, the members of his cohort approached the Rhino. Belle, Dorn, Samara, Kimmy, Luster�� walking inside, they froze for a moment, studying the upturned interior of the APC and the cracks in its armored windows with stunned expressions.


    After a while, Luster cleared his throat.


    "Uh, sir�� what happened?"


    Sunny gave him a deadpan look.


    "I had a lady over. She Transcended."


    The young man laughed nervously.


    "Ah�� good one, sir��"


    After that, he practically ran to the pilot''s cabin to check on the internal systems of the Rhino. As Luster went through the diagnostics, he kept mumbling under his nose:


    "Gods�� did he crash it into a titan? This damage�� oh, my poor baby��"


    Sunny shook his head and addressed the rest of his soldiers, speaking loudly enough for Luster to hear, as well:


    "Prepare yourselves. Army Command is certain that Goliath will reach the city either today or tomorrow. In any case, we won''t be leaving the wall until he does. This�� is going to be the big one, guys."


    His soldiers grew somber, their eyes full of calm determination. Sunny nodded.


    "Don''t worry about the titan himself. Colonel Jet and I will take care of the big bastard. However, Goliath is not going to show up alone�� and, judging by how Erebus Field fell, there is a big chance that the wall will be breached. I don''t need to tell you how important it is to prevent the Nightmare Creatures from getting inside. However, if the situation becomes hopeless, be ready to retreat to the secondary line of defense within the city."


    He paused for a moment, looking at them with a serious expression.


    "Don''t be stupid and die an unnecessary death. I need you alive�� to fight tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, and the day after that. Dying might as well be considered desertion, at this point. No one is allowed to die without my permission. Understood?"


    The members of his cohort grinned, then saluted.


    "Yes, sir!"


    "Wouldn''t think of it!"


    "I am scared of you way more than I''m scared of death, sir! I wouldn''t dare!"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times at that last one, then nodded.


    "That''s great. Let''s go, then."


    Soon, the Rhino started and moved forward with some effort. They drove across Falcon Scott, where a lot of streets were now empty, and a lot were unlit. Snow piled high in some areas, and in others, crowds of refugees were anxiously hurrying through the cold.


    Luster was stubbornly sticking to only the well-illuminated roads, for some reason, which made the progress a bit slow. The wall steadily grew closer and closer.


    Before they reached the secondary defense ring, however, Sunny suddenly ordered him to stop the APC. The young man looked back with a silent question.


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then said:


    "Wait for me here. I won''t be long."


    With that, he left the Rhino and walked toward a familiar dormitory tower, which happened to be nearby.


    No one was cleaning the snow in front of its entrance, this time. Sunny stood there for a minute or two, staring at the flimsy doors with a grim expression. Eventually, he sighed.


    ''Even if the whole city is destroyed, this damned dormitory must remain standing. I''ll make sure of it.''


    With that, he turned around and started walking away.


    ��When he did, however, he almost stumbled into someone approaching the dormitory.


    "Watch where you''re going, idi�� huh? Sunny?"


    He sighed and looked up, noticing Beth and Professor Obel. They must have been returning from their own shifts �� Beth at the volunteer center, the old man at the engineering wing of the government complex.


    The young woman blinked a couple of times, staring at him with surprise. Before Sunny could come up with something to say, she asked:


    "Aren''t you cold?"


    He opened his mouth, then looked down, at the thin silk tunic covering his body. Indeed, it did not look exactly like something a person should be wearing in the middle of winter.


    Sunny cleared his throat.


    "I''m not, actually. Uh�� elemental resistance, you know."


    Beth scoffed.


    "You''re still a human, are you not? Put something warm on, for Spell''s sake�� I imagine fighting on the wall with a running nose is not a great idea. Ascended snot is still snot��"


    He looked at her silently for a few moments, then suddenly laughed.


    "Ah, yes. I am still a human, that''s true. Thanks. I''ll try to remember that."


    Professor Obel took a step forward, smiling.


    "Were you on your way to visit us, Major Sunless? Come, come�� there''s no point in standing here, in the cold��"


    Sunny smiled, then lightly shook his head.


    "No, I was actually on my way to start the shift on the wall. Army Command is expecting a big fight, so it''s all hands on deck�� well, even more so than usual. In any case, make sure to remain inside and be careful in the next day or so. Things might get a little hectic."


    The old man nodded with a sigh.


    "I see. Well, we won''t keep you, then. Please stay safe."


    He moved forward, but then paused and patted Sunny on the shoulder.


    "Ah, maybe you''ll stop by after your shift, then? It''s nothing much, but Beth received a bit of extra rations today. We are planning to cook up a feast for everyone who is still waiting for a ticket, in our block. I will save you a portion."


    Sunny remained silent for one moment too long, then shrugged.


    "Why not? It''s a promise."


    He watched Professor Obel and Beth disappear inside, then slowly turned around and walked back toward the Rhino.


    As he walked, the smile disappeared from his face, replaced by a dark, ruthless expression.


    Deep shadows nestled in his eyes.


    ''It''s time to kill a titan.''


    What happened at Erebus Field could not be allowed to repeat itself. Goliath had to die, and Sunny was just the person to kill him. And eye for an eye, a death for a death.


    Sunny was a very petty and vindictive person, and the two of them... they had a score to settle.

 Chapter 1029 The Fall of Falcon Scott (47)

    1029  The Fall of Falcon Scott (47)


    The winds were howling as they crashed into the colossal bulwark of the city wall. The soldiers of the First Army were shivering on the battlements, staring into the hazy mist of the blizzard with grim expressions. These were the lucky ones �� the less fortunate were far below, on the ground, ready to defend the breaches with their lives.


    Because of the ugly rifts in the defensive barrier of the city, the logistics of the siege had become much harder. Today, it was especially so, since no one knew the direction from which the titan was going to attack.


    Goliath could come from the south, marching across the ravaged landscape and shaking the earth with his every step. He could come from the north, emerging from below the dark waves to attack the port fortress first. For all Army Command knew, he could even crawl from under the ground�� the scope of the titan''s abilities was still a mystery.


    That was why the defenders were dispersed along the whole perimeter of the wall instead of congregating at one or several of its sections.


    However, Sunny and Jet, as well as their two cohorts of Irregulars, had found themselves in a familiar spot �� right above the main entrance of the siege capital, not too far away from the Nightmare Gate that had torn through the wall not too long ago.


    Sunny was sitting with his back against the alloy parapet, meditating. Soul Reaper was standing nearby, looking across the vast killing field, the landscape obscured by the veil of snow. Both were trying to ignore the whispers of the Call.


    It was more than a bit annoying, to have to deal with it on top of the sickening anxiety of waiting for the start of the battle.


    Sunny sighed, then looked up at Master Jet. His hair was getting in the way, so he brushed it aside. Before he could speak, she suddenly asked:


    "Why don''t you cut it?"


    He coughed in embarrassment.


    "Oh�� the thing is, mundane scissors and autobarbers stopped working on me. I should probably just use a sharp Memory and cut it myself�� yeah, that''s what I''ll do, one of these days��"


    Jet looked away with a smile.


    "I know a guy back in NQSC. He''s very in demand, as one of the few Awakened hair stylists around. There are many Saints among his clientele, but if you want, I can get you a recommendation."


    Sunny laughed.


    "...Sure. When we''re back in NQSC."


    He remained silent for a few moments, then asked:


    "How sure are you that we''ll be able to destroy Goliath?"


    Soul Reaper hesitated.


    "As long as you pull off your part of the plan, pretty sure. Bloodwave will step in if something goes wrong, too. It''s a shame that Sky Tide is away fighting the Winter Beast again�� but we should be alright without her."


    Sunny nodded.


    "I think so��"


    However, Jet interrupted him by raising a hand. He grew quiet and raised an eyebrow.


    She looked into the darkness with a calm expression.


    "Listen."


    Sunny did so, hearing nothing but the wind and the stifled breaths of the thousands of soldiers surrounding them. Then, a muffled sound reached his ears from somewhere far away.


    Boom.


    And then, after a long and arduous pause, again.


    Boom.


    Sunny stood up, staring into the blizzard. Suddenly, he felt a chill creeping up his spine.


    "He''s coming."


    From a vast distance, the thunderous steps of the colossal giant were rolling over the world. Even though the soldiers could not see anything because of the raging snowstorm, the sound alone made them pale and grasp their weapons with trembling hands.


    Boom�� boom��


    Boom...


    Each one assaulted them, almost like a mental attack.


    Jet tried to contact Army Command, then cursed when the interference made it impossible. Calling out one of the messengers, she said tersely:


    "Inform the HQ that Goliath is approaching from the south. We need reinforcements here as soon as possible. Go!"


    The pale-faced messenger saluted and disappeared from view, and then, there was nothing for them to do but wait.


    By Sunny''s side, the members of his cohort were preparing for battle. Everyone around was doing the same, and from the impenetrable white haze beyond the wall, the steps of the giant continued to boom, slowly growing louder�� and closer�� and much more frightening.


    Boom!


    And then, after a torturous span of silence, again:


    Boom!


    Sunny gritted his teeth, and on the battlement behind him, four shadows shivered.


    Hidden in the blizzard, Goliath was slowly approaching Falcon Scott. No one could see him, but the heavy steps of the titan sounded like foreboding war drums. Soon, the ground started shaking with each of them. The tremors traveled through the alloy structure of the city wall, making it vibrate.


    Sunny felt his body growing stiff, as if paralyzed by the memory of being crushed and broken by the giant''s foot. Humans could not really recall pain, but remembering the feeling of being hurt was very easy, especially if one was hurt terribly. He had almost died that day�� he should have died, if not for a couple of Memories and a bit of luck.


    His body remembered being destroyed.


    Snarling, Sunny shook off the paralyzing fear and peered into the blizzard, hoping to see the hateful shape of the walking mountain.


    Instead, he just heard...


    BOOM.


    BOOM.


    ''Damnation.''


    BOOM!


    BOOM!


    ��Suddenly, the thunderous steps stopped.


    A moment later, a rift appeared in the wall of the blizzard, and for a few moments, he could see far and wide.


    Sunny''s eyes narrowed.


    Out there at the edge of the killing field, a giant creature stood in front of the mountains. Taller than the city wall by far, the titan looked like a mountain himself �� his vaguely humanoid body was broad and misshapen, made of uneven, weathered stone. He had three mighty arms, and one enormous eye that stared at the soldiers of the First Army with an alien, cold, terrifying malice. The milky eye was completely white, having no iris and no pupil.


    ��Behind and around the titan, a vast and dark sea of bodies was undulating as it flowed down from the slopes of the mountains. Nightmare Creatures, a stunningly large horde of them, were following the Fallen Titan.


    For a moment, the world seemed frozen.


    In that dreadful instant, Sunny forced himself to smile. All of it �� him coming to Antarctica, marching with the First Army across its cold expanse, surviving LO49, clawing his way back north with a train of refugees, the long weeks of fighting at Falcon Scott �� had been for this moment.


    He looked at Goliath with murderous intensity.


    ''Come here, bastard��''


    In the next moment, as if answering his call, the giant stepped forward.

 Chapter 1030 The Fall of Falcon Scott (48)

    1030  The Fall of Falcon Scott (48)


    As soon as Goliath took a step forward, and the wall vibrated under Sunny once again, he called upon Saint.


    By his side, Master Jet mounted the parapet of the battlement, clinging to it with one hand and ready to push herself away. In her other hand, the slender glaive weaved itself from snowflakes.


    The sea of Nightmare Creatures flowed forward, overtaking the marching colossus. The familiar thunder of discharging rail guns tore the snowstorm apart, and the turrets joined them a moment later, drowning the world in a roaring cacophony.


    A tall and graceful figure clad in onyx armor stepped onto the wall from the shadows. Instantly, her fearsome presence permeated the air, making soldiers turn around and crane their necks, staring at the menacing black knight in fright. Saint''s ruby eyes flashed with cold crimson flames.


    Someone yelled.


    "It''s Mongrel!"


    "Mongrel is here!"


    "Thank the gods!"


    Their calls rolled across the wall, and the soldiers that had been shaken by the terrible visage of the marching titan regained some of their confidence. Even though Saint was dwarfed by the looming shapes of bulky MWPs, at that moment, she seemed much greater than the towering machines.


    "Show that ugly boulder who''s in charge, Mongrel!"


    ��As for Sunny, no one paid him much attention. Whatever fame he had earned among the fighters of the First Army paled in comparison to his flamboyant alter ego. After all, unlike him, Mongrel was a mysterious character. People were free to fill in the blanks using nothing but their imaginations, and the things they came up with were always much more fantastical than the truth.


    Well�� at least the version of the truth about Sunny that he shared with the world. The actual truth was so outlandish that no one would probably believe it.


    ''Doesn''t matter��''


    Watching Goliath walk forward, Sunny summoned a very special Memory�� the one he had worked so hard to create. His payback gift to the stone giant.


    The [Siege Souvenir].


    Suddenly, a very lengthy and sharp javelin appeared in Saint''s hand. It was about three meters long, incredibly heavy, and entirely white. A sense of immense, wild, destructive power radiated from the white javelin, making even Sunny himself feel slightly uncomfortable.


    Of course, the javelin was the quill of the Corrupted Devil he had collected from an army warehouse a long time ago �� the thing Sunny had spent most of his free time in Falcon Scott trying to enchant.


    The Siege Souvenir was now a Transcendent Memory, and a very special one at that. Several Transcendent soul shards, as well as rivers of essence that formed numerous shadow strings, had gone into its creation.


    The difficulty Sunny had met was merely one of scope. Of all the enchantments he had learned and 23:55


    recreated before, that one was the vastest and most difficult. However, there was no alternative �� The long javelin possessed only two enchantments.


    The first one was [Death Dealer], which Sunny had copied from Morgan''s Warbow. Bestowing that one to the devil''s needle had been hard, but also somewhat straightforward.


    The difficulty Sunny had met was merely one of scope. Of all the enchantments he had learned and recreated before, that one was the vastest and most difficult. However, there was no alternative �� [Death Dealer] was the most destructive single-target enchantment in his arsenal, and so, nothing else would have done.


    It was also extremely, dreadfully gluttonous in its consumption of essence.


    ��But not gluttonous enough, as far as Sunny was concerned.


    That was where the second enchantment he had bestowed on the Siege Souvenir came in. That one had no name�� because it was invented by him. Creating it was not technically hard, but required Sunny to teach himself an entirely new facet of weaving, as well as accomplish something he had never done before �� not simply copy, but disassemble and heavily modify an existing enchantment.


    The enchantment that had served as the basis was the [Unbroken] of the Midnight Shard. It allowed the wielder access to a vast reservoir of power when at death''s doorstep, as long as the wielder refused to surrender and kept fighting against overwhelming odds.


    Sunny was not interested in augmenting the javelin with additional power, nor was he interested in creating a limitation tied to how close someone was to death or their character.


    What he was interested in was the reservoir itself.


    After all, [Death Dealer] had to be powered by something.


    And so, Sunny had spent many, many arduous hours studying the weave of the [Unbroken], trying to understand how it worked, what element of the tapestry of ethereal strings was responsible for which part of it, and how to isolate the effect he wanted to achieve �� how to create a reservoir of power that could feed the Siege Souvenir from the inside.


    In the end, with the timely help of the Graceless Dusk, he had succeeded in both of his undertakings.


    The white javelin was much, much longer and heavier than an arrow�� in fact, calling it a javelin was somewhat misleading, since it was more akin to a projectile worthy of a siege engine. Nevertheless, it possessed the capacity to deliver the same devastating force as an arrow sent flying with the help of the [Death Dealer], only at a much greater scale.


    A lot of power was needed to achieve that effect �� much more power than anyone in Falcon Scott could have supplied in one go. That was why Sunny had enchanted the Siege Souvenir to possess an independent reservoir of essence, and siphoned a sea of it into the javelin over the days.


    He had basically created an entirely new type of Memory. Weak Memories usually possessed passive enchantments that were powered by the ambient essence used to manifest the Memory. Powerful Memories usually possessed active enchantments that required the wielder to manipulate and spend their own essence in order to use them.


    The Siege Souvenir, meanwhile, possessed a dire enchantment that fed directly on the javelin''s own essence.


    The result of his hard work was a tremendously powerful Memory. It was so powerful, in fact, that only refined material harvested from a Corrupted creature could withstand the dreadful enchantments. Anything less would have disintegrated under strain.


    Even then, the Siege Souvenir was bound to be a one-use Memory. The quill of the Corrupted Devil was not going to survive the release of its own destructive power.


    There was one last hurdle to overcome to make use of it, though.


    Not just anyone could wield it. Even Sunny himself was not strong enough to make use of his creation in the intended way.


    That was why he had needed Saint to evolve�� he needed a Transcendent being to bring forth the Siege Souvenir''s potential.


    ��And now, he had one.

 Chapter 1031 The Fall of Falcon Scott (49)

    1031  The Fall of Falcon Scott (49)


    Goliath walked forward, the world quaking under the weight of his steps. The sea of Nightmare Creatures was flowing past his titanic feet, and all around them the furious blizzard was slowly retreating, the winds dying down as pale starlight washed over the vast killing field.


    On the tall, broken wall of the city, thousands of turrets were roaring as they sent rivers of bullets into the attacking horde. The moonless night was torn apart by the glow of overheated barrels, the shine of swift tracer rounds, and the flashes of railgun rounds striking their targets in a conflagration of force, heat, and blinding light.


    A few of those heavy tungsten rounds had hit Goliath, only to disintegrate fruitlessly without leaving even a scratch on the stone hide of the menacing titan.


    The soldiers of the First Army trembled as they joined the barrage �� the mundane soldiers, the Awakened, the towering war platforms, the few Masters that were still alive after two weeks of the dreadful siege. On the ground near the breached sections of the wall, others were shivering as they craned their necks to stare at the approaching titan.


    ��However, Sunny remained still.


    ''Closer�� get closer��''


    He was perhaps the only human in Falcon Scott who wanted the colossal giant to walk faster. The Siege Souvenir could only be used once, so he had only one shot to shatter Goliath''s stone carapace.


    Standing indifferently by his side, Saint raised the long javelin and placed it on her shoulder. The four shadows moved, fusing with her onyx armor. It shone with black radiance, and the feeling of great power emanating from the graceful figure of the taciturn stone knight instantly became much vaster, much deeper, and much more terrifying.


    At the same, darkness flowed from Saint''s gauntlet, slowly spreading across the length of the white javelin. Its whiteness was consumed, replaced by a lightless blackness. While the Transcendent Devil herself was augmented by the shadows, her weapon was now enhanced by the [Blade of Darkness].


    There was the [Mantle of Darkness], as well, which made Saint stronger when surrounded by darkness and shadows. Sunny summoned the Shadow Lantern, allowing it to consume all surrounding light.


    Soon, the three of them �� Sunny, Saint, and Jet �� were hidden from sight within a circle of deep shadow.


    ''Almost there��''


    The fastest of the Nightmare Creatures �� those that had survived the barrage, meaning the strongest and most vile of them �� were already moments away from reaching the wall, separating into four wide rivers of flesh to attack the four breaches. Goliath, meanwhile, was a few steps away from crossing half of the killing field.


    Sunny looked directly at the hateful giant and prepared to give Saint the command��


    At that moment, however, something changed.


    The titan''s massive, malformed head turned slightly, and his sole eye stared back.


    Sunny shivered.


    There were thousands and thousands of humans on the wall, and all of them must have looked like mere ants to Goliath. However, somehow, it felt as though the titan was gazing directly at him.


    The weight of that gaze was almost physical. No�� it was much more dire than that.


    Sunny gritted his teeth, feeling a very bad premonition grasp his heart.


    ''What��''


    Then, the milky surface of the giant''s eye quivered�� and slid away like an eyelid.


    Behind it, a second eye was revealed. Unlike the first one, which was white and had neither an iris nor a pupil, that one was of a furious red color, as if made of pure magma, and had three incandescent pupils floating in its depths, like windows into a scorching inferno.


    Suddenly, Sunny was enveloped by unbearable heat. He felt water streaming down on him, and looked up to see the snow clouds melting in the skies above. Bizarrely, it was raining in the middle of the polar winter.


    Beneath him, the seventy-meter tall defensive wall of the city suddenly moved and groaned. Glancing over the parapet, Sunny saw with horror that the impregnable alloy�� it was melting, too.


    All around him, the mighty MWPs were collapsing into puddles of liquid metal, the pilots screaming as they burned alive. The barrels of the powerful turrets disappeared into streams of incandescent drops, and the mighty railguns grew silent. A few meters away, Samara screamed and flinched back from her rifle, a vicious burn marring her cheek.


    Across the entire southern section of the city wall, the great defensive barrier bent and deformed, moments away from collapsing entirely. Countless people plummeted to their deaths or were consumed by the immolating heat.


    All of it happened in an instant.


    ''Gods��''


    Knowing that there was no time to waste, Sunny shuddered as he changed his command slightly and sent it to Saint.


    The onyx knight instantly moved.


    Taking a single step, she raised the javelin behind her. For a moment, Saint''s entire body turned into a graceful arch �� from the tip of her foot, to her hip, to her shoulder, to her fist.


    Then, her hand whipped forward, and the battlement under her shattered from immense pressure. Even her vambrace cracked, shards of onyx falling down like precious gems.


    At the last moment, the four shadows slid from her fingers and wrapped themselves around the Siege Souvenir.


    The long, immeasurably heavy javelin shot forward with the speed of lightning. Immediately, there was a deafening boom of sound barriers being pierced, and a powerful shockwave rolled across the battlement, throwing people off their feet.


    The artificial Memory streaked across the black sky like a line of pure darkness, creating a whirlpool of hurricane winds in its wake.


    A split second later, it hit Goliath''s right in the eye.


    There was a flash of light, and then a world-shaking thunderclap.


    And then, the sound of shattering stone.


    The Siege Souvenir plunged right between the titan''s three pupils, disappearing into the red molten eye entirely. Then, it burst from the back of the giant''s head in an explosion of broken stone.


    [Your Memory has been destroyed.]


    As Sunny watched in stunned silence, vast cracks snaked through Goliath''s head. The colossus froze in a strange pose, its torso leaning slightly back. His eye was completely destroyed, and his head��


    His head shattered and fell apart, giant slabs of stone plummeting down from a great height. The walking mountain swayed, twitched, and then slowly started to tilt.


    Everyone �� both the humans and the Nightmare Creatures �� froze, watching the titan fall in utter shock.


    Sunny blinked.


    ''What�� what just happened?''


    As if responding, the Spell whispered softly into his ear:


    [You have slain a Fallen Titan, Minor Shard of the Stone Titan].


    [...Your shadow grows stronger.]

 Chapter 1032 The Fall of Falcon Scott (50)

    1032  The Fall of Falcon Scott (50)


    The colossal, headless body of Goliath tilted forward, and then started to fall. Because of its enormous size, it seemed as though the giant''s corpse slowly floated through the air instead of crashing down in an obliterating avalanche of stone.


    However, hundreds of Nightmare Creatures below were already panicking as they tried to flee and escape being crushed to death.


    Sunny froze, momentarily stunned.


    ''...What just happened?''


    He�� he had killed the damned bastard? How? That was not what was supposed to happen!


    Sunny had poured countless hours into creating the Siege Souvenir and making sure that Saint would Transcend in time. However, he had never expected to slay the Fallen Titan with one strike. A titan was a titan! They were not supposed to die so easily.


    The plan was for the javelin to shatter the stone carapace on the chest of the giant, creating a path toward his heart. Master Jet was supposed to enter the breach and destroy Goliath''s soul cores from within, while Sunny and Saint would attack from the outside. Together, they were meant to slowly bring the giant down�� and maybe even survive the process.


    When the titan had revealed his incandescent eye and started melting the city wall, Sunny was forced to switch targets and command Saint to aim for the eye instead. He had never thought that Goliath would be killed by that single strike.


    ��Was that eye the titan''s Achilles heel?


    Kim had not noticed a pronounced vulnerability after they encountered the giant on the coastal highway, though. Maybe her powers were not enough to see it? Or was the vulnerability only exposed when Goliath revealed his inner, hidden eye?


    In any case, the titan�� the titan was undoubtedly dead.


    Sunny had killed him.


    For a moment, a dark glee ignited in his heart.


    ''That''s for Erebus Field, you foul bastard�� and for me, too. That is payback for almost killing me��''


    But then, his glee disappeared. By all accounts, Sunny should have felt exhilarated �� he had killed a titan, after all! But instead of joy, he felt chills running down his spine.


    Suddenly tense, Sunny looked around. The armaments of the defensive barrier were all but destroyed, and the wall itself was damaged and deformed. A few sections had collapsed entirely, but most still stood.


    The defenders had suffered heavy losses, especially among the pilots burned to death with their MWPs. Many soldiers had lost their rifles, and the outer layers of their powered armor suits were severely damaged. However, there were still enough of them alive to continue the fight�� maybe.


    Luckily, most Awakened had managed to dismiss their steel Memories, saving them from being destroyed, and were now summoning them back.


    Everyone was still in utter shock, mesmerized by the sight of the slowly toppling colossus.


    Something was wrong, though. Very, very wrong.


    ��Goliath should not have died that easily, or that fast.


    Master Jet, who had been hanging outside the wall, ready to push herself forward to follow the plan and attack the titan, climbed back and looked at him, a rare expression of bewilderment written on her face.


    "Sunny, what the hell�� how?"


    He did not answer, staring past her at the falling mountain.


    ''I killed him. I did��''


    Even before the body fell, wide cracks appeared all across it. Chunks of stone were splintering off and falling down. From the distance, it almost looked as if the giant�� was been diseased, his skin covered by sores and ulcers.


    And the cracks. Behind some of them, instead of solid stone, there was nothing but darkness. As if parts of the titan''s body had been hollowed out long before the battle.


    Moments before the massive corpse crashed into the ground, Sunny''s eyes widened.


    ''Curse it!''


    In the next second, the colossal mass of stone collided against the earth, making the whole world shake. Enormous clouds of snow, dirt, and debris rose into the air, and countless Nightmare Creatures were crushed under the obliterating weight. A thunderous roar rolled over the killing field, and shards of stone shot outward like bullets, decimating even more abominations.


    One more section of the wall collapsed.


    However, that was not what Sunny was looking at. His gaze was locked on the massive corpse itself.


    When Goliath''s body hit the ground, large portions of it cracked like the shell of a rotten egg. And from within��


    A tide of darkness flowed, eviscerating the few wounded Nightmare Creatures that still clung to life and stretching toward the broken city wall like black tentacles.


    ''The Heart of Darkness��''


    The river of black beetles had mysteriously disappeared some days ago, and almost at the same time, Goliath''s speed had decreased.


    The beetles liked to tunnel through mountains and devour mighty creatures from within. The Fallen Titan had been like a walking mountain himself, and mighty beyond belief as well. Someone should have guessed that the giant might have been parasitized by the legion of the tiny, dreadful creatures. But no one had.


    It was so clear�� in hindsight. Sunny himself had been too blinded by the threat of the titan to consider such a possibility. His preconceived notions of what constituted power, and his personal animosity against the stone giant, resulted in a ruinous case of tunnel vision.


    ''Damn it!''


    He glanced at the city defenses once again, realizing that almost everything that could have been used against vast swarms of tiny vermin had been destroyed by Goliath. The First Army had been prepared to face one overwhelming enemy, not myriads of dangerous, but comparatively weak creatures.


    He looked at Jet, his lips trembling.


    "Bloodwave��"


    She frowned.


    "What?"


    Sunny grabbed the Soul Reaper by the shoulders and barked:


    "Bloodwave! Summon Bloodwave here! He''s our best hope of stopping the Heart of Darkness!"


    She hesitated for a short moment, then looked beyond the wall and hissed an explicit curse. Then, Jet took a step back and started summoning a Memory that was supposed to give the fearsome Saint a signal to abandon his duty of protecting the ships and join the battle.


    Sunny, meanwhile, was already moving, calling upon a few Memories of his own.


    He had no idea how they would be able to handle both the vast horde of Nightmare Creatures that had come with Goliath and the tide of black beetles with the defensive barrier ruined and barely holding.


    The wall was severely damaged, and many of the soldiers had either died or were rendered helpless, their weapons destroyed.


    ��And yet, they had no other choice but to fight, and claw the victory out of fate''s grasp somehow.


    There was simply nowhere to retreat.

 Chapter 1033: The Fall of Falcon Scott (51)

    For a few moments, both Sunny and Jet stood motionless, staring at the tide of enemies advancing at the damaged wall. Their faces were grim. Eventually, Soul Reaper spoke in a dark tone:


    ��This is bad. This is really bad..." That was an understatement.


    Currently, Falcon Scott was facing two threats.


    The first one was the uncountable horde of Nightmare Creatures that had followed Goliath, and was now flowing across the killing field like a dark tide. Some of them had already reached the deformed barrier and engaged the defenders of the breaches in a furious melee, some infiltrated the city through the new fissures in the melted wall and were now rampaging in the staging area.


    With the turrets destroyed and the mighty railguns heavily damaged, there was no way to slow down the advance of the horde. Even the MWPs were destroyed, and most of the soldiers had either lost their weapons or were seriously injured. The only ones who remained relatively unscathed were the Awakened �� there were around seven hundred of them on the southern section of the wall, and most were still able to fight.


    There were reinforcements coming from the other three sections of the wall, but it was going to take some time for them to arrive, Time that they did not have.


    The second threat was the Heart of Darkness. Four rivers of dark beetles were flowing toward the ravaged wall, reaching for it like giant black claws. Each individual beetle was capable of biting through powerful armor-type Memories, metal, and flesh.


    Their only redeeming quality was that the tiny vermin were not too hard to crush... which was why Army Command had. planned to rely heavily on the powerful defensive armaments in case the dark swarm showed up. With those armaments mostly destroyed, the danger posed by the Heart of Darkness had risen tremendously.


    There were several Ascended with Aspects suitable to face such an enemy, as well, but some of them had died in the past two. weeks, while others were not on the southern section of the wall, since no one had expected the Heart of Darkness to attack that day.


    ��Damn it!�� Gritting his teeth, Sunny looked at Jet. "So... what do we do?��


    At that time, a familiar flaming arrow, albeit much weaker than it had been durina the


    At that time, a Tamillar Naming arrow, albeit much weaker than it had been during the battle against the Devouring Cloud, flew into the mass of beetles from somewhere much further down the wall. Winter was still alive, at least.


    Master Jet let out an angry hiss.


    ��There is no choice but to retreat to the secondary defense perimeter and enact the following protocol. However... even that is impossible right now. If we don''t want to lose the city, we need to push the horde back and give the men enough time to run. We also need to obliterate the damned bugs!"


    Push back the horde... Sunny suddenly felt cold. There were so many holes in the city wall now that it was basically useless. That meant that the only way to stall the abominations was to sortie out and face the Nightmare Creatures on the killing field, blade against claw. Needless to say, that was nearly a suicide mission.


    Even if the defenders of Falcon Scott succeeded, their losses would be staggering.


    ..There was another option, of course.


    The Awakened could abandon the mundane soldiers and run. Logically speaking, leaving mundanes to die and preserving the arguably more valuable asset was a valid strategy. War was not a purely logical affair, though... the most reasonable strategy was not always the best strategy. Things like spirit, morale, and mutual trust had much greater weight than Sunny had once thought. 4


    Any army without these intangible qualities would be doomed.


    As a colonel and an Ascended, Master Jet was the senior officer on the southern section of the wall and the person in charge. The decision was hers, and Sunny did not envy her position one bit.


    She lingered for a few moments, then took a deep breath and shouted, her voice spreading far and wide due to the effects of a special Memory:


    "This is Soul Reaper Jet! All Awakened, assemble in cohorts and prepare to sortie! We must push the enemy back! All mundane personnel, abandon the wall! I repeat: abandon the wall! I am ordering a full retreat to the secondary defense line...��


    As soon as the echo of her voice disappeared into the cold night, Jet stepped toward a messenger that had lost his footing during the titans attack, grabbed the man by the collar, and pulled him to his feet with one powerful motion.


    The slightly disoriented soldier stared at her with a pale face. She looked at him somberly for a moment, and then said quietly:


    "Inform Army Command to prepare the Rampart Protocol and be ready to activate it as soon as I give the command. If I die... they should act at their discretion.��


    The frightened man nodded and disappeared, using his Aspect Ability to run at incredible speed.


    With that done, Jet glanced at Sunny. She remained silent for a moment, then smiled darkly.


    ��Are you ready?" Sunny shook his head. ��Not even a little bit."


    Soul Reaper laughed and turned to the killing field, her smile disappeared like a phantom.


    ��Well, tough. While the Awakened are fighting off the Nightmare Creatures, someone has to deal with the bugs. They absolutely cannot be allowed to enter the city. I''ll stop the left... swarm. Send that awesome Echo of yours to face the middle-left one, and go to the middle-right yourself. Bloodwave will handle the last one. With some luck, the Ascended who were supposed to deal with them in the first place will arrive to reinforce us before everyone dies... the couple of them who are still alive..."


    Sunny looked at her with a dubious expression.


    "How am I supposed to fight against countless thousands of tiny bugs?"


    Master Jet sighed.


    "You''re resourceful. Figure something out... and if you do, let me know. I am asking myself the same question."


    With that, she turned away to give orders to her cohort.


    Sunny did the same.


    Belle, Dorn, Samara, Luster, and Kim were looking at him, their eyes uncertain. He forced out a smile.


    "You all heard the boss. We are going to sortie with the rest, then push forward and block one of the beetle swarms. I''ll take point. Samara, you lost your rifle, so just blast any that get past me with essence. You''ll be our secondary slayer. Luster, support Sam. Belle, Dorn, and Kimmy... you guys will protect Luster and Samara. Don''t let the bugs bite through your armor."


    His soldiers looked at each other, then silently nodded.


    A few moments later, Soul Reaper''s voice rolled across the battlements once again:


    "Attack!"

 Chapter 1034: The Fall of Falcon Scott (52)

    1034 The Fall of Falcon Scott (52)


    The special shutes built into the wall had mostly been destroyed or damaged, so the Awakened had to use other means to sortie into the killing field. Some rappelled down, some summoned Memories capable of slowing one''s fall, some simply used the exposed framework of the great barrier to swiftly climb to the ground.


    The few surviving Masters stationed on the southern wall went first to clear the landing.


    Saint mounted Nightmare, who leaped from one protruding sheet of deformed alloy to another, reaching the swarming abominations in mere seconds. Wielding the Cruel Sight, she quickly slaughtered the nearest enemies.


    Sunny was not far behind. He glided through the air using the Dark Wing, then dismissed it a couple dozen meters above the ground and plummeted down, landing among the Nightmare Creatures like a cannonball. The Sin of Solace danced, effortlessly slicing through flesh and bone.


    It took Sunny only a few seconds to carve out a small island of safety. The members of his cohort joined him, forming a beachhead. More Awakened followed behind them, grim determination shining in their eyes.


    Everyone knew that for many, if not most of them, this was going to be the last fight. Nevertheless, no one tried to flee or turn back.


    ��It is strange:


    Cutting down a lunging beast, Sunny glanced at the descending Awakened. Surely, all of them valued their lives... maybe if left alone, most would listen to their fear and their desire to survive, and choose to save themselves instead. However, they had all been swept up in the moment and lost their reason.


    They were all individuals, but more than that, they were also parts of something much larger right now. A crowd, a mob... a collective had no fear of death, because the destruction of one of its small parts did not mean the destruction of the whole. Maybe that was how these people suppressed their utterly natural and reasonable desire to live, knowing that even without them, the larger entity they belonged to would continue to exist.


    Was that what Professor Obel had meant when he said that humanity needed a bit of stupidity to survive?


    In any case, the feeling was alien to Sunny. He had spent most of his life being refused and rejected by the collective, so naturally, he valued himself more. There was really nothing more valuable than himself, and things he personally held dear.


    ..And yet, here he was, charging into the horde of Nightmare Creatures with the rest of the Awakened of the First Army. Of course, his situation was vastly different �� Sunny was pretty sure of his ability to at least escape alive, no matter what happened. But he was still taking a great risk for no apparent reason.


    Was it stubbornness? Was it pride? Was it spite and unwillingness to admit defeat? Or had he actually become infatuated by the same sense of collective responsibility as these selfless people?


    He truly did not know. However, the word "selfless" seemed rather vile and frightening to Sunny. After all, his self was all he had. Without it, what was the point of staying alive?


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny brandished the Sin of Solace and pushed forward, cutting through one abomination after another like a ruthless, eerily graceful butcher. At some point, his three shadows joined him, wrapping themselves around his body �� the fourth one he had sent to help Nightmare. Sunny was surrounded by a fine haze of blood, but whenever drops of it fell on his black tunic, they rolled off the soft silk without leaving the slightest trace.


    The Graceless Dusk remained immaculately pristine.


    He left the hundreds of Awakened behind and advanced into the horde, leading his cohort toward the river of black beetles.


    Luckily, it was not very hard to reach, because the dark river was flowing forward to meet them, as well.


    Before the Irregulars clashed with the claw of the Heart of Darkness, though, Bloodwave finally arrived at the battlefield.


    The mighty Saint landed like a falling star, causing the earth to split and a shockwave to spread outward in all directions. Awav


    causing the ealtn to split and a shockwave to spread outward in all directions. Away from water, most of his powers would be of no use...


    But a Transcendent was still a Transcendent.


    Wearing dark grey armor sewn of sharkskin and wielding two curved swords, Bloodwave instantly turned into a whirlwind of steel, moving with such speed and force as to resemble an annihilating blur. Countless Nightmare Creatures disappeared into it, and the blurry twister instantly turned red from the mass of blood.


    More than that, the champion of the House of Night was perfectly aware of his vulnerability on land. For that reason, his soul arsenal included many powerful Memories to account for that weakness... among other things.


    As soon as Bloodwave appeared, three Echoes manifested by his side. One was a monstrous crab the size of a house, one resembled a towering golem of wet clay, and the last one was ethereal and elusive, like a creature made of fog.


    Sunny''s eyes glinted when he realized that the creature shrouded in fog was actually Transcendent itself. It would have been powerless underwater, but here under the walls of Falcon Scott, the Echo could exert truly devastating power.


    Asmall shadow fell from the sky, and a familiar black bird landed on Bloodwave''s shoulder, cawing something into his ear. A moment later, the Saint and his Echoes changed direction, heading for one of the four rivers of darkness.


    ��Maybe we can actually pull this off...


    Throwing all unnecessary thoughts out of his head, Sunny concentrated on carving a path toward the tide of beetles. Somewhere behind him, hundreds of Awakened were desperatelv pushina


    somewhere behind him, hundreds of Awakened were desperately pushing against the horde of frenzied abominations, killing and dying without holding anything back. An ear-splitting groan of tearing metal thundered as. another section of the wall collapsed, unable to withstand its own weight after suffering severe damage to its inner structure.


    He paid it no attention.


    ��How am I supposed to fight against the damned bugs?��


    The Sin of Solace could cut through dozens with each swipe, but there were countless thousands of them. Trying to kill the entire swarm with a sword was no different from trying to cut the sea.


    He had a couple of tools capable of mass destruction... Shadow Manifestation, the Strike of Thunder... he could also control the swarm, somewhat, with the Dying Wish. Best of all, the beetles would have to try very, very hard to bite through the Marble Shell.


    Sunny was not too worried about his defense. It was the offense that posed an


    issue. ��I guess I''ll just have to manage, somehow...


    A few moments later, the mass of Nightmare Creatures around them diminished, and those who did lunge at the cohort looked more panicked than consumed by bloodlust. It seemed that the Heart of Darkness cared not about whom it devoured �� humans or abominations.


    And there, behind these last few monsters...


    The tide of darkness was rushing toward Sunny once again.

 Chapter 1035 The Fall of Falcon Scott (53)

    1035  The Fall of Falcon Scott (53)


    As the river of darkness surged forward to devour Sunny, the small lantern of black stone hanging on his belt opened, and a tide of shadows rose from within it to meet the swarm of beetles.


    He held nothing back, unleashing every wild shadow he had tamed, from mundane and shallow ones to those that were ancient, vast, and unfathomably deep. The night itself seemed to move, as well...


    It moved to answer the call of the Master of Shadows.


    Two dark tides met with a deafening thunder, and thousands of beetles were instantly broken, crushed, and ground into black dust. Some shadows were vanquished, too �� and yet even more persisted. Permeated by Sunny''s essence, they were as deadly and resilient as an Ascended weapon would be.


    With no sun and no moon to illuminate the skies, there was nothing but dim starlight, and a few distant flames, to chase away the darkness. The whole world was shrouded in shadows, and so, Sunny had an almost infinite well of them to call upon. The only limitation was his essence.


    However, the number of beetles was even more limitless. Despite thousands of them being destroyed in the initial confrontation, it was no more than a drop in the ocean. Already, even more were surging forward, crashing into the wall of shadows and tunneling into it with their sharp mandibles.


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny poured more essence out, strengthening the wall and turning it into a tall dam. Almost instantly, cracks appeared on its surface, and a moment later, the river of dark beetles overflowed, spilling over the top of the dam and spreading wide to encompass it from the sides.


    Funneled by the Dying Wish, all of them rushed toward a single point �� Sunny himself.


    ''...Die!''


    He launched himself forward, moving with enough speed to leave afterimages behind. The Sin of Solace lashed out, slicing through two dozen beetles with a single strike. Almost at the same, a radiant orb of charged essence shot past Sunny and violently exploded in the surging mass of darkness �� Samara had joined the fight, using her Aspect Ability directly instead of channeling it through the tungsten rounds of a rifle.


    Together, they managed to slow the beetles down a little. Sunny turned into a whirlwind of annihilating jade, delivering half a dozen swift attacks in an instant.


    However, even though cutting through the small creatures was not too hard, the effectiveness of these attacks was low. Almost instantly, he switched to using the flat of the jade blade to crush them �� with his strength, each blow sent a concussive wave through the mass of dreadful pests, damaging and breaking their tough little bodies.


    His mind was split, one part commanding his body, the other controlling the manifested shadows to hold back the dark river.


    ��And yet, it was not enough.


    ''Damnation!''


    No matter how fast Sunny moved and how many blows he delivered, the number of beetles was down as many small creatures as he could. Kim, with her rapier and buckler, was the least suited for 15:13


    this battle, but she did her best to lessen the pressure on the two formidable warriors.


    simply overwhelming. Already, many had flowed past him �� some tried to turn around to attack from behind, but the pressure of the thousands more pushing forward brought them away, forcing Belle, Dorn, and Kim engage the creatures in melee.


    Out of the three, Dorn was able to destroy the most with his Aspect Abilities and the heavy sledgehammer. Belle used himself as bait, phasing from place to place and using his sword to cut down as many small creatures as he could. Kim, with her rapier and buckler, was the least suited for this battle, but she did her best to lessen the pressure on the two formidable warriors.


    Behind them, Samara continued to charge small beads of alloy with essence and flicking them into the mass of beetles, each streaking through the air like a bullet and exploding into a wave of destructive force. Once her supply of alloy beads and needles was exhausted, she would have to use the crudest form of attack and simply toss out projectiles formed of unrestrained, wild essence.


    ...They were holding, for now, but the tide of dark beetles was growing more and more overbearing with each moment. Their number endlessly swelled, and the dam of shadows was being continuously destroyed and rebuilt, consuming Sunny''s essence like a gluttonous beast.


    Some distance away to his right, Bloodwave and his Echoes had engaged another tentacle of the Heart of Darkness. To his left, Saint and Nightmare were holding back the third. And further still, behind them, Jet and her cohort were fighting the fourth.


    ''This isn''t working�� this is not enough��''


    Sunny knew that, if nothing changed, he and his soldiers would be devoured by the appalling vermin. Already, many of the dark beetles had gotten past his defenses and bitten into his skin. Their sharp mandibles only leaft shallow scratches on it, which almost immediately healed, but still... the memory of one of these vile creatures crawling inside his rib cage made him shudder.


    It was only a matter of time before several bites would turn into a dozen, then a hundred, then a thousand�� would the Marble Shell be able to withstand countless thousands of mandibles plunging into it? Even if it did, it was only his skin that was so resilient. Once he was buried under a cold, slithering carpet of darkness, the beetles crawling into his mouth, into his nostrils, into his ears, into his eyes... would he be devoured from within?


    The Sin of Solace laughed.


    "Wouldn''t that be a sight to behold? Ah, yes�� yes, it would�� I can''t wait!"


    Uttering a silent curse, Sunny tried to pay the whispers of the jade sword no attention and concentrated on eviscerating as many of the beetles as he could.


    ''I�� I need to think of something��''


    He could always use Shadow Step to escape�� not, not quite. The last time, a few beetles were pulled along with him as he stepped through the shadows. Most likely because the small creatures were not, in fact, alive.


    ''...Not alive?''


    A bizarre idea suddenly appeared in his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. Even if it worked, he would only be buying himself a few seconds of respite, at most.


    What Sunny really needed was to enhance his offensive ability, to find a way to destroy much, much more beetles every moment. However, he was only human�� there was only so much that his small body, no matter how strong, could do.


    No, his best hope was Shadow Manifestation. He was already using it to hold the river back and grind many beetles into dust�� but that was not enough. Was there anything else he could do?


    Summoning a dozen shadow hands to crush and obliterate the beetles would work, for a bit, but it would also burn his reserves of essence with terrible speed. Those hands would not be able to strike with as much strength as he himself could, as well��


    ''Damn it! If Serpent was here, I could have ordered it to assume the form of a massive monster, and crush thousands of the damned vermin with each step��''


    Consumed by revulsion and fear at the thought of being eaten from the inside, driven to his limits, and desperate to find a way to defeat the river of darkness�� at that feverish moment, Sunny suddenly felt something click in his head. Scraps and pieces of previously accumulated experiences connected together, forming a tentative hint of a revelation.


    The revelation was strange, unclear, and dubious.


    ''That�� should not be possible, right?''


    However, he really could not see why not.


    Sunny sensed the endless ocean of formless shadows around him, all malleable and ready to answer his call.


    If Soul Serpent was not here to assume the shape of a dreadful monster��


    ...Why not try to turn into one himself?


    One chapter today, three tomorrow.


    Guiltythree

 Chapter 1036 The Fall of Falcon Scott (54)

    1036  The Fall of Falcon Scott (54)


    The [Formless] Ability allowed Soul Serpent to assume the shape of any shadow contained within its master''s soul, as long as it was the shadow of a creature that was of the same or lower Class and Rank.


    Once transformed, Serpent would not only look like the creature, but also inherit its traits and abilities.


    ��Sunny, however, was not the Serpent.


    While he trained his mind and body to possess some facets of the formlessness of shadows, he was still a human. Even if he used Shadow Step to turn incorporeal, he would not be able to make use of the same mystical ability.


    He could, however, command the shadows and manifest them into tangible forms.


    What did it mean?


    Slowly drowning in the tide of black beetles and feeling their sharp mandibles scrape against his skin, Sunny continued to fight�� and think. His thoughts were desperate and feverish, but at the same time, his mind was strangely calm.


    His first uses of Shadow Manifestation had been very simple �� nothing more than shapeless shadows turned tangible and pushed into motion. The only form they had was the one caused by the motion itself, and so, they looked like dark tentacles.


    Later, Sunny trained for a long time to be able to effortlessly manipulate the shadows into more structured shapes. Chains, blades, walls, and a few more �� with those, he had made several incredible achievements. Building a bridge over a vast chasm, stopping the advance of a mighty titan�� were not things a Master was supposed to be capable of doing.


    However, his crowning achievement in the use of Shadow Manifestation was the shadow hands. Although not as powerful, durable, and numerous as the dark chains Sunny could create, they were vastly more complex and intricately structured. A hand had to have a rigid frame, flexible joints, dozens degrees of freedom, and many more aspects that few people ever stopped to consider.


    Controlling one was also much more complicated.


    Currently, Sunny could skillfully implement two types of shadow hands: the cruder and larger ones acted as an independent fighting force during battles, while the much more agile ones, scaled to the size of his body, were used to give him an extra pair of hands for complicated tasks.


    So�� if he could already create hands and arms�� what was to stop him from shaping shadows into a full creature?


    Sunny growled as he was pushed back by the river of darkness, wide cracks appearing on the dam he had created. Behind him, Belle, Dorn, and Kim were barely holding on against the ever-increasing number of the vile beetles. Just at that moment, Dorn was a split second too slow to bring his sledgehammer down, and one of the small creatures landed on his armor.


    The enchanted metal instantly split, but before the beetle could burrow under the giant man''s skin, Kim''s rapier flashed and pierced the beetle. The sharp blade wounded Dorn, as well, but receiving a shallow cut was infinitely better than having a murderous little creature tear through his insides.


    Sunny gritted his teeth, striking down with the Sin of Solace.


    What was to stop him? The answer was very simple�� complexity.


    Even shaping a functioning hand was already incomparably hard. He had spent a lot of time teaching himself how to shape shadows into hands on the fly �� creating an actual moving construct in the form of a creature would have been a hundred, if not a thousand times harder.


    Plus, such a creature would not be very deadly, since in the end, it would just be a more complicated Ascended weapon.


    There was something that could solve both of these problems in Sunny''s possession, though��


    His knowledge of Shadow Dance.


    Shadow Dance allowed him to observe a person �� or a creature �� and learn the very essence of their style and physicality, then shadow it. How they moved, how they thought, how they felt, how soul essence flowed through their body. Of course, none of that would be possible if he did not first understand the structure of the body itself.


    If Sunny knew how a body was shaped and worked on an instinctual level, the task of forcing shadows into that form would become much, much easier.


    Additionally, he did not have to make that form act independently. To translate his own power through it instead of relying solely on the strength of the shadows themselves, he could build it around himself like a shell�� he could wrap it around his body like his own shadows wrapped around it.


    ''It''s like a�� it''s like a suit of exoskeleton armor in the shape of a Nightmare Creature�� a shell of shadows, with me powering it instead of the other way around��''


    If he succeeded, he would be able to assume the shape of a Nightmare Creature �� just like Soul Serpent could. Of course, there would be a vast difference. Unlike his Shadow, Sunny would not inherit the creature''s attributes and abilities, but the physical form itself was already enough.


    He took a deep breath, almost swallowing one of the beetles. A savage expression appeared on Sunny''s face, and he flinched back, narrowly avoiding the lunging pest.


    Would he really be able to pull this off?


    ''There''s only one way to find out��''


    To attempt something like that, though, Sunny needed two things. First, he had to choose a suitable form, and one that was exceedingly familiar to him. The better he knew the shape of a creature, the higher his chances of success would be�� and even though he had shadowed many abominations over the years, there were very few that Sunny was confident in recreating.


    Secondly�� he needed some time, with nothing to distract him from the task. Even if it was just a few seconds, attempting something that crazy for the first time could not be done in the middle of a furious melee.


    Sunny could come up with some monster to try turning into, but several seconds of peace were much harder to come by.


    Unless��


    Soon�� a large alloy chest appeared in front of Sunny, large enough for him to comfortably lie on.


    15:15


    It was the Covetous Coffer.


    The bizarre idea that he had thought of some time ago suddenly popped back into his mind.


    He crushed a hundred beetles with an obliterating strike of the flat of his jade sword, then continued to rain one attack after another on the inexhaustible river of vermin, summoning a new Memory at the same time.


    Soon�� a large alloy chest appeared in front of Sunny, large enough for him to comfortably lie on.


    It was the Covetous Coffer.


    Sunny commanded the Memory to open its lid, then pushed it on the side and swiftly hid behind it. He also called back the deepest and most ancient shadows unleashed from the Shadow Lantern, hoping to shape them into a monstrous form��


    The Coffer was a storage Memory, and by now, its capacity was rather large. After months spent in Antarctica, that space was mostly empty.


    All kinds of things could be stored inside the alloy chest, with two restrictions �� the things could not be too big, and they could not be alive.


    The black beetles, though�� were not alive. Sunny did not know what they were, but since the creatures could travel with him through Shadow Step, which suffered from a similar limitation, there was a good reason to believe that the Coffer would be able to swallow them, as well.


    ��And it did.


    Positioned between the tide of black beetles and Sunny, who wore the Dying Wish, the alloy chest was like a bottomless abyss. A river of the vile creatures flowed into it, hoping to tear through the bottom of the Coffer and get to the human hiding behind it. However, all of them simply disappeared into the spatial storage space instead.


    A second passed, and then another, with countless thousands of beetles entering the dark chasm of the Coffer''s maw and never appearing again.


    After one more second, though, the storage space started to overflow. The lid of the chest instantly snapped shut, and then, the Memory dissipated into a whirlwind of white sparks.


    The river of beetles surged forward to devour the human��


    What rose from the veil of sparks, however, was not a human at all.


    Instead, it was a fearsome creature that towered at almost three meters in height, with onyx black skin and a bestial, demonic face. Its mouth was full of sharp fangs, and four long horns crowned its head, protruding from dark, coarse hair.


    The creature had four hands that ended with sharp claws, and a long twisting tail. Its eyes were entirely black, with no irises and two vertical, furious pupils.


    A terrifying growl escaped from its mouth.


    ''Success.''


    ...Of course, Sunny had chosen the shape of a creature he was most familiar with.


    The Shadowspawn Devil.

 Chapter 1037 The Fall of Falcon Scott (55)

    1037 The Fall of Falcon Scott (55)


    Sunny had spent many long months in the body of the nameless shadow spawn. From the bloody floor of the Red Colosseum to the burning streets of the Ivory City, he had fought countless battles with the Awakened the creature''s four clawed hands.


    ...However, he had never experienced being the Shadow Devil as an Ascended.


    Possessing the power of a Master and augmented by shadows, he exploded with truly terrifying might. At three meters of height, Sunny had suddenly turned into a vicious herald of destruction. He lunged into the mass of dark beetles, eviscerating hundreds of them in a split second.


    He was holding a sword in each of his four hands �� two of them were the Sin of Solace and the Midnight Shard, and two were shaped from shadows. Each moved with staggering speed, weaving a translucent sphere of devastation in the river of darkness.


    Fighting with four swords was, perhaps, not the best idea against most opponents �� however, Sunny did not need a lot of control and agility to deal with the beetles. All he needed was speed... more speed, more attacks, no matter how crude. With four swords and longer reach, the rate at which he destroyed the vile creatures increased tremendously.


    He cut and crushed them with his four swords stomped them with his clawed feet... even his tail was swiping through the swarm, obliterating many beetles. For a few moments, the river of darkness seemed to slow its advance.


    Sunny used those moments to slaughter even more, alleviating the pressure on his cohort and allowing Samara to renew her bombardment of charged essence.


    The strangest thing about it... was how comfortable he felt.


    Even while shaping the shadows into the form of the Shadow Devil, Sunny had no idea of how easy or hard it would be to control that shell. As it turned out, it felt almost indistinguishable from the real thing... all he needed to do was summon the memories of the Second Nightmare into his mind, and bring them to life with the help of Shadow Dance.


    Like shadowing a memory of a creature instead of the creature itself.


    Of course, the demands were high... he needed to know the shape of the shadow shell in startling detail. Sunny suspected that he would not have been able to turn himself into many other creatures, if any at all. However, his knowledge of the Shadowspawn was nothing short of instinctual �� instead of controlling the construct consciously, he simply allowed himself to become it.


    The other demand was essence. Sustaining the shadow shell burned through it with dire speed. His reserves were not exhausted yet... but he knew he wouldn''t be able to keep being the Shadowspawn for long. He had to do a lot of other things, as well �� like power his Memories and manifest more and more shadows to repair the tall dam.


    ...The situation had improved, but they were still on a timer. If nothing changed soon, the result would be disastrous. ''Don''t think about it right now. Just... kill! Kill as many as you can! The damned. beetles have to have a breakpoint, too...'' Everything turned into pure chaos.


    Sunny felt as though his physical power was almost uncontrollable now. He pushed and pushed himself, expecting to hit a limit, but that limit never came. His speed, his strength, his force... all of it had vastly increased, to the point where his thoughts were starting to fall behind his movements.


    Countless thousands of beetles were destroyed. Faced with the hurricane of swords, claws, horns, and fangs, the river actually recoiled, giving up several meters of frozen soil. Sunny thrust one of the shadow swords forward and let go of it at some point


    Instead, arcs of electricity appeared on his palm, and then formed into an arrow that seemed to be made of lightning. Sunny stabbed it into the mass of beetles, causing an incinerating chain reaction to destroy numerous creatures. He was hurt by the devastating current of electricity, as well, but due to the elemental resistance of the Marble Shell and the augmentation of the shadows, the damage was superficial and almost tolerable.


    There was no time to think, only to fight.


    Somehow, miraculously... Sunny was holding the swarm of the black beetles back. The Dying Wish was pulling them toward him like a magnet, but instead of washing the towering Shadow Devil away like a


    dark tide, they were being constantly ground to dust cut to pieces, and incinerated by lightning as soon as they entered within his reach.


    Those that flowed past Sunny were dealt with by the members of his cohort. Samara was causing one explosion after another to bloom amid the swarm, while Luster fed her a steady flow of essence. Both were nearing their limit... but they had not reached it yet. The same was true for Belle, Dorn, and Kim.


    Sunny couldn''t see Saint and Nightmare, but from the glimpses of how little progress the second swarm had made, he knew that they were doing their part, as well.


    The third swarm, the Bloodwave was supposed to deal with, seemed the most damaged. The three Echoes were holding it back, but the fearsome Saint himself was nowhere to be seen. He was probably hidden somewhere within the river of darkness, fighting furiously... since the Echoes had not dissipated, he had to be alive, at least.


    The only ones Sunny knew nothing ab


    out were Soul Reaper and her cohort since they were too far away. Still... he believed that Master Jet would not go down easily.


    ''Keep fighting... keep fighting...''


    Sunny could feel his shadow shell slowly coming undone.


    After long minutes of rampaging within the dark river of vermin, it had sustained a lot of damage. He tried to repair the wound delivered to the towering Shadow Devil by summoning and manifesting more shadows, but many beetles were already crawling within. Their mandibles scraped against the silk of the Graceless Dusk or his skin from time to time. fruitlessly for now.


    His every muscle was burning from strain, and his mind was becoming clouded from fatigue. It took a lot, to keep the shadow shell intact and moving... he had to let the dam crumble a couple of minutes ago, already, because the pressure of it all was just too demanding.


    Nevertheless, Sunny kept fighting.


    In fact, the more tired and fatigued he became, the fiercer his rampage grew, and the louder the Sin of Solace laughed, whispering ugly truths into his ears.


    "You''ll never make... give up... leave your soldiers to die and save yourself... come on! It''s so easy... just turn into a shadow and slip away... no one will now... no one will tell... everyone will just die"


    ''How irritating.''


    Sunny tossed the Strike of Thunder into


    the surging mass of beetles once again, enduring the piercing pain of being electrocuted by its lightning, and felt one of his two shadow hands crumble down.


    ''Ah... not good...''


    He prepared to summon a new shadow to reshape it... but then, something changed.


    A strange ripple went through the river of darkness and it suddenly lost cohesion. The purposeful tide of black beetles grew discordant and shapeless, many of them simply growing still.


    Some continued to throw themselves at Sunny, while others scurried away.


    Nestled within the battered shadow shell, he blinked.


    ''What... what just happened?''

 Chapter 1038 The Fall. of Falcon Scott (56)

    1038 The Fall. of Falcon Scott (56)


    ''Tired... so tired.''


    Sunny smashed through the nearest beetles and jumped back, sliding a few dozens of meters across the ground as his claws left deep grooves in the frozen soil to slow him down.


    In front of him... the river of darkness was falling apart. The dark beetles, who had been acting like a single organism before, were now aimless and sluggish. Some grew lethargic or started burrowing into the ground, while others were wandering away. A few hundred were still pursuing him... with a thought, Sunny deactivated the Dying Wish and watched the small creatures dash away in fear.


    The swarm ceased its purposeful advance and instead flowed outward, losing the shape of a giant tentacle of darkness. It was as though a tank of water had been broken, water spilling to the sides.


    Utterly, chillingly exhausted, Sunny panted heavily inside the shadow shell. There were several beetles still crawling within it, stubbornly trying to bite through his skin. However, even their vicious bites had grown less determined.


    ''The breaking point... did they reach it?''


    His tired mind wanted nothing more than to release the manifested shadows and let the Shadow Devil form crumble into nothingness, but he forced himself to remain vigilant.


    Looking left and right, Sunny saw that the two neighboring swarms were in a similar condition. This was good news, but also bad... now that the Heart of Darkness was acting directionless, its deterrence seemed to have lost most of its power. The horde of Nightmare Creatures, which had been scared away by the dark beetles, was already starting to tentatively move closer to the group of humans.


    ''Crap...''


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment, then turned around and took a few steps toward the members of his cohort, who were: similarly spent and battered.


    His soldiers, however, recoiled away from him.


    He looked down in confusion for a moment. ''Oh...''


    With that, Sunny finally let the shadows comprising the Shadowspawn return to their natural form and flow back into the intricately engraved lantern hanging on the black silken cord tied around his waist. The towering four-armed devil suddenly crumbled into a cloud of darkness, and a pale young man in a beautiful black tunic stepped out of it with a stagger.


    ''Argh!''


    Sunny fell to his knees, then raised his fist and angrily struck the ground several times, crushing the scurrying beetles.


    "C-captain? Is that y��you?"


    He glanced at Kim, who was staring at him with wide eyes.


    "Of course, it''s me. Who else would it be? And it''s Major now, dammit..."


    He slowly stood up and summoned the Endless Spring, taking several large gulps of cold, refreshing water.


    Perhaps dismissing the Shadow Shell outside the city wall was not the wisest decision, but he felt that he would not be able to sustain it much longer. At least that way, he would have a tiny bit of essence Left... for whatever it was that would happen next.


    The wall...


    Sunny looked back, finally witnessing the full scope of the damage done to the defensive barrier. The southern span of the wall was terribly deformed and broken, with many sections laying in giant piles of broken, melted alloy... much more of them than when he had left it. Somewhere beside it, hidden by the sea of abominations, the Awakened of the First Army was still holding the horde back.


    He wondered how many of them were still alive.


    ''What is going on? Why did the Heart of Darkness suddenly... stopped beating? Where the hell are..."


    Shaken, he looked to his left, where Saint and Nightmare �� and Soul Reaper''s cohort �� had fought.


    His Shadows were already approaching, both littered with wounds. Neither had perished, but they did sustain a lot of damage. Even Saint, who was Transcendent, and thus much more durable than Sunny, had suffered dreadfully while battling the swarm of black beetles. Maybe because the small creatures were especially proficient at gnawing through stone...


    The [Mantle of Darkness] was slow to repair the damage, as well, almost as if Saint''s internal source of true darkness was as exhausted as Sunny''s reservoir of essence. Her wounds were healing, nevertheless... just not at all as fast as he would have wanted.


    There was one more figure making its way toward him, as well. Sunny felt extremely relieved when he recognized Jet.


    Soul Reaper... did not look good. Her armor seemed to have been destroyed at some point during the battle, and now, she wore only the uniform bodysuit, its smart fabric wet and heavy with blood. Her face was ashen.


    In a few heartbeats, all three arrived.


    ...In the same span of time, the Nightmare Creatures started to draw closer, madness and hunger burning in their eyes.


    Sunny was the first one to speak:


    "Master Jet? What happened? Why did the bugs suddenly..."


    She staggered, forcing him to support her. Sunny and the members of his cohort looked at the leader of the Irregulars with concern.


    Jet took a few raspy breaths, then said in a hoarse voice:


    "I''m alright. It was Bloodwaye... he fought his way to the center of the swarm, and killed the thing in charge."


    Sunny blinked.


    "What? How? And what exactly did he kill?" She shook her head.


    "I don''t know."


    It was only then that Sunny realize that Soul Reaper was alone. He hesitated for a moment, then asked:


    "Your cohort?" Jet gritted her teeth. "..Dead."


    Then, she pushed herself off of him and straightened.


    "The Ascended that were supposed to reinforce us... are also dead. They couldn''t fight their way through the horde. And speaking of the horde, we need to get the hell out of here, fast. We need to reach the secondary defense line really, really soon... otherwise, Army Command is probably going to blow us all up..."


    Sunny froze for a moment.


    ''The... the Rampart Protocol..''


    The First Army, of course, had all kinds of contingencies. There were a few set in place in case the city wall fell, too �� from relatively tame to really drastic.


    The Rampart Protocol was the most drastic of them all.


    There were tunnels dug below the killing field, and under the span of abandoned streets between the city wall and the secondary defense line, as well. All of them were choke-full of powerful explosives, most of them created with the use of spelltech.


    All those explosives were set up to go up in flames together, turning everything outside the secondary barrier into a vast, scorching inferno.


    That measure was only supposed to be implemented after every soldier had safely retreated into the safety zone... and most of them already had. Army Command would probably wait for Sunny, Jet, and especially Bloodwave to return before pulling the trigger.


    But the situation was extremely chaotic, and communications were down. There was just no telling for sure.


    ''Damnation...''


    Sunny glanced to his right and saw a battered Echo �� the other two must have been destroyed �� and a fearsome figure in sharkskin armor emerge from the mass of dark beetles and dash toward them.


    Some distance behind the pair, a mass of abominations were already lunging forward.


    He looked back at Jet and grinned.


    "Then what the hell are we waiting for? Run!"

 Chapter 1039 The Fall of Falcon Scott (57)

    1039  The Fall of Falcon Scott (57)


    Bloodwave reached them just a moment later. The mighty Saint looked�� spent. Sunny shivered when he noticed that his armor was torn, and there were ugly injuries covering his body. Out of the three Echoes, only the monstrous crab remained�� the other two had either been destroyed or dismissed to save them from perishing.


    ''Even the Transcendent Echo is gone�� gods. What could have destroyed one of those and severely injured a Saint? The Heart of Darkness�� just what kind of creature was it?''


    He felt a bit of dread, and a bit of curiosity. However, now was not the time to ask questions.


    Their small party had to hurry and fight their way back through the boundless horde of Nightmare Creatures. Five Awakened, two Masters, one Saint�� as well as two powerful Shadows and an Echo. They were an exceedingly formidable group.


    Granted, all of them were wounded, tired, and low on essence. Still, cutting through the horde while keeping everyone alive would not pose a problem.


    In theory.


    Bloodwave studied the rest for a moment, then sent his Echo forward and growled, his voice husky, low, and domineering:


    "Move!"


    Saint spared the mighty Saint an indifferent glance, then mounted Nightmare and sent the dark destrier into a gallop, the spearhead of the Cruel Sight igniting with the incandescent white glow in her hand, a shield made of pure darkness weighing on the other. They moved ahead of the party, cutting into the horde as a fierce vanguard.


    Soul Reaper was just behind, accompanied by the members of Sunny''s cohort. Bloodwave and his Echo flanked the Awakened, protecting them from the frenzied Nightmare Creatures.


    Sunny himself took up the rear position, dragging his tired body along and preventing the abominations from attacking the backs of his soldiers.


    In a cacophony of chilling howls, they dove into the mass of abominations. Blood, severed flesh, and fragments of broken bone instantly filled the air.


    ''Damn it, damn it, damn it��''


    No one in the group was weak, and some of them were truly powerful. However, the horde that Goliath had brought to the walls of Falcon Scott was simply too vast. Countless Nightmare Creatures were throwing themselves at the exhausted humans in a rabid frenzy, every moment, from every direction. Slowing down meant being buried under a mountain of monstrous bodies and torn apart.


    Their only chance was to cut through the mass of abominations faster than the abominations could pile up on them.


    Sunny continued to fight with his teeth gritted. The rearguard position was the most awkward, because he had to move backwards at considerable speed while slaughtering the mass of Nightmare Creatures pursuing the party. By now, they were deep inside the horde, and the abominations were surrounding them on all sides.


    With how sharp and swift the Sin of Solace was, no creature could resist its blade. Sunny was managing somehow, for now, but his battered body was hurting all over. Even though the Marble Shell had yet to succumb to an attack, the few blows he failed to dodge or deflect still delivered some damage.


    It was only his skin that was as hard as stone, after all, not his entire body. A sufficiently powerful strike would send a concussive shock through his insides, potentially causing internal organs to rupture. That hadn''t happened yet�� but being hit still hurt.


    ''What the hell�� it just never ends, does it?''


    Today, he had killed a titan and faced a creature that might have been even more wicked. Despite it all, the hard part was not over��


    The fact that everything around him could blow at any moment, plunging the whole place into an inferno of immolating flame, both mundane and magical, did not make Sunny feel any better either.


    Slowly, the ruined walls of the siege capital drew closer. Bloodwave''s Echo was almost destroyed, causing the Saint to dismiss it �� Master Jet took its place with a resigned expression, her wounds starting to bleed again. The somber glaive was nowhere to be seen, but a slender naginata appeared in Soul Reaper''s hands instead. Using it, she cleared the right flank of the formation with several vicious strikes.


    The pressure on Sunny was also increasing. By now, he was forced to support himself with Shadow Manifestation from time to time �� his already pitiful reserve of essence was diminishing even further with each use.


    And yet, they continued to cut through the horde unimpeded, the ground sleek with blood under their feet.


    After what felt like a thousand years of slaughter, the party finally reached the melted ruin of the city wall.


    In front of it, the Awakened force in charge of the southern section was holding back the ocean of Nightmare Creatures�� what was left of it, at least. A grim expression settled on Sunny''s face when he realized that of the initial seven hundred, perhaps only two hundred remained.


    Reuniting with the line of Awakened soldiers gave them a moment of respite, and gave the desperate soldiers a much-needed morale boost.


    Soul Reaper, Mongrel, and Devil�� all three were famous champions of the First Army, and although few soldiers knew what Saint Bloodwave looked like, the Transcendent of the House of Night had a presence that made it impossible to mistake him for an ordinary person. Seeing them return alive from the sortie, the Awakened regained some of their spirit.


    No one was out of the woods yet, though.


    There was a large distance separating the wall from the secondary defense perimeter that had been established deep within the city. That whole abandoned area was set up to go up in flames, as well.


    Sunny looked through one of the numerous breaches in the deformed wall, noticing that the staging area on the other side of it had already been evacuated. The mundane soldiers had retreated, taking the logistics personnel, medical officers, technicians, engineers, and all other non-combatants with them.


    The vast resources stored inside the staging area were all left behind. Tall crates of MWP munitions, carcasses of slain Nightmare Creatures, loader robots, and so on�� a wealth of supplies, much of it highly flammable or outright explosive, was going to be blown up once the Rampart Protocol was initiated, too.


    Usually, Sunny would have been pained to see all these riches go to waste, but right now, he did not


    care.


    Usually, Sunny would have been pained to see all these riches go to waste, but right now, he did not care.


    All he cared about was not being near when they did.

 Chapter 1040 The Fall of Falcon Scott (58)

    1040  The Fall of Falcon Scott (58)


    ''Right�� now, we just have to get to the secondary defense line. Once we''re within the city instead of on a plain, evading the abominations should be much easier, so the last stretch of the way won''t be as hard.''


    Sunny glanced at his companions, evaluating their state. Everyone was exhausted, dirty, and covered in blood �� both their own and that of Nightmare Creatures �� but alive.


    The only problem now was to somehow extricate themselves, and the two hundred surviving Awakened, from the attacking horde.


    At that moment, as if to answer his thoughts, Bloodwave turned to look at the mass of abominations. Then, the enigmatic Saint glanced at Master Jet.


    "Take your soldiers and go, Soul Reaper. I will hold the beasts back for a bit�� tell your commanders to activate the explosives as soon as you''re past the defense line."


    Sunny stared at him in shock, feeling that these words sounded a bit like... a farewell.


    "You�� you��"


    Bloodwave gave him a strange look.


    "Ah�� I think you might have misunderstood, Sunless. I am not trying to sacrifice myself. It''s just that an explosion like that won''t harm a Transcendent too much. The Awakened, however, or even someone like you�� better not risk it."


    Sunny slowly nodded. Indeed�� Corrupted Nightmare Creatures could survive a nuclear explosion without too much trouble, some Fallen as well. Rampart Protocol was not going to kill a Transcendent like Bloodwave, or even seriously inconvenience him.


    Master Jet nodded.


    "We''ll be going, then."


    The Saint nodded, then took a deep breath and started summoning several Memories. Sunny did not know what exactly the Memories were, but judging by the fact that Bloodwave had promised to hold back the horde�� the whole horde�� all by himself, the abominations were in for a nasty surprise.


    Jet looked at him, then said quietly:


    "Once we start running, don''t stop until you''re safely behind the army fortifications. I''ll stay back a little, to make sure that everyone who is still alive gets safely out of the blast zone before Army Command begins the party. Expect to enjoy fireworks as soon as we see each other again."


    Sunny forced out a pale smile.


    "...It''s going to be terribly loud, isn''t it? Damn. My poor ears."


    With that, he spared her one last glance and turned to his cohort.


    "Come on! Go!"


    Almost as soon as they dashed toward the nearest breach in the wall, Master Jet''s voice boomed once again, spreading across the whole length of the battlefield.


    "...Retreat!"


    The surviving Awakened of the First Army did not make her ask twice. Delivering one last attack, they used their remaining strength to momentarily push the enemy back, then turned around and ran.


    To call it a retreat was a bit of a stretch. There was no order or strategy to it, just a desperate wish to survive. The defense line instantly collapsed, and the soldiers dove into the ruins of the city wall, their backs to the enemy.


    The only saving grace of the whole thing was Bloodwave, who somehow managed to fulfill his promise and stall the enormous horde of Nightmare Creatures all by himself, at least for a few moments.


    What happened outside the wall next, Sunny did not know. He thought that he heard the roar of a rushing tide of water, but at that point, there was no time to turn around.


    Sunny and his cohort flashed through the abandoned staging area and escaped into the empty streets beyond.


    Here, everything was shrouded in darkness. Many buildings had collapsed, creating a complicated labyrinth of snow and broken concrete. Others still stood, but were charred black by the flames. Some streets were strangely untouched and eerily empty, and of course, there were functioning roads that the First Army had maintained to deliver people and supplies to the wall.


    Sunny led his people to one of these roads. Luckily, all of them could see in the dark thanks to Kim, so the lack of illumination was not a problem. Their running speed was not much lower than that of a moving PTV, but nevertheless, he felt a pang of regret for a moment.


    ''I''m going to lose the Rhino��''


    His reliable APC was currently parked in a different section of the staging area, near where they had started their shift. Sadly, the battle had taken them far away from the main gate of the city, so there was no time to search for the mighty vehicle.


    Once this whole place blew up, the Rhino would undoubtedly be destroyed, as well.


    ''Damn it! Damn it!''


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny continued to run. He had to lead his people to safety�� that took priority over everything else.


    Currently, they were slightly ahead of the rest of the retreating Awakened. The span of the southern section was very long, so no one else was in view. Right now, all that mattered was speed, and each soldier was making their own path to the secondary defense line. Sunny suspected that most would try to reach the maintained roads, but on this one, there was no one but the battered cohort of Irregulars.


    Burned and collapsed buildings flew past them one after another. They ran through the darkness, moving as fast as they could, their stamina long spent and their lungs burning. The dark, empty streets�� something about them filled Sunny with a feeling of eerie unease.


    It took him a couple of minutes to realize why the surroundings felt so strange. It was too quiet�� after more than two weeks of the siege, Sunny had grown accustomed to always hearing the wall armaments roaring somewhere in the distance.


    But those armaments had grown silent now, destroyed by the fiery gaze of Goliath. At least across the whole southern section of the defensive barrier, not a single turret was firing.


    For some reason, the silence filled him with dread.


    ''Almost there�� just a few more minutes��''


    Sunny spread his shadow sense outward, just to make sure that there were no dangers around. He even sent two of his shadows to scour the path ahead, to be safe, and ordered Saint and Nightmare to stay alert.


    But there was nothing there, just abandoned buildings and snow-covered ruins.


    Sunny did not see anything that could pose a threat to the cohort.


    His shadow did not see anything, either.


    Neither did Nightmare and Saint.


    ��The only one to notice it was Luster, who just happened to turn his head in the direction the attack came from by pure luck.


    His eyes widened.


    It was a split second later that Sunny sensed it�� a swift shadow flying toward the cohort, even though there was nothing there to cast it. But it was already too late for him to react.


    In the next moment, Luster suddenly lunged forward and pushed Kim aside, throwing her to the ground. Something flashed through the cold air, and it was instantly filled with hot blood.

 Chapter 1041 The Fall of Falcon Scott (59)

    1041  The Fall of Falcon Scott (59)


    Something broke the dark surface of the shadows and flew into the cold air, moving fast enough to look like a black blur. Before anyone could react, Kim was falling down�� and so was Luster, who had pushed her aside at the last moment. There was blood in the air, a startled expression on his face�� and something was very wrong with the way he was falling��


    The black blur did not stop. A sharp blade instantly flashed toward Dorn, who had a startled expression on his face. The giant man only had enough time to slightly turn his torso �� the blade missed his heart, slicing through armor and leaving a deep wound on his chest.


    The blade continued forward without pause, a split second away from piercing Belle''s head. Instead, it simply passed through it�� the swordsman could not possibly dodge, but he just barely managed to activate his Aspect Ability and phase through the strike.


    Leaving Samara utterly open.


    Everything happened too fast. Before Kim even hit the ground, the enemy''s blade was already mere centimeters away from slashing across her throat.


    ��However, a jade sword suddenly appeared in its way, blocking the lightning-fast attack.


    ''What the��''


    Sunny, who had thrown himself in the path of the enemy, was tossed back by the ferocious force of the impact. The attacker, whoever it was, was so strong that his hands grew slightly numb.


    He collapsed on the scorched road and rolled, instantly jumping back to his feet.


    Kim landed on the ground. Luster did, too�� both of his legs were cleanly severed at the knee, and blood was pouring out of terrible wounds.


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    But he had no time to think about it. The members of the cohort were too slow to defend themselves, and the ambush was not yet over. The creature �� a dark silhouette moving with dire speed �� had been thrown back, as well. Sunny only had enough time to notice a humanoid shape clad in black armor, and instantly lunged forward.


    He had regained his balance a split second faster than the attacker, so the bastard had no way to avoid being pierced by the Sin of Solace.


    ��And yet, that was exactly what happened.


    Before the jade sword could strike the creature down, it simply dissipated into the shadows.


    ''What?''


    Sunny was stupefied for a short moment.


    ''It''s�� it''s Shadow Step.''


    Which meant��


    He spun, but was a moment too late. The creature was already behind him, the black blade falling from above.


    Sunny gritted his teeth, then blocked the strike with his forearm. The Marble Shell turned as hard as stone�� and split open, broken by the vicious strength of the blow. The blade only managed to deliver a relatively minor wound, though, most of its power spent to shatter the shell.


    Before Sunny could counterattack, the enemy had blinked out of existence once again.


    ''Not good��''


    The creature appeared some distance away, aiming to finish off Kim. At that point, however, Saint was already there. The taciturn knight had leapt from Nightmare''s back and flashed across the road, deflecting the black blade with her shield.


    Inconceivably, the onyx shield actually cracked, and the Shadow staggered back.


    The creature did not waste any time and lunged toward Kim, but then��


    A black chain suddenly wrapped around its throat.


    A dozen meters away, Sunny grasped the shadow chain and jerked it back with all his strength.


    The enemy was thrown back, flying through the air and crashing on the road a few meters behind him. The creature slid back, then stopped, kneeling in the middle of the road.


    It remained motionless for a moment, and then slowly stood up, glancing at Sunny with cold killing intent.


    Subjected to the hate-filled gaze, Sunny turned grim.


    The creature was about two meters tall, with plates of jet-black bone covering its body like a full suit of armor. Even its face was hidden behind black bone, which formed a menacing closed helmet. Two inhuman dark eyes burned with resentment and hatred through the cracks.


    The lower part of the helmet was split by a jagged line, and when it parted, a maw full of sharp fangs was revealed, opened in a mocking grin.


    Sunny, who was standing between the cohort and the abomination, grimaced and lowered his gaze a little.


    In one of its hand, the creature was holding a curved sword that seemed to have been crudely carved from a long black tusk, its edge terribly sharp and harder than steel.


    ��Just as he had thought, the abomination was missing two fingers on the other.


    Sunny sighed, lingered for a moment, and that said tiredly:


    "I had a feeling that you would show up."


    The scary stories about a murderous shadow that people in Falcon Scott had been telling each other turned out to be more than just stories, in the end.


    It seemed that the little Scavenger had grown once again.


    ''Curse it��''


    Of course, the wretched goblin would choose this exact moment to attack�� why wouldn''t he? Sunny was tired, beaten, and very low on essence. The First Army was in full retreat, and none of his allies could intervene on his behalf.


    If Sunny was planning an ambush, that would have been exactly how he''d do it.


    ��Well, not quite. He would not have failed to kill most of his marks during the first assault.


    Not letting the Scavenger out of his sight, Sunny briefly glanced at his soldiers.


    Luster seemed to be in shock, weakly trying to sit up. Kim was by his side, hastily applying a tourniquet. Belle, Samara, and Dorn were shielding them with their bodies, their faces grim and tense�� the latter was bleeding from a deep wound on his chest.


    Saint and Nightmare were waiting for his command, ready to attack.


    ''Bad, bad�� this is very bad��''


    Sunny had already taken a glance at the Scavenger''s soul, finding out that the damned waif had somehow managed to become a Corrupted Devil. The goblin�� well, the bastard was more of an ogre now�� must have devoured a lot of Nightmare Creatures to become that strong.


    He must have devoured a lot of people, as well, considering how disturbingly human-like the Scavenger now looked. There must have been a lot of bodies left in the ruins of Erebus Field�� and more victims still here in Falcon Scott.


    Much worse, it seemed that swallowing a piece of Sunny''s flesh allowed the creature to inherit some of his powers.


    Powers related to shadows.


    Dealing with an enemy like that would have been hard even if the cohort was in peak shape, but now�� it was going to be a problem. Not a big problem, of course��


    However, one thing made the situation truly dire.


    The whole section of the city around them �� the road, the buildings, the ruins �� was about to be destroyed by a titanic explosion.

 Chapter 1042 The Fall of Falcon Scott (60)

    1042  The Fall of Falcon Scott (60)


    For a few moments, no one moved. Sunny was considering how to deal with the Scavenger, while the Scavenger was probably considering how to deal with Sunny, now that the ambush had partially failed.


    ��Or maybe the damn thing was simply enjoying seeing him squirm. Who could tell what was happening in that abominable head?


    A hundred thoughts flew through Sunny''s mind. No matter how he looked at it, the situation did not look good. He had no doubt that he and his two Shadows were more than enough to kill the Scavenger�� after all, plenty of Corrupted abominations had fallen by his hand. But would they be able to kill him fast enough?


    The wretched creature was strong, and extremely slippery. Fighting someone who could teleport all over the place was a real nightmare�� belatedly, Sunny felt pity for all the poor bastards whom he had killed in the past. They must have all died full of frustration.


    ''Serves them right��''


    Once Army Command set off the explosives below the city, Saint would probably be able to survive the conflagration, just like Bloodwave had said he would. Nightmare and Sunny had a chance to escape unscathed, too, if they managed to find a shadow deep enough to protect them.


    His soldiers, however, would not. They were not Saints, or even Ascended. Neither did they possess Aspects capable of saving them from the destruction. Not to mention that Luster was gravely injured and losing a lot of blood�� as an Awakened, he would not bleed out immediately, but getting him to a medic, or better yet an actual healer, was an urgent priority.


    The problem was that Sunny was not confident in his ability to protect the cohort if they chose to retreat. Once again, an enemy who could step through shadows was simply too mobile and unpredictable�� guarding a bunch of vulnerable targets from a Corrupted Devil who could appear at any moment, from any side, was a tall task.


    ''Damn it! Damn it! Not only did the bastard get a chunk of my flesh, he even became an utter menace because of it!''


    They could not remain and fight, and they could not retreat.


    Did the bastard actually know that everything around them was about to blow up? Or had he just been lucky to catch Sunny at the worst possible moment?


    If he had, that was some luck...


    The Scavenger tilted his head a little, as though challenging Sunny to come and get him. The tip of his curved saber lowered slightly, ready to lash out.


    Sunny glared at him for a moment, then cursed silently and threw an order over his shoulder, his tone calm and steady:


    "Kim�� take Luster, climb onto my horse, and get the hell out of here. Get him help. The rest, retreat on foot. Saint will protect you."


    Luster, who had been staring at his missing legs with a confused expression, looked up at the sound of his voice and asked shakily:


    "Wha�� what a��about you, Captain?"


    Sunny grinned.


    "I''ll keep our friend here company. Don''t worry�� I did not survive Goliath and the Heart of Darkness to die to this little wretch today. Go!"


    Kim was already dragging the young man toward Nightmare, her face pale and full of desperate determination. The Scavenger spared them a glance, then stared back at Sunny.


    His mouth opened�� and a hoarse, grating voice suddenly came out of it:


    "Die, today. Little�� wretch."


    Then, an ugly, gasping sound assaulted Sunny''s ears.


    The bastard was actually laughing.


    Sunny frowned. He couldn''t care less if the abomination wished to mock him, but nevertheless, his heart suddenly turned cold. Nightmare Creatures capable of speech were extremely rare�� and all of them were extremely terrifying.


    He could attest to that fact himself.


    Sunny had already been uneasy, but now, his caution doubled. The Scavenger was dangerous. The little wretch had been abnormal from the very start. He was gaining power too fast, growing too explosively. Of course, Antarctica was a perfect place for a creature like that to gorge on the corpses of powerful monsters, but still��


    Sunny''s intuition was telling him that fighting the abomination alone would be a dire, dreadful mistake.


    But he had no better choice.


    He sighed with resignation.


    ''I guess my luck is just complete, utter crap today.''


    All that remained was Sunny, the Scavenger, and the shadows.


    10:09


    Goliath, the Heart of Darkness, fighting his way back through the boundless Nightmare Creatures, and now this.


    Sunny was hurt, tired, and miserable.


    So much so, in fact, that he was getting a bit angry.


    ''Fine�� fine, let''s do this, you rotten piece of trash��''


    There was a perfectly fine Nightmare Creature here to vent his anger.


    Sunny had already failed to kill the Scavenger twice. Today, fate generously gave him a chance to finish the job, and he was not going to let it slip from his hands.


    The Scavenger was strangely unreasonable in his hate-fueled pursuit, following Sunny all the way from LO49 across the hellscape of the Antarctic Center.


    Well, Sunny could be an unreasonable person himself.


    In fact, he was very tired of being reasonable all the time.


    ''Enough is enough��''


    A dark, slightly mad light ignited in his eyes.


    Behind him, Kim pushed Luster onto Nightmare''s back, then jumped up herself. The black steed instantly shot forward, moving across the empty road with incredible speed. Belle, Dorn, and Samara followed, protected by Saint.


    All that remained was Sunny, the Scavenger, and the shadows.


    ��And tons of explosives somewhere beneath their feet.


    The menacing black abomination moved, trying to dissipate into the shadows, but before it could, the shadows around it suddenly surged, shooting forward like sharp spikes.


    The spikes shattered against the creature''s bone armor, but they did slow him down for a split second.


    And that was all that Sunny needed.


    Emerging from the darkness in front of the Scavenger, he kicked him in the chest. With a deafening boom, the creature was sent flying back, but managed to land on his feet. The black tusk whistled, tearing through the air, and collided against the white jade of the Sin of Solace.


    Sunny felt his hand tremble from the force of the blow, and smiled.


    ''Good, good�� don''t you die too easily��''

 Chapter 1043 The Fall of Falcon Scott (61)

    1043  The Fall of Falcon Scott (61)


    On the doomed streets of a snow-covered city, surrounded by ruins of collapsed buildings and remnants of devastating battles, a young man with alabaster skin and onyx hair was fighting a wraith made of darkness and hatred. One wore a simple tunic of beautiful black silk, the other was clad in menacing black armor. Both moved through the ruins like a pair of swift shadows.


    ''Damn it�� break!''


    Sunny shuddered as he deflected a vicious strike of the mysterious black tusk, felt the impact send a painful jolt through his entire body, and guided the enemy''s blade to the side. At the same time, he took a step forward and slammed his elbow into the Scavenger''s chest.


    The creature was pushed back, releasing the Sin of Solace from the bind. The cursed sword instantly flashed forward, slashing across the abomination''s side�� the defense, counterattack, and follow-up had been executed flawlessly, flowing into each other like the nimble steps of a graceful dance. Despite being light and swift, they also carried tremendous power and annihilating intent.


    And yet, the white jade slid fruitlessly off the black bone armor, barely leaving a scratch on it.


    ''What the hell are you made of, bastard?!''


    The Scavenger�� was just too damn overbearing.


    At times, fighting him was fighting like water �� when the Sin of Solace lashed out at the cracks in the bone armor, the Scavenger would turn into a shadow, allowing the jade blade to harmlessly pass through. Other times, fighting him was like fighting against an indestructible mountain �� the plates of black bone seemed utterly impervious, and the creature''s blows carried with them crushing weight.


    Even compared to the Corrupted creatures Sunny had faced, the Scavenger was abnormally powerful. He was so strong that it did not even make sense�� the Sin of Solace had come from the Remnant of the Jade Queen, an astonishingly dreadful Corrupted Tyrant, and had an enchantment that bestowed it with unparalleled sharpness as well. What kind of indestructible creature had the vengeful goblin devoured to be able to resist its edge?!


    It seemed as though there were peerless geniuses even among the Nightmare Creatures�� and the pathetic, tiny imp Sunny had failed to kill many months ago just so happened to be one of those.


    ''Just my luck...''


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny braced himself and received another blow of the black tusk. Another bloodless wound appeared on his body �� none of them were deep enough to be dangerous, but the damage was slowly mounting.


    Worst of all, he was completely suppressed.


    There were countless ways for Sunny to kill the hateful fiend. For example, if the sharpness of the Sin of Solace itself was not enough, he could augment the power of the jade blade manifold with his shadows. He could manifest wild shadows, as well, forming chains, swords, or tentacles to attack and entangle the Scavenger. He could use Shadow Step to keep up with the damned ogre��


    But he was prevented from doing any of these things.


    Sunny could not afford to augment his sword, because he needed the shadows to match the Corrupted Devil''s speed and strength �� and even then, the Scavenger was faster and stronger. He could not wantonly use Shadow Manifestation, because his reserves of essence were nearly empty. The same went for Shadow Step, or any other trick he could come up with on the spot.


    The bastard had known just when to attack. He had only shown himself when Sunny was at his weakest, and now, Sunny was forced to defend himself against a Nightmare Creature of a superior Rank while being robbed of most of his powers. Even those that remained were countered, because the Scavenger possessed the same ones.


    Sunny could not really blame the abomination for setting such a wicked trap, though, because it had been precisely how he himself had slayed many powerful adversaries.


    ''Doesn''t matter�� I''ll still kill you�� you''re going to die no matter what��''


    Sunny''s eye burned with cold fury as he released the hilt of the Sin of Solace, switching to a one-hand grip. The great jian was the same length as a longsword would have been, but incredibly light and swift. Although it could not hack and slash with the same ferocious power as the Scavenger''s black blade, it was far more nimble and versatile.


    Sunny seamlessly switched to a more agile and reserved battle style, summoning the Cruel Sight into his free hand in the form of a shortsword. The silver sword''s [Ghost Blade] enchantment allowed it to strike down incorporeal targets�� and so, the Scavenger was in for an unpleasant surprise the next time he chose to turn into a shadow.


    If there was one advantage Sunny had, it was his skill and experience. The Scavenger was tremendously powerful, cunning, and possessed a truly vicious, murderous will�� he had devoured a great number of mighty creatures, and grown with explosive speed. The bastard was supremely devious and surprisingly intelligent, enough to survive and even thrive in the hellish meat grinder of the Chain of Nightmares.


    But he was still an abomination, and a young one at that. His attacks were smart and powerful, but also clumsy and crude �� just like the makeshift saber he was using, which had obviously been fashioned from some dreadful monstrosity''s tusk. For now, the Scavenger was able to suppress Sunny simply because of his timing and vastly superior physical might. But he was not nearly as experienced of a killer��


    As for spite and viciousness, both had them in spades.


    ''Die!''


    As soon as the Cruel Sight manifested itself, Sunny blocked the black tusk with the jade sword and then struck with the silver one, aiming at the elbow of the abomination''s right arm �� no matter how tough an armor was, it had to be weaker at the joints to allow for enough flexibility. And indeed, there was a gap between two bone plates there.


    In truth, Sunny was not sure if the Cruel Sight could cut even the weaker parts of the Scavenger. However, the creature did not know that��


    Just as expected, the vicious fiend chose not to risk it. The shadow powers he possessed were, strangely, both superior and inferior to Sunny''s �� as of yet, the abomination had only shown the ability to use a form of Shadow Step.


    That ability, however, was more insidious than the original, allowing the creature to not only teleport and turn incorporeal, but even selectively turn only parts of himself into shadow.


    And so, the body of the Scavenger remained perfectly material, continuing to pressure Sunny with dreadful strength, while the middle of his right arm became ghostly and incorporeal.


    The Cruel Sight passed through the abomination''s elbow without meeting any resistance, never even touching his flesh.


    However, the Scavenger suddenly staggered and let out a pained hiss, causing a vicious grin to appear on Sunny''s face.


    The silver blade might not have cut the creature''s flesh, but it did cut his shadow. Which was the same as cutting someone''s soul��


    The damaged span of the fiend''s arm instantly turned back to flesh and bone, but the damage was already done. Using the momentary lapse in the Scavenger''s awareness, Sunny lunged forward and tangled with him, pushing them both to the ground.


    Fighting a slippery shadow... was really a nightmare. He had far less essence to spare, giving the hateful fiend a vital advantage �� unlike Sunny, the Scavenger could use Shadow Step as much as he wanted, avoiding attacks and launching his own from unexpected directions. The abomination could even escape, if he wished.


    ��However, it would not be able to do anything if Sunny was clutching it with his own two hands.


    As the two hit the ground, he growled and grasped the Scavenger''s throat, constricting it with enough force to shatter armored alloy. Sunny''s eyes were shining with dark, malicious joy.


    If he could not break the bastard''s armor�� he would just strangle him! Most Nightmare Creatures still had to breathe, after all. Even if the Scavenger didn''t, a broken neck was bound to solve something.


    It was strangely fitting, actually. Sunny had killed his first abomination by strangling it with a chain.


    And now, he was going to squeeze the life out of this Corrupted Devil, too!

 Chapter 1044 The Fall of Falcon Scott (62)

    1044  The Fall of Falcon Scott (62)


    ''Die, die, die��''


    Sunny kept trying to strangle the Scavenger in a strange reversal of their previous encounter. His face was contorted into a bestial snarl, and his eyes were burning with indescribable bloodlust.


    The Scavenger, however, was not easily killed. At first, he seemed to have panicked and tried to throw Sunny off himself, but after realizing that getting rid of the small human was all but impossible, the abomination calmed down, stared at him with seething hatred, and tried to stab him in the back with the black tusk.


    The tip of the crude saber bit into the silk of the Graceless Dusk, and failed to pierce it.


    Sunny laughed with savage joy.


    "Try harder, bastard!"


    The Scavenger obliged.


    Dropping the tusk, he grabbed Sunny by the collar�� and, instead of trying to push him away, instead pulled him down. The two of them were suddenly face-to-face.


    ''Crap��''


    The jagged line splitting the abomination''s helmet opened, and countless sharp fangs instantly sank into Sunny''s cheek.


    "Aaaaaargh!"


    Realizing that he was moments from having his face bitten off, Sunny let go of the fiend''s neck and delivered a vicious punch into his solar plexus. Then, he grabbed the creature''s jaws, pushed them open by a few millimeters, and staggered back.


    The Scavenger once again let out a hoarse, hateful laugh, his teeth painted by Sunny''s blood.


    Sunny landed awkwardly on his backside and grabbed his cheek. The right side of his face was all torn, but at least he did not lose an eye. Sadly, he already knew that the Scavenger''s teeth were poisoned��


    ''You horrid wretch!''


    Grabbing the Sin of Solace, Sunny lunged forward to strike down the fiend before he stood up. However, the creature simply turned into a shadow instead, trying to flee and then launch a surprise attack from a random direction.


    "Not so fast!"


    Without ever slowing down, Sunny dove into the shadows, too.


    In the dark realm of shadows, the shapeless form that was the Scavenger was swiftly flying away, and the shapeless form that Sunny pursued. All of the abandoned area was shrouded in darkness, so they could travel as far as they wanted, unimpeded.


    The Scavenger�� as a shadow creature of the Corrupted Rank, here, he was vast and dreadful, much more so than Sunny.


    And yet, Sunny held an absolute advantage.


    He had fought as a shadow before, a couple of times, and was all but helpless each time. But Sunny had been a mere Child of Shadows then. Now, he was their Master.


    He had gained plenty of insight into shaping shadows thanks to Shadow Control, Shadow Manifestation�� and especially his recent breakthrough, which he decided to name Shadow Shell.


    And since he was currently a shadow, too��


    Closing in on the fleeing Scavenger, Sunny willed his shapeless body to change. Instantly, it came to possess four long, powerful arms. Then, sharp claws grew out of his fingers.


    Knowing that he didn''t have a lot of essence left, and thus wouldn''t be able to remain a shadow for long, Sunny did not waste any time and tore into the formless abomination. Instantly, it was as though a soundless wail of pain spread through the dark space.


    The Scavenger seemed both surprised and aggrieved by the fact that Sunny was able to hurt him in this realm, which he must have considered absolutely safe before. Frightened, he tried to fight back, launching powerful but awkward attacks of his own.


    A familiar, sickening pain of having his soul damaged permeated Sunny''s senses. He had sustained some damage, too�� but not nearly as much as the damned goblin. Partially because the creature''s blows were rudimentary and crude, and partially because his soul was protected by the Marble Shell.


    The Scavenger realized that his struggles were not having any effect, too. Escaping Sunny''s cruel claws, he instantly escaped the shadows and emerged into the world above.


    They rolled through the ruins, exchanging a series of blows. Sunny received several more wounds, but the hateful fiend�� his armor was still as impenetrable as ever!


    ''Curse you! What do I have to do for you to finally die, damn it?!''


    Infuriated, Sunny grabbed the towering ogre and smashed through the wall of a building, using the creature''s body as a ram. Of course, that was not going to be of any use�� a Corrupted Devil could crash through a mountain, and still walk away without anything more than a couple bruises.


    Behind the wall, there was a slope of charred rubble. They fell down, ending up in a shallow pit.


    At some point, Sunny had lost his swords, and the creature had lost its black saber. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, both full of murderous rage.


    ��Then, however, the Scavenger''s gaze changed slightly.


    Sunny''s face changed, too.


    That was because he felt a slight tremor spreading through the ground beneath them. His eyes widened.


    ''Hell��''


    The Scavenger, despite all his sharp intelligence, was really too naive. The explosion was not going to 09:09


    harm a Corrupted Devil�� however, the creature did not know that. He had only gained full sentience a In front of him, the battered fiend suddenly recoiled, trying to escape into the shadows once again �� this time, he was going to simply blink away instead of traveling through the dark realm.


    But Sunny had other plans.


    "Where do you think you''re going?!"


    Grabbing the abomination by the shin, he dragged him back, and then pressed the bastard into the ground. A series of painful blows rained on Sunny''s already cut and injured body, but he just held the ogre tighter.


    "What, are you afraid to die?! Let''s die... let''s die together!"


    The Scavenger, despite all his sharp intelligence, was really too naive. The explosion was not going to harm a Corrupted Devil�� however, the creature did not know that. He had only gained full sentience a few short months ago, after all.


    Sunny laughed, then used all but a few drops of his remaining essence to call upon the shadows. They surged forth, encasing the two of them in a sphere. Then, more shadows rose, creating a second layer around the black egg, and then the third.


    Sunny could have tried to escape the blast by turning incorporeal�� however, there had to be a shadow for him to remain in that state. Once this whole area blew to smithereens, everything would be flooded with light. The shadows would be banished, and he would be thrown back into the material world.


    So, he created this egg, trapping the two of them inside.


    Maybe it was even sturdy enough to resist.


    "Wretch�� one way or the other... you''re going to die today!"


    He continued to hold the Scavenger and pummel him with his free hand, feeling the skin on his knuckles splitting despite being reinforced by the Marble Shell. The bone armor of the abomination, nevertheless, refused to crack.


    The Scavenger fought back desperately, too.


    They were surrounded by darkness, the world outside hidden by the walls of the black sphere.


    That was why Sunny did not see the Rampart Protocol coming into effect to obliterate a vast swath of the city, the remains of the wall, and the killing field beyond.


    ��However, he did feel it.

 Chapter 1045 The Fall of Falcon Scott (63)

    Chapter 1045  The Fall of Falcon Scott (63)


    In the tunnels under the abandoned section of the city and the vast killing field beyond the devastated wall, countless explosives simultaneously received a signal to detonate. To prevent the interference of the nearby Gates from influencing the execution of the scorched-earth protocol, all of them were connected into a labyrinthine network by simple, but reliable wires.


    Even though the signal traveled through the wires with astronomical speed, there was still a slight delay between the detonation of those explosives that were nearest to the ramparts of the secondary defense line and those furthest away from them.


    At first...


    From afar, it looked as though a ripple had spread through the ground, moving outward. It rolled through the ruined streets of the city, with countless fountains of dust shooting up between the rubble. Some of the buildings that had withstood the furious fighting started to collapse, some seemed to have burst apart.


    The vanguard of the horde of Nightmare Creatures had already entered the city, racing through these streets. They met the ripple first and were thrown to the ground.


    Then, the ripple reached the towering wall, destroying even more of its sections. The mass of alloy was only starting to fall, surrounded by the deafening groan of tearing metal, by the time the ripple moved past the mountainous corpse of the slain titan in the field beyond and exhausted itself. Now, the whole horde had been encompassed by the destruction zone.


    All of it took no more than a couple of seconds.


    For a moment, everything was still��


    And then, the ground started to fall.


    A vast swath of earth many kilometers across slowly started to cave in, as if forming a giant crater. Now that it was completely untethered, none of the buildings survived �� all of them toppled and fell apart, devoured by the gargantuan landslide. The remains of the city wall were utterly destroyed, too.


    However, the true devastation was yet to come.


    As the inconceivable mass of soil sank down, it seemed to have reached a point of strange equilibrium�� and then suddenly exploded upward in a furious conflagration. It was as though a giant bubble swelled from under it, and then burst open, unleashing a titanic pillar of flame into the cold winter sky.


    For a moment, the night turned as bright as day.


    Then, the roaring thunder of the explosion washed over the world, making the skies themselves shake. A billowing cloud of dust and debris rose high into the air, obscuring the ocean of flames bursting from under the ground. A second terrifying blast resounded when the munition depots spread across the staging area below the wall detonated under the assault of heat, concussive force, this chapter upload first at NovelUsb, please support my site.  and pressure.


    The horde of Nightmare Creatures was consumed by the obliterating havoc. The weakest of them were instantly killed, while the stronger ones were severely wounded and burned. Only the strongest ones managed to survive the initial conflagration unscathed.


    In less than a minute, a gigantic area was utterly devastated, turning into an incandescent pit of fire, molten rock, and liquified metal. The furious sight of it all, up until the world had become obscured by dust, was both awe-inspiring and horrifying. The soldiers standing on the ramparts had long fallen down and covered their ears, but even then, they could feel the terrible destruction through the violent tremors of the earth.


    ��Sunny, however, had first-row seats to the cataclysmic detonation.


    After all, he was stuck in the middle of it.


    ''Die, die! Die, bastard!''


    Trapped inside the sphere of shadows, he held the Scavenger down while pummeling him with his fist. Each of his blows would have been powerful enough to utterly wreck an armored APC like the Rhino, but the black bone armor of the shadow fiend simply refused to break.


    The longer it endured, the more furious he became.


    ''Just die, damn it!''


    The sphere of darkness around them suddenly shuddered, briefly rising, then plummeting down. A violent tremor ran through its walls, and up suddenly became down �� it seemed that the shadow egg was rolling and being thrown around.


    Sunny, who had been on top of the fiercely resisting Scavenger, found himself falling for a brief second. He hit the roof of the sphere, and a moment later, the hateful ogre came crashing down, as well, landing on shadow egg was flipped upside down once again a split second later�� and 08:16


    then again, and then again, and then again.


    him. A massive fist connected with the side of Sunny''s head, making him see stars.


    ''Curse... it��''


    However, the abomination could not press his advantage, because the shadow egg was flipped upside down once again a split second later�� and then again, and then again, and then again.


    The two of them were being tossed inside the sphere, ricocheting off its walls like rubber balls. Sunny almost instantly gave up on trying to comprehend where the up and down were, and simply concentrated on holding onto the Scavenger �� as soon as he let go, the creature would be able to slip away through Shadow Step.


    But as long as he did not let go�� he could continue to try and kill the wretch��


    ''Die!!!''


    Just as he was going to deliver another punch, a sharp pain pierced his shoulder. The dazed Scavenger had finally given up on trying to free himself from the mad human, and also on trying to meet him blow for blow �� instead, he instinctively retreated to what he knew best.


    Tearing things apart with his teeth.


    ''Argh, let go of me, you rotten piece of trash!''


    Sunny had already had some poison coursing through his veins, but now, there was more��


    Before he could do anything, however, the world suddenly shook, and a vicious shockwave traveled through the sphere. It felt as though all his organs had changed places��


    But the next shudder was indescribably more violent.


    Sunny thought that he had blacked out for a moment, but maybe he didn''t. He growled and used both of his hands to grab the Scavenger, afraid to lose the grip. With no free hand to continue hitting the creature, he then proceeded to headbutt the bastard with all his strength.


    08:17


    Finally, Sunny felt something crack under his assault.


    However, it might have been his own nose�� it was hard to tell��


    The world was shaking, burning, and consisted of pain.


    Having gone completely berserk, Sunny paid it no attention and continued to use everything at his disposal to break the damned Scavenger, while the Scavenger continued to bite and rip his flesh apart with sharp fangs. The creature''s armor would not break�� but neither would the human''s body. In fact, his skin was harder than the hide of most abominations the fiend had devoured in the past, while his bones were ten times tougher than that.


    What kind of ridiculous human was that?!


    The air inside the sphere was permeated by unbearable heat, and it seemed as though its walls were starting to glow a dull red. Then, a crack appeared on the black surface��


    Consumed by boundless bloodlust, the two continued to fight.

 Chapter 1046 The Fall of Falcon Scott (64)

    Chapter 1046  The Fall of Falcon Scott (64)


    At some point, Sunny had to admit that he was not going to break the Scavenger''s armor, but he still continued to deliver a barrage of vicious blows to the hateful creature �� he refused to believe that the fiend was as tough on the inside. No matter how hard the shell was, enough force was bound to turn everything protected by it into bloody mush. He suffered from the same weakness himself, after all��


    But no matter how much he struck the damned ogre, the Scavenger did not seem too bothered by it.


    ''Goddammit!''


    Desperate and enraged, Sunny grabbed the creature''s jaw with one hand, and used the other to constrict the abomination''s arm. Then, he opened his mouth��


    And bit into the Scavenger''s flesh himself.


    Maybe Sunny was lucky, or maybe the bone armor in that spot had actually been weakened by his previous strikes�� regardless, he finally felt something give, and then tasted a despicably foul taste on his tongue. It was the Scavenger''s blood.


    ��Sunny had never tasted anything sweeter in his entire life.


    Feeling the creature shudder and frantically try to push him away, he pressed his teeth deeper with wicked glee, and then tore a chunk of flesh away. Sunny spat it out and grinned, then instantly regretted it when a massive fist flashed forward and hit him in the face with horrid strength.


    ''Ah��''


    Sunny was thrown back.


    And at the same time, the black sphere finally broke.


    All three layers of protective shadows had been thoroughly damaged, and now reached their limit. A net of cracks spread through the egg, and then it collapsed into numerous shards, exposing both Sunny and the Scavenger to terrible heat and blinding light.


    ''Crap��''


    The world shuddered one last time.


    The world��


    Was hot.


    But at least it finally stopped spinning.


    Sunny found himself staring into a glowing orange fog.


    The fog was pretty, and smelled of fire.


    ''...I think I''m on fire.''


    He raised his head, and noticed flames licking his legs. Luckily, his elemental resistance was high enough to resist them. The Graceless Dusk, too, was not affected by them at all. The black silk was pleasantly cool.


    ''Right��''


    The orange fog was just dust illuminated by a sea of flames. Sunny was laying on the ground, surrounded by rubble and debris. Some of it was incandescent, and there were puddles of melted metal here and there. It looked like a scene from a fiery hell.


    He was hurting all over, and breathing was strangely hard�� but he was alive.


    With a groan, Sunny slowly sat up, and then stood up with a stagger. He did not feel well. He was dreadfully exhausted, heavily wounded, and poisoned on top of that. As for the Scavenger��


    Sunny looked around and gritted his teeth.


    ''Don''t tell me that the bastard escaped again!''


    He allowed his shadow sense to spread outward, then smiled.


    Limping away, he circled a pile of burning debris and stopped near the edge of a deep impression in the ground.


    The impression was about three meters deep, and had almost vertical slopes. On its bottom, the Scavenger was trapped under a giant piece of broken alloy. The creature seemed to be slightly dazed, but otherwise unscathed. In fact, the abomination was already trying to lift the alloy, which was groaning under the strain.


    He couldn''t escape into the shadows, because everything around them was brightly illuminated by the flames and the glowing fog. There was no shadow large enough for the fiend to dive into.


    For the moment, the creature was defenseless.


    ��The problem was that Sunny had no strength left to fight. Even when he had been able to, all his efforts failed to break through the Scavenger''s impregnable armor. All he managed to do was make the creature bleed a little by biting it.


    And he had only a few drops of essence left.


    Soon, the damned wretch was going to free himself and flee�� or maybe even attack Sunny, who was barely able to stand, and finish him off.


    Sunny was in a real stalemate.


    He rubbed his face, stared at the struggling Scavenger for a few long moments, and then used the last drops of his essence to summon a get free. With the power of a Corrupted Devil, getting rid of a piece of 08:20


    alloy, no matter how heavy, should not have been a problem�� but the Memory.


    The creature glanced at Sunny with hatred, then redoubled his efforts to get free. With the power of a Corrupted Devil, getting rid of a piece of alloy, no matter how heavy, should not have been a problem�� but the Scavenger was dazed and tired, too. On top of that, he was severely weakened by having his soul ripped by Sunny''s claws. It was going to take him a dozen or so seconds to escape, at least.


    The fiend appeared to relax a little, though, when he noticed that the Memory his enemy summoned was not a sword or a bow�� instead, it was a seemingly inconspicuous alloy chest.


    Sunny sighed, then smiled coldly.


    "...Here, bastard. Eat this."


    With that, he opened the lid of the Covetous Coffer and kicked it, throwing the chest on its side.


    A flood of small, black beetles poured into the deep pit from the bottomless black square of the Coffer''s maw.


    They landed on the Scavenger, instantly biting into the bone armor. Where Sunny''s weapons failed, the sharp mandibles of the dark vermin were similarly ineffective�� however, there were countless thousands of them, and not all of the abomination''s towering body was covered by armor. There were cracks�� there were gaps��  there were ways to get inside.


    The fiend frantically tried to escape, but it was already too late. His figure became covered by a crawling carpet of beetles, and then he was buried under their mass entirely. More and more vermin poured from the Covetous Coffer, until the pit was filled almost to the brim. No trace of the Scavenger remained under the seething mass of tiny creatures.


    Sunny took a step back, and then drew in a deep breath.


    Then, he let out a strange, shaky laugh.


    ''I did it!''


    08:21


    Sunny''s laugh turned louder.


    ''What is it with me and shadow creatures�� every time I fight one, I''m driven to the very edge of madness�� and then a little bit past that��''


    As he was laughing, the Spell suddenly whispered into his ear:


    [You have slain a Corrupted Devil��]


    He was so startled that he even missed the later half.


    ''What?''


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    Instantly, Sunny felt a flood of shadow fragments pour into his soul�� tens, or even hundreds of times more than what he was supposed to receive for killing a Corrupted Devil.


    As his eyes widened, the Spell spoke once more:


    [...You have received an Echo.]

 Chapter 1047 The Fall of Falcon Scott (65)

    Chapter 1047  The Fall of Falcon Scott (65)


    The battle was over.


    ��It was over for the Irregulars, at least. The fresh soldiers pulled from the other sections of the wall were still fighting on the ramparts of the secondary defense line, but with the Heart of Darkness and Goliath destroyed, and the boundless horde of Nightmare Creatures decimated by the titanic explosion, the siege was reduced to the usual stream of chaotic, relatively small-scale skirmishes.


    The spine of the assault had been broken. Falcon Scott had faced the most dreadful battle yet, and endured.


    For the most part.


    The southern area of the city was entirely destroyed, replaced by a gargantuan crater. The buildings were gone, and a long span of the great wall was gone, too. Even most of the killing field beyond was erased from existence, with only the towering stone corpse of the slain titan remaining intact. It just lay on the slope of the crater like a mountain-sized pile of rubble, filling the hearts of the soldiers who saw it with dark glee.


    With the collapse of the wall, defending the city had become much harder. However, the crater formed a natural barrier of its own �� even though the secondary ramparts were not nearly as tall or formidable, they still gave the First Army a chance to resist the attacks of Nightmare Creatures.


    More than that, four out of the five direst threats to the siege capital were now eradicated. The Devouring Cloud, the Terror of LO49, the  Heart of Darkness, and Goliath�� despite the terrible price the First Army had to pay, they were dead. Now, only the most powerful of the horrors remained. The Corrupted Titan, Winter Beast.


    But it was being contained by Sky Tide of the White Feather clan, so��


    For the first time since the start of the siege, the people of Falcon Scott felt hopeful.


    They were shaken and terrified, too, but with countless millions of refugees already evacuated, and so many powerful abominations slain, it was no longer impossible to imagine the end of this bloody affair.


    Falcon Scott only had to hold for a handful more days��


    The ghostly flames of the aurora burned above the ravaged city, and the moon had hidden itself in the cold darkness of the night sky.


    ***


    Sunny was sitting in the familiar conference room of the government complex. Rather, he was sprawled on the chair, staring at the ceiling with a detached expression. His skin had healed, turning into a surreal painting of black bruises, but the internal damage remained. Even with his incredible healing speed, he still felt terribly hurt.


    That was because he had been�� the Scavenger had done a number on him, especially near the end of their murderous clash. Nevertheless, the hateful fiend was dead, and Sunny was not. He had even received an Echo, and a great number of shadow fragments.


    ? ? ? ? ? ?.


    Unexpectedly, the Spell had chosen to count the black beetles, who were not living beings, as a weapon of his. Therefore, after the appalling creatures had devoured the Scavenger, it rewarded Sunny for the kill.


    He was currently looking at the runes with dull eyes.


    ''What to do�� what to do��''


    Two strings of shimmering symbols were at the center of his attention.


    Shadow Fragments: [3857/4000].


    And:


    Echoes: [Ravenous Fiend].


    The Scavenger�� Ravenous Fiend�� had been a weird abomination. He had obviously assumed some qualities of a shadow creature, but not all of them. Otherwise, the bastards would have turned into a Shadow instead of an Echo.


    Or maybe the issue was that the Scavenger''s soul was corrupted, and thus unsuited to directly become a Shadow�� in any case, as a result, Sunny had received almost eight hundred shadow fragments for killing the abomination, as well as a Transcendent Echo.


    The Ravenous Fiend had been a top tier Nightmare Creature, a peerless genius of vile abominations, so turning him into a Shadow was an easy decision. Having two Transcendent Shadows would be a tremendous boost to Sunny''s power, too.


    However�� there were two problems.


    The first one was the Echo itself. When Sunny summoned it in the Soul Sea, he had expected to see a towering ogre clad in unbreakable bone armor�� but what appeared instead was a pitiful, tiny gremlin! The Ravenous Fiend was no fiend at all�� it was an imp, at best.


    The imp was still a Transcendent Devil, but weak beyond belief. His true power lay in a rather insane ability to grow stronger and acquire new traits by devouring various creatures or things. He also possessed a few very surprising and potent Attributes.


    If Sunny carefully chose a rich diet for the little bastard, in time, the imp could potentially grow stupidly powerful �� even more powerful than he had been after devouring random trash across the Antarctic Center. But that would only be in the future, and right now, transforming the Echo into a Shadow would cost him no less than three hundred shadow fragments.


    Three hundred fragments was not a terribly large amount�� except he was on the verge of becoming a Tyrant now.


    Dismissing the runes, Sunny sighed.


    ''Later. Now is not a good time.''


    It was, indeed, not a good time�� in more than one sense.


    Suddenly reminded of something, Sunny somberly looked around.


    There were only two people in the conference room �� himself and Master Jet. Winter''s seat was empty.


    ��That was because Winter was dead.


    She had died while holding back the horde of Nightmare Creature, when the section of the wall under her cohort collapsed.


    A great number of people had died that day. Thousands of mundane soldiers had perished, and of the seven hundred Awakened, only about two hundred survived. Winter and her Irregulars had been wiped out, too. Even Soul Reaper''s own cohort had been destroyed, leaving her the sole survivor.


    Sunny stared at the empty seat, feeling a dull pain in his heart. Winter�� the two of them had not known each other for long, but there was a bond between them. He liked the brash Master a lot. And now, she was gone�� just like that�� and he had not even gotten a chance to say goodbye.


    All of them were gone�� Randall, Jesse, Davis, Dale, and now Winter, too. He could still vividly remember their first meeting, when the First Irregular Company was officially established.


    A few months later, there were just Sunny and Master Jet left. Of the forty-two Awakened Irregulars, only four remained �� Belle, Dorn, Samara, and Kim. Luster was alive, too, but for him, the war was most likely over.


    ''Damn it all��''


    Sunny studied the empty room, a strange, dark, burning emotion rising in his chest.


    ''What is the damn point? What is the point of it all?''


    Soul Reaper and he were supposed to be having a strategy meeting right now, but there was nothing really for them to discuss.


    After some time spent in silence, Jet suddenly shook her head and stood up, accidentally sending her chair flying into the wall. She stared at it in confusion, then cursed.


    "...We''re just wasting time here. Go rest, Sunny�� you deserve a break. Gods, we all do��"


    With that, Jet picked up the chair, placed it near the conference table, and walked out without saying a word.


    Sunny was left alone in the empty room.


    He remained motionless for a while, then sighed and stood up.


    ''Less than a week left, now. We''ll all be able to rest, soon��''

 Chapter 1048 The Fall of Falcon Scott (66)

    Chapter 1048  The Fall of Falcon Scott (66)


    Sunny left the underground complex, breathed in the cold winter air, and limped toward the nearby army hospital. The walk was not too long, so he reached it within ten minutes.


    Belle, Dorn, and Samara were in front of the building, and so was Abomination �� the Echo was laying on the ground, shielding them from the wind with its massive body.


    The hound had not participated in the recent battle, because it would have been destroyed too quickly by the black beetles. It had been very helpful to the cohort in the past two weeks, though.


    It was strange�� in the past, Abomination had mostly ignored Quentin''s Echo, Blackie, who used to follow the larger beast around. But now that Blackie was gone, the monstrous hound always looked a bit forlorn.


    Sparing the Echo a sad glance, Sunny approached his soldiers.


    "Major! Gods�� you look awful!"


    Belle grinned, hiding hints of anguish that had taken root in his eyes.


    Sunny forced out a smile, as well.


    "You should have seen the other guy�� ah, but you can''t. I killed the other guy."


    That produced a few chuckles. Sunny scoffed, too.


    "Anyway. Take me to Luster�� he''s awake, right?"


    They nodded. Dorn and Samara remained outside, while Belle guided him into the hospital.


    "He woke up an hour or so ago. Uh�� I think he''s in good spirits, considering. That might be because of painkillers, though."


    They walked through the white corridors, which were all crowded with hospital beds. An uncountable number of maimed and injured soldiers lay on them, some awake, some mercifully unconscious. The air was filled with the sickening smell of blood, burned flesh, misery, and despair. Doctors, nurses, and a few Awakened healers were hurriedly tending to the wounded, the bags under their eyes blacker than the bruises covering Sunny''s body.


    The sight of it was indescribably grim.


    Sunny kept his face cool, projecting the image of an intrepid Ascended. On the inside, however��


    ''At least they''ll survive.''


    Modern medicine was very potent, and that was without even considering the Awakened wielding healing Aspects. If a soldier was delivered from the battlefield alive, there was very little chance of them dying. The only problem was the cost, but the First Army spared no expense, at least in that regard.


    As an Awakened of somewhat exalted status, Luster was placed in a small room of his own. As they approached it, Sunny heard the young man''s voice:


    "Kim�� Kimmy�� stop it�� I lost my legs, you know, not my hands! I am perfectly capable of feeding myself!"


    When they entered, they saw a peculiar scene. Luster was laid on a bed, his stumps wrapped in regenerative bandage, while Kim was trying to push a spoonful of synthpaste porridge into his mouth. The young woman''s usually timid face was determined and extremely focused.


    Kim froze, then turned and gave Sunny an unexpectedly fierce look.


    08:01


    "Sir. That fool refuses to eat."


    ? ? ? ? ? ? ?


    Noticing Sunny, Luster grinned:


    "Cap�� Major! Thank the gods! Please, save me!"


    Kim froze, then turned and gave Sunny an unexpectedly fierce look.


    "Sir. That fool refuses to eat."


    Sunny stared at them for a couple of moments, and smiled.


    "Do you want me to feed you, Luster? Because, you know�� I can��"


    The young man paled a little, then hurriedly grabbed the spoon and swallowed the porridge in one go.


    "No, no. No need to exert yourself, sir!"


    Sunny walked closer, summoned his chair, and sat down near the bed. Then, he tried to say something, only to find out that no words came to his mind.


    Eventually, he awkwardly asked:


    "How are you doing?"


    Luster stared at him for a bit, then suddenly grinned and wiggled his stumps.


    "Don''t worry about me, sir. I''m doing fine�� really. I did tell you how my whole right arm was bitten off once, right? This is only a tiny bit worse�� hell, if I lose my left arm as well, one day, I''ll be able to brag about losing all my limbs to protect humanity. Girls can''t resist a hero, you know!"


    Sunny blinked.


    ''I guess he really is alright.''


    He sighed.


    "Well�� don''t worry too much. There are not a lot of great healers here in Falcon Scott, and all of them are terribly busy. Once you get to Eastern Antarctica, and from there back to NQSC, though, the government will pull out all the stops. You''ll be as good as new in no time."


    Despite his intention to comfort the young man, Luster''s smile suddenly dimmed. Looking away, he remained silent for a few seconds, then said quietly:


    "Ah, yes. Certainly, sir. Once I''m back in NQSC��"


    Sunny frowned a little.


    "Throw these stupid thoughts out of your head. You did more than enough. Very few people deserve to go home more than you�� so, enjoy the cruise, and then make sure to get better and relax during an extended vacation. That''s an order."


    He paused, then added seriously:


    "Plus, the Rhino blew up. What the hell do I need you for, now? Keeping you would probably just be a waste of perfectly fine provisions��"


    Hearing that, Luster laughed.


    "Ah, I see. When you put it that way��"


    He sighed.


    "It''s not that I think that I don''t deserve an early dispensation, sir. It''s just that..."


    The young man briefly glanced at Kim, then grew silent.


    He did not want to leave his comrades behind. Sunny could understand that�� but there was no other way. Restoring two legs to a person was not impossible, if sufficiently powerful healers were involved, but it took time, and a long period of recovery would still follow. By the time Luster was in good enough shape to fight again, the Antarctica Campaign would be over.


    He shook his head.


    "The way I see it, your lucky charm finally worked. If it wasn''t for you, Kim would be dead�� Dorn too, probably, and maybe even Belle and Samara. You did well, Luster. You served through the hardest part of the whole campaign�� things will calm down after the Second Army arrives. So, cheer up."


    Luster looked at him, then slowly nodded.


    "That thing�� you killed it, right, sir? What Rank and Class it was?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "Yes�� I killed it alright. It was a Corrupted Devil, and a very scary one at that."


    The young man leaned tiredly on the backrest of the hospital bed, and smiled.


    "A Corrupted Devil�� good, that''s good. There''s no shame, then�� ha, I survived an attack of a Corrupted Devil? Wow�� I''m pretty awesome, don''t you think, Kim?"


    She scooped another spoonful of porridge, brought it to his mouth, and sighed.


    "Yeah�� yeah, you are pretty awesome�� now eat the damn sludge before I get angry��"


    Sunny watched them silently for a couple more minutes, then found an excuse and left.


    He found Belle a few rooms over, where dozens of sleeping pods were installed in a large hall. The swordsman was standing near a particular one, staring somberly at its closed lid. Inside, Quentin''s body slept peacefully, not quite dead, but also not quite alive.


    The healer had neither died nor turned Hollow yet. Considering the circumstances, that probably meant that he had fought his way to a Seed and entered a Nightmare.


    08:02


    Conquering a Second Nightmare alone�� his chances were exceedingly low, but not entirely non-existent.


    Sunny stopped near Belle and looked at the sleeping pod, too.


    After a while, the swordsman suddenly said, his voice uncharacteristically sober:


    "Major�� do you remember how I joked that Luster would be the first one to die?"


    Sunny spared him a surprised glance.


    "...Sure. I do."


    Belle remained silent for a long time, then awkwardly scratched the back of his head.


    "I was thinking�� technically�� I can still win that bet, right?"


    With that, the swordsman glanced at him and grinned.


    Sunny scowled.


    "I guess�� but who allowed you guys to bet without my permission? Unacceptable! I want in on the bet��"

 Chapter 1049 The Fall of Falcon Scott (67)

    Chapter 1049  The Fall of Falcon Scott (67)


    After leaving the hospital and sending his soldiers to the barracks, Sunny remained on the street, watching the snow dance in the stark beams of electric light. He had to rest, too��


    After a while, Sunny sighed awkwardly.


    ''Right. I''m homeless now.''


    He had been staying in the Rhino, but now, the APC was gone. That fact actually made Sunny feel very sad. The trusty vehicle had accompanied the Irregulars to the edge of the Antarctic Center and back, surviving countless battles. He had grown attached to it, so losing the vehicle was a bit of a blow.


    It felt�� like the end of something.


    Shaking his head, Sunny started walking. He could get himself a room in the barracks, of course �� the First Army had suffered severe losses, so there was plenty of space. But it was exactly for that reason that he didn''t want to. Being surrounded by bereaved soldiers would do his already foul mood no good.


    ''I can''t stand the thought of having them look at me right now.''


    Respect, admiration, hope�� that was what he saw in the eyes of the soldiers when they looked at him. They all had an expectation of him, and carrying those expectations was tiresome.


    ''To hell with it��''


    Sunny simply wandered aimlessly for a while, trying not to think about anything in particular. In the end, he found himself standing in front of a familiar dormitory tower. He hesitated for a bit, then entered and descended to one of the underground levels.


    The dormitory seemed much emptier than before. There had been three families living in the same apartment as Professor Obel and Beth, but now, he could only sense two shadows inside. Sunny stared at the flimsy door for a few moments, then knocked on it.


    A few seconds later, it opened, revealing Professor Obel. The old man looked like he always did, having not changed even a little.


    Why would he? The previous day was a dreadfully eventful one for Sunny, but for the Professor, it was just like all the others.


    The old man looked at him with concern.


    "Major Sunless? Oh, my! What happened?"


    Even though most of Sunny''s body was hidden by the black silk of the Graceless Dusk, he still looked rather rough. There were ugly bruises covering his usually pristine skin, and his eyes were tired and dim.


    He forced out a smile.


    ? ? ? ? ? ?


    "Oh�� that. Don''t worry, I''m fine. It was just a very tough battle."


    Everyone in Falcon Scott knew that the previous assault was a terrible one. After all, a large part of the defensive wall, as well as a vast stretch of the city itself, were now replaced by a giant crater. Even people hidden underground felt the titanic explosion. There were rumors, too �� Army Command itself publicized the death of Goliath, hoping to improve morale among the refugees.


    Professor Obel nodded.


    "Yes�� we heard all about it. Thank the gods you survived!"


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then said:


    "I, uh�� you mentioned setting aside some food for me, the last time we met? To tell you the truth�� I am kind of starving��"


    The old man laughed.


    "Sure, sure! Come in. Beth, Major Sunless is here!"


    The young woman emerged from one of the rooms and looked at him with a hint of relief. She froze for a moment, then turned away and cleared her throat.


    "Oh�� it''s you. Good. I�� I''ll go heat up the leftovers."


    They settled in the kitchen, and soon, Sunny was presented with several plates of simple, but delicious food. Professor Obel had not been joking when he said that he would cook up a feast �� the ingredients Beth had procured were indeed rare for the besieged city, and made for a splendid dish. It was definitely better than what would have been available to Sunny in the barracks.


    Sunny ate and chatted idly with the two of them. As he did, some of the tension pressing down on his heart strangely dissipated�� but most of it still remained.


    At some point, Professor Obel suddenly smiled.


    "Ah, it totally slipped my mind! We were placed in the queue, finally. Both Beth and I will be leaving the day after tomorrow. We''ve already received the tickets�� I imagine you will follow soon, too, Major?"


    Sunny smiled as well.


    ''Finally, some good news.''


    He nodded and took a sip of fragrant tea.


    "I imagine we will be the last ones to ship out, a couple of days after you. Three weeks are coming to an end, after all�� even though there were some delays, the Army mostly managed to stick to the schedule. Somehow. So, the next time we see each other will probably be in East Antarctica, unless they send you to the Northern Quadrant right away."


    He glanced at Beth, hesitated for a moment, then said awkwardly:


    "Oh, by the way�� my APC blew up, so... I kind of have nowhere to stay. Is it alright if I crash here today?"


    Professor Obel chuckled.


    "Of course! Most of the people in the dormitory had already been evacuated. There are three empty bedrooms in our apartment alone �� you can take any one you want."


    Beth hid a smile and nodded.


    "Sure... you can stay, if you want."


    Sunny smiled back and took another sip of tea. After that, he remained silent for a while, distracted.


    Noticing his strange mood, the old man asked:


    "Is something weighing on your mind, young man?"


    Sunny flinched a little, then shrugged.


    "No, nothing in particular. Just the usual stuff. I just�� feel listless, I guess."


    He lingered for a few moments, then suddenly asked:


    "Have I ever told you why I came to Antarctica, Professor?"


    The old man and Beth glanced at each other, then shook their heads. A wistful expression appeared on Sunny''s face.


    "It''s stupid, really. Someone told me that I was lacking. So, I thought that maybe I would be able to find whatever it is that I lack here, in the Southern Quadrant."


    He grew quiet, prompting the old man to ask with a hint of curiosity:


    "So, did you end up finding what you were looking for?"


    Sunny hesitated, then laughed.


    "I am honestly not sure. It is hard to find something that you don''t know how to recognize. Maybe I found something, maybe I didn''t. Actually, maybe I even lost something instead. I guess time will tell."


    He finished his tea and looked at the two of them with a smile:


    "I did find some other precious things, though. I mean�� this dish? It''s a real treasure. You ought to teach me the recipe! I always dreamed of owning a shop, you know, but after meeting you, Professor, I am starting to think that opening a restaurant might be a better idea��"

 Chapter 1050 The Fall of Falcon Scott (68)

    Chapter 1050  The Fall of Falcon Scott (68)


    After an eventful night, Sunny left the dormitory in a much improved mood. The air outside was frigid with bone-chilling cold, but it actually felt pleasant against his bruises. Sunny headed in the direction of the barracks, whistling a simple tune under his nose. As he walked, one of his shadows flew toward the distant ramparts to check if everything was alright there.


    Apart from the fact that soldiers were miserable because of the heinous cold, even more so than usual, the situation seemed to be under control. Disparate groups of Nightmare Creatures were throwing themselves against the ramparts, some larger than the others, but it was nothing that the army could not handle.


    ''Everything seems fine, for now��''


    Sunny was still hurting all over, but at least he was capable of walking without a limp now. The barracks were a considerable distance away, but there was no rush. He enjoyed this rare moment of peace a great deal, studying the city as he traversed it.


    Falcon Scott�� was much emptier now. Miraculously, the First Army had actually managed to evacuate most of the two hundred million refugees. Now, less than two tenths of that number remained, not nearly enough to make the city feel crowded. Even though countless people fought and sacrificed to make it happen, Sunny couldn''t help but feel that this emptiness was the direct result of his actions.


    It was nice to see his labor bear fruit.


    Among the ancient heroes Nephis sometimes liked to talk about, there was one named Heracles, who had apparently accomplished twelve labors. Sunny wondered what that guy would think about defending this damn city.


    Well, from the descriptions, Heracles seemed like no more than an Awakened with a moderately powerful physical Aspect�� maybe a rather average Ascended. He would probably think that Falcon Scott was a hellish nightmare, and die in the first few days of the siege.


    ''Huh��''


    As Sunny walked, a swift shadow fell from the sky, and a black crow suddenly landed on his shoulder. The crow stared at him for a moment, and then cawed:


    "Sah-nee! Sah-nee!"


    Sunny spared him a somber glance.


    "What?"


    The Echo waved its wings.


    "Come! Come!"


    Then, it jumped off his shoulder and disappeared in the direction of the government complex.


    Sunny frowned, then quietly cursed and dove into the shadows.


    It seemed that his good mood was not meant to last.


    He glided forward with incredible speed, reaching the complex in no time at all. Emerging from the darkness near the guarded gates, he waited a few seconds for the security officers to confirm his identity �� a useless formality, considering that pretty much everyone knew what he looked like by now �� and entered the building.


    ? ? ? ? ? ? ?, ? ? ? ? ? ? ?.


    Quickly finding his way underground, Sunny hurried to the conference room where the Irregulars usually gathered. As he was approaching, however, there was suddenly a loud bang, and the walls shook a little, dust falling from the ceiling.


    ''What the��''


    Uneasy, he entered the room and saw Master Jet standing with her back to him. The wall in front of her was deformed, a net of cracks running through the armored alloy from the point where her fist had collided with it.


    Soul Reaper remained motionless for a moment, then turned to him. Her usually calm face was contorted by an expression of dark, boiling anger.


    As soon as Sunny saw it, his heart skipped a beat. He had never seen Master Jet lose control of herself in that way��


    Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes for a moment, then said:


    "Sunny. You are here�� good."


    He glanced at the destroyed wall, then at her. Feeling a chill run down his spine, Sunny steeled himself and asked:


    "What happened?"


    Jet let out a long sigh. When she spoke, her voice was cold and glum:


    "...It''s Tyris. She finally lost a fight."


    ***


    The two of them headed to the headquarters of the White Feather clan without wasting any time. While the elevator was taking them to the ground level of the government complex, Sunny tried to keep his voice even as he asked:


    "What do you mean, lost a fight? Is she alive?"


    Jet gritted her teeth.


    "I don''t know. I''ve been notified that something went wrong just half an hour ago. Roan sent me a message personally right before you came�� but he didn''t go into detail."


    Sunny''s face fell. If Jet''s only source of information was Master Roan, that meant that Army Command had chosen to keep it a secret for now. And if Army Command was keeping secrets from someone like Soul Reaper�� things couldn''t be good.


    As they emerged from the underground complex and hurried to the White Feather compound, Sunny shivered again and noticed that it had gotten even colder outside. Before, he had not paid the cold any attention, but now, the fall in temperature seemed foreboding.


    ''Curse it, curse it, curse it all��''


    The guards of the compound seemed to have received instructions, and almost immediately after Sunny and Jet arrived, a familiar young woman appeared to guide them inside. He briefly felt glad to see that she had survived the battle with Devouring Cloud, but then his thoughts turned grim and tumultuous once again.


    Sunny was�� shaken.


    He couldn''t help but think about Saint Tyris, silently wishing for her to be alive. At the same time, he had to think about what her fall would mean for the evacuation�� This chap upload first at NovelUsb.Please support my site ... with no one to stop the Winter Beast, what would happen to the city?


    The two worries competed against each other, pressing down on his heart with terrible weight.


    Finally, they reached an isolated room in the depths of the compound. The young Awakened spared the door an anguished look, then stepped aside, gesturing for them to come in.


    Inside, they saw an empty hall with some medical equipment and a lonely operating table standing in its center. The table, and the floor around it, were marred with blood. On it�� Saint Tyris was laying, her eyes closed.


    Sunny let out a relieved sign when he saw that her chest was slowly rising and falling. Sky Tide was still breathing�� she was still alive��


    However, she looked like a corpse.


    Her whole body was covered in blood and blemished by severe frostbite. Tyris was unconscious, breathing shallowly. Her face was terribly pale, and her lips looked blue. And that�� that was, without a doubt, only after the healers of the White Feather clan had tended to her. Sunny could not imagine how the fearsome Saint had looked before.


    Roan was standing above her, not looking much better. He had been severely injured while luring the Devouring Cloud toward the city �� even now, the charismatic Master was yet to recover from his wounds. One of his arms hung limply in a sling, and his usually lively face was dark and lifeless.


    When Sunny and Jet entered, Roan slowly looked away from his wife and gave them a dull glance.


    Soul Reaper gritted her teeth.


    "Roan. What the hell happened?!"


    He stared at them for a few moments, then turned back to Saint Tyris.


    "Isn''t it obvious? She lost. Actually, it''s a miracle that she was able to hold back that monster for so long. It''s also a miracle that she survived."


    He remained silent for a while, then added evenly:


    "You are asking the wrong question, though."


    Master Jet''s icy blue eyes widened slightly. She hesitated, then asked coldly:


    "...What the hell is going to happen, then?"


    Roan lowered his head. Then, he straightened his back, and looked at them once more.


    "I think you know."


    His eyes were bleak, and tired.


    "The Winter Beast is coming, and there''s no one to stop it. It''s over. Maybe tomorrow, or the day after that, anyone who still remains in this city will die. I''m sorry, Soul Reaper... there''s nothing else we clan can do."

 Chapter 1051 The Fall of Falcon Scott (69)

    Chapter 1051  The Fall of Falcon Scott (69)


    After battling the harrowing Corrupted Titan for three long months, Saint Tyris of the White Feather clan had finally been defeated. Even though she had miraculously managed to survive, with Sky Tide incapacitated, there was no one left to stop the Winter Beast from advancing on the city.


    The titan was already moving closer to the largest �� and only �� siege capital left standing in the region. The temperature was falling, and the winds were picking up, heralding the descent of a terrible blizzard.


    Inevitably, a series of disastrous events was bound to happen.


    The first of these events, and the catalyst that sparked the chain reaction�� was the withdrawal of the White Feather clan from the Antarctic Center. They had been sent here to support the First Evacuation Army on behalf of the great clan Valor, but were not part of it. Naturally, their first priority was to preserve their Saint''s life.


    Even if the Awakened of White Feather had decided to stay, for whatever reason, Army Command would have insisted that they retreat in haste. The life of an allied Transcendent was too precious of a resource for the government, too.


    ��As the clan''s compound turned into a hub of frenetic activity, with everyone hastily preparing for departure, Sunny and Jet were left to their own devices. After their conversation with Roan ended, they found themselves all but ignored by the hurrying members of the clan �� no one even remembered to shoo the two Ascended away.


    They were not in a hurry to leave, either, mostly because neither of them really knew what to do. The situation had changed too fast, and too dreadfully�� Sunny felt lost and resigned, and although Jet was trying to hide it, he could see that she was shaken, as well.


    The two of them found a place out of the way and just stood there for a while, silent.


    Eventually, Sunny said:


    "...Roan is wrong. It''s not all over. Even without Tyris, we still have a Transcendent. You, me, Bloodwave�� we should be able to give the Winter Beast a fight. We already killed one titan, so why can''t we kill another?"


    Jet somberly shook her head.


    "There''s an abyssal gap between a Fallen Titan and a Corrupted one, in terms of power. Tyris was not able to fight the Winter Beast because she was a Transcendent �� she was able to fight it because she was a Transcendent whose Aspect countered the creature''s powers, and an astonishingly steadfast one, at that. Even then�� you don''t really understand it, do you?"


    Sunny frowned.


    "I guess not. What is it exactly that I don''t understand?"


    Soul Reaper let out a grave sigh.


    "Sunny�� there''s currently around thirty million people left in Falcon Scott, as well as twenty thousand soldiers. There are also a thousand or so Awakened veterans. However, all of them combined wouldn''t be able to do anything against a Corrupted Titan. Even if there were ten times more, the result would be the same. Yet, Tyris alone held the creature back for three months. What does that mean?"


    ? ? ? ? ?


    He stared at her silently for a while, then turned away with a dark expression on his face.


    "...It means that one Saint is worth more than thirty million people, twenty thousand soldiers, and one thousand Awakened."


    A corner of Jet''s mouth twisted slightly.


    "Smart."


    Sunny shook his head:


    "What are you getting at, though?"


    The hint of a smile disappeared from Soul Reaper''s face. She lingered for a few moments, then said:


    "I am trying to tell you that there are no you, me, and Bloodwave. Bloodwave is going to leave with the White Feather clan�� do you think they are going to let Tyris travel across the strait unprotected? She is unconscious and vulnerable. What happens if something attacks the ship? Neither Army Command nor Valor would allow that to happen. So, the House of Night will do their best to protect the most valuable asset�� which means that Bloodwave won''t be here when the Winter Beast arrives."


    Sunny gritted his teeth, trying to suppress the blinding fury that threatened to consume his mind.


    "...This is such crap!"


    Jet''s face twitched, but she calmly shook her head.


    "No. It''s simply resource management."


    Sunny stared at her with bewilderment for a few moments, then suddenly laughed.


    "So, what? This is it? It really is all over? What about the rest of the poor fools who are still stuck in this city?!"


    Soul Reaper remained silent for a while. Then, she said evenly:


    "Well, there are thirty million people left here. With the current speed of evacuation��  If the Winter Beast comes tomorrow, twenty million will die. If it comes the day after tomorrow, ten million will die. Theoretically. Of course, in reality, things are not going to go that smoothly."


    Sunny gave her a dark look.


    "...How so?"


    Jet sighed.


    "Something like that�� it won''t remain a secret for long. As soon as the rumors spread, this whole city will go crazy. Evacuation queue? Forget about it. People will be storming the port and jumping off the cliffs. It''s going to be pandemonium."


    Sunny opened his mouth, startled by her callousness. However, it only lasted a moment. He was just as jaded, after all�� if he had used his brain for a moment instead of allowing himself to be rattled, he would have come to the same conclusions.


    He cursed.


    "So what are we supposed to do? The two of us, I mean. I�� I refuse to believe that there''s no way to slow down the Winter Beast. Come on! We just need to hold it off for a couple of days."


    Soul Reaper gave him a long look.


    After a while, she said:


    "Sunny�� you might survive the descent of the Winter Beast. Maybe �� maybe �� I can survive it, too. My cohort is gone, though, while yours is not. And your soldiers�� they will definitely die. Ascended like us have no business facing a Corrupted Titan, as for Awakened? They don''t stand a chance. So, if I were you, I would make sure that they get on a ship as fast as possible. Everything else comes later."


    He smiled bitterly.


    "That''s it? You''re a damn colonel. Can''t you do something?"


    Jet simply shook her head.


    "Once the news breaks, my rank won''t have any meaning anymore. Who cares about hierarchy in the face of annihilation? Sunny�� this is going to be an every man for himself situation very soon. We�� we are all going to have to make some choices. The best we can do is make sure that we don''t regret them later. So�� keep that in mind, and do your best. That''s all the advice I can give."


    She sighed, then briefly glanced at the star insignia on her shoulder and walked away.


    Before she left, however, Sunny shouted:


    "Oh, yeah?! So are you going to get on a ship yourself?!"


    Soul Reaper paused. She remained silent for a few moments, then said without turning back:


    "...I sort of hate ships, to be honest. It is really a pity."


    And then, she left.


    Sunny found himself alone, staring at the empty space where Master Jet had been a few seconds ago. Shaking his head, he scoffed and turned away.


    ''What a coincidence. I sort of hate ships, too.''

 Chapter 1052 The Fall of Falcon Scott (70)

    Chapter 1052  The Fall of Falcon Scott (70)


    The first thing Sunny did was go find Belle, Dorn, and Samara. However, none of them had returned from the Dream Realm yet �� all three were peacefully asleep in their pods, not knowing that back in the waking world, Falcon Scott was not on the verge of destruction. For now, all he could do was wait.


    Not wishing to waste time, Sunny tried to go through the official channels to make sure that his cohort was not going to be left out of the evacuation plans. At that point, however, things had already started going out of control. Just as Master Jet had predicted.


    The government complex was in a state of frenzy. The information regarding the withdrawal of the White Feather clan and the impending doom approaching the city was supposed to be kept strictly secret�� but with people responsible for withholding it realizing that they themselves would most likely be left behind, there was no way for the truth to remain hidden.


    The news spread through the city like wildfire. With it came panic.


    Sunny spent some time fruitlessly trying to get the logistics officers, or anyone at all, to issue an order for his cohort to evacuate, but no one knew what to do, or even if they had authority to do anything. Worse still, as soon as Saint Tyris had been defeated, the influence the Winter Beast was exerting on the region seemed to have doubled in strength.


    Now, even the robust communication array of the siege capital was having trouble connecting the local branch of Army Command to central headquarters. Even if there was a leader who could bring order to this complicated situation, they were simply too far away.


    In the end, all he could get from the administrative personnel was a vague promise of a "priority placement" while boarding the leaving ships. They did not seem to know quite what it meant themselves, but the underlying message was clear �� if he could get a spot on one of the evacuation vessels, no one was going to stop him. In fact, this was true for all the surviving soldiers of the First Army.


    If they wanted to leave, they could. Who was going to stop them? After all, the soldiers were armed, while the refugees were not. In the ruthless mathematics of war, their lives were also more valuable.


    In short, the situation had deteriorated to the point of turning into complete lawlessness. The government officers were simply unable to control it anymore.


    ''Every man for himself.''


    Sunny was slightly stunned by how quickly the city had descended into chaos. All it took was a few hours.


    There were some exceptions, of course. For example, someone high up in the chain of command managed to enforce the evacuation of the wounded from the army hospital. However, no one knew how effective exactly the execution of that order would be, or how quickly the evacuation would happen.


    Sunny was reluctant to leave Luster''s fate to chance, though.


    He returned to the barracks, which had turned hectic and feverish in his absence. Finally, his soldiers woke up, emerging from their sleeping pods with confused expressions on their faces. Not only was the building full of noise, but their leader was also waiting for them with a grim expression on his face.


    Sparing the three Awakened a single glance, Sunny said:


    "Let''s go get Luster and Kimmy. I''ll explain what is happening on the way."


    They made their way to the hospital. Outside, the cold was slowly turning unbearable, but despite that, crowds of frightened people were flowing through the streets, some aimless and lost, some full of frantic determination.


    ? ? ? ? ?


    The situation inside the hospital was even worse. Unlike the rest of the people in the city, the medical officers had received direct orders to transfer all the patients to the port fortress, and await immediate evacuation. However, the orders were vague and hastily compiled, lacking a lot of important details and instructions.


    Aside from that, moving severely injured soldiers was not as easy as transporting healthy people. Some required special care, some could not be moved at all, unless an Awakened healer got personally involved.


    Rattled, Sunny finally understood what the word pandemonium meant.


    Cutting through the chaos, he and his soldiers reached Luster''s room. After a short conversation with a panicked nurse, they received verbal permission to take him away, and barged inside.


    Neither Luster nor Kimmy seemed surprised to see them. In fact, Kim had already prepared the wounded Awakened for departure �� he was dressed, freshly bandaged, and holding a pack full of necessary medical supplies and healing agents.


    The young man had also received a very generous dose of painkillers.


    Seeing Sunny, he smiled stupidly.


    "Cap�� Major! Huh�� uh�� where are we going?"


    Sunny looked at Kim and gave her a nod.


    "Eastern Antarctica. We just need to find you a boat."


    The young woman silently took the medicine pack from Luster, hung it across her chest, then forced him to climb on her back. Considering that she was much smaller than the young man, the two of them looked rather comical �� but of course, as an Awakened, Kim was more than strong enough to carry a person.


    Before they left, Samara suddenly spoke, her usually calm face turning slightly pale:


    "Captain! What about Quentin? We can''t�� just leave him here��"


    Sunny looked at her for a moment, then somberly shook his head.


    "We have to. It doesn''t matter, anyway�� he is in the Nightmare by now. If he survives, the Spell will create an Ascended body for him. If not�� taking him with us won''t make any difference."


    The five of them grew solemn, then reluctantly followed him out. Luster was mumbling something under his nose, but the rest were deathly silent.


    On the street, Sunny looked around, then approached a random military vehicle and used his bare hand to tear through the armored alloy, destroying the locking mechanism of its door. With how many soldiers had perished during the siege, there was a surplus of machinery in the city �� no one was going to miss one PTV. It was just that he had no time to request proper access.


    Luckily, army transports did not have a complicated start-up sequence. All he had to do was override the controls with his military ID, then access the internal computer and assign the vehicle to the First Irregular Company. After that, the PTV recognized Sunny as its valid driver.


    ''Damn�� I never even got close to stealing a PTV when I lived in the outskirts, and now I''m swiping one as an Ascended. What kind of logic is that?''


    Darkly amused, he sent the vehicle barreling forward and maneuvered it through the crowded streets at high speed.


    "Hold on tight�� we need to make a stop first before going to the port."


    Soon, he reached the dormitory tower where Professor Obel and Beth were living. Sunny stopped the vehicle and dissipated into the shadows without wasting any time.


    A few seconds later, he was standing in front of a familiar door. Sunny knocked on it several times, praying that they were both home.


    Luckily, they were.


    Walking inside, Sunny quickly looked around the apartment, then turned to Professor Obel and Beth. From their expressions, he understood that they already knew what was happening.


    Beth''s eyes were wide and shaken.


    "Sunny! Is�� is it true?"


    He nodded, then said steadily:


    "Get your things. We need to leave as soon as possible."


    The young woman seemed startled.


    "Leave? Leave to where?"


    Sunny spared her a quick glance.


    "To the port, of course. You need to get on a ship."


    She took a small step back.


    "But�� but our tickets are not due until��"


    Taking a step forward, Sunny took her by the shoulders and looked her in the eyes.


    "Forget about the tickets. You are leaving today. Now, go! There''s no time to waste."


    Neither Beth nor Professor Obel had a lot of things to gather, so they were out of the apartment in less than fifteen minutes. The old man remained quiet throughout all that time, only speaking when spoken to. His eyes were calm, but burdened.


    Diving from the chilling cold into the warm interior of the PTV, Sunny checked to see if everyone had settled and drove off.


    Two beams of light cut through the darkness as the vehicle sped through the snow-covered streets.


    Once again, they were heading north�� this time, toward the port fortress of the doomed siege capital.

 Chapter 1053 The Fall of Falcon Scott (71)

    Chapter 1053  The Fall of Falcon Scott (71)


    Getting close to the port turned out to be complicated. There were too many people and too many vehicles heading the same way �� at some point, driving forward became simply impossible. The road was utterly jammed, which was a truly strange scene. Back in NQSC, PTVs were somewhat of a rare sight, but Falcon Scott was brimming with military transports of all kinds.


    Understanding that their vehicle was truly stuck, Sunny grimaced and told everyone to get out. As they did, a litany of sounds assaulted their ears �� the rumbling hum of engines, the ear-piercing wail of electric horns, the anxious shouts of countless people�� all of it fused into a cacophonous cloud of noise.


    Around them, a vast crowd of people was flowing through the congested road, the vehicles waiting hopelessly for a chance to move forward. There were men, women, and children �� some carrying bags and backpacks containing their belongings, some empty-handed.


    A driver of a massive transport was standing on the side of the cabin, screaming furiously for everyone to get out of his way and that he had orders to reach the port. His yells were useless, of course. Even if the crowd of people parted, there was another vehicle right in front of the transport, and another one after that, and another one after that �� all similarly stuck.


    The people moving toward the port on foot were acting senselessly, as well. It was not like they had a chance of getting on a ship simply by reaching the fortress �� most of them had simply panicked and lost all reason. Some had not even wanted to go, but were swept up by the crowd.


    In any case, the mob presented a serious obstacle to Sunny. Luckily, his uniform had turned out to be good enough of a deterrent �� where he walked, a small bubble of empty space magically appeared, allowing his group to advance forward with sufficient speed. Even in this state, the people were able to recognize a Master.


    Some moved aside out of respect and reverence, some out of fear.


    ''This is�� damn��''


    Sunny had considered himself an experienced person, and not without reason. From the starless void of the Forgotten Shore to the frozen hellscape of Antarctica, he had seen and lived through a lot of things, both incredible and terrifying. However, he had never experienced anything on the scale of what was currently happening in Falcon Scott.


    Even the destruction of the Ivory City did not quite come close.


    By the time the cohort reached the northern section of the wall, he was in a grim and sober mood. Here, there was another massive gate, its wings currently retracted into the framework of the barrier. Beyond it was a vast span of concrete that led directly to the edge of the tall cliffs.


    Usually, there would be several organized lines of refugees waiting for their turn to use the elevators, and a lot of loader robots carrying cargo to and from the fortress. Now, however, the whole space was covered by a sea of people, all frantic to get closer to the edge and get a chance to descend to the coast.


    Someone was still operating the elevators, but the personnel of the transfer station had clearly given up on trying to control the mob. People were pressed tightly against the alloy barriers that were meant to prevent them from falling down, and some were even trying to climb over them. Nothing but a deadly fall awaited them on the other side, but the climbers seemed completely crazed.


    ? ??? ? ? ? ? ? ?.


    Sunny stared at the startling scene for a few moments, then looked away. He felt a chill that had nothing to do with the unbearable cold of the polar winter run down his spine.


    A human mob�� was a frightening thing. It was even more frightening because everything had been fine just half a day ago. In such a short time, the whole city seemed to have gone mad��


    ''What are these fools hoping to accomplish?''


    Sunny flinched.


    What was he hoping to accomplish?


    Gritting his teeth, he pushed forward through the crowd. His uniform and aura of authority cleared a path, and when that was not enough, he simply pushed people away �� with Sunny''s strength, it was not at all hard. Remaining gentle enough not to crush anyone was much harder.


    His soldiers followed. After experiencing the horrors of the Nightmare Spell and the tempering of countless battles, they all managed to remain composed. Beth and Professor Obel, however, looked deeply rattled. Still, they followed, too.


    After some time, Sunny finally reached the entrance to one of the elevators. Currently, it was closed, since the platform had not yet arrived. The refugees moved slightly aside to give the Awakened some breathing room. However, he could still hear their voices.


    "Look! A Master!"


    "You there, officer! What the hell is happening?!"


    "Please, take me with you!"


    "Curse you!"


    He kept looking forward, ignoring the yells. Some people tried to ingratiate themselves with Sunny, some cursed him out and demanded explanations. Some stupidly became overjoyed, as if the appearance of an Ascended was going to solve everything.


    ''At least it''s not as cold.''


    With so many bodies around, the oppressive cold had retreated a little.


    Eventually, a massive platform arrived from the bottom of the cliffs, and the barrier retracted into the ground. Sunny led his group forward, taking a place near the opposite side of it.


    From there, he could see the ocean, and the port fortress below. There was only one gargantuan ship currently anchored near it, with several large ferries coursing between the vessel and the pier to bring people aboard. The port itself was as crowded as the transfer station, and so was the pier. The situation inside seemed even more chaotic than here.


    After around two thousand people and several large transport vehicles entered the platform, the barrier rose once again, and the elevator plummeted down. It seemed to be moving at a greater speed than usual, causing several passengers to yelp in fear. However, the platform safely reached the bottom of the cliffs in less than a minute.


    There was a walled road leading from the elevators to the port. Half of it was designated for pedestrian traffic, half for the vehicles �� that road was congested as well, but further away. Sunny noticed soldiers standing watch above it, carrying out their duty with lost expressions on their faces. Luckily, no Nightmare Creatures had chosen today to attack the city from the coast.


    "Let''s go."


    Glancing at Kim, who was still carrying Luster, he continued toward the port.


    It took some time to reach it, as well.


    The closer they got to the pier, the more frantic the atmosphere became. Some of the people here arrived after the terrible news of Sky Tide''s defeat had spread, but some had been here even earlier, happily waiting to be brought away to Eastern Antarctica as per the government queue. Now, their chances of getting a spot on the ship were suddenly uncertain.


    "B��but�� we were scheduled to be relocated today! Look! We have tickets!"


    "Get the hell out of my way!"


    "Sir! Please, just let me through!"


    "When is the next ship arriving?! When is��"


    The port officers were desperately trying to create some semblance of order, but it was useless. Still, only so many people could get aboard, so there were soldiers standing guard at the entrance to the pier, and a barrier of alloy mesh that slid up and down, letting groups of refugees proceed further from time to time.


    Every time the barrier retracted, the crowd grew agitated and tried to push forward, only to be thrown back by the heavy gazes of the guards.


    Sunny hesitated.


    ''What now��''

 Chapter 1054 The Fall of Falcon Scott (72)

    Chapter 1054  The Fall of Falcon Scott (72)


    He looked around, studying the barrier and the crowded pier that could be seen through the mesh. Then, suddenly, Sunny heard a familiar voice:


    "Move back, damn it! Don''t push! If you have a spot in the queue, present an ID! If you are a member of the First Army, come that way! Get a hold of yourself and behave like people!"


    He looked around and saw a tall, handsome man with indigo eyes and hair that seemed somewhere between black and blue standing in front of the barrier, struggling to hold back the panicked crowd.


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    Pushing closer to the man, he called out:


    "Naeve? What the hell are you doing here?"


    The man �� it was indeed Master Naeve of the House of Night �� blinked a couple of times, then looked in his direction with a confused expression.


    "...Sunny? Gods, it''s you! What are... ah, doesn''t matter. I''m now in charge of boarding, I guess."


    Sunny led his group to the barrier, stopping right in front of the Nightwalker. Naeve gestured for a nearby Awakened to assume his position and took a step to the side.


    He gave Sunny a somber look.


    "That ship over there is where I''m assigned to. We are going to leave once we''re at capacity�� actually, we are already over capacity. But a few more people can still be squeezed in, so..."


    Sunny frowned.


    "What about Bloodwave?"


    The Nightwalker sighed.


    "He led the other ship away a few hours ago, with Saint Tyris aboard. There will be more ships tomorrow, and more the day after that�� if the Winter Beast does not arrive sooner. But Uncle won''t be coming back. He''ll guard the strait until the�� until the relocation is over. And then, we will resume evacuating people over the ocean, to the Northern Quadrant."


    Sunny nodded.


    ''Figures.''


    "Listen��"


    Naeve spoke first, interrupting him:


    "Do you need to get on the ship?"


    Sunny grew quiet, suddenly ashamed for no reason. Strangely, he felt thankful to the Nightwalker for not forcing him to say it aloud.


    After a few moments of awkward silence, Sunny shook his head.


    "Not me. I just need to place a tether inside."


    Ascended could simply retreat into the Dream Realm whenever they wished. Even if their tether remained in the Antarctic Center, a Saint would then be able to bring them back to the waking world, to a safer region. Granted, there were no Saints on the Ivory Island, so Sunny was a bit more inconvenienced in that regard.


    Of course, leaving the waking world was not an instantaneous process. It required some time and absolute concentration, so doing it in the middle of a battle was usually impossible. Any Ascended that remained in the city would have to travel to the Dream Realm before the Winter Beast arrived, or risk annihilation with the rest of the mundane people.


    Still, taking up a spot on a ship would be a waste.


    ? ? ?, ? ? ? ? ?.


    ��And Sunny had long decided to stay and try to stall the titan, anyway.


    He looked at Naeve.


    "I don''t need one. But my people��"


    Sunny glanced at Beth, Professor Obel, and the members of his cohort. Naeve looked at them, too.


    His face fell.


    The Nightwalker hesitated for a few moments, then said quietly:


    "Sunny�� I have three spots reserved, as a member of the crew. I will give you those. Beyond that, however�� I can get the rest of your cohort onboard, too. Members of the First Army have a priority right to be evacuated. But those additional spots, they will come at the expense of civilians with officially issued tickets. So�� it''s your decision."


    He paused, and then added apologetically:


    "Sorry, but you have to make it quick. This is going to be the last batch we let in tonight."


    As though to echo his words, the mesh barrier suddenly slid into the ground with a metallic screech. The soldiers started checking the IDs and letting people pass through one by one.


    Sunny froze for a moment. His face grew still.


    ''So��''


    His heart grew heavy.


    ''So this is what it came to.''


    Three spots... or having to displace civilians who had a spot in the queue.


    His soldiers had all heard what Naeve said. Sunny turned around, looking at them. Kim, Luster, Dorn, Samara, Belle�� Beth, Professor Obel��


    What was he supposed to do?


    ''Curse it all��''


    As Sunny studied the faces of his soldiers, Belle, Dorn, and Samara briefly glanced at each other.


    Then, the giant man looked at Sunny and slightly shook his head.


    There were no words spoken. And yet, for a moment, Sunny felt as though his heart was pierced by a sharp blade.


    He lowered his head, then looked at Professor Obel. The old man met his gaze, and the two of them remained motionless for several seconds, as if having a silent conversation.


    Finally, Sunny looked at the mob of frightened refugees crowding behind the line of the barrier, all desperate to be saved.


    He sighed.


    ''How�� terrible. Why the hell did I want to be an officer? Gods�� no amount of the damned contribution points was worth it.''


    Then, Sunny straightened his back and said confidently:


    "Beth, Professor Obel. You go in first."


    Beth gave him a startled glance, but the old man gently pushed her forward. They moved past Naeve, the young woman crossing the line first.


    However, as soon as she did, Professor Obel silently took a step back.


    At the same time, Sunny pushed Kim and Luster. His push, though, was not too gentle. The two stumbled past Naeve, ending up on the other side of the line, too.


    They were one of the last people to be let through. A moment later, the barrier rose with a screech, and a wall of alloy mesh cut off the pier from the rest of the port.


    Sunny, Professor Obel, Samara, Dorn, and Belle remained on one side.


    Kim, Luster, and Beth were on the other.


    The young woman turned around, confused. When she saw the old man behind the fence, her eyes widened.


    "Professor! What�� why are you��"


    Professor Obel smiled.


    "It''s alright, Beth. We already had that conversation, remember? Stop being stubborn and forgive this old man. Ah, my old bones really can''t endure another journey��"


    She grabbed the mesh, frantic.


    "No, no! You can''t! How could you?!"


    He sighed.


    "I only have a few more years left to live, at best. Beth�� I might have accomplished a lot in this life, but it''s coming to an end."


    The old man chuckled.


    "You will accomplish even more, given time. What, do you think I was already brilliant at your age? Gods, no! I barely knew how to tie my shoes. Letting someone young take my place is a privilege of mine�� especially someone like you, or Awakened Kim over there."


    Beth stared at him for a few long moments, her eyes glistening. Then, she turned to Sunny:


    "S��sunny�� what, what about��"


    He scoffed.


    "I''ll be fine. It''s like you don''t know me. There''s not a single selfless bone in my body, so you don''t really have to worry about my safety."


    At that point, Kim finally spoke:


    "Captain��"


    Sunny glanced at her and frowned.


    "You keep Luster and Beth safe. Who knows what will happen? Go board the ship and get the hell out of here, Kim. That''s an order."


    He remained silent for a moment, and then added:


    "Also, it''s Major! Damn it."


    And that was that.


    Soon, Kim, Luster, and Beth boarded a ferry and were taken to the towering vessel.


    Sunny and the rest remained in the doomed siege capital. In Falcon Scott.


    ...The air was getting colder and colder.

 Chapter 1055 The Fall of Falcon Scott (73)

    Chapter 1055  The Fall of Falcon Scott (73)


    After things were settled�� Sunny did not really know what to do. Professor Obel wanted to go back to the dormitory, for now, so Sunny asked Belle, Dorn, and Samara to take the old man there. After that, they were supposed to return to the barracks.


    Left alone, Sunny remained motionless for a few minutes, then used Shadow Step to sneak aboard Naeve''s ship. Placing a tether there did not take him much time. After the invisible mark was created, he used the same method to return to the port fortress.


    It was already night�� of course, night and day were absolutely the same during the long winter, here in Antarctica. Still, it meant that the Winter Beast would arrive in around twelve hours, at the earliest, and in no more than forty at the latest.


    Sunny slowly made his way back to the elevators. No one was moving in the opposite direction of the port, so he did not have to force his way through the crowd. He just walked slowly, moving aside to let vehicles pass from time to time. The elevators were going up entirely empty, as well.


    His lonesome figure startled the crowd of people waiting for the platform to arrive at the upper transfer station. Sunny spared them a heavy glance, then sighed and dissipated into the shadow. He had no desire to travel through the mob again.


    To waste as little essence as possible, he simply glided through the darkness and appeared some distance away, in the shadow of the city wall. Then, he used a lift to reach the battlements and finally escaped the panicked sea of people.


    From here, he could see the vast expanse of the city. Falcon Scott was bathed in darkness and suffused with stark artificial light. Snowflakes danced in the frigid air, and above it all, the ghostly aurora swirled like a celestial river of ghostly flames. Countless stars shone coldly high above.


    Sunny looked at the dreamlike scene for a few moments, then sighed.


    ''How come it looks so�� beautiful?''


    On the other side of the wall was the ocean. He could see the port below, the overflowing mass of people within it, and the lone battleship towering above the dark waters. Sunny walked along the length of the wall, keeping his eye on the vessel.


    There were soldiers standing watch on the wall. Strangely enough, none of them seemed in a hurry to leave their posts. In fact, he could feel a strange mood permeating the air �� the crowd of refugees below was almost frenzied, but here on the battlements, the members of the First Army were almost tranquil.


    It was not the resigned tranquility of desperation, either, just�� unvarnished calmness of people who had been through hell and did not fear the end.


    Soon, he heard one of the soldiers say:


    "Look! It''s moving."


    Sunny could see it, as well. The battleship was finally departing. The titanic chain rattled as it rose, soon revealing a massive anchor. Then, slowly, the giant vessel started to move, distancing itself from the port.


    Its departure caused the people packed into the fortress to cry out, the litany of their voices flying on the wind to reach his ears.


    A raspy female voice responded to the soldier:


    "Poor guys�� ah, I feel bad for them. It''s too damn cold."


    The first, male voice sounded again after a moment of silence.


    "Yeah. I hope someone in the port will have enough sense to hand out food, blankets, and something hot to drink. Speaking of something to drink�� give that thing here��"


    Sunny frowned.


    ''Wait�� don''t those voices sound familiar?''


    He looked at the pair of talkative soldiers. One of them was a man in the uniform of the First Army, the other was an Awakened woman wearing a beautiful enchanted robe. The two of them were passing a flask of something fragrant between each other while idly observing the departure of the battleship.


    Sunny tilted his head, surprised. They were Sergeant Gere and Lieutenant Carin ��  two officers who had been under his command during the hellish march to Falcon Scott. He had not seen them after reaching the siege capital.


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then said:


    "Hey, you."


    Carin flinched and grabbed the parapet of the battlement with both hands. to be stupidly tough? Though�� huh, I thought I heard him too. Weird."


    Sunny sighed.


    Her face paled a little.


    "Gere�� Gere, I think I drank too much! I just heard the Devil calling out to me."


    The mundane soldier scoffed.


    "Ain''t no way you are drunker than me. Aren''t you Awakened supposed to be stupidly tough? Though�� huh, I thought I heard him too. Weird."


    Sunny sighed.


    "That''s because I''m standing right behind you."


    Both of them slowly turned around and stared at him for a few moments. Then, sincere smiles suddenly appeared on their faces.


    "Captain!"


    "Sir! You''re here too?"


    He rolled his eyes, then came closer and leaned on the parapet beside them.


    "Yes, I''m here too."


    After the caravan reached the city, the soldiers and Awakened he had led were absorbed back into the First Army and sent to reinforce the garrison. He had met a few here and there during the siege, but largely, Sunny had no idea what had happened to them.


    It was strange to see Gere and Carin again. He studied them for a bit, then asked:


    "...The two of you did not board the ship?"


    Sergeant Gere hesitated, then shrugged relaxedly.


    "Uh�� no. It just feels weird, to leave all these people behind and run away. Actually, pretty much no one I know went and took a spot for themselves. Most of us First Army grunts are staying."


    He took a sip from the flask and chuckled.


    "It''s like we all made a weird suicide pact."


    Carin pulled the flask out of his hand and smiled.


    "It''s alright, though. Actually, I feel like I was supposed to die in Erebus Field. That would have been sad."


    She took a big gulp and sighed with pleasure.


    "Because everyone there died. But here? We already made sure that a hundred and seventy million people escaped. By tomorrow, it''s going to be a hundred and eighty. That''s�� a lot of people! That''s a job well done, if you ask me. And if we manage to hold out for a day or two more�� then that''s going to be even better."


    Gere nodded.


    "That is the reason why we were sent here in the first place, isn''t it? To make sure that these people escape. So, saving ourselves at their expense�� just feels weird, that''s all��"


    Sunny studied them for a few moments, remaining silent. Then, he sighed.


    "I guess I feel the same way. Plus�� I really hate losing, as well."


    Carin and Gere looked at him with complicated expressions.


    "Sir�� you''re staying, too?"


    Sunny smiled slightly.


    "Yeah�� ah, but don''t get me wrong. I am not planning on dying heroically. Unlike some people, I haven''t given up on giving that beast a good fight."


    The two soldiers were quiet for a bit. Then, Gere suddenly laughed.


    "Good! That''s good�� hell, now that I know that you''re going to be with us too, sir, I am starting to feel that maybe there''s still a chance. We already killed one titan, didn''t we? What''s one more?"


    Carin lingered for a moment, then offered the flask to Sunny and patted the mundane soldier on the shoulder.


    "Sure, Gere, sure. It''s just a Corrupted Titan. Let''s kill it. Why not?"


    Sunny received the flask and took a sip of something bitter, flavorful, and absolutely searing. He grimaced and coughed, feeling his eyes turn wet with tears.


    ''Gods�� what the hell are they drinking?!''


    After a while, when he regained his ability to speak again, Sunny wiped his eyes and passed the flask to Carin.


    Feeling a pleasant warmth spread through his body, he said:


    "Yeah, you''re right. It''s just a Corrupted Titan��"

 Chapter 1056: The Fall of Falcon Scott (74)

    It was already morning by the time Sunny made his way to the dormitory tower where Professor Obel was staying. The cold had gotten even more oppressive, and the wind was like a sharp knife that cut ruthlessly against his skin.


    It was rather strange. Soon after the news of the Winter Beast''s inevitable attack spread through the city, the whole population seemed to have gone marl. Fear, panic, and desperation were like a wildfire that spread through the siege capital, throwing it into utter chaos. For a while, it was as though Falcon Scott had turned into a wounded, frenzied beast.


    ...But now, a strange calmness permeated the snow-covered streets. Even near the port, the mob had become meek and docile. A few more ships arrived, and a few more millions of people were taken away.


    The rest either surrendered themselves to fate, or gave up completely.


    As soon as they let go of hope, their fear disappeared. Their panic subsided, too. Sunny walked through the city, he saw different people coping with the merciless reality of the situation in different ways. Some seemed numb and lethargic. Some seemed serene and at peace. Everyone found solace in their own way.


    He even saw groups of people climb to the roofs of the highest buildings, carrying chairs, portable heaters, and food. They were going to watch the arrival of the titan, and meet their ends together.


    Others were trying to get as deep underground as they could. A siege capital like Falcon Scott had plenty of durable subterranean shelters... however, if anyone thought that they could hide from the approaching doom there, they were sorely mistaken. No amount of frozen soil and layers of mundane defenses were going to stop a Corrupted Titan.


    There had been shelters in Erebus Field, too, but no one who had entered them survived. And Goliath was in no way a match for the Winter Beast.


    As for Sunny himself... he had not given up yet. He still had some will to fight left in him.


    He had spent these hours trying to come up with a way to if not defeat the abominable horror, then at least tie down and stall it. Sadly...


    Sunny saw no way to win, no matter how hard he looked.


    The enemy was just too strong, and his bag of tricks was all but empty. There was no time to prepare anything, and even if there were, he was not sure. that he would have been able to pull another miracle out of thin air.


    Killing Goliath was already an astonishing feat... in the past, before the Transcendence of the first Saints, it had taken all of clan Valor decades to slay a Fallen Titan. But Sunny destroyed the dreadful stone colossus in a single second.


    ...If he had been a couple seconds slower, the city would have probably already been destroyed. That was how terrifying titans were.


    The further one walked on the road of Ascendence �� or Corruption �� the greater the distance between individual steps. There was a vast chasm between a Terror and a Titan, and an even more boundless abyss between a Fallen and a Corrupted one.


    Sunny had not come up with a single good idea. His own strength was insufficient, and there was no one stronger around to borrow it from.


    ''Is it really hopeless?''


    Despite it all, he was reluctant to accept that fact. And yet, a shadow of doubt was weighing on his heart.


    As Sunny was approaching the dormitory tower, his thoughts wandered to Gere and Carin. His mood turned dark as he remembered all the people he had brought to Falcon Scott, and how much effort had gone into preserving their lives.


    Where were they now? The nameless Sleeper, the kid who had called him "Uncle" once, the brave soldier who had lost his arm to the Devouring Cloud...


    Had they been evacuated! Or were they still out there, somewhere, within the doomed city? Most of the two hundred million people had already been evacuated, so... the chances of that weren''t high...


    Standing in front of the entrance to the dormitory, he looked at the piles of snow on both sides of it.


    The man who had been so happy to give him a sandwich... was he and his wife safe?


    And countless others...


    With a deep sigh, Sunny entered the tower and made his way to Professor Obel''s apartment.


    The old man met him with a calm smile.


    "Master Sunless. Come in, come in..."


    By now, there was no one inside the apartment except for the old man. The two of them remained silent for a while. Eventually, Professor Obel sighed.


    "I wanted to thank you. Some time ago, I made a request of you... to not choose to save my life over someone else''s. Back then, you didn''t agree- I am glad that you changed your mind."


    Sunny looked at the old man with a bleak expression. He remembered that conversation. Back then, he had foolishly proclaimed that he would not have to choose, because he would simply save everyone he decided to save.


    Technically, Sunny had kept that promise. The convoy had made it to Falcon Scott, and although there were some casualties, he never ended up having to put Professor Obel''s life over that of other people.


    Who could have known that their woes would only grow more calamitous after reaching the distant siege capital?


    Sunny pursed his lips, and then said in an even tone:


    "I am not going to lie, Professor... I am unhappy with your decision. After all the effort I''ve put into keeping you alive, you still chose to stay. It makes me feel as though all those struggles of mine were meaningless."


    They had not been, of course. Tens of thousands of people �� and maybe even millions �� were alive because of what Sunny had done. But millions of people were faceless. To him, Professor Obel had long become somewhat of a personification of all the mundane humans the First Army was meant to save him and Beth.


    The old man smiled wistfully.


    "I knew that you would feel that way. People who are as principled as you, young man, are a rare breed.


    They can''t help but feel responsible for the entire world. However... the world is too vast, Major Sunless.


    You can��t defeat it all by yourself. And you shouldn''t be forced to, either."


    Sunny looked at him with surprise.


    ''Now, that... is very amusing.��


    He couldn''t help but snort.


    "Principled? Me? Professor... you are deeply mistaken. I have no principles to speak of. I am just stubborn, spiteful, and a little bit mad. That''s all there is to me."


    The old man laughed.


    "If you say so, young man... anyway, you must be really busy. I won''t keep you. However, I do have one last favor to ask... would you mind escorting me to the communication array? My work schedule is technically suspended, but a bunch of us old engineers decided to gather there. Who knows, maybe we''ll even manage to restore function to the whole thing. In any case, it will be an extremely interesting problem to solve! I already have a few ideas..."


    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, then silently nodded.


    Together, they left the dormitory tower and ventured through the streets of Falcon Scott, chatting idly as they did. Time seemed to slow down a little.


    Nevertheless, they eventually reached the base of the communication array complex, where a dozen or so old men and women were standing waiting for the latecomers to arrive. Some of them waved to Professor Obel, calling out to him with boisterous voices.


    The old man waved in response, then turned to Sunny and smiled.


    "We''re here. Thank you very much, young man... for everything. "


    Sunny felt as though a lump was stuck in his throat. He lingered fora few moments, then forced out a few words:


    "Don''t mention it. And... thank you, too, Professor. Please, stay safe."


    Professor Obel patted him on the shoulder.


    "You must survive, Major. Don''t hesitate to save yourself, when the time comes. Farewell."


    With that, he smiled one last time, then turned away and headed to the other old engineers. They welcomed him with friendly greetings.


    Sunny remained motionless for a While, then turned away too.


    ''Damnation...''


    Grilling his teeth, he shivered in the cold and started walking.


    The shadow weighing on his heart had become heavier.

 Chapter 1057: The Fall of Falcon Scott (75)

    He found his soldiers calmly preparing for the nearing �� and most likely their last �� battle. Sunny had chosen the members of his cohort based on their mental resilience but even still, he was surprised and slightly disturbed by how nonchalant all three seemed.


    Samara had lost her rifle, but was now in possession of Kim''s carbine. She was sitting on an alloy crate, silently charging one bullet after another with essence. Belle was sharpening his sword with a vague smile on his face �� Memories did not need to be sharpened, but the swordsman had a habit of doing so anyway.


    Dorn had been wounded by the Scavenger. The deep cut on his chest had already been dealt with by an Awakened healer, but he was yet to fully recover. The giant man was moving his shoulder through a set of stretching exercises, wincing front time to time. His sledgehammer was nearby, its handle leaning against the wall.


    When Sunny entered, the three Awakened glanced his way and saluted.


    "What''s the news, sir?"


    He shook his head.


    "No news yet. If we''re lucky, the bastard will show up tomorrow. If we''re not, it will be here today."


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then added:


    "In any case, we will have to deal with the blizzard first. Keep those charms I gave you summoned.


    Protection against cold is going to play a big role when the Winter Beast comes."


    Sunny possessed the Memory of Ice, but he had also created lesser versions of the Ascended charm for each of his soldiers �� those Memories were not as potent, but also required much less essence to sustain the enchantments.


    They nodded, summoning the artificial charms.


    Looking at his soldiers, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a hint of fear. He had only known these people for a few months... but they had gone through a lifetime of struggles together. Even if he wasn''t responsible for their lives, he would still have been fiercely reluctant to see them die.


    Belle, Dorn, Samara... they were admirable warriors each. More importantly, they were his people.


    Sunny sighed.


    "...You just had to go and stay, huh?"


    He had been fully prepared to have Naeve load the whole cohort on the ship, but the three Awakened silently refused. Staying in Falcon Scott was their choice.


    Belle looked at him and grinned.


    "Sure, sir. That''s our job."


    Samara simply nodded, choosing not to say anything in her usual manner. Dorn chuckled.


    "We did. But aren''t you here too, Major?"


    Sunny winced. Of course, it wasn''t the same... he was an Ascended, and one ridiculously hard to kill on top of that. His soldiers, however, were merely Awakened. They were not nearly as resilient.


    "Yeah... I am."


    Belle put his sword away, the smile slowly disappearing from his face. The swordsman remained silent for a few moments, looking at him with an uncharacteristically serious expression.


    A heavy atmosphere settled in the barracks room.


    Eventually, he said:


    "There is something I wanted to ask you, though. Sir. You don''t have to answer, of course..."


    Sunny frowned.


    "What is it?"


    Belle hesitated for a bit, then asked thoughtfully:


    "There are. rumors going around... that you''re dating Mongrel. But Mongrel, she is your Echo. What''s that all about?"


    Sunny stared at him, speechless.


    "What the hell are you on about, feel?! I''m not dating anyone!"


    The swordsman suddenly threw his head back and exploded with laughter.


    "I see, I see..."


    Dorn gave him a disapproving look and let out an exasperated sigh.


    "That guy..."


    Sunny shook his head, suddenly feeling an urge to laugh, too.


    ''He��s crazier than me. Gods!��


    "If you''re done, Belle... let''s discuss strategy."


    ***


    Some time later, Sunny walked outside to get some fresh air. The air was much cleaner in Antarctica, after all... it would be a waste to remain inside all the time, even despite the cold.


    As Sunny stared at the distant sky, he suddenly noticed a black bird looking at him from a nearby roof.


    Then, he heard the sound of approaching footsteps.


    "Sunny. There you are."


    Master Jet appeared front behind a corner and walked over to him, then stopped, her icy blue eyes full of coldness that was even more chilling than the polar night


    He looked at her, then smiled.


    "Here I am."


    She sighed.


    "I sent all the information we have about the Winter Beast to your communicator. Did you read it?"


    He nodded. Sadly, there was little known about the titan and its abilities �� even though Saint Tyris had spent months suppressing the creature, most of their drawn��out battle had not been a direct one. The Winter Beast had shown an eerie ability to control cold, snow, and wind. Since Sky Tide commanded the winds, as well, their battlefield had been the sky above the Antarctic Center itself.


    It was precisely because the titan''s most dreadful power had been continuously countered by Saint Tyris that no one knew its true extent. It had to be tremendous, though, considering that the mere presence of the creature was distorting communications across the entire region.


    All Sunny and Jet could do was make educated guesses.


    She hesitated.


    "...Good, then."


    After that, both fell silent.


    Sunny looked at Soul Reaper, remembering the past. She was the first person he had met after surviving the First Nightmare... back then, Jet looked like an unreachable goddess to him. Seeing her cold beauty, he had been stunned... luckily, she promptly slapped some sense back into him. After that, Master Jet was always in the background of his life, arguably saving it on more than one occasion with her advice and slightly jaded wisdom.


    And now, they were equals.


    It was funny... the two of them had only met a few years ago, but Sunny felt as though he had known let all his life. Maybe because those years felt like several lifetimes...


    He sighed, then suddenly asked:


    "Master Jet... I''ve always wanted to ask. Why did you really join the government? Considering your abilities and character, the Legacy clans probably showered you with offers �� and incredible ones, at that. Well, you must have received a Special Strategic Asset designation, as well."


    They had briefly talked about it in the past, but Sunny always felt that he did not know the full truth.


    Soul Reaper looked at him with a surprised expression.


    "What? Where did this come from?"


    He chuckled.


    "Just... curious, that''s all."


    Jet remained silent for a bit, then scoffed.


    "Well, alright. But you are really overestimating me. A Special Strategic Asset? I wasn''t even designated as a simple Strategic Asset. Sure, my Aspect was a dangerous and unique one, but other than that, I was completely unremarkable. I was foolish, timid. and unsure of myself, too. It was only later... much later... after being beaten by life over and over again that I got rid of some of my foolishness and bloomed into this awesome and incomparably majestic figure you see in front of yourself today.


    Satisfied?"


    Sunny smiled.


    "I guess."


    After a few moments of silence, he asked:


    "Do you regret it, though? The path that you took?"


    She looked away, a thoughtful expression appearing on her face. Master Jet pondered his question for a bit, then shrugged.


    Her voice was calm:


    "Ours is a bitter life, Sunny. From the outskirts of NQSC to here, it has often been bitter, and only rarely sweet. A life like that... it would be a waste, to make it taste more bitter still with regret. So, no. I might be unsatisfied with many things, but I would never waste my time on regret."


    Jet looked at him and raised a brow.


    "Why? Are you feeling regretful about something?"


    Sunny laughed.


    "Honestly? Right now, I am regretting pretty much every single decision I''ve made in my life."


    She stared at him blankly, then rolled her eyes.


    "Well, get over it. We have a titan to fight."


    And so they did.


    The temperature continued to plunge, and the winds grew more and more frenzied, howling through the streets of the siege capital like hungry wolves.


    Faster than everyone had hoped, only a few short hours later...


    The Winter Beast had reached Falcon Scott.

 Chapter 1058: The Fall of Falcon Scott (76)

    The remains of the field army sent to the Antarctic Center gathered into a formation after marching across the giant crater. The hill��like stone corpse of the Fallen Titan Goliath, the pit created by the enormous explosion, and the city with millions of defenseless humans sheltering inside were now behind them.


    In front of them were a vast field of snow and the towering peaks of the mountains.


    There were around twenty thousand mundane soldiers, some of them piloting the mighty war platforms, and a thousand or so Awakened gathered in front of the crater. Just like Gere had said, very few members of the First Army had used the priority right to be evacuated ahead of civilians. Most had remained, and were now preparing to face a dreadful foe.


    The Winter Beast.


    The plan of the battle was rather simple... the creature''s physical body was rumored to be hidden at the heart of the blizzard, protected by hurricane winds and murderous cold. To prevent it from reaching the siege capital, the army was going to advance into the snowstorm and confront the titan.


    Neither mundane soldiers nor the Awakened had any hope of actually damaging a Corrupted Nightmare Creature. Luckily, an abomination that mostly relied on unnatural powers to kill its prey could not be too formidable in a physical confrontation. The few Masters who still remained with the army had a good chance of wounding, or even slaying it... if they could get close enough.


    The role of the soldiers and the Awakened was to bury the titan under their bodies and distract it, hopefully giving the Ascended an opportunity to strike.


    No one knew if the plan had even a theoretical chance of working, but it was their best chance.


    Aside from Sunny and Jet, there were two more Masters who had both survived the previous weeks of the siege and chosen to stay and fight. The four of them were spread across the formation, each commanding one of the four brigades.


    Nightmare was still slumbering because of the wounds he had received during the previous battle, but Saint, maybe due to the [Mantle of Darkness], had already recovered. However, Sunny did not summon her yet �� he wanted to keep his strongest weapon at hand in case things went wrong.


    If the army was unsuccessful in their desperate gamble to breach the wall of the blizzard, he would send one of his shadows ahead, to allow the taciturn knight to emerge from it near the titan and engage the abomination in battle.


    That was his last resort.


    ...Even still, Sunny did not know if Saint would be able to do anything. That was the main problem �� none of them knew anything for sure. The Winter Beast was just too unknown and mysterious. Chances were, every single one of them would die long before catching a glimpse of the titan''s true body.


    ''Curse that fiend.��


    Sunny was standing in front of the brigade of grim-faced soldiers who were now under his nominal command. The members of his cohort were right behind him, and behind them were the rest of the Awakened. The mundane soldiers were at the back of the column, comprising most of it.


    All of them were looking ahead, struggling against the cruel winds.


    In front of them... a cloud of snow was descending from the mountains, slowly blotting out the sky. It was like a swirling white wall was slowly erasing the world. With each second, the winds were growing stronger, and the terrible cold was becoming more unbearable.


    The blizzard was coming.


    Sunny sighed, then looked over his shoulder.


    "Get ready!"


    Without Kim, the members of his cohort lost the ability to borrow his sight. Each of them had summoned a luminous Memory, and so had the rest of the Awakened in the brigade. The mundane soldiers, too, were equipped with various light-producing devices. Beams of powerful spotlights shot into the darkness from the shoulders of the towering MWPs.


    The brigade appeared like a river of light in the middle of a sea of darkness.


    The harrowing snowstorm was getting closer and closer.


    "Advance!"


    Sunny took the first step forward, and the soldiers followed. The war platforms prepared their flamethrowers �� since the titan''s most fearsome weapon was cold, today, these armaments were more valuable for their ability to create heat, not for their destructive potential.


    On both sides of the brigade, two more rivers of light flowed forward �� one commanded by Soul Reaper Jet, one by an Ascended that Sunny had met a few times, but did not really know.


    A few moments later, the snow was upon them.


    Sunny shivered, feeling a merciless chill permeate his body. Even with his elemental resistance and the help of the Memory of Ice, he was shocked by how ferocious the cold was. He could only imagine how terrible it was for the rest of the soldiers.


    It had never been the same the previous times Sunny encountered the wandering blizzard. Now that Saint Tyris was not suppressing the Winter Beast, it had fully unleashed its power, causing the world itself to become its tool. This snowstorm was not an aftereffect of the titan''s presence on the landmass, either. It was directly created by the frozen horror.


    ...In fact, the snowstorm itself was the horror. It was as much a part of the Winter Beast as the physical body hidden in the heart of the blizzard was. In that: regard, the Corrupted Titan was much closer to the dark sea of the Forgotten Shore than it was to a simpler creature like Goliath.


    For a moment, Sunny wondered if there was something secretly hidden at the heart of the cursed sea, as well.


    "Flamethrowers!"


    The MWPs walking at the sides of the column extended their arms, sending long streams of fire crisscrossing above the formation. It was as though a flaming cage was created around the brigade �� for a few moments, the cold receded slightly.


    The billowing clouds of snow were instantly melted, and drops of water rained down on the shivering humans.


    For as long as the war platforms had fuel to keep the flames burning, the army still had a chance to reach the depths of the unnatural snowstorm.


    ...However, they had not burned for long.

 Chapter 1059 The Fall of Falcon Scott (77)

    1059  The Fall of Falcon Scott (77)


    It was all a gamble. A dire, dangerous, deadly gamble�� the soldiers of the First Army were betting their lives against the Winter Beast without even knowing if they would be able to reach it, let alone hurt it.


    They might have made that gamble out of desperation, but they had also made it out of necessity. All of them had received a chance to leave, and all of them turned it down. Some had done it due to their sense of duty, or camaraderie, or misguided bravery. Some had simply grown numb to the horrors of the war.


    As for Sunny himself, he was not really sure what had led him here. He had come to this broken land in search of power, but that desirous quest seemed so childish now. Antarctica had put a lot of things in perspective�� however, this shift of perspective only made things less clear instead of revealing the truth.


    All he knew was that he felt fiercely reluctant to leave the job unfinished, and that he did not want to fail the soldiers who had entrusted him with their lives. Sunny had never wanted to be in charge of anyone, but now that he was, their hopes and desires weighed on him like chains. Strangely, though, he did not want to refuse that burden.


    He felt quite protective of it. Maybe that was what Master Jet had meant when she said that no one was free in this world.


    Regardless of the reason, Sunny felt a frantic hope burning in his chest as he marched into the blizzard.


    ''Come on, come on�� we can do it��''


    Behind him, the column of shivering soldiers stubbornly moved forward inside a cage of flames. The infantrymen were all encased in suits of powered armor, which were all hermetic and insulated, capable of withstanding the most hazardous environments. The Awakened were all much tougher, and many of them possessed protective Memories on top of that.


    And yet, they were all suffering from the terrifying cold. It was just too insidious, finding a way to pass through all forms of defense. Even Sunny felt miserable because of the snowstorm. Much worse, the cold was getting worse and worse the deeper into the blizzard they walked.


    They had to find the true body of the Winter Beast soon.


    ''That cold�� there''s something wrong about it. It doesn''t feel like a�� a natural�� natural force��''


    Even his thoughts felt slow and frigid.


    But there was no way back for them now. All that Sunny could do was march forward and endure, hoping that he and his soldiers would be able to reach the heart of the blizzard.


    The fire produced by the MWPs helped alleviate the cold to a certain extent. But then, slowly, the heat of the furious flames started to feel less and less substantial. The flamethrowers were still spouting long streams of burning fuel, but it was as though the fire itself had been robbed of its warmth.


    How could fire be cold? Sunny did not know, but he felt as though the flames now contained no heat whatsoever. They were like predators that had lost all their teeth.


    ''Curse it��''


    He glanced back, seeing a few of the mundane soldiers staggering as they walked, then gritted his teeth and continued to move forward.


    The snowstorm could not be too vast. They had to be getting closer to its center�� all they had to do was endure a little longer.


    Suppressing a hint of fear, Sunny sent his shadows to scout ahead. As soon as his body lost their support, the cold assaulted it with renewed strength. He cursed quietly and concentrated on resisting the furious blows of the hurricane winds.


    Behind him, the Awakened and the mundane soldiers were shielding their faces and leaning forward to withstand the force of the storm. Even the towering war platforms were struggling to keep their balance �� they had great mass, but also a much larger surface for the wind to attack. The pilots controlled their lumbering machines with intricate skill, keeping them upright and moving forward.


    The shadows flew into the storm. Even though it was almost impossible to see through the raging snow, they had other ways to perceive the world. Sunny hoped that at least one of them would be able to discover the true body of the Winter Beast �� after all, searching for it was not hard.


    All he had to do was follow to where the cold was most dreadful.


    The closer one got to the heart of the blizzard, the more terrible the unnatural cold would become�� and indeed, his shadows were able to discover the right direction soon.


    They all failed to reach the eye of the storm, though. Sunny felt a little shaken when he realized that, further into the blizzard�� even the shadows started suffering from the merciless cold.


    It made no sense, since shadows were incorporeal beings, but it was nevertheless true. Once they flew sufficiently deep into the snowstorm, the power of the Winter Beast seemed to transcend logic and reason. It was capable of freezing even those things that should have been incapable of being frozen.


    ''How�� how can it��''


    To his horror, Sunny realized that the frigid slowness of his thoughts was also not just in his imagination. If the Corrupted Titan was capable of affecting shadows with its powers, why wouldn''t it be able to affect minds?


    Nothing within the Winter Beast''s snowy domain could avoid being pervaded by its power.


    Recalling the shadows, Sunny shuddered and continued to walk in the direction they had discovered. Every step he took felt heavier than the last.


    Behind him, a soldier fell to the ground. Others tried to help the soldier stand up, but it was of no use �� the man was not moving. His comrades had no choice but to abandon their futile attempts. The column flowed past the motionless figure, and soon, it was swallowed by the haze of the blizzard, disappearing from view.


    Not long after that, someone else dropped down.


    Sunny felt dread settle in his heart.


    ''No, no�� we need to keep going. I refuse�� I refuse to give up! I refuse to believe that the abomination''s power cannot be broken!''


    He continued to walk with an ugly expression on his face, leaning low to resist the shattering wind.


    Soon, more people fell into the snow. Sunny could feel their shadows turn lifeless in the distance. Every death cut him like a knife.


    It was only the mundane soldiers at first. Then, one of the MWPs staggered and froze, depowering �� a moment later, a powerful squall crashed into it, making the towering machine sway and collapse. Eventually, even the weakest of the Awakened started dying.


    And then the strongest of them.


    Engrossed by grim fearlessness and dogged determination, the brigade continued to struggle forward. The other brigades were advancing into the blizzard by its side, too. However�� their rate of progress was becoming slower and slower.


    The closer they got to the heart of the snowstorm, the more murderous the cold became, the stronger the winds grew, and the harder it was to make even a single step forward. It felt as though an irresistible force was pushing Sunny back and at the same time trying to sap him of his very life, battering his body with blades of wind and ice.


    ''Damn it�� damn it��''


    At first, a soldier or two would fall every minute. Then, a new body would fall into the embrace of the snow almost every second.


    Sunny felt a�� a vast, maddening anguish. And a deep, biting reluctance.


    And fear. Not for himself, but for the mission.


    But then, he became scared for himself, too.


    At some point, Sunny realized that because of the diabolical cold that permeated his mind, he could no longer feel his Dream Realm anchor. It still existed there, somewhere, but it was as though the mystical connection was distorted by a hazy wall of snow. Sunny could not sense the anchor, and could not reach for it.


    He had nowhere to run, just like the rest of his soldiers.


    ''Are�� are we going to lose, just like that?''


    The thought filled him with indescribable anger and grief.


    He could tell that they were getting closer to the heart of the blizzard. They were not too far away, now��


    But the snowstorm had become just too calamitous.


    Sunny had lost count of how many soldiers he had lost. In fact, his senses �� even the shadow sense �� were slowly failing him. He could not see too far, and he could not perceive too far. The world had narrowed down to a hazy sphere of a dozen meters, while everything else was obscured by snow.


    In that sphere, there were only a few Awakened. As far as he knew, everyone else might have already succumbed to the ruthless cold.


    ''Gods�� it can''t be like this�� it can''t be, damn it!''


    In his heart, Sunny would have been able to accept if they had reached the true body of the Winter Beast, but failed to defeat it. But the idea of being wiped out without even making it to the eye of the storm was enough to drive him insane.


    ''Damn it, damn it, damn it all!''


    And with each second, still, the cold was growing more harrowing.


    15:50


    ��But in the end, that was exactly what happened.


    Eventually, still surrounded by the wall of howling snow, Sunny realized that he could hardly make even a single step forward. He had lost sight of the brigade and did not know if any of his soldiers were still alive. There were only three Awakened beside him�� Belle, Dorn, and Samara.


    And with each second, still, the cold was growing more harrowing.


    He closed his eyes.


    ''...Admit it.''


    Sunny hesitated, staring into the blizzard.


    ''Admit it. You lost.''


    He shivered.


    ''You fool�� what else did you expect would happen?''


    It was almost as if the Sin of Solace was talking to him. But, no�� those were only his own thoughts. He had not even summoned the jade sword yet.


    His own thoughts were much more damning.


    Sunny let out a soft sigh, then turned around and looked at his soldiers.


    The members of his cohort were standing close to each other, bits of ice covering their hair. Their luminous Memories had grown dim and weak, and their lips were blue.


    Their eyes, however�� were much more calm than his own.


    Sunny studied their faces for a few moments, trying to come up with a solid thought.


    Eventually, he simply whispered:


    "...I''m sorry."


    Belle smiled with the corner of his mouth, then slightly shook his head. That action alone seemed to take something out of him, and the swordsman swayed slightly.


    Samara reached out to support him, and he placed a hand on her shoulder, gripping it tightly. Dorn struggled a little and turned to face them. He gave his fellow Awakened a warm nod, then kept looking at them without saying anything. Maybe he couldn''t.


    Sunny remained motionless, watching.


    He watched them slowly grow still.


    And then, he watched as the spark of life was gradually extinguished inside them. Samara was first, and then Dorn. Belle was the last to go.


    Only when their shadows had turned lifeless and empty did Sunny allow himself to dissipate into the darkness, escaping the murderous cold.


    ��In the embrace of the shadows, the power of the Winter Beast was not nearly as overwhelming. It could still reach here, somehow, but in a weakened state.


    Sunny howled with sorrow and fury as he flew deeper into the blizzard. Even if everything was lost, he still wanted to try and reach the wretched abomination�� he wanted to hurt, break, and kill it��


    But he failed.


    Even if the cold was not as terrifying in the shadows, it was still there. And the closer Sunny got to the heart of the blizzard, the more annihilating the cold became. He still persisted forward, feeling his very soul freeze and start to grow still, dying, for a time. He almost made it.


    Eventually, though, Sunny had to turn back.


    He ran away.


    He ran away and hid himself, waiting for the snowstorm to pass.


    He survived.

 Chapter 1060 The Fall of Falcon Scott (78)

    1060  The Fall of Falcon Scott (78)


    The Winter Beast came.


    And then, it left.


    The last citadel of humanity in the Antarctic Center, Falcon Scott, had fallen to the Chain of Nightmares. The harrowing blizzard had swept through it, freezing the whole city solid and killing everyone inside.


    Sunny had heard that a long time ago, during the Dark Times �� or maybe even before that �� the whole of Antarctica was covered by ice. It had been a land of perpetual winter, cold, and snow.


    After the Corrupted Titan wiped out the last human settlement and retreated back into the mountains, as if satisfied to be the sole sovereign of the region, the landscape looked just like that, again.


    The city was drowning in snow. The buildings emerged from it, encased in ice. Below the cliffs, a large swath of the ocean was frozen, as well. A gargantuan battleship was stuck in the ice, still anchored, the people aboard it all dead.


    Everyone was dead.


    Except for Sunny.


    His soldiers were dead. Millions of civilians were dead. Professor Obel was dead, too. But he was alive, and not even wounded. Sunny had remained in the shadows for a long time, only emerging from them after his essence almost ran dry.


    And now, he was digging a grave.


    The earth itself was frozen solid, so his task was not an easy one. He had to summon the Sin of Solace, and use the beautiful jade blade to dig. Sunny was standing in a shallow pit, deepening it. His movements were fast and purposeful. Angry tears were streaming down his face, turning into ice before falling to the ground.


    ��He was not alone, either.


    A vague shape that looked a lot like him was sitting on the edge of the pit, staring at him somberly. It had his voice, too.


    "Look at you go."


    Sunny gritted his teeth, ignoring the Sin of Solace. The cursed sword remained silent for a while, observing him.


    Eventually, it asked:


    "So, did you find it? Conviction? Or whatever it was you''ve been searching for?"


    Sunny spared the vague shape a glance, then continued digging.


    "No�� no, I didn''t find crap."


    He wiped his face with an elbow.


    "Actually, that''s not true. I did find something. I found out that I was right all along!"


    Sunny plunged the sword into the frozen soil and laughed.


    "Faith, calling, conviction�� all those lofty words. It''s all rubbish! It''s all�� meaningless. People like Anvil of Valor and Ki Song have conviction, and that conviction helps them achieve greatness. Well, where are they? What good did it do? Where the hell were they, huh?!"


    He lowered the sword and stared at the vague shape with fury in his eyes.


    "Those great people go around playing with their great conviction, while little people like us suffer and lose our little lives. But what''s wrong with having small dreams? All I ever wanted was to live a good life, and keep people I care about safe. What''s wrong about that? Why do I have to have a great goal and soaring ambition to be allowed to exist?!"


    Sunny remained motionless for a moment, then returned to digging.


    "I''ll tell you why. It''s because those bastards made it so�� that''s the world they have built. They can pursue their convictions and trample on millions in the process, because there''s no one to hold them responsible. They can have their little wars while ignoring the death toll, no matter how much people die. Hate it. I hate it!"


    Suddenly, he stopped, and then let out a small laugh.


    "Effie... she was wrong. Well, I can''t blame her�� she doesn''t know Nephis as well as I do. From the outside, it might really look like Neph draws power from conviction. And she does, too. But the truth is so much simpler. I mean, she told me herself."


    Back on the Forgotten Shore, years ago, Sunny had asked Nephis why she wanted to destroy the Spell. And her answer was very simple, indeed��


    "Because I hate it."


    Because she hated it��


    She was going to destroy the Spell because she wanted to, and she wanted to destroy the Spell because she hated it.


    That was all.


    Sunny laughed again, then shook his head.


    "Fool�� I''m such a fool��"


    The vague shape sitting on the edge of the grave grinned.


    "Well, at least we agree on something."


    Sunny continued to dig, thinking back on the past months. He�� he had not found conviction. But in a sense, he also did.


    ''I don''t need it. I know what I value, and I know what I want. It might not be much, but it''s enough. I am who I am, and who I am is enough. It''s plenty.''


    He looked at the vague shape, and made it disappear with a thought.


    Then, Sunny climbed out of the grave and looked at it.


    There were three graves beside that one. They all stared at Sunny like monuments to his failure.


    Slowly, he turned to the four corpses that lay on the ground a small distance away from the graves.


    After the Winter Beast left, he had returned to collect the bodies of Belle, Dorn, and Samara.


    guide him to the Academy. She had been there when he returned from the Forgotten Shore, and 15:52


    And then, not too far away, he had found the body of Master Jet, as well.


    Master Jet�� Sunny couldn''t quite comprehend the fact that she was dead. She had always been there for him. She had been the first person to meet him after the First Nightmare, and the one to guide him to the Academy. She had been there when he returned from the Forgotten Shore, and from the Kingdom of Hope, too.


    She had even helped him purchase his home.


    Soul Reaper had been his mentor, comrade, and friend. For him, she was synonymous with competence and power. And perseverance. If a girl from the outskirts could rise so high, then why couldn''t he?


    And now, she was dead.


    Sunny couldn''t believe it, but there was no denying it. Her lifeless body was right there in front of him, unmoving and still. Her beautiful blue eyes were now glassy and hollow. Her lips were never going to curve into a smile again.


    Soul Reaper Jet was gone.


    Sunny''s heart was empty.


    ''Right��''


    He remained motionless for a while, then walked over to Belle and carried him to the first grave. Then, silently, he repeated the same process with Samara and Dorn.


    Master Jet was the last, but he couldn''t bring himself to approach her body for a long time. Eventually, though, it had to be done.


    Feeling as though he was dead himself, Sunny approached Jet''s corpse, then leaned down to grab it.


    The corpse stared at him with glassy eyes, and said hoarsely:


    "Kindly unhand me."


    Sunny sighed.


    "Don''t worry, Master Jet. I am going to bury you well�� there are no Nightmare Creatures around, yet, but they will come eventually. You wouldn''t want to be eaten, would you? I surely don''t."


    The corpse remained silent for a few moments.


    "...Have you lost your mind, Sunny? Put me the hell down."


    He nodded.


    "Yes, yes�� I did lose my mind, a little. That''s true."


    The corpse of Soul Reaper Jet continued to stare at him.


    ''I should probably close her eyes��''


    "Do you need me to slap you again? Snap out of it, damn it!"


    A small frown appeared on Sunny''s face. Then, he suddenly dropped the corpse and flinched back, falling on his butt.


    "Wha�� what?! Master Jet, you''re alive?!"


    The corpse remained motionless on the ground. After a short pause, it said in a dull, hoarse, corpsely voice:


    "No. I am dead."


    Sunny stared at it, dumbfounded.


    Suddenly, the corpse let out a grating, hissing sound. It was trying to laugh.


    "...I''ve been dead this whole time. It''s my Flaw�� "you are dead". But as long as I keep killing things and absorbing their essence, I can at least maintain a semblance of life. If I don''t, I''ll be truly destroyed."


    She struggled to turn her head and looked at him with dead, glassy eyes.


    "That was the real reason I joined the government, all those years ago. I knew that I''d always have things to kill if I did. Now�� Sunny�� argh, damn it�� can you help me sit up?"


    He slowly rose to his feet, took a few shaky steps forward, and pulled her up to a sitting position.


    Then, he blinked a couple of times and said:


    "So�� that was why you told me that it''s impossible for you to die in Antarctica? Because you were never alive, to begin with?"


    Soul Reaper struggled for a few moments, and then took a labored breath �� the first one since he had found her in the snowfield outside the city.


    "Yes. It was a figure of speech."


    Both of them remained quiet for a while, not knowing what to say.


    Then, Jet suddenly turned her head. Her eyes glistened a little.


    "Sunny�� look! Look there."


    He turned around, not knowing what she wanted him to see. Nothing seemed to have changed�� the graves, the snow, the frozen buildings of the destroyed city were all the same.


    However, far away�� a thin line of pale lilac appeared above the horizon, breaking the reign of cold darkness.


    Soul Reaper tried to smile, but failed.


    "The sun is rising. The night�� it''s over."


    [End of Volume Five: Dread Night.]


    The long night is over! And so is Volume Five of Shadow Slave. I hope that you enjoyed this cold, dark adventure. As for me, I surely had a blast writing it. I''ll take a day off and return with the first chapters of Volume Six the day after tomorrow.


    Thank you and have a great day! :] Guiltythree

 Chapter 1061: Dire Strait

    Sunny... come here! I''ll... I''ll only kill you a little..."


    "Get the hell away from me, you demented zombie!"


    Sunny took a few steps back, easily avoiding the grasp of the shambling corpse of Master Jet. Fortunately, she was not too fast - in fact, she could barely crawl. Her nails powerlessly scratched against the alloy, and Soul Leaper let out a hoarse, disappointed hiss.


    "Damn it..."


    Sunny shook his head. Despite Jet''s weakened state, avoiding her clutches was a tiresome task - mostly because there was nowhere really for him to run. Currently, the two of them were trapped on an alloy raft that was drifting slowly across the strait between the Antarctic Center and the vast landmass to the east.


    When Jet lost control of herself, all Sunny could do was endlessly circle the raft and wait for her to come to her senses.


    "Come here, Sunny! I won''t bite..."


    He gave her a dark look, then picked up his chair, walked over to the other end of their improvised vessel, and calmly sat down. The length of the raft was no more than ten meters, but for Soul Reaper, that was a vast distance right now. She stared at him for a while, then gave up and rolled on her back with a curse, looking at the sky with a resigned expression.


    When Jet remained still, she really looked like a corpse. And technically, she was... but at least in this cold, she was not a rotting corpse. One had to count their blessings.


    Unlike the souls of all Awakened, hers was not able to generate essence on its own. Worse than that, her soul core was shattered and constantly leaked what little essence she had left. Once the essence completely ran out, Soul Reaper would truly and forever perish.


    The only way for her to survive was to continuously kill living beings and absorb their soul essence. That was actually Jet''s Sleeper Ability. Her Awakened Ability allowed her to bypass all forms of physical defense and strike directly at the souls of her enemies, which was where her fearsome nickname, Soul Reaper, had come from.


    Her Ascended Ability was to slowly absorb shards of broken soul cores from those she had killed to build up and strengthen her own, both in terms of size and capacity. It also removed the natural limit of essence infusion that the flesh of most living beings had, allowing Jet to oversaturate her body with essence and achieve truly superb levels of strength, speed, and resilience.


    Hers was a Supreme Aspect.


    ...Sadly, right now, Jet had no essence to spare on strengthening her body. She barely had enough to keep it from collapsing entirely, and even that last reserve was slowly running out.


    Things had not gone well for them after the destruction of Falcon Scott. Even after the Winter Beast retreated into the depths of the Antarctic Center, its dire influence remained. Neither Sunny nor Jet had been able to access their Dream Realm anchors, which meant that they could not escape from the waking world. Eventually, the two of them had been left with only one choice - to try and brave the strait.


    Actually, there was no need for them to even reach East Antarctica. All they had to do was sail far enough into the ocean to leave the area of influence of the Corrupted Titan, which would allow both to return to the Dream Realm. That would still be dangerous, but not as dangerous as remaining in the Winter Beast''s frozen realm.


    There were no ships coming, and no seaworthy vessels left intact in Falcon Scott. In the end, Sunny had been forced to improvise.


    The alloy raft they were currently drifting on... was not just a random sheet of light alloy. It was actually the Covetous Coffer.


    That Memory of his possessed an enchantment called [Mendacious Coffer], which allowed it to mimic the forms of inanimate objects. Additionally, the size and intricacy of the simulacrum were dependent on Sunny''s Shadow Core capacity. By now, he was very close to becoming an Ascended Tyrant, so obviously, that capacity was much greater than when he had first acquired the Coffer.


    So, Sunny had turned it into a raft. It was much larger than the alloy chest the Coffer usually looked like, at the expense of the complexity. Even better, the [Locomotive Chiffonier] enchantment allowed the raft to propel itself forward at a modest speed.


    Most importantly, though, the Covetous Coffer was an Ascended Memory of the Fourth Tier, and as such, it was tremendously more durable than even the strongest alloy would have been. If something attacked them from below... which had already happened a few times... the raft was not going to be destroyed unless the attacking Nightmare Creature happened to be truly terrifying.


    Sunny and Jet had ventured into the strait on top of the Covetous Coffer, hoping to leave the Winter Beast''s area of influence in about a day. And... they had. Sadly, their situation did not really improve after that.


    As it turned out, there were numerous Nightmare Gates hidden below the cold waters of the ocean here. Perhaps there were too many, or perhaps their luck had just been truly atrocious, but even now, a week later, Sunny and Jet had yet to encounter a place where the Call of Nightmare would not instantly whisk them away if they tried to leave for the Dream Realm.


    At this point, it would be easier for them to actually reach East Antarctica. They had made it two-thirds of the way, already. The mighty battleships of the government fleet were able to make the trip in a day or two, but the Covetous Coffer was much slower - so, it was going to take them a few more days to make landfall.


    Sunny did not feel too much pressure. Saint was standing guard with Morgan''s Warbow in her hands, warding off most of the sea creatures. Sunny and Saint were capable of dealing with almost every normal threat. If something they could not deal with were to attack from the depths, he could use a combination of Memories to take flight. If they were attacked in the skies, he could dive deep into the ocean.


    The only problem he had was that Jet would periodically lose her mind and half-heartedly try to kill him.


    Sitting in his luxurious chair, Sunny threw a look at Soul Reaper''s unmoving corpse and sighed.


    ''Damnation...''

 Chapter 1062: Gone Fishing

    Sunny was not too worried about being able to reach East Antarctica. Unless something truly harrowing rose from the depths of the ocean to devour them, he was certain of his ability to either kill or escape it.


    However, he was worried about Jet.


    A week ago, she had been weak... but not nearly as weak as she was now. Her mental state was also getting worse. He knew that Soul Reaper had been intentionally starving her body of essence in order to conserve as much of it as possible, but still...


    Sunny did not know how much longer she would last. Right now, she was not even able to afford summoning a Memory... every drop of essence counted, and there was very little of it left in her shattered soul core.


    Which presented a problem.


    Saint was capable of killing most Nightmare Creatures that attacked them with her bow, and Sunny was not far behind her in terms of lethality. However, Jet was in no condition to kill anything.


    But despite that...


    As he considered his options, the corpse stirred, then started laboriously crawling in his direction again, demented lights burning in its glassy blue eyes.


    "Come here... come here..."


    Sunny stared at her with distaste, then shook his head and stood up. His shadow sense spread outward, encompassing as much of the world as he could perceive.


    He remained motionless for a while, allowing the corpse to draw dangerously close. Jet''s hollow eyes glinted.


    Got you!"


    Before she could grab his shin, however, Sunny sighed... and dove off the edge of the raft, disappearing under the cold water. The Graceless Dusk dissipated into dancing threads of black silk.


    Jet seemed startled by his disappearance. She fruitlessly clawed at the surface of the raft a couple of times, then grew still.


    "...He''s gone."


    A hoarse sigh escaped from her bluish lips. She didn''t inhale after that. By now, even breathing was a chore. She didn''t really need to, anyway.


    The corpse remained motionless for a long time. Eventually, a black bird landed on the raft, hopped over to the corpse, and stared at it curiously. A few moments later, the crow tried to peck one of the glassy eyes out.


    Jet blinked.


    "You stop that, Crow Crow, or I''m going to make you into a soup."


    The bird hurriedly jumped away, seemingly nervous.


    Soup! Soup!"


    Its voice sounded indignant. Soul Reaper looked at the bird silently, then rasped:


    "Did you find land?"


    The crow spread its wings and waved them a couple of times.


    "Land! Land!"


    The corpse tried to smile, which looked quite disturbing. Even Saint spared it an indifferent glance.


    "How far is it?"


    The bird ruffled its feathers and made another hop back.


    "Far! Far!"


    Jet gritted her teeth.


    "I know that it''s far, you stupid bird! How far?!"


    The Echo simply stared at her in confusion. After a couple of seconds, it cawed proudly:


    "How! How!"


    Soul Reaper hissed, then hit her head against the alloy surface of the raft a couple of times.


    "Goddammit!"


    After that small outburst, she didn''t say anything else, remaining still and unmoving.


    The raft swayed gently on the waves. Below the raft, hundreds of small metallic feet were furiously paddling the cold water. On top of it, a living statue, a talking corpse, and a small black bird were silently waiting.


    ...Some time later, the water behind the raft suddenly boiled, and a young man with silky black hair and alabaster skin emerged from it, dragging something in a stranglehold. A terrifying creature with long tentacles that were as wide as a man''s thigh was struggling furiously, trying to free itself. Its spongy flesh was awash with inky black blood.


    Stop fighting, you bastard!"


    Sunny gritted his teeth and ignored a tentacle that was wrapped around his neck, exerting enough pressure on it to crush an armored vehicle. Using one hand, he swam toward the raft, climbed aboard, and dragged the Nightmare Creature with him.


    Saint silently moved to the opposite side of the Coffer, so that the weight of the abomination did not make it capsize. The crow flew up and landed on her shoulder, staring at the monstrous creature with apprehension.


    Sunny pressed the abomination down and barked:


    "Stay still!"


    He was rather angry.


    Yes, he and Saint were enough to slay most of the Nightmare Creatures that would attack them, either from underwater or from the sky. However, capturing one alive... that was a whole different level of trouble!


    "Jet, get in here!"


    Soul Reaper slowly gathered her limbs, and then sluggishly tried to stand up. After a few tries, she succeeded and stood there for a moment, swaying. Sunny summoned the Cruel Sight and tossed it to her, using his knee to press the abomination into the alloy. Soul Reaper caught the spear and used its shaft to help herself stay upright.


    He held the Nightmare Creature down and cursed.


    "Hurry the hell up... that thing... is really strong!"


    Not to mention that it had more limbs than he did. Immobilizing it was a miserable task.


    Jet shambled over, then spun the somber spear and thrust it into the center of the mass of furiously dancing tentacles, using the whole weight of her body to give the strike some force. The silver blade pierced the flesh of the abomination and disappeared inside, causing a river of black blood to flow onto the alloy surface of the raft.


    The corpse of Soul Reaper lost balance and fell flat into the puddle of blood. She remained laying there, not paying the convulsing tentacles any attention. Slowly, an eerie smile of satisfaction appeared on the dead body''s blood-stained face.


    "Ah... that feels better..."


    Sunny let go of the slain creature and sent it back into the water with a furious kick. Saint moved back to the middle of the raft, balancing it with her prodigious weight. The crow slid off her shoulder and landed at the edge of the pool of black blood.


    It stared at it for a moment, and then cawed excitedly:


    "...Soup! Soup!"

 Chapter 1063: Lively Corpse

    Sunny summoned the Graceless Dusk back and remained motionless for a while, looking at the dark expanse of the ocean. The sunrise in Antarctica was a long affair... by now, the sky was on the precipice of falling into a long period of twilight, but the cold waters still seemed black. After a month or two of dawn, it would be day for about four months, followed by a couple of months of dusk.


    There would be much fewer shadows around for close to half a year, which meant that Sunny was going to have a much harder time fighting. Many of his advantages would disappear.


    ...Provided that the forces of humanity would even be able to last that long, of course.


    There was a good chance that they wouldn''t, but there was also a good chance that they would.


    The situation in East Antarctica was much better than it had been in the Antarctic Center. In fact, it was more or less exactly what the government had hoped for - after the tumultuous first phase of the operation, all the population had been relocated to a number of siege capitals, the soldiers had hunkered down, and people were being slowly carried across the ocean to the other Quadrants.


    That process would last until the end of the year, at least.


    There were three field armies of the First Evacuation Army currently operating in East Antarctica - which was exactly three times more than the single one that had been sent to the Antarctic Center. There were also two Saints there, one of the government''s own and the emissary of the great clan Song. Once Saint Tyris recovered from her wounds, there would be three.


    The Second Army was on its way, as well. They would be making landfall in just a few days, and once that happened, the human forces on the continent would be incredibly bolstered. The Second Army was supposed to be composed of twice as many mundane soldiers, Awakened, and Masters as the First Army had been.


    Close to five thousand Awakened had died in the Antarctic Center... but by the end of August, there would be sixty thousand of them defending East Antarctica. Best of all, there was no Winter Beast to suppress all forms of long-range communications there, allowing the army to operate as the well-oiled machine it was supposed to be.


    That had to be enough to withstand the onslaught of the Chain of Nightmares for five more months. By then, most of the population would hopefully be evacuated... and if not, there was the winter solstice.


    With how rampantly the Spell had been spreading in the Southern Quadrant, the number of Awakened was bound to double, or even triple after the solstice. All the Sleepers created by the Chain of Nightmares would receive the chance to come into their full power.


    So, although the forces arrayed against the evacuation effort would continue to grow more dire as time went on, the forces of humanity would swiftly increase, too.


    There was a chance.The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    However... Sunny knew that there was one unpredictable part of the equation that could ruin everything.


    The great clans.


    Nephis had told him that the Southern Campaign was a perfect battlefield for them to wage their war... and so, there was a large possibility that Song and Valor would clash in East Antarctica, complicating the already dreadful situation.


    There was no sense or reason in their insane feud, at least none that Sunny and Neph could see. And yet, the threat posed by the war of great clans was very real.


    As Sunny looked at the ocean, his eyes glinted with cold, wrathful light.


    ''Those bastards...''


    He had not even noticed when his hands turned into fists.


    "Penny for your thoughts."


    Sunny turned slightly and looked at Jet. She had sat up and was now wiping the Nightmare Creature''s blood off her face, looking slightly less corpsely... but only slightly. She was still a far cry from the fearsome Soul Reaper he knew.


    He stared at her silently, then shrugged.


    "I guess."


    Usually, statements like this were followed by something unpleasant.


    She looked at the dark waves and shook her head.


    "I think that you have maybe forgotten who you are, and where you came from. I am only saying it because I went through the same thing, many years ago. When I left the outskirts, I was tempted to forget the truth of things, too. And I did... for a little while. But the world has a way of reminding you what it really is, and what you should expect from it. Sunny... don''t grow soft. You, of all people, should know better."


    Sunny looked at her, his face unmoving. After a few moments, he shook his head.


    "We are not in the outskirts anymore. And we are not the same people anymore."


    A pale grin slowly appeared on Soul Reaper''s lips.


    "...That is true, too."


    She lied down and stared at the sky, silent.


    After a while, though, Jet said:


    "Maybe you are right. Maybe people like us have to change, too... inflexible things are the most brittle, after all. But look around. With how things are going, the whole world just might end up like the outskirts soon. What are we supposed to do then?"


    Sunny laughed.


    "I''m the last person you should be asking for advice. What are we supposed to do? I have no idea. I don''t even know what we are supposed to do tomorrow, let alone in the vague future. Let''s just keep things simple. Today, we need to survive. Tomorrow, too. After that... we''ll see. It would already be nice if we get the privilege of having a choice in the matter."


    Jet turned her head and looked at him seriously. Then, she said in a solemn tone:


    "I can''t survive, though. I''m already dead."


    They stared at each other silently for a few moments, then both laughed.


    The raft continued to drift on the cold waves. From time to time, Saint would raise her bow and send a black arrow into the dark water. Every time she did, the Spell would whisper into Sunny''s ear, announcing a kill. Other times, he would have to dive into the ocean himself and help her deal with the attacking abominations.


    Shadow fragments slowly trickled into his soul.


    The next day, Sunny procured another Nightmare Creature for Jet to kill. And the day after that, one more.


    On the third day, her crow returned from its scouting trip much sooner than usual, announcing that it had seen land. Not long after that, they saw a dark line on the horizon.


    On the fourth day, the raft finally reached the inhospitable shore, and the two of them set foot on solid ground again.


    East Antarctica welcomed them with cold winds, dim twilight, and the familiar call of the whispering Nightmare Gates."

 Chapter 1064: East Antarctica

    East Antarctica was many times larger than the Antarctic Center, both in terms of territory and population. Its landscape was also much more varied, with vast plains, long mountain chains, and numerous lakes that ranged from relatively small to those that were as large as seas.


    Somewhere out there, in that cold expanse, twenty-one siege capitals were currently enduring the onslaught of Nightmare Creatures. Each of them was comparable to Falcon Scott in size, and there were close to nine hundred million people protected by their walls.


    Sunny was looking into the distance, feeling a bit uncomfortable. In front of him was a vast plain that stretched all the way to the horizon, covered in snow. It was littered by giant boulders that stood like solemn monuments to the ancient past, and cut by countless deep canyons. Here and there, hordes of abominations could be seen, flowing across the plain like dark rivers.


    After months spent in the mountainous Antarctic Center, it was strange to be able to see that far. The world was broad and shrouded in dim twilight, looking quite surreal. Sunny felt... exposed.


    "What a bleak sight."


    It was still better than the poisoned wilderness of the other continents. He could freely breathe here, at least. There were also much fewer scars left by the destructive wars of the Dark Times here, although there were some. He could see the skeletal remains of massive war machines and the ruins of destroyed towns far in the distance, all covered with snow.


    With a sigh, Sunny turned around. Behind him was a slope leading to the ocean shore. Jet had just finished climbing the slope and stopped near him, breathing heavily. She still looked like a dead woman walking... but at least she was breathing again. That alone made her less unnerving.


    Soul Reaper remained silent for a few moments, then cursed quietly.


    "There are still Gates near us."


    Indeed, the Call was still too strong for them to escape into the Dream Realm. She studied the plain before looking at him.


    "Do you have a working communicator?"


    Sunny shifted awkwardly, then gestured to the Graceless Dusk.


    "This is a Transcendent armor, you know. It has many wonderful enchantments. Sadly... one thing it doesn''t have is pockets. I used to carry a few useful items inside a spatial storage Memory, but those were all destroyed by the Heart of Darkness. So, no. I don''t have a communicator on me."


    Indeed, the Covetous Coffer was more or less empty now. Sunny had spent most of his supplies during the escape to Falcon Scott, and what little remained was then obliterated by the dark beetles. The only thing they had not been able to destroy were the spools of diamond thread from the Ebony Tower.


    Jet sighed.


    "Pity. Mine was frozen solid. We can''t even contact Army Command, then."


    Sunny watched the distant hordes of Nightmare Creatures for a while.


    "Well, then we just have to keep moving deeper inland until we find a safe spot to use our anchors."


    Soul Reaper grimaced... which looked quite frightening, considering her current state. She lingered for a few seconds, then shook her head.


    "Moving inland... it won''t be easy. This place is in a much better state than the Antarctic Center was, but that''s just inside the siege capitals. Out here in the wilderness, the Nightmare Creatures still reign unopposed. You know better than anyone how hard it is to traverse an environment like this."


    Sunny smiled darkly.


    "Luckily, we don''t need to travel for three thousand kilometers. And there are no civilians slowing us down. Hell, there''s not even a murderous sea to flood the entire world every night. Come on... it''s going to be like a picnic."


    He called, and a moment later, a stygian black steed rose from the shadows. Nightmare snorted, ominous red flames burning in his eyes. The stallion''s adamantine horns glinted dully in the bleak twilight of the early dawn.


    He scoffed.


    "It''s a bit of a stretch to call us friends. And I think you are selling yourself short. I fought a couple of Masters from Valor, you know? They''re not that tough."


    Soul Reaper grinned.


    "Oh, really? How come you ended up stuck in the waking world for half a year, then?"


    Sunny stared at her for a moment.


    "Good point."


    With that, he jumped into the saddle, looked at Jet from above, and offered her a hand.


    "Come on. Climb up."


    She hesitated, prompting Sunny to raise an eyebrow.


    "What? What''s wrong?"


    Jet cleared her throat.


    "What do you mean, what''s wrong? I don''t know how to ride a horse. Why would I know how to ride a horse? I''ve never ridden one! I''ve never even seen one, before your Echo."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then suddenly laughed.


    That laugh surprised him, because he had not thought himself capable of laughing after Falcon Scott.


    "Gods... you don''t need to ride anything. I''ll control the horse, you just sit in front of me and don''t fall off. I''m sure you can handle that much, at least."


    Jet sighed, then grabbed his hand and jumped up. Nightmare exhaled loudly through his nostrils, confused as to why a corpse was sitting on top of him. Shadow God was also the God of Death, though, so the shadow steed must have been accustomed to such things happening.


    Or not. In any case, he would have to deal with it.


    Jet looked down nervously.


    "Sunny... how fast is your horse, exactly?"


    He smirked.


    "Pretty fast."


    With that, Sunny sent Nightmare forward. Soul Reaper would have yelped, but she was still having trouble breathing. So, all she produced was a stifled hiss.


    The nightmarish steed carried a dead woman and a divine shadow as it raced across the snow-covered plain, moving deeper into the cold expanse of a doomed continent.

 Chapter 1065: Reaper

    Nightware was flying across the twilight plain, ignoring all obstacles. He cut through the snow, maneuvered between giant boulders, crested hills, and jumped across deep canyons, his steel hooves sending sparks flying from the weathered stone. The dark destrier was swift like a shadow, moving with innate grace and incredible speed.


    Sunny was sitting in the saddle, holding Jet. She was basically in his embrace... in the past, being so close to her would have made his blood boil, but right now, he did not feel anything. Not just because Soul Reaper was cold and lifeless like a corpse, but also because his heart was just as cold, and just as lifeless.


    He did not feel much of anything right now, except for deep, dark rancor. There was no time to, either. Sunny might have joked about how this journey would be akin to a picnic, but in truth, their situation was still dire. East Antarctica was teeming with Nightmare Creatures, and he was not conceited enough to think himself capable of slaughtering entire hordes of them.


    Sunny knew that he was strong, but he also knew the limitations of his strength. He had just been taught a bitter lesson on that topic by the Winter Beast, after all. Right now, his best friends were caution and speed.


    His shadows were scouting ahead, searching for Nightmare Creatures that lay in wait. Some he would avoid, some he would escape from by relying on how swift Nightmare was. Steering clear of the migrating hordes was not too hard, but the smaller swarms and solitary abominations were a challenge. Still, Sunny had not been forced to summon Saint yet, let alone enter battle himself.


    They traversed a good distance, then hid in a deep ravine, waiting for a large horde to move away. After the river of monsters was gone, Nightmare dashed forward once again. Rinse and repeat.


    Finding a safe spot to enter the Dream Realm was proving to be more difficult than he had thought. There were places where the pull of the Call was not strong enough to disrupt their anchors, but all of them were crawling with the Nightmare Creatures. Slaying the abominations was not out of the question, but Sunny felt reluctant to create a lot of noise. Who knew what else would be attracted by the sounds of a battle?


    And so, further and further they went.


    Eventually, he had to admit that solving their problem was not going to be a fast affair. As such, Sunny had to change his tactics.


    ''Good thing we''re on the same side.''


    In the end, it did not take long for Jet to slaughter the small swarm of Awakened abominations. She killed them with her bare hands, regaining a little strength with each kill. Throughout all of this, her face remained unnervingly calm, like that of someone focused on a boring chore. Then, a disturbing little smile appeared on it.


    Sunny was forced to remember his first conversation with Teacher Julius. Back then, the old man had called Jet a murderous savage and a psychopathic killer. Sunny used to think that people were prejudiced against Jet because of her background, but now, knowing what he knew... He could see how strangers could have come to the conclusion that Soul Reaper enjoyed killing simply for the sake of killing. Very few people knew that she needed to constantly absorb essence to survive, after all. And who wouldn''t be unsettled after witnessing something like this?


    When the last of the Nightmare Creatures fell to the ground, Jet straightened and closed her eyes for a moment, exhaling with satisfaction. She looked like a fiend that had just crawled from the depths of hell - awash in blood, body riddled with ghastly wounds, and eerily beautiful despite all that.


    Shaking his head, Sunny emerged from the shadows and went about dressing down some of the abominations to collect meat. At the same time, Saint started salvaging soul shards.


    Jet remained motionless for a while, then looked at him. There was some vitality now in her eyes.


    She smiled, and said:


    "What are we doing now?"


    Sunny looked at her somberly.


    "Now, go wash yourself. You might be dead, but I''m not. I can still smell things..."

 Chapter 1066: Faithful Imitation

    Some time later, they were hidden in a small cave at the bottom of a deep canyon, sitting in front of a fire. A piece of monster meat was roasting on it, filling the cave with a delicious smell. Sunny was a bit sullen, because it had taken all his knowledge of wilderness survival to make the small fire... snowy reaches of Antarctica were not exactly the best place to search for fuel.


    He had almost been forced to use the divine flames of the Cruel Sight to cook, which would inevitably result in an atrociously burned dinner for him.


    Currently, Sunny was passing time by trying to play a simple melody on a flute made of emerald bone. Kai would have probably become ill if exposed to his musical talent, but Jet didn''t seem to mind.


    She stared at the fire, flames reflecting in her icy blue eyes. After a while, she suddenly said:


    "...I can smell things too, you know. When I am sufficiently full of essence. My Aspect might only give me a semblance of life, but it''s a faithful imitation."


    Sunny lowered the emerald flute and looked at her gloomily.


    "What I''m hearing... is that you want to rob me of some of this meat. Right?"


    Jet lingered for a moment, then grinned.


    "Right. That was exactly what I meant. I am hungry, too."


    He sighed, then hung more meat above the fire.


    "Should have just said so. Gods... what is up with me always ending up with gluttonous women? It just never ends..."


    Sunny turned the meat over. After a while, following a whim, he asked:


    "How did you end up with such a wicked Flaw, anyway? I thought mine was bad... but if I survived the First Nightmare only to be killed by the Spell during the assessment, I would have been pretty upset."


    He really did not understand how it would work.


    Jet laid down, staring at the stone roof of the cave. She sighed, then shrugged slightly.


    "No, it wasn''t during the assessment. Actually, I did not survive the First Nightmare. I was young, and weak, and frightened. And so... I died."


    "Who did you ask?"


    She chuckled.


    "Who do you think? Just like you, I''ve been invited to the Academy after becoming a Sleeper. And just like you, I''ve been asked for the details of my Aspect... on a voluntary basis, of course. But what would an ignorant kid from the outskirts know? I told them everything, and from that moment, they had a wonderful leash to keep me on."


    Jet remained silent for a few moments.


    "...That is fine, though. Even without it, I would have chosen the same. I''m happy with how things turned out. Still..."


    She grew quiet, and then added wistfully:


    "It would have been nice, to have had more of a choice."


    Sunny did not speak for a while. Eventually, he said:


    "Yeah. I would have been nice."


    With that, he judged that the meat was ready and took it off the fire.


    "Here, your dinner is ready."


    They concentrated on the food, content to be safe for the moment, with something tasty to eat.


    Sunny could vividly remember the times when eating anything, let alone actual meat, had been a cause for celebration. Jet could, too.


    Those times were gone, and no matter how complicated and hard their lives had become...


    Sitting in a damp cave located in the depths of a dying continent, Sunny stared at the fire and thought:


    ''...I guess it''s an improvement.''

 Chapter 1067: With Your Shield

    Soon, Sunny and Jet continued their journey. The landscape of East Antarctica remained the same, and so did the dangers they faced. The two of them traveled across the desolate plain, sometimes avoiding the Nightmare Creatures, sometimes engaging in short and furious battles. Sunny felt a little bit numb, and was glad to have a task to focus on. With all his attention concentrated on keeping them alive, he had no time for unnecessary thoughts, which suited him just fine.


    Jet, meanwhile, was slowly recovering her powers. The more abominations she killed, the less like a corpse she looked. At some point, she allowed herself to summon a few Memories, and was now wearing a light suit of armor that was made of black, lusterless leather. Now that she wielded a weapon, her lethality had soared, too.


    For Sunny, it was fascinating to watch Jet slowly come back to life. Her eyes were once again the familiar icy blue, her movements becoming as swift, murderous, and purposeful as they had been before. This was the fearsome Soul Reaper he knew - she might not have reached her peak condition yet, but she did not resemble a shambling corpse anymore, either.


    Most interesting of all, her lifeless shadow had regained its vitality. By now, he would have never suspected that the person in front of him was not actually alive.


    A few days passed, and then a few more. Two whole weeks had passed since the destruction of Falcon Scott. They had spent half of that time crossing the strait, and half traversing the snowy plain. The plain was as inhospitable and vast as ever.


    Sunny made Nightmare stop, waiting for his shadows to assess the size of a distant horde of Nightmare Creatures. These past few days, there had been more and more abominations around, all moving in the same direction. Weaving between them was growing harder.The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    Somewhat bored, he shifted in the saddle and asked: "Hey... do you think the government considers us dead?"


    Jet, who was sitting in front of him, turned her head and gave him an amused look. Sunny sighed. "No pun intended."


    He knew that his friends had to be aware that he was fine - Nephis could see his runes, after all, and she would have informed the rest. However, being pronounced dead by the government was a bothersome affair. His merchant license would have been revoked, for example, which would put Aiko and the Brilliant Emporium in a tight spot. His home could be auctioned off, too.


    Jet chuckled. "I don''t think so. They have ways to know such things - the diviners, for example. We were probably marked as missing in action. If anyone even had time to do the paperwork."


    Sunny wanted to continue the conversation, but then fell silent, a slight frown appearing on his face. Soul Reaper raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"


    He shook his head. "Shh. Listen."


    At that moment, the wind carried over the sound of distant thunder. It sounded like a rainstorm was raging somewhere far away, but Sunny had spent too much time with the army not to recognize it.


    Sunny did not really know what the Master was feeling so proud about, but at least the unfriendliness immediately disappeared.


    "Gods... great! This is great! I need to inform the... no, wait. Are you guys wounded? Do you need medical attention? Crap, what am I saying... wait, Antarctic Center? Then you are Soul Reaper Jet? Ascended Jet, ma''am... of course, you would make it!"


    The news about the annihilation of the Antarctic Center field army must have already spread through the Quadrant, so the sudden appearance of two Ascended survivors had an explosive effect. The soldiers, who had been depressed and despondent about the fate of their comrades, were all suddenly full of joy and ardor.


    It was as though their own siblings had returned alive from beyond the grave.


    Sunny had not experienced being stared at so intently even when masquerading as Mongrel.


    The two of them were promptly brought to the local government headquarters and showered with attention... especially Jet. From what Sunny could understand, the government Saint stationed in East Antarctica was coming to the siege capital to welcome her back personally.


    Sunny was soon going to meet the Saint, too.


    After a short debriefing, during which the government agents could not stop staring at him, he could finally exhale and relax a little.


    ''That was strangely exhausting.''


    Sunny spoke to Jet, agreeing to meet the next morning, and then spent a little time in the living quarters assigned to him. He enjoyed a warm shower, a scrumptious meal, and some peace and quiet.


    Peace and quiet... it felt so strange, to not have to fight for his life, and the lives of millions of other people, without a reprieve. He wondered how long that peace would last.


    Eventually, Sunny placed a tether inside his room and quietly slipped out of the waking world.


    He went to visit the Ivory Tower.

 Chapter 1068: Changed Man

    On a beautiful island of ancient trees and emerald grass, a lone figure suddenly appeared out of thin air. It was a young man with alabaster skin, wearing a simple tunic of fine black silk. He remained motionless for a few moments, then walked to the edge of the island and froze there, looking down. If not for the wind playing with the young man''s black hair, he would have looked like an exquisite statue.


    The Ivory Island had changed a bit in the past few months. The great pagoda itself was the same, of course, but the comely wooden buildings created by the Fire Keepers now resembled a small, peaceful village that blended harmoniously into the landscape. The ancient trees of the grove now had fruit hanging from their branches, each looking ripe and delicious.


    The white bones of the ancient dragon were still bathed in sunlight, and a graceful ship was still swaying on the placid surface of the clear lake.


    There was one big change that startled Sunny a lot, though, pulling him out of his reverie. ''What the hell...''


    Looking down, he did not see the familiar abyssal darkness of the Sky Below. Instead, he saw a mosaic of flying islands, all connected by colossal chains, slowly floating by.


    The Ivory Island was moving.


    Although the movement was very slow, it had already left the empty expanse of the Tear behind, and was now drifting through the clouds toward the southern border of the Chained Isles.


    Sunny blinked a couple of times. ''Since when can this thing move?''


    He lingered for a while, studying the landscape below, then walked along the edge of the Ivory Island.The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    It seemed that many things had changed while he was in Antarctica.


    Soon, Sunny reached the waters of the clear lake, which glinted and shone with the reflected sunlight. There was a stone bench near the shore, and a familiar figure sitting on it with a fishing rod in her hand.


    Tall, attractive, brimming with vitality... Effie was relaxing in the sun and watching the lake.


    She stared at him for a moment, then grinned, wrapped her arm around his shoulder, and pulled him toward the tower.


    "I see! So, the usual. Don''t think that you''re getting out of really telling us what happened, though... we''ve been worried sick, you know! Kai almost had a heart attack right before we disembarked in East Antarctica, when the news of what happened in Falcon Scott reached us! Even Princess seemed a bit shaken... I swear to the dead gods, I almost saw her having a facial expression. Come, let''s find the rest of the guys..."


    Sunny estimated his chances of struggling free of Effie''s hold as moderate, but then just relaxed and allowed himself to be led toward the Ivory Tower. That was why he had come here, after all, to speak with the other members of the cohort. He needed to share a lot of practical knowledge with Kai and Effie, as well as speak with Nephis and Cassie about the great clans...


    But more than that, he simply wanted to see them. There was a lot of darkness and confusion in his heart, but his friends... his cohort... despite all the complicated matters between them, they were like a small island of stability in the chaotic, unpredictable, deadly world they were all living in.


    He had missed them all.


    Even though, perhaps, he shouldn''t have.


    The four months Sunny had spent in Antarctica changed a lot of things, making some seem unimportant, and some more significant than they used to be.


    He shook his head. "Fine, fine... I''m coming. Can you let me go now?"


    Sunny sighed. ''At least she did not joke about the Graceless Dusk...''


    At that moment, Effie gave him a mischievous look.


    "Doofus, I couldn''t help but notice... what a nice dress you have..."


    He gritted his teeth. "Tunic. It''s a tunic. A Transcendent armor-type Memory which is not a dress, but a tunic. Are you blind or what?!"

 Chapter 1069: Secrets of the Island

    The great hall of the Ivory Tower made Sunny shiver, just like the last time he had seen it. It was bathed in bright sunlight that poured through tall and narrow windows. A circle of chains lay in the middle of the hall that was the Gateway.


    There was no one here, but Effie pulled Sunny to a staircase that led to the underground level of the tower. Its roots were deep, seemingly reaching into the very heart of the island. That stairwell spiraled along the outer wall of the pagoda, and there was a tapestry of beautiful carvings on the ivory stone. The carvings told the stories of the golden age of the Kingdom of Hope, long before it had been destroyed by the Lord of Light.


    ''Wait... I don''t think there was a way down before? Was it hidden?''


    Confused, Sunny silently followed Effie.


    Eventually, the two of them reached a vast circular chamber at the bottom of the stairwell. Sunny had never been here before, but expected it to be similar to the lowest level of the Ebony Tower... and indeed, it was. However, it was also entirely different.


    The duplicate tower created by Nether was full of darkness, and there was a ghastly mountain of discarded mannequins occupying the center of its underground level. This chamber, however, was suffused with light- There was a vast and inconceivably complicated runic circle carved into the floor of the chamber, and within it...


    Sunny stared, not even noticing the two people studying the circle. His body shivered slightly.


    "...Is that?"


    Floating in the air at the center of the chamber was a rough, radiant crystal. It was larger than Sunny, and gave him a feeling of sublime, awesome, indescribable power. The crystal was like a miniature sun, flooding the underground hall with soft light. Reality itself seemed to ripple and shine around it.


    It was like nothing Sunny had ever seen.


    A familiar voice answered, pulling him out of his astonishment:


    "Yes. From what we can tell... this is a Divine soul shard."


    Sunny slowly turned his head and looked at Cassie, who was sitting in front of the runic circle, surrounded by notebooks, etchings, and writing implements. l?ghtn��v��l���v��.c?o?m. She was wearing simple jeans and a white t-shirt, her pale gold hair gathered in a messy knot bun.


    Sunny lingered for a moment, not knowing what to say-


    "A Divine..."


    At that moment, however, a different voice interrupted him.


    "Sunny!"


    He looked up, only now noticing Kai, who was hovering high above the runic circle, near the tall ceiling of the chamber. The archer was already descending, and with considerable speed, at that.


    ''Oh, no...''


    She nodded.


    "Yes. In fact, I suspect that the enchantments of the ship were derived from some of Desire''s creations. There are many similarities. So, after months of study and comparisons, we managed to decipher a tiny portion of the circle. It is not much, but it did allow us to access one of the island''s hidden functions."


    Sunny just stared at her silently for a few moments.


    Then, he said:


    "Is that why the island is moving?"


    Cassie nodded with a small smile.


    "Indeed. We are now able to move the Ivory Island... albeit very slowly."


    He hesitated for a bit, then shook his head.


    "Am I the only one who is freaked out: by a damned Divine soul shard? It''s Divine! Where did Hope get a Divine soul shard?"


    Effie glanced at the radiant crystal and shrugged.


    "There were only six gods, but there were plenty of creatures of the Divine Rank, the former mistress of this tower included. Sometimes they fought side by side, sometimes they fought against each other... well, of course they did. Considering how terrifying this Demon of Desire was, is it so surprising that she had a divine soul shard or two? In fact..... I am kind of disappointed that we didn''t find way more incredible treasures in her basement. Makes sense, though... the damned dragon must have cleaned it all out ages ago..."


    She glanced up, in the direction where the bones of Sevirax were wrapped around the great pagoda. Kai''s face darkened a little.


    He sighed.


    "Why are we talking about this stuff, anyway? Sunny is finally back! He has to be sick of military rations... let''s go, guys! I bet dinner is almost ready."


    Sunny gave him a long look.


    "...Mind if I stay and drool at that shard a bit longer? I mean... it''s a Divine soul shard! Can you imagine how much that thing costs?"


    Kai shook his head and said, his voice full of resoluteness:


    "No. You can''t. I am going to feed you, and don''t even think about resisting!"


    Sunny looked at the radiant crystal one last time and sighed.


    "Well. Alright. I guess I can go for a bite..."

 Chapter 1070: Disfunctional Citadel

    1070 Disfunctional Citadel


    As they went back up the stairs, Sunny couldn''t help but think about what he had seen in the stone chamber at the root of the great pagoda. The circle of runes, the sublime crystal hovering in the middle of it... that had to be the core of Hope''s tower, as well as of the whole island. The very heart of the Citadel


    But what was its purpose?


    An easy conclusion would be that the divine soul shard was the energy source that powered the enchantments keeping the Ivory Island afloat. But that did not make any sense... the runes had been carved by the Demon of Desire herself, which meant that the enchantments had been created before her kingdom was destroyed.


    Back then, it had been simply a prospering latte. There had been no islands, let alone flying ones. Come to think of it, Sunny was not entirely clear on how the Kingdom of Hope had become the Chained Isles... had she suspended the remnants of her shattered kingdom above the devouring flames herself, in order to preserve at least some of it, or had it been arranged by Sun God?


    There were other questions, too. If the divine soul shard was the heart of the Citadel, was it powering the Gateway? But the Gateway was only created recently, after the Seed of Nightmare had been conquered. The Spell made it appear, not Hope. Had the Spell created entirely new enchantments, or built upon the existing ones?New n0vel chapters are published on


    Cassie had said that there were other functions of the Citadel she had yet to master. What were they, exactly?


    Now that Sunny started thinking about it, he realized that he didn''t really know much about Citadels. That word just used to describe a human stronghold built around a Gateway in the Dream Realm. He had visited two- the Sanctuary of Noctis and the Ivory Tower. No, actually, three- the Crimson Spire would have become a Citadel, too, if it had not been destroyed.


    Was there perhaps more to the Citadels than he had known? Did all of them have hidden functions?


    Sunny glanced at Cassie, who was tracing the stone wall with her fingers as she ascended the stairs.


    "I actually learned a bit about Hope''s runic sorcery back in the Nightmare. If you want, we can compare notes later."


    Cassie turned her head and smiled with some excitement.


    Although most advanced technology did not work in the Dream Realm, similar to how it failed in the vicinity of Nightmare Gates, more primitive devices functioned perfectly well. There were expensive, but much more convenient speltech solutions, too. So while you couldn''t really have something like an electric stove or a refrigerator here, you could have a wood stove or an icehox, as well as analogs that worked on essence.


    Sunny also noticed several large crates of cooking ingredients, beverages, and snacks, which had obviously been delivered from the waking world by the members of the cohort.


    He did not pay that much attention, though, because there was someone standing in front of the stove, stirring the source of the delicious aroma��a generous amount of fried rice that was being cooked in a bowl-shaped frying pan.


    Tall, slender, with beautiful silver hair, and wearing white apron.... wait, an apron?


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    Hearing their steps, Nephis looked over her shoulder and called out


    "It''s almost ready..."


    Then, she suddenly tensed and slowly turned around.


    Neph''s face remained as calm as ever, but there was a hint of agitation in her striking grey eyes.


    "Sunny?"


    He remained silent for a moment, then looked past her.


    "Sure. You better turn around, though. Don''t burn our dinner!"

 Chapter 1071: Familiar Role

    1071 Familiar Role


    Nephis stared at Sunny for a couple moments, then briefly glanced at her apron and quietly cleared her throat.


    "Right."


    She turned around and got back to stirring the rice. A couple seconds later, site added without looking back:


    "You''ll have to wait for a couple more minutes. And... welcome back, Sunny. Did you make it out of the Antarctic Center alright?"


    Sunny wondered how much Changing Star knew about the situation in the Southern Quadrant as he followed Cassie, Effie, and Kai to sit behind a dining table. Settling on a wooden chair... which was far inferior to his own Shadow Chair... he sighed.


    "I wouldn''t call it "alright". But yes, I made it out. I''m already inside a siege capital in East Antarctica."


    Neph''s shoulder moved slightly.


    "...That''s good."


    Effie grabbed a few cans of something sugary and refreshing, then pushed one toward Sunny.


    "Kai and I spent a whole month in transit, aboard those giant ships. We were in the first batch of the Second Army to arrive, so we''ve been in East Antarctica for about a week. Gods... I thought the ocean was bad, but Antarctica! I havenever seen that many Nightmare Creatures in my life, not even here in the Dream Realm. It''s like the two worlds switched places."


    Kai nodded southerly.


    "Indeed. Even though there are secure evacuation corridors between the inland siege capitals and the harbor strongholds, we had to fight a couple battles just to reach our designated sector. Luckily, there were no casualties."


    The Second Army was twice the size of the First Army, so it was going to take two trips for the naval convoys to bring all of it to the Southern Quadrant. Both Effie and Kai were in the first wave of reinforcements, which was why they had made landfall around the time Sunny himself reached East Antarctica.


    Sunny looked at them, wondering. East Antarctica was a large place, and it was not a given that their paths would cross until the end of the operation... he really hoped that they would, though.


    Effie shook her head.


    "Enough about us! What happened to you? You... you look a bit different. Sunny."


    "I''m so sorry, Sunny. You''ve been through a lot."


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment. The heart-wrenching memories of the Antarctic Center clawed at his heart, making him want to surrender to a dark and boundless emotion.


    ... With a smile, he shook his head.


    "We''ve all been through a lot. On the Forgotten Shore and in our Second Nightmares, we''ve been through hell after hell. But... it did really feel different, this time. Maybe because I was responsible for other people, and maybe because it was happening right here on Earth, not in some distant place."


    With that, Sunny glanced at Effie and Kai, then said, trying to cheer them up:


    "You don''t have to worry too much, though. Now that the operation is in its second phase, things will calm down a little. East Antarctica is in a much better spot than the Antarctic Center... there are more soldiers, more Awakened, more Saints, and much fewer obstacles in the way. Sure, it''s going to be a tough campaign, and unexpected variables are bound to emerge... but I feel like the worst part is over. With some luck, we will all manage."


    He smiled, then secretly threw a glance at Nephis.


    She was now a part of one of those unexpected variables. Would Neph have something to say to him? As if feeling his gaze, Changing Star turned around and walked their way, soon placing plates of fragrant rice and vegetables in front of each member of the cohort.


    Her apron had disappeared at some point in the past few minutes.


    Sitting down, Nephis pushed the plate with the biggest portion toward Sunny, which caused Effie to stare at her indignantly


    Neph coughed.


    "What? Eat, everyone... before it gets cold..."


    They turned their attention to the food, and for a while, Sunny felt delightfully at peace.


    It was so strange... he had gone through so much, and had changed so much, but now that he was back with his friends, it was so easy to slide into a familiar role-to smile and laugh as if he was the same old Sunny. It felt natural, even if a small, hidden comer of his heart remained dark and cold, untouched by the peaceful warmth of their reunion.


    Still, it wasn''t a bad feeling.


    Allowing himself to relax, Sunny concentrated on the food. It had been along time since he got to eat something Nephis had cooked.


    The fried rice, with vegetables was, indeed, much better than military rations.


    It was delicious.

 Chapter 1072: Brief Levity

    The small dinner was very enjoyable for Sunny. In fact, after being under crushing pressure for pretty much the entire past four months, this sudden moment of levity made him feel like he was on the verge of melting into a puddle of jelly.


    It was as though the outer edges of his being had been turned into a harsh, rigid shell by the immense strain of the disastrous war, and now that the shell suddenly disappeared. he could not quite remember how to keep himself together without it.


    Still, he managed.


    The five of them ate and chatted relaxedly, sharing small details about their lives in recent months. Sunny especially had a lot to say.


    All of them were experienced combatants, but he now possessed precious knowledge of the intricacies of the type of war Effie and Kai would soon be exposed to.


    The Southern Campaign was different from the usual tribulations Awakened faced in the Dream Realm. The terrain was different, the climate was different... even the cycle of day and night was different. More importantly, the forces arranged against them were different, as were the forces on their side.


    In Antarctica, Ascended and Awakened had the support of mundane soldiers and modern technology. Sunny had learned a tremendous amount of lessons about how to bring the two together - in no small part because he had commanded a mixed force of Awakened and mundanes in conditions so desperate that anything less than perfect cohesion would have meant certain death.


    Unlike him, who had been a part of a small and exceedingly elite unit, both Kai and Effie were placed in command of large detachments consisting of rank-and-file soldiers. To them, this practical knowledge was more valuable than gold.


    Small things like using fire resistance enchantments to increase the tactical flexibility of MWP flamethrowers, efficiently triaging mundane soldiers that had been infected by the Spell, managing the ammo consumption of the vehicle turrets in relation to the essence consumption of the Awakened - and a thousand more things like this could only be learned through experience... or being taught by someone with such experience.


    Of course, his friends were bright people and immensely talented warriors. In time, they would have reached the same conclusions, but that time could very well cost many lives. That was why Sunny was in a hurry to share his hard-won expertise.


    The only problem was that actually going over everything was bound to take way more time than they had... so, at some point, he simply used the [Blessing of Dusk] enchantment of the Graceless Dusk to establish a mental connection and share his insights in a more direct fashion.


    Needless to say, his sudden ability to transmit thoughts telepathically startled his friends greatly.


    Effie flinched, almost falling from her chair. and looked at him with wide eyes.


    "Aaah! What the hell, Sunny?! You''re in my head!"


    Sunny let out a resentful sigh.


    "Damn them!''


    He gritted his teeth, staring into the distance with a harsh expression. Suddenly, the shadows in the corners of the hall seemed much darker.


    "This is... insanity."


    Sunny shook his head, feeling a strong desire to break something.


    "This is pure madness, Neph! I''ve been told that the great clans have long given up on the waking world. Standing aside and watching the lives of hundreds of millions of people be destroyed is already unforgivable. But coming to mess things up even further is just beyond all reason! I just... I just don''t understand."


    Changing Star looked at him evenly. Then, a strange, joyless smile slowly appeared on her face. "I can help you with that."


    Sunny frowned.


    "What exactly do you mean?"


    Nephis sighed, then looked away.


    "You''ve done a lot in the past four months, Sunny. Cassie and I might not have gone through as much as you have, but we haven''t been idle, either. We''ve managed to discover a few things... although not as many as I would have liked. After all, it has only been a few months. They don''t trust me much, yet."


    She paused for a moment.


    "This war between Valor and Song has always seemed a little strange. And now, I think I know why. A lot of things still remain unclear, but we did solve the most important mystery."


    Changing Star looked at him and said:


    "The true reason why the great clans are at war. Do you want me to tell you? That will certainly help you understand."

 Chapter 1073: The Fourth Step

    1073 The Fourth Step


    Sunny remained silent for a while, looking at Nephis with a somber expression.


    Eventually, a dark smile appeared on his face.


    "Pray tell."


    Neph sighed, then stood up and started gathering the dirty plates. Her movements were calm and unhurried, as if they had not been discussing matters that could very well decide the fate of the whole world.


    "Help me do the dishes?"


    Sunny blinked, amused by the mundane banality of her request. He lingered for a moment, then shook his head and went about giving Changing Star a hand. As they cleaned the plates in the cold water produced by either a Memory or the Ivory Tower itself, she started talking:


    "I''ve known for a long time that the great clans - especially Song and Valor - were opposed to each other, despite being outwardly unified. The symptoms of the approaching war were quite apparent, if one knew where to look. However, the reasons for this animosity have always eluded me. Ki Song and Anvil had been comrades once, after all... well, I guess it doesn''t really matter. My father was their comrade, too.


    Sunny hesitated for a moment.


    "Do they really need a reason, though? Power is already reason enough. Both have an unimaginable amount of it, but in my experience, those who possess great power are the. ones most greedy for more.


    Nephis slowly shook her head.


    "Maybe... but they are not fools. This war of theirs is too ill-timed, anti too destructive. The great clans stand to lose more from it than they would gain. There are other powers to consider, too - the House of Night, for example. Even the government, or Asterion, wherever he might be... if both Song and Valor are weakened by the clash, the lesser threats might very well swoop in to finish off the victor."


    She paused for a bit.


    "So, I suspected there had to be something else at play. And as it turns out, there is - although I only learned of it recently. I still don''t know why the hostility between the two great clans has suddenly escalated so much now, of all the times it could have... now seems like a terrible time to go to war-However. I think I do know the true source of their conflict."


    "Not... exactly. Once a Transcendent becomes a Supreme, they do unlock another Ability - one that is tremendously powerful, at that. You might call it a supreme, ultimate, or pinnacle Ability, I guess. But a Domain is something separate from the Supreme Ability. It is another innate function of the Aspect, just like controlling soul essence or accessing the Soul Sea is - a natural progression of one''s ability to express their power."


    She lingered for a moment.


    "Within their Domain, a Sovereign''s is nearly invincible. Mind you. I don''t know everything about it just yet. I''ve just gleaned bits and pieces of information where I could. The point is, each step of the Path of Ascension... as well as of the Path of Corruption... has its own meaning. The first path is the ascent toward divinity, while the second is the descent into profanity."


    They reached the sixth level, which, just like the first, only encompassed one spacious hall. This one was smaller than the great chamber where Hope had once been chained, and suffused with bright sunlight. It was empty and spartan, with only a few pieces of wooden furniture and a bed occupying small section of the vast stone floor, the white curtains of the bed''s canopy billowing in the wind.


    Apparently, this was where Nephis herself lived. She led Sunny to one of the four large balconies and stopped there, looking at the breathtaking vista of the boundless blue sky. The clouds were rolling past the Ivory Island like a swirling, radiant sea.


    "Those who are Dormant can Awaken. After that, some rise above the mundane and take the first step toward the divine, becoming Ascended. Others descend into the abyss of corruption and become Fallen.


    That is the meaning of the second step - rise or fall. The essence of the third step is transformation.


    Ascended truly transcend their mundane origin, becoming Transcendent. Fallen become corrupted by the dark abyss, and are thus called Corrupted."


    Sunny looked at her and frowned.


    ''Awakening, Ascension, Transformation.''


    "What about the fourth step, then? What about the Great and the Supreme?"


    Nephis met his gaze, her cold grey eyes shining with the reflected sunlight.


    "The essence of the fourth step is authority. I guess a god has to be a god of something... or someone.


    At the fourth step, the Sovereigns start to coalesce their domains. And that, I think, is much more important than all other forms of power they possess. I think... I think only the Domain can pave the way for a Supreme to take the next step on the Path of Ascension. And become Sacred."

 Chapter 1074: Authority

    Sunny looked down, at the rolling sea of clouds. He was considering Neph''s words.


    Some of what she said was common knowledge... people had long theorized that there was a profound meaning to the way the Spell named different Ranks. Ascended were called Ascended because they had risen above their human nature, Transcendent were called Transcendent because they had broken past it, assuming some traits of the divine.


    The Supremes, then, took another step toward Godhood, and that step seemed to be tied to authority. It made sense, really. because that progression was similar to how Nightmare Creatures grew in Class the Tyrants were all about rule and authority, too.


    However, there was something in what Nephis had told him that caught Sunny''s attention. He glanced at her and asked:


    "Did you say "start" to coalesce their Domains?"


    That word meant much more than one would think. If there was a start, there also had to be an end. much more importantly, it hinted that a Domain was not something that Supremes simply gained.


    There was a process to it.


    Neph smiled.


    "Indeed, you caught on to the very heart of the issue. The Domains are not set in stone... as all other forms of power, they can change and be changed. Simply put, a Domain can grow - in fact, I suspect that it must grow for a Supreme to realize his or her potential. And, therefore, a Domain can also be diminished."


    Sunny''s eyes gleamed. He was starting to understand...


    ''I see. I see now... of course! It makes so much sense.!


    He looked at her intently, the shadows around him growing darker.


    "And how exactly do Domains grow?"


    Changing Star lingered for a moment, then turned to look at the sky.


    "Well... it is hard to say. All Domains are unique, after all, just like all Aspects are unique. However, there are some common things that all of them most likely share. So, I would say that there are two ways. One is the natural way - that was how the ancient people of the Dream Realm spread their authority and built their Domains."


    Sunny slowly nodded. People like Noctis and Auto of the Nine had also been Awakened... however, he knew very little about how they reached higher Ranks of power. There had been no Nightmares in the ancient past, nor had there been the Spell.New n0vel chapters are published on


    "It also seems that not all Citadels are created equal. There are some that are very special, and much more desirable... like Bastion, or Ravenheart. Or this island. It is not a coincidence that each of the great clans had fought to conquer one of the locations marked on the map you found in the Ebony Tower."


    Sunny looked at her sharply, considering the implications. Bastion, Ravenheart, the Ivory Tower... from what he knew, each of these places had served as the stronghold of one of the daemons. The House of Night was in possession of the fourth one. The fifth was located in the utterly lethal hollow Mountains... which clan Valor had nevertheless put a lot of effort into exploring, disregarding the danger. And the sixth one - the last one, considering that Weaver did not seem to have possessed a stronghold - the sixth one.


    Was the black pyramid far to the cast. The pyramid that seemed to be somehow tied to the Chain of Nightmares.


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    "So, what exactly are you trying to say?"


    Nephis shook her head.


    "Isn''t it obvious? Both Anvil of Valor and Ki Song need to expand their spheres of influence to perfect their Domains. However... there are only so many human Citadels to go around.


    Which means that two


    Domains - or at least these particular two Domains - can''t coexist. For one to be perfected, it has to swallow the other."


    She grew quiet for a moment, and then said somberly:


    "That... is the true reason for the war between their clans."


    Sunny looked away, an ugly grimace contorting his face. A sense of dark, vicotts anger was smoldering in his heart.


    Neph sighed.


    "Antarctica will be the first major battlefield of this war, but it won''t be the last. Most of it will trapper) in the Dream Realm after both sides deliver their strikes. But the first act is also the most important... if one of the clans manages to gain momentum in the Southern Quadrant, their advantage might very well snowball into an unstoppable avalanche. So, their clash in Antarctica will be extremely fierce and bloody. in fact... Anvil is sending his own daughter there. Morgan will lead Valor forces in the Southern Quadrant. That alone shows how serious his intentions are."


    Changing Star studied the clear skies, then turned to Sunny and said, her voice even:


    "So... now, do you understand?"

 Chapter 1075: Know The Enemy

    1075 Know The Enemy


    Sunny remained silent for a while, responding only when the pressure of the Flaw started to turn into scaring


    pain.


    "Yeah... I think I understand."


    Many things became clearer now. Finally, he knew more about the Sovereigns, and the power they wielded. Awakened, Masters, and Saints... all of them were bestowed with great strength, but that strength was of a personal kind. Supremes were, without doubt, even more fearsome warriors- however, their true advantage lay in their authority.


    He was not too certain about: what exactly a Domain did - even Nephis did not know the details, after all - but understood the concept. A Domain was a physical manifestation of a Sovereign''s Aspect, a territory where their rule was supreme.


    And that manifestation, while representing their personal strength, relied on external factors to exist and grow. Authority, influence, power... power over someone, and not just yourself. All of these things were conveniently intertwined in the form of Citadels, which the Spell created.


    Citadels...


    Sunny looked down, as if trying to pierce the Ivory Tower with his gaze. Then, he sighed.


    There were still a lot of unanswered questions.New n0vel chapters are published on


    On the surface, the intention of the Sovereigns seemed obvious... well, with the exception of Asterion, who was the most mysterious of the three. They had established their Domains in the unique Citadels that had once belonged to the daemons, and then slowly expanded their rule, uplifting loyal Ascended to Sainthood.


    ...And eliminating those Transcendent who refused to swear fealty to them, thus failing to become the vessels of their Domains. The only two exceptions were the House of Night and, to a much lesser extent, the government. Both were convenient to have around and fulfilled a necessary function. The seat of power of the great clan Night, on top of that, was located in the deadly waters of the Stormsea. Launching an invasion into their territory was a dire task.


    ''But what about Professor Obel''s theory?''


    Indeed, something did not add up. if Anvil of Valor and Ki Song were so obsessed with perfecting their Domains, then why were they suppressing the emergence of Saints? l?ghtn��v��l.���v��~��.��.m. The more Transcendents there were, the more human Citadels there would be in the Dream Realm, and the more territory they would be able to conquer.


    "Well... then that''s exactly what I am going to do. I will prepare, learn their weaknesses, and try to suppress the fallout of their despicable acts as much as I can."


    Luckily, Sunny knew just the right person to provide him with information. Knowing what the opponent was planning came first.


    He remained silent for a few moments, then glanced at Neph.


    "So, what exactly is going to happen? What will be their first move?"


    She smiled wistfully.


    "In a few months, the great clans will announce that they are sending reinforcements to the Southern Quadrant. Both Song and Valor will dispatch a strong force to Antarctica... but not too strong. l?ghtn��v��l_���v��_��.��.m. A couple more Saints, a dozen or two Masters, and a few hundred Awakened. Officially, their mission will be to support the Evacuation Army in fighting the Nightmare Creatures. In reality, however, they are being sent there to fight each other."


    Sunny scowled, slightly confused.


    "...How, though? By now, most of the human forces on the continent are concentrated in the siege capitals, with very little reason to venture outside. Are these Saints and their forces going to just go and attack the cities?"


    Nephis shook her head.


    "No... at least I think they won''t. Not unless there is a very good reason to. In truth, they won''t be staying behind the walls of the siege capitals most of the time - because they have a secondary goal, as well. One that requires going outside and attacking the Nightmare Creatures."


    He tilted his head a little.


    "And what goal might that be?"


    Changing Star simply looked at him, and a moment later, Sunny''s eyes widened slightly.


    "The pyramid?"

 Chapter 1076: Know Yourself

    Nephis nodded. The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    "Song and Valor are going to be in a race to conquer it. They will search for Nightmare Gates that can be used to establish a beachhead in the unexplored region of the Dream Realm where the black pyramid is located. Once they find a comparatively safe fort, they will use the Call to transport their Saints, Masters, and Awakened there, establishing temporary outposts."


    She paused. Looked at him, and continued:


    "These outposts will be used to launch expeditions toward the pyramid. The end goal is to find a relatively safe place in close proximity to it, build a true fortress there, and then use that fortress as the staging ground for the conquest of the Tomb."


    Changing Star lingered for a moment.


    "It might be easier to think of it in terms of the Forgotten Shore. Each Gate is connected to a Seed of Nightmare somewhere in the region. Some Seeds might be in the depths of the Crimson Labyrinth, and everyone who follows the Call to the area around them will be drowned by the Dark Sea. Some Seeds, however, might be located on higher ground-those who enter the Dream Realm near these Seeds will be able to survive, and then slowly make their way through the labyrinth. l?ghtn��v��lcave. The end goal is to find a place like the Dark City, build a fortress akin to the Bright Castle, and then use it to conquer the Crimson Spire."


    "What an apt metaphor."


    Sunny couldn''t help but smile darkly.


    "They might find out that this task is much harder than they imagine it to be."


    In theory, such a plan seemed solid. Each of the hundreds, if not thousands of Nightmare Gates in East Antarctica was connected to a Seed of Nightmare in the region surrounding the Tomb of Ariel. By relying on the Call, these Gates could be used to enter the Dream Realm somewhere near the corresponding Seed.


    Then, by pinpointing a suitably safe area and the Gate connected to it, the great clans could transport their forces into the Dream Realm without risking instant annihilation. These forces would then explore and fight their way toward the black pyramid.


    The region could contain several Citadels, even by conquering one, Song or Valor would be able to establish a safe and stable corridor to ferry fighters and supplies over. if there were no Citadels except for the Tomb of Ariel itself, though, the Saints would have to play the role of ferrymen.


    But... the mysterious desert was utterly lethal. It was much worse than even the Forgotten Shore. And the forces of the great clans would not only have to fight against the endless flood of Nightmare Creatures populating it - they would also have to fight against each other.


    Sunny couldn''t help but shiver. Nephis, meanwhile, simply nodded.


    "I guess there is none. So, we are going to meet in the Southern Quadrant?"


    Changing Star shrugged.


    "If you wish. Or... you can stay out of this mess entirely. You have made it very clear that you don''t want to have anything to do with the great clans and their war, so... it''s up to you if and how much you get involved."


    Sunny smiled darkly.


    "Up to me, huh?"


    ''Yeah, no... that ship has sailed.''


    He really could hide in some remote siege capital, use his service record and exalted status to get himself a cushy assignment, and spend the rest of the campaign relaxing... as much anyone could relax in Antarctica. However, was he willing to?


    Did he want to?


    ...Not really.


    ''If I do not go to hell, who else will go?''


    Sunny had once told the Sin of Solace that the great clans were free to act with impunity because there was no one around to hold them responsible. He did not wish to teach anyone lessons in responsibility... But he did want to teach those bastards a lesson in humility. The harsher and more painful the lesson, the better.


    ''I''ll make them pay... if I go to hell, I''ll drag them with me...''


    Sunny looked at the boundless blue sky, then turned to Nephis and smiled.


    "See you in Antarctica, then."

 Chapter 1077: Midnight Sun

    Summer had come to Antarctica. The winds still brought with them a piercing chill, but it was warm enough for the snow to thaw under direct sunlight. Gurgling streams of water turned East Antarctica into a land of countless brooks and numerous lakes, which all glistened in the sun or drowned in the shadows of the tall mountains.


    The sun itself was distant and cold. but it never disappeared from the blue expanse of the sky. Just like there had been no end to the night, now, there was no end to the day. The twilight of the long dawn had gradually turned into daylight, and now that October was in full swing, the whole continent was suffused with bright radiance... and would be for the next five months.


    The situation on the continent, however, was far from light. It was grim and dire, as if Antarctica was had submerged deeper into an endless cycle of dreadful nightmares... the Chain of Nightmares was escalating with each day, and the Evacuation Army was forced to take more and more desperate measures to withstand it.


    ... The remains of a once-thriving city were buried under thawing snow, with the skeletal remains of tall buildings rising above it like dark cliffs. This settlement had not been chosen to become a siege capital, and so it was abandoned at the start of the campaign. Now. it was nothing but a desolate ruin. From time to time. that ruin would turn into a battleground, sustaining even more damage.


    Currently, a furious battle was coming to an end on the streets of the abandoned city. A patrol of soldiers had been chased here by a swarm of Nightmare Creatures and forced to stand their ground. The humans had fought violently and almost defeated the attacking abominations... but sadly, the sounds of the combat awoke a fiend that had been slumbering in the ruins.


    The creature had tom a bloody path through the remaining abominations. and then slaughtered the soldiers. Now, only one of them remained alive. Lieutenant Catphine was struggling desperately with the controls of her MWP. but it was of no use - the mighty machine had been damaged too severely and toppled, its vestibular systems going completely offline.


    She could have brought it back up relying on nothing but her piloting skills, but most of the limb hydraulics were destroyed, and the frame itself was bent and torn, large sections of the alloy armor already missing. Even the coolant pathways were breached, turning the pilot''s cabin into a scorching inferno. The paint she used to decorate its walls with drawings was blistering and melting, anti Catphine herself felt as if she was going to melt, too.


    But, of course, she wouldn''t.


    The abomination that had slaughtered her squad was currently on top of the MWP, clawing at the war machine with its powerful limbs. The armor was parting before the terrifying claws like paper. Each strike sent a concussive shockwave through the frame, tossing Catphine up and down in the tight confines of her safety harness. The creature was going to kill her long before the heat had a chance to. ''Curse it!''


    There was just no way for her to fight against a Fallen Demon... and that was what the creature was, most likely. At least the Awakened leader of the patrol had called it that before being killed by the fiend. But even knowing how hopeless the situation was, Catphine stubbornly controlled the only functioning arm of the MWP, bending it at the elbow to press the seven barrels of the kinetic machine gun installed on the forearm of the war platform to the abomination''s side. The barrels spun, unleashing a flood of heavy tungsten rounds into the demon''s impenetrable hide.


    In just a second, the machine gun spat close to two hundred armor-piercing bullets.


    However. all of them simply ricocheted off the harrowing creature''s skin, not even bruising it. The fiend was pushed slightly to the side, then glanced at the firing weapon with its mad, burning eyes. In the next moment, the abomination''s claws struck, ripping through the MWP''s arm and severing it entirely. The next blow finally breached the cockpit, destroying the screens and letting Catphine see the fiend with her own two eyes. She gritted her teeth.


    Catphine gulped.


    The young man lingered for a moment, and then looked at her calmly.


    "Are you alright, soldier?"


    ''Oh gods... he speaks...


    It took her a few seconds to digest what the eerie stranger had just said.


    "...What?"


    He leaned forward and grabbed the jagged edges of the breach in the cockpit''s armor, easily pulling the alloy apart to widen the gap.


    "I said, are you alright?"


    Catphine lingered for a moment.


    "Ah... y-yes."


    ''The stranger nodded.


    "Good. I''m Ascended Sunless of the Special Reconnaissance Unit. You can call me Master Sunless or Major Sunless. Let''s get you out of this thing..."

 Chapter 1078: Army Scout

    Sunny helped the pilot climb out of the ravaged MWP, then looked around somberly. The ruin of the city was covered by the signs of a fierce battle... sadly, he had been too late to arrive. Most of the soldiers were already dead.


    ''Damn it...


    He. had noticed the commotion in the ruins by chance, while making his way through the wilderness to accomplish a different mission. If not for the habit of sending his shadows in a wide circle around him, Sunny would have never even known that a squad of human soldiers had been trapped here. He used Shadow Step to arrive as swiftly as he could, but ended up saving only one.


    With a sigh, Sunny helped the young woman climb down from the wreck of the MWP, summoned the Endless Spring, and handed it to her.


    "Here. Drink some water."


    The pilot kept staring at him strangely, but he was long used to such stares. He gave her some time, then took the glass bottle back and asked, making sure to keep his voice neutral:


    "I am sorry about your comrades... but how did you guys end up in this sector? Did you not receive the message that it was designated as a black zone by Army Command?"


    The young woman grimaced.


    "We... did, sir. But by then, it was already too late. We were on a routine patrol along the Seventeenth Evacuation Corridor when we came under attack from a swarm of Nightmare Creatures. We beat them back and pursued... sadly, a few minutes later, a Gate opened right behind us. We were quickly surrounded, and had to run for our lives. We ran all the way to this city, and..."


    She sighed.


    Sunny awkwardly patted the pilot on the shoulder.


    "I see. I know a thing or two about bad luck, lieutenant... it can get anyone. You did your best."


    Internally, he was shaking his head.


    ''Corridor Seventeen... that place just attracts trouble, doesn''t it?''


    Corridor Seventeen connected one of the largest siege capitals in the region to the coastal fortress. Maintaining it was of vital importance to the evacuation effort, but recently, it had become harder and harder to keep the area clean.


    As for himself...


    Ever since reaching East Antarctica, Sunny only had three goals. Turn the Ravenous Fiend into a Shadow, become a Tyrant, and prepare for the arrival of the great clans. I lie had spent fragments on the little imp first, then hunted down numerous abominations in hopes of forming the fifth Shadow Core. Now, he was mere days away from catching up to Neph. As for the third goal... Sunny had made good progress on that front, too.


    As he thought about it, his communication device suddenly came alive, and a familiar voice resounded in his eat:


    "Where the hell are you, Sunny?"


    He smiled slightly.


    "Sorry, Jet. I''ve been delayed a little. Are you still en route?"


    Her voice came through the static, sounding a little out of breath:


    "Yeah... and I have a nasty swarm of abominations on my tail."


    Sunny nodded.


    "I''ll send Mongrel your way. Lead them to the rendezvous point, and she''ll take care of everything. I''ll arrive in a few hours."


    With that, Sunny glanced at the MWP pilot and sighed.


    "Time to go, soldier. Say your goodbyes. Then, I''ll bring you to the nearest army outpost."


    He turned away, giving the young woman some space, and looked up, at the cold sun hanging motionlessly high above.


    A long sigh escaped from Sonny''s lips.


    How bright. I never thought I would miss the polar night...

 Chapter 1079: Imp

    The pilot did not spend a long time bidding farewell to her comrades. By that point in the campaign, everyone had experienced loss and defeat... the soldiers had not grown numb to watching people die, but they did become used to it.


    Death had always surrounded those who fought against the Nightmare Spell, and here in Antarctica, it was even more inescapable, both for the Awakened and for the mundanes.


    When the young woman returned, however, a confused expression appeared on her face. Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "What?"


    The pilot pointed.


    "Uh... where did my MWP go?"


    He looked back. The wrecked war platform was, indeed, gone. In its place, hidden behind a pile of dirt, sat an ugly little creature. It was hurriedly pushing a piece of bent alloy into its wide, toothy mouth with both hands. Noticing that someone was looking, the creature froze for a moment and feverishly continued to chew on the armored alloy, as if afraid that it would be taken away.


    Sunny rolled his eyes.


    "That little bastard right there ate it. Don''t mind him..."


    It was hard to imagine that the scrawny imp had devoured the massive machine, considering that it was dozens of times larger than him... but that was exactly what had happened. Sunny did not know what kind of infernal engine was hidden in the Imp''s stomach, but the little guy''s appetite was inexhaustible. Anything that entered his mouth disappeared without a trace, and there were very few things that his sharp teeth couldn''t rip apart.


    What happened next... was a truly ghastly experience for Sunny. I-le endured it by bitterly fantasizing about killing the vile little creature for the second time. However, it was worth it in the end - the scrawny fiend regained its ability to travel through shadows.


    Later, Sunny learned that the process of gaining new Attributes and Abilities was rarely, if ever, so easy and fast. The Fiend had already possessed a high affinity to shadows thanks to being one, and Sunny himself was even more unique �� he was a divine shadow, after all. These two reasons made it possible for the little imp to inherit a vestige of his power in one go.


    As to how the bastard had managed it the first time around, Sunny had no idea. Maybe the inherent adaptability of the Scavengers resonated with the innate formlessness of shadows. Maybe the wretch had simply gotten lucky...


    The point of it was that he couldn''t just command the gluttonous scavenger to devour a Nightmare Creature and expect the same to happen. It took a long time and a lot of corpses - suitable ones, at that - for the imp to grow in the right direction. Luckily, he was not limited to only eating flesh.


    Which was why Sunny was currently concentrating on feeding the imp all kinds of steel, alloy, and mystical metals. The Ravenous Fiend''s bone armor had been rather spectacular, but he was determined to come up with something even more indestructible.


    Watching as the scrawny bastard hurriedly finished chewing on the last piece of the broken MWP, Sunny smiled slightly, his eyes shining with ominous glee.


    ''Eat, eat... eat more, trashling''. I need to fatten you up...


    The imp suddenly shivered and looked at Sunny with wide, terrified eyes.


    Sunny suppressed a menacing grin and dismissed the imp, then looked at the pilot.


    "I got him as an Echo. Come, let''s go... we need to hurry.

 Chapter 1080: Marvelous Devil

    As a scout, Sunny constantly had to traverse great distances across the abomination-infested wilderness of East Antarctica. He would usually ride atop Nightmare or glide through the shadows with incredible speed, but right now, neither of these methods were an option.


    His steed was with Saint, and he obviously couldn''t leave the stranded MWP pilot behind by turning into a shadow. Theoretically, Sunny could carry the young woman on his back and run, which would be faster than limiting his speed to that of a mundane human. But he was not too desperate to save time. There was an army outpost relatively close to the ruined city, and although normal patrols would be slaughtered if they tried to take the convenient shortcut, nothing that dwelled there could threaten Sunny.


    As they followed a small river that snaked between barren hills, Sunny summoned the runes and glanced at the list of his shadows. It read:


    Shadows: [Onyx Saint], [Soul Serpent], [Nightmare], [Ravenous Fiend].


    Sunny concentrated on the last string of runes, summoning a detailed description of the little bastard.


    Shadow: [Ravenous Fiend]


    Shadow Rank: Transcendent.


    Shadow Class: Devil.New n0vel chapters are published on


    Shadow Description: [A pitiful little creature traveled through a nightmarish land, harboring a bitter grudge in its tiny heart. Driven by resentment and spite, it suffered many trials and conquered untold dangers to become a marvelous devil. But fate was unkind. The ravenous devil met a much more Terrible fiend, and turned into his shadow]


    Sunny stared at the runes with a bleak expression The Spell had always liked to tease him... at least he thought that it did... but this one was just unfair.


    ''How come I''m the fiend? The bastard literally has the word "fiend" in his name!"


    Shaking his head, he moved past the description and continued to read:


    Shadow Attributes: [Lucky], [Marvel], [Ravenous], [Shadow Sworn], [Lesser Iron Body].


    [Lucky] Attribute Description: "This Shadow is favored by fortune."


    [Lesser iron Body] Attribute Description: "This Shadow''s flesh possesses qualities of metal."


    He grinned in satisfaction.


    ''Finally, progress!


    The [Lesser Iron Body] had been [Nascent Iron Body] before. It seemed that munching on that MWP had finally pushed the imp over a threshold. He would be much sturdier now... and in the future, would even have a chance to become truly indestructible.


    There had to be a Greater Iron Body as well, after all.


    Happy to see the ankle-biter achieving something, Sunny finally glanced at the imp''s Abilities. The runes read:


    Shadow Abilities: [Scavenger], [Devourer], [Shadow Step].


    [Scavenger] Ability Description: "This Shadow can attain the traits, Attributes, and Abilities of the creatures it consumes."


    [Devourer] Ability Description: "This Shadow''s teeth possess unnatural sharpness and strength. It can rend and maul even the most resilient things."


    [Shadow Step] Ability Description: "This fiend can move freely between shadows, traveling front one to another in an instant or diving into them to move with great speed."


    And that was it. Sunny''s fourth Shadow... the critter was a sorry excuse of a Transcendent Devil, for now, but it would grow to be a real menace one day. in fact, Sunny had a feeling that the imp might just become one of the most terrifying weapons in his arsenal.


    The Ravenous Fiend had been an exceedingly dire enemy, but now that he was serving Sunny, and thus enjoying the support of a benevolent, selfless, and supremely generous master... just how much more terrible would the wretched waif become?


    Walking along the small river, Sunny used Shadow Manifestation to slaughter a Nightmare Creature that was waiting to ambush him and the MWP pilot, then sighed.


    ''I need to find a couple more of those iron golems I killed last week... or better yet, a whole swarm of them. A horde would be even better... my imp is a growing little wretch, after all. He needs to eat!''

 Chapter 1081: Lake Ruin

    Soon, they reached the army outpost- There had been a few Nightmare Creatures that attacked them on the way, including an especially vile Corrupted Monster - Sunny tore the former apart with hands woven out of shadows, and cut the latter down personally with a blade created the same way.


    These days, he tried to avoid getting his own hands dirty, mostly using Shadow Manifestation to slaughter the enemy. Sunny wanted to hone and refine his mastery of Manifestation, anti for that, he needed a lot of practice.


    Additionally. he felt that it was unnecessary for him to get up close and personal with every godforsaken abomination standing in his way.


    Perhaps it was the nature of his current mission as a solitary scout, or perhaps Sunny had simply received a chance to return to being cautious and stealthy after years of being forced to play the role of a frontline fighter... in any case, he strived to only enter melee range with an enemy if he was certain of killing the foe with a single strike.New n0vel chapters are published on


    Usually, one of Sunny''s strikes was enough. If not, he would avoid a confrontation entirely.


    The army outpost was located underground, similar to the supply depot he had visited once in the Antarctic Center. However, as a member of the Special Reconnaissance unit, Sunny knew very well where all the army assets were hidden. Better yet, East Antarctica had no problems with communications... well, except for the usual interference of the Call... so he had been able to radio about their arrival in advance.


    Sunny and the surviving MWP pilot were met by a cohort of sleep-deprived Awakened. Despite their visible fatigue, the soldiers stood at attention and saluted him respectfully. Their eyes betrayed a hint of reverence.


    "this again..."


    Sunny was met with such stares anywhere he went in Antarctica, at least among the soldiers. The First Army and the Second Army were merged into one military now, but within it, people who had been in the Southern Quadrant since day one of the Chain of Nightmares were treated with silent respect.


    That went tenfold for those who had been a part of the Antarctic Center contingent. The Antarctic Center had been the most terrifying battlefield of the operation yet, and almost the entire field army sent there had been wiped out. There were only a few survivors here and there mostly those who had been among the evacuated wounded.


    Needless to say, Sunny was both a veteran of the Antarctic Center and an Ascended. That was why most soldiers treated him with veneration.


    "Master Sunless, sir!"


    He nodded at the welcoming party and handed over the MWP pilot to them. The young woman had done well keeping pace with him on the way to the outpost, but now that they had reached safety, she looked to be on the verge of collapse. of course, it was not at all surprising...


    Sunny sighed and glanced at the Awakened.


    He bid himself in the shadows of a rusted wreck and studied the ruin. There were bodies of Nightmare Creatures floating near one of the towers, painting the water black. Each of them seemed to have been killed by a single arrow. Sunny observed the area for a few minutes, noticing strange ripples on the surface of the lake - there were more abominations hiding underwater.


    Finally satisfied, he activated his comm and contacted Jet.


    "Reaper, it''s Devil. I have arrived."


    A few seconds later, her voice came through the static.


    "... Took you long enough. Where are you?"


    He looked around.


    "Southern shore, near an old wreck on the slope of a flat hill."


    Jet took a few minutes to respond.


    "I see it. Move west for about a kilometer, then follow a collapsed tower into the lake. From there, you''ll be able to see three huge smokestacks. I''tn in the middle one. near the top, Get here as soon as possible... and be careful of the water. It is teeming with schools of tiny, hungry fishes."


    Sunny lingered for a moment.


    "Got it. What about the target?"


    Soul Reaper responded in a few seconds, her voice sounding a bit tense:


    "It''s in the middle of the lake. I was waiting for you to arrive before trying to get a better look."


    Nodding, Sunny glanced at the ripples in the cold water one more time, and then dashed out of his shelter.

 Chapter 1082: Ancient Chimneys

    1082 Ancient Chimneys


    He reached the giant chimney without too much problem, avoiding the teeth of the vicious fish-like creatures with the help of the Dark Wing and a couple of perilous leaps. The structure was wide and incredibly tall, reaching at least three hundred meters into the sky... and that was just the part visible above the water.


    There were a few holes in the frame of the alloy smokestack, so Sunny did not waste time jumping through one of them. He found himself in a vast, dark well, still water radiating bone-chilling cold a few meters beneath his feet. A tiny circle of light was visible hundreds of meters above.


    Sunny did not know what kind of industrial behemoth had demanded such an enormous chimney - three of them, in fact �� and what kind of poison had been billowing out of them into the atmosphere in the past. However, even now, decades or even centuries later, the air inside was acrid and hard to inhale, reminding him of the worst days in the outskirts.


    Grimacing, Sunny looked around, and then jumped to a piece of scaffolding a dozen or so meters above his current position.


    Landing noiselessly on the weathered alloy, he smiled at Saint, who had been standing there, still as a statue, holding a bow in one hand. The taciturn knight turned her head slightly, acknowledging his arrival, then indifferently continued to watch the base of the smokestack.


    He could feel Nightmare hiding in the darkness nearby, dissolved into the shadow form. The black steed moved, greeting him, and then grew still once again.


    "Good work, guys."


    Sunny''s comm hissed.


    "Get up here, I''m bored out of my mind."


    He sighed, then turned into a shadow himself and ascended the tall structure, gliding upward in a wide spiral. As Stmny was going up the old alloy walls, he found himself involuntarily thinking about how long it would take Imp to eat the whole thing. Then, he caught himself and scoffed.


    ''Gods, what am I thinking about?


    But... it was really a lot of alloy...


    At the top of the smokestack, strange machines were installed into the mouth of the well, and the walls were blackened by fire and soot. The acrid smell was somewhat reduced by the proximity to the open sky.


    Jet was sitting on one of the pieces of machinery, her feet hanging above the abyssal drop. Noticing Sunny step out of the shadows, she closed the lid of an army-issued thermos, threw it into her backpack, and grinned.


    "Here you are."


    "Well?"


    He hesitated for a few moments.


    "The one to our left is empty, but the right one... there is something hiding inside. Something... huge." All the shadow could see were loops of flesh coiled inside the dark well of the ancient smokestack, filling almost a third of it.


    Jet sighed with relief.


    "Well, good. Because we need to get to the left one. Leave that thing, whatever it is, alone." Sunny nodded, ordering his shadow to hide itself and keep an eye on the gargantuan creature.


    The three towering chimneys were not too far away from each other, so getting from one to another was not a problem to them. However, it was not very safe - if something attacked you in the air, staying alive would be a challenge. So, unless someone like Kai was around, at least two people were required to keep each other safe.


    Sunny temporarily borrowed Morgan''s Barbow from Saint, and covered Jet as she glided across the wide gap between smokestacks using a flight Memory. She reached the next chimney, then summoned half a dozen sharp throwing stars and did the same for him �� Sunny used the Dark Wing to breach the gap, and soon joined Jet.


    Now, they were very close to coming in sight of the target of this mission.


    He frowned.


    "Do you feel it?"


    Soul Reaper slowly nodded.


    "Yeah. The Call is much stronger here. There must be a Category Three Gate nearby."


    They walked to the opposite side of the smokestack and looked down. From that position, nothing obstructed their view of the middle of the lake.


    And there, nestled between the ancient ruins...


    Sunny sighed.


    "That... is going to be trouble."

 Chapter 1083: Reconnaissance

    The two of them lowered themselves to the weathered alloy, looking cautiously over the edge. Far away, in the middle of the ruined city, an enormous body of a ghastly creature was hidden between the rubble, long swathes of it submerged into the water.


    The creature resembled a monstrous centipede that was at least a hundred meters long. It was encased in pale chitin... no, not chitin. Bone. The giant centipede seemed to be covered in countless thousands of human skulls, all of them stuck together to form a morbid carapace.


    Its horrid maw was large enough to swallow an armored APC and full of grotesque, hone-white teeth. On its head. two tall, dead trees grew from the carapace of skulls like skeletal horns.


    Taking care to not fixate on the grotesque creature directly, knowing that some abominations could sense when they were being watched, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a chill.


    "That thing''s going to be a nightmare."


    Silence was the key, and thus, Sunny used the mystical [Blessing of Dusk] to communicate his thoughts, avoiding speaking aloud. Jet, receiving his silent message, responded in kind, her voice echoing in his mind against the backdrop of deathly stillness and the mournful wind.


    "Examine its mouth."


    Sunny did as she asked, his eyes widening at the sight below.


    The monstrous centipede writhed, its long neck contorting as it gagged and then retched up a mass of wet, slime-coated bones. It seemed for a moment as if the creature was having difficulty digesting its last meal, but then the pile of bones began to shift, slowly forming into a twisted, nightmarish figure.


    Rising unsteadily, the abomination stumbled away and vanished beneath the water''s surface. Sunny''s brow furrowed in disgust. How many of these abominations had the centipede spawned?


    After a brief pause, he turned to Jet, his voice grim.


    "It''s one of those Corrupted Tyrants."


    As the ghastly centipede continued its grim work below, both Sunny and Jet held their breath, fear dancing in their eyes. Time seemed to stretch as they watched, their minds racing.


    Eventually, the connection with headquarters was severed, and Jet looked at Sunny.


    "They''re concerned about that monster. We need to stay put and observe. Report if it moves."


    Sunny''s heart sank as he looked around, the wind biting into his flesh, the acrid smell lingering.


    "Guess I''ll catch some sleep."


    Jet''s eyes widened in shock.


    "What? I get to sleep first! I haven''t slept in ages!"


    A gloomy stare from Sunny, another sigh.


    "Alright, you go ahead. I''ll watch over our friend here."


    ''Why does she even need to sleep? She''s not even alive!''


    Hours passed, shifts changed, and the Tyrant continued its macabre work. When it finally moved, Sunny and Jet were quick to action, reporting to Army Command and preparing to follow.


    Two entire companies were dispatched to face the abomination: the Wolves and the Nightsingers. Sunny''s face twisted into a crooked smile at the thought of reuniting with old comrades Effie and Kai.


    The battle to come promised to be one for the ages.

 Chapter 1084 Following The Tyrant

    For the next few days, Sunny and Jet stealthily pursued the Skull Centipede. These days were long, tense, and perilous - not only did they have to brave the wilderness, but they also had to keep up with the ghastly abomination while not being seen or sensed by it. On a few occasions, they had almost been discovered, barely managing to salvage the situation at the last moment.


    Sunny was not sure what would have happened if the creature had found them. With Saint supporting the two scouts from the shadows, they at least had a slim chance of slaying the Tyrant... but a battle like that would be a dire one. It would have had to be one of those battles where he was forced to put everything on the line, only surviving by the skin of his teeth.


    In the past, Sunny had fought plenty of battles like that. He had grown so used to walking the thin line between life and death that he did not even consider such things unusual anymore. That mad balancing act was just par for the course... however, he also knew that he would not remain on the winning side forever. If he kept risking everything, his luck was bound to run out one day.


    After Falcon Scott, his way of thinking about things shifted. Sunny was now much more experienced, and with that experience came cold, calculating prudence.


    His chances of defeating the Skull Centipede and its army of bone abominations would be much higher with the support of two entire companies of Awakened, and so, he was determined to meet this enemy on a battlefield of his choosing, with the odds stacked in his favor as much as the circumstances allowed.


    Jet was of the same mind. They followed the plan and put all their effort into remaining hidden.


    The centipede slithered across the vast plains of East Antarctica, eviscerating everything in its path. It had no mercy for the other Nightmare Creatures, slaughtered swarms of them like helpless ants. After each massacre, the giant abomination would devour the corpses of its prey and coil its body into a macabre burrow of skulls, then wreathe and spew out more bone fiends.New n0vel chapters are published on


    The centipede''s army continued to grow as it advanced through the wilderness. With each day, Sunny and Jet grew became more and more despondent... it had been hard to tell at the start, but now, there was no denying it.


    Sunny let out a relieved sigh. "Finally."


    A hunt like this one was not easy to arrange. Simply deploying troops outside the siege capital was a dangerous task by now - the wilderness was teeming with numerous Nightmares Creatures, and an expedition force risked drowning in a horde of them before even reaching the intended target. It took a lot of courage and competence to navigate a course through the enemy territory.


    If the target was on the move, the task only grew that much harder. Luckily, this time, Army Command was receiving constant updates on the creature''s location from Sunny and Jet, so tracking its path had been easier.


    And now, finally, almost every piece was in place. All that remained was for the scouts to join the assault force and spring the trap on the menacing Tyrant.


    Sunny smiled. "Let''s go, then."


    They silently abandoned their shelter and made a wide circle around the location of the Skull Centipede, then moved away with as much speed as they could allow themselves without risking attracting the attention of migrating hordes of Nightmare Creatures.


    Half a day later, Sunny and Jet arrived at the shore of a wide river. The landscape made it so that there weren''t many places to cross it for many kilometers around, with only a single ford formed by a scattering of giant boulders.


    As they traversed the river, jumping from one stone to another, Sunny''s comm suddenly came alive. A familiar voice came through the static. "...well it isn''t... frog... welcome..."


    Some of it got swallowed up by the interference, but the last word was very easy to discern: "...doofus..."


    Sunny stopped for a moment and looked at the opposite bank of the river, where a tall figure suddenly rose from the ground.


    Effie waved her hand and grinned. "Ah, venerable Master Sunless! How nice of you to pay a visit!"

 Chapter 1085: Wolf Army

    Sunny and Jet looked like quite the pair. Both were wearing black, which made for a stark contrast with their pale skin and raven hair... granted, Soul Reaper looked more imposing in her fitting black leather armor. Sunny, on the other hand, wore a simple silk tunic and a pair of dainty shoes. He was also unarmed.


    ...Actually, he was perhaps the more threatening of the two. People were used to seeing Awakened wear suits of impregnable armor and wield powerful weapons. It was the sight of someone who didn''t feel the need to do so, even in the deadly reaches of East Antarctica, that was truly frightening.


    He made the last jump, landing softly on the ground not too far away from Effie. From here, Sunny could sense hundreds of shadows somewhere nearby. He looked around, noticing mundane soldiers and Awakened hidden here and there along the river shore, all keeping watch on the surrounding area.


    The First Irregular Company had numbered forty-two Awakened and seven Masters. The two companies Effie and Kai commanded, however, were different. Unlike the special unit Sunny had belonged to, these were companies meant for general combat.


    Each of them consisted of close to a hundred Awakened and ten times that many mundane soldiers, complete with a platoon of mighty MWPs and a robust stable of specialized vehicles that ranged from heavy artillery to support and resupply.


    Two of these companies together made for a small army.


    Effie walked over, a wide smile on her face. "Sunny! Long time no see!"


    She looked... quite impactful. His friend had always been a sight to behold, with her impressively tall stature, athletic build, and generous figure. Now, however, Effie resembled an incarnation of a beautiful war deity much more than she resembled a mere mortal. The main reason for this was her armor.


    It was as though Effie had been dipped in liquid steel, which then clung tightly to her body, tracing every toned, graceful line of it. Sunny had once thought that the Undying Chain felt like a second layer of skin... however, in his case, that was simply a metaphor. The armor of the vibrant huntress, on the contrary, could be described the same way quite literally.


    There was a piece of white cloth tied around her waist, and another one covering her chest, but other than that, Effie''s whole body was exposed and seemed as if it had been cast of lustrous steel. Only her head was uncovered, for now.


    That armor, of course, was the Transcendent Memory she had received after slaying one of the immortal Chain Lord of the Kingdom of Hope, the Sun Prince.


    Sunny coughed. Just looking at Effie would make one''s blood run hot. But that wasn''t all... currently, she had not even activated her Ascended Ability. Once she did, the fire burning in the hearts of the soldiers who saw her would become quite real, coursing through their veins and granting them actual power. It was as though Raised by Wolves was sharing some of her astonishing physical might with her followers.


    An involuntary smile found its way onto Sunny''s face. "...What are you talking about? We saw each other two weeks ago."


    "G-gods... isn''t that Soul Reaper Jet?!"


    "Holy hell! That''s Soul Reaper and Devil!"


    "No way... let me see!"


    "I heard the two of them fought a Corrupted Titan in the Antarctic Center... that can''t be right, can it? They wouldn''t be alive if they did..."


    "Soul Reaper might be tough... but our boss is definitely tougher..."


    "I once saw Devil slaughter an entire swarm of Nightmare Creatures without lifting a finger. He just stood there, and they were all shredded into little pieces. I swear to gods, it''s true!"


    Sunny ignored the whispers and followed Effie. His shadows, however, took a good look around - he was about to go into battle side by side with these people, so he had to know all about them.


    The soldiers of the two companies looked competent, determined, and in high spirits. The Wolves and the Nightsingers were technically not counted as special forces, but among the rank and file of the Evacuation Army, they had already earned the reputation of elite units. They were led by two of the most fearsome Masters in the world, after all.


    The soldiers were mixed among each other, but funnily enough, it was easy to see which belonged to which company. The Wolves were more boisterous, lively, and rough around the edges. The Nightsingers were more calm, reserved, and good-natured. It was as if they had assumed the personalities of their leaders.


    Sunny smiled with the corner of his mouth, then shook his head.


    They walked along a row of camouflaged tents and approached a particular one, which looked no different from all the others. Effie suddenly made a fist and banged it against her bare thigh, producing a loud metallic ring.


    "Wake up, birdie! The most honest person in two worlds is here!"


    Erdiul Notes: 1 more later maybe, depends on if I fall asleep or not before the author releases the last chapter for the day.

 Chapter 1086: Shared Pain

    There was some rustling inside the tent, and then Kai emerged from it, looking as handsome and dazzling as ever. No... even more so.


    Sunny''s face became a little dull. His friend had reached borderline criminal levels of attractiveness after becoming a Master, mesmerizing most mundane humans by simply appearing in front of them, but Sunny had thought that a couple of months in the mud and muck of Antarctica would rub some of that glamour off.


    However, he had been sorely mistaken.


    If anything, Kai only became more captivating. His natural charm had acquired a hint of reserved military valiance, becoming more subdued, but also much more arresting. His green eyes were still as electric as ever, but now, there was a quiet, almost melancholic depth to them that made one deeply desire to comfort and console the young man. Those eyes were nothing short of compelling.


    Kai smiled, making all three of them - Sunny, Effie, and Jet - hold their breaths for a moment. "Sunny! Ascended Jet. It is so good to see you."VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    Even his voice was like a soothing melody.


    ''That bastard...'' Sunny wasn''t even angry about how stunning his friend was. What really disheartened him was what Kai was wearing.


    The archer was clad in a beautiful suit of ivory armor that seemed to be made out of impregnable scales, with a few insets of burnished bronze blazing between them with reflected sunlight. It was tied at the waist by a sash of burnt umber color, which emphasized the rich auburn splendor of his hair.


    The armor was made of dragon scales, and was a Transcendent Memory Kai had received after slaying the Ivory Dragon Sevirax.


    Both Effie and Kai had come into possession of a Transcendent Armor in the Second Nightmare.


    ...Sunny used to have an armor like that, too, which he had gotten for killing Solvane for the first time. But, of course, it had been destroyed by Goliath.


    And now he was the only person of the three without one!


    ''Ah, that really grinds my gears...'' Sunny winced, but was then distracted from his resigned self-pity by Jet, who smiled and stretched her hand out for a handshake. "Ascended Nightingale. I don''t think I''ve had the pleasure of meeting you before.


    They entered the tent, gathering around a fold-out table that had a small holographic projector placed on it. A topographical map of the area was projected into the air, with their location and the last known whereabouts of the Skull Centipede marked on it in red.


    Sunny, however, paid it no attention, still lost in his thoughts. After a while, he shook them off and honed in on the conversation.


    Kai was speaking. "...there is simply no other path. The creature will definitely try to cross the river near the ford, and so, that is where we will ambush it."


    Jet shook her head. "You are mistaken. It is large enough to ford the river anywhere. Its minions don''t breathe, so they can simply walk along the bottom and crawl out of the water on the other side. The current is nowhere near strong enough to be an obstacle for them."


    The charming archer sighed, then nodded. "That is correct. Which was why I said near the ford, not directly using the ford... the landscape is going to push the Tyrant into this general area, but we have no way of knowing where exactly it will enter the river."


    Sunny frowned, already sensing where this was going. "So... what is the plan, then?"


    Effie chuckled. "Well, what else? Since we don''t know where it''s going, we''ll just have to make sure that it comes to where we want it to come."


    Sunny let out a resigned sigh. "...So, who is going to be the bait?"


    Effie awkwardly scratched the back of her head. "I mean... you don''t have to, if you don''t want to..."


    He remained silent for a moment, then scoffed.


    Kai smiled a little. "Honestly, it can be any of us. Oh... I''m sorry, Master Jet, I''m afraid I''m not entirely familiar with your capabilities. What I meant to say was that Effie, Sunny, and I all have ways of making sure that we survive leading the creature to the ambush. So, any of us three can go."


    Sunny slowly shook his head. "No... I''ll go. I have to contribute at an earlier stage of the battle. Because I might not be of much use at the later stage."


    It was true. With how close Sunny was to forming the fifth core, chances were that he would pass the threshold right in the middle of a furious melee. If that happened, he would have to struggle to simply stay alive... as for being useful, he was not sure if he''d be able to do anything at all.

 Chapter 1087: War Masters

    The pallid centipede was slithering across a desolate landscape, followed by an army of abominable bone creatures. Its massive body tore forward, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The ground was pierced and upturned by its thousand sharp legs, the ancient boulders shattered, the brooks of clear water spoiled with and turned into streams of poison.


    Soon, a wide river appeared in the distance. The ghastly tyrant did not slow down, continuing its ruinous advance. Then, however...


    The monstrous centipede slowed down.


    Its appalling head swiveled, rising into the air. Its harrowing maw opened. The branches of the dead trees that served as the creature''s horns swayed lightly in the wind.


    The wind had brought with it a strange sound.


    The distant weeping of a flute.


    The centipede lingered for a few moments, then suddenly changed direction, lunging toward the source of the discordant sound. It did not have eyes, but the black eye sockets of the countless skulls forming its carapace seemed to radiate dark, ineffable malice.


    The Corrupted Tyrant pursued the source of the simple melody. However, the flute player remained elusive like a ghost. Sometimes, the creature seemed to draw near the player, but he always managed to slip away at the last moment. All it found were empty shadows.


    However, at some point, the pursuit came to an end.


    The hideous centipede had almost reached the river by that point. In front of it was a natural ford formed by a line of enormous boulders, with only their tops emerging from the water. On the opposite side of the river, a lone human was sitting cross-legged on a stone, playing a strange emerald flute.


    It was a young man with pale skin and dark hair, wearing a tunic of black silk.


    Sunny did not pay any attention to the harrowing centipede and continued to play the flute. His fingers moved nimbly, but the melody he created was... pretty rough, to say the least.


    He sighed.


    ''I thought I improved... but maybe not...''Thi/s chapter is updated by


    Every time he was exposed to Effie''s Ascended Ability, Sunny couldn''t help but feel awed. For him, who had already enjoyed the augmentation of the shadows, the physical boost was not that pronounced. But for the Awakened soldiers, and especially mundane humans... it must have been a true blessing.


    The most frightening part, however, was that this Ability had no limit to how many people could be empowered by it. Anyone who saw Effie and was deemed an ally by her would receive its benefit. Their number did not even affect the rate with which she consumed essence.


    The only detriment, albeit a small one, was that the soldiers had to maintain a line of sight with their commander to enjoy the boon of her power. However, considering that Effie almost always preferred to fight on the frontline, that was usually not a problem.


    Just as he had expected, the eyes of the soldiers ignited with burning resolve at the sound of her voice. The soldiers of her company suddenly raised their heads and let out boisterous howls, acting like an army of actual wolves.


    And then, another voice joined them... this one sonorous and clear, easily drowning out all the rest.


    Kai''s voice.


    When Sunny heard it, his heart suddenly shook. Instantly, all the unnecessary thoughts were erased from his head, leaving only the pure, flaming, indomitable desire to do battle.


    Even though this change was not physical, it might have been even more profound than the empowerment of Effie''s Aspect... because it affected the heart. Even Sunny, for whom the effect was somewhat muted because of how guarded his mind and soul were, felt incredibly inspired. The clarity bestowed by Kai''s call would do wonders for the soldiers in this battle.


    Sunny shook his head slightly.


    ''Scary...''


    Kai''s Ability was just too terrifying. An Ascended would most likely be able to resist it to some degree, but mere Awakened had no choice but to be compelled. As for mundane humans? If the handsome enchanter chose to misuse his powers, they would do anything he told them to. They would happily end their lives if he asked.


    Luckily, Kai would never do that. Instead, he used his power to inspire the soldiers and make them stronger.


    With Sunny serving as a perfect scout, Effie strengthening the bodies of the soldiers, and Kai inspiring their hearts, the threat of the Corrupted Tyrant suddenly did not seem overwhelming.


    As the head of the Skull Centipede emerged from the water, it was met with a furious onslaught of attacks.


    Strengthened by their two leaders, the small army was burning with the desire... and ability... to win this battle.

 Chapter 1088: Force Multiplier

    Before, the future seemed grim for the expedition force of the Evacuation Army. Even though they numbered more than two thousand soldiers, with two hundred Awakened and four Masters ready to fight at the front, the enemy was just too domineering.


    The Corrupted Tyrant itself was tremendously dangerous. The army of bone monstrosities was no less threatening. However, both Effie and Kai were incredible sources of strength, acting as force multipliers for the whole regiment. With their help, the power of the soldiers soared, almost balancing the scale.


    Sunny''s and Jet''s efforts were no less important. Thanks to them, the two companies had been able to choose the battlefield and prepare an ambush. Terrain advantage was extremely valuable, and so was the foreknowledge of what the enemy was capable of.


    That last part was, perhaps, the most precious. The two scouts had not only gathered intelligence about the location of the enemy and the number of minions under its rule. They had also provided the analysts and diviners of the army with an opportunity to study the Tyrant.


    Thanks to that, the human force did not have to go into the battle blind. Even though they did not know every detail of what the Skull Centipede was capable of, they did know the most important parts.


    For example, they knew that the confluence of the power that the giant abomination possessed was, surprisingly, hidden in the two dead skeletal trees that grew from its head, serving as the Tyrant''s crown and horns.


    In fact, Army Command had gone as far as to suggest that the true abomination was not the centipede itself, but the network of tree roots that permeated its monstrous skull, growing through the creature''s brain matter.


    As such, the small army''s first goal was to destroy one, or better yet both of these trees. Without them, the Tyrant would most likely lose the ability to control its bone soldiers, as well as access to its most terrifying powers.


    But... it was more easily said than done.


    And Sunny currently had other things to worry about, because the centipede was going directly for him.


    Ignoring the squall of bullets and the rain of arrow, it rose from the river like a mountain of skulls and lunged straight at him, the giant maw opening like an abyssal gate.


    Sunny blinked.


    It was really quite astonishing to see.


    Sunny shifted a little.


    ''Time for me to enter the fray as well, I guess.''


    He had to act restrained in this battle... however, that did not mean that he couldn''t do anything.


    More and more bone fiends were crawling out of the river, and the Skull Centipede itself had already recovered from Effie''s devastating blow. It was lunging forward once again, this time aiming for the ironclad huntress.


    Sunny opened a leather satchel that hung on the silk cord tied around his waist, and took out a small, intricately engraved stone lantern. Then, he tossed it across the battlefield, aiming for the line where the shore met the cold water.


    As soon as the Shadow Lantern landed, it was as though all light was devoured from the wide area around it. Many bone abominations entered the sphere of darkness... however, none of them emerged again, as if swallowed by the shadows.


    Well, of course they didn''t. After all, out there in the darkness, unseen, Saint was already waiting for them with the Sin of Solace in her hand.


    After unleashing her on the battlefield, Sunny concentrated on using Shadow Manifestation to reduce pressure on the soldiers. He tried not to destroy any of the bone abominations himself, maiming and suppressing them instead.


    Despite his efforts, however, a generous stream of shadow fragments poured into his soul, threatening to render him defenseless too soon.


    Sunny frowned, then looked in the direction where Effie was trying to distract the Skull Centipede and prevent it from reaching the trenches. She was holding the Tyrant at bay, barely... for now...


    A dark grimace appeared on his face.


    ''It''s all up to Kai, then.''

 Chapter 1089: Falling Star

    Effie was having a hard time standing her ground against the giant centipede... in fact, she was barely holding on. Even though a furious barrage of bullets, enchanted arrows, and magical projectiles was raining on the ghastly carapace of skulls, the abomination did not seem slowed down at all. Its massive body moved with dire speed, thousands of scythe-like legs tearing up the ground with each motion.


    The difference in size between the Tyrant and the fearless huntress was just too big. Effie''s only saving grace was that her body, despite being hundreds of times smaller than that of the ghastly centipede, seemed to contain truly astounding strength.


    She was incredibly swift and agile, as well, dashing around with stunning speed to dodge the crushing blows of the monstrous creature. Above everything else, the huntress was all but invulnerable - her innate resilience was reinforced by two Aspect Abilities, and then strengthened by a Transcendent armor on top of that.


    She had received several glancing blows from the abomination, which would have turned almost any other Master into a broken corpse. Effie, however, was able to shake them off and continue to fight.


    ...Of course, there was no such thing as true invulnerability. The huntress was fine for now, but she was still dancing with death.


    The round shield she wielded possessed an enchantment called [Indomitable], which functioned similar to Sunny''s own [Feather of Truth] and allowed Effie to change its weight at will. Her spear was not able to deal serious wounds to the Tyrant, but its strikes must have stung - Sunny saw the creature recoiling after the huntress managed to land a solid blow.


    ...All that allowed Raised by Wolves to tie down the Skull Centipede, at least for a short while.The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    However, it did not mean that she would win.


    It took all Effie had to simply match the menace of the Corrupted Tyrant''s massive body - all her Abilities, all her skill, and all her powerful Memories - while the abomination had not revealed any of its powers yet.


    Once it did, the situation would inevitably change.


    And that moment... had already come.


    As Sunny watched, Effie managed to push the centipede back once again. The shockwave of the impact threw her back, as well - the huntress slid through the dirt, leaving two grooves in it. Her spear shot down, piercing the ground and bringing her to a sudden stop.


    A moment later, she was already lunging forward, ready to deliver another strike... however, the Tyrant seemed to be fed up with their furious clash.


    The Skull Centipede raised its appalling head, the branches of the dead trees growing from the carapace of skulls swinging in the wind. Sunny''s eyes widened slightly as he felt a sudden chill run down his spine.


    Sunny let out a relieved sigh.


    ''It worked...''


    The Tyrant opened its maw, letting out a blood-chilling screech.


    The bone fiends trembled, becoming disorganized and somewhat sluggish.


    The soldiers roared with dark glee, invigorated by the sight of the giant creature losing one of its horns.


    Effie was already advancing, her spear ready to strike.


    Kai had managed to regain his balance and pushed himself off the surface of the water, shooting back into the sky and summoning his bow.


    A black arrow suddenly shot out of the cloud of darkness surrounding the Shadow Lantern. Empowered by Saint''s Transcended strength and the [Death Dealer] enchantment, the arrow struck the neck of the Tyrant with harrowing force, annihilating layers of skulls and ripping a huge chunk of flesh out of it.


    ...However, Sunny did not pay any of it much attention.


    Because right at that moment, the Spell whispered into his ear:


    [You have slain a Fallen Monster, Malignant Root''s Sapling.][Your shadow grows stronger.]


    Sunny froze, his face turning deathly pale.


    ''Here we go again...''


    The voice of the Spell grew louder.


    [...Your shadow is overflowing with power.]

 Chapter 1090 Tyrant

    [Your shadow is overflowing with power.][Your shadow is taking shape.][Your shadow...]


    Sunny did not have to summon the runes to know that he had finally accomplished his goal... after absorbing thousands of shadow fragments, his soul was ready to form a new Shadow Core.His fifth one. He was about to become a Tyrant.


    A conflicting mess of emotions rose in his heart. Of course, Sunny felt a sense of joy and triumph - his power was about to take a significant jump, after all. The bleak, dreadful months he had spent in Antarctica, enduring hardships and grisly defeats, made this moment possible. In a sense, this was his reward, and so, the invisible scars he had been left with were not for nothing.


    On the other hand, this boon came at a very unfortunate moment. In the past, Sunny had been mostly able to time his advancements in a way that allowed him to go through the process in relatively safe conditions. A battlefield where hundreds of Awakened were fighting against an army of Fallen Nightmare Creatures and a Corrupted Tyrant, however, was in no way safe.


    And on top of that... he had already gone through this ordeal three times. He knew how much it was going to hurt.


    ''Hell yes! And also... damn it!''


    Sunny glanced at the Skull Centipede, who was reeling from the dreadful blow dealt to it by Saint''s arrow. A huge chunk of flesh was missing from its neck, with bone dust and rivers of fetid blood spilling into the river. Effie was moments away from reaching the wounded abomination, her sculpted steel body glistening in the sunlight, and Kai was preparing to draw his bow.


    One of the dead trees had been destroyed, which was supposed to rob the Tyrant of its most terrible powers... however, the outcome of the fight was still far away from being set in stone. A Corrupted Tyrant was still a Corrupted Tyrant. Sunny felt that Effie, Kai, and Saint had a good chance of emerging victorious from that fight, but he couldn''t be sure.


    Jet and the Awakened soldiers were struggling to hold back the tide of bone fiends.


    Sadly, for now, there was nothing much Sunny could do to help them.


    The rest of the battle was up to others to win.


    As a hint of terrible pain appeared in his soul, Sunny hurriedly jumped backwards, hiding between two mounds of dug-up dirt. Two figures emerged from his shadow - one was a fearsome black stallion, the other a scrawny little imp.


    He gritted his teeth and looked at his Shadows.


    "Protect me."


    Then, Sunny lingered for a moment and threw a glance at Nightmare. A cold smile appeared on his lips.


    "Oh, and if the little bastard does something stupid... you have my permission to eat him, Nightmare."


    The dark destrier snorted in calm agreement, while the imp stared at him with shocked outrage and fear.


    And, mercifully, the pain ended.


    He inhaled deeply, trembling.


    He felt... stronger.


    His body had become stronger. His reserves of essence had grown the most, by far.


    Most importantly, he was now in possession of the fifth shadow.


    And... he was a Tyrant.


    ''A Tyrant.''


    Sunny exhaled.


    A complicated emotion grasped his heart.


    Finally, after years of struggling and chasing after something that often seemed unreachable, he had caught up with Nephis. Sure, she was still ahead of him by a sizable amount of fragments... but they were of the same Class now. They were both Ascended Tyrants.


    Strangely enough, Sunny did not care too much.


    He had wanted desperately to be as strong as Changing Star once. There had been a lot of reasons for him to harbor that desire, some better, some worse. And now that he had reached that goal...


    Sunny knew that his former understanding of what real strength was had been terribly misguided. And so, he did not really care.


    Still... it felt nice, to be equal to her on paper. Even if what was written in shimmering runes was not that important.


    ''Now... for the important stuff.''


    Sunny shifted, turning his head to observe the battlefield.


    There was another Tyrant nearby, and that Tyrant posed a threat to his friends and the soldiers... so, the creature had to be dealt with.

 Chapter 1091: Fifth Shadow

    Sunny was still reeling from having his soul torn apart, then sewn back together. However, the battle was raging, so he had no time to recover in peace... that was fine. He was long used to fighting in the most dire conditions, anyway.


    It took him only a moment to assess the situation. It seemed that he had been out of it for quite some time. The battlefield was ravaged and upturned, with the river itself slightly changing course. Its water, which had been clear once, now seemed muddy and noxious. Effie and Kai were still fighting the ghastly centipede in the shallows, with Saint supporting them from the darkness. The three seemed to be doing fine.


    The soldiers, however, were straining to hold their ground. The slope of the river shore was littered with shattered bones, and hundreds of the Tyrant''s abominable minions had already been destroyed. But there were hundreds more, and now that Saint was busy turning the Skull Centipede into a pincushion and weighing it down with the help of the [Burden of Peace] enchantment of Morgan''s Warbow, there was no one to serve as the wave breaker against their tide.New n0vel chapters are published on


    There was only Jet. Soul Reaper moved like the beautiful visage of death among the bone fiends, erasing one after another from existence, but she was just one woman. No matter how fast and lethal, she couldn''t be in several places at the same time.


    Sunny hesitated, trying to make a decision. His instinct was to go for the biggest threat, personally removing it from the equation. However, the Tyrant was still strong and ferocious. Even without most of its powers, the centipede was putting up a dreadful fight. It was hard to say how long it would take to bring it down. The soldiers, meanwhile, would continue to suffer under the onslaught of the bone fiends until it did.


    So what was he supposed to do? Follow his habits and race to kill the Tyrant, or act against instinct and put his trust in Effie and Kai, concentrating on reinforcing the ordinary soldiers instead?


    Sunny sighed. ''Instincts are great. But humans rose above beasts for a and thanks to reason."


    In the end, no matter how unnatural it felt, he could do no better than to follow the plan. The role he had been assigned was to lure the Tyrant to the ambush, and then put obstacles in the path of the bone army to make it easier on the Awakened and the mundane soldiers.


    So... Sunny was going to put himself between the abominations and the humans.


    Before lunging into the fray, he dismissed Nightmare and the little imp. They had already done their job by guarding him - throwing the two into the mass of Fallen enemies would do more harm than good.


    Shadows surged forward. In the next moment, the sound of breaking bones rolled over the battlefield.


    In the end, it was Kai who brought down the Skull Centipede. Saint had debilitated and slowed it down with her arrows, which gave Effie an opportunity to deliver a devastating blow to the creature''s head, cracking its skull.


    Of course, that alone would have never killed a Corrupted Tyrant. However, it did give Kai a chance to deal a fatal strike to the ghastly abomination.


    Flying across the sky, he positioned himself above the centipede and drew his bow. This time, an arrow of incinerating flame appeared on its string. The heat of the arrow was so dreadful that it seemed as if the world itself was melting around it.


    Luckily, Kai was protected by the armor made from the scales of a dragon. Unaffected by the immolating heat, he let the fiery arrow loose. It flew down like a streak of light, entering the creature''s skull through the thin crack.


    Then, a dreadful explosion illuminated the Tyrant''s head from the inside. Tongues of flames and streams of smoke shot from its mouth, from the pit where the broken tree had been, and from the empty eyes of the countless skulls.


    The centipede''s own indestructible, giant skull seemed as if it was going to burst open, for a moment. But in the end, it didn''t. Trailing smoke and fire from its head, the creature swayed, and then heavily crashed to the ground.


    The Skull Centipede was dead.


    With the Tyrant gone, its minions lost all remaining cohesion. Effie, Kai, and Saint were also freed to attack them from behind. Caught between them and the main body of the expedition force, the bone army swiftly dwindled.


    It wasn''t long before it was completely annihilated.


    Looking at the battlefield, which was covered in broken bones, Sunny took a deep breath. ''I can''t believe it. A plan actually worked. I think that''s a first...''

 Chapter 1092: Expeditious Retreat

    The battle was over, but the soldiers had no time to relax and celebrate their victory. They did not even have time to collect the soul shards and other spoils from the army of slain abominations. Instead, as soon as the fighting ended, everyone got busy preparing for an immediate retreat.


    That was the nature of the war in Antarctica. No matter what terrible foe you defeated, a dozen more were just beyond the horizon. They were in enemy territory. The ferocious battle against the Skull Centipede had not taken a lot of time, but it had created a lot of noise.


    Already, several hordes of Nightmare Creatures were flowing across the plain, converging on the location where the battle had taken place. Unless the expedition force wanted to drown in an endless flood of abominations, it needed to disappear as soon as possible.


    Sunny, Jet, Effie, and Kai were gathered in front of the Skull Centipede''s massive corpse, careful to steer clear of the water. They did not know what the poison was exactly, but the river was visibly tainted. Even in death, the Corrupted Tyrant continued to spread death and destruction.


    They had just retrieved the five Transcendent soul shards from the ghastly carcass - that was the extent of the trophies the expedition force was going to carry back with it. The huntress looked at the hundreds of dead abominations laying on the ground and sighed.


    "Damn, what a pity. That would be enough for an entire cohort of Sleepers to saturate their cores."


    Sunny felt a bit regretful, too. The monetary value of all these shards would have been astronomical... granted, now that the Chain of Nightmare had flooded the waking world with abominations, the price of shards was not what it had been before. He knew it from his occasional correspondence with Aiko.


    He shook his head. "That might be true, but what''s the use of having all these shards if we die before reaching a siege capital?"


    Kai nodded. "Indeed. We have already reaped the main benefit - preventing the Tyrant from growing stronger and reaching one of the human settlements. Our casualties were light, too... that''s a win in my book. Anything else is irrelevant."


    Sunny knew that his friend was right. But, nevertheless, he could not help but sigh with regret. At least his luck had been good, granting him several Ascended Memories. None seemed particularly useful, so he promptly fed them to Nightmare. That was already a good result for one day.


    After a short pause, Sunny said: "In any case... good job, everyone. That went much smoother than I thought it would. Especially you, Kai - that was an insane shot!"


    Sunny knew a thing or two about archery. Shooting an arrow through a thin crack in the skull of a moving target, while flying at high speed... that was one for the books. The charming archer had been the one to destroy the skeletal trees, as well.


    Kai smiled shyly. "Thank you. Ah... to be honest, I can''t quite believe it. I never thought that I would kill a Corrupted Tyrant one day."


    His green eyes turned slightly wistful, as if he was recalling the past. Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "...What on Earth are you talking about? Can''t believe it? Says the guy who jumped into the mouth of a dragon to kill it!"


    Kai coughed, while Jet glanced at him and raised an eyebrow. "A dragon? What kind of a dragon are we talking about?"


    "Of course it matters! Do you think that I don''t know how pampered you are by your soldiers? That guy... ah, it''s really unfair! He has a fan club even in the army. They bring him all kinds of little gifts, including snacks. And sweets! So... I think we need to celebrate, and I think you''re treating."


    Kai looked away in embarrassment.


    "That... those aren''t gifts! People are just concerned about their commander. I can''t really refuse, either... they become sad if I do..."


    Sunny grinned.


    "Uh-huh. Whatever you say..."


    The archer shook his head.


    "Alright. Then we will ride in my APC. We can work on compiling a report for Army Command in the process, too..."


    With nothing more to discuss, they hurried to leave the scene of the battle. Riding a personnel carrier at the head of a column of soldiers made Sunny remember the cold, dark days in the Antarctic Center... granted, Kai''s APC was a little shabby when compared to the robust, beautiful Rhino.


    Still, it got the job done, and the charming archer really had some delicious stuff squirreled away in the nooks and crannies of the heavy machine.


    The expedition force left the ravaged river shore behind and rushed across the plain, escaping the approaching mass of Nightmare Creatures. They masterfully navigated the landscape, avoiding the wandering swarms and keeping out of sight as well as they could.


    The column had to fight off a few packs of abominations, but these skirmishes were too inconsequential to pay them any attention. Things like that were unavoidable when a large force traveled across Antarctica.


    Everything was going well.


    But, of course... it had not gone well for long.


    At some point, the loud sound of an emergency message rolled through the interior of the APC.


    Sunny looked up and turned to the communication terminal, frowning.


    As soon as the damned thing lit up, he knew that something had gone really, really wrong.

 Chapter 1093: Perfect Moment

    The APC was a little cramped, but the four Masters were able to make themselves comfortable. They were sitting on empty ammunition crates, enjoying some of the snacks Kai had presented them with. The mood in the interior of the armored vehicle was surprisingly relaxed, and the Awakened crew under the archer''s command were respectfully giving them some space.


    Effie was talking: "...wait, wait, wait. What? That is hilarious!" The conversation had taken a random turn, leading to Kai sharing the details of how he and Sunny first met. At the time, one of them had been imprisoned in a deep well, while the other had gone more than a little feral after living alone in the Dark City.New n0vel chapters are published on


    The huntress knew what had happened in broad strokes, but this was her first time hearing the full story. She couldn''t stop laughing. "I can just imagine it..." Effie wiped her eyes, then glanced at Jet and asked with curiosity: "What about you, Colonel? How did you become Sunny''s fairy godmother?"


    Soul Reaper smiled, leaning back with a can of a refreshing beverage in her hand. "...What''s a fairy grandmother? Is it some kind of Nightmare Creature?" Effie stared at her for a few moments, then shook her head despondently. "What''s a fairy go... damn. They really are two peas in the same pod..."


    Jet chuckled. "I guess not. Well, there''s not much of a story. I''ve been assigned to hold vigil over an Aspirant, and that Aspirant turned out to be Sunny. It''s rare for us kids from the outskirts to survive the First Nightmare, so I kept in touch."


    Sunny let out a relieved sigh when he realized that she wasn''t going to describe the exact moment he had woken up... and what transpired right after. There was no need to give Effie more ammunition! If Jet spilled the beans, he would never hear the end of it...


    He opened his mouth to change the topic, but at that moment, the sound of an urgent message resounded in the interior of the APC. Sunny did not like that sound at all. Looking up at the communication terminal, he frowned. Almost at the same time, his own comm vibrated, receiving a message as well.


    As Kai rose to access the terminal, the other three checked their comms. The messages Sunny and Jet had received were probably a little different, since the Special Reconnaissance Unit was privy to more information... but the gist of it was the same. "Damnation."


    Sunny glanced at his friends, reading the same somber tension on their faces. The Chain of Nightmares... had just gone into another period of rapid escalation. Dozens of Gates had opened across East Antarctica at the same time, and the initial readings showed that most, if not all of them, were of the Third Category.


    Kai turned to them and forced out a smile. "Sunny, Ascended Jet... we will have to trouble you with helping us navigate the wilderness, as well as provide help to our scouts. I hope you don''t mind. If everything goes well, we''ll be behind walls in three days."


    Sunny looked around. "Why would we mind? This is like a luxury hotel... I haven''t been fed this much delicious stuff in a while." A small smile appeared on his face. Kai nodded. "Great! Then, please excuse me. I''ll go arrange for the column to change course."


    He went back to the communication terminal, leaving the three of them alone. Sunny sighed, the smile disappearing from his face. ''This is it, then. A perfect moment...''


    Two days passed in a tense, but manageable atmosphere. The expedition force was persisting in its march, traversing the great plains of East Antarctica with acceptable speed. The skirmishes they fought increased in frequency and ferocity, but with Sunny''s shadows scouting out the way, they were able to escape major battles.


    The rest of the continent was not doing as well. East Antarctica was in turmoil, with the assaults on the siege capitals growing more dreadful every day. The Evacuation Army was holding, for now, but the future seemed grim. At the same time, the Saints had united to face the rampaging titans. Their battle had lasted for several ruinous hours, and ended in a bitter draw.


    Two of the titans perished, but the Transcendents had to retreat, each sustaining heavy wounds. Several more creatures remained, including one confirmed Corrupted Titan. For now, none of them was actively moving toward the siege capitals. But it was only a matter of time.


    ''Bad... this smells really bad.'' Sunny was at the back of Kai''s APC, sitting on a crate with his eyes closed. His shadows were out scouting, and Jet was sleeping on a neighboring crate, using a military coat as a blanket.


    Suddenly, her communicator produced a melodic sound. Since it was not a notification from Army Command, Sunny paid it no attention. Soul Reaper, however, sat up, yawned, and glanced at the message with a sullen expression. She remained silent for a few moments, then grimaced and showed him the screen of the communicator.


    Sunny opened his eyes and read the title of a government propaganda article attached to the message. His eyes turned a little darker. The title read: "The Great Legacy Clans announce full support for the Southern Quadrant evacuation effort! In humanity''s hour of need, its greatest warriors are rising against the forces of the Nightmare Spell. The best of Bastion and Ravenheart are already en route to reinforce the valiant soldiers of the Evacuation Army..."

 Chapter 1094 Wake Of Ruin

    Updated from


    Sunny remained silent for a long time, then leaned back with a sigh. His thoughts were dark and heavy. Deep in his heart, an ember of anger smoldered, divorced from all reason, pushing him to do dangerous and short-decided things. It was almost as if the Sin of Solace was whispering into his ears.


    ''Kill them all... how hard would it be to simply kill them all?'' Probably not much easier than slaying the Winter Beast, and with much more dire consequences.


    Shaking his head, he looked at Jet. They had never spoken about it directly, but she definitely knew the real reason why the great clans were coming to Antarctica. After all, Soul Reaper had a much more extensive information network... she was deeply embedded into the hierarchy of the government, and had a personal connection to some of its leaders.


    Of course, the government was only a second-rate player in the grand scheme of things. Still, they played an important role, and as such, had access to a lot of secrets. He lingered for a few moments.


    "...What do you think will happen now?"


    Jet covered her mouth with a hand, yawned, and then smiled. "Right now? Well... let me think. I guess the first thing that will happen is that I am going to receive a message from the old man." Just as she finished the sentence, her communicator lit up, displaying a new notification. Soul Reaper chuckled quietly, then concentrated on the screen of the military-issue device.


    "See... it''s a curse, to always be right. Give me a minute."


    Sunny waited for her to finish reading the important message... and it was important indeed.


    The old man Jet had mentioned was none other than Saint Cor, the Wake of Ruin, one of the two government Transcendents. Sunny had met him briefly after coming to East Antarctica, and the man definitely left an impression.


    Wake of Ruin was a tall, gaunt man in his late fifties. Although his skin was showing signs of aging, his hair still remained perfectly black, like the feathers of a raven. The Saint had sharp features, a piercing gaze, and a stern demeanor, acting like a person who was used to both wielding power and bearing responsibility.


    Wherever he went, a slightly sweet, sickening scent followed. Sunny was intimately familiar with that scent - it reminded him of the smell of the battlefield. Or rather, of what remained after the battle was over.


    Those women from the great clan Song - Ki Song''s adopted daughters - were all a bit scary, though.


    ''Well, there''s Mordret, as well...''


    The naughty shadow gave him a sly glance, making Sunny blink a couple of times.


    ''What? What the hell are you on about?! I didn''t mean it that way! I was talking about befriending the bastard, not seducing him!''


    The shadow tilted its head. If it had a face, there would have been an innocent smile on its lips, and sparks of dubious sincerity in its eyes. Sunny gritted his teeth.


    ''Damnation... I''ve only known you for a couple of days, but I am already starting to regret it. What is wrong with you, miscreant? Look at the other guys! None of them were ever problematic!''


    To prove his point, Sunny gestured at the other shadows, who stared at him in response.


    The gloomy shadow crossed its arms, as if trying to say... "Who are you pointing at, you idiot?"


    The happy shadow nodded energetically, expressing something like "Of course! We would never cause problems for our Master! Master, you''re the best!" with all its being.


    The creepy shadow was staring at him with its usual creepy inexpressiveness, but its thoughts were easy to guess... it had to be something like "I wonder what it would feel like to slice the new guy open. What do his insides look like? What is the texture? Hmm... do shadows have insides? I want to know..."


    The haughty shadows wore their usual arrogant look, radiating the "Keep me out of this plebeian conversation, peasant" feeling with their disdainful pose.


    ...The naughty shadow glanced at Sunny with amusement.


    Sunny sighed.


    ''Alright. Point taken...''

 Chapter 1095: High Praise

    Eventually, Jet put away her communicator and stared into the distance for a few moments, thinking. Then, she turned to Sunny. He asked: "...So, what''s the word?"


    Soul Reaper had a contemplative look on her face. "The good news is that we''re getting reinforcements. Both Valor and Song are sending strong contingents. Two Saints each, a handful of Masters, and a supporting retinue of hundreds of Awakened. All of them the absolute elites of the Legacy clans, of course - some direct descendants, some loyal retainers. You can imagine how powerful of a force that is."


    Sunny nodded. Despite his animosity toward the Great Clans, and those Legacies that served them, even he had to admit that these people had not ended up in the position of highest power by accident. Legacies were born and bred to be perfect warriors, and in that pursuit, they were ruthless both to their enemies and to themselves.


    An Awakened from a Legacy clan was worth their weight in soul shards on the battlefield... it was only when compared to the survivors of the Forgotten Shore that they did not seem that exceptional. But the former Dreamers of the Dark City were an abnormality themselves. Hundreds of Legacy Awakened could achieve a lot in East Antarctica.


    But whatever they could do paled in comparison to the arrival of four more Saints. That was the real game-changer, more than doubling the number of Transcendents present in the Southern Quadrant in one swoop.


    With seven Saints leading the charge, the position of the Evacuation Army would be tremendously bolstered.


    ...That was if the newcomers had any intention of helping the evacuation effort along, and not just thwarting it.


    He looked at Jet with a gloomy expression. "What''s the bad news, then?"New n0vel chapters are published on


    She shrugged. "Well... you know. The great clans have their own plans. They are going to have to keep up appearances, at least, but who knows what they really have in mind?"


    Sunny remained silent for a while, then nodded slowly. "And what is the government going to do about it?"


    Jet laughed. "You really think they would send such information in a message? I mean... the military network is supposed to be protected, but come on."


    He thought about it, then shook his head. Soul Reaper chuckled. "In any case, we''ll know more soon. I''ve been informed that the Legacy forces will be arriving in two batches. The second one is already sailing across the ocean, carrying most of them... two separate naval convoys, of course. Otherwise, gods know what would happen."


    Soul Reaper grinned. "Ah, it''s probably both. But, anyway, that''s for the future... we have to get to the siege capital first. And with how things are going, that might be a bit of a problem."


    Sunny grew serious. Jet was right... for the past two days, things went more or less well for the expedition force. But the last day was bound to be the most difficult, because they were leaving the wilderness and approaching the area surrounding a human settlement.


    By nature of the Chain of Nightmares, these areas were the most dangerous on the continent. A constant stream of abominations was flowing toward the siege capitals to lay assault their walls, and the closer one got to a city, the higher the concentration of Nightmare Creatures was. Fighting a pitched battle was inevitable if the expedition force wanted to reach the gates of the human stronghold.


    "Yeah. Let''s make sure that everything goes smoothly first. We can worry about Legacies later."


    The immediate task might now have been as grandiose, but it was a priority right now.


    Jet had given up on sleep, and Sunny felt sufficiently rested. They left their corner of the APC and joined Kai on its roof. The archer was alone, quietly studying a bow made of dark, ashen wood. The weapon radiated an eerie aura of nebulous power, alienation, and lethality.


    "What a dreadful thing..."


    Sunny waved at him. "New Memory?"


    Kai looked away from the bow and forced out a smile. "Yeah. I received it for slaying the Malignant Grave Root. It''s a... a daunting bow to use, to be honest."


    Sunny wanted to ask to take a look at the ashen bow, but at that moment, a loud roar resounded from somewhere up ahead, and Effie''s voice came in through their comms: "Ah, damn it... that swarm Sunny scouted an hour ago? They''re coming sooner than we expected! Get ready!"


    Sunny, Jet, and Kai glanced at each other, then sighed, summoning their best Memories.


    The last day, indeed, was promising to be really troublesome.

 Chapter 1096: Murder of Crows

    They defeated the swarm. However, the smell of the blood attracted a migrating horde, so the expedition force had to fight their way through the flood of Nightmare Creatures, as well.


    Eventually, the column broke free and escaped into the vast plain, but the peace was short-lived. Very soon, they had to fight another skirmish, which grew into another battle, which grew into an unending onslaught of enemies that threw themselves on the speeding vehicles without reprieve.


    The mundane soldiers fought admirably. Although not as experienced as the veterans of the First Army, these men and women had also tasted their fair share of bloodshed and strife. Everyone was calm and collected, performing their duties with deadly efficiency and poise. Their performance was immaculate, and their morale seemed unshakable.


    Was it because the Second Army had not lived through the same hopelessness as the soldiers in the Antarctic Center, or was it because Effie and Kai were able to inspire them better than Sunny had been able to inspire his soldiers? He was not sure. Regardless, the Wolves and the Nightsingers were a spirited bunch.


    The Awakened were as resolute as the mundanes. Although fewer in number, the impact they had on the battlefield was immeasurably higher. All kinds of Aspects worked in harmony to create an impenetrable death zone around the column. The abominations that managed to survive it were promptly dispatched by the melee fighters.


    ...And, of course, the influence of the four Masters was even greater still.


    Effie was serving as the vanguard of the expedition force, cutting a bloody path for the vehicles to follow. Her lustrous figure weaved through the mass abominations, leaving devastation in its wake. The bodies of the creatures she killed were left crumbled and broken, as if an invisible colossus had crushed them under its feet as it walked across the vast plain.


    The blows raining on her sculpted steel body, in turn, rang against metal without ever slowing her down.


    Kai was soaring high in the sky, observing the rolling battlefield in its entirety and taking out the most dangerous creatures before they could approach the column. His arrows seemed to have a mind of their own, unfailingly slipping through the tiniest cracks in the armor of the abominations. Usually, one arrow was all it took to bring even the most fearsome creature down.


    His secondary role was to protect the expedition force from the aerial attacks, and in that task, the archer performed admirably as well.


    ''Although... I''m not sure if I can keep this up much longer...''


    As the siege capital drew nearer, the onslaught of the Nightmare Creatures only grew more intense. Sunny was already struggling, and his reserves of essence were swiftly reducing.


    Something had to change.


    ...And soon, it did.


    He smelled it before he felt it. A sweet, sickening scent was suddenly carried over by the wind...


    Then, the battlefield was suddenly shrouded in a vast shadow. Sunny opened his eyes and looked up, at the thing that had blotted out the sun.


    Above them, a myriad of crows filled the sky. There were numerous thousands of them, all circling like a giant whirlwind of darkness. As he watched, the countless crows pivoted with eerie synchronicity, and dove down. Their black beaks and vicious talons emanated a sense of deadly sharpness.


    The myriad of crows... was Wake of Ruin.


    That was his Transformation. What came in the wake of a bloody battle?


    A swarm of carrion birds.


    The Saint had arrived to guide them into the city personally.

 Chapter 1097: Special Envoys

    Ever since coming to Antarctica, Sunny had been to so many underground strongholds and attended so many meetings in windowless rooms that all of them started to blend together. They all looked the same and felt the same. Even the people inside the rooms started to seem the same after a while.


    This time, however, he found himself in a stately and luxurious hall, which was a nice change of pace. The interior was tasteful, but lavish. The tall windows let in natural sunlight. The filtered air was cool, crisp, and fresh. What was there not to like?


    He was relaxing in a comfortable chair, idly waiting for Wake of Ruin to arrive. Jet was nearby, in a similarly laid-back pose. The Transcendent had summoned them immediately after the expedition force had reached the siege capital... and yet, he was running late.


    Neither of them minded. They had barely had time to wash the dirt of the road off themselves before coming to the spacious hall. After weeks spent in the wilderness of East Antarctica, every moment of leisurely peace was like a precious gift.


    Sunny was lazily thinking about the outcome of the latest battle. After the swarm of crows had descended on the Nightmare Creatures, hundreds of them were torn apart in an instant... and the slaughter did not stop until the column was safely behind the city walls. The sight of it was frightening and magnificent in equal measure.


    ''What a powerful Transformation...''


    Of course, he wouldn''t go so far as to say that Wake of Ruin''s transcendent form was more powerful than that of, for example, Saint Tyris. Rather, they were best suited for different tasks. The government Saint excelled in battles against large numbers of Nightmare Creatures or potent adversaries that did not possess a lot of physical defense.


    He was also extremely hard to kill, since that would require exterminating every single one of the myriad of crows... although there would probably be some repercussions for Saint Cor if the swarm sustained heavy losses.New n0vel chapters are published on


    Sky Tide, on the other hand, could deliver a much more dire punishment to a single powerful enemy. Her ability to control wind and lightning also made her a more versatile and well-rounded Saint.


    Sunny tried to imagine what would happen if the two Transcendents clashed. The mental image of a giant thunderbird being swarmed by a vast whirlwind of black crows in the dark skies was... truly an awesome one. Who would win? He was not sure. Saint Tyris would be at a slight disadvantage due to being robbed of one of her trump cards, true. She often relied on aerial superiority to slay her foes...


    But then again, Saint Cormac had also been a flying beast. That had not prevented her from tearing off his wyvern head.


    Jet glanced at Sunny and smiled.


    "...You''re thinking about murder again, aren''t you?"


    He turned his head and gave her an impassive look.


    "Yes. Why?"


    Soul Reaper laughed.


    "No reason..."


    Sunny studied her with a contemplative expression. Come to think of it, her crow Echo was a strange one. Was there, perhaps, a connection between it and the Saint of carrion birds?


    He wanted to ask, but at that moment, the doors of the palatial hall opened, and Wake of Ruin himself walked in, looking as tall and gaunt as ever.


    A subtle scent of rot and slaughter followed the old man like an invisible mantle.


    ''...What?''


    Sunny stared.


    Just like that, they got a new job? Without even being asked?


    Jet cleared her throat. There were many questions burning in Sunny''s mind, but she asked the most important one:


    "Sorry, sir... but reassigned to where?"


    Saint Cor stared at her for a moment, then pointed to himself.


    "My personal retinue. That''s officially... unofficially, however, you''ll be acting as special envoys assigned to the Legacy forces. Each of you will be a contact person between the Evacuation Army and the Great Clans."


    Sunny suddenly hated how opulent and lavish the spacious hall was. He frowned.


    "With all due respect... sir... I get it why Ascended Jet might be considered a good candidate for such a position, but what do I have to do with any of it? Surely, you must know that my relationship with the Great Clans is a bit... rocky. That is nor even mentioning whether I want the job or not."


    He had spent six months hiding in the waking world to avoid the wrath of clan Valor, after all. Had the old Saint gone senile or what?


    Wake of Ruin turned his heavy gaze back to Sunny and calmly raised an eyebrow.


    "On the contrary, I think that you are the best person for the job, Ascended Sunless. You are quite close to one of the leaders of the Valor delegation, no?"


    Sunny tilted his head a little.


    "That depends on who that leader is, I guess."


    Saint Cor smiled slightly.


    ...The smile made his gaunt, pale face look even more unnerving.


    The old man glanced at an antiquated wristwatch adorning his hand and then said, his voice sounding cold and aloof:


    "Why, it''s young Lady Nephis of Valor, the Changing Star... of course."


    He looked away from the watch and added matter-of-factly:


    "She''ll be arriving alongside Valor''s other emissaries soon. Actually... I think they''ll be there in a few minutes."


    Sunny''s eyes widened.

 Chapter 1098: Appaling Curse

    ''I certainly knew that Neph was coming to Antarctica, but why is Wake of Ruin calling her one of the lea... huh? What? In a few minutes?!''


    Sunny stared at the veteran Saint, dumbfounded. He had been anticipating meeting Neph again for a long time, but now that it was mere minutes away, his thoughts were in disarray.


    ''Did she check out my runes recently? Does she know that I''m a Tyrant now, too? Wait, no... why do I care if she knows or not? I shouldn''t!''


    Jet seemed a little surprised, too.


    "Weren''t they supposed to arrive in a couple of days?"


    Saint Cor shrugged.New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    "They were. But with Tyris receiving some free time due to the three of us being beaten black and blue in the last battle, the schedule has been moved up. Ascended Sunless and you arrived just in time."


    Sunny tried to digest the information. He knew that the Legacy reinforcements would be coming in two waves. The second one consisted of the bulk of their forces, traveling by sea, while the first one was supposed to be the vanguard and consisted of just a few people. They were going to travel to Antarctica through the Dream Realm.


    The process was both simple and complicated. They needed a Saint who had already established a tether in the Southern Quadrant... in this case, Saint Tyris. The members of the vanguard had to either already be anchored in the same Citadel as she or be brought there by a different Transcendent.


    Then, Sky Tide would be able to bring them with her to the waking world, thus transporting the necessary people to Antarctica.


    The vanguard had to be small because Saints were limited in how many living creatures they could carry with them between the two worlds - just like Masters were limited in how much inanimate weight they could bring. Usually, a Saint could only transport one or two people at a time, and that consumed a fair amount of essence.


    Coming to a sudden realization, Sunny looked around. He was starting to understand why such a lavish place was chosen for their impromptu meeting.


    The opulence of the grand hall was not for the benefit of two Ascended... Wake of Ruin was rolling out the red carpet for the powerhouses of the great clans.


    He looked at the old man, thinking. Saint Cor smiled.


    "I''m starting to suspect that you are not of a very high opinion about the Great Legacy Clans, young man."


    Saint Cor nodded.


    "It''s not your fault, of course. One hand to be there and live through the worst of it to understand. You see, Ascended Sunless - and you too, Jet - people of your age were born in a stable world. It might be a cruel world, and a harsh world. But it is a stable one, nevertheless. Because it has been built that way by your predecessors. Many tend to look at the flaws of the world, but very few stop to question its foundations. And those foundations... why, they might have been better, but they could have also been so much worse."


    He leaned back in his chair, looking into the distance with a neutral expression.


    "The fact of the matter is that the Great Clans emerged from the chaos of the past... but they weren''t the only ones fighting for power and dominance back then. There were other clans, other forces, and people with entirely different ideas about what the world should become. The things they did... ah. It is a blessing, really, that those old monsters were buried in the past, and that the Great Clans ended up victorious. So... yes. You lack perspective."


    Sunny frowned.


    "Other forces? Different ideas? No offense, sir... but you have some nerve saying such things to two people who grew up in the outskirts. Others might now feel the same way, but we enjoyed the premium experience of living in this stable world you praise so much. I struggle to imagine what ideas could have been worse."


    Saint Cor looked at him coldly, then suddenly laughed. His laughter sounded like the caws of a hungry raven.


    "Ah. You are a direct person, Ascended Sunless. I like it."


    He looked at Sunny with his dark, harsh eyes, the hint of mirth that had appeared in them for a moment dissipating without a trace. The gaunt old man shook his head.


    "But you should make an effort to imagine it. A dying world ravaged by war. People who had all but forgotten how to be proper humans. And then, an even bigger disaster... but one that presented a great opportunity. An opportunity for some of them to become unimaginably powerful, unmistakably superior. Entirely unrestrained, and all but unstoppable, free to make whatever they wanted from this new era. Freedom, young man... freedom can be the most appalling curse in the world, if it falls into the wrong hands. It is a terrifying thing."


    Wake of Ruin grew silent for a few moments, and then smiled sarcastically.


    "...Here I go rambling again. Jet, you should have stopped me. In any case, our guests should be arriving any second now - the emissaries of Valor will come first, and the emissaries of Song will follow in a few hours. Help me welcome them, you two."


    He paused, then looked at Sunny and added in a neutral tone:


    "For better or worse, the Great Clans are all we have now. We''ll need their help to see this operation through, so... keep that in mind, young man."


    Sunny lingered for a bit, then reluctantly nodded. ''I can play nice... or at least pretend to play nice. We''ll see how it goes.''

 Chapter 1099: Vanguard

    Before Sunny could answer, the atmosphere in the lavish hall seemed to change slightly. It was as though a wave of invisible energy rolled through it, making the air feel colder and sharper. Wake of Ruin sighed and turned around, looking at the empty space in the middle of the spacious chamber.


    It had been empty before, but now, four people were standing on the lacquered floor, surrounded by the scent of the Dream Realm. For a moment, it felt as though they were simply a memory of a forgotten nightmare. But then, the feeling disappeared, and they were simply... there.


    It was not often that Sunny saw Saints enter the waking world, and he had to admit that it was an eerie thing to witness. Were Awakened and mundane people as startled when he suddenly appeared out of thin air in front of them?


    That idle thought streaked across his mind and disappeared without a trace when Sunny realized who exactly he was looking at. His eyes widened slightly.


    Four people... and, by coincidence, he knew each of them.


    The first one was Sky Tide. The Saint of the White Feather clan appeared as she always did - tall, slender, with a posture like that of an arrow. She wore a light armor of lustrous steel, and her hair fell like a cascade of pale gold. Tyris looked austere and beautiful, but also slightly inhuman because of her strange amber eyes and vertical pupils.


    She stood apart from the other three, who all wore intricate suits of lusterless black armor.


    The first of the three immediately attracted Sunny''s gaze. His heart moved slightly... Nephis looked different in the colors of house Valor. The black armor created a striking contrast against her ivory skin, silver hair, and cool grey eyes. She looked like a beautiful dark spirit that took the form of a deadly knight to sow the seeds of discord and ruin in the mortal world.


    The second person was Morgan of Valor. Every time Sunny saw her, he was unnerved by how much she resembled her older brother... however, although Morgan and Mordret looked very much like reflections of each other, her demeanor was entirely different.


    Morgan had black wavy hair and alabaster skin. Her suit of armor was adorned by a vermilion cape, which was the same vibrant color as her vivid scarlet eyes. Her entire being radiated the feeling of lethal sharpness, as if she was a living blade.


    However... it was the third person that made Sunny''s eyes widen in guarded shock.


    He was a tall and severe man, with sharp facial features and even sharper eyes. His hair was black as Morgan''s - in fact, there was a lot of familiar likeness between them - and touched by silver at the temples. His strong figure radiated an almost palpable feeling of authority and pressure, and his steely blue eyes were calm and piercing. The armor he wore was simpler than that of the other two, as though the man did not need its protection.


    A deep frown appeared on Sunny''s face.


    ''Saint Madoc?! What the hell is he doing here?''


    Indeed, the man was none other than Saint Madoc, the Whispering Blade... brother of Anvil and the nominal leader of the great clan Valor.


    Her voice was calm and indifferent:


    "You are mistaken, Saint Cor. Clan Valor takes this matter extremely seriously. Which is why I have been entrusted with considerable power and authority."


    Wake of Ruin sighed.


    "Forgive this old man for being frank, Lady Morgan... but what kind of authority can a mere Ascended wield? I have half a dozen titans wandering the continent, and twenty-seven cities to protect. What can you actually do to alleviate my problems?"


    Morgan shrugged silently, and then took a step back. Madoc, Tyris, and Nephis remained motionless as a whirlwind of sparks suddenly filled the spacious hall.


    ''What the...''


    As Sunny watched, an Echo manifested from the hurricane of sparks... and then another, and then another. Three, six, twelve, fifteen... a few moments later, the large hall suddenly did not seem as large anymore.


    Fifteen harrowing Nightmare Creatures filled it, each giving off a sense of vast and dreadful power.


    Sunny stared, suddenly feeling cold.


    ''Transcendent... they are all Transcended Echoes.''


    How many thousands of Corrupted Nightmare Creature had to be slaughtered to produce these Echoes?


    The weakest of them was a Transcendent Demon, while the most powerful was a Transcendent Tyrant. And that was only what Morgan had chosen to show... who knew what she kept hidden?


    The Princess of War smiled politely as she looked at Wake of Ruin.


    "...These are my credentials. Are you satisfied, Transcendent Cor?"


    Erdiul''s Notes: 1 more later, might be delayed cuz I''m playing Path of exile new league.

 Chapter 1100: Accumulation

    Fifteen Transcendent Echoes, most of them Devils...


    Sunny simply stared, mentally recalculating the threat level of the Valor force... and of the great clans in general.


    ''I knew, of course, that the hidden power of the Sovereigns is vast. But it seems that I''ve been concentrating on their personal might too much... mostly because it is both mysterious and phenomenal. However, there is the mundane power of accumulation as well. I''ve been a fool to neglect it.''


    To everyone else, a Corrupted abomination was a dreadful nightmare... even to Saints. Transcendents fought against the Corrupted and were more than capable of slaying them, but every such fight was a risk, especially against the creatures of higher Classes.


    The Supremes, however, were equal to the Great Nightmare Creatures. Sunny had been under the impression that the Sovereigns mostly stayed within the confines of their Domains, but maybe he was not entirely right. Someone like Anvil or Ki Song could slaughter Corrupted abominations with the same ease he could butcher Awakened creatures.


    It only made sense that they had accumulated a legion of powerful Echoes over the decades, including scores of Transcendent ones.


    Sunny suddenly broke out in a cold sweat.


    ''...Hell. Who says that Transcendent Echoes are the limit?''


    Since the Sovereigns could fight on equal footing with Great Nightmare Creatures... then didn''t it mean that they could possess Supreme Echoes, as well?


    To this day, Sunny had only seen two Great abominations. One was the unborn spawn of the Vile Thieving Bird, and the other - most likely - was the dark sea of the Forgotten Shore. What would it look like if a creature like that was turned into an Echo?


    Was Morgan in possession of a Supreme Echo?


    Did she have an Echo of a Titan slumbering in her Soul Sea?


    He lingered for a moment, then glanced at Nephis, who stood in front of the army of monsters with an impassive expression on her calm, beautiful face.


    ''You want to destroy... this?''


    He closed his eyes for a moment.


    ''...Damn that lunatic. She must have infected me with her madness! Because... I really want to make these bastards pay, too...''


    At this point, it was hard to say whose madness was more virulent.


    Sunny shook his head, then looked at Wake of Ruin, who was staring at Morgan with an unreadable expression. Eventually, the old man said in an even voice:


    "Indeed. They''ll only be here in a few hours. Really, that makes things awkward for me... there is a lot we need to discuss regarding the current situation on the continent and your future role in keeping it in human hands. But what am I supposed to do? Repeat myself all over again when the Song vanguard arrives?"


    He shook his head with resignation.


    Sunny could just imagine that war meeting. Three sides discussing important matters of strategy, with everyone present perfectly aware of the fact that most of the gathered powerhouses were actually planning to kill each other, and with the few bystanders only wondering about how to make them kill each other in the most convenient way.


    All the while pretending not to know anything, of course.


    ''What a joke...''


    It was really funny. He barely held back laughter.


    At that moment, Saint Cor suddenly threw a glance toward Jet and Sunny.


    His grating voice resounded in the spacious hall:


    "...So, make yourself comfortable for the moment. We''ll convene when the other party arrives. These are two of my best people, by the way - Ascended Jet and Ascended Sunless. You all know Soul Reaper, so I won''t say anything. Young Master Sunless, however, has only earned his reputation recently. The soldiers are calling him the Devil of Antarctica, from what I hear."


    The veteran Saint chuckled.


    "A fitting nickname if I ever heard one. In any case, these two will be my envoys for your two Great Clans. Timeliness has to be rewarded, so... pick one. I''ll send the other to accompany the Song people."


    Both Sunny and Jet stared at him, not sure how to feel about being handled that way. It was as if they were livestock.


    A precious livestock, but still...


    ''What a rude bastard.''


    Sunny turned to look at the emissaries of Valor, frowning slightly.


    Morgan glanced at him, then studied Jet for a while.


    Eventually, she smiled.


    "Why, we''ll take Master Sunless. He''s my dear sister''s former companion, after all. I feel like we''re good friends already!"

 Chapter 1101 Strange Bedfellows

    Soon after, Sunny found himself in a very strange situation. He was left alone with three emissaries of the great clan Valor - Changing Star, Morgan, and Whispering Blade himself. Two of the most powerful people in the world were right there in front of him, speaking with each other casually. And, of course, Nephis was there too.


    The waiting room they had been led to was comfortable and spacious. Food and refreshments had been served by the staff members, and it seemed as if the four of them were having a friendly get-together back in NQSC. The only difference was that everyone was wearing armor... well, except for Sunny himself. Still, he fit right in with the members of clan Valor due to his black tunic.


    He sighed. ''Speak about strange bedfellows. That is what they call sleeping with the enemy, huh... wait. Neither of these sentences sounds right!'' Lamenting the poor sense of whoever had come up with these idioms, Sunny reached for a plate and loaded it with all kinds of food. Supplies were a sore point for the Evacuation Army, but Wake of Ruin must have decided to go all out today - there were a lot of things on the table that would have been almost impossible to procure anywhere in Antarctica, except maybe on the black market.New n0vel chapters are published on


    The pile of food attracted the attention of Morgan, who observed him for a few moments, and then raised an eyebrow. Her vermilion eyes had a hint of amusement in them. "...Are you very hungry, Master Sunless?" He glanced at her somberly, then shook his head.


    "Well, if you must know... I spent the last couple of weeks in the wilderness, scouting out the migration routes of a horde of Nightmare Creatures. Then, I had to lend a hand in a battle against a Corrupted Tyrant, and came to meet you pretty much immediately after that. But... no. I''m not that hungry." He leaned back and raised his heavy plate.


    "However, one of the first things Antarctica teaches you is to eat when you can. Who knows when I''ll have a chance to have a proper meal again?" Whispering Blade chuckled.


    "So... not too different from subjugating the Dream Realm, then. Morgan is a bit too young to remember, but back when human territory was actively expanding, it wasn''t rare for Awakened to spend years in hellish conquests of untamed regions. Good food was more precious than soul shards." The Saint looked at his niece with an outwardly benevolent expression and smiled.


    Sunny glanced at her over his plate and smiled. "I am not going to lie... I did regret that decision myself, a couple of times." Then, he shrugged and turned his attention back to the food. "However, what''s done is done. And hey, that''s fate for you. Despite everything, we are still going to end up fighting side by side." ''And maybe even against each other. When that happens, your regret will only grow.''


    Morgan nodded. When she spoke, her voice sounded a little cold: "Indeed. Life is truly unpredictable... the first time we met, it was because you had caused a certain person to escape his prison, and played a role in the death of one of Valor''s Saints. And now, we might be seeing that person very soon, and you are enjoying a meal with me. What a funny turn of events."


    Sunny looked at her for a few moments, then shook his head. "You''re right, it''s kind of funny. However, you are wrong if you think that we''ll see that guy. Knowing him, you won''t see him coming up until the moment he plunges a knife in your back." Whispering Blade''s face slowly grew dark. Looking at Sunny, he said in a neutral tone:


    "From your words, it''s hard to understand whether you despise that abomination or admire him, Ascended Sunless." Sunny laughed.


    "No matter how I feel about that guy... the point is, I would prefer to do it from a distance." Saint Madoc studied him for a moment, then nodded.


    "Wise." Hearing that, Morgan chuckled.


    "Indeed. Then, Master Sunless... let''s wait and see how good your luck is..."

 Chapter 1102 Opposing Forces

    After that, all casualness drained from Morgan''s voice. When she looked at Nephis, her face was just like it had been the moment she tore Sunny''s heart apart in the Dreamscape - cold and sharp, emanating a sense of lethal danger without her even trying to.


    "How much does he know?"


    Hearing that question, Neph shrugged slightly. Her answer was simple: "Enough."


    Morgan sighed, then smiled from the corner of her mouth. "I see. That makes it easier. I''ll speak comfortably, then."


    Sunny studied the two of them for a few moments, then asked with a bit of curiosity in his voice: "Really? Aren''t you concerned that I''ll report everything you say to Saint Cor?"New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Whispering Blade chuckled. He was mostly keeping silent before, but it was impossible to mistake him for a passive observer. Just by sitting there, the elder of clan Valor radiated a sense of overwhelming, domineering power. It was as though he owned this room... or every room he found himself in, rather.


    Saint Madoc glanced at Sunny with indifference. "So what if you do?" And that was it. That was all he had to say to make Sunny understand that Whispering Blade did not care if Wake of Ruin knew all about their conversations... not because there was nothing to hide, but simply because the government was not anywhere near being in a position to act on such information.


    Sunny grew quiet. That was right... Madoc didn''t have to explain. With myriads of abominations flooding the continent, a Saint with the power to subjugate them would be a nightmare to fight against. Who needs Transcendent Echoes when you can have Corrupted creatures serving you?


    Still... there had to be a limit to Beastmaster''s power. No one was invulnerable. Suddenly, Nephis sent him a mental message. [What do you think?]


    Sunny sighed. He knew a bit about Dire Fang, the vassal Saint of Song who had been sent to the Southern Quadrant at the start of the campaign. He was a savage and tremendously lethal fighter, and also an aloof and reticent loner. In terms of power, Sunny would have put him above Cormac, but below Tyris.


    So, then, the opposing forces were like this: On one side, there were Dire Fang and two adopted daughters of Ki Song, Silent Stalker and Beastmaster. There was also Mordret, most likely. On the other side, there were Saint Tyris, Whispering Blade, and one more Transcendent of clan Valor. Since Madoc did not mention the latecomer, that person must not have been on the same level as him, perhaps comparable to Silent Stalker. There were also Morgan and Nephis. ...And Cassie. People who underestimated the unassuming blind girl were doomed to end up in early graves.


    He lingered for a moment, then responded: [It seems like the odds are stacked slightly in Valor''s favor.] Nephis looked at him calmly. [I agree. And that is precisely why we should feel nervous.]


    Sunny blinked. ''...Us? Since when do I care about what Song has in store for Valor?'' Granted... he was a special envoy now. He would be accompanying the forces of Valor across East Antarctica, and maybe even beyond. That put him in a wonderful position to keep an eye on the actions of the great clan. But it also meant that should Song stage a sudden attack on their enemy, he would be directly in the way.


    ''But what exactly are they hiding in their sleeve?'' At that moment, Morgan suddenly looked at him and said, her voice tinged with a bit of curiosity. "Oh, there''s also going to be a third daughter. An Ascended... Song Seishan. Little is known about her, considering that she had spent close to a decade lost in the Dream Realm. The two of you would know her better than me, since she also comes from the Forgotten Shore. So... what is she like?"


    Sunny and Nephis glanced at each other, feeling unease. After a few moments of silence, he answered: "...Trouble. If I had to describe her with one word, it would be that - she''s trouble."

 Chapter 1103 Beautiful Monsters

    Before too long, it was time to meet the emissaries of Song. Sunny found himself feeling a bit curious... after all, he was not too familiar with the great clan that ruled the northwest reaches of the human territories in the Dream Realm.


    By all accounts, the Song clan was no less storied and powerful than Valor. Its foundation had not been as great, but after Ki Song rose to prominence and became one of the first humans to Transcend, the power of her clan utterly eclipsed that of the older, better established Legacy families.


    As far as Sunny could remember knowing anything, clan Song was one of the three most exalted powers in the world. Their influence spread far and wide, and their home in the Dream Realm, Ravenheart - an ancient palace built between the snowy peaks and smoldering volcanos of an impregnable mountain chain - was universally considered one of the Great Citadels of humanity.


    With a population rivaling that of Bastion, Ravenheart was a beautiful and severe place... from what Sunny knew. Strangely enough, it was not nearly as popular and well-known as the colossal castle that clan Valor ruled. In fact, the whole great clan Song was a little mysterious.


    The image of Bastion was etched into the minds of all humans by countless dramas and films, with countless stories of romance and valor taking place in its stone walls. The land of snow and ash where clan Song ruled, however, was rarely depicted, and when it was, it was always to show something distant and exotic.


    Whether it was because Ki Song did not care about mundane fame, or because Anvil put more effort into building the public image of his clan, Sunny did not know.


    He did, however, know that through pure coincidence, his own path had also mostly crossed with the representatives of clan Valor. Valor were the ones in control of the northernmost territory carved out by humanity in the Dream Realm, where it brushed against the Hollow Mountains, and so, that was where he had gone after becoming an Awakened.


    From the Sanctuary of Noctis to the Night Temple, Sunny had met many servants of Anvil of Valor... killing some of them... and then had the misfortune of meeting the Sovereign''s son in the flesh. With the complications that followed, it was fair to say that he knew Valor pretty well.


    The same could not be said about Song, though... all his experience with that Domain was limited to having met Seishan in the Dark City. Even then, Sunny was not at all close with the former leader of the Handmaidens, so it was not like she had shared stories of her clan with him.


    So... naturally, Sunny was curious.


    His curiosity was mixed with a bit of dread, though.


    They entered the spacious reception hall once again. This time, it was Wake of Ruin who had been waiting there for some time, speaking quietly with Jet. The staff member who had escorted Sunny and the emissaries of Valor tactfully disappeared, and the gaunt Saint greeted them with a curt nod.


    "You''re here. I hope you rested well... there is a lot to discuss, so we probably won''t be sleeping tonight."


    Whispering Blade smiled coldly.


    "...Wouldn''t dream of it."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, startled.


    However, Sunny could not forget her other, monstrous face... he had seen her transform into a hideous creature during the siege of the Crimson Spire, after all. And even before that, he had seen what her victims looked like after being drained of blood.


    He sighed mentally.


    ''Monsters... beautiful monsters. Are all of Ki Song''s adopted daughters like that? What the hell has she done to them?''


    And speaking of monsters...


    Finally, he looked at the fourth member of Song''s vanguard. It was a middle-aged man in heavy armor, his face bleak and unfamiliar. His eyes, however...


    Were perfectly human, with not even a hint of a mad prince hiding in their depths.


    Sunny frowned.


    ''Yeah... I am not fooled. There''s no chance that Mordret would miss on an opportunity to come and wage war against Valor. It''s you, isn''t it, bastard?''


    He lingered for a few moments, and then addressed the bleak man:


    "...Long time no see."


    The bleak man looked back at him, a masterfully crafted expression of confusion appearing on his face. His lips parted in a polite smile.


    "I am sorry. I don''t think we''ve met."


    The smile almost looked mocking.


    Sunny shook his head, then looked away.


    "Uh-huh."


    Wake of Ruin frowned slightly. His grating voice sounded a little irritated:


    "Now that everyone is here... let''s skip the introductions. I extend my gratitude to the elders of the great clan Valor and the great clan Song, for coming to our aid in the time of need. Come, let''s start... we need to discuss the war..."

 Chapter 1104 Devils Advocate

    Sunny had been relying on Army Command to keep him alive for about half a year now, but weirdly enough, he had never been to the actual headquarters of the Evacuation Army.


    To be fair, Army Command had no definite location. It was spread across many siege capitals, strongholds, and even continents, all of them connected into a seamless network both by technology and Aspect Abilities of the Awakened officers. Most of the staff was here in Antarctica - like the members of the department where Kim was currently working - but not all of them.


    That said, the underground fortress below the building where the reception hall was located seemed like the closest thing to the heart of Army Command. It was a hive of activity, with countless people - both mundane and Awakened - hurrying feverishly to accomplish a myriad of tasks in a timely manner.


    Their work might not have seemed as dire as what the soldiers on the frontlines were going through, but it was nevertheless just as vital. Without efficient and timely support and management, the evacuation campaign would be doomed to end in a bloody disaster. From updating the status of various areas in relation to the strength of the Call in them to compiling data about countless Nightmare Creatures and guiding troop movements, Army Command was the brain of the army. Without the brain, the body would be utterly useless.


    ...Somewhere in here, there was also an office where the allocation of contribution points was decided. In any other circumstances, Sunny would have felt his heart start to beat faster, but right now, he was fully concentrating on something else.


    His eyes were glued to the bleak man, who was walking behind Beastmaster and Seishan while acting perfectly unassuming. Or at least as unassuming as a Master could be.


    Army Command was, indeed, absolutely vital to the war effort. It was also a treasure trove of access and information.


    It would certainly be a shame if a particular psychopath got loose in its very heart.


    ''But what can I do?''


    Sunny might have known who Mordret was and what he was capable of, but as far as stopping the Prince of Nothing went... there was little to be done.


    Which was both unnerving and incredibly frustrating.


    Luckily, Sunny was not alone in his frustration. Morgan and Madoc also threw somber glances at the unassuming Master from time to time, their eyes cold and sharp. Sky Tide had a complicated expression on her usually stoic face, as well.


    Only Nephis seemed unconcerned... and why would she be? Of the five of them, she was the only one who had never met the Prince of Nothing.


    She would learn to be wary of him soon, though.


    ''...Probably.''


    In truth, their goals were closely aligned. There was no telling what Changing Star would do if she met Mordret face to face.


    Actually, the same went for Sunny. Despite his wariness and hostility, the Prince of Nothing was not necessarily his enemy. It was just that Sunny knew how inhumanly ruthless and blood-chillingly cruel Mordret could be, if it suited his goals.


    And how cunning he was.


    Even knowing what was happening in Antarctica, these mighty people had come here to make it all worse. Sunny thought back to what Wake of Ruin had said about the comparative benevolence of the Great Clans, trying to remember the crumbs of sense he had found in those words.


    But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t.


    ...In a sense, it was no different from the outskirts. The whole world was like that. No one cared if you lived or died in the outskirts, and the people who had the power to help you all chose to do nothing, or at least as little as possible.


    In the same way, the people who held the true power were comfortable doing nothing to save the population of Antarctica. The Chain of Nightmares had happened in the Southern Quadrant, but the next time, it might happen somewhere else. Then, too, they would remain indifferent.


    To those who lived in the outskirts, citizens seemed like people who inhabited a distant paradise. But to the great clans, the citizens were no different from the outskirt rats.


    Of course, one could object and argue for the other side. The government was not malicious at its core, and its treatment of the people in the outskirts was born out of necessity. The outskirts existed because the planet could not sustain the whole human population... someone had to be sacrificed to make sure that the rest survived. Otherwise, there would not be enough resources to save anyone.


    And it wasn''t like the unfortunate souls in the outskirts were completely abandoned... there was a constant supply of cheap synthpaste, there were jobs, there was electricity, access to entertainment, and so much more. People were not being left to die... they at least had the means to survive, if only barely. It was just that their lives were more or less doomed to be short and bitterly hard.


    In the same way, the great clans were not entirely heartless. It was just that their plans for humanity were aimed at the Dream Realm, and not the waking world. Even then, they made a little bit of effort.


    They had sent Sky Tide and Dire Fang... the House of Night might not have taken part in the ground operation, but they did supply enough Saints and Nightwalkers to guide the naval convoys to and from Antarctica.


    But still... Sunny could not forgive them. He didn''t want to. All of it was a load of crap, as far as he was concerned.


    He might have found a way to excuse the great clans if remaining passive was all that they had done, but they did not stop at that.


    Not only had Valor and Song abandoned Antarctica to the Chain of Nightmares, they even planned to use it as a private battlefield and fight each other while countless people suffered and died around them.


    That, he could not forgive.


    ...Sunny glanced at the back of the bleak man and smiled slightly.


    ''You want to slaughter the entire clan Valor? Wonderful. Slaughter them well.''


    Then, he looked at Nephis.


    ''You want to destroy all of them? Even better. I''ll cheer you on.''


    Sunny was not a forgiving man. In fact, he was quite spiteful.


    ''Let''s see how their little war goes...''

 Chapter 1105: Step by Step

    The strategy meeting dragged on. The emissaries of the great clans seemed to be well aware of the situation on the infected continent - in fact, they seemed to have a clearer picture of what was going on than even Sunny did - but their understanding of the nuances of the Antarctica campaign was purely theoretical in nature.


    Only Sky Tide and Dire Fang possessed practical knowledge of what it meant to fight against the land that was slowly being devoured by a tide of nightmares. The others were going to have to catch up, fast.


    Still, they were not inexperienced people. Whispering Blade especially was a veteran of many wars - he had led the Knights of Valor into plenty of untamed regions of the Dream Realm, spending years in lengthy and harrowing campaigns of subjugation to expand the borders of human territory in that inhospitable world.Updated from  that perspective, it was easy to understand why Anvil had chosen his brother to helm the conquest of the Tomb of Ariel.


    Beastmaster was at least a decade younger than Saint Madoc, but she seemed no less of a seasoned tactician. Her exalted reputation had not appeared out of nowhere, after all. The lands controlled by the Song clan might not have expanded as dramatically as those ruled by Valor in the past two decades, but every region they did conquer had been a much more dire hell to surmount.


    The tantalizing Saint was surprisingly soft-spoken and cordial. Sunny had expected her to be arrogant, aloof, and unapproachable, but she was actually quite easygoing. Her husky voice was pleasant on the ear, and her red lips were quick to twist into a small, but bright smile.


    That smile was absolutely beguiling.


    Seishan was actually not that much younger than Beastmaster. Even though she was not a Saint, she had spent more time braving the horrors of the Dream Realm than most Transcendents - a decade of surviving on the Forgotten Shore made her more than qualified to participate in this meeting.


    The same went for Nephis. She might not have remained there as long, but her singular achievement of surviving close to two years of solitude in one of the most dire regions of the Dream Realm, eventually escaping it through a Nightmare Seed, earned her some respect from everyone present in the strategy room.


    As for Morgan... no one except for Madoc knew much about her achievements and experiences, but they also did not really doubt her competence. Her mind was as sharp as her eyes, and her knowledge of warfare and strategy seemed almost supernatural.


    The blood of War God flowed through her veins, after all. Sunny wouldn''t be surprised if the Princess of Valor ended up being the most talented strategist among them.


    So, each of them was more than capable of absorbing the new information about the perils and nuances of the Chain of Nightmares at a staggering speed.


    ...Except for the unassuming bleak man, who had been introduced as Ascended Bast. Even his name was dull and unmemorable.


    From what had been told about him, Ascended Bast was simply a retainer of the great clan Song. He was a part of their advance party because of a rare and useful Utility Aspect.


    No one bought that explanation, though.


    Neph lingered for a while. Eventually, she spoke - or rather, thought - in her usual even tone:


    [Sunny... don''t you think that life is pretty strange?]


    Sunny blinked.


    ''What has gotten into her?''


    He wasn''t used to hearing such questions from Nephis.


    [Yeah, sure. Why?]


    She maintained her poised appearance, pretending to pay attention to the conversation about the disposition of clan forces, as she answered:


    [You''ve been through a lot in these past six months. The time before that must seem like a lifetime ago, for you. But for me... when I wake up, I still think that I am in the Nightmare, sometimes. For me, it feels like I was lost in the Dream Realm just yesterday.]


    Changing Star paused, then continued after a few short moments:


    [But I am not. I am a member of clan Valor now, I have a Citadel of my own, and dozens of Awakened are ready to follow my orders. That... was yesterday. Today, I am in the Southern Quadrant, preparing to wage war both on countless Nightmare Creatures and on the best of clan Song. Beastmaster is here, smiling at me politely. Whispering Blade is also here, watching my every move. All of it... it''s a bit overwhelming.]


    She turned her head and looked at him, her clear grey eyes looking a little... burdened.


    [So, my plan is to take it one step at a time. One little step after another, until all my enemies are dead. And that is why... my first step is to survive.]


    Nephis shook her head, then looked back to the map of East Antarctica, which was currently being carved between Valor, Song, and the government.


    A few moments later, her voice resounded in his head once again, this time tinged with a hint of amusement.


    [...Why, do you think that surviving this mayhem will be easy? It won''t.]

 Chapter 1106: Status Quo

    Sunny was a bit thoughtful for the rest of the long strategy meeting.


    Indeed... it wasn''t going to be easy to survive the mad maelstrom that was brewing in Antarctica. He was strong and cunning, but in front of monsters like Whispering Blade and Beastmaster, all that strength could end up meaning nothing.


    In fact, even the two tyrannical Saints were not guaranteed safety. When people like that had to be careful not to lose their lives, someone like Sunny or Nephis could only pray to the cold skies.


    Sadly, the gods were dead, so their prayers were doomed to remain unanswered. So, they had to ensure their own survival.


    Luckily, if there was one thing Sunny excelled at, it was staying alive.''And biding my time.''


    A legion of Nightmare Creatures on one side, two murderous armies of the Great Clans on the other... with Mordret hiding somewhere in the reflections, waiting to strike.New n0vel chapters are published on


    It was really time for Sunny to show what he was made of, and hope that it was enough. No... he had to make it so that what he could do was enough. And if it wasn''t, he had to change himself in a way that would.''But my task is not as ambitious as what these Legacies have to accomplish.''


    That was perhaps the only saving grace in this grim situation.


    Valor and Song wanted to crush the enemy and conquer the Black Pyramid. Nephis simply wanted to survive and earn the trust of her enemies by being a good soldier... and maybe a little more than that.


    As for Sunny, he simply wanted to make sure that their war did not spill out into the streets of the siege capitals, and that as few soldiers and civilians as possible were hurt by the clash of the great clans. And if he managed to hurt the bastards in the process, that would be even better.


    ...Still, it was not an easy thing to accomplish.


    He listened to the discussion of strategy, thinking.


    Certainly, their true purpose was to send as many soldiers into the hellish desert as possible, to scout it out and find a good entry point for the main force... but nevertheless, even if the scouts having to enter their Second Nightmares was just a side effect, that decision could forever change the balance of power among the Awakened.


    There were not that many Masters in the world, and their number was already starting to swell because of the Chain of Nightmares. The Awakened Song and Valor had sent were all absolute elites. If dozens, or maybe even a hundred or two of them Ascended, it would have an explosive effect on... everything.


    But that was not what Sunny was concerned about. What worried him was the prospect of these scouts actually finding a great entry point behind one of the Nightmare Gates located inside the siege capitals, and not in the wilderness. If that happened... all hell could break loose.


    And if they found not just an entry point, but a crossing to a spot that would serve as the key to reaching the Black Pyramid, nothing would stop the other party from making sure that the siege capital in question changed hands.


    They would much rather see it destroyed, even, than remain under the control of the enemy.


    ''There will be three stages to this disaster. First, the clans will scout for a good entrance to the desert. Second, they will enter the Dream Realm through that entrance, and launch an expedition toward the Tomb of Ariel. Lastly, they will build strongholds in the vicinity of the pyramid, gather their forces, and launch their final attacks.''


    The first stage would probably mostly consist of covert ambushes and small-scale skirmishes between the forces of Valor and Song. The second stage would be where the true bloodshed started. And the last... the last would be pure hell.


    Sunny was now clear on the overall shape of the clan war, but he still had a lot of questions. He lacked information on what exactly they were going to do, when, and how.


    So, just as Nephis had said, he was going to take it one step at a time.


    The first step he had to take was to gather information.


    Sitting silently at the back of the meeting room, Sunny glanced at the people who were gathered there - the high and mighty Saints of legendary renown - and smiled a little.


    ''Would you look at that. After all these years, it seems that I am finally going to get a chance to act as a proper spy...''

 Chapter 1107: Spycraft

    Spying on the Saints of the great clans sounded like an interesting method of killing himself, but Sunny was willing to try. His Aspect was tailor-made for stealth and infiltration, after all - it was just that he had not used that side of its powers as often as he would have wished to.


    Sunny could not say that he was truly a master of stealth, but he was also not an amateur. He had relied on staying hidden a lot throughout the years of being an Awakened, from the ruined streets of the Dark City to the airy expanse of the Chained Isles and the cold hellscape of East Antarctica. In these past two months, especially, he had tried to remain unseen as often as possible.


    The duties of a military scout demanded it, and through that necessity, Sunny had been able to develop his mastery of all things clandestine a notch further.


    ...A person could only rely on stealth that much, though. The most dire conflicts he tended to find himself in were almost all direct, violent confrontations.


    Still, it was an exceptionally useful ability to have, and now, Sunny needed to exercise it to its fullest extent. He had been thinking about how exactly to approach that task for a long time now, and the conclusion was that he needed to be in several places at the same time to achieve the best result.


    Thankfully, he was capable of doing just that... to a degree.


    Sunny had five shadows now, and the range at which he could control them was quite large, exceeding twenty kilometers. Which meant that he could keep an eye on representatives of both Valor and Song, at least for the next few days - once they departed for different siege capitals, he would be forced to concentrate on only the former.


    So, Sunny left himself with one shadow - otherwise, he would look really conspicuous - and sent the other four to spy on the champions of the great clans.


    The naughty shadow, as the new guy, remained glued to his feet. The haughty shadow was following Morgan. The happy shadow was following Madoc.


    For example, many creatures could feel a gaze directed at them, so Sunny had learned to never look straight at dangerous abominations, instead keeping them on the periphery of his vision. Other creatures could feel if someone was thinking about them, or hear if someone spoke their names aloud. So, Sunny had to learn how to keep his mind empty and choose his words... and thoughts... carefully.


    There were a lot of tricks like that, but most importantly, one simply had to be smart and careful about it. Which was why, no matter how much he wanted to just go all out and listen to every word his marks said, Sunny took things slowly.


    He kept his shadows at a safe distance at first, gradually getting closer and closer to the four Legacies. There was also a difference between how they acted in normal circumstances and how they acted when something important had to be discussed - the former was easier, while the latter could be nearly impossible to overhear.


    Even Legacy Sleepers like Caster possessed Memories that could make it hard for anyone to listen in on important conversations - back in the Dark City, he had used one to create a cone of silence around the room where they talked. Someone like Morgan or Beastmaster, without a doubt, would have much more potent tools to prevent anyone from learning their secrets.


    Sunny almost got caught a few times because of these measures.


    For example, both Valor and Song used special Memories to create bubbles of evenly diffused, bright light while having meetings. Since the source of light was omnidirectional, and its brightness was perfectly the same, no shadow could exist within the bubble - a fact that he had learned the hard way, only avoiding a disaster thanks to his paranoia and caution.


    And still, despite it all, Sunny managed to get closer and closer to Whispering Blade, Beastmaster, Morgan, and Bast. Although he was not able to infiltrate the most important meetings, he was still able to learn a lot, and piece together even more from small and seemingly unconnected pieces of information they let slip out.


    He might not have managed to learn their most guarded secrets, yet.


    But he did learn a few interesting things.

 Chapter 1108: Gathering Information

    Sunny was mostly interested in the details of what each of the two feuding clans had prepared for Antarctica... but those plans were tightly guarded by those who had been entrusted with them.


    He suspected that learning the specifics of their strategy would become easier when the main forces of Valor and Song arrived in Antarctica - the more people involved in something, the harder it was to keep things secret. However, for now, only a handful of emissaries were here, all busy with rather transparent preparatory work.


    That did not mean that he had failed to learn anything of use, of course.


    Knowing the enemy''s next move was immensely valuable, but knowing the enemy themselves was much more important. By observing his four marks, Sunny was slowly becoming familiar with how they acted, felt, and even thought.


    When Beastmaster was standing on the city wall, observing a horde of Nightmare Creatures assaulting it with an eerily serene expression on her exquisitely beautiful face, Sunny''s shadow was there, watching.


    When Whispering Blade stopped to look at the mundane soldiers, a hint of detached pity finding its way into his calm eyes, Sunny''s shadow was there, watching.VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    When Morgan practiced her swordsmanship, moving with grace and speed that would make the most famed warriors feel heavy in their hearts, Sunny''s shadow was there, watching.


    And when the bleak, unassuming Ascended Bast spent hours doing nothing, sitting like a corpse in a dark room, his shadow was there as well.


    Of course, the small nuances of their personalities were not everything that Sunny learned. He gained a much better understanding of their abilities, as well.


    Beastmaster was, indeed, a frightening being. Her powers lay in mesmerism and manipulation. From what he could tell, simply looking her in the eyes could be a death sentence. She could make her enemies defenseless by luring them into a state of deep trance, or bedevil them with insidious illusions. And, above all else, she could completely dominate someone''s mind, making them an eternal thrall.


    Whispering Blade was just as fearsome. Even though his powers were not as fiendish, they were just as deadly. His quintessential Ability was to make all weapons he wielded invisible - and his Saint Transformation was to be unseen, as well. Since Saint Madoc was not nearly as mysterious and secretive as his counterpart from the Song clan, it was widely known that when he fought, it was as though the world itself was slicing the bodies of his enemies apart.


    There was no escape.


    Morgan, on the other hand, had a rather strange Aspect. If Whispering Blade possessed an Ability that made the sword he wielded deadlier, then Morgan... was the blade itself. The feeling of sharpness she emanated was not a coincidence.


    The Princess of War did not need any weapons, because her body was the absolute weapon. She could cut through armored alloy and the flesh of even the most powerful Nightmare Creatures with her hands, and rend their bodies with her feet. It was both strange and terrifying, as though she was not a human, but a living sword.


    Apparently, the King of Swords had prepared a few more tools to trap and destroy his eldest child. However, both Whispering Blade and Morgan were hesitant to use them yet.


    They were unnerved by Bast''s inaction, too.


    ...Just like that, a few days passed. Sunny had been gathering information like a spider sitting in the middle of a vast web. He had not made any earth-shattering discoveries in that short time, but it was a good start. In truth, he was more concentrated on finding safe ways to get closer to his marks, for now, than on actually stealing their secrets.


    Once he truly learned how to slither through their defenses, the secrets would be revealed as a result.


    On the fourth day... it was time to say his goodbyes to Jet. Both Song and Valor were leaving the siege capitals to travel to the respective port fortresses and meet the arriving reinforcements.


    After that, they would proceed to other cities, and the clandestine war would start in earnest.


    Sunny was leaving with the emissaries of Valor, and Jet was leaving with the emissaries of Song. Chances were, they would not meet face-to-face for a long time.


    He would have been worried if it was anyone else, but there was little doubt that Soul Reaper would be able to keep herself alive. He had already warned her to steer clear of the man who called himself Bast, just to be safe.


    Really, the person Sunny had to worry about... was himself.


    ''I''ll survive, too.''


    But that was the thing... simply surviving was not enough. It had not been for a long time.


    And that was what could get him killed.


    With a sigh, Sunny called back the shadows that had been watching the emissaries of Song, and went to find Nephis.


    It was time for the two of them to travel side by side once again.

 Chapter 1109 Titanic Battle

    On a vast plain peppered with twisting streams and shallow lakes, a cataclysmic battle was taking place. Legions of Nightmare Creatures were flowing across it like a dark tide, with several titanic figures marching among them. The ground shook with each of their steps, and the skies above were obscured by a whirlwind of hungry crows.


    Humans fought against the abominations in the shadow of their wings. Today, the forces of humanity gathered from all across Antarctica to stop the march of the titanic horde.


    Seven Saints led them into battle.


    There was Wake of Ruin, the Carrion Crow - a legendary figure who had been protecting the waking world since the times of the First Generation. Whispering Blade, the first blade of the great clan Valor, who had led countless Awakened warriors in the conquest of the Dream Realm.


    There was Beastmaster, the fearsome and enchanting daughter of the great clan Song, and her sister, Silent Stalker, who was a huntress and a slayer of things. There was also Sky Tide of the White Feather clan and Dire Fang, a bestial warrior of incomparable savagery and strength.


    There were close to a hundred Masters on the battlefield, as well, serving as champions and officers of the human army.


    Sunny was one of these Masters.


    As he watched the inconceivable scene of the clash between two mighty forces, awed by its scale and ferocity, there was only one thought in his mind:


    ''Holy hell.''


    He had seen a lot of incredible things in his life, but all - with the exception of the visage of Hope - paled in comparison to this calamitous confrontation. It was, without a doubt, the largest battle that had happened since the start of the Antarctica campaign... and maybe even in the history of this world.


    Sunny was currently high above the battlefield, in what served as the command center for the joined army of the government and the great clans.


    The command center was situated in a stone fort... which stood on top of the carapace of a giant, monstrous tortoise. Which was one of Morgan''s Echoes. Luckily, the Princess of Valor - the Princess of War - had not summoned it on the day of her arrival. Otherwise, the giant beast would have flattened the entire government building.


    It was like a moving fortress.


    Morgan herself was nearby, commanding the army. The Saints were busy fighting the Titans that led the horde, so they had no time to play the role of a detached strategist. The Princess of War, on the other hand, was a genius tactician - by now, no one put that fact in doubt despite her young age.


    ...Of course, Seishan was also here, keeping an eye out so that Morgan did not get any funny ideas.


    The blind girl remained silent for a moment.


    "The Ascended in charge of the Third Lyra Company is the only one whose Aspect directly counters the abilities of the Corrupted Demon, designation Frost Furnace. We must make sure that he preserves as much essence as possible, for now. There is also a lake between the nearest Echo and the position of the Wolves. Traversing it will waste time."


    The Princess of Valor smiled slightly.


    "Correct. Good thinking."


    With that, she continued to give orders, controlling the large army like the conductor of a giant, cacophonous orchestra. Cassie continued to provide firsthand accounts of what was happening on the battlefield and, from time to time, poignant pieces of advice.


    Nephis remained silent... which was a bit strange, considering that she was no less knowledgeable about how to wage war on Nightmare Creatures. Nevertheless, Changing Star simply watched the havoc of the furious battle, her eyes heavy.


    Sunny was willing to bet that he knew what she was thinking about.


    ...Because he was thinking the same thing.


    Today was their first time seeing all the Saints of Antarctica go all out. And that... that was a priceless source of information - not the least because these mighty demigods would one day be Neph''s own opponents.


    The powers they showcased today would be turned against her in the future.


    ...And maybe against Sunny, too.


    ''Damn it. How scary.''


    Looking at the battlefield, he could feel a cold chill running down his spine. It was a rare privilege to get the chance to see exalted figures like Whispering Blade and Beastmaster fight... and yet, Sunny did not feel consoled by their awesome powers.


    Instead, he felt resigned.


    Nevertheless, he couldn''t look away.

 Chapter 1110 Seven Saints

    About a month had passed since the day Sunny was assigned to act as a government envoy for the forces of Valor. In that time, they had reached a distant port fortress, met up with the main contingent of the great clan - including Cassie, the Fire Keepers, and the valiant Saint Summer Knight - and traveled to the region that was supposed to be their zone of responsibility.


    However, almost as soon as they settled in one of the siege capitals there, Wake of Ruin requested the emissaries of both great clans to join forces against a tremendous horde of Nightmare Creatures that had formed around several Titans.


    The emissaries had promised to join forces if the situation required it, after all - and it certainly did. If the horde was not stopped, their plans were bound to suffer, as well. So, they reluctantly answered Saint Cor''s summons and ventured into the wilderness to form a united army.


    Valor and Song were hellbent on destroying each other, but that did not mean that they couldn''t cooperate. Once faced with a common enemy, the champions of the two warring Domains at least had the decency to not strike their opponents in the back... or at least they hadn''t yet.


    Mordret was suspiciously absent from the battlefield, though. Who knew what "Ascended Bast" was doing right now?


    Actually, Sunny knew exactly what he was doing. Jet was doing him a favor by keeping an eye on the bleak man, so Sunny was well-informed on Master Bast''s movements. He was currently in a siege capital far to the west, establishing a supply chain for Song''s expedition forces, which prowled the wilderness in search of suitable Nightmare Gates.New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Ascended Bast was also in charge of an industrial production facility. In that facility, he... was making mirrors. Thousands of them, for unknown reasons.


    Or at least he had been a few days ago. Currently, Jet was right here by Sunny''s side, watching the battlefield with a hungry expression. For all they knew, the bleak man might have slaughtered the entire siege capital by now.


    Jet suddenly raised her head.


    "There! Look!"


    Everyone except for Cassie looked up.


    In the skies above them, a titanic clash was taking place. Myriads of crows were swirling like a black maelstrom, and in the middle of it, two giant shapes were entangled in a murderous dance.


    One was a giant bird of prey with white feathers and talons forged out of lustrous steel, her wings wreathed in lightning and thunderclouds. The other was a scaled beast with three long necks and three terrifying maws, its enormous body held up in the air by vast, skeletal wings.


    In another spot of the battlefield, a man in lustrous armor was wielding a lance that seemed to be made of clear water to cut through a sea of grey vines that grew from the ground with terrifying speed. The brooks, rivers, and lakes around him seemed to have turned into weapons, as well. Streams of water rose from them and flew through the air like whips, cleanly slicing through the vines and washing them away.


    The Summer Knight remained calm and composed as he faced the wrath of the unseen titan. He welcomed its attention - because it lessened the pressure on two different Saints.


    Deep in the area completely consumed by the grey vines, a creature that resembled a towering, monstrous mix between a human and a wolf was clawing at the ground, digging into it with vicious purpose. With each movement, countless vines were torn apart, and a great deal of soil was displaced.


    The giant fiend - Saint Dire Fang - was being assaulted by the vines from all sides. However, very few reached him. Most were cut down by Summer Knight, and those that were not ended up being obliterated by heavy arrows that flew from the fringes of the battlefield, where Silent Stalker moved, unseen.


    And finally, there was the last titan - a ghostly figure surrounded by shimmering haze, which moved across the battlefield like a mirage. Wherever it passed, the reality itself seemed to twist and come undone, revealing indescribable horrors. The Nightmare Creatures who gazed at the mirages grew still and silent, then moved again... or rather, their bodies moved, as if worn by something not quite familiar with what flesh was, and how beings made of flesh were supposed to carry themselves through space.


    No Awakened barred their path, and neither did any Saint.


    However... abominations did. First a few, then a dozen, then a hundred... and finally, an avalanche of them threw themselves into the shimmering haze, trying to disperse it. Each of them had clawed their eyes out before attacking, driven mad by a strange and overwhelming desire to destroy the ghostly titan at any cost.


    The Nightmare Creatures who had been possessed by the haze were torn apart by other abominations, as well.


    It was as if Beastmaster was laughing at the harrowing creature... you can possess the bodies of living beings? So what? I can take their minds, their hearts, and their very souls. Let''s see which one of us is more harrowing!


    Sunny stared, feeling both stirred and grim.


    Such power...


    Would he hold such power one day?


    If he did... he would be laughing too.

 Chapter 1111 War Games

    The Seven Saints were battling the Titans. The echoes of their dreadful clash spread like shockwaves through the horde of Nightmare Creatures. Somewhere far away, a vestige of the horde suddenly surged and swirled, lunging at something unseen. A moment later, a bloody haze veiled that entire section of the battlefield from view, and the wind carried over howls of agony... which all fell silent soon.


    Silent Stalker was prowling there, slaughtering the abominations and never failing to send her arrows to support Dire Fang and Summer Knight. The latter had yet to assume his Transcendent form, as well. Beastmaster and Whispering Blade were each holding back a titan of their own, and Sky Tide had just succeeded in delivering a debilitating wound to the great scaled beast, dispersing the cloud of deathly miasma created by the flying horror at the same time.


    All in all, things weren''t looking bad.


    ...Which was not to say that the battle was going smoothly. Far from it - the titanic horde did not just consist of the four titans, and it was the task of Awakened and Ascended to face the vast legion of abominations. While not as spectacular, that task was just as important.


    Sunny watched the battle grow more and more fierce. All the while, Cassie continued to keep them informed of the more important changes happening on the battlefield.


    Her voice was calm and composed:


    "...The Fallen Tyrant, designation Worm, has been slain."


    "...Third Company of the Lyra Brigade is advancing to support the Fifth."


    "...The Corrupted Demon, designation Frost Furnace, has been slain."


    "...Ascended Yujin of the First Company of the Cassiopeia Brigade has fallen."


    "...The Corrupted Devil, designation Hexblade, has been slain by Ascended Nightingale. It would be prudent to temporarily withdraw the Nightsingers from the flashpoint Delta."


    At first, the good news was mixed with the bad news in equal measure. Morgan continued to react to the changes on the battlefield, moving her many pieces around to present an almost flawless defense against the onslaught of Nightmare Creatures. The battle formation created by her was fluid and flexible, bending when needed and lashing out with tremendous force at other times.


    In fact, it seemed that Cassie and her were not just reacting, but actually anticipating many of the changes on the chaotic battlefield. It was a lot like personal combat - being able to anticipate what move the enemy would make was half the victory. The other half was using that knowledge to deliver a fatal strike.


    ...Sadly, there was a limit to what Morgan could do. No matter how good she was, the enemy facing them was just too dreadful. The Princess of War remained calm, but her face was slowly growing grim.


    As time went on, Cassie''s reports began to sound more and more dire.


    "...Seventh Company of the Ursus Brigade is routed."


    "...First Company of the Cassiopeia Brigade is suffering heavy casualties."


    "...Ascended Ripple of the Seven Ursus has fallen."


    "...First Company of the Cassiopeia Brigade is routed."New n0vel chapters are published on


    Jet stretched her arms, looking down with a hungry glint in her eyes.


    "Then I''ll join, too. Watching all this slaughter got me riled up."


    She seemed very comfortable playing into her reputation as a psychotic killer. Neither Morgan nor Seishan said anything, at least.


    Without delaying any further, Nephis, Sunny, and Jet jumped down to the carapace of the giant Echo, then slid off its side and landed on the ground near where the Fire Keepers were waiting, ready to do battle.


    Noticing them, the survivors of the Dark City broke out in smiles.


    "Lady Nephis! Are you deploying? Finally!"


    "Hey, Sunny! Where is your armor? Hurry up and summon it!"


    "Oh, man... Sunny is with us. Effie and Night are fighting, too. Lady Nephis is in charge... feels like the good old times!"


    "What good old times, you fool? What was good about those times? Get your head on straight..."


    Nephis looked at them with her calm, cold grey eyes... and then smiled.


    Her smile seemed to illuminate the gloomy autumn day like a ray of sunshine.


    "Yes, we are being deployed. Get ready and follow me. What can these pathetic abominations do to us? Nothing! Let us burn their filth from this world!"


    The Fire Keepers looked at her with expressions of adoration and zealous devotion, passionate fires igniting in their eyes. Their voices joined in a choir:


    "Follow Lady Changing Star!"


    "Burn them!"


    "Burn them all!"


    Sunny observed them with a neutral expression as he gathered shadows around him and summoned the Sin of Solace... which immediately started whispering insidious provocations into his ears, a vague figure materializing a few steps away and following behind him.


    He ignored the hallucination and shook his head in reproach.


    ''What a bunch of crazies...''

 Chapter 1112 Different Kind Of Deception

    Led by Nephis, Sunny, and Jet, the Fire Keepers surged forward. They were aiming for the section of the joint army''s formation where the flood of Nightmare Creatures had broken through the dam of human bodies, threatening to consume them all.


    Somewhere out there, far ahead, Effie and Kai were already trying to stall the fatal advance of the frenzied abominations as they waited for reinforcements to arrive. Their soldiers were fighting fiercely, without a doubt - and yet, the horde had already gained momentum, so the Wolves and the Nightsingers had no hope of stopping it on their own.


    They were just two hundred men and women who had volunteered to join the Second Army, after all - no matter how elite of a status the two companies earned because of their strength, valor, and the fame of their commanders, they were still ordinary Awakened.


    The Fire Keepers were different.


    Even though there were just about fifty of them, each of the people following Changing Star was a seasoned veteran of the Dark City - they were the best and the brightest of what humanity had to offer, simply for the fact that nothing less would have allowed one to survive the cruel crucible of the Forgotten Shore.


    They had only grown stronger and more experienced under Cassie''s guidance after escaping that starless abyss, too, and especially now that the mighty - and opulent - clan Valor stood behind the personal troops of its adopted daughter. The Fire Keepers had undergone a comprehensive upgrade of their soul arsenals, with those who needed it receiving enough shards to finish fully saturating their cores.


    There were seven cohorts of them, each more than comparable to the most elite household troops of the great clans in terms of power. So, despite their modest numbers, the Fire Keepers were a force to be reckoned with.


    ...And that was without even mentioning the three masters who were leading them into battle.New n0vel chapters are published on


    Due to their superior physical prowess, Sunny, Nephis, and Jet naturally ended up at the head of the rushing force. There was no clever plan to their advance - the situation prohibited careful maneuvering and strategic placement of the Awakened according to their specializations. But there was no real need to waste time on it, either.


    Every Fire Keeper knew what they were doing. The remains of the Dreamer Army had long become a well-oiled, perfectly synergized combat machine. They all knew what their comrades were good at, what quirks their Aspects and Memories possessed, and how to work together in a seamless, deadly harmony.


    ...Well, maybe Sunny did not quite know all those things, exactly. He was more or less familiar with what the members of Cassie''s former personal cohort were capable of, as well as a few other people with whom he had fought side by side during the civil war of the Bright Castle. Really, he lacked the qualifications to effectively lead these veteran warriors.


    They had already flashed through the ranks of the retreating soldiers that belonged to the crushed companies. He could already see the Wolves and the Nightsingers fighting ahead, stubbornly refusing to give ground to the onslaught of abomination. A glimpse of Effie''s lustrous steel figure ignited his heart, flooding his body with strength and vigor.


    There were... really, really a lot of Nightmare Creatures in front of him.


    ''Damn.''


    Sunny summoned the Dying Wish, slotting it into the Mantle and activating the [Underworld Armament] trait of the onyx armor.


    ''Now, for the finishing touch...''


    Finally, he summoned the Extraordinary Rock, placing it into the mouth of the Shadowspawn and activating the [Sonorous] enchantment to make the transferred voice sound as loud as possible.


    As the Fire Keepers closed in on the desperate melee, the towering four-armed fiend that moved at the head of Changing Star''s force raised his horned head...


    And let out an earth-shattering, chilling, bloodthirsty roar.


    For a moment, it seemed as though the whole battlefield around them was momentarily frozen.


    Even the Nightmare Creatures seemed a little taken aback.


    Cradled in the embrace of shadows, Sunny smiled with satisfaction.


    ''Yes... I think that will do the trick...''

 Chapter 1113 Rampaging Spawn Of Shadows

    Sunny''s life had been pretty complicated as of late.


    But right now, it was very simple. All he had to do was... kill.


    Kill, kill, kill.


    Even the Sin of Solace seemed to be enjoying the spectacle.


    There was no more hiding, no more caution, and no more trying to undersell his abilities... well, at least the most obvious and visible of his abilities. Sunny had much more tricks up his sleeve, and in fact, this display of power was meant to misdirect his opponents and draw their attention away from his more insidious talents.


    However, even that did not matter right now.


    All that mattered was murder.


    ...Dashing through the formation of the Wolves and Nightsingers like a lightning made of darkness, Sunny tore into the tide of Nightmare Creatures. The echo of his deafening roar was still rolling across the battlefield when the Sin of Solace reaped its first life. It passed through the body of a massive abomination, easily rending it into two halves.


    [You have slain a...][Your shadow grows...]''It was a Fallen, huh?''


    Sunny had activated the [Omen of Dread] enchantment of the jade sword, just for good measure. The faint remnant of a whisper of Ariel, the Demon of Dread, lingered on the cursed blade - all beings who witnessed it had no choice but to be stricken by terror.


    The Nightmare Creatures seemed to slow down a little. The Awakened soldiers behind him trembled, too...


    However, they were also being affected by the Dying Wish. Fear and inspiration fused together in their hearts to produce savage awe. The soldiers surged forward, their spirits ignited with killing intent.


    The abominations, meanwhile, were being assaulted both by the feeling of fear and the irresistible desire to rip the dreadful four-armed fiend to shreds above all else. Such a contradiction was enough to drive one mad...


    ''Good. Give me madness... give me insanity... the more, the better!''


    Didn''t the Sin of Solace feel especially light, sharp, and lethal today?


    Maybe it was just the effect of his body being augmented by five shadows...


    Full of rapturous malice, Sunny continued to move.


    His mind was cold, calculating, and full of dark, murderous glee. His shell was brimming with so much power that it seemed as though it would soon burst at the seams. His hands moved faster than his thoughts.


    Neph''s voice drowned out the cacophony of battle:"Spread out! Hold the line! Ascended, step forward!"


    The seven cohorts of the Fire Keepers separated, reinforcing the faltering line of the Wolves and the Fire Keepers. At the same time, five figures stepped forward to become the wavebreakers against the flood of abominations.


    Nephis, Sunny, Effie, Kai... and Jet.


    ''What a fearsome quintet...''


    Sunny spared a split second to appreciate the image of them standing against the tide of Nightmare Creatures, and then threw all unnecessary thoughts out of his mind.


    His task had only grown harder.


    Now, he had to outdo all these monstrous talents.


    Commanding the Extraordinary Rock to let out a harrowing growl - one stolen from the demented Corrupted Devil, Myriad Eater, no less - he launched himself forward.


    The Sin of Solace whispered as it severed flesh and bone.


    The Cruel Sight sang.


    Claws, fangs, and spikes rang against the onyx surface of the Mantle.


    The Nightmare Creatures shrieked, howled, and wailed as they died.


    The four-armed fiend had turned into a dark maelstrom as he slaughtered one abomination after another... sometimes two, three, four at a time. The weaker monsters fell like autumn leaves in front of his blades and claws, the stronger ones were obliterated in a most cold and ruthless way.


    There were no ingenious schemes to how Sunny fought, no cunning tricks - just pure, savage, calmly calculated butchery.


    The soldiers behind him were looking at the rampaging spawn of shadows with awe in their eyes. Sunny did not pay their gazes a lot of attention... however, he did regret not leaving a shadow to keep an eye on Morgan and Seishan. He was a bit curious about their reactions.


    But only a bit. Killing as many abominations as he could, as fast as he could, was much more important.


    The radiant Changing Star, the steel-bodied Raised by Wolves, the swift and deadly Nightingale, the death incarnate, Soul Reaper Jet... and the Devil of Antarctica, the most fiendish of them all.


    The five of them brought the horde of Nightmare Creatures to a halt.


    For a while...

 Chapter 1114 Bloody Brilliant

    It was a strange thing to see...


    The remnants of the Dreamer Army were fighting against an overwhelming horde of Nightmare Creatures, with the members of Changing Star''s cohort leading them. It was almost as if they had gathered to reenact the ruinous siege of the Crimson Spire.


    Of course, not everyone who had participated in that battle was here - but most were. Out of the hundred or so Sleepers that had returned from the Forgotten Shore, more than a half chose to follow Cassie, and were now fighting for Nephis. A few decided to stay independent, like Sunny or Aiko, a few joined lesser Legacy clans, while the second-largest group - the surviving Handmaidens - followed Seishan into the embrace of the great clan Song.


    The former Handmaidens were here on the battlefield, too, although not in this exact spot.


    ''It''s like a morbid reunion...''


    The Fire Keepers were fighting like the expert slayers they were - no abomination, no matter how terrifying, could shake their fighting spirit and resolve. Not because they were fearless, but simply because the survivors of the Forgotten Shore had been inoculated against the fear of Nightmare Creatures by being exposed to too much of it, too early, and with too harrowing results.


    It was especially clear how out of the norm they were in contrast with the ordinary Awakened that comprised the two elite companies - the Wolves and Nightsingers. No matter how brave and capable the Awakened under the command of Effie and Kai were, they simply could not compare to the unflinching lethality of the eerily calm Fire Keepers.


    And, of course, the members of Changing Star''s cohort were the deadliest of them.


    Effie was like a wall of steel. Nothing could move her, and nothing could move past her - all the abominations could do was die, either pierced by her spear or broken by her shield.


    Kai was swift, elusive, and unpredictable. The months of fighting a bitter war against Solvane''s zealots in the Nightmare had forged him into a more capable warrior than he was giving himself credit for - the enchanting young man moved like wind among the abominations, cutting them down with his sharp saber. His ivory armor seemed to shine as it reflected Changing Star''s light.


    Nephis herself was like a radiant omen of death. Her ruthless sword seemed inescapable, and where it could not reach, incinerating flames reached instead. Shining like a beacon of light in the dark sea of Nightmare Creatures, she was without a doubt the heart of the battle, and the guiding star that kept hope alive in the hearts of the struggling soldiers.


    As long as the Immortal flame burned... humanity would not be extinguished. Even those who were indifferent to such sentimental proclamations were compelled to believe it now, watching the beautiful white radiance of Changing Star''s light devour the dark tide of Nightmare Creatures.


    There was Jet, as well. Although not a part of the former Dreamer Army, she was no less deadly than the rest of them... maybe even more so. There was nothing particularly flashy about how she fought, but nonetheless, the number of dead abominations surrounding her was staggering. The more of them died, the more alive she looked... it was a sight both disturbing and beautiful.


    And lastly, there was Sunny.


    In the past, he had perhaps been the most unassuming member of Changing Star''s cohort. Every impossible feat he had performed, every improbable victory he had achieved - all of it had happened where no one could bear witness... very much so by design.


    Today, however, Sunny was at the center of everyone''s attention.


    ...Because he was just too savage, brutal, and domineering.


    The slaughter he was perpetrating could only be described as barbarous.


    Towering at three meters of height, crowned by twisting horns, and clad in fearsome onyx armor, the frenzied four-armed fiend tore through the Nightmare Creatures like a man possessed by a devil. Or was he a devil possessed by a man? All four of his hands were sleek with blood. His armor was slick with blood...


    However, it was not the Titans Sunny was worried about.


    It was the Saints.


    Today, they were fighting Nightmare Creatures. But one day soon, they would most likely have to fight one or several of the seven Saints dominating the battlefield.


    Whispering Blade, Beastmaster, Summer Knight, Silent Stalker, Dire Fang... perhaps even Saint Tyris.


    There was Mordret, too. And Morgan, and Seishan.


    These people were no less frightening than the Titans. Actually, they could be considered more terrifying than the dreaded Nightmare Creatures.


    So, Sunny was reluctant to reveal his hand. His life could very well depend on it.


    ''Well...''


    Without ever slowing his bloody rampage, he started considering his options. If Sunny wanted to do something drastic, he had to do it now, while his reserves of essence were still somewhat substantial.


    He thought long and hard... as he continued killing one abomination after another in increasingly wild and ruthless ways, making the soldiers pale in sickened awe... and in the end, Sunny decided to do nothing.


    ''Cassie must have a plan.''


    It had not escaped his attention that the blind girl subtly manipulated the events of the battle, making sure that the Fire Keepers, the Wolves, and the Nightsingers - the three units led by the members of Changing Star''s cohort - ended up together in this particular spot of the battlefield.


    If she had put them here, she must have been reasonably certain that they would not be swallowed up by the horde.


    As for how they would prevail...


    Sunny decided that he did not really care.


    Today, he would care only about one thing - how to kill many, many Nightmare Creatures. As many of them as possible.


    Kill, kill, kill...


    The Sin of Solace laughed, its voice full of gleeful amusement.


    "Yes! Right! Kill them all!"

 Chapter 1115 Creatures Of Light And Darkness

    Focusing solely on causing as much devastation as possible, Sunny slaughtered the Nightmare Creatures. The power of the fully augmented shadow fiend shell was staggering... that power was so great, in fact, that getting drunk on it was simply too easy.


    However, he did not. His savage butchery was just for show... even though Sunny had allowed himself to gleefully dive into the battle frenzy, the core of his mind remained cold and clear. The more abominations he slayed, the more somber that part of his consciousness became.


    ''What the hell is Morgan doing?''


    The Fire Keepers were supposed to hinder the advance of the Nightmare Creatures until reinforcements were pulled out from other parts of the battlefield to repair the breach in the army''s formation. They had done that, already... but the reinforcements never arrived.


    Had another crisis prevented Morgan from sending more companies to replace them? ...Or was something else at play?New n0vel chapters are published on


    Sunny did not know, and he had no time to care. He might have made it look as though cutting through numerous abominations was effortless for him, and in fact brought him nothing but vicious joy, but it was really not an easy task.


    He was strong, fast, and immensely skilled. His armor and weapons were outstanding, too... however, there were just too many enemies pressing down on the five Masters as their soldiers. The horde of Nightmare Creatures truly seemed endless.


    Even if most of these abominable creatures were not strong enough to threaten Sunny, and easy to kill, the sheer number of them posed a threat. His task was not just to withstand the flood of monsters, but to cut through it, breaking its momentum.


    And that... was a perilous task. Sunny had to watch his every step, and keep the next dozen steps in mind. Otherwise, it would be too easy to end up in a situation where there was no next step to take.


    Granted, he could carve his way out of many situations that would have doomed a different Ascended. But still, Sunny had to be careful about where he moved and what he did.


    The others were struggling with the same issue. Kai had it the easiest, since his speed and the ability to fly made maneuvering around the battlefield almost a non-issue. Nephis had some breathing room, too, because her flames could clear out the space around her.


    Sunny, Effie, and Jet were starting to struggle, though. Chances were, they would have to retreat back into the formation of the Awakened soon - once that happened, the formation itself would come under much more strain.


    ''...Not yet, though.''


    Even when the immovable Effie was pushed back and forced to rejoin the formation, he still remained just where he was, performing his brutal dance of death. Even when relentless Soul Reaper cursed through gritted teeth and retreated, he continued to kill. Even when nimble Kai soared high into the sky, dismissing his sword to summon a bow, he still refused to take a step back.


    In the end, there were just the two of them left in front of the formation - Sunny and Nephis. One was like an angel surrounded by white radiance and light, the other like a demon shrouded in darkness and shadows.


    Both fought with cold, ruthless, unflinching resolve to obliterate the enemy at any cost... it was almost as if they were competing to see who could slay more.


    Sunny did his damnedest to be the one to win that competition.


    At some point, fighting an especially powerful abomination, he felt the shadow shell start to come undone. Without hesitation, Sunny dismissed the Mantle and summoned back the Graceless Dusk. Then, he allowed the form of the shadowspawn to dissipate and lunged from its crumbling carapace at the enemy.


    The Sin of Solace flashed, and at the same time, the scorpion tail of the Nightmare Creature shot forward. It pierced the impervious silk of his tunic, and his stonelike skin, as well, plunging deep into his flesh.


    Grimacing, Sunny beheaded the mantichora, then pushed himself off its harrowing sting and used the fully charged Dying Wish to heal his wounds.


    Then, as if nothing had happened, he continued to kill.


    He had grown weaker without the support of the shadow fiend shell, but also nimbler and much harder to pin down. His jade sword never stopped reaping lives.


    Now that Sunny was wearing the Graceless Dusk again, though, there were a few more things he could do.


    Glancing in the direction where Nightmare Creature seemed to disappear into white radiance one after another, without a trace, Sunny hesitated for a moment, and then activated the Blessing of Dusk.


    And then said in relaxed, leisurely tone:


    [Hey, Neph... how''s it going?]

 Chapter 1116 Placid Whisper

    There were a few moments of silence. In these moments, Sunny managed to dodge a spiked tentacle, slice through it with his sword, grab the bleeding stump, and toss the slithering creature over his head, impaling it on the horns of a different abomination. Then, he sidestepped the charging beast and cut through its legs, causing it to topple to the ground.


    A third strike of the Sin of Solace finished both creatures off.


    That was when Neph''s response finally arrived:


    [...It''s a bit distracting, you know, to have someone speak in your head all of a sudden.]


    Sunny gri


    The connection the Blessing of Dusk established was a mental one, so it was not exactly like hearing her voice. Nevertheless, Changing Star''s... thoughts... sounded a bit strained.


    [You didn''t answer my question.]


    Now that Sunny lost the protection of the shadow fiend shell and retracted the Mantle back into his skin, he had to be more careful. Receiving direct blows was not out of the question, but it could throw him off balance. He had to use the [Feather of Truth] judiciously to account for the difference in mass between him and the opponents. ...And, of course, being struck by anything Corrupted could end in disaster.


    Something flashed from the direction where Nephis was fighting, and a moment later, her voice resounded in his head:


    [As expected, I guess. But, Sunny... what has gotten into you? You don''t... don''t seem like yourself today.]


    ''Ah, so she noticed...''


    His grin widened.


    A dozen or so meters to his left, the air rippled slightly. A chameleon-like creature was moving there, unseen... if not for the subtle fluctuation of the shadows, he would have never noticed it. The abomination had already moved past Sunny, swiftly approaching the Awakened soldiers behind him.


    Which was not good - since it had enough presence of mind to ignore the pull of the Dying Wish, the chameleon had to be at least a Demon, and a strong one at that.


    Sunny twisted his torso and tossed the Sin of Solace into the air.


    The soldiers were all busy desperately resisting the flood of Nightmare Creatures, but they could not help but take glances at the spectacularly brutal slaughter that was taking place in front of them. Those who knew Sunny were all surprised and a little startled. Those who did not were chilled to the bone and in awe of his vicious lethality.


    Which was why many people noticed the jade sword seemingly slipping out of his hand. Their eyes widened.


    [Should we go all out?]


    Each of them was holding something back. They could reveal their full power to save their lives...


    But it would only save them once.


    Nephis answered after a long second of silence.


    [No. Trust in Cassie. If she chose to put us here, there must be a reason.]


    Sunny smiled.


    Her thinking was very similar to his own.


    But trusting someone was not easy for him. Trusting Cassie and trusting in Cassie... those were different things, and neither of them was simple.


    ''Well, what the hell is her reason?''


    He would have loved to ponder that question more, but at that moment, a deafening shriek suddenly shook the world.


    Sunny was rather proud of the battle roar he had produced earlier with the help of the Extraordinary Rock, but compared to this sky-splitting wail, it seemed like a placid whisper.


    Looking up, he saw...


    An enormous scaled beast plummeting from a whirlwind of crows, its body wreathed in arcs of searing lightning. One of the rotting wings of the flying horror had been completely torn off, a river of vile miasma flowing from the terrible wound like a waterfall of corruption.


    It seemed that Sky Tide and Wake of Ruin were the first to overcome their opponent.


    The problem was...


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    That the wounded titan looked like he was falling... directly on his head.

 Chapter 1117 Fell Titan

    ''Well... that''s new...''


    Sunny had lived through many unthinkable disasters, managing to survive in the most dire and seemingly inescapable situations. The improbable tales of his close brushes with death could probably fill a book.


    However, he had definitely never had a titan fall on his head.


    ''What the hell is this?!''


    The great scaled beast was plummeting to the ground, its body riddled with terrible wounds. One of its three long necks was severed, the other hung lifelessly, held by only a few threads of flesh. Of its wings, only one remained. A cloud of vile miasma trailed behind it like a harrowing cloak.


    The creature was maybe two dozen seconds away from crashing into the ground.


    Sunny froze for a moment, stunned by the frightening visage of the titan that had been cast down from the skies. He wasn''t the only one - Nephis was looking up, too, and so were the soldiers. Even the Nightmare Creatures halted, raising their bestial heads to witness the fall of one of their lords.Updated from


    ''Not good.''


    Neph was the first to react. Her voice rolled across the battlefield, pulling the Awakened out of their shocked inaction.


    "Pull back! Fighting Retreat! Move if you want to live!"


    At the same time, she sent Sunny a mental message:


    [Sunny... I am going to stall the horde to cover the retreat. You... you do as you wish.]


    The meaning of her words was clear. What Neph meant to say was...


    A deafening explosion rang out, and a crudely directed wave of white flame rolled from her staggering figure in a wide fan. It swallowed many ranks of Nightmare Creatures - some were torn to tiny pieces and turned to ash, crumbling into nothingness, some survived, receiving terrible and debilitating burns.


    Together, Sunny and Nephis had managed to build a temporary dam that blocked the path of the abominations - half of the dam was the wall of shadows, the other was the wave of flames.


    Of course, that dam would not last long, and both of them had spent the lion''s share of their remaining essence to produce this wide-scale effect. The wall was already cracking, and the wave was already dying down.


    But it was enough to buy the soldiers time to retreat.


    And before their dam fully collapsed, the shadow of the falling colossus covered the ground.


    ''Crap...''


    Sunny felt the impact of the massive body before his vision registered it - that was because he suddenly found himself flying, the ground disappearing from beneath his feet.


    As a violent tremor traveled through the battlefield, splitting the ground apart, he hit the dirt and rolled, sensing his skin burn. Sunny could feel a powerful gale assault him with furious force, but he was blinded by the cloud of the vile miasma that had covered everything around.


    He realized that it was Sky Tide pushing the noxious cloud away from the army''s formation. However, Sunny was too deep into the miasma. Even though he had stopped breathing and closed his eyes, he could still feel the deadly poison seep into his skin.


    Marble Shell and Blood Weave were preventing his flesh from rotting and dissolving... for now. He did not know how long his defenses would last, though. The miasma flowing from within the body of the scaled beast was much more virulent and powerful than any toxin he had encountered before.


    ''...That''s just great.''


    Sunny summoned the Essence Pearl. As soon as the Memory manifested itself, he placed it in his mouth, regaining the ability to breathe without inhaling deadly poison. He still hesitated to open his eyes, though, perceiving the world through the shapes and movements of shadows.


    The shadows were a mess. It was hard to tell what exactly was going on around him... all he could feel was a sea of Nightmare Creatures wailing in agony as their bodies were being dissolved by the miasma.

 Chapter 1118 Pure Chance

    It was sort of ingenious, actually. By controlling the wind to blow the cloud away from the human formation, Saint Tyris was pushing it into the horde of abominations. It did not matter that the titan had been on their side - the Nightmare Creatures plunged into the miasma were doomed to be destroyed, just like humans would.


    The devastation was so thorough that, in this section of the battlefield, the pressure on the defensive line of Awakened had drastically lessened. Nothing would be able to pass through the breach now.


    So, that problem was solved.


    The problem that remained was that Sunny and Nephis had found themselves within the cloud of miasma. Changing Star could probably burn the poison away with her flames, but he was having a very unpleasant time.


    ''Argh, damn it. Escape... I need to escape back to where the Fire Keepers had retreated.''


    But Sunny was all turned around because of the earthquake from the titan''s fall.


    Where to go?


    He gritted his teeth, then ordered two of the shadows to slip off his body and dash away in two different directions. With some luck, one of them would leave the noxious cloud and show him the way.


    Before that happened, however...


    ''Ah, crap.''


    Sunny felt a massive shadow lunging at him from somewhere unseen. He blindly slashed with the Sin of Solace, feeling the jade blade bite into something extremely tough, then sink into something soft. Then, something hard crashed into him, and he was sent flying for a second time in the last minute.


    This time, Sunny fell on a pile of abomination corpses. He felt sharp spikes and scales scrape against the silk of the Graceless Dusk and rolled down, tracking the movements of the massive shadow. What the hell was it? It didn''t seem to have legs, or arms, simply floating above the ground.


    One thing was certain, though... the thing, whatever it was, was not feeling swell. Its movements were chaotic and resembled convulsions. Even without the deathly miasma and the strike delivered by Sunny, the creature was in a sorry state.


    He still refused to open his eyes, though.


    If he did, however... he would have seen a ghastly head swaying above the ground. It was held up by a long neck that arched up and disappeared into the haze of the miasma. The head was covered by tough scales, and had the hilt of the Sin of Solace protruding from a crack in its skull.


    The head swayed madly, opening its maw, and shot forward in a frenzied desire to swallow Sunny. But before it could, the long neck convulsed one last time, and the demented light slowly disappeared from the frenzied eyes of the creature.


    Still... that was the second titan Sunny had killed. If not for the fact that both of the kills were somewhat murky, he would be going around demanding that people call him the Titan Slayer.


    The sails of the Brilliant Emporium would definitely skyrocket if its proprietor had such an illustrious title.


    He shook his head again, then stood up. First, he had to escape the damned miasma.


    ''I must have hit my head when I fell...''


    One of his shadows had just discovered the correct path, but Sunny belatedly realized that he could have just moved in the direction opposite of where the wind was blowing. Saint Tyris was pushing the cloud away from the human formation, after all, so that was where the formation had to be.


    As he made the first step, the burning sensation gnawing at his skin suddenly disappeared, replaced by searing, but pleasant heat. Then, Sunny was surrounded by bright light.


    He opened his eyes at the same moment as a strong hand gripped his shoulder.


    Nephis was standing by his side, both of them surrounded by a whirlwind of flame. The fire burned away the miasma, creating a pocket of clean, if somewhat thin, air.


    "Are you alright?"


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then nodded and smiled crookedly.


    "Better than ever."


    Hearing her actual voice was unexpectedly nice.


    "Good. Then let''s get out of here."


    Neph threw a glance at the head of the titan that lay on the ground a few meters away from them, the harrowing maw opened in an eternal, silent scream. Then, without saying anything, she pulled Sunny away.


    He followed.


    ''Yes... getting the hell out of here sounds like a great plan...''

 Chapter 1119 Chain Reaction

    By the time Sunny and Nephis escaped from the noxious cloud, the situation on the battlefield had changed.


    The Wolves, the Nightsingers, and the Fire Keepers were cut off from the Nightmare Creatures by the deathly miasma, so they received a few moments of respite. The poison itself, meanwhile, was blown into the depths of the horde by Sky Tide''s winds, wreaking havoc among the abominations.


    Suddenly, the pressure on the center of the army formation lessened.


    The fighting on the flanks, however, only grew more furious.


    Sunny reached the line of soldiers, passed between the forward fighters, and plopped down on the ground, breathing heavily. Nephis was in no better state than him - worse, actually. The pain of having to use her Abilities for so long had taken a toll on her.


    She lowered herself to the ground near him, staring at the mud with distant eyes. The Awakened met their return with wide smiles, faces shining with relief and triumph. Seeing that the two Masters were exhausted and needed to catch their breaths, they closed ranks around them and prepared their weapons, watching the hazy wall of swirling miasma with cold focus.


    If something suddenly lunged at the formation from the poisonous haze, the soldiers were prepared to meet it with sharp blades.


    Sunny slowly exhaled, returning from the rampant state of battle frenzy. Then, he looked up.


    The fall of one of the titans was a great victory in and of itself. However, it had meaning far beyond the death of a powerful abomination...


    Much more important was the fact that the death of the winged horror would inevitably cause a cascade of meaningful consequences. In fact, the chain reaction was already beginning.New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Now that Wake of Ruin and Sky Tide were free, each of them moved to provide support in other spots on the battlefield. The steel-winged bird of prey fell like a sword of heavens, obliterating a vast swath of crawling vines that Summer Knight, Dire Fang, and Silent Stalker were fighting against.


    The vast murder of crows, meanwhile, descended on the horde itself. Saint Cor''s strongest suit had never been facing a single, overwhelmingly powerful adversary - in the battle against the winged titan, he could only provide support to Tyris.


    A sea of abominations turned into a sea of corpses. The ghastly carpet of monstrous bodies covered the plain, stretching far into the distance. Countless crows filled the sky, and the ground had turned into wet sludge after absorbing rivers of blood. The stench of it all was almost unbearable.


    And yet, it was the most glorious thing Sunny had ever seen.


    Staring at the grand battlefield, he couldn''t quite believe what he saw. The scale of the battle they had just won was simply too unbelievable. Even after witnessing massive sieges in the Antarctica Center, Sunny was unprepared to witness something like this.


    This time, the humans were not defending, stalling for time while the civilians evacuated. This time, they had gone on the offensive, venturing into the wilderness to slay the titans and the horde the four creatures had caused to assemble.


    They even succeeded.


    Despite the fact that the Evacuation Army had achieved many of its goals in the Southern Quadrant and continued following the plan... this felt like the first true victory Sunny had witnessed since the start of the Chain of Nightmares.


    And he played a substantial role in achieving it.


    Sunny studied the changed landscape of the plain with a slightly startled expression. Then, a frown slowly appeared on his face.


    ''What happens next, then?''


    Right now, all seven Saints were gathered in one spot. Soon, they would depart for their siege capitals.


    Wouldn''t that be a perfect opportunity for the great clans to show their fangs?


    Suddenly grim, Sunny shook his head and turned around, throwing a glance at the tired soldiers around him.


    ''...One step at a time.''

 Chapter 1120 Performance Review

    The divergence from the norm continued after the fighting was over, as well. Usually, the human forces would be hastily retreating from the site of the battle to escape the converging abominations that had been attracted by the noise and the smell of blood...


    However, the joint army defiantly stayed in place. A field camp was established, surrounded by hastily constructed fortifications. Teams of salvagers prowled the vast battlefield, retrieving soul shards and dismantling the bodies of the most powerful Nightmare Creatures for precious materials.


    It was as if the leaders of the expedition force were not at all concerned by the threat of the migrating hordes. On the contrary, they seemed to welcome the danger.


    The joint army had been assembled to destroy the titans and reduce the accumulation of Nightmare Creatures in the area before the siege capitals could be compromised. Both of these objectives had been achieved, but the Saints decided to cull more abominations while they had a chance - no one knew when Valor, Song, and the government would join forces again.


    The fighting on the fringes of the camp would most likely continue through the rest of the day and the entire night, with several smaller hordes being ground against the bulwark of the seven Saints and their soldiers.


    None of that concerned Sunny, though. For now, he could just rest.


    The Fire Keepers, the Wolves, and the Nightsingers had ended the battle together, so they were assigned the same spot inside the camp. Despite how fierce the fighting had been, casualties were few - none among the survivors of the Forgotten Shore, and a mere handful in the two companies led by Effie and Kai.


    That was mostly thanks to the five Masters who had shielded the Awakened soldiers from the worst of what the titanic horde had to offer.


    So, the mood inside their section of the camp was more festive than grave.


    As Sunny walked through the rows of tents toward a supply vehicle where food was being prepared, he received many reactions.


    "Look! It''s him!""Gods almighty... when Master Sunless lured that Tyrant to the river, I knew that he was good. But I thought that he was just an extremely competent scout, you know? Who knew that we had such a monster with us this whole time...""A monster? More like a Devil! Damn, now I know where that nickname comes from. He has to be one of the scariest Ascended in the Quadrant, right? No - in the whole world.""Why are you guys so surprised? Master Sunless is from Changing Star''s cohort, like our Wolfie. Of course he''s just as crazy as her...""I think I''m going to have a dream about him today. I just don''t know if it''ll be a nightmare or, you know... a different kind of dream...""Are you so smitten that you''ve lost what little brain you used to have, fool? You''re an Awakened! You don''t dream.""Ah, yes... what a pity... relief, I mean relief!"


    Sunny was slightly amused by that last one, but he did not let it show. It seemed that his little performance had worked... at least on these ordinary soldiers. What effect it had on the intended targets - Morgan, Seishan, and by extension the forces of the great clans on the continent - remained to be seen.


    He got a generous portion of army stew and made his way to the tent where the other four Masters were gathered.


    The atmosphere inside was relaxed, but none of them had dismissed their armor. Even though the situation seemed to be under control, and the Saints appeared confident in their ability to protect the camp, one could never know what would happen when the Spell was involved. So, experienced fighters like them never allowed themselves to completely lower their guards.


    Kai was absent-mindedly cleaning his face with a wet towel, Nephis was sitting tiredly on a cot, Jet was stretched on another one with a blissful expression on her face, and Effie... of course, Effie was wolfing down an unreasonable amount of food.


    When she saw him, however, she forced herself to pause for a moment. The huntress stared at Sunny with wide eyes.Updated from


    "Sunny... what the hell was that?! You just... boom! And went berserk! It was actually sort of spectacular."


    She looked at Kai, Effie, and Nephis with a shrug.


    "That''s just how it goes. In the Antarctic Center, everyone knew how fierce of a fighter he is. Now, people in East Antarctica will know, too."


    Kai lingered for a bit, then said:


    "We all know it as well, of course. More than anyone. It''s just that... Sunny, you usually shy away from the spotlight. Seeing you acting out of character is a little strange. Is everything alright?"


    Sunny sent his friend a reassuring smile and nodded.


    "Sure. I shied away from the spotlight because it was convenient, and now I don''t... because it''s more convenient. So, don''t worry."


    Then, he looked at Nephis and raised an eyebrow:


    "And what about you? No comment?"


    She turned her head and studied him for a few moments.


    Eventually, Nephis looked away and said simply:


    "...Your swordsmanship has improved."


    And that was it.


    Sunny opened his mouth to respond, but then grew silent. A slight frown appeared on his face.


    With a sigh, he found himself a seat and concentrated on the food.


    That was because the shadow he had left outside the tent noticed someone heading their way...


    Black armor, red cape, vermilion eyes that were sharp enough to cut steel.


    Morgan was coming to pay them a visit.

 Chapter 1121: Deluge of Compliments

    Sunny settled in a corner and stuffed his mouth with stew. A few moments later, the flap of the tent opened, and Morgan walked in, followed closely by Cassie.


    The Princess of Valor seemed to be in a good mood. Her strange vermilion eyes were lively and vivid, shining with barely contained excitement. It was as though the calamitous battle had invigorated the usually restrained young woman, revealing a glimpse of her true self.


    Without the habitual mask of composed decorum, Morgan looked... younger.


    Her words echoed Sunny''s thoughts. A pleasant - and disturbingly familiar - smile appeared on her beautiful face, and with a melodious laugh, Morgan said:


    "That was spectacular! Dear sister, venerable Masters... you did not disappoint!"


    With that, her lips twisted a little in an expression of wistful regret. She seemed disappointed by the fact that she had not received a chance to participate in the battle personally.


    Morgan sighed.


    "The whole camp is aflame with the tales of what happened in your corner of the battlefield. Even the feats performed by the Saints seem to have taken a back seat to what Changing Star has achieved. Ah... I''m so proud of my talented, capable little sister. Nicely done!"


    She paused for a moment, and then added with a smile that seemed a little sharper than before:


    "Your glory is clan Valor''s glory, of course. So, I am very happy right now."


    Sunny silently chewed his food. Hearing the word "glory" from a descendant of War God really rubbed him the wrong way, but he didn''t let it ruin his appetite.


    ''Indeed, she has a good reason to be happy...''


    If the war of the great clans was a popularity contest - which it was, in a sense - then Valor was currently winning. Not only had Sky Tide been the first of the Saints to slay her foe, but the potentially catastrophic breach in the defensive formation had also been repaired by Nephis.


    ''Was that why Morgan failed to send us reinforcements? To earn her damned clan some glory?''


    Sunny frowned. That was a possibility, but a small one. Anvil''s daughter was not someone who would sacrifice strategic benefits to earn a little bit of fame... especially because clan Valor already had too much of it.


    So, he simply glanced at Morgan and asked:


    "By the way, what happened to those reinforcements we were supposed to receive?"


    Not looking particularly guilty or taken aback by his bluntness, she shrugged.


    Sunny shrugged.


    "Can''t say that I do."


    He was definitely not brittle, so there was no reason to be concerned. A spar was just a spar, after all.


    ...So why was he suddenly feeling cold? As if he had just gotten himself into a really, really sticky situation.


    Morgan lingered for a few moments, staring at him with gleaming eyes, then shook her head.


    "Sadly, our spar will have to wait until we return to the siege capital. And about that... sister, might I have a word? There are things we must discuss."


    Nephis nodded, then rose from her seat and followed Morgan out of the tent. Soon, there were only five people inside once again - Cassie stayed behind, sitting quietly in a corner.


    Sunny finished his stew and asked her in a low tone:


    "What is that about?"


    The blind girl hesitated for a moment.


    "They need to plan a route to the siege capital. The way back is shaping up to be... perilous. For a few reasons."


    He nodded, understanding the underlying message.


    Then, Sunny gave Cassie a complicated look.


    When things seemed especially dark during the battle, Neph had told him to trust in the blind girl. So, what had been Cassie''s intent in placing them there? Had she simply known that the Fire Keepers would not end up stranded in the sea of Nightmare Creatures?


    Or had she known more? For example, that Sunny would deliver the fatal blow to the wounded titan if put in that particular spot of the battlefield...


    And speaking of the dead titan. There was a Memory that Sunny had yet to take a look at.


    ''An Ascended Memory of the Seventh Tier...''


    Putting his plate away, Sunny found a cot, stretched his tired body on it, and closed his eyes.


    Then, he dove into the Soul Sea.

 Chapter 1122: Mirror of Truth

    1122 Mirror of Truth


    Walking past the legion of silent shadows to stand between the five dark suns of his lightless soul, Sunny summoned the Memory forth. Soon, a round hand mirror of dark silver appeared in the air in front of him. Its front looked like a pool of still mercury, while its back was decorated with beautiful engravings.


    Sunny saw his pale reflection in the silver mirror, and suddenly felt an eerie chill creep up his spine.


    That Memory... gave him a very ominous feeling.


    When he took the mirror, it felt strangely heavy in his hand.


    ''Not a weapon, and not an armor. A tool, then? Or a charm?''


    He hesitated for a moment, and summoned the runes.


    Strings of shimmering symbols appeared in the air, surrounding the hand mirror. He read them, frowning slightly.


    Memory: [Mirror of Truth].


    Memory Rank: Ascended.


    Memory Tier: Seven.


    Memory Type: Tool.


    The first four strings held no surprises. The next few, however...


    Sunny''s eyes widened slightly.


    ''What... why is that name here?''


    The first word in the description of the Mirror of Truth was not one that he had expected to see today, but one that he knew all too well.


    That word was...


    Weaver.


    Sunny glanced at the hand mirror with a tense expression, a deep scowl appearing on his face. Then, he slowly turned back to the runes and continued to study them. New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Since the start of the Antarctica campaign, he had often encountered hints and mentions of Ariel, the Demon of Dread. So why did Weaver''s name suddenly show up in the runes of a Memory?


    There was only one way to find out.


    The description read:


    Memory Description: [Weaver was known as the master of lies, while Ariel was known as the keeper of truths. The two were not close and rarely met, which was why Ariel was surprised to find Weaver staring at his pyramid one day.


    "Isn''t it beautiful, this tomb of mine? Have you come to admire it?" Ariel said.


    After a moment of silence, Weaver responded.


    Memory Enchantments: [Searching Reflection].


    Enchantment Description: [Catch the visage of a being into the Mirror of Truth. Activate the ''Wha...''


    13:32


    enchantment to destroy the mirror and gain one power of the reflected being for a period of time that depends on its potency.]


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    ''Wha...''


    His hand trembled.


    Wouldn''t... wouldn''t that make him...


    A discount Mordret?


    "What the hell?"


    He stared at the mirror, not knowing how to feel.


    On one hand, being able to steal an ability of any being �� be it a human or a Nightmare Creature �� was crazy!


    One the other hand, the [Mirror of Truth] would be destroyed in the process, and the stolen ability would only persist for a period of time. Which was still incredible...


    But damned Prince of Nothing could do it any time he wanted, for as much time as he needed!


    Sunny shook his head.


    ''No, this is an amazing Memory. It''s just that Mordret is seriously broken. And... and he is even seems to be immortal, to boot! Where''s justice in that?!''


    Grimacing, he left the Soul Sea and opened his eyes, staring silently at the roof of the tent. His mood was not great.


    ...It did not remain foul for a while, though.


    That was because after a few minutes of sulking, Sunny couldn''t help but start thinking about whose Ability he could steal.


    Nephis had really outstanding Abilities... except for her Ascended one, which was rather strange and all but useless. Cassie had great ones, too.


    But why settle for those? What about Whispering Blade and Beastmaster? A Transformation Ability of a Saint in his hands... that would be a fun trump card to have!


    Hell, he did not even have to limit himself to Saints. There was a Corrupted Titan somewhere in East Antarctica. There was the Winter Beast, too...


    Sunny did not notice as a smile appeared on his face.


    And so, he fell asleep, smiling.


    His last thought was:


    ''Not bad for a day''s work...''

 Chapter 1123 Solace of Oblivion

    Sunny had been really exhausted after the long battle. However, due to the [Blessing of Spirit] and the [Blessing of Flesh] enchantments of the Shroud of Dusk, he only needed a few short hours to recover from the heavy fatigue.


    He woke up feeling rested and refreshed... but also strangely forlorn. Sunny had not dreamed in a long while, but tonight, he did. The dream had already disappeared from his memory, but the feeling of sorrow and loss remained, pressing at his heart.


    He let out a sigh.


    ''I actually had a nightmare... wow. As if the waking world is not nightmarish enough, already.''


    Sunny was in a subdued and contemplative mood. Before falling asleep, he had been thinking about how to use the enchantment of the Mirror of Truth. Now that he had woken up, however, he found his mind drifting to its description.


    No matter how he looked at it, the conversation between Weaver and Ariel was really too strange. Especially the words Weaver had whispered at the end...


    ''You wanted to be free of the truth, so you didn''t deserve it.''


    Why would the Demon of Fate, who was known to weave countless lies, admonish Ariel for discarding the truth?


    Unexpectedly, Sunny thought of the Sin of Solace. Not its enchantments, and not even its description, but the name of the cursed sword itself.


    Why was solace a sin, exactly?


    The description of the Shroud of Graceless Dusk spoke about how the sybils found salvation and solace within the Tomb of Ariel. However, in the end, they too were destroyed. Dusk had been the last of them.


    The [Hideous Truth] enchantment of the Sin of Solace, meanwhile, was supposed to grant revelations to those who succumbed to madness. Revelations of truth, which Ariel had described as the most hideous thing in the world and the source of cruel torment.


    So... wasn''t Ariel himself the sinner, then? He had committed a sin by seeking solace in forgetting the truth.


    Perhaps Weaver, as a masterful liar, knew the value of truth just as well as the Demon of Dread, and felt contempt for those who squandered it. Perhaps there was more to this story.


    In any case...


    Sunny turned slightly and glanced in the direction where Kai was sleeping restlessly.


    The emissaries of both Valor and Song were currently in the camp, so he could not pass up the opportunity to try and glean some of their secrets.


    As the shadows prowled the army camp, he thought about the [Searching Reflection] enchantment one more time and summoned his runes.


    Sunny had not taken a good look at them in a while.


    The shimmering symbols ignited in the air in front of him:


    Name: Sunless.True Name: Lost from Light.Rank: Ascended.Class: Tyrant.Shadow Cores: [5/7].Shadow Fragments: [503/5000].Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer''s Shroud], [Midnight Shard], [Extraordinary Rock], [Endless Spring], [Dark Wing], [Moonlight Shard], [Weaver''s Mask], [Autumn Leaf], [Cruel Sight], [Covetous Coffer], [Heavenly Burden], [Memory of Fire], [Memory of Ice], [Strike of Thunder], [Morgan''s Warbow], [Shadow Lantern], [Bone Singer], [Shadow Chair], [Overpriced Saddle], [Dying Wish], [Sin of Solace], [Bitter Cusp], [Stifled Scream], [Weaver''s Needle], [Essence Pearl], [Nimble Catch], [Shroud of Graceless Dusk], [Mirror of Truth]...


    There were several Memories apart from the [Mirror of Truth] that he had received during the last battle. Sunny studied them for a few moments, then decided that those would be best used as nourishment for Nightmare.


    Satisfied, he continued to read the runes.


    Echoes: -Shadows: [Onyx Saint], [Soul Serpent], [Nightmare], [Ravenous Fiend]Attributes: [Fated], [Flame of Divinity], [Master of Shadows], [Blood Weave], [Bone Weave], [Marble Shell].Aspect: [Shadow Slave].Aspect Rank: Divine.Aspect Abilities: [Shadow Control], [Shadow Step], [Shadow Manifestation].Aspect Legacy: [Shadow Dance].Flaw: [Clear Conscience].Dream Anchor: Tower of Longing.


    Sunny concentrated on his shadows.


    Saint was at a respectable... zero shadow fragments out of three hundred. That was because he had concentrated on feeding his other Shadow after she Transcended - Nightmare was still a mere Awakened creature, so he could see a Class evolution much sooner that way.


    The black destrier was swiftly approaching that evolution. His runes showed:


    Shadow Fragments: [179/300].Nightmares Required: [734/1000].


    Sunny thought for a few moments.


    ''Not bad.''


    ...Then, he did another thing that he had not done in a while.


    He concentrated on his Innate Ability, and summoned Neph''s runes.New n0vel chapters are published on

 Chapter 1124 Pure Soul

    There had been a time when Sunny studied Changing Star''s runes like a man obsessed. His whole life had been built around the desire to overtake her on the path to power.


    He might have even done a few careless things in that pursuit.


    At some point, however, Sunny had lost the desire to compare himself to Nephis, at least in this way. The first change had happened because of her return from the Dream Realm. The second... sometime in the Antarctic Center, he had lost the habit of summoning her runes every day.


    Shadow fragments, soul fragments - those were not a true measure of strength, anyway. Sunny had seen countless mundane soldiers stand and fight against the Nightmare Creatures, never surrendering despite the dire disparity of power between them. If those people were weak, then he did not know whom to call strong.


    And so, at some point, he had stopped paying constant attention to Neph''s runes without even noticing it.


    Now, however, Sunny had the Mirror of Truth. So, he decided that it was worth taking another look.


    The familiar symbols shimmered, forming into strings:


    Name: Nephis.True Name: Changing Star.Rank: Ascended.Class: Tyrant.Soul Cores: [5/7].


    He stared at that number for a few moments.


    After years of lagging behind, Sunny had finally caught up to her... wasn''t it so very funny that he had only been able to do so after stopping caring about the race?


    A light smile appeared on his face.


    ''Whatever... she still has more fragments than I do. She''ll be a Terror sooner than me.''


    But did it really matter? In the end, they would both be Titans. That day was not as far away as it had once seemed, now.


    Sunny continued to read:


    Soul Fragments: [2719/5000].Thi/s chapter is updated by


    Nephis had received many soul shards from the treasury of clan Valor after being adopted by them. However, she could not reveal the fact that she possessed a Divine Aspect and multiple soul cores - requesting more than a thousand would have been strange and aroused suspicion.


    She had not been hunting down many Nightmare Creatures while Sunny had been going from one dire battle to another almost every day in the Antarctic Center, either, so her progress was slow as of late. Now that Changing Star had arrived in Antarctica, though, that was bound to change.


    Sunny wondered how many soul fragments she had received in the recent battle, then turned his attention back to the runes.


    Memories: [Dream Blade], [Starlight Legion Armor], [Dawn Shard], [Dark Wing], [Nameless Sun]...


    The other two Abilities - her Awakened and Ascended ones, respectively - were new. The Awakened Ability was rather straightforward:


    [Flame Manipulation] Ability Description: "You can bend all fire to your will."


    That was how Nephis was able to control fire, turning it into her weapon. That fire did not have to be her own - although she could produce flames if there were none around at the cost of feeling terrible pain.


    The Ascended Ability, on the other hand... was a bit strange.


    [Longing] Ability Description: "Your soul is incorruptible."


    And that was all. Not only was it a passive Ability - which was incredibly rare for Ascended Abilities - it also did not do anything. It did not even raise Neph''s protection against soul attacks, or improve the rate of her essence regeneration.


    For all intents and purposes, [Longing] was useless.


    ...Of course, Sunny knew a thing or two about the type of Corruption the runes spoke of. So, he understood how incredibly special that Ability was.


    In theory.


    In practice, they had never even faced Corruption. Sunny did not even know of anyone who knew how Corruption happened. All humans were familiar with was the result of it... the Nightmare Creatures.


    Against those, having a pure soul was of no help.


    A pure soul...


    Sunny sighed and looked at the last string of runes.


    Flaw: [Pristine Soul].Flaw Description: [You must suffer to use your power.]


    He lingered for a while, staring at them, and then dismissed the symbols.


    ''I don''t think I''ll be using the Mirror of Truth on Nephis... unless I''m about to kill a truly powerful Nightmare Creature - or human - and want to absorb an incredible amount of shadow fragments.''


    But then again, would it even work? The description of the [Halfbreed] Innate Ability spoke of soul essence, not shadow essence.


    No, he would have to find better targets.


    And speaking of better targets...


    His shadows were already getting close to the emissaries of Song and Valor.

 Chapter 1125 Private Conversations

    Today, luck was on Sunny''s side. Usually, he would not have been able to listen in on the really important conversations between the emissaries of the great clans. They were too cautious... and he was very cautious, as well. Perhaps he could overcome the defensive measures his targets had in place, but the cost of failure was too great. So, he had been reluctant to try.


    But today, maybe because of the clamor and pressure of the ongoing clash with the Nightmare Creatures that had been drawn to the battlefield, the representatives of both Song and Valor had been slightly neglectful. And since Sunny had already spent a month learning how to get closer to them, he managed to witness two very interesting conversations.


    The first one was between Morgan and Madoc. The two members of the Valor family remained in the stone fort on top of the giant Echo''s carapace, speaking about something as they observed the constant stream of abominations being ground against the outer perimeter of the camp. Of course, no one could hear what they were saying, since the two were surrounded by an invisible barrier that prevented any sound from coming out. Even the movement of their lips was obscured. There were Memories active that made it almost impossible for someone to divine the conversation, as well.


    ...However, Sunny was not a diviner. Much more importantly, he managed to get inside the circle of silence by hiding his own shadows in the shadow of one of Valor''s Awakened. The man had been invited to make a report, and so, Morgan herself led him through the layers of wards surrounding the fort.


    When the Awakened arrived, she studied him for a few moments, then asked in a neutral tone: "Is there news, Squire Warren?"


    The Awakened shifted slightly. He tried to hide his excitement at the fact that she knew his name, but failed miserably - Sunny mentally rolled his eyes, while Morgan pretended not to notice. Well, the poor man could not be blamed. How often did ordinary Awakened retainers in service of the great clan closely interact with its princess? Very rarely, most likely.


    Morgan was a striking person, as well - despite her coldness and sharpness, she was someone even Sunny found hard to look away from. There was just something about the young woman and her vibrant vermilion eyes that demanded attention. Not to mention the fact that she was quite literally a member of exalted royalty.


    In any case, Squire Warren did have something to report. He bowed to Morgan and Madoc, then spoke in a deep, respectful voice: "We received word from Knight Shtad, my lady. His cohort had survived the second night and secured a fortified position. Their report indicates that the divination seems to have been correct."


    Morgan looked away and grimaced. "I know. It''s just that... you know what is at stake." She remained silent for a few moments, then smiled. "...Should we send Nephis, then?"


    Madoc''s face changed slightly. "Don''t even think about it. You know how your father feels about her."


    Morgan sighed, then looked in the direction of the battlefield. "Fickle man..."


    Far away, hidden safely in the tent, Sunny was frowning. What exactly had the scouts found in the desert? What was the insurmountable advantage Valor wanted to secure at all costs? At this stage in the race toward the Black Pyramid, both clans were trying to establish a foothold in the desert. They were slowly ramping up the search for Nightmare Gates that led to relatively safe areas, to use them as entry points for the expedition forces.


    A few of these areas had apparently already been found. What else could Knight Shtad be hunting for? Some kind of precious resource or revelation about that region of the Dream Realm? A natural stronghold that could serve as a fortress for the forces of Valor? A Citadel, even? There was that last part of the conversation, as well... It was, honestly, rather disturbing. There seemed to be something complicated going on within clan Valor. But Sunny had no idea what.


    Strangely enough... it was the emissaries of Song that helped him shed some light on that situation. Because they were currently talking about Nephis, as well.


    In a distant part of the camp, within the circle of armored vehicles, a lavish tent had been raised. Beastmaster and Seishan were inside. At the moment, Beastmaster was enjoying a bowl of fresh fruit as she looked at her sister with a pleasant smile. Her words, however, were anything but pleasant.


    Beastmaster was saying: "...should we kill that girl, Changing Star?"

 Chapter 1126 Unexpected Revelation

    Sunny did not have much of a reaction to that statement. Hearing a terrifying existence like Beastmaster contemplating the murder of one of his close ones... was certainly a chilling experience. However, the person in question was Neph. So, the feeling was not novel. Someone was always trying to kill her.


    ''I''d like to see you try.''


    He lingered for a moment, then shook his head.


    ''...Actually, no. I take it back. I would not like it one bit.''


    Silence hung in the distant tent for a few moments. Seishan did not hurry with an answer. When she eventually spoke, her voice was even: "That would require us to commit too many resources."


    Beastmaster seemed slightly surprised. The arch of her eyebrow was so exquisite that even Sunny''s shadow was momentarily mesmerized. Luckily, he had sent the gloomy shadow to spy on her - that guy was not easily phased. The shadow quickly regained its composure and continued to listen.


    "Too many resources? But she is just a Master."


    Seishan shook her head. "She is a Master, yes. But not just any Master."


    The Saint pondered that statement for a bit as she enjoyed succulent grapes.


    "I guess you would know best. That thing she pulled off on the Forgotten Shore was indeed a thing of beauty... plus, she is a self-healer. Killing those people is such a chore." She sighed, then said in a wistful tone: "Why did she have to go and join that dreadful clan? Granted, we did not try to recruit her too hard... but the King of Swords, that man. What is he thinking? First, he sends the Han Li boy to kill her. Then, he welcomes her into his family. Truly is shameless..."


    Sunny''s eyes widened slightly.


    ''So it was Anvil?''


    Finally, he knew who had stood behind Caster. Granted, there was nothing to do with that information... Seishan seemed surprised, too. Her exotic, beautiful face darkened a little.


    "...I thought it was us who sent him. Has the Han Li clan forgotten their loyalty?"


    Beastmaster laughed.


    "No... you''ve been lost in the Dream Realm for too long, Shan. You forget that for most lesser clans, our three great families are a monolith. Most of the time, they can only guess which Domain gives the order." She swallowed another grape and smiled. "Oh, we sent someone to kill her in the Dream Realm too. It''s just that our messenger ended up being rather useless. He did not even make it to the Dark City."


    She remained silent for a bit, then shook her head.


    "But something has to be done about Changing Star. The Awakened under her command were already a problem. I have hoped that Nightingale and Raised by Wolves would keep their distance, but they seem too friendly with her... neither can be underestimated. And now there is that Master Sunless, as well. What a brutal character... and in such a cute package. What a shame. Wasn''t he supposed to be a simple scout?"


    Seishan smiled slightly.


    "You keep underestimating the survivors of the Forgotten Shore. No one who survived there is simple. Sunless... there''s more to him than meets the eye. He is a madman, though. Back in the Dark City, he had a falling out with Changing Star and spent months living in the ruins alone. Even I would not have survived that, but he did."


    Beastmaster thought for a few moments.


    "Our guest had a few brushes with Ascended Sunless, yes? He did not speak about him much, so I assumed that there is little to be said. I should have known better, though. That... person... has strange standards. To him, another madman is not even worth mentioning."


    Sunny noted two things from that exchange. First, his ploy to appear as a savage brute was at least partially successful. Second, Mordret had not shared his secrets with the great clan Song... just as Sunny had expected.


    ''No surprise here...''


    Beastmaster swallowed another grape, then suddenly asked:


    "How is Bast doing, by the way? Are you taking good care of him?"


    Seishan stared at her sister for a while, not amused.


    "He is doing fine. As for Nephis and her Fire Keepers - at this point, our efforts would be better spent elsewhere."


    The Saint laughed.


    "Good, good... alright, let''s not kill Changing Star and her allies yet."


    She lingered for a moment, and then smiled.


    "We do have to kill someone, though. Time is of the essence..."

 Chapter 1127 Escalation

    There were more interesting things said that night. Sitting on a cot in a remote tent, Sunny had silently absorbed them all. There was a somber expression on his face.


    ''Troublesome.''


    Each clan was planning to test the other during the retreat back to the siege capitals... which had not come as a surprise. From this point forward, the hostilities between Valor and Song were only going to escalate. If anything, this first confrontation was shaping out to be rather tame.


    Neither of the sides was fully committing their Saints to the ambushes, preferring to bide their time and turn the conflict into a war of attrition. There were valuable assets that both clans kept under layers of protection - in terms of the ruthless economy of war, trying to take these assets off the board was not cost-effective at this point in time.


    Luckily, Nephis seemed to be one such asset, as well.


    However, neither Valor nor Song could keep all their people protected. Cohorts of Awakened had to be sent out into the wilderness to scout for suitable Nightmare Gates. Scouts had to enter the Dream Realm and explore the deadly desert in search of positions that were suitable for establishing fortified expedition camps. Ascended like Knight Shtad had to lead the most important of these teams.


    These were the people the great clans were going to go after first - in East Antarctica, and in the Dream Realm at the later stages of the conflict.


    Which Sunny did not mind one bit. The only thing he regretted was that he would not be able to get snacks and comfortably watch the soldiers of the great clans slaughter each other... as long as they limited their feud to outside the city walls.


    Sadly - and predictably - that was already not the case.New n0vel chapters are published on


    Beastmaster was not satisfied with picking off Awakened cohorts in the wilderness. So, she was planning to deliver a more damaging strike to her enemies.


    There were two possible targets - the headquarters of the Valor clan in the siege capital where Sunny was headed, or Saint Tyris and her White Feather clan in the city where central Army Command and Wake of Ruin were based.


    She chose the former.


    So, that was what the near future held for Sunny. He would follow the forces of Valor back to their siege capital, fighting a probing ambush staged by Song in the process. Once there, Madoc would send off reinforcements for Knight Shtad and depart, leaving Morgan to deal with the team of assassins Beastmaster was dispatching to attack their headquarters.


    Sunny was not too concerned about what Whispering Blade would do to Mordret... the man was too powerful and too precise, and the decision to activate him so early into the conflict was too unexpected. No matter if he achieved his goal or not, the attack itself would be unseen and contained.


    The fight between the team of Beastmaster''s assassins and Morgan''s warriors... now that promised to be do a lot of harm to the refugees trapped in the siege capital.


    ...Which was why he had made a difficult decision to leave the gloomy shadow with the forces of Song.


    There was a lot of risk tied to that decision, but also a lot of potential benefit. Once enough kilometers separated Sunny from his shadow, he would lose contact with it. After that, the gloomy guy would be on his own for a while. The task in front of the shadow was both simple and difficult - to keep itself hidden, learn the identities of the assassins, and follow them back to Valor''s territory.


    If everything went right, Sunny would know the precise location of the infiltration team as soon as they reached the siege capital. If not... his soul might get seriously wounded or, even worse, crippled.


    All he could do was trust in his shadow''s competence.


    Sunny stood up from his cot and stretched, hearing the sounds of the battle slowly grow less intense. Now that the dawn had come, the joint army was preparing to withdraw and dissolve into three separate forces.


    His expression was slightly tense.


    ''...He''ll be alright. The gloomy guy has been through a lot by my side, so he knows what he''s doing.''


    He had to.


    With that, Sunny left the tent and went to find Nephis.

 Chapter 1128 Contradiction

    Changing Star was in a watchtower near the outer edges of the camp, observing the ongoing battle. Her gaze was locked on the lustrous figure of Summer Knight, who stood like a fortress amidst the attacking Nightmare Creatures, cutting them down with his flowing lance.


    Sunny approached and stared at the slaughter, as well, wondering how was it that the Saint had not gotten a single drop of blood on his armor. Was that a skill one could learn? The black silk of the Graceless Dusk always remained pristine, rejecting any kind of taint, but the same could not be said about his skin... and hair, especially hair. Washing blood out of his hair was a real chore.


    Which was one of the reasons Sunny had enjoyed the few months of being a scout and never getting his own hands dirty, instead relying on shadows to do the killing for him.


    "That guy, Summer Knight, is both deadly on the battlefield and nice in person. Makes me wonder if he really is a Saint... every other Transcendent I know is either the stern stoic type, vaguely sinister, or completely insane. He really doesn''t fit."


    Neph glanced in his direction and smiled with the corner of her mouth.


    "Maybe you just attract these kinds of people."


    Sunny coughed.


    Come to think of it... stern and stoic, vaguely sinister, and completely insane were all words that could be used to describe Nephis, as well.Updated from


    She looked back to the battlefield and added:


    "But you are right. Sir Gilead is somewhat of an outlier among the Saints. He is too... straightforward. What you see is what you get. Honor, valiance, loyalty... and all that. He is the picture of a noble knight."


    Sunny remained silent for a moment.


    "Is that a bad thing?"


    He certainly thought that it was. A person who proclaimed these virtues was either a hypocrite or dangerously naive - gods only knew which option was worse.


    However, Sunny wanted to hear Neph''s answer.


    She shrugged.


    "Not usually. But in the case of Summer Knight, it presents a contradiction. What is a person like that doing serving the King of Swords? And not just as a vassal, but as a direct retainer of clan Valor. A tool in their machinations."


    She lingered for a few moments, then sighed.


    "Maybe it has something to do with his Flaw."


    Sunny looked at Nephis with curiosity.


    "...What are you doing serving the King of Swords?"


    Her subtle smile grew a little wider, and white sparks ignited in her eyes.


    He smiled.


    Then, however, the smile disappeared from his face.


    Sunny looked forward, pretending to study the battle.


    [Turns out, it was your Uncle Vale who sent Caster to kill you... you know, Anvil of Valor, the King of Swords. That Uncle Vale.]


    She didn''t show any hint of a strong reaction.


    [...I figured as much.]


    Sunny sighed.


    [I also overheard that another one of your father''s three friends had limited the great clans in what means they could use to kill you... back when you were a child. He seems to have protected you, to a degree.]


    This time, Nephis couldn''t maintain the mask of indifference. Someone else might not have noticed, but Sunny knew her too well. She was shaken.


    After a long pause, Neph whispered:


    [...So that''s how it is. I see. That explains a few things I always wondered about.]


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then asked:


    [Do you have any idea what his reasons might be?]


    Nephis remained silent for a long time, looking at the battlefield. One half of her face was illuminated by a gentle light, the other drowned in shadows. The cold wind was playing with her silver hair, making it dance.


    Eventually, she let out a deep sigh.


    [I don''t. However, I do have a suspicion. I am the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan, Sunny... which means that I am also the last carrier of Sun God''s lineage. Asterion had prevented that lineage from being snuffed out, and had taken Mordret from Anvil. It is... it is almost as if he is collecting the carriers of divine lineages.]


    Nephis paused for a few moments, and then added in a grave voice:


    [If my suspicion is correct... then should you meet him in the future, you would be wise to be careful too, Sunny. You do not possess Shadow God''s lineage, but Asterion might not know that. Sun God, War God, Beast God, Storm God, and Heart God... all these lineages had already been found. Shadow God''s was the last one to remain hidden. Maybe that is why he stayed passive all these years... waiting patiently for it to reveal itself.]


    She suddenly turned and looked him in the eyes, then said in her own voice, discarding the safety of the Blessing Dusk:


    "Sunny... you have guarded your secrets well. It is very important that you continue to do so. Be careful... if you wish. Please."


    The cold wind got to Sunny, as well, making him shiver.

 Chapter 1129 Thieves And Wolves

    Soon enough, it was time to say goodbye again. Effie and Kai were returning to the government-controlled section of East Antarctica with Wake of Ruin and Saint Tyris, while Jet was leaving with the forces of Song.


    The joint army had already withdrawn from the battlefield and traveled some distance away from it. Now, it was ready to break apart... before it did, however, Sunny managed to find an opportunity to talk with Soul Reaper in private.


    The long column of vehicles had come to a stop, and they found each other among the busy chaos of imminent separation.


    "How is living with the Song clan treating you?"


    Jet smiled a little, then shrugged.


    "It''s treating me fine. I am often reminded of why was it exactly that I never wanted to be a part of a Legacy clan... but it''s fine. Weirdly, I feel a bit of kinship with these women."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Kinship, really? Why?"


    She lingered for a few moments.


    "A thief knows a thief, as a wolf knows a wolf. It''s just a vague feeling, but I think that their Flaws are similar to mine... not exactly the same, but similar. I have no solid proof, of course, but there are ways to tell. A thing like that influences you in many subtle ways."


    Jet looked away and let out a wistful sigh.


    "All of Ki Song''s daughters are adopted, you know? Many of them were taken from the outskirts when they were very young. Who knows, in another life, I might have been a princess of a great clan, as well... wouldn''t that be a sight?"


    Sunny looked at her gloomily, trying to imagine Soul Reaper in the traditional wine-red attire of the Song clan. However, his imagination failed him.


    ...No matter how hard Sunny tried, he just couldn''t imagine Jet wearing a dress.


    He scoffed.


    "I do know, and yes, that would be a sight. However, I like the current you much more."


    Soul Reaper laughed.


    "...Me too, Sunny, me too. You are maybe a bit too young to understand the sentiment, but... I fought long and hard to become the current me. I wouldn''t trade it for the world."


    The smile slowly disappeared from her face, and she looked at him with a somber expression.


    "You know that things are about to change in East Antarctica, right?"


    Sunny slowly nodded, prompting her to ask:


    "So, what are you going to do?"


    Noticing Sunny, they all became lively.


    "Sunny... man! You were a real terror on the battlefield yesterday."


    "When the hell did you become that scary?"


    "Now I really want to Ascend, too. Maybe I''ll get a pseudo-transformation ability like you!"


    "You''re an Artisan, Kaor. What kind of transformation are you going to get? Turn into a block of wood?"


    "Better be a block of wood than a blockhead like you..."


    Sunny greeted them with a few smiles and a few elusive answers, then walked over to where Cassie was sitting and looked around.


    "Hey, Cas. Where''s Nephis?"


    The blind girl pointed forward, where another vehicle - this one larger and better armored - was visible through the windshield of the APC.


    "Morgan invited her for a last-minute discussion."


    He smiled darkly.


    "Oh, yeah? Discussion of what?"


    Cassie lingered with the answer.


    "Probably the ambush."


    He really did not know what to say.


    ''What kind of stupid ambush is this, when everyone knows that it''s happening? Damn, I''m sure that even the ambushers know that we know. The sheer stupidity of it all...''


    Sunny sighed, then sat near Cassie and grew quiet.


    Soon, the column of vehicles started to move, surrounded by a moving shield of mounted Awakened.


    The human forces were returning victorious from a dire battle with a harrowing horde of Nightmare Creatures, having slayed four powerful Titans.


    But what awaited them was not the warm welcome of the citizens, but the swords and bullets of fellow humans.


    He shook his head dejectedly.


    ''No... actually, there might be Nightmare Creatures in the ambush, as well. That''s Beastmaster we are talking about, after all...''

 Chapter 1130 Closeness

    The journey back to the Valor enclave in East Antarctica was going to take several days. On the first day, the Awakened riders charged forward many times, slaughtering any band of Nightmare Creatures that was unfortunate enough to wander into the convoy''s path.


    Awakened and Fallen abominations were ruthlessly cut down long before they could pose a threat to the vehicles. When a Corrupted one appeared, the Knights of Valor attacked personally. Watching these exalted Masters fight was both an inspiration and a grim reminder of what Sunny contended against.


    Each of them was no less deadly than Pierce and Welthe, Mordret''s jailers, had been... maybe even more so. With the Knights slaying the more dangerous Nightmare Creatures, none of the Saints had to personally intervene yet.


    There were also Morgan''s Echoes. Strangely enough, there were only a few of them in view - the Princes of War must have dismissed some of them, for now.


    Of course, there was also another possibility. Morgan could have sent several Echoes to stage an ambush of her own.


    In fact, Sunny was more or less certain that she had.Updated from


    He had spent the last month carefully studying the expedition force of the great clan. By now, he knew the faces of pretty much every Awakened, Ascended, and mundane specialist that Valor had sent to the Southern Quadrant, as well as the rough outline of their abilities.


    Which was why it had not escaped Sunny''s attention that several cohorts of Awakened that had participated in the battle against the titanic horde were mysteriously missing from the convoy. They were, most likely, en route to lay a trap for the returning force of Song warriors.


    He did not envy them one bit.


    Sunny himself spent the first day silently observing how the warriors of Valor fought through the shadows. He thought about striking up a conversation with Cassie, but found it hard to find a topic to discuss. At least one that did not have to do with Nightmare Creatures, machinations of the great clans, or the tumultuous future facing them all.


    ...Work, basically.


    It was a bit strange. He had thought that they were close - despite everything, there were very few people in this world, if any, who were closer to him than her.


    And yet, Sunny realized that he did not know much about Cassie outside the dire reality of being an Awakened. He never met her family, which she mentioned so much on the Forgotten Shore. He had never visited her home, or learned of her hobbies - things she enjoyed, things she found frustrating. He didn''t even know what her official position in clan Valor was, and how her life had changed because of it.


    That realization was... disheartening.


    Granted, Cassie herself was part of the reason for the distance between them. After Awakening, she seemed to have closed herself off from the outside world, somewhat. After the Ascension, her isolation had only grown more pronounced - it was as though the blind girl was making a conscious effort to blend into the background, becoming as obscure and forgettable as possible.


    "Ah, I understand. You might not know it, but I took driving lessons, as well - from an actual ace pilot, by the way. Uh... my ride sort of blew up, but when we get back to NQSC, I''ll definitely buy a new one. And when I do... you can count on it being parked in the most visible places often..."


    Cassie remained silent for a few moments, then asked with strange curiosity:


    "...What else do you want to do when you get back?"


    He scratched the back of his head.


    "Huh... I actually have not given it much thought. Well, first things first - my shop is in desperate need of new exclusive merchandise. I''ve been practicing a lot here in Antarctica, so I might be able to bring the Brilliant Emporium to an entirely new level. Maybe I''ll even branch out and open a Memory boutique in Bastion. Oh, also... I''ve been thinking about opening a restaurant. Feeding people and making money at the same time, isn''t that a dream?"


    Sunny thought for a bit, and then added:


    "I''m going to need to be in Bastion a lot, if I want to do proper business. I don''t want to be anchored there, though... so, maybe I''ll find a scenic, quiet Citadel somewhere nearby. Out of the way of the mess between Valor and Song."


    He smiled, then asked:


    "How about you?"


    Cassie simply sighed.


    "I think I''ll be very busy after returning to NQSC. If I do have some free time... all I want to do is wear pajamas around the house and do nothing."


    She lingered for a moment, then suddenly flashed him a smile:


    "I do promise to visit your restaurant, though! I''ll even leave a big tip..."


    As they talked, the sun wobbled to the edge of the sky, never falling behind the horizon, but turning the world dim.


    The convoy came to a stop, preparing for the next leg of the journey.


    In that lull, an Awakened from Clan Valor arrived, putting an end to their conversation.

 Chapter 1131 Foresight

    It was very easy to send a message through the short-range communication network of the convoy, but Morgan had deemed it necessary to send an actual person to fetch them.


    The Awakened approached the APC where Sunny and Cassie were, his imposing armored figure appearing in view of the external cameras of the armored vehicle, and politely knocked on the main hatch. When one of the Fire Keepers opened it, the man cleared his throat and said with solemn gravitas:


    "Lady Song of the Fallen, Ascended Sunless. Lady Morgan is inviting you to join her in the head vehicle at your convenience."


    Sunny recognized the Awakened from spying on Morgan and Madoc yesterday. The guy sure was a bit too pompous for a glorified messenger... but remembering his earnest reaction to Whispering Blade''s praise, that was not at all u


    All Valor Awakened were like that - too serious and full of ardent devotion. The Fire Keepers were zealously devoted to their leader, too, but at least they did not stand on ceremony.


    They saw Nephis as the best of them, as opposed to better than them. There was an important distinction.


    Sunny shook his head, then nodded at the awkward Awakened and rose from the crate he was sitting on. Cassie stood up, too, and followed him outside. Her steps were cautious, but she seemed to have no problem navigating the world without being able to see it.


    It was a far cry from how helpless she had been on the Forgotten Shore.


    Her hand was resting on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer, too, reminding Sunny how deadly of a fighter she had become. Of course, with most of her Abilities having nothing to do with combat, Cassie''s battle prowess could not compare to that of more straightforward Masters.


    Still, he wouldn''t want to fight someone who knew his every move in advance. Sunny understood very well how dreadful such an opponent would be, because he himself cut down many foes by relying on Shadow Dance.


    The Awakened Squire kept a respectful silence as he led them to the head of the column, where an armored vehicle that would put even the Rhino to shame stood just before a wide crossroad. It was surrounded by a watchful ring of Awakened warriors. They gave Sunny and Cassie stern looks, then stepped aside to let them through.


    It was nonsensical, really. Currently, two of the most deadly Masters in the world and Whispering Blade himself were inside the vehicle... what could these Awakened do to protect them?


    Once inside, Sunny saw Morgan, Madoc, and Nephis gathered around a holographic table that showed a topographical projection of the surrounding area. Some distance away, a few spots were marked with red. It did not take a genius strategist to know that those were the most convenient places for an ambush.


    At least Sunny would have chosen them if he had to lay a trap for the forces of Valor.


    Then again, Sunny did not really need a convenient spot and advantageous terrain to ambush someone... all he needed was a bit of shadow.


    Morgan welcomed them with a nod and gestured for them to come closer. Once they did, she addressed Cassie in a neutral tone:


    "Cassia, do you have anything to share with us?"


    The blind girl nodded, then lingered for a few moments. Eventually, he raised her hand and pointed to a particular red mark.


    "There."


    "Let''s not draw this out. We should dismantle the ambush as soon as possible... and stay on guard. Cassie is powerful, but she is not all-powerful. There might be other aspects of the trap that we failed to account for."


    Morgan smiled.


    "A good suggestion. Since you were the one to voice it, dear sister... why don''t you take your Fire Keepers and deal with this issue personally? They''ll be leaving for the Nightmares soon, so this might be their last opportunity to wet their blades with the blood of Song for a long while."


    Nephis turned away and looked at the map with a bleak expression.


    "...I will."


    Sunny, who had remained silent all that time, cleared his throat.


    "Sorry... but should I be hearing this conversation? Why am I here, exactly?"


    Morgan looked at him with confusion, then chuckled.


    "Why, you are a representative of the government, Master Sunless. You are the perfect person to share the vile machinations of the Song clan with. Who knows, maybe I''ll want to lodge a complaint with the authorities later. You''ll be an important witness."


    Then, she smiled at him.


    "...Plus, I thought that you might enjoy a small distraction like this. Would you please accompany my little sister on this mission, Master Sunless? As a neutral observer, of course. It would really make me feel better about her safety."


    Sunny stared at her with a dubious expression.


    ''Yeah... right.''


    The battle maniac probably just wanted to see him kill something again. Or maybe deepen his connection to the Valor clan through bloodshed.


    He shrugged.


    "Sure... why not? I am a part of this convoy as well, after all. If we really were to be ambushed, my safety would be compromised too."


    The Princess of War nodded, then crossed her arms and looked at the map.


    "True. I''ll be awaiting good news, then..."


    -----


    Erdiul''s Note: Author will release last chapter in few hours. If I''m awake I''ll post it, if not, I''ll post it tomorrow.

 Chapter 1132 Ambush

    Chapter 1132 Ambush


    The contingent of Valor soldiers camped for a few hours of rest, while several vehicles containing the Fire Keepers secretly continued forward. They advanced at moderate speed for a few hours, then hid the vehicles between the rusty ruins of massive machines left behind by the Dark Times and continued toward the place of the ambush on foot.


    Sunny walked with them, scouting the path ahead with his shadows. As he did, he heard the Fire Keepers talk.


    One of them - a tall young man who possessed the Ability to summon two more arms and fought by wielding two greatswords - was speaking in a contemplative tone:


    "...It''s been a while since I killed a human. Honestly, I sort of assumed that I would never have to do it again after leaving the Forgotten Shore. Should have known better, really."


    He sighed, then glanced at the leader of his cohort:


    "What about you, Shim?"


    Shim, the healer who usually fought where the battle was direst, wielding a shield and a spear, shrugged.


    "I don''t think I''ve ever killed a human."


    The others looked at him with surprise.


    "What are you talking about, you maniac? I personally saw you gut at least half a dozen Guards in the throne room of the Bright Castle. And that was just day one of that mess."


    The healer glanced at them evenly.


    "Those weren''t humans. They didn''t qualify."


    Even Sunny was given pause by that cold logic.


    ...Shim was right about something, though. Some humans were worse than Nightmare Creatures.


    In any case, the Fire Keepers did not seem too opposed to the idea of fighting against one of the great clans. Perhaps the fact that Clan Song was currently laying a trap to attack their convoy played a part in their nonchalance, but they would have probably followed Nephis even if the situation was reversed. New n0vel chapters are published on


    As for Changing Star herself, she had grown quiet in anticipation of the battle, mentally preparing herself for the strain of using her Aspect.


    Standing to her full height, Changing Star took a step forward and whipped her arm forward, as if throwing a discus.


    The small sphere of white flame pierced the air, leaving a trail of scorched earth in its wake. It disappeared into the ravine a second later, and then, the ground shook. There was a blinding flash, and a deafening boom. A fountain of fire suddenly shot from the ravine into the cold sky, washing the world in white.


    ...Just like that, the three cohorts of Awakened elites were wiped out.


    Nephis looked a little tired.


    A few moments later, Cassie turned her head and spoke:


    "The Ascended is dead."


    Neph nodded, then turned to the Fire Keepers.


    "Get ready."


    The waters of the calm lake suddenly boiled, and a flood of abominations started to emerge from them, all surging toward the small hill they stood upon.


    The young man whom Sunny had overheard speaking to Shim earlier scratched the back of his head with one of his four hands.


    "...Well, I guess I won''t have to kill any humans today, either."


    With that, he shrugged and summoned his greatswords.


    The Fire Keepers calmly faced the tide of Nightmare Creatures.


    ...Not too long after that, every last one of the abominations was wiped out.


    Not a drop of human blood had been spilled - at least on the Valor side.


    Sunny observed it all with a detached expression. From start to finish, he had not moved a finger. It was honestly kind of... anticlimactic.


    ''Wasn''t I complaining about having to wash blood off myself a couple of days earlier, though?''


    ...It was nice to work with professionals.

 Chapter 1133: Chilling Message

    The Fire Keepers had retraced their steps, returning to where they had left the vehicles. The mood among the veterans of the Forgotten Shore was neutral... it was as if they had fought a mundane battle, not one that would become the opening act of a bloody confrontation between two great clans.


    Sunny, however, felt slightly dejected. He had no pity for the Awakened of the great clan Song - they would not have any pity on him if the situation was reversed, either. And yet, all of it was such a shameful waste. Valor and Song were wasting the lives of skilled warriors, and in the middle of the Chain of Nightmares, no less.


    That was both odious and the reason for why those who followed their orders did not deserve his pity... or his mercy.


    The armored vehicles moved across the desolate landscape of Antarctica, returning victorious to the camp. They navigated the treacherous expanse of countless rivers and lakes and rejoined the main force of the Valor clan close to dawn - which was not much different from night and day in Antarctica.


    Their return did not cause much fanfare, mostly because few people knew of the impending ambush. Those who did or were smart enough to figure things out on their own, however, paid the small column of vehicles close attention. Their faces changed slightly when they saw that none of the Fire Keepers seemed to be missing, or even bear any wounds.


    The skilled Awakened of the great clan were begrudgingly impressed, if not envious.


    Sunny left the APC with the rest of the Forgotten Shore Awakened to stretch his legs. Nephis and Cassie left to make a report to Morgan, but he stayed behind.


    There was no point in being there personally, anyway... one of his shadows was going instead, hidden within Neph''s.New n0vel chapters are published on


    The conversation went more or less exactly as he had expected. Morgan seemed both pleased and disappointed by the easy victory the Fire Keepers had achieved. She had expected more from the forces of the famed Clan Song. Madoc offered Nephis mild praise with a polite smile.


    Both were impatient to get to the real bloodshed.


    Changing Star herself remained impassive. She did not even seem moved by the boon she must have received for wiping out three cohorts of elite Awakened... if their cores were fully saturated, the bounty of souls she had collected had to be close to a thousand fragments.


    Sunny did not summon the runes to check since he saw no reason to.


    Not long after their return, the command to break camp was given, and the soldiers prepared to continue the march. Soon, the convoy started to roll forward...


    Only to come to a sudden halt not a minute later.


    The APC Sunny was riding on stopped so abruptly that he almost flew out of his seat.


    ''What the hell?''


    There was some kind of disturbance outside, with soldiers exiting the vehicles and looking around in confusion. The shouts of commanders echoed in the air, and the Awakened riders spread out, turning their mounts around.


    Her voice sounded like the hiss of a sword leaving its scabbard:


    "Silent Stalker..."


    Sunny looked around the empty vehicle with a complicated expression.


    ''A Saint was here?''


    The mystery of what had happened to the cohort of Valor''s Awakened... was not a mystery anymore.


    The Fire Keepers had dismantled the ambush prepared for the convoy by the forces of Song. But while they were doing it, someone else had entered the heavily guarded camp unseen, slaughtered a cohort of elite Awakened without making a single sound, and left, taking their bodies away.


    That someone was Silent Stalker, a Transcendent huntress and one of Ki Song''s daughters.


    She even left one of her arrows behind, to let the enemy know who the perpetrator was.


    A Saint could have wreaked much more havoc, if they wanted to... but Silent Stalker had seemingly only wanted to do one thing.


    Prove a point.


    Morgan snarled, then snapped the arrow with her thumb and threw the pieces away.


    Madoc grimaced, then said evenly:


    "Beastmaster is sending a message. It seems that she wants to provoke us."


    His niece remained silent for a few moments, composing herself.


    Then, she suddenly smiled.


    Her previous disappointment appeared to be gone.


    "...Message received."

 Chapter 1134: Peaceful Morning

    Nothing else happened on their way back to the siege capital. It had grown harder to eavesdrop on Morgan and Madoc once again, so Sunny didn''t learn much about the consequences of Beastmaster''s mocking message. He did, however, understand from small hints and clues that Valor''s own ambush had gone slightly better than the one prepared by Song.


    Most of the ambushers even survived, and were now following a different route to return to safe territory. The great clans had basically exchanged slaps. What would come next were actual blows.


    ...It was nice to return back to civilization. Sunny slept in a soft bed, had a hot shower, and prepared himself an actual meal. Despite the dire war raging somewhere on the continent - two wars, even - his routine was strangely mundane and peaceful.


    He even received a video message from Rain - the network in East Antarctica was not nearly as in shambles as it had been in the Antarctic Center, so the bandwidth allocated to him allowed for such frivolities from time to time.


    To Sunny''s slight disappointment, Rain only spoke about what was happening in her life for a short while, using the rest of the recording to demonstrate the progress she was making in her training and ask for pointers.


    The message ended with a few carefree sentences:


    "Oh... by the way, do you remember the classmate I told you about? The one whose sister is an MWP pilot in Antarctica. Apparently, her unit got into a really bad situation, and she only survived because a Master named Devil saved her. Thank the gods... I can''t even imagine how her family would have felt if not for him. Anyway, if you know that guy, buy him a drink. Better yet, try to stay close to him. He is apparently some sort of a big hero, so you''ll be safer with him. Uh... what I am trying to say is that you should be careful. Take care of yourself. Bye!"


    The message ended, leaving Sunny in amused silence. He shook his head.


    ''What are the chances... and what the hell does she mean, do I know that guy? Have I not told her that people call me the Devil of Antarctica? I''m sure I bragged about it...''


    Then, he went about composing a response, first going over her technique and swordsmanship, then adding a few phrases at the end:


    "Yes, I do remember. As for the Devil... as it happens, I know him pretty well. That guy is indeed amazing. He is also very powerful, handsome, and disgustingly rich. Your classmate''s sister was really very fortunate to meet him. He mostly keeps company with Saints and beautiful Legacies from the Great Clans these days, but since you asked, I''ll go buy him a drink right after finishing writing this message..."


    Sunny grinned as he finished and sent the message, then fulfilled his promise by walking to the nearest provisions stall and ordering a cup of cheap synthetic coffee.


    He savored its warmth on the street, watching the refugees sheltered within the city walls go about their daily lives. The atmosphere in the siege capital was not at all light - in fact, it was charged by distress and dread - but it was not at all as heavy as it had been in Falcon Scott.


    No matter how full of tribulations and anxiety their lives had become, people actually lived here, not just tried desperately to survive. Sunny felt that he was alive, too.


    Cassie smiled.


    "Oh! Sure, I can help. The Ivory Tower has drifted east of the Tear, though, so the journey might take a bit more time."


    Sunny had a few reasons to return to the Chained Isles... but the main one was on the Shipwreck Island, where he had fought the Wormvine.


    Or rather, under it.


    The remains of Sun Prince still swayed there, tangled in the broken chains. Sunny wanted the Imp to devour as much of the steel giant as possible... his initial desire to make the little fiend develop a nearly indestructible body was a lofty one, but in practice, finding enough magical metal to feed the ravenous Shadow was proving to be a problem.


    So, it was very convenient to know the location of a giant, dead, ancient iron Saint.


    As he was imagining how much the Imp would improve after sinking his teeth into the Sun Prince, Cassie led him to a guarded door and opened it. Sunny was a little surprised, since it was not one of the usual places where he met the emissaries of Valor.


    In fact, it was a spacious, heavily reinforced dojo with all kinds of swords and implements of war resting in armored cases.


    Morgan was standing in the middle of the dojo, wearing nothing except for a light black tunic. Her vermilion eyes were gleaming with sharp, intense desire.


    Desire to cross swords with a worthy opponent, and destroy them.


    Sunny froze.


    ''I... ah... I suddenly don''t feel safe...''


    The princess of clan Valor smiled widely at the sight of him.


    "Master Sunless. If I remember correctly, you promised me a spar?"

 Chapter 1135 Rematch

    Sunny remembered his first clash with Morgan very well.


    Back then, he had been a mere Awakened. Nevertheless, as far as Awakened went, he had considered himself to be somewhat of an outlier in terms of personal power and combat skill... he had even entertained the idea of winning their duel.


    Sunny had been blessed with the powers of a Divine Aspect, trained by Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan and tempered in the ruthless crucible of the Forgotten Shore, and possessed of an Aspect Legacy.


    So, there had been a reason for his confidence.


    The streak of easy wins he had achieved in the Dreamscape also played a role. Even though some of the opponents he had faced were challenging foes, none managed to make him feel seriously threatened.


    Sunny had involuntarily grown a little arrogant.


    ...Morgan had destroyed that arrogance.


    She had been the first Master he crossed swords with, and not just any Master at that. The heiress of the great clan Valor was at the absolute pinnacle of what an Ascended could be. Being utterly crushed by her in less than forty seconds had hit him like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing whatever nascent hubris Sunny could have developed.


    Her oppressively flawless skill, her overwhelming physical prowess, her crystal-clear killing intent... all of it made a lasting impression on him.


    Sunny had returned with two valuable gifts from that battle. The first was a breakthrough in his mastery of Shadow Dance. The second was a stark reminder of how many crouching tigers there were among the Awakened. Yes, he was outstanding and powerful... but he was not the only outstanding, powerful person out there.


    Ever since that battle, Sunny had been instinctively comparing every Master he fought with Morgan.


    So far, no one had made the cut - not in the waking world, not in the Dream Realm, and not in the Second Nightmare.


    Which was why he was very curious to see how he would compare to her now that they were both Ascended.


    Sunny was not the same person who had met Morgan in the Dreamscape. He had lived through too many tribulations since then - the Night Temple, the Red Colosseum, the gauntlet of nightmares, the Temple of the Chalice, the Ivory City... and the Antarctic Center, from the quiet dread of LO49 to the cold despair of Falcon Scott.


    Each of these trials had left scars on his soul, but also made him a much more experienced and deadly fighter.


    ''That is true...''


    The blind girl was now able to see both the Attributes and the Aspect Abilities of those near her, after all. She was a priceless source of information... an almost limitless well of it, really. Thanks to her, Sunny now knew a lot about many people, including the likes of Whispering Blade and Beastmaster.


    With Cassie''s help, Sunny had finally confirmed without a shadow of a doubt that those of the Valor bloodline - Anvil and his children, at least - carried the lineage of War God in their veins.


    As for Morgan''s Aspect Abilities...


    Her Dormant Ability allowed her to passively enhance the sharpness of anything she touched. Her Awakened Ability was a comprehensive physical augmentation with an emphasis on resilience - basically, her body could become as durable as tempered steel.


    Her Ascended Ability was a strange one, though. It allowed her to assimilate enchantments into her body and soul, inheriting their effects. As a Master, the number of enchantments she could absorb was limited to three, and they could be switched freely for different ones at any point in time.


    Considering how powerful, versatile, and unpredictable such an Ability was, Sunny was more than willing to forego using Ascended Abilities today.


    Standing opposite of each other, the two of them studied the opponent for a while in silence. Sunny was remembering the thirty-six seconds he had managed to hold out against Morgan the last time they fought.


    Morgan was probably studying his posture and expression, as well as replaying the scenes from the battle against the titanic horde in her mind.


    After all, she didn''t know that this was not the first time the two of them faced each other holding swords in their hands.


    ...Slowly, a smile of anticipation appeared on Morgan''s beautiful face.


    Her vermilion eyes glinted, and her crimson lips parted, revealing pearly white teeth.


    "Prepare yourself, Master Sunless..."


    Sunny almost rolled his eyes.


    ''Is there really a need to announce her atta...''


    He did not get to finish that thought, however.


    Suddenly, Morgan was beside him, and her sword was falling down like the inescapable blade of a guillotine.

 Chapter 1136 Friendly Duel

    Morgan moved fast... much faster than she had moved in the Dreamscape. One moment she was standing calmly a dozen meters away from him, the next she was already there, delivering a downward cut aimed precisely at his temple.


    Luckily, Sunny was prepared for her.


    He sidestepped, raising his shadow tachi to intercept the training sword. The two blades met and bit into each other, connected in a bind. He felt the shock of the impact travel through his bones and pushed the sword away - at the same moment as Morgan raised her hands, changing the angle of her weapon and pushing it forward over the tachi.


    The tip of the training sword barely missed his eye.Updated from


    But now, momentum was on Sunny''s side.


    He took a step forward, past their two blades, and rammed her with his shoulder. Morgan was thrown back, and a split second later, it was her turn to deflect a cut... only the cut had never come.


    Instead of trying to twirl his tachi into a downward cut that was not too different from the one his opponent had delivered a moment ago, Sunny simply kept its position - raised above his shoulder, the blade facing back - and struck her in the face with the pommel.


    No matter how fast Morgan was, no matter how strong, the distance between them was too short, and that strike was too swift - better yet, the blade of the tachi remained between his neck and the enemy''s sword.


    Sunny saw no way for her to escape.


    And... she didn''t.


    Instead of awkwardly trying to avoid the strike, Morgan simply lowered her head and received it with the ridge of her brow, where the bone was strongest. She didn''t seem phased by the powerful blow, either. In fact, Sunny felt as if he had struck steel... he almost heard a metallic ring.


    The two of them pushed away from each other, ending that first, probing exchange.


    Sunny was pleased with himself.


    ...Morgan seemed pleased, too.


    A wide smile bloomed on her face. She briefly touched her forehead, then glanced at her fingers, where a drop of blood was smeared across her alabaster skin. The smile turned into a grin.


    "Wonderful. Simply wonderful. Nephis, Cassie, and you... I''ve been starved of good opponents for so long, and now there are three. And you are all so different, as well!"


    She looked like a starving glutton who suddenly found himself choosing between three exquisite dishes.


    Today, the situation was different. Sunny was at a disadvantage, but he could confidently defend himself. He was older, stronger, and more experienced... his mastery of Shadow Dance had improved a lot, too.


    That said... the problem was...


    ''What the... the hell... she is insane!''


    Although Morgan''s battle style was too sophisticated and strangely elusive to be absorbed by him in a short amount of time, he did manage to glean a few things about it - enough to be able to predict the general flow of her movements.


    However, that flow was flawless, entirely devoid of any vulnerability he could exploit. What was the point of knowing her moves in advance if he couldn''t do anything about it? She fought in a way that left him with no choices. It was as though there was a steel cage around him, and its sharp bars were slowly constricting. Soon enough, he would be caught and cut into pieces by them.


    Sunny knew that if the enemy had no vulnerabilities, the best way to defeat them was to create some. So, he tried to lure Morgan into several insidious traps - to no avail. She seemed to see straight through them, solving the puzzles he presented in an instant.


    Even all this time later...


    She was still like an insurmountable obstacle for him. The savage, but simultaneously chillingly calculating deadliness of her perfectly lethal skill was like a work of art.


    Its theme was war, violence, and destruction, and Sunny was both the subject and the sole member of the audience for whom that art was being created.


    As well as its victim.


    At that moment, he realized something...


    Sunny realized that this was the worst possible way for him to fight someone like Morgan.


    Direct confrontation, contests of strength and skill... all of that was not his battlefield. The most dire battles Sunny had fought, he won with cunning and guile. He employed underhanded tricks, used every single resource available to him in unexpected ways, and tore victories from the claws of fate through sheer force of will and boundless spitefulness.


    He was good in a fight, of course. Much better than most. But while being a sharp sword was an important conduit of his will, it was not what made him truly deadly.


    ''What a... fine realization...''


    The question was - how could he turn this duel around and push it toward a direction where he held the advantage? There were ways to overcome Morgan''s furious, cold, suffocating might, surely.


    A more important question, though...


    Was if he even wanted to.

 Chapter 1137 Losers Game

    Up until now, both Sunny and Morgan had acted relatively tame.


    It might not have looked like it from the side, considering how fierce and vicious a battle of two Ascended inevitably appeared. Masters possessed superhuman speed, strength, and resilience. A clash between them would look like a collision of two natural forces to a mundane person, and a mundane building would be swiftly destroyed should it become an arena for it.


    Which was why the dojo they were fighting in was lined with durable armored plates, and the training sword Morgan was using cost a fortune.


    ...Nevertheless, they were holding back.


    Not even considering the fact that the two of them had agreed to forgo using their Ascended Abilities, Sunny had yet to make use of Shadow Step. Morgan had not made her weapon sharper, either, preferring to rely on pure technique.


    It was as though both of them had silently decided to make this spar a contest of skill... for now.


    Which was actually a disadvantage for Sunny. The fewer resources he had at his disposal, the more restrained he felt. Morgan, on the other hand, seemed to only ever need one resource - her sword.


    In fact, even that was not necessary. Her body itself was the sword, capable of cutting through tempered steel without hindrance.


    So, if Sunny wanted to turn things around, he needed the situation to change, pushing their duel into the next stage.


    However, he wasn''t sure if he wanted to.


    ''...What is my goal here?''


    He had been curious to compare his strength with Morgan''s. He had been given little choice but to accept her request, as well. He naturally wanted to win.


    But was a victory really in his best interest?


    Now that Sunny was being closely observed by the great clans, there was no possibility of not drawing their attention. Which was why he had decided to accept that fact and settle for creating a very specific impression of himself instead of trying to remain unseen.


    Sunny wanted both Valor and Song to think of him as someone strong, exceptional even... but not too exceptional, and not too strong. They had to think of him as a powerful, but crude upstart - a talented outskirt rat that had achieved a lot, and had the potential to achieve even more... but not much more.


    As someone who could be predicted and controlled.


    "Let''s."


    Sunny sidestepped her strike and nodded.


    Then, his technique instantly changed.


    Before, he was using a fluid mix of various simple styles he had picked up over the years. Such a patchwork technique did not excel in any one thing in particular, but was flexible and hard to predict.


    Sunny had held to his best cards, though, unwilling to share them with the enemy... a potential enemy, at least. Broken Sword''s style that Nephis had taught him, Saint''s grounded technique that had originated from the legions of Nether, the battle art of Solvane''s zealots, which had come from the warmaidens of the Red Sect - those, he had hidden within himself.


    Now that he wanted to lose in the most interesting fashion, though...


    ''What would really intrigue a battle maniac like Morgan?''


    She had faced and defeated all kinds of Awakened, and had learned all manner of battle styles, no doubt. Her collection was probably even larger than Sunny''s own...


    So what technique could he show that was both exceptional and fascinating - and, most importantly, unknown to Morgan?


    One particular style came to mind.


    It was one that he had learned by chance... not from Awakened, Ascended, or even Saints, but from Nightmare Creatures. The primeval hunters that had emerged from the Gate near Rain school, wielding weapons made of flint.


    After all, if anything could capture the attention of an obsessed connoisseur of swordsmanship and all things related to combat like Morgan, it was a technique that might have had just lain at the root of all techniques, all styles.


    Sunny''s movements changed, shifting from fluid and refined to uncomplicated and brutal. His whole demeanor changed, too.


    The savage technique of the Barrow Wraiths was straightforward and rudimentary, but there was a primal lethality to its clear, callous barbarity. It was the expression of a pure, unclouded intent to kill - simple, but in no way crude. There was nothing about it to dilute the ruthless resolve of a hunter who sought to slaughter his prey in the most direct, efficient way possible.


    Sunny remembered the desperate fight in front of the Nightmare Gate and attacked, cruelly aiming to slice through Morgan''s hamstrings.


    ''Let''s see how this goes...''

 Chapter 1138 Suffering From Success

    It went well.


    Sunny was not doing much better against the murderous hurricane of steel wearing the beautiful human face of Morgan of Valor... but he did manage to slow her down a little.


    Morgan slowed down not because she felt pressured by his sudden change of techniques, but because she was fascinated by it.


    Her raven-black hair swept back and her simple tunic rippling from the wind risen by their clash, she pierced him with a burning vermilion gaze. Her red lips moved:


    "Interesting. Very interesting..."


    Morgan was not addressing Sunny, but more so speaking to herself.


    After that, she changed her strategy, as well. Before, Morgan was all offense, all sharp edges, and a relentless barrage of calculated, but devastating strikes. Now, she was moving more deliberately - not really holding back, but also not pursuing an overwhelming defeat of the enemy at all costs.


    It was as if Morgan was afraid to break him too soon.


    ...Sunny did not really know how to feel about that.


    ''Huh... well, that''s a new feeling...''


    They clashed, their swords weaving a cacophonous, but strangely beautiful melody of hissing and clangor. At the side of the dojo, Cassie turned her head slightly, listening.


    Sunny had long beaten his record of holding out against Morgan for thirty-six seconds. A minute passed, then another. He was still solidly standing on his two feet, and even though his breathing was growing a little labored from the terrible strain of the intense fight, his stamina was far from running out.


    In the middle of a particularly furious exchange, when they were close to each other, Morgan suddenly asked:


    "That style... who taught you?"


    Sunny struck at the hilt of her sword, aiming to sever her fingers, and answered hoarsely:


    "No one taught me. I just learned it... from a Nightmare Creature..."


    She easily avoided his strike and punished it by aiming a thrust at his heart. A smile appeared on her face.


    "...In the Nightmare?"


    Sunny hesitated, considering how much he could reveal. He had fought the Barrow Wraiths as Mongrel, after all... but then again, no one else had gotten a proper measure of their battle skill, and he had faced countless Nightmare Gates later in Antarctica, most of them undocumented.


    "No, in front of a Nightmare Gate."


    Morgan''s smile widened.


    It seemed that Morgan had decided to start using more of her Aspect Abilities, as well.


    There was nothing really for him to do but accept the blow and hope that she was not planning to decapitate him.


    The kick had lost none of its power after cutting the spear. The moment Morgan''s foot connected with his jaw, it was as if he had been hit by a siege ram. Sunny momentarily saw stars. He was thrown aside and staggered, barely managing to maintain some semblance of balance.


    ''Not good... no... actually, very good! This is exactly what I wanted. Time to be defeated...''


    He overplayed his disorientation a little and waited for the follow-up strike to come.


    But it didn''t.


    When Sunny regained the ability to see clearly a second later, he saw a hint of guilt on Morgan''s face. She was looking at him with a resigned expression.


    "Ah, damn it... sorry, I forgot myself for a moment. I have a healer at hand..."


    Then, she paused and stared at him with a slightly startled expression. It was strange to see Morgan surprised.


    "You''re... you''re not cut?"


    Sunny rubbed his cheek, which was still numb. He was going to have a nasty bruise, that was for sure. But the Marble Shell seemed to have withstood Morgan''s Aspect Ability.


    No, not quite... she had probably released the Ability after slicing through the spear. But her Flaw - what Sunny suspected to be her Flaw - remained.


    He grimaced, then moved his jaw side to side and answered in an even tone:


    "No. Why would I be cut? Do I look fragile? Well, I''m not. I''m quite sturdy, in fact."


    Morgan stared at him for a bit, a strange expression on her face. Eventually, her lips twisted into a light smile.


    "That you are. I''ll remember that... for our next spar. This one, sadly, has to come to an end. Thank you for a wonderful duel, Master Sunless."


    She glanced at her training sword, then calmly turned around and went to place it back in the case.


    Sunny rubbed his cheek again, feeling a bit of dull pain seep through the numbness, and looked at her back.


    ''Seems like it worked. That... is what I call a job well done. Beautifully, really. Ah... I guess that is what they call suffering from success...''


    -----


    Erdiul''s Note: See, I told you I did you favor by releasing all four at the same time. No cliffhanger, solid reading experience. You''re welcome.

 Chapter 1139: Performance Review

    The spar with Morgan left Sunny feeling sore and contemplative. The soreness quickly dissipated thanks to his Ascended physique and the Shroud of Dusk, but the ponderous mood remained.


    Some time later, he was sitting in his small office, ignoring the paperwork he had to fill out in favor of idly staring at the wall.


    That fight of theirs was not exactly illuminating, but it had provided him with a lot of food for thought.


    First of all, Sunny was reminded of what true Legacies represented. Over the years, he had forgotten the feeling of awe and reverence mundane people had toward the distant, powerful Legacy Clans - the austere warrior caste that produced the best and most valiant champions of humanity. That existed solely for battling the Nightmare Spell... or was supposed to, at least.


    He couldn''t be blamed - Sunny had grown immensely strong himself and had crossed paths with all kinds of powerful creatures, from ancient Saints to Titans. He had even brushed against actual divinities like Weaver, Nether, and Hope. It was not surprising that the fearsome reputation of the Legacies faded a bit in comparison.


    But the Legacy Clans, and especially the three Great Clans, were still authorities in terms of personal power and combat prowess. They were in no way inferior to the ancient Awakened of the past, and in fact seemed to be superior in many ways... the most important ways. Legacies - and all modern Awakened by extension - were much harsher, much more extreme, and much better tempered than those from the ancient times.


    That was because the Legacy Clans were forged in a much more hellish world. They had risen to resist the Nightmare Spell, and were shaped into a force to be reckoned with by its terrible pressure.


    Morgan had reminded Sunny about that.


    It was no coincidence that the two most dangerous people he knew - Nephis and Mordret - were products of the Legacy culture. Among the three of them, it was Sunny who was an outlier.


    Which brought him to the second avenue of thought... his own power. Sunny would have lied to himself if he said that he wasn''t upset about his loss. Even though he understood that a good defeat was much more beneficial as far as his goals were concerned, a small and unreasonable part of his mind still desired to win.


    No one liked to lose, and Sunny especially hated the thought of losing to a member of a Great Clan. He deeply resented them, after all... being defeated by someone he disdained was a bitter pill to swallow.


    But swallow it he did.


    It was one thing to pretend to be weak in front of Morgan, but the truth of the matter was that she was simply too strong - even the current Sunny, with all his advantages, would find it hard to contend with that level of strength in a direct confrontation. And while he was resourceful and had ways of avoiding such a confrontation, Morgan had all the boundless resources of Clan Valor behind her, as well.


    However, he was not certain if the outcome would have been different... Legacies were first and foremost abomination slayers, after all. Anvil''s daughter had been trained to face all kinds of Nightmare Creatures since childhood. A four-armed fiend would not phase her at all.


    ''...What about some other shell?''


    Sunny was currently limited to one form - that of the shadowspawn - because that was what he knew best. But, in theory, he could create the shell of any creature. He just needed to know the creature well enough... perfectly, in fact. And that was not easy to achieve.


    A thoughtful frown appeared on his face.


    ''Is it true, though? That I can create the shell of any creature?''


    It was true in theory, but that theory broke instantly when faced with reality. Take Morgan, for example, or any other human for that matter... creating a shell a human had to be easier, because Sunny was one himself and knew how human bodies operated perfectly well.


    But how would that even work? The shadowspawn shell worked because the four-armed fiend was much larger than Sunny, and thus, he could form its body around his own.


    But other humans, with rare exceptions, were more or less of the same approximate size as him. There was no space for a human shell to be formed.


    There were creatures smaller than humans, too. The current Ravenous Fiend, for example - even if Sunny studied his Shadow for a while, he wouldn''t be able to create a shell of the little critter.


    So, in reality, the Shadow Shell was limited in what it could recreate.


    ...A strange expression suddenly appeared on Sunny''s face.


    He blinked a couple of times.


    ''Unless...''

 Chapter 1140: Staring at the Wall

    Sunny remained motionless for a while, then chuckled.


    "No... that''s crazy! It would never work."


    Then, he stared at the wall some more.


    ...Would it?


    ''No way.''


    The thought that had crept into his mind while he was thinking about the limitations of the Shadow Shell was so out there that it seemed utterly ridiculous. But the more he thought about it... the fewer reasons to discard it he saw.


    ''No, that''s... that''s a bit too strange, even for me.''


    And yet, he could not find a logical reason for why it wouldn''t be true.


    Sunny hesitated for a while longer, then furtively looked around.


    Then, he cleared his throat, stood up, and left the office.


    If he wanted to test this bizarre theory, he needed to do it somewhere more private.


    He left the Valor compound and made his way to the nearby dormitory, where most of the government staff still remaining within the siege capital lived. There, he entered his living quarters - which were a bit more spacious and had better amenities than that of both mundane and Awakened government workers - and locked the door behind him.


    Being an Ascended had its perks.


    Sunny sent his four shadows to stand watch - two outside the apartment, two within - and stood there for a few minutes, mentally going over what he was about to do.Updated from


    It didn''t seem to be dangerous, just... really weird.


    The principle was simple.


    Sunny had mastered three steps of Shadow Dance to date. The essence of his battle art was shapelessness and formlessness - it allowed him to shadow an enemy, copying the very essence of their combat technique. After doing so, he could predict their movements, the flow of their battle intent, and even their thoughts.


    And that, perhaps, was the reason for the limitations Sunny had to deal with.


    ''Well... uh... let''s just try this.''


    If he succeeded... Sunny felt that he might just discover a direction that would eventually lead him to the next step of Shadow Dance.


    Breathing in deeply, he activated Shadow Step and dissolved into the shadows.


    There, in their dark embrace, Sunny himself was a shadow - formless and shapeless.


    But he did not need to be.


    While fighting the Ravenous Fiend, he had changed his form in this state to possess sharp claws. His shadow form was, too, infinitely malleable.


    So, Sunny concentrated and started to slowly change his shadow form... into the shape of himself.


    It was a strange endeavor, to turn himself into a shadow, only to then turn the shadow into himself. But that was exactly what Sunny wanted to do.


    It was a bit like constructing the shell of the shadowspawn, only instead of shaping the shadows around his body, Sunny was shaping his body - his shadow body - instead.


    Of course, he knew the shape of himself the best. Which was why recreating it was much easier than summoning the fiendish form of the shadowspawn.


    Eventually, the incorporeal shadow assumed the form of Sunny''s body. It had arms and legs, a torso, fingers and toes, and a face that was a perfect rendition of Sunny''s face.


    It matched his physical body perfectly - not that it needed to. Starting from becoming himself was just the easiest thing he could do for that test.


    Satisfied with the result of the shaping, Sunny spent some time in the dark embrace of the shadows, drifting.


    ''I wonder...''


    Then, he took a deep mental breath, activated Shadow Manifestation...


    And manifested himself back into the waking world through it.

 Chapter 1141 Self-Actualization

    Chapter 1141 Self-Actualization


    A matte, jet-black version of Sunny was standing in the middle of the room. He did not move for a while, frozen like a statue, then raised his hands slightly and looked at them with a strange expression.


    His fingers moved.


    ''Well, that''s...''


    The jet-black Sunny scratched the back of his head, then halted for a moment and tentatively touched his hair. The mere fact that he had hair was a surprise.


    ''...that''s certainly something.''


    He felt extremely strange.


    Sunny was fundamentally a human. When using Shadow Step, he could assume the form of an incorporeal shadow, then turn himself back to his original form. That was not what he had done today, however.


    Today, he had become a shadow, and then manifested himself into a corporeal form without turning back into a human. So, what he was right now was... was...


    ''I... uh... I''ll be damned if I know what I am right now.''


    A human inhabiting a human-shaped vessel made of shadows? A shadow brazenly wandering the human world in the form of a person? Or something else entirely?


    Descriptions aside, his current state was a curious one.


    Because of how faithful the recreation was to the original, Sunny felt more or less like himself. His range of motion, strength, and agility remained the same. His shadow form was Ascended, just like his human body, so it was just as powerful and resilient.


    There were differences too, of course.


    The most obvious one was the change in his perception. His shadow sense seemed to have become sharper, while his vision was now less pronounced. He couldn''t see colors, either - just like in the Second Nightmare, when inhabiting the shadowspawn. This was familiar territory for him.


    Less familiar was the actual composition of his new and strange shadow body.


    It was a faithful copy, but not an exact one. It couldn''t be - although the jet-black Sunny looked and acted like Sunny, he was still a manifested shadow. As such, he operated on a different set of principles.


    ...Which was not ideal.


    Sunny had a tendency to be wounded a lot, and if each wound was transferred directly to his soul, it would quickly collapse.


    ''No... that really won''t do.''


    Activating the [Mantle] would surround the physical shadow form with an onyx carapace and make it much less prone to being damaged.


    But there was an even better solution...


    After all, Sunny had started this whole experiment for a reason.


    Even though the discovery promised to have much wider implications, the initial reason was to expand the limits of the Shadow Shell.


    After getting somewhat used to this new way of existence, Sunny called upon the deep shadows shrouding his room, manifesting them into the shadowspawn shell.


    Layers of shadows flowed up his jet-black body, wrapping tightly around it. Soon, a towering, four-armed fiend was standing in the middle of the room.


    This time felt different, though.


    Instead of being nestled within the Shell, Sunny felt as if he had become an integral part of it. His own shadow form was still the heart and driving force of the horned creature, but it was as if he had actually become the fiend. The outer layers of the shadowspawn were like armor, and protected safely deep within was his vulnerable soul.


    ''...Not bad.''


    Combining these two abilities was a perfect way to both remove the limitations of the Shadow Shell and protect his soul from harm.


    If there was one negative side to this solution, though, it was that Sunny''s essence was being consumed at twice the speed.


    He would not be able to sustain this double transformation for long.


    For now. In the future, though...


    As his soul grew more powerful, Sunny would most likely be able to use these abilities much better.


    And one day, perhaps, his soul would grow so vast and powerful that he would not need the protection of a shell at all.

 Chapter 1142 Tangible Shadow Form

    Chapter 1142 Tangible Shadow Form


    A few days went by in a flash. Nothing serious seemed to have happened, but grand and dire events were being set in motion in the shadows.


    Saint Madoc had transported several cohorts of Valor retainers into the Dream Realm and then disappeared. Of course, no one was told about his absence - in fact, Clan Valor made a good show of pretending that he was still around, supporting the Awakened in the Dream Realm.


    It was a believable lie.


    Awakened, Ascended, and Saints were affected by the Call all the same - if they traveled to the Dream Realm near a Nightmare Gate, they would be brought to the area surrounding the Seed instead of to where their anchor was. However, there was a big difference when a Transcendent was actually involved. New n0vel chapters are published on


    That difference was that Saints could return to the waking world by just using their innate powers, while Awakened and Masters needed to find a Gateway to come back.


    Another, no less important distinction was that the pull of the Call was not precise. If an Awakened fell asleep near a Gate, they could be transported right to where the Seed was, but just as easily to a spot dozens of kilometers away. They could even be dropped right into the middle of a horde of hungry Nightmare Creatures.


    So, if a cohort of Awakened wanted to use a Nightmare Gate as a pathway to the Dream Realm, they would be scattered over a large area and risk finding their doom long before reuniting with their fellow warriors. A Saint could follow the Call first, establish an anchor in a safe place, and then transport the members of the cohort there one by one.


    A Saint could even clear the way to the Seed, if the cohort was truly planning to challenge it. That was how the Nightmare Gates that opened inside the human cities were usually dealt with, unless there was no one to challenge them - in that case, they were simply contained, surrounded by a fortified exclusion zone, and guarded day and night.


    So, everyone had been led to believe that that was exactly what Whispering Blade was doing - guiding the Awakened warriors of Clan Valor to the Seeds of Nightmare in order to conquer them.


    Sunny, however, knew better.


    He knew that Madoc actually left to infiltrate Song''s territory and secretly take out Mordret. The Awakened cohorts the fearsome Saint had transported to the Dream Realm had been left to their own devices, presumably supporting Knight Shtad in pursuing a mysterious objective.


    The war between the great clans was starting in earnest. Blood had already been spilled, and much more of it was going to flow very soon.


    ...Sunny himself, meanwhile, had spent these days experimenting with his newfound ability. He was in a real rush of excitement about it, simply because the potential of the corporeal shadow form was all but limitless.


    "Damn... it''s such a pity Effie can''t see me right now. The look on her face would be priceless! Especially since she would be looking up at me... oh gods, I can just imagine it..."


    The tall version of Sunny was really weird. He wasn''t sure that he liked its lanky silhouette that much... it was really amusing to see, though. Especially because the corporeal shadow form was entirely matte black.


    Except for the hair. His hair was actually white, because Sunny had summoned the Autumn Leaf to see if it worked on him in this state.


    ''I should probably explore purchasing more cosmetic Memories in the future... they seem to be working on this form, which can be of use.''


    He glanced at himself one last time, then dove back into the shadows and emerged from them in his usual human form. Truth be told, while being a manifested shadow was certainly fun, he felt much more comfortable in his real body.


    It was nice, cozy, and familiar.


    He felt really rather attached to it.


    Some time later, Sunny was preparing to go to sleep, but then suddenly froze in the middle of washing up. His face grew cold and dark.


    Then, a dangerous smile appeared on his lips.


    ''Well, well. What do we have here...''


    A frightening darkness flooded his eyes.


    That was because a few moments ago, Sunny had felt something.


    Before, his perception had been split between five points of view - his own and those of his four shadows.


    But then, a sixth perspective slowly came into focus.


    Which meant that the fifth shadow had returned.


    The gloomy shadow was now within the walls of the siege capital, and that meant that the assassins Clan Song had sent were here, too.

 Chapter 1143 Collateral Damage

    Chapter 1143 Collateral Damage


    Sir Amiran, one of the exalted Knights of the great clan Valor, was standing on top of a newly constructed dormitory tower, looking at the expanse of the city below. There was a long stretch of industrial buildings between him and the looming barrier of the defensive wall that protected the siege capital from the ravages of the Chain of Nightmares.


    There were plenty of civilian shelters and dormitories, too - with the start of the evacuation, even industrial areas like this one had been put to use, accommodating numerous refugees.


    The refugees were moving far below him like tiny ants. The thunderous booms of firing railguns did not seem to spoil their moods... after months of continuous siege, the people must have grown used to its clamor.


    Knight Amiran grimaced.


    "...Collateral damage will be high."


    But that was war. None of these people would have had to die if the enemy had abided by the agreement to keep the hostilities away from the cities, but now that the Song clan had made their move, the hands of noble warriors of Valor were tied. New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    The lives of mundane humans were like water, anyway. No matter how much he sacrificed to achieve victory, it was just a drop in the ocean. Amiran didn''t feel happy about the human cost of his inevitable victory, but he was also not particularly sad.


    Knowing what he knew, their deaths were insignificant.


    He heard light footsteps behind him and looked over his shoulder. One of his Awakened approached, bearing news. There was an expression of dark excitement on her face.


    "We have confirmed the location, sir."


    He nodded.


    The band of Song''s assassins had infiltrated the siege capital with one of the supply convoys. The original staff had been slain, and the imposters assumed their identities. After getting past the gates, they disappeared into the chaos of the overpopulated city without a trace.


    ...Or so they thought.


    In truth, Valor had long anticipated this attack. The subterfuge the assassins employed was pointless. They had only managed to enter the city because that was where Lady Morgan wanted them.


    It would have been easier and much more bloodless to deal with the servants of the Queen of Worms at the gates, but then some of them could escape. So, they were allowed to enter deeper into the trap.


    And now, Knight Amiran was entrusted with the honor of delivering Valor''s retribution upon the wretched cowards.


    What did it matter if there was collateral damage?


    "Yes... that tunnel right there. It will be empty for about twenty-four hours starting from now. As you can see, my lady, the tunnel stretches all the way to the inner city without crossing any other major logistical hubs. It is also wide enough to transport the... that thing you brought... to where you need it. The last few kilometers leading up to the Valor compound are too well-guarded, though."


    Morrow shook her head.


    "Leave that to us. Worst case scenario, we will be forced to unleash the thrall a few minutes earlier than planned and let it tear its way toward the compound above ground. Summer Knight won''t be able to make it back from the wall in time. And since Whispering Blade seems to have indeed gone to the Dream Realm... the casualties the creature will cause Valor will be severe."


    She would have loved nothing more than to slaughter the ignoble hypocrites serving the King of Swords personally, but sadly, her mission was simply to deliver Beastmaster''s present to Morgan of Valor, striking both at the enemy''s troops and reputation.


    After all, what kind of incompetent fool would allow a Nightmare Creature to rampage in the middle of their city?


    The man cleared his throat.


    "Ah... but I must warn you, my lady. The Awakened of Clan Valor seemed restless recently. A few cohorts vanished without a trace. I don''t think that we''ve been made... but it''s better not to linger."


    Ascended Morrow studied his face for a while, then nodded.


    "Sound advice. We were going to wait until Summer Knight engages with the Terror that is approaching the city, but our diviner has turned ineffective all of a sudden. With this added uncertainty, it is better to accelerate the plan."


    She glanced at her Awakened and smiled.


    "Time to act, my kin. Prepare to enter the tunnel. You two, go relay my order to those watching the creature. They need to get it ready for transportation as soon as possible. We are moving to attack..."


    On the first floor of the dormitory tower, Knight Amiran was surrounded by the Awakened warriors of Valor. One of them was making a report:


    "The enemy seems to have started moving. They must be aiming to enter the network of logistical tunnels under the city... if they do, catching them all would be problematic."


    Amiran nodded.


    "Indeed. The wretches can''t be allowed to burrow deeper underground. No, we need to force them to the surface. Get ready to attack. We''ll blast through the factory roof and slaughter them all!"


    There was a shadow watching him say these words.


    There was a shadow watching Ascended Morrow give orders to the assassins, as well.


    Some distance away, Sunny sighed and gulped down what was left of his coffee. Then, he thanked the owner of a refugee cafe, rose, and walked out, yawning lazily.


    It was time for him to begin, too.

 Chapter 1144 Theater of Shadows

    Chapter 1144 Theater of Shadows


    In the decommissioned underground factory, the ghostly fire had been extinguished. Dozens of Awakened were moving, preparing to depart. All of them had summoned luminous Memories, and the dancing lights made the shadows populating the vast production hall reluctantly retreat.


    Ascended Morrow was standing in front of a sturdy wall, looking at it with a somber expression. Eventually, she nodded and glanced at one of her subordinates:


    "This is the spot. Isolate it."


    The Awakened nodded and raised his hands. Soon, a strange silence fell upon them. It was not the mundane kind of silence many Memories could create, though - instead, it was the manifestation of an Ability that could cut a stretch of space from the rest of the world, subduing all tremors and sounds that would escape it. Updated from


    The city was constantly being monitored by countless seismic sensors on account of Nightmare Creatures often burrowing underground, so nothing less would do if they wanted to remain unnoticed.


    Satisfied, Morrow raised a hand and clicked her fingers. A moment later, a violent sonic boom resounded, and a large portion of the wall in front of her shattered into dust. Behind it, an entrance to a tunnel was revealed, drowned in darkness.


    Cold wind entered the production hall, making the Awakened shiver. Even Morrow herself suddenly felt uneasy, for whatever reason. With a frown, she lowered her hand and said evenly:


    "Clear the debris. The entrance should be wide enough for the cage to fit. Second Cohort, scout out the tunnel and make sure that there are no blockages there."


    Seven Awakened jumped down into the darkness, while the rest of her subordinates got busy preparing the hole she created for the creature''s cage. The cohort in charge of keeping an eye on the abominations was going to bring it any minute now... lowering the massive containment device down would not be easy, but they had come prepared.


    The man in the uniform of the Evacuation Army watched the process with a worried face. After a minute, he cleared his throat awkwardly:


    "Well, I... I will be going, then. My job here... is done?"


    Morrow glanced at him indifferently.


    "Go."


    The thrall was of no use anymore. Their escape from the city would be handled by a different sleeper cell. If it was up to her, she would have gotten rid of the man - and his people - to clean up loose ends, but they could become useful in the future.


    Even mundanes could do a lot of harm if armed with the right tools. Although Morrow felt it was beneath her to use vulgar weapons of the bygone era, in the grand scheme of things, not even crude instruments like that could be neglected.


    Others might not have known, but she understood what was at stake.


    The man disappeared, and the entrance to the tunnel was cleared.


    ...Their exodus from the underground factory was being dragged out, however, because the creature cage was slow to arrive.


    Morrow felt irritated.


    "Assemble into a battle formation! Prepare for an attack!"


    A moment later, Morrow reached through the phalanx to the cohort that had gone forward to scout out the tunnel:


    "Rikas, return immediately."


    There was a short span of silence, and then she heard the familiar voice of Awakened Rikas:


    "Yes, Sister. We are coming."


    Concerned, the warriors of Song swiftly assembled into a defensive formation. They stood near the entrance to the tunnel, looking nervously into the darkness of the production hall. The factory was silent.


    Soon, the silence was disturbed by a loud noise. With a screeching sound of rusted metal, a cargo elevator arrived. Its doors opened, revealing a massive cage of enchanted alloy. Seven Awakened used all their strength to roll the cage forward.


    Morrow secretly let out a relieved sigh.


    ''...At least the creature is secured.''


    Now, they were only missing the two messengers and the cohort that had entered the tunnel.


    "Rikas, how long before you arrive?"


    There was a stretch of silence again before he responded:


    "Sister... we are coming."


    Morrow frowned.


    The familiar voice persisted:


    "We are... we are..."


    Something was very, very wrong with it.


    "We are coming..."


    The voice... it did not come from the phalanx. Instead, it came directly from the dark entrance of the tunnel.


    She looked into the hole, seeing only a boundless expanse of shadows.


    Then, something rolled out of the darkness.


    ...It was the severed head of Awakened Rikas.

 Chapter 1145: Slither of Fear

    Morrow stared at the severed head for a split moment, feeling cold terror creep into her heart. The clean cut, the hollow emptiness of his dead eyes, the dark entrance into the tunnel behind...


    Were... were they all dead? A whole cohort of experienced, battle-hardened Awakened warriors of the great clan Song, wiped out in such a short span of time without making even a single sound? Had a human done that? No, that was impossible. Only Whispering Blade would have been capable of slaughtering them in such a manner. But then, Madoc would never lower himself to play with his prey...


    What kind of abomination was it, then? How had the dogs of Valor allowed a monster like that to live freely under their city?!New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Then, Morrow scowled. Why was she scared? What was there to be scared of? Neither death nor Nightmare Creatures had ever frightened her before. Her people seemed to be shaken, too, so unbecoming of the elites of a great clan.


    ''A mental attack.'' The creature must have been employing some kind of beguilement. She growled: "Activate the mental resistance enchantments!"


    At the same time, she raised her hand and clicked her fingers, sending a devastating sonic shockwave into the tunnel. A deafening boom rolled through the production hall, and a fountain of stone dust and debris shot out of the dark entrance.


    The Awakened of Song poured essence into the protective charms they carried. Instantly, it was as if they could breathe again... the memory of terror still lingered, though, gnawing at their willpower. There were twenty of them left, gathered in a circular defensive formation that had no blind zones, with the massive cage placed in the center. Morrow stared in the direction of the tunnel tensely, wondering whether her attack caught the creature or not.


    When the echoes of the sonic boom died down and an unnerving silence settled over the production hall, she lingered for a moment, then gave the order to dismiss luminous memories. Trapped in a circle of light, they were too vulnerable. Instead of relying on natural vision, the messengers of Song sacrificed a bit of essence to activate enchantments that granted them the ability to see in the dark. Instantly, the whole production hall was unveiled before them. Nothing could escape their gazes...


    A moment later, two things happened. First, a loud metallic click came from somewhere within the defensive formation... from the massive cage that contained the enthralled abomination. Second, a section of the production hall''s ceiling suddenly collapsed, and armored figures poured through the breach.


    A short time earlier, many levels above the production hall of the underground factory, Knight Amiran was standing in the middle of a wide corridor. He was surrounded by Awakened of Valor, who were stealthily moving forward. A woman in light armor fashioned out of abomination leather was making a report:


    "Sir. We have dismantled the outer layers of the detection wards. The enemy should be right below us by now, but... moving further unnoticed will be hard. The elevator shafts are especially problematic."


    He looked down, then nodded. "Try your best." His subordinate moved to return to her task, but at that moment, the floor trembled slightly. Amiran frowned. ''What...'' Why would the enemy abandon caution now?


    He raised his head to give an order, but at that moment, something flashed in the corner of his eye. Amiran swiftly turned, noticing the back of a small creature - some sort of a gremlin - scurrying into the darkness. His face darkened. "Our presence has been discovered."


    There was another tremor, this one much stronger than the first. The worms had to be trying to collapse the wall of a tunnel in a hurry, hoping to escape. If so, he was going to have to disappoint them. Amiran had been planning to proceed further down quietly, even if it took more time. But now that such an approach was off the table, there was a need to accelerate things.


    There was a sword on his belt, and a war hammer on his back. Unsheathing the sword and pulling the hammer from its loop, Amiran bellowed: "Warriors of Valor! With me!" Then, he called upon his Aspect and slammed the war hammer into the floor. A wave of crushing force traveled downward, piercing through multiple levels of the underground factory and opening a ravaged path to the main production hall.


    Without a moment of hesitation, Knight Amiran grinned and jumped down into the dark breach. "Death to the enemy! Let no one escape!"

 Chapter 1146: Blood Rain

    Some of his warriors were going to use flight Memories to follow, others would rappel down. But Amiran himself had no need for these measures - he simply plummeted through the breach, falling into the darkness like a meteor of steel.


    Reaching the main production hall, he thrust his sword forward. Invisible force flowed off the blade, forming a brittle field below him - a series of them, actually, each as thin as a sheet of paper.


    Breaking through these invisible panes of force allowed Amiran to slow his fall. He landed on the floor in a roll and jumped to his feet a split second later, ready to attack and carve out a path for his men to follow.


    If everything went right, the enemy would have been surprised by the collapsing ceiling and the sudden arrival of a Valor Knight. Even if their shock did not last long, a few seconds would be enough...


    But he was not given a few seconds. Nothing went right from the start.


    As soon as Amiran and the first of his warriors landed, they were greeted by a devastating sonic boom. He felt a powerful shockwave travel through his body, almost strong enough to cause his organs to burst. Luckily, he was resilient enough to withstand it...


    The same couldn''t be said for the Awakened behind him. With pained screams, they dropped down, blood flowing from every orifice on their bodies.


    Dead.


    It was as though the enemy had been waiting in a battle formation, ready to defend themselves.


    "How dare you!"


    As more and more armored Awakened poured through the breach, Amiran roared and dashed forward. There was something strange, though... at the last moment before his lunge, it was as if a drop of blood fell on his helmet from somewhere above. He did not pay it any attention.


    In front of him was a loose circle of Awakened protecting something that resembled a large alloy crate. There was some kind of abominable monster inside, no doubt - bringing a Nightmare Creature inside a human city was just what the witch, Beastmaster, would do.


    ...And allowing the crate to be smuggled into the city despite knowing about its contents was exactly what Valor would do, if it meant leaving the assassins no chance to escape.


    Amiran''s gaze quickly found the leader of the Song infiltration team - a striking woman whose beauty could neither be hidden by unassuming civilian clothes nor blemished by an ugly scar running across her face.


    His eyes narrowed slightly.


    ''Morrow...''


    There were not that many Masters in the world, and even fewer served the great clans directly. Of course, Amiran knew her - the scarred woman was a powerful opponent.


    Not as powerful as he was, of course.


    The enemy blundered in their attack, maybe because she had decided to accelerate the plan. The invisible assassin had revealed their presence too early, and instead of being surprised by the sudden breach of the production hall, the messengers of Song were ready for it.


    Which was why Morrow managed to slay several of Valor Awakened the moment they landed on the floor.


    Not their leader, though... a giant of a man wearing heavy armor and wielding both a sword and a war hammer.


    Her heart grew slightly cold.


    ''Knight Amiran...''


    Even among the Knights of Valor, this zealot was known for his power and ruthlessness.


    He was a bit too straight of a tool, though. A man blessed with incredible strength, but very little imagination.


    A vicious smile appeared on Morrow''s face.


    ''I''ll have a chance to bring back a fine trophy, then...''


    She sent a sonic shockwave to prevent the Knight from decimating the formation of Song''s Awakened, then swiftly looked at the breach. Just how many soldiers had Amiran brought to kill them?


    ...It was strange.


    There were not nearly as many as she would have expected. One cohort, two, three, four... and that was it.


    If Valor knew in advance about the infiltration team, why would they only send that many?


    And there was something else.


    Instead of more cohorts of Awakened... streams of blood flowed from the breach, crimson drops falling like rain. The soldiers of Valor who had already landed seemed shaken because of that.


    Morrow hesitated.


    ''What is the meaning of this?''


    Her hesitation only lasted a split second, however.


    Then, there was no more time to think.

 Chapter 1147: Song of Slaughter

    Amiran lunged forward, calling upon his Aspect and bringing down an avalanche of destructive force upon the formation of the Song infiltrators. Two waves of crushing power rolled forward from his weapons... only to shatter against the invisible bulwark of a sonic boom.


    The concrete floor was shattered as the whole factory trembled.


    A moment later, a swift silhouette shot toward him from the cloud of dust - Morrow, her calm eyes full of cold murderous intent. Her shabby civilian clothes were torn, revealing glimpses of a slender enchanted armor hidden beneath.


    In her hand, there was a narrow blade that seemed too fragile to be used in actual combat.


    Amiran raised his sword, batting the blade away. At the same time, his hammer flew forward, the spike protruding from its top aimed precisely at the enemy''s unprotected throat.


    However, as soon as his sword met the steel of Morrow''s weapon, there was a melodious ring. That ring suddenly magnified, crashing into him like a stone wall. Grimacing from pain piercing his ears, the Knight of Valor was thrown back.


    He rolled over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of his warriors. They were advancing, ready to clash with the Awakened of Clan Song... even though Amiran only saw them for a tiny sliver of a second, he noticed two things.


    First, the blood spilling from the breach in the roof of the main production hall. Second, the fact that only four of the six cohorts seemed to have made it down.


    Wrath ignited in his heart.


    ''Treacherous worms...''


    One of Morrow''s cohorts was missing, and now, two of his own had failed to descend. It was not hard to understand what had most likely happened - the damned witch must have sent some of her people to ambush the warriors of Valor on the upper levels of the factory. To sacrifice their lives so that the rest could escape.


    A cunning maneuver... albeit a fruitless one. It was of no use. Even with the missing cohort buying the infiltrators time with their blood, the force of Song was still hopelessly outmatched.


    Morrow was desperate. And wouldn''t she be?


    The executioner she faced was none other than Amiran. The sword of Valor was inescapable.


    Even more frustratingly, the Knight was using his Aspect to wrap himself in a thin layer of protective force, stifling all sounds that could have resulted from their clash.


    Still, it was just a matter of time before he made a mistake.


    Morrow was confident...


    Just a dozen seconds later, however, her confidence waned.


    Not because she felt pressured by Amiran - and she did, of course. A Knight of Valor was not an enemy to be taken lightly. No, it was because Morrow was suddenly unsure of how much time she had left.


    Because their soldiers were dying too quickly.


    All of them were the absolute elites of the Awakened world, so their battle was unsurprisingly intense and bloody. The whole factory was quaking and convulsing from the magnitude of the unleashed violence, as if on the verge of collapsing.


    Before it did, they would have to escape to the streets.


    And yet... the battle was somehow too bloody, and too lethal. There were too many corpses on the ground already, especially at the edges of the formation, where the fighting was supposed to be less intense.


    Morrow remembered that the assassin Amiran had sent ahead of the main force was still here, somewhere, in the production hall - that could have been an explanation, if not for the fact that there were more of Valor warriors dying than that of Song.


    Something... something strange was going on.


    Morrow deflected a glancing blow from Amiran''s sword and evaded the beak of the war hammer, pushing forward to deliver a strike of her own.


    ''I am missing something. Something... is not right...''


    Even though she was suppressing the valiant Knight, and even though her soldiers were seemingly prevailing against the servants of Valor...


    A cold, unsettling feeling slowly found its way into Morrow''s heart.

 Chapter 1148: Unsealed

    Knight Amiran was forceful and oppressive, his every move bringing with it a promise of death. And yet, neither his sword nor his hammer could reach her. Not even his insidious Aspect was enough to bring Morrow down.


    She had slain Nightmare Creatures more dangerous than this Ascended warrior.


    She had slain more dangerous humans, too.


    Amiran''s warriors were valiant and skilled, each at the very pinnacle of what an Awakened could achieve. Numbers were on their side - and yet, for each messenger of Song that fell, two of Valor''s dogs died.


    Their trap had turned out to be strangely clumsy and inefficient. By now, Morrow knew that there was a possibility of victory - unless the enemy received reinforcements soon, they would be able to escape.


    And carry out the plan.


    However...


    She was missing something.


    Which was why Morrow allowed her attention to wander. Being distracted in a fight against someone like Amiran was tantamount to suicide... but she did so nevertheless.


    Her blade failed to reach the Knight''s armor again.


    Her body received several ghastly wounds because of her inattention.


    More and more Awakened died around them.


    But Morrow coldly continued to observe.


    And then, she saw it - a warrior of Valor, falling down with a pained scream, blood streaming from his torn neck.


    Only there had been no one near to tear it.


    It was subtle and almost unnoticeable in the havoc of the battle, but she saw it clearly. The nearest of her soldiers was too busy defending against two powerful Awakened. It could not have been a ranged attack, either - the angle was all wrong.


    It was as if darkness itself reached forth and sliced the man''s throat open with sharp claws.


    Morrow''s eyes darted to the opposite side of the formation, just in time to see one of Song''s Awakened die. His hand suddenly bloomed with blood, and so, the attacking soldier of Valor received a chance to plunge her weapon into the slit of his visor.


    The hand of her subordinate had been severed completely - a clean, fierce cut that sliced through armor, flesh, and bone as if not meeting any resistance.


    Only... the weapon that had killed her man was a spear. There was no way it could deliver a cut like that.


    Morrow suddenly felt cold.


    ''There is... there is another here.''


    There was someone - something - insidious and sinister moving unseen through the darkness, slaughtering the men of both Valor and Song indiscriminately. Silently. Inescapably...


    The image of a severed head rolling from the dark entrance of the tunnel suddenly surfaced in her mind.


    Morrow''s blood turned to ice.


    Who was it? What was it?


    What... what had they unleashed from that darkness?


    Shaking these infantile thoughts, she snarled.


    ''Does it matter?''


    It did not... whatever it was, she would destroy it, just like she was going to destroy these wretched minions of the King of Swords.The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    He raised his sword, ready to send a wave of force at the back of the escaping woman. But then, a vague silhouette suddenly lunged at him from the side.


    Reacting on instinct, Amiran lashed out with his hammer. The attacker dove beneath it and delivered a strike with a sharp, narrow stiletto.


    ''Pathetic.''


    One of Song''s worms must have already recovered enough to attack. The Knight of Valor simply moved his arm, shielding those seams of his armor that protected vital organs. All the attacker could do was drive his stiletto between the rerebrace and the couter, and even then just by a centimeter or two - delivering an insignificant wound to his elbow.


    The next moment, Amiran counterattacked, forcing the unclear figure to stagger away. The attacker seemed to dissolve into darkness, as if he... she?... had never existed at all.


    "Coward!"


    Amiran growled and continued his pursuit. What had that cowardly attack achieved? Nothing. Morrow would still not escape.


    He prepared to deliver another strike, but then suddenly swayed.


    He felt... weak.


    Confused and suddenly unsettled, Amiran glanced at his elbow, where a few drops of blood seeped from beneath the impregnable plates of his armor.


    The blood... why did it seem almost black?


    The Knight''s eyes widened slightly.


    ''...Poison?''


    ***


    A few moments later, jumping over the corpses of her people, Morrow reached the containment cage. She groaned, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and used the only hand she could move to strike at the seal.


    There was no complicated procedure to opening the cage. The key to its magical lock was simple - it was blood. Blood of Song.


    Morrow''s fist left a bloody imprint on the plate of the seal, and it seemed to ignite, burning away in an instant.


    The clasps holding the cage closed fell away, and it burst open.


    Inside was a creature so ghastly and revolting that anyone would have been terrified to see it.


    But Morrow only smiled. She grinned, revealing bloodied teeth.


    "Go! Slaughter everyone who is not Song! To the surface!"


    The creature unfolded from within the cage and moved, following her command.


    But... what was that?


    Why was the abomination bleeding?


    There were several thin, shallow cuts on its grey hide, seemingly delivered by a blade so sharp as to be perfect.


    And its many eyes, why were they not full of hollow obedience?


    Instead, they were brimming with something else...


    Madness.


    Boundless, murderous madness.


    And hunger.

 Chapter 1149: Uncaged

    The creature escaped its cage. It was a revolting thing, a towering mass of grey flesh with a hundred nimble limbs and a scattering of huge, eerily human-like eyes.


    All of them burned with delirious frenzy.


    Its enormous body continued to unfold, occupying much more space on the outside of the container than there had been on the inside. Its limbs moved, sharp claws shooting in all directions. Morrow might have been able to resist the terrifying abomination if she had been prepared. But she wasn''t. Her body had been battered and wounded, and her mind was momentarily frozen by the visage of the creature that had somehow escaped its enthrallment.


    She was slow to react by only a split second, but that was all it took. Her figure disappeared in a tide of slithering grey limbs, and, just like that...


    An Ascended of the great clan Song had been killed.


    Amiran watched her die with an incredulous expression. ''Such irony...'' The witch had been slain by her own pet abomination. The death of a powerful enemy should have brought him joy, but he felt a grim sense of dread instead... after all, the creature had to be dealt with. And Amiran, despite his pride and strength, was not confident in his chances.


    He would have been a fool not to recognize the revolting monstrosity for what it was - a Corrupted. And of a high Class, from the looks of it. A Devil? No, worse than that... a Tyrant. ''These crazy wretches... they smuggled a Corrupted Tyrant into a human city? They were planning to unleash that thing within a siege capital''s walls?''


    Of course, Amiran himself was among the people who had knowingly allowed the Corrupted Tyrant to be smuggled into a human city, because it suited their goals. The hypocrisy of his contempt did not escape him, but he brushed it off. There was no time to ponder such matters.


    Because the Tyrant was starting to move. There were still a couple dozen Awakened left alive in the ruined production hall, all dazed by Morrow''s dreadful wail. Some of them belonged to Clan Valor, and some of them belonged to Clan Song - however, at the moment, their allegiance did not matter. The abomination did not care about whom they served, after all.


    Some hesitantly joined the attack on the Tyrant. Some tried to attack fellow humans despite the situation - those were cut down first. Some even tried to escape. The cowards did not make it far. Amiran was too busy to notice who had killed them, but none managed to disappear into the dark mouth of the tunnel.


    The wall of grey flesh and countless limbs surged at the rest of them. ''I have to destroy it... I have to... I have...'' In his heart, Amiran knew that a Corrupted Tyrant was not an enemy he could hope to slay alone. Especially not poisoned and drained by his fight against the cursed witch, Morrow... but this one was strangely weak. Maybe it was weakened by being locked in the enchanted cage for so long, or maybe it was simply the type of Tyrant whose power lay in a legion of minions.


    It was also rabid and crazed, almost...


    unintelligent. Fighting the creature was no different from fighting a powerful Monster, if not for the puppets it could create. So, there was a chance, no matter how small. The Awakened died, only to be turned into puppets. The puppets were destroyed in turn. The shambling horror of grey flesh received numerous wounds, many of its long limbs were crushed or severed. The factory seemed to be coming undone.


    ''I WILL destroy it!'' Even when the last of the Awakened under his command died, Amiran persisted. His sword flashed over and over again, and waves of invisible force crashed into the massive body of the creature in a constant stream. His lungs were burning, and his veins were full of poison. His essence was running dry. But he refused to fail the mission... he had to prevail.


    And then, miraculously... Amiran did. The puppets that were reaching out to grab him suddenly swayed, and then fell down. The towering, desiccated mass of grey flesh convulsed, and lifelessly sprawled on the cracked floor. The Spell spoke into his ears. He swayed, struggling to believe in what he saw, and fell to one knee. He was utterly spent and barely able to move.


    And yet, he had won. Knight Amiran drew in a hoarse breath. "I... I won!" In the silence that followed, a cold voice suddenly resounded from behind him: ""Did you?"


    He flinched and turned around, glancing up. Above him stood a dark apparition. A fiend in fearsome black armor, wearing a demonic mask that was crowned by three twisting horns. In the mask''s eyes, there was nothing but darkness. ''What? Who... who is...''


    The mask moved slightly, and the two pools of darkness stared directly into Amiran''s soul, making him shudder. The apparition spoke: "I guess you did." A moment later, a cold blade slid silently into the slit of Amiran''s visor, ending his life.

 Chapter 1150: Unseen

    [You have slain an Ascended human, Amiran.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    Sunny stood for a moment above the Knight''s corpse, waiting for the enchanted armor to dissipate into a whirlwind of crimson sparks. Then, he used shadows to turn his gauntlet into a fearsome claw and struck down a few times.


    It was not in his habit to mutilate the bodies of his enemies... but he had to mask the initial blade wound that had killed the fearsome Master.


    With that, his task here was finished. Sunny tilted his head and thought with a bit of detachment: ''That went more smoothly than I had expected.''


    Wiping out ten cohorts of elite Awakened and two Legacy Masters had turned out to be easier than he would have thought. A force like that... if Sunny had not intervened, their battle would inevitably spill out into the streets above. No matter how sudden Valor''s ambush was, the assassins of Song were not pushovers - especially their leader. They would have retreated and eventually made their way to the surface. But he had prevented that.


    Sunny became aware of the infiltration team''s location thanks to the gloomy shadow, which had followed them all the way back to this siege capital from Clan Song''s territory. After locating the assassins, finding the soldiers of Valor was not hard - he just had to send his other shadows to scour the surrounding area.


    Then, what he needed to do was make sure that the two forces annihilated each other completely and with no collateral damage.


    Sadly, the infiltrators moved earlier than expected, almost giving Knight Amiran and his soldiers a slip. Sunny had to stall them a little, so he silently killed the two messengers the Ascended of Song - he thought her name was Morrow - sent to retrieve the cohort guarding the cage.


    Then, using Shadow Step to move unseen, he entered the tunnel and waited there until the scouts arrived. That was probably the hardest part of the entire mission - killing seven powerful Awakened before they could make a sound was not easy, even for him.


    He would have summoned Saint, but she could not share the benefits of wearing Weaver''s Mask. So Sunny ended up using Shadow Manifestation to strike simultaneously at all seven. He then pushed the Extraordinary Rock into the mouth of the leader of the cohort and threw the severed head back into the production hall to create a distraction.


    The despicable zealot actually thought that he had won, while in reality, his defeat was meticulously orchestrated from the very start.


    ...Now, silence settled over the ruined production hall.


    Ten cohorts of Awakened... humans... were dead. None managed to escape into the streets of the city. No refugee was swallowed by their empty feud.


    The warriors of Song had sword wounds on their bodies, while the warriors of Valor were seemingly killed by sharp claws. The massive abomination was turned to paste by Amiran''s Aspect.


    The picture of what had happened here was clear. The two forces obliterated each other, with the Tyrant succumbing to the wounds delivered by the valiant Knight.


    Did Sunny feel guilty about bringing these Awakened to their deaths? He had just murdered seventy people, after all. Much more than he had in his entire life, not counting those from the Nightmares.


    Did it matter that the seventy people he murdered were themselves murderers?


    Not really.


    And he did not really care, either.


    Unlike the millions of people who had perished in Falcon Scott, they got what they deserved.


    If there was one thing Sunny regretted, it was that Amiran actually managed to land the last strike on the Tyrant, somehow. That was a frustrating loss.


    Throwing one last glance at the scene of carnage, Sunny shook his head in dejection. And disappeared into the shadows, as if he had never been here at all.Updated from

 Chapter 1151: See no Evil

    A ravaged underground hall. Split concrete, old machines turned into piles of scrap, broken walls. Deep darkness chased away by the bright light of electric floodlights.


    The stench of blood permeating the air.


    And bodies, of course, scattered on the cracked floor. Dozens of them, all bearing terrible wounds. Bodies of the Awakened of Valor, the Awakened of Song... and one more, a ghastly hill of grey flesh that had been a Nightmare Creature before.


    Morgan studied the scene of slaughter with a neutral expression as she walked among the corpses. She would linger for a few moments near one of the corpses, then indifferently move on to the next. Her vermilion eyes were cold.


    Saint Gilead, the Summer Knight, was more expressive. He was kneeling in front of one of the bodies with a mournful expression on his gallant, handsome face. A heavy sigh escaped from his lips.


    "Amiran..."


    Morgan turned around and looked at the Transcendent.


    "Oh. I am sorry, Sir Gilead. I have forgotten that the two of you were once members of the same cohort. Please accept my condolences."


    Her voice did not seem too regretful, though.


    Summer Knight looked down.


    "Sometimes, I forget..."


    She raised an eyebrow.


    "What?"


    The Saint lingered for a few moments, then offered her a calm gaze.


    "How much I loathe you and your family."


    Morgan smiled slightly and looked away.


    "Well. What can I say? We are a loathsome bunch."


    With that, she used her armored boot to turn one of the bodies over andasked:


    "Does this make sense to you?"


    Summer Knight stood up with a sigh and walked over.


    "The result is outside expectations, but the sequence of events seems clear. We severely underestimated the opposition. By all accounts, Amiran should have been able to achieve a clean victory... but the presence of a Corrupted Tyrant changed things. Our estimation of Beastmaster''s power needs to be adjusted. Still... he slayed the beast, even if the price was his life."


    Morgan shook her head.


    "Seems clear, huh?"


    Her gaze was locked on the fatal sword wound that had killed the Awakened in front of her.


    Morgan remained motionless for a few moments.


    "...What a beautiful cut."New novel chapters are published at novelhall.comingly losing interest in the corpse, she turned away and called out to one of the specialists that had been casing the scene. The man walked over and bowed, then delivered a preliminary report. His conclusions were in line with what Saint Gilead had said.


    Morgan stared at him bleakly.


    She glanced at her own blade, which was nicked all over and utterly ruined, then threw it aside with frustration.


    "Yes. You did well, too."


    After catching his breath for a couple of seconds, he slowly straightened and glanced at her with a complicated expression.


    "But... are you troubled by something? Your technique seemed a bit distracted today."


    Morgan stared at him for a few moments, her face turning cold.Eventually, she said with a hint of discontent in her voice:


    "That is not something for a person like you to concern yourself with. Come to think of it... I won''t need your services in the next few days, Master Sunless. So make yourself scarce."


    Just what he wanted. Sunny put on a suitably alarmed expression andlowered his gaze.


    "Ah... as you wish, my lady."


    She lingered for a few moments, then scoffed and left.


    Sunny and Cassie were left alone in the training room.


    It had been two days since the slaughter in the abandoned factory. Morgan seemed to be suspicious that something irregular had taken place in the underground production hall, but not a drop of that suspicion was directed at Sunny.


    He had hidden his traces well, and no one within Valor could ever imagine that someone like him was capable of wiping out ten cohorts of Awakened from the great clans, let alone doing it with such insidious and flawless, almost diabolical precision.


    As for Sunny, he was effortlessly playing the role of someone who had no clue about what had happened.


    Glancing at Cassie, he shrugged.


    "What''s up with her?"


    The blind girl turned her head to face him, then remained silent for a while. Eventually, she said:


    "You don''t have to worry." Sunny frowned.


    ''What was that supposed to mean?''


    Did Cassie know something? If anyone would, it was her.


    He shook his head, then dragged his tired body across the room to place the training sword back into its stand.


    If Cassie knew, she would keep silent.


    But, in any case, Morgan''s polite suggestion to disappear for a few days was very timely. No matter how confident he was that he had avoided all suspicion, it was best not to parade in front of emissaries of Valor for a while.


    And, to be honest, Sunny was long overdue for a little vacation.


    Placing the sword down, he looked at Cassie and asked:


    "Hey, about that favor I asked? How about we go to the Dream Realm for a little while? I seem to be free all of a sudden." The blind girl smiled slightly.


    "Sure, no problem."


    She carefully placed her broken rapier on the floor and added:


    "I already told Nephis. She''s free, too." Sunny froze for a moment, then made a face.


    ''Damn oracles...''

 Chapter 1152: Field Trip

    The Ivory Island was as peaceful and idyllic as ever. Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, enjoying the cool breeze and the view of the boundless expanse of the blue sky.


    Come to think of it, it was rare to find such a tranquil haven in the Dream Realm. Even the Sanctuary, which was beautiful and serene in its own way, never felt safe - there was always the possibility of an attack, after all. What protected the Sanctuary was people, and people were not omnipotent.


    The Crushing was a much more reliable guardian.


    The three of them - Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie - had just arrived from the waking world. Sunny was wearing the Shroud of Dusk, since that was his best armor Memory. The other two, however, had slighted their combat armor in favor of lighter garments.


    Cassie was wearing the familiar tunic and sea wave cloak, while Nephis was in something that he recognized as the black underlayer of the Starlight Legion Armor.


    Sunny still couldn''t believe that a mere


    Awakened Memory of the Second Tier had survived years of wandering through the


    Dream Realm and the Second Nightmare.


    ...But, in any way, the three of them looked like people ready for a vacation.


    They weren''t the only ones, either.


    ''What is this...''


    Sunny glanced toward the entrance to the Tower, where two figures were waiting for them.


    Effie was sitting on the ground, enjoying a veritable mountain of snacks. Her Transcendent armor was nowhere to be seen, leaving a lot of olive skin exposed to the sun and the wind. There was a relaxed, extremely pleased expression on her face.


    Kai was standing nearby, wearing his military uniform. He was looking at the dragon bones that surrounded the Ivory Tower with a neutral expression on his handsome, slightly melancholic face.


    Noticing the new arrivals, Effie happily waved a hand.


    "Hey! We''re here!"


    Sunny walked over, both pleased and confused to see the two of them.


    Cassie smiled.


    "The first stop is right beneath us, actually. It was not on your list, but I wanted to study the runes there. Just a few hours." Sunny shrugged.


    He had nothing against others adding more locations to the list - they were going to be helping him out with his goals, so it was only fair.


    "Let''s go, then."


    Together, the five of them headed toward the lake and boarded the ship. Cassie entered the runic circle at the stern, saturating it with her soul essence as she gently took the steering oars. The leaves of the sacred tree growing around the mast of the flying vessel rustled gently as it lifted off the lake''s surface and soared into the sky.


    There were no Sailor Dolls on the deck, and no Fire Keepers to replace them. The sails were lowered, so their speed was not what it could have been. Still, for a simple descent, that was enough.


    The ancient ship moved past the edge of the Ivory Island and tilted down, diving into the sea of clouds. Surrounded by white mist, Sunny suddenly thought about something and turned to Cassie.


    "...Have you named it? The ship?" She lingered for a few moments.


    "No. I wasn''t sure if I had the right. It had to have had a name before, after all. What did Noctis call it? Do you know?" Sunny frowned.


    "Actually, I never heard him call it anything except for "this beauty"... come to think of it, knowing Noctis, that could have actually been the name. This Beauty."


    Nephis listened to them with a hint of interest, while Cassie chuckled.


    "...Sounds like something he would do, indeed. In that case, we should give it a good name. Let''s come up with one before this journey is over."


    They plummeted through the clouds, and as they did, Sunny could feel the ferocious pressure of the Crushing assault the flying vessel. At that height, it should have been obliterating... but, to his surprise, he didn''t feel too uncomfortable. Lines of ethereal light ignited along the hull of the ship, as if a powerful enchantment had been activated, and the invisible weight grew weak.


    Soon, the clouds receded, and the patchwork landscape of the Chained Isles was revealed far below. Islands shone on the velvet backdrop of the dark abyss like precious gems, connected to each other by the thin threads of the heavenly chains.


    And there, right beneath the descending vessel, was an island that Sunny knew all too well. His face darkened a little.


    ''...This place, huh? I never thought I would return here one day."


    Below them were the ruins of the Red Colosseum.

 Chapter 1153: Memory Lane

    The Red Colosseum was in ruins. Its ancient walls had collapsed, and were now overgrown with verdant vines. The people who had once crowded the tribunes were all long dead. And yet... even the passage of countless years failed to wash away the stain of blood from the surface of the stone that had once been pristine white.


    Sunny knew from Cassie that the Colosseum was in a sorry state. He also knew that the island had been infested by all kinds of Nightmare Creatures - probably the remains of Solvane''s menagerie of monsters - before the Fire Keepers wiped them out.


    The Fire Keepers had also cleared the floor of the arena in order to reveal the buried runes, and now, Cassie was slowly walking along the grooves, tracing their shapes with her steps.


    Sunny himself was in a bleak mood. He studied the ruins, remembering the countless bloody battles that had been fought here. This was where he had killed the stone gargoyles... this was where he had killed the emerald skeleton... and this was where he had almost lost his life to the blade of one of the red zealots.


    It had been thousands of years since his escape from the Colosseum... no, not quite. In truth, he had never been here at all. The bloody arena he knew was just a mirage conjured up by the Spell, while this... this was the real thing.


    It didn''t change its vile nature, though.


    "Glory..."


    Nephis turned at the sound of his whisper.


    Her striking grey eyes were somber.


    "Is this the arena where you were imprisoned?"


    Sunny nodded.Thi/s chapter is updated by


    "Yes... the cage they kept me in was right there, below that pile of rubble. Back then, I barely knew how to move the body that the Spell had given me. My, oh my. Coming to my senses inside that thing was quite a shock."


    He looked at her, wondering what body


    Neph had received in her own Nightmare. She must have been startled to find herself thrust into a non-human vessel, too. After all, there had been no Divine Aspect users before them.


    And Divine Aspects, for all their benefits, did not come with an instruction manual.


    Changing Star nodded slowly.


    "I can imagine."


    She didn''t say anything else, still keeping the details of her Nightmare to herself.


    Sunny sighed.


    Nephis smiled.


    "I was only Dormant, in my Nightmare. I was the weakest creature there, by far. Solving problems with a sword is... is a privilege for the strong."


    He looked at her with a strange expression.


    "Well. You must have learned a lot, then.


    Weakness is a great teacher."


    As soon as the words left his mouth, Sunny regretted saying them. Nephis had always been a symbol of strength, in his mind. A domineering presence that swept away all obstacles to achieve her goals... but in truth, she had spent most of her life as prey being pursued by terrifying predators. Sunny still remembered the dream he had visited, a fragment of a memory she had about one of the attempts on her life.


    She knew about weakness just as much as he did.


    Neph''s smile slowly faded away.


    She remained silent for a while, and then nodded.


    "Yes. I did learn a lot."


    ''Great. Maybe think twice before opening your mouth the next time, fool.''


    Sunny hesitated, thinking what to say.


    The solemn atmosphere was destroyed a moment later, though, by a loud crinkling noise. Sunny, Nephis, and Kai turned around and looked at Effie, who was completely focused on opening a packet of chips.


    The bright colors of the modern packaging looked extremely out of place in the ancient ruin.


    Feeling their attention, the huntress looked up, lowered her sunglasses to the tip of her nose, and raised her eyebrows.


    "...What?"


    Then, she sent a mouthful of synth chips into her mouth and looked around, chewing. After a while, she said:


    "I must admit, though. I''m a little upset. That wench Solvane was from the same sect as me, right? How come the temple I ended up in was not nearly as grand and majestic? I mean... do you know how small and damp my room was?"


    She shook her head with a sour face. "What''s even the point of being in a sect of war zealots if you don''t have an awesome arena like this?"

 Chapter 1154: Former Glory

    Nothing much happened on the island that had once been the heart of Solvane''s lands. The Fire Keepers, it seemed, had been very thorough in exterminating every abomination here - even after several hours, no one had bothered the five Masters. Not that many things could.


    While Cassie was exploring the runes, Sunny simply wandered around the ruins, remembering his days of fighting in the Colosseum. The others had nothing much to do, so they followed him, sometimes starting a conversation, sometimes remaining silent.


    Eventually, Effie sighed.


    "This sucks. What kind of vacation is that?


    The mood is so dismal."


    Sunny looked at her humorlessly.


    "What were you expecting? I did not exactly have a great time in this damned place. Should I be jumping around in joy?" She blinked a couple of times.


    "I mean... yeah? Why not? Think about it. This coliseum is in ruins, but you''re still standing. What''s not to celebrate?" Sunny tilted his head a little, then looked at the overgrown remains of the Red Colosseum once more. l?ghtn��v��lcav��.��~��m. The place was desolate and forgotten, with nothing remaining of its former glory.New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Glory... the bastards who had lusted for it, who had turned Hope''s theater into a temple of murder, never found any such thing.


    Sunny, however, had survived. Not only that, but he was also a decorated officer now, complete with the highest military awards one could receive - earned in a war much more meaningful than the senseless one the Warmongers had waged.


    He had never put much meaning into his medals, but now that they turned into something to spite Solvane and her zealots with...


    ''Huh. Damn. It almost feels better than killing her twice?''


    A crooked smile appeared on his face.


    "Well, if you put it like that... I guess you are right, Effie. I am much more impressive than these fools ever were, aren''t I? Hell, they''re making a movie about me in NQSC, even."


    She glanced at him with an amused expression.


    The flying vessel was moving southeast.


    There were not that many places that Sunny wanted to visit on the Chained Isles. His main goal was the Shipwreck Island, where the corpse of the Sun Prince swung above the Sky Below, tangled in heavenly chains... but he was also interested in one other.


    The Southern Island, where the ruined castle of the Shadow Lord stood, and where he had fought Nightmare.


    The black steed had become his Shadow, but that was just the phantom of the Spell. Sunny couldn''t help but feel curious about what had happened to the real Nightmare... was he perhaps still here, somewhere, in this region of the Dream Realm?


    The dark courser was not on the Southern Island anymore, that was sure. After all, Sunny had visited the ruined fortress in the waking world before even knowing what it was - that was where he had welcomed Effie and Kai to the Chained Isles - and had not met Nightmare there.


    Still, maybe there were some clues.


    Countless years had passed since the time when the shadow creature remained in the castle, stubbornly guarding the citadel of a dead master. Was the real Nightmare still alive? Had he grown stronger? Had he succumbed to the Corruption that seemed to have devoured everything and everyone else in the Dream Realm?


    Sunny wanted to know, but most of all, he was interested in finding a shadow creature. It could lead to a lot of fragments at worst, and a new Shadow at best.


    Apart from the Southern Island, though... Nephis obviously did not have any places in mind. Effie wished to visit the Temple of the Chalice.


    Kai would have wanted to return to the Ivory City, perhaps, to reminisce on the past... but that city was no more. It had fallen into the Sky Below, replaced by the ever-growing Tear that would one day swallow all the Chained Isles.


    Strangely, the place where Cassie would have wanted to visit was gone, too. The Night Temple - where she had spent several months caring for her mentor, the One in the North - was destroyed as a result of the battle between Sky Tide and Saint Cormac. ...The blind girl did add one location to the list, though. And a very strange one, at that the island where an eerie creature of the lake had once bestowed them with the Ruby Knife. Sunny did not know what she wanted to find there, but had no objections to her request.


    They were going to the Southern Island first, however, so that creepy place was still far away.


    Enjoying the view of the starlit sky, Sunny breathed in the cool night air and smiled as he listened to his friends chatting.


    There would be dangers and dire threats once he returned to Antarctica, but for the next few days, life promised to be tranquil and uncomplicated. There would be a bit of exploration, a bit of treasure hunting, and a bit of fighting, as well - but not the dreadful kind. It was truly like a vacation.


    His smile grew a little wistful.


    ''...Damnation. Just when did the Dream Realm become nicer than the waking world?''

 Chapter 1155: What the Future Holds

    The flying vessel continued moving southeast. The members of the cohort remained at the stern, keeping Cassie company. They spent some time idly talking about this and that, then silently enjoyed the beautiful sight of the night sky.


    Safely hidden within the Crushing, they were temporarily safe from all threats. That feeling was strange... the only thing stranger was the fact that Effie seemed to have lost her appetite, somehow. Now that was an anomaly unlike anything Sunny had witnessed before. He wanted to tease the huntress, but changed his mind at the last moment.


    The quiet night put him in a contemplative mood. The thing Sunny thought about was... how hard it had become to keep a conversation going in the company of his friends, these days. Or anyone else, really.


    He had never been a great conversationalist - in fact, growing up, Sunny had always found it torturously hard to fit in with people. But after becoming an Awakened, somewhere along the way, he seemed to have developed that ability. Now, however, it was getting harder once again.


    Sunny had thought that such problems would miraculously disappear after he chose to trust the people he cared about. But he had been proven wrong.


    ''It''s strange...''But then, was it really? In truth, it was not his ability to hold a conversation that was the problem, but his whole life instead.


    Most of the things he thought and did were too sensitive to discuss, not because he did not trust his friends, but because he didn''t want to involve them in his mess.


    More than that, Sunny had only done two things after coming to Antarctica - fight the Nightmare Creatures and try to fulfill his duty as a member of the Evacuation Army. He did not really have any hobbies or exciting things to share...


    His friends were more or less the same.


    ''Is it all there is to life?''Bloodshed and war?


    As he studied the night sky with a wistful expression, Kai looked at him and said:


    "Penny for your thoughts?"


    A pale smile appeared on Sunny''s face.


    "Oh... it''s nothing. I, uh... I was just thinking about how messed up our lives have become. These days, it seems that there''s nothing to talk about except for what we killed, how we killed it, and how to kill it better. So I''m wondering, is that what adulthood is? Work, work, and then more work. I thought that becoming a Master would be freeing, but honestly, I was having so much more fun as an Awakened."


    Kai sighed.


    "It does seem like that, doesn''t it?"


    Effie, who was hugging the wooden railing of the flying ship as if battling motion sickness, looked at them with a miserable face.


    "...I don''t know what you are talking about. I''m having tons of fun every day!"


    Sunny gave her a dubious look.Updated from


    "Lady Nephis and Cassie will most likely become Saints with the backing of Clan Valor. But that path is closed for the rest of us... unless we swear allegiance to a Legacy clan. Alternatively, we can remain with the government. But if Antarctica has proven one thing, it is that the government is not strong enough to protect the waking world with only its own strength. So what is the point..."


    Sunny studied his face for a few moments.


    Kai, it seemed, was struggling with his naively sincere sense of duty.


    He asked:


    "So, what? Are you thinking about becoming a Legacy?"


    The handsome archer looked at him with a heavy expression.


    "Aren''t you?"


    Sunny smiled with a corner of his mouth, then turned away.


    "...No. I''d rather die, to be honest."


    There was no need to add that last part, really, because he was always honest.


    Even if Sunny was destined to forever remain a Master, he would not join the likes of Valor and Song. Sainthood was an alluring goal, but it was not worth selling himself into slavery to a Sovereign.


    One chain, no matter how soft, was already enough.


    As for the future... he really had no idea what was going to happen after the Antarctica Campaign was over. The Great Clans would clash in earnest, but by that point, their battles would most likely move to the Dream Realm.


    Sunny would have liked to avoid becoming swept up in that conflict, but he had a strong suspicion that, for him, it was going to be nearly impossible.


    "...There''s no point in thinking about the future, either."


    The four of them glanced at Cassie with surprise. She had remained silent throughout the conversation, but suddenly spoke at that precise moment. Coming from an oracle, that statement sounded a bit ominous.


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh, yeah? Why is that?"


    Gently controlling the flying ship, Cassie kept quiet for a few moments. Then, a sad smile appeared on her face.


    "There was no Spell a century ago. There were no Saints a few decades ago. There was no Chain of Nightmares a couple of years ago. What will happen in the future? Nobody knows. So, making plans is useless. All we can do is prepare to face the unknown..."

 Chapter 1156: Returning to the Shipwreck Island

    Visiting the Southern Island was not as useful as Sunny had hoped it would be. Too much time had passed since the days when Nightmare guarded the abandoned castle, consumed by madness. The castle had long turned into ruins, and the land itself had been transformed by the Crushing.


    However... Sunny did end up finding a clue. That clue was not on the island, but rather in what was not on the island - when he had visited this place as a favor to Noctis, there had been beautiful white flowers blooming in the emerald grass around the castle. But now they were gone.


    Of course, there was nothing strange about some flowers disappearing after thousands of years of desolation. Nevertheless, Sunny remembered that he had seen these particular flowers elsewhere on the Chained Isles - there was a whole island covered by them.


    That island was considered extremely dangerous because there were numerous bones hidden beneath the beautiful carpet of white blossoms. Anyone who stepped on it would succumb to an overwhelming desire to sleep, never to wake up. Among the Awakened anchored in the Sanctuary, that island was synonymous with death.


    There were too many connections for it to be a pure coincidence, and so, Sunny decided to visit the island of white flowers as well.


    It was further east, however, so that stop was going to have to wait. First, the flying ship had to travel north and skirt the Tear for a while to reach the Shipwreck Island.


    They spent two days making their way there. The ship had to stop once to give Cassie time to rest and restore soul essence. In the meantime, the rest of them made use of the idle time to enjoy some peace and quiet.


    The ancient vessel turned into a leisure yacht for a few days. Nephis was in charge of cooking, while the rest of them were in charge of eating - they talked, enjoyed each other''s company, and tried really hard to forget the cold dread of Antarctica for a few fleeting moments.


    They even tried playing several games... sadly, it was hard to find a suitable one, considering that Kai always knew when someone was telling the truth, Cassie could sense the future, and Sunny was not above using his shadows to cheat.


    In the end, they settled for competing to see who was the best cheater.


    Nephis lost pretty much every game after that. Observing her try to hide her frustration was rather entertaining... at least for Sunny, who won the most.


    ''Ah, I have forgotten how awkward she really is. She''s hiding it well these days... it''s cute. Huh? Crude, I meant it''s crude!''


    Effie was still suffering from motion sickness and eating less than she usually did. Which meant only two to three times more than what a normal person would eat, naturally... luckily, the ship was attacked by a few Nightmare Creatures during their only stop so far, so they had plenty of fresh meat to feed her.


    She made a disgusted face, then glanced at Sunny:


    "So, doofus. We just need to bring you to what is left of the Sun Prince?"


    Sunny shook his head.


    "Yes... I mean, no. First, we need to get rid of the creature that lives below the island."


    He had not forgotten about the terrifying abomination that was hidden on the dark side of the Shipwreck Island. The memories of watching its long, root-like tentacles stretch from the darkness shrouding the bottom of the isle and snatch Fallen Demons like flies were still fresh in his mind.


    That was how the creature fed - it used the corpse of the Sun Prince as bait to devour Chain Worms.


    Sunny shook his head.


    But things had changed.


    Back then, he had been a mere Awakened. A Corrupted Nightmare Creature had been synonymous with death, despair, and hopelessness... but now, he had killed more Corrupted abominations than he could be bothered to count.


    Sunny had grown much more powerful. Even when compared to how he had been as a Master before Antarctica, he was incomparably stronger and more experienced. A mere Corrupted creature did not scare him anymore.


    Which did not mean that it was wise to abandon caution. No matter how powerful he had become, one mistake was always all it took to perish in the Dream Realm.


    Throwing one last glance at the swinging steel corpse, he turned away and said:


    "Cassie, let''s start lowering the ship."New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com

 Chapter 1157: Blood-Nourished Root

    It would have been hard to fight the creature dwelling on the dark slide of the island in usual circumstances - after all, below it was the endless expanse of the dark abyss, and humans were not known for their ability to fly. Fighting a Corrupted abomination while hanging from the treacherous stone surface of the underside of the isle was a suicidal task.


    Of course, there were ways to gain an advantage even in that situation. Kai, for example, could indeed fly. Sunny could assume the shadow fiend form, which was perfectly suited for just these kinds of battles. Effie was strong enough to dig a path to the creature from the surface in no time - and so on.


    None of it was necessary today, though, because they had Cassie and the flying ship. The graceful vessel dove into the Sky Below and descended until the Shipwreck Island, as well as the creature hiding in its shade, was above them. They maintained a safe distance for now, but the main disadvantage was already erased.


    Sunny peered into the darkness shrouding the bottom of the isle. There were large cavities in the stone and soil, making the whole island seem like a giant beehive. These caves were narrow and deep, and there was something hiding in their depths.


    ''Big...''


    He did not have to rely on his eyes, though.


    Cassie let go of the steering oars and stepped out of the runic circle, getting closer to the wooden railings. She observed the dark ravines for a while, then sighed.


    "It is a Corrupted Monster. An old and powerful one."


    The blind girl could perceive Aspects, Abilities, and Attributes of Awaweked... but that power allowed her to learn about Nightmare Creatures, too. Their strengths, their weaknesses, their nature - Cassie was an invaluable source of knowledge in that regard.


    And knowledge was the origin of power.


    She tilted her head a little.


    "It is a plant abomination. Blood-Nourished Root. I... I have an idea of how it came to be."


    The others looked at her with interest. Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "How would you know that?"


    Cassie pointed at the mast of their ship.


    "The enchantments of this vessel are meant to be powered by a sacred tree from Heart God''s grove. I found a sapling to replace the original tree, which had died when the ship crashed... but I think it had not died immediately."


    She thought for a few moments.


    "Ah, hell."


    A thin layer of polished metal suddenly covered her skin, making the huntress look like a beautiful steel statue. By her side, Kai summoned his ivory armor, as well as the Transcendent bow he had received after slaying the Corrupted Tyrant, Malignant Grave Root. An arrow that seemed to contain a sea of flames appeared on the black string.


    Sunny himself summoned the Cruel Sight, which ignited with the incandescent glow of divine flame.


    Nephis looked at them with a tense expression.


    "...I can do it."


    Effie smiled.


    "Princess... at your age, you should really know the difference between can and should. Nobody is doubting that you can kill that monster. But just relax for once and let someone else have fun too, okay?"


    With that, the huntress grinned and dashed to the edge of the deck. When she jumped, the enchanted lines shone a little brighter, as if straining to prevent the ancient wood from splintering because of the furious force of her push.


    Effie shot through the darkness toward the underside of the island. As she flew, her steel skin suddenly started to shine, turning white-hot. Not a moment later, a massive root appeared from one of the caves and stretched towards the huntress - she twisted, avoiding being grabbed by it and landing on the long wooden tentacle instead. Every spot her incandescent armor touched instantly started to burn.


    More roots appeared from within the island.


    Kai was already in the air, drawing the string of his black bow.


    Sunny, however, was not moving yet.


    With a grimace, he called upon the shadows clinging to the underside of the isle. They instantly surged forward, falling upon the roots like guillotine blades. The pressure on Effie and Kai was instantly reduced.


    Throwing a glance at Nephis, Sunny summoned the Dark Wing and smiled.


    "Yeah, sorry. You''ll have to sit this one out."


    Then, he brandished the Cruel Sight and pushed himself off the deck.


    ...The battle did not last long.

 Chapter 1158: Dinner is Served

    "It stinks."


    Effie once again looked like she was going to be sick, this time from all the smoke that drifted from inside the Shipwreck Island, where the charred remains of the Blood-Nourished Root were smoldering after being slain... by her.


    Sunny scoffed.


    "Look who''s complaining."


    He was playing with a Transcendent soul shard, but the huntress was the one who ended up with the real prize - there was a strange spear in her hand. Its shaft was made of grey wood, but the spearhead glinted with a deep crimson color, as if it had been cast in blood.


    Effie made a face.


    "Well, yeah. It''s a good spear. The creature absorbed Solvane''s blood, right? So it''s like an inheritance from the greatest warrior of the sect. But, Sunny... what was the one question I asked you at the start of our trip?"


    He frowned, trying to remember.


    "Uh... whether the creature I needed to kill was edible?"


    She pierced him with a bleak look.


    "Exactly! And is it? No! What, am I supposed to gnaw on burned wood?"


    Sunny laughed.


    "Gods. Don''t worry, we''ll find something to feed you."


    She simply waved her hand.


    "Ah, don''t bother. The smoke stench made me lose my appetite, anyway."


    They were currently getting ready to climb down to the remains of the Sun Prince. A familiar golden rope was tied to a large piece of stone that must have been a part of a towering docking mast once, and the four of them - Sunny, Effie, Nephis, and Cassie - were standing near the edge of the island.


    The flying ship was anchored to one of the masts, and Kai had already flown down to connect the other end of the rope to the remains of the heavenly chain. The island itself was in a descent phase, so they did not have to be wary of the Crushing any time soon, either.


    "I''m going, then."


    Sunny grabbed the rope and started climbing down.


    Both of them - Imp and Effie - looked at him with offended expressions.


    He simply smiled.


    "But, unlike Effie, this little guy actually profits from eating more than humanly possible. So... come one, trashling, chop-chop. You see this giant steel colossus? I want you to eat it whole."


    The members of the cohort looked at Sunny with wide eyes.


    Imp, meanwhile, looked down, at the surface of the steel sole. For the first time ever, his ugly face actually paled.


    Sunny frowned.


    "What are you waiting for? Start eating! Oh, but climb down first. If you start from the leg, you''ll fall into the Sky Below. I did that once and survived, but a useless wretch like you will definitely die..."


    The little fiend shivered, then threw a hateful glance at Sunny and obediently started climbing down. He acted with apparent reluctance, but his tiny eyes were secretly glinting with hungry avarice.


    Sunny shook his head.


    ''This bastard... I bet he''ll finish the whole colossus in less than three days...''


    That much had to be enough to push the Ravenous Fiend to the next step of his nascent steel body, and maybe even a little past that. Sunny was also thinking about trying to make the Shadow swallow a few pieces of the heavenly chains. He also remembered that there was a giant steel arm on the Iron Hand island - although the inhabitants of the Sanctuary would probably notice if it suddenly went missing.


    At that moment, he realized that the members of the cohort were staring at him with strange expressions.


    "...What?"


    Kai hesitated for a few moments, then cleared his throat.


    "Sunny, don''t you think it would be nice to tell us a bit about Imp? And why is it that you want him to... eat... the Sun Prince?"


    Effie nodded.


    "Yeah... and how did you end up with that Shadow, anyway? From what you told us before, creating them requires a steep price to be paid. So why this weak, tiny creature?"


    Sunny glanced at them with a dull expression.


    "...Yeah, alright, I''ll tell you. He needs to eat a lot of enchanted metal to get stronger. That tiny menace is a Transcendent Devil, by the way. In fact, he was the second most dangerous Nightmare Creature in the Antarctic Center. As for how he ended up becoming my Shadow - I killed that bastard, of course! Had him eaten alive by a bunch of carnivorous beetles. It''s actually a long story. Come... let''s climb back, make some dinner, and I''ll share this epic tale with you in detail..."

 Chapter 1159

    Strips of meat were roasting above the fire, and a delicious fragrance permeated the air. The remains of the Corrupted Monster crackled as they burned. Somewhere far away, ancient chains rattled loudly.


    Darkness shrouded the world outside the circle of light cast by the dancing flames.


    "... and that was the moment when the explosives detonated. Boom! I don''t know how the whole city did not just slide into the ocean, but it was really something. The wall fell, the buildings crumbled to dust, the earth itself sank. Oh, but I did not see any of this, of course, because I was right in the middle of the explosion, protected only by a few layers of manifested shadows."


    The members of the cohort were staring at Sunny with wide eyes... well, except for Cassie, of course. Nephis had been paying more attention to roasting the meat, but as the story went on, she seemed to become more and more distracted.


    He grinned.


    "And the Scavenger was right there with me! I couldn''t let the wretch escape into the shadows, so I held on to him with one hand, and pummeled him with the other. At that distance, swords were of no use, so he started biting. And let me tell you... his teeth were really, really sharp..."


    Sunny smiled, revealing his own teeth, then suddenly made a ferocious face.


    "But not as sharp as mine. I bit the bastard, too! At that point, the sphere of shadows was already breaking, and the heat inside was like an oven. It had survived the initial detonation, but got tossed around by the shockwave, and then rolled down into the crater before finally shattering."


    His expression relaxed.


    "Well, anyway. I came to my senses a bit faster than the Scavenger, who got pinned to the ground by some debris. Problem was, I still had no way of breaking his armor... luckily, I still had a chest full of the dark beetles with me. So, before the fiend could free himself, I poured the beetles out, and they ate him alive. A fitting end for a corpse eater, don''t you think? And since those beetles were not exactly living things, the Spell attributed the kill to me. So, that was how I received a new Shadow."


    There was silence for a few moments. Eventually, Effie shook her head.


    "Wait, wait... so you''re telling us that this Ravenous Fiend stalked you across all of the Antarctic Center, infiltrated a siege capital, and waited for weeks to ambush you at the worst possible moment? Since when are Nightmare Creatures that smart?"


    Kai glanced at her with surprise.


    "Uh... are we just going to ignore the fact that Sunny killed a titan?"


    Sunny lingered for a bit, looked at Nephis, and said in a carefree tone:


    "I''ve tasted a lot of failure there. It''s a bitter thing, failure, but after everything is said and done... I think it is more of a medicine than poison. You should try it too, sometime, before it''s too late."


    He did not know why he was being combative with Neph, but her confidence was really frustrating to observe recently. Perhaps... perhaps it was because he felt protective of her - Changing Star had put herself in terrible danger by joining Clan Valor, after all. She was facing death and destruction, but acted as if everything was under her control.


    She was wrong. The Great Clans, the Sovereigns - these people were not someone who could be controlled.


    Hearing his remark, Nephis calmly turned the meat and looked in Sunny''s direction.


    Her voice was even:


    "I think I know more about failure than anyone here."


    He frowned.


    "You? When have you ever failed?"


    Nephis sighed and continued tending to the meat.


    "I failed to keep you by my side in the Dark City, didn''t I? I failed to take control of the Bright Castle, too... I wanted to usurp Gunlaug''s throne a few days after killing him. I had everything prepared, but in the end, it took many weeks of bloody struggle to achieve the goal. Each additional day that passed, each Sleeper that died fighting fellow humans... were my failures. I wasn''t easy to come to terms with."


    She took the fragrant meat off the fire and started placing it on the plates.


    "I failed in the Crimson Spire, too. I failed to achieve the best result, and even messed up in my attempt to salvage the mistake. And I have failed countless times since."


    She smiled, then handed Sunny his plate.


    "But that''s alright. You said it yourself, failure might be bitter, but it is a medicine. Now, let''s eat... hopefully, this meat will taste better."

 Chapter 1160: Idle Days

    They ended up spending three idle days on the Shipwreck Island. It had long been cleansed of the feral Sailor Dolls by the Fire Keepers, and no new Nightmare Creatures made it their home since. The five Masters remained on the island when it was low, and sought shelter on the flying ship when it rose high enough to become affected by the Crushing.


    Imp was devouring the steel colossus with startling speed while they rested and relaxed. Sunny had not had an opportunity to truly let go of his worries in a long, long time, so this change of pace was most welcome. Vacationing in the Dream Realm was not really one''s idea of fun, but they made the most of it.


    Effie seemed to have regained her appetite, although she was still being picky about her food - it seemed that the military rations had left an unforgettable impression on the gluttonous huntress. As a result, the mountain of snacks she had brought over from the waking world was disappearing at a slower pace than the husk of the Sun Prince. She even shared some with the rest of them, which was both pleasant and a huge shock.


    The members of the cohort lazed around, avoided doing anything productive, and spent most of their time either sleeping or chatting idly. Sunny shared more stories about his days in the Antarctic Center with them. The first weeks of scrambling to push back the hordes of abominations and establish the siege capitals, LO49, the first encounter with the Devouring Cloud, the Heart of Darkness, almost getting killed by Goliath, the escape toward Falcon Scott and the long weeks of its siege...


    He had thought that remembering these events would bring nothing but bitterness, but strangely, talking about them and sharing the memories of the people he had met - his soldiers, Beth and Professor Obel, the captains of the Irregulars, the defenders of Falcon Scott - was almost soothing.Updated from


    Of course, these conversations inevitably veered more in the direction of discussing various Nightmare Creatures, battle strategies, and ways to kill the abominations better. The other members of the cohort had encountered countless enemies of their own in the time they were apart, so there was a lot of knowledge, insights, and accumulated experience to share.


    The others talked about their lives, too. Effie was having trouble being in charge of hundreds of people - although she was a competent battle commander, the idea of being in a position of leadership was alien to her. Luckily, Kai was usually nearby to give her support and advice. His experience serving as a centurion in the Sun Legion during the Nightmare was of tremendous help.


    ''What a mess.''


    Sunny was staring at the corpse of the Sun Prince, which was now missing its head, arms, and most of its torso. He could see the little figure of the Imp laying lifelessly on top of a link of a heavenly chain, looking miserable and drunk from overeating.


    His remark was both about the state of the once-fearsome Chain Lord and the situation that Nephis and Cassie had found themselves in. Shaking his head, Sunny leaned over the edge of the island and shouted:


    "What are you doing, lazy waif?! Stop fooling around and eat more!"


    Far below, Imp flinched, then looked up with a dull expression. Awkwardly climbing to his feet, the little fiend then sighed, made a face, and lifelessly took a bite out of the steel giant''s leg.


    ''That''s better...''


    Imp chewed the ancient metal with a miserable expression, and then froze. In the next moment, his scrawny body suddenly shimmered.

 Chapter 1161: Blessed Steel

    Even though there was a considerable chunk of the colossus left uneaten, Sunny ordered Imp to return. By the time the small creature climbed back to the surface of the island, the members of the cohort had gathered around Sunny.


    "Huh? Wait... the little rascal looks different!"


    Indeed, Effie was right. The scrawny fiend was different from how he had been before. Firstly, he had grown - just a few days ago, Imp was barely as tall as Sunny''s knee, but now his head was on the same level as Sunny''s abdomen.


    The vital areas on his wiry body were now covered by black plates that resembled a suit of light armor, each glinting with a dark metallic sheen. The same went for his long, sharp claws and triangular teeth..


    Imp''s face twisted in a grotesque grin, and he raised his chin with pride. After that, the little fiend threw a furtive glance at Nephis.


    Sunny smiled. "Congratulations, ugly. You have officially graduated from an unseemly gremlin to an unsightly goblin."


    Imp''s grin grew a bit forced. He glared at Sunny and hissed.


    Nephis looked at them for a few moments. "...I don''t know. I think he is a little cute."


    The little fiend froze, then swelled with smugness.


    Sunny shook his head and sighed. "Are you blind? Well, whatever. Let''s see what exactly changed..."


    He summoned the runes, waited for the shimmering symbols to reveal themselves, and studied them with a focused expression.


    Most of the runes seemed the same:


    Shadow: Ravenous Fiend.Shadow Rank: Transcendent.Shadow Class: Devil.


    Neither the Rank nor the Class had changed. So, the evolution must have been tied strictly to Imp''s Attributes.


    Sunny had anticipated such a result, so he was not too disappointed. Curious, he continued to read the runes:


    Shadow Description: [A pitiful little creature...]Shadow Attributes: [Lucky], [Marvel], [Ravenous], [Shadow Sworn], [Greater Steel Body].


    Sunny tilted his head a little. ''Huh...''


    Suddenly, Imp''s eyes and mouth shone with fiery orange-red light, which contrasted sharply against the black metallic sheen of his face. Imp''s sharp steel teeth had also been black a few moments ago, but now they were shining with a red-hot glow and radiated scorching heat. It was as though there was an immolating infernal furnace inside the little fiend''s maw.


    ''What the...''


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then shifted his gaze quickly to the runes.


    There was a new string at the end of the Ravenous Fiend''s Ability list.


    Shadow Abilities: [Scavenger], [Devourer], [Shadow Step], [Internal Heat].


    He concentrated on the last Ability without any delay.


    [Internal Heat] Ability Description: "This Shadow''s teeth and claws can be infused with annihilating heat, enhancing their cutting power."


    Sunny froze for a moment.


    ''So, wait... this blessed steel gifted him not only with an affinity to metal, but also with an affinity to fire?''


    And the little rascal had even received a new Ability out of it? Well, it made sense... steel had to be tempered with fire, after all. And the Sun Prince had been drowned in molten metal before becoming the steel colossus, to atone for his perceived betrayal of Sun God''s will.


    Sunny glanced at the scrawny fiend and sighed. "Alright, alright. Stop glowering. I won''t hit you anymore... you did well, wretch!"


    With that, he smiled and gave Imp a thumbs up.


    The small Shadow hesitated for a few moments, then jumped to his feet. The scorching red glow radiating from his teeth slowly disappeared. He looked very proud of himself.


    Sunny nodded. "Good. Ah, just look how tough and strong you''ve become!"


    Imp puffed out his chest again, listening as Sunny added: "...I just can''t wait to send you to fight all kinds of dreadfully powerful Nightmare Creatures!"


    Slowly, the arrogant expression on the scrawny fiend''s face was replaced with one of concern and distress.


    Sunny smiled wickedly. "Yes, yes... with a body like that, you won''t be damaged too badly even if a titan chews on you a bit..."

 Chapter 1162: Old Haunts

    After Imp developed the [Greater Steel Body], there was no reason for them to remain on the Shipwreck Island. He had already absorbed everything he could from the body of the Sun Prince, so devouring the rest of the colossus was of no benefit. The need to visit the Iron Hand Island had disappeared, as well.


    Their vacation was slowly coming to an end. They still had a few days left, though, as well as plans to visit a few more isles.


    The flying ship cut across the starlit sky, moving east.


    Their first destination was the Temple of the Chalice. The ancient ruin was just like the last time Sunny had visited it - forlorn and empty. Even the wrathful specters that had populated the temple were gone. Of course, he knew more about how the maiden priestesses had perished now..


    Standing in the central chamber, Sunny looked at the shattered remains of the stone chalice and the bones littering the floor. The walls of the sacred hall had collapsed, the stone plates were cracked by a devastating explosion. After thousands of years, nothing but dust and desolation remained.


    He wondered about fate and the past. In the Nightmare, he had been the one to destroy the Chalice and slay the warmaidens... however, even without Sunny, their end had been the same.


    Who had killed the priestesses of the Red Sect in real past? Was it Noctis himself, or someone else? What had happened to the child whose body Effie inhabited in the Nightmare? Had the little girl been slain in the massacre, too?


    As usual, there were no answers.


    Effie herself wandered the ruins alone, her face uncharacteristically somber. The swords she had thrust into the ground once were all gone. The memories she carried, however, remained.


    Eventually, the huntress sighed and shook her head in dejection.Updated from


    "All that cruelty was pointless, in the end. What... what a waste."


    Sunny remained silent, consumed by his own thoughts.


    This place held special meaning to him, too. This was where he had become a Demon. It had only happened a couple of years ago, and yet, those years felt like a lifetime. A few lifetimes, really.


    Was it because of the Nightmare or because of Antarctica that the past seemed so distant?


    They left the Temple of the Chalice behind and ventured to their next destination.


    A long time passed in silence. At some point, Cassie lowered her head and let out a heavy sigh.


    "...It''s empty. It''s gone."


    Soon, the Quiet Dancer emerged from under the clear water and flew up with a flourish, sparkling brightly as the sunlight reflected from the drops covering its slender blade.


    The rapier landed in Cassie''s hand and grew still. Sheathing the Echo, the blind girl silently went back to the runic circle and sent the ship into the sky. Her face seemed full of sorrow, for some reason.


    Despite the fact that they were practically next to the Sanctuary, none of them wanted to visit it. The idea of the familiar Citadel without the White Feather clan seemed strange to Sunny. He didn''t know who had been sent by Valor to oversee the Chained Isles instead of Saint Tyris, and did not care to find out.


    Even though it was not their fault, the newcomers still felt like usurpers.


    Instead of venturing into the Sanctuary, the flying ship turned around and flew back west, cutting a straight line toward the distant Red Colosseum.


    It was going to take them a few days to return to the Ivory Tower.


    Once they did, the small vacation would be officially over, and Sunny would have to dive back into the coldness of Antarctica and the dirty war of the great clans.


    He felt slightly reluctant to return.


    On the last night before they reached the Tower, Sunny found himself standing on the deck of the ancient vessel, looking at the myriad of stars above them through the branches of the sacred tree.


    There was the sound of steps, and Nephis approached to keep him company in silence.


    Together, they watched the night sky and thought about the future.


    What it would bring, what it would take...


    What it would cost them.

 Chapter 1163: Broken Land

    After a long time spent in comfortable silence, Sunny glanced at Nephis, thought for a few moments, and asked:


    "So, what do you make of this place?"


    The other members of the cohort all had a deep connection to the Chained Isles. Sunny and Cassie had spent the most time here, but Effie and Kai were also deeply tied to the remains of the Kingdom of Hope. Their experiences in the Nightmare were not something one could ever forget. It was a place that had changed them.


    Nephis, on the other hand, was a stranger here. She could look at the Chained Isles as an outsider. So, he was idly curious about her perspective..


    Neph lingered for a while, then said quietly:


    "It is as everywhere else. Broken."


    Sunny smiled.


    "I guess. The Chained Isles are more honest in that regard, aren''t they? They don''t hide their broken nature."Updated from


    Indeed, the Dream Realm was a ruined world. ...The waking world was a ruin, too. And the young woman standing next to him was the Star of Ruin. A fitting name for someone born of two broken worlds.


    He sighed.


    "Still, I thought you would have more of an opinion. Don''t you feel a connection to this land?"


    Nephis glanced at him with a bit of confusion.


    "Why would I?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "Well, the Kingdom of Hope was destroyed by Sun God. He brought his fire down, and obliterated it. You are the inheritor of that fire, are you not? Sun God''s blood is flowing through your veins. So, in a sense, you are the last descendant of the being who brought ruin to this land."


    Nephis remained silent for a while, then smiled.


    "I see. Yes, it would make sense for me to feel a connection to Sun God. But, actually... in this case, I feel more connected to Hope."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Hope? The wicked demon who spent a thousand years twisting the minds of everyone living in the ruins, driving them insane, and causing all kinds of unspeakable, abhorrent evil? The vile queen of madness, that Hope?"


    Neph tilted her head a little. She lingered for a few moments, and then said:


    "Hope who had everything that belonged to her destroyed by an impossible foe. Who remained chained for a thousand years, but never stopped trying to set herself free. Who escaped her prison and waged war against the eternal gods. And killed them. That Hope."


    Sunny hid his smile.


    "Huh. Well, if you put it like that... actually, I''m rather fond of Hope, too. I met her once, you know?"


    For the first time in a long time, he saw Neph''s usually calm expression crack a little. She looked at him with a startled expression.


    "You... you met Hope? The Demon of Desire?"


    "What''s wrong with Night&Gale?"


    "Night&Gale is an amazing band name!"


    Sunny smiled crookedly.


    "Alright, alright! There''s nothing wrong with that name. Still, Sky Swimmer? Doesn''t sound too majestic."


    Kai looked down in embarrassment.


    "Oh, well... on second thought, you''re right..."


    At that moment, Effie spoke:


    "I have a great name in mind."


    Everyone turned to her, while the huntress threw a mischievous glance at Sunny.


    "This is a flying ship, right? It soars high in the sky, bathing in sunlight. So... how about... we call it The Sunfull?"


    The corner of Sunny''s eye twitched.


    "...Next suggestion."


    Cassie hesitated for a few moments.


    "I really don''t know. I would like to name it in honor of Noctis, but at the same time... this is the vessel of the Fire Keepers now. It was created to harvest divine flames, and in the future, it will be the symbol of Changing Star and her people. Do we name it for the past, or for the future?"


    Everyone looked at Nephis, who remained silent for a while. Eventually, she said:


    "Let''s honor your friend, Noctis. Sunny knew him the best, so he''s the best person to give the ship a name."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    ''How come I ended up being the one to do it?''


    Still... it wasn''t the bad kind of responsibility.


    He fought about Noctis, his self-proclaimed best friend, and about what Noctis had wanted. ...To break the will of gods and set Hope free from her chains. He also thought about Odysseus, and about his own desperate desire to be free. He thought about what Noctis had achieved. Who was Noctis, in the end? What words described him best?


    ''That lying, dastardly cheat...''


    After a while, Sunny let out a sigh and nodded.


    "Yeah. I think I know. I have a good name."


    He looked at the graceful silhouette of the ancient ship and remained silent for a few moments. Eventually, Sunny said:


    "...Chain Breaker. Let''s call it that."

 Chapter 1164: Nice Summer Day

    It was a hot, lazy summer day. The sun bathed the Northern Quadrant Siege Capital in heat and light, making people long for the cool shade of the ventilated buildings. The sky was clear and vast, without a single cloud in sight. Looking at its blue expanse, it was hard to believe that somewhere far away people were suffering in the darkness, assaulted by cold and dread.


    The Chain of Nightmares that was raging in the Southern Quadrant seemed so distant here.


    On that peaceful day, a young man in expensive clothes was sitting on a bench in a beautiful park. Located in one of the more affluent districts of the city, the park was full of vibrant greenery and pleasant shade. The filtered air was crisp and clean. Everything here looked spotless and new.


    The young man was enjoying a cup of coffee as he watched children play on a nearby playground. There was an absent-minded smile on his handsome face. He seemed to be in a pleasant mood..


    ''How curious...''


    The young man observed the children. They were so strange, so innocent. Fragile. It would take no effort at all to break them. ...But why would he? Watching the kids play was interesting and nice. And yet, he couldn''t help but imagine what the playground would look like painted with their blood. Those images entered his mind on their own. The images were interesting and nice, too.


    ''Are all human children like that?''


    The young man had been a child himself, once, but he did not really remember much about that time. He knew that he had been a timid kid who did not start to speak until he was four - others made sure that he knew that. At some point, the old man came to claim him.


    The rest of his childhood had been spent in the Dream Realm. It was only much later, after the old man had discarded him, that he returned to the waking world. The waking world had felt alien then, and felt a bit alien still. But really, it was the young man who was the alien.


    ''Am I the strange one? Huh.''


    It might have been an easy conclusion to draw, but it was not so easy for the young man. He had trouble imagining that others were different from him. It took a conscious effort to remember.


    At some point, there was a slight disturbance. One of the kids kicked a ball too hard, and it flew toward the young man, almost making him spill his coffee.


    The young man looked at the ball with displeasure. The culprit of his displeasure ran over and stopped a couple of steps away, looking at him with wide eyes.


    "Oh! S-sorry, mister..."


    The kid was tiny and cute. He was maybe five years old, with blonde hair, smooth skin, and blue eyes. He also had short legs, which made his run look rather comical. His neck seemed very thin and malleable.


    The young man smiled.


    "No problem. Ah, you speak so well. I couldn''t speak that well at your age."


    The kid beamed with a bright smile.


    "I go to classes! Mommy takes me. I know alphabet, too!"Thi/s chapter is updated by


    The young man tilted his head.


    "Oh? Is your mom here?"


    The kid nodded enthusiastically.


    The young man did not respond.


    In fact, he did not move at all.


    His eyes were closed, as though he was enjoying a nap in the sun.


    ...A few hours later, long after the children and their mothers left, a woman taking a walk in the park passed the bench.


    A frightened scream suddenly disturbed the peaceful day.


    "Gods! Somebody, help! D-dead, he''s dead!"


    Indeed, the young man was as cold as a corpse.


    He was, and had been, dead.


    Of course, Mordret was long gone, hiding in the eyes of the talkative kid. Extinguishing a mundane human''s soul was easier than... well, taking candy from a baby... but he had not taken the body of this child.


    He was just taking a ride, watching the world through the kid''s eyes.


    Currently, they were walking back home, holding the kid''s mother''s hand.


    The woman was in her early thirties, and very attractive. She was wearing expensive, but simple clothes - of course, anyone who lived in the affluent district had the means to afford the best attire, but few were dignified enough to not flaunt their wealth.


    Every time the woman glanced at her son, she smiled warmly, which made Mordret feel a slight sense of amusement.


    He had no memories of his own mother, who had died in childbirth when he was young, so this experience was rather new.


    Being loved by someone was interesting and nice, too.


    Enough to make him want to kill the child and take his place.


    But Mordret didn''t.


    Even a creature like him had principles, after all.


    Well... not principles. Inclinations, maybe.


    He was not inclined to kill someone without a decent reason, even if he wanted to.


    Of course, his definition of what constituted a decent reason was different from the norm.


    ...Hiding in the kid''s eyes, Mordret entered his home, uninvited.

 Chapter 1165 Warmth Of Affection

    Human homes were like a titan. They were full of countless things. From the floor panels to the smallest trivialities, each thing had been designed and created by someone. The materials used in the creation of the things had been produced by someone else. Vehicles that someone had assembled transported them over roads that someone had built.


    The amount of effort and life hiding in each human home was staggering. The scale of it was so inconceivable that Mordret could only compare it to something he was more familiar with - an abomination so vast that its mere existence was a calamity.


    But really, the waking world was so much more than that. The only creature it could truly be compared to was a god.


    ''A dead god, maybe.''


    Humans were like ants, but he could easily imagine them as carrion worms wriggling as they feasted on a divine corpse.


    He could imagine it vividly.


    "Honey! Come eat!"


    Mordret was looking at the world through the child''s eyes.


    He put down his toys and ran to the kitchen. He climbed on a chair and grinned at his mother. He made a face at the plate full of expensive, naturally grown vegetables and pouted.


    He allowed himself to be coaxed into eating some.


    ''...I can''t taste it.''


    Mordret felt a slight disappointment as he studied the mother''s face. She was looking at him with a smile. Her eyes were brimming with affection.


    Being loved by someone was a novel feeling. But what would it feel like to love someone instead?


    Curious, Mordret thought about taking the mother''s body and caring for the kid. Would it feel rewarding? Would it feel burdensome? Would it feel nice?


    There was an easy way to find out.


    However, Mordret stifled his curiosity and remained still.


    As the kid chewed on the vegetables, the mother idly listened to the news. There was a propaganda report on the screen, with a dignified male voice delivering a report:


    The city was in turmoil. Everything was changing. The distant war was already affecting the daily lives of the citizens... her friends, her neighbors, her family - everyone was tense, as if waiting for a storm.


    Many people had left with the First Evacuation Army. Even more enlisted and sailed away with the Second.


    And now, there was talk of even people from her immediate circle being pulled into the whirlwind of the distant cataclysm.


    The woman was not a low-ranking citizen. Her status was special, and so, she knew better than to believe the propaganda.


    Mordret observed, absorbing her point of view.


    On one sunny morning, the woman received a call. Her face brightened as she brought the communicator to her ear.


    "...Yes! I see. That is... that is wonderful news. How long before... oh. That soon? Yes, I understand. He is doing great. He misses you, of course. Don''t worry... I''ll explain. We are very proud of you! Can I... can I come see you? Oh, that''s wonderful. Yes... I''ll be there..."


    After finishing the call, the woman lowered her hands and remained motionless for a few moments. Her lips trembled.


    Then, she took a deep breath and put a calm expression on her face.


    The woman got ready, putting much more effort than usual into looking nice. Her already unmistakable beauty bloomed even more.


    After putting on her favorite dress, she smiled at herself in the mirror and left the apartment.


    ...Of course, Mordret, who was looking at the world through her eyes, did the same.


    ''How sweet.''


    Instead of using public transportation, they summoned an expensive PTV and traveled to an even more luxurious and well-defended part of the city. There, at the very heart of NQSC, a vast complex that resembled a hybrid between an embassy and a fortress lay, large enough to be considered a district of its own.


    The woman exited the PTV and approached the security checkpoint. There, an Awakened warrior wearing particular colors - black and vermilion - stopped her with a polite gesture.


    She smiled.


    "Good morning. I am here to see my husband..."

 Chapter 1166 Homecoming

    The woman had no trouble passing the security checkpoint.Updated from


    Just like that, Mordret entered the stronghold of the great and powerful clan Valor.


    His birthplace.


    It felt fascinating to come back here. Mordret did not exactly consider this place his home, but he remembered it well. Not from when he had lived here during early childhood, but from the time he spent here right after coming back from the Dream Realm.


    He had been twelve... or was it thirteen?... and already an Awakened. Reaching Bastion first, and then coming to this beautiful place. Everything in the waking world had felt soft, but his return... Was not at all like he had imagined.


    As memories flashed in his mind, Mordret felt a dark, suffocating emotion rise from the depths of his soul.


    ''Now is not the time.''


    Infiltrating the stronghold was already a risk. He could not allow himself to act rashly... his family were no fools. They had safeguards in place to detect him, and it had taken a lot of effort to make this moment possible.


    If there was one thing Mordret was good at, it was remaining cold and calculating.


    So, no matter how much he wanted to let go, he had to hold himself back.


    These people were not his enemies, anyway. They were just servants... the masters were safely hidden away behind much more impenetrable defenses.


    The child and the woman he had been observing for the past couple of weeks were not random people, of course. They were the son and the wife of an Awakened retainer of the great clan Valor. Usually, a family like that would have resided within the fortress itself, but with the warrior spending most of his time in the Dream Realm, the woman wanted to live closer to her family.


    That was a vulnerability which Mordret had planned to exploit.


    And now, he was inside the complex, hiding in the woman''s eyes as she hurried to meet her husband.


    She seemed to be familiar with the compound, easily navigating between the multitude of buildings, training grounds, and parks. The stronghold was perfectly maintained, picturesque, and tranquil... at least on the surface.


    Behind the beautiful facade, however, hid explosive tension.


    The great clan Valor was preparing for war.


    "Of course... of course. Just... be careful, okay? I hear terrible things about Antarctica."


    The man smiled.


    "Why are you comparing us to those pitiful dogs? The people serving the government can barely be called Awakened. But we are the warriors of Valor."


    Mordret was delighted.


    He had thought that he would have to jump between dozens of people to find someone assigned to the Southern Quadrant expedition force. How lucky was he to stumble on a suitable person so soon?


    From the son, to the mother, to the father... it was so quick.


    The Awakened and his wife talked, expressing their affection for each other. But then, inevitably, they had to part ways.


    When the beautiful woman left to return to her child, Mordret remained in the man''s eyes.


    He was going to Antarctica.


    For the next several weeks, he remained hidden in the Awakened warrior''s eyes, perceiving the world through them. He trained. He prepared. He thought about his wife and his son.


    Slowly but surely, the expedition force was gathered and readied itself to go to war. The summer ended, and autumn embraced the world.


    The man was excited, but also nervous. He steeled himself to what was about to come.


    Mordret did, too.


    On the day when they were supposed to embark on the journey across the ocean, he prayed to the dead gods. Then, knowing that there might not be an opportunity to do so later, he sent a sweet message to his wife.


    Finally, he saluted Saint Gilead, the Summer Knight, and followed the noble Transcendent onto a ship.


    ''This man has a beautiful wife, and a cute son. He truly is fortunate.''


    Mordret remembered the days he had lived in the Awakened warrior''s home with fondness.


    ...On the first night at sea, he snuffed out the man''s soul, and took his place.

 Chapter 1167 Princes New Clothes

    Taking someone''s place was not a new experience for Mordret. However, it was a perilous thing every time. ...Not that he minded.New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    He had been very weak at the start of it all. Unlike most other members of his family, Mordret had not received an Aspect that helped one in a direct confrontation. He was not like his father, his uncles and aunts, or his cousins.


    He was not like Morgan, who had been born on the battlefield and was made stronger, faster, and more resilient after Awakening. He was not even on par with that amusing scoundrel, Sunless. His physical strength was, objectively, laughable.


    It had gotten somewhat better now that Mordret reached a higher Class, but that was his limit. That level was not nearly enough to face the caliber of threats he was facing, and there was no other way to bolster his combat prowess without the use of Memories.


    However, he could not use Memories within someone''s soul. He could only reflect what was already there. As a Sleeper, Mordret had been able to see through reflections, as well as travel through them - both mentally and physically. He had also been gifted with the ability to create helpers by shattering his soul. Of course, back then, gaining a new soul core to create a Reflection had not been easy.


    Mirror Beast... Beastie... was his first creation. Human children had imaginary friends, but Mordret had Beastie instead. For a lonely child who had grown up in the Dream Realm, having a companion - even if it was a mindless dormant beast at first - was meaningful beyond words.


    His Mirror Beast was gone now, though. That was another thing his family had to pay for.


    ''That''s better.'' Looking at the face of the man in the mirror, Mordret smiled. Then, he erased that smile and replaced it with another, much more earnest and bright one. That was how the man had smiled. Mordret effortlessly changed his posture, his facial expression, the glint in his eyes, the subtle tension in his shoulders. His whole presence changed, becoming indistinguishable from how the dead man had held himself.


    Looking into the mirror with that new smile on his face, Mordret whispered with flawless sincerity: "Glory to the great clan Valor!"


    Mordret enjoyed a journey across the sea in the company of the other Awakened warriors of Valor. He trained, ate, and spent the rest of his time with these people. He liked them a lot. The stoic Awakened Crass, the good-natured Awakened Agathe, the carefree Awakened Varo, and the other members of his cohort... The sense of camaraderie they shared was curious and delightful. The respect and admiration they felt toward the man whose body Mordret was wearing was refreshing, too. It made him feel a bit of responsibility for these people, which was a novel experience.


    Even Saint Gilead was not unpleasant to be around.


    ''I wonder how things are going in the Southern Quadrant...'' By now, the emissaries of Song had already arrived there. Seishan''s bloodbag, Bast, must have already begun producing the mirrors. There was no real point to those mirrors, of course. It was just something senseless Mordret had instructed them to do, in order to add fuel to the flame of his family''s suspicion. The man was most likely going to be eliminated, at some point, but that was no great loss to the great clan Song. Why would Mordret care?


    Then, finally, a dark line appeared on the horizon. The convoy had reached Antarctica. Standing on the deck of a massive battleship, Mordret looked at the grey sky and felt the cold wind caressing his face. The Call of Nightmare assaulted his mind, filling it with a cacophony of maddening whispers.


    He sighed. ''What a dreary place...'' As he contemplated the view in front of him, a familiar voice called out: "Warren! Get ready. We are docking in half an hour." Turning around, he looked at his comrades and smiled. "Don''t be foolish, Agathe. A warrior of Valor is always ready!"

 Chapter 1168 Familiar Faces

    There was a furious battle. Saints and Titans clashed, making the ground shake and the sky shatter. A boundless horde of Nightmare Creatures flowed like a sea of darkness, assaulting the formation of human soldiers. A massive tortoise Echo towered above the battlefield, with a stone fort standing on its impregnable shell.


    Mordret fought in the battle. Limited to the power level of an Awakened, he drowned in the tide of abominations, slaying one after another as he protected the lives of his fellow warriors. Thanks to his swift sword, none of the members of his cohort fell. They were victorious.


    After the battle, awash in the blood of Nightmare Creatures, his companions looked at him with triumphant glee.


    "Warren! Gods... I almost lost my arm. If it wasn''t for you..."


    "We showed them, didn''t we?"


    "I thought I would die there, for a moment..."


    Mordret looked at them and shook his head.


    "Get a grip and act with decorum worthy of the warriors of Valor. Especially you, Varo! Lady Morgan and Saint Madoc are with us. Of course, we won..."


    He returned to the temporary camp with the rest of the Valor Awakened, washed the grime of the battle off himself, and attended to his duties. There was a lot to be done.


    At some point, Mordret found himself ascending the carapace of the tortoise Echo to deliver an important message to his commanders. A beautiful young woman with black hair and vermilion eyes appeared to guide him through the wards. He stood a little straighter at the sight of her. It was Morgan, of course. His sister.


    His uncle was also there, as domineering and dangerous as he remembered.


    "Is there news, Squire Warren?"


    Mordret pretended to be starstruck by the fact that Morgan knew his name as he imagined slowly dismembering and killing her. That was a nice thought.


    He bowed, and then said with deep respect in his voice:


    "We received word from Knight Shtad, my lady. His cohort had survived the second night and secured a fortified position. Their report indicates that the divination seems to have been correct."


    His sister sighed and asked:


    "Finally, some good news... what about the rest of the scouts?"


    Mordret pretended to be grief-stricken by the deaths of fellow warriors of Valor as he hoped that their deaths were slow, gruesome, and excruciating.The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    "Lost or forced to enter the Seeds, my lady. However, now that we have secured several entry points... the next cohorts we send will survive, honoring their sacrifice."


    His uncle finally spoke:


    "The most important thing right now is to reinforce Shtad. His mission might very well decide the outcome of this phase of the conflict. Warren... tell your men to prepare. Once we return to the siege capital, I will personally transport you to the desert. You must succeed at any cost. If my niece does not object, of course."


    That guy... even though Mordret had tried to kill him on several occasions, the devious little waif somehow managed to survive. Sunless had even ruined his painstakingly prepared and arduously realized plans in the Nightmare.


    Nevertheless, Mordret was strangely fond of the prickly Shadow. Sunless was such an interesting fellow... and a Divine Aspect holder, no less.


    Although Mordret really wanted to rip the young man apart because of what had happened in the Ivory City, he also felt reluctant to.


    Sunless was a bystander in the crimes of the Domains, after all.


    The second person, though...


    Mordret''s eyes grew slightly cold when he saw the beautiful oracle.


    ''That one...''


    Song of the Fallen stood on the side of Valor, but more than that, she was... problematic.


    If Mordret had known what a nuisance she would become when first sensing her presence in the Night Temple, he would have made more of an effort to eliminate the oracle a few months later, when she returned to the Citadel with Sunless.


    But now, he had to be wary of her potent divination powers. The painful ritual he had performed in Nether''s tower was supposed to shield him from Cassia''s gaze, among other things, but one never knew what a wielder of a Sacred Aspect was capable of.


    Sunless threw a dark look at Mordret and shook his head. It seemed that he was still not fond of the servants of the great clans... despite spending time in the company of a Seneschal...


    ''Good for you, Sunless! Stay that way...''


    Mordret put on a neutral expression and kept a respectful silence while he escorted the two to the head vehicle of the column. After the guards let them inside, his task was over.


    He did catch a glimpse of Changing Star through the opened hatch, though. The last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan was beautiful, cold, and enigmatic...


    Even after observing her through the mirrors, Mordret did not know what to make of her.


    He would have believed that she was just what people thought her to be - a picture of a noble Awakened warrior, a valiant hero fully committed to defending the waking world from the terrors of the Nightmare Spell - if not for the fact that the supposed hero was, in fact, a Dreamspawn.


    And Dreamspawns were never what they seemed.


    Since Changing Star had been adopted by his family, she was going to have to die, as well.


    However, Mordret did not hate her.


    He was also certain that the old man had plans for the last descendant of Immortal Flame.


    So... that could be of use to him in the future, as well...

 Chapter 1169 Battlefield Of The Gods

    Mordret was still getting used to the fact that it never got dark in Antarctica. Because of that, the concept of time here was vague and abstract. The landscape itself was not like anything else he had seen in the waking world, and with countless Nightmare Creatures flooding the continent, it was easy to imagine that they were actually in the Dream Realm.


    A whole continent of people, pulled into hell.


    ''No... it''s much too early for that...''


    The sky was strange, the land was strange, and the beings populating that land were strange.


    And yet, wasn''t he the strangest one?New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    ''Isn''t it nice, to be with family?''


    His uncle''s wide back was right in front of him.


    Saint Madoc was walking across the desolate plain, not at all concerned by the hordes of Nightmare Creatures moving in the distance. A small force of Awakened followed, with Mordret in the lead. They had left their vehicles behind to traverse the last stretch of wilderness on foot, knowing that remaining unseen was more important than remaining safe.


    The warriors of Valor were subdued, but full of unshaken resolve. Even surrounded by unspeakable danger, none of them showed the smallest sign of fear. They were ready to face any kind of threat, no matter how dire, and fight any kind of enemy.


    Be it abominations or humans.


    Mordret, meanwhile, was simply staring at his uncle''s back.


    How easy would it be to put a sword right through it?


    He suppressed a sigh.


    Sadly, not easy at all. Not even because of the priceless enchanted armor Whispering Blade was clad in, but simply because Whispering Blade was Whispering Blade.


    If any of Mordret''s family members were easy to kill, he would not be stuck wearing the cumbersome vessel of Squire Warren for so long.


    ''There''ll come a day...''


    They walked forward in silence.


    Eventually, the goal of their journey revealed itself. Hidden in the shadow of an abandoned fortress, a Nightmare Gate tore reality apart like a dark scar. The whispers of the Call grew louder and louder as they approached it, and the bones of slain abominations rustled under their feet.


    By now, the force brought to Antarctica by his family had explored a lot of Nightmare Gates. They had started with those situated within the siege capitals under the clan''s control, and then slowly expanded their search.


    This one, however, was rather special. It was the Gate that Knight Shtad had ventured into, and the area of the Dream Realm connected to it hid within itself a precious treasure.


    The problem was that this Gate was situated in an extremely dangerous part of Antarctica... it had been dangerous before because of its proximity to Song''s territory, and it grew only more dire now because the hunting grounds of the Corrupted Titan that still wandered the continent were slowly shifting in its direction.


    A grotesque creature that seemed to be made of countless claws was already lunging at him... a split second later, however, it was suddenly dismantled, falling apart in the air. It was as if a maelstrom of invisible blades had sliced it apart.


    Black blood boiled as it touched the white sand.


    Saint Madoc calmly looked at the remains of the Nightmare Creature and turned to Mordret.


    "Stay on guard."


    Soon, he disappeared.


    Mordret was left alone.


    With a sigh, he summoned a special Memory to prevent himself from being cooked alive inside the armor and waited with a sword in his hand.


    By the time Saint Madoc returned, bringing two more Awakened with him, there was another dead creature laying on the sand.


    It took almost an hour to transport all of them to the Dream Realm. Nevertheless, being guided by a Saint was a great boon - they did not have to search for each other in the deadly desert, facing its dangers alone.


    Who knew how many would have survived if not for Saint Madoc?


    Finally, the last warrior of Valor appeared under the ruthless sun of the desert. Whispering Blade turned to Warren and sighed.


    "This is where I leave you, Squire. You will have to rendezvous with Knight Shtad on your own."


    Mordret pretended to be hesitant.


    "Saint Madoc, my lord... wouldn''t it be more prudent for you to join us?"


    His uncle shook his head.


    "I am too easily tracked in this cursed land. Coming with you would only increase the chances of the Queen of Worms learning about Shtad''s mission. Don''t worry... if you perform your duty well, I''ll join you soon. By then, it would be too late for Song to intervene."


    Mordret bowed, deciding that he was in a great mood.


    A few minutes later, Saint Madoc was gone. The Awakened were left alone in the unholy desert.


    He looked at his companions and gave them a reassuring smile.


    "Hold fast, men! We need to proceed to the first marker without delay. If we fail to reach it before nightfall... may gods have mercy on our souls..."


    Of course, the gods were long dead - some might have died on this exact battlefield, in fact - so there was no mercy to be found in either of the two worlds.

 Chapter 1170 Day And Night

    During the day, the desert was like hell. The small, ruthless sun bathed the pristine white world in suffocating heat, making the Awakened feel as if their bodies and minds were slowly being dissolved into the blinding white radiance.


    Mundane humans would not have lasted even a single day in this scorching inferno, but even the experienced Awakened warriors were struggling to persevere. If not for the fact that they had come prepared... the soldiers of Valor shivered despite the unbearable heat when imagining how agonizing such a journey would have been.


    The government soldiers pulled into this hell by the Call never stood a chance. After all, the probability of them possessing Memories to mitigate the heat and create unlimited reserves of water was slim, not to mention other dangers.


    Most importantly, they would not have had a map.


    The rough map created by the scouts of the great clan was, without a doubt, the most vital distinction between Warren''s squad and those poor fools.


    Because, while the desert was like hell during the day, it was infinitely more harrowing during the night. The heat retreated, replaced by murderous cold... and the dead soldiers of the ancient armies that had once clashed in this land rose from the sand to continue their eternal battle.


    This had been one of the last battlefields in the world-ending war between the Demons and the Gods - considering who had fought and fallen here, even the cursed remains of the ancient soldiers were too dreadful for mere mortals to face.


    If there was one mercy in the white desert, it was that these accursed remnants were too powerful to enter the waking world through the lesser Nightmare Gates.


    ...Of course, there were countless other Nightmare Creatures populating the white dunes, as well. These abominations were not restricted to only moving at night, and even though they preferred to stick to the shadows, Mordret and his companions had to fight more than a few horrors as they traveled across the desert.


    The heat, the blinding light, the constant danger of being attacked by swarms of frenzied Nightmare Creatures...


    ''Irritating.''


    Mordret pierced the body of a swift abomination with his sword, then bashed it with his shield, throwing the creature back and off his blade. Sweat was rolling down his face, and his helmet felt as hot as an oven. Even the charm he was using to keep himself cool seemed to be struggling, despite the fact that it was hungrily devouring more and more essence.


    By his side, someone swayed and fell to their knees.


    Mordret moved, shielding the Awakened warrior from a lunging Nightmare Creature. With its momentum broken, others attacked from the sides, bringing the beast down.


    He reached down and helped the Awakened stand up.


    "Argh... curses. I''m sorry, Warren. The heat got to me."


    Mordret shook his head.


    Mordret bowed, pretending to be tired.


    "Sir Shtad. It is good to see you."


    The Knight of Valor studied them for a few moments, and then nodded.


    "It is good to see you too, Warren. Come. The night is approaching."


    He led them deeper into the ruin, where a fissure in the obsidian stones opened a path to the interior of the ancient structure.


    Soon, Mordret found himself in a subterranean chamber that was half-filled with white sand. There, a group of Awakened were resting, looking rugged and battered, but also much too relaxed for the dire nature of their surroundings.


    The scouts.


    They met Warren''s group with grins and welcoming gestures.


    "Finally! We were going crazy waiting for reinforcements."


    "Come eat, guys. You must be tired."


    "It''s Warren and his people. Good. The creature won''t stand a chance..."


    Once everyone settled, food and fresh water were distributed. Everyone was tired and hungry, so they spent some time in silence catching their breaths, recovering from being in the heat, and eating.


    As they did, a chilling clamor slowly rose above them, soon turning into an dreadful cacophony. The old bones were once again crawling from the sand to resume their eternal battle.


    At some point, Mordret put away his flask and looked at Knight Shtad with a masterful pretense of respect and veneration.


    "Sir Shtad... we are at your service. What is your intention?"


    The intrepid Knight lingered for a few moments. Then, a calm smile appeared on his face.


    "My intention is simple, Warren. Tomorrow, we will slay the Guardian... and take the Citadel."

 Chapter 1171 His Own Designs

    Indeed, the treasure Knight Shtad had discovered in the desert was a Citadel.


    Not the Tomb of Ariel itself, of course - no scout had managed to get anywhere near the black pyramid, yet. It just always loomed far in the distance, never getting closer, like an ominous mirage.


    But he did find a Citadel.


    At this point, both Valor and Song were scouting the outer reaches of the desert in search of a suitable position to establish a base camp. Once they found one, numerous soldiers would be brought there through the corresponding Nightmare Gates, and the expeditions toward the pyramid would be launched.


    However, a Citadel had the potential to drastically change the balance of power between the two great clans in their pursuit of the Demon''s tomb.


    The clan that possessed one would hold an overwhelming advantage. The clan that did not would fall behind before the race even started.


    A Citadel was not only better fortified and safer than a makeshift stronghold. Connected to the waking world by a Gateway, it would make it much easier to ferry Awakened into the Dream Realm, transport supplies, and establish logistical chains.


    Some regions of the Dream Realm held only one Citadel, while some held many. At this point, it was unknown if Knight Shtad''s discovery was the only Citadel in the white desert, except for the Tomb of Ariel itself, but even if Song were to eventually discover a second one, the delay would put them at a great disadvantage.


    So, needless to say, taking the Citadel was of paramount importance.


    However... it was guarded by a fearsome Nightmare Creature.


    More than that, even though Valor put a lot of effort into keeping Shtad''s prize a secret, there was no guarantee that Song would not try to take it by force eventually.


    So, Warren and his people were dispatched into the desert as the first wave of reinforcements. Their task was to assist the fearsome Knight in conquering the Citadel and lay the groundwork for the arrival of further forces.


    Of course, there was a problem with that plan.


    The fact that an insidious creature had long taken the place of Squire Warren, and came to the desert in his place.


    "Valor!"


    Mordret let out a fierce battle cry as he led his people into the tide of Nightmare Creatures.


    The Citadel was right in front of them.


    It was not a fortress, nor was it a pyramid built of black stone. In fact, it was not a man-made structure at all.


    Instead, it was a gargantuan black skull that towered above the white dunes, staring at the azure sky with the dark pits of its empty eye sockets.


    There were three of them - two where a human''s eyes would be, and the third one above them, right in the middle of the skull''s vast forehead.


    Each of the empty eye sockets was the side of a stadium, and currently, a flood of revolting Nightmare Creatures was flowing out of them onto the white sand.


    "Hold fast!"


    Roaring such stupid things, Mordret plunged into the mass of abominations. His sword rose and fell, cutting them down, and his shield rang under a barrage of attacks.


    ''How... tedious.''


    He felt slightly frustrated by the need to hold himself back. Mordret could not unleash his power as a Master, but even more disheartening than that, he had to imitate the combat skills of the long-dead Warren.


    As a retainer of the great clan Valor, Warren had been at the pinnacle of what Awakened warriors strived to be. And yet, to Mordret, that level of skill was dull and suffocating.


    Clan Song seemed to be holding an advantage for now, but the walls of the trap were already closing in around them. Mordret did not know what the trap was, but he did know one thing - the more time Morgan was given, the more devastating her retaliation would be.


    So, to destroy her plans, he had to throw the cadence of this conflict into utter chaos.


    ...Looking at Knight Shtad with a pleasant smile, Mordret nodded.


    "Glory and valor!"


    With that, he plunged his sword into the Ascended warrior''s neck. Shtad''s eyes widened, and, as blood poured out of his mouth, Mordret moved his blade sideways, almost decapitating the Ascended. Just like that, the fearsome Knight of Valor died, killed by the treacherous attack of an ally.


    All around him, the Awakened froze, paralyzed by shock.


    Crass shivered.


    "Wha... Warren, what..."


    Ripping his sword out of Shtad''s neck, Mordret delivered a downward cut in one swift, fluid motion. The blade fell on Crass''s head, splitting his skull and obliterating his face. The Awakened was dead long before the Ascended''s body fell to the floor.


    The rest of them were utterly stunned.


    However, they weren''t the elites of a great clan for nothing.


    Despite the harrowing wrongness of what had happened, his companions, who were the closest ones to the bloody scene, reacted just a split second later.


    Both Varo and Agathe moved, raising their swords to attack their friend and commander, who had seemingly gone mad.


    Mordret tried to parry both strikes, but failed.


    Varo''s sword pierced his throat.


    Pushing Warren down, the petrified Awakened stared at his dead eyes and screamed.


    "How can... Beastmaster, that witch! She must have forced him!"


    Behind him, Agathe remained silent for a moment, looking down. Her body trembled slightly.


    Varo turned around, staring at his comrade with crazed eyes. Agathe raised her head and glanced at him with a pleasant smile.


    "Really, now... must you compare me to that terrible woman?"


    Her rapier shot forward.


    Soon, the gargantuan black skull was filled with screams, terror, and the stench of human blood.


    The Nightmare Creatures were dead.


    The Awakened were dead, too.


    Only Mordret remained.

 Chapter 1172 Fine Facade

    Sunny stared at the silhouette of a departing battleship, deep in thought.


    October was now behind them, and November was in full bloom. Well... not that many things ever bloomed in Antarctica. It was still summer here, the day never ended, and although the weather was chilly, it could not even be called cold.


    The evacuation continued at a steady pace. Hundreds of millions of refugees had already been carried across the ocean, and millions more were leaving every week.


    The situation on the continent... was dire, but also strangely manageable.


    The Chain of Nightmare was escalating without end. There were more Nightmare Gates, more abominations, more threats and problems that had to be solved... but, at the same time, the forces of humanity were also growing stronger.


    Despite the losses they suffered and the increasing strain on logistics and supplies, they were becoming more steadfast and efficient in dealing with the endless tide of Nightmare Creatures.


    Well, it was not that surprising, really.


    The greatest strength of humans was their adaptability. They were masters of absorbing and utilizing information. They learned.


    At the start of the Antarctica Campaign, the Evacuation Army had been thrust into a new and seemingly impossible situation. Faced with an unprecedented cataclysm, they suffered bitter defeats... and yet, they endured. Then, slowly, they learned how to deal with the enemy better.


    Their tactics and strategy improved. Their well of knowledge about the types of abominations coming through the Gates grew deeper. The inexperienced soldiers became grizzled veterans.


    It helped that there were countless soul shards to be harvested, as well. Although Sunny was somewhat sad that the price of the shards on the global marker was going to plummet, cutting off one of the major revenue streams for the Brilliant Emporium, he was also glad.


    By now, most Awakened soldiers of the Evacuation Army had ample chances to saturate their soul cores, thus vastly elevating their power. Something like that had probably never happened in history, at least not on that scale.


    There were plenty of Memories and Echoes to go around, too.


    There were also more and more Sleepers who had survived their First Nightmares. There were so many, in fact, that the approaching winter solstice would most likely become a breaking point in the entire campaign.


    In a matter of weeks after that fateful day, the number of Awakened in the Evacuation Army was going to tremendously swell, perhaps even double.


    And yet, Sunny had been pretty busy in the past few weeks.


    It was hard to do the things he wanted to do while remaining unnoticed, but he managed with the help of Shadow Step and Shadow Manifestation, somehow.


    He could traverse great distances swiftly at night while riding Nightmare. As such, his hunting grounds were not limited to a single siege capital... in fact, Sunny had made an effort to limit his activity to a minimum there, as well as in any area where he showed his face by following Morgan.


    He ambushed the ambushers. He assassinated the assassins. He killed members of both Valor and Song without distinction, leading both forces to believe that it was the enemy who had possessed hidden forces in the region.


    Sunny had struck several more times after the massacre at the underground factory... he had thought that it would make him feel good, but it didn''t.


    The things he did were not pleasurable. There was a rush and a satisfaction of a clean kill, but at the same time, there was disgust and an overwhelming sense of what a waste this whole mad disaster was. It was just something that had to be done.


    And even then, as time passed, Sunny was starting to lose sight of why he was even doing these things.


    Was it all futile?


    It sure seemed that way...


    And so, every time he happened to be near a port fortress, Sunny liked to watch the ships depart.


    This, at least, was something obvious. A palpable result. With each vessel that sailed away, more refugees were taken away from this hell.


    He climbed the walls of the fortress to watch the ships leave today, too.


    This time, however... something felt different.


    It was as though a sudden tension permeated the air.


    Sunny sighed.


    He felt as if things were about to change.

 Chapter 1173 Red Herring

    1173 Red Herring


    Sunny was watching the battleship move across the tumultuous surface of the ocean.


    But, of course, he was watching other things at the same time as well.


    His shadows were spread throughout the port fortress, absorbing all kinds of i


    One was hidden in the barrel of an overheated rail gun, watching Nightmare Creatures laying siege to the walls of the stronghold. A deathly downpour of projectiles, both mundane and magical, was falling on the surging mass of attacking abominations. Figures of Knights could be seen within the horde, moving to eliminate the most dangerous targets. Saint Gilead was also there, clad in a suit of lustrous armor, facing the Nightmare Creatures like a bastion of immovable courage and steel. It was a familiar scene.


    Another shadow was with the refugees who were nervously waiting for their turn to board the ships. The sounds of the battle were too oppressive to talk freely, but they couldn''t help but whisper, sharing their fears and hopes. Sunny listened carefully, assessing the changes in the mood of the civilians, as well as how they perceived the conflict.


    From time to time, he managed to learn something interesting from the rumors spreading among the refugees.


    A third shadow was with Nephis, who had entered the field hospital beneath the fortress wall some time ago. She was kneeling in front of a bloodied stretcher, holding her hands above the terrible wounds covering the body of a mundane soldier. A soft radiance emanated from beneath her skin, and the wounds of the young man were swiftly closing. Her face was motionless and pale.


    There were many people behind her who had been in the throes of suffering not too long ago, but were now healthy and whole. They were looking at her with eyes in which indescribable relief mixed with awe and reverence in equal measure.


    The fourth shadow was with Sunny himself.


    And, of course, the fifth shadow was slowly making its way into the sealed chamber where Morgan had gone a dozen or so minutes ago. Usually, Sunny would not risk getting that close to the Princess of War when she really wanted to keep her conversations private...


    But today was a special day.


    In the sealed room, Morgan echoed his thoughts: "The situation is... problematic, then. None of the divinations managed to pinpoint his location. Either Queen Ki was generous enough to bestow that person with a truly powerful obscuring Memory, or he has some means of avoiding our gaze of his own. It is strange, though. How could a mere Master achieve such a thing?"


    Madoc frowned. "We weren''t able to confirm his Ascended Ability. Maybe it has something to do with that... you can''t forget what Rank his Aspect is, Morgan."


    Not paying attention to a dark expression on his niece''s face, Whispering Blade added: "He might be closer than we think, too. These strange attacks we suffered recently �� weren''t our diviners strangely unable to ascertain anything about them? It can''t be a coincidence."


    Morgan remained silent for a while, then shook her head. "There is some correlation, but the pattern doesn''t fit. More than that, the countermeasures we have in place to confirm the identities of our Ascended showed no anomalies. We can''t check every refugee, mundane soldier, and Awakened, of course..."


    Madoc thought for a few moments. "What about that government brute, Ascended Sunless?"


    A slight smile appeared on Morgan''s face. "Who do you take me for? He was the first one I checked. We have studied him thoroughly after the Night Temple incident, as well. Ascended Sunless is certainly not ordinary �� his SS designation, service record, and age should attest to that �� but he is definitely himself, and not that abomination''s vessel."


    Sunny frowned. Valor seemed to possess some kind of tool capable of determining whether one was possessed by Mordret or not, even if its function seemed to be limited to a small number of people. Nevertheless, he had been one of the people they checked... when the hell had that happened? He had not even noticed anything.


    Back in the sealed room, Morgan frowned. "...So where is the creature hiding?"


    At that moment, the door suddenly opened, and someone walked inside. Both Morgan and Madoc looked at the newcomer with surprise. "Cassia? How... bold of you, to come here without invitation."


    The Princess of War smiled dangerously. At the same time, Madoc raised an eyebrow. "You''d better have a good explanation for this interruption, young lady."


    Cassie lingered for a few moments, appearing somewhat nervous. Then, she said in a tense voice: "There is a message for you. I think you should come outside..."


    .


    Occasionally missing content, please report errors in time.

 Chapter 1174 Lacquered Box Gift

    ''Now this... is interesting.''


    Sunny was stealthily making his way to the isolated inner courtyard of the port fortress. His shadows were on the move, too...


    The one who had been observing the battle against the horde of Nightmare Creatures was flying across the battered surface of the wall, not paying any attention to the flashes of firing armaments. The one who had been hiding among the refugees had left them behind, approaching the courtyard from the other direction.


    The one that had been spying on Morgan hid itself within Cassie''s shadow, and the one that had been following Nephis remained within hers.


    Currently, all of them were converging on a single point.


    In the middle of the courtyard, surrounded by a wide ring of empty space, a long figure stood as numerous soldiers and Awakened aimed their weapons at it.


    Intricate armor of black steel, a beautiful face framed by curls of raven-black hair... and vivid, vibrant vermilion eyes.


    It was... Morgan.


    ''Don''t tell me...''


    As the real Morgan emerged from the gates of the stronghold in the company of Madoc and Cassie, the soldiers that were aiming at the invader looked at her with wide eyes.


    They must have realized that the creature standing in front of them was not the real Princess of War... and yet, seeing the two identical young women stare at each other was an eerie experience.


    The real Morgan gritted her teeth in contempt.


    ...The reflection perfectly mirrored her expression.


    And that was what the lone figure was - a creature created by Mordret from a piece of his soul, similar to how he had created the Mirror Beast.


    The real Morgan''s hand rested on the hilt of her sword, but the reflection was holding a black lacquered box in its, instead.


    Despite the hundreds of rifles and enchanted weapons aimed at the mirror creature, it seemed perfectly calm.


    Nephis entered the courtyard and stopped, looking at the bizarre scene with a reserved expression. Sunny had appeared from the shadows, too, keeping out of sight as he observed the situation.


    ''What is that crazy bastard doing?''


    His gaze slid across the faces of everyone gathered in the courtyard - the mundane soldiers and Awakened retainers of Valor, a few Knights, Nephis, Cassie, Madoc...


    ...And of course, the actual message was the black lacquered box and the words the reflection had spoken.


    ''A present for my dear sister. Come soon, I missed you a lot.''


    All of it was one immaculate provocation.


    However...


    Just what was inside the box?


    As Sunny watched, Morgan sheathed her sword with a dark expression and looked down. Madoc slowly approached, looking at the box with wariness. Cassie and Nephis got closer, too.


    "Could there be something dangerous inside?"


    Cassie''s voice sounded tense.


    Morgan glanced at her silently, and then leaned forward to pick up the box. It was as if she was trying to show that there was nothing that Mordret could do that she would be afraid of.


    Without hesitating, she opened the box and looked inside.


    Morgan''s impression subtly changed.


    The insides of the box were upholstered in red silk, and on that silk rested a human skull.


    The skull was covered in soot to appear black, and there was a rough hole made in its forehead, as if to resemble a third eye.


    There was a long moment of silence, and then, Whispering Blade suddenly thrust his hands into the box and picked up the morbid gift that Mordret had left behind. His face was strangely grim.


    As Madoc studied the skull, Morgan looked at him with a silent question.


    "What is it?"


    The Saint gritted his teeth.


    Then, he gently placed the skull back on the red silk and said:


    "...It''s Shtad. It''s Shtad''s head."

 Chapter 1175 Demon of Chaos

    Chapter 1175 Demon of Chaos


    Like a demon of chaos, Mordret had appeared out of nowhere and thrown everything into utter disarray. Antarctica, which had been like a powder keg for a while now, finally exploded into a conflagration of violence because of the macabre gift that he had delivered to his sister in an elegant lacquered box.


    Sunny had not realized the full complications of what had transpired in the courtyard of the port fortress until some time later. He knew that Knight Shtad was a highly regarded Ascended of Clan Valor who had been entrusted with an extremely important mission in the Dream Realm. So, he simply assumed that Clan Song managed to pull off another victory in the simmering conflict.


    This was important, of course, but not groundbreaking in and of itself.


    However, his misconception was corrected by a short message from Jet: "Our colleagues from Ravenheart are mobilizing their forces. They seem pretty angry."


    He stared at the screen of the communicator for a few moments, frowning.


    ''What?''


    Why would Clan Song be preparing to make a big move in a hurry if the death of Knight Shtad was a part of their plan? And why would they be angry? Unless, of course... What Mordret had done was not something they expected, or even went directly against their machinations.


    Sunny''s eyes narrowed slightly.


    ''Don''t tell me...''


    Had Beastmaster, perhaps, received something like that black lacquered box, as well?


    ''What the hell is that madman doing?''


    Feeling an ominous premonition, Sunny deactivated the communicator and hastened his steps. He was walking across the inner courtyard where the confrontation between Morgan and the Reflection had happened not too long ago, heading toward the main keep.


    His shadows were already inside. They were trying to get closer to Morgan, Madoc, Nephis, and Sir Gilead, who had all gathered for an emergency meeting after the discovery of Shtad''s skull.


    Taking a considerable risk, he eventually managed to gain access to their conversation and learn a few more things about what Mordret''s message really meant.


    Sunny''s frown deepened.


    But why had he done it?


    There was a pace and cadence to the conflict between Valor and Song. It was a complicated dance that followed a subtle, but ruthless logic. Awakened, Masters, and even Saints were like game pieces. By moving pieces around the board, advancing and retreating, both sides were delivering small wounds to the enemy and trying to maneuver into an advantageous position.


    Currently, the game was nearing the end of its early stage. Both clans were still acting with caution, laying the groundwork for the true assaults that would happen in the future. They were not even done struggling to secure advantages.


    Mordret''s actions had destroyed that pace, and made a mockery of that cadence.


    He had single-handedly put both sides in a position where they were forced to throw away their carefully prepared plans, abandon caution, and move the timetable of the conflict forward, switching from careful maneuvering to an all-out war.


    Clan Song was mobilizing their forces... and because they were, Clan Valor would move, as well.


    Awakened, Masters, and even Saints - all of them were going to be sent on the battlefield to secure the Black Skull, which was free for the taking... provided that you got to it first.


    Sunny did not know which Nightmare Gate led to the area where the Citadel was located, but it would soon become the most dangerous place in all of East Antarctica.


    And maybe even the whole world.


    ''That... that crazy bastard.''


    He was honestly a little shaken by the magnitude of the consequences that Mordret''s brazen stunt had caused.


    The whole landscape of the conflict between Valor and Song had suddenly and drastically changed. That dire change was so fundamental that it was hard to conceive of its true scope, let alone calculate what would happen as a result.


    The sudden nature of it all was quietly overwhelming.


    Sunny entered the keep of the port fortress and took a few deep breaths.


    ...While the shift in the nature of the conflict that Mordret had caused was startling, strictly speaking, it was not necessarily a bad thing.


    Sure, it could end up being catastrophic, but it could also end up being a blessing in disguise.


    There were many factors to consider, but as far as Sunny was concerned, one was the most important.


    Where the damned Nightmare Gate was located.

 Chapter 1176 Bitter Feeling

    Chapter 1176 Bitter Feeling


    The location of the Nightmare Gate that led to the vicinity of the Black Skull was of paramount importance. Currently, no one except for Mordret was anchored to the Gateway of the Citadel, so that Nightmare Gate was still the only feasible way to reach it.


    If it was located in the wilderness of East Antarctica, the battle between the two great clans was going to happen far away from the siege capitals and the civilian population.


    If it was inside a city, though...


    ''Think rationally.''


    Sunny walked through the corridors of the fortress as he analyzed the situation.


    If the Nightmare Gate was located inside a siege capital, then there wasn''t much he could do. The lives of countless civilians would be put in mortal danger, or maybe even snuffed out directly. The best Sunny could manage was to try mitigating the damage, somehow.


    If it was somewhere in the wilderness, however... then he did not have to do anything.


    His problems would just solve themselves. Valor and Song were welcome to slaughter each other as much as they wanted.


    ''Wrong.''


    Thinking that way was shortsighted. Sure, the great clans were a bunch of hateful jerks, but they were also responsible for defending a vast portion of East Antarctica, albeit simply to keep up appearances. Their power was especially important when dealing with high-value targets like titans, since six out of the seven Saints present on the continent belonged to the Domains.


    What would happen if all of them just went and killed each other?


    ''Nothing good...''


    Countless refugees had already been evacuated, but millions more remained. If only the Evacuation Army had been given a few more months - enough for the legion of Sleepers to undergo Awakening - things would have been different.


    But Mordret, the damned lunatic, had made that impossible. So, the power of the great clans was still too important.


    Sunny felt sick to his stomach. He was deeply unhappy about the fact that, while the great clans were odious, they were also needed. They were like a necessary evil.


    Thinking that way made him feel dirty. It felt like he was making compromises.


    Was that how Wake of Ruin and the rest of the government felt?


    Entirely of his own accord.


    Sunny reached with one hand and touched his neck, as if checking to see if there was a slave collar on it.


    ''What is this bitter feeling?''


    A hollow laugh escaped from his lips.


    After a few moments, Sunny shook his head and continued on his way.


    ''It doesn''t matter, anyway.''


    Sure, he felt bitterly reluctant to prove Neph right. But wouldn''t it be pathetically childish, to throw a tantrum and change his decision just because his pride was hurt?


    Since when did he have pride, anyway?


    Whether he liked it or not, making sure that as many civilians as possible survived the Chain of Nightmares was indeed what he wished for.


    So, if Sunny had to help Clan Valor battle Clan Song to achieve that goal, that was what he would do.


    There was the possibility of helping Song defeat Valor instead, too. As far as he was concerned, one was just as vile as the other, so it made no difference to Sunny which side he would end up supporting.


    However, he was already integrated into the Valor force to some extent, which was convenient. Nephis, Cassie, and the Fire Keepers were also here, so going to the other side meant potentially causing their deaths.


    Directly or indirectly, that was not something Sunny wanted or was willing to do.


    Which meant that he was stuck with Valor.


    ...Of course, it was highly questionable if his involvement would even make a difference. But he had to at least try.


    He had to try his best.


    Sunny moved through the port fortress, which was slowly becoming filled with noise. There was a strange smile on his face.


    ''...Ain''t it funny?''


    He was suddenly sad that the Sin of Solace was not there to appreciate the joke.

 Chapter 1177 Drums of War

    Chapter 1177 Drums of War


    The drums of war were booming all across Antarctica.


    Well, nothing that noticeable was happening, really. The great clans were mobilizing forces with a silent efficiency that was both subtle and frightening. If one did not know what to look for, they would remain blissfully unaware of the fact that the whole continent would be soon shaken by the fallout of a historic battle.


    Sunny, however, knew.


    In the port fortress, the thunder of the cannonade had grown silent. The horde of Nightmare Creatures had been dealt with, and the tired soldiers were descending from the walls. Instead of going to rest, however, they were quietly listening to new orders and starting to prepare for an immediate departure.


    The mundane soldiers were checking their equipment with calm, business-like expressions. The Awakened, who would usually not dismiss their enchanted armor in the field, strangely wore simple uniforms - knowing how dire the near future promised to be, they wanted to give all their Memories a chance to be fully repaired.


    The administrative personnel were frantically working to rearrange logistical chains and prepare the force for a sudden expedition.


    There were many signs like that.


    They were especially apparent when one compared the behavior of the Valor soldiers with that of the Evacuation Army staff. The latter were tiredly celebrating the victory, while the former seemed more focused than when they had been battling the abominations.


    ''The Nightmare Gate does not seem to be located inside of a siege capital.''


    Sunny found a calm and dark corner within the keep of the fortress and leaned on the wall.


    He had managed to determine the nature of the area where the entrance to the Black Skull Citadel was located by spying on the Valor administrative staff - any large-scale movement of military forces involved a certain amount of logistical work, and one could infer many things from these preparations.


    From the looks of it, Clan Valor was preparing to venture into the wilderness of East Antarctica. The distance they had to traverse also didn''t seem to be small, so that put some of Sunny''s worries to rest.


    Still, there was a lot to consider.


    Sunny knew what the great clans would do, and what he himself had to do.


    However, what would the government''s response be?


    As someone with the title of a special government envoy, he should be receiving a call soon.


    And indeed, not a few minutes later, his communicator lit up because of an incoming transmission.


    Sunny summoned the Bone Singer, enveloped his surroundings in silence, and answered.


    The sharp face of Saint Cor appeared on the holographic screen, soon joined by the pleasant visage of Soul Reaper Jet. The gaunt Transcendent spoke first:


    "I''ll assume that both of you are already familiar with the situation. What I want to know is what caused this mess."


    His grating voice sounded calm, but Sunny could feel the angry and tense undertone in it.


    He briefly glanced at the projection of Jet, then answered:


    "I think I can provide an explanation."


    Both of them paid rapt attention to his words. Sunny lingered for a few moments, then spoke, choosing his words carefully:


    "Then we withdraw and try to salvage the aftermath."


    With that, he terminated the call. The gaunt face of the government Saint disappeared, leaving Sunny and Jet alone.


    Soul Reaper looked at him and smiled.


    ''How can she even smile in this situation?''


    "Oh, my. I know that look. You''re thinking about doing something crazy, aren''t you?"


    Sunny glanced at her darkly and shrugged.


    "I don''t even know what is crazy anymore."


    Jet chuckled.


    "That is not a good sign at all."


    He studied her face somberly, then said quietly:


    "If Wake of Ruin fails in his negotiation, Valor and Song will really clash. At that point, the best move would be to support one side against the other, in order to preserve as many fighters as possible. Are you ready to make that decision?"


    Soul Reaper''s smile grew bleak.


    "The government can''t break its neutrality. Even if it''s beneficial at the moment, the consequences would be catastrophic in the long run."


    Sunny simply stared at her.


    "I am not asking about the government. I am asking about you."


    There were times when people could not escape making tough choices. Sunny had long made his, and Jet would have to follow suit, whether she wanted to or not.


    Of course, doing nothing was also a choice. However...


    She had always positioned herself as a cog in the government machine, but maybe it was time for Soul Reaper to think for herself.


    Sunny hoped that she would, at least.


    Jet lingered for a while before answering.


    Eventually, she said:


    "Let''s see how it goes."


    Then, her face disappeared. The screen of the communicator switched off, leaving Sunny in the darkness.


    He sighed and dismissed the Bone Singer, then left his temporary shelter.


    ''An all-out battle... or a duel of two champions... I wonder which one will end up happening?''


    He hoped for the best, but had to prepare for the worst.

 Chapter 1178 Long Drive

    Chapter 1178 Long Drive


    Although both clans were assembling their armies with urgent haste, it was not an easy thing to move a military force across East Antarctica. The wilderness was infested with countless abominations, and Nightmare Gates were everywhere, making every route slow and dangerous.


    Clan Valor was in a slightly better position because they had coincidentally pulled most of their forces together prior to Mordret''s revelation, in order to destroy a migrating horde of Nightmare Creatures. Still, there were many warriors and assets that had been left behind in the siege capitals, who now had to join the main body of the great clan''s contingent.


    There was Saint Tyris, for example... the fact that Dire Fang had been able to join Silent Stalker in ambushing Whispering Blade proved that she alone was not enough to contain the enemy Transcendent, so there was no point in keeping her in a distant government siege capital. So, Sky Tide had been recalled, and was en route to join the war party.


    There were other Squires and even Knights that had to be summoned, as well.


    So, for the first few days, progress had been slow. Most of the mundane personnel had been left behind, and now only the Awakened were following Morgan toward the fateful Nightmare Gate. Nevertheless, their number was too great to pass unnoticed, and so, skirmishes with Nightmare Creatures happened almost every hour.


    Many of these skirmishes threatened to grow into something more serious if not resolved swiftly. In these cases, either Morgan''s Echoes or one of the Saints joined the melee to prevent the small-scale confrontations from becoming dire battles.


    Sunny was not required to participate in them, of course. Actually, he found himself in a somewhat awkward situation.


    No one had really invited him to join the expedition, and his status was more vague than ever. Officially, he was the government''s envoy whose duties concerned the cooperation between Clan Valor and the Evacuation Army. However, the great clan had more or less abandoned the pretense of being in the Southern Quadrant to help, and was acting against the government''s interests.


    So what was an envoy supposed to do in that situation, exactly? Why was he even needed?


    Sunny did not have a good explanation, but luckily, no one asked. Whether it was because the warriors of Valor couldn''t be bothered or simply did not care, he did not know... in any case, they mostly left him alone.


    In fact, Sunny was basically ignored. Even Morgan seemed to have forgotten about his existence, which was not too surprising - she had much bigger issues to worry about than the whereabouts of a neutral government Ascended.


    So, Sunny simply stayed in one of the APCs assigned to the Fire Keepers. The Fire Keepers themselves were gone, though - most of them had already entered the Seeds - so he had the vehicle all to himself. Nephis and Cassie would appear from time to time to catch a few hours of sleep, but other than that, he remained alone.


    Before, what had restricted him were circumstances beyond his control. Now, he was bound by his own desires.


    ''...On second thought, it''s not that funny.''


    Sunny now understood better than ever why the Demon of Desire had been one of the most powerful among the daemons, second to none... except for Weaver.


    But was it really a bad thing?


    So what if he was compelled by the things he wanted? So what if he was bound to people, ideas, and values?


    Maybe it was not a bad thing, after all... simply because he had chosen these bonds himself.


    Sunny understood that, and yet, a small part of him rebelled against such thoughts.


    That part still wanted to be unrestrained and not beholden to anything.


    To be free.


    ...That part had to take a backseat for now, though.


    Because he had to finish what he had started. Even if it was futile, Sunny had to do his best to see the evacuation of the citizens of Antarctica through.


    After that, well... he would see what else there was to do.


    His dreams seemed more distant than ever, but strangely enough, Sunny found himself calm and determined. His mind was set.


    Maybe that was the true conviction.


    ...The thought made him uncomfortable.

 Chapter 1179 Measure of Growth

    Chapter 1179 Measure of Growth


    The war party had stopped and made camp. Sunny''s APC was parked within the defensive perimeter, and he was calmly preparing supper. It seemed strange to be doing something so mundane on the verge of an event that had the potential to alter the course of history, but... He was hungry. Hunger was much more powerful than the forces that shaped history.


    ''Ah. I miss the Rhino...'' The armored vehicle that the Fire Keepers had used was by no means cheap, but its amenities were rather bare-bones. There was not even an integrated kitchen, just a few devices for food storage and preparation. Still, he was good at improvising.


    As Sunny cooked, he mentally went over what he had gained since coming to Antarctica, and what he could use if the worst happened and the two great clans clashed in a bloody battle.


    Sunny had been a Master for many months before the Chain of Nightmares, but he felt that he only came into his Ascended powers here. His mastery of Shadow Manifestation had improved tremendously, both in terms of impact and versatility. He also developed Shadow Shell and Shadow Incarnation, as well as their combination - both of these abilities were extremely powerful.


    His practical knowledge of sorcery had grown as well. He was now able to copy more complex enchantments, and do it faster. He could even modify them to a degree. Even though the realities of the Antarctica campaign had prevented Sunny from spending a lot of time on weaving, his repertoire was much broader than before.


    There were new powerful Memories in his arsenal, including Transcendent ones. The Sin of Solace, the Shroud of Graceless Dusk, and others... there was the Mirror of Truth, too. Chances were, he would have to use it soon.


    In terms of raw power, Sunny was now a Tyrant. He had five cores and five shadows, which increased both his physical prowess and essence capacity. Strangely enough, even his essence control had undergone a noticeable improvement - unable to rely on the Soul Serpent in the dire conditions of the Southern Quadrant, Sunny had been forced to elevate this aspect of his power to an almost flawless efficiency.


    Then there were his Shadows. He had gained a new one, the Ravenous Fiend. Now that Imp had feasted on the remains of the Sun Prince, the scrawny goblin was strong enough to be sent into battle. Nightmare was close to both Ascension and unlocking his Terror Ability. Saint had risen both in Class and Rank, becoming a Transcendent Devil.


    That alone was an incredible leap for him, but the sublimation of the Mantle of the Underworld was perhaps no less important. His new Attribute, the Marble Shell, improved his resilience and combat performance to a remarkable degree. Honestly, having it was almost like possessing a secondary Aspect.


    Considering all that, it was hard to deny that the present Sunny was incomparably more powerful than his past self from before Antarctica. The comparison was not even funny. That past Sunny was nothing more than a feeble brat.


    Ironically, Sunny had come to the Southern Quadrant in search of strength, and although he stopped caring about that goal a long time ago, he ended up achieving it nevertheless.


    "Ah, nothing serious. I was just thinking... that I''m too old for this crap."


    She frowned, then pierced him with a cold gaze.


    "...I''m older than you, though?"


    Her meaning was clear... Are you calling me old?!


    Sunny grinned.


    "Yes, yes. Forget I said anything. Come, noona, let''s eat... who knows when we''ll get a chance to enjoy a proper meal again..."


    The two gave him strange looks and sat around the small fold-out table, looking down at the dishes he prepared. Well, really, there was just one dish - the everything potslop that Professor Obel had taught him how to make.


    Sunny sat down, too, and put a generous serving on his plate.


    "But honestly, you''re not even a full year older than me, while Cassie is not a full year younger than me. So... let''s speak comfortably..."


    He put a spoonful of the weird slop into his mouth, then smiled at them.


    Cassie hesitated and cautiously nudged the slop with a spoon.


    "...What even is that?"


    Sunny grinned.


    "Ah, I am glad that you asked! This is an ancient dish that has been passed down from person to person since the Dark Times. As I was told, it was initially inspired by corpse meat..."

 Chapter 1180 Cold Logic

    Chapter 1180 Cold Logic


    They ate in comfortable silence. Sunny knew that both Nephis and Cassie were tired and only had a little time to rest before Morgan would need them again, so he did not waste that time with idle conversations. It was not like he had a lot to say, anyway. Still, there was one question that he had to ask. Pushing the plate away, Sunny glanced at Nephis and lingered for a moment.


    "I was told that there might be some kind of duel instead of a battle. Do you think it''s possible?"


    She did not hurry with an answer.


    Neph cradled a cup of tea in her hands as she stared into the amber liquid. Eventually, she said:


    "I don''t know. It is... a kind of tradition. The Legacy Clans would not have survived if they resolved every conflict by spilling rivers of blood - there are actually not that many of us, after all. However, neither Valor nor Song are acting the way they used to. So it''s hard to tell."


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, thinking about who the champions were going to be if the duel really happened. Would the great clans send Saints to fight each other? Or Masters?


    Would Morgan and Mordret cross swords and spill each other''s blood?


    Or would Morgan send Nephis to fight in her stead?


    He just did not know.


    Shifting slightly, Sunny looked at Neph and asked:


    "What if the battle actually happens? Do you think that Valor can win?"


    Up until now, it seemed like Clan Song was confidently pulling ahead. However, he doubted that their enemy would be easily defeated.


    This time, Nephis did not hesitate at all:


    "Yes."


    He studied her motionless face with curiosity. Where did that confidence come from?


    "Why?"


    Sunny expected Neph to say something in her usual style, like "because I am with them"... or "because that is my will"....


    However, she simply shook her head and said in a slightly subdued tone:


    "Because they are of War."


    He blinked.


    Indeed, she was right. Clan Valor was the clan that had inherited the lineage of War God... the deity of warfare, life, progress, technology, craft, and intellect, as well as the patron goddess of humanity.


    "...I wouldn''t put my faith in the great clans. Doing so will only lead to ruin."


    Sunny chuckled, thinking how funny that sounded coming from her. Shaking his head, he then looked at Cassie, who had been silent until now.


    "What about you? What do you think? Any helpful visions of the future?"


    Cassie smiled weakly.


    "...No. No helpful visions."


    She touched her hair, and then suddenly said:


    "Oh, but I think that you should check on Rain."


    Sunny flinched. His eyes widened.


    "Why? Have you seen something?"


    Cassie tilted her head, then paled slightly and looked away in embarrassment.


    "Ah... I''m sorry. I worded that poorly, I think... no, I haven''t seen anything. It''s just that we are going to venture deep into the wilderness, and who knows what will happen next. Chances are, we''re not going to have access to the network for a while, so... you mentioned that you''re exchanging messages, and she might get worried..."


    Sunny stared at the blind girl for a few moments, flabbergasted. Standing up, he picked up the plates and walked away to clean them.


    "Gods... think before you speak next time, alright? You almost gave me a heart attack, damn it. Go to sleep, you two..."


    Nephis and Cassie climbed into the sleeping niches while he washed the dishes. Once that was done, Sunny threw an irritated look at the niche where the blind girl was sleeping and grimaced.


    ''She is right, though... I might not be able to send a message to Rain for a while.''


    Settling in the pilot''s chair, he took out his communicator and checked his messages. To his relief, Rain was perfectly fine - she was going to school, training, and showing zero symptoms of being infected by the Nightmare Spell.


    Soul Serpent was with her, as well, so Sunny allowed himself to calm down.


    He stared at the screen of the communicator for a while, then sighed and started typing.


    "...Yeah, I''m doing well. Naturally. Remember that promotion I wrote about? Well, I am a glorified pencil pusher now. Most of my duties have to do with confirming requisition requests and forwarding letters. Honestly, it''s driving me crazy... scouting the wild expanses of the Southern Quadrant alone was much more fun! Anyway... I''ve been thinking about this and that recently. Like what I want to do with my life, and how I''m not that young anymore. Stupid stuff like that. So... this is what I was thinking about..."


    As he typed the long message, the cold sun slowly moved across the sky outside the APC, never falling behind the horizon.


    The day never seemed to end, but time was flowing by.


    Soon, the forces of two great clans were going to meet in the wilderness of East Antarctica.


    ...The outcome of their ill-fated clash could very well decide the fate of the dying continent.

 Chapter 1181 Three Armies

    Chapter 1181 Three Armies


    Sunny climbed to the roof of the APC and looked at the ravaged plain of East Antarctica, which stretched in all directions as far as the eye could see.


    He could have sent his shadows instead, but on a day like today, Sunny wanted to see it all with his own eyes.


    The ground was grey, and the stormy sky was grey, too. The ribbons of shallow brooks and the distant lakes were dark, resembling lead. The world seemed to have grown deathly silent, like a predator preparing to lunge at its prey. The air was brimming with suffocating tension.


    In front of him, at some distance, an abandoned outpost could be seen, tilted and with its alloy walls ripped open. There was an ugly black rift of a Nightmare Gate shimmering with darkness in front of the desolate fortress, and near it, indifferent to the maddening whispers of the Call, a small figure could be seen, sitting on the ground.


    It was hard to tell anything about the figure from that distance, except for the fact that it was a human.


    ...Surrounding the outpost from three directions, three armies were preparing to advance.


    The great clan Valor, the great clan Song, and the hastily assembled government force that was supposed to mediate a compromise... through effort and a bit of luck - or misfortune, depending on how one looked at it - all of them had reached the Nightmare Gate on the same day.


    Then again, maybe it was part of some insane calculation. The Gate was situated at the very border between the territories of the two clans, and at that point, Sunny wouldn''t be surprised by anything.


    He was still with the war party of Clan Valor. The Awakened warriors had already disembarked from the transports, and were now silently assembling into a battle formation. Those that would be fighting on foot were positioned at the center, and those that rode Echo mounts were assembled at the flanks. Five people stood in front of the loose phalanx - Morgan, Madoc, Nephis, Saint Tyris, and the Summer Knight.


    Opposite them was a much larger force. Sunny could not really see, but he knew that Beastmaster, Silent Stalker, Dire Fang, and Seishan were leading it. Behind them were the Awakened warriors of Song... and, surrounding the Awakened, was a sea of enthralled Nightmare Creatures. Countless thralls were standing motionlessly, as if frozen in place.


    It was eerie and deeply disturbing to see the abominable monsters acting so subdued and obedient.


    The government force was by far the smallest of the three, numbering just a hundred Awakened or so. Even though they were too far away to make out details, Sunny felt an overpowering sense of unease radiating from their small formation.


    Well, they were right to feel scared.


    Not only could the plain soon become a battlefield, but the abandoned outpost - and the Nightmare Gate in front of it - were deep within the hunting grounds of a Corrupted Titan. The creature was nowhere in sight, for now, but there was no guarantee that it would not arrive soon, attracted by the smell of human souls and spilled blood.


    Sunny had a lot of thoughts about what was happening, but it all boiled down to the fact that he still did not clearly understand the motives of the great clans. From his point of view, this whole despicable war was pure lunacy.


    ...Which meant a lot, coming from him.


    Even if Sunny considered the desire of the Sovereigns to expand their Domains, many things still didn''t make any sense. The timing of the conflict, the wasteful strategies, the excessive urgency of their actions - neither Valor nor Song were behaving normally. They were not fools, so...


    There had to be something wrong with their heads, surely.


    Morgan smiled.


    "Lost our minds? Ah, I see. I guess it would indeed look like that, from the sidelines."


    Her smile disappeared, replaced by cold ruthlessness.


    "However, I can assure you. It is the world that has gone mad, not us."


    After that strange remark, there was no more time to talk.


    The Nightmare Gate drew nearer, and finally, Sunny could see who was waiting calmly in its shadow.


    It was a slender young man clad in a suit of dark armor, with pale skin and raven-black hair. His face was sharp and thin... not exactly handsome, but at the same time charming and strangely beautiful.


    His most striking feature, though, were his eyes, which didn''t seem to possess a color of their own, and instead reflected the world back on itself like two pools of liquid silver.


    Mordret had been crouching on the ground, his expression calm and reserved. Noticing the approaching emissaries, he slowly rose and looked at them with cold intensity.


    Sunny expected a familiar grin to appear on the lips of the Prince of Nothing, but instead, Mordret remained strangely impassive.


    Then, finally, a corner of his mouth bent upward in a dark, joyless smile.


    "You''ve finally arrived."

 Chapter 1182 Good Show

    Chapter 1182 Good Show


    "You''ve finally arrived."


    Three groups of people stared at Mordret with different expressions.


    First were the emissaries of Valor. Morgan and Madoc kept their emotions in check, while Sky Tide and Summer Knight seemed grim. Nephis was her usual indifferent self, but there was a hint of curiosity hidden in the depths of her calm grey eyes.


    The emissaries of Song were less reserved. Beastmaster was looking at Mordret with barely contained anger, as were Dire Fang and Silent Stalker - the first was just as he had been, somber and savage-looking, while the latter was an unassuming and elegant woman in black leather armor. Her beautiful face was inexpressive, but there was deep contempt in her strange feline eyes. Seishan was the calmest of them. She wasn''t even looking at Mordret, instead studying the faces of the champions of Valor. Jet was standing behind her quietly.


    Lastly, there were the representatives of the government.


    Sunny shifted uncomfortably.


    ''What? What the hell are they doing here?''


    Saint Cor was, of course, leading the small delegation, but there were two familiar figures behind him. Kai and Effie had somehow ended up as the escorts of the government Transcendent, and were now looking at the Prince of Nothing darkly. They had never met Mordret, but the echoes of his actions had impacted them, both before the Second Nightmare and within it.


    There were a couple more government Masters with Wake of Ruins, as well, but Sunny did not know them.


    ''Why did he have to bring those two here...''


    Sunny frowned, then silently separated from the Valor emissaries and went to stand behind Saint Cor, shoulder to shoulder with Kai. Jet did the same, taking a place beside Effie.


    In the silence that followed, Mordret''s words hung in the cold air. The Prince of Nothing lingered for a few moments, and then looked at Morgan with those strange, mirror-like eyes.


    "...Sister."


    Sunny had long noticed that Morgan never used the word "brother" when speaking about Mordret. In fact, when the Reflection addressed her as "sister", she seemed to have been enraged.


    He expected a similar reaction this time, too, but instead, Morgan smiled coldly.


    "I have to say, I am impressed. I never imagined that you would dare to face me with your actual body. I''ve always regretted that I wasn''t there to cut it, the last time."


    Mordret''s voice sounded flawlessly impassioned and sincere. It was so compelling, actually, that Sunny almost believed him.


    Of course, he knew better than to trust a single word coming out of the lying bastard''s mouth.


    Morgan scoffed.


    "You blade? What can you even do with a blade?"


    She unsheathed her own sword and leaned on it, smiling.


    "Come on... show me..."


    There was something... very strange about that sword. Sunny had never seen it before, and he suddenly felt chills when looking at the austere double-edged blade.


    Mordret stared at the sword, as well, his expression growing bleak. After a few moments, he said quietly:


    "I guess he is watching, then."


    Then, his lips suddenly twisted into a dark grin.


    "Well, in that case... let''s give him a good show."


    With that, the air around him suddenly rippled, and six mirror shards became visible, hovering above the ground.


    Sunny''s eyes narrowed.


    ''Reflections... Transcendent, all of them?''


    Then, the mirror shards suddenly glinted, transforming into human figures.


    Nephis finally showed a reaction, white flames ignited in her eyes.


    There, surrounding Mordret, now stood six people.


    ...As he smiled, the Reflections of Whispering Blade, Summer Knight, Sky Tide, Beastmaster, Silent Stalker, and Dire Fang smiled with him.

 Chapter 1183 One Short Word

    1183 One Short Word


    Six Reflections... six Transcendent Beasts. All assuming the shape of the Saints of the great clans.


    Sunny felt cold as he looked at the smiling faces of the simulacrums.


    ...And Mordret''s face.


    The rest of the emissaries seemed just as shaken as he was, even if some managed to hide their emotions better than others.


    The representatives of Valor were, understandably, grim. Even Morgan''s composure cracked for a split second, revealing a hint of weakness. Saint Cor''s pale face grew even more ashen.


    But even the Saints of Song appeared startled by Mordret''s unexpected show of power. It seemed that they did not know the extent of his abilities as well as they had thought they did.


    For a few long moments, there was nothing but chilling silence. Then, Morgan spat, her voice full of contempt:


    "Am I... am I supposed to be impressed? What a... neat trick. Bravo."


    Mordret''s smile only widened.


    It was at that moment that Wake of Ruin finally took a step forward and spoke:


    "Enough! What madness is this?"


    The emissaries of the two clans looked at him with unfriendly expressions. Mordret did, too, and the six Reflections turned their heads in perfect synchronicity.


    The sight of them acting that way was deeply disturbing, especially since the mirror creatures wore familiar, smiling faces.


    Wake of Ruin scowled, and the subtle scent of slaughter that always followed him intensified.


    "I won''t pretend to have authority over your actions, Awakened of Song and Valor, but I am your elder. No matter what benefits you hope to receive from this battle, I know that your losses will be much greater. You know it too! This world of ours has withstood five decades of the Nightmare Spell, and your families rose from that chaos. The reason they have endured while countless others were destroyed is not strength �� there were others who possessed strength �� but foresight and restraint. So, lower your swords!"


    His grating voice echoes above the plain, making the mighty Saints of the great clans listen. Even Madoc, the oldest and most powerful among them, seemed to have some respect for Saint Cor, who came from the First Generation.


    Still, Whispering Blade was not someone who lowered his head.


    "...This conflict won''t be decided with words, Wake of Ruin. Too much is at stake."


    Saint Cor gritted his teeth.


    "Ah, yes. The rulers will it, so blood must be spilled. However, you are not barbarians. You are the Legacy Clans, so act like it. Don''t you have traditions and protocols for just these kinds of situations? The honorable duel, to death if need be. Why waste the lives of your kin and soldiers when the quarrel can be resolved by two champions?"


    He glared darkly at Madoc and Beastmaster, and then said:


    "Or are you not certain of your strength?"


    Sunny suddenly felt his heart grow cold.


    But if she did... then, following the same logic... wouldn''t it mean that Beastmaster had no reason to accept the duel?


    Wake of Ruin let out a small, almost unnoticeable sigh of relief and turned to the emissaries of Song.


    "Morgan of Valor has agreed to be the champion in the honorable duel. Who will your champion be, daughters of Song?"


    ''Curse it all...''


    Beastmaster remained silent for a few long moments, looking at Morgan with a soft smile. She seemed to be contemplating something.


    Then, she answered simply:


    "No."


    That short word sounded like the horn of the apocalypse to Sunny.


    Wake of Ruin froze:


    "...What? What do you..."


    Beastmaster took a step forward, the same soft smile illuminating her stunningly beautiful face.


    "I said no. There will be no duel. There will be no compromise. There will be no foresight and restraint... no more deals, no more alliances. Only bloodshed. Only war. How does that sound, Morgan? Doesn''t it sound nice?"


    She might have considered a duel if her side was not overwhelmingly stronger. But with the six Transcendent Reflections Mordret had somehow nurtured, the scales of power between Valor and Song had become tilted too much in favor of Song.


    In the end, it was those Reflections that made the compromise impossible.


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    ''That bastard...''


    Wake of Ruin hesitated.


    "Don''t be unreasonable..."


    However, he was interrupted by Morgan herself:


    "Enough!"


    Her face was pale, but her vermilion eyes burned with sharp, piercing fury.


    "You want war, worms? Good. I like it! I''ll show you war..."

 Chapter 1184 The Final Argument

    Chapter 1184 The Final Argument


    Just like that - and, perhaps, just as expected - the last opportunity to avoid disaster slipped away from their grasp. Saint Cor desperately tried to salvage the situation, but it was hopeless. New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    The armies of both clans were fully prepared to annihilate the enemy, and perhaps be annihilated themselves, on that cold November day. Their bloodlust could not be quenched with words. The fates of countless civilians were about to be decided on a battlefield where humans would be killing other humans, not the Nightmare Creatures.


    No... there would be Nightmare Creatures, too. A sea of abominations would be killing humans on the orders of a Saint. Somehow, that fact made the whole situation even sadder.


    ''The gods and the daemons had fought side by side against the Unknown, too... but, in the end, they slaughtered each other.''


    The battle did not start immediately. Sunny half-expected the emissaries to lunge forward without wasting even a single second, but after exchanging murderous gazes, they simply turned around to return to their soldiers. The cold sky was full of heavy clouds, plunging the world into grey twilight.


    The leaders of the two armies were leaving to prepare for battle. Mordret stared at the backs of Morgan and Madoc for a few moments, then threw a quick glance at Sunny and smiled. With that, he left with Seishan, and his Reflections followed.


    Wake of Ruin was motionless, looking at the ground. Somehow, he looked older than usual. A heavy sigh escaped from the Saint''s lips.


    "Ah... the world is changing too quickly. Or is it me who can''t keep up anymore?"


    He lingered for a few moments, then looked at the Ascended of the Evacuation Army with a heavy gaze. Wake of Ruin hesitated, as if wanting to say something, but then simply shook his head.


    "Withdraw."


    The Ascended shifted, preparing to follow his command. ...But Sunny didn''t. Instead, he grimaced and took a step away, in the direction where the emissaries of Valor were walking. Noticing his movement, Saint Cor frowned.


    "What do you think you''re doing, young man?"


    Sunny stopped and looked at him calmly.


    "What am I doing? I''m doing my best to make sure that as many people as possible are evacuated safely. That''s the mission I signed up for when I joined the First Evacuation Army. What are you doing?"


    The old Saint stared at him incredulously. Then, sparks of dark anger ignited in his eyes. Standing under the wrathful gaze of a Saint was nothing short of suffocating.


    "Don''t question my determination, Major Sunless. The government has never broken its neutrality! That is the only way to sustain this world. That is how we prevent it from being destroyed and how we save lives."


    "Don''t do anything stupid, Jet."


    But she simply stared at him silently for a few moments, unmoved. Eventually, Wake of Ruin grimaced and turned away. He didn''t say anything more, either. But somehow, it felt as though their silence conveyed too much meaning.


    As the old Saint walked away, Kai and Effie looked at Sunny with tense expressions. He could understand a lot from their eyes, as well. It was as though the three of them were having a silent conversation...


    But in the end, Sunny just shook his head.


    He knew what his friends wanted to do. They were willing to join him - not for any poignant reason, but simply because he was their friend. Nephis and Cassie were, too.


    But, considering how things went, many people could die today. Someone had to stay alive to pick up the pieces.


    So, he silently sent them away.


    Maybe it was a bit hypocritical of him to refuse their help after proclaiming that he would do anything in his power to save as many people as possible. But Effie and Kai were people, too.


    He wanted to save them, as well.


    So, they left with Saint Cor.


    Sunny and Jet, meanwhile, hurried to catch up with the retreating emissaries of Valor.


    When they did, he suddenly felt cold and confused.


    Sunny had decided to help one of the sides achieve as clean of a victory as possible...


    But, with how things had turned out, was it even possible for Valor to win? From the looks of it, it was Song who held an overwhelming advantage. If anything, he should be helping them...


    Full of uneasy thoughts, Sunny stole a glance at Morgan.


    She must have understood how desperate her army''s situation was, as well. He had expected to see a grim expression on her face... fear, even...


    But, to his surprise, Morgan was walking while hiding a satisfied smile.


    Sunny''s eyes narrowed slightly.


    ''...What the hell is she smiling about?''

 Chapter 1185 Before the Battle Starts

    Chapter 1185 Before the Battle Starts


    They returned to the army of the great clan Valor. The rows of Squires were standing under the dull sky, with dozens of Knights placed loosely throughout the formation. Most of them wore suits of masterfully crafted plate armor, some holding shields. Surprisingly, very few had already summoned their weapons, as if waiting for something.


    Looking at the hundreds of Awakened who were calmly preparing for battle, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a strange incongruity.


    This was not the largest military force he had seen, by far. During the Antarctica campaign, Sunny had witnessed great masses of human warriors clash with boundless hordes of abominations... tens or thousands of soldiers and scores of hulking MWPs, supported by numerous turrets, artillery vehicles, and thunderous rail guns that rained fire on the enemy.


    The armies of the two great clans were modest, in comparison. There were maybe two thousand Awakened gathered on the gloomy plain, with a scattering of Echoes supporting them. There was the dark river of Nightmare Creatures enthralled by Beastmaster, as well... but overall, it all seemed strangely insignificant in scope and scale.


    However, he couldn''t shake off the feeling that the small number of warriors in front of him were much more dire of a force than any he had seen before.


    And then there were the Saints.


    Whispering Blade, Sky Tide, Summer Knight... Beastmaster, Silent Stalker, Dire Fang.


    Mordret''s Reflections, Morgan''s Echoes.


    There were Sunny and Nephis, as well.


    ''This... is going to be a massacre.''


    Sunny was not a member of Clan Valor, and as such, he was not familiar with the nuances of their training. Not really knowing where to place himself, he simply walked over to where Nephis and Cassie were standing. Jet followed, summoning an unfamiliar glaive.


    Coincidentally, that placed them near Morgan, as well.


    Was that what Morgan was betting on?


    How was she planning to win?


    He hesitated for a few moments, then went ahead and asked:


    "Not to sound presumptuous, Lady Morgan... but isn''t our situation a bit too hopeless?"


    She glanced at him, then smiled darkly. Her vermilion eyes seemed to shine in the gloomy twilight of the cloudy day.


    "Hopeless? Ah... on the contrary, Master Sunless. The situation can be said to be in our favor."


    Morgan looked in the direction where the forces of Song were making their final preparations and shook her head.


    "Were you that impressed by the little trick that person pulled? Don''t be. Those Reflections of his are not as dangerous as they might seem. You see, human Saints can be considered Transcendent Beasts, but they are so much more than that - by virtue of being human. Those mirror creatures, however, are just that... creatures. And as such, they are bound by the same limitations."


    Her expression grew cold as she continued:


    "In other words, while the Reflections can copy the appearance, Attributes, and even Aspect Abilities of a Saint, they can''t copy that which makes humans unique among Beasts. Most importantly of all, they can only possess the same level of intelligence as a Beast creature would... have you noticed how they seemed to repeat everything that he did? That is because, while powerful, they are nearly mindless at that stage. Unless controlled directly by their creator, these Reflections can pose a serious threat... but not nearly as serious of a threat as actual Saints would."


    Sunny looked at her with a frown. What Morgan said made sense... the Reflections could copy the powers of a Saint, but they could not become a Saint. The Mirror Beast he had faced on the Reckoning Island was vastly different, and much more dangerous, because it was a Devil. Its intelligence had not been inferior to that of a human.


    Still... six reflected Saints, no matter how mindless, were incomparably more powerful than six Transcendent Beasts would have been. Because they, too, possessed Aspect powers of the humans they reflected.


    Noticing his doubt, Morgan smiled.


    "Don''t be so concerned, Master Sunless. I was surprised by their appearance, as well. Without the Reflections... I''d say that our victory was all but assured. With them added to the board, well, I guess that each side has an equal chance to prevail. All that remains is to fight. Either we win, or we lose - the outcome of the battle will be decided by nothing except the personal strength, skill, and resolve of those fighting. Ah, what a brilliant day..."New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com

 Chapter 1186 Final Preparations

    Chapter 1186 Final Preparations


    Morgan studied the distant army of Song and inhaled deeply.


    Then, her face grew slightly somber.


    "...There are countless nuances to war, Master Sunless, but at its core, war is simple. All there is to it is power, and application of power. The former is important, but the latter is more so. There is no point in being strong if one can''t properly exert their strength, after all. The daughters of Ki Song might think that they possess more power... but look at them. I have them exactly where I wanted them, even if the path to this moment was not what I expected it to be. Ah, but that is another thing... one has to be flexible when waging war... rigid things are always the first to break..."


    With a chill, Sunny realized that Morgan had been acting throughout the entire attempt at negotiations. She had never wanted the duel to happen. She had never wanted to avoid the battle... instead, all she had wanted was to lure the enemy into committing to it.


    In the end, it was Beastmaster who insisted on proceeding with the battle, thinking that she had forced Morgan into a corner...


    He shook his head in amazement.


    ''...Why is everyone in that family so devious?''


    Well, it was not like he had anything to complain about. Morgan had said a lot of things, but conveniently failed to actually answer his question and explain what exactly gave her the confidence to face the superior force of Clan Song on the battlefield. Still, her confidence was a good sign for him.


    Sunny let out a sigh.


    Now, all he had to decide was how far he was willing to go to ensure that Valor achieved a sweeping victory. What was he willing to show, and what was he willing to hide?


    The unpleasant answer was rather simple - Sunny had no right to hide anything. He had to give it his all unless he wanted to make every decision he had made thus far meaningless.


    Even if abandoning his pretenses might end up putting him in danger...


    It was time to go all out.


    Morgan, meanwhile, turned to her soldiers and smiled.


    Her voice echoed across the plain, sounding as sharp as a sword leaving its scabbard:


    "Warriors of Valor! Today, we sanctify this field with blood. Have no fear! Have no mercy! Have no doubt!"


    The thousand Awakened roared, and as they did, Morgan coldly looked at the Knights among them and gave a small nod.


    With a sigh, he called upon several Memories. The Sin of Solace, the Dying Wish, the Shadow Lantern... and Morgan''s Warbow.


    When scarlet sparks swarmed around his hand, Morgan tilted her head slightly, as if surprised.


    When the black bow manifested itself, however, one of her eyebrows shot up.


    The princess gave him a strange look.


    "...That is a curious bow you have there, Master Sunless."


    Sunny glanced at it and smiled.


    "Ah, yes... I might have forgotten to mention... but you sort of stole my heart once, Lady Morgan. It was a truly memorable day. Well, at least for me..."


    The expression on her face was hard to describe, but it became even more incredulous when Sunny threw the bow into the air.


    "Wait... you are..."


    A moment later, a hand in a black armored gauntlet suddenly rose from his shadow and grabbed it.


    Two crimson flames ignited in the darkness, and then, a towering figure in a fearsome suit of onyx armor stepped from the shadow, her silhouette both graceful and frightening.


    Saint remained motionless, observing the distant army of the great clan Song with utter indifference.


    Then, a demonic black steed rose from the shadows, wreathed in darkness. Nightmare lowered his head, light reflecting on his adamantine horns.


    Lastly, a small fiendish creature made entirely of black steel appeared, staring at the horde of enthralled Nightmare Creatures with unmistakable hunger.


    Shadows moved, flowing onto Sunny''s body.


    As they did, the light of day suddenly seemed darker and less substantial around them.


    He placed the Sin of Solace on his shoulder and looked at Morgan.


    "...Now, I''m ready."


    -----


    Erdiul''s Note: Damn, badass.

 Chapter 1187 Battle of the Black Skull (1)

    Chapter 1187 Battle of the Black Skull (1)


    There were a lot of startled glances directed at Sunny. Of course, it couldn''t be helped �� even though he was a Master, thus receiving a certain amount of respect and veneration from all Awakened, the warriors of a great clan still tended to treat government soldiers with a bit of disdain.


    Watching a mere government envoy, no matter how distinguished, pull out two Transcendent Devils and a Terror out of nowhere must have been a bit of a shock for them. Especially because of how unlike the retainers of Valor Sunny looked �� he was neither tall nor physically imposing, and in fact appeared more slender than athletic. In addition, while pretty much everyone around him was clad in a suit of heavy plate armor, he wore only a light tunic and a pair of dainty silk shoes.


    It was almost as if Sunny was not taking the situation seriously.


    ...Or was powerful enough to be able to disregard the protection of durable armor despite the dire danger of the situation.


    There was one intangible quality, though, that convinced the warriors of Valor that it was the latter rather than the former


    Presence.


    space around her.


    Presence was often hard to describe, but it was It was not a secret that Saints possessed a certain presence about them, and the most powerful of Masters did, too. Like Jet who emanated an illusory aura of cold, or Nephis who sometimes seemed to illuminate the space around her. Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    Presence was often hard to describe, but it was unmistakable. And the feeling Sunny gave off when he got serious was of the dark, cold, and deeply frightening variety.


    Like staring into the eyes of your killer, or maybe even of death itself.


    So, the warriors of Valor were more than a little surprised.


    Obviously, Morgan was surprised the most.


    He stared at Sunny for a few long moments with a somewhat comical expression, then slowly shook her head and turned away.


    "You are a man who is full of surprises, Master Sunless. This is a good thing... we might need to pull off a miracle or two today, in order to survive."


    No matter how amused and curious she was, now was not the time to engage in these kinds of emotions.


    It was as though two thousand devils were unleashed onto the desolate plain, burning with the murderous desire to destroy each other.


    All that the leaders of the two armies could do was set certain tactics in motion and hope for the best.


    ...And fight.


    In the war of Awakened, the personal valor of the combatants was much more important than in a battle of mundane soldiers, or even in one against Nightmare Creatures.


    Which meant that a single individual''s contribution could also exert great influence on the outcome.


    This was what Sunny hoped for, at least.


    However, watching Valor cavalry collide with Beastmaster''s thralls, he was suddenly not sure if anything he could do would make a difference.


    ''Of course, it can. There aren''t that many Masters here, and among them, only Nephis and Mordret can be compared to me. With my Shadows, I am almost as valuable as a Saint... so... I need to throw these doubts away, and fight...''


    As the havoc of the bloody melee drew nearer, threatening to swallow the battle formation of Valor, Sunny suddenly heard the exhilarated voice of the Sin of Solace laughing in his ear:


    "...Fight, fight, fight... all you ever do is fight, but what have you achieved? Nothing! You failed your soldiers, you failed the people you wanted to protect, and on top of that, you even ended up in the exact place that you had wanted to escape. Pitiful fool... do you really think that today will be any different?"


    Sunny could even see a shadowy figure following him, its features more distinct and pronounced than ever.


    He smiled crookedly.


    ''Ah, it''s you. You''re just in time... come on, bastard. Watch me...''


    Then, there was no more time for idle thoughts.


    The cavalry had cut through the river of thralls and drowned in the ranks of Song''s Awakened. The tide of abominations, meanwhile, was already mere meters away...


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny brandished the jade sword.


    ...And called upon the shadows.

 Chapter 1188 Battle of the Black Skull (2)

    Chapter 1188 Battle of the Black Skull (2)


    The battle formation of Clan Valor was steadily advancing while keeping its shape, but Sunny was a poor fit for their polished tactics.


    Someone needed to break the momentum of the horde of the Beastmaster''s thralls, anyway. There was a sea of them, ranging from pitiful Dormant vermin to frightening Corrupted behemoths. The charge of the cavalry had destroyed some, but countless more remained.


    Looking at the surging mass of abominations, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a shiver run down his spine. Beastmaster... her power was truly great and terrible.


    But then, he could be terrible himself.


    As Sunny unleashed the shadows contained within his divine lantern, a tide of darkness suddenly spread from his feet, reaching into the attacking horde.


    A moment later, it came alive.


    ''Kill!''


    Sunny had come a long way in his mastery of Shadow Manifestation. From swiping a piece of trash from his kitchen table to binding a titan and beyond, he had never stopped improving. And now, it was time to make use of all those lessons for one single purpose. New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com devastation.


    ...The darkness came alive, and countless inky-black hands suddenly rose from it. They grabbed the lunging abominations, tearing their flesh with long obsidian claws. A wide swath of the horde was instantly turned into a harrowing hellscape of moving shadows, spilling blood, and mutilated bodies. There was a cacophony of piercing shrieks and howls, too, all of them full of chilling agony.


    Sunny paid no attention to the reactions of the warriors of Valor. His mind was in a state of battle clarity and augmented by the Shroud of Dusk on top of that, but still, it took every bit of his mental ability to control that many manifested shadows. He felt as though his brain was going to explode, but as a result, the destruction he had perpetrated was on such a large scale that it almost seemed like the work of some profane deity.


    He only maintained it for a few short seconds, not wishing to burn too much essence, but that was more than enough �� the center of the horde was utterly broken, its momentum spent.


    Somewhere to his left, a blinding flash suddenly illuminated the world, and another chunk of the thralls was swallowed by furious white flames.


    As soon as the darkness dissipated and the white flames dissolved, the vanguard of the Valor force �� Sunny, Nephis, Morgan, and Jet �� were already upon the enthralled monsters.


    It was honestly a bit frightening.


    ''Damn...''


    Carving a bloody path through the thralls, Sunny couldn''t help but pay attention to the battle formation of Clan Valor. It steadily advanced, withstanding the pressure of the horde of Nightmare Creatures like a moving fortress of steel. Countless abominations were dying beneath the sharp swords of the Awakened warriors, and when an especially powerful creature attacked, one of the Knights would step forward to face it.


    Arrows rained without stop. The giant tortoise was marching behind the formation, serving as a mobile fort... but even its presence could not explain how the archers were so effective in slaying the enemies without ever putting their allies in danger.


    ''...It''s the swords.''


    Sunny did not have any reason to come to that conclusion, but he felt that he was right. This incredible, almost unnatural level of unity between the hundreds of Awakened warriors of the great clan Valor had to have something to do with the swords forged and bestowed on them by their Sovereign.


    ''No wonder Clan Valor is famed for its battle prowess.''


    Just how deadly would perfect cooperation be in a war?


    Sunny quickly adjusted his understanding of the battle, accounting for the new variable.


    The boon of the forged swords was, without a doubt, a powerful advantage �� much more powerful than one would think.


    But would that boon alone be enough to turn the tide of the battle?


    Somehow, it didn''t seem like it.


    No matter how Sunny looked at it, the position of Valor was still incredibly weak.


    ''What is Morgan thinking?''

 Chapter 1189 Battle of the Black Skull (3)

    Chapter 1189 Battle of the Black Skull (3)


    It seemed as if the world was ending.


    Even more than during the battle against the titanic horde or in Falcon Scott, it seemed like the world was breaking apart.


    There had been clashes of similar scale in Antarctica, but at least there was some logic and structure to them. The thunderous roars of the railguns, the orderly formations of mundane soldiers, the power of the Awakened, the demented fury of the Nightmare Creatures �� no matter how frenzied a battle was, there was a distinction between the clashing sides, at least.


    Today, it was just chaos.


    Thousands of Aspects tearing the ground and the sky apart. Awakened, Masters, Echoes, and enthralled Nightmare Creatures intertwined in murderous violence. Even the Saints were fighting each other, making the world shake with each strike.


    Somewhere not too far away, Silent Stalker was entangled with Sir Gilead. The monstrous black panther had long ago ripped Summer Knight''s mount apart with her claws, and was now trying to extinguish the valiant Saint himself. It was not that easy to do, because he had transformed, as well.


    Where a handsome knight in resplendent armor had been, there was now an ethereal figure that seemed to be made of pure sunlight. The figure was human-like and of the same height as Sir Gilead, but every time Silent Stalker struck at it, her claws simply passed through the light, not leaving any wounds on Summer Knight''s shining body.


    When he lashed out with his sword, however, deep wounds were left on the panther''s sable hide. Silent Stalker did not seem to pay them any attention.


    ...As they continued to fight, the radiance of the luminous figure was slowly growing bleaker.


    On another spot of the battlefield, the ground trembled as a giant thunderbird fell from the skies. Sky Tide had withstood the rain of arrows and slaughtered the swarm of winged thralls, but then, it was a wall of invisible force crashed into her.


    Saint Tyris rolled on the ground, unable to sustain her Transformation anymore, and knelt while grabbing her head. Her beautiful face was pale, and there was a dazed look in her eyes. She glanced at the distant formation of Clan Song, where Beastmaster was hidden, concentrating her incredible power to deliver a terrible mental attack.


    Considering how dire the clashes between the Transcendents were already, a moment of distraction would be enough to give the enemy a crucial opportunity to deal a fatal strike.


    She could turn her diabolical powers against the mass of Awakened, as well, ensuring that the spine of Valor''s army was broken.


    Which meant... that Beastmaster had to be stopped.


    But who could stop her?


    Every powerful combatant on the side of Valor was tied down. Only the Masters were relatively free, or at least could extricate themselves from the melee with relative ease.


    However, among them, Sunny alone possessed the ability to bypass the mass of Song warriors and attack the alluring Saint.


    Problem was... he was not sure that he would be able to withstand her power.


    More than that, he simply did not know where she was.


    Beastmaster was not very strong in a physical clash, so she did not show herself freely.


    Cutting down an enemy Ascended, Sunny jumped back and sucked in a hoarse breath.


    ''Damnation...''


    Something had to change.

 Chapter 1190 Battle of the Black Skull (4)

    Chapter 1190 Battle of the Black Skull (4)


    It was growing near, the moment Sunny feared.


    He did not really care if Valor won or lost. All he cared about was making sure that there were enough Awakened left alive in the aftermath of the battle to continue defending the siege capitals across Antarctica until the winter solstice.


    But for that, he needed Clan Song to be defeated in a swift and decisive fashion. Which didn''t seem to be possible anymore... in fact, from what he saw, the most probable result of the battle was the one he had wanted to avoid at all costs�� mutual destruction.


    The forces of Song were going to win, but the closer they came to victory, the more furiously the warriors of Valor would fight. In the end, it was going to be a massacre.


    ...Unless Morgan had something planned.


    But what could it be?


    ''Damn it, damn it...''


    Sunny could think of only one way to quickly break the tide of the battle �� eliminate Beastmaster. But the alluring Saint was hidden from his sight, and so, he couldn''t even attempt to attack her.


    In the absence of the real target, there was a secondary goal he wanted to achieve. It was not something that his calculating mind had deemed the most beneficial in the current situation, but simply something he desired.


    Sunny did not want to see Saint Tyris die.


    So, he was intending to help her. Maybe that would force Beasmaster to keep suppressing Sky Tide without switching to other targets, as well...


    Currently, Sunny was in the very thick of the furious melee between the two armies. There were swords flashing and blood spilling on all sides, the terrible cacophony of the battle assaulting his ears at the same time as the vile ugliness of it all assaulted his eyes. Numerous Aspects were turning the somber Antarctic plain into a feverish nightmare, and the overcast sky was on the verge of unleashing a heavy rain.


    In front of him, an Ascended of Clan Song easily cut down a valiant Awakened of Clan Valor. He had noticed her a long time ago as she moved across the battlefield, leaving a trail of blood and death in her wake. The woman''s Aspect seemed to do with manipulating blood �� a stream of it spiraled around her like a scarlet ribbon, sometimes shooting forward to pierce the heavy armor of her enemies as if it was paper.


    Their eyes met for a moment, and then, the Ascended lunged into an attack. Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    Sunny was faster.


    He easily dodged the scarlet ribbon, dashed forward, and deflected her sword. A split second later, the blade of the Sin of Solace passed through the woman''s neck.


    [You have slain an Ascended human...]


    Sunny was distracted for a split second, which gave the enemies an opportunity to launch an attack on him.


    From below, the ground suddenly shifted and rose, wrapping around his legs �� just like the shadows he had used a dozen seconds ago to immobilize the three Awakened.


    At the same time, a javelin made of turbulent wind shot at his head.


    Sunny cursed, then sent essence into his legs to give them some explosive strength, broke through the bindings, and bent backwards to dodge the javelin.


    As a result, he avoided the attack, but ended up rolling over his shoulder.


    When he hit the ground, though, it felt... wrong.


    ''What the hell?''


    Sunny felt something cold and slithering move across his palm. Looking down, he saw a thin, grey worm crawling across it, with pieces of soil sticking to its translucent body.


    The sight of it was naturally disgusting, but more than that, it suddenly filled Sunny with fear.


    He gazed at the spot that he had touched to exit the roll and shivered.


    The soil... was moving, countless worms crawling out of it like flesh maggots.


    It was not just that small patch of ground, either.


    All around them, the battlefield seemed to be... rippling. The ground was seething like a liquid, full of these thin, grey worms...


    Suddenly, Sunny felt very cold.


    His mind froze for a brief moment.


    It could have been a manifestation of a powerful Aspect Ability... but the scale of it was too great to come from anyone except for a Saint.


    There were no Saints with these kinds of powers on the battlefield, though.


    His eyes widened.


    ''The... the... the Titan?''

 Chapter 1191 Battle of the Black Skull (5)

    Chapter 1191 Battle of the Black Skull (5)


    "The Nightmare Gate leading to the area of the Black Skull Citadel was located within the hunting grounds of a Corrupted Titan... Sunny knew that. Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    The titan itself was a mysterious creature. The Evacuation Army did not possess a lot of information about it, simply because it was too dangerous of a task to observe the abomination - after losing several teams while trying to investigate the creature, even the elite scouts of the Special Reconnaissance Unit did not dare stalk it.


    All they knew about the Corrupted Titan was that its movement patterns were erratic, that approaching it was suicidal, and that its powers had something to do with reanimating the dead. As long as the creature showed no sign of setting its sights on one of the siege capitals, the army simply monitored its general area of activity and kept away.


    Army Command had also taken steps to ensure that the corpses of the Nightmare Creatures slain around the siege capitals were promptly disposed of, to ensure that the titan wouldn''t be able to make use of them.


    ...However, the forces of the warring clans had brazenly invaded its territory, and now, they were about to pay the price. Sunny was sure of it.


    ''Damnation...''


    Staring at the worm crawling across his palm, he felt time slow down. Instantly, Sunny was overwhelmed by an animalistic, panicked desire to sever his hand before it was too late - he did not know what would happen if he didn''t, and was terrified to find out.


    He was... scared.


    There had been a time when Sunny felt fear often. At some point, however, he had developed a pretty high tolerance to terror, maybe because he had been exposed to it too much. These days, he sometimes felt disturbed, apprehensive, and wary - but very rarely truly afraid.


    He couldn''t help but be afraid now, though. Looking at the grey worm, it was as though Sunny had been transported to a snowy field in the Antarctic Center. The feeling of absolute, overwhelming powerlessness he had experienced there... it chilled him to the bone.


    ''Curse it!''


    With a snarl, Sunny dissolved into the shadows, allowing the worm to fall to the ground. A split second later, he reappeared a few meters away, holding his sword in a defensive stance.


    All around, the battlefield was changing. The worms were crawling from the ground and... and burrowing into the corpses of the fallen Awakened and slain Nightmare Creatures.


    Moments later, the corpses started to convulse. Some were even rising, moving like broken marionettes.


    ''What.. what is this?''


    A Transcendent Titan, if such a thing existed, would have had seven radiant spheres of light serving as the nexuses of its vast soul.


    The creature in front of him, however, had neither nodes of darkness nor radiant cores. Instead, it had seven bright embers burning within its body.


    Like a Transcendent Echo would.


    And Morgan had summoned twenty of those, already.


    For some reason, the Spell was obsessed with the number seven. And, influenced by the Spell, humans had begun to structure various things in sevens, as well.


    So, wouldn''t the princess of Valor actually possess twenty-one Transcendent Echoes?


    That would be only logical...


    Finally, several things clicked together in Sunny''s mind - the reason for Morgan''s unexplainable confidence, her pretense of willingness to participate in a duel that had pushed Beastmaster into committing to a battle, the fact that the Corrupted Titan''s hunting grounds had shifted to encompass the Black Skull Nightmare Gate right after reinforcements had been sent through it by Whispering Blade...


    Sunny blinked.


    ''...What a devious strategy.''


    There wasn''t, and had never been, a Corrupted Titan. There was only an Echo of one - a Transcendent Echo belonging to Morgan. She had unleashed it in East Antarctica and allowed it to roam free all that time. The Echo had even destroyed several human outposts and killed every scout of the Evacuation Army sent to investigate it, until no more scouts were sent.


    All to make this moment possible.


    The titan Echo had been supposed to protect the Nightmare Gate and seal access to Black Skull until it was captured by Clan Valor, but Mordret bypassed the worm entirely and made those plans useless. So, Morgan was forced to shift her strategy.


    Instead of betting on the Black Skull Citadel to carry her to the Tomb of Ariel ahead of the competition, she used it as a lure to decimate Clan Song''s forces on the battlefield.


    She had applied her power in a way most flexible, indeed.


    ...Looking at the giant grey worm rising from the ground, Sunny suppressed a stifled laugh.


    ''What the hell... am I supposed... to be happy to see this revolting thing?''"

 Chapter 1192 Battle of the Black Skull (6)

    Chapter 1192 Battle of the Black Skull (6)


    "Before the battle, Morgan had said that she would have been certain of Valor''s victory if not for Mordret''s Reflections. Now that her final Echo had revealed itself, Sunny finally understood what she meant.


    The arrival of the worm titan instantly changed the situation on the battlefield, but even such a creature was not enough to spell certain defeat for the forces of Clan Song.


    ...A mere Corrupted Titan would not have been able to doom the monstrous beings gathered on the desolate Antarctic plain today, and an Echo of one was tremendously powerful, but not nearly as dreadful as the real thing would have been.


    So, even though the situation had changed, the outcome of the battle still hung in fragile balance.


    The dead were rising to assist the outnumbered warriors of Valor. The main body of the Echo itself had to be dealt with, as well.


    Instead of quelling the furious bloodshed, the arrival of the abominable worm only seemed to drive the chaos to a new, inconceivable level.


    One thing it did manage to achieve instantly, though, was force Beastmaster to finally reveal herself.


    Sunny felt her presence before he saw her.


    It was as though an invisible hammer fell from the sky, pressing every soldier of Clan Valot into the ground. The Awakened, who had been fighting with indomitable resolve up until now, suddenly staggered and swayed. Their movements grew sluggish and strained.


    ''Aargh...''


    Sunny gritted his teeth as he shook off the effects of the mental assault. Even his incredible resistance against mind attacks had been insufficient to fully deflect Beastmaster''s diabolical power... the poor warriors of Clan Valor stood no chance against it.


    Their only saving grace was that the enchantress was forced to spread herself thin to influence a thousand powerful Awakened at the same time. Their concentration was broken, and their strength was severely diminished, but at least they survived - if the task in front of the daughter of Ki Song had been less enormous, she would have probably managed to either subjugate them or outright shatter their minds.


    The most frightening thing about it, though, was that the ordinary warriors were not even her main target.


    Sunny saw it from the corner of his eye... but once he did, he couldn''t look away.


    Bestmaster appeared on the battlefield, standing calmly in front of the ravaged span of it where Whispering Blade had been fighting against the Reflections. Sunny did not know if she had used her Transformation Ability, but for some reason, the alluring Saint looked even more beautiful than she usually did... so much more...


    Before, Beastmaster''s beauty was mesmerizing. But now, it was simply ruinous.


    Sky Tide''s sword let out a low ring, and shattered, instantly turning into a rain of radiant sparks. She was tossed back and grunted, spitting out a mouthful of blood.


    ''You bastards...''


    Sunny was already back on his feet, full of dark fury.


    He quickly assessed the situation and reluctantly suppressed his desire to slaughter everyone in sight. Cutting down the minions of Clan Song would have been enjoyable, but there were too many of them around, and they were too powerful - he could face them, and he could defend Saint Tyirs. But he wasn''t sure that he could do both at the same time.


    For now, his priority was to ensure her safety.


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny called upon the shadows. Instantly, a wave of darkness rose from his feet, pushing the enemies away and solidifying into a tall wall. That wall was not going to hold them back for long, but it would at least buy him some time.


    He dashed toward Sky Tide and grabbed her by the shoulder, helping the Saint balance herself.


    Her face was pale, and marred by blood.


    "Lady Tyris! Are you alright?"


    He knew that it was a stupid question to ask, considering the situation, but he still couldn''t help but ask it.


    She looked at him with a pained expression, and then, a pale smile appeared on her lips.


    "I''ll live. You should..."


    Sky Tide did not finish the sentence. Sunny saw something reflecting in her eyes, and then, she suddenly pushed him away.


    As Sunny flew back, he felt the wall of shadows he had created explode.


    A split second later, monstrous claws tore through the spot he had been standing on. The ground shook from the terrible impact, and a vast cloud of dust rose into the air.


    Those claws belonged to a towering creature that filled Sunny with a sense of dread.


    The creature looked like an abominable hybrid between a human and a wolf. Even hunched, it was at least four meters tall, with terrifying fangs and bestial eyes that were full of wicked fury. The beast radiated a feeling of wildness, savage power, and primal ferocity.


    Dire Fang had arrived to finish off the fallen Saint of the White Feather clan."

 Chapter 1193 Battle Of The Black Skull (7)

    "Not good..."


    Sunny landed in a roll and instantly dashed to the side. Almost at the same moment, claws tore through the air, almost brushing against his skin. They were so close that he felt the wind stirring as it threw his hair into disarray.


    "Fast!"


    Sunny landed on his feet and slid backward. Sensing the movement of shadows, he raised the Sin of Solace to block the attack - not because he actually perceived it, but because he knew that it had to come.


    Then, he screamed.


    A deafening, inhuman, monstrous roar suddenly split the skies apart, and Sunny''s head was instantly pierced by pain so intense that he couldn''t help but groan.


    "What... what the hell is that, a sonic attack?"


    As his vision blurred, the strike that he had predicted came. The Sin of Solace was in the way, but it was not in a position to form a solid block. Sunny''s whole body shook as he was thrown back once again, his bones and tendons creaking under immense pressure.


    Luckily, they did not burst apart.


    But it really, really hurt...


    Falling to the ground, Sunny dove into the shadows and flew out of them a couple dozen meters away. He barely had time to grab Saint Tyris and carry her forward with his momentum before Dire Fang''s claws tore into her battered armor.


    The two of them came to a stop some distance away and froze for a moment, supporting each other. Sunny''s breathing was hoarse, and Sky Tide''s face was ashen.


    In front of them, the towering monster - Saint Dire Fang, who had finally unleashed his transcendent power - slowly turned his wolf-like snout and looked at them with a bestial, bloodred, terrifying eye.


    Sunny''s intuition was screaming. Looking at the monstrous creature - half-human, half-beast - he felt it, deep in the dark expanse of his lightless soul.


    Death.


    Fighting Dire Fang meant death.


    ...A Saint was a Saint, after all.


    In terms of raw power, a Transcendent human was similar to a Corrupted Nightmare Creature. Although humans possessed only one soul core, their intelligence and Aspect powers made them equal to Devils, at least - someone like Beastmaster seemed closer to a Terror, even.


    Sunny had fought, and killed, many Corrupted abominations.


    But despite the similarity, Saints were nothing like the creatures he had killed.


    That had nothing to do with raw power, and everything to do with who they were.


    And so, he was not going to.


    There was no time for conversations, really, so he simply raised his sword and snarled:


    "Like hell I will!"


    In the next moment, the monstrous figure of Dire Fang turned into a grey blur. He was moving too fast for Sunny to trace where the attack would come from... even shadow sense could not keep up with the bestial Saint... and so, all Sunny could do was guess.


    ''Crap.''


    He summoned the shadows again, trying to build another wall around them. However, it was smashed apart before receiving the chance to solidify.


    He tried to block the attack of the Transcendent with the Sin of Solace again. However, it was pushed aside with disheartening ease.


    He put himself between Dire Fang and Saint Tyris.


    ''Argh!''


    Sunny felt his throat being ripped open by a sharp claw. He reeled back and grabbed his mutilated neck, feeling blood flow through his fingers like a river.


    ''That... damn it... that hurts...''


    He used the Dying Wish to heal the lethal wound, exhausting the accumulated charge of the Transcendent charm.


    It was still not enough to change the situation. The monstrous beast was already lunging to deliver another attack, and this time...


    Before Sunny could react, a blinding flash suddenly illuminated the world, and the grey blur lunging at them was suddenly swallowed by an explosion of white flames.


    At the same time, a figure wielding a slender rapier appeared in front of the Ascended of Clan Song. She moved between them like an apparition, deflecting a rain of attacks with measured elegance and strange, seemingly irrational ease.


    Cassie pulled the attention of the enemy Masters and thralls, while Nephis positioned herself between Dire Fang and Sunny.


    The towering beast emerged from the flames - wisps of white fire were dancing on his fur, but he did not appear burned. The Saint bared his fangs in a murderous grin.


    Looking up at the towering monstrosity, Nephis calmly brought her radiant longsword into a high guard.


    "Sunny... are you alright?"


    He sighed.


    ''Damn... it is indeed a stupid question to ask...''

 Chapter 1194 Battle Of The Black Skull (8)

    1194 Battle of the Black Skull (8)


    Sunny let out a terse breath.


    "Yeah, I''m fine. Just got my throat ripped out... no big deal..."


    He lowered his bloodied hand, revealing the wound that had already disappeared thanks to the [Death Wish] enchantment. There was a lot of blood on his neck and the black silk of the Shroud of Dusk, but under it, his skin and flesh were perfectly fine.


    A corner of Neph''s mouth curled upward.


    "I see."


    Then, she looked at Dire Fang with a severity that seemed cold enough to freeze a person to death and said calmly:


    "In that case... Lady Sky Tide, please fall back with Song of the Fallen. Master Sunless and I will remain to cover your retreat."


    Saint Tyris was in no condition to face Dire Fang in battle. Even if she wanted to stay, her presence would only slow the two of them down... she seemed to have understood that, as well. Even if she didn''t, Sunny was not sure that Sky Tide was in a position to refuse Neph''s orders �� she was a vassal of Clan Valor, after all, and Nephis was technically of the same status as Morgan.


    "Cassie, take her!"


    There was nowhere really safe on the battlefield, but getting closer to the main body of Valor''s force �� and away from the most dangerous enemies �� would increase Sky Tide''s chances of survival by a lot.


    Cassie was facing two Masters of Clan Song. Her rapier did not seem to move very swiftly, but somehow, it was always where it needed to be to deflect their attacks. The blind girl moved with measured cadence, always half a step ahead of her enemies. Although her face remained calm, the two Ascended seemed... shaken.


    Shaken enough to make a mistake.


    Just at that moment, one of them summoned his Aspect Ability to turn the ground under Cassie''s feet into treacherous mud, while the other committed to a powerful thrust of his sword.


    However, the blind girl lightly jumped just a split second before her footing would have been lost in wet sludge, avoiding being momentarily immobilized. Her rapier shot forward, piercing the neck of the swordsman who had been counting on his partner''s Aspect to stall the enemy.


    At the same time, something flashed through the air, and the Quiet Dancer came to a halt above her shoulder, its blade marred by blood.


    Both Masters silently fell down.


    Their bodies crumbled to the ground almost at the same exact moment as Cassie landed from her jump, one rapier in hand and another hovering above her shoulder.


    She swiftly moved, evading a frenzied attack of a Corrupted thrall, and appeared next to Saint Tyris. Without saying a word, the blind girl grabbed Sky Tide by the shoulder and pulled her away.


    ...Dire Fang, surprisingly, allowed all of that to happen without moving a muscle. He simply stared at Nephis from above as the white flames died down on his fur, motionless, with an indifferent expression on his bestial face.


    Sunny was curious about what the gloomy Saint was thinking, but at the same time, he didn''t really care to know.


    Soon enough, the three of them were left facing each other �� the towering monstrosity on one side, Sunny and Nephis standing shoulder to shoulder on the other.


    "Please forgive me if I don''t believe you."


    Mordret shook his head and took a step forward, his face devoid of the usual lightness.


    "Don''t get me wrong... I could have prepared a few. But that would be so unsatisfying, don''t you think? Dear sister... you shouldn''t assume that I want to kill you with my own two hands any less than you want to kill me. What''s the point of killing you with a trick? Then, you''ll just die thinking �� there he goes, doing something contemptible again. No, no, no... I want to kill you, all of you, with what you pride yourself on most. I want to crush you all."


    Morgan grinned.


    "So, what? You are really going to fight me with a sword? Have you lost the last bits of your broken mind, creature? You don''t stand a chance."


    Mordret took another step back and gritted his teeth.


    "...We''ll see."


    His usually calm voice was suddenly distorted by a vast, dark, incinerating hatred.


    A hatred so hot it could melt the abyss.


    Morgan stopped smiling and walked toward him with a calm expression.


    "Do you still think that you can escape? I''ll have to disappoint you... when this body of yours is destroyed, there will be no escape. You have already spent... what was it, six, seven years?... locked in a box. This time, we''ve built a better one. This time, you''ll stay locked forever."


    Finally, a mad smile appeared on Mordret''s face.


    "We''ll see about that, too..."


    A split second later, the clangor of two clashing swords drowned out the cacophony of the battle.


    ***


    Somewhere else on the battlefield, a taciturn Shadow was fighting a blindingly radiant Reflection. And somewhere else, the legendary Whispering Blade was fighting the beautiful demoness, Beastmaster.


    A giant Black Panther was tearing a figure woven out of sunlight into shreds with her claws. Her Reflection was furiously trying to shake off a small figure of black steel from its hide, while the small figure stubbornly held on.


    Soul Reaper Jet had aimed her glaive at a monstrous visage of Song Seishan, her leather armor riddled with holes. The monster facing her wiped the blood off her lips and spat, as if tasting something disgusting.


    A blind girl was fighting through a mass of enthralled Nightmare Creatures to guide a battered Saint to safety.


    A revolting creature made out of countless grey worms was being slowly destroyed by four cracked Reflections.


    As the grey sky broke with a torrent of rain, the ruinous battle exploded into a nightmare of violence.


    1

 Chapter 1195 Battle of the Black Skull (9)

    Chapter 1195 Battle of the Black Skull (9)


    The world had grown darker under the veil of tumultuous thunderclouds, and torrents of water fell from the skies, bending like whips. Illuminated by a blinding flash of lightning, two humans dashed away from the claws of a towering beast.


    "Nephis, now!"


    There was no real need for words. Sunny and Nephis might have grown distant as of late due to the choices they had made, but the core of their relationship was the same. They were battle partners first, and everything else second - that bond had been forged in fire, tears, and blood on the Forgotten Shore long before a shadow was cast on it by other matters.


    By now, their ability to act with seamless coordination was even higher than the unnatural unity granted to the warriors of Valor by the forged swords.


    From the moment that the two of them had killed that first Carapace Scavenger together, Sunny and Nephis went through countless battles together. She had taught him how to wield the sword, while he taught her how to control her soul essence as a Master.


    Despite everything, that bond would never change.


    ...Which was not to say that there was no other bond between them.


    The moment Dire Fang lunged forward, Sunny dashed to the right, while Nephis dashed to the left. At the same time, some of her radiance mixed with his shadows, while one of his shadows wrapped itself around her body.


    The sum of their powers was greater than its parts.


    The shadows and the brilliant light seemed to resonate with each other, making both of them stronger than they had any right to be. Sunny turned into a silhouette shrouded in broiling darkness, while Neph''s radiance took on a darker hue. The darkness was permeated with blinding white light, while the light seemed to contain wisps of inexhaustible darkness.


    The light made the darkness deeper, while the darkness made the light much more stark and radiant.


    And there was more to it, too.


    At least for Sunny. Unlike his shadows, which augmented all his physical attributes, Neph''s flames ignited the soul, too. Wreathed in her fire, he could feel his essence become much more vibrant and warm.


    Much more potent.


    ''Ah... what a nice feeling...''


    Nephis must have been using her full augmentation, and with the addition of Sunny''s shadow, she was just fast enough to evade Dire Fang''s claws.


    He, on the other hand, was just a little bit slower... luckily, the Saint had chosen Changing Star as the primary target. Since he couldn''t attack both of them at the same time effectively, the strike directed at Sunny was not as inescapable as it could have been.


    Sunny felt a slight sense of dissatisfaction.


    ''So, what, we are back to that? Neph is the bait, while I am the blade?''


    He didn''t like it one bit.


    In any case... Dire Fang had made a mistake. A very serious mistake.


    Dire Fang had received a wound, no matter how small, while Sunny and Nephis had not.


    His bestial face contorted into a vicious snarl.


    The Saint did not say anything before launching into another attack.


    There was no need for words, and none of them had anything to say.


    Their swords, claws, and Aspects would be doing the talking.


    A spirit of flame, a spawn of shadows, and a savage beast clashed in the middle of a terrifying battlefield. They were moving so fast that it was hard to see what was happening. Flowers of white fire bloomed in the middle of a pouring rain, and the ground shook from the fury of their murderous clash.


    Their battle was frenzied and turned everything around them into pure havoc, but it wasn''t senseless. In fact, each of the three remained chillingly cold-blooded and calculating in the midst of the furious confrontation.


    Even while augmenting each other, Sunny and Nephis were much slower and weaker than the Saint of Clan Song... but not to the degree where he could instantly annihilate them.


    More importantly than that, there were two of them. Even if they were not Dire Fang''s equals in terms of raw power, they could use their knowledge and understanding of each other to make up for the gap in strength.


    And so, the battle raged on.


    Scores of strikes were exchanged in the span of a dozen seconds. The ground was broken and upturned. The rainwater mixed with the soil, turning it into mud. The mud was incinerated by the flames, turning into ash.


    For a few short moments, a fragile equilibrium seemed to have been created between the two Masters and the Saint.


    Astonishingly, Sunny and Nephis had not been ripped to pieces by Dire Fang, like a couple of Ascended should have been.


    They even managed to push him back.


    But Sunny was not very happy about the result...


    It was because he knew that this equilibrium would not last long.


    Right now, even while fighting at the absolute limit of their capabilities, both sides were carefully studying their adversary.


    The side that managed to glean the enemy''s strengths and weaknesses first was going to win, while the side that failed was going to be killed.


    ''Well, how wonderful...''


    ...In that regard, Sunny had an overwhelming advantage.


    As a practitioner of Shadow Dance, he was unrivaled when it came to learning everything about his enemies, be they humans, Nightmare Creatures, or Saints...


    -----


    Erdiul''s Note: Pretty beautiful chapter, showing the synergy between Sunny and Nephis. Would be a shame not to share it today. It''s the usual 1 chapter 3 tomorrow shenanigens, so 3 tomorrow.

 Chapter 1196 Battle of the Black Skull (10)

    Chapter 1196 Battle of the Black Skull (10)


    In the cacophony of the battle, obscured by roaring thunderclaps and the whisper of falling rain, two swords were creating a lethal melody of steel.


    Mordret knew that he was weaker than his younger sister. He was slower, too, and not nearly as resilient. He was even less skilled, perhaps. His powers were formidable, but they were useless against her. The King of Swords had made sure of that. His soul cores had been spent on creating the Reflections, and those Reflections were being spent on holding back her army.


    That army was also more powerful than the one on his side. Morgan had chosen the battlefield and lured the enemy into a trap. As a general, she had already succeeded.


    But she was not only a cunning strategist. She was a brilliant warrior, too. Morgan was like an unstoppable blade. She had everything that a Princess of War was supposed to possess. She had power, talent, resolve, intelligence... she had the authority of their family, and its favor as well. While Mordret had nothing. He had always had nothing. And everything he had tried to make his was either destroyed or taken away.


    However, despite all that...


    He was not going to lose.


    He was going to win.


    "Die, you wretched thing!"


    Their swords clashed, and even though Mordret had managed to read her intentions, he was still thrown back. His block was perfect, but it was not strong enough. He slid in the mud and let out a pained gasp. He was slightly dazed.


    Rain was falling all around them like a grey wall, and every drop was a mirror. The world was reflected on itself myriads of times, and all those reflected worlds flooded his mind like a kaleidoscope of horror. Every gruesome death, every desperate call for help, every selfless act of courage, every cowardly wail of defeat were reflected, multiplied, and projected into his head. It helped him to orient himself better on the chaotic battlefield, but it was also...


    ''Ah. Annoying.''


    This was why he didn''t like rain.


    Morgan was already closing in. Mordret grinned as he rose to face her.


    There she was. A beautiful young woman in a suit of black armor, who looked so much like him. What did she know? She didn''t know anything. She had been a mere child when their family decided to betray him. Not even a Sleeper. She had not been there when his original body was destroyed, or when he was locked in a cage like a beast...


    Morgan was not among those he wanted to kill the most. But she was their symbol.


    For Mordret, the young woman with a face that was eerily similar to his own symbolized the great clan Valor. She embodied everything that he wanted to destroy. And, so...


    He was going to break her into pieces.


    Her sword flashed, cleanly cutting through the raindrops as it flew toward his body. He tried to deflect it, but it was of no use - the strike turned out to be a feint. A moment later, sharp pain pierced the left side of his face.


    Mordret stumbled back, feeling blood flow down his cheek.


    ''Argh... I... I think I lost an eye, this time...''


    Blood was flowing from her broken nose, painting the lower part of her face red.


    "You vile... scum..."


    Her sword, which was still lodged in his chest, scattered into a whirlwind of scarlet sparks. He couldn''t help but stagger and let out a pained yelp.


    She was, without a doubt, going to summon it back... but that would take a few seconds, at least...


    Not caring, Morgan lunged forward. Her leg whipped into the air, aiming to take his head clean off. Mordret blocked it with his sword, and felt his sword crack.


    His sword broke.


    There was more pain.


    Morgan''s shin cut through his sword, his armor, and his forearm. The bone broke, the muscles split, and the tendons tore.


    His bleeding hand fell to the ground.


    Not paying it any attention, Mordret stepped forward and drove his broken sword into the narrow crack between her breastplate and the segmented steel skirt protecting her lower waist. The jagged blade plunged into his sister''s side... even though her flesh seemed as durable as steel, he pushed it as deep as he could before the broken Memory disintegrated into a rain of sparks.


    She let out a stifled groan and pushed herself away.


    "I''ll... kill you..."


    She tried to hide it, but there was a hint of hesitation in her voice.


    Morgan was winning... she was definitely winning. She had only received one serious wound, while her enemy already looked half-dead. He looked like a walking corpse.


    So why... why was he so calm? What was wrong with him?


    She felt a chill run down her spine.


    ...Her sword was already manifesting itself back into reality.


    Mordret was summoning a new weapon, as well.


    He glanced down, at his severed hand, and stepped over it indifferently.


    "No. You won''t."


    There was a hint of finality to his words.


    Gritting her teeth, Morgan blocked out the pain and attacked once again.

 Chapter 1197 Battle of the Black Skull (11)

    Chapter 1197 Battle of the Black Skull (11)


    A booming thunderclap shook the world... but the bestial roar that tore through the clangor of the battlefield was much more deafening. It rolled across the ravaged land like a physical force, sapping the strength of the warriors and making them sway.


    ...Sunny, who was very close to the source of that roar, cursed under his breath as he pushed the pain aside and twisted his body to avoid being sliced by the monstrous claws of the rampaging Saint. Dire Fang''s hand flew past him, and while Sunny was trying to bring the Sin of Solace down on the creature''s monstrous limb, Nephis attacked from the other side, her sword turning the whipping streams of rain into boiling vapor.


    The two of them were like hunters fighting against a powerful beast. They circled around him and used their cooperation to make up for the gap in power, acting with the cunning and foresight that made humans so deadly.


    Nephis was fighting in a way that would have made all the other Ascended freeze in stunned silence. She was just too fast, too strong, and too destructive. Her incandescent sword was hot and sharp enough to incinerate the world, and her skill and battle sense seemed to transcend the concept of limits.


    Sunny was no less frightening. Hidden in the tenebrous embrace of the Shadow Shell, he fought with the ferocious power of a trueborn fiend and used his inhuman physique to move in a way that no human could repeat, and no opponent could predict.


    Much more importantly, despite the stark difference between the two of them - one shrouded in burning darkness, the other suffused with beautiful light - they fought and acted as one. Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    That combination was too lethal for a mere beast to survive.


    ...However, their enemy was not a beast, no matter how animalistic his form appeared.


    Dire Fang''s Transformation Ability allowed him to become a strange hybrid between a wolf and a man. His claws, his fangs, his bestial eyes, his thick fur... as well as his inhuman rage, his savage bloodlust, and his primal might - all of it made Sunny feel as though he was fighting a Nightmare Creature.


    But the Saint was not a Nightmare Creature. Behind all these monstrous traits hid the cold, calculating mind of a human. And, as a human, he had benefited from the vast legacy of accumulated knowledge and insight that all humans were the inheritors of.


    In other words, Dire Fang possessed the body of a powerful abomination, but fought with the sublime skill of a gifted human warrior.


    Dire Fang was powerful, Dire Fang was skilled, and worst of all, Dire Fang was strange. His battle style was too unique, too bizarre, and too deep to be deciphered in a short amount of time. It had been perfectly tailored for his monstrous Transcendent form, with its contradictory physical traits and attributes, which were both human and not.


    He displayed a level of essence control so intricate, deliberate, and ingeniously applied that it made Sunny question his own talent... no, it was not a question of talent. It was simply the innate superiority of a higher Rank multiplied by the amount of effort put into integrating essence into a combat style, both by Dire Fang himself and many battle masters of Clan Song.


    It was the benefit of being a vassal of a great clan.


    ...This was possibly the first dedicated essence technique Sunny had a chance to study. He had not even known that such things were possible, or existed.


    And if all of that was not enough, Dire Fang''s Aspect Abilities were flawlessly blended into his battle style, as well.


    It would have been much worse if Sunny had to somehow guess the Saint''s Abilities first. Luckily, he had already learned them from Cassie.


    Dire Fang''s Dormant Ability enhanced all his senses, especially his hearing and the sense of smell. He could even feel the tiny vibrations spreading through the ground... as a result, he had no blind spots. He also seemed to be able to predict the actions of his opponents by observing the tiniest changes in their stances, muscle contractions, eye movements, and other things Sunny had no knowledge of.


    His Awakened Ability was a physical augmentation tied to his emotional state. The angrier he got, the more pain he felt, the more powerful he would become... things like that were usually unreliable and impossible to control, sometimes even detrimental, but Dire Fang seemed to possess absolute control over his emotions. He could summon the most murderous rage at will, while remaining perfectly cool-headed and composed.


    Dire Fang''s Ascended Ability was the debilitating sonic attack, and his Transcendent Ability... well, it was self-evident.


    So, with the knowledge of that...


    Sunny had to come up with a way to kill him.


    A Master killing a Saint... that had never happened in history.


    But it had to happen today.


    He was going to make it happen.

 Chapter 1198 Battle of the Black Skull (12)

    Chapter 1198 Battle of the Black Skull (12)


    The three of them were like an obliterating hurricane. The bloody fight between Dire Fang, Sunny, and Nephis was no less furious and destructive than the clashes between the other Saints that were happening on the battlefield... or maybe even more so.


    Any Awakened, Echo, or enthralled abomination that dared to enter the sphere of destruction created by their fight was instantly torn apart, and so, soon, no one dared to anymore.


    All the soldiers could see were dark shapes moving with dreadful speed within the rain, and billowing clouds of scalding steam that were sometimes illuminated by bright flashes of beautiful white radiance.


    Maybe only Kai could make out what was happening inside, due to his Awakened Aspect Ability.


    ''I hope the fool does not rush here to help us...''


    Sunny was trying to dismantle Dire Fang''s battle style to shadow him, but his progress was too slow.


    Every second they spent fighting against the terrifying Saint threatened to be their last, and even if they continued to remain alive, their fates would be sealed due to simple exhaustion - both of their bodies and their souls.


    Sunny and Nephis possessed astonishing endurance, and their pools of essence were many times larger than those of ordinary Masters. However, they still could not compete with a Saint.


    Saints were monstrous not only because of their power and Aspect Abilities, but also because of how potent and vast their reserves of essence were. To Masters like them, these reserves appeared nearly inexhaustible.


    Especially to Sunny, who was burning through his essence fast due to the Shadow Shell. He was never going to win the war of attrition against Dire Fang.


    So, he had to dismantle the Saint''s battle style faster... much faster... even though he could not concentrate on this task since simply staying alive demanded almost all of his attention.


    ''Not good...''


    He grunted as Dire Fang delivered a powerful backward kick with his wolf-like hind leg, almost ripping Sunny''s shell to pieces. He managed to deflect the blow, and even tried to scratch the Saint with the Sin of Solace - but the jade blade got tangled in the thick fur, shearing some of it off, but leaving no trace on the enemy''s skin.


    Sunny had already delivered a shallow cut to Dire Fang before, so the [Sinister Whisper] was supposed to be driving the Saint mad... however, he showed no sign of being affected by the curse.


    It seemed that breaking the mind of a Transcendent, which was the sharpest of weapons in and of itself, would not be easy, or possible at all.


    Sunny had his own insights about the way Dire Fang fought, and she had hers. By combining them, they would be able to enhance each other''s understanding of the enemy in the same way that their powers were augmenting each other beyond the usual limits of their Aspects.


    Hopefully.


    Sunny growled and continued to fight. The shadow fiend sometimes moved like a human, and sometimes like the creature that he was. He bent in strange ways, used his long arms to dash on all fours like a wild animal, and delivered attacks with the onyx spike at the end of his tail.


    His sword, his claws, his teeth, and his horns were all weapons, so he used them all in tandem.


    When that was not enough, he summoned shadows or stepped through them to attack the Saint from an unexpected angle.


    Nephis was pushing her body to the limit, as well. Her flames burned and danced, trying to envelop their enemy or coalescing into incinerating jets that could cut through flesh and bone with frightening ease. She seemed to possess an authority over the battlefield that was almost frightening.


    And while they did that, they also exchanged a torrent of thoughts and concepts at tremendous speed.


    Sunny was sharing his knowledge, while Nephis was sharing hers.


    The pieces of the puzzle were flying into his head, slotting into the grand picture with satisfying clicks.


    Some of them he had figured out himself, but some were new and unexpected. It seemed that Nephis possessed a perspective that was both similar and different from his own, but no less keen. She paid attention to things that Sunny would have never thought about, and arrived at conclusions that he might have missed.


    The same was true in reverse.


    But together... together, they missed nothing. They saw everything.


    It was as though they were omniscient.


    And with that omniscience...


    Everything clicked in place, and the essence of Saint Dire Fang was revealed to Sunny.


    He hesitated for a moment, and then sent actual words to Nephis for the first time.


    He said... or rather, thought.


    [...Do you trust me?]

 Chapter 1199 Battle of the Black Skull (13)

    Chapter 1199 Battle of the Black Skull (13)


    Sunny had done it. He had dismantled Dire Fang''s astonishing battle style, and peered into the very essence of it. The core of the Saint''s combat technique was laid bare, with all its components �� the body, the mind, and the soul �� revealed to Sunny with stark clarity.


    With that knowledge, he could predict what Dire Fang would do.


    He could even perform some of the same things despite the difference in their Aspects and physiques.


    And armed with that understanding, Sunny finally realized...


    That there was no way for them to win. The fearsome Saint was just too powerful, skilled, and intelligent. He held the outcome of the battle in a firm grasp, biding his time until the perfect opportunity inevitably presented itself.


    And their own strength was not enough to change that outcome.


    Even if Sunny knew that a strike was coming, he would not necessarily be fast enough to dodge it. Even if he knew the enemy''s intent, he would not be strong enough to survive it.


    And neither would Nephis.


    At least if their level of strength, already unthinkable for mere Masters, remained the same.


    ...But it did not have to, did it?


    [Do you trust me?]


    ''What a loaded question.''


    Sunny had his reasons, but it was true that he had gone against Neph''s wishes in pretty much every instance where it mattered. He had abandoned her in the Dark City, refused to leave her in the Crimson Spire, and then fled from her again at the grand ball of Clan Valor.


    Just to end up by her side anyway.


    It was a bit funny, and a bit sad, but most of all... Sunny wasn''t sure if she did actually trust him. He wasn''t even sure if he himself would have trusted him.


    The same was true the other way around.


    And yet, as far as he could see, that was their only chance to emerge from this fight alive. If he could only prove to her somehow that...


    He let out a pained scream and was thrown backward, in the direction where Nephis was rising from her knees. Sunny landed on his feet and struggled to maintain his balance as he slid through the mud �� he might have fallen, but she stepped forward and supported him from behind, placing a hand on his back.


    Both of them were standing, but...


    They had lost the advantage of surrounding the enemy from two sides. Worse than that... they were both in the single line of attack now, Nephis hidden behind the towering figure of the shadow fiend.


    Dire Fang''s bestial eyes ignited with satisfied malice.


    ...And at the same time, Sunny''s fifth shadow, as well as all of Neph''s flame, poured from her hand and into his shell. Leaving her entirely exposed, but gifting him with twice the amount of physical augmentation.


    Instantly, his power exploded. His strength, his speed, his endurance, his agility �� all of it soared to heights that Sunny had never experienced before. The two of them had experimented with augmenting each other in his basement, but he had not invented the Shadow Shell yet back then. Now, all the parts came together to create a truly terrifying combination.


    Of course, it was not the smartest of tactics �� by making one of them exceedingly strong while leaving the other one weak, they were giving Dire Fang a perfect opportunity to get rid of the weaker enemy first, and then deal with the other one without being encumbered by the numerical disadvantage.


    But that was only true if the Saint survived long enough to figure out what happened.


    Sunny was not planning on giving him such a chance.


    He had to finish this fight in one exchange.


    ''So... I don''t just need to kill a Saint, I also need to kill him with one strike... well, isn''t it wonderful...''


    There was no more time to think.


    Only to kill.


    Sunny cleared his mind of all unnecessary thoughts, except for one �� a axiom he knew too well.


    ''The essence... of combat... is murder.''


    He was going to murder Saint Dire Fang, the vassal of the great clan Song, right here and now.


    There was no doubt or hesitation, no room for failure. Only certainty.


    The terrifying, towering beast in front of him opened his maw, ready to let out a deafening roar.


    Feeling the polished ivory of the Bone Singer manifest itself into his hand, Sunny flooded his body with smoldering essence, and lunged forward.

 Chapter 1200 Battle of the Black Skull (14)

    Chapter 1200 Battle of the Black Skull (14)


    Time was moving very slowly...


    No, it was Sunny who was moving too fast. It almost felt as if the world had frozen.


    The rain was suspended in the air, the fountains of mud had grown still, the distant figures of dying Awakened were like grotesque statues.


    In this nearly static world, only two things seemed unbound by paralysis �� the monstrous Saint in front of him, who was no slower than Sunny himself, and a bolt of lightning that was crawling across the sky, extending toward the ground as it forked and illuminated the bloody battlefield.


    ''Faster!''


    Suddenly, a deafening roar exploded from Dire Fang''s mouth, strangely distorted and haunting. It would have hit Sunny like a wall...


    But he was prepared.


    The [Silenced] enchantment of the emerald bone flute activated, creating a dome of absolute silence around him. Sunny passed through the sorcerous roar without being struck by its crushing power... however, behind him, Nephis had to endure its full weight without the protection of her flames.


    Stripped of their augmentation, she couldn''t resist it like she had before.


    Erasing the image of her falling figure from his mind, Sunny concentrated on the task.


    If anything, the importance of success had only become more stark now that his partner was debilitated. If he failed, both of them were going to die.


    But he had already rejected the possibility of failure.


    He was going to win. He was going to do what he promised to do. He was going to kill a damned Saint!


    At that moment, Dire Fang was more than a chance adversary to Sunny. He was the embodiment of everything Sunny wanted to destroy �� the rotten authority of the great clans, the vile curse of the Chain of Nightmares, the torturous brand of powerlessness that he bore on his soul ever since Falcon Scott.


    The inescapable shackles of fate.


    He was the enemy. A terrifying enemy, an overwhelmingly powerful enemy, an enemy that was nearly impossible to defeat.


    But...


    Dire Fang was too fast and skilled to allow the unexpected attack to reach its mark, though.


    A split second before Sunny could bring his sword down on the Saint''s neck...


    A massive clawed hand pushed forward, catching him in the chest.


    The power of that blow was too terrible.


    The onyx of the Mantle cracked and exploded, as if struck by five Transcendent swords. The manifested shadows comprising the shadow fiend shell were instantly sliced and torn apart.


    In an instant, the shadowspawn was mutilated beyond recognition. The upper portion of his torso was entirely destroyed, exploding into a fountain of darkness. His horned head was severed and flew into the air. Two of his four arms were ripped off.


    The entire mangled carcass was thrown back.


    The Sin of Solace slipped from his fingers.


    That was the thing, though...


    The shell of the shadow fiend was a towering monstrosity that stood at almost three meters of height.


    Sunny, meanwhile, was a young man of a rather modest stature.


    So, he could easily change the internal structure of the shell in a way that would allow him to sacrifice the upper portion of it while remaining perfectly unscathed.


    ...Almost at the same time as Dire Fang''s claws tore through the upper chest and neck of the shadow fiend, the whole shell suddenly lost its coherence, starting to dissolve back into the ethereal shadows.


    And, just below the harrowing cut, the top of Sunny''s head was revealed.


    The dissipating shell was thrown back by the strike, but his own body, freed from its embrace, continued to fly forward like a bullet.


    Time stood still.


    Catching the hilt of the Sin of Solace with his own human hand, Sunny used the tremendous augmentation of shadow and flame to fill his muscles with dreadful strength...


    And drove the tip of his sword into the Saint''s bestial eye.

 Chapter 1201 Battle of the Black Skull (15)

    Chapter 1201 Battle of the Black Skull (15)


    Under the relentless onslaught of rain, blood was being washed off the shattered armor of a beautiful young woman with black hair and vermilion eyes. She swayed, trying to lash out with her cracked sword, but slipped in the mud and fell heavily to one knee.


    Her breathing was hoarse, and her lips were painted crimson with blood.


    Mordret looked much worse than his sister.


    One of his eyes was gone, turning his face into a grotesque mask. So was one of his hands. His armor was on the verge of collapsing into a whirlwind of sparks, and terrible wounds covered his body, revealing flesh and bone.


    And yet, his expression was calm.


    ''Ah... it hurts... I haven''t felt pain like that in a long, long time...''


    He was growing weak because of blood loss, his vision turning blurry. But he was so close to his goal... after long, excruciating years, the first true taste of his revenge was so near.


    So, Mordret took a step forward, and then another.


    His sword rose. His hand was firm and unshaken.


    Morgan looked up at him, and the look in her eyes was sweeter than nectar. Confusion, indignation... and hidden behind them, a hint of fear.


    "How... how are you still standing, monster..."


    Mordret smiled.


    ''Barely...''


    one of the enchantments absorbed by her body, she was trying to heal herself �� her wounds were already closing, and she was not He was not going to engage in a lengthy conversation with her �� not yet. He knew that his sister was just trying to buy time. Using one of the enchantments absorbed by her body, she was trying to heal herself �� her wounds were already closing, and she was not bleeding nearly as heavily as she was supposed to.


    It was not going to save her, though.


    Morgan might have been able to heal herself, but she couldn''t replenish her essence, her focus, and her stamina. She was tired, and that fatigue was only going to get worse. It was going to seep into her bones and into her mind, dooming her.


    He just had to last a little bit longer than that.


    His sister gathered what little remained of her strength and dashed forward with a furious growl. Her sword flashed, sharp and cunning, aiming for his neck... Mordret knew that he wouldn''t be able to block or evade it, so he didn''t.


    Instead, he just shifted his torso slightly, allowing the sharp edge to cut into his clavicle instead of his neck, endured the blinding flash of pain, and drove his own sword into a crack in her armor.


    Morgan groaned.


    ...Until he wasn''t.


    At some point, somehow, almost unexplainably, he gained the initiative in this abhorrent dance of theirs. And once he did, his advantage grew like an avalanche.


    No matter how many wounds he had accumulated, no matter how terribly Morgan hurt him, Mordret was unshaken. His one remaining eye glimmered, reflecting her dwindling confidence.


    And then, after a while, Morgan fell and failed to stand up again.


    Growling, she struck the ground with her first.


    "I... I don''t... I don''t understand. How... are you... what trick..."


    He smiled, dragging his aching body toward her.


    Now was the time to talk �� not only because Morgan had finally exhausted all her monstrous reserves, but also because he was tired, as well. He needed a few moments to catch his breath and prepare for the final strike.


    "You don''t understand? Oh, but it is so simple. There is no trick. Yes, you are stronger than me, faster than me... you are maybe even more skilled than me. However, dear sister, I am infinitely superior to you in one aspect. The most important aspect."


    He struggled against the weight of his sword, which was suddenly unbearable, and gritted his teeth.


    "...It''s desire. Don''t you know that everything has its beginnings in desire? And my desire, it''s infinitely more powerful than yours. That is why I am more powerful than you... that is all there is, sister. Oh, and my desire is also much more pure."


    ''Can''t she see? Well... she''s young, after all...''


    Mordret reached the spot where Morgan was trying to get up from the mud and ruthlessly kicked her in the side with his armored boot. She yelped, and fell back down.


    He looked at her coldly.


    "You see... my only desire is to kill you. But you, you want so many things. You want to kill and imprison me, but you also want to survive killing and imprisoning me. You want to protect your neck from being cut, your heart from being pierced, your skull from being crushed, your eyes from being gouged out. All these countless desires weigh you down. They are a burden that reduces your strength, dulls your skill, and diminishes your speed. But me? I have no such burden. I only care about one thing. I only want to kill you. That is why you are weak, and I am strong."


    Mordret used his one remaining eye to glance at the bloody stump of his right hand, at his broken armor, and at his mangled body.


    His gaze was indifferent.


    "...And that is why my wish will come true, but yours will not."


    Without wasting any more time, he smiled bitterly, and raised his sword.


    His goal was so close... he just had to bring the sword down.


    However, he never did.

 Chapter 1202 Battle of the Black Skull (16)

    Chapter 1202 Battle of the Black Skull (16)


    Somewhere else on the battlefield, a sword made of pure darkness pierced a figure made of blinding sunshine. The radiant knight staggered, while the tenebrous knight stood calmly, looking at him with two indifferent crimson eyes.


    Saint twisted her sword, and the darkness contained within it seemed to expand, hungrily devouring the shine of her enemy. The Reflection of Summer Knight grew dimmer and convulsed, as if trying to scream.


    However, no scream could be heard.


    The radiant figure grew bleak and translucent. A moment later, a net of cracks suddenly appeared on the surface of the dying light, and then, with a faint sound of breaking mirrors, the Reflection exploded into countless shards of silver glass.


    Saint indifferently retracted her sword and shifted her gaze, searching for a new opponent.


    ***


    Separated from her by a vast distance, a gargantuan worm brought its monstrous weight down and then twisted, catching something invisible in its maw. The countless creatures comprising the Echo slithered, grinding the invisible foe into dust.


    ***


    In the heart of the battlefield, obscured by rain, a beautiful demoness screamed as her face was cut by an unseen blade. She staggered back and fell, crimson tears rolling to the ground.


    In front of her, a vague silhouette was suddenly outlined by the streams of falling water and the brilliance of flashing lightning.


    A cold, ruthless voice came from the rain:


    "Stupid girl... you should have stayed sweet and innocent, like you were before..."


    Beastmaster gritted her teeth.


    "I''m... I''m not done yet, old man... you haven''t won yet..."


    The rain laughed.


    "Die, now... this little scuffle of ours was fun..."


    ***


    [You have slain a Transcendent human, Dire Fang.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    [You have received...]


    The towering monstrosity swayed, the spark of life disappearing from his eyes. Sunny, who had driven the Sin of Solace into the Saint''s skull up to the hilt, was perched precariously on the beast''s snout, holding onto the grey fur with one hand. He froze for a moment.


    ''I... won?''


    The body of Dire Fang tilted, and then toppled. Since the Saint''s Transcendent form was quite high, there was considerable distance to the ground. Sunny rode it all the way down, still holding on to the hilt of the Sin of Solace.


    The giant beast crashed, causing the ground to tremble. Still in shock, Sunny retrieved his sword and stood up, glancing at the battlefield from atop the felled giant.


    ''I won...''


    Then, he lost his footing and rolled into the mud.


    The mud felt cool and pleasant to the touch.


    He stared at her, feeling a sense of triumph flood his heart.


    But then...


    The smile slowly disappeared from Sunny''s face.


    ***


    Separated from them by the wicked havoc of the battle, a blind girl was standing in the middle of a vast circle of corpses, drops of blood falling from her rapier and her armor. Behind her, a woman with golden hair and amber eyes was leaning heavily on a spear.


    Suddenly, the blind girl shivered and lowered her sword. Her shoulders fell.


    Turning around, she ignored the rushing enemies and looked up, at the cloud-ridden sky.


    Her exquisitely beautiful face was solemn.


    ***


    Mordret raised his sword, ready to strike his sister down.


    But then, he froze.


    His strange, mirror-like eyes trembled.


    As if forgetting about Morgan, he slowly turned around and looked at the sky with a grim expression.


    ***


    The smile slowly disappeared from Sunny''s lips.


    The wind was cold.


    In the flash of lightning, he suddenly looked paler than a ghost. His face fell.


    Nephis frowned.


    "Sunny? What''s wrong?"


    He looked frightened.


    Without answering, Sunny slowly turned away from her and looked up with an expression of utter terror.


    "I... I don''t... I don''t know... something is wrong..."


    His voice drowned in a deafening thunderclap. Neph hesitated for a moment, then traced his gaze and looked up at the sky.


    There didn''t seem to be anything there.


    ...Except for a strange, rippling darkness.


    For a few moments, the battlefield seemed to grow still.


    And then, the sky crumbled and split apart, devoured by an abyssal rift that seemed to be leading to the very depths of hell.


    A gargantuan Nightmare Gate tore the world into pieces, dwarfing the battlefield as it cut through the sky and manifested itself into existence.The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))

 Chapter 1203 Battle of the Black Skull (17)

    Chapter 1203 Battle of the Black Skull (17)


    The sky parted, sliced through by a narrow vertical rift. Behind it, the fabric of reality made way for a dark, harrowing abyss of nothingness �� both light and darkness seemed to be twisted and changed near the Gate, breaking as they were destroyed.


    The rift dwarfed the entire battlefield, stretching for hundreds and hundreds of meters into the shattered sky. The abandoned outpost, and the black fissure of the Nightmare Gate that led to the vicinity of the Black Skull, looked tiny and insignificant in front of it.


    An invisible shockwave rolled outward from the point where the gargantuan rift touched the ground, exerting an almost irresistible force. Sunny braced himself, but still staggered as the wave passed through him, barely managing to stay on his feet.


    His mind was drowned by the deafening, cacophonous howling of the Call �� it was many times louder, more unbearable, and maddeningly demanding than it had ever been before.


    Sunny desperately resisted the overwhelming desire to submit.


    All around them, the Awakened warriors screamed as they grabbed their heads and fell to their knees. Their eyes were wide open, but unseeing. Some were bleeding, and some seemed to be crawling toward the Gate. Some were thrown to the ground by the shockwave.


    The invisible force made no distinction between those serving Valor and those serving Song �� they were all the same in the face of the harrowing rift.


    Mundane humans, if any had come to witness this battle, would have been outright killed by the pressure of the Gate.


    Sunny staggered back and looked up at it in terror.


    His lips moved.


    "Four... it''s a Category Four Nightmare Gate..."


    And, just as he said those words...


    The world shook again, and another rift tore through the sky.


    The world convulsed, and one more sliced the fabric of reality apart.


    Like three dark pillars holding up the heavens�� or three vile spears cruelly thrust into the flesh of the world �� three colossal Nightmare Gates surrounded the battlefield, cutting out all paths of retreat.


    Not that there was a way to escape them.


    The three armies �� the valiant warriors of Clan Valor, the fearless soldiers of Clan Song, and those Awakened of the Evacuation Army that had come as escorts of Saint Cor ��were trapped between the abhorrent black rifts.


    ...And then, something vast moved in the abyssal darkness of the first Gate.


    Those who had enough presence of mind left to see witnessed something shift within the Nightmare Gate. A moment later, giant fingers suddenly pushed from it into the waking world, each as large as a tower. There were dozens of them, all dark and strangely human-like, with black, broken fingernails and torn, calloused skin.


    That was when the darkness within the other two Gates moved, as well.


    He considered his chances of outrunning the tide of Corrupted and Great abominations that would enter the waking world in mere moments. Even with Nightmare and Shadow Step... the chances...


    Were zero.


    If even the Saints were obliterated in seconds, a Master like him had no chance at all.


    Nephis suddenly shuddered, and then grabbed him by the shoulder. Her lips parted:


    "...Realm! Escaping into the Dream Realm! That is the only way!"


    He stared at her with hollow eyes, trying to understand the meaning of these words.


    ''What is she on about?''


    Then, with tremendous effort, Sunny forced himself to calm down and regain his composure.


    He could... barely... think again.


    Escaping into the Dream Realm?


    That was indeed a chance.


    No one knew what they would find there, but it could very well be better than being trapped between three Category Four Nightmare Gates.


    At least, that way, there was a possibility of survival.


    Here, there was only death.


    Or something much worse.


    The problem was that the process of traveling between worlds was not instantaneous. It took time to open the door between the waking world and the Dream Realm, and even more time to step through.


    Would they be fast enough to escape?


    ''...There is only one way to find out.''


    Staring at the Great horror slowly pushing its vast body through the broken abyssal rift, Sunny took a deep breath, and tried to feel his Dream Realm anchor.

 Chapter 1204 Battle of the Black Skull (18)

    Chapter 1204 Battle of the Black Skull (18)


    Sunny and Nephis stood side by side as they watched utter devastation being unleashed by creature crawling out of the colossal Nightmare Gates. The gargantuan black tentacles were still far away, but they were getting closer with every moment.


    Numerous Awakened had already been killed, and more were going to die soon.


    It was... too sudden, too much.


    There were a lot of things that Sunny needed to comprehend, accept, and think about... the future... Cassie, Effie, and Kai... Jet...


    But there was no time to think. It was almost impossible, anyway �� the Call was roaring in his mind, making any kind of thought difficult. All he could do right now was concentrate on his own survival.


    One thing Sunny did do, however, was dismiss his Shadows. They would be of no help againt the Great being, but losing them to this catastrophe was just too easy.


    ''Ruined... it''s all ruined...''


    Sunny tried to sense his connection to the Dream Realm.


    As a Master, he could leave the waking world at will. It took some time to activate the connection, and usually, he would be transported to his anchor Citadel in a matter of minutes.


    That was not going to happen today, of course. Being in close proximity to a Nightmare Gate disturbed the anchor, so entering the Dream Realm near them meant being pulled by the Call and entering the area surrounding the Seed instead.


    Currently, Sunny was in the area of effect of four different Nightmare Gates. He didn''t even know which Seed he would be pulled to, but anything was better than remaining on the desolate plain that was going to be flooded with indescribably powerful abominations very soon.


    ''Hurry, hurry, hurry...''


    In front of him, a scene out of a nightmare was playing out. No one on the battlefield was strong enough to resist the being unleashed by the Nightmare Gate �� all they could do was try to run, fail, and die.


    Those who succumbed to the Call could not even run.


    Scores of Awakened, Echoes, and enthralled abominations were all being torn apart and pulverized. The seething mass of dark flesh, meanwhile, continued to squeeze itself through the Gate.


    The black fingers continued to hold the rift apart, but there was also a gargantuan hand that had emerged from the abyssal nothingness entirely, plunging down to grab a fistful of screaming humans.


    ''I need to... succumb to the Call, as well.''


    Sunny had spent the last... it was close to eight months, by now... the last eight months having his mind almost constantly assaulted by the insidious whispers of the Call. Sometimes, they were loud, and sometimes they were quiet enough to seem nearly absent.


    It had been hard to deal with the maddening pressure at first, but slowly, he developed a sort of resistance to the Call. He had learned how to fight it.


    Nephis looked back at him, something grotesque and lumbering reflecting in her striking grey eyes.


    She nodded.


    "Yes."


    Then, she hesitated for a second, and took a deep breath.


    "Sunny... I need to tell you something."


    He gritted his teeth, suddenly frightened that what she was going to say would sound like a farewell. Nevertheless, he forced himself to ask:


    "What?"


    Neph lingered for a bit.


    Then, as the ground under them trembled violently, she suddenly looked away.


    What she said next was entirely unexpected.


    "The projector... back in your house... it... it didn''t really explode by itself. I lied. Actually, I broke it. So... I''m really sorry."


    Sunny stared at her in disbelief. His mind short-circuited for a moment.


    ''How is her tone so... what...''


    He blinked, and then scoffed.


    "Why the hell..."


    However, he did not finish the sentence.


    Suddenly, the world disappeared, and Sunny saw �� or rather, perceived �� a boundless void. It was the familiar, empty void between dream and reality.


    A moment later, he was suddenly blinded by bright sunlight, and assaulted by unbearable heat.


    Falling on something soft and scorching, Sunny rolled and frantically tried to sense the surrounding space through the shadows.


    The battle was now behind him.


    ...He had reached the Nightmare Desert.

 Chapter 1205 Into the Fire

    Chapter 1205 Into the Fire


    Heat.


    It was hot. Lethally hot... a mundane human would not have lasted in this suffocating heat for long. Even as a Master, Sunny was struggling to breathe. His skin was burning.


    Sitting on the sand, hunched, he covered his eyes and looked up at the merciless white sun.


    The sun was like a small silver coin that hung high in the cloudless azure sky.


    White sand. Azure sky.


    This was indeed the desert Nephis had once tried to cross. The one that lay east of the Forgotten Shore, stretching far and wide along the Hollow Mountains.


    He couldn''t see the dreadful black peaks, though. Either this part of the Nightmare Desert was much further north than the small fragment Nephis had traversed, or much further east, where the Hollow Mountains were no more.


    In either case, Sunny was in big trouble. Nephis had told them that the further one went into the desert, the more dangerous it became. Eventually, she could not advance anymore, and chose to take her chances in the mountains instead...


    Just how deadly was this desert, for Nephis to decide that venturing into a known Death Zone was a better choice?


    There was one more thing, too... if it was the same desert, then he had to find shelter before the night came. Failing to do so meant death.


    Death...


    Sunny sighed.


    He was sitting on the white sand, casting five stark shadows. A few dozen seconds had already passed since his arrival in this cursed land, and very soon, something was bound to find and attack him.


    He had to move, but his mind was plagued by too many thoughts.


    ''It''s useless... it''s all useless...''


    Just a few minutes ago, Sunny had been full of a sense of triumph. He had defeated a Saint. He had won. His desperate plan had come so close to fruition...


    With Dire Fang''s death, the balance on the battlefield had been bound to shift. Mordret''s reflections would have been destroyed... the remaining two enemy Saints would have been either killed or forced into retreat.


    Clan Valor would have achieved a sweeping victory. None of its key figures would have perished, and plenty of Awakened would have remained alive to continue defending East Antarctica until the winter solstice.


    He felt a slight tremor run through the sand beneath him and grimaced.


    Escape... how could he escape the Nightmare Desert?


    There were four ways.


    The first one was to cross the desert and find a path through the Hollow Mountains. Needless to say, surviving a journey through two entire Death Zones was highly improbable.


    The second way was to find one of the Saints who had survived the Nightmare Gates and successfully escaped into the desert. Saints could travel back to the waking world without the help of a Gateway, and they could even bring a person or two with them. Sunny was not sure that he could convince anyone except for Saint Tyris to save him instead of all others... and there were still Nephis, Cassie, Effie, Kai, and Jet to think about.


    Any Saint that left would not be coming back to this corner of the desert, since that would require returning to the proximity of the gargantuan Nightmare Gates.


    So... that way would most likely not work, either.


    The third way was to become a Saint himself. That was, of course, even more suicidal than trying to traverse both the Nightmare Desert and the Hollow Mountains. Sunny had barely survived the Second Nightmare. He had been beheaded, had his heart ripped out of his chest, barely survived thanks to stumbling on Noctis by pure luck, almost lost himself in the endless sea of nightmares, fought against an entire army of Awakened, and even faced Mordret at the end.


    The Third Nightmare would be much more harrowing... and even if he somehow Transcended, there was a high possibility that the Sovereigns would make him disappear as a result.


    Which left only the fourth way. The only plausible one.


    Sunny had to find the Black Skull Citadel, and use its Gateway to return to the waking world.


    That, too, was more easily said than done. The Nightmare Desert, after all, was vast. And full of all kinds of horrors.


    The main problem, though, was that only two people knew the location of the Citadel.


    One of them was Morgan, and the other one was Mordret.


    ...So, he had to find one of them first.


    ''Either one will do.''


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment, and then suddenly jumped back.


    A split second after he did, the sand under him exploded, and countless hands rose from beneath it, clawing at the air.


    ''Here we go. It''s starting...''

 Chapter 1206 Nightmare Desert

    Chapter 1206 Nightmare Desert


    A tenebrous black steed was flying across the white sands of the Nightmare Desert, pursued by an unseen horror. Sunny was leaning from the saddle, shielding his eyes against the scorching wind as he brandished the Sin of Solace. A hand that shot from beneath the ground was cleanly severed and dissolved into a swirl of ash.


    ''Curses... that thing is persistent.''


    Behind him, a vast swath of the desert was changing. It was almost imperceptible unless one knew what to look for �� the minute tremors running through the sand, the slight tilt of the dunes, the subtle shifting of the shadows...


    Something enormous was moving beneath the sand, following him.


    He had already used four out of his five shadows to augment Nightmare, leaving only one to strengthen the enchantment of the Memory of Fire through the [Underworld Armament]. That allowed him some measure of relief from the unbearable heat of the desert, at least.


    But even with the help of the four shadows, his mount was not fast enough to outrun the creature.


    Much worse, it was not the only abomination in this part of the desert.


    In fact, Sunny was surrounded by Nightmare Creatures.


    There were too many of them to count, all moving in the same direction... they were responding to the call, pulled to the blooming Seed of Nightmare by its sweet promise.


    Luckily, most abominations seemed to be in a strange state. It was as though they were hypnotized, forgetting about everything except for the goal of reaching the Seed and entering the waking world through it. As long as Sunny did not get in their way, most paid him no attention.


    It was deeply disturbing, really.


    Sunny had only ever seen Nightmare Creatures in the throes of murderous frenzy. Having them walk past him with detached indifference was somehow more frightening than facing them in a bloody battle.


    ''Crap, crap, crap...''


    The desert was wide and flawlessly white, and the towering figures of abominations were moving across it with measured steps, separated from each other by a considerable distance. Their shadows were like long lines of stark blackness.


    With a sigh, he dismissed the Endless Spring and looked around.


    From the height of the dune, Sunny could see far and wide. He could send his shadows to explore, too, if need be. However, that would be risky... he wasn''t sure that he was ready to part with even a single shadow in this dangerous and unpredictable land.


    There was no need to, anyway.


    There were white dunes around him as far as the eye could see. Countless Nightmare Creatures could be seen, as well, moving in the same direction. There were also black ruins peppering the desert, half-buried in sand.


    Those ruins did not really seem like the remains of buildings. Their shape was too strange, and their dimensions were all wrong. The structures, whatever they had once been, all differed in size... a smaller ruin would not be much of a shelter, but some of the larger ones he saw could save him come the night.


    ...Of course, there was also the black pyramid.


    Sunny held his breath as he looked at its ominous silhouette.


    The Tomb of Ariel was always in view, far in the distance. However, no matter how long one moved in the direction of the perfectly symmetrical black edifice, it never grew closer, remaining out of touch like a mirage.


    ''That thing might not even be real.''


    ...But Sunny felt that it was. He also knew that there had to be a way to get closer to it �� Nephis had never seen the black pyramid before, after all, which meant that it could only be seen from certain parts of the desert.


    Which also meant that there had to be a path to it.


    ''Who cares?''


    Sunny certainly didn''t. He had no ambitions of conquering the Tomb of Ariel. In fact, he wanted to avoid it at all costs.


    All he wanted to do was find his friends and escape the cursed desert, as soon as possible.


    Grimacing, Sunny chose one of the larger ruins that rose from the sand many kilometers away, and sent Nightmare into a gallop.

 Chapter 1207 First Night

    Chapter 1207 First Night


    On the way to the ruin, Sunny stumbled on a human. It was the first survivor of the Battle of the Black Skull that he saw in the desert... sadly, the man was already dead.


    His body lay on the white sand, staring at the merciless azure sky with glassy eyes. Sunny vaguely recognized him as one of Clan Song''s Ascended �� they had never spoken to each other before, but he recalled seeing the man during the battle against the titanic horde, back in East Antarctica


    The Ascended''s Memory armor had dissipated after its master''s death, so the body was only covered by a torn bodysuit. There were several wounds in view, but none of them were serious enough to doom a Master. It was unclear what had brought upon the man''s death... maybe there was severe internal damage, or maybe it was simply the heat that had killed him.


    With a sigh, Sunny jumped off Nightmare, kneeled, and closed the man''s eyes. There was not much more he could do, so he just remained motionless for a few moments, then climbed back into the saddle and continued on his way.


    His mood was somber.


    In the end, the sun had almost disappeared beyond the dunes by the time Sunny reached the large ruin. Scared by the prospect of remaining in the open after dark, he hurriedly dismissed his Shadow and climbed over the weathered black stones. He quickly found a narrow fissure in the sand-covered floor and squeezed through it, eventually reaching an underground chamber.


    Near the end of the narrow crawlway, the stones shifted under his weight, and Sunny fell down in an avalanche of sand.


    He landed awkwardly and was about to let out a relieved sigh when something cold touched his neck.


    A steel blade.


    A hoarse voice resounded from above:


    "What do we have here..."


    Sunny carefully put his fingers on the blade of an enchanted glaive and slowly pushed it away from his skin.


    "Can you not? I really don''t want to have my head cut off... again..."


    There was a moment of silence, and then a soft gasp.


    "Sunny?"


    Looking up, he saw a curious scene.


    The underground chamber was not very large, and there were two beautiful women hiding inside. Both of them were bruised and battered, with grim expressions on their enticing faces.


    One of them was Jet, and the other one was Song Seishan.


    Soul Reaper was closer to the hole he had fallen from, so she had lashed out with her glaive on instinct.


    "Yeah, it''s me. Say... why are you two sitting here in complete darkness?"


    Jet leaned back and smiled.


    "Yes, we were trying to kill each other. This wench even tried to bite me... ah, it was really gross! But what does it matter now? Here in the desert, there are no sides. Just us, and the Nightmare Creatures. So, there was no reason to fight anymore when we stumbled on each other."


    Seishan gave her a long look.


    "Who are you calling a wench, you corpse?"


    She grimaced, as if nauseated.


    ''Wait... did Seishan try to drink Jet''s blood? Ha... it must not have tasted too pleasant, judging by that expression.''


    Of all the people on the battlefield, she just had to go and clash with the only person who countered her Aspect. Compared to her, even Sunny''s luck seemed wonderful.


    Seishan lingered for a few moments, then returned the Endless Spring and gave Sunny a long look.


    "What about you, Sunless? The last I saw of you, Dire Fang was heading to your position. How did you survive?"


    Sunny received the glass bottle and smiled pleasantly.


    "Oh... actually, I killed him."


    The two of them stared at him with wide eyes.


    ''Right. I received a reward for slaying Dire Fang. I didn''t even check...''


    Seishan opened her mouth to say something, but at that moment, they heard a terrifying sound. It came from above, from the sides... from everywhere.


    The dead were rising to continue their eternal battle.


    Soon, a distant cacophony of titanic blows and inhuman roars seeped into the chamber through the hole in its roof, and the stones surrounding them vibrated. Streams of sand flowed through the cracks in the black tiles.


    No one was in the mood to talk after that.


    They just sat in silence, tense, and waited...


    Time passed.


    Then, a different sound reached their ears.


    Someone �� or something �� was crawling through the narrow fissure, descending into the underground chamber.

 Chapter 1208 Newcomer

    Chapter 1208 Newcomer


    Instantly, all three of them �� Sunny, Jet, and Seishan �� were on guard. Jet readied her glaive, while Sunny gripped the hilt of the Sin of Solace tighter. Seishan, meanwhile, lowered her hands slightly, as if preparing to defend herself with bare fists.


    The cursed sword whispered into Sunny''s ear:


    "Use them as a shield... take a step back, and let whatever comes feast on their flesh first..."


    Sunny struggled to ignore it.


    Before, he had not dared to send his shadows outside to keep an eye on the desert �� with how dreadful the creatures populating it at night were, many of them were bound to possess means of destroying intangible things. Sunny did not want to risk one of his shadows being obliterated.


    But now, he regretted that decision.


    As his expression hardened, streams of sand fell from above, and then, someone jumped softly on the stone plates of the chamber''s floor.


    Sunny felt immense relief. It was a human...


    Jet remained on guard, but Seishan seemed to relax. She straightened slightly and let out a soft sight, her exquisitely beautiful face illuminated by a pale smile.


    "Ascended Xu... you have survived, as well."


    They were safe. The newcomer was not a terrifying Nightmare Creature �� it was a survivor like the three of them. One of the Masters of Clan Song.


    The man groaned slightly, then shielded his eyes from the bright light of the luminous Memory. His hand trembled slightly.


    "Lady... Lady Song?"


    Looking at him, Sunny suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.


    A sense of fear like he had never experienced before wrapped its fingers around his heart.


    He almost staggered back, but forced himself to remain in place, wearing the same expression as before.


    ''W��what... the hell...''


    Sunny stared at the newcomer.


    The man was tall and muscular. His black hair was cut short, revealing a strong, handsome face. His eyes were like two pools of darkness, and there was a strained smile on his cracked lips.


    Ascended Xu wielded no weapons and wore no armor. He was dressed in a dark-red bodysuit, which was torn, revealing ugly lacerations and bruises covering his body.


    ...It was, without a doubt, the dead man whose eyes Sunny had closed just a few hours ago.


    Sunny shivered, and even the blurry figure of the Sin of Solace who stood beside him suddenly seemed wary.


    Seishan took a deep breath.


    Then, Sunny sent a message to Seishan.


    [That is not Ascended Xu. Think of an answer, and I will hear it.]


    The beautiful woman did not show any sign of surprise as her answer resounded in his mind:


    [What are you talking about? I know this man. He and I grew up together... wait. Did the son of Anvil take his body?]


    ''Gods. I never thought I would say something like that... but I wish it really was Mordret...''


    Sunny summoned the runes, seeking the prize he had received for slaying Dire Fang.


    [No. Something else took his body. His dead body. Something old, vast... and powerful. I saw the corpse on the way to the ruin.]


    The creature, meanwhile, seemed a little disappointed. Its smile grew bleak.


    "Of course. We will stick together... and search for more people. Once the morning comes. Yes?"


    Sunny stared at a particular string of runes, and then offered the Endless Spring to the corpse of Ascended Su. Forcing out a smile, he said:


    "That sounds like a plan. Here... some water. You must be dying of thirst."


    The creature accepted the glass bottle with an awkward nod.


    "Yes. Yes... I am thirsty..."


    Sunny smiled as he watched it bring the bottle to the corpse''s lips.


    Then, without changing expression, he silently thrust the Sin of Solace into the creature''s chest.


    At the same time, a blade made of darkness appeared from behind, piercing the dead man''s back. Saint escaped from the shadows, her eyes burning with crimson flames.


    A whirlwind of white sparks rose around Sunny, almost filling the entire chamber.


    Jet and Seishan were already moving, too.


    The creature looked at the Endless Spring, which was disappearing from the corpse''s hand, and titled its head a little.


    "Yes... I am thirsty..."


    Its smile widened into a grin, and Ascended Xu''s face was distorted by that grin, turning into a wicked parody of what a human face was supposed to look like.


    The corpse''s hands shot up with impossible speed, grabbing the blades of Sunny''s and Saint''s swords. The pristine white jade of the Sin of Solace seemed to warp under immense pressure.


    Sunny suddenly felt cold.


    ''Not good...''

 Chapter 1209 No Way Out

    Chapter 1209 No Way Out


    The Sin of Solace was a Transcendent Memory, and one that had an enchantment enhancing the material of the blade, at that. And yet, as soon as the creature grabbed the white jade, Sunny felt that it was moments away from breaking.


    He had been planning to deliver the follow-up strike while augmenting the cursed sword with all five of his shadows, but it felt like if he did, there would be no sword for him to augment.


    Cursing, Sunny hurriedly dismissed the jade blade and staggered back.


    At the same time, Master Xu moved, and Saint was suddenly flying back. She hit the wall of the chamber with a deafening boom, shattering the black stones and creating a deep crater. White sand flowed from the cracks, falling on her broken armor.


    A split second later, Jet brought her glaive down on the harrowing creature. Its ghostly blade passed through the abomination''s dead flesh unimpeded, cutting straight into its soul... then, a net of black cracks spread through the enchanted steel, and it exploded into countless fragments. Startled, Soul Reaper lost her balance.


    Seishan''s delicate hands were like demonic claws, easily slicing through the creature''s neck.


    But the creature was still smiling.


    The wound on its chest that the Sin of Solace had left behind had already closed. The deep cut delivered by Saint''s sword was gone, too. As Sunny, Jet, and Seishan watched in horror, the mangled neck of Master Xu rippled and healed, with not a speck left on his skin.


    "W��what..."


    Seishan''s voice suddenly sounded small.


    At the same time, she sent Sunny a tense mental message:


    [What do we do?]


    He was the one who had informed her about the nature of the newcomer, so Seishan must have hoped that Sunny knew something about how to deal with the creature.


    However, he did not. He only knew that fighting it was suicidal.


    Sunny did not hesitate at all. Dismissing Saint, he dashed back and shouted:


    "Run!"


    In the next moment, the whirlwind of sparks filling the chamber finally coalesced into a lumbering, monstrous figure. A bestial hand exploded forward, swatting Master Xu aside and slamming him against the wall.


    The Spell whispered into Sunny''s ears:


    [Your Echo has been destroyed.]


    He staggered and gritted his teeth.


    ''Just... just like that?''


    Sunny knew that the Echo of Dire Fang would not be able to defeat the harrowing creature, but still... he had not expected it to be destroyed in mere seconds.


    He had just gotten that Echo. And now, it was gone.


    Just what kind of horror was wearing the body of Master Xu?


    ...No matter what it was, the three of them were not capable of fighting it.


    Even if Dire Fang himself had been here �� or all the other Saints of the great clans �� Sunny was not sure that the abomination could have been stopped.


    Summoning Nightmare, he shouted to Jet and Seishan:


    "Get on!"


    Soul Reaper stared at him for a split second.


    "But... but I still don''t know how to ride a horse!"


    Sunny was already running away.


    "Figure it out, if you want to live!"


    A moment later, both Jet and Seishan climbed onto Nightmare. The black steed instantly rushed away from the narrow fissure in the stone floor.


    Sunny was just a step or two ahead, turning into a swift shadow.


    Together, the four of them flew out of the ruin...


    And plunged into the dreadful havoc of the eternal battle.

 Chapter 1210 Dead Soldiers

    Chapter 1210 Dead Soldiers


    Nightmare flew through the battlefield where the servants of dead deities fought against each other, unable to resolve their ancient grudge even after thousands of years had passed. All around the galloping steed, giants made of black bones clashed with murderous fury.


    Each strike of a rusted blade, each blow of a vicious claw, each snap of crushing jaws produced powerful shockwaves that stirred the white sand and made it seem as if the world was on the verge of collapsing. Angry sparks flew into the air, and a cacophonous clangor filled the dark sky.


    ''Crazy, crazy... this is crazy!''


    Sunny was in the form of a shadow, gliding across the sand in front of Nightmare. He was serving as a guide, and the black stallion followed, carrying Jet and Seishan.


    Sunny''s mind was in overdrive, absorbing every minute detail of what was happening around them. He had to find a way to avoid the ancient wraiths and slip between them, somehow, while not being destroyed by their destructive wrath.


    It was not easy... no, it was almost impossible. His only saving grace was that the dead did not seem to pay them any attention.


    Still, just the aftershocks of their dreadful attacks were enough to obliterate a puny Ascended like Sunny.


    ''Damn it all!''


    As they moved away from the ruin, Sunny saw...


    A black skeleton easily parting the night sky with its obsidian sword. The abominable bone behemoth that had been attacking the dead swordsman shuddered and collapsed, making the whole desert shake. Its mountain-like skeleton, almost a kilometer long, was cleanly cut in half along the spine.


    A phalanx of ancient warriors marching forward to meet the charge of monstrous skeletal cavalry. The moment the two tides of black bones met, millions of stars were suddenly extinguished in the sky.


    Two giants colliding above the dunes. One wielded a sword, while the other had iron shackles fastened around its wrists and ankles. The heavy chains rang as a gargantuan shackled hand shot forward, grabbing the colossal sword and flinging it away.


    their bottomless embrace. The steel blade flashed past his intangible form like a wall of steel, barely missing Sunny himself.


    ...Right in the direction of Sunny.


    ''Curse...''


    ''We need to hide... we need to hide...''


    Suddenly, Sunny saw a flash of light somewhere far away.


    He couldn''t really perceive colors while in the form of a shadow, but from the purity of the light, he knew that it had to be white.


    Some distance away, obscured by countless fighting skeletons, a white halo was rising above the desert.


    ''There.''


    Without spending too much time doubting himself, Sunny pivoted and flew toward the distant light. Nightmare followed, foam falling from his mouth.


    All around them, the armies of the dead continued to annihilate each other, their battle slowly turning into a frenzied, apocalyptic scene of the end of the world.


    Sunny knew that he was going to die. He was supposed to be dead already, even �� the power of the clashing creatures was too great for mere mortals to survive.


    And yet, it seemed that luck was on his side today.


    Somehow, they were continuing to cling to their lives.


    Eventually, they reached the source of the white light.


    Hidden behind rolling white dunes, a stone edifice protruded from the sand. It was surrounded by a ring of white flame �� and, strangely enough, none of the black skeletons dared to cross it.


    Sunny did not risk plunging into the fire, either. Instead, he stepped through the shadows and appeared within the ring of flames. Nightmare simply jumped over them, landing nearby.


    The ruin was in front of them, seemingly empty. There was no movement inside.


    Feeling his heart start to beat faster, Sunny glanced at the white flame, and then at the broken black stones. His breath grew heavy.


    ''...Neph?'' The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))

 Chapter 1211 Until Dawn

    Chapter 1211 Until Dawn


    The harrowing battle was still raging all around them, and Sunny struggled to suppress the feeling of primordial terror that threatened to overwhelm his reason. Thinking back to their mad dash across the dark battlefield, he felt his hands tremble.


    How the hell did they survive?


    He winced, and pushed the fear to the side. There was no time to be afraid.


    Glancing at Jet and Seishan, Sunny nodded silently, and took a step toward the ruin.


    No matter what awaited them inside, they couldn''t remain in the open.


    The ancient structure was in a sorry state. It had withstood thousands of years of heat and wind, but was nearly destroyed by whatever it was that had transpired here minutes ago.


    The spherical dome was raptured, and stone shards lay on the white sand, some covered in dancing flames. It was as though a powerful explosion had wrecked it from within, spreading fire and debris all around. A few chunks of broken stone were large and heavy enough to crush an armored vehicle.


    Sunny extended his shadow sense as far as he could, but the black walls of the ruined structure were somehow blocking it.


    Followed by Jet and Seishan, he carefully approached the hole in the dome''s wrecked wall, lingered for a moment, and jumped inside.


    The first thing that met them was the stench of burned flesh.


    The ruin was much smaller than the one they had sheltered in before, and from the looks of it, there was no path to the underground portion of the structure. There was only this one spherical chamber, with its floor partially buried under the sand.


    A blackened corpse lay in the middle of the round hall. It seemed human, but it was impossible to tell who that human had been �� the corpse was burned too badly, and all its features were destroyed by the flame.


    There was someone else in the chamber, too.


    Sunny cursed and dashed forward, appearing near the motionless figure a split second later. Nephis was laying on the black stones, her armor almost destroyed, with her eyes closed. Wisps of white fire were escaping from the terrible wounds covering her body, and in the bleak light, her face looked pale and vulnerable.


    ''No, no, no...''


    A moment later, a relieved sigh escaped from his lips.


    She was alive, just unconscious. The wounds were already healing, too �� just in these few short seconds, their edges had already grown closer.


    Jet and Seishan slowly approached. Soul Reaper kneeled, studying the charred corpse.


    After a while, Sunny forced himself to turn away from Neph and asked:


    "Who is it? Can you tell?" Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    Jet hesitated, then shook her head.


    "No... the body is too damaged. However, it gives me the creeps."


    The three of them remained silent for a few moments, wondering what had happened here.


    Nephis flinched, then sat up and grabbed the Endless Spring. She drank from it greedily, and then looked at Sunny.


    White sparks danced in her eyes, as if agitated.


    "How... how are you here?"


    He shrugged.


    "I told you that I would see you on the other side."


    Sunny lingered for a few moments and scoffed.


    "What? Don''t look at me like that. To be honest, we saw the light of your flames from afar, and rushed here, hoping to find shelter. If not for that, we''d be dead for sure."


    Nephis glanced at Jet and Seishan. A small frown appeared on her face.


    Then, she suddenly shuddered and turned around, staring at the spot where the charred corpse had been before.


    Seishan finally spoke:


    "We got rid of it. We... have encountered a creature that can possess corpses. So, keeping a dead body with us did not seem safe."


    Nephis shivered.


    "Yes... I... I have encountered such a creature, too."


    Sunny remained silent for a while, wondering how was it that she had managed to kill the damn thing. Did it have something to do with her Ascended Ability, [Longing]? Or the nature of her Aspect in general?


    The dead of the Nightmare Desert seemed unwilling to approach the white flames, too.


    More importantly...


    Was there more than one creature like the one they had fought? Or was it a creature capable of inhabiting multiple vessels at the same time?


    His expression was grim.


    "...Do you know what that thing was?"


    Nephis hesitated for a few moments, then nodded.


    "I''m not sure... but I think I do."


    She grimaced, looked at her ruined armor, and raised one trembling hand.


    "There were three Nightmare Gates, but only two Gate Guardians entered the waking world. The third... I think that it stayed behind in the Dream Realm."


    Nephis grew quiet for a bit, and then added:


    "To hunt us."

 Chapter 1212 Pursuer

    Chapter 1212 Pursuer


    There was not much time to talk. If the Guardian of a Category Four Gate was really on their trail, then they needed to run.


    Even if Nephis was wrong, the creature they had met was immeasurably strong. Considering its power and frightening level of intelligence, it had to be a Great Devil, at least. It was much more likely to be a Tyrant, or something even more terrifying. New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Sunny had killed a Great Devil once... but that was not a real kill. The Spawn of the Vile Thieving Bird had been unborn, and weakend by thousands of years of neglect in the branches of the Soul Devouring Tree. More than that, Sunny had only survived that encounter because of his unique soul composition.


    Only after meeting an actual Great Nightmare Creature did he realize how harrowing these beings truly were. The thing pretending to be Ascended Xu... was not even the real body of the abomination. Most likely, it was simply one of its manifestations.


    But it had already been strong enough to shrug off all their attacks, severely wound Saint, and destroy a Transcendent Echo in mere seconds.


    As for whether it was the Gate Guardian... logically speaking, that was impossible. Nightmare Creatures were compelled by the Seeds, unable to refuse their call. All they could do was be drawn by it and invade the waking world.


    However, Sunny had already seen that the Great abominations were not as beholden to the rule of the Spell as the lesser creatures. One of them had actually used its power to forcefully widen the Nightmare Gate... if one of the Gate Guardians was capable of that, who was to say that a different one couldn''t stay back to slaughter those humans who would flee to the Dream Realm?


    ''Hurry... we need to hurry...''


    Mere minutes after Nephis regained consciousness, the four of them abandoned the ruined stone dome and ventured into the desert. For now, their destination was simple �� they were fleeing in the direction opposite of where Master Xu had been seen last, as fast as they could.


    As the four exhausted Masters fled across the desert, they learned about what had happened to Neph.


    She had left the waking world soon after Sunny, and was drawn into the Nightmare Desert like the rest of them. Nephis fought against several Nightmare Creatures and eventually found another human �� one of the Valor Ascended. Together, they sought and found a shelter to survive the approaching night.


    There was something strange about that Ascended, though...


    When she offered to heal his wounds, the man refused. His excuse was that she should save her essence for when they find more people.


    But Nephis felt that he wanted to avoid touching her flames, which put her on guard.


    It was only after the dead rose from the sand that the Ascended attacked her.


    Suddenly, Sunny felt a shiver run down his spine.


    He looked around, taking in the immaculately white landscape of the desert, almost expecting to see a dark figure to be following them from afar.


    But, of course, if the corpse of Master Xu was indeed following them, it would not allow itself to be seen.


    ...Sunny did see something else, though.


    There, in the vast azure sky... why was there a black dot there?


    He stopped and looked up, gesturing for the others to prepare. There were still abominations traversing the desert on their way to the Nightmare Seeds, even if there were fewer of them than there had been yesterday. Some of them were of the winged variety, too... however, those creatures flew straight toward the Seeds, not paying attention to anything else.


    The black dot, however, was moving in the wrong direction.


    It was barreling straight at them.


    Sunny, Nephis, Jet, and Seishan raised their weapons, ready to face the worst.


    Less than a minute later, the dark figure fell from the sky and landed just a few meters away from them, raising a cloud of sand into the air.


    Ivory armor... auburn hair... an infuriatingly handsome face... and magnetic green eyes that were shining with relief and concern.


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "...Kai?"


    His friend let out a long sigh and wiped the sweat off his brow.


    Then, he smiled brightly, making Nephis, Seishan, and even Jet blush a little.


    "Thank the gods! I''ve found you..."

 Chapter 1213 Search & Rescue

    Chapter 1213 Search & Rescue


    Kai looked a bit tired and dehydrated, but other than that, he seemed fine. His Transcendent armor had originated from a fire-breathing dragon, after all �� out of all them, he was probably capable of dealing with the lethal heat of the Nightmare Desert best.


    Looking at his friend, Sunny felt profound relief.


    He knew, of course, that the government force had been caught between the three Gates as well. They had not participated in the battle, and were protected by a Saint �� so, their chances of escaping into the Dream Realm unscathed had been high.


    However, knowing and seeing were two different things. Now that Sunny saw Kai, a huge burden had been lifted from his heart.


    It was a bit bizarre, of course, to be happy about a friend becoming trapped in a Death Zone with very little hope of ever returning to the waking world... but considering the situation, one had to count their blessings.


    Sunny exhaled slowly.


    "Kai... you really know how to make an entrance, don''t you? Where''s Effie?"


    The archer smiled.


    "She''s fine. We are with a sizable group of survivors... many people have entered the desert near each other and naturally bonded together. My farsight and flight Abilities make me the best person to search for survivors, so I''ve been scouring the desert. It''s really fortunate that I stumbled on you first thing in the morning! Nephis, Seishan, Colonel Jet. It''s good to see you all safe and sound."


    ''...Makes sense.''


    Kai''s Ability to see things from a ridiculous distance, and even peer straight through solid matter, made him uniquely suited for search and rescue missions... not to mention that he could traverse great distances swiftly with his extremely fast flight Ability.


    Still, the archer must have fought more than one flying abomination and risked his life on several occasions to make sure that as many humans as possible survived.


    ''How very... Kai of him!''


    Neph and Jet greeted the handsome young man warmly... even Seishan, who was usually reserved, spared him a small smile.


    It was strange for Sunny to see someone interact with representatives of Clan Valor, Clan Song, and the government without making any distinction. But then again, Kai had no part in the conflict between the great clans.


    More than that, even though Sunny kept forgetting it, the archer was the only member of Neph''s cohort who had spent a considerable amount of time living in the Bright Castle under Gunlaug''s rule. While it was doubtful that Kai and Seishan had interacted a lot �� their stations were too different �� it was certain that they knew each other much better than the rest of them knew the daughter of Ki Song.


    "The creature? We have encountered many creatures. Which one are you talking about?"


    Sunny and Nephis exchanged a glance.


    "...There''s a Great abomination hunting the survivors in the desert. It can possess dead bodies, and it is also smart enough to perfectly imitate human behavior �� we barely survived encountering it."


    Kai paled a little.


    "Gods! In that case, I have to inform the others as soon as possible. Sadly, I have not only found survivors... I''ve found a few bodies, as well, some of them not too far from our camp. Luckily, none of them seemed to be moving. We have not faced that horror yet."


    He frowned, then raised an eyebrow.


    "What? Why are you looking at me like that, Sunny?"


    Sunny lingered for a few long moments and let out a heavy sigh.


    were facing."


    "You might not have faced it yet, true."


    Nephis added evenly:


    "...Or you might have faced it already. You just didn''t know what you were facing."


    Kai''s expression grew ugly.


    Sunny looked at the boundless expanse of pristine white dunes.


    "It is really hard to tell that thing apart from real humans. So... how many survivors are in your group? How many of them had been with you from the very start, and how many joined recently?"


    Feeling a cold shiver run down his spine, he hesitated for a few moments, and then asked:


    "How many people did Wake of Ruin take with him back to the waking world?"

 Chapter 1214 Source of Nightmares

    Chapter 1214 Source of Nightmares


    "Move, monster!"


    An Ascended of Clan Valor had fear in his eyes as he pushed Mordret in the back with the butt of his spear. Mordret had already been walking as fast as he could, so the forceful push made him stumble and fall.


    The blistering white sand burned his mangled face.


    He sighed, then struggled to stand up.


    One of his eyes was gone, and he had only one hand left. His Reflections had all been destroyed. His body was in a sorry state...


    Even though Mordret had managed to escape the rampage of the Great being, his luck in the Nightmare Desert was awful. Soon after entering it, he stumbled on the pursuing Gate Guardian, and after barely surviving that unfortunate encounter, a band of surviving Masters of Clan Valor ambushed and overpowered him.


    He had failed to finish off his sister, too.


    ''A pity.''


    Now, his arms were bound behind his back with enchanted shackles. Even if he wanted to abandon his original body, he was temporarily trapped within it... the heavy chains were probably not the tool Morgan had planned to imprison him with, but they too were forged by his father.


    Getting out of the shackles was going to be troublesome. If anything, though, having only one hand left could help with that.


    "Stand up!" ordret sighed in exasperation.


    "I''m trying... really now, is this how you treat a prince of Valor?"


    Instead of the answer, the Master angrily hit him in the ribs.


    Mordret plopped back into the scorching sand.


    Another voice resounded from somewhere above:


    "Stop it! You''re only slowing us down... the Skinwalker has to be drawing close. If we want to survive, we need to reach the Citadel as soon as possible."


    Indeed, that was the only reason that the stragglers of Clan Valor had kept him alive �� they wanted Mordret to show them the way to the Black Skull Citadel.


    The Nightmare Desert was vast, but with the Echo mounts, the band of survivors had been able to traverse a great deal of distance in the past day. Their luck was also not too bad �� the area where the Call had pulled them was not that far from the Citadel.


    With Mordret''s help, they managed to make it most of the way there.


    The last stretch, however, had to be traversed on foot.


    Someone pulled him to his feet. The woman was trying to appear calm, but he could feel her fear... the Ascended had encountered the Skinwalker, too. In fact, the ones with him now were simply those who had survived the encounter. They knew that death �� or something much worse �� was relentlessly pursuing them.


    All of them were utterly exhausted, suffering from the inhuman conditions of the white desert, and under terrible mental strain because of the harrowing feeling of being pursued.


    Nobody knew whether the corpse of Master Xu was on their trail or not... but just the possibility of meeting the creature again was enough to fill them with a suffocating sense of dread.


    The abominations they fought were all powerful and dreadful, too.


    Out of the five of them, Nephis seemed to be affected the least. However, she was struggling with her own burden.


    Looking at the flawlessly white expanse of white dunes, she shook her head and sighed quietly.


    "I never thought I would return here one day. Or, at least, so soon."


    For them, this land was called the Nightmare Desert simply because it was the source of the Chain of Nightmares.


    But for Nephis... for her, it was the source of her personal nightmares. She had never spoken about her time here in detail, but Sunny knew that it must have been a gruesome experience.


    Gruesome enough that the proud and strong Changing Star had agreed to receive psychological counseling, even. This desert, and whatever she had experienced in the Second Nightmare, were not things one could easily forget.


    ''I can imagine... no, actually, I don''t think I can.''


    Sunny had only spent a day in the Nightmare Desert �� and that was as a Master, in the company of other people. Yet the sight of endless white dunes was already making him feel a hint of despair.


    What would it have been like, to get lost in this cursed land alone, as a powerless Sleeper?


    "We''re getting close!"


    Kai''s voice distracted him from the heavy thoughts.


    In front of them, the sand receded a little, and five strangely shaped metal towers could be seen protruding from it, arranged in a semicircle. The sunlight was reflecting on the polished metal, making it even more blinding.


    Each tower had a different height, with the shortest of them being at least several dozen meters tall.


    Sunny stared at them for a few moments before realizing what the towers were �� they were the tips of five fingers belonging to a colossal steel gauntlet.


    The gauntlet itself was buried under sand.


    He did not know what creature could have worn the gauntlet, and where the rest of it was... and, right now, Sunny did not care.


    All he cared about was that the towers were hollow, and there was shade inside.


    ''There are also people inside.''


    Sunny''s expression turned grim as he followed Kai toward the temporary camp of the survivors.


    ''...It''ll be good if there are only people.''

 Chapter 1215 Steel Tower

    Chapter 1215 Steel Tower


    There were lookouts hiding in the shadows of the five towers. Of course, Sunny had no trouble noticing them �� all of them were Masters, and in a very rough shape. Just like Sunny, they had gone from participating in a bloody battle to entering the Nightmare Desert and being forced to fight for their lives without a real opportunity to rest. Updated from asters of the great clan Valor, great clan Song, and the government were working together without a second thought. Even though some of the wounds they bore had been delivered by the other humans in the group, no one thought about continuing the feud. All conflict had been forgotten in the face of the ruthless desert.


    ''How sweet.''


    Indeed, the Spell had a way of bringing people together.


    ...It also had a way of bringing Nightmare Creatures and people together.


    As soon as their party of five entered one of the steel fingers through a narrow crack, Sunny''s expression darkened.


    There were about twenty humans sheltered in the cool darkness of the hollow tower. Some looked like they had just returned from exploring the dunes, while others were busy with various tasks �� preparing food, refining the carcasses of dead abominations into valuable materials, drawing maps of the surrounding area...


    Even though Wake of Ruin had abandoned the group, the Ascended did not seem willing to give up on their survival.


    Perhaps it was because of a certain person who had taken charge and driven them forward.


    ''So she survived, too...''


    Morgan had lost her intricate plate armor, and wore a black tunic. The scarlet cloak was wrapped around her shoulders, falling to the ground like a waterfall of blood.


    The Princess of War seemed tired and reserved. There were no wounds on her body, but the usual sharpness of her vermilion eyes was strangely dulled. She was standing in the center of the hollow tower, listening to the reports of the scouts.


    As the five of them entered, Morgan looked up from a crude leather map and glanced in their direction with a distant expression. Then, her eyes shimmered.


    "...My sister is alive."


    Her voice was hoarse and emotionless.


    The scouts were confused for a moment, then turned around. Their faces grew excited.


    "Lady Changing Star!"


    "It''s..."


    However, the words were drowned out by a happy shout:


    "Doofus! Princess!"


    A tall and robust figure that seemed to have been cast of lustrous steel walked over to them with ginger steps and subjected Sunny to an earth-shaking shoulder pat.


    "You guys made it!"


    With that, Effie grinned, and suddenly grabbed startled Nephis into a tight hug.


    "Wha... uh... Effie, I can''t breathe..."


    The archer looked at him and shrugged helplessly.


    groaned.


    [She must have arrived after I left to search for more survivors. She wasn''t here in the morning... there won''t be trouble, right? The two of them will see reason... surely...]


    A gust of wind crashed into the hollow tower, and the ancient metal groaned.


    Morgan shook her head.


    "We''ll put our quarrel aside, for the time being. Let''s return to the waking world before doing anything rash."


    Seishan slowly nodded.


    "Agreed."


    She didn''t seem to be flustered at the prospect of facing the Princess of War in combat. Sunny wasn''t entirely sure how powerful Seishan was, currently �� after all, she had Ascended later than most of them. On the other hand, she was older and had accumulated much more experience in the Dark City.


    It didn''t matter, though.


    Last night, the cumulative power of Seishan, Sunny, Jet, and Saint had been barely enough to slow down just one vessel of the Gate Guardian for a few moments.


    And now, they were surrounded by seven of them.


    Morgan seemed to have no idea of how doomed they all were... which was not surprising. In fact, it was Sunny and Jet who were freaks capable of peering through the disguise of a Great abomination. Both of their Aspects were one-of-a-kind and exceedingly rare �� it would be quite improbable to assume that anyone else in the Nightmare Desert possessed similar capabilities.


    Maybe Cassie did... but she was not here.


    Sunny felt his chest grow tight as he thought about the blind girl.


    Where was she now? Had she managed to escape the slaughter?


    Morgan, meanwhile, looked at Nephis.


    "I must congratulate you, sister. Oh, and Master Sunless, of course. Killing Dire Fang... it was a pleasant surprise. I should think about how to reward you."


    She turned to Sunny, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly smiled.


    "...I do hope you won''t ask to fight me again, though, Master Sunless. The environment here is not quite as dreamlike as the last time I had to reward you."


    As Nephis, Seishan, Effie, and Jet gave Sunny strange looks, he cleared his throat and forced out a smile.


    "No, no. I wouldn''t dare to request something untoward... again..."


    At the same time, he used the Blessing of Dusk to speak with Morgan silently:


    Smiling pleasantly, he said:


    [Do as I say if you don''t want to die.]

 Chapter 1216 On the Run

    Chapter 1216 On the Run


    ''Crap, crap, crap...''


    Sunny did not know what the creature pursuing them was, exactly. He had hoped that the possessed corpses were not the vessels of a single being, but instead separate abominations, akin to minions of a tyrant... but even if they were, there was obviously a way for them to share information.


    He knew it because his hopes were being crushed right in front of his eyes.


    If there was no way for the puppets of the Gate Guardian to share knowledge, then he could have pretended to be oblivious to their presence and bought some time. But the seven taken Masters were all seemingly aware that Sunny could tell what they were.


    They slowly started to move. At first, their movements seemed inconspicuous, but it quickly became apparent that they were encircling those Ascended who remained human.


    There were eerily human smiles brightening their faces.


    On one side, there were seven possessed corpses with the power of a Great abomination.


    On the other side, there were Sunny, Nephis, Kai, Effie, Jet, Seishan, Morgan, and eleven more unaffected Masters.


    Morgan had three Transcendent Echoes left. Seishan had one.


    Sunny had Saint and Nightmare.


    ...And Imp.


    In fact, the scrawny goblin was the linchpin of their survival.


    [Get everyone to come closer.]


    Sunny had already explained the situation to Morgan and coordinated with the rest of his allies. Their only chance to survive was to run... but escaping from the ring of possessed corpses seemed impossible.


    Nevertheless, they had to try.


    Knowing what to do, Morgan calmly looked at the eleven Ascended who had not been taken by the Gate Guardian yet and called:


    "You there! Come here. I have questions about our rations and water reserve... you, too. How many tents can we make from that hide?"


    The Masters left what they had been doing and walked over. By that time, even they started to notice that something strange was going on.


    One group of people was standing in the center of the hollow tower. The other group had spread out, surrounding them.


    The ancient steel was groaning as it was assaulted by the wind.


    ''That is all. There are also three Ascended outside... but only two of them are human.''


    "Lady Morgan? What, uh... what is going on?"


    The human Masters seemed confused.


    Meanwhile, the other humans were slowly shifting, assembling into a loose battle formation. Their weapons were already in their hands.


    Sunny was the only one who remained motionless.


    What was the point of trying to fight seven Great abominations?


    "Come closer."


    ''It''s almost time... I just need a few seconds!''


    At the same time, a whirlwind of sparks manifested into Transcendent Echoes, who threw themselves at the abominations. Everyone used their own means to slow the enemy down.


    There were screams, there was noise. There was an explosion of white flame, and the sharp sound of the air being cut by countless blades. Blood spilled.


    Falling onto the white sand, Sunny rolled and jumped to his feet.


    "Run!"


    Most of them had made it out of the tower, but five out of the eleven Ascended that Morgan had called were nowhere to be seen.


    The white dunes around them trembled, and then exploded, and a vast cloud of sand covered everything in sight.


    Kai held Effie''s hand as he soared into the air.


    Nightmare appeared out of the darkness, rushing toward Jet.


    Morgan had her own mount, which looked like a horned destrier made of steel.


    ...Sunny found himself near Nephis.


    Without thinking about what he was doing, he grabbed her tightly...


    And stepped through the shadows.


    An instant later, the two of them appeared a few kilometers away, in the shadow of a tall dune.


    He had pulled her with him into Shadow Step.


    Sunny stared at Nephis with a startled expression, and she looked at him with wide eyes.


    "What... what was that?"


    He opened his mouth, then froze for a moment.


    "That, uh... I just thought that it might work. What would you know? It did."


    Sunny couldn''t bring other living things with him when he stepped through the shadows, but his Aspect had already shown that it treated Nephis as an extension of him in certain instances. Or rather... it was more like it treated Sunny as an extension of Nephis.


    They were connected by Shadow Bond, which meant that their souls were bound together. Sunny didn''t have to like it...


    But it would be foolish not to use it.


    Nephis looked at him for a moment, then nodded.


    "Okay."


    She looked at him some more and added:


    "You can let go of me now."


    Sunny smiled crookedly.


    "Oh, but I really can''t."


    Just then, a black steed jumped over the dune and rushed down its slope. Jet shouted from Nightmare''s back as they flashed past them:


    "Move! They''re following!"


    Burning through his essence, Sunny sighed, and then pulled Nephis back into the shadows.

 Chapter 1217 Bone Tired

    Chapter 1217 Bone Tired


    They were on the run. The Nightmare Desert welcomed them with immaculate purity and lethal heat, the white dunes stretching toward the distant horizon �� the merciless sun burned in the azure sky like an incinerating well of molten silver, and a harrowing enemy was following them across the sands like an inescapable omen of torturous death.


    ''...I''m tired.''


    Sunny was bone tired. He had long exhausted his reserves of essence, leaving just enough of it untouched to not be helpless in a fight. Not that fighting the Gate Guardian was a real option... Nephis might have destroyed one of its vessels, but it had almost killed her. The rest of them did not possess Aspects that countered the creature''s powers, either.


    Fighting the puppets of the Great abomination meant giving up on life �� or, much worse, their very humanity.


    Blindly advancing deeper into the desert was not much better.


    There was a terrible foe pursuing the battered group of survivors, but there were also countless dangers ahead of them. The dunes hid all kinds of Nightmare Creatures, and several people had already been killed in the short, but brutal and unavoidable skirmishes with the wandering abominations.


    None of those abominations had been weaker than Corrupted. The people fighting them were all tired, wounded, and in a desperate hurry, as well.


    There were only thirteen of them left.


    Looking at the exhausted survivors, Sunny wondered how many of them would live to see nightfall.


    How many would survive until dawn?


    The mighty Masters were already resembling walking corpses. They were moving forward with grave expressions, suffering silently as the terrible heat pressed them into the ground. Their hair and armor were covered in sand. Those with Echo mounts were in the vanguard, those without shakily followed behind.


    Sunny and Kai were serving as the scouts of the party. Morgan, Nephis, Jet, Effie, and Seishan were the main strike force... the rest were just trying to stay alive.


    Worst of all...


    Everyone knew that it was pointless.


    Even more disheartening than the sea of abominations ahead of them and the Great horror pursuing them was the fact that the party was aimless. They had no clear goal, just a stubborn hope to survive.


    Before, these people had the same plan as Sunny �� reach the Black Skull and escape into the waking world. Now that they knew what was out there in the pristine white purgatory of the Nightmare Desert, though, the Citadel had become the source of their fears.


    That was because Mordret had slaughtered every Awakened sent there by Clan Valor. And the corpses he had left behind were the perfect vessels for the Gate Guardian.


    Sunny shuddered.


    ''The Gate Guardian...''


    His dry lips cracked as he shouted:


    "It''s coming! Move!"


    The exhausted Masters paled and gritted their teeth. Then, they gathered all the strength they had left and dashed forward, running as fast as they could.


    The incandescent sun was drowning the world in blinding light and immolating heat.


    As the shadow that had noticed the pursuer flew away, another figure crested a dune several hundred meters away from it.


    And then, another.


    ''Damn it...''


    Sunny ran, carefully considering his options.


    He felt... aggrieved.


    He felt indignant.


    He was appalled at the fact that he had been reduced to the state of only being able to run away and hide, like a frightened rat.


    But that was, and had always been, reality.


    Humans were small and weak in the world of the Nightmare Spell.


    Even humans like Sunny, conquerors of Nightmares and slayer of titans, were no more than mice.


    ''I''m tired... I''m tired... I''m tired of being powerless. I''m tired of being weak. I want to be stronger... much stronger... so much more...''


    Overcome by a deep, painful longing, Sunny gritted his teeth and ran.

 Chapter 1218 Hunted

    Chapter 1218 Hunted


    There were thirteen humans desperately trying to escape the pursuit of the Great abomination.


    Or rather, there had been.


    Without anyone noticing the reason, one of the Masters stumbled and fell. No one had attacked her, and the pursuing corpses were still out of sight. The woman grabbed her neck and screamed.


    A moment later, she rose with a strange smile on her lips.


    Where a radiant soul core had been, there was now nothing but spreading darkness.


    ''Curse it all...''


    Sunny commanded the sole shadow that had remained with him to wrap itself around his body, and ran.


    Someone''s hoarse shout reached his ears:


    "S��split up!"


    ''No! You fools...''


    The logic of that desperate call was simple and not without reason. There were seven vessels of the Gate Guardian �� eight, now �� and twelve surviving humans. If they escaped in different directions, some of them would have a chance to survive.


    But it was pointless to apply logic to Great abominations. These beings existed outside any kind of human rationale, outside reason. Only by staying together and helping each other would the survivors have a chance to preserve their lives, no matter how While Morgan, Seishan, and the members of Neph''s cohort chose to stay close to each other, the other five Ascended turned and ran in small.


    It was already too late to try and explain that to the frightened Masters, though.


    While Morgan, Seishan, and the members of Neph''s cohort chose to stay close to each other, the other five Ascended turned and ran in different directions.


    Not a second later, a dark blur intercepted one of them, and a fountain of blood shot into the air.


    Up ahead, Morgan looked back from the saddle of her steel mount and cursed. Then, she hesitated for a moment and jumped off its tall back. The Echo then galloped in the direction of the approaching corpses, lowering its horned head.


    As a whirlwind of scarlet sparks rose around her, Seishan stopped and turned around. Her exquisitely beautiful face was cold and somber.


    The two of them looked at each other, and then, Seishan slowly raised her hands.


    ''What are they doing?''


    Jet was riding Nightmare, so she was far ahead of the rest of them. Effie was maybe the fastest runner among the group of survivors, so she was ahead of the pursuers, as well.


    Only Sunny and Nephis were falling behind.


    As they ran, Neph''s eyes shone with white radiance. She briefly touched Sunny''s shoulder, and he felt the nurturing warmth of her flames pour into his soul and body. Instantly, their speed increased.


    It was still not enough, though.


    Neither the augmentation of the burning shadows nor the tenacious nature of Blood Weave were enough to overcome that terrible fatigue anymore.


    Even though he had to stop for a dreadful reason, he still welcomed the short moment of falling onto the sand.


    A split second later, though, Sunny had to push his battered body into a roll and jump back to his feet.


    ''Curses...''


    Miraculously, they had managed to escape all but one of the taken corpses. The last one still pursued them, never letting the group �� now reduced to only seven people �� stop and rest for even a minute.


    At some point, the heat and the scorching sand had transformed into an lethal threat of their own.


    And yet, they persisted... until now.


    That was because a second corpse suddenly appeared out of nowhere, barring their path.


    The figure standing in front of them was not one of the original seven abominations, though... instead, it was a familiar face.


    Sunny let out a tired sigh.


    ''So he''s here, as well...''


    Master Xu was staring at them with an eerie smile.


    Nephis, Effie, Jet, Morgan, Seishan, Kai, and Sunny... the seven of them had nowhere else to run. One vessel of the Gate Guardian was behind them, and the other was in front of them.


    The night was approaching.


    "What do we do?"


    Kai''s voice sounded tense and tired. He could still escape, of course... maybe. The Great being approaching them had to have ways of dealing with flying prey.


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment, then outstretched his hand and summoned the Sin of Solace.


    What else was there to do?


    He commanded all but one of his shadows to wrap themselves around the white jade of the cursed blade, turning it perfectly black.


    "...Kill the bastards."


    They had to kill them or die... kill them and die, if need be. Either way worked.


    It was better than turning into the skin costumes of the Gate Guardian themselves, anyway.


    But Sunny... Sunny wanted to live.

 Chapter 1219 Silver Sun

    Chapter 1219 Silver Sun


    ''Think, think, think...''


    They had a very small chance of coming out of this fight alive. However, there was always hope, no matter how impossible the odds.


    What was hope? Hope was a desire... perhaps the paramount desire. A yearning so powerful and resilient that it could hardly be vanquished or destroyed. The darkest and most inescapable despair could not conquer hope. Even demons in hell hoped to reach heaven one day.


    They longed to see their deepest desires come true, and that longing alone could make them continue suffering and struggling instead of searching for solace in the peaceful embrace of death.


    Life was war, after all.


    Hope... desire... it was a powerful thing.


    ''Longing.''


    Sunny glanced at Nephis, considering. She was the only one among them capable of dealing permanent damage to the vessels of the Gate Guardian. Her soul flame seemed to be like poison to the abominable creature �� the wounds Sunny and the others had dealt to the corpse of Master Xu would instantly heal, but the puppet that had attacked Neph was burned to death by it.


    A hurricane of thoughts flashed through his mind in a split second.


    ''She''s our best chance.''


    If they could survive today, it would be through the power of longing that the Light Bringer Aspect seemed to contain. The soul flame...


    Pure, cruel, and incorruptible.


    There was no time to think. Starting to move, Sunny connected the minds of the seven Masters together through the Blessing of Dusk.


    [We need to destroy the creature in front of us before the one behind catches up. There is no other way �� we might not even be able to fight one, so fighting two at the same time is a death sentence. The six of us will restrain it. Nephis will kill it. Go!]


    They had maybe a handful of seconds before the pursuer showed up. The seven of them had to slay a Great abomination before that happened.


    Usually, it would have been impossible to even deal minor damage to a creature two whole Ranks above their own level. Sunny had failed to pierce the skin of the first Fallen abominations he met as a Sleeper, after all... nevertheless, that abomination died in the end.


    The gap between Ranks was vast, but it was not absolute. There was nothing indestructible in the world, and even the gods were dead. Everyone �� and everything �� was vulnerable to something.


    None of them were ordinary Masters, and each had accumulated much more tools and killing implements than any Sleeper could ever possess. Better yet, there was someone among them whose Aspect countered the powers of the Gate Guardian.


    Sunny knew that he had to use the best weapon at his disposal to destroy the enemy.


    Right now, his best weapon was not the Sin of Solace.


    Effie''s shield shattered as she was thrown back. Seishan fell down, sharp shards of bone protruding from her broken arms. Morgan blocked with her sword, but the sword burst into countless steel shards. She was sent flying in a whirlwind of scarlet sparks and blood.


    Sunny barely avoided having his neck sliced open by falling into the shadows.


    The creature... refused to be slowed down.


    And Nephis was now alone, face-to-face with it.


    ''...tion!''


    Her radiant sword shot forward with unimaginable speed, its vicious blow enhanced by the full force of the soul flame and the five shadows.


    However...


    Master Xu simply raised his hand, catching the incandescent blade in a fist and easily shattering it.


    The fingers of his other hand wrapped around Neph''s neck.


    For a moment, everything seemed to stand still...


    Sunny was emerging from the shadows, but he was slow, too slow. Too slow to change anything.


    ...Then, Neph''s neck snapped like a twig. Her body grew limp.


    ''...''


    His mind was empty.


    For a split second, everyone froze, petrified.


    In that moment of shock, Neph''s hand rose and grabbed the creature''s wrist.


    The sparks dancing in her eyes suddenly ignited, turning into two blinding stars.


    White radiance shining through the gaps of her broken armor became larger, hotter, and infinitely brighter.


    She was like a mass of blinding silver light, not too different from the merciless white sun that burned in the scorched sky.


    A moment later, her radiance exploded into a flurry of flames, which swallowed both her slender silhouette and the abominable corpse of Master Xu.


    Suddenly, the unbearable heat of the desert seemed mild and cold.

 Chapter 1220 Indestructible

    Chapter 1220 Indestructible


    A towering bonfire of pristine flames enveloped both Nephis and the vessel of the Gate Guardian, rising high into the sky. It bloomed like a beautiful white flower, suffused with both brilliant radiance and incinerating heat.


    The soul flame burned so hot that, for a moment, Sunny actually felt dreadfully cold, as if he had been transported back to the frigid fields of the Antarctic Center.


    With a curse, he staggered back, fell, and rolled away.


    ''Hell!''


    Neph''s flames could be warm and nurturing, healing and purifying anything they touched. But they could be ruthless and ferocious, destroying everything in their path.


    Sunny knew that he would not survive a plunge into the blossoming bonfire �� he might have shared a bond with Nephis, but he did not share the lineage of Sun God with her. Even then, Changing Star was not immune to the destructive fury of the fire �� she was only capable of being locked in the cyclic agony of having her flesh burned, restored, and then burned again without dying.


    He thought that he heard a distorted shriek escape from the flames, but it was swallowed by the dull roar of the immolating blaze. Nephis and the abomination were in the center of the dire conflagration, their figures obscured by its radiance �� he did not know what exactly was happening there, just that only one of them would emerge from the flames alive.


    The sand around the white bonfire was already melting, soon to turn into black, brittle glass.


    ''Curse it...''


    Sunny could not allow himself to be concerned about Nephis right now.


    Because while she had dealt with Master Xu �� at least temporarily


    �� there was still another vessel of the great abomination coming after them.


    Jumping to his feet, he spun around.


    Seishan had both her arms wrenched and cruelly broken, while the extent of Morgan''s wounds was unknown. Effie had received a blow from the Gate Guardian, as well, but her shield had protected her from harm �� at the cost of being destroyed.


    So, only Sunny, Effie, and Kai were left standing.


    And Saint.


    He senses the movement of shadows.


    Sunny and Saint arrived near the vessel of the Gate Guardian at the same time. Acting as one, they attacked the creature from different sides. A sword made of darkness and a sword made of immaculate white jade struck in unison, aiming to prevent the corpse from taking another step.


    Somewhere behind them, Morgan rose from the sand with a groan. Her sword was destroyed, but she didn''t seem to care �� her vermilion eyes blazed with murderous fury, and the Princess of War shot forward like a piercing arrow.


    Seishan''s eyes rolled back, revealing a different pair of pupils �� these ones inhuman and monstrous, surrounded by a sea of red. Her graceful figure suddenly grew much taller �� taller than Effie, even when hunched. Her limbs elongated, and long claws extended from her fingers. Her smooth grey skin suddenly turned rough like that of a shark.


    Finally, the monster''s jaw unhinged, revealing several rows of terrifying triangular teeth.


    Kai was pale and somber, drawing the string of his bow.


    ''...Not good.''


    Sunny tore the Sing of Solace out of the body of the great abomination and desperately dodged. Perhaps because the corpse did not fully recover from the previous barrage of attacks, its movements were much slower �� barely faster than those of Dire Fang had been.


    Still, there was no hope for him to escape the retaliation.


    Instead of trying to simply evade the strike, he simultaneously delivered a backward cut with his sword, slicing through the elbow joint of the corpse.


    That allowed Sunny to avoid the crushing blow by a hair''s breadth.


    Saint received a bloody fist on her shield and was thrown back, crashing into the slope of a dune.


    At that moment, Jet was already there.


    Instead of relying on enchanted weapons, she struck the abomination with her fist. It passed through the chest of the vessel unopposed, directly attacking its soul.


    Morgan was there, as well. Her palm fell like an executioner''s axe, severing the creature''s spine.


    And finally, the monstrous figure of Seishan appeared by the Gate Guardian''s side. Her arms were still broken, hanging limply. Instead of relying on her claws, she sank her frightening teeth into the taken corpse, ripping away a huge chunk of its neck, shoulder, and upper chest.


    ''There has to be a limit to how much punishment that thing can take... there has to be...''


    A desperate hope burned in Sunny''s chest.


    ...But if there really was a limit, it seemed that the creature had not reached yet.

 Chapter 1221 Unstoppable

    Chapter 1221 Unstoppable


    ''I... am going to die...''


    The thought that flashed through Sunny''s mind had nothing to do with the fact that each strike of the possessed corpse was devastating enough to obliterate his body, but more so with the strain that fighting the abominations was putting on it.


    Yes, it was true �� Sunny was facing a Great Nightmare Creature, but he felt as if exhaustion was going to kill him even if the creature did not.


    Time moves slowly in a battle like the one they were fighting. He wasn''t sure how many seconds had passed since the second vessel of the Gate Guardian had shown up �� a dozen? Two dozen?


    Maybe it was just five or six instead.


    The six Masters and one Shadow were somehow holding up against the harrowing abomination, for now. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that the constant barrage of attacks did restrain the corpse a little �� if there was one vulnerability they could exploit, after all, it was that the vessels of the Guardian were not as resilient as the body of a true Great creature would have been.


    Perhaps it was because each of them was at the pinnacle of what a human Ascended could be, and knew that there would be no retreat. They fought without holding anything back, knowing that death was looming, almost inevitable.


    Sunny was relatively unharmed, for now, and so was Saint. Kai had been circling above the abomination, sending one enchanted arrow flying after another.


    The rest of them... were in dire straits.


    Jet was, perhaps, mangled the most, but her unique constitution allowed her to persist in her attempts to shatter the creature''s soul despite that. By now, Soul Reaper looked no less of a corpse than their opponent, and maybe even more so.


    Both Morgan and her were fighting with their bare fists �� although, in the case of Morgan, her entire body was the weapon, not just her hands. She had also suffered much more damage than any of them, often taking the initiative to shield the others with her body. That was because the Princess of War was physically the sturdiest, except maybe Effie.


    The difference between the two was that Morgan seemed to have absorbed a powerful healing enchantment into her Aspect Ability, which allowed her to recover from the wounds that would have permanently taken the huntress out of the fight.


    Seishan had gone even further than Jet and Morgan �� with her arms broken, she had to resort to using her monstrous teeth to damage the abomination. Her jaws did not seem any less lethal than a powerful Memory would have been, but the need to be in close, almost intimate proximity to the enemy put her in grave danger. The hideous, ferocious creature she had transformed into was covered in blood, both her own and that of the Guardian.


    Effie was in a much better position due to the long reach of her Transcendent spear.


    Together, they fought the great abomination, desperately trying to destroy it, slow it down... or at least prevent it from approaching the beautiful bonfire of white flames that still burned behind them.


    ''Die, die... why won''t you die!''


    The Sin of Solace tore through the rippling air, but the vessel of the Gate Guardian was moving too fast. The jade blade barely scratched its skin, but this time, Sunny was not fast enough to retreat �� a sharp pain pierced his right side, and he fell back with a scream.


    For the first time since he had acquired the Shroud of Dusk, the black silk was torn apart. Sunny''s flesh beneath it was shredded and turned into an appalling mess �� the wound was large enough for most Ascended to be at the risk of bleeding out, but he was different.


    Still, it would have been a fatal one if not for Bone Weave. The abomination''s glancing strike cracked his ribs, but did not manage to shatter them �� otherwise, Sunny would have lost his entire lung.


    The great abomination easily avoided Saint''s sword, and stepped forward. Its fist struck Sunny like a mountain, and the next thing he knew...


    He was staring at the vibrant azure sky.


    ''Ah... I was... too slow...''


    Sunny tried to stand up and gasped, overcome with unbearable pain. His arm seemed to be broken... no, it was only dislocated... and bloody foam was forming on his lips.


    Looking up, he saw Morgan stepping in front of Jet, who was on her knees, shielding her from a lethal blow �� both of them were sent flying back and landed on the sand in a heap of bloodied flesh.


    Effie grunted as she received a downward strike on her crossed hands. Her steel body trembled, and a whirlwind of sand rose into the air around her, thrown up by the shockwave of the terrible impact. In the next moment, she staggered back and fell.


    The Gate Guardian... was left standing alone, unopposed.


    It lingered for a split second, then took a step toward Seishan and raised a fist to finish her off.


    The corpse''s face was terribly mangled, and its teeth were in full view, as if the creature was grinning.


    Sunny groaned and sat up.


    ''I won''t get there in time...''


    The abomination struck.


    Before it could kill Seishan, however...


    A bloody fist suddenly emerged from its chest.


    The creature froze, then slowly turned its head.


    A slender hand flashed, separating the head from the neck.


    Standing behind the Gate Guardian was a bewitching woman in a torn carmine dress, her long black hair covered in sand. She was almost inhumanly beautiful... however, her breathtaking face was covered in blood, an ugly torn wound stretching from her forehead to the tip of her chin. It was as if someone had vandalized an immortal masterpiece by slicing through it with a sharp knife.


    One of Beastmaster''s eyes was glued close by dried blood, but the other burned with cold, murderous wrath.


    Her scarlet lips parted, revealing pearly white teeth.


    "I don''t think you''ll submit. So... just die..."

 Chapter 1222 Against All Hope

    Chapter 1222 Against All Hope


    Bestmaster''s fist was still protruding from the abomination''s chest, but in the next moment, she tore it out, almost ripping the entire corpse apart.


    She seemed angry... really angry.


    "How dare you raise a hand to my sister..."


    Before the abomination could assemble itself back together, the beautiful Saint kicked it, sending the mangled corpse flying back. It landed on the sand a dozen meters away, twitched slightly, and then rose, already knitting itself into a single whole again.


    The two of them stood opposite each other, looking intently at the enemy. The creature was bloodied and beaten, but eerily calm. There was a smile on its lips.


    Beastmaster looked just as battered, her face torn and painted with blood. Her expression was dark and full of cold fury.


    She gritted her teeth and spat:


    "I won''t show you mercy."


    The corpse stared at her with a smile.


    Then, it suddenly spoke.


    Tilting its head, the corpse asked:


    "...What is mercy?"


    The Saint''s expression slightly changed.


    ''What the hell... why are they talking...''


    Sunny tried to stand up and only succeeded by using the Sin of Solace as a crutch. He was struggling to breathe, but it was alright... as the great connoisseur of physical trauma that he was, Sunny judged his condition as not really life-threatening. VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    For now.


    He couldn''t really understand why Beastmaster was wasting her time issuing threats to a great abomination instead of attacking it, but that had given him time to assess the situation, at least.


    The remaining members of the survivor group... were alive. No one had died yet, from what he could see. That said, all of them were severely injured. Only Morgan and Saint looked like they could still fight... and Effie, too, although there was a pained expression on her face. With how exhausted and beaten they were, though, he doubted that they would be of any use.


    Sunny himself would not be able to do much.


    Neph''s condition... was unknown.


    ''Can Beastmaster finish off the creature alone?''


    In the next moment, however, that question was rendered meaningless. Sunny had also received an answer to why the beautiful demoness was wasting time conversing with the creature.


    "I''m here, Seishan. I was on time."


    In front of her, the monstrous creature slowly grew smaller, turning back into an exquisitely beautiful young woman with silken grey skin. Her body was beaten and broken, but she was alive, and even conscious, albeit barely.


    Beastmaster whispered a few more words to her sister, then rose to her feet.


    Her gaze slowly shifted to Morgan, who was kneeling on the sand a few dozen meters away. The smile disappeared from her lips. The look in the beautiful Saint''s one open eye...


    Did not promise anything good.


    Sunny shivered, suddenly remembering how all of them had ended up in this cursed desert, to begin with.


    Three Category Four Gates might have opened in Antarctica, but the great clans...


    Were still at war.


    Sunny was not going to get between Beastmaster and Morgan, not that he could have done anything if he did.


    But Nephis was also here, laying unconscious within a ring of black glass.


    And she was a daughter of the King of Swords, too, even if only technically.


    ''Damn it all...''


    There was no need to do anything, though, because as Beastmaster was looking coldly at Morgan, a tall figure in battered armor suddenly appeared in front of the Princess of War, blocking her from the beautiful Saint''s suffocating gaze.


    Summer Knight stared at Beastmaster and shook his head silently.


    "Don''t even think about it."


    A dangerous smile appeared on her lips. The beautiful demoness raised an exquisite eyebrow and spoke with a hint of challenge:


    "...What if I do?"


    Sir Gilead''s face remained calm.


    "I''ll kill you."


    Beastmaster kept her gaze on him for a few seconds, then turned away and laughed.


    "...Maybe next time, then."


    Glancing at the setting sun, she raised her voice and called out:


    "Come on! Everyone who is still alive, stand up. We need to find shelter before night comes."

 Chapter 1223 Diverging Goals

    Chapter 1223 Diverging Goals


    The sun was drowning in the white sands of the desert, and the murderous heat that had been tormenting them before was slowly dissipating, soon to be replaced by a terrible cold.


    And the chilling terror of the coming night.


    The battered group of humans was making its way to a towering ruin. The two Saints were holding up well, but the Ascended were in a dire state �� all of them bore vicious wounds, and each step was torture.


    The only healer among them was unconscious, and the Memories with restorative enchantments that some of them possessed were not powerful enough to deal with the multitude of severe injuries, at least not immediately.


    Jet looked slightly better than she had during the battle with the vessels of the Guardian �� she managed to kill a Nightmare Creature that ambushed them as they traversed the desert, and absorbed some soul essence. Still, just glancing at her mangled body was a bit chilling.


    Seishan''s arms were wrapped in fabric, and even though her wounds had been treated, she could only walk by leaning on Beastmaster. Kai was hovering above the sand with a pale face �� the great abomination''s blow had damaged his spine, and although he wasn''t paralyzed, the archer was in a sea of pain.


    Effie was visibly limping, while Morgan seemed utterly spent and weak.


    As for Sunny... people sometimes said that he looked like a doll, but if that was true, currently he looked like a rag doll that had been neglected for decades and then thoroughly chewed by an animal or two.


    ''Ah... it hurts.''


    He was hurting, but the pain was tolerable. At least the five shadows were once again augmenting him �� with their help, he could manage the strenuous journey without too much trouble.


    Saint was carrying Nephis, who was still unconscious, in her arms. Neph''s damaged armor and clothes had been destroyed by the incinerating flames, so she was wrapped in Cassie''s seawave cloak.


    The blind girl herself was walking behind the taciturn knight, side by side with Sunny. She was the only one in the group who looked exhausted and drained by the heat, but not battered.


    Then again, Cassie had been in the middle of the battle between the great clans, too. Many Awakened, enthralled abominations, and Masters of Clan Song had attempted to kill her, only to die by her hand. Her armor was riddled with dents and covered in dried blood, so there was nothing fresh or glamorous about how she looked.


    Sunny glanced at her, then said quietly:


    "By the way... you were just in time. Thank you."


    Cassie remained silent for a while, then shook her head.


    "There is no need to thank me. It was just a fortunate coincidence."


    He smiled.


    For Beastmaster, it was Seishan. For Sir Gilead, it were Morgan... and, perhaps, Nephis. That was the reason they had not left the desert immediately after escaping the battlefield.


    Both Saints could return to the waking world at any moment �� they just needed a safe place and some time to activate their tethers. Once they did that, however, they were not going to be able to return to this particular corner of the Nightmare Desert without approaching the three gargantuan Gates first.


    The problem was that they could not bring too many people with them. Sunny knew that Beastmaster''s limit was two �� she had delivered both Seishan and Ascended Bast to East Antarctica, after all.


    But most Saints could only transport people between worlds one at a time.


    In any case, most of them were going to be left behind.


    ''What to do, what to do...''


    Sunny desperately needed to think of a solution, but he was too tired to form complicated thoughts.


    After remaining silent for a while, he asked:


    "What about Saint Tyris? Do you know where she is?"


    Cassie slowly shook her head.


    "We saw no sign of her after entering the Dream Realm. Same for Silent Stalker. The desert is vast... chances are, they were sent someplace far away from us. Sky Tide would have been able to escape from the Gate Guardian, but she was already spent at the end of the battle. She might have had to flee into the waking world."


    Sunny felt slightly disappointed that there was little hope of receiving help from Saint Tyris. But, at the same time, he was happy to know that she might have already retreated from the Nightmare Desert.


    That, at least, meant that she was still alive. Her entire clan was there in Antarctica, too �� considering that great abominations were now wandering the Southern Quadrant, Sky Tide was the only one who could ensure their safety. She bore a heavy responsibility, considering that it was her actions that had exiled the White Feather clan to the frigid continent.


    And she had done those things to save Sunny and Cassie.


    He sighed.


    ''I hope Saint Tyris and Master Roan make it out of Antarctica alive.''


    And Kim... and millions of civilians that had not been evacuated yet, as well as the soldiers of the Evacuation Army.


    Sunny and the rest, however, could not do anything to help them, not anymore.


    Now, their goal was to escape the Nightmare Desert.


    ...He didn''t know which task was more dangerous.

 Chapter 1224 Second Night

    Chapter 1224 Second Night


    They managed to reach the ruin before the ancient dead rose from beneath the sand. The structure they used as shelter was palatial and vast, isolated from the desert by a wide field of black glass. It didn''t seem like a building that people were supposed to live in, though.


    After observing many ruins across the desert, Sunny was starting to feel as though there was a reason why all of them were so strange, broken, and deformed. It was almost as if these structures had not been built here... but had instead fallen from the sky and shattered after hitting the white sands.


    Then again, the Nightmare Desert might not have been a desert in ancient times. Rolling dunes like these were usually left behind by dying seas. If the vast expanse of white sand had once been the bottom of an ocean... then maybe the structures had not fallen, but instead drowned.


    Why would Ariel build his pyramid at the bottom of a sea?


    Sunny shook his head.


    ''No... the description of the Mirror of Truth did not mention any seas or oceans.''


    There was a lot of talk about rivers in the description of other Memories he had received during the Chain of Nightmares. But what river could have been so vast?


    The spacious hall the survivors had sought shelter in was illuminated by the light of a small fire. Beastmaster was roasting monster meat above it... she seemed relaxed and amiable, but everyone else was terribly tense.


    That was because the bewitching Saint was perhaps no less dangerous than the apocalyptic battle going on outside.


    Now that they had escaped the Gate Guardian, at least for a few hours, everyone became painfully aware that being in her presence was an insidiously terrifying experience. Beastmaster could subtly take hold of anyone''s mind, after all, to enthrall or drive them mad.


    Perhaps she already had.


    Sunny was uneasy, but Summer Knight was more tense than the others �� if there was one reason for the beautiful demoness to warp the minds of the survivors, it was to kill him and get rid of daughters of Valor.


    As if reading his thoughts, Beastmaster smiled.


    "Gods. Can you stop drilling a hole in my forehead, Gilead? I know I am pretty... but still, a knight like you should have some manners. Stop staring."


    Summer Knight continued looking in her direction, unperturbed.


    "...Were pretty. Have you looked in the mirror recently?"


    Beastmaster looked up at him, blinked a couple of times, then traced the bleeding wound running across her face with a delicate finger.


    "Oh, that thing? Ah, it refuses to heal. Whispering Blade left me with that present... before he died. Miserably. It''s too bad that you couldn''t protect your liege, isn''t it, Gilead?"


    Everyone was too exhausted to have an appetite, but they still forced themselves to eat. Right now, food was fuel, and all of them were running low on it.


    As they consumed the fragrant meat, Nephis suddenly moved and opened her eyes. There was an empty void in them, but slowly, arduously, a spark of humanity returned, and she turned her head, looking at the silhouettes of the humans sitting in front of the fire.


    Sunny glanced in her direction, then turned his attention back to the food and sent a mental message:


    [It''s night. We''re in a large ruin. The vessels of the Gate Guardian are gone �� you killed one, Beastmaster and Summer Knight killed the other. Cassie led them to us just in time.]


    He thought for a moment, and added:


    [Oh. Also, you should probably summon an armor Memory.]


    Nephis stared at him for a bit, then moved slightly beneath the seawave cloak and closed her eyes. A few seconds later, a flurry of sparks surrounded her body, and she rose. Her slender figure was wrapped in a fitting black material, which Sunny recognized as the inner layer of the Starlight Legion Armor with a bit of surprise.


    Nephis swayed a little, then slowly walked over to the fire and sat down. He handed her the Endless Spring, while Cassie offered her a portion of roasted meat.


    Neph drank deeply from the beautiful glass bottle, then took the meat and looked silently at Morgan and Sir Gilead.


    Summer Knight offered her a tired smile.


    "Lady Changing Star, you are awake. Thank the gods."


    There was a strange strain in her voice.


    Morgan looked between the two, then shook her head.


    "Well, now... the two of you are making me feel bad."


    Nephis silently sank her teeth into the juicy meat, her expression neutral.


    ...Sunny''s, however, was not.


    ''So that''s how it is.''


    He had learned everything he needed to know from that short exchange.


    ''Sir Gilead can only take one person back with him.''

 Chapter 1225 Short Respite

    Chapter 1225 Short Respite


    After the food was finished, a tense silence settled inside the ancient ruin. Everyone was tired beyond words, but no one dared to fall asleep... not only out of fear of the Gate Guardian finding them, but also because of the two Saints.


    Beastmaster and Summer Knight sat on opposite sides of the fire, staring at each other tensely. Neither could lower their guard, knowing that the opponent would, perhaps, use that moment to launch an attack.


    ''I guess their alliance was doomed to be a short-lived one.''


    Sunny tiredly closed his eyes, then yawned.


    "No offense... but why don''t you just leave? Then those of us who have to stay will get some rest, at least."


    Both Saints looked at him with a hint of surprise. After a few short moments, Sir Gilead shook his head slightly.


    "I must admit, I admire your composure, Master Sunless."


    Summer Knight must have been under the impression that the people he couldn''t save would be terrified, perhaps even begging him to take them back to the waking world instead of Morgan.


    Well, Sunny did not consider begging to be beneath him �� if there was a point to it. But he knew that the Saint of Clan Valor was never going to abandon the daughter of his Sovereign.


    Sunny shrugged.


    "I''m too tired to be worried."


    Beastmaster chuckled, then said in a raspy voice:


    "The reason why we haven''t left is very simple. You are not a Saint, so you wouldn''t know... but there are conditions that have to be met in order to return to the waking world. Namely, our anchors in the waking world are affected by the Call the same way your anchors in the Dream Realm are affected by it. Every Seed exerts a pulling force, and since there are so many of them in the Nightmare Desert, that force is quite ubiquitous. We need to find a spot where it is relatively weak first, and this ruin is not one of these spots."


    She paused for a moment, and then added:


    "They are not too hard to find, though. I am willing to bet that we''ll encounter at least one tomorrow."


    Sunny tilted his head a little.


    ''So that''s how it is...''


    It was only logical that Saints were influenced by the Call even in the Dream Realm. In fact, the influence they had to endure would be much greater than what the rest of them suffered through �� Sunny knew it because of his own experiences as an Awakened and as a Master. After the Ascension, he felt the pull of the Call much clearer.


    ''It''s interesting that she said anchor instead of tether, though.''


    The point was... neither Beastmaster nor Summer Knight could leave the ruin �� and the Nightmare Desert �� before the night ended.


    "Thanks for the compliment, I guess."


    ''Why the hell is she calling me "little brother", all of a sudden? First of all, I''m not her brother... second of all, I''m not little!''


    The torn wound on Beastmaster''s face was still shedding drops of blood, but that did not stop her from laughing.


    He struggled to not be enchanted by that laugh.


    The beautiful Saint lingered for a bit, then asked in a languid tone:


    "By the way, I was meaning to ask..."


    Her eyes glimmered with friendly amusement.


    "...How did you and Changing Star kill Dire Fang?"


    Sunny looked at her and remained silent for a while. Beastmaster''s tone sounded relaxed, but he could not help but wonder if there was a hidden threat beneath that calmness.


    Being threatened by the tantalizing enchantress... would be a frightening experience.


    When the pain of his Flaw grew unbearable, Sunny shrugged.


    "The same way you and Sir Gilead killed a great abomination. By combining our strength and exploiting his weaknesses."


    Beastmaster studied him for a few moments, then turned away with a scoff.


    "Kids these days are truly terrifying..."


    Sunny frowned.


    "Why? Should I expect to become the target of Clan Song''s vendetta after I return to the waking world? Because, let me tell you... I just barely managed to stop being targeted by Clan Valor before coming to Antarctica and experiencing the wonders of the Chain of Nightmares. It has very, very rough year for me, so... I would really appreciate some leniency..."


    The beautiful demoness chuckled.


    "You seem really confident that you''ll be able to return, though? How optimistic!"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times and stared at her with a bleak expression.


    After a bit of bitter silence, he sighed.


    "Well. If you put it like that... I take it back. It''s not a good morning at all..."

 Chapter 1226 Alluring Offer

    Chapter 1226 Alluring Offer


    Soon, the group left the ruin and ventured into the desert once again.


    Their speed was much greater than the day before �� not only because the weaker member of the group had received an opportunity to rest, but also because their wounds were healed by Nephis.


    Nephis... did not look well. Physically, she was perfectly healthy, and anyone who did not know her as deeply as Sunny did would have assumed that everything was fine. But he could feel how drained and hurt she really was. Neph had not recovered from using her Aspect to destroy the vessels of the Gate Guardian yet...


    He was worried that, perhaps, she never would.


    Nevertheless, Nephis had insisted on treating everyone''s injuries. Even Seishan''s �� only Beastmaster, whose wound had been delivered by Whispering Blade''s sword, had turned out to be beyond her ability to mend flesh. The ugly cut on the diabolically beautiful face of the enchantress still continued to weep blood.


    There was some logic to providing aid to the enemies of Clan Valor. As long as they were in the desert, they were on the same side �� no one knew when the Gate Guardian would attack again, or what kind of monstrous abominations awaited them in the scorching expanse of the Nightmare Desert. So, the higher the strength of the group was, the higher Neph''s chances to survive would be.


    That was also the reason why Sunny did not stop her from treating his wounds. Usually, he was deeply reluctant to let Nephis torture herself on his behalf... but now, both of them were in dire danger. He had to be in the best state possible to ensure that they made it out of the Dream Realm alive.


    The group walked across the white sands of the cursed desert like lost souls wandering the vast expanse of a scorching hell.


    The Nightmare Desert was full of dangers that even two Saints would find difficult, or outright impossible, to survive. More than that, their chances of finding a spot where the pull of the Seeds was weak enough to escape were slim, at least in a short amount of time.


    ...Or it would have been, if not for the unique advantage the group possessed.


    That advantage, of course, was Cassie. The blind oracle had long proved how irreplaceable she was in the Dream Realm. Now that she was a Master, her supernatural intuition had only grown stronger.


    Guided by Cassie, they managed to avoid the most dreadful dangers and go deeper and deeper into the desert without losing a single member of the group to its horrors. Of course, the cursed sea of dunes was too dire of a land to make their journey easy.


    There were still hazards, pitfalls, and abominable creatures of all kinds that they had to avoid, overcome, and fight. But with Summer Knight and Beastmaster protecting the Ascended, none of it managed to harvest their lives.


    And, by the time the sun started to roll toward the horizon, they finally stumbled on what they had been hoping to find... some of them had been, at least.


    The ruin in front of them was not very large, and looked like a spent candle. It was low and misshapen, as if furious flames had once melted the black stones into a searing liquid, which then cooled down and solidified in a chaotic pattern.


    A vast expanse of sand around the ruin had been turned into a sea of uneven black glass. Updated from


    That was not important, though. What was important was that the misshapen structure was distant enough from the surrounding Seeds to allow the Saints to leave the Dream Realm from inside it.


    The group made its way into the ruin, stepping across obsidian glass. Inside, the floor was just the same �� everything told the story of furious flames that had raged within the structure once, turning it into a scorched husk.


    Stepping on the cracked black glass, Beastmaster breathed in deeply, and then looked at the rest of them.


    "Well. There''s no point in dragging this out... Seishan and I will be leaving. It was nice knowing you all! Granted, I can take one more person with me �� those of you who have fought against the great clan Song, I hope you won''t be offended if I don''t extend the invitation. Oh, except for you, little brother. You, Raised by Wolves, and Nightingale. I can help one of you escape this bothersome predicament."


    She smiled brightly, giving them a measured look.


    The underlying message of her offer was clear �� you would owe me.


    Or maybe even... I would own you.


    Morgan smiled.


    ''Here they go. Now, we will have to...''


    ...And shook her head.


    Sunny blinked.


    "No, not yet."


    Noticing confusion in Sir Gilead''s eyes, Morgan shrugged.


    "You can take me away later, but for now... for now, we still have a chance to reach the pyramid. We can still complete our mission. Yes, our situation is far from perfect, but on the bright side, Clan Song is entirely out of the picture. The competition is gone. It would be foolish not to make an attempt."


    She looked at the rest of them.


    "Plus, if we do conquer the Tomb of Ariel, everyone would be able to escape through its Gateway. Why, wouldn''t that be wonderful?"


    Summer Knight''s face hardened.


    "Lady Morgan... I''m afraid I will have to insist. If we do not leave immediately, there might not be a siege capital to return to when we try again next time. The whole continent might be lost."


    She shrugged dismissively.


    "Don''t worry about that. We have four more days, at least..."


    Their conversation was extremely interesting. Morgan''s confidence that East Antarctica would hold for four more days at the minimum was also fascinating.


    However...


    Sunny found himself distracted.


    That was because he suddenly felt a gaze. Someone was watching him, and from a direction where no one was supposed to be...


    He did not turn his head, but instead looked around through his shadows.


    In a distant corner of the glass chamber, a figure was reflecting on the fractured wall.


    However, there was no one there to cast the reflection.


    ''That bastard...''


    Noticing Sunny''s attention, the reflection smiled and waved a hand.


    ...Or rather, a bloody stump.


    One of its hands seemed to be missing.

 Chapter 1227 A Friendly Invitation

    Chapter 1227 A Friendly Invitation


    The Black Skull was a death trap, so no one would be able to escape the Nightmare Desert through its Gateway. However, there was at least one other Citadel in this infernal region of the Dream Realm �� the Tomb of Ariel.


    The black pyramid that always loomed just beyond the horizon like an ominous mirage, but never grew closer no matter how far one went into the sea of white dunes. One of the main reasons why the great clans had come to Antarctica, in the first place.


    Now that the expeditionary forces of both clans had been wiped out and the daughters of Ki Song fully withdrew from the race, Morgan decided to make one last, desperate attempt to reach the daemon''s tomb.


    Which was a piece of good news for Sunny and other members of the cohort. Sunny knew that reaching the pyramid was their best �� and, perhaps, only �� chance of getting out of the desert alive. The others understood, as well. Having a powerful Saint and a princess of Valor with them was a great boon.


    Summer Knight and Morgan could make the lethal task of traversing the Nightmare Desert slightly less impossible to accomplish.


    There was just one problem...


    Without showing any emotion, Sunny stared at the reflection of Mordret through the shadows. The Prince of Nothing looked rather chilling... he was terribly wounded, his armor battered and covered in blood. Where one of his hands was supposed to be, there was now only a bloody stump. Even one of his eyes was gone, replaced by a gaping hole.


    He looked like a corpse.


    Nevertheless, there was a familiar smile on Mordret''s face.


    "Sunless. Ah, I am so glad to see you in good health!"


    Maintaining a calm facade, Sunny furtively glanced at his companions. None of them seemed to have heard Mordret''s voice... it appeared that it was being transmitted directly into his head.


    Maybe what Mordret was actually talking to was not Sunny, but instead Sunny''s reflection. In any case, it was a little disconcerting.


    ''Great. Now I hear even more voices...''


    Mordret lowered his bloody arm and coughed awkwardly.


    "Oh, right. I guess you can''t answer without announcing my presence to everyone. How about you nod once or twice to indicate..."


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then silently reached out to the reflection with the [Blessing of Dusk]. To his surprise, it actually worked.


    Continuing to act as if nothing had happened, he sent a mental message to the mangled reflection:


    That finally forced Sunny to react. Turning away to hide his face from the members of the cohort, Morgan, and Sir Gilead, he looked at the reflection with a deep scowl.


    [Oh, yeah? How would you know?]


    The Prince of Nothing shrugged.


    "Simple, really... it''s because I''ve already seen Asterion try it once, and fail. So, let me ask you a question �� if a Sovereign failed to reach the Tomb of Ariel, what makes you think that your ragtag team of Ascended can succeed?"


    Sunny was startled. Mordret had just confessed a piece of truly shocking information... Asterion had already been to the Nightmare Desert? And it had happened while Mordret was still with him, so more than a decade ago, at least?


    A thousand questions instantly appeared in his head.


    [...I don''t know enough to guess who can reach the pyramid and who can''t. Does it matter, though? It''s not like there is a better solution. But why did Asterion want to enter the Tomb of Ariel? No, wait... if even he had failed, then why did your father and Ki Song still send their people into the desert?]


    Mordret chuckled.


    "Because Asterion doesn''t have to report to them what he does. I know, but they don''t... and even I don''t know what his motives were. As for the pyramid being the best solution �� are you sure about that?"


    Sunny remained silent for a while, then said reluctantly:


    [No. If what you said is true.]


    The Prince of Nothing grinned.


    "It is so pleasant to talk to a smart person. Let''s put aside the question of my honesty, for now... yes, the Tomb of Ariel seems like a solution, but it really isn''t. My sister can''t help you save yourself and your companions, Sunless."


    Sunny looked down with a wary expression.


    [And I suppose that you can?]


    Mordret stared at him for a while. His grin slowly faded.


    "Yes, I can. I''m not doing it out of kindness, either... you need my help, but I also need yours. The strength of your companions, too �� I need it. The more, the merrier. If we are to escape this hell, we''ll need all the strength we can get. It is fortunate that we are able to talk, really �� this ruin you''re in is at the very edge of where my reflection can reach. Ah, it seems that fate is on our side."


    He sighed, then smiled again.


    "So, Sunless... why don''t you forget about trying to reach the Tomb of Ariel with my sister, and come challenge the Third Nightmare with me instead?"

 Chapter 1228 Unattainable Mirage

    Chapter 1228 Unattainable Mirage


    Sunny had gone through many chilling trials in his tumultuous life, but the Nightmare Desert was, perhaps, the most harrowing ordeal of them all. Lost in a true Death Zone, pursued by a Great Nightmare Creature, and running out of time... he saw little hope of making it out of this tribulation alive.


    Nevertheless, there were two paths he could take.


    The first one was to follow Morgan to the Tomb of Ariel, and the second one was to follow Mordret into the Third Nightmare.


    Both paths were equally lethal and veiled in uncertainty, making it hard for him to choose.


    In the end, Sunny made the most prudent decision �� he postponed making a choice by a few days.


    After all, there was a time limit set by Morgan in her daring attempt to reach the black pyramid. Four days... if they did not arrive at the daemon''s tomb in four days, Summer Knight was going to take her back to the waking world, leaving the rest of them behind.


    So, Sunny was going to put his hopes in the Princess of War, and if she failed to accomplish her goal, he would answer Mordret''s invitation and follow the only remaining path into a Seed of Nightmare.


    The Prince of Nothing was not very happy with the delay, but he had no other choice except to agree with Sunny and wait patiently. He really needed the strength of Changing Star''s cohort if he was to challenge a Third Nightmare... especially one that he knew nothing about, and would be entering without any preparations.


    Masters were the best of the best among the warriors of humanity �� unlike Awakened, who had no choice but to face the trials of the Spell and survive them, each Master had chosen to venture into their Second Nightmares voluntarily. Only the strongest and most resourceful survived and Ascended.


    And out of those strongest, hundreds and hundreds had attempted the Third Nightmare in the last few decades. Yet... only a few dozen humans returned, thus becoming Saints.


    That alone spoke about how deadly the Third Nightmare was.


    Needless to say, Sunny was not very enthusiastic about venturing into the Third Nightmare at the ripe age of twenty. Maybe if he was a titan with seven fully saturated cores and another decade of experience behind his shoulders, he would consider it. But now...


    He desperately hoped that Mordret was either lying or wrong, and that Morgan would be able to lead them to the black pyramid. Having to make a deal with the Prince of Nothing was the worst-case scenario.


    ''Gods. How did I end up being forced to put all my hopes in these two?''


    Sunny did not know, but he felt that every time they had to escape from the Skinwalker''s pursuit, it was rapidly becoming harder and harder to shake the abomination off.


    Everyone was... tired.


    Everyone was spent, battered, frightened, and slowly starting to fall into despair. The gauntlet of the Nightmare Desert was just too cruel, too harrowing, and too hopeless.


    And worst of all, despite it all, the ominous silhouette of the black pyramid seemed just as distant as it had been at the start of their arduous journey.


    Even Morgan, who had never allowed herself to show doubt or weakness before, was looking less and less indomitable with each passing day. The perfectly maintained facade of a fearless princess of the great clan was coming undone, revealing the face of a brave and ambitious, but ultimately fallible and human young woman.


    She was spent, battered, frightened, and desperate too.


    The difference was...


    Morgan still had a way out. While the rest of them didn''t.


    Just like that, the fourth day arrived �� once it passed, they would have been in the desert for a full week.


    Emerging from an underground ruin, the members of the group shielded their eyes from the blinding sun and looked at the distant, unattainable mirage of the Tomb of Ariel.


    Sunny''s face was grim.


    ''Mordret said that it is impossible to reach the pyramid... but he is wrong. Asterion was unable to get to it, but someone else did. The sybils... they reached it. They even went inside. So there''s still a chance.''


    Morgan''s face was motionless. Her eyes were sunken and tired, but still burning with sharpness. There was no hint of being dulled in their vermilion abyss.


    Grimacing, she took a step forward and said hoarsely:


    "Come. We have not failed yet."

 Chapter 1229 Seventh Night

    Chapter 1229 Seventh Night


    A tenebrous stallion was galloping across the vast expanse of white sand. On his back, leaning tiredly in the saddle, sat a beautiful young woman in black garments. The steed and the rider were like a wave of darkness that absorbed the incandescent sunlight, and only the young woman''s striking silver hair reflected the light back as it danced in the air.


    Nephis was following a swift shadow that glided across the dunes in front of them, guiding the two back to the group. Cresting a tall dune, she saw a scene out of a nightmare. The immaculate whiteness of the sand had been painted red by blood, and grotesque corpses were strewn about, torn asunder and gaping with terrible wounds.


    The dead Nightmare Creatures were both numerous and enormous in size. The desert itself had been upturned by the furious battle that had reaped their lives, and several tiny human figures could be seen among the gigantic corpses.


    Her expression turned grim.


    At the same time, down below, Sunny turned his head slightly and glanced at the black silhouette of the rider, which was outlined against the azure sky at the top of the dune. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he sighed tiredly and leaned his back against the scaly limb of a dead abomination, hidden in its shadow.


    ''She''s back.''


    Nephis had survived her mission... the rest of them had survived, as well, albeit barely. This swarm of Nightmare Creatures had been too tough even for Sir Gilead to handle �� the Saint had dealt with the leader of the pack, a Great Beast, and the rest of them had faced off against the pack of Corrupted abominations.


    Now, Summer Knight was severely wounded, and they were similarly battered and drained of strength. In any other situation, a Transcendent vanquishing a Great Nightmare Creature would have been a legendary feat worthy of a triumphant celebration, but now, they were just tired and afraid.


    This was the first Great abomination �� aside from the Skinwalker �� they had stumbled on in the Nightmare Desert, but would it be the last? Certainly not.


    They had not even reached the inner regions of this cursed land yet, and the situation was already so hopeless.


    Nightmare descended from the dune, and the members of the group crawled out from the shaded spots beneath the gigantic corpses to meet Nephis.


    She jumped from the saddle and looked at Morgan with a composed expression. The princess of Valor raised an eyebrow.


    "How did it go?"


    Nephis lingered for a moment.


    "I lured that titan toward the Skinwalker''s vessel. They fought, but more vessels showed up. The titan should be dead by now... there is still the sea of quicksand between us and the pursuers, with the thing that dwells below, but it won''t delay them for long. We have several hours, at most."


    Morgan let out a heavy sigh.


    "Damn it. It was a desperate gambit, but I really hoped to achieve more."


    She grimaced, then turned west and stared at the distant silhouette of the black pyramid with a grim expression.


    By now, everyone knew that her desperate desire to reach the Tomb of Ariel, or at least get closer to it, was futile. Perhaps even Morgan knew, even if she refused to admit it.


    Sunny was sure that she was not trying to conquer the black pyramid for their benefit, but still, he was almost touched. The rest of them had pretty much already surrendered... only Morgan continued to stubbornly cling to the impossible goal.


    Sir Gilead shook his head.


    "Lady Morgan... this is the fourth day. I promised to give you time, but we''ve made no progress. You need to accept reality."


    The princess remained silent for a while, then winced.


    "Sunset. We''ll push forward until the sun sets. If nothing changes until then, I''ll follow you back to Antarctica."


    Summer Knight looked away, then nodded.


    They could probably survive until the sunset... in any case, there was still the issue of finding a suitable spot for traveling between worlds. The handsome Saint glanced at Cassie.


    "Lady Cassia, I will have to trouble you."


    She simply nodded, expressing her consent to help Sir Gilead and Morgan escape the Nightmare Desert.


    Sunny was also looking at the black pyramid that loomed just beyond the horizon. He was strangely calm.


    ''The Tomb of Ariel... how can one reach it?''


    Morgan looked at him silently. Sunny met her gaze and asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice:


    "It''s a question that has been gnawing at me for a while. The great clans have been suppressing the Transcendence of independent Awakened for decades. An old man once told me that you might have been pursuing noble goals... like limiting the number of powerful Nightmare Gates that open across the world. Someone else told me that all you think about is whose Domain controls the most Citadels, though. So... what is the real reason? And why does it seem that you suddenly don''t care about it at all?"


    He paused, and then added evenly:


    "The great clans have also been at odds with each other for a long time, but you only decided to start a real war now that a whole damn continent is on the verge of being destroyed. Why is that? Huh?"


    Sunny felt a little surreal. A few years ago, as a Sleeper, Nephis had warned him that merely knowing about the existence of Sovereigns and Domains could get him killed. And now, as a Master, he was directly asking such questions to the daughter of a Sovereign.


    Well, it was not like Morgan could do anything to him right now. What punishment could be worse than leaving him behind in the middle of the Nightmare Desert? Sunny was already as good as dead, so there was no reason to hold back.


    She looked at him for a while, keeping silent. To Sunny''s surprise, there was no anger or disdain in Morgan''s eyes. Only... a strange, grim amusement.


    "You really don''t know?"


    He shook his head.


    Morgan frowned and let out a hoarse chuckle.


    "Well. Both of your questions... have the same answer. The probability of powerful Nightmare Gates opening across the world �� we wanted to keep it as low as possible, yes. Wishing to control more Citadels �� we wanted it too. But now, we indeed don''t care about suppressing the number of Saints that much."


    Sunny looked at her with a burning intensity.


    "Why?"


    Morgan smiled darkly.


    "Why else? It''s because there''s no point in doing so anymore. The critical mass has already been reached. My father and Ki Song, they postponed it for as long as they could. But now, there''s no way to slow down the pebble anymore. It has already become an avalanche."


    She leaned forward until her face was mere centimeters from Sunny''s and whispered into his ear:


    "What, did you think that the Chain of Nightmares was going to stop with the Southern Quadrant? No, Master Sunless... it is just the start. Soon enough, all of Earth will be the same as Antarctica. Every continent, every city, every home. All of it... all of the waking world will be swallowed by the Dream Realm."


    She leaned back, leaving Sunny staring at her in shock. His mind seemed to be frozen.


    Morgan studied his motionless face with a smile, and then sighed.


    "Two weak Domains can''t withstand the future. Only one powerful Domain can. So, you see... one way or the other, either Valor or Song must fall. There can be only one king, and one throne."


    She lingered for a few moments, and then stood up.


    "I wish you luck, Master Sunless. Go, conquer the Third Nightmare, and become a Saint. Did you think that the great clans would try to stop you? No... now that the end has begun, we''ll need all the Saints we can get."


    Morgan turned away and walked in the direction of Sir Gilead, her vermilion eyes drowning in darkness.


    As she did, she stopped for a moment and looked at Nephis.


    "Sister! I will wait for you in Bastion. Don''t take too long."


    With that, the Princess of War took Summer Knight''s hand.


    Soon, they were gone, leaving the six of them �� Sunny, Nephis, Cassie, Effie, Kai, and Jet �� alone in the underground chamber.


    The echo of her words was roaring in Sunny''s mind, leaving him paralyzed.


    After a while, he shifted slightly.


    ''Oh... of course.''


    Outside, the armies of the ancient dead were locked in an eternal battle, and a cold moon shone above the stygian edifice of the dreadful old tomb.

 Chapter 1230 Hell is Empty

    Chapter 1230 Hell is Empty


    A suffocating cloud of pristine sand had bloated out the sky, and hurricane winds were raging across the vast sea of white dunes. The world was perfectly white and suffused with incinerating heat. The grains of sand cut the skin like knives, but six fragile humans stubbornly marched forward through the radiant inferno, covering their eyes with tired hands and struggling against the wind.


    Sunny was at the head of the small column, shielded from the hurricane, somewhat, by Saint''s indomitable back. There was a piece of black glass in his hand, and in it dwelled a reflection of a young man with one shining mirror-like eye.


    "Hurry, Sunless... you are almost there, but you must hurry. The creature is drawing close."


    ''Shut up, bastard... I know... I know it all!''


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny pushed through the wind and walked forward.


    He felt as if he had been thrust into a scorching oven. The Skinwalker was on their heels, as relentless and inevitable as ever, but at this rate, the desert itself was going to kill them before the great abomination could.


    ''What... a joke... six of the most powerful Ascended in the world... will be done in... by the environment...''


    Wasn''t it funny? His journey as an Awakened had started with almost freezing to death in the cold mountains, and now, he was on the verge of succumbing to the unbearable heat of the cursed desert. The Dream Realm was merciless to the weak, but it was also ruthless toward the strong.


    Not that Sunny was particularly strong, yet.


    Randomly, he remembered a part of the speech Nephis had given to the Sleepers in the Bright Castle, right before leading them to siege the Crimson Spire.


    ''The weak will die. The strong will die, too. And those who remain won''t be the same... follow me... and you will never be slaves...'' VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    He wanted to laugh.


    The world was entirely white, and incandescent. They were not going to last much longer in the annihilating sandstorm. Sunny already felt ready to collapse... he could only imagine how the others felt, without the same elemental resistance as his. Everyone had their own tools to deal with the heat, of course, but still... they were all balancing at the very edge of oblivion.


    But, luckily, their destination was already close.


    Slowly, a massive dark shape revealed itself in the hurricane of pristine sand. Sunny froze for a moment, looking up.


    In front of them, some distance away, a giant block of black stone lay between the


    In front of them, some distance away, a giant block of black stone lay between the white dunes, tilted to the side, its lines perfectly even and immaculately smooth. It seemed impervious to the destructive force of the sandstorm, the cataclysmic fury of the eternal battle between the ancient dead, and even the cruel ravages of time... and yet, one of its ends was cracked, broken, and utterly shattered.


    Sunny did not know what unholy blow could have damaged the indestructible black stone, and did not want to know.


    The sight of it stunned him.


    Not only because he recognized the block of stone for where it had come from, but also for what it was.


    Sunny nodded, then turned to his companions.


    What was there to say?


    He forced out a smile and shouted:


    "Everyone... stay alive! We will return as Saints!"


    With that, he spared each of them one last glance.


    There were sparks of white flame dancing in Neph''s eyes. Cassie was pale, but full of unbreakable resolve. Kai was looking at the black stone with a sense of resigned trepidation. Effie seemed grim and determined. Jet... was smiling.


    She shook her head lightly and grinned.


    "Life is sure unpredictable... who would have thought that I''d end up challenging the Third Nightmare, after all?"


    Soul Reaper laughed as she looked at Sunny.


    "Sunny! Thank you!"


    He stared at her for a moment, then shook his head.


    ''What a lunatic.''


    With that, he turned around and took a step toward the black stone.


    One step, two... three...


    Slowly, the white inferno of the raging sandstorm disappeared, and all that remained was boundless darkness.


    In that darkness, Sunny heard the voice of the Spell:


    [Ascended! Prepare for your Third Trial!]


    Its words echoed in the void.


    [Thirteen million, seven hundred thousand, and seventy seven brave ones... welcome to the Nightmare!]


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    ''...What?''


    [End of volume six: All the Devils Are Here]

 Chapter 1231 Once More, With Feeling

    Chapter 1231 Once More, With Feeling


    Sunny dreamt of a black pyramid.


    Somber and wreathed in darkness, it rose from a sea of flawlessly white sand like a towering mountain. Its slopes were like vast plains, and its sharp peak was like a spear that pierced the heavens. Outlined against the backdrop of the starlit sky, the pyramid was like a black rift in the fabric of the world.


    Its edifice was built from millions of colossal stone blocks. Each block was darker than the darkness itself and perfectly aligned, leaving no gaps between them. And each of them... each...


    Sunny felt a cold terror grip his heart.


    Each of the stone blocks... was a Seed of Nightmare. There were millions of them, some already in bloom, some still waiting for their turn to blossom. At the base of the pyramid, the Nightmares were shallow and weak. Higher, they were harrowing and unfathomable. And higher still...


    The slope of the colossal pyramid was broken and covered in cracks, with many blocks either shattered into dismal dust or missing. Four vast scars were tainting its immaculate surface, as if some unholy beast had torn through the eternal stone with titanic claws.


    Above the scars was a narrow capstone.


    But Sunny... he was not someone who could gaze upon it.


    The moment he did, his soul convulsed in agony, and his consciousness shattered.


    The time reversed its flow, but then stuttered and froze.


    The time warped and screamed.


    The silhouette of the black pyramid exploded into a myriad of lightless shards.


    And then, Sunny was no more.


    There was the sound of wind whistling in his ears.


    He was falling.


    Coming to his senses, still disoriented, he sighed.


    ''Here we go again...''


    Before doing anything else, Sunny summoned the Essence Pearl...


    The next moment, he hit the water.


    ''Ha! I just knew this would happen!''


    Instead of thrashing wildly, he let his body sink and waited for the breathing Memory to manifest itself. At the same time, Sunny extended his shadow sense outward and tried to understand the nature of his surroundings.


    ...Water. Nothing but water.


    ''Well, that''s strange. Wasn''t I in the desert just a few moments ago?''


    They entered the Nightmare through a giant block of black stone that lay between the dunes, half-buried in the sand. Since the Seed was in the desert, the Nightmare was also supposed to take place in the desert... unless the Spell had sent them in a past so distant that the desert itself did not exist yet, hidden at the bottom of a sea.


    The thing, though, was that...


    ''That''s... very strange.''


    The cool water around him was not seawater. It was freshwater. If Sunny was so inclined, he could open his mouth and drink as much as he wanted. Not that he would, of course.


    ''Huh.''


    One thing was certain. Sunny had already guessed it before, but after witnessing the Tomb of Ariel in the vision at the start of the Nightmare, he was now sure - the giant block of black stone was, in fact, one of the building blocks of the great pyramid. The unimaginable blow that had left four scars on the surface of the daemon''s tomb must have sent quite a few of them flying far away into the desert.


    And Mordret had just happened to stumble upon one. Just as expected, the Prince of Nothing had ulterior motives.


    Or maybe they had just gotten terribly unlucky.


    Or maybe it was fate.Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    In any case...


    He shivered slightly, then grimaced and rubbed his face.


    ''What the hell... now I''m having nightmares within a Nightmare. What a great damn start to the day!''


    Suddenly consumed by anger, he stood up, clenching his fists, and shouted:


    "Curse it! Curse it all!"


    His hoarse voice drowned in the mist.


    The mist did not look as thick as it had before, but it still veiled the entire world. There was nothing within the reach of his shadow sense except for the endless expanse of flowing water.


    "Curse it all..."


    Sunny shut his eyes for a moment, then winced and sat back down.


    He was in a terrible mood.


    ''What was even the point of it all?''


    He was being pulled by the current... just like he had always been before. For most of his life, Sunny had just gone with the flow, struggling to survive and only reacting to things that threatened him.


    Going to Antarctica was perhaps the first real decision he had made for himself. Sure, it might have been a reaction as well... but later, Sunny developed an understanding of what he wanted to achieve.


    He had wanted to protect the civilians of the Southern Quadrant and the soldiers of the Evacuation Army. He had wanted to prevent the great clans from messing everything up. The things he had done in East Antarctica were not a reaction - instead, they were the result of an active desire to change the world in the way he saw fit.


    That was the first time Sunny had tentatively attempted to bend the world to his will, instead of letting the world press him into the ground.


    And for what?


    What was the result?


    The siege capitals of East Antarctica were, most likely, already destroyed. The Evacuation Army had been wiped out, and the civilians had been slaughtered. There was a desperate hope in his heart that some miracle had happened, saving them all, but Sunny knew that it was a futile dream.


    When had there ever been a miracle like that?


    No. He failed.


    ''Ah...''


    The world was not so easily bent.


    ''Damn it!''


    Sunny stared into the mist with resentment.


    And then, he heard a voice:


    "Done feeling sorry for yourself yet?"


    ''What the?!''


    With a start, Sunny flinched away from the source of the voice. Falling on the wet surface of the wooden raft, he crawled back and looked up.


    There was a slender figure standing above him, with a mocking smile on his face.


    It was a young man with black hair, alabaster skin, and a lithe build. He was wearing a simple tunic of beautiful black silk and a pair of dainty silk shoes, looking like a porcelain doll.


    His eyes were like two pools of cold darkness.


    The young man... was Sunny.


    Or rather, it was the Sin of Solace.


    However, the spirit of the cursed sword did not look vague and blurry anymore. It looked utterly complete and real...


    In fact, it looked slightly more real than Sunny himself.

 Chapter 1232 Lost in the Mist

    Chapter 1232 Lost in the Mist


    ''What the hell?!''


    Sunny reached the edge of his makeshift raft and froze there, his fingers submerged in water. A perfect copy of him was standing motionlessly a few meters away, looking down with a mocking smile on his lips.


    The pale face, the onyx eyes, the raven black hair... it was all the same. But the apparition was much more composed and full of malice than Sunny. There was a boundless ocean of madness hiding behind the cold darkness of its amused gaze.


    For a moment, Sunny was convinced that one of Mordret''s Reflections had somehow found him within the mist. But the tone with which the apparition spoke was simply too familiar. With a shudder, he realized that this copy of him was the manifestation of the Sin of Solace.


    However...


    "Gods. You look so pathetic."


    ''Yeah... that''s definitely that damned sword.''


    But how could it be?


    At first, Sunny had only heard indistinct whispers when holding the Sin of Solace. Later, he could clearly hear its voice. And later still, after Falcon Scott, a vague illusory figure would follow him around... now, however, that figure seemed perfectly real.


    That was not the most frightening fact, though.


    The most frightening thing was that Sunny did not have the Sin of Solace summoned. How could the spirit of the cursed sword be here, if the sword itself still rested within the still darkness of his soul?!


    Suddenly, a chill ran down Sunny''s spine.


    As if reading his mind, the Sin of Solace laughed.


    "Ah, how fun. I''ll give you some credit, Lost from Light... you never fail to amuse, at least. What, are you afraid of me now?"


    Sunny hated to admit it, but he was. He did not know what to expect from the cursed jian... it was tied to Ariel, after all, who was both the Demon of Dread and the architect of the harrowing pyramid of nightmares. Even if the Transcendent Memory only contained a facsimile of a distant whisper left behind by the ancient daemon, it was still an artifact of terrifying power.


    He knew that power all too well. Sunny had slain many Corrupted Nightmare Creatures with its help, after all �� some of whom he had no business being able to kill �� and, as a result, was exposed to its destructive influence in turn. He had thought that he was handling the insidious influence of the Sin of Solace well...


    But if he had, then why did the apparition feel more real than ever? How was it able to appear before him without him even holding the cursed sword?


    Sunny remained silent for a while, then forced out a smile.


    "Afraid of you? Nonsense! Of course not."


    The Sin of Solace tilted his head a little, studying Sunny with some interest.


    "Oh... but I think you should."


    His voice sounded relaxed, but that only made the words more chilling to hear.


    However, Sunny exhaled with relief.


    "Well, why would I? You''re not real. Am I supposed to be frightened of every imaginary bastard? Life''s too short for that."


    The doll-like young man in front of him raised an eyebrow.


    "Are you sure that I am not real?"


    It was hard to tell how much time had passed since Sunny entered the Nightmare, too. The dim twilight permeating the mist never grew brighter or darker. However, he felt as if it had not been more than a couple of days.


    He had spent most of his time numbly staring at the wood grain of his makeshift raft. For some reason, it looked strangely familiar. The strange sense of familiarity was driving Sunny crazy...


    But then again, perhaps it was the fact that he had gone crazy that caused the irrational sense of familiarity with a random piece of flotsam.


    After all, there had to be a reason why the spirit of the Sin of Solace was suddenly much more clear, frighteningly real, and even able to appear without Sunny summoning the cursed sword. The less stable his mental state was, the more substantial the presence of the apparition was supposed to be.


    Sunny did not feel particularly insane, just numb, heartbroken, and emotionally drained. However, which lunatic knew of their madness?


    The Sin of Solace, meanwhile, was behaving rather strangely. Sunny was painfully aware of his many failures, so he had expected the apparition to barrage him with mockery and contempt. Did you want to protect the people of Antarctica? Did you think that your pathetic self was capable of protecting anything?


    Stuff like that.


    Hell... after that last conversation with Morgan, Sunny knew that the waking world was more or less doomed. He didn''t even know if Rain would be okay. The Sin of Solace could have used that fact to drive a nail into his heart, too.


    But the cursed sword mostly remained silent.


    At some point, Sunny glanced at the apparition, which was still standing in the spot where it first appeared, and raised an eyebrow:


    "Hey... aren''t you going to mock me? Don''t you want to remind me how pitiful and pathetic I am?"


    Sunny''s perfect copy stared at him for a few moments, then looked away with indifference.


    "...That grew old ages ago. I can''t be bothered."


    Sunny frowned.


    "Come to think of it... why is it that you haven''t moved a single centimeter in all this time?"


    The Sin of Solace scoffed.


    "Where am I supposed to go? This raft is not that large... well, I might as well stand on water, true. But why should I?"


    Sunny studied him for a bit, then shook his head.


    "No... I think you''re hiding something."


    His hallucination laughed.


    "Oh, yeah? So, now you are paranoid, too?"


    Instead of answering, Sunny rose from where he was sitting and took a step toward the Sin of Solace. His copy frowned.


    "What do you think you''re..."


    "Get lost."


    Sunny pushed the apparition aside, forcing it to take a step back and sway dangerously at the very edge of the makeshift raft, almost falling into the water.


    The Sin of Solace cursed, but Sunny paid him no attention. Instead, he stared at the spot where the hallucination had been standing all this time.


    ''...Interesting.''


    There, a single rune was roughly carved into the wood.

 Chapter 1233 Coming to Terms With the End of the World

    Chapter 1233 Coming to Terms With the End of the World


    Not paying the Sin of Solace any attention, Sunny bent down and studied the rune.


    It was carved into the wood, but not with any kind of instrument. The grooves were deep, but crude and uneven, with rough and shaky edges. It was as if someone used their nails to scratch the rune into the wooden surface in a fit of madness.


    The rune was a familiar one, too.


    "Wish."


    It had other meanings, too �� desire, yearning, longing, aspiration... even hope, sometimes, depending on the context. Sunny knew that rune all too well. How could he not, after spending so much time on the Chained Isles?


    But its most fundamental meaning was just that, a wish.


    He stared at the rune for some time, thinking.


    Who had carved it into the ancient wood? And why?


    Had it been carved before the piece of wood he was using as a raft ended up as flotsam, or after?


    What did it mean?


    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then tentatively scratched at the wood with his nail. It was really tough �� much tougher than mundane would have been. This raft of his turned out to be really sturdy. He wouldn''t be able to leave a scratch on it without losing a nail or two...


    "What are you doing?"


    Sunny gleaned at the Sin of Solace, who was looking at him with a bewildered expression.


    ''Playing dumb, huh?''


    He pointed to the rune.


    "Were you trying to hide it from me?"


    The apparition tilted its head in confusion.


    "Hide what?"


    The Chain of Nightmares was only the start of a global catastrophe. Sunny did not know how many years the destruction of the waking world would take �� a couple, a dozen, or a hundred �� but he believed Morgan when she told him that it was inevitable.


    The scope of this truth was so vast that he could not even really comprehend it.


    It was the end of the world.


    Or was it?


    ''I''m stuck here in the Third Nightmare, and may very well die. But Rain is out there in the waking world, which might be consumed by a global cataclysm at any moment.''


    Sunny could not help but feel restless, disheartened, and afraid for his sister.


    ''At least Serpent is with her. It will protect her...''


    Regardless of that, the revelation of the dire future forced him to look beyond his own experiences and motivations.


    Sunny had been struggling against many things ever since becoming an Awakened. His personal indignation at becoming bonded with Nephis, his desire to be stronger than her and escape the chains of fate, his animosity toward the great clans and his ambition to see as many people as possible survive the Chain of Nightmares... all these matters were important and valid.


    But, blinded by them, he never seriously considered the most fundamental and important conflict... mostly because it had always seemed too large and distant to have anything to do with a small and insignificant person like him.


    The Nightmare Spell, which was slowly consuming humanity.


    Now that he knew that the waking world had reached the point of no return, Sunny couldn''t ignore the looming terror of it anymore.


    ''This is... this is just infuriating. I can''t believe that I ended up being the bigger fool, out of the two of us!''


    Back when Nephis had told him that her goal was to destroy the Spell, Sunny called her a lunatic. And he still believed that she was �� her desire was nothing but pure madness!


    However, as it turned out, the world they lived in was a world of madness. So it was Sunny, who just wanted to operate a Memory store and live a peaceful life, who was misguided.


    In retrospect...


    Maybe Neph''s desire to conquer all the Nightmares and destroy the Spell was a bit insane, but Sunny''s desire to just be free of it all and live carefree was pure lunacy.


    The only sane ones were probably the people who fell somewhere in between these two extremes.


    Like Effie.

 Chapter 1234 Two Futures

    Chapter 1234 Two Futures


    Laying on a makeshift raft that was being pulled through boundless mist by a powerful current, Sunny suddenly burst out in laughter. Updated from


    "Ah. Ah, I see now..."


    Sin of Solace glanced at him with curiosity.


    "What is it that you see, if you don''t mind me asking?"


    Sunny remained silent for a while.


    "No, it''s just that... I suddenly remembered an old conversation."


    Years ago, in the ruined cathedral of the Dark City, Effie �� who was mostly a stranger back then �� had told Sunny a strange thing.


    She had told him that the Dream Realm was not hell, like everyone believed, but instead a paradise... a dark and cruel one, but a paradise nevertheless. The kind of paradise they all deserved.


    He knew now that Effie felt that way because she had been trapped in a broken body and constrained to a wheelchair in the waking world, but received a chance to be healthy and vibrant in the Dream Realm... however, that was not the only reason.


    Effie also believed that the waking world was dying �� not because of the Spell, but because of what humans themselves had done to the ecosystem they needed to exist. It might have even died already if it wasn''t for the Awakened and the gifts they had received from the Spell.


    The last thing she had said to him back then... was that one day, in the future, more people would consider the Dream Realm a paradise, just like she did.


    ''This is what it comes down to, isn''t it?''


    If Sunny tried to think realistically about the future, then the destruction of the waking world did not necessarily have to mean the destruction of humanity. Humanity was going to persevere... the small part of humanity that had access to the Dream Realm, to be more precise.


    There were hundreds of thousands of Awakened in the world, a few hundred Masters, and a few dozen Saints. But these numbers were going to swell soon... if the Chain of Nightmares was any indication, the Nightmare Spell was starting to run rampant once again. There was going to be an incredible amount of infected in the coming years... numerous new Sleepers, numerous new Awakened.


    There would be much more Masters, too, and even much more Saints.


    Even if the waking world was consumed, these people would be able to live on in the small part of the Dream Realm that had already been conquered by humanity. Many things would be lost, but the Citadels were not that far from being self-sufficient. Especially the great Citadels like Bastion and Ravenheart �� those were already like cities.


    ''So... this is it? This is the future?''


    Out of three billions, just a few millions would survive?


    He wanted to be strong, too. Strong enough to break his chains, and protect those he loved.


    He wanted to live a good life.


    ''It''s time to stop thinking about the big picture and concentrate on what exactly I have to do right now.''


    Most of the people he cared about were now inside this Nightmare. There were a few of them in the waking world, as well, including Rain.


    So, his goal was rather simple.


    First of all, he had to survive.


    He also had to find his friends, and make sure that they survived, too.


    Then, they had to conquer the Third Nightmare and return to the waking world.


    A god might descend from the machine to save humanity, or not... most likely not. In any case, it would not happen any time soon, so the next few years, at least, would go according to the future that the Sovereigns envisioned.


    In that future, the value of a Saint would be tremendous. A Saint would not be easily dismissed or bullied �� in fact, the opposite would be true. So, Sunny had to become a Saint.


    This was very convenient, considering that he was already inside a Third Nightmare, and the only alternative to Transcendence was death.


    Additionally, as a Saint, he would be able to bring people �� even mundane people �� into the Dream Realm. So, should the waking world really perish, he would be able to save Rain and a few others from that destruction.


    Or give them a chance to be saved, at least.


    ''Survive. Transcend.''


    These were his goals, for now. And should he succeed... maybe other things would become possible, too.


    ''Become strong. Live a good life. Protect those I love.''


    Defeat fate.


    Be free.


    ''What a beautiful wish...''


    Lulled by the sweet promise of a dreamlike future and the gentle swaying of the waves, Sunny slowly fell asleep.

 Chapter 1235 Wondrous Sight

    Chapter 1235 Wondrous Sight


    Sunny had a nightmare again. Waking up in cold sweat, he couldn''t remember what he had dreamt about, but was momentarily paralyzed by an overwhelming feeling of a... dark, dreadful, devouring obsession.


    His mental state must have suffered a greater blow than he had thought, for him to keep suffering from repeated nightmares. Well... that was not an unreasonable result, considering what had happened during the Battle of the Black Skull and after.


    ''I should summon Nightmare and let him guard my sleep. He can subjugate a few of these dreams, too.''


    As soon as Sunny thought that, he felt that something was wrong.


    ''Wh...''


    In the next moment, the raft beneath him lurched, and then, the calming murmur of the flowing water suddenly turned into a deafening roar.


    Sunny was thrown off the cool wooden surface and tossed into the depths. Feeling water surge into his mouth and nose, he cursed, swiftly sensed the surrounding space, and tried to find the familiar piece of flotsam... it was his only refuge in the mist, after all.


    The raft was a few meters above him. Struggling against the current, Sunny swam upward. There was something strange, though... the previously dark expanse of water around him was now suffused with light, and the higher he reached, the brighter it became.


    Finally, Sunny breached the surface and shut his eyes tightly, blinded by sunlight.


    The ever-present mist... was gone.


    Pushing his body against the current, Sunny swam toward his reliable raft, climbed onto the slick wood, and coughed out a mouthful of water. Then, he brushed his wet hair back and tentatively opened his eyes.


    After days spent in the twilight of the ghostly mist, it took them a few seconds to adjust to the brightness of the day. Slowly, a breathtaking vista revealed itself from white radiance.


    Sunny gasped slightly.


    In front of him, as far as the eye could see, was a vast expanse of clear, sparkling water. Gentle sunlight reflected from its surface, making the whole world seem as if it was littered with gemstones.


    High above, in the great firmament of the blue sky, seven suns were shining with beautiful light.


    "Just what kind of Seed did we enter?"


    There was the sound of splashing, and the Sin of Solace calmly walked across the surface of the water to stand atop the wooden raft again. He was perfectly dry and unbothered by the sudden change of scenery. There was a slight smile on his porcelain face.


    "Quite a sight, isn''t it?"


    Sunny nodded silently, then suddenly looked intently at the spot where the apparition was standing.


    The pale wood was dark and wet with water. When the mist had mysteriously disappeared, the raft must have overturned... revealing its bottom side.


    And that underside was riddled with chaotic, manic lines.


    They were runes, thousands of them, all blending into one demented tapestry. But... not only runes. Sunny recognized some of the crudely carved symbols, but others were entirely unfamiliar to him.


    With a shudder, he noticed that there were even the familiar letters of the human language.


    Translated by the Spell, all the symbols were repeating the same words:


    "Wish wish wish be careful of wish wish be careful of what you wish for wish for wish for wish for wish WISH WISH BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU WISH FOR BE CAREFUL BE CAREFUL OF WHAT YOU WISH WISH WISH FOR..."


    Sunny froze.


    The words continued, spilling over the ancient wood as they broke and crisscrossed each other. Just like the single rune on the other side of the raft, it looked like they had been scratched into scratched into the incredibly durable wood by someone''s nails. The lines were rough and frantic, but deep and forceful.


    Sunny scowled, feeling an uncontrollable desire to move away from the deranged weave of runes. He felt a sense of dire madness radiating from them, and was irrationally wary of being infected by it. However, there was nowhere to move �� the whole raft was covered by the mad litany of twisted symbols.


    The part of it that he could see, the part where the Sin of Solace was standing calmly, and even the part where he was kneeling were all riddled with them.


    Suddenly tense, Sunny looked away and glanced at the beautiful expanse of sparkling water once again.


    ...Somehow, it didn''t seem as dreamy anymore.

 Chapter 1236 Great River

    Chapter 1236 Great River


    ''Be careful of what you wish for.''


    Sunny considered these words despite feeling that thinking about them too hard was, perhaps, not too wise. The aura of madness radiating from the carvings was just too intense to ignore.


    The sight of the thousands of runes carved into the underside of his makeshift raft was more than a little bit ominous. However, he was not very concerned about how urgent and demented they looked.


    What really made him wary were the symbols themselves.


    There were familiar runes, and unfamiliar symbols, too... although Sunny had extensively studied the various known languages of the Dream Realm, he could easily admit that there might have been writing systems that he had never seen.


    Even if it was a little strange that they were not only completely unknown to him, but also bore no passing resemblance to any of the ones he had brushed against before.


    However, how could there be the letters of human language here? VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    That was what really disturbed him.


    ''...Have someone from the Evacuation Army entered this Nightmare already?''


    But no, that made no sense. The chances of an Awakened from his world entering the same Nightmare, finding the exact same piece of flotsam, and carving words from a dozen different languages �� some of which even a researcher like Sunny had never stumbled upon, let alone mastered �� into the wood before disappearing without a trace were infinitely small.


    Not to mention that the markings did not seem fresh. They seemed like they had been made a long, long time ago.


    So... what the hell was the meaning of this?


    In fact, what the hell was the meaning of this entire Nightmare?


    There had been no vision of reversed time when Sunny entered it. There were apparently millions of challengers who had entered it before him. There was no desert, no pyramid. Instead, there were the seven suns and a seemingly boundless expanse of water that sparkled under their light.


    None of it made any sense at all. Even his shadows looked perplexed.


    With a quiet groan, Sunny rubbed his temples and glanced at the Sin of Solace.


    "What do you think about all this?"


    The pale apparition looked at him with a smile.


    "I am a part of you, so you should already be aware. No?"


    Recognizing his own words, Sunny sighed and turned away.


    "...Bastard."


    The Sin of Solace laughed.


    Then again, this river was supposed to exist outside of time. So it was just as likely that, should he survive the Nightmare, he would return to the waking world at the exact same moment that he had left it.


    ''Come to think of it...''


    If this Nightmare had a strange relationship with the flow of time, then it could possibly explain how thirteen million challengers �� way more than there were Awakened in the waking world �� had ended up inside of it.


    Maybe they had entered, entered, and would enter the Nightmare at various points in time before Sunny was alive, during his life, and long after he was dead.


    That was a very confusing and incredibly troublesome thought, though...


    Because it meant that in all that time, none of them had managed to conquer the Nightmare.


    Sunny shivered.


    ''I''m just guessing, though. I might be completely wrong about the whole thing. In fact, it''s most likely that I am.''


    He still needed more information.


    Although Sunny had a very good memory and could easily remember the descriptions mentioning the Great River, he still decided to summon the runed and take another look at them.


    The shimmering symbols appeared in the air in front of him.


    Name: Sunless.


    True Name: Lost from Light.


    Rank: Ascended.


    Class: Tyrant.


    Shadow Cores: [5/7].


    Shadow Fragments: [1236/5000].


    Memories: [Silver Bell], [Puppeteer''s Shroud], [Midnight Shard]...


    He searched for the runes of the Stifled Scream, but then froze.


    A strange expression appeared on Sunny''s face.


    ''...What?''


    At the end of the long list of his Memories...


    There was a string of runes that had not been there before.

 Chapter 1237 The Answer Is.

    Chapter 1237 The Answer Is.


    In the past, receiving a new Memory had always been an important and memorable event for Sunny. After all, with his advantage in deciphering the secrets of their enchantments, Memories were one of his most powerful tools. Sunny relied on his soul arsenal a lot.


    However, as time had gone by, the importance of the Memories lessened to a large extent. Of course, he was still reliant on them �� but these days, most of the rewards he received from the Spell were either too weak for his level of power or inferior to something he already possessed.


    With rare exceptions, their worth lay mainly in expanding his repertoire of weaving and serving as fuel for the evolution of his Shadows.


    So, getting a new Memory was not as memorable an event as it had been before.


    ...Still, it was not to the extent that Sunny could forget receiving one.


    ''What the hell?''


    He seemed to be saying this phrase a lot recently.


    Sunny was befuddled, but he couldn''t deny what he saw �� there was indeed a new string of runes at the end of the list of his Memories, one that he neither recognized nor had ever seen before.


    He scowled, then threw a suspicious glance at the Sin of Solace.


    After hesitating for a while, Sunny chose not to say anything and turned his attention back to the runes.


    Not only had the new Memory appeared out of nowhere, but its name also made him feel a deep sense of unease.


    The runes read:


    Memory: Key of the Estuary.


    Sunny stared at it for a minute or two, disturbed. He had just been thinking about the Tomb of Ariel, the Great River, and its estuary... and now, this?


    What did the name of the Memory mean?


    Where did it come from?


    And, more importantly... when did it appear?


    He had not killed anything, or anyone, after entering the Nightmare. His Shadows were within his Soul Sea �� they couldn''t have slain a Nightmare Creature, either. Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    Except for Soul Serpent. But if Rain had been attacked by an abomination and Serpent killed it while defending her, the Spell should have still announced the kill and the acquisition of a Memory to Sunny. Yet he had not heard its voice since entering the Nightmare.


    Had it happened while he was asleep?


    With a grim expression, Sunny pulled his attention from the mysterious Memory and glanced at the list of his Shadows. Soul Serpent''s runes were still bleak and lifeless, but they were there �� which meant that Serpent had not been destroyed, at least.


    It wouldn''t have let anything happen to Rain without sacrificing itself first. So, Rain was most definitely alright... she had to be.


    Suddenly, Sunny felt his heart turn cold and heavy. He looked at the beautiful expanse of sparkling water with a somber expression, his eyes full of concern and darkness.


    Then, he slightly shook his head and looked down.


    [???] Enchantment Description: [???].


    And that was it.


    There seemed to be only one enchantment, but it had no name and no description. It was just like the [Where is my eye?] enchantment of Weaver''s Mask, which had not been named until Sunny used it.


    There was one difference, though... [Where is my eye?] was an active enchantment, while the enchantment of the Estuary Key seemed to be a passive one.


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    ''So... what is the probability that Soul Serpent had killed a Great Terror while I slept, and that the Memory received by me as a result has to do with the Great River?''


    That was the only logical explanation, and yet, the logic of that explanation was highly questionable.


    He remained motionless for a while, then sighed and summoned the Key of the Estuary.


    Of course, it would have been more prudent to first study the mysterious Memory in the Soul Sea... yet, somehow, Sunny felt reluctant to touch it within his soul.


    Soon, countless sparks of darkness swarmed around his palm, and then slowly formed into a jagged piece of black stone.


    The jagged stone was utterly black and cool to the touch, reminding Sunny of the building blocks of the Tomb of Ariel. There were no features to it, no runes or images carved into its surface. It was just a rough, palm-sized chunk of stone that seemed like something one would randomly pick up from the ground.


    Since the mysterious enchantment of the Estuary Key was a passive one, it was supposed to come into effect as soon as the Memory was summoned. However, if it was doing something, Sunny couldn''t tell.


    He did not feel any changes, neither in himself nor in the world.


    ''Ah... I feel like I''m going mad.''


    He had been bombarded by more and more bizarre questions since the start of the Nightmare, and none of them had any answers.


    There was also an answer that didn''t seem to have a question.


    Even the Sin of Solace had become a bit weird.


    Uttering a quiet curse, Sunny concentrated and peered beneath the surface of the jagged black stone.


    Even if the enchantment had no name and no description, he could still study its weave himself. After all, by now, he had some knowledge of weaving, as well as the ability to intuitively feel the purpose of various weaves.


    Within the Estuary Key, there was a vast tapestry of ethereal strings. It was not the most complicated spellweave Sunny had ever seen �� that would be the weave of Weaver''s Mask �� but it was still incredibly complex, and unimaginably intricate. An enchantment like that was hopelessly outside the scope of what he himself could create, at least.


    Sunny was stunned.


    However, he was not stunned by the intricacy or complexity.


    Instead, what paralyzed him were the strings themselves.


    Because, unlike the strings of soul essence that comprised the weaves of all Memories created by the Spell, these ones were not ethereally luminous and silvery white.


    Instead, they were lightless and dark.


    ...Like something Sunny himself would create.

 Chapter 1238 So Bizarre

    Chapter 1238 So Bizarre


    The strings of the Memories created by the Spell were made out of soul essence... at least Sunny was convinced that they were. They were strings of ethereal, silver light.


    The strings that Sunny himself weaved, however, were made out of shadow essence. Although they were a perfect substitute for the strings of light, they appeared entirely black. This was the reason why the weaves of the Memories he modified were like a patchwork of light and darkness.


    ...The weave of the Estuary Key, however, had no light at all. Every string of its vast and intricate tapestry was black, as if created out of shadow essence. It was just like the Siege Souvenir that Sunny had made and used to kill Goliath.


    Sunny stared at the jagged piece of black stone, dumbfounded.


    ''What... what is the meaning of this?''


    How could there be a Memory such as this if he had not created it?


    Suddenly, there was cold sweat on his face.


    ''...Have I lost a part of my memories?''


    Oblivion, oblivion... the answer was oblivion...


    Sunny shifted, and his hand instinctively shot to the side, ready to grasp a weapon.


    The Sin of Solace observed his panic with an amused smile.


    A few seconds passed, then a few more. The Great River was peaceful and desolate, with not a threat in sight. Slowly, Sunny allowed himself to relax.


    ''Even if I somehow lost some memories, that wouldn''t explain this damned Memory!''


    Sunny was certain that he was not capable of creating a spellweave of such magnitude and complexity. He was nowhere near that level, as far as weaving was concerned...


    Much more importantly, he knew for a fact that he was not capable of killing a Great Terror to collect six Supreme soul shards. Although, it this Memory was an artificial one, the soul shards could have come from six Great Beasts instead...


    "Or six Sovereigns." Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    Nevertheless, the second explanation was even less believable than the first one. Too many things about it did not make any sense.


    The third explanation had to do with the Great River, and the nature of time. Since time worked strangely in this Nightmare, it was... maybe?... possible that Sunny would create the Key of the Estuary in the future, but was somehow capable of already possessing it in the present.


    He really didn''t know that much about time... or rather, he knew just as much about it as any person would. Sunny was not ignorant, but time itself was like a perversion of itself here. In any case, he had no idea how it worked on the Great River. So, who was to say that something like that couldn''t happen?


    The third explanation was the most bizarre... and yet, it somehow sounded more plausible than the other two.


    Sunny dismissed the Estuary Key and silently stared at the vast expanse of flowing water in front of him. The seven suns were slowly traveling across the blue sky.


    ''So, in conclusion. I have no idea how I ended up on this river instead of in the Nightmare Desert, no knowledge about what the Great River actually is, no hints about what to do to conquer the Nightmare, and no clue where the others are. And on top of that, there is a mysterious Memory in my soul, and the Sin of Solace seems to have gone through a strange transformation.''


    Sunny sighed as he enjoyed the beautiful view.


    "Wonderful."


    The Sin of Solace glanced at him with a smile.


    "I''m glad you''re in a good mood."


    Then, the apparition took a tentative step back and grinned.


    "But, Sunny... shouldn''t you be paying more attention to the surroundings in a situation like this?"


    Sunny frowned for a moment, then suddenly opened his eyes wide.


    He had been distracted by the barrage of weird revelations and lulled into a false sense of security by the beautiful tranquility of the Great River...


    Which was why he was a second too late to sense a vast shadow rising swiftly from the depths below him.


    Summoning a Memory, he cursed and jumped high into the air.


    In the next moment, giant jaws tore the surface of the water on both sides of his makeshift raft and closed, turning it into thousands of sharp splinters...

 Chapter 1239 Sea Monster

    Chapter 1239 Sea Monster


    The piece of flotsam had survived untold years of drifting on the currents of the Great River, and was so sturdy enough that Sunny couldn''t easily leave a scratch on it despite being an Ascended Tyrant. Nevertheless, in just an instant, it was utterly obliterated.


    The thousands of manic runes carved into its surface were destroyed. All that remained were tiny splinters, and even those disappeared a split second later, when the giant jaws snapped shut.


    A massive serpentine head appeared from beneath the water, two monstrous eyes staring at Sunny with hunger and malevolent fury. Azure scales glistened in the sunlight, each one larger and thicker than the armor plates of a heavy military APC. The creature... was utterly enormous, ancient, and seemingly mad.


    But Sunny was already in the air.


    The height of his vertical jump was nothing to scoff at, so there was a lot of distance between him and the sharp narrow snout of the abomination. However, it did not matter, because the giant sea serpent continued to rise from the water, revealing its tower-like neck.


    Its maw opened again like the gates of a dark abyss.


    Another second later, it had already shot two dozen meters into the sky, threatening to swallow Sunny whole.


    ''Curse it... why does such a huge monster even want to eat a tiny morsel like me?!''


    But then again, Nightmare Creatures were not really interested in human flesh. What they wanted were human souls... and as far as souls went, Sunny''s was powerful and vast despite his modest size.


    ''Damn it!''


    Sunny twisted in the air and kicked down. He was not trying to strike the sea serpent �� instead, he used one of its fangs as a trampoline to catapult himself even further up. The timing of this desperate maneuver had to be incredibly precise, and the tiniest mistake meant death... but he was nothing if not quick. Especially when augmented by all five of his shadows.


    And if the bastard lost a tooth as a result, well that would be even better.


    However, the sea serpent''s fang did not break from Sunny''s powerful kick. In fact, it was almost the opposite �� if not for Bone Weave, Sunny''s leg might have snapped. The giant fang seemed utterly indestructible, like a monolith made of pristine crystal jade.


    Wincing in pain, Sunny shot higher into the sky... and the creature followed. The serpent''s long body continued to rise from the water, revealing its terrifying size and length. Just from the small part that could be seen, he judged that the abomination was at least a couple hundred meters in length.


    It was a true leviathan.


    ''Gods...''


    The leviathan was large enough to be a titan. Granted, dwellers of the depths were often larger than their land counterparts... but if it was indeed a titan, then Sunny was in big trouble.


    Because titans had all kinds of ways to kill someone like him from afar.


    Shuddering, he concentrated and peered through the azure scales. He needed to understand what the creature''s Rank and Class were...


    What Sunny saw left him shaken and revolted.


    Darkness... nothing but vile darkness, with only one pronounced node that was the source of it.


    His mouth was suddenly dry.


    ''...A Great Beast.''


    Still being carried into the sky by the Heavenly Burden, Sunny let out a stifled laugh.


    ''Well, that''s... unexpected.''


    He had never thought that he would be glad to see a Great Beast one day.


    But he was.


    A Great Beast was a harrowing creature of indescribable destructive power, but it was still fundamentally a Beast. And Beasts did not usually possess any unnatural powers.


    So, while the Azure Serpent was without a doubt an absolutely disastrous foe for Sunny, meeting it was still better than encountering a Titan, a Terror, a Tyrant... or even a Devil of a lesser Rank. Because the creature couldn''t do anything to him while Sunny remained in the sky.


    ''Ah... but there is a problem...''


    Forcing himself to look away from the towering monstrosity, Sunny studied the vast expanse of the Great River.


    There was nothing but water, no matter in which direction he looked.


    He had nowhere to land.

 Chapter 1240 Sunny Zeppelin

    Chapter 1240 Sunny Zeppelin


    The giant Great Beast was growing smaller and smaller as Sunny rose higher into the sky. The winds were howling, and he was slowly starting to feel apprehensive about how long it would take him to fall back down. The view was simply breathtaking... but even from such a high vantage point, Sunny could not see a single piece of land.


    There were no islands, no continents, and no ships. There was not even another piece of flotsam.


    He sighed.


    ''What a predicament.''


    "Enjoying the view?"


    Sunny flinched and craned his neck, looking at the Sin of Solace.


    His identical copy was calmly standing on thin air, looking down at him. The wind was playing with the apparition''s long black hair.


    Sunny frowned Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    ''I... really need to get a haircut.''


    "You''re ignoring me now? Ungrateful."


    He glared at the apparition silently, then asked:


    "How are you doing that? Why aren''t you falling?"


    A wicked smile appeared on the face of the cursed spirit.


    "It''s because, unlike you, I''m not weighed down by sin."


    Sunny scoffed.


    "Bastard... it''s literally in your name..."


    The two were silent for a few moments, giving him ample time to enjoy the fact of just how insane he had become. After a while, the Sin of Solace pointed down.


    "Why bother resisting? Here''s an idea... just go jump into this beast''s maw. Haven''t you heard the stories about people traveling inside a sea creature''s belly? With your luck, it will definitely bring you to somewhere pleasant."


    Sunny stared at the porcelain face of the apparition.


    "If I die, you die too, you know?"


    The Sin of Solace grinned.


    And so it continued.


    The Great Beast stubbornly followed, always staying precisely below Sunny. The hours slowly went by. Sometimes, he would rise, and sometimes, he would descend. The Heavenly Burden continued to poke small holes in his skin, which then immediately healed thanks to the [Living Stone] trait of the Shell.


    Sunny grew angry.


    Then, he grew depressed.


    Then, he grew bored.


    Eventually, he started to enjoy the feeling of flying through this beautiful world of radiant sunlight and shining water. A small smile appeared on his face.


    There was a great abomination waiting to gobble Sunny up, and yet, he felt strangely peaceful. How many people out there dreamed of being able to fly?


    ''...Maybe I did lose my mind.''


    He was happy that the Sin of Solace, at least, was keeping his mouth shut.


    The seven suns slowly moved across the sky. Eventually, the dawn to his right dissipated, giving way to night. The seventh sun rose above the water and crawled west across the firmament, followed by a spreading darkness. The sun to his left drowned in the crimson water and disappeared, soon followed by another.


    One by one, all seven suns disappeared beyond the western horizon, and the sky became completely black.


    There was no moon, and no stars.


    However, soon after absolute darkness consumed the world, the waters of the Great River themselves began to emanate a soft, shimmering radiance. Sunny held his breath, stunned by the sublime beauty of this dark, luminous world. The whole boundless expanse of the Great River was now suffused with faint, but beautiful light.


    It was as though...


    As though the seven suns were now somewhere far below, the soft echo of their light barely reaching the world through the unfathomable mass of water.


    ''How pretty...''


    Sunny stared at the softly shining expanse of water for a while. Then, his expression turned dull.


    If there was one flaw to this ethereally beautiful scene, it was the dark shape beneath the surface of the flowing water, and the two giant eyes staring at him with hunger and madness.


    The day was over, and the night had come...


    But the damned Great Beast was still patiently waiting for him below.


    Looking at the head of the ancient sea serpent, Sunny sighed.


    ''I wonder how many days I can survive...''

 Chapter 1241 Dark Island

    Chapter 1241 Dark Island


    Sunny glided through the dark sky above the luminous expanse of softly shining water. The wind was caressing his skin, and tranquil silence ruled the world. If not for the need to pierce himself with the sharp needle over and over again, he would have found the situation relaxing.


    Of course, there was also the monstrous sea serpent that patiently pursued him, staring at the perfectly black canvas of the night sky with cloudy eyes.


    He also had to constantly remain on high alert �� there was no telling what else could attack him from above.


    After a while, Sunny let out a sigh.


    ''How tiresome.''


    He was starting to miss the days of plummeting into the Sky Below. At least he had the dead mimic to sit on back then. Now, there was nowhere for him to rest �� Sunny continued to fly forward, surrounded by nothing except empty air.


    He had the Sin of Solace with him instead of Mordret, too. It was really hard to tell which one of them was worse company.


    "What? Have you lost... I strongly protest against this comparison!"


    The apparition glanced at him with contempt, then looked away.


    Sunny sighed again.


    "Yeah, yeah... you are way more handsome than that guy. Sorry. I went too far."


    The Sin of Solace scoffed, and they continued forward in silence.


    After a long while, the faint radiance of the flowing water grew a little dimmer. The eastern horizon brightened, and then, the first of the suns appeared from below in a crown of lilac hues.


    A new day was starting.


    The soft light suffusing the Great River slowly dissipated, and the seven suns appeared from below the water one after another. Soon, the western horizon was once again wreathed in the crimson flames of dusk.


    Everywhere else, it was bright day.


    The island was not large, but it was large enough to pose an obstacle for the sea monster. If the abomination wanted to follow Sunny to the surface, it would have to leave the water entirely �� and fighting on land would be very advantageous to Sunny.


    Maybe the ancient serpent would not climb out of the river at all.


    But even if it did, it would be out of its element. With Sunny, Saint, Nightmare, Imp, and the five shadows... maybe they stood a chance of driving the creature away, or even killing it.


    The Sin of Solace must have grown much stronger, as well. After all, the [Hideous Truth] enchantment of the jade blade promised immense power to those who succumbed to its madness... and, judging by how real the sword wraith seemed, Sunny had met quite a lot of the requirements.


    Plus... Sunny could find clues about the nature of the Nightmare on the island. Right now, he was suffering the most from the lack of information. Knowledge was the origin of power, so he couldn''t miss a chance to acquire some.


    ''Let''s hope that the old snake is not going to follow me to land...''


    Sunny removed the Heavenly Burden from his arm and started slowly descending in the direction of the dark island. The closer he got to it, the more details he could make out. The steep slopes of the island were craggy, with their lower parts encased in silver. There were numerous barnacles growing on the tarnished metal, with waves of water foaming as they splashed against them from time to time.


    There were also massive chains rising from the water and disappearing in the fissures higher up the slopes.


    Sunny frowned.


    The island was very strange... that was a given. However, there was something about that strangeness that made him feel uneasy.


    The monstrous serpent, too, seemed to have grown wary as they drew closer to the weathered hill of dark rock.


    Sunny''s eyes suddenly narrowed.


    ''Could it be...''


    He hesitated for a few moments, and then tried to peer through the surface of the island.


    A split second later, Sunny cursed and hurriedly drove the Heavenly Needle back into his skin.


    In the next moment, the island quaked and moved as a titanic head slowly rose from beneath the waves to stare at the ancient sea serpent with a giant, unmoving eye.


    ...What Sunny saw beneath the weathered black rock was an ocean of vile darkness, and two nodes from where the Corruption had spread throughout the whole enormous creature.


    The entire island... was simply the carapace of a colossal Great Monster.

 Chapter 1242 Cataclysmic Battle

    Chapter 1242 Cataclysmic Battle


    Sunny stared at the colossal reptilian head that had risen from below the waves. There were streams of water flowing down from it like roaring waterfalls, and brands of tarnished silver encasing it like armor. The monster''s eyes were like murky lakes, and its massive beak was like the ram of an oceanic battleship.


    Of course, there was no vessel in the waking world that could compare with the destructive power of that beak.


    The thing that Sunny had assumed to be an island was, in fact, the shell of a giant, monstrous black turtle.


    He froze, stunned by the sheer size of the Great Monster.


    ''...And I thought that that sea snake was enormous.''


    The sea serpent that had been following Sunny was, indeed, quite large �� it was easily larger than the Fallen Titan Goliath, whom Sunny had killed during the siege of Falcon Scott. However, the creature''s body was still only a couple hundred meters long.


    The monstrous turtle, meanwhile, spanned more than a kilometer. In front of it, the serpent looked like a little snake.


    And yet, it seems undeterred.


    The azure serpent had risen its head out of the water, too, and was staring at the Great Monster in front of it with its mad, cloudy eyes.


    The two Nightmare Creatures observed each other.


    Sunny, meanwhile, was cursing his fate.


    ''Damn it... damn it! I was hoping to step on something solid again!''


    Instead of a safe harbor, he found an abomination that was even more harrowing than the one waiting to swallow him whole.


    "You can still step on that turtle, you know."


    The Sin of Solace grinned.


    Sunny spared him a dark glance, then turned to look at the two abominations.


    At that moment, the giant turtle lowered its head a little and let out a low, threatening huff �� which sounded like rolling thunder. Water was still flowing off its black scales, and its murky eyes were slowly igniting with dark silver light.


    It was clearly not happy that another Nightmare Creature had invaded its territory and disturbed its sleep.


    The azure serpent stared at it for a few moments more, then turned its snout and threw a deranged gaze at Sunny.


    ''What is that old snake thinking? Turn your tail and run, lunatic!''


    Sunny still clearly remembered the ease with which the Carapace Centurions had slaughtered the Carapace Scavengers. A Monster was much more powerful and deadly than a mere Beast, no matter the Rank... if the sea serpent had any sense left, it would retreat to avoid angering the black turtle.


    Which was good news for Sunny. Even though he had not managed to find shelter from the abomination on the shell of the Great Monster, the Great Monster could still rid him of the dreadful pursuer.


    The turtle did not seem to have noticed Sunny, either. If things turned out well...


    But, of course, they did not.


    unleashed below him... were probably enough to erase an entire "What do you think?"


    The sword wraith smiled.


    "I think you are going to die of hunger before finding land. Oh... or you can go fishing in the river and be eaten by the fish instead. There''s always a choice!"


    Sunny grimaced.


    ''Why did I even ask?''


    He continued to follow the current of the Great River, flying north... into the past.


    Eventually, the seven suns drowned again, suffusing the water with their light. The sky was black and devoid of stars.


    The world was silent.


    Sunny tiredly closed his eyes.


    ''...Can''t sleep. Falling asleep might kill me.''


    He stared at the expanse of softly shining water beneath him, then blinked a couple of times.


    ''What... the hell... how is this possible?!''


    A familiar shadow was hiding beneath the waves below him.


    The azure serpent was back. There were hints of blood in the water around it, but the damned creature was indeed there, still waiting to devour Sunny.


    ''Did it escape from that giant turtle?!''


    Struggling to believe in it, Sunny turned around and looked back.


    Of course, the place where the two abominations had battled was too far away for him to see anything.


    But... he did notice something else.


    Somewhere out there, upstream, almost too distant to be noticed... a tiny spark of pure white light was glistening above the blush-green, luminous waters. It was hard to notice because of the soft glow of the Great River at night, but it was certainly there.


    Sunny held his breath for a moment.


    ''I shouldn''t get my hopes up. Right?''


    He slowed down, and then came to a halt. The Sin of Solace stopped, too, looking at him with a detached expression.


    ''Still... I must make sure...''


    Sunny rubbed his face, glanced at the azure serpent once again, and then sent himself flying back.


    ''Let''s see if you want to meet that turtle again, old snake!''Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)

 Chapter 1243 Searching for Light

    Chapter 1243 Searching for Light


    By the time Sunny flew close enough to distinguish the source of the white spark, it had already disappeared. However, finding the source was not too hard �� there were not a lot of things that could be distinguished from the empty expanse of flowing water on the Great River, after all.


    By then, it was already morning. The suns were slowly rising from below, and the world was enveloped in the dim glow of twilight. The soft radiance of the shimmering water had dissipated, making it easier for Sunny to see colors.


    Hovering high above the current, he froze. There was a stunned expression on his face.


    ''...How is this possible?''


    Far below him, a vast span of the Great River was painted red. Blood was clouding the clear water, and the polluted patch of it was at least half a dozen kilometers across. From high up, it looked as if a bloody flower was slowly blooming in the middle of the river.


    At the center of the red patch... a familiar Great Monster was floating lifelessly, the silver bands encasing its neck broken and bent.


    The black turtle was dead.


    There was a vicious wound at the spot where its neck met its body. The wound was large enough to be a tunnel, with rivers of blood still flowing out of it into the water. The equally gruesome exit wound was all the way across the monster''s massive body, just below one of its armored flippers.


    Shaken, Sunny lingered for a while, and then looked down, at the spot where his pursuer was hiding beneath the water. At that moment, the azure serpent rose its head above the surface and stared at Sunny with mad fury burning in its cloudy eyes.


    The Great Beast looked battered and maimed, with several huge chunks of flesh missing from its long neck... but it was undeniably alive.


    He had thought once that the azure serpent was like a little snake in front of the colossal turtle. But from the looks of it, that little snake had managed to burrow into the body of the larger monster, tear it from the inside, and escape back into the river to catch up to Sunny.


    ''The old snake must be a queen... king?... of Beasts. It actually took down a Monster...'' Updated from


    He was slightly impressed.


    But mostly, he was disturbed. Being pursued by a Great Beast was already bad enough, but now that he knew that the azure serpent was a fearsome existence among the creatures of its Class, the situation seemed even worse.


    He did not want to study the nature of the dead abomination in detail right now, though. First, he wanted to find out where the white light had come from.


    Soon, the shadow noticed something.


    In the middle of a large patch of moss, there was a spot where it had been burned away, revealing the rock surface beneath. The rock itself was covered by ash and soot.


    Most importantly... there was a palm print in the ash. A human palm print.


    Sunny''s heart suddenly started to beat faster.


    The gloomy shadow seemed excited, too. It sped up, gliding across the dark island and diving into the deep fissures in the rock shell from time to time.


    And after diving into one of the more shallow gorges, it saw something that made it freeze.


    Out there in the shade of the fissure, leaning her back on the uneven black rock...


    A young woman with silver hair was sitting on the ground. Her black clothes were singed and torn, and there was a wild look in her striking grey eyes. She was holding a piece of strange-looking roasted meat in her hands, sinking her teeth into it with a determined expression.


    Both her fingers and lips were covered in grease.


    It was Nephis.


    As Sunny and the gloomy shadow were staring at her in stunned silence, she suddenly shifted, raised her head and looked directly at the shadow.


    Her eyes widened a little.


    Forgetting to chew, Neph lingered for a moment...


    And then awkwardly waved at the shadow with a greasy hand.

 Chapter 1244 Damn Great Steak

    Chapter 1244 Damn Great Steak


    "It''s actually her..."


    Sunny did not want to admit it, but he was incredibly excited. A small smile appeared on his face, and he let out a long sigh.


    Far below, his shadow waved back at Nephis.


    He was happy, and not only because it was Neph whom he had found. Sunny was also happy to find anyone at all... after days spent in solitude, he was starting to fear that the strangeness of the Great River was much more dire than he had thought, and that he was actually sent into an entirely different Nightmare - or perhaps epoch - than the other members of the cohort.


    In fact, he had been suppressing the gnawing fear of being the only human in this flowing world.


    "Thank the gods."


    Under the watchful gaze of the azure serpent, Sunny retrieved the Heavenly Burden and glided down in a wide spiral. He was still wary of the great abomination, but had no choice except to land. It was a good thing, too... after spending two days drifting through the empty sky, he longed to stand on something solid again.


    The small puncture wound left behind by the black needle was completely healed by the time Sunny reached the stone shell of the dead behemoth.


    To his relief, the ancient serpent did not follow him onto the island. It stayed in the water, staring at the tiny human with hungry madness - luckily, looks could not kill.


    Well, at least this Great Beast''s gaze could not kill. There were all kinds of Nightmare Creatures and Aspects out there, though...


    As soon as the soles of his shoes touched the weathered rock, Sunny let out a satisfied sigh. Then, he dismissed the Dark Wing, bent down to grab the edge of the fissure in front of him, and jumped down.


    A few moments later, Sunny landed in front of Nephis. The gloomy shadow slid off the wall and attached itself to his feet.


    The two of them stared at each other for a bit.


    Then, Sunny grinned.


    "That smells delicious. Where did you get fresh meat?"


    Nephis tilted her head and blinked.


    She raised an eyebrow, looking at him in confusion.


    "Sorry? Why?"


    He scratched the back of his head.


    "Well... I also entered the Nightmare within the mist. Only I was still in the water once it dissipated, on a piece of flotsam. And there was this serpent trying to eat me. So, I escaped into the sky and flew downstream for a while, with the serpent following. Eventually, I stumbled on this turtle... and therefore, so did the sea snake. You, uh... you know the rest..."


    A strange expression appeared on Neph''s face. She stared at him silently, making Sunny let out a nervous laugh.


    "Actually, I was right above you, high in the sky, when they started fighting. We almost missed each other! Luckily, I noticed your flames from afar the next night, and came back."


    He lingered for a moment, and then smiled.


    "So, it all ended well. Now we are both stuck here."


    Then, the smile froze on his face.


    Sunny remained motionless for a bit, then looked away and cleared his throat.


    "Oh, by the way... that sea serpent? Yeah... I might have accidentally led it back here, again. It''s currently circling the turtle. Did I say that I was sorry?"


    Nephis stared at him for a while, then lowered her head and covered her face with a palm.


    Sunny could have sworn that he heard her mumble something under her breath.


    But he must have heard wrong, right?


    There was no way Nephis would say...


    "Damnation..."

 Chapter 1245 Smashing Problems with a Hammer

    Chapter 1245 Smashing Problems with a Hammer


    Climbing out of the fissure, the two of them - and the ominous figure of the Sin of Solace - studied the calm surface of the Great River. By now, it seemed like a sea of blood. The patch of red water surrounding the dead behemoth was growing larger as it was slowly washed away.


    Just then, an ominous shadow moved through the blood, and a giant, cloudy eye rose from the red liquid to stare at them with hatred and burning malice. Sunny shivered and felt the desire to take a step back.


    Nephis remained unmoved.


    After a while, she spoke in a somber tone:


    "...Strong."


    He sighed.


    "It is a Great Beast. Of course, it''s strong."


    At that moment, the Sin of Solace smiled.


    As they escaped the suffocating gaze of the azure serpent by jumping back into the fissure, the sword wraith spoke:


    "But... isn''t it just a Great Beast? Where is your fighting spirit, Sunny? Go! Kill it! Like you always do..."


    Sunny threw an irritated glance at him and thought:


    ''Shut the hell up.''


    The apparition laughed.


    "Why? Can''t I make a joke? Of course, a pathetic waste of a Divine Aspect like you has no hope of surviving a fight with this creature."


    It grinned and added:


    "That is why it''s funny."


    Sunny frowned and glared at the Sin of Solace, then started to think of a response. However, at that moment, Neph''s voice distracted him from the conversation:


    "Sunny? Who are you talking to?"


    Startled, he flinched slightly and turned to her. His face grew slightly more pale than usual.


    "You... you heard that? I spoke it aloud?"


    She lingered for a moment, then nodded.


    Sunny let out a small laugh and scratched his head, feigning embarrassment. In truth, he was a little frightened - it seems that the effect of the Sin of Solace on his mind was not as tame as he had thought.


    ''Damn it.''


    "That... my primary weapon Memory has a peculiar enchantment. Basically, it''s a voice that doesn''t miss a chance to explain how wrong everything I do is. Right... something like that."


    Nephis stared at him for a while, and then a hint of a smile appeared on her face.


    "Oh."


    Sunny frowned.


    "Wait, why are you smiling? It''s very annoying!"


    She simply shook her head.


    "It''s nothing. I was... just suddenly reminded of an old fairy tale I once heard."


    He gave her a dubious look.


    "Really? What is that fairy tale about?"


    Nephis pondered for a bit, as if trying to recall, then said with uncertainty:


    Sunny slowly exhaled.


    "Right."


    Nephis had access to the list of his Memories, so she would know about the Sin of Solace.


    But that reminded him...


    Growing serious, Sunny said in a somber tone:


    "Speaking of which... I think we should try to figure out where we are. And, more importantly, why we are here. I think that if we pull all the information we have together, we might be able to find out a few things."


    She nodded.


    "Okay. I was thinking the same thing. There have to be hints in the descriptions of some of the Memories we received during the Chain of Nightmares. I can tell you which ones of mine seem important."


    Sunny too thought that this was the best course of action, at least for now - the azure serpent didn''t seem to have plans of climbing onto the carcass of the black turtle, and the current was pulling it downstream. Even if they tried to fly away, their speed wouldn''t be much greater than that of the dark island.


    So, they might as well try to better understand the situation first.


    However...


    He gathered his willpower, hesitated for a few moments, and forced out an indifferent smile:


    "Uh... before that... I think you should summon a new armor Memory. So, you know... this one could restore itself."


    Nephis frowned, then looked down at herself.


    The black garments she wore were singed and torn, revealing more than a fair bit of her smooth alabaster skin. She remained motionless for a bit, then shifted slightly.


    "Turn ar... can you turn around?"


    She phrased it as a question instead of a request, but Sunny nevertheless obediently faced the wall of the fissure.


    "I can."


    After a moment of awkward silence, another question followed:


    "...Can you also make your shadow turn around?"


    He forced the gloomy shadow to face the black rock, too.


    "No problem."


    The Sin of Solace rolled his eyes, then shook his head and followed their example.


    "You are a pitiful man, Sunny. You know that? Ah, don''t bother responding... gods, I wish you did squish me with a hammer. Then, I wouldn''t have to endure your..."


    Sunny ignored him.


    Soon, the dark fissure became a little brighter - Neph''s clothes turned into a swarm of white sparks.


    Then, the fissure was illuminated again as she summoned another armor.


    Sunny let out a shaky breath.


    ''What is this sense of de?jA? vu...''


    "Are you done?"


    She answered after a short pause:


    "Yeah."


    He smiled.


    "Alright. Let''s do some research, then!"

 Chapter 1246 Research Partners

    Chapter 1246 Research Partners


    Nephis changed from her torn clothes and was now wearing a white tunic with its hems embroidered in intricate red patterns. The tunic was somewhat similar to Sunny''s Shroud of Dusk, but also different - it seemed like a single sheet of light fabric that had been elaborately tied at the shoulders, and thus had no sleeves. Loosely fastened at the waist and with high slits, it seemed like something that could afford one a high degree of freedom of movement.


    Still, Sunny was slightly surprised to see what Neph had chosen to summon. She gave him a strange look.


    "What?"


    He shrugged.


    "I just imagined that you would select a suit of steel armor, or at least something that offers more protection. There has to be a Memory like that among those that Summer Knight gave you, right?"


    Nephis shook her head.


    "There is. But what does it matter here? No matter how powerful of an armor Memory I use, it will still break after brushing against a great abomination once. So, I might as well go for something light and offering good utility. This tunic might not protect me well, but it enhances my senses. For now, that is more important. Best of all..."


    She slightly pursed her lips and added with a hint of frustration in her voice:


    "...It won''t burn."


    Sunny suppressed a chuckle.


    "Alright. Suit yourself."


    It was not like he had anything to complain about. That tunic of hers was rather beautiful... plus, he wasn''t one to talk, considering what he himself was wearing.


    Sunny pulled his gaze away from Neph''s slender figure and stared at the Memories that were laying on the ground between them. These were all the ones in their possession that mentioned Ariel, his Tomb, the Great River, or an estuary of any kind.


    There was no real need to summon them, since both Sunny and Nephis could see each other''s runes. However, having something to look at was more convenient.


    They were:


    A beautifully engraved chalice of white stone full of black liquid.


    A hand mirror of dark silver that gave off an ominous feeli


    A graceful jian with a long and slender blade of pristine white jade.


    A necklace of engraved black metal that resembled a collar.


    An elegant mallet with a hammerhead made of perfectly black stone.


    A dagger made of cloudy steel with a handle that was wrapped in black leather.


    The Bitter Cusp, the Mirror of Truth, the Sin of Solace, the Stifled Scream, the Dark Shaper, and the Falling Ash.


    The last two came from Nephis, while all the other ones came from Sunny - he had spent more time in Antarctica, after all, and received more Memories from the abominations of the Chain of Nightmares.


    There was also the Shroud of Graceless Dusk, but Sunny did not feel like undressing... although it might have been only fair for him to do so.


    "This one is interesting. I think it is important... it can help us understand the nature and purpose of the Tomb of Ariel. However, it doesn''t tell us anything about the Great River."


    She put the Mirror of Truth aside and reached out for the Bitter Cusp.


    "This one is connected to the Sin of Solace and the Falling Ash, I think."


    Sunny nodded as he read the description of the ashen dagger.


    The runes read:


    [Ariel built a beautiful palace of jade for the queen, and there, she held her court. A great bridge of stone led to the Jade Palace, covered in snow and ash. Soon, the news of the queen''s beauty and wisdom spread across the realms, and many guests came to witness her grace. Not all of them survived the snow, and even fewer survived the ash. Still, more and more came.]


    He frowned.


    The description of the Sin of Solace told of a beautiful monster that Ariel had made a queen and gifted with the sinister knowledge of hideous truth. The description of the Bitter Cusp told the eerie story of a group of guests that came to the Jade Court with ill intentions. And this one told about how Ariel had built the Jade Court... the Jade Palace... for the Jade Queen.


    None of that information was particularly useful for them now, except maybe for the fact that Ariel seemed fond of building things.


    However...


    Sunny glanced at Nephis and showed her the dagger.


    "That Jade Palace... doesn''t it sound like Ravenheart?"


    Ravenheart, the Great Citadel of Clan Song, was situated among snowy peaks and raging volcanoes. Snow and ash were always falling there... and, more than that, one had to cross an enormous stone bridge to reach it.


    The description of the Jade Palace was too similar.


    Neph looked at the Falling Ash. Then, her eyes glinted a little.


    "...It does."


    Sunny was a bit stunned. He had learned some time ago that the Citadels of the great clans were left behind by the seven daemons, and were thus very important to the Sovereigns. So were the Ivory Tower, which had once belonged to Hope, and the Hollow Mountains, where Nether''s Citadel still remained undiscovered. That was why Valor and Song had been racing to conquer the Tomb of Ariel.


    But... if the Citadel left behind by Ariel was actually Ravenheart...


    Then which daemon was tied to the black pyramid? Who could be more connected to the Tomb of Ariel than its builder?


    Feeling confused, Sunny shook his head and tried to concentrate on the task at hand.


    Right now, they had to learn about the Great River the most... because that was where they were stuck...


    Putting the Falling Ash back, he picked up the Dark Shaper - which looked like an elegant mallet with its head made of perfectly black stone.


    In fact... that black stone looked very familiar.


    Sunny studied the weave of the black mallet, then glanced at its runes.


    A few moments later, his eyes widened.

 Chapter 1247 Fear Itself

    Chapter 1247 Fear Itself


    The Dark Shaper was a Transcendent Memory of the Fourth Tier that Nephis had gained in Antarctica. It was one of the few she had chosen to keep - the rest either went to the Fire Keepers or were sold to acquire various equipment and resources.


    Being the leader of a group of elite Awakened was not cheap. Even with the support of Clan Valor, Neph had to work hard to provide her followers with the best... everything. Perhaps it was a part of the King of Swords testing her competency, or perhaps the great clan simply didn''t care to spend too much on the survivors of the Forgotten Shore before they proved themselves.


    In any case, Nephis had decided to keep the Dark Shaper for herself.


    The reason she had decided to hold on to the stone mallet was both because of its power and because its description mentioned the Demon of Dread.


    The Dark Shaper looked more like a tool than a weapon. It had a handle of dark polished wood inlaid with dull silver. The hammerhead was fashioned out of perfectly black stone - which looked and felt rather familiar.


    Sunny was almost certain that it was the same stone that the Tomb of Ariel had been built of.


    The stone mallet''s enchantments had to do with sculpting and changing the shape of things. Disturbingly, these things were not limited to stone, metal, and wood... if one wished, they could also shape flesh and bone, sculpting all kinds of nightmarish creations. The sinister Corrupted Devil Nephis had killed to receive the Dark Shaper was similarly revolting.


    It was indeed a Memory worthy of being graced with the name of the Demon of Dread in its description.Updated from


    And speaking of the description...


    At first, Sunny simply studied the shimmering runes, finding them rather interesting.


    They read:


    Memory: [Dark Shaper].


    Memory Rank: Transcendent.


    Memory Tier: IV.


    As if there was another part of it missing.


    ...Coincidentally, he knew of another description that seemed like a fragment of a larger whole.


    Frowning, Sunny summoned his own runes and found the name of the Stifled Scream. Concentrating on it, he read:


    Memory Description: [...a great river was contained within it, flowing endlessly from the future into the past. When doom came, many entered to seek shelter from it, and many had come to seek the truth. That was because the Great River existed outside time, and so, it was said that a dreadful secret was hidden at its estuary. Few of those capable dared to approach it, and none of those who had returned.]


    He remained motionless for a few moments, then mentally put the two descriptions together.


    ''Following the end of the battle, the Demon of Dread created a mystical river out of the titan''s blood, and built a pyramid out of its stone flesh. The pyramid stood where the ocean had once been... a great river was contained within it... flowing endlessly from the future into the past?''


    His hands trembled.


    Unable to speak, Sunny turned his head slightly and stared at Nephis.


    A few moments later, she noticed his gaze and raised an eyebrow.


    "What?"


    He lingered for a while, and then said hesitantly:


    "That... I am really not sure... but I think I understand where we are now."


    Then, Sunny looked at the narrow strip of the sky above them and added in a hushed voice:


    "Neph, this might sound crazy... but I think that we are inside the black pyramid..."

 Chapter 1248 Entombed

    Chapter 1248 Entombed


    The two of them climbed from the fissure and stood gazing at the seven suns moving across the vast sky. They remained silent for a while. Eventually, Sunny spoke, his voice carrying a sense of wonder and perplexity.Updated from


    "I know that it doesn''t make sense... but it also makes so much sense, you know?"


    Nephis frowned, her thoughts mirroring his. She had read both descriptions, and although Sunny''s theory sounded outlandish, it was also compelling in a bizarre and irrational way.


    He took a deep breath and continued to unravel his theory.


    "I mean, listen... we were in the Nightmare Desert, and entered the Third Nightmare through a Seed that had been a part of Ariel''s Tomb once. Logically, the Spell should have sent us into the past of the desert, or at least into the past of the black pyramid. However, it sent us into the Great River instead. That is an obvious contradiction."


    Sunny brushed his hair back and rubbed his eyes, attempting to make sense of the puzzle.


    "But it all makes sense if the Great River is actually situated inside the pyramid. Sure, no matter how large the pyramid is, it can''t be large enough to contain an entire region of the Dream Realm, an entire world, even. That is if we think about it from the perspective of human logic. However, Ariel was not a human. He was a daemon - an actual deity. Beings like that are not bound by mundane logic. If he could create a pyramid that does not draw nearer no matter how long you walk toward it, who says that he couldn''t create a pyramid that contains a whole world inside it?"


    Nephis considered the implications of Sunny''s words. Her eyes remained fixed on the vast Great River, and the azure serpent lurking beneath its surface, with madness and hunger in its gaze.


    Struggling to ignore the unsettling presence of the serpent, she sighed and voiced her own insights.


    "Did he create that world too, then? Well... now that I think about it, he might have. Both of us thought that this place looked like a Soul Sea, right? Maybe it is not a Soul Sea, but instead was made from one. Ariel built the black pyramid out of the flesh of an Unholy Titan. He created the Great River out of its blood. Then, he created a world out of its soul? If so... then those seven suns were made out of seven divine soul shards that the Titan had left behind."


    Nephis paused for a moment and then added, her voice tinged with a sense of awe.


    "If the humans of the Forgotten Shore could create an artificial sun, there''s really no reason why Ariel couldn''t create seven better ones."


    Sunny acknowledged her insights with a nod.


    "It would also explain why there are no stars in the night sky, and why it''s entirely black. Because it is not a real sky... instead, the black pyramid is hollow, and what we''re looking at is actually the inner side of its walls."


    "What exactly are you talking about?"


    He grinned with a sense of anticipation.


    "It means that there are tons of locals here on the Great River. We just haven''t found them yet... but when we do, we''ll be able to learn all kinds of information from them, including what the central conflict of this Nightmare is, and how to conquer it."


    She tilted her head a little, intrigued by his optimism.


    "Right... there have to be plenty of humans here, according to the descriptions of the Memories. It''s just that they had entered the Great River much, much earlier than we did. So, they are probably somewhere further downstream... further into the past."


    Without having to say anything, both of them turned to look north, in the direction where the waters of the Great River were flowing.


    The view was rather beautiful, except for the terrifying silhouette of the ancient serpent, which had raised its neck from the water and was devouring them with its eyes.


    Nephis lingered for a while, and then said in a low voice, a tinge of worry in her tone:


    "But, Sunny... what if the goal of this Nightmare is to reach the Estuary? What are we going to do then?"


    He shivered, startled by her question. The idea of reaching the end of the Great River was both daunting and overwhelming. Surely, a Third Nightmare would not have such an insane goal. That was not a task for mere Ascended.


    There had to be something else, something more attainable, something they could accomplish.


    He just didn''t know what it was.


    Sunny let out a stifled laugh.


    "Let''s hope that it''s not. And if it is... well. I guess we''ll have to do our best."


    The Sin of Solace smirked as he looked at the water, the mysteries of the Great River and the Tomb of Ariel unfolding before them, as they journeyed deeper into the enigmatic Third Nightmare.

 Chapter 1249 Titanic Ship

    Chapter 1249 Titanic Ship


    So... this is it, then.


    The Tomb of Ariel had been built from the remains of the Stone Titan, while the Great River created from its blood was contained within it, illuminated by the seven suns made from its broken soul cores.


    The secret hidden at the Estuary was the truth that Ariel had wished to forget. The Nightmare Desert was the result of the battle between him and the unholy creature.


    Looking at the blue sky above them, Sunny couldn''t help but wonder...


    So the daemons were capable of creating artificial worlds?


    Then, a sudden thought made him shiver.


    What is the difference between a real world and an artificial one, though?


    Was there even a difference? And if there was not... had the rest of the worlds been created by someone, as well? The daemons? The gods? The unknown?


    He sighed, then shook his head.


    Do I really have time to ponder the cosmic origins of the world?


    Right now, they had more practical questions to answer. Many of the mysteries of the Third Nightmare had been revealed to them, but many more remained. At least they now knew where they were, and what their next step had to be.


    Travel downstream, find the syblis, and learn how to conquer this Seed.


    Well... that is easier said than done, though.


    Sunny stared at the waters of the Great River and saw the sharp blades of the azure serpent''s dorsal fin break its surface as the great abomination hungrily circled the corpse of the titanic turtle.


    A dark expression appeared on his face.


    After a bit of silence, he said: "Neph... do you think we can kill this thing?"


    She smiled faintly. Sunny had expected to hear some kind of a crazy answer, like always, but she unexpectedly gave him a sober one instead.


    "...It''s late. We should probably rest and take another look at the situation in the morning, with fresh eyes. I don''t know about you, but I am thoroughly exhausted. I haven''t slept in a long while, and the battle between the turtle and the snake took a lot out of me."


    Sunny smiled crookedly.


    He was tired, too... he had not done anything in the last couple of days except drift through the sky, but as it turned out, doing nothing was very exhausting. Especially when one was suspended between the surface of a mystical river and the sky, having to keep an eye on both lest some terrible creature swallow them whole in one bite.


    "Yeah. I''m tired too."


    Some time later, the two of them were hidden from the wind and the piercing gaze of the ancient serpent in the familiar fissure on the shell of the dead behemoth. There was a small fire burning between them, casting shadows on the black rock.


    The shadows were dancing,


    There were not a lot of things on the dark island that could be used as fuel, but Sunny had a few bricks of compressed synthetic firewood stored in the Covetous Coffer. Once again, his loyal alloy chest had come in handy... sadly, it was already almost empty.


    Nephis made a dish from some of Sunny''s last provisions, and the two of them enjoyed a late supper as the world was slowly consumed by darkness. The soft glow of the water was not visible from inside the fissure, and it seemed as though nothing at all existed outside the small circle illuminated by the fire anymore.


    There were no stars in the black sky, and so...


    Sunny couldn''t help but remember a similar night from many years ago, when Nephis and he had first met on the Forgotten Shore and shared a conversation in the dark.


    Gods... almost four years had passed since then, hadn''t they?


    A small smile appeared on his face.


    "Hey... do you remember how you told me about the adventures of Odysseus?"


    Nephis looked up from her food and hesitated for a moment. A distant expression appeared on her beautiful face.


    "Sure. Why?"


    Sunny shook his head and shoved a spoonful of the fragrant, thick soup into his mouth.


    "No, nothing. That Odysseus guy... I don''t think he had gone through half the crap we had to go through, though..."

 Chapter 1250 Death of a Hero

    Chapter 1250 Death of a Hero


    A faint smile appeared on Neph''s face. She stared into the fire for a while, then leaned her back against the weathered black rock with a shrug.


    "Who can tell? There are a lot of stories about the trials and tribulations he had to endure."


    Bathed in the warmth of the fire and with his belly pleasantly full, Sunny felt his body and mind relax. Throwing a curious glance at her, he asked:


    "What is your favorite story about that guy, then?"


    Nephis remained silent for a while with a look of contemplation on her face, which was cast in shadows, with only its vague silhouette visible in the darkness... and the dancing white sparks that shone in the depths of her eyes.


    Eventually, she said:


    "Maybe it''s not a favorite... but I often think about one of them, in particular."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Which one?"


    Neph sighed quietly before answering:


    "Odysseus was a great hero of Hellas, but he was not the greatest one. The greatest and most powerful hero was named Heracles, who was a demigod and a slayer of monsters. Heracles possessed incredible strength and performed many incredible feats... after he died, the gods took his soul to the heavenly realm, where he became an immortal god himself."


    She grew quiet for a moment.Updated from


    "However, Odysseus once descended into the underworld, where he saw the shadows of the dead. Among them was the forlorn shadow of Heracles... so, when I was a child, I always wondered how Heracles could both be a god and a lost shadow in the land of the dead."


    Nephis shifted slightly and moved her hand, causing the fire to suddenly burn brighter.


    "I asked my grandmother, and she explained that one part of Heracles was divine, while another part of him was human. It was the divine part of Heracles that ascended to godhood, while the human part was cast down into the underworld, doomed to wander its dark halls forever."


    Her voice was a little wistful.


    Sunny frowned and gave her a dark look.


    "That''s... a little messed up."


    Neph smiled.


    "Right? I also always thought that it was very unfair, for the gods to simply discard the human part of Heracles. Hypocritical, even."


    She lingered for a few moments and shrugged.


    "Of course, when I grew older, I realized that it was really just two different versions of the myth colliding with each other. The stories of Odysseus are older, and so Heracles, despite being the greatest of heroes, had a tragic death in those ancient myths. The version of his own stories that we know are newer, and the original ending was changed to a happier one at some point, with the added lesson... be a valiant hero, and you shall be rewarded. Something like that."


    When she finished talking, Sunny suddenly chuckled. His eye glinted in the dark.


    Then, Sunny looked at Nephis in confusion.


    "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"


    She blinked a couple of times.


    "Pulling the wings off insects? What? Is it really a thing children do?"


    He coughed.


    ''Right... I forgot that Neph grew up incredibly sheltered, because of all the assassination attempts. Had she even met someone her age before coming to the Academy?''


    Sunny awkwardly looked away.


    "Oh... maybe it''s just a boy thing. Or an outskirts thing? I don''t know, really... not everyone does it. But some kids do. Well, I have no idea... I didn''t..."


    Neph remained silent for a while, then said thoughtfully:


    "Maybe they are playing Awakened and pretending to slay Nightmare Creatures. Yes, that makes sense. Still... it''s a bit cruel..."


    The conversation had taken a strange turn, and Sunny was feeling a little uncomfortable. The fire was dying down, too.


    He cleared his throat.


    "Well, anyway. I think it''s time we went to bed. I mean, we don''t have a bed... beds, I mean beds! So it''s time we go... to sleeping bags? Damn it... what I''m trying to say is that you should sleep first. I''ll take the first watch, and wake you up later. Alright?"


    Neph watched him fumble his words with a strange expression, and then nodded silently.


    ''What the hell was that... what was I even saying...''


    Soon, the fire died, and Sunny was left alone.


    Neph was asleep, and he could hear the soft sound of her breathing not too far away. After hesitating for a bit, Sunny summoned Nightmare and ordered him to guard her sleep.


    At that moment, the Sin of Solace suddenly said:


    "Wow, Sunny. You really have a way with words, huh? A real charmer... I wouldn''t say that torturing insects is a very romantic topic of conversation, but other than that..."


    Sunny ground his teeth, refusing to look at the pale apparition.


    Her knew exactly what the bastard looked like, anyway.


    ''...Shut up!''


    -----


    Erdiul''s Note: Sunny should put on his weaver''s mask, his rizz increases by +100 with that shit on. Jokes aside, chapters might be late this week and the next. A bit busy. If I do miss a day, the chapters will be released together with that days chapters. This goes for all the novels I update. Cheers.

 Chapter 1251 Rude Awakening

    Chapter 1251 Rude Awakening


    With Nightmare guarding Sunny''s dreams, his sleep was deep and peaceful.


    ...His awakening, however, was not.


    ''Wh... what?!''


    Sunny woke from feeling the world tilt, and then quake with a violent shudder. He was thrown sideways and collided with the slope of the fissure, feeling the sharp rocks cutting into his skin. Groggy and disoriented, he tried to stand up, but got tangled in the sleeping bag instead.


    ''Damn it!''


    The sleeping bag disintegrated as he tore through it, already summoning the Sin of Solace and the Moonlight Shard.


    The world lurched once again, and the deafening roar of water reached his ear.


    ''What is going on?''


    Assessing his surroundings through shadow sense, Sunny did not notice immediate danger. He did, however, notice Nephis - she had climbed out of the fissure and was now standing on its edge, her white tunic and silver hair fluttering in the wind.


    Sunny could not see her face, but judging by the lack of weapons in her hands, the situation was not critical.


    He let out a relieved sigh, then glanced at the destroyed sleeping bag with regret. Just a moment later, the dark island shuddered again, and a strange tremor ran through the black turtle''s stone shell.Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    At that moment, an obnoxious voice resounded from his left:


    "Good morning. Rise and shine!"


    Throwing a contemptuous glance at the spirit of the Sin of Solace, Sunny grimaced and pushed himself off the ground. Soaring high into the air, he kicked the slope of the fissure and propelled himself even higher, landing noiselessly near Nephis a moment later.


    The seven suns were already rising, and the world was suffused with the golden radiance of dawn.


    "What is happening?"


    Instead of answering, she pointed her finger at a particular spot off the edge of the island. There, the water was turbulent and foamy, rising in violent waves. The river had washed away most of the blood during the night, but now, it was painted red once again. In fact, the red color was more vivid and intense than ever.


    Sunny frowned. The next moment, something large and swift moved beneath the surface of the red water, and the carcass of the Black Turtle quaked again.


    ''What the...''


    "My First Nightmare? An Awakened Tyrant appears. The solstice? There''s a Fallen Terror blocking the only way out. The Second Nightmare? Here is a couple of immortal Saints I need to kill... oh, and they are completely out of their minds. Really, I went through so many absolutely unreasonable things as an Aspirant, Sleeper, and Awakened."


    Sunny rolled his eyes.


    "I am a Master now, and instead of fighting Fallen Nightmare Creatures like Masters are supposed to do, there''s this Great Beast staring me down. Let''s not even mention all the Corrupted abominations I''ve already killed. Is this what they call suffering from success? If so, I really don''t want to be such an overachiever anymore... can''t something normal happen, for once?"


    Listening to him, Nephis tilted her head a little.


    She remained silent for a bit, and then said:


    "...You''re right. You really had to overcome completely unreasonable things as an Aspirant, Sleeper, Awakened, and Master."


    Then, a hint of a smile appeared on her lips, and sparks of white light ignited in her eyes.


    "But, Sunny... considering all that, have you thought about... what kind of things you''ll have to face as a Saint?"


    Sunny''s already pale face suddenly became even whiter. A hint of horror appeared in his eyes.


    "Oh, gods..."


    He shivered.


    "You evil... no, no, I don''t want to even think about it!"


    Smiling, Nephis looked away and concentrated on the azure serpent once again. After a few moments of silence, she said:


    "Maybe you should consider this as training, then. In any case... what do you think we should do now?"


    Sunny threw a gloomy glance her way and shrugged.


    "I''m not sure. The turtle is huge, so even this old snake won''t be able to hollow its shell out quickly. I don''t think it can overturn the carcass or break through the carapace at this point... but I''m not sure. We should be ready for anything, I guess."


    Nephis lingered for a while, and then nodded.


    "I agree. Let''s wait and see, then."


    As the enormous carcass of the Great Monster shuddered once again, they stood side by side and watched silently as the water was slowly saturated with crimson blood.

 Chapter 1252 Voyage, Voyage

    Chapter 1252 Voyage, Voyage


    At first, Sunny and Nephis were tense and fully focused, observing the feasting serpent with grim apprehension and a bit of dread.


    But then, slowly...


    It got a little boring.


    Even though very few people had ever gotten a chance to see a Great Beast devour a Great Monster - or maybe none at all - as it turned out, even such a macabre and awesome spectacle could grow old really fast.


    The Black Turtle was just too enormous. Even though the azure serpent was gigantic itself, it still couldn''t devour a significant portion of its carcass in a short amount of time, no matter how hard it tried. It would probably take the creature days, or even weeks, to put a dent in the floating corpse of the titanic monster.


    Eventually, Sunny and Nephis found themselves sitting side by side on the green moss, looking silently at the Great River.


    The two of them made for a striking contrast. Sunny was wearing a tunic of black silk embroidered with silver thread, his hair black as a raven''s wing. Nephis was wearing a tunic, too, hers perfectly white and decorated with red accents. Her long silver hair was moving slightly in the wind.


    One''s eyes were like two pools of unfathomable darkness, the other''s were grey, calm, and hid within them a boundless, immolating heat.


    Both would have seemed too flawless and beautiful to a mundane human, with perfectly smooth alabaster skin and faces that seemed to have been chiseled from precious stone by a divine sculptor.


    Surrounded by the vast expanse of a mystical river and sitting calmly atop the shell of a great monster, wearing no armor and holding no weapons in their hands, they looked like two transient deities that had descended from the heavenly realm to rest on the soft moss and enjoy the breathtaking beauty of this strange world.


    ...Of course, Sunny had none of these thoughts. Instead, he had an entirely different view of the current situation.


    ''This is... huh...''


    Over the years, he had grown accustomed to being in the company of armor-clad Awakened, heavily armed soldiers, and military vehicles. Looking at the slender silhouette of Nephis''s body outlined by the light fabric of her tunic, and the weightless silk of his own Graceless Dusk, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of strange incongruity.


    They were currently in the most dire predicament of their habitually dire lives. And yet...


    ''What the hell. We look like we''re enjoying a luxury cruise...''VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    Of course, leisure cruises and getaways on tropical islands had not been a thing since before the Dark Times. Sunny just found the idea amusing after randomly learning about that ancient tradition from Rain, and was reminded of that conversation right now. He knew that being surrounded by great abominations was not exactly one''s idea of a relaxing vacation.


    However.


    The corpse of the Black Turtle was technically floating, so it was like a ship. At the same time, it was large enough to be an island. The food was delicious. The view was to die for.


    Sunny looked at her carefully.


    A strange thought surfaced in his mind:


    ''Was she going to say... something else?''


    He suddenly felt tense again.


    A lot of very complicated emotions that Sunny had done his best to avoid for a long, long time reared their heads in his heart.


    ''Was she...''


    Luckily - or unfortunately - the azure serpent chose that exact moment to let out a frenzied roar and dive back into the water, sending a huge fountain of it flying into the sky.


    It seemed that the old snake had been satiated, by now.


    Full of renewed vigor, the serpent started circling the Black Turtle once again, raising its head from time to time to stare at them with deranged eyes.


    Sunny sighed.


    "This snake just never gives up, does it?"


    Nephis silently nodded and then stood up.


    Illuminated by the light of the seven suns and outlined against the blue sky, her lithe figure was like a painting.


    "But it really can''t overturn the carcass or break the shell. We don''t need to keep watching it for now."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "So then... what should we do?"


    She thought for a while, then glanced at the soft carpet of green moss and the mysterious landscape of the dark island.


    Eventually, Nephis shrugged.


    "...Whatever we want?"

 Chapter 1253 Parade of Shadows

    Chapter 1253 Parade of Shadows


    After resting for a while, Sunny and Nephis separated. She went off to study the Memories Sir Gilead had transferred to her - there had not been a lot of time to get a proper feel for them in the Nightmare Desert. Sunny, meanwhile, remained sitting on the soft moss with a contemplative expression.Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    ''What to do...''


    First, he closed his eyes and sent the five shadows to investigate the dark island. It was somewhere between one and two kilometers across, so there was not a lot of ground to cover. However, the terrain of the giant shell of black rock was weathered and uneven. There were plenty of cracks and fissures, some of them large and easy to notice, others hidden from view. Some were entirely filled with water.


    The exploration did not take too long. His shadows did not find anything really interesting, either - there was the weathered rock, the vibrant patches of green moss, and the remains of the creature''s battle armor, its silver now tarnished and bleak. Other than that, the dark island was desolate and barren.


    What made a deep impression on Sunny, though, were the fissures themselves. At first, he had assumed that they were just natural features of the Great Monster''s stone shell... but after some time, with a shiver, he realized that they were not.


    Instead, each of the deep grooves was a scar left on the titanic shell of the ancient creature by unknown enemies. None managed to penetrate it, and some were rather shallow - however, some were dark and frighteningly deep.


    Considering that even the azure serpent was not able to crack the Black Turtle''s carapace, Sunny dreaded to imagine what kind of creatures had left those claw marks on its back.


    He looked at the gleaming expanse of the Great River with gloom. Suddenly, the enchanting beauty of this dreamlike world seemed like a facade that hid unspeakable horrors behind its alluring veil.


    Of course, Sunny had known that already. But in that moment, he felt it stronger than ever before.


    ''Beautiful things are the most dangerous.''


    Glancing in the direction where Nephis had left, he sighed and stretched his legs.


    The shadows returned, and then, three figures rose from them.


    Onyx Saint, Nightmare, and Ravenous Fiend.


    He silently studied them for a while, thinking. Saint was stoic and indifferent, as always... if he did not know that she was alive, he would have assumed that the graceful and towering figure in front of him was a beautiful statue. Nightmare was staring at the azure serpent, which was circling the island, with dark and malevolent fury burning in his crimson eyes. Imp seemed a little uncomfortable under Sunny''s gaze, shifting from foot to foot nervously.


    One year?


    If so, then the augmentation of the Stifled Scream could potentially reach its theoretical limit in no time. That was an outlandish theory, but it was worth checking out, at least.


    Satisfied, Sunny turned to Imp.


    On paper, the scrawny goblin was on the same level of power as Saint - he was a Transcendent Devil, as well. But in reality, there was an insurmountable gap between them. Imp was just an adolescent as far as Shadows went, after all. He was still on the weaker side, inexperienced, and untrained.


    His core physical Attribute, the [Lesser Steel Body], had just recently evolved to the [Greater Steel Body]. Sunny had thought that it would be extremely hard to locate large quantities of metal of higher quality than the body of Sun Prince.


    But, as it turned out, he was wrong.


    They were currently on top of the Black Turtle''s titanic corpse, and that corpse was encased in the remains of similarly titanic battle armor. Surely, the armor deserving of a Great Monster would be made of some truly incredible stuff?


    Looking at the nervous Imp, Sunny grinned and pointed to the nearest jagged chunk of tarnished silver.


    "Go, buddy. Gorge yourself. Bon appe?tit!"


    The scrawny goblin tentatively turned to look in the direction he was pointing. A few moments later, its eyes dramatically widened.


    "I bet it''s going to be a bit tough to chew, bu..."


    Before Sunny could finish speaking, Imp was already dashing toward the band of ancient silver with a maddened expression.


    He chuckled.


    ''I guess it smells delicious...''

 Chapter 1254 Back to Basics

    Chapter 1254 Back to Basics


    With Saint standing guard, Nightmare keeping her company, and Imp happily munching on the tarnished silver of the Great Monster''s battle armor, Sunny was once again left with nothing much to do.


    The seven suns were shining in the three-colored sky. The clear waters of the Great River were flowing as they sparkled in the sunlight. The azure serpent was hungrily circling the dark island, ramming it from time to time to make its wrathful madness known. The Sin of Solace was brooding silently.


    A gentle breeze was playing with Sunny''s hair.


    With a sigh, he swept it back and rose, planning to go find Nephis.VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    ''This is too weird.''


    He had expected many situations to arise at the start of the Third Nightmare, but one thing he had not expected was being left with nothing urgent to do.


    Walking across the weathered surface of the black rock, Sunny went around a torn band of dull silver, traversed a few patches of moss, and finally laid his eye on Nephis.


    She was training.


    Holding an unfamiliar longsword, Nephis was practicing a complicated chain of moves, her silver hair dancing in the air. There were beads of sweat on her face, and the hem of the airy tunic was flaring, revealing smooth porcelain skin.


    Her movements were limber and flowing, gracefully cascading into each other.


    The sight of it was... beautiful.


    Neph''s swordsmanship was beautiful. And she was beautiful, too.


    Illuminated by the dreamlike radiance of the seven suns and dancing with a silvery sword on a carpet of green moss, with her white tunic and alabaster skin, she was like a fairy.


    Sunny found himself standing motionlessly in the shadow of a rock outcropping, watching. He had been planning to call out to Nephis, but now... forgetting about it, he silently remained where he was.


    Some time passed. Sunny wasn''t sure how much exactly.


    The island trembled once more.


    Eventually, he shifted slightly, as though escaping a reverie, and took a step forward to escape the shadows.


    "Hey."


    Nephis stopped and leaned on her sword, breathing heavily. Her chest was rising and falling, and her face was slightly flushed. Walking over, Sunny summoned the Endless Spring and offered it to her with a friendly smile.


    Accepting the beautiful glass bottle, she sat down and wiped the sweat off her face, then threw her head back and drank greedily.


    Sunny glanced at her slender neck and the beads of sweat glistening above the collar of her tunic, which was slightly damp and sticking a little to her body. Then, he looked away.


    "Thank you."


    After drinking her fill, Nephis returned the Endless Spring to Sunny. He hesitated for a moment, then drank some of the cool, refreshing water himself and sat down near her.


    He had completely forgotten what he was going to say.


    After a moment or two of peaceful silence, Sunny finally remembered:


    Her eyes glinted.


    "But I''ve never been an Awakened. I went straight to being a Master. So, learning to control essence was very hard for me... I had to be conscious of every muscle in my body, every tendon, and every bone. It was like learning to walk again."


    A corner of Sunny''s mouth twitched as he suppressed a smile. He vividly remembered helping her pass these exact obstacles.


    Nephis, meanwhile, continued:


    "So, I had to go back to basics. Which groups of muscles do I need to enhance to perform the cut in the most efficient and effective way? My hand, my shoulder, my back, my core, my thighs, my calves... everything had to work in harmony to produce the best result. It took a while to become proficient enough in controlling essence to do it right without thinking. And, in the process, I became much more aware of my body. I also got submerged in studying the basics, on a much deeper level than before. Going deeper and deeper."


    Sunny looked at her with curiosity.


    "How deep are we talking about?"


    She smiled, lingered for a moment, and then said:


    "Force equals mass times acceleration."


    He blinked.


    ''What?''


    "What?"


    Sunny had not expected to hear a physics formula. And he only knew that this was a physics formula because Teacher Julius had once thrown a tantrum about his lack of education and forced him to read a bunch of children''s schoolbooks.


    Nephis smiled.


    "That is the basis of swordsmanship - or spearmanship, or any other kind of weapon skill. Fundamentally, it''s all about delivering force. The amount of force is dependent on mass and acceleration. Your body is the source of that force, and your weapon is a force multiplier - it concentrates it into a narrow tip, thus making it easier to deliver lethal damage."


    She pointed to the sharp tip of her sword.


    "Of course, there are more nuances to that. For example, speed does not exist in a vacuum, it is relative to the enemy. Your body also has to borrow from the ground you are standing on. There is balance, centers of gravity, reaction speed... as for the sword itself, there is flexibility, material composition, center of percussion, and so on. There is also soul essence, Memory enchantments, Attributes, and Aspect Abilities to consider."


    Sunny was looking at her incredulously, which caused Nephis to shrug in embarrassment.


    "Well, anyway. I''ve been studying the fundamentals - physics, anatomy, Spell studies, and a bit of other stuff - a lot since returning from the Second Nightmare. And slowly incorporating these insights into my swordsmanship. Uh... something like that..."


    He tilted his head, a bit dumbfounded.


    ''That can''t be right. How have we gone from "the essence of combat is murder" to "force equals acceleration"?''


    So, Nephis had been studying science... to shore up her fundamentals and evolve her swordsmanship? That sounded very strange.


    But the result was apparent... she had clearly improved by leaps and bounds since her Ascension.


    Sunny shook his head in disbelief, and then threw a pointed look at her.


    His voice was incredulous:


    "...Care for a spar?"

 Chapter 1255 Dancing Spirits

    Chapter 1255 Dancing Spirits


    With a faint smile on her face, Nephis nodded and raised her sword, pointing it at him in invitation. Sunny summoned the Sin of Solace and took a stance opposite her. From the Forgotten Shore to the basement of his home in the peaceful terrace district, they had trained with each other numerous times. This simple sequence of actions was as natural for them as breathing.


    However, today, there was an awkward pause.


    Sunny scratched the back of his head and glanced at the jade jian.


    "That... isn''t going to work, is it?"


    Nephis seemed to have come to a similar conclusion, looking at him sheepishly.


    ''No, what the hell... since when does she know how to emote? This is just too cute...''


    He coughed.


    The problem facing them was that both had grown too powerful �� and, subsequently, the weapons they used were too powerful, too. The Sin of Solace was a Transcendent Memory of the Fifth Tier, and quite a harrowing one at that. Sunny was not entirely sure what the level of Neph''s longsword was, but it had to be quite a menacing weapon, as well, considering that it had come from the soul arsenal of a Saint.


    It would be already bad enough if the Sin of Solace damaged or destroyed it. But what if Sunny was not careful enough and scratched Nephis in the process? The curse of madness carried by the jade blade would either crush her mental defenses, or at least put debilitating pressure on her mind for a period of time.


    Standing some distance away, the spirit of the jian smiled.


    "No, no. Don''t worry... I''ll be gentle."


    However, that smile of his was more than a little bit sinister.


    Sunny frowned, then dismissed the jade sword and got lost in thought for a few moments. Eventually, a smile of delight appeared on his lips.


    "Let''s do this."


    The shadows around them suddenly moved and flowed toward him, then slowly formed into two inky black swords. One of them was a fearsome odachi, while the other was an elegant longsword.


    The odachi was easy to create �� this was one of the shapes Sunny had practiced relentlessly, after all. The longsword was a little bit tricky, since he had never created one before. Nevertheless, he was familiar with it as well, and so managed to produce a passable one with some effort.


    No... he was drowning in her flowing sword.


    ''How is she so different?''


    It was not as though Sunny did not understand the same principles Neph had spoken about. The relationship between mass, acceleration, and force... he was intimately familiar with it, as well.


    After all, Sunny had long incorporated the ability to change his weight at will into his battle skill, so much so that it had become second nature to him. By manipulating how much his body, or various parts of it, weighed on the fly, he was able to enhance the force of his attacks, secure his balance, and even perform seemingly impossible moves by shifting his center of gravity.


    By now, it was like an instinct.


    He knew a lot about anatomy, too, both from his own training after the Ascension, mastery of Shadow Dance, and learning how to create shadow hands.


    Everything that Nephis had mentioned, Sunny studied too. However, as they thought, he understood the difference between them.


    It was the difference between an intuitive, instinctual knowledge and a comprehensive, systemic understanding.


    And so, even though Sunny could perceive the essence of what Nephis was doing through Shadow Dance, he couldn''t repeat it with the same level of insight.


    This was different from fighting Morgan. Morgan was supremely skilled, yes, but the main challenge of dueling her was the dire power of her enchanted body and her sharp, killing will.


    Nephis was not using any augmentations, and her will was vast and calm as an ocean.


    Beneath that indomitable calmness hid the fiery fury of a roaring flame.


    It was pure technique, pure insight, pure mastery.


    Pure passion.


    Sunny frowned, feeling that he, too, was starting to sweat.


    Nephis was strong, but he was strong too. Among human swordsmen, he was perhaps one of the strongest.


    His mind was clear, his elusive skill was perilously insidious. He was not the same person he had been before. Antarctica had forged him into someone much more steady, powerful, and deadly.


    Their duel... was exhilarating.

 Chapter 1256 Reaching for the Stars

    Chapter 1256 Reaching for the Stars


    Sunny and Nephis climbed back into the familiar fissure only after the seven suns plunged into the waters of the Great River. They hungrily consumed the last few ration packs from the Covetous Coffer, and then settled on the weathered rock to sleep.


    Saint was standing guard above the fissure, and Nightmare was near to protect their dreams. So, they decided not to alternate and let themselves rest through the whole night.


    The world was swiftly enveloped in darkness. The nocturnal glow of the Great River did not reach the depths of the fissure, and there were no stars or the moon in the sky. The world was entirely black, as if they had plunged into an endless void.


    Listening to the soft sounds of Neph''s breath, Sunny let the sense of fatigue overwhelm him.


    He was tired. However, it was not the cruel, chilling exhaustion he had suffered often in the past months... instead, this fatigue was of a satisfying and pleasurable kind. Something he had not felt in a while.


    Sunny had learned a lot during their training today. They had practiced together until the sunset, and in the process, both had done their best to make the opponent sweat. He had not held back much, and neither had Nephis.


    In the end, Sunny found himself lacking. Even after all this time, she was still like a distant star... one he could see, but never touch. At least in terms of swordsmanship and mastery of battle.


    It should have been disheartening, but he found it strangely encouraging instead. Sunny felt as though he had been shown a new horizon... something to strive for, as well as a clear direction to reach for the stars.


    He also realized that there were still flaws in his mastery of Shadow Dance. That was a valuable revelation in and of itself... armed with it, he could refine and perfect his formless style, bringing it closer to the next step.


    That said... Sunny felt very strange right now.


    It was because he had realized that, currently, he was more powerful than Nephis.


    Yes, she was a better fighter than him. However, Sunny had so many tools at his disposal. He also had two Transcendent Devils and an Awakened Terror on his side. If the two of them were to battle seriously... he wasn''t entirely sure who would be left standing at the end, but he knew that his odds were much higher than hers.


    It was a... vast, tumultuous, and deeply unsettling emotion.


    What surprised him the most, however, was how weak of a reaction it aroused in him. There had been a time when becoming more powerful than Nephis was all he ever thought about. But now... he felt almost indifferent.


    It was what it was. There was no point in racing to the finish line, anyway. That line would not change.


    It did not matter which one of them became a Terror first, because sooner or later, both of them would end up as Titans. It did not matter that Sunny was ahead for the first time �� her Ascended Ability was not of a kind that added to one''s power, that was all.


    They were in the same boat, anyway.


    Perhaps he could allow himself to feel that way because he was more secure about the Shadow Bond, and the power she held over him. Nephis had proven that she had no intention of ever using it... and he had grown more confident in his ability to make one or both of them die even if she did.


    ''How romantic...''


    He sighed, feeling calm and cozy in the darkness that enveloped them.


    After a while, Sunny asked:


    "Hey, Neph... are you asleep yet?"


    There were few moments of silence before she answered.


    He stared at Nephis incredulously for a few moments, then laid down and looked back at the jagged line of the distant black sky. A moment or two later, he suddenly laughed, too.


    "This is... this is just too ridiculous..."


    Nephis lowered her hand, then asked in an amused tone:


    "What is?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "I mean... we are sailing a river of an Unholy Titan''s blood on the corpse of a Great Monster. Moving back in time. And giggling like children..."


    She remained silent for a while before saying in her usual calm tone:


    "Yes. It does sound a little ridiculous."


    Then, there was a comfortable silence between them.


    Sunny looked at the black sky for a while. Soon, a sigh escaped from his lips.


    He lingered for a long time, then turned his head to look at her again.


    "Neph? Can I ask you something?"


    She turned her head to face him, as well, even though she couldn''t see anything in the dark.


    "Sure."


    Sunny hesitated.


    But, eventually, he still asked:


    "Can you tell me what happened to you in the Second Nightmare?"


    A hint of amusement slowly disappeared from her eyes. Her faint smile was erased, as well.


    Nephis remained silent for a long time, her expression turning bleak and distant.


    Then, she sighed.


    "...Okay. I''ll tell you."


    Her voice sounded strangely forlorn.


    Turning away, Nephis looked into the darkness and said:


    "In my Second Nightmare, I was a woman made of stone. Like your Shadow, but also different... defective..."

 Chapter 1257 In the Darkness

    Chapter 1257 In the Darkness


    Nephis looked into the darkness as she spoke in an even voice:


    "It happened after the Demon of Destiny had his falling out with the Goddess of the Black Skies... I think. But before Hope escaped her chains, and the daemons rose in rebellion against the gods. In the darkness... in the true darkness that fills the halls and caverns of the Underworld. Below the Hollow Mountains."


    She sighed.


    "When I opened my eyes, I was a woman made of stone. A crude, clumsy, and defective precursor of the Stone Saints. I was laying on a mountain of abandoned statues just like me, all of them broken, discarded, and forsaken. Everything around me was enveloped by cold darkness, with not a spark of light or hint of warmth anywhere. There was just me, my broken siblings, and the lonesome silence."


    Sunny shifted slightly.


    "True darkness?"


    Nephis slowly nodded.


    "Yes... those mountains are called hollow, but in fact, they are full of darkness. Their hollows are like great reservoirs of it �� it is where darkness lives, and where it comes from. True darkness is very much like this river, in fact. Legends say that a terrible creature was slain by the gods once, at the dawn of time, and that its blood seeped into the earth. This is what true darkness is �� the dark creature''s blood."


    Sunny shivered. That dark creature... to be the source of all true darkness, of the entire element of darkness, it had to be something far greater than an Unholy Titan.


    It must have been one of the unknown, then. A being of the Void...


    Ignorant of what he was thinking about, Nephis continued after a short pause:


    "The Hollow Mountains are a scar left by the death of that creature. And so, most of true darkness remains below them. This is the place that Nether made his home. However, it was not entirely empty... while he ruled the Underworld, there were many others living in the darkness."


    "I was just a Sleeper, after all. Even with the Echo I gained in the Nightmare Desert, out there in the darkness, my strength was pitiful. Ah, it was such a... blow. I never realized how much pride I took in being strong before that Nightmare. I had always relied on my strength... I had always told myself that I had to be strong. If only I was strong like my father... if only I was strong, stronger, the strongest... then I wouldn''t break apart. And the people around me wouldn''t need to suffer on my behalf, either."


    Sunny remained silent, remembering Neph''s nightmare that he had visited after she returned to the waking world. He also thought about his own desperate pursuit of strength.


    Nephis smiled.


    "But in the Nightmare, all my strength was worthless. All my pride was worthless, too. All I had was weakness, and so, I had to learn... that personal power was not something I should rely on, or could rely on. It had always seemed so important, but in the end, it turned out to be a deceitful mirage."


    A slight frown appeared on her face.


    "You see, there were not only the outcasts and discarded creatures like me in the darkness at the roots of the Underworld. There were other things, as well... terrifying things that were born from the darkness. These things hunted us. There were ancient horrors dwelling in the very depths of the abyss, as well. Sometimes, they would crawl from below to devour us. No one in the Underworld cared about what happened to us, if they even remembered our existence. The aloof Demon of Destiny, the first generation of the Stone Saints, and the remains of the Demon''s soldiers... none would protect us. The forsaken had to fend for themselves. But we were weak, and pitiful. And, most of all, we were divided."


    Her voice shook a little.


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then asked carefully:


    "So, what did you do? How did you survive?"


    Nephis took a deep breath.


    "I... I had to accept my weakness, and learn how to survive despite being weak. The lesson was harsh, demeaning, and painful. But I had no choice but to learn it. So, I coaxed, persuaded, deceived, enticed, and cajoled the other forsaken creatures living in the darkness. But, most of all... I inspired them. You see, I realized that there was something much sharper than my wit, much more persuasive than my words, and much more compelling than my lies."


    She paused for a moment.


    "That something... was desire."

 Chapter 1258 Last Light

    Chapter 1258 Last Light


    Hidden in the darkness, Sunny flinched. The image of the piece of wet wood littered with demented runes suddenly appeared in his mind, as did the word repeating in the runes over and over again.


    Wish... desire.


    Be careful of what you wish for.


    Be careful what you desire.


    He frowned while Nephis continued somberly:


    "All I had to do was instill a desire in the forsaken. A desire for a better life, longer life... safer life. A yearning for things that they had either never known or long forgotten �� comfort, companionship, warmth. I had to give them hope. Because we couldn''t survive alone, but we could survive together. Most of these creatures were solitary and numb, resigned to their dark existence. The weight of their hopelessness and despair was too great for me to pull them from it. But, by igniting a yearning in their hearts... I could make them push themselves forward with their own strength."


    She grew silent once again, and remained so for a long time this time.


    When Nephis spoke again, her voice was almost a whisper.


    "...We gathered together, and built a village. It had tall walls and stone houses. It even had a large hall for us to gather and enjoy each other''s company. And, for a while, life was good. United, we could protect ourselves from the creatures of darkness, and hide from the abyssal visitors behind the tall walls. I thought... I thought that I was on the right track. There were old creatures in the village that taught me their knowledge and wisdom. There were those who had been warriors once. I learned from them, as well. I was the weakest one, but I was liked and valued. Because I could create light, which all of them had forgotten."


    White sparks ignited in her eyes before trembling and disappearing.


    Neph''s face grew motionless.


    "But then, someone in the village vanished. And then, someone else. At first, I thought that they had left. But after the third one was gone, the fourth, the fifth... we all realized that something was wrong. They didn''t leave. They were taken. After that, every night �� what served as night in the Underworld �� someone would disappear. We were under attack."


    She paused.


    "We tried everything in our power to find and confront the creature that was killing the villagers. We enhanced our defenses, increased our vigilance. We investigated, we explored the surrounding darkness for clues. We set traps, carved sorcerous runes into the stone, and placed lures. We even sent an envoy to plead for help from the children of Nether. But nothing worked."


    Neph''s voice was growing dull.


    "The appraisal... do you remember how the Spell appraised your performance?"


    Nephis shook her head.


    "I was... pretty out of it, there at the end. I remember standing in the middle of the empty hall. And the next thing I remember was you calling me by my True Name, at the Academy."


    Sunny sighed, then leaned forward and lightly patted her on the shoulder.


    "Well, if it means anything... I think you did well. You did really well, Neph."


    He felt her body tremble slightly, and then took the Endless Spring from her fingers.


    "Thank you for telling me. Now, let''s sleep..."


    He lingered for a moment, and then added lightly:


    "...Please be careful with the sleeping bag, though. Don''t rip it. It''s really expensive!"


    She nodded, then smiled faintly and lay down, turning away.


    Sunny looked at Neph''s back for a few moments, then silently returned to his own sleeping spot and sprawled on the weathered rock.


    He stared at the black sky for a few moments before closing his eyes.


    ''...Would I have survived that Nightmare?''


    Sunny really did not know. He could also tell that Nephis had brushed past many perilous fights and dire torments that she must have endured there... in the darkness...


    All alone.


    His heart was heavy, but before too long, the exhaustion won, sending him into the embrace of sleep.

 Chapter 1259 Pristine Soul

    Chapter 1259 Pristine Soul


    In the morning, the island shook again. Sunny opened his eyes and reached through the shadow sense, checking in on Saint. Since the taciturn knight was standing calmly above the fissure, he relaxed and yawned with great satisfaction.


    He felt incredibly refreshed.


    The dark island was in one piece, and nothing was pouncing to kill them. Life was great.


    He sat up, leaned on the slope of the fissure, then rubbed his eyes and looked around. Nephis was already up, doing light stretches a few meters away. Sunny watched her for a few moments, then forced himself to avert his gaze.


    The sound of her even, yet fragile voice resounding from the darkness still echoed in his ears.


    Neph''s Second Nightmare... was different from his own, just like her First Nightmare had been. She had not battled immortal Saints to free an imprisoned daemon from divine chains. Instead, she had tried to save a small group of pitiful and forlorn creatures, only to watch them all die.


    Nephis had been the last one standing on the Forgotten Shore, and after traveling alone through the purgatory of the Nightmare Desert, she built a tiny community amidst the cold darkness, only to watch it be destroyed.


    She had been so strong, but the Nightmare made her weak. She had been so proud, but the Nightmare made her beg for mercy on her knees. He wasn''t sure he could imagine how painful it was for her, to sacrifice the two things that were at the core of her sense of self.


    Yes, Neph had not slain impossibly powerful enemies with her radiant sword in the Nightmare... but, for her, wielding a sword against an overwhelming foe was not something to be feared.


    Maybe that was why the Spell always tried to break her in some other, more cruel way.


    Sunny looked down at the weathered surface of the black rock.


    ''The Spell... I wonder...''


    How had the Spell appraised Neph''s performance in the Second Nightmare?


    Sunny was not sure, but he had an inkling that the appraisal was exceedingly high. If his theory was right, that was, and the appraisal depended on how much the challenger had changed the flow of fate. In that regard...


    He suspected that what Nephis had done was miraculous. She had wanted to change the fates of the forsaken creatures living in the darkness at the bottom of the Underwold.


    In that task, she failed. VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    ...However, she had succeeded in changing something else.


    She changed the harrowing creature that had come from the darkness.


    Had the creature been compelled by her words? By her pleas?


    ...Just what was Nephis, exactly?


    And, more importantly, what was she to him?


    The subject of his thoughts, meanwhile, finished her stretching exercises, pulled the fastened strap of her white tunic back to her pale shoulder, and looked around.


    Nephis smiled.


    "You''re up?"


    Sunny smiled back.


    "Yeah. How are you feeling?"


    It seemed as though she had recovered from opening the old wounds to tell him about her Second Nightmare yesterday.


    However, a moment later, Neph''s smiling face darkened a little. She sighed.


    "I wanted to make breakfast. But... we have no food left."


    Sunny tilted his head, then looked down.


    They were literally sitting on a mountain of meat. But with the Azure Serpent circling the carcass of the Black Turtle, diving into the river to procure even a little bit of it was an utterly lethal task.


    He shook his head with resignation.


    "We''ll solve that problem when the time comes."


    Nephis nodded, lingered for a moment, then pointed to the sleeping bag.


    "See? I didn''t rip it."


    Sunny stared at her, trying to determine whether she was being serious or playing a joke on him. These days, it was getting hard to tell...


    ''Which bastard is being such a bad influence on my straight-laced and awkward Neph? I''m going to bash their teeth in!''


    He remained silent for a few moments, then grinned.


    "Good. Because, you know... you still owe me for that projector..."

 Chapter 1260 Leisure Cruise

    Chapter 1260 Leisure Cruise


    Time flowed lazily.


    ...Both literally and figuratively.


    The current of the Great River was pulling the corpse of the Black Turtle into the past, and several days passed in a strange, but pleasant idleness. The seven suns rose and fell, drowning in the shimmering waters. The sky was like a dreamlike painting of lilac, azure, crimson, and jet black.


    The ancient serpent continued to circle the dark island, slowly consuming the bleeding meat of the Great Monster it had killed, and watching Sunny and Nephis enjoy their unexpected respite.


    The two of them were spending their time leisurely. Feeling the need to rest and recuperate after the nightmarish gauntlet of the white desert, they were not in a hurry to strain themselves too much.


    They slept peacefully through the nights, rising when warm sunlight flowed into the narrow fissure, and spent most of the days together. Sometimes, they would lay on the soft moss side by side and look at the sky in comfortable silence. Sometimes, they would train, sparring with each other until sweat covered their bodies.


    Sometimes, they would talk, discussing their experiences in the past year and various pieces of knowledge they had picked up along the way.


    They also spent some time apart. Nephis was busy practicing her swordsmanship, often requesting Saint to aid her as a training partner. After sending her and his Shadow off, Sunny would get busy with his own endeavors.


    He spent a lot of time studying the strange and hauntingly complex weave of the Key of the Estuary. This Memory was a great mystery that had to be solved... even after showing it to Nephis, Sunny had not a single inkling of what it was supposed to do, and where it had come from. Updated from


    So, he settled for the slow approach of meticulously examining each and every thread of its somber tapestry. Depending on luck, this task could take him many months to complete, but there was no harm in starting early.


    Once his head started to ache from studying the black weave, Sunny would sit silently near the slopes of the island and watch the Azure Serpent prowl. He would close his eyes and sense the Great Beast''s shadow. He would try to memorize its every scale, scar, and movement.


    Sunny was sitting on a luxurious wooden chair, which was positioned near the slopes of the Black Turtle''s carapace, facing north. His shadows surrounded him, lazily sprawled on the black rocks and enjoying the dreamlike vista of the Great River �� only the naughty one had wandered off to enjoy the view of Nephis training instead.


    Dismissing the Estuary Key, Sunny rubbed his temples and stretched his legs.


    ''I don''t get it... I just don''t get it. I don''t recognize any of these weave elements. Not even their vague purpose. The more I look at it, the more sure I am that it wasn''t... won''t be?... created by me.''


    Whoever had created the Key of the Estuary was a far greater sorcerer than Sunny was, or could ever dream to be. At least that was how it seemed.


    ''Alright... that''s enough for today. The old snake should be showing its ugly mug any minute now. I really hope that it''s as tired of staring at me as I am tired of staring at it...''


    Sunny glanced at the wide patch of bloody water surrounding the shell of the Great Turtle in anticipation, lingered for a few moments, and then frowned.


    Something... something was wrong with that picture.


    He stared at the water for a while, his scowl deepening.


    Then, Sunny slowly raised his eyes and looked at the sky.


    His pupils widened slightly.


    There, in the boundless blue expanse, far away...


    A black dot had appeared at some point.

 Chapter 1261 A Butterfly Flapping Its Wings

    Chapter 1261 A Butterfly Flapping Its Wings


    There was a black dot in the sky, far in the distance, slowly moving in the direction of the dark island. At first, Sunny felt a glimmer of hope ignite in his heart as he remembered a similar situation from the past.


    That time, it had turned out to be Kai.


    But, this time...


    This time, his intuition was ringing alarm bells, and a cold feeling of dread crept from somewhere to grip him with icy claws.


    Sitting on the Shadow Chair with his legs crossed, Sunny leaned back and sighed.


    "...Crap."


    With that, he exploded with a flurry of activity.


    First, Sunny dismissed his precious chair and dashed toward the middle of the island. At the same time, he sent a mental command to Saint.


    Nephis and she were currently engaged in a furious sword fight. Light and darkness were intertwined in a shimmering whirlpool of sharp steel, and the graceful knight''s onyx figure was starkly contrasted against the rippling white tunic and alabaster skin of her slender opponent.


    Following Sunny''s order, Saint froze. The tip of Neph''s sword stopped a split second later, hovering millimeters away from the slit of her visor.


    Nephis frowned, then retracted her sword and looked around.


    There was a shadow on a rock outcropping that protruded from the ground a few meters away. It seemed to belong to a young man, and was currently waving its arms in the air while pointing at the sky.


    She swiftly turned around and looked up, then dashed away a moment later.


    ''That''s done...''


    Running as fast as he could, Sunny leaped over a murky puddle of water and landed near a half-eaten fragment of tarnished silver. The scrawny figure of Imp could be seen nearby, laying on the ground with a blissful smile on his fiendish face. His hands were rubbing his ballooning belly with delight.


    "Stand up, buddy!"


    The gluttonous goblin opened his eyes and stared at Sunny in confusion, then awkwardly tried to rise to his feet. However, outweighed by his full stomach, Imp lost Sunny leaned down, grabbed the weakly struggling fiend, and hoisted him on his shoulder.


    his balance and promptly plopped back down.


    "It''s a... butterfly."


    Indeed, a butterfly was descending toward the island. From afar, it seemed like an ethereal and beautiful creature. But as it drew closer, Sunny couldn''t help but shiver.


    The butterfly''s wings and back were black, but its body and underbelly were the color of white bone. It had six long, seemingly fragile legs that ended in sharp points, and two enormous, faceted eyes that were like orbs of pure darkness. Between them was a disturbingly long, oily-black beak, which was currently bent into a spiral like an elephant''s trunk. Two antennae rose from its head, pushed back by the current of the wind.


    ...Apart from that, the butterfly was at least a hundred meters in size.


    It was both exquisitely beautiful and deeply revolting. But, most of all, it was deeply frightening.


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    "It''s another Great Monster."


    His heart was beating rapidly in his chest, and his back was covered with cold sweat.


    ''Great. This is just great! Great... ha, it literally is...''


    By his side, Nephis scowled.


    "What about..."


    The monstrous butterfly was obviously intending to land on the island, but at that moment, the crimson water parted, and the Azure Serpent''s scaled snout rose into the air. Pierced by a mad gaze of its cloudy eyes, the Great Monster suddenly seemed wary.


    It moved its wings and altered the direction of its flight, circling the corpse of the Black Turtle from above instead of diving down to land on the black rock. The butterfly''s huge eyes were aimed at the ancient serpent, and its antennae twitched rhythmically.


    The great beast of the river bared its bloodied fangs and let out a furious roar, as if announcing its claim of the remains of the titanic turtle.


    ''This demented old snake...''


    Did the serpent not want to live? Why was it going around challenging Great Monsters?''


    ''Am I really such a delicacy?!''


    Sunny did not know what the giant butterfly was thinking, but one thing was certain.


    It did not like that serpent''s challenge. It did not like it at all...

 Chapter 1262 A Shrimp Between Two Whales

    Chapter 1262 A Shrimp Between Two Whales


    Sunny described what was happening in a hushed voice. He didn''t really need to whisper, considering that they were surrounded by a dome of silence, but it made him feel better.


    And what was happening... appeared pretty clear.


    The monstrous butterfly had been attracted by the smell of blood and arrived to feast on the corpse of the Black Turtle that the Azure Serpent had so laboriously killed. The Azure Serpent, meanwhile, was having none of it.


    In fact, judging by the madness burning in its eyes, the Great Beast was overcome with the bloody desire to rip the giant butterfly apart as well. VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    ''This thing... really doesn''t know what''s good for it, huh?''


    What was the reason for the Azure Serpent''s reckless insolence?


    Humans often described Nightmare Creatures as mad, but that description was not entirely accurate. The abominations were indeed insane, but that did not mean that they lacked sanity. Rather, it meant that their sanity was perverted, sinister, ineffable, and entirely different from what humans deemed sane.


    So why would the Great Beast risk its life fighting much more powerful Monsters?


    Was it indeed madness? Was it pride? Was it reluctance to give up such an enormous prize?


    ...Or was it more reluctant to surrender two human souls that burned the flames of divinity to the stronger abomination?


    Whatever the reason was, the stubborn leviathan seemed ready to battle the monstrous butterfly to the death.


    The butterfly let out an indescribable sound. The waters of the Great River suddenly grew restless, rippling as they were assaulted by the powerful sonic waves. The serpent roared again, rising higher above the river''s tumultuous surface.


    "...I think they are going to fight."


    Sunny was not sure what it meant for the two of them. He was belatedly happy about his decision to abandon the skies and seek shelter on the shell of the Black Turtle... if something like that butterfly had caught him in the air, he would have surely been dead in an instant.


    However, now that Nephis and he were trapped on the dark island, their fates seemed to be swaying on the edge of a perilous abyss. They were deeply unsure of their ability to slay a Great Beast... but a Great Monster was far more dreadful.


    They were only alive now because the Azure Serpent either lacked the ability or was reluctant to crawl out of the water. If the abominable butterfly won the battle, though, nothing was going to stop it from doing just that. Then, their shelter would turn into a deadly trap.


    A hurricane gale rose from the confounding fury of the Great Monster''s lunge.


    "It''s attacking!"


    A split second later, an enormous pillar of foaming crimson water rose into the sky. The serpent seemed to have managed to avoid the abominable butterfly''s obliterating charge. However, its sharp legs tore at the sea creature''s azure body.


    The Great Monster easily dove into the water, as though the depths were its home. Both creatures were suddenly hidden from view, and only the shaking of the island and the colossal waves that were assaulting its slopes showed that a titanic battle was happening underwater.


    "They''re fighting."


    Nephis remained silent for a few moments, then gave him a strange look.


    "Sunny... where are they fighting, in relation to our position?"


    He stared at her in confusion, then said:


    "Below water, to the left of the turtle''s tail."


    She lingered a bit, then took a deep breath.


    "Then, they''re on the opposite side from the turtle''s head. Where the entry wound is. So... while the serpent is preoccupied... shall we dive down and harvest some meat?"


    He opened his mouth, startled.


    Then, he slowly closed it again.


    "Dive down? Harvest meat? Are you... are you crazy?!"


    ''Damn... I said it again!''


    Nephis looked at him very seriously and shook her head.


    "No, I''m not crazy. I''m... hungry."

 Chapter 1263 Sea of Blood

    Chapter 1263 Sea of Blood


    What they were trying to do did, indeed, seem a little crazy. There were two great abominations fighting on one side of the Black Turtle, and Nephis wanted to dive into the water on the other side to steal some of the turtle''s meat.


    Because she was hungry.


    But, of course, it was really not that unhinged of a plan. She had not suggested it out of a burning desire to satiate her belly �� rather, it was out of necessity. The longer they were to go hungry, the weaker they would become. The weaker they became, the slimmer their chances of survival would be.


    Neither Nephis nor Sunny knew if they would get a better chance to harvest the Black Turtle''s meat than now, when the Azure Serpent was distracted. In fact, they did not even know if they would live long enough to enjoy the fruits of this perilous decision.


    If the monstrous butterfly won, they would probably die soon. But there was nothing they could really do about that... so, the only thing they could do was prepare for the other outcome to the best of their ability.


    Grimacing, Sunny looked away and shook Imp off his thigh.


    "Curses..."


    Then, he gritted his teeth and started climbing out of the fissure.


    ''Hungry... she''s hungry... hungry, is she?! Just... just what sin did I commit in my past life to be cursed with all these gluttonous women?!''


    Oblivious to his heartfelt plea, Nephis followed.


    It took Sunny just a few moments to scale the vertical slope of the deep fissure and climb onto the quaking surface of the dark island. It was shaking and swaying, pushed by the harrowing fury of the unseen battle that was happening below the waves.


    A split second later, Saint landed nearby, and a vast shadow crawled from the darkness to take the shape of a tenebrous steed. Neph arrived last, slowed down a little by the need to carry the fragile amphora in one of her hands.


    Imp had been left in the relative safety of the fissure, since he was of no use in the current situation.


    They needed to dive into the tumultuous red water to harvest the monster''s meat, but they didn''t have to be stupid about it. If something happened, Sunny could swiftly pull them away through the shadows �� however, finding a proper shadow to dive into was hard underwater. And since the Great River was in the throes of the battle between the Azure Serpent and the monstrous butterfly, its current could easily pull Sunny and Nephis apart.


    She threw him one end of the golden rope, and he hastily tied it around his left wrist while she tied the other end around her right.


    At the same time, light swirled around Neph''s slender legs and formed into two silver anklets. Sunny stared at them in confusion for a moment before realizing that their function had to be similar to the Nimble Catch.


    He was a bit envious. Hers was not an armor-type Memory, so she did not have to dismiss the white tunic...


    ''Ah. I want to be sponsored by a guilt-ridden Saint too...''


    Holding the black bow, Saint took a position that gave her a perfect view of the head of the dead monster and the seething water surrounding it. Her task was to protect... or at least try to protect them should either the serpent or the butterfly arrive.


    Nightmare''s could not help her in case the former showed up, but if the latter did, his speed would have to assist Saint in leading the butterfly away. The amphora was placed beside them.


    Sunny and Nephis looked at each other one last time, then dashed forward and simultaneously jumped.


    The wind whistled in his ears. A few moments later, Sunny hit the crimson water and was instantly swallowed by it.


    It was like he had dove into a sea of blood.


    Everything around him was murky and red. Despite his best efforts, Sunny was momentarily disoriented, but regained his bearings after feeling a sharp tug on the golden rope. He found Neph through shadow sense, and followed her as she swam forward with purpose.


    She had already done this once, after all. Granted... there had not been two Great Nightmare Creatures creating a storm nearby at that time...


    ''We need to be fast.''


    Breathing with the help of the Essence Pearl, Sunny swam through the crimson waters of the Great River.

 Chapter 1264 Gaping Wound

    Chapter 1264 Gaping Wound


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    Guided by a golden rope that glowed faintly into the red murkiness, Sunny swam forward. The waters of the river of time, mixed with the crimson blood of a Great Monster, were cold and tumultuous. The battle of two harrowing abominations had turned them into a whirlpool of raging currents.


    ''Just how far is this wound...''


    Suddenly, Sunny saw something enormous appear from the murky red darkness and shuddered. He was swimming past the giant eye of the titanic turtle, now hollow and devoid of light. His figure was like a speck of dust in front of it.


    The Azure Serpent had long feasted on the Black Turtle''s left eye, but the right still remained. Even though Sunny knew that the ancient behemoth was dead, he couldn''t help but feel as if it was staring at him.


    Looking away, he pushed himself through the water.


    ''We''re not far from the creature''s neck, then.''


    Every second could be their last, so Sunny was tense. The battle of the dreadful abominations could shift in their direction at any moment. More than that... the Nimble Catch allowed him to swim with great speed, and Neph''s silver anklets were the same. However, she did not seem to possess a Memory similar to the Essence Pearl, and had to hold her breath.


    They simply couldn''t linger.


    Fortunately, the dark thoroughfare of the turtle''s enormous neck emerged from the cloudy redness soon. It was encased in massive bands of tarnished silver, which overlapped to form a flexible, but impenetrable armor.


    Sunny caught up with Nephis as they followed the road of silver to the point where the monster''s neck ended. There, its armor was torn apart and bent, sharp jagged edges surrounded by bloody foam. The stench of blood was much stronger here, and the water was much darker.


    Nephis changed her direction, knowing where to go.


    A dozen seconds later, they reached the gaping wound in the body of the Great Monster. Sunny froze for a moment.


    ''That...''


    It looked... exactly like one would imagine such a place to look. Not that people had reasons to try and imagine something so morbidly bizarre.


    The walls of the tunnel, which was mostly consumed by darkness, were uneven, spongy, and red. The lower half of it was covered by tumultuous water, while the upper half was filled with an almost unbearable stench of blood. Rivers of red were flowing from the walls and the ceiling, mixing with the dark water below.


    Sunny and Nephis were standing on one of the vertebrae of the Black Turtle, which protruded from the bottom of the tunnel like a pale pink mountain. While he was looking around, she was breathing heavily.


    "So, now..."


    Before he could finish the sentence, the carcass of the Great Monster quaked once again, and the two of them were almost thrown off the slippery bone. Sunny had to grab Nephis to prevent her from plummeting back into the seething water.


    A moment later, he realized that they were embracing, their bodies pressed tightly against each other. He could feel the softness and the heat of her skin through the thin fabric of the white tunic.


    Her striking grey eyes were close... too close... as well.


    Forgetting what he was going to say, Sunny remained motionless for a few moments.


    Then, he made sure that Nephis had regained her balance and carefully let her go.


    "So... now... all we have to do is carve some meat. Right?"


    She cleared her throat, then raised the wisp of flame higher and looked away.


    "Uh... uh... right. And return alive."


    Sunny let out a shaky sigh.


    ''Sure. One thing at a time...''

 Chapter 1265 Dirty Job

    Chapter 1265 Dirty Job


    Sunny had to spend a few moments calming down his wildly beating heart. Then, he looked around once again.


    The situation... was much better than he had expected it to be.


    He really had not considered that the grotesque tunnel left behind by the Azure Serpent would be only partially drowned. Slicing through the flesh of a Great Monster was no easy task, and doing so underwater would have been even harder. More than that, he was less restricted in the use of Shadow Step now.


    But, most importantly, he could summon the Covetous Coffer.


    Opening the alloy chest underwater would have just resulted in the spatial storage being instantly filled with water. Now that they stood on a solid surface, things were different... of course, the tunnel could be flooded at any moment, so they had to hurry.


    Sunny looked at Nephis and flashed her a smile.


    "Let''s be quick!"


    The sparks of light swirled around them, manifesting into Memories. Neph''s flame was replaced by a luminous paper lantern, and a sizable alloy chest appeared on the porous pink surface of the Great Monster''s bone.


    A moments later, their weapons manifested, t...


    "Am I reduced to a mere butcher''s cleaver? Ah... such humiliation..."


    Sunny almost yelped when a familiar figure emerged from the darkness. The Sin of Solace looked somberly at his disheveled appearance, then shook his head. He was still clad in the Shroud of Graceless Dusk, not to mention perfectly dry.


    "Damn fool."


    Sunny whispered a stifled curse and commanded the shadows to wrap themselves around the jade blade of the cursed sword, which Sunny whispered a stifled curse and commanded the shadows to wrap themselves around the jade blade of the cursed sword, which had manifested itself a split second before. Then, he hissed:


    "Gods, you almost gave me a heart attack."


    Nephis froze for a moment and looked at him with a slightly startled expression.


    "Oh... did I? Sorry..."


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    "What do you want to do?"


    Sunny paused for a bit, then gritted his teeth.


    "We''ve already taken the risk. Returning with empty hands would mean that it was all for nothing. We''ll have to wait for a chance to do it all over again, and even if such a chance presents itself, we''ll be much weaker by then. So... let''s continue. I can pull us back through the shadows, anyway."


    Nephis nodded in agreement, prompting them to return to the arduous task of carving the turtle''s flesh. Both of them were much more tense now.


    A few more slabs of meat fell into the Covetous Coffer, and at the same time, the shockwaves traveling through the island showed that the battling abominations were drawing closer to the creature''s head.


    Eventually, Sunny lowered his bloodied hands and grimaced.


    "That''s enough. It is too dangerous now."


    Closing the lid of the alloy chest, he dismissed it and froze for a moment, concentrating his perception on the haughty shadow. He had left it with Saint and Nightmare, so it had a good view of the turbulent waters surrounding the Black Turtle''s head.


    ...The water had been turbulent before, but now, it was simply boiling. Bloody foam was undulating like a stormy sea, and two enormous shadows could be seen far below, intertwined with each other.


    They were just under the entrance to the gaping wound at the base of the titanic turtle''s neck.


    ''Time to go.''


    Grabbing Neph''s hand, Sunny pulled the two of them into the shadow.


    But...


    Nothing happened.


    The shadows remained ethereal and elusive, as if he had never possessed the ability to dive into their dark embrace.


    Sunny froze, then slowly looked down.


    He was still standing on the slippery pink bone.


    Shadow Step had failed to activate.

 Chapter 1266 Unexpected Complication

    Chapter 1266 Unexpected Complication


    "What''s wrong?"


    "What''s wrong?"


    Two identical questions sounded at the same time, but they couldn''t be more different. Neph''s voice was tinged with a hint of sincere concern, while the voice of the sword wraith was full of biting mockery.


    Sunny was motionless for a few moments, still holding Nephis by her hand. He shivered slightly after his second attempt to use Shadow Step failed, and she must have felt it.


    He looked up at her and hesitated. When he spoke, his voice sounded hollow:


    "My Ability... doesn''t seem to work anymore."


    An insidious fear suddenly drowned his heart, and at the same time, the dark island quaked again... the source of the tremor much closer than it had been before.


    The fear was irrational and animalistic. It had little to do with their perilous situation, and more with that fact that his powers had abandoned him without a warning. It was as though he had suddenly found himself missing a limb. There was disbelief, confusion, dread... and, finally, terror.


    It took all his willpower to push that terror down.


    The Sin of Solace laughed.


    Ignoring it, Sunny forced himself to speak:


    "Just... just give me a moment."


    He had no idea why Shadow Step, which had never failed him before, was suddenly ineffective. Perhaps something was wrong with the shadows populating the insides of the Black Turtle... if so, there was an easy way to check.


    A few moments later, the Shadow Lantern appeared in his hand, and a flood of shadows flowed out of its open gate. However, the result was the same �� it was not the shadows that were wrong, but Sunny himself.


    "Ah... ah, really... such an idiot!"


    The damned sword wraith was having the time of his life.


    Sunny clenched his fists, then uttered through gritted teeth:


    "I don''t seem to be able to bring us away, at the moment. S��sorry..." VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    Nephis frowned, then carefully looked around. After a short pause, she suddenly said:


    "In hindsight... it makes sense."


    Feeling a sudden sense of hope, he raised an eyebrow.


    "It does?"


    She nodded.


    After hesitating for a moment, he suddenly pulled on the golden rope and pushed his tired body against the current once again, trying to make his way to the source of the strange glow.


    Nephis and Sunny climbed onto a frayed piece of cartilage and looked at the wall of the tunnel. Out there, hidden in the folds of torn flesh...


    He took a deep breath.


    ...Was an enormous, radiant crystal that shone with ethereal light.


    It was one of the two Supreme soul shards that the death of the Black Turtle would have left behind.


    Sunny briefly glanced at Nephis, then summoned the Covetous Coffer once more. The shard was too large to fit into the opening of the alloy chest, so he concentrated and changed it, keeping the shape but changing the size.


    A few moments later, the alloy chest seemed more like an alloy sarcophagus fit for a giant... or someone like the shadowspawn.


    ''I can''t believe it. We came down to harvest some meat, but ended up with something like that.Gods... I can''t even imagine how much it would cost in the waking world. Actually, it wouldn''t have a cost. These things are so rare that they can''t be bought with money.''


    Even though they were pressed for time, he just couldn''t let this chance slip through his fingers.


    "Neph... can you help me?"


    Together, they hacked at the fold of the turtle''s flesh to widen the opening, and then used all their strength to lift the massive soul shard and load it into the opened maw of the Covetous Coffer.


    After that, they had to plunge into the water again.


    Several torturous minutes later, Sunny and Nephis used the silver chains at the side of the island to scale the slope of the Black Turtle''s shell, and fell side by side on the rocks in exhaustion.


    Knowing how Neph would look in her wet tunic, Sunny refused to turn his head and instead stared at the sky. The warm feeling of their arms touching was enough for him.


    They needed to move... to hide... but he was too tired.


    ''Just a few moments...''


    Sunny took a deep breath and tried to calm down a little. Then, he suddenly let out a low chuckle.


    ''Ah... but it''s funny.''


    After examining the Estuary Key, he had thought it impossible to collect one, let alone six Supreme soul shards. The idea itself seemed utterly preposterous.


    And yet, here he was just a couple of weeks later, in possession of one. It had just fallen into his hands, almost on its own.


    A strange shiver ran up his spine.


    It was then that Nephis suddenly raised her hand and whispered.


    "Look..."


    In the sky above the island, the monstrous butterfly was spreading its black wings once again.

 Chapter 1267 Candlelight

    Chapter 1267 Candlelight


    Sunny and Nephis scrambled in an attempt to find a hiding spot... but there was no need.


    Their first thought was that the dreadful butterfly had won the battle against the Azure Serpent. If that was the case, then their fates would be sealed. However, a moment later, a deafening roar shook the world, pushing them to the ground.


    Turning to the stormy waters of the Great River, they saw a familiar creature rising to the surface.


    The serpent was looking the worse for wear, with countless deep lacerations covering its mighty body. Streams of scarlet blood were flowing down its azure scales, and its giant eyes seemed even more deranged than usual. Flames of indescribable, murderous malice were burning in their cloudy depths �� but, for once, that malice was not directed at the two humans.


    Instead, it was aimed at the battered butterfly.


    Now that Sunny and Nephis had a few moments to observe the Great Monster in detail, they noticed that it was in a sorry state, too. One of its six legs was missing, and there was an ugly tear on one of its beautiful wings. Its body looked strangely disheveled, and although none of the white scales covering it were missing, many of them were covered with thin cracks.


    The Great Monster was retreating.


    Sunny froze, momentarily stunned. Even though he had hoped that the Azure Serpent would win the battle against the much stronger Nightmare Creature, he could not quite believe that it actually happened.


    ''Old snake... just what damned kind of abomination are you?''


    It was already miraculous for a Great Beast to defeat a Great Monster. Two of them, though? While not impossible, it was certainly abnormal. Even if the monstrous butterfly was an aerial creature, and was thus at a disadvantage while fighting underwater, the tenacity of the Azure Serpent was confounding.


    Sunny stared at the bloodied leviathan somberly. As if sensing his gaze, the serpent lowered its snout and glared back at him.


    Crimson water was flowing out of its slightly opened maw.


    He shivered.


    ''...It''s no mere Beast.''


    Indeed, he should have known. His luck wasn''t good enough to stumble on just any Great Beast. No, it surely had to be some kind of unique and singular existence... a damn monarch among all Beasts. [Fated] wouldn''t have it any other way.


    Maybe it was no coincidence that the Azure Serpent had come from much further upstream than the other two abominations.


    ''Ah, curse it.''


    Sunny felt conflicted. On the one hand, he should be ecstatic about the fact that the harrowing butterfly was retreating. On the other hand, the ancient river serpent seemed much more dangerous now.


    The butterfly, meanwhile, was swiftly rising higher and higher.


    ...However, it didn''t leave.


    Instead of disappearing into the distance, the Great Monster turned into a black dot once again and started to slowly circle the island from above. It looked like the creature was not giving up on the carcass of the Black Turtle, just recovering its strength and biding its time to make another attempt.


    The Azure Serpent threw one last hateful glance at it, and then dove into the water with an angry hiss. Soon, the island shook slightly, hinting that the abomination was devouring more of the turtle''s meat, perhaps to restore its power.


    The tumultuous water slowly calmed down.


    Left in the sudden silence, Sunny and Nephis stared at the vast expanse of the Great River in exhaustion. After a while, he slowly exhaled.


    "I guess... it seems we survived."


    She nodded slowly.


    "...Can you wait a moment?"


    Sunny felt warm and relaxed, so he didn''t mind waiting.


    "Sure."


    He watched her across the glowing embers with peaceful idleness. Nephis seemed to be looking for something. A few moments later, she found a splinter of the synthetic firebrick they had used to light the fire, and thrust it into the meat. Then, she touched it with the tip of her finger, and a wisp of white flame ignited at the top of the small stick.


    Sunny received the strange dish with a confused look.


    "Uh... what is this?"


    A faint smile appeared on Neph''s face.


    "A candle."


    He hesitated for a few moments, then scratched the back of his head.


    "...Why?"


    She leaned back and shrugged softly.


    "I''m not quite sure how many days it has been since the start of the Nightmare. But... the battle happened at the end of November, and we spent around a week in the desert. So, it should be middle to late December now."


    Sunny frowned.


    "And?"


    Nephis sighed and shook her head.


    "It means that it has to be winter solstice back in the real world. It''s your birthday, Sunny."


    He stared at her in astonishment.


    ''Wait... she''s right...''


    Sunny had forgotten all about it. It was winter solstice, or at least close to it. Out there in the waking world, an army of Sleepers was entering the Dream Realm for the first time �� if Antarctica still stood, that is.


    It was also his birthday. He was turning twenty-one.


    ''Huh...''


    He tilted his head a little.


    ''Twenty-one... I didn''t really think I''d make it so far. Good job, Sunny.''


    He looked at the burning stick, not noticing the bright smile that appeared on his lips.


    Nephis leaned forward a little.


    "If I were you, I would hurry up... and make a wish!"


    ''Wish? Wish, wish...''


    Hidden by shadows, Sunny''s smile grew brittle and strained.

 Chapter 1268 Azure Serpent

    Chapter 1268 Azure Serpent


    There were a lot of things Sunny desperately wished for. However, the ominous words carved into a random piece of flotsam he had encountered by chance weighed heavily on his heart.


    So, he held himself back and made a point of not wishing for anything.


    ''A pity...''


    Sunny blew out the improvised candle and hungrily sunk his teeth into the juicy meat. The taste of it... was indescribable.


    "Uh!"


    ''So delicious!''


    Nephis had really outdone herself this time. To think that she could cook up something so tasty with so few ingredients... even the memories of the grotesque tunnel could not slow Sunny down. He attacked the roasted meat like a hungry wolf, annihilating it in no time. He still had to put some effort into chewing, but that only made the rich flavor and delightful texture last longer on his tongue.


    Some time later, both Sunny and Nephis were pleasantly satiated and sprawled on the ground, looking very much like Imp. Sunny was very much relaxed and sleepy, as well as in a great mood.


    Well, it was his birthday, after all. Surviving one more year was enough of a reason to celebrate, especially considering how many odious things he had lived through to get to today.


    Plus, the Great Monster''s meat, which Nephis had marinated and roasted over the coals, was truly sublime.


    Come to think of it, she had silently assumed the role of the cohort cook from the moment they met on the Forgotten Shore. Whenever the cohort was together, Nephis was the one to feed everyone. The dishes she prepared were always filling, flavorful, and... just right. the cohort was together, Nephis was the one to feed everyone. The dishes she prepared were always filling, flavorful, and... just right. That was a strange talent of hers.


    ''Huh. Maybe I should hire her as chef when I open my restaurant...''


    Sunny smiled. There was one thing slightly bothering him, though. A talent like this did not really fit her stern and knightly persona. How come Nephis knew how to cook? So splendidly, at that?


    Sunny turned his head and looked at her.


    "Hey, can I ask something? Why are you so good at cooking? Doesn''t seem like something you would be passionate about..."


    Of course, it didn''t. Nephis was only passionate about one thing, and to such a startling degree that it left no room for any other passions.


    She remained silent for a few moments.


    "...Wilderness Survival."


    He raised an eyebrow, surprised.


    "Huh?"


    "Anyway. Goodnight, Neph."


    There was a moment of silence, and then she dismissed the Memory lantern, plunging the deep fissure into darkness.


    "Goodnight, Sunny."


    ...The carcass of an ancient behemoth floated on the currents of the Great River, and two humans slept peacefully in a crack in its shell.


    ***


    Their lives slowly changed after the appearance of the dreadful butterfly... but, strangely, not by much.


    Both Sunny and Nephis spent their days pretty much as they had before �� they trained together, ate together, and rested on the soft moss together. Sometimes, Neph would go off to practice swordsmanship on her own, while Sunny would study the Estuary Key or sit motionlessly for hours, observing the Azure Serpent.


    He could feel his technique slowly improving as the small imperfections left within its principles and application were tempered and refined. He could also feel his understanding of the Great Beast deepening bit by bit.


    Only the Key of the Estuary remained a complete mystery.


    By now, Sunny had a faint suspicion that its weave encompassed two separate patterns. One was hidden within the other, with its function aimed inside. The other was much more vast and complicated, with its function directed outside. Both were stunning, ingenious, and inseparably intertwined.


    He had no idea what either of the patterns was supposed to do, though.


    ''Troublesome...''


    When the tapestry of black strings started to blur in front of his tired eyes, Sunny would turn his attention back to the Azure Serpent.


    The frenzied creature was not having a great time. It continued to devour the flesh of the Black Turtle day after day, waiting patiently for the opportunity to consume Sunny and Nephis. But, now, it had to contend with the monstrous butterfly, which was a harrowing adversary.


    The butterfly descended from the sky on the third day after their first battle, and then again on the sixth. Both times, the two great abominations fought to a bloody draw, and the winged horror chose to retreat.


    Nephis hid in the fissure while the creatures were battling, but Sunny secretly stalked them from the shadows. Extending his shadow sense deep into the water, he followed the Azure Serpent as it furiously fought against the Great Monster.


    Watching someone fight with their life on the line was the best way to truly get to know them, after all. Just these two battles pushed Sunny''s understanding of the mad leviathan further than days of peaceful observation.


    The Azure Serpent... was proud. And powerful. And absolutely insane. Its madness was even more terrifying than the sinister frenzy consuming the minds of all Nightmare Creatures.


    It was also insidiously cunning and exceedingly lethal, possessing a frightening combat acumen that must have been honed by experiencing thousands of perilous battles.


    This was why the great river serpent managed to send the more powerful creature retreating three times in a row.


    ...On the seventh day after their first battle, however, a new change shook the dark island.

 Chapter 1269 Third Contender

    Chapter 1269 Third Contender


    This time, Nephis was the first to notice the anomaly. Sunny and she were resting after an exhausting spar �� he was meditating with his eyes closed, while she was leaning her back on him, still catching her breath.


    He sensed a sudden tensing of her muscles, and then the warm pressure was gone. Opening his eyes, Sunny glanced at Nephis and noticed that she was looking intently into the distance, where the endlessly flowing waters of the Great River were sparkling under the light of the seven suns.


    The Azure Serpent was nowhere in sight, and the island was not trembling, which meant that it was circling the stone shell of the Black Turtle. The monstrous butterfly was a small black dot in the sky. What had caught her attention, then?


    "What is it?"


    Nephis lingered for a few moments, then pointed at a distant patch of water downstream of them.


    "There. Can you see it?"


    Following her gaze, Sunny studied the currents. After a while, a scowl appeared on his face, too.


    "I can. But what are we looking at?"


    There, still far away from the dark island, a span of the Great River seemed different from the rest of its vast expanse. From their position, it was no larger than a coin, which meant that the strange anomaly was thousands of meters wide.


    It did not seem too threatening. The water surface was simply a bit rough there, as if rippling under a strong gale. The problem was that such a gale would probably affect a larger area, not just a relatively small and strangely distinct patch of water.


    A much bigger problem was that this patch seemed to be moving purposefully in their direction. Sunny wasn''t sure at first, but after observing the river for a dozen seconds, he grew certain that it was no mere coincidence.


    In these dozen seconds, the rough patch had already drawn visibly closer.


    His face darkened.


    "It has to be another abomination."


    Nephis slowly nodded.


    "I think so too."


    "Also... what''s a cachalot?"


    Nephis let out a quiet sigh.


    "...It''s like a whale, but with teeth."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    Did whales not have teeth? He knew what a whale was, in theory, but not the details. They were all extinct, anyway... probably.


    Who knew what was happening in the oceans?


    The two of them watched tensely as the patch of rough water drew nearer and nearer, revealing its true size. It was indeed several kilometers wide, and much more tumultuous than it had seemed from afar. The water inside the patch seemed to be boiling, which looked rather strange considering that the river around it was as calm as ever.


    A minute later, the Azure Serpent let out an angry roar, and at the same moment, Sunny slowly rose to his feet.


    ''Curse it...''


    The water... was not really boiling, and there was no titanic behemoth moving under its surface to cause the ripples.


    Instead, there were thousands... perhaps even tens of thousands of small creatures moving forward at a terrifying speed, coming closer and closer to the island.


    It had taken him so long to notice because their insect-like bodies were almost entirely translucent. Each was as long as his arm, with countless thin legs, beady black eyes, and long, disgusting mouths that were full of vicious, glass-like teeth.


    Standing by his side, Nephis whispered:


    "Krill..."


    Sunny shifted his perception and shivered after noticing the vile darkness spreading through the bodies of the repulsive creatures. Each of them... was of the Corrupted Rank.


    It was not another Great behemoth that had been attracted by the scent of the Black Turtle''s blood.


    Instead, it was a swarm of thousands and thousands of abhorrent Corrupted Beasts.

 Chapter 1270 Pinnacle of Strength

    Chapter 1270 Pinnacle of Strength


    Even after living through the horrors of the Southern Campaign and witnessing the chilling resolution of the Battle of the Black Skull, Sunny still paled at the sight of the enormous swarm of Corrupted Beasts. There were too many of them to count, but there had to be tens of thousands of translucent crustaceans advancing toward the island.


    Even Nephis seemed taken aback�� a rare sight, and not a welcome one. She instinctively outstretched a hand, as if summoning a sword could save them from the plague of Corrupted abominations.


    "It''s... it''s alright."


    Her voice was even, but lacked confidence.


    Sunny forced out a faint smile.


    "How exactly is this alright?"


    Nephis lingered for a moment.


    "These creatures don''t seem capable of leaving the water." Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment.


    Yes, the abominable krill were probably incapable of crawling onto the island and devouring them. However, they were more than capable of devouring the Azure Serpent. And with the old snake gone, nothing would prevent the dark butterfly from landing on the shell of the slain Great Monster.


    "That''s right. You are going to die."


    He flinched and glared at the Sin of Solace, who had appeared out of nowhere and looked at him with dark glee.


    The sword wraith laughed, and then whispered:


    "Better yet, you are going to watch Nephis die. Isn''t it poetic?"


    Sunny tried to ignore the vile apparition, but this time, it was much harder than usual. With the words of the Sin of Solace still echoing in his ears, he forced himself to look away and stare at the river.


    Below them, the Azure Serpent lowered its head stubbornly, huffed, and suddenly shot toward the krill swarm with tremendous speed. The water parted and foamed where it passed.


    Sunny could not see the Great Beast''s eyes, but he knew that they were filled with bloodlust and fury. That snake... did not know when to retreat. Or rather, it never wanted to.


    Its lust for slaughter and destruction seemed much greater than its desire to exist.


    The giant jaws opened and snapped, grinding a hundred krill into dust.


    It was like a drop in the ocean.


    Then, the serpent did something strange. It suddenly spun, as if trying to turn its long snout into a drill. Sunny did not see how this could help the Great Beast against the swarm of Corrupted abominations, but in the next moment, he opened his eyes wide.


    Following the spinning motion of the leviathan, the waters of the Great River were stirred, forming a long whirlpool along the length of its colossal body. That underwater whirlpool was like liquid armor, the current powerful enough to repel the attacking krill.


    The Azure Serpent''s jaws opened again, and another roar shook the world.


    When they closed, numerous translucent abominations died.


    The battle was too furious, too grand, too inconceivable.


    Standing on the shell of the dead behemoth, Sunny and Nephis watched in silence as a lone Great Beast resisted myriads of Corrupted creatures. Looking at the foaming water, they couldn''t help but feel small... and weak.


    And insignificant


    ''Unnatural... powers?''


    Humans were bestowed with Aspect Abilities despite being mere Beasts, but Nightmare Creatures were different. Only Devils possessed dire powers similar to those of an Aspect. The Azure Serpent was not a Devil, and did not possess a sinister Ability.


    However, it was not powerless.


    Instead of relying on an unnatural power, it relied on its terrifying body, absolute control over it, and a deep understanding of its natural domain to make the river itself a power.


    Sunny had been wrong. The Azure Serpent did possess a weapon to use against an enemy that could not be crushed through pure strength �� that weapon was its mastery of water.


    ''This is it. I see now! I understand!''


    He had spent countless hours trying to comprehend the Azure Serpent, but always felt that a crucial piece of the puzzle was missing. A fundamental truth that was at the root of all other insights, and without which they were meaningless.


    Now, Sunny finally felt that he had found the thread which had to be pulled to unravel the mystery.


    ...Below them, the ancient leviathan was fighting against a harrowing swarm of abominable krill. The battle had only just begun, and there was no saying which side would win, and which side would be destroyed. The Azure Serpent possessed a dire weapon, but was that weapon enough to survive the onslaught of tens of thousands of Corrupted Beasts?


    One way or the other, they were going to know soon.

 Chapter 1271 The Krill

    Chapter 1271 The Krill


    The battle between the Azure Serpent and the krill swarm did not last long, but it was the most terrifying event Sunny had seen since entering the Third Nightmare.


    The Great Beast completely lost its mind as it fought the legion of vile abominations. Stirred by its fury, the water seethed and roiled, sometimes exploding into colossal fountains of scarlet foam, sometimes rising in titanic waves. The magnitude of these undulations was so severe that the whole island rocked and swayed like a ship caught in the middle of a world-ending storm.


    The cacophony of wrathful roars and thunderous sonic booms merged into a deafening litany, to the point that both Sunny and Nephis were forced to plug their ears.


    Thousands of attacking krill were destroyed... but the swarm did not seem diminished at all. Instead, no matter how furiously the Azure Serpent fought, more and more abominations were lunging at it, their thin legs moving in gluttonous anticipation. Updated from


    At first, the water armor the leviathan had created protected its prodigious body, but eventually it failed. One krill struggled past the repelling current of the whirlpool, then two, then a hundred. Their teeth scraped powerlessly against the impenetrable azure scales...


    However, after suffering through three dire battles with the Dark Butterfly, the Azure Serpent was battered and littered with wounds. Its body had already been covered by countless scars before, and now, there were numerous new ones. Some scales were broken, some cracked, and some were missing entirely.


    It was only a matter of time before one of the krill managed to draw blood... then two, then a hundred. Even though their size was minuscule in comparison to the great river serpent, they were Corrupted abominations nevertheless, and their painful bites added up.


    The pain did not slow the Azure Serpent down, though. Instead, it became even more enraged, even more deranged, even more frenzied. The battle, which had already been frightening to look at, suddenly exploded in intensity, reaching a realm that went beyond fear.


    Standing on the swaying shell of the Black Turtle, Sunny and Nephis watched the boiling river with pale faces. Before Sunny knew what was happening, he found himself holding Neph''s hand... he did not know which one of them grasped the other''s hand first, but felt that this simple touch was his only lifeline in a world that had lost all reason.


    He also did not know how much time had passed.


    All Sunny knew was that the battle... was changing.


    The Azure Serpent did not manage to destroy the krill swarm. However, the swarm had also failed to consume the serpent.


    [You have slain a Corrupted Beast, River Locust.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger...]


    Without stopping to listen to the Spell, Sunny sensed a flood of shadow fragments pouring into his soul and drew the string of the warbow again.


    He did not hope to stop the advance of the krill swarm, and neither did he hope to help the Azure Serpent prevail. Even if Sunny killed a hundred abominations, he wouldn''t be putting a tiny dent in the swarm.


    Rather, what he was doing was pure opportunism. Nephis needed to burn the enemy with her flames or consume the soul shard like a normal Awakened to receive fragments, but Sunny just needed a kill. So, he could just as well use the opportunity to strengthen himself.


    Sunny managed to fire off a few soul arrows and the Strike of Thunder once more before the krill reached the Black Turtle, reaping a rich harvest of lives. Then, however, it became too dangerous to remain near the edge of the island �� even though the revolting creatures could not crawl out of the water, they showed themselves capable of jumping out of it with enough force to propel their translucent bodies through the air.


    After one of the krill landed a mere dozen or so meters away from them and scurried forward before being pierced by a black arrow, Sunny and Nephis decided to retreat.


    Below them, thousands of Corrupted Beasts were fruitlessly trying to bite into the impregnable black scales of the dead behemoth. Some, however, were already swimming into the gaping wound under its flipper.


    Further away, the Azure Serpent finally managed to break the cage of the greatly diminished swarm and shot through the water in pursuit.


    It looked terribly mangled, bleeding from a thousand tiny bites. Some of the krill even seemed to have burrowed into the open wounds, just like the serpent itself had burrowed into the body of the Black Turtle before.


    Despite that, the Great Beast seemed just as murderous and consumed by madness as ever.


    ''...The old snake did it. It actually... won?''


    Even though many krill had managed to reach the carcass and swim inside, the swarm was undeniably broken.


    The Azure Serpent �� and the two humans it was hunting �� were going to live another day.

 Chapter 1272 Paradise Lost

    Chapter 1272 Paradise Lost


    That night, the island was quaking without pause. Sunny and Nephis hid in their fissure, not daring to close their eyes �� even though a mass of impregnable black rock separated them from the flesh of the Black Turtle, it was unnerving to know that thousands of Corrupted Beasts were currently slithering somewhere below them, shredding the meat of the Great Monster with their terrible glass-like teeth.


    The Azure Serpent was also there, hunting down the invaders. Although they couldn''t hear its roars, the violent vibrations spreading through the island told them what was going on.


    Sunny looked away from the shimmering runes, somewhat startled at how easily he had earned a large amount of shadow fragments. After another violent tremor had shaken the island, he finally closed his eyes.


    However, it was not to sleep.


    Instead, Sunny tried to imagine... tried to convince himself that he was the Azure Serpent. He was crawling through the grotesque tunnel of bleeding flesh, which he himself had created to kill the hateful carapace monster, furiously hunting the vile creatures who dared to steal his trophy. His long, mighty body was burning from pain, but Sunny did not care.


    All he cared about was slaughter, blood, and retribution.


    Noticing a tiny warm gnawing on the wall of the tunnel, he let out a terrifying growl and shot forward, destroying the vermin and tearing a large chunk of meat out of the wall with his powerful jaws.


    But, behind it, more vermin were revealed, stolen meat digesting in their transparent stomachs.


    With madness painting the cloudy world red, Sunny roared and slammed into them with obliterating fury.


    ''Is this the feeling? Am I on the right path?''


    Opening his eyes, he stared into the darkness with an absent expression. Then, he looked at Nephis.


    Some time later, Sunny said:


    "I feel like our chances of making it off this island alive are dwindling."


    She remained silent for a while.


    "...So what if they are?"


    White flames ignited in her eyes, illuminating them with a pale radiance.


    ...On that day, to their horror, they discovered a deep crack snaking its way through the surface of the Black Turtle''s shell. It was not too large, but the fact that the stone carapace of the dead monster had been broken from the inside was indescribably concerning.


    Next morning, Nephis went to the edge of the island instead of practicing with Sunny, as they usually did, and spent several hours staring at the water. Then, she brought back disturbing news.


    The carcass of the Black Turtle... was higher than it had been before. The parts of it that had been hidden underwater were now dry and exposed.


    This meant that a considerable amount of the dead behemoth''s flesh had already been devoured by the Azure Serpent, the marauding krill, and the pale thief, thus reducing its weight and increasing its buoyancy. It was also the reason why the swaying and the shaking of the island had grown much more severe lately.


    The carapace of the Black Turtle was deteriorating and cracking under the strain of harrowing battles raging around and inside of it, and at the same time, it was being gradually hollowed out by the Nightmare Creatures of the Great River.


    Their titanic shelter was slowly coming undone under them.


    Worse yet, in the coming days, the number of abominations arriving to feast on the corpse of the titanic monster only increased. There were more krill, more dwellers of the deep, and more winged horrors being lured to it by the scent of blood.


    It was a carnival of horror.


    The Azure Serpent and the Dark Butterfly were like champions among them, slaying all invaders and occasionally clashing with each other.


    But that only made the situation worse.


    Now, the dreadful inhabitants of the Great River were attracted not only by the blood of the Black Turtle, but also by the blood of unfortunate abominations that had been slain in their attempt to feast on the turtle''s meat.


    ''This can''t go on much longer... it just can''t...''


    Both Sunny and Nephis knew that doom was swiftly approaching.


    However, there was nothing they could do.


    No matter how much they hoped and how diligently they watched the horizon, there was no sign of anything that could save them.


    There was no land and no ships anywhere in sight. There was not even a piece of flotsam drifting on the waves.


    Only a vast, deep, and endlessly flowing expanse of water that shone under the dreamlike radiance of the seven beautiful suns.

 Chapter 1273 Collapse

    Chapter 1273 Collapse


    "Sunny! Wake up!"


    Sunny opened his eyes and tensed. Sensing the world through the shadows, he couldn''t feel any danger, but there was urgency in Neph''s voice. Something was wrong.


    As his mind entered a state of battle readiness, he pushed himself off the ground and briefly studied the fissure. It was still night, so everything was enveloped in deep darkness... that darkness, of course, could not hinder his sight. Sunny saw every detail of their small camp and of the weathered walls of black rock surrounding it. Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    Everything seemed fine.


    Saint, who was guarding them from high above, was also calm.


    He turned to Nephis and asked:


    "What is going on?"


    She pressed a finger against her lips and whispered:


    "There was a sound."


    The next moment, he heard it too. A dull, echoing crackle that came from somewhere below, spreading through the rock in a subtle vibration. Like a stone breaking.


    He frowned.


    ''What is this...''


    Sunny and Nephis froze, listening to the eerie sounds coming from within the carapace of the Black Turtle. They had not dared to venture there after salvaging the meat. The shell had been hollowed out, but they didn''t know by how much, and even though they had heard the sounds of Nightmare Creatures inside the carcass of the Great Monster from time to time, this crackling was entirely new.


    A small whirlwind of sparks appeared in the air, manifesting into a softly glowing paper lantern. Placing it on the lid of the Covetous Coffer, Nephis lowered her head and pressed her ear to the ground.


    There was another cracking sound, and she suddenly flinched.


    At the same time, Sunny''s pupils narrowed as he noticed something that was out of place in their fissure.


    A small, thin crack appeared on the floor of the ravine. Just as Neph flinched, it suddenly grew, spreading through the black rock in both directions.


    Standing dazedly above the newly formed pit, Sunny and Nephis looked down with bleak faces.


    Their camp, where they had spent so many peaceful nights, was gone.


    Much worse, the dark island was showing signs of breaking apart. It was just a part of the central region today, but there would be more collapses in the future. Eventually, the entire shell would crumble, leaving them stranded and lost in the sea of deadly abominations.


    After almost a month of peace, they finally reached a true crisis.


    Sunny and Nephis looked at each other, not knowing what to say.


    Eventually, he broke the silence:


    "We need to get off this island."


    Nephis lingered for a moment.


    "Yes. But how?"


    Sunny looked away with a dark expression. He didn''t know. It was not as if they had not been preparing for this inevitable situation �� they had tried to come up with a feasible plan dozens of times.


    However, there was no such plan to come up with.


    The Azure Serpent was still waiting for them in the water, and the Dark Butterfly was still ruling over the sky. Worse than that, many more abominations were prowling the surrounding waters, including the harrowing swarms of krill.


    If the island sank, they were going to die.


    If it didn''t sink, the Azure Serpent would eventually be killed, and they would be devoured by either the monstrous butterfly or some other Great Nightmare Creature.


    There seemed to be no escape.


    Staring into the pit filled with stone rubble, Sunny sighed.


    ''Now... now, it finally feels like a real Nightmare.''


    A sad smile appeared on his pale face.

 Chapter 1274 Time of Truth

    Chapter 1274 Time of Truth


    The seven suns were shining in the azure sky.


    Sunny was sitting close to the slope of the island, staring fixedly at the flowing water. His eyes were dark and tired. With the temporary camp destroyed, he felt strangely homeless. Much worse, neither he nor Nephis had managed to come up with a viable solution for their fatal problem.


    They had considered many things. Updated from


    Every Memory in their possession had been studied and examined, but none of them, nor any combination of them, revealed a way out of the perilous situation. The best they could hope for was prolonging their stay on the carapace of the Black Turtle, somewhat.


    They could use the Dark Shaper to try and repair the cracks in the stone shell. There were other unreliable measures, as well... but that would just buy them a few more days, at most.


    There were other Memories that they could use to try to escape. But attempting escape was tantamount to suicide. The Great Nightmare Creatures guarding both the water and the sky were not something they could outrun.


    ...Then, there were Sunny''s Shadows.


    He had once thought that Saint was their best hope of slaying the Azure Serpent. However, after witnessing the mad beast in battle, he didn''t think that the taciturn knight could achieve such a feat anymore. Not only because she could not enter the water, but also because his plan to augment her with both the shadows and the white flames had been crushed.


    Saint... could not receive the blessing of the fire. Or rather, she could not reap its full benefits.


    The augmentation had worked perfectly fine in his basement before could not reap its full benefits.


    The augmentation had worked perfectly fine in his basement before the Southern Campaign, but Saint underwent a fundamental transformation after that. She was now a Devil whose body and soul were infused with elemental darkness. And while true darkness somehow worked in tandem with Sunny''s shadows, it refused to accept Neph''s light.


    Saint could either use one or the other. In any case, the result was not nearly as powerful as Sunny had imagined it to be.


    They could bestow the power of shadow flame on his other Transcendent Devil, though. Sadly, Imp was not nearly as formidable of a warrior as Saint. On top of that... the little bastard was in a coma.


    Or a food coma, at least.


    The scrawny goblin had finally stopped devouring the tarnished silver and fell into a deep slumber. Sunny had a hunch that after the great mass of mystical metal was fully digested, his gluttonous fiend would grow much stronger. But there was no telling how long it would take, so he sent Imp into the nurturing black flames of his soul to complete the evolution in peace.


    In any case, Imp was of no help for now.


    The same went for Nightmare. The tenebrous steed had loyally guarded their dreams and subjugated a good number of them, but he was still an Awakened Terror. Even if the black stallion managed to unlock his Terror Ability, he was no match for a Great Beast... let alone a Great Monster like the Dark Butterfly.


    Ignoring the apparition, Sunny looked away and stood up.


    There was only one way to leave the island. He had known it for a long time, but felt reluctant to admit it.


    However, there was no time to lie to himself anymore. Now, it was the time for the truth, no matter how hideous and terrifying it was.


    Walking through the crumbling landscape of the dark island, Sunny found Nephis. Despite everything, she was still practicing with her sword... the lethal blade, and its master, were both beautiful.


    The world of the Great River was lethal and beautiful, too.


    Sensing his approach, Nephis stopped and glanced at him with a composed expression. Sunny took a deep breath before coming to stand next to her, looking into her eyes.


    "I have something to say."


    She nodded slowly.


    "What is it?"


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then offered her his hand.


    "Give me your flame. All of it."


    Nephis frowned slightly, a hint of concern appearing in her striking grey eyes.


    "Why?"


    He looked at her silently for a while, thinking.


    Sunny had told the old snake that ruin followed wherever he went. But, really, he was the one following ruin around most of the time. The two of them followed each other, unable to separate, just like a shadow and a star casting it could not be separated.


    They were quite a pitiful pair.


    Eventually, he steeled his resolve.


    "Because I am going to kill the Azure Serpent."

 Chapter 1275 Last Resort

    Chapter 1275 Last Resort


    Everything that needed to be said had already been said. Everything that needed to be done had already been done. Granted, there was not much to these preparations. Sunny and Nephis were in a desperate situation, and they could only escape it by resorting to desperate means. This was going to be it. They were either going to live, or die.


    Sunny looked at the weathered surface of the Black Turtle''s shell as they walked to the shore. The black rock, the green moss, the deep fissures with murky water glistening in some of them... he had spent the first month of the Nightmare here.


    It was a harrowing place - or rather, it was supposed to be harrowing. But, strangely, all he could remember about the dark island were happy memories.


    Training with Nephis until sweat covered their bodies and a pleasant fatigue settled in their muscles. Laying on the moss and staring at the dreamlike sky, unbothered by the movements of the world. Eating delicious meals and drinking cool, sweet water. Bathing in the warmth of a campfire as they talked to each other, surrounded by darkness.


    All of that was coming to an end. It already had.


    He... was reluctant to let go of this harrowing paradise.


    But there was no other choice.


    ''Maybe I truly am mad.''


    Sunny had entered the Nightmare utterly crushed. From Falcon Scott to the Battle of the Black Skull, he had tasted nothing but bitter failure. He had wished to be strong. He had made this wish come true, only to find out that it was of no use in the end.


    As if to mock him, fate had obliterated everything.


    However... somehow... he had truly been content on the dark island. Sailing through a river of unholy blood on the corpse of a dreadful monster, being pulled into the past by the current - he had been happy on that journey, and happier still to share it with someone he... was fond of. Was fond of so much.


    He had been having fun in the depths of a nightmare.


    ''...So what if I''m mad?''


    He would need madness to survive today.New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    The three of them - Sunny, and Nephis, and Saint - reached the slope of the island. Below them, the Great River was flowing endlessly, bleak because of the encroaching night.


    The darkest hour - the brief time after the suns had already plunged into the river but before the vast expanse of clear water started to glow with soft radiance - was swiftly approaching.


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    Sunny shook his head, then took her hand, transferring the Essence Pearl from his soul into hers.


    "I was joking, you know?"


    Nephis lingered for a moment. Suddenly, she gripped his hand tighter and looked him straight in the eyes.


    "...I wasn''t."


    He held her gaze for several long, poignant seconds before freeing his hand with a sigh. Then, Sunny glanced at Saint.


    "You know what to do."


    The graceful knight raised her bow with indifferent grace. She had to play an important part in the battle, too - Nephis might not have been able to augment her with the white flames, but Saint had been wearing the Stifled Scream for an entire month.


    Better yet, just as Sunny had thought, sailing on the Great River had a strange effect on the Transcendent charm. By now, the enhancement it gifted to the taciturn Shadow was much greater than it was supposed to be. Even without the augmentation of the shadow flame, she was frighteningly powerful.


    Finally, Sunny looked back at Nephis.


    "Do it."


    He felt the purifying warmth flowing into his body and soul, strengthening both. At the same time, all five of his shadows wrapped themselves around him. In an instant, Sunny felt strong enough to crush the black rocks with his bare fists, and shake the entire world with his steps.


    Turning to the Great River, he took a deep breath and whispered.


    "Lost from Light. Remember. This is your name..."


    Then, he opened the gate of the Shadow Lantern and allowed a flood of shadows to flow out of it, drowning the slopes of the island. They flowed down like an avalanche of darkness, eventually touching the water.


    Sunny closed his eyes and dissolved into the shadows.


    ...In the next moment, the shadows moved, and something tore free from their dark embrace.


    A giant serpent with scales as black as onyx manifested itself from the darkness and dove into the water with a deafening roar.

 Chapter 1276 Dance of Monsters

    Chapter 1276 Dance of Monsters


    Sunny was ready for battle.


    Now... he wasn''t Sunny anymore.


    He was a mighty serpent, clad in an armor of onyx scales, with fangs as sharp as diamonds and enough fury to incinerate the world.


    But that was not enough.


    Following his wrathful roar, the Shell hiding below his scales turned into the adamantine Mantle. A fearsome obsidian armor encased his flexible body, light as a feather and crafted so intricately as not to restrict his movement in any way.


    The water exploded into the air when he dove into the depths... the depths that belonged to him, and him alone.


    "OLD SNAKE!"


    The call escaped his monstrous maw, turned into a senseless roar.


    ...What he had done was simple, but also indescribably hard.


    He had dove deeper into Shadow Dance than ever before, mirroring both the mind and the physique of a Nightmare Creature. He had not been sure that it would be possible until the last moment, but his meticulous preparation paid off.


    It was do or die, nothing less.


    He had spent countless hours observing the Azure Serpent and learning everything there was to learn about it. Then, he dissolved into the shadows, and manifested himself back into a tangible form. Finally, he summoned the dead shadow of the Black Turtle, which he had lured into the Lantern, to form a mighty shell around his fragile incarnation.


    But, for the first time, the shape of his shell was not that of the shadow fiend. Instead, it was the shape of a monstrous river serpent... the shape of the mad beast whom he feared, admired, and wanted to kill.


    Of course, this Shadow Shell could not compare to the real thing. He was only an Ascended, after all, while the Azure Serpent was a Great Beast. It was weaker, less resilient, and smaller - maybe a quarter of the size of the actual abomination.


    However, it was suffused with the power of both shadows and soul flame, granting it power well beyond the limits of what an Ascended could possess.


    It was also protected by the Mantle, and made to reign the depths.


    Only... there was another challenging his reign.


    A maddening fury consumed his mind, and he shot forward through the water like a black spear. He could feel it... the scent of blood spilling from the mangled body of the older, stronger beast.


    So what if it was older? So what if it was stronger?


    The two of them clashed furiously as they ascended from the depths. The Azure Serpent was much larger, more powerful, and terrifyingly domineering. The black serpent was smaller and more nimble, circling around the dreadful beast and delivering vicious bites one after another.


    However, even without being caught in the leviathan''s jaws, Sunny was suffering tremendous harm.


    As their bodies brushed against each other, a vast stretch of the Mantle cracked and shattered. The shadows below rippled, the internal structure of the shell twisting and breaking apart. The violent currents created by the passing of the Azure Serpent''s body were slowing him down, and his dark flesh was sliced open by the creature''s dorsal fin.


    His shell was bleeding shadows.


    His essence was being burned.


    His mind was drowning in pain and derangement.


    ''More! More! More!''


    Despite knowing that it would cost him his life, Sunny felt compelled to bite into the enemy''s flesh and never let go, to hurt the foe as much as he could, even if it meant death.


    To rip apart. To devour. To destroy.


    ...Instead, he continued to dodge the attacks of the Azure Serpent with clarity and skill, all the while attacking with hatred and fury when he could .


    And, all along, he was leading the Great Beast upward.


    Finally, they broke the surface and clashed again above the water. The suns were gone, and the river had not started glowing yet.


    The shaking world was dark.


    With a stifled roar, Sunny dodged the fangs of the Azure Serpent and tried to bite into an open wound on its mangled body, where white bone could be seen. However, before he could, the mad beast''s tail crashed into him like an obliterating ram, sending fragments of the Mantle flying through the air and a blinding flash of pain piercing in his soul.


    ''Argh!''


    Sunny fell heavily into the water, and a tall fountain of white foam rose into the sky.


    The Azure Serpent let out a demented growl and lunged at him, aiming to bite the hateful worm in half.


    ...Before he could, however, two arrows - one black, one white - fell from the darkness and pierced its flesh.


    Saint and Nephis had joined the battle.

 Chapter 1277 Fourth Step

    Chapter 1277 Fourth Step


    1277 Fourth Step


    Sunny had suffered to lure the Azure Serpent to the surface, but there was a good reason to guide the mad beast there. Two reasons, even �� Saint and Nephis.


    Although neither of them was as capable of fighting the abomination in the water as Sunny was, they could still play an important role in the battle. It was just that he had to create an opportunity for them to do so.


    And he had.


    As Sunny was convulsing from pain, two arrows struck the raging leviathan.


    One was entirely black, as if forged out of pure darkness... which it was. Augmented both by her [Mantle of Darkness] and [Blade of Darkness] Abilities, as well as the enhancement of the Stifled Scream, Saint''s arrow pierced the Azure Serpent''s one remaining eye.


    It was the darkest hour of the night, and so her strength was at its peak. More than that, this first shot she sent was empowered by the dreadful destructiveness of the [Death Dealer] enchantment, and so it delivered the most damage.


    And yet... the giant eye of the ancient leviathan still wasn''t destroyed. It was only damaged, becoming painted red �� which made the mad beast look even more menacing.


    Sunny had put a lot of hope into this first salvo, but he was left disappointed. It didn''t matter, though. During their violent ascent, he had been strategically trying to place himself on the side of the Azure Serpent where it was blind... however, there was no advantage to be gained there. Whatever senses the enemy was using to perceive his movements were perfect and precise, even without vision.


    His plan to blind the mad beast had been meaningless from the start.


    The second arrow was white.


    Its impact was not nearly as forceful as that of the first arrow, but it was still quite ferocious.


    Nephis had always used a sword, but it was simply a preference. As a Legacy, she had been trained in the use of all kinds of weapons, and that certainly included bows. There was a powerful Memory longbow in her soul arsenal, crafted by the forgemasters of Valor, and several enchanted arrows as well.


    Even the True Name was not a panacea. He also had to maintain his sense of self... while simultaneously denying it.


    Maybe this... this was the fourth step of Shadow Dance.


    The ability to preserve his identity while becoming truly formless in mind, body, and soul �� and thus infinitely malleable, like all shadows were.


    As Sunny nimbly dodged the attacks of the Azure Serpent and lashed out with his sharp fangs and crushing tail, more arrows fell from the darkness.


    Saint was not using [Death Dealer] anymore, instead trying to weigh the leviathan down with the help of [Burden of Peace]. Nephis was continuing to poison the Great Beast with the toxin of the Bitter Cusp.


    However, the abomination had quickly grown impatient with their harassment. Its movements changed slightly, and the next time the two shot their bows, a tall wave suddenly rose, washing the arrows away.


    That gave Sunny an opportunity to deliver a vicious blow, however.


    Coiling himself around a mangled span of the Azure Serpent''s body, he slithered forward. His sharp dorsal fin bit into the mad beast''s flesh, shredding it like a saw.


    The soft glow of the brightening water was suddenly painted in a crimson hue.


    ''Die, die, die... I am going to kill you...''


    The Azure Serpent growled and lunged at him, madness burning in its bleeding eye.


    It was probably thinking the same.


    .

 Chapter 1278 Mutual Destruction

    Chapter 1278 Mutual Destruction


    1278 Mutual Destruction


    The Great River was foaming and seething, gargantuan waves rising from its softly glowing expanse to crash into the weathered slopes of the crumbling island. Two dark silhouettes �� one colossal, the other merely giant �� were moving through the raging water, intertwined in a murderous battle.


    Sunny had been driven mad by pain and bloodlust. He lost count of the number of blows his obsidian, serpentine body had endured. He also did not know how many times he retaliated, biting the flesh and breaking the scales of the Azure Serpent.


    His Mantle was in shambles, the [Living Stone] failing miserably to keep up with the barrage of devastating attacks he had to endure. The fearsome onyx armor was cracked and shattered, revealing the glossy black scales beneath. Many of its segments were entirely destroyed.


    The Shadow Shell that it was encasing had been shredded and ravaged, as well. Giant wounds were gaping on it, bleeding shadows. He had been able to repair some of the damage at first, but having the means to do something like that... it seemed so distant now...


    There was one thing that filled Sunny with dark glee, though.


    It was that the Azure Serpent looked no better than him.


    The body of the Great Beast had already been grotesquely mangled before their battle, and now, it was in an even worse state.


    The wounds that had closed were reopened. The wounds that had been opened were now wider and more harrowing, with crimson blood flowing out of them into the radiant water. Dozens of arrows were sticking out of the abomination''s scarlet flesh. Some of them weighed it down, some sent a deadly toxin circulating through its bloodstream.


    But the Azure Serpent''s eyes still burned with the same madness.


    ''Good... ah... good... don''t you give up on me, old snake!''


    Sunny wanted to kill the hateful beast, but he didn''t want that death to be swift. No, he wanted his enemy''s agony to last forever. He wanted to tear its flesh with his fangs forever, feel the shudders of pain pulsing through its body forever, hear its pained cries forever...


    ''Control yourself!''


    Snapping out of the consuming madness, he reminded himself of his goal. He needed to kill the Azure Serpent as fast as possible �� not only because his essence was not limitless, but also because the chances of him being killed by the Great Beast were much higher than the other way around.


    If there was the smallest chance, he had to take it.


    It was just that... there were no chances. Still, there were none.


    The mad beast was still in full control of both itself and the battlefield. The water flowed and twisted to aid it and constrain Sunny, as if obediently following the ancient serpent''s commands. Even with its body looking like that of a battered corpse and its mind flooded with pain, the Azure Serpent remained fixated on the solitary goal of destroying its opponent with a truly insane level of focus.


    He liked it a lot.


    This was the advantage he so desperately needed.


    Dangerous flames ignited in Sunny''s onyx eyes as he twisted his long neck and glared at the reeling serpent. The Great Beast must have been growing weaker, as well... his attacks and the arrows of his companions were slowly grinding down its boundless endurance. The abomination had been a split second too late and failed to evade being rammed by Sunny''s serpentine head.


    Which finally gave him the chance.


    First, the water.


    The water had been constraining Sunny, and so, he had to wrestle the control of it from the Azure Serpent first. With his understanding of the Great Beast and the experience of watching Naeve and Bloodwave fight, he could achieve dominance for a few moments, at least.


    Coiling his mighty body like a spring, Sunny shot forward with incredible speed. He moved it in a specific way, forcing a powerful current to rush outward and collide with the opposing one, which had been created by the ancient leviathan. A great whirlpool appeared where the two currents collided, and he tore through it, unopposed.


    Second, the target.


    The target was the Azure Serpent''s titanic spine. Sunny had to sever it no matter what. Usually, the spine would have been protected by layers of impenetrable muscle, a layer of impervious skin, and a dreadful armor of indestructible scales. But the mad beast had been mangled and mutilated by the long weeks of warding off marauding abominations and the eerily monstrous butterfly.


    Large chunks of its flesh were missing, revealing bone. At a particular spot just below its head, a long span of the spine was revealed, too. That was a good target to choose, especially because the abomination would not be able to use its jaws to defend it.


    And, lastly �� the advantage.


    Sunny did indeed possess an advantage in the battle of mutual destruction. It was because the Azure Serpent was made of flesh, while he was made of shadows. If he sustained too much damage, the Shadow Shell was going to fall apart... but his incarnation, which was small and hidden in its depths, could survive.


    It was just a matter of luck.


    Either he would be destroyed along with the Shell, or get lucky and remain alive.


    But regardless of the outcome, the hateful leviathan would die.


    ''I am fine with that...''


    Growling viciously, the black serpent shot through the shining waters of the Great River �� and, discarding all pretenses of defense, closed his jaws on the Great Beast''s spine.


    .

 Chapter 1279 Raging Waves

    Chapter 1279 Raging Waves


    Sunny bit into the spine of the Azure Serpent, igniting what little strength he had left into a violent and furious blaze. Billowing, shadows and flame rose from his onyx scales and wreathed him like a burial shroud. His eyes shone with mad, morbid, murderous malice and chillingly cold killing intent.


    His jaw pressed down with enough force to shatter mountains.


    ...But the spine of a Great Beast was much stronger than a mountain chain. It resisted his obsidian fangs, refusing to be broken, cracked, or even scratched.


    ''Die! Die!''


    Drowning in fury, Sunny put all of his resolve, all of his hatred, and all of his desire into crushing the indestructible bone. He violently jerked his head left and right, gnawing on the spine like a rabid dog. If he could not bite through it, he would saw through it. If he could not saw through it, he would grind it down...


    The Azure Serpent was going to die, no matter what. It was already half-dead, anyway...


    However, so was Sunny.


    He sensed the gargantuan body of the ancient leviathan moving, and coldly refused to pay it any attention. It did not matter how the mad beast would try to destroy him, or if it would succeed. Sunny had already discarded his survival instinct. The mad beast could not reach him with its harrowing maw, which meant that it was not going to be able to kill him instantly.


    That was all he needed to know.


    As his fangs scraped against the spine of the Azure Serpent in a frenzy, the abomination''s mangled body rose and ensnared Sunny like a crushing vice. Once he was caught in the coils, there would be no escape... he knew it, but he did not care.


    All he cared about was the feeling of a thin, shallow crack finally appearing under one of his fangs. The leviathan''s spine... was giving.


    ''Die!''


    As dark glee washed over his heart, the coils tensed, crushing his ravaged shell. The strength contained within them was unlike anything Sunny had experienced before. It was truly, and utterly, harrowing.


    Pressing down with harrowing strength, the Azure Serpent turned the marble carapace of the Mantle into stone dust. The serpentine body beneath it was instantly broken, the onyx scales shattering, sharp edges of broken bones piercing the skin and protruding from the horrid wounds.


    There was blinding pain... but Sunny did not care.


    More cracks appeared on the abomination''s spine now, spreading and merging with each other, and he could feel the giant body of his enemy twitching in pain. He could also feel fragments of bone sinking beneath his fangs.


    Instead of struggling to save himself, Sunny ferociously bit down on the damaged spine of the leviathan and persisted in his frenzied attempts to break and mutilate it.


    ''Let''s see which one of us dies first, old snake... as long... as you die first... I don''t mind dying second...''Thi/s chapter is updated by


    He couldn''t even scream, because he had forgotten how.


    But, despite all that...


    He was satisfied. He was thrilled.


    He was happy.


    ''I... I... I... killed it. Right?''


    There was no way to know.


    But then...


    As if to answer his faint plea, a familiar voice whispered:


    [You have slain a Great Beast, Daeron of the Twilight Sea.]


    [You have received a Memory.]


    The whispers flowed into his soul as darkness encroached on his mind.


    [...Your shadow grows stronger.]


    ***


    As the dark island swayed under the assault of furious waves, two broken silhouettes could be seen in the raging water, slowly drifting apart.


    One, much larger one, had a harrowing wound on its neck. Its spine was entirely snapped, and it was partially beheaded. A fire of indescribable madness was slowly fading away from the leviathan''s damaged eye, which was locked on the unmoving figure of the enemy even in death.


    The body of the Azure Serpent was slowly disappearing in the beautiful shine of the glowing waters as it fell into the depths.


    The other, smaller silhouette, was torn and ravaged beyond recognition. The serpentine body of the onyx beast was cut and broken, with harrowing wounds gaping across its entire length. It seemed to be on the verge of dissolving into a swarm of intangible shadows...


    Before it did, however, a graceful figure in a fluttering white tunic dove from the high slope of the island and plunged into the raging waves.


    Struggling against the furious current, Nephis endured the pain of her Flaw and swam toward the onyx serpent.

 Chapter 1280 Beauty and the Beast

    Chapter 1280 Beauty and the Beast


    Sunny was drowning in a sea of pain. His mind, what little of it was left, had become faint and fragile, ready to collapse at any moment. But it had not collapsed yet. Actually, there was a piece of good news, too. The fact that he was capable of feeling pain meant that he was still alive. The fact that he was still alive... meant that the Azure Serpent was dead. Otherwise, it would have finished Sunny off already.


    ''I... won...''


    It was a small consolation. The pain was so unbearable that he almost wished for death. However, Sunny was too attached to life to throw it away - if there was the tiniest chance to survive, he was going to desperately cling to it with everything he had. Before, he would have done it simply out of spite... but now, there were things he cherished and goals he wished to achieve. He really wanted to live.


    ''What... the hell... is happening?''


    It was hard to form legible thoughts, but he somehow managed to evaluate his current state. Overwhelming pain, the loss of all senses... he was in shock. He was in a pain shock due to his shadow incarnation receiving severe damage. His soul had been wounded terribly. Which meant... what? He didn''t know. What was he supposed to do? Was there anything to do?


    ''Argh... it hurts...''


    For now, Sunny decided to do his best to endure the pain and hold his crumbling mind together. It wasn''t easy, or pleasant, or possible... but he persisted. He persisted with everything he had. And, after an eternity of torment, there was finally a change. Sunny seemed to regain his hearing. The first thing he heard was Neph''s distorted cry:


    "Sunny! Don''t die! Please!"


    He was strangely annoyed.


    ''Crap... that was an order, wasn''t it?''


    She broke her promise! Not that it could change anything... it would have been great if Nephis giving him an order to survive magically restored his body and healed his wounds. But Sunny had to be able to execute a command for Shadow Bond to compel him into action - or inaction. So, if Nephis suddenly decided to order him to go and bring her the moon one day, at most he would be forced to fruitlessly try his best.


    ...And he was already trying his best to survive!


    ''No really, who does she take me for?''


    ''The soul flame...''


    The soul flame was gone. He was only augmented by the five shadows now. Finally, Sunny noticed Nephis. Her small figure was on top of him. She must have climbed onto his giant body while he was floating lifelessly in the water, paralyzed by pain and on the verge of losing consciousness. Both of her palms were pressed against broken onyx scales, and her skin was shining with soft white radiance.


    ''Ah... she must have retrieved her flames...''


    Nephis was healing him.


    ''But..''


    ...Suddenly, her radiant figure exploded with light, dispelling the darkness of the night like an actual star. Sunny felt the familiar warmth - now much more intense than it had ever been before - flowing into him like a flood. And, embraced by that warmth, his broken form started to restore itself. As he felt it, startled, his deeply wounded soul was healed. His half-destroyed shadow incarnation was restored to a pristine state. And, shockingly, even his serpentine shell knitted itself back together. The harrowing wounds closed, the shattered onyx scales glued themselves back together.


    By the time Neph''s radiance wavered and fell, Sunny was as good as new. The pain that had been tormenting him receded, then disappeared completely. He was alive again. Nephis fell powerlessly on his wide back. She remained motionless for a few moments, then dragged her body up and clutched to two of the horn-like spikes growing from the crown of his head, where the dorsal fin ended.


    ''Right...''


    The Azure Serpent was dead, but they were still far from being safe. In fact, they were in mortal peril, much more so than when the Great Beast had been alive. It was because there was no one to stop the Dark Butterfly from conquering the carcass of the Black Turtle anymore. Worse than that, the abominable creature had surely noticed a blinding star suddenly igniting in the darkness of the night. It was bound to descend upon them at any moment.


    So, it was time for the second part of the plan.


    ''We actually made it so far, huh?''


    It was time to leave the dark island behind, and run.


    ''Let''s go, Neph...''


    Dismissing Saint, Sunny spent a split second to gather the strength permeating the vast expanse of his mighty, serpentine body. Then, with Nephis on his back, he lowered his head and dove into the endlessly flowing, radiant waters of the Great River.

 Chapter 1281 Leaving the Dark Island

    Chapter 1281 Leaving the Dark Island


    Sunny dove into the shining depths of the Great River. His serpentine body was like a spear carved from black onyx, cutting through the radiant water with stunning, terrible speed. It was made to rule the sea, so no ship or vessel could compete with him in the deep.


    A Great Monster, though...VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    Even though the Dark Butterfly was an aerial abomination, it had shown a dreadful ability to fight the Azure Serpent underwater with strange ease. They needed to escape being noticed by it... and so, Sunny swam down.


    Nephis had the Essence Pearl, so he was not afraid of pulling her so deep that she would drown. That said... he was afraid of the depths.


    There was no telling what was hiding at the bottom of the Great River. What kind of horrors lived there? Did time exist there, and if so, what was its flow? Sunny did not know, and he wasn''t ready to find out.


    The plan they had concocted was to dive deep enough to avoid the notice of the Dark Butterfly and then travel downstream, gradually returning to the surface. He saw no reason to change it.


    As the onyx serpent moved down into the flowing abyss with a fragile human figure clutching to his horns, the dark island slowly disappeared in the distance. Its ominous silhouette was consumed by the radiance of the water, and soon, there was nothing around them but shining emptiness.


    Sunny felt a strange melancholy brush against his heart and steeled himself.


    They had finally escaped from the shell of the Black Turtle. That place... it had given him the peace and comfort he so desperately needed after the disastrous resolution of the dreadful and bitterly long Southern Campaign. For a while, it was like a paradise.


    But that paradise was a dark one. In the end, it had turned into a death trap - and now, they were leaving both the paradise and the trap behind.


    ''Don''t look back.''


    He refused to. There were, without a doubt, a lot of much more harrowing obstacles waiting for them ahead. And, hopefully, at the end of them all...


    They would be able to find a new paradise of their own.


    Existing as a shadow incarnation was consuming his essence, and sustaining the massive shape of the river serpent was consuming it as well. He had already spent a lot of essence fighting the mad leviathan, and although Neph''s flame was enhancing his soul to a degree, his reserves were not infinite.


    Even though he was a Tyrant, they were not at all adequate for the task at hand.


    And so, Sunny had to hurry. He had to squeeze all the speed he could muster from his serpentine form while he could.


    If his essence ran out before they found land, or anything at all to climb onto... there would be no choice but to remain drifting in the water, slowly recovering their powers and hoping desperately that nothing would attack them in the meantime.


    The dwellers of the deep, the swarms of abominable krill, the flying predators that hunted creatures inhabiting the river...


    He didn''t think that they would live long enough for their essence to be replenished.


    Praying that something appeared on the horizon, Sunny flew through the shining water.


    His powerful body cut through the flowing abyss, leaving a trail of raging turbulence in its wake. Nephis clung desperately to his horns, exhausted by the explosion of healing flames she had created earlier to save him, and the harrowing pain of having to use her Aspect for so long, and with such intensity.


    Strangely enough, Sunny had ended up in a better state than her, despite being the one who had fought in the battle with the Azure Serpent. The longer they swam, the more worried about her he became.


    ...But he was tired, too.


    His wounds might have healed, but the terrible mental exhaustion remained, smothering his ability to remain clear-headed and strive forward without rest.


    Slowly, a cold lethargy was seeping into his mind.


    Struggling against it, he continued to swim forward.

 Chapter 1282 Currents of Time

    Chapter 1282 Currents of Time


    Sunny did not know how far, exactly, they had traveled away from the dark island, but the distance had to be immense. His shadow shell was not only enormous, it was also created to reign in the water. Considering that he was moving with the current of the Great River, his already great speed was enhanced even more.


    So, he decided that it would be safe to rise to the surface.


    Gradually ascending, he tore through the radiant abyss and finally raised his head above the glistening waves.


    Still clinging to his horns, Nephis slumped down and breathed heavily. It had been hard for her to withstand the resistance of the water, which had been battering her like a ram for so long.


    The greater Sunny''s speed was, the greater was the resistance. She had already been exhausted by straining her Ability beyond its limit, and enduring the feverish race through the depths could not have been easy.


    But now that the onyx serpent''s head was above water, Nephis could finally rest a little.


    The sky was still impenetrably black. A soft glow was rising from the river, illuminating the vast emptiness of its flowing expanse. The view was as dreamlike and magical as it had been on the first day Sunny had seen it...


    But his heart was pierced by despair.


    It was because even now, after leaving the dark island so far behind, he couldn''t see any hint of land anywhere around them.


    An old doubt crawled into his mind, sapping strength from his tired body.


    ''What if there is no land... what if this whole world is nothing but water...''


    Gritting his fangs, Sunny let out a quiet growl and strained every fiber of his shell to accelerate even more.


    With his onyx snout as the spearhead and his black dorsal fin as a sharp blade, he cut the glowing surface of the Great River. Faster, faster... he was not out of essence yet.


    There was a certain sense of exhilaration he felt, flying toward the horizon with terrible speed. The speed, the might of his shell, the slender weight of Neph''s body pressing down on his scales, and the empty vastness of the boundless black sky... it was almost liberating.


    But, at the same, his heart was drowning in anxiety, fear, and dread.


    And soon, he was proven right to be afraid.


    Sunny felt an ominous premonition and rose his head a little higher above the water. In the next moment, his serpentine eyes narrowed.


    There, ahead of them... the surface of the Great River was seething and boiling. A boundless krill swarm was swiftly moving to meet them, hundreds of thousands of Corrupted Beasts burning with a mad desire to devour the onyx serpent and his rider alive.


    Sunny''s enormous body shuddered, but he tried to remain calm.


    ''This is not the end...''


    The krill swarm was a harrowing foe, but the terror of it lay in how numerous the River Locusts were. The hungry legion rushing toward Sunny was the largest he had ever seen by far, enough so that even the Azure Serpent might have been unable to prevail against it. However...


    Unlike the ancient leviathan, Sunny was not constrained by the need to defend his prey, and while the krill were numerous, they were not individually strong.


    Much more importantly, they were not too fast.


    Cutting a sharp turn, Sunny roared and flew west, parallel to the approaching mass of abominations. His feverish thoughts dissolved into a simple, bestial need to outrun the swarm. The distance between them grew smaller with frightening speed, and yet he still couldn''t see the edge of the vast patch of rough water.


    His incarnation disappeared next. Sunny turned intangible, and was then thrown out of the embrace of the shadows, finally regaining his human form.


    He was in pain. Every muscle in his body felt like it was about to burst. His lungs felt as if they were consumed by fire. His head was heavy, and his limbs were weak.


    He even failed to adapt to the change in time, swallowing a mouthful of water.


    ...Which was fine. He was dying from thirst, anyway.


    Sunny felt himself sinking, and struggled weakly to stay afloat. But even that was too much of a strain.


    ''Am I... going to drown?''


    A moment later, a strong arm embraced him, and he felt Nephis pressing his body against hers. Swimming with the help of her one free hand, she pulled them both upward.


    Soon, their heads broke the surface of the water.


    Sunny was momentarily blinded by sunlight and coughed, trying to push air into his lungs.


    ''Over... it''s over... we won''t survive the few days needed for our essence to recover...''


    As he tried to think of something - anything - that could keep them alive, a strange shiver suddenly ran through Neph''s body. Since she was still hugging him from behind, he could feel it clearly.


    "Sunny... Sunny..."


    He tried to answer, and was suddenly struck by the strangeness of his human body. It felt alien and tiny, not at all befitting a ferocious serpent like him.


    He had forgotten how to talk.


    ''Snap out of it, damn it.''


    Sunny slowly gathered his senses, remembering what it meant to be human. Then, he moved his unfamiliar tongue and said hoarsely:


    "What?"


    Nephis moved, turning them both to face downstream. Her voice was just as hoarse as his:


    "There!"


    He frowned, following the direction where her finger was pointing with his gaze, and then froze.


    There, on the water, no more than a hundred meters away...


    A small boat was swaying on the waves, both of its sails lowered.


    It was made out of beautiful dark wood, with intricate patterns carved along its sides. There was no movement inside, but the boat seemed to be staying in place, strangely unaffected by the strong current of the Great River.


    And so, they were being slowly pulled in its direction.

 Chapter 1283 Ketch

    Chapter 1283 Ketch


    A small wooden vessel was resting on the sparkling water. The seven suns were rising from the distant depths, and the world was painted in the lilac hues of early dawn. Illuminated by that beautiful light, the vessel seemed like an illusion.


    "What... is this?"


    His hoarse voice was full of disbelief. It was just too improbable, to find an empty boat swaying gently on the waves just when his essence had run out, and despair had taken hold of his heart. The Great River was inconceivably vast, and yet, they had just happened to find themselves a mere hundred meters away from a boat at that exact moment? Even when [Fated] was involved, the coincidence seemed too convenient. It was to such a degree that Sunny even considered that he was hallucinating... wouldn''t be the first time, anyway. Maybe the Sin of Solace had learned a new trick.


    However, Nephis saw the boat, too.


    She hesitated for a moment, then said numbly:


    "...It''s a ketch."


    Sunny was about to ask what the word ketch meant, but he was too tired for unnecessary questions. It was probably a type of boat, regardless... Nephis knew about these things, considering that she had even built one for them, back on the Forgotten Shore. It was probably also a part of her Legacy training.


    The two of them remained still for a few seconds, then swam toward the... ketch. Well, Nephis was the only one swimming while supporting Sunny - he just weakly moved his legs to help her a little.


    Soon, they reached it. Sunny placed his palm on the hull of the sailboat, still unsure if it was real. However, the dark wood felt smooth and solid to his touch. He traced his hand across it, both stunned and relieved.


    ''It might be a trap...''


    Even if it was, they had no choice but to climb into the ketch. It was too small to protect them from great abominations like the Azure Serpent, but anything was better than nothing. More than that... the ketch couldn''t be as simple as it looked. It was drifting in the harrowing waters of the Great River without a scratch on its hull, after all. A mundane boat would have been destroyed in a matter of hours here. Even the piece of flotsam that Sunny had once used as a raft, which was tough enough to withstand the nails of a Master, was turned into tiny splinters. It had to have been a part of a large vessel before turning into flotsam, too, and that mysterious vessel had ended up being destroyed.


    Everything was made with a mundane, but exquisite level of craftsmanship. The wooden surfaces were tastefully engraved, showing all sorts of flowing images, now smoothed out by the wind, water, and passage of time. The ketch seemed like the loving creation of a supremely skilled artisan, even if it had seen better days.


    One look was enough to tell that the wooden boat was very old. However, it had been maintained with the utmost care, remaining in near-perfect condition.


    Sunny was musing about who could have taken care of the ketch when his gaze finally reached the stern, where the steering oar was supposed to be. Unlike the Chain Breaker, there was no runic circle for the helmsman. Instead, there was only a very mundane wooden bench...


    And there, on that bench, a corpse was sitting with its head hung low.


    His body suddenly grew stiff.


    ''W-what...''


    Sunny was momentarily paralyzed by shock.


    Because that corpse... it looked eerily familiar.


    It was shrouded in a dark mantle, which made it hard to determine whether the body belonged to a man or a woman. All that he could see was that the person was of small stature, and terribly thin. Their long white hair moved slightly in the wind, and their face...


    The face was obscured by a mask of black lacquered wood. The mask was carved to resemble the face of a ferocious demon. Its teeth were bared, with four fangs protruding from its mouth, and there were three twisted horns rising from it like a crown. Inside the black chasms of its eyes, there was nothing but pure darkness.


    It was Weaver''s Mask.


    And the corpse was just like the one he had found beneath the ruined cathedral of the Dark City, all those years ago.

 Chapter 1284 Hail Weaver

    Chapter 1284 Hail Weaver


    1284 Hail Weaver


    Sunny found himself unable to move for a few moments. Encountering the ketch just when they desperately needed shelter was already shocking enough. Finding a corpse that looked eerily similar to the nameless prisoner of the hidden dungeon beneath the ruined cathedral inside the ketch... it sent him into a fugue state.


    All kinds of wild thoughts rushed through his mind.


    For a split second, Sunny even imagined that it was his own corpse, brought here from the future by some strange anomaly of the mystical river. But, no... the proportions were all wrong. He was not a tall man, but the mysterious person was even smaller. They were practically tiny.


    In fact, now that Sunny had taken a good look at the corpse, he realized that it was different from the prisoner of the ruined cathedral, as well. The dark mantle and the mask were the same, but the body hidden beneath them was not. Even with its features obfuscated, he could tell the difference.


    Still... what was the meaning of this? How could there be another Weaver''s Mask? Who were these two people, and how could they be so similar despite the great divide between the Dark City and the Tomb of Ariel?


    Nephis seemed startled, as well, albeit for a different reason than Sunny. She did notice his strong reaction, though.


    "Sunny? What is it?"


    She must have noticed that the mask the corpse was wearing was the same mask Mongrel wore. She also knew that it was a Divine Memory of the Seventh Tier, even if Sunny had never told her where Weaver''s Mask came from.


    He took a deep breath.


    "That corpse... it''s just like the one I found in the Dark City, beneath the cathedral. That was where I got the mask."


    Sunny had found the Spawn of the Vile Thieving Bird by pure coincidence �� even if that coincidence might not have happened without the influence of [Fated]. Everything that followed after absorbing the drop of ichor that contained Blood Weave, however, was the result of logic and reason. It was the consequence of that first chance encounter.


    Guided by the ability to see the radiance of divinity, which Blood Weave granted him, he explored the cathedral of the Dark City and received Weaver''s Mask. Guided by Weaver''s Mask, he dove into the Sky Below, reached the Ebony Tower, and discovered Weaver''s severed arm, thus acquiring Bone Weave.


    What was the cause of this situation, then? Was it a coincidence or the result of his choices?


    As Sunny was spacing out, consumed by these thoughts, Nephis looked at him with a frown.


    "...Corpse? What do you mean?"


    He shivered.Updated from


    Could she not see the hunched figure sitting on the helmsman''s bench?


    The old woman''s small, hunched body was frail and thin, as if ready to collapse from the smallest gale. The dark mantle hung listlessly from it, a few sizes too big.


    Nevertheless, she was emanating a feeling of unimpeachable dignity, willpower, and... sanctity, even.


    The black mask fell to the deck of the ketch with a wooden clack.


    The old woman was looking at Sunny and Nephis silently, one moment passing after another.


    And then, she moved.


    Bending down, she groaned and slowly kneeled. Sunny was startled, but most of all, he felt a strong urge to jump forward and stop her. It felt incredibly wrong, to see such an old woman prostrating herself... let alone in front of him.


    He noticed Neph''s back growing stiff, as she felt the same. The corner of her eye twitched.


    But neither of them moved.


    Finally, the old woman''s knees touched the deck. Placing both hands in front of her, she took a shaky breath, and then kowtowed deeply.


    Her quiet voice sounded like a scraping quill. Hearing it, Sunny flinched.


    She said:


    "Hail... Weaver... Demon of Fate..."


    In the silence that followed, he hesitated for a while, and then answered:


    "...Firstborn of the Unknown."


    The old woman remained motionless for a few moments, and then let out a long sigh.


    Lowering her head even closer to the deck, she spoke with reverence:


    "Ananke greets the Children of Weaver..."


    -----


    Erdiul''s Note: Ah... These are my favourite type of chapters, the lore drops. Super excited to see what she has to tell about the Weaver. What do you guys think she meant with ''''Children of Weaver''''. Could be Neph and Sunny alone or it could be everyone connected to the spell. Who knows, who knows....

 Chapter 1285 Ananke

    Chapter 1285 Ananke


    "Ananke greets the Children of Weaver..."


    The word hung in the air. Sunny and Nephis glanced at each other warily, both confused by this strange situation. Why was the old woman prostrating in front of them? Why had she addressed them as children of Weaver?


    ''What is going on?''


    Sunny was tired out of his mind, and the inexplicable nature of the strange old woman was simply too much for him to process. VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    She didn''t seem hostile, at least.


    With a sigh, he allowed his exhausted body to collapse and sat down on the wooden deck of the ketch. Nephis, meanwhile, hesitated for a few moments, then took several steps forward and carefully pulled the old woman up. "Please rise, Grandmother. Do not bow on our account."


    responsible for the great calamity that had befallen Earth... or maybe for its salvation. Regardless, Old Ananke seemed to have a deep connection to Weaver and the The owner of the ketch �� Ananke �� allowed herself to be gently pulled into a sitting position. Then, Nephis returned to Sunny and sat side by side with him. The two of them were now facing the old woman, waiting for her to say something. But she remained silent.


    After a few moments passed, Sunny frowned. He felt nervous... there was no telling just how powerful this woman was, and what her intentions were. Ananke was a complete mystery. ...She could also provide answers to many mysteries that had plagued him.


    So, he asked:


    "I am sorry, Grandmother... but why did you call us the Children of Weaver?"


    Nephis remained silent for a few moments, then remarked evenly:


    "...You don''t seem to be surprised by the fact that we come from the future."


    Sunny forced himself to focus. It was a very poignant question, and one that he had failed to think of himself, distracted by the avalanche of revelations. The old woman slowly nodded, her breath ragged. It seemed that it was hard for her to speak for so long, but she still forced herself to answer:


    "Of course, I am not surprised. Haven''t you come from upstream, my Lord and Lady?"


    Nephis and Sunny glanced at each other. They had indeed. The natives of the Great River, which flowed from the future into the past, would have had a different perception of time. For them, people from the future might not seem that strange. Ananke took a breath, then added tiredly:


    "Oh, but I was also warned that you would come."


    ''Huh?''


    That was perhaps the most shocking revelation yet. After a moment of silence, Sunny raised an eyebrow while hiding how shaken he truly was. "...Warned? How?"


    The old woman nodded again, her unbound white hair moving in the wind. "I received a message... in my dreams. A message that the Children of Weaver would come. And that..."


    She paused for a few moments, catching her breath, then finished fervently:


    "...And that I must help them reach Fallen Grace, where Dusk, the last of the sybils, reigns."

 Chapter 1286 Fortuitous Encounter

    Chapter 1286 Fortuitous Encounter


    Dusk... Sybil of the Fallen Grace. Sunny shivered. Of course, he remembered who Dusk was. He was wearing a tunic called Shroud of Graceless Dusk, after all �� the Transcendent Memory of the Sixth Tier he had received for slaying the Terror of LO49. ...That damned horror. If he were to try and assign numbers to the enemies he had faced in Antarctica based on how many mental scars they left him with, the beautiful flower of floating white silk would be squarely placed second, right behind the Winter Beast. Even Goliath, who had literally killed him, did not leave as harrowing of an impression. Of course, Dusk was most likely neither dead nor corrupted yet in the Nightmare. She was still a human, and seemed to be ruling a place called Fallen Grace. Since Sunny and Nephis wanted to reach the civilization of the Great River and find the sybils, this destination was perfect. ...It was a little bit too perfect, even. Ananke had answered one of the most important questions they had. The improbable coincidence of them finding her ketch just when they needed it was no coincidence at all. She had come knowingly, expecting to find them. But who was it that had instructed her where to find them? In her dreams, no less? Who was pulling the strings of this Nightmare behind the scenes?


    ''Is it, perhaps, the last sybil herself?'' Sunny frowned, knowing that he would not find the answer any time soon. The earliest opportunity was probably going to be when he came face-to-face with the Sybil of the Fallen Grace... again. He sighed. "...Fallen Grace? How far is that?" New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Old Ananke hesitated for a few moments. "It is far. Very, very far. So far that I won''t be able to guide you all the way there."


    She grew silent, her eyes closing slightly. It almost seemed as though she had dozed off. Then, however, the old woman shook slightly, and added:


    "But I will take you as far as I can go, my Lord and Lady. Ah... you see, we daemon followers weren''t welcome here, in Ariel''s Tomb, either. They chased us away, and we traveled upstream for a long time before settling down and building Weave. Weave... it''s one of the human cities on the Great River, like Fallen Grace. Or, at least... it used to be..."


    Sunny and Nephis looked at each other. Why was it that Ananke was unable to return downstream? Was there some kind of internal strife between the locals of the Great River? Would it be dangerous for her to enter the waters controlled by the sybils?


    And what did she mean, that Weave only used to be a city?


    Nephis spoke cautiously:


    "We wouldn''t want to put you in danger, Grandmother."


    What if the food was poisoned? What if she was waiting until they fell asleep to kill them?


    Sunny glanced at the frail figure of the priestess. She looked too fragile and weak to pose any threat to them. Of course, looks could be deceiving... but he also felt that Ananke had been sincere and treated them with nothing except great benevolence. It was hard to dislike or distrust the kind, earnest old woman.


    ''Ah, whatever...''


    Even if she had done something to the food, he was very hard to poison. Blood Weave made him all but immune to most toxins, after all.


    Shaking off the mad desire to devour everything in sight �� the faint remnant of the ferocious form of the river serpent �� he tentatively picked up a savory pie, still warm from the oven, and took a bite. His hand trembled. ''Delicious... so delicious...''


    Not wasting any more time, Sunny sent the whole pie into his mouth and chewed greedily. A few moments later, he raised his thumb and nudged Nephis with his elbow.


    She lingered for a moment, then followed his example. They ate and drank like two kids being spoiled by their grandmother, oblivious to everything else. Soon, the entire meal disappeared. They didn''t even spare the wine.


    After that... Sunny felt incredibly sleepy.


    But it wasn''t the unnatural feeling of having been drugged. It was simply the natural reaction of his abused body demanding some well-deserved and much-needed rest. ''Safe... we''re safe, I think...''


    Struggling to keep his eyes open, Sunny looked at Nephis. She was tired, too, and yet she nodded to answer his silent question. "It''s alright. I''ll take the first watch. You can..."


    Before she even finished the sentence, Sunny had already dropped his head on her lap, fast asleep.

 Chapter 1287 Blissful Ignorance

    Chapter 1287 Blissful Ignorance


    Sunny slept like a baby. There were no nightmares haunting his dreams, and when he woke up, his heart felt strangely at peace. He remained motionless for a while, feeling the warmth of Neph''s hand resting on the crown of his head. The ketch was moving swiftly across the water, carried by both the wind and the current, and the world around them was dark. It was already night. ''...I overslept.''


    Nephis should have woken him up. Had she gotten any rest herself?


    Turning his head slightly, Sunny looked up and saw her elegant jawline. She was leaning on the wooden side of the ketch, her eyes closed. Her breathing was slow and deep. She was fast asleep. So... no one was keeping watch.


    "Don''t be upset with the Lady, my Lord."


    Sunny flinched slightly and glanced at the stern of the boat, where Ananke was still sitting, holding lightly to the steering oar. Her dark mantle was of the same color as the night sky, making it hard to discern where its folds ended, and the night began. "You both needed rest."


    Sunny felt very comfortable laying on Neph''s lap, but he had to sit up with a reluctant sigh. Rubbing his eyes, he looked at his shadows, which were all but invisible in the darkness. None of them showed any sign of being concerned, so he judged that the old woman had not tried anything strange while they slept. Even though it would take a few more days for his reserves of essence to be fully replenished, they were not dry anymore. Due to the Shroud of Dusk, he also felt rested and refreshed. However, he was slightly hungry. Sunny hesitated for a few moments, and then asked:


    "Say... you wouldn''t happen to have more of those little pies?"


    Ananke smiled. "There should be a few left in the box. Eat well, my Lord. I made them with care."


    Sunny noted that the wooden box was not a Memory that created food, but instead a storage Memory that helped keep supplies fresh. Everything inside must have been prepared by Ananke in anticipation of meeting the Children of Weaver. Opening the lid, he discovered a few leftover pies, as well as more fruit and a couple other simple dishes, all perfectly fresh and preserved. It smelled so wonderful that he remained motionless for a moment, enjoying the fragrance. Misunderstanding his hesitation, the old woman spoke:


    Teacher Julius would indeed be beside himself if he learned that Sunny stuffed his belly while an elderly woman starved herself nearby... even if that woman was just a Nightmare inhabitant. More than that, just what kind of fish was she going to catch in the Great River?


    Ananke hesitated a little, then took one of the pies with a shaking hand and smiled. "Thank you, my Lord. That is enough."


    When he went back to the box, Neph stirred slightly and opened her eyes. She stared at her empty lap for a few moments, then looked at Sunny and blinked a couple of times. Finally, she sniffed the air and turned to the wooden box, guided by the enticing fragrance of the freshly cooked food.


    Her eyes glistened.


    The two of them had a scrumptious meal while Ananke slowly ate her single pie. The atmosphere inside the ketch was strangely peaceful. It was as though they were sailing on a calm lake instead of the deadly expanse of the Great River, where all kinds of terrifying creatures dwelled.


    The water was glowing with soft opalescence, while the sky was impenetrably black. The beautiful vista of the world hidden within the Tomb of Ariel was as dreamlike and mystical as ever.


    As Sunny looked at the surface of the water, he suddenly saw its light grow dim. There was... a vast, inconceivable shadow moving somewhere unfathomably deep, below them, blocking off the radiance of the drowned suns with its endless expanse.


    For a few moments, a bleak darkness enveloped the entire span of the Great River around the ketch, and then indifferently moved on.


    He shivered and looked at Ananke, terror hiding in his lightless eyes. The old woman calmly held the steering oar as she smiled. "Don''t worry, my Lord. They can''t sense us."


    Sunny hesitated for a while, wondering if he should ask who the "they" she spoke of were. ...In the end, he remained silent.


    There were things that a person was better off not knowing. Sunny was not sure if he could allow himself the luxury of ignorance... but he decided to enjoy being ignorant still, at least for today.

 Chapter 1288 King Among Beasts

    Chapter 1288 King Among Beasts


    There were still a lot of questions Sunny wanted to ask Ananke, and a lot he needed to learn. But, surrounded by the silent darkness of the night, he simply listened to the gentle sound of water splashing against the hull of the swift ketch and stared at the glowing expanse of the Great River without saying a word.


    A lot had happened yesterday... gods. Was it really just a day ago that he had fought the Azure Serpent? The fearsome battle, the frantic escape from the dark island �� there had not been a single moment of peace for him to settle himself and contemplate these matters yet.


    ''It feels like a dream.''


    He had really done it... he had killed a Great Beast. Of course, it was partly due to the blessing of Neph''s soul flame, as well as the fact that the Azure Serpent had been severely weakened. And yet... was there another Master in the world who could boast the same feat? Surely not.


    Had there ever been?


    Sunny shifted uncomfortably, afraid that the incredible achievement would go to his head. He almost wished to hear the biting remarks of the Sin of Solace, who never missed a chance to bring him down... the bastard was somewhere nearby, but kept out of sight. He could feel the faint presence of the hateful wraith at the edges of his consciousness.


    Nevertheless, it was a fact �� Sunny had indeed slain the Azure Serpent... Daeron of the Twilight Sea. ''What an unusual name for a Nightmare Creature.''


    After observing the mad beast for so long and even assuming its form, Sunny was certain that there was something special about the ferocious abomination. Now, after learning its name, he came to strongly suspect... that the Azure Serpent was not an abomination at all.


    Or at least had not always been one.


    ''Was the old snake actually a human once?''


    ''Troubling.''


    He glanced at the shadow of Daeron one last time, hesitated, and then said quietly:


    "Find peace within me, Old Snake. Your nightmare is over."


    The Azure Serpent had been a terrible enemy, but he had also protected Sunny and Nephis from the other horrors of the Great River. They wouldn''t have been able to enjoy the blissful month on the dark island if not for his madness, hunger, and ferociousness.


    Sunny had learned a lot from the great serpent, as well.


    With a sigh, he turned away and walked to stand between the five black suns. There was still something he needed to see...


    Sunny had received a Memory after killing the corrupted Sovereign, after all. His first Memory of the Supreme Rank.


    Well... his first Memory of the Supreme Rank that he had actually earned, as opposed to mysteriously receiving it out of nowhere. Summoning the runes, Sunny found the unfamiliar string of them and read:


    Memory: [Crown of Twilight].


    Memory Rank: Supreme.


    Memory Tier: I.


    Memory Type: Tool...

 Chapter 1289 Crown of Twilight

    Chapter 1289 Crown of Twilight


    ''A tool...''


    Sunny wouldn''t have minded receiving a weapon or an armor, but a tool could be incredibly valuable, too. After all, he already had the Sin of Solace �� the jade sword was only of the Transcendent Rank, but it still possessed the ability to cut the flesh of Great Nightmare Creatures, albeit with some effort. It was just that Sunny had to create an opportunity to use that ability first.


    He also had the Mantle and the Shroud of Dusk, and while neither of them was durable enough to resist an attack by a creature like the Azure Serpent, that problem could be solved by not getting hit.


    Both the lack of a suitable weapon and the absence of suitable armor could be solved. A powerful tool, meanwhile, would give Sunny more ways to find the solution. So, he was not disappointed. Feeling both the gentle swaying of the ketch and the silent stillness of his Soul Sea, Sunny continued to study the runes. He hoped that the description of the Crown of Twilight would answer some of his questions.


    It read:


    Memory Description: [There was a king who ruled over a dying land. The king was valiant and wise. Refusing to embrace despair, he thought of an audacious plan, gathered his companions, and braved the endless desert to enter the Tomb of Ariel, where the Great River flowed endlessly from the future into the past. Thus, the valiant king became a guide who guarded his people in their nightmares. They built a city at the edge of dawn and gathered an army to vanquish that which was defiled. However, in the end, the army was destroyed, the city was lost, and the valiant king himself succumbed to madness. Consumed by wrath and resentment, he turned into a mindless beast and roamed the Great River for countless years. Nothing could withstand his hunger and fury... until, one day, the mad king met a treacherous shadow.


    "But what do you even know?" said the shadow. "Do you think you''re so special? I know fury, too. I know hunger, too. I know madness, too! Oh... and I''ve killed plenty of creatures more powerful than me, too. Who are you to dare stare me down, beast?"


    "I am Lost from Light, who was born from the shadows. I am the rightful heir of death and the bastard son of fate. Wherever I go, ruin follows. If you had any sense, you would have run away as soon as you saw me."


    Well... actually, there was some doubt. Nothing about the Tomb of Ariel, and this particular Nightmare, was normal. Still, Sunny believed that he was right. Daeron must have reached the Black Pyramid and entered the true Great River, as opposed to a version of it recreated by the Spell. That next part, however, did not make any sense. He had become a guide who guarded his people in their nightmares? What did it mean? Sunny remained motionless for a while, then frowned. The most obvious answer... was also the most confusing. The Spell created Nightmares based on the past. The Great River, however, existed simultaneously in the past, in the present, and in the future. So, if Daeron had truly entered the real Tomb of Ariel... then he would be present in any recreation of the Great River conjured by the Spell. Therefore, if his subjects challenged a Seed connected to the Black Pyramid, their Sovereign would be waiting for them on the other side, to help them conquer it. ''If I am right... then it was indeed an audacious plan.''


    There was just one glaring problem with this theory. It was that the Seeds of Nightmares, and the Nightmares themselves, had not existed in the ancient past of the Dream Realm. No explorer had ever discovered signs that its human inhabitants had possessed knowledge of the Nightmares, and Noctis had not known anything about them either. So how could Daeron come up with a plan to use the uniqueness of the Great River to help his people Transcend through a Nightmare, if there were no Nightmares at that time yet? Then again... Ananke was from a time when the seed of the Spell had already existed. Granted, that time was at the start of the war between the daemons and the gods, so Daeron could not have lived much later �� that war was the cataclysm that no one had escaped.


    ''Argh, so confusing...''


    In any case, Daeron''s plan had failed. Although many of his people managed to join him within the Tomb of Ariel, they died trying to destroy "that which was defiled"... whatever it was. ''Actually, that phrase is perhaps the most important piece of information in the entire description.''


    It was important, indeed... because it hinted at the goal of the Nightmare. Which also meant that Sunny, Nephis, and the other members of the cohort would have to succeed where the ancient Sovereign and his army had failed. ''Great.''


    Sunny felt a bit of dread at the prospect... but, at the same time, he also felt a little relieved. At least he knew now they wouldn''t really need to search for the mystical estuary of the Great River in order to return to the waking world.


    The just had to kill something that even a Sovereign had not been able to kill.


    He was going to have to discuss this with Nephis. In the meantime, though...


    He still hadn''t learned what his new, shiny Supreme Memory could do. Looking back to the shimmering runes, he read:


    Memory Enchantments: [Legacy of Twilight], [King''s Resentment], [Royal Promise]...

 Chapter 1290 Royal Promise

    Chapter 1290 Royal Promise


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    Sunny raised an eyebrow, pleasantly surprised. Three enchantments on a Memory of the First Tier... that was rare. As an amateur sorcerer, he knew just how hard it was to build a varied spellweave around a single nexus. Intrigued, he continued to study the runes.


    [Legacy of Twilight] Enchantment Description: "This Memory greatly improves the rate at which the wearer''s essence is replenished at the borders between day and night."


    [King''s Resentment] Enchantment Description: "This Memory grants the wearer complete immunity to mind attacks, but plagues them with irresistible wrath instead."


    [Royal Promise] Enchantment Description: "This Memory infuses authority over water into the wearer''s Domain. The extent of this authority depends on the might of the Domain."


    Sunny scratched the back of his head. ''Huh...''


    The first enchantment was rather straightforward, and extremely useful �� granted, that usefulness was situational. It would greatly speed up his recovery of essence at the borders between day and night, meaning dawn and dusk.


    The second enchantment... was tricky. Complete immunity to mind attacks was an incredible trait to have, but it came at the cost of being consumed by mad fury. Sunny wasn''t sure what to make of it. Luckily, it was an active enchantment, so he could use the other two without going berserk. But the third enchantment was simply confounding.


    There was dawn and dusk every day, too. So, he would benefit greatly from improved rate of essence replenishment twice a day, every day. Combined with the [Blessing of Soul] of the Shroud of Dusk, that would put him in a very advantageous position... not to mention that here on the Great River, there were places where sunrise and sunset lasted endlessly, as if frozen in time. The [King''s Resentment] offered stellar defense against mind attacks �� the most dreadful kind, as far as he was concerned �� but would turn Sunny berserk. The benefit seemed as great as the cost was terrible... or did it? He could easily think of situations where boundless fury would only be beneficial. Wasn''t it almost like a dangerous, but potent boon?


    And lastly, the [Royal Promise] would give him a degree of control over water in a world where there was nothing but water. The value of such an ability was evident, but more than that, this enchantment also possessed the greatest capacity for growth. Sunny did not doubt that the Sovereigns �� the actual Sovereigns of the waking world �� would stop at nothing to possess a Memory that could grant a second authority to their Domains. Hell... since the independence of the House of Night was founded, to a large extent, on the fact that it was close to impossible to conquer the Stormsea, the Crown of Twilight could very well completely upset the balance of power between the Great Clans. The [Royal Promise] would allow any Sovereign to add Night''s territory to their own.


    And yet, here he was �� a mere Master �� in possession of it. Sunny smiled. ''Who knows... maybe I''ll be the one who conquers the House of Night.''


    However, his smile quickly disappeared. Right now, even his chances of surviving the Third Nightmare seemed incredibly bleak. In case he did manage to return home, nothing would ever compel him to attempt the Fourth. Nothing.


    ''Yeah... thanks, but no thanks.''


    Somewhat sober now, Sunny sighed and dismissed the Crown of Twilight. There was something else he had to think about. The battle with the Azure Serpent had been like a feverish dream. He had turned into a mad beast to fight the great abomination... but he had also managed to remain himself. More than that, it was the first time he had succeeded in using Shadow Shell to assume the shape of a Nightmare Creature.


    The shadowspawn was different, because he had lived in that body for many months. The form of the onyx serpent, however, had been constructed purely by observing the Great Beast and sensing his essence through Shadow Dance. As a result, Sunny felt that the mastery of the fourth step of his Aspect Legacy was already within his grasp.


    All he had to do was contemplate the revelations gained during the battle, absorb the knowledge, and integrate it into the systematic framework of Shadow Dance he had already established. The evolution was already in sight... he could practically smell it. Still, there was a bit of work left to do before he could reap the rewards. Closing his eyes, Sunny tried to remember the perilous, ferocious battle with the Azure Serpent in all its harrowing details. It was better to do it now, while the memories were still fresh, and the remnants of the serpentine form still lingered in his mind.


    Time flowed slowly.

 Chapter 1291 Perilous Gift

    Chapter 1291 Perilous Gift


    New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Shadow Dance... was both the Legacy of his Aspect and a battle art Sunny had invented. That battle art was insidious, shapeless, and ever-changing... its purpose was to steal that which made the enemy strong and use it to destroy them. The first step of Shadow Dance was the foundation of this ability. Sunny had mastered it during his bitter battle with Nephis, whom he knew all too well. It allowed him to peer into the very essence of the enemy''s battle style and gain an almost supernatural understanding of what they would do, as well as the ability to mimic it. The second step was a continuation of the first. It was the same in all aspects except for scale. Assuming the persona of Mongrel, Sunny had battled countless Awakened and absorbed their styles in order to make his ability more ubiquitous. He had mastered it during the final battle of the Dream Tournament, facing Morgan. That breakthrough deepened his understanding of the fundamental, governing principles of battle, which in turn allowed him to shadow unfamiliar and sophisticated battle styles much faster, and with greater ease. He also gained the ability to intuitively sense the unique ways in which his opponents utilized their soul essence to make those styles possible. The third step was different. It expanded on the first two, broadening the scope of Shadow Dance by redefining what a battle style was. Outwardly, that simply meant that Sunny had begun including Nightmare Creatures in the ranks of enemies he shadowed. Inwardly, however, the distinction was much greater. The third step had more to do with Sunny himself than with his enemies. After plunging into the alien and perverse minds of various abominations in the Red Colosseum, he still found himself falling short of an epiphany. That was because Sunny had to let go of his own sense of self to truly be able to shadow things that were innately different from him. He had to become more like the shapeless, formless shadows. He had managed to pass this impossible test because of the battle with Nightmare. The third mastery vastly broadened and improved his ability to shadow his enemies, as well as giving him the ability to perceive the flow of essence within them clearly. However, it also made Shadow Dance a double-edged sword �� Sunny had found it easy to get lost in the form of an adversary, forgetting himself forever. The best defense against this risk was his True Name, which served as the anchor of his soul. ...And now, there was the fourth step.


    ''It is even more dangerous.''


    Sunny still felt the lingering remnants of the Azure Serpent paint his perception of the world. After delving into the form of the mad beast so deeply, he struggled to shake it off.


    A Shadow? A Memory? Or something else entirely, like another drop of ichor?


    ''Whatever it is... I hope Blood Weave doesn''t gobble it up again!''


    Suddenly bitter, he glanced at the horizon, and then hurriedly summoned the Crown of Twilight back. Soon, the seven suns rose from the depths and chased away the impenetrable darkness of the night. The dim twilight of dawn enveloped the ketch for a brief period of time. At that moment, Sunny felt a flood of essence rush into his cores. ''Amazing.''


    The rate of recovery was indeed greatly enhanced. Sunny had five shadow cores instead of one, so it took five times as long for him to recover all his essence �� without the aid of the Shroud of Dusk. With it and the [Legacy of Twilight], though, it felt as though he would be able to replenish his reserves fully in the span of a single day. Half at dawn, and another half at dusk. If he was even slightly frugal, he would practically never run out of essence. Feeling encouraged, he glanced at the frail figure of Ananke, then turned to Nephis. Sunny silently pointed to the serpentine band of black metal on his head. It was time to ask more questions.

 Chapter 1292 History of Time

    Chapter 1292 History of Time


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    Nephis nodded, indicating that she had read the description of the Crown of Twilight. The two of them could have communicated through the [Blessing of Dusk] to discuss how they would approach the conversation with Ananke... but really, there was no need. The old woman showed no indication of being someone they needed to be wary of. So, they could simply ask. There was one question that had to be answered above all else, though. Sunny shifted slightly, then called:


    "Grandmother..."


    Ananke stirred, as if waking up from a dream, and looked at them with her cloudy eye. "Yes, my Lord?"


    Still uncomfortable with this form of address, Sunny thought for a moment and asked:


    "Have you ever heard about... that which was defiled?"


    The old woman suddenly froze. Her hand, which was resting on the steering oar, trembled. For a while, nothing but the sound of water splashing against the hull of the ketch could be heard. It seemed that she wasn''t happy to hear that question. However, Sunny and Nephis had no choice but to ask it �� they needed to learn everything they could about the assumed goal of this Nightmare.


    Eventually, Ananke sighed.


    "That which was defiled... I guess you are talking about the Defilement, my Lord."


    The old woman nodded. "Indeed. You are wise, my Lady."


    The corner of Sunny''s mouth twitched. ''That''s the second time she calls Nephis wise... zero times for me, though!''


    Still, he understood the idea. There were actually two concepts named "time" inside the Tomb of Ariel �� one was the flow of the Great River itself, which was prone to all kinds of shenanigans, while the second was no different from the concept of time they were familiar with. The old woman continued:


    "So, the Great River has a history, as well. Or rather, it is us, the River People, who have it. That history... started a long time ago, when the sybils first entered the Tomb of Ariel with their people. There were others, too �� all kinds of humans and creatures who came seeking truth, which is said to be hidden at the Estuary." Her creaky voice grew wistful:


    "That was when we, heralds of the Nightmare Spell, came to the Great River as well. I was told that it was a golden age. The sybils established their cities, and powerful Seekers built solitary manors among the waves. They had escaped the end, and lived in peace and prosperity within the Tomb of Ariel."


    Sunny found something curious and asked:


    "You were told? You weren''t there yourself?"


    Come to think of it, when Ananke had spoken about the persecution of the followers of Weaver, she had mentioned not experiencing it personally. That statement had sounded rather strange at the time, but there were many other questions that needed to be asked first. The old woman chuckled. "Goodness... of course, no. I might look old, but I am not that ancient. No... I was born much later, after Weave was already established. Unlike those who have come from outside, like you, I am Riverborn."


    Sunny made a mental note that there was a distinction between the Outsiders and the Riverborn, and continued to listen. Ananke took a hoarse breath, then said somberly:


    "But that golden age... eventually, it came to an end. First, the voices of the gods grew silent, causing the sybils to turn their gazes to the Estuary. And then... then, the Defilement was born."

 Chapter 1293 Defilement

    Chapter 1293 Defilement


    Ananke''s weathered, wrinkly face grew dark. The old woman lingered for a while before saying:


    "The other name for the Defilement is Corruption... a special kind of Corruption that appeared on the Great River and then spread from downstream like a plague. Or rather, was spread." Nephis leaned forward a little:


    "Spread... from downstream?"


    The old woman nodded heavily. "Yes. It is because the Defilement... its origin is the Estuary."


    Her cloudy eyes grew distant. "The Seekers were always trying to reach the Estuary, traveling further and further downstream. But none of them succeeded in finding it. Eventually, they built a city of their own in the far reaches of the past �� a city called Verge. Its grandeur could compete with the bustling prosperity of the large cities ruled by the sybils, and from there, they continued their search. Until, eventually... one of them really managed to enter the Estuary."


    The old woman gripped the steering oar as she looked at the vast expanse of the Great River, then continued dully:


    "However, what he found there was not the truth, but Corruption. Or perhaps it was the truth that he found that corrupted him. That Seeker became the first of the Defiled, and he brought the Defilement back with him to the Verge. The city of Seekers was consumed by the Defilement, and those consumed by it became twisted and monstrous. They spread from there like a plague, bringing a great calamity to the River People."


    Ananke grew silent, breathing heavily. Sunny was scowling deeply. ''So that was what happened...''


    The hideous truth that the Demon of Dread had hidden in the heart of the Black Pyramid... the first person who learned it was consumed by Corruption as a result. Not only that, but he also infected the rest of the Seekers with it, destroying �� or rather, transforming �� an entire city into a nightmarish source of the spreading Corruption. Of the Defilement. ...Just what kind of secret had Ariel buried at the dawn of time? More importantly, was that what Daeron of the Twilight Sea had tried to achieve? Storm the corrupted city of Verge and slay the first witness to the harrowing truth, who was the root of the Defilement? If so, their task would be a dreadful one. Nephis seemed to be thinking the same. After pondering for a while, she asked:


    "Grandmother, do you know how the Defilement spreads?"


    The old woman shook her head. "I am sorry, my Lord. I do not... in truth, I''ve only met a true Defiled once. Weave is situated too far upstream, so while we had to battle Corrupted creatures of the future often, no one from the Verge has ever reached us."


    Nephis frowned. "Except for that one Defiled?"


    Ananken nodded.


    "...Yes."


    The water was sparkling under the sunlight, and the ketch was flying across the waves, traveling further and further into the past. Nephis hesitated for a moment, and then asked:


    "What happened when the Defiled appeared?"


    The old woman did not answer for a while. Eventually, she raised her head and smiled bitterly.


    "The day he appeared... was the day Weave was destroyed."


    Her words traveled somberly across the surface of the water, soon disappearing into the wind.

 Chapter 1294 Corruption

    Chapter 1294 Corruption


    In the morning, they enjoyed delicious food and fragrant wine from Ananke''s wooden box. The old woman herself seemed a little bit more energetic today, but the long conversation had tired her out. She ate very little and returned to the steering oar, looking at the flowing water with a distant expression. She must have been thinking about her city, Weave, which had been destroyed by the Defiled. Without having to discuss it, Sunny and Nephis decided to give their kind guide some privacy. They had to digest the many revelations of the past day, anyway. Sunny was leaning his back on the side of the ketch, cradling a steaming cup of tea in his hands. Nephis was by his side, looking at the sky. After some time had passed in comfortable silence, he used the Blessing of Dusk to ask: ReAd latest chapters at novelhall.com Only


    [There is one thing I don''t understand.]


    She shifted slightly and turned to look at him. Sunny was suddenly painfully aware of how close they were... his pale face was reflecting in the calm depths of her striking grey eyes. He sighed. [She said that Weave was destroyed. And yet, she is taking us there. Why?]


    Nephis contemplated for a few moments. [Ananke survived the destruction, so more people could have survived as well. If not, it would be to scavenge for supplies for the journey ahead. We will see when we get there.]


    Sunny took a sip from his cup, enjoying the warmth of the freshly brewed tea. The ketch was swaying gently, and the view was heavenly. It was really hard to believe that they were inside a Nightmare.


    [What do you think about what we''ve learned so far?]


    Neph''s face darkened a little. She looked away and shrugged. [...The situation is better than I thought. It seems we have a clear enemy, at least. More than that, not all of the Great River is as dangerous as our starting point. I was wary... a little bit... thinking that every Nightmare Creature here is like the Azure Serpent, the Black Turtle, and that horrid butterfly. But it doesn''t seem that way.]


    She paused, then added somberly:


    there no sign of them?]


    Sunny looked down with a grim expression. He shared that concern. [However, I am concerned about the others. We all came from the same moment in time, so they should have been sent to the same region of the Great River. Why is there no sign of them?]


    Sunny looked down with a grim expression. He shared that concern. Cassie, Effie, Kai, Jet, and even Mordret... where were they? None of them were easy to kill. He firmly believed that his friends were still alive, somewhere out there. Or at least, he wanted to. [...But it is strange, isn''t it?]


    ''You wanted to be free of the truth, so you didn''t deserve it...''


    He remained silent for a while, then sighed. [Well, that''s great. Now, we don''t only have to be wary of Nightmare Creatures, we even have to be careful about what we learn. Damnation... you do know that I am a very curious guy, don''t you, Neph?]


    She looked at him, lingered for a bit, and smiled. [Oh... I do. You are indeed a very curious guy... Lost from Light, who was born from the shadows, rightful heir of...]


    Sunny opened his eyes wide and hurriedly dismissed the mental connection of the [Blessing of Dusk]. "Hey, hey!"


    Nephis leaned on the side of the ketch and laughed softly. "What?"


    He opened his mouth, then closed it again and gritted his teeth. "...Can you maybe forget that? Forever?"


    Nephis looked away with white sparks dancing in her eyes. "Can I? Well, I don''t know. I have a very good memory..."


    Sunny stared at her for a while, then scoffed. "Admit it, though. You thought it was a bit cool, didn''t you? I bet you did. Like you thought Mongrel was..."


    Neph''s face suddenly grew still.


    "I... absolutely did not."


    He grinned. "Sure, sure. Ah, but I have a good memory too. What was it that you said in that nightclub in NQSC? If I recall correctly..."


    Nephis closed her eyes and yawned. "Ah, I am so tired. I think I need to rest now."


    Sunny laughed. "Really? Alright, then. Rest well..."

 Chapter 1295 No One Knows

    Chapter 1295 No One Knows


    While Nephis was pretending to sleep, Sunny moved to the stern of the ketch and looked at Ananke, who seemed to have paid no attention to their conversation. Sensing his attention, however, she turned slightly and asked:


    "Yes, my Lord?"


    He hesitated for a few moments. "I... wanted to ask you about Weaver."


    The old woman smiled slightly, as if uplifted by his question. "What would you like to know?"


    Sunny remained silent for a moment. What didn''t he want to know? Daemons were surrounded by mystery, and while he slowly accumulated a lot of knowledge about them �� much more knowledge than an average human in the ancient times of the Dream Realm had, most likely �� there were still wide gaps in it. The problem was that Ananke was not really a person from the Dream Realm. She had been born in the Tomb of Ariel and spent her life in isolation from the outside world. Still... she was a priestess of the Nightmare Spell. She had to know many things, even if some of that knowledge had undoubtedly been twisted as a result of becoming religious doctrine.


    So, he was unsure how much he would be able to learn from the old woman.


    Sunny scratched the back of his head. "Well... for starters, was Weaver a man or a woman?"


    He was really tired of stumbling over his words every time he tried to say something about... them.


    Ananke chuckled. "No one knows. Weaver was a master of lies, after all �� so, you should take anything that is known about the Demon of Fate with a grain of salt. Weaver was the firstborn of the Unknown. His �� or hers �� domain was fate. And just like fate, Weaver was fickle, inevitable, and terrifying. Despite not possessing dreadful battle power, unlike some other daemons, the Demon of Fate was feared the most."


    Sunny was not surprised. He couldn''t imagine a more frightening enemy than someone whose weapon was fate itself. That said... he wasn''t sure whether Weaver had been able to control fate, or simply perceive it. The latter seemed more probable, even if everyone had been convinced otherwise. Was that one of Weaver''s lies?


    He inhaled deeply. "Who was the Unknown, then?"


    The old woman smiled.


    The old woman, despite her age and wisdom, seemed a little bit... naive. Sunny and Nephis were not the worst people from the waking world by far, but even they had briefly contemplated attacking and killing her after discovering the ketch. Yet she had never been on guard against them, instead treating them with utmost sincerity. Her unwavering trust in Weaver was just the same. He hesitated for a long time before speaking again:


    "Grandmother... I don''t mean to offend you, but hasn''t that doom come already? Where is the salvation you were promised?"


    Holding the steering oar, Ananke smiled softly. "Why... it is right here, my Lord. It is you, the Children of Weaver."


    Sunny stared at her for a few moments, his expression incredulous. The old woman chuckled. "You might have misunderstood me a little. When I spoke of salvation, I did not mean that my elders, who had accepted the mission of caring for the Nightmare Spell from Weaver, hoped to save themselves. The Doom War... it threatened to destroy all life �� all humans, and all beings �� everywhere, forever. So, what they really wanted to save... was the future."


    She paused for a few moments, took a shaky breath, and added:


    "It might be strange to say this while sailing into the past, but the future... it is still ahead, and so, it can still be saved."


    Sunny pursed his lips. The Dream Realm was already a dead world, with only Nightmare Creatures populating its hellish expanse. And now, the Spell had even infected Earth with the same plague that had destroyed it, forcibly pulling more humans there... in an attempt to do what?


    He sighed. "How exactly are we supposed to save the future? We can''t even save ourselves."


    The old woman shook her head. "That is for you to know, my Lord. Although I am a caretaker of the Nightmare Spell, I am not a person it was meant for. All I can do... is help those chosen, like you... brave the thorny path. As much as I can, with what little power I have."


    She smiled.


    "Even if it''s just for a short while. That is enough for me."


    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, then rubbed his face.


    ''Well, isn''t that convenient...''

 Chapter 1296 Doom War

    Chapter 1296 Doom War


    Sunny was not sure that he was buying what Ananke believed... but at the same time, he couldn''t completely discard it. ''Damn Weaver...''


    Just why did the creator of the Spell have to be a nebulous and elusive creature �� not only surrounded in mystery, but also obsessed with lies? Could there be anyone more untrustworthy? Even though Sunny had inherited Weaver''s forbidden Lineage, wore Weaver''s Mask, and had a high affinity to fate, which was Weaver''s Domain... he still knew close to nothing about the Demon of Fate.


    Where had Weaver come from? Who hid behind the fearsome black mask? What motives had guided them? What goals had they pursued?


    He shook his head with resignation and looked at Ananke, frowning.


    ''Whatever. If I can''t learn about Weaver, I should at least learn everything else.''


    Sunny collected his thoughts before asking the next question. "Grandmother, you said that the purpose of the Nightmare Spell is to save the future from the doom of the great war between the daemons and the gods. To be honest... I am not entirely sure what that really means. What exactly is that doom? What made the war so terrible?"


    The old woman gazed at the flowing expanse of the Great River, lingered for a moment, and sighed. "It was indeed terrible. Of course, I have not experienced the horror of those days myself. What I do know was passed down to me from my elders, who had... granted, they escaped the war before the end came, so even they didn''t know how and why the true devastation happened." VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    She paused to catch her breath, then continued in her creaky voice:


    The old woman nodded. "Of course! It gave its carriers so many abilities. The ability to possess Memories and Echoes, the ability to instantly be able to enter your Soul Sea, awaken your Aspect, be guided on the path of Ascension... the Nightmare Spell promised people who desperately wished for power means to defend themselves."


    ''Huh...''


    So, Weaver was not only the most insidious Demon, but also a devious salesman. The Nightmare Spell was packed with all kinds of boons that desperate people would find irresistible �� boons that the humans of the waking world took for granted, since they had nothing to compare them to. No wonder the Spell spread like a plague despite the contemptible reputation of its creator.


    "So, what happened then?"


    Ananke lingered for a moment. "The priests of the Nightmare Spell helped it spread, trying their best to bestow its gifts on new carriers. That... was when my elders entered the Tomb of Ariel. We never learned what happened after we left. The war must have turned even more harrowing, somehow, and neither side emerged victorious. Instead, everyone was destroyed. Even the gods perished."


    She hesitated.


    "...I heard that more Outsiders appeared after the voices of the gods grew silent. Maybe they brought news to the Tomb of Ariel. But by then, we were already chased far upstream, so we never met them." The old woman''s voice grew wistful as she said:


    "By now, most of them must have been consumed by the Defilement. My Lord... perhaps you can learn more if you speak to Dusk of Fallen Grace. She is one of the sybils, after all. She must know more than a humble exile like me does..."

 Chapter 1297 Where Nightmares Come From

    Chapter 1297 Where Nightmares Come From


    Sunny remained silent for a while, thinking...


    There was a lot to think about. Although Neph''s eyes were closed, he could tell that she was thoughtful, as well. The history of the Dream Realm, which they could only guess before, was revealed in front of them with stark clarity. Of course, Ananke had not witnessed all these events herself. But the tales she relayed were passed down to her from people who actually had. ''No wonder...''


    No wonder Mordret had told him that the knowledge and experience Awakened brought back from their Nightmares were perhaps more important than the power and Abilities they gained. And that Legacy clans, especially those ruled by the Sovereigns, were very particular about which Seeds their scions challenged. Both Valor and Song must have accumulated a great deal of knowledge... however, that knowledge was not something just anyone could access. Even Nephis, who had been adopted into the great clan, did not seem privy to most of their secrets yet. That was only natural. After all, knowledge was the origin of power.


    ...According to Weaver. And Anvil would not trust her with power until she had proven herself.


    He lingered for a few moments, then looked to his right, where Ananke''s mask still lay on the wooden deck. Stretching his hand, he picked it up and stared at the fearsome, demonic face. Sunny could not glimpse anything about the mask. He did not even know whether it was a Memory or a simple piece of carved wood. Glancing at Ananke, he pointed to the mask and asked:


    "Is this a Divine Memory?"


    She remained silent for a few moments, then slowly shook her head. "No, my Lord. This one is merely Sacred... a lesser facsimile of the true Mask of Weaver. It is a part of the ceremonial garb that we, priests and priestesses of the Nightmare Spell, wear �� both to escape the gaze of our pursuers and to follow in the footsteps of our benefactor, the Demon of Fate. The more accomplished a priest was, the higher rank Memory they would be bestowed."


    Ananke looked away with a faint smile. "My mother, whom I inherited this Memory from, was one of the few who received a mask of the Sacred Rank, which was the highest of honors. As for Divine Memories of the Mask of Weaver... I''ve never seen these holy relics. There were only ever two of them, entrusted personally to the first two who were chosen by the Demon of Fate �� the High Priest and the High Priestess of the Nightmare Spell."


    Sunny studied the surface of the mask some more. After a short stretch of silence, he followed his whim and asked:


    "Does it have the [Where is my eye?] enchantment?"


    He was curious if Ananke, as the Priestess of the Spell, could teach him how to gaze at the tapestry of fate without dying. The old woman looked at him with a surprised expression. "Where is my eye? No... no, it doesn''t. But... if I may be so bold as to ask, how do you know the name of that enchantment, my Lord? This Sacred Memory of mine only possesses two. It was only the two holy Masks that possessed a third �� and even then, very few ever learned about it."


    Sunny hesitated for a long time, then sighed and summoned Weaver''s Mask. Soon, a fearsome mask of polished black wood appeared in his left hand, identical to the one he was holding in his right. Ananke''s eyes widened slightly. Updated from y Lord... is that?"


    He nodded. "Yes. Ah... before you start assuming things, I am not a Priest of the Nightmare Spell, nor am I a chosen of the Demon of Fate. It''s just that I found this thing a few years ago in a godforsaken pit of a cursed city. I''ve been stumbling on various traces of Weaver while traveling the Dream Realm, so... I guess I am curious about him. Or her. Or whatever Weaver was."


    ''Does she not know what a Nightmare is?''


    He lingered for a moment, then asked:


    "Did the Spell not put people through trials, way back then?"


    Ananke touched her white hair, then shook her head.


    "Trials? No... I''ve never heard of anything like that."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times. ''Now, that''s new... why would Nightmares only exist in our time? That doesn''t make any sense.''


    Nephis seemed to share his thoughts. She remained silent for a moment, then suddenly leaned forward and asked:


    "Grandmother... I have a question, then. Where exactly does the "nightmare" in the Nightmare Spell come from?"


    Sunny blinked.


    ''What a strange question.''


    The old woman stared at them in bewilderment. After a while, she said:


    "That is what Weaver named it. The Demon of Fate must have had a reason, but it is not for us to know what that reason was. The Nightmare Spell... it is just what it has always been called."


    Sunny and Nephis glanced at each other. The Spell was always very particular with its words, and Weaver must have been the same. There was no way that the grand creation of the nebulous daemon had been named without much thought. But what was the meaning of that name?


    Neither of them knew, and Ananke didn''t seem to know either. ''Damn Weaver...''

 Chapter 1298 Noble Cause

    Chapter 1298 Noble Cause


    Thi/s chapter is updated by


    Sunny left the old woman alone and returned to where Nephis was resting, full of thought. He had not received all the answers he wanted from Ananke, but at the same time, he learned a lot... maybe even too much. ''Ah, I don''t know.''


    There was too much information, all of it fragmented, ambiguous, and confusing. Not only that, but he was not even sure that it could be trusted. In any case, many mysteries he had never hoped to solve were resolved now. Like the destruction of the Forgotten Shore �� it had become collateral damage in the war between the daemons and the gods. Or the identity of the nameless prisoner of the ruined cathedral �� it was one of the first two apostles chosen by Weaver to tend to and spread the Nightmare Spell... whoever these apostles had been. Sunny even had more context for why the followers of War God had been destroying the temples of Shadow God in his First Nightmare, and what empire Auro of the Nine was a soldier of. Still... he had even more questions now. Like always.


    ''...My head hurts.''


    He was saying these words a lot in this Nightmare.


    Sunny sighed, then looked at Nephis. "What do you think?"


    With how obsessed she was with destroying the Spell, the revelations about its origin and presumed purpose had to have shaken her... and maybe even her conviction. But Nephis simply shrugged. "Makes sense."


    He raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"


    She looked at him and remained silent for a moment.


    "That the Nightmare Spell has a purpose, and that its purpose is tied somehow to the destruction of the Dream Realm. However, that doesn''t change anything."


    She frowned slightly. "What happened after Ananke''s elders entered the Tomb of Ariel and lost contact with the outside world? How did the war escalate even further? What could have happened to cause both sides to be destroyed?"


    Neph''s eyes glinted with white radiance. "And what role did the Spell play in the conclusion of the war? How has it grown to its current state?"


    Sunny felt a sudden chill as he remembered the description of Bone Weave... [...despised and hunted by both sides, Weaver disappeared. No one knew where Weaver went and what they did... until it was too late.] With white light burning in her eyes, Nephis looked at him and asked:


    "Did you ever think that, maybe, the Nightmare Spell is not only responsible for the devastation of our world, but also for the destruction of the Dream Realm?" He remained silent for a while, his expression troubled. Then, Sunny rolled his eyes. "Damn it, Neph. You do remember what Flaw I have, right? Please don''t subject me to avalanches of questions like that. To answer all of them... I don''t know, I have no idea, I have no clue, there''s no way to tell..."


    Nephis blinked a couple of times, then opened her eyes wide and covered her mouth with a hand. "Oh! S��sorry..."


    Sunny continued nonchalantly:


    "...that is a mystery to me, who knows? And yes, I did consider it before. There, all done."


    In the awkward silence that followed, he smiled and said:


    "Anyway. All this talking made me hungry. Let''s eat..."


    *** Sunny felt spoiled eating Ananke''s home-cooked food, so much so that the weight he had lost on the dark island was slowly returning. The old woman herself still ate like a bird, but she seemed to be in a better state than before. Her hands were shaking less, and she remained lucid for longer periods of time before having to rest. The ketch continued to move downstream, devouring distance with great speed. Nothing had attacked them yet �� perhaps because they had left the most dangerous region of the Great River, perhaps because Ananke knew how to navigate the flowing waters to avoid danger. It was probably both. The day came to an end, followed by a peaceful night. Sunny spent most of that time quietly working on mastering the fourth step of Shadow Dance. The dire enlightenment he had gained in the battle against the Azure Serpent was steadily leading him to success. In the morning, they enjoyed a scrumptious breakfast, and then... nothing changed. The journey continued, and the waters of the Great River remained the same. The old ketch continued to travel into the past.

 Chapter 1299 Nameless Things

    Chapter 1299 Nameless Things


    A few more days passed in blissful idleness. Sunny continued concentrating on Shadow Dance, not ready yet to learn more from Ananke �� the information she had shared with them was already vexing enough, and he was struggling to parse through all of its many implications. He also resumed his habit of studying the weave of the Estuary Key, even though it still remained a complete mystery to him.


    After hesitating for a while, Sunny turned to the old woman for help, but there was no result. Although she was a priestess of the Nightmare Spell and a follower of the Demon of Fate, she was not a weaver herself. Sunny knew more about Weaver''s sorcery than Ananke did.


    ...Which was not to say that she did not know anything about sorcery at all. After spending several days in the ketch, Sunny and Nephis noticed two strange things about the swift vessel and its owner. The first one concerned the ketch itself. Its sails were always full of wind, pushing the boat across the shining surface of the Great River with enviable speed. Which was not too strange in and of itself, if not for the fact that this speed was too constant and stable. It also did not seem as though the direction and strength of the wind ever changed �� or rather, they never changed around the ketch. They did, however, change some distance away from it, creating an eerie situation where the waters where the wooden sailboat passed were different from the rest of the world. Not only that, but Ananke also never manipulated the sails in any way to help them catch the wind. And nothing ever attacked them. Both Sunny and Nephis knew, of course, that the ketch was not a mundane boat. It was obviously enchanted in some way, they just did not know how. There were no runes carved into its surface and no sophisticated runic patterns like on the Chain Breaker. There was no spellweave hidden within the old wood either. Updated from


    Eventually, they were defeated by curiosity and asked Ananke directly. That was how Sunny learned that, while the old woman was not a weaver, she was still a sorceress. However, the sorcery she used did not belong to the Demon of Fate, nor was it the runic sorcery created by Hope. Instead, it was the ancient sorcery upon which Hope''s runic magic was based �� the sorcery of Names.


    Noticing their bewilderment, the old woman chuckled. "My Lord and Lady... don''t look too surprised. I am not some kind of powerful Shaper. I was just taught a few simple Names and Phrases by my mother, enough to sail the Great River and provide for myself."


    Sunny and Nephis were still stunned. It was not every day that they met a practitioner of an entirely new system of sorcery. In fact, Sunny had only ever met two sorcerers... himself and Noctis. Noctis had known a great deal about True Names of things and how to invoke them, but his was a more sophisticated kind of magic, which relied on inscribing the Names with runes instead of speaking them directly. Nephis had met a few more, considering that she was acquainted with the forgemasters of Clan Valor. She had told him that the members of the Valor family often received Aspects tied to crafting, which was how they were able to create powerful Memories. However, the family had accumulated plenty of knowledge of runic sorcery, as well.


    The cage that Sunny and Cassie had almost died in during their imprisonment in the Night Temple was proof.


    Plus, if Nephis learned these Names from Ananke, he could always ask her to teach him in the future. Sunny sighed, then forced himself to say:


    "...I''ll decline, for now."


    His heart was in pain.


    Nephis looked at him silently, then turned to Ananke and bowed slightly. "Please teach me, Grandmother."


    The old woman nodded with satisfaction.


    "It will be an honor, my Lady."


    And that was how the first strange thing they noticed was resolved. The second, though...


    The second had to do with Ananke herself.


    It seemed that the further downstream they traveled, the more the old woman changed.

 Chapter 1300 Riverborn.

    Chapter 1300 Riverborn.


    When Sunny and Nephis first met Ananke, both were concerned about the frail old woman. She just looked too ancient and weak, ready to snap like a twig. Her tan skin was thin and transparent like oil paper, her cloudy eyes teary and dull, her gaunt figure so small that it seemed to be drowning in the black folds of her dark mantle. They were not sure that the old woman could survive another peaceful day, let alone a long and perilous journey across the Great River. However, as the days went by, their worries were proven wrong. Old Ananke continued to cling to life... in fact, her condition seemed to be improving little by little. She had more energy now, could remain fully lucid for longer periods of time, and even regained some of her appetite. At first, Sunny thought that it was simply the result of finally having hope again after waiting for the two of them for gods knew how long, as well as eating better. But as more time passed, the difference became too obvious to be explained by mere inspiration. Ananke... was definitely changing. Her hands gradually stopped shaking, and her grip on the steering oar became firmer. Her cloudy eyes regained some of their former sharpness. She wasn''t hunching as much anymore, and her voice was not as weak and creaky as before. She did not grow tired as quickly as she had at the start, and the long periods of silence where she seemed to doze off with her eyes open happened less and less frequently, until ceasing altogether. It was as though Ananke was slowly growing younger.


    Sunny had to admit that he was not just imagining things when he opened his eyes one day to notice that there were suddenly a few black strands in her long, snow-white hair. ''What is going on?''


    He looked at Ananke for a few moments, then lowered his gaze to the powerful current of the Great River. Which flowed into the past...


    Nephis, who had been practicing the Names the old woman taught her �� to no result, for now �� noticed that he was awake and carefully pulled on the sleeve of his tunic. Then, she silently glanced at Ananke and back. Sunny hesitated for a moment. ''Me? Why do I have to ask? Asking a woman about her age, does she think I like courting death?!''


    Well, to be honest... his track record indeed suggested that he did. He sighed, threw an indignant glance at Nephis, and approached the old woman while secretly studying her face and thin frame. There was no denying it �� Ananke looked much more hale than she had before. She could not be called young by any means, still, but neither could she be called decrepit or ancient.


    Sunny lingered for a second or two, then asked politely:


    "Grandmother... can I ask you something?"


    The old woman smiled at him kindly. "Of course, my Lord."


    ''Now what am I supposed to say?''


    Sunny took a deep breath, then just came clean with it.


    "It might sound weird, but... are you, by any chance... getting younger?"


    Ananke looked at him with a startled expression.


    Sunny coughed in embarrassment. "I''m sorry, it''s just that... I noticed that you look better... ah, I don''t mean that you didn''t look well before..."


    The old woman suddenly chuckled. "No, no. It is me who needs to apologize, my Lord. I just... have never met someone entirely from outside the Tomb of Ariel before. That is why it is not easy for me to account for the fact that you might not know some things that are common sense here."


    Ananke sighed softly. "Our bodies will not age, my Lord. That is not the same as being immortal." She looked at the sparkling expanse of the Great River wistfully.


    "...Actually, we Riverborn don''t usually live that long. At least not in Weave. Life here is full of hardship, and the waters are dangerous. Since we live close to the desolate future, there are many Corrupted coming from upstream... all of them immune to the flow of time. Things were fine when we had many Outsiders among us �� our elders �� but as their number dwindled, it grew harder and harder to provide for ourselves and defend the city."


    The old woman''s face grew dark.


    "After all, it is not easy to fight an enemy that can attack and retreat freely while you lack the ability to pursue it. Still... we managed. Life in Weave might not have been easy or opulent, but it was blissful. At least mine was."


    Ananke fell silent, a faint smile on her lips. ''Now wait a minute...''


    Sunny tilted his head and, unable to control himself, blurted out:


    "Then, Grandmother... no, Ananke... how old are you, really?"


    ''Ah! What am I doing!''


    The old woman looked at him and chuckled. "Me? Actually... among the River People, I am considered to be quite a young woman."


    He froze.


    Nephis froze, too.


    "Y��young?"


    Ananke nodded earnestly.


    "Of course! I am barely two hundred years old..."

 Chapter 1301 Fourth Mastery

    Chapter 1301 Fourth Mastery


    The Outsiders and the Riverborn... the revelation of the difference between them was enough to boggle Sunny''s mind. He had already been prepared to encounter all kinds of bizarre situations inside the Tomb of Ariel, but what Ananke told them sent him for a loop. It was because Sunny had only considered the odd perils of the Great River in relation to himself, not in relation to a whole civilization. The way the River People lived was fundamentally different from anything he had ever known... because the most fundamental truth of the world �� time �� worked differently for them. The first settlers of the Tomb of Ariel had all been Outsiders, so how great must their shock have been when their children were born so different from them? How much pain did that division bring, how much sorrow? How much effort did it take for them to create an entirely new kind of society?


    With time, the number of Riverborn grew, while the number of Outsiders dwindled. However, the civilization that Ananke had described could not function without the Outsiders, who could travel the Great River and served as the connective tissue between various cities established on it. What was it like for them, to see their children remain forever young? What was it like for the Riverborn, to watch their parents age when they never did? To see them leave when they couldn''t?


    ...How did Riverborn children even become adults?


    Suddenly, the story of the followers of Weaver being chased far upstream gained a much darker undertone.


    Sunny shivered.


    The civilization of the Great River turned out to be much stranger than he had thought. It was so strange, in fact, that he struggled to imagine it. And that was not even mentioning the fact that Old Ananke had turned out to not be old at all... while also being ten times his age. ''Ah, I can''t think anymore...''


    It was too much to digest... especially this early in the morning.


    Sunny summoned the Endless Spring and washed his face, then opened Ananke''s wooden box. There was not much food left inside, which made him sigh. Taking out a teapot and a plate brimming with juicy braised meat, rolled in seaweed leaves, he sat down and stared at the seven suns for a few moments. ''...Dusk of Fallen Grace is one of the original sybils. If Ananke, who was born long after they had entered the Tomb of Ariel, is two hundred years old, then what about Dusk?''


    What about the Defilement? For how many centuries had the sybils fought against the spreading Corruption before losing all their cities except Fallen Grace?


    In other words... for how long had the enemy been growing stronger, while their potential allies had been growing weaker?


    Shaking his head, he poured the tea into two cups and grabbed a seaweed roll.


    ''No matter how long it has been, I need to grow stronger, too, and do it quickly.''


    ***


    ''I''ll be careful.''


    He sighed, then opened his eyes and finally summoned the runes. Sunny really wanted to check how Soul Serpent had evolved, but the runes of his absent Shadow were lifeless and dull. He couldn''t summon more information about Serpent while it was away.


    So, he turned to his Aspect Legacy instead and read, holding his breath:


    Aspect Legacy: [Shadow Dance].


    Shadow Dance Mastery Level: [4/7].


    First Relic: Claimed.


    Second Relic: Claimed.


    Third Relic: Claimed.


    Fourth Relic: [Claim].


    Fifth Relic: Unearned...


    Sunny lingered for a moment, and then whispered quietly:


    "Claim."


    Nothing happened for a few seconds. Then, it seemed as though the world turned a little darker, and the Spell spoke:


    [You have claimed an Aspect Legacy Relic.]


    Its words echoed above the flowing water. There was silence for a moment, and then, the Spell whispered: [...You have received a fragment of Shadow''s Domain.]

 Chapter 1302 Absolute Law

    Chapter 1302 Absolute Law


    Sunny froze, paralyzed by the whisper of the Spell.


    ''...What?''


    Had he heard right? Had it really said... a fragment of Shadow''s Domain?


    Of a god''s Domain?


    ''No, wait...''


    What even was a Divine Domain, and how could there be a fragment of it? How could there be a fragment of any Domain, for that matter? Weren''t Domains more concepts than things?


    What could a fragment of a concept look like?!


    Sunny took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. ''Slow down. Think... most importantly, don''t fall off the ketch!''


    He was so out of it that he had almost swayed and tumbled over the side of the boat. Sunny was more than fed up with suddenly falling into water, thanks to the Spell, so he hurriedly took a step back. ''A fragment of Shadow''s Domain...''


    Come to think about it... hadn''t he heard something similar once? During the Second Nightmare, when they assaulted the Ivory City, the moon had been suddenly devoured by an enormous shadow, and the world was plunged into darkness. When that happened, Noctis said... that he had not expected Sevras to possess a piece of Shadow''s domain. Ivory Dragon Sevirax was a direct descendant of Sun God and an immortal Saint, and yet it was strange for him to possess something like that. And now, Sunny received a piece of a god''s Domain, too?


    ''D��damn...''


    Sunny needed a few minutes to calm down. During these minutes, his imagination ran wild. He fantasized about all kinds of developments, from immediately becoming a Sovereign to instantly ascending to the Divine Rank. However, his rationality eventually won. ''It doesn''t work like that.''


    Indeed, possessing a fragment of someone else''s Domain did not mean having one of your own. More than that, the Ivory Lord, who had used his piece of Shadow''s domain to seal the moon and rob Noctis of his power, had not shown any ability above what a So, while the fourth Aspect Relic of Shadow Dance had to be immensely valuable, it was definitely not a broken cheat item that would turn Sunny into a god among men. Saint from a divine bloodline should have possessed. So, while the fourth Aspect Relic of Shadow Dance had to be immensely valuable, it was definitely not a broken cheat item that would turn Sunny into a god among men. ''Yes, but... just what the hell is it, and what can it do?''


    He threw a sideways glance at Nephis and Ananke, then turned back to the shimmering runes. ''And where the hell is it?''


    Sunny read the runes from the very first one.


    Name: Sunless.


    True Name: Lost from Light. Rank: Ascended.


    ??: [By calling upon the Fragment of Shadow Realm, its owner can summon a piece of Shadow''s domain into existence.]


    Sunny stared at the runes, perplexed.


    ''...Huh.''


    Then, he stared at them some more.


    ''Huh?''


    Finally, he dismissed them.


    ''Huh...''


    An entire minute passed in complete silence.


    ''Well, I''ll be damned.''


    It seemed like... he had finally encountered something that existed outside the purview of the Nightmare Spell. Which was why the Spell was struggling to integrate the Shadow Realm Fragment into its generally all-encompassing system.


    All the question marks and the awkward placement of the Fragment in the field of runes showed that much. For some reason, that made Sunny feel dark glee. He was reveling in the image of the Spell being stumped and flustered...


    On second thought, though, he quickly strangled that feeling. Sunny was more than certain that the Spell could read his mind. And while it was not exactly alive... most likely... he wouldn''t go as far as to say that the Spell couldn''t hold a grudge.


    ''No, no! It is completely understandable. I also can''t make sense of that thing... yeah...''


    The point was that the fourth relic granted to him by Shadow Dance could make a fragment of the Shadow Realm descend into the world. What that entailed, exactly... Sunny was not sure. He had seen it happen once, in the Second Nightmare, and it caused the moon to be obscured by a giant shadow. Considering that he was a Master of Shadows and even one himself... something like that would definitely be very beneficial to him. It was just that Sunny had no idea what the summoning would cost him, how it would transpire, or what the actual process was. He didn''t even know if it could be done only once, or repeatedly... which was why he was hesitant to experiment and find out.


    What would he do if the very first experiment turned out to also be the last time he could use the Shadow Realm Fragment?


    As the seven suns drowned and the waters of the Great River started to shine, Sunny sighed and shook his head. ''Well, at least... if I am surprised by how that thing works, my enemies will definitely be surprised much more.''


    Then, he shivered. If a fragment of Shadow''s Domain was the fourth relic of Shadow Dance... then what the hell would be the fifth?


    ...What about the seventh?

 Chapter 1303 The Great and Terrible Lord Sunless

    Chapter 1303 The Great and Terrible Lord Sunless


    Eventually, they ran out of food. Ananke''s wooden box was now completely empty �� except for the plates and cups that Sunny had washed and carefully placed back. There was not even wine left, despite the fact that neither he nor Nephis were fond of alcohol, diluted or not. The old woman seemed stricken by guilt at the lack of things to feed them...


    Although she was not that old anymore. Ananke looked to be in her sixties now. Her figure remained small and gaunt, but her back was as straight as an arrow. The cataracts disappeared from her eyes, revealing their original piercing blue color. The thin white hair of the elderly priestess turned grey and full, and although her tan skin was still mapped with wrinkles, it was not brittle and transparent anymore. Her frailness and fragility were gone, replaced by wiry tenacity. Overall, she resembled quite a healthy old woman now.


    ...That old woman was currently pacing the wooden deck, crushed. "Oh, no. Oh, what a blunder. I should have prepared more..."


    Sunny and Nephis looked at each other in confusion. After a few moments of silence, Neph cleared her throat and said:


    "Grandm... Ananke. You don''t have to worry about us. Sunny and I... we are both used to hunger and hardship. This is nothing."


    The old priestess looked at them silently. "But you are Children of Weaver. How can I..."


    Nephis shook her head. "How do you think Children of Weaver live?"


    Ananke fell silent, then said hesitantly:


    "I don''t know." New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Sunny sighed and leaned on the side of the ketch with a smile.


    "Ah, but he was already corrupted! It''s not like I just killed him for no reason."


    The old woman remained silent for a while, then quietly sighed. "...Fish. I am going to catch some fish. We will be arriving at Weave soon, but still. My Lord and Lady shouldn''t suffer hunger while in my care."


    With that, she turned away from them with a determined expression... which failed to hide a look of pure amazement. Sunny chuckled quietly and closed his eyes, enjoying the warmth of the seven suns on his face. After a few moments, though, he opened them again and glanced at Ananke with curiosity. He still wasn''t sure how exactly one went about catching fish in the Great River. As it turned out... Ananke had a very strange idea of what fish was. First, she opened a hatch and produced several items from beneath the storage space beneath the deck �� a large ceramic bottle, a bundled rope with a jagged hook attached to it, a set of heavy stone weights, and a scattering of softly shining soul shards, which were all stored in a transparent waterskin that seemed to be made from a swim bladder.


    Then, she grabbed the bottle and climbed onto the helmsman bench, looking at the water from above. When Ananke opened the ceramic vessel, the stench of blood spread through the air.


    The bottle was, indeed, full of blood. The old woman whispered several words, which Sunny couldn''t really make out despite hearing them clearly. At the same time, the ketch suddenly started to slow down, and a subtle, imperceptible change spread through the world. He suddenly did not feel as safe as he had before. ''Our concealment is broken.''


    As Sunny tensed, Ananke poured the blood into the water and outstretched one of her hands. A whirlwind of sparks appeared around it, and soon, a long harpoon manifested itself into existence. Rising the harpoon above her head, the old woman inhaled deeply, and then spoke one more word aloud. In the next moment, it was as though an invisible and intangible shockwave spread outward from the ketch. Sunny did not know what its purpose was, but he felt something stir deep within his soul. The thick blood dissolved in the water, causing it to turn red. Then, as if responding to a call... a swift shadow shot toward the ketch from the deep. ''Crap!''


    Sunny scrambled to his feet, but before he could do anything, Ananke''s wiry arm whipped forward, and her harpoon tore through the air with a fierce whistle. It plunged into the water and disappeared from view. ...A minute later, the old woman dragged the corpse of a Fallen Nightmare Creature onto the deck. The abomination was not too large, with a grotesquely deformed body and flesh that resembled a sponge. Sunny shivered in disgust. "We are going to it... that?"


    The old woman shook her head. "No, my Lord. This is simply the bait." She summoned a curved knife and skillfully sliced the carcass of the creature open. Its blood refilled the ceramic bottle, while its soul shard joined the others in the transparent waterskin.


    Finally, Ananke lodged the jagged hook in the abomination''s flesh, attached the stone weights to it, and pushed the bladder of soul shards inside. Everything was done neatly, with practiced speed and precision, as if she had performed these actions a thousand times before.


    Sunny and Nephis watched her silently. Eventually, he rolled his shoulders and asked:


    "Uh. If this is the bait... then what exactly are we catching?"

 Chapter 1304 Fishing in the Great River

    Chapter 1304 Fishing in the Great River


    Hearing his question, the old woman smiled. "This close to Weave? Huh... I hope it''s a Bigmaw. Their meat is very tender."


    Before they could ask what a Bigmaw was, she grunted and threw the dead abomination, as well as the stone weights, over the side of the ketch. As the bundle of rope swiftly unfolded, Ananke swiftly tied its end to a wooden post at the stern of the ketch with a sophisticated knot. Soon, the bleeding carcass of the Nightmare Creature was being dragged a fair distance behind the boat, slowly sinking into the Great River. The old woman took up her harpoon again, this time gripping it with some tension. Her weathered face, however, was calm.


    After waiting for a few minutes, she sighed. "Usually, it would be an entire fishing party challenging the depths. But... I am the only one left, so..."


    Ananke remained silent for a moment, and then smiled. "Do not worry, my Lord and Lady. My harpoon has yet to miss. The fishes I catch never managed to swallow me up, either, and they won''t today."


    Sunny and Nephis silently looked at each other, then summoned their weapons. However, there was no need. When something massive finally rose from the depths, attracted by the scent of blood and the fragrance of soul essence, Ananke swiftly readied her harpoon, gazed at the water, and sent it flying with one decisive motion. ...Soon, they were roasting the meat of a Corrupted Monster over a bronze brazier. The "fish" the old woman had caught turned out to be a giant shark-like creature whose body was covered in tough bone armor. However, the harpoon had slid past the bone plates in the only spot where it was possible �� above the creature''s hidden gills. Sunny did not know what enchantments Ananke''s weapon possessed, but after striking the abomination in its the weak spot, the harpoon killed the Bigmaw in one blow. The monster was then dressed down, its succulent meat filling the wooden box, as well as the much larger storage space of the Covetous Coffer. As she seasoned the roasting meat with salt, the old woman sighed. "In the past, we would have harvested much more. Skin, scales, bones, swim bladder, fangs... nothing would have gone to waste. There are very few building materials to be found in the vast waters of the Great River, so maintaining a city is not an easy task. We River People have learned to use every resource available."


    She placed a long strip of meat on the grill and shook her head. "There''s no need to be so frugal now, though. I am already thankful to the River for this sustenance. With it, I can feed Lord and Lady... that is enough."


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then asked: Thi/s chapter is updated by


    This was the first human-made structure that Sunny and Nephis had seen in the Nightmare. Looking at it filled their hearts with emotions... Nephis, especially, looked at the lighthouse with a distant expression. Its radiance reflected in her eyes, illuminating their ineffable depths. Sunny shifted and turned to Ananke, who was still holding the steering oar. "Have we reached Weave?"


    She lingered for a few moments. "A boundary of it, yes."


    The old woman fell silent after that, and Sunny returned to Nephis. Noticing her distant, almost forlorn expression, he asked:


    "Are you thinking about your First Nightmare?"


    She nodded slowly. With a sigh, Sunny placed a hand on Neph''s shoulder and pulled her closer, allowing her to lean on him slightly. He didn''t say anything, and neither did she. Together, they watched the lighthouse draw nearer. Soon, the ketch moved close enough for them to see the details. The lighthouse stood on a small island. That island, however, was not a natural one �� instead, it seemed to have been crafted from the carapace of a sea monster and floated on water, supporting a large and solemn hall built of dark stone. The lighthouse rose from the hall, serving as its tower. There was a long wooden pier protruding into the flowing waters of the Great River, as well. The strangest part, however, was that the island did not seem to be drifting with the current. Instead, it remained firmly in place.


    Another startling detail was that the dark lighthouse with its shining spire... was not a lighthouse at all. Instead, it was a windmill. Its long blades rotated slowly, pushed by the wind, white fabric rippling slightly as it circled between land and sky.


    The island looked quite surreal, especially after weeks spent seeing nothing but flowing water. But it must have been really beautiful at night, illuminated from below by the opalescent radiance of the river. Ananke finally spoke, her voice a little low:


    "This... is the House of Parting."

 Chapter 1305 House of Parting

    Chapter 1305 House of Parting


    "This... is the House of Parting. It is the furthest point of Weave as one travels upstream." New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Ananke''s voice sounded uncharacteristically dispirited.


    ''House of Parting...''


    Sunny studied the artificial island and the solemn structure built upon it, then turned to the old woman and asked:


    "It''s... a windmill?"


    She nodded. "Yes, my Lord. The tower harvests the wind to maintain the island."


    Ananke lingered for a second, and then added:


    "The cities of the Great River are actually more akin to flotillas, each consisting of many city-ships �� some small like this one, some spanning dozens of kilometers across. They migrate sometimes, but mostly they have to stay in place. There is nothing to anchor a ship to on the Great River, though."


    Nephis raised an eyebrow. "Is the Great River so deep that no anchor can reach its bottom?"


    Ananke shook her head. "It is not that the floor of the Great River is too deep, it''s that it doesn''t exist. No one has ever managed to reach it, at least... so, we had to find other ways."


    She pointed to the rotating blades of the towering windmill.


    "There are various ways to make a city-ship resist the current, from mundane ones to magical. The House of Parting... you can''t see it from here, but there is a great water wheel at the back of the island, constantly propelling it forward at the same speed as the River pushes it back. Its mechanism is mostly powered by the current itself, but the windmill lightens the burden significantly." She sighed. "The island''s mechanism is on the brink of collapse, now... I''ve tried to repair it as well as I could, but my knowledge is insufficient to keep an entire city from breaking apart. There''s little point to, anyway."


    Sunny and Nephis looked at the dark windmill, feeling a sense of awe. The island in front of them was actually the creation of incredible human ingenuity �� a floating city district that used the wind and the power of the Great River itself to fight against the currents of time. Even now that the people of Weave were gone, it was still pushing forward, refusing to become a thing of the past. The ketch approached the island in solemn silence. As it drew close, Ananke released the wind filling the sails, skillfully guided the boat to the pier, and moored it to the pier with a piece of rope. The three of them left the small ketch for the first time in a long, long while. Feeling the sturdy wooden planks of the pier under his feet, Sunny enjoyed the fact that the ground was not swaying and took a few steps. He was swaying like a drunk himself for the first couple, but then regained his balance. As he stretched his limbs, Nephis looked around and asked:


    "The House of Parting... why was this place given such a name?"


    In fact, he was surprised by some of the things he had seen already... the wood that Curious, he asked the old woman about it. She smiled:


    "The trees? There are some. There are floating gardens and fields in Weave. They are However, he suddenly wanted something else to happen today. Ananke''s ketch and the pier of the House of Parting were built of, for example. Where had it come from? The fruits that she had treated them to, as well. There was no soil anywhere on the Great River, so how could there be trees? How could there be flour to bake pies, and tea leaves to brew tea?


    Curious, he asked the old woman about it. She smiled:


    "The trees? There are some. There are floating gardens and fields in Weave. They are not too large, of course, because the surface of the city is limited. So... we can only afford to eat fruit, bread, and rice on special occasions. Most of the year, the River People eat what the River gives." Sunny looked down, suddenly feeling guilty. So the delicious food he and Nephis had been enjoying was something that Ananke herself had not tasted often. They were currently in one of the smaller chambers of the House of Parting, the old woman preparing to cook them a late supper. He had been rather complacent in allowing her to take care of them... mostly because it felt great to be pampered by someone caring and kind, but also because Ananke was strangely adamant about treating Sunny and Nephis with utmost dedication.


    However, he suddenly wanted something else to happen today. Walking over to the old woman, he gently pushed her away from the table where all the ingredients were waiting to be prepared and cooked.


    "Go rest, Ananke. I''ll take care of everything."


    She looked at him with big eyes.


    "But, my Lord..."


    Sunny resolutely shook his head. "No "buts"! You don''t need to cook. Today, this lord is going to cook for you instead."


    Throwing an evaluating look at the ingredients, he grinned and added:


    "Do you know? I am planning to get rich by opening a restaurant in the future."


    Then, he paused for a moment, scratched his head, and pointed at Nephis... who gave him a confused look in response.


    Sunny smiled brightly. "And that... is my star chef. Come and help your boss, chef! You don''t want to get fired before the restaurant even opens, do you?"


    Guiltythree

 Chapter 1306 Paths of Ascension

    Chapter 1306 Paths of Ascension


    Sunny could not really treat Ananke to the staples of the waking world cuisine, since he lacked the ingredients. He couldn''t even cook up the few classic military dishes, which were mostly based on using synthetic rations in inventive ways. However, he and Nephis still managed to make a delicious meal �� they were Awakened, after all, and Awakened were supreme masters of turning monster meat into all kinds of delightful dishes. In fact, Awakened cuisine was as varied as its basic ingredients were limited. There were some fundamental skills taught to everyone, but each Citadel and region of the Dream Realm added its own flavor to the tradition. So, each Awakened cook was, in a sense, unique. Take Sunny, for example... his fundamental skills had been taught to him by Teacher Julius. Since Teacher Julius was anchored in Bastion, Sunny''s cooking acquired a hint of Bastion''s tradition. Later, it was influenced by the flavor passed down to Nephis by the Immortal Flame clan, and then assimilated the improvised habits of the Sleepers of the Dark City.


    After that, he absorbed the local tradition of the Chained Isles, as well as learning this and that from the government Awakened in Antarctica. Since there was no other Awakened whose culinary skills were the result of this exact combination of influences, the flavor of Sunny''s cooking was unique. ...Soon, the chamber was filled with a delicious smell. The meal they prepared was not the most visually stunning, but its fragrance was tantalizing. The meat had just the right amount of crust on the outside, while the insides were juicy and moist. It had absorbed the spices and the heat of the coals, becoming tender enough to melt on the tongue. New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Still, it didn''t look too pretty... Awakened did not really care about the presentation, since their meals were usually eaten in a hurry while keeping one eye out for the prowling abominations.


    There were some side dishes, at least.


    Ananke tasted the dish presented to her with diligently hidden caution, but then, her eyes widened slightly. Throwing a quick glance at Sunny and Nephis, she hesitated for a few moments, and then attacked her food like a hungry wolf. Sunny smiled. ''That''s better...''


    It was a far cry from the start of their journey together, when he had to force her to eat even a single small pie. The old woman''s appetite was not making him worry anymore. ''That said... why was she so surprised? Huh? Do I not look like a guy who can outcook every damned cook out there?''


    Sunny grimaced. Well... maybe it was because he was going around boasting about how he had eaten nothing but rotten mimic meat for a month. It was only fair for people to doubt his taste after hearing such things. Still...


    ''I better get Aiko to do the promotions when I open my restaurant. And, uh... maybe write me a guide on what I should and shouldn''t say...''


    He could have the shop and the restaurant in the same building. Customers would come to browse the Memories, then have a meal to celebrate the purchase. And he would receive the money for both!


    Chuckling, Sunny focused on his own portion.


    Soon, they were done with the supper and were preparing to rest. The House of Parting consisted of the main ceremonial hall, several smaller halls, and a scattering of rooms for the departing and their close ones to sleep in before saying the final goodbyes. So, Sunny and Nephis were going to enjoy sleeping on actual beds tonight, for the first time since leaving the siege capital to participate in the Battle of the Black Skull. Before that, however, all three of them remained around the table, drinking tea and savoring its refreshing warmth. Despite the solemn nature of their surroundings, the atmosphere was light and uplifting. It was hard not to enjoy the simple comforts after spending months in the wilderness. Maybe it was this relaxed mood that prompted Sunny to ask the question he had been hesitating to ask for a while. Putting down his cup, he glanced at the old woman and asked:


    The old woman smiled, lingered for a while, and then said thoughtfully:


    "...Although my knowledge is limited, I will try to explain as best I can. Let''s see... the first step is, of course, to Awaken. To Awaken, one must gain control over their soul essence, and use that control to form the soul core."


    Sunny blinked.


    "...In that order?" Ananke did not seem to understand the question. "Naturally. How would one form the core without being able to control essence? It is like trying to build a building without bricks. There are some powerful creatures who are born with their soul cores already formed, sure, and have to learn to move their "Learning how to control essence is the hardest part. Forming the core takes time and essence as they mature. But most are born Dormant, like us humans."


    She paused for a moment. "Learning how to control essence is the hardest part. Forming the core takes time and effort, but as long as you have the knowledge, success is all but guaranteed. Well... some still fail, of course, and die after their souls collapse."


    Sunny and Nephis glanced at each other. So... the ancient humans Awakened in the reverse order compared to modern humans, who formed their soul core after the First Nightmare and gained the ability to control essence after surviving the first journey to the Dream Realm. That was how the Spell arranged things.


    ''Interesting.''


    Nephis took a sip of her tea and asked, her voice tinged with a hint of curiosity:


    "Then how does one learn to control their essence?"


    The Awakened of the waking world received the ability to sense their essence from the Spell. The intuitive knowledge of how to control it was gifted to them, too... it just took time and practice to turn that control into a practical skill. Most received these gifts after Awakening, while Nephis had to catch up after becoming a Master. Ananke thought for a few moments. "There is... no single way to gain control over your soul essence. In fact, it is a unique experience for many. Some spend long years meditating and perfecting their souls, eventually entering a state of unity between mind and soul. Some attune themselves to the world and gather insights about the nature of living things, traveling from realm to realm. Some follow the teachings of great warriors and train their bodies, testing themselves through hardship and battle. Some even receive sudden epiphanies in a moment of dire crisis with no preparation whatsoever." She hesitated for a bit. "However, there is a path that anyone can walk �� both the simplest and the most dangerous, as well as the most vile."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow. "And what is that path?"


    Ananke sighed. "...It is to absorb soul essence that has already Awakened. Through killing those who have already Awakened, and plundering their soul shards." Her face turned grim. "The Awakened essence already knows how to be controlled, so when it is mixed with the essence of Dormant beings, it will change that essence... a little. Absorb enough of it, and your essence will Awaken, too. Things were simple during the Age of Heroes, when many Corrupted prowled the realms, and humans had to battle them to survive. But as the eras changed and there were fewer monsters to kill... some humans and noble creatures turned to killing each other, instead."

 Chapter 1307 Before the Nightmare Spell

    Chapter 1307 Before the Nightmare Spell


    The old woman fell silent. Sunny and Nephis were somber, too. It was too easy to imagine what vile acts those who lusted for power could commit in a world that rewarded murder with strength. In fact, the same vileness could have consumed the waking world, where absorbing the essence of slain humans was easier than hunting down countless Nightmare Creatures. If not for the government and people like Jet, who maintained order and suppressed the darker side of the Awakened society with an iron fist, things would have turned grim long ago. Legacy clans also played their part, preventing human enclaves in the Dream Realm from spiraling into lawlessness.


    Eventually, Sunny sighed and shook his head. "So... once your soul essence Awakens and you can control it, the next step is to patiently work on forming the soul core. What happens then?"


    Ananke smiled and pointed to her chest, where the soul core of a human was usually located. "Accumulation of power. Ascension is a step of rising above one''s mortal nature by improving the quality of their essence, and their body as well. This step can be slow if one refines themselves naturally, or fast, if one improves their essence by absorbing the essence of stronger beings. Once the soul essence reaches a qualitative change, the soul core will reform itself and grow stronger, as well. Of course, it won''t happen without some conscious refinement, either."


    Sunny tilted his head. "Uh... how does one refine their essence, exactly?"


    Ananke laughed. "It''s not something I can explain in one conversation! There are methods and techniques, the knowledge of which has been accumulated over countless generations and is taught to disciples over many years. Even then, very few manage to succeed. Ah... of course, all those who do succeed have to find the way into their Soul Sea first. Without the ability to enter the Soul Sea, it would take one many lifetimes to Ascend even with the best refinement technique."


    She shook her head with a smile. "At least that is how it is for us humans. Some of the noble creatures have their own ways... they can possess multiple soul cores, as well, and walk the path of Ascension more naturally."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times. "Wait... people have to learn how to enter their Soul Seas?"


    The old woman nodded matter-of-factly. "Of course. That is... without the guidance of the Nightmare Spell. Weaver gave us mortals a gift that can hasten each step on the path of Ascension, including the discovery of one''s Soul Sea."


    ''That''s... unexpected.''


    Everyone just assumed that being able to access the Soul Sea was a natural ability of all Awakened �� including Sleepers. As it turned out, that was another thing that the Spell had simplified for the humans of the waking world.


    ''Ruthless, relentless, and... immensely effective. That is how the Spell is.''


    "Why is it that only humans possess Aspects? Why don''t creatures... noble creatures... have them as well?"


    To the humans of the waking world, everything that was not a human was a Nightmare Creature. But, of course, Sunny had learned a long time ago that this wasn''t the case. There were humans, and there were creatures �� like the original Saint or Nightmare. It was only after they succumbed to Corruption did the "noble creatures", as Ananke called such beings, become abominations. The problem was that there were only humans in the waking world, while every creature in the Dream Realm was already corrupted. That was why the concept of something that was not human, but also not abominable, was hard to accept. However... in the ancient times, humans and noble creatures lived side by side. Nevertheless, the difference between them was the same �� humans could only rise in Rank, but possessed Aspects, while noble creatures rose both in Rank and Class, but had no Aspects of their own. So, the question Nephis asked was indeed interesting. Ananke smiled.


    "Why, it is because noble creatures were created by the gods, while we humans weren''t."


    Sunny blinked.


    ''Huh?''


    He did know that creating living things was an authority exclusive to the gods �� which was why Nether''s feat of making Saint and her people was so remarkable.


    Now, he learned that all creatures were the result of the gods exercising that authority. But what did Ananke mean when she said that humans weren''t made the same way?


    Noticing their confusion, she chuckled. "Humans weren''t created by anyone, and instead just appeared from the same stuff the gods were born from. It''s just that... if the gods were the flame, then we humans were tiny sparks that shot out as the bonfire was dying out. Nevertheless, we come from the same source. Which is why all humans possess the potential to become divine, as well as the ability to awaken an Aspect. Why the path of Ascension is open to us."


    Sunny frowned. ''There was an ever-changing void, where Desire was born. From it came Direction, and the gods...''


    He still did not really understand the meaning of these mysterious words, but if Ananke was telling the truth �� and not just retelling baseless myths �� humans came from the "Desire" and "Direction" as well, just as the gods had. He shook his head. "Alright... I can understand that. But why did you say that it''s not only an Aspect that is required to Transcend, but also the Flaw?"


    The old woman sighed. "Because one can''t exist without the other. Imperfection is also an absolute law, just like death... and so, nothing is flawless. Even the world itself is flawed. Even the gods, who were born flawless, are not perfect anymore. And so, we humans are flawed, too."


    She smiled and added, her voice calm: "But that is a good thing. Flawless things are perfect, and so, they can never improve. They can never grow. They can only remain still and unchanging, which is no different from being dead. Being flawed is the essence of life, my Lord and Lady. It is also the essence of growth. After all, what is life if not a constant struggle to grow and improve?"


    Updated from

 Chapter 1308 Weave

    Chapter 1308 Weave


    Sunny almost choked on his tea. He had grown accustomed to Ananke being helpful and accommodating, so he did not expect her to become philosophical all of a sudden. Worse still, because of his own Flaw, he had no chance but to answer her philosophical question. ''What is life, huh?'' He coughed. "Well, I don''t know. To me, life is all about being rich and comfortable. Throw a little decadence in the mix, and it''s even better! If I ever manage to build such a delightful life for myself, I''ll be more than happy to never improve or grow... apart from growing fatter, that is..." The old woman laughed. "That is a remarkable dream, my Lord."


    Nephis threw a burning gaze at him at the mention of decadence, then turned to Ananke.


    "Then what about the next step? How does one become Supreme?"


    Her voice was tense.


    The old woman lingered for a while, then shook her head with a sigh. "That I don''t know... and there is no one left to teach me. I am sorry that I can''t be of help."


    Sunny shook his head. "No, no... you''ve already been very helpful. We learned a lot from you."


    Ananke smiled. "In that case, thank you for this meal, my Lord and Lady. I''ve been blessed by your grace. Rest well tonight."


    She rose and added, her voice tinged with melancholy:


    "...Tomorrow, we sail to the center of the city."


    After she left, Sunny and Nephis remained silent for a while. Both were thoughtful, pondering the startling truths of how the ancient humans walked the path of Ascension before the Nightmare Spell. Eventually, Sunny sighed. "It seems that Awakening took a lot longer before, but was not nearly as fatal as it is with the Nightmare Spell."


    Nephis nodded silently. He scratched the back of his head and added:


    "I''m more curious about something else, though. If it is possible to Awaken without the help of the Spell, then why has no one accomplished just that in the waking world? Why were there no Awakened in our history?"


    She frowned. "Maybe it is because the waking world has nothing to do with the Dream Realm, and functions... functioned according to a different set of laws. Or maybe there were Awakened in our history, but their stories have become mere myths."


    Nephis shook her head and added, her voice uncertain:


    "It would also not be surprising if the possibility was there, but no one has ever managed to grasp it. After all, all steps except the first one �� gaining the ability to sense your essence �� require some kind of knowledge. Forming the core, refining essence, expanding the soul... you wouldn''t be able to do it blindly. For the ancient humans of the Dream Realm, it was not too hard to gain that knowledge. All they had to do was observe the Awakened creatures or learn directly from one of the deities."


    "Look!"


    The ketch was flying across the water, its sails full of wind. Sunny was standing at the bow, staring into the distance curiously. Nephis was a few steps back, sitting on the deck with her eyes closed. Hearing his voice, she opened them and looked ahead. There, a floating city was slowly appearing from beyond the horizon. Weave. It was much larger than Sunny had imagined, with countless artificial islands connected together to form a single whole. There was a network of canals between the various districts that served as roads, and a forest of narrow towers rising into the sky. Most of them were windcatchers, just like the tower of the House of Parting was �� some blades still rotated, some were broken and still.


    Torn scarlet fabric fluttered in the wind.


    The architecture of Weave was varied, airy, and beautiful. Some buildings were constructed out of stone, some seemed to be carved of ivory, some were pavilions of sun-bleached, bright silk. There were districts with homes and houses, groves of fruit trees, and even entire city-ships taken entirely by a single elegant palace or a solemn temple.


    Some distance away from the residential districts, separated from them by a wide stretch of water, were vast floating fields and gardens. Bathed in the light of the seven suns, the floating city was strange and fantastical.


    However, neither Sunny nor Nephis were enchanted by its dreamlike beauty. Because, above all else, Weave seemed... eerie and forlorn. The tall windcatchers were still or broken. The streets and canals were empty, with no soul in sight. The groves were overgrown and wild, while the fields were desolate and empty. Some city-ships were drifting apart, their mechanisms broken, while others were tilted and partially submerged in water.


    It was a ghost town.


    Strangely, though, while some buildings bore scars or had collapsed, most were intact. This was not the picture of destruction and devastation that they had imagined. "Welcome to Weave, my Lord and Lady."


    Ananke''s voice sounded slightly mournful. ...It also sounded very different from before. There had been a time when her voice was weak and creaky, like dry wood. Now, it was bright and melodious like a clear stream. ''Right.''


    Sunny still felt rather strange when talking to the current Ananke. The old priestess... no, he couldn''t even call her that anymore, because Ananke wasn''t old anymore. Turning around, he looked at the young woman steering the ketch. She seemed only a few years older than Sunny and Nephis, if any...


    More than that, she was exquisitely beautiful. With her small stature and glistening ebony hair, dusky skin and piercing blue eyes, Ananke looked like an enchanting river spirit. Her lovely face was lively and captivating, and her disarming smile was bright enough to illuminate the world. ''...Weird! It''s weird!''


    Sunny was deeply uncomfortable for the last couple of days because of how young Ananke had become. On top of that... despite being ten times his age, she seemed too earnest and even slightly naive. That was the person he had been calling Grandmother!


    With a sigh, Sunny tried to shake off the feeling of incongruity and asked in a strange tone:


    "Haven''t you told us that Weave was destroyed, Ananke? It... doesn''t seem damaged that terribly."


    The young priestess remained silent for a while, then answered with a sad smile:


    "There is more than one way to destroy a city, my Lord."


    With that, she moved the steering oar and sent the ketch flying toward the central district of the eerie city of Weave, where only the wind disrupted the ghostly silence and emptiness permeated desolate streets.

 Chapter 1309 Mad Prince

    Chapter 1309 Mad Prince


    Soon, they slowed down and entered one of the canals. Ananke whispered a few words, and the sails lowered themselves. Summoning her long harpoon, she stood up and used it as a pole to push the ketch forward. As it traveled deeper into the heart of the city, Sunny and Nephis silently watched the districts that floated past. Indeed, there were no living beings here �� at least none that they could see. Nephis shifted slightly. "You said that Weave was devastated by a Defiled. Is that ��ܧ��֧ԧܧ� still here?" Ananke slowly shook her head. "No. But... I''ve been absent for a long time. An abomination or two could have crawled out of the River to make a nest among the ruins. It is better to be careful."


    Sunny and Nephis glanced at each other and silently summoned their weapons. ''Just what the hell... has happened here?''


    Eventually, the ketch reached an intersection of two wide canals. Ananke allowed it to drift for a dozen meters, then stopped at a small platform. There were stone steps leading from the platform to one of the central districts of the city, and after roping the ketch to a post, she lightly jumped down. Together, the three of them ascended the stairs and entered a wide plaza. It was desolate and partially submerged in water, with scars on the collapsed buildings hinting at a fearsome battle that must have taken place here a long time ago. Ananke, who had been strangely reluctant to answer their questions before, finally sighed and turned to face them. "The Defiled that destroyed Weave... visited us almost half a century ago. However, the city did not die until a few decades after that."


    Both Sunny and Nephis looked at her in confusion. How could a city be destroyed decades after it was attacked?


    The young priestess remained silent for a while, then gestured to the drowned plaza. "This is where the battle ended, and the slaughter started. I''ve told you before that Outsiders are vital to the existence of the River People. They are the oldest and most powerful among us. They are also the only ones who can travel unimpeded across the River. Without them, the cities would become completely isolated from each other... well, that doesn''t really apply to this city of exiles, since we were always on our own."


    She looked down. "But since Weave is located close to the desolate future, we had to constantly defend ourselves from powerful Corrupted. The elders were the only ones who could pursue and eradicate them �� otherwise, those horrid creatures could come and go as they pleased, retreating when wounded to attack again... and again, and again. So, that was how the Defiled destroyed our city."


    Ananke gazed at the drowned plaza with a grim expression.


    "He simply killed every Outsider in Weave. After the elders were gone, the rest of us were slowly driven to extinction. Some died fighting the Corrupted, some succumbed to sorrow and despair. The less of us there were, the harder it was to keep those who remained alive. A blow after blow... a disaster after disaster... eventually, despite all my efforts, Weave was no more."


    The young priestess frowned. "Some even say that the Dread Lord is the true ruler of Verge, and that all Defiled submit to his commands. If so... maybe he was the one who sent the Mad Prince to Weave. I doubt it, though. I am not sure if that thing can be controlled by anyone, so he must have come of his own accord." Nephis, who had been listening silently for a while, suddenly asked in a steady tone:


    "The... Dread Lord is said to be the ruler of Defilement? What about the First Seeker? What power do he and the other five Plagues possess? What Rank and Class are they?"


    Ananke smiled helplessly. "I am sorry, my Lady. Weave is far away from the other human cities, so whatever news used to reach us was vague and fragmentary. The First Seeker... no one had seen him in a long, long time. Some say that he has turned into a mindless mass of rotting flesh because of the Defilement. Some say that he was severely wounded by the Serpent King and is yet to recover. Some say that the Dread Lord has subjugated and imprisoned him."


    She lingered. "As for the Six Plagues, we knew very little of them. The Soul Stealer is said to possess the ability to wear the skin of those he kills. The Devouring Beast is immensely ferocious and feeds on human flesh. Torment is known for subjecting her victims to harrowing torture. Undying Slaughter is eternally consumed by insatiable bloodlust. The Dread Lord... no one has ever survived facing him, so his powers are unknown."


    The young priestess smiled bitterly. "I can tell you about the Mad Prince, though. He is a raving lunatic who seems to be as murderous as he is tormented by his own madness. He looks human, or at least human-shaped. His clothes are tattered, and his face is a mass of scars, which look to have been inflicted by his own nails. He is said to wear a tarnished crown, but I haven''t seen it myself. At first glance, he appears rather pitiful... however, beneath that ragged surface hides a vile and hateful monster."


    She gritted her teeth and looked at the scarred buildings surrounding the plaza. "His powers... are that of a sword saint. But his swordsmanship is as mad as he is himself. It is violent and utterly chaotic, yet cruel and savagely lethal. He finds joy in tormenting his victims, then grows indifferent to their pain the next moment. The most terrifying thing about him, though, is that his madness spreads like a disease. Other than that... perhaps I did not even get to see his true power. He tore our elders apart with just his blade, as if they were weak children."


    Nephis glanced at her own sword, then asked somberly:


    "What about his Rank and Class?"


    Ananke lowered her head. "It was... hard to tell. He is of the Corrupted Rank, I think. As for his Class... I am almost certain that he is a Titan."Updated from

 Chapter 1310 Forsaken

    Chapter 1310 Forsaken


    ''A Corrupted Titan...''


    Sunny''s face grew dark. The memories of Falcon Scott flashed in his mind, bringing with them a bitter taste. It was another city that had been destroyed by a Corrupted Titan, even if the scale and swiftness of destruction was different.


    He remained silent for a few moments, then asked quietly:


    "Aren''t Titans usually... huge?"


    Ananke hesitated, then shrugged. Her azure eyes were crestfallen.


    "Most are. But some aren''t. More than that, the Defiled... they were humans once. Their path to profane power is unique."


    He nodded, feeling a deep sense of unease. A Corrupted Titan... if one of these Six Plagues was indeed as powerful as the Winter Beast, then just how terrifying the Dread Lord would be? Updated from


    Still, Sunny felt a dark and scathing desire to kill that Mad Prince. It was strange, really... he had met all kinds of horrid Nightmare Creatures, but knowing that the mad butcher who destroyed Weave had been a human once filled him with dark wrath. ''Just how low can a person fall...''


    Odious. The Mad Prince, whoever he had been before succumbing to Corruption, was simply odious. Such a vile creature had no right to exist.


    Sunny gritted his teeth, thinking about how many of the abominations he had slain in the past were former humans as well. After thousands of years of Corruption, the distinction was all but erased, but... here in the Nightmare, it felt different. Nephis, meanwhile, had another question. Looking at the forlorn vista of Weave with a frown, she hesitated for a few moments, then asked softly:


    "Ananke... you said that the Outsiders were the most powerful warriors of your city. The Mad Prince easily killed them all. Wouldn''t that mean that he could have killed all the Riverborn, as well? Why did he spare you?"


    Sunny grimaced. He was asking himself the same questions, but didn''t want to speak it aloud in fear of hurting the young priestess more than she had already been hurt.


    Ananke remained silent for a while, her head lowered. Eventually, she took a breath and said quietly:


    "Maybe he wanted us to suffer longer. Maybe he needed us to live some more, for whatever reason. Maybe he simply did not care. The Riverborn... he did kill some. However, then, he stayed his sword and kneeled in front of the girl he spared. She was a child who had just recently arrived from the House of Youth. He asked her a question, then left."


    Sunny and Nephis looked at each other somberly. She asked:


    "What did the Defiled ask?"


    The young priestess lingered, then slowly shook her head. "He asked her... do you wish to live? She said that she did. Hearing that, the Mad Prince burst into laughter, wiped his bloody sword on her tunic, and disappeared. He never returned, and since all our elders were dead, we never heard about him again."


    ''Insane bastard.''


    They traveled across Weave to collect everything needed for the long journey ahead. Even after long years of being abandoned, the city still seemed to be in a relatively good shape. However, beneath the beautiful surface, it had already started to crumble. Sunny knew that Weave was not going to exist for much longer. Maybe in a decade or two, the floating city was going to break apart and be swallowed by the currents of the Great River, disappearing forever under the waves.


    Before it did...


    and necessities that one would need to travel the Great River. There were items, as well. The weapons and armor that the people of Weave had They gathered fruit from the wild groves and other supplies from various caches that Ananke had established throughout the city. There was food, spices, wine, tea leaves, and necessities that one would need to travel the Great River. There were items, as well. The weapons and armor that the people of Weave had crafted and used were of inferior quality to the powerful Memories that Sunny and Nephis wielded, but they were able to collect a lot of things that would make traversing the Tomb of Ariel easier �� from simple blankets and cutlery to fishing nets sturdy enough to capture Nightmare Creatures and sail repair kits.


    Everything went into the Covetous Coffer. As they moved from one district to another, Ananke also shared stories of Weave and its people with them. How they lived, what rituals they observed, what passions drove them and what vices they sometimes succumbed to.


    There were interesting details about the everyday lives of the River People and entertaining anecdotes. Sunny really learned a lot from hearing these stories, and the more he learned, the more amazed he became.


    Their world was so different from anything he knew, and so, they had adapted to its strange circumstances with the tenacious ingenuity inherent to all humans.


    Their knowledge of how to survive on the Great River had been built over many generations of persistent, relentless learning and unceasing improvement.


    Humans were the most adaptable of species, indeed.


    When Ananke started to tell them about Weave, there was a shadow of sadness in her eyes. However, as she remembered the people from her past, they gradually grew bright and warm.


    A sweet smile appeared on her lips.


    ...But the more the young priestess spoke, the more despondent Sunny became.


    He hid his expression and stared at the empty streets of the desolate city, his own eyes veiled by somber darkness.


    ''It''s unfair...''


    Ananke had been nothing but kind to them, so it was unfair. Sunny and Nephis were going to leave Weave to travel into the distant past and challenge the Nightmare, but she... she could never leave.


    Because she was Riverborn.


    After guiding the two of them as far as she could, the young priestess was going to return to the crumbling city. And live the rest of her life here, alone and forsaken.


    Sunny''s heart was heavy, and his hatred of the Mad Prince burned darker. Looking away, he gritted his teeth.


    ''Curse that vile bastard...''

 Chapter 1311 Temple of the Nightmare Spell

    Chapter 1311 Temple of the Nightmare Spell


    Consumed by despondence, Sunny tried to find solace in anger. But it was of no use. Then, Sunny tried to remind himself that the Ananke he knew was just an apparition conjured by the Spell... the real Ananke �� the true Priestess of the Nightmare Spell who had lived in the real Tomb of Ariel �� was long dead, her spirit and bones taken by the Great River.


    She had never met Sunny and Nephis. She had never traveled to the far reaches of the future, or made delicious small pies for two complete strangers.


    In fact, it was not at all clear if the real Ananke shared the same fate as the one he knew. The Serpent King had brought many challengers into the Nightmare, after all �� their actions had to have changed the flow of events within this version of the Tomb of Ariel.


    Perhaps the real Weave was never destroyed by one of the Six Plagues, or had been wiped out entirely long before Ananke was born.


    But telling himself that Ananke was not real did not help either. It never did. Be it the First Nightmare, the Second, or the Third, Sunny could not help but treat the people he met as real.


    With a heavy sigh, he turned to look at the magnificent structure they were approaching. It was an unusual one. Much larger than most buildings in Weave, it was situated in the very heart of the city, on a solitary island-ship that floated some distance away from the rest. The artificial island was connected to the neighboring ones with rope bridges of white silk, resembling a spider sitting at the center of a vast web. The structure itself was tall and imposing, built of roughly cut black stone. Tattered white banners were hanging from its walls, fluttering in the wind. It looked nebulous and sinister, like a temple of some dark deity.


    ...Sunny had an idea who that deity was.


    Looking up, he saw a lonely figure standing on the roof of the numinous temple, looking down at the desolate ruin of Weave. The black silk of its long hair and tunic remained motionless despite the strong wind. He couldn''t see the figure''s face from the distance, but silhouetted against the azure sky, it seemed strangely grim.


    ''There you are.''


    Oblivious to the hidden conflict between her faith and the people she considered to be its apostles, the young priestess headed toward the gates of the sinister temple with a smile on her lips. Sunny and Nephis followed, neither of them saying anything. Soon, they passed through the dark entrance and found themselves within a vast hall. Its interior was shrouded in darkness, creating a solemn and mysterious atmosphere �� for everyone except Sunny, of course, who could see everything just fine. Narrow beams of stark sunlight were falling from the elaborately carved light wells in the ceiling, intertwined in a complicated pattern...


    The Temple of the Nightmare Spell looked frightening and sinister on the outside, but its interior was quietly beautiful. The intricate tapestry of falling light resembled the breathtaking weave of the inner workings of the Spell, while the darkness of the vast hall was like the lightless void between dream and reality where it was hiding.


    It was... strangely peaceful here. What caught Sunny''s eye, however, were the white tapestries of enormous spiderwebs growing freely between the columns and support beams of the hall. He shifted uncomfortably and pointed to them, mentally preparing for battle:


    "I... think an abomination did make a nest in the ruins."


    Ananke looked at him in confusion for a moment, then chuckled. Her melodious laughter echoed under the roof of the dark hall. "No need to be alarmed, my Lord. The spider silk has always been here. No one knows what the Demon of Fate looks like, you see... which is why they are often depicted as a spider. Because of that, spiders were akin to sacred animals to us followers of Weaver. It was forbidden to harm a spider or its web, and we lived peacefully side by side with many."


    She swept her gaze across the interior of the temple, her eyes growing wistful. "I spent my youth in this temple, learning the duties of a priestess from my mother. The spiders who lived here were my friends. They are all gone now, of course... fate wasn''t merciful to them, either. But their silk remains."


    Sunny gave the young woman a strange look. ''So, little Ananke was friends with spiders...''


    She... must have been one hell of a creepy girl. But then again, who was he to judge? Sunny had never been a well-adjusted child himself. ''At least I didn''t have to deal with all this sticky web. Gods, living in this temple must have been annoying!''


    As he thought that, his gaze finally settled on a mass of roughly cut stone towering in the center of the hall. It resembled a wide pillar that had been broken by a devastating blow and then damaged by unbearable heat, its upper part deformed like a melted candle. The widest beam of sunlight fell vertically on the stone pillar, bathing it in blinding white radiance. Walking closer, Sunny noticed that the whole mass of stone was covered by engravings. There had been many scenes depicted on it once, it seemed, but now, only one remained.


    He shivered. Cut into the ancient stone, an enormous gate was depicted, its titanic surface wrapped in unbreakable chains. In front of it, a tall figure stood, the shape and form of its body hidden by a dark mantle. Only the face could be seen... or rather, the mask. The mask of a fearsome demon with ferocious fangs and a crown of three twisting horns. Drawn to the stone image, Sunny felt his blood stir. Of course, he knew whose figure was carved into the broken pillar. ...It was Weaver.

 Chapter 1312 Ancient Mural

    Chapter 1312 Ancient Mural


    Sunny remained silent for a while, looking at the broken pillar. Eventually, he turned to Ananke and asked in a hesitant tone:


    "What is this?"


    The young priestess approached the mass of dark stone and bowed her head. After a few moments of reverent silence, she straightened and looked at him with a proud smile. "It is one of the greatest relics of Weave, my Lord. This column was brought into the Tomb of Ariel by my elders, and then carried all the way here after their exile. It depicts the deeds of Weaver, from birth to the bestowal of the Nightmare Spell to my people."


    Her smile dimmed. "...However, as you can see, the column has been severely damaged over the ages. Now, only this one image remains."


    Sunny frowned and stared at chains wrapped around the titanic gate. For whatever reason, just looking at them made him feel deeply uncomfortable. "But what is its meaning?" His voice was full of both curiosity and apprehension. Ananke stepped closer to the broken pillar and studied the ancient engraving for a few moments in solemn silence. Then, she said in a melodious tone:


    "This is a fragment of the mural that tells the story of one of Weaver''s greatest deeds. The story of how the wandering daemon braved the eternal abyss."


    The frown on Sunny''s face deepened. He briefly glanced at Nephis and said:


    "The... eternal abyss? Do you mean the primordial void?"


    The young priestess nodded. "Yes. After the gods sealed the void, Weaver was the only one who managed to enter it. Or, rather, the only one of those who had entered it who managed to return alive. At least that is what the legends say."


    The young priestess laughed. "How would mortals like us know? Some legends say that the Demon of Fate wanted to gain knowledge of the origin of the gods. Others say that it was Weaver''s own origin that they sought to uncover. Perhaps it was both."


    Sunny stared at her for a moment. ''...Perhaps the two are one and the same.''


    Ananke shook her head. "Whatever it was that Weaver had learned in the abyss... is not that important, really. What matters more is that witnessing the eternal void gave the Demon of Fate the first reason to create the Nightmare Spell �� that is what we, its priests, believe. So while this mural does not depict the inception of the Nightmare Spell, it does depict the inception of the idea of it. Which is why the remains of this column is the greatest relic of Weave."


    Sunny tilted his head.


    ''What? What does the eternal void have to do with the Nightmare Spell? That''s the first time I''m hearing about this.''


    Wasn''t Ananke contradicting herself? Before, she had said that the purpose of the Nightmare Spell was to give living beings a chance to save themselves from the annihilation of the Doom War. But then again, she was a priestess, and religious beliefs were rarely bound by reason. Contradictions were par for the course, and for the same reason, Sunny had to take everything Ananke said with a grain of salt. Still... there could be some truth to what she said. The young priestess bowed to the broken pillar again, then walked away with light steps.


    "My Lord, my Lady... come! I will show you the rest of the temple."


    Sunny and Nephis exchanged a glance, both pondering the meaning of the ancient mural. Neither of them knew what to make of it, so they followed Ananke in silence. Soon, the three of them settled for sleep. Tired after the long journey and the forlorn eeriness of Weave, Sunny fell into the embrace of dreams almost instantly. ...That night, he saw a nightmare. In the nightmare, Sunny was a spider with one of his eight legs broken off. He was crawling across the stone floor, consumed by fear.


    Behind him, broken chains were falling down with a deafening clangor, and a titanic door stood wide open, its dark maw hiding indescribable horror.


    Sunny crawled and crawled, but no matter how he strained himself, the horrifying gate was only drew closer.

 Chapter 1313 Nightmare Within Nightmare

    Chapter 1313 Nightmare Within Nightmare


    Sunny dreamt of a titanic gate that stood wide open, something boundless and entirely alien hiding in the darkness of its colossal maw. He was a spider with a severed leg, crawling away as broken chains fell to the ground all around him. His mind was consumed by terror, while his heart...


    His heart was full of a cold, bitter feeling of betrayal and regret. ''Escape... I must escape...''


    Sunny pushed his small body across the stone floor. There were beautiful webs veiling the vast hall of the temple, their silk threads weaved into a grandiose tapestry. A spark flew, and a moment later, the webs were engulfed in fire. They disappeared in a flash, leaving behind only clouds of acrid smoke that obscured the entire world.


    At least he couldn''t see the harrowing gate anymore. Suffocating, he crawled through the smoke, and slowly, torturously, the terror devouring his soul dissipated. Sunny felt as if he had escaped the immediate danger... however, he was hopelessly lost. There was nothing except for searing heat and the dark glow of spreading flame around him. His body was already starting to grow unbearably hot. He froze for a moment, resting and trying to find the way out of the smoldering inferno. Then, for a moment... he felt a breeze caressing his singed carapace from somewhere ahead. ''There...''


    Sunny rose to his seven feet and limped forward as fast as he could. Soon, he left the smoke and the fire behind.


    There was a silent expanse of still water around him now. The smoke was gone, but a thick mist took its place. It swirled and moved, flowing slowly past the shivering figure of the small spider. ''Where am I?''


    Sunny took a step and discovered that he could somehow walk on the surface of the water �� just like he could within the Soul Sea. Advancing hesitantly, he ventured deeper into the fog. Some time passed �� perhaps only a few minutes, perhaps an eternity �� and he had lost all sense of direction. There was nothing but mist in the world.


    ...Until something else appeared in the grey void. Sunny trembled. There, ahead of him, someone... something... was sitting on the calm surface of the water, staring down. The figure was dressed in tattered rags, its gaunt body hidden from view. It seemed like a human, or was at least human-shaped. The man''s dirty hair was hanging like seaweeds, and his face was hidden from view. A jagged band of dark metal rested on his head like a tarnished crown.


    Suddenly, Sunny felt cold. ''The... the Mad Prince?''


    It was one of the six Heralds of the Estuary... one of the Six Plagues. The creature in front of him looked rather pitiful, but it was still a Corrupted Titan. He was in dire danger.


    The Mad Prince suddenly froze, then groaned and struck his head with a fist. "I can''t, can''t... can''t remember. Ah, but it is also an answer."


    His ugly face rippled, as if trying to assume a human expression. "You''re... neither. You are an impostor?"


    The creature''s voice suddenly grew dark and vicious:


    "You... murderer..."


    An unhinged laugh escaped his lips, and then, the Mad Prince slowly rose. His tattered rags moved, shrouded in mist...


    As Sunny took another step back, desperately trying to wake up, the Defiled took a step forward. "How about it, murderer? Come closer... I''ll tell you a secret. You deserve that much..."


    There was suddenly nowhere to go. The grey mist became solid, blocking all paths to retreat. And Sunny... Sunny was, indeed, curious. Curious against his will.


    He was a great lover of secrets, after all...


    As he shuddered, feeling his thoughts spin out of control, there was suddenly a presence between him and the Mad Prince. Someone else was standing there, blocking the view of the mad creature with his back. It was a young man in a black tunic, with long raven-black hair and a grim expression on his pale face. The Sin of Solace. ''What is he doing here?''


    The wraith seemed uncharacteristically serious as he stared the Mad Prince down. Without turning his head, the apparition said in a voice that was neither snide nor mocking... Instead, it was grave:


    "What are you doing, fool? Summon your horse and get out of here! Hurry!"

 Chapter 1314 Revelations of Madness

    Chapter 1314 Revelations of Madness


    Shielded by the Sin of Solace, Sunny was suddenly capable of pushing through the mist again. He backed away as the Defiled smiled wider. "Where are you going, murderer? Don''t you want to learn a secret? You won''t regret knowing it... ah, maybe you will..."


    Sunny did not know what was happening, but he was sure of one thing �� whatever it was that the Mad Prince wanted to tell him was not something he should ever learn. Unless he wanted to become as mad and broken as the Defiled abomination was.


    It was already crazy enough to be fighting for his life �� or rather, for his humanity �� within a dream. Which he was dreaming inside the Third Nightmare. Staggering away, Sunny called upon his Shadows. Instantly, three figures rose from below. Taciturn Saint, scrawny Imp, and a tenebrous steed shrouded in darkness. The Mad Prince exploded with laughter. "Good, good... oh, this makes me feel nostalgic..."


    ''We will...''


    ...Saint was the first one to fall. Before she could even move, a sword suddenly flashed, followed by a turbulent whirlwind of surging mist. The graceful stone knight froze, a thin crack suddenly appearing on her onyx armor. Then, as silently as she had been born, Saint crumbled into a thousand shards of black stone. A cloud of ruby dust exploded into the air, painting the still water crimson. "Saint!"


    Sunny''s eyes widened, but before he could do anything, the Sin of Solace pushed him away. "Run, you bastard! She''s not real!"


    The Imp was second. The little fiend hesitated, visibly scared by the tattered figure of the mad Titan. However, then, it bravely jumped forward, reaching for the flesh of the Defiled with his claws. The invisible sword whistled again, and the scrawny figure suddenly staggered. With liquid flames flowing out of Imp''s mouth, he looked at Sunny with a frightened expression. Then, his eyes grew dim, and his little head slid off his neck, falling into the water with a quiet splash. ''Ah...''


    Sunny felt as if his own mind was on the verge of breaking. Pressing down the tempest of pain and guilt raging in his heart, he gritted his teeth and turned away. His hand grasped Nightmare''s mane, and with a stifled scream, he jumped onto the stallions back. VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    The dark courser was already galloping away, away... away through the swirling mist. The Mad Prince''s laugh reached them from behind. "Where are you going, murderer?! I am... not done... with you..."


    Sunny slowly exhaled, then shuddered and shook his head. No... it might have been a dream, but it definitely had not been just a dream. He did not know what kind of power could have allowed the Mad Prince �� who was most likely either dead already or far, far away �� to appear in his nightmare. However, he was certain that the creature he had met in the dream was not a simple figment of his imagination. Sunny did not know whether the tattered abomination he had faced was the Defiled Titan himself or some echo left behind by his passing, but he knew that hearing the secret the abomination wanted to share would have been the end of him.


    ''Gods damn it... even the dreams aren''t safe here.'' As his heart calmed down a little, he sat in silence for a while, trying to gather his thoughts. There were a lot of strange things about that dreadful dream... however, before he could consider them carefully, a sudden worry clouded his mind. Sunny hurriedly sent his shadows to check on Nephis and Ananke. Making sure that both were sleeping peacefully in the neighboring rooms, he then shuddered at the memory of his Shadows being destroyed and proceeded to summon them one after another. He called upon the dark courser first. As the Sin of Solace said, Saint and Imp should not have been real �� the black steed could be summoned into his dream because that was the nature of Nightmare''s powers, but the other two were different. So, only Nightmare had actually faced the Mad Prince... most likely. The black stallion appeared in the shadows, keeping to his intangible form. He seemed agitated, but otherwise unharmed. Relieved, Sunny let out a long sigh. "...Thank you, buddy. You really saved my hide there."


    Dismissing Nightmare, he summoned Saint next. The graceful knight appeared out of the darkness, as stoic and indifferent as ever. She was unharmed. Feeling as if a great burden had been lifted off his heart, Sunny closed his eyes for a moment. "You''re safe. Thank the gods..."


    Saint gave him a strange look, but remained silent... well, of course she did. "Go back now... no, actually, stay here. Keep watch throughout the night, alright?"


    The graceful knight stared at him for a few moments, then turned away and silently left the room to stand guard in the corridor. Sunny took a deep breath and rubbed his face. Now, only Imp remained. He summoned the scrawny goblin, then scratched the back of his head. ''Ah, right... that little rascal is still stuck digesting the armor of the Black Turtle. Damn it, when will he stop lazing around and...''


    But before Sunny could finish the thought, a frightening figure suddenly rose from the shadows... towering above him like a demon forged out of dark steel and sharp blades...


    "Argh, what the?!"


    ...Unbeknownst to Sunny, the little rascal had already awakened from his slumber.


    Only he wasn''t so little anymore.

 Chapter 1315 Steel Devil

    Chapter 1315 Steel Devil


    Sunny had grown accustomed to calling his youngest Shadow an imp... however, now the Ravenous Fiend was finally worthy of his fearsome name.


    The creature in front of Sunny could not be called little, nor could it be called scrawny. It was almost as tall as Saint, towering above him like a demonic warrior whose body had been forged out of dark steel in the infernal flames of hell.


    There were a lot of similarities with how Imp had looked during their last battle in Falcon Scott... but there were also differences. The original Ravenous Fiend had been tall, but gaunt. His body had been covered in thick plates of black bone armor, and he was as ferocious as he was stealthy, like a vengeful wraith born out of hungry darkness.


    The new and improved Imp, however, was not gaunt. Instead, he seemed like a knight clad in a suit of plate armor. That armor was not made out of bone, either �� it was made out of a strange dark metal. The ravenous Shadow had seemed like he was forged out of black steel before, but the look of his metallic body was changed now. It acquired a dark sheen and a glossy quality, as though the Transcendent Devil had been cast out of black silver or covered in a layer of dull chrome.


    There were changes in the... desigh of his armor, too. It was as though Fiend had been forged out of countless broken swords. There were curved blades growing from his elbows and knees, as well as ferocious spikes rising here and there from his dark armor.


    His face was hidden behind the visor of a fearsome helmet, with twisting horns rising from it and a jagged line breaking its surface where the fiend''s terrible mouth was hidden, brimming with dagger-like teeth.


    His claws were like short swords, and in his ferocious eyes, infernal flames burned with intense heat.


    ''C��crap...''


    And that demonic monstrosity... was currently staring at Sunny with an extremely nasty expression in its glowing orange-red eyes.


    Sunny awkwardly cleared his throat.


    "Ah... hey there, buddy."


    Imp''s mouth split in a sinister grin, releasing more heat and infernal glow.


    Sunny forced out a smile.


    "Wow! You... look great! I guess all that delicious magical steel I found and fed you... out of nothing but pure kindness, maybe... really did you some good, huh?"


    He coughed.


    "Say... you wouldn''t be remembering all the times I kicked and berated you, would you? Or, you know... thinking about strange things like revenge... would you?"


    Imp took a step forward, the glow of his demonic eyes and incinerating maw falling on Sunny''s face. His grin widened, the sharp steel teeth glinting in the darkness.


    His voice sounded like a roaring flame:


    However, the flames in his eyes were dancing jubilantly.


    Sunny scoffed.


    ''This ugly idiot... ah, he''s seriously cute...''


    He shook his head, then summoned the runes to leaen exactly what had changed about Ravenous Fiend, except for appearance. The runes read:


    Shadow: Ravenous Fiend.


    Shadow Rank: Transcendent.


    Shadow Class: Devil.


    Shadow Description: [A pitiful little creature traveled through a nightmarish land...]


    Shadow Attributes: [Lucky], [Marvel], [Ravenous], [Shadow Sworn], [Complete Steel body].


    The [Greater Steel Body] had become [Complete Steel body]. Its description read:


    Attribute Description: [This Shadow''s body is forged out of sublime blessed steel and is without a flaw].


    It seemed that consuming the silver armor of the Black Turtle had not only improved the quality of the alloy from which Imp''s body was made, but also removed all the remaining imperfections from it.


    Granted, Sunny was inclined to take its supposed flawlessness with a grain of salt. After all, he had recently learned that flaws were one of the universal laws of the world.


    Still, if the Spell deemed it necessary to call Imp''s newly evolved body flawless, he had to be very close to having no physical vulnerabilities. It seemed... that Sunny finally had another powerful Shadow to face the most dire enemies side by side with.


    Imp was now perfectly capable of participating in battles alongside Saint and Nightmare, reaching the fearsome level of power that a Transcendent Devil was supposed to possess.


    With his indestructible steel body, which was a weapon in and of itself, as well as his dual affinity for shadows and flame, the ferocious fiend would be a terror on the battlefield.


    ''Good... just in time.''


    Sunny''s face grew somber.


    Things had been calm for a while, ever since Ananke had found them.


    But he knew that there were plenty of harrowing battles waiting for them in the depths of the Tomb of Ariel.

 Chapter 1316 Limits of Power

    Chapter 1316 Limits of Power


    Imp... or was Sunny supposed to call him Fiend now?... did not get new abilities. Which was logical, really, since the Black Turtle was only a Monster �� and the gluttonous Shadow had not even consumed the flesh of the abominations, only its armor. Still, the scrawny goblin had become a fearsome ogre. He was going to significantly increase Sunny''s battle power, not the least because of his carefully chosen diet. Sunny had given up on feeding Ravenous Fiend a lot of valuable stuff so that his growth did not become muddled. Imp''s main affinities had to be established first �� steel and shadows. The flames he had absorbed from the colossal body of the Sun Prince were a pleasant side effect, increasing the power of the steel devil''s attacks... but what Sunny had really wanted was to make his youngest Shadow as indestructible as possible. Saint possessed an incredible level of defense, which was only made greater by her masterful battle prowess. But Imp was different �� if not guided cautiously, he could have ended up being vulnerable. Considering the types of situations Sunny often found himself in, that vulnerability was bound to result in him losing his first Shadow sooner rather than later.


    Survivability was king. He had regrettably proven it himself over and over again, clinging to life by the skin of his teeth on many occasions. Which was why Sunny was so impressed by how hard to kill the original Scavenger had been. He had experienced the toughness of the spiteful fiend''s bone armor personally, after all, and wanted to make Imp at least as durable. If the ravenous Shadow managed to approach the level of defense Saint possessed, that would have been even better. In that regard... Sunny seemed to have overshot his initial goal. By a lot.


    Imp''s [Complete Steel Body] was not only as durable as Saint''s graceful body was, but vastly more so. His metal carapace was sturdier than her stonelike armor, and much more importantly, that durability encompassed the entire body of the ravenous devil, not just its surface. Although Saint was hard to wound, she was actually quite vulnerable once her armor and resilient skin were breached. The internals of her miraculous stone body were well protected, but fragile. The ruby dust that flowed out of the wounds like blood was proof of that. Updated from


    Ravenous Fiend, however, was now fully tempered, both outside and inside. There were no vulnerabilities that an enemy could exploit �� at least not an enemy using physical attacks. Which meant that while Imp could deliver fearsome blows, his true power lay in being nearly impervious to physical harm. He could become the shield of the Shadow Cohort.


    ''...Or a punching bag.''


    Sunny scratched the back of his head and looked in the direction where Imp was standing, hidden from view by a wall, with a guilty expression. The poor guy had not realized what the future held for him, had he?


    He frowned. ''Actually... I am thinking about it all wrong.''


    Sunny had been a loner for most of his life, and even after learning how to rely on others and trust his friends, he still put a lot of meaning into personal strength. Which was not exactly unwise... but, at the same time, served as an artificial limit.


    Although he had not lived through Neph''s Second Nightmare, the lesson she had learned there resonated with his own experiences. Personal strength was important, but it paled in comparison to true power.


    Take Antarctica, for example... Sunny had achieved incredible things there, but he had not achieved them alone. The evacuation of hundreds of millions of civilians was only possible because the government had mobilized vast resources to send the First and Second Evacuation Armies into the Southern Quadrant. Without the Irregulars, without the mundane soldiers and thousands of Awakened who had fought and died to save the people of Antarctica, Sunny would not have achieved anything. His personal strength was nothing when compared to the united determination of all those brave people. ...It was the same here in the Third Nightmare. Sunny had to destroy a dire enemy �� the forces of Defilement populating the corrupted city of Verge and the Six Plagues that ruled it. Dread Lord, Torment, Undying Slaughter, Soul Stealer, Devouring Beast... and Mad Prince. So why was he only thinking about his personal strength? Wasn''t the power of his allies also his power?


    Nephis, Cassie, Effie, Kai, Jet, and even Mordret. They were as much a part of his power as Saint, Imp, and Nightmare. Since Sunny had reached the ceiling of what he himself could achieve as a Master, wouldn''t it be wiser for him to put his efforts into empowering his allies?


    ''This is it.''


    Shrouded in darkness, Sunny slowly nodded. That was the path he had to take if he wanted to survive the Nightmare. After reaching Fallen Grace, he and Nephis had to find the rest of the cohort. And once they found them, Sunny had to make sure that his friends �� and Mordret too �� grew as powerful as possible. He had to make them into a force capable of defeating the Six Plagues. For their sake, and also his own. Sunny sighed and closed his eyes for a moment. The future... was daunting. But when had it not been so?

 Chapter 1317 Difficult Questions

    Chapter 1317 Difficult Questions


    Approaching the window, Sunny opened the heavy shutters and looked at the desolate landscape of Weave from the height of one of the Nightmare Spell Temple''s bell towers. The sky was veiled in impenetrable darkness. The waters flowing through the canals of the floating city glowed with iridescent radiance, bathing the empty streets in ethereal glow. Usually, the light of the Great River at night was dreamlike and beautiful, but contrasted against the forlorn desolation of Weave, it made for an eerie sight. It was like a city of ghosts. He sighed, thinking about the cruel fate that had befallen the followers of Weaver... and the creature that had driven them to extinction. The Mad Prince. A dark expression appeared on Sunny''s face. He was reluctant to think about his meeting with the Defiled Titan �� or at least some vestige of the abhorrent creature that had found its way into his dreams. It almost felt as though thinking about the abomination would summon it here. Nevertheless, Sunny had to consider what he had seen, and heard, in the harrowing dream. Because it was too ominous. ''I dreamt of being Weaver.''


    The spider with a broken leg was, without a doubt, a representation of the Demon of Fate. It was not surprising that Sunny had dreamt of the nebulous daemon after witnessing the mural in the grand hall of the temple, and neither was it unexpected that he had assumed the daemon''s role in his nightmare. Weaver''s blood was running through Sunny''s veins, after all, and he too had an innate affinity to fate. The latter was the reason for the former, in the end �� it was because of being Fated that he had stumbled on the egg of the loathsome Thieving Bird and received the forbidden lineage of the sinister daemon. Sinister... Sunny had actually never thought about Weaver in such terms before. Mostly because he had benefited greatly from their tenuous connection, but also because there was no reason to. In all honesty, he had admired the mysterious daemon, with no particular reason except for the fact that the Demon of Fate was an intelligent, cunning, and fearsome deity. But the more Sunny learned about the end of the Dream Realm and the Nightmare Spell, the more ominous of a figure Weaver seemed. And how could they not... who could be more dangerous than a creature that wielded knowledge of fate itself?


    Sunny and Nephis had argued about the nature of the Spell, whether it was a fundamentally benevolent force or not. He was inclined to believe that it had been created for a noble purpose... which was not to say that it was not a vile and terrible curse for the humans of the waking world... but he was also starting to suspect that neither of them really understood the true intention and scope of what Weaver had done at all.


    The Nightmare Spell seemed like a tool to make living beings stronger in the face of encroaching Corruption. But there were too many discrepancies between what was apparent and what was hidden beneath the surface. The Nightmares, the slow but inevitable escalation, the sheer convenience of it all...


    What was Weaver''s true goal? How had the rudimentary version of the Spell Ananke wielded grown to become the pervasive and nearly omnipotent power that seemed to be as absolute as the universal laws of reality that the gods established?


    Come to think of it, how had the Doom War ended? What had actually happened to the daemons, the gods... and Weaver? Where did the Corruption that had devoured the Dream Realm come from, and why?


    Just like always, Sunny had no answers. More than that, these were not even the questions he had to ponder. The Defilement was a form of Corruption that had spread from the Estuary, and there were six champions of it... Dread Lord, Devouring Beast, Undying Slaughter, Torment, Soul Stealer. And Mad Prince. The Mad Prince, who seemed strangely familiar when Sunny had dreamt of him.


    He shivered. ''...Why did he feel familiar?''


    The Spell had shown itself to be fond of such ghastly, but poetic twists of fate, after all. Still...


    How had the runes of the waking world language ended up on the piece of flotsam?


    Sunny remained motionless for a long time, looking at the desolate expanse of Weave.


    Eventually, the glowing waters dimmed, and the seven suns emerged from the river. Sunny sensed the shadows move in the adjacent rooms, telling him that Ananke and Nephis had woken up.


    He closed his eyes for a few long moments. Trying to chase away the heavy thoughts, he then dismissed Saint and Imp. It was time to meet the new day. Hopefully, he would get some answers after reaching Fallen Grace. ''I need to strengthen Nightmare as soon as possible.''


    The Mad Prince had invaded his dreams once, and there was no guarantee that it would not happen again. Sunny needed to protect himself while he slept, and since helping the black stallion evolve was also the only way for him to strengthen himself in the short term, he could achieve both goals at once that way. ''I''m going to have to craft some Memories.''


    Luckily, with the Crown of Twilight supplying him with essence, weaving strings of it to create Memories would not be as taxing and long of a process as it had been before. Thinking about how many soul shards he had and what Memories to create, Sunny rubbed his face and went outside to meet his companions.


    They were going to leave Weave soon.

 Chapter 1318 Leaving Weave

    Chapter 1318 Leaving Weave


    Sunny, Nephis, and Ananke spent several days in the temple of the Nightmare Spell, resting and exploring the forlorn city as they prepared for the last leg of the journey. These days were strangely tranquil and peaceful, but also bittersweet. It was because the three of them knew that their time together was coming to an end. The young priestess, who had been their caretaker and guide for the last few weeks, was not going to be able to follow her wards to where they needed to go. Fallen Grace, the city of Dusk, lay far beyond the boundary of where she was allowed to exist. Such was the fate of all Riverborn. Sunny and Nephis were both painfully aware of what awaited Ananke in the future. That was why, even though they tried to hide their emotions, a dark shadow was cast over their hearts. The young priestess herself, meanwhile, seemed at peace with her bitter fate. An easy smile often appeared on her lips, and she fully dedicated herself to making preparations to send the two of them on their way. Sunny and Nephis were going to have to travel far downstream on their own. They needed supplies and knowledge to reach Fallen Grace without Ananke, so she was busy making sure they would have everything they needed. They gathered various resources from all over the desolate ruins of Weave. The young priestess also taught them how to navigate the Great River and recognize various perils hiding in its depths. Nephis continued to learn how to steer the enchanted ketch, while Sunny spent his time weaving threads of shadow essence and studying the Estuary Key. Eventually, there was nothing left for them in the orphaned city. As the beautiful light of the seven rising suns suffused the cool morning air, Ananke led them through the empty streets for the last time and jumped lightly onto the deck of the graceful ketch. "Come! We will sail downstream today."


    Sunny and Nephis glanced at each other, then silently followed her aboard the boat. The young priestess watched them with a smile, then nodded and gestured to the steering oar. "My Lady, it is best if you practice steering while I am still with you. Remember our lessons. You can surely succeed!"


    Nephis looked at her for a while, her face motionless. She hesitated a little before sitting down on the helmsman''s bench and taking the oar. Sunny, meanwhile, frowned. "Wait... what about you? If we are going to sail away on the ketch, how are you going to get back to Weave?"


    Ananke shook her head.


    At that moment, Nephis took a deep breath, and then said something in a resolute voice. The word that escaped her lips echoed from the walls of the canal, and a subtle ripple spread across the surface of the flowing water. It was as though the word itself contained an invisible power capable of reshaping the world. Soon, a strong gale rose, filling the sails of the old ketch.


    It was both similar and different from how Ananke summoned the wind. Neph''s Shaping was more direct and crude, lacking stability... but, at the same time, it contained a wild and fearsome will. As a result, the gale summoned by the True Name of the wind was able to propel the boat forward despite not being as strong as what the young priestess had been able to call upon. The Word they spoke was the same, but the result differed. It was because of the nature of the Sorcery of Names �� unlike other types of sorcery, which acted through fixed conduits like essence threads and runes, it used the Shapers themselves as the conduit.


    Nephis was of a lower Rank than Ananke, so she couldn''t channel the power of the Word as potently. But, at the same time, her body and soul were aflame with the divine lineage of Sun God... and more importantly, she possessed a True Name of her own. Those with True Names were connected to the mystical side of the world much closer, would be influenced by the hidden powers of the world much more... and be able to exert greater influence in turn.


    Which was why Nephis was able to control the ketch with a sufficient level of power despite not being a Saint like Ananke. "You are doing great, my Lady! Speak the Names of Concealment next!" Neph lingered, her face a little pale. The Sorcery of Names did not come without a cost, just like the other types of sorcery. Channeling a Word put a strain on the Shaper''s body, as while uttering it did not consume essence, controlling the outcome did. Eventually, she gritted her teeth and said the rest of the Names the priestess had taught her, arranging them into a Phrase. The ketch flew through the canals. Soon, it broke free of the city boundaries and sped into the open expanse of the Great River, leaving the forlorn city behind. They were once again traveling downstream, deeper into the past.

 Chapter 1319 House of Youth

    Chapter 1319 House of Youth


    The next morning, they reached the first of the remote island-ships Ananke had told them about. It slowly appeared from beyond the horizon, illuminated by the dreamlike sunlight. This one was different from the House of Parting. The artificial island was much larger, and instead of a solemn and solitary building, it encompassed a whole district. There were many houses, gardens, and water features, all of them bright and colorful. Despite the same desolation that reigned Weave, this place seemed strangely festive. New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    It was easy to imagine how full of vitality it had once been. Ananke''s eyes glistened with nostalgia. She smiled softly and said, her voice melodious:


    "This... is the House of Youth."


    Sunny and Nephis looked at the bright island-ship, wondering what its purpose was. The sight of it was a little uplifting, and a little sad. Contrasted against the beautiful atmosphere, the emptiness seemed even more poignant. The young priestess sighed. "This is one of the seven Houses that Riverborn spent their childhood and adolescence at."


    She lingered for a moment, and then explained:


    "As you can imagine, children grow up differently here on the Great River. From the moment they are born, their bodies are beholden to the currents of its time. If brought upstream, they will swiftly reach adulthood... at the same time, their parents will have to grow older if they wish to remain with their child. In a span of a few generations, families will be torn apart, and a city will be broken into pieces."


    Ananke shook her head. "Of course, it is also cruel to thrust a child into adulthood while their mind remains immature. So, the Seven Houses exist. Actually... it is a bit strange for me to explain these things, since that is just how life in the Tomb of Ariel is. To me, it is the manner in which Outsiders grow up that seems odd."


    She laughed. "I couldn''t believe my mother when she told me that kids outside just grow up inevitably, while remaining in the same place, and have no choice on when to become adults. How scary! Can you imagine?"


    Sunny and Nephis looked at each other, befuddled. After a while, he cleared his throat.


    He shook his head. "But wait. If that is true, then how would these youths have families of their own? They would turn into infants by traveling to the House of Birth, no?"


    Ananke nodded. "Indeed. That is why the whole city migrates some distance upstream each generation. That gives the young ones a chance to have children of their own. Of course, it also means that their parents grow a little older with each migration. But our lifespans are long... the future is more forgiving than the past. The eldest ones assume guidance roles in the Seven Houses, as well."


    She remained silent for a few moments. "Nevertheless, a city might reach a point where the older part of its population would not be able to migrate anymore. That never happened to Weave, since many died in the battles against the Corrupted, and those who survived too long usually chose to leave from the House of Parting. Our history also does not stretch that far. But downstream, where the great cities of sybils used to be, that was how new settlements were created. The young split off to start life anew."


    Sunny and Nephis remained silent, thinking about how bizarre the civilization of the Great River was, after all. The way of life of the River People was indeed completely different from the outside world. Even simple things like parenthood, childhood, and growing up were entirely unlike what they knew. ''Life always finds a way...''


    Which was why it was even sadder to see it destroyed, how it had been here in Weave. Ananke sighed. "There had been a single migration after I left the House of Youth. So, I will be able to guide you past all the Seven Houses, to the House of Parting far downstream. It should not take us more than a few days."


    With that, she turned to Nephis and smiled. "In the meantime, my Lady, I will help you grow accustomed to controlling the ketch."


    As she and Neph talked, Sunny looked at the bright buildings of the House of Youth, which were drawing closer and closer... and then slowly drifting past. He was thinking about what Ananke''s childhood must have looked like, as well as about the bleak and cold childhood of his own. Wasn''t it funny? The young priestess, who had been born in a tomb built by the Demon of Dread from the corpse of an Unholy Titan, clung desperately to her childhood, not wanting to become an adult. While he, who had been born in the waking world, couldn''t wait to leave that bitter page of his life behind. ...And in the end, they had both ended up in this ketch together.


    Sunny sighed.


    ''It would be nice if the kids of the future... the waking world''s future... could live like her, and not like me.''


    That was such a strange thought.

 Chapter 1320 Childhoods End

    Chapter 1320 Childhood''s End


    Eventually, Ananke replaced Nephis at the steering oar. Neph looked drained after commanding the winds for an entire day... nevertheless, Sunny felt that her eyes were duller than mere exhaustion could explain. Throwing a questioning glance at her, he asked: Updated from


    "Are you alright?"


    She lingered for a few moments, then nodded silently. Sitting down and leaning her back against the side of the ketch, Nephis then tiredly closed her eyes. She had not slept since they left Weave, and although Masters like them could easily remain awake for days, mental fatigue still had a way of catching up to them.


    ''...I guess she doesn''t want to talk about whatever it is that''s troubling her.'' Sunny studied Neph''s pale face, then quietly summoned Nightmare and ordered him to guard her dreams. The tenebrous steed hid in the shadows at the bow of the boat, formless and watchful. Not satisfied with that, Sunny sent all but one of his shadows to augment him. Memories of meeting the manifestation of the Prince of Madness still haunted his thoughts. Later, there was nothing for him to do but continue weaving threads of essence. Sunny sat on the deck of the ketch with his legs crossed, his fingers dancing in the air. By now, he was proficient enough in creating essence strings to not pay a lot of attention to the process. It was a far cry from when he had attempted weaving for the first time and constantly cut his hands to the bone.


    His painfully gained experience and the increased sensitivity that Bone Weave granted to his fingertips made it easier. Now, Sunny just needed time and essence to create as long a thread as he needed to weave a Memory. It still took some time. After a while, Ananke looked at him with curiosity and asked:


    "My Lord... if you don''t mind me asking, what are you doing?"


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then turned his head slightly. He hesitated before answering, knowing how weird she was about all things involving the Demon of Fate. Nevertheless, eventually, he said:


    "I am creating essence strings... weaving."


    Her azure eyes widened slightly.


    "You... you are a weaver, my Lord?"


    Sunny was indeed Fated. However, that did not mean that fate was especially kind to him... it just meant that he was wrapped in its strings like a helpless puppet, doomed to always be at its mercy. In a sense, it meant that he would never know peace. Not until he learned how to rip those strings apart. ''It''s much more like I am cursed by it...''


    But then again, wasn''t his fate to become Defiled, tear his face with his nails, and turn into a mad abomination? Wasn''t that his future?


    Sunny shuddered, remembering that frightening possibility. ''No, no way. I would rather die. I will die, if this is the only outcome. That stupid theory of mine has to be wrong. The Mad Prince... I will never become him.''


    Closing his eyes for a moment, he calmed his wildly beating heart and concentrated on weaving essence strings once again. However, his fingers trembled as he did.


    ***


    By the time the seven suns touched the surface of the flowing water, the swift ketch reached the second of the Seven Houses. Mooring the boat to its peer, they camped for the night on the forlorn island.


    It looked like a place where life had thrived once, but now, that vitality was gone. The children were gone, the parents were gone... and soon enough, the Seven Houses would be gone, too, swallowed by the eternal currents of the Great River.


    In the morning, Sunny was awoken by the creaking of the windcatchers. After giving Ananke some time to take a walk along the shore and remember the days of her childhood, they left the artificial islands and sailed downstream once again. It took them another day to pass the third House. By then, Ananke''s appearance had changed once again.


    She used to look only slightly older than Sunny and Nephis in Weave, but now, it was as if she was of the same age as them, or even younger.


    By the time the swift ketch reached the fourth House, she seemed to be in her late teens. The mood inside the ketch had turned dark. Looking at the endearing adolescent face of the young priestess, it was impossible to deny that they would have to leave her behind... soon. The House of Parting was not that far away anymore. Before they reached it, though, they had to pass by the last three of the Seven Houses. ...However, by the time they were supposed to come in view of the fifth, Ananke''s expression had turned tense.


    Because the artificial island was nowhere to be found.

 Chapter 1321 Drowning Island

    Chapter 1321 Drowning Island


    Sunny and Nephis had learned a few things about navigating the endlessly flowing waters of the Great River, but they were still unsure what distance separated each of the Seven Houses from each other. Nevertheless, they quickly understood that something was wrong by looking at Ananke''s face. The young priestess was almost always either calm or smiling. At some point, however, a deep frown twisted her soft adolescent face, and a dark shadow was cast onto her vibrant azure eyes. Sunny was the first to notice. He studied the teenage girl in front of them, then asked:


    "What''s wrong?" ReAd latest chapters at novelhall.com Only


    Ananke lingered for a few moments. "We should have reached the Third House by now, my Lord."


    There were seven artificial islands where the children of Weave spent their childhood, and although the swift ketch was supposed to reach the fifth one, they were actually numbered in reverse order �� starting with the House of Birth far downstream and ending with the House of Youth. So, the Third House would have been the fifth they saw. However...


    It seemed to have disappeared. The young priestess studied the vast expanse of the Great River, then mumbled with uncertainty:


    "I guess... the mechanisms of the island could have broken down, sending it adrift. I haven''t visited here in a long while. Still, the deterioration shouldn''t have reached that stage already..."


    Sunny and Nephis exchanged glances. Rising to her feet, Nephis looked north. "Could it have been destroyed by an abomination?"


    Ananke remained silent, studying the ruins with a dark expression. Eventually, she shook her head. "I don''t know, my Lady. Let''s leave this place as soon as possible."


    Despite her true age and her youthful appearance, the priestess was not a very good liar. Sunny could tell that she was keeping some suspicion to herself... but since Ananke did not want to speak of it, he decided not to press the issue, for now. He trusted her that much, at least.


    The young priestess let Nephis take the steering oar and went to the bow of the ketch, still holding her harpoon. The ketch sailed past the ruins of the devastated House, giving them an opportunity to study how utter its destruction had been. None of them said anything, but all three looked somber and uneasy. Finally, they left the drowning island behind and continued moving with the current of the Great River. An hour passed in tense silence, then another. Despite Sunny''s fears, no monstrous dweller of the depths attacked the small ketch. After a while, the first of the seven suns appeared from beneath the waters. The impenetrable darkness released its hold upon the sky, and a new day came, as bright and beautiful as all the rest of them.


    However, there was something different about this one. When all seven suns had risen from the water, Sunny noticed that far ahead of them, in the distance, the darkness still remained. It veiled the northern horizon like a wall, connecting the surface of the Great River to the sky. Ananke was staring at the distant wall of darkness, too, her youthful face pale. He scowled. "What is it? Some ancient abomination manifesting its power? A Defiled?"


    The young priestess pursed her lips, then slowly shook her head. "No, my Lord. It''s much worse. It is... a storm."


    Her melodious voice sounded solemn.


    "A time storm..."

 Chapter 1322 Broken Time

    Chapter 1322 Broken Time


    The ominous words hung in the air, as foreboding as the wall of darkness veiling the sky far in the distance. Sunny and Nephis looked at Ananke, wary because of her somber expression. This was the first time either of them had seen the young priestess show signs of despondence. The three of them must have made for a funny sight... two battle-hardened warriors staring at a teenage girl, waiting for her guidance. New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Sunny frowned. "A time storm?"


    Ananke nodded slowly. "...Yes, my Lord. I have told you before that time can be unpredictable on the Great River. There are places where it turns stale and unmoving, great whirlpools that nothing can ever escape, clashing currents, and deadly tides of all kinds. A time storm... is one of the most dangerous anomalies one can encounter."


    Her youthful face darkened.


    "It is a wandering disaster that twists and rips time apart, containing within itself absolute chaos. These storms originate from the span of the Great River that corresponds to the final days of the Doom War, when the last cataclysmic battles between the daemons and the gods were fought, and when both sides perished. They... usually don''t reach that far upstream. I am sorry."


    Nephis shook her head. "You don''t need to be sorry, Ananke. It is not your fault. However... how do we escape it?"


    The young priestess lingered for a few moments, then said quietly:


    "I am not sure that we can."


    She uttered several words, easily overpowering Neph''s Shaping. The wind that had been filling the sails of the ketch disappeared, and a moment later, a powerful gale crushed into the wooden boat, making it creak. This one was not summoned by anyone. Much worse... it was blowing from downstream, pushing their hair back.


    "It is very important that none of us touches the water, or becomes separated from the ketch. This storm front we see is only the aftereffect of the true disaster. The real horror lies beneath the waves, in the depths of water �� no one can survive being pulled down by the raging currents of broken time. If you fall into the river, you will never come back."


    Sunny grimaced. His hope of being able to salvage the situation by turning into the river serpent had just been crushed. Now, his only choice was to trust Ananke to see them through the disaster. It was not that he didn''t trust her... but...


    Sunny suddenly remembered traversing the dark sea of the Forgotten Shore on the shoulder of the walking colossus. There had been a storm then, too... and a harrowing creature hiding within the storm. His expression crumbled. "...There are no ancient abominations hiding in that wall of darkness, are there?"


    Ananke looked at him with surprise, then shook her head with a smile. "No, my Lord. Even the Defiled can''t survive the broken time. They avoid these storms just as we do."


    Sunny sighed and looked downstream with a bleak face. After a while, he asked in a dull voice:


    "We should prepare for a rocky ride, then?"


    The young priestess nodded. "Indeed. My Lord is wise..."


    He was not even in the mood to celebrate getting another praise. Shaking his head, Sunny started stretching his body, then froze, realizing how senseless his actions were. They were not preparing for a battle. Sharp swords and sturdy armor were not going to help them survive the storm, and neither would their combat skills. Sighing again, he asked:


    "What exactly do we need to do?"


    With no time to waste, Ananke directed them on how to help her prepare the ketch for braving the storm. She tried to sound calm, but hints of urgency found their way into her voice. The preparations did not take long. They lowered the sails, then folded them neatly. As it turned out, both masts of the ketch could be taken down, as well. After dismantling them, everything was either stored under the deck of the wooden boat or fastened tightly in place.


    Ten minutes later, nothing that could be easily torn or broken by the wind remained. The ketch turned from a sailboat into a simple and barren vessel, seemingly too small to survive a terrible storm, but also solid enough to look like it, maybe, could. The three of them stood on the empty deck, looking north. The wall of darkness was approaching.

 Chapter 1323 Time Storm

    Chapter 1323 Time Storm


    As the winds turned violent and the surface of the Great River grew restless, Ananke gave them a few simple instructions. There was not much to say, really �� she would be responsible for steering the ketch, protecting it against the ravages of distorted time, and preventing it from turning over. While they had to scoop up the water that would inevitably get inside and throw it back overboard. The three of them also used sturdy ropes to tie themselves to the ketch. If the boat did overturn... hopefully, they would not be pulled into the depths of the underwater storm immediately. Sunny was not sure what would happen if Ananke failed to keep their boat above the waves, though, so he didn''t feel too hopeful.


    "Prepare yourselves."


    The voice of the young priestess was grave, which created a strange dissonance with her adolescent appearance. "Once we enter the storm, we won''t be free of it for several days. It will be hard to endure the strain, even for Ascended like you, my Lord and Lady. Conserve your stamina. And essence, too."


    She lingered for a few moments, and then added quietly:


    "All kinds of things can happen... but fate will guide us. Have faith!"


    As Sunny wondered how they were going to survive several days of this torture �� if the ketch wasn''t destroyed sooner, at that �� he heard Ananke through the cacophony of the raging storm. The Names she had spoken were unfamiliar, and judging by the strain in her voice, they were not something the young priestess could easily use, or invoked often. Nevertheless, after she spoke these Words, the nauseating distortion of the time storm seemed to have subsided a little. The ketch was still climbing the tall waves and plummeting from them, and the winds were still as violent as they had been a moment before... but the physical hardship of enduring their ruthless assault was at least tolerable. It was as though an invisible bubble of more stable time appeared around the small ketch, keeping the worst of the chaos away. Sunny turned his head to look at the young priestess. Ananke was holding the steering oar with both hands, looking into the mist with a focused expression. Her youthful face was pale, but her azure eyes were full of stalwart determination. She controlled the ketch with a skill born from hundreds of years of living on the Great River, somehow guiding it through the towering waves and chaotic currents. Then, he glanced at Nephis. Her eyes were burning with white flame, the light fabric of her tunic fluttering in the wind. Finally, Sunny looked down and let out a heavy breath. Bending down, he scooped up the first portion of water and tossed it into the mist. His hand trembled for a moment. Were they really going to live through this?


    Sunny had lived through a great deal of things, many of which no one had any business surviving. He had often imagined his death, as well. In his imagination, that death always came at the hand of a powerful Nightmare Creature... or a similarly powerful human. Sometimes, he imagined dying of old age in a comfortable bed, too.


    One thing Sunny very rarely imagined, if ever, was being killed by a dumb, mindless force of nature. Perhaps it was vain, considering the kinds of environments he often ended up in... but still, he was unwilling to succumb to something so senseless. ''I survived a fight with a Great Beast, damn it...''


    Was he going to die because of a weird storm? ''Like hell I will.''


    Not to mention that there were the lives of Nephis and Ananke to consider, too.


    ...Encouraging himself like this, Sunny endured another wave and scooped more water from the wet deck. The mist swirled and boiled around them, and the small ketch was being pulled deeper and deeper into the storm.

 Chapter 1324 Relentless Battle

    Chapter 1324 Relentless Battle


    The time storm raged all around them. The current of the Great River, which had always been calm and constant, turned into a furious tide... being carried and tossed around by it, the ketch flew forward with terrible speed. Tall waves rose and fell, and hurricane winds howled like frenzied beasts. Everything around them was drowning in a boiling fog. Blinded by it, deafened by the roaring thunderclaps, the three of them had lost all sense of time and direction.


    There was only the feeling of the wet deck beneath their feet, the soaring and plummeting of the wooden boat, and the physical strain of enduring the cataclysmic fury of the storm. Faced with its inconceivable wrath, Sunny couldn''t help but feel how tiny and insignificant he was in the face of the unnatural disaster. ...And that was with Ananke holding the worst of it at bay, as well. The eerie, deeply distressing feeling of the immutable laws of the world turning vague and volatile was still there, muted but indescribably oppressive. He felt sickened, both physically and mentally. It was as if the solid foundation of his very being had suddenly been replaced by shifting quicksand, leaving him shaking and unstable.


    Perhaps that was what madness felt like. ''Damnation...'' New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    And after that...


    Sunny did not have even the slightest idea what was going to happen after... if... he became a Saint. Not only to him, but also to humanity itself. The Great Clans were going to continue their war. The waking world would continue to crumble. The Nightmare Spell would continue to pull them all deeper and deeper into the mysterious machinations of the Demon of Fate. ''Let''s survive the damned storm first!''


    Cursing under his breath, he bent his knees to lessen the impact of the wooden deck hitting his feet, endured the ketch plummeting from the crest of a tall wave to crash violently into the water, then hurriedly threw several scoops of foaming water over the side of the boat. A few steps away, Nephis was doing the same. The world seemed to be coming undone all around them. Separated from the abyss of broken time only by the thin deck of a wooden boat, they sailed through the raging mist.

 Chapter 1325 Lawless Abyss

    Chapter 1325 Lawless Abyss


    Sunny had long lost the track of time... if it even existed in this furious abyss. The howling of the wind and the roar of harrowing thunderclaps had fused into a deafening cacophony, making his ears ring. His sight had been robbed by the boiling mist and the torrents of water. His lungs were on fire, and his muscles felt like they were on the verge of tearing. It was not easy to bring an Ascend to such a sorry state through sheer physical hardship. But here he was, feeling like dying. With each passing hour... or minute, maybe... Sunny was using more and more essence to supplement his failing strength. The ketch was still being carried by the tumultuous current, dancing between towering waves. The world was veiled by mist and darkness. He was still scooping up water, which was now sloshing around his ankles. The wooden dipper Ananke had given him had broken sometime ago, replaced by an iron bowl. ''How... much... longer?''


    Sunny was not sure what he was trying to ask himself. How much longer before they escaped the storm, or before they drowned? In any case, he longed to drop on something solid... unmoving... and rest. Even if that rest would last forever.


    The deck suddenly lurched upward, and he toppled, hitting it with his head. For a moment, Sunny saw stars. But even the stars were dancing wildly, tossed around by the cursed storm. There was no answer. He had attempted to measure time by how fast his essence replenished, hoping that the Crown of Twilight would tell him when dawn and dusk came. But even the Great Memory succumbed to the vagaries of broken time. It activated and fell silent with no rhyme or reason, acting as bizarrely and chaotically as the deadly storm around them. All that Sunny knew was that it had to be a day... two days, maybe?... since they had entered the wall of darkness, at least. Even though it felt like an eternity. The only measure of the passage of time that Sunny and Nephis had was Ananke. Although... that, in and of itself, was one of the most frightening things. The young priestess was still steering the ketch, now slumped and barely holding on to the oar. However, her appearance had changed. If before she looked like an adolescent girl in her late teens, now, she seemed more like a child, no more than twelve years old. Ananke had always been a person of small stature, but at the moment, her body shrank even more. The dark mantle she wore looked almost comically large for her delicate frame, which seemed to drown in its folds. Nevertheless, she never wavered in her duty, keeping their small boat afloat despite the harrowing fury of the Great River.


    ...Even knowing that the priestess was a couple of hundred years old, Sunny couldn''t help but feel his heart tighten when he saw a child struggling against the same hell he and Nephis were being tortured by.


    ''Damn it, damn it, damn it...''


    Picking himself up from the deck, Sunny gritted his teeth and continued to scoop the water up. The slower he was, the heavier the ketch would become... and the heavier it became, the more peril they would be in. It was already a miracle that the old boat continued to withstand the ruthless cruelty of the storm. It couldn''t continue for much longer. Not only because the wooden hull of the ketch could split apart at any moment, but also because the chaotic nature of the time storm was growing more and more eerie and violent around them. Despite the bubble of stability created around the boat by Ananke, they could feel it. Sunny thought he saw strange shapes in the mist. At other times, he felt his own body and mind changing for a split second before reverting to their previous state. The same was happening to Nephis. He wasn''t sure if he was seeing things, but her figure and face seemed to be changing from time to time. Her silver hair always seemed to be of different lengths. Her beautiful face appeared as usual one moment...


    ''What?''


    It really did disappear. Bright light suddenly pierced Sunny''s eyes, and he hissed, covering them with a hand. The violent rocking of the deck subsided, as well. ''Did... did we escape?!''


    Sunny lowered his hand and looked at the horizon.


    Then, he tiredly fell onto the deck. In front of them was a vast expanse of perfectly still water. It was not just peaceful... it was actually unmoving. For the first time since they had entered the Third Nightmare, the Great River stood still. Bright sunlight was pouring from the clear azure sky, illuminating the dreamlike vista. Behind them, the time storm rose like a dark wall. In front of them, far away... was the same veil of darkness. It surrounded the vast circle of calm water like an ominous barrier, seething with rage.


    The circle of calm water itself, meanwhile, was like a flawlessly flat mirror. It shone with reflected sunlight, making it seem as though they were drifting one the surface of a radiant star. Sunny closed his eyes, then covered his face with both hands. ''No. No, we didn''t escape anything.''


    Instead, they only reached the eye of the storm.

 Chapter 1326 Eye of the Storm

    Chapter 1326 Eye of the Storm


    Drifting across the perfectly still surface of the water, the battered ketch slowly gained distance from the swirling wall of the dark mist. The raging winds died down, then disappeared altogether. A strange silence settled upon the world, as if they were caught in a gap between two moments. Only the subtle ripples that spread through the radiant mirror of the frozen river''s surface by the bow of the ketch showed that this hidden sanctuary was not entirely, and eternally, unchanging. Sunny fell back and leaned tiredly on the side of the wooden boat. Breathing heavily, he looked at Nephis, then at Ananke. The silence was too sweet to break it with the sound of human voices. He was too exhausted to speak, as well... for a while, all three of them remained motionless, trying to recover from the torturous fury of the howling storm. ''We''ll have to dive back into that hell, eventually.''


    The thought alone made Sunny shudder. Refusing to entertain it, he closed his eyes and slumped down, intending to rest for a few minutes.


    Instead, he fell into the embrace of sleep almost immediately. Perhaps because of Nightmare, or perhaps because even the Defiled Titans could not reach into the depths of the time storm, nothing visited him in his dreams. ...Sunny woke up with a start when a shadow fell on him. For a split second, he was afraid that they were back in the ruthless grinder of the time cataclysm, but it was only Nephis �� she had walked to the bow of the ketch to look ahead, her face pale and her eyes sunken. He stared at her for a few moments, then sighed and pulled himself upright. "How long was I asleep?"


    She lingered for a while. "There''s no way to tell."


    Sunny frowned, confused by the odd answer. However, then he felt it himself... in the place where the deep discomfort of sensing the broken nature of time had been, there was now a strange emptiness. But it was not the familiar comfort of sensing the natural flow of time, either.


    Instead, it was the absolute lack of it. He frowned, realizing that he could not feel the passage of time at all. It was a truly bizarre sensation, one that could not be properly described with words. His heart was beating, and his chest rose and fell as he breathed �� however, he did not know how long each heartbeat took, and how much time passed between each breath.


    It could have been a moment, a minute, or a thousand years. It could have been an eternity. Sunny grimaced. ''Damnation.''


    What was happening now?


    They were alive, strangely enough... at least it seemed that way. His body ached all over, still reeling from the terrible strain of surviving the storm. Such pain was something that only the living felt.


    There was something beneath the radiance. Sunny heard Ananke end the sentence as he peered through the light:


    "...we shouldn''t look at the water."


    Her warning came a split second too late. The scream died in his throat as he saw...


    A pale figure moving across the surface of the water with calamitous killing intent, shrouded in countless layers of furious darkness. That rippling darkness was boundless and unfathomable, containing within itself an infinite number of choices. The features of the harrowing figure were vague and obscured, and all he could see...


    Was a pair of terrible wings, their feathers black like those of a raven. They spread, vast enough to devour the sky, and drowned the world in howling mist.


    ...Staggering back, Sunny fell to his knees and vomited blood. Two streams of it burst from his nose, too. Blood Weave, which would usually prevent something like this, was reeling in stupor, and so was he. It was as though his mind had suffered a tremendous shock from witnessing the dark figure... and sensing the harrowing depth of its obliterating killing intent. Hurting and disoriented, Sunny wiped the blood off his face and spat.


    "What... what the hell is that?!"


    Ananke remained silent for a while, uncharacteristically solemn. Then, she said in a low voice:


    "Those... are reflections of the gods, my Lord. And of the daemons that slayed them..."

 Chapter 1327 Frozen Reflections

    Chapter 1327 Frozen Reflections


    Sunny wiped the blood off his lips and remained motionless for a while, staring at the wooden deck. There was an irate expression on his face, and when he threw a furtive glance to the side, his body trembled slightly. "That''s... great."


    ''The reflections of the gods and daemons...''


    It made sense, in the senseless kind of way that seemed to be prevalent here in the Tomb of Ariel. The time storms were echoes of the final battles between the daemons and the gods. They had been created when the aftershocks of those unimaginable clashes reached the Great River through the titanic walls of the black pyramid. So... it wasn''t that unusual that there were reflections of the awesome deities still remaining in the eye of the storm, where time was frozen still. Whose figure had Sunny witnessed just now?


    Nephis, it seemed, also wanted to know.


    "What did you see?"


    Her voice sounded nonchalant, but he could tell that she was curious. Sunny groaned and sat down, then summoned the Endless Spring to take a sip of water. Washing the taste of blood off his tongue, he lingered for a moment and said in a somber tone:


    "I think I just saw Nether in full war mode, going all out."


    The harrowing figure which was shrouded in darkness... Sunny was not certain, but he felt that it was the Prince of the Underworld, Nether �� the Demon of Destiny �� himself.


    After all, he was also the Demon of Choice. And that was what Sunny had sensed within the boundless expanse of rippling darkness, an infinite amount of choices. True darkness also originated from the mists of the Hollow Mountains, where Nether''s domain lay. ''Curse it.'' New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Sunny had seen a daemon before. However, he had not been reduced to such a sorry state after meeting Hope face-to-face. Why was gazing upon the Prince of the Underworld so different?


    ''I guess it was not seeing him... it was feeling an echo of his killing intent.''


    Nether''s murderous will was so terrifying that simply looking at his reflection almost killed Sunny. And that was considering that he was an Ascended Tyrant, too... if a mundane person had glimpsed the visage of the infuriated daemon, they would have probably dropped dead at the spot, simple as that. ''Scary...''


    Weaver, the Demon of Fate... the oldest of the seven. Hope, the Demon of Desire �� although she was also often called Desire, the Demon of Hope, which was not confusing at all. Then there was Ariel, the Demon of Dread, and the Demon of Oblivion, whose name had been forgotten by all. Nether, the Demon of Destiny �� or Choice �� was the youngest. The last two he had never heard of before. The Demon of Imagination and the Demon of Repose...


    ''Weird!''


    Their titles did not sound particularly... demonic at all. He had expected something disastrous and terrifying, like the Demon of Strife or the Demon of Frenzy. The daemons had been feared above all other lesser deities, after all, and perhaps even more than the gods. The word for imagination could also be translated as illusion, vision, or sight. The word for repose could also be translated as renewal, rejuvenation, and restoration.


    What was so frightening about these things?


    ''Well... imagination can indeed be scary, I guess. I can also imagine how ceaseless renewal might end up becoming a nightmare, sort of.''


    Nevertheless, the two daemons were a complete mystery to him. ...To be honest, all seven daemons were a mystery, as were all six gods. ''If only there was a place where I could learn a bit about each of them, including how they looked and fought. Right?''


    Sunny glanced at the radiant water, suddenly consumed not only by dread, but also by burning curiosity. It was all right here, one look away...


    Shuddering, Sunny forced himself to turn away. ''What are you doing, fool?''


    He was in the Tomb of Ariel, of all places. A titanic pyramid built to bury the truths that even one of these ineffable beings had not been able to bear, and where the knowledge of those truths gave birth to the Defilement. If Sunny failed to understand that not all truths were meant to be learned in such a place, then he really did not deserve to be alive. ''Ah... what a disappointment.''


    Why wasn''t there a Demon of Curiosity? Curiosity was a much more terrifying thing than imagination and repose, as far as he was concerned.


    Looking at the embarrassed Ananke, he sighed and shook his head. "The sixth daemon is Oblivion. Don''t worry... it''s her nature to be easily forgotten. You already did well by remembering that there was one more of them, really."


    The child priestess hesitated for a while, then nodded with a smile. "Right! Thank you, my Lord." Trying not to look too closely at the surface of the water, Sunny turned away and peered into the distance, where the dark wall of the time storm towered like a boundary of the world. His expression dulled. The moment of respite in the eye of the storm was welcome and unexpected... but it was also doomed to be brief. Soon, they would have to challenge the fury of the unnatural cataclysm once again. The thought made him shudder.

 Chapter 1328 Serene Peril

    Chapter 1328 Serene Peril


    It was peaceful in the eye of the storm, if a little bit eerie. The strange lack of the sensation of time had been uncomfortable at first, but Sunny quickly found himself forgetting that time had ever existed at all. The view of the azure sky reflecting on the perfectly calm water was beautiful and tranquil. The silence was like a lullaby, making him feel at ease. Sunny had not felt such peace in a long, long while...


    There was no need to hurry, and no possibility to do so anyway. Without telling how long their actions took, they could not know whether they were being slow or swift either. So, it was fine to just let go and remain still for a bit, enjoying the serene stillness of the world...


    Which was why Sunny soon found himself feeling cold dread. ''N-not... this is not good...''


    It was just too easy to be lulled into inaction in this strange and frozen place. At some point, Sunny realized that he did not know how long he had remained sitting with his back against the side of the ketch, without a thought in his head. His eyes widened slightly. If they weren''t careful... would they end up frozen forever in the eye storm, too, just like everything else was frozen in this tranquil haven?


    Shuddering, he turned to Ananke and asked:


    "How long has it been since we reached this place?"


    She helplessly shook her small head. "I don''t know, my Lord."


    He hesitated. "How long before we dive back into the storm, then?"


    The child priestess looked up at her with a startled expression. "But, my Lady!"


    Neph stared at her somberly for a few moments, her gaze heavy. Eventually, she said bluntly:


    "You have grown too weak, Ananke. I am sorry. Your body is not strong enough to handle the strain. You can''t even reach the deck with your feet while sitting on the helmsman''s bench... how are you going to control the oar?"


    She looked down, then sighed. Walking up to the child priestess, Nephis patted her on the shoulder and forced out a smile. "Don''t worry. Isn''t that why you taught me? You taught me well. I will steer the ketch while you keep the broken time at bay. Each of the three of us will make sure that we escape the storm alive."


    With that, she threw a poignant look at Sunny. He felt sorry for Ananke, but knew that Nephis was right. Their guide... was not capable of guiding the boat through a raging storm anymore. Even if it hurt her pride and went against her determination, it was time for the two of them to protect Ananke instead of being protected by her. They had to make sure that she survived the storm. And after that... they had to make sure that she had the means of returning to Weave, too. ''How did everything become so complicated...''


    The damned storm had thoroughly destroyed their plans. Now, all they could do was finish their battle against it, and then come up with new ones. The strain on Sunny was going to increase, considering that he would be draining the water from the ketch alone this time. But he would have to manage, somehow. If there was one consolation, it was that half of the journey was already behind them. Knowing that each minute brought them closer to safety, he wouldn''t need to preserve his essence as much. Sunny smiled, then clapped his hands. "Alright! Let''s get out of the eye of the storm first. Honestly, this beautiful place... is way too creepy. I''ll feel better once we''re drowning in raging water and being battered by devastating winds. Wouldn''t you?"


    Not to mention that he was still struggling against an overwhelming desire to peer into the reflections frozen in the still water, consequences be damned.


    Ananke lowered her head, despondent, but there was nothing she could say. Her small frame was indeed not suitable for steering the ketch through the powerful storm anymore. Transcendent or not, she was still a child now. Feeling a sense of urgency, the three of them struggled against the lulling tranquility of the frozen time and hurried themselves, hoping to return to the crushing embrace of the storm as soon as possible.


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 Chapter 1329 Last Hurdle

    Chapter 1329 Last Hurdle


    As Nephis steered the ketch toward the wall of darkness, Sunny had some time to prepare himself mentally for the arduous struggle that lay ahead of them. He also had time to observe Ananke closer. What he saw... did not bode well. Despite being an adult �� and someone hundreds of years old, at that �� the priestess had regained the body of a young child. Looking at her youthful appearance, it was hard to remember how ancient, decrepit, and frail she had been once, when they met her in the far future.


    But the change was not exactly a benevolent one. Despite being full of vitality, Ananke had obviously grown much weaker. Her immature body was not as strong and physically capable as it had been before... but, worse than that, the differences went deeper than that. As Sunny observed the child priestess, he slowly realized that her mind had been affected by her turning into a child, as well. It was as though her head could not contain the mature consciousness of an experienced adult anymore. Nor could her heart handle the powerful emotions of one with the same composure. Ananke had not really turned dull or less intelligent, but... there was a certain infantile straightforwardness to how she spoke and behaved now. Her eyes, which had always been wise, seemed slightly naive, as well. Her mind slowly regressing. Sunny felt cold claws grip his heart. ''Curse it...''


    He gritted his teeth and looked down, but then forced himself to straighten. ''Fine. It''s fine. She has taken care of us enough... we''ll take care of her, now.''


    Of course, they still needed the child priestess to protect the ketch from the ravages of broken time. Sunny hoped that she would be able to maintain the bubble of stability around the ketch �� both for their sake, and her own.


    Once they were out of the storm, they would find a way to help her return to Weave, even if it meant turning around and sailing back upstream. His heavy thoughts were interrupted by a sudden breeze that threw tiny droplets of water into his face. Sunny looked up, sensing the shadows around them shift. ''We''re here...''


    "Yes, my Lord!"


    Sunny grinned, then picked up the iron bowl and prepared to scoop up as much water as he could. ''Granted... I only survived fighting the Sybil of the Fallen Grace by luck. And now I need to survive this storm, somehow, to meet her again. What a ridiculous turn of events, really..."


    It was indeed a bit ridiculous. However, Sunny did not feel like laughing.


    The storm swallowed them like a giant beast. The ketch flew on the raging current, dwarfed by towering waves. The swirling mist enveloped the world, making it seem as though nothing except for the terrible disaster remained within the Tomb of Ariel. The insidious tranquility of the eye of the storm seemed as though it had never existed. They had left its shelter, as well as the reflections of the gods and the daemons, behind.


    Sunny would have felt regret at the missed opportunity to learn divine secrets, but he had no time to think about such things. Bending down, he scooped up the first portion of water and tossed it back into the mist. His body did not ache... for now. His reserves of essence were not empty, for now. His mind was not numbed by the sickening feeling of time breaking apart, for now. All these torments would come soon. And then, hopefully, he would leave them behind as well. To make space for some new horrors, without a doubt. But one day, at the end of it all...


    A bright future awaited him. Maybe. For now, however, what lay ahead was the past. Sunny had to travel far into the past, meet Dusk of the Fallen Grace, find the members of the cohort, and conquer this damned Nightmare. Shielding his face from the devastating blow of the wind, he gritted his teeth. ''Ah, really now...''


    They were braving a storm of broken time in the company of a two-hundred-year-old child, who was a priestess of the Nightmare Spell. Sunny chuckled. ''...No one is going to believe this crap!''

 Chapter 1330 Floodgates

    Chapter 1330 Floodgates


    The time storm seemed even more violent the second time around. The deafening howling of the wind had grown deeper and louder, sounding more like a monstrous roar now. It was as if an enormous beast was struggling to break free of its chains somewhere below the waves, its voice reverberating across the entire world and shaking the heavens. The sky itself seemed like it had been torn asunder and collapsed. A flood of boiling mist poured through its broken dam, devouring the seething surface of the Great River. The tiny speck of the wooden ketch flew through the howling abyss, surrounded by frenzied darkness. Sometimes, a thunderous crack would drown out the fury of the storm, as if the pillars of the world were fracturing and crumbling apart. Then, a blinding flash of lightning would momentarily illuminate the turbulent expanse of dark water. Hidden by the mist, colossal waves rose and fell like black mountains, carrying with them an obliterating weight. And those were only the outward manifestations of the harrowing storm. Sunny did not know what kind of destructive forces were clashing in the depths of the river below the ketch, but he could feel the nature of time turning more and more twisted around them.


    Even protected by Ananke, he could feel his body and mind twist and crack with it. ''Argh...''


    He failed to contend with the furious power of the wild current and was sent tumbling, colliding with the side of the ketch. Blinded by pain and ignoring it, Sunny reached out and caught the child priestess before she was washed overboard. The ropes connecting them to the ketch became entangled, but it was the least of his problems right now.


    The wooden boat was creaking and groaning around them, seemingly on the verge of breaking apart. Nephis had firmly planted herself at the stern, holding onto the steering oar with all her might. White flames were dancing in her eyes, and soft radiance rose from her skin, made vague and unclear by the veil of mist.


    The ketch was falling from a towering wave, and Sunny felt weightless for a moment. His body was actually separated from the deck, drifting upward �� he had to activate the Feather of Truth and make himself heavier in order to not be tossed into the air. Placing himself between the wooden deck and Ananke, Sunny gritted his teeth. A moment later, the crushing impact of the fall came, knocking the wind out of him. Hurt, suffocating, he whispered a quiet curse.


    The ketch was filling up with water. How was he supposed to drain it if he couldn''t even remain standing? They had done well up until now... it was impossible to tell how long their dreadful journey through the storm had lasted, but judging by how tired and battered his body was, it couldn''t have been a small amount of time. Despite that, there was no sign of the furious disaster growing any weaker.


    She was also just as stubborn and relentless as he was.


    Together... they were going to overcome this terrible storm, despite it all. Sunny pushed air into his burning lungs. "And then for a little bit more... and a little bit more..."


    Sparks of light ignited in the mist around him, coalescing into several Memories. First, a serpentine crown of black metal appeared on his head. Then, a flute carved out of emerald bone appeared in his hand. Sunny took a deep breath and activated the [Royal Promise] enchantment of the Crown of Twilight. Immediately, he felt a subtle connection form between him and the seething waters of the Great River. That connection was weak and insignificant... but it was strong enough for his goals. Commanding the water like he did shadows, Sunny willed it to move. The foaming water that filled the insides of the ketch, already reaching above his shins, suddenly stirred. Flowing in reverse, it tentatively crawled up the sides of the boat and spilled into the turbulent darkness beyond. One second passed, then another... a few heartbeats later, the remaining water was already not as deep as it had been before. This method was certainly much more convenient than draining it one scoop of the iron bowl at a time. On the downside, he could feel his essence disappearing with a frightening speed, as well as a heavy strain pressing down on his already reeling mind.


    ''Heavy... it''s heavy...''


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny persisted. At the same time, he brought Bone Singer to his lips and blew into it. The next moment, a dome of blessed silence enveloped the ketch, sparing their ears from the staggering cacophony of the storm. The sudden lack of deafening noise left him stunned. Swaying, Sunny fell heavily to the deck and grabbed onto the side of the ketch, holding himself in place. Outside, the havoc of the time cataclysm was the same. The small boat was still being tossed around by the raging current, flying up the towering waves and then plummeting down. But inside, at least for a little while, there was silence and peace.


    Taking a shaky breath, Sunny lowered his head and wondered how long he would be able to keep this peace in existence.


    ''Not long... it won''t be long at all...''

 Chapter 1331 The Well of Wishes

    Chapter 1331 The Well of Wishes


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    Nephis continued to struggle against the storm, guiding them through the towering waves, but Sunny and Ananke received a moment of respite. If it could even be called that... they were still inside the ketch, which was tossed around like a toy boat by the raging current. Sunny was using one hand and all of his tyrannical strength to keep himself in place while holding Ananke with the other. But without the need to feverishly scoop out water, they at least could catch their breaths and remain motionless for a while �� for as long as his essence lasted, that was. Sunny leaned against the wet wood tiredly, consumed by bitter exhaustion. His chest was rising heavily. ''Not good...''


    Being a Supreme Memory, the Crown of Twilight was a very powerful tool. But correspondingly, it consumed a lot of essence. It was going to take a few minutes for his tentative authority over water to drain the entire boat... after that, it would be unwise to keep sustaining the effect of the [Royal Promise].


    He sighed. What was even a minute? In this godforsaken storm, it was impossible to tell. The effects of time being broken were still ravaging them. Sunny had already grown accustomed to seeing ghastly hallucinations impose themselves on the bodies of Nephis, Ananke, and himself. There were vague, harrowing shapes sometimes appearing from the mist, as well. He could never discern their nature, but the glimpses of unknown figures and events filled him with a deep sense of terror.


    Were they twisted fragments of the past? Of the future? Or something else entirely, that had crawled into the world through the rifts in the broken framework of the absolute law?


    He did not know, and did not wish to know. ''Perhaps this is how Cassie feels...''


    There were shadows, as well. They were just as twisted and perverse as the rest of things within the time storm. He had already limited the range of his shadow sense as much as it was possible, but he could still feel them... the chilling wrongness of them... and couldn''t help but shudder. Sunny felt grim and hopeless. ...At that moment, a childish voice distracted him from his dark thoughts. "M��my Lord?"


    He stirred and looked down, at the small figure of the child priestess. Ananke had grown even younger. Now, she looked like a girl of maybe seven years of age, tired and afraid. Her mind must have regressed further, too. She was still maintaining the bubble of stability around the ketch, but... it felt weaker. She looked more like an actual child than a wise Saint trapped in the body of one, as well.


    Sunny forced out a weak smile and asked, trying to keep his tone soft:


    "What is it?"


    Ananke lingered for a while, seemingly embarrassed. Eventually, though, she whispered in a small voice:


    "I''m... scared."


    Those words...


    They cut Sunny like a knife. The proud priestess he knew would have never allowed herself to say something like that to a person she considered her ward. The fact that she had... meant that Ananke was gone further than he thought. His heart grasped by the icy claws of anger and regret, Sunny struggled to keep his bitter emotions away from his face. His smile froze. "There''s... no need to be afraid, Ananke. We will escape this storm, the three of us. I am sure of it. See?"


    He pointed to the water, which was flowing out of the ketch on its own. What he had said to the child priestess was not a lie. Sunny desperately believed that they would, indeed, survive the time storm. Or rather... he had fooled himself into believing that. He might not have been able to lie to others, but lying to himself? That was the easiest thing in the world. Ananke grew quiet, seemingly calmed a little by his words. However, her small face was still sick with fear. After a few moments, she asked again, her voice tentative:


    "The Well of Wishes, huh?"


    Ananke nodded seriously. "Yes. They say that the world was born from a wish. And so, a Well of Wishes is hidden at the estuary of the River... because it flows back in time, to the moment when the world was born. Anyone who reaches there will have their most dear wish come true."


    Sunny tilted his head, surprised by the strange logic of the fairy tale �� both by how odd it was, and that there strangely was logic to it at all. ''In the beginning, there was desire...''


    Was it so wrong to say that the world was born from a wish?


    As the water left the ketch and his essence burned, the child priestess continued with a smile:


    "There was once a brave girl who was separated from her mother by the currents. The girl couldn''t meet her mother, because she was Riverborn. But... she found a magic ship, which allowed her to sail the River just like an Outsider..."


    As the storm raged around them, Ananke told him about the incredible adventures of the Riverborn girl in her small, childish voice. By the time the Riverborn girl found her Outsider mother, the mother had grown weak and frail from old age. Knowing that time would separate them again soon, forever, the girl sailed for the Estuary.


    Ananke''s voice had grown excited. "...And finally, she found the Well of Wishes. The girl''s wish was to be with her mom, and so, the Well made her mother Riverborn as well. She returned upstream on her magic ship, and they lived together happily, forever..."


    She looked at him expectantly, all worry gone from her face. Sunny held her close, feeling the violent forces of the storm trying to throw the battered ketch down. "That... is a wonderful fairy tale, Ananke. I liked it a lot."


    The child priestess smiled. "You are an Outsider too, my Lord. You don''t even need a magic ship to reach the Estuary! Maybe... maybe you can find the Well of Wishes, too..."


    He didn''t have the heart to tell her that what waited in the Estuary was the source of the Defilement, and not a magical well that granted everyone their dearest wishes. Instead, Sunny lingered for a while.


    Eventually, he nodded. "Yes... wouldn''t that be nice? Maybe I''ll really find the Well of Wishes and have my greatest wish come true, one day. Who''s to say I won''t?"


    He smiled.


    The Well of Wishes...


    Sunny tensed, feeling the approach of an impact. It was a beautiful fairy tale, indeed.

 Chapter 1332 Splinters

    Chapter 1332 Splinters


    The ketch was thrown into the air by the powerful current, like it had been a thousand times already, and then plummeted down. Bruised and battered, Sunny gritted his teeth and prepared to endure the violent shock of the impact �� just like he had endured a thousand of them already. The seething water seemed as hard as stone when the bottom of the wooden boat hit it. He held on to the side of the ketch, feeling a grim sense of fatigue and hopelessness overwhelm his mind. The darkness was as oppressive as it had been before, the mist was as blinding as it had been before, and the fury of the storm was as chillingly dreadful as it had been before. However, this impact was different from all the previous ones. ...Sunny failed to see the moment the wood split, but he heard it. Even through the howling of the hurricane wind and the roaring of the falling waves, the cracking sound seemed clear and deafening. By the time he turned, Nephis was already falling. She hit the deck with a dull thump, leaving a streak of blood on it, and tumbled forward. A split second later, her back hit the protruding fittings of the dismantled mast, violently arresting her fall.


    A stifled groan escaped from her lips. ''What... what happened?!''


    It took Sunny a moment to notice a jagged piece of broken wood that she was gripping with both hands, still, her knuckles white. Then, he hurriedly glanced at the stern of the ketch. His pupils narrowed. The steering oar... was gone. There was only the piece Nephis was holding and a scattering of wet splinters on the deck. The rest of it had shattered, and was washed away by the raging current.


    Sunny froze for a moment, both terrified and relieved �� relieved because it was not the deck itself that had cracked, terrified because the ketch had become completely uncontrollable now. The next wave was already approaching, and with no one to steer the boat to face it directly, it was going to hit them from the side. Which meant that the ketch would most likely roll.


    Even if it didn''t immediately, there would be the next wave, and the next, and the next... and a thousand more after that.


    His reserves of essence were already breached, a lot of it spent by the Crown of Twilight. Well... one way or another, they were going to find out. As the ark of shadows was being carried by the raging current, Sunny, Nephis, and Ananke tried desperately to endure the arduous strain of being tossed around by the harrowing cataclysm.


    Sunny and Nephis were laying on the wet deck, secured to it by the bonds of shadows, keeping Ananke''s small body between them. Pressed tightly against each other, the three of them had no other choice but to suffer the painful impacts of the waves and cling to the last, desperate vestiges of hope. The violence of the storm, the bone-chilling cold of the mist, and the muffled roars of the wind filled their hearts with dread.


    ''We will survive this... we will...''


    Sunny kept repeating these words inside his head, as if trying to will them into existence. His reserve of essence was diminishing slightly with each minute.


    And so were their chances of making it out of the storm alive.

 Chapter 1333 Farewells, The Storm

    Chapter 1333 Farewells, The Storm


    As Sunny was struggling to keep both himself and Ananke whole in the furious grinder of the storm, he could feel her small body trembling. His own body was soaked in cold water and chilled to the bone. At the same time, he could feel the Neph''s radiance breathing warmth into it. It was more than just warmth, too. Knowing that it was his shadows that were keeping them safe, Nephis sent her flames to engulf Sunny, strengthening both his body and soul. Most of her light was transferred to him, while the last wisp gently caressed the child priestess. As the white flame surrounded Ananke, the numerous scrapes and bruises covering her small figure instantly healed. She seemed to relax a little.


    ...Nephis herself, though, was left devoid of any protection. The two of them were very close, their arms wrapped around each other, with only the trembling child between them. Resting his head on the wet wood of the deck, Sunny silently looked into Neph''s eyes. They were lightless and tired, numbed by torment and pain. There was nothing to say. There was nothing to do, either. The three of them just had to suffer, endure, and pray that Sunny''s essence lasted longer than the storm did. It was more easily said than done. The shadow ark was being shaken and tossed around by the raging elements like a ball. Even though the harness he had created held them in place, it was still a torturous experience. Sunny had to strain all his muscles to lessen the shock of the terrible impacts, holding on to the mast fittings with all his might. That task was not in any way easier than the draining and laborious process of scooping up water with an iron bowl. In fact, it was much harder, because he couldn''t even stand. He had to protect Ananke, as well. Being lost in the depths of a cataclysmic storm was not much different from the few moments of destructive havoc he had experienced when the explosives beneath Falcon Scott were detonated. Only, this time, the havoc was going to last much, much longer... hours, most likely, or even days.


    Not that these words held any meaning anymore. The volatile currents of broken time that surrounded them were only growing more wild and unstable. Sunny could feel their sickening influence through the protective bubble that Ananke was still maintaining around the ketch. His thoughts had become tangled, and it was hard to maintain focus. But he had to... he had to keep the manifested shadows intact, continuously willing their shapes into existence and repairing any damage done to the improvised ark. If Sunny lost concentration, all three of them were going to die.


    ''Come on... we have already reached so far! Just a little bit more! Just a little!''


    It was just that he struggled to remain concentrated more and more. The ravages of broken time were growing fiercer, but the protections conjured by Ananke were growing weaker. Soon, Sunny found himself unable to tell when was before and when was after. All that remained was the current moment, the pain in his battered body, the cold mist that stuck to his skin, the warmth of Neph''s flame burning softly in the depths of his being, and the tactile sensations of her and Ananke''s bodies pressed against his own.


    All he could do was cling to these sensations, to his connection to the shadows, and find strength in their silent presence. ''I have to hold on... I have to...''


    But then, slowly, even these feelings grew vague and chaotic. The storm of broken time invaded his mind completely, extinguishing Sunny''s ability to be aware of the world. He was left in a torturous state that was not consciousness, but also not the merciful oblivion of losing it. ''Have... to... hold...''


    And then, the torture dissipated, as well.


    There was no time.


    There was no world. There was only the storm.


    ***


    "Nephis? Ananke?"


    He rose to his knees and looked around, searching for their familiar figures. Neph was there, sitting tiredly with her back against the side of the ketch. But...


    A dull, tearing pain suddenly pierced his heart. ''No...''


    Sunny''s shoulders fell. ''No...''


    Ananke... was nowhere to be seen. The child priestess had disappeared, leaving behind no trace. All that remained was an empty black mantle that lay on the deck, orphaned and forlorn. Crawling a step forward, Sunny clutched the mantle and raised it, staring at the dark fabric with hollow eyes. He remained kneeling for a few moments, unable to move... or think... or feel.


    Sunny''s soul felt cold, cold... colder even than he had felt in the snowy field outside Falcon Scott.


    As he looked at the black mantle, frozen, two hands wrapped themselves around his shoulders, and Nephis hugged him from behind. "She''s gone."


    The warmth of her body and the softness of her voice... were like execution''s axe. Sunny trembled. Neph held him tighter, as if unwilling to let go. "The storm must have carried us too deep into the past, far beyond where she was born. And so... she''s gone. I''m sorry, Sunny."


    The black mantle slipped from his fingers. Looking down, Sunny gasped for breath. ''But we survived... we survived the storm! Why...''


    His vision blurred. After a while, consumed by pain, he whispered:


    "...I am sorry, too."

 Chapter 1334 Dire Promise

    Chapter 1334 Dire Promise


    Sunny and Nephis remained motionless for a while, carried by the indifferent, inevitable current of the Great River. His heart was heavy... too heavy to bear. It was in so much pain that the suffering felt almost physical.


    Or maybe it was. Eventually, the pain turned dull. But the unbearable weight remained. Slowly raising his hand, Sunny tightly gripped one of Neph''s arms. She was still hugging him from behind, so he couldn''t see her face. She couldn''t see his, either... which was perhaps for the best. When Sunny spoke, his even voice was low and full of torment:


    "Neph..."


    He raised his eyes to the distant blue sky. "Why can''t we protect anyone?"


    ...There was no answer for a while. Eventually, Nephis let out a quiet sigh. "Because that is not the world we were born into."


    She lingered for a moment, her body still pressed against his. Then, she added:


    "You and I, and everyone we know... we were born to destroy things, not save them."


    Sunny lowered his head, thinking that maybe she was right. The world they lived in �� both of the worlds, really �� needed killers more than it needed builders. That was the sign of the dire times they belonged to. But what was the point of slaying Nightmare Creatures and conquering the trials of the Spell if there was nothing to return to except regret and ruin?


    A few moments later, he heard Neph''s voice again. Holding him, she said in a hesitant tone:


    "I don''t know if it helps... but Ananke never intended to return to Weave. She knew that she wouldn''t be coming back all along."


    Sunny''s eyes trembled. Shifting slightly, he turned his head and finally looked at Neph. New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    "What?"


    She sighed. "What kind of future would it have been, to return and spend the rest of her limitless life alone in the graveyard of everything she loved? She had only held out for that long because of a dream about the Children of Weaver... us... needing her help. Once we were gone, her last reason to remain would have been gone, too."


    Nephis looked away. "That was why the supplies we gathered in Weave were only meant for two people, not three. And why she wanted to tell us about its past so much."


    Her voice grew forced and heavy. "...That was why she took us to the House of Parting, as well. Where the Riverborn come to leave on their last journey. To have a feast with their loved ones before saying farewell."


    Neph''s usually motionless face contorted slightly. She remained silent for a moment, then said evenly:


    "That''s great, then."


    Sunny blinked. That... was not the reaction he had expected. Confused, he frowned and asked, making sure that he had heard right:


    "...Great?"


    Nephis nodded, as if confirming something obvious. "Of course. If the Six Plagues are really us from the future... then we know all about them. We know all their strengths, and all their weaknesses. We even know their Flaws."


    She smiled slightly out of the corner of her mouth. "I was worried about having to face them before, but if what you said is true... well, then it changes things. If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If the enemy is yourself, though... everything becomes much simpler, doesn''t it?"


    Sunny stared at her, stunned. "Indeed..."


    Indeed, she was right. His eyes widened a little. If the Mad Prince was truly a future version of himself �� a vile apparition from a future where Nephis was dead �� then all it took to kill the bastard was to speak their True Name aloud. If the Devouring Beast was truly a future version of Effie, then killing her would be as easy as isolating the fearsome Plague and denying her access to sustenance. Before too long, the Defiled abomination would weaken, and her body would consume itself.


    If Undying Slaughter was truly the future version of Jet, then they simply had to engage her in a battle for an extended period of time, not allowing the wretched thing to slay anyone and absorb their essence. Eventually, her soul would collapse by itself. If Torment was truly the future version of Cassie, then her strength lay in her prophetic powers and an incredibly high affinity to revelations and fate. She could not be too formidable physically... so, Weaver''s Mask would render her defenseless.


    There were the other two, of course. Mordret''s Flaw was unknown, and Sunny doubted that he would share it freely. However, the Prince of Nothing would be able to deal with the Soul Stealer personally without revealing his secrets. Kai''s Flaw, meanwhile, was not something that could be exploited to bring him down in battle. Still... knowing how to kill five out of the Six Plagues was already a brilliant result. It was much better, by far, than facing six harrowing abominations blind. Sunny had been so shaken and revolted by the dreadful possibility of turning into the hateful Mad Prince that he failed to consider its hidden benefits.


    His eyes gleamed darkly. Looking up, Sunny stared at Nephis silently for a few long, poignant moments. Then, he said quietly:


    "Neph... let''s kill the Mad Prince."


    His voice slowly grew stronger.


    "Let''s kill that wretch, and the rest of the Six Plagues with him. Let''s slaughter the Defiled. Let''s burn Verge to the ground."


    He gritted his teeth and leaned forward, his eyes burning with dark murderous intent.


    "Let''s conquer this horrid Nightmare." Sunny''s words hung in the air for a moment, and were then carried away by the wind. Nephis remained silent for a while.


    Then, she smiled, white flames igniting in her eyes. "...It''s a promise."


    [End of Part One: Currents of Time]

 Chapter 1335 After the Storm

    Chapter 1335 After the Storm


    The Great River was like it had always been - vast, dreamlike, and ceaseless. Its current gently carried the ketch forward, as if the harrowing storm had never happened. The seven suns slowly traveled across the azure sky, which was painted lilac in the east and vibrant crimson in the west.


    For a while, Nephis and Sunny remained idle. Their bodies were still reeling from the terrible battle against the raging elements, and so were their minds. The invasive violence of broken time had left them drained and fragile.


    Their hearts felt hollow, too.


    Sunny silently lay on the wooden deck, staring at the sky. His head was empty, full of nothing but the sensation of a dull ache that radiated from all across his battered body.New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    It was good to hurt. Pain reminded him that he was alive.


    There was the smell of wet wood, the peaceful sound of waves splashing against the sides of the ketch, and the warm sunlight. Most noteworthy of all, there was time.


    He had never been aware of just how important the sense of time was before experiencing its absence. And why would he? People did not usually pay attention to immutable things, simply taking them for granted. But as it turned out, those things were not as absolute when higher beings were involved.


    Now that they had escaped the storm, the natural flow of time returned in all its glory. Its reliable presence felt... reassuring. Time was at peace once again.


    Time flowed.


    Eventually, the dull ache permeating his body subsided. The pain in his heart grew duller, as well. New sensations took their place.


    Thirst, hunger... caution, determination.


    Sunny still felt numb, but his mind was slowly recovering.


    He lingered for a while longer, then sat up with a quiet sigh.


    The vista of the Great River around them was exactly as before the storm... which posed a bit of a problem.


    Some time later, Sunny and Nephis were sitting at the bow of the ketch, looking soberly at several strange tools laying on the deck in front of them. One looked like a bronze astrolabe, another was akin to a sextant, and the third resembled a strange compass. All these had been gifted to them by Ananke, and were meant for navigating the Great River.


    Of course, the first one was not really an astrolabe, since there were no stars in the Tomb of Ariel. The second one could be considered a sextant, but the set of principles it was supposed to work on was entirely different from the waking world. The third one could indeed show direction, but it was between past, future, dawn, and dusk instead of north, south, east, and west.


    Sunny and Nephis had learned a fair deal about how to use these tools, but not about why they worked. The Great River was not a sphere, like Earth was, and it didn''t revolve around a star. Instead, seven artificial suns revolved around the river. Nevertheless, there seemed to be some sort of curvature to it, which neither of them could explain.


    It was all a mystery.


    Before, Ananke had been their navigator, but now that she was gone, Sunny and Nephis had to chart the course themselves.


    Sunny looked at the wooden deck beneath him with a complicated expression. The ketch had endured a lot in the storm. Too much, really. The fact that it was still in one piece spoke volumes about the craftsmanship of the person who had built it.


    But would it survive a clash with a frenzied Nightmare Creature? What about one after that, and one after that?


    His face turned grim.


    ''...I don''t think it will.''


    Nephis seemed to be thinking the same. They were both worried.


    However, there was nothing they could do.


    Their only choice was to set sail, and pray to the dead gods.


    Full of somber apprehension, Sunny and Nephis got to work without delay.


    They raised the two masts back into position and fastened the sails to them. The steering oar was gone, so they fashioned a new one from the repair materials stored inside the Covetous Coffer, affixing it at the stern of the ketch with the help of one of Neph''s Memories, the Dark Shaper.


    Then, she spoke the Names taught to her by Ananke and summoned the winds.


    The ketch flew downstream once again, cutting the clear waters with its bow.


    ...Only now, there were two people inside of it instead of three.


    Sunny''s heart ached.


    The Great River glistened as the seven suns shone brightly on its vast expanse. Time slowly passed, the interior of the boat full of tense silence. While Nephis struggled to sustain the forward momentum of the ketch, Sunny stood at the bow and peered into the water, hoping to sense a potential attack before it was too late.


    However, they had not seen any Nightmare Creatures that day.


    Instead... they saw something that made both Sunny and Nephis freeze, paralyzed by shock.


    Looking at the dark silhouette that appeared in the distance, floating aimlessly on the waves, they felt an eerie sense of rejection. As if the world surrounding them was nothing but a dream...


    Eventually, Sunny flinched and asked, his voice full of disbelief:


    "What... what the hell is it doing here?"

 Chapter 1336 Stench of Fate

    Chapter 1336 Stench of Fate


    The small dot that had appeared in the distance slowly drew closer as the ketch approached it, guided by Neph''s firm hand. At some point, however, she silently released the Names, allowing the boat to drift forward on its own.


    Her gaze was directed forward, a rare rattled expression apparent on her face.


    Sunny was no different.


    Paralyzed by shock, both of them froze. After a few moments of stunned silence, he flinched and asked in a trembling voice:


    "What... what the hell is it doing here?"


    His mind was in turmoil, unable to process the truth of what they saw.


    In front of them, a battered ship was floating listlessly on the waves. Its silhouette was beautiful and fluid, but there were ugly burn marks and terrible scars littering the graceful wooden hull of the damaged vessel. It looked... like it had escaped from the depths of hell after a long and dreadful battle.


    It also looked completely empty, like a ghost ship abandoned by its crew.


    But what was truly inconceivable about the drifting ship...


    Was the sound of rustling leaves carried from its deck by the wind.


    Looking up, Sunny saw the mighty branches of a sublime tree that grew around the eerie vessel''s mast.


    He knew this ship. He knew it too well.


    ...It was the Chain Breaker.


    The battered vessel in front of them was the ancient flagship of the Fire Hunters, which Noctis had won from them in a gamble. It was also the ship that Cassie and the Fire Keepers had restored to its former glory, and which Sunny named.


    Chain Breaker looked almost exactly the same as the last time Sunny had seen it... but also unfamiliar. Apart from the harrowing scars covering its hull, there were also other differences. The hull itself seemed different, with bands of dull metal reinforcing its graceful lines. He did not recognize the fearsome shape of the ship''s ram, either.


    The vessel looked much fiercer than the one from his memories, resembling an embattled warship more than it did a beautiful yacht.


    There were many discrepancies, but the most glaring one was the sacred tree itself. It was much, much taller and more robust than the one Cassie had nurtured, drowning the entire middle section of the ship in the shadow of its crown.


    Still... it was the Chain Breaker.


    Was it?


    No, it couldn''t be...


    It was inconceivable that the flying ship had somehow found its way into the Tomb of Ariel. Sunny failed to understand how it could have appeared here.


    She nodded slowly.


    "What are the odds that in the endless vastness of the Great River, we would blindly arrive at the exact spot where this ship is located?"


    The corner of Sunny''s mouth twitched.


    Looking away, he remained silent for a while. His thoughts were grim.


    ''This situation smells, and it''s a familiar smell. The stench of fate...''


    He looked at the battered ship darkly.


    "It can''t be a coincidence. Just like Ananke finding us was not a coincidence. The person who had sent her a message through dreams must have intended for us to find the Chain Breaker."


    Sunny hesitated for a bit, and then added:


    "In fact, I am willing to bet that this is where the dream told her to point us."


    Both of them remained silent for a while, disturbed.


    Was it Dusk, the Sybil of Fallen Grace?


    Who else could have predicted the future so precisely?


    ''Someone who can see the strings of fate far better than I can, that''s for sure...''


    Nephis threw one more glance at the battered ship, unnerved, then shook her head.


    "I guess we''ll find out soon. For now... we were both worried about the ketch enduring the journey to Fallen Grace, weren''t we? Now, there''s a nearly indestructible ship in front of us. One that was built to endure a sea of divine flames, no less. It looks damaged, but since it hasn''t sunk yet, the damage must not be too crippling."


    Sunny stared at her silently for a moment.


    "...You want to climb aboard? Are you cr... are you sure?"


    She met his gaze and shrugged.


    "Why not?"


    He remained silent for a bit.


    Then, Sunny chuckled wryly and looked away.


    "Damnation. I must be crazy myself... because I really want to climb into that ship, too..."

 Chapter 1337 Ghost Ship

    Chapter 1337 Ghost Ship


    Bringing the ketch to the towering side of the battered ship... the Chain Breaker... Sunny and Nephis lingered for a while, looking up. Both felt more than a little bit of apprehension, but at the same time, they were relieved.


    Traveling across the perilous expanse of the Great River on a mighty ship would be much more reassuring than on a small, damaged sailboat.


    Eventually, Nephis summoned the familiar golden rope and glanced at Sunny.


    He nodded, then hesitated for a moment.


    Bending down, Sunny picked up Ananke''s black mantle and looked at it with a forlorn expression. It was the only thing she had left behind... the last reminder of her existence, if one didn''t count the ketch itself.


    It was also the vestment of the priests of the Nightmare Spell.


    He remained motionless for a while, then silently wrapped the mantle around his shoulders.


    As soon as his body became shrouded by the dark folds of the nebulous fabric, Sunny felt a strange shiver run down his spine. He had donned the black mantle in honor of Ananke, to have something to remember her by, but the act suddenly seemed deeply symbolic.


    It was as though he was devoting himself to Weaver... which Sunny had no intention of doing.


    And there was another, far more chilling detail.


    ''This mantle...''


    Was he just imagining things, or was it eerily similar to the tattered rags the Mad Prince wore in the nightmare? It was hard to tell due to how faded and sunburnt the rags were, but if he just pictured what they might have looked like decades, or even hundreds of years ago...


    Sunny frowned, his gaze turning dark. But, in the end, he chose to leave the black mantle on.


    ''That bastard will not define me.''Thi/s chapter is updated by


    With that, he took a step forward and joined Nephis, who had already thrown the rope up, tightening the loop at its end around the broken railing of the ghost ship. She gave it a couple of tugs, then nimbly climbed up.


    Then, it drifted in the currents of the Great River for gods knew how long. As a result, there was nothing left to tell them where and when the ghost ship had really come from, and who had fought in the battle that rendered it broken and empty.


    Sunny did not know what kind of beings could have devastated the ancient vessel to such a degree, nor did he know what kind of defenders could have resisted their assault. Whoever they were, the aftermath of their cataclysmic clash gave him chills.


    However... there was good news, as well.


    About an hour later, Sunny and Nephis returned to the main deck and rested in the shade of the sacred tree. Their expressions were thoughtful.


    Touching the ivory bark, Nephis inhaled deeply.


    "The damage is severe, but shallow. There are no leaks, and the ship is not taking on water. While the interior is a mess, the support structures are all holding... it is not going to sink anytime soon."


    She lingered for a moment, studying the sacred tree, and added:


    "The tree is also alive, and healthy. However, the enchantment circuits are broken. The runic circle at the stern is dormant. We won''t be able to fly the Chain Breaker."


    Sunny nodded.


    "Does any of us even know how to control it? Cassie is usually the one doing the steering. She learned directly from Noctis."


    Nephis sighed.


    "I don''t. Regardless, flying is not an option... that said, we don''t need the sacred tree and the enchantments to make the ship move. It still has sails, doesn''t it? Even though most sails are either burned or torn, we can repair them. We brought enough supplies from Weave."


    He looked around, thinking. The sails were indeed torn, but there were repair kits just for that purpose among the supplies Ananke had left them with. All in all... it seemed that they had everything necessary to turn the Chain Breaker back into a seaworthy vessel, even if the repair job would not look pretty.


    There would be... a lot for them to do.


    Sunny sighed, then gave Nephis a short nod.


    "Let''s get to work, then."

 Chapter 1338 On the Importance of Needlework and Carpentry

    Chapter 1338 On the Importance of Needlework and Carpentry


    There was a lot of work to be done, and not enough time. The night was already approaching. Sunny and Nephis hastily cleared one of the compartments - the one that corresponded to the captain''s cabin on the actual Chain Breaker - intending to use it as shelter.


    Too tired to cook, they ate a cold supper and went to sleep. Sunny did not forget to summon Saint and Fiend to guard them, while Nightmare protected their dreams.


    In the morning, both felt more refreshed. Their bodies had mostly recovered from the terrible strain put on them by the storm. Most Ascended would have been rendered weak and helpless by the savage cataclysm for weeks, but Sunny and Nephis each possessed astonishing vitality - he because of Blood Weave, she due to the restorative power of her Aspect.


    They got to work as the seven suns slowly rose from the gleaming waters.


    On the first day, they planned to clear the main deck of debris. With Sunny, Nephis, Saint, Fiend, and Nightmare all working together, the arduous task of moving terribly heavy pieces of wreckage was not too hard. It took longer to sift through them, separating the things that had to be disposed of from those that could be of use later.


    Even though neither Sunny nor Nephis knew how to repair the siege engines, there was a weak hope that someone in Fallen Grace would.


    The pieces of splintered wood seemed useless at first glance, but it was still the mystical wood that the Chain Breaker had been built of... simply tossing something like that into the water did not sit right with either of them, not even mentioning how precious of a resource wood was in the Tomb of Ariel.


    There were bent and torn pieces of a strange, supremely durable metal as well. Those were also worth keeping.


    In the end, they abandoned the upper deck and started clearing the main cargo hold instead. By the time they were done, it was night again, and both were tired.


    ...That night, they made a fire under the branches of the sacred tree, and Nephis cooked them food. Her cooking was as delicious as ever, and the quiet rustling of leaves made for a tranquil atmosphere.


    However, this was the first time since the dark island that they shared a proper meal with just the two of them enjoying it.


    It was so strange... Ananke had not been with them for long, but her absence felt like a gaping hole. Perhaps it was because Sunny and Nephis had witnessed her as a frail old woman, a vigorous matron, a charming young lady, and an innocent child that their time together felt like a lifetime.


    That lifetime was now behind them, and new hardships awaited ahead. Time was relentless, washing away all things - both inconsequential and those they held dear.


    Sunny was standing by her side.


    He looked at Nephis and asked, his voice full of anticipation - which was hard not to feel after a whole week of hard labor to prepare for this moment.


    "Are you ready?"


    Placing her hand on the steering oars, she nodded.


    "Let''s go. We wasted enough time in the future already."


    Turning away, he inhaled deeply and looked at the length of the graceful vessel.


    When Noctis had owned it, there was a crew of wooden sailor dolls to work the ship. When the Fire Keepers claimed it, there were Awakened to do the same.


    Now, however, there were only Sunny and Nephis... and Nephis had to remain at the stern to guide the Chain Breaker. So, it was his job to work the sails.


    Since Sunny had no intention of jumping from mast to mast like a monkey... whatever a monkey was... he concentrated and called upon the shadows.


    A few moments later, tenebrous arms manifested themselves into existence all over the ship, pulling on the ropes. It took some concentration to control them all at once, but after the grueling education of the Antarctic Campaign, Sunny was more than proficient in using Shadow Manifestation. The sails slowly rose, and then filled with wind.


    Coming back to life, the ancient ship turned to face downstream, and then slowly started accelerating.


    ''It''s moving...''


    They were finally on their way to Fallen Grace.Updated from

 Chapter 1339 Moving On

    Chapter 1339 Moving On


    The Chain Breaker was steadily advancing down the Great River. The gale Nephis could summon by uttering its name was not powerful enough to push the ship as fast as it had pushed the ketch, but to their luck, the winds were blowing in the same direction.


    Carried both by their power and the current of time, the graceful vessel rushed forward at great speed.


    All around them, there was nothing but sunlight and sparkling water. The vast expanse of the Great River was beautiful and exhilarating... of course, great horrors were hiding behind the deceptive facade of its beauty.


    But nothing had attacked them yet.


    ...Life went on.


    Sitting in the shade of the sacred tree, Sunny felt strangely indignant about that fact.


    He had been constantly busy during the week they spent patching up the battered ship, which was a mercy. Now that there was really nothing for him to do, Sunny found himself feeling numb and hollow. His lightless soul seemed even darker than usual these days.


    With a sigh, he closed his eyes and concentrated on the calming sound of the rustling leaves.


    ''Just... how much can a person endure?''


    He was tired of loss.


    He was also tired of losing.


    ''Sometimes it feels like I was better off not caring about anyone except myself. Those were the days, weren''t they?''


    As he smiled crookedly, a familiar voice suddenly resounded from above:VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    "Do you mean the days of being a frightened, pathetic, miserable little wretch that not a single person in the world cared about, in turn? Well... I suppose it''s indeed the best you deserve. That''s how you''ll end up anyway, eventually."


    Opening his eyes, Sunny looked up with a dark expression.


    The Sin of Solace was standing above him as if nothing had happened. The loathsome wraith looked like he always had... exactly like Sunny. The bastard was even wearing a perfect copy of Ananke''s mantle. His face was full of cold contempt.


    Sunny scoffed.


    "Wow. Look who decided to show up. I thought you chose to crawl back into whatever pit that had spawned you and never come back. Where the hell have you been?"


    The apparition smirked.


    The apparition grinned.


    Without saying anything, he lingered for a while, then looked down and touched the sleeve of Ananke''s dark mantle.


    "By the way, what a wonderful mantle. You should really get more people killed and collect a piece of clothing from each one. Then, we''ll be able to add an apparel section to the Brilliant Emporium. Ah! Shame you didn''t think of that in Antarctica..."


    Sunny growled and swiped at the grinning apparition, but he was already gone. The sword wraith had disappeared just as suddenly as he had appeared.


    ''That bastard!''


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny leaned back and stared at the swaying branches of the sacred tree. He was full of dark anger.


    But...


    The appearance of the Sin of Solace had distracted him from his melancholy, at least. Until those last words plunged him right back into dejection.


    He sighed.


    ''I''ll learn the truth eventually...''


    For now...


    He had felt better when he was busy, so the best solution for this dark mood would be to make himself busy once again.


    Controlling the sails did not take much of his attention, so Sunny had to do something else.


    Luckily, there was a lot for him to do.


    He had to continue studying the Estuary Key. He also had to weave a lot of Memories to help Nightmare Ascend, as well as come up with ways to make the members of the cohort stronger.


    ''Let''s get to it, then. There is a week or two left before we reach Fallen Grace. I can achieve a lot in two weeks...''


    Abandoning the shade of the sacred tree, Sunny went to the bow of the Chain Breaker, where Ananke''s ketch was fastened to the deck. He and Nephis had retrieved it from the water before setting sail, planning to use the ketch as a lifeboat if the need arose.


    Summoning the Shadow Chair, he placed it near the battered sailboat, sat down, and looked at the glistening expanse of the Great River.


    Then, Sunny sighed and contemplated what task he would tackle first.

 Chapter 1340 New Perspective

    Chapter 1340 New Perspective


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, thinking. After a few moments, he unconsciously began to fiddle with the hems of the black mantle''s sleeves. The smooth fabric glided across his fingertips, making them tingle a little. Eventually, his gaze settled on it. Sunny tilted his head.


    Abandoning his previous plans, he stood up and took off the mantle instead. Then, he sat back down and laid it across his lap. ''I wonder...''


    He doubted that it was a simple piece of clothing. It was the attire of a Nightmare Spell priest, after all, most likely passed down to Ananke from her mother �� the original priestess who had entered the Tomb of Ariel with the first wave of Outsiders. The corpse under the cathedral in the Dark City had been wearing the same dark garment.


    So, it had to have some secrets.


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments. Unlike Weaver''s Mask, the black mantle was not a Memory �� otherwise, it would have disappeared with Ananke. There were some Memories that persisted after the death of their owners, of course, like the Dawn Shard that Nephis had found on the remains of the First Lord of the Bright Castle. But the nebulous mantle was not one of those, either. Otherwise, it would have bound itself to Sunny the moment he picked it up. It seemed to be a perfectly mundane robe, albeit sewn from some mystical material. Nevertheless, he shifted his perception and tried to look within the mantle, just in case. He was not disappointed. ''Huh?''


    But that was not the only way of going about weaving enchanted items... only the ultimate way. The weave he was looking at right now, though, had been created by someone else. Perhaps by the High Priest of the Nightmare Spell Ananke had spoken about, or by one of his students...


    Which was why it was a sorcerous item enchanted through weaving, but not technically Memory. Sunny scratched his head. ''So something like that can exist, too...''


    Of course, it could! The fact seemed so obvious in hindsight, and yet, he had never considered such a possibility before. Mostly because it was really hard for a human mind to think outside a familiar framework. Every Memory Sunny had known was an item enchanted through weaving, and so, he subconsciously assumed that all items enchanted through weaving were Memories. But they didn''t have to be, like the mantle in front of him. ...Which was a curious detail, but not exactly useful. Who wouldn''t want to turn their weapon or attire into a Memory? The traits of Memories that everyone took for granted were supremely useful. The ability to carry a whole arsenal inside your soul alone was a boon any warrior would kill for. Swords that sharpened themselves, suits of armor that repaired any damage done to them and adjusted themselves to perfectly fit the body of the wearer... there were too many benefits to Memories to count.


    By all accounts, they were the culmination of weaving. Well, technically, the Nightmare Spell itself was the culmination of weaving �� but for all those who weren''t inconceivable deities like the Demon of Fate, Memories were the absolute peak of enchantment. However, Sunny''s heart still skipped a beat, and his eyes glistened with dark excitement. Ananke''s mantle might not have been superior to the powerful Memories he possessed. At a cursory glance, its enchantments were nothing special. Its Rank and Tier were also not that stunning. But to him, it was a priceless treasure... for a single reason. It was because its weave was different from every weave he knew, and much simpler than them at that. Sunny''s whole skill as a sorcerer had come from comparing the patterns of different enchantments to each other and trying to deduce the common logic behind them. But all those enchantments followed the principles set by a single creator �� the Nightmare Spell. Now that he had an enchanted mantle that had come from an entirely different school of weaving, his ability to compare and deduce the fundamental principles of sorcery could take a qualitative leap. It was like witnessing an entirely different framework, and gaining a deeper understanding of your own by studying the differences and commonalities between them. It didn''t matter how simple the spellweave of Ananke''s mantle was. What mattered was that it could not only teach Sunny the unfamiliar ways of its creator, but also help him push his own skill forward... by a lot. Just when he needed it. Sunny gripped the smooth fabric in his fists, staring at it intently.


    After a while, he said quietly:


    "Thank you, Ananke."


    With that, he cut out all distractions and concentrated on studying the odd weave.

 Chapter 1341 Learning the Hard Way

    Chapter 1341 Learning the Hard Way


    Sunny was more of a copycat than an actual sorcerer. Most of his repertoire consisted of recreating the weaves of various enchantments he had gleaned from his own Memories, not creating those of his own. Of course, even that was already a stunning achievement. Armed with nothing but his intelligence and a bit of intuition granted to him by Blood Weave �� as well as the ability to see weaves, in the first place �� he taught himself the most fundamental principles of sorcery. The wondrous sorcery of the Demon of Fate, which very few beings had ever been able to wield.


    At this point, Sunny had barely taken the first step away from blindly copying the spellweaves, tentatively trying to disassemble and modify them to serve his whims. The Siege Souvenir, a unique Memory he had created to slay the Fallen Titan Goliath, was the result of these attempts.


    But Sunny was still a mere novice, all things considered. He was leagues away from true sorcerers... like the mysterious being who had created the Estuary Key, for example. That weave was simply beyond his imagination. He couldn''t even imagine how long it would take him to reach the same transcendent level of mastery. A few hundred years, perhaps? A millennium?


    So, Sunny had no illusions about his achievements. They were rather astonishing when compared to other modern Awakened, but that was only because most of those Awakened knew absolutely nothing about sorcery. In the grand scheme of things, his skill was negligible. ...Or so he thought before taking a look at the weave of Ananke''s mantle. ''Huh? Wait... what is going on...''


    He was both the survivor of the Forgotten Shore and of learning sorcery by studying the Spell at work. As such, the work of actual weavers was like... strangely accessible. Sunny shook his head, then calmed down and looked back to Ananke''s mantle. ''Right. This is great news, then. Not only will I be able to understand its enchantments faster, I will also be able to use them as a replacement for a text book and propel my weaving forward. Hopefully, I mean... it''s still not exactly an alphabet book.'' He spent the rest of the day studying the odd weave. It was not simple by any means, but after suffering the appalling complexity of the immaculate weaves created by the Spell, Sunny almost enjoyed the process. In the end, he realized that the black mantle was not that mysterious of an item. The masks the priests wore were the true treasures, while their attire was mostly meant to serve a practical purpose. It was still a precious heirloom, of course... the fabric itself seemed to be a Transcendent material, very similar to the Night Silk from which Noctis had once sewn him a garment. In fact, it might have been the very same silk.


    It was fashioned in a way that obfuscated the wearer''s physical features, and enchanted to be supremely durable, stealthy, and enduring... all qualities that the persecuted priests of the Nightmare Spell would have needed in their perilous journeys. A perfect attire for heretical evangelists who often found themselves being hated and hunted by the people they were trying to convert.


    ...Or an ill-fated Awakened who often found himself having to deal with all kinds of unspeakable horrors. Sunny hesitated for a while, then summoned Weaver''s Needle and got to work modifying the weave of the nebulous black mantle. Black threads joined the ethereal strings of soul essence.


    By the time the seven suns drowned in the water and the Great River shone with iridescent radiance, he lowered his hands and heard the Spell whispering into his ear:


    [You have received a Memory, Ananke''s Mantle.]

 Chapter 1342 Nebulous Mantle

    Chapter 1342 Nebulous Mantle


    It didn''t take a lot of effort to add the basic patterns of a Memory to the weave of the black mantle. That was what he had been doing over and over again to supply the Brilliant Emporium with inventory, after all. By now, weaving them was almost muscle memory. They did not put a lot of pressure on a weave, either. Even Dormant Memories of the First Tier could bear the weight... the nexus of the mantle had been fashioned out of a Transcendent soul shard, so Sunny did not even have to integrate a second node into the ethereal tapestry.


    It was a bit tricky to make the two different schools of weaving flow into each other, but since Sunny''s method was the more intricate one and not the other way around, solving that problem proved to be trivial.


    Just like that, he gained a new Memory at the cost of a few shadow strings. Enjoying the view of the shimmering Great River, Sunny smiled tiredly. Studying hard was an exhausting process, but he welcomed the fatigue. It was a sign that he had made progress. He didn''t regret turning the mantle into a Memory, either �� even if it wasn''t useful, he would have been reluctant to part with it. All things that weren''t stored within his soul would be lost at the end of the Nightmare. If he had been cognizant of that fact earlier, he would have had a better memento of Noctis than a luxurious chair.


    ...Although he had nothing really to complain about, considering that the Shadow Chair was actually one of his most valued Memories.


    Sunny summoned the runes. Ananke''s Mantle was there, at the end of the list.


    Even though he more or less already knew what the runes would say, he still read them.


    Memory: Ananke''s Mantle. Memory Rank: Transcendent.


    Memory Tier: I.


    Each rune of the description demanded essence strings to be wasted, after all. And weaving them took both effort and time. So, only a crazy person would go around weaving unnecessary runes...


    Sunny coughed, remembering his own track record. Back in the Antarctic Center, he had once sent Nephis a message through a Memory called "I Am Stuck in an Endless Tunnel Full of True Darkness. How the Hell Do I Get Out? Ask Cassie".


    Was there really a need to add "the hell" to the actual question? No. But did it feel good to add it?


    Hell yes. Looking down in embarrassment, he put on the tasteful black mantle and rose. Leaving the Shadow Chair by the ketch, Sunny rubbed his face and went to find Nephis.


    He had gained a lot of insights from studying the weave left behind by an unknown sorcerer. It felt like his understanding of sorcery was on the precipice of taking a qualitative leap in the coming days... he would have to do a lot more work, of course, as well as digest all his gains. However, Sunny already had a few ideas on how to proceed. Right now, he lacks the soul shards to do anything significant. There were a few that Ananke had used while fishing, to lure the Nightmare Creatures, but those were of lesser Ranks. He was meaning to use them to create Memories for Nightmare to consume.


    That said...


    There were a lot of reasons why they had, but one of the most significant ones... was a single Memory. He still had the Supreme soul shard that they had scavenged from the Black Turtle. Which meant that he could potentially create a Supreme Memory. Of course, it was not that simple. Scaling an enchantment was not as simple as replacing the nexus of a weave. Most of them could not be scaled at all, and those that could required the weave itself to be vastly modified and improved. After all, strings made out of Awakened soul essence could not endure the flow of Transcendent energies. The patterns themselves had to be adjusted, as well, to account for the increased burden. Not to mention that enchantments were usually limited by their own nature... infusing them with more potent essence would simply be a waste. It was a proper mess. However...


    When Sunny asked himself how to empower the members of the cohort and make them capable of facing the perils of the Tomb of Ariel better, he couldn''t help but think back to the Forgotten Shore, where they had also been forced to fight abominations one or even two Ranks above them. How had they been able to survive that crucible?


    There were a lot of reasons why they had, but one of the most significant ones... was a single Memory. A Memory that could empower all other Memories, and which had been the primary goal of their lethal expedition across the Crimson Labyrinth, to the outskirts of the Hollow Mountains. The Dawn Shard. So... what if Sunny did not create a Supreme Memory, but instead elevated the Dawn Shard to the Supreme Rank? Wouldn''t that be the most efficient way of making the cohort stronger?

 Chapter 1343 Crown of Dawn

    Chapter 1343 Crown of Dawn


    The deck of the Chain Breaker was dark, illuminated only by the pale glow of the iridescent water that gleamed below. The radiance of the Great River at night was usually beautiful, but today, it seemed ghostly. Sunny was not disturbed by the darkness, of course, but he had to think about Nephis as well. ''We should probably place a few lanterns around the ship.''


    The light of the lanterns could potentially attract Nightmare Creatures, but that was not really a problem �� not because they were not wary of the abominations, but because gaining their attention was more or less inevitable.


    Thinking about when their first battle would happen, Sunny approached the stern of the ship. Nephis was still standing in the runic circle, holding the steering oar. There was a luminous Memory placed on the deck near her feet, creating a small island of warm orange glow in the ocean of darkness. Updated from


    In that orange light, her beautiful face was pale and lifeless. She had been guiding the ship the entire day, and the accumulated fatigue was taking its toll. He listened to the wind, determining its direction.


    ''It''s blowing from the future.''


    Stepping into the light, Sunny smiled and gestured to the oar. "Go rest. I''ll take it from here."


    He could not use the sorcery of Names yet, but since the winds were on their side, the Chain Breaker could do without its support for now. Losing some speed was not going to delay them by much.


    In fact, both Saint and Fiend were intelligent enough to keep the ship on course. Sunny preferred to let them stand guard for now, though. Studying his face for a few moments, Nephis nodded and let go of the oar. As she stepped out of the runic circle, Sunny entered it. "Wait."


    Then, he sighed, glanced at his empty hand, and placed it on the steering oar. "Ah. It''s so lonesome, sailing across a river of unholy titan''s blood in the dark..."


    With that, Sunny summoned the Dawn Shard. A simple band of bright metal appeared in his free hand, decorated with a single gem. The Crown of Dawn did not look that impressive at first glance. It was more austere than opulent... and yet, that simple circlet was the reason Sunny, the members of the cohort, and the Fire Keepers had been able to return from the Forgotten Shore. Its single enchantment was extraordinarily powerful. The Dawn Shard empowered all Memories in a large radius around it. Back on the Forgotten Shore, that empowerment had been strong enough to elevate the Awakened weapons of the Dreamer Army to resemble Ascended ones in terms of lethality.


    Which was an inconceivable boon, considering that there was no limit to the number of Memories the Crown of Dawn could enhance. It was a passive enchantment, as well.


    That was how they had been able to slay Fallen abominations.


    Sadly, its usefulness diminished more and more as Nephis and her allies grew stronger and acquired better equipment after escaping the Forgotten Shore. The Dawn Shard could still empower Ascended Memories to a substantial degree, but nowhere near elevating them to an entire new Rank. The effect on Transcendent Memories was even more modest. Considering the type of enemies Sunny and the members of the cohort would have to face in the Third Nightmare, that augmentation was all but insignificant. But what if he elevated the Crown of Dawn itself from an Ascended Memory to a Supreme one? Sunny doubted that he would be able to perform a flawless alteration. But even if he managed to make the Dawn Shard as powerful as a Transcendent Memory by outfitting it with a Supreme soul shard, the result would already increase their chances of prevailing against Great Nightmare Creatures by a lot. Before, he would not have even dared to try...


    But now, he had two advantages. The first one was the push studying Ananke''s Mantle had given him. The second one was the nature of the Crown of Dawn itself. The first time Nephis had used it, Sunny saw the weaves of his Memories growing more radiant, each nexus and ethereal string shining with brighter light. The augmentation either strengthened the Memories by empowering their weaves, or made the weaves stronger to withstand the increased power of the Memories. In any case, the result was the same. The essence strings became more robust. And the first Memory the Dawn Shard empowered was itself. Its weave was always augmented by its own effect... perhaps that was the reason why this Ascended Memory could possess such an unreasonable power.


    So, it was more or less a perfect Memory for Sunny to try and transplant the Supreme shard into. His major concern was that strings weaved from lesser essence would not be able to withstand the burden of channeling superior energies, but what if they were made more durable by those very same energies?


    The weave of the Crown of Dawn was much too complex for him to recreate, but modifying it was different... probably. He wouldn''t know until he took a look. Sunny shifted his perception and peered into the bright metal, trying to discern the underlying weave of the Shard Memory. Soon, an inconceivable tapestry of ethereal strings appeared in front of his eyes, shining in the darkness. Holding the oar, he smiled wistfully and took a deep breath. "Let''s get to work..."

 Chapter 1344 On Course

    Chapter 1344 On Course


    The weave of a Shard Memory was subtly different from an ordinary one. They possessed some unique qualities, after all, like the ability to remain in existence after the owner''s death, or the hidden purpose of manifesting the Oath Keys after all seven had been gathered in one place. Luckily, Sunny possessed two Shard Memories of his own �� the Midnight and Moonlight Shards �� so he already knew how to find and isolate these sections of the tapestry, which was supposed to make the task of deciphering the rest of it easier. ...In theory. In practice, the spellweave of a Shard Memory was even more labyrinthine than that of a normal Memory. Sunny had managed to gain a sufficient level of understanding of the Midnight Shard �� enough so to apply a part of its enchantment to the Siege Souvenir �� but the Moonlight Shard still remained beyond his grasp. Which was a shame, because the ghostly stiletto possessed one of the most useful enchantments Sunny had ever seen �� it was able to appear instantly, without wasting any time manifesting itself from the sparks of essence. If Sunny could master that single enchantment, all Memories he created would gain a lethal edge. The more powerful a Memory was, the longer it took to manifest. So, as the Awakened reached higher Ranks of power, they had to be more and more strategic about when to summon their Memories. Considering that he was unable to master the weave of the Moonlight Shard to this day, the Dawn Shard could very well prove to be a similarly tough nut to crack. As Sunny stared at the vast tapestry of ethereal strings hidden within the band of bright metal, the corner of his eye twitched. ''Yeah...''


    This... was not going to be easy.


    ''But I can do it.'' Updated from


    He was certain of it. Recreating the whole weave was out of the question, but modifying it... armed with the insights he had gained and would gain from Ananke''s Mantle, he felt confident in his chances. It was just going to take a lot of effort, and a lot of time. ''How do I transplant a new nexus without collapsing the whole weave? How do I ensure that superior essence actually produces a superior result? How do I prevent the less resilient sections of the weave from being torn apart by the increased burden on them?''


    All these questions required answers... there were many more problems to solve, as well. Sunny had never tried something quite as ambitious as turning a powerful Ascended Memory into a tremendously more powerful Supreme Memory.


    One thing was certain �� it would require an inhuman level of finesse and precision. It would also require a lot of additional essence strings. And a lot of ingenuity, of course. The task was daunting, but Sunny did not feel discouraged. Instead, he felt almost... excited.


    It beat patching up sails or drowning in a foul mood, at least. Comfortably resting his back against the bending surface of the tall aplustre, he moved the oar a little and peered into the shimmering spellweave.


    ***


    She frowned a little. "Mental fatigue will slow you down. Your mind needs time to recover, too."


    He smiled. "I know. I have the Shroud of Graceless Dusk, remember? The same Dusk we are on our way to visit. It helps me recover from exhaustion, both physical and mental, faster. I''ll be alright."


    Time waited for no man, and there was no rest for the wicked. Sunny was not overestimating himself, he just knew exactly how much he could endure. Nephis hesitated for a few moments, then nodded. "Alright. Suit yourself."


    He suddenly remembered something. "Ah! After I am done with the Dawn Shard, I want you to teach me how to use the Sorcery of Names. I didn''t want to split my focus before... but now I feel like it can help me advance faster in my own skills. Probably. Alright?"


    She nodded again.


    After finishing the breakfast, they used the esoteric navigation tools to make sure that the ship had not strayed off course. Then, Nephis took her place in the runic circle again, while Sunny sat on the deck a few meters away and continued studying the Crown of Dawn. Several days passed in that manner. The two of them spend most of their time together, and some time apart. They resumed their sword training, involving Saint as well. The deck of the graceful ship was often filled with the sound of clashing steel. When the two of them were not sparring, though... Sunny had a different task for the graceful knight.


    Now that Fiend had grown into a proper Devil, it was time for him to learn combat mastery, too.


    The steel Shadow''s most fearsome weapons were his claws and teeth, so Sunny instructed Saint to teach him in hand-to-hand combat. Since she was a master of all types of combat, that did not stump her one bit. ...Hearing Fiend crash into the wooden deck over and over again, Sunny smiled from the corner of his mouth and continued weaving. Memories of his own painful training with Saint, all that time ago in the Dark City, made him feel a bit of compassion for the ravenous steel ogre. Of course, the lucky bastard possessed the [Marvel] Attribute, which made him capable of learning new things at astonishing speed. Sunny was actually curious to see which of them would absorb Saint''s lessons faster.


    Granted, Sunny had learned combat mastery from her while hunting down lethal abominations in the Dark City in order to survive. Fiend, in comparison, had all his needs cared for by a kind, generous, and benevolent master.


    Who wouldn''t learn fast with such a benefactor? Everything was peaceful for these first few days. Then, they suffered the first attack.

 Chapter 1345 Monster Herders

    Chapter 1345 Monster Herders


    "You are wasting your time."


    "You will definitely fail."


    "Just give up. You know you''re not smart enough to accomplish anything worthwhile."


    "Do you really want to make the woman holding your leash stronger? How foul."


    "Your collection of failures just keeps growing, huh?"


    ...Ignoring the Sin of Solace, Sunny leaned against Ananke''s ketch as he studied the Dawn Shard. His shadow hands continued to weave strings of essence. His concentration remained unbroken. He even welcomed the derisive comments. The more the hateful wraith berated him, the more Sunny felt like he was on the right track. The Sin of Solace would not have bothered to interfere if there was no chance of success, after all �� it was not in his nature to bet against Sunny when there were no stakes.


    "What, you are ignoring me now? Or have you forgotten how to speak?"


    Sunny threw a calm glance at the apparition, then turned back to the Crown of Dawn. "We''ll speak when you tell me how you knew about the Mad Prince."


    The Sin of Solace scoffed. "Gods. Why do I even bother? I am sick of this tired routine!"


    He laughed bitterly, then added in a resigned tone:


    "But there''s nothing else to do. How boring."


    The Chain Breaker was swaying gently underneath them. Saint was standing guard at the bow, Fiend and Nightmare were guarding the sacred tree, and Nephis was at the stern, steering the ship. The seven suns had already descended into the depths of the Great River, and the deck was illuminated by a scattering of lanterns. The water glowed softly, diluting the impenetrable darkness of the night with ghostly opalescence. Sunny smiled faintly. "...Find a hobby."


    The sight was both repulsive and inspiring. ''Saint, Fiend, and Nightmare earned me a few shadow fragments. Even better, there are plenty of soul shards to be harvested in addition to the ones I brought back.''


    The depth dweller he had killed was not a Tyrant, in the end. It was just a huge, nasty Corrupted Monster... it seemed that these Drowned Outcasts were not its minions. Instead, the smaller creatures appeared to have herded the enormous monstrosity, using it to attack larger prey.


    ''Waste of essence.''


    If Sunny knew that in advance, he would have used the Nimble Catch and the Sin of Solace to cut the depth dweller down. He froze for a moment, suddenly stunned by how odd the situation was. ''...Wait, since when am I so dismissive of Corrupted Monsters? That thing could have easily finished me if I wasn''t careful. Damn it. Am I becoming arrogant? Arrogance gets people killed.''


    Sunny was strong and skilled, but he wasn''t invulnerable. Even though he could easily slaughter dozens of Fallen abominations or face Corrupted ones without fear, each of them could very well end his life with one strike... maybe two, considering the defensive properties of the Marble Shell. ''I better correct this attitude, fast.''


    "Oh my. What a rare moment of self-reflection. You should correct the rest of your nasty personality, while you''re at it. Maybe then people won''t find you as uncomfortable to be around as they do now." Looking up darkly, Sunny saw the sword wrath staring at him with disdain. The Sin of Solace was still as annoying as he had been before the attack. Nothing much changed, honestly. If there was one thing, though...


    It was that Sunny had plenty of soul shards to turn into Memories now. Standing up and summoning his clothes back, he looked around and noticed Fiend. The fearsome devil... seemed to be hiding from him behind the tree.


    Sunny smiled.


    "Come here, buddy."


    Fiend hesitated for a few moments, then reluctantly walked over. Sunny pointed to the gruesome corpses. "Harvest the soul shards, then clean this mess up."


    The devil''s shoulders fell. Sunny patted Fiend on one of these shoulders... well, he wanted to, but the bastard was too tall to do it comfortably. Plus, his body was covered in all kinds of sharp spikes. So, in the end, the gesture ended up being rather... reserved.


    "Oh, and you can eat all these guys. Stuff yourself as much as you want! Now that your primary Attributes are set, you don''t need to maintain a diet anymore..."


    Ravenous sparks ignited in the depths of Fiend''s fiery eyes.

 Chapter 1346 Faltering Star

    Chapter 1346 Faltering Star


    Fiend feasted on the corpses of the Drowned Outcasts with delight. The sight of the metallic devil gorging himself on the dead abominations was a bit gruesome, but mercifully swift. The bodies disappeared into the Shadow''s incinerating maw as if they had never existed... before too long, the deck was clear once again.


    ''Where does all this meat even go...'' Updated from


    This time, the infernal ogre had not gained any new Attributes or Abilities. Which was an expected result �� if the Scavengers were capable of attaining new powers from each creature they devoured, Sunny would have never survived the battle with the original Ravenous Fiend. It had to be a rare occurrence, especially now that the Shadow''s main Attributes were set.


    It did seem like he had grown a little bit stronger, though, just as the other Shadows did when absorbing a fragment.


    Throwing a dubious glance at the satisfied devil, Sunny shook his head and commanded the glutton to go find a mop. While Fiend was washing the blood off the deck, Sunny and Nephis briefly examined the ship and then gathered at the stern to divide the soul shards. "Let''s just each take half."


    He looked at the small pile of shimmering crystals, calmly thinking about how to use them best. All of the shards were Transcendent... considering how nonchalant he was about this unimaginable treasure trove, remembering the awe they had felt when witnessing a pair of Transcendent soul shards back on the Forgotten Shore felt both amusing and nostalgic.


    Sunny shook his head slightly and gathered the rest of the soul shards. ''She is still the same. When the time comes, she''ll burn brighter than the seven suns combined... I just hope that I won''t be burned with the rest of this cursed tomb when that happens.''


    Not entirely convinced, he stored the shards in the Covetous Coffer and went back to peering into the complexities of spellweaves.


    ***


    The Chain Breaker continued sailing downstream. In the next week, it was attacked several more times �� for better or worse, by solitary Nightmare Creatures instead of groups like the Drowned Outcasts had been. Sunny and Nephis dealt with the grotesque depth dwellers with some effort... but not too much effort. Apart from a few shallow wounds, the biggest hurdle they faced was removing the corpse of an especially large creature from the ram of the ship, which had impaled the abomination after a purposeful and violent collision. None of the Nightmare Creatures were as powerful as the harrowing foes they had faced in the far reaches of the future. On the positive side, Sunny and Nephis were alive. On the negative side, they had not been able to salvage as many soul shards as they had after the first attack. Sunny didn''t really mind. His time was divided between studying the weave of Ananke''s Mantle and concocting a tentative plan for altering the Dawn Shard. At the same time, he was creating Memories from the shards in his possession �� that last task was moving along slowly, since it took him roughly a whole day to weave one.


    That pace was only possible because his reserves of essence were fully restored each dawn and dusk thanks to the Crown of Twilight. Still, by the end of the week, Nightmare had absorbed twenty-eight shadow fragments, bringing the counter to [229/300]. Sunny still had enough soul shards to create ten rudimentary Transcendent Memories, each equivalent to four fragments. If nothing went wrong, the counter would reach [269/300] in ten days. His loyal steed''s Ascension was drawing close.


    By the end of the week, he felt ready to attempt modifying the Dawn Shard. However, because of how important that endeavor was to the conquest of the Third Nightmare, Sunny decided to go over everything he had learned and envisioned a few more times. Putting the Crown of Dawn away and dismissing the shadow hands, he leaned against the side of the ketch and closed his eyes. ''I''ve created a sufficient length of essence thread. I''ve studied the spellweave of the Dawn Shard extensively. I compared the structure of the pattern surrounding the nexus with all the other Memories I possess. I''ve grown accustomed to weaving with six hands...''


    He spent two days meditating on his plans and mentally going over everything that could go wrong. ...Finally, just before dawn of the third day, Sunny opened his eyes and manifested four shadow arms once again.


    ''It''s time to begin.''

 Chapter 1347 Trial of Skill

    Chapter 1347 Trial of Skill


    The hypnotizing tapestry of the spellweave stretched in the darkness in front of him. Countless threads of ethereal light intertwined in a beautiful, but seemingly chaotic pattern, centered around a radiant nexus. There had been a time when these patterns were a complete mystery to Sunny. But although they still remained mystifying and nebulous, he could discern an elegant underlying structure to their dazzling, dizzying arrays now. He could also feel the purpose of various elements of the weave more clearly.


    The spellweave of the Dawn Shard was not the most complex he had ever seen... but it was more complex than most. Even after isolating the rudimentary enchantments that all Memories possessed and the special properties shared by Shard Memories, the remaining expanse of ethereal strings was byzantine and daunting. Luckily, his goal was not to recreate the weave from scratch. He also did not intend to alter its function... only its capacity and resilience. As well as transplanting a new, much more potent nexus than the existing one. With a sigh, Sunny summoned the Covetous Coffer and produced a large, shining crystal from within it. When put together, the band of bright metal and the Supreme soul shard he had harvested from the guts of the Black Turtle looked comical �� the soul shard was much larger than the Crown of Dawn, yet it was supposed to become encompassed by it. But that was not an obstacle. Weaves did not exist in the physical sense, anyway. Just like souls, they inhabited an entirely different plane of existence.


    Sunny pulled on the invisible thread of shadow essence. At the same time, a needle that shone with a faint golden glow appeared in one of his hands. He took a deep breath. ''Steady...''


    The process had to be steady. But it couldn''t be slow �� Sunny would have to remove the original nexus first before transplanting a new one. The moment it was removed, the weave was going to start falling apart. So, he had to tie as many of the most important threads back, fast, and then bring the rest back even faster. He had spent years learning sorcery and two weeks restlessly preparing for this moment... but the outcome was going to be decided in less than ten minutes. If Sunny succeeded, the cohort would acquire a powerful tool to help them survive the Nightmare. If he failed...


    The Dawn Shard would be destroyed, and he would have to explain himself to one hell of an angry Changing Star. ''She probably won''t kill me... right? But just in case, I''d better not fail.''


    Threading the first ethereal string into the radiant needle, Sunny connected it to the nexus. Then, another... and another...


    ''Faster!''


    Five of his hands danced, manipulating the dying weave into following their will. Holding it from crumbling and pulling it back from the verge of collapse. At the precise moment when the new nexus became connected to enough strings to hold it in place, the sixth joined them. ''...What madness made me think that having only five fingers is enough?! Damnation! I should have learned to have more!''


    Time seemed to have slowed down. Sunny felt the same rush of adrenaline he did during furious battles �� his perception subtly changed, turning the world stark and clear. Golden sparks glimmered in the depths of his dark eyes. For a few moments, everything was in a fragile balance. One wrong move, one slightest mistake, and the weave would have reached the point of no return. But Sunny did not make any mistakes. He performed every movement flawlessly, focused to such a degree that all his senses except sight and the tactile feeling of intangible threads sliding through his fingers disappeared. Finally, after something that felt both like a second and an eternity, that moment of fragility passed. The main structure of the weave had been connected to the new nexus, ensuring its stability. ''Good...''


    As Sunny''s hands continued to tie the few last threads to the shining ember, his mind already wandered to the next task.


    The first step of the alteration had been completed, but the result was still uncertain. The next stage was going to decide whether he would succeed or not �� and while it gave him more leeway, it was no less difficult.

 Chapter 1348 Sorcerer Supreme

    Chapter 1348 Sorcerer Supreme


    Now that a Supreme soul shard replaced the original nexus of the spellweave, the powerful energy contained within it flowed into the radiant tapestry. The ethereal threads shone much brighter, reinforced by their own enchantment. Most of them held... but some of the more delicate patterns started to glow too intensely, as if a moment away from catching on fire and dissipating into blinding light. He had to reinforce these sections of the weave, and do it in a way that did not contradict the intricate patterns. Threading a string of shadow essence into Weaver''s Needle, he held himself back from hurrying too much, and started to weave new patterns �� these ones black and lightless �� on top and through the radiant ones. The needle worked in the most pressing areas of the weave, while his other hands tackled less critical points. No matter how nimble his fingers were, he still couldn''t weave as fast without a proper tool �� the reverse effect of his unique ability to touch the ethereal strings was that they were sharper than any sword could ever be, and were thus capable of cutting his flesh without any effort. Losing a finger was as easy as applying the slightly wrong amount of pressure or missing the mark by a hair''s breadth. That said... while his own fingers were indispensable, those of the shadow hands could be easily sacrificed. They weren''t just as responsive as the real ones, but the fact that one or two could be lost with no consequence made up for the fact.


    ''Ouch.'' Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    No matter how careful Sunny was, the dire need to move fast was bound to cause him some pain. A thin cut appeared on his right thumb, swelling with blood. Luckily, no drop of it fell into the weave to disturb its delicate equilibrium �� his blood was tenacious, after all, and knew how to stay inside his body. Most of the time. The shadow hands were faring worse. By the time Sunny put out the most dangerous fires, they were utterly shredded. He was barely keeping the wounded shadows from dissipating back into intangible forms, and had even been forced to dismiss one of the arms and create an entirely new one on the fly.


    Nevertheless... it felt like he was past the most dangerous part. A shaky breath escaped from Sunny''s lips, and a drop of sweat fell from his forehead onto the wooden deck. Without allowing himself to relax, he froze for a split second, gazing at the entirety of the weave. ''The nexus is holding. There and there... the shadow strings are lessening the burden on the original ones just as planned... that area is a bit frayed, I need to reinforce it more... no, not more, better... those areas, though, looked fine at the start, but are starting to worry me now...''


    Calming his wildly beating heart, he resumed his work. Now, Sunny moved at a less breakneck pace, but was more methodical in his approach. ''Good, good... it''s all coming together.''


    It was a wonderful feeling. The collapsing weave had struggled against his attempts to save it at first, to the point that he felt like three critical problems appeared for each one he fixed. The more he repaired and reinforced it, though, the more it felt like the weave was assisting him. The ethereal tapestry was starting to look elegant once again. The radiant threads and the lightless ones intertwined in a beautiful harmony. Both were being strengthened by the enchantment of the Dawn Shard and strengthening each other at the same time. A feeling of wondrous harmony permeated the intricate spellweave. Its nexus was replaced, and its pattern was invaded by countless new threads, all of them dark and ghostly. But, nevertheless, it was resembling... a different, but natural version of itself, more and more. ...Continuing his meticulous work, Sunny threw a brief glance at the Sin of Solace. "Hey, you."


    The sword wraith raised an eyebrow. "Hey yourself, fool."


    "What?! What the hell was that?! Are you trying to give me a heart attack, you damned Spell?! Think before you speak, damn it!"


    ...The Spell did not answer. Perhaps for the better.


    After calming down a little, Sunny dismissed the shadow arms and picked up the Crown of Dawn from the deck. His hands were trembling slightly. The eastern horizon was already painted lilac by the rising suns. Looking at the Memory he had altered with burning eyes, he lingered for a while, and then said tiredly:


    "So, your name actually changed to the Crown of Dawn. Ah... how fitting."


    Before, that had simply been what they called the Dawn Shard, the Shard Memory of the first Lord of the Bright Castle. But it seemed that the Spell decided that the alteration he had performed was significant enough to warrant a new name for the newly elevated Memory. Was he mistaken, or had the single gemstone adorning the austere band of metal become brighter?


    Enjoying the view of the bright gem, Sunny inhaled deeply and summoned the runes.


    ...The runes read:


    Memory: Crown of Dawn. Memory Rank: Supreme.

 Chapter 1349 Crowning Achievement

    Chapter 1349 Crowning Achievement


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, looking at the string of shimmering runes. A sense of profound relief and exhilaration washed over him. He suddenly felt refreshed and invigorated, as if his fatigue had receded a little, his mind clearing. ...No, not suddenly. Touching the smooth silk of the Shroud of Dusk, Sunny belatedly realized that it was already being augmented by the passive enchantment of the empowered Crown of Dawn. ''It''s working.'' New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    He closed his eyes for a moment, then took a look at the rest of the runes describing the band of bright metal. They were the same as before �� only the Rank of the Memory had changed.


    Sunny had expected that. In fact, anything else would have been a cause for concern. The goal of the alteration was to strengthen the existing enchantment, after all, not change it.


    The Crown of Dawn would still be able to enhance all Memories in a large area around it, with no limit to their number. It was just that the augmentation it provided had become much more potent. Most miraculous of all, that enchantment somehow remained a passive one.


    His eyes gleamed darkly.


    ''I think...''


    Armed with that power, the cohort would be able to challenge enemies far beyond their own level of prowess. Which meant that they would have a much higher chance of conquering the Nightmare and returning to the waking world alive. Just like they had conquered the Forgotten Shore and returned from its unforgiving expanse alive. He smiled, then dismissed the Crown of Dawn and rose. Heading to the stern of the ship, Sunny tried to contain his emotions. His face remained neutral, with only a faint smile playing on his lips.


    Soon, he saw Nephis. She threw a glance at him with the same calm expression she usually wore, then asked evenly:


    "What was the shouting about?"


    Sunny stumbled. ''Right... I did curse the Spell out, didn''t I?''


    In hindsight, that was probably not wise. He wouldn''t put it past the damn thing to know how to hold a grudge... the descriptions it made of him were already vaguely snide, so Sunny shuddered at the thought of what the next one was going to say.


    ''Whatever. That will happen later... right now, though...''


    Walking over to Nephis, he shrugged. "Oh, it''s nothing really. I just got a bit emotional and let the Spell have it. Why, have you never yelled at the Spell?


    "Oh!"


    Sunny shook his hand in the air. It didn''t really hurt, but he had suddenly become painfully aware of how close they were standing. His face felt hot.


    Letting out an awkward chuckle, he shook his head and pointed to her head. "Now, summon that thing. I came here right away, so I don''t even know how powerful exactly it had become."


    Nephis nodded, and a whirlwind of radiant sparks appeared around her. Soon, a band of bright metal manifested itself from thin air, its single gem glistening in the light of the rising suns. ''Let''s do this...''


    For the next half an hour, Sunny and Nephis were engrossed in testing the effects of the Crown of Dawn on their Memories. The results went beyond his wildest imagination. Sunny had thought that his makeshift alteration would cause a loss of potential, resulting in a Memory that was a Supreme one in name, but not in power. And there was some loss, inevitably... but so little that it could almost be disregarded. Before, the Dawn Shard had been capable of elevating the power of Awakened Memories to resemble that of Ascended ones. It had also been capable of providing a significant boost to Ascended Memories, and a slight one to Transcendent ones. The meaning of "power" in this context was an elusive one. The augmentation did not only empower the enchantments of the enhanced Memories, but also the quality of the Memories themselves. Swords would become sharper, armor would become more durable... There was also something else at play �� the intangible, mystical quality that made magical materials different from the mundane ones was enhanced, as well, which was why the Dreamers of the Dark City had been able to harm and slay enemies of higher Ranks with their Awakened weapons.


    The Crown of Dawn functioned in a similar fashion to its predecessor. However, it''s augmentation was much more powerful. An average Awakened weapon was elevated to the level of a peak Ascended one, while the most powerful Awakened weapons could almost reach the realm of Transcendence. Ascended Memories were elevated to the level of Transcendent ones. While Transcendent Memories...


    Sunny grew still, peering into the depths of the Sin of Solace. Under his gaze, the weave of the jade jian shone with blinding brilliance. ''It''s not that different from the Crown of Twilight. It is like a Supreme weapon...''


    He threw a glance at the silent apparition that stood a few steps away, wearing a somber expression... and suddenly felt a pang of apprehension. Dismissing the Sin of Solace, Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then finally took the Crown of Twilight off his head and studied it. It was benefiting from being in the presence of the Crown of Dawn, as well. The boost was not as striking as it was for the Memories of lesser Ranks, but still tangible. Nephis, meanwhile, was holding her longsword with a hard-to-read expression.


    Suddenly, though, her beautiful face was illuminated by a radiant smile. "Sunny... this is amazing! With this, we can..."


    She stumbled over her words, not knowing what to say. ...Enjoying the rare sight of her smiling brightly, he nodded and looked in the direction where the current was pulling them.


    His own smile grew a little cold. "Yes."


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    "We can slaughter them all."


    The winds filled the sails of the Chain Breaker, pushing it forward.


    The past awaited.

 Chapter 1350 Familiar Pattern

    Chapter 1350 Familiar Pattern


    By the time Sunny had finished the alteration of the Dawn Shard, they were not that far away from Fallen Grace. Neither he nor Nephis knew the exact distance they had to traverse to find the last city of the sybils, but the navigation tools Ananke had left them pointed to its approach. Fallen Grace was situated in the western reaches of the Great River, where the sky was almost always painted crimson by the setting sun. As the Chain Breaker sailed deeper into the past, it was also leaving behind the pure light of day.


    Gradually, the color of the sky above their heads changed. From vibrant azure to breathtaking magenta, and finally to the bloodred blaze of perpetual sunset.


    It was like sailing into a sea of blood. Sunny stared at the burning sky, awed by its fiery beauty... and its ominous dread. New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    ''That''s... not concerning at all.''


    Why would the sybils build one of their cities in such a darkly beautiful, but sinister place? Surely, living in the warm sunlight of the central region of the Great River would have been much more pleasant. Shaking his head, he returned to the shade of the sacred tree and sat down, resting his back against its white bark. He had just finished weaving another Memory for Nightmare, and was not in the mood to start on the next one just yet. His study of the spellweave of Ananke''s Mantle had also been producing fewer and fewer results. It would never stop being useful to him as a learning tool, but Sunny felt like he was nearing a dead end. He would need to gain more skill as a weaver before looking to the nebulous mantle for more lessons. So, what else was there to do?


    Feeling restless, he summoned the Estuary Key out of habit. Staring into the weave of the mysterious Memory had become like a ritual by now. Even though Sunny could not understand anything about it, the process itself was calming. However... he had not taken a glance at the Key since before attempting the alteration of the Crown of Dawn. Who knew? Maybe passing such an important milestone on his path to becoming a proper sorcerer would change something... "Are you playing with our favorite toy again? Why don''t you toss it overboard and be done with it?"


    The sword wraith stared at him disdainfully from the shadows of the tree. Not paying the apparition any attention, Sunny held up the jagged black stone and peered into its weathered surface. The inconceivable weave of ghostly strings was as unattainable as ever. He studied its dark tapestry, following the twists and turns of the black threads... like he had done a hundred times before. ''What a disappointment... I still can''t even start to unravel its mysteries.''


    The complicated array of ghostly strings had a certain unique structure to it, which was different from the rest of the spellweave. He recognized its nature after a moment of contemplation �� patterns like these were rare, but present in every Memory. It was how runes were expressed through essence strings. Both the runic sorcery and shaping were based on True Names �� one etching them through a written language, the other invoking them directly. However, weaving was different. It did not rely on words to create enchantments. That said, there was still a place for words in a spellweave, and therefore for the runes inscribing them. These runes, translated from the corresponding string patterns, expressed the name of the Memory, its description, and the True Name of its master �� if the master possessed one.


    The problem was... that Sunny had long identified the patterns that inscribed the name and description of the Estuary Key, as well as his own True Name. And this particular pattern had nothing to do with them.


    Why were there additional runes hidden in the weave of the black stone?


    And why did the pattern of essence strings describing these runes look so familiar?


    Sunny leaned forward with a frown and concentrated, trying to decipher the meaning of the pattern. It was not at all difficult... in fact, it was even easier than usual, as if he had read this exact pattern of essence strings many times before. His pupils narrowed. "Sin... of..."


    Sunny suddenly straightened, a cold shiver running down his spine. Standing in the shadows, the apparition yawned and covered his mouth with a hand.


    "What''s the matter?"


    ''...Solace.''


    The Sin of Solace. Written in ghostly strings, the name of his cursed sword �� and the sword wraith born from its curse �� was meticulously woven into the enchantment of the Estuary Key.

 Chapter 1351 Beware of Future Versions of Yourself Bearing Gifts

    Chapter 1351 Beware of Future Versions of Yourself Bearing Gifts


    The Sin of Solace. These words were clearly a part of the ghostly spellweave of the Estuary Key. Sunny stared at them intently, feeling a strange mix of confusion, curiosity... and dread. What the hell was the meaning of this?


    Shifting slightly, he looked at the sword wraith. The apparition stood in the shadows, wearing a bored and resentful expression. Sunny had grown so accustomed to the company of the Sin of Solace �� first in the form of a disembodied voice, then of a vague figure, and finally of a perfect reflection of himself �� that he rarely paid it much attention these days. But the sword wraith was not at all benevolent or harmless. In fact, he was a sinister and insidious being, spawned from the whisper of a fearsome daemon and meant to drive the wielder of the sword mad. The fact that Sunny still had his sanity intact... or rather, somewhat intact... was only due to his extraordinary mental resilience and resistance to mind attacks. Most humans would have already been turned into raving lunatics by the jade jian. Sunny, though? Apart from looking like a madman from time to time due to an outwardly strange habit of talking to himself, he only found the presence of the Sin of Solace frustrating, nothing more. The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    ''...Is there more to this damned curse?''


    He knew that the apparition would never give an honest answer, but nevertheless asked:


    "There''s no reason your name would be etched into the weave of the Estuary Key, is there?"


    The sword wraith gave him a disdainful look.


    "I don''t know. Maybe there is... you''re the great sorcerer, so you tell me."


    Sunny took a deep breath. "You are keeping a lot of secrets these days, huh? Makes me wonder if I should just feed you to Nightmare. Better safe than sorry, that is what they say."


    How many weavers were there who could create threads out of shadow essence? Sunny was certain of it. Then... what exactly did it mean? ''If that abomination really created the Estuary Key...''


    Did it prove that Sunny was really inhabiting the body of one of the Six Plagues? That would certainly make things easier for the cohort. One adversary was already gone, after all. And it didn''t even have to be just one... what if each of the members of the cohort had been sent into the bodies of these powerful Defiled?


    ...Actually, that was a chilling thought. Because while it would really be wonderful to not have to deal with the Six Plagues, it also meant that the other members had been sent directly to the heart of the Defilement, the city of Verge. The Mad Prince was the only one of the Defiled champions who had traveled into the far reaches of the future, after all, from what Sunny knew. Surely, the Nightmare Spell wouldn''t have been so unjust in setting up its trial. Still, if Sunny had indeed taken the role of the abomination from the future... he could also tentatively explain the sudden change of the Sin of Solace. Why had the sword wraith suddenly grown to look so vivid and real at the start of the Nightmare, almost indistinguishable from the real thing?


    Was it, perhaps, because Sunny had actually inherited not one, but two things from the Mad Prince? One was the Estuary Key... while the other was the Sin of Solace. What if the sword wraith that had greeted him in the Nightmare came from the future, just like the Estuary Key? What if the Sin of Solace had been by his side all the way to becoming Defiled and then spending gods knew how much time haunting the Great River? Hundreds of years, at least, judging by how superior the madman''s weaving was to Sunny''s own. ...And had been then passed down to the younger version of its corrupted master through some bizarre anomaly or dark scheme.


    The apparition had let it slip that he knew the Mad Prince by interfering with the dream where the abomination''s vestige showed up. Was that why?


    Sunny scowled. Suddenly, the idea of feeding the jade sword to his Shadows did not seem so crazy anymore. ''I''ll wait and see.''


    Sunny glared at the Sin of Solace, distrustful and wary. Glaring at him back, the sword wraith grinned. "Look at you, figuring things out. Ah... there''s really no sight more comical than a fool who thinks that he''s smart. Wouldn''t you agree?"


    Sunny grimaced and remained silent. Was that a confirmation? Or simple mockery?


    He gritted his teeth, knowing that there was no way to tell.

 Chapter 1352 Nearing the Edge

    Chapter 1352 Nearing the Edge


    Updated from


    In the end, Sunny failed to get the wraith to say anything informative. Just as usual, all the answers he received were either vague and misleading, or outright insults that had nothing to do with the question. Later, in a somber mood, he left the shadow of the sacred tree and walked around the ship, examining its state. Sunny felt odd in light of the things he had learned and suspected to be true. ''Ah, it''s infuriating.''


    He seemed to have stumbled on the truth, or rather, on a big chunk of the truth. However, there were still plenty of missing parts, and those were the parts that contained the most important answers. His mind was spinning, coming up with one baseless theory after another. Sunny was unable to glean the true meaning of it all, but what he did manage to do was completely exhaust himself mentally. Eventually, feeling foul, he threw the manic desire to get to the bottom of things right here and now out of his head and settled near the ketch to start weaving another Memory for Nightmare. The fiery sunset lasted for the entirety of the day, and was then replaced by the ghostly radiance of the night. Here in the western reaches of the Great River, even the opalescence of the water was different. It was shifting between deep carmine, vibrant crimson, and rich maroon... as if they were truly sailing on a river of blood.


    The nights they had witnessed before were dreamlike, but this one... this one was like a scene from a darkly beautiful nightmare. Sunny and Nephis had not slept for a single moment, too wary to close their eyes. In the morning, the impenetrable darkness of the night was once again replaced by a blazing sunset. It seemed like one of the seven suns was always within reach, drowning in the currents of time. The further west they sailed, the dimmer the light became. Eventually, they were surrounded by a fiery dusk. "Sunny... isn''t the current strange?"


    Neph''s voice sounded tense. Currently, he was holding the steering oar, while she was leaning over the railing nearby. Confused, Sunny sent one of his shadows to take a look overboard. It took him a long time to understand what had alarmed Nephis. ''Strange.''


    The current of the Great River... was changing. Ever since they entered the Tomb of Ariel, it had always flowed in the same direction. But now, it seemed as if the currents were twisting, not only carrying the Chain Breaker forward, but also slightly pulling it to the side. In the direction of the setting sun. He gripped the oar tighter. "We must be nearing the edge."


    ''Yeah... I''ll handle the fighting, if it comes to that.''


    Sunny secretly looked around, checking what the Sin of Solace was doing. Making sure that the sword wraith wasn''t up to no good, he let out a mental sigh of relief and extended his shadow sense as far as he could.


    After that, all they could do was wait. An hour passed in tense silence, then another. The drag of the abyss was still mild, but it was slowly growing faster. Surrounded by eternal sunset, Sunny found it hard to measure time.


    The Chain Breaker sailed through crimson dusk. The waters of the Great River reflected the burning sky, and seemed to be engulfed in flames themselves in turn.


    Then, finally, Saint shifted and slightly turned her head. ...In the distance, Sunny saw a spark of light shining above the horizon. Somewhere out there, a white flame was burning at the top of a tall lighthouse. They had found the last human city in the Tomb of Ariel, it seemed...


    After months of wandering the perilous expanse of the Tomb of Ariel, they had reached Fallen Grace.

 Chapter 1353 Tattered Sails

    Chapter 1353 Tattered Sails


    There had been a time when Cronos possessed a youthful body and an even younger soul. His soul was still young, all things considered, but his body had turned decrepit and frail. It was full of aches, felt stiff in the mornings, and had to be handled with care. Still, there were pleasant things about being old, as well.


    Cronos had burned with all kinds of hopes and desires when he was young, but now that he was in his twilight years, life was calm and peaceful. Or rather, his feelings about life were calm and peaceful... or was it one and the same? Since one thing he didn''t possess was the actual wisdom of old age, it was hard to say.


    One thing was for certain �� not having to worry about the future, he had much more time to enjoy the trivial delights of life. Like the warmth of his cot, the companionship of his friends and neighbors, or the beauty of the world. Since Cronos did not sleep much, old as his body was, he had developed the habit of walking to the piers at the break of night, to watch the suns rise from the water. Today, just like always, he left his home carrying a lantern and walked to the edges of the city. Despite the fact that the streets were still dark, there were many early risers just like him out and about. Some greeted him with words, some with smiles. Their faces were just as wrinkly as his, and their bodies were just as stiff as his. That also made being old feel less lonely. Eventually, Cronos crossed a few rope bridges and reached the piers. Several people were already there, waiting in the darkness. Some of them he knew from his days in the House of Youth, some he had met after. Joining them, he extinguished the lantern, sat down, and looked at the water. They chatted as the night lived its last minutes. Shrouded in darkness, the Great River glowed with a beautiful red radiance. Then, slowly, its light grew brighter. The chatter quieted down as the old men and women enjoyed the view of the flowing water. Somewhere far away, the black veil covering the sky rippled. Hints of lilac and azure were mixed into its dark expanse. The River seemed to ignite, fiery colors spreading across its surface. Then, finally, the suns rose from the depths, painting the world in a million shades of scarlet. Reflected in the water, their light was like a spreading flame. Cronos sighed lightly. "It''s a new day."


    A cool breeze caressed their faces, and the world was at peace... or maybe it just seemed to be at peace. Of course, it was actually at war �� but they did not have to worry about that today. Otherwise, the Lady would have already warned the warriors of the city to prepare for battle. The group of old folks remained on the pier for a while, not in a hurry to leave. There was gossip to share and idle conversations to be had. As the youngest of the bunch, Cronos had not grown tired of hearing the same old stories over and over again yet, so he received a lot of attention. He listened and laughed, feeling a comfortable bliss. ...But then, a note of confusion entered that bliss.


    Still engrossed in a story told by an old woman who had left the House of Youth a few years before the rest of them fled, he glanced at the River and froze, stunned. There was a black spot on the horizon.


    It was a ship moving in the direction of Fallen Grace. Cronos trembled slightly. ''A ship... but it''s not time yet for the fishermen to return. Has something bad happened?'' New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    ''Has... has the Lady succumbed? No, no... impossible!''


    His irreverent thoughts were interrupted by a loud scream. The observers staggered back, horrified by a dark shadow that moved below the water. Shocked, Cronos watched as the head of a colossal serpent rose from the waves near the approaching vessel. The beast''s scales were onyx black, glistening with dark sanguine glow as they reflected the crimson light of dusk. "A... a Corrupted!"


    People of Fallen Grace had all heard legends of the Serpent King as young kids, so seeing a similar abomination rise from the depths was like watching their childhood fears come alive. At that moment, the serpent''s lightless eyes turned to the pier. Cronos felt his soul tremble, as if the creature was peering directly at him. And then, something unexplainable happened. The colossal body of the monstrous leviathan suddenly rippled, becoming vague and indistinct. Then, it dissipated into a tide of darkness.


    Instead, a slender human figure appeared on the bow of the approaching ship. The dark figure was contoured against the burning sky, its mantle moving slightly in the wind. It seemed to belong to a young man with porcelain skin and raven-black hair, his eyes as dark as night.


    The same lightless gaze swept across the pier, and then the sails of the ominous ship lowered themselves, as if by magic.


    Cronos took a shaky breath, staring at the ghostly vessel.


    A strange thought appeared in his mind:


    "Is... is this the end? Or a new beginning?"

 Chapter 1354 By Grace of Dusk

    Chapter 1354 By Grace of Dusk


    New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    With its tattered sails lowered, the ominous vessel slowed down, eventually coming to a semblance of a halt. It drifted on the waves a few hundred meters away from the pier, carried by nothing except the current. Cronos had managed to regain some composure by then. He briefly thought about running away, but decided against it. His body was too old to run with any kind of significant speed, anyway. The watchers guarding the city must have noticed the ghostly ship and the terrifying onyx serpent, too �� if the Lady had truly not known about their arrival, warriors would already be on their way. For a few moments, everyone remained motionless �� the old men and women gathered on the pier, and the dark figure standing on the bow of the graceful vessel, as well. The current was slowly pulling the ship closer. It was only a matter of minutes before it reached the pier. ''This is... strangely exciting?''


    Cronos should have been terrified, but he found himself awed and curious instead. All of them here in Fallen Grace lived with the knowledge that their lives would soon come to an end �� death was like an old friend, not an odious enemy. The arrival of a mysterious ship, however, was a novelty.


    How often did he get to experience something entirely unexpected? He had never seen anything like it, and would most likely never get a chance to witness something as wondrous again. So, he waited for the moment when the hull of the ship touched the pier with bated breath. ...Eventually, the graceful vessel drew close enough for them to see every terrible scar and every burn mark covering its battered hull. It seemed like the battered ship had escaped the depths of hell and survived all kinds of untold disasters... what terrible battles had it endured? What harrowing creatures had clawed its hull, unable to break through? ...What kind of beings dwelled within it, who had been able to survive all these ordeals? Were they, perhaps, more harrowing than the creatures that had left their marks on the ancient hull? Cronos and his fellows saw the deck of the ship, as well, stunned by the sight of a beautiful tree growing around the ship''s main mast. That tree was vibrant and full of life, not at all like the grim vessel below it. It was much taller and robust than any tree growing in Fallen Grace. ''What is this craftsmanship...''


    Cronos had never seen a vessel of such design, nor had he known of any ship builder who could have created it. The lines of the ghostly ship were elegant, but unfamiliar. The small details of its construction were unlike anything that the River People would have built... they were also entirely different from how the Twilight People had built things, back before they were wiped out by the Defiled. The ghostly ship looked ancient and mysterious, like all things passed down from the Outsiders. Suddenly, Cronos felt joyous excitement. ''Are... are these people...''


    The ship smoothly approached the pier and halted just beside it, its bow softly touching the mooring berth. As the humans of Fallen Grace watched in stunned silence, four figures jumped from its deck onto the weathered wood. There were two humans in front... if they were really humans, and not deities.


    Cronos suddenly found it hard to breathe.


    The first one was the slender young man wearing a dark mantle, his porcelain face drowning in the shadows. His lightless eyes were like two pools of unfathomable darkness, cold and piercing. There was a crown of black metal resting on his head, shaped to resemble a twisting serpent. The other was a tall young woman with silver hair and calm grey eyes, wearing a white tunic. Her face was like that of a statue, beautiful and distant. She wore a crown, too, this one bright and adorned with a single radiant gem.


    "It''s them!"


    "Just like the Lady foretold!"


    "Praise the Lady!"


    Cronos couldn''t keep the smile from appearing on his face, either.


    ''Ah, I must have gone senile... why haven''t I realized sooner?''


    He hesitated for a moment, then bowed deeply and spoke, trying to make his voice sound solemn instead of amazed and excited:


    "It is our honor to meet you. We welcome you to Fallen Grace, esteemed guests."


    Then, he straightened and added reverently:


    "Lady Dusk has been awaiting you for a long, long time..."

 Chapter 1355 Fallen Grace

    Chapter 1355 Fallen Grace


    ''No... I''m definitely not imagining it. These people are weird!''


    The citizens of Fallen Grace were indeed looking at Sunny funny. The frail old man in front of him was smiling with an odd mix of joy and terror, just like the rest of the elderly folks that had met them on the pier. They were simultaneously far too excited and far too scared, like a bunch of teenagers who met an idol for the first time.


    He could vaguely understand why they would be delighted �� it seemed that Dusk had already been waiting for Sunny and Nephis, after all. Which was potentially a piece of good news... Updated from


    But where had the awe and terror come from?


    ''Uh... maybe I shouldn''t have shown up as a serpent?''


    Sunny had thought that the River People would be accustomed to seeing creatures of all kinds, but maybe he was wrong. Still... there was a strange incongruity between the age of these people and how animated their reactions were. This whole city was strange. When Sunny and Nephis had first seen it, both were tense and wary. They had not known what kind of welcome to expect, and kept their guard up. Fallen Grace looked a lot like Weave, but also different. Painted by the crimson radiance of dusk, it floated on the waves, stretching as far as the eye could see. It was much larger than the forlorn city of the followers of Weaver, and also more developed, feeling like a place with much deeper roots.


    There were more island-ships, most paved neatly with cobblestones and carrying graceful, picturesque buildings. The islands were connected by rope bridges, with wide canals below. Slender gondolas with intricate patterns carved into their pale wood moved through them. Unlike Weave, there were no windcatchers here. Instead, there were sails of vibrant scarlet fabric stretched between the taller buildings, making the city look like a grandiose flotilla. The buildings themselves were built from white stone and pale wood, with crimson accents added here and there to liven up their scenic facades. Fallen Grace was like a flower of pure, immaculate white drifting between the ominous crimson sky and the blood-red waters of the Great River. However... it was a wilting flower. Although the beautiful buildings had been masterfully constructed, most of them were showing signs of deterioration. The newer ones did not seem nearly as picturesque, either. The rope bridges were frayed and poorly maintained. The scarlet sails might have looked magnificent once, but now their fabric had faded, its surface covered in patches and signs of makeshift repairs. Most glaringly of all... the streets of the city were too desolate. From what Sunny could tell, half of the buildings had no inhabitants, standing abandoned and empty. That felt deeply wrong. He had grown up in NQSC, after all. In a city surrounded by defensive barriers, space was deeply precious... and since there was not enough of it to go around, people like him were condemned to the outskirts. Even there, emptiness was not tolerated.


    Sunny and Nephis stared at the old man incredulously.


    ''Huh.''


    So that was why. Fallen Grace was ruled by an oracle... and therefore, its citizens lived by a completely different set of rules. Why post watchmen if any attack could be foretold in advance? It was something like that, perhaps. He wasn''t sure he could really comprehend how drastic of a change such a life would be. ''Makes one wonder how the cities of the sybils fell, despite it all...''


    Perhaps it was precisely because these people relied on the sybils so much... and the sybils, no matter how potent their prophetic powers were, could not have been omniscient. Especially when there were more sinister powers at play.


    As Sunny was pondering these matters, there was a small commotion at the end of the pier. A dozen figures appeared, all wearing armor and wielding weapons. Their armor was white, with red sashes tied around the waist. The weapons, thankfully, were sheathed. The old men and women stepped aside to let the soldiers approach. As they did... Sunny was surprised once again. The warriors, each and every one of them... were as old as the group of people that had met them on the pier. The armor fit their shriveled figures badly, and they seemed to struggle under the weight of their weapons. Nevertheless, the old soldiers tried to maintain dignified expressions.


    There was fire in their eyes, still. The leader of the squad, an ancient woman wearing an open helmet with a red plume, bowed deeply and then saluted with a trembling hand. "Welcome, Children of Weaver. It is my honor to witness the day of your arrival. I... will take you to the Lady. Please..."


    The old woman made a gesture, asking them to follow.

 Chapter 1356 The Last Sybil

    Chapter 1356 The Last Sybil


    Sunny studied the old woman''s armor, hesitated for a few moments, then looked at the Chain Breaker with doubt. He felt rather impatient to meet Dusk of Fallen Grace, but reminded himself to keep calm and take it one step at a time.


    "...We''ve yet to moor our ship."


    The old warrior bowed again. "Everything will be taken care of."


    ''How convenient...''


    These ancient soldiers did not seem like much of a threat. The old woman was an Awakened, but the rest were mundanes. Sunny had no doubt that he would be able to escape any ambush or trap they could potentially lure him into... and it didn''t even seem like there would be a trap. Still, he didn''t like the idea of leaving their only means of escaping Fallen Grace behind. ...That said, if Dusk had really anticipated their arrival, wouldn''t she have also anticipated his reluctance? If she knew that he would be wary of a trap, wouldn''t she have been able to construct a trap insidious enough to fool Sunny?


    Suddenly, he was full of apprehension. ''Damnation...''


    Sunny had mostly been blessed by finding himself on the right side of people with prophetic powers. Now that he was about to meet an unfamiliar oracle, though, he fully realized how terrifying of an enemy one could be. New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    His unease wasn''t helped one bit by the fact that he had actually already met Dusk of Fallen Grace once... in a way. There were deep scars left on his psyche by the Terror of LO49.


    ''Whatever. What else can we do, demand that she comes to meet us here on the pier?''


    After exchanging a glance with Nephis, Sunny shrugged and followed the group of soldiers deeper into the city. The old man who had greeted them joined, as well, which caused an irritated sigh to escape from the lips of the old woman in charge of the soldiers. "Cronos... why are you tagging along with us, kid?"


    The old man simply smiled. "Why, I''m the one who greeted the esteemed guests first. Surely, they''ll feel better having someone familiar escort them!"


    The leader of the soldiers shook her head and didn''t say anything else. The old man... Cronos... seemed satisfied and hurried to keep up with them. ''Kid? How ancient is this woman, to be calling a fossil like him "kid"?''


    Fallen Grace had indeed migrated upstream, escaping an attack. A large part of it had been lost in the process... both in terms of island-ships, and people.


    Sunny looked away with a grim expression. "Was it because of the Defiled?"


    The old woman chewed on her lips, then nodded with a strange darkness hiding in her eyes. "Yes... a Defiled. Something like that."


    After that, she remained silent. Soon, they reached an island-ship that floated a small distance away from the rest of the city. It carried a beautiful palace built of white stone, with tall columns and a spire that rose high into the scarlet sky, crowned by a pyre of pure flame.


    That was the source of the white spark they had seen from a distance. Crossing the expanse of crimson water, Sunny and Nephis ascended the wide stairs leading to the gates of the palace and were welcomed by rows of soldiers just like the ones who had escorted them here �� wearing white armor with red sashes, decrepit, and old. All of them bowed deeply as the small procession passed them.


    Finally, the gates of the temple opened in front of them. Sunny felt an old fear grip his heart. He was finally going to meet Dusk face-to-face... again.


    Soon, they were led to a grand hall filled with white marble, flowing water, and tranquil silence. There was a tall dais in the center of it, with an elegant stone throne standing on it. Dusk of Fallen Grace, the last sybil of the Estuary, was sitting on that throne. Sunny froze. The first thing he registered was that Dusk looked young... very young. She was the first young woman they saw in Fallen Grace.


    She was also enthralling, with a petite figure and an exquisitely beautiful, delicate face. Her hair was like pale gold, and her stunning eyes were pure blue.


    Those stunning eyes looked upon the world but didn''t see anything, because the beautiful young woman was blind.


    Of course, Sunny knew her well.


    Stunned, he raised a hand and asked in a trembling voice:


    "...Cassie?"

 Chapter 1357 Long, Long Time

    Chapter 1357 Long, Long Time


    In front of them, sitting on the throne of Fallen Grace... was none other than Cassie. The delicate blind girl who had been their companion since the dire trial of the Forgotten Shore, and whom both Sunny and Nephis knew better than anyone else in the world did. There could be no mistake. Cassie had not changed much since the last time Sunny had seen her. She was still the same, with golden hair and beautiful blue eyes. The soft features of her lovely face were just as he remembered them...


    But there was something different about her, too. There was an obvious change, of course. Unlike how she was in the Nightmare Desert, Cassie looked hale and refreshed. Gone were the feverish gauntness, dark bruises, and cracked lips. Instead, her striking beauty had bloomed once more, soft and quiet yet making it impossible to look away. She was also wearing an unfamiliar red peplos, its thin flowing fabric draped gracefully around her supple figure and decorated with white accents. But there was also a deeper, less obvious change to her. Sunny just couldn''t put his finger on what it was, exactly. Most importantly, Cassie was not Dusk of Fallen Grace. ...Or was she?


    He suddenly felt a chill.


    "Cassie?"


    At the sound of his voice, the blind girl slowly turned her head and looked down from her throne. Even Nephis, who rarely allowed surprise to show on her face, seemed dazed. She stared at the young woman who was... or at least looked like their friend silently, a storm of emotions hiding in her usually calm eyes.


    The next moment, however, tension drained from her gaze, replaced by profound relief. It was because Cassie smiled. Her wide, radiant smile set their hearts at ease. It was a smile they knew. "Sunny? Neph? You are finally here?"


    sick about the members of the cohort, and especially Cassie, since she was not as fierce of a warrior as the rest of them and more vulnerable than most. Even though The familiar sound and cadence of her familiar voice were just as they had been before, as well.


    Sunny slowly exhaled and felt a strong desire to lean on something. He had been both anticipating and dreading meeting Dusk. He had also been worried sick about the members of the cohort, and especially Cassie, since she was not as fierce of a warrior as the rest of them and more vulnerable than most. Even though Sunny had been suppressing these worries, they gnawed at his soul. Now that the moment he had been dreading was replaced by an unexpected and joyous reunion, alleviating the gnawing worry, Sunny momentarily felt unbalanced. Then, a million questions flooded his mind. ''Wait... why is Cassie here? Where is Dusk? Could Cassie have taken the role of Dusk in the Nightmare? Wait, then what about Torment? Why was she sent so much further downstream than Nephis and I were? How long has she been here? Where are the others? How...'' Sensing that he was on the verge of spiraling, Sunny forcefully put those questions aside. He would be able to ask them all to Cassie, anyway. As soon as they were able to talk freely...


    As if reading his thoughts, the blind girl turned slightly and smiled at the soldiers who had escorted them into the temple. They looked at her with intense devotion, then lowered their gazes and bowed. Cassie lingered for a moment, then spoke softly:


    "The Children of Weaver are here. Please, leave. There are important matters I must discuss with them alone."


    Sunny tilted his head, stumped. "What? Then why did you call her a child?"


    Cassie remained motionless for a while, then sighed deeply and lowered her head. Her voice sounded strangely hollow when she spoke, the words echoing across the white hall:


    "It is because... I''ve been waiting for you two for a long, long time..."


    In the silence that followed, both Sunny and Nephis froze. The terrible implication of what Cassie had said slowly seeped into their minds, making them realize that...


    At that moment, the blind girl''s shoulders trembled, and she suddenly exploded into bright laughter. "Oh... oh gods. Sorry, I just couldn''t help myself! I really did wait for a while... about a year, I think? I imagined this day a lot, and so... I just couldn''t resist making this joke..."


    Sunny and Nephis stared at her, stunned. ''Wha... what the hell? Who makes a joke at a moment like that?!''


    His eye twitched. ''Wait. Did she say a year?''


    It had been less than three months since Sunny and Nephis entered the Nightmare. So, the time storm did indeed mess up their perception of time. Just not as direly as they had feared. Cassie, meanwhile, had gotten such a good laugh at their expense that tears appeared in the corners of her eyes. Her hands had been laying on her knees before; now, she raised them to wipe the tears away. And when she did, Sunny heard a familiar sound. It was the rattling of chains. ...There were golden shackles wrapped around Cassie''s slender wrists, and a golden chain connected them. Wiping off her tears, the blind girl looked up with a smile and blinked. It seemed that she had noticed their confusion. Cassie frowned a little, then touched her shackles and sighed. "Oh... you guys don''t know much about the sybils, yet. Right. I should explain."


    She lingered for a moment, then glanced briefly at the two deaf Masters behind her.


    One held an unsheathed sword, the other a silk cord.


    Her expression remained calm and relaxed. "When I said that these two are my guards, I didn''t mean that they guard me against danger. Instead... they are guarding the city against me."

 Chapter 1358 Beautiful Chains

    Chapter 1358 Beautiful Chains


    Nothing about the situation made sense... Sunny and Nephis tentatively came to terms with the fact that Cassie had replaced Dusk of Fallen Grace, but now they were struck by yet another revelation.


    Sunny did not know why the blind girl was shackled yet, but his mind had already entered a state of battle readiness... just in case. Not showing any emotions, he briefly glanced at the two deaf guards. The sword and the cord they wielded were suddenly much more sinister. If the guards were meant to protect the city from Cassie...


    Then the sword was meant to cut her down, while the cord was meant to strangle her. ''How strong can these old Masters be?''


    Sunny was mentally calculating the swiftest way to kill them guards when a sudden thought sent a chill running down his spine. His first impulse had been dictated by the deeply ingrained desire to protect Cassie... but why were the guards there, in the first place?


    Looking at the beautiful young woman sitting on the white throne, wearing golden shackles, Sunny had to wonder if he should be thinking of a way to protect himself from her, instead. She sighed. "You don''t have to worry. I''m not in danger, nor do I represent danger. It''s just that... well, it''s a long story. I''ll explain. But first..."


    Standing up, Cassie smiled and descended from the dais. "Let me climb off that throne. It feels really odd to be looking down on you from up high."


    She approached them with light steps. Her delicate figure was accentuated by the vibrant red fabric of the archaic dress, which contrasted starkly against the white marble of the grand hall. Her movements were swift and graceful... before Sunny could really decide whether he should be on guard or not, Cassie was already near. She raised her shackled hands...


    And gave Nephis a tight hug. "I missed you... I really missed you guys a lot."


    She held Neph in an embrace for a few moments, then sighed and let go. A bright smile bloomed on Cassie''s face. Turning to Sunny, she hesitated a bit, then gently gripped his arm with both hands.


    Turning around with a smile, she gestured to a small table that stood near the aery railing of the platform. "Please. Sit down. You must be tired after spending so long on the River."


    The table was brimming with fresh fruit, crystal pitchers of wine, and savory snacks. Cassie did not have to ask them twice, since Sunny and Nephis were indeed tired after the long journey, hungry, and parched. Soon, the three of them were sitting around the table, enjoying the refreshments.


    From the height of the temple''s spire, the whole of Fallen Grace was revealed to them, as well as the fiery expanse of the flowing water painted in a million shades of red by dusk. Looking at the surreal sight of the endless crimson river, Sunny couldn''t help but notice how damaged and incomplete the city looked. It was indeed as though it had been cut in half, with many of the island-ships either missing or taking a position in the flotilla that was clearly not meant for them. Taking a sip of fragrant red wine, Cassie sighed and turned to face Fallen Grace, as well. She was holding the glass with both hands, careful not to let the golden chain get in the way.


    Eventually, she said:


    "...I entered the Nightmare around a year ago. It was very disorienting, as you must have experienced yourself. Especially once I realized that I had taken the place of Dusk, the sybil of Fallen Grace. Dusk... I don''t know how powerful she was, exactly, but she must have been at least a Transcendent. While I am not."


    Sunny nodded somberly and added in a low voice:


    "The last sybil."


    The blind girl turned to him with a strange, fragile smile. "Yes. The last. Although... I wasn''t so at the start."


    Nephis frowned, feeling a dark undertone in Cassie''s voice. "Wasn''t so? What do you mean?"


    Cassie remained silent for a few moments, her face turning solemn. Then, she said:


    "The sybils were oracles once. The revelations they received came from the gods. But then, the gods grew silent... and, one after another, the sybils turned to another source of knowledge. The Estuary. What revelations do you think they received from there?"

 Chapter 1359 See no Evil

    Chapter 1359 See no Evil


    Sunny suddenly paled. The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    ''Wait. No way...''


    The runes describing the Shroud of Graceless Dusk resurfaced in his memory...


    [There, they found solace, safety, and shelter. In time, the voices of the gods grew silent one after another, leaving behind only a vast and dreadful silence. That was how the sybils embraced the Estuary, and that was how they fell.]


    He looked at Cassie somberly and said, his voice slightly hoarse:


    "The... Defilement?"


    The blind girl nodded sadly. "Yes. The Defilement spread from the Estuary, consuming Verge, the city of the Seekers. And from there, the Defiled slowly moved upstream, threatening to devour all other settlements on the Great River. The sybils and their people waged a war against them for a long time. Eventually, most of their cities fell �� some fell to the Defiled... but not all."


    Her beautiful face looked forlorn for a moment. Cassie sighed.


    "The sybils were truly formidable at the height of their power. It was no coincidence that they had managed to guide their people through the horrors of the Doom War and enter the Tomb of Ariel unharmed. Even the Defiled found it difficult to conquer the cities reigned by the sybils... how would they not, if the defenders knew the secrets of the future?"


    She paused for a moment and took a small sip of the wine.


    "But the very thing that gave the sybils power ended up becoming their undoing. The most stalwart cities... they fell to the sybils themselves. Because they were corrupted by the glimpses of the Estuary and succumbed to the Defilement, letting the rot spread from within."


    Cassie simply shook her head. "Send a dream message? I don''t even know how to do something like that, let alone who the Priestess of Weave is. I also wouldn''t have known where you were. Are you saying that there was someone who did?"


    Sunny suddenly felt an ominous premonition.


    He was somewhat convinced that it was Dusk who had sent Ananke instructions to meet them and guide them to Fallen Grace. Now that he knew that Cassie had taken the place of the last sybil, though, and she was not the mysterious being pulling the strings of the Nightmare from behind the scenes...


    There was a small possibility, of course, that Dusk had arranged everything before being erased from existence by Cassie''s arrival. But it was infinitely small... had the last sybil even existed in the Nightmare? Why would the Spell extend its timeline beyond the point where the challengers entered?


    And even if it had, what were the chances that Dusk not only knew of her nature as a phantom conjured by the Spell, but also everything about the challengers and their task?


    Close to zero.


    However...


    If not Dusk or Cassie, then who could have possessed both a deep knowledge of the future and enough insight to manipulate it?


    Sunny gritted his teeth, disturbed. "Not only did they know when and where we would enter the Nightmare, but also a great deal more. It was how we ended up finding the ship... the Chain Breaker. And making it all the way here."


    Cassie seemed stunned. "The... Chain Breaker..."


    She remained silent for a while, then shivered and said, her voice glum:


    "Well, then... maybe it was Torment."

 Chapter 1360 Marooned

    Chapter 1360 Marooned


    A grim silence settled over the open platform. Even the deaf guards seemed affected by it, shifting uncomfortably and throwing worried glances at Cassie. Knowing what he knew now, Sunny recognized the complicated emotions reflected in their eyes... love, devotion, loyalty. But also wariness and fear. He sighed, then took a bite out of a succulent fruit and leaned back. "So... you guessed who the Six Plagues are, too."


    Of course, she did. Cassie always knew more than them, even if she kept it to herself. The blind girl nodded slowly. "I did... who they are, but not how they are. The Great River is a strange place. Many things that should not be possible anywhere else are possible here."


    She frowned. "The Six Plagues �� I had to learn a lot about them, since they are the main threat to Fallen Grace. It was hard not to draw conclusions in the process. Strangely enough, though, none of them participated in the attacks on the city during the year I''ve spent here."


    Nephis looked at her somberly. "Were you serious about what you said? That Torment might be responsible for us coming here?"


    Cassie hesitated for a few moments, then shook her head. "Not really. She strikes me as someone far too wild and damaged to come up with such an intricate scheme. She''s dangerous, though... after the Dread Lord, she has to be the most dangerous of the Plagues. Simply because of her foresight."


    So, there was no answer after all. Sunny was still unable to learn who it was that had been manipulating the Nightmare, unseen, showing terrifying knowledge of fate and the future. There was another problem facing them currently, though...


    ''Not good.''


    Meeting Dusk might have turned out entirely differently from how Sunny and Nephis had imagined it, but their overall goal remained the same. They had to conquer the Nightmare... but first, they had to find the members of the cohort. Their last theory was that each challenger except for Nephis had been sent into the body of a powerful Defiled champion... who might or might not have been the future version of themselves. Regardless of the true identity of the Six Plagues, that theory had been proven wrong now. After all, Cassie was right here in front of them, in place of the last sybil, Dusk �� not Torment. Which meant that they had no idea where the other members were. And since it had already been a year since the Nightmare started...


    Sunny felt intense worry gnaw at his heart.


    ''No, no... don''t think about it.''


    Looking at Cassie, he hesitated for a while, then composed himself and asked:


    "You said you knew that we would arrive eventually?"


    The blind girl nodded. "Yes. I saw us meeting, in a vision. Or rather, felt it."


    Sunny took a deep breath. "Then what about the others? Do you know where they are?"


    Sunny nodded, both relieved and concerned. It was good that Effie and Jet were together... and it was even better that Cassie had determined their exact location. The existence of the crow Echo also proved that at least one of them was still alive. And yet, how could he not worry when he had just learned that they were stuck in some bizarre hazardous zone of the Great River?


    Nephis inhaled deeply, then asked:


    "What about Kai and Mordret? Anvil''s son?"


    The blind girl frowned. "They... are also together. However, their situation is worse."


    She lingered for a few moments and said darkly:


    "They are in Twilight."


    Sunny and Nephis glanced at each other, confused. He suppressed the impulse to touch the Crown of Twilight and asked:


    "Twilight? The city of the Serpent King? Wasn''t it destroyed?"


    Cassie remained silent for a while. Eventually, she shrugged with uncertainty.


    "It is lost, but it is not destroyed. The legends say that it was devoured by time. I... am not sure what it means. In fact, I am not sure about anything that has to do with King Daeron and his people." Sunny raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Why is that?"


    A deep frown appeared on the blind girl''s face. She pursed her lips, then said hesitantly:


    "Everything about them is odd. They were not Riverborn... but they weren''t refugees from the Dream Realm, either. They appeared within the Tomb much, much later than the sybils and the Seekers, when the River People civilization had already been established and the Defilement had already spread."


    Cassie lingered for a bit, and then added:


    "If not for the fact that they simply can''t be from Earth, I would have said that they... they were challengers just like us, each and every one of them."

 Chapter 1361 Devoured by Time

    Chapter 1361 Devoured by Time


    ''Challengers just like us... each and every one of them.'' Thi/s chapter is updated by


    Sunny remained silent for a while, a complicated expression on his face. He was remembering the very beginning of the Nightmare, and the strange words the Spell had spoken...


    [Thirteen million, seven hundred thousand, and seventy seven brave ones... welcome to the Nightmare!]


    Back then, he had been understandably stunned and confused. There was no explanation for that number, considering that there were not even a million Awakened in the waking world. The start of the Nightmare had been abnormal in more than one way, though, and so he tentatively attributed these words to an error made by the Spell.


    However, Sunny had never been truly convinced that the Spell was even capable of being mistaken. So, what if it had been correct?


    He slowly exhaled. "They are."


    Cassie turned her head slightly, confused. "How can it be?"


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then shrugged. "I''m not sure. But I know for a fact that the people of Twilight were challengers. It is because... we''ve met King Daeron, Nephis and I."


    It was written in the description of the Crown of Twilight �� "thus, the valiant king became a guide who guarded his people in their nightmares". That had been Daeron''s entire plan, to enter the Tomb of Ariel so that a phantom of him would be conjured by the Spell to guide his people when they challenged the Nightmare. It had already seemed strange when Sunny first read the runes. However, back then, he had not met Ananke yet... and therefore, had not learned that there were no Nightmares in the ancient past of the Dream Realm. So where had the Serpent King and his people come from?


    "You''ve... met the Serpent King?"


    Cassie''s voice trembled a little. out of nowhere just when they were needed... it was very much like the fairy tale of astonishing adventures that Ananke had told him. And yet, it was all true, of course.


    "There is such a possibility. The inhabitants of Twilight can also be long dead. Lastly... there is also a possibility that we will find millions of powerful Awakened warriors, not abominations, when we reach Twilight."


    He blinked. ''She''s... right.''


    Twilight could turn out to be a dire threat, but it could also be hiding an army of allies they sorely needed to destroy Verge and conquer the Nightmare. There was no point in guessing, either way. Sunny sighed. "We''ll find out when we get there. And we do need to get there �� we can''t leave Kai behind. We also need Mordret and his power to take on Verge, and his knowledge to eliminate the Soul Stealer." He looked at Nephis, then at Cassie.


    "...There are no objections, right?"


    Nephis shook her head. "Our goal remains the same. Gather the cohort and eliminate the First Seeker... who is far downstream, in the city of Verge. Under the protection of the Six Plagues."


    She frowned slightly. "Although... the task does seem too perilous. There has to be a way to accomplish it, or the Spell wouldn''t have sent us here. So, we must be lacking some key piece of information or an important advantage, still. Twilight might very well be the place where that secret is hidden."


    Sunny nodded. "So, we''re in agreement then? Let''s go fetch Effie and Jet first, then sail to Twilight to retrieve Kai and Mordret. When everyone is gathered and we had learned everything there is to learn, we''ll attack Verge."


    Cassie remained silent for a few moments, then said quietly:


    "I agree. However, we must not forget one crucial detail."


    Her beautiful face turned solemn.


    "I doubt that the Six Plagues will just remain idle and allow us to gather forces. If they are truly the future versions of ourselves... they must already know what our next steps will be. It would be easy for them to try and stop us."


    Sunny didn''t even want to think about the paradoxical mess of having his future Defiled self hunting him down. However, he wasn''t opposed to it. Imagining the vile, scarred face of the Mad Prince, he grinned darkly. "Let them come... I would love to meet the bastards, too."

 Chapter 1362 No Other Choice.

    Chapter 1362 No Other Choice.


    Some time later, the three of them were walking across the pier, followed by an excited crowd. The two guards were not far behind, either �� they never left Cassie''s side. The golden chain was ringing softly with each step she took. The elderly citizens of Fallen Grace were overflowing with joy at the sight of their young and beautiful priestess, though, seemingly oblivious to the ominous meaning behind the golden shackles. The news of the arrival of two Outsiders had spread throughout the city, as well. The mood was festive. Sunny studied their faces through the shadows, then turned to Cassie and said silently:


    "You seem to be very popular. They absolutely adore you."


    A faint smile appeared on her face.


    "...It''s Dusk, not me. And how could they not? She was a wise and benevolent ruler, not to mention a champion of the city. It was because of the sybils that the River People could defend themselves against the Defilement. Most importantly... I am both the most powerful Awakened and the only Outsider left in Fallen Grace. If they lose their faith in me and their love for me, then all they''ll have left will be despair."


    She let out a wistful sigh. "They only love me because they have no other choice."


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, somewhat stunned by how cynical that statement sounded. It bothered him a great deal, for some reason.


    Then, he shook his head. "Still, you must have done a lot to earn their trust. Surviving a year in the Third Nightmare could not have been easy. Especially alone."


    He had already seen Fallen Grace and its people. They were not the kind of force he had hoped to find... and while Cassie had not gone into detail when describing her attempts to defend the city against the attacking Defiled, it was easy to surmise that protecting it was more of a burden than a boon. Her days must have been filled with countless battles and narrow victories. It was a miracle that Fallen Grace still stood.


    She smiled. "Ah... well, yes. After the initial chaos, I led the remaining warriors into battle many times, and killed many abominations. It was indeed not easy. But I wasn''t really alone."


    Cassie gestured to the crowd following them at a respectful distance, as well as at the two silent guards. "The people of Fallen Grace might have grown weak, but they are valiant and brave. I also had several Echoes to assist me."


    "Sunny... can you look at the sacred tree?"


    He did as he was told, belatedly realizing that the blind girl must have used her Ascended Ability to share his perception. Although he didn''t feel anything, it also felt strangely... violating.


    There was no harm done, but for someone as secretive as Sunny, sharing was an uncomfortable process. ''I wonder if she sees the bastard.''


    He threw a furtive glance at the Sin of Solace, who stood motionlessly below the tree, and suppressed his discomfort. They walked around the ship for a while, allowing Cassie to study both its exterior and interior. She was the person who knew the true Chain Breaker best, after all, so they needed her judgment to rid themselves of doubt.


    Eventually, the blind girl stopped near the sacred tree and gently placed her palm on the white bark. After a few moments of silence, she sighed and turned to them. "It''s the Chain Breaker. I am certain."


    Sunny and Nephis grew somber. They had suspected as much, of course... but still, a slight hope that it was merely a similar vessel still lived in their hearts. Now, it was utterly extinguished. Cassie pointed here and there, describing her findings. "...the essence channels are severely damaged, but their shape is unmistakable. I repaired them myself once, after all, so I know every small detail of how Noctis had carved new enchantments into the older ones created by the Fire Hunters. It''s his ship... our ship. There are many differences, but the core is the same." Sunny grimaced. "But how the hell can it be here? And how did we end up finding it?"


    The blind girl hesitated, then somberly shook her head. "That, I cannot answer." He closed his eyes, then rubbed his face tiredly. ''What the hell is going on... what the hell has been going on from the start of this damned Nightmare? There are too many unexplainable things!''


    Sunny''s tolerance for mysteries was at its limits. Cassie lingered for a few moments, then suddenly spoke:


    "I can tell you one thing, though."


    Both Sunny and Nephis looked at her, waiting. She pointed to the deck below her feet and smiled. "...I think I can repair the enchantments again. If you give me some time, the Chain Breaker will be able to fly once more."

 Chapter 1363 The Shadow, the Star, and the Oracle

    Chapter 1363 The Shadow, the Star, and the Oracle


    The news that the Chain Breaker could be restored to its former... future?... glory was a welcome one. However, it was going to take time for Cassie to repair it. They were also going to need a lot of materials, as well as plenty of help from the locals of Fallen Grace.


    There were experienced shipbuilders among them. Sunny and Nephis had only patched up the ancient vessel well enough for it to not sink immediately, but there were a lot of things they weren''t able to achieve. Now, the situation was different. Just repairing the hull and the decks was going to take a few weeks. After that part was done, more intricate work would start �� Cassie was going to have to restore the runic pathways that made the enchantments of the flying ship work. That sounded like a lot of time. Sunny and Nephis knew that an entire year had already passed within the Tomb of Ariel since the start of the Nightmare, and yet they felt uneasy wasting even a single day. The members of the cohort were somewhere out there, after all, their situations unknown. Perhaps they were in desperate need of help. In the end, the three of them decided not to postpone their departure too much. Sunny and Nephis needed to rest, and the Chain Breaker had to receive urgent repairs... but since Cassie would be able to work on the enchantments alone, they were going to leave Fallen Grace as soon as the work on the damaged portions of the hull was finished. Which left them with maybe two weeks of peaceful time to recover and prepare themselves. Looking at the crimson blaze of dusk from the window of Cassie''s private chambers, Sunny sighed. The sky was a painting of beautiful red, and the Great River was like a sea of burning blood. The city below them was like a snow flower.


    "...Are you going to be alright, leaving Fallen Grace behind?"


    Turning away from the window, he looked at the blind girl. She was brewing tea, seemingly not at all inconvenienced by her golden shackles. Nephis was nearby, too, studying the murals on the wall. Cassie softly shook her head. "I did get attached to these people. But what we are doing is for their sake, as well... if we don''t strike at Verge, there is no future left for the River People. In a few years, or decades at most, they will be gone."Thi/s chapter is updated by


    If they were the real River People, of course. As far as humans of the waking world knew, the world of the Nightmare would cease to exist as soon as the Seed was conquered. But... it was hard to make the distinction. Sunny had never been able to, at least. He walked over to the table and sat down. "Do they understand that? Will they let you go?"


    The two guards were standing just outside the door. Even though he could not see them, he could feel their shadows. Cassie lingered for a few moments, pouring the tea into beautiful ceramic cups. "They will. I''ll explain it well... don''t worry. Come, let''s have some tea."


    Nephis pulled her attention away from the murals and joined them at the table. Her face was calm and composed. Raising her cup, she hesitated for a bit, then said in an even tone:


    He threw an angry glance at the sword wraith, then shook his head. Who was he kidding? Sunny had felt nostalgic about the simple days of surviving on the Forgotten Shore many times. The hell of it... had also been like a dark paradise, for him. Looking through a shadow, he studied the three of them �� Nephis, Cassie, and himself. ''Gods.''


    Each one of them had changed so much. They were practically unrecognizable... and it wasn''t even because of how much their appearance had been transformed by the Awakening and the Ascension. Back then... Sunny had been a powerless street rat who only cared about himself and how to keep his secret. Cassie had been a sweet, but helpless girl, broken by the severity of her crippling Flaw. Nephis had been an isolated young woman who didn''t know much about the world, except for the fact that she was going to burn it to the ground. ''Look at us now.''


    The scrawny kid from the outskirts was gone, replaced by a fair young man with eyes so cold and dark that it was easy to cut yourself on their chilling gaze. The helpless girl was now a beautiful young woman whose softness concealed unwavering will and ominous power. Nephis... had changed the most, perhaps, learning too many bitter lessons. Their names were known across the world, and they had long lost count of all the powerful abominations cut down by their blades. Fallen, Corrupted, even Great. Devils, Terrors, even Titans. n/-o--V-.E)-l)-b(-1/-n


    There had been humans, too... Awakened, Masters, and even Saints.


    Who would have thought that three teenagers that had met in the Crimson Labyrinth would be drinking tea in a hidden world created by a daemon one day, resting before setting sail to wage war on an entire city of Nightmare Creatures? Sunny took a sip of his tea and shook his head. ''Life is sure funny sometimes.''


    Still... it was damn good tea. He hesitated for a while, and then said awkwardly:


    "I... might have missed you, too. I''m glad that the three of us are once again together."

 Chapter 1364 Creating New Memories Together

    Chapter 1364 Creating New Memories Together


    The Great River flowed endlessly. Somewhere in the future, the ruins of Weave drifted empty and silent, with no one left to witness their inevitable march toward destruction. Somewhere in the past, the city of Verge stood, harboring the hidden horrors of the Defilement. There was Twilight, too, mysterious and dreadful, lost to time. ...But here in Fallen Grace, the days were peaceful. The work on the Chain Breaker started soon after Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie finished their tea. He visited the piers to observe the repairs, but there was really no point. The elderly citizens of the last human city knew how to tend to a ship much better than he did, and even though their bodies were ancient and frail, there were still some Awakened among them. Their physical strength solved many problems, so Sunny did not need to help. The best he could do was not get in the way. Knowing that there were many battles ahead, he dedicated his time to preparing as thoroughly as possible. Cassie and Nephis were doing the same. The latter was practicing her swordsmanship witthout rest, while the former... actually, Sunny was not entirely sure what their blind oracle was doing. She spent a lot of time arranging measures to keep Fallen Grace safe in her absence, but also made a point of sparing as much of it as possible for him and Nephis. They had meals together, toured the city, and held long strategy meetings. He was happy because the three of them were together again.


    But it was also a bit strange.


    Cassie had spent an entire year in the Nightmare... which meant that she was older than Sunny by a few months now, making him the youngest in the cohort. He had treated her as a little sister once, at the start of it all, so it felt odd to suddenly be the one who was younger. But then again, age was such an abstract thing... especially so for the Awakened. Sunny himself had spent an unknown length of time in the dream prison created by Nightmare. Even though he had forgotten most of that cruel trial, his soul still remembered its scars. Speaking of Nightmare, the dark destrier was his main priority for now. Sunny had been unsure that he would be able to create enough Memories to help his steed Ascend before departure from Fallen Grace, but he was pleasantly surprised to have been mistaken. There were two main reasons for that. The first one was that Cassie had opened the treasury of the temple to supply him with the few soul shards he lacked. The second one was the Crown of Twilight.


    Its [Legacy of Twilight] enchantment greatly enhanced the rate with which Sunny regenerated essence at dawn and dusk. Here in Fallen Grace, though, dusk lasted for nearly the entire day, interrupted only by a brief and fleeting night �� as a result, his reserves of essence had become nearly inexhaustible. ...Which was a good thing for more than one reason. The three of them were destined to visit the lost city of the Serpent King, after all. Twilight was situated at the opposite edge of the Great River, where it was almost always dawn. Sunny was certain that having a boundless amount of essence at his disposal would come in handy, no matter what dangers they were going to face there. For now, he concentrated on weaving Memories to feed Nightmare above all else. The counter of shadow fragments was rising with each day. So was the counter of nightmares the tenebrous steed had subjugated, at a speed much greater than ever before. Maybe because of the nature of the Tomb of Ariel... but much more importantly, because of the River People. In the waking world, his Shadow had very few ways of collecting nightmares �� it was because the dreams of mundane humans were powerless, while Awakened never dreamed. It was only Masters and abominations that could supply his Shadow with suitable dreams to subjugate. But Awakened of the Dream Realm �� and therefore, the River People of the Tomb of Ariel �� were different from those infected by the Spell. Their souls did not travel between worlds when they slept, and so, Nightmare could invade their dreams and conquer their fears. As a result, the citizens of Fallen Grace enjoyed strangely blissful sleep during these days, while his Shadow received plenty of nightmares to add to his swarm. At this rate, Sunny did not know what would happen first �� the black steed''s Ascension or return to full power as a Terror. He worked tirelessly to weave more rudimentary Memories, and do it faster. One after another, they were completed. And then, finally... Sunny weaved the last of them. The date of their departure was already drawing near when he did. Hidden in the spacious chambers Cassie had arranged for him within the temple, Sunny slowly dismissed his four shadow arms and put Weaver''s Needle down. Left in his human hand was a beautiful nacre ornament. What made it look so tantalizing was not the colorful sheen, though, but the ethereal weave hiding behind it. "It''s done."


    "Horse! Horse!"


    Sunny chuckled. "Yes. The horse. Come on!"


    ''Let''s try it again...''


    With that, he dissolved into darkness and manifested himself back into tangible form. This time, Sunny did not recreate his own appearance, instead shaping himself into an entirely different and smaller creature.


    ...A few moments later, two crows �� one black, the other even darker, as if made of shadows �� flew into the crimson sky.

 Chapter 1365 The Sound of His Wings

    Chapter 1365 The Sound of His Wings


    Sunny was flying through the crimson sky above Fallen Grace. His black feathers were moving slightly in the wind, and his wings rose and fell with a relaxed cadence. His flight was somewhat awkward... but he did not plummet to the ground, at least, like the previous time.


    He had, of course, assumed the form of a crow. After mastering the fourth step of Shadow Dance, learning a new form had become much easier for him. So, he had spent the last two weeks doing just that �� teaching himself how to become a crow. Sunny was already confident on land and had the sea serpent form to protect himself in the water. Only the skies were left unconquered. Granted, he was not going to win a battle as a small bird... but he had to start somewhere. The idea of trying to assume the form of Jet''s Echo had entered his mind when he was resting after a long and tedious bout of weaving. Yes, Sunny had plenty of essence and more than enough soul shards to accomplish his goal, but even his patience was not limitless. He needed to take a break from time to time and distract himself from the rote process of creating rudimentary Memories. During one such break, the persistent crow visited him once again to caw about how Jet was stuck. Staring at it, Sunny remembered that he had not yet made use of his improved ability to shadow various creatures better. The desire to fly across the vast sky stirred in his heart. Who said that only Kai was allowed to zip around in the air?


    So, that was exactly what he had done. Staring at the talkative bird, he tried to teach himself its form.


    Which... ended up being just as hard to achieve as turning himself into a giant sea serpent. The body of the crow itself was much smaller and simpler. The problem was that Crow Crow was an Echo, and thus not truly alive. So, Sunny met an unexpected obstacle... Shadow Dance was not that effective against things that weren''t alive. In hindsight, he should have known that it would be like that. Thinking back to how he created the form of the onyx serpent, and even further into the past, to the days of learning battle styles from his adversaries, Sunny realized that there were two components to Shadow Dance. One was purely physical, the other was much deeper and more fundamental, concerning the essence of a being. Its mind, its spirit, its very soul. Echoes did not really possess any of these things, so he was left stumped for a while. In the end, though, Sunny still managed to turn himself into a copy of the crow. It had just taken him much more time and effort than he would have expected... and he did not stop having trouble with the new form after mastering it. Possessing the body of a bird was one thing, but actually moving like a bird was an entirely different issue. Since Sunny had never flown without the help of enchantments before, he had to learn everything from scratch. The first time he turned into a crow, he proceeded to fall on his beak after the simplest hop... a few dozen times in a row, all under the perplexed gaze of the befuddled Echo. Nevertheless, he was flying right now.


    It was a rather exhilarating feeling. It was so exhilarating, in fact, that Sunny opened his beak and cawed:


    "Fly! Fly!"


    Then, he got embarrassed and almost lost control of his wings. ''Now... why the hell did I say it twice?''


    ''Questions, questions...''


    He had to remind himself how sad the kid''s situation was. Not even because Cronos had turned into an old man before becoming an adult, but because he was starved for excitement and interesting things. His whole life was limited to a city that would have been considered tiny in the waking world �� and, worse than that, that city was the last one there was, with not even news of distant events ever reaching it. Of course he was endlessly excited by the two unexpected visitors. Sunny remained silent for a moment. "To be precise, it''s the result of combining all my Aspect Abilities to create a... a kind of battle art."


    Cronos nodded a couple of times, showing that he understood, and said thoughtfully: "Oh... I have no idea what you mean, Lord Sunless..."


    Then, he smiled. "Are you here to check on your ship?"


    The crow Echo looked at the young man with disdain and flapped its wings impatiently. "Horse! Horse!"


    Sunny nodded. "No... I''m here to feed my horse."

 Chapter 1366 Terror of the Earth

    Chapter 1366 Terror of the Earth


    The crow hopped on Sunny''s shoulder, and they headed toward where Nightmare was hiding. Cronos, annoyingly, followed them with an excited smile. That said, Sunny couldn''t remain annoyed for long because of the worshipful gaze the old man was giving him. "Lord Sunless... if I may ask..."


    He rolled his eyes and sighed. "What?"


    Cronos hesitated for a moment. "...What is a horse?"


    That almost caused Sunny to stumble. ''What the hell... why does it sound like something I would say?''


    He shrugged. "It''s a large animal that runs really well. People used to ride them to get around. Of course, my horse is no ordinary horse... he''s a real menace, that beast."


    The old man frowned in contemplation.


    "But why wouldn''t they just use a boat?"


    Sunny suppressed the desire to grind his teeth and answered in an even tone:


    "The world outside the Tomb is not all water, remember? Most people live on land. Horses are land animals."


    Cronos looked into the distance, confusion written all over his face. "Ah... I see, I see. Are there no land boats? That seems strange!"


    The barrage of questions continued.


    A whirlwind of sparks rose from the crushed ornament and separated into six streams, each flowing into one of the dark embers burning within the shadow that served Nightmare as a soul. ''Here we go... finally!''


    Sunny had always been preoccupied with raising the power of Saint �� his primary battle Shadow �� as much as possible, so he had neglected the black steed a little. It was not without a reason, of course. Nightmare''s main purpose was not to be a destructive force in combat. He was a loyal steed first and a fighter second. The utility he offered Sunny was much more valuable than an additional combatant would be. Still... this moment had been a long time coming.


    As the streams of sparks were absorbed into the darkness hiding inside Nightmare, his silhouette suddenly grew vague. Then, the destrier disappeared. Already expecting that to happen, Sunny dove into his Soul Sea. Appearing in the lightless silence, he saw his Shadow standing on the surface of the still water. Nightmare had lowered his head, his body trembling slightly. ''Yes!''


    Within the Shadow, the glow of the six dim embers was growing more and more intense. The water suddenly surged, as if assaulted by an invisible wind. Wisps of black flame rose from Nightmare''s sable coat, soon shrouding his figure completely. Sunny had already seen a Shadow rise to a new Rank several times. He knew that the transformation would not take long �� unlike evolving to a new Class, this change was only going to take several minutes. He waited patiently. As if feeling the importance of what was happening somewhere near, but away from their eyes, both Crow Crow and Cronos remained silent. ...Soon, the transformation was over. The restless waters grew still once again, and the black flames receded. Nightmare was revealed from within their veil, as fearsome as ever. His outward appearance did not change much. Only the red glow of his ferocious eyes seemed brighter.


    Despite that...


    His tenebrous silhouette brimmed with a new kind of power. Sunny grinned. ''An Ascended Terror...''


    His steed was as powerful as the creature that Nephis had slain at the top of the Crimson Spire now. In fact, even Sunny, who possessed an extremely high level of mental resistance, felt a hint of dread grasping his heart when looking at the dark destrier. ''Wait... doesn''t... doesn''t his aura of fear seem too strong?'' Trying to suppress his excitement, Sunny forced himself to continue looking at Nightmare and summoned the runes. In the next moment, his expression changed. ''What?! When... when did this happen?!''


    The counter of the shadow fragments had been filled and emptied. Sunny knew that, of course. However, what he had not expected to see...


    Was that the counter of subjugated nightmares had been filled, as well. The [Dream Curse], Nightmare''s Terror Ability, was unlocked.


    ...Standing near Sunny, Cronos and the crow Echo exchanged a confused look. Why did Lord Sunless seem so excited?


    The small bird tilted its head knowingly and cawed with a sense of superiority:


    "Horse!"

 Chapter 1367 Dream Curse

    Chapter 1367 Dream Curse


    The runes shimmered in the darkness, surrounded by still silence. Hypnotized by them, Sunny read greedily:


    Shadow: Nightmare. Shadow Rank: Ascended.


    Shadow Class: Terror. Shadow Fragments: [0/300].


    He had known what to expect, but seeing the word "Ascended" still filled him with excitement. At any other time, Sunny would have lingered, enjoying the view of the changed runes, but he was much more interested in something else right now. His gaze slid lower. Shadow Description: [This beautiful steed was tamed by the treacherous Lost From Light in the depths of a harrowing dream. The two Shadows battled across countless nightmares, shattering them all apart; neither was willing to give up, so in the end, the nightmares did.]


    Despite the excitement, memories of his dreadful battle with Nightmare made Sunny shiver. Shadow Attributes: [Swift], [Dark Destrier], [Dreadlord], [Dreamwalker].


    The Attributes were the same as before. His steed was swift, could travel through dreams, and grew stronger when feared or surrounded by shadows. Sunny''s gaze finally settled on1 the string of runes that interested him the most...


    Shadow Abilities: [Flowing Shadow], [Mantle of Fear], [Nightmare], [Dream Curse].


    His eyes widened slightly. The first two Abilities had not changed. [Flowing Shadow] allowed Nightmare to move through shadows with stunning speed, as well as become one of them. [Mantle of Fear] was a powerful mental attack that induced terror in those affected by it. The second two Abilities, though... the runes describing them were different. ''It happened faster than I thought...'' The [Nightmare] Ability shared its name with the black stallion. At this moment, its description read:


    [Nightmare] Ability Description: "This Shadow can create and subjugate nightmares. The more nightmares serve it, the more powerful it grows, both inside and outside dreams.


    Dormant nightmares: 287


    Awakened nightmares: 252


    Ascended nightmares: 455


    Transcendent nightmares: 6"


    ''A lesser dream domain...''


    Didn''t it sound like something he had encountered before?


    For example, the Dreamscape. A vast illusion maintained by the Aspect of a certain Saint, where countless people could combat each other without the risk of injury. Awakened used the public arenas for training, but there were private ones established for the government forces and the Legacy clans, as well. There was even a version for mundane humans to enjoy. Was Dreamscape a type of lesser dream domain, as well? That would certainly make sense. There was another similar example, though...


    Sunny trembled. There was the Spell and its Nightmares. There was the Dream Realm itself.


    If there were lesser dream domains, there had to be greater ones, too... as well as those above them. If so...


    The souls destroyed within his Shadow''s dream maze were consumed, making the shadow stronger. ...What happened to the souls of those who died within Nightmares? Of those who died in the Dream Realm? Of those infected by the Spell?


    Was the Spell feeding on the souls of everyone who carried it, and on the souls of everything those who carried it killed?


    The thought was terrifying. But still...


    ''It would make sense.''


    Sunny lowered his gaze and stared at the fabric of Ananke''s Mantle. When an Awakened conjured a Memory, the Memory was manifested from their soul essence. What were the worlds within Nightmares manifested from?


    He turned his head and observed Fallen Grace. Finally, his gaze settled on Cronos. ...And when the Nightmare was over, where did all the souls conjured into it by the Spell go?


    Sunny had never seriously considered how the Spell operated, simply because it was so powerful as to seem omnipotent. If one assumed something to be omnipotent, they would not question how it worked. Simply because its workings were beyond the realms of logic and reason.


    However, now, for the first time, he was starting to question if the Spell was truly free from the laws that governed the rest of mundane things. Perhaps its scale was just so great that mere mortals like him were not capable of perceiving it. Or maybe he was wrong, and there was nothing in common between the principles of the Dream Curse and the Spell. In any case...


    ''Instead of thinking about things that are beyond my understanding, I should concentrate on what is in front of me. My Ascended Terror of a steed... and the curse he commands. It will surely be of help in this cursed tomb. Especially since there''s a mad bastard around who is fond of visiting other people''s dreams...''

 Chapter 1368 Setting Sail

    Chapter 1368 Setting Sail


    Not long after the black stallion''s Ascension, the day of their departure arrived. The weeks they had spent in Fallen Grace flew by fast... so fast, in fact, that Sunny was sad that they had felt so short.


    It was nice, spending time with Nephis and Cassie again. Back in the waking world, there had always been invisible walls between them... the great clans, the war, the complicated feelings of the past, the dark promises of the future... Updated from


    But Nightmares had a way of simplifying things. All of these matters had been made small and insignificant by the dire necessity to conquer the Seed, and so Sunny found himself enjoying the feeling of closeness he had not felt in a long time. It was funny, really... ever since becoming a Sleeper, he had been told over and over again how dreadful and deadly Third Nightmares were. And there was truth to these rumors, of course �� after all, Sunny had already been forced to battle a damned Great Beast to survive here. But, strangely, most of his time in the Tomb of Ariel had been rather peaceful. He had a feeling that peaceful days would become a thing of the past very soon, though. From today onward, theirs was a straight path. First to the dangerous waters where Effie and Jet were marooned. Then, to the mysterious city of Twilight, to find Kai and Mordret.


    And finally to Verge, the throne of the Defilement. To burn it down and conquer the Nightmare. Of course, the Chain Breaker was going to return to Fallen Grace between each step to resupply, receive repairs, and give its crew an opportunity to recover. But those stops would be brief and far between.


    For the remainder of the Nightmare, Sunny and his companions would be going from one dire battle to another.


    Looking at the dreamlike view of the last city of the River People from the height of the temple''s tower, Sunny sighed and looked at Cassie and Nephis. The suns had just risen, and the whole world was drowned in countless shades of red. Illuminated by the crimson blaze, both of them looked solemn... and ready. He lingered for a moment, then asked:


    "Is it time?"


    Cassie nodded slowly. "It''s time. Let''s go."


    Together, they descended from the tower, passed the grand hall of the temple, and walked outside. The blind girl''s guards were following them from behind, just like always... but today, many more people had come to bid their sybil farewell. Soldiers, artisans, and citizens of all kinds. Thousands of gaunt old men and women were crowding the streets, looking at the beautiful young woman with golden shackles wrapped around her wrists. Their frail figures and wrinkly faces were like a sea. Their eyes...


    Sunny did not know how to describe the emotion that shone in them. Was it pride? Sorrow? Fear? Love? Guilt? Or all of it, fused together?


    Human beings were not that simple, after all. They rarely felt only one thing. Most of the time, their hearts were a irrational and contradictory mess of clashing and conflicting emotions. ''Will we manage to save these people? Or are they all doomed?''


    It would have been an empty proclamation if anyone else had said it. However, for the people of Fallen Grace, Cassie was Dusk, the last sybil... the oracle who had guided their people for many generations, and who knew the secrets of both the past and the future. Hearing her, they stared with wide eyes. In the next moment, a joyous roar rose from the crowd. "Our Lady knows!"


    "She saw it!"


    "Victory! Our victory is assured!"


    Staring at the celebrating old men, their sorrow gone, Sunny leaned slightly and asked in a whisper:


    "You know? Did you receive a vision of fate?"


    Cassie froze, then shuddered slightly. A moment later, she turned to him, her smile turning brittle. Her beautiful blue eyes were shining with the reflection of the crimson sky.


    She lingered for a bit, then answered:


    "Who cares about fate? If fate is against us... we''ll break it."


    Sunny stared at her, befuddled. The corner of his mouth twitched. "Do you think it''s easy to break fate?"


    The blind girl lowered her head slightly and turned back to the crowd. ...Her quiet answer was almost drowned out by the joyous cries:


    "No, it''s not easy. It''s not easy at all."


    Soon, the sails of the Chain Breaker were filled with wind. The graceful vessel moved slowly, leaving the voices of the crowd behind. The people of Fallen Grace watched as it sailed away, waving and wishing their lady good fortune in the days to come. But then, they disappeared from view, obscured by the crimson haze. There was nothing but a vast expanse of water left in front of them. The first of the many battles was approaching.

 Chapter 1369 Lost Library

    Chapter 1369 Lost Library


    Their first goal was to find Jet and Effie. Cassie had been able to determine the general area where they were marooned, but not why... she was also not sure what dangers awaited the Chain Breaker in that hazardous region of the Great River. However, she did have a lead.


    The problem was that this lead was buried in one of the lost temples of Fallen Grace �� the palace where a Defiled sybil had once been entombed alive. During the battle for the city, the temple had been unsealed, and the island-ships that could not be saved were abandoned. Cut free, they had been left to the currents. The rest of the flotilla fled upstream, where it remained to this day... nevertheless, the Chain Breaker was moving into the past once more, searching for the lost districts. Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie were going to find the lost temple, slay the Defiled sybil �� if the creature was still dwelling there �� and sift through the temple''s library in search of information about the place Effie and Jet were trapped in. Breathing heavily, Sunny leaned on the side of the ketch and cursed quietly. The ketch had been patched up and repaired, as well. With its masts dismantled and stored, it resembled a proper lifeboat. The craftsmen of Fallen Grace had also constructed an actual nest for it, with ropes and pulleys to lower the ketch into the water and hoist it back up again when needed. Nephis was at the stern, controlling the ship, while Cassie was examining the damaged essence lines of the ancient vessel nearby. Looking at her, he decided to rest for a few minutes and asked somberly:


    "Why wasn''t that sybil killed after succumbing to the Defilement, anyway? Simply sealing the temple does not seem like a reliable solution. Especially since it seems to have been done in a hurry, with all the valuables remaining inside. Who just goes and loses an entire library?"


    The blind girl was distracted from her thoughts and turned to him, her golden hair fluttering in the wind. She lingered for a moment, then shrugged.


    "I''m not really sure. It happened long before we entered the Nightmare, so... perhaps the people of Fallen Grace simply couldn''t bring themselves to kill one of their sybils. You saw how conflicted they are about us. Perhaps sealing her inside and turning the temple into a mausoleum was simply safer."


    She sighed and shook his head. "I agree, though. It was a mistake. When I entered the Nightmare... we could have preserved the entire city if not for their misguided ways. There were two sybils left in Fallen Grace back then, and one of them had just succumbed to the Defilement. She was still new to her unholy powers, though. The battle was dreadful, but we could have won."


    Cassie remained silent for a bit before answering. "Simple, really. All the Nightmare Creatures we met before entering the Tomb had been corrupted countless years ago. There was barely a trace of their previous selves left. Corruption... is a gradual process, as it turns out. The sybil I killed had not been an abomination for more than a week. She was still mostly human. The other, though... had spent a long time sealed in that temple. The thing that broke free from it could barely be called a human. Its powers were greater, and it was much more used to them, as well." Sunny sighed. It made sense.


    With his curiosity satisfied, he decided that it was time to get back to the arduous practice. He was trying to master the sorcery of Names.


    Sadly... Sunny was making zero progress. Learning the Names themselves was not too hard, at least not the simple ones Nephis had done her best to teach him. Even though those Names were eerily odd, barely fitting into his mind and constantly fading from his memory, he possessed enough mental discipline to hold on to the knowledge of them. The problem was actually trying to speak them. In that regard, Sunny was failing miserably. It was as Ananke had said... people needed an innate talent to master the Words. And it seemed that he severely lacked it.


    ''Curse it.''


    Perhaps Sunny was being greedy by wishing to learn an entire new system of sorcery, but he still wanted to master the fundamentals of Shaping. Today, his attempts to summon the wind were going even worse than usual. He was tired and drained, but there was no result whatsoever. "Damned wind! Come on, blow!"


    When Sunny''s irritation reached a boiling point, Cassie suddenly straightened and turned her head slightly. There was a frown on her face. "...Something is wrong."


    Updated from

 Chapter 1370 Insidious Adversary

    Chapter 1370 Insidious Adversary


    Sunny sighed heavily, then subtly studied the world through his shadows. There was no danger around them. Everything seemed fine. That said, his intuition was indeed telling him... something. It was not exactly ringing an alarm, but there was an eerie sensation at the back of his mind. He rose to his feet and studied the Great River with his own two eyes. After a few moments, Sunny asked:


    "What is it? I don''t see anything."


    Cassie did not move, her frown deepening. The waves rustled as they brushed against the hull of the ship. The sails rippled in the wind. Raising a hand, she touched her cheek briefly, then said somberly:


    "I feel... strange. As if I''m drunk."


    Sunny stared at her wordlessly. "Huh?"


    The blind girl grimaced.


    "It''s like I''m seeing double. Only, of course, it''s not my sight that is blurry. Rather, it''s my Aspect Ability. The one that allows me to sense what will happen a few seconds into the future."


    He remained silent for a few moments.


    The shadows across the Chain Breaker moved, stirring.


    "...So, what you''re saying is that something is wrong with the future?"


    Cassie hesitated a little. "Or at least with my ability to perceive the future."


    That was a rather terrifying thing to hear. Sunny looked around once more, noting how peaceful their surroundings looked. The sky was burning beautifully with countless shades of red, with not a cloud in sight. The surface of the flowing river was spotless, with nothing hiding beneath it. And yet, there was something sinister happening to the world, unseen and imperceptible. If not for the keen senses of the oracle, none of them would have known that something was wrong. "Let''s go."


    Taking Cassie by the wrist, Sunny guided her to the stern of the ship, where Nephis was holding the steering oar. He had not had to guide the blind girl in a long, long time... but now that her Aspect Ability was compromised, she must have been disoriented. Even if she was looking at the world through his eyes, that was not the same as perceiving it with her own senses.


    ''What the hell is happening in this damned Tomb...''


    "And then, we three go searching for her. And just at that moment, Cassie''s ability to perceive the future starts behaving weirdly, while our ship is inexplicably moving in a direction that it''s not supposed to be moving. Wouldn''t you say that it''s quite possible that this primordial horror of a Defiled abomination is more than likely to possess powers that have to do with affecting the flow of time... or at least the probability of things happening?"


    Cassie and Nephis paled a little. After a while, the blind girl asked:


    "That... that sounds too fantastical to be true. A power to change probability? Even if she is a tremendously powerful Corrupted abomination of unknown Class, that''s a bit too much. Don''t you think?"


    Sunny shrugged. "No, I don''t. Too fantastical? We are inside a huge pyramid, sailing on an endless river that flows through time, suspended in the middle of a bottomless abyss. Oh, and it''s all made from the corpse of an Unholy Titan. I don''t think that there can even be something too fantastical, anymore."


    He grimaced, then added in a stifled tone:


    "As for how unimaginable a power that affects probability would be... aren''t you forgetting something? I''ve been suffering from a similar kind of thing since before I became a Sleeper. Only, in my case, it''s not me who is affecting probability... rather, improbable things have a way of pulling me toward them. In any case, the result is the same."


    The three of them remained silent for a few moments. Then, Nephis said calmly:


    "So what?"


    Sunny blinked. "So what? You are not wary of an enemy who can literally change the future as they see fit?"


    She leaned back, then shrugged with indifference. "There are obviously some limits to that power... if you''re even right about its nature. Otherwise, we would have died from heart attacks or been hit by stray lightning already. Why don''t we just go and kill that sybil, anyway? Do I need to remind you two that we also have the power to change the future?"


    Sunny and Cassie were confused. The blind girl tilted her head a little and asked:


    "...We do?"


    Nephis nodded. "Of course. If we go there and kill the abomination, that will be the future. We would have made it. Every action performed by every person in the world changes the future. That power is really not that unique. In fact, it''s pretty universal."


    He stared at her for a moment, then chuckled wryly. ''It''s hard to argue...''


    "The power to change the future, huh? Alright. Let''s go and make a future where the abomination is dead, and we''re alive. It''s not like we know how to escape, anyway..."

 Chapter 1371 Dark Garden

    Chapter 1371 Dark Garden


    The Chain Breaker was sailing across the bloodred expanse of flowing water. Under the blazing crimson sky, no mystical force seemed to be influencing it... and yet, its course was being set by someone other than the person holding the steering oar. The ship was being pulled toward the lost temple of Fallen Grace. On its deck, three Masters were preparing for battle. Sunny was stretching, his expression calm and focused. Not that Cassie and Nephis could see it �� he had summoned Weaver''s Mask a long time ago. In the battle against a corrupted oracle, it was both his best weapon and shield. Cassie had summoned her armor and half-mask. The Quiet Dancer and a long dagger were resting in twin scabbards on her hips. Nephis was still wearing her white tunic, but there was a beautiful longsword in her hands now. Its hilt was black, with the symbol of a scarlet anvil being pierced by a sword etched into the pommel. "How do we even fight an enemy who can influence the future?"


    After Sunny asked the question, both he and Nephis turned to Cassie. The blind girl frowned slightly. "...How should I know?"


    Who else would know but her?


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then said awkwardly:


    "Wouldn''t a person who can perceive the future know how to kill one of her kind best?"


    The blind girl shifted, then turned to face him. After a short pause, she smiled faintly and asked:


    "What, haven''t you thought about how to kill someone like me before? A lot?"


    He coughed.


    "...Never crossed my mind."


    Hearing him, Cassie laughed.


    "It''s like Nephis said, her power has to have a limit. Say she can alter the path of one arrow... then, hit her with two. If she can alter the path of a hundred arrows, hit her with a hundred and one."


    Sunny nodded. Indeed, this was the method he had come up with when pondering how to deal with Cassie... purely out of academic curiosity, of course. Since she could perceive a few seconds into the future, the only way to defeat her was to either exhaust her essence or create a future that was inescapable. Then, knowing it would be of no help. The same principle worked against someone with the power to alter the future, in theory. Assuming that the Defiled sybil could raise the probability of certain events happening, the key to defeating her would be creating a situation where all possible outcomes led to her death.


    There, a dark shape was slowly appearing from the scarlet glow. A crooked temple was rising from the water, most of it hidden from view and drowned. Its walls, once white and beautiful, were covered by cracks and overgrown with moss. Dark vines were crawling up the broken facade like a burial shroud, blooming with beautiful black flowers.


    The artificial island the temple had once stood upon was broken and partially submerged. What little of it remained above the waves was like a wild garden, its dark expanse brimming with thorns. The sky itself seemed to dim as the Chain Breaker drew closer to the drifting derelict. The eerie sensation at the back of Sunny''s mind grew stronger. "Just relax. I''m sure there''s nothing to worry about."


    He threw a grim look at the Sin of Solace, then commanded the manifested shadows to lower the sails. At the same time, his own shadows moved, gliding across the deck toward their master. Cassie unsheathed her rapier and dagger. Nephis silently raised her sword and rested its blade against her shoulder. She remained silent for a while, then suddenly let out a long sigh and covered her face with a palm.


    Sunny gave her a glance.


    ''Huh?''


    "Wait... don''t tell me that you''re actually worried?"


    Neph avoided looking at him, lingered for a bit, and shook her head. "No... I''m just realizing... the meaning of everything Lord Mongrel said..."


    Her voice sounded strangely aggrieved. Was Sunny seeing things, or had her cheeks become slightly pink?


    He stared for a bit, then coughed awkwardly. "Ah, well... I meant every single word."


    With that, he headed to the bow of the Chain Breaker. Soon, the ship slowed down. Reaching the drowning island, it scraped gently against its surface and came to a halt. Just like before, everything seemed calm... there was no movement in the wild garden of black flowers, and no abominations lunging at them from inside the temple. The breached walls stood precariously, gaping with ominous darkness.


    It was as if something was inviting them to come inside. Summoning his cursed sword, Sunny grimaced and jumped down, onto the sinister shore.


    ''Since we''re invited, let''s not make the host wait too long...''

 Chapter 1372 Clearing a Path

    Chapter 1372 Clearing a Path


    A moment later, Cassie and Nephis landed behind him. The water splashed quietly as it licked the shore of the drowned island, the black vines glistening with crimson luster in the blaze of dusk. Apart from that gentle sound and the whispers of the wind, the dark garden was silent. Sunny lingered for a few moments, extending his shadow sense outward. Eventually, he shook his head and said warily:


    "There''s movement." Updated from


    Which meant that there was none.


    The dark vines also did not seem to exude poisonous mist, and neither were their black flowers full of parasitic pollen. As far as Sunny could tell, the garden of thorns was entirely safe.


    They were not taking any chances, though. Taking a step forward, Nephis silently raised a hand. Wisps of white flame rose from her skin, and then suddenly shot forward in a rain of incandescent drops. As her eyes shone with incinerating radiance, the white drops fell on the vines and suddenly exploded into a roaring blaze. Nephis stared at the dark garden with grim determination, and following her will, the flames spread with astonishing speed. Soon, the entire place was engulfed in fire. It crawled up the walls of the crooked temple, turning the magnificent edifice into a towering pyre... soon, the three of them found themselves standing in front of a sea of flames.


    The black flowers dissolved into the white inferno. The slithering vines were obliterated from existence. The ancient stones cracked and melted, revealing more of the dark interior of the lost temple. Still, no abomination revealed itself from the depths of the burning garden. Nephis let out a long sigh and closed her eyes for a moment. The furious radiance illuminating them from within dimmed, and then disappeared to reveal her pale complexion. At the same time, the raging flames were left without the will that had been pushing them forward. With no more fuel to burn, they grew smaller and were gradually extinguished. The black garden had been turned into cinders and ash, while the walls of the drowned temple were cracked and blackened by soot. The path was clear. The more powerful enemies he faced, the more of them possessed means of sensing Sunny had expected an ambush to spring until the last moment, but it seemed that there was indeed no danger here... at least on the surface. What waited in the depths of the temple, though? No one could tell.


    He considered sending his shadows underground to explore, but decided against it. The more powerful enemies he faced, the more of them possessed means of sensing and harming intangible beings. The shadows were no different from parts of his soul, but lacked the protection of his Ascended body. So, keeping them close when dealing with a powerful opponent was a wiser choice. "Let''s go."


    Shielding her face from the heat, Cassie took a hesitant step forward. Sunny observed her for a moment, then followed. Catching up to the blind girl, he asked:


    ...Did Cassie''s shoulders tremble a little at the sound of the sword wraith''s voice? He wasn''t sure.


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, but remained silent in the end. He didn''t really want to answer, and didn''t really know what to say. There had indeed been a conversation like that, soon after their first meeting on the Forgotten Shore. The blind girl had been fast asleep back then, though... most likely.


    She had never indicated otherwise. "Stop."


    At the sound of Cassie''s voice, Sunny tensed up.


    "What is it?"


    Had she really heard the Sin o Solace?


    The blind girl remained motionless for a moment, then took a step forward and leaned down. Her hand disappeared into the ash, and pulled out the singed remains of a crude spear from beneath it. Her face turned somber. Dropping the spear back to the ground, she sighed and said darkly:


    "...It''s the Drowned."

 Chapter 1373 Counting Echoes

    Chapter 1373 Counting Echoes


    The word hung in the air, both ominous and strangely familiar. Sunny frowned and studied the remains of the crude weapon. Finally, he asked:


    "The Drowned? We have never met abominations like that."


    Which, of course, meant that they had. Nephis nodded. "Yes. A group of them attacked the Chain Breaker once... Drowned Outcasts, that was what the Spell called them. They weren''t too powerful, apart from the depth dweller that arrived with them."


    Cassie shook her head somberly. "The Outcasts are the dregs of their kind. Most Drowned are much more dangerous. They are... a special tribe of Nightmare Creatures here in Ariel''s Tomb. No one really knows where they come from, but many believe that the Drowned were humans, once. They hunt in groups and herd true horrors of the depths to use as war beasts. Most troublesome of all, all of them possess at least a rudimentary level of sentience... they follow strange rituals, too."


    Nephis frowned. "I''m sure we will manage. Unless there are titans or Great Ones among them, the three of us should be enough to deal with these Drowned."


    The blind girl remained silent for a few moments. "That is true. Although the trace of the Drowned is bad news, they''re nothing we can''t handle. I am concerned about what their presence here represents, though." She turned to face the ruined temple and gritted her teeth. "These abominations are very territorial. They constantly battle with other Nightmare Creatures, and leave signs to avoid the waters where truly powerful foes dwell. The fact that the Drowned are here, on the island... means that they have accepted the sybil as their ruler."


    Cassie paused, then added with a dark expression:


    "Which means that she has become a Tyrant, at least. Only those have enough authority to make the Drowned submit to them."


    Sunny let out a sigh. ''So... a Corrupted Tyrant, then.''


    "Don''t even think about it!"


    Hearing Sunny''s hiss, Fiend flinched and turned away from the clockwork swordsman with an innocent look, as if the thought of gobbling up Cassie''s Echo out of spite never crossed his gluttonous mind. ''I can''t believe it. This fool is really getting out of hand!''


    Shaking his head, Sunny turned to Nephis. She was the only one of them who did have anything to summon... of course, that was only because Changing Star had always given the Echoes she earned away to someone else. Even now, two of Cassie''s three had come from Neph. It was a bit sad, though, for her to look like an impoverished noble when compared to Sunny and Cassie.


    Feeling his gaze, Nephis shifted slightly and stared back. "What?"


    Sunny shook his head. "No, nothing."


    At that moment, the sword wraith laughed. "Doesn''t have anything to summon? Fool... why would she need to? She already has a mighty Shadow following her around, ready to satisfy her every whim. That''s you. You''re her Echo. So, in a way... Nephis has four, while Cassie has three. You, on the other hand, don''t even qualify to be compared to them."


    The Sin of Solace paused, then added with a smile:


    "Ah, don''t forget that it was the blind traitor who turned you into an Echo, to begin with..."


    Sunny''s face twitched. Cassie, meanwhile, scowled and started walking toward the temple. "Come on. We should finish her off before night comes."


    He gritted his teeth and followed, furious at the fact that the apparition''s words had gotten to him.


    Approaching the breach in the wall of the crooked temple, the small, but extremely powerful cohort of Masters, Shadows, and Echoes dove into the sinister darkness.

 Chapter 1374 Drowned Temple

    Chapter 1374 Drowned Temple


    ''Damned sword...''


    Making his way into the ruined interior of the temple, Sunny was seething with dark emotions. What did the Sin of Solace even want? One moment, he was fanning the flames of guilt Sunny might have felt about how he treated Cassie in the past. The next moment, the wraith was reminding him of what had happened, and of how cruelly she had betrayed his trust...


    Well, it was perfectly clear what the apparition wanted. The bastard wanted to drive him mad. And he was... Sunny was mad. No matter how much he understood why Cassie had done what she did, and no matter how many times he told himself that her actions had ended up saving Rain from being killed by Nightmare Creatures, and him from dying in the Nightmare Desert or becoming Mordret''s slave... no matter how many things they had gone through together after the Forgotten Shore and how much their relationship had improved and deepened...


    At the bottom of it all, Sunny was still hurt, resentful, and angry at Cassie. While at the same time caring deeply about her.


    It was a proper mess... Updated from


    ''What else is new?''


    It had been for a while. "This place... is not creepy at all."


    Jumping down from a pile of rubble, Sunny landed in shallow water. The interior of the lost temple was drowned both by stale water and darkness. Since the island-ship was tilted and partially submerged beneath the waves, the long corridors with high ceilings were tilted as well. The three of them had to walk awkwardly, stepping on the walls with one foot and the cracked floor with the other. Not to mention that there was rubble everywhere, forcing them to jump or climb over the natural barricades obstructing their path. If there was one good thing about the situation, it was that none of them was oppressed by the darkness. Sunny could see in it perfectly fine, Cassie did not need sight at all, while Nephis was capable of lighting her own path. "I think he is trying to say that this place is really creepy."


    ''It''s alright to be afraid.''


    He was sure that he''ll feel better after putting down another one of these Defiled oracles with his own two hands.


    "We are getting closer."


    Cassie''s words were sobering. Soon, they arrived in front of a huge, intricately engraved door. Its wood was wet and rotten, with illegible runes covering the dark surface. Sunny suspected that these runes were a part of a sorcerous seal once... now, however, they were damaged beyond recognition and lifeless, devoid of any kind of power. For a moment, he considered turning around and leaving the sinister temple the way he had come. But of course, he wouldn''t. The Defiled sybil had to die... both for the future of Fallen Grace and for the sake of Effie and Jet. Sunny took a deep breath and wondered if his resolve to slay the abomination was the result of the creature manipulating the future, as well. Had she pulled forward only those of the possible futures where the three humans were adamant on arriving in front of the ancient door, with not a slither of hesitation in their minds?


    The thought made him shiver. ''To hell with this!''


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny glared at the door, and then delivered a devastating kick to it. Turning into a rain of rotten debris, the massive gate flew off its hinges and cluttered down, into the dark expanse of a partially flooded hall.


    It was then that he felt it... a massive shadow stirring underwater, its slumber broken by the sound of the breaking door. There were countless smaller shadows hiding in the darkness of the drowned hall, too. And at the far end of it, an especially elusive one. A harrowing specter that made his hair stand on end. Sunny''s entire attention was drawn to the enormous creature that had been sleeping in the heart of the lost temple, though. Belatedly, he remembered Cassie''s words:


    "They hunt in groups... and herd true horrors of the depths to use as war beasts."


    One such horror, it seemed, had somehow found its way into the inner sanctum of the Defiled sybil''s tainted stronghold.

 Chapter 1375 Spoiled for Choices

    Chapter 1375 Spoiled for Choices


    The dark surface of the water exploded, and a gargantuan shape rose from beneath it. Sunny struggled to contain his revulsion as he saw its grotesque form... the creature looked so appalling and alien that he did not even know how to describe it. It was as if a mass of slithering eels was wearing a messy cloak of tangled seaweed, its countless limbs ten times longer than its vague, slender body. ''How... how did it even manage to stay hidden?''


    The great hall of the lost temple was flooded, but the water was not that deep. As the revolting depth dweller continued to reveal its twisted shape, the dark water boiled, and countless Drowned revealed their presence.


    These ones were similar to the abominations that had attacked the Chain Breaker in the past, but also different.


    Their bodies were humanoid, with powerful black tentacles instead of a pair of legs �� however, instead of gaunt outcasts who were overgrown by barnacles, the true Drowned looked much more strong and fearsome. Their weapons were of much higher quality, and some even wore strange but durable armor made out of shell and bone.


    The black eyes of the sentient Nightmare Creatures burned with bloodlust and malice. ''Damnation!''


    Most of them were Corrupted Demons, while the few most powerful ones seemed to be Devils. And then there was the sybil herself, of course. Sunny still couldn''t see her clearly. By the standards of the waking world, the three of them were a truly formidable battle force. Sunny was pretty sure that he and Nephis were among the most powerful Ascended humans to have ever lived, with Cassie trailing not far behind them. They were accompanied by two Transcendent Devils, a Transcendent Beast, an Ascended Terror, and an Ascended Monster. Their Memories were also empowered by a Supreme Memory, the Crown of Dawn. Still, this battle was not going to be easy. It promised to be extremely perilous, in fact.


    As Sunny''s pupils narrowed, the time seemed to slow down. His mind entered the state of battle clarity, banishing all unnecessary thoughts. He lingered only for a moment, waiting for Nephis to make a decision...


    Suppressing his worry, he lunged forward. Sunny was really spoiled in this battle. With the Crown of Twilight supplying him with So, he chose to concentrate on two of the multitudes of tools available to him. an almost endless amount of essence in this place of eternal dusk, he did not have to be frugal with how to use it at all. The limits that had oppressed him during the entire Southern Campaign were gone... the only one that remained was mental capacity. There was a lot he could do. Shadow Manifestation would allow him to, if not outright kill, then at least wound and stall many of the abominations. He could achieve something similar by controlling water with the help of the Serpent King''s crown. While the hall was not spacious enough to warrant turning into the onyx serpent, he could still use Shadow Shell to assume the form of the shadowspawn. He could also use Shadow Step to reign terror on the battlefield. The problem was that his mind was not potent enough to handle all of these tasks at the same time... the enemies were also more powerful than any group he had faced in Antarctica. Corrupted Demons and Devils were not new enemies for him, but Sunny had never faced so many of them at the same time. What made sentient abominations so dangerous was their intelligence, and the Drowned seemed more than smart enough to fight as a single force instead of a group of powerful, but uncoordinated creatures. Many of the strategies he had used to slaughter weaker enemies were not going to work as effectively against them.


    So, he chose to concentrate on two of the multitudes of tools available to him. The first was the Crown of Twilight and the rudimentary control over water it gifted him. Although the great hall was not entirely flooded, it still gave an advantage to the Drowned, who could move with equal ease on land and in water. Terrain advantage was of utmost importance in any battle, so Sunny was going to try and turn the tables on his enemies. The second was the Sin of Solace. Currently, all Memories Sunny had summoned were augmented by the Crown of Dawn �� including his already fearsome jian. Its long jade blade was more than powerful enough to cut through both the Corrupted abominations and their armor, and therefore, augmenting his strength even further with Shadow Shell was simply unnecessary.


    The best decision Sunny could make was to fully concentrate on his swordsmanship, cutting out all things except for those that were in service of it.


    ''Let''s show them...''


    Landing on a toppled column, he moved fluidly and delivered a lethal slash to the neck of an attacking abomination.


    However...


    From just that first strike, Sunny realized that this battle was going to be much more deadly than he had ever thought.

 Chapter 1376 Fighting the Future

    Chapter 1376 Fighting the Future


    New novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    The Sin of Solace flashed through the air, moving with stunning speed. Considering how insidiously sharp the cursed blade was, there was no way for the Drowned to survive the strike... Sunny was so confident that he would see the abomination''s head flying away in a rain of blood that he did not even slow down to consider other possibilities. And yet, something entirely different happened. He missed. At the last moment, the Nightmare Creature lowered itself deeper into the water, and the jade sword whistled safely above its head. ''What...''


    It had been a very long time since Sunny made such an egregious mistake. His swordsmanship was not flawless, since nothing really was. He was a lesser swordsman than Nephis was, true... but who wasn''t? Compared to almost every other living human, Sunny was an absolute master. A seasoned warrior with enough talent, skill, and experience to be considered an actual sword saint. He could accept that an enemy was more powerful than him. He could even accept that an enemy was more skilled than him �� although exceedingly rare, there were a few of those. What Sunny could not accept, however, was the fact that he missed a simple killing blow. Something did not add up...


    Before he could even try to understand what had happened, the Drowned was already near. Saved from assured decapitation, the creature pushed with its tentacles and flew forward as if shot from a cannon. The dark spear struck Sunny''s unprotected chest and tossed him backwards. "Argh!"


    The blow was powerful enough to send a blinding flash of pain through his body. However, the spear of the Drowned Demon failed to pierce the black silk of his tunic or rip his marble skin. ''How did I miss?''


    Sunny fell into the water �� or rather, he would have. Instead, his body disappeared into the shadows and appeared a moment later behind the triumphant abomination. The Sin of Solace flashed again... and was blocked by the shaft of the dark spear. It was of no help, though. The jade blade seemed to have passed through the ancient bone. A moment later, a thin line appeared on the shaft of the dark spear, and it split into two halves. weapon unobstructed, then did the same with the abomination''s armor, flesh, and bone. A moment later, a thin line appeared on the shaft of the dark spear, and it split into two halves. The same happened to the Drowned, who had been cleanly and savagely cut in two. [You have slain a Corrupted Demon, Drowned Warrior.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    Then, however, his mind settled. There was a mutilated corpse of one of these demons floating in the water right in front of him, after all. He had defeated that one abomination... so, he was going to slaughter the rest in the same way. It was just going to be much, much harder.


    If one strike failed to kill the enemy, he was going to deliver two. If a hundred strikes failed to kill the enemy, he was going to deliver a hundred and one. Everything that could go wrong was going to go wrong... but hadn''t Sunny always lived by that principle, anyway? Considering his [Fated] Attribute, he was perhaps the one person in the two worlds who was perfectly suited to fight a battle like this. Swiftly turning around, he brandished the Sin of Solace and jumped down from the toppled column... into the dark water. Instead of plunging into it, however, Sunny landed on the slick surface as if it was solid. This feat wasn''t too hard to accomplish by combining the [Feather of Truth] trait of his Shell with the [Royal Promise] enchantment of the Crown of Twilight. Without pausing even for a second, Sunny dashed forward, running across water as if it was land.


    A part of his mind was preoccupied with controlling the treacherous surface under his feet to support his weight. The rest of his mind... was concentrated on murder. Sunny allowed his focus to become shapeless, giving up on his preconceived notions of how combat was supposed to work. It was not easy to let go of deeply ingrained habits, but his mind was nothing if not adaptable. Simultaneously, he made alterations to his battle approach. Vertical and thrusting attacks were easier to avoid, so he had to favor horizontal ones. Any attack he would usually consider unavoidable could fail, so he had to always keep the possibility of failure in mind and create contingencies. The same went for defense... Sunny had to change his entire approach to keeping himself alive on the fly. There were countless other adjustments he had to make, as well.


    But if anyone could do it, it was him... the master of Shadow Dance.


    As another Drowned lunged at him, Sunny shifted his weight slightly and avoided the predatory spear. The Sin of Solace lashed out, somehow missing the abomination by a hair''s breadth. However, in the next moment, the Nightmare Creature still fell into the water with a severed neck. That was because Sunny calmly pulled the jian back and sliced through the enemy''s flesh while continuing the fluid motion. Behind the fearsome mask, his lips twisted in a vicious grin. ''That works...''


    The darkness of the flooded hall exploded into a cacophony of violence.

 Chapter 1377 Battle in the Shallows

    Chapter 1377 Battle in the Shallows


    The ancient temple was quaking from the furious clash between the monstrous dweller of the depths and Nephis. Flashes of blinding white light and waves of incinerating heat tore the darkness apart, sending the deep shadows drowning the dark expanse of the flooded hall into a demented dance. Sunny danced with the shadows like a specter of death. Wreathed in a billowing black mantle, his figure had turned vague and elusive. He moved across the restless surface of the black water with stunning speed, no different from how he would have moved on solid ground. Sunny''s attacks were lethal, unpredictable, and almost impossible to trace �� it was as if he was nowhere and everywhere at once. Due to his speed and the ability to step through shadows, it seemed that the dark figure wearing the fearsome black mask was in several places at the same time. So was the merciless blade of his jade longsword �� hissing furiously as it cut everything in its path, the cursed jian cruelly reaped the lives of the Drowned. Still... Sunny was struggling. He was struggling enough to not want to admit it. Beneath the polished black wood of his mask, beads of sweat were rolling down his pale face. The Drowned were both powerful and dreadful adversaries... each of them was a Nightmare Creature strong enough to threaten the life of a Saint, let alone of a Master like him. Their black tentacles allowed them to move at a speed that was no less stunning than his, and made their movements hard to predict. More than that, the tentacles were both supremely flexible and mighty enough to crush enchanted stone with ease. Being caught in their vile embrace meant certain death. The creatures possessed a pair of human hands, as well. They were insidiously cunning and wielded their weapons with devious skill... worse than that, the Drowned feared neither pain nor death. They knew only a dark and cold resolve to see the enemy fall.


    A foe like that was the worst nightmare of an Awakened, especially when there were so many of them. And that was without even considering the eerie power of the sybil who was twisting the future in favor of the abominations. It was because of her influence that Sunny felt like he was not even one mistake away from dying, but rather one step behind staying alive. ''D��damnation.''


    It was hard... too hard. Sunny was overcome by a bizarre sensation. He knew for a fact that he was just as skilled as he had been before venturing into the flooded temple, but at the same time, it was as if he was back in the crimson labyrinth of the Forgotten Shore �� unsure of his footing and ignorant of how to wield a sword. The sense of control and clear understanding he had become accustomed to were gone, replaced by uncertainty. His attacks routinely missed the intended target, while the enemies appeared where he had not expected them to be. Sunny felt like he was stumbling blindly in the dark.


    While the taciturn knight seemed to have been able to adjust to the eerie influence of the sybil due to her sublime mastery of combat, Fiend simply gave up on trying and chose to overpower the enemies with brute force instead. A barrage of blows rained on his polished black armor, but none of them were able to dent it yet, let alone pierce it. When the infernal ogre found himself surrounded and in danger of being pulled under the water, he simply used Shadow Step to escape and savagely attack the enemies from behind.


    Just like Sunny''s other two Shadows, Nightmare received the help of a shadow as well. The tenebrous stallion leaped high into the air and landed in the midst of the Drowned, using his fangs, horns, and hooves to crush and savage them. His sable coat was glistening in the bloody darkness, and the fearsome aura of dread emanating from him made the abominations sluggish.


    The Drowned were a whole Rank above the dark destrier... but several Classes below him. Empowered by the shadow, the darkness shrouding the flooded hall, the fear of his enemies, and the army of nightmares residing in the lightless abyss that served him as a soul, the dreadful stallion was more than capable of holding his own in this fight. That said, Nightmare was not a creature suited best for direct combat. He was mostly relying on his speed and agility to stay ahead of the enemy while savaging them with his attacks. It was also not easy for him to lull enemies of a higher Rank into slumber. While insidious and terribly destructive, his Dream Curse required time to infect its victims. Nevertheless, it seemed that all the Drowned in the temple were suffering from the initial stages of its effect. It was as though they were all slightly drowsy, their movements lacking full force and precision. Nightmare was helping not only himself, but also everyone else fighting against the Defiled sybil and her minions. Cassie''s Echoes joined the battle, too. The clockwork man jumped into the water, his movements both fluid and strangely jarring. The four blades held by the artificial Echo spun, slicing and dicing the flesh of the enemies. Most of the strikes were stopped by the armor of the Drowned Warriors, but not all of them. Dark blood flowed into the cold water. The Echo of the Defiled Sybil attacked, as well. Slithering eel-like tendrils extended from beneath her red skirt, and the slender figure, which once seemed like a human, suddenly rose high above the battlefield. Moving with terrifying speed, the creature lunged forward and grabbed one of the demons, rising the abomination above the water. As soon as the Drowned Warrior peered into the Echo''s eyes, his body convulsed. An indescribable sound escaped from the mouth of the demon, followed by a fountain of blood. A moment later, the lifeless body was tossed to the side like a rag doll, and the Echo was already moving to find the next victim. The battle raged, making the water boil and shaking the ancient temple. Only two figures remained aloof and motionless in the flooded hall.


    Once was the Defiled sybil, who observed the bloodshed from a distance. The other was Cassie, who was observing the sybil.

 Chapter 1378 Graceful Blade

    Chapter 1378 Graceful Blade


    ''Damn... that hurt...''


    Sunny stumbled back, feeling his hand tremble. He was too slow and failed to avoid an attack... or rather, he was fast enough, but the attack still passed his defense, somehow. Knowing that it could deal serious damage, he had no choice but to block it with his forearm. His fingers momentarily lost strength, and the hilt of the Sin of Solace slid from them. Luckily, he was holding the great jian with both hands, so it did not fall into the water. Still, losing the leverage prevented Sunny from delivering a truly powerful blow �� the jade blade sliced through the Drowned Warrior, but the damage was not fatal. The entire hall suddenly quaked, and pieces of debris fell from the ceiling. The water flooding the dark expanse surged, and a tall wave spread from where the depth dweller struck down, trying to crush Nephis with its entire weight. Stepping on the wave, Sunny allowed it to move him out of the path of a jagged harpoon and lunged into another attack. He had killed plenty of abominations already... but he had also taken a beating. Right now, the flooded hall was engulfed by violence. Sunny, Saint, Fiend, Nightmare, and the two Echoes were resisting the dreadful advance of the Drowned guardians while Nephis was fighting the gargantuan monstrosity.


    Cassie... Cassie was still at the entrance to the hall, motionless. Her eyes were obscured by the silver mask, but it seemed as though she was looking directly at the Defiled sybil, ignoring the furious havoc of the battle separating them. He gritted his teeth, worried. Had Nephis made the right choice?


    Sunny knew that she had. Out of the three of them, he was best suited to face a large group of enemies due his Aspect and his Shadows. Cassie had no combat Ability to help her fight the horror of the depths, which meant that Neph had to. What the blind girl did have, though, was an Ability that could potentially counter the insidious power of the Defiled sybil. Unlike the depth dweller who possessed overwhelming physical might, the true ruler of the flooded temple mostly relied on mystical authority over the future. Cassie had a good chance of being able to face her. So, while Neph''s decision was not exactly right, it was the best one in this dire situation. She assigned each of them a role suiting their capabilities. Still... the Defiled priestess was a Corrupted Tyrant. She was a creature of the same caliber as the Remnant of the Jade Queen �� a dreadful beetle Saint Tyris had fought a bloody battle with in Antarctica. More than that, the sybil could potentially counter Cassie''s Aspect instead of the Aspect countering her unholy powers. Would Cassie really be able to survive facing an abomination like that?


    In that moment, however, the sybil''s terrifying maw opened.


    Sunny had expected to hear a deafening roar, but what came out of the creature''s maw was a deep, rumbling, inhuman groan instead.


    "Daaahsssssk..."


    Hearing that voice, Cassie sighed quietly... and lowered her weapons.

 Chapter 1379 A Step Forward

    Chapter 1379 A Step Forward


    ''What the hell is she doing?!''


    Sunny dodged a fearsome attack, feeling the wind raised by the abomination''s spear throw his hair into disarray. As a chill crept up his spine, he sidestepped a black tentacle that insidiously shot at him from beneath the water, and prepared to dive into the shadows to come to Cassie''s aid. However, he did not get a chance to. Right at that moment, the water which he had been using for footing suddenly tore free of his control. With no time to react, Sunny plunged into its cold embrace. This section of the dark hall was not flooded too terribly, but still, a moment later he was submerged up to his chest. ''Curse it...''


    Sunny did not have to look around to know what had happened. One of the Corrupted Devils leading the Drowned was targeting him, using some profane power to wrestle the dark waters from his control. He did not possess a Domain yet, after all, so whatever connection to the element the Crown of Twilight provided him with was weak and rudimentary. The situation was not good. Currently, Sunny was only augmented by a couple of his five shadows and some of Neph''s flame. Because of the synergy between the two, he was much stronger than he would have been otherwise �� enough so to push his body through water with sufficient speed. But not enough speed to keep the same frantic cadence of combat. ''That Devil has to die, fast...''


    Distracted by his own predicament, he had to delay joining Cassie in the battle against the sybil. ...Up on the dais overseeing the flooded hall, meanwhile, the Defiled creature and the blind seer continued to stand opposite of each other without movement. Only the sybil''s appalling tentacles were swaying subtly, her monstrous figure reflected in the polished metal of Cassie''s light cuirass. Despite their inaction, the air between the two was swelling with an invisible tension. It was as though something utterly dark and dreadful was seething, unseen, beneath the fabric of the world, ready to explode and engulf the expanse of the flooded hall.


    Cassie stood with her weapons lowered, her silver mask directed straight at the Defiled monstrosity. Her beautiful face was slowly growing paler and paler... but its expression remained calm and resolute.


    Despite her body remaining motionless like an ice sculpture, her mind was in a state of utter havoc. It was because she was using her Awakened Ability to its utter limit, well past it even. If Sunny was capable of reading thoughts, he would have known that the blind girl was in a state of absolute, pristine battle clarity. Time moved slowly for her, and a thousand thoughts were being born in her head each second. Cassie was sensing the future... or rather, a multitude of futures.


    At the same time, she felt something breaking through her armor, crushing her ribcage, ripping her heart and lungs into shreds, snapping her spine, and exiting from her back. Cassie''s convulsing body was raised into the air and tossed aside, leaving a long bloody trail on the dais. The harrowing wound did not kill her instantly.


    Drowning, she wished it had. At the same time...


    There was nothing in the future but terrible, inhuman, intolerable agony. Cassie was broken, torn apart, and drowned. The pain never ended.


    But that was alright.


    Thanks to her strange Ability, she had already survived dying ten thousand times. Every time she fought, she died countless times to emerge victorious from the fight. That was how she won.


    ...Back in the present, no more than a split second passed. She was still standing motionlessly, a calm expression on her face. ''A step to the left, then.''


    In Cassie''s mind, she took a swift step to the left...


    The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m

 Chapter 1380 Cage of Futures

    Chapter 1380 Cage of Futures


    In the darkness of the flood temple, a second passed. Sunny was still falling into the water.


    During that second, Cassie had lost count of how many times her slender body was broken and mutilated by the monstrous sybil. A thought was much faster than a blade, but it had the same effect on the future as an action. Every time she mentally changed her plan of action, the immediate future changed, as well �� and currently, Cassie was thinking with stunning speed. ''A step to the right.'' Updated from


    ''A step forward, high attack.''


    ''A step forward, low attack.''


    ''A half-step...''


    She imagined a future and suffered the consequences, again and again. The sybil was too powerful, too sinister, too vile... but not insurmountably so. Another moment passed, and finally, Cassie imagined the future where she did not die.


    ''Found it.''


    In the approaching moment of time, she managed to evade the fury of harrowing tentacles unscathed and deliver a fatal strike. The Quiet Dancer whistled melodiously as she cut the air and plunged into the sybil''s neck.


    Cassie prepared to move...


    But then, the fragmented future turned vague, disappearing. Instead, there was more pain, more defeat, and more horror. ''Of course... thought so.''


    She did not lose her composure because that was what she had been expecting. Cassie was not the only one oracle in this temple, after all.


    The sybil had just as much control over the future as she did... much more of it, even.


    Just as Cassie finally found one path that led to her victory, the Defiled abomination destroyed it, pulling over other outcomes from the abyss of possibilities. Instantly, whatever chance the graceful young woman facing her had was gone. Their unseen and motionless, but furious and chillingly violent battle continued.


    Another second had already passed. ''Faster, faster...''


    And smaller still...


    ...Down in the water, Sunny used the convulsing body of the Corrupted Devil to push himself to the surface and shot into the air. Landing on a pile of rubble, he tossed the fiend''s severed head at an approaching abomination and followed up with a strike of the Sin of Solace, piercing the creature''s heart. After that, he had a second to breathe. Turning swiftly, Sunny looked at the dais where Cassie was facing the sybil. He was both surprised and intensely relieved to realize that neither of them had moved, still.


    ''Strange...''


    Spreading his shadow sense through the battlefield, he allowed himself a split second to evaluate the situation. Nephis and the horror of the depths seemed to be in a stalemate... the abomination''s body was too alien and vast for her to deal fatal damage to it, while the abomination itself was not smart enough to catch the supremely skilled and calculating human with a devastating strike.


    His Shadows were in the middle of a furious battle. Neither Saint nor Fiend were seriously injured, although there were several dents on the infernal ogre''s armor. Nightmare had avoided being seriously wounded due to his speed and agility, for now, but there was already blood on the tenebrous stallion''s sable coat. The two Echoes were mostly intact, as well. The sybil was cruelly vivisecting a Drowned champion, while the four-armed mannequin had lost one of his four blades. The latter Echo was struggling...


    ''No choice.''


    Sunny had to help Cassie, even if it meant abandoning the battle with the Drowned and throwing more pressure at his subordinates. A moment later, he was already leaning to step through the shadows and appear on the dais...


    But at that same moment, Cassie finally moved.


    A split second before, she had been frozen like an ice sculpture, but then, abruptly, she was already in motion. Dashing forward with stunning speed, the blind girl danced between the surging tentacles, somehow avoiding each inescapable and lethal strike.


    Before Sunny could even blink...


    The blade of the Quiet Dancer flashed once, and Cassie was suddenly behind the monstrous Tyrant.


    The sybil swayed slightly.


    Her tentacles grew still.


    Then, a thin stream of crimson blood flowed from a small hole in her neck. As the invisible ripple spread through the flooded hall, the Defiled oracle swayed once more...


    And toppled into the seething black water.

 Chapter 1381 Cleaning Up

    Chapter 1381 Cleaning Up


    As soon as the sybil fell, it was as though an invisible ripple spread through the darkness of the flooded temple. Sunny did not see anything, nor did he sense the change... but the gnawing feeling of something being subtly wrong with the world was suddenly gone, allowing him to breathe freely.


    ''Cassie... killed her?''


    Stunned, he froze for a split second. The grotesque body of the Defiled plunged into the water and disappeared beneath its dark surface. Sunny had no doubt that the creature would emerge from the restless depths to deliver its furious retribution the next moment... but the moment passed, and it had not. The glossy black surface remained unbroken. ''She... did.''


    Sunny was momentarily astounded. Yes, Nephis had chosen Cassie to face the sybil �� but not to slay her. The blind girl had been meant to occupy the Defiled until one or both of them finished wiping out their share of enemies and reached the dais. When had Cassie become so strong?


    Although the sybil had been a Nightmare Creature who relied on her unholy powers more than on her physical might, a Corrupted Tyrant was still a Corrupted Tyrant. Killing an abomination like that was no small feat �� quite the opposite, actually �� let alone doing it in one strike. How many Masters were there who could boast the same? Were there any, even? And yet, Cassie had not only killed her, but had also made it look effortless. Sunny frowned, feeling a strange mix of unease and elation. Had she always been that lethal, or was it the result of the year she spent alone in the Third Nightmare?


    He suddenly felt a hint of discomfort. It was as though... as though he did not know one of his closest companions nearly as well as he had thought.


    A moment later, a mass of black tentacles enveloped the empty space where he had been standing. Sunny, however, was already somewhere else, his jade sword reaping another life. Not too far from him, Saint continued her silent slaughter. With nothing holding her back anymore, the graceful knight had turned even more lethal. Unlike Sunny and Fiend, she could not move through shadows, which put her at a dire risk of being surrounded �� the Drowned were not much weaker than the taciturn Shadow, so being caught by their tentacles could very well mean the end of her.


    However, Saint was too skilled and calculating to allow herself to be immobilized. She was a battle master, after all, which meant that any battlefield was her domain. Moving with deadly grace and murderous foresight, she controlled not just her sword, but also the very space around her. Everything that entered it was at her mercy.


    Fiend, meanwhile, was wreaking havoc among the Drowned. The dull black silver of his metal body seemed to radiate heat, and surrounded by boiling vapor, the furious Shadow sliced through the abominations with his incinerating claws. The white radiance burning in his eyes and maw was tinted crimson by the flowing blood of his enemies. The infernal ogre seemed to be enjoying himself quite a bit. This was his first battle after reaching maturity, and so, he was basking in his ferocious strength and his newly learned battle techniques. He also seemed very happy at the opportunity to show off in front of Saint.


    ...Not to mention that every abomination he killed was bound to become his dinner soon. Unlike everyone else in the flooded hall, Fiend was on cloud nine and living his best life. The Echo of the sybil was gruesomely slaughtering the Drowned, followed by the damaged steel mannequin. The two of them were much less expressive than Sunny''s Shadows, but also pulling their own weight. Of course, all of them were having a much easier time of fighting the swarm of Corrupted Demons because their enemies were weakened by the dreadful powers of Nightmare.


    The dark destrier was shrouded in darkness and terror, moving across the flooded hall as swiftly as a shadow. His adamantine fangs, horns, and hooves had broken and mutilated many abominations already, but judging by the menacing crimson glow of his eyes, the stallion''s fury was nowhere near being satiated.


    The battle was still perilous and dire...


    But its outcome seemed more and more certain with every moment.

 Chapter 1382 Long Time Coming

    Chapter 1382 Long Time Coming


    The breaking point of the battle happened when the massive body of the depth dweller finally collapsed into the boiling water. Many of the monstrous creature''s limbs had been severed, its mantle of rotting seaweed had been devoured by flame, and the slithering mass of eels comprising its gaunt body had been charred, sliced open, and pierced through. After a long and arduous fight, Nephis had finally killed the abominable giant. By then, Sunny and his Shadows already sensed that the Drowned were wavering. Once Neph joined the fight against the demons, the scales swung in favor of the cohort drastically, and before too long, the last of the sinister creatures was slain. Suddenly and without warning, the dark expanse of the flooded hall turned silent. The only thing Sunny could hear was the sound of water streaming through the cracks in the ceiling.


    He looked up.


    ''This place is not going to collapse, is it?''


    But then, suddenly, there was another sound. A ghastly, repulsive squelching of flesh being torn...


    Spinning around, Sunny raised the Sin of Solace and prepared himself for the worst. But what he saw made his eyes narrow...


    Having already climbed on top of the dead depth dweller, Fiend was enthusiastically tearing into the creature''s repugnant flesh with his fangs. Feeling Sunny''s gaze on him, the ogre looked up in confusion, as if trying to ask:


    What?


    Pieces of disgusting, fleshy meat were still hanging from his maw.


    Sunny shook his head.


    "Anyway... dispatching a Corrupted Tyrant in a single exchange. That was impressive. Since when are you so terrifying?"


    Cassie faced him and suddenly laughed. "I''ll... take it as a compliment? If you don''t mind."


    Her laugh was bright and clear. She turned in the direction where the sybil had disappeared beneath the dark water and sighed. "She was the enemy that cost me half of Fallen Grace. And all the lives that have been lost as a result of moving the city upstream. I''ve been preparing for this fight for a very long time, so... don''t be too surprised." Sunny coughed and looked away. The Defiled sybil had been a dangerous adversary to him... but to Cassie, she was something more. He knew all too well the shame of losing people you were responsible for to an overwhelming enemy. ''Good... it''s good that Cassie got some payback.''


    He hoped that he would be able to slaughter the Winter Beast one day, too. Sunny hesitated for a moment, thinking if he should pat the blind girl on the back. Or maybe grip her shoulder. What was one supposed to do in these situations?


    Before he could decide, though, Nephis took a few steps forward and took Cassie into a gentle embrace. She did not say anything, but there seemed to be no need for words. The blind girl smiled. "Thank you... anyway, the temple should be safe now. I don''t think it will collapse any time soon, either. Still, we shouldn''t linger. How about we rest a little, gather our spoils, and then do what we came here to do?"


    Sunny nodded. Accomplishing their goal as soon as possible sounded like a good plan.


    ...Gathering plentiful spoils sounded even better. But the most enticing thing Cassie suggested, by far, was to rest. "Great idea!"


    Without wasting any time, Sunny plopped on the ground and summoned the Covetous Coffer...


    Fiend was not the only one who had worked up quite an appetite during the tiresome battle.

 Chapter 1383 A Pile of Soul Shards

    Chapter 1383 A Pile of Soul Shards


    Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie spent a while resting on the dais of the flooded hall. They were surrounded by the stench of blood and death, but none of them minded. It was too familiar of a smell, after all �� most Awakened would not lose appetite because of it.


    The three of them needed to refuel their exhausted bodies, regardless. Without speaking much, they consumed a hearty meal and spent some time catching their breaths. There was mental fatigue to deal with, as well �� the mind was not as quick to recover from the strain of the battle as the body.


    Sunny, it seemed, was in a better shape than Nephis and Cassie. After spending some time in a comfortable daze, his thoughts started to wander. Curious, he checked his runes. ''...No luck.''


    Despite the large number of enemies he and his Shadows had slaughtered, there were no new Memories, not to mention Echoes. Sunny was not too discouraged, though �� mostly because his shadow fragment counter was showing [1944/5000].


    ''I''ve... earned almost five hundred fragments in a single battle.''


    That was a truly stunning amount. Sunny struggled to remember if he had ever earned that much, that fast... considering that the Nightmare promised to be quite intense from this point onward, there was a good chance that he would emerge from it as a Terror. Just six battles of similar scope would do the trick.


    Of course, it was uncertain if he would survive the Nightmare at all. Still... every fragment he absorbed made him a tiny bit stronger. So, earning hundreds of them in the span of a few minutes was a boon.


    After a while, the three of them reluctantly got to work. By then, Fiend was mostly done with devouring the gargantuan corpse of the depth dweller �� once again, Sunny was flabbergasted by how much meat could fit inside the gluttonous Shadow''s bottomless belly. The monstrous abomination had been at least ten times larger than the steel devil, and yet, there was barely anything left of it. ''...Does he have some sort of an endless spatial storage instead of a stomach?''


    Shaking his head, Sunny called both Fiend and Saint over. Then, the five of them started the gruesome job of recovering the soul shards from the Drowned. After a while, they were back on the dais, sitting on the cold stones. All three humans had a somewhat strange look on their faces, their eyes reflecting the beautiful glow of a sizable pile of radiant crystals that lay between them. Unable to control himself, Sunny trembled. ''So... so... so much money!''


    There were no less than three hundred Transcended soul shards in the pile. Three hundred! In the waking world, they would have sold for enough money to buy the entire terrace district where his home was located. Even then, he would be left with enough credits to... to...


    ''What do I even spend it on?''


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then scratched his head. "I don''t know about you Great Legacies, but this just seems too extravagant. I knew that Third Nightmares were something else, but still..."


    ''Pretty...'' Then, Sunny coughed. ''I mean, this mountain of wealth... can there be a prettier sight?! Too bad it''s going to be all gone soon. Yeah...''


    Forcing himself to look away, he glanced at Cassie. The blind girl seemed to have regained some of her liveliness, but she still looked unsteady. He summoned the Endless Spring and offered it to her. Cassie must have been low on essence, because she didn''t see his gesture. That probably meant that her Aspect Abilities were not activated, leaving her truly blind, just as she had been as a Sleeper. Sunny lingered for a moment. Calling out to her, he gently grasped her wrist and placed the Memory into her palm.


    "Here. Drink some water."


    She held the Endless Spring for a bit, then brought her other hand closer and traced the shape of the beautiful glass bottle with her fingers. A subtle smile appeared on Cassie''s lips. Bringing the bottle to them, she took a few sips of the cool, refreshing water, and offered the Endless Spring back to Sunny. "Thank you."


    Dismissing the Memory, he remembered the past. The Endless Spring was one of the three Memories Cassie had earned in her First Nightmare. It had served them well on the Forgotten Shore, and was later gifted to Sunny by the blind girl.


    The beautiful glass bottle had followed him on all his misadventures ever since, saving his life on several occasions. ...Looking back, it was quite a thoughtful gift. "But don''t you know why she gave it to you?"


    Sunny flinched, looking up at the Sin of Solace. The sword wraith had appeared from the darkness at some point, unseen, and now stood above him with a cold expression.


    "Not out of any kind of affection, of course. It was just something to dampen the torment of guilt she felt over betraying you. So, if anything, that gift of hers was quite self-indulgent. A person can''t condemn a friend to death and want to feel good about themselves at the same time, you know. If they have any shame."


    The apparition smiled. "Hey. She never even apologized, did she?"


    The Sin of Solace shook his head.


    "So maybe I''m wrong. Maybe she has never had any shame, and has never felt guilty about stabbing you in the back, to begin with." Sitting opposite Sunny, Cassie hugged her shoulders and lowered her head. He gritted his teeth. ''Shut the hell up. Nobody asked for your opinion, wretch...''


    As Nephis continued to absorb soul shards, the laughter of the odious wrath echoed in his ears.

 Chapter 1384 Novel Idea

    Chapter 1384 Novel Idea


    Eventually, Nephis was done with the pile of soul shards. Sunny stored a few of them inside the Covetous Coffer, then dismissed the alloy chest and rose, looking around the flooded hall. Although the structure sustained some damage during the battle, it had not collapsed yet. He did not know how much longer the lost temple would last, though. The sight of numerous cracks covering the distant ceiling did not fill him with confidence. ''...It''s not the end of the world.''


    Sunny had to remind himself that even if the temple collapsed, the three of them would be just fine. They were Masters, not mundane people �� it was just hard to remember the difference, sometimes. No one would be able to remain composed when there were countless tons of stone and cold water ready to fall on their heads.


    "Shall we go?"


    Nephis had finished absorbing the soul shards, and Fiend had finished stuffing his face with what remained of the Drowned. They had rested enough, as well... nothing was preventing them from exploring deeper into the temple. Rising to her feet, Cassie nodded.


    "Yeah. Let''s go."


    Nephis did a few stretches and brandished her sword in a flowing series of strikes, familiarizing herself with the subtle change of her physical power. Then, she followed the two of them to the far end of the flooded hall. "What are we searching for, exactly?"


    Cassie was looking at the cracked wall behind the dais, her expression glum. After a few moments of silence, she responded in a distant tone:


    "This temple used to be dedicated to knowledge. The three sybils who ruled Fallen Grace each had different responsibilities, and this one, as the senior, was the guardian of truths. She oversaw a vast library where everything the sybils knew about the world was recorded. Many faithful priests and priestesses were responsible for keeping and expanding the library, as well."


    The blind girl sighed. "...Of course, most of that knowledge was lost when the sybil succumbed to the Defilement, and the rest had to have slowly deteriorated after her imprisonment. The recent water damage probably obliterated most of what was left. Still, there is a chance that we''ll find hints of what to expect on our journey."


    Finally, Cassie noticed a small door that was obscured by darkness, most of the narrow corridor it led to submerged underwater. Taking a step in that direction, she said:


    "Among other things, the sybils kept detailed maps and records of the Great River here. Every city, every settlement, every stronghold of a powerful Seeker... from what I was able to learn, these maps were engraved on stone slates. They would not have been destroyed that easily. The information about the place where Effie and Soul Reaper are trapped should have been recorded, as well."


    "However... personally, I disagree. I''d rather live, no matter what."


    He looked at her with surprise, slightly confused by the contradiction.


    "Why?"


    Cassie remained silent for a few moments. It seemed as though she was considering his questions seriously. Eventually, she chuckled:


    "...Honestly, I''m not quite sure. Pride, maybe? The world is trying to kill us so hard. It just feels like such a shame, to let it have its way."


    Sunny stared at her with an incredulous expression.


    ''What the hell?''


    Wasn''t it basically the same thing he had told Hero all those years ago, in the First Nightmare? It was like listening to a more refined and eloquent version of himself. Was it such a surprise, though? Although he and Cassie came from entirely different backgrounds, they were more alike than anyone would think... simply because they both shared an affinity to fate, and knew better than most how tyrannical fate was. He kept quiet for a bit, then scoffed. Before Sunny could respond, though, Nephis spoke from behind them: "Well, then, what''s the problem? Just make sure not to die. There, problem solved."


    He nodded with a grin.


    "Exactly. I mean, it''s not that hard... if a fool like me can stay alive, anyone can."


    Cassie smiled, amused by their awkward attempts to raise her mood.


    She nodded. "Ah... alright. What a novel idea. I''ll take it under advisement."


    As the sound of quiet chuckling echoed in the dark corridor, the three Masters went deeper into the darkness of the ancient temple.

 Chapter 1385 Flame of Divinity

    Chapter 1385 Flame of Divinity


    Updated from


    As they walked through the corridors, Sunny kept clearing their way with the help of the Crown of Twilight. Of course, they could easily swim through the flooded portions of the temple �� but why would they, if there was an easier way?


    The walls of the narrow corridors glistened, reflecting the light of a luminous Memory Nephis had summoned. Soon, Sunny noticed a subtle change in them. If the ancient stone was unadorned before, now, it was covered by the remains of beautiful murals. He couldn''t quite understand what was depicted on them, though �� partially because the murals were heavily damaged, partially because the images were quite strange. They were more symbolic than descriptive... at least that was the conclusion he made. "...What''s that?"


    Noticing that Nephis seemed to be interested in the murals as well, Sunny finally gave voice to his curiosity. She hesitated for a few moments, then shook her head. "I''m not sure."


    In front of them was an image depicting a vast black field that looked strangely terrifying. In the middle of it, a mass of golden flame was burning, illuminating the darkness with its radiance.


    Cassie slowed her steps and turned slightly, facing the mural. After a moment of silence, she said matter-of-factly:


    "It''s the myth of creation."


    The two of them looked at her with some confusion. Feeling their gazes, the blind girl sighed, then smiled lightly. "The inhabitants of the Dream Realm had a myth of how the world came to be, of course. Actually, many of them. Most shared common points, though."


    She pointed to the mural. "In the beginning, there was only the boundless void of chaos..."


    Sunny tilted his head a little, remembering the description of a Memory he once possessed... the Memory of a drop of Shadow God''s blood. The runes he had read told the same. Of course, Cassie was slightly altering the meaning due to the difference between the language of the waking world and the runic language the Spell used. There was no void of chaos... because the words "void" and "chaos" meant the same thing. Come to think of it, it had been the same in the human language once, as well. These days, when someone said "chaos", they wanted to describe some sort of a huge mess. But the initial meaning of that word simply meant emptiness... the void.


    So, saying that there was only the void meant the same thing as saying there was only chaos.


    She nodded. "Yes. A desire also can''t exist by itself. It needs a subject. You want something, strive for something, dream of something... so, a desire has to be directed somewhere. Hence, with it came direction."


    Sunny looked at her with a strange expression. "That... strangely makes sense."


    So the direction the myth spoke about was a natural consequence of desire... or rather the concept of desire being born within the void. And since both were constant, their existence was in opposition to the forever changing abyss. Where there had been only chaos, there was now something resembling order.


    ...Coincidentally, the word "directionless" could also mean "disorderly" in the runic language. And therefore, the word "direction" could also mean "order". Even though it was not entirely correct, such an analogy made it easier for Sunny to understand the underlying meaning of the strange creation myth. It was a conflict between chaos and order... the void creatures represented chaos, while the gods represented order. He hesitated for a moment, then asked:


    "But a desire for what? What was that desire?"


    Cassie laughed quietly. "Nobody knows. In fact, I don''t think that anyone can know... we humans are not capable of truly understanding divine matters, after all, so this myth is merely a crude facsimile of the real story. Personally, I think it was the very idea of desire, not a specific one. That''s why there is a fairy tale about the Well of Wishes here in the Tomb of Ariel �� a magical place that can grant any wish, not just the correct one."


    Sunny looked at her, amused.


    "...You know that fairy tale too?"


    Cassie coughed and turned away in embarrassment.


    "Oh. Yeah... it''s popular among the younger inhabitants of Fallen Grace. I listened to it once or twice out of curiosity." She lingered for a moment, then walked to the next mural. On it, six radiant figures were shown standing around the mass of golden flames, which had become much smaller. Vague, but terrifying shapes could be seen in the surrounding darkness, swarming them. The blind girl pointed at the image. "The gods were born from desire. Then, they waged a terrible war on the old ones, the creatures of the void."

 Chapter 1386 Forests, Plains, Rivers, and a Vast Blue Sky

    Chapter 1386 Forests, Plains, Rivers, and a Vast Blue Sky


    The next few murals depicted the battles between the six radiant figures and the vague shapes hiding in the darkness of the abyssal void. Sunny found them quite funny... he already knew that the war between the gods and the unknown were waged with weapons like death, time, and space. It had truly been a war beyond human comprehension.


    However, the ancient people had drawn the murals according to their human imagination. In them, the gods battled the void creatures with swords, spears... and even fists, from time to time. Imagining a god having a fistfight with a primordial horror was rather comical. Sunny shook his head. "It''s curious, isn''t it? The gods are always said to be the enemies of the void creatures... but really, they are void creatures themselves. Just of a different breed."


    Both the unknown and the gods had been born from the void. So, the gods were unknown themselves �� primordial beings from before anything remotely human had ever existed. It was just that they were a very special kind of these ancient abominations. A kind that was inherently opposed to the abyss that had spawned them, and everything it represented. Nephis slowly nodded. "Indeed. But does it matter?"


    Sunny lightly shook his head.


    "I guess it doesn''t."


    Awakened and Nightmare Creatures were also two sides of the same coin. That didn''t make them the same. The three of them continued forward, studying the murals. Eventually, the void creatures seemed to have been defeated, albeit not destroyed. Beaten and diminished, they crouched in a dark corner of the abyss, surrounded by the six radiant figures. ''This is interesting.''


    Sunny knew very little about how the war between the gods and the unknown had ended. The description of the drop of ichor only said that the void had been bound... but not how it had happened.


    Finally, the three of them stopped in front of the second to last mural. On it, the six radiant figures seemed to be holding a net made from what was left of the golden flame, surrounded by a whirlwind of sparks. They threw the net on the crouching creatures of the void, engulfing them in radiance. The last mural depicted a familiar landscape �� the black abyss was gone, replaced by forests, plains, rivers, and a vast blue sky. He looked at Cassie expectedly. She had been the one to spend a whole year with the inhabitants of the Nightmare, after all. If anyone knew their myths, it would be her.


    The blind girl sighed. "In the end, when the old ones were defeated, the gods took direction and used their weapons to wrap it around the void. That was how the void was sealed. And... that was also how the world was created."


    Sunny stared at the last mural, overcome by an eerie feeling. ''Wait a second...''


    The forests, plains, rivers, and a vast blue sky... the crouching beings enveloped by a net of golden radiance... Updated from


    "Well... that''s a bit disturbing, isn''t it?"


    Indeed, it was. Much more than that, however...


    It raised so many questions. Was his interpretation of the myth close to truth? How had Weaver entered the void if it was sealed by existence itself? What had the Demon of Fate witnessed there, exactly?


    Come to think of it, the creation myth explained a lot of things, but one thing it failed to explain were the daemons. Where had they come from? Who was the Unknown, whose children they supposedly were? How were the daemons and their progenitor connected to the gods and to the void?


    There were much more fundamental questions, as well. For example, the path of Ascension led to divinity, while the path of Corruption was opposed to it, leading to unholiness. And since what opposed the gods was the void... was the true meaning of "profane" and "unholy", as used by the Spell, actually "having to do with the void"?


    Was the abyss sealed within the world the source of Corruption? Was the vile darkness permeating the souls of Nightmare Creature a manifestation of the everlasting void?


    And how did the Nightmares, the Spell, and Weaver''s mysterious schemes fit into all of this?


    Sunny suddenly shuddered as a certain thought entered his mind. Now that the gods were dead...


    Was the spreading Corruption a sign that the seals containing the void were weakening?


    Was the cage the gods had created slowly falling apart?


    The disturbing chill he had felt after learning the truth of the last mural was washed away by curiosity... but now, the feeling of dread was back. He hesitated for a few moments, then cleared his throat and looked away from the ancient, damaged, fading image of forests, rivers, and plains. ...The net of black cracks covering the painted vastness of a blue sky did not look ominous at all.


    "Let''s go find that damned library and get the hell away from here as fast as possible, shall we? This place... it seriously gives me creeps..." For once in his life, Sunny hoped to never find answers to the questions gnawing at his mind.

 Chapter 1387 Divine, Unholy

    Chapter 1387 Divine, Unholy


    As they moved deeper and deeper into the flooded temple, Sunny couldn''t help but think about the eerie story told by the ancient murals. It seemed as though he had learned something important...


    But, of course, there were a dozen questions for every answer he had received. Like always.


    ''Divine, unholy...''


    Knowing that the very fabric of the world was like a cage for the abyssal void that dwelled beneath made him feel uneasy �� understandably so. However, Sunny did not dwell on that fact for too long. There was no point, anyway. Matters like these were too distant and inconceivable for a mere mortal to think about. Even if the seals created by the gods were slowly crumbling, what was a human like him supposed to do? Even if Sunny was a Sovereign, he would have been like an ant compared to the powers involved in this process. The seals had existed for eons, anyway. Despite their supposed weakened state, they would keep existing for just as long. By the time the void broke free of its prison and destroyed everything, he would be long dead, with not even dust left of his bones.


    ...Probably.


    In any case, he was more interested in something else. The true source of the Corruption... Sunny had a vague suspicion that it was the void before, but now, he was almost certain.


    ''How does it work, though?''


    The timeline of the Dream Realm civilizations was not very clear, but one thing he did know was that the Corrupted �� the Nightmare Creatures �� had always existed, even when the seals of the void were new and pristine. The first era Sunny knew of was the era of the void... he decided to call it the Age of Chaos. During the Age of Chaos, the gods had been born, waged war against the elder abyssal beings, and eventually defeated them, thus creating the world. What followed was the Age of Heroes. Noctis and the other Chain Lords had been born during that period. Back then, at the dawn of time, humans were not a dominant force in the world yet. Their nascent civilization was growing and spreading, but the continuation of its existence was not at all guaranteed. Instead, those ancient humans had to fight against the Corrupted to conquer new lands, protect their cities, and avoid extinction. They needed powerful champions to battle the dreadful beings who populated the young world, and therefore that time was remembered as the Age of Heroes.


    ...That would explain why the creatures infected by that rot possessed an insatiable desire to destroy those who were not. Why they all seemed mad, revolting, and alien... appallingly wrong in some strange and sinister way. The divine and the unholy were inherently opposed to each other, after all. It was in their very nature to strive to obliterate each other.


    ''I... I feel like I''m not far from the truth.''


    Sunny remained silent for a while, walking behind Cassie with a distant expression on his face. The world he lived in �� the world of the Spell, the constant battle against the abominations, and the ruined realm of dreams and nightmares �� suddenly made much more sense. It was not understanding, exactly. The conclusions Sunny made were too vast and had too many consequences to be understood in just a few minutes. But the feeling of it all was somehow more clear now. He lingered for a bit, then threw a furtive glance at Nephis.


    ''What about Neph, then?''


    Her Ascended Ability, [Longing], made her immune to the Corruption. Knowing what he knew now, that seemingly weak Ability seemed even more impossible.


    More than that, one of her Attributes was called "Nephilim". Its description read: ''There once were terrible creatures born of an unholy union between the divine and the profane. Nephilim were the most beautiful, and the most harrowing of them all.''


    If the divine and the unholy were inherently opposed to each other, then how could there have been creatures born from their union? How terrible had they been, really, and what had happened to them?


    Shaking his head slightly, Sunny sighed and looked away from Neph''s slender figure. ''I take it back. Nothing makes sense. I''m just confused even more!''


    Taking a step forward, he suppressed a groan and covered his face with a palm.

 Chapter 1388 Wheels of History

    Chapter 1388 Wheels of History


    Sunny continued to think about the history of the Dream Realm.


    Age of Chaos was the first, ending with the imprisonment of the void and the creation of the world. It was followed by an age that could be called the Age of Gods �� a prehistoric time when the gods and those living things they created, as well as the daemons who came out of nowhere, battled the remnant abyssal creatures across the newborn world.


    Then came the Age of Heroes. It started when the nascent humanity started to spread and fight against the Corrupted creatures inhabiting the world for dominion over it. It ended when the abominations were pushed back and largely exterminated, turning from an everpresent danger into dire, but rare foes.


    What followed was a different age... an age when humanity ruled the world unopposed. Noctis had not known its name �� perhaps because people living in that time needed none. For them, it was simply now. A golden age of peace and prosperity...


    ''Relatively speaking, of course. I am sure there was plenty of bloodshed and conflict even after most of the Corrupted had already been slain or driven into the wilderness. Humans are humans, after all... there were other tribes of creatures inhabiting the world, as well. I doubt that everyone lived together in absolute harmony.''


    Due to their immortality, Noctis and the other Chain Lords �� powerful Transcendent born in the Age of Heroes �� lived long enough to witness the new age, as well.


    In fact, they might have had more to do with the change of epochs than anyone knew. Noctis considered the destruction of the Kingdom of Hope to be the turning point in history, one that signified the end of the Age of Heroes.


    Of course, that change had come at the expense of countless deaths and immeasurable misery among the inhabitants of the waking world. And Sunny did not really buy that the Demon of Fate had been any kind of hero, let alone a noble one...


    Still. The implication seemed too sensible to be discarded completely. The Age of Chaos, the Age of Gods, the Age of Heroes, the Golden Age, the Age of Daemons... and the Age of the Nightmare Spell. If seen in such a framework, the history...


    Could make Sunny a huge amount of contribution points. Just imagining it made his eyes gleam. ''If I manage to write up this theory well and publish it, accurate or not... my, oh my! I''ll be swimming in academic achievements. Let alone a guest lecturer, I''ll be made an honorary professor! A dean, even!''


    As he grinned greedily, Cassie slowed her steps a little and raised her hand.


    "We''re close. Be cautious... if there are really records left, we should be careful not to damage them any further."


    Although the corridors they had walked through were largely flooded, this section of the lost temple seemed strangely dry. Perhaps the structure here was much more durable, and had thus resisted the passage of time better... perhaps there were still some enchantments protecting the inner sanctum. In any case, the floor they walked on gradually became drier. Soon, the three Masters passed a chamber filled to the brim with shelves. There had been countless books on them once, but now the shelves lay broken, the ancient scrolls long destroyed by water. Sunny checked a few, only to shake his head in disappointment. Even those that seemed relatively better preserved were utterly illegible. They moved further, passing several similar chambers. The library of the temple had indeed been vast once... but now, all the knowledge accumulated by the sybils and their faithful priests was lost. Some of it was destroyed by moisture, some seemed to have been burned, while some had been obliterated by the Defiled sybil in her rage. ''Such a shame...''


    Finally, they reached a tall door. Just like all the other doors in the inner sanctum, it had long been turned to rotten splinters... however, the chamber behind it �� the largest one they''ve seen in the last few minutes �� looked strangely untouched.


    Much more importantly, there were no broken shelves and rotten scrolls within it. Instead, there were stone slates.

 Chapter 1389 Shifting Map

    Chapter 1389 Shifting Map


    After entering the central chamber of the ancient library, Sunny felt his excitement diminish somewhat. The stone slates had seemed unharmed from the outside, but at a closer look, they were not in the best state. The Defiled sybil had rampaged in this chamber, as well. Many slates were shattered, some turned to rubble, others to dust. The whole place was a mess, with deep cracks littering its walls and the ceiling. There were deep puddles on the floor, and the cold darkness shrouding the chamber echoed with the sound of falling water. Still... there were many slates that were unharmed, as well. Cassie remained motionless for a few moments, then sighed and sat down on a relatively dry pile of rubble.


    Sunny gave her a stare.


    "...What, you''re not going to help us look?"


    The blind girl smiled. "I am looking."


    He coughed and awkwardly turned away. ''Yeah, way to go, genius. Asking a blind person if she''ll look...''


    Although Cassie''s Awakened Ability allowed her to navigate the world, it did not grant her sight �� Cassie sensed the future as if she lived it, meaning that she remained blind.


    It was her Ascended Ability that allowed her to see, even if it was only through someone else''s eyes. Someone like Sunny or Nephis, for example �� which meant that she could only look at the slates that they were looking at.


    So, she could only help them identify the correct one, not find it herself. Hiding his embarrassment, Sunny cleared his throat. "So, what exactly should we search for?"


    Cassie lingered for a moment. "We should probably separate all the intact slates first. Even those that do not contain the information we''re currently looking for might be useful later." The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    After a while, the two of them settled into a rhythm. Sunny was looking for those slates that were in one piece, while Nephis collected those that had been broken into pieces, but could be restored, and put them back together with the help of the Dark Shaper. Cassie, meanwhile, rested on the pile of rubble for a while, then got bored and stood up to take a walk around the chamber.


    She hovered near them for a bit, then put her hand on the wall and slowly traced the perimeter of the chamber with her fingers. Since there was rubble everywhere, it took her a long time to complete the circle and get back to the entrance. ...Actually, hadn''t she been gone for too long?


    Suddenly worried, Sunny pulled his attention away from the slates and concentrated on his shadow sense. It only took him a split second.


    To his relief, he could still clearly feel Cassie''s shadow. Turning around, he looked at the far end of the chamber and saw her delicate figure there, standing in front of the cracked wall. She seemed deep in thought. Frowning slightly, Sunny called out to her:


    "Hey! Is that wall very interesting? Come here and keep us company!"


    Perhaps it was foolish, considering that Cassie could sense the future... but Sunny was not absolutely sure that the flooded temple was safe now, and having the blind girl outside his immediate reach made him feel uncomfortable.


    What would happen if they were suddenly attacked?


    Hearing his voice, Cassie hesitated for a few moments, then turned to face them and pointed to the wall. "Actually... it is interesting."


    She paused for a moment, and then added with uncertainty:


    "A slight wind is coming from the cracks. I think there is another room behind that wall."

 Chapter 1390 Guiding Light

    Chapter 1390 Guiding Light


    Standing up, Sunny stretched and walked over to where Cassie was standing. Extending his shadow sense through the cracked wall, he remained silent for a few moments, then smiled. "Good catch. There is indeed a hidden space there."


    To think that he had almost missed it...


    The blind girl stared at him for a bit, which gave Sunny a hint to look around. ''Damn... it''s still creepy, to know that she''s riding my senses. Can''t she ask, at least? That Ability of hers is not limited to sight, so... ah, I don''t even want to think what kinds of things she can sense me sensing...''


    Suddenly feeling hot, Sunny glanced at Cassie and asked in a stifled tone:


    "What are you looking for?"


    The blind girl lingered. "If there''s a secret space, there has to be a mechanism to unlock it. Some kind of lever, perhaps. Oh... and give me some credit, alright? I am polite enough to know when not to use my Ability."


    He suppressed an impulse to jump back. "What, you can read thoughts now, too?!"


    Cassie took a deep breath, then patiently shook her head. "No. It was just written all over your face." Updated from


    Sunny let out a sigh of relief, then trembled. ''Wait... she''s looking through my eyes, so how can she see my face?''


    At that moment, Neph''s patted him on the shoulder. "Because she looked through mine. Honestly, Sunny... for someone who claims to have never used his shadow to do perverted things at the Academy dormitory, you sure think of weird stuff often."


    He stared at her in disbelief. "What do you mean, "claims to"? I absolutely did not! You know I can''t lie!"


    Nephis looked at Cassie with a hint of a smile on her lips. "Notice that he said "did not"... instead of "have not". Hmm."


    Sunny remained silent, his mouth open. ''Oh... I see what''s going on.''


    Scoffing, he turned away. "Yeah, and until I say "will not", you better behave. Who knows what weird stuff I''ll think of?"


    There were a few moments of silence, and then Nephis said a bit awkwardly from behind him:


    "...So, whatever mechanism there was to unlock the door, it has to have broken a long time ago."


    He grinned and watched as she stepped forward and delivered a swift punch to the cracked wall. The ancient stone shattered and collapsed, revealing a dark space beyond.


    "Not that stunning? So what does it do?"


    Cassie thought for a bit, then hesitantly shrugged. "It''s supposed to guide people? Actually, I don''t know that well."


    She picked up the staff and held it carefully. After a few moments, the soft radiance of the soul shard crowning the relic swirled, growing more intense on one side.


    Sunny blinked. "What did you do?"


    The blind girl suddenly seemed a little embarrassed. "Uh, I just... sort of... thought in my head, "Miss Guiding Light, can you guide me to Wind Flower, please?""


    He stared at her incredulously.


    ''Let''s skip the first part for now...''


    "So, this divine relic... is basically a pretty flashlight with a very basic navigation function?"


    Cassie coughed. "I... guess so?"


    Sunny sighed, then shook his head and covered his face with a palm.


    ''And here I was all excited...''


    Well, it could have been worse. The previous divine relic he had found in the wild was a wooden knife that could only kill one specific person, while simultaneously being responsible for turning that person into an immortal powerhouse.


    Although the Guiding Light was not exactly an artifact worthy of being called divine, it was at least more useful than that.


    ...Actually, being able to know the general direction of almost anything you thought about was quite an amazing boon if used with foresight. Not to mention that it would help them find the members of the cohort sooner �� which was why they had come to this temple, in the first place. Sunny stared at the wooden staff for a few moments, then shook his head again.


    "Well, great. Let''s use this thing well. For now, though, we still have to find the information about Wind Flower."


    They had already known where that place was located. What they had really come here to find was the information about what kind of dangers were waiting for them there. Turning away, Sunny let out a disappointed sight. ''Damn it.''


    As he walked back to the slated, he tried not to look too disheartened.


    ''This had to be the most anticlimactic discovery of a divine relic ever...''

 Chapter 1391 Rushed Exit

    Chapter 1391 Rushed Exit


    Sunny had wanted to get back to the slates, but as he left the secret room, he suddenly felt uneasy. Something about the chamber had changed... he couldn''t quite put a finger on it, but it was as if the shadows populating it were moving. "Hold on to something." The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    Hearing Cassie''s voice, he put his hand on a stone pillar. In the next moment, the floor beneath him violently shook. Its already pronounced tilt was suddenly even steeper, causing countless small pieces of rubble to roll in their direction. The sound of falling water had grown louder. ''Curses.''


    Looking at his companions, Sunny sighed and said in a glum tone:


    "I guess the battle did too much damage to the temple, after all."


    Nephis nodded somberly. "Should we hurry?"


    He hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. A swarm of sparks rose into the air, slowly forming into a familiar alloy chest. "We probably don''t have much time before this entire place sinks. Let''s just load everything into the Covetous Coffer... we can continue studying the slates when we''re safely back on the Chain Breaker."


    Of course, safety was a relative term here in the Tomb of Ariel. Sunny had only grown more wary of the Great River after reading the records in this ancient chamber, but still... he was not enthused at the idea of having to escape the temple while it was actively drowning. Feeling like they had very little time left, the three Masters abandoned all attempts of categorizing the slates and simply threw everything remotely intact into the welcoming maw of the Covetous Coffer. The temple shook one more while they were at it, causing Sunny to curse in frustration.


    Finally, they were done. Not wasting any time, Sunny led the way out of the central chamber, past the rooms full of rotting scrolls, and into the cold darkness of the narrow corridors leading to the great hall. By then, it felt like they were climbing a steep hill �� the stone floor was tilted downward, water rushing past their feet and drenching them from above. ''Ah, I don''t like this...''


    Sunny hurriedly helped her stand up, dodging the tip of the Guiding Light in the process. "Watch where you point this thing... in any case, there''s no time to tarry! We might have escaped the temple, but this whole island is going to fall apart soon. So, hurry up and run!"


    At that point, Nephis gave him a somber look and said, her voice flat:


    "I''ll hurry and run... as soon as you let go of my hand."


    She lingered for a moment, and then added evenly:


    "...Or do you want me to carry you?"


    Sunny froze, then lowered his gaze and realized that he was, indeed, still holding Neph''s hand. He blinked a couple of times, then looked up and gave her a smile. "Actually, yeah. I wouldn''t mind being carried."


    With that, Sunny let go and dashed toward the shore of the island-ship. Soon, the graceful silhouette of the Chain Breaker appeared in front of them. He felt much too happy to see the ancient ship, and leaped onto its deck without wasting a single second.


    Just as he did, the drowning island resounded with a deafening crack, and split apart.

 Chapter 1392 Desolation

    Chapter 1392 Desolation


    Updated from


    After the island broke apart, it did not take a lot of time for the debris to disappear into the depths of the Great River. Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie stood on the deck of the Chain Breaker, observing the death throes of this lost part of Fallen Grace in somber silence. The flowing water seethed and boiled, turning into white foam. The ashen remains of the dark garden were pulled down by the current and swallowed by the depths. In something that felt like too short of a time, though, the surface of the river became calm and clear once again, with not a sign of the massive island-vessel left in sight. Sunny sighed softly.


    The destruction of the artificial island had been too depressing of a scene. It was like a metaphor of the futility of human existence... countless River People had worked hard to create and maintain it, and even more spent their lives walking upon its ground. But now, it was gone, swallowed by the elements in mere minutes. With every trace of it erased from existence. Weave was going to be erased the same way before too long. The cities of the sybils had already disappeared... only Fallen Grace remained, its fate all but decided. The Tomb of Ariel had been home to a thriving civilization once...


    But now, it was nothing but a Nightmare. Sunny shook his head, suddenly grim. Would the cities of the waking world be gone one day, too? He had not even known that there was a world outside the endless sprawl of NQSC once. It was hard to imagine that a place so populous and boundless could cease to exist.


    ...But then again, the waking world was already a world of ruins. Plenty of thriving cities had been erased from its maps �� most of them, even. Entire continents stood desolate, devoid of life, and uninhabited. He even witnessed the extinction of one of these empty continents himself. ''My mood is all over the place today.''


    What was there to feel sad about? That island had been nothing by the lair of a dangerous abomination. They had come to its shore, killed the abomination, and absconded with precious loot. Cassie even received a pretty stick as a bonus. If anything, he should be feeling utterly delighted. However, Sunny felt mostly tired and sore all over. The battle against the Drowned was a short one, but nevertheless very intense. He was battered and bruised, albeit not injured too badly. "Gone! Gone!"


    Sunny turned and glanced at Crow Crow, who was hopping excitedly on the railing and staring at the empty space where the island had been with a curious expression. The small bird was unburdened by any kind of heavy thoughts. In fact, it did not have any thoughts at all...


    After all, it was an Echo.


    Now that the island was destroyed, though, that Echo had a job to do. As he watched, Cassie approached the black bird and gently took it into her hands. Saying something, the blind girl opened her palms and let the crow fly away.


    "What are you doing?"


    The blind girl took a sip of tea absentmindedly.


    "Trying to figure out how it works. It''s weird... the enchantment doesn''t seem to respond to everything. It points to you, Nephis, Effie, and Kai... but not Jet or that person, Mordret. Or Fallen Grace, for that matter. It does respond to Wind Flower, though."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow, then shifted his perception and gazed beneath the surface of the Guiding Light. Just as he had expected, there was no weave there. There were no runes, either... just a field of blinding radiance. He had seen something similar when looking at the knives created by Sun God. Within each, there was nothing but a radiant ocean of something �� soul essence, perhaps �� and a sole string of fate, bound onto itself and looping endlessly. Such was the sorcery of gods, entirely unreasonable and void of any kind of logic he could understand. ''Looping endlessly...''


    His tired mind got caught on these words, but he was distracted just then by Neph''s strangely muffled voice:


    "Found it."


    Shaking awake from his reverie, Sunny turned and looked at her. Nephis had a spoon in her mouth, holding one of the slates he had pushed away in Shaking awake from his reverie, Sunny turned and looked at her. Nephis had a spoon in her mouth, holding one of the slates he had pushed away in both hands. Sunny was rather amused by that sight. "...What did you find?"


    She blinked a couple of times, then awkwardly removed the spoon from her mouth and pointed it at the slate.


    "Wind Flower. Uh... it''s described right here."

 Chapter 1393 Vortex

    Chapter 1393 Vortex


    Soon, all three of them were sitting side by side, with the slate resting on the table in front of them. Cassie was tracing her fingers across the stone surface, a focused look on her face. After a while, she slowly nodded. "The coordinates match. It is indeed the right place."


    The blind girl was much more proficient in navigating the Great River, considering how much longer she had spent here than Sunny and Nephis. She was also the one who had learned the transcript system of the sybils and pinned down where Effie and Jet were trapped, in the first place. "Wind Flower, huh..."


    Sunny looked at the slate. There were neat columns of symbols engraved on it, as well as an image of a messy circle with frayed edges. It resembled a vortex more than anything, or maybe a cyclone. After studying it for a few moments, he reached out and turned the slate over. Familiar runes covered its reverse side. Without wasting any time, the three Masters read them.


    Pretty soon, Sunny''s expression darkened.


    ''...The currents of the River are twisted and treacherous near Wind Flower. Strong gales violently assaulted our ship, as if trying to push it back. Desperate to escape our pursuers, we persisted, entering deeper into the mist. The surrounding waters moved in the wrong direction and with unnatural speed. It was as if we had lost our way and found ourselves near the Edge.


    At some point, we were not struggling against the repelling winds anymore. Instead, overcome by fear, we were battling the raging tide that pulled us deeper and deeper, toward the source of the wind...''


    The first part of the text engraved into the reverse side of the slate was an excerpt from a report made by one of the Outsiders who had lived in Fallen Grace. He ventured on a long journey with a small fleet, hoping to find out the fate of a different city, one of the last with which Fallen Grace still maintained a connection... until the visitors and merchant ship from that city had stopped coming, as well.


    The fleet managed to learn that the city had been destroyed, but on their way back, they were attacked by powerful Defiled abominations. After a furious battle, only three ships managed to escape. Pursued by the enemies, they were forced to enter the dangerous waters around Wind Flower. ''...For a few moments, the mist cleared, allowing me to glimpse the true nature of the tide. We were hopelessly caught inside a whirlpool of titanic proportions, which spun around a bottomless and dark abyss. There was an island hovering above the darkness, with a tall and magnificent tower rising above the misty cliffs.


    Terror grasped our hearts when we realized that the tide was pulling us into the darkness. Desperate to save our lives, we tried to escape...''


    In the end, only one of the three ships managed to fight its way out. The other two were swallowed by the vortex, never to be seen again.


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then sighed. "So... it''s a giant whirlpool."


    Cassie stood up and paced for about a minute, thinking about something furiously.


    "Yes... yes, that can work, too... I''ll need to..."


    Finally, she stopped and spoke again:


    "I can''t restore the connection between the sacred tree and the enchantment circle in time, but I can repair the circle itself, I think."


    Nephis raised an eyebrow. "What would it mean?"


    The blinded girl pointed to the deck.


    "It means that the sorcery that allows the ship to fly will be fully functional. It''s just that it would not have a source of power. But... we can use our own essence to fuel the enchantment, limited as it is. The Chain Breaker won''t stay in the air for long, nor will it be fast, but it will carry us to that island and back."


    She scratched her head awkwardly, and then added in a small voice:


    "...Probably."


    Sunny stared at her for a while, then let out an amused chuckle.


    The odds, as always, were against them. But when had it been any different?


    He shrugged. "Good enough."Updated from

 Chapter 1394 The Luxury of Being Bored

    Chapter 1394 The Luxury of Being Bored


    The Chain Breaker had set sail once again. This time, they had to travel back to the middle area of the Great River, where the sky was azure. They also had to travel some distance into the past �� not enough to bring them anywhere near Verge, but deeper than any of the three had ever ventured. Sunny spent the first morning lazing in bed and staring at the ceiling. He was thinking about Wind Flower. The strong winds, the twisted currents, the colossal whirlpool that pulled ships to their doom, and the island flying above the dark abyss... all of it sounded rather nasty. There was the fact that the tower standing on the island had once belonged to a powerful Seeker, as well. The Seekers of Truth were people who had entered the Tomb of Ariel at the same time as the sybils, or even earlier than them, but for an entirely different reason. The Seekers had not been searching for salvation from the devastation of the doomsday war. Instead, they had braved the Nightmare Desert and found their way into the tomb built by the Demon of Dread due to their thirst for knowledge. ...Out of curiosity, basically. They had not been a unified group of people, either, but rather disparate individuals united only by the similarity of their obsession with knowledge.


    ''Bunch of weirdos...''


    Who would climb into a dreadful tomb simply to satiate their curiosity? Sunny would never!


    Well... he had entered plenty of dangerous ruins to satiate his desire to explore the Dream Realm. But that was an entirely different matter! Firstly, he received contribution points for his exploits, from time to time. Secondly, none of those ruins had been left behind by terrifying deities. ''Come to think of it, a couple of them were...''


    Like the Ebony Tower. But he had not ended up there out of curiosity. He had ended up there out of greed! That was a much better reason, so... he was not like those weird Seekers at all....


    In any case, Sunny was not excited to visit the stronghold of a powerful Seeker. Not even considering the fact their desire to learn Ariel''s truth had caused the birth of the Defilement, these people did not seem trustworthy at all.


    A hidden island where a mysterious Seeker had lived before disappearing without a trace, surrounded by a nearly impassable barrier of water, wind, and twisted time... yes, that did not sound ominous at all. ''Damnation...'' VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    Of course, they did not really have a choice. Effie and Jet were there, so Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie couldn''t turn back. ''People fear the unknown the most.''


    If the slate had told them that there was a Great Nightmare Creature living at Wind Flower, he would have been reluctantly, but calmly coming up with plans to defeat it. But it was the not knowing what waited for them at the center of the whirlpool that made Sunny feel nervous. In the end, tired of being anxious, he decided to distract himself by doing something useful. Climbing out of his bed with a sigh, Sunny finally left his cabin and went to the upper deck. Saint, Fiend, and Nightmare were standing guard at the bow, middle section, and the stern of the ship. Nephis was holding the steering oar, while Cassie was making preparations to repair the sorcerous circle of the ship.


    So, Sunny decided to give himself a day off, for once, and enjoy that peace while it lasted. Walking back to the stern of the ship, he summoned a certain piece of furniture and placed it a few meters away from Nephis. Sitting down on his luxurious chair, he summoned the emerald flute and brought it to his lips. Nephis looked at him in confusion.


    "What are you doing? Ah. Trying to raise the dead? But... there are no corpses on the ship..."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times. ''Who does she take me for?''


    "Is it so hard to imagine that I''m just in the mood for music? Kai gave me a few lessons, you know. So I can carry a tune. He might have begged me to perform as a guest during one of Night&Gale concerts, even!"


    She smiled faintly. "I noticed you said "might have begged" instead of "begged". Hmm."


    Then, her eyes widened slightly. "...Wait. Night&Gale concerts? Are they planning a reunion? When? Is it going to be old material, or has Gale written a new album? What about new choreography? Who is..."


    Sunny lowered the flute and stared at her sullenly. ''Ah. Here she goes again, barraging me with questions...''


    "Yes. I don''t know, probably not. No clue. No idea. I''m not sure..."


    As the sky slowly grew brighter, the Chain Breaker sailed toward dawn. The three Masters aboard the graceful vessel anxiously awaited the reunion with two lost members of their cohort...

 Chapter 1395 Hello, Blue Sky

    Chapter 1395 Hello, Blue Sky


    Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    ''I wonder...''


    Sunny stared at a delicious-looking golden fruit, torn between the desire to pluck it off the branch and the fear of tasting fruits from mysterious, mystical trees. The last time he had eaten one... was not a memory he liked to remember.


    And yet, the three of them had slain and slaughtered every enemy that dared to attack the Chain Breaker... for now. The ancient vessel withstood all the attacks without receiving serious damage, as well. But the three Masters weren''t as lucky �� each of them had suffered many grave wounds, some of them almost fatal.


    If not for Neph''s healing powers, they would have never made it so far. They wouldn''t have made it without Cassie, either. Sunny had been reminded once more that traveling with an oracle was an invaluable boon. It was because of the blind girl that they had managed to avoid the true perils of the Great River �� the twisted currents and lethal aberrations where time itself would have killed them in the blink of an eye. ...They would have perished without Sunny and his Shadows, as well. The Third Nightmare was not a place where one could survive without extreme battle power, and currently, he possessed the most of it out of them three. ''Am I not great?''


    Sunny smiled wryly, then shuddered and furtively looked around, checking to see if the Sin of Solace was near. The sword wraith would not have missed a chance to cut him with a snide remark in response to such thoughts, but thankfully, the apparition had not deemed it necessary to climb the sacred tree with him. In fact, the Sin of Solace did not seem to like being too close to the tree from the Heart God''s grove, for some reason. Sunny used that fact often to get some reprieve. He sighed. The journey to Wind Flower had not been easy, but at least they had all gotten something out of it. Nephis was one step closer to becoming a Titan, and wore a chainmail shirt over her white tunic �� just like Ananke''s Mantle, the new Memory could be worn in conjunction with another armor, albeit due to its unique enchantment rather than its type. In a fashion strange for an Awakened, she also carried her sword in a scabbard hung from her belt. The scabbard was another Memory, this one capable of enhancing the weapon stored inside of it for a sufficient amount of time. Cassie, meanwhile, was back in her beautiful red peplos dress. Now, however, there were two bracelets on her hands instead of the golden shackles �� one was a protective charm Memory, the other was supposed to enhance the force of her attacks. She still carried the Quiet Dancer in a scabbard �� this one mundane, not enchanted �� but mostly used the Guiding Light in battle. Although the white staff was not a Memory, it did a good job of debilitating her enemies and crushing them into pulp. Sunny was not sure that using a sacred relic to split skulls was appropriate, but he wasn''t going to complain. The gods were dead, anyway. As for himself...


    Sunny had earned another five hundred shadow fragments on the way to Wind Flower, bringing him close to two thousand and five hundred �� half of the amount he needed to become a Terror. His luck with Memories, sadly, had been really bad. He had received a few, but none of them were good enough to add to his soul arsenal. They ended up being fed to his Shadows. He had not woven a lot of new Memories, either. In fact, Sunny had not done a lot of weaving in these past few weeks �� not because there had been no time, but rather because he was currently interested in something else. That something was giving him a lot of trouble, to the point where he often found himself dejected and stupefied. And yet, Sunny persisted with this new interest.

 Chapter 1396 Approaching the Vortex

    Chapter 1396 Approaching the Vortex


    During the battle in the flooded temple, he had observed Cassie''s artificial Echo in action. Even though it did not seem that powerful, that was only because their enemies that time had been of both a higher Rank and a higher Class than the blade mannequin. Sunny would not have wanted to face that thing in battle as an Awakened.


    The most impressive thing about it, though, was the very fact that it was artificial.


    After interrogating Cassie and Nephis on the topic, he had found out that the forgemasters of Clan Valor were capable of creating not only Memories, but also Echoes. Making one was an extremely long process, though, and one that demanded a lot of precious resources. So, there were actually very few artificial Echoes in existence, all of them belonging to the most valued members of the clan.


    Nevertheless, Sunny couldn''t help but wonder if he would be capable of weaving Echoes one day, as well. So, he had spent most of his free time studying the blade mannequin. It was not going well, for now, but Sunny wasn''t disheartened.


    His attempts to learn the Sorcery of Names were not bearing any results, anyway. Although his horizons were somewhat expanded, being able to actually use this power seemed to be beyond him. If there was one consolation, it was that Cassie was having just as much trouble with it.


    Being talentless together was less of a bitter pill to swallow. Her mastery of runic sorcery, though, was slowly growing. In fact, there seemed to be a positive loop between the Sorcery of Names and the Sorcery of Runes �� both were founded on invoking the True Names of things, after all, albeit in a different manner. So, Cassie and Nephis were able to help each other improve.


    As a result, the blind girl had indeed managed to restore some of the enchantments permeating the Chain Breaker. Just as she had told them, the graceful vessel was now once again capable of flight �� it just couldn''t fly for too long, or too fast. The strain of supplying the ancient ship with essence was dire enough to drain even Neph''s reserves in less than a minute.


    It would have to be enough to carry them to the island at the center of Wind Flower.


    ...Now, all they needed was to actually find it. As Sunny stared at the horizon and tried not to feel too anxious, a swift shadow glided across the deck of the Chain Breaker. Then, a black bird landed on the branch near him.


    [I see.]


    Sunny sighed, then glanced at the blind girl. The soul shard crowning her wooden staff was glowing, its light pointing precisely at the distant haze. "There is no doubt, then."


    Cassie slowly nodded. "Yes. We have arrived."


    The branches of the sacred tree rustled as the Chain Breaker took a turn. Nephis moved the ship in a wide spiral, positioning it directly upstream of the approaching hazard. By the time she did, Sunny could already see wisps of mist flowing over the surface of the restless water. ''Time to get to work.''


    Concentrating, he called upon the shadows. The three of them had long discussed how to tackle the titanic whirlpool �� there was not much they had to do, really. The first obstacle they were going to face was the repelling wind. So, Sunny lowered the sails to diminish the repelling force. The ship would be carried into the vortex by the current, and once they approached close enough, Nephis would invoke the True Name of the wind to lessen its fury.


    The second obstacle would be raging currents. Sunny''s authority over water was not strong enough to calm them, but the Chain Breaker was sturdy enough to withstand the fury of the elements. It was not going to overturn, either �� all they needed was a skilled helmsman and something to guide them through the mist.


    Cassie was going to accomplish both tasks with a little help from the Guiding Light. She was quite skilled in controlling the Chain Breaker �� more than any of them were. However, she was not going to be able to guide the flying ship through the last, and most dangerous, of obstacles. Once they were close enough to the island at the center of the vortex but not deep enough into the whirlpool to be swallowed by it, the Chain Breaker had to lift into the air and reach the shore before its helmsman ran out of essence. Nephis was a Terror, and possessed the lineage of Sun God as well �� which, among other things, drastically strengthened her soul.


    Her reserve of essence was the largest among them, so it would be her task to take up the steering oars in those last moments. ...As the first wisps of grey mist touched the bow of the Chain Breaker, Sunny suppressed a shiver and looked into the approaching wall of fog with a dark expression. Mist, mist... nothing good ever happened when there was mist around. Here in the Dream Realm, it was always a herald of something dreadful approaching. ''We have prepared for this.''


    Taking a deep breath, he glanced at Cassie and smiled.


    "Let''s go find Effie and Jet, then."

 Chapter 1397 Wishful Thinking

    Chapter 1397 Wishful Thinking


    Soon, the Chain Breaker was swallowed by the mist. The winds had grown stronger, making the folds of Sunny''s nebulous mantle flutter. Feeling drops of water fall on his face, he sighed and looked at Cassie. "Go."


    She lingered for a moment, then rushed away to replace Nephis at the steering oar. Sunny was left alone on the bow, looking into the mist with a dark expression on his face. ''Effie, Jet...'' Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    Both of them were still alive. They had to be.


    But how could they?


    The Third Nightmare was not easy to survive. And these two... they, of all people, would have found it impossible to cling to life while stranded for more than a year on an isolated island. Jet could only exist by killing living beings to replenish her constantly dwindling essence, after all. Effie was a slave to inhuman hunger. Without access to a great amount of food, she would swiftly wither and die.


    How many foes to kill could there have been on a hidden island, and how much food?


    ''No... don''t think about that.''


    The crow Echo still existed, which meant at least one of them was still... "That crow has always been a bit strange, though. Much too animated for a simple Echo. Perhaps it has something to do with Wake of Ruin... so who''s to say that it can''t exist without a Master?"


    Sunny threw a dark glance at the Sin of Solace, who grinned in response. "Admit it, they are both probably dead already. Ah, how sad... they were slowly starving to death while you were having fun with Nephis on the dark island. You really took it easy back then, at the beginning, didn''t you?" Sunny looked away and gritted his teeth. The sword wraith simply laughed. "Come to think of it, your friend Kai is most likely dead, too. Even if the Nightmare Creatures did not kill him, Mordret surely did. He is probably walking around now, wearing Kai''s corpse right as a luxury brand suit. Well... it''s for the best. You have always been jealous of that guy, anyway. The insecure little wretch that you are."


    "...That''s not true. Kai has Anvil''s charm �� I gave it to him. Mordret can''t possess someone wearing that charm."


    "That is... strangely reassuring, in a morbid kind of way. You can''t die yet because you''re destined to become a Defiled monster, huh? What a paradox."


    Neph''s logic assumed that the future was predetermined. If so, there was no way that Effie and Jet were gone. However, that also meant that there was no way for the six of them to avoid killing her and becoming the Six Plagues... which made this whole endeavor meaningless.


    If the future was not predetermined, though, then the cohort could potentially write a different ending for themselves and the Nightmare. Yet it also meant that there was no reason to believe that the rest of the members were still alive. Sunny knew that fate could hardly be changed... but he also knew that it did not govern every small occurrence and event. The details of what happened, and how it did, could be altered �� it was just that the end result almost always remained the same. Sooner or later, all deviations were proven meaningless, failing to change the grand design of the future.


    It was easier to change fate inside of a Nightmare, as well, due to its fragmented and isolated nature. Plus, the Great River was a strange place.


    Who was to say that their fate wasn''t to become the Six Plagues, only for their younger selves to slay them and conquer the Nightmare unscathed?


    ''Ah. My head hurts.''


    He rubbed his face. All this stuff �� the paradoxical nature of the Great River, the unreliable future, the greater tapestry of fate �� were too strange and irrational for a human mind to comprehend. The best they could do was just try to do their best at the moment and strive to reach the desired outcome, ignoring the confusing reality of the Tomb of Ariel as much as possible. ...The winds were growing stronger. The branches of the sacred tree swayed, rustling worriedly. The swaying of the deck grew more pronounced. A thick mist enveloped everything in sight. "Hey, Sunny..."


    He looked at Nephis, surprised by her strangely candid tone, and raised an eyebrow. ...Knowing her, some ridiculous statement was about to follow. He was not going to be fooled into listening to her apologize for his projector twice.


    But Nephis was perfectly earnest: "There is nothing wrong with a bit of wishful thinking. We will find them both alive. I''m sure of it."


    At that moment, the wind slammed into them like a ram, making both sway. Raising a hand, Sunny caught Nephis and helped her steady herself. At the same time, he used the Feather of Truth trait of the Shell to increase his weight and ground himself more solidly on the deck. The two of them remained silent for a few moments, looking into each other''s eyes. Then, Sunny smiled.


    "Alright, Neph... I''ll believe you, this time."

 Chapter 1398 Braving the Barrier

    Chapter 1398 Braving the Barrier


    Soon, they were deep into the barrier surrounding Wind Rose. There was nothing but blinding mist, hurricane winds, and violent currents in this dreadful and deadly place. Sunny could easily imagine countless ships being drowned by the inconceivable whirlpool... powerful Nightmare Creatures, as well.


    No wonder almost no one returned after being swallowed by the mist.


    And yet...


    The fury of the wind was terrible �� but not terrible enough to sway them. Nephis had invoked the True Name of the wind, lessening the pressure on the graceful ship. The Chain Breaker stubbornly cut through the mist, refusing to be pushed back.


    The violence of the raging currents was daunting �� but not daunting enough to stop them. Guided by Cassie''s steady hand, the Chain Breaker broke through the fortress wall of the towering waves, never straying off course. By then, the natural flow of the Great River was replaced entirely by a terrifying tide that was pulling them deeper and deeper into the mist. The deck beneath their feet was tilted downward, indicating that they were sliding into the giant, insatiable maw of the colossal whirlpool. Instead of allowing the ship to be carried by the current, Cassie kept its bow pointed perpendicular to the rush of seething water, cutting as short a line to the center of the vortex as possible. It took a lot of effort to keep the Chain Breaker under control, but she managed it splendidly.


    It was still too early to take to the sky. Sunny and Nephis had long joined Cassie at the stern. Fiend and Crow Crow were hiding under the sacred tree, both soaked in water and miserable, while Nightmare had dissolved into shadows and hid in their dark embrace. Only Saint remained on the bow of the ship, standing there like an immovable onyx statue. The plume of her helmet danced in the wind.


    It was easy to get lost in the mist, but the radiance of the Guiding Light was showing them the way. Straining against the howling wind, Sunny yelled:


    "How much longer?!" Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    Because of it, the speed of the Chain Breaker fell even more. ''Damn it!''


    Sunny had been counting the seconds. It had already been a full minute since the moment Nephis stepped into the circle... more than they had been able to fly in the tentative test the day before. The radiance of her eyes was dimming


    And yet...


    Suddenly, Nephis moved and smoothly raised one of the oars. At the same time, the Chain Breaker began to descend.


    Gradually, the fury of the winds was extinguished. The mist was still obscuring the world...


    But then, the ancient vessel finally fell onto soft, white sand.


    There was a violent crash, but the hull of the Chain Breaker withstood the impact. The runic circle fell dormant once again, and the enchantments lost all power. There was nothing but mist around them... and silence.


    They had reached Wind Flower.

 Chapter 1399 Misty Shore

    Chapter 1399 Misty Shore


    Sunny waited for a moment, then slowly straightened and looked around. The Chain Breaker was laying on white sand, tilted awkwardly. It had shattered the side of a black cliff and was now leaning on it, which prevented the ship from turning over. They had gotten lucky despite the blind landing.


    The fog was still there, obscuring the world, but it had become less thick. Sunny could make out the figure of Saint standing still on the bow of the beached vessel, as well as more cliffs rising high above them. It seemed that Nephis had guided the Chain Breaker to a small strip of sand at the very edge of the island.


    Changing Star herself was leaning heavily on the steering oars. Her face was paler than usual, and the white flames were gone from her eyes �� she had completely exhausted her essence to carry the ship across the dark abyss.


    Sunny grimaced. It was very unfortunate to have one of them utterly drained of essence right now. No one knew what dangers were waiting for them on the misty shore... these first minutes could very well prove to be of vital importance. Not that there had been a choice. "I''m fine." Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    Noticing his gaze, Nephis forced out a faint smile and put a hand on the hilt of her sword. "I can still put up a fight."


    Sunny nodded, having no doubt in her ability to do just that, despite this weakened state. She was a seasoned slayer. Nevertheless, they had to be careful not to allow themselves to be wounded �� it would be quite a while before Nephis could heal them again. Cassie used the Guiding Light to pick herself off the deck and shivered slightly as the mist caressed her skin. Her expression was troubled. Noticing it, Sunny tensed as well. "What is it?"


    The blind girl had an intuition that was far superior to even his. It had saved their lives numerous times, so seeing her this nervous was not a good sight. She lingered for a while, then shook her head with a frown.


    "I''m... not sure. I just have a very ominous feeling. This place, Wind Flower... every part of me is screaming that we are in danger."


    He scowled, then took a step forward. "Let''s go, then."


    Jumping over the railing, he plummeted down and landed on the sand. A moment later, Nephis was by his side. Saint and Fiend landed with a bit more noise than the two of them, and lastly, Nightmare leaped from the deck of the ship, carrying Cassie on his back. The six of them remained motionless for a few moments, listening to the silence of Wind Flower. There were no sounds around them, no movement. Only the soft white sand and the black cliffs faintly visible in the fog. A piece of rock fell from the shattered crag and rolled down, the noise both dampened and made louder by the mist. It echoes, making them tense. Sunny took a deep breath. His vision was obstructed by the fog, and strangely enough, so was his shadow sense. It was not entirely gone, but the range was limited to about as far as he could see. Beyond that, the shadows felt vague and unreliable. He didn''t like being that vulnerable at all. At least the fog itself did not feel dangerous. It was a nuisance, sure, but far from being as senselessly terrifying as the mists of the Hollow Mountains. ''Curse it all...''


    Frowning, Sunny took a step forward. ...As he did, a human figure suddenly revealed itself from the murky veil of the fog. He flinched to tensed, ready to attack, but then froze.


    Black eyes, porcelain skin... the Sin of Solace was looking at him mockingly. "What, did I scare you? Ah, how tiresome."


    It was the damned apparition.


    Sunny gritted his teeth and walked past the sword wraith, heading straight for the cliffs. At the same time, he sent three of his five shadows in different directions, ordering them to cautiously scout ahead. ''Slow and steady... slow and steady...''


    Effie and Jet had already been on this island for more than a year. They would have to wait for a few hours, or even days, more. If Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie were too hasty and proceeded recklessly, they could very well die before finding the lost members of the cohort.


    He was not going to underestimate the perils of Wind Flower. ...But he was going to find his friends, no matter what.


    ''There can''t be any mistakes...''

 Chapter 1400 Footprints in the Sand

    Chapter 1400 Footprints in the Sand


    As Sunny''s shadows climbed the cliffs, he and his companions cautiously advanced up the beach. Even the crow, who had been anxious and impatient to find its master all this time, seemed wary and subdued. The black bird was sitting on Sunny''s shoulder, its feathers raised, and kept silent. The mist swirled silently around them. Saint and Fiend were in the rear, both ready to defend against an unexpected attack at any moment. Sunny and Nephis were in the middle. Cassie rode Nightmare at the front of the group, her back straight. The radiance of the Guiding Light that she held up illuminated the way. At some point, the shadow steed suddenly stopped. Sunny gripped the hilt of the Sin of Solace tighter and said in a low voice:


    "What is it?"


    Cassie remained motionless for a moment, then pointed the sacred staff down, at the ground. When Sunny and Nephis approached, they immediately understood why. Out there in the white sand, hidden in the mist, was a line of lonesome footprints. Sunny kneeled to study them, a frown appearing on his face. "Those were left by a human."


    Neph''s voice echoed in the fog. He nodded slightly.


    Indeed, the shallow prints left in the sand belonged to a human. From the look of it, someone had walked across the beach, barefoot... it was hard to tell the gender of the person just from these traces, but they could not have been of a very large stature �� both the size and the depths of the footprints proved otherwise.


    The traces also looked fresh. They could not have been left more than a few hours ago.


    Sunny felt a cold chill creeping up his spine. ...Who was talking barefoot walks in this harrowing place?


    There was another strange detail about the footprints. Contrary to what Sunny would have expected, the line of them came from the direction of the cliffs and disappeared in the mist, heading toward the edge of the island. And yet, they had not met or heard anyone on their way here. He hesitated for a few moments, then looked at Nephis and said:


    "Wait here."


    Leaving one shadow behind to step out of it should the need arise, Sunny stood up and followed the footprints into the fog. Soon, his companions disappeared from view, and he was left alone in the swirling mist. ''Ah... I don''t like it.''


    If not for the fact that he could still see them through the shadow, Sunny would have been tempted to turn back. A few minutes later, he reached the end of the beach. The edge of the island opened into an abyssal chasm, the view of the colossal whirlpool and the darkness hiding below obscured by the fog. Sunny felt something he had not felt for a long time... a sense of vertigo.


    ''Come now, really... I can turn into a bird. Is it really necessary to be afraid of heights?''


    As they climbed the stairs, Sunny walked behind Nephis. At some point, he noticed that she was paying a lot of attention to the stone steps disappearing beneath their feet. "What are you thinking about?"


    She hesitated for a few moments, then said evenly:


    "These are man-made."


    Sunny nodded. After a short pause, Neph added:


    "Which means that they must have been cut from stone by the Seeker who lived on this island."


    It was a logical conclusion. Sunny glanced at the stone steps, thinking about how ancient they were. Then, he scowled. "You noticed it, too?"


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then answered Neph''s question with another nod.


    These stairs were strange. They were supposed to be ancient, and yet, there was no sign of corrosion on them. The steps were not weathered and ground down by the endless assault of the elements... instead, they were perfectly preserved and sharp, as if someone had cut them just yesterday.


    ''Is this rock indestructible, or are there strange things happening to time on this island?''


    Sunny wanted to examine this question further, but at that moment...


    He froze. Out there, far ahead, the shadow he had sent toward the tower heard a sound. Although it was muffled by the mist, Sunny would never fail to recognize it. It was the sound of steel clashing against steel, followed by a scream of pain.


    At the same moment, the crow that had been sitting silently on his shoulder suddenly jumped into the air and shot forward, instantly disappearing into the fog. Sunny''s eyes widened. ''Jet!''

 Chapter 1401 One of Those Situations

    Chapter 1401 One of Those Situations


    Sunny had recognized the voice. There was no doubt that the person screaming in pain in the depths of the forest was Jet... she was so close!


    And in danger. He hesitated for a moment. ''Bad, bad...'' Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    His intuition was telling him that something absolutely deadly waited for him in the mist. Blindly rushing forward could very well invite disaster. And more than that, the scream itself was suspicious... Was Soul Reaper Jet someone to scream from pain? No, she wasn''t. Sunny had seen her maintain composure while impaled on a jagged piece of alloy. Someone... something could have been mimicking her voice to lure them into a trap. He had met creatures that lived in the mist and mimicked human voices before, after all. The memory alone was enough to make him shudder. And yet...


    What if it really was her? If there was something on the island that had made Jet shriek in agony, then the danger she faced was truly dire. There was no time to hesitate at all. "Sunny?"


    He flinched, then looked at Nephis somberly. Despite Sunny''s shaken state, he knew that he had already made the decision. His voice was steady when he spoke:


    "Someone is fighting in the forest, about four kilometers from the top of the stairs. It should be Jet. I''m going."


    She looked at him for a moment, then nodded calmly and unsheathed her sword. "We''ll be right behind you, then." As Cassie commanded the Guiding Light to point its radiance to where Sunny was instead of Effie, he dove into the shadows. ''I''m doing something very dangerous...''


    Throughout the years, Sunny had often been forced to take unacceptable risks. But that was only because his back had been against the wall, and the circumstances had not allowed him to make a different choice. If possible, he preferred to win every battle before it even started, or at least get as close to ensuring the favorable result as possible. Observing his enemy, making careful preparations, dictating the ebb and flow of the battle... that was where he felt the most comfortable, and where his Aspect truly shined. Right now, Sunny had no idea what enemy he was going to face, was rushing into battle without having made any preparations, and did not hold any initiative at all.


    Much worse, he was doing all these things here, in the depths of the Third Nightmare, surrounded by the mists of Wind Flower �� it was hard to imagine a place more perilous than that.


    ''It''s just one of those situations where I only have bad choices. It''s going to be alright, though... I''ve survived all the previous gambles, so I''ll pull through this time, as well!''


    Stepping out of the shadow that had heard Jet''s voice, Sunny gave it an order to wrap itself around him and dashed into the mist with as much speed as he could muster. At the same time, he called the other two scouting shadows back. It was going to take a bit of time for them to return, but still... he preferred to plan ahead. Tearing through the fog, Sunny swiftly traversed the remaining distance to the place where the scream had come from. Soon, he broke free of the pine trees and entered a wide clearing.


    The everpresent fog was a bit thinner here, allowing him to see a dozen meters or so in all directions. Sunny dug his heels into the soft moss and slid for a few meters before coming to a halt. The Sin of Solace was already raised, ready to strike.


    ...But there was no movement around him. Sunny froze for a split second, scanning the misty clearing. He didn''t see or sense any enemies, at least not in the small area he could perceive. What he did sense, however... was the familiar smell of blood.


    ''There!''


    Out there in front of him, hidden by fog, a figure was slumped on the ground. Dashing forward, Sunny approached the figure and staggered. ''C��curse it...''


    It was indeed Jet. However, she was... she was...


    Her black leather armor seemed unbroken, and yet, Soul Reaper''s beautiful face was contorted in a grimace of pure agony. A moment later, Sunny noticed a strange incongruity about her... looking closer, he understood that Jet''s right arm was laying a bit too far from her body. It had been viciously severed near the shoulder. The hand was still clutched into a fist, but the glaive gripped in it was broken, already dissipating into a stream of white sparks. The moss was greedily absorbing dark, steaming blood.


    His chest suddenly felt constricted. ''N��neph has not recovered her essence yet...''


    As he thought that, Jet suddenly opened her eyes. They had always been icy and blue, but now, the blue color had become so intense that it almost seemed as if it was glowing in the dim twilight of the misty island. There was a hint of recognition in her dazed gaze. Her lips moved, but Sunny failed to discern the barely audible whisper. ''Hold on, Jet! Hold on...''


    Kneeling in front of her, he lowered his head and listened.


    It was an agony unlike anything he had ever experienced. As Sunny watched with disbelieving eyes, his vision blurry, the happy shadow was out there, in front of him... impaled on a ghostly blade. Once lively and joyful, it was now empty and hollow.


    Dead. The Spell whispered solemnly into his ear:


    [Your shadow has been destroyed.]


    [Your shadow core has been destroyed.]


    ''G��gloomy!''


    Sunny was paralyzed by pain, but he tried to move nevertheless. However, it was too late. The mist wraith was suddenly on the opposite side of the clearing, and he was brought to the ground by another wave of unimaginable, killing torment. [Your shadow... has...]


    [Your... core... destroyed...]


    His soul was severely damaged. Two of his shadow cores had shattered, and his soul was falling apart. ''No, no, no...''


    Letting out a tortured howl, Sunny struggled to stand up. But all he managed was to rise to one knee. It was then that he felt a cold presence looming above him.


    Looking up, he saw it...


    Two icy blue eyes, looking down at him with inhuman coldness.


    Laying on the ground, Jet whispered in a voice that was like a dying flame:


    "...me."


    Then, a ghostly blade pierced Sunny''s chest.


    It passed through the dark fabric of Ananke''s Mantle and the black silk of the Shroud of Dusk as if they were no obstacles at all. Neither Marble Shell nor Bone Weave offered it any resistance, either.


    The blade did not cut Sunny''s skin, nor did it sever his flesh.


    Instead, it struck directly at his lightless soul.


    Already damaged, it crumbled from that single strike.


    ...That was how Sunny had been slain by Undying Slaughter of the Six Plagues.


    For the first time.

 Chapter 1402 Sunny Waited for a Moment

    Chapter 1402 Sunny Waited for a Moment


    ...Sunny waited for a moment, then slowly straightened and looked around. The Chain Breaker was laying on white sand, tilted awkwardly. It had shattered the side of a black cliff and was now leaning on it, which prevented the ship from turning over. They had gotten lucky despite the blind landing.


    The fog was still there, obscuring the world, but it had become less thick. Sunny could make out the figure of Saint standing still on the bow of the grounded vessel, as well as more cliffs rising high above them. It seemed that Nephis had guided the Chain Breaker to a small sand beach at the very edge of the island.


    Neph herself was leaning heavily on the steering oars, drained of essence. Sunny grimaced.


    ''It was inevitable, but we should be careful not to receive any serious wounds. She won''t be able to heal us any time soon.''


    Nephis, meanwhile, had already regained her composure. "I''m fine. I can still put up a fight."


    ''Well, of course you can. I have no doubt about that.''


    After exchanging a few words with them, Cassie used the Guiding Light to make it point in the direction where Effie supposedly was. ''Or her lifeless body... or something else entirely.''


    Sunny couldn''t suppress his anxiety anymore. He scowled and took a step forward, ready to leap down to the beach.


    ''That gluttonous woman... she''d better be alive. Or else... or else I''ll be very cross with her.''


    Jumping over the railing, he plummeted down and landed on the sand. A moment later, Nephis was by his side. Saint and Fiend landed with a bit more noise than the two of them, and lastly, Nightmare leaped from the deck of the ship, carrying Cassie on his back. The six of them remained motionless for a few moments, listening to the silence of Wind Flower. There were no sounds around them, no movement. Only the soft white sand and the black cliffs faintly visible in the fog. A piece of rock fell from the shattered crag and rolled down, the noise both dampened and made louder by the mist. It echoed, making them tense. Feeling very uncomfortable because of how suppressed both his vision and shadow sense were, Sunny took a step forward. Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    ...As he did, a human figure suddenly revealed itself from the murky veil of the fog. He flinched and tensed, ready to attack, but then froze.


    Black eyes, porcelain skin... the Sin of Solace looked at him contemptuously and spat: "Gods. This again! I''m so sick of it..."


    Sunny gritted his teeth and walked past the damned sword wraith...


    But then he lingered for a moment. Suddenly, a strange sense of de?ja? vu overcame him. ''Huh...''


    Why did he feel as if the Sin of Solace was supposed to say something else?


    Shaking his head, Sunny ignored the loathsome apparition and headed straight for the cliffs.


    ...Less than an hour later, he was wreathing on the ground, overwhelmed by unbearable agony. His lightless soul was mutilated and slowly falling apart. As Sunny arduously rose to one knee, a cold gaze pierced him from above. ''No, no, no...''


    Then, a ghostly blade pierced his chest.


    Sunny died.


    ***


    ...Sunny waited for a moment, then slowly straightened and looked around.


    ...Sunny waited for a moment, then slowly straightened and looked around.


    ...Sunny waited for a moment, then slowly straightened and looked around.


    He died in agony.


    He died in agony. He died in agony.


    He died.


    *** The Chain Breaker was laying on white sand, tilted awkwardly. Nephis was leaning on the steering oars, utterly drained of essence.


    After Cassie used the Guiding Light to point them in the direction where Effie was supposed to be, Sunny jumped down to the beach and headed toward the cliffs.


    As he did, a pale apparition appeared from the mist and scared him.


    The Sin of Solace glared at him silently, not saying anything.


    ''What is up with that bastard?''


    Ignoring the loathsome wraith, Sunny walked past and advanced cautiously through the fog. A strange sense of de?ja? vu suddenly overwhelmed him, but he dismissed it.


    ''Slow and steady... slow and steady...''


    However, something was still gnawing on his mind.


    Scowling, Sunny stopped, lingered for a few moments, and turned around. "Hey, you. Weren''t you going to say something?"


    Nephis looked at him with a hint of surprise.


    "Are you talking to your sword?"


    Sunny nodded and continued staring at the Sin of Solace, who silently glared at him back. ''Why do I feel so strange?''


    He remained motionless for a while, his expression growing darker. Eventually, Sunny uttered a curse and shook his head. "Hold on. I... I think something is not right..."

 Chapter 1403 Deja Vu

    Chapter 1403 Deja Vu


    Because of Sunny, they spent more time near the Chain Breaker than they had planned. However, he simply couldn''t tell what it was that had made him feel so uncomfortable. After a while, there was no choice but to head for the cliffs. Cassie rode Nightmare at the front of the group, Sunny and Nephis followed, while Saint and Fiend were defending the rear. As they walked, Sunny remained silent, a deep frown on his face. ''I just... I feel strange.''


    It was as if he had taken these steps before. The white sand, the swirling mist, the black edifices of the tall cliffs... it all felt eerily familiar. ''What is going on?''


    Eventually, they discovered a line of footprints in the sand. Sunny should have felt surprised and curious, but he barely paid the mysterious discovery any attention. As if it was only natural for the footprints to be there. "Those were left by a human."


    He shivered slightly and looked at Nephis. How had he known that she would say these exact words?


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then said quietly:


    "Wait here."


    Why did he feel almost... obligated to respond that way?


    Deeply disturbed, Sunny left one of his shadows behind and followed the line of footprints to the edge of the island. There were so many questions he should have been asking himself... like who had left these traces? Had that person really jumped into the abyssal chasm? Or had they survived and escaped the suffocating mist?


    But instead, Sunny was mostly thinking about why it felt as if he had already visited the edge of the island before. The Sin of Solace was there, as well, glaring at him silently. ''Why is he not saying anything? I feel like he should have said something already. Like encourage me to jump, too.''


    Scowling, Sunny returned to Nephis and Cassie. "The footprints lead to the edge of the island. I didn''t find anything else, so... let''s trace them in the other direction."


    When they nodded and prepared to set out, he suddenly added:


    "Wait, don''t you... don''t you feel that something is strange?"


    Nephis looked at him with her usual impassive expression. "Everything here is strange." Sunny had no choice but to agree. It was a stupid question, to begin with... of course, everything felt strange on a mystical island hidden behind a barrier of a colossal whirlpool. They continued forward and eventually reached stone steps leading up the hills. Fiend took the lead, and the group cautiously started the ascent. As they walked, Sunny couldn''t shake off the feeling that these steps looked eerily familiar. ''Just what the hell is going on with me... am I under some kind of mind hex again?''


    By now, Sunny''s resistance to mental attack was rather high. Even the Sin of Solace, a Transcendent Memory of the Fifth Tier, was having trouble driving him truly and utterly insane. He did not doubt that there were beings in the Tomb of Ariel that could shatter his defenses... but he did doubt that there was something here that could do so without him noticing. ''Then what is it?''


    Looking up, he noticed that Nephis was staring intently at the stone steps.


    ''She must have noticed that they are not weathered at all, as if the Seeker who had lived on the island created them just yesterday.''


    Wait... when had he come to these conclusions himself?


    It just seemed so obvious. As Sunny froze, feeling very confused, one of the scouting shadows suddenly heard the sound of steel clashing against steel, followed by a pained scream. He didn''t feel surprised at all, as if this was the most natural thing in the world. The black crow that had been sitting on his shoulder suddenly dashed into the fog. ''Was that Jet''s voice?''


    Why did thinking about Jet fill him with a cold sense of dread?


    "Sunny?"


    Cassie and Nephis had noticed his dazed state.


    He lingered for a moment. "Someone is fighting in the forest, about four kilometers from the top of the stairs. It should be Jet. I''m going."


    The words left his mouth as if he had rehearsed them. Nephis nodded.


    "We''ll be right..."


    [Your shadow has been destroyed.]


    ''Your shadow core has been destroyed.''


    [Your shadow core has been destroyed.]


    ''Now, Gloomy...''


    Another flash of indescribable torment pierced his existence, throwing Sunny to the ground.


    Wreathing in pain, he struggled to stand up.


    ''I... I knew this would happen. How did I know?''


    Finally, he managed to rise to one knee. The mist was suddenly unbearably cold, casing his body to shiver. Sunny raised his head and saw two icy blue eyes looking down at him.


    ''I am going to die now.''


    The ghostly blade pierced his chest.


    ***


    Sunny waited for a moment, then slowly straightened and looked around. The Chain Breaker was laying on white sand, tilted awkwardly...


    The forest clearing was gone. The bleeding, broken figure of Jet was gone. The corpses of his shadows were gone, too. ...But he remembered it all clearly. The misty shore, the black cliffs, the cold twilight of the pine forest, the dread of dying on his knees. ''I died.''


    But he had not. Otherwise, how would he be standing here, on the deck of the Chain Breaker?


    ''Neph and Cassie must have saved me, somehow, and retreated back to the ship.''


    It was at that moment that he heard Neph''s voice: "I''m fine. I can still put up a fight."


    Sunny flinched and stared at her with a deadpan expression.


    "What... what did you just say?"


    She raised an eyebrow.


    "I said I can still fight."


    Sunny continued to stare at her silently.


    His mind was utterly empty.


    ''These are the exact words she said when we first landed on the island. No, not just her words. Everything is exactly the same.''


    He looked around again, noting every small detail of their surroundings. He was right �� it was as if the last hour had never happened. As if Sunny had returned to the past. He slowly raised a hand and ran it across his face.


    ''...What the hell is going on?''

 Chapter 1404 Another Round

    Chapter 1404 Another Round


    ''It''s exactly the same.''


    The Chain Breaker was leaning on a broken cliff, the mist swirling around it. Saint was standing motionlessly at the bow of the ship. Nephis had just stated that she would still be able to fight despite exhausting all her essence.


    Sunny looked at her, then shifted slightly and threw a glance at Cassie.


    ''The last time, I noticed her troubled expression and asked if there was something wrong. She explained how her instincts were screaming of danger.''


    He hesitated for a few moments and kept silent. Nephis, however, did not. Noting that Cassie seemed concerned about something, she asked evenly:


    "Have you sensed something?"


    The blind girl shook her head with a frown. "Nothing specific. I just have a very ominous feeling. This place, Wind Flower... every part of me is screaming that we are in danger."


    Sunny''s eyes widened slightly. The wording had changed a little, but it was almost exactly the same response.


    ''...How?'' VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    While Nephis and Cassie went about locating the direction where Effie supposedly was with the help of the Guiding Light, he observed them without saying anything. His mind was strangely split between two extremes �� one part of it had turned cold and analytical, driven into a heightened state of utmost vigilance.


    ''...How?''


    While Nephis and Cassie went about locating the direction where Effie supposedly was with the help of the Guiding Light, he observed them without saying anything. His mind was strangely split between two extremes �� one part of it had turned cold and analytical, driven into a heightened state of utmost vigilance.


    The other... the other was shaken and distraught, still reeling from the agony of dying to the ghostly blade. The shock of remembering his harrowing demise was so visceral that Sunny wanted nothing more than to topple to the deck and curl into a shivering ball. Perhaps he had only managed to remain standing because he was frozen stiff. "Sunny? Let''s go... if you don''t mind."


    They were already ascending the stone steps... which meant that Jet was going to be attacked by Undying Slaughter in a matter of minutes. Seconds?


    ''Curse it!''


    His mind ignited. Thinking as fast and best as he could, Sunny cursed himself for being such a fool. He wasted almost an entire hour trying to understand why he had been sent into the past instead of considering how to deal with the future!


    Even if he was in shock after having his soul torn apart and dying in agony, there was no excuse. ''What do I do now?''


    He remembered his naive thoughts bitterly. He would pull through again, somehow? It was just another gamble?


    ''It seems I have finally become arrogant.''


    And paid a heavy price for it. The heaviest price there could be. ''Doesn''t matter! There''s no time to feel regret, I need to decide what to do now!''


    A small, cowardly part of him instantly had an answer. The safest thing to do was to abandon Jet and save himself from having to face Undying Slaughter. He knew that he would die in that clearing... so why go there at all?


    But even knowing the danger...


    He couldn''t let Jet die.


    ''Go there and fight, then?''


    It was not such a foolish thought. The reason why Sunny had lost the last time around was because he had dove into the battle blind and without making any preparations. Now, however, he knew exactly what enemy he would be facing... and although there was very little time left before the clash, he could at least prepare a few things. ''I still don''t know enough about Undying Slaughter.''


    Fighting her now would be unwise. But he did not really need to... all he had to do was grab Jet and run. At that point, the shadow he had sent to scout ahead finally heard it. The sound of clashing steel, followed by Soul Reaper''s pained scream. Sunny gritted his teeth.


    ''L��let''s... let''s do this.''

 Chapter 1405 Undone

    Chapter 1405 Undone


    Dismissing the Sin of Solace, Sunny called upon the Cruel Sight and looked at Nephis. There was no time to explain everything, but he still had to warn them in advance.


    What to say? How would he even explain a situation like that?


    Not finding any good words, Sunny just said what came to mind: Updated from


    "I... found Jet. She is being attacked by a powerful enemy �� a wraith-like creature capable of dealing damage directly to our souls. I''ll try to get Jet and retreat... prepare for battle!"


    Before she had time to respond, Sunny already dove into the shadows. ''The reason I died was because I lost the initiative by not knowing the nature of the enemy and not having the correct weapon to deal with a wraith immediately at hand. Most importantly, I failed to realize that my shadows would be vulnerable to Undying Slaughter''s attacks, as well.''


    He had dodged the first attack of the Defiled without too much trouble. It was unknown which one of them would have lost in the end after the Cruel Sight had manifested itself... in a normal fight. However, Undying Slaughter had moved to destroy his shadows first. It was no surprise that she had known just how to kill him in one fell swoop... after all, the mist wraith was most likely a Defiled version of Soul Reaper Jet using her future Transformation Ability. Jet knew a lot about his Aspect, and the future Jet would have known even more.


    That had been Sunny''s undoing. After a vast part of his soul had been destroyed, he was in no condition to put up any further resistance. So, he died miserably on his knees.


    Sunny pulled back his spear and froze, tensely observing the mist. Despite the fact that their roles had reversed, and he was the one to deliver an unexpected attack, the end result was the same. Undying Slaughter had dissipated into the fog, and he was left not knowing where the next blow would come from. Or he would have, if not for the fact that he knew the future.


    ''Wrong.''


    Sunny knew what would have happened, not what would happen. Him changing the opening exchange of the battle could have changed what Undying Slaughter would do, as well. He still had to be careful. However, the next few seconds went just as they had before. The mist wraith did not attack him again, hiding and waiting... until the happy shadow flew from behind the trees and rushed toward its master. Sunny remembered the harrowing agony of having his soul torn apart and felt his hair stand on end. The mist swirled, and the wraith hiding within it moved to intercept the swift shadow.


    ''D��damn it...'' Even knowing what was about to come, he couldn''t suppress his fear.


    Undying Slaughter brought its ghostly blade down... but before it could plunge into the shadow, it was met by another blade.


    This one made of pure darkness. As two ruby flames ignited in the depths of his shadow, Saint deflected the wraith''s blow and stepped into the clearing. "Blade of Darkness" Ability Description: [The true darkness dwelling in this Shadow''s heart can be summoned in the form of a fearsome weapon, as long as the Shadow has mastered the use of that weapon. The Blade of Darkness can slay those of flesh and those of spirit; it never dulls, never falters, and never breaks. Alternatively, the darkness can be summoned to augment a mundane weapon.]


    Saint''s dark sword could cut both tangible and intangible enemies, just like the Cruel Sight could. More than that, she was immune to soul damage... which made his taciturn Shadow an almost perfect adversary for the hateful mist wraith. Even if Undying Slaughter was a Defiled Transcendent like the Mad Prince was, Saint was a Transcendent Devil. Their power... at least theoretically... was on par. Or so Sunny hoped. Faced with the dark blade, the mist wraith glided back. The next moment, a second shadow appeared in the clearing. Fiend jumped out of it, infernal flames burning in his eyes. The happy shadow wrapped itself around the graceful stone knight, while the gloomy one wrapped itself around the steel ogre. Sunny himself was augmented by the other three.


    Undying Slaughter was caught in the middle of a triangle formed by Saint, Fiend, and Sunny. ''Let''s see who will die now.''


    Forcing himself to grin, Sunny gripped the Cruel Sight tighter and dashed forward.

 Chapter 1406 Undying

    Chapter 1406 Undying


    ...Sunny waited for a moment, then slowly straightened and looked around. The Chain Breaker was laying on white sand, tilted awkwardly. Updated from nation!''


    His trembling fist collided with the railing and splintered the enchanted wood. He didn''t feel the pain. ''Curse it! Curse it all!''


    "Sunny? Are you alright?"


    Sunny lingered for a moment, took a labored breath, then looked himself over and slowly turned to Nephis.


    His voice sounded hoarse: "...Yes. It seems that I am." In the end... he still lost to Undying Slaughter. The odds seemed to be in his favor. He successfully avoided having his shadows destroyed, summoned Saint and Fiend, and managed to wrestle the initiative from the ghostly claws of the mist wraith.


    Suddenly, he felt a strange sense of incongruity. Mere seconds ago, Sunny had been fighting for his life, watching his Shadows die in fear and sorrow. He had watched Jet die, as well.


    He had even died himself... again.


    And yet, Nephis and Cassie were behaving as if nothing had happened. Well... it had not, for them. Sunny understood that, but he still couldn''t help but feel ashamed, angry, and resentful.


    He lingered for a few moments, and then forced out a smile. "...Yeah. I can still put up a fight, too."


    He smiled widened slightly, growing both darker and more sincere. It was true. Sunny might have lost to Undying Slaughter again, but he acquired something extremely valuable from that loss. Looking around, he took in the sight of the swirling mist, white sand, and the black cliffs. ''So I''m back again...''


    What he received was truly precious. It was the knowledge that his strange return to the past was not a one-time thing.


    Which meant that he was not done fighting.

 Chapter 1407 Moving in a Circle

    Chapter 1407 Moving in a Circle


    Giving him a nod, Nephis went about asking Cassie to use the Guiding Light to locate Effie. Sunny, meanwhile, remained motionless. He was somewhat lost in thought. ''First of all... stay calm.''


    His behavior up until now had been nothing short of embarrassing. Of course, there were extenuating circumstances. During his first... round?... Sunny had been barely conscious of the fact that time was repeating itself. During the second try, he was still reeling and in shock from dying gruesomely at the hands of Undying Slaughter. But this was his third attempt �� this time, he had to maintain his composure and not lose control.


    ''...No, not quite right.''


    Who was to say that this attempt was his third? It was only the third attempt since he had become aware of the fact that everything was repeating itself. There was no telling how many times he had died before that. Still deep in thought, Sunny glanced at Nephis and Cassie. He remained motionless for a few moments, then silently walked over to Nightmare and adjusted the stirrups of the Overpriced Saddle to make it easier for the blind girl to mount. Soon, they abandoned the ship and stepped on the white sand of the misty beach. Sunny walked in the back, looking down with a somber expression on his face. He did not react in any way when the Sin of Solace suddenly appeared from the fog. The sword wraith stared at him mockingly. "Calling the Shadows? Shame the only thing you achieved was getting them killed... like you get everyone else who follows you killed. Hey, here''s an idea! How about you ask Nephis and Cassia for help next?"


    Sunny spared him a grim look, causing the Sin of Solace to cover his mouth with a hand theatrically. "Ah. I''ve said a bit too much, haven''t I?"


    Sunny looked away.


    ''It is as I thought.''


    It seemed that the sword wraith had become aware of the fact that time was repeating itself long before Sunny. What was it that the Sin of Solace had said the last time? The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    ''I am actually starting to enjoy this. Let''s go for another round, shall we?''


    Back then, Sunny had only paid attention to the fact that the wraith was behaving differently from the past, unlike everyone else. But now, it was clear that the apparition had already known about the twisted nature of time on Wind Flower.


    His thoughts turned somber. ''The "how" and "why" are clear. Now what?''


    Undying Slaughter was far more fearsome than Sunny had expected. He had lost to her bitterly...


    Which was not to say that he could not win. If Sunny entered the battle with Nephis, Nightmare, Cassie, and her Echoes... if he prepared better...


    He would still probably lose and watch everyone die. For the first few times, at least... few dozen times? Few hundred times?


    If the loop was infinite, it did not matter. Sooner or later, he would learn enough and find a way to kill Undying Slaughter. But was the loop really infinite? And even if it was, what would killing Undying Slaughter even achieve?


    She would come back to life as soon as the next revolution started, just like Sunny had been coming back to life. His face suddenly paled. ''Is it all... meaningless?''


    Fighting Undying Slaughter, saving Jet, searching for Effie... it was indeed meaningless if he did not know a way to escape the loop. But was it even possible to escape it? ''It has to be.''


    The Serpent King had come to Wind Flower and returned, after all. There was a way, so Sunny just had to find it. First and foremost, he needed information. How did the loop function? What were its boundaries? When did time terminate and turn back? And much, much more. ''I need to learn all kinds of stuff.''


    The future... promised to be rather interesting.


    And incredibly tiring. Sunny shuddered, imagining how many more times he was going to die.

 Chapter 1408 Closest Path

    Chapter 1408 Closest Path


    By the time the three of them reached the line of footsteps in the sand, Sunny had formulated a rough plan of what he had to do during this particular revolution. Well... it wasn''t much of a plan. There were too many paths he could take, so he simply chose one that was the closest. Jet was not that far, and had to know more about what was happening on the island than he did. So, Sunny was determined to find her before Undying Slaughter did.


    He was not enthused about the idea of fighting the dreadful wraith again so soon. Luckily, there was a high possibility that he could snatch Jet and escape without exchanging a single blow with the Defiled. ''What I need right now is not strength, but speed.''


    Sunny glanced at Nephis and Cassie. He would have to share his knowledge with his companions sooner or later, without a doubt. Just imagining that conversation made him uncomfortable, though. It was a rather bizarre thing to say to someone, that they had been living the same hour over and over again without ever realizing it. ''I''ll tell them the next time... hopefully, there will be a next time.''


    Sunny suspected that the loop was endless �� it should have existed for as long as the colossal whirlpool existed, which had already been hundreds of years �� but he couldn''t be sure. So, for now, he had to treat each revolution as if it was the last one.


    ''I''ll tell them after I''m back, then.'' Sadly, he had already wasted a lot of time coming to this realization, so there was none of it left for lengthy explanations. Noticing his intense gaze, Nephis looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Sunny hesitated for a few moments, considering his words carefully, then opened his mouth and said just three of them:


    "Aster, Song, Vale."


    Her expression changed slightly, becoming darker and more intense. It was not exactly the same murderous reaction as she had showed on the Ashen Barrow, but Sunny still felt a little uncomfortable. Nephis frowned. "Why..."


    She paused for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Are we under a mind hex again?"


    Sunny shook his head. "No. But... something similar. Right now, I need you two to not ask questions and do what I tell you. Can you do that?"


    Cassie had turned around in the saddle, a troubled expression appearing on her face. She remained silent, though, waiting for Nephis to speak. Neph stared at him for a few long moments, then nodded slowly. "Alright."


    Sunny sighed with relief. He knew that she trusted him... but blindly trusting someone was not easy. It was even harder to suppress one''s curiosity. Personally, he would have had a lot of trouble both with the former and the latter. He forced out a smile. "Good. Then return to the ship and hide. Stay safe until I return."


    ...Coincidentally, that direction led back toward the now-distant clearing. Sending Nightmare into a gallop, Sunny feverishly took in his surroundings. Despite the fact that the trunks of the tall pines were flying past him with terrible speed, he still managed to notice the marks. Sometimes, there were bloody handprints on the trees. Sometimes, there were drops of blood on the ground. Sunny guided his steed to follow the bloody trail.


    And then, finally...


    A human figure appeared from the fog, leaning heavily on a tree. She was hunched and pale as a ghost, but her glaive was raised, ready to attack.


    He heard a hoarse whisper:


    "Come get me, wench..."


    It was Jet. A moment later, the image of an infernal black stallion appearing from the mist reflected in the icy depths of her piercing blue eyes, with a rider in a flying black mantle leaning low in the saddle. Her pupils widened in astonishment.


    "S��Sunny?"


    Extending a hand in Jet''s direction, he shouted:


    "No time to explain!"


    Her hesitation lasted only for a split second. Dropping the glaive to the ground, Jet reached out with her own bloodied hand. Grabbing it, Sunny pulled. A moment later, Soul Reaper was sitting right behind him, clutching onto the folds of Ananke''s Mantle. The glaive disappeared into a rain of sparks. Sunny commanded Nightmare to get the hell out of the misty forest as soon as possible. As the Shadow carried the two Masters away, Jet leaned forward and asked in a pained voice:


    "I''m... not complaining... but... how the hell are you here?"


    He grinned. ''What a complicated question.''


    "How else? I came on a ship!"

 Chapter 1409 Covering the Tracks

    Chapter 1409 Covering the Tracks


    Sunny did not guide Nightmare directly back to the Chain Breaker. He had managed to follow Jet''s bloody trail, after all, so Undying Slaughter would most likely be able to, as well. Since Sunny did not want to lead her to Nephis and Cassie, he had to cover their tracks first. The problem was, he didn''t really know how to do it. Tracking was one of the basic skills taught during the Wilderness Survival course, which obviously covered covering the tracks as well. But... he needed to know the capabilities of the enemy to know how to hide from them, and Undying Slaughter was still largely a mystery.


    Remembering the line of footprints leading to the edge of the island, Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then turned his steed to the left. They were still moving in the general direction of the cliffs, but to a point far removed from the stone steps. With winds whistling in his ears, Sunny raised his voice slightly:


    "Where''s Effie?"


    There was a lot he had to ask and tell Jet, but this question was the most important. He both dreaded and couldn''t wait to hear the answer.


    She remained silent for a moment, probably wondering how he knew that the two of them had been together, then said in a stifled tone: "...I''m not sure. We were separated in the vortex."


    Sunny''s expression fell. He gritted his teeth, then forced himself to calm down. ''It''s alright.'' Updated from


    It was better than alright, really. Judging from Jet''s words, Effie was most likely still alive. The loop had even conveniently solved the dire problem of her Flaw. Here on Wind Flower, he would never starve to death.


    Sunny hesitated for a moment. ''...Can this be why Undying Slaughter is here, too?''


    The mist wraith possessed the same Flaw as Jet, which meant that she had to kill in order to survive. That might have been fine back when the forces of the Defilement were besieging the cities of the sybils. But now that these cities were gone, what was there for Undying Slaughter to... slaughter?


    "Sunny, I need to warn you. I''m being pursued by..." Jet''s voice was pained and hoarse. The corner of his mouth twitched. "I know. Let''s talk later... for now, hold on tight."


    Jet grinned.


    She was not going to bleed to death, anyway... in the worst case, she would just revert to a more corpse-like state. Sunny studied her for a few moments, then nodded. "Let''s go, then. Our ship is not far from here."


    They walked into the fog.


    ***


    Soon after, they were in the main cargo hold of the Chain Breaker. The air here smelled of blood, but Jet looked much better �� even though Nephis had not recovered enough essence to use her healing powers yet, both she and Cassie possessed Memories capable of treating small wounds.


    It was one of the benefits of belonging to a great clan. Jet had dismissed the upper part of her armor and was sitting on a crate, her torso wrapped in bandages. There was a generous amount of food on another crate in front of her, as well as fruit juice and freshly brewed tea. She was devouring the improvised meal voraciously. Crow Crow was sitting on her shoulder, seemingly enraptured and glued to his master. From time to time, Jet absentmindedly fed it a piece of fruit.


    Nothing had found and attacked the beached ship yet, but Sunny was still tense. At the same time... he felt incredibly relieved. It was so reassuring to have Jet here with him, alive and relatively unscathed. Nephis and Cassie seemed elated, too, even if they weren''t as close with the infamous government Master. Their group of three had become a group of four.


    ''Good...''


    Another great thing about bringing Jet back was that Sunny was going to have an easier time explaining things to everyone. When she seemed to have satiated her hunger, somewhat, he leaned forward and said:


    "Alright. Now, I''ll try to explain a few things."

 Chapter 1410 River Nomads

    Chapter 1410 River Nomads


    The three women looked at him expectedly. Sunny hesitated for a few moments. "You know where we are, right, Jet? In general, I mean."


    Taking the cup of tea and cradling it in her hands, she nodded. "Yeah... we are inside that weird pyramid. Somehow. This place is the Great River, which is supposed to flow endlessly from the future into the past."


    He sighed in relief. It seemed that Effie and Jet had learned a few things about the nature of the Third Nightmare, as well. "Indeed. Because of the nature of the Great River, there are all kinds of strange things happening to time in this Nightmare. For example... Nephis and I have been here for about four months now. But Cassie has been here for more than a year."


    Nephis and Cassie nodded calmly, since they had already known that fact. Jet, however, seemed perplexed.


    "What?"


    Sunny looked at her, lingered for a moment, and said:


    "Yeah. What about you?"


    Soul Reaper suddenly seemed uncertain. He touched her hair briefly, then blinked a couple times. "About... two months? Effie and I were sent to the same place, two months ago."


    This time, it was Neph''s and Cassie''s turn to look stunned.


    "How can that be?"


    Sunny smiled faintly. "I''ll explain in a bit. But first, Jet... can you tell us what has happened to you two?" She took a sip of tee, then smiled back at him.


    "Effie and I were separated while trying to reach the island. And here we are, I guess."


    Nephis glanced at Cassie, then frowned a little. "What do you mean? How long have you been here?"


    Jet looked at her with surprise. ''There, the moment of truth.''


    She scratched her head. "A couple hours? I landed, tried to search for Effie, and got lost in the mist. Then, that thing attacked me... I managed to flee, but she would have probably finished me off soon if not for Sunny. Talk about a prince on a white horse... who needs one when there''s a pauper on a black horse, right?"


    Soul Reaper grinned and downed the rest of her tea in one gulp. A satisfied expression appeared on her face. Nephis and Cassie, meanwhile, seemed troubled. The blind girl frowned:


    "But how is it possible? Your Echo arrived at Fallen Grace many months ago."


    Jet stared at her, bewildered. "What? Wait... I thought that you guys were already on the island. Wasn''t that why Crow Crow was able to find Sunny so fast?


    Cassie shook her head. "No... we only ventured to find Wind Flower after learning that the two of you were here."


    Soul Reaper leaned back.


    "That doesn''t make any sense."


    Everyone grew quiet, failing to understand the strange discrepancy. In that silence, Sunny finally spoke:


    "It''s because time moves in a circle on this island."

 Chapter 1411 Monster Preserve

    Chapter 1411 Monster Preserve


    Updated from


    Nephis, Cassie, and Jet stared at him incredulously. Pierced by three intense gazes, each belonging to a beautiful woman, Sunny shifted uncomfortably and pulled on the collar of the Shroud of Dusk.


    ''I, uh... I think I really need to start socializing with guys more... why am I always surrounded by lethal beauties?''


    Eventually, Nephis repeated his words evenly:


    "Moves in a circle?"


    Sunny nodded. "Yes. I only became aware of it a few hours ago... or a few revolutions ago, to be precise. Think about it �� the waters of the Great River represent time, and we are surrounded by an enormous whirlpool. So..."


    He pointed to Jet. "You only remember being on Wind Flower for a couple of hours, but in fact, you''ve been here for almost a year. The time you spent in the Nightmare is the same as Cassie."


    Looking at their tense expressions, Sunny sighed. "Well, in fact, what I said earlier is not entirely accurate. It seems that Nephis and I entered the Nightmare four months ago, while you and Cassie entered it more than a year ago. But there is no telling how many times the time repeated itself before I became aware of the loop, so... although I don''t think that it''s the case, we might very well have been stuck on this island for a hundred years. There''s no way to tell unless we leave."


    Everyone remained silent for a while. When the pause grew too long, Cassie finally asked in a hesitant tone:


    "These previous... revolutions... do you mean that we have already explored the island several times, but you are the only one who remembers it?"


    Sunny''s face grew dark. He looked away, grimaced, and then said somberly:


    "Explored the island? Not really. We barely left the beach when Undying Slaughter attacked Jet in the forest... each time, I went ahead to try and stop her, and each time, I died miserably. Jet, too."


    Soul Reaper threw a sharp glance at him and paled a little. It was not a pleasant thing to hear that you had been killed. The corners of her mouth twisted into a dark smile. "...How regrettable."


    He sighed. "This is the first time I managed to live past an hour. So, I don''t really know much about the loop yet. I''m sure it doesn''t terminate each time I die, which means that Nephis and Cassie must have lived longer. You might have even survived long enough to reach the termination point �� but since your memories are erased between revolutions, it''s impossible to tell."


    Nephis raised an eyebrow. "Why are you the only one who remembers?"


    The blind girl hesitated for a moment. "If it''s like Sunny said, then I finally understand why this place feels so dangerous. Think about it... previously, we only knew that no one returns from Wind Flower. Human ships, the Defiled, Nightmare Creatures �� very few things that enter the whirlpool can ever escape. I assumed that all these beings had perished here, somehow. But if some of them are trapped in this time loop just like us..."


    Her face paled a little. "...Then this island is teeming with all kinds of abominations that have been caught, but managed to reach the island instead of being swallowed by the vortex. How many of them must have accumulated here over the centuries? How many horrors are hiding in the mist?"


    Cassie shook her head. "If the time loop really exists, then Wind Flower... it''s like a monster preserve."


    And uneasy silence settled in the cargo bay. Everyone''s expressions grew ugly. ''A monster preserve...''


    Sunny looked resentfully into the distance. She was right... considering the pulling force of the vortex, all kinds of abominable creatures must have been caught by the whirlpool over the centuries. Most of them had perished in its depths, but plenty would have managed to reach the island. And since time here was stagnant, moving in a circle... all of them were still here, good as new.


    A chill crept up his spine. This place... just what kind of hell was it?


    Nephis, meanwhile, rose and put her hand on the hilt of her sword. Her usually impassive face was somber, but determined. "Be that as it may... our goal still remains the same."


    The rest of them looked at her silently. She frowned. "Our goal was to find Effie and Soul Reaper Jet, then return to Fallen Grace. We are still missing Effie, so... no matter if there is a time anomaly or not, nothing really changed. We have no choice but to venture out, find her, and escape."


    Sunny gave her a grim look. "There is one problem, though. Who is going to fuel the Chain Breaker with essence? Yours is already consumed, and it won''t be sufficiently replenished any time soon."


    Nephis shrugged. "You can do it, as long as we time our escape and leave at dusk. Or dawn."


    He sighed, then stood up and nodded. "Alright, then. I agree... the longer we wait, the higher the chances are that Effie will meet fatal danger. Let''s make a detour to avoid Undying Slaughter and follow the Guiding Light deeper inland."


    Jet winced, but stood up, too. Her bandages were painted red by blood. "Count me in."


    Finally, only Cassie was left sitting. She glanced at the sacred staff in her hand, then rose and took a deep breath. "...No time to waste, then."


    After spending a little time to discuss their strategy and prepare, the group left the Chain Breaker and stepped on the white sand once again.

 Chapter 1412 Misty Forest.

    Chapter 1412 Misty Forest.


    Sunny had managed to survive longer than an hour. He had avoided clashing with Undying Slaughter, and even rescued Jet...


    And yet, he was not very reassured. As the cohort left the Chain Breaker behind and ventured into the swirling mist once again, he was not confident that they would survive at all. In fact, he dreaded Wind Flower even more. "How many times do you think you can die before sanity abandons you completely?"


    The Sin of Solace, who was walking alongside him, was not helping at all. The sword wraith laughed.


    "Considering how thick your skull is... I''d wager a few dozen times more. Yes, after that, you''ll probably turn into a drooling fool. Gods. I wonder if I''ll still be stuck with you after you''ve become a vegetable..."


    Trying to ignore the infuriating apparition, Sunny kept his eyes on the fog. ''In your dreams.''


    He only had to take one look at Nightmare to know that a few dozen deaths would not break him. The Sin of Solace was simply gloating. A few years of torturous deaths, though...


    ''We need to escape this horrible place as soon as possible.''


    The cohort was advancing up the beach in a similar formation to the previous revolutions, but now, Jet was walking behind Sunny and Nephis. Cassie had summoned her Echoes, as well, who were now moving in front of Nightmare. Together, they represented a formidable battle force... and yet, Sunny did not know if their power was enough to survive the suffocating fog of Wind Flower. ''I''m starting to understand why there are so few Saints around...''


    ''...tion!''


    It was a huge, grotesque Nightmare Creature that resembled a carcass of an enormous black leopard, its bones protruding from the rotting flesh. Its tale was abnormally long, segmented, and ended in a revolting circular maw that brimmed with needle-like teeth. The creature''s own yellow canines, though, were much more terrifying �� each was as long as a greatsword and covered in dried blood. The abomination was so large that its shadow covered the entire cohort. Much worse... the moment Sunny saw it, he felt an invisible pressure wash over him, filling his heart with a sense of dread. It was a Great Beast. ...Before the monstrosity could plummet on the cohort, two towering shadow tentacles rose from the ground and entangled its front limbs, slowing the creature down. The beast''s skeletal jaws snapped viciously, obliterating the manifested shadows in an instant, but it gave the members of the cohort enough time, at least, to dash in different directions. The abomination landed on the spot where they had been a split second ago. The ghastly tail of the creature was already shooting back with terrifying speed, its circular maw opened to bite into Cassie''s flesh. The blind girl sidestepped, barely avoiding being torn apart by it, and brought her staff down on the segmented tail. A moment later, she was flung aside like an ant. The Azure Serpent had been a king among beasts, while this one was merely a beast... and yet, it was a Great Nightmare Creature. It was too powerful, too fast, and too resilient. On the other side, the beast swiped its rotting paw in the direction Sunny and Nephis. Augmented by the shadows and soul flame, both managed to dodge the lethal blow... even if it was just by a hair''s breadth. But as soon as they did, the creature''s jaws were already in front of them, ready to snap shut and turn the two humans into chunks of torn meat. Neither Sunny nor Nephis had regained their balance yet �� there was no for them to evade. Luckily, at that moment, Saint crashed into the side of the abomination''s head, using her shield as a siege ram. The power of the blow was terrible enough to bring a fortress wall down, but the skull of the Great Beast only swung to the side a little. It did not seem as if the creature had sustained any damage at all.


    And all of that �� from the moment the creature landed to now �� only took a split second to happen. ''Not good...''


    The Azure Serpent had been a king among beasts, while this one was merely a beast... and yet, it was a Great Nightmare Creature. It was too powerful, too fast, and too resilient. ''Can we defeat it?''


    Sunny knew that they could. With his Shadows, Cassie''s Echoes, and especially the Crown of Dawn... they had a non-negligible chance of defeating this monstrosity. However, they could also all die here.


    ''I don''t want to die...''


    Even knowing that he would most likely return to the starting point of the loop, Sunny still shuddered at the thought of having his flesh torn apart and his bones ground to dust. He was even more reluctant to watch his companions be killed by the ghastly abomination. ''It''s simple... don''t die, then.''


    Gritting his teeth, he lunged forward.

 Chapter 1413 Falling Trees

    Chapter 1413 Falling Trees


    The Quiet Dancer zipped through the air and hit the base of the Great Beast''s revolting tail. However, the sharp tip of the temperamental Echo bounced off the tough hide of the creature without leaving even a scratch on it. At the same time, Fiend growled and put himself in the path of the creature''s crushing paw. The towering ogre was barely able to grasp it �� the decaying claws of the abomination struck him on the chest, leaving deep grooves in the black silver. The ground under the gluttonous Shadow caved in, but he remained standing. For a moment. Then, the horrid beast pushed Fiend down and covered him with its massive paw. At the same time, Saint dodged the snapping jaws and lashed out with her sword, leaving a thin crack on the creature''s skeletal snout.


    The dead sybil and the clockwork swordsmen attacked the enemy from behind. Nightmare rammed into it, lowering his head to gore the abominations with his horns. Then, all of them were flung aside. The steel mannequin dissolved into a rain of sparks, destroyed. The sybil collided with a trunk of an ancient pine, shattered it into splinters, and fell to the ground, unmoving. Nightmare barely managed to dissolve into the shadows in time, but still lost a large chunk of flesh. Saint blocked the blow with her shield and slid a dozen meters back. The Shadows and the Echoes only lasted a second against the Great Beast''s fury. But that second gave Sunny time to call upon the shadows and manifest them into the Shadowspawn Shell. He wished he could assume the form of the Onyx Serpent, but it was poorly suited for battles on land. A tide of darkness flowed from the open gate of the Shadow Lantern, rising to form into countless chains. They bound the ghastly creature like ropes, but were torn apart a moment later.


    Sunny, Nephis, and Jet launched their attack. Neph''s silvery longsword ignited with blinding radiance as she dove under the abomination''s jaws and thrust her weapon into its neck. Sunny delivered a devastating blow to the monstrous leopard''s snout �� empowered by the Crown of Dawn, the Sin of Solace sent a few small fragments of bone flying. Jet lunged at the Great Beast from the side, aiming to plunge her glaive into its very soul. But before she could, the long, flexible tail of the horrid creature whipped around. Jet barely managed to avoid it by dashing back, while Sunny was not so lucky. His movements were suppressed by the need to keep himself away from the harrowing jaws, and so, the circular maw at the end of the segmented tail greedily closed on the side of the shadowspawn. The right shoulder and side of his shell were entirely destroyed. Sunny instantly lost two of his four arms �� one simply disappeared, the other fell apart, revealing shredded human flesh beneath. Neph''s sword pierced the Great Beast''s neck, but before she could deal significant damage, a lightning-fast strike of a mighty paw destroyed the radiant blade and sent her rolling away.


    Sunny stumbled back, desperately trying to prevent his shell from crumbling and using the shadows of the misty forest to try and hastily repair the damage. They had managed to make the Great Beast bleed... or rather, delivered it a wound. The decaying creature did not seem like something that had blood running through its veins. However...


    ''Does it even mean anything?''


    Just in a few seconds, one of Cassie''s Echoes had been destroyed, while the other one was heavily damaged. Nightmare was already wounded. Fiend had escaped from beneath the creature''s paw, and Saint seemed unharmed as well... but Sunny himself was already injured. His arm was a mess of torn flesh, and although he would not suffer from blood loss, it was in a bad state. Would they be able to kill the ghastly abomination?


    For a split second, the violence subsided. Nephis had nimbly jumped to her feet and was already summoning a different weapon. Jet had regained her balance. Sunny switched to a one-hand grip and prepared both of his swords for an attack. Saint was already closing distance... Cassie was moving forward, the Guiding Light shimmering in the fog. The decaying leopard opened its skeletal maw and let out a chilling, gurgling growl.


    When Sunny heard it, his vision blurred slightly. ''A mental attack?'' Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    His resistance to mind attacks was high enough to shrug it off, but he felt cold dread nevertheless. Handling the overwhelming physical might of the enormous Great Beast was already close to impossible... if the abominations possessed more means of subjugating its enemies, this battle would swiftly turn from ugly to hopeless. ...It was then that another sound reached their ears. Echoing eerily in the fog, a loud crack resounded, as if a tree had snapped and was falling somewhere in the forest. The horrid leopard suddenly froze. Its skeletal snout turned, and it lowered its body low to the ground. The segmented tail rose like that of a scorpion, protecting the creature''s back. ''What... what is this?''


    Why did it look as if the Great Beast was... afraid?


    Even if he didn''t know from which direction the attack would come from, Cassie would. She could see a few seconds into the future, after all �� it was all but impossible to get her by surprise. Turning slightly, Sunny tensely studied the blind girl. She was holding the Guiding Light in front of her, ready to deflect a sudden attack. It seemed that she had not felt anything dangerous, yet...


    ''Maybe it''s go...''


    But then, Cassie''s shoulders trembled slightly. Her Aspect Ability had shown her the future.


    ...She did not turn to face the unseen enemy, though.


    Instead, her hands dropped, and she lowered her head. Which meant...


    That in the future Cassie saw, there was no escape. Sunny stared at her in disbelief. ''No!''


    A moment later, he was swallowed by a heavy shadow. Looking up, Sunny saw a hand stretching toward them from the fog above. It seemed like a human hand... except that it was almost the same size as the Great Beast had been. He could see the lines on the giant palm, and the blackened, broken, bloodied nails at the ends of the long, bruised fingers. The giant hand moved deceptively slow... but before Sunny could even blink, it was already upon them. Without ever slowing down, it smashed into the members of the cohort, squashing them like bugs. Sunny died. This time, his death was mercifully swift.


    ***


    ...Sunny waited for a moment, then slowly straightened. The deck of the Chain Breaker felt solid under his feet. This time, he simply peered into the fog instead of looking around... not that he could see anything. His gaze was dark and hollow. ''...I failed again.''


    His face was pale and unmoving. In front of him, the mists of Wind Flower flowed slowly, swirling in indifference as they devoured the world. Everything was as it had been before.

 Chapter 1414 Bone Garden

    Chapter 1414 Bone Garden


    Nephis and Cassie were talking about the Guiding Light. With no one noticing his hollow eyes, Sunny lingered for a while, then walked over to Nightmare. He reached to adjust the stirrups and froze. After a moment of hesitation, Sunny climbed into the saddle instead. His companions looked at him in confusion. "Sunny?"


    He stared into the mist. "Stay here for a while. Please. I''ll... I''ll be back soon."


    With that, Nightmare leaped off the deck of the Chain Breaker and carried him into the fog. ''Damn it, damn it, damn it...''


    The ghastly leopard had already been bad enough, and yet... Sunny felt that the cohort would have been able to slay the dreadful creature, if at a steep cost. But that bloodied hand...


    They had not even caught a glimpse of the nebulous being that wandered the mist, snapping the towering pine trees like matchsticks. It had torn a Great Beast apart and obliterated them so casually... how was Sunny supposed to contend with something that oppressive and ineffable?


    It felt as though something was pressing down heavily on his heart.


    Was it... fear?


    ''Damn it!''


    Saying those words, Sunny once again rode Nightmare and dove into the mist.


    ''I can do it... I can... can I do it?''


    This time, he was holding the Guiding Light in his hand. The softly shining crystal at the tip of the sacred staff was pointing deeper inland.


    However...


    Sunny couldn''t follow its guidance directly. Somewhere out there in front of him, Undying Slaughter was hiding in the mist. To his left was the territory of the Great Beast, the decaying leopard. That was also where they had met the harrowing giant the last time. So, this time, Sunny turned right.


    Reaching the end of the beach, he and Nightmare turned into shadows and scaled the black cliffs. Sunny had passed this way once already, the first time he had carried Jet back. However, that time, they had been moving along the outer border of the island, so he did not know what was waiting for him on the surface.


    There was only the same forest, and the same fog. Leaving the shadows, he sent Nightmare running across the narrow strip of land between the edge of the cliffs and trees. It was some time before the trees receded, and the forest suddenly came to an end. Sunny stopped his steed, looking forward tensely. In front of him, the pine trees gave way to an open field. Most of it was obscured by mist, but he could see vague shapes rising from it like tall pillars. They emanated a chilling, dire, and vaguely familiar feeling. Sunny hesitated for a while, then turned into a shadow and cautiously slithered forward. Soon, the tall shapes revealed themselves fully. He grew somber after recognizing them for what they were �� the towering pillars were, in fact, giant bones. The entire shore in this part of Wind Flower was littered by them, as if it was a graveyard for all kinds of gargantuan beings. From the look of the ancient remains, the leviathans that had left them behind were all Nightmare Creatures �� abominable, dreadful, and appalling dwellers of the depths. Sunny was both shocked and unnerved by witnessing the skeletal remains of so many depth dwellers. Had their bones been carried here by someone? Had the abominations come to this shore to die on their own over the ages? Or had there been a titanic battle here that led to all these monstrous creatures being slaughtered by an unknown assailant?


    He did not know. What he did now, however...


    Suppressing his panic, Sunny hid in the skull of an especially large creature and looked ahead. There, no more than two dozen meters away from him, something dark and massive had just moved in the fog.

 Chapter 1415 Empty Shells

    Chapter 1415 Empty Shells


    Sunny would have held his breath if he wasn''t a shadow at the moment. Out there, in front of him, something massive was hiding in the fog. If not for the slight movement just now, he would have mistaken it for another pile of towering bones... that movement might have saved his life. ''Curse it...''


    Because of the mist, he could only see a vague, dark shape. The details were obscured, and he could tell that the creature was enormous. It also instilled him with a deep, bestial feeling of dread. A strange, sweet smell permeated the air. Sunny froze, hiding in the skull of a dead leviathan. He did not know what to do �� moving forward was out of the question. But moving back could potentially inform the enemy of his presence as well. That only left Shadow Step. However, before he tried to slip away, Sunny lingered for a few moments. Something was gnawing at him. Why did this presence feel... familiar? He had felt a strange familiarity ever since entering the monster graveyard. It was faint, but unmistakable. ''Why?''


    Had he been to this part of the island already, in one of the revolutions that he did not remember? No, that did not make any sense. Before becoming aware of the loop, Sunny had to have repeated the same actions over and over �� going forward alone to rescue Jet, and dying to Undying Slaughter''s ghostly blade. So how could anything on Wind Flower feel familiar? At that moment, a strong gale blew from the direction of the vortex, and the mist receded.


    The giant creature hiding in the fog was revealed in all its eerie, grotesque beauty. Sunny shuddered. The massive shape he had noticed... was a revolting butterfly. The butterfly''s wings and back were black, but its body and underbelly were the color of white bone. It had six long, seemingly fragile legs that ended in sharp points, and two enormous, faceted eyes that were like orbs of pure darkness. Between them was a disturbingly long, oily-black beak, which was currently bent into a spiral like an elephant''s trunk. Two long antennae rose from its head. The eerie black butterfly was about a hundred meters in size. It was the same Great Monster that had battled the Serpent King for an entire month for the right to devour the remains of the Black Turtle.


    ''The... the Dark Butterfly? What is it doing here?''


    For a few moments, Sunny''s mind was in turmoil. He had traveled so far into the past from the beginning of the Nightmare, and yet, this grotesque horror somehow ended catching up to him nevertheless. Had it been following him and Nephis from the start?


    He hesitated for a few moments, and then cautiously left the skull of a dead leviathan. Sliding closer to the giant butterfly, Sunny extended his senses and studied its shadow. The shadow was empty, like the shadows of all inanimate objects were. The Dark Butterfly that had frightened him so much... was it no threat at all?


    Sunny remained in the form of the shadow for a while, observing the gargantuan creature. The Great Monster sat among the bones with its wings laying listlessly on the ground. It seemed to be breathing, but other than that, it remained absolutely still. Its giant, faceted eyes were dull and empty. After a while, Sunny returned to his tangible form and cautiously approached the creature. Even when he walked to stand under its terrifying beak, the Dark Butterfly did not react. ''It truly is Hollow.''


    He hesitated for a few moments, then looked down. There, in the shadow of the creature''s wings, clusters of revolting eggs were embedded into slimy cocoons. Each egg was twice the size of Sunny and translucent. He could see the viscous, milky liquid and the shapes of giant worm-like larvae within. The shadows of the eggs were just as lifeless as the butterfly itself. Sunny stared at the eggs for a while, then threw a glance at the Great Monster. Then, holding his breath, he walked forward and sliced one open with the Sin of Solace. The revolting larva fell apart and convulsed, dead. However, the Spell did not announce a kill. He did not receive shadow fragments, either. There were no soul shards in the repulsive flesh of the dead, giant worm.


    ''...Hollow.'' Sunny shivered. ''What is going on?'' Suddenly terrified, he backed away, then turned around and walked into the mist. It took him a lot of effort to not run. All of it... the torturous deaths, the suffocating mist, the orchard of ancient bones, the Hollow monster... was too much to endure. Walking among the remains of dead horrors, enveloped in milky fog, Sunny couldn''t help but feel that this hell was everything there was to the world. Everything else �� all that existed in his memory �� felt like a strange, distant dream.


    Climbing into the saddle of Nightmare, he raised the Guiding Light and slumped, trembling. After a while, he said hoarsely:


    "...Let''s go."


    Soon, the towering bones disappeared into the mist.

 Chapter 1416 Invisible Scars.

    Chapter 1416 Invisible Scars.


    As Nightmare carried him away from the graveyard of horrors, Sunny managed to regain some of his composure. By then, they were moving deeper inland, following the light of the sacred staff. Effie was supposed to be at the end of that light.


    As time passed, he couldn''t help but think back to the Hollow Butterfly. The Great Monster must have landed on the hidden island a long time ago �� but also only a few hours ago �� to lay eggs. Then, it was caught in the time loop and somehow ended up with its soul destroyed. Sunny had never heard about a Nightmare Creature becoming Hollow, but it was not impossible. The question was... how had it happened? The obvious answer was that the gargantuan creature had been attacked by someone who could destroy souls. When a soul was destroyed, the body usually died with it... but on rare occasions, it survived. That was how Hollow humans appeared, so the same thing could have happened to this Great Monster. There certainly could be a creature capable of shattering souls on this hellish island... and powerful enough to slay a Great Monster. In fact, Sunny did not even need to ponder long to think of one. Wasn''t Undying Slaughter a perfect candidate?


    Killing a Great Monster was all but a hopeless endeavor for the members of the cohort, but to the mist wraith, it would be no different from what facing Carapace Centurions had been for the Sleepers of the Forgotten Shore. Fatally dangerous, but not at all impossible.


    There could be more soul breakers on Wind Flower, as well. Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    That said...


    Somehow, Sunny did not think that that was what had happened. Not because he didn''t think that Undying Slaughter was incapable of slaying the Dark Butterfly, but because he didn''t think that she was capable of doing so without leaving any trace of the battle.


    The Dark Butterfly was a Great Monster, and as such, it possessed two Corruption Cores. That meant that the Defiled wraith had to deliver at least two blows to its soul in order to destroy it. Would the aerial horror have remained idle while it was being killed?


    Not a chance. If it had been attacked, the whole place would have been turned upside down with one flip of its enormous wings. And yet, there was no trace of destruction around the monstrous butterfly. The bones surrounding it were unharmed, and the ground was unbroken. All its eggs were whole. It was almost as if...


    And then another, and another, and another...


    But all this time, he was most likely on a timer. Time was merciless, and even when it repeated itself, living beings were not meant to be eternal. ''I have to make each revolution count.''


    Steeling himself, Sunny looked into the surrounding mist and forced himself to calm down. Right now, he needed to survive the trip into the depths of the island, find Effie, and return to the Chain Breaker. That was all he had to think about. There were many harrowing creatures hiding in the fog, without a doubt. But he was one of the most elusive Awakened in the world... even in the Antarctic Center, when everyone had perished, Sunny managed to escape alive. He might not be able to slay Undying Slaughter, the dreadful giant wandering the mist, and the other abominations trapped on Wind Flower... but he would at least have a chance to run away from them. ''Not the most courageous statement, but who needs courage, anyway? Being a coward is what keeps people alive.''


    He vaguely remembered lecturing Master Roan on the topic. That past seemed so distant...


    Sunny wondered how the White Feather Clan was doing. By now, Antarctica must have been completely decimated. Had Saint Tyris and her people been able to evacuate in time, or were they gone, too?


    Shaking his head, he threw all unnecessary thoughts away and concentrated on his surroundings. Nightmare had carried him far inland, by now. They were once again in the pine forest, but... did it only seem that way, or was the mist less thick here? Somewhat surprised, Sunny realized that he could see much further in the fog than he had before. The ground was also inclined, as if they were climbing a hill. The higher they climbed and the closer to the center of Wind Flower they traveled, the less oppressive the mist became. And then, when they finally crested the hill...


    Sunny stopped Nightmare and looked up, feeling a cold shadow fall upon him.


    In front of him, some distance away, a tall tower rose into the sky. Its windows were dark, except for one.


    At the very top of the tower, a single window shone with a bright, warm, welcoming light.

 Chapter 1417 War Beast

    Chapter 1417 War Beast


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, looking at the landscape in front of him. The tower stood on a tall black cliff, perched on top of it like a grey obelisk. There were stone steps climbing down the cliff from its ornate gate, leading to a bridge that arched across the wide moat. Surrounded by the forest from all sides, the tower was like an island in the sea of swirling white mist. The light in one of its windows was not the only peculiar thing Sunny had noticed, too. The most striking detail was the moat itself. The water in it was churning and flowing, moving endlessly in a circle. The current was powerful enough to dissuade Sunny from trying to cross it �� not he would consider doing such a thing on an island surrounded by a mysterious whirlpool of time. That made the bridge the only feasible way of getting to the tower apart from flying. The bridge, however...


    Sunny''s expression dimmed. The bridge was littered with inhuman bones. There were a few living Nightmare Creatures standing on it, as well �� all of them stiff and eerily motionless, as if petrified. Just one look at that scene made Sunny reluctant to go anywhere near the bridge. He did not need to, anyway. The Guiding Light was pointing past the tower, at the vast expanse of the misty forest behind it. Effie seemed to have landed on the opposite side of the island from Jet. Still, it was not going to hurt him to observe the tower some more. It was the former citadel of the powerful Seeker who had once lived on Wind Flower, after all �� even though investigating it was not the reason why Sunny and his companions had arrived at the island, he had a sneaking suspicion that they would end up having to, somehow. After staring at the tower for a while longer, Sunny noticed that there were runes carved into the base of the black cliff. They were hard to notice from a distance due to the color of the weathered rock, but he had no doubt that there was a massive enchantment of some sort surrounding the Seeker''s citadel. Perhaps the bones littering the bridge ended up there because of the enchantment. Finally, Sunny looked up and focused on the single illuminated window at the top of the tower. ''I do wonder what is hidden there.''


    But it was not his business. Not in this revolution, at least... Rather, Sunny was concerned that the Nightmare Creatures standing motionlessly on the bridge would regain their senses and catch his scent. Throwing a look at them, he grimaced. ''Corrupted Tyrant, Great Beast... a Terror...''


    The last one did not even look like something that should be able to exist on land. How had that thing reached so far inland? Sunny shook his head, reluctant to find out. He was ready to send Nightmare away when the ground quaked subtly under them. Instantly, Sunny paled.


    Then, the familiar sound of snapping trees reached his ears, making the blood in his veins turn to ice. A split second later, both the rider and his steed disappeared, turning into shadows. Hiding in the darkness, Sunny suppressed his fear and looked in the direction from which the cracking sound had come. Frozen, he watched as a towering figure slowly appeared from the mist. ''D��damnation!''


    It... made sense, really. Sunny had theorized that the mist wraith had been sent here to satiate her Flaw. Why would the Devouring Beast be any different? Her hunger was just like Jet''s need to kill living beings. Without the cities full of humans to devour, it could only lead to disaster. How could a creature that always needed to kill and a creature that always needed to consume remain in Verge? If these two abominable slayers were not sent somewhere where their Flaws could be contained, they would have brought the city of the Defiled to extinction, as well. Had they come here voluntarily? Or had the Dread Lord lured and imprisoned them here once the sybils were defeated?


    In any case, the situation of the cohort did not change.


    Sunny stared at the harrowing giantess for a few more moments, then rushed away as fast as he could. He and Nightmare had to escape before she noticed them.


    ''I guess... I did find Effie.''


    However, that abomination was not the Effie he wanted to find.

 Chapter 1418 Point of Return

    Chapter 1418 Point of Return


    Luckily, Sunny managed to slide down the hill and escape into the mist before Devouring Beast noticed him. Still, he didn''t dare to leave the embrace of shadows for a while. ''Effie...''


    Effie''s Aspect had always been uniquely powerful �� which was no surprise, considering its Transcendent Rank. Even on the Forgotten Shore, there had been few people more capable than her. Some, like Caster of Han Li Clan, had been superior to the solitary huntress in certain facets of physical combat, but none had been as well-rounded. That was one of the reasons why Effie had survived years of hunting the Dark City abominations alone. Her Aspect was all about battle and physical prowess... so, Sunny was not sure that Devouring Beast even had means of destroying his intangible form. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry. ...His heart was cold and heavy. ''How do I fight something like that?''


    Effie''s Dormant Ability granted her a powerful and, more importantly, comprehensive physical augmentation. She was inconceivably strong, fast, enduring, resilient... now that Sunny was a Tyrant, the gap between them was not vast, but she was still superior to him in certain aspects. The same went for her Awakened Ability. It basically made her skin as tough as steel... Sunny, on the other hand, had his Marble Shell. The two could be compared, but although the Shell was more versatile, it was not as stalwart in terms of pure defensive potential. Of course, he had Shadow Step instead, making him much more mobile and elusive on and outside the battlefield. He had Shadow Manifestation, as well, while Effie''s Ascended Ability was meant to empower her allies. So, there was no question about who would win in a duel. No matter how much Sunny admired his boisterous friend, he knew that she stood no chance in a fight against him. With Shadow Dance, it would not even be close... much more so if his Shadows were involved. But that was Effie. Devouring Beast, on the other hand... Updated from


    Was a Defiled Saint. Her Transformation was to become a towering giant, and that giant inherited the benefits of her other Aspect Abilities, as well �� all of them elevated to a higher Rank. The strength of a dozen men, the skin of steel. Her gargantuan figure would also be much more visible on a battlefield, making it so that entire armies would be able to see her and benefit from her Ascended Ability.


    ''What a monster...''


    Sunny was already terrified at the thought of having to face the mist wraith in a battle. The bestial giant... was, in a sense, even more harrowing.


    And before he knew it...


    ''I... I feel...''


    ***


    Sunny waited for a moment, then slowly straightened. He was standing on the deck of the Chain Breaker, surrounded by mist. ''W��what?''


    He... was back to the start. Even though he had not died, the time still reversed, and was now repeating itself. A stunned expression appeared on Sunny''s face.


    ''Did I... reach the end of the loop?''


    He felt certain that he had. The loop only encompassed a single day.

 Chapter 1419 Mother of Learning.

    Chapter 1419 Mother of Learning.


    Looking into the swirling mist, Sunny let out a long sigh. He suddenly felt tired.


    Or rather, not so suddenly. Time was repeating itself inside the loop, and while his body was restored to its initial condition at the start of each revolution, mental exhaustion remained. The Chain Breaker had just landed on the shore of Wind Flower, but Sunny himself... he had already spent an entire day on highest alert, in constant tension, playing a lethal game of cat and mouse with dreadful abominations. And that was after dying miserably several times in a row.


    Of course, he felt tired. Frowning, Sunny went about the usual routine of asking Cassie and Nephis to wait, then riding Nightmare into the mist to find Jet. Then, he brought her back to the Chain Breaker and explained the nature of Wind Flower to the members of the cohort once again.


    Things were getting... repetitive.


    If there was one constantly changing thing about the time loop, though, it was the Sin of Solace. The sword wraith had all kinds of hateful comments to whip him with, coming up with new ones in every revolution. Sunny was almost glad to have some variety, even if it was both infuriating and hurtful. After settling the matters on the beached ship, Sunny ventured to find Effie for the second time.


    However, he failed again. Sunny did not even make it to the dark chasm... he was killed by Undying Slaughter while searching for Jet.


    The next time, he fell prey to a horrid creature that resembled an unholy hybrid between a centipede, a scorpion, a human, and a praying mantis. That happened soon after leaving the bone garden. Then, he managed to reach the chasm once again. Instead of climbing down into its perilous darkness, Sunny tried to fly to the other side by turning into a crow. Halfway across, he heard a quiet rustle, and something dove at him from above. The next moment, he was back on the deck of the Chain Breaker again. During the attempt after that, he was caught by the enormous abomination that Devouring Beast had consumed near the tower in one of the previous revolutions... dissolving in the viscous acid, Sunny only managed to growl a hoarse curse. Then, his words were replaced by agonized screams. Back on the Chain Breaker, Sunny grabbed the railing and lowered his head. His expression was dim. ''Ah...'' Updated from


    Sunny found Jet and whisked her away before Undying Slaughter had a chance to catch up to her past self. Returning to the Chain Breaker, he gave his usual speech and departed once again in search of Effie. He reached the bone garden and turned inland. He avoided the horrid mantis. He gave the slip to the giant octopus-like monstrosity, and even escaped from Devouring Beast without being noticed. Riding past the lonesome tower, he dove back into the misty forest and successfully avoided being killed by the Nightmare Creatures waiting for him there. Eventually, Sunny reached the chasm again.


    Hiding beneath a tree, he looked somberly at the mist above. He still had no idea what kind of flying horror killed him the last time he tried to cross the chasm... the creature had never attacked him in the forest, but since there was nothing to hide him while traversing the chasm by air, the risk was too great. Climbing down again was also a bad idea. The legion of black millipedes hiding at the bottom of the deep canyon was too dreadful of a foe... knowing what to expect, Sunny might be able to escape from them. But then again, he might also be either eaten or chased into the caves. ''Well, they can all go to hell.''


    Summoning Morgan''s Warbow, he wrapped one of his shadows around the arrow and sent it flying across the chasm. The arrow pierced the mist, as fast as lightning, and sank into the trunk of a tall pine tree on the other side.


    ...Actually, it cut a few of those trees down, and only stopped after piercing the fourth or fifth one. The shadow glided down the trunk and reached the ground. Dismissing Nightmare, Sunny used Shadow Step and appeared on the other side of the chasm, unharmed. ''There. Eat that, bastards.''


    It was not the strongest creature that survived, but the most adaptable. And although Sunny was not that strong among the prisoners of Wind Flower... he was nothing if not resourceful.


    Grinning darkly, he summoned Nightmare and jumped into the saddle. Did it only seem that way, or had the radiance of the Guiding Light became a little brighter?


    ''Stay alive, Effie...''

 Chapter 1420 Unexpected Complications

    Chapter 1420 Unexpected Complications


    On the far side of the island, the misty forest was less thick. The trees stood further apart from each other, and were not as tall as in the other areas. The ground, however, was more rocky and uneven. It rose and fell, forming steep hills and deep ravines �� not that it mattered. Usually, terrain like that would make it hard to see a potential enemy in advance, increasing the risk of walking into an ambush...


    But with the damned fog veiling everything around, why did it matter? Every kind of terrain was just as bad here.


    Sunny still commanded Nightmare to slow down, afraid to encounter another chasm and plummet down without ever having a chance to stop. Flying through a thick forest at breakneck speed was already thrilling enough, and he really didn''t want to fall into a nest of monstrous millipedes due to the lack of caution.


    Riding the black steed through the mist, Sunny held the Guiding Light high and followed its shine.


    His breathing was heavy. Just a few minutes ago, he had fought a Corrupted Monster and killed it. The creature had almost sent him into the next revolution �� it was not particularly strong, as far as Corrupted abominations went, but rather insidious.


    Its camouflage was good enough to make Sunny unaware of the imminent attack right until the moment thick roots sprouted from beneath the ground, and a rotten tree that he had been riding past suddenly moved to envelop him with creaking branches. If not for Shadow Step, Sunny might have been caught, swallowed, and digested by the creature without being able to put up any resistance. Since he managed to escape its grasp, though, a short and violent clash followed.


    The abomination looked like a monstrous tree and was as resilient as a tree. It had no organs to destroy and no blood to spill. Even after cutting it down, Sunny had to summon the Cruel Sight and burn it with divine flame �� only when all the branches, the rotten trunk, and the roots of the monster had turned to ash did the Spell announce a kill. Slaying that thing had been a lot of work... but Sunny was still satisfied with the result. At least he learned that there were normal Nightmare Creatures on Wind Flower. If he had to face another Great abomination, his patience would have run thin. ''I feel like I''m not far from the edge of the island, now.''


    If so, Effie couldn''t be too far away. Unless she was not on Wind Flower...


    Frowning, Sunny jumped to the ground, allowed Nightmare to turn into a shadow, and continued forward on foot. Now that he was so close, his heart was heavy. Dark thoughts creeped into his mind. What if he finds Effie... only to discover that he was too late? What if what he finds is her mangled body?


    There was indeed something different about Effie. Her entire build was different... or rather, certain parts of it. Her already generous figure had become even more outstanding, but much more glaringly than that... her belly was round and protruding forward, so much so that she was supporting it with a hand. ''Just... just how much did she eat? Gods, that gluttonous... gluttonous... woman...''


    Sunny''s mind was refusing to work properly. No... the reason for why Effie''s belly looked so large had nothing to do with eating too much food. But it couldn''t be...


    Suddenly, he remembered a small remark that Jet had made while describing their lives as river nomads: ''Oh... and we fought plenty of Nightmare Creatures. Well, I did, at least.''


    He had not paid it attention before, but now, it seemed strange. Why would Jet say that she was the only one who had fought a lot of abominations?


    Staring at Effie''s round belly, Sunny finally realized why. By then, his eyes were as wide as saucers.


    "Effie! Why... why are you pregnant?!"


    She stared at him in bewilderment, then glanced down and suddenly flinched. "What?! When did this happen?!"


    Effie''s voice sounded frightened and shocked.


    Then, she gave him a mischievous glance and suddenly burst with laughter. When her bright laughter died down, Effie coughed and looked at Sunny with a sheepish smile. "Sorry. It was a joke. Why am I pregnant? Well... how do I explain... you see, Sunny, when a man and a woman love each other very much..."

 Chapter 1421 Joy of Life

    Chapter 1421 Joy of Life


    Sunny was so dumbfounded that he found himself listening passively as Effie gave him the talk about the birds and the bees, her face absolutely straight. In the middle of it, he was suddenly shaken awake and pointed an accusing finger at her.


    "No! That''s not... I mean... I know how this stuff works, damn it! What I mean is how? Since when? Who''s the father?!"


    Effie stopped talking and looked at him with a grin. Then, supporting her belly with one hand, she wobbled past him and pulled her spear out of the stone. Leaning on it, she sighed and shrugged. "I think we already ascertained how. As for since when... should be since five months ago? Somewhere around that." She patted him on the shoulder and added:


    "Oh, and I''m glad to see you too."


    Sunny froze for a few moments. Five months? Thirteen had already passed since the start of the Nightmare, but for Effie, it had been only two. Which meant... which meant that she had already been pregnant during their journey through the white desert, the battle of the Black Skull, and most of her time in Antarctica. But not all of her time in Antarctica. Suddenly, he slapped himself on the forehead. ''I''m... I''m such an idiot!''


    A flood of memories surfaced in his mind. All the signs had been there. He should have noticed it much sooner!


    Back when the cohort traveled across the Chained Island, Effie had been acting strange. Her appetite had been unstable, and her choice of snacks had been odd... which would have been normal for any other person, but not for the gluttonous huntress!


    He had even teased her for suffering from motion sickness aboard the Chain Breaker. In hindsight, that sickness had nothing to do with the motions of the flying vessel at all. There were other hints, as well... like Effie hesitating for a while before refusing Beastmaster''s offer to take her back to the waking world and leave the rest of the cohort behind. If Sunny had been more attentive, he would have realized that the Effie he knew would not have needed any time to think. She had lingered with the answer because she had been considering not just her fate, but also that of her unborn child...


    ''Ah! A child! Just thinking this word is weird!''


    He covered his face with a hand for a moment, then forced out a few words:


    "Yeah... I''m glad to see you as well. Of course."


    His mind was still in turmoil. Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then added weakly:


    "So... I am going to be Uncle Sunny soon?"


    Hearing him say that, Effie grinned.


    Her voice was warm: "I think you mean Uncle Doofus."


    But her words were not!


    Sunny stared at her in outrage. "What Uncle Doofus! Don''t you dare corrupt my precious nephew... or niece... with your nonsense!"


    There was so much they needed to discuss... like how Jet was already safe, and how to get back to the Chain Breaker, the dangers of Wind Flower, the time loop...


    But Sunny was still stuck on Effie... Effie, the famed huntress Raised by Wolves... being with child.


    How had it even happened?


    She raised her hand defensively, a rare look of embarrassment appearing on her face.


    "Hey! It''s not what you think! I know this guy very well! He is really a nice and upstanding guy... he''s a local of Antarctica, but went through the campaign in the Antarctic Center with the First Evacuation Army. He was wounded in Falcon Scott and shipped east with the other injured soldiers during the last round of evacuations. That''s how we met, actually... I was visiting one of my wounded subordinates in the hospital, and he was being discharged..." Sunny felt a little relieved. At least she actually seemed to like the basta... the guy. And he was from the First Evacuation Army. Sunny might have even met him...


    "So how come you don''t know his name, then?"


    Effie coughed again.


    "That... uh... that''s his Flaw, actually. He is... he was a Sleeper, back then. By now, he must have already Awakened."


    Her face suddenly fell, and after a short pause, she added quietly:


    "...Or died. I don''t know."


    Sunny was suddenly speechless. ''A Sleeper... from the Antarctic Center... whose Flaw is that his name can''t be remembered?''


    So the bastard who kno... the father of Effie''s child was the young soldier who had been infected with the Nightmare Spell in Sunny''s refugee convoy?


    So he had delivered the scoundrel to her doorstep with his own two hands?!


    Sunny was happy to hear that the nameless Sleeper had been evacuated from Falcon Scott and survived, actually. But at the same time...


    ''I am definitely beating him up once I''m back!''


    Sunny was preoccupied with his own emotions, but noticing Effie''s forlorn expression, he pushed them down and took a deep breath. They had entered the Nightmare not long before the winter solstice. So, by now, the nameless Sleeper was indeed either an Awakened... or dead. Much more likely dead, considering the state they had left Antarctica in. But that was not what she would want to hear. Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then forced out a smile. "Oh... that guy? Bah! I know him. Don''t worry too much �� he''s not that easily killed. I''m willing to bet that he''s perfectly fine, even. We traveled three thousand kilometers together, after all... and I personally gave him literally hundreds of soul shards to saturate his core. One could even say that I practically raised him! Will a Sleeper I raised go and die without asking my permission? No, he would be too afraid..."


    Effie looked at him for a while. Slowly, the sad expression disappeared from her face, and a faint smile appeared on it instead. Noticing that smile, Sunny frowned. "What? I know that you''re thinking about something inappropriate again... cut it out."


    She shook her head and giggled.


    "No, no. I was just thinking... since you say that you raised him... it should be Grandpa Doofus, then, not Uncle. Right?"


    Sunny blinked. His expression froze.


    His heart skipped a beat.


    "...What Grandpa Doofus?! Like hell! Take it back!"


    ''This evil woman!''


    Join the Shadow Slave fanclu

 Chapter 1424 Do It Yourself

    Chapter 1424 Do It Yourself

    Eventually, they arrived at the bone orchard. The skeletal remains of the dead horrors towered above them, and the subtle sweet smell emanated by the Hollow Butterfly permeated the flowing fog. The members of the cohort looked around tensely, unnerved by the eerie scene. Sunny, however, had been to this sprawling graveyard many times. He walked nonchalantly between the bones, his steps hurried. "Follow me. It's right ahead."

    Soon, the Great Monster revealed itself from the mist. Even though Sunny had explained that it was not dangerous, his companions still couldn't help but grip their weapons tighter. "What... the hell... is that?"

    Jet's voice sounded hoarse. Looking back, Sunny gave her a pale smile. "Nephis and I call these creatures Dark Butterflies. We've seen another one in action, much further upstream... needless to say, it's a blessing that the one in front of us is Hollow."

    The four of them stared up at the gargantuan form of the Great Monster in apprehension. After a few moments of silence, Nephis finally asked:

    "So, why are we here, exactly?"

    As ready as they would be... at least in this revolution. Each member of the cohort, as well as Saint and Fined, picked up one of the pikes. The javelins were divided between Sunny, Nephis, and Jet. Armed to the teeth, they threw one last glance at the motionless butterfly �� which was now laying messily on the ground, serene despite being mutilated and deeply disturbing for that reason �� and backed away.

    Sunny led the group through the labyrinth of bones, stopping from time to time to ascertain their location. Eventually, they had to climb over the spine of an especially large horror, and found a small space hidden behind it. There, the ground had been broken by a titanic blow, and a black pit waited for them, full of darkness. "That's our way down."

    It was one of the entrances to the system of underground caverns that Sunny had found. Using Neph's golden rope, the Evertwine �� which had once been earned by Cassie in her First Nightmare �� they cautiously descended into the pit. Soon, the members of the cohort found themselves standing on the rough rock floor of a natural cave, surrounded by darkness. Almost no light reached this deep down, swallowed by the mist above.

    However, none of them felt too concerned about it. In fact, they even felt relieved for finally having escaped the everpresent fog �� there was none of it underground. Sunny had not mapped all the caves yet, but he knew the general location of where they had to go.

    Carrying the long pike, he took a step into the darkness and sighed.

    'I hope we won't die here today... again. No, I know we won't.'

 Chapter 1423 Lines in the Sand

    Chapter 1423 Lines in the Sand


    ''Today... I am not going to die.''


    Sitting on the white sand, Sunny was staring at the crude map drawn in front of him. On it was Wind Flower �� everything he had learned about the misty island, at least. The hidden bay where the Chain Breaker had crashed served as the southernmost point. To its east were the bone orchard and the Hollow Butterfly. To its west were the hunting grounds of the Rotting Leopard. Undying Slaughter was straight ahead, to the north, and behind her was the Seeker''s Tower. There were many more marks in the sand, of course. Sunny had marked the location of every Nightmare Creature he knew of �� and there were plenty, many of whom had killed him at least once �� as well as all the landmarks he had discovered. The millipede chasm separating the far side of the island, the abandoned port where the harrowing Vine Terror dwelled, the overgrown shrine that was like a nightmare within a nightmare, the inescapable lake which had turned red because of the gargantuan carcass floating in it, the deathly ring of black obelisks...


    There were all kinds of ways to die on Wind Flower. He briefly wondered if there had ever been a map that cost its creator so much suffering. ''The worst part is that it''s nearly useless.''


    One map was not enough to help him navigate the island. The Nightmare Creatures populating the fog did not stay in place, making his attempts to mark their locations pointless. Devouring Beast especially had a way of appearing in the most unexpected places due to her speed. The indescribable being that hid in the mist above the island was unpredictable, as well. So, what he had to do was to not only map every powerful abomination imprisoned on Wind Flower, but also map their movements. The drawing in the sand was only the starting point �� Sunny had to mentally construct dozens more, each slightly different. Only then would he get a clear picture of where the most terrible Nightmare Creatures were at each moment of the loop, and know how to avoid them. That, in turn, would allow Sunny to chart the fastest path to Effie and back. The problem was that tracking the abominations was not easy. If anything, it was absolutely lethal. And Sunny did not just have to find each of the horrors once... he had to find them repeatedly at different times, all the while evading the rest of the deadly creatures. He had just started on the task, but was already feeling utterly spent. The mental fatigue that had accumulated in the process of exploring the island was finally becoming unbearable. Sunny couldn''t even think straight... drawing multiple imaginary maps was out of the question.


    ''Ah... I''m tired...''


    He rubbed his face, feeling rather strange. His body was full of vigor and energy, but his feverish mind longed for sleep. "Keep this up, and you''ll really become the Mad Prince. Well... mad, at least. Gods know no one in their right mind would call a hideous worm like you a prince."


    Sunny turned his head slightly and stared at the Sin of Solace. He was too exhausted to even get angry. "...Who are you calling hideous? We look exactly the same, idiot."


    Shaking his head, he turned back to the map. At that point, someone''s shadow fell on him. Looking up, Sunny saw Nephis... he was startled a little.


    ''I guess I''m really out of it.''


    Not only had Sunny missed the movements of shadows, he had not even noticed the quiet ringing of her silver anklets.


    "This is a map of the island?"


    Cassie and Jet were not far behind her. In the recent few revolutions, Sunny had worked a lot on shortening the time it took to rescue Soul Reaper and bring everyone up to speed. Now, it barely took him twenty minutes. Well... his companions were still full of questions, but he could tackle them gradually. Sunny had also discarded the habit of moving alone, at least for now, and was currently trying to involve the members of the cohort in challenging the loop.


    He scratched his head. "Ah... I don''t quite remember, at the moment. About thirty, I think? Yeah, somewhere around that."


    Sunny inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled. "I guess we''ve been inside this Nightmare for five months, now. Well... fourteen months, disregarding the time storm. Time flies."


    Neph''s frown deepened. She stared at him for a while, then looked away.


    "Technically, it flows."


    While he was considering if that had been a joke, she lingered, and then added in her usual even tone:


    "Maybe it''s time to take a break. Aren''t you treating yourself too ruthlessly?"


    Sunny raised an eyebrow, surprised. Nephis was someone he would have never expected to say something like that. Wasn''t she a person who treated herself most ruthlessly of all? A person who didn''t mind burning alive endlessly if it meant reaching her goal.


    Looking ahead, he smiled. "Alright. If you say so, I''ll find an opportunity to rest, soon..."


    Sunny didn''t add that if he was going to take a break, she would have no choice but to take a break with him.


    ''What shall we do?''


    His smile widened, but then slowly grew dim. ...It didn''t matter.


    She was not going to remember any of it, anyway, as soon as the next revolution came.


    Sunny would be the only one who did.

 Chapter 1424 Do It Yourself

    Chapter 1424 Do It Yourself


    Eventually, they arrived at the bone orchard. The skeletal remains of the dead horrors towered above them, and the subtle sweet smell emanated by the Hollow Butterfly permeated the flowing fog. The members of the cohort looked around tensely, unnerved by the eerie scene. Sunny, however, had been to this sprawling graveyard many times. He walked nonchalantly between the bones, his steps hurried. "Follow me. It''s right ahead."


    Soon, the Great Monster revealed itself from the mist. Even though Sunny had explained that it was not dangerous, his companions still couldn''t help but grip their weapons tighter. "What... the hell... is that?"


    Jet''s voice sounded hoarse. Looking back, Sunny gave her a pale smile. "Nephis and I call these creatures Dark Butterflies. We''ve seen another one in action, much further upstream... needless to say, it''s a blessing that the one in front of us is Hollow."


    The four of them stared up at the gargantuan form of the Great Monster in apprehension. After a few moments of silence, Nephis finally asked:


    "So, why are we here, exactly?"


    As ready as they would be... at least in this revolution. Each member of the cohort, as well as Saint and Fined, picked up one of the pikes. The javelins were divided between Sunny, Nephis, and Jet. Armed to the teeth, they threw one last glance at the motionless butterfly �� which was now laying messily on the ground, serene despite being mutilated and deeply disturbing for that reason �� and backed away.


    Sunny led the group through the labyrinth of bones, stopping from time to time to ascertain their location. Eventually, they had to climb over the spine of an especially large horror, and found a small space hidden behind it. There, the ground had been broken by a titanic blow, and a black pit waited for them, full of darkness. "That''s our way down."


    It was one of the entrances to the system of underground caverns that Sunny had found. Using Neph''s golden rope, the Evertwine �� which had once been earned by Cassie in her First Nightmare �� they cautiously descended into the pit. Soon, the members of the cohort found themselves standing on the rough rock floor of a natural cave, surrounded by darkness. Almost no light reached this deep down, swallowed by the mist above.


    However, none of them felt too concerned about it. In fact, they even felt relieved for finally having escaped the everpresent fog �� there was none of it underground. Sunny had not mapped all the caves yet, but he knew the general location of where they had to go.


    Carrying the long pike, he took a step into the darkness and sighed.


    ''I hope we won''t die here today... again. No, I know we won''t.''

 Chapter 1425 Cavern Terror

    Chapter 1425 Cavern Terror


    The caverns were a Corrupted Terror''s territory. A Corrupted Terror... it had not been that long ago that Sunny would have shuddered from a mere thought of fighting a creature like that. He was still apprehensive, of course, but not nearly as much as a wise person would have been. An abomination of that Rank and Class was not something a lone Master should have the ambition to kill �� or a cohort of them, really. Sybil of the Fallen Grace, for example, had not only wiped out the entirety of LO49 and the enormous battleship sent to rescue its personnel, but also almost ended the lives of Sunny, Naeve, and Saint Bloodwave at Falcon Scott. A Corrupted Terror was a walking disaster of chilling proportions.


    ...Of course, just like all people were not the same, Nightmare Creatures weren''t either. One Terror could be much more dreadful than another, even within the boundaries of a same Rank. How one''s Aspect countered the creature''s powers, or was countered instead, also played a large role. Sybil of the Fallen Grace, for example, had been a harrowing being even among Terrors. She had also possessed an especially insidious kind of power �� the power to twist minds and subjugate living beings. The creature hiding in the caverns of Wind Flower was entirely different. This Terror did not possess powers that allowed it to play with its prey''s mind. Neither could it destroy the prey''s soul. Instead, it was viciously strong and covered by nearly impervious armor. Or maybe it was not nearly, but absolutely impervious. At least Sunny had not been able to break it yet. As for powers...


    He wasn''t sure, but it seemed like the incredible toughness of the creature''s hide was a part of them. Sunny also suspected that the very existence of the underground caverns had something to do with the Terror. If not for the fact that time on Wind Flower only encompassed a single day, who knew... perhaps, in the near future, the whole forest would have been swallowed by the growing chasm beneath it. He could also imagine entire cities turning into ruin as they collapsed into the maw of devouring earth... continents, perhaps, given enough time. However, Sunny was not too tense about clashing with the Cavern Terror. There were two reasons why he felt hopeful about the upcoming battle.


    Firstly, the creature was clearly out of its element. Not only was it trapped on an island and surrounded by water, with no time to let its dreadful influence spread, but it was also without an army of minions. Things would have been much more dreary if the system of caves was flooded with hundreds, or even thousands, of lesser abominations with similarly tough bodies. The second reason was Jet. Her ability to ignore all forms of physical defense directly countered the most threatening trait of the powerful Terror. As long as they lived long enough for her to deliver several strikes, they would win.


    The long pikes were meant to buy them that time. As the cohort moved deeper into the caverns, Sunny explained all these points to his companions. Nephis nodded, expressing her approval of the plan. "It would be wise not to kill it too quickly, though."


    He looked at her in surprise. "Why?"


    She silently pointed to Cassie. "Cassie needs a little time to gain knowledge of its Attributes and powers. Even if we kill this Terror now, we''ll still have to face it again in the future revolutions. Her insights are much deeper than what any of us can learn from pure observation, so, with her help, fighting this Terror the next time will be easier."


    In the next moment...


    The wall of the cavern to their right suddenly exploded, several tons of broken stone flying at them like an artillery shells. Sunny barely had time to dodge a slab of black rock when a massive shape revealed itself from the cloud of dust, already descending upon them. ''Curses!''


    The Terror resembled a giant, monstrous termite. Sunny could only see its massive head and an opened maw, with saw-like mandibles protruding repulsively from its edges. Its head alone was almost as wide as the entire cavern, and it was flying at them with dreadful speed.


    The dark chasm of the creature''s maw was like a cave itself. Sunny had perished painfully inside its darkness once or twice, so he knew that there was no escape from it.


    His eyes glinted furiously.


    ''Not this time, damn it!''


    But at the same time, another, exhausted part of his mind thought:


    ''Ah... so what if I die again? I''m so tired...''

 Chapter 1426 Pathfinder

    Chapter 1426 Pathfinder


    Before the Terror could swallow them all, Nephis appeared in its way. Her pike was already pressed against the uneven floor of the cavern, supported by her foot, the sharp tip pointed at the approaching monstrosity. Her eyes were calm and full of resolve. A moment later, Saint was by her side. Sunny, Cassie, and Fiend were not far behind. ''Will it work?''


    Before Sunny could even finish the thought, the Terror plunged into the row of pikes. There was a deafening sound, and he felt a terrible force wrenching his arms. If not for Bone Weave, his bones would have probably snapped and shattered into a thousand fragments. ''Ah...''


    Sunny had already increased his weight as much as he could, turning into an immovable monolith. Still, he was thrown back. Cassie had been flung back, as well �� the blind girl twisted in the air and nimbly landed on her feet. One of the pikes actually broke despite the Supreme material it had been made of, forcing Fiend to stagger back with a dumbfounded expression.


    However, Nephis and Saint somehow withstood the terrible impact. More importantly, the charge of the Terror had been stopped, at least temporarily. The creature had only partially emerged from behind the broke wall, most of its revolting body still hidden from view. Neph''s Pike had become stuck between two of its mandibles, while the one held by Saint was pushed against the black, glossy membrane of its eye.


    And yet, there was still not even a crack on the impregnable chitin.


    ''Damn it...''


    Even weapons crafted from Supreme material were not able to break through the Terror''s armor, it seemed. However, most of them had not shattered from the impact, and the cohort was momentarily a safe distance away from the trembling mandibles. The pikes were doing their job. "Jet!"


    Rushing forward, Sunny put his whole weight into his own, joining Nephis and Saint. At the same time, he called upon the shadows. Tenebrous chains rose from the floor of the cavern and fell from its ceiling, wrapping around the Terror to immobilize it. The Terror snapped its mandibles, trying to break the pikes. Its massive body moved, making the black chains groan. "Jet!"


    Right at that moment, a black steed leaped over their heads. Landing on the back of the giant creature, it rushed forward �� its rider had already slid out of the saddle, the long pike held in her hands disappearing into the depths of the Terror''s body. The abominations shuddered and let out a terrifying, ear-piercing shriek. The chains holding it down snapped, and the giant insect-like horror tried to throw Jet off its back. But at that time, Neph''s eyes suddenly shone, and the soft radiance of her skin was extinguished. At the same time, her pike suddenly ignited with incandescent light.


    Noticing it, Sunny sent the shadow that had been augmenting her body onto the pike, as well. The crude weapon finally managed to break through the enemy''s armor, cracking it slightly. The damage done to the Terror was not too serious, but it momentarily pinned it in place. That moment gave Jet enough time to catch the pike that Cassie had tossed into the air before Nightmare even landed on the creature''s back. Soul Reaper did not waste any time, dashing forward and delivering another vicious strike.


    The creature shuddered once again. Visibly weakened and tormented by harrowing pain, it continued trying to resist... but it was already pointless. Staring at the Terror, Sunny remembered his first meeting with Undying Slaughter and smiled spitefully. He knew better than anyone what the bastard was feeling right now.


    "Kill it!"


    It was already too late to try and return to the Chain Breaker by the time they reached the northern edges of the island. Walking through the mist, Sunny suddenly raised a hand, signaling the others to stop.


    Then, he shouted:


    "Effie! It''s me, Sunny! Don''t throw your spea..."


    In the next moment, he cursed and hurriedly dodged to the side. A grey spear flashed passed him and hit Saint''s shield with a loud crack.


    The graceful knight was pushed back several steps. "Goddammit! Every time! Every damned time!"


    Sunny raised himself from the ground and looked into the mist with a resentful expression. There, Effie stood, supporting her belly and looking at him with wide eyes.


    "Doofus?"


    She turned her head slightly, finally noticing the rest of her cohort. Bright joy flashed in her eyes. Jet secretly let out a sigh of profound relief.


    "Damned glutton... I knew you''d be alright..."


    Cassie lingered for a moment, then tilted her head slightly. ...Nephis, however, was frozen in place. Her eyes were strangely wide. "Effie? Why... are you... why are you..."


    The huntress looked at her in confusion, then glanced at her belly and grinned. "Oh... I guess you wouldn''t know. You see, Princess... when a man and a woman love each other very much..."


    As she continued talking with a sincere expression, Neph''s bewildered face slowly turned pink.


    Looking at her, Sunny felt delightfully vindicated.

 Chapter 1427 Unexplored Opportunities

    Chapter 1427 Unexplored Opportunities


    There was no point in trying to get back to the Chain Breaker. The cohort had spent too much time traveling to the far side of the island, and there was not enough of it left. Which was not to say that this revolution was useless.


    Sunny had learned how to craft weapons from the Hollow Butterfly. Next time, he would be able to do it faster. He had also learned how to kill the Cavern Terror... next time, he would be able to kill better. The same went for the several abominations they had fought in the misty forest. Especially due to the fact that Cassie had told him more about the nature and powers of those creatures. Some of the things he had already deduced, but others were a complete revelation. Every revolution brought Sunny closer to the goal. At least...


    At least he hoped so.


    Currently, the members of the cohort were resting not far from the spot where they had found Effie. The huntress was greedily devouring the provisions from the Covetous Coffer, while Jet was trying to explain the nature of the time loop to her. Nephis still seemed a little dazed after learning of Effie''s condition, and Cassie had silently merged into the background, like she always did.


    It was easy to forget that she was even here. Sunny, meanwhile, sat a little distance away, staring into the mist. ''Actually, it''s a bit awkward.''


    His thoughts were somber. Despite how much he tried to not let the nature of time on Wind Flower affect his mindset, he was still growing more and more reliant on the time loop. For him, this revolution was as good as done �� they were not going to make it back in time, so there was no point in trying. Mentally, Sunny was already considering what to do next time. However, the situation was entirely different for his companions. For them, there was no next time. Even if they knew that time would repeat itself, it was not the kind of thing one could really make peace with. So, they must be feeling both strange and desperate about this sudden inaction. ''There''s time to do something, I guess.''


    He had been considering unleashing it for a while now. What stopped Sunny before was the desire to learn more about Wind Flower first. But he had already explored most of it, at least tentatively. Was there a reason to wait?


    Only one...


    He was exhausted.


    Sunny stared bleakly into the mist. ''The Mirror of Truth and the fragment of Shadow''s Domain. I''ll try them next.''


    But first... he really needed a break. Assessing these two tools would go much better with a fresh mind. Glancing at the members of the cohort, Sunny hesitated for a few moments, and then asked:


    "Do you guys... want me to do anything specific once the next revolution starts?"


    When was the last time he had a real day off, free to do anything he wanted... or do nothing at all? Even in the periods of relative calm, Sunny had always been burdened by the need to accomplish so many things. This time, he wasn''t going to bother.


    He was just going to... rest. A hint of excitement suddenly bloomed in his ragged heart.

 Chapter 1428 Searching Reflection

    Chapter 1428 Searching Reflection


    Sunny waited for a moment... then waited some more. He was back on the deck of the Chain Breaker, surrounded by flowing mist. A slight tremor ran through his body. ''I''m tired.''


    He straightened slowly and stared into the fog. It was time for him to take a break, but... Sunny wasn''t even sure what he was supposed to do. His companions were just as useless as far as resting was concerned �� none of them had given him a single good idea. Well... except for Jet. She had looked at him for a few moments, chuckled, and told him to take a good nap. Which was not a bad piece of advice. As a government officer who had always looked overworked and suffering from sleep deprivation, she would know best. That said...


    Even though this revolution was supposed to be his day off, Sunny still had to rescue Jet. Relaxing while she was being killed by Undying Slaughter did not sound restful at all. He couldn''t bring himself to even think about skipping this step.


    ''Ah...''


    Glancing at Nephis and Cassie, Sunny walked over to Nightmare and climbed into the saddle. Neph looked at him questioningly. "Sunny? What are you doing?"


    He couldn''t be bothered to explain things properly. "Leaving. Don''t worry, I''ll be back soon. Until then... just stay here."


    Leaving the two bewildered young women behind, Nightmare leaped into the mist. As the familiar scenes flew past him, Sunny summoned the Mirror of Truth and studied the reflection of Neph''s on its mercurial surface. After hesitating for a few moments, he activated the [Searching Reflection] enchantment.


    At the same time, he imagined a pure white flame and thought:


    ''Soul Flame.''


    A small crack appeared on the silver mirror.


    Suddenly, Sunny felt very strange. It was as if his soul, which had always been still and silent, was in motion... rolling, billowing. Burning. It was not painful, just unfamiliar. [Soul Flame] Ability Description: "Your soul burns with the purest of flames. That flame can both restore and destroy, and is both a blessing and a curse." ''How peculiar.''


    ''Where did Neph get the audacity to call me a cockroach, even?'' If anything, she was the ultimate roach! He spent a bit more time experimenting with soulflame and eventually managed to get it to empower his body. Augmented both by both the dark flames and the shadows, Sunny felt dire strength coursing through his veins... it was not quite as daunting as when Nephis shared her flame with him, but almost comparable. One curious detail of this augmentation was that it did not divide itself into five distinct parts, akin to his five shadows. Instead, it was a single mass of flame which could be divided however he wished.


    ''Huh...''


    Sunny imagined being augmented by his five shadows, all of the authentic soulflame, all of the mirrored souflame, Effie''s Ascended Ability, and the Crown of Dawn on top of that. Wouldn''t that turn him into an absolute monster?


    Yes, it would... sadly, Wind Flower was a place where even a monster like that was close to the bottom of the food chain.


    ''It''s an option worth remembering, though.''


    At this point, Sunny could already smell Jet''s blood in the air. Galloping past the familiar trees, he noticed her hunched figure and reached down. "Grab my hand!"


    Jet looked up, her face pale and pained. It took her a moment to recognize his voice, and another one to shake off her shock. Not even understanding the situation completely, she reached forward. Sunny pulled her up. This time, however, he put Jet in front of him, instead of behind him. They ended up in quite an awkward pose, his hand pressed against her back and soaked in her blood. She grimaced. "Sunny... you... really know how to..."


    He interrupted her:


    "Make a girl squeal? Yeah. I know. Now, stay still."


    His bloodied hand was suddenly suffused with the dark radiance once again. And washed in that radiance... Jet''s wounds slowly began to heal. It was nowhere near as fast and efficient as when Nephis healed people, but it still worked. And since Neph was currently devoid of essence, that was more than enough. A dark smile appeared on his face.


    ''That should save me a lot of time in the future...''


    No matter how many times the future repeated itself.

 Chapter 1429 Bed Time

    Chapter 1429 Bed Time


    Soon, Nightmare landed on the deck of the Chain Breaker. Sunny had been a bit distracted, so he was surprised to see that Nephis was pointing her sword at him. After a short moment, she let out a sigh and sheathed it again.


    ''Right. They didn''t see us approaching because of the mist, and then something fast jumped out of it and landed on the ship.''


    After the lackluster explanation Sunny had given them, both Cassie and Nephis must have been tense and uneasy for the past half an hour. "You''re back..."


    Nephis started to talk, but then grew silent. She had finally noticed the bloodied figure sitting in front of Sunny.


    Jet used that moment to gingerly jump down and stretch. "Horse riding... is just not for me. Ah, I miss my PTV."


    Cassie seemed taken aback. "...Soul Reaper Jet?"


    Jet nodded and smiled. "One and only."


    Then, her expression darkened. Updated from


    "Well... I suppose not anymore."


    For a few moments, everyone was silent. Nephis and Cassie were looking between Sunny and Jet, startled. He had already dismounted and was rubbing his face, a little spaced out. "Sunny... you have already found Jet?"


    He stared at Nephis for a moment, then nodded. "Yes. I also found Effie. She''s on the other side of the island, but we can''t go there yet. Oh... Undying Slaughter and Devouring Beast are also here. As well as a number of Great Nightmare Creatures. Basically, everywhere you go on this island, only death awaits."


    All of it was news for Cassie and Neph, and most of it was news to Jet.


    He paused for a moment, ignoring their somber expressions, and nodded. "Alright. I''m going to sleep. Don''t leave the ship."


    Sunny headed for the hatch to the interior of the ship, but was stopped by Nephis. "Wait... if you don''t mind. How do you know all this? What happened?"


    The corner of his eye twitched. "Wind Flower exists inside a closed loop of repeating time, and I have already lived through this day a few dozen times. I can remember the previous revolutions because of my cursed sword. The last time around, you told me to rest... so that''s what I''m doing. I''m going to take a nap. Now, if you''ll excuse me..."


    ***


    It took Sunny five more revolutions to finally feel refreshed. Each time, he rescued Jet and went directly to bed, only to find himself standing back on the misty deck not long after. At least it felt short. In truth, Sunny must have slept until the termination point of the loop each time.


    On the eight revolution, finally, he came to his senses feeling... if not well, then at least not bone tied. His mind was clear, and his thought flowed freely without being burdened by the weight of accumulated stress. ''I''ve... must have been more exhausted than I thought.''


    His recovery speed was already supposed to be incredible thanks to the Shroud of Dusk. Considering that it took him a whole week of doing pretty much nothing but sleeping to recover... Sunny promised himself not to underestimate the strain of reliving the horrors of Wind Flower over and over again anymore. Luckily, he had paused before his sanity collapsed. That said, his mental state was still delicate. Giving himself enough time to sleep was one thing... but he also had to go through some kind of positive experiences to counter the destructive effect of dying repeatedly in all kinds of macabre ways.


    ''What is supposed to come after getting a good night''s sleep?''


    Staring into the mist, Sunny pondered for a while, and then smiled. ''Actually, isn''t it obvious?''


    It was breakfast!


    Nodding to himself, he walked past Nephis and Cassie and climbed into the saddle. Both of them looked at him in surprise. "Sunny? What are you doing?"


    He looked down at his companions and lingered for a few moments.


    Then, he said:


    "I have an idea of where Jet is. I''ll go fetch her really quick. Meanwhile, though, I have a strange request..."


    Turning to Nephis, he put on his most pleasant smile. "Neph, it might sound weird... but can you cook up something tasty while I''m gone? Go all out! Use any ingredient you need. It''s rather important that you don''t hold back."


    She simply stared at him, a hint of confusion hiding in her striking grey eyes. "I... guess I can?"


    Sunny grinned. "Great! Oh! Don''t forget to make coffee! Wait, we don''t have coffee... tea, then! The best tea we have!"


    With that, he commanded Nightmare to leap into the mist. It was time for him to be pampered a little!

 Chapter 1430 The Last Meal

    Chapter 1430 The Last Meal


    Some time later, Sunny was sitting on his opulent Memory chair in front of a veritable feast of all kinds of delicious food. Better yet, it was all prepared by Nephis... he was drooling from just looking at it. They were currently at the mess deck of the Chain Breaker. Sunny was sick and tired of the mist, so being away from it was already doing wonders for his mood. Because of the dimness of the outside world, the mess deck was illuminated by the warm light of luminous Memories... the fragrance of his luxurious breakfast permeated the air. Nephis was staring at him with an serious expression, her confusion hidden so well that no one except for him would have detected it. "You said that it was important, so... I did my best."


    Sunny marveled at how endearing her seriousness was, then nodded and immediately picked up his chopsticks. ''Where to start...''


    For a moment, he was lost for choice. But only for a moment. Soon, he was happily stuffing his face with several dishes at the same time. His table manners... would make Fiend look like a gentleman, in comparison. Nephis, Cassie, and Jet stared at him incredulously. After a while, Jet let out a long sigh and asked:


    "Sunny... sorry to interrupt your meal... but aren''t you going to explain what is going on?"


    He stopped chewing for a moment and glanced at her briefly. "I might."


    Then, he asked sweetly:


    "Oh, can anyone pour me a cup of tea?"


    The teapot was right there in front of him, but what was the point of being pampered if he had to do everything himself? Nephis blinked, confused. "Can''t you do it yourself?"


    Sunny smiled. Considering that his cheeks had ballooned because of all the food in his mouth, his smile looked nothing short of ridiculous. "I can."


    There were a few moments of awkward silence.


    Then, Nephis sighed and poured tea in a beautiful porcelain cup.


    "Here you go."


    Sunny nodded in gratitude and chased down the food with a sip of the bitter tea. "Ah... shame there''s no coffee anywhere in this tomb..."


    He was enjoying his break quite a bit. The other three, however, seemed a little concerned. After a while, Nephis cleared her throat and asked evenly:


    "So, are you going to tell us what is going on or not?"


    Sunny swallowed, took another sip of tea, and gave her a contemplative look. "Well, you see. How do I put it... I just wanted you to make me breakfast." Neph''s usually motionless face seemed to twitch a little.


    But he was not done talking. His voice turned grave: "...Because I don''t have a lot of time left. I only have a day to live."


    She was suddenly pale. Jet''s eyes widened. Cassie flinched. All three of them knew that Sunny could not lie. Which meant that... he was really going to die.


    "What?!"


    "So although you are indeed going to die soon, you''ll come back to life at the start of the next... revolution? Every time?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "Exactly!"


    She looked down and took a deep breath. When she spoke again, her voice sounded strange:


    "So what you mean to say is that... we can kill you right now, and you''ll be fine tomorrow?"


    Sunny scratched his head.


    "I guess so. Although it''s a weird way to put it."


    Nephis nodded, as if coming to a decision. Then, she looked at Cassie and Jet.


    "So, we''re in agreement? He has to be killed, right?"


    Cassie and Jet nodded seriously. "Yes. Of course."


    "Let''s not make it quick..."


    Sunny blinked, this time out of sincere surprise. "Uh... what? What do you mean, kill me?"


    Jet smiled leisurely as she slowly rose to her feet.


    "Why are you making a scene? We''ll just kill you a little. For education purposes."


    Suddenly, a cold chill crept up his spine. Cassie and Nephis were standing up, as well.


    "W��wait... wait a minute! This has somehow gone terribly wrong. It was just a little joke! Today is supposed to be my day off, okay? Don''t do anything rash!"


    A small smile appeared on Neph''s face, with dangerous sparks dancing in her eyes. "You don''t have to worry... we won''t rush..."


    His five shadows observed the scene with a mix of disdain and pity. A few of them shook their heads dejectedly.


    ''Why are they so angry?!'' After a moment, the shadows winced. ...Loud sounds of something heavy crashing into the floor resounded from the mess deck of the Chain Breaker for a while after that.

 Chapter 1431 Tea and Dessert

    Chapter 1431 Tea and Dessert


    In the end, Sunny was not killed. However, he did receive a few bruises... considering that his skin was not easy to bruise due to the Marble Shell, it went to show just how much his little stunt had angered the three women. Luckily, they calmed down pretty fast. Even luckier, Sunny had wisely finished his breakfast before drawing their ire... in the aftermath of his punishment, the mess deck was in complete disarray, and there was nothing edible left on the overturned table. The wrath of three infuriated Masters was a frightening thing. ''Ah... I don''t get it... it was just a little joke...''


    Rubbing his sides resentfully, Sunny stared at Nephis, Cassie, and Jet. Of course, he was smart enough to keep these thoughts to himself. Otherwise, a few bruises would be the least of his problems. His companions, in turn, were staring at the surrounding mess. "We... should probably tidy up."


    Cassie''s voice sounded uncertain. Jet gave her a glance and shrugged:


    "Won''t it tidy itself up at the end of the day? Everything will go back to how it was."


    The blind girl hesitated. "Still. Let''s clean what we can now."


    Sunny was not really keen on cleaning on his day off, but he could always make Fiend do it for him. Before he did, however, Cassie suddenly said that he and Nephis should leave it to her and Jet. Neph was still suffering from the symptoms of essence exhaustion, while Sunny was supposed to be resting. So, the blind girl told them to go enjoy the dessert on the upper deck. Nephis seemed unconvinced, but Sunny was shaken. He remained silent for a while, then asked solemnly:


    "There''s... dessert?"


    After that, the two of them were sent out of the devastated mess deck. Soon, Sunny found himself sitting in the shade of the sacred tree, having an improvised picnic with Neph. There was indeed dessert on a cloth in front of him, as well as another pot of freshly brewed tea. Drinking hot tea while surrounded by the chilly mist was a special kind of pleasure. They spent some time in comfortable silence. Sunny was tired of having the same conversations over and over again, and Nephis seemed to be keeping her questions back. He let out a satisfied sigh. "This is great... what is it?"


    He pointed to one of the bowls, causing Nephis to glance at him. She lingered for a moment. "Just a simple fruit salad. Sorry... I didn''t have time to make anything fancy. Plus, the supplies we received in Fallen Grace are not very varied."


    The corner of Neph''s mouth curled upward. "Maybe I would."


    She remained silent for a while, looking into the fog, then said with a hint of wonder in her voice:


    "But then again. It would be strange and tempting, to know that no matter what I do, there would be no consequences tomorrow. Maybe I would have done some things that I never dared to do before."


    Sunny stared at her in confusion, then frowned.


    "Hey! If you are going to insinuate that I''m a pervert again, let me tell you that I''m absolutely innocent. I''ve not done anything inappropriate in any of these revolutions, nor am I planning to."


    He gave her an indignant glance, then suddenly grinned and added in a more subtle tone:


    "...Unless you want me to."


    Nephis chuckled and looked away. After a while, she said:


    "I wasn''t insinuating anything. But it is interesting where your mind immediately went... revealing, even..."


    Sunny laughed. His day off... was going better than he had expected.


    He was enjoying it quite a bit.

 Chapter 1432 Admission

    Chapter 1432 Admission


    Sunny and Nephis shared the desserts and enjoyed the tea. Their conversation flowed easily. Time passed slowly, but eventually, she rose and went to check on Jet and Cassie. Soon, the sound of her light steps faded away, and Sunny was left alone. He leaned on the trunk of the sacred tree, looking into the fog. His heart felt warm and at peace.


    But at the same time...


    Sunny could not throw what Neph had said out of his head.


    ''Do something that I never dared to do before...''


    There were a few things he could think of. He sighed and stared into the distance. Sunny... had complicated relationships with his closest companions, to say the least. Nephis, Cassie, and he �� there was a mess of emotions trapped between the three of them. Most of the things they wanted to say to each other had been left unspoken for a long time. Especially between Sunny and Nephis. He hesitated.


    At this point, he would have to be a complete fool to remain blind to how he felt. Sunny shifted uncomfortably and lowered his gaze. His heart suddenly felt stifled. He grimaced, then brushed his hand across the wooden deck.


    ''Just say it. Can''t you even say it?''


    If he couldn''t even say it now, then when would he?


    Wasn''t he supposed to be the most honest person in two worlds? So why couldn''t he even be honest with himself?


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, then let out a heavy sigh.


    ''I... care about Nephis.''


    No, that was not it. That was just being coy. He grimaced and looked up, at the swaying branches of the sacred tree. Sunny remained motionless for a while. Then, he took a deep breath.


    And thought:


    ''I love Nephis.''


    His expression collapsed.


    It was true. It had been, for a long time. Sunny was not the most emotionally intelligent person, or at least he had not been before. If anything, his emotional development had been stunted �� first by the rough life in the outskirts, then by the ruthless reality of the Nightmare Spell.


    Who had time to think about emotions when every day was a lethal battle for survival?


    So, it had taken him a long time to recognize the truth of how he felt for Nephis ever since the Forgotten Shore. In truth, he had already been in love with her before they reached the Dark City... hopelessly so, perhaps. And those feelings had not grown any weaker despite their many bitter disagreements. In fact, they were the reason why Sunny was so often infuriated with Nephis �� if he felt nothing for her, he would not have cared either way.


    His feelings had not faded or disappeared despite the long period of separation, either. If anything, they only grew more intense, almost becoming an obsession. To be stronger than her... to be equal to her. To be free of her? That was what he had claimed, but it was a lie.


    The indescribable relief, joy, and completeness he had felt when she returned to the waking world. The maddening fury he had felt when she unanimously decided to join Valor. The deathly terror he had felt when the Skinwalker snapped her neck.


    "She would never use it."


    The Sin of Solace smiled. "Oh? Won''t she? How do you know? If there''s one thing that this Nightmare proves, it''s that no one knows what the future holds. I mean, all your precious friends are right here, changed into Corrupted monsters, going around slaughtering people. Even you are no different! Have you ever expected that Jet would brutally murder you one day? Or that Effie would satiate her hunger with your flesh? Funny that you are expecting Nephis to never abuse her power over you in the same way."


    The wraith leaned closer:


    "After all, she already did."


    Sunny''s mouth twitched. "That... was to save my life. And she swore to never do it again."


    The apparition laughed. "But she already broke that oath!"


    Sunny frowned, staring at him angrily. "What are you talking about? That time when she begged me not to die? That hardly constitutes a command."


    The Sin of Solace was smiling.


    "No, no... it was that time the Drowned attacked the Chain Breaker. What did she say back then? Go, I''ll handle things here! And then you instantly went into the water to fight the leviathan."


    Sunny looked at him in confusion.


    "What? I was going to, anyway."


    But the apparition''s smile only widened. "Were you?"


    The mist was swirling around them, cold and suffocating. Sunny tried to remember how their first battle with the Drowned had gone, exactly, and scowled. "Yes, I was! Even if I wasn''t... it was just a slip of the tongue."


    The sword wraith looked at him disdainfully. "A slip of the tongue? Certainly, certainly... if you say so. Yet, can you imagine having a relationship with someone who can rob you of your free will with a simple slip of the tongue? How do you imagine such a relationship working? What kind of perverse partnership would it be? Are you really willing to be at her mercy, always, and absolutely?"


    The Sin of Solace laughed. "Gods. You are so odious. So loathsome. So pathetic... tell me, is there a more pathetic thing than a slave who begins to trust his slaver?"


    Sunny stared at him silently, not knowing what to answer. Eventually, the apparition chuckled, shook his head, then stood up and walked away. His dark figure disappeared into the mist, as if it had never been here.


    "If you are, go and surrender!"


    Sunny lowered his head. A dark storm was raging in his mind.


    ''Curse it... curse it... curse my Flaw, and curse the Shadow Bond. I wish it had never existed...''


    The cold mist swirled around his face, hiding it. The world was silent.

 Chapter 1433 Trying Something New

    Chapter 1433 Trying Something New


    Sunny remained under the sacred tree for a while, staring silently into the mist. The cold wind blew from beyond the island, bringing with it an insidious chill. The silence was only broken by the muffled rustling of leaves. His thoughts were dark.


    He did not know how much time had passed, exactly, when something seemed to change about the world. Sunny let out a quiet sigh and rose to his feet, hugging himself to preserve what little warmth remained from escaping into the fog. Looking down, he lingered for a few moments, and then said somberly:


    "So you are finally here."


    At first, there was no response. Then, the fog moved slightly, revealing a vague silhouette that had been hidden by its flowing veil. A wraith made of mist was standing on the deck of the Chain Breaker, mere meters away. Her inhumanly cold blue eyes were gazing at him with no emotion. Sunny smiled darkly. "No wonder it took me a whole week to catch up on sleep."


    Every time Sunny slept, he would come to his senses at the start of the loop. There were two possible explanations for why he did �� either Sunny was sleeping for too long... or something killed him while he slept. He had assumed that it was the former. But now, he knew that it was the latter. His hands trembled and turned into fists.


    ''Of course...of course. Why else?''


    For dozens of revolutions, Sunny had been telling his companions to hide inside the Chain Breaker and wait while he risked his life exploring the island. But who said that the ship was safe?


    Sunny had never seen Undying Slaughter find it. But today was also the first time he had remained on the Chain Breaker for more than a couple of hours, awake... ''Curse you...'' Updated from


    "Sunny? What is it?"


    His gaze fell at the bottom of the field of runes. He remained silent for a bit, then answered calmly:


    "I am going to try something. I''m not sure what will happen, exactly, so... stay calm."


    With that, Sunny took a deep breath and called upon the Fragment of Shadow Realm. It was strange... the Fragment was not a Memory, and neither was it an Echo or a Shadow. As such, he did not really know how to make it manifest. A mere Ascended Tyrant''s essence was surely insufficient to summon a piece of a god''s Domain into existence. And yet... somehow, Sunny knew exactly what to do. That knowledge was buried deep in his soul, as if he had always known. In the next moment...


    The world around them suddenly grew dimmer. Then dimmer, dimmer, and dimmer still. A strong gale rose, making Sunny''s black mantle flutter. It was as though his figure was devouring all light, replacing it with an endless shadow. His eyes widened. Behind Sunny, Cassie shuddered. "What..."


    It was as though a tide of darkness flooded the world, rolling outward from the Chain Breaker. The sacred tree instantly disappeared from view, drowned in it, as did the figure of Saint at the bow of the ship. The dark cliffs could not be seen a moment later. The darkness did not stop there. Even though Nephis and Cassie could not perceive it, Sunny could, somehow... he felt the entire island being swallowed by the shadow he had unleashed, with all light becoming extinguished in an instant. Soon, it was as though they were standing in a lightless, black void. Only Sunny could see that the world had not really disappeared... it was still there. The sacred tree still swayed subtly in the wind, and Saint was still standing at the bow. The dark cliffs were where they had been a few moments ago. The mist still swirled and flowed, only now, it was like a liquid darkness. And he could feel...


    ''So that''s what it is.''


    The Fragment of the Shadow Realm... was, unsurprisingly, a shadow. A shadow so vast and ancient that his mind failed to comprehend its scale, so deep and unfathomable that his heart trembled in front of it. More than that... if Sunny wasn''t mistaken, this inconceivable shadow was... of the Divine Rank. It was lightless and black, but shone with the golden light of divinity in his vision at the same time.


    It was not alive, but it wasn''t empty like the shadows of inanimate objects, either. It did not belong to Sunny, and yet, he was connected to it, somehow. Even though Sunny had summoned it... he was, perhaps, not qualified yet to be its master.

 Chapter 1434 World of Darkness

    Chapter 1434 World of Darkness


    As Sunny stood frozen in the world of darkness, Nephis summoned a Memory lantern and raised it, illuminating the deck of the Chain Breaker. A small island of warm light appeared around them �� however, it was not nearly as wide as it should have been, as if the lantern was struggling to push back the unfathomable shadow. Its light trembled pitifully.


    "Sunny... what did you do?"


    He lingered with the answer, then said honestly:


    "I summoned a fragment of Shadow God''s domain. You must have seen it in my runes... it''s a Legacy Relic I received."


    The Fragment had already swallowed all of Wind Flower. Sunny could feel it... which was strange. As an Ascended Tyrant, he could control his shadows from around twenty kilometers away. However, the range of his shadow sense was much more modest, less even than that of his vision. How was it that he could vaguely sense the far side of the island? Updated from


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then carefully extended his shadow sense... however, he did not extend it outward. Instead, he extended it into the Fragment. In the next moment, Sunny yelped, staggered, and fell. "Ah, hell!"


    Sunny rescued Jet, healed her with the help of the Mirror of Truth, and returned to the Chain Breaker. Then, he explained the nature of the loop to the members of the cohort. After that, however...


    Sunny had to make new decisions. Now that he knew that leaving his companions on the Chain Breaker was tantamount to leaving them for dead, there was no other choice but to venture into the mist together... which was a moot point, really, considering that he had already decided to rely on teamwork more before his break. His goal of compiling a time map of Wind Flower had become much easier, as well, due to how far his shadow sense could reach in the boundary of the Fragment. Perhaps the best thing about the Fragment of Shadow''s Domain was that it existed independently of Sunny. It was not manifested from his essence, and did not consume it to exist. On the flipside, it was also not under his control.


    Although Sunny could benefit from being within a piece of Shadow God''s Domain, he had not magically become akin to a Sovereign. There was an unexpected, but welcome side effect to his innate connection to the inconceivable shadow, though...


    It was that the rudimentary affinity to water that the Crown of Twilight granted him could spread through the Fragment, as well. And since mist was made of water, Sunny found himself capable of influencing the fog.


    He could make it thicker, or push it away from a certain area. It was hard to say how beneficial, exactly, such an ability would be. But Sunny felt that he would find a way to use it to his advantage. Other than that, the most obvious advantage of the Fragment was that Sunny could manifest it into tangible objects. Even though these objects were manifested with Ascended essence, their origin was still a Divine shadow. As such, they were much more powerful and robust than what he had been able to conjure up previously. Of course, using them burned a tremendously larger amount of essence in proportion. The last thing Sunny experimented with was dismissing the Fragment of the Shadow Realm. Sadly... it seemed impossible. Just as he had expected, once unleashed, the Fragment couldn''t be taken back.


    Or at least he had no authority to do so. The only exception was the Shadow Lantern. Sunny discovered that he could hide the Fragment inside the Divine Memory... but, strangely enough, he couldn''t summon it back from it. Once the inconceivable shadow entered the gate of the black lantern, it was as though it disappeared forever. He was somewhat disheartened, but at the same elated. Armed with the Fragment and the Mirror of Truth and supported by the members of the cohort... suddenly, Sunny felt that creating a moving map of Wind Flower was not as impossible of a task anymore.


    Without wasting any time, he got to work.


    He was going to find a way to escape this endless hell, and take his companions with him.

 Chapter 1435 Time Map

    Chapter 1435 Time Map


    Over the next few revolutions, Sunny repeated the same actions. He would summon the Fragment of Shadow Realm, rescue Jet, enter the cave system below the island with the cohort, and slay the Cavern Terror. Then, they would proceed to the far side of the island, find Effie, and hide from danger until the end of the loop. Each time, the time it took to reach the northern edge of Wind Flower grew shorter... but it was still not nearly short enough. So, Sunny continued to study the island and perfect his time map. He kept the cohort safe �� or at least tried to �� and explored Wind Flower through shadow sense.


    He progressed swiftly due to how drastically the Fragment extended its reach. Sunny already knew which places on the island were too dangerous to observe, so he managed to avoid drawing the attention of the beings who dwelled there. Apart from those horrors, the rest of the creatures imprisoned on Wind Flower were now like an open book to him.


    The time map he had been trying to create was becoming more and more complete. There were empty spaces on it, of course �� for example, Sunny had never managed to learn much about the tower. There were a few places on the island that were too lethal for him to explore, as well. But he did not need to study them, anyway, because his goal was not the exploration of Wind Flower. His goal was simply to get to Effie and return to the Chain Breaker in time, then escape this hell and never look back. Nevertheless...


    The closer his time map came to completion, the colder Sunny felt. It was because he was growing more and more wary of the truths he learned. The purpose of creating the map was to track the movements of the dangerous Nightmare Creatures across the island throughout the loop. He needed to know about them to create the most efficient path to the far side of the island and back... to rescue both Jet and Effie and leave Wind Flower in the span of a single day. However, once Sunny had most of the information he needed...


    He felt nothing but dread, realizing that that goal was utterly unattainable. Even the most efficient of the remotely safe routes was not fast enough to get him to where he needed to be. Even if he made Effie ride Nightmare, there was not enough time. With their current strength, and with the tools available to them, making a round trip across the island before the loop terminated seemed simply impossible. Updated from

 Chapter 1436 Heavy Burden

    Chapter 1436 Heavy Burden


    Sunny was on the deck of the Chain Breaker once again. He straightened and looked into the mist, his eyes sunken. "Doesn''t work... that doesn''t work. Should we abandon the caverns route?"


    His bleak voice was quiet enough to not be heard by Nephis and Cassie. Although Sunny had been careful not to overwork himself too much again, the strain of surviving... and failing to survive... on Wind Flower was slowly getting to him. It was hard, to keep himself from succumbing to hopelessness and numbness. Sunny had known many bitter defeats, but being crushed over and over again still burdened him. More than that, his mindset was slowly deteriorating into not caring about whether he lived or died at all... Why would he care if all that waited after death was another revolution, and then another, and another, endlessly and without reprieve?


    If there was one thing that kept him grounded and served as an anchor for his sanity, it was the fact that watching his companions die was always an agony. Even knowing that they would be reborn in the loop did not ease the pain and desperation Sunny felt each time he micalculated and led them to their deaths.


    If he was by himself, he probably would not have given up... but his focus and determination would have deteriorated much faster. He had to take the members of the cohort away from Wind Flower, though... Jet, Cassie. Effie and her baby. Nephis...


    That thought kept him motivated.


    He was the only one who could. Due to a random twist of fate, Sunny possessed a cursed sword which made him able to remember the previous revolutions. That alone placed him ahead of everyone else on the island... in fact, simply knowing that they had to escape was already half of the victory. It was just that the other half had turned out to be insurmountable. And it was hard, to carry all that burden all by himself. "No, the cavern route is the safest, which makes it the fastest."


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments. "It''s simple. Since nothing works, I have to explore more possibilities... the Mirror of Truth, that is the answer. I should make it reflect more Nightmare Creatures... ah, but not Beasts, and Monsters, and Demons. Only Devils and those above them will do."


    Sunny was motionless, going over the collection of horrors stored in his mind.


    There were not that many beings on Wind Flowers that both fit the criteria and could be caught in the reflection of the Mirror of Truth without getting him killed. The Cavern Terror was one of them... the creature hidden in the port, as well, although escaping from it alive was not easy...


    Sunny stopped what he was doing and stared at Cassie with a slight frown. Eventually, he asked:


    "Cassie? Is everything alright with you?"


    She froze, then turned to face him and lingered for a few moments. "Yes? I think so... I just have this strange feeling."


    He raised his eyebrow.


    "What feeling?"


    It was an ominous sign that their oracle was having a strange feeling. Cassie''s premonitions were never trivial, and were usually the harbingers of terrifying events. But what could have triggered this premonition? Nothing was supposed to change on Wind Flower, unless Sunny was the one to change it. He waited tensely to hear her response, all kinds of dreadful theories flashing in his mind. However...


    When Cassie finally answered, all those thoughts disappeared, replaced by stunned silence. She shrugged. "It''s nothing serious. I just can''t get rid of this feeling of de?ja? vu."


    Sunny stared at without saying anything. ''De?ja? vu?''


    Wasn''t that... wasn''t that how he himself had first come to recognize the twisted nature of time on Wind Flower?


    He blinked.


    Was Cassie becoming aware of the loop, too?

 Chapter 1437 One Pebble

    Chapter 1437 One Pebble


    Throughout the rest of the loop, Cassie continued to be a little off. The changes were subtle, but Sunny could easily spot them. After all, he had been going through these tribulations for a long time now... anything that was different from how things were supposed to go drew his attention. Cassie was clearly in a slightly dazed state �� not unlike how he had been the first time around. Otherwise, she would have realized that having a persistent sense of de?ja? vu on an island where time endlessly repeated itself had to mean something.


    Then again, she might have simply attributed it to the time loop and moved on. It was only Sunny who knew that the blind girl was acting differently from how she had in the previous revolutions. ''Why is this happening?''


    Cassie was distracted because of her strange mental state, while Sunny was distracted because of Cassie. The cohort had slain the Cavern Terror, traversed the system of caves, and obliterated the swarm of black millipedes. Finally, they climbed out of the chasm and ventured into the misty forest. Now that it was submerged in darkness, Sunny found it much easier to move forward. He was in his element. He could also track the movements of the Nightmare Creatures populating this part of the island, not to mention the fact that he already knew what they were capable of. Some abominations had to be avoided at all costs, some could be challenged. It was easier to avoid the former, and not as hard to slay the latter. Armed with knowledge and the element of surprise, the cohort made swift progress. Eventually, there came a moment when Sunny told everyone to slow down and took the lead. Banishing the mist from a small area in front of them, he called:


    "Effie! Do not..."


    As soon as he spoke, a grey spear flashed toward him with tremendous speed, as if shot from a devastating siege engine.


    Holding back a sigh, Sunny moved to the side and effortlessly caught the spear with his bare hand. The power of Effie''s throw was scary enough to drag him back a few steps, but he easily kept his balance.


    "...throw that damned spear at me!"


    Nephis and Jet had barely had any time to react. They both stared at the deadly weapon held in his hand with astonishment.


    ''...It must have been hard on her.''


    Effie always put up a carefree front, but he knew that behind it, she had known just as much heartbreak and sorrow as the rest of them... if not more. Making the decisions she had made, no matter right or wrong, could not have been easy.


    In fact, it was the opposite. Every step of the way must have been frightening, heavy, and difficult.


    ''I have to get her out of this hellhole alive.''


    They would deal with the rest later. ...Eventually, the revolution came to an end. And when the next one started, Sunny was startled by an unexpected noise. Looking back, he saw that Cassie had dropped the Guiding Light, which clattered and rolled across the deck. Her expression was frozen.


    Taking a step toward the blind girl, Sunny lingered for a moment, and asked:


    "What''s the matter?"


    Cassie slowly turned to face him and took a shallow breath. Her words were exactly what he expected to hear:


    "Sunny. I... I... I remember."

 Chapter 1438 Hiring an Assistant

    Chapter 1438 Hiring an Assistant


    Updated from


    Sunny did not know how many revolutions it had taken him to become aware of the loop. However, he knew that around two months had passed since he did �� that was how much longer it had taken for Cassie to join him in knowing the truth. Standing on the deck of the Chain Breaker, Sunny stared at the blind girl intensely. He was feeling a strange mix of emotions... relief and gratitude, to start with. He was incredibly elated at the thought of sharing the burden of escaping Wind Flower with someone, especially someone as resourceful and steady as Cassie.


    But at the same time, there was a note of unease in his heart. How exactly had she come to know about the loop? And why?


    For him... it was because of the Sin of Solace. Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then suddenly took a step forward and asked, his voice grim:


    "You see him too, don''t you? Admit it. I know you do."


    The blind girl tilted her head a little, an expression of confusion appearing on her face. "See... who? I don''t understand."


    Sunny hesitated for a moment. Was she telling the truth? Or was she only pretending to be oblivious to the Sin of Solace? If it was the latter... he had to give Cassie and her acting skills credit. She would be a much better liar than he had ever suspected her to be, if that was the truth. But why would she hide it? To spare them both the embarrassment, perhaps... gods knew, Sunny would not want anyone to hear the things his inner demon whispered into his ears every day. If so, it would make sense how Cassie had learned about the loop, and why it had taken her longer to become aware of it. She could only perceive the Sin of Solace by using her Ascended Ability on Sunny, after all, and would thus be far less susceptible to the wraith''s influence. However, it was not necessarily the case that she could see and hear the hateful apparition. In fact, it was far more likely that Cassie was telling the truth �� the Sin of Solace only existed in Sunny''s mind, and was therefore unlikely to be seen by her while sharing his senses. She could have simply become aware of the loop because of her unrivaled affinity to fate and revelations. The blind girl had always been able to feel and perceive things that none of them could... it was not outside the realm of possibility that she would slowly learn to sense the twisted nature of time on Wind Flower by herself.


    It was at that moment that both Cassie and Sunny were suddenly interrupted. Looking at them in utter confusion, Nephis raised an eyebrow. "What... are you two talking about?"


    She frowned. "What does Cassie remember, and why is remembering something so important? Caverns, forests, and butterflies? What does it mean? And what is it about Effie?"


    The two of them turned to her, surprised. Sunny was suddenly very guilty about forgetting Neph in all the commotion. ''So... I''ll have to explain everything again, I guess...''


    But then, he suddenly had a thought. The questions were addressed at both of them... so, his Flaw was not compelling him to answer.


    Looking down, Sunny patted Cassie on the shoulder and smiled. "You take this one, Cas. I''ll go rescue Jet."


    Before the blind girl could even answer, he already mounted Nightmare and disappeared into the mist.


    ''Ha!'' It was good to have an assistant.

 Chapter 1439 Desperate Times

    Chapter 1439 Desperate Times


    By the time Sunny returned with Jet, Cassie had already explained the situation to Nephis as best as she could. That had already saved him some time �� not that it mattered during this revolution. For now, his goal was to get Cassie up to speed. Updated from


    As they left the Chain Breaker and headed toward the bone orchard, Sunny started to describe the perils of Wind Flower to her in detail. Jet and Nephis listened, too, growing grimmer with each minute. "The Devouring Beast is here as well?"


    Hearing Jet''s somber question, Sunny nodded.


    She lingered for a moment. "Who is Devouring Beast, though?"


    ''Oh...''


    Soul Reaper only knew who Undying Slaughter was because they had met. She had no concept of who the Six Plagues were, and no explanation to how a Defiled version of her could exist on the island. Sunny explained the things briefly... not that he knew much more than her. "...We don''t know how they exist, or why. These future versions of ourselves are known as the Six Heralds of the Estuary, of the Six Plagues. And two of them are here, on the island �� the future version of you, and the future version of Effie."


    He lingered for a moment before adding:


    "We also don''t know how the two of them ended up here. My theory is that they were exiled to Wind Flower to contain their Flaws, but... it''s just conjecture."


    Jet''s face remained impassive. She nodded silently and did not say anything about his indirect castigation of her Flaw.


    Who would like hearing that her personal curse was so terrible that even the Nightmare Creatures had chosen to banish her corrupted future self into isolation?


    Sunny let out a quiet sigh and continued explaining things to Cassie. The blind girl was listening to him attentively, seemingly not having trouble with digesting the incredible amount of information. From time to time, she asked him small, but poignant questions.


    "...But that was back when I was the only one with the detailed knowledge of the loop. Now that there are two of us, the situation might change."


    Cassie did not answer for a while. Then, she slowly shook her head. "No. It won''t change."


    Sunny was taken aback. He stared at her tensely, then asked, his voice even:


    "And why is that?"


    The blind girl sighed. "It''s because I am not strong enough to make a decisive difference. Sure, with my help, you can save an hour or two... but that is not enough. Even if we separate, the scope of the things I can accomplish is limited. If this island is too dangerous for you, Sunny, then it is certain death for me."


    She frowned.


    "Even if we somehow manage to make everyone in the cohort remember the previous revolutions, it will still not be enough. Not that having Nephis, Jet, and Effie slowly being driven mad by that cursed sword of yours is an option."


    Sunny''s face darkened. He scoffed, then looked away. "So what are you suggesting we do, then?"


    Cassie shrugged. "We explore every opportunity. The things we''ve learned offer us no solution. So there is no other choice but to turn to things we''ve yet to explore, and hope for the best. Starting with..."


    She leaned forward slightly and pointed to the map. Sunny lowered his gaze and looked at where her delicate finger was pointing. His expression changed subtly. ''Of course it''s that place...''


    The place the blind girl was pointing at was at the very center of the map.


    There, a crude image of a tall tower was drawn, surrounded by a wide moat.

 Chapter 1440 Desperate Measures

    Chapter 1440 Desperate Measures


    There were several places on the island that Sunny had not dared to explore yet. They were too dangerous, and lay off the route that led to Effie �� he was already tormented enough by dying while trying to reach her, so losing his life meaninglessly to satiate his curiosity did not seem like a good idea. That said... Cassie was right. It was not as though Sunny had not considered grasping at straws by venturing into these dangerous territories before. He knew that he would most likely end up searching for a solution there eventually... but not before exhausting all other choices. Well, his choices had been exhausted. Cassie had become aware of the loop just when they had, so he allowed himself to grow hopeful for a few hours. However, she was now reminding him of the harsh reality...


    Even if there were two people who remembered the previous revolutions now, it was still not enough to solve the diabolical puzzle of Wind Flower. Even with everything he had learned, there was no feasible way to achieve their goals.


    Which meant that they had to expand their efforts to the most dangerous corners of the hellish island. And the tower... it was the most dangerous of them all by far. Sunny had already tried to enter it once, during one of the earlier revolutions. However, before he could even cross the bridge... he had died without even realizing what had killed him. The bones of the dreadful Nightmare Creatures and the abominations standing motionlessly on the bridge only solidified the fact that the stronghold of the Seeker was absolutely deadly �� more deadly than the overgrown port, the harrowing shrine, and the eerie circle of black obelisks.


    He stared at the map silently. ''...Can''t say I''m not curious to get inside, though.''


    Wind Flower was just too mysterious. Sunny had been exploring the dreadful island for about two months now, and although he was now familiar with its landscape and dangers, he did not know a lot about its history.


    Who was the Seeker that had lived here before, exactly? How had that person been able to not only survive inside the loop, but also build the tower, the port, the shrine, and other structures within it? Or had the vortex not existed yet when they called Wind Flower home? If it had not... was the Seeker responsible for creating it?


    Sunny knew, of course, that Wind Flower had not always been trapped within a loop of repeating time. Otherwise, there was no explanation for the existence of the bone orchard, the steps cut into the cliffs, and many other landmarks of the nightmarish island.


    Even the line of footprints they had found in the white sand predated the starting point of the loop. They looked like they had been left only a few hours... but in reality, the person who had leapt off the edge of the island must have done so many centuries ago.


    ''Never mind...''


    He wouldn''t have deemed the gluttonous huntress with an answer, but sadly, his Flaw compelled him to.


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny lingered for as long as he could, and then said reluctantly:


    "Yeah. It tasted pretty amazing."


    In the darkness, Nephis carefully touched his shoulder. When Sunny turned to her, she asked in a low voice:


    "What do we do now?"


    He studied her beautiful face for a few moments and sighed. What was there to do?


    "We will try to cross the bridge. Right... all of you, prepare to die."

 Chapter 1441 Lets Split Up

    Chapter 1441 Let''s Split Up


    Although the Seeker''s Tower was right in front of them, Sunny had little hope that they would be able to reach its entrance this time. Not only was the tower protected by the eerie enchantment, but the revolution was also close to its end �� it had taken them a lot of time to find Effie and get back to the heart of the island. He did not know how much longer they had, exactly, but it might have been mere minutes. In the end... they never found out. The black cliff was surrounded by a wide open space where there were no trees. Not long after the members of the cohort cautiously abandoned the forest, a gentle wind caressed Sunny''s face, forcing him to look up. Wind Flower was shrouded in impenetrable darkness, so no one except for Sunny could see... but there was something there, above them, hiding in the black expanse of the misty sky. Frozen in terror, he watched dozens of twisting tendrils descending from the turbulent black fog, each hundreds of meters long. Then, he was dead. ...Coming back to his senses on the deck of the Chain Breaker, Sunny could not help but shudder. This was the first time he had caught a glimpse of the being that dwelled in the mist above the island. Sunny had thought that Wind Flower had no horrors left to surprise him with... but he had been wrong. ''What is... what even is... that thing?'' Hiding how disturbed he was, Sunny turned and looked at Cassie. By now, he was if not accustomed, then at least familiar with the terrible trauma of dying. The blind girl had only recently become aware of the loop, though. For her, it must have been a harrowing experience. But, contrary to his expectations, Cassie seemed perfectly fine �� nonchalant, even. It was as though she had experienced countless deaths already.


    Sunny lingered for a moment. ''Right. Considering her Aspect... she probably has.''


    Nevertheless, he walked over to her, hesitated for a moment, and tried to make his voice sound soft:


    "Are you alright?"


    A brief, pale smile appeared on Cassie''s face. She nodded. "Yes. I''m fine. It''s just... it was sobering."


    Nephis stared at them silently, a hint of confusion appearing in her tired grey eyes. She was once again suffering from the symptoms of essence exhaustion. Sunny sighed and gestured to Cassie, imploring her to take care of the explanations.


    A moment later, he was off to retrieve Jet. ''I am... definitely not avoiding Neph.''


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments. Neph''s suggestion had merit. He was still not convinced that they would be able to survive the dread of Wind Flower on their own, but... there was a chance, no matter how small. Sunny would most likely be able to guide them through the forest remotely. Cassie could share senses with either Nephis or Jet, too, to warn him should anything unexpected happen. In any case, there was not much of a choice. Even though he did not like the idea of sending both members of the cohort who could not remember the past events of the loop blindly into the mist, it was worth trying at least once. Cassie and Sunny, meanwhile, had the best chance of actually making it inside the tower.


    ''Ah... I hate it.''


    He shifted slightly, then nodded. "Right... you two go and kill the Cavern Terror, then. If you give it half of the beating you gave me, it might just run away and hide in fear."


    Both Nephis and Jet stared at him incredulously. After a few moments of silence, Jet asked: "...When did we give you a beating?"


    Nephis nodded and raised an eyebrow. "And why?"


    Sunny coughed and looked away. "Oh, that... don''t worry about it... it was just a small misunderstanding, a couple revolutions ago... anyway, there''s no time to waste! We should hurry if we don''t want to be discovered by Undying Slaughter... come on, let''s move!"


    Soon, they left the Chain Breaker and separated. Accompanied by Saint and Fiend, Nephis and Jet headed east toward the bone orchard.


    Sunny and Cassie, meanwhile, hurried north.


    Toward the Seeker''s Tower.

 Chapter 1442 Elusive Duo

    Chapter 1442 Elusive Duo


    Going straight to the tower might have saved Sunny and Cassie a lot of time, but it was also the most dangerous direction. Not only was Undying Slaughter prowling somewhere in the mist, but Devouring Beast was also not far away. There were other horrors waiting for them in the forest, as well.


    Luckily, there might not have been a more elusive duo than Sunny and Cassie in two worlds. With the blind girl riding Nightmare, they could move swiftly in the darkness. Since she was sharing his senses, they did not need to carry a source of light with them, thus avoiding unnecessary attention. Sunny could detect most dangers far in advance, and Cassie''s supernatural intuition warned them about those threats that could not be perceived that easily. Added to the extensive knowledge of the island, that allowed them to avoid confrontations with its prisoners and advance inland stealthily. Updated from


    Of course, it would not have been possible without the Fragment of the Shadow Realm. The silent understanding they shared also played a large role. At some point, Cassie patted Nightmare on the shoulder. The black stallion slowed down and then halted, standing motionlessly in the flowing mist. Sunny leaned against the trunk of an ancient pine and listened to the muffled sounds of the forest, focused and calm. "Do you sense a threat?"


    Cassie nodded.


    "Something is approaching."


    He swiped the surrounding woods with shadow sense, but did not find anything. Nevertheless... the forest suddenly seemed more eerie than it had been before. Sunny frowned, contemplating which of the horrors of misty island could be lurking nearby. His expression dimmed. "Can we evade it?"


    The blind girl frowned, then hesitantly shook her head. "I don''t think we can. There is not enough time."


    Sunny sighed and raised the Sin of Solace. "We fight, then."


    It was a shame... he really thought that they would be able to reach the Seeker''s Tower alive. Before Sunny could prepare himself for the inevitable �� and most likely fatal �� clash, Cassie was suddenly surrounded by a whirlwind of sparks. Even the familiar motes of light seemed dimmer in the darkness of the Fragment. The blind girl remained silent for a few moments, focusing on something, then said quietly:


    "We can''t evade it, but we can try to lure it away."


    Soon, the blade mannequin Echo weaved itself from light and hurried into the mist, intentionally producing a lot of noise. Cassie pointed in a different direction.


    "Let''s go!"


    Saint and Fiend were also in one piece, although the latter seemed worse for wear. Guided by Sunny''s shadow, Neph and Jet were now cautiously traversing the misty forest. Around the time they found Effie �� and were almost impaled on her spear �� Sunny and Cassie finally returned to where they had started from. The blind girl dismounted and was now sitting on the ground, tracing unfamiliar runes in the wet soil. There was a frown on her face. "Strange..."


    Sunny waited for a long as he could, then finally asked:


    "Well? Can you make sense of them? Is it an enchantment?"


    Cassie hesitated for a while. "It... seems to be. However, it''s unlike any enchantment I have ever seen before �� here in the Tomb of Ariel, in the Kingdom of Hope, and anywhere across the Dream Realm."


    Her expression was suddenly troubled. "There are runes that do not seem to be a part of the enchantment, as well. The Spell does not translate them, so they are not exactly words. However... they are, in a way. It''s like a code. Or a puzzle, I guess?"


    Sunny raised an eyebrow. "Can you solve that puzzle?"


    Cassie nodded.


    "Yes. It''s not particularly hard... anyone knowledgeable in runic sorcery would be able to."


    He glanced at the black cliff, thought for a few moments, and asked:


    "So what do these runes say?"


    The blind girl hesitated. "It''s a bit strange. I don''t quite understand the meaning, but if I''m reading it correctly... they say..."


    Cassie remained silent for a bit, then turned to him and shrugged.


    "I am the tower that Aletheia of the Nine built."

 Chapter 1443 Cutting a Mountain

    Chapter 1443 Cutting a Mountain


    Sunny remained silent for a while, looking at the blind girl with a strange expression. ''Aletheia... of the Nine?''


    The words sounded familiar. He had met a person with a similar name a long, long time ago. The young Awakened swordsman from his First Nightmare, the one whom he called Hero... the Spell had called him Auro of the Nine. Was it a coincidence, or something more? Sunny frowned. What did he really know about Hero?


    Not much. Hero had been alive during the twilight of the Golden Age, not long before the Doom War started. He was a soldier of a militant empire which worshiped War God and had conquered many lands. He was a warrior of considerable skill and had already Awakened at his young age... Now that Sunny knew how long it took one to Awaken without the assistance of the Spell, that fact seemed even more impressive.


    But Sunny had known that Auro of the Nine was not a simple person all along. Not because of his skill and talent, but simply because of all the people in the Nightmare, he was the only one whose name the Spell remembered. That alone told Sunny that Auro was special. The Spell appraised Sunny''s performance in the First Nightmare as glorious, which meant that he had deviated from the natural course of events to a great degree. What would have happened to Auro if Sunny had never taken the place of the nameless temple slave? The slave would have died, most likely, while the young swordsman would have survived. If he lived on and escaped the mountain pass... what fate would have awaited him in the future?


    And there was one more detail...


    ''What was it that he said to justify killing me?''


    The blind girl smiled. "That''s true. I wouldn''t be able to recreate it... but breaking it is much easier than that. Nevertheless, don''t be too encouraged. The runes are carved deep, and there are certainly measures in place to protect them. We''ll have to shatter the entire slope of the cliff to erase them."


    He chuckled. "Leave that to me. I might not be able to cut a mountain with one slash of my sword, but breaking a cliff or two shouldn''t be a problem."


    Cassie nodded and fell silent, concentrating on identifying the key runes of the enchantment. Sunny, meanwhile, studied the black cliff. A long time passed. On the far side of the island, Nephis, Jet, and Effie had hidden among the cliffs and shared a meal. Sunny watched them through the shadow and listened to the calming flow of their conversation. Neph was holding the Guiding Light, explaining how it had been found in the lost temple of Fallen Grace. Finally, Cassie was done with her task. The two of them moved stealthily around the black cliff and reached the spot where the string of most vulnerable runes was located. "There. Destroy that section."


    She pointed to where Sunny needed to strike, but he shook his head. "Not yet."


    They had to wait a little longer. After about an hour, Sunny took a deep breath and rose. A whirlwind of scarlet sparks danced around his hand, forming into a black bow. He raised it and held the string. At the same time, somewhere outside the mist, the seven suns were plunging into the Great River. It was dusk. As the Crown of Twilight opened his soul to a flood of essence, Sunny drew the bow and activated its most powerful enchantment, [Death Dealer]. Usually, he would not have been able to use it more than a few times in a row �� the strain on his essence reserves was simply too great. But right now, it did not matter. Releasing the string, he sent a black arrow flying. Then, without wasting even a second, Sunny grunted and drew the bow again. The second and third arrows streaked through the darkness before the first one even hit the target. Then, the silence of Wind Flower suddenly exploded into a deafening roar of breaking stone. It was as though a furious storm suddenly descended, with booming thunderclaps shaking the world. Black arrows struck the face of the cliff one after another... one, two, three, ten. Despite how harrowing the force of these strikes was, the weathered black rock held.


    For a while. Gradually, a net of thin cracks appeared on its surface. Then, the cracks widened. Not long after that, small shards of broken stone shot into the air. Finally, the side of the cliff exploded and collapsed, tons of black stone falling into the turbulent waters of the wide moat. Sunny lowered his bow and swayed a little, utterly spent. His breathing was ragged. By his side, Cassie clenched her delicate fists in excitement. "It... it worked! The enchantment is failing!"


    Sunny lingered for a moment. "Yeah... I can see. Crap."


    There was no thrill in his voice. Out there on the bridge... the harrowing abominations that had been motionless before were already starting to move.

 Chapter 1444 New Ways to Die

    Chapter 1444 New Ways to Die


    Updated from


    Not only were the Nightmare Creatures on the bridge coming back to life, but the thunderous noise created by Sunny''s arrows had to have attracted all kinds of abominations from the depths of the island. The enchantment surrounding Aletheia''s Tower might have been destroyed, but the situation was dire.


    He could already hear the pines falling in the forest, which meant that Devoring Beast was approaching them. ''Damnation.''


    Sunny stared at the stirring Nightmare Creatures for a moment, then dismissed his bow and dashed to Cassie.


    "Sorry!"


    Grabbing the blind girl by her thin waist, he effortlessly lifted her off the ground and jumped into the saddle. A moment later, Nightmare had already left the cover of the trees and was flying toward the bridge. "S��Sunny?! W��what..."


    The mist boiled and surged into the killing field, obscuring the swift silhouette of the black stallion. Sunny hoped that this would protect them from the being that hid in the skies... but he couldn''t be sure. Pressing Cassie against himself so that she was not thrown off Nightmare''s back, he readied the Sin of Solace. "Either we get inside the tower, or die. So... hold on tight!"


    The abominations on the bridge had already caught their scent. Sunny had hoped to slip past them before the creatures fully regained their senses, but it seemed that he had been too optimistic. There was only a second or two left before Nightmare reached the moat... and yet, there was already a Great Nightmare Creature eyeing them as it blocked the way. ''Curse it!''


    At the last second, Sunny gave his steed a command to turn left. At the same time, the deep darkness surrounding them stirred and came alive, surging forward like a tide. Just when Nightmare would have plunged into the rushing water, the darkness solidified, turning into a tangible surface. A moment later, they were past the Nightmare Creatures.


    It was golden once again. He slumped against the railing, let out a shaky breath, and forced out a smile. "I guess... we really do have to use the bridge."


    She nodded slowly. "Yes. Let''s... try to make it, this time."


    ***


    Sunny had always wanted to die of old age, but definitely not in such a cruel manner. It seemed that his previous suspicion that diving into the moat would be lethal was correct �� however, as it turned out, passing above it was just as deadly.


    ''At least now, I know that Masters can die of old age, too.''


    It was actually an interesting piece of information. It was common knowledge that Awakened had longer lifespans than mundane humans, but no one really knew by how much. The Spell had only descended on the waking world around half a century ago, after all, and it took a while for the first Ascended to appear. The first Saints appeared even later, after Sunny had been born.


    ''I''ll put it in my exploration report... if we ever make it out alive...''


    Not letting the eerie death slow them down, Sunny and Cassie made another attempt to enter Aletheia''s Tower. In the end, it took them a dozen more revolutions to succeed. Getting near the water flowing in the moat was a death sentence, since time around it went utterly insane. Flying was suicidal because of the Harvester. So, the only way to reach the black cliff was to cross the stone bridge. However, the Nightmare Creatures trapped on it were too deadly. As soon as the enchantment was destroyed, they were released from its hold and turned their attention to the two humans. Sunny and Cassie tried fighting them, and perished. Then, they tried to evade them, but were caught and killed. Eventually, it was Sunny who came up with a way to deal with the abominations. With Devouring Beast on their heels and the Nightmare Creatures in front of him, he simply made sure that the former and the latter collided with each other before they caught him and Cassie. Then, while the bestial giantess was dismantling the dreadful abominations behind them, Sunny and Cassie stealthily ascended the steps cut into the cliff. There was more deadly magic on those steps, but after dying to it several times, they finally found a way to reach the tower. Finally, they stood in front of its gates. They were shut tightly, and even if Sunny had a key, there was no lock to insert it. Luckily, he was already familiar with this type of door. Placing his hand on the surface of the gate, he sent his essence flowing into it.


    The ancient door opened slowly. Hearing a furious roar chase after them from the bottom of the cliff, Sunny did not waste any time. Grabbing Cassie''s hand, he entered Aletheia''s Tower and pulled the blind girl inside.

 Chapter 1445 Inside the Tower

    Chapter 1445 Inside the Tower


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    As soon as Sunny shut the gate behind them, the terrifying roar that had been approaching was cut off. A few moments later, the tower seemed to shake a little, as if something had crashed into its walls. However, apart from a little dust that fell from the ceiling, nothing happened. They seemed to be safe.


    ...From the threats outside, at least. Letting out a sigh of relief, Sunny took a step back and looked around. His eyes narrowed a little. "Well, that... is unexpected."


    He had wondered about what the interior of Aletheia''s Tower would look like a lot. In his mind, there were two possibilities... either it would be perfectly preserved and full of tantalizing knowledge, or serve as the lair for the most harrowing abomination yet.


    The truth was that it was both and neither at the same time. From what Sunny could tell, the interior of the tower had once been austere, but elegant. None of that elegance remained, however �� at some point, a dreadful Nightmare Creature had made its way inside.


    He was currently staring at that Nightmare Creature.


    Its torso was hanging from the ceiling, terribly mutilated and seeping with black blood. The creature''s revolting skull was crushed, and one of its arms was severed at the elbow. A vast and utterly disgusting puddle of blood, viscera, and brain matter covered most of the floor. Looking at the corpse of the gargantuan, vaguely humanoid creature, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a sense of deep, primal terror.


    Aletheia''s Tower had indeed become the lair of a dreadful abomination...


    However, the abomination was dead.


    Cassie was observing the corpse, too. She seemed unnerved. After hesitating for a few moments, the blind girl said quietly:


    "It''s... it was a Great Tyrant."


    "There is danger, somewhere above us."


    Sunny grimaced and rose to his feet. He considered summoning Nightmare back, but then decided against it. The black steed would not be able to move freely in the narrow confines of the tower, so...


    It was up to him and Cassie to find out the truth. "Well, I am not going to flee after dying so many damned times to get here."


    She nodded. "I agree."


    Trying to stay away from the dreadful corpse, they found the stairs and cautiously ascended to the next floor of the tower. There, they saw more signs of the battle that had taken place here. In fact, it seemed that the clash between the Tyrant and whatever it was that had killed it had mostly taken place on the higher floors. Sunny could tell just by looking up �� starting from the second floor, there were no ceilings anymore. Tall piles of stone debris were all around them. It seemed that the Great Tyrant had crashed through the floors of many levels before finally ending up hanging dead from the ceiling of the first one. Sadly, most of the interior of the tower had been destroyed in the process. Sunny glanced at Cassie, then sighed and started climbing. The blind girl followed by holding the hilt of the Quiet Dancer, which gently lifted her in the air. They slowly ascended past the destroyed portion of the tower before finally arriving at the second-to-last level. Here, a chunk of the floor still remained, leading to a narrow staircase. The battle seemed to have never reached the last level, so the ceiling was intact. Sunny could not tell what was above them... but he knew only the highest window of the tower was emanating light. So, the source of that light had to be on the last floor. The source of the terrible danger Cassie felt was also there. "Stay behind me."


    Moving forward to protect the blind girl with his body, Sunny put his foot on the first step and started ascending the stairs. He felt wary and apprehensive... scared, even. After experiencing so many painful deaths, it was only natural for his body to be afraid of another one. Even if he understood that he would be brought back to life by the loop, his body didn''t. ''Let''s just get it over with.''


    Arriving in front of an engraved wooden door, Sunny hesitated for a moment, then sighed and opened it. Bright light washed over him the next instant. ...There was a faint smell of incense in the air. Taking a step forward, Sunny shielded his eyes with a hand and extended his shadow sense forward. He had expected to find a dreadful abomination waiting for the inside... but, to his surprise, there was no movement at all. Lowering his hand, he looked at the final floor of Aletheia''s tower. It consisted of one large chamber. There were lanterns floating in the air all around it, emanating a warm glow. A pleasant smell of incense permeated the air. The interior of the chamber was perfectly intact. A few pieces of simple, but tasteful wooden furniture stood on the tiled floor.


    "Sunny."


    Cassie pointed to the far side of the spacious room.


    There, a wide bed stood, surrounded by a half-transparent silk canopy. And on that bed...


    A beautiful woman in an archaic robe was laying, her chest rising and falling steadily. She was fast asleep.

 Chapter 1446 Wind Flower

    Chapter 1446 Wind Flower


    Both Sunny and Cassie froze, bewildered by the strange scene. ''Surely, I''m seeing things.''


    This was Wind Flower, a misty hell where harrowing abominations and Defiled Saints were imprisoned, not even knowing that they were. A place that slowly devoured the souls of Great Nightmare Creatures until there was nothing left but empty husks. The abandoned stronghold of an ancient Seeker who had left to challenge the Estuary.


    How could there be someone sleeping soundly in its very heart?


    Sunny suppressed the desire to pinch himself. ...He also suppressed the desire to pinch Cassie. "Hey... you see what I see, right?"


    As soon as he spoke, Sunny suddenly felt a wave of fear wash over him and covered his mouth with a hand. Shaking off his bewilderment, he reminded himself where they were, and why they had come here. Cassie had said that there was a source of terrible danger at the top of Aletheia''s Tower... but there was only this sleeping woman. Which meant that she was that source. What if his voice woke her up?


    The blind girl nodded slowly and answered in a whisper:


    "I do."


    Sunny lingered for a few moments. "Is this... Aletheia?"


    Indeed, that would be the most rational guess. They were standing in the tower built by Aletheia of the Nine, after all. So who else could it be? Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    Cassie shook her head. "It... shouldn''t be. The Seeker who lived on this island is said to have left it a long, long time ago. Before the Defilement was even born. Of course, the information I received from the people of Fallen Grace might be wrong..."


    She frowned. "But it is said that only the Serpent King has been able to come to Wind Flower and return alive. I... honestly don''t see how any human could have survived this place, let alone how they would have ended up sleeping peacefully at the top floor of this tower."


    Sunny studied the figure of the sleeping woman tensely, then rubbed his face tiredly. "Then who the hell is she?"


    The blind girl remained silent for a while. Eventually, though, she answered:


    "Actually, I have a theory."


    "So... what do we do now? We wanted to come here to find a way to escape Wind Flower... Aletheia''s Island... whatever this place is actually called. Do we just wake her up and hope that she''s not some terrifying Defiled abomination?"


    Cassie shook her head. "She''s not Defiled. She is a Transcendent human... a Saint."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow. "How do you know?"


    The blind girl raised an eyebrow. "How do you not know? I used my Dormant Ability to read her runes. You can do... whatever it is you do to look inside people."


    He blinked a couple of times. Right... he could do that.


    Shifting his perception, he peered into the soul of the sleeping woman. She had a single radiant core, its brightness similar in intensity to that of a fully saturated Transcendent soul core. However... His expression dimmed. At the very heart of the beautiful radiance, almost unnoticeable... there was a tiny seed of encroaching darkness. It was small and insignificant, for now. But Sunny knew that it would grow. Because that was how Corruption was. It spread and consumed everything, until there was nothing pure left. The woman might not be Defiled yet, but she was going to be soon.


    ''...She won''t, though.''


    The thought appeared in Sunny''s mind almost on its own. He contemplated its meaning for a few moments, then tilted his head slightly. ''Right. She won''t.''


    For as long as the woman remained on Aletheia''s Island, inside the loop, she was not going to be Corrupted �� if she could hold out for a single day. At the end of the day, the time would rewind itself, and whatever progress the vile darkness had made would be erased. Therefore...


    For her, this island was like a sanctuary. Was that why she was here? It had to be. ''But who is she?!''


    Sunny sighed, then looked at Cassie and hesitated for a moment. "So... are we really going to wake her up?"


    The blind girl shrugged. "What''s the worst that can happen?"


    Sunny stared at her with wide eyes. "What? Why on Earth would you say that?! You of all people should know not to..."


    He suddenly fell silent, afraid that his furious whisper would wake up the sleeping woman.


    However, he did not have to worry. She remained peacefully asleep. In fact, nothing they did seemed to wake her up. By the time the revolution ended, it had become apparent that the mysterious woman''s slumber was not a natural one. Instead, it seemed... eternal.

 Chapter 1447 Different Approach

    Chapter 1447 Different Approach


    "So, what do we do now?"


    The cohort was hidden between the cliffs on the northern side of the island. Effie was pillaging the Covetous Coffer while Jet and Nephis sat tiredly on the ground. They had taken point in the battle against the Cavern Terror, but strangely enough, Sunny and Cassie seemed more drained. The blind girl shook her head in dejection. "I''m... not sure."


    They had just shared their findings. The method to infiltrate Aletheia''s Tower, the remains of a slain Great Tyrant, the sleeping woman on the top floor... and how they had failed to wake her up.


    Sunny was in a grim mood. They had wasted so much time and effort, but had nothing to show for it. The escape from the island seemed just as impossible as it had before.


    ''Curse it.''


    He remained silent for a few moments, then glanced at Nephis. There was something gnawing at him.


    "Cassie said that you''ve met one of the Nine?"


    That question held no real importance for their current situation, but he felt curious. Perhaps knowing more about the former master of the island could help them think of a new solution. Neph looked at him with a hint of surprise. "Yes, I did."


    Sunny did not react much to her confirmation. "Was it in your Second Nightmare?" VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    He was more or less certain of it, but, unexpectedly, Nephis shook her head. "No... I met him in the Nightmare Desert."


    Everyone was confused by her answer �� Effie and Jet because they did not know who the Nine were, Sunny and Cassie because they did. How could a person from the ancient past of the Dream Realm be alive in the present day?


    The past years had changed all of them. Sunny was not the same person he had been on the Forgotten Shore... he hoped that it was for the best. Cassie would not have stayed the same, either.


    He sighed. "Actually, we don''t need to wake her."


    Everyone looked at him questioningly. After a few moments of silence, Nephis shifted slightly:


    "Do you mean..."


    Sunny nodded. He had visited Neph''s dream once... so he could visit the sleeping woman''s dreams, as well. That way, they would not need to wake her. It was all thanks to Nightmare and one of his Abilities, [Dreamwalker]. It allowed the dreadful steed to travel through dreams... and take his master with him. "Yeah. I can get Nightmare to transport me into this woman''s dreams. Perhaps she will tell me something that can help us escape the island."


    The others looked at him somberly. After a while, Jet asked:


    "Are you sure you want to visit the mind of a Saint who is slowly being Corrupted, Sunny? It... might be dangerous."


    Effie, nodded. "Listen, Sunny... I''m sure that you''ve visited the dreams of many a young lady even without the help of that scary horse of yours, but this is different. This Defilement, you guys think that it spreads simply through knowing a secret, right? What if you learn that secret in her dream?"


    Sunny shrugged. "It''s not that I want to do it, it''s that I have to. Don''t worry... too much. I''ll be careful."


    He still had the Mirror of Truth. If push came to shove, he would use it to copy Neph''s [Longing] and get Nightmare to carry him away from the mysterious Saint''s dream as fast as possible.


    It... actually sounded like a plan.


    He nodded. "Then it''s decided. Cassie and I will go to Aletheia''s Tower again come the next revolution."


    ''And hopefully, this time, we won''t leave empty-handed.''

 Chapter 1448 A Beautiful Dream

    Chapter 1448 A Beautiful Dream


    Finding themselves back on the deck of the Chain Breaker, Cassie and Sunny did not waste any time. After bringing Jet back, they sent her and Nephis to find Effie. Then, they hurried toward Aletheia''s Tower. By now, traversing this area of the misty forest had become a routine for then. They knew just where to go, and when. Nevertheless, both of Cassie''s Echoes had to be sacrificed along the way. Now that they did not have to study the runes cut into the black cliff, there was even some time to rest while they waited for dusk. Hidden away from the killing field surrounding the tower, they shared a haphazard meal and waited. Sunny studied Cassie''s face in the darkness. She seemed calm and collected... but he knew that she had to be struggling to stay sane just as much as he had struggled after living through his own first few revolutions. Aletheia''s Island... was just too cruel and harrowing of a hell. In fact, Sunny was not sure what his mental state would have been if Cassie had not joined him in the knowledge of the loop. Having someone steady to share the burden... was truly a blessing. Perhaps that was the reason the blind girl seemed less affected by the gruesome things they had lived through here. Unlike him, she had always had a partner to support her. Still...


    He hesitated for a moment, then asked: Updated from


    "How are you doing?"


    Cassie smiled. Her smile was faint and fleeting, just like it had been ever since their meeting in Fallen Grace. "I am fine."


    Sunny wanted her to say more, but Cassie kept herself closed off. It was strange, really... there had been a time when they were close as siblings, and a time when they were like strangers. The ice between them thawed eventually, but it took Sunny a long time to want to mend their relationship. Now that he was trying, though... Cassie seemed unwilling. He simply did not know what was happening in that head of hers. Actually, he suspected that no one knew �� even Nephis, who was the closest to the blind girl, could not tell what Cassie was thinking. Perhaps that was the curse of being a seer. Sunny sighed.


    ''I am way too oblivious about these things to navigate through such a mess.''


    But he had to try, at least. "Well, if you want to talk about it, I''m here."


    Cassie nodded.


    "It''s a wonderful day, isn''t it?"


    That voice...


    Sunny flinched and turned around. A woman had just entered the chamber, carrying a bouquet of fresh flowers. It was her... the beautiful sleeping Saint of Aletheia''s Tower.


    She was awake. Or rather... in her dream, she was.


    Sunny took an involuntary step back. Despite how lovely the woman was, he couldn''t help but feel wary of her. His voice was slightly hoarse:


    "Who are you?"


    The beautiful Saint raised an eyebrow and smiled.


    "Me? I am Wind Flower."


    Then, a hint of amusement appeared on her charming face. "But why are you asking? And why... are you here again?"

 Chapter 1449 Left Behind

    Chapter 1449 Left Behind


    ''Wind Flower...''


    So Cassie was right. Wind Flower was the True Name of the mysterious Saint in front of him, and after the memories of the original master of the island �� Aletheia �� had disappeared from the memory of the River People, they started calling this place after its current resident. In time, even that knowledge was erased by time and the collapse of the River People civilization. All that remained was a name that had lost all meaning. Everyone who remembered Wind Flower were gone, and yet, the person to whom that name belonged remained. Trapped in a dream that lay in the heart of Aletheia''s Island. However...


    Sunny was caught by surprise because of something else the beautiful Saint said. He suppressed the desire to take another step back, frowned, and said tensely:


    "I am asking because I don''t know, and I am here in hope of finding a way to escape this island. But... again? Why did you say that I am here again?"


    Wind Flower studied his face for a few moments, still smiling. Her gaze lingered at the Crown of Twilight, then shifted away. Letting out a melodious chuckle, she walked to a beautiful porcelain vase and put the bouquet of wild flowers she had been holding inside. Then, she let out a sigh. "I see. This is our first meeting. How exciting!"


    Sunny was not convinced. Why would Wind Flower act as though she had recognized him? It could only mean one of two things...


    He hesitated for a moment. "Are you not affected by the loop?"


    She shrugged. "My body is, but my consciousness isn''t. Here in this dream palace, I am free to live my days in peace."


    Her smile dimmed a little, and a hint of darkness appeared in her beautiful azure eyes. "I must admit, though... young man, you have rather poor manners. Not only have you intruded upon a lady''s dream without an invitation, but you''ve also neglected to introduce yourself. I feel at a disadvantage."


    Sunny coughed. "Ah... please accept my sincere apology, Saint Wind Flower. I''m not exactly familiar with the etiquette of visiting people''s dreams. My name is Sunless."


    ''If she is not beholden to the loop...''


    Then she had indeed met Sunny before. Which, of course, was impossible �� this was definitely his first time entering the... the Dream Palace where Wind Flower''s soul resided. Either Sunny had spent much longer on Aletheia''s Island than he had suspected, somehow losing his memories of becoming aware of the loop the first time around... or she had mistaken him for the Mad Prince. The latter was much more probable, and also meant that the odious madman had visited the island in the past.


    But why? And what had he spoken with Wind Flower about? What was the bastard scheming? Mysterious, mysterious... all of it was so mysterious! Sunny had so many questions!


    But would Wind Flower answer his questions? Was she a friend, or was she a foe?


    He hesitated.


    There was another revelation in what she had said. Wind Flower easily identified the Crown of Twilight as a Memory... which meant that she knew about the Spell. Was its carrier, most likely. Sunny''s eyes narrowed. ''Well, of course she is.''


    If she was Daeron''s daughter, then she was not one of the River People. Instead, she was a challenger of this Nightmare, just like Sunny. No, not quite... only Masters could challenge the Third Nightmare. And since she was a Saint, she had either achieved Transcendence inside the Tomb of Ariel... or had come inside with her father, in order to guide the future challengers with him. Noticing Sunny''s unease, Wind Flower smiled. "I see you are starting to get it. Indeed, I am not the real Princess Wind Flower. I am merely a copy of her, conjured by the Nightmare Spell. She... is long dead by now, I think. And yet, I remain."


    Sunny''s face paled. This was the first time he had met an inhabitant of a Nightmare who was aware of their nature. He didn''t quite know how to behave in front of her. Was this Wind Flower dead or alive? Was she real or not? Was she a mere echo of a real person, or a true living being created by the Spell for the duration of the Nightmare? Wind Flower sighed, glanced at the Crown of Twilight one more time, and walked over to the window. Gazing at the beautiful vista of this dreamy version of Aletheia''s Island, she spoke: "Back then, my father and his most loyal warriors braved the White Desert and entered the Tomb of Ariel. I was one of them. Our goal was to imprint our souls into the Great River, so that when challengers entered this Nightmare, there was someone to help them conquer it."


    She sighed lightly.


    "It was a gamble, of course... a desperate one, considering that our world was dying. It was already being consumed by the Dream Realm, and despite all our struggles, we had failed to rise to the challenge of the Spell. My father was the only Supreme of our people, and there was not going to be another. At least not in time to turn the tide of destruction. So... he came up with a plan to raise an army of Transcendent warriors in this unique Nightmare."


    Wind Flower''s shoulders fell.


    "...That plan failed, as well."


    Sunny was staring at her with wide eyes, his thoughts in turmoil.


    ''What... wait...''


    Taking a step forward, he raised his hands and asked, his voice hoarse:


    "Wait... your world? Being consumed by the Dream Realm? What do you mean?"


    The beautiful Saint turned and looked at him in surprise. Her enchanting azure eyes were full of confusion.


    Then, she smiled. Shaking her head, Wind Flower chuckled and said, her words sending Sunny''s mind reeling:


    "What... did you think that yours was the only world that the Nightmare Spell infected, Sunless? Of course not. There were others. Yours is not the first..."


    She lingered for a moment, then added with a hint of amusement:


    "However, it will be the last."

 Chapter 1450 Seventh Realm

    Chapter 1450 Seventh Realm


    Sunny was reeling from the sudden deluge of impossible knowledge that Wind Flower had so casually shared with him. The relationship between the waking world and the Dream Realm... the vague theories about the Nightmare Spell he and Nephis had discussed... everything he knew was suddenly upturned.


    He remained silent for a while, then weakly raised a hand, summoned the Shadow Chair, and sat down. Watching him, the beautiful Saint tilted her head slightly and laughed. "What an interesting Memory..."


    Walking away from the window, she found a chair of her own, then picked up an elegant porcelain kettle and poured fragrant tea into two cups. Sunny took a deep breath. "I... I did think that my world �� we call it the waking world �� was the only one infected by Nightmare Spell. Oh, I was never sure, though."


    Wind Flower pushed one of the cups toward him and shook her head. "It seems that your people are less knowledgeable about the past than mine were. Ah, but we were rather ignorant, as well. Still, we knew that there were many realms before the End War. Some were connected to each other, some were far apart. Some were considered mortal realms, while some were considered divine. Each of the gods had a realm of their own."


    She looked into the window and took a sip of tea.


    "The mortal realms were where the war between the daemons and the gods took place. By the end of it, most of them had been turned into desolate graveyards. They have become the core of the Dream Realm, where Corruption reigns."


    Sunny forced his hand to remain steady as he raised his cup and tasted Wind Flower''s tea. It was pleasant and soothing, but left a tinge of bitterness on his tongue. Of course... it made sense. The Dream Realm had always seemed like a patchwork world, with different regions of it inexplicably possessing different skies, celestial bodies, and even laws. The Forgotten Shore, the Chained Isles, the Hollow Mountains, the Nightmare Desert �� they did seem more like different worlds that had been roughly smashed together than natural parts of a single whole.


    He took a deep breath. "...What about the divine realms?"


    The beautiful Saint smiled. "Those were left untouched by the war. Even after the gods died, their realms remained. They were isolated from the mortal ones and each other, as well, and so were left untouched by the spreading Corruption... at least for a while. Naturally, there were six of them."


    Sunny did not say anything, prompting Wind Flower to continue:


    "The world where I come from was one of those six realms. It is similar to the Great River, actually... a beautiful world covered entirely by water, with countless islands rising from it like gems. A world of storms, winds, and stars. Well... it was, before. By now, it must have been consumed by the Dream Realm already."


    Sunny''s hand finally trembled.


    She chuckled. "Whatever the path to victory is... my people have already lost. You still have a chance, at least. A better chance than we did, even �� from what I saw, your world is much stronger than mine was. Otherwise, a mere Ascended like you would have never been able to slay my father, no matter how far he was gone because of the Corruption."


    The beautiful Saint looked away and lingered for a while. Finally, a hint of sorrow crept into her sweet voice:


    "...How did he die, in the end?"


    Sunny did not speak until the pain of the Flaw forced him to answer.


    How did one tell a person about killing their father? Sunny was not the most tactful of people, but even he knew better than to try and make his voice sound soft. Being nonchalant about the whole thing did not seem right, either. He sighed.


    "From what I know, he went mad after Twilight was lost. By the time we met, he was like a rabid beast... but even then, he was a king among them. I watched him battle many Nightmare Creatures much more powerful than him, and yet, none could defeat your father. After a while... he was severely wounded and weakened. I used that moment to attack, and won after a ferocious battle. Even then, I would have died as well, if not for my companion."


    He paused, and then added respectfully:


    "I am sorry for your loss, Lady Wind Flower."


    She remained silent for a while, looking away.


    The sight of her elegant profile was both sad and beautiful. ...Eventually, Wind Flower smiled. "Don''t be. What is the point of being sorry? He was merely a copy, just like me. I am sure that my real father met a much more glorious end in the true Tomb of Ariel. Who knows? He might have even escaped it."


    Wind Flower shook her head and looked at him with a smile. "But you and your companions are different from me, Sunless. You are here to challenge the Nightmare. So... did you say that you wanted to escape Aletheia''s Island?"


    Her azure eyes sparkled with dark amusement.


    "I''ll help you. Helping challengers conquer this Nightmare was my original goal, after all..."

 Chapter 1451 Forgotten Name

    Chapter 1451 Forgotten Name


    Sunny had yet to recover from the shocking revelation about the nature of his world, but time waited for no man. The revolution was going to end soon, so he had to gain as much as he could from his first meeting with Wind Flower. But still...


    ''If my world is one of the six divine realms... then which god did it belong to?''


    The most suitable candidate was War God, the Goddess of Life �� as well as of progress, technology, craft, and intellect... the patron deity of humanity. Heart God was a possibility, as well. However, he could not quite imagine Earth having anything to do with the fallen gods of the Dream Realm. These two concepts were just too incompatible. Plus, the waking world encompassed more than just Earth. There was the moon, the sun... all the planets of the Solar System, and countless stars beyond. A whole universe of them, billions of years old! How could all of it be simply one of the divine realms?


    But then again... the gods had never been constrained by mundane logic. They were the ones who had created the universal laws of existence. Even time itself was merely one of their weapons �� who was to say that a god could only will something into existence, not will something to have always existed?


    ''Ah... my brain hurts.''


    Sunny''s mortal mind seemed to be incapable of truly comprehending such matters. Wind Flower must have been the same. She certainly knew more than Sunny, but there was no telling how accurate her understanding was. In any case, for now, it did not matter. He was elated to learn such profound mysteries, but his immediate goal was not enlightenment. It was getting the hell off Aletheia''s Island. And Wind Flower was conveniently offering her help in that regard. Sunny took a deep breath. "Do you know... how we can escape this horrible place?"


    He paused for a moment, then shook his head. "No, I should describe our situation first. There are five of us here. Three, including me, start the loop in the hidden bay at the southern edge of the island �� well, what I call the southern edge, anyway. The fourth member of the cohort is in the forest, not too far away from the bay. It''s the fifth that is the problem... she is all the way on the northern edge of the island." His expression darkened. "There are all kinds of terrifying abominations hidden in the mist, so we can''t travel freely. No matter how many times I tried, I failed to pick up the fifth member and return to our ship before the loop ends. This tower... and you, Lady Wind Flower... are more or less my last hope."


    Wind Flower looked into the window, then let out a quiet sigh and put her cup on the table. Then, she stood up. "Come with me."


    Before Sunny knew it, they were somewhere else. The walls of the Aletheia''s Tower disappeared, and he found himself standing at the edge of a tall cliff, looking at the flowing waters below. The colossal whirlpool was gone, replaced by the beautiful vista of the Great River sparkling under the light of the seven suns. However, not too far away, the world was obscured by the familiar mist... it was the boundary of Wind Flower''s dream, most likely. The enchanting Saint looked into the distance. New n0vel chapters are published on


    "Before that... let me tell you how I ended up imprisoned here, Sunless."


    She glanced at him and smiled. "As you might have guessed already, it was my father who had brought me here, and put me to sleep at the top of Aletheia''s Tower. There is a seed of Corruption in my soul, and so... remaining inside this cycle of time is the only way for me to live on."


    He frowned, then shook his head. "I only know that she was called Aletheia of the Nine, and that she was one of the Seekers."


    Wind Flower chuckled.


    "Yes... you are not wrong. Indeed, she was one of the Seekers. A mysterious sorceress who built this island and created the whirlpool of twisted time surrounding it, for some unknown purpose. She lived here for a while, but eventually left in search of the Estuary... as most Seekers did. Aletheia never returned, and her name slowly disappeared from the memory of the River People."


    The beautiful Saint gazed at the Great River with a dark expression. "Of course, there is something different about Aletheia. Because, unlike all the other Seekers who had traveled downstream in search of the Estuary... she actually found it."


    Sunny eyes widened slightly.


    "Wait. Do you mean..."


    Wind Flower nodded. "Yes. Although her original name is forgotten, everyone in the Tomb of Ariel now knows her by a different one. The core of this Nightmare, the source of the Defilement... the First Seeker... is Aletheia of the Nine. This island is the estate that she had abandoned before leaving on her fateful journey to the Estuary."


    Sunny shivered and instinctively turned around, to look at the distant silhouette of Aletheia''s Tower.


    Wind Flower, meanwhile, smiled.


    "So, you see, it is indeed quite ironic... the seed of Corruption was planted into my soul by the First Seeker, yet my father prevented my soul from being consumed by bringing me to the First Seeker''s stronghold. If that is not ironic, then I don''t know what is."


    She turned away from the Great River and laughed. "Ah... in any case, after putting me to sleep in Aletheia''s Tower, my father meant to return to Twilight and search for a way to destroy the First Seeker. He also meant to find a way to save me... or, if not, then at least to visit me from time to time. However, he never came. Now I know that it is because Twilight was lost, and he succumbed to Corruption himself."


    Wind Flower sighed. "Well, anyway. That is the past... what is important now is that my father had not only come to Aletheia''s Island, but also left it. And I can teach you how to leave it, as well."

 Chapter 1452 Path to Salvation

    Chapter 1452 Path to Salvation


    Wind Flower walked along the path in the forest, with Sunny following behind. Although he was certain that there was a long way to go, they arrived at the hidden bay in mere minutes. It looked... different without the gloomy mist obscuring everything in sight. The white sand sparkled in the bright daylight, and the black cliffs cast deep shadows on the beach. For the first time, Sunny noticed how similar to the Nightmare Desert this place looked. The Chain Breaker was nowhere to be seen in Wind Flower''s dream, but the line of lonesome footprints was still there, leading to the edge of the island. Sunny stared at it for a moment, then asked out of idle curiosity:


    "Whose footprints are these?"


    The charming Saint smiled. "Whose else? Aletheia''s. That is where she left the island. It happened countless years ago, of course... but because of how twisted time is here, it also just happened yesterday."


    He scratched the back of his head. "I... see." Updated from


    So, the footprints belonged to the First Seeker. Sunny honestly did not know what to think of that. Hiding his unease, he pointed to a particular spot on the beach.


    "This is where our ship crashed. Right... it''s a flying ship. But currently, it can only fly during dusk and dawn. As soon as I find a way to get the fifth member of our cohort back, we''ll wait for the right time and fly away."


    His expression darkened. "Of course, there''s also that... thing in the sky above the island. I''ll need to find a way to escape from it, as well."


    Wind Flower looked at him and remained silent for a while. Then, she sighed. "I''m sorry to tell you this, Sunless... but even if you get your companion back, you won''t be able to escape the island."


    "Oh? And why is that?"


    His heart skipped a beat. Staring at the beautiful Saint incredulously, Sunny lingered for a few moments before opening his mouth.


    Eventually, though, he asked grimly:


    The beautiful Saint hesitated. "Should be... the inner wall of the pyramid. You''ll have to be careful once you reach it, because there are bound to be dangers there. But the important point is that one can make their way back to the Great River by following the inner wall. At least that was what my father believed... and since he did make it back to Twilight alive, he must have been correct."


    Sunny took a deep breath. "Should be? You are not certain?"


    Wind Flower chuckled. "How can I be certain? I never left this island myself. However, others, like my father, did."


    ''Others...''


    So, there was someone else who had come to Aletheia''s Island and left, not just the Serpent King. Sunny did not miss that detail. ...He hadn''t missed the fact that Wind Flower mentioned the Guiding Light, either. He had never told her about the sacred staff of the sybils, or that it was in their possession. So how did the beautiful Saint know about it?


    More and more things about her seemed strange. The wariness he had felt before suddenly returned. Sunny remained silent for a while, then said evenly:


    "Even if I am willing to try diving into the vortex, the problem remains. I need to get Effie... the fifth member of my cohort... back to the ship before the loop ends, first. And currently, I see no way to do it."


    He grimaced. "There are too many powerful Nightmare Creatures on the island. There are two Defiled horrors that are even more dangerous than them, as well. There is that thing in the sky. I can''t deal with all that in a single day."


    Wind Flower looked at him with a curious smile. "What if you had more time?"


    Sunny contemplated her question seriously, then shrugged. "It would be hard, but not impossible. The problem is not that the enemies are too powerful �� if I can''t kill them, I can at least run and hide. I can come up with countermeasures and make use of their weaknesses. I can make them fight each other and escape while they do. The problem is that all of this requires time... and there is no time. Even though it loops endlessly on this island, there''s not enough time for me to achieve my goals."


    The beautiful Saint studied him for a while, then nodded. Her next words sent a shiver running down Sunny''s spine. Smiling pleasantly, Wind Flower said:


    "Well... then you just need to destroy the loop."

 Chapter 1453 The Other Guest

    Chapter 1453 The Other Guest


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, looking at the charming Saint. A gentle breeze blew from the river, playing with her silky hair... the dream of Aletheia''s Island was tranquil and at peace. ''Destroy the loop...''


    Was such a thing even possible? ''Why wouldn''t it be?''


    The closed cycle of time had been created by Aletheia of the Nine. Since it was made by someone, it could naturally be destroyed by someone else. However...


    The matter was not that simple. Even if Wind Flower could teach him how to break the loop, there would be dire ramifications if he did. Up until now, Sunny had suffered enormously due to the twisted nature of time on this harrowing island... but he was also only alive because of it. Once the loop was broken, the terrible prisoners of Aletheia''s Island would remain. Undying Slaughter and Devouring Beast would remain, as well... but Sunny was not going to have the luxury of being reborn at the start of a new revolution. He would only have one chance to prevail against them and escape. ''It''s not like I have a lot of choices.''


    The plan Wind Flower suggested was a deadly one, but Sunny did not have a better solution. He did not have a lot of time to spare, either... he and Cassie were doing fine, for now, but their mental states would inevitably start to crumble as the trauma of repeated, torturous deaths accumulated. It could very well be that they would never be in better condition than now. Sooner or later, they were going to start deteriorating. At least Sunny felt that they would. The question was... did he really trust Wind Flower?


    A deep sigh escaped from his lips. Looking away, Sunny lingered for a few moments, then said: Updated from


    "Before I decide whether to agree, I need to ask you a question."


    The beautiful Saint chuckled. "Go ahead."


    He glanced at her darkly. "When you said that we''ve never met before... was it a lie?"


    Wind Flower''s smile froze on her lips. She studied him silently for a while, the veil of friendliness finally fading from her gaze to reveal... something much colder, darker, and more frightening. Finally, for the first time since they met, Sunny felt that he was standing in front of King Daeron''s daughter. ...But then the frightening abyss hiding in her eyes was gone, replaced once again by benevolent sweetness. Wind Flower laughed. "You really are a sharp one, Sunless. Just like the other one."


    Sunny exhaled slowly. "Why would that lunatic plot against two other Plagues?"


    Wind Flower shrugged. "I really don''t know. Is it surprising, though? The Defiled are different from us, to begin with... and your other self, Sunless, is more insane than most. That said, he was surprisingly lucid, for a Nightmare Creature."


    Sunny frowned. "In what way?"


    The charming Saint contemplated for a while. "It''s hard to describe. I''ve met abominations who could talk like humans before, but never one who seemed so... human-like. Even among the Defiled. In any case, it looked like he was not happy about being the Dread Lord''s slave. Or liked what the Dread Lord has done after becoming the tyrant of Verge."


    She shrugged. "You would know better about these matters than I do, though. Not because you and the Mad Prince are the same person, even, but merely because the Six Plagues were yet to appear when I was brought to Aletheia''s Island. In fact, I only know of their existence because of the things the Defiled madman mumbled in a fit of frenzy."


    Sunny remained silent for a while.


    ''The Dread Lord''s slave...''


    It seemed that he did not have to wonder what fate would befall him after Nephis was killed in the future. He had thought that Mordret... the Soul Stealer... would be the one to use Shadow Bond and become his master after the current one disappeared. But actually, it was the Dread Lord... Kai. The corner of his mouth twitched. ''Who would have thought?''


    It was a bit stupid, to be hurt by something that a future, Defiled version of his friend had done. And yet, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a little betrayed. It had taken a lot of courage for him to open up to Effie and Kai... knowing that it would come back to bite him, in the end, felt like a punch to the gut. ''No... Kai would never betray me. That thing, the Dread Lord, might be the future version of him. But it is a demented Nightmare Creature, not my friend.''


    Much more important was the fact that there seemed to be internal strife between the Six Plagues. Enough of it, at least, for the Mad Prince to try eliminating two of his fellow Defiled champions, be it on the orders of the Dread Lord or of his own accord. It was great news for the cohort, and could potentially help them conquer this Nightmare.


    Sunny sighed and asked with dark curiosity in his voice: "So what did the two of you talk about?"

 Chapter 1454 An Oath and a Promise

    Chapter 1454 An Oath and a Promise


    Wind Flower remained silent for a while, seated comfortably on her opulent bed.


    Eventually, she sighed. "We made a deal, he and I. I never thought that I would make a deal with a Defiled abomination one day, but then again... I never thought that I''d be imprisoned in a whirlpool of time, forever, either."


    Sunny grew tense, staring at the beautiful Saint with a grim expression. The news of her making deals with one of the Six Plagues did not bode well for the cohort...


    Noticing his reaction, she chuckled. "Don''t look so worried, Sunless. I did not sell my soul, corrupted as it may be. The Mad Prince... he only wanted to know about Aletheia''s Island, and especially about how my father had managed to kill that Great Tyrant in the tower. The creature remains dead no matter how many times the loop resets, which seemed to be of great interest to him. I, on the other hand... wanted to know what had happened to Twilight and the other human cities on the Great River. And how it was that he appeared wearing my father''s crown."


    Her gaze once again brushed across the Crown of Twilight. She smiled softly. "Now, I know."


    Sunny lingered for a few moments. There were a lot of things he wanted to ask about, but it did not seem wise to press Wind Flower for answers.... too much.


    The Mirror of Truth was safely hidden in his sleeve, ready to grant him Neph''s [Longing] Ability at any moment. Eventually, he asked: New n0vel chapters are published on


    "How did Daeron make that Tyrant stay dead?"


    Wind Flower tilted her head a little. "...You want to know, as well? It was with the help of a very special Memory. A Legacy Relic left behind by a dear friend. It''s gone now, of course. Just like everything else is gone."


    ''Why was the Mad Prince so interested in the dead Tyrant, though? Unlike me, he did not have to destroy the loop to escape the island. What did he want?''


    Sunny tried to understand the motives of his future Defiled version, but failed. It wasn''t a good idea to try understanding madmen, anyway. "How did you know that one of my companions has the Guiding Light, then?"


    The beautiful Saint chuckled. "How else? The madman told me that you would."


    Sunny froze.


    His eyes narrowed.


    ''Wait...''


    Her smile slowly disappeared, leaving behind only coldness. The beautiful Saint looked at him somberly, then said:


    "That is why we are going to make another deal, you and I."


    Sunny met her heavy gaze and shifted slightly. "What deal might that be?"


    Wind Flower stared at him for a few moments, then smiled darkly. "It''s simple, really. I will teach you how to break the cycle of time. In return, Sunless... you will kill me."


    His expression cracked for a moment. "What?"


    The beautiful Saint nodded. "You will make an oath that after the loop is destroyed and before Corruption swallows my soul, you will kill me. That is the only way I''ll show you how to escape Aletheia''s Island with all your companions." Sunny looked at her solemnly. He... couldn''t say that he didn''t understand. Indeed, if he was in Wind Flower''s place, he would have preferred death to turning into a Nightmare Creature. At least, he hoped that he would. But still...


    Wasn''t it just too sad?


    Sunny sighed. "You want to die?"


    Hearing his question, Wind Flower chuckled. "You make it sound so serious."


    Her enchanting azure eyes ignited with humorous sparks.


    "Remember, Sunless... I am not even a real person. I''ve been conjured by the Spell to play a role in this Nightmare, and so, there is no purpose for my existence outside the Nightmare. So... wouldn''t it be a fitting end for a creature like me, to be killed by a real person like you? By a person who will conquer the Nightmare?"


    She fell silent, looking into the window with a distant expression on her beautiful, charming face. After a few moments of silence, she added in a softer tone:


    "I won''t ask you for another oath, Sunless. But... make me a promise, if you will. That you''ll conquer this Nightmare, indeed."


    Sunny remained silent for a while, looking at her with a heavy expression.


    ...Eventually, he sighed and opened his mouth to speak.


    Not long after that, he was back on the deck of the Chain Breaker.

 Chapter 1455 Puppet Master

    Chapter 1455 Puppet Master


    The white beach was shrouded in mist once again. The bright and beautiful vista of Wind Flower''s dream was gone, replaced by the chilling gloom of reality. Surrounded by the flowing fog and dreadful silence, Sunny waited for a moment, then slowly straightened and looked around. His heart was beating wildly, full of crippling panic and boundless dread. ...These feelings were not something he wanted to feel, or had a reason to. Rather, they were simply an instinctual response caused by meeting countless harrowing ends in this misty hell. Even when Sunny was calm, his body remembered every torturous death, every heart-wrenching loss, and every pained cry. The sight of the white fog enveloping the Chain Breaker was a promise of many more torments to come. He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm his heart... it was getting harder and harder to do with each new revolution.


    A few moments later, Sunny let out a long sigh and turned around. Cassie was facing him with a somber expression on her pale face. She lingered for a few moments, then leaned heavily on the Guiding Light and asked in a quiet voice:


    "So? How did it go?"


    He looked away. "I met her. There is... a lot to discuss. We should bring Jet back first."


    The blind girl nodded listlessly, then walked over to Nightmare, adjusted the stirrups, and climbed into the saddle. A few moments later, she disappeared into the mist. Nephis had been observing them tiredly. Her brow was furrowed into a deep frown. Glancing at Sunny, she asked:


    "What is going on?"


    He met her gaze and sighed. "Cassie... is off to find Jet. Let''s just rest for a bit, please. I''ll explain everything when they return."


    She studied his face for a few moments, as if wanting to ask more. Eventually, however, Nephis simply nodded and said in her usual emotionless tone:


    "You don''t look too well."


    Sunny looked at her. Neph was not in the best state herself... she seemed spent and exhausted, almost ready to topple at any moment. Her already pale face was drained of all color, her eyes sunken and slightly unfocused. The slumped shoulders, the sickly pallor, the feverish gaze... these were the symptoms of extreme essence exhaustion. He smiled. "You look beautiful, though."


    With that, Sunny lowered himself to the deck and leaned against the railing. Nephis remained motionless for a few moments, flustered. Then, she silently sat down near him and rested the back of her head on the ancient wood. "I''ll wait until Cassie returns, then." Updated from bering the visage of the horrid lunatic whose remnant once appeared in his dream, Sunny shook his head. ''No, that is impossible. He is a Nightmare Creature.''


    But then again, Wind Flower had mentioned that the Mad Prince seemed strangely lucid for an abomination. Why would he be?


    Suddenly, a strange idea appeared in Sunny''s mind. He froze for a moment, then lowered his gaze and glanced at Neph''s sword. Was it because... the Mad Prince was haunted by the Sin of Solace?


    The sword wraith was supposed to slowly drive a human insane. What would its effect on a Nightmare Creature be, then? What would madness mean to a being whose mind was inherently alien to all things human?


    Sunny did not know why, but he felt that he somehow stumbled on a glimpse of truth. If the wraith born from a sinister whisper of Ariel, the Demon of Dread, had indeed helped his future self maintain a sliver of humanity even after becoming Defiled...


    Then he still wouldn''t be an ally. However, it was entirely possible that the Mad Prince had other goals than the Plagues did.


    ''Just what is my evil twin scheming?''


    Sunny did not know. In fact, after learning so much, he felt that he knew even less than he had before. He was sure of one thing, though.


    The sinister shadow of the Mad Prince was behind everything that had happened in the Nightmare so far. And that...


    Was an indescribably chilling thought.


    Sunny knew himself all too well, after all.


    Even slightly lucid, he was a very scary enemy to have.

 Chapter 1456 Do What You Want

    Chapter 1456 Do What You Want


    New n0vel chapters are published on


    Cassie and Jet soon returned to the Chain Breaker. Sunny had explained the basic information about the loop to Nephis by then �� however, he kept the things Wind Flower had told him to himself, for the time being.


    Not because he was reluctant to share the knowledge, but simply because he did not want to repeat it all for the second time once they reached Effie. The cohort set out to the far side of the island without any delay. As they traveled, made weapons, fought abominations, and hid in the forest to wait out the more harrowing ones, Sunny couldn''t help but think about Wind Flower...


    And the oath he had made.


    ''Kill her...''


    Sunny''s Flaw did not compel him to fulfill any oaths... it just prevented him from making an insincere one. Still, he was free to change his mind at any moment. ''Can I kill her?''


    Of course, he could. However, it would be an understatement to say that Sunny was reluctant to.


    He was not an innocent man. In fact, there was plenty of human blood on his hands. He had even enjoyed killing some of his victims, albeit very few. Mostly, he did not like it one bit.


    The thought of killing someone like Wind Flower was abhorrent. He... admired the charming Saint from a different world a great deal. He also felt a lot of compassion for her tragic plight.


    And yet, bitterly, there was nothing else he could do for her. Death was the only mercy he could give Wind Flower. ''How... fitting. Shadow God would have been proud.''


    Sunny had even considered surrendering the Mirror of Truth to her. But there was very little chance that it would help. Yes, Wind Flower would be able to delay the spread of Corruption by a few hours if she borrowed Neph''s Aspect Ability. But there was almost no hope that the seed of Corruption would not only be temporarily hindered, but disappear as a result.


    Once the Mirror of Truth crumbled, the seed would most likely still be there, in Wind Flower''s soul. Then, only death would be able to save her. ...Even knowing that the chance was infinitely small, Sunny had still offered his Memory to the beautiful Saint. It was a very rare thing, for him to act selflessly in that way. But she refused.


    Wind Flower did not explain her reasons, but Sunny suspected that it was because of the First Seeker and how precious the Mirror of Truth would be if someone wanted to destroy the abominable creature.


    ''Curse it...''


    Feeling grim, Sunny went through the motions of traversing Aletheia''s Island.


    Some time later, the five members of the cohort were together once again. Sunny had finally shared his findings with his companions, not holding anything back. Their reactions, just as he had expected, were very intense. It was not every day that one learned about the origin of their own world. Well... here on Aletheia''s Island, one could. But generally speaking, news of this caliber was exceedingly rare. Eventually, the heated discussion died down. Tired of trying to comprehend divine matters, Sunny and his companions turned their attention to more mundane issues.


    The Six Plagues, and the Mad Prince. "I just don''t know what he''s wants. I see how that it''s funny, considering that he is me... but he is also a Nightmare Creature, and almost entirely mad. I can''t tell."


    "They need to destroy the source of the Defilement and save the..."


    But then, she suddenly fell silent.


    The rest of them were silent, too.


    ''No... saving the River People is not the goal of the Nightmare.''


    Sunny gritted his teeth. The goal of the Nightmare was never straightforward. There was one conflict at the heart of each Seed, yes, but many possible solutions. In the case of this Nightmare, the conflict was about the fate of the Great River civilization. One possible solution would be to destroy the source of the Defilement and save the River People...


    But another, no less valid, solution would be to ensure their annihilation. Once every human in the Tomb of Ariel was either dead or Defiled, the conflict would have been resolved, as well. His eyes widened a little. "Are you trying to say... that the Plagues... went on a rampage across the Great River, destroying the cities of the sybils one after another... to conquer the Nightmare?" Nephis stared into the fire, dancing flames reflecting in her beautiful grey eyes. "That would make sense, would it not? Their goal is the opposite of ours. But, more than that... since we know what their ambition is and that it''s different from the Mad Prince''s... we can also guess what he wants."


    She looked at Sunny and shrugged. "It seems to me that what your future self wants... is to make sure that this Nightmare never ends. Or at least that it doesn''t end the way the other Plagues desire. Ah, I might be wrong, of course."


    Sunny suddenly remembered the dream where he met the remnant of the Mad Prince. The hatred in the abomination''s voice when he called Sunny a murderer.


    ''Why would that bastard want the Nightmare to last forever? Or does he want something else?''


    As a deep scowl appeared on his face, Cassie asked calmly, her voice pulling him back to their conversation:


    "So, what then? Should we just sit back and relax while the Plagues conquer the Nightmare for us?"


    Nephis glanced at her, then slowly shook her head. "First of all, we don''t know how long it will take. Secondly, I don''t want to release these monsters into the waking world."


    She looked at them somberly, remained silent for a moment, and then added in a flat tone:


    "Most importantly... whether we like it or not, we are also here in the Tomb of Ariel. Cassie assumed the role of the ruler of Fallen Grace. Effie and Jet are the last of the River Nomads. If the Six Plagues want to eradicate all humans on the Great River... they won''t be able to achieve that goal unless they eradicate us, too."


    A strange smile appeared on his face. "It''s almost as if the core of this Nightmare is to throw two versions of our cohort at each other, and see which one survives."


    She shook her head.


    "Of course, one of these versions is vastly more powerful. While the other... the other has me."

 Chapter 1457 Hunting Stronger Beasts

    Chapter 1457 Hunting Stronger Beasts


    In the end, Sunny had once again drawn the map of Aletheia''s Island on the ground. Only, this time, it was much more detailed. He also knew where most of the truly dangerous Nightmare Creatures would be at any given point... his time map was complete.


    The members of the cohort studied it for a while, listening to his explanations. Sunny described the prisoners of the nightmarish island in as much detail as he could, sometimes relying on Cassie to provide the most crucial pieces of information. As the two of them spoke in turns, the faces of their companions grew more and more somber. Eventually, Sunny looked at the map with a dark expression and fell silent for a few moments. When he spoke again, his voice was even:


    "Destroying the loop will not be easy. However... it is what comes after we destroy it that is truly dangerous."


    He pointed to the map. "We will still be trapped on the island after the loop is broken. And... the rest of its prisoners will be, as well. These terrible Nightmare Creatures, as well as Undying Slaughter and Devouring Beast. But this time, none of us will be revived by the loop, should we die"


    Sunny looked at his companions. "Which means that we will have only one attempt to escape this hell alive."


    Despite his solemn tone, Effie suddenly chuckled. He threw her an annoyed glance at her, then asked:


    "What''s so funny?"


    She shook her head. "No, nothing. Sorry... but that''s how it usually goes, isn''t it? If you die, you die. Cassie and you might have been living by a different set of rules recently, but for the rest of us, everything is pretty much how it has always been."


    He sighed. ''Well... she''s not wrong.''


    No matter how much he tried to avoid it, the loop had messed with his perception of life and death. But for Effie, Jet, and Nephis... what he had warned them about was already perfectly natural.


    Sunny shrugged. "Well, good. Keep that attitude. In any case, what I meant is that there can''t be any mistakes. We will have one day to destroy the loop. On that day, three things need to happen."


    As he spoke, the tip of the Sin of Solace traced a few marks on the map:


    "The shrine, the lake, and the tower. We must retrieve the enchantment key from the shrine and find something on the bottom of the lake before entering the tower. Once inside, we will be able to achieve our goal. If we do it before the day ends..."


    His voice grew somber:


    She smiled. "We know their Flaws, don''t we? I mean that we should wait for them to grow weak from hunger, then finish the wretches off to make sure that they don''t get a chance to escape."


    Listening to her, Nephis nodded. Effie looked away, her smile dimming. After a moment of silence, she added quietly:


    "I might not be the most useful member of the cohort currently, but I think we should try."


    Nephis seemed to share her opinion. "Undying Slaughter and Devouring Beast might die on this island, anyway... but they might also escape the same way we are planning to escape, or through some other means. There won''t be a better opportunity for us to strike down two of the Plagues. So, I think we should try, as well."


    Cassie remained silent, while Sunny shrugged. "I don''t know. I think I''d rather just leave them behind and run the hell away." All attention concentrated on Jet. She did not speak for a while, then asked with a faint grin:


    "Aren''t you all forgetting something? Effie and I have the same Flaws as those two monsters. If they starve, we''ll starve, too."


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then let out a resentful sight. "That... can be solved. Not a problem."


    Soul Reaper glanced at him briefly, then shrugged. "Well, then... I vote we kill ourselves, too."


    She blinked a couple of times.


    "I mean, kill our future selves. You guys get what I mean, right?"


    Sunny let out a stiffled chuckle and nodded.


    "Yes... we get it. Let''s kill some Plagues, why don''t we?"


    They spent the rest of the revolution discussing the plan in great detail. Once it was over...


    A new revolution started, just like it always did. But this one, hopefully, was going to be their last.

 Chapter 1458 One Last Time

    Chapter 1458 One Last Time


    Sunny waited for a moment, then slowly straightened and looked around. The white mist of Aletheia''s Island surrounded the Chain Breaker...


    ''The last time. This is the last time.''


    He turned around and nodded at Cassie. Without wasting a single moment, she climbed into Nightmare''s saddle and disappeared into the fog. Sunny, meanwhile, faced Nephis and asked. "Are you alright?"


    She was looking in the direction where Cassie had gone to with a frown on her tired face. Hearing his question, Nephis turned.


    "...I''m fine. I can still fight."


    He smiled. "That''s what I wanted to hear. Before you ask where Cassie had gone, let me explain a few things."


    Taking a step closer, Sunny placed his hand on Neph''s shoulders and leaned forward a little. ...Her alabaster face had suddenly turned even more motionless than it usually was. "First of all, this is not the first time we are having this conversation. You just don''t remember all the previous ones. The vortex surrounding this island, you see, is not a mundane vortex. It is a whirlpool of time, and so, time moves in a circle on this island. The same day repeats itself endlessly, and we have lived it dozens of times already."


    Neph''s eyes widened slightly. A different person would have been stunned into silence by such a bizarre proclamation, but not her. Only a few moments later, she asked evenly:


    "How come you remember, and I don''t, then?"


    Sunny pointed to her sword. "It''s because of the Sin of Solace. It remembers, and so, I''ve come to remember as well. After a while, Cassie did, too. Which is both a blessing and a curse. Neph... believe it or not, we have severely underestimated how dreadful of a hell this island is. We''ve already died countless times, each death more terrible than the last. Cassie, you, me... each of us was killed over and over again."


    Nephis studied his face with a hint of indignation on her pale face. Before she could retort, though, Sunny grinned. "However! That is in the past. This time, we have a plan �� one that will allow us to break the loop, save Jet and Effie, and escape this hellish place once and for all. You just need to trust me... well, and fight like your life depends on it. Can you do that?"


    She remained silent for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Sure. But... as you can tell, my essence is utterly exhausted. I''m not exactly in the best shape."


    He smiled. "That''s alright. Don''t worry... you still look beautiful."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow, then smiled faintly. "Well, yes. It wasn''t easy."


    Looking away, she lingered for a moment, and said:


    "It must have been hard on me, as well."


    Sunny''s smile slowly disappeared.


    ''It must have been. Yeah...''


    He knew it very well. No matter how torturous his deaths had been... in the end, watching his companions die had been so much more painful. Nephis did not remember any of the previous revolutions �� but that did not mean that she had not lived them. Every time Sunny had ventured into the mist and never returned, she would have learned of his deaths from the runes. She would have had a reason to keep an eye on them, after all, unlike him. And so, she would have lived the rest of each revolution knowing that he had been killed. Walking slightly behind him, Nephis took a deep breath. "Sunny... I''ll make sure that none of us dies, this time."


    She paused, and then added quietly, white sparks igniting in her eyes:


    "If this is really the last time, we might as well burn this entire island down."


    He stared at her in amusement.


    "How are you going to burn anything down? Get some essence back first, you maniac."


    Nephis coughed. After a few moments of silence, she suddenly asked in a perfectly even voice:


    "So... in all these revolutions... has something else happened? For example... between us?"


    Sunny glanced at her nonchalantly.


    ''Has it ever...'' After a few moments of silence, he shrugged. "Well. You made me breakfast once. With dessert."


    He could have sworn that Nephis almost stumbled.

 Chapter 1459 Musical Diversion

    Chapter 1459 Musical Diversion


    As they approached the bone orchard, Sunny felt a swift shadow approaching them from the mist. Soon, Nightmare dove out of the swirling fog, carrying Cassie and Jet on his back.


    Jet was pale and bleeding from the wounds on her back, but she seemed calm and composed. Cassie should have already explained what was going on to her �� if Soul Reaper had questions, she was keeping them to herself. "Hey, Sunny."


    Her voice was a little hoarse.


    Climbing down from the black stallion, Jet remained silent for a moment, then looked at him with a dark smile.


    "I hear that you have a plan to kill that thing in the mist. Good. Count me in." New n0vel chapters are published on


    Then, she chuckled quietly. "Where are my manners? Greeting to you too, Changing Star. Thanks for coming to pick me up."


    Nephis studied her for a few moments, then nodded silently. With that out of the way, the cohort proceeded to the bone orchard. Soon, a forest of towering bones appeared from the mist. Cassie led everyone to the Hollow Butterfly while Sunny looked around with a grim expression. He had not summoned the Fragment yet, nor had he made use of the Mirror of Truth. Sunny wanted to only use the former if there was no other choice. As for the latter... the latter was needed for their eventual fight against the First Seeker, so he had to preserve it at all costs. ...Which was not to say that he had nothing else prepared to make this last revolution special. Once they were standing in front of the monstrous butterfly, the usual routine of making its legs into pikes was abandoned. Instead, Cassie took Jet and Nephis aside to teach them about the Cavern Terror in detail.


    Sunny, meanwhile, sighed and sat down on a protruding bone fragment. This time, there was too much for the cohort to do within a single revolution. Which was why there was no other choice but to split the tasks between him and Cassie. Cassie was going to lead Nephis and Jet, as well as Saint and Fiend, into the caverns to slay the Terror. Then, they would complete a couple minor tasks... and venture into the overgrown shrine to retrieve the enchantment key. Sunny would have to travel to the far side of the island above ground, retrieve Effie, and visit the blood lake. Of course, none of these tasks could be completed fast enough, considering how dangerous and teeming with harrowing Nightmare Creatures the island was. Which was why he had to create a diversion, somehow. As he sat and looked at the Hollow Butterfly with a dark expression, Sunny summoned a flute made out of emerald bone and absentmindedly brought it to his lips. Soon, a slow, sorrowful melody echoed in the mist.


    And sent a flood of essence into the emerald flute while his fingers danced across its surface. The melody he played suddenly grew vicious and angry.


    In the next moment...


    The bone orchard stirred.


    ***


    Sitting on a fragment of an ancient bone, Sunny played a bone flute. Cold sweat was rolling down his face. All around him, the towering remains of unspeakable horrors were moving and stirring, slowly coming back to life... or at least to some semblance of life. Jet was watching that chilling scene with a strange expression on her face. ''I really... really hope it works...''


    The [Sepulcher Song] enchantment could raise the dead, but Sunny had never found a use for it until now. Yes, it had taken him a long time to teach himself how to play the flute well enough to produce a coherent melody... but that was not the problem. Actually, he had been good enough to activate the enchantment for a while now. The problem was that once the dead were raised, they would not be under his command. On the contrary, the risen corpses would be murderous, wicked, and entirely beyond his control. The only way to control them... was by playing another melody. And that melody, Sunny had not been able to master before becoming trapped within the loop. Even after experimenting with it on Aletheia''s Island, he was not entirely confident that he would be able to enthrall the murderous corpses.


    ...There was nothing like a swarm of giant dead leviathans to make him feel motivated, though. ''If it doesn''t work, I might just become one of these corpses myself...''


    As his fingers started to tremble, Sunny continued to play an angry melody.

 Chapter 1460 Dead March

    Chapter 1460 Dead March


    The [Sepulcher Song] was an active enchantment that consumed as much essence as the number and power of the corpses stirred into a murderous rage by its power was. An Ascended could wreak a lot of havoc with its help...


    But not nearly as much havoc as Sunny, an Ascended Tyrant whose soul was augmented by Neph''s flame, could.


    Influenced by the angry melody he was playing, most of the bone orchard was already in motion. Some of the giant skeletal remains were too severely damaged to assemble into the semblance of a whole creature... but there were plenty of dead abominations who could. Some of them had clearly been aquatic abominations in the past. Nevertheless, they slithered and crawled forward in the throes of bloodlust. Some of them seemed to had been able to walk on land. Those were moving much faster to kill something, as quickly and as cruelly as possible.


    Slowly, towering figures rose from the ground in a cacophony of groaning bones. The terrifying bloodlust and murderous rage emanated by them were almost palpable. ''Crap, crap, crap...''


    Both of Sunny''s hands were busy with the flute, and he obviously could not speak. Aloud, that was. [Go now.]


    Giving up on soothing the murderous corpses with a pleasant melody, Sunny lowered the Bone Singer... and commanded Nightmare to run as fast as the black stallion could. A moment later, the two of them were already flying between the staggering skeletons, heading for the forest. An army of dead giants pursued. Even the Hollow Butterfly took to the sky, one flap of its mighty wigs sending a hurricane gale across the bone orchard... or rather, the former bone orchard. Left without the Great Monster''s care, its eggs were cracking and bursting open, the corpses of revolting maggots crawling out of them while burning with bloodlust. ''Great... go fight the Harvester, you ugly bug... gods, I hate butterflies!''


    Sunny dove under the protection of the ancient pines, only to hear them snap and shatter a few moments later. The dead leviathans he had risen might not have been as enormous as Devouring Beast, but they were giant and powerful enough to bulldoze through the misty forest. Now, he only hoped that they would be sturdy and powerful enough to last awhile against the harrowing prisoners of Aletheia''s Island. And that his essence would last long enough.


    And that they would not catch up to him and Nightmare before getting distracted by some unfortunate abomination.


    ''Faster!''


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny flew through the mist.


    Effie was waiting for him on the other side of the island...

 Chapter 1461 Encore

    Chapter 1461 Encore


    Updated from


    Pursued by an army of dead giants, Sunny and Nightmare flew through the mist. The shambling corpses were tearing through the forest like an avalanche, uprooting countless ancient pines and turning them into splinters. The thunderous clamor of it all spread far and wide, making it seem as if the entire island was falling apart. If that would not attract the attention of the Nightmare Creature hiding in the fog, Sunny did not know what would. ''Almost there...''


    He was not just running blindly. Instead, Sunny was leading his skeletal followers along the southern edge of the island, aiming to pull them to Undying Slaughter''s hunting grounds, or even further west. The map of the island was shimmering in his mind, with various Nightmare Creatures moving across it according to where they were supposed to be at the moment. It would be good to attract as many abominations as possible �� the chain reaction of them abandoning the usual routes and habits was going to clear the northern part of the island, where all of the cohort''s goals were, to a large degree. But Sunny was going to be happy as long as the harrowing mist wraith got implicated by the appearance of the undead stampede.


    These ancient skeletons he had risen were not truly alive, and thus possessed neither souls nor soul essence. They were the worst possible enemy Undying Slaughter could meet, considering that she would not be able to replenish whatever essence she spent to destroy the murderous corpses. ...It was a bit ironic, really. ''Above us!''


    ''I''d say... it''s a success.''


    By the time the abandoned port of Aletheia''s Island appeared from the mist, Sunny was only followed by a few most persistent corpses. The rest had been left in the dust, fighting the various horrors of this cursed place. Throwing one last glance at the murderous dead giants, Sunny smiled and dissolved into the shadows. His job here was done. Now, he had to rush to the other side of the island to find Effie. ''Really, now...''


    Gliding through the darkness, Sunny sighed. ''Was there a need for such a reaction? Surely, my musical talent is not that terrible...''

 Chapter 1462 Smooth Ride

    Chapter 1462 Smooth Ride


    Eventually, Sunny reached the far side of the island. Diving out of the shadows, he staggered a little and sighed. His reserves of essence were mostly empty. Luckily, the speed with which he was losing essence was not that great, by now... which meant that many of the risen corpses had already been destroyed by the prisoners of Aletheia''s Island. His journey across the misty forest had been much more swift and uneventful than it would have been otherwise, though, so it was well worth it. Come dusk, his essence would be replenished... That said, he was going to have to be very careful after reaching the blood lake. Sunny shook his head and headed forward, with Nightmare following him in the shadows. His steps were fast and silent. He crested a tall hill and jumped over a rock outcropping, then raised a hand without ever slowing down.


    Catching a lightning-fast spear, Sunny grunted and slid back a few steps. Then, he walked over to Effie and nonchalantly put the spear into her hand.


    "Here. You dropped this."


    The huntress stared at him in bewilderment.


    "...Doofus?"


    He let out a mental sigh. ''Here we go again...''


    Sunny patted her on the shoulder and smiled. "Who else would it be? Yes, it''s me. Before you ask... this is not the first time we''re having this conversation. Actually, time moves in a circle on this island..." Updated from


    He gave her a short explanation, going over the strange nature of Aletheia''s Island and their plan. "...So, in conclusion, don''t feel too disappointed. I promise, I was utterly flabbergasted and thoroughly teased by you the first ten times around. Nephis, too! Anyway, Uncle Sunny is here now. You can relax."


    He swallowed an indignant retort and forced out a smile. "Who says you''re going to ride my big, proud, and powerful steed?"


    Taking a step to the side, he pointed to the big alloy chest standing on the ground between them. "Climb on. That''s your ride for today."


    Effie studied the Covetous Coffer for a few moments, then awkwardly climbed on its lid. She flashed Sunny a grin. "Now, what was it about riding your big and..."


    Before she could finish, though, countless alloy legs appeared from beneath the large chest, rising it above ground. Surprised, Effie let out a short yelp. Sunny grinned. "Meet the Locomotive Chiffonier. The smoothest ride on Aletheia''s Island!" With that, he jumped into the saddle and sent Nightmare into a medium trot. The alloy chest scurried to follow them, its countless legs rustling as they tore the moss. Effie remained seated atop the Covetous Coffer with a very strange expression on her face. Nevertheless, she seemed rather comfortable, and the speed of their small party was not at all slow. In fact, they were moving very fast. Most of the Nightmare Creatures inhabiting the island had been lured south by the shambling corpses, so Sunny could allow himself to head straight to the lake without any delays. After a while, the ancient pines receded, and they came into view of a large open space.


    The mist here was less thick, so Sunny stopped Nightmare at the edge of the forest. He did not want to risk attracting the Harvester''s attention, even if the hidden horror of the skies had been attacked by the Hollow Butterfly not too long ago. In front of them was a vast plane of dark crimson liquid. The lake might have been crystal clear once... but now, its waters were painted red by blood. The source of that blood could be seen in the distance, drifting on the lake''s surface. It was a gargantuan, dreadful creature that vaguely resembled a winged... something. Its dark flesh was torn and mutilated, and many horrible wounds revealed its glistening innards. Sunny shuddered to imagine what kind of enemy could have killed the winged giant so brutally. He did know one thing, though...


    The blood lake was absolutely deadly. Every time Sunny had tried to explore it, he had died in harrowing agony without even knowing what killed him. Anyone who touched the bloody water would die. Still sitting atop the Covetous Coffer, Effie shivered. "So... what kind of terrible abominations live in this charming lake?"


    Remembering what Wind Flower had told him, Sunny stared at the crimson liquid with a dark expression. "None... sort of." He sighed.


    "Instead, the lake itself is an abomination."

 Chapter 1463 The More They Desired

    Chapter 1463 The More They Desired


    Sunny studied the tranquil surface of the crimson lake, unnerved. He had died in its waters a few times, and each of those deaths was both torturous and gruesome. But now that he knew what had caused him to die, he felt even more wary of the red water than before. Indeed... the entire blood lake was, in a sense, a Nightmare Creature. However, it was not a single living being. Instead, there were mindless, microscopic, insatiable creatures living in the bloody water, too tiny to see and too numerous to count. Each drop of the bloody water contained millions of them. Sunny had fought and killed many abominations, from titanic behemoths to insect-like vermin that hunted in giant swarms. However, he had never faced Nightmare Creatures that were no different from flesh-eating bacteria. The whole lake had become a colony for these tiny horrors. Sunny did not know whether they had come from inside the giant corpse, or if the winged being simply was one of their victims. Perhaps it was both. What he did know was that the abomination''s blood provided nearly endless nourishment for the tiny devourers, allowing them to propagate at astonishing speed and infect the entire lake. Thus becoming the lake.


    ...No wonder he had died screaming in its crimson waters. Sunny took a deep breath, dismounted, and gave Effie a grim look. "Stay away from the water."


    The huntress climbed off the Covetous Coffer and sighed. "Yeah. I gathered that much... but, Sunny. How are you going to kill a lake? Short of somehow evaporating the entire thing, I don''t see a way."


    He hesitated. Indeed, how was anyone supposed to kill a lake?


    Sunny shook his head, then headed toward the shore. "I don''t think I can kill it. Making it out of that lake alive, though... I think I''ll manage."


    He manipulated the mist to cover their approach and stuck to the shadows. Tense, they made their way to the shore �� Effie stayed back, but Sunny walked to the very edge of the crimson water. The overbearing stench of blood assaulted his nostrils. Feeling incredibly uncomfortable, Sunny took a deep breath and summoned a Memory. White sparks swirled around his hand, and soon, a beautiful chalice of white jade appeared in his hand, overflowing with sinister black liquid. The Bitter Cusp... a cup of poison that the Jade Queen had once served her rapacious guests. Despite the fact that Sunny had started his Awakened career as a poisoner, he did not use this Memory often. The last time he had, it was to coat the arrows and bullets of the First Evacuation Army soldiers with the Black Venom. It helped them a lot during the mad dash to Falcon Scott...


    But who knew it would come in handy today? Sending all five of his shadows to wrap themselves around the Bitter Cusp, Sunny tilted it and watched as a stream of black liquid fell into the crimson water. The poison flowed and flowed. Updated from


    Sunny dismissed Ananke''s Mantle and gave her a dark look. After a few moments of silence, he said:


    "What do you think? Now, I''m going to go for a swim."


    Effie''s eyes grew round. "What? Swimming in an abominable lake wasn''t enough, so you decided to add deadly poison to the soup first?"


    He couldn''t suppress a short laugh. "Well, I am immune to most poisons. It''s going to sting a bit, for sure, but with some luck... it will be alright."


    He sighed, then dismissed the Bitter Cusp and called the five shadows back. Evaluating how much essence he had left, Sunny then opened the gate of the Shadow Lantern and manifested the Shadowspawn Shell around his body. Summoning the Mantle to cover it with a layer of onyx armor, he reinforced that armor with five layers of augmentation, and then gave Effie a wink. She seemed to pale a little at the sight. "I''m off. There is some food in the Coffer... I told it not to bite your hands off, so feel free to explore."


    With that, Sunny cursed inwardly...


    And dove into the hungry, man-eating lake.

 Chapter 1464 Sunny Submarine

    Chapter 1464 Sunny Submarine


    Wrapped in the protective shell of shadows and the onyx carapace of the Mantle, Sunny breathed with the help of the Essence Pearl and fell into the murky depths. He had swum away from the shore and then manipulated his weight to plunge down like a rock. The water pressing down on him was crimson and dark. It was also poisoned and teeming with myriads of invisible, gluttonous horrors. ''Ah...''


    He didn''t like it at all.


    The poison of the Bitter Cusp had spread far, by now, and should have killed numerous microscopic creatures that permeated the bloody water. The rest should have been weakened, as well. But was it enough to save him?


    Sunny was going to find out soon. ''I haven''t received any fragments, either... what a scam...''


    His Shadow Shell was like a diving suit, with no gaps or seams that could allow the terrifying tiny creatures to reach his flesh. The Mantle covering the Shell was like a layer of armor, reinforced five times over by his shadows. In a sense, Sunny was like a miniature submarine... his task, accordingly, was to explore the bottom of the lake without being crushed and swallowed by its depths. However...


    He could already feel myriads of tiny teeth �� or whatever it was that the invisible horrors had instead of teeth �� gnawing at his black carapace. The Mantle was holding, at least for now, but the Shell was sustaining damage. It was as if its outer surface was slowly dissolving and being washed away by the crimson water. ''That''s... pretty bad.''


    Feeling the lake starting to devour and digest his shell, Sunny felt cold horror wash over him. However, he managed to maintain his composure. In fact, the situation was better than he had expected. Sure, his improvised diving suit was being devoured... but at a much slower rate than usual. The poison of the Bitter Cusp was doing its job. As long as the Mantle held and the exposed surface of the Shadow Shell was limited, he could repair it faster than the lake was destroying it. Even if his onyx armor started to crack and disintegrate, he would be able to keep up with the relentless attrition for a while. Summoning more shadows from the Lantern, Sunny went about mending the dissolving form of the Shadowspawn. At the same time, his feet touched the bottom of the lake. Pushing himself through the water, he walked forward. Surrounded by the crimson gloom �� and incalculable amount of abominable microscopic killers �� he advanced deeper into the blood lake. Its bottom was strangely smooth and regular, hinting at its artificial origin. Well, the whole island was artificial, so Sunny should not have been surprised that this lake, too, had been created by Aletheia of the Nine instead of appearing naturally. He... was starting to feel nervous. Wind Flower had described what he had to find and what he needed to do, but she did not know the precise location of their goal. So, Sunny had to search for it himself. Depending on his luck, the search could take a relatively small amount of time, or last very long... the former was fine, but the latter meant certain death. He did not have a lot of essence left to maintain the Shadow Shell, after all. ''Damn it...''


    The deeper into the lake Sunny walked, the harder it became to advance. The rock surface under his feet was still smooth, angled down at a shallow angle, but there were more and more obstacles in his path. These obstacles... were the remains of numerous Nightmare Creatures. Sunny had thought that the bone orchard was the only monster graveyard on the island, but he was wrong. It seemed that the blood lake was the place that Aletheia had used to dispose of the carcasses of the most abominations she slayed. He couldn''t help but notice that the towering remains he had to either climb over or walk around had all belonged to Nightmare Creatures that were not made of flesh and bone. Instead, these had been abominations whose monstrous bodies had been composed of steel, stone, clay, glass, and all kinds of different materials. ''What a treasury...''


    Sunny felt like his muscles were about to explode, but then, finally, he felt the ancient steel give. The heavy circle rose above the metal ring by a centimeter, then a few centimeters more. Without wasting any time, Sunny plunged the Sin of Solace deeper, changed its angle, and continued to pull. The lake was suddenly in mayhem all around him.


    And then, finally, the impossibly heavy steel lid rose above the metal ring. Letting go of his sword, Sunny grabbed its edge with all four of his hands, grunted, and raised the lid as high as he could while displacing a great amount of water. Standing on the metal ring, Sunny supported the lid with his shoulder and glanced down. Below him... was nothing. Or rather, a long vertical shaft cut through the bedrock that led to nothing. He was looking at the abyss below the island.


    And all around him, the crimson water of the blood lake was already rushing into the hidden drain, falling into that abyss from a great height. The power of the current almost threw Sunny down, as well, but he somehow managed to hold on. As time passed, the pressure grew more and more terrible, as more and more water fell from the bottom of the island into unfathomable darkness like a red waterfall. ''Ah... hell. My shoulder hurts.''


    Eventually, Sunny gritted his teeth and threw the lid of the drain sluice entirely open, then staggered back. By then, the water was only high enough to reach up to his shoulders. Some time later, it disappeared entirely, leaving him standing on wet rock.


    The blood lake... was gone. Its crimson waters, and all the tiny horrors populating it, had been drained into the lightless abyss under the leviatating island.


    Standing at the bottom of a vast bowl cut into the stone soil of Aletheia''s Island, Sunny sighed and looked up.


    Out there, far away, on the former shore of the lake, Effie was looking down at him with a strange expression. He remained motionless for a moment, then raised a hand and waved at her.


    Inside the shredded Shadow Shell, Sunny''s face was pale. He had survived... somehow.


    ''Yeah. Let''s not do anything like that again...''

 Chapter 1465 Rendezvous

    Chapter 1465 Rendezvous


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, looking around. The bottom of the lake was dry now, revealing the towering remains of the ancient Nightmare Creatures. Well... relatively dry. Although most of the water had been drained into the dark abyss, large puddles of it still remained here and there. The remains of the abominations were still glistening with moisture, as well.


    Which meant that countless invisible horrors were still crawling all over their surface. He was not going to feed Fiend with these abandoned treasures any time soon. ''Damnation.''


    Sunny''s shell was still being eroded, as well. Luckily, the rate at which it was dissolving had decreased drastically. By now, he would be able to climb out of the empty lake and discard his ragged diving suit without being eaten alive.


    Looking up, he saw the mist slowly flowing down the slopes of the former lake. Very soon, it was going to shroud everything here, just like everywhere else on the island. Turning slightly, Sunny stared at the corpse of the giant winged creature and fought the temptation to try and fish the soul shards out of it.


    But no, there was no time, and the corpse still gave him a sense of danger... there had to be countless invisible creatures permeating it, after all. Even if the dead abomination was not the original source of the contamination, it was without a doubt being slowly devoured from the inside by it. Finally, Sunny glanced at the slope of the lakeshore. There, not obscured by the crimson water anymore, several dark openings were revealed, each a few meters in diameter. Those were the aqueducts that used to feed water into the moat of Aletheia''s Tower. Now that the lake had been drained... the moat would soon run dry out, as well, dealing the first blow to the system of enchantments maintaining the time loop. Which meant that Sunny''s mission here was accomplished. He hesitated for a few moments, then threw one last glance at the darkness hiding beneath the island. Struggling against the sudden sense of vertigo, Sunny walked to where the lid of the sluice gate was laying on the wet stone, gathered his strength, and threw it back in place with a grunt. The massive steel circle fell back into the metal ring with a loud ringing sound, obscuring the lightless abyss. Immediately, Sunny felt a little calmer. ''I should hurry up.''


    ***


    Aletheia''s Island was strangely peaceful. Most of the Nightmare Creatures had left their usual haunts, attracted by the havoc that the dead army had wreaked on the southern shore. Of course, the risen corpses had all been destroyed by now, and the dreadful abominations were on their way back north. Nevertheless, Sunny and Effie had a narrow window of time to slip to the rendezvous point without meeting any obstacles. Eventually, they reached the maw of the wide chasm that had given Sunny so much trouble in the past. Dismissing Nightmare and the Covetous coffer, he led Effie to its edge, and helped her glide to the bottom with the help of the Dark Wing. Down there, the rocks walls of the chasm were emanating searing heat, and the stench of burned chitin was almost unbearable. The charred corpses of the revolting millipedes crunched under their feet like autumn leaves and crumbled into ash. Despite the fact that Sunny was used to this scene, he still felt nauseated. Effie looked sickened, as well. Covering her nose, she asked:


    "...What the hell happened here?"


    Sunny forced out a smile. "Nephis happened."


    The huntress stared at him for a moment, then coughed, understanding.


    The two of them made their way into the deeper part of the canyon, trying not to look around. Soon, they saw a dim light ahead. Sunny tensed when he recognized the soft radiance of the Guiding Light, but then let out a sigh of relief. Five figures were there, in the shadow of a large rock outcropping. One was standing, one was sprawled on the ground, and three were sitting tiredly, their backs leaning against the rocks. Saint was the one standing. Her onyx armor seemed strangely brittle and dull, but there were not many cracks on it, as well as very little ruby dust smeared across its surface. Fiend was the one sprawled on the ground... the infernal flames burning in his eyes were much dimmer than usual, but there was no damage on his black silver armor. In any case, he was alive. Nephis, Cassie, and Jet were in one piece, too. They seemed pale and strangely listless, but there were no terrible wounds on their bodies, nor was there much blood on their clothes. They had pulled through.

 Chapter 1466 Hidden Chamber

    Chapter 1466 Hidden Chamber


    Sunny and Effie approached them quietly. "Hey! Long time no see!"


    Effie''s energetic voice echoes across the canyon, prompting a weak response from the three Masters. Cassie flinched slightly, while Nephis and Jet turned to look at them with dim expressions. After a moment of silence, Soul Reaper forced out a smile. "Ah. It''s you, glutton... yeah, it''s good to see you too."


    The three were clearly shaken by their experience in the overgrown shrine. Sunny only knew that the creature that dwelled there was powerful and ancient �� even Wind Flower did not know much about it, except for the fact that it did not possess a physical body. Therefore, Jet''s glaive and Neph''s purifying flames were their best bet to destroy it.


    With Cassie''s supernatural intuition and affinity to revelations, as well as Saint''s dark blade, they stood a good chance of, if not prevailing against the shrine horror, then at least getting the enchantment key and escaping alive. Walking over to the three Masters, Sunny studied their conditions for a few moments, then turned to Cassie:


    "Did you get it?"


    She nodded slowly and raised a hand. On it lay a strange gemstone engraved with countless runes. Unlike the soul crystal of the Guiding Light, this gemstone seemed to absorb light, not produce it. The enchantment key. Sunny let out a long sigh. "...Good."


    Then, fascinated, he asked in a curious tone:


    "What was the creature inside the shrine like?"


    The open space beyond the broken cave wall... was the chasm of the tower''s moat. Now that the water was gone, it was empty. The deadly field of twisted time had disappeared, as well. In other words, they did not have to cross the enchanted bridge anymore �� instead, they could cross the moat wherever they wished. There was also no need to traverse the central area of the island, which teemed with harrowing Nightmare Creatures by now. Instead of risking their lives in the misty forest, the cohort had come to the black cliff from below. They exited the caverns through the breach made by Saint, descended to the bottom of the moat, and made their way to its other side. Then, they scaled its vertical wall and climbed out of the chasm near the stone steps leading to the gate of the tower. The wide bridge was now behind them, the terrifying abominations frozen on it still standing motionless. The runes carved into the sides of the cliff were still intact. The cohort ascended the stone steps without looking back. Sunny opened the gate of Aletheia''s Tower and let everyone inside, then closed it behind them. Turning around, he saw that Nephis, Jet, and Effie had frozen, looking at the corpse of the Great Tyrant with complicated expressions. He could understand how they felt... he had been quite the same the first time he saw the dreadful corpse, after all.


    Sunny sighed. "It''s dead. Don''t worry..."


    He told them not to worry, but was feeling agitated himself. Sunny was almost surprised that they had made it so far... the bone orchard, the caverns, the blood lake, the overgrown shrine �� all of these steps could have ended in their deaths. And yet, somehow, the plan he and Cassie had concocted went without a hitch. All the deaths they had experienced on this nightmarish island had not been for nothing, it seemed. Now, all that was left was to gain access to the secret chamber of the tower.


    And destroy the loop. Glancing at Cassie, he nodded and walked to the center of the hall. She followed, holding the enchantment key in her small fist. When the two of them found themselves directly below the corpse of the Great Tyrant hanging from the ceiling, there was a strange sound, and the stones beneath their feet suddenly moved. That had never happened before... because they had never had the runic gemstone with them. As the other members of the cohort approached, the floor of the tower rearranged itself, revealing a narrow staircase. Without saying anything, they descended into the basement of Aletheia''s Tower. There, a small spherical chamber was carved into the rock. Its walls were covered with sheets of polished metal, its surface etched with countless runes. At the center of the chamber...


    Sunny''s eyes widened a little. A large, jagged piece of black rock was hovering in the air, radiating a sense of cold. It did not look special in any way... except for the fact that it was very similar to the Estuary Key. In fact, he would not be surprised if his little chunk of black stone and this larger one had come from the same source. ''...What the hell?''


    While Sunny was standing still, his thoughts in turmoil, Cassie silently approached the hovering boulder and walked around it. Eventually, she stooped, noticing a socket on the weathered black surface. The socket perfectly fit the size of the runic gemstone she was holding in her hand. The blind girl lingered, then turned to face them. "I... I am going to insert the key now."


    The members of the cohort nodded solemnly. Cassie hesitated for a bit more, then gently pushed the gemstone into the socket. Nothing happened for a few moments. Then, the levitating piece of black rock trembled slightly... and fell to the floor of the chamber. It collided with the metal sheet and rolled a few times, raising a loud clangor. When the echoes of the collision subsided, the cohort was left in dead silence. Sunny took a deep breath. He could feel it �� something had just changed about Aletheia''s Island. A vague feeling that had been pressing down on his mind for so long that he had grown used to it was gone. They... they actually did it. They broke the cycle of twisted time that had reigned this place for centuries.


    The loop was gone.

 Chapter 1467 Just Like That

    Chapter 1467 Just Like That


    The members of the cohort remained silent for a few long moments, staring at the chunk of black rock with complicated expressions. Perhaps for most of them, what had just happened in the small spherical chamber did not hold a lot of meaning... but for Sunny and Cassie, it did. Especially for him. Letting out a shaky breath, Sunny suddenly felt like his legs were about to give out. Taking a step back, he swayed slightly and lowered himself to the first step of the narrow stairs. His eyes were still glued to the fallen black stone, but his gaze had become distant. Cassie leaned on the Guiding Light, her face motionless. Nephis, Jet, and Effie watched them silently. After a while, the huntress finally spoke:


    "So... it''s done? Just like that?"


    Sunny looked up at her, struggling to answer. ''Just like that?''


    She made it sound as if it had been easy. Well, of course... she had just learned about the existence of the loop this morning, and it was gone before dusk. For him, however... VIsit  for the best novel reading experience


    The memories of the countless harrowing deaths he had experienced and witnessed on Aletheia''s Island flooded Sunny''s mind. That first time being cruelly executed by Undying Slaughter... the hopeless despair of watching Devouring Beast''s giant hand descend from the mist... and so much more. All of it was behind him now, but not gone. Sunny wished he could have forgotten all this torment, like he had forgotten most of the nightmares about the Kingdom of Hope. But he couldn''t. These memories were going to haunt him forever. ''They can stand in line and wait their turn.''


    There was a vast museum of heartbreak and horror in his memory, already. What could a few more nightmares do?


    He sighed, then nodded. "Yes... the loop is destroyed. I can feel it."


    Effie lingered for a moment. "Uh... good, then. What''s the plan now?"


    They made their way above ground, where blood, rubble, and ghastly remains of the Great Tyrant''s minions littered the floor. The Tyrant itself was still hanging from the broken ceiling, the terrible wounds dealt to it by the Serpent King in the distant past still as fresh as if they had been delivered a few hours ago. Effie stared at the terrible corpse with apprehension. "What is that thing, though?"


    Sunny glanced at her, then forced out a smile. "What else? That''s your food for the foreseeable future."


    The huntress visibly paled. "Huh? Wait... you''re not serious, are you?"


    He shrugged helplessly. "Why wouldn''t I be serious? Weren''t you jealous that Nephis and I feasted on the meat of a Great Monster? Well, here''s an actual Great Tyrant! No need to thank me..."


    Effie was so stunned that she actually stammered:


    "B��but... but... wait, when was I ever jealous..."


    Jet patted her on the shoulder and grinned.


    "Bon appe?tit."


    With that, the five of them went about cleaning the first floor of Aletheia''s Tower. Sunny positioned several of his shadows to keep watch, knowing that this place was not as safe as it had been before. It was still impossible to cross the bridge, but the twisted currents of time that had been protecting the moat were gone now. In theory, any Nightmare Creature could reach the tower with some effort. Getting inside was an entirely different matter, but it was better to be safe than sorry. They cleared the rubble, incinerated the remains of the Tyrant''s minions, and washed the blood off the stone floor. The interior of Aletheia''s Tower had not become cozy or comforting after that, but it was already better than many places the members of the cohort had camped at in the past. Jet and Effie, who had not spent a night on solid ground since entering the Nightmare, were especially appreciative of this stone shelter. For once, things were looking up for the cohort.

 Chapter 1468 An Extravagant Meal

    Chapter 1468 An Extravagant Meal


    It was already deep into the night by the time the hall was clean enough for them to make camp in one of its less damaged corners. Everyone was bone-tired and ready to topple over �� Sunny and Cassie had been suffering in the loop for a long time, while for Effie and Jet, this terrible day had come straight after surviving the evisceration of their tribe and being chased by the Drowned for an entire week.


    Nephis, meanwhile, was mentally and physically drained because of how much she had used her Aspect today. Sunny left his companions in the corner of the hall designated as their camp and walked over to the corpse of the Great Tyrant. While they were making a fire, he manifested a raised platform from the shadows and went about extracting the five Supreme soul shards from the horrid corpse. Luck was on his side �� King Daeron had neglected to collect them after slaying the creature.


    Perhaps he had been in a hurry to leave Aletheia''s Island, or perhaps such things had no value for the mighty Sovereign. In any case, it was Sunny''s win.


    Soon, he returned to his companions carrying five radiant crystals and a generous chunk of monster meat. It was the meat of a Great abomination, as well... despite the divine taste, chewing it was not going to be easy for Cassie and Jet. Nephis, Effie, and himself would have to augment themselves with their Aspects to enjoy the meal, as well. While Nephis went about preparing the extravagant meal, Sunny wiped the soul shards clean, summoned the Covetous Coffer, and stored them inside. At that time, Jet gave him a long look. "There''s enough meat to feed Effie for a long time."


    He nodded. Soul Reaper lingered for a few moments, then asked:


    He had tried eating the golden fruits during one of the revolutions. Sunny was understandably afraid of them, considering what had happened to him on the Ashen Barrow. By now, it was clear that the Soul Devouring Tree was somehow connected to the sacred tree that grew on the Chain Breaker �� and had come from Heart God''s desecrated grove. ...And perhaps to the strange tree to which Eurys of the Nine had been nailed in punishment. However, there was a big difference between the Soul Devourer and Chain Breaker''s mystical tree �� apart from the fact that the former was thousands of years old and a Nightmare Creature. It was that the Soul Devourer fed on living beings, while their tree didn''t. As a result, while the fruits of the Soul Devourer could grant Awakened soul fragments, the fruits of the young sacred tree couldn''t. Instead... they were brimming with soul essence. Sunny had used them a few times to help Nephis recover from essence exhaustion faster, but in the grand scheme of things, it was of not much use. Especially because they had no visible effect on him, due to the fact that his soul required shadow essence instead of soul essence. It was also why Sunny was not sure that the golden fruits would have any effect on Jet, considering how unique her soul was, even when compared to his. Luckily, everything seemed to work fine. Otherwise, he would have had to take Jet outside the tower to hunt in the next few days, risking both their lives. Sunny let out a sigh of relief. There were a good dozen fruits inside the coffer, some of them riper than the others. They would last Jet a good deal of time.


    A pale smile appeared on his face. "Good. That''s good. I have a bunch of these with me... so, don''t worry about getting enough essence for now."


    Jet threw a long look at the Covetous Coffer, then nodded.


    Soon, their late supper was ready. Effie and the rest of them consumed the sublime meat of the Great Tyrant as they struggled to stay awake. Then, just before dawn, they finally allowed themselves to succumb to exhaustion and went to sleep on the cold stone floor. ...Everyone except for Sunny, that was. He lingered for a while, sitting silently on a piece of rubble. His gaze was hollow and grim. Soon, Sunny felt the enchantment of the Crown of Twilight come to life once again, replenishing his essence once more. It was dawn. Which meant that now, there was absolutely no doubt that the loop had indeed been destroyed. He had already known it, of course, but still waited for the former termination point to arrive... just to be sure. The dawn came and went, but Sunny was still sitting on the piece of rubble inside Aletheia''s Tower. He was not sent back to the deck of the Chain Breaker. Motionless as a statue, Sunny let out a long sigh. Then, he slowly looked up.


    There, far above... Wind Flower was waiting for him. Now that the loop was no more, it was time for him to fulfill his oath. With a heavy heart, Sunny looked at his sleeping companions, then stood up.


    The deep shadows drowning the great hall of Aletheia''s Tower stirred and moved, restless, as he walked away from their little camp.

 Chapter 1469 Something to Remember

    Chapter 1469 Something to Remember


    So much had happened since the last time Sunny had seen Wind Flower, but the spacious chamber at the top of Aletheia''s Tower was still the same. Dozens of lanterns floated in the air, shining with a warm orange light. The world outside the window was dim and dark. The silken canopy of the wooden bed was half-transparent, revealing the delicate shape of the beautiful sleeping Saint.


    Sunny ascended the stairs and remained motionless for a while, looking at the vague silhouette with a heavy expression. Then, he sighed and shifted his perception, peering into Wind Flower''s soul. There, the seed of the repulsive darkness had already grown larger.


    ''So fast.''


    Corruption was spreading so fast. Its seed had been like a tiny speck before, but now, it was already like a pearl. If Sunny did not act soon, the darkness would spread and consume Wind Flower''s soul entirely. There was no time to waste. And yet... he could not simply kill her. At least not without talking to the beautiful Saint one last time. Dissolving into the shadows, he allowed Nightmare to bring him to her dream. Soon, Sunny found himself standing on a tall cliff overlooking the vast expanse of the Great River. The seven suns were slowly rising from the flowing water. The tranquil expanse of Aletheia''s Island was shrouded in the dim twilight of the early dawn. Wind Flower was standing at the edge of the cliff with her back to him, gazing at the water. A cool breeze was playing with her wavy hair, and her azure robe looked like the midnight sky in the dimness of dawn. Sensing his approach, she shifted slightly and let out a quiet sigh. "So, you have succeeded?"


    Sunny froze for a moment, then nodded.


    "Yes. The loop... is gone. We destroyed it."


    She turned around and looked at him. Then, a soft smile illuminated her enchanting face. "How marvelous. And on your first try, no less."


    He walked over to stand beside her on the edge of the cliff. Looking at the dreamlike expanse of the Great River, Sunny said darkly:


    "First try? It might have been, but I spent an eternity preparing for it. Months of torment... countless deaths... all for this single moment. I wouldn''t call it marvelous."


    Wind Flower studied his face silently, then looked away and sighed. "Countless deaths, huh? Dying once does not sound so terrible, in comparison."


    She paused before asking:


    "You haven''t forgotten what you swore to do, have you?"


    Sunny gritted his teeth. "I remember."


    The beautiful Saint fell quiet. A few moments passed before she spoke again, her voice losing some of its usual lightness:


    The two of them entered a small clearing. Green moss covered the ground there, with shallow puddles of water glowing softly in the gentle light of dawn. Wind Flower slowed her steps and hesitated for a few moments, then crouched and outstretched her hand. In front of her, a beautiful azure flower was growing from a shallow pond. Its lotus-like petals glistened with drops of dew, and its subtle fragrance was pure and intoxicating. She touched its stalk gently, then broke the blossom off and stood up. Turning around, the charming Saint smiled and presented the lotus flower to Sunny. "Here. Take it."


    He hesitated for a moment, then accepted the azure blossom and looked at it in confusion. They were in a dream, so he could not take anything with him back to Aletheia''s Tower. "What is it for?"


    Wind Flower laughed. "Just something to remember me by. What, has no one ever given your flowers, Sunless?"


    Sunny silently shook his head, prompting her to smile. "Well, then. I''ll be the first. That way, you definitely won''t forget."


    With that, Wind Flower looked at him with bright sparks dancing in her eyes. Then, however, the smile slowly disappeared from her lips. The beautiful Saint sighed. "...You should go now. I don''t think I can hold on for much longer."


    Sunny held the azure blossom, staring at her silently.


    Wind Flower looked away and lingered for a while. Then, she said quietly:


    "If, by chance, you ever meet the real me out there in the Dream Realm... tell her... tell her that I did my best. Tell her that we all did."


    He lowered his head, and nodded slowly. "I promise."


    It... was a heavy promise to make. Of course, the real... the original Wind Flower had almost certainly been dead for countless years. And yet, by promising to pass along this message in case she was somehow still alive, Sunny was also promising to return to the Dream Realm. Which meant that he was promising to conquer this Nightmare, as well. Wind Flower smiled, then turned away and looked up, at the rays of sunshine falling through the crowns of the ancient pines.


    "Farewell, Sunless. Go... you don''t have much time left."


    What else was there to say?


    He remained motionless for a few moments, then gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and breathed in the fragrance of the azure blossom. Darkness embraced him softly.


    When Sunny opened his eyes again, he was back in Aletheia''s Tower.


    His hands were empty. The beautiful blossom was gone, erased with the rest of Wind Flower''s dream.Updated from

 Chapter 1470 Farewell Gift

    Chapter 1470 Farewell Gift


    After returning from Wind Flower''s dream, Sunny did not linger for a long time before completing his grim task. Every minute he wasted was one minute more that she had to suffer resisting the inevitable spread of Corruption...


    And so, with a heavy heart, he delivered the fatal strike to the beautiful Saint, as swift and merciful as he could make it. Then, Sunny used the divine flames of the Cruel Sight to ignite her body and stepped back, watching as fire spread across the wooden bed and devoured the silk canopy. The floating lanterns that had illuminated the chamber dissolved into a rain of white sparks, drowning it in darkness. Standing at the edge between the darkness and the stark glow of the burial pyre, Sunny sighed and sat down on the stone floor. He watched the fire dance in silence, his expression bleak. It was then that the Spell finally whispered into his ear:


    [You have slain a Transcendent human, Wind Flower of the Twilight Sea.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    It paused for a moment, and then added:


    [...You have received a Memory.]


    Sunny looked down, not even reacting to the last proclamation. ''Ah...''


    He had not known Wind Flower for long. In fact, they had only spoken twice. And yet, a deep and heavy sorrow weighed on his heart. Wasn''t her fate just too bitter, unfair, and sad?


    To be the last remnant of a destroyed world, and outlive everything that you ever knew or loved...


    He hated it.


    But at the same time, perhaps to her, death was a solace.


    Closing his eyes, Sunny felt the heat of the blazing flame and remained motionless for a while. Eventually, he whispered:


    "Your nightmare is over."


    It was.


    But at the same time, it was not. This Nightmare would not be over until Sunny fulfilled his promise and ended it. As a dark grimace contorted his face, he gritted his teeth and dove into the Soul Sea. There, the five black suns hung above the still expanse of dark water, just like always. The legion of silent shadows stood motionlessly in the darkness, just like always. The lightless sea of his soul was quiet and tranquil, just like always. Sunny lingered for a moment, then walked along the rows of motionless shadows. Past the lumbering shape of the Mountain King, past the formless shadow of the loathsome Thieving Bird''s spawn, past the gargantuan figure of the Fallen Titan Goliath...


    Sunny suddenly felt that something was wrong.


    ''What...''


    Before he could finish the thought, the Spell suddenly whispered into his ear, its voice insidious and quiet:


    [You Memory has been destroyed.]


    [...Your shadow grows stronger.]


    And then, he felt a flood of shadow fragments entered his soul, containing enough of them to drown it.


    His eyes widened. ''Wait, wait...''


    Thrown off balance by the sudden influx of shadow fragments, he couldn''t even summon the runes. All he knew was that there were much more fragments pouring into his soul than killing a Transcendent human could have given him. There were more of them than even a normal Awakened would have received, let alone someone like Sunny. Most soul fragments were lost when one Awakened killed another, after all. Although the killer received a fair share, most of it was wasted. But not now...


    It was as if Wind Flower''s entire soul had been contained within the azure flower, and was now being used as fuel to empower his own. ''Wait! At this rate...''


    Sunny hurriedly dove out of the Soul Sea and opened his eyes, staring at the blazing pyre in front of him. The fire was still burning, the body of the beautiful Saint turned to ash.


    Taking a panicked breath, Sunny jumped away.


    It was then that he felt it...


    The familiar sensation of his soul shuddering in harrowing pain. At the same time, the Spell whispered again: [Your shadow is overflowing with power.]


    [Your shadow is taking shape...]


    Sunny let out a muffled groan and fell to his knees. Deep in the darkness of his soul, a new Shadow Core was being born.

 Chapter 1471 Terror

    Chapter 1471 Terror


    [Your shadow is complete.]


    Sunny let out a hoarse sigh and uttered a stifled curse. He was standing on one knee, pressing his fist against the stone floor of the tower. His face was pale as that of a ghost, contorted in a pained grimace. The terrifying agony of having a new Shadow Core from in the depths of his souls was slowly subsiding. He had risen to a new Class. This was not the first time Sunny had gone through the familiar torment, but the sudden torrent of shadow fragments caught him entirely by surprise. He did not pass out from the pain, or even fell down... but it was far from pleasant. ''Gods... what happened?''


    Standing up with a groan, he swayed slightly and summoned the runes. Name: Sunless. True Name: Lost from Light.


    Rank: Ascended.


    Class: Terror. Shadow Fragments: [7/6000].


    Sunny stared at the shimmering runes silently. ''Terror...''


    He inhaled deeply. It took him a few moments to come to terms with what he was looking at. There was no denying it, indeed �� Sunny was a Terror now. A creature of dreadful power, second only to the calamitous Titans. The elation of having become stronger �� much stronger, and just when he desperately needed strength as well �� was mixed with pain and confusion.


    Lowering his head, he remained still for a while, and then glanced at his shadows. There were six of them now, all staring back at him silently. Gloomy, happy, creepy, haughty, naughty... and the new guy. The sixth shadow was just like the other five, but also different. At first glance, it seemed the least eccentric of them. The new guy appeared rather normal and laidback... friendly, even.


    But, for whatever reason, Sunny felt a cold chill run down his spine at the sight of it. There was something eerie about the new shadow. It was as if its outward normalcy was hiding something �� a deep, dark ocean of utter, unhinged, unbridled madness. The friendly demeanor was just a thin, fragile veil obscuring the demented depths of its dire and dangerous lunacy. Sunny let out a long sigh. "You... you are absolutely crazy, aren''t you?"


    The crazy shadow scratched the back of its head, twitched, shrugged, and laughed maniacally. Then, it abruptly returned to being normal and friendly. Only its fingers continued to tremble slightly, as if it was barely holding itself back from exploding into a storm of murderous frenzy.


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment. ''Well. Makes sense, really.''


    Did it only seem that way, or was the crazy shadow standing a little closer to him than it had a moment ago?


    He shook his head. "Great. Back to your posts, then. Keep observing the forest... oh, and Gloomy. Show the new guy the ropes."


    He was certain that the happy, haughty, and naughty shadows would not be able to handle their unhinged younger sibling. The creepy guy, meanwhile... why, Sunny could just see him becoming the crazy newcomer''s admiring minion. The gloomy shadow, though, would have no problem taming the lunatic. Gloomy was the true terror among his helpers... after spending one day with the original shadow, the new guy would not dare to create trouble. Sunny almost felt pity for the sixth shadow. ...Said terror, meanwhile, glowered at him for a few moments, then shook its head contemptuously and beckoned the crazy guy to follow. Soon, the shadows disappeared, leaving him alone. Sunny lingered for a while, then took a few steps back and sat on the floor. Leaning his back against the wall, he looked at the smoldering embers with a hollow expression. It was already a new day... the first new day Aletheia''s Island had seen in countless years. Somewhere outside the walls of the tall tower, the dreadful prisoners of the island were busy slaughtering each other. Soon, Sunny''s companions would wake up. And then...


    Then, the last act of this vicious play would begin.

 Chapter 1472 Given Promise

    Chapter 1472 Given Promise


    Outside Aletheia''s Tower, the island was still the same. And yet, it was entirely new. The mist still flowed between the ancient pines, and the frozen Nightmare Creatures were still standing on the white stone bridge. But it was a new day. Sunny could already observe subtle changes. The fog was growing thinner. Devouring Beast, who should have been in the vicinity of the tower at that time, was nowhere to be seen. He did not dare sending his shadows out to scout, but he knew that the bestial giantess was now somewhere else on the island, hunting different prey than usual.


    Undying Slaughter was somewhere there, as well. For a moment, Sunny wanted to release the Fragment of the Shadow Realm. The not knowing of it all was gnawing at him. But in the end, he held himself back. Nothing was going to change if he knew every minute detail of what was happening to the two Defiled Saints. The only thing that mattered was the end result �� whether the Plagues were going to prevail against the prisoners of Aletheia''s Island or not. And that question was not going to be answered any time soon. So, Sunny was left alone with his dark thoughts... for a short while. Then, he heard the sound of footsteps and saw Nephis climbing the steps. She entered the bedchamber and froze for a moment, looking around with her usual indifferent composure. Her gaze lingered at the soot covering the walls, and then settled on Sunny. He looked up from where he was sitting on the floor and met it silently. Nephis lingered for a moment. "I wanted to congratulate you on becoming a Terror. But... you don''t seem to be very excited." The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    Sunny looked away and shrugged, not knowing what to say. Was he supposed to express his indignation at Wind Flower''s inevitable death? That would be... a bit childish. She was not the first person he had met who deserved a less bitter end, and would certainly not be the last. Saying such things to Nephis, who had lost and buried her own share of precious people, seemed especially cruel. With a sigh, Neph walked over and sat down near him. She hesitated for a bit, then gently put her arm around his shoulder. "Did you fulfill your promise to the sleeping Saint?"


    Soothed by the familiar steadiness of her even voice and the warmth of her embrace, he nodded. "Yeah. She wanted me to burn her body, so... well, you can see."


    After a while, a heavy sigh escaped from his lips. "It is a bit strange, don''t you think? The Nightmares are supposed to be trials of strength for us, the challengers. But what I remember the most is the strength of the illusory people who lived, struggled, and died in these conjured worlds. Noctis, Ananke, Wind Flower... somehow, the passion with which they lived seems much more real than even ours."


    Nephis remained silent for a few moments, then said slowly:


    "I don''t think it''s strange at all. I remember those whom I met in the Nightmares, as well."


    She paused before adding, her voice a little lower than before:


    "Well, then... we''d better really conquer it. You wouldn''t want to become a liar, would you?"


    Suny chuckled and rose, as well, the memory of her warmth still lingering on his skin.


    "Of course not. I am the most honest person in the world, after all. Two worlds, even."


    With that, they left the scorched bedchamber and descended to the first floor of Aletheia''s Tower, where the rest of the cohort was preparing for the coming day. Cassie had gone to study the runes in the basement, Effie was busy roasting the Great Tyrant''s meat on coals. Jet had dismissed her damaged armor and was sitting on top of the Covetous Coffer, lazily mending a piece of leather clothing.


    Noticing the two of them, she looked up and smiled. "Hey. What''s the plan for today?"


    Sunny tried not to stare where he was not supposed to stare and coughed. "Nothing much. Rest, recuperate. Gather our strength."


    He paused for a moment and then added, his voice grim:


    "We are going to need as much strength as we can muster to defeat your evil twins, starved or not."

 Chapter 1473 Hiding in the Tower

    Chapter 1473 Hiding in the Tower


    Days passed in a strange mix of idleness and tension. Aletheia''s Island had always been like a misty hell, but now, that hell was boiling �� even secreted away inside the tower, the members of the cohort could feel the echoes of the harrowing clashes between the abominable Nightmare Creatures.


    Anyone else would, but he already had something to substitute artificial sentience with... the true sentience of the silent shadows dwelling within the darkness of his soul.


    If he could change the weave of a Memory to that of an Echo... even if the resulting Echo lacked the most important quality �� the false spark of life to animate it �� his Aspect could theoretically allow him to convert the defective Echo into a perfectly fine Shadow, given that the original Memory and the dark spirit shared the same source and were thus compatible. Or at least, that was his theory. Truly, Sunny had no idea what kind of a monster such an experiment would create. Nevertheless, he set his eyes on the Covetous Coffer, which already possessed a few qualities necessary for an Echo, and shared some qualities with the Quiet Dancer, as well. The shadow of the Mordant Mimic was there, in Sunny''s soul, so he decided to make it his test subject. He was only starting to consider how to go about making the Coffer into a partial Echo, though, when something unexpected happened. As he was coaxing the temperamental rapier into staying still and letting him study her weave...


    The entire tower suddenly shook.

 Chapter 1474 End of Days

    Chapter 1474 End of Days


    ''What the hell?''


    Instantly tense, Sunny looked away from the Quiet Dancer and outstretched his hand, ready to summon the Sin of Solace. His first thought was to Shadow Step into the hidden chamber below the floor of the tower. The tower was shaking, and Cassie was there, at the heart of Aletheia''s sorcery. Cassie had also been rather mysterious lately... unpredictable...


    However, a moment later, he shook his head, feeling slightly ashamed. Why was he suspecting the blind girl? It was his first reaction, even.


    Instead, Sunny concentrated on his shadows and took a closer look outside. What he saw made his expression darken. "What is happening?"


    Jet had woken up from her nap and was now looking at him, a deep scowl on her face. Effie had almost lost her balance when the tower shook, and was now holding her belly, alert. Nephis had jumped down from where she had been carving more meat from the corpse of the Great Tyrant, white sparks igniting in her striking grey eyes. Sunny hesitated for a moment. Outside the tower... the ancient pines were swaying. Which meant that it was not just Aletheia''s Tower that had shaken. It was the entire island. ''Damnation.''


    Sunny noticed Cassie appearing from the stairs to the hidden chamber and answered:


    "I''m not sure. But... I think something happened in the port."


    Apart from the deadly circle of black obelisks, there was only one place built by Aletheia they had never visited on the island �� the port, which was enveloped by green vines and turned into a nest by an especially dreadful Nightmare Creature. The ancient building was not included in the plan Sunny and Cassie had made, because there was nothing they needed there. In truth, the port had nothing to do with the time loop, the protective enchantments of the tower, or their way to freedom. It did serve an important role, though. It was there that the mechanism keeping Aletheia''s Island in the air was located.


    So, unless Sunny wanted to drop the entire island into the vortex, there was no need to fight the current master of the port and enter there.


    Was truly stunning. Now that Aletheia''s Island had almost lost the obscuring veil of mist, it resembled a ravaged battlefield. The forest of the ancient pines was almost completely gone. Most of the trees had been shattered or toppled, carpeting the ground like brambles. Here and there, gargantuan corpses lay, surrounded by vast pools of blood. Some of them were terribly torn apart and partially devoured, others were eerily intact. The few landmarks he remembered were either erased or misshapen and recognizable. Not too far away, a single broken wing of the Hollow Butterfly lay on the ground, but the rest of the Great Monster was nowhere to be seen. It seemed that he had underestimated the primal fury of the Nightmare Creatures imprisoned on the island. By now, there were only a handful of them �� the most dreadful and powerful �� left.


    Sunny saw several chilling scenes, as well. The most terrible of them happened at the dawn of the second day, when the towering shape of Devouring Beast appeared from afar.


    The bestial giantess was moving slowly. Then, however, she suddenly froze and looked up.


    Countless tendrils descended from the cloudy sky, assaulting her like a tide. Each of them was hundreds of meters long and tremendously powerful �� enough so to send shivers running down Sunny''s spine. Devouring Beast swatted away several of the tendrils, but several more wrapped around her arms, her waist, and her neck, both strangling the Defiled Saint and trying to lift her off the ground. Sunny even felt a sliver of hope that she would be killed by the dreadful horror of the sky, the Harvester.


    A frenzied howl shook the world. Grinning madly, the bestial giantess sank her teeth into one of the tendrils, then strained her muscles and grabbed those that were entangling her arms. Bending at the waist, she growled... and pulled the creature hiding in the clouds down. The ground under her feet exploded, turning into a deep crater.


    As Sunny watched in shock, a revolting creature descended from the sky, forcefully thrown down. It was unlike anything he had ever seen... a mass of wriggling flesh that looked like a tattered sail from afar, or a dark star that emanated fleshy tentacles instead of rays of light.


    Dozens more tendrils shot toward Devouring Beast, but before they could trap her, the giantess suddenly crouched, and then jumped.


    Soaring hundreds of meters into the air, she tore into the Harvester with her fingers, and then plummeted down while grasping it in her hands. Not long after that, the horror of the skies was completely savaged, its tendrils torn and devoured, its grotesque body mutilated beyond recognition. The Defiled Saint received many terrible wounds... but her enemy was entirely destroyed. Less than a dozen minutes later, the Harvester was no more.


    ...Hidden inside the tower, Sunny trembled. His heart felt heavy.


    Letting out a quiet sigh, he closed his eyes and whispered: "That thing... does not seem hungry at all."

 Chapter 1475 Defiled Saints

    Chapter 1475 Defiled Saints


    By the end of the day, Aletheia''s Island had grown silent. It was still shaking from time to time, the quakes growing stronger each time... which meant that the sorcery keeping the island afloat was slowly coming undone. But its surface had become strangely peaceful. Sunny was pretty sure that, apart from the motionless Nightmare Creatures on the stone bridge, there were only two abominations left on the entire island �� Devouring Beast and Undying Slaughter. The former was messily consuming the remains of the dreadful fiends in the obliterated forest. Deep wounds were covering her towering body, but the bestial giantess did not seem affected by her Flaw, yet. The latter had just broken free from the circle of black obelisks, shattering most of them in the process. Whatever horror had dwelled within the circle was now dead, while Undying Slaughter... she, at least, appeared to be running low on essence. Sunny could not see much from his observation post at the top of the tower, and he did not even dare to look at the Defiled Saints directly, afraid that they would sense his gaze. But he could tell that battling the being that had been imprisoned by the black obelisks took a lot out of the hateful mist wraith.


    Undying Slaughter had a more cruel Flaw than the bestial giantess. Not only was her essence constantly being drained, but she also had to spend it while fighting powerful opponents. As a result, her entire existence was a perilous balancing act.


    And right now, the mist wraith was out of balance. Sunny watched as she prowled the island, searching for new victims. She even approached the tower and spent some time observing the Nightmare Creatures on the bridge. In the end, however, Undying Slaughter backed away and disappeared into the mist. ''She''s running out of time.''


    Sunny felt a spark of hope ignite in his heart. Come dawn, the cohort was going to leave the tower and face the Defiled Saints in battle. The weaker their enemies would become, the better their chances of survival were going to be. Still... he did not feel confident. If anything, Sunny felt that they would be marching to their deaths. ''Maybe we should rethink our plans and try to escape stealthily, instead.''


    There was still a little bit of time left. He would try to talk some sense into Nephis in the morning. Sunny continued to monitor the island until dawn, dreading the next day. He... could imagine killing one of the Defiled Sense. With him and Nephis working together, both being Terrors, with Jet''s lethal Aspect, Cassie and Effie supporting them from the back, Saint and Fiend holding the vanguard positions, and Nightmare affecting the enemy with his insidious powers, there was a chance. Most importantly, he possessed the most precious advantage �� detailed knowledge of what the two Plagues were capable of and experience fighting them. However, Sunny could not imagine surviving a battle against both abominable fiends at the same time, no matter how drained and heavily wounded they were. ...At the very brink of dawn, when he was wondering if there was a way to separate them for a sufficiently long period of time, there was suddenly movement in the shattered forest. Sunny was distracted from his heavy thoughts and peered into the distance through one of his shadows. ''What is she doing...''


    Out there in the mist, Devouring Beast suddenly froze and let go of the horribly mutilated corpse of a Nightmare Creature she had been chewing. The ghastly carcass fell down, sending a cloud of dust and splinters into the air. With blood streaming down her face, the colossal giantess looked down coldly. It was only then that Sunny noticed another figure standing some distance away from her, this one much smaller. Undying Slaughter was obscured by the mist, but now that it had become much thinner, the wraith was easier to spot. Not that she was hiding. On the contrary, it was as though she wanted to be noticed. Undying Slaughter did not look that well. Her elusive figure seemed even less substantial than usual, as if on the verge of dissipating into a wisp of fog.


    The two Defiled Saints stared at each other silently for a while. Sunny did not know if they were capable of communicating with each other, or if they needed to. From what he could tell, there was an unspoken understanding between these harrowing abominations. Eventually, Devouring Beast grinned wickedly, revealing her bloodied teeth. ''They... they are going to...''


    For a moment, Sunny was frozen in place, struggling to believe his luck.


    Then, Undying Slaughter retracted her blade, turned slightly...


    And looked directly at him.


    There was doom and inevitability in her emotionless, inhuman, piercing blue eyes.


    He was suddenly very, very cold. The memory of that first harrowing death on Aletheia''s Island resurfaced in his mind, making Sunny shudder violently. ''Not this time, wretch.''


    Struggling against the instinctual terror, he met Undying Slaughter''s chillinh gaze...


    And smiled.

 Chapter 1476 Attrition

    Chapter 1476 Attrition


    Sunny felt that they had gotten incredibly lucky. There was always a chance that Undying Slaughter and Devouring Beast would turn on each other, but he had not dared to rely on that possibility. But now, one of the Plagues was dead. That said, the situation was not ideal. Sunny would have preferred if it was Undying Slaughter that had perished... the best possible outcome, however, would have been if he had arrived just before their battle ended and stole the kill from the mist wraith. Then, not only would one of the Defiled Saints have died, but the other would have also been deprived of absorbing her essence. Killing Undying Slaughter then would have been much easier. But although their luck was good, it was not that good. As things stood now, Undying Slaughter had just replenished her dwindling essence. Sunny did not know how much of it she had gotten, exactly, but it had to be a substantial amount. Devouring Beast had been a mighty abomination, after all... her corrupted soul had to have been extremely potent. So, while the mist wraith was not in her peak state, she was also more than powerful enough to eliminate the cohort now. ''That''s alright.'' New n0vel chapters are published on


    They had planned for such an eventuality, as well. Sunny had fought with Undying Slaughter many times. He had done so alone, supported by his Shadows, and even with the help of the other members of the cohort... he had died in agony each time. For that reason, their goal today was not to be to overpower and slay the dreadful wraith. She was too powerful for them to prevail against her in a battle... which did not mean that they could not win. Instead of trying to defeat Undying Slaughter, what they needed to do was tie her down in a prolonged confrontation. It was just how Sunny had imagined killing someone like Jet �� the key to doing so was to force her to exhaust her essence while not giving her a chance to replenish it.


    Which was why this battle of theirs was going to be a battle of attrition. ...Still smiling, Sunny mockingly saluted Undying Slaughter with the Sin of Solace, and then gave Nightmare a mental command to flee. The dark destrier turned and shot back the way they had come, splinters and bits of soil flying from under his adamantine hooves. Of course, the mist wraith was not going to let a source of essence escape that easily... almost at the same moment, she lunged forward in pursuit. Nightmare was incredibly fast �� in fact, Sunny doubted that there were many creatures of the same Rank faster than his tenebrous steed. However, to his horror, Undying Slaughter was not much slower. Even though the dark destrier was augmented by the shadows, the distance between him and the mist wraith was remaining the same. It was even dwindling slowly. ''...Just what kind of monster is she?''


    Sunny was not too disheartened, though. After all, he did not really want to escape from Undying Slaughter. Instead, he wanted to lure her into the trap that the cohort had prepared. Soon, he was almost back to the tower. The dreadful enemy was right on his heels. ''It''s now or never...''


    If there was anything they could do to drain Undying Slaughter''s essence before facing her themselves, they had to do it. Of course, it was a dangerous gamble...


    The Nightmare Creatures that had been trapped on the bridge could force the mist wraith to burn through her precious essence, but they could also become her victims, fueling her defiled soul. In fact, before a single minute passed, one of the abominations already looked like it was close to death...


    Just a split second before Undying Slaughter could finish it off, though, a bone javelin suddenly fell from the sky, piercing the Nightmare Creature''s neck and impaling it on the ground. The ghostly blade bit into the massive body of the abomination a moment later, easily passing through its armor. But it was for naught. There was no soul for the mist wraith to destroy, because the creature was already dead. The bone javelin had killed it instantly. Feeling a dark grin twist his lips, Sunny looked up. There, high above, Cassie and Effie were still standing on the stone steps. There were a dozen more javelins laying on the ground in front of the vigorous huntress. These javelins had been made from the ribs of the Great Tyrant. Of course, in normal circumstances, it would have been hard for Effie to slay Nightmare Creature of such dire power with one blow...


    But when they were already almost dead from Undying Slaughter''s attacks? That was much easier. As for knowing the exact moment when to attack �� after the abomination had grown weak from its wounds, but before the mist wraith could deliver the fatal blow �� Cassie was there to help. With her ability to perceive several seconds into the future, she could tell Effie just when to throw the javelins, and who to aim for. Together, they were in a perfect position to achieve a simple, but vitally important task.


    Deny Undying Slaughter any essence. ...The two of them were already accomplishing that task splendidly.

 Chapter 1477 Undying Slaughter

    Chapter 1477 Undying Slaughter


    Sunny knew how terrifying Undying Slaughter was better than most... perhaps even better than anyone. And yet, even he was astonished by the sight of the dreadful mist wraith slaughtering the former prisoners of the stone bridge. Each of them was an opponent Sunny would not want to face in battle. Some, he had a good chance of defeating, but others were absolutely lethal existences to a Master �� even an Ascended Terror like him. Nevertheless, all of them had been ruthlessly and methodically brought down by the Defiled Saint. It was as if no amount of physical might, impregnable armor, and unholy powers could deter her. The ghostly blade danced in the mist, and following its elusive movements, the souls of the harrowing Nightmare Creatures were snuffed out one after another. ...Or rather, they would have been, if not for Effie and Cassie. Each time Undying Slaughter was about to kill one of her enemies, a bone javelin would inevitably fall from the sky, stealing the creature''s life moments before the mist wraith delivered the last strike. Guided by the blind seer, Effie had not missed once. Which meant that all the essence the Defiled Saint was spending to fight against the group of powerful abominations could not be replenished by absorbing their broken souls. With each moment, she was growing weaker. Their plan was working.


    The last to fall was a Great Beast that resembled a black hound with seven serpentine tails. Its lean, muscular body towered above Undying Slaughter like a dark hill, and its power was dreadful enough to make the ground crack and collapse into the chasm of the empty moat. The abominable hound was like a living nightmare, its frenzied eyes burning with eerie green flames.


    Despite it all, neither its terrifying jaws nor its seven tails managed to strike the elusive mist wraith. Moving with the graceless elegance of an emotionless butcher, Undying Slaughter delivered the Great Beast two swift, cruel blows. The hound staggered after the first one, then grew slow and lethargic after the second. The green flames burning in its eyes dimmed... and before the third blow landed, a bone javelin pierced one of them. The monstrous black hound was thrown down by the force of the impact, making the island shake, and grew still. Viscous red liquid flowed from its maw.


    On the slope of the cliff, Effie let out a shaky breath and swayed lightly. Her legs gave out, and if Cassie had not caught her in time, the huntress would have fallen down. The blind girl helped her sit down on the stone steps. These past few minutes had taken a lot out of Effie. Even though she was far from the terrible battlefield, she had to put all of her immense strength into each throw... especially that last one. Sweat was rolling down her pale face.


    "Did I... did I just kill a Great Nightmare Creature?"


    Her tired voice was faint and full of disbelief. Cassie smiled gently. "You certainly did."


    Effie took a deep breath and put her trembling hand on her belly, as if trying to protect it.


    "D��damn... I''ve been spending too much time with doofus, huh?"


    The blade of the Cruel Sight ignited with divine flame. They clashed with the dreadful wraith in the middle of the cracking bridge. Undying Slaughter was still stronger, faster, and far more malevolent than Nephis and Sunny... however, with Saint fighting by their side, the two of them were able to keep up.


    Far more important was the fact that both Sunny and Nephis were combat prodigies. He could follow Undying Slaughter''s movements, and even predict them, because of his mastery of Shadow Dance. She was capable of doing the same because controlling the flow of combat and manipulating the actions of her enemies had always been the basis of her skill. Now that Neph''s combat mastery entered a period of rapid growth, that ability of hers had become even more frightening.


    Therefore, both of them could counterbalance Undying Slaughter''s undeniable superiority... to a degree. Still, Sunny felt stifled in this battle. That was because he was not just fighting against the terrifying mist wraith. He was also fighting against the memories of dying terribly by her hand. The pain of having his soul shattered... the dread of seeing his shadow killed... the sorrow of being helpless to save his companions... all those scars were like chains that weighed his limbs down. If Sunny wanted to have a chance of surviving this fight, he had to break these chains. ''I''m alive, am I not?!''


    He received the ghostly blade on the shaft of the Cruel Sight and was thrown back, his hands growing numb. Before Undying Slaughter could advance and deliver a follow-up attack, though, Nephis appeared in her way, her sword shining with incandescent radiance, the single gem of the Crown of Dawn burning like a third eye.


    Sunny regained his balance and threw himself back into the fight. ''I survived...''


    Neph staggered back, but Saint took her place. The graceful knight was wielding her dark sword in both hands, facing the mist wraith with cold indifference. They clashed fiercely, and the stone bridge shuddered. He was already lunging forward to share the pressure with his Shadow. ''And now, it''s time to deliver some payback!''


    After all, Sunny was nothing if not vindictive.


    He had destroyed the Black Knight of the ruined cathedral for gutting him. He killed the immortal Transcendent, Solvane, for throwing him into the Red Colosseum. He had shattered the Fallen Titan Goliath for bringing him to the very doorstep of death.


    Now... what was he going to do to Undying Slaughter for killing him multiple times? Updated from

 Chapter 1478 Soul Reaper Jet

    Chapter 1478 Soul Reaper Jet


    Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    Weighed down by an instinctual fear, Sunny used an old ally to overcome it... spite. With its help, some of the invisible chains that were holding him back snapped. But not all of them. Working together with Nephis and Saint, Sunny managed to stall Undying Slaughter. The three of them surrounded her, but they were in no position to attack. Instead, they were barely managing to stay alive while protecting each other and concentrating on defense. The mist wraith was slowly pushing them back. Sunny''s spiteful nature was enough to help him overcome the memory of agony and death, but it was not powerful enough to dispel a deeper, far more painful fear. The fear of watching those he cared about die.


    The memory of that helplessness, that sorrow, that guilt... was incomparably more dreadful than the memory of having his own life snuffed out. Death was merciful, after all. The dead felt no pain. So, to struggle free of the remaining chains, Sunny needed to find a more resilient source of strength within his heart. He could not rid himself of the lingering scars delivered to him by Aletheia''s Island with just spite. As he searched for that source, Undying Slaughter moved like mist, suddenly appearing behind Nephis. Her ghostly blade lashed out silently, almost piercing Neph''s chest... if the young woman had not dodged at the last moment, one of her soul cores would have been destroyed. Sunny froze for a moment...


    And then exploded with ferocious might. ''Ah. I think I found it.''


    Finally, the fear that had been holding him back was vanquished. Sunny had found the strength he needed to free himself of it... and it was an obvious one, at that. His desire to protect those he cherished was much more powerful than his vindictive desire to avenge himself. It made sense, really... since the fear of losing his companions was stronger than the fear of losing his own life, the resolve that had to do with others would naturally be larger than the resolve that only had to do with himself.


    Payback was fine, but protecting the people he loved was a much more powerful source of motivation... incomparably so, really.


    Feeling as if a great weight had been removed from his heart, Sunny shook off the lingering trauma of having endured the loop, and threw himself into the battle with boundless determination. His killing intent soared, not at all inferior to the murderous will of the dreadful wraith. ...And yet, Sunny did not allow that intent to rule him. Coldly and callously, he reminded himself of what their goal was. It was not to defeat Undying Slaughter in battle... it was to prolong the battle to the point where her Flaw would destroy her without their help, or at least weaken her enough to doom her.


    Now that Sunny''s mental state was cleansed, he entered the familiar state of combat clarity. His movements turned sharper and more precise. His wildly beating heart calmed down. ''We can do it.''


    Killing the mist wraith was, perhaps, out of their reach. But resisting her for a while? That, Sunny and his companions could accomplish. As Aletheia''s Island shuddered and quaked, they continued to fight Undying Slaughter on a crumbling bridge. Sunny, Nephis, and Saint held out for as long as they could. Eventually, though, even their inexhaustible bodies had grown heavy with fatigue. This was one of the most intense fights Sunny had ever participated in �� the perilous battle with Dire Fang seemed mild in comparison to this harrowing clash. Of course, they couldn''t keep up with this level of intensity for a long time. They had done their part, though. The essence that Undying Slaughter had absorbed by killing Devouring Beast was already somewhat exhausted in her battle against the Nightmare Creatures. The three of them had forced the mist wraith to waste even more, draining her reserves. She had already abandoned her ghostly form, facing them as a creature of flesh and bone.


    Sunny crossed blades with Undying Slaughter once again. They fought. They endured. They bought time. Time was their greatest weapon, after all. After a while, Sunny felt like he was going to drop dead. They had already advanced and retreated three times, but the mist wraith was still as overbearing and deadly as ever...


    Or maybe not quite. Her strength was decreasing, too. Her essence had to be running dry. Undying Slaughter still maintained an emotionless expression, her chilling blue eyes filling him with a sense of dread... but her behavior had subtly changed. It was almost as if she was feeling... if not desperate, then at least pressed.


    ''We just need... to last... a little longer...''


    At that moment, the surface of the stone bridge under his feet rippled and tilted. Startled, Sunny lost his balance �� only for a split second, but it was enough. The ghostly blade was already flying at him, inevitable as death itself. Before it could ravage his soul, however, an incandescent sword appeared in its path. Nephis had struck from an awkward angle and groaned when her sword clashed with Undying Slaughter''s blade. It was violently thrown aside and slipped from her hands, disappearing into the darkness below the bridge. She was pushed back, as well, and fell down. A split second later, Jet''s glaive tore through the distance between her and the staggered wraith, plunging into Undying Slaughter''s chest. Saint was a step or two too far to help...


    Sunny''s eyes widened. But, strangely enough, the mist wraith did not finish either him or Nephis off. In fact, she seemed to have staggered, as well. This was the first time Undying Slaughter had shown a sign of weakness. ...It was also the last. Before the mist wraith could regain her balance, a swift figure flew between Nephis and Sunny. He felt a cool wind throw his hair into disarray. Then, he heard the air whining as it was cut by a sharp blade.


    A split second later, Jet''s glaive tore through the distance between her and the staggered wraith, plunging into Undying Slaughter''s chest. The two of them froze for a second, two pairs of icy blue eyes staring into each other with indescribable emotion. The Defiled Saint raised her blade, as if trying to retaliate, but Jet simply twisted her glaive and gripped it tighter. "You go to hell."


    Her voice was as cold as a nameless grave. Jet batted the ghostly blade away, pulled her hand back, and then thrust her weapon into the enemy''s soul once again.


    Sunny thought that he heard the crystal ring of something breaking. And then, the chilling light of the Defiled Saint''s eyes grew dim. The wraith swayed slightly... and fell back.


    The moment her body touched the stone, it turned into mist and dissipatd, disappearing without a trace. Undying Slaughter was no more.

 Chapter 1479 Fractured Island

    Chapter 1479 Fractured Island


    The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    ''She''s... dead.''


    For a moment, there was silence. Sunny regained his balance, grunted, and hurried to help Nephis stand up. Saint lowered her sword, acting as indifferent as ever. It was as if they had not just narrowly escaped being slaughtered by a Defiled Saint. But they had. The Defiled Saint was truly, undeniably gone. Slaughtered, just like she had slaughtered countless living beings.


    ''Hell...''


    Behind them, Fiend and Nightmare were both battered, but relatively unscathed. Both Shadows were watching Jet with piercing intensity. Soul Reaper herself stood motionlessly above the spot where her future self had perished. Her icy blue eyes were strangely distant. Finally, she let out a long sigh. "So that''s how it is..."


    Suddenly, her figure was shrouded in cold mist. That mist flowed along the grateful lines of her supple body, finally forming into a ghostly blade. Then, the shape of that blade changed, elongating until it turned into a beautiful glaive... no, rather, a war scythe. Its dark steel possessed a dreadful sheen to it, with frost patterns decorating the sinister curved blade. The ghostly scythe seemed to absorb all warmth from the world, emanating a frigid sense of lethal cold. An amused smile appeared on Jet''s face. Raising an eyebrow, she turned to Sunny and said:


    "You... won''t believe what the Spell just said. I guess all I had to do was kill myself... to receive my Aspect Legacy..."


    ''An Aspect Legacy?''


    Staring into the darkness, Sunny realized that the fracture was not just deep. It was, in fact, bottomless. That was because it was not just the bottom of the moat that had cracked... but the bottom of the island, as well. So, what he was looking at was actually the unfathomable darkness at the heart of the colossal vortex. The fracture pierced Aletheia''s Island straight through, leading to the abyss beneath it. Raising his head, Sunny stared at Nephis and Jet for a moment, then said in a bleak tone:


    "I... I think that this whole island is about to fall apart."


    He carefully moved his right leg over the crack and let out a small sigh of relief when it safely landed near his left one. "So, how about we get the hell off before it does?"


    He didn''t have to ask twice. However, climbing out of the moat had turned out harder than they anticipated. Just as they approached the wall of the chasm, Aletheia''s Island quaked once again, the deafening sound of cracking stone echoing in the empty moat. The fracture Sunny had noticed grew wider, chunks of black rock falling into the darkness below. At the same time, a rain of stones fell on them from above. Nephis frowned, obliterating an especially heavy boulder with one strike of her incandescent sword. Jet nimbly evaded a few more. ''Curse it...''


    The shadow chains shot forward, protecting Sunny and his companions. Looking back, he saw the familiar golden rope appearing in Neph''s hands. She threw it to him without having to say anything. Sunny caught the rope and immediately dove into the shadows, stepping out of them on the crumbled remains of the bridge.


    By the time he pulled Nephis and Jet up, Cassie and Effie had already descended from the stone steps. The island was shaking and convulsing around them, with almost no pause between the tremors anymore. Sunny''s expression was dim. "Let''s go. It''s time we escape this damned place."


    They crossed the moat and entered the former killing field around tower. Now, it was simply the death field �� carcasses of dreadful Nightmare Creatures littered the ground, which was soaked with their blood. The long bone javelins Sunny had crafted and Effie had thrown protruded from their flesh, each one as heavy as a bolt meant for an impossible siege engine.


    Sunny would have loved to collect the soul shards from the dead abominations, but there was no time. Passing between the corpses, the cohort entered the shattered remains of the ancient pine forest. All around them, Aletheia''s Island was coming undone.

 Chapter 1480 In a Days Work

    Chapter 1480 In a Day''s Work


    Without the deadly Nightmare Creatures hiding in the mist and blocking the way, it took them a surprisingly short amount of time to reach the hidden bay. Sunny struggled to believe how much blood he had spilled in the past to traverse the dreadful reaches of Aletheia''s Island... now that its prisoners were gone, the island had fallen silent. Of course, it was hard to recognize the places where Sunny had fought, struggled, and died. The forest was no more, with most of the ancient pines laying on the ground, either toppled or entirely destroyed. The mist was largely gone, too, revealing the scene of startling destruction in all its frightening glory. Massive carcasses towered above the devastated landscape here and there, some of them partially devoured. Rivers of blood flowed between the toppled trees, turning the remains of the forest into a vile swamp. It was like a scene out of a feverish nightmare...


    Well, of course it was. They were in a Nightmare, after all. As the cohort hurried to reach the Chain Breaker, Aletheia''s Island was starting to fall apart. It was shuddering and quaking, making it hard to advance at a steady pace. More cracks appeared in the bloodsoaked soil, some of them leading all the way down to the darkness below. Sometimes, a wide chasm would open right in front of the cohort, forcing them to change course and rush to circle around it. It felt like they were running out of time. ...But, in the end, they did not. Sunny was starting to feel rather restless, but just then, the cohort finally reached the stone steps leading down to the white beach. Cassie was riding Nightmare, while Effie was once again being carried by the Covetous Coffer. Sending the two of them ahead, he joined Nephis and Jet in descending from the cliffs in a much faster way...


    They simply jumped off the edge and used their Memories to glide down. Finally, they saw the Chain Breaker in the distance. The graceful vessel was where they had left it, crashed against a black cliff, its bow buried in the white sand. "Hurry!"


    As they raced across the white beach, the whole island seemed to have tilted. A thunderous sound of something impossibly large breaking rolled from behind them, and Sunny felt his heart skipping a beat. They reached the Chain Breaker and wasted no time climbing aboard. The dawn had come and gone before the battle with Undying Slaughter, and dusk was still too far away. The timing of their escape was not at all optimal, but they had little choice but to make do. The task of raising the ship into the air once again fell to Nephis. While Effie and Jet were looking around with stunned expressions �� neither of them had seen the Chain Breaker during the last cycle of the time loop, after all �� Nephis dashed to the enchantment circle at the stern of the ship. Cassie had disappeared to somewhere under the deck, while Sunny simply stood where he was, looking back at Aletheia''s Island. That cursed place. New n0vel chapters are published on


    The fact that he was finally going to escape this harrowing hell did not feel real. After all the pain, all the suffering, all the deaths... with how elusive time had been inside the loop, the months Sunny spent repeating the same desperate actions over and over again felt like an eternity. "Who says you can escape?"


    The Sin of Solace had appeared from somewhere, unnoticed, and was now standing behind him.


    Perhaps even more importantly, Sunny had also learned a few things about himself. How he felt, what he wanted... and what he feared, as well. Oh, and he had also become a Terror. His soul possessed six cores now, and he possessed six shadows. His power had once again grown, and there was now only one step separating him from its pinnacle. Sunny had died countless times on Aletheia''s Island. He had battled and slain many harrowing Nightmare Creatures, honing his skill and earning priceless battle experience. Some of them were far too deadly for a Master to face, and yet, in the end, all of them had perished, while he survived.


    The entire island shuddered one last time and broke apart, falling into the abyssal darkness below. All the horrors, secrets, and treasures left behind by Aletheia of the Nine disappeared with it.


    Standing on the deck of the Chain Breaker, Sunny let out a quiet sigh. "...All in a day''s work."


    It was not a bad result.


    The flying ship hovered in the air for a few moments, and then slowly started climbing down. It was heading for the same lightless abyss that had swallowed the island...


    Diving into the darkness that lay at the heart of the Great River. Soon, the darkness welcomed them into its silent embrace.


    [End of Part Two: Keeper of Truths.]

 Chapter 1481 Emergency Repairs

    Chapter 1481 Emergency Repairs


    The Chain Breaker was assaulted by hurricane winds as it plummeted into the heart of the colossal whirlpool. Nephis had yet to run out of essence, so their fall was controlled... for now. However, that would change soon. Updated from


    Sunny was still overwhelmed by the destruction of Aletheia''s Island. Shaking off his reverie, he took a deep breath and forced himself to move. All across the flying vessel, deep shadows stirred and surged forward, turning into inky-black hands. The manifested shadows pulled on the ropes, unfurling the horizontal sails. Those sails extended from both sides of the ship and were meant to help it glide on the winds. At the same time, he nervously looked down. ...All Sunny could see was darkness. It was not the true darkness that his sight had never been able to penetrate. Instead, the abyssal chasm was simply so deep for him to see anything. ''Great...''


    By now, the slopes of the vortex had almost turned vertical. It was as if the Chain Breaker was surrounded by a vast wall of dark water, its current so fast that its surface was like a blur. At first, the dreadful maw of the whirlpool was dozens of kilometers wide, but the further they descended, the narrower it became. Eventually, it was as if the Chain Breaker had entered a twisting vertical tunnel that was just a few kilometers in diameter. They were surrounded by absolute darkness, with only a scattering of lanterns illuminating the deck. It was like a small island of light in an ocean of nothingness. No one except for Sunny could see the spinning walls of the tunnel... which was, perhaps, for the best. He knew that if the ship touched the water, it would be torn apart by the tremendous pressure of the current.


    ''What the hell am I thinking? It''s not for the best! Not at all!''


    The Chain Breaker was falling vertically, for now, but it was only possible because Neph was still empowering its enchantments with her essence. Once her essence ran dry, they would have to move in a wide spiral along the watery walls of the tunnel to keep the ship balanced. Otherwise, it would be too easy for it to roll and overturn. By then, not seeing where the darkness ended, and the furious current began, would be lethal. Even worse, the tunnel was not strictly vertical. Looking down, Sunny could see it twisting and turning, like a descending tornado. He gritted his teeth. "Damnation..."


    Could they even survive in this abyss without the Chain Breaker''s enchantments?


    He turned to look at the stern of the ship, where Nephis was struggling with the steering oars, but at that moment, Cassie''s voice reached his ears:


    "Sunny! Here!"


    Soon, the large pieces had turned into smaller ones, and then were finally ground into fine dust inside one of the mortars. The stone dust was then mixed with the strange liquid stored inside the ceramic vessels... some of which turned out to be blood. Hopefully, that of Nightmare Creatures.


    By the time they emerged from the cargo hold, Nephis was running out of essence, and the Chain Breaker was growing more and more unstable. Cassie hesitated for a moment, then pointed to the stern.


    "Go! Help Neph!"


    Sunny nodded and used Shadow Step to appear by Neph''s side. Using his ability to see in the dark, he helped her guide the flying vessel into a spiraling descent. Nephis steered the ship, while Sunny played the role of a navigator. Cassie, meanwhile, crawled along the grooves carved into the deck of the Chain Breaker, feverishly drawing runes on the ancient wood. Essence poured out of her, making the runes glimmer slightly before being absorbed into the deck. The sorcerous ink created from the dust of the black stone disappeared without leaving a trace. Jet and Effie were helping her by carrying the amphorae containing ink and handing her brushes �� each one only lasted a dozen seconds or so, gradually dissolving into thin air. The flight of the Chain Breaker turned more and more unstable. Eventually, Nephis gritted her teeth and slumped slightly, the runic circle surrounding her growing dim.


    The flying ship shuddered. With no more sorcery supporting it, it glided through the darkness, carried only by inertia and the wind pressure, which created a lifting force under the horizontal sails. Neph continued to hold the oars, trying her best to keep the Chain Breaker from plummeting into an uncontrollable fall. Standing by her side, Sunny uttered a silent curse. ''Which idiot thought that this was a good idea?''


    Oh... it was him. He had thought so. The ancient vessel descended into the darkness, its speed increasing at a frightening rate. The angle of their descent was increasing, as well, slowly approaching the point where it would turn into a fatal nosedive. Some distance away, near the sacred tree, Cassie threw the remains of another dissolved brush away and raised a hand to receive a new one. Patches of skin on her delicate hands had begun dissolving as well, and fresh blood mixed with the sorcerous ink. ''Are we going to have to abandon the ship?''


    Sunny had the Dark Wing and the Heavenly Burden in his soul arsenal. He could also temporarily turn into a crow. The other members of the cohort had their own Memories to help them if not fly, then at least glide. Theoretically, they could continue the descent using those...


    But somehow, he did not think that they would survive the depths of the Great River without the impregnable hull of the Chain Breaker. The ancient vessel shuddered once again...


    And then, the darkness was suddenly dispelled by a soft radiance. Raising his head, Sunny watched the sacred tree in stunned silence. Its leaves were shining with a pure, beautiful light. At the same time, the runic circle surrounding Nephis ignited once more, and their flight turned as smooth as it had been before... much smoother, even. Bathed in the radiance of the sacred tree, Cassie let out a tired sigh and slumped on the deck. Finally, the enchantment circuit of the Chain Breaker had been fully restored.

 Chapter 1482 Third Way

    Chapter 1482 Third Way


    Illuminated by the gentle light of the sacred tree, the Chain Breaker was flying through the darkness. It moved in a wide spiral, descending lower and lower into the abyssal darkness with each spin. Around it, the moving walls of the dark tunnel were twisting and turning as the water comprising them revolved at a dreadful speed. Now that Cassie had repaired the enchantment circuit of the ancient vessel, the immediate crisis was resolved. The members of the cohort finally received a chance to catch their breaths. The events of the past day had simply been too overwhelming... the destruction of the island had followed immediately after the battle with Undying Slaughter, and so, everyone was exhausted. They simply dropped to the deck, praying that nothing terrible happened in the next few hours �� minutes, even �� at least. Sunny temporarily took the steering oars, allowing Nephis to heal Cassie''s mangled hands. After that, everyone remained near the runic circle, looking into the darkness. "Where do you think the vortex leads?"


    Effie''s voice sounded a bit stifled. He lingered for a moment, then sighed. "I don''t really know. All I know is that someone passed through it and survived, in the past. Granted, that person was of the Supreme Rank."


    Sunny paused for a moment and added, his voice somber:


    "It might be the inner wall of the pyramid. In any case... we shall see."


    After that, he glanced at Cassie. Now that they had been granted a moment to compose themselves, his curiosity was tingling. "By the way, why did you need that piece of rock to repair the ship?"


    The others seemed curious, too. The blind girl hesitated for a bit, then explained: "I guess... imagine a locked door. There are a few ways to get on the other side of the door. The simplest is to use a key �� provided you have one. In this case, the key would have been the detailed knowledge of the original enchantment of the Chain Breaker. I do know a few things about it, but not enough."


    She pointed to the runic circle, which glimmered faintly in the darkness. "The second way is to be a locksmith who understands the structure of the door''s lock �� or any lock, really �� on a deep level. That way, you can pick it without a key. Sadly, my knowledge of sorcery is not that deep. Which left only the third way... brute force."


    He and Nephis glanced at each other. A moment later, he said hesitantly:


    "Honestly, we have no idea. You should already know about how weird time functions inside the Tomb of Ariel... so, our current theory is that one of the previous owners of this ship visited the pyramid at some point. It was just drifting aimlessly far upstream. There was no one aboard and no signs of who that previous owner had been, so... Neph and I took it."


    Effie looked at them with a strange expression, then grinned and patted the deck with her hand. "Well... it''s good that you did. I can''t even describe how much I missed my cozy cabin while roaming the Great River on the back of a weird mutant shark. Look! The floor is solid! I might honestly cry!"


    Still smiling, she turned to Jet and asked:


    "So, what? You really got your Aspect Legacy?"


    Jet glanced at her and shrugged.


    "Yes. And before you ask... no, you can''t eat it. Too bad you didn''t receive anything cool yourself, huh?"


    Effie''s smile widened. "Who says I didn''t?"


    With that, she stretched her long legs, assumed a more comfortable pose, and let out a small laugh. "I did. If you consider a Supreme Memory cool, that is..."

 Chapter 1483 Reapers Scythe

    Chapter 1483 Reaper''s Scythe


    The Aspect Legacy Jet had received was similar to most Aspect Legacies �� which were usually Memories uniquely suited for the Aspects of their wielders, or much more rarely powerful Echoes. However, that similarity was deceitful. In truth, Soul Reaper''s Aspect Legacy was almost as weird as Sunny''s. Although it looked like a weapon, it was not a Memory... instead, it was an Innate Ability. Jet did not need essence, no matter how little, to summon the chilling mist and turn it into a scythe. The mist was simply a part of her soul now. Its form was also not set in stone. The mist blade naturally manifested into a beautiful war scythe, but it could assume the shape of other weapons, as well �� as they watched, Jet turned it into a khopesh, a misericorde, a bec de corbin, and an actual scythe. There seemed to be only five available forms, at least for now.


    All five shapes were that of a weapon, and that weapon was soulbound �� but not in the way that Sunny''s Marble Shell was soulbound.


    In the case of the Marble Shell, its power was directly tied to the power of his soul. Jet''s scythe, however, was bound to the souls of those it killed. ...Or rather, those souls would become bound to it. Updated from


    None of them knew what it meant, precisely. However, Soul Reaper was able to conclude a couple of things from reading the description of this strange Innate Ability.


    First of all, the mist blade was able to absorb and contain the souls of its victims. The soul of the most powerful being killed by it would become the basis of its power �� so, if Jet slayed a Great Beast, her scythe would become akin to a Supreme Memory of the First Tier. If she killed an Unholy Titan... the scythe would become akin to a Divine Memory of the Seventh Tier.


    Which was a bizarre and truly astonishing quality. Secondly, the souls contained within the mist could be consumed, replenishing Jet''s essence. If all souls were consumed, leaving the mist blade empty, her own soul would become the basis of its power. These were the things she knew. However, there were still many questions about her Aspect Legacy.


    For example, how many souls could it contain? Would they only influence the mist blade''s power, or would they also infuse it with unique qualities akin to enchantments? If so... if Jet consumed all the bound souls, what unique quality would her own soul infuse?


    Then, Sunny realized where he was and almost jumped in surprise.


    He was just about to send his shadows to explore when Effie retrieved him from the Dog Locket. Suddenly, he was back on the deck of the Chain Breaker.


    The huntress looked really curious. "Oh... I see that you are alive. Good! Did it work?"


    Sunny stared at her in outrage. "Wha... what?! You weren''t certain it would?"


    Effie coughed. "This is the first time I summoned the locket, so how would I know? Well... I was mostly certain. Yeah, definitely."


    He shook his head in exasperation and took a deep breath. "...Yes, it worked."


    Sunny described what he had experienced. After a bit of exploration, they discovered that the space contained within the locket was not too big. It was about three kilometers across, encompassing the meadow, several hills, a part of the forest, and the river. Beyond the boundary, the world turned into a crude painting, and it was impossible to move further. Nevertheless, living beings could indeed be stored in that space. There was even water for them to drink and berries for them to gather in the forest. Needless to say, such a space could be extremely useful. Sunny had never seen such a bizarre Memory. ''Wow. Supreme Memories are really on another level...''


    The Crown of Twilight was already mind-boggling enough, but Effie''s locket took the prize. Although it was not nearly as powerful as Daeron''s crown, just in terms of uniqueness, it was far ahead. ''What a great prize.''


    After taking a short rest, the cohort concentrated on traveling deeper into the abyssal tunnel.

 Chapter 1484 Radiant Depths

    Chapter 1484 Radiant Depths


    Surrounded by darkness, the Chain Breaker continued to travel down the twisting underwater tunnel. Cassie had taken up the steering oars, which alleviated some of Sunny''s nervousness �� while she was the most experienced helmsman among them, he barely knew what he was doing. So, the chances of the flying ship colliding with the walls of the tunnel and being torn apart by the water current were reduced by a lot with the blind seer at the helm.


    Still... no one knew what waited for them in the depths of the Great River. They were nervous, apprehensive, and full of grim anticipation. The cohort rested, consumed a hearty meal, and went about repairing the slight damage dealt to the flying ship by its crash landing on Aletheia''s Island. The enchanted hull weathered the rough landing well, only receiving a few shallow scrapes. However, there were more delicate parts of the ship that had to be mended or replaced. Sunny, Nephis, Jet, and Effie were not carpenters or builders, but their skill was enough for the task �� after all, Sunny was a specialist in wilderness survival, while Nephis had been able to build boats all the way back on the Forgotten Shore. Effie had the experience of surviving in the Dark City for years, while Jet... was Jet. She was somehow capable of doing anything that needed to be done.


    Later, they gathered on the deck and silently observed the darkness below.


    After a while, Sunny grew bored and summoned the Covetous Coffer. Borrowing Effie''s locket, he began comparing the two weaves with each other. He was very curious to see if he could make the storage inside the Coffer habitable, as well... for now, it seemed incredibly far-fetched.


    But then again, many of the things he had accomplished seemed far-fetched once. If he was not capable of doing something today, he might be able to do it in the future. Becoming a competent sorcerer was a gradual process. Time slowly passed. And as it did, the depths of the Great River slowly changed.


    It was not something that they could see or hear, but more of a vague, eerie, oppressive feeling. Although the Chain Breaker was surrounded by water and had descended deep below the surface of the River by now, none of them could perceive what hid beyond the spinning walls of the twisting tunnel. However, it seemed as if... the absolute darkness that surrounded them was somehow growing darker and darker with each hour that passed. Sunny felt... a sense of immense threat. Cassie was pale, as well. It was as if they were surrounded by terrifying danger from all sides, worse even than it had been in the flowing mist of Aletheia''s Island.


    However, if there was some harrowing being in the water, it did not enter the tunnel to swallow them whole. ...Remembering how much the dreadful whirlpool resembled a colossal maw, Sunny could only hope that it was not because they were already in the being''s intestines.


    ''Maybe whatever creatures dwell in the unfathomable depth simply can''t exist outside of water... or maybe the current of the tunnel walls is as dangerous to them as it is to the Chain Breaker.''


    What was it?


    He looked at the members of the cohort and found them in a similar state to his. Especially Cassie, who was blind, but also saw much more than anyone else...


    Then, the brightness of the water changed once again as another inconceivable shadow moved through its radiant mass, far in the distance. He shivered. "Go inside."


    Cassie''s voice was hoarse. Lowering her head, she sighed and repeated herself:


    "Go inside. Don''t return until it''s dark again. It''s not good for you to stay here."


    Nephis looked at her for a moment, then frowned: "What about you? We won''t leave you alone."


    The blind girl shook her head. "I''ll be fine. I won''t be able to see anything if you leave, anyway. Most importantly..."


    She shivered slightly. "...nothing will be able to gaze back at me. Go."


    Sunny knew all too well that some Nightmare Creatures felt when someone was looking at them. That was why people had to be careful where they turned their eyes in the Dream Realm, especially in those regions of it where true horrors dwelled. That was why he did not try to dissuade Cassie and silently pulled Nephis toward the entrance to the lower decks. He recalled his shadows, as well. Jet and Effie followed. They spent some time together at the mess deck, but no one was in the mood to talk. It felt as if the smallest sound could be heard by the beings that moved in the depths of the Great River... and so, after a while, the members of the cohort left for their cabins and tried to fall asleep. The merciless light bathed the Chain Breaker for a few more hours, and then grew dim. Finally, it disappeared entirely, replaced once again by absolute darkness. The spinning tunnel continued to lead them down, down, down... down into the unfathomable depths. The Great River was rumored to be bottomless, and surrounded by the darkness, Sunny could easily believe that it was. However, he also felt that if they survived a few more days of the descent...


    Perhaps they would prove the rumors wrong.

 Chapter 1485 Traveresing the Vortex

    Chapter 1485 Traveresing the Vortex


    Traveling through the twisting underwater tunnel was a constant struggle... but, strangely enough, it was mostly safe. Just as Wind Flower had said, as long as the Chain Breaker did not touch the water, there was little inside the vortex that could threaten them.


    If the flying ship did touch the spinning walls of the tunnel, though, death was all but guaranteed �� not only because of the terrible current and the obliterating pressure, but also because causing even the smallest ripple was going to alert the harrowing beings dwelling in the unfathomable depth of the Great River of their presence.


    Staying away from the walls was not challenging at first, but the deeper they descended, the more perilous that situation became. The tunnel grew narrower, while its twists became more frequent and steep with each passing day. Sometimes, it bent so much that the Chain Breaker flew forward for a while instead of continuously descending.


    It was as though they were really traveling through the intestines of an unimaginable beast. Worse of all was the fact that the tunnel was not static. It constantly moved, undulating, making it seem as though the walls of spinning water were pursuing the graceful ship. Perhaps they were.


    Sometimes, the water was shrouded in abyssal darkness. Sometimes, it shone with blinding light. Nephis steered the ship in the darkness, but when the depths of the Great River ignited with beautiful radiance, Cassie had to take the oars. The rest of them were forced to escape to the interior of the flying vessel, leaving her to face the harrowing shapes moving through the radiant water alone.


    Anyone would have been shaken and mentally strained by having to endure the horror and pressure of those terrible creatures in solitude. Despite that, Cassie remained calm and seemingly unperturbed... Sunny did not know if that was a good sign or not. What he did know, however, was that they would have never survived the journey through the vortex without the Chain Breaker. They would have been long swallowed by the Great River if Cassie had not repaired the enchantment circuit, as well. As it was... Sunny felt that they would, perhaps, make it to the other side of the vortex unscathed. Days passed in tense silence. The deeper they descended, the more palpable the pressure assaulting their minds was. The abyssal darkness was suffocating, and the radiant light was dreadful. More than that... at some point, the world itself became strange, playing tricks with their minds. Time was growing convoluted and elusive, as if it, too, was being crushed by the oppressive weight of the water surrounding them. Sunny and Nephis, who had already experienced something similar in the time storm, were less affected by this strangeness than the other members of the cohort. However, eventually, they too grew accustomed to the eerie unstableness of time.


    With time, space had also become unreliable. At first, Sunny thought that it was the Chain Breaker''s flight that had lost its smoothness, making the flying ship shake and shudder from time to time. Sometimes, it would jerk, and sometimes, it would sway. But then, he realized that it was the fabric of reality itself that had become twisted. Updated from


    He understood it while carrying a cup of tea, brewed with the invigorating water of the Endless Spring, to Nephis. Usually, a walk from the lower deck entrance to the stern would have taken him less than a minute, and a few dozen steps. However, this time, Sunny counted at least several hundred steps before reaching the runic circle. The tea he was carrying was still hot and steaming, though. ''That is... not good.''


    He stared at the tea cup in his hand, then at Nephis, who was steering the ship without seemingly having noticed anything strange. ''What if it was not the deck that had been stretched like a rubber band, but one of us?''


    Looking at the walls of the tunnel, Sunny flinched. The walls... had turned into a blur. The Chain Breaker was frozen in place, but the tunnel itself was flying past it at tremendous speed. The twists and turns that Nephis had been cautiously navigating were now flashing past them, forcing her to steer the ship as fast as she could... and much faster than that, even, if they wanted to survive.


    ''Doesn''t make any sense...''


    Sunny was confused for a moment.


    How could the flying ship both remain in place and be steered around the bends of the tunnel?


    It was as if the world itself was being spun and moved by Neph''s hands. But then again, when was the last time the world made any sense? Perhaps the static position of the Chain Breaker was simply a matter of perspective. Perhaps, they were simply being carried by some unfathomable, eerie force. What did it matter?


    The only thing that mattered was for Nephis to guide them through the swiftly moving tunnel.


    And she did. Completely focused, she guided the Chain Breaker, not allowing the water to swallow it. A minute past, then another, then another...


    Then, an eternity. Suddenly, the tunnel disappeared. Something flashed, blinding Sunny, and was then replaced by darkness. He could feel motion once again.


    ...In fact, he could feel a lot of motion!


    It was as if the Chain Breaker had been shot from a catapult. Their speed was so dreadful that he was instantly blown back a dozen meters, and only managed to remain on the ship by clutching at the railing. ''D��damn!''


    Sunny felt a tremendous force pushing him back, and a hurricane wind crashing into him with primal fury. All he could do was grit his teeth and hold on for his dear life. Slowly, their speed decreased. Nephis, who had been pressed into the aplustre, pushed one of the oars and rolled the ship. It was only then that Sunny realized that the Chain Breaker had been flying upside down. As the flying ship revolved around its axis, Sunny fell on the deck and weakly picked himself up. It seemed that they had escaped the vortex.

 Chapter 1486 Colorful Ribbon

    Chapter 1486 Colorful Ribbon


    The Chain Breaker was still flying at high speed in the direction it had been expelled from the vortex. Thankfully, Nephis had rolled the ship in time, preventing the members of the cohort from plummeting down... but Sunny was still pressed into the deck, struggling to stand up. The world was dark, with only the soft glow of the sacred tree illuminating it. Finally, he rose to his feet, swayed slightly, and called out in a stifled voice:


    "Is... is everyone alive?" Updated from


    He could see Nephis nearby... she was safe. Looking across the deck, he noticed Effie leaning on the sacred tree, a startled expression on her face. Luckily, the huntress did not look injured. Jet was a bit further away. It seemed that she had used the fifth form of her mist blade, the scythe, as a hook to keep herself in place. Her icy blue eyes were alert and focused.


    Cassie had been sleeping in her cabin when the strange event happened, so she was definitely fine �� the blind girl might have suffered a few bruises, but she wouldn''t have been thrown overboard. "I''m fine!"


    "Alive is a strong word..."


    Hearing Effie and Jet answer his question, Sunny let out a relieved sigh. Almost at the same time, Cassie appeared from below the deck, looking a bit haggard. With each member of the cohort accounted for, he relaxed a little. They seemed to have escaped the dreadful whirlpool. At least it looked that way.


    The twisting tunnel was gone, replaced by a vast empty space. The oppressive feeling Sunny had felt in the depths of the Great River was gone, too, and time seemed to be flowing naturally as well. Space, however...


    Space was a bit strange. Sunny struggled to describe the wrongness he felt, but it was definitely there. Humans, after all, were not meant to perceive the fabric of space �� why would they, considering that it was meant to be constant and immutable? But many immutable concepts had become vague with the descent of the Spell. Especially here in the Tomb of Ariel, many things that he had considered absolute had proven to be less than reliable. The existence of the Tomb was in and of itself a paradox, considering that it contained an entire world. Nevertheless, even though Sunny could not perceive the fabric of space, he could still sense that something was wrong with it. He just could not explain what.


    ''What is going on? No, first... where are we?''


    There was no sound of the water splashing against the hull of the Chain Breaker, no sunlight, no glow that suffused the Great River at night. There was only darkness, silence, and wind. Frowning, Sunny glanced at Nephis. She was still holding the steering oars, but at the moment, there was nothing for her to do. The ship was still flying... rising?... due to inertia, and it was impossible to control it until that inertia dissipated. He studied her face, making sure that Nephis was alright, and then looked behind her. There was nothing there... only a vast, boundless darkness. The wind played with her beautiful silver hair. Neph looked at him, too. She hesitated for a few moments, then said cautiously:


    Sunny grew still. ''What... am I looking at?''


    There was nothing behind Nephis. But in the direction where he was currently looking, something floated in the darkness. It was like a colorful ribbon painted in lilac, azure, and crimson, with parts of it drowning in shadows. Seven small motes of light slowly moved through the darkness around it, making for a beautiful sight.


    The ribbon created a circle, its surface twisted on itself like a Mo?bius strip. It took Sunny a few moments to realize what the ribbon was.


    ''It''s... it''s... the Great River...''


    His eyes widened, as well.


    Because there was nothing but emptiness between the Chain Breaker and the colorful ribbon, it was all but impossible to determine distance, and therefore scale. However, he knew...


    Lilac, azure, and crimson were the three regions of the Great River �� dawn, day, and dusk. The seven little motes of light were the seven suns. The areas of the ribbon where the light of the suns did not reach were shrouded in shadows... however, at least one sun was always on the opposite side of the ribbon, its light penetrating the mass of water and making the water glow.


    The Chain Breaker was... far, far away from the Great River. And the empty darkness around them was the interior of the Tomb of Ariel. However, Sunny forgot all about the black pyramid and its creator. His eyes were locked on the beautiful ribbon... which twisted on itself... like a Mo?bius strip... His whole body shuddered, and his face turned deathly pale. His heart was suddenly consumed by dread. His mind was deathly still.


    His lips trembled. Sunny felt like he was suffocating.


    ''...It''s a loop.''


    The Great River twisted on itself, flowing endlessly, its surface never interrupted. The Great River... the entirety of it... was an infinite loop.

 Chapter 1487 The Source

    Chapter 1487 The Source


    Sunny stared at the distant Great River, frozen in place. His face was motionless. However, there was a storm raging in his mind. Fragmented truths that he had learned, witnessed, and experienced in the Tomb of Ariel were moving, colliding with each other, and clicking in place with a dreadful noise. The inconceivable truth of their Nightmare was slowly revealing itself.


    From start to finish... it was all...


    He was suddenly overcome with fear. Shifting his gaze slightly, Sunny studied the beautiful ribbon that twisted on itself, forming an infinite loop. Deep crimson, vibrant azure, soft lilac... the seven suns shining in the darkness...


    It was like a dream.


    ''How can this be? How can the Great River flow in a circle?''


    But then again... of course, it could. In hindsight, it made so much sense. There had always been a paradox in how the Great River was described. Because it was always described as "endless"... Sunny had not paid it much attention before, assuming that the word was simply there to provide flavor. But he should have known better. The Spell was always deliberate with its choice of words.


    The description of the Stifled Scream read:


    [...a great river was contained within it, flowing endlessly from the future into the past.] Updated from


    But how could a river of time be endless? The past wasn''t infinite. If the Great River really flowed into the past, anyone sailing it would reach the point beyond the origin of time eventually �� so, by definition, it could not flow endlessly. Only it could. Because its estuary was also its source... within the Tomb of Ariel, the past was connected to the future, creating a single whole. The proof was right in front of him. There was a reason why the Nightmare Creatures populating the Great River were most powerful in the far reaches of the past, near the Estuary, and in the far reaches of the future, where Sunny had initially come from. The two were one and the same. He frowned, then shook his head. ''No, wait... that doesn''t make sense.'' If the Great River was an infinite loop, and the past turned into the future, having no end... then what about the Estuary? The existence of the Estuary was also undeniable. Not only was it mentioned in the descriptions of the Stifled Scream and the Shroud of Graceless Dusk, but it was the reason why the Seekers of Truth had come to the Tomb of Ariel, as well. They had come to find the secrets that the Demon of Dread had hidden in the estuary of the Great River... The hideous truth he had wished to be free of.


    And when Aletheia, the First Seeker, had finally found it, the Defilement was born.


    It was a place between the past and the future, where the laws of time were twisted and broken. The entrance to the true Estuary �� the space that existed beyond time, containing Ariel''s secrets �� was hidden somewhere in the mist. Aletheia had found it, but Sunny simply drifted past, being carried by the current. When the piece of flotsam reached the boundary of the Source, he was expelled from it, appearing in the far reaches of the future �� in the area of the Great River corresponding to the point in time where the person whose role he took had entered the Tomb of Ariel.


    ''Wait...''


    Sunny was suddenly covered in cold sweat when he remembered a few more details about his time in the mist... in the Boundary.


    Hadn''t he been tormented by nightmares of madness, despair, and dreadful obsession there? Hadn''t he screamed, waking up...


    ''No, no... not again... please...''


    Hadn''t the Sin of Solace inexplicably become perfectly complete and real out there, in the mist?


    And the Great River... was a loop...


    Sunny shuddered. A terrible premonition grasped his heart with icy claws. Sitting on the deck of the Chain Breaker, he gazed at the distant river and whispered:


    "The Six Plagues... are not the future versions of ourselves."


    Sunny closed his eyes. "...They are our past. They are us from the previous revolution of the Great River."

 Chapter 1488 The First Plague

    Chapter 1488 The First Plague


    Sunny felt a headache approaching. Something was very wrong here. How could the Six Plagues exist? The Great River was a time loop �� just like Aletheia''s Island had been, but also different. On Aletheia''s Island, time moved in a circle. A single day endlessly repeated itself, and a new cycle started each time that day ended. The Great River, however, was a bizarre place where time and space were one and the same �� it flowed from the future into the past, and so, those who traveled it were also traveling across time. The cycles of the Great River did not start once a certain period of time passed. They were both a measure of time and a measure of space �� to reach a new revolution, a person had to travel all the way to the Estuary, which was also the Source, and cross the boundary between the past and the future.


    Then, they would be sent to the point in time and space when they had first entered the Tomb of Ariel. So, if the Chain Breaker sailed past Verge and braved the Source, the members of the cohort would be sent to different places on the first day after they had entered the Nightmare. Sunny would find himself on a piece of flotsam, Nephis would be stranded on the corpse of the Black Turtle, Cassie would return to Fallen Grace on the day the other sybil succumbed to the Defilement, and Jet and Effie would be back to living the harsh lives of the River Nomads. Sunny shifted slightly.


    Still, it did not explain how both the members of the cohort and the Six Plagues could exist at the same time. If their version from the previous cycle had braved the Source �� on purpose or by accident, while searching for the entrance into the Estuary �� they would have disappeared.


    More than that, the Plagues had been rampaging across the Great River for decades, perhaps even centuries. How could that be?


    ''Well, why not? There''s all kinds of weirdness happening with time in the Tomb of Ariel. Do I really want to doubt that something like that is possible?''


    Especially now that Sunny knew about the Source �� a misty place where the past and the future met, and where the meaning of time lost all reason �� he could not be surprised by anything. What would happen, for example, if someone entered the Source, but then turned back and left the way they had come instead of crossing the boundary of the future? What would happen if they left from a different point than where they had entered? What would happen if they stayed inside the Source for a while, allowing the current to move past them?


    He did not know.


    Sunny did know one thing, however. The method of starting a new revolution might have been different from Aletheia''s Island, but its effect would be the same.


    Once someone returned to the past, their memory of the previous cycle would be erased. Their soul would be restored to how it had been before. No signs of them having traveled the Great River in the past would remain. Which meant...


    Sunny shivered. ''Not again, please!''


    The words he had shouted while waking up, on the first day in the Nightmare, echoed in his ears. ''H��how... how many times have we challenged this Nightmare?''


    Had Sunny been the first of the Six Plagues, and the one who had infected the other five?


    In any case...


    ''So why do I not remember anything? If my version from the previous cycle was corrupted by the Defilement, why is my soul free of it?''


    He flinched. Wasn''t the answer obvious?


    What could cure the infection of cursed knowledge?


    ...Oblivion could. In order to be cured, he had to forget the cursed knowledge before returning to the past. ''The Key of the Estuary.''


    A mysterious Memory that had been there, in his soul, when he found himself in the mist on the first day of the Nightmare. A Memory that possessed a passive enchantment that did not seem to have any effect on him. An enchantment that consisted of two parts �� one directed outward, one directed inward. And which had something to do with the Sin of Solace. Sunny took a deep breath as the truth of the Estuary Key finally revealed itself. ''It''s... a muzzle.''


    The purpose of the mysterious Memory... was to prevent the Sin of Solace from sharing any knowledge of the previous cycles with Sunny. So that he never remembered what had happened in the past, and therefore never learned the cursed knowledge of Defilement. That was one part of its enchantment. The other, much more burdensome part... was meant to make the Estuary Key immune to the change of cycles. To make it remain in Sunny''s soul even if he crossed the boundary of the Source and was sent into the past. That was why the Mad Prince had been so interested in the Great Tyrant slain by the Serpent King in Aletheia''s Tower. Because the Tyrant remained dead no matter how many revolutions passed... its death had been made permanent, carrying over from one cycle of the loop to the next.


    Back then, the Defiled madman must have already been trying to create the Estuary Key. To cure himself of the Defilement... and make another attempt to conquer the Nightmare. No, not just conquer it, but do it in a specific way.


    To erase the mistake he had made... or maybe the crime he had committed. ''Murderer...''


    Sunny gulped for air. At that moment, he realized something else. There were only three of the Six Plagues left: Soul Stealer, Torment, and the Dread Lord.


    The Mad Prince... was gone. He did not exist in the Tomb of Ariel anymore. Because he had crossed the boundary of the Source and sent himself into the past. He had become Sunny.

 Chapter 1489 A Variable

    Chapter 1489 A Variable


    It had to be true. The Mad Prince must have traveled in time to become Sunny... for one simple reason. Sunny could not possess the Key of the Estuary otherwise.


    He took a deep breath and grasped his head, feeling dazed. ''There are answers... too many answers. For once.''


    The turbulent swarm of revelations was yet to settle in his mind, and there was no clear picture.


    ''Everything makes sense now. But also, nothing makes sense.''


    Sunny felt that he understood the true nature of the Great River. He also understood the sequence of events that had transpired prior to the current cycle. It all came together nicely... except for one glaring inconsistency. The existence of the Six Plagues was a paradox that could not be explained by what he knew. But that was alright. He did not know everything, after all, especially not in a place as bizarre as the Tomb of Ariel. However, if Sunny simply accepted the paradoxical existence of the Plagues as fact, everything would fall into place. For example, the fact that Wind Flower had met both the Mad Prince and Sunny �� just like Effie and Jet coexisted with Devouring Beast and Undying Slaughter, Sunny coexisted with the memories of his previous self.


    The vile madman was gone, but the scars he had left on the Great River remained. Like Weave, which he had destroyed. Or Ananke, whom he doomed to a life of loneliness and loss.


    ''So, how did it all happen?''


    Sunny contemplated the Third Nightmare, numb to his surroundings. The first thing he had to admit was that he did not know, and would most likely never learn, what the initial shape of the Nightmare had been. The reality of the Great River had been irrevocably changed by the Six Plagues. So, the challenge the original cohort had faced was entirely different. It was possible that everyone had entered the Source �� but not necessarily so. Sunny could have attempted to find the Estuary alone, for some reason. But he definitely had entered the mist and crossed the boundary. That was how the first cycle had ended.


    Ironically, the madman was enslaved by one of the people he had surrendered to the Defilement �� Kai. Then, the corrupted cohort found a new goal. To conquer the Nightmare and be released into the real world by obliterating the River People civilization. And so...


    They somehow found a way to travel into the distant past, to the days long before the first day of the Nightmare... and at the same time became foreign invaders of the new cycle. Sunny did not know how, but he had an inkling that the Source and the Estuary were somehow responsible for the birth of this bizarre and eerie paradox. Over time, the members of the corrupted cohort grew stronger, eventually Transcending... or rather, falling deeper into Corruption. Ananke had already told Sunny that it was possible for those who followed the path of Ascension to reach Transcendence without conquering a Third Nightmare. Similarly, it was possible for Fallen Nightmare Creatures to become Corrupted. The Fallen Terror of the Crimson Spire, for example, had been evolving into a Corrupted Titan when Nephis killed her. The former members of Neph''s cohort achieved a similar feat inside the Tomb of Ariel.


    And thus, the Six Plagues were born. They subjugated Verge and led the forces of the Defilement to annihilate the River People. Even Twilight, the city of challengers led by the Serpent King, fell to their insidiousness and might.


    They should have conquered the Nightmare decades ago, by all accounts...


    If not for the Mad Prince. An eerie, twisted smile appeared on Sunny''s lips. Conquering the Nightmare was what the Dread Lord wanted. But it was not what his slave wanted. And so, the vile madman conspired against his master. It seemed that the Mad Prince was still harboring a desperate obsession. One that had nothing to do with spreading the Defilement to every corner of the Tomb of Ariel, obliterating the River Civilization, or unleashing the Six Plagues into the real world. Sunny did not know what that obsession was...


    But he could guess. ''Be careful of what you wish for.''


    Those were the words that the Mad Prince had carved into the piece of flotsam drifting in the mist of the Source, over and over again, with his nails. It wasn''t hard to guess that he regretted fulfilling his wish. What did Sunny want? To be free. That wish of his... had killed Nephis. He shuddered. ''The Mad Prince, that bastard... was that what he wanted to achieve?''


    To rewrite history and ensure that Nephis survives. ''Perhaps...''


    And so, the Mad Prince started scheming as he prepared for the arrival of the members of the cohort. He trapped Undying Slaughter and Devouring Beast on Aletheia''s Island. He had met with Wind Flower and learned how to create the Estuary Key. He massacred Weave, and then sent a dream message to Ananke, instructing her to meet Sunny and Nephis in the far reaches of the future when the time came. ...And gods knew what else. Sunny simply did not know the extent of preparations the Mad Prince had undertaken to ensure that, in this cycle, the events of the Nightmare went exactly as he planned.


    The reality of the Great River had already been entirely changed from how it had originally been by the existence of the Six Plagues. And the vile madman manipulated it even more, purposefully setting the stage for his future self. And then, when all the preparations were done, he simply entered the Source and ceased to exist, transferring the Estuary Key to Sunny. Ensuring that he would not be poisoned by the Defilement immediately after entering the Nightmare, unlike how it had happened in the previous cycles. And here they were. Sunny let out a long sigh. ''That treacherous madman...''

 Chapter 1490 No Bounds

    Chapter 1490 No Bounds


    Truly, a treachery that knew no bounds. Sunny had succumbed to the Defilement and betrayed the cohort, only to betray them once again once they were made into the Six Plagues by him. Killing one of his masters in the process and weaving countless schemes to destroy the other.


    He... did not really know how to feel about it. Was he supposed to be proud of or appalled by his former self?


    ''I might... have to stop resenting the Spell for calling me that.''


    In any case, he felt a deep sense of regret. Because he wouldn''t be able to strangle the mad bastard with his own two hands.


    Sunny sighed. New n0vel chapters are published on


    Well, there it was. The truth. Of course, there were still many things that made little sense, or no sense at all. The most obvious of them, of course, was the paradoxical existence of the Six Plagues, who had not only traveled to the distant past of the River Civilization, but also lingered in the Tomb of Ariel despite the start of a new cycle. ''They really broke all the rules.''


    Sunny also did not know where the Mad Prince had found the Chain Breaker before arranging for it to be discovered by him and Nephis. He also did not know why the vile madman destroyed Weave, denying them the support of the Followers of Weaver, and many other things. Some of them, he was probably never going to learn.


    But it was alright. The Tomb of Ariel had never been a place that could be fully understood by a mere mortal. And he already knew the general shape of things. ''So what?''


    That knowledge, really... did not change anything at all.


    Their goal remained the same. Travel to Twilight, retrieve Kai and Mordret... then gather whatever strength they can and attack Verge to slay the First Seeker. If anything, that goal had only become less impossible to achieve. Not only were three of the Six Plagues already off the board, but there was no telling what else the Mad Prince had arranged to help the cohort conquer the Nightmare. Were the rest of the Plagues even alive? Perhaps he had already dealt with them, the same way he had dealt with Devouring Beast and Undying Slaughter. ''What is this weird feeling... it is as if I''m being helped by myself, from beyond the grave �� and not only that, but that dead version of me is also a truly dreadful Nightmare Creature.''


    Had a more bizarre sentence ever been spoken? Although, technically, Sunny did not speak it aloud. And the Mad Prince was not technically dead... just erased from existence by traveling back in time.


    ''Yeah, that definitely does not sound just as bizarre.''


    At that moment, Sunny realized that he had been kneeling on the deck of the Chain Breaker for quite some time, staring at the distant Great River and spacing out. It must have been quite a strange sight...


    And at some point, they were catapulted out of the vortex at such a tremendous speed that the Chain Breaker soared high above the surface of the river. How long was it going to take them to come back? Sunny winced. ''We don''t even know how long we spent on Aletheia''s Island. Months could have passed... years, even... before I became aware of the loop.''


    Was Kai doing fine? What about Fallen Grace? How were that brat Cronos and its other residents fairing?


    ''We need to return as soon as possible.''


    There was also Effie and her baby. Sunny did not know what would happen if she gave birth within the Seed. Would the baby, who had been conceived in the waking world, be a Riverborn or an Outsider? What would happen to it after they conquered the Nightmare?


    ''Children are resilient...''


    There was a reason why the Spell infected young people. Young souls were much more malleable, and could withstand the Awakening better. Of course, no infant had even been sent into the First Nightmare, so there was no telling what would happen.


    This was not a First Nightmare, either. It was the Third.


    If they conquered it...


    Would Effie''s child become a Saint as an infant? Or would the child''s soul collapse under the strain of Transcendence?


    Sunny did not know. ''Damnation...''


    He remained silent for a while, then shook his head. ''It''s going to be fine. I refuse to believe that it won''t.''


    Just as he thought that, Effie suddenly cursed. In the next moment, Jet yelled:


    "Stop this damned ship right now!"

 Chapter 1491 Dark Boundary

    Chapter 1491 Dark Boundary


    "Sunny, the sails!"


    Before Jet''s shout even faded, Cassie and Sunny were already moving. He called upon the shadows to raise the sails of the Chain Breaker, while she rushed to the runic circle. Nephis turned to look into the darkness, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. ''What kind of disaster have we stumbled into now...''


    Grasping the steering oars, Cassie skillfully turned the ship to borrow the force of the wind. At the same time, the runic circle ignited, absorbing strands of her essence �� now that the enchantment circuits were repaired, it was not to power the sorcery of the ancient vessel, but simply to control it. Finally, the Chain Breaker came to a halt, hovering in the boundless darkness of the Tomb of Ariel.


    Sunny approached Jet and Effie, tracing their gazes into the distance. "What is the... matter..."


    His voice faltered. Out there, far away...


    The world ended.


    It was hard to see, even for Sunny, because the end of the world was perfectly black, barely distinguishable from the darkness that surrounded them. But still... there was a vast, seemingly endless surface in front of them, stretching in all directions as far as the eye could see, like a boundary of the world. Smooth and lusterless, like polished stone. It took him a moment to realize what he was looking at.


    ''It''s the... inner wall of the pyramid.'' The endless black boundary was just that... the wall of Ariel''s Tomb, seen from the inside. However, it dwarfed anything he had ever seen. The towering walls of the Dark City were like a speck of dust in front of it. The great ramparts of Falcon Scott were like sand. Looking at the endless black wall, Sunny was stunned by its sheer magnitude. For a moment, he wondered... was the interior of the pyramid truly large enough to encompass an entire realm, or was it him who had been reduced to the size of an ant?


    Well, in any case... Jet''s warning had come in time. The Chain Breaker was not going to crush into the endless wall of black stone anymore. They had already stopped, and there was plenty of distance between them and the boundary of Ariel''s dreadful world. But then, a slight frown appeared on his face. Turning to Jet, Sunny remained silent for a moment. He could see the surface of the wall because of how special his sight was. She, however, did not share his ability to see in the darkness. So how had Jet and Effie known to warn them?


    "What is it?"


    The huntress was looking forward with a somber expression. She remained silent for a moment, then grimaced:


    Sunny took an involuntary step back. ''This... this is the place Song and Valor wanted to conquer?''


    One Great Monster was a calamity that only a few people in the waking world could quell. But there were countless Dark Butterflies dwelling inside the black pyramid... protecting its boundary... waiting for some fool to set them free.


    Or maybe waiting to destroy anyone who would try to desecrate the tomb that the Demon of Dread had built. Sunny shuddered. ''Ariel... that lunatic... just what did he build? And why?'' Turning his head slowly, he looked at Cassie with hollow eyes and asked quietly:


    "Cassie... can you extinguish the radiance of the sacred tree?"


    She seemed confused for a moment, then nodded. In the next moment, the beautiful light of the rustling tee grew dimmer, eventually disappearing entirely. Sunny let out a shaky sigh.


    The lanterns illuminating the Chain Breaker were extinguished, as well. Soon, the members of the cohort found themselves in absolute darkness. Only Sunny and Cassie could move freely in the absence of light. Unable to look away from the harrowing sight of countless black butterflies crowding the surface of the endless stone wall, he calmed his wildly beating heart and said in a hoarse whisper:


    "Cassie, take us away from here. Back to the River... fast. As fast as you can!"


    The Chain Breaker moved, slowly turning its bow. The creaking of the masts, the rustle of leaves, and the ripple of the billowing sails sounded like thunder to his ears. ''If they notice us... we die. I have survived many situations in which I had no business surviving. But this one... there''s no surviving that.''


    They had to get away.


    Sunny gritted his teeth and waited.


    A few moments passed, then a few moments more. A minute. The Chain Breaker was gliding toward the distant Great River, steadily gaining speed. ''Faster, faster...''


    Sunny never expected that he would be praying to return to the Great River one day. But here he was, doing just that. ...Perhaps someone had heard his prayers.


    Eventually, the dreadful wall of Ariel''s Tomb disappeared from view, and the beautiful ribbon of the Great River drew closer.Updated from

 Chapter 1492 Back to the River

    Chapter 1492 Back to the River


    The Chain Breaker escaped from the slumbering legion of the monstrous butterflies, traveling further and further away from the endless black surface of the pyramid''s wall. Sunny counted the seconds, afraid that a dark cloud would rise into the air and chase them. Tense silence permeated the air, and none of the cohort members spoke. Powerful winds wandered the hollow darkness around them. The space itself was acting strangely, making it feel as if the world was not quite right. The distant ribbon of the Great River was drawing nearer at tremendous speed. After a while, he took a deep breath. ''We should be safe now... right?''


    He wasn''t sure. Sunny had thought that he knew a lot about the Tomb of Ariel, but now, he felt that the unassuming daemon was far more sinister and mysterious than it seemed.


    And why wouldn''t he have been? Ariel did not leave that strong of an impression, true, but that was only in comparison to his three harrowing siblings �� Weaver, Nether, and Hope. The Demon of Dread was still a true deity, though... a being capable of challenging the gods and tearing down the heavens. Of course, this pyramid of his would be just as dreadful. In fact, it was a testament to how adaptable people were that Sunny had learned to take this terrible place for granted �� a tomb built from the body of an Unholy Titan, containing a mystical river created from the Titan''s blood.


    Was he insane to hope that they could escape its boundary unscathed? ...But in the end, they did escape. None of the Dark Butterfly had awakened or rushed to pursue them, allowing the Chain Breaker to freely dive into the darkness. The space itself rippled and flowed, streaming past the flying ship like liquid. It was a strange feeling. They were descending toward the Great River much faster than it should have been possible. Eventually, Sunny let out a relieved sigh. "We are safe... I think."


    Hearing him, Cassie allowed the sacred tree to shine once again, and its soft light enveloped the deck. The members of the cohort glanced at each other, their faces full of weariness and fatigue. The last few days had not been easy on them... and the days before that had been even more dire. Jet looked back with a bleak expression. "What the hell was there, in the darkness?"


    The others looked at Sunny, as well. He remained silent for a moment, then shrugged. "The wall of the pyramid. And on that wall... countless Great Monsters, crowding its surface like horrid mold. Thankfully, they seemed to be slumbering, and none noticed us."


    The members of the cohort were dismayed, and he could easily understand why. The words "countless" and "Great Monsters" were not supposed to ever appear next to each other. And yet, here in the Tomb of Ariel, they did. ''Seriously... now, I understand why there are only a few dozen Saints in the world.''


    Surely, this particular Third Nightmare was more dreadful than the rest. But not by much, most likely. Saint Tyris, Beastmaster, Bloodwave, Wake of Ruin, and the other Transcendents... all of them had survived harrowing trials similar to this one. Sunny had never underestimated the Saints, but he found a new sense of admiration for them. ''No wonder most of them seem so... distant.'' Shaking his head, Sunny gazed at the Great River and let out a sigh. "Anyway... I don''t think that there is anyone between us and the river. So, we should be safe for now."


    As he finished speaking, Cassie added:


    "Our plan was to explore Wind Flower... Aletheia''s Island... to find you two, then return to Fallen Grace, regroup, and sail for Twilight. However, the situation is a bit different now, because we can reach both cities from up here. We can even travel directly to Verge, not that it''s a good idea."


    Nephis nodded:


    "So, what we need to decide today is whether we want to go directly to Twilight, or recuperate at Fallen Grace first."


    Effie and Jet glanced at each other. Neither of them had been to Fallen Grace or knew a lot about Twilight. At the same time, due to the difference in how the members of the cohort had experienced time in the Nightmare, they were the most exhausted of the five. Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie had spent more time inside the Tomb of Ariel, but they at least had plenty of downtime between the many harrowing ordeals. Effie and Jet, however, never had an opportunity to rest. After a few moments of silence, Effie smiled:


    "What''s the point of delaying the inevitable? Let''s go directly to where Night and that Valor princeling are. Wait, or is he a Song princeling now? Anyway... the sooner we get them, the sooner we can escape this damned Nightmare."


    Jet grinned. "I agree. I consider myself a very patient woman, you know... I waited for a long, long time to get a chance at Transcendence. But now, my patience is running thin. Let''s conquer this Nightmare as soon as possible."


    She secretly threw a glance at Effie''s belly, but did not add anything else.


    Sunny sighed. "Well, then..."


    He looked at Nephis, remained silent for a moment, and nodded. "It''s unanimous. We are going to Twilight, I guess."

 Chapter 1493 Sins of the Past

    Chapter 1493 Sins of the Past


    The plan of action was clear. In the next... however long it was going to take, the Chain Breaker would traverse the empty darkness and return to the Great River. They would aim to land as close to Twilight as possible. Granted, no one knew where the lost city was located, exactly. All they knew was that it was situated in the reaches of the Great River where the sky was painted lilac by the light of dawn, as well as the general era when it had been established �� the latter was inscribed on the slates recovered from the drowned temple. So, Cassie was going to guide the Chain Breaker to the stretch of the River corresponding to that era, and they would explore the currents from there. Sunny felt a bad premonition when he thought about Twilight, and the blind girl seemed troubled, as well. Neither knew what was waiting for the cohort there... but, whatever it was, two things were certain. First, that they were going to face a trial no less dangerous, and most likely far more terrible, than anything they had experienced in the Tomb of Ariel yet... which was saying a lot, considering how utterly dreadful Aletheia''s Island had been. Second, that the Mad Prince had to have arranged something to happen in Twilight, as well. There were four fixed events in each cycle, after all �� Nephis and Sunny entering the Tomb of Ariel in the far reaches of the future, upstream of Weave, Cassie entering the Nightmare in Fallen Grace, Effie and Jet entering the Nightmare among the River Nomads... and Kai entering the Nightmare somewhere near Twilight, accompanied by Mordret. It would be strange if the Mad Prince had not included the lost city in his schemes. ''Something unspeakable is waiting for us there... I can feel it.'' Sunny''s expression was bleak.


    Nevertheless, he felt strangely hopeful. Precisely because the Mad Prince had most likely already done something to give them a chance, no matter how small. Was it arrogance, to have faith in the devious nature of his former self? He did not know, and he did not care. Additionally, Sunny had two more hidden advantages. The Crown of Twilight he wore was going to grant him a nearly inexhaustible reserve of essence in the land �� well, waters �� of constant dawn. More than that, it was a key to the defensive arrays of Twilight. All he had to do to gain control of them was reach Daeron''s throne room. He and Nephis were two of the most powerful Masters in history, and their power only became greater when they were together. Jet received her Aspect Legacy, while Effie could inspire all three of them with her Ascended Ability and support the cohort from the back with javelins. There was Cassie, as well... the unassuming seer who was actually the hidden ace of the cohort. Her affinity to mysteries and revelations could resolve many problems that would otherwise be unsolvable, and warn them of the most dire threats in advance. So, overall, he judged that their chances of tackling Twilight were not bad.


    Right now, however...


    Sunny hid his face behind a cup of tea and furtively studied the faces of his companions. The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    There was another conversation they had to have.


    He sighed. ''This is silly...''


    They had not discussed the revelations about the nature of the Great River, the true identity of the Six Plagues, and his own role in all that had happened yet. It was indeed stupid, to feel ashamed of the actions of his Defiled past version... but he was. How did one go about telling his friends that he had turned them all into Nightmare Creatures in the past life?


    Or maybe even in countless past lives? ''It is probably... just as awkward as telling the girl you''re in love with that you killed her.''


    Sunny coughed. ''But then again, adding that your evil version betrayed the other Defiled and brutally slaughtered countless innocent people just to create a future where she remains alive... should count for something, right? I mean... it''s a bit romantic. Right?''


    Cassie didn''t say anything, and simply nodded. Sunny sighed. He didn''t really feel responsible for the actions of the Mad Prince, but it was still nice, to know that his companions had his back... no matter what.


    At that moment, Effie leaned back and said:


    "On that note, doofus... can you tell your chest to stop trying to bite my arm off? I know there are still plenty of tasty things inside! I won''t take much... well, all of it, at least..."


    He laughed. "Go get your own tasty things. Do you think we don''t see you wolfing down those berries from your locket without sharing them with anyone?"


    As the members of the cohort moved past the identity of the Mad Prince and started to discuss the bizarre secrets of the Great River, his gaze brushed past Cassie. The blind girl was listening quietly, cradling a cup of tea in her hands.


    For a moment, a shadow ran across Sunny''s face. He had become aware of the loop on Aletheia''s Island... but hadn''t Cassie become aware of it, too?


    Wouldn''t the same had happened with the cycles of the Great River, then? ...And, unlike him, she didn''t have the Estuary Key to prevent her from remembering.


    Sunny studied the blind girl for a moment, then shook his head.


    No, that was impossible. Back on Aletheia''s Island, Cassie must have regained her Memories because of being exposed to the Sin of Solace through him... even if she had never admitted it. So, the restriction placed on the sword wraith was protecting her, too.


    Otherwise, it would be not Cassie, but Torment sitting across the table from him.


    Watching as the blind girl took a sip of her tea, and then smiled at Effie''s joke, he finally allowed himself to relax. There was little time left for them to rest and recuperate. Once the Chain Breaker reached Twilight... Sunny had a feeling that none of them would have an opportunity to rest for a long while.

 Chapter 1494 The Edge

    Chapter 1494 The Edge


    Standing on the deck of the Chain Breaker as it barreled through the empty darkness, Sunny felt a strange mix of horror and exhilaration. That was because the distance they had to cover could only be called... cosmic. He did not know how far the Great River was from the walls of the pyramid, exactly, but it had to be an astronomical number of kilometers �� perhaps not as immense as the distance between Earth and the Moon, but of a similar proportion.


    If so, logically, it would take them years to return... however, space itself was acting strange in the interior of the Tomb of Ariel. Judging by how fast the Great River was drawing closer, they were going to reach it in a matter of days, or weeks at most. In any case, it didn''t stop Sunny from imagining that he was on a spaceship. ''Come to think of it... can the Chain Breaker travel through space?'' The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    It probably could, considering that the force propelling the flying vessel was sorcerous in nature. However, that didn''t mean that the helmsman and the passengers would survive space. So, this was probably as close as Sunny would ever get to being a taikonaut... a cosmonaut? Astronaut? Whatever the word was. Not the least because, according to Jet, Earth''s orbit hid dangers that even she wasn''t qualified to know about. With a sigh, he looked away from the Great River and went to sit beneath the branches of the sacred tree. He preferred to spend his time leaning on Ananke''s ketch, but the Sin of Solace was less likely to bother him here. Therefore, Sunny reluctantly abandoned his previous spot. With only a few precious days left before they returned, he wanted to concentrate on weaving. There were five Supreme soul shards inside the Covetous Coffer, and Sunny still remembered his sincere desire to make the cohort as strong as possible. Sadly, even after studying the soul arsenals of his companions, he didn''t find a Memory that could be easily elevated to the Supreme Rank. There were a number of Transcendent Memories between the five of them, but very few that were both suitable and within his ability to modify. The only real exception was the Sin of Solace. Sunny felt that he could elevate the Rank of the cursed jian rather swiftly... however, he was wary of making it any stronger. Before, Sunny had only been concerned about making the sword wraith more powerful. Now, he also had to worry about the relationship between the Sin of Solace and the Estuary Key. The Sin of Solace was a Transcendent Memory of the Fifth Tier, while the Estuary Key was a Supreme Memory of the Sixth Tier. Was it really a coincidence that the Key was exactly one Rank and one Tier above the Memory it was meant to suppress? If not, what would happen if this balance was broken by his meddling? Considering that the consequence of failure was becoming infected by the Defilement, Sunny did not wish to take unnecessary risks. The jade jian was already capable of cutting through Great Nightmare Creatures with the help of the Crown of Dawn, anyway. So, Sunny was forced to leave the Supreme soul shards to gather dust in the Covetous Coffer, and turned his attention to the Covetous Coffer itself, instead. He was still researching a way to turn this unique Memory of his into half of an Echo, which would most likely allow him to make a perfectly fine Shadow. Why would he want to turn the Covetous Coffer into a Shadow?


    The distant ribbon slowly grew larger. Soon, it was already covering half of the horizon. The seven tiny motes of lights turned into furiously radiant spheres, painting the bow of the Chain Breaker with stark light. Then, the Great River completely obscured the darkness beyond. At that point, they were not blindly flying forward, but instead aiming for a particular stretch of it. The winds surrounding them were growing stronger, and the light of the seven suns suffused the air, making it seem as though they were sailing through the sky once again. Finally, after slightly more than a week, they reached the Edge. Sunny knew that they had arrived because a flood of essence suddenly entered his soul. Of course, in reality, it was not coming from an outside source �� rather, it was the innate replenishment rate of his cores that had been enhanced by the Crown of Twilight. In any case, the Crown had recognized dawn, and so, its mystical enchantment activated. Sighing, Sunny left what he was doing and climbed to the upper deck.


    There, the members of the cohort had already gathered, looking forward. There, in front of them...


    A colossal waterfall was plummeting into the abyss, stretching in both directions as far as the eye could see. Painted in the hues of beautiful pink and lilac by the pale light of dawn, the dreamlike clouds of water vapor flowed into the darkness, sparkling with reflected sunlight. The distant roar of the impossible waterfall was like a soft whisper, for now. It was an incredibly beautiful sight. Stunned by the magical beauty, Sunny let out a quiet sigh.


    ''...Why must this dreadful place be so breathtaking?''


    With that, he glanced at Cassie, who was holding the steering oars. Guided by her hands, the Chain Breaker soared above the waterfall, flew above the water for a few hours more, and finally landed on the surface of the Great River. They had returned.

 Chapter 1495 Still Water

    Chapter 1495 Still Water


    Sunny had begun the Nightmare under the pure azure sky. Then, he traveled to Fallen Grace, which was bathed in the crimson light of an eternal sunset. Now, he finally reached the waters where the soft twilight of nascent dawn suffused the world with a gentle glow. The flowing waters of the Great River were like a calm mirror that reflected the dreamlike palette of the vibrant morning sky. As such, it seemed as though the graceful vessel was sailing on heaven itself. It was a beautiful sight that soothed the soul and took one''s breath away... if not for the dangers that lurked beneath the splendor of the wondrous current. Cassie had long used the Guiding Light to point the way to Kai... the fact that the sacred staff still responded to his True Name filled Sunny''s heart with hope. It meant that his friend was still alive, at least.


    Now, they were traveling downstream in search of the lost city of Twilight, where the charming archer was stranded. The problem was that instead of distancing itself from the Edge, the Chain Breaker was instead drawing closer and closer to it. So, they had to be wary not only of the Nightmare Creatures hiding beneath the waves, but also of the current itself. The closer they were to the Edge, the more violent the currents became, trying to pull the ship into the endless waterfall. Even now, a few days of sailing away from it, it was almost impossible to keep the Chain Breaker on course. In the end, Cassie had given up on struggling against the current and raised the flying ship into the air.


    They were staying low to the water, flying along its surface, to avoid being attacked from above �� or at least have more time to react if an attack came.


    Of course, such a strategy also left them more vulnerable to the enemies lurking below the water. But after witnessing the dreadful swarm of monstrous butterflies, Sunny was extremely wary of the boundless expanse of the dim sky. Days slowly passed. Sunny continued to advance in his endeavor to turn the Covetous Coffer into an Echo. Gradually, though, his mind drifted away from that riddle, turning somber and grave. His companions wore similar expressions. It was as though they were sensing the approach of a violent storm... a storm of blood, perhaps. Of a battle that was going to test the very essence of their resolve, and maybe find it lacking.


    Slowly but surely, the idle conversations ceased. The sounds of laughter that used to echo above the deck of the Chain Breaker disappeared, replaced by grim silence. An oppressive tension settled on the deck of the graceful vessel.


    Nevertheless, everyone remained calm and collected, preparing for battle with cold determination.


    ''Ah. I can smell it...''


    The blind seer gently pushed the steering oar, sending the Chain Breaker around the massive carcass. Jet studied it silently for a few moments, then asked:


    "What do you think happened here?"


    Sunny pursed his lips. "It must have been killed by the Twilight people, before the city was lost. I am not sure why it remains in this strange state, though."


    They were going to find out sooner or later.


    Leaving the troubling carcass behind, they continued to follow the Guiding Light.


    It wasn''t long before they encountered more signs of the past battle. There were more dead Nightmare Creatures, each more terrifying than the previous one. All kinds of horrors seemed to have attacked Twilight once, a long time ago, only to be slain by the warriors of Daeron''s city. And these were only the ones who had resisted the pull of the current, for some reason. Who knew how many dreadful abominations really participated in the harrowing siege?


    The corpses were littered with all kinds of wounds. Some had been delivered by crafted weapons, some were clearly delivered by powerful Memories. Some seemed to have been dealt to the Nightmare Creatures by the Serpent King himself, or perhaps one of the Saints in his service. They also saw fields of flotsam left behind by shattered ships. The sight of floating debris was both sorrowful and ominous. After traveling across the ancient battlefield for several days, they saw relatively intact ships, as well. They were different both from the alloy behemoths of the waking world and the graceful wooden ships of the River People. Their frames were built of wood, but the hulls were plated with armor crafted from bone, shell, and hide from corrupted leviathans. Most were severely damaged, tilted, with gaping breaches in their hulls. Their masts were broken, and the plates of armor covering their sides bore terrible scars. Some were scorched, some seemed to have been partially dissolved by some unknown liquid. In other words... these broken ships looked no different from the corpses of the Nightmare Creatures their crew had fought against. Dead, abandoned, and forgotten.


    If there was one thing in common between all of them, though, it was that there was not a living soul aboard. Only bones wearing shredded armor. Everything was dead and silent... even the waters of the Great River grew strangely still, the current almost disappearing. Watching the current stop made Sunny feel a deep sense of unease. He had seen the ceaseless flow of the Great River halt only once... all those months ago, in the eye of the time storm. Witnessing something similar happening near Twilight made Sunny wary. ''Just what the hell happened here?''

 Chapter 1496 Bygone Battlefield

    Chapter 1496 Bygone Battlefield


    They traversed the old battlefield for several more days. By the end of the second week, there were so many dead Nightmare Creatures and ghostly ships floating in the still water, surrounded by debris and broken weapons, that it became almost impossible to navigate between them. A strange haze hung in the air, limiting how far they could see.


    With no other choice, Cassie raised the Chain Breaker higher, and they flew above the scene of harrowing slaughter. The Great River was littered with rotten husks of massive abominations, debris, and shattered ships. Shrouded in the somber twilight, they covered the water like a horrid carpet. That carpet stretched into the distance, eventually disappearing in the haze. Sunny was appalled and shaken by this sight. ''How many people died here?''


    He was no stranger to battlefields, but this one seemed especially somber and poignant.


    Although there were much less broken ships than there were slain Nightmare Creatures, this section of the watery battlefield alone must have taken the lives of countless warriors of Twilight. Not all of them had been Ascended, after all... desperate to escape a dying world and create an army of Saints to reclaim it, Daeron had led most of his surviving subjects here, both Awakened and mundane. Before the fall, they had been truly numerous.


    "What is this place?"


    Effie''s voice was low. Nephis glanced at her, then looked back at the dreadful scene.


    "...It''s the outskirts of a battlefield. This is where our predecessors, warriors of the Twilight Sea, faced the Defiled legion of Verge." The Serpent King had once led his people to besiege the cursed city of Verge, but was forced to retreat after failing to destroy the First Seeker. The forces of the Defilement must have launched a war campaign in retaliation, and this was the morbid result. Sunny studied the floating corpses. ''No wonder the Defiled have been slow in obliterating Fallen Grace.''


    ''Was it different during the first cycle? I wonder...'' New n0vel chapters are published on


    The Six Plagues and their tainted army might have been the victors of the siege of Twilight, but the casualties they had sustained were immeasurably severe. Verge did not possess an infinite number of soldiers, after all. With how many of the Defiled abominations seemed to have perished here, in the haze of dawn, there would not be enough of them left to continue an aggressive conquest. ''Was it different during the first cycle? I wonder...''


    Perhaps, without the Six Plagues, Twilight would still be standing. Same for Weave, and some of the cities ruled by the sybils. The cohort would have been able to travel across the Great River, slowly gathering allies and building a vast army to destroy Verge. Sunny and Nephis would have obtained the support of the Followers of Weaver, Cassie would have become the saint of the River People, Jet and Effie would have gathered the tribes of the River Nomads, and Kai would have earned the trust of the king of Twilight with Mordret''s help.


    ...But maybe not. Maybe Twilight had always been destined to fall before the new challengers arrived, and the Serpent King had always been destined to descend into madness and become a mindless beast. In any case, that past was gone now, and there was no way to uncover its secrets. Instead, Sunny had to carry the weight of King Daeron''s crown, and of Wind Flower''s trust, to finish what the people of the Twilight Sea had started.


    For every spike that remained whole, more were bent or broken. Most of the massive chains that had been connected to the sides of the fortress once were torn and covered by rust. The mighty walls were breached and had partially collapsed.


    The battlements were littered with human bones, with tattered flags hanging lifelessly in the forlorn stillness. The ghost fortress stood empty and conquered, and only the rare rattling of rusty chains broke the hollow silence that surrounded it. Crow Crow was heading directly to the battlements. Landing on the parapet of a partially collapsed bastion, the black bird raised its beak and cawed loudly. Its caws echoed above the water, spreading far and wide. Frowning slightly, Cassie brought the Chain Breaker to a halt. The members of the cohort gathered on the bow, studying the breached fortress. The Guiding Light was still pointing away from it, so...


    Why had Jet''s crow brought them here?


    Sunny was just about to speak when he noticed something from the corner of his eye. Out there, atop the collapsed bastion, something had just shined brightly.


    Turning his head, he narrowed his eyes with a frown.


    ''What is it?''


    A moment later, there was a bright shine again, but it disappeared almost immediately.


    ''There...''


    There was a skeletal corpse in polished steel armor laying on the battlement, its back leaning against the locking mechanism of one of the chains. As the chain swayed in the water, the corpse was pushed lightly up and down. When it moved, soft sunlight reflected from the polished surface of its breastplate... almost as if inviting them to come. Sunny tilted his head. ''That armor...''


    It was mostly covered in grime, but some of it was clean, revealing lustrous, polished steel. That steel was so perfectly polished, in fact, that it was almost like a...


    ''Mirror.''


    He took a deep breath. ...It seemed that Mordret, the Prince of Nothing, was welcoming them to Twilight.

 Chapter 1497 Chain Barrier

    Chapter 1497 Chain Barrier


    New n0vel chapters are published on


    The Chain Breaker rose higher, eventually cresting the wall of the floating stronghold and coming to a stop above the ramparts. From there, they could see a bit further into the haze. Far away to their left, another floating fortress could barely be seen in the dim twilight, just as battered and forlorn as this one. There was one more to their right. All three had been connected by thick chains once, but those had long been torn.


    Sunny remained motionless for a moment. ''...It''s a barrier to block the Great River.''


    There must have been a ring of these fortresses built around Twilight once, with massive chains strung between them both above and beneath the water. That way, the Defiled would have had to break through the chain barrier before reaching the city. The other choice would have been to dive much deeper and bypass the fearsome barricade of floating fortresses altogether. But that would have left their backs wide open to retaliation by the garrisons of the vanguard strongholds... in any case, it was easy to see that the Defiled had chosen to assault the chain barrier directly.


    The fighting seemed to have been especially harrowing in the vicinity of the fallen fortresses. And beyond them...


    Sunny shivered. On the other side of the breached stronghold, there were so many floating corpses that he could barely see the water. It was to such a degree that one could probably walk from here to Twilight without getting their boots wet once.


    Frowning, he placed his hand on the railing.


    Before he did, however, Sunny hesitated for a moment and looked at his companions. Mordret...


    The Prince of Nothing was their ally in this Nightmare �� or at least, he was supposed to be. In truth, it was hard to predict what the devious bastard would do. In the Second Nightmare, Mordret had slaughtered the entire population of the northern reaches of the Kingdom of Hope, all in pursuit of power. So, he was not someone who was going to have a problem with destroying the remains of the River Civilization to achieve his goals. Nor would he feel burdened by releasing the Defiled Saints into the waking world.


    Then, however...


    Suddenly, Sunny realized that he could not look away from his own reflection. He stared at it, feeling strangely drawn to the polished breastplate... as if an invisible force of attraction was pulling him in...


    In the next moment, the world seemed to have flipped. Everything remained the same, but also strangely... inverted. What was to his right was now to his left, while what was to his left was to his right. Sunny was more or less ambidextrous, but he still favored his left hand... now, he weirdly felt his right hand was more responsive. The corpse in lustrous armor was still there. The sky was painted pale lilac by the light of dawn. The Chain Breaker hung above him, with only a few branches of the sacred tree visible from this angle. But... only the flying ship was reflecting in the polished breastplate now. The reflections of the cohort were gone. A cold chill ran down his spine. ''I...''


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    ''...am inside of a reflection.''


    He perceived his companions through shadow sense, making sure that they were still with him. Thankfully, they seemed to be unharmed. Before Sunny could ascertain the situation, though, a familiar voice resounded from behind him.


    It was just as it had been years ago, in the empty darkness of the Sky Below:


    "My, oh my. Sunless... ladies... ah, I am so incredibly glad to see that you''ve been able to make it..."

 Chapter 1498 Mirror Realm

    Chapter 1498 Mirror Realm


    Sunny slowly turned around and looked behind him... and there he was, the Prince of Nothing. Mordret looked almost exactly like he had the first time Sunny saw his true face. Tall, slender, with raven-black hair and a sharp face that wasn''t exactly handsome, but possessed a strange beauty to it. His most striking feature, however, were his mirror-like eyes, which reflected the world back on itself like two pools of liquid silver. There was a pleasant, but hollow smile on Mordret''s lips.


    ''Wait... something is wrong.''


    Sunny frowned. The last time he had seen the Prince of Nothing, moments before entering the Seed of Nightmare, the bastard was battered and bruised, covered in dried blood, and missing a hand. But now, Mordret looked perfectly fine �� there were no wounds on his body and no bloodstains on his tunic. Even his hand was back, as if it had never been severed.


    Mordret''s smile widened slightly when he noticed Sunny''s gaze. Raising the hand in question, he waved at them. "It doesn''t seem like I''ve been missed. How hurtful."


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then asked cautiously:


    "Where are we?"


    The space surrounding them looked like one of the floating fortresses of Twilight''s chain barrier, but it was also different. Not even mentioning the fact that the entire world had flipped from left to right, there seemed to be a... limit to this place. Not too far away from them, the dreadful battlefield disappeared, turning into pure nothing. It was as though someone had erased most of the world, leaving only a small island of matter drifting in the sea of nothingness. ''It only encompasses what is reflected in the polished breastplate.''


    Sunny felt a chill when he realized that fact. It seemed that his theory that Mordret had somehow pulled them into a reflection was correct. Indeed, the space they had found themselves in only contained the part of the world that reflected in the lustrous breastplate of the withered corpse, and a small area around it. The Prince of Nothing looked around, then raised his hands in a welcoming gesture. "Ah. This is... let''s call it the Mirror Realm. Consider it an extension of my Ascended Ability. In a sense, it is."


    Sunny did not like the sound of these words at all. Neither did his companions.


    Frowning slightly, Nephis placed her hand on the hilt of her sword and asked in an even tone:


    "One of us stayed back to guard the ship. Is she in danger, as well?"


    Mordret shook his head. "As long as the ship does not come closer to Twilight, she''ll be fine. It is us, the visitors of the mirror realm, who are in danger. However, this is also the only place where we can talk... unless one of you is willing to surrender your body to me, of course."


    He glanced at them and grinned. "I guess none of you are, though?"


    Sunny gritted his teeth and growled, his voice full of threatening malice:


    "You''re goddamn right. Don''t even think about it!"


    Mordret sighed. "Well, then. I don''t have much essence left, but it''s enough to invite one more person..."


    With that, there was a sound of ringing glass, and Effie was suddenly standing near them, a perplexed expression on her face. ...However, it was the Prince of Nothing who looked truly startled. His usual mask of pleasant friendliness cracked for a moment, revealing a hint of sincere bewilderment. Staring at Effie''s belly, Mordret remained silent for a few moments, and then said incredulously:


    "Ascended Athena... uh... why... why are you..."


    Hearing that, Effie smiled sweetly. "Pregnant? Well... you see, Your Highness... when a man and a woman love each other very much..." Sunny''s face twitched.


    ''No way...''


    Was it really happening?

 Chapter 1499 Princes Old Clothes

    Chapter 1499 Prince''s Old Clothes


    While Effie was giving Mordret �� who silently listened to her with a strange expression on his usually composed face �� the talk about the birds and the bees, Sunny secretly looked around. ''A mirror realm...''


    He had never learned what Mordret''s Ascended Ability was �� and he did not really know now, either. But it seemed to have something to do with establishing a physical space in the realm of reflections, or at least a space capable of containing physical items and living things. So, in a sense, Mordret carried within himself a pocket dimension, similar to Effie''s Supreme Memory. It was a pure utility Ability. But there were still many questions about its reach and extent...


    For example, could any reflection become an entrance to this Mirror Realm? No... he had called it a mirror realm. So could there be many of such realms? What was the scope of the space he could create? What were its limitations?


    The idyllic meadow inside Effie''s locket, for example, was around three kilometers across. Additionally, while she could send people and creatures inside without asking for permission, it was easy to escape �� all one had to do was reach the edge of the small world and attack its painted boundaries.


    With enough force, the fabric of the pocket dimension would come undone, and the locket would be damaged. What about Mordret''s mirror realm? He had already shown the ability to pull people inside against their will, even from some distance. How would one escape being trapped in a reflection?


    What powers did Mordret possess within this mirror world that he did not have outside? More than that... could it be connected to two reflections at the same time, serving as a bridge between two physical places? There were too many questions.


    ''No, I''m thinking about it wrong.''


    The Prince of Nothing had not said that this was a manifestation of his Ascended Ability. He had said that it was an extension of it. How had his Ability been extended? Who had extended it?


    And why was there a monster roaming its expanse... one dangerous enough to make Mordret wary? The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    Then, noticing Sunny''s unconvinced gaze �� and perhaps remembering the time he tried to steal Sunny''s own body for no reason whatsoever, apart from convenience �� he added with an elegant smile:


    "...When it suits me. In any case, we should be safe here. This space is mine and mine alone."


    Sunny took a deep breath, then looked around. Finally, he showed a sign of interest. "Is this... you Soul Sea?"


    Mordret took a few steps forward, his feet drowning in the swirling mist, and stopped beneath the pale sun. "It is a reflection of my Soul Sea, technically. This is the true manifestation of my Ascended Ability."


    Sunny remained silent for a moment. Suddenly, he remembered the day Nightmare had come into his true power as a Terror, unlocking the [Dream Curse] Ability. ''I wonder... this Ascended Ability of his. Could it be called a lesser mirror domain?''


    But then, he frowned. "Wait... if this is your mirror realm, then what was that reflection of the floating fortress?"


    Mordret smiled silently. "What else? It''s a manifestation of the same Ability, just not mine. My powers are not grand enough to encompass an entire city, let alone its surroundings. I simply snuck there like a thief. The true master of that place..."


    He grew silent for a moment and then added in a displeased tone:


    "Is a rather unpleasant fellow. I think he goes by Soul Stealer."

 Chapter 1500 Perfect Trap

    Chapter 1500 Perfect Trap


    ''What?!''


    The members of the cohort all stared at Mordret, their expressions grim. Noticing their reaction, he smiled. "I was rather surprised to learn about the identities of these Six Plagues, but it seems that you are already familiar with them. Good. It will spare me the explanations."


    At that moment, Jet, who had been keeping quiet until then, finally spoke:


    "Soul Stealer is here, in Twilight?"


    Mordret remained silent for a few moments. Eventually, he sighed.


    "He is. I''ve been playing hide and seek with him for... gods, I don''t even know how long. Time is a funny concept here in Twilight, really. And let me tell you, there is no worse company than a demented Nightmare Creature version of yourself."


    He remained silent for a moment, then added matter-of-factly:


    "He''s not the only one, either. The Dread Lord is here, too."


    Sunny flinched, experienced a visceral reaction to those words.


    ''Damnation!''


    Suddenly, he felt vulnerable and exposed, surrounded by terrible danger. None of them had felt safe while approaching Twilight, but still... the sense of pure dread he felt at the mention of the ruler of Verge was almost palpable.


    It was not that Sunny was afraid of the Dread Lord �� he knew that the cohort would have to clash with the leader of the Plagues eventually. But facing him already was simply too unexpected, too sudden...


    ''What the hell is happening?!''


    Twilight was supposed to be their last stop before the final battle... not the final battle itself! How could the tyrant of Verge already be here, within reach?


    How could they already be in his grasp? Nephis gripped the hilt of her sword, clearly thinking the same. Mordret, meanwhile, shook his head. "Oh, please forgive me. I should have mentioned first that you don''t have to worry about the Dread Lord. He can''t harm us. In fact, Soul Stealer can''t harm us either, unless we enter his territory. They are just as trapped as I am. And your friend, Nightingale, is."


    Hearing her tone, Mordret smiled. "Ah... it seems like you have experienced more than your fair share of strangeness here in the Tomb of Ariel. But, answering your question �� yes, it froze time. The moment the defensive array was activated, time inside Twilight completely stopped. And so, the battle raging on its streets stopped, as well."


    He shook his head.


    "The citizens and warriors of Twilight are standing there like statues, frozen in strange poses. The Nightmare Creatures are the same. Even the Dread Lord, despite all his power and authority, was caught in the trap. Now, he''s more of a monument to the ruler of Verge, as opposed to an actual tyrant."


    Mordret''s face grew somber. "Of course, none of them are truly dead. Just... caught between two moments, forever. If one day the defensive array is deactivated, the battle will resume, and the Dread Lord will awaken. Don''t think that you can kill him while he''s vulnerable, too �� the moment you step inside Twilight, the time will stop for you, as well. Even inanimate objects will be frozen in time. It''s a perfect trap."


    He chuckled. "If a little desperate. Why would the people of Twilight activate the array before evacuating the city? I don''t know... what I do know, though, is that the Spell played a cruel prank on me. And Nightingale."


    Sunny had yet to recover from the news that the Dread Lord, someone who was supposed to be their ultimate enemy in this Nightmare, turned out to have already been removed from the board... by someone. He did not need to guess the identity of that someone, really. Who could have manipulated the events of the siege of Twilight? It had to have been the Mad Prince... himself... who had stabbed his master in the back. And while Sunny was reeling from the news, the meaning of the last words spoken by Mordret finally reached his mind. His eyes narrowed.


    ''Wait...''


    Nephis was the first one to speak:


    "What do you mean? What did the Spell do?"


    Mordret looked at them with a dark expression.


    "Isn''t it obvious? The roles it assigned to me and Nightingale were warriors of Twilight. Therefore... the moment we entered the Nightmare, we were already caught in frozen time. Stuck in an inescapable trap."


    He chuckled wryly. "My physical body is also there, standing like a statue in the middle of a frozen battle. So is Nightingale''s. It''s just that my reflection had escaped into the mirror realm... but for him, not a single moment has passed since the start of the Nightmare. He doesn''t even know what fate has befallen him." The Prince of Nothing shook his head with resentment.


    "Oh, and there''s another creature in Twilight who is in a similar situation to mine. Soul Stealer... that monster. While my realm is modest in size, his encompasses all reflections in the city. I don''t know where his physical body is hidden, but his reflection is prowling the mirrored Twilight. And it is dreadful enough to give me fright."


    He grew silent for a moment, and then smiled. "There. I think I explained the important parts. I''m sure you have questions..."


    Nephis gave him a long look, then nodded. "I have a question. If I understood it correctly... are you trying to say..."


    White sparks ignited in her eyes.


    "That there is an army of Awakened warriors, countless thousands of them, inside Twilight? All waiting for the defensive array to be deactivated, so that they could resume the battle against the Defilement?"

 Chapter 1501 Two Choices

    Chapter 1501 Two Choices


    Sunny should have expected what question Nephis would ask. The Dread Lord was in Twilight... Soul Stealer was there, as well. The city itself was frozen in time. Finally, the truth of how it had been lost was revealed. But what mattered most was that there was also an army of human warriors there �� all the people from the Twilight Sea, except for those who had perished during the siege of Verge and the subsequent retaliation of the Defiled horde. Could they really be saved by deactivating the defensive array? Sunny had just the Memory to do it.


    However... the things Mordret had shared with them changed the entire game.


    Sure, the question Nephis had asked was reasonable. The primary goal of coming to Twilight was to rescue Kai, but they had harbored a tentative hope of finding more allies here, as well. Now, even if there was a caveat, it seemed that their hope could come true. But... why was it that they needed allies, to begin with? It was to have enough forces in order to attack Verge, which was supposed to be guarded by the legion of Defiled abominations and the Six Plagues. Now, three of the Plagues were gone. Of the remaining three, two were trapped here in Twilight. Numerous Defiled had either perished or become frozen in time here, as well.


    Then, didn''t it mean... that Verge was far more vulnerable than they had ever expected? Vulnerable enough so that the cohort had a chance of destroying the First Seeker without the aid of powerful allies, perhaps. It was as though the only ally they needed was the Mad Prince. A subtle frown appeared on Sunny''s face. ''Aren''t I putting too much trust into a Nightmare Creature?''


    Sure, the vile madman''s motives seemed to align with his. But to what degree? And could an ending envisioned by a demented abomination truly fit what Sunny wanted to achieve?


    It could not. For example, Sunny would have never massacred Weave and treated Ananke so cruelly �� but for the Mad Prince, it was a perfectly acceptable course of action. Who was to say that the bastard had not planned for something similar to happen again?


    What else would he have been willing to sacrifice in order to achieve his goal?


    Doubt, doubt... Sunny was full of doubt. Mordret, meanwhile, raised an eyebrow with an amused smile. He studied Nephis for a few moments, then answered in a pleasant tone:


    "Why... although I can''t be entirely sure, it appears so. Yes, there seems to be an army of Awakened warriors in Twilight, all waiting to resume the battle against the Defilement." The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    He paused briefly.


    His expression darkened.


    "The other choice is to leave Twilight without facing the Dread Lord and go directly to Verge, just the five of us. There can''t be that many Defiled left there, serving Torment... it will be dangerous, of course, but perhaps less dangerous than fighting the Dread Lord and Soul Stealer."


    Mordret coughed. "Aren''t you forgetting something? Abandoning your friend to avoid danger... ah, how heartless. Really, Sunless, I thought better of you."


    Sunny gave him a dirty look.


    "Who is abandoning who? If we manage to destroy the First Seeker, the Nightmare will be over. Both of you will return to the waking world as Saints without having done anything."


    Mordret shook his head. "What if you fail? At the risk of sounding presumptuous... you know what I am capable of. Don''t you think that having me with you will increase our chances of escaping the Nightmare? Seven is much better than five, anyway. There is no reason to settle for less when you can have more."


    Sunny remained silent for a while, then sighed and looked at Nephis. Honestly... he found himself agreeing with Mordret. Not only because having the Prince of Nothing fighting by their side would be a boon during the assault on Verge, but simply because leaving Kai behind did not sit right with him. Sunny was not a superstitious man, but he knew more about fate than most. Sure, in theory, a person could conquer a Nightmare without contributing anything to its completion. But in practice, the Spell was never that kind. One way or the other, trying to hide and bide your time almost always invited disaster.


    So, even if there was no logical reason to worry about Kai, Sunny had a feeling that simply leaving their friend frozen in time would not end well �� both for him and for them. After hesitating for a few moments, he shook his head.


    "I don''t know. Neph... it''s your decision."


    She glanced at him, then shrugged.


    Her answer was just as he had expected:


    "What is there to decide? Let''s kill the Dread Lord. We''ll go conquer the Nightmare after he is dead."

 Chapter 1502 Flawed Reflection

    Chapter 1502 Flawed Reflection


    Nephis remained silent for a few moments, then shook her hand and gripped the hilt of her sword. Sparks of white flame were still dancing in her beautiful grey eyes. "I am not suggesting it rashly. We have already faced two of the Six Plagues, so we know how fearsome they are..."


    Mordret looked at her in surprise. "Wait... you did?"


    She nodded. "Yes. There were unique circumstances that allowed us to exploit their Flaws. As a result, Undying Slaughter killed Devouring Beast, and was then finished off by the five of us. She had been greatly weakened... and still, we barely managed to survive that battle."


    Nephis glanced at Sunny. Then, a hint of a smile appeared on her lips. Glancing at Mordret, she said:


    "Oh, and Sunny personally erased the Mad Prince from existence... so thoroughly that there''s not even a corpse left. So, the Six Plagues are now down to Three."


    Sunny stared at her incredulously. Everything she had said was technically true... the Mad Prince had, indeed, been erased from existence by Sunny �� because Sunny was the Mad Prince. There had not been a corpse left by the transition, either. But why did it sound so... so... misleading and outrageous! ''Did she just... steal a page from my book?''


    Was it really the right time to tease him?!


    Nephis, meanwhile, ignored the amused smile on Mordret''s lips and continued:


    "In any case, I am not underestimating the threat posed by the Dread Lord and Soul Stealer. I would not have suggested facing them directly in other circumstances �� at least not without being able to thoroughly prepare a battlefield of our choosing. But the situation is different here, in Twilight. Here, we''ll have an army of allies on our side. This might very well be the best chance of slaying these monsters we''ll ever have. One I am unwilling to pass by."


    She remained silent for a few moments, then sighed.


    "However, I will not force anyone to follow this plan. You''ll have to decide for yourself."


    As soon as she was done talking, Mordret smiled brightly. "Why, I think that it is a great plan! Lady Changing Star, you are truly wise... your exalted reputation is very well deserved, it seems. How wonderful."


    His smile was perfectly sincere, but Sunny knew the bastard well enough to guess what he was really thinking. Something like...


    ''It''s just a shame that I''ll have to gruesomely kill you in the future. Well... since it''s inevitable, I might as well try to enjoy the process, when the day comes...''


    Sunny''s eyes darkened. He stared at Mordret for a bit, then spat through gritted teeth:


    "I don''t mind killing Soul Stealer... oh, and the Dread Lord... either."


    Mordret grimaced.


    "Kill him... is not going to be easy. As you might know, I am famously hard to kill."


    He hesitated for a moment, then pointed to Sunny:


    "Soul Stealer won''t die if you destroy his physical body. He might not even die if you destroy his soul. To truly get rid of him, we''ll need to destroy his reflection. And there are only two ways to achieve that."


    The Prince of Nothing paused, then reluctantly shared the secret of how he could be killed:


    "First is to defeat him in a soul battle when he tries to take possession of your body. Of all of us here, Sunless has the best chance of accomplishing something like that... perhaps Changing Star, as well. Followed by me. With all due respect, the rest of you don''t stand a chance."


    Effie and Jet shrugged in unison. "None taken."


    Cassie, who had remained silent before, finally spoke:


    "What is the second way?"


    Mordret nodded. "The second way is to destroy his physical body while there are no other bodies around, and no reflections for him to flee into, either. Needless to say, that way is not very feasible. So, we''ll have to somehow lure him into the soul of either Sunless, Lady Nephis, or me."


    His face suddenly grew dim.


    "...Mind you, even I don''t know what Soul Stealer''s Transformation Ability is. So, he might give us a nasty surprise. In fact, I''m pretty sure that he will."


    Sunny smiled darkly. "That''s alright. We are full of surprises, as well."


    ''Not the least of which is that the Mad Prince is supporting us from beyond the grave. He knew that I would receive the Crown of Twilight. He also knew that I''d come to see Wind Flower and learn about its connection to the defensive array of this city. The mad bastard had most likely trapped the Dread Lord and Soul Stealer in frozen time himself, while I''ll be the one to release them. Surely, all of it is not a coincidence.''


    Nephis nodded. "Let us share information. After learning everything you know about Twilight, we will come up with a plan and prepare."


    A strange, faint smile appeared on her lips. "And then, we will make sure that the Three Plagues are no more, and only Torment remains. We will win."

 Chapter 1503 Approaching Twilight

    Chapter 1503 Approaching Twilight


    Sunny and his companions had come to Twilight expecting a battle �� and now, that battle was swiftly approaching. The identity of the enemy was far more fearsome than they had expected, as well. In fact... it was far too fearsome, while the scope of the battle was far too great. The situation had changed too fast, leaving Sunny shaken. ''It''s strange.''


    He had spent... how long? Around eight months in this Nightmare. It was already longer than his stay in the Kingdom of Hope had been, and that was without even considering the long stretches of time that passed without being experienced by him. But still, Sunny had not expected the culmination of the Nightmare to happen so suddenly.


    And that was what the battle in Twilight promised to be �� the most dreadful and deadly confrontation they would experience in the Tomb of Ariel. The threat Verge posed paled in comparison to it. If they were to win here, in this lost and forsaken city, the rest of the Nightmare would be simply an epilogue. Of course, that was only so because of Nephis and her [Longing]. Still...


    Sunny was struggling to adjust to the shifting landscape of the Nightmare. Nevertheless, he was ready. Now, there were six challengers working together to pass the dreadful trial of the Spell. Well... five-and-a-half, considering that Mordret''s physical body was frozen beyond the walls of Twilight. Three of them possessed Divine Aspects, two were among the most deadly Masters in the world. There was Cassie, as well, whom Sunny could not even place into any kind of power hierarchy. Together, they tried to come up with a plan to kill the Dread Lord and liberate Twilight. Or rather, an approach �� there was too little information and too many unknown factors to formulate a specific plan. The best they could do was learn everything there was to learn and come up with various strategies, then switch between them according to the situation.


    Finally, there was nothing left to discuss. Standing in the mirror version of the floating fortress once again, the six of them looked beyond its walls, into the twilight haze of dawn. Mordret was strangely withdrawn. Eventually, he smiled. "There is no point in wasting time. Remember... stay close to me at all times. I will try to hide us from Soul Stealer''s gaze as best I can."


    He paused for a moment and then added nonchalantly:


    "Of course, we can still stumble upon that monster directly. If that happens... well. At least it will be painless."


    Unlike Weave and Fallen Grace, which were built by connecting a scattering of island-ships, Twilight had been built on a single, vast landmass. Or rather... perhaps, landmass was not the right word to describe it. Instead, a carapace of an unfathomably immense Nightmare Creature served as its foundation.


    Sunny felt petrified when he realized just how enormous that abomination must have been, once. It was far greater than anything he had even seen, incomparable to even the gargantuan Black Turtle. And yet, it was dead now, its colossal bones supporting a sprawling city.


    ''Makes... sense.''


    Unlike Twilight, the other settlements on the Great River had not been ruled by a Sovereign. Daeron had been capable of slaying a colossal horror like this, but not the sybils. Therefore, their cities had to be composed of individual island-ships, while his did not.


    There was one thing that became painfully obvious when Sunny witnessed Twilight...


    The bestial Serpent King he had fought was a pale shadow of his former self. If they had clashed when Daeron was at his peak... Sunny would have been obliterated before even knowing what happened. ''And yet, he lost this battle.''


    Sunny shivered. Were they all mad, to think that they had a chance to prevail where a Supreme demigod had failed?


    New n0vel chapters are published on

 Chapter 1504 Frozen City

    Chapter 1504 Frozen City


    The walls of Twilight were tall and imposing, built from stone and reinforced with the scales of powerful Nightmare Creatures. In the dim twilight of the early dawn, they looked like towering black cliffs. However, now, these cliffs were shattered and ruined. Many sections of the wall had collapsed, others had been breached or severely damaged. The corpses of dead abominations piled high, reaching the ramparts in several places.


    The siege of Twilight had truly been terrible. But what caught Sunny''s attention the most was not the devastated state of the city wall, but the eerie nature of the devastation. Time was indeed frozen in Twilight. Shards of broken stone hung in the air, unmoving. Rivers of blood were like abstract sculptures carved from ruby. Dancing flames had turned into motionless, searing blossoms. It was as though some deity had frozen the world in the middle of a fierce battle. "We will have to be more careful now."


    Mordret''s voice was strangely somber. His usual amused smile was nowhere to be seen �� instead, the Prince of Nothing seemed full of grim apprehension. Looking at the breached walls of Twilight, he sighed. "Soul Stealer is most likely inside the city. We will move stealthily through the backstreets and reach the palace. Once we are there... the Memory of yours better work, Sunless." Sunny suppressed the desire to grimace. Updated from


    If even that bastard was nervous... the rest of them had to be ready for anything. Without having to say much, they entered the city through one of the breaches in its wall. Finally, Twilight lay in front of them in all its glory.


    It was entirely unlike the other cities Sunny had seen in the Dream Realm. There were a few similarities, of course �� like the extensive use of materials scavenged from the Nightmare Creatures in construction, for example. But the architectural style of the Twilight Sea was very unique. It was both robust and aery, paying more attention to practicality than aesthetics, but at the same time expressing the latter in a myriad of subtle ways.


    Fitting for a culture that had come from a world of water and frequent storms. Sunny did not pay a lot of attention to how the city looked, however, taken by what was happening on its streets. There, countless humans were frozen in the midst of a terrible battle against vile Nightmare Creatures. Hundreds of thousands... no, millions of them. Some had been frozen in the middle of swinging a sword...


    Some had been frozen in the middle of being torn apart by the swarming abominations. The gruesome sight of the frozen battle was both strange and disturbing. But what shook Sunny the most was not the eeriness of the motionless slaughter, but the faces of the people of Twilight. Not a single one of them seemed frightened or desperate. Even those who were dying maintained calm expressions, their eyes full of cold resolve. They did not show anger or fury, either �� only chillingly dark killing intent. ''Just what kind of army did the Serpent King create?''


    Sure, humans from the Twilight Sea had come to the Tomb of Ariel after witnessing the destruction of their world, which had to have changed them. But they were still people. Sunny had spent plenty of time with seasoned soldiers, and none of them were immune to human emotions. Not all of these people were soldiers, either. Some were Awakened, while most were mundane. Some were old, while some were young. And yet, he did not see a single person trying to flee or cowering in fear.


    ''Strange...''


    Sunny suddenly felt uneasy about their chances of becoming allies with these alien people. However, he did not have time to ponder these matters �� Mordret was already walking ahead, carefully maneuvering between the frozen warriors. They entered a narrow street and stealthily advanced toward the center of the city.


    It made sense. A normal battle would progress in a similar fashion �� the invaders would have to fight their way into the city, so their forces would gradually diminish the further away one traveled from the walls. There was just one odd detail. Somehow, it seemed that the epicenter of the battle was not behind them, at the outskirts of the city, but instead ahead of them, near the palace of the Serpent King. Sunny extended his shadow sense outward and frowned, feeling the row of buildings coming to an end not too far away. And indeed, they soon reached a wide open space.


    Mordret lingered just before entering the square, seemingly tense.


    Nephis studied the wide square, as well, her hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "Is there another way?"


    The Prince of Nothing slowly shook his head. "Not really. The whole city is built like a fortress. The inner districts are separated from the rest, so we won''t be able to reach them without exposing ourselves at least a little. Still... as you can see, the skirmish happening on this square is especially fierce. With so many humans and abominations frozen on it, we can at least hide among them."


    She frowned. "Let''s go, then."


    They entered the square and walked between the motionless warriors. The battle was indeed especially furious in this area �� there were so many people and Nightmare Creatures here that their bodies formed a bizarre labyrinth. Sometimes, Sunny found it hard to squeeze between their frozen figures. Crouching, he crawled beneath a sword that was being plunged into the neck of a repulsive abomination. Standing up, he had to twist his body to avoid touching a frozen fountain of ruby blood. Then, he came face-to-face with a warrior whose arm was being severed by the fangs of a towering Nightmare Creature. Sunny shivered. The humans and the abominations were not statues or life-like mannequins. They were entirely real. He could see every hair, every bead of sweat, every drop of blood on the fangs of the frenzied monsters that surrounded him. All of them were simply frozen in time... and although Sunny knew that it could not happen, he found it hard not to feel as if these warriors would start moving any moment now.


    The swords would come down, the frozen blood would flow, and the hungry maws would snap shut, turning the silent square into an inescapable hell of bloodshed and violence. ''Just keep moving.''


    He forced himself to ignore the ominous feeling and advanced forward, step by step.


    Very soon, however, Sunny collided with Mordret''s back. The Prince of Nothing had chosen that moment to stop walking, for some reason. "What''s the matter?"


    Annoyed, Sunny looked up... and froze, noticing how grim Mordret was. His mirror-like eyes were reflecting the frozen world, full of blood and darkness. A moment later, the Prince of Nothing looked back at them and smiled. Then, he said in a perfectly calm tone:


    "Stay... absolutely... still."

 Chapter 1505 Shape of His Soul

    Chapter 1505 Shape of His Soul


    All of them froze, fading into the chaotic scene of the motionless battlefield. Surrounded by unmoving warriors and Nightmare Creatures, the six Masters were nearly indistinguishable from them.


    Sunny and Mordret were next to each other, while Nephis was a few steps away. Effie and Jet were right behind her, separated from the rest of the group by a few meters. They held their breaths. ''Soul Stealer is near...''


    Sunny did not see or sense the Defiled Saint, but there was no other reason for Mordret to warn them. The Prince of Nothing looked too tense. A pleasant smile was playing on his lips, but his eyes were full of cold darkness. Sunny saw his own pale reflection in them... and then, he saw something else there, as well. A cold shiver ran down his spine. ''Did... did something move at the edge of the square?''


    He did not dare to speak aloud, but there was the [Blessing of Dusk]. Activating the enchantment of the Shroud of Graceless Dusk, he established a mental connection between himself and Mordret:


    [What is happening?]


    The Prince of Nothing remained as motionless as a statue. Even his eyes continued to stare at the same spot. However, his answer arrived shortly:


    [Why, what else? Soul Stealer is here. He must have sensed us.]


    Sunny suppressed a strong desire to grit his teeth and calmed his heart. Making sure that it wasn''t beating too loudly, he asked:


    [How? Didn''t you say that you would hide our presence from him?]


    A hint of dark amusement appeared in Mordret''s eyes. [Did I? No, not quite. I only said that I would try to hide it, remember? Which I did.]


    He paused for a moment and added in a dejected tone:


    [...It''s not a Transformation Ability, per se. It''s simply the shape of his soul. His physical body looks differently, hidden somewhere in Twilight. I''ve never been able to find it.]


    He paused for a moment.


    [Becoming Defiled did a real number on me, didn''t it? Bah! So unsightly.]


    With that, Mordret''s eyes shook a little. [That''s not what we should be concerned with, though. The real problem... is that the monster is moving straight for us.]


    By then, the quaking of the ground had grown more pronounced. Sunny cursed inwardly, but still remained motionless. Surrounded by frozen warriors and abominations, with his back turned to the approaching Titan... needless to say, every cell in his body was screaming of danger, pushing him to move. [So, what do we do?]


    "I guess it''s time for desperate measures. How unfortunate. It''s up to you now, Sunless!"


    As soon as Mordret moved, there was a chilling sound from behind them, and something swift tore through the air in their direction. A massive, terrifyingly deep shadow fell on Sunny, making him feel as if he was drowning in it. Mordret remained silent for a few moments, then suddenly turned his head and looked directly at Sunny. There was no humor left in his cold, mirror-like eyes. "I guess it''s time for desperate measures. How unfortunate. It''s up to you now, Sunless!"


    As soon as Mordret moved, there was a chilling sound from behind them, and something swift tore through the air in their direction. A massive, terrifyingly deep shadow fell on Sunny, making him feel as if he was drowning in it. "Damn it!"


    He was already turning, instinctively trying to summon the Sin of Solace. However, all Sunny saw was the fabric of reality around them cracking like glass, and then shattering to reveal...


    He was violently thrown out of the mirror realm, crashing on the cobblestones of Twilight �� the real Twilight, not its perfect reflection.


    ''Damn it all!'' The only contingency they had in case Soul Stealer discovered them was to escape the world of reflections altogether. Mordret had managed to send them back at the very last moment... so, they were safe, for now.


    But the problem was that everyone, including the Prince of Nothing himself, was now frozen in time.


    ...Everyone except for Sunny, who was protected from the influence of the defensive array by the Crown of Twilight. Standing up, he uttered a quiet curse and looked up, at the distant dome of the Serpent King''s palace. Now, he alone could reach it.

 Chapter 1506 Heart of Twilight

    Chapter 1506 Heart of Twilight


    The Crown of Twilight was more than a Supreme Memory. It was also the symbol of power that Daeron, the Serpent King, had wielded, as well as the key to the enchantment array enveloping his city. Therefore, the person wearing it was immune to the influence of frozen time... in a way.


    ''Curse it all...''


    There was a cost to remaining unaffected by the frozen time. Looking around, Sunny felt his essence being devoured at a frightening rate �� the Crown was using it to protect him. Usually, his reserves would have been drained in a matter of seconds, turning him into another prisoner of Twilight... but, luckily, the Crown was also helping him replenish the spent essence. He was still losing more than he was gaining, but at least the rate of attrition was not too great. Sunny would not have been able to traverse the entire city, but now that he was most of the way to the palace, he stood a good chance. As long as he did not waste any time. ''I should hurry.''


    Their exit from Soul Stealer''s mirror realm must have been a violent one, because Sunny was not on the square anymore. Instead, he found himself somehow thrown a few hundred meters away from his previous position, at the edge of the inner district they had been aiming for. He was protected by the Crown, but his shadows were not. Therefore, Sunny had kept them tightly wrapped around his body in advance, just in case disaster struck. Now that it had, he did not dare send them to search for his companions.


    Mordret had to have sent everyone into the real Twilight. Here in the true version of the lost city, Soul Stealer was just as powerless as the rest of the frozen abominations... but the rest of the cohort had become frozen in time, as well. So had the Prince of Nothing himself. It was all up to Sunny.


    ''We''ll find each other when I deactivate the array.''


    Turning his back to the frozen battlefield, Sunny dashed forward. He ran as fast as he could, barely dodging the motionless figures of the warriors of Twilight, who all seemed to have been moving in the same direction as him. Here in the inner districts, there were very few rampaging Nightmare Creatures. However, the signs of destruction were everywhere, as if the city had withstood a devastating bombardment �� many buildings had been entirely shattered, and numerous people had perished under the rubble. Blood was flowing like a river, frozen in time like the rest of Twilight. Sunny was an Ascended Terror, and so, his running speed was far past being superhuman. He navigated the frozen city as best he could, but it was hard to maintain that speed on the crowded streets. On more than one occasion, he failed to react in time and collided with the frozen warriors of Twilight or pieces of shattered stone hanging in the air. Each time, he was tossed back, as if hitting an indestructible wall. The people and objects frozen in time were completely immune to outside influence �� and so, he could only avoid them. ''Argh, damn it...''


    The hideous dragon made for an ominous and startling sight, but the warriors of Twilight were equally haunting. The way they threw themselves into the maws of death without a hint of doubt or agitation made Sunny feel uneasy. There were mundane humans among them, as well... surely, they realized that nothing they could do would harm the Defiled Saint.


    Did they really know no fear? Throwing the unnecessary thoughts out of his head, Sunny climbed over the rubble and entered the palace. He did not have a lot of essence left, so there was little time to find the throne room.


    Once there, he would also have to figure out a way to use the Crown of Twilight and deactivate the defensive array. Sadly, it did not come with an instruction manual...


    ''Damn it, damn it, damn it all!''


    Sunny followed the widest of the corridors, hoping that they would lead him to the throne room. Daeron had been a Sovereign, and brought a cohort of Saints with him into the Tomb of Ariel... surely, he would have built his palace to accommodate their Transformation Abilities. Most of the areas within the palace were only meant for humans, but the truly important places had to be large enough for Saints. Otherwise, if an enemy suddenly attacked, they would not be able to show their strength.


    The throne room would, without a doubt, be one of these important places. At least Sunny hoped so, knowing that he did not have enough time left to scour the entire palace. Soon, a huge gate appeared in front of him �� now broken and turned into a pile of debris. Behind it was an enormous hall. Stark rays of light fell through the cracks in the dome above it, plunging it into twilight. At the center of the hall was a tall dais, with an imposing throne on top of it. The throne was cut roughly from stone...


    More precisely, it was cut from a single slab of lusterless black stone.


    Sunny stared at it for a brief moment. ''Found it.''


    Daeron''s throne... all of it... had been cut from a fragment of the Estuary. It was the lock of the defensive array of Twilight, while his crown was its key.

 Chapter 1507 Twilight Throne

    Chapter 1507 Twilight Throne


    Sunny stared at the black throne. The grand hall of the Serpent King''s palace was empty and dim, stone debris littering the floor and hanging in the air, dust particles frozen in the stark rays of light. Despite the cataclysmic battle happening outside, it was perfectly silent �� except for the hoarse sounds of his breathing. ''Right. Let''s do this...''


    He felt a complicated mix of relief, anticipation, and dread. Relief and anticipation because he had made it in time, dread because the battle against the horde of the Defilement would resume the moment he accomplished his task. The monstrous Soul Stealer, the harrowing Dread Lord... they were going to have to fight these beings. Sunny still remembered the terror of facing a Corrupted Titan in battle. The Winter Beast alone had been enough to wipe out the remains of the First Evacuation Army and the millions of refugees in Falcon Scott. The deathly frost of that dark day had seeped into his bones. But today was going to be different. All the members of the cohort were here. Mordret was here, too... and a vast army of warriors from a distant realm, all seasoned veterans of the Nightmare Spell. Sunny had grown much stronger, as well.


    ''We''ll kill them both.''


    Shaking off the momentary hesitation, he walked toward the black throne. As he did, Sunny noticed something behind the dais. The throne room was not entirely empty, after all... someone was standing there, frozen in the middle of looking up at the crumbling dome. A tall and elegant figure wearing ivory armor, which was tied at the waist with a burnt umber sash. Auburn hair, green eyes... Sunny froze for a moment.


    ''Kai!''


    So, this was where the Spell had sent his friend. Kai had been in the throne room all along, frozen in time and not even aware of what was happening around him. All the long months that had passed were like a moment to him.


    Sunny did not even know whether to feel jealous or sad for his friend. Looking away, he put his foot on the first step of the dais.


    ''Hang in there, buddy. I''ll release you really soon...'' New n0vel chapters are published on


    His essence was getting dangerously low. Climbing on the dais, Sunny stopped in front of the black throne, unsure what to do. The first idea that came to his mind was to sit on it, like Daeron must have done when he held court in the past. But, somehow, Sunny did not like that idea. He never aspired to be a king of anything, let alone of a city whose former king he had killed. Magnificent thrones were not really his thing... he was already plenty happy with his handy Shadow Chair. ''Ah, whatever.''


    Feeling a sense of urgency, Sunny took a step closer and suddenly noticed a circular groove carved into the back of the throne. Its size and depth seemed just about right...


    Sunny almost stumbled. "What? You know about the Plagues, the Twilight Sea, and the defensive array?"


    Kai shook his head and outstretched one arm, summoning his bow. "No... I mean, I know about Effie. She confided in me weeks ago. I have no idea what the rest of the things you said mean!"


    Sunny stared at him incredulously, feeling hurt for some reason.


    ''So she told Kai, but she didn''t tell me? Hmph!''


    He couldn''t help but say vindictively:


    "Actually... I knew months ago..."


    Which was still later than Kai, but technically true.


    Kai gave him a strange glance, then opened his mouth to say something. But at that moment, Sunny froze. Something... something was very strange about the palace.


    It took him a moment to realize what had changed. ''Why is everything so quiet?''


    The muffled sounds of the furious battle raging outside had disappeared at some point, plunging the world into eerie silence. Sunny felt his hair stand on end.


    He had a dreadful premonition... that they had made a terrible mistake, somewhere...

 Chapter 1508 Unleashed

    Chapter 1508 Unleashed


    "Sunny? What is it?"


    Kai must have read something from his expression. But Sunny did not know how to answer �� he was suddenly in a state of mild panic, feeling like there had been a mistake in their plan. They must have misunderstood the situation, somehow. But what was there to misunderstand? Twilight was besieged by the forces of the Defilement. In the middle of the battle, the Mad Prince had activated the defensive array, trapping Soul Stealer and the Dread Lord in frozen time... and, therefore, escaping from the clutches of his master. The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    The madman had also manipulated the events of this cycle to make sure that Sunny arrived at Twilight wearing the Serpent King''s crown. He must have wanted the battle to resume... so that his future self, free of being enslaved to the Dread Lord, could turn its tide and destroy the tyrant of Verge. ...Right?


    "I... don''t know. Something is wrong."


    Sunny gritted his teeth and pulled Kai to follow him, aiming to leave the throne room as soon as possible. They had to traverse the battlefield and find the other members of the cohort, first. Together, they would stand a much better chance of surviving the clash with the Defiled legion. But before he could take another step, the palace shuddered, throwing both of them to the ground. There was a deafening rumble behind them, and the great hall was suddenly much brighter than it had been before. A whole section of the dome shattered and collapsed, revealing the beautiful twilight sky above...


    And the giant head of the harrowing dragon that had broken it. Enormous chunks of stone fell down, burying the black throne beneath debris. Luckily, Sunny and Kai had already distanced themselves from the dais �� otherwise, they would have been buried with it. ''Damnation...''


    The Dread Lord''s head passed through the breach, hovering in the air on his long neck. His eyes shone with starlight, full of sinister madness and malevolence. Then, the harrowing dragon pushed his enormous body inside, causing more of the dome to collapse.


    A moment later, he landed in the throne room with a loud thud, and the palace shook once more. ...Strangely enough, though, it did not look as if the Dread Lord was chasing them. Instead, it almost looked as if he was escaping something. Towering above Sunny and Kai, the dragon gazed at them and opened its maw, his porcelain fangs glistening in the dim twilight. Sunny cursed inwardly and called upon his Shadows, at the same time summoning the Sin of Solace.


    However, before he could...


    A thunderous voice suddenly resounded in his mind, causing him enormous pain.


    Nephis took a step forward and hesitated for a moment, looking at the warriors around her. Suddenly, she had an ominous premonition. Something felt wrong about the scene...


    ''I need to convince them.''


    She was a stranger to these people. They did not know that countless years had passed since the start of the battle... that their king was dead, and that their world had long been destroyed. That challengers from an alien realm had entered the Nightmare, hoping to prevail where their predecessors failed. But still, the Spell had a way of simplifying things. In its terrible world, there were humans, and there were Nightmare Creatures. Nephis might have been from a different world, but she was also a human... therefore, she was a natural ally simply by virtue of not being a Nightmare Creature. Looking at the defenders of the city, Nephis pushed down the familiar, debilitating discomfort of talking to strangers and said, her voice bright and clear:


    "Warriors of Twilight! I am..."


    And then, something odd happened, forcing her to fall silent and grip the hilt of her sword. ...Countless people crowding the street all turned to look at her.


    They did so with perfect synchronicity, their hollow eyes devoid of any emotion. Their eerie faces were calm and motionless. None of them said anything, simply staring at her in ominous silence.


    Seeing herself reflecting in thousands of emotionless eyes, Nephis realized that something was terribly, terribly wrong. She might have been a human... but these people were not. Not anymore.


    A harrowing realization struck her like a bolt of lightning.


    ''They are... they are...''


    They were Soul Stealer. All of them.


    Nephis finally realized her mistake... but, by then, it was already too late to change anything.

 Chapter 1509 Stolen Bodies

    Chapter 1509 Stolen Bodies


    The frozen battle they had witnessed was not a battle between the Defiled legion of Verge and the defenders of Twilight. Instead, it was a battle between the Dread Lord and Soul Stealer. The two Defiled Saints must have clashed as soon as the last true bastion of humanity in the Tomb of Ariel had fallen. Perhaps it was because they had needed each other''s power before that. Perhaps it was because Soul Stealer had finally become capable of resisting the authority of the Dread Lord after devouring the souls and stealing the bodies of millions of humans in Twilight.


    ''Can it be his Transformation Ability?''


    To split his soul into countless shards, all beholden to one sinister will. That would be a terrifying power in the hands of someone as devious as the forsaken Prince of War. He had already been insidiously dangerous due to his ability to slither into human souls and wear their bodies like costumes... what if Mordret of Valor could possess not one, but several stolen bodies at the same time?


    Or millions of them, after becoming the Soul Stealer?


    ...Surrounded from all sides, with countless hollow eyes looking at her with an eerie lack of human emotions, Nephis took an involuntary step back. However, there were countless taken warriors standing behind her, as well.


    There was nowhere to retreat. No path to salvation.


    Except for the impossible one she could try and cut for herself.


    She gritted her teeth. ''At least... Sunny... is not here.''


    As numerous humans moved toward her, Nephis looked at them with cold resentment and unsheathed her sword.


    ***


    Not too far away, Effie, Jet, and Cassie found themselves inside a half-collapsed building. The blind girl was the first one to regain her senses, catching the tall huntress before she could fall.


    Pieces of rubble rolled on the cracked floor, the noise of their fall sounding thunderous in the eerie silence of the frozen city.


    Mordret remained motionless for a moment, looking upon the world through countless reflections. Then, his eyes widened slightly. "So that''s how it is..."


    An amused smile twisted his cracked lips. Leaning on his sword, Mordret struggled to stand up and grinned when he felt countless eyes �� and yet, only a single gaze �� landing on him. "Ah, how unfortunate."


    All his Reflections had been destroyed. He only had a single soul core left, reducing his power to that of a mere Beast. His own Ascended body was missing a hand, while his best spare was nothing more than an Awakened squire with a modestly useless Aspect. Truly, the circumstances couldn''t have been worse. Well... at least things wouldn''t be boring. He had spent so many months... or was it years, already?... hiding from his Defiled self in complete solitude. Any kind of excitement was better than that dull existence, no matter how fatal it would turn out to be. "Such wonderful odds. I feel refreshed!"


    Smiling, he raised his sword and pointed it at the nearest warrior. Then, his smile disappeared, replaced by an expression of cold contempt. His mirror-like eyes calmly reflected countless approaching figures, full of dark killing intent. "I haven''t had the pleasure of putting down repugnant things like you in a long, long time. Come, if you dare... let''s see which one of us will be the last one standing."


    Mordret took a step forward, as well.


    ***


    Back in the Serpent King''s palace, Sunny was kneeling on the marble floor, paralyzed by the dragon''s command. The Dread Lord towered above him and Kai, full of sinister malevolence. Looking at the terrifying porcelain fangs of the Defiled Saint, Sunny felt a dark sense of foreboding. ''Curse it...''


    Where were the warriors of Twilight? Why had they not stalled the damned Herald of the Estuary at all?


    The battle had not even properly started, and he was already in such a desperate situation. Sunny could almost feel the shadow of death pulling him into its cold embrace. He looked at the Dread Lord bitterly. ''At least Nephis is not here.''


    Sunny was in a desperate situation... but not a hopeless situation, yet. There were still things he could do to try and get himself and Kai out of this predicament alive.


    He just had to gamble with their lives and hope for the best.


    Before he could, though...


    A human figure suddenly appeared at the edge of the broken dome of the palace. And then another, and another.


    The warriors of Twilight had finally caught up with the Dread Lord. New n0vel chapters are published on

 Chapter 1510 Kings Resentment

    Chapter 1510 King''s Resentment


    Sunny could not even turn his head to take a better look at the humans that had appeared above the ruined throne room, standing on the edge of the collapsed sections of the dome. At least he knew now that the army of Twilight was not gone. It was still out there, beyond the walls of the palace, fighting against the invading abominations. Fighting against the Dread Lord and Soul Stealer.


    ''Thank the dead gods...''


    He had no hope that these few warriors would be able to defeat the dreadful dragon �� if they had the ability, there would have been no need to plunge Twilight into the eternal trap of frozen time, to begin with.


    But they could at least distract the Dread Lord for a few moments, which would give him an opportunity to somehow rid himself of the command... perhaps. Once Sunny was free and reunited with the other members of the cohort, they would join the defenders of the city and help them slay the Defiled Saints. He was already planning his next actions when something strange happened. The people who had climbed the dome of the palace jumped down into the throne room without hesitation. Which wasn''t that strange in and of itself... except for the fact that not all of them were equally powerful. The few Masters among them landed easily, ready to attack the next moment. The Awakened warriors were less graceful, crashing heavily on the marble floor. Most frightening of all was that there were mundane humans among them, as well. The height of the dome was too great for them to survive the fall. They hit the floor with repulsive sounds, painting it with their blood. Dying senselessly. ''What... what are they doing?''


    Witnessing the dreadful scene, Sunny felt horrified. Dozens of people were emotionlessly jumping to their deaths, not even hesitating before taking the fatal plunge. It was so appalling, so meaningless...


    So inhuman.


    His eyes widened as a terrible suspicion surfaced in his mind. As those of the warriors who were strong enough to survive the jump dashed forward to attack their enemy, the harrowing dragon simply swiped his tail, pulverizing their bodies into puddles of blood. A crimson haze spread through the dim twilight of the great hall. Sunny was suddenly nauseated. ''Soul Stealer... those people... were taken by Soul Stealer...'' Updated from


    The strangeness that he had felt from the moment the cohort entered Twilight... the eerily emotionless faces of the defenders of the city... their cold, empty eyes...


    The morbid revelations that Nephis had experienced moments before flooded Sunny''s mind, forcing him to shudder �� or at least try to. The Dread Lord''s command held his body firmly in place. ''Impossible, impossible...''


    [Kai... listen to me carefully.]


    His friend did not move �� he was unable to �� but his response arrived shortly:


    [...I''m listening.]


    Sunny took a deep breath. [When I start moving, think of me as an enemy. Don''t get close. It... will be dangerous.]


    With that, he sent his essence into the Crown of Twilight.


    [King''s Resentment] Enchantment Description: "This Memory grants the wearer complete immunity to mind attacks, but plagues them with irresistible wrath instead."


    The next moment, Sunny felt the invisible shackles holding him in place shattering.


    ...And at the same time, he felt a fury so vast that it couldn''t be described with words shattering his mind. His thoughts were incinerated by the terrible, mad, boundless ire. He lost awareness of who he was, what he had to do, what he hoped to achieve. All he knew was that he had to destroy, kill, hurt, annihilate... everything. Everyone. All of them!


    ''I''m... Lost... from Light...''


    Some small vestige of his sanity remembered to utter his True Name, hoping that it would anchor his crumbling mind. But it didn''t work. All it did was remind him of the tools he had at his disposal to visit utter devastation upon the world. A low, bestial growl escaped from his mouth. And then, a wicked smile appeared on his lips. The Crown of Twilight... had another gift to give him. A nearly endless amount of essence. Now that the defensive array was deactivated, nothing was draining his reserves anymore. It was all at his disposal...


    Jumping forward, Sunny called upon the shadows, surrounding himself in a sea of them. ...Then, a giant serpent with black scales, clad in a fearsome onyx armor, emerged from the sea of shadows, murderous wrath burning in his mad eyes. Slithering across the ruined floor of Daeron''s palace with stunning speed, the monstrous serpent created in his image lunged at the towering dragon and coiled himself around the winged horror''s mighty body. Without wasting a single moment, Sunny opened his terrifying maw and tried to sink his fangs into the Dread Lord''s neck.

 Chapter 1511 Drowning Star

    Chapter 1511 Drowning Star


    Nephis saw the Serpent King''s palace sway, from afar. Its dome was collapsing, and a net of cracks appeared on its walls. However, she had no time to pay attention to what was happening in the distance... the street she had found herself on was crowded with countless warriors, and all of them were moving toward her, an eerie emptiness hiding behind their ruthless eyes. Hundreds of them. Thousands, even �� and that was only on this one street. Enemies were in front of her, behind her, and on all sides. There seemed to be no escape from this human flood. Their hands were already reaching toward her, aiming to catch her and push her down. Surrounded by the undulating mob, Nephis struggled not to surrender to primal fear. Before the first hand touched her chainmail shirt, she took a stance and lashed out with her sword. The movement was ingrained into her very bones, absorbed by both her body and mind. Mass, speed, force, space and time. Levers and fulcrums... transfer of energy. That was what swordplay was, deconstructed to its most basic pillars. Her body was a versatile and intricate tool for expressing these principles. Of course, there was another element to it, one that existed outside the scope of fundamental physics. Thought. After all, the most perfect tool would be useless without a conscious will to guide it. And thoughts �� both her own and those of her enemies �� could become a tool, in turn. But that... was much harder to master...


    The severed hand fell to the ground, bright blood spilling on the cobblestones. A normal human would have recoiled in terror, or at least showed a reaction. Even a Nightmare Creature would not have completely ignored the loss of a limb. However, the empty shell hosting the perverse consciousness of Soul Stealer did not pay it any attention, continuing its lunge at Nephis. She had calculated that the warrior would not be deterred, as well. Shifting her weight, Nephis turned her torso and allowed the warrior to brush past her. At the same time, she gave him a measured shove. The man was already losing his balance, so that was enough to send him stumbling into the wall of people to her left. Her sword had never stopped moving. After severing the arm of the nearest human, she pierced the neck of another, then slammed the guard of the sword into the third, all in one fluid motion. By then, the hand she had used to shove the first warrior was already landing back on the hilt, giving her more leverage, and therefore speed. And, therefore, freedom.


    Nephis exploded into motion, shredding the bodies of the closest attackers like a hurricane of steel. A bright radiance suffused her skin, making it seem as though a merciless spirit of light was moving through the crowd of mortal warriors. One after another, their bodies seemed to melt in that light, severed and cut apart. The white radiance was soon tinted red, shining through the bloody haze.


    ''Faster.''


    Her mind was silent and clear, moving at incredible speed. She perceived a million details about her environment, seamlessly assimilated these observations into a comprehensive understanding, and instantly formulated flawless responses to the shifting landscape of the battlefield.


    Where was Sunny? Where was Cassie? What happened to Effie and Jet? Were they still alive, or had they already been taken as hosts by Soul Stealer? What about Kai? Had he escaped the trap of frozen time only to be devoured by the mirror fiend?


    What about Mordret of Valor? What had happened to him?


    Distracted by these thoughts, Nephis allowed the tip of an enemy''s spear to strike her shoulder. The chainmail shirt held, but the cadence of her fluid sword dance was thrown into disarray, forcing her to scramble and recalculate dozens of movements. What was she supposed to do?


    Surrounded by thousands of enemies, Nephis looked ahead somberly. Then, furious white flames ignited in her eyes. ''Kill them all... I''ll just kill them all. I''ll try, at least...''


    Her sword flashed, countless lives turning to ash in the incandescent glow of its blade.

 Chapter 1512 Chaos and Mayhem

    Chapter 1512 Chaos and Mayhem


    Somewhere far away, Mordret was in a similar situation. Of course, he did not possess the physical strength, speed, and resilience of Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan... however, he did possess his own arsenal of tricks. ''I wonder...''


    He had escaped into a section of the city where the ground had been broken by some titanic blow. Shallow water covered the cracked cobblestones, with ruined buildings rising from it like islands. The twilight sky reflected in the water, turning it into a beautiful painting of soft colors. Mordret was using the reflections to stay ahead of his pursuers. Countless human figures were surrounding him, their weapons hungry for his blood. ''If I try to possess one of them, what would happen?''


    Usually, he would have to bet his life against the soul of his victim, armed only with their reflected power. But these warriors had no souls �� they had long been destroyed by Soul Stealer... that impostor. So, would Mordret have to battle against the soul of the Defiled Saint? Or the reflection of the dead victim''s soul? Whose power would he be able to reflect? He was both curious and reluctant to find out. ''Not just yet, at least.''


    Dodging a swift sword, Mordret pierced the attacker''s throat, dodged another strike, and jumped back. A subtle frown appeared on his face. ''Inconvenient...''


    The worst part about slaughtering these hollow vessels was that they were just that �� vessels. There were no souls inside the bodies of the taken warriors, and so, he was not growing stronger from killing them. Otherwise, Mordret would have been able to slowly restore his Monster Core... maybe even the Demon Core, if he was diligent and lucky. With those, he could create a new Reflection or two. Without them, things were proving difficult.


    He would have preferred slaughtering actual people, instead.


    ''What was it that Sunless likes to say?''


    He emotionlessly cut down a young woman wearing an archaic garment and sighed.


    ''Damnation?''


    The ring of enemies surrounding him was growing tighter. He couldn''t do much against them with one hand... all Mordret could do was flee. Stepping into the reflected sky, he appeared a few hundred meters away, in the middle of a furious clash between the vessels of Soul Stealer and a swarm of Nightmare Creatures that were still loyal to the Dread Lord. ''So, the impostor has a limit, too...''


    ''Are we all going to die here, in this godforsaken city?''


    Wasn''t it a bit too ironic? Poetic, even. To die by his own hand... One thing kept Mordret''s spirit up, though. It was that girl, Cassia... Song of the Fallen. She might have had others fooled, but he knew that the blind witch was not as simple as she looked. Someone like her had to have something planned, without a doubt... she wouldn''t have led her companions here otherwise. But then again, Soul Stealer had gone through the same ritual as Mordret. Neither of them was easy to perceive through divination... how else would that monster have escaped Torment''s gaze and rebelled against the Dread Lord?


    ''Ah... I don''t know.''


    Mordret pushed an old man in weathered leather armor into the maw of a hideous Nightmare Creature, then pierced the creature''s eye while it was busy devouring the poor fool. His expression was somber. ''At this point, we''ll need a miracle to pull through.''


    But when had the world been generous with miracles? If something truly astonishing happened... it was always a curse, instead. ***


    Some distance away, Cassie had fled toward the breached walls of Twilight. Here, there were more Nightmare Creatures fighting against the vessels of Soul Stealer, and therefore, more mayhem and chaos. Using that chaos, Cassie was still struggling to keep herself alive. Blood was pouring from a deep wound on her neck. Pressing her hand against it, she moved through the terrible jumble of human and monstrous bodies, somehow avoiding all the swords, claws, and fangs.


    Sometimes, she was only a split second away from death, but each time, that split second was somehow enough to save her. Her face was pale and bleak. An iron locket rested on her chest, wet with blood. ''How much time do I have left?''


    She didn''t know exactly. Far away, the Serpent King''s palace shuddered, coming undone.


    There, in the ruins of the throne room...


    Sunny coiled his giant serpentine body around the Dread Lord, trying to crush his bones. His fangs were scratching the impenetrable midnight scales, leaving deep grooves on them. ''Die! Die, you worm!''


    Losing all reason, he could only think about tearing the odious dragon apart. ...However, killing a Defiled Saint was not an easy task.

 Chapter 1513 Furious Shadow

    Chapter 1513 Furious Shadow


    Sunny had transformed himself in the image of the Serpent King. However, he was not as powerful as Daeron. His onyx body was giant, compared to a human, but it was still much smaller than the Azure Serpent had been.


    Much more importantly than that, it did not possess the power of a Great Beast. Sunny was merely an Ascended, after all, and even though the shadows he had used to form the onyx serpent were more powerful and ancient than him, the essence that had manifested them was that of a Master. Six shadows were augmenting his shell, this time, but Nephis was not here to grant him the blessing of her flame... and although the Dread Lord was weaker than the Azure Serpent had been, the dragon was also not littered with gruesome wounds and nearing death.


    None of it mattered to Sunny, though. Consumed by frenzy, all he knew was the mad desire to rip his enemy apart. ''Kill you... I''ll kill you...''


    His fangs pressed down on the impregnable dragon scales, leaving deep grooves on their dark surface. His mighty body coiled tight around the Dread Lord, restraining and crushing him. ''I''ll kill you no matter what!''


    However, the harrowing dragon was full of ire and murderous will, as well. Even though his most dreadful power �� the tyrannical authority of his voice �� had proved to be futile when used against Sunny, he still had plenty of means to destroy the insolent slave.


    A furious roar shook the dim throne room.


    And, at the same time, an insidious whisper resounded in Sunny''s clouded mind:


    But at that moment, Kai screamed:


    "Shut your mouth, you traitor!"


    And, although the authority of his voice was not nearly powerful enough to restrain the Defiled Saint, the Dread Lord''s jaws did freeze for a moment. That moment was all Sunny needed. The two parts of his severed body slithered across the shattered floor like snakes and connected, almost instantly growing back together. His ravaged head rose, baring its fangs, and sank them into one of the harrowing dragon''s wings.


    There, the scales were much thinner, and easier to pierce. More Soul Stealer vessels were already pouring into the throne room. These were not as weak as the previous ones �� very few of them died from the fall, which meant that there were much more Awakened and Ascended among them. Kai let another arrow loose. The Dread Lord looked around in fury and let out an infuriated growl.


    Then, his wings moved, raising a hurricane.


    The bastard... was trying to fly away.


    Or so Sunny thought. Unwilling to let the enemy go, he tried to hold on to the dragon''s wing, but it was of no use. He was thrown aside, crashing heavily on the ground. The walls of the throne room were falling now, unable to withstand the battle of two giant beasts. Soon, the whole palace was going to collapse. Surrounded by hurricane winds and dust, the Dread Lord was rising into the air. He was already reaching the broken dome, ready to break through it and cause the entire thing to crumble.


    Sunny looked up in fury. ''No, no, no! You won''t escape!''


    Coiling his massive body like a spring, he sent it flying into the air. His leap produced a shockwave that shattered the walls of the throne room and made the palace quake. His head collided with the Dread Lord, sending the dragon crashing through the remains of the dome. But then, gravity pulled him down. Sunny howled in fury. And, responding to his wrath... His tenebrous body flowed and shifted, changing form. Giant wings sprouted from his back and struck against the air, sending him flying up. Wreathed in darkness, a grotesque figure pursued the harrowing dragon into the sky. A moment later, the six chitinous legs of a giant, monstrous butterfly made of shadows struck the Dread Lord''s scales.

 Chapter 1514 Burning Rust

    Chapter 1514 Burning Rust


    The dome of the Serpent King''s palace entirely collapsed, falling under its own weight in a colossal cloud of dust. Two enormous, dark figures rose from the cloud, vaguely visible as they tangled together in a furious struggle.


    ...Down on the streets of the city , Nephis was making her way to the crumbling palace. She was fighting against the human flood, the radiance of her skin shining brightly in the dim twilight of the early dawn. Her incandescent sword had turned into a blur, followed by a trail of crimson haze. She had long lost count of how many enemies she cut down, how many bodies she sundered, and how much time had passed since the start of this nightmarish battle. No matter how many vessels of the Soul Stealer she destroyed, their number never decreased. Instead, it only grew. More and more of them flooded from all sides, rushing to pierce her flesh with their swords, their spears, their arrows, their nails and teeth. Their power had grown, as well. There were more Awakened warriors surrounding her now, and more Ascended. Their powers were like a constant hail that relentlessly assaulted her, lethal and unpredictable, growing more perilous with each step she took.


    But something else grew with it, as well. Her will. Slowly but surely... Nephis was shaking off the burden of doubt that had covered her heart like rust, at some point. Little by little, its weight had added up, until she became pressed into the ground by it without even noticing.


    Here, in the throes of this macabre slaughter, there was no place for doubt. There was only combat. Steps, lunges, and feints. The movements of her sword, the movements of her body. The measured ruthlessness of her mind, the cold lethality of her skill. The empty eyes of her enemies, the perilous sheen of their weapons, and the inevitable moments of their deaths. This was clarity. This was the stark world where only pain and will existed. She was always tormented by harrowing pain. Pain burned everything away, leaving only will. And Neph''s will...


    Was to kill them all. ...Her blood was in that river, as well. Nephis moved with dreadful speed and chilling precision, rending the flesh of her enemies like a radiant, flawless, fatal machine. Lifeless corpses fell to her feet �� men and women, young and old. All severed and mutilated, their bodies gaping with horrible wounds. She cut through countless humans, erasing them from existence with her sword. Their bodies came undone under its blade, forming a gruesome path. A river of blood flowed where she had passed, paving the way. The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    ...Her blood was in that river, as well. Nephis moved with dreadful speed and chilling precision, rending the flesh of her enemies like a radiant, flawless, fatal machine. Lifeless corpses fell to her feet �� men and women, young and old. All severed and mutilated, their bodies gaping with horrible wounds. But she wasn''t unscathed, either. Just then, an Awakened warrior used a strange Aspect Ability and bypassed the steel wall of her defense. His cleaver landed on her shoulder, biting into the chainmail. Her armor held, and her bones held, as well. But the impact slowed her down, allowing an Ascended champion to ram a spear into her back. The chainmail broke. The white tunic beneath it was pierced. The spearhead plunged into her flesh. Snarling, Nephis sent the Awakened flying with a kick and twisted, her sword cutting through the shaft of the spear and the Ascended''s head. The bloodied spearhead dissolved into a rain of sparks, and the radiance suffusing Neph''s skin dimmed a little. Instead of blood, white flame flowed from the wound on her back, mending the torn muscles and broken skin. A moment later, the wound was gone. Only the pain remained. Nephis gritted her teeth, the same flame burning in her eyes. ''Come, all of you!''


    She plunged into the frenzied mob, calling upon the fires of her soul. Soon, a hurricane of incinerating flames spread through the human river, devouring all who could not resist it. Those who could were cut down by the spirit of light dancing in the midst of the blinding inferno, her sword merciless and unrestrained. The distant palace drew nearer. Nephis had unleashed the flames to burn her enemies, but she couldn''t maintain the blaze around herself constantly. Her reserves of essence, no matter how deep, would run out too fast that way. In the end, she released the control of the flame, leaving a burning street in her wake.


    Terrible blows rained on her body, but all the gruesome damage they dealt was washed away by the white radiance. "The horror..."


    All around her, the streets of Twilight were being devoured by the spreading blaze. "Of the Immortal Flame."


    Nephis was like an undying, insatiable monster of flame that had taken the form of a slender young woman. Now that she had discarded her doubt and her fear, the true horror of her Aspect was finally unleashed. No matter how her enemies cut and pierced her radiant body, nothing seemed capable of bringing her down. Her own sword, however, was like an incandescent omen of destruction and ruin, inevitable and inescapable, cutting down everything that stood in its way.


    Countless lives were melting in front of her merciless blade.


    Her mind was like a white void. Pain had become will. Will had become flame. Doubt had become ash. Nephis cut a road of blood and scorched bodies through the human flood, refusing to go down. Why would she? These swords, these spears, these arrows, these nails and teeth... she would withstand them all. Using her Dormant Ability did not diminish her essence, and so, she would continue to kill, and maim, and burn until Soul Stealer came in person to put a stop to her.


    As long as there was fire, she would light herself on fire. She would endure its harrowing blessing. She would persist. For now.


    Of course, even the undying were not invulnerable. No one was. Nephis was going to make a fatal mistake, eventually. Fatigue and mental strain would accumulate, draining her strength away. Then, she would be caught and pinned down, or obliterated entirely. But until that happened...


    She would continue to burn.


    Burn brightly in the dim twilight of the endless dawn.

 Chapter 1515 Formless Shadow

    Chapter 1515 Formless Shadow


    High in the sky above Twilight, Sunny was being mauled by the Dread Lord. The monstrous butterfly shell he had hastily created was battered and torn, bleeding shadows into the air. The shadows dissipated into the beautiful radiance of dawn, disappearing. He had spent months on Aletheia''s Island, fighting against and being killed by all kinds of harrowing creatures. Of course, he had learned a lot about his killers during that time. The Hollow Butterfly was harder to fathom because it lacked a soul, though, and so its shell was rough and unstable. Sunny did not care. All he cared about was hurting the hateful dragon. His wings had long been broken, failing to regrow, so he clutched onto the body of the Dread Lord with his six sharp legs. His giant eyes were faceted, consisting of thousands of smaller ones, and so, thousands of harrowing dragons reflected in their dark surface, filling him with boundless rage.


    His long beak had just pierced the Dread Lord''s flesh in the spot where a few scales had cracked, mangling it.


    ''Ah...''


    Sunny felt murderous joy. Bleeding and hurt by that last attack, the dragon spread its wings. His maw opened, and another melodious call escaped from it, battering the monstrous butterfly like a devastating ram. Reeling from the shockwave of the following sonic boom, Sunny felt his shell falling apart and growled, mending it.


    The Dread Lord was a step ahead, though. Before the damaged butterfly coalesced back into a stable form, he tore two of its legs with his fangs, then broke another with his terrifying claws. Sunny felt his grip on the odious dragon loosen. ''No... no! Come back here, you hideous worm!''


    Blinded by pain and driven mad by the scent of blood, he laughed. The massive body of the tenebrous butterfly rippled and then flowed, changing shape. Long tentacles shot from its carapace, wrapping themselves around the Dread Lord''s wings and pressing them into his body. Soon, a revolting octopus-like abomination was clinging to him, tearing at his scales with a sharp beak. Sunny had no wings anymore, and the dragon could not move his. They plummeted from the sky... slower than they were supposed to, considering that Kai �� and, by extension, the Dread Lord �� could fly even without wings. But still fast enough. The moment the two of them hit the ground, shattering a dozen buildings and sending cracks running through the carapace of the inconceivable carcass Twilight stood upon, Sunny was thrown off the body of the dreadful dragon. He rolled away, his shell already shifting. By the time the Dread Lord rose, a giant leopard of decaying flesh was already lunging at him, aiming to bite into his throat. Updated from


    Their frenzied battle continued. When they fought on the ground, Sunny assumed the form of a land predator. When the Dread Lord tried to rise into the sky, he assumed the form of a flying monstrosity. When the dragon threw him underwater, he turned into the onyx serpent, relentlessly attacking his loathsome enemy in the murky depths.


    Laughed at him.


    Sunny roared in fury. [SHALL WE KILL HER AGAIN? YES... I WILL DEVOUR HER. RIGHT AFTER I''M DONE WITH YOU.] Nephis. He was talking about Nephis. Deep in the crumbling embrace of his shell, Sunny went absolutely mad. Forgetting everything else except for his rage, he allowed the shell of the onyx serpent to dissolve into a torrent of shadows, and escaped their embrace.


    Landing on the shoulder of the harrowing dragon in his fragile human form, Sunny grasped the hilt of the Sin of Solace and plunged it between the impregnable scales. ...Or at least, he tried to. As if sensing the cursed blade, the Dread Lord finally showed a reaction. The massive body of the dragon recoiled, sending Sunny flying. He fell through the air with terrible speed, plummeting down, down... there were no shadows for him to safely land into.


    Before Sunny was splattered against the cold stones, someone caught him, slowing his fall. The two of them hit a stone wall and shattered it, rolling into the courtyard below. Sunny landed on something soft and bounced away. "Argh..."


    Leaning on the Sin of Solace, he rose and looked around with bloodshot eyes. The weathered corpses... the battlements... he knew this place. He was back in the floating fortress where Mordret had welcomed them to Twilight.


    ''So... the worm is afraid of my sword.''


    A twisted grin appeared on his lips, and Sunny finally noticed another figure struggling to stand up from the cold stones near him. It was that annoying fly...


    Killing it would only take a split second. Before he could do it, though, a massive shadow covered him. Then, the battered dragon landed on the wall of the fortress, crushing the battlements with his claws. With silver blood streaming down his midnight scales, the Dread Lord gazed down at him, starlight burning in his malevolent eyes. His gaze shifted slightly, crushing down on the annoying fly like an invisible force. [YOU...]

 Chapter 1516 Consuming Wrath

    Chapter 1516 Consuming Wrath


    Using the fact that the loathsome dragon had been distracted by the fly, Sunny considered his enemy for a moment. His mind was aflame with insatiable anger, so it was hard to think... hard to stay still and contemplate the way to kill his enemy better, even though that was his one and only goal. Somewhere deep down, Sunny knew that he had surrendered his most lethal weapon �� his cunning �� to the scorching temptation of wrath. But that thought, too, was obliterated by the ocean of boundless rage. ''That worm is strong.''


    Sunny had called upon his most primal, most destructive power �� the Shadow Shell. He had ravaged the Dread Lord as a ferocious sea serpent, a dreadful butterfly, a decaying leopard, and many more revolting shapes. His attacks had dealt some damage to the enemy, but none of them had made the dragon reel. The only thing that had was the Sin of Solace. Sunny glanced at the beautiful jade jian. ''He knows that sword.''


    The Mad Prince had wielded the Sin of Solace, and so, the Dread Lord would be familiar with the sinister power of the cursed blade. Even if it had never been used against him, he would know and fear it.


    That was because while Sunny could mutilate the dragon''s flesh, the Sin of Solace could shatter his mind. It had been created from the whisper of Ariel, the Demon of Dread, after all. And there was no one more familiar with the terror of Ariel''s secrets than the Dread Lord, who was similarly burdened by the knowledge of truth due to his Flaw. There was a problem, though...


    Sunny could only wield the Sin of Solace in a human hand, but his human body could be destroyed by one bellow from the dreadful dragon.


    Or maybe not. Grinning madly, Sunny dismissed the jade jian. At the same time, he called upon the shadows once again. They surged from the open gate of the Shadow Lantern, enveloping him like a dark tide. And then, a towering figure rose from that tide. This time, Sunny did not create the shell of a serpent, a butterfly, or a fearsome leopard. Instead, he borrowed a page from the Devouring Beast''s book... and created the shell that was a perfect replica of himself, only on a much larger scale. Of course, he couldn''t compete with the feral Plague, who had stood a hundred meters tall. But even at a third of her height, his head still rose above the battlements of the fortress. A furious dark giant made of shadows appeared in the middle of the courtyard, sharing Sunny''s appearance. His towering body was covered by a cracked onyx armor... and a whirlwind of sparks surrounded his outstretched hand. Memories were mystical tools. They were created from the soul essence of their wielder, and adjusted to suit the wielder''s body. That was why Awakened did not need to fit and tailor their armor, or mold the hilts of their weapons to their grip.


    However, things changed once an Awakened reached Transcendence. The body of a Saint could transform, taking an entirely different shape. It was only then that the limit to how much a Memory could be adjusted to fit its wielder revealed itself.


    Different Memories had different limits. Some could still be used by the transformed Saints, some could not. Generally, the more powerful a Memory was, the more flexible potential it possessed. And Sunny was willing to bet that the Sin of Solace, a Transcendent Memory of the Fifth Tier, possessed more than enough of it to be useful in the hands of a giant �� especially because the form he had taken was only different from his own body in size, and therefore did not require the jade jian to stray away from its nature as a sword. All he had to do was pour more essence into manifesting it. Ten times more, a hundred times more, a thousand times more... it did not matter. Sunny''s essence was inexhaustible right now. As the shape of a graceful sword, its blade dozens of meters long, started to manifest itself from light, Sunny grinned and dashed forward. It was going to take the Sin of Solace some time to weave itself into existence, and he would have to occupy the loathsome dragon until then. Struggling to control his massive body, Sunny leaned forward and rammed his shoulder into the wall of the courtyard. The entire fortress quaked and tilted, water pouring in through the broken gates. The wall itself cracked and collapsed, forcing the Dread Lord, who had been using it as purchase, to lose balance. Before the dragon could open his massive wings, Sunny grabbed onto him and pulled him down. His face was very close to the Dread Lord''s bloodied chest... if not for the visor of the onyx helmet, Sunny would have tried to bite into his throat.


    ''What to do, what to do...''


    Belatedly, he thought about his Shadows. Saint, Fiend, Nightmare... they could help him a lot in this battle. Especially Saint, who was immune to all mind attacks and could resist the authority of the Dread Lord. But thinking about them filled him with endless fury. No one was allowed to steal his vengeance from him... no one! Summoning the Shadows would only give them a chance to kill the odious dragon before he could. He would never allow that to happen.


    ''This... this is madness!'' A feeble thought was drowned by the torrent of bloodlust and demented anger. Sunny was not going to allow anyone to steal his victims. No... if he summoned the Shadows, it would only be to kill them. Kill them all! In fact, it was exactly what he should have done.


    Each of them was a Shadow Creature, and a powerful one at that, suitable to become fuel for his soul. He had painstakingly nurtured them himself, after all. So, wasn''t it only right, for him to reap what he had sown? Just imagining the flood of shadow fragments he would receive from slaughtering his servants made Sunny smile viciously.


    Was that how the Mad Prince had become a Titan? It had to be. Where else would the vile madman find enough fragments to form the seventh core, here in the Tomb of Ariel? Sunny would be wise to follow his example.


    But first, he had to kill the dragon. And the traitorous fly...


    Turning his head to look at his enemies, Sunny lingered for a split second.


    Out there, far away... wasn''t something strange happening in Twilight?


    Suddenly frozen, he looked into the distance.

 Chapter 1517 Supernova

    Chapter 1517 Supernova


    On the crumbling streets of Twilight, a grotesque Nightmare Creature was mauling another with its fangs, while a rain of swords and spears fell on its tough hide. Each strike caused streams of fetid blood to pour out of ghastly wounds, but the abominations paid it no attention.


    ''Ah... it hurts.''


    Mordret, who had taken the body of the Nightmare Creature, was not having a great time. Not only was he being cut and mangled by the vessels of the impostor, but it was also getting hard to breathe. The air was full of smoke, and the buildings around him had caught fire, at some point. But he was so close...


    Finally, the abominations he had been brutalizing shuddered and died. An ethereal stream of power flowed into his soul, and he fled into the reflections, escaping the cruel blades of the hollow vessels. Appearing a few hundred meters away from the pursuing mob, he left the dying body of the battered Nightmare Creature and returned to his own. Before too long, a familiar pain tore apart his soul, forcing Mordret to groan. ''Why... does it have... to be so unpleasant?''


    A new core was being born in the depths of his soul. He was becoming a Monster once again.


    ''This will give me some breathing room.''


    The human flood was already surrounding him, seemingly endless. Mordret had only a few seconds of reprieve before the puppets of Soul Stealer would assault him again. His perception spread far and wide, jumping between countless reflections to observe the world. He saw Song of the Fallen, the blind witch. He also saw a giant made of shadows wield a jade sword against a harrowing dragon... Sunless, the madman, was fighting against the Dread Lord. Nightingale was there, as well, kneeling near a puddle of water.


    At that moment, Mordret''s eyes glistened, and a sinister thought entered his mind. ''Can I?''


    He hesitated for a moment, unsure. But then, a dark smile twisted his lips. ''Well, even if I fail, it will at least be entertaining.''


    Mordret moved, contemplating how much essence he had left. Reaching the distant fortress would be a challenge...


    But then, he was distracted from these calculations.


    That was because he saw something else. Turning toward the heart of the city, Mordret froze for a moment.


    His eyes widened slightly. Updated from


    ***


    His inhuman voice sounded like shards of broken glass. Nephis looked down. The radiance suffusing her skin dimmed a little. A tormented sigh escaped from her lips. Kneeling... just like she had at the end of the Second Nightmare... Nephis said:


    "I came into this world... as a sharp blade..."


    She raised her head slightly and looked at the monstrous creature with a tired gaze. "But with every step I took, my edge was dulled."


    Her face slowly became impassive, devoid of all emotion. Her voice was like a whisper.


    "I''ve made compromises, learned how to act reasonably, and forced myself to move with restraint."


    Nephis took a deep breath and remained silent for a moment.


    When she spoke again, her voice had grown steady and loud. A hint of an indescribable emotion appeared in her radiant eyes.


    Glaring at the monstrous creature, she said:


    "...I am tired of compromises. I am tired of being reasonable. I am tired of being restrained."


    Nephis looked into the eyes of Soul Stealer, furious flames igniting in the depths of her own. "I... am Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan."


    Her gaze was suddenly full of cold contempt. Her even tone trembled with incinerating passion.


    "Who dares to stop me?"


    And when she spoke those words, the soft radiance suffusing her skin exploded with brilliant light. A hurricane wind rose, stirring the fire devouring the streets of Twilight. The seven spears impaling Nephis to the ground caught aflame, melting in its scorching white heat. Although it seemed impossible, the blinding light emanating from her incandescent figure grew even more intense, unbearable to look at. If Sunny was there to see Nephis, he would have witnessed her six radiant soul cores swelling with furious light. He would have also seen one of them becoming covered by a net of fiery cracks. ...Soul Stealer moved, reaching forward, but he was too late. In the next moment, all the flames burning across the ruins of Twilight were suddenly absorbed by the incandescent figure kneeling in front of him. For a split second, the world was still and silent.


    There was a whisper. And then, everything dissolved in white radiance.

 Chapter 1518 Ruin

    Chapter 1518 Ruin


    Standing on the crumbling wall of the floating fortress, Sunny saw the light grow dim above Twilight. For a moment, everything was still. And then, the entire world was suddenly drowned in white radiance, blinding him. Stunned, he raised a hand to cover his eyes and saw a pristine star ignite in the heart of the distant city. It swelled, growing into a massive sphere of furious flame.


    Everything happened in an instant. The buildings nearest to the white star simply dissolved in its pure light, evaporating. Those further away exploded into dust and were erased from existence by an obliterating shockwave. Those behind them were flattened and melted, turning to ash from the immolating heat.


    A wave of incinerating fire, taller than the towering walls of the city, spread outward at lightning speed, consuming everything in its path �� buildings, trees, cobblestones, even air itself... and all the tiny human figures flooding the crumbling streets. Behind it, the furious star rose and deformed, slowly turning into a mushroom cloud of incandescent white flame. The pillar of fire supporting it dwarfed everything, reaching toward the sky. ''W��what...''


    Even driven into madness by fury, he was momentarily paralyzed by the harrowing splendor of that inconceivable sight. Twilight... Twilight was being destroyed in front of his eyes.


    ...That was when the invisible shockwave reached the fortress, shattering its walls and throwing him down.


    The deafening roar of the explosion came next, shaking the world. Sunny plummeted from the broken wall and hit the cold stones with a sickening sound. Bouncing off the hard surface, he rolled and then instinctively covered his head with his hands. In the next moment, a rain of stone debris fell down, pummeling him like crushing hail. ''Who... who dares...''


    Deaf from the cataclysmic roar of the blast, he screamed furiously and tried to stand up. Something hit him on the head, but Sunny did not care. Hunched, he rose from the ground and peered into the dust that had enveloped everything around, searching for the massive figure of the dragon.


    So what if all of Twilight was devoured by flame? So what if it seemed like the sky had been shattered and fell down?


    He was still going to kill the hateful worm... ''...Why is it so dark?''


    He called her name with countless voices.


    His countless eyes festered with hatred and greed.


    But also fear.


    Nephis looked at him with contempt.


    Her even voice echoed across the radiant expanse, uttering a single word:


    "...Burn."


    And then, the beautiful landscape of her soul changed. The water Soul Stealer stood upon was no water at all. Instead, it was liquid flame, as if he was standing on the surface of a furious white star. The golden clouds floating above him were not vapor, but incandescent gas, as if he was drowning in burning stardust.


    Most harrowing of all, though, was the light of the seven suns. Because here in the sea of Changing Star''s soul, there was no escape from their incinerating rays.


    The radiance of the seven suns swelled, turning the calm ocean into an incandescent white void. And, trapped in that merciless void... Soul Stealer burned.

 Chapter 1519 Reverse Scale

    Chapter 1519 Reverse Scale


    The floor of the floating fortress was tilted, and Sunny could hear the sound of water rushing into the breaches. His sight was obstructed by the cloud of dust, so he closed his eyes and sensed a massive figure stirring in the darkness.


    He grinned, forgetting about how torn and battered his body was.


    Looking up, Sunny saw two cold silver stars burning in the darkness high above him �� the eyes of the murderous dragon, gazing down upon him. The dragon moved, and at the same time, the shadows moved, as well. The drowning fortress shuddered.


    ***


    Slumped near a puddle of water, Kai gasped for air. He was suffering from terrible pain and struggling to breathe... that blow Sunny had delivered him before was not a light one. He suspected that several of his ribs had been cracked or broken. His muscles were torn, as well, so drawing the bow was a torment.


    ''This... really is a Nightmare.''


    More than anything, Kai felt lost and confused. The battle the government forces were supposed to observe had already been a disaster. The terrible journey through the merciless white desert was like a feverish dream. Before he knew it, they were standing in front of a towering block of black stone, preparing to enter a Seed of Nightmare. Kai had thought that he had prepared himself mentally for the dreadful trial of the Spell, but he had been wrong. Coming to his senses in the dim throne room of a mysterious palace was unlike anything he had ever expected... and much more terrible. Sunny was there, pulling him away from the falling debris. He heard some outlandish things about an evil dragon, who was also his twin, and an army of alien warriors that were supposed to help the cohort. A few moments later, the dark dragon was in front of them, commanding them to kneel. Kai knew that Sunny never lied, of course. But hearing that voice and feeling the irresistible authority contained within it, he fully realized that it was all true...


    The abominable dragon was, indeed, a copy of him. A much more powerful, vile, and Corrupted version of Kai, who had betrayed his friends and was now trying to kill them. How could he turn on Sunny, Effie, Cassie, Nephis, and Colonel Jet? Kai did not know, but the truth was undeniable. Learning that truth hurt much more than having his ribs broken.


    Things had moved very fast from that point, not giving him an opportunity to process the bitter revelations and make sense of what was happening. Sunny warned him to stay away and suddenly turned into a giant serpent, attacking the dragon furiously. Had his friend somehow become a Saint, already? Kai did not know.


    Luckily, Sunny was attacking the dragon so fiercely that it had no time to turn its gaze at Kai. And so, the insurmountable authority of its command was slowly growing weaker. Groaning, Kai turned to the puddle of water and looked at the one who was hiding in the reflections. His lips moved:


    "Be... ready."


    With that, he slowly picked up his bow and raised it with trembling hands. His bow was a Transcendent Memory of the Fifth Tier, and there were plenty of enchanted arrows in his soul arsenal. The problem was that, despite that, Kai had failed to deal substantial damage to the abominable dragon. Ironically, the most damage he had dealt was to the shadow giant Sunny created, just before the explosion.


    However... with his supernatural sight, Kai had long noticed a special scale hidden on the dragon''s chest. It was of a different color than all others, as if forged from iron, and had a peculiar shape. Looking down, he looked at the iron amulet in the shape of an anvil hanging from a string on his neck. That amulet had been with him since the Second Nightmare, given to him by Sunny.


    And so... his evil copy must have possessed it, as well. Ignoring the pain, Kai gritted his teeth and rose, then strained his muscles, and drew his bow.


    The string was heavy.


    One shot...


    Sunny seemed to be moments away from death, so there would be no time for another. He couldn''t miss.


    He wouldn''t miss. Silencing the deafening whispers that drowned his mind, Kai did what he was best at �� aimed his bow, held his breath, and allowed his fingers to slip from the string. A sinister red arrow flashed through the darkness...


    And hit the small iron scale hidden among countless others on the chest of the lunging dragon. The dragon''s claws tore through the forming shadow giant and struck Sunny, pressing him into the ground. The arrow failed to pierce the creature''s tough hide, and so Kai swayed, suddenly weak from blood loss. ...But it did break that single scale, cracking it in two. In the next moment, the man hiding in the reflection was suddenly gone, and the dragon froze in place. Something sinister reflected in the depths of his silver eyes.

 Chapter 1520 Dreadful Soul

    Chapter 1520 Dreadful Soul


    ''What a sight...'' Mordret watched as Nightingale, picturesque despite being bloodied and covered in dust, drew his bow and let an arrow loose. He had fled to the floating fortress after noticing the Denial Amulet fused into the Dread Lord''s scales �� and just in time. Something truly curious had happened in Twilight, destroying all the reflections he could have used to take a look. It was probably Changing Star''s fault... or Soul Stealer''s fault. In any case, Mordret would have been burned to a crisp if he had not left the city. After traversing the still water and reaching the fortress, he hid in the reflections and observed what was happening inside. Sunless was fighting like a madman... more of a madman than he usually was... while the Dread Lord viciously mauled and battered him. Truly, it was a miracle that Sunless had been able to battle the tyrant of Verge for so long, and even deliver countless wounds to the mighty dragon. What other Master could have done the same? That guy really boggled the mind.


    Nevertheless, there was something strange about their fight. The Defiled Saint could have gone for the kill a long time ago, but he was restraining himself. Probably because he wanted to capture Sunless alive.


    And make him a slave again. That made sense. Although Mordret mostly knew about the Six Plagues from the records he had spied in the frozen reflection of Twilight, the Mad Prince seemed to have been the deterrence the tyrant of Verge used to keep the other five Defiled champions in check... especially Soul Stealer. Now that Soul Stealer had finally turned on him, Sunless and his sinister soul were the best weapon the Dread Lord could use against the rebellious fiend. Mordret studied Nightingale for a while, amused.


    ''...Have I really submitted to that naive fool?''


    Well, he must not have remained naive for long after becoming Defiled. Still... how had Soul Stealer missed the chance to become the master of the Mad Prince himself, after Changing Star was gone? The impostor... was really a disappointment.


    Regardless, Mordret had spoken to the Nightingale �� the original carrier of the Denial Amulet �� just before Twilight went up in flames. The charming archer had a part to play...


    And now, it seemed that he had played it brilliantly. A red arrow whistled through the air and struck the small scale on the chest of the giant dragon, cracking it. ''What a shot.''


    How hard would it be, to hit a target so small, and a moving one at that?


    Mordret allowed himself to admire the precision of the Ascended archer for a split second. And then dove into the Dread Lord''s corrupted soul. ''Here we go...''


    Smiling, Mordret found himself surrounded by darkness. The darkness extended its revolting tendrils, trying to catch him. A forest of them rose from all sides, slithering like snakes. Trembling slightly, he evaded the grasp of Corruption and dashed forward. ''That''s why I hate invading the souls of Nightmare Creatures...''


    At least he possessed both of his hands here. Sadly, Mordret could only reflect the powers and weapons of the master of the invaded soul, not use his own. And since the Dread Lord had surrendered to Defilement and was thus banished from the Nightmare Spell, there were no Memories here for Mordret to summon.


    A slender rapier hovered in the air above the blind girl, seemingly concerned. Cassie concentrated on it, feeling her consciousness begin to slip. "Go..."


    The Quiet Dancer hesitated for a few moments, then disappeared into the darkness. Cassie sighed and allowed her battered body to relax. Laying on the blackened carapace of a dead abomination, she turned her head to face the ruins of Twilight. A cold, pale smile appeared on her lips. ***


    In the heart of the destroyed city, Nephis slowly opened her eyes. Soul Stealer was no more. The bright radiance suffusing her skin slowly grew dim and disappeared. The white flames dancing in her eyes were extinguished. Her silver hair, which had been flowing in an ethereal wind, fell down.


    Standing naked amidst the scene of utter devastation, she shivered and looked around. Her mind was empty. After a while, Nephis realized that her tunic had been destroyed, and summoned another Memory. The familiar weight of the Starlight Legion Armor �� the only one she had left �� settled on her shoulders, making her feel comforted. That armor...


    It felt as if she was forgetting something.


    ''Twilight... Soul Stealer... the Dread Lord...''


    As she remained motionless, considering her thoughts, a slender rapier fell from the dark sky and hovered in front of her, trembling slightly. Nephis looked at it impassively.


    The rapier turned, its tip pointing into the darkness.


    "You want to lead me somewhere?"


    Quiet Dancer... that was Cassie''s Echo.


    The rapier trembled again, and then flew forward. Frowning slightly, Nephis followed.

 Chapter 1521 Sharpest Arrow

    Chapter 1521 Sharpest Arrow


    In the courtyard of the drowning fortress, a harrowing dragon growled and took a step back, its massive body shuddering. His silver eyes had lost their sinister light, turning glossy and unfocused. A vicious battle must have been taking place in the dragon''s corrupted soul. The maddening whispers thundering in Kai''s head finally grew silent. He swayed, then took a labored breath and limped toward Sunny. His friend was laying on the cold stones, barely alive. His body was a terrible painting of torn flesh, white bones visible through its mangled mess. Eerily, he was still not bleeding at all... usually, Kai would have been reassured by that fact, but right now, it looked like Sunny was already a cold corpse. But he wasn''t a corpse. Sunny was still moving, struggling to stand up. Even after battling a Defiled Saint tooth and nail, he was still unbroken, trying to continue to fight. As Kai approached, he heard his furious whispers:


    "Kill you... I''ll kill you... shut up! I''ll tear you apart!"


    Strangely enough, his hateful gaze was not directed at the archer. Instead, Sunny was glaring past him, seemingly at an empty spot. Kai felt his heart tighten. ''What is happening to him?''


    Sunny had always had a wild personality, and there was that time he had turned a little feral in the Dark City... but he was never truly mad. Now, however, it seemed as though his friend had entirely lost his mind. ''There must be a reason.''


    He had warned Kai to stay away before, had he not? That meant that this strange condition Sunny was in had a purpose. To resist the authority of the Dread Lord, most likely... somehow. It had to be a part of some cunning scheme.


    He would deal with it later. For now, Kai had a more serious problem to solve.


    The abominable dragon was still alive. And while that man, Mordret, seemed confident in himself, there was no telling who would prevail in their dire fight. The result would be clear in seconds. But...


    Kai looked at the dragon with a lost expression.


    The Dread Lord, Mordret... both of them were monsters. He still remembered what the scion of the Great Clan Valor had done in the Second Nightmare. The harrowing massacre he had perpetrated in the Kingdom of Hope was not something a sane person would ever commit. Even if he did win, was it really fine to let the dreadful authority of Kai''s voice fall into the hands of someone so depraved? "...Wait a little more, Sunny. I''ll come back for you, soon."


    Turning away from his friend, Kai gritted his teeth and pushed himself off the ground. Soaring into the air, he strained his core muscles to draw the string of his bow, and at the same time, summoned the sharpest arrow he had in store. That one was not capable of producing devastating blasts, or robbing Nightmare Creatures of their strength. Its enchantment was rather simple �� it burrowed much deeper than other arrows would, piercing flesh and bone like butter. The drawback was that the arrow was flimsy and fragile. It was disobedient and slow, too, so hitting anything with it was a tough task. More than that, its tip would shatter against any kind of armor... therefore, it wasn''t easy to make use of the insidious enchantment.


    He did, however, hear a terrible scream.


    Turning his head, Kai saw a human figure rolling on the ground in agony. It was Mordret, the scion of Valor... missing a hand and covered in blood. There was something terribly wrong with that lunatic, though. His face, which had seemed to be incapable of showing earnest emotions, was now twisted by a terrible grimace, an eerie darkness devouring his eyes. Letting out a stifled groan, Mordret clutched at the stones and crawled to the nearby puddle. Reaching it, he thrust his hand into the water... no, into his own reflection... and tore something from within his chest, then threw it away. The thing looked like a soul shard... no, a piece of a mirror. Hitting the ground, the mirror shard suddenly rippled and turned into a vague figure. That figure then turned into a perfect copy of Mordret. A Reflection, created by ripping one of his cores out of his soul. There was something terribly wrong with that Reflection, though. As Kai watched, stunned, the visage of Mordret was twisted and deformed, tendrils of vile darkness sprouting from within it. The ghastly creature suddenly looked incredibly threatening and sinister, a frenzied smile blooming on its bloodied lips. It was as though he was watching a seed of Corruption bloom, turning the human into a Nightmare Creature right in front of his eyes. Still on the ground, Mordret whispered a quiet curse. "Ah... that... was truly unpleasant."


    He did not look capable of fighting the Defiled Reflection, though, in that wretched state. Kai was laying in the rubble, his body broken and mangled, so he was not much better. Sunny was still wreathing on the ground, trying to stand up, but he was the most corpse-like of them three.


    ''I must protect him...''


    Kai tried to move, but a surge of pain sent him crushing back down on the sharp stones. A short yelp escaped from his lips. With unwanted tears in his eyes, he looked up and saw the vile Reflection walking toward his friend. Its missing hand had sprouted terrible glass claws, and its jaw was unhinged, twisted fangs growing through the mangled flesh. ''No!''


    Before the creature could reach Sunny, though...


    A slender rapier pierced its chest, and a radiant hand grasped its head. In the next moment, the Reflection was illuminated from inside by a pure white light. Smoke rose from its open mouth and charred holes where its eyes had been just a moment ago, filling the air with the revolting stench of burned flesh.


    Then, a net of cracks covered the creature''s body, and it shattered like a glass sculpture. Behind it, the figure of Changing Star was revealed, looking down with an emotionless expression.


    Sparks of pure white flame danced in her cold grey eyes, and she somehow seemed both the same and different from the last time Kai had seen her, back in the Nightmare Desert.


    Turning her head slightly, Nephis looked at the corpse of the harrowing dragon and remained motionless for a few moments. Then, she said, her voice strangely devoid of feeling:


    "We won."

 Chapter 1522 Break of Dawn

    Chapter 1522 Break of Dawn


    Driven to madness by wrath, Sunny was forcing his mangled body to move. His mind was muddled by fury and pain, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t stand up, for some reason. An inferno of dark, malignant rage was consuming his aching heart.


    ''No, no, no!''


    The dragon... the hateful worm... was laying dead on the wet stones, stolen from him. Silver blood was pouring from his opened maw and obliterated eye, slowly spreading across the ruined courtyard. If only there had been more time... if only no one had interfered in their fight... Sunny would have been able to slay the Dread Lord himself. He knew he would.


    But the dragon was gone. And now that he was gone, Sunny''s suffocating fury needed a new target. ''Kill, kill them... kill them all... I''ll kill them...''


    He could sense several shapes through the shadows. The loathsome fly that had stolen his prey, the crippled fiend who had come from the water, and a macabre abomination that had been spawned by a tainted shard of the fiend''s soul. And the most odious of them all... a pale young man wearing a nebulous black mantle, who was looking at him mockingly with a derisive smile.


    "Look at you, fool. Mad as a hatter. How pathetic... how familiar... how distasteful..."


    Sunny growled.


    The abomination was staggering toward him, piercing him with the demented gaze of its rotten eyes. Glass claws were growing from its stump, and twisted fangs were growing from its bloodied maw. He grinned.


    ''Good, good...''


    He couldn''t stand up, for the moment, so the creature was graciously delivering itself to him. Sunny was going to enjoy tearing it apart.


    But before he could, a slender rapier pierced the abomination''s chest, and a radiant hand grasped its head. The creature glowed with incandescent light, being incinerated from within, and then shattered like a broken mirror. He howled, his hoarse voice full of indescribable rage. ''No, no!''


    Another... they stole another from him! Thieves, traitors!


    Leaving behind only horror. Confusion, too... and pain. Finally, the pain he had been ignoring caught up with Sunny, making him shudder and let out a tormented groan. He was consumed by agony.


    But then, the hand resting on his head ignited with a soft glow, and its comforting warmth chased the pain away. A wave of cleansing white flame spread through his body, mending his broken flesh and healing his harrowing wounds. The sense of relief it brought was overwhelming. Which only added to Sunny''s confusion. Soon, he was left laying on the ground, disoriented and feeling lost. Everything that had happened since he activated the [King''s Resentment] enchantment of the Crown of Twilight was like a blur, but the memory of it remained, etched into his mind. ''...What happened?''


    Sunny felt incredibly tired, but he forced himself to raise his head. Nephis was kneeling in front of him... wearing the Starlight Legion Armor, for some reason. Her striking grey eyes were calm and cold.


    Behind her, the corpse of the Dread Lord towered above the ruined courtyard of the floating fortress. Kai was laying on a pile of rubble, heavily wounded. Mordret was there, as well, staring at the dead dragon with a grim expression. The world was dark, with only a few rays of pale sunshine pouring through the veil of ashen clouds. There was something else, as well... a black crow was perched on the remnants of the broken wall, staring down at them. Sunny looked at Nephis, a storm of emotions raging in his heart. Noticing that he had regained his senses, she nodded simply and rose. Turning away, she walked toward where Kai was laying, his ivory armor painted by blood. Soon, soft radiance flowed from her hands, healing the archer. At the same time, Mordret sighed deeply and looked at Kai with a hint of resentment. "Why did you do it? I almost had him."


    Kai met his gaze somberly, and then said in a hoarse voice:


    "That was why I did it."


    The Prince of Nothing remained silent for a moment, then grinned with dark amusement and turned to Nephis. Waving his bloody stump in the air, he asked blithely:


    "Don''t I get healed?"


    Her answer was cold and even:


    "...Wait for your turn."


    Sunny observed it all, too tired to move, and too numb to think. Soon, two figures climbed over the pile of rubble that the wall of the fortress had turned to. They were Effie and Jet.


    Effie was walking while supporting her weight with a spear, while Jet was carrying unconscious Cassie. When she appeared, both Crow Crow and the Quiet Dancer rushed to her side. The wind tore apart the veil of clouds, and finally, the light of dawn illuminated the drowning fortress once again. Sunny looked at the sky pensively. A strange thought surfaced in his mind.


    ''We... won.''

 Chapter 1523 Endlessly Flowing

    Chapter 1523 Endlessly Flowing


    Soon enough, the wind carried the clouds of ash away. Twilight was once again illuminated by the beautiful light of dawn... what was left of Twilight, at least. The floating fortress where the Dread Lord had died broke apart and drowned in the still water. The water itself was starting to move, sparkling in the sunlight. Now that the Serpent King''s city and whatever enchantments had held it in place were destroyed, the current was slowly returning. Soon enough, the current would carry it all �� the blackened ruins of Twilight, the corpses of the Defiled that had stormed it, and the broken ships of its fallen defenders �� to the Edge, then throw them into the lightless abyss that lay beyond it. Where they would never be found or seen again, unless someone braved the void and reached the very bottom of Ariel''s dreadful world.


    Erasing all signs that Twilight had ever existed from the endlessly flowing surface of the Great River. ...Until the next cycle came. Hopefully, Sunny would not be there to witness it. The cohort had returned aboard the Chain Breaker before the fortress drowned. Now, they were observing the charred carcass of the inconceivable abomination that had served as the foundation of Twilight slowly crumbling and submerging underwater. The brilliant explosion had put a net of cracks into it, and now, the weight of the immense carapace and the water pressure were slowly pulling it apart.


    Well... some of them were observing. Some were in no condition to pay it much attention, if any at all. Cassie was still unconscious. Her wounds, including the deep gash on her neck, had been healed by Nephis, but the blind girl was showing no signs of waking up, yet. Surviving the mayhem and the obliterating blast must have taken a toll on her.


    In any case, this dilemma seemed too tiring and complicated to consider right now. Looking away, Sunny turned his full attention to the wood grain of the Chain Breaker''s deck. Everything had gone wrong in Twilight. He had failed... but also prevailed, in a sense. Soul Stealer was dead. The Dread Lord was dead, too. The army they had hoped to recruit was dead as well. And Nephis had used the Shadow Bond. To cure Sunny from madness, but still. She had broken her promise.


    Again. And saved him, again.


    ''What a mess.''


    Tired and confused, he closed his eyes and lowered his head to the root of the sacred tree. He just wanted to sleep.


    The problems, messy as they were, could wait until tomorrow.

 Chapter 1524 Bitter, Sweet

    Chapter 1524 Bitter, Sweet


    By the time Sunny woke up, it was night. Even this place of endless dawn had a night, just like the crimson expanse of eternal dusk had one. However, nights were short and fleeting at the edges of the Great River. Before he knew it, the sevens suns were already rising again. New n0vel chapters are published on


    The world became painted by the soft colors of the breaking dawn. With a sigh, Sunny rubbed his eyes and sat up. He felt... strangely great. His body was in perfect shape because of Neph''s healing flames, and his mental energy had been restored with the help of the Shroud of Dusk after having a good sleep. Nightmare had also guarded his dreams, as well as the dreams of everyone else aboard the Chain Breaker. Here in the pyramid built by the Demon of Dread, that alone was more important than one would think. ''Great...''


    Nevertheless, his good mood was diminished when he remembered what had transpired in Twilight. ''I... should probably be happy, right?''


    Beyond himself, even.


    And he was, to an extent. Two of the most dangerous enemies there were in the Tomb of Ariel had been slain, so why wouldn''t he? Finally, the end of this Nightmare did not seem so distant as to be impossible anymore. Salvation was within reach, already visible far in the distance �� just like the first rays of the rising suns were, shining from beyond the horizon to break the reign of night. But Sunny couldn''t feel completely happy. That victory of theirs had been too perilous, almost turning into defeat. In fact, it should have been a defeat, if not for a couple miracles.


    Other than that... he was not happy with himself, personally.


    Sunny had accomplished a few astonishing feats during the battle for Twilight, true �� reaching the throne room of the Serpent King''s palace, lifting the curse of frozen time, resisting the authority of the Dread Lord, fighting the Defiled Saint almost to a standstill while being inhabited by madness, and even realizing the full potential of his current level of mastery over Shadow Dance. What other Master could boast that they were not only capable of transforming themselves akin to a Saint, but were also not limited to a single static form? Turning into monstrous serpents, winged horrors, and dreadful beasts... truly, the depth of his Divine Aspect was slowly starting to put the entire hierarchy of Awakened under question.


    Sunny did not let the sword wraith finish and stood up, deciding to go find the other members of the cohort.


    Nephis was still in the strange state of having had her... reserve of humanity burned away by the terrible torment of her Flaw. Usually, she would have already been up and about, preparing breakfast for the cohort, but today, that did not happen. Instead, Nephis was simply meditating at the stern of the Chain Breaker, unmoved and unbothered by anything.


    The other members of the cohort had chosen not to disturb her. There was a tantalizing smell spreading through the air �� Effie had taken it upon herself to cook up a feast, using the supplies stored in the cargo hold of the flying ship without sparing any of the ingredients. Sunny heard his stomach growl, and realized how hungry he was.


    Soon, all of them �� even Nephis �� had gathered on the mess deck, sitting around a table. Cassie had regained consciousness, but was still pale. Kai seemed to be a bit out of it, undoubtedly digesting the many incredible twists and turns of this bizarre Nightmare. Effie and Jet were, more or less, their usual selves.


    It almost looked like the good old days when the cohort shared meals together, with the added bonus of having Jet keep them company. There was only one thing spoiling the atmosphere. Mordret was also there, sitting near Sunny and looking at them with a curious expression.


    The Prince of Nothing picked up a pair of chopsticks and smiled pleasantly.


    "What''s for breakfast?"

 Chapter 1525 Memory of Light

    Chapter 1525 Memory of Light


    The breakfast ended up passing in a strange atmosphere. Which was understandable, considering that they were sharing the table with a homicidal maniac. Mordret was nothing but amiable and pleasant, but it was exactly his disarming charm that made everyone feel disturbed and uncomfortable. After all, they all knew what the Prince of Nothing was capable of... some better than others. Mordret was not the only one who made the conversation feel stifled, though. Nephis was still detached and impassive. Cassie was keeping quiet, as if she had forgotten how to speak. Sunny was not in the mood to talk, either, concentrating on his food. Kai was deep in thought, still struggling to come to terms with what he had learned from Effie and Jet. After a while, all seven of them were more or less done with the meal. In the silence that followed, Effie glanced around the table.


    "So..."


    She leaned back and smiled. "...Is anyone going to explain what the hell happened in that damned city?"


    Sunny looked at her somberly. So did Nephis and Mordret �� the former without any emotion, the latter with a hint of amusement. At that moment, Jet stretched her legs, crossed them comfortably, and nodded. "Yeah. Actually, I''m dying to know, too."


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, trying to imagine the situation from their perspective, then sighed. Taking a sip of tea, he said:


    "Well... first of all, our base assumption was wrong. We assumed that Twilight had been frozen in the middle of a battle between its army and the invading forces of the Defilement, but in fact, it was a battle between Soul Stealer and the Dread Lord all along."


    He paused, then added in a dark tone:


    "They must have breached the walls of the city, which allowed Soul Stealer to consume the souls of everyone in Twilight. That was when he turned on the Dread Lord and tried to consume him, as well... and when the Mad Prince made use of the situation to activate the defensive array and trap them both. So, when I deactivated the array, both of those fiends were unleashed."


    Across the table from him, Cassie suddenly spoke:


    "Some of us have a good chance of resisting Prince Mordret''s power, but some don''t. That was why you two had to be hidden from Soul Stealer."


    She turned slightly, facing Mordret. He smiled innocently. ''I don''t like it at all...''


    Sunny stared at the Prince of Nothing silently for a moment, then looked away. "Don''t worry. You don''t have to be wary of him... too much. We are currently allies, after all, and he knows that if something untoward happens, this Nightmare will become his grave."


    The threat hidden in his words was not very subtle. But Sunny did not really worry about Mordret �� there might have been something really wrong with that guy, but he was not a fool. The exact opposite, actually. He knew that harming any member of the cohort inside the Tomb of Ariel would be a fatal mistake. Especially now, right after Soul Stealer had been destroyed by Nephis, Mordret would not risk making them all his enemies. At least not until the very last moments of the Nightmare.


    Sunny sighed. "In any case, pretty much as soon as the array was deactivated, Kai and I faced the Dread Lord. I had to use an enchantment of the Crown of Twilight to resist his commands, but at the cost of plunging into an uncontrollable rage. While the two of us fought against the dragon, Nephis and Cassie found themselves surrounded by the vessels of Soul Stealer."


    Knowledge of ???: Unearned.


    There were seven strings in total, with only one of them revealed and described as mastered. So... whatever happened to Nephis in Twilight had not only allowed her to become a Titan, but also unlocked her Aspect Legacy. And that Aspect Legacy was more than a little bit strange, seemingly granting some sort of knowledge instead of Relics. Sunny would lie if he said that he wasn''t interested in learning what had happened.


    He looked at Nephis, hoping that she would explain at least something. She remained silent for a few moments, then shrugged indifferently. "I tried to make my way to the palace, but Soul Stealer stood in my way. Facing defeat, I made a breakthrough and conceived of a new way of using my Aspect... just like you had conceived of using yours to take shapes of powerful creatures. So, I used one of my soul cores as fuel and destroyed it to unleash a conflagration of soul flame."


    Sunny stared at her incredulously. On paper, what Nephis said made sense... he had indeed managed to deepen his understanding of his Aspect and create techniques like Shadow Shell and Shadow Incarnation, thus becoming more powerful while remaining of the same Rank. In a similar fashion, Nephis could have deepened her understanding and reached new heights of power. But there was a piece of the puzzle missing. "So... your Aspect allows you to burn your own soul and use it as fuel. But why was the explosion so immense and destructive?"


    She looked at him impassively. "My soul essence is especially potent, as you know. The explosion would have been devastating, regardless. But... yes, there was another element, as well. It was sorcery."


    Sunny raised his eyebrow, hiding how perplexed he was.


    "...Sorcery?"


    Nephis nodded. "Yes. The sorcery of Names. I used the Name of Wind to fan the flames burning across Twilight, and absorbed them. Then, I ignited my soul... and whispered the Name of Fire. You saw the rest. In the end, all vessels of Soul Stealer were destroyed. The remnants of the Defiled horde were destroyed, as well, allowing me to reform the Terror Core and form a new one."


    She paused for a moment. "With nowhere else to run, Soul Stealer was forced to enter my soul. I burned him."


    Her even tone and motionless face made it seem as though destroying a Corrupted Titan, millions of his puppets, and thousands of Nightmare Creatures in one fell swoop was nothing out of the ordinary. The rest of them stared at Nephis in stunned silence. In the end, Effie grinned. "Good job, Princess. Let''s be friends, okay?"


    Sunny was thinking about something else.


    ''Knowledge of Fire...''


    He had an inkling of what the knowledge Nephis had received from her Aspect Legacy was. It had to have contained the True Name of Fire, at the minimum... of every kind of fire there was, perhaps. It must have also elevated her already unmatched affinity to flame to entirely new heights.


    Nephis, meanwhile, looked at Effie with a hint of confusion in her striking grey eyes. "...Aren''t we already friends?" The huntress chuckled and raised her thumb up.


    New n0vel chapters are published on

 Chapter 1526 Tempered in Flame

    Chapter 1526 Tempered in Flame


    Nephis tilted her head, remained silent for a few moments, then said:


    "I received a fair number of Memories, too... sadly, not nearly as many as one would have expected, considering the death toll of the explosion. Still, there is at least one or two for each of us. We can distribute them later."


    With that, she turned to Sunny.


    "That is what happened to Soul Stealer. What happened to the Dread Lord, though? How were the three of you able to kill him?"


    He lingered for a bit. ''Cassie almost died in that explosion. Is Neph not concerned about that at all?''


    A slight frown appeared on his face. Eventually, he grimaced and answered in a dark tone:


    "Well... I already said that the Crown of Twilight allowed me to ignore his commands. That should have made things easier, since his most fearsome weapon was taken away. In practice, though, so was mine. My mind. Without being able to think straight, I was no better than a frenzied beast... worse, even, because even a beast would have used everything at his disposal to survive."


    He shook his head. "But I was unwilling to summon my Shadows, or work together with Kai to bring the Dread Lord down. That was... unfortunate, to say the least. In the end, we ended up outside the city, in that floating fortress. I tied down the fiend, relentlessly attacking his body. That gave Kai an opportunity to destroy the amulet which had protected the bastard from Soul Stealer, and that gave Mordret an opportunity to attack his soul, in turn."


    Sunny glanced at Kai and smiled from the corner of his mouth. "The Dread Lord was paralyzed for a few seconds, and our resident dragon slayer used those seconds to drive an enchanted arrow through his brain. That was how the three of us �� but mostly Kai �� managed to kill him."


    Kai had also prevented Mordret from taking possession of the Dread Lord''s body, which would have undoubtedly given the Prince of Nothing ideas. Right now, he could be trusted not to turn on them because he needed Nephis to destroy the First Seeker. If Mordret had the power to subjugate her with the authority of the dragon''s voice, though? Who knew what he would have done? In hindsight, Kai''s decision to not wait for the results of the soul battle might have saved them all. Sunny gave Mordret a somber look.


    ''Gods. How did I end up on the same team with that guy?''


    Noticing his gaze, the Prince of Nothing smiled. "Oh... I would have killed the Dread Lord myself. Probably. There was a little problem, you see �� a seed of Corruption somehow ended up blooming in my soul. Luckily, I managed to extricate the infected part and turn it into a Reflection before the disease spread. So, I am back to being a mere Beast. Alas."


    Now, it was time for them to stare at Mordret. ''What the hell...''


    Who talked about becoming infected with Corruption, cutting up their own soul, and turning the contaminated portion of it into an external entity in order to heal themselves? What insanity was that?


    Then, she turned to Cassie and asked:


    "What is the fastest way we can get there?"


    The blind girl hesitated for a moment. "I''ll have to check."


    She stood up and left, soon returning with a heavy crate. The stone slates they had recovered in the drowned temple of the Defiled sybil were stored there. It took Cassie some time to lay the slates out on the table, reference them, and come up with an approximate route. In the end, she pointed to a particular slate. There, the shape of a graceful castle was etched. "It seems that the fastest way to Verge is to simply sail downstream and keep going until we almost reach the dawn of time. However..."


    The blind girl put two slates that did not seem to have anything in common together.


    "With what we know about the shape of the Great River now, we can save a lot of time by simply crossing it, sailing past the western Edge, and braving the inner void. That way, we should be able to bypass most of the journey into the past and land near Verge directly."


    A strange silence settled on the mess deck. Nephis studied the stone slates for a while, then nodded.


    "This will take us close to Fallen Grace first. Let''s stop there on the way, then, before departing for the final battle."


    She looked at them, her gaze lingering on Sunny for a few extra moments. Eventually, she said:


    "...If there is no objections."


    He might have been mistaken, but it seemed as though at least a hint of liveliness had returned to her voice. Well, the words liveliness and Nephis did not really go together, but it was a great relief to see that her humanity was slowly coming back.


    She was even interested in their opinions... his opinion, in particular. At least it seemed that way.


    Sunny sighed. ''What else is there to do? If we want to escape this Nightmare, Verge in the only way.''


    He shrugged. "No objections from me."


    The others did not have any, either. After a few moments of silence, Nephis nodded. "Onward to Verge, then."

 Chapter 1527 Leaving Twilight

    Chapter 1527 Leaving Twilight


    The Chain Breaker left the drowning remains of Twilight behind and turned away from the rising suns. Drifting above the currents, it traversed the dreadful battlefield and escaped into clear waters. The Great River flowed below them. By now, the sight of the world in constant motion was both familiar and calming. Sunny had a feeling that returning to reality, where the ground was solid and unmoving, would be a strange experience. There were no Nightmare Creatures in the vicinity of Twilight, so they could relax for a few days. The members of the cohort rested and recuperated, not doing anything in particular. They slept, consumed delicious meals, and spent their time in idleness. Even Mordret''s presence did not dampen the peaceful mood. He was nothing if not accommodating, even pleasant to be around. Of course, he was... true monsters knew better than anyone how to appear sympathetic and friendly, after all. And the Prince of Nothing was a singular existence even among the insidious monsters.


    But that was fine. Sunny did not mind sharing a ship with him, as long as Mordret was an ally. Gods knew that the cohort needed all the help it could get in this dreadful, utterly unreasonable Nightmare. Sunny himself did not do much in the first few days of their journey across the Great River. He slept some more, spent some time staring at the sky, and chatted with Kai, describing the past events of the Nightmare in more detail. The month he had spent with Nephis on the carcass of the Black Turtle, the battle with the Azure Serpent. Their meeting with Ananke and the visit to forlorn Weave. The journey to Fallen Grace and their reunion with Cassie. The battle against the Defiled sybil... the dreadful months they had spent on Aletheia''s Island, and their eventual escape. In the process, Sunny also spoke about the many mysteries they had solved and the startling revelations they had received in the Tomb of Ariel. Looking back... he had truly learned a lot here, both about the past and the present. And about himself. Kai was the perfect audience for his outrageous tales. Sharing his experiences with a friend soothed Sunny''s conflicted heart, a little. He was not quite alright �� after suffering so much in Antarctica and on the Great River, how could he be? But he was at least back to being his usual spirited self. Almost. There was still the issue of what had happened at the end of Twilight to deal with. If there was a way to deal with that, even. Sunny felt that he at least owed it to himself to have a talk with Nephis, pointless or not.


    But with Nephis being in that strange dispassionate state, talking with her about deeply emotional issues did not seem like a good idea. She was slowly recovering, at least. So, Sunny decided to wait until she was back to her usual self before broaching the topic. With that, there was nothing for him to do.


    Eventually, the Chain Breaker traveled far away from Twilight. They were still bathed in the beautiful blaze of the endless dawn, but the waters the graceful ship was braving had imperceptibly changed. They were surrounded by danger once more. From here onward, there would be untold horrors hiding beneath the waves once more. The radiant sky would harbor terrifying abominations once more. And so, the members of the cohort would have to maintain vigilance at all times once more, ready to fight for their lives.


    The mood aboard the Chain Breaker subtly changed. That said... strangely, Sunny was not too concerned. Perhaps it was arrogance, but looking at the seven people gathered on the graceful ship, he felt confident in their chances of at least reaching Verge unharmed. Had there ever been a more deadly cohort of Masters? Surely not. New n0vel chapters are published on


    "So, how is Ravenheart treating you?"


    The Prince of Nothing gave him a curious look.


    "Ah, you know. The weather is not great, but the people are really... charming. Well, you''ve met Seishan and Beastmaster, so you must have an idea. It''s like I''m living in a flower garden."


    Sunny smiled, nodded, and asked cordially:


    "I see, I see... so, what are the Sovereigns up to? Are they really going to abandon the waking world?"

 Chapter 1528 New Eden

    Chapter 1528 New Eden


    Mordret studied him with a neutral expression. Then, he smiled pleasantly. "How should I know? Am I a Sovereign?"


    Sunny stared at him silently for a few moments. Eventually, he shook his head. "No... but you are a son of one, was raised by another, and currently serve the third. If you don''t know, then who would?"


    Mordret laughed. "Well, if you put it like that, it does sound like I should know. However, Sunless, you seem to be mistaken about something. The thing is... I don''t care to know. Why should I care about the waking world? Whatever happens to it has little to do with me."


    Sunny frowned. Indeed, Mordret had spent most of his childhood in the Dream Realm, so he had little attachment to Earth. More than that, he was not someone who would care about the lives of hundreds of millions of innocent people, let alone feel inclined to do something to save them. All Mordret cared about was his revenge against the Great Clan Valor. A faint smile appeared on Sunny''s face. "Sure, you might not care about the waking world. But you do care about your father''s plans �� at least as far as to be able to try and ruin them better. So cut the crap and just tell me what you know. If you don''t mind."


    Mordret stared at him with amusement for a while, then sighed and shook his head.


    "Well, why not? But I''m afraid that you are overestimating me. I really do not know what my father and the Queen of Worms are planning. I am not exactly on speaking terms with the former, and the latter does not trust me enough to share such secrets. All I know is that they are serious about having a war with each other. That was why I joined Ki Song."


    He lingered for a moment and added, his voice losing its usual lightheartedness: "I''ll warn you, though. Don''t presume to understand the Sovereigns, Sunless. You might think that you have them figured out, but you don''t. They are far older than we are, and far more powerful. They are also not some cardboard villains. My father, Ki Song, and the third one... are the most exceptional individuals of their generation, or maybe even of all generations. They did not end up on their thrones by accident."


    Sunny looked at him somberly.


    "What are you trying to say?"


    Mordret shrugged with a smile. "I''m just saying that you might find it hard to understand their plans. Abandoning the waking world? Well, that surely sounds like something they would do. But if you think about it, why would they do that? Even if the Sovereigns only care about the Dream Realm, they still need Awakened to populate it. And Awakened cannot exist without mundane people. You can''t make an omelette without breaking eggs, and you can''t get a stable supply of eggs without a poultry farm. Something like that."


    Sunny remained silent for a while, thinking about what Mordret had said. Although the terms he used were very cynical, the underlying message held true. Indeed, there had to be an immense population of mundane people for a comparatively small amount of Awakened to emerge. If the waking world was indeed destined to be consumed by the Dream Realm, the Sovereigns could not allow themselves to abandon it completely before that happened. Which went against what Sunny had learned about them before. He frowned, feeling confused.


    Eventually, Sunny shook his head and asked, his voice somber:


    Mordret smiled. "Well, in any case. Those reclusive extremists did not last long. Their colony was eventually overtaken by Nightmare Creatures, and he was the only one who survived. In the end, he found his way to Bastion, met my father, was brought back to the waking world, and joined Broken Sword''s cohort."


    The Prince of Nothing looked at Sunny with a strange expression, then frowned. "I hope that satisfied your curiosity. Ah, all this talking made me thirsty. I think I''ll go find myself something to drink..."


    He rose and moved to walk away, but then lingered for a moment. Looking back, Mordret said in a friendly tone:


    "Oh, by the way. I said before that you''d better hope to never meet that guy. Sorry... I don''t think you''ll have a choice. The old man, you see, is very interested in people with divine bloodlines. Considering your connection to Shadow, the only missing Lineage, he''ll probably come find you someday. Your precious Changing Star, as well, since there might not be another Dreamspawn anywhere in the two worlds."


    With that, he smiled pleasantly and walked away, leaving Sunny alone.


    The Chain Breaker continued moving west, the leaves of the sacred tree rustling gently in the wind.


    Sunny stared silently at the vast expanse of the Great River, his head full of dark thoughts. ''...Goddammit.''


    It was really unfair. He did not even have the Lineage of Shadow God �� Blood Weave had greedily devoured it a long time ago. Why did he have to deal with a mysterious and sinister Sovereign?


    It was not as if Sunny did not have a host of other terrible problems he had to deal with already.


    ''Mordret might have been lying, as well.''


    It was only then that Sunny thought back on their conversation and uttered a quiet curse.


    The Prince of Nothing had talked for so long, but did not give a straight answer to a single question!


    ''That bastard...''

 Chapter 1529 Worm of Doubt

    Chapter 1529 Worm of Doubt


    The conversation with Mordret left Sunny in a somber mood. The bastard clearly knew more than he had deemed necessary to share, but the few pieces of information he did offer were... concerning. However, Sunny did not dwell on the distant threat of the Sovereigns for long. He did not have the luxury of worrying about something waiting far in the future when there were lethal dangers waiting for him in the present... Or past, technically, considering that Verge was situated far downstream, as close to the Source and the Estuary as the Seekers of Truth had been able to build it, before the Defilement was born.


    Not long after he talked with Mordret, the Chain Breaker was attacked for the first time since leaving Twilight. The cohort dealt with the swarm of the Drowned with comparative ease, allowing him to collect a few soul shards and for Jet to replenish her reserves of essence. After that, they maintained a battle-ready schedule at all times. Sunny''s Shadows stood guard at different points of the ship day and night. Nephis and Cassie took turns steering the graceful vessel, keeping it at low altitude, sometimes just above the flowing water. Jet''s crow and Kai scouted ahead for signs of approaching danger.


    The most useful scout, however, was none other than Mordret. With his ability to perceive the world through reflections and the vast expanse of water around them, he could see far and wide, warning them of any suspicious movement far in advance. They did not have to fight too often. Sometimes, danger came from below the water, and sometimes, it came from the sky. But most of the time, the Great River remained calm and peaceful, leaving them with plenty of free time on their hands. Knowing that the cohort was drawing closer and closer to the inevitable attack on Verge with each passing day, Sunny threw himself into weaving. There was a lot for him to do. He had five Supreme soul shards, which meant that five of the Transcendent Memories the cohort possessed could be potentially elevated to a higher Rank. The first thing Sunny had to do was choose what Memories to alter. He chose the first two rather quickly. They were the Transcendent armors Effie and Kai had received in the Second Nightmare �� the former after slaying the Sun Prince, the latter after slaying the Ivory Lord, Dragon Sevirax. Both were potent and possessed tremendously robust weaves, making the possibility of the alterations damaging or destroying them slim. Best of all, they were Memories of the First Tier, so a single soul shard was enough to change their Rank completely.


    At first, he had not paid that detail any attention, simply being glad and relieved that the blind girl was alive. But the more time passed, the more it bothered Sunny, for some reason. Except for Mordret, who had been sent back to his physical body, all members of the cohort had been thrown out of the mirror realm in approximately the same location �� past the open space where they had met Soul Stealer, near the inner districts of the city. From there, Nephis had made her way to the palace. Cassie, however, had somehow ended up near the gates of the city when the explosion happened. She then dove deep into the still water beyond the gates to save herself, as well as Effie and Jet, from the obliterating blast. But how had she found herself all the way near the wall of Twilight? It had to have been immensely difficult to fight her way through the flood of Soul Stealer''s vessels and the remnant abominations of the Defiled horde. The distance between where the cohort had found themselves and the outer limits of the city was much greater than the distance to the palace...


    Cassie couldn''t have reached the water by accident. So how had she done it?


    There was only one reasonable answer...


    It was that Cassie''s goal had always been to escape the city.


    Which meant that she had known what would happen all along. Updated from

 Chapter 1530 Blessing of Misfortune

    Chapter 1530 Blessing of Misfortune


    Sunny was restless. Cassie had survived, which brought him indescribable joy. He would have been... broken, if she had perished in Twilight. Nephis would have never forgiven herself for causing the death of her best friend, either. Not to mention that Effie and Jet would have been killed, as well, making the heartbreaking tragedy simply unbearable.


    So, it was the epitome of wonderful that Cassie had survived.


    But how had she survived? He did not know. It was close to impossible for her to be driven all the way to the limits of the city by accident. Which meant that she had fought her way there on purpose. Which meant that she knew what would happen.


    ...Which was also impossible. Not even because Cassie would have shared such precious information with them, allowing the cohort to come up with a better plan, but simply because she was not capable of perceiving the past and the future in the Tomb of Ariel. She had told them so herself �� all Cassie saw in her visions, ever since entering the Nightmare, was darkness. That was what saved her from sharing the fate of the sybils, who had all been Defiled by the visions of the Estuary. Here in the Tomb of Ariel, Cassie was blind to the future and the past. That was her saving grace.


    She could not have known what would happen in Twilight. Otherwise, she would have been Defiled �� and she wasn''t Defiled. Sunny knew that because he could see Cassie''s soul, and because she was still a carrier of the Nightmare Spell.


    And yet she had to have known, somehow. It made no sense at all.


    Confused, he even remembered the eerie and nonsensical thought that had entered his mind after they escaped Aletheia''s Island. That Cassie could have been able to remember the previous cycles of the Great River, just like the Mad Prince had. Which would make her Torment. But she couldn''t be Torment for the same reason �� if she was, Sunny would have been able to see the darkness of Corruption in her soul, and the Spell would have banished her from itself. The strange incongruity gnawed at him more and more with each passing day.


    It was hard for Sunny to be dispassionate when it came to Cassie, but this time, he had to be. ''We only made it this far because of Cassie. But if I remove our friendship from the equation... she has indeed been behaving strangely. And there are certain thighs about her actions that can be seen as suspicious, if a stranger evaluates them.''


    Which did not mean that they really were suspicious... just that they could be.


    Lowering all six of his hands, which had been weaving strings of shadow essence, Sunny frowned. ''In the end, it all comes down to a simple question. Do I want to be polite, or do I want to be safe?''


    Seen in that light, his dilemma had a definitive solution.


    It was much better to be safe than sorry. After shaking his head, Sunny secretly sent one of his shadows to keep an eye on Cassie. He was almost entirely certain that he would not discover anything concerning.


    It was much better to be safe than sorry. After shaking his head, Sunny secretly sent one of his shadows to keep an eye on Cassie. He was almost entirely certain that he would not discover anything concerning.


    But at least the little part of him that had been restless and concerned was calmed by that precaution, allowing him to return to his tasks with an easy heart.


    He continued weaving.

 Chapter 1531 Colors of the Sky

    Chapter 1531 Colors of the Sky


    Updated from


    With his mind at ease, Sunny was able to get back to weaving. Due to the Crown of Twilight, he did not have to worry about running out of essence, and created threads of it with increasing speed. The sight of him sitting all by himself, moving two sets of shadows hands in addition to his own pair, must have been extremely strange �� especially because his companions could not see the tenebrous strings wrapped around his many fingers. But they were long used to the strange things Sunny did from time to time, so he was mostly left alone. The Chain Breaker sailed duskward, slowly leaving the waters of endless dawn behind. At the same time, Sunny was observing Cassie. The blind girl did not do anything suspicious, assuaging his fears. Despite the poisonous accusations the Sin of Solace kept spouting into his ears, she was perfectly normal. Cassie spent half of the day steering the flying ship, then went about mundane tasks or rested in her cabin. She maintained a calm and friendly demeanor while spending time with the other members of the cohort, albeit remaining slightly aloof. Cassie had become rather taciturn, at some point, but it was not as if she was reticent and went out of her way to not participate in any conversations. It was just that she seemed content to listen quietly, most of the time, only voicing her opinions when there was a reason. When Cassie was alone, she remained composed and collected. There was not much to do on the peaceful days, but she was seldomly idle. Without anyone noticing, the blind girl had taken it upon herself to maintain the ship in pristine condition. Others had joined her belatedly, sharing the chores and menial tasks while chattering and joking. The atmosphere on the washed decks of the Chain Breaker was harmonious and tranquil.


    Eventually, they left the reaches of the Great River where dawn never ended. The sky gradually brightened, turning vast and perfectly blue. The nights were longer here, with water glowing softly in the absolute darkness of the absent stars. As the Great River changed, the people sailing across its endlessly flowing surface changed, as well. Kai finally did not seem disoriented anymore, having come to terms with the bizarre and incredible truth of the Third Nightmare. He quietly trained and prepared himself for the nearing battle, perhaps feeling remorseful about not sharing the hardships his friends had endured. Jet was practicing and experimenting with her mist blade, capturing new souls every time the Chain Breaker was attacked. She was slowly figuring out how to use her deadly weapon to achieve truly harrowing results, which sometimes chilled even her allies. Effie''s belly was slowly growing. She spent most of her time helping the other members of the cohort with their tasks and preparing meals. The huntress remained cheerful and seemingly carefree, but Sunny could see somber emotions hiding behind that bright facade. She was distressed about the future of her child, and troubled because she was not able to support her comrades more. Mordret... was Mordret. It was impossible to tell what the bastard was thinking or feeling, but he seemed perfectly content with the situation. The only thing that bothered him was that there were not enough living beings for him to kill, which prevented him from forming more soul cores, creating Reflections, and then sending the Reflections to slaughter and rampage on their own, thus nurturing their power.


    Cassie remained her usual, unassuming self. Even with Sunny watching her closely, there was nothing especially notable about the blind girl. If anything, she seemed to be slowly growing more confident and energetic the further from Twilight they traveled. And then there was Nephis. It took a few weeks for her to recover from suffering the terrible torment of her Flaw and return to her usual self. Her eyes had regained their former liveliness, and her demeanor had shed the dispassionate emotionlessness of having her humanity burn away in the merciless flames. Sunny felt relieved that Nephis was back to being herself. But he was also tense and troubled. Because now that she was, he had no excuses to not talk to her anymore.

 Chapter 1532 Unchanging

    Chapter 1532 Unchanging


    After an especially fierce battle against a swarm of aerial abominations, the deck of the Chain Breaker was slick with blood. Fiend was sitting near a pile of grotesque corpses, munching on them with shining eyes. The disturbing crunching sounds spread far and wide, making the members of the cohort throw disgusted looks at him. The ravenous ogre paid it no attention, continuing his morbid meal in utter delight. The flying ship had landed on the water, and was now swaying gently on the waves. Its sails were filled with wind, and steered by Neph''s steady hand, it moved swiftly across the current. Sunny had just finished inspecting the hull of the Chain Breaker to check if it had received any damage. Apart from a couple shallow scratches, everything seemed fine. Relieved, he gave Cassie the sign that it was alright, and went about helping Kai wash the blood off the deck.


    The motions of cleaning the ship up after a battle were so familiar by now that he could have performed them with his eyes closed and his shadows gone. Eventually, everything that needed to be done was done. The pile of corpses had disappeared, consumed by Fiend. The soul shards had been recovered and cleaned. The deck had been washed, the sails and masts had been checked. The members of the cohort returned to what they had been doing before the Nightmare Creatures attacked. Effie was already starting to prepare dinner, and a delicious smell wafted from the galley. The seven suns were falling toward the horizon. Instead of returning to his usual spot and manifesting shadow hands to continue weaving threads of essence, Sunny hesitated for a while, then made his way toward the stern of the ship. There, Nephis was standing in the runic circle, holding the steering oars. He leaned against the railing nearby and summoned the Endless Spring, taking a sip of the invigorating water. They spent some time in silence. The silence between them had been comfortable once, but now, it was making Sunny feel burdened. Eventually, he asked:


    "How long do you think it will take us to reach Fallen Grace?"


    Nephis looked at the sky, then shrugged. "Five weeks? Maybe six. Depends on the wind and the obstacles we''ll meet along the way."


    He nodded. All in all, two months would have passed since the day they left Twilight by the time Fallen Grace appeared in sight. Which meant that he would have spent around nine in the Nightmare. The same went for Nephis, while Cassie... Cassie would be closing in on having been in the Tomb of Ariel for the better part of two years. It would be five months for Effie and Jet, and two for Kai. ''What a mess.''


    Sunny wasn''t even sure how old he was exactly, anymore, especially in relation to the other members of the cohort. He was still shy of turning twenty-two by several months, at least. After thinking about that for a bit, he asked:


    "How do you think the people in Fallen Grace are doing?"


    The citizens of Fallen Grace had been supposed to migrate it downstream after the news of the Defiled sybil''s demise reached them. That would have allowed them to regain their youth, and maybe even usher in a new generation, with time.


    Perhaps it was just like the Sin of Solace had said. The only way to resolve this issue... was for Sunny to surrender. But he did not know how to, and did not wish to surrender, either.


    Eventually, Sunny sighed, as well. Looking away, he nodded. "...Yeah. I am sorry that you did that, too."


    With that, he forced out a smile.


    His smile was unconvincing, and a little joyless.


    "But hey, what else were you supposed to do? At least you helped me save face. You might not have known it, but I was moments away from trying to bite you. That... would have been really embarrassing. Not to mention bad for my teeth."


    Sunny shook his head and pushed himself off the railing.


    "Dinner is almost ready, so I''d better go. Cassie will take over from you soon. Come down before the food gets cold."


    He waved at her and left. The first of the seven suns fell into the Great River, drowning in its unfathomable depths. Far behind them, the sky was already turning dark. The Chain Breaker continued sailing in the direction of the distant sunset.


    New n0vel chapters are published on

 Chapter 1533 Dusk Flower

    Chapter 1533 Dusk Flower


    Chain Breaker was sailing across the vast expanse of the Great River. With each day, the time of their inevitable arrival at Verge drew closer. Torment was waiting there, as well as the remnants of the Defiled horde. All dreadful and powerful adversaries, without a doubt. Sunny felt a strange melancholy settle in his burdened heart... something he did not want to carry, and could not afford to feel. His mind had to be focused on the preparations for the nearing battle. The battle that was going to decide whether they would return home as Saints, or be buried forever in the dreadful darkness of the Tomb of Ariel.


    So, he did what he did best. He put his feelings aside, and got to work. Five Memories waited for him to alter them, each possessing a unique and complicated weave. Each was different from the Crown of Dawn, and called for a different approach. The suits of armor Effie and Kai had received for slaying the two Chain Lords of the Ivory City were the easiest to deal with. Armor was meant to be durable, after all, and perhaps for that reason, the weave of these Memories was robust and durable, as well. Or maybe it was simply because of where they came from. In any case, Sunny had a good feeling about altering the Memories left behind by the two immortal Saints. The deadly arrow and the helpful charm Nephis had received in Twilight were much more complicated. They were entirely different from each other, as well, which made the task of studying the weave of their enchantments harder. But the most troublesome Memory by far was the Transcendent weapon of the Seventh Tier Nephis had received for slaying Soul Stealer. Not only was the weave of the silver blade infinitely more complex, but Sunny was also trying to do something he had never done before �� replace a single nexus of a greater Memory and enhance only one of its enchantments, leaving the rest untouched.


    More than that, the weave of the altered enchantment had to be completely isolated, so that the pressure of its more potent essence did not break the balance of the entire tapestry. New n0vel chapters are published on


    The elaborate puzzle of it all was driving him insane. Finding countless solutions to a myriad of problems demanded all of his attention. Which was good. Sunny enjoyed being faced with problems that could actually be solved. He also liked not being able to dwell on other things too much, focusing entirely on a single task. Days passed. Turning into weeks...


    Even though he had almost forgotten, they weren''t fighting against the Defilement to merely survive, or even to conquer the Nightmare and become Saints. They were fighting for these people. Their defeat would mean the end of the River Civilization, while their triumph would give the people of Fallen Grace a chance to rebuild and thrive once again.


    Even if these men and women were merely phantoms conjured by the Spell, their joys and sorrows mattered.


    But, more than that... they were a symbol of similar cities back in the waking world. The elegant canals of Fallen Grace were no different from the bustling streets on NQSC. Making sure that they would not turn empty and desolate... that was the calling of the Awakened. The change that had happened to this floating city served to illustrate what the triumphs or failures of Awakened truly meant. Standing on the deck of the Chain Breaker, Sunny took a deep breath.


    ''We will destroy Verge and conquer this Nightmare.''


    He had promised to do so. He had promised to do so thrice. Soon, he would have the chance to make good on his promise.

 Chapter 1534 Rejuvenated

    Chapter 1534 Rejuvenated


    The Chain Breaker landed on the water and cut across its surface, approaching a familiar pier. Just like in the past, there was a crowd of people watching the graceful ship approach. Sunny remembered the last time he had seen these people... it was when he, Nephis, and Cassie were departing from Fallen Grace, on their route to find and rescue the other members of the cohort. Thousands of gaunt, solemn old men and women had gathered on the piers on that day to see Dusk, their protector and savior, leave. Perhaps to never return.


    What was it that Cassie had said back then, after breaking her golden chains in a striking and decisive manner?


    She had said that they would gather powerful Outsiders, vanquish the Defilement, and usher in a new era. An era of freedom and grace. That she knew it to be true. Sunny had been a bit surprised by her impassioned proclamation and jokingly asked if she had seen a vision of fate. To which Cassie had responded...


    ''Who cares about fate? If fate is against us... we''ll break it.''


    As if it was easy, to break fate.


    Looking back, that speech was really out of character for the quiet, reserved young woman. Sure, she had been putting on a show to give the people of Fallen Grace hope. But why did it seem that Cassie had been much more alive... much more herself in those few moments than ever since? Sunny sighed, feeling a tentative smile find its way to his face. The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    Well... she had not been wrong. They had indeed gathered powerful Outsiders, against all odds. Three Masters had left Fallen Grace, but seven of them returned. Which might not have seemed like much, if one did not know what they had gone through to reach that conclusion.


    Much more important was the fact that, while their number had swelled, the number of their enemies had dwindled. Devouring Beast, Undying Slaughter, Soul Stealer, and the Dread Lord were gone. The Mad Prince was gone, too, and so only one of the Six Plagues remained.


    Then, the youths gathered at the pier looked at the other members of the cohort curiously. Kai caused a bit of a stir in the crowd, just as expected. Wearing his ivory armor, with his auburn hair tousled by the wind and an irresistible smile on his face, the charming archer waved shyly at the youths, causing many to sway. The warmth of his smile was in sharp contrast to the chilly aura emanated by Jet. Wearing a cold expression, she walked down the gangway and pierced the crowd with a grim look of her icy blue eyes. The volume of the cheers died down a little... but a different kind of gleam ignited in the eyes of many people. Especially the young man. Sunny shook his head, knowing precisely how they felt. Mordert''s appearance also caused a strong reaction. Although not as charming as Kai and not as striking as Jet, he was nevertheless the most enigmatic and mysterious of the group. His easy smile, mirror-like eyes, and the slight feeling of wrongness hiding in their reflective depths made for a magnetic impression.


    If only these people knew that they were looking at a deranged monster who would not hesitate to slaughter them all to form a few soul cores, as long as he could get away with it.


    ...Strangely enough, though, the most memorable impression was not made by Kai, Jet, or Mordret. Nor was it made by Cassie, Sunny, or Nephis. Instead, it was Effie who elicited the strongest reaction from the people of Fallen Grace.


    After two months of sailing across the Great River, her belly grew even larger than it had been before. The boisterous huntress had lost most of her former poise and grace. In fact, simply walking was tough for her. Supporting her belly with one hand and using a spear as a walking staff with another, Effie cautiously descended the gangway and looked at the crowd of youths with a bright smile. Her appearance caused all of them to grow silent. Sunny could not understand why, at first, but then realized that the people of Fallen Grace must not have seen a pregnant woman in a long, long time. Before, they were banished upstream, turning old and decrepit. In fact, they must not have seen anything like that for a while before that, as well �� among the River People, pregnant women could only be seen in the House of Youth.


    Looking at Effie must have been like looking at the promise of having a future, for them. The huntress leaned toward Sunny and whispered, her smile becoming a little strained:


    "Doofus... why are they all staring at me?"


    He cleared his throat, not knowing how exactly to answer that question. Eventually, Sunny said: "It''s because they are happy."


    Effie chuckled. "Oh..."


    She turned to the crowd and waved. "I guess I should be happy then, too."

 Chapter 1535 Seven Heroes.

    Chapter 1535 Seven Heroes.


    The members of the cohort were standing on the pier, surrounded by a crowd of people. Because of how strange the lives of the Riverborn were, all these people seemed to be very young... Sunny was not that old himself, and yet, he couldn''t help but feel that he was a seasoned elder looking at countless children. The glint of awe and admiration in their eyes did nothing to lessen the impression. He remained motionless for a few moments, feeling strangely burdened by their gazes. The members of the cohort had different reactions to the warm welcome they received from the citizens of Falling Grace, ranging from nonchalance to embarrassment. It was at that moment that Cassie took a step forward and spoke, her voice rising above the crowd:


    "People of Fallen Grace... after being apart for so long, we finally meet again."


    She smiled, and the crowd of youths exploded with exhilarated cheers. The blind seer leaned on her white staff, waiting for them to calm down, then raised it slightly. "I am Dusk of Fallen Grace. And today, I return home bearing the sacred relic of our city, the Guiding Light bestowed upon us by the gods themselves!"


    Sunny felt a bit odd observing her speak to her people. The sight of Cassie right now was so different from how she had been before. He knew it better than anyone else, because his shadow had been following the blind girl for the past two months. Cassie was usually quiet, reserved, and unassuming. Even when surrounded by people, her presence was subtle to the point of being unnoticeable, sometimes making it hard to remember that the blind girl was there. That was only because Sunny was accustomed to her company, of course �� most people would find it hard to ignore the presence of such an exquisitely beautiful Ascended. Still, Cassie was not someone who enjoyed attention. On the contrary, she seemed to be in the habit of avoiding it. Which was why he felt strange watching her command the attention of a large crowd, and do it so seamlessly at that. Cassie played the role of a confident leader so effortlessly that it made him question what other parts of her personality were an act. ''Calm down. That is the Sin of Solace talking, not you.''


    Unaware of his thoughts, the blind girl lowered the Guiding Light and continued, the crowd hanging on her every word. "I return in the company of mighty Outsiders, as well. These brave warriors have come from all across the Great River to help us battle against the vile curse of the Defilement. Please, help me welcome them to Fallen Grace, the last stronghold of humanity under the seven suns!"


    She turned slightly and gestured to the members of the cohort, calling out their names one after another: The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    "I bring Nightingale, the Dragonslayer, who felled the harrowing Dread Lord! I bring Jet, the Soul Reaper, who put an end to Undying Slaughter! I bring Lady Nephis, the Changing Star, whose holy flames vanquished Soul Stealer! I bring Mordret, the valiant prince of a distant land, and huntress Athena, whose spear always strikes true!"


    No... no, he had not. Cassie might have wanted to reassure these poor people, who had been at the mercy of the Great River for so long, but he knew better. Sure, five of the six Plagues were no more, and sure, the cohort had a perfect weapon against the horrid power of the First Seeker �� Nephis. But the Nightmare was far from over, still. Torment remained, and so did the remnant forces of the Defilement under her command. Verge still existed, somewhere far away. It was where the Defilement had started, and would therefore be the most harrowing of all the places they had visited on the Great River, without a doubt. But still...


    Perhaps, he could allow himself to relax and believe in a better future, at least for a day. Looking at the sea of delighted youths, Sunny took a deep breath and smiled. ''There won''t be opportunities to smile and celebrate later. So... I better take this chance to enjoy some peace.''


    Leaning down a little, he whispered in Cassie''s ear:


    "Since when are you so good at addressing crowds?"


    She remained silent for a moment.


    "Since I found myself in charge of a crowded city, I guess?"


    Smiling, Cassie shook her head and took a step forward. The mass of people parted before her like a sea.

 Chapter 1536 Future Youths

    Chapter 1536 Future Youths


    There was a squad of soldiers on the pier, as well, all wearing white armor tied at the waist with red sashes. Unlike the last time Sunny had seen them, the warriors filled their armor well, brimming with vigor and vitality. Their captain was a tall, beautiful woman with fiery red hair. Sunny only recognized her because of an open helmet with a scarlet plume she was holding on the bend of her right arm... she was the captain that had escorted him and Nephis to the temple the last time around. She had seemed ancient then. Now, she looked not much older than they were. Everyone here did, really, or even younger. The startling change was still making him feel a little dizzy. Sunny had known, of course, that killing the Defiled sybil would allow Fallen Grace to migrate downstream and return these people their youth. Knowing and seeing were two different things, however. Seeing them like this was a bit... bittersweet. Sweet because it was nice to witness his actions doing some good, bitter because it reminded him of Ananke. As Sunny was pondering the strange reality of living on the Great River, the soldiers created a passage through the crowd and surrounded the members of the cohort, helping them leave the pier. They were escorted along the familiar streets once again, moving toward the temple of Dusk. There had been a lot of people on the pier, but there were even more here, crowding the sidewalks and the roofs of the buildings, all staring at the returned Outsiders with excitement and awe. The crowd followed the small procession, constantly growing. Some people were calling out to Cassie, some simply cheered from a distance. After the relative tranquility of months spent at sea, Sunny was having trouble adjusting to the boisterous atmosphere of Falling Grace. "Lord Sunless! Lord Sunless!"


    He turned his head, hearing his own name. The voice was unfamiliar, and the face of the scrawny teenager calling out to him was unfamiliar, too. But Sunny recognized those curious, intelligent eyes almost immediately. He frowned slightly, but was actually amused. "Cronos? Is that you, brat?"


    The teenager, who had been kept away by the captain of the soldiers, grinned: Updated from


    "Yes! It''s me. Lord Sunless, welcome back!"


    Sunny smiled, then nodded at the captain, signaling that it was alright to let the young man approach. A few moments later, Cronos joined the procession and looked at the other members of the cohort with wide eyes. "Lord Sunless... are these Outsiders, as well?"


    Sunny nodded. "Sure. That one, I found in a well once. That one is a freeloader who likes to invite herself into other people''s houses. That one is in the habit of giving young men like us weighty slaps, so be on guard around her. Oh, and that one is a monster wearing human skin... don''t trust anything he says, and never look him in the eyes. They are all incredible warriors, though. There is no one more qualified to fight the Defiled here in the Tomb of Ariel, that''s for sure."


    Hearing those descriptions, the members of the cohort gave him sour looks. Effie shook her head. "How come Cassie''s introductions are so much better?"


    "You are too young to go to the House of Youth, brat. In fact... you should still be in the House of Youth! Not as a parent, but as a child. Spend a few decades growing up before thinking about acting like an adult and starting a family."


    She seemed to be from a generation that had experienced things properly, unlike Cronos, who had turned into an old man before reaching adulthood, and was only now learning how to be young.


    Effie observed them with a perplexed expression, then glanced at Sunny and winked. "You hear that, doofus? This guy is eighteen and has already proposed to his girlfriend. What were you doing at eighteen?"


    Sunny gave her a dubious look.


    "You should remember it well, no? I had just helped Nephis win a bloody civil war, and then led all the surviving Dreamers of the Dark City to safety while the sky was more or less literally falling on our heads."


    Cronos stared at him incredulously for a moment, then suddenly asked, his voice full of curiosity:


    "How terrible! Does the sky fall often, outside?"


    Effie laughed. "More often than you would think, when this guy is around..."

 Chapter 1537 Last Testament

    Chapter 1537 Last Testament


    Eventually, the cohort reached the familiar island-ship that carried a beautiful palace of white stone �� the Temple of Dusk. Sunny had spent enough time under its roof to feel a hint of nostalgia at the sight of it. That was where he and Nephis had felt both hopeful and wary before their first meeting with the fabled sybil of Fallen Grace, only to meet Cassie instead. The blind girl''s two Ascended guards were waiting for them at the entrance to the temple. Unlike the other citizens, they had not changed as drastically. Both looked much younger, true, but were still mature and taciturn. Their composed faces did not betray any emotion when they bowed deeply to Cassie, but he could sense the deep care and reverence in their gazes. Despite that, the two seasoned warriors still wielded the macabre symbols of their duty to not only protect their lady from any danger, but also protect the city from the lady, if need be. The woman wielded an unsheathed greatsword, while the man held a crimson silk cord.


    Cassie greeted them both warmly, not paying any attention to the tools they were prepared to use to end her life. With that, the cohort was ushered to a hall where a feast had already been prepared. The leaders of the different forces within the city were gathered there, waiting to meet their returned ruler �� and the champions she had brought back from her journey. The next few hours were a bit tedious for Sunny. He enjoyed the food and the beverages while listening silently to the conversation.


    They had been gone from Fallen Grace for just shy of eight months. Around one month had been spent to reach Aletheia''s Island, three or four to escape it, one more to reach Twilight, and the last two months to come back. During that time, the city had migrated downstream after receiving the news that the Defiled Sybil and her Drowned minions were eliminated. There had been no major attacks on Fallen Grace since, although the Awakened warriors left to protect it �� and a few Masters, as well, including the two deaf guards �� had fought against many wandering Nightmare Creatures.New n0vel chapters are published on


    Luckily, those had been feral abominations, not war parties of the Defiled. The defenders of the city had been able to either slay or chase the monsters away without letting them damage the island-ships. Fallen Grace was indeed doing much better than it had when Sunny and Nephis first reached it. That was already apparent after their walk to the temple, simply from all the activity and repair work they had noticed on the streets. The city felt... invigorated. The reports of the leaders of the city only confirmed what they already knew. Cassie seemed gratified to hear that Fallen Grace, which she had cared for in solitude for an entire year, was doing well. A rare bright smile found its way onto her face, reminding Sunny of how earnest and soft-hearted the blind girl had been once... a long time ago. In turn, she shared the story of their journey �� a somewhat simplified and embellished version of it, at least �� with the leaders of Fallen Grace. Then came the part of the conversation that these people had been waiting for with bated breaths. Without wasting any time, Cassie announced that she would be departing again shortly. This time, to lead the group of Outsiders she had gathered to attack Verge and rid the Great River of the curse of the Defilement once and for all. The people gathered in the hall seemed stunned to hear that. Not only were they struggling to conceive of the fact that such a thing was even possible, they were also startled and heartbroken to learn that their lady would be leaving mere days after returning home from a long and harrowing journey. But there was no way around it. The cohort was determined to only spend as much time in Fallen Grace as was needed to perform light repairs on the Chain Breaker �� a week, at most. There was no point in staying longer. It would only give Torment �� who was a potent seer herself �� more time to prepare for their arrival. More than that, they were on a timer. Effie''s pregnancy was nearing the end stage. She was already close to eight months along... if they lingered in Fallen Grace, her child could be born on the way to Verge. Nobody knew if the child conceived in the waking world would become Riverborn or not, so they did not want to risk it.


    "I see that you are concerned."


    "That is what I expect from you all. Don''t disappoint me."


    Hearing her words, the Riverborn gathered in the temple looked down with solemn expressions. Sunny sighed. The Spell was a cruel thing, indeed. It threw them into Nightmares and tasked them with changing fate. But what they strived to change was just an illusion. It would have been great if they were in the real Tomb of Ariel, changing the lives of real people.


    But, sadly, time �� and fate �� did not work that way.


    What had happened was set in stone, and could not be changed.


    Not by mortals like them, and not in a Nightmare.


    ...Or, at least, not in a Third Nightmare.

 Chapter 1538 Lords Wisdom

    Chapter 1538 Lord''s Wisdom


    While the Chain Breaker was receiving light repairs, the members of the cohort were left to their own devices. Those who had never been to Fallen Grace spent time exploring its island-ships and getting to know the locals. Cassie was busy arranging things for when she was gone. Sunny... Sunny did not really want to look at the beautiful city of eternal dusk. It made him wistful, and so, he threw himself back into weaving, knowing that there was not much time left. He did, however, continue to observe the blind girl through one of his shadows �� out of habit more than anything else, by now, since she had never done anything to confirm the accusations made by the Sin of Solace in the past two months. He also sent one of his shadows to keep an eye on Mordret. Sunny was certain that Cassie was doing the same, as well �� the Prince of Nothing could not be trusted to be on his best behavior in a city full of people. Especially people who were inhabitants of a Nightmare, and therefore no different from his countless victims in the Kingdom of Hope. But Mordret did not seem inclined to go on a massacre in Fallen Grace. In fact, he was mostly interested in its myths and legends, of all things, spending his days talking to people on the streets and listening to their stories. The people seem to enjoy his company.


    On the third day of their stay in the last human city, Sunny successfully altered the Transcendent arrow Memory Nephis had earned in Twilight, elevating its Rank to Supreme. The onerous process of transplanting a new nexus and reinforcing the weave to withstand it left him drained and fatigued. So, Sunny decided to let himself rest and left the temple, eventually finding his way to the edge of the island-ship. Sitting down there, he observed the busy canals of Fallen Grace and allowed his tired mind to rest. It was not long after that when Cronos found him, brimming with endless curiosity, just like always. Today, however, the teenagers at least tried to keep it in check. Noticing his strange behavior, Sunny raised his eyebrow and asked:


    "What''s on your mind?"


    The young man hesitated for a while, but eventually asked:


    "Lord Sunless... I heard that you won''t be returning from Verge. Is it true?"


    Sunny looked at him, frowning a little. Then, he looked away and sighed. "Sure. We aren''t planning to die, mind you. It''s just that we are Outsiders. Once the Defilement is destroyed, it''s back to the Outside for us."


    Cronos seemed saddened by that response. He stared at the water dejectedly. "What is it like, really? The world outside Ariel''s Tomb? What are you going to do after leaving here?"


    "I want to make sure that Fallen Grace continues to exist... and thrive, just like she told us to. For myself, my wife, and our future children. Ah, but I''m just some brat. So, I figured I should become really strong first. Like you, Lord Sunless! So that people had no choice but to listen to what I had to say." Sunny looked at him incredulously. Cronos was, indeed, just some brat. But all great people whose deeds shaped history had been brats, once. Would this kid become a great leader, one day? Would his actions shape the future of Fallen Grace, and create a world where his children could grow up safe and happy? Would the stories of his deeds become legends, one day?


    Or would he disappear without a trace once the Nightmare was complete?


    Sunny forced himself to smile. "Strong like me? Brat, do you think people actually listen to what I have to say? Stronger! Become much stronger than me. Then, they''ll listen."


    With that, he patted the teenager on the shoulder and rose to his feet. The charm Memory waited to be altered. The day of their departure from Fallen Grace was drawing near. "Stronger than you, my lord? B��but... no, that''s just unreasonable!"


    Sunny looked at the startled youth with a smile, then shook his head and headed away.


    "Then be unreasonable!"


    Imparting Cronos with that piece of questionable wisdom, he returned to the temple and spent a few sleepless hours going over his plans for altering the Transcendent charm. He felt that he had already accounted for everything that could go wrong... so he would probably be ready to start the process once his essence was replenished by the Crown of Twilight. Just when the night fell, however, something distracted him from the preparations. After wasting its time for months, the shadow that had been following Cassie finally noticed something strange about her movements.

 Chapter 1539 Sybils Secrets

    Chapter 1539 Sybil''s Secrets


    Sunny was in his quarters, going over the plan for altering the Transcendent charm. Outside, Fallen Grace was bathed in the beautiful glow of the iridescent water. The short night had descended on the world, shrouding the sky in absolute darkness. In that dark hour, Cassie was walking along the corridors of the temple �� which wasn''t that strange, in and of itself, if not for the fact that she was alone. Usually, the two deaf guards would be following behind her, but they were nowhere to be seen. The only thing accompanying the blind girl was the shadow Sunny had sent to keep an eye on her. Back in his quarters, he straightened and frowned, distracted from envisioning the complicated tapestry of the charm''s spellweave. ''What is she up to?'' New n0vel chapters are published on


    Cassie had not given him any reason to feel worried in these past two months... honestly, monitoring her movements was an afterthought by now. Sunny had certainly hoped that it would remain that way. Feeling a bit somber, he glanced at the motionless figure standing a few meters away. The Sin of Solace was staring at him silently, not bothering to say anything. However, his gaze expressed more than enough. Sunny winced, then looked away. "Don''t you glare at me. I''m sure it''s nothing."


    He said that... but did not command the shadow to back away. Instead, he dedicated more of his attention to observing Cassie. The blind girl certainly did not seem pensive or secretive. She calmly walked along the winding stone corridors, tracing her fingers on the wall. Her other hand was holding the leather-bound journal. ''Maybe her guards are asleep.''


    Sunny returned to considering the weave while keeping an eye on Cassie. She walked for quite some time, eventually entering the part of the temple that he was not familiar with. These chambers were used for preparing for public rituals, so Sunny had no business being there. Cassie, on the other hand, seemed very familiar with that area of the temple. She made a few more turns and stopped in front of an unassuming wooden door. A mundane-looking key appeared in her hand. Unlocking the door, Cassie entered a narrow staircase that led down, spiraling. Sunny''s frown deepened.


    The blind girl remained motionless for a while, then sighed deeply and placed the last journal on the pile.


    Then, she closed the lid of the chest, kept her hand on it for a few moments, and rose. Turning away, she approached the edge of the dark well and lowered her head, listening to the sounds of the flowing water with a distant expression.


    Cassie stood there for several minutes, unmoving. Separated from her by hundreds of meters and numerous stone walls, Sunny grew tense, ready to step through the shadows and appear in the underground chamber should something reach for the blind girl from the cold darkness. ''What the hell is that place? Did Dusk leave those things behind?''


    It would make sense for the sybil who had lived in the temple for centuries to leave many traces here, including her personal records. However, what was with the ominous well leading to the dark waters? Sunny gritted his teeth. But in the end, nothing happened. Cassie clenched her fists, turned away from the underground well, and left the chamber the way she came. Ascending the narrow steps, she reentered the temple proper and traced her way back to her quarters, entering them through a private passage. It was only then that Sunny allowed his tense body to relax. His mind, however, was anything but calm. ''Why would Dusk have a secret like that?''


    He hesitated for a while, then felt a cold chill run down his spine. ''...Or does it have nothing to do with Dusk, at all?''

 Chapter 1540 Clouded Judgment

    Chapter 1540 Clouded Judgment


    The feeling of restlessness Sunny had felt after leaving Twilight returned. Something strange was going on with Cassie... had been going on for a long time, maybe. He was almost sure of it.


    But it was the "almost" of it all that made the situation so difficult. He did not know what to do... confront her? Share his concern with others? What would he say?


    That Cassie should not have survived Twilight? None of them should have survived there, really. That she kept journals? There was nothing wrong with that, and claiming otherwise would only make him seem strange. That she was too quiet and unassuming, which made him feel as if she was hiding something vital from them? That sounded like paranoia talking.


    In fact, it was �� it was the Sin of Solace whispering into his ear. The Sin of Solace, whose only purpose was to drive him mad. Was he a fool to listen to these whispers?


    Sunny was not even sure himself what he was suspecting Cassie of, just that he did not feel comfortable with her secrets. But...


    Was it really because there was something off about the blind girl, or was it simply because he had never trusted her? Was he still secretly holding on to the grudge after what she had done on the Forgotten Shore, which painted his perception of her? Sunny would be lying if he said that he had let go of that grudge completely. None of the others seemed to suspect Cassie of anything, so why was he the only one looking for faults in her actions?


    ''Ah, damnation.'' Folloow current novE?ls on nov/3lb((in).(co/m)


    What was he supposed to do?


    Sunny glared at the Sin of Solace, then took a deep breath. He slowly calmed down. "That... doesn''t even make any sense. At least try to be convincing when you are spouting nonsense, will you?"


    Sunny was prejudiced against Cassie... that much was apparent. Deep in his heart, he still harbored resentment toward her. He valued and cared for her, as well, but that was beside the point. Humans were complicated and contradictory creatures, indeed... just like Nephis had said, they could love and hate someone at the same time. Because Sunny''s judgment was clouded, it was easy to find fault with Cassie. But if he flipped his perception and looked at the situation from a different angle, trying to find the opposite, any suspicion that the blind girl could have been doing something to harm the cohort would crumble. It was a preposterous idea. Almost every action Cassie had taken was for their benefit. They would have never made it that far without her. From start to finish, she had been nothing but a selfless ally, putting herself in harm''s way on numerous occasions. Finding the scattered members of the cohort, escaping Aletheia''s Island, surviving the depths of the Great River... none of that would have been possible without her. So, no matter what secret Cassie was keeping, it was not something that would harm the cohort. Sunny had no reason to worry about that. After realizing that, he felt his heart calming down.


    But then, it suddenly felt heavy once again.


    Because while Sunny did not have a reason to worry about the cohort...


    There might have been a reason to worry about Cassie. ''She''s not... preparing herself for something drastic, is she?''


    A deep scowl appeared on his face once again. He remained silent for a while, then shook his head. ''No, she wouldn''t. Cassie might seem soft, but she is one of the strongest people I know. She''s much stronger than anyone gives her credit for.''


    Still, a tiny seed of doubt remained. Sunny cursed quietly, threw a hateful glance at the Sin of Solace, and turned his attention back to the Transcendent charm.


    The day of their departure was swiftly approaching, so he had to perform the alteration as soon as possible.

 Chapter 1541 Into the Sunset

    Chapter 1541 Into the Sunset


    On the last night before their departure from Fallen Grace, Sunny let out a deep sigh and listened to the Spell whisper into his ear: [Your Memory has been destroyed.]


    [...You have received a Memory.]


    With that, the Transcendent charm he had been working on had become a Supreme one. Its enchantment, which enhanced the material properties of objects, was further strengthened. Not only was the nexus of its weave more potent now, but the weave itself had also been made more robust to withstand the increased pressure. Strings of ethereal light were intertwined with the black threads of shadow essence, forming a mesmerizing tapestry. Sunny took a deep breath. ''Four down... one to go.''


    He had saved the hardest Memory for last �� the Transcendent memory of the Seventh Tier meant for Nephis. That one, he was going to have to alter on their way to Verge. Things were happening so fast now. Looking back at what he had experienced in the Nightmare, it was hard to believe how close the end of it all was. It seemed like Sunny had been sharing the ketch with Nephis and Ananke just yesterday, but now, he was approaching the finish line.


    Dismissing the charm, he rose and stretched his limbs, then left his quarters. It was night, but no one in Fallen Grace seemed to be asleep. While Sunny was passing by the windows, he saw numerous people crowding the streets on the neighboring island-ships. They were all looking at the white temple, knowing that their lady, and the Outsider warriors she had gathered, were going to leave come dawn �� or rather, dusk. Leave to challenge the very source of the Defilement. It was not an exaggeration to say that their fates depended on the result of their journey. However... looking at these people, Sunny did not feel that they were concerned for themselves. It seemed like they were concerned about Dusk and her Outsider companions, instead. ''Funny...''


    Sunny could not remember the last time he had watched someone go into battle on his behalf. It must have happened occasionally, but he was usually the one doing the fighting. In Antarctica, he had carried thousands of refugees on his back across the frozen hellscape... which had seemed like a burden, at the time. But, in a sense, he would have been burdened watching someone fight and die for him more. So, he could easily understand the complicated storm of emotions brewing in the hearts of the people being left behind in Fallen Grace. He often complained about how harsh and unforgiving the life of an Awakened was... but it was also a privilege. Consumed by such detached thoughts, he entered the hall where Cassie was giving the last orders to the people who would be ruling the city in her absence. Some of them he knew, like the captain of the soldiers or the carpenter who had been in charge of repairing the Chain Breaker, while others were strangers. All of them bowed respectfully when he entered. "Lord Sunless."


    He nodded at them and approached Cassie, then placed a hand on her shoulder. A spark of energy traveled between them as the Supreme charm was transferred from his soul to hers. "Here... all done. The enchantment is substantially more powerful now. It also consumes much more essence, so be careful."


    She summoned the charm, which was shaped like a jade flower, and weighed it on her hand. Soon, the petals of the ornament ignited with a soft glow, hinting that its enchantment was activated. At the same time, the hilt of the Quiet Dancer glistened.


    A faint smile appeared on Cassie''s lips. "Thank you."


    They reached the pier and boarded the Chain Breaker. Turning back, Sunny looked at the crowd one last time. Most of these youths looked unfamiliar �� even if he knew them from before, their appearance had changed now. He did, however, notice Cronos standing in one of the first rows, accompanied by a pretty young woman. Noticing him looking, the teenager smiled and waved. ''This guy...''


    Sunny smiled and waved, as well. He even winked, making the brat look startled. ''This is what we''re fighting for, I guess. In a way.''


    There was a little empty space in front of the gangway leading to the ship. Cassie''s two deaf guards were standing there, looking up at her with lost gazes. She turned around and faced the crowd. This time, however, there was no speech. The blind girl remained silent for a few moments, then addressed her guards instead. "...Thank you. You two are free, now."


    They were looking at her, unable to hear those words. She smiled softly.


    "Thank you for everything. Take care of yourselves. And of each other."


    The two Ascended seemed to sway slightly, then knelt silently. The woman let go of the hilt of her sword. The man dropped his silk cord into the water. Tears were streaming down their weathered faces. Cassie sighed lightly, bowed deeply to the crowd, and turned away.


    "Let''s go. It''s time for us to leave."


    Soon, the Chain Breaker departed from the pier and rose into the sky. They were flying into the blazing sunset, disappearing into its bloodred glow.


    Forever.

 Chapter 1542 Last Journey

    Chapter 1542 Last Journey


    And there it was. The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    They had left on the last journey of this tumultuous, dreadful Nightmare. For Sunny and Nephis, it was especially poignant, because they had come from the far reaches of the future �� and were now on their way to the furthest reaches of the past, where Verge stood. It must have been especially emotional for Cassie, as well, because she was leaving the city she had spent a whole year ruling and trying to preserve. Now, its fate depended on whether they would be successful in their battle against the First Seeker. In any case, she would never see Fallen Grace again. None of them knew if it would even exist, in any kind of way, should they prevail. However, it was inevitable for Fallen Grace to be destroyed should they fail.


    The blind girl did not look back. Instead, she stood at the bow of the flying ship, facing the setting suns. The others gave her some space, knowing that there had to be a storm of complicated emotions weighing on her heart. Only Sunny could see her face, visible to the shadow that was hiding close by. Cassie''s face was not wistful or sad. Instead, it was full of resolve and determination... impatience, even. It was as though she had been waiting for this moment for a long, long time. Which was true, of course. Apart from Mordret, she had spent by far the longest in this Nightmare. Sunny knew that he was sick and tired of the Tomb of Ariel. The blind girl had to be feeling the same, but much more intensely. ''We''ve been here for so long.''


    Sunny had come to Ariel''s Tomb far away from here. He had spent time with Nephis, come to care for and then lost Ananke, traveled to Fallen Grace and got to know the culture of the River People there, fought against all kinds of underwater horrors on the way to Aletheia''s Island, withstood the insidious hell of the time loop, dove into the depths of the Great River and emerged from the other side, battled against the Defiled Saints in Twilight...


    This time, however, their journey was going to be different from the previous time they had visited the boundless darkness. That was because, unlike the first time, the Chain Breaker would be crossing the space within the loop of the Great River, as opposed to the empty space between it and the walls of the pyramid. None of them knew what exactly would be waiting for them there, but at least there was no threat of the terrifying swarm of the Dark Butterflies becoming aware of their presence �� since they would not be coming anywhere near the walls of the pyramid, where the Great Monsters slumbered. They also did not know how long the journey across the empty space in the middle of the looping river would take. The last time, they had arrived back to the surface of the Great River rather quickly �� but that was because space itself behaved strangely inside the pyramid. Still, it was going to be much faster than simply sailing all the way to the dawn of time. They were going to reach the waters surrounding Verge in a week, two at most. If nothing unforeseen happened. Sunny studied the darkness for some time, feeling both wary of the challenge ahead and ready to face it. Then, he gritted his teeth and went back to working on the silver blade. The mind-numbing complexity of weaving calmed him down, eradicating all unnecessary thoughts. ''Soon... this Nightmare will be over soon.''


    Sunny refused to think that they would fail.


    However...


    Now that they were nearing the end of this dreadful tale, the thoughts that he had banished a long time ago were returning. The thoughts about the fate of Antarctica, of the refugees he had so desperately tried to protect. What was happening to the waking world right now? How was Rain doing? Was she healthy and safe, or infected by the Nightmare Spell and in the throes of going through her own trials?


    Knowing that he could not allow himself to get distracted at this critical point, he suppressed these thoughts again. He was going to find out sooner than later, anyway. If he survived. So, what Sunny had to do right now was make sure that he survived, and that his friends survived, as well. He had to fulfill the promise he had given, and conquer this Nightmare. At all costs.

 Chapter 1543 Pride of a Craftsman

    Chapter 1543 Pride of a Craftsman


    Just as it was in the black void beyond the Great River, the space itself acted strangely in the empty space contained at the center of endless loop of flowing water. The Chain Breaker had been traversing the vast emptiness for a while now �� at least a day or two, from how it felt �� but Sunny was not at all sure how far they had traveled. All he knew was that the point of the Great River from which they had left seemed far away now, while the point which they hoped to reach was not as distant. It shimmered in the darkness, both alluring and terrifying. Navigating the flying ship toward Verge was not very hard, because it was situated near the Source. So, all they had to do was aim for the last stretch of clear water before the area of the Great River shrouded in hazy mist. A long time ago, close to the start of the Nightmare, Sunny had an epiphany that the strength of his allies was his own power, as well. Therefore, he had become determined to increase the strength of the cohort as much as he could, in any way he could. He had been faithful to that determination up until now. Apart from the very action of gathering every member of the cohort from across the Tomb of Ariel, that had mostly taken the form of arming them with powerful Memories. Sunny had spent much of his time developing and improving his skill as a sorcerer for that purpose. Now, his ability to weave had improved tremendously compared to the start of the Nightmare. Studying Ananke''s Mantle had allowed him to make a qualitative leap in understanding of the fundamental principles of weaving, and by studying many Memories in order to alter them, Sunny had improved his overall ability, as well. As a result, Neph''s Crown of Dawn had become a Supreme Memory. That was still his most valuable achievement, because that single Memory was able to empower all the rest of the Memories at their disposal. Of course, Sunny had not stopped there. He had also provided his allies with four additional altered Memories �� Kai, Effie, and Cassie now wielded them, preparing to use his gifts in the battle against Torment, the First Seeker, and the remnant forces of the Defilement. His help was not limited to Memories, either. Whether on purpose or not, Sunny had also helped his friends grow stronger as individual warriors. Jet had received her Aspect Legacy and was now wielding the chilling mist blade. Kai had acquired the [Dragonslayer] Attribute, which enhanced his body and elemental resistance. Nephis seemed to have regained her lost confidence. Her understanding of her Divine Aspect had deepened, and with it came the Knowledge of Fire �� one of the boons of her mysterious Aspect Legacy.


    She was also a Titan now. ...Sunny had grown vastly stronger than he used to be, as well. Not even mentioning his sorcery, here in the Tomb of Ariel, he had mastered the fourth step of Shadow Dance and perfected the Shadow Shell technique. He had become a Terror. Two of his Shadows had evolved, growing much more powerful. A version of him from before Antarctica would have been like a child in front of him at the end of the harrowing Southern Campaign. But that version of him, in turn, would stand no chance against his current self.


    And somewhere between the two, there was a version of himself that Sunny never wanted to meet, let alone fight. The Mad Prince, which had come and gone, changing everything.


    And if he managed to accomplish his ambitious alteration, every achievement she made with the silver sword would, in small part, also be his. Sunny, who had always been a fighter, was feeling a strange exhilaration as he worked on the complicated Memory. It was the unfamiliar, but rewarding pride of a craftsman who was confident in the usefulness of his work. And then, finally, everything was ready. Summoning two pairs of shadow hands, Sunny took a deep breath, picked up Weaver''s Needle, and got to work. Time seemed to slow down as his six hands moved through the vast tapestry of glowing strings, snapping some and weaving new ones into the intricate pattern. Drops of sweat fell from his brow, but he did not pay it any attention. His expression remained calm and composed, utter focus permeating his gaze.


    Golden sparks ignited in the depths of his altered eyes, and his fingertips felt the slightest vibration spreading through the essence strings. From time to time, his skin was cut, but no blood seeped out of the cuts. He did not allow the pain to distract him, either. ''Wondrous...''


    Sunny felt exhilarated as he weaved sorcery. And then, he felt overjoyed. Lowering his hands, Sunny let out a long sigh and listened to the Spell announcing the destruction of a Memory, and the creation of a new one. He had succeeded. And now that he did, there were no more preparations to be made. All that remained was to reach Verge and use everything little bit of strength he had accumulated to destroy the First Seeker, and escape this dreadful Nightmare.

 Chapter 1544 Innermost Void

    Chapter 1544 Innermost Void


    After returning the silver blade to Nephis, and failing to say anything meaningful to her, Sunny did not have much to do. He spent some time with Kai, Effie, and Jet, enjoyed a good night of sleep, and then assumed his usual spot under the branches of the sacred tree to meditate. Everything that could have been done was already done. They had prepared as best they could... at least he thought they did. Now, all that remained was to clear his mind and prepare himself mentally for the coming battle. Sunny and his companions spent the rest of the time the Chain Breaker was traversing the empty void clearing their minds and steeling their hearts. The battle they faced promised to be a dire one...


    But, honestly, Sunny did not find it hard to calm his mind and get ready to face whatever it was that would come. There were only so many times he could feel nervous to the point of losing sleep before a decisive battle. He had experienced so many bloody clashes in Antarctica that anticipating another one had long become an ordinary event. Preparing for one mentally was not only a skill, but also a habit.


    So, Sunny found himself feeling strangely calm. He slowly went over his experiences in the Tomb of Ariel, consolidating his insights and shoring up his fundamentals. Rapid growth was most welcome, but failing to digest his many gains properly could leave him unstable. He had to eliminate all instability before reaching Verge. Others were doing the same, each in their own fashion. While Sunny meditated under the sacred tree, Nephis practiced with her new sword, getting used to its weight and powers. Updated from


    Jet had found a hammock, somewhere, and was comfortably asleep in it. Effie was enjoying the snacks she had prepared for herself. Kai was practicing a strange, outwardly inefficient form of archery while absentmindedly humming a song. Cassie was steering the ship, which seemed to calm her down. Mordret, morbidly enough, was inspecting his collection of bodies. Those of them that had belonged to Awakened each possessed their own unique powers, so he was probably coming up with plans of when and where to use them best. ''That guy... is such a creep.''


    Sunny shook his head, and then went to inspect his Shadows... which were created from the dead creatures he had killed. Not creepy at all, surely. Everything seemed to be in order. Everyone was ready. ...But before they could return to the Great River, an unexpected event threw a wrench into their plans. Sunny was on his way to the bow when a loud boom resounded from below the deck, and the entire ship suddenly shook. Gritting his teeth, he immediately stepped through the shadows and appeared at the galley, which seemed to have been the place where the booming sound originated. He had expected to see some harrowing Nightmare Creature that had come from the void and infiltrated the Chain Breaker, or perhaps Mordret trying to kill one of the members of the cohort... but nothing like that was happening. Instead, he only saw Effie standing near the bulkhead, hissing curses. Her fist had crashed through the durable wood, splintering and cracking it. Her other hand was resting on her belly.


    Her face was pale, and twisted by a grimace of pain.


    Before Sunny could understand what was happening, Kai and Jet appeared at the doors. Cassie was not far behind them.


    Mordret had not deemed it necessary to show up, but was definitely watching through the reflections. Nephis, meanwhile, remained on the stern, controlling the ship.


    ''What happened?''


    Effie lingered for a few moments, then turned to them and forced out a smile. The sight of it was familiar, but Sunny was unnerved by the dark, bitter look in her eyes. The huntress took a deep breath and said, her voice somewhat strained:


    He lingered for a moment. "...Effie seemed to be going into labor. Go, they''re waiting. I''ll steer the ship."


    A frown appeared on Neph''s face, and she left the runic circle without saying a word. Soon, Sunny and Kai were left alone. But not for long. Mordret had appeared from somewhere, sparing them a curious glance. "I couldn''t help but overhear. It seems that a wolf cub is about to be born, huh? How exciting. Can''t say I ever heard about a child being born in a Nightmare... that should be a first, even among the Great Clans..."


    Before he was done talking, Kai suddenly turned and raised a hand. It seemed as if he had wanted to grab Mordret by the collar, but managed to control himself, and simply put a hand on his shoulder instead. Kai''s usually gentle eyes were shining with a cold and furious kind of light. "...You stay away from that child, Prince Mordret. I''m warning you."


    His clear voice did not contain the authority of his Ascended Ability, but it still crashed into the Prince of Nothing like a wave. Mordret stared at the charming... usually charming archer for a few moments, amusement slowly disappearing from his gaze. Then, he scoffed. "Who do you take me for? A monster?"


    He shook his head. "Well, alright, I might be a bit of a monster. But I''m not a fool. What do I gain from taking the body of an infant? Relax, Ascended Nightingale. We are all in the same boat. Quite literally."


    Kai glared at him for a few moments more, then slowly removed his hand and took a step back, leaning on the railings. His expression was suddenly somber and pained. He remained silent for a while, then said in a lost voice:


    "How... did this happen?"


    Sunny knew how he felt, because he felt the same. Nevertheless, he suddenly had a ridiculous impulse to start explaining the birds and the bees to his friend, just like Effie had done to him so many times. Steering the Chain Breaker through the dark void, Sunny chuckled all of a sudden. "It just did. Don''t worry... with Nephis there, it''s all going to be alright."


    However, he knew that the delivery itself was not what Kai was worried about. It was everything else. Shaking his head, Mordret walked to the edge of the deck and looked into the dark emptiness beyond. Somewhere fat away, the Great River flowed, a long span of it shrouded in mist. Outside the mist of the Source, Verge was waiting for them.


    He smiled. "What an exciting Nightmare it is. Is it not?"

 Chapter 1545 Purest Sound

    Chapter 1545 Purest Sound


    The delivery did not go smoothly. Sunny, Kai... and Mordret, of all people... remained on the stern of the ship for more or less the entire time, waiting for the results. Sunny at least had a task to keep him occupied �� guiding the Chain Breaker across the black void was not very difficult, but it still required attention. Mordret did not seem to care that much, but Kai was extremely concerned. He paced nervously, sometimes glancing down, but then hurriedly turning his gaze away. It was a bit strange. All three of them could learn exactly what was going on �� Sunny thanks to his shadows, Mordret through the reflections, and Kai due to his Awakened Ability. However, none of them made use of that opportunity, preferring to remain in the dark about what was happening below deck.


    It was not like they did not receive any signs, though. The Chain Breaker seemed to tremble from time to time, and Effie''s voice eventually reached their ears, penetrating the impregnable wood the enchanted ship was built from. Hearing the barrage of curses pouring out of her mouth, Sunny was a bit reassured. Things could not be going too terrible, considering that she had enough energy for such eloquence. ...At the same time, he felt his ears slowly turning numb. Some of those words, he did not even know. Others seemed familiar, but used in an entirely new context. Even after growing up in the outskirts, he was on the verge of blushing a little. ''Really... is there a need to be so descriptive? She has been chewed on by all kinds of Nightmare Creatures. How bad can the pain be?''


    Nevertheless, the process continued for many hours. After a while, Effie''s voice grew tired, and his expression grew dim. It was taking too long. Even without being able to precisely measure time, Sunny knew that Effie had been in labor for longer than usual. It has already been a full day, at least, and there seemed to be no end to it. Nephis, Cassie, and Jet were with her, handling the process. They would have called upon him and Kai if they needed help, but none of them had appeared from below the deck. Sunny was growing more and more uneasy, and Kai was entirely beyond himself, by then. "Should we... do something?" Updated from


    Sunny looked at him somberly. "Do what? There''s nothing to do. Calm down. Neph is there, so everything will work out."


    Kai hesitated for a while, then nodded. It was hard not to feel useless.


    It was even harder not to feel burdened by the uncertainty of the future. They were going into battle very soon... the timing of it all was extremely unfortunate. Disastrous, maybe. This whole Nightmare had been one disaster after another, starting with the dire necessity that had forced them to enter the Seed, to begin with. And the man responsible for landing them into this situation was right here with them, yawning as he looked into the darkness.


    Sunny suppressed the desire to toss Mordret overboard. Not because doing so would lessen their chances of prevailing in Verge, even, but simply because he knew that getting rid of the bastard would not be that easy. Letting out a heavy sigh, he moved the steering oars slightly and looked ahead. Time slowly passed. The intensity of Effie''s labor only grew, while at the same time, her voice became more and more fatigued. And then, after something that felt like several days passed...


    He hesitated. "...What about the timing? Wasn''t it too early?"


    Cassie remained silent for a moment, then shrugged with uncertainty. "Everything seems fine."


    Then, she suddenly remembered something and raised a hand. "Oh. Can you... lend me the Endless Spring? I was supposed to bring more water, but the nearest barrel is all the way in the cargo hold. We''ll wash them off. And then you''ll be able to see them."


    Sunny summoned the Memory and placed it in Cassie''s hand, feeling a storm of emotions raging in his wildly beating heart.


    ''What the hell. What is this damned Nightmare, even?'' "Right. Sure. Of course. I''ll... I''ll go tell Kai."


    He turned to walk away, then froze. "Oh! I forgot to ask. Who is it? A boy, or a girl?"


    Cassie smiled wider and then opened the door of the cabin, slipping inside. "It''s a healthy boy!"

 Chapter 1546 Raised by Wolves

    Chapter 1546 Raised by Wolves


    Although Effie had gone into labor prematurely, both she and her infant son were alright. The worst fear of the cohort had not come true, either. Perhaps because the child had been conceived in the waking world, or perhaps because he was born in the black void outside the currents of the Great River, at the very heart of Ariel''s Tomb, he was not Riverborn. At least that was what they surmised after cautiously setting the Chain Breaker in motion and observing no change in the appearance of the baby. It was an immense relief. Even Sunny, who always expected the worst and was usually prepared to receive painful blows from fortune, felt like an incredible burden had been lifted from his heart. The immediate danger had passed. Of course, the future was still uncertain. They still had to fight Torment and destroy the First Seeker. The child''s life still hung in a fragile balance, because it was unknown what would happen to his soul after the end of the Nightmare. But, somehow, Sunny felt hopeful. After everything had been said and done, the Chain Breaker continued sailing through the dark abyss. The members of the cohort took turns spending time with Effie and her newborn, full of contradictory emotions. The huntress herself had been exhausted by the prolonged labor, but was regaining her vigor and vitality at an incredible rate. She still looked tired and drained, though, when Sunny came to see her. Effie was in her cabin, sitting in a comfortable chair. She was wrapped in a blanket, and holding a sizable bundle in her arms, looking at it tenderly. Sunny was actually startled by that gaze, unaccustomed to seeing his friend so... openly vulnerable. And strangely content. Hearing him enter, Effie looked up and smiled tiredly. "Ah... Uncle Doofus. Welcome, welcome."


    He approached and looked at the bundle, finally laying his eyes on the newborn. Effie''s child... looked pretty much like all infants did, with the exception of the fact that he was entirely too large to have been born mere hours ago, at least twice the size of a normal baby.


    ''That poor woman...''


    Sunny looked at the huntress with pity. Effie had always been unreasonably tall, and her son would grow up to be a real giant, from the looks of it. Internally, Sunny sighed.


    ''Another beanpole. Gods. That brat is going to be taller than me in no time, won''t he? Well... he might just grow up to be taller than anyone. That''s a relief.''


    Effie''s smile grew wider. "He''s beautiful, isn''t he?"


    Sunny stared at her in confusion.


    She... had really chosen the wrong person to ask that question. "What are you talking about? He''s absolutely ugly. All infants are. And don''t give me that look... you know I can''t lie!"


    The huntress stared at him for a couple moments, then laughed and gently stroked the sleeping infant''s soft head. "Well, I think he''s beautiful. Almost as much as his mom is, eh?" New n0vel chapters are published on


    Sunny shook his head, wondering if all parents were a little sick in the head. Well, they had to be. Otherwise, what would make them care for the poor infants? A bit of unreasonable affection went a long way...


    He hesitated for a while, thinking about the little life in front of him. The infant... actually, it was not very convenient to keep calling him the infant. Glancing at Effie, he asked:


    She caressed the infant''s soft cheek and added, her voice hiding a somber undertone:


    "Maybe... maybe it''s for the best. At least this way, I''ll be able to participate in the final battle. I''ve been drowning in self-loathing because of being so useless, you know. Now... either we survive Verge, or not. In any case, we''ll be together until the very end."


    Sunny frowned, studying her face. Her eyes were sunken, and her gaze was dark... but, at the same time, fierce. It would be of great help to have the fearsome Raised by Wolves fight side by side with them, of course.


    But...


    "Are you sure? What about your son?"


    Effie hesitated for a moment. "...If we fail, he will die. So, I''ll hide him in the Black Beast Locket. And do everything I can to make sure that we both get to live."


    She remained silent for a while, looking at the sleeping baby. Then, Effie turned to Sunny and suddenly looked him in the eyes.


    "You know, Sunny... I once told you that the world we live in is dying. And I still believe that �� no, I believe it even more, after experiencing the last few years."


    A light smile slowly appeared on her face, and something fearsome suddenly ignited deep in her sunken, tired eyes. "But, you know... now, I find myself in the mood to go and turn the entire world upside-down. Maybe even tear it down completely and rebuild it from scratch, if need be."


    She took a measured breath.


    "Just to make sure that there''s enough space in that world for this little guy to live a life that is worth living."


    Effie looked at Sunny for a few moments, and then laughed. "Someone has to, after all. And if we won''t... then who the hell will?"

 Chapter 1547 Dawn of Time

    Chapter 1547 Dawn of Time


    Updated from


    The next day, Effie appeared on the deck of the Chain Breaker, carrying her baby. She was still recovering, and in truth, it would have been better if she stayed in bed for a few more days... but time waited for no one. Luckily, Effie was an Ascended, and possessed a body that was much more robust than that of a mundane woman �� or pretty much any other Master, really. So, even though she looked tired and drained, her vitality was returning at a frightening pace. Perhaps she would indeed be ready to fight by the time they reached Verge. The Chain Breaker was traversing the abyssal void, with the radiant ribbon of the Great River surrounding it like a twisting ring. The seven suns revolved around it, making the inconceivable flowing realm shine. There were no stars in the impenetrable darkness of the false sky, but the light of the river was enough to illuminate the vast expanse of silent darkness. Holding the baby, who had just woken up, Effie smiled. "Look! That is pretty impressive, right? Nothing like a boring medical ward in NQSC. Leave it to a child of mine to arrive with such style..."


    Frightened by the howling of the wind and the coldness of the void, the baby opened its mouth and let out a shrill cry. Soon, the sound of his voice drowned out the wind. At the same time, the leaves of the sacred tree rustled a little louder, as if concerned for the tiny human. Sunny stared at them for a while, then shook his head. ''That kid... is bound to have a very unique life, I guess.''


    Sunny''s own birth was rather unusual, considering that it had happened during a solar eclipse and on a winter solstice. But being born in a Nightmare taking place inside a pyramid built by a daemon from the corpse of an Unholy Titan? That took the cake. Of course, the seven of them had to conquer the Nightmare first, for Effie''s child to have any kind of life. Letting out a sigh, Sunny went to keep Effie company. They traveled closer and closer to their destination.


    Sadly, they did not have a lot of time to pay attention to the newborn. The battle for Verge was approaching, and so, everyone was concentrating on that dire ordeal. About a week after Effie had given birth, the Chain Breaker returned to the Great River. This time, they did not pass above one of the Edges, landing directly in the middle of the vast flowing expanse, under the azure sky. The sky was the same, the seven suns were the same, and the currents were the same. However, here at the dawn of time, the air itself somehow felt different. If the span of the Great River where Sunny had first found himself corresponded to the present day �� the Age of the Nightmare Spell �� then these distant waters, situated very close to the misty Source, corresponded to the earliest days of creation... the Age of Gods, when the six deities battled against the remnant abyssal beings across the newly born world, aided by the living creatures they had created, as well as the daemons.


    It was hard not to feel a bit of awe at simply being near such mythical times. It was also hard not to feel pressured. Not only because Verge was near, but also because this region of the Great River was especially treacherous. There was only one place more dangerous in the Tomb of Ariel �� the place far upstream that corresponded to the world-ending Doom War, and was the source of the time storms. The battles between the gods and the daemons had been furious and harrowing enough that the Great River was forever twisted by their echoes. But the battles between the gods and the abyssal beings that had escaped the sealing of the Void must have been just as dreadful.


    Therefore, any traveler had to be extremely careful while traversing the waters near the Source. And there was the risk of running into the Defiled abominations, too. Soon after landing, the members of the cohort gathered at the bow of the Chain Breaker, looking at the distant horizon. Their faces were solemn. They had made sure to land close to Verge, but did not dare to approach it yet. Nobody knew what was the state of the Defiled city, how many abominations populated it, and what Torment had in store for the potential invaders. Therefore, they had to proceed with caution and gather as much information as they could �� if they could �� before coming up with an actual plan of attack. Nephis remained silent for a few moments, and then said, her voice even:


    "...This is it."

 Chapter 1548 Final Act

    Chapter 1548 Final Act


    She studied the waters and put her hand on the hilt of her sword. The enchanted scabbard was the same, but the blade it sheathed was different. The longsword bestowed upon her by the great clan Valor had been destroyed in Twilight, and replaced by the silver blade, which was currently molded to a similar shape. That weapon was a reward Nephis received for slaying Soul Stealer �� a Defiled Saint who had once been a prince of the same clan. Whether there was some symbolism to one replacing the other, Sunny did not know. Nephis turned slightly, looking at Cassie, and asked:


    "How long before we reach Verge?"


    The blind girl was the best at steering the Chain Breaker, the most familiar with the slate map created by the sybils, and the one who had spent the most time among the River People. So, she was their navigator. Cassie lingered for a moment. "No more than two days, if we sail at moderate speed. More if we want to be truly careful... less if we want to abandon caution."


    Noting the answer, Nephis glanced at Mordret:


    "Is there danger close to us?"


    The Prince of Nothing had been a bit cagey about the particulars of how his Aspect worked, but by now, they knew many things about it. For example, the distance at which Sunny could control his shadows as an Ascended Terror was somewhere around twenty-four kilometers. His perception was limited to what the shadows perceived, though. Mordret''s Dormant Ability, on the contrary, allowed him to perceive the world through any reflection within a similar range �� adjusted for the fact that he was merely a Beast at the moment.


    They did, indeed, know what to do. All of this had been discussed over and over again already. The cohort was prepared as well as it could have been, considering the lack of information about the state of the Defiled city and its current ruler. Torment...


    Sunny frowned. She had to know that they were coming. Why wasn''t anyone here to welcome them to Verge, then? All of them had expected to be ambushed by the Defiled abominations the moment the Chain Breaker left the black void. And yet, nothing happened. What was the Last Plague planning?


    Feeling uneasy, he went about raising the ship''s sails. They were going to sail on water, for now, to not be so easily spotted. The seven suns drowned in the water, suffusing it with beautiful light. The impenetrable darkness devoured the sky �� now that Sunny knew about the great swarm of monstrous butterflies hiding somewhere out there, in that darkness, the night seemed far more dreadful. Almost impossibly so.


    Although it took some effort, none of the Defiled managed to escape. Those who tried were chased after and finished off by Kai, who was the fastest of them all. His arrows could strike true from a startling distance, as well �� armed with incredible sight and a powerful bow, the archer was a deadly presence on the Great River. But there were monsters hiding in the River, as well. Before dawn came, the cohort clashed with several Defiled abominations. Each of them was more powerful than the Nightmare Creatures they had usually fought upstream, and far more cunning. Thankfully, the might of the seven Masters was more than enough to deal with these solitary abominations. Although it took some effort, none of the Defiled managed to escape. Those who tried were chased after and finished off by Kai, who was the fastest of them all. His arrows could strike true from a startling distance, as well �� armed with incredible sight and a powerful bow, the archer was a deadly presence on the Great River. Much more dangerous than the solitary abominations were the waters themselves. Here near the Source, they were turbulent and unpredictable, often hiding fatal hazards. The Chain Breaker avoided the truly inescapable ones thanks to Cassie''s intuition, and fought through the rest, protected by its enchantments and the sacred tree. Finally, the sky turned bright again. By the time all seven suns climbed high, the first of the two days they had been supposed to spend traveling to Verge came to an end. At that moment, they planned to raise the ship above the water, so that it would not be pulled downstream by the current, and organize a scouting mission to stealthily approach the Defiled city.


    However... that plan had to be scrambled. It was because, unexpectedly, they had already reached Verge. Or rather, its foundation. Sunny peered ahead, his expression incredulous. His eyes widened slightly. ''These madmen... how did they create it?''


    In front of them, the eternally flowing waters of the Great River turned to ice. A vast landmass formed by it stretched as far as the eye could see, disappearing beyond the horizon �� too great to be called a mere island, and somehow entirely unaffected by the current. Frozen in place. There was sand and lifeless soil covering the rough surface of the endless plain of ice, with rolling hills and dry riverbeds. Skeletal trees rose into the air, bereft of leaves or life. Here and there, mounds of black stone rose, forming a forest of twisted pillars. In short, Sunny saw something that he had never expected to see in the Tomb of Ariel...


    Land.

 Chapter 1549 Scouting Mission

    Chapter 1549 Scouting Mission


    Everyone was more than a little stunned by the sight of the massive landmass in front of them. They had seen Verge from far away, while traversing the empty void �� however, the ice and the pale soil covering it were indistinguishable from the flowing water at that distance. Nothing in the records left behind by the sybils indicated that the foundation of the city was so monumental, either. All that was mentioned on the slates, as well as passed by word of mouth between the citizens of Fallen Grace, was that the Seekers of Truth had established a city at the farthest reaches of the past, as close to the inception of time as they could, to serve as a staging ground for their attempts at reaching the Estuary.


    So, they had expected something similar to the fleet-cities of the sybils, or perhaps a settlement built on a massive carapace of an enormous abomination, like Twilight. Maybe a levitating island like the one Aletheia had created, or even a network of them.


    What they had not expected was an entire land of ice surrounding Verge.


    Sunny was both troubled and impressed. There was a whole day of sailing on the Chain Breaker left between them and the Defiled City. That was a vast distance to cover on foot, at least for a mundane human. Which meant that the mass of ice forming the foundation of Verge was truly immense.


    ...Which posed a problem. Sunny studied the lifeless landscape of the frozen land in front of them, then glanced at Nephis. "So, what are we supposed to do?"


    Now that they couldn''t sail further, there was a decision to be made. Namely, they had three possible paths, each offering its own pitfalls and benefits. The simplest path was to raise the Chain Breaker into the air and proceed forward, flying above the vast sheet of ice. This, of course, would offer them the highest speed and defensive advantage, since the graceful vessel was nothing less than a mobile fortress. It would be very hard not to notice a ship flying above ground, though. So, they would alert the Defiled of their approach long before reaching the city. The second path was to abandon the ship and proceed toward Verge on foot. That way, they would become much slower, and much more exposed once the fighting started. However, it was much easier for seven humans to infiltrate the landmass stealthily, remaining hidden until the very moment they reached the Defiled city �� or even sneaked past its walls, reaching the First Seeker unseen. The third path was to circle around the landmass first, studying it in detail from afar, and come up with the plan of attack later. This was the most passive approach, but not the safest �� the longer they spent in these dangerous waters, the higher the chance that Torment would sense their presence. Nephis hesitated for a while, thinking.


    Cassie hesitated for a moment, then said thoughtfully:


    "One person has to stay with the ship. The rest should split into three teams. One team will proceed straight forward, the other two will move slightly inland and then move along the western and eastern shores of the island. Everyone will regroup back on the Chain Breaker tomorrow and share what they discovered."


    His expression darkened slightly. Nephis, meanwhile, nodded. "Splitting up might be dangerous, but it''s the only way to cover a lot of ground quickly. We can reduce the danger by making sure that none of the satellite groups strays too far away from the central one �� that way, each team can be reinforced by another promptly, should the need arise."


    She remained silent for a few moments, pondering. "Mordret should be the in forward team �� his ability to see through reflections will allow him to keep an eye on both satellite teams at the same time without sacrificing strength. He would also be able to travel between reflections to aid them. The second member of the central team should be someone who does not have a mobility Ability... they could be transported through the mirror realm..."


    She considered things for a bit before finally assigning each member of the cohort the optimal role. Mordret and Jet were assigned to the central scouting team. Kai and Effie would explore the eastern reaches of the frozen landmass. Nephis herself would be exploring the western reaches, accompanied by Sunny. Cassie would be remaining on the Chain Breaker.


    It was as solid of a plan as they could come up with, considering the situation. The three teams were powerful enough to defend themselves, while at the same time being flexible enough to swiftly come to the aid of the other teams. The plan was solid...


    However, Sunny disagreed with it.

 Chapter 1550 Change of Plans

    Chapter 1550 Change of Plans


    Nephis had offered a good plan, one that was both solid and flexible enough to hopefully keep all of them alive while accomplishing the goal. Each member was assigned a role that suited the situation best, making all three teams highly mobile and capable of defending themselves in case there was an ambush.


    Cassie, meanwhile, was the least suitable for swift movement and stealth, while at the same time being the most familiar with steering the Chain Breaker �� so, she was the best candidate for staying on the ship. And that was precisely what Sunny did not like, even if he chose not to share his reasoning. By now, he was thoroughly confused about what he felt toward Cassie. Was he suspicious of her? Or concerned for her? Or simply acting paranoid, his thoughts muddied by the Sin of Solace? He did not know, but he did know that as soon as she spoke, his intuition raised an alarm. The blind girl did not directly volunteer herself to remain alone on the Chain Breaker, but she did not need to. As soon as they had decided to leave someone behind, she was the obvious choice. Instead of telling Nephis to choose her, Cassie could simply let her come to the conclusion without anyone''s help.


    ...And while Sunny was not sure about the reason for his anxiety, he was absolutely certain that Cassie had engineered this situation on purpose. For some reason, she wanted to send the cohort off and stay on the Chain Breaker alone. Why? Was it to lure them into a trap? Of course, no. Sunny had already established that suspecting the blind girl in wishing to harm the cohort was preposterous. However... he could easily imagine her going on some stupid, self-sacrificial quest by piloting the flying ship into the heart of Verge and dropping it on the First Seeker. Or maybe drawing Torment away from the city at the cost of her life, to let the cohort win. Which was not to say that his imagination reflected reality. There can be any number of explanations for Cassie''s subtle manipulation, from completely innocent to absolutely ominous. In any case, he did not like it. Which was why, after Nephis explained the plan, Sunny shook his head. "I disagree. The members of the three teams will be able to cover each other, true... but what about the person staying on the ship? Once we travel far inland, they''ll be completely alone. If something happens, not only will Cassie be in danger, but we also risk losing the ship and becoming stranded with no way to retreat."


    Nephis stared at Sunny for a bit, a subtle hint of confusion hiding in her eyes. His suggestion was not unreasonable, though, so she nodded eventually. "Alright. Let us proceed with that team composition, then." There was no time to waste and no need to say anything else, so everyone immediately started preparing for the mission. Effie brought up the straw basket Sunny had masterfully weaved for her, cushioning it with a blanket. That basket was meant to be the infant''s crib. Safely wrapped, the baby was going to spend the next few days on the idyllic and perfectly safe meadow inside Effie''s Supreme Memory, sleeping and being visited by his mom, or other members of the cohort, every few hours... until the final battle. That was a hell of a way to spend the first days of one''s life, but such an arrangement was the best one they had been able to come up with. Eventually, the five members of the cohort whose task it was to scout the frozen landmass were ready to depart. Sunny watched them from the bow of the ship, not feeling the need to say or feel something poignant. This was not a farewell, anyway. One way or the other, they were going to see each other tomorrow �� either when the scouts returned, or when things went south and the Chain Breaker flew forward to rescue them. The ship approached the shore of the frozen island and came to a halt, hovering just above the water. Five figures jumped from it, landing on the ice. Nephis was first, wearing the Starlight Legion Armor and wielding the somber silver blade �� a unique hybrid Memory of both the Transcendent and Supreme Ranks, the result of the most complex and intricate sorcery Sunny had woven to date. The Crown of Dawn, which had survived the annihilating conflagration in Twilight, was resting on her head, empowering all other Memories around her. Kai simply glided to the shore. He was clad in the Supreme armor crafted from the ivory dragon scales, wielding a Transcendent bow of the Fifth Tier. Another Supreme Memory, a lethal Severing Arrow, was ready to be summoned the moment he had need of it. The cohort''s resident Dragonslayer was as deadly as one could be. Effie made a bit of noise when she landed on the ice, enveloped by her own Supreme armor �� the legacy of the Sun Prince, which made her look like a beautiful statue of polished steel. Incredibly, she seemed to have mostly recovered from bearing a child, already. Even if there was some remnant malady holding her back, she did not show it. Flashing a defiant smile, the huntress summoned her spear and walked forward. Jet was right behind her, looking like she was born to exist in this land of ice. Chilling mist swirled around her, pierced by the somber glow of her cold blue eyes. Then, the mist flowed into her hands and took the shape of a sinister war scythe, its blade glinting eerily as it seemed to cut the rays of sunlight.


    Finally, there was Mordret, wearing his own Ascended body. The Prince of Nothing did not have particularly powerful Memories, or insidiously lethal Reflections to fight for him. However, he was perhaps the most dangerous of them all.


    An easy smile played on Mordret''s lips as he followed Nephis. The enemies of the five Masters could only lament their fate.


    The five of them separated into two groups and moved stealthily across the desolate landscape, soon disappearing from view. ...Leaving Sunny and Cassie alone aboard the Chain Breaker.

 Chapter 1551 Left Behind

    Chapter 1551 Left Behind


    The five members of the cohort were gone, off to scout the approach to Verge. Sunny felt uneasy and worried about their safety, but not tremendously so. Each of them was a powerhouse in their own right, and possessed a wealth of experience when it came to moving stealthily through a region infested with Nightmare Creatures. Nephis, Kai, and Effie were veterans of the Forgotten Shore, where humans had been at the very bottom of the food chain. Effie, who had hunted in the Dark City alone for many years, was especially proficient in navigating dangerous terrain without alerting anyone or anything of her presence. Jet had already been a frightening existence before the Southern Campaign, and grew only more tenacious after going through the disastrous months in the Antarctic Center, followed by serving in the military reconnaissance in East Antarctica. Updated from ordret was by far the most slippery of the five, so even if Sunny was inclined to care about his well-being, the bastard was the last person in the Tomb of Ariel he would be worried about. So, the scouts were more than capable of fulfilling their mission unscathed. If anything, Sunny was more concerned about himself and Cassie. The restlessness he had felt for the past few months reached an apex, telling him that something was about to happen. The Sin of Solace was not shy about voicing his opinion, either:


    "You''ve done it now, fool. What madness made you think that staying here alone with her was a good idea? It wasn''t me, that''s for sure. Now, you are completely defenseless against whatever new betrayal she had in mind, with no one to cover your back."


    Sunny looked at him somberly, then turned away. Saint, Fiend, and Nightmare were still aboard the Chain Breaker. So, the loathsome wraith was wrong �� there was someone to cover his back. There were plenty. ''No, that''s wrong...''


    Why would he even need that? Cassie was not going to betray the cohort. That was just his paranoia talking. Sunny frowned, realizing that this state of his was a bit concerning. He had grown so used to the Sin of Solace that listening to the apparition''s poison was already a habit. It had failed to drive him insane due to Sunny''s robust mental defenses... but maybe the sinister whispers of the cursed sword were having some effect on him, after all. Then again, maybe it was simply the result of the incredible mental strain he had been exposed to in the Tomb of Ariel.


    Sunny was full of alarm and ready for something perilous to happen, but nothing was happening. That only added to his frustration. Cassie remained on the stern, acting like nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Hours slowly passed, and then, the night came. The seven suns drowned in the water, and the Great River ignited with a soft, iridescent glow. Even the massive plain of ice shone dimly, illuminating itself with a pale, ghostly radiance. Bathed in that radiance, pillars of black stone were like a forest of colossal, dead trees. Sunny remained on the deck for a while, looking in the direction of Verge and wondering how the members of the cohort were doing. After a while, he went to the stern and spoke with Cassie about taking turns guarding the ship. "My shadows will wake me up instantly if something happens. So... if there''s danger, just keep yourself alive for a few seconds. I''ll be there before you know it."


    The blind girl nodded seriously. "Of course. Go, and try to rest well. There probably won''t be a chance to do so after the scouts return."


    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then descended below deck and entered his cabin. Laying down on his cot, he closed his eyes and relaxed his body. He also controlled his heartbeat and breathing, making them as calm and natural as he could. Pretending to be asleep.


    But, of course, Sunny was not asleep. Instead, he was observing Cassie.


    If she really intended to do something in secret, and his decision to stay behind put a wrench in her plans, now would be the perfect moment for her to act.


    And, indeed, after some time passed...


    Cassie did.

 Chapter 1552 Lifeboat

    Chapter 1552 Lifeboat


    ''What is she doing?'' The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    Laying in the darkness while pretending to sleep, Sunny suppressed the desire to frown. Cassie had left the runic circle, picked up the Guiding Light, and slowly walked across the deck. As she did, a hurricane of white sparks rose around her, slowly forming into a humanoid figure. It was the echo of the Defiled sybil she had received in Fallen Grace. The eerie thing had survived Twilight, although just barely. Now, her wounds were healed. Even her flowing red dress mended itself, as did her veil. The Echo followed the blind seer, the hem of her red garment hovering a couple centimeters above the ancient wood. Just like always, her movements were too smooth to be the result of walking. Sunny had seen what was hiding behind that dress once, and he never wanted to see it again. Nevertheless, he continued watching. By then, Cassie had passed the sacred tree and was most of the way to the bow of the ship, near Ananke''s ketch. She did not, however, proceed any further. Stopping near the ketch, she silently gave a command to her Echo. Soon, the boat was lowered into the water. The masts were affixed in their grooves, and the sails were raised. Gliding down with the help of the Quiet Dancer, Cassie took a seat at the helmsman''s bench and summoned a different Memory. It was a wooden staff she had used on the Forgotten Shore �� one of the three Memories from her First Nightmare. The Endless Spring was now with Sunny, the Evertwine was with Nephis, and only the staff remained in Cassie''s own soul arsenal. Its enchantment was capable of summoning wind. Aiming the staff at the sails of the ketch, Cassie activated the enchantment and sent the boat moving away from the Chain Breaker. Sunny''s shadow, of course, was already hiding under one of the masts. Back in his cabin, Sunny continued to pretend to be asleep. The night was silent, with only the sound of waves breaking against the hull of the Chain Breaker disturbing the quiet. The water glowed softly, and bathed in that glow, Ananke''s ketch was slowly traveling along the shore of the frozen land. ''...Goddammit.''


    Although Sunny was more or less certain that Cassie was hiding something, he had hoped to be proven wrong until the very last moment. However, he had been right all along. "You mean I was right."


    Sunny could control his shadows from a vast distance. It was also the maximum distance to which he could travel via Shadow Step. So, as long as Cassie remained within that range, he would be able to appear next to her in an instant. And by remaining passive, he would hopefully learn what secret Cassie was keeping, and what she was planning. Knowing that, he would be able to decide what to do. If she was going to leave the range at which he could reach her, though... then all bets were off. Sunny was not about to let Cassie put herself in danger, and just on the off chance that what she wanted to do could put the rest of the cohort in harm''s way, he had to intervene as well. He had remained silent and tolerant of her for long enough. Today, on the eve of the decisive battle of this dreadful Nightmare, the truth would come out... one way or another. The ketch continued to sail along the shore of the icy island, surrounded by the beautifully glowing water. Up above, the night sky was impenetrably dark, hiding a numerous legions of slumbering horrors. Somewhere, not too far away, the abominable remains of Aletheia of the Nine were sprawling through the city of Verge, waiting to be destroyed by the challengers of the Tomb of Ariel...


    Or infect their souls and bodies with seeds of Corruption, making them a part of her Defiled legion. Cassie sailed further and further away from the Chain Breaker, making Sunny feel grave. The Sin of Solace continued to whisper into his ear, spouting all kinds of vile accusations. Finally, to Sunny''s indignation, he felt the sailboat was getting too far away. If he lingered any longer, the ketch would slip from his reach, cutting his connection to the shadow. So, taking a deep sigh, Sunny opened his eyes and dissolved into shadows. A moment later, he stepped out of them inside the ketch, standing a few meters away from Cassie. She was sitting on the helmsman''s bench, accompanied by her Echo. Her face was illuminated by the soft radiance of the Guiding Light and the pale glow of the iridescent water. Sunny''s face, meanwhile, was drowning in shadows. Letting out a sigh, Sunny looked at the blind girl and asked, his voice neutral:


    "...Where are you going?"

 Chapter 1553 Shadow and Seer

    Chapter 1553 Shadow and Seer


    The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    After asking the question, Sunny sat down on a bench across from Cassie. There they were, alone in a boat, just the two of them... or rather, the four of them. The Sin of Solace landed on the bench next to Sunny, a sinister smile twisting his lips. His face was hateful, just like always... of course, it was also the exact same face as Sunny''s. Cassie was sitting on the helman''s bench a few meters away from them, holding the steering oar. The Echo of the dead sybil was there, too, side by side with her. Since both were wearing flowing garments of vibrant red fabric, traditional for the priestesses of Fallen Grace, they looked quite similar too. The most visible difference between them was that Cassie''s exquisite face was bare, while the monstrous Echo was wearing a veil. Cassie''s beautiful blue eyes were full of life, as well, even though she was blind. The sybils''s eyes, though, were eerily empty and devoid of life. Her hollow stare made shivers run down Sunny''s spine �� he felt that way every time he saw an Echo of a human. Granted, this one was made in the image of a human who had succumbed to the Defilement.


    The four of them sat opposite each other, surrounded by invisible tension. Despite Sunny''s sudden appearance, though, Cassie remained calm. She deactivated the enchantment of her wooden staff and lowered it, then said in an even voice:


    "I thought you were asleep."


    A faint smile appeared on Sunny''s lips. "Did you?"


    He had been reasonably sure that his small act had fooled the blind seer, but now that he saw her lack of reaction, a worm of doubt entered his mind. Had she known he was pretending all along? The Sin of Solace chuckled, staring at Cassie with hate and disdain in his gaze. "It seems that you''ve been played like a fiddle, pitiful worm. Even after all my warnings... gods, how frustrating! You should have struck this traitor down long ago. Just look at her... she must despise you just as much as I do!"


    The corner of Sunny''s mouth twitched, but he suppressed the desire to rebuke the sword wraith. That, however, only gave the apparition the opportunity to press his mocking tirade:


    "You truly are a revolting creature, are you not? A lowly, despicable slave... and look, here is the woman who made you into a slave. She betrayed you once, and yet, you allowed the snake to warm her way back into your good graces. You have forgotten her sins, and as gratitude, the blind traitor is about to stab you in the back once again!"


    At that point, Cassie took a deep breath. ...Then, she turned her head slightly, facing the Sin of Solace, and spoke, her voice trembling with long-suppressed anger:


    "Can you shut your foul mouth, wretch? Who asked you to talk? Be quiet for once!"


    Sunny was taken a little aback by that show of emotions.


    His pupils widened slightly. ''No...''


    If Cassie had known that he was suspicious of her... she would have known that he would refuse to leave her alone on the Chain Breaker, as well. They were too familiar with each other for her to fail predicting that action of his. Which meant that the blind seer''s true purpose was not to remain alone on the flying ship...


    Instead, it was for the two of them to remain there together, away from the other members of the cohort. And he had done exactly what she wanted him to do.


    Suddenly, a hint of a strange and cold emotion settled in Sunny''s heart. Was it... fear?


    Yes, it was. It was the fear of fighting a battle of schemes against a powerful oracle. Cassie might not have been the strongest of them in a direct confrontation, but being caught in a net of schemes and manipulation that someone who could see the future had created...


    Was, honestly, nothing short of terrifying.


    Sunny deemed himself a master of deceit and manipulation. There was only one person he had met who could truly be considered a fearsome adversary in that field �� Mordret.


    But now, he was quickly reconsidering that statement. Actually, there was another contender among them.


    And that newcomer was perhaps the most fearsome of the three. Looking at the blind, who remained calm and composed, Sunny leaned back and asked, his tone relaxed:


    "So, why did you want to see me alone, Cassie?"


    He lingered for a moment and then added, his voice remaining even:


    "...Or should I call you Torment?"

 Chapter 1554 Familiar Face

    Chapter 1554 Familiar Face


    The words had been said, echoing in the beautiful darkness of the glowing night. Devoid of the wind, the sails of the ketch fell down. The boat slowly came to a stop, drifting in the current. Cassie remained silent for a few moments, as motionless as the Echo of the Defiled sybil sitting by her side. Then, she asked, her voice tinged with a hint of amusement:


    "Should I call you the Mad Prince, then?"


    As Sunny''s expression changed, she chuckled lightly. "Gods... come now. I know that you only asked that question to probe me for a reaction, but how does it make sense? I''m not Torment."


    Sunny frowned, disappointed at the fact that he had not been able to get more out of Cassie. He was considering his next question silently when she turned to face her Echo and said, throwing his thoughts into disarray:


    "She is."


    He froze, stunned by those words. Then, Sunny slowly moved his gaze to the silent Echo. The red garment, the empty gaze, the veil hiding her face...


    ''How?''


    Back when they met in Fallen Grace, Cassie said that she come to possess this Echo after slaying the sybil who had succumbed to the Defilement on the day of her entering the Nightmare. The two looked alike, true... but both Sunny and Nephis simply assumed that it was because both the slain woman and Dusk had been sybils ruling the same city. The Echo was too eerie and revolting, making Sunny unwilling to learn what was hiding behind the red veil. Therefore, he had never tried to look at the creature''s face. The most he had done was glance at its weave, but even then, most of his attention had been focused on the artificial Echo created by the enchanters of Clan Valor �� the long destroyed blade mannequin. Now, however...


    Cassie raised her hand and pulled on the Echo''s veil, removing it. Underneath it, an exquisitely beautiful face was revealed... one identical to her own, but devoid of life. The Echo of the sybil... of Torment... was hollow and expressionless, like all Echoes were. There was a subtle expression on Cassie''s face, though. A strange mix of revulsion, sorrow, and even a hint of tenderness. It was not every day that one chanced to look upon a soulless copy of their own dead self, after all. Gears were spinning in Sunny''s head at impossible speed, trying to digest the stunning revelation of the eerie Echo''s true nature. ''Torment... is dead.''


    Sunny remembered the chamber hidden under the Temple of Dusk, with a breach in its floor leading to the depths of the Great River. Was that how Torment had entered Fallen Grace and come into contact with Cassie? Was that where they had fought, and where the Defiled oracle died?


    But how could it be possible? How could Cassie have defeated a harrowing Plague alone, despite all the time Torment should have had to accumulate power and information to prepare for their eventual clash?


    Staring at two identical, beautiful faces �� one familiar and full of life, the other alien and empty �� he suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "Can you... put that veil back on?"


    He hated human Echoes, and he hated to see the Echo of one of his closest friends even more. Looking at the soulless copy of Torment was like looking at Cassie''s corpse, which made him feel disgusted.


    The blind girl hesitated for a moment, then put the veil back on, hiding the Echo''s face behind it. Torment''s empty eyes, however, remained visible, staring at Sunny without any emotion. Cassie sighed. "At least... she is at peace now. That is a mercy."


    Sunny shifted his gaze, studied her for a few moments, and then asked his next question:


    "How?"


    The blind girl smiled. "How else? Of course, it was arranged by the Mad Prince."


    She fell silent for a second, and then added, her voice wistful:


    "...By the Mad Prince and Torment herself, to be precise. The two of them, you see, were behind all of this together."

 Chapter 1555 Partners in Crime

    Chapter 1555 Partners in Crime


    The ketch was drifting in the current, slowly being pulled toward the icy shore. Cassie remained motionless on the helmsman''s bench, her hand resting on the steering oar''s handle. Her unseeing gaze was distant. After a while, she sighed. "I guess I should explain it from the start."


    A crooked smile appeared on Sunny''s face. "That would certainly be nice... considering that you have arranged for this moment for that exact purpose."


    By then, he had plenty of time to realize that Cassie had manipulated the events of the previous days for the exact purpose of having this conversation this Sunny away from the ears of their companions. Why? What did she want to achieve? And why now, just before the final battle of this Nightmare?


    Did they have to talk alone because the Mad Prince and Torment had orchestrated this entire cycle of the Great River alone?


    He was about to find out. Sunny felt a lot of pressure drain from his heart, knowing that Torment was gone and the only obstacle between the cohort and salvation was the harrowing, but mindless First Seeker. But, at the same time, he was on edge because of what was happening between him and Cassie. The ease with which she was revealing her secrets was... ominous. The blind girl remained silent for a moment, then picked up the Guiding Light and rested it on her shoulder, the light of the radiant crystal affixed to its top illuminating her face. "I did not lie when I said that I only saw darkness in my visions after entering the Nightmare."


    Sunny shifted slightly. ''Why is she bringing that up?''


    Cassie smiled. "However, that was not because of the nature of the Tomb of Ariel itself. Rather, my inability to perceive its secrets was engineered by Torment. My abilities were suppressed with the help of a sorcerous item. You should be able to guess what that item was."


    Sunny''s eyes narrowed. An image appeared in his memory... the image of golden shackles wrapped around Cassie''s hands, connected by a golden chain.


    "This Echo is not very powerful, you see. Because most of Torment''s power simply cannot be used by an Echo. Her power has to do with memories, with remembering and forgetting... something that Echoes aren''t capable of. So, she put restrictions into her own mind, turning herself into a broken person who acted according to a set of predetermined choices. Almost as if creating a crude, miniature version of fate."


    She shook her head. "Of course, that alone was not enough to escape the madness of Corruption. No matter how well she prepared, the Defilement was going to turn her into a being who could not be controlled. Unless, of course, she received help from the Mad Prince, who was able to preserve a fragment of his humanity thanks to that loathsome wraith of yours. With his help, she could truly turn her Defiled self into an instrument of her will."


    Sunny shifted slightly and asked, his voice full of doubt:


    "And how did they accomplish that? How could a Defiled Saint be controlled?"


    Cassie faced him and remained silent for a few moments, then smiled. "How else? By making the Dread Lord use his authority against her, of course. The Mad Prince added fuel to the paranoia the tyrant of Verge felt toward Torment, and then put the idea of what commands to give her into his mind. Therefore, two of the Plagues became capable of resisting their vile natures, to a degree. And thus, Torment and the Mad Prince became perfect conspirators."


    She moved the steering oar slightly, turning the ketch so that its bow faced the nearing shore of the ice island. "After the Plagues reached the Estuary and used it to invade the next cycle of the Great River, the two of them meticulously prepared the playing field for the arrival of us, the new challengers. Eventually, the Mad Prince trapped two of the Plagues on Aletheia''s Island, and two more in Twilight. Then, he finished the Key of the Estuary and entered the Source, becoming you."


    Sunny looked at her somberly, then shifted his gaze and glanced at the Echo of Torment. "Why didn''t Torment do the same, then? Why remain and come into contact with you? Why attack you, forcing you to kill her?"


    Cassie''s expression turned cold. She lingered for a while, then smiled darkly.


    "The Mad Prince had to enter the Source to make sure that you possess the Key of the Estuary at the start of the Nightmare, thus protecting you from the truth harbored by the Sin of Solace. Perhaps he could have created a Memory that contained both the suppression enchantment and the enchantment that would allow it to be transferred to me at the start of the cycle. But... one of the two had to stay behind."

 Chapter 1556 Dangerous Knowledge

    Chapter 1556 Dangerous Knowledge


    Shadows suddenly danced across Cassie''s beautiful face as she lowered the Guiding Light. "That was because Torment had a message to deliver to me, so that her wish could be fulfilled. And that message could only be delivered face-to-face."


    She took a deep breath. "So, she infiltrated Fallen Grace and modified the shackles that bound Dusk. She also wrote an accord of what happened in the previous cycles and left it for me to read. Finally, she crawled into the Temple of Dusk and met me, delivering the message."


    Cassie''s voice turned cold, and her expression became ruthless:


    "However, she was still a Defiled. And, unlike the Mad Prince, she did not have a whisper of Ariel to keep her from losing all of her humanity. All she had was a cruel weave of restrictions and commands to push her toward the desired outcome, and that weave was not flawless."


    She looked at Sunny without any humor in her eyes. "So, after completing the mission of delivering her message to me, she instantly attempted to consume me. She was still being held back by the authority of the Dread Lord, though, and so... she died by my hand, instead."


    She turned away. "What would have changed if I told you? We would have still needed to go to Aletheia''s Island. We would have still needed to go to Twilight. Sure, we could have prepared better for what was waiting for us ahead... but I am not omniscient. I only know that much. Would it have made a difference? Or would it have just made us complacent and arrogant, leading to our deaths?"


    The blind girl smiled sadly. "Most of all, would any of our preparations have been more thorough than what the Mad Prince and Torment had already prepared for us?"


    She shook her head. "So, I think I will keep my knowledge to myself. That way, at least, I won''t be blamed for the decisions the rest of you make, when you make them."


    Sunny laughed bitterly and stared at her, his eyes full of dark amusement. "Oh... now you decide to keep your knowledge to yourself. Good, good. It''s just a pity that you couldn''t do the same on the Forgotten Shore, before turning me into a damned slave!"


    He had not planned to bring the distant past up, but hearing Cassie say those words, all of the resentment he had buried in his heart suddenly flooded to the surface. Perhaps it was not unexpected, though. All this time, Sunny had hated the fact that he was made a slave by Nephis. Nephis had not used that power against him, so that hatred of his was more of an abstract thing, born from the fear of what could potentially happen.


    Not that it made it invalid. Recently, however, the situation had changed. The harm Shadow Bond was doing him had turned from abstract to very real. Its existence was the thing that stood between him and Nephis like an impregnable wall, making the idea of them having a future together seem beyond reach. That was what Cassie had taken from him, as well.

 Chapter 1557 Terrifying Existence

    Chapter 1557 Terrifying Existence


    Cassie turned sharply and stared at him, her mask of composure barely holding. "You... you know why I did what I did. I was young and naive, back then. Stupid, and helpless. I... know better now."


    Sunny raised his hands and clapped them, applauding her. "Good for you! Really. What stunning growth. But..."


    He lingered for a few moments, and then said through gritted teeth:


    "But, you know... you never even apologized for taking my freedom away. So, I guess, you aren''t that burdened by having done that."


    She flinched. The cold winds rose, making the sails of the ketch flutter. Nevertheless, it stayed in place, its bow lodged into the icy shore of the desolate land.


    Cassie remained silent for a while. Then, she said, her voice trembling slightly:


    "But... I did. I did apologize."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Somehow, I don''t remember. And I would have remembered something like that. When did you ever apologize for what you had done to me?"


    The blind girl hesitated for a few moments, and then said quietly:


    "It was... right after we escaped from the Soul Devourer. When we were sailing across the dark sea on the boat Nephis made." The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    Stunned, Sunny stared at her for a few moments. Then, his face was twisted by a grimace of anger. "What? What the hell did you say? You apologized... in advance? Almost an entire year before we stormed the Crimson Spire? What kind of crap is that?! Does it make sense, in that twisted little head of yours?!" Subjected to his anger, Cassie lowered her head. Then, however, a cold expression appeared on her face. She looked up, facing him again. "Sure... yes, Sunny. You''re right. That was cowardly of me."


    A fragile smile appeared on her face. "But what is the worth of saying sorry? It wouldn''t have changed anything. Words are worthless. If someone is truly sorry, they should express it through their actions, don''t you think?"


    Sunny chuckled. "And what have you done to redeem your mistake? Huh? What can you even do? It can''t be undone!"


    She shrugged. "What did I do? This and that. Some of it was easy, and some of it was hard. All of it, though... all of it was almost unbearable. Is unbearable. But not for long, now. Because I''m about to be free of that burden."


    Sunny stared at her, his eyes slowly widening. Suddenly, he saw many of Cassie''s actions in a new light. And the implication of what he saw was so vast and terrifying that it made him shudder. "You... you planned it all from the start... didn''t you?"


    She smiled softly, then shook her head. "Not all of it. It''s impossible to plan for all of it. I might know a lot, and see a lot, but I am not omniscient, Sunny. The trick, though, is to plan enough of it so that when the unexpected happens, it could still become a part of the plan."


    He looked aside, distracted by the glow of the Guiding Light.


    "You''ve been manipulating the events of this cycle all along. That time in the drowned temple... I failed to discover the hidden compartment where the sacred relic was hidden, so you did it for me. Wait... no!"


    As Cassie looked at him with a faint smile, Sunny paled. "It was... it started long before the Nightmare. During the battle where the seven Saints came together, you manipulated the battle formation... so that I could finish off the Defiled Seeker of Truth..."


    He stopped talking as a shiver ran through his body. "No... even before that..."


    When had it started?


    When had Cassie begin to weave her grandiose plan, manipulating everyone, from the Fire Keepers following her to the leaders of the Great Clans, into doing her bidding?


    An powerful oracle... was indeed a terrifying existence.


    Especially one as ambitious, but at the same time quiet and unnoticeable, as Cassie had turned out to be. Finally, Sunny looked at her, utterly stunned. His expression was frozen.


    "It... it was..."


    Even saying it aloud was difficult, each word immeasurably heavy because of the weight of all the implications.


    "...It was back on the Chained Isles. When I came to you, intending to recruit you to challenge the Second Nightmare together. And you told me that you received a vision of us dying in the winter. You have already been planning for today, all the way back then."

 Chapter 1558 First Thread

    Chapter 1558 First Thread


    Sunny stared at Cassie, struggling to believe how deep the roots of her mysterious scheme went. He noted recently that the blind girl''s personality changed drastically after the cruel words he had thrown at her at the underground level of the Academy''s medical complex, right after the Forgotten Shore.


    That was when she had begun to weave her spiderweb, most likely. Looking at the young woman sitting across from him, meeting his gaze with dark and defiant pride, he felt a chill running down his spine. ''...Which one of us is worthy of being called the heir of Weaver, even?''


    Cassie had just as high of an affinity to fate as him, after all, if not higher. He took a deep breath, feeling stifled. "Yes... it was back then. Looking back, it didn''t make a lot of sense, did it? You had just been burned by blindly believing a vision of yours, to catastrophic results. And yet, you seemed to not question the validity of us dying come winter, even though that vision of yours could only be called vague, at best."


    Sunny and Cassie had come very close to dying in the cage of the Valor''s secretive Citadel. Knowing that she had expected the mad prince of the great clan to escape, and for them to be embroiled in the horror that followed his release, made it all seem even more disturbing. Sunny remained silent for a few moments, stunned by the ruthlessness with which Cassie had treated herself. By then, he had already been an Awakened Monster, and armed with the power of his Divine Aspect, he had a much easier time surviving the imprisonment in the Night Temple. She, however, did not possess multiple soul cores or an Aspect that could augment her endurance and resilience, so Cassie had suffered much more in that cage.


    Shaking his head in stunned silence, he said quietly:


    "You wanted Mordret to escape... why did you want him to be free?"


    There were all kinds of answers to this question. The most obvious one was that Cassie had needed the cohort to enter the Second Nightmare sooner rather than later, and do it in the company of the Prince of Nothing, as well. The very fact of his escape had put a crack in the potential relationship Sunny could have had with the great clan Valor... putting him in conflict with them at the moment when Nephis returned to the waking world. Which, in turn, pushed her into accepting their terms and becoming an adopted daughter of Valor. There were numerous other consequences of that single event Cassie had helped happen, spreading outward into the future. Mordret was a singular existence, so the fact that he was free to roam the two worlds had changed too much, from the events of the Second Nightmare to the conclusion of the war the great clans had waged in Antarctica. Which of these events had been planned by Cassie? Which had been mere coincidences? Which were coincidences that she had nimbly incorporated into her grand design, adapting to the changing circumstances with stunning speed?


    Just like she had perceived and calculated numerous futures with incredible speed while fighting the Defiled sybil in the drowned temple. It was impossible to tell. Cassie''s design was a bit like the tapestry of fate, which she claimed to wish to destroy. The details could change or be influenced by unforeseen circumstances, but these sudden twists were only minor disturbances in the flow she willed into existence. The currents changed, but the direction of the tide always remained the same, pulling everything it touched to an unchanging conclusion. All Sunny could do was determine the points in time when Cassie had influenced the events openly, and try to gleam her purpose from that. He rose from his sit and walked to the bow of the ketch, unable to remain in place. His mind was too tumultuous for that. ''Incredible...''

 Chapter 1559 Thousand Cuts

    Chapter 1559 Thousand Cuts


    "Mordret, Mordret... you remained pretty passive in the Second Nightmare, didn''t you? The only time you shared your knowledge of the future with me... was to tell me that he couldn''t be allowed to enter the Ivory Tower."


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then smiled crookedly:


    "But then, what you really wanted to achieve was not preventing him from entering the Ivory Tower, was it? It was making sure that he entered the Ebony Tower instead, and collected whatever it was that Nether had left there. By telling me that one sentence, you achieved exactly that."


    He felt as if the ground was disappearing from beneath his feet. What had happened to Mordret in the Ebony Tower? The Prince of Nothing had not shared that information completely, but he did mention that after leaving it, he was much harder to find with the help of divination. The strange, vague symbols Sunny had seen on Mordret''s soul core were the result of that. Why would Cassie want the bastard to be resistant to her power? To make sure that Soul Stealer could go against Torment? Or simply to ensure that Valor would not be able to track their exile prince before the time was right? Or for something that would happen in the future?


    What else? What else had Cassie done, subtly manipulating the events of the past years?


    Was it a coincidence that the two of them had met Morgan at the Academy on the day that Nephis returned from her Second Nightmare? Surely, no. That was why Sunny had been there the moment she woke up, to welcome her back. Nephis then spent a month living in his house, then announced her decision to join Valor at the ball... making him leave in anger and enlist for the Southern Campaign. Which was why he was present in the Antarctic Center during the battle against the Remnant of the Jade Queen, and received the Sin of Solace.


    Later, Cassie helped him escape the endless tunnel by sending him toward the Heart of Darkness. She also manipulated the battle against the immense horde of Nightmare Creatures as Morgan''s adviser, making sure that Sunny was in the right place, at the right time, to deal the final blow to the Fallen Titan, Defiled Seeker of Truth, and therefore received the Mirror of Truth from it.


    Finally, she was there at the Battle of the Black Skull, without a doubt knowing what would happen. She was in the Nightmare Desert, as well, eventually entering the Nightmare of the Great River with the six other powerful Masters �� Sunny, Nephis, Mordret, Kai, Effie, and Jet.


    ''She''s happy, huh...''


    Well, he couldn''t say that he did not understand. It felt nice, to be witnessed. Still...


    Sunny looked at Cassie with a dark expression and asked, his tone devoid of any emotion:


    "Well then, tell me, Cassie... what is it that you want? How exactly are you planning to break fate? What is the answer?"


    She lingered for a moment and then smiled faintly.


    "Simple, really. It''s..."


    Cassie faced him and finished, her calm voice full of cold, confident determination:


    "It''s the Well of Wishes."

 Chapter 1560 Freedom of Choice

    Chapter 1560 Freedom of Choice


    "...The Well of Wishes."


    Sunny stared at Cassie with an incredulous expression, struggling to understand what her words meant. ''What is she talking...''


    Then, his face changed slightly, a hint of confusion and ridicule appearing in his eyes. "The... the children''s story? The fairy tale about a magical well that grants the most precious wish of anyone who reaches it? Are you... are you out of your mind?"


    Sunny took a step back, barely avoiding falling out of the ketch. His mind was full of bewilderment and disbelief. "Come... come on! You can''t possibly be serious! You don''t believe that it''s true, do you?!"


    That was the fairy tale Ananke had told him, not long before her death. Sunny remembered it well... but he had never expected to hear Cassie, someone so smart and pragmatic, put her hopes in a children''s story about a magic well!


    The blind seer, however, did not seem affected by his ridiculing tone. She faced Sunny calmly, her face somber.


    After a while, Cassie gritted her teeth and said, her voice steady:


    "It might not be true for anyone else. But it''s true for you, Sunny. If you reach the Estuary... your wish to be free will come true. Free of your bond, free to live your life the way you want. Free of fate itself."


    Then Sunny, obsessed with regaining his freedom as he was, would have given his all to find it. The actions performed by all his previous selves only served to give credence to what Cassie had said. But that was also why Nephis had died in the cycle that birthed the Mad Prince. The blind girl, however, shook her head. "The Mad Prince had entered the Estuary in search of his freedom, but failed to resist the Defilement and became Corrupted instead. Thus, the endless cycles continued. This cycle, though, was engineered by Torment and him specifically to make sure that all members of the cohort survive. Whether you find the Estuary or not, there are mere days left before Nephis storms Verge and kills the First Seeker. The end... is already inevitable."


    Sunny raised a trembling hand and rubbed his face, dazed. "But... how can I leave? Verge, the First Seeker... won''t the cohort need me for the battle? Torment is there, as well... no, wait... she''s dead."


    Without Torment, Verge had been left without a leader. The First Seeker was a harrowing force, but also a mindless one. It could not lead the creatures Corrupted by its touch... which was why Fallen Grace had not been destroyed in all these years, most likely. The level of the threat presented by Verge was still immense, but with Neph''s incorruptible soul, the most terrifying power of the First Seeker had already been rendered meaningless. Cassie nodded. "Sure... we can use having you at Verge. The battle will be perilous, without a doubt. It will be fierce and fearsome, far beyond anything that a mundane human can imagine. But we can also manage without you. We have the Memories you have created, after all. We have Aspect Legacies, experience battling the Defiled, and means to defend ourselves from the First Seeker. We even have Mordret, who wields a Divine Aspect, just like you."


    The blind girl sighed. "So, Sunny... you must decide. I''ve given the choice back to you. Now, it''s in your hands."


    With that, she took a few steps and jumped out of the ketch, landing on the icy shore. The Echo of Torment dissolved into a whirlwind of sparks, leaving Sunny alone in the boat.


    Cassie then turned and looked at him expectantly.


    Her face was both scared and hopeful.


    Sunny froze, not knowing what to do.

 Chapter 1561 Treacherous Shadow

    Chapter 1561 Treacherous Shadow


    Sunny stood at the deck of Ananke''s catch, looking at Cassie, but not seeing anything. A storm of emotions, fragmented thoughts, and burning desires raged in him, making it hard to comprehend the true scope of what the choice presented to him was. He took a deep breath.


    At that moment, the Sin of Solace tried to distract him by saying something, but Sunny forcefully cut off the voice of the sword wraith, concentrating on the sound of waves breaking against the shore of the frozen wasteland instead.


    ''Calm down... let''s think this through.''


    So... Cassie, who had turned so quiet and unassuming to almost be invisible, had been burning with an insane ambition all along. Just like Sunny, who had swore to break the chains of fate that bound him, she had been pursuing the very same goal, as well. Acting behind the curtains and armed with the revelations she received, the blind seer had been subtly manipulating the events of the past years to achieve that goal, suffering in silence as she stubbornly pushed toward it. All to give Sunny back the choice she had taken from him.


    The extent of her machinations was both admirable and frightening, so vast and intricate as to almost be inconceivable. But it was real. Cassie had indeed managed to create a moment where at least one of them �� Sunny �� had an opportunity to free himself from fate. And that... was much more significant than one would think. Sure, Sunny could fulfill his most ardent wish and win back his freedom, destroying the Shadow Bond, and even his [Fated] Attribute. Thus making it possible for him to live a life free of its shackles.


    But what Cassie wanted to achieve went far beyond that. What she wanted was to forge a weapon to resist fate. And that weapon... was a single variable. Just as it had happened with the cycles of the Great River, which were thrown into utter chaos by the appearance of the Mad Prince, the tapestry of fate would become chaotic and unpredictable with the appearance of a fateless being. The entire flow of fate would change as a result of that.


    Fateless... was a very suitable name for what Sunny could become, should he enter the Estuary and reach its innermost secret. However...


    While Cassie wanted to break fate, just like Sunny... in a contradictory fashion worthy of a human, she also wanted Sunny to refuse that chance and remain with her, Nephis, and the cohort. To choose them over his desire to be free. And just like Cassie, Sunny wanted both of these things, as well. Breaking fate was nice. Gaining his freedom was nice. Learning the secrets of the Tomb of Ariel was a cherry on top. However... not abandoning his friends right before the decisive battle against the forces of the Defilement was also nice. Choosing to remain by the side of the people he cared about �� and the person he loved �� seemed just as precious. So, what was he supposed to do?


    She hesitated for a moment. "No matter to whom or to what that True Name belongs to, it is incredibly powerful. Just bearing it for a few moments put a terrible strain on my mind and soul. So... if you do decide to leave us. Take care once you reach the Estuary."


    Sunny remained motionless for a while. He didn''t want to abandon Nephis. Even if the cohort was more or less capable of taking Verge without his help... he simply did not want to. But.


    If he threw all the complicated thoughts about the nature of freedom and what it meant to be free in this world out of his mind, there were only three things left. Sunny himself, Nephis, and the connection between them. In the past, he had run away from her twice. Once in the Dark City, and once at the ball of the great clan Valor. Sunny didn''t wish to run away from Nephis for the third time. However, he also knew that any kind of relationship between them �� at least the current them �� was impossible as long as Shadow Bond existed. So, weirdly enough... by abandoning her on the shores of Verge, he would not be running away from Nephis. Instead, he would be moving towards her. Because only by becoming free of her could Sunny be with her. He took a deep breath, and then looked at Cassie. At the same time, Sunny dismissed Saint, Fiend, and Nightmare, calling them back to his soul. All six of his shadows were already with him, wrapped tightly around his body. And then, the shadows along the shore moved, extending forward and pushing the ketch back into the water. ''I''m sorry, everyone... I guess I am a treacherous bastard, after all.''


    Sunny knew that Cassie had guided the ketch along the shore precisely to give him the opportunity to take it away. She would return to the Chain Breaker on foot, while he... he would be free to sail downstream, toward the Source.


    Racing to reach the Estuary, and reclaim his freedom, before Nepis conquered the Nightmare. Looking back, Sunny threw one last glance at the blind girl, who was standing forlornly on the icy shore, summoned a certain Memory, and shouted:


    "Cassie!"


    She turned, hearing the sound of his voice. Sunny smiled darkly. "Let''s do it!"


    He clenched his fist and raised it into the air. "Let''s break fate!"

 Chapter 1562 Leaving Without Saying Goodbye

    Chapter 1562 Leaving Without Saying Goodbye


    The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    The ketch flew on the currents of the Great River, circling the ice wasteland. Sunny did not have the enchanted staff to summon the wind, and he had not been able to master the sorcery of Names, like Nephis. But he had the Crown of Twilight, and with it, the water itself responded to him. So, Sunny made the river itself push the ketch forward. A strong gale blew from the future, as well, and as soon as he skirted the desolate land, it filled the sails. His vessel gained speed as it rushed into the past. Leaving Verge... and his friends... behind. There was a storm of emotions in Sunny''s heart. Hope, excitement, anticipation...


    But also guilt, fear, and shame. What would Nephis and the other members of the cohort think when they came back and found out that he had abandoned them? How would Cassie explain his absence?


    Would they be angry, shaken, and resentful of him? Would they feel betrayed? They had the right to feel that way. He had abandoned them on the eve of a perilous battle, leaving to pursue a selfish goal. Was there a more obvious betrayal than that? Imagining the faces of his friends when they learned of his departure, Sunny felt his heart ache. He broke the promise he had made after Ananke''s death. He broke the promise he had given to Wind Flower, as well. And even the promise he had given himself. That made his heart ache, too.


    Nephis had seven fully saturated cores, after all. She wouldn''t hesitate to sacrifice six of them to obliterate Verge. Mordret was not far away from forming the Monster Core, which would allow him to create a Reflection �� once that happened, his growth would accelerate exponentially, quickly turning him into a unstoppable fiend once again. Effie, Jet, and Kai were a force to be reckoned with, as well. It would have been different if Nephis did not possess an incorruptible soul �� after all, even the Serpent King and his army had failed to take Verge �� but since she did possess it, the Nightmare would be over soon. It was a matter of days. So, there was no time to waste. The ketch sailed downstream, carried by the winds and currents. The Great River glowed with iridescent light, the world suffused with darkness. The silence was only broken by the sound of waves and the infuriating voice of the Sin of Solace, who seethed with hatred and whispered poison into Sunny''s ear. Sunny refused to answer, though. In fact, after saying goodbye to Cassie, he had not made a single sound. His eyes were aimed at the horizon, and his face was frozen with cold determination. Soon, the seven suns rose from beneath the water. The darkness was banished, and the sky turned bright again. He let out an inaudible sigh, as the image of the countless slumbering butterflies disappeared from his mind. As it was dawn, Sunny used the opportunity and summoned the shell of the onyx serpent. Hiding the ketch in his maw, he rushed forward as fast as he could �� and the speed granted to him by the body of the sea serpent in the water was nothing short of stunning. Keeping such an enormous shell manifested burned through a lot of essence, but the Crown of Twilight was supplying him with a nearly endless reserve of it. More than that, even the essence he had expended to accelerate the current was replenished. The period of dawn did not last long, and the sky soon turned azure. But Sunny had covered a great distance in that short period of time.


    Spitting the ketch on the water, he dismissed the shell and landed on the deck again, grabbing the steering oar. His solitary journey continued...


    He was moving downstream, further and further into the dawn of time. Approaching the point where time had not existed yet �� the Source.


    And the Estuary hidden in its mist.

 Chapter 1563 Terrors of the Past

    Chapter 1563 Terrors of the Past


    Sunny raced to the Source, afraid of the passage of time. It was ironic, really...


    Before the fateful conversation with Cassie, he had been tense and concerned about how the cohort would survive the battle for Verge. Now, however, he was concerned that they would destroy it too soon.


    There were other forms he could shape himself into, as well, each helpful in its own way. Of course, maintaining the shell cost him a lot of essence, so, afraid to drain his reserves of it, Sunny mostly remained in the ketch, guiding it away from potential perils by hand. Still, on that first day alone, he almost lost his life a few times. There was a moment when the water under him suddenly boiled and moved at incredible speed, threatening to overturn the boat. Sunny instantly summoned Saint, using her weight to balance the ketch, but that was merely the start of the disaster. An enormous span of the Great River, as far as the eye could see, instantly turned into a furious vortex. The speed of the current was so terrible that the hull of the ketch almost splintered, bombarded by powerful waves. It was pulled sideways, sliding deeper and deeper into the whirlpool. Desperate to save himself and his vessel, Sunny opened the gate of the Shadow Lantern and called upon the shadows, forming the shell of the Dark Butterfly. His vast wings moved, throwing him into the air. His six legs grabbed onto the ketch, lifting it from the raging water. Luckily, he was fast enough. As Sunny rose high into the air, he was able to observe the cause of the catastrophic turbulence that had turned the current of the Great River into a death trap. When he did, his very soul shuddered.


    There was a colossal, inconceivable maw hidden beneath the waves, stretching from one horizon to another. The terrible whirlpool that had almost shattered the catch was caused by these titanic jaws opening and sucking in an immense plain of water. And entire span of the Great River disappeared into the harrowing maw of the underwater colossus, whose body mercifully remained unseen. ...Sunny fled into the sky, never looking back. At another time, he noticed the air far in the distance trembling, as if from heat. However, as Sunny drew closer, unable to avoid the strange area, he realized that there was no heat. The air was not trembling, either. Instead, there were fissures in the fabric of space itself above the current, hidden in the sunlight and almost invisible. If not for his intuition ringing alarms, Sunny might not have noticed the hidden fractures in the world at all. When he did notice them, however, and tried to glimpse what was hidden in the folds between the broken pieces of space, he saw millions of dark eyes looking back at him, full of hunger. The current was pulling the ketch right into the area of the River plagued by the fractured space. Horrified, Sunny assumed the form of the onyx serpent and dove into the depth, hoping to hide from the gaze of the hungry abyss that hid in the fissures. However, the space was broken beneath the waves, as well. Only there were no eyes there. Instead, hidden in the shattered space, there were countless corpses of dreadful Nightmare Creatures, all broken, twisted, and partially devoured. Diving deeper and deeper into the darkness, until the pressure was crushing enough to almost destroy the mighty shell of the sea serpent, Sunny escaped that horror, as well.


    But there were many more to come.Updated from

 Chapter 1564 Returning to the Source

    Chapter 1564 Returning to the Source


    Some time later, Sunny saw thin lines moving in the air. Drawing closer, he saw something that resembled spiderwebs blowing in the wind, frayed and torn. The only thing was that each string of the ghostly spiderweb was many kilometers long, and there were numerous such strings, moving between the sky and the surface of the Great River like tattered sails. Some of them were white, but as Sunny guided the ketch between the billowing strings, he stared to encounter more and more of them that were bright red. Eventually, it was as though he was traveling through a forest of red threads. Navigating between them was not easy, but he was reluctant to come close to any of the strings, or allow the wind to bring any of them closer. Eventually, Sunny witnessed something else. Out there in front of him, far in the distance, an immense depth dweller was weakly struggling against the current, its body enveloped by several dozen of the white spiderwebs. The creature''s carapace seemed impregnable, but the strange strings did not seem to care. They simply grew through it, penetrating the leviathan''s body.


    As they did, their color slowly started change from white to red, the redness spreading from the point of contact with the abomination''s flesh along the length of the strings. Blood. They were drinking the leviathan''s blood. Turning pale, Sunny gazed at the forest of vibrant red strings that surrounded him, stretching far into the sky, permeating a whole region. His fingers turned white on the steering oar of the ketch. He escaped that horror, as well. And many more like it, although not unscathed. Sometimes, Sunny had no choice but to fight, unleashing the full fury of the onyx serpent or his other shapes on the creatures that wanted to consume him. Some of them, he managed to kill... but most of them, he simply escaped after delivering several painful wounds. By the end of the day, Sunny was bloodied and exhausted. His essence was on the verge of running dry, too. But then the dusk came, and the Crown of Twilight replenished his dwindling reserves. After dusk came the night, though, and it was more beautiful, and more harrowing, than any other night Sunny had experienced in the Tomb of Ariel.


    By the end of it, he was barely alive. But he was alive, nevertheless. Sunny did not allow his blood to flow, and his bone refused to break. Even his soul, which had received a few deep wounds when he used Shadow Incarnation to form his shells, was potent enough to withstand the damage without falling apart. Saint, Fiend, and Nightmare were beaten and battered, but alive, as well. The ketch too survived. Even though there were new scars on its hull, one of its masts had cracked, its sails sporting signs of hasty repairs, Ananke''s boat was still in one piece. Throughout all of this, Sunny had not said a single word, and had not even allowed himself a single groan. Pain was his old friend. He could withstand much more than that. ''Well... maybe not that much more.''


    He was exhausted, both physically and mentally. If there was one good thing about the horrors of the dawn of time, though, it was that the necessity to constantly be alert and on edge made it completely impossible for him to consider the consequences of what he had done... the fallout of breaking his promisese, abandoning his friends, and leaving for the Estuary instead of fighting side by side with them in Verge. ''I wonder what they are doing, now...''


    The scouting teams must have returned, by now. Nephis and the others had already learned of his absence. They must have even had enough time to digest it, to a degree, albeit not come to terms with it.


    The horizon... was hazy. It also seemed to be drawing nearer with each moment. ''This is it!''


    Both relieved and excited, Sunny called upon the waters of the Great River, making the current run faster. The ketch flew forward, drawing closer and closer to the wall of mist.


    Soon, it was surrounded by tendrils of thick fog. They flowed past the ketch, drifting above the waves. In front of him, the world turned somber and gloomy, rare rays of sunlight breaking through the veil of mist.


    Then, the mist obscured the sky entirely, making it seem as though nothing else existed in the world. Sunny found himself in familiar surroundings. After nearly a year of wandering the dreadful expanse of the Tomb of Ariel...


    He had finally returned to the Source.

 Chapter 1565 Traversing the Mist

    Chapter 1565 Traversing the Mist


    Ananke''s ketch was floating through a world of mist. The thick fog surrounded it from all sides, suffused with somber twilight. All sounds seemed both muffled and exaggerated, echoing across the vast expanse of shrouded water. Sunny could not see very far. Even his shadow sense was dulled by the mystical mist. It was a familiar sight. ''Indeed... I''ve been here already.''


    This was the exact same place where Sunny had found himself at the start of the Nightmare. The Source. Here, covered by mist, the Great River flowed into itself, and the past turned into the future. He could not feel the current anymore, but it was still there, strangely jumbled and disjointed. The ketch was moving, yet Sunny could not tell in what direction it was being carried.


    If he allowed himself to be pulled by the invisible current and reached the edges of the Source... he would be sent back to the day he had entered the Tomb of Ariel, as well as to the point upstream where the person whose role he took had been at that time. ''No... I can''t allow that to happen.''


    There was no point in guessing. Using the sacred relic of the sybils to illuminate the way, Sunny allowed the ketch to sail forward, moving the steering oar in accordance with where the radiance was pointing. There were no Nightmare Creatures in the Source, no danger... except for the danger that the Source itself presented. So, traveling through the somber mist almost felt peaceful. Sunny quickly lost his perception of time, so he did not even know how long he had been traversing the fog. It could have been an hour, a day, or an eternity... well, maybe not an eternity. Nephis would have obliterated the First Seeker long before that. Still, he had to be getting closer.


    ''I wonder what Aletheia found in the Estuary.''


    He wondered what the Mad Prince had found there, as well. What secrets had Ariel hidden in the heart of his pyramid? What was the hideous truth he couldn''t bear? Why had he hidden it all the way before time, away from the gazes of the gods?


    One way or another, Sunny was going to find out. And break the chains of fate that bound him tightly in the process. Just as he had always wished. He was growing tired of the dancing radiance of the Guiding Light. His hand was growing numb as it held the steering oar of Ananke''s ketch. Time... was flowing.


    And then, finally, Sunny felt it. The same thing he had felt before being expelled from the Source the first time. He thought that he saw two tall pillars protruding from the mist far ahead, and then, the invisible current suddenly turned violent and turbulent. There was the sound of roaring water, similar to what the waterfalls of the Edge sounded like, and he felt the ketch being pulled forward at incredible speed. Then, there was a sense of weightlessness. And then, only darkness remained.

 Chapter 1566 The Estuary

    Chapter 1566 The Estuary


    There was the sound of wind whistling in Sunny''s ears. He was falling. The source of this content no/v(el)bi((n))


    Flying through a sea of darkness, lost and disoriented, unsure of where he was.


    ''The... Estuary...''


    The wind howled louder, and Sunny felt his body plummeting through it at terrible speed. Belatedly, he remembered the need to summon the Dark Wing and slow down his fall.


    Or summon the shadows and turn himself into a monstrous butterfly.


    Or even a crow...


    But it was too late for what. Dazed, he caught a glimpse of an enormous black edifice swiftly approaching him from the darkness. It was like a rough, irregularly shaped, giant sphere of black stone that hovered in the void, eternal and indestructible. Strange mountains rose from its surface, hollow on the inside...


    In front of him, nestled between several immense outcroppings of black stone, was a vast valley. And on the floor of that valley, shrouded by darkness... lay the remains of countless broken ships. It was a vast ship graveyard. The harrowing thing about it, though, was that each of these ships looked familiar. They were all the Chain Breaker. There, in front of him, thousands of Chain Breaker lay on the black stone, broken and destroyed. Although each was destroyed in a unique manner, shattered by a terrible impact, most of them were exactly the same. Some were a little different, seemingly modified before turning into a forlorn wreck. The shape of their rams was slightly different. The tattered sails were painted in different colors. The trees growing around the central mast of these ships were dead and twisted, devoid of all life. Some of the trees, though, looked perfectly healthy and alluring, countless succulent fruits weighing their branches down.


    Shuddering, Sunny decided to keep as far away from those wrecks as possible. There were countless broken ships in front of him �� thousands of them. And it was just in that one valley. They weren''t the wrecks of an entire fleet of similar vessels. Instead, they were the same vessel, destroyed countless times.


    Suddenly covered in cold sweat, Sunny felt his sense of reality shaking. ''What... that does it mean?''


    He shuddered, then began to descend into the valley. As he did, he noticed more wood fragments among the shattered ships. They were all the remains of Ananke''s ketch, piled in tall hills. He just... he did not understand. ''How is this possible?''


    As Sunny felt unsure of his sanity, a derisive laughter suddenly resounded from behind him.


    Turning swiftly, he looked into the darkness with wide eyes.


    But it was just the Sin of Solace. The sword wraith... looked more substantial, somehow. Walking out of the darkness, he looked at Sunny with contempt and smiled viciously:


    "What? Did you think that you were the first one to make it this far? Did you think that this is the first time you betrayed your cohort and decided to seek freedom in the Estuary, instead?"


    The apparition scoffed and looked at the ship graveyard, his dark eyes burning with strange glee. "Fool. There were countless versions of you that had come this far. Betrayal after betrayal, repeated endlessly in countless cycles... truly, your treachery knows no bounds."

 Chapter 1567 One Last Time

    Chapter 1567 One Last Time


    Sunny remained silent, watching the Sin of Solace with a somber expression.


    ''Well... that much is obvious.''


    Of course, he was not the first version of himself to reach the Estuary. There had been the Mad Prince, as well...


    However, the next words of the sword wraith made him flinch:


    "Oh, there were numerous Mad Princes before, too. All making schemes and striving to change something that could not be changed, the despicable bastards. Paving the way for their lesser versions... like you... to make it to the end. Each cycle a little different, but ultimately the same."


    Which meant that the vile madman had been to the Estuary before crossing from the future into the past. He could have gained his freedom a long time ago.


    ...But was there a point in being free if it was at the cost of Neph''s life? For the Mad Prince, it was not.


    That was why he had returned to the Great River without breaking the chains of fate. And that was why he had scratched numerous demented runes into the piece of flotsam drifting in the mist of the Source, all saying the same thing...


    Be careful of what you wish for The Mad Prince had regretted finding the Well of Wishes. Sunny, however, would not. Taking a deep breath, he summoned the Mirror of Truth and looked at its polished surface. There, a reflection of Nephis as caught, looking just like she had on the carapace of the Black Turtle. Sunny had not used the Mirror during the last revolution of the Aletheia''s Island''s loop, and so, it was in pristine condition.


    He looked at Neph''s reflection for a while, then held the heavy mirror tightly and stepped into the grandiose tunnel, walking into its darkness.


    Entering the heart of the Tomb of Ariel. He walked forward for a while, not seeing anything particular. He couldn''t even determine the direction in which the tunnel led... its floor was supposed to be sloping downward, but if felt flat, stretching endlessly forward. Slowly, the walls of the tunnel expanded, and its ceiling disappeared from view. Sunny found himself walking between two perfectly flat plains of black stone, surrounded by darkness.


    And there, in the darkness... harrowing runes were carved into the stone, dancing madly. As soon as Sunny caught sight of these runes, he immediately activated the enchantment of the Mirror of Truth.

 Chapter 1568 Knowledge of the Void

    Chapter 1568 Knowledge of the Void


    Sunny had only caught a glimpse of the runes, but it was enough to send him into a state of utter terror. Before even having time to think, he shut his eyes tightly and activated the enchantment of the Mirror of Truth, borrowing Neph''s [Longing] Ability. Thus making his soul incorruptible... for a while. And it was just in time, because simply being close to the runes threatened to make Corruption bloom in his soul. ''Argh...''


    He groaned mentally while keeping his mouth shut. The pain was almost unbearable. ReAd latest chapters at novelhall.com Only


    It was a familiar kind of terror, revulsion, and pain, as well.


    Because Sunny had recognized the shape of those runes. There were two types of runes that the Spell refused to translate. One had to do with the type of beings it simply called the -unknown- �� the primordial beings of the eternal, everchanging Void. The other had to do with the singular being that it similarly called the -unknown- �� the mysterious progenitor of the seven daemons, which might have been one of the Void Creatures, or might not have been. The latter runes were hard to look at, causing the head of the person to split with ache, and their mind to become dizzy. It were the former runes, though, that were truly sinister, making the unfortunate person witnessing them feel terror and revulsion. Inscribed on the walls of the tunnel were such runes... a great number of them. The walls of the tunnel, which seemed to stretch infinitely in all directions, were littered with them, with barely any empty spaces left between the harrowing symbols.


    Sunny gulped for air. ''This... this is the source of the Defilement.''


    Now that he thought about it, it made sense. The dreadful runes described the Void Beings. And he had learned by now that Corruption was the influence of the Void, seeping through the walls of existence that caged it. Therefore, knowledge of the Void... was the source of Corruption, as well. And that was what Ariel, that madman, had inscribed on the walls of the Estuary. The stories of the Void, the knowledge about it... and the True Names of the harrowing beings that dwelled within its everchanging depths, imprisoned by the gods. He was sure of it. That was what Aletheia had found, most likely, and what had turned her into the source of the Defilement... which was merely knowledge that could be shared and transferred, thus turning this form of Corruption into an unstoppable infection. Knowledge of the Void, and of the True Names of those beings whose names could not be known, let alone uttered aloud. That was why the Spell refused to translate the harrowing runes �� not because it wanted to keep its secrets for itself, but simply because being able to read them would be the end of anyone who did. Not just reading, as well... merely being in the presence of these runes was harmful. It was already painful and dangerous to glimpse a few of them, as Sunny had done a few times in his life �� for example, when reading the descriptions of the drop of Shadow God''s blood and the drop of Weaver''s blood.


    Therefore... even though Sunny had only caught a glimpse of the runes, unable to read them, that alone put him at risk of becoming Corrupted. Remaining near them, in the endless tunnel, was going to make seeds of Corruption bloom in his soul, as well. So, if he remained here at the time the Mirror of Truth crumbled into dust... he would become Defiled. He would become the Mad Prince again. Running his fingers over the surface of the enchanted mirror, he could already feel a few thin cracks in it. For a moment, Sunny considered turning around.


    But then, a mocking voice came from the darkness:


    "Why don''t you open your eyes?"


    Hearing the Sin of Solace made him remember why was it that he had come to the Estuary, and what was at stake. His freedom.


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny suppressed the terror and the agony he felt from being close to the harrowing runes and took a step forward. Then, he took another step.


    And then, another. Even though each of them was so hard that he wanted to fall and shriek in pain, he remained silent and persisted. Three steps turned into three dozen, and then into three hundred. Sunny continued to walk through the dark tunnel, keeping his eyes closed. His shadows were wrapped tightly around his body, unable to see anything. Saint, Fiend, and Nightmare were kept safely within his soul, unable to witness the dreadful secrets of the Void. Enduring the nauseating fear and torturous pain, he kept going. And hoping...


    That he would reach the end of the tunnel before the Mirror of Truth reached its limit.

 Chapter 1569 Cracking Mirror

    Chapter 1569 Cracking Mirror


    ''Ah... I am... starting to rethink the value of curiosity...''


    Even subjected to the horror of the knowledge of the Void, which could quite literally turn Sunny into a Nightmare Creature, he still felt a strange impulse to open his eyes and try to glean the secrets left in the Estuary by the Demon of Dread. It was such a tantalizing mystery, after all. The Void, the ineffable beings that dwelled in it, and how the gods were born from them... only to wage war on the very existence that had given shape to their divinity.


    It was a bit like the compulsion to jump that some people felt while standing near the edge of a tall cliff. Of course, taking that leap would mean the death of them. And opening his eyes would mean the end of Sunny. So, he kept them shut and kept walking. At first, each step felt as if he was trying to move a mountain. But slowly, torturously, he grew accustomed to the suffocating pressure of the ghastly runes. Not to the point of being comfortable around them, but at least enough so to increase his pace. The reason he could make even a single step, though, was the Mirror of Truth �� and the reflection of Nephis caught in it. Without borrowing her [Longing] Ability, Sunny would have collapsed to the ground the moment the runes surrounded him, turning into a pile of... something. Tentacles, maybe, or bone blades. Then again, the Mad Prince had looked pretty human-like. So, perhaps, he would have retained his general appearance, with only his soul becoming consumed by Corruption. That would have made Sunny a Fallen Terror, which was the same Rank and Class that the Crimson Terror of the Forgotten Shore had possessed. The comparison made him feel not exactly nostalgic, but definitely contemplative. ''Things have changed a lot, haven''t they?''


    Distracting himself from the horror that surrounded him, Sunny continued to walk forward. Dread, absolute dread... what else had he expected to find in the heart of the Tomb of Ariel?


    ''Water... gods, why does it have to be water again?''


    Sunny had never encountered a deep body of water that did not hide some terrifying abomination. Hopefully... this time would be different. He thought that, but still decided against diving into the lake. Instead, he used the Crown of Twilight, and stepped on the surface of the water instead, walking across it as if it was solid ground.


    The surface of the water supported him, barely wetting his dainty silk shoes. Sunny had already experienced walking on water, running on water, and even fighting on water... so, this was nothing new to him.


    Nevertheless, the quiet lake that was hidden deep within the heart of the Tomb of Ariel, at the Estuary of the Great River, made a sense of wonder bloom in his heart.


    ''Can this, perhaps... be the Well of Wishes?''

 Chapter 1570 Writ in Water.

    Chapter 1570 Writ in Water.


    Sunny did not really believe that the fairy tale Ananke had told him was literal. The magical Well of Wishes did not really exist, and neither did the remnant of the primal desire from which the gods had been born exist in the Estuary. Cassie had told him herself �� not everyone''s wish would be fulfilled here. But his would, through some unknown process.


    Still, looking at the mysterious lake surrounding him, Sunny could not help but wonder if both of them had, perhaps, been wrong. Wouldn''t it be nice, for something that magical to exist?


    But, of course, the dark and seemingly endless lake was not the Well of Wishes Ananke had told him about. Sunny realized it when faint lights ignited in its depths, and a nauseating feeling assaulted his senses. ''Argh... damn it!''


    He staggered slightly, barely keeping himself from plunging into the cold water. Regaining his balance, Sunny stared at the distant lights. A strange expression appeared on his face.


    ''Don''t tell me...''


    There, deep beneath his feet...


    More runes shined, weaved from light. He could not read them, and felt dizzy from merely looking at them, but they were not the same harrowing runes that covered the walls of the tunnel. Instead, they were the second kind of runes that the Spell refused to translate. The runes that had to do with the Unknown, the progenitor of the daemons. At least these writings did not threaten to corrupt his soul.


    Sunny studied the runes for a few moments, having no idea what they meant. However, strangely... he felt that he was on the cusp of grasping their meaning. It was as if the secrets described by the shining runes were just outside his reach.


    ''I wonder if Aletheia got that far...''


    And the Mad Prince. And all the previous versions of Sunny that had entered the Estuary. Had any of them learned the secrets written by the Demon of Dread in the depths of a mystical lake? The lake that was hidden behind a tunnel full of Corruption, almost as if guarded by it. Sunny took a deep breath...


    And then, following an impulse, summoned the Sin of Solace.


    [Hideous Truth] Enchantment Description: "The more the wielder''s sanity is shattered, the more powerful this blade becomes. It bestows revelations of madness on those who give in to its will."


    Sunny was not entirely mad, but through the paradoxical nature of the Sin of Solace, the spirit of the cursed sword had long ago reached completion. Therefore... he was long overdue to receive revelations as a reward for reaching the pinnacle of madness. The hilt of the jade jian landed comfortably in his hand. And the moment it did, Sunny felt the thin barrier separating him from understanding the nauseating runes dissolving. Finally, their true meaning was revealed to him.


    ''No, wait.''


    If there was a seventh god �� which was rather unbelievable, considering that Sunny had never seen him... her... it?... mentioned anywhere �� then why would the Spell refuse to translate his name? And why did Sunny feel dizzy and nauseated when encountering the few, exceedingly rare mentions of him, written in the strange runes? And why was the name of Weaver written in the runes at the heart of the Tomb of Ariel? Sunny hesitated for a while, then walked further, heading for the next set of runes shining underwater some distance away. ''Forgotten God, Forgotten God...''


    A seventh god existed, huh? That was... very strange. Soon, he reached the next set of shining runes. They read:


    [Hail Hope Demon of Desire


    Daughter


    of the Forgotten God]


    He frowned a little, then continued walking. Soon, he walked over the runes mentioning all seven of the daemons: Demon of Fate, Demon of Desire, Demon of Oblivion, Demon of Dread, Demon of Imagination, Demon of Repose, and the Demon of Choice �� as well as Destiny. It seemed that even Ariel had forgotten to mention the name of the Demon of Oblivion. Or perhaps he had, but Sunny had already forgotten reading it. In any case, all seven daemons were called the children of the Forgotten God. It was at that moment that a startling realization ignited in Sunny''s mind, making him sway a little. ''Desire, Dread, Repose, Imagination, Oblivion, Destiny, Fate...''


    The seventh god... the Forgotten God... was the progenitor of the seven daemons. In hindsight, it was all so obvious. ''Wouldn''t it make him... Dream God?''


    Dream God �� the god of dreams, nightmares, restoration, imagination, oblivion, and fate.


    People dreamed about what they desired. They saw nightmares about things they dreaded. Sleep brought with it rest, and was full of fantastical things. Dreams were easily forgotten, disappearing into oblivion. And, sometimes, dreams brought with them visions of fate... like the prophetic visions Cassie received when she slept.


    Destiny, meanwhile, was the other side of fate. It all made sense. The seven daemons... each represented one of the Aspects of the seventh god, Dream God. Who had been forgotten and erased from history, for some reason, only mentioned in forbidden runes that could not be read by most people, and repelled anyone who tried.


    Thus becoming...


    The Forgotten God.

 Chapter 1571 Seventh God

    Chapter 1571 Seventh God


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, trying to digest the earth-shaking revelation he had received in the Estuary. He felt as though he had stumbled on a great, almost unimaginable secret. Something that, perhaps, lay at the root of all the mysteries that had been plaguing him for so long. There were not six, but seven gods: Sun God, War God, Storm God, Beast God, Heart God, Shadow God... and Dream God, who had been forgotten. The daemons were children of this Forgotten God. Therefore... by rebelling against the gods, had they rebelled against their own kin? Just like the gods themselves had waged war against their kin, the ineffable beings of the Void. ''No, wait...''


    The connection between the Forgotten God and everything that had happened, and continued to happen, was too deep to be a mere coincidence. The realms of the gods were destroyed, consumed one after another by the Dream Realm. Seeds of Nightmare bloomed in its depths, infecting the last remaining realm, the waking world, by a plague of Nightmare Creatures.


    And then there was the Nightmare Spell, created by Weaver �� the firstborn of Dream God. Had the Forgotten God really been Dream God?


    Or had he been Nightmare God?


    Or... had he been Dream God once, but then became the god of nightmares?


    Why had he been erased from history? Why did the runes describing his title... and not even his real title, but simply referring to him as the Forgotten God... possess a repelling force to them? It was almost as if merely mentioning him was forbidden. On a level close to a universal law. ''Wait...''


    And looking at the seventh figure made Sunny feel dizzy and nauseous. It seemed that not only mentioning the Forgotten God was forbidden, but depicting him, as well. Sunny walked further. The next several scenes painted in the water were largely the same. They depicted the seven gods fighting against the Void Beings, albeit in more artistic and mysterious manner. However... the final scene of the war was very different from how it had been drawn on the mural in the drowning temple. There, the Void Beings had been shown beaten and diminished, surrounded by the six proud and victorious gods.


    Here in the Estuary, though, the scene was entirely not the same. The Void Being were just as giant and terrifying as ever, and the seven gods were depicted in a desperate fight against them, both sides seemingly on the verge of being destroyed. The next scene was different, as well. In the temple, it showed the six gods confidently enveloping the Void, and the harrowing creatures dwelling in it, in a net made from the remnants of the golden flame. Here, though... the scene was largely the same, with one important distinction. One of the seven radiant figures was hopelessly caught among the terrifying shapes of the Void Creatures, unable to retreat. Nevertheless, the net of flames still enveloped the void, creating a cage around it. And sealing the radiant figure in that cage with the beings of the Void. Sunny shivered, a terrible understanding dawning on him.


    He walked to the next scene and saw it...


    Just before the net closed, forever sealing the Void, the radiant figure of the seventh god tore seven pieces of itself and sent them flying away. The radiant sparks �� much brighter than the remnant sparks of the golden flame that would later become humans �� escaped the cage just before it closed. The final image was very similar to the one depicted in the drowned temple. It showed the familiar picture of forests, plains, river, and a vast sky... the world as Sunny knew it. Humans were depicted in that image, as well, wandering the landscape as tiny dots. There were seven vague, but much more prominent figures among them, though, standing under the blue sky, confused and lost.


    The daemons. Sunny trembled. ''This is not the myth of creation.''


    Indeed, the story drawn in the depths of the mystical lake was not the myth of creation.


    Instead... it was the story of how the daemons were born. Of how the gods sealed the Void, abandoning one of their own, and how that seventh god tore seven pieces of his soul to let a part of him escape the cage. Thus becoming the progenitor of the daemons... who were mysterious creatures that were rumored to have appeared from nowhere, possessing a power not quite equal, but similar to that of the gods.

 Chapter 1572 Testament of Dread

    Chapter 1572 Testament of Dread


    As it turned out... the daemons had not appeared out of nowhere, nor had they created themselves. Instead, they were born from the seven pieces of a god whose very existence had been erased from the world, concealed, and forbidden from being mentioned. The seventh god...


    The Forgotten God. Who had been Dream God, once.


    So, it was not that the origin of the daemons was unknown. It was just that their very existence was forbidden, and since no one was allowed to remember the Forgotten God, it seemed as if they had appeared from nowhere. Sunny shivered, and then looked ahead. There, the last cluster of light was burning under the surface of the dark lake. He walked forward, his legs numb. Soon, he reached the light and looked down, seeing runes once again. Taking slow steps, he studied them.


    The message left behind by Ariel, the Demon of Dread, read:


    [Here is the truth I leave behind


    That reveals the lie of the gods


    The Forgotten One slumbers


    In the Void


    Eternal, everchanging


    Dreaming of escape


    The gods, who were flawless


    Learned shame


    And were flawless no more


    I am a child of their transgression


    And thus, their Flaw]


    Suddenly, he remembered the last thing Noctis had said to him, in the depths of the Secon Nightmare, just before Hope broke free of her chains. He remembered the weight of the four words the whimsical sorcerer had whispered:


    ''Never trust the gods.''


    Sunny trembled. ''The gods... were flawless no more...''


    Suddenly, he remembered the last thing Noctis had said to him, in the depths of the Secon Nightmare, just before Hope broke free of her chains. He remembered the weight of the four words the whimsical sorcerer had whispered: ReAd latest chapters at novelhall.com Only


    ''Never trust the gods.''


    The gods... were liars, indeed. They left one of their own in the cage they had built to imprison the Void, and, full of shame, erased his existence from the world. Was that how the universal law of imperfection had been born? Or maybe it had gone the other way around, and it was precisely the creation of the law of imperfection that had given the gods the final push they needed to seal the Void.


    How had the gods and the daemons perished?


    How had the seal of the Void been broken?


    And if it had been broken, why wasn''t all of existence already consumed by it?


    Why was the Forgotten God still sleeping, instead of awakening to devour everything?


    Most importantly of all...


    What was the true purpose of the Nightmare Spell, and what was Weaver''s real goal?


    Remembering the scheming daemon, Sunny suddenly shuddered.


    ''Wait... wait a minute...''


    The daemons had been forbidden from propagating, and yet the Demon of Fate still secretly created a lineage. The forbidden lineage... which Sunny had inherited. Since the blood of Weaver was flowing through his veins...


    Did it mean that he had actually inherited the lineage of the Forgotten God?


    ''What the hell does that mean?!''


    Sunny raised his hands and clutched at his hair. He was a bit overwhelmed. After finally solving countless mysteries about the past of the world, despite that very knowledge having been forbidden from being learned by a divine law... he was left with one final set of questions. But these questions were perhaps the most important, because they directly influenced the present �� and, therefore, the future. His future, as well as that of everyone he knew. ''Argh!''


    Sunny would have loved to spend an eternity contemplating the many harrowing revelations he had received. But he wasn''t sure that he could endure it, at the moment. Most importantly... he didn''t have time!


    His freedom was here, somewhere, in the Estuary of the Great River.


    Hidden at the very heart of it...


    Where the most burdensome truth Ariel wanted to be free of should have been buried.


    Sunny had to reach it before Nephis burned the First Seeker to ash. Therefore, gritting his teeth, he tried to calm his frenzied mind and hurriedly walked forward.


    ''Lying gods, forgotten gods, corrupted gods... I''ll deal with all of this later!''


    The Forgotten God dreamed of being free...


    Well, Sunny dreamed of being free, as well!


    And his wish was almost within his grasp.


    So, he was going to make sure that he didn''t fail to grasp it, at all costs.

 Chapter 1573 Stone Maze

    Chapter 1573 Stone Maze


    Sunny turned away from the chilling testament that Ariel had left behind in the silent waters of the still lake and continued forward. There were a million thoughts in his mind. The magnitude of the revelation he had received dwarfed almost everything Sunny knew �� the very reason for the cold reality he was born into now had an explanation. The future, too, had become much clearer. And it was a frightening future, as well. The gods were dead... but not all of them.


    The seventh god was still alive, slumbering in the cradle of the Void. All of existence was already infected by the horrors of his nightmare, and once the Forgotten One awakened, even that ailing world would come to an end. And yet, Sunny had no desire to ponder these truths right now. The matters of corrupted gods and dying worlds were far away. The dreadful future they promised was far away, too... although perhaps not as far as he would have hoped for. In any case, none of it held any meaning as long as he was bound. As long as he wasn''t free. Free to live his life the way he wished to live it, as well as free to try and change the predestined outcome. Even if the end promised by the truth of Ariel truly came before Sunny died peacefully of old age, even if he failed to change anything, in the end... there was really only one thing sadder than living as a slave. It was dying as one. So, Sunny wished to gain freedom even more desperately now.


    And, unlike the dreadful truth, his freedom was near.


    The Guiding Light was still shining, pointing across the dark waters. Sunny followed that light through the darkness.


    As he walked across the still lake, subtle ripples spread from where he stepped. His reflection walked alongside him, and a few steps back, the Sin of Solace followed, staring at Sunny with hateful eyes. ''Why is he being so quiet?''


    There was something strange happening to the sword wraith. He seemed... different, somehow, ever since they had entered the Estuary. Sunny had long grown accustomed to the company of the loathsome apparition, but now, he was growing wary of its presence. Not the least because he knew now what harrowing knowledge the Sin of Solace was harboring, prevented from sharing it only by the seal placed on him by the Estuary Key. Just like the Void could break its seal and consume all of existence, the knowledge of it that the wraith possessed would consume Sunny should the Estuary Key disappear.


    The thought was chilling. ''It''s... a good thing I never tried to transfer the Key of the Estuary to someone, I guess.''


    He was going to find out. Eventually, there was nothing left around him except for towering cliffs and rushing water. Sunny used the Dark Wing to glide between the jagged rocks, propelling himself forward with stunning speed. He felt a need to hurry, knowing that Nephis was somewhere out there, leading an assault on Verge...


    In the end, the Guiding Light led him to neither the future nor the past. Instead... the radiant crystal simply showed him the way through the labyrinth, keeping away from the sound of roaring water. Escaping the misty labyrinth, Sunny found himself in front of a vast body of water once again. He was back to the calmer reaches of the dark lake. It was very much like the dreadful sight of the slaughter that had happened at the approach to Twilight, but with one striking difference. The part of it hidden behind the maze of cliffs, though...


    Was entirely different from what he had seen near the shore. ''W��what is this...''


    Sunny froze for a moment, gazing forward with a pale face. In front of him... countless corpses were floating in the water. It was very much like the dreadful sight of the slaughter that had happened at the approach to Twilight, but with one striking difference. If the carcasses littering the still water there belonged to the Defiled abominations, then here, all of them seemed to belong to Great Nightmare Creatures. Sunny knew it because there were numerous husks of Dark Butterflies among the floating corpses, all lifeless despite having no discernible wounds. Something had violently destroyed their very souls, leaving only lifeless corpses behind. And there, far away...


    Did it only look that way, or was something dark rising from the water?


    The Guiding Light was pointing directly at that distant speck of darkness. Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, then gritted his teeth and took a step forward.


    As he did, something vast moved in the depths of the still water...


    And gazed at him.

 Chapter 1574 Whoever Fights Monsters

    Chapter 1574 Whoever Fights Monsters


    Sunny staggered as the gaze of the being hiding beneath the still water of the lake fell on him. A scream almost escaped from his lips, but he gritted his teeth and pushed it down. ''Ah...''


    The feeling of being looked upon by the invisible watcher... whatever it was... was unlike anything he had ever experienced. Sunny had been in the presence of powerful people before, and even more powerful Nightmare Creatures. He had been crushed by the suffocating force of their presence, and struggled to move while being pressed down by it. But the gaze of the being hiding under the silent dark waves was entirely different. It was not only heavier and more insurmountable, hinting at the terrifying power of the hidden watcher, but also did not feel the same. The force of oppression emanated by mighty beings was usually aimless and directionless, while the chilling gaze... was piercing and penetrating. It felt as though the mysterious being was not simply looking at Sunny from beneath the mass of dark water, but rather looking through him. Sunny''s body, mind, and his very soul were like an open book in front of the hidden watcher, and they were being read, one page after another. ''G��gods, gods...''


    His soul was being witnessed. And, somehow, Sunny felt that it was more than that. His soul was being judged. Paled, he slowly looked around, seeing the floating corpses of the Great Nightmare Creatures in a new light. Had all these harrowing abominations... failed to pass the judgment? Just what was this place? Was there something else hidden at the very heart of the nebulous lake, even after all the forbidden knowledge left behind on its shore and in the depths of its outer reaches? Why had Ariel placed it behind the labyrinth of rushing currents and mist, leaving a fearsome guardian behind? Sunny grimaced, swayed a little... and took a step forward. Then, another. ''Go on, judge me. I... have nothing to hide...''


    He did not know what he was being judged for, but the sincerity of his wish to be free was indisputable. Hopefully, the dreadful being would see its purity, and let him pass. Feeling as if he was walking to his execution, Sunny walked toward the very heart of the Estuary �� the speck of darkness that the Guiding Light was pointing at. He maneuvered around the motionless corpses of the Great Nightmare Creatures, who had all lost their lives in this eerie place, and forced himself to put one foot in front of the other.


    One step at a time. The harrowing gaze followed him for a while, inhuman and indifferent...


    Then, the feeling of something vast and ancient watching him suddenly disappeared, leaving him shaken and rattled. Sunny staggered again, filled with incredible relief, and almost let out a groan. It seemed that he had passed the judgment. ''What was that thing looking for?''


    Who was allowed to approach the heart of the Estuary, and who was not? Why did the guardian let Sunny pass?


    He regained his balance and looked forward with dark resolve burning in his eyes. ''Come on... you are almost there.''


    How could he have not expected this to happen?


    Of course, he had.


    The actions of the Mad Prince had always been bizarre and almost impossible to understand. The depths of the schemes the vile madman had woven were nothing short of unfathomable, destroying countless lives and reshaping the entire Nightmare to his will. Sunny had long guessed what drove the Mad Prince... it was his desire to redeem the sin of killing Nephis and bring her back to life. That said...


    Who was to say that his previous self only had one goal? Who was to say that he had been willing to simply cease to exist, thus preventing himself from enjoying the fruits of his labor?


    After all, if there was one thing Sunny knew about himself... it was that he was a cockroach. He was very hard to kill, and even if something did manage to kill him, he had a strange track record of somehow finding a way to come back to life. So why would the Mad Prince be any different?


    Of course, there was a bit of contradiction between what the two of them wanted.


    It was because, in order for the Mad Prince to come back to life, Sunny had to disappear. He had to become a vessel to the memories of the vile madman, and lose his sanity to Corruption. Taking a deep breath, Sunny stared at the Sin of Solace silently.


    So... which one of them would get to exist?


    Which one of them would manage to outscheme the other?

 Chapter 1575 Free of Sin

    Chapter 1575 Free of Sin


    Sunny had an inkling that the Mad Prince had not been willing to quietly disappear for a while now. However, it had always been just that �� a suspicion, substantiated by nothing except for his knowledge of himself. Sunny wouldn''t have wanted to cease to exist, so why would his Defiled version be any different?


    The Mad Prince had wished to be free, and in the process of fulfilling that wish, he caused Neph''s death. His soul was consumed by the Defilement, but not entirely so �� a small slither of his humanity remained due to the Sin of Solace, who preserved it to torment his host better. And so, the vile madman came to regret pursuing his wish. He schemed and conspired to bring Nephis back to life and create such a cycle of the Great River where the Nightmare could be conquered by the cohort. He turned his friends into the Plagues, and then betrayed them, arranging for each to be slaughtered. But was that all that the Mad Prince had wanted? Apparently, no. Sunny was a greedy person, and his past self had to have been, too. Therefore... there were at least two more things the Mad Prince had schemed to achieve. The first one was more or less obvious. He had not only wished to bring Nephis back to life, but to be with her, as well.


    Staring at the Sin of Solace, Sunny shook his head in disgust. ''That crazy bastard. Did he really think that Neph would accept a horrid Corrupted maniac like him?''


    Well... it was in the name. Despite all his devious cunning, at the end of the day, the Mad Prince was exactly that �� entirely and utterly mad. Sunny had no doubt that the lunatic imagined countless ways to bend the future to his will in that perverse head of his.


    The Sin of Solace, meanwhile, smiled darkly. "Oh... I see that you are starting to understand. I am sorry to say this, though �� it''s already too late for you."


    He sighed.


    "But, well. What''s done is done. There is no way to escape the inevitable, now."


    Sunny glared at him and outstretched a hand, summoning the jade jian into existence. The Sin of Solace laughed. "Oh, wait... I guess you can just destroy me before your soul is corrupted, huh?"


    The sword wraith was immune to the flow of the Great River, keeping his memories of all the past cycles. And, since he was nothing but a splintered piece of Sunny''s own mind, that knowledge would slowly seep through and contaminate the rest of his mind �� like it had happened on Aletheia''s Island. The Sin of Solace could just whisper the secrets of the Void to Sunny directly, but he did not have too. Eventually, that knowledge would infect Sunny''s mind simply because it was already there. However... it would not happen instantly. Just like it had happened on Aletheia''s Island, and even earlier with the cycles of the Great River, Sunny had some time before the contamination started in earnest. If he was to somehow destroy the Sin of Solace during that time, the splintered part of his mind would be eradicated, and the terrible knowledge contained within it would be erased without a trace. The problem was...


    The beautiful jian appeared in Sunny''s hand, its blade carved from pristine white jade. [Perfect Jade] Enchantment Description: "This blade is carved from a piece of sublime jade, and as such is sharp and durable beyond logic and reason."


    The Sin of Solace was a Transcendent Memory with an enchantment that drastically enhanced its durability, while Sunny was merely an Ascended. Was he even strong enough to break it? And if he did break it... would the wraith born from it truly disappear?

 Chapter 1576 Dreadful Whisper

    Chapter 1576 Dreadful Whisper


    Sunny had to destroy the Sin of Solace before the seeds of Corruption were planted into his soul. If he managed to destroy the wraith before that happened, the scheme the Mad Prince had concocted to come back to life would be thwarted, and Sunny would get to continue existing. If he failed, the Mad Prince would return, consuming him in the process. ''That vile bastard...''


    The sword wraith laughed as he watched him. "My, oh my. You''re not going to do something terrible to me, are you?"


    Sunny glanced at him darkly, then at the beautiful jian in his hand. Placing the Guiding Light on the water, he wrapped all six of his shadows around him and grabbed the jade blade, using all his inhuman strength in an attempt to break it against his knee. The Sin of Solace was not only incredibly resilient, but also incredibly sharp. Despite the Marble Shell, Sunny could not get a good hold of it without losing his fingers... and even if he could, his strength seemed insufficient to shatter the cursed sword. Even though his muscles felt like they were on the verge of tearing, the jian only bent, but did not break. As soon as Sunny released it, the blade sprung back to its initial, perfectly straight form. ''Maybe... I should try to escape back under the gaze of the lake guardian...''


    But no, that would only end in his demise. The Sin of Solace was a part of him, and now that the Estuary Key had been destroyed, the guardian would obliterate them both.


    The wraith chuckled, observing his efforts with disdain.


    "Pathetic."


    Sunny abandoned his attempts to break the jade blade and straightened.


    Then, he smiled. So what if he wasn''t strong enough to break the damned sword?


    That whole performance was just to satiate his curiosity, anyway. Before the sword wraith could say anything else, he released his shadows and tossed the beautiful jian away. A moment later, a hand rose from one of the shadows, catching the cursed sword. Saint stepped out of it, holding it with indifferent grace. As an Ascended, Sunny might not have been strong enough to shatter the Sin of Solace. But luckily, he had a Transcendent Devil at hand... two of them, even. It would have been even easier to make Fiend eat the jade blade, but he was worried that the cursed thing would give the ravenous ogre indigestion. So, the job of destroying the sinister Memory fell to Saint.


    As the six shadows wrapped themselves around the graceful knight, her ruby eyes blazed with crimson light. The wraith opened his eyes widely. "Now, wait a second..."


    Not paying him any attention �� or rather, incapable of perceiving him �� Saint silently placed the flat of the jade blade against her greave, slowly raised her shield, and then struck the cursed sword with its rim. A gust of hurricane wind spread from the point of impact, and the surface of the lake rippled. The Sin of Solace cracked, then exploded into shards of beautiful white jade, which dissipated into a whirlwind of white sparks. Those sparks were then absorbed into Saint''s stonelike body. Sunny heard the Spell whispering into his ear, saying the same words for the second time in the last few minutes:


    [Your Memory has been destroyed.]


    But before he could, Sunny took a step forward, coming face-to-face with the startled wraith, and leaned forward a little. Then, he whispered into his ear...


    Only two words. The first words he had spoken after saying farewell to Cassie at the shore of Verge.


    They were:


    "Be gone."


    And as he said them, the world shuddered. The wraith''s eyes widened slightly �� this time, in earnest. "You..."


    And then, he was gone. Erased, as if he had never existed. The splintered part of Sunny''s mind was gone, taking the forbidden knowledge of the Void, and all the memories of the previous cycles, with it. Preventing the Mad Prince from ever being born again. Healed from the curse that had plagued him since the early days of the Southern Campaign, Sunny closed his eyes for a moment, and then let out a long sigh. Then, he looked down.


    There was a thin thread tied around his neck �� the same thread with which the mouths of the Voiceless Prelates, a band of Corrupted Demons led by a Devil named the Defiled Herald, had been sewn shut. Sunny had slain them back in Antarctica, receiving a certain Memory in the process. That Memory was the Stifled Scream, a charm he usually used to augment Saint. The charm possessed a second enchantment, though, which the graceful knight had never been able to use. [Word of Power] Enchantment Description: "A word spoken by the master of this charm is a command. If born of great silence, the word of power can hardly be ignored. If not, it has no worth."


    Saint never spoke, so [Word of Power] could not be used by her. Sunny, meanwhile, was never able to remain silent for long enough to let the enchantment accumulate enough potency. The longer one remained silent, the more tyrannical the authority of the [Word of Power] would become. And so, knowing that he might face the machinations of the Mad Prince in one way or another, Sunny had summoned the Stifled Scream. That was the Memory he had summoned while bidding farewell to Cassie. And ever since then, he had not made a sound.


    The Great River was a river of time. And so, by traversing it, Sunny had let the Stifled Scream accumulate a lot of power... but much more than that, he entered the Estuary while wearing it. Time did not exist in the Estuary, which meant that there was no difference between a single moment and an eternity here. How dreadful would a silence that had lasted for an eternity be?


    ...Dreadful enough to obliterate the Sin of Solace, it seemed. And powerful enough to save Sunny''s life. Not having to maintain silence anymore, he took a deep breath, and then cursed quietly. ''Damnation. You go to hell... me.''


    The Mad Prince was gone.


    This time, forever.


    Which meant that Sunny had joined the exclusive club that Jet, Kai, and Cassie were already members of. He had vanquished an evil version of himself. It also meant that the path to the heart of the Estuary was completely free. Picking up the Guiding Light, Sunny dismissed Saint and headed for the vague shape rising above the dark waters of the nebulous lake. The final secret of the Tomb of Ariel awaited there.

 Chapter 1577 Past, Present, and Future

    Chapter 1577 Past, Present, and Future


    Limping across the dark expanse of still water, illuminated gently by the pure radiance of the Guiding Light, Sunny stared at his battered reflection. A dark grin twisted his lips into a crooked line. "Look at us... nearing the finish line, and not anywhere near dropping dead."


    The situation was quite unfamiliar. Usually, Sunny would have been at the very doorstep of death, or even past its threshold with one foot by now. But he was strangely in one piece. Sure, he had been mauled and mangled by plenty of dreadful Nightmare Creatures on the way to the Estuary �� however, his state was nowhere near as rough as the norm in such moments. Had he been lucky, or had his tenacity finally reached such an unreasonable level that it was simply too hard for anything to truly bring him down without outright killing him?


    "Well, in any case... I''m not complaining. Let''s finish this, then..."


    His reflection did not answer, leaving Sunny in tranquil silence. He was momentarily unnerved by the lack of a mocking retort, but then remembered that the Sin of Solace was gone. His mind was free of the voice that had haunted it for so long with maddening whispers. It felt... very strange. ''Sort of... peaceful?''


    Now that the curse that had plagued him was gone, Sunny realized that he had been under constant pressure without even noticing it. His mental resistance had prevented the insidious whispers from truly driving him mad �� but the act of resisting the loss of sanity itself had been putting a burden on his mind. That burden was no more, filling him with a sense of levity. However, he was also exhausted, drained, and deeply shaken by the secrets he had learned. It was a strange mixture of emotions. ''One step at a time.''


    Sunny continued walking toward the vague shape rising from the water in the distance. As he did, he wondered about himself and the Mad Prince... about all the versions of himself and the Mad Prince that had reached the Estuary in the previous cycles. How was it that Sunny �� the current him �� was the only one who had made it that far?


    ''I guess it''s simple, really.''


    It was already indescribably hard to find the entrance to the Estuary within the Source. Beyond that, though...


    To get to the heart of the Estuary, one had to possess three things. The first one was a soul that was free of Corruption �� made possible by the Estuary Key. That requirement itself demanded that he succumbed to the Defilement, invaded another cycle of the Great River, and spent centuries accumulating power and knowledge. However, it was also the easiest of the three.


    The second requirement was the ability to pass the stone maze that served as the border of the inner lake without falling back into the cycles of the Great River. Sunny did it without much trouble, but that was only because of the Guiding Light and the True Name that Torment had delivered to Cassie. How many cycles had it taken for the duo of conspiring Plagues to learn that True Name?


    He did not know. What he did know, however, was that the story of this Nightmare was the story of the gradual accumulation of knowledge. The more cycles the Mad Prince and Torment had survived, the better they had been able to prepare for the last one. The third requirement was, perhaps, the most dire one, and depended entirely on that accumulation. It was to have no desire to turn back and start a new cycle.


    Even now, Sunny could turn back, return to the stone maze, and dive back into the Great River. However, he did not want to, and had no reason to... because the Mad Prince and Torment had already arranged for the Nightmare to end perfectly, with every member of the cohort �� and Nephis �� surviving its dreadful challenge. How many attempts had it taken before they learned to manipulate all the events of the cycle in their favor? Too many to count, perhaps. And it was for that reason that Sunny was not tempted to try anew, aiming for a better, and less heartbreaking result.


    Sunny gasped, feeling an almost overwhelming desire to kneel under the cold authority of that sinister voice. He swayed, leaning on the Guiding Light for support. A tortured groan escaped from his lips, but in the end, Sunny somehow managed to remain standing. ''Damn it...''


    He muttered a stifled curse and gritted his teeth, staring blindly into the darkness. The shadows did not respond to his calls. Sunny felt... strangely betrayed by their silence. The harrowing voice resounded again, making him shudder:


    "Leave."


    Sunny grimaced.


    Then, he sighed, and answered in a dark tone:


    "...You can drop the theatrics, you know."


    There were a few moments of silence, and then the voice resounded again.


    This time, it did not sound like the hiss of the abyss itself. Instead, it was quite human, although still strangely coming from all directions. The voice laughed. "Ah... damnation. I really wanted to give a good performance. You are such a killjoy..."


    The darkness was suffused by the dying echoes of humorless laughter for a few moments, and then the voice added, its tone incredulous:


    "But then again, I can''t really blame you. I vaguely remember this conversation, after all. It''s a bit weird, to finally find myself on the other side of it."


    Sunny winced, a resentful expression appearing on his pale face. ''Curse it. Of course, this had to happen... why the hell wouldn''t it?''


    He had already dealt with a past version of himself. The Mad Prince was no more. Now, however...


    There was the future version of himself, as well. The voice �� Sunny''s own voice �� spoke placidly from the darkness:


    "When did you figure it out?"

 Chapter 1578 Lost Shadow

    Chapter 1578 Lost Shadow


    Sunny remained silent for a while, still blind. His expression was somber, and there was an irritated twist to his lips. ''When did I figure it out?''


    He grimaced. "Just now, really."


    Which was rather embarrassing. Sunny hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, can you blame me? Sure, I should have known much sooner. But there were so many things happening all at once... so, it took me some time to put the dots together."


    He raised the Guiding Light and put it on his shoulder, still unable to see the radiance of the sacred staff. "I mean, it is rather obvious in hindsight. Cassie was sent into the body of Dusk of Fallen Grace. Jet and Effie were sent into the bodies of two River Nomads. Kai and Mordret were sent into the bodies of two Riverborn warriors in Twilight. But what about me and Nephis? Who were the people that we replaced? And what were they doing so far upstream, in the distant future, way further than even Weave?"


    He shook his head. "I really should have understood it when we found the Chain Breaker. But I was so overwhelmed by how bizarre everything in the Tomb of Ariel was that I let it rest with the rest of the unresolved mysteries. And even as those mysteries were solved one after another, that one remained buried under the pile of startling revelations. I just sort of assumed that someone in the past �� Noctis, maybe �� had visited the pyramid, leaving their imprint in the Great River."


    Sunny tiredly rubbed his face and smiled.


    "But it was the opposite, wasn''t it? It was not someone from the past. It was someone from the future. It was Nephis and me. We are going to return to the Tomb of Ariel one day, right? Not the illusion of it conjured inside this Nightmare, but the real deal. And just like Daeron had left his imprint to exist in the Nightmare, so will we. So... the bodies the two of us took. They have always been our own bodies. The roles we took are of ourselves."


    The voice remained silent for a while, then scoffed. "Right. I remember now. Yes, we should have figured it out much sooner."


    Sunny gritted his teeth. "I must say, though... it''s a bit unfair. The Spell gave us our own roles, but made us mere Ascended. The two of you must be much more powerful, no? To brave the Nightmare Desert and enter the real pyramid. So, what are you? A Saint?"


    The voice remained silent for longer now, then sighed. "Yeah... a Saint."


    Sunny frowned, judging how long the pause before the answer had been.


    "Bastard... did you just summon Weaver''s Mask?!"


    The voice laughed. "Did I? No, I absolutely did not. Trust me, I''m telling the truth... I''m the most honest person in the world, after all. Two worlds, even."


    ''Did he summon it or not?''


    Was this future version of Sunny really a Saint? No, like hell he was... a mere Saint would not have been able to turn the shadows against Sunny so easily, and neither would his voice possess such an harrowing power to it. Sunny shivered. "You... you''re a Sovereign? Damnation, what the hell?! After everything we experienced in this damned place, why would you go and challenge another Nightmare?! Are you that tired of living?"


    The voice did not respond for a while. Then, his answer came, calm and insidious:


    "I am not a Sovereign, though."


    Then, it added, its tone devoid of any emotion:


    "If you truly are the future version of myself, then you already know my answer."


    Turn back? Abandon his chance of breaking the shackles of fate and the slave collar wrapped around his neck?


    Never. He would rather die a thousand deaths.


    "I refuse."


    His voice was resolute.


    There was a distant, dejected sigh. Then, the voice resounded once again, barely audible:


    "You stubborn fool... well, as expected. Go on, then. Hurry up! This Nightmare won''t last much longer." And just like that, the voice disappeared, leaving Sunny alone in the cave. The shadows embraced him again, and his ability to see in the dark returned.


    ''Damn traitors...'' The radiance of the Guiding Light pointed forward again. He took a shaky breath, trying to compose himself. "What... an insufferable bastard."


    What was up with his future self and his attitude? Was it really necessary to laugh and chuckle at everything Sunny said? And did he really have to keep all the knowledge of what was about to come a secret?!


    The voice did say one thing, though...


    It was that the Nightmare was about to end. Cursing under his breath, Sunny rushed forward. ''That guy... gave me the creeps. He was a bit scary, though. Which meant that I will be, too. That... is good news? Right?''


    He had no time to ponder that eerie conversation right now, and was in no mood to, either. There would be time for that later, but right now... his freedom awaited.


    He crossed the cave and followed the Guiding Light into another tunnel, venturing deeper and deeper into the dark mountain.


    And then, finally...


    He reached its very heart.


    Entering a dark cavern, Sunny stumbled and came to a halt. The cavern was vast enough that he could not see its ceiling, its walls drowning in darkness. Its floor was covered in shallow water, and at a distance, a small island rose from the glossy surface. There was a beautiful tree growing in the middle of the island. And, nestled beneath its branches...


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    ''What? What is this... why?''


    ...An unadorned stone sarcophagus stood, its lid covered by withered leaves.

 Chapter 1579 Forgotten

    Chapter 1579 Forgotten


    Sunny had reached the very heart of the Estuary. There, hidden in the depth of a towering mountain, a vast cavern was filled with darkness. A single ray of bright light fell from somewhere high above, illuminating a small island rising from the glossy black water. There was a beautiful tree growing on the island, its leaves a sea of pale magenta. As the branches of the tree swayed slightly under the wind, the leaves fell down on the surface of the water, making its reflection ripple.


    And in the shadow of those branches, a simple stone sarcophagus stood, its lid covered by withered leaves. It made... for a vivid and breathtaking sight. The heart of the Estuary was peaceful, like an island of safety and tranquility in a world full of nothing but dread. And yet... it was also poignant and mournful. As soon as Sunny entered the cavern, he felt a strange melancholy fill his heart, as though an echo of a great sorrow that had been experienced here by someone, sometime, still resided in this sacred and silent sanctuary. He shifted slightly. ''Why... why is there a grave here?''


    The great black pyramid was called the Tomb of Ariel, but it was not the place where the Demon of Dread had been buried. Instead, it was a place he had built to bury unbearable truths. So, it was not really a tomb. ...Or was it?


    Sunny stared at the unadorned sarcophagus, struck silent by the overwhelming sorrow that remained here even now, thousands of years after the daemons and the gods were no more. He knew that the Tomb of Ariel was not a burial place for someone because of the words the Demon of Dread had shared with Weaver. Ariel had said so himself �� what he had buried here were the hideous truths he did not wish to remember. But that was the thing. If Ariel did not remember what he had buried in this tomb of his, then didn''t it mean that his words could not be trusted?


    Who was to say that he had not buried someone precious here, and then chose to forget about his sorrow? Thi/s chapter is updated by


    Suddenly, Sunny remembered the description of the Mirror of Truth. Weaver''s strange words...


    ''I have not known that you''ve built a tomb, nor have I ever seen it. How would I know to admire it? I just happened to be here by chance. Now that I''ve seen it, my heart is untouched. I feel nothing.''


    ''You wanted to be free of the truth, so you didn''t deserve it.''


    Why did it feel... that although Ariel had forgotten his sorrow, Weaver remembered?


    Sunny hesitated for a while, feeling a sense of solemn awe at the sigh of the peaceful grave. Then, he took a deep breath and took a step forward. If he had any doubt that an unimaginable being was buried here, it disappeared as Sunny crossed the still expanse of dark water and approached the small island. The closer he got, the more sacred the silent cavern seemed, and the more pressure he felt.


    Even in death, the being resting in the stone sarcophagus emanated enough of it to crush a mundane person and make their soul collapse. Sunny, meanwhile, was able to reach the island and step onto its soil, albeit with difficulty. As the withered leaves rustled under his feet, he walked to the sarcophagus and stopped in front of it, looking at the weathered surface of the stone lid. Then, following an impulse, he raised a hand and cleaned it from fallen leaves. There were no runes on the sarcophagus, no carvings. Nothing to indicate who was buried inside, as no mark left to remember them by. It was nestled between the roots of the ancient tree, as if they were growing through it... or from it.


    Taking a deep breath, Sunny fell silent and listened to his intuition.


    What was he supposed to do here? His intuition... was telling him to look up. He did just that, and noticed that one of the branches of the tree was hanging low, pulled down by the weight of a beautiful golden fruit. The fruit glistened as it basked in the light falling from the ceiling of the cavern. Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then raised a hand and easily plucked the fruit off the branch. His mind was in turmoil.


    ''Am I... really doing this?''


    There was no answer. But he had already made it so far...


    Letting out a sigh, Sunny brought the fruit to his mouth and sunk his teeth into its succulent flesh.


    It was the sweetest thing he had ever tasted. Without wasting any time, Sunny satisfied his hunger and quenched his first by consuming the mystical fruit. He did not know what to expect, exactly, but felt that it would be like the fruits of the sacred tree growing on the deck of the Chain Breaker �� which contained soul essence within them.


    Granted, it could also be like fruits of the Soul Devourer, which contained soul fragments, as well as enthralled those consuming them with an insidious hex. However, nothing of the sort happened. After finishing the divine fruit, Sunny received neither essence nor fragments. He was not enthralled, either. Instead...


    There was a strange feeling in the depths of his soul. A chillingly familiar feeling. Sunny''s eyes widened. ''Don''t tell me...''


    In the next moment, he let out a terrible shriek and fell on the lid of the sarcophagus.

 Chapter 1580 What You Wished For

    Chapter 1580 What You Wished For


    ''Gods... oh gods...''


    The pain... was exquisite. It was inconceivable. It was the kind of pain that could kill a person, or at least make the pass out in an instant. Sadly, the latter did not happen, because the pain was not physical. Instead, its source was Sunny''s soul, which was being altered and transformed. Not in a way it had been changed every time a new core was formed, but rather in a way his blood and bones had been altered in the past.


    "Aaargh!"


    Sunny hit the lid of the sarcophagus with enough force to split his skin and fell to the ground, the carpet of leaves softening his fall. ''Wh��what... what the hell?! How... is... this possible?!''


    He knew what was happening to him. However, he had no idea why it was happening, and how eating the golden fruit from the tree growing above the grave of Oblivion had caused it. In any case, Sunny had no choice but to endure.


    He wasn''t shy about screaming and howling in pain, though, especially because there was no one here to witness his sorry state. "D��damn it! Damn it! D...damn it all!"


    After an eternity �� this time, quite a literal one, considering that time did not exist in the Estuary �� Sunny found himself laying on the ground, staring blindly at the beautiful crown of the mystical tree. His body felt weak, and his face was wet with tears. ''...Curses.''


    That one was definitely going into the collection of the most horrendous agonies he had experienced. What place? Probably not the first, which was still held by activating the [Where is my eye?] enchantment of Weaver''s Mask. But it was a confident second. "Ah..."


    Sunny groaned, and then shakily rose to his feet. Then, he took inventory of his soul.


    It felt... different, somehow. And much, much more potent. Already knowing what he would see, Sunny summoned the runes.


    ''It can''t be... can it?''


    But it could. There, in the shimmering field of runes, a new string appeared in the list of his Attributes. Pale as a ghost, Sunny read:


    Attributes: [Fated], [Flame of Divinity], [Master of Shadows], [Blood Weave], [Bone Weave], [Marble Shell]... And at the very end, a new one:


    [...Soul Weave.]


    A giant creature had been hiding in the darkness of the vast cavern, hidden completely from his sight, his nose, and even his shadow sense, despite being the size of a hill. It had a hunched back, a disheveled mantle of messy black feathers, a terrifying beak, and mighty wings that were vast even when folded, hiding its gaunt body. And a vile soul filled with more Corruption than he had ever seen, spreading outward from six grotesquely giant nodes.


    ''A... a Cursed Terror...''


    Horrified, Sunny took an involuntary step back. And just as he did, a pair of round, utterly insane eyes pierced him with a demented look.


    A terrible pressure crashed into him, making it hard to breathe.


    The Cursed Terror that had been hiding behind Oblivion''s grave... was a giant, mad, and unmistakably vile bird. ''D��damnation!''


    Sunny took a step back, but at the moment, the vile bird lunged forward, its demented eyes igniting with avarice and greed. Before he could even react, he was drowned by its loathsome shadow.


    And then, its talons plunged into his chest. Sunny gasped. However, the talons did not rip his flesh apart. Instead, they dove much deeper, finding their way into his very soul. If he had time to enter the Soul Sea at that moment, he would have seen the shapeless form of the Vile Thieving Bird''s Spawn being snatched by the crooked talons. And yet, they did not stop there. Passing through Sunny''s soul, the talons dug even deeper, into the depths of his being he had not even known existed. And there, they grabbed onto something else.


    Onto countless strings that were wrapped around him tightly, surrounding him like a chrysalis. Or like the strings that held up a marionette.


    Straining itself, the vile bird struggled for a few moments... and snatched those strings, too, somehow ripping them away from his existence. Sunny opened his mouth, trying to scream, but no sound came out of his mouth. There was another sound, though.


    The voice of the Spell, whispering into his ear as the Nightmare collapsed around him:


    [Your nightmare is... your... you nightmare is... is...]


    It never finished speaking. Instead, the familiar voice broke and abruptly grew quiet, leaving him in utter, lonely, and terrifying silence. ''What... the hell... is h��happening?!''


    And then, everything disappeared. The heart of the Estuary was gone. The beautiful tree and the sarcophagus resting beneath its branches were gone, too. The harrowing bird plunging its talons into his chest was nowhere to be seen. Sunny found himself in utter darkness.


    ...And then, he was expelled from that darkness.

 Chapter 1581 Shadows and Dust

    Chapter 1581 Shadows and Dust


    The Nightmare was over. The illusory world that Spell had conjured had collapsed, expelling the surviving challengers.


    They were supposed to find themselves in the empty void between dream and reality, where countless stars shimmered in the darkness, forming a vast and inconceivable pattern. There, the Spell was supposed to appraise their performance and let them go through the process of rising to a new Rank in peace.


    However, that was not what happened to Sunny. He had no time to comprehend the consequences of having his very existence pierced by the talons of the Cursed Terror when the Nightmare Collapsed, sending him into a world of darkness. There was no appraisal, and no pattern of stars shimmering in the void. Instead, still reeling from the inconceivable and frightening turn of events, he was thrown out of the void, entering another, much smaller, but similarly dark space. In fact, he was violently catapulted into that space, crashing into a jagged piece of scorched concrete, shattering it, and colliding with a deformed alloy wall behind it. The force of the impact was terrible enough to make the alloy crack, and for Sunny to lose consciousness. And that...


    Was how he became possibly the first human in history to Transcend while passed out. The six shadows gathered around his reforged body, perplexed and dumbfounded. After a while, one of them sighed, and then shook its head in utter dejection. ***


    The first thing Sunny felt was pain. Not the terrible kind of pain he was sadly used to experiencing from time to time, but a more mundane pain. He was laying on a rough surface, something sharp biting into his back through the fabric of Ananke''s Mantle. The air was full of dust. The world was silent. He was cold. Groaning, he opened his eyes and sat up, feeling strangely refreshed and revitalized. Looking down, he saw jagged pieces of concrete littering the floor. No wonder he had been uncomfortable.


    He stretched his hand, wishing to sweep a few of them away. However, he must have misjudged his strength, because the concrete pieces simply turned to dust from his irritated swipe. More than that, the floor cracked under his palm, and the world shook, more dust spilling from somewhere above. ''Come to think of it...''


    Where the hell was he?


    Sunny shielded his eyes from the dust and looked around, trying to assess his surroundings. It was rather strange. At first, he thought that he had found himself in a small cave. It was a few meters in diameter, the ceiling just tall enough for him to stand up. There did not seem to be an entrance to the cave, and therefore, no exit. But after a few moments of contemplation, Sunny realized that the dusty pocket of space he had come to his senses in was not a natural cave. It looked more like the result of a cave-in.


    The walls and the ceiling were a chaotic mess of cracked concrete and torn alloy, as if some building had collapsed on itself, forming a few pockets of empty space in the compressed ruin.


    It was only then that he realized how vastly different his soul, his body, and the world itself were. His body was suffused with power... such terrifying power that even Sunny himself felt a chill. It was already scary enough now, while he did not have his six shadows wrapped around him. What would happen when he layered six consecutive augmentations on top of it?


    His soul was filled with a cold ocean of essence, and that essence... it had already grown more potent after he had acquired Soul Weave. But now, it had become qualitatively different, possessing such depths and density as to appear inexhaustible. The intensity of power contained within it was frightening.


    That was not the most shocking change, however. The most shocking change... was that he could vaguely feel a different kind of energy all around him, cool and flowing, that was similar, but also different from the essence he was familiar with. That ambient essence seemed to belong to the world itself. Or rather, to the shadows that surrounded him.


    And since he was currently in total darkness, it was everywhere.


    What really amazed him, though, was that the spirit essence flowed freely through him, wisps of it replenishing the missing shadow essence in his six cores. It was as if he was able to replenish his reserves of essence by borrowing the power of the world itself, as long as he was in his element. ''A stronger body, a qualitative change of essence, and an entirely new relationship between myself and the world...''


    Sunny flinched. "Wait. Have I... Transcended? I must have!"


    His voice sounded hoarse in the utter silence. Of course, he should have. He had conquered a Third Nightmare, after all.


    Was he a Saint now?


    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, then feverishly summoned the runes. But, just like the Shroud of Dusk...


    The runes did not appear. There was no response at all.


    The Spell... was silent.

 Chapter 1582 Banished

    Chapter 1582 Banished


    Sunny was paralyzed for a few moments. He tried to summon the runes several more times, but there was no result. The Spell did not respond to him, as though he was not one of its carriers at all. A part of him that had long become integral was simply gone. The shock Sunny experienced at that moment was hard to describe. After a while, he tried to calm his wildly beating heart and think things through. ''Calm down. Calm down. This is not the first time something like that happened...''


    He had been cut off from the Spell once before, in the Red Colosseum. Back then, it was the result of Solvane''s zealots using Hope''s own sorcery to prevent the sacrificial slaves from escaping. But there was no enchanted collar around his neck right now. And he was in the waking world, not inside an ancient theater built by a daemon. More than that... the absence of the Spell felt much more profound this time, somehow. In fact, as he concentrated on himself, he realized that he felt rather strange. Something else felt absent from the world. The world was subtly unfamiliar. Trying not to panic, Sunny slowly assessed his abilities. His shadow sense was still with him. So were the other facets inherent to his Aspect. His Abilities, his Attributes �� those of them the existence of which he could prove without the runes, at least �� and his Aspect Legacy did not disappear. His Flaw was also present. He had learned that by trying to tell a lie aloud, despite the fact that it hurt like hell. His six shadows were observing his actions with varying reactions, all present. Saint, Fiend, and Nightmare could also be summoned. However, he could not summon the runes. Neither could he dive into his Soul Sea to take a look at his Memories. And the Memories...


    Most of them were gone. After trying to summon every Memory in his soul arsenal, Sunny realized that only a few of them remained.


    They were Silver Bell, Puppeteer''s Shroud, Extraordinary Rock, Endless Spring, Weaver''s Mask, Covetous Coffer, Shadow Lantern, Shadow Chair, Overpriced Saddle, Weaver''s Needle, and Ananke''s Mantle.


    The Midnight Shard, Dark Wing, Moonlight Shard, Autumn Leaf, Cruel Sight, Heavenly Burden, Memory of Fire, Memory of Ice, Strike of Thunder, Morgan''s Warbow, Bone Singer, Dying Wish, Bitter Cusp, Stifled Scream, Essence Pearl, Nimble Catch, Shroud of Graceless Dusk, and Crown of Twilight were gone.


    He felt a chill running down his spine. As a Saint, he did not really need to protect himself from the elements with clothes, but it was still uncomfortable not to wear anything underneath his cloak. Sunny manifested the Marble Mantle and grabbed his head. He quickly realized the pattern in which some of his Memories remained while others seemed to have been destroyed.


    The Memories he could still summon were those that had been either personally created or modified by him, as well as his two Divine Memories �� Weaver''s Mask and Shadow Lantern. The rest of them were gone, which brought him almost physical pain.


    ''M��my... my Memories!''


    Sunny almost spat blood. The pain of losing most of his soul arsenal... the precious Memories he had spent years gathering... hurt almost as much as receiving Soul Weave had.


    "What do you think? Should I?"


    Surrounding Sunny in a semicircle, they stared at him silently. Happy shrugged without confidence. Sunny chuckled wistfully. "Come on. I am a Saint now... can you believe it? After all the crap I went through to get to this point... it would be a shame not to try."


    He searched within his soul, hoping to find something new and unfamiliar. It was an extremely strange thing, to explore his own self blindly. However, one''s Aspect was their own, existing outside of the Spell. And so, after some time passed, Sunny did sense it... a new kind of power slumbering deep within him, waiting to be called upon. It was similar to how he sensed his other Abilities, but also different.


    ''This is how I Transform, I guess.''


    Sunny took a deep breath... and then activated his Transformation Ability. He had expected his body to balloon and change shape. But nothing happened. There was a considerable pull on his essence, but apart from that, he did not seem to change at all.


    Sunny frowned.


    ''What the hell?''


    Somewhat unsettled, he looked at his shadows and said:


    "Why isn''t it..."


    But then, the words died on his lips. The shadows... were gone. Instead, six identical versions of him were sitting in a semicircle around him, all clad in fearsome onyx armor, staring at him with confused expressions.

 Chapter 1583 Shadow Avatars

    Chapter 1583 Shadow Avatars


    Sunny found himself surrounded by six identical versions of himself, all staring at him with confused expressions. Alabaster skin, raben-black hair, eyes that were like glistening onyx... all of them were clad in full suits of fearsome onyx armor, as well, its design both intricate and impregnable.


    He stared at them back. For a moment, Sunny was scared. And who could blame him? He had just managed to rid himself of the Sin of Solace, avoided being consumed by the Mad Prince, and survived a meeting with his frightening future self �� each a version of him.


    But... no. None of the three was among the six copies that were sitting around him in a semicircle. In fact, the six impostors looked strangely familiar. And not just because they looked exactly like him.


    Rather, they were like versions of Sunny that each possessed a distinct personality, which subtly changed how they looked. One was sullen. Another was joyful. One was deadpan and unsettling, while the one next to him was arrogant and disdainful. The fifth copy seemed mischievous, while the last one looked like a complete lunatic. They were... his shadows. Sunny felt like pinching himself. "Hey, you guys... what, uh... what are you doing?" Six identical copies of him glanced at each other, then shrugged in unison. "That''s not helping!"


    When it became clear that none of them was going to explain himself, Sunny shook his head in bewilderment. So... this was his Transformation Ability?


    ''Come to think of it. It makes sense?'' Updated from


    "What the hell?!"


    His second body cried out, as well, two identical voices breaking the silence of the dusty pocket of space at the same time. Sunny froze, looking at himself... and at the same time, his other body also froze, looking at himself. He felt the cracked floor under his hands, and shards of concrete under his other hands. Sunny raised his left hand and waved at himself, simultaneously raising his other left hand to wave at himself. ''How... weird!''


    It was indeed as if there were two of him. He could not only perceive the world through the shadow avatar, but also control it as he would his own body.


    As his eyes suddenly glistened with burning intensity, Sunny concentrated.


    In the next moment, his own body waved its left hand again, while the shadow avatar waved its right. ''Complete independence...''


    Throwing a glance at the other five copies of himself, Sunny gritted his teeth. Then... each of the seven identical young men trapped in the ruins performed a separate action. One rose to his feet. Another lowered himself to the floor. One turned his head to the left, while the one next to him turned his head to the right. The fifth closed his eyes, the sixth pressed his hands against his ears.


    The last one covered his mouth with a hand. Seven stunned gasps resounded at the same time, one of them slightly muffled. The first Sunny �� the original Sunny �� swayed a little. Controlling seven bodies at the same time put a lot of pressure on his mind... but it was not nearly as burdensome as almost anyone else would have found it. Sunny was perfectly accustomed to perceiving the world from multiple points of view, after all, so although it took some adjustment to exist in seven places at the same time, he was more than capable of managing it. It was going to take some time to get used to it... but Sunny had no doubt. One day, soon, he would be able to wield his six shadow avatars into battle. Which meant that, instead of becoming a Saint...


    Sunny had become seven Saints.

 Chapter 1584 Sevenfold

    Chapter 1584 Sevenfold


    After calming down a little, Sunny conducted a few simple experiments to figure out what exactly his shadow avatars were capable of. The results... left him a bit breathless. The most important thing about his Transformation Ability was that the manifested shadows were, indeed, no different from himself. They possessed the exact same body and the exact same Attributes. More than that, they were just as powerful as Sunny �� meaning, each of the six avatars was as fast, strong, and resilient as a Transcendent Terror.


    But that was not all. Not only did they possess the same power as him, they could also use the same Abilities as him. Meaning that all six avatars could independently use Shadow Control, Shadow Step, and Shadow Manifestation. They could also summon his Shadows, wield the Memories he possessed, and weave strings of shadow essence. Most frighteningly of all... each of them could form their own Shadow Shells. Even though maintaining several shells at the same time almost made Sunny pass out, he could theoretically turn each of his avatars into a different kind of terrifying creature.


    There were two things Sunny and his shadow avatars shared, though. The first one was rather obvious �� it was his mind. The shadow avatars could act independently, following his commands to the best of their ability. But when he took direct control of their bodies, it was not as though he suddenly had several consciousnesses. Rather, his sole consciousness controlled many bodies, and, therefore, took on the corresponding burden. A weird quirk of that situation was that the shadows refused to speak unless the body was directly controlled by him, despite being physically able to. Whether it was an external limitation or simply not in their nature, he did not know. In any case, that meant that his Flaw prohibited him from lying even through the mouths of the avatars. ReAd latest chapters at novelhall.com Only


    The second thing Sunny shared with his avatars was his soul. That was why they were able to summon his Shadows and his Memories... that was also why all seven of them shared the same pool of shadow essence. Maintaining the avatars already cost him a considerable amount of essence. If all of them went around using powerful enchantments and activating their Abilities simultaneously... the result would be truly cataclysmic, without a doubt, but also short-lived. If Ascended Sunny possessed this Transformation Ability, he would have been forced to only use it to deliver short bursts of truly devastating damage or short periods of incredible utility. However, Sunny was not Ascended anymore. His Transcendent soul was full of frighteningly potent essence now, and could passively replenish it with spirit essence when in the embrace of shadows, to boot. Just as important was the fact... that he had Soul Weave. Soul Weave entirely changed the potential of his Transformation Ability. With it reinforcing his soul, Sunny could summon the full wrath of his avatars for much longer. Beside that, he could also sustain a few of them permanently without losing any essence. The natural rate at which it was expended and replenished now made it so that he did not need to dismiss at least a couple of his avatars at all. Which meant that he was one of those exceedingly rare, freakish Saints who could maintain their Transformation indefinitely. There was another important piece of information in that latest discovery, too. It was that he did not need to Transform all of his shadows at the same time. He could make some into avatars while keeping the rest in their natural form. Those shadows that remained in their natural form, then, could augment either him or the manifested avatars. The proportion could be whatever he desired �� he could augment himself with all six shadows, manifest an avatar and augment it with the remaining five shadows, share the augmentation between himself and the avatar, do the same with two avatars, and so on. In short, it was a supremely flexible and adaptable Ability. Sunny could shift freely between being a single source of overwhelming power or several sources of slightly less unreasonable might. ...With his Shadows added into the mix, the amount of strategies he could come up with grew even more varied. In short...


    What had happened with the other members of the cohort in Verge? Were all of them alright?


    ...What had happened to Antarctica after the Battle of the Black Skull?


    Now that Sunny was back in the waking world, there was no escaping finding the answers to all these questions. He looked at his six identical, but distinct avatars.


    After a few moments of silence, Sunny asked: "Shall we... go take a look?"


    Just as expected, he was met with silence. The shadows seemed to be looking at him with expressions of support, though, each in its own way. Sunny took a deep breath and then looked up, at the unstable ceiling of the pocket of space inside a ruin that he had found himself in. "...Let''s climb out of this concrete tomb, then."

 Chapter 1585 Climbing Out of a Grave

    Chapter 1585 Climbing Out of a Grave


    Sunny looked at the ceiling, extending his shadow sense upward. At the same time, he allowed his mind to drift back to the very end of the Nightmare. ...And what a Nightmare it had been. Sunny did not know how long he had spent wandering the dreadful currents of the Great River, trying to escape the Tomb of Ariel. The last cycle had taken... how long was it? Close to a year? And that was only his subjective time. For some people, like Cassie and Mordret, it had lasted for much longer. But that was only the final of the countless cycles. So, he could not even guess how long of a journey it had been. What he did know, however, was that it ended in the very heart of the Estuary, past the silent lake where Ariel''s heretical testament had been inscribed. Near the forgotten grave of the Demon of Oblivion...


    Where a Cursed Terror had been waiting for him, hidden in the darkness. That Terror...


    Sunny was more or less sure who it was. ''The loathsome Thieving Bird, hated both by the gods and the beings of the Void...'' Updated from


    It was the thieving miscreant who had stolen the Weaver''s eyes, and whose spawn he had slain on the Forgotten Shore, thus receiving the [Drop of Ichor] and Weaver''s lineage.


    That single event had started the chain of falling dominoes that intertwined his fate with the nebulous Demon, as well as the rest of the daemons and the dead gods. Wasn''t it very ironic, then, that the Thieving Bird would be the one to break that fate? And Sunny... was pretty sure that that was exactly what the vile thing had done.


    The moment the Thieving Bird''s talons plunged into his chest, he felt it taking something from his soul. But then... he vaguely sensed it taking something else, from somewhere that lay even deeper. It was a hard thing to describe. Even now, Sunny felt somehow different, in addition to all the changes caused by the Transcendence. It was as though a burden he did not even know he was carrying had been lifted, making him feel both unburdened and scarily untethered. Had the Vile Thieving Bird stolen... his fate? That would certainly be one way �� an indescribably bewildering and roundabout way �� for Cassie''s promise that he would gain freedom in the Estuary to come true. It would also explain whose True Name Torment had delivered to the blind seer at the cost of her life. But what did it mean, exactly, for his fate to be stolen?


    ''Was the Nightmare ending just at the right moment simple luck, or the last gift from [Fated]?''


    Sunny did not know. Nor did he care, really. If he was truly free from that damned Attribute, he would rather never remember that it had ever existed at all. ''Let''s go.''


    He had already extended his shadow sense as far as he could �� which was much further than before, now that he was a Saint. Sadly, all he could feel was a mess of compressed concrete and alloy for dozens of meters above. That was only logical, considering that Valor''s stronghold in Antarctica had been largely built underground. He was, more or less, buried alive. ''Figures...''


    Still, there was no reason to worry. Sunny could not simply use Shadow Step to reach the surface, but he was more than strong enough to burrow through the ruins �� mundane concrete and alloy could not stop a Saint. However, there was a simpler method. Sunny lingered for a moment, then dismissed his avatars and wrapped the shadows around his body. Then, he dissolved into the darkness, becoming a shadow himself. The collapsed stronghold was not a monolith. Even after it crumbled, there was plenty of space left between the debris �� perhaps not enough to accommodate a human body, but more than enough for a formless shadow to slip through. Gliding up the wall, Sunny slid into a thin crack between two concrete plates and slithered upward for a few meters, eventually reaching a dead end where the debris was compressed too tightly, leaving no gaps. There, he simply used shadow sense to locate another tiny pocket of empty space nearby and teleported to it, still maintaining the form of a shadow. Just like that, he ascended higher and higher, slowly approaching the surface. In the process, Sunny discovered something remarkable. Now that he could absorb the ambient essence while in the embrace of shadows, the rate at which his own essence was being consumed to keep himself intangible was lower than the rate at which it was being replenished. In other words, Sunny could remain in the form of a shadow indefinitely now, for as long as he stayed away from bright light and true darkness. ''Amazing...''


    Eventually, he reached another large pocket of space and temporarily assumed corporeal form to look around. By some luck, the level of destruction was much lower here, enough so that there were mostly intact pieces of furniture strewn around the floor, covered in dust. Sunny observed the dark, claustrophobic space for a few moments, then took a step forward and bent down, fishing out a small device from under the dust. It was a standard-issue military communicator, its screen cracked. Nevertheless, the communicator was still working �� when Sunny picked it up, the broken screen lit up, revealing a fragmented image. The thing seemed to be malfunctioning, but he could still make out what he needed �� the time and date. Staring at the blinking screen, Sunny opened his eyes wide. ''...Huh.''


    According to the broken communicator...


    Today was roughly a week since the disastrous Battle of the Black Skull. Considering the time the members of the cohort had spent traversing the harrowing desert, the Spell sent them back to the exact moment they had entered the Seed of Nightmare. While they were wandering the dreadful depths of the Tomb of Ariel, time stood still in the waking world.

 Chapter 1586 Grey Sky

    Chapter 1586 Grey Sky


    Sunny let out a long sigh and tossed the broken communicator away.


    ''I see.''


    He felt a strange mix of profound relief and tense apprehension. The reason for being relieved was obvious. Sunny did not know how many cycles it had taken them to conquer the Nightmare, but from what he had seen in the Estuary, it was at least thousands. Therefore, he had been secretly afraid to return to the waking world only to find out that humans there had gone extinct thousands of years ago. That Rain, and everyone else he knew, were long gone. Alternatively, the strange nature of the Great River could have resulted in them leaving the Nightmare in the time corresponding to where they were in relation to the Estuary �� namely, in the Age of Gods. Which would have been terrible in its own right. So, the fact that their Third Nightmare had taken no time at all, from the point of view of the waking world, was one of the best possible outcomes. However...


    It also meant that Sunny and the other members of the cohort had been sent to a continent where an unknown number of Great horrors were currently roaming freely. Now that they were Saints... did they stand a chance in a battle against the terrifying creatures that had entered the waking world during the Battle of the Black Skull? That was the reason Sunny felt tense. ''I wonder if we''ll meet Skinwalker again...''


    He smiled somberly, and then dissolved into shadows once more. ''At least I didn''t miss years of Rain''s life.''


    Encouraging himself like that, Sunny continued slithering through the ruins. After a while...


    ''Here, too? But why...'' Then, he noticed that there was something strange about the giant Gate. It was entirely, utterly wrong. Usually, the Gates looked like tears in reality, revealing nothing but vile darkness in their depths. But this one was different. Not only did Sunny not feel an instinctive revulsion toward the strange Gate, but there was also no darkness within it. Instead, he could see to the other side. There, clearly visible through the fracture of the Gate, a beautiful lake sparkled under bright sunlight. And from that lake... rose a magnificent castle. It was Bastion. Sunny was still struggling to comprehend that stunning sight when he noticed something else. There was an orderly column of refugees slowly entering the Gate. He shuddered. ''That... that is impossible...''


    A Nightmare Gate was not something one could enter. It was a door that only opened one way �� from the Dream Realm into the waking world. Therefore, anyone trying to pass through a Gate from that side was destined to fail. More than that, approaching a Gate was lethal... Sunny had briefly brushed against one himself, in Falcon Scott, and it was a memory he did not wish to revisit. So how could countless refugees be passing through the strange Nightmare Gate?


    Was it even a Nightmare Gate? Or something else entirely? The answers to these questions were, perhaps, connected to the second detail Sunny had been stunned to see. And that one... was far more chilling. Out there, far away from him, the great wall of the siege capital stood, broken and torn. Long spans of it had collapsed, and beyond them, a mountain of black flesh was rolling across the plain, devouring everything in sight. There were no soldiers, no Awakened, and no lumbering MWPs on top of the damaged wall.


    However, there was a single human there, facing the Great horror with indifferent resolve. From that distance, Sunny couldn''t see who it was, exactly. All he could tell was that it was a man. The man was stall, with broad shoulders, his posture as straight and sharp as a steel sword. A long vermilion cloak fluttered in the wind behind his back. The man did not move, but the stormy clouds seemed to follow his will, flowing across the sky. A rustling haze connected the clouds with the crawling mountain of black flesh, as if rain was falling from the sky. That rustle...


    Sunny looked up, at the clouds that obscured the heavens like a grey veil.


    ''N��no... it can''t be...''


    It was only then that he understood that they were no clouds at all. Instead, they were countless flying swords, enough of them to form a storm front, all moving with clear and hypnotizing, lethal intent. The haze he saw in the distance was not rain, but thousands of swords falling on the colossal abomination like a bombardment of slaying steel, shredding and slicing its profane flesh apart. Sunny paled, forgetting to breathe. He suddenly realized who the man facing the Great horror was, what the strange Gate was, and why the siege capital had not been destroyed yet. ...The King of Swords had descended into the waking world. And with him, the harrowing might of a Sovereign''s Domain had descended, as well.

 Chapter 1587 Dream Gate

    Chapter 1587 Dream Gate


    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, staring at the distant figure wearing a bright vermilion cloak. The clouds veiling the sky were not clouds, but a myriad of flying swords. The man standing on the ruined wall of the siege capital was not a mere mortal, but a Sovereign. One of the three Supreme humans in existence...


    Anvil of Valor, the King of Swords. The Sovereign was facing a Great Titan. Sunny recognized that harrowing creature from the Battle of the Black Skull, where it had decimated the armies of both Valor and Song. The Titan was vast and abominable, its power inconceivable...


    But the King of Swords was no less terrifying. He was more like a force of nature than a human being, a walking cataclysm that tolerated no defiance. Where Anvil stood, his will was the law. Wherever his sword pointed was his kingdom.


    And within the borders of his kingdom, his authority was absolute. Whoever dared to disobey would be obliterated by a flood of slaying swords.


    Sunny took a stifled breath. ''Crazy... it''s crazy.''


    Wouldn''t it be reasonable to assume that theirs would be a continuation of the power that all Saints possessed? That they would not only contain a Gateway within themselves, but would actually be capable of creating a stable external bridge between the two worlds?


    The opposite of a Nightmare Gate. Nightmare Gates allowed abominations to leave the Dream Realm and enter the waking world. A Dream Gate, then, would allow living beings to enter the Dream Realm from this side. ''...He is evacuating civilians.''


    Indeed, that was what the King of Swords was doing. The Evacuation Army had spent close to a year ferrying refugees over the dreadful expanse of the ocean to other Quadrants. The process was slow �� after all, the seafaring alloy behemoths could accommodate only so many people, and it took them more than a month to make a round trip. Not to mention all the dangers that the naval convoys faced at sea. The government had evacuated as many refugees as they could, and the operation would have probably ended in a semblance of success... if not for the three Category Four Gates that had opened during the Battle of the Black Skull. With the Great Nightmare Creatures roaming East Antarctica, there was no hope of anyone surviving �� the civilian population, the Evacuation Army, the small contingents of Legacy Awakened... all of them were destined to die. East Antarctica would have ended up the same way the Antarctic Center had, with everyone who was not already evacuated perishing in the flood of abominations. And so, the two Sovereigns must have descended, holding back the Great horrors and opening a new, much more efficient path to salvation. The Dream Gates. Perhaps it was because they could not allow their children �� Morgan, Seishan, Beastmaster, and Silent Stalker �� to die. Perhaps it was because Mordret had been right, and the Sovereigns could not abandon humanity that easily. The new world they were building in the Dream Realm had to be populated by someone, after all, and hundreds of millions of refugees with nowhere else to go were the perfect fuel for strengthening their domains and nurturing more Awakened. In any case, here it was. Antarctica''s salvation. Sunny felt both incredibly relieved and indecribably bitter as he looked at the towering Dream Gate. Relieved because his worst fears had not come true, and his mission... the Evacuation Army''s mission... was not doomed to fail. All the sacrifices that he and his soldiers had made were not in vain. At the same time, he felt incredibly bitter because the unexpected salvation had come from those whom he despised the most �� the Great Clans, whose conceited indifference created this terrible situation, in the first place. If only they had moved sooner... if only they had not wasted so much time secretly fighting each other instead of preventing the Chain of Nightmares from claiming countless lives. He could already see the mighty propaganda machine spinning its wheels, burying the truth in the clamor of triumphant fanfares. Look at the noble heroes of the Legacy Clans, who had selflessly come to the rescue of the Southern Quadrant in its darkest moment! Just like these faithful guardians of humanity always did. Come to think of it, the Sovereigns had finally chosen to reveal their existence. That would also be spun into a fitting tale, no doubt. Probably something about the champions of the two great clans rushing to conquer the Fourth Nightmare in order to assist the people of Antarctica. That would also explain why they had been so late to offer genuine support. They had not been tardy at all, but had instead been risking their lives in a Nightmare.


    A dark expression appeared on Sunny''s face. ''Ah. I hate it.''


    But at the same time, he couldn''t hate it. As long as people were saved, did the hypocrisy of the Sovereigns really matter? Of course, he still had many questions. Would all these refugees be infected by the Nightmare Spell as soon as they entered the Nightmare Spell? What were the limitations that made it difficult for the Sovereigns to enter the waking world, and how had they bypassed these limitations to appear in Antarctica? How would the world change now that the existence of the Supremes was revealed, and millions of mundane people crossed over to the Dream Realm?


    And so on. Well... he could take his time finding the answers to all these questions. For now, the situation did not seem critical. With Anvil holding down the fort, the siege capital was not on the verge of being destroyed. Judging by how orderly the soldiers and the civilians were moving, the situation was under control, or at least not critical. Therefore, Sunny''s first priority was to find the members of the cohort. For now, the situation did not seem critical. With Anvil holding down the fort, the siege capital was not on the verge of being destroyed. Judging by how orderly the soldiers and the civilians were moving, the situation was under control, or at least not critical. Therefore, Sunny''s first priority was to find the members of the cohort. Since he had been sent back to where his tether had been placed in the waking world, the rest of them would be, too. Which meant that Mordret and Jet had been sent to the siege capital controlled by Song, while Effie and Kai had been sent to the Evacuation Army headquarters. Nephis and Cassie, though, were supposed to be right here. Probably somewhere in the same ruins he had just crawled from. Taking a deep breath, Sunny looked around, studying the crater. It was then that he was thrown to the ground, and a massive explosion tore the center of the crater apart.

 Chapter 1588 Unchained

    Chapter 1588 Unchained


    The ground shook, and some parts of the crater''s slope collapsed. Sunny, who was standing on the edge of its mound, lost his balance and rolled down, dirt and pieces of debris raining on him from above. ''Ouch.''


    Coming to a halt much further down the slope than he had been before, he could not see the Dream Gate and the King of Swords anymore. What he could see, however...


    Was a towering pillar of white flame rising from the torn depths of the wide crater. It moved and twisted, as if alive. As though a giant made from pure flame was stretching its shoulders after being trapped underground for a long time. For a moment, Sunny was entranced, thinking that he could make out the shape of a winged being woven from dancing flame, hidden in the depths of the incandescent pillar. Then, the whirlwind of flame collapsed on itself, and slowly formed into a humanoid figure. The radiant being looked like a beautiful, pure spirit of immaculate light, her graceful body contrasted against the dark soil of the deep crater. With wide wings spread behind her like a blinding mantle, she slowly glided down. The moment her feet touched the ground, it started to melt. Slowly, the brilliance of her skin grew dimmer, and was then extinguished. Without the blinding light, Sunny could finally see who had just escaped the ruins. Of course, he had already guessed who it was. It was Nephis. She looked just like the last time he had seen her... but also different. Not only because the white metal of the Starlight Legion armor was torn and scorched, breached in half a dozen places...


    And not only because her presence seemed to illuminate the world, so much stronger and tantalizing than it had been before.


    And not even because she had grown even more beautiful after undergoing the rebirth of Transcendence. No... it was because Nephis had wings. A pair of white wings extended from her back, looking too majestic and pure to be a part of this mortal world. Sunny stared, enthralled. ''...Partial transformation?''


    There were Transformation Abilities that had several steps to them. From the looks of it, Neph''s had at least three �� the winged form, the brilliant spirit of light whose radiant body seemed to contain an ocean of furious flame, and the vast mass of unleashed fire that could seemingly assume any form, or no form at all. At least that was what Sunny surmised after catching a glimpse of Neph''s striking arrival.


    There had to be more to this Transformation, of course. Sunny doubted that a Divine Aspect would be limited to enhancing one''s might and granting one the ability to fly. He stared for a few more moments, then sighed. ''Well, I can ask her later.'' The most uptodate novels are published on n0velbj)n((.))co/m


    For now...


    It was gone. The connection between him and Nephis was gone. Even though Sunny had stopped, it was of his own volition. When she told him to do so, there was nothing forcing him to stop walking. Nothing had overwritten his personal will, nothing had violated his freedom and agency. Even though he had received a direct command, there was no reaction at all. Sunny took a shaky breath. ''It... worked. It worked!''


    An involuntary smile found its way onto his face. ''I''m free!''


    Sunny had been a bit scared to face Nephis after abandoning her at Verge... but he was much more scared that his decision to leave had been for nothing. That would have been a really, really bitter pill to swallow.


    But, luckily, it had not been in vain. Everything had worked just as promised. [Fated] was gone. The chain of Shadow Bond wrapped around his neck was gone, as well.


    His wish had come true. His smile widened, refusing to go away... which was a bit awkward, considering the nature of the conversation they were about to have. Sunny opened his mouth, trying to say something...


    But Nephis beat him to it. Looking at him coldly, she frowned slightly and asked:


    "Who are you?"


    There was no hint of recognition in her voice.


    "...Identify yourself."

 Chapter 1589 Untethered

    Chapter 1589 Untethered


    "...Identify yourself."


    Sunny''s smile froze. His body froze, too. For a moment, he was utterly confused, doubting that he had heard Nephis correctly. But there was no doubt �� her voice was very clear. ''Identify yourself? What is she doing, giving me the cold shoulder?''


    He could understand if she was angry at him because of what had happened on the cold shores of Verge. Resentful, even. But still, wasn''t it too childish, to pretend as if she did not know him?


    Sunny tried to calm down, but at the same time, he knew that he was deceiving himself. Nephis was not the kind of person to lash out by treating him as a stranger... she just genuinely did not recognize him. ''H��how can it be?''


    Well... to be fair... he was indeed covered in dust and dirt from head to bottom. It was easy to mistake him for someone else. No, was it? It might have been for someone else, but not for Nephis. She knew him far too well for that, not to mention that he was wearing a rather unique suit of armor. There was no mistaking the Onyx Mantle. Sunny hesitated, not knowing what to say. But he had to say something, because the pressure of the Flaw was building, forcing him to answer. "It''s me... Sunny."


    His voice sounded strangely lost.


    Neph''s frown deepened slightly. "Your affiliation?"


    Petrified and feeling his hair stand on end, Sunny answered stiffly:


    "...Evacuation Army, I guess. Army Command, special envoy."


    His mouth was suddenly terribly dry. Taking a step back, Sunny swayed and almost fell down. His face was as pale as that of a ghost.


    ''Be careful... of what you wish for.''


    A disbelieving chuckle escaped from his lips. He should have known that there would be a price to pay... no, he had known. Of course, he knew. But he stubbornly pressed forward, anyway. To gain freedom.


    Well, now, he had gained it. He had liberated himself. Not just from fate, but from... everything. When the vile Thieving Bird stole the strings of fate wrapped around him, it also tore his very existence from the tapestry of fate. And so, his existence was erased from the fabric of the world. His [Fated] Attribute was gone. His connection to the Nightmare Spell was gone. And much more importantly... he had lost his True Name, as well. Because True Names were innately tied to one''s fate. That was why Nephis could not command him anymore. Everything about his Aspect remained intact, including his Innate Ability, Shadow Bond. [Find a worthy master and let them know your True Name. Once they recite it out loud, you will be bound to their will, unable to disobey any command. It is improper for a shadow, let alone a divine one, to walk around without a master.]


    Shadow Bond had not disappeared. It was just that Sunny did not have a True Name anymore, and therefore, its condition could not be fulfilled. The bond formed between him and Nephis was broken, and no one else was going to be able to enslave him, ever again.


    Because a fateless being could not earn a True Name. Sunny was truly and utterly free.


    But at what cost?


    The memories of his existence had been erased from the world. ''Be... be careful... of what you wish... of what you wish for...''


    Sunny fell to the ground and looked up, at the grey sky drowning in the flood of rustling swords. After a while, a terrible smile split his face like a jagged chasm. Taking a shallow breath, he laughed bitterly and whispered:


    "...I''m free"

 Chapter 1590 Epilogue

    Chapter 1590 Epilogue


    1590 Epilogue


    Winter had grasped the streets of NQSC with frigid fingers, making people on the streets shiver from the chill and hurry to get inside. The sky was distant and cold, full of icy clouds.


    In one of the more prosperous districts of the city, a splendid-looking young man was sitting on a rusty bench, cradling a cup of luxurious plant-based coffee in his hand. Despite being dressed in light clothes, he didn''t seem to be bothered by the cold. In fact, he looked like nothing in this world could bother him.


    The people rushing past the park couldn''t help but throw furtive glances at the young man. His expensive clothes, lithe figure, alabaster skin, gleaming onyx eyes, and lustrous raven-black hair... but, most of all, the aura of confidence and subdued power emanating from him... made the young man look out of place.


    It was as if he belonged in a marble palace instead of this small and bleak park.


    Taking a sip of his coffee, Sunny grimaced and shook his head.


    "...Still bitter."


    Standing up, he tossed the empty cup into a trash bin and crossed the street.


    There, a convenience store invited potential customers to come inside with a colorful sign. Sunny hesitated for a moment, then opened the door and did just that.


    The bell fixed above the door rang melodiously, announcing his arrival to the clerk.


    Ignoring the clerk, who was staring at him with wide eyes, Sunny looked around the modest store. There were all kinds of food items on the shelves, from cheap synthpaste rations to more extravagant natural snacks. This district was mostly visited by a somewhat affluent crowd, so there was a lot to choose from.


    That said, Sunny did not really know what to buy. Despite having been an affluent person himself, once, he had rarely visited stores like this. Most of his time had been spent in the Dream Realm, anyway, and here in the waking world, he would usually either eat at the Academy or cook something up back home.


    ''Hmm.''


    Sunny stared at the shelves for a while, then turned to the window, where a small dining surface was arranged for those who wanted to grab a quick bite right here in the store.


    Currently, there was only one person sitting in front of the window. It was a pretty young woman in a neat school uniform, who was absentmindedly eating cup ramen while studying the screen of her communicator with a serious expression. She had pale skin and black hair, just like him.


    In fact, one could even say that the two of them looked quite alike.


    Sunny cleared his throat and then asked in a neutral tone:


    Hey. What''s good here?


    The girl was distracted from her communicator and turned to him, still engrossed in whatever it was she had been reading.


    What?


    Then, she froze, looking at him with wide eyes.


    Sunny sighed, already accustomed to such reactions. It had already been a bit bothersome before he Transcended, but now that he was a Saint, mundane humans were often startled by his appearance.


    He smiled politely.


    I asked what you would recommend. Is that one good?


    The girl looked at him in surprise.


    "Um... sure? Although I''ll be moving soon. My dad, he works for the government. So, with everything that is going on, he is being sent to a new post. We''ll be leaving in a few months."


    Sunny sighed.


    "Ah. I see. Actually, I''ll be leaving on a long journey soon, too."


    He smiled and put his chopsticks down, then added in a strangely wistful tone:


    "...Because I''m far away from home."


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then shook his head and stood up.


    "Well, anyway. Thanks for the recommendation. I''ll be sure to repay you, when we meet again."


    The young woman looked at him in confusion.


    And as she did, a dark serpent flowed from her shadow into the young man''s shadow, unnoticed.


    At the same time, the shadow of the young man split in two. One remained glued to him, while the other glided across the floor, hesitated for a moment, and hid in the girl''s shadow, replacing the dark serpent.


    Sunny said a silent goodbye to the happy shadow and smiled.


    "Stay safe, Rain. I''ll see you around."


    With that, he headed for the door.


    Startled, Rain rose from her seat and called out:


    "Wait... sir? How do you know my name?"


    But the strange Awakened was already gone. The bell hanging above the door remained silent, yet the young man was nowhere to be seen. It was as if he had never been there, at all.


    All that remained was an empty cup of noodles and lingering feeling of unexplainable familiarity.


    And the vivid memory of their odd first meeting.


    ...Sunny stepped out of the shadows a few hundred meters away and sighed, looking up.


    It was time to leave.


    White snow was falling slowly from the lonesome grey sky.


    [End of part three: Well of Wishes.]


    [End of volume seven: The Tomb of Ariel.]

 Chapter 1591 Years Later

    Chapter 1591 Years Later


    1591 Years Later


    There was a rustle, and a gentle breeze caressed Sunny''s face. He awoke slowly, allowing himself to enjoy the sweet moments of comfort and peace that dwelled on the edge between dream and wakefulness. His bed was soft, warm, and cozy... today, it was especially hard to abandon its familiar embrace.


    After a while, he sighed and opened his eyes.


    The sun was yet to rise, but the sky outside his window had already started to brighten. The wind blowing from the lake made the curtains flutter, filling the modest bedroom with the delightful smell of freshness. Even after all these years, Sunny was still sometimes startled at how clean and pure the air of the Dream Realm was.


    He took a few deep breaths, rubbed his face, and rose from the bed.


    His room was not very large and not very luxurious. However, it was very cozy. There was a bed, a nightstand, a case with various books crowding the shelves, a writing desk, and a simple dresser. The furniture was made out of natural wood, crafted with affection and care. There were a few decorations added here and there, as well as plenty of signs of the room being well lived-in.


    Well, of course it was. He had been spending his nights here for a long time, after all.


    Putting on simple clothes and summoning the Nebulous Mantle, Sunny yawned, tied his hair back, and left the bedroom. He splashed some water in his face, then went to the kitchen and brewed himself a large cup of strong, fragrant coffee.


    Finally, holding the steaming mug, he left the house and sat down on the porch, intending to enjoy his coffee while watching the sun rise.


    It was rather hard to get his hands on coffee beans in the Dream Realm, but today, Sunny wanted to pamper himself. It was his birthday, after all.


    He was turning twenty-six.


    ...Of course, no one in the world knew that.


    Taking the first sip of his coffee, Sunny smiled slightly and looked up. A few of the brightest stars could still be seen, shining in the pale lavender expanse of the morning sky. Just at that moment, the gentle sun finally crested the dark line of the distant horizon, imbuing the sky with a beautiful golden radiance. The soft twilight of dawn was imbued with a hint of bright daylight.


    He watched the sun rise while enjoying his coffee.


    Despite the beautiful sight, Sunny felt a bit of melancholy. He looked down with a wistful smile.


    ''...I am older than mom was when she passed now.''


    The other was leaving the territory of the Domain to which they had pledged their loyalty. As long as the Sovereigns willed it, their mundane subjects were protected from the ravages of the Nightmare Spell.


    This was another reason why the number of Awakened had increased so much in the last four years. Those who wished to challenge the First Nightmare could simply request it from the great clans instead of waiting to be infected by the Spell. Many of them even survived.


    Sunny took another sip of coffee and turned his head, looking at the lively city that had grown around the beautiful, calm lake.


    Of course, it could not be compared to a vast human hive like NQSC. However, there was still a startling amount of people here, at least a dozen million of them or so. Another million or two lived in the castle itself.


    Building a city like that in a short amount of time was a great undertaking, but with thousands of Awakened participating in the construction, all possessing inhuman strength and powerful Aspects, it happened surprisingly quickly. Now, the city looked neat and tidy, with two- or three-storied houses lined along lovely streets.


    The houses were built from white stone, their roofs covered by colorful red tiles. There was plenty of trees and greenery, as well, with parks, gardens, and water features placed harmoniously here and there.


    Modern technology might have been hard to use in the Dream Realm, but nothing prevented the city planners and architects from using the vast accumulated knowledge of humanity and all the processing power of the waking world to do all the preparatory work in advance.


    In short, Bastion looked very pretty and picturesque. It was also usually quite lively.


    This early in the morning, however, most people were still asleep, which was why Sunny was able to enjoy his coffee surrounded by peaceful silence.


    ...Oh, he owned a house in Bastion as well. More than that, it was a house many would be jealous of.


    Although not as prestigious as being able to live in the castle itself, his property was on the very shore of the lake, with its back windows opening straight to the water.


    It was an elegant one-story cottage, which was seemingly built from brown bricks, with a sloping tiled roof and a tall chimney. There was a small garden in the back and a neat lawn in front of it, with herbs and flowers growing in ceramic pots.


    Since it was situated at the end of the street, few people ever passed by.


    If they did pass by, however, they would have seen a modest sign hanging above the door of the cottage.


    It read:


    "Sunny''s Brilliant Emporium: Cafe? & Memory Boutique"

 Chapter 1592 Humble Shopkeeper

    Chapter 1592 Humble Shopkeeper


    1592 Humble Shopkeeper


    As the city was slowly waking up, Sunny finished his coffee and leaned back, enjoying his last moments of peace. He did not have a lot of regular customers, but there were some. They were probably going to start arriving soon, which meant that he would be busy for the next few hours. Ge?t latest novel chapters on nov(e)lbj/n(.)c/om


    Before that, however...


    He glanced at his shadow, his gaze becoming distant for a moment.


    Then, a familiar voice whispered into his ear:


    [You have slain a Great Demon.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    It was his own voice.


    Sunny brushed his fingers across the black bracelet on his left wrist and slowly exhaled. The bracelet was a Memory he had created a while back... it was a crude knockoff of the Spell, replacing some of its simplest functions. Announcing his kills was one of them.


    He shifted slightly.


    ''That... went better than expected.''


    He had just killed a Great Demon.


    Well, technically, it was his other self that had done it. His avatars were not beholden to the maximum range of Shadow Control, so there was a vast distance between them.


    Currently, Sunny was simultaneously in three separate locations. His original body was here in Bastion, enjoying a peaceful life in the company of the gloomy shadow �� he had kept that guy so that people had no reason to ask why he was walking around without a shadow at all. His second self was incarnated by the happy shadow, keeping an eye on Rain. His last avatar was far away, in one of the most dangerous regions of the Dream Realm, incarnated by the haughty shadow.


    Haughty, naughty, creepy, and crazy were together. Saint, Fiend, Serpent, and Nightmare were with them, as well. Unlike the first two, the third Sunny knew no peace. He wielded the most power of the three and spent his days in eternal darkness, often clashing with dreadful abominations.


    Of course, the three of them were actually one person. So Sunny had been enjoying a peaceful morning in Bastion, accompanying Rain, and battling the Great Demon at the same time, all along.


    But he had grown good at compartmentalizing over the years, allowing him to at least pretend to live three separate lives.


    So that thing is finally dead, huh.


    It had taken him almost a month of meticulous preparations to finally attack the abomination in its lair. Sunny had expected to sustain heavy injuries, but the battle ended well. With the demon''s death, there was no one left to challenge him in the immediate vicinity of the temple...


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then summoned the runes. A field of familiar symbols appeared in front of him... the runes themselves might have been the same, but they looked a bit differently. He had designed this whole thing himself, after all, tying the enchantment to his memory, perception, and the black bracelet. So, Sunny had taken liberties to change the look and feel of the field of runes to his taste.


    The runes read:


    Name: Sunless.


    True Name: ��


    Attributes: [Lord of Shadows], [Flame of Divinity], [Blood Weave], [Bone Weave], [Soul Weave], [Onyx Shell], [Fateless].


    The [Master of Shadows] had evolved into the [Lord of Shadows] during his Transcendence. Its description was succinct...


    [Shadows recognize you as their ruler.]


    With it, all his Abilities had been strengthened and enhanced. The range of his Shadow Control was now north of forty kilometers, and he could extend his shadow sense just as far. He could remain the form of an incorporeal shadow indefinitely, and cover great distances with each Shadow Step. The depths and intricacy of what he could manifest wild shadows into had also increased tremendously.


    In short... it wouldn''t be an exaggeration to call Sunny a demigod.


    Or rather, to call his third avatar a demigod. This version of Sunny was just a modest Master with a Utility Aspect who ran a cafe and sold Memories from time to time. All people could call him was... harmless.


    Speaking of running a cafe, the customers would be arriving soon.


    Sunny smiled and took a last look at the runes.


    Aspect: [Shadow Slave].


    Aspect Rank: Divine.


    Innate Ability: [Shadow Bond].


    Master: ��


    Aspect Abilities: [Shadow Control], [Shadow Step], [Shadow Manifestation], [Shadow Incarnation].


    Aspect Legacy: [Shadow Dance].


    Flaw: [Clear Conscience].


    There was another string at the very end of the field, as well. It read:


    ...Citadel: Nameless Temple.


    Those words did not mean that Sunny was anchored in a Citadel called the Nameless Temple.


    They meant that he owned it. It was his Citadel, which he had personally conquered and claimed.


    That was where his third avatar was, and that was the reason he had to kill that Great Demon. After becoming the lord of a Citadel, Sunny also became rather territorial.


    No Nightmare Creature was allowed to exist in the vicinity of his temple, because there was already an apex predator living there. Preparing for the moment when the Death Zone turned into...


    Well, anyway. That was for his third avatar to worry about. This Sunny had nothing to do with it.


    Dismissing the runes, he stood up and stretched.


    It was time to open the shop.

 Chapter 1593 Pleasant Morning

    Chapter 1593 Pleasant Morning


    1593 Pleasant Morning


    Before Sunny went inside, he lingered for a few moments and glanced at the magnificent castle one last time. Then, he slowly looked up.


    Out there, high above the tallest tower of Bastion and slightly to the side, a beautiful island was hovering in the sky, bathed in the golden light of dawn. A great pagoda of pristine white stone rose from it, just as majestic as the colossal ancient fortress.


    The Ivory Tower.


    The wandering Citadel looked harmonious drifting above Bastion like a satellite. In recent years, its lady and her warriors had been sent to defend remote human enclaves on countless occasions, their fame and renown growing with each improbable victory.


    The image of the immaculate white tower was slowly becoming a symbol of hope for those besieged by Nightmare Creatures in the Sword Domain.


    Which was more than a little bit fitting.


    Sunny looked at the Ivory Tower for a few moments, his expression remaining perfectly neutral. Then, he averted his eyes and sighed.


    ''She has been in Bastian for almost a month now. That is unusual... I thought Anvil would send her to some other godforsaken battlefield by now.''


    With that, he went to enter the cottage. Before he could, however, there was a sound of unhurried steps approaching from further down the street.


    Turning his head, Sunny saw a petite young woman with short dark hair walking over. She looked sleepy, covering a yawn with a small palm. Unlike most Awakened, the young woman stubbornly clung to wearing modern clothes. Her black slacks and white blouse, admittedly, did not stand out in the eclectic fashion of Bastion.


    Here, one was just as likely to meet a person wearing a stylish business suit as a person clad in enchanted armor. The former was even more in vogue, considering that it took some effort to transport material possessions from the other side.


    The young woman stopped and stared at him sullenly.


    In short, not only had everyone forgotten him, but they were even incapable of becoming aware of having forgotten him.


    His smile turned brittle.


    ...In any case, Aiko had been reluctant to pledge her allegiance to the Legacy Clans or the government. She had lost her job as Kai''s manager when he enlisted, and the Brilliant Emporium was on the verge of going bankrupt. That was when Sunny found her and purchased the ownership of his own business back from her.


    After all, although the countless Nightmare Creatures he had slaughtered while aimlessly wandering the Dream Realm had not given him a lot of shadow fragments, they had provided him with numerous soul shards. He was secretly an extremely wealthy person.


    Since Sunny needed a capable manager to help him run the Emporium, he hired Aiko once again. Now, she was playing the role of his assistant... as well as, begrudgingly, assistant cook.


    "Come on. The early risers will be here soon."


    The two of them went to the spacious kitchen and started preparing for the day. Sunny was preparing the ingredients, while Aiko went over the books with a frown on her face.


    "Boss, we are running low on most ingredients. You need to make a trip to the waking world soon."


    "Boss, we are not making enough money. We only sold one Memory in the last two months! What even is the point of calling ourselves a Memory Boutique? Give me some funds for a marketing campaign, I''m begging you..."


    "Boss, there will be a delivery from the Beast Farm later today. I still have bruises from dealing with them the last time... you do the honors!"


    Listening to Aiko nagging, Sunny let out a sigh. Running a business wasn''t easy.


    Especially while dealing with crafted Memories and desperately trying to not attract Clan Valor''s attention.


    As he was almost done with the preparatory work, the first customer finally arrived.


    It was a familiar face.

 Chapter 1594 Familiar Faces

    Chapter 1594 Familiar Faces


    It was still very early in the morning, so the streets of Bastion were mostly empty. However, someone had already come to the Brilliant Emporium. As the door opened, a melodious sound spread through the interior of the Marvelous Mimic. There was a beautiful silver bell affixed above the door, its soft and pleasing ringing welcoming the entering customers.


    Of course, it was the Sonorous Silver Bell. Sunny looked up from what he was doing, then wiped his hands on his apron and left the kitchen. There was an elderly gentleman standing at the door, dressed in a patchy enchanted robe. He had messy grey hair, absentminded eyes, and a pair of bushy eyebrows that seemed to have a life of their own.


    Sunny suppressed a smile. "Awakened Julius. You are here early."


    The old man looked at him and smiled politely.


    "Ah, Master Sunless! Well, I am a night owl. Plus, you know what they say, the early bird gets the worm. Wait... I am mixing metaphors..." He hesitated for a moment, then coughed.


    "Sorry. I seem to remember that you dislike birds. In any case, it is nice to see you on this pleasant morning."


    Sunny nodded. "Likewise. The usual?"


    Sunny smiled and pointed to the Exploration Report. "Are you reading that report again, Awakened Julius?"


    The old man looked around and pressed a finger against his lips. "I am! But shhh! You know this amazing work is supposed to be banned, Master Sunless."


    He picked up a fork and sighed dejectedly. "Such a travesty. The depth of knowledge and wisdom the author of this remarkable work possesses is truly astounding. Their discoveries and insights have truly overturned our understanding of the history of the Dream Realm, especially its later stages. Not to mention the incredible revelations about the origins of the Nightmare Spell they documented! Such a person should be lauded and celebrated, not hunted. Those Legacies are really out of line, this time."


    Sunny smiled politely. "Who do you think the author is?"


    Teacher Julius looked thoughtful for a moment. "A person of utter brilliance and integrity, no doubt! Well... they should be an old fossil like me, most likely. Probably one of the first-generation Saints? Otherwise, I don''t see how they could have survived the harrowing depths of the Great River, let alone avoid being found out by the... those who are trying to find them."


    He sighed. "Well, a young man like you won''t understand, Master Sunless. Being an explorer is a noble calling, you see. Uh... not that there''s anything wrong with making an honest living like you do. Gods know I would have been lost without your excellent cooking skills! Please excuse my outburst. This old man was being impolite."


    Sunny chuckled. "No, no... you are right. Please enjoy your breakfast."


    With that, he bowed slightly and took a step back.


    The Silver Bell rang again, announcing the arrival of the next customer...

 Chapter 1595 Builders of Things

    Chapter 1595 Builders of Things


    1595 Builders of Things


    The new customer was a young woman wearing a sharp, but somewhat wrinkled formal suit. Her white blouse was buttoned up all the way despite the warm weather, and her dark hair was gathered in a bun. There were dark circles under her deeply intelligent, but tired eyes.


    Unlike Teacher Julius, who visited Bastion in his sleep, she was a mundane human residing here permanently. It also seemed like she was visiting the Brilliant Emporium after burning the midnight oil and working through the night, instead of doing so first thing in the morning.


    The young woman glanced at Sunny, frowned slightly, then gave him a curt nod.


    "Master Sunless."


    He hid behind a polite smile.


    "Miss Beth."


    "Ah, Chief Bethany! You''ve made it!"


    Forgetting about Sunny''s existence, Beth turned to where Julius was sitting and smiled brightly.


    "Professor Julius! Of course, I have."


    Sunny received her order and retreated back into the kitchen. As he started preparing a cup of hot chocolate for the tireless scientist, he sighed and shook his head.


    "She doesn''t change..."


    Aiko, who had just finished running some calculations on a wooden abacus, gave him a curious glance:


    Oh? Do you know Chief Bethany, boss?


    He lingered for a few moments, then shrugged stiffly.


    We had a few brushes in Antarctica. I doubt she remembers, though.


    Then, he looked around and added:


    Can you pass me salt?


    After that, Beth''s explanation became too technical for Sunny to understand. He had long retreated to the reception desk, of course, but his hearing was greatly enhanced when compared to that of mundane humans�� he was a Saint, after all. If Sunny wanted, he could eavesdrop on the conversations between the residents of the surrounding houses, let alone those of his own customers.


    Not that he was in the habit of doing such things.


    In any case, it seemed that what Beth was talking about was beyond Teacher Julius, as well. After a while, he coughed in embarrassment and said in a hesitant tone:


    "Well... that sewage system you guys built is already remarkable enough. I mean it, truly! A thing like that can make or break a city..."


    Beth rolled her eyes.


    "Oh, gods. Don''t remind me. The earth here is still full of the roots left behind by that titan... any kind of subterranean construction is a nightmare..."


    Sunny sighed and turned away. The Shadow Chair, which stood behind the reception desk, creaked quietly as he shifted his weight.


    ''She... is living well, at least.''


    When hundreds of millions of people entered the Dream Realm, there was an instant crisis having to do with how and where to settle them, of course. That crisis was not too terrible, though, because the Great Clans had been secretly preparing for an event like that for a long time.


    As a result, many of the best specialists in all things having to do with building a robust infrastructure had been either found among the refugees or recruited from the waking world. The prospering city around Bastion had not just appeared on its own �� countless engineers, architects, scientists, craftsmen, and professionals of all kinds had worked incredibly hard to make it a reality, Awakened and mundane alike.


    Beth was one of these pioneers, and of a high rank at that.


    Of course, being a champion of civilization on the wild and hostile magical frontier was not an easy job. Especially considering that the Dream Realm operated on a set of laws subtly different from the waking world, making most modern technology useless here.


    But human intelligence prevailed.


    ''Electricity before the end of the year?''


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, trying to imagine what Bastion, and other human cities in the Dream Realm, would look like if something like that truly happened.


    What would they look like in ten years?


    He wasn''t sure he could guess.


    Well, if anyone could fulfill such a promise, it was Beth. Professor Obel''s last disciple...


    One chapter today, three tomorrow.

 Chapter 1596 Wind of Change

    Chapter 1596 Wind of Change


    1596 Wind of Change


    The sun had risen above the horizon, bathing Bastion in warm radiance. The morning was already in full swing, and so, Teacher Julius finally had to go.


    "Goodness gracious, look at the time!"


    He coughed, then looked at Beth with a smile.


    "I am sorry, young lady, but this old man has to leave. I promised to meet a former colleague of mine, Master Rock. Now that he left the Academy to pick up his mace, it''s tough for us to cross paths. If I miss him today..."


    Beth shook her head.


    "Don''t worry, Professor. I''m meeting someone else, as well."


    Soon, the elderly Awakened left. Beth continued to sip her hot chocolate, her weary gaze fixed on the beautiful white castle in the distance. Sunny, meanwhile, remained behind the reception desk, idly studying the latest issue of the Monster Almanach �� an annual publication containing information about all the Nightmare Creatures humans had encountered in the last year.


    His interest in these abominations was not at all theoretical. Powerful Memories demanded exceptional materials to be created, after all, and most of those materials came from the carcassess of slain abominations. Granted, a nobody like him rarely received an opportunity to trade for truly valuable trophies that Awakened brought back.


    Especially here in Bastion, where the enchanters of Valor kept the best materials for their own use.


    Still, if he knew where to search, he could hunt the suitable Nightmare Creatures himself.


    ''Instructor Rock, huh...''


    Sunny couldn''t remember when he last saw the giant man. It was strange to know that one of his first instructors had not only returned to the battlefield, but also Ascended at some point in time.


    The news of the Sovereigns having conquered the Fourth Nightmare and the existence of the Dream Gates had truly invigorated humanity. With a vast and perilous frontier to conquer and make safe for the settlers, countless people had found new motivation to fight. Many of those less powerful were also burning with passion, wishing to help out however they could.


    The young man laughed.


    "No reason, no reason! Gods, Kim, give your husband some credit... I was just surprised to see Master Sunless welcoming us personally, that''s all..."


    The couple were, of course, Kim and Luster �� Sunny''s former subordinates.


    The government had taken good care of the veterans of the Evacuation Army, so Luster was now as good as new despite having been gruesomely injured in Falcon Scott. Kim was doing well, too. Due to her unique Aspect, the unassuming young woman was in high demand, being treated as a precious asset by the government.


    The two of them had married not long after the Southern Campaign was over. Sunny was still bewildered by that fact, but also happy for them.


    "Kim! Luster!"


    Beth waved at the young couple, and they joined her at the table. Sunny walked over to receive their order, then retreated into the kitchen.


    ''What a strange combination...''


    Kim had ordered waffles, while Luster had ordered pancakes. Beth, who seemed to have worked up an appetite, joined Kim in deciding on the waffles, as well... the odd thing, though, was that they requested a bottle of hard liquor, too.


    Shaking his head, Sunny looked at Aiko and said:


    "Aiko... get the good stuff from the top shelf."


    She put the abacus away and looked at him darkly. His assistant was of very small stature, so it might have seemed like Sunny was bullying her by demanding the petite girl to get something from all the way on the tompost shelf.


    However, after glaring at him for a moment, Aiko simply floated to the ceiling, got the bottle of the expensive whiskey, and presented it to Sunny. That was her Aspect �� the Dormant Ability allowed Aiko to move objects, while the Awakened Ability allowed her to move herself.


    "Thank you kindly."


    Taking the bottle, Sunny picked up three glasses and went to deliver the whiskey to the esteemed guests.

 Chapter 1597 Tragedy of Imperfection

    Chapter 1597 Tragedy of Imperfection


    1597 Tragedy of Imperfection


    Pancakes and waffles.


    The two were almost identical, but also infinitely different, like two sides of the same coin. Just like both the gods and the Chaos Creatures were born from the everlasting Void, both pancakes and waffles were made from the same ingredients. However, the end result was not the same.


    Perhaps there was a deep philosophical lesson to be learned from how two things made from the same ingredients could end up so vastly different, but Sunny did not particularly care.


    He did, however, care about waffles and pancakes.


    It wasn''t hard to make either, but there was endless depth in the deceiving simplicity of these staple breakfast foods. Making pancakes was both an art and a kind of science. Waffles were even more elusive.


    Even with Sunny''s potent Transcendent mind and perfect physical coordination, it took him a long time to master the challenging art of making them. Still, his ultimate goal �� a perfect pancake and a perfect waffle �� were still out of reach.


    And doomed to stay forever out of reach, because imperfection was one of the governing laws of existence.


    It was... tragic.


    ''Perfection might not exist, but I''ve gotten damn close to it...''


    Every cook had their own approach, but as far as Sunny was concerned, the secret of a near-perfect waffle was letting the batter rest in the icebox for exactly one night. Which was why he had prepared it in advance yesterday.


    For pancakes, though, he preferred to use fresh batter. Not wishing to make the guests wait, he manifested his shadow as an avatar and went about preparing both at the same time.


    While his avatar was busy with the waffles, Sunny used his original body to make the pancakes.


    The process was both simple and intricately complex.


    First, he broke and separated the eggs, then poured the yolks and the whites into separate bowls. He then carefully blended milk and melted butter into the yolks while whisking the whole thing. At the Same time, Sunny manifested a pair of shadow hands to whisk the whites, using a bit of his Transcendent strength and speed to hasten the process. Finally, he combined baking soda with vinegar and mixed that with flour, sugar, and salt.


    Baking powder would have worked, as well, but it was currently in short supply in Bastion. So, soda and vinegar were going to have to do...


    Kim''s eyes widened a little.


    "This... these waffles have no vulnerabilities..."


    He smirked subtly.


    ''Of course, they don''t. These waffles were made by a Saint!''


    Soon, Aiko came out of the kitchen with two cups of coffee. She placed them in front of Luster and Kim and walked away.


    At that point, Sunny noticed that the bottle of whiskey he had brought out earlier was still untouched. As he contemplated why the three survivors of the Antarctic Center ordered hard liquor early in the morning, Beth turned and waved at him.


    "Oh... can we get two more glasses, actually? We are waiting for someone."


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then nodded and turned around to walk to the kitchen. As he did, he noticed that Aiko was still loitering near the entrance, for some reason.


    "What are you doing?"


    The petite girl flinched, then glanced at him and touched her hair nervously.


    "W��what? Nothing..."


    Just then, the Silver Bell rang once more, and a new customer walked in from the street, bringing with him the smell of verdant leaves.


    It was a gallant man wearing a suit of enchanted armor. His reserved, but pleasant smile possessed a hint of warmth to it, which made his already handsome face even more attractive.


    The man was followed by an Echo that resembled a monstrous hound, its fur as black as night.


    Aiko suddenly straightened and met the new customer with a bright smile.


    "Master Quentin! Welcome. Uh... the weather is very fine this morning, isn''t it?"

 Chapter 1598 Present Problems

    Chapter 1598 Present Problems


    1598 Present Problems


    Indeed, the gallant man was none other than Quentin, the healer and melee specialist of Sunny''s old cohort of Irregulars.


    Quentin''s soul had been swallowed by the Call when he lost consciousness during the siege of Falcon Scott. As a result, he was pronounced missing in action by Army Command... but no one had any illusions. Everyone, including Sunny, had thought him dead.


    However, the gallant healer proved everyone wrong. Somehow, he had not only managed to reach a suitable Seed of Nightmare in the hellish white desert without succumbing to its many perils, but also conquered that Nightmare alone.


    There were a few people among the members of the Evacuation Army who had managed a similar feat, but still, Quentin''s return could only be described with one word.


    A miracle.


    Sunny did not like that word too much, though. It detracted from Quentin''s own effort, resolve, and incredible determination to survive. He was a man who had once clawed his way out of a cocoon made by an abominable spider, after all, while being digested alive. So, perhaps Sunny should have given him more credit.


    In any case, Quentin had survived. His physical body had long been destroyed by the time he Ascended, so the Spell created a new one for him, sending it to the Citadel where he was anchored at that time.


    Sunny had only learned about it a few years after becoming a Saint. Knowing that the gallant healer was alive brought him a bit of solace.


    Before, he was under the impression that most of his soldiers had perished. Now, he knew that only a half of them had... which was better, somewhat.


    Maintaining a facade of polite indifference, Sunny silently pushed Aiko into the kitchen and showed Quentin to the table where Beth, Kim, and Luster were waiting. They met the healer warmly.


    "Master Quentin, good morning!"


    Hey, Quentin!


    Well, if it isn''t Mr. Big Shot Ascended...


    Quentin smiled in embarrassment and took a seat.


    Sunny followed Aiko into the kitchen, ignored her glare, and retrieved the additional glasses.


    Strange...


    He had opened his shop in Bastion because that was where most of the people he knew were. There were not that many good restaurants here, yet, and certainly very few run by a Master. Not to mention the Memory side of the business. Therefore, it was inevitable that he would run into an old acquaintance or two sooner or later.


    Since his services were top-notch, the Brilliant Emporium gained many customers through word of mouth. Those old acquaintances recommended the new place to people in their circle, so it wasn''t that odd to meet someone Sunny had known, on occasion.


    Plus, many of the people he had known were also people Aiko knew.


    Still, it was strange for an impromptu meeting between the survivors of the Antarctic Center to happen in his cafe all of a sudden.


    If it had happened before, Sunny would have thought that [Fated] was pulling the strings of fate behind the curtains.


    But he was free of such concerns now. Coincidences were nothing more than coincidences, and they did happen.


    After the initial solemn atmosphere, the mood at their table gradually turned lighter. They joked, laughed, and shared news about themselves.


    Listening to the sound of their laughter, Sunny remained silent.


    At some point, though, his expression changed slightly.


    Quentin was talking at the moment, his pleasant voice tinged with a complicated emotion:


    "Oh... I heard something strange a few days ago, by the way."


    Luster raised an eyebrow.


    "Good strange or bad strange?"


    The healer shrugged hesitantly.


    "I''m not sure. You see... that thing. The Winter Beast. Apparently, it''s gone."


    Kim and Beth looked at him sharply, their eyes turning colder.


    "Gone? What do you mean, gone?"


    Quentin shook his head.


    "It seemed like someone... or rather, something... killed it. You know how hard it is to catch glimpses of the Southern Quadrant, but apparently, the evidence suggests that it was killed years ago. We just didn''t know."


    A long silence settled over the table.


    Then, Kim poured the remaining whiskey into their glasses and raised hers.


    A pale smile appeared on her face.


    "Good. That''s good, then..."


    Turning the page, Sunny sighed subtly.


    Of course, he knew that the Winter Beast was gone.


    He was the one who had killed it, after all, ripping the wretched thing apart with his own two hands.


    Well, it was in the past now.


    Right now, he was running low on coffee beans and a bunch of other ingredients. Worse than that, his Memory business was not doing that well.


    This was the kind of problems Sunny was facing in the present.

 Chapter 1599 Delivery

    Chapter 1599 Delivery


    1599 Delivery


    The four survivors of the Antarctic Center finished their meal. As a good host, Sunny saw them off, then remained on the porch for a few moments, looking as they walked away.


    However, he did not have time to waste.


    By then, there were several other customers waiting to be served, so he sent Aiko to the dining hall and hid himself in the kitchen. Manifesting a second body, Sunny concentrated on preparing food.


    Mornings were a busy time in the Brilliant Emporium, but the two of them were managing fine. Sunny had two bodies and could manifest as many hands as he needed, while Aiko was a perfect waitress, simply floating the dishes to the tables with her telekinesis.


    After an hour or two, the breakfast crowd dwindled and gradually cleared out, leaving the interior of the Marvelous Mimic empty once again. Sunny washed his hands and leaned back on the Shadow Chair, while Aiko was counting the money they made.


    With the increase in human population of the Sword Domain, it was not convenient to simply use soul shards as currency anymore. Credits, meanwhile, were a purely digital currency... so, the Great Clans had recently started minting their own coins. Each coin contained a small amount of essence, and their value was supported by the shard treasuries each clan possessed.


    Sunny did not really care about the matters of economy, but Aiko was all about it, constantly pestering him to think about converting the Brilliant Emporium into a bank and making his money make money by lending it out to less affluent people in Bastion. The possibility of capitalizing on the first-mover advantage in a new world almost made her drool.


    That said, the petite girl was not really serious about these fanciful dreams, since she understood that growing too big would land them in the steel embrace of Valor, as well.


    In any case...


    Sunny spun a heavy silver coin between his fingers, studying it with a distant expression. One side of the coin had a number on it, while the other was embossed with the image of a sword piercing an anvil. He could feel a minuscule amount of soul essence contained in the silver, ensuring its authenticity.


    This essence could also be directly absorbed, which was why many Awakened carried a few coins with them at all times, just in case they found themselves in dire straits.


    ''...The coins my Mimic makes are much more valuable.''


    Granted, the Marvelous Mimic had few opportunities to consume someone here in Bastion, so there were not a lot of these coins around.


    And speaking of the Marvelous Mimic...


    Sunny shifted when he felt the Brilliant Emporium tremble slightly. It was as if the shapeshifting Shadow was shivering in fright.


    Ah.


    Boss! Boss! They''re here!


    "Master Sunless! Sorry if we are a bit late."


    Sunny wanted to answer, but at that moment, the little boy smiled brightly and shouted:


    "Uncle!"


    With that, he pounced at Sunny and hugged him.


    Sunny gasped, turning a bit pale, and was pushed back a couple steps. His bones groaned.


    "Ah... ouch..."


    The strange pair were from the Beast Farm �� which was where Sunny purchased most of the fresh ingredients used in the Brilliant Emporium. They were making a delivery.


    ...Of course, they were also Effie''s husband and child.


    The huntress swore that she named her son "Ling" in honor of the leader of her first cohort, but Sunny had his doubts. In any case, Little Ling was a unique existence. He had been born in the void at the heart of Ariel''s Tomb, and therefore treated as a challenger when the Nightmare was conquered.


    So, Little Ling had become a Transcendent as an infant. The child Saint was now a darling of humanity, famous across both worlds.


    The good-looking young man, meanwhile, was the nameless Awakened Sunny had once welcomed back from the First Nightmare. That guy was not exactly famous, but definitely infamous. Many people treated him with a peculiar mix of envy, admiration... and fearful sympathy.


    After all, being married to one Saint and a father to another was not for the faint of heart!


    Especially considering the fact that his wife was none other than Raised by Wolves, and that it had taken Little Ling a while to start learning how to control his Transcendent strength.


    Depending on one''s point of view, that guy could either be called the luckiest or the unluckiest person in the world.


    ''Poor bastard...''


    Little Ling was indeed getting better at controlling his strength, but that did not mean that he was good at it.


    Suppressing a groan of pain, Sunny struggled to inhale and cautiously patted the adorable boy on the head.


    "Little Ling... dear... uncle can''t breathe..."

 Chapter 1600 Beast Farm

    Chapter 1600 Beast Farm


    1600 Beast Farm


    Sunny had experienced a lot of bizarre things in his life, but the nameless guy really took the cake.


    It must have been one hell of a conversation when Effie came back from a routine mission as a Saint, with a baby in tow despite only being in the third month of her pregnancy, saying that the baby... was somehow also a Saint.


    Sunny did not even want to imagine.


    In any case, Effie and the nameless guy seemed to have worked things out in the end. In fact, their relationship was strangely picturesque and idyllic. Their son was growing up happily, too, bathed in endless care and affection.


    His mom was now one of the five Transcendent powerhouses of the government, as well as one of the most well-known and beloved protectors of humanity. His dad, meanwhile, had gone into the Dream Realm on the winter solstice, a month after the cohort returned from the Tomb of Ariel, and became an Awakened. He possessed a Utility Aspect having to do with mending, restoration, and cultivation... as well as golden hands.


    Now, the nameless guy was managing a large farm that he and Effie had established on the beautiful meadow contained within her Supreme Memory. That farm was the source of many ingredients Sunny used in the Brilliant Emporium, so he received visits from the nameless farmer often.


    Which was why the Marvelous Mimic was afraid of Little Ling. The cure boy possessed an endless amount of enthusiasm, like all children did, and the power of a Transcendent being. Therefore, he was nothing short of a walking disaster for furniture, appliances, and even buildings.


    Sunny did not know how Effie''s house was still standing, but the Mimic had suffered greatly despite being a powerful demon.


    ...Sunny had suffered greatly, too.


    As he extricated himself from Little Ling''s embrace, thanking Bone Weave for keeping his ribs intact, Sunny shook his head in dejection.


    ''Well, it''s my own fault.''


    He just couldn''t resist the adorable brat, so every time they visited, Sunny treated him to something tasty, like hot chocolate, waffles, or ice cream.


    Who knew that a child''s fondness could be bought that easily? Therefore, Sunny didn''t have anyone but himself to blame for being the target of Little Ling''s affection.


    As soon as the little boy let go, he looked at Sunny with huge eyes and smiled bashfully.


    ...Auntie Aiko?


    Sorry, Aiko.


    "Let me help you unload everything."


    As they were unloading the cart, he asked nonchalantly:


    "Oh, how is your wife doing, by the way?"


    Ling Dad smiled, a glint appearing in his eyes.


    "Effie? She is doing great. Soul Reaper and she have just returned from suppressing a minor Gate Crisis in the Eastern Quadrant. The casualties were minimal, so everyone is celebrating..."


    Sunny sighed.


    As much as the situation in the Dream Realm had improved for humans, the situation in the waking world was slowly getting worse. There were more Gates, and those Gates were more powerful. Even with resource shortages being greatly relieved by the mass migration to the other world, the infrastructure was still reeling from losing Antarctica.


    So, the government was busier than ever. Not only were they working to establish a firmer foothold in the rapidly changing Dream Realm, but they were also working hard to contain the growing menace of the Nightmare Spell.


    Luckily, it was not only the Legacy Clans that had become much stronger after the Chain of Nightmares. Although the government did not have many Saints, their Awakened forces had grown tremendously in recent years �� mostly due to many veterans of the Evacuation Army choosing to remain in service.


    And the few Saints the government did have were up there with the mightiest champions of the Great Clans. Soul Reaper Jet, Raised by Wolves, and Nightingale... the three of them were worth a dozen less powerful Transcendent, if not more.


    Ling''s Dad straightened, wiped his brow, then almost blinded Sunny with a smile.


    "Ah! Sorry, I forgot to mention... she''ll be coming by in a short while."


    Sunny blinked a couple times.


    "She... Transcendent Athena? She''ll be coming by?"


    The nameless guy nodded happily.


    "Yes. She had a meeting to attend in the Castle, so I just told her to meet us here..."


    Sunny froze.

 Chapter 1601 Esteemed Guest

    Chapter 1601 Esteemed Guest


    1601 Esteemed Guest


    Sunny froze for a moment, then smiled politely.


    "Ah. In that case, it seems I''ll be busy in the kitchen soon."


    His face did not betray any emotions, but he was a bit rattled on the inside.


    ''What is up with today?''


    He had wandered the Dream Realm alone for about three years after becoming a Saint, only returning to the embrace of civilization a year ago. So, the Brilliant Emporium had not been open for too long. In that time, Sunny had brushed sides with some members of the cohort, but it did not happen often.


    And definitely not in any kind of meaningful way.


    Which was how he preferred it. He was being contradictory in that desire, perhaps �� after all, the very reason Sunny had chosen to open his shop in Bastion was because many of his old friends were here. Well... there was another reason, as well, but that was the deciding factor.


    Still, while he could maintain a level of nonchalance while meeting people like Teacher Julius or the Irregulars, it was different with his former companions. Being close to them was both sweet and painful... but mostly painful. Which was why he both yearned to see them and preferred to avoid them at all costs.


    Sunny knew that getting closer to the cohort members would only bring him anguish and torment. Nevertheless, he was sometimes tempted to abandon reason and ingratiate himself into their company once again.


    Luckily, in the end, reason always won.


    In any case...


    Calm down. You brought this on yourself, anyway.


    Not only was the Brilliant Emporium bound to attract the attention of local powerhouses eventually, but there was also Aiko.


    There were less than a hundred survivors of the Forgotten Shore alive now, and she was one of them. Many of the Fire Keepers were on friendly terms with her, so they visited her place of work often.


    Sadly, that did not translate into Memory sales �� as the elite battle force led by Nephis, they not only had access to the best weapons and equipment the Great Clan Valor could supply them with, but also spent most of their time on calamitous battlefields, earning plenty of powerful Memories of their own.


    ...Kai and Effue were among Aiko''s friends, too. That was how Sunny had established the partnership with the Beast Farm, in the first place.


    He sighed and beckoned Little Ling''s Dad.


    "I''m not a dumpling! I''m a boy!"


    "Alright, alright... but why are you so tasty?"


    "Mooommy!"


    As Effie pretended to bite Little Ling, he giggled happily and squirmed in her embrace. Sunny observed the scene while suppressing a smile.


    Despite the flow of time, Effie had not changed at all. She was still the same tall, beautiful, and vibrant woman Sunny had met in the Dark City. Her athletic body was still brimming with boundless vigor and vitality, her perfect lean muscles rolling under the dewy olive skin.


    Of course, there were changes, too. Effie had grown even more appealing, her Transcendent allure capable of bringing countless men to their knees. There was a subtle, but palpable presence about her, too... perhaps it had always been there, but now there was no mistaking it.


    Wherever Effie went, the air brimmed with liveliness and energy. Everyone around her felt a certain primal intensity permeate their bodies, infusing them with stimulating, spirited force.


    Such was the effect that Saint Raised by Wolves, one of the most famous and beloved warriors of humanity, had on people.


    Carrying Little Ling, she walked over to where the nameless guy was sitting, hugged him with one hand, and kissed him on the cheek. Then, she looked at Aiko and grinned.


    "Hey there, shorty! Gods, have you grown even tinier? I really can''t... Aiko, you''re so cute. Every time I see you, I just want to squeeze you and dress you up."


    The petite girl frowned.


    "There will be no more squeezing happening today, thank you very much."


    Effie laughed.


    "...That stupidly gorgeous boss of yours, as well! Ah, he''s just like a porcelain doll. If I wasn''t a married woman, I would have definitely tried dressing him up. Or, you know. Undressing him would be fine, too..."


    Aiko''s eyes widened, while Little Ling''s Dad spat out his lemonade.


    Effie''s smile turned a little strange. She fluttered her lashes sheepishly, then coughed.


    "Oh. He''s standing right behind me, isn''t he?"


    One chapter today, three tomorrow.

 Chapter 1602 Short, Dark, and Handsome

    Chapter 1602 Short, Dark, and Handsome


    1602 Short, Dark, and Handsome


    Effie slowly turned around, just in time to notice the unreasonably gorgeous proprietor of the Brilliant Emporium falling. Three cups of coffee that he had been carrying on a tray were flying into the air in slow motion.


    It seemed that he had tripped.


    Without missing a bit, the enigmatic shopkeeper regained his balance with a graceful half-step, extended his hand unhurriedly, and caught all three cups on the tray without spilling a single drop.


    A moment later, he smoothly approached the table and placed the cups down, acting as if nothing had happened. Then, the nonchalant young man smiled pleasantly and gave her a respectful bow.


    "Saint Athena. Welcome."


    Effie found herself unable to speak for a moment.


    ''D��damn. So cool!''


    At the same time, Sunny was nothing short of panicking on the inside.


    ''What the hell?! No, what the actual hell?! I mean... what the hell?!''


    How could she go and say something like that?!


    And right in front of her husband, too!


    Did that woman have no tact?!


    Glancing at Ling''s Dad covertly, Sunny noticed that the young man was looking at him apologetically. He seemed more embarrassed than anything, with no signs of anger or insecurity written on his handsome face.


    It seemed that the nameless guy was used to his wife''s antics... well, it made sense.


    Why wouldn''t he be?


    Sunny had been teased relentlessly by Effie. What made him think that the poor bastard would have had it any easier? If anything, as her husband, he probably had it way worse...


    Effie, meanwhile, smiled and said in a reserved tone:


    Oh, Master Sunless. You were here.


    It stung a little. The fact Effie used his name instead of a nickname, like she did with her close friends, stung. The fact that she made an effort to act with decorum around him stung, too.


    Even not being openly teased by her caused a dull ache in his heart.


    "Single? Actually, he''s double... I mean, there''s two of him..."


    "Huh?"


    "In any case, leave my boss alone! Every time you people show up, my career takes a nosedive! First in the Bright Castle, then in NQSC... I swear to the dead gods, Effie, if another of my employers decides to enlist and become a war hero after spending time with you lot, I''ll take it personally!"


    "Ah! Are you still angry at Kai? Actually, he asked me to pass a message to you..."


    "Tell that pretty bastard to keep his messages to himself. Unless he wants to help me sue himself for unlawful termination, I don''t want to hear a word from him."


    "Hehe. Bastard! Bastard!"


    "Ling Ling! Don''t say that word!"


    Sunny shook his head and let out a sigh, thinking that Aiko was being too harsh on Kai.


    Actually, Effie and her were not that close. The two of them were on friendly terms and shared a deep bond as the survivors of the Forgotten Shore, sure, but back there, Aiko had lived in the Bright Castle, while Effie had been a huntress of the outer settlement. Their paths had not intersected often.


    Another point of connection between them was Kai, who knew the petite girl much better from their days of paying tribute to Gunlaug. Aiko had even worked as his manager after returning to the waking world. So, when he chose to end his idol career and enlist in the military, she lost her job.


    As a result, Aiko seemed to be holding a grudge.


    Which was a bit sad, considering that she was one of the main reasons why Kai had ended up as a Saint in service of the government, to begin with.


    Kai''s life could have been safe and comfortable as an Awakened, but he had chosen to follow Sunny and the rest of the cohort into the Second Nightmare, and later joined the Southern Campaign. One of the main reasons he had done that was the shame he felt about not having done anything to help Aiko when she was being harassed by one of Gunlaug''s Pathfinders.


    The bastard whom Nephis had eventually killed.


    So, Kai never wanted to be powerless to help people like Aiko, and Aiko herself, ever again. That was his motivation to seek strength and continuously put himself at risk as one of the government''s champions.


    ''What a messed-up situation.''


    The web of human relationships was like that, and sometimes it seemed that people were helplessly stuck in its complicated embrace.


    Sunny, on the other hand, had been forcefully freed from that web.


    And yet... his situation was just as messed up.


    He chuckled.


    There was no salvation from the human mess anywhere.

 Chapter 1603 He’s a Rumor

    Chapter 1603 He''s a Rumor


    1603 He''s a Rumor


    It was not every day that a famous Saint visited the Brilliant Emporium, so Sunny went all out with cooking up a feast.


    And Effie was, without a doubt, very famous.


    The world had changed a lot from the day he Awakened. Back then, there had been barely a few dozen Transcendents in existence, each representing the absolute pinnacle of human tenacity and achievement. They were distant and dazzling, like living legends.


    Today, though, there were more than a hundred Saints out there. They were still revered and venerated, and each of them was still an absolute elite �� an exalted warrior and champion, the best of the best humanity had to offer.


    But, still. Not all Saints were made equal. All of them were remarkable, but some were more remarkable than the rest.


    In general, the hundred Transcendents were often divided into three loose tiers. The lowest tier �� if such a description could even be applied to these legendary figures �� was the largest, and mostly consisted of those Saints who had reached Transcendence after the Southern Campaign.


    They were younger and less experienced, and their path to Sainthood had been a little easier than that of their predecessors. So, these undoubtedly outstanding warriors were still considered a bit weaker than the rest of the Saints.


    The middle tier consisted of the few most talented representatives of the new generation, as well as of the old guard �� of those seasoned veterans that had reached Transcendence before the Chain of Nightmares. Saints like Sky Tide, Summer Knight, Silent Stalker, Bloodwave, and Wake of Ruin were among them.


    These powerhouses wielded fierce powers and possessed a frightening amount of experience, each towering above the rest of humanity like mythical giants.


    ...However, there was still someone above them.


    Each of these unique individuals was a singular existence, a presence that broke all the rules. Their terrifying power could hardly be measured, and they stood apart from even the Saints, inferior only to the Sovereigns themselves. There was no word for what these people were, but everyone knew their names.


    The government possessed three of these exceptional champions: Raised by Wolves, Nightingale, and Soul Reaper.


    Clan Song possessed three, as well. They were Mordret, Seishan, and Beastmaster.


    And lastly, Clan Valor possessed two. They were Nephis and Morgan, the Sword Sisters.


    ...Of course, there were Saints of equally terrible power who were completely unknown. One of them was Cassie.


    The other one was Sunny.


    And that was pretty much it.


    Aiko frowned.


    "Let me guess who is going to draw the short straw. They''re going to send Changing Star, aren''t they?"


    Effie sighed.


    "Yeah. My poor Princess can''t catch a break. Well, of course, it''s all a ruse. The real reason they are sending her there..."


    She lowered her voice:


    "...is the Lord of Shadows."


    Sunny turned the page of the Monster Almanac, his face remaining perfectly neutral.


    Aiko, meanwhile, raised an eyebrow.


    "Lord of Shadows? Who is that?"


    Effie gently caressed Little Ling''s head. The boy was resting his head on her lap, fast asleep. His dad, meanwhile, simply listened to their conversation while sipping coffee with a smile on his face.


    The huntress shrugged.


    "He''s just a rumor... ah, but since Valor is taking action, I guess he''s not, after all. In any case, there has been a lot of talk about a mysterious Saint appearing in the Death Zone between the Sword Domain and the Song Domain not too long ago. If he really exists, and has been able to survive there alone for so long... then he is immensely powerful. Of course, both Domains would want to obtain his allegiance."


    She hesitated for a moment, then added darkly:


    "Or, if that is not possible, to make sure that no one else gets him. I guess they are sending Nephis to test the waters."


    Shaking his head, Effie remained silent for a few moments, and then laughed.


    "Can you imagine? I mean, has Anvil lost it, or what? Don''t get me wrong, I love Princess... but really, she is probably the worst person in the world to use as a negotiator..."


    Sunny couldn''t help but agree.


    Of course, what Effie did not know was that the person Nephis was supposed to negotiate with was sitting just a few meters away, having just served her a delicious dinner.

 Chapter 1604 Brave New World

    Chapter 1604 Brave New World


    1604 Brave New World


    ''So, they are finally starting to move...''


    Sunny let out a quiet sigh. Things were progressing according to his calculations, but at the same time, he felt that it was sometimes unpleasant to be right.


    Many things had changed since Antarctica. But many things were also the same.


    The balance of power was entirely different, for example.


    Sunny had been born at the time when the three Great Clans were in charge of humanity, so for the longest time, he simply assumed that that was the natural order of things. But actually, although some Legacy Clans had always been more prominent than the others, the three great families �� Valor, Song, and Night �� only rose to their exalted status shortly before he was born.


    And now, the status quo had changed again. Even though there were still nominally three Great Clans, in practice, only two remained. The House of Night had lost its competitive edge for a multitude of reasons, the main being that it lacked a Sovereign.


    Without a Sovereign, the masters of the Stormsea could not bring millions of mundane humans into their area of influence and develop their Citadels into prosperous cities. They could not keep up with the exploding number of Awakened, Masters, and Saints the other two Great Clans now commanded, either.


    In short, the House of Night had been relegated to the role of a supporting player in the great game between Valor and Song.


    The role of the government was not the same, either. Now that the Sovereigns had revealed themselves and the exodus of humanity from the waking world had quietly begun, the writing was on the wall. As the force mainly responsible for maintaining the cradle of humanity, the government had no choice but to become obsolete.


    Perhaps it was not going to happen in a decade, or even several decades, but their days were numbered. Unless the government changed, that was.


    And so, it was changing, slowly developing its presence in the Dream Realm. Strangely enough, despite the bleak future, the government''s power had actually grown in recent years. Although there were not a lot of Saints in its employ, three of those Saints belonged to the highest tier of Transcendents. There were countless Awakened and a large number of Masters remaining loyal to the army, as well.


    So, the government had actually shortened the gap and was now almost as powerful as the House of Night.


    It was nowhere near the two nascent kingdoms of the Dream Realm, though.


    And those kingdoms �� Sword Domain, and Song Domain �� had changed the least.


    The war between the two Great Clans was not being fought in the open, but it had never ended. The only thing preventing it from progressing to direct conflict was that the two Domains did not share a physical border.


    Yet.


    But, in fact, the territories of Song and Valor were dangerously close to each other. It was just that they were separated by a perilously dangerous Death Zone. That Death Zone was doomed to become the first battlefield of the inevitable open war between the two Dream Kingdoms.


    ...It was also where Sunny had established his Citadel, right in the middle of this exceedingly important strategic region. And where his third avatar was currently hunting down anything stupid enough to challenge his rule.


    He hesitated for a moment, and then added nonchalantly:


    "Also, I never attended school. So I wouldn''t even know what an eighth-grader would call himself..."


    ***


    Effie, Little Ling, and Little Ling''s dad eventually went on their way, leaving a mountain of dirty dishes behind. Sunny used his avatar to wash them while resting on the porch and listening to the lively sounds of Bastion.


    Although his shadow sense could reach far and wide, he didn''t dare use it right under Anvil''s nose. The King of Swords possessed unrivaled authority within his Domain, after all, and few things escaped his gaze.


    Chances were, he would sense someone exploring his capital through unseen means. So, Sunny kept to himself.


    Soon, the midday crowd arrived, and he spent a couple of hours in the kitchen cooking various lunches. That crowd disappeared, as well, leaving the Brilliant Emporium empty.


    Sunny was drowning in a strange melancholy after meeting Effie. The time she had spent in his restaurant had felt very uplifting, but now that she was gone, only wistfulness remained.


    It was his birthday, as well. But she didn''t remember. No one did. Honestly, even he had almost forgotten about it himself.


    What was the big deal, anyway?


    Suppressing a sigh, Sunny closed his eyes and concentrated on his other avatars. That was another advantage of existing in several places simultaneously �� he was almost never bored.


    ''So, Nephis is coming...''


    It was not unexpected, but happed sooner than he had thought. How long would it take her to find the Nameless Temple? Knowing Neph... two weeks, at most?


    So, he had two weeks to mentally prepare himself.


    That was probably enough time.


    ''Rain needs better arrows, too...''


    Time passed swiftly while he contemplated various matters.


    Then, a new customer arrived.


    This one, however, was not here for a meal, but rather for a Memory.

 Chapter 1605 Memory Boutique

    Chapter 1605 Memory Boutique


    1605 Memory Boutique


    The Silver Bell rang once more, and a new customer walked in. Sunny was idly wondering what they would order when he noticed who it was. A moment later, his eyes glistened with professional interest.


    It was a young woman wearing light armor and a white cape... an Awakened. Her elegant beauty and golden hair were lovely, but her expression was cold and composed, creating an uninviting impression. Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com


    Sunny did not really care about what she looked like, though. The aloof Awakened was important because she was one of his clients, and had come to retrieve a Memory. More than that, she was a Legacy. Which meant a hefty commission and a great boost to the Brilliant Emporium''s reputation.


    Plus, she was a passing acquaintance from Sunny''s former life. Even though they had only met a few times, hers was still a familiar face.


    He smiled and bowed politely.


    "Awakened Telle. Welcome."


    The young woman glanced at him sternly and nodded.


    "Master Sunless. I''ll be leaving Bastion soon, so I wanted to check on your progress. It would be convenient if you procure a suitable Memory before I depart."


    He couldn''t help but widen his smile a little.


    "It is good that you decided to pay the Brilliant Emporium a visit, my lady. In fact, I have just recently acquired something that might be of interest to you."


    Sunny did not make a big secret of the fact that he could craft Memories, but he was hiding the extent of his abilities. So, for the more demanding commissions, he pretended to be a mere merchant. Very few people knew what he was really capable of.


    Lastly, he was a Transcendent. His dexterity, physical coordination, and precision were unrivaled, his senses were vastly superior to those of mundane humans, and his mental acumen was far beyond the norm.


    In short, Sunny had put a lot of effort into mastering his trade, and was confident that he would not lose to the famed forgemasters of Clan Valor when it came to the quality of his craftsmanship.


    Although... he was somewhat envious of all the tools and resources they had access to.


    Awakened Telle could not see it, but there was more than one chamber in the basement of the Marvelous Mimic. Sunny also had an expansive workshop hidden behind the boutique, containing everything he used to do work, from a forge and a kiln to a pottery wheel and a sewing machine. There was also a large storage room where various materials, mostly sourced from the carcasses of Nightmare Creatures, were kept.


    It had not been easy to arrange a proper workshop in the basement of the Marvelous Mimic, let alone an opulent boutique. The interior of the Shadow was somewhat of a separate dimension, after all, and although Sunny had managed to alter the weave of the original Covetous Coffer to make it capable of containing living things, it wasn''t really suited for it.


    Above ground, the problem was easily solved by having the Marvelous Mimic manifest windows, which could let in air and light. Below ground, though, things were a bit tricky.


    In the end, Sunny had to create enchanted lanterns for illumination and heat plates for warmth. The air, meanwhile, was supplied by inferior copies of the Quintessence Pearl placed strategically here in there. The Marvelous Mimic supplied the essence needed to keep these enchanted items working itself.


    That arrangement had the side effect of turning the interior of the Marvelous Mimic into an isolated environment that could sustain human life... or any kind of life, really... even if the Shadow was buried deep underground or fell to the bottom of the ocean. Even drowning in a volcano was not going to present much of a problem.


    But that was beside the point. Sunny had no intentions of drowning in volcanoes any time soon. or better yet ever.


    Walking to a rich mahogany display table, Sunny put on black woolen gloves and retrieved an elegant lacquered box, placing it down carefully.


    Then, he opened the lid and smiled at Awakened Telle politely.


    "Please, take a look."


    Inside the box was a Memory that he had recently finished crafting.

 Chapter 1606 Belated Apology

    Chapter 1606 Belated Apology


    1606 Belated Apology


    Inside the lacquered box, an intricately engraved vambrace was laying on black silk. It was forged from a light silvery metal and decorated with a pattern resembling interlaid feathers. The vambrace emanated a feeling of restrained power, and just from a passing glance, one could tell that it was an extraordinary item.


    Awakened Telle, however, seemed unimpressed.


    Well... from what Sunny could remember, she always seemed that way.


    The young woman raised an eyebrow.


    "Master Sunless. From what I remember, I commissioned you to procure a suit of armor."


    He smiled.


    "Your memory is stellar, my lady. But don''t be concerned... this vambrace possesses a rare enchantment that allows it to unfold into a full plate of impregnable armor, just like what you wished to purchase. The process only takes a second, and consumes very little essence. While such a trait might bring a slight inconvenience in case of a sudden attack, it also makes this Memory uniquely adaptable."


    Telle''s eyes gleamed.


    "...I assume that it can be used by a Saint?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "Indeed. It can accommodate any type of Transformed creature up to about fifty times the size of an average human. The speed with which the vambrace unfolds remains the same. Of course, the essence expenditure grows in proportion."


    He continued to smile, but really, Sunny wanted to cry on the inside.


    That was because it took him an incredible quantity of magical alloy to create the damned vambrace. The thing looked small, but he would have had to bankrupt the Brilliant Emporium in order to purchase the materials needed to forge it... if anyone would even sell them to him. In the end, he had been forced to track down and kill a dozen Corrupted Beasts with metallic carapaces to complete the commission.


    Which meant that Sunny had not suffered a loss... but he could have sold all that Transcendent steel, instead!


    His heart was bleeding.


    In fact, he was even lamenting the cost of the expensive lacquered box with silk furbishing that Aiko had made him buy for the vambrace.


    But it is for a good cause.


    Sunny had to remind himself why he had put in extra effort to make sure that this Memory was particularly potent and durable.


    Awakened Telle finally showed a hint of satisfaction. She studied the Memory for a few moments, then asked in a slightly warmer tone:


    You have conducted a thorough study of its other enchantments, of course. What are they? Oh, and what is its name?


    Sunny carefully picked up the vambrace and began the description:


    My lady, this Transcendent Memory of the Fourth Tier is called the Belated Apology. Apart from the unfolding enchantment, it also possesses three others. One vastly enhances its physical durability. The other grants the person wearing it greatly increased protection from elemental attacks. Finally, the third enchantment might interest you the most. It allows the master of the Memory to make it as light as a feather.


    Unbelievably... a smile appeared on the young woman''s stern face.


    Well, of course it did. That set of enchantments was almost perfect for an armor-type Memory.


    "That''s perfect! That is exactly what my father needs!"


    Sunny hid a smile and put the vambrace back in the box.


    Then, he asked, pretending to do it only out of politeness:


    "Oh? And how is Saint Roan doing?"


    Out there, in front of him, stood a delicate young woman in a seawave cloak. Her hair was like a cascade of pale gold, and her eyes... were hidden behind a strip of blue cloth.


    Despite the blindfold hiding her eyes, the young woman''s ethereal, otherworldly beauty was simply breathtaking.


    She lingered for a moment, then turned her head in the direction of Sunny''s voice.


    "Oh... I am sorry. I''m afraid I''m a bit late, then."


    Sunny remained silent, trying to overcome his shock.


    ''What... what is she doing here?''


    He suppressed his emotions and put on the polite smile of a humble shopkeeper.


    "No, no. It''s no trouble. What did you want? I''ll prepare it quickly."


    The young woman tilted her head a little, then said hesitantly:


    "My name is..."


    He interrupted her, trying to put an appropriate amount of respect and reverence into his voice:


    "I know who you are, Lady Song of the Fallen. Who in Bastion doesn''t? I am Master Sunless, the owner of the Brilliant Emporium. It''s an honor to meet you."


    Cassie sighed, then nodded curtly. Eventually, she said:


    "... I heard that you can procure rare Memories. Or make them."


    Sunny froze for a moment.


    ''Ah.''


    One of the Fire Keepers must have recommended him to her. And knowing Cassie, it must not have taken her long to discover that the owner of the Brilliant Emporium did not just sell Memories, but also crafted them.


    But why would she come to him? All the enchanters of Clan Valor were at her disposal.


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    "Are you interested in commissioning a Memory, my lady?"


    She nodded again.


    "In a way."


    He smiled. Now, he was in familiar territory.


    "Great! I am sure that you won''t be disappointed in my services. Just today, a member of the renowned White Feather clan purchased a Memory from our stock. They were extremely satisfied with its quality."


    Cassie smiled, then shifted slightly as if looking around.


    "That is good to hear. The Memory I want you to make must be of the highest quality."


    She lingered for a few moments, then turned to him and added in a neutral tone:


    "Oh, and by the way..."


    Her smile wavered a little.


    "...Happy Birthday."

 Chapter 1607 Godgrave

    Chapter 1607 Godgrave


    1607 Godgrave


    A vast white plain was shining under blinding sunlight. It seemed deceptively endless, devoid of any features. No living thing was moving across its surface, and none would dare to.


    Changing Star of the Immortal Flame Clan, the Sword of Valor, was kneeling on that plain. She had been kneeling there for three days without moving a muscle, and even her right hand was frozen in the air, holding the hilt of a silvery sword. Its blade was like a radiant mirror reflecting a boundless white void.


    Her impassive face was showing signs of fatigue, but her beautiful grey eyes were cold and sharp, full of indomitable resolve that bordered on obsession.


    Her silver hair was moving slightly in the wind.


    "Lady N��ephis... the wind..."


    Staying still like a statue, she spoke without looking back:


    "I know. Stay strong."


    There were a few moments of silence, and then another voice spoke:


    "I... don''t know how much longer I can endure."


    Nephis answered evenly, white sparks igniting in the depths of her calm eyes:


    "Stop talking unless you want to die."


    She wasn''t threatening the man, simply stating a fact. In response to her words, there was silence.


    The wind blew across the white plain, crashing into her with furious force. There were a few gasps from behind Nephis, and yet, no member of her retinue allowed themselves to be shaken by the squall.


    The only thing that moved was the torn veil of ominous grey clouds. It swirled and flowed, slowly obscuring the merciless sky... not that Nephis could see it, frozen as she was. All she could see was the shadow slowly spreading across the flawless white plain.


    Where the shadow of the clouds was cast, the white surface lost its blinding radiance, becoming easy to look at. As Nephis watched the radiance dim, her face remained motionless... her heart, however, started beating faster.


    Of course, Nephis did not think the same way.


    In any case, the right hand of the skeleton lay in the Song Domain, while the left hand lay in the Sword Domain. By climbing the skeletal arms, one could travel along the bones of the titanic corpse.


    If they could survive the journey, of course, which very few could.


    The seemingly endless white plain where Nephis stood was actually the skeleton''s breastbone. She had led the Fire Keepers here, climbing up the shattered left arm of the ancient corpse, fighting her way across its vast collar bone, and making progress south over the past two weeks.


    The progress was slow because they could not fly the Chain Breaker here. It was too dangerous.


    There were three ways of traversing Godgrave, ranging from deadly to absolutely lethal.


    The most suicidal one was to move across the ground, which was shrouded in twilight and covered by a carpet of ash. The Death Zones were regions of the Dream Realm where Great, Cursed, and Unholy Nightmare Creatures dwelled... and in this Death Zone, the deadliest things were hiding beneath the ash. Anyone who stepped on it was doomed to be consumed.


    The second way was not much better. It was to travel in the great hollows of the titanic bones, hidden from the sky. The hollows were the safest place in Godgrave... and for that reason, they were home to an entire ecosystem of harrowing Nightmare Creatures and tainted flora, all hungering for the taste of human souls. Fighting through that monstrous jungle that thrived within the inconceivable skeleton was just as suicidal.


    The last way was to traverse the surface of the ancient bones. Here, there were fewer dreadful abominations, and those who did prowl the surface were a bit less powerful. But that was for a reason, as well.


    The reason was that Godgrave had a peculiar nature. There were no nights here, and the sky was constantly shrouded by a veil of clouds. If the veil was broken, though, revealing the radiant white sky...


    Anything that moved under the open sky was immediately erased from existence, turning into scatering ash. There was no exception to the rule, and no salvation from the gaze of heaven.


    So, that was why Nephis and the Fire Keepers had spent three days without daring to move a muscle. They had been waiting for the torn clouds to hide the sky once again.


    And now that the grey veil was mended by the wind, they could continue on their mission...


    To find the mysterious Saint who was rumored to have made his home at the very edge of the titanic breastbone, right before the abyssal chasm leading to the skeleton''s spine.


    The man known as the Lord of Shadows.


    One chapter today, three tomorrow.

 Chapter 1608 Death Zone

    Chapter 1608 Death Zone


    1608 Death Zone


    Nephis studied the immaculately white bone plain in front of her for a few moments, then turned around and looked at the Fire Keepers. They were gracelessly sprawled on the ground, with pained expressions on their faces. Even with their powerful Ascended bodies, it had not been easy to remain completely still for three long days.


    If there was one consolation, it was that Nightmare Creatures they had been fighting when the merciless skies revealed themselves were nothing but ash now. The Fire Keepers, meanwhile, had all survived.


    There was a reason why she had chosen this particular cohort to follow her into the Godgrave.


    The Fire Keepers were a fearsome force even now, when the number of Awakened, Masters, and Saints had vastly increased. That was because each of them was an Ascended, and a cohesive battle unit consisting of close to fifty seasoned Masters could not be ignored by anyone.


    Not to mention that the Fire Keepers were the survivors of the Forgotten Shore, and as such, could be easily called the most talented Awakened warriors of their generation... all generations, perhaps.


    These warriors were her personal army, and under her leadership, their brilliant glory and fame had grown explosively in the past four years. The Ivory Tower, the Chain Breaker, the crest of the Fire Keepers, and her own name, Changing Star, had all become symbols of unrivaled virtue, valor, and excellence.


    Their names were known far and wide, all according to her conscious will and intent.


    The Fire Keepers were her heralds and emissaries, but each was also a heroic figure in their own right... still, some of them had more renown than others. The seven Masters in front of her had once been Cassie''s own cohort, and therefore, they were a cut above the rest.


    That was not the reason why Nephis had chosen them for this mission, though. The real reason was that one of the members of the cohort, Erlas, possessed an Aspect that could augment the endurance and stamina of his allies. Knowing what waited for them in Godgrave, she wanted to have his powers at hand for when the white void of the sky above the ancient corpse was revealed.


    As it turned out, her consideration had not been in vain. If not for his support, the last three days would have been much more torturous, and potentially fatal for the members of her retinue. Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com


    Even Nephis had felt the strain. Nevertheless, there was no time to waste.


    The red moss, the vermilion grass, the tiny Nightmare Creatures, and the larger abominations that were yet to be born... all of them were in a hurry to be born, grow, consume, and propagate before turning to ash. The white plain was bare and featureless a few minutes ago, but in an hour or two, it would be teeming with horrid life.


    If the veil of clouds was not broken for the next several days, Godgrave would come to look as if the infernal subterranean jungle had escaped the great hollows. By then, the most harrowing of the surface hunters would have been born and reached maturity, making the surface of the bones almost as dangerous as their inner expanse.


    But even now, Nephis and the Fire Keepers were already in danger.


    The predatory vegetation and the swarms of tiny critters were enough to envelop and devour a legion of Masters.


    This... was the Death Zone.


    Watching a sea of red slowly surround them, crawling closer with each moment, Nephis silently raised her sword.


    "Prepare."


    As she brandished the silver sword, a wave of sparks exploded from where its tip scraped against the surface of the white bone.


    A moment later, each of the sparks exploded with a thundering roar, and a flood of white flame was unleashed into the world. The wave of fire rolled forward and enveloped a wide swath of the red grass, incinerating countless vermin in an instant.


    It did not stop there, though.


    Following Neph''s will, the flames moved, turning into a wide ring around the Fire Keepers. Then, it spread in all directions like a flash fire, flooding the air with heat and ash.


    Soon, the vast bone plain had turned into a terrible white inferno.

 Chapter 1609 Reclusive Saint

    Chapter 1609 Reclusive Saint


    1609 Reclusive Saint


    White flames danced across the bone plain, incinerating the vermilion grass and the swarms of tiny abominations that had just been born moments ago. Unbearable heat assaulted the cohort of the Fire Keepers, and the air was suddenly full of swirling ash.


    The eyes of their lady burned in the haze like two cold stars.


    "Mounts!"


    A whirlwind of ethereal sparks surrounded the cohort, soon forming into eight bestial Echoes. Each of them was unique, but shared a common trait �� most of these Echoes were not powerful enough to be of aid in a fierce battle. However, they were fast and could be ridden, serving the Fire Keepers as mounts.


    Many Masters spent considerable time hunting down suitable types of Dormant Nightmare Creatures to procure such Echoes. The braver ones hunted Awakened abominations, while some lucky ones even had Ascended beasts as their steeds.


    Nephis was the exception to the rule, since the steel stallion she had summoned was an artificial Echo created by the enchanters of the Great Clan Valor.


    Being the adopted daughter of a Sovereign had its advantages, even if the royal gifts came with an insurmountable cost.


    "Forward!"


    The eight Echoes formed into a wedge and rushed across the burning plain, swiftly moving south. The sea of flames parted in front of them, and then rolled forward, protecting the flanks of the formation.


    Nephis rode at the head of the wedge, looking ahead with a focused expression. Her sword had changed form, turning into a silver lance. The Fire Keepers were ready for battle, too �� despite the wall of fire that surrounded them, no one dared to lower their guard.


    And for a good reason.


    Soom, Shakti and Erlas �� the archers of the cohort �� drew their bows and let enchanted arrows loose. There were larger shadows moving behind the wall of flame, surrounded by ash, since the inhabitants of Godgrave had had more time to be born and grow here.


    From that moment, their advance turned into a tense and perilous affair. Nephis sustained the rolling curtain of flame, preventing the cohort from being consumed by the red grass, and led the charge. The Fire Keepers met whatever Nightmare Creature the Death Zone threw at them with calm coordination.


    There were no Great abominations on the surface of the ancient skeleton, at least not that soon after the white sky had wiped the slate clean. So, it was well within their ability to handle the onslaught of newborn monstrosities.


    Granted, the Fire Keepers were far more able than most Masters.


    It was to the point that Nephis had time to think without having to concentrate entirely on the battle.


    After a while, she thought silently:


    [He has to be strong, considering where his Citadel is located. The Sleepers also confirmed that his Aspect has to do with shadows, and that he commands several powerful Echoes. Apart from that, there''s very little information about him. Instead of allowing the Sleepers to place their anchors in his Citadel, the Lord of Shadows escorted them out of Godgrave and sent them on the path to one of Song''s strongholds.]


    Nephis frowned.


    [So he might be friendly with Clan Song?]


    Cassie lingered for a bit.


    [Both Valor and Song have their eyes on Godgrave. Considering that it is most likely to become the main battlefield of their war, how can they not? So, understandably, both Domains are very interested in a powerful Saint dwelling in the depths of this deadly region. Actually, Valor is not the first clan to try recruiting the Lord of Shadows.]


    Neph''s gaze darkened.


    [Is it true? That they sent...]


    Cassie''s answer came swiftly:


    [Indeed, they sent Mordert... well, one of his bodies, at least. However, he failed to persuade the Lord of Shadows to swear allegiance to the Queen of Worms.]


    If the Prince of Nothing had succeeded, Nephis would not have been sent to find the reclusive Saint. But how had he failed?


    [It is strange, though, isn''t it? I doubt that Mordret would have simply accepted a refusal. He would have definitely tried to consume that Saint if persuading him was impossible.]


    Cassie''s voice changed slightly:


    [That is the most interesting part. It is not confirmed, of course... but, from what we managed to learn... Mordret was actually defeated. His vessel was destroyed.]


    Nephis took a deep breath.


    ''Is there really someone else capable of defeating that monster?''


    She had once fought against Soul Stealer, after all. So, Nephis knew better than anyone what Saint Mordret was really capable of... in fact, that man was no less of a plague than Skinwalker, whom most of humanity lived in constant terror of.


    If Lord of Shadows was really capable of fighting against the Prince of Nothing...


    Neph''s calm grey eyes gleamed coldly as she contemplated the future.

 Chapter 1610 Land of Shadows

    Chapter 1610 Land of Shadows


    1610 Land of Shadows


    They crossed most of the remaining distance to the edge of the breastbone plain that day. Night never graced Godgrave with its presence, but anywhere else, the sun would have already been rolling toward the horizon.


    It was never dark in this strange and terrible place. The grey sky shone with diffused light, and white bone was colored here and there by fields of vibrant vermilion grass...


    Or rather, it was never supposed to be dark.


    Nephis slowed her steed as she peered into the distance, a complicated expression appearing on her face.


    ''What is that?''


    Out there, far away, it was as though someone had dropped a can of black paint on the world. The darkness, which was not supposed to exist in Godgrave, swallowed the plain, and the scattered light of the stormy sky was powerless against it. The deep shadows persisted, unperturbed by the bright daylight around them.


    ''How is this possible?''


    Soon, they drew closer to the wall of darkness. Strangely enough, there were much fewer abominations in this area of the titanic skeleton, and even the scarlet flora seemed scarcer.


    It was as though even the Nightmare Creatures were wary of the land of shadows.


    Nephis frowned slightly, not showing her hesitation to the Fire Keepers.


    "Advance slowly."


    As they proceeded further, the light slowly dimmed, and the growths of red grass became smaller and smaller, until they disappeared entirely. Soon, they were surrounded by nothing but impenetrable darkness, with only Neph''s eyes shining in it like small stars.


    Stop.


    She remained silent for a moment, listening to the silence, then said evenly:


    Dismount.


    It was going to reach the Fire Keepers in a matter of seconds.


    ...Before it did, however, something rustled in the air, and they heard the familiar, gruesome sound of flesh being severed by sharp steel. Something crashed heavily onto the ground, and a moment later, a monstrous head rolled into the light, a river of blood spilling from its cut neck.


    ''One strike.''


    Nephis looked at the abomination''s severed head for a split second, then turned to face the darkness.


    There, two crimson flames ignited, staring down at her.


    Then, something walked out of the darkness and stopped at the edge of light, making the Fire Keepers tremble.


    ''What in the world...''


    The graceful creature looked like a beautiful onyx statue that had come to life. Her fearsome black armor seemed to be carved from polished stone, and forged according to an intricate, elegant design. The dark sword she was holding was smeared in blood, radiating a sense of chilling, inescapable lethality.


    The demonic statue towered above Nephis and the Fire Keepers, much higher than even Effie was, observing them with cold indifference. There was no hostility in her gaze, but also no benevolence.


    She was clearly not human.


    However, the living statue did not seem like a Nightmare Creature, either. She was more like... a Transcendent Echo? A Saint?


    However, Nephis had never met an Echo... or a Saint, really... who exerted so much pressure on her. The graceful knight''s onyx body radiated a sense of vast, dreadful power, and the menacing crimson flames dancing in her ruby eyes were full of strange, inhuman will.


    She was strong.


    In fact, if Nephis was not here and the strange creature decided to attack the Fire Keepers, they would most likely all perish under her blade.


    The question was... would the living statue attack them, or not?


    As Nephis looked at the demonic knight calmly, ready for both outcomes...


    The beautiful onyx statue lowered her sword and turned away, then beckoned for them to follow her with indifferent grace.

 Chapter 1611 Nameless Temple

    Chapter 1611 Nameless Temple


    Nephis and the Fire Keepers followed the onyx devil across the land of shadows. Their taciturn guide walked without looking back, her beautiful armor gleaming as it reflected the white light of their lanterns. The living statue''s steps were neither slow nor hurried, her measured pace full of indifferent confidence.


    It was as though she was not afraid of the creatures hiding in the dark at all.


    Nephis would have expected the steps of such a heavy creature to resound like thunderclaps in the dead silence, but they were entirely noiseless. She stared at the back of the mysterious stone knight, white flames dancing in her eyes. The Fire Keepers were tense and quiet, looking into the eerie darkness with wary expressions. ''What is going on?''


    Nephis was not troubled, but she did feel somewhat curious. A vast expanse of inexplicable darkness, the fearsome creature that had been sent to meet them... it was all hard to explain, and she rarely encountered things that escaped explanation. [Cassie?]


    There were a few moments of silence, and then the familiar voice resounded in the darkness, answering the question she had not asked:


    [It is... strange.]


    Nephis glanced at the beautiful stone demon and waited. Cassie continued after a short pause:


    [She is a Transcendent Devil. Her soul is an impossible fusion of shadow, darkness, and divine flame. Her powers are those of a sword saint... however, she is not a simple Echo. I... I don''t know what she is.]


    Nephis nodded calmly. [That is alright. I do.] Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com


    In the end, it had taken almost half a day for the onyx devil to lead them to their destination. The signs of fierce battles that had transpired under the cover of darkness only grew more apparent.


    ''...Almost fifty kilometers to reach the heart of his territory.'' Out there, in front of Nephis, the breastbone plain abruptly ended, turning into a vast chasm. If she could pierce the darkness with her gaze, she would have seen the spine of the titanic skeleton far below. To her left and to her right, in the distance, its ribs must be rising like mountains. Right ahead, though... Illuminated by the light of their lanterns, a magnificent temple stood at the very edge of the abyss. Its colossal columns and walls were cut from black marble, with exquisite reliefs decorating the stygian pediment and broad frieze. Beautiful and awesome, it looked like the palace of a dark god.


    In front of the palace, the ground was littered with countless bones.


    Most of the ancient edifice was hidden by darkness, but Nephis felt oppressed by its solemn majesty nevertheless. She frowned slightly, feeling a shapeless presence gaze at her from behind the marble columns, and instinctively gripped the hilt of her sword. "Is this... a Citadel?"


    One of the Fire Keepers voiced her question in a tired and bewildered tone. Another answered warily:


    "It must be. Who could have built a temple in this place?"


    Nephis remained silent, observing the dark temple somberly. She was not afraid of the Lord of Shadows, his onyx devil, and other secrets the mysterious Saint could have been hiding. However, should the negotiations go badly... fighting a powerful enemy within the walls of their Citadel was bound to be troublesome. It would be a shame for the Citadel to be destroyed in the process, at least.


    Glancing at their beautiful demonic guide, Nephis smiled slightly and nodded. "Lead the way."


    The living statue lingered for a moment, then started climbing the steps of the temple. Nephis and the Fire Keepers followed. Soon, they passed between the towering black columns and reached a grandiose hall. Its dark expanse was drowning in impenetrable shadows.

 Chapter 1612 An Audience with the Lord

    Chapter 1612 An Audience with the Lord


    The interior of the dark temple was drowning in deep shadows, and the enchanted lanterns of the Fire Keepers seemed even weaker in their cold embrace. The light emanating from the luminous Memories flickered, barely able to illuminate a narrow circle around them. In fact, it was not even the shadows themselves... Neph''s eyes narrowed when she felt the subtle presence of the being who was hiding in the depths of the hall wash over her like a tidal wave. Suddenly, the darkness around them seemed infinitely more dark, in turn making the light starker. ''...Strong.''


    While Nephis was peering into the darkness, their silent guide walked to the side and turned around, resting the tip of her sword on the stone floor of the temple. It was as though the onyx devil assumed the position of an entrance guard.


    ...There was another strange sculpture on the other side of them. This one was at least five meters tall and resembled a four-armed fiend that had escaped from the depths of a fiery hell, his mighty body forged from polished black silver. The infernal troll had long, sharp spikes protruding from his steel carapace, as if he was made from countless shattered swords.


    No, not a sculpture.


    As the towering fiend moved slightly, the infernal flames burning in his eyes ignited with hungry malice. The Fire Keepers grew tense under the gaze of the menacing giant.


    Nephis remained unperturbed.


    A moment later, Cassie whispered into her ear:


    [It is... it is a Supreme Devil. His body is incredibly durable and almost immune to fire.]


    ''...Bothersome.''


    Killing a Supreme Devil was not impossible, but this one seemed especially tough. Melting him down would be a chore... Of course, there were ways to deal with such turtle-like enemies. It was just that fighting the towering fiend and the onyx devil at the same time would not be convenient. In fact, Nether''s daughter felt more dangerous despite being of a lower Rank. In any case, neither of them showed signs of wanting to attack the guests. They just stood motionlessly, as if inviting them to walk deeper into the temple. Nephis passed between the two powerful monsters and did just that. The Fire Keepers followed, looking oppressed by the inhospitable darkness. When they reached the middle of the great hall, she stopped. In front of them... the shadows grew even deeper, and the light of the lanterns simply drowned in them, disappearing without any effect. It seemed that the Lord of Shadows did not wish to be seen. Nephis sighed and looked up. She could feel something enormous moving in the darkness beyond, staring at her from incredible height. At the same time, a chilling sound resounded in the silence of the ancient temple, surrounding her and her warriors from all sides. Like the rustle of countless scales as they scratched against the ancient marble. It was as though a colossal serpent was slithering in the darkness, uncoiling its gargantuan body to raise its long neck and gaze upon them from the darkness.


    Not being able to see the giant creature was a little uncomfortable. Luckily, Cassie was there to help Nephis know what she faced:


    [A... a Transcendent Terror.]


    It felt as if he had been struck by lightning.


    His heart was beating faster than when he had been facing that Great Demon. Looking at Nephis from the darkness, Sunny remembered all the reasons he had come up with to spare himself the pain of being close to the members of his former cohort.


    At that moment, he understood one simple thing. ''...I''m doomed.''


    Because the moment he saw Nephis, all reason was obliterated.


    What was good about being reasonable, anyway? Hadn''t he personally preached the benefits of being unreasonable before?


    Sunny took a deep breath, and then leaned back, glancing at the huge head of the Soul Serpent hovering high above his throne.


    Then, he lingered for a moment and said, keeping his voice calm and devoid of emotions:


    "Nephis of Valor, welcome. I did not expect to be visited by someone as exalted as the last daughter of the Immortal Flame."


    She stared into the darkness, then bowed slowly. "Greetings, Lord of Shadows. I hope you don''t mind being addressed this way... or would you prefer I call you something else?"


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments.


    Eventually, he answered evenly:


    "I would not. But you can call me Shadow."

 Chapter 1613

    "I would not. But you can call me Shadow."


    The voice of the man who called himself Shadow resounded in the lightless temple, making it seem as though the darkness itself had answered her question. That strangely elusive voice was cold and aloof, devoid of any emotion.


    And yet, there was a hint of arrogance to it. Nephis frowned subtly.


    Now that the introductions were out of the way, it was time to announce the purpose of her visit. However, she was at a disadvantage. The master of the dark temple seemed to know everything about her, and yet, she knew close to nothing about him.


    Even Cassie, whose gaze could pierce countless mysteries, seemed to be entirely blind to the existence of the Lord of Shadows.


    ...Granted, Nephis had some idea about his true identity. The darkness spoke again, its voice remaining emotionless:


    "To what do I owe the honor of being in the presence of Lady Changing Star? What do you want with me?"


    Nephis hesitated for a moment, thinking.


    She had been sent to persuade a powerful Saint to join the banner of the King of Swords. However, having reached his Citadel, Nephis had to reevaluate her opinion of the Lord of Shadows.


    He was not merely powerful... no, he was one of those few like herself who were beyond the ordinary definitions of power.


    Now that Nephis had seen the vast expanse of inexplicable darkness, the bones of dreadful abominations hidden in its tenebrous embrace, the solemn edifice of the dark temple, and the creatures that guarded it, she knew that the Lord of Shadows had not survived in Godgrave by luck, or by having an Aspect that was uniquely suited for living in this harrowing environment.


    Rather, he had survived here through strength.


    ...Which only made him more desirable.


    Of course, there were still many unknowns about the enigmatic Saint. Nephis could not be sure of what his powers truly were. The fierce creatures that served him were neither Echoes nor Nightmare Creatures... so, they could have been manifested by his Aspect, like the hideous Reflections of the Prince of Nothing were, or subjugated like those abominations that Beastmaster ruled.


    It was unclear how strong the man himself was, or if his Aspect had any application in direct combat. It was also unknown where he had come from, and how he managed to become a Saint without leaving any traces of himself in either of the two worlds.


    And yet, Nephis had a strong suspicion.


    Awakened who possessed affinity to shadows were exceedingly rare, let alone those who were truly powerful. Meanwhile... five of the six divine lineages had already been reclaimed by humans.


    Immortal Flame were the inheritors of Sun God, Valor were the inheritors of War God, Song were the inheritors of Beast God, Night were the inheritors of Storm God, and finally, Asterion was the sole inheritor of Heart God.


    "Allow me to clarify, then. I, Changing Star, invite you to join the alliance of Transcendent warriors and serve under the banner of the King of Swords, protecting and expanding the domain of humanity in the Dream Realm as one of his champions."


    She lingered for a moment, and then added:


    "I trust I do not need to list the benefits of pledging allegiance to one of those who have achieved Supremacy. These details can be discussed later, anyway. Resources, assistance, powerful Memories and Echoes, soul shards... nothing is out of the question. You won''t be undervalued, Lord Shadow. No one survives in the Dream Realm alone, after all."


    There were a few moments of silence, and then the cold voice resounded from the darkness once again:


    "Ah. Thank you for the clarification."


    Nephis tilted her head a little.


    ''What else did he think I meant?''


    Had she said something odd again?


    ''No, it shouldn''t be.''


    Nephis frowned slightly.


    She thought she had done rather well...


    The problem was most likely that the emissary of Song must have offered all the same things to the Lord of Shadows, if not more. And yet, they had been refused.


    While she was contemplating, a cold laughter resounded in the dark temple, traveling across the great hall like wind. The Fire Keepers shivered, gripping their weapons tighter.


    A few moments later, Shadow''s voice came from the darkness, finally showing a hint of emotion:


    "Oh? So you want me to join forces with the Great Clan Valor for the benefit of humanity? I see... you must be sincere, then. Surely, it has nothing to do with the impending war between the King of Swords and the Queen of Worms. Surely, it is not because your side wants to use me as a weapon in that war. And, surely... you have no ambition to subjugate Godgrave with my help to gain control over the future battlefield."


    The master of the dark temple chuckled again, and that said, his sinister voice growing even colder:


    "You wouldn''t be trying to deceive me, would you, Lady Changing Star?"


    At the same time, the enormous creature hiding in the darkness shifted slightly, filling the great hall with the chilling sound of rustling scales.

 Chapter 1614

    Sunny felt glad that his face was hidden behind Weaver''s Mask and shrouded in impenetrable darkness. That was because he might not have controlled his expression very well in the last few minutes.


    One of his other two avatars might have even stumbled out of nowhere, somewhere far away.


    Those lazy guys...


    Luckily, he regained his composure swiftly.


    ''Damn it, Neph...''


    The echo of his last words was still traveling across the Nameless Temple when Nephis frowned slightly. Sunny had just accused her of trying to deceive him in a rather threatening tone... he even commanded Serpent to make a bit of noise to add some weight to his perceived displeasure.


    What would her reaction be?


    Unexpectedly, a subtle smile bloomed on Neph''s face, and her eyes gleamed with satisfaction.


    "I see that you are better informed than I presumed, Lord Shadow. Good. That saves me a lot of trouble."


    Sunny was stunned for a moment. That... was not the reaction he had expected.


    ''Shameless! She''s completely shameless!''


    Nephis, meanwhile, put her hand on the hilt of her sword and looked up a little.


    "Since you already know that the war is inevitable, and that it will happen here in Godgrave, you must also realize that you can''t escape it. One way or the other, you will be implicated in the clash between the two Domains. So... unless you want to abandon your Citadel and flee into the waking world, you might as well choose a side. In fact, I think that you already have."


    Sunny scowled, staring at her with displeasure.


    ''How the hell does she know?''


    Of course, he had intended to insinuate his way into a high position of


    the Sword Domain''s army from the very start. That was why he had established the Nameless Temple in Godgrave and waited for the emissaries of Valor to take the bait.


    But Nephis had no way of guessing that.


    Sunny shook his head in the darkness and asked, keeping his voice devoid of emotions:


    Sunny smiled.


    "So, I''ll give you the same chance, Lady Changing Star. If any of you, emissaries of Valor, manage to leave a scratch on my armor, I''ll accept your proposal. What do you say?"


    Nephis did not answer immediately, contemplating his offer. Eventually, she asked:


    "A duel? Which one of us do you want to fight?"


    He chuckled.


    "Any of you, all of you... it doesn''t matter. I won''t even use my Aspect. Instead, I''ll crush you with pure skill."


    A corner of Neph''s mouth twisted upward.


    "...Arrogant."


    Sunny laughed, noticing the Fire Keepers tremble at the cold sound of his sinister laughter.


    "Arrogant? Oh, on the contrary... I am being modest."


    He was in a strangely good mood. The truth of the matter was... that Sunny missed the feeling of fighting against humans. He had very few opportunities to fight a proper duel in recent years.


    The deadly reaches of the Dream Realm he had explored were full of all kinds of harrowing Nightmare Creatures. He had faced and killed countless abominations, coming very close to being killed by them instead on numerous occasions.


    Those battles had been fierce, terrible, painful... and sometimes exhilarating.


    But the exhilaration of facing a dreadful monster was different from the joy and delight of facing a skilled human opponent in battle. The artistry of combat was lost on most Nightmare Creatures.


    The Fire Keepers, though... Sunny knew these people well. Each of them was a brilliant fighter. Even though they were mere Masters, if he held back a little, clashing with them promised to be very satisfying.


    And then, of course... there was Nephis herself. A genius swordsman who had taken the legacy left behind by her legendary father, Broken Sword, and elevated it to new heights.


    His former teacher, rival, and partner.


    How could Sunny not feel excited at the thought of crossing swords with her again?


    As he was thinking about that, Nephis stared into the darkness for a few moments, and then nodded decisively.


    "...Alright. I accept."

 Chapter 1615

    There was movement in the darkness.


    Nephis could not see it, but she felt the shadows that drowned the great hall of the ancient temple shift and surge, as if celebrating the arrival of their master. The Fire Keepers behind her tensed, looking up with somber expressions.


    Thud.


    A heavy sound resounded, followed by another. It seemed that someone was descending from an unseen dais, the weight of their unhurried footsteps echoing in the lightless hall like an ill omen.


    Suddenly, the enchanted lanterns ignited with bright radiance, chasing away the darkness. As if they were finally allowed to shine.


    As soon as they did, a dark figure stepped into the light, the shadows shrouding it like a mantle.


    Even Nephis, who rarely felt fear, sensed a slight chill at the sight of the Lord of Shadows. She didn''t quite know why.


    The man in front of her was as elusive as his voice. His figure was encased in a fearsome onyx armor, its polished surface glistening like black glass. His features were hidden behind a mask of a fierce demon, nothing but darkness dwelling in the narrow slits of its eyes... as if there was no human face behind the mask, and no human flesh beneath the intricate black armor.


    Just a formless shadow.


    Strangely enough, Nephis could not say how tall the man was, exactly. But it felt as if he dwarfed everyone in the ancient temple, looking down at them with cold, malevolent arrogance.


    ...He was unarmed.


    Nephis studied the Lord of Shadows calmly.


    [Cassie?]


    The blind seer answered after a moment of silence:


    Defeating the enemy was easy, but doing so while not receiving a single scratch on his armor was not.


    Of course, Sunny had no intention of winning, to begin with. He just wanted to put on a good show and lose gracefully, thus laying the necessary groundwork for infiltrating the war machine of the Sword Domain.


    However, the person he needed to impress was Nephis. And now, he had to deal with the Fire Keepers first to cross swords with her.


    ''Should I cheat?''


    He considered the idea for a moment, then discarded it. That would not be any fun.


    Sunny studied the seven Masters that were surrounding him. Shim, Shakti, Kaor, Sid, Gorn, Gantry, and Erlas.


    He knew them well.


    Shim, a young man wielding a shield and a spear, was the healer who led the cohort. Strangely enough, he was also the most skilled and lethal warrior among them �� that was because, back on the Forgotten Shore, he had been one of Gemma''s Pathfinders. An elite who had survived countless hunts in the Dark City.


    Gorn, Gantry, and Erlas had been among the Hunters of the Bright Castle.


    Gorn was tall, immensely strong, and possessed an Aspect that allowed him to manifest an additional pair of hands, preferring to use two greatswords in battle. Gantry usually fought with a heavy battle axe, and was able to sharpen his weapons with his Aspect Ability. Erlas was a skilled archer capable of enhancing the resilience and stamina of his allies.


    Sid, a young woman with dirty blonde hair, had been a hunter in the outer settlement. The fact that she had survived there was a testament to her skill and tenacity, and her Aspect greatly augmented her physical strength in short, but devastating bursts. She was armed with a sword and a shield.


    Finally, there were Shakti and Kaor. Both had been Artisans in the Bright Castle, possessing potent Utility Aspects �� Shakti''s had to do with plants, while Kaor''s had to do with carpentry. The former was a deadly archer, as well, while the latter was a jack-of-all-trades who usually guarded the rear of the cohort.


    All seven were elites even among Masters, and their ability to work together was second to none.


    Placing the odachi that he had manifested from the shadows on his shoulder, Sunny smiled behind his mask


    ''This... is going to be fun.''

 Chapter 1616

    Sunny had never stopped fighting, sharpening his mastery of combat to a sublime level. He had already been one of the most seasoned warriors of humanity four years ago... mostly because very few had it as rough as he had it on the Forgotten Shore and in the Antarctic Center.


    But the last four years had not been easy on him, either. Crossing the Hollow Mountains alone had given him more battle experience than most Awakened would receive in their lifetime. So, now, he had a solid reason to be supremely confident in his ability.


    That said, there was a difference between fighting Nightmare Creatures and fighting humans. Sunny had mostly been doing the former recently, so the latter... he was a bit rusty.


    As the Fire Keepers surrounded him, Sunny observed them silently.


    Now that they were Masters, each possessed one additional Aspect Ability. Gorn not only had four arms, but also expanded in size, towering above the floor at almost three meters in height. Gantry seemed to have augmented his body, somehow... making it more durable? More nimble? Or simply more powerful?


    He was going to find out shortly.


    Erlas, meanwhile, was enhancing the physical state of each member of the cohort. His powers had been mainly focused on endurance and stamina before... what about now?


    Sid was bound to do something unpredictable, as well.


    Shim, Shakti, and Kaor all possessed non-combat Aspect, so guessing their powers was of less importance. Still... they could be full of surprises.


    There were the Memories the Fire Keepers wielded to consider, as well.


    ''Ah...''


    Sunny felt a pang of regret for setting such strict restrictions for himself. But, still... he was looking forward to it.


    A real clash of skill, cunning, and competence.


    He had missed it a lot.


    "What are you waiting for?"


    Before the echo of his cold voice had time to disappear, the Fire Keepers attacked. The two archers opened the battle, instantly letting two arrows loose. They were showing decorum, too �� since it was a friendly duel, his opponents refrained from using truly destructive Memories inside the Citadel.


    Sunny did not augment himself with any of his three shadows. Being a Transcendent already gave him a great advantage as far as physical prowess and the intricacy of essence control went, so it was unnecessary.


    Shifting slightly, he dodged both arrows with the minimum effort. One seemed to possess a homing enchantment, turning sharply to strike him in the back, but was tossed aside by the flat of the black odachi''s blade.


    At that moment, the melee fighters of the Ascended cohort were already upon him. They coordinate their attacks seamlessly, using the arrow salvo to cover their advance.


    ''Perfect teamwork.''


    Shim and Sid were the spearheads aimed at his chest and back. Gorn and Gantry, who wielded longer weapons and had a wider reach, attacked from behind them at the same time.


    There was a ceiling to a numerical advantage, since space was limited and only a few people could target a single opponent simultaneously... but by using this simple formation, the Fire Keepers effortlessly increased that limit.


    There was no way for Sunny to block and deflect four attacks that came from different directions with a single sword.


    So, he didn''t. Instead, he removed himself from the path of the enemy weapons, deflecting Shim''s spear and Gantry''s heavy axe in the process. Using explosive footwork, Sunny escaped the encirclement and used the bodies of the Fire Keepers to block their comrades from chasing after him.


    Soon, the cadence of the battle shifted. The Lord of Shadows, who had been defending against the barrage of attacks, suddenly abandoned all pretenses of defense. Instead, he easily shrugged off a squall of steel and moved through it, attacking the Fire Keepers before they could even react.


    It was almost as if he was dancing...


    The black odachi hissed like a snake as it cut the air.


    It struck Shim in the chest, sending him flying back. A split second later, Sid''s shield was pushed aside, and her breastplate caved as the young woman toppled with a short yelp. Gantry was struck by the pommel of the odachi almost at the same moment, swaying once before falling down. By the time his back hit the floor, Gorn was already on his knees, both of his greatswords sliding away.


    The Lord of Shadows was among them. A moment later, he had already reached the two archers.


    "Crap..."


    Kaor, who was supposed to protect them, was tossed back with one unhurried blow of the demonic swordsman''s fist. Shakti and Erlas attempted to retreat, but both were sent to the ground before taking a single step.


    From start to finish, the duel between the Lord of Shadows and the Fire Keepers had taken a couple of minutes.


    However, they had all been defeated in just two seconds.


    It was as though the master of the ancient temple was telling them �� look! I could have ended you all any time I wanted.


    White sparks ignited in Neph''s eyes.


    ''Beautiful.''


    The Lord of Shadows stopped and calmly put the spine of the black odachi on his shoulder. His fearsome mask remained the same, eerie and devoid of any emotion. The Fire Keepers groaned as they slowly picked themselves up from the floor.


    "Is that all?"


    His voice was still the same, cold and impassive.


    Nephis smiled slightly and finally unsheathed her swords.


    "You haven''t defeated all of us yet, have you?"


    He tilted his head a little, staring at her with arrogant indifference.


    Well... Nephis thought that those were his emotions. In truth, there was no way to know what was hiding behind that fearsome mask... if there was anything behind it at all.


    The Lord of Shadows slowly lowered his odachi and gripped its hilt with both hands.


    "Stop wasting my time, then."


    Nephis took a step forward.


    That mask..


    Why did it look so familiar?

 Chapter 1617: Duel of the Saints

    Chapter 1617: Duel of the Saints


    Sunny held his odachi lightly as he watched Nephis take unhurried steps in his direction. The familiar white flames were dancing in her eyes...


    But what was this?


    As he walked, the same sparks ignited in the eyes of the seven Fire Keepers. A moment later, their bodies shone with a soft white radiance, and the bruises and contusions left on them by his restrained blows disappeared without a trace. Expressions of gratitude and relief appeared on their faces, and at the same time, Neph''s own face grew colder.


    ''Since when can she heal others from a distance?''


    Before he could consider the implications of that unexpected turn of events, her sword left the enchanted scabbard with a quiet murmur. Its mirror-like blade was as black as the night sky, the light of the magical lanterns reflecting in it like distant stars.


    He knew that sword well... or rather, he had known it once.


    The silver blade was a Transcendent Memory of the Seventh Tier Nephis had received after slaying Soul Stealer. It was a mighty weapon, and had been made mightier still by Sunny himself. He had transplanted a Supreme soul shard as one of its nodes, augmenting the fundamental enchantment of the silver blade..


    But now, it was different.


    Sunny frowned behind the mask when he noticed a familiar symbol branded into the mystical steel just above the crossguard. An anvil pierced through by a sword...


    Had one of the forgemasters of the Clan Valor deemed themselves competent enough to improve on his own work? No, they wouldn''t have been able to.


    That left only one person, then.


    The King of Swords himself.


    That bastard. Who gave him the right to taint the gift I gave her with his dirty hands?


    Suddenly, Sunny felt displeased.


    And since he did, the shadows drowning the great hall of the Nameless Temple moved, overcome by the same displeasure.


    The Fire Keepers, who had been retreating to give the two Saints space to fight, suddenly paled.


    Nephis sensed the change in the atmosphere, too.


    What is the matter, Lord Shadow? Do you not wish to fight me?


    ''Sunny smiled darkly.''


    ...I am a peaceful man. I hate fighting.


    ''Now... how do I lose without having Nephis realize that I threw the fight...''


    There were two problems.


    First, Nephis was too good of a swordsman, so weaving any kind of pretense in front of her was not easy.


    And secondly... Sunny was having too much fun.


    He didn''t want their fight to end so quickly.


    ''Shall... shall we make it more interesting, then?''


    Grinning behind the mask, Sunny suddenly shifted his weight and switched to an entirely new technique. The battle style of Clan Valor was sharp, domineering, and fatal. But this new technique... it was flowing, unpredictable, and supremely adaptable.


    It was the battle style taught to Nephis by her family, and then by Nephis to him.


    ''There. Finally!''


    The mask of indifference that she wore finally cracked a little, and he could feel her blade waver for a split second.


    That split second was all that Sunny needed.


    Breaking through Neph''s defense, he delivered a swift strike. And yet, no matter how swift his attack was, she still managed to compose herself and evade it by disengaging.


    Nephis took a step back, and the tip of the black odachi hissed angrily past her breastplate, separated from the polished white steel by no more than a centimeter.


    She lingered for a moment.


    "...Who taught you that style?"


    Her voice was even, but Sunny knew Nephis well enough to recognize a somber undertone within it.


    He pulled his odachi back and answered in an even tone:


    "Nobody."


    With that, Sunny lunged forward once again.


    \n

 Chapter 1618: Trancendent Battle Art

    Chapter 1618: Trancendent Battle Art


    What was a battle style?


    Depending on the practitioner, the answer varied.


    At the lowest level, a battle style was nothing more than a comprehensive collection of movements and steps aimed at giving the practitioner sufficient competence to engage in battle. A set of practices meant to encompass all possible combat situations, and arm the warrior with tools to solve them.


    There were countless battle styles, some taught to groups of people, others formed from the personal habits and quirks of talented combatants. Some styles emphasized strength and strived to overpower the opponent, some emphasized speed and precision, some emphasized solid defense and waiting for a perfect moment to counterattack.


    There were solid battle styles created with deep insight, and poor battle styles that were concocted without a real understanding of the fundamental laws of combat.


    But that was only the most shallow layer of a true battle art. A person could practice a battle style without truly understanding its essence, but they would never be able to master it.


    At a higher lever, a battle style was not only a set of movements, but also a formative philosophy. It concerned not only the body, but also the mind. A person who truly mastered a style had to possess a certain level of insight into the governing laws of combat. Knowing why each of the elements had been created and what its purpose was, they were not beholden to a predetermined repertoire of actions. Instead, they could freely improvise an actionable response to each situation..


    If all movements could be improvised, then what was the difference between the various battle styles? It was their philosophy. The school of thought and the dominant intent, a unifying principle that guided the shape and direction of these improvised moves.


    Therefore, even among those practitioners who had mastered both the body and the mind, there were still those who fought with domineering strength, swift precision, patient caution, or any other type of guiding intent.


    These were the true masters of combat.


    Sunny had become one of them �� and one of the absolute best among them �� a long time ago.


    But now that he was a Saint, a whole new horizon had opened up before him.


    He thought that he might have glimpsed what the next level of mastery was.


    Saints did not exist in and of themselves, as sovereign beings. Their souls were vaster than their bodies, coming into contact with the world and the underlying laws governing it. Some parts of the world welcomed them, while others repelled them. That was why Transcendent beings were able to absorb the spirit essence of the world, as long as they were in their element.


    For Sunny, that element was shadow. For someone like Saint Tyris, it was the sky, or perhaps storm clouds. For someone like Nephis... he couldn''t guess. It might have been light, or flame, or something more esoteric, like inspiring longing in the souls of other beings.


    Therefore... he guessed that what came after the body, the mind, and the souls was the world. Incorporating the world itself into one''s battle art would probably make it a supreme battle art. That said, Sunny was not sure if it could even be called a battle art, at that point, let alone how to actually achieve something like that.


    In any case, he was voraciously curious to witness and experience the battle styles of other Transcendent warriors. To learn from them, and maybe even gain more understanding about the path to supremacy.


    Which was why fighting Nephis was a boon to him.


    So... he definitely wasn''t prolonging their clash simply because he missed her.


    Why would he cut this duel short if humanity''s premier sword savant was graciously allowing him to steal her achievements?


    ''I see... I see. No, I don''t see...''


    Deflecting a barrage of almost instantaneous attacks, and at the same time desperately preventing these attacks from dictating his next moves to avoid the countless traps Nephis constructed for him on the fly, Sunny carefully observed her movements, the flow of her essence, and the form of her shadow.


    Pretty soon, he had to admit something to himself...


    ''What the hell has she been doing for the last four years? It''s... damn incomprehensible!''

 Chapter 1619: Essence Technique

    Sliding across the marble floor as he was being pushed back by a merciless onslaught of unhurried, but lethal attacks, Sunny was carefully observing Neph''s movements.


    ''Why can��t I make sense of it?��


    He shifted his weight, deflected the silver blade to the side, and used the long hilt of the odachi as a lever to spin its blade at an inconceivable speed. Nephis easily partied it with the crossguard of her sword, but Sunny was already transitioning from a downward slash into a rising stab.


    Every movement flowed into anotherI forming a torrent of deadly steel.


    ''How strange.''


    Nephis was the first person Sunny had ever shadowed. After years of training together and fighting side by side, he knew her better than anyone else. Therefore, it should have been easy to glimpse the true essence of her transcendent battle art, or at least start to unravel it.


    And indeed, Sunny sensed the heart of her intent. Just like how Nephis could read his intentions through her sublime mastery of combat, he could predict her actions through Shadow Dance. But his perception was oddly shallow... he could guess what would happen, but not why it would happen.


    Almost like those initiates who had only mastered the body, but not the mind.


    Nephis evaded his stab by turning and leaning sideways, took a graceful step to shift her balance, and pulled her blade out of the bind. A split second later, it lashed out, almost striking his thigh. If Sunny was a beat too late, he would have had to receive her blow.


    The Onyx Mantle was akin to a Transcendent armor, while the mirror sword was a strange hybrid between a Transcendent and a Supreme weapon that he himself had created. Considering that offense usually trampled defense in the ruthless world of the Nightmare Spell, a single strike was all it would take for him to lose the duel.


    The silver blade might not break his armor immediately, but leaving a scratch on its onyx surface would be easy.


    He disengaged and stared at Nephis impassively for a moment.


    Apart from manifesting this avatar, Sunny was not using his Aspect. She had not promised to do the same, technically, but was still following suit. Whether it was out of respect for the Lord of Shadows or simply because Neph was just as starved for a good opponent as he was, Sunny did not know.


    At first, including his soul in the movements of his body was a conscious process, and one that demanded an inconceivable amount of concentration, at that. But by now, it was like an instinct to Sunny �� luckily, he had possessed a rich foundation of going through countless battles as an Awakened and a Master to build upon, so mastering his essence technique had not been too hard.


    There had been the Soul Serpent and Soul Weave to assist him, as well.


    ...Similarly, Nephis had designed an essence technique of her own. Sunny could perceive her radiant, pure soul essence flowing through her body with a strange and almost hypnotic elegance, moving in perfect harmony with the fluid grace of her sword dance.


    Her technique seemed even more intricate and precise than his own... was it simply because Neph''s swordsmanship had a different personality than his, or because she had spent more time to thoroughly comprehend the science behind the biology of her body and the physics of her sword?


    After all, Sunny had mostly taught himself through practical experience and intuition, spending less time on theory.


    In any case, this shallow layer of Neph''s battle art was not a mystery. Sunny had enough ability to perceive it, enough insight to dismantle it, and enough experience to reassemble it... even emulating it was not a problem, given enough time.


    But that was what an essence technique represented �� the most shallow and basic layer of a battle art.


    The true essence hid much deeper, having to do with Aspect and Attributes. That was what Sunny had to deduce in order to remove the strange interference that prevented him from comprehending Neph''s elevated battle style.


    There was another sonic boom, and the two of them were momentarily thrown away from each other. Sunny increased the weight of his body and slid several meters back, swiftly coming to a halt. Nephis pivoted on one leg and performed an effortless pirouette, regaining her balance almost immediately.


    The Fire Keepers scrambled to get even further back, seemingly stunned by how long the duel was lasting.


    Sunny smirked behind the mask and rushed forward.


    ''lf I compare our Aspects...��


    \n

 Chapter 1620: Deeper Layer

    Chapter 1620: Deeper Layer


    A transcendent battle art was meant to incorporate the user''s Aspect into their combat technique. What did it mean for Sunny?


    The first element he had to consciously and comprehensively integrate into his battle style was the easiest �� it was his ability to perceive the movement through shadows, as well as see what was happening behind his back. That did not sound like much, compared to his other abilities, but was actually a drastic change.


    Almost every battle style he had learned in the past was meant to be practiced by humans, after all, and humans only had two eyes. That naturally dictated how they fought, and how the masters who taught young warriors to wield weapons constructed their styles. However, Sunny was not beholden to these standards. Therefore, he had spent plenty of time relearning the very basics of combat, building his technique in a way that allowed him to fully utilize that subtle, but confounding advantage.


    The second element was even more fundamental, since it concerned movement. Movement lay at the base of every battle style... footwork was just as indispensable as striking and defending, if not more so. Not only did it dictate the balance and strength available to a fighter, but it also controlled space.


    Advancing and retreating, evading and pressing the opponent �� both offense and defense relied on controlling space. Sunny was not beholden to space, either, because he was supremely mobile due to Shadow Step.


    That was perhaps his greatest advantage in a battle, and therefore, he meticulously altered his way of thinking about space in accordance with this advantage, practically rebuilding his battle style around it.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com


    The third element was... group battle. It was a strange matter, considering that Sunny was both an individual and possessed multiple bodies.


    Back on the Forgotten Shore, he and Nephis had been able to slay Carapace Scavengers by acting together �� one served as bait, another delivered a fatal blow from behind. That simple manner of teamwork illustrated perfectly why the boon of fighting in a group was not additive, but instead multiplicative. The sum was greater than its parts, and Sunny alone... had seven parts.


    So, he had trained himself relentlessly to fight while controlling many bodies at the same time, learning how to efficiently use group tactics without anyone''s help.


    The fourth element had to do with Blood Weave and Bone Weave. Most living things were hard to kill unless you aimed at their vital points, and due to these two Attributes, Sunny lacked several vulnerabilities that most humans possessed. He wouldn''t bleed to death even if his artery was sliced open, and his bones were immensely resilient, to the point that breaking them was almost impossible.


    Therefore, he had to teach himself how to make use of these traits. It was the simplest, but also the hardest mindset alteration he had to absorb �� because it went against his most powerful instinct, the instinct of self-preservation. Nevertheless, Sunny had succeeded in changing his behavior in a manner that allowed him to strategically sacrifice non-vital parts of himself.


    The fifth element was about another Attribute of his, the Onyx Shell. Among other things, it allowed Sunny to freely change his weight... or was it mass? He could never tell the difference.


    In any case, such an ability opened up a vast ocean of possibilities for a skilled warrior, from increasing the impact of his blows to greatly augmenting his speed, solidifying his balance, and even performing actions that would otherwise be impossible without toppling like a cut tree.


    Sunny had incorporated the effects of the [Feather of Truth] trait of the Onyx Shell into his battle style a while ago, but since he had had nothing but time in the last four years, he took this opportunity to fully reconsider it, learning how to use it not only comprehensively, but also instinctually. Now, he did not even have to think about utilizing that adaptable trait to enhance his every move.


    The sixth element was the most broad, and concerned Shadow Manifestation. Sunny had the ability to manifest endless variations of tangible shadows, roughly divided into two methods. The first was to summon external implements like shadow hands or chains... this method was destructive, but lost too much of its potency in battles against truly powerful opponents.


    As such, it was best used against large groups of weaker foes, or for pure utility.


    The second method was to alter the shape of his body with manifested shadows, from summoning additional limbs to building towering Shadow Shells. The shape of the Shells Sunny could create was, theoretically, endless �� so, it was hard to pinpoint exactly how he was supposed to incorporate this method into his battle art.


    However, in practice, his repertoire of Shells was currently limited. Since Sunny did not possess a True Name anymore, there was nothing to anchor himself, and therefore, assuming the shapes of alien creatures was extremely dangerous �� unless he wished to lose himself entirely. So, he only used a handful of Shells. In exchange, these Shells had been perfected by him to a stellar degree.


    Currently, he was slowly translating his battle art to each of these Shells.


    And finally, there was the seventh element... or rather, there wasn''t.


    Sunny did not know what the last element of his transcendent battle art would be, but suspected that once he mastered it, his technique would become a supreme battle art. ''Wishful thinking...��


    ''Not unsolvable, but definitely frightening.''


    Yes... she had to have rebuilt her battle style around that dreadful Ability of hers, disregarding the torturous curse of her Flaw.


    There was another element Sunny had to consider, though.


    Neph''s Aspect Legacy. The tree with seven branches, each bearing fruits of knowledge. She had mastered one, [Knowledge of Fire], in Twilight. Had she mastered others after that?


    Was there a way to incorporate the Sorcery of Names into a battle art?


    He defended against her increasingly violent assault, contemplating.


    But even after coming up with all these guesses, Sunny simply couldn''t comprehend her battle art. It was just too strange, making no sense, as if something was interfering with his ability to understand it.


    Stumped, he remembered the first time he had tried to shadow N ephis... long before he even knew what it meant to shadow someone.


    It had happened on the Forgotten Shore, when they were traveling toward the Hollow Mountains. Back then, Nephis and Caster were sparring with each other, and Sunny sent his shadow to observe her.


    That was how he had received a revelation that resulted in Shadow Dance, to begin with. ironically, Nephis had not even used her most precious battle style in the spar against Caster. Since she knew that he had been sent to kill her, she guarded her true skill against him, showing a different and less lethal technique instead.


    ...Sunny eyes suddenly widened slightly behind the mask.


    ''No way.��


    But, at that moment, he finally understood why he was having so much trouble. In hindsight, it was pretty obvious why he couldn''t peer into the secrets of Neph''s transcendent battle art.


    ...It was because she wasn''t showing it, to begin with. Instead, she was deceiving everyone with a lesser, fabricated version of it.


    Was it for his benefit? No, not likely. She was probably footing the entirety of Valor with this splendid performance. After all, despite being one of the most renowned champions of the Great Clan Valor... she was ultimately its most insidious enemy.


    Sunny suppressed a grin.


    ''As expected. Ah, my curiosity is thoroughly satisfied.��


    Nephis was not using her Aspect, and on top of that, she had created a whole fake transcendent battle art to deceive her enemies. Therefore, trying to learn its secrets was of no real benefit to Sunny.


    He felt his odachi slowly coming undone and sighed.


    ''Shall we end this duel, then?��


    \n"

 Chapter 1621: Princes of the Universe

    Chapter 1621: Princes of the Universe


    By then, the Fire Keepers had almost retreated to the entrance of the ancient temple. The darkness seethed and surged, disturbed by the fearsome clash of the two Transcendent champions.


    Both Changing Star and the man who called himself Shadow were beyond powerful. A Saint was like a natural disaster, and even though neither of them had called upon the dreadful power of their Aspects, the devastating physical might of two Transcendent warriors was more than enough to obliterate their surroundings, reshape the landscape, and instill terror in the hearts of countless people.


    Luckily, both their lady and the master of the ancient temple seemed to be holding back. Otherwise, the Citadel might have been severely damaged by their duel.


    Lady Nephis was clad in a suit of knightly armor that had been forged from sublime white steel and adorned with golden accents. With her fair skin and silver hair, pure flames dancing in her eyes, she was like a spirit of light.


    Lord of Shadows, meanwhile, was like a devil bor from pure darkness. His ominous onyx armor, demonic mask, and raven-black hair fused wit lightless void of the great hall, making it hard t discern where his figure ended and the shadows began.


    The silence had long been torn apart by the melodic disharmony of clashing steel.


    But... wasn''t something very strange?


    One of the Fire Keepers, Sid, looked at their leader and asked after hesitating for a few moments:


    "Why... is he still standing?"


    Her somber voice was hiding a note of bewilderment.


    The seven of them had followed Lady Changing Star to storm the Crimson Spire, across the frozen hell of East Antarctica, and into countless battles after that. In the past four years, they had seen her turn hordes of abominations to ash, topple titans, and bring every Saint who dared challenge her to their knees. Only a few people could claim to be her equal, and even they did not dare to.


    How was it that the Lord of Shadows had not only persisted for so long, but also seemed... to be holding his own in a duel against the last daughter of the Immortal Flame?


    "Who the hell is he?"


    Shim, the leader of the cohort, shook his head slightly without looking away from the barely perceptible whirlwind of the stunning clash.


    "Watch carefully,"


    Out there in front of them, the cadence of the duel finally changed.


    ***


    Now?


    Sunny delivered a lightning-fast strike, the air parting in front of the blade of his odachi with a wailing hiss. The strike was just a feint, turning into a thrust, turning into a downward slash.


    Nephis ignored the feint, deflected the stab, and strangled the slash by binding their swords. She pushed him and shifted her body to gain an advantage in the follow-up attack. Sunny was forced to take a step back, which would have landed him in an awkward position and made it impossible to mount a stable defense... if he did not increase the weight of his armored boots while at the same time decreasing the weight of his breastplate.


    With his center of gravity lowered, he had enough stability to block Neph''s calm and vicious attack without staggering back.


    But even though he blocked it, she unerringly struck the exact same spot where his odachi had already been weakened.


    Finally, the shadow blade shattered, exploding into a rain of shards. Those shards almost instantly turned ethereal, dissolving back into an intangibl shadow.


    Still, it at least allowed him to get his point across despite the [Simple Trick].


    ''I feel like... wearing this mask around people w quickly grow annoying!


    He suppressed a sigh,


    Nephis looked at him with for a while, then said evenly;


    "My personal wealth is not that vast, I can''t promise you the same boons and riches that my clan can."


    Sunny chuckled. Considering the kind of atmosphere he had created, his laughter sounded sinister even without him trying.


    When he responded, his voice was as cold as fees


    "I don''t desire riches. Resources, assistance, powerful Memories and Echoes, soul shards... why should I want to get them from Clan Valor? I don''t lack anything. If there''s something I want, I can go and take it myself"


    Nephis frowned slightly.


    "So what is it that you want from me, Lord Shadow?"


    Sunny turned away again.


    "It''s simple, really."


    He took a step into the darkness and added indifferently:


    "All I want is for you to owe me a favor, Changing Star. One day, when I come calling... help me out with what I ask."


    It was an offer heavy with meaning. The concept of debt was somewhat sacred among the nobility of the Awakened society, especially to people who strived to follow quaint ideals like honor and virtue,


    Being owed by someone like Nephis might have been more precious than a mountain of soul shards.


    Especially because Sunny had not indicated what kind of help he might want to receive.


    She studied his back for a few moments, and eventually nodded.


    "That is acceptable."


    Sunny entered the darkness and looked up at his marble throne.


    Hidden from sight, he sighed deeply, then smiled.


    "Then it concludes our deal."


    And just like that, an tentative alliance between a mysterious Saint residing in Godgrave and a princess of the Sword Domain was forged.

 Chapter 1622: Many Mysteries of Shadow

    Chapter 1622: Many Mysteries of Shadow


    The Lord of Shadows did not seem in the mood to talk after the conclusion of the duel. Maybe he was dissatisfied with its result, or maybe he had simply strained himself too much in order to withstand the torrent of steel unleashed by Nephis, and needed rest. With how mysterious the reclusive Saint was, it was impossible to tell what was on his mind.


    In any case, shortly after he had disappeared into the darkness, the beautiful onyx devil moved once again, inviting them to leave and make a camp outside the temple.


    The territory around the ancient Citadel seemed safe enough, with all the Nightmare Creatures having been eradicated by Shadow and his servants. So, the Fire Keepers did not mind resting outside... there was no trust between them and the master of the temple yet, anyway. They would have felt uncomfortable resting under his roof, surrounded by powerful creatures.


    A Transcendent Devil, a Transcendent Terror, a Supreme Devil... and gods knew who else. That power was enough to give a stronger force pause.


    So, they made camp a dozen or so meters away from the great dark edifice of the Citadel, among the bones of slain Nightmare Creatures.


    The lanterns chased away the darkness, and a fire had been ignited in the middle of the camp. Various storage Memories were summoned, containing food and beverages. They even raised several tents, hoping to enjoy a bit of peaceful sleep.


    After experiencing two weeks of pure hell, the Fire Keepers could finally rest and relax a little. Of course, they did not lower their guard completely, still wearing their armor and keeping watch in shifts.


    Nephis sat in front of the fire, watching it dance with a thoughtful expression.


    The Lord of Shadows...


    There were too many mysteries about him.


    That mask, for example...


    By now, Nephis remembered where she had seen it. Ananke had worn a mask almost identical to the one worn by Shadow. It was a symbol of the priests of the Nightmare Spell.


    So... was Shadow one such priest, as well, or at least considered himself to be one? Or had he simply slain a follower of Weaver in one of his Nightmares and received the mask as a reward?


    In fact, Nephis had seen the depiction of Weaver''s Mask long before meeting Ananke. It was drawn on the wall of the Ebony Tower, where the Demon of Destiny had left a map of strongholds built by his siblings in various realms,


    The mask, representing Weaver, was placed north of the Hollow Mountains, above all six strongholds... almost as if looking at them from afar. But it did not mean that Weaver''s stronghold was hidden somewhere on the Forgotten Shore, or even further north. It simply meant that no one had any idea where Weaver''s stronghold was, or if the transient daemon even had one.


    So, Nether had drawn it outside the map.


    And then...


    There was the second battle style he had shown, obviously as a message to her. Or a provocation.


    Her father''s style.


    Nephis hugged her knees, calmly looking into the fire. Feeling the shift in her mood, the fire surged and swirled.


    How was it possible?


    As far as she knew, there were only two people in the world who had been taught that style. She had been taught by her family, and Cassie was taught by her. There were no others...


    Or were there?


    Had her father had a pupil that she didn''t know about? Was Lord Shadow that pupil, or a disciple of that pupil?


    She wanted to know. She wanted to ask.


    Her father had perished when Nephis was four, so she did not have a lot of memories of him. Most of what she knew about Broken Sword was from listening to her grandmother, who talked about her son-in-law often. The rest was from the legends that he had left in the world before dying an untimely death.


    But...


    She sighed,


    There was little sincerity in the world. Knowledge was power, and people guarded their power fervently, Usually, one had to be prepared to pay a price if they wanted to receive an answer, Secrets were not revealed easily,


    She was already indebted to Lord Shadow, Heseemed like an unfriendly sort, and would definitely not part with information lightly. In fact... he had probably chosen to use that style for the exact purpose of enticing her into deepening her debt.


    Devious.


    Who was that man? So strong, so devious, and having enough resources to disregard the riches of Clan Valor...


    As she considered that, the ground suddenly trembled.

 Chapter 1623: Dark Colossus

    Chapter 1623: Dark Colossus


    As the ground trembled, the lively atmosphere in the camp instantly turned cold and professional. The Fire Keepers, who had been enjoying a late supper just moments ago, instantly rose to their feet and picked up their weapons. A moment later, they were standing in a defensive formation, ready to repel any kind of attack.


    Nephis had stood up, as well. The white flames burning in her eyes grew more intense, and the fire behind her grew taller, chasing the darkness further away.


    "What is it?''


    Was there a Nightmare Creature approaching them from afar, or had the master of the ancient temple decided to betray them?


    She was going to find out soon.


    As they stood motionlessly, preparing for battle, the ground shuddered again. A cold wind rose, bringing with it a strong smell of rotting leaves and humid jungle. A tense silence settled over the world.Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com


    A moment later, Nephis felt a new presence beside her, Turning her head slightly, she saw the Lord of Shadows standing at the edge of the camp, peering into the darkness calmly. He had appeared out of nowhere without making any noise, as if the shadows themselves had risen up to spawn him.


    He seemed to have discarded his mask, but since Nephis was behind him, she couldn''t see his face.


    The Fire Keepers flinched, startled by his sudden appearance. Each was an experienced Master, and many carried Memories that enhanced their senses. It wasn''t easy to sneak up on them...


    And yet, the Lord of Shadow had done it effortlessly.


    Nephis frowned, realizing just how vulnerable her subordinates were in front of him.


    "What is happening?"


    Her voice remained calm, addressing the mysterious Saint with sufficient decorum.


    He remained silent for a few moments, then sighed.


    "It''s nothing much. One of the Great sleepers has awoken, that''s all. "


    Shadow lingered for a second, then added:


    "I usually keep them asleep to avoid trouble, but the most feisty ones sometimes escape their slumber."


    ''A Great Nightmare Creature? Keep them asleep?


    Nephis frowned slightly.


    Where a serpentine head was before, the sharp tip of a gargantuan sword suddenly appeared. Slowly, but also too fast to notice, the body of the Transcendent Terror rippled, and turned into an inconceivable odachi, its hilt and curving blade as long as the shadow giant was tall.


    Finally, a dark titan was standing on the bone plain, his body encased in a suit of fearsome onyx armor, wielding a giant obsidian sword.


    He looked like an ancient delty that had descended to the mortal realm from the heavens... or maybe crawled out of the lightless depths of the abyss.


    Not paying the Fire Keepers any attention, the shadow giant took another step.


    Something lunged at him from the darkness... a grotesque monstrosity that towered above the ground, its mottled fur wreathing with a swarm of pale maggots. Its misshapen head was crowned with sharp horns, and its maw was wide open, revealing a wall of massive fangs.


    Its limbs were a mess of claws, chitinous scythes, and pulsating tentacles.


    A chill spread through the hearts of the Fire Keepers at the sight of the hideous abomination.


    However, the towering sword of the dark colossus only fell once.


    One strike, and the neck of the Great Beast was cleanly severed, its head rolling to the ground.


    The massive body toppled and crashed into the bone surface of the dead god''s breastbone, causing it to tremble once again.


    The Great Beast... was dead. Just like that.


    The dark colossus peered at it with disdain, then shook his head and crumbled on itself, turning into a tide of shadows.


    A mornent later, all that was left was the corpse of the hideous monstrosity, and the deep groove left in the white bone by the tip of the obsidian odachi.


    Silence settled over Godgrave once again.


    Nephis stared at the corpse of the abomination, her expression unreadable.


    Eventually, she tilted her head a little.


    ''One strike. ''


    Suddenly, she was glad to have made a pact with the man who called himself Shadow.


    ....It was much better to be his ally than his enemy.

 Chapter 1624: Crazy Girl

    Chapter 1624: Crazy Girl


    Far to the northwest of Bastion, across the chain of Death Zones crowned by Godgrive, lay the vast human enclave ruled by the Great Clan Song. Although younger and smaller in territory than the Sword Domain, the kingdom of Ki Song was nevertheless Just as populous and potent.


    Unlike Bastion Itself, which lay at the heart of Valor''s territory, the capital of Song was located at the northernmost point of her domain, on the slopes of a towering mountain chain that branched out from the Hollow Mountains. It was a stark and beautiful place nestled between snowy peaks and fuming volcanoes, shrouded in snowstorms and raining ash.


    Its name was Ravenheart. The Great Citadel had another name in the runic language of the Nightmare Spell, but after an obscure figure from the first generation of the Awakened conquered it, people gradually started calling the remote mountain palace by her True Name.


    That obscure Awakened warrior was the founder of the Song clan and Ki Song''s late mother. Her daughter elevated their minor clan to prominence, and then to the very height of power. Similarly, Ravenheart had grown from the stronghold of a lesser Legacy clan to one of the Great Citadels of humanity, sheltering hundreds of thousands of Awakened.


    And now, after the Chain of Nightmares, it was home to millions of mundane humans, as well.


    The Citadel Itself was a magnificent palace that stood on the slope of a snowy mountain, perched at the very edge of a bottomless chasm. The legends said that it had been cut from pure white Jade once, but after enduring the wrath of the surrounding volcanoes for thousands of years, it turned entirely black, as if made from obsidian glass. Still, contrasted against pristine white snow, its sublime beauty had only become more tantalizing.


    A titanic stone bridge spanned the vast chasm between the mountain and the volcano standing opposite it, connecting the two branches of the mountain chain like a road meant for giants. Its black pillars were decorated with intricate engravings, and the scale of the construct defied reason.


    These days, the members of the Song Clan inhabited the frozen obsidian palace, while the titanic bridge had become a town for the Awakened warriors, who could withstand the cold. The city itself had been built on the slopes of the volcano, where its warmth protected the mundane citizens of Ravenheart from the inhumanly harsh climate of the snowy region.


    They did not have to be wary of sudden eruptions, either, because Queen Song and her Transcendent daughters could protect them from any disaster.


    Ravenheart was a harsh place. But it was also an incredibly beautiful place.


    And therefore, life here was harsh, but also thriving.


    The surrounding lands had long been cleared of the truly dangerous Nightmare Creatures, but they were more dangerous than the heartland of the Dream Realm, where Bastion stood. Many abominations still dwelled in the snowy mountains, and the environment itself was deadly for those unprepared to face its cruelty.


    At the same time, there was a lot of fertile soil in the lowlands, which had been generously fertilized by volcanic ash. There was also geothermal heat, countless hot springs, and precious minerals of all kinds everywhere around. The people who had been evacuated here from Antarctica found their lives turning stark and intense, but also intensely enjoyable.


    If one grew accustomed to the solemn and eerie power of Queen Song, of course, which they quickly had.


    Stone Worms had very bad hearing, but could feel the smallest vibration spreading through the ground. She coughed quietly, then answered in a whisper:


    "What? Of course not, respected teacher! Your pupil... would never dare do something that disloyal..."


    The quiet voice responded dubiously:


    "Really? Well... good! You should hurry up, though. The wind is changing."


    Rain uttered a stifled curse and slowly rose to one knee.


    It was time to kill another Dormant Monster, ''How many have I killed, already?


    It was time to kill another Dormant Monster.


    ''How many have I killed, already?''


    More than any Sleeper she knew, certainly. And more than many young Awakened in Ravenheart, as well, despite being mundane.


    But she still had to be extremely cautious. She couldn''t allow a single mistake... it was just like how her teacher always said. One mistake was all it took to turn into a corpse.


    And becoming a corpse in Ravenheart was just too creepy.


    Granted... teacher would probably save her if something happened.


    Probably.


    ...Right?

 Chapter 1625: Undergeared

    Chapter 1625: Undergeared


    Rain rose to one knee in one smooth motion and raised her bow. Flakes of ash rained from it like black snow, dancing gracefully in the wind. In one heartbeat, she took out an arrow from her quiver and nocked it on the string. Another heartbeat, and she strained her muscles to draw the bow.


    The composite alloy resisted her pull, but swiftly surrendered to her strength and perfect form, both of which were the result of arduous training and countless hours of practice.


    Her bow was not a fancy Memory weapon. It was quite mundane, made from alloy and filament more powerful than such weapons used to be, but nowhere near its enchanted counterparts. It was not a compound bow, either. More than that, even as far as recurve bows went, hers was on the weaker side.


    But there was nothing Rain could do about it. There were alloy bows of monstrous power out there, but they were meant to be used by the Awakened. With her pitiful mundane strength, she wouldn''t even be able to draw one, let alone do so swiftly and reliably.


    As for compound bows while they offered increased draw weight and other advantages, that was only good on paper. In reality, there was more to a weapon than its power. How reliable was it? Was it easy to carry? Would it endure the wilds? Could it be cared for and maintained in harsh conditions? And so on.


    Awakened did not have to think about such things, but Rain did. And thanks to her teacher, she had learned all about these matters. Each piece of her equipment was picked out thoughtfully.


    Yeah. Not at all because I simply can''t use anything better.


    The inner layer of Rain''s kit consisted of a military bodysuit, the kind the soldiers of the Evacuation Army had used in Antarctica. It could repair itself and regulate the temperature of her body, which was a necessity here in Ravenheart, where lethal cold and blistering heat somehow coexisted in appalling harmony.


    Granted, the self-repair function of the bodysuit was practically exhausted after years of extensive use, and she had had to patch it up by hand on several occasions. Her teacher was weirdly good with thread and needle, for some reason, imparting that knowledge on his reluctant student.


    She wore leather pants on top of the bodysuit, made from the hide of an Awakened Beast, as well as knee-high boots of the same material. The rest of her clothes consisted of a perfectly mundane henley, wool vest, and a military jacket with a manually reinforced lining.


    There were a few pieces of armor supplementing her modest ensemble, as well - alloy bracers and shin guards, a leather chest guard, and a jointed shoulder guard.


    As a respectful and dutiful pupil, Rain had no choice but to obey her teacher.


    She held her breath and took aim. Time slowed down to a crawl. Rain moved her bow slightly, accounting for the wind, and then relaxed her fingers, allowing them to slide off the string.


    Relieved from terrible tension, her alloy bow propelled the arrow forward with dire force. The string struck against her chest guard like a whip. The falling ash swirled, disturbed by the violent turbulence.


    A hundred meters away, the Stone Worm toppled to the ground in a mess of long libs. The arrow had dove into its circular maw, piercing the creature''s brain.


    Sadly


    Stone Worms had several independent brains.


    Before Rain had time to blink, the abomination rolled on the ground and shot toward her like a revolting flesh torpedo. It covered half of the distance between them in what felt like a split second. A cloud of ash rose into the air in its wake, spreading outward like a wave of boiling darkness.


    Before it could cover the remaining distance, though, a second arrow struck it. It had only taken Rain that long to draw her bow again, adjust her aim, and let the arrow fly.


    Even though hitting a moving target was endlessly more difficult, let alone such a fast one, the second arrow unerringly penetrated the creature''s maw again. This time, it went in at a shallow angle, hitting the Stone Worm''s spine.


    The abominations stumbled but continued barreling toward Rain.


    She blinked.


    Crap.

 Chapter 1629: Roads to the Future

    Chapter 1629: Roads to the Future

    Eventually, Rain reached one of the roads leading from the lowlands to the city. These mountain roads had been in use from before the Chain of Nightmares... it was hard to remember now after the population of Ravenheart exploded to many millions, but it had been a Great Citadel even prior to that.

    The roads leading to the great bridge, and the beautiful palace beyond it, were actually thousands of years old. Granted, they had been in a state of desolation and disrepair when the Song clan made the ancient Citadel their home.

    The Awakened of the great Legacy clan had restored them to their former glory, and the whole network was further expanded to account for the increased traffic in the past four years.

    Now, heavily protected road crews were far away from the Citadel, building safe highways to other cities within the Song Domain. Many Awakened with Utility Aspects were participating in the construction, and many warriors were employed to defend the moving builder camps from the roving Nightmare Creatures. Rain had even tried to get hired for one of the crews, but no one wanted to employ a mundane fighter.

    The best they could do was remain polite and not laugh in her face,

    Ah

    She couldn't really blame them. In any case, now that she had reached the wide and well-maintained road, the rest of the ascent would become much easier. There was probably a metaphor about the unnecessary hardships of walking the untrodden path somewhere in there, but Rain wasn't going to start complaining to her teacher again.

    He had retreated into her shadow, anyway, unwilling to be seen by other people.

    Rain rested for a bit, quenched her thirst from a military canteen, and continued on her way.

    There were many people on the road. Workers descending into the lowlands or returning from their shifts, Song warriors on patrols, caravans loaded with heavy cargo... life was thriving, and the young city was boiling with activity.

    Rain had grown up in the vast human jungle of NQSC, so Ravenheart did not seem that large, in comparison. However, it somehow felt much more vibrant. Its atmosphere was entirely different, as though everyone here was looking forward to the future, instead of trying not to think about it while being afraid of the past.

    There were no draught animals in the Dream Realm, or any other kind of cattle. However, here in Ravenheart, Nightmare Creatures were often used to pull wagons, plow the fields, and perform all kinds of labor-intensive or dangerous jobs.

    It was all thanks to Saint Song Eunbin, better known as Beastmaster. Funnily enough, the most terrifying of Ki Song's daughters had also done the most to ease the lives of the citizens of Ravenheart. If not for her, the development of the city, and the Song Domain as a whole, would have never been as fast or as explosive.

    Of course, it was still a bit creepy to be around the subjugated Nightmare Creatures, and one had to be cautious around them. Even enchanted by Beastmaster, they were dangerous beasts, so each had to be watched over by a trained handler.

    Looking at the wagon roll away, Rain sighed.

    "Saint Eunbin is amazing"

    Her teacher's voice resounded from the shadows, sounding a bit wistful:

    "Oh? Beastmaster? Well, she's not bad..., you know, she once asked me to run away with her. Of course, I refused. Your teacher is not someone who can be swayed by a pretty face!"

    Rain gave her shadow a dubious glance, but kept her remarks to herself.

    Grimacing, she carried her heavy pack and continued forward.

    The closer to the city she got, the more crowded the road became. There were more Awakened patrolling it, too, some even accompanied by Echoes. The temperature slowly rose until it was warm enough for her to take off her coat. She even unbuttoned her jacket.

    By the time the distant cold sun was ready to disappear behind the horizon, Rain finally reached her destination.

    In front of her, built on the slope of the tall volcano, stood the gates of Ravenheart.

 Chapter 1627: Hunting Spoils

    Chapter 1627: Hunting Spoils


    Despite the fact that Rain''s clash with the Stone Worm had only lasted a dozen seconds, she was tired. Not only because she had tracked the creature down for a long time first, spending hours to prepare the ambush, but also because those few seconds of absolute mental concentration and daunting physical exertion took a lot out of her.


    That was how it went every time. If a mundane human wanted to face a Nightmare Creature, anything less than giving it your all, and then some, meant death. Not that there were a lot of mundanes going out of their way to fight abominations - not a lot of those who lived to tell the tale, at least.


    In that sense, Rain was an anomaly.


    Sadly, the harsh physical demands of the hunt were not over after her prey was dead.


    Grimacing, Rain gripped her sharp hunting knife and went about dressing the Stone Worm.


    Its flesh was wiry and tough. Its scales were even tougher. Even with her knife having been forged from mystical steel, it took all of Rain''s strength to rend the dead abomination. Especially because she didn''t want to become drenched in its blood - not only because that would have been icky, but also because the stench of blood could attract other Nightmare Creatures,


    "Curse it.,, curse it all


    She worked up a sweat, eventually taking off her Jacket and vest and rolling up the sleeves of her henley. The ash continued to rain from the sky, smearing her Ivory skin like black ink.


    Her teacher, meanwhile, sat comfortably on a rock and observed her with a content expression, not even trying to help.


    ''Bastard..


    "Cursing again? Rain, a proper young lady should act with modesty, poise, and decorum. Ah, you were such a well-mannered girl when we met... where did you even pick up these bad habits? Who taught you such foul language? Tell me, and I''ll beat the crap out of the damned bastard..."


    She paused for a moment, glared at him, and then returned to her work without saying a word.


    "Stop pouting."


    ''I''m not pouting!


    Rain collected the abomination''s sharp fangs - those could be used to fashion arrowheads - then moved to its limbs and separated the stonelike blades from the joints. The blades could be sold in Ravenheart for a good price or bartered for other materials.


    However, the true treasure was the hide of the Stone Worm, Although it was merely a Dormant Monster, the scales of these creatures were lightweight and tough. The Awakened who had not earned a good armor-type Memory yet often used them to fashion scalemail those with plenty of coins could afford something better, of course, but there were many of those who couldn''t.


    "Something tells me that it is not soon enough. So, we''ll need to hurry up. You have to hunt another Awakened abomination. A strong one, as well."


    Rain shivered, remembering the last time she faced an Awakened Nightmare Creature. That clash had almost cost her life. Had that th been strong, in her teacher''s eyes?


    She gave him a long look.


    "You know that we can simply buy an Awakened soul shard or few? It will be expensive, sure. But my parents can help. Wait... actually, why do we need to buy them? Teacher, you''re so great and awesome. Just do your thing! Tell a bunch of powerful abominations to be gone, and let me collect the shards!"


    He stared at her dubiously and coughed.


    "Well... sure, you''re right. Your teacher is awesome! I can kill the abominations for you..."


    Rain''s eyes gleamed.


    "Really?"


    But he was not done talking:


    "...and while I''m at it, why don''t I Awaken for you, as well? Should I also feed you from a spoon, like a little baby?"


    He scoffed.


    "Let me tell you, a baby I knew Transcended before learning how to walk. And he didn''t even have me as a teacher! Come to think of it, what''s your excuse? Huh? What do you have to say for yourself?"


    Rain glared at him hatefully, then looked away.


    "Forget I said anything"


    She cleaned her weapons, sheathed her knife, and fastened the rolled hide of the Stone Worm to her pack. Finally ready to depart, Rain hoisted the on her shoulders and started to walk.


    It was time to head back to Ravenheart.

 Chapter 1628: Weary Pilgrim

    Chapter 1628: Weary Pilgrim


    Rain made a point of using light equipment, and yet, she carried considerable weight. There were her clothes and armor, her bow, a quiver of arrows, the javelin she used, her sword, the hunting knife attached to her belt, and another knife hidden in her boot. There was also plenty of stuff in her pack and attached to her pack - everything she needed to hunt and survive in the wilderness.


    It would have been nice to simply summon and dismiss all these things when she needed them, but alas, Rain couldn''t use Memories. She couldn''t even really use the Memories that someone else had summoned and handed to her, because her soul did not have a core, and she was not a carrier of the Nightmare Spell.


    Weighed down by the additional burden of the Stone Worm''s hide and fangs, Rain felt miserable.


    It didn''t help at all that Ravenheart was situated in the mountains. She was currently at the bottom of a deep gorge, not too far from the relatively flat area at the foot of the mountain chain where the farms feeding the city were located. There was a long and tough climb ahead of her,


    Using the javelin as a staff, Rain slowly made her way out of the gorge, Luckily, she was in good shape... amazing shape, really, Her lithe and resilient body had been tempered by years of relentless training, and was pretty much at the very limit of what mundane humans could achieve.


    In the past, Rain had trained extensively with private tutors. She had thought that her physical condition was stellar back then... she had known nothing. Under her teacher''s harsh and prudent guidance, her physical state entered an entirely new territory. Her youthful body was strong, tenacious, and as nimble as that of a cat.


    Even the most elite athletes would have been rattled and green with envy if they witnessed what she was capable of... not that it mattered. Any Awakened could still blow her away with one half-hearted slap.


    ''Ah... whatever!


    Sometimes, Rain was angry at her teacher for prohibiting her from challenging the First Nightmare. But, at the same time, she was thankful to him. Not for her own sake, but on behalf of her parents.


    They had already lost one child to the Nightmare Spell. If she was alone, Rain would have gladly risked her life for the chance of becoming an Awakened... but she could not bear the thought of putting her mom and dad through that suffering again.


    So, her teacher''s promise to help her Awaken without having to challenge a Nightmare was like a glimmer of light in a sea of darkness,


    In any case.., even though climbing mountains in terrible weather while carrying a heavy load was hard and miserable, she had long grown accustomed to it.


    As Rain ascended higher and higher, her teacher walked side by side with her, going over the events of the hunt. She had performed well and managed to kill the Stone Worm without sustaining any injuries, but there were still things that could have been done better, and things that could have been done differently.


    "Maybe I shouldn''t sell the blades we harvested from the Stone Worm. Next time, I can place them at the bottom of the pit like spikes."


    "That''s a good idea, but don''t rely on traps too much. This time, the bastard ran straight, but next time, you might not get so lucky. What were you going to do if the worm bypassed your pit?"


    "Retreat to lure him into the second pit, of course. And anyway, was it really luck? I investigated the slope and found the wormholes, chose an ambush spot, and dug pits between the former and the latter. Beasts are stupid, so the enemy would have gone after me using the shortest path. Sure, it turned out to be a Monster... a bit smarter, but still pretty dumb."


    Her teacher''s voice was glum. Rain grew quiet, lowering her javelin, and then took a step back to let the dead girl pass. A tiny sigh escaped from her lips.


    The closer the walking corpse drew, the better she could see the terrible wounds covering her frigid body. Eventually, unable to look, Rain turned away and furtively rubbed her eyes.


    The dead girl walked past them without showing any reaction, her bruised pale face motionless, and slowly disappeared into the swirling snow. A few moments later, the wind erased her footprints, as if she had never existed.


    Rain and her teacher were left alone on the snowy slope.


    She sighed.


    The winter solstice had just passed recently...


    "Is she... is she one of this year''s Sleepers?"


    He nodded.


    "She must have died on the way to a Citadel. So, the Queen took her."


    Rain remained silent for a while, then sighed again.


    Queen Song held authority over death, so anything that died in her Domain was taken by her. It wasn''t rare to see the dead pilgrims walking through the snow. For some, the journey was long... for some, the journey was short. After reaching Ravenheart, they entered the ice caves under the palace and became the Queen''s servants.


    Queen Song was the queen of the living, but she was also the queen of the dead. That was why people in the Sword Domain derisively called her the Queen of Worms.


    That nickname was preposterous, of course. There were no worms in the Ice Halls, where the cold was so terrible that only the dead could survive.


    ...Rain stared in the direction where the taken girl had disappeared, considering if she should follow her. Following a pilgrim was safer, because Nightmare Creatures tended to avoid them.


    But in the end, she decided to continue on her way. Seeing the dead girl was just too unnerving.


    Because the perished Sleeper reminded Rain of her own insolent aspirations to become a carrier of the Nightmare Spell against her teacher''s wishes. If she had...


    Would she have ended up walking frozen through the snow, too?

 Chapter 1629: Roads to the Future

    Chapter 1629: Roads to the Future


    Eventually, Rain reached one of the roads leading from the lowlands to the city. These mountain roads had been in use from before the Chain of Nightmares... it was hard to remember now after the population of Ravenheart exploded to many millions, but it had been a Great Citadel even prior to that.


    The roads leading to the great bridge, and the beautiful palace beyond it, were actually thousands of years old. Granted, they had been in a state of desolation and disrepair when the Song clan made the ancient Citadel their home.


    The Awakened of the great Legacy clan had restored them to their former glory, and the whole network was further expanded to account for the increased traffic in the past four years.


    Now, heavily protected road crews were far away from the Citadel, building safe highways to other cities within the Song Domain. Many Awakened with Utility Aspects were participating in the construction, and many warriors were employed to defend the moving builder camps from the roving Nightmare Creatures. Rain had even tried to get hired for one of the crews, but no one wanted to employ a mundane fighter.


    The best they could do was remain polite and not laugh in her face,


    Ah


    She couldn''t really blame them. In any case, now that she had reached the wide and well-maintained road, the rest of the ascent would become much easier. There was probably a metaphor about the unnecessary hardships of walking the untrodden path somewhere in there, but Rain wasn''t going to start complaining to her teacher again.


    He had retreated into her shadow, anyway, unwilling to be seen by other people.


    Rain rested for a bit, quenched her thirst from a military canteen, and continued on her way.


    There were many people on the road. Workers descending into the lowlands or returning from their shifts, Song warriors on patrols, caravans loaded with heavy cargo... life was thriving, and the young city was boiling with activity.


    Rain had grown up in the vast human jungle of NQSC, so Ravenheart did not seem that large, in comparison. However, it somehow felt much more vibrant. Its atmosphere was entirely different, as though everyone here was looking forward to the future, instead of trying not to think about it while being afraid of the past.


    There were no draught animals in the Dream Realm, or any other kind of cattle. However, here in Ravenheart, Nightmare Creatures were often used to pull wagons, plow the fields, and perform all kinds of labor-intensive or dangerous jobs.


    It was all thanks to Saint Song Eunbin, better known as Beastmaster. Funnily enough, the most terrifying of Ki Song''s daughters had also done the most to ease the lives of the citizens of Ravenheart. If not for her, the development of the city, and the Song Domain as a whole, would have never been as fast or as explosive.


    Of course, it was still a bit creepy to be around the subjugated Nightmare Creatures, and one had to be cautious around them. Even enchanted by Beastmaster, they were dangerous beasts, so each had to be watched over by a trained handler.


    Looking at the wagon roll away, Rain sighed.


    "Saint Eunbin is amazing"


    Her teacher''s voice resounded from the shadows, sounding a bit wistful:


    "Oh? Beastmaster? Well, she''s not bad..., you know, she once asked me to run away with her. Of course, I refused. Your teacher is not someone who can be swayed by a pretty face!"


    Rain gave her shadow a dubious glance, but kept her remarks to herself.


    Grimacing, she carried her heavy pack and continued forward.


    The closer to the city she got, the more crowded the road became. There were more Awakened patrolling it, too, some even accompanied by Echoes. The temperature slowly rose until it was warm enough for her to take off her coat. She even unbuttoned her jacket.


    By the time the distant cold sun was ready to disappear behind the horizon, Rain finally reached her destination.


    In front of her, built on the slope of the tall volcano, stood the gates of Ravenheart.

 Chapter 1630: Ravenheart

    Chapter 1630: Ravenheart


    From where Rain stood on the slope, she could see most of the city.


    Ravenheart was separated into three distinct districts.


    The largest by far was sprawled on the dark slope of the fuming volcano, protected from the merciless cold by its heat. This was where millions of mundane humans lived. Their homes were mostly built from black stone, so it seemed as though the entire city was a part of the mountain, intricately carved from its slope by some divine being.


    The second district was built on the grandiose stone bridge that stretched over a bottomless chasm toward a distant snowy mountain. It was much smaller than the first one, but still rather large. That Bridge was home to most of the Awakened citizens of Ravenheart - since only they could survive the bitter cold and the strong winds blowing across it.


    And finally, a sublime palace that seemed to be cut from obsidian glass stood at the opposite end of the great bridge. The palace was visible from anywhere in Ravenheart when the weather was good, its dark and ethereal beauty never failing to take one''s breath away,


    That was where Queen Song and her clan lived, and where the Gateway to the waking world was located.


    ...The Dream Gate, meanwhile, was located directly opposite the palace, on the slope of the volcano behind the mundane district. Supply shipments and new settlers arrived from it almost every day, lured by the promise of a better life.


    Rain spent a few moments enjoying the view of the city, then hurried to the gate. She couldn''t wait to reach her den and climb under a warm blanket.


    There were a few familiar faces preparing to leave the city just as she was returning. A group of young Awakened were gathered in front of the gate, all clad in enchanted armor and wielding Memory weapons. A few of the young men seemed to be paying rapt attention to her.


    Rain sighed.


    These guys again...''


    Her teacher didn''t say anything, but she could feel an almost palpable scorn radiating from her shadow.


    One of the young Awakened waved at her and smiled:


    "Rain! Coming back from a hunt?"


    She lingered, trying to come up with a polite way to avoid a conversation. Sadly, her mind was blank.


    Eventually, Rain forced out a pale smile:


    "Oh... yeah, I tracked down the Nightmare Creature that has been harassing one of theorms recently, A Stone Worm, Yeah..., it''s dead."


    The young man stared at her somewhat intensely, wearing an expression that she struggled to discern.


    Why does he always stare at me? I''m crazy, I know! No need to make your distaste so obvious!


    To add insult to injury, the guy was very handsome... like all Awakened were...


    He used to be one of the mundane humans that had relocated to Ravenheart, like her, but challenged the First Nightmare last year. Being more or less the same age, they had known each other before, a little. But now there was a great divide between their status and social standing.


    Rain walked away, leaving the annoying whispers behind.


    Passing through the city gates, she pursed her lips and complained to her teacher:


    "Why do those guys always stare at me and try to stir up trouble? Can''t they just leave me alone?"


    Her teacher answered in an incredulous tone:


    "You don''t know?"


    Rain raised an eyebrow.


    "Know what?"


    There was a long pause, and then her teacher chuckled.


    "They stare at you because you''re pretty! There''s no one prettier than my little sister!"


    She couldn''t help but burst into laughter, making a few people give her strange looks.


    ''Right. Perhaps talking to myself in the middle of the street is not the best idea... especially considering that they already think I''m crazy...''


    Rain shook her head derisively.


    "Who, me? There are thousands of female Awakened in Ravenheart, and each of them is prettier than me. I doubt an Awakened guy would ever give me a second look."


    Of course, she knew that she was... not too bad, really, appearance-wise, By mundane standards. But the effect of the Awakening on one''s body was simply too great.


    ''Ah... they all have such smooth and silky skin. And no calluses. A weathered brute like me cannot compete


    Her teacher scoffed quietly in the shadows.


    "Gods. How dense are you, girl?"


    He remained silent for a few moments, and then suddenly gasped.


    "...Wait. Eye candy caf!"


    There was another long pause, and then a dejected sigh.


    "We are definitely siblings

 Chapter 1631: Hidden Menace

    Chapter 1631: Hidden Menace


    The outer wall of the mundane district was thick and tall. Rain passed through the gateway, still thinking about what her teacher had said...


    ''Pretty? I''m pretty? He was teasing me, right? That scoundrel! Maybe if he allowed me to have a mirror at home, I wouldn''t have had to ask!


    Her thoughts were interrupted by an Awakened warrior who suddenly appeared in her way. His equipment was visibly more potent than that of the young men and women whom she had met outside, and his face was much more mature.


    Unlike those inexperienced greenhorns, he was a true warrior of Song.


    "This way, please."


    Rain obediently followed the Awakened to the side, where a cohort of veterans like him was keeping a watchful eye on everyone entering the city. They were led by a stunningly beautiful woman wearing an enchanted robe of fine wine-colored silk.


    A Master.


    There was no sign of Rain''s teacher, as if he had dove deeper into the shadows. She approached the beautiful woman and bowed respectfully.


    The Ascended smiled.


    "Oh, it''s you, little sister, Rain, was it? Please don''t move


    A torrent of ethereal sparks swirled around her hand, and a red flower appeared on her palm. Its dark petals seemed to be glistening with dew, and it emanated a pleasant fragrance.


    The woman raised her hand, as if offering the flower to Rain. Of course, Rain did not take it. Instead, she froze and looked at the crimson blossom solemnly. A few moments passed in tense silence, then a few more.


    She glanced at the beautiful Master. The woman was still smiling, but her eyes were cold and full of dark... something.


    ''Murder math.


    That''s what her teacher called it. Rain remembered the strange term well, because he often lamented the fact that she seemed to lack that cold quality, whatever it was.


    In any case, the powerful Ascended was calmly calculating how to kill her, should the need arise. It was more than a little bit unnerving.


    Luckily, nothing of the sort ended up happening. A dozen seconds later, the Ascended''s smile finally reached her eyes. Moving her hand, she dismissed the red flower and gestured for Rain to leave.


    "Welcome back. Have a nice evening."


    Rain bowed one more time and walked away.


    Rain nodded.


    "Sure. There are mirrors like that everywhere in Ravenheart."


    He sighed.


    "They would have asked the mirror to help. That is already more than you should know, so don''t ask anything else."


    Rain couldn''t help but throw a startled glance at her shadow.


    They would have... asked the mirror to help?


    ''Don''t tell me...''


    Did her teacher''s irrational fear of mirrors have an actual reason behind it?


    Unsure what to think, Rain dove into the bustling labyrinth of Ravenheart''s streets. Since the mundane district was sprawled on the slope of the volcano, it was divided into many vertical levels - not unlike the terrace neighborhood in NQSC where she had grown up.


    Granted, the terraces that had been carved on the black slope were of a much greater scale, supporting numerous buildings and housing millions of people. The lower levels were where most of the work took place, while the higher levels were mostly residential.


    Additionally, the more affluent neighborhoods were situated closer to the great bridge, while the poorer ones were situated further from it.


    Rain''s parents lived in one of the former, while her own den was in one of the latter. Actually, it was not too far from the city gate, which felt like a blessing today.


    Dead tired, Rain found her way home, unlocked the door, and finally dropped the heavy pack.


    A few minutes later, she crawled under her warm fur blanket and closed her eyes. The moment her head hit the pillow, all thoughts disappeared from it.


    Rain yawned, curled into a ball, and said drowsily:


    ...Goodnight, teacher."


    He responded a moment later:


    "You too. Sleep tight."


    Her teacher''s familiar voice was like a lullaby. Knowing that he would protect her if anything happened at night, Rain allowed herself to relax, and comfortably fell into the embrace of sleep.

 Chapter 1632: New Developments

    Chapter 1632: New Developments


    Rain was woken up by the delicious smell of breakfast. She spent a few minutes in sweet drowsiness, enjoying the warmth of her bed and the softness of her pillow, then yawned and sat up.


    Immediately after, she winced.


    ''Ouch.''


    Her whole body was sore, which was not at all unfamiliar, but still unpleasant. The rigors of hunting Nightmare Creatures were not something a mundane body could handle easily, so she needed a few days of rest to recover from the fatigue.


    ...Unlike the Awakened, who could bounce back from straining themselves to the extreme in a matter of hours.


    Whimpering pitifully, Rain climbed from under the furs and performed a few simple stretching exercises. When her stiff muscles relaxed a little, she sighed and finally went to the makeshift kitchen situated at the opposite side of her den, where the tantalizing aroma of freshly cooked food was coming from.


    Rain''s lair consisted of one rather spacious room and a modest bathroom. It was mostly below ground and did not get a lot of light, since the only window was situated near the ceiling. As a result, most of the space was drowning in deep shadows. It was also one of the reasons why the rent was so cheap.


    Her bed took one of the corners, while the kitchen took another The largest portion of the room was used for training, and lastly, the whole part near the entrance was meant for storing hunting spoils. The workbench where she mended her belongings and crafted new equipment was also there, littered with various tools, materials, and feathers for Fletching arrows.


    It was a bit messy, and a bit too spartan. Few people would have wanted to live in a place like that, and Rain wasn''t really living here either. Her time was usually divided equally between the den and her much more comfortable family home. Staying with her parents was nicer, but having a place of her own also felt good, not to mention provided endless convenience.


    She wouldn''t want her mom and dad to faint every time she came back to Ravenheart caked in blood and covered in bruises. They were already very disapproving of every decision she had made in the past few years. But what could she do? She couldn''t really say that her shadow talked to her, teaching her how to kill Nightmare Creatures and telling her to do strange things.


    Rain was already an adult and could make her own decisions now, anyway. She was twenty!


    "Eat your breakfast before it gets cold, young lady. And don''t forget your vegetables!"


    Her teacher''s voice made Rain flinch.


    Pouting slightly, she sat down at the counter and moved the plate closer. Her sour expression did not last, though, swiftly replaced by delight. Rain was very hungry after the hunt - in just a few minutes, all the delicious things her teacher had prepared were gone.


    ''A new road crew? Strange...''


    It seemed that the royal clan was assembling a new road construction crew, but its scale seemed much greater than all the previous ones. The pay was also much higher, which made the offer extremely alluring. However, it seemed like hazard pay - the description Implied a higher than usual danger lever of the new job.


    Strangely enough, there was no mention of what region of the Dream Realm the new road was meant to connect to. More than that, from what Rain knew, there were already crews building roads to all neighboring Citadels. So... where would this new one lead, exactly?


    In any case, that was none of her business. Rain had no intention of trying to get hired as a worker, and no one would employ her as a guard. Still, a lot of Awakened would probably leave the city once the construction started, so that was something to account for...


    Deep in thought, she left the town hall and headed to the lower levels of the district, where the largest market was located.


    Descending a set of steep stairs cut into the dark slope of the volcano, she asked in a confused tone:


    "Teacher, doesn''t that new road crew seem strange? Where are they building a road to?"


    He remained silent for a while, then laughed quietly.


    "Strange? No, not at all. As for where they are going, that''s simple enough to guess, They are going east"


    Rain frowned.


    East? There was nothing much east of Ravenheart, only the Death Zones. Granted, the Sword Domain lay beyond them, but that didn''t change the fact. What was the point of building a road to a wild and deadly region of the Dream Realm?


    Her teacher was not making any sense - which, admittedly, happened quite often.


    ''He''s just trying to sound smart to cover up his lack of knowledge. How clumsy!''


    Smiling, Rain shook her head and continued descending the stairs.

 Chapter 1633: Public Sentiment

    Chapter 1633: Public Sentiment


    The market was a large and lively place, Numerous stalls were set up in the open, with more respectable storefronts visible here and there. Almost anything could be bought here, starting with materials harvested from the carcasses of Nightmare Creatures and ending with rare items brought over from the waking world via the Dream Gate.


    Weapons, home appliances, fashionable clothes, crafting tools - whatever one needed, it could probably be found here.


    Of course, items of true quality were sold in other, more exclusive places. Some of the elite shops were not even situated in the mundane district, so potential customers had to brave the chilling cold of the Bridge or send Awakened retainers to complete the purchase. Still, most citizens of Ravenheart visited the market when they needed something.


    Rain knew the place well, and swiftly made her way to the area where the harvested materials were sold. After haggling with a familiar merchant, she sold off the Stone Worm hide and weighed her coin purse in her hand, full of satisfaction.


    With this payment and the reward she had received in the town hall, Rain was flush with money! Best of all, she had managed to bring the Stone Worm down without suffering any wounds, so she didn''t even need to hire a healer, Healers were rare, and therefore prohibitively expensive.


    Awakened warriors were the ones habitually sustaining Injuries, but they also had a lot of spending power. Rain did not, so most of the money she had made in the past years ended up going toward her medical expenses.


    But not today!


    Whistling joyously, she left the market and made her way to one of the many public baths in Ravenheart. Due to the volatile nature of the region, there were numerous hot springs here, and soaking in them had quickly become the favorite pastime of the citizens. If there was such a thing as tourism in the Dream Realm, the capital of Song would definitely have been a popular destination due to its hot springs...


    ''Maybe in the future.''


    Before entering the bathhouse, Rain stopped in a dark alley behind it. A shadow separated from her own and settled in the darkness, then waved casually. Leaving her teacher alone, she proceeded inside to enjoy some privacy.


    ''Aaahh...''


    Soon, having taken a shower, Rain submerged her weary body into the hot water and felt the many pains bothering her dissolve in it. There were many mystical minerals in the mountains surrounding Ravenheart, so these springs were supposed to have healing effects, She didn''t know how true that statement was, exactly, but visiting the baths was definitely both pleasant and reinvigorating.


    She had mostly come here to clean herself, though. It wouldn''t do to come home covered in sweat, grime, and the stench of blood. The cleaner and fresher Rain looked in front of her parents, the less they would worry about her. So, she made a habit of visiting a bathhouse after every hunt.


    Still... it wouldn''t harm anyone if she soaked in the hot water a bit more...


    "But my cousins are in the Sword Domain..."


    "You must tell them to be careful, then!"


    Rain shook her head and slid deeper into the water to block out the hushed conversation.


    ''Aren''t they being ridiculous?


    Strangely enough, that ridiculous rumor was quite persistent. She had heard some version of it many times already, almost as if someone was spreading it on purpose.


    On the other hand, some hostility between the two Domains was inevitable. They were both still dependent on the waking world, after all, which meant that there was a competition for resources.


    And competition bred resentment, especially when one''s livelihood was at stake. Resentment, in turn, bred these kinds of rumors. Plus, a vast majority of mundane humans living in the Dream Realm had come from Antarctica - they were traumatized and anxious, sometimes letting fear get the better of them.


    In any case, the public opinion of the Sword Domain was slowly changing for the worse in Ravenheart. There was nothing like that four years ago, but now, such sentiments were not uncommon.


    "Why can''t they just be happy that someone else is doing well?''


    Rain threw the two scaredy women out of her heads and tried to enjoy herself in peace.


    Eventually, she emerged from the bathhouse looking as smooth and pink as a newborn baby. The rugged leather outfit was stuffed into her pack, replaced by much more casual, neat and tidy civilian clothes.


    The frightful monster huntress was gone, replaced by an innocent and lovely young woman.


    If the group of young Awakened she had met at the city gate saw her, they would probably not believe their eyes.


    Feeling a bit strange in her simple dress, Rain put on an ashcoat made from light, beautifully embroidered fabric, Pulling down its hood, she went to the dark alley, retrieved her teacher, and headed toward the upper levels of the city.


    She was going home.

 Chapter 1634: Scenic View

    Chapter 1634: Scenic View


    Rain stopped at a popular bakery and spent a good chunk of her coins on a set of delicious pastries. Her younger siblings were moody teenagers now, but... she still liked to pamper them, when she got the chance. Or at least try to.


    Teenagers, sadly, were not easy to pamper.


    They''re probably off to school already...''


    Letting out a sigh, Rain walked along the steep streets of Ravenheart while enjoying the weather. It was on the colder side today, but the air was crisp and clear, not at all like the stale air of NQSC. There was no ash falling from the sky, either, so the breathtaking vista of the sprawling vertical city was not obscured.


    Across the great stone bridge, a lonely peak pierced the sky, its slopes covered in snow. The beautiful palace of the Queen was hidden by a blizzard, though, so Rain could not enjoy its dark awe and splendor.


    Her thoughts slowly drifted to the Awakened Nightmare Creature she was meant to find and slay. What Class would it be? How long would the preparations take her? What strategies would she employ, and what contingencies should she put in place?


    Would she even survive that fight?


    Thinking about that somberly, she ascended rather high, Now, she only had to get closer to the Bridge, and she would be home.


    But before Rain reached the neighborhood where her parents lived, she noticed a crowd of people gathered on one of the scenic observation platforms. She stopped to listen to what they were talking about, curious to find out what the matter was.


    Their voices sounded excited:


    "Are you sure that he is coming back today?"


    "I''m sure! He already delivered the last of this year''s Sleepers to the cities in the south. There''s nothing left for him to do but return."


    "I''m so excited! I missed the day he departed, so I didn''t see!"


    "I saw. I want to see it again, though..."


    Rain tilted her head, confused.


    Who were they waiting for?


    Her teacher suddenly mumbled in a subdued tone:


    "Gods, how is it even worse now..."


    Sadly, the government Saints spent most of their time in the waking world, and when they came to the Dream Realm, each was assigned to a specific region. Effie was far away, in Bastion, so they had not seen each other in a while.


    The same went for Lady Nephis and Lady Cassia, both of whom had been kind to Rain in the past.


    Of course...


    All these renowned people might have been Transcendent warriors, but which one of them could claim to be a dark deity? In a sense, the weirdness of knowing her teacher toppled all her other strange acquaintances, combined.


    In any case, Rain was just that a passing acquaintance in the lives of these exalted figures. She doubted they really remembered her, let alone had thought about her sometimes.


    Why would they think about an insignificant mundane girl?


    Her teacher, on the other hand, thought about her too much! It was hard to escape his nagging...


    ''Maybe I''ll meet them again after becoming an Awakened.


    Throwing one last glance into the distance, where the graceful figure of the black dragon had disappeared, Rain turned away and continued on her way home.


    Soon, she reached a pretty two-story house, opened the door, and walked inside with a bright smile.


    "...Mom! Dad! I''m home!"


    ***


    Unknown to Rain, the figure of her teacher lingered outside, staring across the great bridge from the shadows.


    Just at that moment, the snowstorm subsided, and the beautiful palace of black obsidian revealed itself on the steep mountain slope,


    Sunny studied its breathtaking beauty for a few moments, and then pursed his lips a little,


    His gaze was dark.


    "Jade Palace..."


    Being that close to another of Ariel''s creations was rather uncomfortable.


    Of course, it was also one of the reasons he had come to Ravenheart

 Chapter 1635: Message to Myself

    Chapter 1635: Message to Myself


    A few days before, far away from the harsh splendor of Ravenheart, Sunny was looking at Cassle while hiding his emotions behind a polite smile.


    "Oh, and by the way..."


    Her tone was neutral.


    "...Happy Birthday."


    For a split second, his mask cracked.


    Sunny''s face did not move, but his gaze changed. For a short moment, his eyes were much deeper and darker than before - the lightless depth contained within them was much too vast, much too cold, and much too unfathomable to fit the image of a harmless shopkeeper.


    He froze, a storm of emotions raging in his heart. For a second, Sunny was stunned, not knowing what to say.


    The shadows stirred.


    But then, he quickly composed himself.


    "Why, thank you. But how did you know?"


    An irrational, but desperate hope had ignited in his chest, trying to burn away his judgment. A hope that someone anyone remembered him... that Cassie did. The thought of it was both blindingly sweet and ruthlessly painful.


    Because it was impossible, The [Fateless] Attribute, as he had called it, was thorough. So, Sunny discarded that futile hope and hid his rattled state.


    How had she known that today was his birthday, though?


    ''Maybe... just maybe...''


    Cassie was facing him, remaining silent. Her smile slowly dimmed, replaced by a strange and solemn expression. Sunny felt uncomfortable because her eyes were hidden by the blue fabric, but he did not show it.


    Come to think of it...


    He had not noticed it immediately, but Cassie looked a little strange.


    How could he describe it? She seemed a little... haggard.


    Of course, a stranger would not have noticed, blinded by the stunning beauty of the blind seer. But to Sunny, she looked out of sorts. Her clothes, which had always been neat and tidy, were a little messy. Her hair was like a waterfall of pale gold, but it did not seem properly combed. There were signs of fatigue on her delicate face.


    Much more importantly, there was a hint of restless intensity to her which had never been there before. As if Cassie was... not quite stable, having lost her innate state of composed balance.


    He coughed.


    "Ah. Well, why not? My house might not be able to fly like your Citadel, but it can walk. it''s convenient."


    The more Important question was... what did she see when looking at him? Weaver''s Mask was all the way in Godgrave, and while the Nebulous Mantle could hide his presence, it was nowhere nearly as potent at deflecting divination.


    Nevertheless, Sunny was not worried. He was mostly certain that Cassie''s powers were based on a subconscious ability to perceive the strings of fate, and sense when they were trembling. Since there were no strings of fate connected to him anymore, she should be powerless against him.


    As if to confirm his words, Cassie spoke calmly:


    "Do you know what I sense when I look at you, though? Nothing. You are like a black void, completely empty."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "That is not something a man wants to hear on his birthday, Saint Cassia."


    She did not seem to have heard his words, continuing in the same tone:


    "But this is perfect. This is exactly what I''ve been looking for, Oh, Master Sunless... you seem to be strangely well-informed about my abilities, considering that you are not at all surprised to hear these things. Well, just in case, let me tell you... I used to be able to see the future.


    He hesitated for a while, a little startled by that statement.


    ...Used to?"


    Cassle nodded.


    "Yes. This ability of mine has been in complete disarray after my Third Nightmare. Not just mine, actually... all Awakened with high affinity to fate are suffering a reduction in their ability to discern the future. Not that there are a lot of us. It is almost as if fate itself has been thrown into chaos."


    Sunny forced out a smile.


    "How terrible."


    She remained silent for a while, seemingly distracted. Then, she said with a subtle hint of relief:


    "Yes. It has been rather terrible. And I''ve been... I''ve been trying to find the cause for the past four years, without any success. So, the message that I seem to have sent myself made me think that you might be of help. And won''t just think that I am crazy


    Cassle paused, then faced him and said tensely:


    "Master Sunless... how would you react if I told you that there is a man-shaped hole in the world?

 Chapter 1636: Man-Shaped Void

    Chapter 1636: Man-Shaped Void


    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments.


    The expression on Cassie''s face... was tense and somber. Defiant, even. As if she was saying something that she had said many times already, only to be dismissed. Or even branded as a lunatic.


    Sunny knew the feeling.


    He sighed, then pointed to the nearest table.


    "Have a seat. I sense that it''s going to be a long conversation, so let me make you something to drink."


    He took a step back and retreated to the kitchen. He could have manifested an avatar instead, but really, Sunny needed a few minutes to collect himself.


    ''A man-shaped hole in the world...''


    Indeed, to someone else, his absence would have felt like that. It was just that no one was able to remember witnessing the inexplicable void where a man named Sunless used to be.


    Cassie, however...


    Although she didn''t seem to know the solution, she had somehow pieced the problem together. She knew that something was wrong with her, with everyone else, and with the world itself. But no matter how hard she tried, she could not prove it. She couldn''t even remember trying to solve the problem.


    That must have been maddening. Not to mention the fact that her ability to perceive the future had suddenly betrayed her, leaving Cassie without another of her senses. The past four years must have been rough for her...


    And yet, selfishly, Sunny was glad. He shamefully felt a warmth in his heart.


    He wasn''t quite remembered. But it felt so good, for his absence to be witnessed by someone, at least.


    A few minutes later, he emerged from the kitchen with a teapot and a couple cups. Cassie was sitting at one of the tables, waiting. Her exquisitely beautiful face was calm, but he could feel a hint of agitation underneath that facade.


    Placing a cup in front of her, Sunny poured the tea and sat down.


    "A man-shaped hole? You might want to explain, Saint Cassia."


    She took the cup and tilted her head a little. At that moment, Sunny realized that he had made a mistake... in an attempt to hide his rattled state, he had been acting much too calm throughout their conversation, No Master would have been that calm in front of Song of the Fallen, let alone while hearing her say such outrageous things,


    He was suddenly unhappy with himself,


    ''What a glaring oversight!


    Since deceit was his craft, Sunny felt ashamed.


    Cassie touched the cup and traced its shape with her finger. When she spoke, her voice sounded even calmer than his:


    "Actually, it''s not that strange. All of us... the members of Changing Star''s cohort... have long realized that something had happened to us in the Third Nightmare. There are things that don''t quite make sense, as if there are gaps in our memory. No, not gaps... it''s like parts of our memories are corrupted. Not in the Everlasting Void kind of way, but rather in a very mundane way. Like what happens with old communicators."


    Sunny stared at her silently. His silence prompted her to continue:


    "It''s that the missing pieces form a person. Someone who was there, with us, in the Tomb of Ariel.., and maybe even earlier than that. A man who has been cut from the world, as if he had never existed. Someone who was... precious to us. To me."


    She leaned forward, almost overturning her tea


    "So, Master Sunless..."


    Before she could continue, he asked neutrally


    "You say that the missing pieces form a person. But why are you so sure that it is a man? It might very well be a woman, no?"


    Cassie remained silent for a moment, then said tensely:


    "Because I think that you are that man."


    Then, she clenched her fists.


    "Are you?"


    Sunny did not answer for a while.


    Eventually, he sighed and answered, his voice even:


    *...Yes."


    Then, he took a sip of tea and smiled bitterly.


    "But it doesn''t matter if I confirm it. You won''t remember, anyway."


    Cassie continued to lean forward. A stunned expression contorted her delicate face for a moment, then disappeared, replaced by momentary confusion and then tense anticipation.


    "So,,, are you?"


    Sunny turned away, hiding an ugly grimace,


    There was no point. It was not as if he had not tried to confess his existence to the people he knew before. He had, on several occasions. But just like his past, they could not retain the information about his connection to their lost memories of hm.


    His confessions were destined to be forgotten, just like he had been.


    Funnily enough, he could admit to being Rain''s brother - because her neighbor Sunny never had, and the concept of an older brother was thus not connected to her memories of him.


    He sighed and answered again:


    "Yes, I am."


    Sunny waited for a moment. After Cassie had forgotten his answer and before she could ask the question again, he interrupted her:


    "Instead of that, do you want to tell me more about that Memory you want me to make? Is it a weapon?

 Chapter 1637 Negative Space

    Chapter 1637 Negative Space


    Sunny tried to evade the question a few more times, but it was too important to Cassie. She stubbornly returned to it no matter what he said, forgetting his answers a few moments later. Watching her lost expression was eerie and a little heartbreaking, like talking to someone suffering from dementia. "So, tell me... are you?"


    Sunny reminded himself to be patient. There were many suitable ways to prevent her from voicing the question. He just needed to find the correct one.


    "Yes, I am. But..."


    Cassie was stunned, then confused, then tense once more. ''Maybe I should distract her with a revelation or two about what is going on in Ravenheart?''


    However, in the end, he did not have to. Somehow, Cassie did not repeat herself again. Instead, she shifted slightly, reached for her tea cup, and traced its shape with her finger. Her face froze, and she fell quiet. After a few moments of silence, Cassie said evenly:


    "...My tea is cold."


    Sunny tilted his head a little. Then, his eyes gleamed in the darkness. It seemed that there was no need to guide her away from the question, after all.


    ''So soon?'' Cassie was smart. She could not remember that which was forgotten, but she noticed the change in the temperature of her tea. Therefore, instead of remembering, she simply deduced that something had been erased from her memory.


    The gears of her formidable mind were spinning now, connecting the negative space in her memory with the details of the conversation they were having. Observing the void and inferring its meaning. Knowing Cassie, there were countless conjectures being formed in her head. Dozens of theories were being built, scrutinized, and discarded. Only those that could not be effectively disproven remained, leading to several parallel branches of assumptions. Those assumptions were then pitted against each other, turning into conclusions. The conclusions were used to extrapolate what, exactly, she had forgotten. ''...Too smart, maybe.''


    It was a little scary. Sunny did not say anything, carefully exploring his own emotions. If he was right, then Cassie not only knew that a person was missing from the world, but also deduced that he was that person, or at least connected to them.


    She would not be sure, but suspect it strongly. And he... he had come closer to being known to someone than he had ever been since leaving the Nightmare. Of course, there was a vast difference between a suspicion and a memory �� but it was precisely because Cassie''s inference was based solely on deduction and not remembrance that she could retain it. The taste of his tea was suddenly incredibly fragrant. Sunny drank it silently.


    His smile did not falter. ''She has already connected me to the Exploration Report on the Tomb of Ariel and guessed that I was in the Nightmare with them. Damn it... I shouldn''t have published it.''


    But he did not really regret his actions. That report was both for Teacher Julius and Ananke, so it was worth the trouble. Sunny chuckled, then asked with a hint of amusement in his voice: "What''s in it for me?"


    Cassie leaned back and remained silent for a few moments. She might have guessed that he was the person she had been looking for, but she had no idea who he was. What were his motives, desires, and convictions? What was his past, and what was his vision of the future?


    What could she offer him to gain his cooperation?


    She couldn''t even be sure if he was a friend or a foe. "Well, what is it that you want?"


    Sunny contemplated for as long as his Flaw allowed him to.


    "Actually, there is something that you can help me with. I must warn you, though... the favor I''ll ask might land you in hot water with your venerable superiors from Clan Valor."


    He shrugged. "Additionally, you will only access a memory of my choosing. You''ll have to wait a bit, too. It can only be done on a full moon."


    Cassie suddenly tensed. "A full moon? Surely, you don''t mean..."


    Sunny chuckled. "That''s right. I want to sneak into Bastion."


    He finished his tea and added nonchalantly:


    "The real Bastion, of course. Not this mirage we all live in."

 Chapter 1638: Pretty as a Picture

    Chapter 1638: Pretty as a Picture


    It did not take long to discuss the details of their agreement with Cassie. She was wary of him, somewhat, but Sunny held the overwhelming advantage in the negotiations. After all, he had what she wanted, and knew more than her on top of that. It wasn''t hard for him to get the blind seer to agree to his conditions.


    She could not stay for long, either - at least not without risking her absence being noticed by someone from Clan Valor. Cassie did not want to attract their attention to Sunny, yet, or maybe ever. That suited him fine, as well.


    ��What a strange birthday I''m having this year...''


    When Cassie left, Sunny was once again left alone in the Brilliant Emporium. The city had grown dark, and a peaceful silence settled over the lake. He could see the magnificent castle shine with enchanted lights in the distance, the lanterns reflecting in the calm water like stars.


    ...Of course, that castle was just an illusion.


    Or rather, not just an illusion, but a very special one. The kind of illusion that was, for all intents and purposes, real - more real than reality itself, even. Most of the people who lived inside the castle did not know the difference, since it did not affect their lives,


    But Sunny knew,


    There was a different kind of place hidden behind the beautiful, towering edifice of Bastion. A much more somber and terrifying place than what everyone was familiar with.


    That was where he wanted to get to with Cassie''s help.


    ...There were six strongholds depicted on the map Nether had left in the Ebony Tower, each connected to one of the daemons. After visiting the tower once more and reading more of the forbidden runes surrounding the map, Sunny was keenly interested in exploring each of these strongholds. One could even say that the shape of his life depended on it.


    The Ivory Tower had once belonged to Hope. The Tomb of Ariel was the burial site of Oblivion. Sunny had already visited these two places, but the other four...


    Sunny could not find what he was looking for in the pretty mirage, though. He could only find it in the harrowing reality hidden behind it.


    That place could only be entered during a full moon at least by those who did not rule the illusory Citadel. That was why he agreed to meet Cassie again then.


    There was plenty of time left before the next full moon, though, which would give both of them plenty of time to digest the situation. Cassie had a lot to think about, no doubt.


    And Sunny did, too.


    Throwing one last glance in the window, he yawned and went about closing the Brilliant Emporium. When everything was done, Sunny walked into his bedroom and fell on his bed.


    Despite the modest size of his room, the bed itself was large and opulent. It was carved from pale polished wood, with elegant engravings decorating the columns that supported the silk canopy. It was much too comfortable for a simple plece of furniture, and looked like something that belonged in a palace Instead of a cozy cottage.


    And it did. This was the very same bed Sunny had slept on in the ruined cathedral of the Dark City, a lifetime ago. He had brought it back with the help of the Marvelous Mimic after being gone from civilization for three years among other things.


    Sunny put his head on a pillow and closed his eyes. Soon enough, he fell peacefully asleep.


    The last thought that crossed his mind was rather bitter:


    ''Damnation... she forgot to order a Memory!��


    It was such a shame. He had hoped to get a bunch of soul shards out of Cassie...

 Chapter 1639: Beautiful Mirage

    Chapter 1639: Beautiful Mirage


    The full moon came faster than Sunny had expected. His life in Bastion had been peaceful in the meantime - the Brilliant Emporium Cafe? enjoyed a steady stream of guests, while the Memory Boutique continued to stagnate with no customers. Sunny attended to the kitchen and minded his business.


    He was supposed to make a trip to the waking world to stock up on ingredients, but postponed it for now - partially out of laziness, and partially because there was a lot on his place.


    His life in Godgrave, meanwhile, had undergone an earth-shattering transformation. Nephis was there, and so, he had no time for boredom. for new novels


    But that was the third avatar''s problem.


    On the day of the full moon, Sunny let Aiko go home a bit earlier and closed the Brilliant Emporium. Then, he walked through the crowded streets of Bastion and bought a ticket to a theater play. A troupe of Awakened actors was performing a rendition of A Song of Light and Darkness... sadly, Sunny only noticed the name of the play after being seated in the parterre.


    He covered his face with a palm and winced as if suffering from a toothache, but remained in his seat, Soon, excited members of the audience surrounded him from all sides. The lights were dimmed, the curtain was lifted, and the play began...


    No one noticed that a pale young man sitting in one of the first rows did not seem to have a shadow.


    At the same time, a different incarnation of Sunny was hiding in the darkness near the shore of the lake. It was already dark, and the pale moon was traveling across the starlit sky. The sight of it-the moon, the velvet sky, the silhouette of the magnificent castle, and the vast lake - was beautiful beyond words.


    In fact, it seemed as if there were two moons, one lost in the distant heavens, the other drowning in the silent water.


    Making sure that no one was nearby, Sunny rose from the shadows and walked toward the shore.


    The incarnation in the theater was wearing the Nebulous Mantle, so he was only dressed in a mundane military bodysuit. The Quintessence Pearl was already summoned, resting in his mouth.


    The original Sunny hid at the bottom of the lake without moving. Preceding further would be... problematic. So, he was letting the reflection of the moon come to him instead.


    He was sure that someone like Beth would have been infuriated by such a statement, considering that, scientifically speaking, the position of the moon''s reflection was supposed to depend on the perspective of the observer. But not of this moon, in this lake, and on this night.


    When it was time, Sunny made himself as light as a feather, assumed his human form, pushed off the bottom of the lake, and swam up. The timing was calculated to a split second - the Echoes patrolling the lake were far away, and no one would be able to notice his swift rise.


    As the pressure of the water lessened, the darkness surrounding him grew brighter, Soon, he was surrounded by ethereal radiance, as if swimming through moonlight. The moon itself was like a perfectly round silver disk hanging above Bastion,


    Its reflection was like a vast, radiant circle resting Breaking the surface a few meters away from it, Sunny swam forward and entered that circle.


    He was blinded by the light...


    And then, the world changed.


    Sunny had left the illusory realm behind and entered the ghost of reality hidden behind its splendor.


    Suddenly, it was much darker. The reflection of the moon disappeared, replaced by scattered vestiges of bleak light. The water of the lake was much colder, and its surface was restless because of the strong wind.


    Taking a deep breath, Sunny looked up.


    Above him was a broken sky.

 Chapter 1640: Harrowing Reality

    Chapter 1640: Harrowing Reality


    The sky was black, with pale stars shining coldly in the distance. They were much paler than the bright constellations of the illusory realm, though, because there was something brighter in the night sky, spanning its vast expanse.


    The fragments of the shattered moon.


    The moon was up there, above him, but it was viciously broken into countless pieces. Some of them were vast, like jagged continents, floating in the forlorn darkness. Some were infinitely small, painting the sky like clouds of starlight vapor. The trail of moon shards formed a heavenly river that stretched beyond the horizon, illuminating the hidden world with ghostly light.


    The sight of it was both terrifying and humbling. Sunny did not know what kind of blow could have been so harrowing as to fracture even the moon... or if the moon had been broken from within, like the shell of a cosmic egg... all he knew was that seeing the broken sky filled him with a deep sense of terror.


    He rarely felt true fear after becoming a Transcendent, but the true face of Bastion was one of the few things that could still make him shudder.


    Looking away from the celestial river, Sunny gazed at the distant castle. The castle existed both in the illusory world and in the terrifying reality. However, while it stood tall and proud in the former... It was a desolate ruin in the latter.


    The mighty walls had collapsed. The tall towers were toppled. Bastion was like a mountain of fractured white stones, the shape of a once-magnificent citadel barely recognizable in its ghastly crookedness. Here and there, one could still recognize the lines of partially unscathed buildings and courtyards, but they only seemed like an epitaph on a towering gravestone.


    Across the lake, where the thriving city had been a moment before, a monumental wall of towering dark trees rose to the broken sky.


    The illusory Bastion had been surrounded by a forest once, too - a forest that was one enormous living being, a horrid Titan with which the Knights of Valor had waged war for decades. Eventually, it was Anvil, still a Saint back then, who had destroyed it.


    But here in the hidden reality, the forest was untouched, and there were many creatures inhabiting it that were much more terrifying than that Titan had been.


    Because the real Bastion... was a Death Zone.


    In fact, there were dreadful beings dwelling in the deep, dark lake as well.


    There was one thing in common between the real Bastion and the beautiful mirage created by the Demon of Imagination, though, Both in the illusory castle and the real castle, enchanted lanterns were shining softly in the darkness of the night.


    Knights of Valor were often battling Nightmare Creatures in the forest, too. However, they were doing so without the support of their king. That was because he used the dark forest as a crucible to forge better warriors for his army-the dreadful abominations inhabiting it were the whetstone against which Valor''s elites were sharpened.


    Sunny heard that after Antarctica, Morgan had been sent into the forest and ordered not to return until she redeemed her mistake. She eventually emerged from it two years later, as a Saint.


    He did not know if this was true, and couldn''t ask, because this information wasn''t supposed to be known to any outsider to begin with.


    ...His preparations had not been in vain. Sunny followed a predetermined path and managed to reach the mountain without disturbing any of the Nightmare Creatures or stumbling on any of Anvil''s swords. Finally, he ascended the steep slope and cautiously surfaced near the ruins.


    There were lanterns burning high above, on the remnants of the broken wall, and human silhouettes patrolling its length. They were Knights of Valor the best of the best, each of them at least a Master.


    Another human silhouette was standing on the edge of a toppled tower that lay on the ground, its roof protruding into the lake. This one did not carry a luminous lantern, waiting patiently in the darkness.


    It was Cassie. Illuminated by the pale light of the shattered moon, motionless like a statue, her delicate figure looked even more arresting. Her beauty had already been breathtaking... here in the hidden realm of true Bastion, it seemed simply enthralling.


    And yet, strangely enough, Sunny felt his gaze wandering away from her.


    Somewhat surprised, he realized that it was her presence... unlike most Saints, it did not demand attention, but instead dampened it. It was really... more akin to absence than presence.


    Perhaps it had been for a long while, but he simply did not notice it.


    Forcing himself to concentrate on the slender figure, Sunny silently emerged from the water and walked over to Cassie. He made no noise whatsoever, and yet, she turned her head slightly to face him.


    "You''ve come."


    Sunny dismissed the Quintessence Pearl and smiled in the darkness.


    "Of course. It''s not polite to make a lady wait. And I am nothing if not polite... one could say...��

 Chapter 1641: First Impressions

    Chapter 1641: First Impressions


    Sunny studied Cassle''s face, trying to guess what she was thinking about. Having left her alone for several weeks, he did not feel particularly... safe. Who knew what conclusions she had drawn in that time? What plans she had formulated? He was a stranger to her, now. Which meant that the blind seer would not afford him the same grace she afforded her friends.


    Facing Cassie as someone she might perceive as a potential enemy... was a nerve-wracking experience. Sunny felt like he finally understood why Mordret was so wary of her.


    ...But then again, he was someone worthy of being feared, himself. He was powerful and lethal enough to be an existential threat to anyone who would dare stand in his way. Sunny did not have to be afraid of anyone, or any thing - instead, everyone had to be scared of him.


    If they knew who he was, of course. But no one did, which only made him more terrifying.


    "Well, no matter.��


    It was not like he wanted to frighten Cassie. Sunny was pretty sure that she would treat him with sincerity - he had what she wanted, after all. Still, a relationship of a transactional nature was not the most stable, It was in his best interest to build a better connection with her... and maybe even reach a point where they shared mutual trust.


    Sunny looked at Cassle, who was wearing a white tunic and a seawave cloak, her eyes hidden behind a strip of blue cloth. Then, he glanced at his own black bodysult. The two of them did not exactly look like a natural pair. Currently, they were accomplices at best, not allies.


    So, how do I go about building trust?"


    One small step at a time, most likely.


    He looked at the shattered moon, then at the restless waters of the dark lake. Finally, he said:


    "The ambiance here is truly lovely. However, the lake is rather dreadful. Wouldn''t it be better if we left before something very terrible came out of the water to spoil the mood?"


    Cassie remained silent for a moment, then smiled faintly.


    "Didn''t you come from the water yourself, Saint Sunless? Are you very terrible, as well?"


    He coughed.


    "Well... yes, I did. And yes, I guess I am."


    She tilted her head slightly.


    "I am surprised that you made it all the way here, actually. How did you traverse the lake without being torn apart? Or alerting anyone to your presence?"


    That was an obviously probing question, but Sunny didn''t mind. He shrugged and answered in a nonchalant tone:


    "...Ah."


    He chuckled and added in a light tone:


    "Just my kind of person. I am a bit of a treacherous bastard myself, to be honest."


    She cleared her throat.


    "I... see"


    Cassie remained silent for a while after that, jumping off the toppled tower to land softly on the ground below, Sunny followed, suppressing the desire to slap himself across the face.


    "What... what kind of nonsense am I spouting?"


    Right now, Cassle only knew that he was a Saint that was somehow connected to her and Nephis, and had undergone the Third Nightmare with them. Which would suggest that he had been their friend, or at least an ally... if not for the fact that Mordret had also been there, in the Tomb of Ariel.


    Meaning that not everyone who had entered that Nightmare was an ally. Cassie knew that Sunny had played a big role in her life, but she did not know what kind of role he had played. She had to account for the fact that he very well could have been her enemy... at the very least, she wouldn''t be sure that he had been a friend.


    So, why the hell was he willingly admitting to being a wretched traitor?


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment and then said, trying very hard to keep the embarrassment out of his voice:


    "What I''m trying to say... is that everyone has their own interest. It is not in your self-interest to surrender me to Clan Valor, and I am pretty sure that you would not sacrifice yourself for their benefit. Otherwise, I would have been visited by a cohort of Knights and a few Paladins the very next day after your visit."


    Cassie inhaled slowly.


    "I see, That makes sense."


    She paused for a moment, and then suddenly asked:


    "What is your interest, then?"


    Sunny smiled and looked at the broken sky.


    "That is the question, isn''t it?��

 Chapter 1642: Selfish Reasons

    Chapter 1642: Selfish Reasons


    Sunny contemplated his answer for a few moments, then sald neutrally:


    "I guess it''s the same as yours."


    Cassle seemed a little surprised.


    "The same as mine?"


    He nodded and glanced at her with hidden worry. They were climbing a slope of stone debris, the surface under their feet treacherous and uneven.


    Cassie seemed to be doing fine, but her movements were a little stiff.


    No matter how well she had learned to live with her Flaw, she was still blind. Sharing other people''s perception or sensing a few seconds into the future could not entirely replace sight. However, Sunny could not think of a way to support her on this treacherous slope - he could offer her his hand, but he doubted that she would accept it. They were not that close... now.


    In the end, he did nothing.


    "Indeed. You told me that you had always wanted to destroy fate... but that is not entirely true, is it? You wouldn''t want to struggle against fate if it carried you to a wonderful outcome. The outcome you saw must be terrible... so, what you really want is to reach a desirable outcome, not destroy fate. The latter is merely a means to an end, while the former is the end. That is your interest.��


    Sunny shrugged.


    "It is the same for me. My Interest is to reach a desirable outcome."


    Cassie hesitated for a moment.


    "So what is the outcome you desire?"


    He grinned.


    "How can I know? It''s too soon to talk about an outcome - I don''t even know what will happen, let alone how I might want it to end. I merely have a few ideas. In any case, that question is better aimed at you, Saint Cassia. You are much better informed about the future than I am. So... what outcome do you desire?"


    Now, they were on the right track. Mutual trust was the end goal, but it had to be built on the foundation of mutual benefit. To help each other benefit, they needed to know what each of them wanted.


    What was it that Cassie desired?


    Even after knowing her for so many years, Sunny was not sure. She had always kept her secrets close. for new novels


    Which was why he did not expect to hear her honest response:


    "I want to save the world."


    She was not going to just stride into the heart of Anvil''s Domain, was she?


    Cassle stopped for a moment, then continued climbing.


    "Don''t worry about it. I will keep my word


    At the same time, she raised her hands and carefully pulled her blindfold off, tying it around one of her wrists.


    A few moments later, they were on top of the wall.


    There were enchanted lanterns installed on wooden posts, illuminating the ramparts.


    And there, just a few meters in front of them...


    Three heavily armored Masters were standing, staring at Cassie and Sunny with vigilant expressions. He could see dangerous flames igniting in their eyes.


    One of them placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and asked, his voice a mix of confusion and wariness:


    "Saint Cassia? Who..."


    ''Damn it...''


    Sunny did not move.


    And in the next moment, the three Knights of Valor underwent an eerie change.


    Their eyes suddenly grew unfocused, drifting away from Cassie''s delicate figure. The tense expressions on their faces disappeared. They remained motionless for a few moments, then continued on their patrol without ever looking back.


    One walked right past the blind seer, brushing against her seawave cloak.


    Cassie calmly moved in the opposite direction, leaving the patrol behind.


    A moment later, she said over her shoulder:


    "Don''t worry. They won''t remember seeing us."


    Sunny hurriedly followed her, quietly impressed...


    And more than a little bit disturbed.


    ''What an insidious power, indeed.��

 Chapter 1643: Unseen.

    Chapter 1643: Unseen.


    Sunny had contemplated the ways Cassie could get him Inside the castle. From using a secret passage through the ruins to using her intricate knowledge of runic sorcery to Interfere with the defensive array, there were many potential methods for someone as resourceful as her to choose from.


    What he had not expected was that she would, indeed, simply stride inside without paying the elite forces of Valor any heed.


    Cassie simply walked forward at a mild pace, poised and elegant. Her calm steps were unhurried. She did not try to avoid the light of the enchanted lanterns or hide from the patrolling knights, acting like noting was the matter.


    And yet, despite Sunny''s presence, no one paid her any attention or barred her path.


    The powerful Ascended guarding the castle shivered slightly when her gaze fell on them, their expressions turning slack for a moment. Then, they stepped aside and silently continued on their way, as if both Cassie and Sunny had somehow turned invisible. Not, not invisible... impossible to focus on or remember.


    The memory of seeing the strange pair was completely erased from the minds of the elite warriors of Valor, replaced by a false recollection of nothing notable happening.


    It was rather impressive.


    And deeply disturbing.


    Sunny was walking behind Cassie, so he could not see her eyes. He wasn''t sure he wanted to, either.


    Looking at her delicate back, he could not help but remember the suffocating despair and cold dread of LO49. The sinister powers of the Transcendent Terror that had consumed the station were eerily similar to what Cassie was now capable of. There were differences, of course, but the resemblance was there as well.


    ?Ah. I hate mental attacks.?


    From the Forgotten Shore to the desolate expanse of Antarctica, these were the kinds of powers he was wary of the most. There had been creatures who left him broken and bleeding, barely clinging to life, but it were the insidious beings who influenced the mind that had given him the deepest scars. Luckily, Sunny''s resistance to mental attacks was now incomparably high.


    Still, he wondered what Cassie would be capable of if she went all out and fully unleashed her power. Another scene surfaced in his mind... the scene of the battle in the drowned temple of Fallen Grace, where they had fought against the Defiled Sybil and her enthralled guardians.


    Back then, he had seen the Echo of Torment fight against the Drowned... of course, Sunny had not known her true identity, yet. There had been a moment when the Echo raised one of the demons above the shallow water and gazed into its eyes- the abomination''s body convulsed, an indescribable sound escaped from its mouth, and its lifeless body was tossed aside like a rag doll.


    In that short moment... had the Echo burned all of the demon''s memories away, turning the Drowned warrior into a mindless shell of a living being?


    ?No, It is simply the nature of this place. The creatures in the lake are deadly, and so are those in the forest. However, the things that come from reflections are the most dangerous, because they are too strange and we know too little about them. We call them the Others.?


    She took a few more steps and continued calmly:


    ?We must be wary of the Others, but we also must be wary of the King. I can shelter you from the gazes of his servants because their swords are sheathed and slumbering. But if you see a sword that is drawn... hide Immediately. You must possess some ability to hide yourself �� otherwise, you wouldn''t have been able to traverse the lake.?


    Sunny nodded, prompting Cassie to add:


    ?You did well to come unarmed. Do not summon a sword of your own while you are here, even if it wasn''t forged by Valor. Oh... and take this.?


    She handed him a smooth pebble without turning around. Sunny took it and noticed a complicated weave of elegant runes carved into its surface. The pebble felt slightly warm to the touch.


    Cassie explained:


    ?This is a token that will allow you to pass most of the defensive enchantments. A counterfeit one... I made it myself. So, don''t lose it.?


    She took a deep breath and then added, a hint of tension finally finding its way into her voice:


    ?If you do, the two of us will end up being invited to an audience with the King. One that we will remember for the rest of our lives... our short and painful lives, that is.?


    Sunny smiled darkly, remembering the sight of Anvil facing that Great Titan in Antarctica.


    He knew that the two of them would meet eventually. But it was too soon to meet the King of Swords, for now.


    ?Is he really here??


    Before Cassie could answer, a loud sound rolled across the ruins, disturbing the silence of the night. It was deep and melodious, ringing across the dark lake like thunder.


    The sound of a hammer falling on an anvil.

 Chapter 1644: Royal Forge.

    Chapter 1644: Royal Forge.


    The ringing of steel was still echoing across the desolate ruin when Sunny shifted slightly and looked in the direction where the sound had come from.


    There was a tall tower rising into the broken sky some distance away. Its walls were covered by a net of deep cracks, but the crumbling tower still stood straight and proud, much higher than any other structure in the vast ruin. Outlined against the pale radiance of the shattered moon, its dark shape was like a battered sword thrust into the ground by the hand of a celestial giant.


    The tower was dark, but at the very top of it, a fiery glow escaped from the arching windows. It was as if a sea or vermilion flame was burning inside.


    That was where the ringing sound had come from.


    A moment later, another strike resounded, and then another. They rolled across the restless lake, forceful and methodical, filling the night with the sound of clashing metal. Suddenly, Sunny felt as if he was on a battlefield, and his heart started to beat faster.


    He froze for a moment, looking at the dark tower with a somber expression.


    ?What is that??


    Cassie turned to face the tower, as well. She remained silent for a few moments, then said evenly:


    ?It''s the King. He is forging.?


    Sunny couldn''t help but frown.


    He had just asked about Anvil''s whereabouts, and a moment later, the King of Sword announced his presence. Sunny did not really fear him... but that was not because the steel Sovereign was not worthy of being feared. It was simply because Sunny had developed an unwise tolerance for fear after a decade of being constantly exposed to all kinds of unimaginable horror.


    Still, it would be a lie to say that he wasn''t apprehensive.


    ?Spooky bastard.?


    He hesitated for a moment, then asked quietly:


    ?What is he forging??


    Cassie smiled.


    ?What else? He is forging a sword. The King must have created a million of them already, but he never stops for long. The swords that the Knights of Valor wield are merely some that he discarded... the ones Paladins wield are, as well.?


    Then the storm of swords Anvil had commanded in Antarctica were all forged by him, then... probably. Sunny could not really imagine how a human being could have created so many of them.


    He sighed.


    ?And here I was thinking myself an accomplished weaponsmith.?


    Cassie tilted her head a little.


    ?Oh! Right. You create Memories.?


    ?...And the last time we met, we were alone. So, I could only borrow your sight, which meant staring at myself for the entire conversation. Well, I won''t lie. I did steal a peek through the eyes of the knights we''ve met today. I was curious to see what the famous owner of the Eye C... of the Brilliant Emporium Cafe looks like.?


    She shrugged.


    ?Actually, you do look like a Legacy. But maybe it''s just because of the confidence that comes with being a Saint.?


    Sunny shook his head with a crooked smile, not letting her off.


    ?I''m sure that you observed me carefully, and for a while, before paying a visit to the Brilliant Emporium. And by ?observed, I mean ?spied on?. Thank you for the compliment, in any case.?


    This time, it was Cassie''s turn to cough.


    I''m right on the money.


    He enjoyed her slight embarrassment for a few moments, then said neutrally:


    ?I don''t know much about how enchanters of Valor create Memories, but it is probably due to the War God''s lineage. After all, she is also the goddess of progress, technology, and craft. Plus, family members are known to awaken Aspects of a similar nature... perhaps due to sharing a similar upbringing and fate. I assure you, my upbringing was quite different from that of a member of Clan Valor.?


    Sunny hesitated before adding:


    ?The way I create Memories is different from theirs.?


    Cassie tilted her head a little and asked curiously:


    ?I''ve been told that the Memories you make are not very potent, but have the benefit of being perfectly suited for their wielder. You must be hiding the true extent of your abilities to avoid attention, though. How good are you, exactly??


    Sunny briefly glanced at Cassie''s delicate neck, noticing a thin string hanging around it. Would she be able to remember if he said that the charm she wore had been made Supreme by him? Probably not.


    He smiled.


    ?I doubt that any person in the world can create a better Memory than me.?


    It wasn''t an empty boast. Forgemasters of Valor could create potent Memories, but their craft was the result of unique Aspect Abilities and runic sorcery, which was allen to the concept of Memories, Sunny, meanwhile, was a true weaven. The only master of Weaver''s sorcery in existence. Therefore, his abilities were broader and infinitely more flexible.


    So, really, there was just one entity better than him at creating Memories. The Nightmare Spell. But he wasn''t going to compete with that...


    He glanced at Cassie and asked:


    ?Why? Are you going to order a Memory, after all? Let me tell you, Saint Cassia... I''ll give you an exclusive discount. Our service is top-notch, and we can handle all kinds of orders. Combat Memories, Utility Memories... even cosmetic Memories are not out of the question! Also... I don''t usually do this... but just for you, I''ll disclose a big secret. We can even make a custom name and description for your Memory. There''s no better memento or one-of-a-kind gift for a loved one...?


    Cassie touched her hair nervously, then added in a dubious tone:


    ?Really? Well... I might indeed commission a custom Memory from you, then...?

 Chapter 1645: Found Nothing.

    Chapter 1645: Found Nothing.


    Cassie gulded Sunny deeper into the ruins. She showed more caution after descending from the outer wall, to his relief �� the young woman remained calm and composed, but he noticed that she chose roundabout paths, keeping to the less populated areas of the ancient castle.


    From time to time, ghostly runes ignited on the weathered stones as they passed. The pebble Sunny held in his hands grew a little warmer in those moments.


    After a while, Cassie spoke again:


    ?We are staying in the desolate parts of true Bastion to avoid running into someone powerful. I can handle the Knights without too much problem, but if we meet a Saint, especially one from the direct bloodline... a complication might arise.?


    Sunny nodded, strangely relieved. It was nice to have confirmation that Cassie''s power was not limitless, even if she was on his side.


    The blind seer lingered for a few moments, then asked:


    ?You only told me that you needed to get inside the castle, Where, exactly, do you want me to lead you??Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com


    He shrugged.


    ?As close to the main keep as possible, I''ll know where I need to go once I get there.?


    In fact, Sunny did not know the precise location of what he was looking for. He just knew that there was something hidden here, in Bastion, and that the members of Clan Valor must not have found it yet. Well... maybe they had. But he was willing to bet that they hadn''t.


    That was because the timeline did not make sense. The Citadel that the founder of Valor had conquered was the illusory Bastion, not the real one. Otherwise, it would not have been conquered at all-no member of the First Generation had been powerful enough to survive in a Death Zone, after all, let alone claim it.


    It was only after Broken Sword, Anvil, Ki Song, and Asterion had become Transcendent that this hidden place was disturbed by humans. Even then, Sunny doubted that Valor had truly occupied the true Bastion before the Sovereigns emerged.


    Which meant that they had not had a lot of time to explore the vast ruin, especially considering how dangerous it was, and how few people had access to it. The best warriors of Valor had also spent more than a decade conquering distant regions of the Dream Realm to expand the King''s domain.


    Perhaps Anvil and his knights had discovered a few of the more easily accessible secrets of the fallen castle, but Sunny doubted that they would have found them all. Or at least he hoped so.


    His hope was based on the fact that there was only one person in the world who possessed a daemon''s lineage, and that person was him.


    So, Sunny cautiously extended his senses outward, communicating with the ancient shadows populating the ruin. He could feel the dark hollows hiding under the rubble. Some of them were simply the result of stone blocks falling on each other, some were halls and chambers that had been buried and forgotten in the devastation.


    However, none of them were what he was looking for.


    Nothing, nothing...


    Sunny smiled.


    ?Found it.?


    There was absolutely nothing below them. But that was exactly what gave away the hidden sanctum �� even if the mountain was made from solid stone, there would be cracks and crevasses inside it. And those would be populated by ancient shadows.


    With how potent Sunny''s shadow sense was, he would have felt their presence.


    But he felt nothing, which meant that something was blocking his senses.


    Deep, deep below...


    Sunny opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Noticing that he had stopped, Cassie halted and turned to face him.


    Her eyes were blue and clear, devoid of any abnormality. He still chose to look away.


    ?What is the matter??


    Sunny smiled subtly and shrugged.


    ?I found what I was looking for.?


    She tilted her head a little.


    ?...What now, then??


    He hesitated for a bit, then sighed.


    ?Now... please excuse me for a moment, Saint Cassia.?


    Taking a step forward, he placed his hands on her delicate shoulders.


    And then, he pulled her into the shadows, teleporting both of them into the depth of the mountain.

 Chapter 1646: Dungeons & Daemons.

    Chapter 1646: Dungeons & Daemons.


    A moment later, the two of them were far below ground, with countless tons of stone hanging above their heads. If Sunny was not mistaken, the hidden sanctum he had found was most of the way to the bottom of the lake, at the very heart of the mountains.


    In the past, Sunny had not been able to carry living beings with him when stepping through the shadows with the sole exception of Nephis. It was different now that he was a Saint, though. He could pull much heavier inanimate objects with him, as well as actual people. The latter were very cumbersome, though, consuming a lot of his essence.


    Especially those whose souls were vast and powerful. Teleporting Cassie with him, and to such a remote place, had drained a good portion of his reserves.


    Sunny sighed inwardly and tried to take a deep breath.


    There was nothing to inhale, though.


    A strangely calm voice resounded in his head, startling him:


    [There is no air here.]


    It was Cassie''s voice,


    But why was she so calm?


    Sunny glanced at the blind seer with a hint of confusion, then shrugged and summoned the Quintessence Pearl. A few seconds later, a beautiful white pearl appeared in his hand. This time, Sunny did not place it in his mouth, keeping It between himself and Cassie. Soon, the two of them were able to breathe again.


    ?Please stay close, Saint Cassia.?


    Saints could keep their breath for much longer than mundane people, so neither of them had felt any discomfort in these few moments. Still, he had expected that Cassie would be at least a little startled.


    But then again... why would she be? Cassie did not receive visions of the future anymore, but her Awakened Ability was functioning perfectly fine. She must have known that Sunny would use Shadow Step a few seconds before he had, and saw him summoning the Quintessence Pearl before he ever did.


    Cassie usually acted in a way that made people forget about this Ability of hers, but if one stopped to think about it, she had every conversation and witnessed every event twice. For as long as her Awakened Ability was active, it was all but impossible to surprise her. And she would have definitely kept it active while sneaking a suspicious Saint into a Sovereign''s stronghold.Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com


    Her Ascended Ability, meanwhile, seemed to have undergone a change, Unless she was using a Memory to communicate with him telepathically, it was that Ability of hers that allowed her to talk to people she had marked.


    Sunny was well-acquainted with this manner of conversation thanks to the Shroud of Dusk, so he wasn''t worried about thinking an unwanted thought aloud.


    ?Huh. Convenient.?


    No wonder Nephis had seemed so well-informed about his Shadows when they met in the Nameless Temple.


    Cassie, meanwhile, looked like she was having similar thoughts. Facing Sunny, she tilted her head a little and asked:


    ?A spatial movement Ability??


    She turned her head sharply, but Sunny simply continued in a carefree tone:


    ?So, what I am trying to find here is lost knowledge... and, if I am lucky, something just as forbidden.?


    With that, Sunny grabbed the handle, turned it, and pushed the door open. Or, at least, he tried to.


    The door didn''t budge.


    Scowling slightly, Sunny put more strength into it. He had a lot of strength as a Transcendent Terror and yet, the door didn''t move.


    ?Is it locked? But there is no lock. Have the hinges rusted through? No, wait...?


    ?You should try pulling.?


    Sunny coughed awkwardly, then pulled instead of pushing.


    The door opened easily, and the hinges produced no noise,


    ?...I was just going to, Yeah.?


    Cassie did not say anything and walked over, stopping just behind him. Sunny tensed slightly.


    ?Why is she standing so close? Oh, right... I told her to, because of the Quintessence Pearl...?


    ?So, what kind of knowledge do you hope to find??


    He walked out of the stone chamber and stopped, studying the long corridor beyond.


    ?Oh, you know... nothing too unexpected. Why did the Doom War start? How did it end? Who won? How did the gods die? How did the daemons die? Where are their corpses??


    Sunny took a deep breath and added nonchalantly:


    ?Why was the Nightmare Spell created? What is its purpose? What happened to its creator? Simple stuff like that...?


    Of course, there was another goal Sunny was pursuing, and another thing he wanted to find.


    The remaining parts of Weaver''s forbidden lineage... he wanted them. He wasn''t satisfied with only having an incomplete collection of fragments.


    Not anymore, at least.

 Chapter 1647: Infinity Mirror

    Chapter 1647: Infinity Mirror


    ''Now, this... is going to be a problem.��


    Standing on the threshold, Sunny studied the long corridor. It stretched in both directions as far as he could see, bending slightly. The stone floor was smooth and even, while the tall ceiling was illuminated by a scattering of softly glowing gemstones. The turquoise gems were embedded into it, dimly drowning the corridor in pale light.


    The problem was with the walls.


    Both of them were perfectly smooth and seamless, as if the corridor had been formed inside the mountain by some unknown means instead of being constructed. Much worse, their glossy surface was reflective... the walls of the corridor were like two endless mirrors.


    Remembering what Cassie had said, Sunny frowned.


    The blind seer inhaled deeply behind him.


    "Oh, my."


    Her voice was somber.


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then asked neutrally:


    "Left or right?"


    Cassie answered with a hint of confusion:


    "Why are you asking me?"


    He scratched the back of his head and shrugged.


    "Why not? My luck is pretty much non-existent. So, I''ll trust your intuition."


    She tilted her head a little.


    "Really? Because my intuition tells me to get out of here as soon as possible."


    "Yeah, I should have expected that answer...


    Sunny closed his eyes for a second, then cleared his throat.


    "...On second thought, why don''t we just go left?"


    The moment the two of them stepped into the corridor, their reflections appeared on the polished walls. Since the two endless mirrors were positioned directly opposite each other, the reflections stretched into infinity, forming countless mirrored corridors. When Sunny took a step, a legion of his reflections took a step. When Cassie followed, a legion of her reflections followed, too.


    They were surrounded by a myriad of identical copies of themselves, marching in step with them on both sides.


    Suddenly, he felt very uneasy.


    "...You said not to answer if a reflection speaks to me, right?"


    The only sound that broke the silence was the soft rustle of Cassie''s clothes. Sunny''s steps, meanwhile, were completely noiseless


    But then...


    Another sound broke the silence, making him stop in his tracks.


    It was the quiet, but unmistakable sound of a glass surface cracking.


    Sunny froze for a moment.


    ��...To hell with this.��


    Turning around, he grabbed Cassie and immediately used Shadow Step to teleport back in the direction they had come. Without shadow sense, he could only jump as far as he could see after a swift series of consecutive jumps, Sunny returned them to the small stone chamber and shut the door, then slumped tiredly on the floor.


    "Damn. I hate mirrors so much..."


    Come to think of it, there had to be some connection between the reason he tended to avoid mirrors and this place. Mordret must have visited Bastion before being handed to Asterion... had he perhaps encountered something strange here? Or maybe his mother?


    Cassie quietly straightened her clothes and sat down, as well. Neither of them were physically tired, but being on edge for extended periods of time inevitably led to mental fatigue,


    She was silent for a while, then asked:


    "So, what now, Sunny? Are we turning back?"


    He glanced at her darkly and remained motionless for a moment.


    Then, he shook his head.


    "No."


    With that, Sunny raised his free hand and summoned another Memory.


    A few moments later, a small lantern carved out of black stone appeared on his palm. Cassie turned her head and concentrated on it, a slight frown appearing on her face.


    "A lantern?"


    He nodded.


    "Indeed. However, it is a very special one. This lantern does not produce light. Instead, it swallows it."


    What was a reflection? It was light that had been cast back. Therefore, much like shadows, reflections could not exist without light.


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny stood up and opened the door of the stone chamber again. At the same time, he opened the gate of the Shadow Lantern.


    A moment later, a torrent of shadows surged into the mirror corridor, flooding it with impenetrable darkness,

 Chapter 1648: Lost in Reflection

    Chapter 1648: Lost in Reflection


    A torrent of shadows flowed into the corridor, submerging it in total darkness. The light of the glowing gemstones was swallowed and disappeared without trace, turning them bleak and lifeless.


    Sunny had summoned a swarm of vast and ancient shadows to do the job. These old shadows were unfathomable - it would have taken an equally potent source of light to dispel them. The gemstones had been created from the mind of the Demon of Imagination, true... perhaps they would have chased away the darkness if the shadows were alone.


    But they were in the presence of their Lord, and that alone made them much more tyrannical.


    A few moments later, a long stretch of the corridor had turned completely lightless. The infinity mirror of its walls was now dull and empty. Nothing reflected on their dim surface, and no reflection haunted the hidden sanctum.


    Sunny let out a quiet sigh.


    ''Who knew that I would use this trick today?��


    What he had done was not pure improvisation. Instead, it was one of the methods he had contemplated when thinking about how to deal with Mordret,


    Cassle seemed impressed.


    "These shadows... obey you?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "If I treat them nicely."


    Wild shadows were like that. Most were devoted to Sunny, but some were obstinate and willful. The former would obey him out of affection or reverence, but the latter needed to be coaxed and enticed.


    "Let''s go."


    The two of them returned to the corridor. It seemed much smaller without the countless reflections stretching endlessly into the ghostly distance. Claustrophobic, even - still, Sunny felt much more at ease now than he had before.


    Cassie suddenly spoke, drawing his attention:


    "Are we going left again?"


    Sunny smiled.


    "That is a good question!


    "No... let''s try right this time."


    They turned right and started walking at a measured pace. The shadows moved with them, keeping the corridor dark both ahead and behind. Just like that, Sunny and Cassie advanced forward for a while,


    Then, they encountered an intersection. A similar corridor crossed the one they had been traversing, and so, Sunny had another choice to make.


    He frowned slightly and decided to turn right again. The second corridor had a slight bend to it, as well, so it was Impossible to see far ahead... some time later, there was another intersection.


    And then another, and another.


    Cassie frowned, remained silent for a few moments, then nodded.


    "Fine. I will guide you inside the castle once again, next month. In exchange for another memory."


    Sunny dismissed the Endless Spring and suppressed a chuckle.


    "Why did she put on a show if we both knew that she would agree?"


    "It''s a date, then."


    He froze for a moment, then added hurriedly:


    "No, wait. It''s not a date. I misspoke. It''s a... well... an arrangement. You know what I mean."


    Cassie observed him with a hint of amusement, then shrugged.


    "As you wish. Now... I think it''s time for me to receive my payment."


    Sunny sighed. He had not been looking forward to this part...


    "Fine. We have a bit of time left, so let''s do it here."


    As long as he returned to the lake before sunrise, there was no safer place in Bastion than this labyrinth, Here, they were hidden from the King''s gaze, and no one would disturb them.


    ''I still hate it!


    Sunny led Cassie into the stone chamber, called the shadows back into the lantern, and closed the door


    Then, he sat on the floor, cross-legged. Cassie sat down in front of him and calmly looked him in the eyes, her back perfectly straight.


    "One memory. Of your choosing."


    Sunny nodded slowly.


    She took a deep breath.


    "Then think about what you want me to see."


    He did.


    The bitter cold. The dim twilight. The cracking of ice as he broke through it and climbed onto the desolate shore... the dark storm of seething emotions raging in his hollow heart...


    Cassie''s beautiful blue eyes suddenly glistened, pulling him into their depths, changing...


    And in the next moment, Sunny gasped.

 Chapter 1649: Memory of Ice.

    Chapter 1649: Memory of Ice.


    A cold ocean washed the shore of a desolate land, its waves frozen and unmoving. The empty sky seemed dim and uncaring, the sun hidden behind a somber veil. The land itself was silent and forlorn, its lifeless expanse buried in snow.


    Not far from the shore, the layer of ice shackling of the ocean suddenly fractured and exploded, revealing the restless surface of the dark water. A pale hand rose above the edge and dug into the ice with crushing force. A moment later, a gaunt young man climbed from the cold water, stepping on the frozen waves with a chilling expression on his sunken, alabaster face.


    His appearance was both tantalizing and frightening. The young man only wore the tattered remains of a military bodysuit, which was mostly gone. His fair skin was as white as snow, marred by countless gruesome, but eerily bloodless wounds. His eyes, on the contrary, were as dark as the depths of a lightless abyss. The black silk of his wet hair moved slightly in the frigid wind.


    He looked like the wretched corpse of a drowned deity that had crawled out of a frozen hell.


    His slender torso was mostly bare, revealing an intricate tattoo of a coiling serpent that covered most of his arms, chest, and back. The dark serpent was so lifelike that it almost seemed like its onyx scales were moving under the young man''s skin.


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, looking at the desolate landscape in front of him. Then, he took a step forward.


    Finally, after so much time had passed, he was back at the Antarctic Center.


    He had returned to Falcon Scott.


    When he took the second step, his gruesomely torn skin was already healing. When he took the third, the intricate plates of a battered onyx armor covered his mangled body, shielding it from the cold and wind.


    ?It looks the same.?


    After the Third Nightmare, when all was said and done, Sunny had returned to the Northern Quadrant among the refugees. He spent some time there, taking care of unfinished business �� not that there was a lot for him to do after being erased from the world. Meeting Rain was the very last thing he did. Then, untethered from everything and everyone, he set his sights back on Antarctica.


    Sunny stared at the cliffs for some time, then turned his gaze away. He wasn''t quite ready to enter the city yet.


    He spent several hours roaming the shore aimlessly, as if looking for something. The frigid cold was absolutely lethal, but Sunny paid it no attention. His shadow sense spread far and wide, enveloping a vast area of the desolate land.


    ?Where is it... where is it...?


    In the end, he stopped and stared at the ground silently, Finally, there was a hint of emotion on his face. Sunny raised a trembling hand and covered his eyes, a brittle smile twisting his lips.


    He couldn''t find it. The grave where he had buried his soldiers... he had not been quite in right mind back then, and the terrain had been changed a lot by the snow and Ice. So, he simply did not know where the resting place of Belle, Dorn, and Samara was anymore.


    ?Ah... damn it...?


    A stifled sound escaped from his mouth, and then, Sunny angrily struck the rusted remains of a broken MWP that lay nearby, covered with snow.


    There was a thunderous boom, and the massive machine exploded. Jagged pieces of alloy shot into the distance like deadly shrapnel, while its torso was sent flying. It collided against the cliffs a hundred or so meters away, causing an entire section of the cliffside to fracture and collapse in an avalanche of shattered rocks.


    Unfazed, Sunny raised his head to the sky and let out a distorted scream, then looked down, his eyes boiling with dark fury.


    ?Kill it... I will rip that thing apart...?


    Gritting his teeth, he breathed in the cold air of Antarctica and headed for the ruins of the city.

 Chapter 1650: Frozen City.

    Chapter 1650: Frozen City.


    Sunny did not know what he expected to see in Falcon Scott. He didn''t even know why he felt compelled to enter it... and yet, he did enter it, walking along the silent streets with a distant expression on his pale face. He came here precisely because he didn''t want to, reluctant see the monument to his failure. He owed to himself, and to those people whom he had failed to protect, to witness their final resting place in all its horrid glory.


    Perhaps it was simply because now that no one remembered him, Sunny wanted to at least remember himself. Even the things he would have wanted to forget.


    The city was pretty much exactly like he had imagined.


    It was a frozen graveyard. The fatal cold of the Winter Beast''s blizzard had killed everyone in what seemed like mere moments. The corpses were hidden inside the buildings or buried under snow, so the city seemed utterly empty.


    They had not suffered, at least...


    Some buildings had collapsed in the past months under the weight of the ice. Others stood like colossal gravestones... or frigid mausoleums, maybe, for those who had perished inside. Strangely enough, no Nightmare Creatures seemed to have entered the city to feast on the corpses. It was as though the Winter Beast had marked this place as its territory.


    Sunny passed a few familiar structures... the barracks where the Irregulars had been stationed, the government compound, the dormitory tower where Beth and Professor Obel had lived. His mind was flooded with memories, which only made his mental state deteriorate further.


    It was a strange thing, to be alone.


    Now that Sunny was alone, erased from existence, he felt no compulsion to control his emotions or maintain the illusion of normalcy. There was no one to witness him fall apart, anyway, and nobody to get the wrong impression of him. There were no tethers connecting him to the world, yes... but, as it turned out, those same tethers had been like supports that held his mind together.


    He must have looked quite disturbing from the side.


    Only now that Sunny was truly and utterly alone did he realize how much of his habits and behavior had been dictated by the need to blend in with his environment... with human society. Now, he didn''t have to bother with maintaining acceptable expressions, keeping improper feelings from his gaze, and saying the right words.


    Or saying anything at all, really.


    ?Maybe I should do all these things, anyway.?


    He suspected that giving in to this utter freedom would make him slip into some sort of derangement eventually, but couldn''t bother to care.


    Finally, he reached the crumbled remains of the city wall and spent some time gazing at the snowy field beyond.


    Climbing over the wreckage, Sunny jumped down, turned his body light enough to walk on the snow, and left the ghost of Falcon Scott behind.


    This was probably the last time he would ever see It. But that... was fine.


    Turning his head, Sunny studied the ugly creature and then took a step toward it.


    ?Where are you going? Who allowed you to leave??


    Approaching the abomination, he crouched beside it and stared into its frenzied eyes with a smile.


    The creature''s terrifying maw was less than a meter away from his face, but Sunny didn''t care.


    ?You chose a wrong day to exist, wretch. Ah, but it''s for the best. It''s exactly what I need!?


    He outstretched one hand, sensing the Soul Serpent slither forth. Soon, a torrent of darkness flowed from his fingers onto the snow, forming into a massive Shadow.


    That Shadow was not a great serpent, however. Instead, it took the form of a towering creature that had two stumpy legs, an emaciated, hunched torso and disproportionately long, multi-jointed hands two of them, each ending with a set of horrifying bone claws, and another two, these ones shorter, ending with almost human-like fingers.


    Its body was covered in ragged inky-black fur, and there were five glossy black eyes on its head. Beneath them, a terrible maw crowding with razor-sharp teeth was half-open, as though in anticipation. Viscous drool was running down the creature''s chin and dripping into the snow.


    The most unnerving part, though, were the strange shapes endlessly moving, worm-like, under the creature''s skin.


    It was the Mountain King. Or rather, a version of the Mountain King that looked as if it had been dipped into a pool of liquid darkness.


    Sunny''s cold smile widened a little, his dark eyes gleaming with sinister will.


    ?Go on. This one will be the first.?


    Serpent took a heavy step forward and grabbed the struggling abomination with its powerful hand. Then, one of the worm-like larvae moving under his skin crawled from under his claws and burrowed into the monster''s flesh.


    The Nightmare Creature froze for a moment, and then let out a chilling wail.


    A moment later, its body contorted in a terrible convulsion.


    Sunny grinned darkly.


    ?...But not the last, No, not at all.?

 Chapter 1651: New Predator

    Chapter 1651: New Predator


    The [Formless] Ability allowed Serpent to assume the form of any shadow resting in Sunny''s soul, Inheriting its powers and abilities. The shadow had to be of the same or lower Rank and Class, which meant that the most powerful form Serpent could currently assume was that of the Sybil of the Fallen Grace... the Terror of LO49.


    And, in fact, that form was suited for Sunny''s goal much better than the Mountain King. However, Serpent had to maintain the transformation with its own essence, and could not sustain such a powerful shape for a long time, let alone constantly.


    Once the Shadow''s essence was exhausted, the effects of those powers it had assumed would be gone. In other words, if Sunny had ordered Serpent to turn into the harrowing Sybil and enthrall a swarm of Nightmare Creatures, those abominations would have been released from the mind hex before too long.


    The Mountain King, meanwile, was merely an Awakened Tyrant. As a Transcendent Terror, Serpent could maintain that form almost indefinitely, especially after Sunny augmented it with the shadows. That was exactly what he needed in order to collect a small army of abominable thralls,


    It was funny... the Larvae the Mountain King spawned were Dormant Beasts. Therefore, his first thrall was also a Dormant Beast - but one wearing a Fallen Monster''s corpse. What exactly did it make him, Sunny did not know. Nor did he care that much.


    Come to think of it...


    Sunny glanced at the towering figure of the Soul Serpent, then at the hideous creature laying obediently on the snow. He sighed.


    By now, Serpent had to possess at least two new Abilities since it had risen in Class twice while following Rain, and in Rank once. But without the Spell conveniently informing Sunny about what these Abilities did, he had no way of knowing what they were.


    There had not been a lot of time for research and experimentation, either, while he was traversing the toxic wilderness of the Northern Quadrant and fighting his way through the depths of the ocean.


    All he had was a suspicion that one of these Abilities had to do with Serpent''s weapon form, while the other one had to do with souls and spirit essence. However, he wasn''t sure.


    ��Well. I''ll find out later.��


    Once the Winter Beast was dead, there would be no serious threats left in the Antarctic Center for a while... at least until the powerful abominations in East Antarctica sensed its absence and crossed the half-frozen strait.


    He even started to enjoy the slaughter after a while.


    ...Not all of them died, of course.


    From time to time, he chose a Nightmare Creature to be infected with a Mountain King''s Larva. Slowly but surely, his swarm of thralls grew, which made it harder to hide them. Eventually, he had to abandon stealth and advance forward openly. Sunny hoped that a horde of Nightmare Creatures would attack him, but sadly, the number of abominations seemed to have dwindled under the Winter Beast''s reign.


    The great hordes of Nightmare Creatures were nowhere to be seen. Some must have migrated south, some had succumbed to cold, and some could have even crossed the strait to East Antarctica. Only the strongest and most resilient abominations remained... and these were the abominations Sunny hunted.


    There were creatures of all kinds following him now. He did not choose the most powerful monstrosities or the most lethal to enthrall, so their combat power was not that impressive. What he pursued was variety... variety of types, shapes, forms, elemental affinities, and resistances.


    These thralls were not meant to kill the Winter Beast, after all. They were only meant to help Sunny find a way to kill the creature himself.


    The further inland he went, the colder it became. There were lesser Nightmare Creatures around, too, since fewer and fewer of them could withstand the dreadful cold. Even Sunny himself was starting to feel uncomfortable, hiding from the cutting wind and wearing Ananke''s Mantle to warm himself.


    By the time he reached the ruins of Erebus Field, the cold was almost lethal.


    Here in the vicinity of Mount Erebus, though, Sunny could at least breathe easily. The siege capital that had once stood at the foot of the volcano was destroyed by Goliath. The ruins were mostly drowned in lava - the lava had long turned to stone, of course, which was now buried by snow.


    Still, the heat coming from below the ground made this area a little bit warmer.


    Standing on a cliff above the snowy plain, Sunny took a deep breath and studied it carefully.


    ��...It will do.��


    There was no better battlefield in the Antarctic Center if he wanted to kill the Winter Beast.

 Chapter 1652: Terrible Challenger

    Chapter 1652: Terrible Challenger


    Two weeks after Sunny had returned to Antarctica, he stood on a cliff overseeing a vast scene of devastation. In front of him, a great valley was formed from collapsed mountains and stone debris, the ruinous landscape now covered in ice and snow.


    This was the place where Sky Tide, Wake of Rui?n, and Dire Fang had battled the three emerged Titans - Whispering Legion, Goliath, and Winter Beast. The Whispering Legion had been slain, while the other two calamitous abominations drove the Saints away. An entire span of the mountain range had been demolished in the process.


    There were Nightmare Gates hidden under the crushed stone, without a doubt, or maybe above it.


    Sunny could not see, because most of the valley was hidden by a raging blizzard. This blizzard was the very same that had once enveloped Falcon Scott, sapping the lives of all its remaining inhabitants.


    It was the manifestation of the Winter Beast''s authority,


    The air was so cold that each breath Sunny took felt like he was swallowing a scattering of sharp knives,


    Not paying it any attention, he was gazing down with an expressionless face, his eyes drowning in deep darkness. His gaunt body was encased in fearsome onyx armor, and that armor was shrouded in darkness.


    Out there in the valley, far below, a long line of Nightmare Creatures was advancing into the blizzard. Their movements were still and unnatural, as if they were corpses animated by some unknown force. But, at the same time, none of them showed any fear or hesitation. Neither did they show the demented frenzy inherent to most abominations.


    They just slowly marched into the snow, stretching into a wide line that seemed to encompass the front of the blizzard.


    A few moments later, the first of the Nightmare Creatures collapsed, its corpse swiftly becoming encased in ice.


    Standing on the tall cliff, Sunny pursed his lips in disdain.


    ��Weak.''


    Not that he needed these useless things to be strong. No, their purpose was different... it was to show him which type of Nightmare Creature was the most resistant to the Winter Beast''s cold.


    Killing the wretched Titan in such a fashion was bound to be much more satisfying.


    Down in the crumbled valley, the blizzard suddenly expanded, as if coming to life. A terrible wind blew, crushing into Sunny with a chilling force. The wall of swirling snow and ice particles slowly advanced, moving in his direction.


    A dark smile split his face in half.


    "Look at that, Serpent. We seem to have been spotted."


    He had hoped that hiding in the shadows on top of a distant mountain would be enough to throw the Titan off his scent, but he had been wrong. Perhaps the creature had been aware of his presence all along, but did not bother to react until he dared to challenge it directly.


    In any case, the Corrupted Titan, Winter Best, was finally rising to deal with the Transcendent Terror, Sunless.


    Sunny let out a sigh, then moved his shoulders to stretch his stiff muscles.


    "I guess I''ll have to finish the preparations faster.��


    With that, he glanced at the towering figure of the Mountain King that stood in the darkness behind him.


    Under his gaze, the tyrant suddenly turned into a torrent of black liquid, which then reformed itself into a different, equally ghastly abomination.


    A Spire Messenger now stood on the edge of the cliff, its terrifying black beak cutting the wind like a dark blade. The creature''s pale body was utterly black, and its many powerful limbs pierced the ice with long, sharp talons.


    Throwing one last look at the approaching snowstorm, Sunny jumped onto its back. In the next moment, the mighty wings of the creature raised a hurricane, and it shot into the air, carrying him back in the direction of Erebus Field.


    The snowstorm followed.

 Chapter 1653: Erebus

    Chapter 1653: Erebus


    The monstrous Spire Messenger tore apart the gelid wind as it raced across the frigid vastness of the twilight sky. Behind it, a churning wall of dancing snow crawled slowly, devouring the world like a hungry beast.


    There was a gaunt figure kneeling on the back of the flying monster, clutching at its black feathers with an onyx gauntlet.


    Sunny did not look back, knowing that Serpent was much faster than the pursuing titan. In that, at least, they held an advantage.


    ''It will catch up soon enough, though.�� for new novels


    He was contemplating the results of sacrificing his swarm of thralls.


    None of them had been able to withstand the lethal cold of the Winter Beast''s domain for long, which meant that there was no type of resistance that could help Sunny survive there - at least none he could find in a short amount of time.


    The thralls had perished swiftly, sapped of warmth of life. Their bodies fell into the snow, slowly turning into ice sculptures.


    The conclusion, then... was that Sunny had to use something other than a living being to reach the heart of the snowstorm. That would suggest that an undead creature would fare better, but that was not true, There had been a few ghouls among the thralls, and they died just the same.


    ''But there is a much simpler solution.��


    He didn''t have to enter the heart of the sinister blizzard himself or send one of his Shadows. He could simply... use an Inanimate object.


    A projectile.


    Indeed, the simplest solution was most often the correct one. The best way to kill the Winter Beast was to simply bring down a deluge of ranged attacks on its head... or whatever it was that it had instead of a head.


    Sunny had not been able to do something like that in the past because there was no telling where the titan''s actual manifestation hid within the vast snowstorm. Now, however... his shadow sense could extend across many kilometers. Even if he failed to find the Winter Beast''s precise location, he could at least pinpoint the general area.


    ��That is if that thing even has a physical body. For all I know, it could be a sentient storm.��


    That was one of the risks he had to face. The other problem was actually delivering a ranged attack across such a vast distance. Not only was it physically hard, but the fatal cold and the hurricane wind raging within the snowstorm would become an obstacle... the closer one got to its heart, the worse they became,


    As split second later, though...


    The world shook.


    Cracks formed on the vast field of snow, and far behind him, the mouth of Mount Erebus suddenly exploded with a gargantuan pillar of ash. A terrifying gust of hot wind rolled across the desolate landscape, pushing back the cold for a moment. Then, the volcano shone with an angry red glow, and a fountain of incandescent lava shot skyward with a deafening roar.


    Mount Erebus was erupting.


    Of course, it did not just happen to erupt precisely when Sunny needed it. Instead, he had sent Fiend into its depths to find a ripe magma chamber and cause an eruption when the time was right.


    With Goliath having already destabilized the entire region, doing so was not too hard. And with Fiend''s robust steel carapace and fire affinity, he could survive inside a volcanic explosion without much trouble, Granted... the little hoodlum would not be happy with its master once he returned.


    If both of them survived what was coming next, of course.


    As the wall of swirling snow approached Sunny from the front, devouring the world, a rolling cloud of ash spread from Mount Erebus behind him. The stench of sulfur permeated the frigid air, cold wind crashing into a wave of heat in an invisible collision. Sunny''s hair danced as a vast darkness swallowed the sky, plunging the icy plain in its shadow.


    As everything around him became enveloped in shadows, a sinister smile appeared on Sunny''s pale face.


    He stretched, and then slowly rose to his feet.


    The cold darkness dwelling in his eyes finally exploded, turning into vicious glee.


    Looking at the approaching storm, Sunny raised his fist and said, his voice trembling with barely suppressed rage:


    "Hey, Winter Beast... do you remember me?"


    Then, his voice grew calmer, and colder, full of murderous wrath.


    "...Probably not, But I remember you.��

 Chapter 1654: Opening Salvo

    Chapter 1654: Opening Salvo


    As ash rained from the sky and the ground quaked, Sunny inhaled deeply and extended his shadow sense as far as he could. Soon, his mind was flooded with an avalanche of sensory data, almost making him dizzy.


    He was still unaccustomed to how vast his sight was now. Of course, he didn''t actually see anything... but after years of perceiving the shapes and movements of the shadows, it was not much different. Sunny had tested his limits while relying on his shadow sense to stay alive in the ocean, but the dark depths were different from land. They were unfathomable and empty, with nothing but the cold currents to see.


    Here in the Antarctic Center, though, there was almost too much to sense.


    Further, further, and further still... Sunny filtered out the useless data to keep his Transcendent mind from overloading and reached across many kilometers of cracking ice toward the approaching snowstorm.


    Soon, he sensed the shadows trembling from the lethal cold. Even they were not spared from the cruel tyranny of the Winter Beast.


    ''Somewhere between forty and fifty kilometers.... this is as far as I can reach.��


    His shadow sense reached further than his actual sight, which was limited due to the curvature of Earth. And yet, it wasn''t enough to find the heart of the vast blizzard - at least not until it got closer and enveloped him.


    ''Still, it is already close enough for the initial greeting.��


    Sunny extended a hand. A thin pillar of darkness rose from the ground, growing to stand at almost twice his height. Then, it solidified, turning into a inky-black javelin with a needle-sharp tip. He grasped and weighed it, looking at the towering wall of swirling snow with a cold expression.


    He had created the javelin in the image of the Siege Souvenir - a similar weapon he had once fashioned to slay Goliath. The original Souvenir had been made from the quill of a Corrupted abomination, while this one was merely a manifested shadow. However, that shadow had been suffused with his Transcendent essence, and was thus equal to a Transcendent weapon.


    A uniquely powerful one at that, due to the fact that his soul had been altered by Soul Weave.


    Sadly, the shadow javelin lacked the powerful enchantments that the real Siege Souvenir had possessed. Still... it was not bad for an opening salvo,


    Exhaling slowly, Sunny took a step forward. Using the full augmentation of his five shadows, he infused a torrent of essence into his muscles and tendons, pushed against the ground with his feet, and strained his entire body to whip his hand forward and send the javelin into the dark sky.


    The moment he threw it, the world quaked again.


    Sunny smiled.


    "Let''s make it a bit more exciting, then."


    As the first torrents of snow swirled around him and plunged the world into unbearable cold, Sunny raised his head to the dark sky and laughed.


    A few moments later, his laughter disappeared abruptly, and his face suddenly turned still, Only his eyes gleamed with a strange, dark excitement.


    Something stirred in their depths...


    And at the same time, the darkness around Sunny stirred, as well.


    Dozens of inky-black pillars rose from the ground, followed by dozens more. They rose into the swirling stow like the fangs of a dragon, their needle-sharp points parting the wind with shrill whistles.


    Then, just as many tendrils of darkness wrapped around the shadow javelins, turning into inky-black hands. Each hand had seven fingers, ending with sharp claws.


    Sunny raised a hand, and at the same time, the shadow hands raised the great javelins.


    He stared into the swirling snow with a cold smile.


    He was not satisfied with being a Transcendent siege engine. To welcome the Winter Beast, he was prepared to summon forth an entire division''s worth of devastating artillery.


    "I''m going to drown you, bastard."


    Letting out a low growl, he waved his hand forward.


    The world seemed to shatter from the thunderous roar when countless black javelins tore the swirling snow apart and shot into the depths of the raging blizzard.

 Chapter 1655: Rain of Destruction

    Chapter 1655: Rain of Destruction


    Dozens of black javelins shot into the raging snow, violently tearing a path through the blizzard. Each weighed more than a ton and moved with supersonic speed... the devastation they could visit upon the desolate landscape of the Antarctic Center was immeasurable.


    But much more important than the kinetic force they carried was the mystical force of their Transcendent nature. In the world of the Nightmare Spell, there were rules and laws that trampled reason... a Corrupted Titan like the Winter Beast could shrug off a railgun shell, but it couldn''t ignore the blade of a Saint.


    Sunny had always known about this odd dichotomy, but only now that he was a Transcendent had he gained a hint of understanding regarding it. He had vaguely sensed on many occasions the world pushing against him, and his will pushing back against the world.


    The higher one''s Rank was, the more they were able to resist the pressure of the mundane and forcefully exert their will upon the world... as well as other living beings populating it, when two transcendent wills clashed.


    That was why, perhaps, a powerful abomination could survive a nuclear blast, but not a blow delivered to it by an Awakened such as him. Because an explosion did not carry an Awakened''s lethal will.


    In any case, the Winter Beast was going to have a problem dealing with the black javelins, both because of the mundane force they carried, and the mystical force infused in them.


    That was if Sunny could actually hit the creature, of course.


    Blinded by snow, he closed his eyes and concentrated on sensing the shadows. His body was assaulted by unbearable cold, the crushing wind trying to bring him down. The wind was growing more ferocious, and the cold was becoming more calamitous by the second. The waves of heat rolling off the exploding volcano lessened the cruelty of the snowstorm a little, but not by much.


    Counting the seconds, Sunny concentrated on the distant place where the cold was the most terrible. Out there, even shadows could not withstand it, becoming frozen and still. There was a vast blind spot in his field of perception... so, even though he could not sense the body of the Winter Beast, he knew where to aim the javelins.


    ''Come on.��


    There were almost fifteen seconds left before his missiles reached the target area. Which did not mean that Sunny would simply wait patiently...


    "Serpent."


    Responding to his voice, the giant creature turned into a tide of darkness and flowed under his armor. A few moments later, it had already turned into a serpentine tattoo.


    "Curses."


    The very first javelin had survived more than twenty seconds in the snowstorm. But the force of the wind and the fatal cold were much more dire close to the area where the Winter Beast was hiding some of the shadow projectiles were thrown off course by the hurricane, falling into the snow with thunderous explosions,


    The rest were swallowed by the cold and sapped of power, turning dead and brittle. Despite how much effort Sunny had poured into them, the speed and power of the black javelins ended up being insufficient. Even if they struck the body of the titan, they would just shatter into ice without leaving a mark on it.


    As the fourth salvo shot into the snowstorm, Sunny dismissed the shadow hands and opened his eyes, looking ahead grimly. There was still hope... the Winter Beast was drawing closer with each second, so the second and third salvos would have spent less time in the blizzard by the time they reached its heart.


    And yet, Sunny felt pessimistic.


    Just as he had expected, the second salvo only managed to devastate a swathe of the plain in front of the titan''s intangible fortress of fatal cold. The third one was swallowed without leaving a scar on the storm.


    He grimaced.


    ''No, no... it''s for the better.��


    Sunny had been afraid that there would be no chance for him to clash with the wretched creature face-to-face. No, it seemed that his worries had been unfounded.


    If he wanted to kill something well, he had to kill it with his own two hands. Was that the saying?


    As he sighed and took a step back, the fourth and final salvo hit.


    However, it did not strike the heart of the snowstorm. Instead, each of the javelins struck a particular spot on the vast field of snow, producing an earth-shattering explosion.


    And in response to that devastating attack, the snow split open across the entire region, unleashing a torrent of angry red glow.

 Chapter 1656: Into the Storm

    Chapter 1656: Into the Storm


    The entire region where Erebus Field had once stood suddenly fractured. Vast fissures opened in the snow, widening with each moment. Immense sheets of snow tilted and slid underground, collapsing as they turned into billowing avalanches.


    At the same time, the fissures glowed with angry red light, and torrents of lava shot from them, devouring the plain. The world was enveloped by a raging blizzard, so no one would have been able to see the awesome spectacle of the fiery cataclysm - Sunny himself only saw flowers of orange glow blooming here and there in the howling darkness.


    He swayed, struggling to stay on his feet.


    The chain reaction of chaos and destruction that the fourth salvo of the black javelins had caused was his measure in case a melee clash with the Winter Beast seemed unavoidable. The terrible heat of the molten lava was not going to put a dent into the titanic snowstorm, of course - in fact, the lava was already turning into volcanic glass.


    However, more of it shot from underground. An immeasurable amount of snow had been instantly turned into great clouds of boiling steam, which then swiftly turned into a torrent of hail. The whole world was torn apart by the clash between the incinerating heat and the obliterating cold, becoming consumed by chaos,


    The cold was winning, of course..., but it was also being weakened, even if not by much. Considering that Sunny was about to face the very worst of it, though, every little bit counted.


    As for the sudden collapse of the snow field, that was Saint''s doing. Fiend had been responsible for starting the volcanic eruption, but Mount Erebus was at a distance. If Sunny wanted to drown the Winter Beast in lava, he had to make sure that the whole region would crack open.


    That was not that too hard to achieve, considering that the ruins of the siege capital buried under his feet were already unstable. With Saints creating channels for the lava to flow and deepening the already existing caverns, all Sunny had to do to cause a cascading collapse was deliver powerful shocks to shatter the meticulously prepared weak points in the icy crust.


    After that, nature would take its course.


    Of course, it was a bit degrading to use a great warrior like Saint to dig glorified trenches. But that was what made the Winter Beast so vile - its cold countered most of Sunny''s powers and made it impossible for his subordinates to fully exert theirs.


    ''I''ll just have to make sure it pays for that affront, as well.��


    As he felt the very life being slowly sapped from his body by the killing cold, Sunny took a few more steps back and then inhaled deeply, ignoring the feeling of his lungs being cut by icy blades,


    ''Not that far, now....��


    Then, his laughter turned into a chilling growl, and the towering giant exploded forward like a dark tsunami.


    An entire area of the snow field was obliterated by his initial push. A crushing shockwave spread from the point where Sunny''s foot dug into the ice, but he was moving faster than it.


    Faster, and faster, and faster still!


    The shadow giant tore through the snowstorm as he ran, effortlessly leaping over the vastest of fissures and sending fountains of incandescent lava into the sky when he stepped in them, as if stepping into puddles. His speed increased more and more, until it was as if a black meteor was flying above the snow, moving parallel to it.


    The bitter cold sank into the towering colossus, trying to shackle him and slow him down. But Sunny simply broke through the cold, even as he felt the outer layers of his Shell turn to ice.


    The heart of the snowstorm was already in front of him. He dove into its terrible embrace, trying to accelerate even more.


    In the end, the cold was just too much.


    With his giant body impacted by its fatal force, Sunny couldn''t keep up anymore. He lost his balance and fumbled, almost falling down. There was no time to take the next step.


    And yet, his speed was so great that he was carried forward by pure inertia.


    That inertia...


    Was just enough to bring him into the eye of the storm.


    There, Sunny finally saw the Winter Beast.


    The frozen lips of the Shadow Colossus shattered into pieces as he bared his teeth in a vicious grin.


    ''Well, aren''t you ugly...��

 Chapter 1657: Heart of Winter

    Chapter 1657: Heart of Winter


    The snowstorm manifested by the Winter Beast was like a rolling cataclysm, with devastating winds carrying a seething mass of swirling snow and tiny ice particles. Close to its heart, the ice particles were like a myriad of razor-sharp blades, shredding anything that had not been frozen by the unholy cold already.


    Each of the countless shards of ice had been a part of someone slain by the blizzard once, perhaps.


    And yet, absolute peace reigned in the heart of the storm. A vast area beyond the invisible fortress wall of suffocating cold was entirely devoid of wind, snow, and ice... everything was flawlessly still, as if nothing could move in this frigid kingdom, not even the winds of the blizzard itself.


    With the sky above shrouded by ash, it was dark here, with frozen rivers of lava glowing dimly as they turned to glass. The heat of the underground rivers of molten rock was powerless against the profane power of the Corrupted Titan... and yet, it was enough to buy Sunny a second or two more.


    The Winter Beast itself was floating above the ground in the middle of its frozen kingdom.


    When Sunny first saw it, he was taken aback.


    The creature... was eerie and grotesque, unlike anything he had ever seen. Just witnessing it made him feel appalled, as if his senses were trying to reject the existence of such a being.


    The Winter Beast could not be called a beast, at all. Instead, it was an expansive, ethereal structure made of ice, as if countless torrents of water had frozen when they exploded outward from a hidden source. It would have been beautiful if it wasn''t so... organic.


    Although the titan''s body was made of ice, it also looked like a living creature. The twisting pillars of ice vaguely resembled parts of a mangled body... limbs, organs, torn intestines, broken bones, and desiccated flesh. It was as though a giant being had been meticulously disassembled into countless parts, and then violently fused together in macabre disorder.


    There were dark shapes of other Nightmare Creatures fused into the ice here and there, as well, still and lifeless.


    The ice was pale and bleak, but the Winter Beast itself was nevertheless full of color.


    That was because numerous flowers bloomed on the ice, their petals an intense azure color. The contrast between their vibrant beauty and the appalling body of the creature beneath was hideously striking.


    Vast plumes of snow drifted from the flowers like pollen, shrouding the Winter Beast in a frosty haze,


    It was both beautiful and harrowing... but mostly harrowing.


    ...At the very heart of the eerle abomination, barely visible through the ice, a small shadow was encased in it. Sunny thought that it resembled the remains of a human being, but he wasn''t sure.


    And then...


    Sunny pulled the Winter Beast into the shadows.


    ''Let me help you off your throne, you abominable wretch...''


    In war, the best advantage one could gain was fighting on a battlefield of their choosing. Sunny was currently in the very heart of the Winter Beast''s storm, where his enemy wielded the most power. So...


    He was going to carry both of them away from this frozen hell.


    Shadow Step had undergone an evolution during his Transcendence, so Sunny could carry living beings with him now. Sadly, he could not leave them in the dark realm of shadows... but he could very well transport them to someplace else in the material world. The range of his teleportation had also increased drastically due to how far his shadow sense could reach.


    Of course, teleporting a Corrupted Titan against its will, and over a vast distance, was going to burn an immeasurable amount of his essence.


    But it was more than worth it.


    ''Come! Come with me, beast!"


    He would have grinned if his lips hadn''t been frozen and shattered already,


    Sunny exerted all of his power to pull the Winter Beast into the shadows. The titan tried to resist,but it was of no use. Perhaps if it had reacted sooner, or knew the enemy better, such an outcome could have been prevented... but not anymore.


    Even when the hands dragging the creature into the darkness turned to ice and shattered, it was already too late.


    In the next moment, unbelievably...


    The crumbling giant made of shadows and the appalling creature of azure flowers and pale ice suddenly disappeared from the frigid stillness of the snowstorm''s heart.


    ...A split second later, both of them emerged from the darkness in the infernal depths of Mount Erebus, plummeting into a vast lake of Incandescent magma.

 Chapter 1658: Burning Wrath

    Chapter 1658: Burning Wrath


    Sunny''s crumbling Shell and the eerie ice flower of the Winter Beast''s vessel plummeted from the darkness into the vast lake of bubbling magma. The frozen hell of the calamitous snowstorm had been left behind, and although Mount Erebus was already swallowed in its ruinous embrace, the unholy cold did not reach this underground cauldron.


    However, the Winter Beast had brought the cold, the snow, and the storm with it.


    The azure flowers growing from the corpses of the Nightmare Creatures that the ice had encased were still blooming with plumes of snow, and the creature itself was like the heart of an endless, empty, cold abyss.


    Several things happened before Sunny and his enemy plunged into the churning magma.


    First, the vast cloud of snow surrounding the Winter Beast instantly evaporated. Second, the surface of the fiery lake instantly cooled, turning into black glass. Third, the sudden changes in pressure and temperature, as well as the sudden expansion of a vast mass of boiling gas, caused a titanic explosion, throwing Sunny and the dreadful abomination apart.


    The explosion shattered the dome of the underground chamber and the crust of the recently frozen magma, which in turn started a chain reaction of devastating destruction.


    Far above and outside, the erupting Erebus shuddered and quaked, gargantuan stones exploding into the frigid air like cannonballs. A terrifying crack split one of its slopes, and after another cataclysmic quake, the entire side of the fuming mountain crumbled.


    Letting the wind, the ice, and the snow of the unholy storm pour deep into the Interior of the erupting volcano, where the blizzard came into contact with the endless mass of molten rock.


    A secondary explosion tore apart the snowstorm and shook the very heavens, much more terrifying than the first. As indescribable destruction spread, a towering mushroom cloud rose above the frozen ruins of Erebus Field, dwarfing the first one.


    All across the Antarctic Center, the ground shook. Avalanches rolled down from snowy peaks, and several mountains collapsed. The ice encasing the frozen ocean split open, and towering waves of black water rolled from below.


    Deep underground, Sunny felt like he was caught in the middle of a collapsing star. Bombarded by devastating concussive waves from all sides, wreathed in incinerating flames and suffocating cold, he moved his damaged Shell to dodge the giant boulders that fell from above.


    The boulders crashed into the crust of frozen magma, breaking it and causing immense geysers of molten rock to shoot upward. Those geysers were immediately frozen, turning into glass pillars, only to be shattered a moment later and collapse in a rain of obsidian shards.


    It was a scene of absolute chaos, like a chilling glimpse of fiery hell.


    Sunny wanted to laugh.


    ��...Did I complain that the battle was not exciting enough?��


    The Winter Beast was not damaged by the incandescent magma at all, even if it directly opposed the power of unholy cold. Instead, the entire lake of magma cooled, its very heart turning into a vast expanse of black glass.


    Thanks to that...


    The titan was momentarily trapped in obsidian, fused into it like the corpses of the Nightmare Creatures were fused into the hideous ice of its body.


    Sunny was full of furious glee at receiving that moment.


    Using the [Feather of Truth] trait of the Onyx Mantle, he turned himself as heavy as he could, and toppled straight onto the immobilized abomination.


    With no hands to deliver a blow, he brought his head down on the cracked ice. The force of the impact was so terrible that there was a flash of light, and the entire mountain shook.


    The dark giant''s skull cracked... but the cold carapace of the Winter Beast finally cracked, as well, a myriad of ice shards flying away.


    It moved, easily breaking free of the obsidian lake. The gargantuan stalks of ice moved as well, wrapping around Sunny and pulling him closer to the ice. At the same time, ice spikes formed below him, shooting forward to impale his mutilated Shell.


    The upper part of his broken head was already fused with the ice, turning still and brittle from the frost. Almost immobilized, Sunny was being swiftly assimilated into the Winter Beast''s body.


    All around him was pale ice, painted beautifully in shades of vivid azure.


    He was caught.


    ...Caught exactly where he wanted to be.


    Instead of trying to free himself from the icy tomb, Sunny used his broken limbs to push himself further down, into the fracture that he had created in the frigid carapace of the profane titan.


    And there...


    He snarled, and used his bared teeth to bite down ferociously on the vague shape at the heart of the eerie ice creature.

 Chapter 1659: Hour of Reckoning.

    Chapter 1659: Hour of Reckoning.


    The skull of Sunny''s battered Shell had cracked, and the upper part of it had fused with the ice. That part was torn off when he pushed what remained of his body into the fractured ice, spilling shadows like a tide of black blood.


    But his jaws were still intact.


    With most of his limbs gone and his colossal body swiftly turning into ice, Sunny let out a frenzied growl as he opened his skeletal maw and bit down on the small silhouette encased in the heart of the Winter Beast''s appalling vessel.


    Slicing it in half.


    A moment later, his teeth exploded into a rain of ice. His mutilated Shell was far too damaged, and would have already crumbled if it had not been fused into ice, becoming a part of it.


    His soul was cold, cold... cold enough that even the terrible pain ravaging it had been swallowed by a peaceful numbness. That peace was a herald of death.


    But none of it mattered.


    Because the moment Sunny destroyed the source of the Winter Beast, the abominable sculpture of Ice that served as its body shuddered.


    And then, it started to crack.


    He heard a gleeful laughter ring in his mind, breaking through the haze of stillness that was consuming it. Glee, triumph, vindication, pain, sorrow, guilt, hatred... countless emotions were fused into that laugh, creating an eerily disturbing mixture.


    Sunny recognized the laughter as his own.


    Or was it a scream?


    He was laughing... because the Winter Beast was dead. There was no Nightmare Spell to celebrate his Idll, but Sunny had sensed a trickle of shadow fragments entering his soul.


    The harrowing titan, Winter Beast, the bane of the Antarctic Center and the executioner of Falcon Scott, the abominable horror that had stolen the lives of Sunny''s soldiers and taught him how unbearably crushing a defeat can be, was gone.


    Slain by his own hand, no less.


    Vengeance... was so sweet.


    But that sweetness was also so indescribably bitter, because it carried the memories of what it was exactly that Sunny had longed to avenge.


    ?Ah...?


    Imprisoned in the depths of a frozen Shell, Sunny cut off his senses for a fleeting moment.


    Left alone in the darkness, he whispered:


    There was no sign of the vague silhouette that he had bitten in half anywhere in sight. It must have turned to ash like the rest of the corpses fused with the abomination.


    The remaining ice �� what had been the innermost core of the titan''s body once �� was not melting, but neither was it radiating a sense of fatal cold. That cold was there, still, but now, it seemed to be contained within the ice instead of spreading outward like a curse.


    In the flaming darkness of the obsidian lake, the mystical ice looked almost like frosty metal.


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then sighed, coughed violently, and summoned the Covetous Coffer.


    He placed everything Inside �� the soul shards, the fragments of frozen shadows, and the pieces of pale ice.


    ?It''s over.?


    The Winter Beast was dead. He had settled the score and avenged himself.


    He had avenged everyone else, as well.


    His business in Antarctica was finished.


    Suddenly, Sunny looked tired.


    He glanced around, his gaze a little lost, and then asked quietly:


    ?Now what??


    Of course, there was no response. There was no one to respond, either.


    In the silence of the obsidian lake, Sunny rubbed his face tiredly and closed his eyes.


    ?I''m tired... of this place.?


    Not the depths of Mount Erebus. Not the ruins of the Erebus Field, and not even the Antarctic Center.


    Sunny felt tired of this world.


    Nothing was holding him back here anymore.


    And so, he decided to leave.


    A dozen seconds later, his figure disappeared from Inside the broken volcano... and off the face of the Earth.


    He would not return to the waking world for three long, lonesome years.

 Chapter 1660: Fragments of a Fleeting Dream.

    Chapter 1660: Fragments of a Fleeting Dream.


    Cassie slowly closed her eyes and turned away from the young man sitting in front of her. His delicate appearance, polite demeanor, and modest smile...


    Were so unlike the frightening, unhinged demon she had witnessed in his memories.


    Witnessing one''s memories was a strange affair, because what had been and what people remembered were usually two different things. Memories were vague, disjointed, and fragile, like the fragments of a fleeting dream. Some were vibrant and deeply etched, some were dull and shallow.


    Some were bright. Most were full of sorrow.


    But the Shadow Saint possessed an unbelievably clear memory. It was striking, second only to Cassie''s own now that she had Transcended. It was as if nothing he had experienced were ever truly erased... at least not the details of the memory he had chosen to show her, which must have been important to him.


    What an irony, then, that his whole existence had been erased from the world.


    There was a problem with reading his memories, though.


    Firstly, the way the man who called himself Sunless perceived the world was simply too strange. Even Cassie, who was uniquely suited to having multiple points of view and had already experienced the way he sensed his surroundings through her Ascended Ability, found herself feeling dizzy from the avalanche of unfamiliar sights and sensations.


    Secondly, and more Importantly... there were countless gaps in her recollection of what she had seen. Those were the moments where the young man pretending to be a humble shopkeeper thought, spoke, or felt something about the places and events that had been erased from everyone''s memories.


    In the end, what she had witnessed �� or rather, could remember witnessing �� was even more disjointed than the memories of ordinary people.


    The chilling images...


    A young man with alabaster skin crawling from the black water on the cracked ice, his eyes brimming with unfathomable darkness. The eerie city where a terrible slaughter had taken place, but only emptiness remained. The days of slaughter across the desolate expanse of the abandoned continent, the snow turning crimson from the spilled blood. An aloof figure observing from a cliff as an army of enslaved Nightmare Creatures marched to their deaths into a raging blizzard.


    The furious battle under the slopes of an erupting volcano, The harrowing strength both the monster and the man had shown. The culmination of it all... and so much more.


    Cassie scowled.


    Why, why was it so hard to cling to the very idea of It?


    She had to know...


    Countless thoughts surfaced in her mind, clicking together as they assembled into chains of logic.


    ?The frozen siege capital... it must be Falcon Scott, the fallen bastion of the Antarctic Center. He had returned there as a former member of the First Evacuation Army.?


    ?That winged beast he used as a mount was unmistakably a Spire Messenger. I was right, after all... he was with us on the Forgotten Shore.?


    ?However, the Fire Keepers only joined the Southern Campaign after the Antarctic Center was swallowed by the Chain of Nightmares. Which means that he was never one of us. What relationship did we have? This strength... was he one of Gunlaug''s lieutenants? A prominent hunter of the outer settlement? Someone who paid tribute to live in the castle, like Kai and Aiko??


    He could have been sent to the Forgotten Shore the same year as Cassie and Nephis, but that was exceedingly unlikely. There had been only three people who reached the Dark City that year: Caster, Nephis... and Cassie herself, due to being dragged along by Nephis.


    Or... no... had there been someone else? Her memories were vague, which meant...


    Her train of thought broke apart and faded, even the memory of having such thoughts disappearing from her mind.


    She vaguely sensed what had happened and tried to retrace the steps of her logic, but to no avail. So, Cassie continued to think.


    And find more pleces to fill the vold.


    Sunny''s smile dimmed a little.


    ?Why would I harm Changing Star? She is the cornerstone of my survival, after all. And therefore, the integral part of my plans.?


    The blind seer raised an eyebrow.


    ?Your... plans? And what are you planning exactly, Lord Shadow... Sunny??


    He laughed, then abruptly fell silent.


    After a while, Sunny spoke in a subtly insidious tone:


    ?Well, the future might be unknown to me, but one thing is certain. Very soon, there will be a war for the throne of humanity. Anvil, Ki Song... maybe even that third one. They will clash, and knowing Changing Star, she will insert herself into that clash, somehow. To slaughter them.?


    He shrugged.


    ?So, why not make sure that when the dust settles, she is the one sitting on the throne? That is my plan. To hand her the crown. No matter how I feel about Changing Star, I absolutely despise those three ghouls... not to mention that I absolutely do not trust them to keep me alive. So, there''s that.?


    Cassie remained silent, facing him with a frown on her delicate face.


    Eventually, she turned away.


    ?...Time is short. The moon will disappear soon, so we must hurry to leave. I''ll be waiting for our meeting next month.?


    A crooked grin twisted Sunny''s lips.


    ?As you wish, Saint Cassia.?


    He rose, ready to activate Shadow Step, but then stopped.


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then coughed and asked awkwardly:


    ?Oh... about that Memory you wanted to commission... I am really quite good at making those, you know??


    Cassie tilted her head in confusion, then blinked.


    ?Right... the Memory. Of course. I''ll send someone to you in a couple of weeks, with all the details.?


    She took a step forward, coming practically face-to-face with Sunny, then placed her hands on his shoulders.


    ?Pleasure doing business with you, Master Sunless.?


    He coughed.


    ?Ah, yes. Likewise, But...why are you holding me??


    Cassie remained silent for a few moments, then elegantly raised an eyebrow.


    ?...Because you need to teleport me out of this terrible place? You weren''t thinking of leaving me here, were you? I hope not...?

 Chapter 1661: Missing Light

    Chapter 1661: Missing Light


    In the courtyard of the Nameless Temple, a lonely figure was sitting on the black marble plates, shrouded in shadows. It was a young man with alabaster skin and onyx eyes, clad in an intricate suit of fearsome armor. His hair was long, and darker than a raven''s wing.


    In front of him, a frail tree was growing in the darkness, its branches brimming with wilting leaves.


    Sunny studied the tree and sighed.


    ''It''s not doing well, despite my efforts.��


    The tree was missing sunlight-what little of it there was in the outskirts of NQSC, from where Sunny had stolen it. But it was resilient, just like the people there were. It had clung to life for a long time in that godforsaken place, and now it continued to do so here, in Godgrave.


    Sunny felt guilty towards the tree.


    It was the one he had cut two lines into to mark the passing of his parents. After claiming the Nameless Temple and coming back to the waking world, Sunny visited NQSC and took the tree away from the pitiful park where it grew. Of course, he replaced it with a different one people of the outskirts did not have a lot of vibrant things to look at, and he didn''t want to rob them of another one.


    Not that it mattered too much. Most of the settlers who chose to pass through the Dream Gates were not citizens, but those who had been discarded by humanity and hoped to find a better place for themselves in a different world. As a result, the outskirts of NQSC were much less crowded than they had been in his time, and would only grow more desolate as time went on.


    In any case, the familiar tree stood in the courtyard of his Citadel now, and Sunny often came to tend to it, or gaze at it as he contemplated various matters.


    ��It seems that Valor and Song have started preparations. It won''t be long now.��


    He sighed, then closed his eyes and dove into his Soul Sea.


    Such a simple thing, but it had taken Sunny more than a year to find a way back into the Soul Sea after being banished from the Nightmare Spell.


    Even then, he could only enter it after concentrating and meditating for a long time. At least for a while he could do it on a moment''s notice once again after another year of practice.


    The Soul Sea looked the same as it had before.


    But also entirely different.


    The vast expanse of silent water was the same. The six lightless suns hanging above it were also no different.


    Fiend was the easiest to deal with, in that regard. All he needed was to devour powerful creatures or potent mystical materials to grow, Granted, his stomach was truly bottomless, The rascal had been feasting on all kinds of dreadful Nightmare Creatures for many vears, but only advanced to the Supreme Rank recently, after consuming that Great Demon some days back.


    All of his Attributes and Abilities had grown stronger, but Fiend had not gained any new ones yet.


    The secret to Serpent''s growth was also rather simple, since that Shadow had always been unique. Its Rank depended on how well Sunny had mastered Shadow Dance, while its Class was equal to that of its master. Sunny could not receive Aspect Legacy Relics anymore... however, he could still advance in his mastery of it. When that happened, Serpent would become Supreme as well.


    Granted, he was wary of diving deeper into Shadow Dance due to losing his True Name.


    Meanwhile, Nightmare... had already become a Transcendent Terror, reaching the same Class and Rank as Serpent. It had taken Sunny a long time to figure out how to make this Shadow of his stronger in the absence of the Nightmare Spell, but the solution was simple.


    Nightmare fed on the dreams of powerful creatures. He subjugated them, but could also consume them. That was how it could reach a higher Rank, even though the process was slow and fraught with danger.


    The way for the Marvelous Mimic to grow was also not that hard. It could produce soul coins by devouring living beings. Those soul coins could be used by anyone to strengthen their soul - but if fed back to the Mimle, they would strengthen it Instead


    However, Sunny did not really need Mimie to rise In Rank, for now. The most important traits of the Marvelous Mimle - the volume of its dimensional storage and the intricacy of the shape it could assume - depended on the potency of its master''s soul, not the Shadow''s own.


    And finally... there was Saint.


    Looking at her, Sunny sighed.


    She was the only one he didn''t know how to nurture, yet. In the past, Saint grew in Rank by consuming Memories with the help of the Spell, but now, there was no way he knew of to strengthen her. As a result, his very first Shadow had remained a Transcendent Devil to this day.


    Of course, as far as Transcendent Devils went, she was by far the most deadly one he had ever seen.


    ''But is it enough for what is to come?''


    Sunny didn''t know.


    Hearing someone walk across the marble floor of the dark courtyard, he dismissed the images of his Shadows and left the Soul Sea.


    It seemed that he had a visitor.

 Chapter 1662: Bridge Builders

    Chapter 1662: Bridge Builders


    Sunny opened his eyes and summoned the helmet of the Onyx Mantle, hiding his face. Its visor was not as ferocious and eerle as Weaver''s Mask, but it was also fearsome. Deep shadows dwelled in the crack of the visor, hiding his eyes, and the black plume of the onyx helmet moved slightly in the wind.


    A moment later, the darkness of the courtyard was dispelled by soft light.


    Sunny did not move, waiting for Nephis to approach. Of course, he was observing her through the shadows.


    A dull pain suddenly pressed on his heart.


    ��...She has changed.��


    The source of light was Nephis herself, a ball of white flame dancing on her palm. He remembered that she had used a few Memories to produce fire and light in the past, after returning from her Second Nightmare... to spare herself the pain of calling upon her Aspect. But now, it seemed, that was not the case.


    She reached him and remained silent for a few moments, looking at the frail tree with a slight frown, Soon enough, her gaze grew a little confused, and then cleared.


    "Is that.,,, a mundane tree?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "Indeed. I''m... afraid it is not doing well here, in the Dream Realm. Away from warmth and light


    He had tried many ways to substitute both through sorcery, of course, with little success.


    Nephis remained silent for a moment.


    "The Aspect of one of my people, Shakti, has to do with nurturing plants. I can ask her to take a look.��


    He turned his head slightly, staring at her with his own pair of eyes.


    "That would be appreciated."


    She smiled faintly and looked at the wilting leaves.


    "I must admit, though, I never imagined someone like you would feel sentimental about a tree, Lord Shadow."


    Sunny tilted his head.


    Sunny sighed behind the visor of his helmet.


    ''Ah... it was so dark and peaceful here before...''


    Apart from those brief few days last year when a handful of scared Sleepers resided in the Nameless Temple, his life here was rather peaceful.


    It wasn''t going to be peaceful much longer.


    Sunny moved a hand, and the shadows rose from the floor, forming a detailed terrain map of the known part of the Dream Realm. The Fire Keepers stared at it for a few moments, then coughed and put the paper map they had brought away.


    Sunny approached the dark map and stared at it for a few moments,


    The Hollow mountains rose like sharp fangs from the marble floor. Far to the south, a black castle stood in the middle of a black lake. A great bridge connected a tall peak to a formidable volcano, with a beautiful black palace perched at one of its ends. Below it all, a black ship drifted in a sea of darkness. Many lesser Citadels were scattered here and there.


    He was looking at something else, though. A black skeleton with its head resting on the outskirts of the Hollow Mountains.


    Nephis studied the map, as well, then let out a barely audible sigh.


    Finally, she said in an even tone:


    "The war between the Sword Domain and the Song Domain is inevitable. There is no connection between the two over land, and the House of Night is clinging to its neutrality despite the desperate attempts by both Great Clans to forge an alliance with them. Which means... that a land bridge must be created, and will be created."


    She pointed to the black skeleton.


    "That land bridge is Godgrave. The Great Clan that conquers it first will have the ability to launch an invasion into the territory of the enemy. Even if a full invasion is impossible due to how well-fortified the enemy is, the side controlling Godgrave can harass the adversary, disrupt supply chains, conquer weaker Citadels, and strengthen their Domain while weakening the other."


    Nephis looked at Sunny.


    "So, Lord Shadow... you must understand what it means."


    He remained silent for a few moments, then said with cold indifference:


    "It means that neither side can allow the enemy to take Godgrave. So, this Death Zone will not be a land bridge to start the war, but instead the battlefield where the war will be fought."


    And therefore... his peaceful life was as good as over.

 Chapter 1663: Domain War

    Chapter 1663: Domain War


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, staring at the map. Then, a hollow chuckle resounded from the depths of his black helmet, sounding a little sinister in the darkness that shrouded the silent hall of the temple.


    "Fighting a war in Godgrave... what a brazen act of madness. Ah, but I did not expect anything less from the Great Clans."


    The Fire Keepers glanced at each other, sensing a hint of contempt in his cold voice. Eventually, one of them said said stiffly:


    "...We are representing one of the Great Clans too, you know. Lord Shadow."


    Sunny simply turned his head, staring at him. The Fire Keeper trembled under his gaze, looking away from the impenetrable darkness nestling in the visor of the onyx helmet. It was as if there was no person inside the fearsome black armor at all.


    Nephis, however, only seemed curious. She looked at him and asked, her voice even:


    "You have a relationship with the Great Clans?"


    Well, of course she was curious. Logically speaking, a Saint like Sunny could not have appeared without brushing sides with at least one of the great Legacy clans. It was much more likely that he had served either Valor, Song, or Night directly in the past. He was independent now, and seemed to harbor resentment toward the Great Clans... anyone would be curious to know the reason.


    Sunny shrugged.


    "A relationship? I guess. Although it might be called a one-sided relationship by some."


    He turned his gaze back to the map and made the shadows move. The mountains crumbled, the sea of darkness vanished, and the black skeleton grew larger, reaching the size of an average human. Everything else disappeared, leaving only Godgrave and its vicinity in sight.


    "So, how will the war start?" for new novels


    Nephis remained silent for a moment, then turned to the map, as well.


    "Clan Song is already building a road to the Right Hand. They will use it to scale the skeleton and establish a fortress on its right shoulder. Valor is also moving its forces, aiming for the Left Hand. They will be delayed a little by the need to build a bridge."


    The left arm of the colossal corpse was broken, a vast distance separating the ulna and radius from the humerus. There was a significant difference in height, as well, so construction of the bridge would take some time.


    Nephis continued:


    "In the end, though, it doesn''t matter. There will be a fortress established on the left shoulder of the giant, and its ribcage will become a warzone, Of course, fighting under the open sky... is dangerous. But the Hollows are not something the soldiers of either of the clans can handle. At least not in the initial stage of the war."


    Sunny tilted his head.


    "The initial stage?"


    She nodded calmly, studying the black skeleton with intense focus.


    Nephis seemed to have noticed that the shadows drowning the great hall moved slightly. She shook her head.


    "So, Lord Shadow... you must understand that maintaining the neutrality of your temple will be hard. Possessing a Citadel at the very start of the war is too great of an advantage. No matter what else my elders might desire, they''ll be most passionate about this point."


    Sunny laughed.


    "Oh? No... actually, I think it won''t be hard at all."


    He tilted his head a little.


    "No matter how greedy they are to have my Citadel, they are much more wary of seeing it fall Into the enemy''s hands. So, if they don''t want to agree to my suggestions... why, I can just go and offer my services to Song. The Queen''s daughters might prove to be more accommodating than your elders. Oh, and they are also very easy on the eye..."


    One of the Fire Keepers coughed, prompting Sunny to wonder if there was something wrong with his lungs.


    Nephis tilted her head and stared at him, most likely considering the blatant threat.


    After contemplating for a while, she asked:


    "And I''m not?"


    Sunny froze.


    "What?"


    Nephis had a look of contemplation.


    "You said that Ki Song''s daughters might be more accommodating and are easy on the eye, alluding to the fact that both of these factors are advantages Clan Song has over Valor. But I am also King Anvil''s daughter. Meaning... that I''m at a disadvantage, in that regard. Are you hinting that Clan Valor should make more concessions in the negotiations, due to my poor looks?"


    Now, Sunny felt that there was something wrong with his lungs. Desperately suppressing a cough, he tried hard to present a cold and aloof front.


    ''Damnation... is she having one of her moments?! No, she must be teasing me... right?!''


    When he spoke, his voice was slightly dull:


    "...No. Your beauty is radiant and blinding, Lady Nephis, I wouldn''t dare."


    She looked at him for a few moments, then smiled:


    "Really? It''s good, then... oh, but if you prefer, I can ask the elders to send Morgan here, next time...��

 Chapter 1664: Search and Rescue

    Chapter 1664: Search and Rescue


    Sunny was internally cursing himself for deciding not to wear Weaver''s Mask today.


    Someone else was cursing him, as well.


    The Fire Keepers were keeping their voices down, but they underestimated the hearing of a Saint.


    "That guy... who does he think he is, critiquing our lady''s appearance?"


    "Says the man who hides his face behind a mask!"


    "He must be as ugly as a toad! Frivolous! And shallow!"


    He gritted his teeth behind the visor of the onyx helmet.


    "What toad?! What the hell is a toad?! My face is so handsome that it can fund an entire business, you good-for-nothings!"


    What did these fools know?!


    Outwardly, though, he remained cold and detached.


    Even if it took some effort.


    "Having a secure base in an otherwise deadly region is already enough of a boon. If Valor wants to claim my temple, they can come and conquer it. Or rather.., they can try,"


    The last words sounded especially sinister. His tone didn''t change, but it sounded exceedingly threatening all of a sudden.


    Nephis kept silent for a bit, then shrugged.


    "I see. Do you know of any other Citadels in Godgrave, then? Advance knowledge of their locations can be just as Important."


    Sunny glanced at the black skeleton.


    ...There are none on the surface. There are a few in the Hollows, though. I''ve seen a couple from afar. As for the sea of ash, even I am not brave enough to descend there."


    She seemed interested in what he had said.


    "You''ve explored the Hollows?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "Somewhat... but not extensively. It is a deadly place."


    The Fire Keepers paled. If even a Saint who lived in a literal Death Zone called a place deadly, then it had to be worse than hell.


    Nephis lingered for a while.


    Eventually, she nodded.


    "I think I know enough to make a report to the elders. It''s time for us to return..."


    Before she could finish the sentence, though, there was a loud noise, Fiend shifted slightly, the infernal flames igniting brighter in his eyes. At the same time, a tall and graceful figure appeared at the entrance of the temple.


    "A Sleeper? Yes, I am... walt, you are Saint Nephis! Changing Star of the Immortal Flame! Lady Nephis! What... what are you doing here?!"


    He paused for a moment, then added shyly:


    ...And where is here? Are we close to Bastion?"


    She kneeled in front of him and gently placed her hands on his shoulders. A soft radiance enveloped them, spreading into the Sleeper''s body. The wounds covering it started to heal, and an expression of deep relief instantly appeared on his face.


    The Sleeper stared at Nephis with wide eyes.


    His eyes were full of stars.


    Sunny shifted slightly.


    "What is that bastard staring at, with that expression?''


    But then, he had to mentally slap himself. Was he really feeling jealous of a poor Sleeper?


    Nephis spoke in a tone that was considered soft, for her:


    "We are in a distant and extremely dangerous region of the Dream Realm. My warriors and I are here on an important mission. You are fortunate to have met us, young man... otherwise, I''m afraid your fate would have been sealed."


    The young Sleeper remained silent, looking at her with a strange expression.


    Sunny sighed.


    "I did not think that any of the Sleepers survived this year. Last solstice, I happened on a few and helped them escape. There seems to be just one survivor this time.


    His voice sounded cold and uncaring


    Nephis spared him a glance, then turned back to the young man.


    "Don''t worry. The worst is behind you. You are safe now... we will take you back to the waking world


    He took a shallow breath, closed his eyes for a moment... then desperately shook his head.


    "N-no! No, you mustn''t! I''m... I''m not the only one! There are others, as well... we hid ourselves and clung to life for many days, but then, there was no more water. Someone had to go out to try and find help, and I volunteered..."


    Sunny sighed behind his helmet, already knowing what was about to come.


    The Sleeper grabbed Neph''s arm and said hoarsely:


    "Please, Lady Nephis! You... you are Changing Star. Please save the others!"


    Sunny was indignant.


    "The Spell... it has some nerve!"


    First, it had abandoned him. Now, it was using him as a babysitter for unfortunate Sleepers.


    He shook his head slightly, then asked, his voice grim:


    "Those others you mentioned. Where are they?��

 Chapter 1665: Alone in the Dark

    Chapter 1665: Alone in the Dark


    As it turned out, there were two other Sleepers somewhere out there, hiding under the roots of a dead tree in the Hollows. They were well outside the Shadow Realm''s Fragment and inside the bones of the colossal skeleton, which made the potential rescue... problematic.


    In fact, it was miraculous that they had survived for so long.


    Too miraculous, maybe.


    While the Fire Keepers were calming the dirty teenager and giving him food, Sunny stared at him coldly. He had already studied the Sleeper''s soul, making sure that he was indeed a Dormant human. But why were Nephis and her people so careless?


    He glanced at her, then asked, his voice emotionless:


    "How do you know that he''s not one of Skinwalker''s vessels?"


    Nephis, who was standing a few steps away from the Sleeper, shrugged:


    "If he was an abomination, my flames would have burned him, not healed him."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow. It made sense... her soul was immune to Corruption, so the flames of her soul did not tolerate it. Granted, Nephis had not yet mastered that aspect of her powers to such a degree in the past.


    ��Alright, he''s not Skinwalker.��


    That didn''t mean that the sleeper was harmless, though. He could still be a body Mordret decided to wear... granted, that was very improbable. It would be exceedingly hard to find a Sleeper just a few days after the winter solstice, let alone drag one to Godgrave. And while Mordret was powerful, it would be harder still to traverse Godgrave in a Dormant body, even for him.


    So why was this Sleeper so strange?


    Sunny walked forward, and although he did not say anything, the Fire Keepers instinctively parted before him. The Sleeper looked up, his eyes suddenly widening in fear.


    "Uh... m-my lord..."


    Stopping in front of the teenager, Sunny looked down without saying a word.


    ''How strange.''


    Even though he could see the dirty young man, he could not sense him. It was as though there was no one there - there was no scent, no presence, not even a shadow he could perceive.


    Was that why he had not sensed what Saint was carrying until she was already in the temple?


    The corner of his mouth twisted upward.


    "Is that your Aspect?"


    The Sleeper flinched, then looked down.


    "Y-yes, my lord... I am not good at anything except for hiding. But hiding... I''m really good at it.��


    Sunny tilted his head.


    She smiled faintly,


    "Firstly... I''m not planning on dying here. Call me arrogant, if you wish. Secondly, aren''t you being a little hypocritical, Lord Shadow? No one forced you to rescue the Sleepers last year, and yet you did. Not only that, but you even escorted them all the way to the territory of Clan Song. So, please forgive me... but I know that you are not as heartless as you want to appear behind that mask.��


    ��Am i, really?��


    Sunny frowned, deciding to act more tyrannical in the future.


    She turned and looked at him, her smile widening a little.


    "And most importantly... because I want to. That''s the only reason I need."


    Sunny let out a chuckle.


    ''Ah, there it is. She doesn''t change.��


    He shook his head:


    "What if all of this is an ingenious plot to lure you into the Hollows, alone, where I''ll have an easier time disposing of you? What if I''ve already struck a deal with Clan Song? Aren''t you afraid of following me into the darkness, with no one to cover your back?"


    Nephis remained silent for a bit, then shrugged nonchalantly.


    "Shouldn''t you be afraid of following me into the darkness instead? This Citadel of yours is very valuable, What if I already received orders from Clan Valor to eliminate you and make it my own?"


    Sunny stared at her for a bit, then let out a cold laugh.


    "Now that you mention it, I probably should be afraid. But, what a pity, I''ve been foolishly fearless as of late."


    There was a sinister note in his tone, as if he was inviting her to try something.


    Nephis smiled.


    "Being enslaved by fear is more foolish."


    With that, she threw one last glance at the Sleeper. Her expression changed subtly, switching from composed languidness to a state of cold focus.


    "It might be for the better... I''ll instruct my people to tend to your tree while we''re gone. That said, time is of the essence. I suspect that these three Sleepers only lasted that long because of this young man''s Aspect. He volunteered to venture out of their hiding spot thinking that he''s the best person for the job, but the remaining two might be in danger without him. If they are still alive, we must find them as soon as possible."


    Sunny nodded.


    "Fair point. Go talk to your people and find out what else they''ve learned from the boy. We''ll leave as soon as that is done."


    While Nephis talked to the Fire Keepers, he lingered for a while, observing her.


    His mood was rotten.


    ''Damn it.,, I didn''t want to reveal what is hidden in the Hollows to her, so soon...��

 Chapter 1666: Wandering Temple

    Chapter 1666: Wandering Temple


    After getting all the information the frightened Sleeper could share, Sunny and Nephis let him rest. Without wasting any time, Nephis headed for the exit from the temple... however, Sunny led her into its depths Instead.


    Soon, they reached a set of stairs and descended underground.


    The Nameless Temple was larger than it seemed from outside, because it had a vast basement level. In fact, it was almost a perfect copy of the grandiose upper level, with its own great hall, auxiliary rooms, and inner sanctum.


    There were a few differences, of course. For one, there was no altar in the underground temple. There was no path to the courtyard, either. Instead, a towering gate was cut into the marble wall, covered by intricate engravings.


    When Sunny and Nephis reached the underground hall, it was bathed in impenetrable darkness. Even the radiant light of the flames burning on her palm could not dispel it... Sunny didn''t want anyone to see what was hidden there, yet, and so, he shrouded everything in the deepest of shadows.


    And for a good reason.


    As Sunny had found out after conquering the Nameless Temple, all Citadels had something special about them. Some special qualities were minor, while some could do truly stunning things.


    Sunny called them Components.


    He was not sure if these Components were innate to the ancient strongholds or something added to each by the Spell, like the Gateways were. Perhaps it simply built upon what was already there, strengthening existing traits and making them easily accessible by humans.


    However, what Sunny did know was that only a Saint that bound the Citadel to their soul could command it, making use of the Components. The Spell made the process easier for them, most likely... as for Sunny, he had to sort everything out himself.


    Luckily, it had not been too hard.


    As far as he could tell, the Nameless Temple possessed two Components, both of them rather powerful as far as Citadels went - not on the level of the Great Citadels or the Ivory Tower, of course, but far more prominent compared to lesser ones, like the Sanctuary of Noctis.


    The first Component of the Nameless Temple was rather straightforward. It was the invisible Guardian. The creature, unseen and imperceptible, had been killing anyone and anything that tried to enter the temple - before Sunny showed up, that was, walking across ancient bones. He suspected that it allowed him to pass because of his Attribute, the [Flame of Divinity].


    Just like it had allowed him to enter the temple in his First Nightmare because his soul carried the [Mark of Divinity].


    Sunny did not want anyone to know that his Citadel could travel, yet. He would only be able to share this secret with Nephis once she trusted him enough to keep that information from the King of Swords.


    And so, they walked through the darkness until they reached the great gate. Nephis did not say anything, allowing Sunny to pull the heavy gate open.


    Behind it... was a smooth surface of white bone.


    At first glance, it seemed that the gate did not lead anywhere except a dead end. However, there was actually a narrow crack in the ancient bone, just wide enough for a person to pass.


    The fissure was just as dark as the interior of the underground hall, and the wind blowing through it brought with it a sweet smell of rotting leaves.


    Nephis frowned.


    "That fracture... leads all the way to the Hollows?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "Indeed."


    She hesitated for a moment.


    "Won''t your Citadel be invaded from below, then?"


    He walked toward the dark fissure and turned slightly to fit through.


    "It won''t... you''ll see."


    Not satisfied with his answer but unwilling to ask further, Nephis sighed and followed him into the damp darkness.

 Chapter 1667: Disarmed

    Chapter 1667: Disarmed


    Following the Lord of Shadows, Nephis was descending into the depths of Godgrave. The fissure was narrow and twisting, permeated with the sweet smell of rotten leaves. At times, she had to sidestep to push forward, the polished metal of her breastplate scraping against the white bone.


    Her taciturn guide was calm and indomitable, seemingly unconcerned about entering the Hollows. She was calm, as well - the part of her that would have been wary had been swallowed by the pain.


    A ball of white flames was dancing on the palm of her gauntlet, illuminating the path ahead.


    She was used to that pain.


    Bathed in the white radiance but drowning in darkness, the Lord of Shadows seemed especially mysterious now that they were alone. Clad in the fearsome onyx armor, with his face hidden behind the visor of a black helmet, he looked more like a powerful Nightmare Creature than a human being...


    Cassie had not been able to glean any information about the master of the dark temple. If not for the fact that the three powerful creatures serving him were Transcendent, and not Corrupted, Nephis would have entertained the thought that he was an abomination.


    There were other reasons why she did not, as well.


    None of them spoke for a long time. Eventually, though, the earthy smell grew stronger, and the Lord of Shadows halted.


    A warm wind blew past them in the direction of the Citadel.


    He remained motionless for a few moments, then turned to face her. The visor of his helmet was full of impenetrable darkness, and his even voice was aloof:


    "I have a request, Lady Nephis."


    She met his dark gaze and raised an eyebrow.


    The darkness in the visor stirred slightly.


    "Dismiss your weapon before we proceed."


    Nephis was surprised. She tilted her head slightly, then asked in a calm tone:


    "You want me to enter the Hollows without a sword?"


    The onyx helmet moved slowly from side to side.


    "You can have a sword. Just not this sword."


    She hesitated for a few moments.


    That strange request... was loaded with meaning. The sword Nephis used, Kinslayer, was a Transcendent Memory of the Seventh Tier. Much more importantly, it was a very special weapon. Not only was its durability equal to that of a Supreme Memory, but it had also been altered by the King of Swords himself.


    But they were not as powerful as she was, and so could not really lessen her burden. The only exception was Cassie - without her quiet strength and friendship, Nephis might have collapsed a long time ago. But Cassie, too, was her subordinate. And, therefore, her responsibility.


    Yes, that burden was something Nephis had chosen to carry herself. And yes, it was her own unreasonable ambition that was the cause of everything... most of it, at least. And yet, sometimes, she couldn''t help but feel suffocated by the depth and intensity of her own desire, surrounded by enemies and laying awake at night, unable to sleep.


    Nephis was a human, too. She felt weak sometimes, too... even if she tried her hardest not to show it, as well as many other things she felt.


    So, if there was really someone out there who was as immensely strong as the Lord of Shadows seemed to be and shared her hatred toward the Sovereigns, someone she could rely on to stand side by side with her in the face of danger...


    Ah, it was a thought as sweet as it was dangerous.


    She wasn''t even entirely sure that the Lord of Shadows was a human, let alone that he could be trusted. And yet, for some reason, unexplainably... she found herself really wanting to.


    ��Why do I feel this way? It''s not like me...��


    If they could really become allies...


    ''Forget about it.''


    Following the aloof Saint into the darkness, Nephis frowned slightly.


    In this world, she could only really rely on herself. Everyone else would either betray her, abandon her, or stay by her side and perish as a result.


    From her childhood and to this day, that had always been the truth.


    And that was alright. She did not need anyone, because she alone was enough. Her will was enough, her strength was enough, and her scorching longing was enough.


    It was plenty.


    ''It''s strange.��


    It would have been wonderful if she really had an ally... a partner, even. But she didn''t, and had never.


    And yet, and yet...


    Strangely enough, the Lord of Shadows gave her a sense of unexplainable familiarity. Because of it, trusting him and in him was oddly easy,


    Nephis was wary of that ease.


    ''Maybe that is one of his Aspect Abilities, too...��

 Chapter 1668: Hollow Bones

    Chapter 1668: Hollow Bones


    Sunny pushed his body through the last stretch of the narrow fissure and suddenly found himself in a vast open space. He took a step to the side, clinging to the porous surface of the ancient bone, and allowed Nephis to follow him onto a treacherous ledge.


    She couldn''t see because everything was still shrouded in impenetrable darkness, but below them... a whole hidden world was stretching as far as the eye could see, full of vibrant life.


    They were currently inside the breastbone of the dead deity, which was comparable in size to a modest continent. Just like the rest of the bones, it was hollow, encompassing a realm of its own. The bone marrow that had once filled the vast expanse of the sternum''s interior was long gone.


    And in its place, a dreadful jungle had grown.


    The humid air was filled with an indescribable mixture of strong scents. Below them, an impenetrable canopy of countless trees was swaying like a vermilion sea, most of them alien and monstrous, with vibrant red leaves. Primordial ferns towered like blooming towers, with vines and wild bushes rising between the craggy trunks like walls. Bloodred moss covered everything like a soft carpet.


    Sunny could not really see colors in the darkness, but he knew enough to guess. Outside the Fragment of the Shadow Realm, the jungle shone with its own pale light, so he had seen its true appearance.


    Here and there, colossal pillars of abominable flora rose to the dome of the sternum, attached to the cracks on its surface - those were the tendrils the jungle had extended to reach the sky. It used them to drink diffused sunlight when the clouds hid the sun, regrowing them every time they were incinerated.


    ...And, of course, there were all kinds of vile things dwelling under the canopy of the subterranean jungle.


    Hordes of powerful abominations lived here Corrupted, Great, and even Cursed. Some of them were enormous and grotesque, some so small that it was hard to notice them with a naked eye. All had been baptized by the dire need to be born and grow on the surface, and only those lucky and vicious enough to reach maturity could descend into the Hollows and hope to survive here, away from the merciless gaze of the incinerating heavens.


    The dark jungle was utterly deadly, and most deaths one could find here were utterly horrid.


    That was the place where Sunny had brought Nephis after being apart from her for four long years,


    ''Not.., exactly romantic.��


    He sighed secretly, then turned his head to look at her.


    Nephis seemed unperturbed by the darkness, the scent of the jungle, and the indescribable choir of rustling noises that washed over them. There was a calm expression on her beautiful face, her slender body was relaxed, and the point of the sword he had given her was aimed at the ground.


    The white flame dancing on her palm reflected in the depths of the calm grey eyes.


    For a moment, Sunny thought that there was a shadow of some sharp emotion in those eyes, but then, it was gone, replaced by her usual reserved composure.


    "How far are we from the ground?"


    But he did... in a sense.


    Sunny shook his head.


    "We are safe, for now."


    As soon as his voice was swallowed by the noises of the jungle, though, they heard a different sound.


    A deep, hoarse, heavy hiss of something giant breathing.


    Nephis raised her sword, ready to strike.


    But there was no need to.


    A moment later, the trees in front of them parted, revealing a small clearing. On it, a hideous creature was laying on the carpet of moss and rotten leaves.


    Its body was like a hill of scorched flesh, with terrifying muscles bulging under a rotting black hide. It was vaguely humanoid in shape, but the huge head of the Nightmare Creature resembled that of a jackal, the slightly parted jaws vast enough to swallow a whole building. The towering fangs glistened with a golden sheen, and behind them, a black tongue was hidden, covered in sores and scars.


    A Great Monster.


    Strangely enough, the abomination was not moving. Its giant eyes were closed, while its breathing was deep and sedate. There was no sign that it had sensed them.


    Nephis stared at the monstrous being for a while, then glanced at Sunny. He was treated to a rare sight... there was a hint of doubt on her fair face.


    "It''s... asleep?"


    He glanced at the Nightmare Creature, then nodded.


    "Of course, it''s asleep."


    Not paying the Great Monster any attention, Sunny walked past it with cold indifference.


    "...I''m the one who put it to sleep, after all.��

 Chapter 1669: Questions in the Light

    Chapter 1669: Questions in the Light


    Sunny walked deeper into the jungle, allowing his shadow sense to permeate the rustling darkness. Originally, this place was like a nearly impenetrable barrier, with thick vines and dense undergrowth barring one''s path. Not only was the flora plentiful and terribly dense, but it was also predatory and lethally dangerous - even for a Saint.


    But now, the abominable plants were still and docile. There were paths cut through the jungle, as well, even if no one except for Sunny himself would have noticed them. As such, he managed to maintain considerable speed, getting further away from the Nameless Temple with each minute. Theyhad to hurry to maximize the chances of finding the two Sleepers alive.


    As the two of them traversed the jungle, they encountered more sleeping Nightmare Creatures. There were hundreds of them, if not thousands, many of the Great Rank. Walking among the slumbering horde of abominations must have been a tense experience for Nephis, considering that the power sleeping under the Nameless Temple was truly dreadful. Perhaps even a Sovereign would have been given pause after witnessing it..


    Sunny was calm, though.


    All of these Nightmare Creatures were in the thrall of the Dream Curse, lost in Nightmare''s lesser dream domain. Their souls were locked in a maze of nightmares, unable to escape... for the most part.


    Exceptions happened, albeit rarely.


    The Dream Curse was silent and insidious. It had slowly infected every abomination in a wide area around the Nameless Temple, and because of how subtle the spreading plague was, very few of them had noticed anything amiss before it was too late. Lulled to sleep, they became trapped in nightmares.


    Those who had been able to resist the Dream Curse were disposed of by Sunny, a Great Demon being the last of the abominations he hunted down. The rest were now at Nightmare''s mercy. If they died in his domain, their souls would feed the Shadow, pushing the tenebrous stallion closer to Supremacy. But if they continued to live, their dreams would strengthen his legion of horrors.


    Of course, there was a possibility that an especially ferocious abomination could destroy all of his nightmares, like Sunny had done in the Kingdom of Hope... but the chances of something like that happening were low. Not only were Nightmare Creatures less resolute than Sunny had been, but the current Nightmare was also much more powerful than he had been all that time ago. The weaker of his horrors were being destroyed, but the stronger ones slowly took their place.


    As for the dark destrier himself, he was currently busy with a very important and sensitive task.


    After a while, Nephis suddenly spoke:


    "Would you mind sharing how you put all these abominations to sleep?"


    Sunny smiled behind the visor of his helmet, suddenly remembering their first meeting on the Forgotten Shore.


    He kept silent for a few moment, then answered neutrally:


    "I would not, if you shared something as well."


    Nephis simply nodded.


    "That seems fair."


    Sunny contemplated the answer, then spoke simply:


    "There is another Transcendent Terror serving me. His powers have to do with dreams... and nightmares. It took a long time to lull the inhabitants of this corner of the jungle to slumber, but it couldn''t be helped. My Citadel would have never been safe if there was a constant source of danger underneath it. Now, I only have to worry about the enemies coming from outside my territory."


    Nephis let out a sigh.


    "I must admit. I am... a bit envious. My luck with Echoes has never been great."


    It seemed that way, but actually, if she stopped giving all the Echoes she had earned to her companions and followers, the situation would have been different.


    Of course, Sunny possessed a unique advantage - unlike Echoes, his Shadows could grow and evolve to higher Ranks.


    Otherwise, his retinue would not have been anywhere near as powerful as it was now.


    The two of them remained silent for a while.


    Eventually, Sunny said:


    "I have another question."


    He guided them to a barely noticeable path. The white radiance of Neph''s flames was stark as it chased the darkness away... the darkness retreated, but not far, revealing the vibrant vermilion moss and the red vines growing on the twisted trunks of ancient trees. As soon as the two of them passed, the darkness returned, swallowing everything anew.


    Sunny sighed.


    "Do you know the legend of Odysseus?"


    Nephis seemed surprised by his question.


    "Sure. Why?"


    He spoke without turning his head, his cold voice remaining emotionless and even:


    "Odysseus has been gone from his home for twenty years. Everyone thought him dead, and many suitors arrived to propose marriage to his widow. She refused them for a while, but they insisted that she must make a choice. One of them was meant for the throne of Ithaca."


    Sunny paused for a moment, then continued:


    "Eventually, Odysseus came back and infiltrated the gathering of the suitors disguised as a beggar. Bringing himself into the very home where his enemies dwelled. None of them recognized him, assuming that he was weak and posed no threat. They were wrong."


    The jungle rustled around them as his voice turned a little sinister:


    "Odysseus then ruthlessly massacred the suitors, not sparing a single one. Not only that, but he even viciously killed the maids who had been deemed disloyal. A river of blood was spilled on that day, and scores of people lost their lives, their bodies sliced and mutilated. So, my question is.."


    He stopped and turned, facing Nephis and her pure white flames.


    "Isn''t Odysseus too cruel?"


    She looked at him for a while, her beautiful grey eyes filled with dancing flames.


    Eventually, Nephis said in her usual calm tone:


    "You''ve never hated anyone, have you, Lord Shadow? It seems to me... that you are a very kind man."


    He laughed.


    "That is a first. I''ve been called many things before, but kind... I don''t think I''ve ever heard this one."


    He turned away and continued walking deeper into the jungle.


    "You are wrong, by the way. I know hatred, too. I am a very hateful person, in fact..."


    Granted, his hatred was probably not as scorching as hers.

 Chapter 1670: Welcome to the Jungle

    Chapter 1670: Welcome to the Jungle


    The Fragment of the Shadow Realm was vast, its darkness drowning not only the surface of the dead god''s sternum, but also swallowing a considerable stretch of the abominable jungle thriving in its hollow depths. The Dream Curse had lulled the Nightmare Creatures populating the area to sleep, so it was relatively safe.


    Sunny and Nephis moved with sufficient speed, reaching the edges of the Fragment in a matter of hours. They could have been much faster, of course, but he used that time to teach her about the dangers of what lay beyond.


    "The jungle is hidden from the gaze of the sky, but it is much more dangerous than the surface. The Nightmare Creatures of Godgrave are all born on the surface, yet only those who are strong enough to survive there descend into the Hollows. Here, they can exist indefinitely... in theory. In practice, they are all cannibals. The competition for water and nourishment is fierce, so the inhabitants of the jungle constantly fight and devour each other.��


    Nightmare Creatures were known to battle among themselves - it was only in the presence of humans that they united to destroy the uncorrupted first. It was much worse in the Hollows, though, where every abomination was of a type that had to satisfy its hunger often. Life and death came swiftly, and only the most vicious ones lasted for a while.


    His tone remained indifferent.


    "Only the strongest and most fierce abominations get to descend into the jungle, and only the most ferocious of them get to survive here. It''s a boiling pot of horror, where appalling monsters endlessly fight against each other, and only the most dreadful of them gets to live. As a result, the average power of a Nightmare Creature from the Hollows is truly daunting, and has been constantly growing for centuries."


    Nephis sighed behind him.


    "Doesn''t it remind you of something?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "It''s a bit like a demented, accelerated version of evolution, I guess.��


    She looked at a sleeping abomination nearby, a contemplative expression on her face.


    "...I was thinking that they are just like us."


    He remained silent for a moment.


    "I''m not sure I follow."


    Nephis looked away from the Nightmare Creature and used her sword to slice apart a thick vine that barred her path. Her voice sounded a bit wistful:


    Slowly, the impenetrable darkness around them receded. They were approaching the boundary of the Fragment.


    Not long after that, the true appearance of the subterranean jungle finally revealed itself.


    Sunny and Nephis stopped, looking at the wild expanse of vibrant forest in front of them.


    The Hollows were mostly dark, but there were towering pillars of light falling from above here and there - those were the cracks in the dome of the ancient sternum. Currently, each was connected to the jungle by colossal tendrils of vines, moss, and vermilion growth, each functioning like a twisted sky bridge.


    When it rained on the surface, great waterfalls fell from the cracks, washing over the jungle and causing devastating flash floods.


    When the veil of clouds was torn, the vertical bridges ignited in a grandiose conflagration and turned to ash, which rained on the jungle and fertilized its soil.


    The cracks in the bone weren''t the only source of light in the Hollows, either. The jungle itself glowed with dim crimson light, many iridescent plants growing in the damp darkness. They were feeding on diffused sunlight through the vines extended to the surface, and then slowly released it, emanating light and heat.


    The sight of it all was alien, eerie, and frightening.


    But also darkly breathtaking.


    Letting out a quiet sigh, Nephis dismissed her flames and studied the jungle for a few moments. Then, she closed her eyes and listened to it.


    Eventually, she said:


    "I don''t think we''ll make it in time if we proceed on foot. Should we fly?"


    Sunny glanced at her and hesitated for a moment.


    "I''m not that great at aerial combat... at the moment. Flying will be much faster, yes. But also much more dangerous."


    Nephis thought it over, then nodded calmly.


    "Then, let''s fly...��

 Chapter 1671: Fear the Sun.

    Chapter 1671: Fear the Sun.


    According to what the Sleeper had told them, his two friends were not very far from Sunny''s territory �� however, they were well beyond the reach of his Shadow Sense.


    It had taken the youth two days of wandering to stumble upon the Fragment of the Shadow Realm, where he was picked up by Saint. The only reason he had survived such a journey across Godgrave was because Nephis and her people had burned away most of the Nightmare Creatures on the surface, clearing a path to the vicinity of the Nightmare Temple.


    Sunny could traverse the distance a Sleeper could walk in two days in a couple steps, but using Shadow Step in such a manner was bound to consume a vast amount of essence, especially if he had to bring Nephis with him.


    Transporting her and two more humans all the way back was out of the question �� unless he wanted to find himself severely weakened in the middle of a Death Zone, not to mention sabotaging his other two avatars.


    In short, he would rather move in a less wasteful manner.


    Flying suited him fine.


    As Nephis was summoning her beautiful wings, Sunny extended his shadow sense outward. He was cautious about exploring the abominable jungle �� there were many Nightmare Creatures here who could feel his gaze, and were not shy about gazing back.


    Soon, his expression darkened.


    ?We will proceed slowly.?


    The white wings appeared in a gust of wind.


    Illuminated by a soft radiance, Nephis raised her hands to tie her silver hair up. Stopping what she was doing, she raised an eyebrow and glanced at him, slightly confused.


    ?Haven''t we decided to fly in order to save time??


    Sunny stared at her for a couple of moments, then slowly looked away.


    ?...Yes. but if something truly powerful notices us, we''ll be stalled. Maybe even forced to escape. So, we will traverse a dozen kilometers or so at a time. I''ll scout for danger when we stop.?


    He pointed to one of the vine bridges stretching toward the dome of the Hollows.


    ?Head there first.?


    Nephis remained motionless for a few moments, then nodded and bent her knees slightly. Then, she jumped powerfully, raising a gust of hurricane wind with one flap of her wings. Sunny dissolved into the shadows and followed her as a black crow.


    The two of them soared above the dense canopy of red leaves and flew swiftly to the distant pillar of vines. for new novels


    As they did, countless gazes followed their flight.


    ?Not good...?


    Nephis glanced at him briefly, but did not say anything.


    He extended his shadow sense forward once more, sensing several truly powerful adversaries hiding under the thick canopy not too far away from their position.


    One was already ascending the sky bridge, hidden from sight by the mess of red leaves. The best way to proceed would be...


    He jumped off Neph''s shoulder and glided forward, taking a smooth turn to the right after a couple of seconds. She followed.


    Just like that, they hopped between pillars of vegetation, not spending more than a few minutes in the air each time. There were other abominations that attacked them in the process �� swarms of weaker ones, and truly harrowing creatures as well.


    The strongest of them was a Great Monster shaped like a crimson python, who had been pretending to be a part of the vine bridge. The creature''s disguise was so thorough that Sunny did not notice it at all... Nephis, however, did. Not only that, but he also knew its exact Rank, Class, and Attributes, making the battle much easier.


    Cassie must have been helping her from all the way in Bastion.


    In the end, Sunny used Shadow Manifestation to immobilize the gargantuan python, while she severed its head with several merciless strikes of her sword.


    The battle was short, but fierce �� it was so intense, in fact, that the commotion attracted the attention of other, much more dangerous beings.


    Luckily, Sunny and Nephis escaped before other abominations reached the corpse of the great python and clashed for the right to devour its massive body, making the jungle quake.


    Despite the fact that the two of them had not met in four years, and that she did not even remember him...


    Their cooperation was as seamless and comfortable as it had been before. They moved like two parts of a single whole without having to say or signal anything to each other, raining death upon their enemies.


    Sunny had missed that feeling.


    All in all... had never had such an easy time traveling across the Hollows.


    Before too long, they reached the approximate area that the Sleeper had described. The pillar of vines he had used to climb to the surface, at least, was the correct one. Now, they had to find the dead tree under which the other two youths were hiding.


    If they were still alive, of course.


    ?Curse it.?


    Sunny''s mood turned somber when he saw what lay beyond the towering pillar.


    Out there, below them, swallowed by the jungle almost entirely...


    Was a vast ruin.

 Chapter 1672: All that Remains.

    Chapter 1672: All that Remains.


    Sunny assumed his human form, standing on a twisting stalk of a giant vine side by side with Nephis.


    Sunlight was streaming from above, illuminating her slender figure... his, however, was hidden in the deep shadows, almost imperceptible. If someone gazed upon them right now, it would have seemed as though she was observing the overgrown ruin alone.


    The ruin was vast and sprawling, but most of it was swallowed by the jungle. Only a few crumbling stone edifices rose above the canopy, covered in red moss. It was hard to recognize them as man-made structures, but the Awakened were experts on all things having to do with ruins �� the Dream Realm was littered with them, after all.


    Nephis tilted her head a little.


    ?Ruins? I didn''t know that humans once lived here, in Godgrave.?


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments.


    ?...Godgrave was densely populated once, in fact. There was a fairly advanced civilization thriving here. The surface was just as deadly, and I can''t say anything about the sea of ash below. But there are many ruined cities in the Hollows, some of them as large as the lesser population centers in the waking world.?


    She glanced in his direction, seeing only the darkness.


    ?I didn''t know that you have such a keen interest in ancient civilizations, Lord Shadow.?


    He smiled.


    ?Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it in the future.?


    His words vaguely hinted at a double meaning, but he didn''t say anything else.


    In any case, Nephis was right. Sunny did indeed have a keen interest in ancient civilizations �� he always had, even back in the Dark City. Solving the mysteries of the past appealed to some hidden part of his heart.


    The thrill and charm of exploring forgotten ruins was the closest thing Sunny had to a hobby... maybe, in a perfect world, it would have been one of his life''s passions.


    However, his interest in the ruins of Godgrave was special.


    The dead civilizations of the Dream Realm had always been one and the same for him �� the people were different, the histories were different, but they all belonged in the pages of the same book. After meeting Wind Flower in the Tomb of Ariel, though, Sunny learned that there were two entirely different kinds of ruins in the Dream Realm.


    One kind belonged to the people who had lived in the mortal realms, and were destroyed by the war between the gods and the daemons, as well as its immediate outcome.


    The other kind belonged to those who had lived in the five divine realms, and fell under the tide of Corruption later.


    The difference between the two was very important...


    The latter civilizations had been infected by the Nightmare Spell before their eventual fall.


    Just like the people of the Waking World �� the sixth divine realm �� were.


    ?They aren''t the only ones there.?


    ?How the hell did that boy survive??


    Out there, hidden in the canopy of the jungle below them, numerous shadows were moving slowly, each belonging to a powerful Nightmare Creature. He had never seen or sensed abominations like these before, but simply from the depths of their shadows, he knew that they were powerful.


    And there was... a lot of them.


    ?These Sleepers must have found the deadliest nest of Nightmare Creatures in the area to use as a hiding spot. Their luck... well, I don''t even know if it''s amazing or utterly terrible. They won''t survive for much longer, but having survived for that long is already a miracle.?


    She nodded calmly.


    ?So we light, then.?


    Sunny stared at her for a few moments.


    ?Or... we grab them and run.?


    Nephis shook her head.


    ?I don''t think that will be possible.?


    He frowned, not knowing what she meant.


    A few moments later, though, he understood.


    The bright light falling on them from high above suddenly grew many times brighter, becoming almost blinding.


    ?The clouds...?


    And a split second later, the great pillar of vines they were standing on shuddered, the upper part of it turning to ash.


    As the tendrils that the subterranean jungle had extended toward the surface all moved and started to fall, torrents of flames spreading swiftly toward their roots, Nephis jumped off the stalk and dashed forward, toward the ruins...


    And away from sunlight.


    ?Don''t dally!?


    Cursing silently, Sunny jumped after her, this time neglecting to turn into a small crow. Instead, he turned himself as light as he could and glided on the wind, descending in a somewhat controlled fall.


    He sighed heavily, and then grinned, his eyes glinting with excitement.


    ?I guess that means that we are going to fight...?

 Chapter 1673: Entering the Ruins

    Chapter 1673: Entering the Ruins


    The Lord of Shadows broke through the canopy and disappeared in the jungle, landing noiselessly in the ruins. Nephis folded her wings and fell toward the sea of red leaves to follow him.


    A moment later, she landed in a small clearing. The vermilion moss softened her landing, but she could feel the solidness of stone under her feet. There were crumbling structures all around her, most swallowed entirely by the vines and creeper plants. Some of the plants glowed beautifully, dispelling the deep darkness - the ruin of the ancient city was suffused with light, shadows, and ethereal twilight.


    The glowing plants emanated heat, as well, so the humid air under the impenetrable canopy of rust-red leaves was suffocating and sweltering. Nephis inhaled deeply, her alabaster skin glistening with moisture.


    ''It''s hot...''


    The ground shook as the great pillars of vines crashed into the jungle, wreathed in flame, and sent clouds of burning debris flying in all directions. Ash fell down like snow.


    A few fiery meteors landed in the ruin, as well, starting small fires here and there.


    Nephis dismissed her wings and closed her eyes for a moment, listening to the jungle, Far away, there was a cacophony of indescribable sounds - the Nightmare Creatures populating this vibrant hell were on the move, Incited to frenzy by the destruction of the sky bridges.


    But here in the ruins, everything was relatively quiet. The Jungle rustled and whispered with a thousand voices, but its tone was no different from how it had been before.


    Which was... bad.


    It meant that Nightmare Creatures did not dare come here and challenge the masters of this place.


    She opened her eyes and glanced at the Lord of Shadows, who seemed to possess an Attribute or an Ability that allowed him to sense many things from afar.


    It was impossible to tell his expression, of course, because the mysterious man never revealed his face. His figure, however, was just as cold and aloof as ever. He didn''t seem concerned, and, strangely enough, that calmed Nephis as well.


    "How close are we to the Sleepers?"


    His tone was indifferent, competing with her own as far as inexpressiveness went:


    "A few kilometers."


    She stared at him silently for a few moments.


    ''Do I.,, sound this way too, by chance?��


    Emotionless, aloof, and deadpan. King of... haughty,


    She coughed.


    Those powerful creatures under his command were protecting the Citadel. Was he worried that her Fire Keepers would come under harm without them, or that his Citadel would be harmed by the Fire Keepers without anyone keeping an eye out?


    In any case. the Shadow Saint seemed to believe that just the two of them would be enough to escape these ruins alive. Nephis felt a little pleased by his vote of confidence, but also a little incensed.


    For some reason.


    ''Morgan has a lot of Echoes, too...��


    Morgan had become much stronger after Transcending. The defeat in Antarctica seemed to have tempered her character, too... and it was not as if Anvil coddled her - the opposite, in fact. And yet, there was a huge difference in how Clan Valor treated its true daughter and its adopted daughter.


    Granted, Nephis suspected that the harsh treatment she received from the King of Swords was actually a sign of affection.


    He had not given her any powerful Echoes, though. It was fine for Morgan to have better equipment than her... but the Lord of Shadows, too?


    Just when she was considering making a remark against her better judgment - a soft voice resounded in her mind.


    [Neph...]


    She was already raising her sword.


    [A Great Beast is approaching. Some kind of a construct, or maybe an undead. Very strong... be careful!]


    A moment later, she sensed it. Not the creature itself, but the pressure of its passing - the very mundane change in air pressure caused by something moving with incredible speed.


    The mound of red moss in front of her exploded, revealing the dark interior of an ancient ruin. From it, surrounded by flying pieces of moss and shards of ancient stone, an eerie creature appeared, wielding a strange weapon.


    The creature was twice as tall as Nephis, but shriveled and hunched, like a mummy. It was vaguely human in appearance, with a body made of cracked stone. Red moss grew on it like a tattered robe, and below it...


    Nephis felt a sense of distaste.


    There was desiccated flesh under the stone carapace, as if a human had once been imprisoned inside the golem. The stone face of the creature was featureless, except for the eyes - inside the two round holes cut on its surface, two gaping wounds where human eyes should have been nestled with darkness, and from them, two beautiful blossoms grew on black stalks.


    The mace the golem held seemed to be cut from diamond. He looked like a monk who had gained enlightenment and became one with the world... with the abominable world of spreading Corruption, filled with nothing but ancient evil and chilling malice,


    It only took a split second for Nephis to see all these details,


    Then, the creature was upon them...

 Chapter 1674: In Tandem

    Chapter 1674: In Tandem


    A Great Beast...


    Killing a Great Beast could pose no trouble at all, or all the trouble in the world. Beings of that Rank were more than mere creatures - each of them possessed a mythical power, reality itself coming undone under the pressure of their existence.


    When Nephis had been a Master, a single Great abomination was like a cataclysm...


    Now, Nephis was a cataclysm herself.


    Igniting the flames of her soul, she shone with pure radiance and met the eerie golem with the full strength of a Transcendent Titan. Pain washed over her, bringing the world into focus. Everything was stark and clear in the world of pain, ready to surrender to her will.


    Except for the Lord of Shadows.


    The black blade of her sword met the diamond mace of the Nightmare Creature, deflecting it and dissipating its force. An impact that would have produced a devastating shockwave was suffocated, its destructive potential disappearing without a trace.


    The golem was fast - faster than Nephis. But she knew its movement well. They were lacking insight and intent, almost entirely without refinement. Because of that, the creature wasted precious moments, while she wasted none.


    A split second later, the tip of her blade burrowed into the red moss, aiming to destroy one of the golem''s shoulder joints.


    The sword the Lord of Shadows had given her was supposed to be equal to a Transcendent weapon and a potent one, at that. Cutting the flesh of a Great abomination would have been hard, but not impossible. Still, Nephis did not hope to break the golem''s stone carapace, and aimed at a weak point, instead.


    She already knew that the creature would not be able to avoid her strike.NewW novels updates at novelhall.com


    That was Neph''s power. She could not predict the future, like Cassie could, and did not possess an Aspect Ability that would allow her to read the enemy''s mind. However, she knew the laws of combat - knew them intimately, instinctually, and comprehensively. From the philosophy of combat to how the atoms interacted with each other to form a steel blade, she knew it all.


    So, she did not have to see the future. Knowing the laws of combat, she could simply tell what movements her enemy could perform, was most likely to perform, and would perform in any given situation.


    That was the easiest part of being a master at combat. The hard part... was actually dictating the situation to make the enemy move how she wanted them to move.


    Of course, to achieve that, she had to know the enemy as well.


    The shoulder Joint of the eerle golem had turned out to be far more durable than she had anticipated. Her blade bypassed the stone carapace, but the desiccated flesh beneath was Just as tough. Her sword bit into it and failed to cut deep, leaving only an insignificant scratch.


    Nephis frowned, knowing that she was now open to the creature''s retaliation.


    Soon, the ancient stone cracked even more, and then exploded in a rain of shards. The golem staggered, and toppled to the ground.


    The Spell whispered into her ear, its voice mocking and insidious:


    [You have slain a Great Beast, Asura of Condemnation],


    [Your soul shines brighter.]


    Nephis breathed heavily and dismissed her helmet, loose strands of hair sticking to her fair face. She studied the collapsed golem warily, knowing that this was just the beginning of a dreadful battle.


    The Lord of Shadows had said that there were a lot of these abominations in the ruins, after all.


    Her guide, meanwhile, walked closer to the stone creature, stared at it for a bit, and then gave it a kick.


    Then, he said, a hint of somber emotion in his usually cold voice:


    ...It''s an MWP."


    Nephis was surprised. She lingered for a moment, then raised an eyebrow.


    "What?"


    He pointed to the dead golem with the tip of his odachi:


    "This creature, it''s an MWP. Mobile war platform. Well... I guess it''s more of a powered armor suit. Mundane soldiers used them in Antarctica."


    The Lord of Shadows remained silent for a while, then sighed.


    "The mummified corpse inside was an Awakened warrior, and this golem is the power suit he wore. Of course, it was powered by sorcery, not technology,"


    His voice slowly returned to the usual indifferent nonchalance:


    "They were defenders of this city, I guess.��

 Chapter 1675: Uncovered.

    Chapter 1675: Uncovered.


    The jungle, which had been like a rustling ocean, was suddenly absolutely quiet. The dead silence that enveloped them was so utter and unnatural that, for a moment, Nephis felt a chill travel across her back despite the sweltering heat.


    The horrors of the forgotten ruin were drawing closer.


    She frowned slightly, and then dismissed most of her armor. A whirlwind of sparks wreathed her slender figure for a few fleeting moments, and then dissipated without a trace, leaving only a thin white tunic behind.


    Free of the suffocating weight of her armor, Nephis inhaled deeply and noticed that the Lord of Shadows was staring at her intently. At least... she thought he was? The darkness nestling in the crack of his visor was just as cold and nebulous as always.


    ?What... are you doing??


    His voice was emotionless, but she thought she recognized a hint of emotion in it. Confusion, maybe?


    Yes, he was probably confused.


    She shrugged, enjoying the feeling of her skin breathing, unobstructed by the weight of metal.


    ?My armor won''t withstand a hit from a Great Beast. I''d rather have all the speed and agility I can get, considering the circumstances. That way, I stand the chance of not being hit at all.?


    That was true. Her armor was a Supreme Memory of the Second Tier, but after the battle with this... asura... she had judged that it would not protect her from a blow delivered by one of the ancient golems. She could heal her body if it was damaged, but not her armor and once the armor was wrecked and bent out of shape, it would constrict her movements even further.


    Now that the presence of the true masters of the ruined city had scared off all the pests populating the jungle, it was better to be fast and nimble.


    The other reason Nephis had dismissed her armor was necessity. She was pretty sure that she would be forced to use her Transformation Ability in the upcoming battle... so, she didn''t want to burn the Supreme Memory.


    That armor of hers was pretty decent. It would be a shame if it melted into a puddle of molten steel, like so many previous ones...Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com


    Cassie had also told her once that it suited her well.


    Not that it mattered, of course!


    ?...What a fearsome sword.?


    Nephis stared at the dark demon in front of her, wondering for a moment...


    Was that, perhaps, the true appearance of the Lord of Shadows, while the human form he wore was no more than a disguise?


    The human, the dark colossus, the swift crow, and this shadow devil... was that the result of his Transformation Ability? If so, it was much more versatile than Nephis had assumed, and any Saint she knew possessed.


    Then again, shadows were formless and shapeless by nature, so maybe such versatility made sense.


    The form of a shadow demon... was very much like the enchanted armor suits the defenders of the ancient city had once worn, in a sense. Was his body encased in a shell of shadows, like theirs had been in sorcerous stone? If so, it was an ingenious applications of one''s Aspect.


    But it couldn''t be just that. The Lord of Shadows could cover his human body in the shell of the four-armed devil and the shadow colossus. But what about the crow? It was much smaller than a human. So, the fundamental principle of his Transformation had to be different.


    As she was contemplating the nuances of his Aspect, the Lord of Shadows spoke, his voice still cold and indifferent:


    ?We must hurry.?


    His voice was still the same...


    Which was a little funny. A voice like that suited a young man of noble bearing very well, but coming from the chest of such a huge and ferocious creature, it sounded a little comical.


    Absurdly enough, Nephis found herself wanting to laugh.


    ...Of course, she did not, maintaining her usual calm expression. However, two sparks ignited in her eyes.


    ?Yes... right. Let us hurry.?


    Turning away to hide her face, she gripped the hilt of her black sword and dashed into the jungle.

 Chapter 1676: Inalienable.

    Chapter 1676: Inalienable.


    The carnivorous plants and the abominable vermin populating the jungle had hidden away out of fear, terrified by the approach of the masters of the ancient ruin. So, Nephis ran fast, covering a great distance with each second.


    The wind was cool, soothing her slender body.


    The Lord of Shadows had taken the lead, his strides like that of a beast. His powerful limbs tore the ground, and from time to time, he used the trunks of the towering trees to leap forward, sending splinters flying back.


    Soon enough, Nephis sensed the approach of a new enemy. Ree?ad latest novels at novelhall.com


    The same kind of golem broke through the wall of vines, and the ground quaked from the crushing impact of its footsteps. The creature looked just like the one they had slain a minute earlier �� tall, overgrown with scarlet moss, its ancient stone carapace ace covered by a net of cracks.


    This one was armed with a diamond scepter instead of a mace a split second later, the scepter was already flying at the shadow demon''s head.


    Its speed was so dire that a fatal blow seemed inevitable. The jungle itself swayed, following the trajectory of the diamond weapon.


    Nephis raised her sword to block.


    A fraction of a second later, the Lord of Shadows.... simply disappeared from the path of the scepter. There was a thunderous boom, and a devastating shockwave spread in a wide cone from the point where the asura''s weapon had been supposed to hit.


    A vast swath of the jungle, hundreds of meters across, was instantly devastated.


    Sadly enough, Nephis was right in the middle of the cone of destruction. The sword she had raised cut through it, sharp and indomitable, allowing her to continue moving forward without slowing down too much.


    She jumped, stepped on the diamond scepter, ran across its length, and delivered a dire downward slash all in a matter of a single moment.


    The tough stone carapace of the Great Beast did not split open, but that was not her goal. What Nephis aimed for was to infect it with the decay of the [Testament of Malice].


    Before the creature could catch her, she had already jumped back, twisting gracefully midair.


    The Lord of Shadows appeared from the darkness behind the creature, his enormous odachi falling down like the blade of a giant guillotine. In that demonic form, encased in fearsome onyx armor, he was no less imposing than the abominable asura. The might of his strike was so terrible that the knees of the Great Beast buckled, its feet sinking deep into the moss.


    The ground itself split open.


    Stone shards shot into the air like shrapnel.


    ?There is another one!?


    Towering above the kneeling Nightmare Creature, he used two of his hands to grab its head viciously, locking it in a chokehold. His other two hands turned the black odachi downward and drove its tip into the crack infected by the decay of the [Touch of Malice].


    Nephis spun and swung her sword. Up until this point, she had only used her Dormant Ability. At that moment, though, she summoned a spark of soul flame and, enduring the agony, uttered the Names of fire and wind.


    That single spark exploded into a raging inferno, incinerating everything in its path. The jungle in front of her turned to ash, revealing the dreadful form of the second asura.


    ?Is it really worth it, to die for a couple Sleepers??


    She jumped over a fallen tree, landed nimbly, and lunged forward with stunning speed.


    ?It is!?


    To her, it was a strange question... but then again, people often misunderstood her. She had answered honestly, but the question itself was wrong and misguided.


    Because she wasn''t risking her life for these Sleepers. The Sleepers were merely a circumstance, but what she was ready to die for were her principles. She believed that saving these teenagers was the right thing to do, and so, she wanted to do it. And it was also the right thing to do because she wanted to do it.


    Before, a long time ago... Nephis had been truly powerless. She watched fearfully as everything their family possessed was taken away. Their heirlooms, their wealth, their home. Even people who surrounded her were either killed or chased away one after another, disappearing without a trace.


    Their absence had left a scar.


    Perhaps because of that, she didn''t value material possessions, and many other things that people usually held dear. The things she valued the most were inside of her, and therefore, could never be taken away.


    Her beliefs, her principles, her will. As long as she held fast to that, nothing could scare her, and nothing could make her feel truly powerless.


    However...


    While these things could not be taken away, they could be lost. She could betray herself, and thus discard them. It was the easiest thing in the world, to lose oneself.


    Then, she would truly have nothing.


    The thought of that... was too appalling. Much more terrible than death.


    And so, Nephis would rather die.


    It didn''t matter if she risked her life for two Sleepers or to fulfill her greatest desire. To her, both were one and the same both were expressions of her self, and therefore equally important.


    The Lord of Shadows laughed.


    ?Why??


    Hadn''t she already told him that it was because she wanted to? It was simple as that... and as deeply complicated as that, as well.


    She had long given up on trying to explain herself to people. But, somehow, Nephis felt... that, maybe, the Lord of Shadows would be able to understand.


    Running as fast as she could, Nephis smiled faintly.


    ?Because otherwise, I wouldn''t be me!?

 Chapter 1677: Spark of Longing.

    Chapter 1677: Spark of Longing.


    A towering golem made from crumbling stone, its cracked body overgrown with red moss, raised a hand. There was a corpse.entombed within it. The soldier of an annihilated civilization had perished.thousands of years ago, but their sorcerous armor still lived, infected by an abhorrent.corruption.


    The creature, an Asura of Condemnation, was holding a diamond cleaver in its hand. When the cleaver rose, the world seemed to tremble in fear. When the cleaver fell, reality itself seemed to split apart.


    A giant tree, its adamantine bark hard enough to resist the end of days, was cut down in one slash and toppled slowly. The wind raised by its fall fanned the flames that had been spreading through the jungle, and bitter smoke permeated the air.


    The tree had been dead for countless years, and its heart had long rotted away. There was a cave-like hollow between its roots, which was now revealed.Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com


    Two terrified Sleepers had been hiding in that hollow, and were now hugging each other as they looked at the sinister abominations in horror..


    The diamond cleaver rose again, spelling their doom.


    ...Before it could fall down to reap their lives, however, an equally menacing fiend appeared from the darkness, crashing into the great golem with a ferocious growl. It had sharp claws, twisting horns, and a long tale, its bestial body encased in a fearsome onyx carapace. The darkness itself moved, shrouding it like a mantle.


    And a moment later...


    The eyes of the two Sleepers widened.


    A beautiful young woman wearing a fluttering white tunic fell from above, surrounded by pure light. Her skin was fair and flawless, like polished alabaster, and her silver hair shone brilliantly in the dim twilight of the jungle. Her figure was slender and graceful, and her beauty... was breathtaking.


    She held an incandescent sword in her hands.


    Landing on the shoulder of the ghastly golem, she delivered a terrible blow and severed its damaged neck.


    The headless abomination continued to.resist furiously even after being decapitated, but the strange pair �� the fearsome demon of darkness and the beautiful spirit of light �� cooperated seamlessly, swiftly bringing it down.


    The diamond cleaver shattered and fell apart. The stone carapace crumbled. The mummified corpse that had been entombed within it turned to ash.


    The creature was dead before the falling tree collapsed to the ground, making the ancient ruin quake.


    Nephis jumped off its corpse and inhaled slowly.


    The Lord of Shadows had been wounded in that last clash, but his towering body was already repairing itself. She was unscathed... for now.


    Most importantly, they made it to the two Sleepers in time.


    Turning around, she walked to the remains of the giant tree and looked into the hollow space between its roots, where two ashen- faced teenagers were staring up at her with wide eyes.


    Both were girls, their faces smeared with ash and dirt. One of them seemed to maintain a shred of composure, holding the other tightly. The other girl... didn''t look too good, and seemed to be slowly falling unconscious.


    The first Sleeper opened her mouth and said, stuttering:


    ?You''re... y-you''re... Changing Star??


    A moment later, Nephis shook her head lightly, having lost her train of thought.


    Concerned for the unconscious girl, she gently placed her hand on her gaunt body, and frowned. The girl''s skin was as hot as a furnace, and her pulse was weak... she wasn''t just infected... she was dying. Nephis lingered for a moment, and then glanced at Tamar. She forced herself to smile again.


    ?...You are safe now. The worst part is almost over. Fear not, for we are here. And we will get you and your friend out, no matter what.?


    The young girl stared at Nephis for a few moments, then took a trembling breath and nodded. Then, she suddenly slumped, as if finally allowing her exhausted body to collapse. Her eyes glistened with moisture, but she gritted her teeth and held the tears back.


    ?Thank you... thank you Lady Changing Star.?


    Nephis nodded and turned away, secretly gritting her teeth.


    Then, she activated her Dormant Ability and endured the blinding pain, sending a wave of healing flame into the second Sleepers body.


    The infection was persistent, and had spread to the girl''s heart. Nevertheless, it was burned away by the purity of soul flame, leaving no trace behind. It just took a little longer than Nephis had expected. She healed most of the damage dealt to the body of the unfortunate Sleeper, as well.


    The shadows around her stirred, betraying her companion''s restlessness.


    The Lord of Shadows spoke from above:


    ?They''re drawing close.?


    At the sound of her voice, Tamar flinched and looked at Nephis, trying to hide her fear:


    ?This is... this is Godgrave, isn''t it? Can we really escape??


    Nephis dismissed her flames and took a deep breath.


    ?Of course. I promised, didn''t I??


    The young girl stared at her for a few moments, then nodded gravely.


    ?I''ll... trust in you, Lady Changing Star. I strive to survive, no matter what.?


    Her voice sounded resolute.


    Neph''s smile faltered for a moment.


    ?...Good. Strive well.?


    While saying that, she could already feel it...


    A spark of longing igniting in the soul of young Tamar, and then turning into a gentle flame.


    Connecting the two of them together, and making her a tentative part of Neph''s nascent, unrealized, almost non-existent Domain.

 Chapter 1678: Path to Supremacy

    Chapter 1678: Path to Supremacy


    Nephis had not been dismissive when she answered the question posed by the Lord of Shadows...


    How could one kill a Supreme?


    After years of striving bitterly to maneuver herself into a position where resisting the Sovereigns was not a foolish, futile, and frivolous delusion, she had come to understand that the only plausible way to defeat them was to attain Supremacy herself.


    Years ago, she had come back to the waking world after an eternity of being lost in the Dream Realm, defeated and broken. Back then, she had made a decision to join the Great Clan Valor, knowing that there would be no better way for her to come to know her enemy.


    When Nephis killed a Nightmare Creature, she dissected the carcass to examine its anatomy and learn how to slay such abominations better. But she couldn''t dissect a Great Clan... so, joining one was the best way to study the enemy from within.


    She had also harbored other aspirations - to earn the trust of the King of Swords and therefore place herself in a position where striking him down would be tenable. Nephis was a master of combat, after all, of which decelt and misdirection were Integral parts, Life wasn''t that different from combat... her life was not, at least,


    But, although she had attained some success in her ambition to Infiltrate the Great Clan and become trusted by its King, the more Nephis learned about the enemy, the more hopeless her burning desire to vanquish the Sovereigns seemed.


    Even if she knew everything there was to know about Valor, and even if the King of Sword lowered his guard one day... she wasn''t confident at all that she would be able to defeat him, despite all her power as a Transcendent Titan.


    So... Nephis had to become a Supreme Titan, instead.


    The problem was that she was not allowed to even try.


    Times had changed, and there were many more Awakened, Masters, and Saints walking the world today. The Sovereigns had relaxed their iron grip on achieving greater power... a little. But they still demanded fealty from the absolute majority of Transcendents, and would certainly never let someone rise to the throne of Supremacy and become their equal.


    Anvil and Ki Song could not even tolerate the existence of each other. How could they allow someone else to become their rival?


    Not to mention someone like Nephis, who had a perfectly justified reason to hate them and plot their downfall.


    They would never let her challenge the Fourth Nightmare. Even if she found a suitable Seed, entered it without permission, and survived... she would be slaughtered Immediately after returning to reality. The might of a Sovereign lay in the power of their Domain, after all, and hers would not be established yet right after achieving Supremacy.


    The secret to going further on the Path of Ascension was, reasonably, hidden in the changes that the soul of a living being underwent during Transcendence,


    The soul of a Saint broke the limits of the mundane and expanded, coming into contact with the world and becoming intertwined with a part of it. The soul of a Sovereign, then... had to not only become fused with the world, but also claim authority over its part.


    That was the essence of Supremacy. To be a ruler.


    But every Saint was unique. The nature of the connection they shared with the world was unique, as well. Therefore, each Transcendent had a unique path to Supremacy.


    For Nephis herself... that path was easy to understand, but impossibly hard to tread.


    After becoming a Saint, her soul had become capable of being nourished by the ambient essence of the world, the spirit essence. Of course, it was only so for the spirit essence born from a particular source.


    Most people assumed that her source element was flame, some assumed that it was light. But all of them were wrong.


    In truth, Neph''s source element, the foundation of her future Domain... was longing.


    In hindsight, she should have known it much sooner. It had always been there, in the description of her Aspect...


    Aspect: [Light Bringer].


    Aspect Rank: Divine.


    Aspect Description: [You are a creature of light that was banished and doomed to exist in the darkness. You bring radiance and warmth to wherever you go, but with it comes indescribable longing.]


    The spirit essence Nephis could absorb was born from the souls of those living beings she inspired to yearn for something. It didn''t matter what they longed for - and, unlike the loyalty demanded by the King of Swords and the Queen of Worms, she didn''t need to be the subject of their yearning. Any kind of aspiration born from knowing her, or knowing about her, became the source of spirit essence for her.


    Her [Longing] Ability also seemed to have evolved after her Transcendence, fusing with her presence. Over time, Nephis had noticed that when people were in her presence, their souls grew more susceptible to inspiration, and the flames of their desires burned brighter.


    That was the foundation of her future Domain, which she had already built without even knowing it.

 Chapter 1679: Beacon of Hope

    Chapter 1679: Beacon of HopeBeacon of Hope


    There were two ways to build a Domain.


    One was provided by the Spell, and depended on the Citadels.


    By becoming the master of a Citadel, or having a person who had accepted your authority become one, a Supreme could empower and expand their Domain over vast territories. A Citadel was much more than just a stronghold containing a Gateway it was a daunting construct of impossible sorcery that forcefully subjugated the part of the world surrounding it and brought it under the rule of a Supreme.


    That was why both the King of Swords and the Queen of Worms, who controlled most of the human territories in the Dream Realm, were so immensely powerful.


    The second way was innate to each Transcendent, and unique to their Aspect.


    Nephis suspected that most Domains were territorial in nature, which was the reason why the Spell had based its method on territory.


    But not all of them were.


    Take the King of Swords, for example. He used the path provided by the Citadels to expand his Domain, but that did not mean that he limited himself to it. The true vessels of his authority were not lands, but people - every warrior wielding a sword forged by him was a part of his Domain, and thus empowered it.


    Ki Song collected the dead. There was the mysterious Asterion, as well, who didn''t seem to rule any Citadel.


    As for Nephis herself, the only way for her to build a Domain was to inspire people, igniting the flames of yearning in their souls. At least that was her belief.


    It had taken countless hours of contemplation and meditation for her to learn how to truly sense the underlying source element of her Aspect. She had noticed the subtle shift in her presence first... or maybe that subtle quality had always been there, too weak to be discerned.


    The souls of people shone brighter in Neph''s presence, their innermost hopes and aspirations igniting with a stronger flame. Her presence was like kindling for their passions, turning desire into yearning.


    And if that yearning was inspired directly by her, or even the idea of her, then a subtle connection was established between them and Nephis, making the inspired a part of her source element.


    She had not learned to sense these connections swiftly, though. In fact, it had taken a small breakthrough in mastering her Aspect Legacy for Nephis to grasp the deeper meaning of [Longing]


    Her Aspect Legacy was a tree of knowledge that bore seven fruits, She had reaped the benefits of one of them and comprehended the Knowledge of Fire in Twilight.


    Since then, Nephis had made strides in comprehending a few others.


    Facing the First Seeker in Verge, she had advanced considerably toward the Knowledge of Corruption. And in the last four years, she had not only fully mastered the Knowledge of Destruction, but also started on the path of comprehending Knowledge of Passion.


    Nephis played along with the will of Clan Valor,


    using these opportunities to show the world her


    incorruptible will and brilliant radiance, which


    made her fame even more wide-spread and


    exalted, Cassie, meanwhile, worked behind the


    scenes to guide the narrative and fan the flames.


    Nephis herself, the Ivory Tower, the Chain Breaker, the Fire Keepers - everything was now a recognizable symbol of selflessness, strength, and nobility. They were beacons of hope in a dark and tumultuous world, bringing people solace... and Inspiration.


    The number of those touched by her light grew every day, forming countless connections to her soul. Not all of these connections were equal. Some were tentative and feeble, some were radiant and deep. The deepest connections by far were those of the Fire Keepers - her most loyal followers. It was to a degree that she could even reach them with her Aspect Abilities from a distance.


    That was one part of what Nephis was doing - the easier part.


    The harder part, by far, was coming up with a way to actually turn this spiderweb of connections the nascent form of her future Domain - into an actual one.


    Nephis... still had no idea how to take this step. She had spent some time studying the changes that had happened to her Soul Sea after she bound the Ivory Tower and let the Fire Keepers place their anchors there, hoping to find a clue from the mysterious mechanisms of the Nightmare Spell. But that had turned out to be a dead end.


    So, for now, Nephis was left with no choice but to search... and wait.


    She had hoped that she would find a hint before the war started, but now that both of the Great Clans were on the move, that didn''t seem possible anymore.


    Which was why it was so important for her to establish a foothold in Godgrave, and ready herself for what was going to happen here.


    Anvil and Ki Song had to fall before the war was over.


    Because if one of them truly defeated the other, their authority would spread to all of humanity.


    ...Once that happened, even becoming a Supreme would not be enough to slay them.

 Chapter 1680: Spirit of Light

    Chapter 1680: Spirit of Light


    The unconscious Sleeper slowly opened her eyes, staring at Nephis with a dazed look. She smiled reassuringly and rose, picking up her sword again.


    There was not much time left. The enemies were approaching.


    Towering above the three of them - Nephis and the two teenage girls - the Lord of Shadows said coldly:


    "It''s sweet that you promised to save them. But how are you going to do it? Once we start fighting with those abominations, a single shockwave will be enough to finish these two off."


    Nephis climbed out of the pit and helped the girl she had healed up. Tamar followed.


    ''Good question.��


    There was no time to run away, because the asuras were faster than them. Flying away wasn''t an option, either, because they would be perfect targets in the air. One toss of a diamond weapon, and there would be no escape.


    Even if Nephis could evade, she had to carry at least one of the Sleepers, and neither of the girls would survive the crushing pressure of such maneuvers,


    She considered countless strategies in a single second and looked up at the Lord of Shadows,


    "You take them and retreat. I''ll hold the enemy off, and then join you."


    He remained silent for a moment, and then said flatly:


    "I refuse."


    Nephis blinked.


    Huh!


    She had not expected that answer.


    "Why?"


    The shadow demon bent down, bringing his onyx helmet level to her face. The darkness nestling inside it was deep and impenetrable.


    "You might be fine dying for these Sleepers, Changing Star. But I am not fine with you dying."


    One of his onyx claws pointed at her.


    "You still owe me a favor, remember? Wouldn''t I be cheated if you died before repaying me?"


    Nephis tilted her head.


    At that moment... she thought that she felt a hint of desire from the Lord of Shadows. Some people''s longing was like a spark, some people''s longing was like flame. His, though... to her, it felt like a towering pyre that dwarfed everything around.


    As it turned out, the Lord of Shadows was a man of dire passion behind that cold exterior.


    She couldn''t make out the details of what exactly he yearned for, but his unwillingness to see her dead - before she made good on her promise, at least seemed rather sincere.


    It looked like the favor he intended to ask from her was not simple.


    A moment later, his soul was shrouded in darkness once again, and she couldn''t feel anything.


    "Anyway... time is of the essence... so, I''d better go."


    A moment later, the three of them dissolved into shadows, leaving Nephis alone in the small clearing.


    ''A spatial movement Ability.��


    She remained motionless for a second, then looked at herself again.


    A quiet mumble could be heard:


    "...Did I gain muscle?"


    Sure, she was not as delicate and pretty as Cassie. And not as elegant and graceful as Seishan. But Nephis was pretty confident in her figure... granted, it wasn''t as generous as Effie''s...


    ��What am I even thinking about?''


    Just at that moment, the jungle around her exploded, and seven ghastly golems lunged at her from all sides, the world groaning in agony from the violent force of their passing.


    Nephis was still looking down.


    Before they could reach her, though, her body exploded with a brilliant radiance, and their towering figures were consumed by blinding light.


    ***


    Nephis had transformed into a spirit of light.


    In that state, her graceful body seemed to be woven out of immaculate white radiance. That radiance contained an unfathomable ocean of furious flame instead of flesh and bone, and was a beautiful vessel for her fiery, titanic soul.


    She was like a brilliant star that had taken the form of a human,


    The moisture permeating the humid air instantly evaporated. The rotten leaves blanketing the ground turned to ash. The remains of the dead tree blackened and caught fire, being consumed at startling speed.


    But the speed with which the mystical wood was being consumed by the white flame was nothing when compared to the speed with which Nephis moved.


    Unconstrained by the limitations of mundane flesh, her power exploded.


    The whole clearing was flooded with blinding light, and the towering figures of the asuras dissolved in that light. They weren''t destroyed, but the red moss covering their cracked armor was immediately incinerated. The mummified flesh within the stone carapaces blackened and smoldered.


    The seven diamond weapon fell in unison, but Nephis effortlessly danced out of the way.


    Almost at the same time...


    She was suddenly in front of one of the abominations, her radiant fist brushing lightly against its stone breastplate.


    The massive creature was thrown back. The armor on its chest cracked and melted, and the thick armor plate on its back exploded, shards of stone turning into molten rain as they fell to the ground.


    The world was stark and clear, awash in annihilating pain.


    ''Three more seconds...''


    Nephis wondered how many of these Nightmare Creatures she would be able to kill before the Lord of Shadows returned.

 Chapter 1681: Battle Partners

    Chapter 1681: Battle Partners


    In the form of the radiant spirit, Nephis was much more powerful than her human incarnation. Her speed and might increased vastly, and her fire powers grew much more potent... especially when the beautiful vessel of light was augmented seven times over by her Aspect.


    Not only that, but mundane attacks could not hurt her at all - most weapons would simply turn to ash before reaching her, and those that did break through the immolating heat would find no flesh to harm behind it.


    Only fire.


    So, what hurt her the most was her Flaw, the [Pristine Soul]... and in that form, the danger it posed was much more dire than the suffering she experienced when using her lesser Abilities. The incandescent white void of her soul was so pure and searing that it threatened to consume her, burning away her very self. Perhaps forever.


    At least that was what Nephis feared. She rarely used the power of her Aspect in combat, relying on nothing but her martial prowess if there was a choice, and she used her Transformation Ability even less frequently.


    Of course, she was not invulnerable even in that brilliant form. There were many beings and weapons there that could harm this fiery vessel of hers, but the damage they dealt would be instantly healed at the cost of her essence. The form of the spirit of light was a manifestation of her Incandescent soul, and so, one would have to extinguish her soul completely to destroy it.


    Which was not Impossible, especially when facing enemies of higher Ranks.


    The ancient stone wraiths she was fighting were among such enemies.


    [You have slain a Great Beast, Asura of Condemnation.]


    [Your soul shines brighter].


    [You have slain a Great Beast, Asura of Condemnation.]


    [Your soul shines brighter.]


    [You have slain a Great Beast...]


    Nephis managed to bring down three of the seven Nightmare Creatures in quick succession, but after that, the situation worsened. The abominable golems witnessed her power and grasped it, their movements changing as a result.


    They were of the Great Rank, after all. For creatures like these, the distinction between flesh and flame was of no importance. The strange diamond weapons they wielded carried their killing will, and before that will, all would be annihilated. The laws of the world themselves bent to accommodate it.


    If she was struck by one of the asuras... her soul would not collapse from a single blow, but the damage would be considerable. Even for a Great Beast, destroying a Transcendent Titan would not be easy - but there were a lot of these creatures here, so she had to be careful.


    Nephis gave up on offense and evaded the thunderous attacks of the menacing golems, biding her time until the Lord of Shadows returned


    His technique was just as sublime as hers, but it was also... strange. Sometimes, his movements did not seem too swift - compared to her, at least - but at other times, it was as if he was so fast as to leave afterimages behind him.


    No, not even that... it was as if the Lord of Shadows was sometimes in two places at the same time.


    It took Nephis a few moments to understand what was happening.


    ��Transcendent battle art...''


    His spatial movement Ability was intricately woven into his battle style. The Lord of Shadows masterfully used short-distance teleportation to maneuver around the battlefield, blinking from place to place with such speed that it seemed as if he was in several places simultaneously.


    The graceful movements of his sword flowed uninterrupted between the jumps, so a slash that started in one spot could land dozens of meters away. An enemy attack could be blocked despite him being nowhere near its path. In a sense, the whole battlefield was within the reach of his serpentine odachi.


    There was also another detail...


    ''He''s jumping between shadows.��


    After noticing that detail, Nephis also realized with a bit of surprise that the Lord of Shadows was anticipating and making use of her own movements.


    Currently, she was the brightest source of light on the battlefield, so the direction of the shadows cast by the massive bodies of the asuras was dictated by her position.


    The Lord of Shadows was paying attention to her movements to anticipate the movement of the shadows, and was therefore able to escape the danger freely, unfailingly appearing behind the abominations to deliver a terrible strike and dissolve into the darkness before they could retaliate.


    It was... an utterly beautiful display of flawless technique, firm intent, and devious ingenuity.


    ��...Diabolical��.


    Nephis was... impressed.


    Dodging the crushing blow of a diamond staff, she floated into the air to avoid being thrown off balance by the quaking earth, and shot forward. Her incandescent palm touched the elbow of the ancient golem, and its elbow joint finally cracked, falling apart in a rain of molten stone.


    Now that the enemy was unable to wield the heavy staff effectively, she had a window of opportunity. Landing lightly on the burning ground, Nephis spun and delivered a devastating roundhouse kick to the towering abomination. Her long, slender leg connected to its abdomen, and the asura was thrown back, its entire torso exploding and catching fire.


    By the time the burning golem fell to the ground, it was already dead.


    ...But just as it died, more asuras appeared from the depths of the ruin, lunging at Nephis and her battle partner with silent malice.

 Chapter 1682: Hasty Retreat

    Chapter 1682: Hasty Retreat


    Nephis and the Lord of Shadow had slain the initial four Great Beasts. But by then, there were already more of the fearsome asuras that had risen from the ruins and reached them, surrounding the two like a fatal tide of ancient stone and sinister, evil will.


    She... was coming closer and closer to the cusp of fatigue.


    The Lord of Shadows, meanwhile, seemed to be holding back on using his teleportation Ability. He must have told the truth when saying that carrying the two Sleepers all the way to the Citadel and coming back would put a strain on his reserves of essence. It had to be conserved now.


    Luckily, their goal was not to obliterate all the ancient wraiths. Their goal was simply to escape... granted, there was some bad luck involved, too.


    The easiest route of retreat would have been to escape to the surface through the nearest crack in the dome of the colossal breastbone. But the veil of clouds was torn right now, and the surface was bathed in the light of the annihilating sun. That path was not an option.


    Nevertheless, Nephis wasn''t too concerned, She was still holding back the most destructive of her powers.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    She had no doubt that the Lord of Shadows had a few tricks up his sleeve, as well.


    And yet, and yet...


    What was that cold, heavy weight pressing down on her heart?


    "Move back"


    His voice was just as cold as ever.


    She didn''t hesitate and pushed the grounds with her foot, leaving a scorched mark on it and flying more than a hundred meters back almost in an instant.


    In the next second, a small lantern of black stone appeared in one of the shadow demon''s four hands. His onyx armor shifted and retreated under his obsidian skin, revealing his powerful physique.


    Left alone, the Lord of Shadow lingered for a moment, seemingly unable to evade the attacks of the abominable golems in time. Everything that followed happened in a split second.


    Their diamond weapons landed on his muscular body, mangling it gruesomely.


    A tide of darkness suddenly flowed out of the stone lantern and came alive, enveloping the advancing asuras with a thousand black chains. Even though the Great Beasts tore the chains apart with ease, they were still stalled for several precious moments.


    In those moments, the broken, savaged body of the Lord of Shadows swayed slowly... and dissolved into nothingness.


    Neph''s radiant eyes flashed.


    ''He...''


    Both Nephis and the Lord of Shadows halted, realizing almost at the same time that the edge of the ancient ruins... was somehow getting further away. No matter how fast they ran, the distance between them and the overgrown wall did not diminish.


    They glanced at each other somberly.


    In the next moment, the entire world quaked violently, and something massive moved behind them.


    Turning around, Nephis saw the ground at the heart of the ancient city moving, rising above the jungle like a mountain. Countless trees toppled and fell down, the sea of vines and bushes drowning in the rolling soil. l?ght~n��vel~world~c~��~m. The ancient structures were revealed from underneath the carpet of red moss, only to crumble moments later.


    It was as though something colossal had been sleeping under the ancient jungle, and was now rising from below, its slumber disturbed by the incinerating heat of the white flames and the clamor of fierce battle.


    She suddenly felt... horror.


    Horror was not something Nephis felt often, and definitely not on her own accord. The only reason for that feeling was that her mind was being affected by an external force.


    Neph''s flames dimmed a little when a dire realization surfaced in her mind.


    Her lips parted, and she whispered a single word:


    "...Condemnation."


    The Great Beasts they had been battling were called the asuras... the asuras of Condemnation.


    She had thought that they were simply a swarm of Nightmare Creatures populating the ancient ruin, their name hinting at some forgotten mystery of the past.


    But now, Nephis realized that it had a much more literal meaning.


    As the mountain of raised soil started to split open, revealing the appearance of the being that had been buried underneath, she thought that her horror had been quite an appropriate reaction.


    The asuras of Condemnation were not a natural swarm of Great Beasts bound to a single location.


    Instead, they were here together for another, much more sinister reason... they were the minions of a much more powerful being.


    Their name simply pointed at whom they belonged to.


    Their master had to be of a higher Rank, after all.


    The Cursed Tyrant... Condemnation.

 Chapter 1683: Dark Deity.

    Chapter 1683: Dark Deity.


    A Cursed Tyrant...


    Nephis felt an unfamiliar emotion that she couldn''t quite describe. Awe, perhaps? Or maybe hatred.


    The pure flames of her soul roared, surging restlessly in the presence of the harrowing adversary.


    Cursed Nightmare Creatures were... the epitome of terror. Each of them was equal to what a Sacred being would have been �� not that there were any of those around. Nevertheless, Sacred beings held a special meaning for humanity.


    That was because of what the steps of the Path of Ascension meant, at least as far as humans theorized.


    If the Path of Ascension was the road to divinity, then each step brought those treading it closer to godhood. Transcendence was the step of breaking away from the limits of the mundane. Supremacy was the act of asserting one''s power over the world, thus establishing the foundation of their future apotheosis.


    But it was the next step, which no Awakened of their world had taken before, that signified truly attaining the qualities of the divine. A Sacred being was already a deity, albeit a lesser one.


    The same could be said about a Cursed being. The Cursed Tyrant, Condemnation, could very well be called a deity, A profane deity of abyssal Corruption.


    And so, in a sense...


    Today was the first time Nephis would face a god In battle.


    But not the last.


    ���� ���� ����


    Time seemed to slow down as Condemnation rose from beneath the ruins. The gargantuan shape of the ancient fiend was still hidden behind the layers of collapsing soil and crumbling buildings, but it was already like a towering mountain. The quaking earth, the scale of it all... seemed more like a natural process than the movements of a living being.


    Or rather, unnatural.


    Witnessing the sleeping giant wake from its slumber, Nephis could finally guess how this ancient city had been destroyed, and why it had fallen despite the dire might of its defenders. The warriors that wielded the dreadful power of the sorcerous exosuits and the sublime diamond weapons, the asuras... had perished when the Cursed Tyrant descended upon their city like a cataclysm.


    Even their impossible strength had not been enough to save this land, which was now a forgotten ruin. One of many similar ruins swallowed by the jungle.


    Such was the caliber of enemies the civilization of Godgrave had faced before extinction.


    It certainly made one wonder...


    Nephis glanced at the Lord of Shadows and asked, her clear voice resounding in the roar of the quaking earth:


    ?That spatial Ability of yours... can you escape??


    He shook his head.


    ?Not this time.?


    ?Not this time...?


    It sounded as if this was not his first time encountering a Cursed Nightmare Creature.


    Just what kind of life had he led?


    Nephis took a deep breath.


    ...Or rather, he mimicked the familiar motions of taking a deep breath. The radiant spirit did not have lungs, after all, and neither needed nor was capable of breathing. It was simply a vessel containing a vast ocean of flame.


    She had been prepared to unleash her full Transformation if things went south. However...


    the current situation was way worse than even her worst prediction. Even if she did allow the spirit form to dissolve, releasing the ocean of flame contained within its brilliant figure, she wouldn''t be able to contend against the Cursed Tyrant.


    ?No other choice, then.?


    Well... it couldn''t be helped. She had managed to come closer than usual to fully saturating her soul cores this time around, already.


    The important part was to make the sacrifice count.


    Watching a vague figure reveal itself from beneath the mountain of flowing soil, Nephis glanced at the approaching asuras and said evenly:


    ?Hold back these creatures, then. I''ll... create an opportunity for the two of us to escape.?


    Surrounded by radiant light, Nephis concentrated for a moment...


    And reached into her incandescent soul.

 Chapter 1684: Pure Agony.

    Chapter 1684: Pure Agony.


    They could not escape, but they also could not fight the Cursed Tyrant.


    In that situation, the only way out Nephis saw was to create a momentary lapse in the Tyrant''s concentration.


    It was the abomination''s profane will that was preventing them from reaching the jungle. If that will was weakened, even for a few moments, a path to freedom would be theirs to take.


    Nephis had no hope of killing the evil deity, and no confidence to face it in a prolonged battle. However... she was pretty sure that she could at least hurt it.


    She knew pain better than most. She knew how hard it was to keep calm and steady when your body and soul were being blackened by flame. How it felt to burn alive.


    Anyone''s will would be shaken by that agony.


    But her adversary this time was a Cursed Tyrant. Not any flame would be able to hurt it, and her usual attacks were woefully insufficient.


    So, she had to give it her all.


    ...Which required time.


    The Lord of Shadows had to buy her that time.


    As the pursuing asuras closed in on them, he glanced at her briefly.


    Then, he sighed and let go of his black odachi.


    The tenebrous sword fell to the ground, but rippled like liquid in the air. She thought that she saw a glimmer of serpentine scales.


    A moment later, the odachi turned into a torrent of shadows, and then coalesced into a human form... that of a woman, both her clothes and skin perfectly black, her hair like a waterfall of silken darkness. She was standing with her back to Nephis, so her face was hidden from view. And yet, it felt like the mysterious woman was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.


    More than that... her presence was that of a Transcendent.


    A moment ago, there were two Saints facing the Great Beasts.


    Now, there were three.


    Pulling another sword out of the darkness, the Lord of Shadows lunged at the ghastly asuras without wasting any time. The black woman followed, moving with dire speed and indescribable grace.


    They clashed with the abominations a split second later.


    Sadly, Nephis could not observe their battle.


    She was reaching into her soul.


    The blinding light emanated by her radiant figure grew even more intense, its heat more unbearable, The vines and moss covering the ruins around her turned to ash, revealing ancient stone structures, The weathered stone started to melt.


    ?It''s going to hurt...?


    Her goal was to cause the Cursed being pain, but to achieve it, she had to withstand her own share of agony.


    As something too harrowing to witness and too appaling to see slowly revealed itself from beneath the collapsing soil, Nephis steeled her will... and ignited her soul.


    It was different from summoning soul flame or activating her Abilities. What she was doing was a derivative skill of her Aspect, something she had always been capable of, but only truly learned how to do in Twilight.


    Instead of merely burning soul essence, she was burning her very soul.


    But, unlike the crude way she had done so in Twilight, Nephis was doing it in a much more refined and controlled manner now.


    With each moment, her soul cores grew weaker, and her counter of soul fragments plummeted with dire speed. Each soul fragment she sacrificed turned into a torrent of immolating flame.


    That incandescent inferno grew and grew, the terrifying power contained within it reaching a truly chilling scale.


    Nephis could detonate a soul core to produce a tremendous explosion, But an explosion was a wild thing.., it spread in all directions, annihilating everything in Its path. Such a calamity could obliterate a vast number of enemies, both weak and strong.


    To deal a wound to someone as strong as a Cursed Tyrant, however, such a dispersed tool of destruction was sulted poorly. She needed something much more concentrated, targeted, and controlled.


    Consumed by a harrowing agony, Nephis endured the feeling of her soul being burned to ash, and slowly raised a radiant hand.


    ?Grab a hold of yourself, princess!?


    Despite the situation, his voice sounded as cold and arrogant as always. Maybe even a little colder than usual.


    She closed her eyes for a moment, then summoned the rest of her armor.


    By the time it weaved itself from sparks of light, the Lord of Shadows let go of her, and they ran toward the edge of the ruins together.


    The echoes of the Cursed Tyrant''s pained howi were still traveling across the Hollows when they escaped into the Jungle, leaving the forgotten city behind.


    Just like that, their one-on-one expedition into the Hollows was over.


    ���� ���� ����


    A few hours later, Nephis was sitting on the steps of the Nameless Temple.


    The world... was mercilessly stark, black and white, with no place left for feeling or compromise.


    As it always happened after she overused her Aspect, her emotions were dampened and weak, almost gone. Her heart was cold.


    Or maybe it was so impossibly scorching that it felt cold.


    She was tired, but couldn''t feel the tiredness.


    One could not remember pain, but remembering having suffered pain was all too easy.


    Raising a hand, she allowed a soft radiance to ignite under her skin and stared at it silently.


    ?It still hurts.?


    Good. That was good. Nephis knew that she had not truly lost herself as long as she could still feel the pain, and fear it.


    Sne signed.


    It was time to return.


    The Fire Keepers had already gathered in front of her, ready to depart. The three Sleepers were also there, looking around with awe and amazement. Even Tamar, the Legacy girl, was subdued by the solemn atmosphere of the dark temple.


    The master of the temple, meanwhile, had not come to see them off. Only his Echo was watching.


    The Lord of Shadows...


    Such a mysterious man.


    Nephis tilted her head a little, remembering how he behaved in the forgotten ruin. Not during the battle... but before it.


    Surprisingly enough, the cold warrior seemed to have a lot of interest in history, almost like an explorer. That was a side of him she had not seen before.


    Which was understandable, considering that they didn''t know each other too well.


    However...


    At that moment, her indifferent eyes glinted slightly.


    She thought back to their first meeting, when he challenged her to a duel.


    The style he used once belonged to her family �� naturally, Nephis had asked the Lord of Shadows who taught that style to him.


    And what had he answered?


    And what had he answered?


    Her lips parted.


    ?...Nobody.?

 Chapter 1685: Booming Business

    Chapter 1685: Booming Business


    "Boss... are you okay?"


    Alko''s voice sounded a bit confused as she glanced at Sunny with a dubious expression. The petite girl was floating near the ceiling, taking inventory of their liquor shelf. He, meanwhile, was busy cooking and cursing under his breath.


    There were a lot of customers today, but Sunny could not even manifest an avatar to keep up with the flood of orders.


    ��That third guy! Selfish bastard!''


    He gritted his teeth.


    ��Where did all my essence go?!''


    The gloomy shadow, left to its devices for once, was staring at him mockingly. Sunny glared at it back.


    ''What? I know we''re the same person! It''s a figure of speech, okay?!��


    The phrase "you have no one to blame but himself had never been so poignant.


    The last few days had not been easy on Sunny, and it was all because of his third avatar. First, there was the problem with Weaver''s Mask... he had intended for the Lord of Shadow to wear it at all times, but in practice, it made having any kind of sensible conversation impossible.


    Well,,, not impossible, maybe, But definitely way too frustrating.


    So, Sunny had been busy crafting a special Memory for the third avatar ever since returning from the mirror maze beneath Bastion.


    He could not really reproduce the [Mantle of Lies] - Weaver''s Mask was a Divine Memory, after all, so making a copy of even a single enchantment was utterly beyond his ability.


    He could create a knock-off Weaver''s Mask, though, by using an alteration of the Nebulous Mantle''s enchantments. He had even added a bit of the [Autumn Leaf] - one of the Memories he had lost-into the mix.


    As a result, the Lord of Shadows could still remain a mystery. His voice, height, hair color, and mystical traits were either hidden or distorted. Of course, he was not immune to all forms of divination unless the real Weaver''s Mask was summoned... but since Cassie already knew the truth and had agreed to hide it, there was no need for such a level of secrecy. For now, at least.


    Until the forces of the Great Clans arrived at Godgrave.


    In any case, creating this Memory, which Sunny lazily named [Definitely Not Me], had kept him awake for a few nights. It was imperative that he created it, though...


    Awakened with affinity to shadows were already very rare, and if the humble shopkeeper in Bastion was discovered to not only share this rare trait with the mysterious Lord of Shadows, but also have similar height and build as the mysterious Saint... his peaceful life would be over.


    Pulling a few all-nighters was a bit of a chore, but he could manage it.


    But then, he had to go and waste an ocean of essence in Godgrave, as well!


    Traversing the Hollows and fighting Great Beasts was already bad enough. But then, Sunny decided to transport the two Sleepers back all by himself... the ruins of the forgotten city were situated in the vicinity of the Nameless Temple, but only relative to the overall size of the region. In truth, there was close to two hundred kilometers between them.


    It was well within his power to make three or four consecutive jumps while carrying two Dormant humans, and then come back the same way. The essence cost of such travel was very high, though, draining his reserves to a dangerous degree.


    So, now...


    Sunny felt rather helpless. He couldn''t even allow himself to manifest an additional avatar, let alone do something more strenuous. Whatever essence he had left had to be preserved in case there was an emergency.


    It was a good thing that Nephis had left Godgrave with the Fire Keepers, Gods knew, he wouldn''t want her to see him in such a pathetic state.


    So, Sunny had no choice but to suffer and curse silently,


    He waited for a while, then took a deep breath.


    "Damnation."


    Sunny was slowly starting to realize what the most terrible thing about Cassie''s Ability was not that she could spy on almost anyone undetected.


    It was that she was the one in control of who had the last word!


    Muttering under his breath, he returned to cooking.


    ***


    The day passed in a blur. Sunny was so busy that he had not sat down once until the evening... which, in theory, was a good thing.


    Why would he complain about how popular his restaurant was becoming? Cassie''s commission was bound to be very profitable for the Brilliant Emporium, as well.


    It was just that working hard and working hard while also working hard in two other places were two entirely different things!


    As the sun rolled behind the horizon and the crescent moon appeared in the velvet sky, the dining hall of the Brilliant Emporium became deserted. Aiko had left, leaving Sunny to close down on his own.


    He was carrying a tray of dirty dishes to the kitchen when someone approached the door,


    "Must be the person Cassie sent...''


    He turned to the door, waiting for the person to enter.


    When the Silver Bell rang, though...


    Sunny suddenly tripped and fell on his face. The dishes rolled on the floor.


    "What... what is she doing here?!


    Laying on the floor, he cautiously looked up.


    Long legs... slender waist... a light summer dress... alabaster skin...


    The silky hair was black, but it was hardly enough to disguise her.


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    "The "person" Cassie promised to send... is Nephis?!''


    Indeed, there was no mistake.


    Nephis, who had just left the Nameless Temple yesterday, was now somehow here, in the Brilliant Emporium.


    Looking down at him in confusion.


    She hesitated for a moment, and then asked in a polite tone:


    "...Master Sunless? I''ve been told that you can create powerful Memories.��

 Chapter 1686: Acts of Humanity

    Chapter 1686: Acts of Humanity


    For Nephis, the world was still stark and sharp, devoid of subtlety. Her emotions were still subdued, and mostly missing. It had not been long since the battle with Condemnation - if their desperate escape could even be called a battle - and so, she had not recovered from the annihilating pain of burning her soul to ash yet.


    She had been in Godgrave just yesterday. Back then, they had waited on the steps of the Nameless Temple for a long time for its master to come and take them back to the waking world. Nephis could have carried her warriors across the threshold of realms herself, but the tentative agreement with the Lord of Shadows was preventing her from placing a tether in the vicinity of his Citadel.


    In the end, the mysterious Saint walked out of the darkness and silently brought the Fire Keepers, the three Sleepers, and herself away from the Dream Realm, one at a time. She suspected that he could carry more than one person across realms - Nephis herself could carry seven other Saints, or more than a hundred mundane people - but Shadow kept his secrets close to his chest, as always.


    She had been idly curious where his tether in the waking world would be. Saints usually had an established base there, most within the well-guarded walls of their clan''s compound.


    Nephts herself, as well as the Fire Keepers, operated from the former manor of the Immortal Flame clan.


    It was a bit of a contentious topic, actually, because the elders of Valor wanted them to reside within the great clan''s stronghold in NQSC - officially, for safety reasons, but truthfully to control them better.


    But the relationship between the Fire Keepers and the rest of Valor forces was generally a bit awkward, not the least because of the sixth month the survivors of the Forgotten Shore had spent hiding in the Dream Realm to avoid the fallout of Cassie''s conflict with the great clan. It had only been resolved after Nephis returned and agreed to become Anvil''s adopted daughter.


    In any case... there were no independent Saints, really. Everyone either had a Legacy clan supporting them or worked for the government. So, Nephis was understandably curious about where the Lord of Shadows tethered himself in the waking world.


    Was it a secret compound in NQSC? An unassuming residential building? A stronghold of a minor Legacy clan in one of the other Quadrants? The remains of an abandoned government facility, perhaps?


    She had idly imagined all kinds of places, thinking that they might hint to his real background.


    Curiously enough, though, the tether of the Lord of Shadows was carelessly placed in the middle of an empty street in the outskirts of NQSC. The outskirts were much more desolate now than they had been before, with many people having left for the Dream Realm. There were many abandoned areas like this one, where there was hardly any foot traffic.


    While unconventional, the placement of the tether seemed to be dictated by nothing except for pure convenience, which had not told her anything at all.


    She believed that there was some benefit to receiving counselling - gods knew, her mental state was far from untroubled. It had been especially bad after the Second Nightmare, and would turn cold and emotionless every time she overused her Aspect. Nephis... was concerned about losing the sight of her humanity, which was the reason she had agreed to therapy.


    However, it wasn''t hard to guess that her assigned therapist was making regular reports about everything she said during their sessions, At first, the reports had gone to the government.


    After Nephis Joined Clan Valor, her initial counsellor was suddenly unavailable, and referred her to a colleague. The new counsellor was unmistakably making detailed reports to the elders of the Great Clan.


    So, it was a charade. Nephis pretended not to know and continued to visit the therapist to nurture the feeling of false control Clan Valor had regarding her.


    That said, even a charade could be useful sometimes.


    There were many useful things she had learned from the counsellors while they were learning falsehood from her.


    For example... the act of wearing mundane clothes. Nephis would have been comfortable never dismissing her armor Memories, but it was these small acts of human behavior that tethered her to humanity.


    She was also often encouraged to participate in mundane leisure activities and communicate with ordinary people more. There were other small things she had learned to do, as well. Nephis found these tasks a bit tedious, but beneficial to the state of her soul.


    It was also good to her current endeavor of mastering the Knowledge of Passion. She tended to spend all her time in the company of a certain kind of people - Awakened warriors, and elite ones at that. Their passions burned bright, but were usually colored with similar hues.


    Experiencing a wide range of human hopes and aspirations was bound to help her understand that elusive branch of her Aspect Legacy better.


    And so... Nephis listened to her counsellor well.


    Which was why she arrived at the quaint cafe? in a remote part of Bastion feeling very uncomfortable in a light summer dress.

 Chapter 1687: Suddenly, and Without Warning

    Chapter 1687: Suddenly, and Without Warning


    It was winter in NQSC, but here in Bastion, the weather was warm and mild. Nephis did not receive a lot of opportunities to take a leisurely stroll around town, but she remembered enjoying the thriving atmosphere of the swiftly developing city during her last outing, which was... about a year ago, now?


    The city sprawling around the beautiful lake had changed tremendously since then. Of course, Nephis was familiar with all these changes - she gazed down upon the bustling streets of Bastion often from the tranquil height of her heavenly island, studying the lively flow of human activity from a distance.


    Every time the Ivory Tower returned here, the city seemed different. The humans, however, were the same.


    Sadly, Nephis did not enjoy diving into their liveliness today. She was still recovering from the battle with Condemnation, after all.


    Her stroll was not entirely for leisure, either.


    She had left the castle with a specific purpose in mind.


    Nephis had long been searching for a talented enchanter, She and the Fire Keepers received plenty of Memories by slaying Nightmare Creatures, sure, but those Memories were too dependent on the whims of the Spell. Very few of them sulted her needs perfectly, or were powerful enough to make a difference.


    That was where Awakened enchanters could help. The problem was that craftsmen capable of forging Memories, or even enchanted items, were extremely rare. Most of them belonged to the Valor family, and while Nephis could easily commission a Memory from her own clan... that would defeat the purpose.


    It was precisely because her most powerful Memories were either known to or directly created by the Great Clan Valor that she was searching for an independent enchanter in secret.


    Yesterday, Cassie informed her that their search had finally borne fruit. Not only that, but the person in question resided right here, in Bastion... and as a cherry on top, he even happened to possess an extremely rare affinity to shadows.


    The last part was of no importance for the commission, but given the sudden entrance of the Lord of Shadows on the stage, Nephis was curious to learn more about this unusual element and its nuances.


    Therefore... Cassie had decisively sent her to meet the enchanter personally. Nephis was not sure why she had to go herself, but since Cassie assured her that this person could be trusted to keep a secret, she arrived at the place late in the evening - knowing her friend, the man would have passed an extensive background check, so there was no reason not to.


    That said, it wasn''t easy for Nephis to walk freely on the streets of Bastion. Her fame was too great to remain unrecognized. So, she used several cosmetic Memories to slightly alter her appearance... even then, she had only ventured out after it was already dark.


    Reaching the quiet lakeshore street, she glanced at the cosy brick cottage, and then at the sign hanging above the door.


    ''Sunny''s Brilliant Emporium: Cafe? & Memory Boutique.��


    For a moment, Nephis tried to imagine what it would have felt like, to live in a simple cottage like that and make a living by doing peaceful things, away from the bloodshed and stench of the battlefield.


    He was like an elegant porcelain doll dressed in fine black silk.


    This softer kind of beauty of his was so unlike the rugged handsomeness of the seasoned warriors Nephis usually encountered. More than that... the young man entirely lacked presence - the mystical kind - hinting that he wasn''t very powerful a Master.


    Which... made sense. Not every Awakened was a warrior, and after Antarctica, there were even plenty of Masters who had Ascended out of necessity, not choice. Someone with a Utility Aspect did not have to wield a sword, and many lived without experiencing much strife or violence.


    Or even none whatsoever.


    No matter how distant and strange such a life seemed to Nephis.


    ''Cassie... did not tell me...''


    She suddenly realized that she had been silent for too long.


    Keeping her face expressionless, Nephis spoke:


    "Ah... yes, Master Sunless, I presume? Saint Cassia sent me."


    The enchanter looked at her strangely, hesitated for a moment, and then said politely


    "Indeed, I am called Master Sunless. Please forgive me, Lady Nephis. Saint Cassia did not warn me...��


    Nephis nodded.


    "Yes. She didn''t warn me, either."


    He blinked.


    "Sorry?"


    She cleared her throat and looked away in embarrassment.


    "No, nothing. I am here to talk about a Memory.��

 Chapter 1688: Cherry on Top

    Chapter 1688: Cherry on Top


    ��I think... I might kill Cassie...��


    Sunny kept a smile on his face to hide how startled and rattled he was. It may have looked a bit sheepish... and he may have looked like a bit of a clown... but there was nothing he could do about that.


    It already took a titanic effort for Sunny not to glance at the dirty dishes scattered on the floor, or summon a swarm of shadows to quickly clean them away.


    ''Keep calm!''


    Nephis was here, in the Brilliant Emporium.


    Looking at him with a strange expression.


    Well, of course her expression was strange! He had just made a fool out of himself right in front of her. And that was technically their first meeting, no less, which started with him planting on his face.


    Sunny wanted to fall through the floor.


    ''Actually, that might be possible.


    It would not take a lot for the Marvelous Mimic to swallow him into the basement.


    Struggling to throw these thoughts out of his head, Sunny asked in as polite of tone as he could manage, given the circumstances:


    "Indeed, I am called Master Sunless. Please forgive me, Lady Nephis, Saint Cassia did not warn me...��


    Not only was Nephis here... but she was also wearing a dress.


    A dress!


    That should have been categorized as a crime,


    Her light dress was simple and white, with not much decoration. It covered her shoulders and had a modest neckline, the hem resting somewhat high above her knees. Nevertheless, the modesty of the dress only served to accentuate the graceful line of her slender body, and the stark contrast between her alabaster skin and black hair only made her grey eyes look more striking.


    Suddenly, Sunny was thankful that it was already dark outside. Otherwise, Neph''s appearance might have caused the Brilliant Emporium to be besieged by a mob of admirers.


    And then, he would have had to hold himself back from minting a fresh batch of soul coins.


    Suddenly, he realized that Nephis had said something. He had no idea what.


    Sunny blinked.


    "Sorry?"


    She cleared her throat, then looked away... perhaps in displeasure at his lack of manners and mental faculties,


    "No, nothing. I am here to talk about a Memory"


    Sunny forced out another smile, then gestured to one of the tables.


    "Please, take a seat, I will be with you shortly.��


    The last part was a bit problematic, but after thinking about it for a moment, Sunny had to admit that it was for the best that Nephis had been warned in advance, She would have noticed the nature of his Aspect sooner or later, anyway-it was better to Inform her first to prevent her from getting the wrong Idea.


    Or rather, the right Idea.


    In any case...


    Carrying the glass of water back... Sunny somehow found himself also carrying a small plate with a piece of cherry cake on it, as well. He had made the cake this morning to prevent the batch of Beast Farm cherries from going bad, but as to how it ended up on a plate in his hand right now...


    Sunny''s recollection was foggy.


    He was suddenly full of suspicion.


    [...You didn''t erase my memories, did you?]


    For the first time in a while, Cassie''s voice sounded confused:


    [Huh?]


    He gritted his teeth. Of course, she didn''t. She wouldn''t have been able to in such a short amount of time, not to mention without looking him into the eyes.


    [Never mind.]


    It was already too late to turn back. Returning to the dining hall, he placed the glass of water and the piece of cake in front of Nephis.


    She stared at the cake silently, then looked up at glanced at him.


    ...Her serious eyes were way too tantalizing.


    ��Crap.��


    This whole situation was wrong. Why wasn''t she wearing her armor? Had she destroyed her armor again?! Is that why she was wearing a dress today?


    Was the Memory she wanted to commission an armor? Then he had to finish the commission as fast as possible!


    On the other hand...


    Really...


    It wouldn''t hurt to take his time with it. Would it?


    He wouldn''t want to make anything less than flawless, if it was for Nephis.


    Keeping his expression neutral, Sunny sat down across from her and said with a polite smile:


    "You probably haven''t heard that our cafe is famous for its desserts..."


    Of course, she hadn''t. Because it wasn''t.


    But then again, Nephis had made him dessert once.


    So it was only fair for him to return the favor, right?

 Chapter 1689: Satisfactory Answer

    Chapter 1689: Satisfactory Answer


    Nephis was surprised to see a plece of cake in front of her. The cake was placed on a beautiful porcelain plate, and even had a fresh cherry on top... it was not like she had never seen one before, but desserts weren''t exactly a mainstay of her diet.


    ''Right. It''s a cafe?, as well.��


    She picked up a small silver spoon and tasted the cake, simply to not seem impolite.


    ''I wonder if he is really capable of forging a Memory that would not lose to those created by Valor... huh... wait... why is it so tasty?''


    Placing the spoon down, she looked at the handsome shopkeeper and remained silent for a moment. Eventually, Nephis said:


    "It seems that you have already recognized me, Master Sunless. I''ll be straight, then... I need a Memory forged, and a potent one at that. Saint Cassia informed me that you are a talented enchanter who is only unknown because you prefer to keep your talents hidden. I can understand why, and it even makes things easier. But are you really good enough to satisfy the needs of someone as powerful as me?"


    The young enchanter looked at her, a strange expression appearing on his charming face for a moment.


    Was he, perhaps, stumped by her question and felt insecure about his talent? Creating a Memory for one of the most renowned Saints in the world was not an easy task, after all.


    Master Sunless coughed and briefly looked away. Seeing that subtly bashful expression of his... made Nephis understand why this cafe was so famous. Needless to say, it was probably not because of desserts.


    [Cassie... what the hell?]


    Cassie''s pleasant voice resounded in her head a moment later:


    [What?]


    Nephis kept her expression neutral.


    [Why is this enchanter you found so... so...]


    Cassie answered innocently:


    [So what?]


    Nephis sighed.


    [...Never mind.]


    It was a silly question, anyway. She had just been startled a little.


    Master Sunless, meanwhile, seemed to find his confidence again and answered with a faint smile:


    "I can promise that you''ll be satisfied, Lady Nephis."


    His eye suddenly twitched, for some reason. The poor man must have been nervous... Nephis knew that meeting her had that effect on many people.


    The enchanter continued in the same pleasant tone:


    "...Let me rephrase that. What I mean to say is that the Memories I create are top-notch. That said, can I ask you a question?"


    Nephis wanted to answer that he could, but suddenly found herself unable to.


    That was because, at some point in time, another bite of the delicious cake found its way into her mouth. She didn''t even notice how.


    It was very strange.


    ''It seems my soul is recovering faster, this time?''


    Feeling anything was already a good sign.


    Eventually, Master Sunless spoke:


    "If that is the case, then there are three ways for me to make a sword for you, Lady Nephis."


    She tilted her head slightly.


    "Oh?"


    He nodded.


    "The first way is the most straightforward. I can take an already existing Memory and alter it to fit your needs. That method is the easiest, but also the most limited."


    Nephis raised an eyebrow.


    Cassie had not told her that Master Sunless was proficient enough to alter Memories granted to Awakened by the Spell, not just create his own. Even among the enchanters of Valor, that was a rare skill... in fact, he didn''t know anyone except for Anvil himself who was capable of that feat.


    And the young enchanter called it the easiest.


    The charming young man, meanwhile, continued:


    "The second way is to create a Memory from scratch. That would take longer, and would require me to use both suitably potent materials and soul shards of a high Rank. Of course, the result would be much more lethal. Your current weapon, the Kinslayer... I am confident that I can forge something just as deadly, given enough time."


    Nephis was impressed. Her sword was a Transcendent Memory of the Seventh Tier, and an exceptionally powerful one at that. Strangely enough, it was as powerful as many Supreme weapons were... but, of course, Master Sunless would not know that. While the name of her sword and its Rank were well known, very few people had detailed information about it.


    It was more or less a military secret.


    Still, it was quite remarkable for an Ascended to be confident in creating a top-tier Transcendent weapon.


    It seemed that he was supremely competent in his craft.


    Being one herself, Nephis liked competent people.


    "What is the third way?"


    He smiled softly.


    "The third way is the longest, and the hardest as well. It would require a lot of effort... from both of us, actually, not just from me. We will also have to spend a lot of time together. But if I succeed, the resulting Memory will be truly powerful."


    Nephis took a sip of cold water, suddenly feeling invigorated.


    She lingered for a moment, then asked evenly.


    "How powerful, exactly?"


    Master Sunless looked at her seriously, his smile dimming.


    After a short pause, he said with a hint of sober ambition in his pleasantly melodious voice:


    "...Powerful enough to kill a god, I''d say.��

 Chapter 1690: A Blade to Slay the Gods

    Chapter 1690: A Blade to Slay the Gods


    Understandably, Nephis seemed doubtful of Sunny''s outrageous claim. She looked at him silently for a few moments, then raised an eyebrow.


    "But you are merely an Ascended... forgive me for being blunt. How can an Ascended create something that powerful?"


    Sunny could see how she would question his ability to keep such a promise. However, he meant what he had said. Because he had been thinking of a way to achieve something like that for a long, long time.


    He lingered for a moment, then sighed.


    "It''s easier than you think... not that any random Ascended would be able to, of course. But my way of creating Memories is rather unique, so I can do more than most. It... would be easier for me to show you. Would you mind following me?"


    Nephis did not move, looking at him intently.


    "I don''t mind following, Master Sunless. But not yet."


    He frowned a little.


    "Not yet?"


    She nodded slowly, her face still and motionless. Her voice sounded even:


    "Yes, I...��


    Nephis paused for a moment, then added stoically:


    "Haven''t finished my cake yet."


    Sunny thought that he had heard her wrong.


    ''What?''


    He blinked. But Nephis ignored his confused stare, picked up her spoon elegantly, and turned her attention to the piece of cherry cake.


    She ate it unhurriedly, maintaining a composed expression. He couldn''t tell if she enjoyed the taste or was simply reluctant to waste food. A couple of minutes later, Nephis put her spoon down, wiped her lips with a napkin, and nodded courteously.


    "Thank you. How much do I owe you?"


    Sunny slowly shook his head.


    "No, no. It''s... on the house."


    What was going on in that head of hers? They had been talking about killing gods, and then paused... for cake?NewW novels updates at novelhall.com


    Not that Sunny was complaining.


    In fact, he would have enjoyed watching her eat an entire cake instead of just a small piece, if she wanted to.


    Ten cakes, even... although that would be a bit costly...


    "Shall we go, then?"


    "Saint Cassia must have informed you that my shop is actually an Ascended Devil. In fact, the volume of its interior... seems a bit too vast, doesn''t it?"


    She lingered for a bit, then shrugged.


    "It is hard to say without knowing what creature you killed to receive this Echo. But yes, I would have expected it to be much smaller. Dimensional storage Memories of the Ascended Rank are usually much more modest."


    Sunny pointed at himself.


    "But, you see, this dimensional storage is a bit unique. Because its volume does not depend on the creature''s Rank and Class, but rather on the potency of the creature''s master''s soul. Which, in this case, would be my soul."


    Nephis remained silent for a moment.


    "It seems that you have an unusually potent soul, then."


    He chuckled, causing a small smile to appear on her lips.


    "Thank you for the compliment. That is not the point, though."


    She frowned, then suddenly pierced him with an


    intense gaze.


    "Do you mean to say..."


    Sunny nodded.


    "Indeed. It is not impossible for me to create a Memory that is bound to its wielder''s soul, and is thus as powerful as the wielder is. You strike me as someone who will continue to grow stronger, Lady Nephis. So, it is not impossible for your sword to become sharp enough to slay a god, one day."


    Sunny was being a little dishonest... but only a little.


    In truth, his ambition was not to replicate the enchantments of the Covetous Coffer. What he was after, and had been trying to achieve for a while now, was to replicate the [Bound] trait of the Onyx Mantle, which was responsible for that Attribute of his being as potent as his soul was.


    The reason for that was the shift in his perception of power, and his views of Memories, after becoming Transcendent. Sunny had long realized that truly powerful beings did not pursue greater power from the weapons they wielded and the tools they used - because they themselves were the power. The weapons and the tools were only meant to channel their own strength, not be a source of external might.


    And yet, it had always been the opposite for Sunny. He had made himself into a lethal warrior, yes, but most of his victories came from cleverly using the enchantments of his powerful Memories, which he could utilize better than other Awakened due to his eyes having been altered by Blood Weave.


    Being banished from the Spell, he had lost most of these Memories. That had shown him, in a rather cruel manner, the difference between internal and external power.


    So, even though Sunny could craft himself a diverse arsenal of potent Memories, he had not done so. Because he was powerful enough to not need it, and did not wish to be led astray by excessive reliance on undeserved strength. He would rather achieve such strength himself.


    That way, he would be following in the footsteps of those who were truly divine.


    So, the only Memories Sunny wanted to craft for himself were those that would help him channel his own power better, or provide simple convenience. He also wanted these Memories to be able to keep up with his progress.


    Therefore... he had to master the [Bound] enchantment.


    The problem was that forging a Memory that possessed such a trait was not easy, since it had to be intricately tied to one''s very soul.


    ...But it would be different if Nephis and her soul flame, as well as the Crown of Dawn, were there to help him.

 Chapter 1691: Skill Issue

    Chapter 1691: Skill Issue


    Nephis remained for a while, considering what the charming enchanter had said.


    A weapon that was as powerful as its wielder was... Slowly, white sparks ignited in the depths of her eyes.


    ''A growing Memory.��


    They did exist, but were exceedingly rare. Most of the ones she heard of had not even been received from slaying Nightmare Creatures, but were instead Aspect Legacy Relics.


    Having a sword that would allow her to fully express the power of her Aspect was already exciting enough. But if that sword could also reflect her power as a Transcendent Titan, and one who had inherited the lineage of Sun God as well...


    Such a blade would indeed be worthy of slaying gods.


    As long as Nephis was worthy.


    She glanced at Master Sunless, who remained calm and composed. Was he really capable of forging such a Memory?


    Suddenly, the young man seemed to possess a different kind of allure in her eyes.


    ''He''s precious... a precious resource, I mean. Cassie has really outdone herself this time.''


    If what he had said was true.


    Nephis hesitated for a moment.


    "Can you really do it?"


    Master Sunless gave her an electric smile.


    "I haven''t done it before, but I am confident that it can be achieved. It might be that nobody else is capable, but I am."


    She raised an eyebrow, finding it hard to distrust his confidence. Not just because it was hard to imagine someone who looked like him being dishonest, but also because she could vaguely sense his passion.


    Nephis had no doubt that Master Sunless was an inspired artisan. She was familiar with artistic ambition, and his was of the kind that could produce miracles.


    Of course, he could simply be delusional. But Cassie would not have sent her here if there was any doubt about his ability.


    How had Valor failed to scout this talent?Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    She looked away, studying the abominable remains surrounding them. It was quite a collection... since the charming young man did not seem like much of a fighter, he must have procured these material with soul shards and coin. That alone spoke volumes of his dedication.


    Nephis sighed.


    "How are you so different from all the other enchanters?"


    He smiled.


    "It is simple, really. Have you read the Exploration Report of the Tomb of Ariel?"


    Master Sunless suddenly fell silent, and then paled a little.


    In quite an endearing way.


    "Oh... I am deeply sorry, Lady Nephis. I said something stupid. You were there yourself."


    He shifted from one foot to another, trying to hide his embarrassment.


    "...In any case, you must be familiar with the cult of the Nightmare Spell mentioned in the report. There used to be sorcerers of a very special kind among those cultists, called weavers."


    That illusory game?


    Suddenly, she felt a very unfamiliar emotion rise in her cold and scorched heart.


    The contrast between the shy pride written all over the charming enchanter''s beautiful face and the sheer silliness of the thing he was so proud of... was... was so...


    ''Cute!


    Nephis had to look away.


    "Ah. I see... how remarkable. Well, in that case, we can arrange something."


    With that, she took a deep breath and headed for the door,


    "It''s getting late, and I need to return to the castle. We will be in touch. Oh... and thank you for the cake, Master Sunless. It was delicious."


    He seemed a little startled.


    "It was? Alright. I''ll be waiting, then. Goodnight, Lady Nephis!��


    The silver bell rang melodiously as she left.


    Walking outside, Nephis felt the cool wind caress her cheeks, She kept her expression nestral as sthe headed toward the ferry to the castle.


    [Well, what do you think?]


    Cassie''s voice resounded in her head a moment later.


    Nephis contemplated for a few moments.


    [I like what I saw. Even if he fails to forge a worthy sword for me, we should work on recruiting him as a Memory master for the Fire Keepers.]


    Cassie remained silent for a bit.


    [...You liked what you saw, huh?]


    Nephis did not deign to reply. Why was Cassie acting so mischievously these days?


    Well... actually, she was glad to see her friend coming back to a semblance of normalcy. Although very few people noticed, Cassie had not been doing well for the last few years. It was a good sign if she was in the mood to joke around.


    Nephis felt relived.


    Just as she thought that, though, her friend suddenly spoke again:


    [But, Neph.,, I have a little piece of advice. You know, just something to think about. The next time you meet a young man and like what you see... maybe don''t start the conversation by demanding to know if he can "satisfy your needs". You might give him the wrong idea...]


    Nephis frowned.


    "What is she talking about? Satisfy my...''


    She thought back to her conversation with Master Sunless and froze.


    Suddenly... the wind did not feel so cool anymore.


    Blushing deeply, Nephis covered her face and walked away.


    Her steps might have been a little hurried.

 Chapter 1692: Return Customer

    Chapter 1692: Return Customer


    Back in the Brilliant Emporium, Sunny was standing motionlessly in the middle of the dining hall. His face was frozen.


    The streets of Bastion had long turned dark, and he was enveloped by a peaceful silence.


    Some time later, he looked down and stared at the gloomy shadow.


    ''I... did not imagine the whole thing, did I?''


    The shadow stared at him back and shrugged. Nevertheless, it seemed strangely elated.


    ''Maybe?''


    No... Nephis had definitely been here just now. Her plate was still on the table, and her glass was still mostly full of water.


    Not only had she been here, but Sunny was now apparently making a soulbound sword for her.


    Slowly, his face paled.


    ''...What did I do?!''


    It all seemed perfectly reasonable and cunning in the moment. Not only would he be able to fulfill his ambition of replicating the [Bound] enchantment with Neph''s help, but she would also reveal the secrets of her Transcendent battle art to him, completely of her own volition.


    Not to mention the hefty sum he would earn for the commission. But now, Sunny was panicking!


    Why did he insist on spending lots of time with her? That was the exact opposite of what the humble shopkeeper was supposed to do! His only task was to stay as far away from Nephis as possible and live a tranquil, peaceful life.


    And now, in the span of just a few days, Sunny ended up being entangled with Nephis and Cassie both. Somehow.


    ''This wasn''t a part of the plan!''


    But it was also... not that bad?


    Despite how contrary to his plans the current situation was, Sunny found himself smiling.


    In fact, despite his panic, he was just as elated as the gloomy shadow.


    Too much so, even, to the point that his second avatar was currently humming a happy melody in Ravenheart... which made Rain stare at him weirdly.


    Sunny abruptly stopped humming.


    ''...Crap.''


    He had done did it now!


    ***


    The next day, Sunny informed somewhat sleepy Aiko that Changing Star had visited the shop late in the evening to commission a Memory.


    Funnily enough, the Lord of Shadows was in the same situation. The elders of clan Valor were taking their sweet time discussing how to negotiate with him, so he had nothing better to do than wait.


    Only the avatar in Ravenheart was busy, since he and Rain were in the initial stages of planning a hunt for the Awakened abomination.


    A few more days passed, and then, Sunny was distracted by the sound of plates rolling in the dining hall. Looking up from the stove, he wiped his hands and went to check what had happened.


    When he left the kitchen, what met him was the sight of Aiko having planted face-first into the floor. There was a new customer standing at the entrance, sunlight pouring over her shoulders and illuminating her slender figure.


    The customers were staring at her in silent awe.


    Nephis, meanwhile, looked down with a hint of bewilderment in her eyes:


    "Aiko... are you alright?"


    She was wearing civilian clothes once again, this time having replaced


    the criminal summer dress with fashionable white trousers and a fitted black blouse.


    The petite girl mumbled a stifled curse and slowly picked herself off the floor.


    "Ah, yes... I''m perfectly fine, Lady Nephis. Uh... what brings you here?"


    Sunny had the same question. He had expected for Cassie to summon him telepathically, or maybe one of the Fire Keepers arrive to hand him an invitation. The fact that Nephis arrived personally was rather strange. Did she have a lot of free time?


    As a matter of fact... she probably did, waiting for the elders of clan Valor to make a decision. The same way the Lord of Shadows was waiting. But that still did not explain why she had come to the Brilliant Emporium.


    Secretly stumped, Sunny walked over and, made sure that Nephis could not see, and gave Aiko a smug look.


    Then, he turned away with a pleasant expression.


    "Welcome, welcome. I didn''t expect you to visit our establishment again so soon, my lady."


    Nephis remained silent for a few moments, then said neutrally:


    "I''m here to continue the discussion we started last time. Oh, and..."


    Her expression remained stoic.


    "I''m a bit parched. Would you mind serving me some tea? And something to go along with it... cake will do fine..."


    Sunny''s smile wavered for a moment.


    He sighed.


    "I''m afraid we don''t have cake at the moment. But!" His chin rose a little.


    "I''ve been told that my waffles are to die for. Please have a seat... I''ll be with you shortly."

 Chapter 1693: Convincing Lie.

    Chapter 1693: Convincing Lie.


    Very soon, Sunny personally delivered a portion of his nearly immaculate waffles to Nephis, complete with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and some freshly cut strawberries.


    ?I think I''ve outdone myself this time! If I do say so myself...?


    He was in a great mood. Sunny wasn''t sure what had come over him, but he was especially inspired today while making the waffles. It almost felt like he was on the verge of breaking through the bottleneck of his culinary skill.


    Perhaps the missing ingredient was not the waffles themselves, but the customer for whom he was making them?


    Contemplating these profound issues, he sat across from Nephis and smiled.


    She wasn''t wearing that clumsy disguise of hers today, so he could enjoy the sight of her lustrous silver locks. The few customers present in the dining hall were frozen in stunned awe, the name Changing Star ready to fall from their lips. Sunlight seemed especially radiant in her presence, bathing the Brilliant Emporium in a warm glow.


    Sunny felt his heartbeat quickening.


    Nephis spared him a short glance, then looked away to take a sip of tea. Finally, she picked up the spoon and took a small bite of the waffle with an aloof expression.


    ?She won''t even look at me. Well, makes sense.?


    ?Why would she??


    Unlike Sunny, who couldn''t herp stealing glances at Nephis, she was probably preoccupied with different thoughts.


    He sighed.


    ?I can''t help but notice that you are not hiding your identity anymore, Lady Nephis. I was under the assumption that you wanted to keep the commission secret, though. What changed??


    She put the spoon down, gave the waffles a strange stare, and then finally faced him.


    ?I still do. However, plans had to change due to our last conversation. Considering that we will have to spend a lot of time together, trying to hide our connection from Valor is not an option. They''ll discover a new person in my immediate circle sooner than later... so, we will have to resort to a bit of misdirection, instead.?


    A subtle smile touched her lips.


    ?Congratulations, Master Sunless. You are now the official Memory Purveyor of the Fire Keepers �� an independent specialist we''ve hired to handle sales and acquisitions of sorcerous equipment. Of course, you will receive a generous commission for every deal you facilitate... which will pay for the actual commission.?


    As Sunny froze, unable to speak, she studied his face for a few moments and then returned to the waffles with a small, but seemingly pleased smile.


    ?...Goddamn! We''ve struck it rich, Aiko!?


    Signing an official contract with the Fire Keepers was not much different from receiving a government tender. The Memory Boutique side of the Brilliant Emporium was about to explode in revenue... all of that simply to bury the exchange of soul shards for the actual work Sunny was being hired to do.


    ?Very crafty.?


    It was Cassie who had come up with that scheme, without a doubt.


    She remained silent for a while, then took a sip of tea.


    Then, she cleared her throat.


    ?What I mean to say... is that people will assume that I am infatuated with you. That I''ve arranged for you to have a position with the Fire Keepers because you are my paramour. So, I am here today to plant the seeds of that impression... Master Sunless.?


    ?A... paramour...?


    Sunny froze.


    He was suddenly happy that he had not brought himself a cup of tea, as well, because he would have definitely spat it all out at that moment.


    The implications of what Nephis had said slowly seeped into his mind.


    It wasn''t that outrageous... on the contrary, it was an ingenious lie that would perfectly explain why the two of them were spending time together. People loved nothing more than salacious rumors, after all.


    But, still...


    ?What she''s trying to say is that my cover... will be... that I''m her boy toy?!?


    Sunny was mortified.


    ...But also, intrigued.


    But also mortified.


    The mix of emotions must have been apparent on his face, because Nephis suddenly picked her cup, looked away, and said evenly:


    ?It is just for the sake of deception, of course. I''ll understand if you''re uncomfortable with this arrangement.?


    Sunny slowly shook his head and forced out a pale smile:


    ?I''m... I''m not... uncomfortable.?


    She looked at him with a hint of concern.


    ?Are you sure? Come to think of it... I didn''t even ask if you have a partner. I wouldn''t want for your girlfriend to misunderstand...?


    Sunny''s smile grew brittle.


    ?I am sure... and there''s no one like that. This arrangement works, for me. I think it''s a splendid idea... very deceptive...?


    Internally, though, he was imploding.


    [Saint Cassia... care to explain yourself?!]

 Chapter 1694: Facing the Consequences.

    Chapter 1694: Facing the Consequences.


    Cassie did not answer. Perhaps she wasn''t in the mood to waste essence to hijack his senses, or perhaps she simply did not want to...


    In any case, after that bombshell of a revelation, Sunny sat quietly and stared into the distance for a while.


    He was trying to understand how he had ended up in this situation.


    It was all his fault, of course... really, Sunny had no one but himself to blame. Had he not suggested creating a soulbound Memory for Nephis on the spur of the moment, there would have been no need for them to interact, let alone do so while hiding the real reason from Clan Valor.


    The Lord of Shadows would have continued to play his role as her battle partner, while the humble shopkeeper would have continued living his mostly peaceful life in solitude.


    But now...


    ?I''m going to be a kept man... gods, why am I so handsome?!?


    That pretty face of his... was a curse!


    If Sunny had a more rugged appearance, Cassie would have had to come up with a different explanation for his presence near Nephis. The Lord of Shadows, who always wore a ferocious mask, received nothing but respect... but when Sunny showed his face, the most people could believe was that he had caught the princess''s fancy due to his pleasing looks.


    Surely, being a Saint and ruling a Citadel in a Death Zone had nothing to do with the difference in treatment...


    ?I can''t believe it.?


    Jet had once told Sunny that he could become a flower boy one day. Who knew that her words would not only come true, but also come back to bite him one day?


    He glanced at Nephis furtively.


    She was finishing her waffles with a calm expression, seemingly not affected by the sensitive nature of their conversation at all. There was no hint of agitation or embarrassment on her beautiful face, and her posture remained graceful and poised, like always.


    Well, it made sense. It was nothing but a strategy of deception for her, after all. She did not know Sunny, and only saw him as a valuable resource. A talented enchanter who could create a powerful Memory for her to use.


    But it was different for Sunny.


    Because, to him, she meant so much more.


    Throwing another glance at her, he sighed and leaned back in his chair.


    ?What happened happened. There''s no point in worrying about it now.?


    In fact... he should just accept the situation and allow himself to enjoy it. Sunny would have lied if he said that he didn''t feel a little bit excited about the whole situation.


    After all, if Nephis was calm, then why couldn''t he be calm, as well?


    ���� ���� ����


    ?He''s looking at me... what do I do... should I... he''s looking at me again!?


    Pretending to be nonchalant, Nephis tried to concentrate on the stunningly delicious waffles that Master Sunless had made for her and not show any sign of her distress.


    She didn''t quite understand how she had allowed Cassie to convince her to go with this plan.


    When they discussed how to go about allowing the charming enchanter to stay close to her without alerting Clan Valor to the true purpose of the arrangement, the idea seemed quite reasonable. Strategically, it was sound.


    [Cassie...]


    Her friend''s voice resounded in her head a moment later, composed and calming:


    [Yes?]


    Nephis lingered for a few moments.


    [...Prepare the contract.]


    There was a little pause, and then Cassie replied neutrally:


    [Already done.]


    Nephis was a little surprised. She hesitated for a bit, then asked mentally:


    [You already did it? But what if he refused?]


    Her friend chuckled.


    [Why would he refuse? There''s an army of men out there who would kill for the opportunity to act as your romantic partner... don''t sell yourself short!]


    Nephis frowned.


    That was true. She was beautiful in her own right... young, wealthy, renowned, and had the backing of a prestigious family.


    So, then...


    Her frown deepened a little.


    ?Now, wait a second. So why did he look so put- upon? Who... who does he think...?


    Her thoughts, however, were interrupted by Cassie''s pleasant voice:


    [Oh, I wanted to say something. The way you found out if he has a girlfriend... well done! Very slick.]


    Nephis blinked.


    ?What??


    Then, her eyes widened a little.


    A moment later, Master Sunless appeared near her table.


    He seemed to have regained his composure. Sparing Nephis a bright smile, the charming young man bowed slightly.


    ?We can leave... Lady Nephis? Are you alright??


    She took a deep breath.


    ?Yes... I am fine. Let''s just go...?

 Chapter 1695: All According to Plan

    Chapter 1695: All According to Plan


    Leaving an avatar behind to help Aiko in the kitchen, Sunny left the Brilliant Emporium with Nephis.


    The avatar did not have the benefit of wearing the Nebulous Mantle, but his Transcendent presence would be safely contained as long as he did not enter the dining hall. Since the entire interior of the Brilliant Emporium was situated in the dimensional storage of the Marvelous Mimic, anyone would find it hard to catch a glimpse of what was happening in the kitchen.


    The cafe? would still close for the day as soon as the current customers left, though. When Sunny told Aiko about the contract with the Fire Keepers, she was beyond happy for a few moments... however, pretty soon, they discovered a problem.


    Although the real purpose of the Memory Purveyor position was to hide the commission of an enchanted sword for Nephis, that cover still had to be maintained. Which meant that the Brilliant Emporium would really have to handle the sales of the Memories earned by the Fire Keepers, as well as the acquisition of the Memories they wished to purchase.


    The problem was that Sunny''s reputation as a Memory broker was all a smokescreen, and he did not really possess a network of connections to facilitate such deals. Luckily, Aiko still had some contacts from running the Brilliant Emporium alone in the past - so, she had to come up with a business plan and accomplish a lot of relevant things with utmost haste.


    The petite girl seemed daunted by the sudden task, but he could almost see piles of coins reflecting in her eyes.


    In any case, that was what was happening to Aiko and the avatar in the Brilliant Emporium.


    Sunny himself, meanwhile...


    Was accompanying Nephis on a leisurely stroll across Bastion.


    He had to admit that they made for quite a pair. Nephis looked elegant and sharp in her crisp civilian clothes, while his attire was refined and tasteful. Sunny noticed that the two of them collected a lot of stares - some people even turned around to watch them go.


    Some of them recognized Nephis, some of them didn''t.


    He felt a little uncomfortable with all that attention, but knew that it was the very reason they were out in the open.


    The streets of Bastion were lively at that time of day. Nephis looked around with curiosity, a faint smile playing on her lips. Eventually, she asked:


    "Have you lived in Bastion long, Master Sunless?"


    He shook his head.


    "No... only for about a year."


    She raised an eyebrow.


    "Where were you before?"


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then shrugged,


    "After Antarctica... here and there. I spent some time exploring the wilderness after the Nightmare."


    Sunny did not specify which Nightmare he meant, letting Nephis make her own wrong conclusion. There was nothing strange with saying that he had wandered the Dream Realm for years before settling in Bastion, either - it would have been a deadly affair before, but after the Dream Gates were open, there was much more travel between various Citadels.


    Both the Sword Domain and the Song Domain were swiftly turning into actual states, as opposed to loose alliances of isolated strongholds. There were all kinds of activities going on in the wilderness of the Dream Realm these days - roads were being constructed, trade routes were being established, fortified relay stations were being constructed, and so on.


    As the infrastructure of the Domains was being built at a staggering speed, there was a need for all kinds of people to head into the wilds.


    The vast expanse of the Dream Realm - the part of it conquered by humans - was not a place where only warriors could survive anymore. Of course, every team had to be guarded by Awakened escorts, but there were geologists, map-makers, builders, explorers, messengers, merchants, and numerous other specialists traveling across it now.


    Nephis most likely assumed that he was a part of a large merchant caravan in the past.


    She smiled.


    "I''ve been here... for about three years, 1 guess. But actually, with how often I am away, the actual number of days I''ve spent in Bastion won''t even account for three months. So, in a sense, you''ve been living here longer than me."


    Her smile grew a little wistful.


    Sunny''s heart fluttered.


    He stared at her silently, his face growing pale.


    He... was not alright.


    ''What the hell is that?! Am I in a romantic drama?! If so... why the hell am I the one being caught?! It''s the man''s job to catch the pretty female lead!''


    Although romance was not his genre of choice, Sunny had consumed a lot of such stories during his years in the outskirts. Back then, he had always mocked the hapless female leads, who always seemed to trip, slip, and fall... right into the arms of the cold and aloof male leads, of course.


    He had even suspected that there was something in the water wherever the characters lived, since their coordination seemed nonexistent.


    Who knew that he would find himself in the same situation, one day?


    And in the wrong role, to boot!


    He cleared his throat.


    "I am fine now, thanks. You can let me go."


    It seemed that Nephis only realized that she was still holding him at that moment.


    There were a lot of people staring at them with wide eyes.


    She remained silent for a few moments, then smoothly pulled him to his feet, unwrapped her arm from his waist, and touched her hair lightly. Her expression remained perfectly nonchalant.


    "I see. That is good."


    Sunny straightened the Nebulous Mantle, trying to chase away the memory of her warm touch from his mind.


    And failing.


    Turning away, he sighed, bent down, and picked up the wrapper. Then, he walked to a nearby trash bin and tossed it inside.


    Returning to Nephis, he smiled apologetically.


    What was he supposed to say now?


    "I... dislike people who litter."


    ''What was that?!''


    She nodded, still looking away.


    "Yeah. Let''s... hurry to the ferry, now. I think we put on a good enough act, already. Well done."


    Sunny blinked.


    "Yeah... a good act, right... I thought I''d improvise..."


    The two of them continued on their way to the ferry, both keeping quiet. Sunny was too indignant and embarrassed to speak, while Nephis... probably didn''t care to.


    There was something strange about her, though.


    Had her shoulders trembled a few times?


    No... it was probably just his imagination.

 Chapter 1696: VIP Treatment

    Chapter 1696: VIP Treatment


    Eventually, they reached the pler.


    There were six ferries carrying people and cargo across the lake to the Castle, operating in pairs. The one Sunny and Nephis approached was located on the eastern shore, and was meant for passengers.


    There was another pair of ferries on the southern side of the lake, in the direction of the Dream Gate, mostly used for transporting cargo. The last pair was on the northern shore, usually used by the Awakened warriors departing on expeditions.


    Every time Sunny returned to the waking world, he had to purchase a ticket, wait in line, and then spend some unpleasant time on the crowded passenger deck of the ferry. Most Masters had access to much more comfortable accommodations, but they also had a higher status than him.


    Since Sunny did not serve any established power and preferred to remain low-key, the treatment he received was much less glamorous than what an Ascended deserved. He didn''t mind it... too much.


    Today, however, his experience was entirely different.


    Not only did Nephis not bother to buy tickets which made sense, considering that the enchanted ferry technically belonged to her family - but they were even immediately guided to the luxurious VIP deck. There was no crowd here... in fact, there did not seem to be any other passengers on the smaller deck, at all, at least not yet.


    Instead of the crowded standing arrangement, there were soft sofas and tastefully engraved tables. There were even refreshments and beverages provided, served on a separate table.


    The deck was situated at the front of the ferry and raised, so nothing obstructed the beautiful view of the vast lake and the picturesque castle rising from the waters in the distance. A soft breeze blew across the lake, playing with Neph''s radiant silver locks.


    Sunny enjoyed the view for a few moments, then looked away and inhaled slowly.


    They walked to the beautifully laced wooden railing and looked at the sunlit vista. There was some time left before the ferry would depart, so they had nothing to do but wait.


    Both were silent, but strangely enough, Sunny did not feel awkward at that moment.


    Instead, he felt at peace.


    After a while, Nephis suddenly asked:


    "Master Sunless... you possess a high affinity to shadows, don''t you?"Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    He nodded slowly.


    "I do."


    She considered her next words carefully.


    "What can you tell me about shadows? And people whose Aspects have to do with them?"


    Now, it was his turn to choose words.


    After thinking for a bit, Sunny shrugged.


    "I can tell you a lot, actually... but also not that much. I am ashamed to say that I don''t understand my element well, myself. Which is a bit fitting, if you think about it, considering that Shadow God was also the god of mysteries. Shadows... are a unique concept. Someone considers them to be the opposite of light, but actually, shadows and light are just two sides of the same coin. One cannot exist without the other. It is true darkness that is their enemy."


    He walked hurriedly toward Nephis, but before he could reach her, a new passenger arrived. She noticed Neph''s slender figure, grinned, and walked past him with wide strides.


    "Princess!"


    Effie hugged Neph around the shoulder with a bright smile.


    "When did you return to Bastion? No, wait... you''re not leaving right away again, are you?"


    Nephis opened her mouth to answer, but Effie gave her no choice:


    "Great! Listen..."


    She leaned closer and whispered loudly:


    "You''re still single, aren''t you? Well, let me tell you... that won''t do! A beauty like you should not just be worshiped by the masses, but also appreciated by a dashing man. The masses won''t warm you on a cold and windy night, after all... well, unless you''re into that kind of thing..."


    Neph''s eyes widened.


    "Effie..."


    The huntress laughed.


    "I''m saying all this for a reason. How about... you let me set you up with someone? Princess, I found you a perfect match! He''s a young Master here in Bastion, Homeowner, runs a successful business. None of that tiresome Legacy baggage, either. Oh, he''s an amazing cook, as well! Gods, I am starting to salivate just from thinking... oh, and to be clear, 1 don''t mean thinking about the food..."


    Neph trembled.


    "Effie, wait..."


    But Effie just smiled mischievously.


    "What? You were the one who told me that you were researching passion. How are you going to learn passion without, you know... getting a little taste of passion? In any case, I saved the best for last. That guy, he''s so cute! Ah... if I wasn''t a married woman of modest disposition, I would have gobbled him up myself. He''s just... wow. Speak about tasty things! And you can tell that he hides a great body under that apron, as well..."


    Nephis grabbed her hand forcefully.


    "Effie! Stop talking!"


    Effie''s looked at her in confusion.


    Then, her smile slowly froze.


    She remained silent for a few moments, and then said in a stifled tone:


    "Oh. He... he''s standing right behind me, isn''t he?��

 Chapter 1697: Actionable Strategy.

    Chapter 1697: Actionable Strategy.


    ?...He''s standing right behind me, isn''t he??


    Nephis slowly released Effie''s hand, suddenly feeling weak.


    It was too late. Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    ?Oh, gods...?


    She briefly considered lighting the ferry on fire.


    That would resolve the situation, wouldn''t it? Yes... she would not have to face Master Sunless, at least. That was an actionable strategy.


    But, no... no, she couldn''t. The ferry had cast off moments after Effie showed up, which meant that the passengers would have nowhere to escape and drown in case of a fire. It also meant that Nephis, Effie, and Master Sunless were stuck on the VIP deck-just the three of them, with nowhere else to go.


    There was no escape.


    Nephis barely suppressed a shudder.


    ?I can summon my wings and flee...?


    But that would mean leaving the charming young man alone with Effie. She... was unwilling. No, actually, she was vehemently against it! For some reason.


    So, Nephis just stared at the boisterous huntress Impassively and said in an even tone:


    ?Yes, He is.?


    Effie trembled.


    Nephis wanted nothing more than to sigh and hide somewhere.


    She had just managed to regain her composure after the... the incident in the park. And now...


    ?Oh, no! Why did I think about what happened in the park?!?


    To her distress, the image of the beautiful enchanter making timid excuses for his clumsiness resurfaced in her mind, and all her composure evaporated.


    ...The memory of embracing him tightly surfaced next.


    At that moment, Nephis did something that she never thought she would do.


    Maintaining a nonchalant expression, she took a casual step left and hid behind Effie.


    With Effie''s robust body hiding Nephis from Master Sunless, she suddenly felt much better.


    [Wow. Did you just... heartlessly abandon a friend?]


    Cassie''s voice made her flinch.


    Nephis greeted her teeth.


    [I did not! I just... retreated. To support her from the rear.]


    Cassie answered with a dubious hum.


    Nephis froze.


    ?Well, how do I say this? I am on the VIP deck... because Lady Nephis invited me to be with her on the VIP deck.?


    Her eyes widened slightly.


    Nephis'' hand was suddenly burning from his soft touch.


    ?Do not. Spit your wine. Nephis.?


    She gulped the wine down and smiled weakly.


    ?...Right.?


    ?No, but how is his hand so soft??


    Nephis used to have rough, calloused hands... the hands of a swordsman. Later, as her body was fortified and tempered by the Awakening, Ascension, and Transcendence, it rid itself of imperfections. Those calluses were long gone, and her skin was flawless.


    And yet, it was nowhere near the smooth silkiness of the beautiful enchanter''s hand.


    Nephis was unyielding and lived a life that was harsh and full of hardships. So... she wasn''t used to soft things.


    ?...I''m spacing out.?


    Luckily, so was Effie.


    She stared at the charming young man with her mouth agape, then slowly turned to Nephis. Then, she looked back at Master Sunless.


    And then back at Nephis.


    Nephis suddenly had a terrible premonition.


    ?Oh, no.?


    Gradually, a wolfish grin appeared on Effie''s face.


    ?Oh, no.?


    She giggled.


    ?Oh! Oh, damn! I see! Wow! Cassie sure works fast...?


    The boisterous huntress leaned closer and whispered in an intimate tone:


    ?Alright. I''ve already given this one the talk about the birds and the bees...?


    Master Sunless, who was looking at Nephis with a prideful expression, as if asking her to praise his act, suddenly tensed.


    Effie, meanwhile, patted him on the shoulder.


    ?So, kids, let Auntie Effie explain safety to you now...?


    Maintaining a calm expression, Nephis turned and looked across the lake.


    The castle... was so terribly far away.

 Chapter 1698 Auntie Effies Lessons.

    ?I''ve... made a terrible mistake.?


    In hindsight, Sunny should have known that he was digging his own grave. It was just that he did not see Effie often these days, and so, he had forgotten...


    That Effie''s corrupting influence was just as terrible as the Corruption of the Void itself.


    No, was it even more terrible?


    In any case, the opportunities to stump the boisterous huntress were too rare! He simply could not pass on the chance to fluster her. More importantly... while Sunny knew that Nephis and Effie were close, Master Sunless had no way of knowing that. So, based on what he was supposed to know, the correct course of action had to be furthering the agreed-upon deception.


    Therefore, Sunny passed the wine to Nephis. And then took her hand.


    Why did he do that?


    Well, simply put... because he could.


    If there was an opportunity to hold Neph''s hand, why would he not? Effie had accidentally provided him with a convenient reason, as well. It was all working out great...


    Sunny had promised himself to enjoy the odd situation, and he was going to enjoy it as much as he could.


    ...Neph''s hand felt soft and cool in his grasp.


    He remained comparatively calm. That was not the first time the two of them held hands, after all, so there was no reason for him to lose composure. Sunny enjoyed the feeling silently, a small smile finding its way onto his face.


    Of course, it was only a familiar situation from his point of view. For Nephis, suddenly holding hands with a stranger must have been surprising. Her expression did not really change, but he could feel a subtle tension in her shoulders. It seemed that she was a bit uncomfortable with his bold action... maybe even dismayed by it?


    ?Ah... did I mess up??


    It was then that Effie''s rattled expression slowly turned into a mischievous grin, and Sunny''s eyes widened slightly. He had realized his mistake.


    But by then, it was already too late.


    ?Oh, gods...?


    Soon, he found himself sitting on a sofa side by side with Nephis, listening to Effie explain contraception to them... in gruesome detail...


    ?What the hell? Weren''t you the one who got pregnant in the middle of a disastrous military campaign?! Why are you, of all people, telling me this stuff?!?


    On the other hand... perhaps Effie was the best person to teach people about safety, considering that she knew the consequences of carelessness better than most. Not that Sunny needed any teaching!


    Although... truth be told, his knowledge on the topic was mostly limited to the precautions meant for mundane people, Awakened at most. At higher Ranks of power, things progressively became much more complicated.


    Nephis remained silent and nonchalant, but he found himself listening with interest. There was business to be made there, as well!


    That... that was definitely the reason why he was paying attention...


    ?Wait... why I am acting this way??


    ?Ah, yes. We''ve had a surplus of produce at the farm for some time now, and the Brilliant Emporium is our main buyer. I haven''t had the pleasure of dining there often, though. Still, Master Sunless is an incredible chef! Oh, and he also helped us a lot by enchanting a few items for the farm.?


    She hesitated for a moment, and then gave Nephis a bright smile and a thumbs up.


    ?Princess, I approve! Handsome, cooks well... and is great with his hands...?


    The last part was said with emphasis, and accompanied by a wink. Nephis tilted her head in confusion.


    ?Well, yes. That is why I approached him.?


    Effie choked on her wine again.


    Sunny, meanwhile, closed his eyes for a moment.


    He knew that Nephis failed to understand the double meaning in Effie''s words, and was referring to his skill as an enchanter. However... did she forget that they had not shared the details about the sword commission with the huntress, yet?!


    He let go of her hand, afraid that his palms would become sweaty.


    ?A Memory commission. That is what she meant.?


    Nephis looked at him strangely.


    ?...Of course. What else would I have meant??


    Effie waved a hand in the air.


    ?Sure, sure. I belive you.?


    Followed by another wink.


    ?Damnation!?


    Effie laughed, then put down her wine and looked at them, her eyes glistening with curiosity.


    ?Was that how the two of you first met??


    Nephis nodded.


    ?Yes.?


    But Sunny, compelled by his Flaw, answered at the same time:


    ?No.?


    Both Nephis and Effie looked at him with surprise.


    Sunny forced out a smile.


    ?Crap.?

 Chapter 1699 First Impressions.

    Nephis and Effie were staring at him in surprise, maintaining a smile.


    Sunny cursed inwardly.


    Over the years, he had gotten used to his Flaw, and it rarely landed him in real trouble these days. That was why he had relaxed a little, allowing himself more leeway while holding conversations.


    There was also the fact that the true reason why the Flaw was so dangerous, his True Name, was gone now.


    But there were still things he should not say!


    ?Crap.?


    Sunny remained silent for a moment, then said calmly:


    ?Lady Nephis might not remember, but we actually met before.?


    It would have been extremely inconvenient if she asked when or where, so before either Nephis or Effie could, he added of his own accord:


    ?We briefly met in Antarctica, near the end of the campaign.?


    Both statements were true, and since he had volunteered them without being prompted, there was no question that would have demanded a more precise explanation. Of course, the statements were also not connected to each other, and although each of them was factual, together, they created a false impression.


    ...That Sunny had met Nephis for the first time in Antarctica.


    She raised an eyebrow.


    ?Really? I think I would have remembered someone so...?


    She paused without finishing the sentence, remained silent for a moment, then added evenly:


    ?Remembered someone, so to speak.?


    ?Huh??


    Her wording was a bit odd.


    Sunny pretended to be embarrassed.


    ?Oh... it was on the day the Sword King defended the SQSC. It might not have been very memorable for Lady Nephis, considering everything else that was going on. Well, I was also covered in dirt from head to toe, so anyone would have had trouble recognizing me ? She stared at him for a few moments, and then asked suddenly:


    ?Was meeting me very memorable for you??


    Sunny froze momentarily.


    ?What kind of question is that??


    That meeting of theirs... yes, it was quite memorable. In fact, it was seared into his memory like a brand, still festering even after all these years. That was the moment he had learned about his existence being erased from the hearts of everyone who knew him, after all.


    Their actual first meeting was fresh in his memory, as well. Back then, on the bridge in front of the Academy... he had been attracted by how aloof and detached from the world young Nephis looked, standing there calmly with her headphones on. He had also felt a subtle sense of kinship with her, because she had been the only other Sleeper wearing the standard-issue police tracksuit, just like him.


    Sunny smiled.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    ?I don''t know her.?


    Effie stared at her with a betrayed expression.


    Then, she whispered loudly:


    ?Come on, Neph. Help a sister out! Marry this guy fast so that I could save some money...?


    Nephis'' eye twitched a little.


    ���� ���� ����


    The ferry floated across the lake, slowly approaching the castle. The conversation flowed naturally, with Effie easing up on teasing them... a little... after getting her fill.


    Sunny was not supposed to know much about the inner workings of Bastion, so he mostly kept silent, letting the two women catch up after not seeing each other for a while.


    Effie was leaning back, looking at the water with a wistful expression.


    ?...Anyway, I don''t have much time to waste. As soon as we reach the castle, I''ll be rounding up people and bringing them back to NQSC. There''s trouble in the Western Quadrant... again. I''m afraid that I''ll be gone for a while, this time.?


    Nephis frowned, a hint of concern written on her face.


    ?How bad is it??


    Effie chuckled.


    ?Bad enough that they''re sending Jet, as well. That should tell you everything you need to know. oh... I''m sorry, Master Sunless. Beast Farm is going to be gone from Bastion for a few weeks, maybe even a couple of months. You''ll need to find a new supplier.?


    He shook his head.


    ?That is okay. Don''t worry about it.?


    He had other means of getting ingredients, albeit not as fresh and delicious as what Effie''s husband grew. The Brilliant Emporium would have to cut down on food services, too, with him being busy following Neph around and crafting a Memory.


    Effie smiled, then looked at Nephis.


    ?What about you? Where are you off to next? I don''t believe that those Valor bast...?


    She glanced at Sunny, then corrected herself:


    ?That those wise Valor elders will let you rest for long.?


    Nephis lingered for a moment, then answered in a calm tone:


    ?Back to Godgrave, I suppose.?


    The huntress suddenly seemed excited.


    ?Oh, right! You must have met him! That mysterious Saint, the Lord of Shadows... what is he like??


    Sunny was suddenly all ears.

 Chapter 1700 His Own Worst Enemy.

    ?Gossiping about me, huh? How exciting!?


    Pretending to be oblivious, Sunny looked at Nephis and Effie with a little bit of masterfully performed confusion.


    Nephis spared him a short glance, then shrugged.


    ?The Lord of Shadows... he is just as the rumors say. Immensely strong, more than a little bit sinister, and highly eccentric.?


    Effie chuckled.


    ?Well, anyone who chooses to live in a Death Zone has to be a lunatic. Still, to be called immensely strong by you... Princess... I am at a loss for words. Is there really such a monster in the world??


    Sunny blinked.


    ?Hey!?


    What did she mean, highly eccentric? He was the picture of perfect mental health!


    Well... maybe not...


    Still, Sunny was a little hurt.


    Nephis, meanwhile, smiled faintly.


    ?At the same time, he is nothing like what the rumors say. He is surprisingly considerate despite his tyrannical strength, kind despite wanting to appear sinister, and very shrewd despite his eccentricity.?


    Effie blinked, then briefly glanced at Sunny with a strange expression.


    ?Princess... well... why are you smiling that way? in front of your... actually, never mind!?


    Nephis raised an eyebrow.


    ?Oh? Was I smiling? I didn''t mean to.?


    Sunny took a sip of wine.


    ?No, no! Smile more!?


    Why was Effie raining on his parade? What an insufferable woman!


    The insufferable woman in question, meanwhile, grinned.


    ?That''s fine and all. But what does he look like? Is he handsome? I bet that even if he is, he can''t be as handsome as Master Sunless.?


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    Nephis shrugged again, seemingly uninterested in that topic.


    ?I don''t know. The Lord of Shadows never shows his face. He is always either wearing a mask or a closed helmet... in fact, you can''t even tell if there is a human body inside that armor, most of the time.?


    Effie seemed excited, for some reason.


    ?Really? Damn... what a pity. I guess he''s horribly disfigured. Or just naturally ugly. Not that there''s anything wrong with that... wait, what if he is bald? Is he missing teeth? Did you say he never takes his armor off? He must really reek, then! Gods, what a slob. Master Sunless here is definitely way better. He smells very nice. Simply delicious... am I right, Master Sunless??


    Sunny stared at her wordlessly.


    ?Why is she dragging me into this? No, wait... what the hell does she mean, bald?! i''m not bald!?


    ?Oh, by the way... have you heard the news about the House of Night??


    It seemed that she really didn''t want to talk about the Lord of Shadows anymore.


    Sunny, who had been excited before, was now unsure how he felt about it. It was nice to hear Nephis praise him... but also made him angry, for some reason? What was going on with him today?


    He spaced out for a few moments, listening to Nephis and Effie, with one ear.


    ?...Have they conquered another Citadel??


    Effie nodded.


    ?Yes. It''s the seventh one in two years �� quite remarkable, actually.


    Their leadership has been making one miracle happen after another recently. I guess the descent of the Dream Gates really lit a fire under them. The House of Night has never been that active, that daring, or that successful before.?


    Nephis sighed.


    ?It still won''t help them maintain their position. They are at too great a disadvantage without a Supreme. Not only in terms of raw power, but also in terms of relevance and population, both mundane and Awakened. I''m afraid that the House of Night is damned to lose its status.?


    That was true.... but although the third Great Clan was now miles behind the other two, without any hope of catching up, it was still vitally important. Both because of the role its ships played in the waking world, and because of how they could break the balance of power in the upcoming war.


    An alliance with the House of Night could very well be the linchpin of the entire clash between the two Domains. Not even due to their Saints, but because the Twilight Sea bordered both the Sword Domain and the Song Domain in the south.


    Song and Valor were only clamoring to conquer Godgrave because the House of Night was stubbornly maintaining neutrality. If either of the Great Clans managed to lure the Nightwalkers to their side, they would be able to launch swift attacks into the enemy territory while bypassing the barrier of the Death Zones separating their territories.


    Effie grimaced.


    ?At least they are trying... and by the look of it, the House of Night is dead set on staying away from both Valor and Song. Well, I can understand why. Even if they join the winning side, there will be no future for them but to be absorbed and assimilated after the whole mess is over.?


    Sunny sighed quietly.


    He wondered how Naeve was doing somewhere out there, in the Twilight Sea... the friendly Nightwalker must be having it hard, considering how swiftly the fortunes of his clan had changed.


    Nephis, meanwhile, gave Effie a guarded look and then silently gestured to Sunny.


    ?You guys finally remembered that I''m not supposed to know anything about the war? Good for you!?


    Effie blinked a couple of times, then shook her head.


    ?By the way, Master Sunless. Did you know that all the Legacy Clans are about to go to war??


    Nephis'' eyes widened.


    ?Effie!?


    The huntress smiled with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.


    ?...A war for this beautiful, but dense princess right here! Now that she has shown interest in you, every Legacy Clan will probably scramble to get her hitched to one of their scions before it''s too late The elders of Clan Valor might put pressure on her, too. So, that talk about safety I gave you??


    Effie grinned.


    ?Forget everything said! As a former soldier, you must know the value of a preemptive strike, so... aim well and get her pregnant as soon as possible! That will show them...?


    The wine glass cracked in Nephis'' hand.


    Sunny did not move, but somewhere far away, the Lord of Shadows gracelessly fell off his throne.


    ...The ferry docked at the Castle, the silence broken only by the bright sound of Effie laughing uncontrollably.

 Chapter 1701 Illusory Castle

    After they disembarked at the Castle, Effie bid them farewell and went away, giggling as she walked. Sunny and Nephis stared at her back until she disappeared from view, both not in a hurry to say anything.


    ��What do I even say after that?��


    Sunny sighed and decided not to say anything. Nephis seemed to be of the same mind.


    ...His thoughts, however, were on fire in the wake of Effie''s antics. So, while Sunny kept quiet, his imagination was running wild against his better judgment. He did not know what Nephis was thinking about, but he was definitely thinking about all kinds of things that he probably should not have been thinking about.


    He threw a furtive glance at Neph. Was she really calm?


    Was he imagining things, or did her cheeks seem a little pink?


    ''No, that is definitely my mind playing tricks on me!''


    There was no way Nephis would be phased by mere words. It was just his wishful thinking... it was all Effie''s fault!


    That Effie! She really had not changed at all!


    He would have thought that being a married woman with a child would curb her wilder tendencies, but alas. Having a loving family only seemed to embolden the vivacious huntress even more, as if having a safe space to retreat to gave her wicked tongue more power.


    It''s a miracle that Little Ling is such a sweet boy, despite being raised by that miscreant...!


    Sunny inhaled slowly.


    Nephis lingered for a few moments, then looked at him with a deadpan expression. After a while, she said in her usual impassive tone:


    "Don''t mind Effie... Saint Athena. She''s always like this."


    Sunny chased the improper thoughts out of his mind... or at least tried to... and chuckled.


    "That''s alright. I''m rather accustomed to it... I used to have a close friend who was just like her. In fact, as much as I hate to admit it, I miss it a little."


    She smiled faintly.


    "I can''t quite imagine."


    But, of course, It wasn''t. The ruins hidden in the moonlit reflection were proof.


    Nephis led him deeper into the ancient castle, making sure that they would be seen by everyone who had time to look. The reactions people were giving them were much more intense than those at the lakeshore settlement - mostly because much more of them recognized who Nephis was.


    Sunny could practically feel the veneration and admiration they felt for her. Wherever Changing Star went, people''s faces suddenly looked bright and inspired, as if just seeing her gave them strength. Well... it made sense. Nephis had become somewhat of a symbol after the Forgotten Shore, and her fame only grew further in the last four years.


    Especially for the people of the Sword Domain, she was a champion of peace and prosperity. A radiant figure who defended them from the horrors of the Nightmare Spell, and whose light illuminated all of humanity.


    Princess Nephis... one of the two invincible Sword Sisters of Anvil''s Domain.


    The nickname Effie had given her in the Dark City was not that outlandish anymore, if at all.


    So, Sunny could understand the gazes of adoration directed at Neph.


    However...


    The more intensely people admired her, the more confusion and simmering hostility his presence by her side caused them.


    Who was that dainty stranger walking by Changing Star''s side?


    Who does he think he is, being so close to our princess?


    Suddenly, he felt a little uncomfortable.


    ''I''ve... might have underestimated the consequences of playing Neph''s secret darling��


    He might have underestimated it severely!


    As a passerby glared at him with obvious hostility, Sunny made sure that Nephis could not see, and glared back with a cold menace.


    You can glower all you want, but are you worthy?


    All of you wretches combined are not fit to stand by her side, only I am!


    Well, that was what his glare was meant to convey, at least.

 Chapter 1702 Legendary Encounter

    Sunny was not unfamiliar with the Castle, since he had to come here every time he wanted to return to the waking world without raising any suspicions. However, he would usually spend quite a lot of time following the main thoroughfare to the main keep, where the Gateway was located.


    This time, Nephis led him on a shorter path to the pinnacle of the stronghold, across narrow stairs and hidden posterns that he had not even known existed. There was no need to waste time at each checkpoint, either, so their progress was rather fast.


    Who would dare to stop the Transcendent daughter of a Sovereign?


    After a while, Sunny asked with a hint of curiosity:


    "By the way, Lady Nephis... where, exactly, are we going?"


    He knew that they were about to sign a contract, but wasn''t sure where the signing would take place. Was he going to make a deal with Clan Valor, or with the Fire Keepers directly? Who else would be involved?


    She looked at him with a hint of confusion, then suddenly seemed a little embarrassed.


    "Oh... please forgive me. I have forgotten to explain properly


    With that, Nephis raised her hand and pointed to one of the tallest towers in Bastion. The tower was not much different to all the others, with one big exception.


    There was a graceful flying ship floating in the air near it, moored to the higher floor of the tower with thick cables. A beautiful tree was growing around its main mast.


    ��The Chain Breaker...''


    Sunny unconsciously looked up, at the beautiful visage of the Ivory Island drifting in the air high above the lake.


    "I see."


    Nephis lingered for a moment.


    "Very few people have ever visited my Citadel, but you don''t have to worry. Everyone there is a trusted friend and ally. It is... it is also quite peaceful there. We won''t be disturbed."


    ''Right.''


    Sunny was not supposed to have ever been in the Ivory Tower, so he had to act as if the whole experience was new to him.


    He put a sufficiently believable expression of wonder on his face, making sure to keep a proper level of decorum, of course.


    "I''ve long heard about the beauty of the Ivory Tower. It is my luck to be able to visit it."


    A faint smile appeared on Neph''s face,


    "I''m sure you''ll like it."


    They continued on their way, soon reaching a lesser courtyard in front of the tower. There were quite a few people here, although most of them were different from the crowd at the lower levels of the castle.


    The closer to the pinnacle of the stronghold one was, the fewer mundane people there were around. At this point, Sunny could not see anyone but Awakened, with plenty of Masters mixed among them.


    ''Legacies...��


    Soon, the two scions reached him.


    The one who had been purposeful gave Sunny a glare and said, his voice full of arrogant indignation:


    "I am Ascended Tristan of the Aegis Rose clan. This is Ascended Mercy of the Dagonet clan. Who might you be?"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, looking at them in amusement.


    ��Wait, it can''t be... is this the legendary arrogant young master encounter? It is, isn''t it? Gods, the legends are true!''


    He reminded himself to remain calm.


    ''Keep your cool. Be polite. Don''t start trouble.��


    Sunny smiled politely,


    "I am Ascended Sunless. How may I help you, gentlemen?"


    Master Tristan frowned.


    "Ascended Sunless? Of which clan?"


    Sunny remained silent for a moment. Why was everyone so insistent on waving their family name around?


    ��...Of no clan."


    The young man scoffed, while his friend tried to pull him away;


    "Tristan, drop it... come on, we are going to be late for practice..."


    Master Mercy of the Dagonet clan seemed to have a little bit of brain, at least. But the scion of Aegis Rose clan did not want to listen. Scowling fiercely, he moved a step closer to Sunny and asked, his voice harsh and domineering:


    "Master Sunless of no clan seems to have some business with Lady Changing Star. But that doesn''t give you the right to... to... don''t think I didn''t notice you ogling her with lewd eyes, scoundrel!"


    ��...What eyes? Huh?��


    The second Legacy gave Sunny an apologetic glance and tried to pull his friend away harder. He seemed exasperated, hinting that Master Tristan had a habit of saying rash things.


    Sunny took a deep,


    ''Be polite, Don''t start trouble, Be polite...��


    He calmed himself down, then opened his mouth and said:


    "Why does a moron like you have the confidence to open his mouth and spout nonsense? If you were born brainless, at least have the decency to keep quiet. Better yet, get lost altogether. Don''t think I didn''t notice you being dropped on your head as a child, you cretin...��

 Chapter 1703 Courting Death

    Sunny''s words hung in the air, contrasted starkly against his polite smile. The two young Masters seemed frozen, as if unable to digest what they had just heard.


    Mercy of Clan Dagonet let out a stifled breath.


    At the same time, Ascended Tristan''s eyes widened.


    His face, frozen in a state of stunned disbelief, was slowly contorted by a grimace of righteous wrath.


    Trembling in outrage, he bellowed:


    "You dare?!"


    Sunny couldn''t quite believe it. He held his breath, his heart beating wildly.


    ''Is... is he going to say it? He''s going to say it! He totally is!''


    His smile remained perfectly pleasant.


    "I do dare. Why, wasn''t that obvious from my remark? Or has your Flaw made you deaf? Goodness gracious... dumb and deaf. What an unfortunate fate. You have my sympathy."


    The young Master stared at him, mouth agape. After a few moments of silence, Tristan pointed a trembling finger at Sunny and hissed:


    "You are courting death, mongrel!"


    ''He said it!''


    He had really said it. That was... Sunny had no words. It was really too astonishing.


    He struggled to suppress a burst of laughter.


    ''Amazing. But also, what is it with Legacy brats and calling people mongrels?��


    Sunny kept his composure with titanic effort, and shrugged.


    "Funny you should say, but I am indeed somewhat of a mongrel."


    His smile widened, which seemed to send the young Master into a spiral.


    With his face turning a concerning shade of red, Ascended Tristan outstretched a hand and growled:


    "You''ve gone too far, scoundrel... you need to be taught a lesson. I, Tristan of Aegis Rose, hereby challenge you to a duel!"


    Sunny blinked.


    "Huh?"


    Hearing these words, young Master Tristan paled:


    "You... you don''t even have a single Memory weapon? And you call yourself an Ascended?"


    Sunny scratched the back of his head, his face full of embarrassment.


    "I do call myself an Ascended... but not all Ascended are like you, scions of storied Legacy Clans. Personally, I manage a small cafe? and a shop... the last time I was in a battle, I had to run away and barely escaped with my life..."


    It had been a battle against a Cursed Tyrant, but they didn''t have to know that.


    Master Mercy seemed relieved. He let out a long sigh and said tentatively:


    "Then, let us just drop this matter. Tristan, he is clearly not a..."


    But his friend shook his head furiously, summoning a Memory.


    "No, I simply can''t let this matter rest! I demand satisfaction!"


    Soon, a heavy greatsword manifested itself from sparks of light. He scoffed contemptuously and shoved the sword into Sunny''s hands.


    "Here. This sword is called the Heart Breaker, and it is a family heirloom of my clan! I''ll lend it to you for today. It is your privilege to be able to hold it, knave!"


    With that, he shook his head and mumbled under his breath:


    "This, really... I just don''t understand why Lady Nephis would associate with such a profligate wastrel... he must have deceived her with his looks, the scoundrel....


    Sunny held the greatsword awkwardly and rested its tip on the ground. No, really, what was this situation? Why was the person who had challenged him to a duel supplying him with a powerful weapon to fight that duel? Was Master Tristan actually brainless?


    At the same time, the young man in question summoned another Memory, this one a much lighter arming sword. From the looks of it, he was giving his opponent an advantage - a better weapon with a longer reach.


    He also dismissed the outer layers of his armor, leaving only a gambeson jacket behind.


    "Here! I won''t use any enchantments, so you won''t be at a disadvantage! Are you ready?"


    Sunny remained silent for a moment, then shrugged timidly.


    "I guess I am?"


    Young Master Tristan grinned.


    "Then, here I come! Prepare to be humbled, wimp!"


    He brandished his sword and lunged forward.


    Under the dubious gazes of everyone gathered in the courtyard, the duel started.

 Chapter 1704 A Slap Heard Around the World

    It seemed like the diminutive Master Sunless, an unknown Ascended from the lakeshore settlement, had no chance against the young master of the Aegis Rose clan. Not only was Tristan much taller and more powerfully built, but he was also a Legacy...


    And Legacies still held the title of the most skilled and deadly warriors of humanity, by far, even now that the number of Awakened had swelled. Their upbringing, training, and martial culture were all designed to produce lethal fighters to rule the battlefield unopposed.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    The idle onlookers did not know what the pretty young man had done to enrage the Legacy scion so much, but from the looks of it, he was in for a good beating... which was a shame, considering that with his jade skin and slender figure, he looked quite handsome.


    Sadly, though, he didn''t look like much of a fighter.


    Neither did Master Sunless seem very familiar with handling a blade. He tried to swing the provided greatsword to deflect an incoming attack, but failed.


    Not, not just that...


    Perhaps due to his short stature and slender build, he actually lost control of the heavy blade and allowed its weight to pull him off balance, Instead of deflecting the opponent''s sword, he yelped and stumbled forward instead.


    That was a common mistake most often seen among Awakened. Young Awakened were prone to overestimating their newfound strength, forgetting that their mass and center of gravity remained the same. So, it was easy for them to misjudge things and end up being pulled forward by the inertia of their own swing.


    Still. For a Master to be that inexperienced in combat was a bit...


    The delicate Ascended seemed to be doomed.


    But, strangely enough, he ended up being saved by his clumsy mistake. It was doubtful that he could have deflected Tristan''s powerful strike, but after stumbling forward and nearly sprawling on the ground, the opponent''s sword missed and flew harmlessly above his head.


    There was a murmur among the onlookers...


    "Lucky."


    But then, they were treated to a bizarre spectacle.


    That Master Sunless was not just lucky... it was as if he was charmed!


    No matter what Tristan of Aegis Rose tried to do, his sword never seemed able to reach the cowardly opponent. Master Sunless slipped on the cobblestones, accidentally evading a skillful attack. While trying to stand up, he tripped on the hem of his own silk robe, losing balance and gracelessly sprawling on the ground... but also making Tristan''s follow-up strike miss him entirely.


    While trying to block a downward slash, he actually failed to hold on to his sword and dropped it, staggering back in panic. However, in the process, the coward accidentally kicked the falling sword and sent it flying in the direction of the Legacy scion, who was forced to hastily defend his lower torso and retreat.


    Then, Master Sunless recklessly bent down to pick up the fallen sword a grievous mistake when facing an armed opponent! However, it was exactly because no one in their right mind would think of leaving themselves so open to a lethal blow that Tristan had never anticipated it, once again fruitlessly sliced the empty air above the oblivious opponent''s head.


    "What are you doing?! Fight like a man!"


    A sheepish smile appeared on the unknown Master''s deathly pale face.


    "But I... I was trying to pick up my sword! How am I supposed to fight without a sword?"


    Ascended Tristan let out an infuriated growl.


    "Just take it, damn! I''ll step back!"


    Under everyone''s bewildered gazes, he took a step back and waited patiently for his opponent to arm himself.


    But Master Sunless did not seem to be in a hurry. breathing heavily.


    Tristan''s face twitched.


    "What are you doing?!��


    The delicate young man coughed.


    "Well... you didn''t specify that I should pick it up immediately, did you? So I thought I''d catch my breath real quick."


    The Legacy scion seemed stuck between complete disbelief and apoplectic fury.


    "Pick it up right this second!"


    Master Sunless bent down and gripped the sword.


    "Alright, alright... there''s no need to shout..."


    Soon, the oddly comical duel continued.


    Coincidentally - or rather, quite purposefully - the sun was directly behind him.


    Which meant that his shadow was sprawled on the cobblestones directly in front of him.


    Right where Ascended Tristan''s foot had just landed.


    Using a tiny bit of essence, Sunny stealthily manifested a small part of the wild shadow and made it trip the poor fool without anything noticing.


    That was more than enough to send the enraged young Master, who had committed to the attack a little bit too hard, completely off balance.


    It all worked splendidly.


    ...In fact, it worked a little bit too well.


    ''Oh. Crap.''


    Sunny had forgotten to take one small, but vitally important detail into account.


    In the next moment, everyone in the courtyard witnessed a startling scene.


    Ascended Tristan of the Aegis Rose clan lunged at the dainty Master, who let out an embarrassing shriek and flinched away in fear. By doing so, he not only completely avoided the sudden attack, but also caused the Legacy to lose balance and be pulled forward by the weight of his sword.


    And there, right behind his cowardly opponent...


    Was the parapet of the courtyard ramparts.


    The young Legacy had no time to slow down and collided with it at full speed, buckling at the waist and flying over the stone parapet in the blink of an eye.


    A split second later, his figure disappeared from view.


    A dumbfounded silence settled over the courtyard.


    ...In a few moments, everyone shuddered as they heard a loud crash from somewhere far below.


    Master Sunless looked back with a strange expression on his face, then cleared his throat and gracefully straightened his mantle with an elegant motion.


    Then, he turned to Mercy of Clan Dagonet and said, his voice full of sincere concern:


    "Sir Mercy... why are dawdling? Shouldn''t you hurry up and tend to your friend? Such a fall won''t kill him... I think... but he''ll certainly need a good healer."


    The petrified young man slowly nodded.


    "Ah... y-yes... I''ll go..."


    With that, he turned around and hurried away. But at that moment, Master Sunless called out to him:


    "Wait a moment!"


    Ascended Mercy froze and slowly turned around.


    "...Yes?"


    Sunny smiled and pointed to the heavy greatsword laying on the ground.


    "The sword... what was it, the Hard Breaker? Take the sword with you!"


    The young Master stared at the greatsword for a moment, then bent down to pick it up.


    "Yes..."


    He mumbled an apology and dashed away.


    Sunny grinned.


    "Make sure that Ascended Tristan takes his time to rest and recuperate! There''s no need to rush!"


    He sighed and then added, his voice full of magnanimity:


    "He can beg me for forgiveness at a later date!��

 Chapter 1705 Familiar.

    When Nephis returned, the courtyard seemed a little liveller than it had been before. A few people had strange expressions on their faces, and a few more seemed to be glancing at Master Sunless from time to time, their gazes full of contempt and amusement.


    The charming enchanter himself was standing near the parapet of the ramparts, not paying the pointed gazes any attention. He was looking down calmly, a small smile playing on his lips.


    Nephis frowned slightly.


    ?Has anyone bothered him??


    She had not anticipated that leaving Master Sunless alone for a few minutes would be a problem. It was only an hour or two after they had shown themselves together in public, after all... no matter what kind of rumors people wanted to spread, such things took time.


    Nephis definitely did not want anything remotely unpleasant to happen to the delicate young man, so she had to be more watchful in the future.


    Approaching Master Sunless, she said in her usual even tone:


    ?I am back. Did something happen??


    He turned and looked at her with a smile, then lowered his gaze awkwardly,


    ?Ah... well.., nothing too serious. There were a couple young men who wanted to have words with me. I''m afraid I failed to resolve the issue amicably. Oh, well... some people simply don''t have manners. I''m rather used to such situations.?


    Nephis frown deepened.


    Sunny, of course, was talking about himself �� it was Sunny who didn''t bother with basic manners unless he wanted to, and was therefore used to facing the violent consequences of running his venomous mouth.


    But Nephis understood it differently.


    [Cassie?]


    Who were these young men, and how dare they be rude to Master Sunless?


    Cassie responded a moment later, her voice deceptively smooth:


    [...Tristan of Aegis Rose challenged Master Sunless to a duel.]


    Nephis almost jumped. Of course, her calm expression remained the same... but her mind was suddenly awash with scorching flames.


    [And you didn''t warn me?! I explicitly asked you to keep an eye on him in my absence!]


    That will also clearly show the other clans that I favor Master Sunless, and that touching the person I favor... pretending to favor, I mean... will not go unpunished.


    Which could further the deception and at the same time protect the charming enchanter going forward, thus killing two birds with one stone.


    Nephis took a deep breath, still feeling guilty.


    Then, she contained her emotions, nodded lightly, and said:


    ?Then, please, follow me. There won''t be any other delays.?


    Master Sunless smiled and gallantly gestured forward.


    ?After you, my lady.?


    As they ascended the steps of the tall tower, Nephis remained silent and thought back to what Cassie had said.


    ?...What is it with me today, indeed??


    Many people thought that Nephis was a cold and emotionless person, but they were all wrong. Her emotions, in fact, often burned with a frightening intensity... it was just that she rarely showed them, if at all.


    Still, looking back, she felt like she had been too flustered in the last few hours �� and even before that. Being in the company of the charming enchanter had a strange kind of effect on her...


    Granted, anyone would have been flustered after what Effie had done! Just thinking about it... no, no, no. Nephis refused to think about it!


    But it was an undeniable fact that she couldn''t help but act unlike her usual self around Master Sunless, Usually, she would have been much more guarded around a stranger... but there was just something about the delicate young man that made her lower her guard.


    It was like an odd sense of familiarity that had no reason to exist, but was deeply compelling... as if he reminded her of something, or someone, that she had been longing for without even knowing.


    ?How strange.?


    The feeling was indeed strange... but not unwelcome. It tasted a little sweet, and a little bitter. But mostly, it was just there.


    Nephis sighed.


    ?My behavior thus far has been nothing short of embarrassing. Considering that the two of us will be spending a lot of time together, I really need to maintain composure, and treat Master Sunless with the degree of respect he deserves.?


    She glanced at him, her gaze once again lingering on his exquisite features and glistening onyx eyes for a moment too long.


    Suddenly, Nephis felt that maintaining composure... would be a bit hard.

 Chapter 1706 Memory Purveyor.

    Following Nephis, Sunny ascended the tall tower and found himself on a spacious balcony that served as a pier for the Chain Breaker. Neither of them had spoken about the duel, and it suited him Just fine.


    In any case, he had to admit that his actions had been a little naughty. He could have defused the situation by groveling a little, but chosen to antagonize the pompous Legacy instead for no good reason. Explaining the sequence of events to Nephis would have been a bit embarrassing, and SO...


    Sunny went ahead and shamelessly pushed that responsibility onto Cassie.


    Some would call such a move unbecoming, but he preferred to call it... delegation!Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com


    The Chain Breaker was floating in the air a few meters away, with a wide wooden plank affixed between its deck and the stone balcony. Several Fire Keepers seemed to have just finished loading a bunch of wooden crates into the cargo hold of the graceful vessel, and were now resting beneath the branches of the sacred tree.


    Noticing Nephis, all of them stood up.


    Then, their gazes fell on Sunny.


    The Fire Keepers �� especially the two women �� had a bit of a strange reaction to his appearance.


    ?What''s wrong with these people...?


    Considering how devoted the Fire Keepers were to Nephis, he would have expected a more intense version of the Jealous hostility the denizens of the Castle had met him with.


    However, they seemed more stunned than unfriendly.


    ?M-master Sunless? Why are you here??


    He forced out a polite smile.


    ?Good day. Oh... I am here to sign a contract. I think we''ll be working together often in the future., so please take care of me.?


    The Fire Keepers slowly turned to Nephis.


    Then, the two women suddenly broke into wide smiles.


    ?Lady Nephis... thank you!?


    ?Nice!?


    He stared at them in confusion.


    ?Why are they giving her thumbs up??


    The Fire Keepers frequented the Brilliant Emporium due to their friendship with Aiko. Perhaps they really liked his cooking and assumed that he would be employed as a chef?


    Was the food situation on the Ivory Island that bad?


    Nephis coughed.


    ?Ah... yes, I''ve invited Master Sunless to the Tower, Please get ready to ascend.?


    They joined the Fire Keepers on the deck. The wooden plank was swiftly removed, the mooring cables untled, and no more than a minute later, the flying ship slowly moved.


    The leaves of the sacred tree rustled as the Chain Breaker started to climb into the sky, Sunny looked up and studied it for a while, his gaze lingering on the golden fruits.


    ?What would happen if I fed these fruits to Rain??


    Currently, Rain was preparing to hunt an Awakened Demon in order to absorb some of its essence and push her own toward Awakening. Such was the path most of the ancient people had followed, forging their fates in the crucible of combat. The fruits of the sacred tree contained essence, as well, so its existence was much more precious than the carriers of the Spell could ever imagine.


    Granted, it was a rhetorical question. If Sunny simply wanted Rain to Awaken, he would have showered her with soul shards and been done with it. But what he wanted was to make her strong enough to survive on her own, if need be... and so, cutting corners would do her more harm than good.


    Everyone who received a proper education did, but Sunny had only ever known how to type things before coming to the Academy. He had learned cursive later, after returning from the Forgotten Shore and getting himself a position as a research assistant.


    But, of course, no one had any way of knowing that.


    Signing deeply, he looked over the contract and signed it. Nephis watched him with intently as he did.


    The moment his signature was put on paper, the corner of her mouth seemed to curl upward slightly.


    Sunny smiled.


    ?Well, as long as she''s happy.?


    ?It''s a pleasure doing business with you.?


    And that... was how Sunny became the Memory Purveyor of the Fire Keepers.


    ���� ���� ����


    Unbeknownst to him, though, something else was happening while he was signing the contract.


    The news of Sunny''s duel with Tristan of Aegis Rose was spreading across Bastion with the speed of a forest fire. Of course, with each retelling, it collected embellishments and turned more and more outrageous.


    People were talking about it all over the city.


    ?Have you heard? Some unknown Master defeated Lord Tristan. In one strike!?


    ?They say that they were fighting for Changing Star''s affection...?


    ?There were several Valor Knights and dozens of Awakened in the courtyard, but no one even tried to stop the duel...?


    ?There were dozens of Valor Knights in the courtyard trying to stop him, but he defeated them all before striking Lord Tristan in the face!?


    ?There were a hundred Valor Knights in the courtyard trying to stop him, but he easily defeated them all. And then beheaded Lord Tristan with one strike!?


    ?That unknown Master is too scary! Too tyrannical!?


    ?What a monster!?


    If Sunny had heard these whispers, he would have paled.


    He would have also probably said something like...


    ?Oh, no. Oh, no! Not again!?


    But he didn''t hear anything until the next morning.


    ...When Aiko stormed into the kitchen of the Brilliant Emporium and tossed a newspaper on the table.


    ?Boss... what the hell is this?!?


    Frowning, Sunny picked up the newspaper and read the title on the first page.


    The title read:


    ?A Duel For a Saint''s Heart! Wretched Mongrel, Master S, defeats the Noblest of Knights, Lord T!?


    His hand trembled.

 Chapter 1707: The Fine Nuances of Demon Hunting

    Chapter 1707: The Fine Nuances of Demon Hunting


    The stars shone brightly in the cold black sky. Sitting on a wide tree branch, Rain studied them silently, surrounded by darkness.


    ''It''s strange.��


    Some of the stars looked familiar, but she couldn''t recognize any constellations. The alien sky of the Dream Realm was different from that of Earth, but worse than that, it was both fickle and unreliable. The stars shining upon the Song Domain were different from those illuminating the Sword Domain, and even various regions of the two kingdoms did not share the same heaven.


    Some places did not even have a sun, while others were bathed in the light of many moons.


    Astronomers were probably going crazy...


    "Why are you still awake? Sleep. You''ll need all your strength tomorrow."


    Her teacher''s voice resounded softly from the darkness, making Rain sigh.


    He was right. She had climbed the enormous tree and tied herself to the branch in order to rest, but now that there was nothing else left to do...


    "I can''t sleep."


    Sleep was escaping her.


    Her teacher chuckled.


    "Nervous?��


    Rain remained silent for a while. Was she nervous? She couldn''t tell.


    They had spent a lot of time preparing for this hunt. From searching for suitable prey and learning all that could be learned about it to coming up with plans and contingencies, studying the terrain, and preparing all the necessary equipment. The process was only different from all the previous hunts because it had been so extensive.


    She was supposed to kill an Awakened Demon this time, after all.


    So, Rain did feel a little nervous... frightened, even. But at the same time, she was a little excited. Not only because successfully slaying the demon would finally allow her to grasp the key of Awakening, which she had been trying to do for many years, but also because of the challenge itself.


    She always felt a pleasant rush of adrenaline when facing appaling abominations in battle. To be strong, to be able to protect herself and other people - that was what she wanted, and why she had accepted the ominous shadow''s offer to be her teacher.


    Rain smiled.


    "What is there to be nervous about? It''s just an Awakened Demon."


    Her teacher laughed in the darkness.


    "Fair enough."


    There was a bit of silence, and then Rain asked against her better Judgment:


    "Teacher, what was the first Awakened Demon you fought like?"


    The darkness spoke in a tone of nostalgia:


    "Oh, that guy? Ah... as tall as a house, covered in a carapace of impregnable steel armor, with claws strong enough to crush diamonds and a pair of razor-sharp scythes in place of hands. A really charming fellow."


    Rain raised an eyebrow. Was such a creature really worth feeling nostalgic about?


    ***


    In the morning, Rain untied the rope fastening her to the branch and carefully climbed down. Soon enough, she reached the ground, standing on the outskirts of a vast forest of dead trees.


    Ravenheart was so far away that the mountain chain was merely a dark line on the horizon. There was no ash around, and although the frozen ground was covered in frost, there was no snow either.


    This was the place where the Awakened Demon she was intedning to kill dwelled.


    Humanity had conquered a vast area in the Dream Realm, but that did not mean that the two Domains were entirely safe. In fact, safety was a fleeting illusion here - apart from the Citadels and their immediate vicinity, the wilds were still ruled by the Nightmare Creatures. Humans had only really started to encroach on their reign after the advent of the Dream Gates four years ago, building roads and expanding their settlements.


    In that regard, the current era was very much like the dawn of the legendary Age of Heroes, when mortal champions battled against countless abominations to help the nascent human civilization survive and spread.


    Of course, modern humans had no gods to guide them. They only had Queen Song, the King of Swords... and the Nightmare Spell.


    ...Well, in Rain''s case, she also had an oddball of a shadow showing her the way.


    While she was checking her weapons in the dim twilight of the early dawn, her teacher asked calmly:


    "What makes demons so dangerous? Their strength? Their speed? Their resilience?"


    Rain shook her head.


    "No. It''s their intelligence. Beasts and monsters might be stronger, faster, and much more resilient than me, but they are also not too bright. A demon, however, is as intelligent as me... it might even outsmart me, if I''m not careful."


    Her teacher emerged from her shadow and nodded.


    "So, how do you kill a demon?��


    She counted her arrows while answering:


    "By being more prepared. By controlling the battlefield, knowing the terrain, and learning about the enemy in advance. By taking initiative and not making any mistakes. By having a clear mind and deadly resolve."


    He smiled.


    "No one is perfect. Mistakes happen whether you want to or not... so what are you going to do if you do make a mistake?"


    Rain stared at him for a moment, then returned the smile defiantly.


    "Curse you bitterly while I die?"


    Her teacher laughed.


    "Go on and try dying. See what happens..."


    She stared at him for a bit, then shook her head.


    "Fine, Since teacher insists, I won''t die."


    He nodded with a smile.


    "Good. Now go and kill that demon.��

 Chapter 1708: The Huntsman.

    Chapter 1708: The Huntsman.


    Rain had taken off her winter coat, her light armor, and even her military jacket, leaving only the henley and the wool vest on. No amount of armor was going to protect her from the Awakened Demon, so she wanted her movements to be as agile and unobstructed as possible. It seemed a little poetic, as if she was proclaiming that there would be no retreat, only victory... or death. Findd new stories at novelhall.com


    It was also a bit funny. Awakened warriors were often shown preparing mentally for battle while donning their armor, but she was doing the same while taking it off. Such was the pitiful life of a mundane hunter.


    The preparations had long been complete, the traps were laid. All Rain had to do was venture into the depths of the forest and face the demon.


    Taking a deep breath, she went through a series of stretching exercises. She had always been nimble, but after years of training under the sinister shadow, her flexible body was like that of a snake... no, a gymnast. A very graceful, limber gymnast! That was a much better mental image.


    Still, she had to be careful when going all out. Her mundane flesh was lagging behind her skill and training, so it was easy to damage.


    ?What are you, a ballerina??


    Rain glared at her teacher silently.


    ?Didn''t you once tell me that you''re the best dancer in the world... two worlds, even? So who''s the ballerina??


    He coughed.


    ?Well, uh... if your teacher said it, then it''s true! There was this one time I danced with a princess at a ball, and immediately after, she dragged me into a private room. No, wait... or was it me who dragged her into a private room? In any case, the two of us ended up in a private room!?


    Her teacher smiled wistfully.


    ?And let me tell you, what happened in that room... ah, it was nothing short of life-changing...?


    Rain stared at him for a moment, then pretended to be sick.


    ?Old pervert...?


    He was offended.


    ?Who are you calling old?! No, wait, who are you calling a pervert?!?


    She did not deign to answer, shaking her head silently. At the same time, though... Rain noticed that her previous nervousness was almost entirely gone. She felt calm and ready, as if her teacher''s familiar nonsense could magically make any situation, no matter how dire, seem mundane and ordinary as well.


    ?That''s alright. It''s infused with mine.?


    Rain nodded, then collected the things she was going to leave behind and placed them in a nook between the roots of the old tree, to be retreated later. Her original sword went atop the neat pile.


    She stood up, looked into the depth of the forest, and started walking.


    As she did, her teacher spoke:


    ?That sword should be able to cut the flesh of an Awakened Demon even in your hands, Still, don''t rely on it too much, Remember... the sword is just a tool, You are the weapon, You are the one who has to kill the enemy, not your sword.?


    Rain nodded calmly.


    ?I remember.?


    She cleared her mind of all distractions, focusing solely on the hunt.


    The demon she was going to kill... was called the Huntsman, quite Ironically. That was what the people in Ravenheart called him, but actually, the creature''s proper name was Chalice Knight.


    The reason why Rain and her teacher had chosen hi?m was precisely because there was a lot of information to be learned about the Chalice Knights. These abominations were not independent Nightmare Creatures, after all rather, they had been mid-rank minions of a Fallen Titan.


    The Titan''s territory used to be about a hundred kilometers away from this forest. Coincidentally, it lay between Ravenheart and one of the other large cities of the Song Domain, preventing the construction of a convenient road. A year or so ago, Song Seishan had battled the Titan and destroyed it, obliterating most of its minions in the process and scattering the rest.


    Rain remembered that event well because there had been a series of missions issued by the town hall in the aftermath of the battle, all having to do with hunting down the remnant abominations. She wasn''t quite strong enough to challenge them, but many Awakened cohorts were. So, the surviving minions of the slain Titan had been swiftly eradicated.


    All except for one Chalice Knight who had found his way into this forest. Despite the fact that the abomination had lost its monstrous steed, thus becoming much weaker, he still managed to decimate several cohorts that ventured into the forest to kill him.


    Perhaps there was something special about this particular demon, or perhaps the Awakened warriors had come unprepared. In any case, they were forced to retreat, and the oddly fearsome Chalice Knight earned a foreboding nickname, the Huntsman.


    Rain did not consider herself to be stronger than the Awakened fighters who had tried to slay the creature in the past. However, she was definitely much more cautious and prepared than they had been.


    So, she was going to hunt the Huntsman.


    Once she did, her essence would Awaken, and she would be able to start forming a soul core.


    And once her soul core was formed... then, finally, she would be stronger.

 Chapter 1709: Hunters Prey

    Chapter 1709: Hunter''s Prey


    The Huntsman was so dangerous because he ruled the forest like a stealthy predator. He moved unseen and attacked from the mist and darkness, picking off his victims one by one. He also seemed to know the value of intimidation and mental pressure, displaying the mutilated corpses of his victims on the branches of the ancient trees for everyone to see.


    Or maybe skinning corpses simply spoke to the abomination''s aesthetic sensibility. In any case, his human enemies often faced him already shaken and rattled, which was a deadly poison for anyone going into battle.


    Rain knew that he was approaching the creature''s lair because she saw a human skeleton hanging in the trees, its bones cluttering against each other in the wind. Her expression darkened.


    However, she wasn''t shaken. She wasn''t rattled, either. Her mind was much too strong to be poisoned by fear �� instead, fear only sharpened it.


    ''...I''ll need to bury them properly after everything is over.''


    She shivered �� not because of the morbid scene, but simply because she was cold. The battle would warm her up, though, so it was alright.


    Every time an Awakened cohort ventured into the forest, the Huntsman was in no hurry to attack. Sensing the threat presented by a group of experienced Awakened warriors, he stalked them silently or retreated into his lair, waiting for the night to come. Then, when impenetrable darkness shrouded the world, his own hunt would begin.


    Rain was not a cohort of Awakened warriors, so she was pretty sure that the demon would not wait to attack her. It was for the best �� she knew that if she failed to slay the enemy before nightfall, her chances of survival would drop to zero.


    And yet, the Huntsman had not shown himself yet.


    What was he waiting for?


    She frowned, then glanced at her shadow.


    "Could it be that the demon is afraid of you, teacher?"


    A calm voice resounded from the darkness:


    "It is highly unlikely. I am very hard to notice when I''m hiding in the shadows. There is a much simpler explanation, don''t you think?"


    Rain nodded.


    Indeed, there was. The Huntsman was not omniscient, after all. He simply had not noticed her yet.


    Which was what she had been hoping for. Rain knew that she wasn''t strong enough to face an Awakened Demon in a direct confrontation, which meant that she had to rely on traps to even the odds. The problem was that even luring such a creature into a trap was problematic, because he was much faster than her.


    ''Well, if he doesn''t want to welcome me...''


    She was going to have to announce her arrival.


    She had been quite angry at her teacher for how vague and confounding his explanations about the meaning of clarity were. But after finally mastering it, Rain finally understood every word.


    Master the body, master the mind... the essence of combat was murder, and every action she took in combat only served one of two purposes �� to kill the enemy or to prevent the enemy from killing her.


    Something like that could not be explained with words, only learned in battle. However, once Rain truly understood that unfathomably deep, but simple truth, every battle she had fought after that was easier.


    Time seemed to slow down as her perception expanded. Her thoughts accelerated, and at the same time, the scope of the world grew narrower, eliminating all unnecessary distractions. She could feel every minute detail of her environment with striking sharpness, from the direction of the wind to the slowly dancing snowflakes.


    Down below, the almost invisible menace slowly approached the bonfire she had made with wet branches, and the butchered corpse of a Dormant beast she had laid as bait.


    It was time to strike.


    There was no way back anymore.


    Drawing her bow, she finally allowed her gaze to fall directly on the empty space where the Huntsman was supposed to be, and let the arrow fly.


    Rain had thought that her shot was immaculate, and almost impossibly swift. From the moment she nocked the arrow to the moment she let go of the string, less than a heartbeat passed.


    And yet, frighteningly, that single heartbeat was enough for the demon to react. She couldn''t see his movements, but the vague patch of subtly hazy air shifted at an impossible speed.


    The arrow flashed past.


    ...But that was alright.


    Rain had not been aiming at the invisible abomination, anyway.


    Instead, she aimed at a burlap sack hanging above the bonfire. The arrow split it open, and fine powder poured into the air.


    It was not gunpowder, nor was it some expensive alchemical concoction. It was simple flour.


    However, when the cloud of flour ignited, it still produced a fiery flash. That flash couldn''t be called a proper explosion, really, since there was no closed vessel to contain it, but it still served its purpose...


    That was, to cover the Huntsman in soot.


    Suddenly, his invisible form was not that invisible anymore.


    In fact, whatever camouflage the creature had been using was broken by the rain of burning flour, and Rain finally saw the Huntsman in all his vile glory.

 Chapter 1710: Daring Escape

    Chapter 1710: Daring Escape


    The Chalice Knight resembled a human wearing a tattered suit of ancient armor that had turned green from rust. He towered at around two and a half meters of height, but seemed even taller because of the deer antlers attached to his closed helmet. The rusty helmet itself was fashioned to resemble the snout of a snarling beast, with deep darkness nestling in the crack of its visor.


    There was moss growing here and there on the battered armor, and a ragged cloak, too weathered to retain any color, hanging from his shoulders like a torn banner.


    The creature was holding a frightening battleaxe in his hand, its blade large and heavy enough to easily split a human in two.


    The Huntsman... was like a dead knight that had crawled from under the roots of the forest that had claimed an ancient battlefield, ghastly and imposing enough to make Rain shudder.


    Worse than that, the dark crack of his visor was already staring directly at her.


    Her souls seemed to squirm under that gaze.


    ''Crap.''


    Rain nocked another arrow on the string and prepared to draw her bow...


    But before she could, the Huntsman had already reached the base of the tree that served as her sniper nest.


    His dreadful battleaxe rose and fell. That dreadful strike was enough to make the mighty trunk of the ancient tree explode into a hurricane of splinters, obliterating a whole swath of it.


    But, a moment later...


    A sharp arrow fell from above and lodged itself into his knee. It struck precisely at the narrow gap between the bottom of the abominations''s cuisse and the top of his poleyn �� which were the armor elements responsible for protecting one''s thigh and knee, respectively.


    A pretty decent shot, considering the situation.


    But Rain did not have any time to celebrate, because the tree was already toppling... and she was falling with it.


    After a moment of weightlessness, the rope tied around her chest drew taut, and she found herself flying through the air.


    If there was one thing her teacher had told her, it was that one should always leave themselves a path of retreat. Rain had never considered that climbing a tree would protect her from an Awakened Demon, so she naturally prepared a way to escape.


    In this case, that way was swinging on a rope and flying between the trunks of terribly tall trees at breakneck speed. She had not carried a sizable length of silk rope all the way here in vain, at least.


    As the wind whistled in her ears, Rain thought:Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    ''This is going to hurt...''


    She really did not know if she would be able to escape his axe long enough to accomplish her goal.


    ''Run... run!''


    Gritting her teeth, Rain did the unthinkable... she tossed away her bow. That was a terrible loss �� not because he was afraid to lose it, but because the quiver of arrows she had hidden up ahead would be useless without it. But she had to sacrifice something, and her javelin seemed much more useful in a battle against such a large foe.


    As for her sword... well, her teacher had given it to her. She would never discard it.


    She felt incredibly lucky about leaving her coat and armor on the outskirts of the forest.


    ''Run, goddamn you!''


    Rain did not have eyes on the back of her head, but she could feel the ground trembling, and hear the branches snapping behind her. In fact, the Huntsman was barreling directly through the trees, snapping the mighty trunks like matches. It was as though an unstoppable, inescapable behemoth was pursuing her, getting closer and closer. He was already no more than a dozen meters away.


    A dozen meters... ten meters... six meters...


    Rain''s heart was beating wildly in her chest.


    But then, finally, the trees receded, and she escaped into a vast open space.


    That... was where she had wanted to fight the demon.


    ''Be more prepared. Control the battlefield, know the terrain, learn about the enemy. Take the initiative and don''t make any mistakes. Have a clear mind and deadly resolve.''


    That was the recipe for winning a battle against a demon... any battle, really.


    So, this was the battlefield that Rain had chosen.


    The open space in front of her was a swamp that hid in the depths of the forest.


    Currently, it was frozen over, the treacherous depths encased in a layer of ice. The ice was covered by a thin carpet of snow.


    Rain was light enough to walk on the ice without falling under its surface.


    The Huntsman, though...


    With his frightening size, heavy armor, and dreadful battleaxe, he was going to have a bit of a problem.


    Feeling death approaching her from behind, Rain did not waste a single moment and stepped onto the hidden ice.

 Chapter 1711 On Thin Ice

    Rain was ready to step on the ice when something inside her screamed. Perhaps it was because of the subtle change in the sounds behind her, or perhaps it was because of the change in the currents of the wind.


    Perhaps she had subconsciously noticed the shadow moving unnaturally around her.


    In any case, she didn''t hesitate even for a split second before throwing her body down. An experienced warrior did not alloy themselves to be ruled by instinct, but they also never ignored it.


    A warrior''s instinct was the result of countless hours of training and rich battle experience, after all. Blood, sweat, and tears went into honing it into a life-saving tool.


    Rain dodged, and in the next moment, her side was pierced by a flash of blinding pain.


    She spun in the air and crashed into the ice, throwing herself into a roll. A moment later, Rain was already on her feet, sliding back as she held the javelin between herself and the enemy.


    A muffled groan escaped from her lips.


    The Huntsman was spinning his grotesque battleaxe, a few drops of blood marring its heavy green blade,


    ''Damn it.��


    Rain briefly glanced down to assess the damage. It wasn''t anything serious - the axe barely grazed her, leaving a long cut across her ribs. But if she had been even a little bit slower, it would have split her open like a log.


    ''More stitching...��


    It was a little absurd, but she was more upset about having to mend her bodysuit than about receiving a wound. Her body was much more resilient than the threadbare bodysuit, after all.


    "You bastard..."


    As soon as the words left her mouth, the demon took a step forward.


    Suddenly, they were surrounded by silence. The Huntsman entered the vast clearing, his armored boot sinking into the snow. Simultaneously, Rain backed away from his towering figure.


    They were like a fearsome predator and its powerless prey, the predator preparing for a lethal lunge, the prey raising its quills in a vain hope to save itself. The heavy javelin usually gave Rain confidence, but in front of the dreadful master of frozen forest, it seemed a fragile willow branch.


    It all happened very fast.


    As the demon was advancing, his foot fell through the ice, and in the next moment, he plummeted down. Black water and pieces of ice flew into the air as if there was an explosion, and Rain felt the swamp tremble.


    Cold drops pelted her face.


    Of course, water alone was not going to slow the Huntsman down.


    A human would have been rendered helpless by the need to struggle against its weight, but an Awakened Demon was powerful enough to shrug such a burden off without any effort. At that distance from the shore, the water was only to the Huntsman''s waist, so he continued moving forward after a momentary delay.


    But, still...


    It wasn''t a lake or a river. There was no ground under his feet, only the treacherous mass of the ancient swamp. Although the abominations managed to prevent himself from sinking... for now..,, its speed still dropped.


    More than that, the moment he fell through the Ice, Rain was already moving.


    And before the Huntsman could regain his bearing, the heavy tip of her Javelin had already crashed Into his helmet.


    She did not get greedy with that attack. Greed was the third most common cause of death among experienced fighters, following directly behind arrogance and bad luck. After delivering a strong blow to the demon''s face, Rain immediately pulled back and jumped away.


    And just in time a split second later, his axe whistled past the spot where she had stood before, colliding with the ice and splitting it.


    The attack was much too fast for her to perceive and react in time. If Rain had not anticipated the danger and disengaged in advance, she would have died.


    Her side burned with cold pain, but that pain only made her mind sharper. Her heart was beating steadily, pumping blood throughout her body. Her muscles seemed to have come alive, making her body light and alert, brimming with energy.


    It was a state of absolute focus and awareness, so heightened that it couldn''t last for too long.


    ''Let''s see which one of us is the real demon...��


    Brandishing her javelin, Rain grinned and escaped the cracking ice, already searching for a way to deliver another blow to the frenzied abomination.

 Chapter 1712 Icebreaker

    Less than a minute later, a vast swath of the frozen swamp had turned into a ravaged scene of devastation. The pure white snow was washed away, the ice was broken and shattered, its shards floating in the black water like dirty glass. The water itself was restless, boiling and rippling from the furious movements of the Huntsman and the escaping gas.


    The swamp was trying to swallow the frenzied abomination, but was getting battered by him instead. The demon would sink deeper from time to time, but then tear himself from the insidious embrace of the marsh... even though that struggle allowed Rain to survive so far, it was not enough to grant her victory.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    She was breathing laboriously.


    Rain had continued to retreat deeper into the swamp, and the demon continued to pursue her like a demented executioner. She had delivered more than a dozen strikes to him, but none dealt any serious damage - even when her javelin pierced the cracks of the Huntsman''s armor, it felt as if she was trying to cut wet fur. Rain did do some damage to the hidden flesh of the demon, but not nearly enough to matter.


    At the same time, her own body was not faring well, She had not been cut by the dreadful battleaxe again, so there was little blood... relatively speaking... however, there were bruises. In fact, after being tossed around by the furlous power of the demon''s blows, Rain felt like her entire body was one glant bruise, by now.


    And that was even considering that she fought as cautiously and cowardly as she could.


    The Huntsman had much longer limbs, and his battleaxe had much more reach than the black sword her teacher had given her. So, even if Rain was willing to risk clashing with the abomination face-to-face despite being slower and weaker than him, he would have held a great advantage.


    Stories like to speak about exalted skill and unbreakable resolve, but in a real fight, the outcome was often decided by the most mundane of things. Reach trumped skill, and weight definitely trumped will.


    Well, perhaps it was different for the Awakened, whose power refused to obey common sense. But for someone like Rain, having a longer weapon meant emerging victorious more often than not.


    Which was why she did not draw her sword yet, relying instead on the heavy javelin.


    ''It''s alright...''


    Her javelin was crafted from the same material as her arrows, and it was not as if a mundane human could not leave a scratch on the body of an Awakened abomination - in fact, it was entirely possible to slay one, just a bit hard.


    Things would have been different if Rain was facing a Fallen Nightmare Creature, but then again, she would have never allowed herself to end up in such a situation. Her teacher tasked her with slaying an Awakened Demon precisely because it was not Impossible for her to succeed.


    It was just that...


    The Huntsman had proven to be much tougher than she had anticipated. Rain had expected to be powerless against his armor, but even when she managed to bypass it, the result was minimal. It as a though there was another layer of protection hiding behind the suit of rusted green armor.


    Something had to change.


    His voice suddenly resounded from the shadows:


    "W-wait... what are you doing, ungrateful brat? That''s my most expensive bottle, you know!"


    Rain ignored the startled voice and produced a brass lighter. She wasn''t fond of drinking, anyway... no, really, what had he been thinking, gifting a young girl alcohol? What kind of attitude was that for a teacher?


    Had her teacher been a delinquent in his youth?


    Igniting the cloth, Rain stood up and swiftly turned around.


    The Huntsman was barreling toward her like a frenzied icebreaker. He had long torn her javelin from his chest and snapped it in two, leaving the broken pieces far behind.


    For a moment, her heart ached for her trusty weapon,


    Then, Rain gritted her teeth and tossed the bottle at the demon.


    "Catch this, you rusty piece of...��


    The Huntsman did not even bother to move his axe, swiping the bottle away with his gauntlet.


    Of course, It shattered instantly, spilling burning alcohol all over his towering figure.


    The flammable cocktail was not going to damage an Awakened Demon.


    But that stench in the air...


    There was a lot of gas trapped beneath the ice, and currently, all of it had been released, surrounding the abomination like an invisible cloud.


    And when the bottle shattered, the cloud instantly turned into a sea of raging flame.


    Of course, Rain did not see any of it, because she was already diving behind the twisted tree.

 Chapter 1713 Fire and Ice.

    Swamps had a natural inclination to produce methane, which often remained trapped beneath the surface, forming voluminous bubbles of putrid gas. And those were only the swamps of the waking world, which were much safer than the marshes of the Dream Realm... well, at least they had been before the Dark Times.


    In times of war, humanity had unleashed all kinds of weaponized horrors upon itself. So, today, there was no telling what kind of buried plagues could be released into the world if someone went around digging in the swamps of Europe or the Northern Quadrant.


    The Dream Realm might have actually been safer, in that regard.


    None of it mattered to Rain, though. What mattered for her was that methane was highly flammable.


    And so, when the Huntsman shattered the liquor bottle, it ignited.


    ?Crap...?


    Diving behind the tree, Rain pressed her body into the ground and covered her ears. In the next moment, she was momentarily blinded by a violent flash.


    Then, she was assaulted by unbearable heat.


    And then, the entire world shuddered.


    ?Ah??


    Rain was tossed into the air as the tree she had been hiding behind was obliterated.


    That... was not supposed to happen. Marsh gas could ignite and burn, but not explode, and especially not so fiercely �� at least not under an open sky.


    Perhaps the flames somehow reached a huge pocket of trapped methane, or perhaps it had something to do with the pockets of gas sticking to the surface of the ice. Perhaps the entire swamp was anomalous, and the gas she had set aflame itself was unnatural.


    In any case, the result of tossing the liquor bottle surpassed Rain''s expectations.


    By a lot.


    Crashing into the ground, she felt the wind being knocked out of her and let out a suffocated groan. Rolling in a mess of limbs, Rain fell into shallow water and came to a halt.


    ?That... hurt.?


    She was hurt and dazed.


    But there was no time for such frivolous things as pain and disorientation.


    ?...Didn''t think so. Well then, I''ll just have to kill you bastard right here.?


    A split second later, she was already moving.


    Of course, the Huntsman was moving as well.


    And a lot faster than her, despite weighing at least five times as much.


    But Rain knew how he was going to act, and where he was going to move. It was not because she had a prophetic gift or could read the abomination''s mind. It was simply because she understood his physical limits from doing her research and observing him in battle, as well as because of her knowledge of combat.


    She knew how to wield a polearm and how one proficient in the use of a great axe would most likely attack. She knew all the elements that comprised such a suit of full-plate armor, how they were fastened to one''s body and to each other, and what limitations to one''s movements they would cause.


    She knew that the demon would favor his right leg, because his right knee was not damaged, and that he would protect the left side of his chest more, since the breastplate there was cracked, and the flesh beneath had already been pierced by her javelin.


    Most of all, she knew that the Hunstsman was boiling with demented wrath. That mad frenzy clouded his judgement, and made his actions more predictable.


    So, she had a few advantages of her own.


    As the flames danced and the small island quaked from the heavy burden of the demon''s footsteps, she dashed forward and met him with a flash of her black sword.


    The harrowing battleaxe would have split her in two if she had not sidestepped at the last moment. Rain had managed to evade the attack, albeit just barely... still, the length of the axe, and the Huntsman''s arm length, were too great for her to strike at the towering abomination.


    But she had not aimed at the demon''s mighty body.


    Instead, she aimed at the axe.


    Just as the fearsome weapon flashed past her, the black sword fell in pursuit...


    And severed the charred shaft cleanly.


    It had avoided the metal bands reinforcing it and bit into the burned wood, slicing through it as if it was butter.


    The axe blade sunk into the muddy soil, and the Huntsman''s balance was suddenly disrupted without its weight.


    Now holding only a severed shaft in his hands, the demon staggered and fell heavily to one knee.


    The ground quaked.


    In that moment... Rain could finally reach his body with her sword.Updated chapters at novelhall.com

 Chapter 1714 Apex Predator.

    The enemy was in front of her, kneeling, and momentarily vulnerable.


    Who knew how long that vulnerability would last? The demon would most likely regain his bearing a heartbeat later.


    Everything inside Rain screamed for her to attack, to throw her body forward and slay the abomination before that happened. After all, she could not be sure that there would be another chance later.


    Adrenalin flooded her bloodstream, and her heart thundered feverishly. Her pupils widened, her mind drowning in excitement, fear, and frenetic urgency.


    But, at the same time, the memory of the teacher''s arrogant voice rang in her ears:


    ?Bruise? What do you mean, it will leave a bruise? Listen, disciple... you should be grateful to your kind and gentle teacher for educating you so tenderly! The last time I made such a mistake, I was stepped on by a mountain. Not that left a bruise!?


    It was the mark of a skilled warrior to keep a cool head in the middle of the fiercest of battles, And so, she suppressed her excitement, ignored her fear, and cast away her sense of urgency.


    ?Don''t be greedy... greed will get you killed. It is a sin, and only those strong enough to bear the consequences have the right to be sinful... Rain did not abandon her caution and attacked calmly.?


    The tip of her black sword slid into the seam of the Huntsman''s breastplate, plunging deep into his side.


    This time, there was very little resistance. Unlike her javelin, the dark tachi pierced the demon''s flesh almost effortlessly.


    But instead of leaning into the thrust or twisting the blade to wreak more damage, Rain immediately pulled it back and jumped away.


    And just in time.


    Although the Huntsman seemed momentarily dazed, and his weapon had been destroyed, his fist was already tearing the air with stunning speed. If Rain had been a split second too slow to disengage, her head would have been turned into bloody pulp. As it was, she had enough time to block with the dark tachi, and received the harrowing blow on its blade.


    She was thrown backward like a rag doll. Which was the intended outcome. If Rain had been stubborn and tried to stand her ground, her body would have received the bulk of the impact. But by allowing her to be carried away, she dissipated the force greatly.


    ...It still hurt like hell.


    It felt like every bone in her body was about to burst.


    But they didn''t.


    Rain was tossed back into the shallow water once again and skidded in the mud. The ley water washed away her sweat and numbed the pulsing pain in her side, which felt almost pleasant.


    ?Ah... I need to stand up...?


    This time, it took her a little longer to gather herself.


    Feeling the mud starting to pull her down, Rain groaned and rolled onto her stomach, then staggered to her feet.


    The black tachi rose into a high stance, sending drops of dirty water flying.


    ?How badly did I wound him??


    None of that mattered to her, though.


    What mattered to Rain was that, from what she knew, the transformation of the Chalice Knights took some time to happen. Even if it was just a couple of seconds... in a battle, those seconds were like an eternity.


    She had been waiting to stake her life on that eternity the whole time.


    As the Huntsman''s bestial roar reverberated across the burning swamp, Rain dashed forward.


    Her steps were light and swift.


    Before the demon could assume his true form, before the echo of the roar was swallowed by the shadows...


    She reached the kneeling abomination and brandished her black sword.


    The dark blade hissed coldly as it cut apart the world.


    And also the Huntsman''s neck.


    The darkness nestling in the crack of his visor gazed at her silently as his grow abruptly stopped, and the bestial helmet flew into the air, a fountain of dark blood spilling from it in a spiral as it spun.


    It was a clean cut. The horizontal slash was performed with perfect form, thanks to the countless thousands of practice swings she had performed under the watchful guidance of her tutors.


    The Huntsman''s severed head fell into the water and sank into the swamp with a ripple.


    His towering body swayed slowly, and then collapsed.


    ...Rain swayed, as well, and sprawled in the mud next to it. The tension drained from her body, but so did all her strength.


    She breathed hoarsely, staring at the distant sky.


    The flames were dying down, but she was still surrounded by terrible heat.


    ?Well... it''s good. I won''t freeze to death yet, at least...?


    In the smoky silence that followed, a sudden noise resounded, sounding indescribably misplaced in this hellish scene.


    It was the sound of applause.


    Rain tiredly turned her head and stared at her teacher, who had finally deemed it necessary to crawl out of her shadow.


    His voice was unnecessarily loud.


    ?Congratulations! You have slain an Awakened Demon, Chalice Knight!?


    He smiled and added quieter, his tone turning warm:


    ?...Well done.?

 Chapter 1715 There Are No Washing Machines in Ravenheart.

    ?Well done...?


    Rain had just killed an Awakened Demon, but hearing her teacher''s praise was strangely just as validating. Or rather, it made the act of slaying the Huntsman feel more meaningful... in any case, it was a nice feeling.


    Too exhausted to move and hurt all over, she simply lay in the mud and rested. Her gaze was directed at the sky, which was as empty as her mind. Feeling too lazy to think, Rain simply stayed still and savored the moment, unbothered by the encroaching cold.


    By then, the ghostly flames had been mostly extinguished, with only a few small tongues of fire dancing here and there above the ravaged swamp.


    While she was spacing out, her teacher disappeared somewhere. Soon, he emerged from the shadows, carrying her bow, backpack, and other things she had left on the outskirts of the forest.


    Placing most of it on the ground, her teacher then walked over and carefully covered her with her winter coat.


    ?Here, don''t catch a cold.?


    Rain smiled faintly, enjoying the warmth.


    Her teacher, meanwhile, approached the corpse of the Huntsman, looked at it curiously, and gave it a little kick. Then, he circled it slowly, mumbling some nonsense in a hushed tone:


    ?Chalice Knights... Chalice Knights... wait, don''t tell me. Were these the poor bastards who drank Jade Queen''s nectar? Soon, there was nothing but bestial need left... huh, they might be. What fools! Even my little sister knows not to drink everything given to her by shady characters...?


    ?It''s you... you''re the shady character!?


    Rain wanted to scoff, but then decided against it.


    Instead, she asked:


    ?Teacher... can I Awaken now??


    She knew the answer, of course, but hearing it again would give her confidence.


    He smiled.


    ?Well. You''ve already made great progress and learned how to sense your essence. I''m pretty sure that absorbing the soul shards of this demon will be the final straw and serve as a catalyst to make your essence Awaken. Of course, that alone won''t make you an Awakened.?


    Her teacher looked at the mud with a finicky expression, then reached into the shadows and pulled out an opulent wooden chair out of them. Placing it on the ground, he sat down and let out a satisfied sight.


    ?The problem is that there will be no vessel to store your essence, and no bridge between your soul and your body... at least that is how I understand it. However, you will be able to control your essence �� and by controlling it, you will be able to create such a vessel, which is itself the bridge. A soul core. It will require time and effort, but with your level of enlightenment, I am sure that you will manage splendidly. When you do form a soul core... that is when you''ll undergo a rebirth and become Awakened.?


    Rain listened to his voice silently, then sighed.


    ?...How long will it take??


    Her teacher chuckled.


    ?I have no idea. That wholly depends on you... but, from what I am told, learning to control essence is the hard part. Forming a soul core is relatively easy, albeit tedious. So... a few months? A year? We''ll have to wait and see.?


    ?I bet I can do it in a day.?


    Rain didn''t voice her defiant thoughts and smiled.


    ?What comes next??


    Sitting comfortably on his luxurious chair, her teacher smiled.


    ?Ascension is a step of rising above one''s mortal nature. You will have to accumulate power by improving the quality of both your soul essence and your body. That can be achieved naturally, by slowly refining the essence, or by slaying powerful enemies. Once your essence reaches a qualitative change, the last step is to reform your soul core. That''s... a bit tricky.?


    He shook his head.


    ?The easier part of the process is learning how to access your Soul Sea. The harder part... sadly, it requires the knowledge of a soul refining technique. In the past, many such techniques were known to us humans, but sadly, that legacy has been lost. These days, everyone simply relies on the Nightmare Spell.?


    Rain raised an eyebrow.


    ?So, what? I can''t Ascend? Should I just go and jump into a Nightmare??


    Her teacher furrowed his brow.


    ?Can''t Ascend? Who do you think your teacher is? Of course, you can Ascend! The fact that no one else has a soul refining technique doesn''t mean that I don''t, or that I can''t invent a new one from scratch.?


    Rain turned her head and stared at him dubiously.


    ?So does he have one, or is he going to invent one??


    Well, it didn''t really matter to her now. She was not even an Awakened yet, so Ascension seemed distant enough to not feel real.


    Even the Awakening...


    ?Sure! And, unlike the Spell, I''ll even customize it to your liking. More than that... listen, I really don''t want to badmouth the competition... but the Spell, it really has no imagination whatsoever. Why limit Memories to powerful weapons, enchanted armor, and mystical tools? There are so many mundane things that would make for an amazing Memory! That bodysuit of yours? I''ll Memorize it, no problem. Do you want a pillow that is always cold or a magical toothbrush? Your teacher can make that happen, as well.?


    He looked at her with a smug expression.


    ?Hell, I can even make a roll of toilet paper into a Memory. If you don''t go overboard, it will never run out.?


    ?Why the hell is that bastard talking about toilet paper...?


    Rain stared at her teacher for a while, then blinked a couple of times.


    ?Are you telling me that you have been able to create Memories this whole time??


    He nodded.


    ?Strange question, but yes, sure.?


    Slowly, Rain''s blood started to boil.


    ?So why... the hell haven''t you made me any Memories, then?! Was watching me suffer fun for you?!?


    He glanced at her with an offended expression.


    ?Huh? What are you talking about? I was always planning to arm and equip you. It''s just that you are still a mundane human. Until you form a soul core and Awaken, your soul can''t even contain Memories. Blame yourself for being so slow! What''s so hard about becoming the first human in history to Awaken naturally, huh? Do I ask for much?!?


    She took a deep breath and turned away, staring at the sky again.


    ?What an insufferable, cheapskate deity! Who... who can make Memories...?


    Slowly, a few grandiose thoughts entered her mind.


    After a while, though, Rain sighed.


    ?Well, It''s good enough. Teacher is amazing! Sure, I won''t have an Aspect, but having Memories is already great. Receiving them directly from someone Instead of earning them from the Spell is a little weird... I guess, it''s not much different from how Legacies Inherit Memories from their clans, though.?


    Her teacher frowned, then chuckled suddenly.


    ?Hey, now that I think about it, aren''t you a Legacy yourself? Your big brother can provide everything a Legacy clan can, and much more on top of that.?


    She looked at him scornfully.


    ?Oh? Teacher is like a Legacy clan now? So, do you have a Legacy Relic, then??


    He tilted his head with a smile.


    ?A bunch of them, actually.?


    Rain blinked a few times.


    ?Does he really??


    Actually, she wouldn''t be surprised.


    ?...Well, what about a Citadel, then??


    He grinned.


    ?A Citadel? Sure, I have one of those... it''s a huge temple built of black marble, shrouded in eternal darkness, Granted, it''s a bit of a fixer-upper, but what can you do? My Citadel is almost as old as the universe. The ambience there is great.?


    She stared at him silently.


    ?That''s great. Speaking of great, since it''s teacher, there has to be a Supreme in our clan, no doubt. Should I consider myself royalty? Might as well, right??


    Her teacher coughed in embarrassment.


    ?Ah... well... technically, our clan doesn''t have a Sovereign at the moment...?


    Rain''s eyes gleamed with triumph.


    ?His capacity for nonsense has a limit, after all!?


    ?...but we do have a Supreme Devil. I used to bully the little bastard a lot in the past, but now that he''s all grown-up, it''s not very fun.?


    She took a deep breath, turned away, and stared at the sky.


    The sky was indifferent and beyond reach.


    ?...I give up.?

 Chapter 1716 Grain of Sand.

    After a while, Rain felt rested enough to move. She rose from the ground with a grimace and went about taking care of her wounds.


    Her teacher had made a fire from the splintered remains of the twisted tree, so neither of them had to freeze in the cold. Rain disinfected the cut on her side, then wrapped it tightly in a clean bandage. That would have to do until she returned to Ravenheart and found a healer.


    Usually, she would have been lamenting the need to pay one, but there was a sizable reward promised to anyone who managed to slay the Huntsman. Not only could Rain afford a decent Awakened healer, but there would be enough coins left for her to replace the broken javelin, and maybe even upgrade a few pieces of her equipment.


    ?No, wait... actually, I don''t need to worry about that anymore??


    Rain still had hope of Awakening swiftly. Even if she failed to do it before returning to Ravenheart, there would be no more hunts in the next few months �� she already had everything she needed to form a soul core, so the best course of action would be to hole up in a safe place and patiently work on becoming an Awakened.


    Once she was an Awakened, her mundane equipment would not be of much use. She would be able to draw a much more powerful bow, wear armor crafted from much heavier mystical materials, and even wield Memories.


    Her entire arsenal would need to be changed. She would have to purchase a lot of things.


    ...Suddenly, Rain did not feel rich anymore.


    She was so poor!


    Full of sorrow, Rain put on her winter coat and approached the remains of the Huntsman. She stared at it for a while, then glanced at her teacher.


    ?Should we harvest his armor? It should sell for a lot of coins.?


    He scratched the back of his head.


    ?Who''s going to carry it all the way back to Ravenheart, though??


    Rain sighed.


    ?How can a deity be so useless?!?


    ?...Yeah. Still, we should take the axe blade, at least. To prove the kill at the town hall.?


    That axe blade alone would sell for a hefty amount of coins.


    She fished the giant blade from the ground and attached it to her backpack. Her teacher, meanwhile, looked at the remains of the dreadful Chalice Knight and clicked his fingers.


    Several shadows suddenly rose from the ground and sliced the carcass apart, cutting the rusted armor like paper.


    Raid didn''t look at the bestial features of the corpse as she harvested the soul shards and sat down, staring at them solemnly.


    There were three of them... the glimmering crystals were not too large, but to her, they meant the world.


    ?This is it, then.?


    She had been striving desperately to reach this moment for four long years. Those years had been full of pain and hardship... but also joy, satisfaction, and fulfillment. And now, the final stretch of the road was right in front of her.


    Her teacher sat on the ground across from her and smiled with encouragement.


    She could feel a condensed mass of energy slowly forming in the place where her heart would have been. It was not solid yet, but also not as ethereal as the usual state of soul essence. More like... a shimmering liquid.


    And at the very heart of that mass, where the pressure was most crushing, something solid was slowly being born.


    A tiny crystalline gemstone... so small that it could only be called a grain of sand.


    ?Ah!?


    Rain opened her eyes and shuddered, her entire body drenched in sweat. The whirlpool of essence dissipated, and she sprawled on the ground in utter exhaustion. Her chest rose and fell heavily, as if she had just run a marathon.


    The mental fatigue was even worse.


    Her teacher raised a fist.


    ?Success! You did great!?


    But Rain was full of bitter disappointment.


    ?A single grain of sand... did I really boast that I''ll form the soul core in one try? Ah, so embarrassing! Thank the gods I didn''t say it out loud!?


    How long would it take her to create enough of these tiny gemstones for them to merge into a core? A month? A year?


    Rain wanted to groan.


    ...But doing that would undoubtedly make her teacher way too happy, She couldn''t let the enemy win!


    She sighed, and then slowly sat up.


    ?I''ll stay home for an entire month, let mom pamper me, and work on Awakening slowly!?


    Disappointed? Who was disappointed? A whole month... or even several months... of doing nothing and being spoiled rotten. No biting cold, no blood and sweat, no hideous abominations and revolting corpses. Just eating well and meditating in peace. It was a dream come true! Wouldn''t it be great, to rest for a few months while being absolutely safe, with nothing terrible happening?


    ?It sure would!?


    Her teacher suddenly looked at her with suspicion.


    His onyx eyes narrowed.


    ?What is this... I sense a familiar disturbance. Hey, you didn''t just think something stupid in your head, like ''finally, the worst of it is over'' or ''that demon is definitely dead, nothing bad will happen... did you??


    Rain raised an eyebrow and put on an innocent expression.


    ?No? Why would I? Only a complete fool would think something like that in the middle of the Dream Realm.?


    He studied her dubiously for a moment, then exhaled slowly.


    ?Well... good, And, you know, don''t use such harsh words. Some people �� very smart people �� were known to make small mistakes like that in the past. Anyway... time to head back to Ravenheart, then...?

 Chapter 1717 Rustle.

    Rain collected her things and holsted the backpack onto her shoulders. The axe blade was terribly heavy, which messed with her balance a little... but she could handle it. The frightful black sword her teacher had given her was already gone, and her tachi regained its shadow. She studied the familiar sword for a few moments, then sighed and sheathed it smoothly.


    Rain was ready to leave.


    ...But she didn''t.


    ?Uh, teacher. We might have a problem.? He turned to her and raised an eyebrow in confusion.


    ?A problem? What''s the matter??


    She hesitated for a moment, then awkwardly scratched the tip of her nose.


    ?Well, you see. That explosion was much more powerful than I had expected. So... all the ice is broken. How am I supposed to get back to shore??


    He stared at her for a bit, then glanced at the ravaged landscape of the vast swamp.


    Indeed, the little island was surrounded by nothing except mud and black water, with not a single Intact plece of ice in sight. The deadly expanse of treacherous sludge stretched all the way to the distant shore.


    Her teacher lingered for a bit, then sighed and approached her.


    Crouching, he pointed to his back:


    ?Climb on, brat.?


    Rain didn''t make him ask twice. There were ways to traverse a swamp, but none that were both safe and timely. Not to mention that she had just disinfected her wound and didn''t want to get it wet and dirty again.


    Plus, her battered body was exhausted. Why would she refuse a piggyback ride offered by a powerful deity?


    Climbing onto her teacher''s back, Rain wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled.


    He lifted her like a feather, not showing any strain at all despite how thin his body looked, and headed for the swamp.


    ?Ah... how humiliating... a divine shadow like me being reduced to carrying ungrateful mundane girls... gods are truly dead...?


    Ignoring his grumbling, Rain rested her head on his shoulder and allowed her consciousness to drift into a relaxed state. The familiar sound of her teacher''s voice was almost like a lullaby.


    Walking to the edge of the island, he didn''t even try to slow down and stepped directly into the muddy water. However, his foot never plunged into the murky sludge �� instead, the shadows moved and coalesced into a glossy black plate under it. Then, another plate appeared as he took a step.


    Like that, her teacher walked across the swamp as if he was walking on a paved road, the black plates dissipating behind him after a few moments. The water sloshed and surged, but never managed to touch his leather boots.


    ?Huh, that reminds me of that time we fought the Drowned in the lost temple of Fallen Grace... back when I was still wearing the Serpent King''s crown... who knew that I would end up becoming a swamp rickshaw one day? Damn, life is sure full of irony...?


    Rain did not know what the words Drowned, Fallen Grace, and Serpent King meant, but they sounded exciting. Was her teacher a king once, in ancient times?


    ...No, knowing him, it was more likely that he had stolen a king''s crown and wore it to gloat and boast about his nefarious deeds.


    The walk to the shore was both comfortable and uneventful. Rain could have climbed off her teacher''s back once they reached solid ground, but he simply continued to carry her without saying anything, and so, she didn''t say anything either.


    Perhaps he saw through her bravado and realized that her condition was worse than she was letting on, and that she was too exhausted to hike through the forest while suffering the pain of her wound.


    Still...


    After a while, Rain spoke:


    ?We should take down the corpses of the fallen Awakened and give them a burial.?


    Usually, the Queen would have taken the dead. But the Huntsman must have prevented them from leaving on a pilgrimage to her palace, and as a result, their bones had been left unattended.


    Her teacher stopped.


    Rain couldn''t see his face, but she felt a subtle change in his mood. Suddenly, the shadows populating the frozen forest seemed much deeper, and the world felt much darker.


    Her breath escaped as a cloud of cold vapor.


    ?Does he not want to bother with burying them??


    ?Climb off.?


    He bent his knees, allowing Rain to stand firmly on the ground. She was a little confused.


    ?As a matter of fact, we have indeed met before. Although I doubt that you''ll remember. In any case, why don''t you and your friends continue onward? Let''s part on friendly terms and go our separate ways. How about it??


    There was another lengthy silence.


    Shivering, Rain heard a strange rustle come from the direction of the three strangers. Their surroundings were slowly turning colder.


    ?What was that rustle??


    ?How about it... how about it. How how how about It?


    Master Sean''s voice still sounded human, but his speech had turned strangely incoherent.


    Another voice joined, its mannerisms and Intonations too similar to the first:


    ?We are on our way back to Ravenheart. These are my companions... Master... we are on our way. How about it??


    Rain was still stuck on her previous thought, unable to throw it out of her head.


    ?What... what was that rustle??


    She had never heard a sound like that before.


    Just at that moment, the disturbing rustle grew louder, and a third voice added amicably:


    ?These are my companions.?


    ?My companions...?


    ?My companions.?


    ?That rustle...?


    ?How about...?


    ?...How about you become my companions, too??


    Her teacher took a deep breath. Rain could hear his voice turning dangerously cold:


    ?Listen here, bastard...?


    She had never heard such coldness in his voice before, and the unfamiliarity scared her.


    ?You might have managed to claw your way out of Dread''s Tomb, but so did I. You might have survived in the depths of a thousand hells, but so did. So save me the theatrics and be on your way Otherwise, I''ll stop being gracious and skin you alive!?


    Rain shuddered.


    ?Skin... skin him...?


    Suddenly, a thought flashed in her mind.


    ?The Skinwalker!?


    The Great abomination that had been the nightmare of humanity for the past four years!


    A Great... A Great abomination...


    Three of the indescribable horror''s vessels, no less!


    Her terror was so vast that she couldn''t even move. All Rain could do was keep her eyes closed and tremble.


    ?I''m dead, I''m so dead...?


    No, death would be a mercy.


    At that moment, Master Sean �� Skinwalker''s vessel �� spoke with a hint of curiosity in his voice:


    ?You... whose companion are you??


    Her teacher scoffed.


    And then, the world quaked.

 Chapter 1718 Sounds of Battle.

    The world quaked, and then, Rain was suddenly enveloped by absolute darkness.


    It was as if an Impenetrable wall rose to surround her from all sides. The deafening cacophony of terrible sounds coming from the outside was muffled and dampened by that wall, and nothing but slight tremors reached her.


    For the moment, at least, she was safe.


    But those sounds...


    Feeling a cold dread grasp her heart, she took a shaky breath and tried to comprehend them.


    There was the sound of trees snapping. There were the screams of the air being torn. There was the roar of the ground being upturned.


    These were the sounds that she could recognize.


    But there were other sounds, as well.


    Inhuman howls. Chilling groans that sounded like... like the world itself was weeping. Eerie and revoltingly organic rustling, as if a mountain of flesh was ripping as it expanded while consuming itself.


    And many more that Rain simply could not describe, and was afraid to fathom.


    The ground was shaking violently, and she was struggling to stay standing.


    Her fingers turned white on the hilt of her sword.


    ?Teacher... be safe. Please...!?


    But how could anyone stay safe when facing the Skinwalker? Countless people had fallen to its menace and were consumed, becoming vessels of the abomination''s corruption. Mundane humans, Awakened, Masters... even Saints.


    Not even the Sovereigns could eradicate this living curse.


    Shrouded by darkness, Rain realized how painfully weak and helpless she was.


    Just a few moments ago, she had been full of pride, praising herself for slaying an Awakened Demon.Updated chapters at novelhall.com


    But now, she remembered that in the world of the Nightmare Spell, she was nothing but an ant.


    An ant who couldn''t even do anything when her teacher was fighting to protect her.


    ?Strong... I want to be strong.?


    She had not changed at all. She was still the same girl who had been powerless to protect herself, let alone anyone else, when the tide of Nightmare Creatures descended on her school.


    ...The world continued to scream and quake for several minutes.


    Then, an eerie silence suddenly enveloped it. The tremors stopped, and the terrible sounds ceased.


    Rain remained motionless, keeping her eyes closed.


    She didn''t dare to think about how the battle had ended. The thought of imagining her teacher... her teacher not being there anymore was too appalling. More appalling than what would happen to her if he was truly gone.


    Suddenly, the wall surrounding her disappeared. She knew that it had because light suddenly shone through her eyelids, and cold wind scraped against her face.


    The air was permeated by the smell of wet wood and soil.


    ?Please...?


    A moment later, a familiar voice spoke from somewhere near:


    ?Brat, you can open your eyes now.?


    The relief Rain felt at that moment was strong enough to make her sway.


    She slowly opened her eyes and looked around, then froze in shock.


    ?N-no way...?


    The frozen forest... was gone.


    All of it was very mysterious.


    But, at the same time, Rain understood the underlying meaning of what her teacher had said.


    ?Something that we were not supposed to see. Got it. Promising that I won''t tell anyone is not going to work, I guess? So... just how big of a secret is it??


    Her teacher''s face was a little somber.


    ?Big enough for Clan Song to erase any witness from existence. Well... not any witness. But a mundane girl with no backing? They won''t hesitate to silence you even for a split second.?


    Rain felt a cold chill run down her spine.


    ?Damn... the royal clan??


    Why would Clan Song pay attention to someone as small and insignificant as her?


    She gritted her teeth and looked at him stubbornly.


    ?I do have backing, though. My father works for the government... his rank is pretty high now, too. Surely, Clan Song won''t want to spoil their relationship with the government because of something like that??


    Her teacher smiled wistfully.


    ?Ah, the nai?vete? of youth... first of all, you are overestimating the significance of your father''s position. Second of all, you are overestimating the significance of the government. And lastly, you are underestimating Clan Song. Who says that anyone would be able to prove anything after they make you disappear??


    His smile turned colder.


    ?In fact, they won''t even have to make you disappear. Technically. There''s a guy among them who is much worse than the Skinwalker. He can destroy your soul and wear your body like a suft, coming to family dinners and gossiping about boys with your mother. No one will suspect a thing.?


    Rain shuddered.


    Slowly, the magnitude of the trouble she had gotten herself into was starting to dawn on her.


    ?Crap... crap. Crap!?


    Who had made her think all those stupid things earlier? Spend months in absolute safety? Rest and relax while working on Awakening at a leisurely pace? Be pampered at home?


    She had been such a fool!


    Rain cursed quietly, stared at the three corpses for a while, and then asked her teacher in a hopeful tone:


    ?So what do we do??


    Her teacher was... whatever it was that he was. He had to have a solution, without a doubt.


    Suddenly, she felt a lot calmer.


    Her teacher remained silent for a while, then smiled.


    ?Who to do, Indeed. Well... I am sorry to tell you this, Rain, but you can''t show your face in Ravenheart for a while. You''ll have to disappear before they can make you disappear. We need to go somewhere where they won''t be able to find you quickly, and spent some time there.?


    She closed her eyes and asked, her tone turning a little grim:


    ?Where can I even go? Even if I can survive a solo journey to another Citadel, there is no city in the Song Domain where the royal clan doesn''t have eyes. Crossing into the Sword Domain is not an option, not that I would want to leave my family behind. I can''t return to the waking world without the help of a Saint, and even if I could, locating me there would be even easier.?


    Her teacher scratched the back of his head with a thoughtful expression.


    He lingered for a while, then glanced at her with a strange expression.


    ?What about one of those road crews? They are safe enough for you to survive, with more than enough mundane humans for one more to not draw attention, and best of all, far removed from all Citadels, They''re lacking manpower, too, so no one would ask any questions. If I were you, I''d get myself hired as a laborer there and hide in the crowd.?


    A sly smile appeared on his face.


    Her teacher remained silent for a moment, then added with a chuckle:


    ?In fact, wasn''t there a huge crew being assembled to construct a road east? You know, to Godgrave. Why don''t you join that one??


    Rain sighed.


    ?Why not, indeed??

 Chapter 1719 Story Time.

    ?Mom... moooom... mommyyyy!?


    Effie patted Little Ling on the head and smiled.


    ?What do you want, dumpling??


    She was sitting in a comfy wooden chair, staring at the wooden ceiling absentmindedly. The little boy cuddled comfortably on her lap, hugging her like a little monkey. He looked up at her with his bright eyes and grinned sheepishly.


    ?Story!?


    Effie laughed.


    ?Story? Which story??


    Little Ling was suddenly very thoughtful. He remained silent for a while, a comically concentrated expression on his face, and then beamed.


    ?Mommy defeating the giant!?


    She hugged him and shifted slightly, then said in a deep voice:


    ?Alright, alright. Listen then! A long time ago, in a faraway land, six evil Saints imprisoned Hope in a tall tower. Hope was very lonely in the tower, and cried bitterly. So, your mom and her friends decided to defeat the evil Saints and rescue her.?


    The image of the damp stone cell under the Chalice Temple flashed in her memory. The smell of blood, the whimpers of the other girls the War Maidens, driven to madness by the Demon of Desire, were slowly ?training? to death.


    The graveyard of swords surrounding the ancient temple.


    She chased the ghastly memory away and smiled warmly.


    ?Noctis, the Wicked Warlock of the East! Uncle Kai, who was a brave warrior from the Ivory City back then! Aunty Cassie, who was a wise priestess of the Night Temple! And, of course... your mom, who was a little girl! These were the four heroes who ventured to rescue Hope. Oh, and there was someone else, as well. A nameless shadow who had escaped its master and became friends with Noctis...?


    Effie only had a vague recollection of the shadow devil who had followed Noctis, but it seemed rude not to mention him.


    Her adorable son giggled.


    ?Huh? What''s so funny??


    Ling Ling giggled again.


    ?Mommy is not little! How can mommy be little??


    She smiled.


    ?I was a little kid once too, you know! Actually, I was a little kid twice. In any case, after we, the four heroes, met each other and swore to save Hope, the evil Saints learned about it and sent a messenger to scare us. It was a huge giant! As tall as a mountain, with a body made of polished steel... but your mom and her friends weren''t afraid at all. That was because the kind priestesses of the Goddess of Life had taught me the secret art of slaying evil giants, you see...?


    Effie continued to tell the fairy-tale version of her Second Nightmare, just as she had done a hundred times before. For some reason, this story was one of Ling Ling''s favorites... maybe because the very idea of his mom being a little girl excited him endlessly.


    She had no idea why, but looking back, it had indeed been a bit exciting. Effie had spent her actual childhood either in a hospital bed or in a wheelchair, so getting a little taste of what it meant to be a healthy kid was... special. Even if it was in the depths of a ghastly Nightmare.


    Of course, she had removed all the distasteful parts from the story, replacing them with fantastical and exaggerated adventures. Flying ships, eccentric sorcerers, fire-breathing dragons, and a happy ending. The sugar-coated version of the Nightmare of Hope had everything one needed for a great fairy tale!


    ?...And so, Cassie dropped the flying ship right on the evil giant''s head! Boom! Crash! Bang! The ship shattered into a thousand pieces, and the giant fell down, making the ground shake. Auntie was perfectly fine, of course �� she had jumped away just in the nick of time and glided down with the help of her magical rapier. A huge shadow was still...?


    Just then, the door opened, and a handsome young man walked into the room. Way too handsome, even!


    Effie smiled at her husband and took and exhaled slowly, trying to maintain a relaxed expression.


    ?Daddy!?


    Little Ling jumped off her lap and ran to hug his dad. Luckily, this time, he remembered to control his strength.


    Picking the boy up, Ling''s Dad smiled at him and then glanced at Effie.


    He was hiding it well, but she could see that the smile did not reach his eyes.


    ?Go get ready.?


    With that, she turned to her husband and son, putting on a bright smile.


    ?Shall we go??


    She took her husband''s hand, and a moment later, the three of them disappeared from the meadow.


    Instead, they appeared in a room with alloy walls, situated in the depths of a government fortress. The furnishings were sparse, but there was a large screen displaying the arid landscape of the Western Quadrant on one of the walls.


    Little Ling looked at the sand dunes with interest.


    ?Daddy, what is that??


    His dad smiled.


    ?This is a desert, wolfie. We are in the Western Quadrant... aren''t you a lucky kid, to get to travel all around the world and see all kinds of places??


    The boy was thoughtful for a moment.


    ?Daddy... aren''t you a little silly? It''s a picture. Little Ling has seen a lot of pictures already.?


    Effie''s husband laughed.


    ?I guess you are right...?


    He glanced at Effie and nodded. She remained silent for a bit, then patted Little Ling on the shoulder and said in her usual carefree tone:


    ?Dumpling... mom has to go to work now. Be a good boy and listen to dad, okay??


    He grinned and waved at her absentmindedly.


    ?Bye, mommy! Have fun at work!?


    A second later, Little Ling was already asking his dad about deserts and sand. The handsome young man exchanged a poignant look with her, silently mouthed three words, and then took their son out of the room.


    Outside, a high-ranking government envoy was already waiting for them.


    Left alone, Effie took a deep breath and said quietly:


    ?I love you, too.?


    Then, the smile slowly disappeared from her face, replaced by a grim expression.


    She remained motionless for a while, then nodded and summoned her armor. Soon, her athletic figure was covered by a skintight layer of polished metal, as if she had been dipped in liquid steel. She also summoned the Starlight Shard, shaping it into two strips of white cloth. One was tied around her waist, the other covered her chest.


    Effie was ready for war.


    Well... as much as anyone could be ready for war. Which, in her experience, was not much at all.


    Picking up the Black Beast Locket, she hung it around her neck and walked to the door.


    In the corridor outside, two figures were waiting for her.


    An annoyingly stunning man with auburn hair and green eyes, and a chillingly beautiful woman with pale skin and raven-black hair.


    Effie erased the grim expression from her face and smiled mischievously.


    ?Hey there, handsome... oh, and you too, Kai. Guys, you won''t believe what I saw in Bastion! Princess found herself a boyfriend! At least I think that she found him... she might have just kidnapped the poor man to do unspeakable things to him. I know...?


    She froze suddenly, looked behind her with a cautious expression, then relaxed visibly and added in a quieter tone:


    ?...I know I would, if I wasn''t such a prim and proper, virtuous married woman!?

 Chapter 1720 Hard day at Work.

    Just a few minutes later, a majestic dragon with scales that resembled the midnight sky was flying over the endless sea of dunes, devouring distance with stunning speed.


    Effie and Jet were on his back, looking south with somber expressions.


    After a while, Effie sighed.


    ?The situation has already changed??


    Jet nodded.


    ?Yes. The city wall is breached. Western Quadrant defense forces are on approach, but the Call is wreaking havoc with their tech. The Awakened vanguard was attacked by one of the lesser Gate Guardians and managed to put it down, but their advance was stalled. So, we will arrive first.?


    Soul Reaper maintained a neutral tone, but Effie could see that she was in a grim mood.


    ?It''s not your fault. Don''t beat yourself up too much.?


    Jet glanced at her and smiled.


    ?My fault? Of course, it''s not my fault. I am not someone who feels bothered by such things, anyway.?


    But despite her tough-girl routine and carefully constructed facade of a cynical salary woman, she was bothered.


    Effie had gotten to know Soul Reaper Jet a bit during the Southern Campaign, but they became really close during the Third Nightmare. And in the four years since, their friendship and comradeship had continued to blossom.


    Jet... was a professional, first and foremost. She wasn''t really someone with a bleeding heart �� the opposite, actually �� but she took her responsibilities very seriously. As such, her cynical loyalty to the mission of preserving humanity was quite ironically much greater than the noble intent of most ardent idealists.


    She had already been doing her very best as a Master. But now that Jet was a Saint- one of the five Saints serving the government �� the scale and scope of her responsibilities were much greater.


    While Effie and Kai mostly dealt with military and diplomatic issues, simply executing the orders, Jet was much more knowledgeable and experienced. As such, she was involved in the administration and decision-making process of the government, influencing what orders all of them received.


    The government was in turmoil, too. It was in flux, drifting on the currents of history. Four years ago, the higher echelons of the government had made a decision to throw vast resources into rapidly developing its presence in the Dream Realm... where the future was.


    That was why Effie was almost permanently stationed in Bastion, while Kal spent most of his time in Ravenheart.


    Jet, however, had been against that strategy. She had insisted on keeping the government Saints in the waking world, spread across the three remaining Quadrants, to lessen the inevitable losses as much as possible... even at the cost of the future inferiority of the government''s position in the brave new world of Domains and Sovereigns.


    It was not that she disagreed with the notion that the future of humanity lay in the Dream Realm... it was just that she advocated for a different allocation of resources.


    Sadly, she had failed to turn her opinion into policy.


    If she had, the current disaster could have been avoided, or at least lessened.


    Effie sighed.


    ?You''re angry. I can smell that you''re angry. Well, guess what? There''s nothing better for treating anger than a good slaughter. And we''ll be drowning in abominations in a few minutes, so... there''s no day like today...?


    Jet chuckled.


    ?You are right. Sure. But also... let''s not use the word ''slaughter, okay? Makes me queasy.?


    At that moment, Kai''s pleasant voice resounded in their heads:


    [Ladies, If you feel queasy and are going to be sick, please wait until I land, at least, Really, don''t go around despoiling my scales... I have an image to uphold...]


    Effie grinned.


    ?Oh? What about your Image? Who are you trying to Impress, Queen Song''s daughters??


    Effie cracked her knuckles and asked, her voice uncharacteristically somber:


    ?A Great Devil... can we even handle something like that??


    All three of them had become immensely powerful after Transcending. The battles they had won were beyond count, and the Nightmare Creatures they had killed were beyond measure... and yet, they had never faced a horror like that before.


    Only the Sovereigns had.


    Facing a Great Devil was a first for them... and could very well become the last.


    A relaxed smile appeared on Jet''s face.


    ?What''s the matter? If push comes to shove, we''ll Just die. Well... the two of you will die. I''m already dead.?


    Above them, the dragon scoffed. His magnificent voice resounded above the desert, making Effie''s heart tingle...


    That was just something Kai''s draconic voice did, even if he did not use his Aspect Abilities.


    ?Still. We should try to stay alive... well, Effie and I should. You just stay in one piece, Lady Jet.?


    She chuckled.


    ?Alright. As we''ve discussed before, Kai will support the Western Quadrant forces in their advance. Effie and I will spearhead the assault, push back the abominations, and engage the Gate Guardian. There''s nothing else to say. Godspeed!?


    The beautiful dragon nodded its great head, then pushed himself off the ground and glided gracefully toward the assembled army.


    Jet looked at Effie, already summoning her scythe.


    She lingered for a moment, and then said in a tone that was a little gentler than usual:


    ?But seriously... don''t die, Effie, Nightingale and I can die, but you can''t. You know why. There are people waiting for you to return.?


    For a moment, Effie felt her heart tremble... just like it did every time she went into battle.


    It had been easy to risk her life before, when she was young. But now, she had things to protect, and people whom she did not want to and could not allow herself to leave. Every time death snarled in her face, Effie felt... guilt, and shame.


    And fear.


    What was she doing on the battlefield when her husband and son were somewhere else, waiting for her?


    Why was she being so stupid when she could have remained safe behind a Citadel wall, in their idyllic cottage, allowing someone else to fight, and bleed, and die in her place?


    But then, she remembered.


    It was precisely because of Little Ling and his dad that she was here.


    Because someone had to prevent the world from collapsing on their heads and burying them under the rubble. Effie didn''t particularly trust someone else to not mess everything up, so she had to build a world where her son could live a decent life with her own two hands.


    Thankfully, her hands were quite strong.


    If you wanted to do something right, you had to do it yourself.


    Looking at Jet, Effie grinned.


    ?Why do you always talk about dying, big sister? Not everyone is like you! I''m not planning on kicking the bucket any time soon. That would be such a tragedy... imagine all the food I would not be able to eat!?


    Laughing lightly, she shook her head... And activate her Transformation Ability.


    ...A moment later, a titanic figure clad in polished steel rose from the dust, shining brilliantly under the incandescent sun.

 Chapter 1721: Footsteps of History.

    Chapter 1721: Footsteps of History.


    Effie rose to her full height, towering a hundred meters above the desert. She was like a colossus cast of lustrous steel, the gorgeous lines of her athletic body shining under the blinding sun... a beautiful war deity rising to face the tide of monstrous abominations.


    The white fabric of the Starlight Shard rippled in the wind.


    Expanding the two Memories to fit her giant size cost a significant amount of essence, but it was worth it. Sadly, the same could not be said about the rest of her arsenal �� not that there were a lot of Memories in her possession that could accommodate her Transformation.


    Even those that could were too weak to justify the expenditure.


    Especially because Effie had other ways to spend her essence.


    As soon as her Transformation was complete, she activated her Ascended Ability. Instantly, every soldier at the bottom of the dry riverbed �� those that could see her, at least �� felt their hearts beating faster. Their spirit and body were reinvigorated, while their strength, speed, agility, endurance, and resilience were greatly enhanced.


    But that was the good thing about Effie''s Transformation... it was hard not to notice a hundred-meter-tall colossus, especially one as striking as her. Her Ascended and Transcendent Abilities synergized beautifully to make sure that anyone on the battlefield could see her at any moment, even in the midst of a furious melee.


    As long as she was on the front line.


    The loud, reverberating roar rose from the riverbed as thousands of soldiers, both mundane and Awakened, chanted in exhilaration:


    ?Raised by Wolves!?


    ?Saint Athena!?


    ?War Beast is here!?


    Their impassioned voices were full of resolve and grim determination.


    And as they looked at her, Effie felt her essence being slowly replenished.


    ?Well, at least someone is in a good mood.?


    Looking past the exultant soldiers, she gazed at the burning city. From her current height, Effie could see the eerie fissures of the Nightmare Gates surrounding it like seven ghastly siege towers. One of them was especially tall, reaching even higher into the sky than she did.


    There were several gargantuan figures moving in the sea of Nightmare Creatures. The Great Devil was not the only calamity unleashed by the seven Gates there were other Gate Guardians, as well.


    Two of them was even Titans.


    ?A Great Devil, a Corrupted Tyrant, two Fallen Titan, and a swarm of Terrors...?


    One way or another, today''s battle was going to end up in the history books. It was not quite the Chain of Nightmares, but definitely the worst crisis the waking world had faced since the Southern Campaign �� by far.


    What would the history books tell?


    That on that day, the forces of humanity triumphed vallantly over a dreadful enemy?


    Or...


    That on that day, humanity mourned the loss of many of its most brilliant warriors?


    Even now, on the precipice of the battle, Effie could not tell.


    ?...To hell with that.?


    She grinned and kneeled, then placed the back of her hand on the ground, the open palm facing the sky.


    Who cares about history? This battle might seem dreadful, but it was destined to become an insignificant speck in the tapestry of horrors that awaited humanity in the coming decades. In the near future, there would be a hundred, a thousand battles much more terrible than this.


    By the end of it all, there might be no one left to read history books, let alone write them.


    It was quite inferior to the great walls surrounding NQSC, Not all human cities were siege capitals, after all the true siege capitals had been constructed and received that title during the Dark Times, and there were just a few of them left standing in the world.


    Of course, all human cities had been turned into highly advanced strongholds after the descent of the Spell, both to keep the Nightmare Creatures out and to make them habitable in the aftermath of the previous era. Still, the scale of their defenses varled.


    The ruined city in front of Effie had quite a robust wall once upon time, but now it lay in ruins. The streets were obscured by smoke, and countless abominations were rampaging under its suffocating shroud.


    From this close, she could hear a terrible cacophony of crumbling buildings, bestial roars, sporadic gunfire...


    And human screams.


    There were indeed survivors there, below her. Which was why she had to be careful.


    ?To your left!?


    Jet''s shout was very timely.


    Turning her head, Effie saw a wide highway piercing into the heart of the city. There was a fortified railway in its middle, with a mess of overturned train cars laying on the tracks. The highway itself was crowded by military vehicles... all empty and painted red by blood.


    This was where the city garrison forces had tried, and falled, to stop the tide of abominations after the walls fell.


    What was important to Effie, though, was that she would be able to use the highway to reach the heart of the city without trampling countless civilians to death and toppling damaged buildings.


    Paving a bloody path through the horde of abominations, she stomped her way to the highway. Countless abominations perished under her footsteps. Those that were more powerful were crushed to death in her grasp, torn apart, or splattered across the concrete.


    Their assault was like a dark tide. Some were large enough to pose a threat to even someone as giant as her... but Effie did not only have size on her side. She also had her skill, intellect, and battle experience.


    The combination was truly devastating, and none of these meddling creatures could withstand her might.


    It would have been even more devastating if she had a proper spear and shield to wield, but alas, she did not. So, Effie fought with her bare hands- or rather, with her entire body except for one hand, which was being used to carry Jet �� in accordance with the ancient hand-to-hand combat techniques hammered into her bones by the War Maidens of the Chalice Temple.


    There were swarms of flying abominations, as well. When those descended upon her, even Jet received an opportunity to bloody her blade.


    Reaching the highway, Effie advanced swiftly toward the heart of the city. As she ran, shattering the road and flattening overturned train cars and abandoned military vehicles with each step, she kept her eyes on the true threats.


    To her left, on the edges of the city, the colossal shape of the Fallen Titan was toppling residential towers and feeding on the crushed corpses of countless humans.


    To her right, the massive figure of the Corrupted Titan was consuming the remains of the government compound.


    Another Titan was nearby, having already breached the ceiling of a deep underground shelter.


    And finally, far ahead, on the opposite side of the city, past the shattered barrier...


    A vague silhouette of the Great Devil was towering above the local outskirts, moving slowly in the eerie silence.


    There were two more Gate Guardians spread throughout the ruins, as well, both already gazing at her and narrowing the distance.


    And a sea of Nightmare Creatures following them.


    ?Everyone wants in on the party...?


    Finally, she reached the drop point.


    Effie sent a shockwave spreading from the spot where the edge of her foot had dug into the ground to stall her momentum, and came to an abrupt halt.


    In the next moment, her voice shook the sky with a thunderous, defiant call:


    ?Wolf Army! Charge!?

 Chapter 1722 Slingshot Maneuver

    The Wolves had been a company during the Southern Campaign, consisting of around a hundred Awakened and ten times as many mundane soldiers, as well as a platoon of MWPs and a robust stable of specialized vehicles. The majority of the mundane members of the Wolf Company were not frontline specialists, but instead support personnel meant to facilitate and enhance the combat effectiveness of the Awakened.


    However, the company had swelled in the past few years, turning into a battalion consisting of a thousand seasoned Awakened warriors and around five thousand mundane soldiers. It had also distinguished itself as one of the most elite combat units of the government forces, earning the official title of the Wolf Army.


    The Wolves were, first and foremost, shock troopers. They often fought in isolation from the rest of the government forces or led the attack, dropping directly into the fiercest locations on the battlefield from the Black Beast Locket.


    That was right. Effie not only had her own army, but also often carried it around. Their most common strategy was for her to assume the giantess form, cleave her way to a strategically important point, and deploy her legion in a flash of shocking violence.


    It was the same today.


    As Effie''s roar stunned the nearest Nightmare Creatures, rows and rows of soldiers materialized on the rubble of the burning city, as if marching out from the depths of hell.


    A moment later, the Awakened vanguard already unleashed a barrage of arrows, projectile weapons, and long-range Aspect Abilities.


    At the same time, heavy artillery vehicles launched concussive shells, and the lumbering MWPs came to life, the barrels of their armaments blooming with fire.


    The melee fighters had already closed down their ranks, forming a loose phalanx.


    ...The tide of Nightmare Creatures descended upon them in a demented frenzy, only to be broken, torn apart, and pushed back.


    "Show them hell!"


    Effie''s booming voice thundered from above.


    Invigorated by the sight of their commander, the Wolves let out ferocious howls and redoubled their efforts to eviscerate the Nightmare Creatures.


    ''Cheeky bastards...''


    She bent down and swiped her hand across the ruins of a building, grabbing a hulking abomination and using it as a projectile to crush dozens more into bloody paste.


    Effie observed the battlefield from high above.


    For the moment, at least, everything was going according to plan.


    The Wolves had a simple, but dire objective - to secure a stronghold in the ruined city that would serve as a bulwark against the horde of Nightmare Creatures.


    Effie looked down, studying the tiny, beautiful woman standing on her palm. Soul Reaper''s icy blue eyes were full of grim, murderous, and cold resolve.


    "That one? Are you sure?"


    Jet nodded, then smiled faintly.


    "Yes. I''ll stall the Great Devil until you and Kai are done dealing with the other Gate Guardians. Don''t play with your food and come help me as soon as you can."


    Effie hesitated for a moment, holding back the words of concern.


    Jet was right. Dealing with two Titans was already outside the realm of possibility... if the Great Devil was allowed to enter the fray and join forces with them, everyone would be doomed.


    Eventually, she simply smiled.


    "Alright. Just... don''t kill it before we arrive! Or, if you do and receive a weapon Memory, give it to me. You already have your Legacy Relic, while I''m sick of fighting abominations with my bare hands. Their guts get stuck between my fingers. It''s disgusting..."


    Jet grinned.


    "Deal. Now... do it before I change my mind!"


    Effie sighed, then shifted her body, slowly bringing the hand on which Jet stood back. She extended her colossal arm backward, keeping it level with her shoulder.


    The slingshot maneuver was not something the two of them had learned from books on military science. It was something they invented after participating in countless battles together.


    Well, calling it a "maneuver" was mostly a joke. They just liked how legitimate it sounded, which was a bit funny, considering the actual procedure.


    The procedure in question, meanwhile, was rather simple.


    Effie strained her muscles, exhaled, and slung her arm forward.


    Her hand rotated, the open palm facing the wind. Jet would have slid off and plummeted down if not for the fact that the pressure of acceleration pressed her into the vertical wall of polished steel. A mundane human would have been crushed by such pressure, but her Transcendent body was immensely resilient. She endured, kneeling slowly and looking up.


    A small hurricane was raised by the passing of the colossal arm. Effie grunted... and pushed her palm forward with all her might, launching Jet into the air like a supersonic missile.


    The Soul Reaper soared into the sky, flying in the direction of the distant Great Devil with terrible speed.


    As she did, her figure was suddenly surrounded by wisps of ghostly mist.

 Chapter 1723 The Flight of the Wraiths.

    Being carried around on the palm of a militant giantess was perhaps the world''s most exciting amusement ride in the world... losing only to being tossed into the sky by the said giantess, or maybe riding on the back of a dragon.


    Today, Jet had the opportunity to experience all three. Who would have thought that a neglected girl from the outskirts would one day be living such an exciting life?


    However, she wasn''t really having fun.


    Nor was she living, if one wanted to be technical.


    Clad in a black leather armor, Jet soared across the sky. Her raven-black hair fluttered in the wind as her figure tore apart the towering pillars of smoke, the landscape of the ruined city streaking beneath her like a blur. Her icy blue eyes were burning with murderous intent.


    Perhaps it was for the best that she was moving much too fast to see the scenes of devastation clearly.


    The terrible loss of life was aggravating enough, but the irreparable damage done to the crucial infrastructure would frustrate her even more. At the end of the day, the two were one of the same �� cities could not function without people, while people could not survive in this poisoned world without the protection of the cities.


    So, the losses humanity had suffered today were doubly great.


    Even if they were to win the battle and slaughtered the Nightmare Creatures, rebuilding the city was out of the question. Not with the focus of humanity slowly shifting toward the Dream Realm, and not in the aftermath of Antarctica.Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m


    After today, there would be one less human city on Earth. The survivors could be relocated to other population centers, and in time, the population would grow to replenish the lost lives... but the number of cities would only dwindled. Too many of them had been swallowed by the Chain of Nightmares, and in the years that followed, two more fell to the Skinwalker.


    This city would be the third the government lost in the last four years.


    To Jet, losing a city felt like being robbed of her personal belongings. It was sad, humiliating, and deeply distasteful.


    She had a commitment to work for the government a long time ago, and as such, any defeat that the mission of the government suffered was a personal sleight.


    ?Those bastards...?


    Jet was really sure who she was referring to �� the Nightmare Creatures, or the people who had pushed back against her desire to allocate more precious resources to the waking world.


    It was not like she did not understand the inevitable future. The waking world... their world... was not ending yet, but its trajectory was already clear. There were already more Nightmare Gates opening each year than ever before, and the median Category of those Gates was slowly climbing toward a complete disaster.


    Most importantly, the Sovereigns were in the Dream Realm. Not only because they chose to be there, but also because it was hard for them to enter the waking world... as if their very existence was denied by it. So, even if a new Supreme was born in the future, they wouldn''t be able to remain here continuously and protect the cradle of humanity. Therefore, a single Category Five Gate would spell doom to all who remained.


    Which... wasn''t that bad, actually. Jet wasn''t a reactionary hellbent on remaining on Earth simply because that was where she had been born. In fact, she understood better than most that adaptability was humanity''s greatest weapon.


    Why wouldn''t they resettle into a new world if their own was dying?


    In fact... for every city that had been destroyed in the waking world, several were founded in the Dream Realm. The government would have to relocate their efforts there, as well.


    And that was what Jet was dealing with now.


    A Great Devil...


    At that moment, a soft voice resounded in her ears:


    [He is the Great Devil, Heart of Kanakht.]


    [The remnant of a cursed king.]


    [His power is to command the souls of the dead. He also wields the power of curses, and is a wraith himself. His body is made of sand and is all but immune to physical damage.]


    [Worst of all... his soul can''t be destroyed until all the souls he commands are scattered. And they are legion. I am... sorry, Jet. It''s a bad match.]


    Jet grinned.


    [...Thank you.]


    ?How fitting.?


    The Great Devil she was about to face was also of the undead tribe. A fellow wraith.


    His powers did not exactly counter her own, but rather rendered them futile. It was, indeed, a bad match.


    Or maybe the best, considering that few people except her had even a tiny chance of destroying him.


    In any case, her determination to slay the abominations only grew stronger.


    Because as much as the Heart of Kanakht was a bad match for her Aspect, he was a perfect match for her Legacy Relic. Absorbing his soul would not only elevate its overall power by two Tiers, but also grant one of the mist blade''s forms a powerful effect that had a good chance of having synergy with her Aspect.


    Now, then...


    All that remained was to actually kill this Great Devil.


    Or at least survive long enough for Effie and Kai to arrive.


    Jet slowed down her descent and glided gracefully to the shattered ground. Her ghostly khopesh pointed forward...


    There, in front of her, a towering figure was slowly walking through the burning ruins, surrounded by a haze of screaming souls.

 Chapter 1724 Nightsinger.

    ?Press forward!?


    ?They are flanking us!?


    ?Second company, fall back!*


    ?We need an Ascended here!?


    Across the wide stretch of burning ruins, the Western Quadrant army was fighting against the disorganized horde of Nightmare Creatures. The tide of abominations continuously crashed into the phalanx of the Awakened warriors, quenching the flames that burned all around them with their fetid blood.


    The mundane soldiers followed behind, supporting the Awakened and sweating inside their powered armor suits. The heavy artillery had remained in the riverbed, waiting for precise targeting data they didn''t dare to fire after the initial salvos, afraid to implicate the civilians who might have still been alive somewhere out there, among the smoke-filled streets.


    However, the MWPs still pushed forward. The influence of the Nightmare Gates was messing with their electronics, but after the rich experience of dealing with it in Antarctica, the scientists of humanity had made leaps in shielding technology. So, the lumbering war machines could fully exert their overwhelming firepower, for now.


    It was a heroic sight... but usually, even such a large expedition force would have been Ill-prepared to face the vast horde of Nightmare Creatures, especially in the hellish conditions of urban warfare.


    Nevertheless, today, the soldiers of the Western Quadrant were vallantly pushing into the depths of the city and eradicating the Nightmare Creatures at a startling pace.


    There were two reasons for that.


    One reason was the shining silhouette of Saint Athena, who towered above the burning city in the distance.


    The sight of her not only lifted the spirits of the soldiers, but also imbued their bodies with ferocious power. Awakened were affected more, but even the mundane fighters showcased inhuman strength, speed, and endurance. What would not have been possible on any other day was possible today.


    The other reason...


    ?FALL!?


    A deep, thunderous, chilling voice rolled across the burning ruins, crashing into the horde of abominations like a tidal wave, Countless Nightmare Creatures staggered and toppled to the ground, others pressed forward despite its domineering power �� however, their movements were drowsy and weak, as if they were struggling against an overwhelming compulsion.


    That was the moment when the soldiers of the Western Quadrant army advanced, cutting into the mass of dazed Nightmare Creatures like a sharp knife.


    The human warriors were strengthened by the War Beast, while their enemy was weakened by the Nightsinger.


    Together, the powers of the two Saints reigned on the battlefield.


    Kai folded his wings and plummeted down. His great maw opened, and an eerie, melodious, otherworldly sound escaped from it, akin to a haunting song.


    That song made all the other sounds of the ruined city �� the roaring of flames, the groans of crumbling buildings, the clangor of steel, the howls of monstrous creatures, the thunderous drums of the cannonade �� dissolve into background noise.


    A moment later, the song crashed into a swarm of Nightmare Creatures led by a hulking behemoth, causing their bodies to explode into gruesome fountains of crimson liquid. It was as if they were torn apart by an invisible blast.


    Some of them were numb and terrified, thinking that the midnight dragon was another dreadful abomination, Some seemed to recognize him, looking up with desperate hope.


    The expressions of the latter hurt him more. Because he knew that, for many of them... maybe most of them... there would be no salvation.


    Because in this world, weakness was a sin, and they were sinners. Kai was no stranger to that sin, either.


    True, the days when he considered himself weak and unworthy to be in the company of his friends were long gone. After years of leading soldiers and surviving the most terrible hells, Kai wasn''t shameless enough to proclaim that he lacked strength. No, he was strong...


    But his strength was still lacking.


    If he was stronger, more people would survive, and his friends would return from the battle with fewer scars.


    Sadly, he was already close to the pinnacle of what a human could achieve. It was so strange... who could have thought that someone like him, a gentle and shy kid overly interested in music and fashion, would end up this way?


    Still... there were ways to gain greater strength.


    Opening his maw, Kai spoke:


    ?Be stronger!?


    This time, he was speaking to himself.


    ?Be faster!?


    His mighty, winged body was suddenly overcome by a surge of energy.


    ?Be sharper!?


    A moment later, he sent a destructive sonic wave spreading outward in a wide cone.


    Countless Nightmare Creatures were swept away by the invisible power of his song. A vast cloud of dust and debris instantly flew into the sky, which was suddenly void of suffocating smoke.


    In the middle of the devastated cone, the Corrupted Tyrant staggered as the sound blast crashed into it. The dreadful abomination was not killed, of course, or even seriously wounded.


    But that was not what Kai had wanted.


    All he had wanted was to distract the enemy for a moment.


    Knowing that his commands would not have a strong and immediate effect on an enemy of that Class and Rank, he simply rushed to the ground and opened his maw.


    In the next second, his sharp fangs bit into the Tyrant''s neck.

 Chapter 1725 Silent Clash.

    A wide street was shrouded in darkness, framed by the burning buildings and billowing smoke. The ground was littered with rubble and broken vehicles. Here and there, human bodies lay in the pools of blood, covered with dust.


    A woman with raven-black hair and icy blue eyes was standing in the middle of the ruined road, holding a black sickle sword.


    In front of her, a towering figure was moving slowly across the rubble, each of its steps exerting an invisible pressure on the world. The creature was surrounded by a haze of swirling sand, with only a vague silhouette of a gaunt human visible behind its veil.


    A thousand screaming souls shrouded the ancient devil like a mantle.Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com


    Jet looked at him coldly.


    ?I hear that you are called the Heart of Kanakht... nice to meet you. I am called Soul Reaper Jet.?


    A dark smile appeared on her pale face.


    ?This is my city. So, prepare to die.?


    The Great Devil halted, looking down at her through the veil of sand. The whirlwind of souls surrounding it parted, revealing two gaping pools of darkness, Ghostly flames ignited in their depths, piercing her with a gaze of indescribable malice.


    And hunger.


    Then, a rustle of a myriad of whispers rose like a tide, enveloping her in a cold embrace.


    Jet did not know the words of the ancient language the fiend spoke, but understood them regardless with the help of the Spell:


    ?...Broken... thing... bow, submit, surrender. Succumb...?


    She felt a powerful compulsion press her into the ground, as if a thousand invisible hands were pulling her soul down.


    However...


    The weight of her shattered soul was too great for them to move it even by a millimeter.


    Jet''s smile widened.


    She raised her sword and took a step forward.


    ?...In your dreams.?


    A split second later, her ghostly figure dashed toward the Devil.


    Jet possessed an unusual soul. Her core was like a vast sphere of shattered crystal, countless shards pressed messily together to form a jagged sun. Her radiant essence constantly leaked through the gaps between the shards... but, in return, the more living beings she killed, the more her broken soul core grew.


    And Jet had slaughtered countless beings over the years, since that was the only way for her to survive.


    By now, her core was massive like a giant star, burning furiously in the cold darkness of her desolate soul. Not only that, but her dead flesh could absorb much more essence than that of someone who was truly alive, which granted her tremendous physical strength.


    Strangely enough, that physical might also translated to the dire power of her wraith form.


    Moving like a ghost, Jet appeared in front of the Great Devil and lashed out with her sword. All of it happened in an instant, too fast to be discerned by mundane eyes.


    Of course, the eyes of the Great Devil were not at all mundane. The figure hidden in the sand shifted, raising a hand to swat away her strike. At the same time, the sand rose like a giant palm, repeating its movements.


    What was worse, Jet wasn''t sure that she would be able to control herself when facing this slow and excruciating dissolution. The few times she had come close to exhausting all her essence... well, she didn''t really want to remember them. She had done a few shameful things.


    Unsurprisingly, pushing her the limits to battle a Great Devil consumed an ocean of soul essence.


    Jet wasn''t panicked yet, because her reserves were many times deeper than those of most other Saints. More than that, five powerful souls were bound to her mist blade �� if push came to shove, she would consume them one after another, postponing the Inevitable.


    Still, even if she miraculously won today, the sea of soul essence she had accumulated would be all but spent. Jet would have to collect it again, drop by drop.


    ?Such a chore...?


    Killing had become a chore a long time ago, for her. Sometimes, she dreamt of being free of her Flaw and living a peaceful life somewhere where there was no need to ever spill the blood of living beings.


    Not that there was such a place anywhere in the two worlds, for someone like her.


    Those dreams were rare and silly, though. Most of the time, Jet was quite content with her life.


    ...Not at the moment, though.


    She evaded another attack nimbly and delivered a ruthless strike to the abomination, then jumped back, phasing through a melting wall. The sand followed.


    Despite the harrowing might and vile powers of the Great Devil...


    She was still holding her own.


    She was still fighting, full of resolve to see the fiend die.


    Why wouldn''t she kill him? She had killed countless bastards who thought that they were stronger than her, and were stronger than her, already.


    Strength didn''t decide who lived and who died.


    Jet did.


    ?Come, come... Follow me more... hurt me more... waste time on me more...?


    If there was one blessing about this excruciating fight, it was that the curse of lethargy affecting the Heart of Kanakht was slowly accumulating. Its effects were not significant yet, and yet Jet could feel that the devil was struggling a little to maintain his unceasing assault.


    Ignoring the pain, Jet felt a dark grin twist her lips.


    She retreated, one step at a time.


    Perhaps she was not powerful enough, yet, to slay the Heart of Kanakht...


    But luckily, she wasn''t alone.


    Just like the devil had a legion of souls to protect him, she had an army, too.


    She had Effie and Kai.


    So, she just had to preoccupy the bastard until they arrived.


    Surrounded by smoke and flame, suffering the assault of a Great Devil, Jet smiled viciously and laughed.

 Chapter 1726 Strategic Solution.

    The Wolves were pushing the abominations back. A team of specialists already gained access to the reserve control station of the city''s automated defense systems, working on bringing them those that had not been destroyed, at least �� online. Makeshift barricades were being constructed, and there was even a trickle of civilians being guided to the shelter, already.


    Effie had assisted her soldiers as best she could.


    She had personally eliminated the most threatening abominations in the vicinity of the Wolf Army and made sure that her soldiers were not overwhelmed by the tide of abominations. But now, to make sure that they were not annihilated, she had to sortie into the city and face the enemy on her own.


    Fighting a titan was not a problem. Effie was plenty titanic herself... however, this time, there were two walking calamities approaching her soldiers.


    One was a towering giant, not much smaller than she was, his body carved from obsidian stone. The giant had six hands, each holding an archaic weapon. His head had four bestial faces, one on each side, waterfalls of blood spilling from four terrible maws.


    The bastard had swallowed countless humans, and was hungering for more.


    The other titan was grotesque and disgusting. It was vaguely insect-like in appearance, with a bulging, fleshy hump rising dozens of meters into the sky from its back. The chitinous body was almost invisible under that mountain of flesh, and there was a noxious miasma drifting around the revolting creature like a vile haze.


    What troubled Effie the most was that there were two of the gargantuan abominations. Even worse, they were approaching the Wolf Army from different directions.


    If she rushed to face one, the other would trample her soldiers, leaving none alive.


    ?Those fu... those wretched things!?


    Usually, she would not have been miserly on the swear words, but ever since becoming a mother, Effie had been trying to clean up her speech.


    With varying degrees of success.


    Letting out a chilling growl, she threw a burning gaze at the obsidian giant, then turned away decisively and pushed her colossal body into an earth-shattering run.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com


    The crawling horror was closer, and so, she had decided to deal with it first.


    She had decided to do something else, as well... it was a bold new strategic solution that would not lose to the glorious genius of her patented slingshot maneuver. Of course, Effie would have to try her damnedest to make sure the thing actually worked...


    Leaping over a sprawling park with one tremendous jump, she caused the ponds located on its premises to spill out of their shores with her thunderous landing, and barreled toward the titan.


    The creature was enormous, but the top of its bulging hump barely reached her abdomen. Its flesh also seemed strangely porous... of course, Effie already knew why.


    As she was closing in on the monstrosity, it crawled forward and straightened its segmented legs.


    At the same time, a strange ripple spread over the gargantuan hump of its back. Effie scowled and held her breath �� which wasn''t easy because of her Flaw.


    Nevertheless, it was necessary.


    In the next moment, countless holes opened in the mountain of flesh, expelling long plumes of the noxious miasma. It shrouded the titan like a cloud, spreading outward to cover a vast stretch of the city.


    Effie''s face darkened.


    There had still been survivors in that district.


    ...Not anymore.


    Growling, Effie pulled upward... And lifted the gargantuan body of the Crawling Horror into the air.


    ?S-so heavy...?


    She didn''t stop at that, though.


    As her growl turned into a roar, she exhaled, and tossed the titanic being into the air.


    ?...The strategic move would be to move the hostile forces to the same location!?


    Effie had not just tossed the revolting abomination away.


    She had thrown it directly at the second titan, whose lumbering figure was towering above the ruins in the distance.


    Looking at the Crawling Horror fly, Its comically tiny body finally revealed from under the glant Fleshy hump, Its segmented legs moving in what seemed like panie... she couldn''t help but frown.


    ?How come all my strategie solutions always end up as me tossing someone at someone else, though??


    The sight of the massive titan flying across the sky was so stunning that even the Nightmare Creatures on the ground stopped in confusion.


    The human soldiers, who had developed a habit of glancing at Effie''s towering figure frequently, did not miss the bizarre and baffling sight, either.


    Perhaps both the abominations and the humans had a similar thought...


    ?I am seeing things, right??


    They weren''t.


    The only creature who wasn''t confused was the Obsidian Giant. Because the Crawling Horror was flying directly at him.


    Even though the four-faced titan was as tall as Effie, he would still be buried under the mountain of flesh if she managed to hit her target.


    And she had immaculate aim.


    The giant moved, bringing one of his six weapons up.


    Then, it ruthlessly fell down. The stone mace struck the Crawling Horror in the air, damaging its body and slamming it into the ground. A lake of fetid blood flowed out of the wounds of the revolting abominations, drowning several streets.


    The Obsidian Giant had avoided being struck by the titanic projectile.


    ...However, no sooner than the Crawling Horror hit the ground, the visage of a beautiful steel colossus was revealed from behind its enormous body, barreling toward the two titans at terrifying speed.


    Her exquisite mask was emotionless and eerily calm.


    Behind it, though, Effie''s lips were twisted into a bestial snarl, and her eyes burned with murderous fury.


    ?Die!!!?

 Chapter 1727 A Brawl of Titanic Proportions.

    The Crawling Horror was not as tall as Effie and the Obsidian Giant, but it was still a titanic creature. Therefore, its vast body had obscured the giant''s view for a few moments before being struck down.


    Effie used these moments to shorten the distance between her and the enemy, unseen.


    By the time the enormous abomination smashed into the ground, the Obsidian Giant barely had any time to react. All he could see was a steel colossus rushing at him with great speed, her body the picture of physical excellence and perfect athletic form. The white plume of her helmet fluttered behind her like a foaming stream.


    The earth quaked with each of her graceful, but thunderous strides.


    Effie did not waste any time to attack.


    She was unarmed, but that did not mean that she was powerless.


    Leaping over the scrambling Crawling Horror, she planted her feet into the ground and grabbed the hand of the Obsidian Giant that had swatted the abomination down.


    Then, leaning back, she balanced on one foot and raised her other leg, bending it at the knee, A split second later, her foot shot forward like a demolishing siege ram and delivered a devastating side-kick to the chest of the six-armed titan.


    A deafening thunderclap rolled over the burning city, and an invisible shockwave tore apart the billowing smoke. The power of Effie''s kick was so harrowing that a net of cracks appeared on the black obsidian of the titan''s chest. The giant himself staggered back, his movements seeming slow because of his tremendous size.


    The Obsidian Giant would have been sent flying back and toppled to the ground, flattening dozens of buildings, if not for the fact that Effie was still gripping his hand.


    At the same time as the dreadful mass of the titan''s colossal body pushed him back, she growled and twisted his arm, pulling it in the opposite direction. Effie used the rebound from her kicks to her advantage, adding it to her strength and channeling terrifying strain into the obsidian.


    There was a sound of cracking stone, and an ominous groan of something that should have been indestructible being torn.Alll latest novels at novelhall.com


    In the next moment, the elbow joint of the Obsidian Giant exploded into a rain of jagged shards. They rained down like meteors, causing clouds of dust to rise into the air. Effie wrenched the titan''s arm, tearing it from the socket entirely, and then ripping it off.


    Finally free of her grasp, the six-armed abomination was tossed back...


    Of course, by then, he was a five-armed abomination already.


    Most Importantly...


    Crushing the fingers of the torn hand, Effie grasped one of the Obsidian Giant''s weapons. A colossal black mace fell snugly into her grip, and a ferocious smile twisted her lips behind the mask.


    Now... she wasn''t unarmed anymore.


    ?Two titans??


    Her voice boomed above the ruins, making the sky tremble.


    The dreadful giant was left holding only a hilt. He moved, planning to bring his four remaining weapons down upon her, but at that moment, Effie looked at him, her teeth still bared in a grin.


    A split second later, her lips moved, and she spat a jagged shard of the gargantuan sword at his face. The fragment of the obsidian blade was shot through the air with the speed of a supersonic missile and plunged into the giant''s eye, utterly destroying it.


    Even though the titan had seven more left, he still flinched back.


    That gave Effie all the time she needed, Stopping her struggle against the Crawling Horrer, who had been trying to pull her down to the ground, she suddenly kneeled and bit into the largest tentacle, tearing it apart with her teeth.


    The revolting abomination let out a terrifying screech and reeled away, a river of fetid blood spilling from the severed tentacle.


    Effie spat the revolting flesh out, drowning a sea of flames below in a torrent of blood, and grimaced.


    ?Argh, it tastes like sh... tastes like crap!?


    Using the momentary weakness of the vile titan, she used her trapped arm to grab another tentacle, pulled it to her mouth, and bit it apart, as well.


    Both of her arms were free.


    The Obsidian Giant was already towering above, his four remaining weapons raised to crush her head.


    Effie lunged forward from her kneeling position. Her shoulder collided with the titan''s abdomen, and her arms whipped around to embrace him.


    Then, a bestial growl escaped from between her bloodied lips.


    The armor on her back split under four devastating blows, but her Awakened Ability stopped the obsidian weapons from doing serious harm.


    She mustered all of her strength, and lifted the Obsidian Giant into the air. Not too high, but just enough to rob him of any leverage.


    ?And away... we... go!?


    Twisting her spine, Effie bent backwards and threw the titan over herself, performing a messy suplex.


    Of course, she didn''t slam the Obsidian Giant into the ground.


    ...She slammed him into the Crawling Horror.


    The world shuddered, deep fissures opening in the cracked earth.


    And by the time the two battered titans recovered...


    A graceful winged shadow fell on them from above, followed by an eerie song that washed over their bodies like a crushing wave.

 Chapter 1728 Cost of Time.

    ?The Heart of Kanakht... the Heart of Kanakht...?


    Suffering unbearable pain, Jet continued to fight the Great Devil calmly. Her mind was cold and focused, methodically calculating every move and motion of the enemy. She was unable to destroy him, but the abomination could not bring her down, either �� as the two of them fought, the harrowing fury of their battle boiling in eerie silence, time continued to flow.


    She was drawing the clash as much as she could, callously luring the ancient fiend to his eventual end.


    Once Effie and Kai arrived...


    ?How do we kill him then??


    Kai would be able to weaken the Great Devil with the power of his voice. Effie would be able to deal some damage to the abominable creature with the help of the Starlight Shard... but not enough damage, considering that it was merely an Ascended Memory of the Fifth Tier.


    The white cloth could shine beautifully in the darkness, as well as imbue her weapons with a rare type of elemental damage �� one that wasn''t that useful, apart from being able to cut intangible things.


    It was a bit ironic that the only way to fight the terrible wraith had been given to her for slaying the Lord of the Dead... if Jet remembered correctly, that was the name of the Fallen Tyrant Effie had killed on the Forgotten Shore.


    Something moved in her mind.


    ?Still, none of it is enough to kill the Heart of Kanakht.?


    The most useful thing Effie would be able to do in this battle was augmenting Jet with her Ascended Ability. However, Jet... was powerless against the Great Devil. Unless she could deliver him ten thousand cuts, the fiend would not go down.


    However...Updated chapters at novelhall.com


    As Jet moved between the raging storm of screaming souls, slashing the whirling hurricane of sand with a blade made of mist, she felt a seed of an idea... or a revelation, maybe... bloom in her mind.


    ?What was I thinking about??


    The Heart of Kanakht...


    The name was quite peculiar.


    Jet did not know what Kanakht was, but she had a strange suspicion. That suspicion came from the name of another abomination, a Corrupted Monster Effie had killed soon after entering the city, and something she had read in a history book.


    ...It was a strange thing, really, Jet had never been that interested in history, only learning enough to understand the modern world, However, at some point, and for a reason that she remembered only vaguely, she developed a liking for it.


    Perhaps it was because of meeting someone who was very enthusiastic about ancient cultures, and being secretly displeased at not having enough knowledge to sustain a conversation. She couldn''t remember who it had been exactly, though...


    Maybe one of the Army Command officers back in Antarctica? Or someone at the Academy, which she often visited to enjoy the food in the instructors'' cafeteria?


    In any case, Jet had read about a strange custom that ancient humans had here, in the Western Quadrant, once upon a time. They prepared their dead for burial in quite a peculiar way, removing all the organs from the bodies before placing them in opulent tombs. l?ghtn��velworld_c\��/m. There was even a legend about a god whose body had been cut apart, and then assembled back together, bringing him back to life.


    Jet continued to retreat, buying time.


    Some time later, she absorbed the third soul.


    It belonged to a Great Beast she had slain in South America. Jet had had to cash in a favor that Saint Naeve of the House of Night owed her to make it across the ocean in time with his help.


    She was starting to falter...


    The fourth soul dissolved into a torrent of essence that watered her desolate soul.


    The fourth soul had belonged to one of the Saints who had completed his Third Nightmare in the wake of Antarctica. The public did not know about him, because the man had gone mad soon after Transcending. The scars dealt to his psyche by the Chain of Nightmares were too deep, and his life ended in tragedy. l?ghtn��velworld~c/��/m. Of course, a much greater tragedy had been prevented by stopping him in time.


    Jet let out a stifled hiss and staggered back, clutching at her chest. This time, the blow she had failed to evade was too vicious.


    She consumed the fifth and final soul.


    This one belonged to the Great Monster she had slain in Antarctica. She had gone there to find and kill that abominable thing, Winter Beast... but, to her dismay, it was already dead. In the absence of the powerful Titan, several dreadful Nightmare Creatures crossed the strait from East Antarctica to claim its land. Jet had recklessly fought one of them to satiate her smoldering anger.


    ?...Not good.?


    There were no more souls to consume.


    Well, there was one...


    Her own.


    Smiling, Jet regained her balance and raised her sword.


    Her cold gaze fell on the approaching devil.


    ?Hey, Heart of Kanakht...?


    Her voice was calm and full of dark amusement.


    ?I know your secret. Also... you took too long. It''s too late now, bastard.?


    A great dragon landed on the burning building to her left, and a giant foot encased in polished steel landed on the rubble to her right.


    There would be no need to consume her own soul today.


    ...Her reinforcements had arrived.

 Chapter 1729 Three Saints and a Devil.

    The three Saints faced the Great Devil, standing like a wall between him and the distant troops. For a moment, none of them moved the abomination was studying the new enemies with its hollow eyes, while Jet and her comrades were observing his gaunt form wearily.


    ?How is the situation??


    Her voice sounded a little stifled because of the pain.


    Kai answered after a short pause:


    ?The Western Quadrant army should be reaching the Wolves, by now.?


    Jet nodded slowly.


    ?Good. Then... Effie, get down. You''re too big of a target.?


    In the next moment, the ruins were torn apart by an explosion of harrowing violence.


    The Great Devil did not wait anymore. It took a step forward, and at the same time, a hurricane of sand and screaming souls rose, making countless buildings shatter and dissolve into dust. That dust was caught by the wind, joining the obliterating whirlwind.


    The words of the ancient language resounded once again in the howling of the wind, rustling like a myriad of whispers:


    ?...All... succumb... satiate... serve...?


    Jet did not listen, throwing herself into the tide of souls.


    Now that Kai and Effie had joined the fight, the ancient fiend was not using only soul attacks. Instead, a flood of sand flowed from his gaunt figure, turning into a vague figure of a regal man around it. His giant hands shot toward both of them, and his mouth opened, as if trying to utter a curse.


    The battle was silent no more. Instead, a deafening cacophony of sounds rang across the burning ruins, assaulting their ears like a tide.


    Before the Great Devil could utter a curse, though...


    A giant mace of black obsidian crashed into the mass of sand forming his head. The abomination was not harmed, but the head of the enormous sand projection was momentarily dissipated, taking some time to reform.


    However, those bones were simply the outer shell of the Fallen Tyrant. Its true body was hidden deep within, and resembled a giant corpse worm.


    During the final battle against the Lord of the Dead, the Sleepers led by Nephis had managed to damage the outer shell significantly, which allowed Effie to toss her shield through the heart of the bone mountain. l?ghtn��v��l���v��~��~��~m. The worm was destroyed, and the Tyrant died.


    Jet wanted to do the same to the Heart of Kanakht.


    The hint of a revelation she had felt after remembering the Lord of the Dead was about the nature of these two abominations.


    The Fallen Tyrant had been an overgrown corpse worm hiding inside a mountain of bones to protect its frail flesh, The Great Devil, however, was a wraith... she knew better than anyone that wraiths had no fear of physical attacks.


    Why, then, was the Heart of Kanakht using a shell of indestructible sand? Why did he have the need to protect himself from physical attacks, at all?


    What was his secret?


    It was thinking about the ancient legends of the Western Quadrant that had given Jet an answer �� one she believed to be true.


    Who knew that amusing herself with a bit of history would be so useful one day? If Jet ever managed to remember who it was exactly that influenced her to develop such a hobby, she should thank them.


    ?I''ll deliver the strike! Both of you, get ready!?


    If she was right, and they managed to pull the assault off, then the Great Devil would be killed. The other Gate Guardians must have already been dealt with, considering that Effie and Kai were here... so, killing the Heart of Kanakht meant winning the battle and living to fight another day.


    If she was wrong...


    Jet would think of something else. In any case, the damned fiend would die, the battle would be won by humans, and her soldiers would return home victorious.


    Defeat was not an option.


    Back then, in her First Nightmare... she had crawled out of a fresh grave, digging herself from beneath the wet soil with her bare hands.


    Ever since then, nothing Jet did seemed that hard, in comparison.


    So, killing this Great Devil could not be that hard, either.

 Chapter 1730 Heartbreaker

    The battle continued, with the three of them slowly losing ground. The Great Devil was pushing them further and further back, toward the fireline established by the Wolf Army.


    Now that they were closer to the heart of the city, there were many Nightmare Creatures around. Jet would have loved to go on a rampage and cut some of them down to replenish her essence, but sadly, the ancient fiend was too powerful and overbearing. She could not allow herself even a momentary distraction if she wanted to survive.


    The abominations, too, seemed to abandon their demented frenzy and scattered to avoid the rolling whirlwind of destruction that was the battle against the Heart of Kanakht.


    Jet, Effie, and Kai were already battered and beaten. Both their souls and bodies had received plenty of wounds �� well, in her case, not the body. Nevertheless, they were still holding up well. Pain and injuries were nothing new to them. Each possessed a rich experience of crawling out of the most harrowing of hells.


    All Saints did... but these three, in particular, had experienced too many horrors to be deterred by a few scrapes, no matter how frightening the adversary was.


    It was also because of their experience that they cooperated seamlessly, not only resisting the unholy powers of the Great Devil, but also slowly luring him into a trap.


    The Heart of Kanakht was like a tide of devastation. He was Insidious, lethal, and seemingly immortal. No matter how many times they forced the giant limbs of moving sand to collapse, the sand simply reformed into its previous shape again. No matter how many of the souls the fiend had consumed they destroyed, his wailing legion seemed endless.


    And yet...


    The moment of his death was swiftly approaching. There were a few things Jet needed to achieve to make sure that her plan worked �� she had to learn the limits of both the giant sand projection conjured by the Great Devil and his actual body, create an opportunity, and make use of that opportunity with flawless timing.


    Finally, everything was ready. Raising her scythe, Jet yelled:Updated chapters at novelhall.com


    ?Now!?


    In the next moment, the three Saints moved like three parts of the same body.


    The dragon dove down, opening his maw to release a haunting song. That song crashed into the great mass of sand and produced an earth-shattering blast, dissipating the vague form of the towering man for a moment.


    Almost at the same Time, Effie tossed her shield into the breach created by the blast. The shield tore through the air like a cannonball, colliding with the gaunt figure hidden in the hurricane of sand. That figure was the actual body of the Great Devil �� of course, just like the giant projection he had used to fight them, it was also made of sand.


    Effie''s shield could not truly destroy or even damage it. But the dreadful power contained in her throw was so vast that it shattered the torso of the fiend, turning it into a cloud of sand for a split second.


    Soon, the sand would be pulled back to rebuild the body of the abomination.


    But not just yet.


    Jet''s icy eyes glinted with dark satisfaction.


    ?It seems I was right...?


    There, in the chest of the Great Devil, revealed when his body broke apart...


    A black human heart was revealed, hovering in the air like an amalgamation of countless curses.


    The Heart of Kanakht.


    If Kanakht was indeed a cursed king whose body had been cut apart and scattered to prevent him from coming back to life, then wouldn''t the true core of his remnant, the Great Devil, be one of those body parts?


    The wraith was just a manifestation of the sinister will that still dwelled in the vile heart, and the body of sand was just a shell to protect it.


    Just like the mountain of bones had protected the corpse worm.


    But now...


    The Heart of Kanakht was stripped of its protection.


    Before the Indestructible sand had a chance to coalesce back into the form of the gaunt man, Jet lunged forward with astonishing speed.


    Her scythe flashed...


    The city... was beyond saving. It was damaged too much, and too many people had died. The survivors were slowly emerging from the shelters, while the soldiers were searching the ruins for those who had not been lucky enough to find a way to safety.


    Jet had no heart to look at the lost faces of the civilians, so she retreated to the top of an artificial hill, observing everything from a distance.


    She had replenished her essence greatly after participating in the final cleansing. So, she was feeling alright.


    Kal and Effie were sitting nearby, staring at the ruins with exhausted expressions.


    After a while, Effie suddenly said:


    ?That was a bit scary, wasn''t it??


    Kai stared at her silently for a while, and then shook his head.


    ?Scary... you know what was scary? Watching a titan fly across the sky like a balloon. Now that... that gave me a fright!?


    Despite her fatigue, Jet smiled.


    ?Damn. I missed that... what a pity.?


    Effie grinned.


    ?What''s the problem? Next time, I''ll throw a titan in your direction. You''ll get the front row view!?


    But then, the smile disappeared from her face. She sighed, lingered for a bit, and added wistfully:


    ?But, anyway. Battles like this one will only become more frequent in the future, won''t they??


    Jet hesitated, then nodded simply.


    ?I guess.?


    The huntress lowered her gaze.


    All three of them remained silent for a while, not knowing what to say.


    Despite the fact that today''s battle had ended in triumph- and a historic one at that �� none of the three seemed particularly joyous.


    Instead, their faces were somber, and their eyes were harsh.


    Eventually, Effie broke the silence.


    ?Well, whatever. Now, about that Memory you received... please, tell me it''s a weapon!?


    Jet gave her an odd look.


    ?Sorry. It''s not a weapon. Actually, that Memory... it''s a bit strange.?


    Effie cursed, then leaned back in irritation and glared at the sky.


    ?What is it, then??


    Instead of answering, Jet simply extended a hand and summoned the Memory. Soon, a peculiar object appeared on her palm.


    She raised an eyebrow, looking at it with a vexed expression, and said slowly:


    ?...It''s an hourglass.?

 Chapter 1731 Slaying Blade.

    NQSC was still shivering in the embrace of winter, but the smell of spring was in the air. The deserted alleys of the outskirts were drowning in dirty snow and deep shadows, with no one to clean the former and no lights to dispel the latter. Many of the decrepit human hives stood empty, their tall walls forming lightless wells.


    The people who used to populate the hives had long abandoned the cradle of humanity for the vast and dreadful expanse of the Dream Realm.


    Sunny was leaning against a wall in one of the alleys. He was clad in the fearsome carapace of the Onyx Mantle, hiding his face behind a mask �� not exactly a suitable attire for the waking world. His appearance would have probably frightened the mundane passersby, if there were any. Granted, he was standing in the shadows, so no mundane human could see him anyway.


    ?Feels so strange. I can barely recognize the place.?


    The outskirts of today were too different from the overpopulated, suffocating slums where he had grown up. Times were changing, and NQSC was changing with them.


    Sunny had believed that the world was unchanging, once upon a time. The great upheavals of history �� the decimating wars, the descent of the Nightmare Spell, the legendary achievements of the First Generation �� had happened long before, reshaping the ways of humanity. But by the time he was born, everything seemed lasting and stable, and so, he simply took that stability for granted.


    It was a strange feeling, to realize that he was living in the very thick of history instead. Who knew that there had never been any stability, and that the reality he knew was fleeting like a mirage?


    He sighed and touched his mask briefly.


    The mask he wore was the Memory he had created, [Definitely Not Me]. Unlike Weaver''s Mask, which resembled the ferocious face of a demon, this one was quite human, and entirely expressionless. With impenetrable darkness nestling in its eyes, the emotionless mask was quite eerie.


    It was also not as comfortable as Weaver''s Mask, which hurt his craftsman''s pride a little.


    He sighed.


    ?That lazy guy in Bastion is really worthless.?


    Calling himself names was perhaps not very healthy, but certainly amusing.


    Sunny looked down.


    Many things were happening at the same time. Nephis had received the orders of the Clan Valor elders and was supposed to meet him today to relay their will. In the distant Song Domain, Rain had made her way to the roving camp of the road construction crew and was hired as a laborer. The guy in Bastion... truth be told, there was no time to be lazy.


    From playing the role of the Memory Purveyor for the Fire Keepers to preparing to forge a sword for Nephis, that incarnation of his was the busiest right now. Not to mention that he had to craft a few Memories for Rain in advance of her Awakening.


    The war was drawing closer, and time was running out.


    ...Nephis, meanwhile, was running late.


    Sunny was growing bored. To dispel the boredom, he sent some essence into the Handy Bracelet and summoned the runes.


    He studied them for a while, went over his Memories, and finally settled his gaze on the list of his Shadows.


    Soon, the runes describing the Soul Serpent ignited in the darkness.


    Shadow: Soul Serpent.


    Shadow Rank: Transcendent.


    Shadow Class: Terror.


    Shadow Description:


    [When the end came, Shadow was the last of the gods to be destroyed. Many have resented him for creating death, but in the end, death embraced all.]


    [Mark of Shadows] Ability Description:


    ?Soul Serpent allows the Lord of Shadows to mark his vassals.?


    Sunny honestly did not know how it worked, exactly, so he had allowed himself a few liberties when composing that description. He had been able to find out that Serpent could... create lesser versions of itself, for lack of better word. Theoretically, Sunny could place a serpent tattoo on someone, after which a little soul snake would be born in their soul.


    What was that snake capable of? Was it a new being or a manifestation of Serpent? He wasn''t sure. Sunny had tried to mark his Shadows, but since they did not really have normal souls, the Ability did not work. He had also tried to mark Rain, but nothing happened. He guessed that the soul needed to be at least Awakened to nourish and accommodate the little soul snake, and for the Mark of Shadows to take root.


    And since there were no other volunteers, his experiments had ended there... for now.


    All he could tell was that the [Mark of Shadows] was connected to the [Grace of Shadows], or maybe even an evolution of it. It was a way to share some benefits of being the master of Soul Serpent without parting with it entirely.


    And finally... there was the [Slaying Blade].


    The most mysterious of Serpent''s Abilities.


    What was written in the runes had mostly come from Sunny''s intuition, corroborated only slightly by careful observation. Something like that... was hard to observe.


    Ability: Slaying Blade.


    [Slaying Blade] Ability Description:


    ?When in its Soul Weapon form, Soul Serpent embodies the Death aspect of Shadow God. As such, it ignores the will of greater beings.?


    Perhaps Sunny should have capitalized the word ?will?. Creatures of higher Ranks, such as the Corrupted Tyrant, Condemnation, had a way of bending the world to their will...


    And what was the foremost will of all living beings?


    The will to survive. The will to continue existing.


    Therefore, killing truly powerful beings was not simply a question of cutting them down. The killing intent of the murderer had to overpower their will to exist, as well. Without the tyrannical will to kill, the sharpest of blades would fail to cut their skin, and the most gruesome of wounds would fail to extinguish their lives.


    ...Unless Soul Serpent was involved.


    From what Sunny could tell, when Serpent assumed its Soul Weapon form, it was as deadly to the greater beings as it was to mundane creatures. He did not have a very rich experience of slaying truly powerful abominations, so this statement was inconclusive... but, from what Sunny had seen, it was also undeniable.


    He wasn''t sure how it worked, exactly �� maybe his killing will was enhanced, maybe the will to exist of the enemy was weakened... or even completely ignored. In any case, he was certain that the Serpent''s Soul Weapon form was unexplainably deadly.


    Which wasn''t particularly useful to him, for now, since most of the enemies he fought did not possess that much of the Will.


    And yet, Sunny felt that as his power continued to grow, the caliber of the enemies he faced would also become increasingly inconceivable... and, therefore, the [Slaying Blade] would gain more and more importance in the future. Tremendously so.


    ?If I live long enough to see that future.?


    As he thought that, there was a sound, and he sensed movement at the periphery of his shadow sense.


    Soon, a luxurious PTV awkwardly made its way through the snow and stopped some distance away from him. The passenger door opened, and a familiar figure climbed out of the vehicle, looking around with a deadpan expression.


    Sunny dismissed the runes and smiled behind the mask.


    Nephis had arrived.

 Chapter 1732: Luxurious Ride.

    Chapter 1732: Luxurious Ride.


    Nephis was wearing inconspicuous civilian clothes... well, there was a medieval flair to them, since the fashion trends had changed in that direction after the advent of the Dream Gates. in the past, only Legacies dressed that way, and even then only for special occasions. But now, it wasn''t strange to see people in the affluent districts of NQSC wearing capes, waistcoats, and gambesons.


    Neph''s neat ensemble was tailored to fit her figure perfectly. She wore pristine white, her half-shoulder cape embroidered with golden thread �� of course, it covered her shield arm, leaving the sword arm free. All in all, she looked exactly how one would imagine a princess of a great clan should look like �� beautiful and breathtaking, her clothes blending modest restraint with opulence.


    She looked out of place in the dirty desolation of the outskirts. Or, rather... the outskirts looked out of place when near her.


    As Nephis was looking around, Sunny moved and emerged from the deep shadows, stopping at the border between darkness and light.


    ?Lady Nephis.?


    She turned to him, then took a few steps and bowed slightly.


    ?Lord Shadow, I am sorry for making you wait.?


    Then, she tilted her head a little and studied him. Her gaze briefly explored his onyx armor, then drifted to the emotionless mask


    After a short pause, Nephis asked:


    ?Don''t you think that your attire is a bit unsuitable for the waking world??


    Sunny smiled behind the mask, then raised his chin a bit.


    ?Why? I think I look quite good. Don''t you??


    She seemed to be startled by the question. Of course, her expression remained calm, with none of that bafflement finding its way onto her face but after spending some time with Nephis in Bastion, Sunny was slowly relearning how to read her emotions.


    Eventually, she said:


    ?You look... unique. I guess.?


    Her tone was flat.


    Sunny grinned behind the mask, the darkness nestling in its eye remaining cold and inscrutable.


    Honestly, he was glad to have the mask hiding his features. Recently, he had been spending a lot of time with Nephis in Bastion, and most of it was... emotionally charged and intense enough that maintaining a calm facade was somewhere between a burden and a torment. He was tired from trying to keep his feelings in check or hiding them when all else had failed.


    Playing the role of an aloof Lord of Shadows was a bit of a relief.


    He nodded.


    ?You look stunning as well, Lady Nephis.?


    She gave him a strange look.


    Sunny wanted to chuckle, but held himself back. Remembering his previous blunder, he briefly considered adding that Ki Song''s daughter could not compare. But after contemplating the matter deeply, he wisely decided not to remind Nephis about them at all.


    ?Shall we??


    She gestured to the luxurious PTV and walked back to the passenger door.


    The PTV was also decently armored and fitted with sound isolation materials, so he could probably speak freely.


    After hesitating for a few moments, he asked:


    ?I was thinking about one of our previous conversations.?


    Nephis glanced at him with a hint of curiosity.


    ?Oh??


    Sunny stared ahead indifferently.


    ?You said that if one wants to kill a Sovereign, they need to become a Sovereign. Hypothetically speaking, of course. Do you really think that there is no other way??


    She seemed calm. But then again, she always did.


    ...Unless Effie was involved.


    After a long stretch of silence, Nephis looked away and shook her head.


    ?It is not only a necessity, but also the only acceptable way.?


    Sunny did not say anything, knowing what she meant. The Sovereigns... had covered their backs, indeed.


    Nephis sighed:


    ?There are hundreds of millions of mundane people living across the two Domains, by now. Their number is constantly increasing. There are many more Sleepers each year, as well, but not nearly as many as there should have been. Because those who enter the Dream Realm through one of the Sovereign Gates are protected from having to undergo the First Nightmare, As long as they don''t leave the borders of their Domain, the Spell won''t call upon them.?


    Her expression darkened.


    ?So, what will happen if a Sovereign falls, and their Domain collapses? All those mundane people will Instantly be taken by the Spell. The casualties will be harrowing, and the nascent human civilization in the Dream Realm will be decimated. The only way to avoid such a result is for another Supreme to take the place of the one who fell, and for a new Domain to rise from the ruins of the one that was destroyed.?


    She looked at Sunny somberly:


    ?Do you see, Lord Shadow? You asked me how I would fight a Sovereign. Killing a Sovereign is tremendously hard, but not impossible... killing one in a way that I can stomach is much more vexing. You might not harbor similar concerns, but... something tells me that you do. So, you see in the hypothetical situation you presented, becoming a Supreme is not only what has to be done, but also what needs to be done. I won''t have it any other way, nor can I.?


    As she finished speaking, the PTV came to a halt.


    Nephis smiled.


    ?But let''s not discuss such dreadful matters anymore. We have arrived.?


    Sunny nodded and prepared to exit the vehicle. As he did, he asked with a hint of indifference:


    ?Who are we meeting??


    Nephis opened the door and climbed out, then said without turning back:


    ?Oh, didn''t I mention? We are meeting my sister...?

 Chapter 1733: Familiar Stranger.

    Chapter 1733: Familiar Stranger.


    Sunny did not show any outward reaction �� the Lord of Shadows was not someone who would be agitated by a mere mention of the Princess of War, after all.


    Internally, though, he was troubled.


    ?Morgan...?


    His relationship with Morgan of Valor was not very deep, but it was rather impactful. From their first meeting in the arena of the Dream Tournament, to his brief stint as her sparring partner, to the hellish journey across the Nightmare Desert... he couldn''t say that he hated her a lot, but he also couldn''t say that there was any sympathy between them.


    First and foremost, Morgan represented the Great Clans in his mind. Not only their callousness, but also their dread and might. As such, he could never quite perceive her as an individual... which was, perhaps, a little unfair, but also understandable.


    There had been a time when Morgan represented the pinnacle of power in his mind...


    That time was long gone.


    By now, Sunny was confident that he was superior to her in all but a few aspects.


    Morgan did possess a diabolical talent for warfare and strategy... the cruel stratagem she had pulled off in Antarctica would have decimated the forces of Song, costing the Queen of Worms several of her most cherished daughters and the chance to claim the Tomb of Ariel �� if not for the sudden arrival of the Nightmare Gates, of course.


    And that was despite Mordret scheming to ruin Varor behind the scenes.


    However, that was not what troubled Sunny. What troubled him was that he did not know the current Morgan at all.


    The old Morgan was dangerous, but familiar, like a sharp sword. The new Morgan was a stranger. There were rumors that she had changed a lot after suffering a defeat at the hands of her brother, and the mystery surrounding her Third Nightmare did not help.


    Someone cunning and unfamiliar was the exact kind of person he would have preferred to avoid.


    However, there was no avoiding her now.


    Sighing quietly, Sunny followed Nephis into a lavish building.


    It seemed that the elders of Clan Valor were being considerate today. They had not invited him to the heavily guarded compound of the Great Clan, choosing neutral territory to conduct the meeting instead. It was just that...


    The territory they had selected was an exclusive restaurant frequented by the elites of NQSC. Sunny, in his onyx armor, looked more than a little out of place when a dapper mai?tre d'' led them to a private booth on the lowest underground level of the luxurious establishment. He caught a few stairs...


    But not as much as Nephis.


    She ignored them casually, so he followed suit and acted as if it was the restaurant that was at fault for the mismatch, not the other way around.


    ?Is that the way of a Legacy??


    ?The pleasure is mine, Lady Morgan. I''ve heard a lot about you, too.?


    She raised an eyebrow.


    ?Oh? Only good things, I hope.?


    Sunny kept quiet for a moment, considering what to say.


    Eventually, he spoke in a cold and indifferent tone:


    ?That brother of yours paid me a visit. He seemed like a weakling.?


    The implication was clear... a person who knew Mordret''s true background would undoubtedly know about the Battle of the Black Skull. Therefore, what Sunny had said meant the following:


    ?I fought your pathetic brother and defeated him easily, You had fought him and lost miserably. Doesn''t that make you the true weakling??


    Of course, Mordret was not weak. He was the opposite, The vessel that had visited Sunny in Godgrave was merely one of countless that the Prince of Nothing controlled, and an expendable one to boot. Which meant that it did not possess a lot of power... nevertheless, that weak body had somehow traversed the harrowing hell of the Death Zone and arrived at the Nameless Temple in one piece.


    Even then, Sunny had only defeated it easily because Mordret had no knowledge of how dangerous his soul was, anymore. The legion of silent shadows dwelling in Sunny''s soul took care of the rest.


    Sadly, it was a trick that would only work once.


    What would happen the next time Sunny and Mordret met? He wasn''t sure.


    No one truly knew how many bodies the Prince of Nothing controlled. His Transformation Ability was similar to that of the Soul Stealer �� it allowed Mordret to split his soul and wear multiple bodies at once. It seemed to be weaker than that of the appalling Plague, though... or at least more limiting for someone who had not succumbed to Corruption and wanted to remain sane.


    Otherwise, Mordret could have probably consumed all of humanity by now.


    Sometimes, when Sunny walked around the crowded streets of Bastion, he looked at the faces in the crowd and felt momentarily overcome by fear, thinking that he had no way to know if... maybe... Mordreat already had.


    If everyone had already been turned into his marionettes, with only Sunny and a few powerful people left alive, not knowing that they were surrounded from all sides.


    ...It was a disturbing feeling.


    Chasing the paranoia away, Sunny glanced at Morgan and waited for her reaction.


    She looked at him silently for a few moments. And then threw her head back, laughing melodiously.


    ?Oh, right. You met that despicable person. And roughed him up! That makes me like you, already. Please, tell me more...?

 Chapter 1734: Behind closed doors.

    Chapter 1734: Behind closed doors.


    After the initial pleasantries, it was time for the actual negotiations. However, Sunny did not have to strain himself too much most of the work had already been done by Nephis and Cassie, so he could just reap the rewards of their efforts.


    Still, he felt a little wistful.


    The situation was reminiscent of the last time he had to negotiate with Valor �� back then, it was Morgan who had come to represent the Great Clan, as well. Sunny had been a mere Master and in hot water with her family because of the incident in the Night Temple, trying to avoid becoming their retainer at all costs.


    ?Times have changed...?


    Today, he was trying to come to Valor''s side, instead. However, the situation was entirely different.


    His position had been hopelessly below the Great Clan back then, and therefore, there had been almost no room for negotiations. Now, Valor needed him much more than he needed them... at least on the surface. As such, he held all the leverage, and could dictate his terms freely.


    Morgan sipped her wine and smiled.


    ?So, let me get it straight, Lord Shadow. You are willing to ally yourself with the Sword Domain in the upcoming war. You will fight on our side, aiding our armies to the best of your ability. Which, by the way, must be truly a sight to behold, considering how Impressed my sister seemed after returning from Godgrave. Taken, even...?


    Sitting by his alde, Nephis remained perfectly Impassive.


    He noticed her grip on the stem of her glass tightening, though, and smiled behind the mask.


    Morgan continued:


    ?However, you refuse to swear allegiance to my father. You also insist on retaining sole ownership of your Citadel... which, as you must know, is the most precious thing you possess, in the context of this conflict. More than that, you are only willing to make a personal deal with my sister, not a pact with Clan Valor as a whole. Am I correct??


    Sunny nodded.


    ?Indeed.?


    Morgan laughed again.


    ?Ah, really... if I hadn''t known any better, I would have thought that you harbor impure thoughts about my little sister, Lord Shadow. You... you don''t, do you??


    He answered evenly:


    ?Not at the moment, no.?


    Nephis spared him a calm glance, Before Morgan could reply, however, Sunny added in the same aloof tone:


    ?I hear that Clan Valor offered a marriage alliance to the House of Night, Lady Morgan, but you were refused by that young Saint. I wonder if the rumors are true.?


    His wording was ambiguous, leaving room for Interpretation. Did he mean that Clan Valor was refused, or that Morgan herself was?


    She smiled.


    ?I do not need to tell you how great of an advantage it would be to possess an operational base in the depths of Godgrave. Not only will we be able to hasten our exploration of it, but we will also have an opportunity to put pressure on Song from two sides, forcing them to allocate a significant force to defend their flank... unless they wish to have their supply lines cut, of course.?


    He considered it for a few moments, then nodded.


    ?Acceptable.?


    Morgan continued:


    ?Second, you will have to assist our Saints in establishing safe passages through the Hollows and share your knowledge of local topography, including the probable locations of unclaimed Citadels, the hunting territories of powerful Nightmare Creatures, and the general characteristics of the abominations dwelling in Godgrave. Having advance knowledge of these things will be of great help to the war effort, no doubt.?


    Sunny tilted his head.


    Venturing into the Hollows was dangerous, but unavoidable, He had expected a condition like that.


    ?I agree.?


    She smiled and picked up her wine glass, bringing it to her red lips.


    ?Well, and lastly, all the rest that one would expect from an ally. You will participate in general battles against the enemy, take responsibility for your stretch of the battlefront, and so on. I trust a warrior like you won''t be reluctant to prove his mettle.?


    Sunny smiled behind the mask.


    ?I don''t have a desire to prove anything to anyone, but sure. These terms suit me fine.?


    Morgan nodded and offered him her hand.


    ?If only everyone was so easy to persuade. Then, I will look forward to working with you in the future, Lord Shadow.?


    Sunny took her hand, feeling a bit... disappointed.


    That was it? Wasn''t it a bit anticlimactic?


    They were talking about the war that would reshape the world, throw all of humanity into chaos, and potentially destroy it.


    And yet, the words they spoke were so mundane.


    But then again, maybe the fate of humanity had always been decided by dry conversations between very few people, held behind closed doors in opulent chambers.


    He smiled.


    ?I am looking forward to the future, as well.?

 Chapter 1735 Toast to Loyalty.

    After Sunny and Morgan shook hands, the official part of the not-so-clandestine meeting was over. Of course, there were plenty of details left to discuss - what troops would be stationed in the Nameless Temple, how their accommodations would be organized, who would provide provisions to feed them, when the first mapping expedition would start, and a thousand more. But all these things could be decided at a later date, and in a less ostentatious company.


    Morgan leaned back in her seat and raised her wine glass, smiling with satisfaction:


    "This calls for a toast, if I do say so myself. The three of us will be fighting side by side soon, so... to loyal comrades. May we fare well."


    Nephis took a sip of wine without saying anything, while Sunny simply stared at the table, full of regret.


    He wasn''t that attracted by the wine, but there was also a veritable feast in front of him, all dishes prepared by masterful chefs and both extravagantly expensive and endlessly delicious, without a doubt.


    However... he was wearing a mask. So, none of these delicacies were destined to land in his mouth.


    ''Damn.��


    Morgan looked at him with a smile.


    "You aren''t drinking, Lord Shadow?"


    He stared at her silently for a few moments, then picked up the wine glass.


    "To loyal comrades."


    Sunny did not move, but on a wall behind him, his shadow picked up the shadow of the wine glass. It brought the shadow glass to its lips and leaned its head back, as if drinking. Then, it lowered its hand and returned to its previous position, copying his pose perfectly.


    Morgan laughed.


    "Fascinating."


    Sunny smiled behind the mask.


    It was indeed fascinating. The three of them were toasting to loyalty... each planning treason.


    Morgan was playing nice for now, but as soon as the war was over, she would give the Lord of Shadows an ultimatum - submit or die. Sunny was promising to fight for Clan Valor, but he intended to betray them before the war reached a conclusion. Nephis was playing the role of an obedient daughter while planning to kill her adopted father, the King of Swords, and usurp his Domain.


    This toast of Morgan''s was quite funny, Sunny put the glass down, contemplating the ease with which Morgan had accepted his demanda. Was there really no other reason than to prevent him from siding with Song?


    Claiming a Citadel in Godgrave could very well be the deciding factor of the entire war. Valor would not have given up on the Nameless Temple easily. Unless...


    He turned his head and stared at Nephis, who was savoring her meal quietly.


    ''She wouldn''t...''


    Would she?


    He lingered for a few moments, then asked in an indifferent tone:


    "Why didn''t you insist on claiming my Citadel, Lady Morgan?"


    People usually tended to dance around the truth in these situations, but there was a benefit to playing the role of a reclusive, aloof, and eccentric Saint. If Sunny wanted to be direct, he could very well be as direct as he wanted.


    Morgan seemed amused by his question.


    She glanced at Nephis, then said in a pleasant tone:Updated chapters at novelhall.com


    "I can answer, but if you share what I say with anyone else, there''ll be blood."


    It didn''t even sound like a treat, just like a fact.


    Sunny did not bleed easily, so he was not Impressed. He stared at Morgan, waiting, but Nephis answered instead of her:


    "It is indeed exceedingly Important to claim a Citadel in Godgrave. The side that manages to win the race will be able to unleash the power of its Sovereign upon the enemy first. There''s no need to describe how meaningful such an event can be. l?ghtn��v��l���v��~��\��/m. But... even without the Nameless Temple, Valor possesses a vital advantage in that regard."


    ETA: ~37 minutes


    EVACUATE IMMEDIATELY!


    ��Thirty-seven minutes...''


    The Obel Scale had become much more reliable after the conclusion of the Chain of Nightmares, but it had never quite managed to return to its past stability. Thirty-seven minutes was much more time than the citizens had received back when a Gate opened near Rain''s school, but still far from a stellar result.


    Nephis pressed on the notification, and a map opened on the screen, denoting the impact zone. After another tap, a further message showed up:


    ATTENTION ALL AWAKENED


    REQUEST IMMEDIATE ACTION


    Gate Category: 2 (61% probability), 3 (34% probability), HIGHER (undefined).


    Strike Force ETA: 14 minutes, 44 seconds.


    He let out a small sigh.


    This time, at least, the government forces would arrive far in advance of the Nightmare Gate''s descent. The disaster would be contained, and civilians would have plenty of time to evacuate.


    Then, Sunny glanced at Morgan with suspicion.


    ...Had she known that this would happen?


    Logically, she could not have. But then again, all of it was a little too convenient. Choosing such a public location for their meeting was premeditated, without a doubt - Morgan clearly wanted to send Song a message that the Lord of Shadows was taking Valor''s side.


    Was there a better way to announce it than to be seen clearing a Gate side by side with him?


    Not to mention that it was a good opportunity to gauge his strength.


    Sensing his gaze, Morgan looked up from the screen and smiled helplessly.


    "Ah, how bothersome. Do not worry, Lord Shadow... we can stay here until the turmoil ends. The restaurant is outfitted with top-notch defenses, and employs Awakened guards,"


    She leaned back and then added in a relaxed tone:


    "Or, you know... we can respond to the summons and help the government contain the Gate. You are my guest today, so you decide."


    Sunny stared at her coldly, feeling like he was being played.


    Before he could answer, though, Nephis wiped her lips with a napkin and stood up.


    She hid her communicator, buttoned up her waistcoat, and glanced at Morgan calmly.


    "I''ll go."


    Morgan laughed.


    "My little sister is an example to us all, as always. Well, in that case, I''ll go too."


    Sunny sighed and threw a regretful look at all the food on the table.


    Should he secretly leave a shadow behind and make it steal all these delicacies once they leave?


    Abandoning that thought, he pushed back his chair and stood up, as well.


    His voice remained indifferent:


    "...Then let''s go.��

 Chapter 1736 Make it Four.

    The three of them left the opulent chamber and headed to the surface level of the restaurant, intending to leave. Morgan walked in the front, while Sunny and Nephis followed a step behind.


    As they approached the elevators, they could see the staff of the restaurant leading the guests to a heavily armored shelter. This place was usually visited by the elites of NQSC, after all - all of them were prominent citizens. Their safety had to be guaranteed for an exclusive establishment to fair well.


    Many of the elites recognized Morgan and Nephis. Sunny could tell that all of them were relieved at the sight - especially when they saw Neph. Her reputation was not only that of a brilliant warrior, but also that of a selfless champion. Morgan could have decided to ignore a descending Gate, but Changing Star would never.


    "Lady Nephis! Lady Morgan! Are you heading for the Gate?


    Morgan slowed down a little and bowed slightly.


    "Indeed. Have no worry, ladies and gentlemen. We will contain it in no time, and you''ll be able to finish your meals in peace. Please excuse us."


    Nephis bowed silently and continued on her way, surrounded by excited whispers.


    As they entered the lift, Morgan sighed and looked at her sternly:


    "Really, sister. Couldn''t you have said something? That old man manages the hydroponic complex that supplies half of the grain to Bastion. The young couple is the daughter and son-in-law of the Chief Administrator of the central district of NQSC. The rest hold important positions, as well. Leaving a good impression would not hurt anyone, would it?"


    Nephis glanced at her emotionlessly.


    "...Actions speak louder than words."


    Morgan laughed.


    "What does the action of ignoring them say, then?"


    However, she didn''t press the issue. She wasn''t someone who cared for ingratiating herself to people, either - in fact, it was the people who were desperate to get in her good graces.


    Not only was Morgan a Saint, she was also the princess of the Sword Domain. Her importance would trample all of these elites combined.


    Soon, they emerged from the restaurant. The beautiful building had undergone a transformation, plates of heavy armor descending to cover the doors and the windows. Sunny would have expected the armor to be made from reinforced alloy, but to his surprise, it was actually made from Dream Realm materials.


    "Truly an exclusive establishment.


    A familiar Fire Keeper, Sid, hastily opened the door of the PTV and invited them inside. The drive was a short one, only taking a few minutes - most of the vehicles on the road were moving away from the impact zone, but they were driving to its very heart.


    In the end, they arrived almost at the same time as the first squids of the government forces.


    The Gate manifested in a park. It had not opened yet, of course, but there was already a sinister atmosphere in the air. There was a strange haze above the frozen pond, a precursor to the appalling fissure that would split reality apart soon.


    Armored vehicles had torn apart the white blanket of snow, and soldiers were hastily raising fortifications. The government Awakened were silently preparing for battle, while a small group of Awakened volunteers were huddled together, discussing their Aspects.


    The arrival of the luxurious PTV caused quite a stir. And when Morgan and Nephis emerged from it, everyone simply froze, staring at them with wide eyes.


    "That''s... that''s... the Sword Sisters..."


    "Goddess Morgan! G-goddess Nephis!"


    "Quiet, you fool! They are Saints! They can hear you!"


    "Who is that with them?"


    "Is he an Echo?��


    "I don''t know... but that guy is super creepy..."


    Sunny stared at the soldiers menacingly, unhappy with the way they ogled Nephis.


    Morgan and Nephis, meanwhile, calmly walked to the person in charge.


    It was a Master wearing a military coat on top of light Memory armor. He, too, was both elated and taken aback at the sight of them.


    "Uh... Lady Morgan. Lady Nephis. It is an honor to meet you."


    Morgan nodded, flicking a snowflake off the lapel of her stylish black suit jacket.


    "We were nearby. So, we decided to help."


    The Master seemed relieved.


    ''But he doesn''t seem to be lying?��


    ��No, but it can''t be true! I would have remembered having a best friend.��


    ''So if he''s not lying, but also not telling the truth...''


    ��I see! This man is insane! He sincerely believes his lie.��


    ��Wait. Oh, gods! He''s not a sasaeng, is he?!''


    Kai''s magnetic smile dimmed a little.


    At that moment, Nephis gave Sunny a strange look and intervened.


    "This is Saint Shadow. He is... a bit eccentric. He is also here to help."


    Kai hesitated for a bit, then nodded dubiously.


    "I see. Thank you for volunteering, Lord Shadow."


    With that, he turned to the Master in charge of the government forces,


    "Scrap the battle plan and move the your people back. We will take care of the Gate - with some luck, you guys won''t even have to put down the stragglers"


    The Master nodded gratefully.


    "Yes, Saint Kall"


    By then, the wind was stirring, and a strange dimness was spreading over the park. The air above the frozen pond was trembling more Intensely.


    The descent of the Nightmare Gate was not far.


    Kai turned to Morgan and Nephis, asking politely:


    "How do you want to handle this?"


    Morgan lingered for a few moments, then gave Sunny a teasing look.


    Her red lips twisted into a smile, and she said pleasantly:


    "Lord Shadow, would you like to do the honors? My sister was so eloquent when describing your prowess. I must admit, I am a little jealous at not having had the pleasure to witness it myself."


    Sunny stared at her coldly.


    ��...Want to measure my strength, do you?''


    He remained silent for a while, then shrugged.


    "Sure, Stay here, then. I''ll handle it."


    ''Well, then you''ll have to be disappointed!��


    As the reality split, torn apart by a dark fissure, a graceful figure of a stone knight rose from his shadow, two ruby eyes igniting with cold crimson flames.


    Sunny looked up at Saint, pointed at the Gate, and said evenly:


    "Go deal with it."


    His taciturn knight tilted her head slightly, then turned around and looked at the Gate.


    Although she did not say anything, somehow, it felt as if her aloof gaze was full of disdain.


    Summoning her black blade and a round shield, she gave its rim two lukewarm blows and headed toward the frozen pond with graceful, unhurried steps.


    Morgan, Nephis, and Kai were left staring at her in bewilderment.


    Sunny crossed his arms and said in an even, indifferent tone:


    "That should do it. Everyone... relax and enjoy the show.��

 Chapter 1737 A walk in the Park.

    When the appalling darkness of the Nightmare Gate split reality apart, sunlight dimmed and turned strangely bleak, making the world look desaturated. A gust of cold wind rushed across the snowy park, as if the sky itself was being sucked into the black fissure. A moment later, an eerie shockwave rolled over the soldiers, making them stagger.


    Neph''s white cape fluttered in the wind, but none of the four Saints moved.


    For a moment, the only being moving in the impact zone was Saint. She walked steadily toward the Gate, her graceful figure emanating the feeling of a cold, indifferent inevitability.


    Kai stared at her back for a second, then cleared his throat.


    ?Your Echo seems really impressive, Lord Shadow. Stylish, too... such a chic and understated armor design... monochromatic in theme, yet rich and expressive instead of being dull. What a beautiful use of form and texture variation to counterbalance the lack of a dynamic palette... splendid, really! Wait... where was I??


    He paused for a moment, and then added with an embarrassed smile:


    ?Right. What I meant to say was... your Echo can stall the abominations and break their momentum. We will follow behind and engage the Nightmare Creatures when they get past her.?


    Sunny glanced at him and tilted his head a little.


    ?...Get past her??


    Kai hesitated a little, unsure of what to say.


    ?Yes... there is a high enough possibility that this Gate will reach Category Three, after all. Even if she is a Transcendent Echo... it might be a bit tough.?


    Sunny smiled behind the mask.


    ?Just watch.?


    He turned away and stared at Saint. Kai, Nephis, and Morgan had no choice but to follow his example.


    In fact, Sunny felt a bit awkward, just standing there and doing nothing while Saint did all the work...


    He would have summoned the Shadow Chair and sat down, but sadly, that chair usually stood behind the reception desk of the Brilliant Emporium. Anyone who had visited the dining hall could recognize it at a glance.


    ?Standing awkwardly it is, I guess.?


    Out there in front of them, the first of the Nightmare Creatures appeared from the dark fissure of the Nightmare Gate, It was a hulking beast with a bulging body, terrifying muscles moving smoothly under its tough grey hide. The abomination''s hind legs seemed underdeveloped, but its front limbs were grotesquely large, resembling craggy tree trunks.


    Two vicious tusks curved upward from its jaw, as long as pikes.


    The beast let out a deafening bellow and charged forward, the ground shaking from its heavy footsteps.


    Saint did not slow down. She simply lowered her shield, meeting the abomination''s charge head-on, midstride.


    In the next moment...


    The dreadful tusks hit the onyx shield and shattered. Next was the creature''s head. Its skull burst like a rotten pumpkin, splattering across the snow in a crimson wave. The massive abomination collided with the shield and was crushed into pulp against its surface, only to be tossed aside by a flick of the wrist a moment later, falling to the ground in a lifeless, bloody heap.


    It was as though it had used Saint to commit suicide.


    Standing by Sunny''s side, Kai blinked.


    Nephis, who had seen the taciturn Shadow before, seemed unsurprised. Morgan was too shrewd to show a reaction, but her gaze had turned a little sharper.


    Sunny smiled.


    In front of the Gate, more Nightmare Creatures were born from the appalling darkness. A tide of them, each seemingly powerful enough to rip an armored vehicle to shreds.


    Finally, not knowing what to say, he turned away stiffly.


    Sunny chuckled Internally.


    ?Ah! I missed teasing this guy!?


    In front of the Nightmare Gate, Saint had mercilessly obliterated the first wave of the abominations.


    The same fate awaited the second wave, and the third. Not a single Nightmare Creature managed to escape her blade.


    Observing the scene of chilling carnage, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a little wistful.


    He remembered vividly the first time he had encountered a Nightmare Gate. How desperate he had fought, and how impossible the task of stemming the tide of abominations had seemed. In the end, he would have failed if not for Jet''s timely arrival.


    Yet, this time... the Category of the Gate was one Rank above the one he had defended against as Mongrel. However, Sunny did not even have to move a finger. Just one of his Shadows was enough to contain the threat, and he did not even have to bestow the full augmentation of all his shadows upon her.


    So much time had passed, and so many things had changed. Some for the better, some for the worst.


    Sunny secretly glanced at Nephis and Kai as the Gate Guardian finally emerged from the fissure.


    The creature looked like a mountain of grey flesh, its towering body brimming with bulging muscles, sharp tusks, bloodied spikes, and ghastly bone armor, It bellowed furiously, making the entire park quake.


    A Corrupted Tyrant, from the looks of it.


    Standing on a pile of corpses, Saint glanced at it and finally deigned it necessary to summon the elemental darkness from her heart. A dark aura enveloped her black sword, and a cold chill ran down Sunny''s spine.


    Her ruby eyes flashed with furious crimson light.


    The Tyrant surged forward, and at the same time, the black blade slashed the world apart.


    ?...Now who''s showing off??


    A thin line slowly revealed itself on the towering abomination''s powerful body, cleanly dividing it into two vertical halves. Then, it slowly oozed blood.


    The Tyrant stumbled, then slowly crumbled to the ground, its body falling apart into two bloody chunks.


    The Handy Bracelet spoke into Sunny''s ear:


    [You have slain a Corrupted Tyrant.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    These were the only fragments Sunny had received from this fight.


    Looking at the carcasses of the massacred Nightmare Creatures, which piled high in the suddenly silent park, he sighed.


    ?What a waste.?


    Saint stared at the bleeding chunks of the dead tyrant with indifference, then turned and glanced at Sunny.


    Receiving his nod, she took a step back and dissolved into shadows.


    A few moments later, creepy and crazy silently returned to him and fused with naughty, who had been pretending to be a normal shadow all along, resting leisurely on the ground beneath his feet.


    Sunny looked at Morgan and remained silent for a moment.


    ?My apologies. I''ll try to give you an opportunity to witness my prowess some other time.?

 Chapter 1738 Crumbling Dam.

    The Gate crisis had come to an end just like that, leaving the government soldiers standing there in stunned silence.


    In the end, none of them had to do anything to contain the Nightmare Creatures. The arriving reinforcements were shocked to see piles of corpses littering the ground �� they had been expecting to dive into a dire battle, but ended up witnessing the aftermath of a chilling slaughter instead.


    Of course, it was not as if they had nothing to do.


    The park had been ravaged by the devastating battle, and the ugly fissure of the Nightmare Gate still shimmered in the air. Sunny looked at it with regret �� there were not that many parks in NQSC, and this one would be unusable for the foreseeable future.


    Unless a cohort of Masters challenged and conquered the Nightmare Seed, this place would never be safe for humans.


    The initial tide of abominations had been obliterated, and the Gate Guardian fell. However, new Nightmare Creatures could emerge from the fissure at any moment.


    The government forces would have to build a containment zone around the Gate, complete with powerful explosive charges and a fortified perimeter. Mundane soldiers and Awakened warriors would have to stand watch inside the zone at all times, participating in sporadic skirmishes every time an abomination wandered into the waking world.


    Kai was looking at the Gate, as well, his expression grim.


    In the decades since the descent of the Nightmare Spell, many of such containment zones had littered the areas populated by humans. There were many here in NQSC, too �� and the more of them appeared, the thinner the government forces had to be spread.


    The situation had only worsened after the Chain of Nightmares. It was comparatively easy to find cohorts of Awakened willing to challenge Second Nightmares and hopefully conquer it, closing the Gate. The one near Rain''s school had long disappeared, for example.


    But it was much harder to close a Category Three Gate, since only Masters could hope to survive the Third Nightmare. Even then, most did not.


    And although the number of Masters humanity possessed had increased tenfold, and continued to grow with each year, the number of Gates of higher Categories was increasing faster.


    Kai sighed and shook his head. His voice sounded a bit tired when he mumbled quietly:


    ?No rest for the wicked...?


    Morgan, who had been conversing with the Master In charge of the government soldiers, glanced at him with curiosity:


    ?Oh? Will you lead the charge personally, Lord Kai??


    He smiled weakly, causing a few of the mundane soldiers to sway, and shook his head.


    ?I''m not sure. I''ll have to discuss it with my superiors first.?


    She nodded in understanding.


    ?Well, for what it''s worth. Clan Valor is willing to offer help, this time. After all, I didn''t get to do anything despite showing up so confidently. My hands are itching for a fight.?


    Sunny was listening to them in confusion.


    He was certain that none of it showed in his body language, and yet Nephis decided to explain.


    ?The government is trying to adapt to the new environment. Since there are too many Gates that can''t be closed, they are constantly searching for a way to lessen the strain of guarding them all. The most effective method is to allow a Saint to follow the Call to the Nightmare Seed and cleanse the territory surrounding it from all abominations. That way, they won''t be wandering into the waking world, at least for a while.?


    She studied the dark fissure of the Gate and added:


    ?I have participated in plenty of these cleansing operations myself, Many of the Legacy Saints have followed my example, as well, offering their services... especially those of the new generation, who hold me in high regard. Their battle experience is comparatively poor, so they see it as an opportunity to sharpen themselves. As long as the vicinity of the Nightmare Seeds is cleansed at set intervals, the strain on the government resources is lessened drastically.?


    Sunny stared at her for a while, then said in a cold tone:


    ?Sounds like trying to plug holes in a crumbling dam.?


    Nephis smiled faintly.


    ?Indeed. However, it also teaches the people who are sealing the holes how to swim.?


    ?...What??


    The two of them glanced at each other, then shook their heads at the same time.


    ?No, no. It''s just that... you have a unique way with words, Lord Shadow.?


    ?Nothing.?


    The former was said by Morgan, while the latter was said by Nephis.


    He smiled behind the mask.


    ?Curious, I''ve been described as unique twice today. I am starting to suspect... that it is not a compliment.?


    Morgan smiled pleasantly and said in an exceedingly polite tone:


    ?It isn''t.?


    Shaking her head, he bowed to Kai lightly and turned away, heading for the PTV that had driven them here.


    Sunny followed, giving Nephis a chance to say a proper goodbye to the charming archer. She caught up with them soon, wearing a complicated expression.


    Or rather, her expression was as stoic as always. However, Sunny could feel a bit of tension hiding in the depths of her grey eyes.


    They passed the military vehicles and approached the PTV. The Fire Keeper who had driven it, Sid, was already back �� she had joined the volunteer Awakened before the Gate opened, intending to lead them into the battle.


    Of course, their participation had not been necessary, in the end.


    Sid was on her way to open the passenger door when Nephis stopped suddenly, looking at the PTV with a frown.


    Sensing her unease, Morgan and Sunny stopped, too.


    Morgan glanced at Nephis, raised an eyebrow, and asked with a hint of amusement in her voice:


    ?What''s the matter??


    Neph remained silent for a few moments, studying the luxurious vehicle somberly. Then, she slowly turned away and looked at Sunny.


    ?Lord Shadow... I apologize.?


    He blinked a couple of times.


    Was she apologizing for having dragged him to an opening Gates? No, Nephis saw the fight against the Nightmare Spell as a sacred duty of all Awakened. She would not have apologized for something like that.


    What then?


    Hiding his confusion, Sunny asked in a cold tone:


    ?What for??


    Her expression remained calm when she answered:


    ?It seems that I am about to be assassinated. Sorry for the inconvenience.?


    ?...What??


    Before Sunny could react, Sid unlocked the passenger door and pulled on the handle.


    In the next moment, the PTV disintegrated in a blinding flash, and the roar of a deafening explosion thundered above the snowy park.

 Chapter 1739 Assassination

    The PTV exploded.


    No, really... Sunny was stunned.


    ��Who tries to assassinate a Saint with explosives?"


    Were these people mentally challenged?


    The notion was so silly that, for a moment, his mind refused to register it.


    Everything had happened too fast for the government soldiers to react. The vehicle dissolved into a blinding flash, and a furious onslaught of flame was unleashed upon the world.


    A devastating shockwave also rolled out, spreading like an invisible ripple of crushing force.


    ...But, of course, the Saints were faster.


    Kai was too far away to do anything, but Sunny, Morgan, and Nephis were not.


    Granted, there was not a lot that they could do in such a short amount of time.


    Nephis seemed to have controlled the flames to flow around Sid, her driver. The Fire Keeper was spared from being burned, but received the full brunt of the shockwave, staggering back as her dirty-blonde hair fluttered in the wind. Of course, as a Master, she would not be hurt badly, but a pained grimace still appeared on her face.


    Morgan, meanwhile, raised one leather-clad hand... and cut the explosion apart.


    Sunny was pretty sure that he was not seeing things. As her hand slashed forward, both the flame and the shockwave parted in front of her, as if cut by an unseen blade. The explosion rolled past the Princess of War, leaving her entirely unscathed. Not a single blemish appeared on her stylish black suit.


    As for Sunny himself...


    He didn''t do anything. That short moment was enough for him to determine that the explosion was utterly mundane, so there was no need to act. Sunny simply allowed the flame to swallow him, and for the shockwave to batter him.


    A second later, his onyx figure was revealed from the expanding fire, standing exactly where he had stood before. He didn''t even flinch under the assault of the violent forces.


    But behind him, many of the government soldiers were thrown against the hulls of the armored vehicles, the vehicles themselves swaying heavily or even overturning. Screams and stunned yells filled the air.


    There were many wounded. Luckily, the PTV had stood apart from the military vehicles, so no one seemed to have died.


    But still.


    The explosion seemed to have hurt everyone except for the person it was supposed to, presumably, kill.


    Before the shockwave even had time to dissipate, Morgan, Nephis, and Sunny looked at each other, all sharing the same thought.


    ''It''s a diversion.''


    The explosion was simply meant to distract them when the actual attack arrived.Upstodatee from


    Sunny had to deal with the strange arrows before there would be a chance to find the answer.


    ��There''s not enough time!��


    He raised a hand and simply caught one of the great arrows from the air, sliding back a few steps before its momentum dissipated.


    Sunny had already started to manifest countless shadows when a haunting song suddenly resounded above the silent park, drowning out all other sounds.


    Sound was invisible, and yet he sensed the song move past him like a ghostly river. In the next moment, the great arrows seemed to have hit a wall in the air, splintering and scattering in different directions.


    Looking back, Sunny saw Kai closing his mouth as he rushed toward the burning remains of the PTV.


    ��...Good job, buddy!''


    Sunny''s shadow sense had already reached the limits of his perception, encompassing a vast part of NOSC.


    However, no matter how much he searched, he could not sense the mysterious archer, That meant one of two things.


    Either the sniper had the ability to avoid his detection... or the arrows had been shot from beyond the range of forty plus kilometers.


    Sunny felt a hint of chill, wondering who would have been able to shoot enchanted arrows from such a distance, and with such precision.


    A Master? Possibly, with the right Aspect... but quite unlikely.


    A Saint?


    An Echo of a high Rank?


    Catching Kai''s glance, he gestured in the direction from which the arrows had come. A split second later, his friend... former friend... shot into the air, flying toward the possible location of the attacker.


    But, somehow, Sunny doubted that the sniper would be caught. They must have escaped immediately after sending the arrows loose, and would be long gone by now.


    Looking back, he studied the scene of devastation.


    Broken vehicles, pieces of burning debris, dozens of wounded soldiers groaning on the ground.


    Nephis was slowly rising to her feet, white flames dancing in her eyes. Morgan lowered her hand, a deep scowl replacing her usually composed expression.


    Sid had just landed on her back, rolled over her shoulder, and jumped to her feet, hissing in pain.


    The whole attack had only lasted a few seconds.


    But the impact it had left... was bound to have long-lasting consequences in the days to come.


    And maybe even beyond that, far in the future.

 Chapter 1740 No Traces

    Sunny had been right - the archer was long gone by the time the arrows hit. Kai flew all the way to the edges of the city, searching for the sniper with his miraculous vision, but found no trace of them.


    He did discover the sniper nest on the roof of a dormitory tower in the outskirts, close to fifty kilometers away from the Nightmare Gate.


    However, there were no clues to be found there only a few footprints in the snow, and punctured concrete where the arrows had been thrust into it for ease of access.


    The arrows themselves were Memories, and had either dissolved after being destroyed or disappeared after being dismissed.


    There were no functional cameras in that area of the outskirts, so no records remained to identify the attacker.


    The sniped, whoever it was, had disappeared like a ghost.


    ...By the time Kai returned, the park looked like a disturbed anthill. Nephis had insisted on healing the soldiers who had been hurt in the explosion, and there were no casualties. But an attempt on the life of one of the two princesses of Valor - or maybe even both of them was no small matter. Government forces flooded the scene, both to take care of the Gate and to investigate the scandalous event.


    There was nothing they could find, of course, but doing nothing was not an option.


    Sunny had accompanied Nephis as she healed the soldiers and received their gratitude, both admiration and devotion burning in their relieved eyes. Then, he followed her to the side of a medical vehicle, where Morgan was waiting for them while typing something on her communicator with a cold expression. Sid, the Fire Keeper, was walking behind them sullenly, her civilian clothes in disarray.


    That was where Kai eventually found them.


    The charming archer relayed his findings with a troubled look on his face.


    "...we will conduct a thorough investigation on the scene, of course. But I am afraid that we won''t find anything. There is no physical evidence left, and since the attacker was careful enough to eliminate these traces, they would have had means to throw off our divination experts, as well."


    He looked at Nephis with guilt in his eyes.


    "I am sorry. There is not a lot that the government can do."


    She grimaced silently.


    ...Morgan, however, was more vocal. Looking at Kai with a frown, she said in a cold tone:


    "NOSC is your territory, Please forgive me for being blunt, Saint Kal, but the government is allowed to exist because it is useful, maintaining order in the waking world. If members of my clan can be freely attacked on your land, with no consequences... then what use is there for the government?"


    He met her sharp gaze somberly, not saying anything.


    She scoffed and shook her head.


    "Fine. Whatever. My little sister answered the call and hurried to prevent a Gate crisis, in her usual selfless manner, but ended up being struck by human arrows. Once the news gets out, what do you think will happen?"


    Kai frowned, still having nothing to say.


    However, Sunny was staring at Morgan, instead.Upstodatee from


    Soon, a convoy of heavily armored vehicles appeared near the entrance to the park - these ones painted in the colors of Clan Valor, not the government. Morgan looked at the convoy and put her communicator away with a heavy sigh.


    Glancing at Kai, she lingered for a moment, and said with a semblance of decorum:


    "I will be going, then. Please inform me immediately if there is any news about the investigation, Lord Kal."


    Then, she turned to Nephis:


    "Are you coming? You must be tired after healing all these people."


    Nephis considered it, then shook her head.


    "I''ll catch up with Kai. You go. There has to be a lot of things you have to deal with."


    A dark smile appeared on Morgan''s face.


    "Ah, yes. I do now. Are you sure, though? Who says that there won''t be a secondary attack? If someone manages to kill you, father will be terribly cross with me."


    Nephis raised her chin a little.


    Her voice remained even when she said:


    "...Is there someone who can kill me?"


    Morgan remained silent for a bit, then chuckled and turned away.


    "Suit yourself. Well, my sister is right. If someone manages to kill her, they would have worked really hard..."


    With that, she nodded to Sunny and walked away.


    "Until we meet again, Lord Shadow!"


    Soon, her elegant figure disappeared from view, leaving him alone with Nephis and Kal Sunny sighed behind the mask.


    ''So... these two are going to catch up.��


    There was no place for him at their friendly reunion.


    So, it would be better for him to leave, as well.


    He opened his mouth, intending to say something curt and aloof... but to his surprise, Nephis spoke first.


    Giving Kai a poignant look, she turned to Sunny and asked:


    "Lord Shadow... would you mind keeping us company?��

 Chapter 1741: Best Policy.

    Chapter 1741: Best Policy.


    They left the Impact zone in a government transport. The ride was much less luxurious than Nephis'' destroyed PTV, but Sunny, who had crossed countless kilometers in shaky military vehicles, did not mind.


    ?...I wonder how much that PTV cost.?


    If Sunny had lost something that lavish and expensive, he would have been cursing the dead gods and drowning in bitterness. But Nephis did not seem to mind the loss too much.


    Granted, her mood seemed a little strange.


    As they drove past the burned remains of the PTV, she stared at it intently, a distant look in her eyes.


    ?Are you alright??


    Sunny wished that it was him who had asked that, but the Lord of Shadows was not that considerate. So, he had kept silent, and Kai spoke in his stead. Nephis lingered for a few moments, then looked away from the wreckage and sighed.


    ?Sure. It''s just that... the situation is so familiar. But the outcome is entirely different. Times have changed.?


    It seemed that she was reminiscing about the past, just like Sunny. He had contemplated how different the dread of having to face a Nightmare Gate for the first time felt from today''s battle, where he did not even have to lift a finger, Nephis, meanwhile, must have been comparing the powerlessness she had felt as a child to today''s attempt on her life.


    The difference had to be quite startling, considering that she was one of the most powerful Saints in the world now.


    The transport moved along the streets of NQSC at a moderate speed. The news of what had happened, however, was spreading much faster.


    Sunny did not even want to imagine what kind of storm would rise when people learned that Changing Star, humanity''s darling, had almost died to a human assassin while defending innocent lives from a descending Nightmare Gate.


    The people responsible for the government''s propaganda would be losing their minds by now. They were great masters of both disseminating and suppressing information, but this time, the incident was too sensational, and the parties involved were too renowned. There was no stopping this story from spreading far and wide, so they could only try to control it the best they could.


    The government... was in a tight spot.


    It was a bit ingenious, actually. Nephis was so beloved and venerated largely because the government had once decided to make her into a shining symbol for the whole of humanity �� she had worked very hard to build upon that foundation, of course, but the government was responsible for the initial push.


    Now, however, someone had taken the fruit of their labor and used it against them. The public outrage caused by an attempt on Changing Star''s life would be proportional to the amount of effort the government had put into turning her into someone who was revered and admired by all.


    That reputation of hers had only grown more exalted in the last four years, reaching unimaginable heights.


    ...Was the assassin''s real goal to undermine the government instead of killing Nephis?


    Sunny continued to contemplate who was behind the attack while the transport rolled across the streets of NQSC, eventually reaching a remote district.


    There, a modest manor stood apart from the bustling city, surrounded by a tall wall.


    This was the manor of the Immortal Flame clan, which served as the base of operations for the Fire Keepers in the waking world.


    The transport passed the security check and made its way to the underground vehicle stable. Kai sent the driver and the guards assigned to Nephis by the government away. Sid also bade them farewell and left, lamenting the state of her tattered clothes under her nose. The loss of the expensive ensemble seemed to bother her much more than the recent ambush.


    Kai studied Sunny with a very strange expression, hesitated for a bit, and gave her a short nod.


    ...She seemed perplexed.


    Sunny suppressed a chuckle.


    ?So, what did you want to discuss with me, Lady Nephis??


    Nephis frowned slightly. However, her voice was even when she spoke:


    ?We''ve been dancing around the issue for a while now. You gave me plenty of hints, subtle or not... we are supposed to be allies, so what I want to discuss today will decide how far our alliance will go. l?ght~n��vel~c��ve~c`��/m. If you don''t mind, I will ask you a few questions. The nature of our partnership will depend on your answers.?


    He remained silent, voicing no objections.


    She lingered for a while, then nodded and said:


    ?First and foremost... I am quite curious. You seem to be very keen on knowing how I would kill a Supreme, Lord Shadow. What exactly makes you think that I, a princess of the Sword Domain, am so interested in regicide??


    Sunny stared at her silently, cold darkness nestling in the eyes of his emotionless mask. His onyx armor glistened with a sinister luster in the dull lamplight.


    Eventually, he spoke in an aloof tone:


    ?I can answer your question with three of my own.?


    Nephis raised an eyebrow.


    ?Oh??


    He nodded, then said evenly:


    ?Who attempted to kill you as a child? Why? And what would I do in your place after becoming a Saint??


    His voice turned even colder than usual.


    ?Imagine that a bunch of traitors killed my father, conspired to ruin my clan, and turned my life into living hell. The further into hell I fell, the higher these despicable ghouls rose. Ah... if something like that happened to me, I would have been positively peeved.?


    Sunny shrugged.


    ?In short, it''s because I know enough about you, Lady Nephis.?


    She studied him for a while with a deadpan expression, then glanced at Kai. Receiving his confirmation, Nephis scowled.


    Her voice sounded a little flat:


    ?I must say... my sister was right. You are indeed very well-informed for a recluse, Lord Shadow.?

 Chapter 1742: Good Reason.

    Chapter 1742: Good Reason.


    Sunny grinned behind the mask.


    ?What can I say? I wasn''t always a recluse.?


    She contemplated for a few moments, and eventually nodded.


    ?Alright. Then, my next question. Let''s presume that you are correct, and I do, indeed, harbor such an interest. But what about you? What is your reason??


    Sunny chuckled.


    ?Would you believe me if I said that my reason is exactly the same as yours??


    Nephis thought for a moment, then shook her head.


    ?Not really.?


    He tilted his head a little.


    ?Well, fair enough. It''s not. In truth, I don''t have as great a grudge against the Sovereigns as you do. I do despise them a great deal, true, but to answer your question... I guess it has to do with what I desire.?


    She pierced him with a heavy gaze.


    ?And what is it that you desire, Lord Shadow??


    He laughed coldly.


    ?Oh, nothing much. A nice house with a scenic view, somewhere warm and pleasant, Tasty meals and good company. Enough money for a comfortable life. Safety and well-being... stuff like that.?


    Nephis blinked a couple of times. She seemed quite surprised by that answer.


    ?You live in a dark temple in the middle of a Death Zone, surrounded by dreadful Nightmare Creatures. But all you desire... is a nice house and tasty food??


    Sunny stared at her emotionlessly.


    ?Don''t forget the good company.?


    He paused, then added evenly:


    ?You might think that it''s a simple wish, Lady Nephis. But that is the thing... in this world we live in, even a simple wish like that is insurmountable. One would have to be a god to live without worries. No. Actually, even becoming a god might not be enough.?


    She frowned.


    ?What does it have to do with your enmity against the Great Clans and the Sovereigns??


    He remained silent for a few moments.


    When he finally spoke, his voice sounded dark and sinister:


    ?The root of my enmity lies in the fact that they insist on dictating the shape of the world where I live, while not possessing enough competence to keep it safe. Their methods, their callousness, and their hubris are both misguided and loathsome. What better proof there is than this war they are about to start??


    Sunny shook his head.


    ?In other words, I disdain the notion of allowing the Sovereigns to decide my fate. I would rather have the power to make such decisions for myself. I''ve fought long and hard to gain it.?


    ?Someone... told me once that people like me are born to destroy things, not build them. That this world needs killers and destroyers more than it needs saviors and builders. Well, they were right.?


    He looked at her, hiding behind an expressionless mask.


    ?I am indeed best at killing. However... you know, there are people building things all over the Dream Realm today. There is a young girl building a road somewhere in the Song Domain right now. Elsewhere in the Sword Domain, a young father is developing a farm to feed his wife and child. l?ght~n��vel~world~c`��/m. These people might not be as powerful as me, or as ambitious as me. They can''t slay Nightmare Creatures as well as me. But they matter, too.?


    Sunny grimaced and added evenly:


    ?That young girl, that farmer''s child, and countless others like them. Ah, It''s a bit embarrassing to admit... but I hope that all the killing i do will change the world into a shape that allows them to live their lives building new things. Even if they have to build them on the ruins that people like us, Changing Star, leave in our wake.?


    He leaned forward a little:


    ?How is that for a reason??


    She remained silent for a long while, looking at him calmly.


    Eventually, it seemed as if Nephis accepted his answer.


    She sighed, then asked nonchalantly:


    ?Do you serve any of the three Supremes??


    Sunny shook his head.


    ?I don''t.?


    She nodded.


    ?Are you planning to betray me??


    He chuckled.


    ?Not particularly.?


    Nephis raised an eyebrow, Then, she smiled slightly.


    ?Are you hiding anything from me, Lord Shadow??


    ?A great deal of things.?


    She looked at Kai, received his confirmation, and then leaned back in her chair.


    ?Fine. This is acceptable. Then... I''ll be honest, too.?


    At that moment, the door opened, and someone who Sunny had very much not expected to see entered the room.


    Jet glanced at him with a scowl, then turned to Nephis and said, her voice harsh:


    ?This guy reeks of death.?


    A crooked smile twisted her lips.


    ?...I like him.?Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com

 Chapter 1743 A Small Group of Committed Citizens.

    Sunny was surprised to see Jet here. She was one of the executive leaders of the government now, after all. Someone like her was not supposed to visit members of a Great Clan unannounced...


    Not that he wasn''t happy to see her.


    Jet was exactly like she had been before. Her ivory skin, raven-black hair, and icy blue eyes made for a striking sight. Despite the fact that she had risen much higher in the government hierarchy by now, her uniform was pretty much the same �� it was just that there were four stars on the insignia instead of three.


    If anything had changed, it was that she seemed even more sleep-deprived than usual. If that was even possible.


    Sunny found himself staring at her without meaning to... but for a very different reason than he had during their first meeting.


    It was just good to see her, after all that time...


    Jet stared back at him.


    ?You must be the Lord of Shadows.?


    He nodded and answered evenly:


    ?You must be Soul Reaper Jet.?


    She studied him for a moment, then raised an eyebrow.


    ?What''s up with the Halloween costume??


    ?Huh.?


    Sunny tilted his head, contemplated her question, and asked seriously:


    ?What is Halloween??


    Jet blinked a couple of times. Eventually, she waved a hand at him.


    ?Never mind. I''ve heard a lot about you, Shadow. It''s nice to finally put a face to the name. Well... sort of.?


    ?So, no one is going to explain to me who this Halloween is? Rude.?


    Sunny frowned behind the mask.


    ?Only the good things, I hope.?


    Jet grinned.


    ?Well. They say that you rule a Death Zone, eat Cursed Nightmare Creatures for breakfast, wrestle Titans for fun, and can turn into all kinds of terrible monsters on a full moon.?


    He stared at her somberly.


    ?That is preposterous.?


    She nodded and wanted to respond, but before she could, Sunny added in an even tone:


    ?I can turn into all kinds of terrible monsters any time I want. What does the moon have to do with it??


    Jet seemed to forget what she was supposed to say.


    Standing beside her, Kai suddenly choked on thin air.


    Sunny smiled silently.


    Or rather, his looks could not. There had to be an Awakened out there somewhere with such Aspect, and definitely more than a few Nightmare Creatures.


    He said emotionlessly:


    ?...She''s loud.?


    Effie gave him a dirty look and grinned.


    ?Wanna arm-wrestle? If you win, I''ll shut up.?


    Scowling behind the mask, Sunny tilted his head and stared at her some more. He was tempted, but did not wish to destroy the table.


    ?I don''t.?


    She laughed.


    ?Good choice!?


    With that, she finally sat down.


    Now, there were six of them, sitting around a table. Which, coincidentally, was round.


    Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan, Saint Cassia, Song of the Fallen, Nightsinger Kai, the Dragonislayer. Saint Athena, Raised by Wolves... the War Beast. Soul Reaper Jet.


    And a mysterious Transcendent known as the Lord of Shadows.


    The five Saints looked at him, while Sunny stared back at them silently.


    ?...The cohort is all here.?


    He secretly looked around.


    The room where they had gathered was not exactly opulent... but someone told him that history was going to be made here today.


    He could practically sense it in the air. The omen of ruinous change.


    Sunny sighed and said evenly:


    ?It seems that I''ve found myself in illustrious company.?


    Nephis remained silent for a while, then sighed.


    ?I told you that the nature of our partnership would depend on your answers, Lord Shadow. Your answers were satisfactory, so... I''ve decided to trust you. Enough so, at least, to bring you into the inner circle. These people are my closest confidants.?


    She paused, then added after some deliberation:


    ?Usually, I would not have been so quick to trust someone, But time is not on our side, and my instincts tell me that you deserve it. I''ve asked Saint Kai to help me confirm this feeling... I hope you won''t take offense. Saint Cassia advised me to take this step, as well.?


    Sunny remained silent for a moment, then said in an aloof tone:


    ?What a strange group. Two renowned Transcendent warriors of the Sword Domain. Three exalted champions of the government. And me... a stray that has no master. Why, exactly, are the six of us gathered here together??


    Nephis looked at each of the gathered people slowly.


    Then, she shrugged and answered in her usual even tone:


    ?Because the six of us are going to destroy the Sovereigns.?

 Chapter 1744 Changing the World.

    The six of them... were going to destroy the Sovereigns.


    Sunny was silent for a while, staring at the members of the cohort from behind his expressionless mask. Then, he chuckled.


    ?You want to topple both Domains and completely change the world... with just six people??


    Nephis remained composed and gave him a nonchalant shrug.


    ?Why not? Wasn''t the world I want to change shaped by just three??


    He had no retort. The current shape of the world had indeed been dictated by three powerful individuals �� Anvil of Valor, Ki Song, and Asterion. For the past two decades or so, they had been acting as the gods of humanity, deciding its fate from behind the curtains.


    And now, Nephis and her cohort were preparing to rise in rebellion against the gods.


    It was strangely poetic. It was also a little ominous, as if history was repeating itself.


    Sunny sighed.


    ?So, you are welcoming me into your underground revolution club. Well... fine. That has been my intention all along, as well. But now that we have reached this point, I need to ask you the same question again, Lady Nephis. This time, in a less hypothetical context. How do you plan to defeat the Sovereigns??


    She met his dark gaze calmly.


    ?My answer stays the same. By attaining Supremacy myself.?


    His gaze suddenly turned much more intense.


    ?Oh? Have you... found a way to become a Supreme without challenging the Fourth Nightmare??


    Sunny would lie if he said that he wasn''t interested in hearing the answer. He had been trying to discover the secrets of Supremacy himself, after all in Neph''s case, she couldn''t challenge the Fourth Nightmare because she wasn''t allowed to. But in his case, he simply couldn''t �� without the Spell, coming into contact with Nightmare Seeds was meaningless.


    Not only was Sunny unable to enter a Nightmare, but getting too close to a Seed put him at risk of becoming corrupted.


    Nephis inhaled slowly, a hint of tension appearing in her eyes for a short moment.


    ?Did I find a way? This is... a complicated issue. In a sense, yes I did find a way to become Supreme. However, I am still searching for the means of actually walking that path.?


    Sunny frowned behind the mask.


    ?You will have to be more specific than that, I''m afraid.?


    ?And that an inevitable process. Soon enough, the Dream Realm will become humanity''s new home. In that future, the role of the government will have to change �� if we don''t adapt, we will disappear. Which is not really a problem, since we would have served our purpose... but then, the question is, who will rule that new world??


    A dark smile appeared on her ivory face, never reaching her cold blue eyes.


    ?The King of Swords? The Queen of Worms? Or the third one? None of them are qualified.?


    Sunny looked at her with curiosity.


    ?Why do you say that??


    He had his own reasons to believe that the Sovereigns were not the best choice to guide humanity, But Jet had always been very practical what was her reason?


    She chuckled.


    ?Ah. Sorry... It''s nothing too philosophical. Actually, my reason is very simple. It''s because Changing Star has gone from a mundane girl to a Saint in about five years, while the Sovereigns have been stuck at their Rank for decades. Once we are all living happily in the Dream Realm... what will the one who wins the war do when an Unholy Titan wanders out of a Death Zone? Will they be able to contend with the future? I don''t think so, so I am betting on someone who would. Because I know that Nephis won''t be satisfied with mere Supremacy.?


    When Jet finished speaking and gave him a relaxed smile, Effie added in a calm tone:


    ?Big Sister is mainly preoccupied with the end result, but as for me... I care about how we get there, as well. It''s not enough to just preserve the world, it''s also important what kind of world it will be. Right now, the stuck-up Legacies are looking down on everyone. l?ght~n��vel~world~c`��/m. Drives me nuts, really... can you imagine how much worse it will become once all of humanity is living under their roof? The kings, the queens �� I don''t trust any of them, but I do trust Nephis, She, at least, won''t stop me from becoming a Supreme myself. If anything, she''ll probably push me into a Nightmare Seed...?


    Nephis did not comment on that, making Effie smile.


    ?...You would, wouldn''t you? See, she''s not even denying it!?


    After that, Kai broke the silence, speaking simply:


    ?I just believe that it is the right thing to do. No more... but also no less.?


    Sunny stared at them for a while.


    Eventually, he shook his head.


    What could he say?


    ?You are all crazy.?


    Then, he smiled behind the mask.


    ?...Fortunately for you, I am as well. Fine. I like it. Let''s conquer the world.?

 Chapter 1745 Missing Catalyst

    After making the bold proclamation, Sunny paused for a moment, and then added in an emotionless tone:


    "Or rather, two worlds. One more, one less... it doesn''t really make a difference.


    Jet chuckded at his words, while the others just nodded with varying degrees of seriousness. Only Nephis did not react, simply looking at him calmly.


    Sunny sighed, leaned back a little, and said evenly:Alll latest novels at novelhall.com


    "However, let us return to the initial conversation. Lady Nephis, you said that your source element is the people whom you inspire, and that they are the foundation of your Domain. However... what comes next? How do you plan on building upon that foundation to actually reach Supremacy?"


    He was quite stumped. It seemed that Nephis was half of a step ahead of him - she had dived deeply into the nature of her source element, to the point of being able to enhance it. Sunny, however, had never even questioned whether his connection to the shadows could be deepened.


    What was he supposed to do? Actively try to build rapport with the wild shadows? Turning them into his zealous followers? Would that bring him closer to Supremacy, as well?


    ''No, I am thinking about it wrong.��


    Nephis had said it herself, and he knew it too - each Aspect was unique, and the process of realizing a Domain differed for each Awakened. What worked for her would not work for him, and vice versa.


    She had to weave a vast tapestry of yearning souls, inspiring people one by one. But his source element was shadows - as their Lord, he already enjoyed the veneration of every shadow in existence.


    Sunny had no need to build a foundation for his domain...


    Or did he?


    If there was a process of accumulation involved in the initial stages of attaining Supremacy, then what was he supposed to accumulate?


    The thought resonated with him so deeply that even the humble shopkeeper stopped what he was doing, far away in Bastion, frowning for a moment.


    ��...Isn''t it quite obvious?��


    Unseen, Sunny''s eyes gleamed under the mask. Had he not been accumulating something from the very start of it all?


    The legion of silent shadows dwelling in his soul... were they the foundation of his future Domain?


    Shadow God had been the God of Death as well, after all. Was Sunny limiting himself by ignoring the connection shadows had with death?


    If so... what the hell was the nature of his Domain supposed to be?


    He grimaced, feeling more lost than he had been a minute ago.


    ''Maybe Nephis will enlighten me.��


    Sunny waited patiently for her answer.


    ...Sadly, he was doomed to be disappointed.


    When Nephis finally spoke, a slight frown twisted her brow:


    "That... I am not sure about. As I''ve said, I know the path to Supremacy, but am unable to walk it yet. There has to be some kind of catalyst that will ignite the foundation I''ve built, turning it into an actual Domain. The soul, the source element, the world once all three are fused together by will, a Sovereign is born. But how to fuse them? I do not know."


    ��...Damn it.''


    It took all his self-control not to fall out of his chair. He remained still through sheer will, not allowing even a hint of his emotions to show in his body language,


    ''P-passion?! How is she studying passion?! What great strides?! What exactly is she mastering, and with whom?!��


    Outwardly, Sunny remained calm. But Internally, he was fuming! After a long silence, he asked evenly:


    "What does... passion... have to do with anything?"


    Nephis looked at him with a hint of confusion.


    "It has to do with my source element, of course. What else?"


    Sunny let out a mental sigh of relief.


    ''It''s alright... it''s all fine. She''s not practicing... passion... with anyone!


    Luckily, the conversation could be safely guided elsewhere.


    ...Or so he thought.


    Because right at that moment, Effie suddenly said:


    "Oh, right. I am sure that it''s not the case, but if Master Sunless is having trouble making you achieve a... breakthrough... tell him to come see my husband. Let the man learn from the master! That guy is a real veteran..."


    Something fell on the floor noisilly.


    Kia silently covered his face with a palm. Jet''s smile widened a little, Cassie turned her head, pretending to look away.


    Sunny was appalled,


    ''Who says I need to learn anything, you vile woman?! I am myself a... wait... why am I even thinking about her nonsense?! Damnation!��


    Nephis looked at Effie in confusion.


    "Isn''t your husband an Awakened? Plus, Master Sunless is a real veteran, too. And what does he have to do with my Aspect Legacy?"


    Sunny felt vindicated.


    ��Thank you! No, stop... what?��


    Effie stared at Nephis with a strange mix of mischievousness and exasperation. After a few moments of silence, she said in a low tone:


    "Princess... you mean that he served in Antarctica, too. Right?"


    Neph''s confused frown deepened.


    "Of course. What else could I mean?"


    Effie sighed and waved a hand in the air, giving up.


    ��Forget it. Gods, why do I even bother...��

 Chapter 1746 Just War

    After Sunny was Introduced to the general shape of the plot, more technical details had to be discussed. The war was approaching swiftly, and at least three of the six conspirators would have to participate in the bloodshed directly.


    The other three could be drawn into the deadly game between the two Sovereigns, as well. Both the government and the House of Night were desperately trying to maintain neutrality... but it was unknown if the Great Clans would cross the line in exerting pressure, thus making at least one of the neutral sides an accomplice in the Domain War.


    Jet seemed a little troubled.


    "Our position was more or less stable before. But now, with that damned assassination attempt... I don''t know. The situation is unclear."


    She glanced at Cassie and raised an eyebrow.


    The blind seer seemed distracted for a moment, then said quietly:


    "The news is spreading like wildfire, both in the waking world and in the Dream Realm. By now, it''s all people are talking about. Everyone is outraged, of course... even the Legacy Clans are incensed. The situation is much more fiery in the Sword Domain - incendiary, even - but the Song Domain is reacting badly, too, Neph''s influence transcends borders.��


    Jet frowned.


    "That was fast. Too fast, even"


    Cassle nodded.


    "Someone has been prepared. They are adding oil to the fire."


    As everyone fell silent, Nephis said in an even tone:


    "I wonder... who is responsible, this time."


    Jet looked at her, lingered for a few moments, and smiled crookedly.


    "It wasn''t your own performance?"


    Nephis frowned slightly, not exactly offended by her words, but seemingly displeased. Her answer was short:


    "No."


    Sunny listened with interest.


    Actually, he had considered that the whole thing was staged by Cassie, as well. That would be in line with both her goal and her cunning. However, a few things didn''t add up.


    Nephis leaned back and sighed.


    "My first thought was that it had been planned by Morgan. But it''s not really her style... if Morgan was behind the assassination, there would have been countless victims among the government soldiers. She is always thorough, after all."


    Jet crossed her arms, considering. Eventually, she simply shook her head and said with a hint of frustration in her volce:


    "Then who the hell did it? It couldn''t have really been Song, could it?"


    Kai seemed troubled, as well. He remained silent for a while before saying cautiously;


    "Actually, it could have been. Princess Morgan was right when she said that there aren''t a lot of archers in the world who can pull off something like that. The two prime suspects, coincidentally, are from the Song Domain. One is Silent Stalker. The other is Dar of the Maharana clan."


    Sunny smiled darkly behind the mask.


    ��That guy.��


    He had considered Dar of the Maharana clan, as well.


    The man had an eerie ability to hit targets from a great distance, and was fond of using oversized arrows to boot. Sunny had brushed sides with him during the Dreamscape Tournament, almost catching a few of those arrows himself. Later, they crossed swords in the elimination rounds, where the Legacy scion was cut down by Mongrel.


    He had not left a good impression. Maharana was one of the vassal clans of Song, too...


    Effie scratched the back of her head.


    "Dar of the Maharana clan? Last I heard of him, he was a Master. Where is he now?"


    Cassie answered a moment later, effortlessly pulling the information out of her head:


    Sunny was tempted to tell her to ask her husband for an explanation, but held himself back. Instead, he said in an emotionless tone:


    "Sure. There is not much to explain. Casus belli is just a fancy term for justification. An official reason given when starting a war. An assassination of a royal is more than enough reason to drown the world in blood. In fact, this exact scenario was used before to do just that."


    He chuckled coldly,


    "Honestly, I would have expected Valor to actually kill one of their Saints in order to have a more solid claim. But either someone among them is growing soft, or they can''t allow themselves to lose even a single Transcendent before the war. l?ght~n��vel~world~c`��/m. In any case... someone attempts to kill Changing Star, humanity''s favorite Saint, and both of the main suspects just happen to be from the Song Domain. One of them is even conveniently unavailable for questioning. This is more than enough ground to spin a pretty tale."


    Sunny sighed.


    "As for the fact that none of the government soldiers had died, which is unlike how ruthless Morgan usually acts... that is the result of a shrewd calculation, as well. If the purpose of the assassination attempt is to make Clan Valor look like the wronged party, then wouldn''t it be counterproductive to make the government suffer more losses than Clan Valor did? Who would look like the true victim then? So, it was all part of the plan."


    His cold voice echoes in the room, sounding more than a little bit sinister. As everyone was digesting his words silently, Sunny laughed.


    "Well... at least that is how I would have done it. With more flair, of course."


    Nephis looked at him somberly, not saying anything.


    Eventually, though, she spoke in an even tone:


    "So.., they had someone pretend to try and kill me while using the method that would point at someone serving Ki Song. This gives them the ammunition they need to both declare war and maintain the illusion of righteousness... eventually. And, as an added bonus, they even get a chance to pressure the government into making concessions, or even joining their side entirely."


    He nodded.


    "More or less."


    Nephis sighed and looked away.


    She remained silent for a while, then said quietly:


    "Well... good. It plays into our hand, actually. If I become the catalyst for the start of the war, it would only be logical for me to be the one to end it."


    At that moment, Cassie spoke, her voice a little grim:


    "If they are already moving so openly, then it seems that we have even less time than we thought. I''m afraid... that some of our plans will have to be accelerated, or even abandoned entirely.


    Sunny scowled behind the mask.


    ��Yeah. Like me forging a sword for Nephis, I doubt I can make it in time... can I?''


    Nephis gritted her teeth.


    "It has been a long time coming. All we can do is prepare ourselves the best we can. When Song and Valor go to war.. the only side that shall win is us She looked at the people gathered at the room, her gaze settling on Sunny.��


    Suddenly, a faint smile appeared on her face.


    "Or, we''ll die. Lord Shadow, that favor I owe you... you''d better call it in soon. You might not get the chance later."


    He crossed his arms and stared back at her.


    ��Who gave you permission to die?��


    Sunny smiled slightly behind the mask, then said in a cold tone:


    "...You are too weak right now. Become stronger first."


    Nephis remained silent for a moment, then chuckled.


    "Alright. If you insist that I become stronger... it seems that I have no other choice. I will."


    Soon after that, the secret meeting ended. The members of the cohort left - some openly, some in secret. Sunny himself simply crossed the border between the realms, returning to the Nameless Temple. There was a lot for him to do.


    Outside the manor of the Immortal Flame clan...


    The engines of war were churning, and the world was moving on.

 Chapter 1747 The Infamous Lord Mongrel.

    In the days following Sunny''s appointment as the Memory Purveyor of the Fire Keepers, the Brilliant Emporium had undergone a transformation. Once established as a cover for his ability to weave sorcery, the Memory Boutique was suddenly thriving due to the high number of acquisition deals flowing through it... almost as if he was a real merchant.


    The Fire Keepers were quite generous. Nephis did not enjoy the favor of the Valor elders, so her private troops rarely received resources that a princess''s personal guard deserved �� they existed on a pitiful stipend that wouldn''t cover the needs of fifty Awakened, let alone half a hundred Masters. Nevertheless, they were quite rich.


    Their riches did not come from the Great Clan, but from their own exploits instead. Every time Valor sent Nephis and her Fire Keepers to deal with a terrible calamity of some sort �� which happened on a regular basis �� countless abominations would fall to their swords.


    That meant that there would be many Memories and Echoes brought back from each expedition, as well as valuable materials harvested from the Nightmare Creatures. The Fire Keepers kept the best for themselves and sold the rest. That way, they were quite self-sufficient, and their coffers never ran empty.


    Cassie managed the assets of the Fire Keepers, Investing in various enterprises throughout the Sword Domain. In fact, many establishments in Bastion and other young cities had been funded by her on behalf of Nephis, not only bringing in stable income, but also adding to Changing Star''s reputation.


    There was a sizable charity fund established by the Fire Keepers, as well, helping people in need.


    In short, Nephis was quite affluent despite being shunned by the elders of Clan Valor.


    And now, Sunny was benefiting from her wealth, as well...


    There were a lot of mocking rumors about him in Bastion these days, calling him names and detailing what it was exactly that he was doing for Nephis in exchange for her money and gifts. But Sunny didn''t mind... in fact, he was of the firm belief that everyone talking nonsense about him were simply jealous. Who wouldn''t want to receive expensive gifts and attention from a stunningly beautiful young lady? What was there to feel shame about?


    If they did not know how to put themselves in such an envious position, it was their problem... plus, of all the things Sunny had learned over the years, shame wasn''t one of them. He had none, to begin with.


    In any case, the Brilliant Emporium was now handling the flow of Memories in and from the Ivory Island, collecting a commission from each deal. Granted, the Fire Keepers weren''t selling much these days... they were, however, on a spending spree. The war was just beyond the horizon, and everyone who knew anything about it was in a hurry to arm themselves as well as possible.


    Aiko was so giddy that Sunny was seriously concerned that the petite girl would explode from the excitement. Her greed and love for money put even his own prodigious avarice to shame.


    The deal with the Fire Keepers was not the only reason why the Brilliant Emporium was doing better than usual, though. The restaurant side of the business was booming, as well.


    And the reason for that was not just Sunny''s face. Well... it was, in a manner of speaking.


    The real reason was that damned duel with Tristan of the Aegis Rose clan. Sunny had expected that playing the role of Changing Star''s lover would attract a lot of attention, of course...


    What he had not expected was how much the citizens of Bastion loved to gossip, and how much free time they had on their hands!


    ?These people...?


    ?What a contradictory feeling.?


    On one had, he was tired of hearing idiots talk trash about him.


    On the other hand, the idiots paid a good amount of coins to spend time in the Brilliant Emporium. So...


    It was a good thing, overall?


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, then sighed and descended into the Memory Boutique. There, Aiko was busy checking the descriptions of the Memories she had recently purchased.


    She was in charge of the whole operation �� not only because she had better business sense than him, but also because Sunny was unable to receive and transfer Memories, like all carriers of the Nightmare Spell could.


    The Memories he crafted had to be designed with the customer in mind. Sunny had stolen a trait from the Shard Memories of the Forgotten Shore, which had the ability to bind themselves to those who touched them. After modifying it a little, he was able to devise a way to bestow the Memories on the clients without transferring them directly from his own soul.


    Which meant that for the deals concerning purchased Memories, he needed an Awakened courier. Alko played the role splendidly, delivering the Memories to the Fire Keepers in person.


    ?How is it going??


    The petite girl looked up from the documents and grinned.


    ?All accounted for, boss. We even managed to find a weapon with the weird combination of enchantments that Master Shim requested. Damn, it''s still strange to call that guy a Master... I remember how he used to nag the older Hunters for losing all their shards gambling with me, back in the Bright Castle...?


    Sunny smiled.


    ?Good, then. Make a trip to the Castle tomorrow... come back early, though! I won''t survive in the kitchen alone.?


    Aiko shuddered at the word ��early��, then sighed and gathered the documents.


    ?See you tomorrow, boss.?


    Soon, she was gone.


    Sunny had followed her onto the porch and remained there for a while, watching the sun set. And the full moon rise.


    Tonight was the night he had to meet Cassie again.

 Chapter 1748 Precious Moments.

    Cassie was waiting for him near the same toppled tower as the last time. She was just as ethereally beautiful as the last time, too, bathed in moonlight and standing on the edge of tranquil water.


    However, the atmosphere of their meeting was different today.


    It was more... familiar, somehow. Perhaps even friendly.


    When Sunny emerged from the lake, Cassie smiled faintly.


    ?Sunny.?


    He brushed his wet hair back and smiled, as well.


    ?Lady Cassia.?


    She shook her head lightly.


    ?It feels unfair that you are still maintaining decorum after insisting that I should be more informal. Call me Cassie, please.?


    He hesitated for a few moments, then nodded.


    ?Alright, Cassie. Shall we go? I am hoping to explore as much of the mirror labyrinth as possible tonight.?


    She nodded and offered him her small hand.


    Sunny took it and pulled them both into the shadows, teleporting straight to the underground chamber they had discovered before, This time, there was no need for her to guide him deep into the ruins of the Castle, erasing the memories of the Knights patrolling it.


    The chamber had not changed at all, which was a relief. Sunny vividly remembered the warning Cassie had given him about the Others, so he was wary of the beings that lived inside the mirrors in the former stronghold of the Demon of Imagination.


    Summoning the Shadow Lantern, he drowned the maze in shadows without wasting any time. Soon after, Sunny and Cassie continued to explore the labyrinth.


    ?This place is vast...?


    They had wandered it for hours the last time, and were not making any noticeable progress tonight. Slowly, Sunny was starting to grow wary.


    He remembered the Nightmare Desert and the black pyramid standing at its center. No matter how long one walked across the white dunes, the pyramid never drew closer... was there some sort of trickery preventing him from reaching the heart of the labyrinth, as well?


    They walked in silence for a while, but quickly grew bored of it.


    Eventually, Cassie spoke:


    ?I must admit, Master Sunless... Sunny, You are a fascinating man.?


    He raised an eyebrow.


    ?I am??


    The blind seer chuckled melodiously.


    ?Indeed. I suspected that you were, of course, when we first met. But knowing it and witnessing it in person are two different things. That stunt you pulled with poor Master Tristan... I pride myself on being able to predict things, you know! However, that caught me by surprise. What were you thinking??


    Sunny coughed quietly.


    What was he thinking, indeed?


    He kept quiet for a few moments, then said nonchalantly:


    ?Well, thinking too much is bad for one''s health. Back then, I was thinking... gods, I want to punch this buffoon so much! And so, I did. It''s all about the little joys in life.?


    Cassie smiled, then asked in a gentle voice:


    ?But, speaking of the Lord of Shadows... can I ask you something??


    Sunny glanced at her briefly.


    ?You can.?


    She nodded, hesitated for a moment, and said:


    ?Before, you asked me to keep the true identity of Master Sunless to myself, saying that Nephis would not trust either if the connection between him and the Lord of Shadows was revealed. But now, you are not a stranger to her anymore. She has accepted Lord Shadow into her inner circle and entrusted him with her life. Likewise, Neph is... uh... sympathetic toward Master Sunless. Why maintain the charade??


    Sunny did not answer immediately, contemplating her question.


    Why did he want to keep that secret?


    He hesitated for a while, then sighed.


    ?Because it''s fun.?


    It was a callous answer, but a truthful one. Well, of course it was otherwise, he wouldn''t have been able to give it. There was no strategic reason to keep Nephis in the dark anymore.


    And yet... Sunny was enjoying himself too much to let it go, already.


    Nephis did somewhat trust the Lord of Shadows now. But she was also wary of him, because anyone who possessed such power would make people wary.


    The humble shopkeeper, however, wasn''t powerful at all. So, she could allow herself to be at ease around him. And to Sunny, such moments were... precious.


    They were much closer to the relationship they had before becoming Saints than the courteous distance between her and the Lord of Shadows.


    He didn''t want to lose these moments, yet.


    Cassie let out a small laugh.


    ?Fun? Well... I have to admit, it is indeed a lot of fun. However...?


    She lingered for a moment, and asked quietly:


    ?Don''t you think that it is unfair to her, to keep such a secret??


    Sunny kept quiet, the smile slowly disappearing from his face.


    Eventually, he let out a sigh and lowered his head.


    ?You are right. It is indeed unfair. But don''t worry... I''ll tell her soon.?


    He looked ahead and added with a hint of regret in his voice:


    ?I''ll tell her before the war starts. Until then... well, Master Sunless should probably make an effort to enjoy his last days of peace as much as possible.?


    The two of them continued to explore the labyrinth, sometimes keeping silent, sometimes chatting about this and that.


    Sadly, Sunny failed to solve the maze this time, as well.


    Not long before the dawn came, he found himself back in the underground chamber, face-to-face with Cassie.


    It was time to show her another memory.

 Chapter 1749 Leave It All Behind.

    The battle had just ended, and the Winter Beast was gone.


    The dark ecstasy of having killed the butcher of Falcon Scott had washed over Sunny''s heart and receded like a tide.


    Leaving it cold and hollow. Dark and utterly devoid of light.


    There was nothing binding him to the world anymore. He was banished from the Nightmare Spell, fate, and existence itself. In the whole world... two worlds, actually... not a single soul cared whether he lived or died. No one even remembered that he existed.


    Facing the cruel truth of that loss was too painful, and so, Sunny longed to leave it behind.


    ...He opened his eyes in a familiar hall. Warm sunlight was pouring through the stained-glass windows, painting the ivory walls with vibrant colors. Heavy chains lay on the floor, arranged into a flawless circle. The sky was vast and blue outside.


    The Ivory Island floated on the sea of clouds, enveloped by a peaceful silence.


    Sunny had not wanted to come here. In fact, he wanted nothing more than to avoid this place at all costs, However, this was where his soul was anchored to the Dream Realm, and so, this was where he had arrived after giving up on the waking world.


    Standing in the center of the chain circle, Sunny shifted slightly and dissolved into the shadows.


    The Ivory Tower was mostly empty right now �� most of the Fire Keepers were still lost in the depths of their Nightmares, while Nephis and the rest of the cohort were too busy to visit it often. Still... he didn''t want to be seen by anyone.


    They could not remember him even if he told them who he was, so there was no point.


    Sunny glided across the floor as a shadow, hiding in the darkness near the gate. Then, he extended his shadow sense outward and froze. On the emerald grass outside the great pagoda, two people were walking toward its gate.


    The sunlight suddenly seemed brighter.


    He kept himself hidden when they entered the sunlit hall. Nephis was frowning, while Cassie followed her with a strangely lost expression on her delicate face.


    Sunny remained motionless as he unwillingly eavesdropped on their conversation.


    ?...Are you sure??


    Cassie nodded slowly.


    ?Yes, I.,, I think I am. The future has grown too... elusive to decipher.?


    Nephis halted and remained silent for a few moments.


    ?Can it be connected to your Transcendence? Or witnessing that thing in Verge??


    The blind girl hesitated briefly.


    ?That was what I thought, as well. However, I''ve reached out to several seers in confidence. They all seem to be having trouble glimpsing anything from the future, as well... all over the world.?


    Nephis'' scowl deepened.


    ?What can be the reason? An aftershock of the Dream Gates being open? The Chain of Nightmares itself??


    She shook her head and continued walking.


    Cassie did not move for a while, standing there with her head lowered.


    Eventually, she whispered quietly:


    ?What has she done to me??


    With that, she turned around and descended into the basement of the Ivory Tower, where the runic controls of the island were located.


    Sunny was left alone.


    He exhaled slowly and emerged from the shadows, looking in the direction where Cassie had gone.


    Torment... did she really believe that her Defiled twin had been capable of doing something like that? The timeline didn''t make sense, and Cassie knew it.


    Well, it was a reasonable theory to make. Torment''s power... Cassie''s power... had to do with manipulating memories, after all.


    For a moment, a desperate hope ignited in his heart. What if Cassie could restore the memories of him with her Transcendent Ability? What if he could make them remember?


    But no... he knew that it was impossible. if it was, she would have already done so, restoring her own lost memories first.


    ?...I''m sick of it.?


    He gritted his teeth and walked out of the Ivory Tower.


    By now, the Crushing was of no threat to him. Sunny wasn''t sure if he could endure its terrible pressure, but he also did not need to. The range of his shadow sense had grown enough to reach the distant islands, so he could simply step through the shadows to leave the Ivory Island behind.


    He contemplated for a few moments, considering if he should.


    What was he going to do, anyway? Live like a hermit in some godforsaken corner of the Dream Realm? Leave to travel the unexplored regions of this dreadful world, away from where any human could see him?


    Jump into the Sky Below and try to reach its bottom out of curiosity?


    Each alternative was as good as the next one.


    Well, jumping into the Sky Below was probably a bit worse than the rest...


    Sunny remained still for a while, thinking.


    In the end, he did not use Shadow Step to reach the flying island far below.


    Instead, he circled the great pagoda and headed toward the graceful gazebo, where the portal to the Ebony Tower stood.


    If he remembered correctly, there was a chamber in Nether''s scorched tower where the walls were engraved with countless runes.


    Sunny had not been able to understand those runes before, or at least retain the understanding of the ancient daemon''s words.


    After his visit to the Estuary, however...


    Who knew what he would be able to learn?

 Chapter 1750: Nothing But Time.

    Chapter 1750: Nothing But Time.


    The Ebony Tower was just like the last time Sunny had seen it �� floating ominously in a boundless black void, with a sea of fire burning above it relentlessly.


    The Fire Keepers had established an outpost here, but after the Chain Breaker gained the ability to brave the Crushing, they only maintained a token presence in the Sky Below. Now that Neph''s followers had left to challenge the Nightmares, there was not a soul around.


    He stepped out of the black arch on the highest level of the obsidian pagoda and remained there for a while, staring into the distance. Somewhere far away, in a different world, one of his shadows was following Rain... Sunny had to think of a way to approach her openly, but his current mental state was too volatile to try.


    ?...I''ll think of something later.?


    Nothing moved in the Sky Below. Nothing disturbed the cold silence. Rid of the suffocating pressure of human company, he felt... comfortable, for the first time in a while. Or at least numb.


    There was consolation in solitude.


    Sunny exhaled slowly, then allowed the Onyx Mantle to retreat back under his skin. With his military bodysuit in tatters, he was left practically naked �� after hesitating for a bit, Sunny allowed the wild shadows to envelop his lithe body, and manifested them into a semblance of soft fabric.


    Summoning the Endless Spring, he satiated his thirst and left the sixth level of the Ebony Tower.


    The fifth level consisted of one large chamber. It was shrouded in darkness, with countless runes covering the obsidian walls. These runes were the reason why Sunny had chosen to come to this place.


    He stared at them emotionlessly.


    ?I knew it.?


    Before, Sunny had been unable to read the forbidden runes. In fact, simply beholding them had almost killed him... but things were different now. Not only had he grown vastly more powerful since his day as an Awakened, but he had also received the revelations of madness from the Sin of Solace.


    Thanks to that, he glimpsed the secrets that Ariel had left behind, and was seemingly inoculated against the power of the forbidden runes by the knowledge of the Forgotten God.


    And so... Sunny did not feel repelled by the runes carved into the walls of the Ebony Tower anymore. All he felt was a slight sense of discomfort.


    Of course, he still had to be careful when studying them �� the knowledge of the Void that a daemon was capable of enduring could very well plant seeds of Corruption into his Transcendent Soul, and there was not telling if any of it was mixed between the passages concerning the Forgotten God.


    There was also a bit of a problem...


    In any case, his mental fatigue lessened no matter which incarnation slept, as long as one of them did.


    Rising from the cot, Sunny looked around groggily.


    There was nothing pressing he had to do, so he was not in a hurry. He summoned the Covetous Coffer, took out some supplies, and seasoned some monster meat. While it was roasting, Sunny brewed himself a pot of coffee.


    Then, he took the pot and the plate of meat outside and ate breakfast while dangling his feet above the bottomless abyss of the Sky Below.


    The sea of divine flames above made for a spectacular sky. He enjoyed the views for a while, sipping coffee and not thinking about anything in particular. Eventually, though, Sunny grew bored, and finally returned to the fifth level of the Ebony Tower.


    He looked at the runes for a while, eventually stopping near a familiar section of Nether''s writings.


    Out there on the obsidian wall, a strange map had been carved into the stone.


    The Ivory Tower, the Tomb of Ariel, Ravenheart, Bastion, the great vessel that served as the Citadel for the House of Night, the Underworld... and Weaver''s Mask placed above the other six landmarks, with a question mark next to it.


    The other six strongholds were only marked by a single rune each.


    Desire, Oblivion, Dread, Imagination, Repose, Destiny... and ��Fate?��


    Sunny studied the map with amusement.


    It had seemed a bit strange before �� after all, there were no borders, no terrain, no measure of distance between the strongholds. They all seemed strangely disconnected, as if there was no map at all.


    Now, of course, Sunny knew the daemons had built their citadels in different realms, and so, it could as well have been a realm map. It was only after the Dream Realm had assimilated all mortal realms and five of the six divine realms that the daemonic strongholds ended up connected by land.


    Finally, his gaze settled on the carving of Weaver''s Mask.


    Nether had not known where his eldest siblings dwelled, or if there was such a place at all.


    Perhaps Weaver had been a homeless wanderer, just like Sunny.


    Smiling darkly, Sunny looked away from the map and turned his attention to the runes.

 Chapter 1751 Why Did the Flame Wane?

    The work progressed slowly.


    There was no day or night in the Sky Below, and Sunny did not particularly care for tracking time anymore. He only knew how much of it had passed because of the happy shadow, which continued to act as Rain''s guardian somewhere far away.


    The task of learning how to read the forbidden runes was engrossing.


    Sunny was not trying to decipher the ancient script blindly. He was familiar with many variations of the runic language that had been used in the Dream Realm... or rather, in the multitude of realms that would one day become its various regions. The languages the people of the bygone eras had spoken were different, and so were the writing systems they had used.


    However, they all shared a common root... Hope, who had invented the concept of writing and the original runic script. Being familiar with that script and many of its descendants, Sunny could somewhat infer the meaning of derivative runic languages, and learn how to read them.


    That task was not an easy one, even for a Saint but after spending a few weeks in the Ebony Tower, doing nothing but studying Nether''s writings, he was making quick progress.


    Sunny studied the runes, took walks along the edge of the scorched island, slept, and lay idly on his cot, staring at the celling. His life was tranquil, easy, and entertaining.


    Truly free of all burdens.


    ...Sometimes, he felt the desire to claw at the walls of the Obsidian Tower.


    In those moments, he visited the lightless shrine and stared at the statue of the Goddess of Black Skies.


    The face of the statue was obscured by a veil, but the sculpture was so exquisitely carved that the veil seemed to be made from fine silk, not cold stone. He could see a vague silhouette of a divinely beautiful face, outlined by its delicate folds and creases.


    Sunny couldn''t help but feel that it shared a close resemblance to the faces of the broken porcelain dolls that piled into a mountain on the lowest level of the tower... as well as Saint''s inhumanly beautiful visage.


    Had Nether been obsessed with Storm God, or simply too lazy to sculpt a multitude of faces when there already was a perfectly fine one for him to copy? He had been a very practical man, after all... as well as the most impractical of them. Why else would he rise in rebellion against the gods?


    As Sunny made advancements in his understanding of the forbidden runes, he was able to make a rough estimate of when exactly the Demon of Destiny had resided in the Ebony Tower.


    It had been in the latter half of the Golden Age, during Hope''s imprisonment. Nether seemed to have already fallen out with Storm God, but was not contemplating going to war against the heavens yet.


    Instead, he had turned his back on the world and dedicated himself to his misguided passion �� trying to create living beings, which was an authority exclusive to the gods.


    Much like Sunny had turned his back on the world and dedicated himself to studying these forbidden runes.


    The Ebony Tower seemed to attract disheartened men.


    Most of the runes carved into its walls were... esoteric, to say the least. Sunny slowly learned how to understand their meaning, but that did not mean that he understood what they meant. It would be the same if someone had given him a highly advanced scientific paper on quantum physics to read �� knowing human language would not help him comprehend the contents.


    The fact that Nether''s writing had never been meant to be read by anyone except the Demon of Destiny himself did not help, either. He had left these notes for himself, so they weren''t very detailed.


    There were many passages like:


    ?Dissected. Structure, pathways, flow, Basic mechanics hide the deep complexity of process and function. Material??


    ?Correlation or causation? Potential hints at obsolescence. Source unknown, observation flawed.?


    Sunny could not really understand the meaning of these passages, but he did discern several underlying themes.


    [Like the flame of desire had burned in the hideous void, giving birth to the seven gods.]


    [Why does the flame wane?]


    Sunny thought about the strange story for a long time, Was it a fable Nether had written down on a whim? Or the transcript of an actual conversation between him and Storm God?


    In any case, it had to have meaning. The Demon of Destiny was not someone who would have carved runes into stone without a reason.


    He had been trying to create life, so the story could have been a contemplation on the nature of life. However... to Sunny, It seemed like there were many layers to this passage.


    The Goddess of Black Skies had described three situations. One was about hunger, one was about the desire to survive, and the last one was about lust. So, had she been trying to say that life was hunger, fear, and lust?


    He did not think so. It seemed that the exact situation did not matter too much... what mattered was that the character of each anecdote was faced with a choice. Nether had been the Demon of Choice, so... was that the true meaning of the story?


    Somehow, Sunny felt that it was not that important, either.


    The truly important part was the first and the last lines of the story.


    Why did the flame wane?


    The waning flame was, presumably, desire �� the primordial desire that had been born in the Void, and gave birth to the gods in turn.


    Sunny remembered the murals describing the origin of the daemons clearly, both those that he had seen in the drowned library of Fallen Grace, and those he had seen in the Estuary.


    On one, a golden flame was burning in the darkness. On the next, seven figures �� the gods- were surrounding the greatly diminished flame, Sitting on the edge of the Ebony Island and looking at the sea of divine flames above, he blinked.


    ?No, wait... but really...?


    Why did the flame diminish?


    The divine flames that had created the Sky Below waned slowly over thousands of years, until only this much was left. One day, they would be extinguished altogether.


    But why had the primordial desire waned after giving birth to the gods?


    Did it have something to do with the secret of life?


    Nether had built the Ebony Tower because he wanted to use divine flame to create living beings, but he eventually abandoned that path and returned to the Underworld. Had he been trying to substitute the flame of desire with the flame of divinity?


    All of it seemed too... interconnected, somehow, and encapsulated in the strange story to be a mere coincidence.


    However, even if it was, Sunny could not, for the life of him, understand what it actually meant.


    He summoned Saint, shared his theory with her, and asked for her opinion.


    ...Saint, of course, remained silent, simply staring at him with indifference.


    ?Thought so.?


    Sunny clicked his tongue, dismissed the Shadow, and returned to the tower with a sullen expression on his pale face.

 Chapter 1752 Reading About Nothing.

    The second passage he was keenly interested in was much less poetle, but tantalized Sunny much more. That was because it mentioned the other daemons... most of all, the nebulous Demon of Fate.


    The runes read:


    [Gods created all living creatures, but not all creatures they created carry a divine lineage. Only those born of the gods do, and those born of their descendants. Why have the gods forbidden us seven to sire offspring? Why are we destined for loneliness?]


    [Is it because we are of the Forgotten One, who slumbers in the Void?]


    [Where is the Void, and where is its Gate? How did Weaver enter it, and what did Weaver see?]


    [Why did Weaver decide to break the will of the gods and create a lineage?]


    [Blood, bone, flesh. Soul, spirit, mind. And shadow.]


    [The gods shall discover the transgression, but they cannot.]


    [That is because, having created a lineage, Weaver does not possess a lineage. It has been lost and will be lost, therefore having never been in Weaver''s possession. One cannot be punished for something that has never been.]


    [A piece is lost to fantasy, a piece is lost to fear. A piece is lost to respite, a piece is lost to darkness. A piece is lost to sorrow, a piece is lost to rot. And finally, a piece is stolen by a thief.]


    [Weaver''s defiance is elusive, just like Weaver is. But mine will be different.]


    Sunny stared at the runes for a while, his eyes burning with wanderlust.


    Nether seemed to have been considering the difference between him, the youngest sibling, and Weaver �� the oldest. Both had decided to defy the gods, but in a different way.


    ?Gods created all living creatures, but only those born of them carry a divine lineage...?


    It seemed that Weaver had pursued the latter, while Nether had pursued the former.


    But more importantly...


    ?Weaver''s lineage.?


    Finally, he knew the remaining parts of the Weave. He had already found Blood Weave, Bone Weave, and Soul Weave. Flesh, Mind, Spirit, and Shadow Weaves remained.


    ?Shadow Weave!?


    Would absorbing it make up for Shadow God''s lineage that Blood Weave had so unceremoniously devoured?


    And if he managed to collect all seven, would the broken lineage of Weaver restore itself to an unblemished state, granting him its full power?


    Sunny finally understood why the Weave had been shattered into many fragments, to begin with. it was because Weaver had hidden its existence from the gods by scattering it across the tapestry of fate.


    Its fragments had always been fated to be lost, and so, it was as if Weaver had never possessed them at all. The fragment destined to be lost to sorrow was Soul Weave, which Sunny had found near Oblivion''s grave. The fragment destined to be lost to rot was Bone Weave, which he had found here in the Ebony Tower.


    The fragment destined to be stolen by a thief was Blood Weave, which the Nightmare Spell had granted him for slaying the Spawn of the Vile Thieving Bird.


    At the time when Nether had been carving these runes, Oblivion was still alive, while Weaver had not lost an arm. Therefore, the Demon of Fate had foreseen these events in advance... or maybe even reached into the tapestry of fate to attach the fragments of the Weave to its strings.


    One had to be inventive to avoid the gaze of the gods.


    But where had the other four fragments ended up? Sunny looked back at the runes.


    ?A piece is lost to fantasy, a piece is lost to fear A piece is lost to respite, a piece is lost to darkness...?


    He contemplated for a few minutes, then turned and gazed at the map where the strongholds of the daemons were depicted.


    Not the absence of everything, but the presence of nothing.


    Just thinking about that made his head hurt.


    But it seemed very much like something that the gods would be involved in. These beings operated with ideas and concepts, after all, having shaped the very universe into existence.


    So, if nothing could contain the Void... the gods could have gone and literally used nothing to contain it. Enveloping the Void in a layer of nothingness, which the Void Beings could not cross, because nothing could stop them. And bringing down the cage of existence on top of that layer.


    That would be a godlike thing to do, wouldn''t it?


    That nothingness seemed to seep into the universe, though...


    Like mist.


    Weren''t the Hollow Mountains always shrouded in a strange mist?


    Sunny opened his eyes wide, remembering how the cohort had escaped a flood of mist on the outskirts of the Hollow Mountains. Back then, they felt a terrible threat emanating from it, not knowing why.


    If that mist was literally nothingness... would they have been erased from existence if it swallowed them?


    Sunny also remembered the eerie creature that had come from the mist and demanded that he open his eyes on the Ashen Barrow.


    ?Nobody exists within it...?


    Were there... actual beings born from and dwelling in nothingness?


    He suddenly felt a chill running down his spine.


    The Demon of Destiny... was wary of nothing, and feared nobody.


    Wasn''t Nether actually admitting that he felt wary of nothingness and feared the beings dwelling in the mist?


    ?Goddammit.?


    As if the world wasn''t scary enough already!


    Sunny already had his hands full dealing with the Nightmare Creatures. There were also the Void Creatures, which were infinitely more harrowing than the familiar abominations... luckily, they were locked away by the gods.


    And now, there were also Nothing Creatures? Nobodies?


    No... he simply refused to deal with that.


    ?Time to get some sleep.?


    Sunny shook his head and left the fifth level of the Ebony Tower, returning to his living quarters.


    The translation... was mostly complete.


    He had already determined which passages he could understand, which he couldn''t fathom, and which spoke too much about the Void, meaning that he had to avoid them at all costs.


    Staying in the Sky Below was slowly becoming meaningless.


    Perhaps it was time to start thinking about his next destination.


    ?I''ll consider it tomorrow.?


    Just before falling asleep, Sunny wondered where he would go, and a sudden thought crossed his mind.


    ?I don''t exist in the memories of the world anymore, so am I a Nothing Creature, too? A nobody...?

 Chapter 1753 Runaway

    In the morning, Sunny woke up and simply remained on the cot, staring at the ceiling. He felt strangely apathetic.


    Yesterday, he had considered whether it was worth it to continue studying Nether''s writings. There wasn''t much left for him to learn from the runes... as soon as that idea entered his mind, all the motivation and excitement he had been feeling about translating them disappeared. Without something to look forward to, he could not find a reason to get up.


    How long had he spent in the Sky Below, anyway? A month? Closer to two?


    In any case, he had beaten his previous record.


    ''Might as well get comfortable...��


    Sunny closed his eyes and went back to sleep.


    He spent the next few days doing nothing. Sometimes, Sunny would go outside and look at the sea of flames. Sometimes, he would remain in the Ebony Tower, staring at the walls. Only his incarnation that guarded Rain remained active, which was the sole reason he was not dying of boredom.


    Eventually, however, he became fixated on a strange thought.


    ��...Can I cross the Hollow Mountains?��


    The question seemed rhetorical, but it was not. Sunny did not dare delve into the hollow interior of the great mountain chain, where elemental darkness dwelled. But what about braving the mist shrouding it to traverse the exterior?


    If the mist enveloping the jagged peaks was indeed pure nothingness, then anyone who entered it would become nothing. At least that was what one would think... they would think wrongly, though.UppTodated from


    Sunny had undeniable proof that it was possible to survive in the mist, at least for some time. It was the fact that Saint Cormac had spent months exploring the Hollow Mountains on behalf of Clan Valor before being killed by Saint Tyris.


    What had been his goal? Searching for a way to cross to the other side? Looking for an entrance into the Underworld, where Nether''s stronghold was supposedly located? Or something else entirely, which Sunny could not even guess?


    In any case, if Cormac could do it, then Sunny could, too.


    ''Should I try?''


    He had no plans and no particular desires, except for the desire to be far away from everyone. Was there a more distant place than the unexplored vastness beyond the Hollow Mountains? There, Sunny would be truly and utterly alone, which was what he wanted.


    The romance of the unknown....


    His curiosity and wanderlust were calling him.


    On the other side of the impregnable mountain chain... lay the Forgotten Shore.


    It was now a desolate land of perpetual darkness. Most of the creatures that had populated the coral labyrinth were gone, annihilated by the Terror of the Crimson Spire. The dark sea was gone, as well, sealed by his own hand Maybe a few abominations still survived, somewhere in the darkness... but he still wanted to visit that place one more time.


    Sunny could retrace the steps of the journey he had made with Nephis and Cassie. He could make sure that the Soul Devourer was dead, and if not, fulfill his promise to burn the damned thing to the ground. l?ght~n��vel~c��ve~c`��/m. He could return to the Dark City and sift through the scorched ruin of the Bright Castle, find the statue of the Slayer that he had never seen, and sleep on his own bed in the ruined cathedral.


    And that was not all.


    Humans knew about the Forgotten Shore now. They also knew that the Nightmare Desert lay to the east, thanks to Nephis making the journey. However, no one had even learned what lay to the west and north of that cursed place.


    Sunny could become the first human to ever set foot in those mysterious regions of the Dream Realm. Sure, no one would ever learn about his discoveries... but he would know, Doing it for himself was enough.


    A subtle sense of excitement slowly took hold of his heart.


    ''What are they doing?''


    Cassie looked a little bit disheveled, which was very unlike her usual tidy self. She observed the Fire Keepers silently, but at some point, a slight scowl appeared on her face.


    The blind seer wandered the hall for a bit, seemingly without aim. Eventually, she stopped near the cot Sunny had slept on and touched the pillow briefly. He was about to grow tense, but at that point, one of the Fire Keepers called out to her:


    "Cassie... are we really not going to be able to return here?"


    Turning around, she lingered for a few moments, then answered with a sigh:


    "I don''t know. The Ivory Tower is about to leave the Chained Isles. The connection between the two portals might depend on distance, or it might not.... in any case, it is better not to take the risk.��


    Hiding in the shadows, Sunny was momentarily stunned.


    ''Right... Nephis told Cassie to take the Ivory Tower to Bastion.��


    He had forgotten all about it.


    What would have happened if he stayed on the Ebony Island until the connection between the two portals was broken? Was he capable of ascending all the way to the Sky Above on his own?


    Probably... after doing some weaving, at least.


    But it would be such a pain.


    ''It seems I can''t stay here anymore.��


    It was so sudden.


    But it was also... a relief.


    Feeling strangely liberated, Sunny silently hid himself in Cassie''s shadow and stayed with her until the outpost was completely disassembled. Then, he followed the blind seer back to the portal... on the way, Sunny said a silent goodbye to the statue of Storm God and threw one last glance at the map carved into the wall on the fifth level.


    The Hollow Mountains were calling to him, and he had no reason to refuse the invitation anymore.


    Once Cassie and the Fire Keepers returned to the Ivory Island, taking him with them, Sunny silently reached down with his senses and used Shadow Step to teleport to the distant land far below.


    He stepped out of the shadows on the Southern Island, in the ruins of the ancient stronghold that had once belonged to Shadow Lord, and where he battled Nightmare many years ago.


    In the sky above, the beautiful silhouette of the Ivory Island was drifting among clouds.


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, looking up. Eventually, the flying island slowly moved, traveling south... crossing the chasm separating the Chained Isles from the rest of the Dream Realm, and leaving them behind.


    It was time for him to go, as well.


    He watched the Ivory Tower float away, and then turned around, facing north.


    "...Goodbye."


    Taking the first step, Sunny headed away from the ruined stronghold, never looking back.

 Chapter 1754 I Hurt, Therefore I Am

    Sunny remembered the first time he went all the way to the northern boundary of the Chained Isles vividly. Back then, it had taken Cassie and him around a month to reach the Night Temple from the Sanctuary of Noctis.


    The Southern Island was further away from the Hollow Mountains than the Sanctuary - and yet, Sunny made the journey in under a week. Even then, it had only taken him that long because he was taking his sweet time.


    He did not need to traverse the heavenly chains to get from one island to the other anymore instead, he simply turned into a crow and flew north, landing from time to time to rest or take a look at something peculiar.


    The Crushing was of no issue because he could escape it at any time with Shadow Step. The Nightmare Creatures of the Chained Isles were too weak to pose a serious threat to him, at least as long as he stayed alert. Most simply fled, frightened by his dark presence.


    Strangely enough, Sunny felt that he was more at home in the Dream Realm than he was in the waking world. It was as though being a Transcendent finally made him suited to exist in this land of beauty and dread.


    Soon, he saw a black line on the northern horizon. The line grew darker and taller as he ventured further north, until he finally could make out the jagged peaks of the Hollow Mountains.


    The great mountain chain pierced the sky like the fangs of a giant dragon... at least that was how Sunny always perceived it before. Now, however, he knew that they were simply a scar left on the surface of the world by the fall of a Void Creature that had been killed here at the dawn of time.


    True darkness was born from the blood of that abyssal being, which had seeped into the broken earth.


    Having beheld the draconian peaks, Sunny lowered his gaze and looked down.


    The Northern Island had been destroyed in the battle between Sky Tide and Saint Cormac, so the chasm separating the Chained Isles from the Hollow Mountains was wider than before. Across the dark abyss of the Sky Below, the mountains rose steeply into the distant sky, white mist rolling down their slopes.


    It flowed into the abyss like a wall of clouds, disappearing into the darkness.


    Sunny exhaled slowly.


    He was standing on the edge of an island, with the broken chain that had once connected it to the Northern Island rattling quietly far below, Far away, on the other side of the chasm, the great anchor chain that had once connected the Chained Isles to the Hollow Mountains was hidden by mist.


    He was not alone.


    Saint, Serpent, Nightmare, and Fiend were standing around him. Gloomy, creepy, haughty, naughty, and crazy shadows lay on the ground, as well. Only the happy shadow was missing, busy with its own mission.


    Sunny exhaled slowly, then looked at his retinue.


    He remained silent for a while, then said with a pale smile:


    "The smart way of doing this would be to send one of you into the mist first. To see how it goes."


    None of them showed any reaction... except for Fiend, who tried to hide behind Saint without drawing attention. Sadly, with his current size, hiding behind Saint was not as effective as it had been before.


    Sunny grinned.


    "...Luckily for you, no one has ever accused me of being smart."


    He had been complimented on his wit from time to time, but never in an accusatory tone. So, the statement was technically true.


    Shaking his head, Sunny commanded the shadows to wrap themselves around his body. Then, he dismissed the Shadows and faced the abyssal chasm once more,


    ��What a bother...''


    He had already tried to extend his shadow sense into the mist to breach the chasm with Shadow Step, but couldn''t sense a single shadow on the other side. In fact, he couldn''t sense anything. It was as if... nothing existed beyond the veil of mist.


    Perhaps quite literally.


    ''Here we go.''


    Sunny dissolved into the shadows, then emerged from them in the form of a crow. Flapping his wings, he cawed loudly and flew toward the Hollow Mountains.


    He left the rattling of chains behind and glided on the winds above the bottomless abyss of the Sky Below. The white wall of flowing mist drew closer and closer, and as it did, Sunny''s heart beat faster and faster.


    Was his body turning transparent? If so... that was alright. That was how it should be.


    Only...


    ''If I don''t exist, if there is no me... then why does it hurt to have never existed so much?��


    He had experienced being erased from existence once, already. That pain would have been meaningless if he had never existed, in the first place... so, the mere fact that it had hurt him so badly was a contraction.


    If he was nobody, then he would have felt nothing. But he felt something, and therefore, he had to be somebody.


    Pain bloomed in his heart like a flower.


    And with it, his Transcendent soul ignited with the beautiful radiance of divine flame.


    Tenacious blood ran through his body, filling it with strength.


    His mind was aflame with desire.


    Desire to exist.


    ''I hurt, therefore I am... wait, what? What kind of nonsense am I spouting?!''


    Sunny groaned and concentrated all of his formidable mind on a single thought:


    "I am!"


    He was not nothing.


    He was not nobody.


    He was Sunless, formerly known or rather, unknown - as Lost from Light. He was the Devil of Antarctica. He had been the Mad Prince once, but he was not anymore. He was even Lord Mongrel, even if he wished otherwise.


    He was... Sunny.


    It took all his focus to keep that thought from dissolving into the mist.


    Once he managed to prove his own existence, the pressure of nothingness did not disappear, and the pull of non-existence did not lessen. Sunny had to keep concentrating on the fact that he had been, was, and would be without reprieve. l?ght~n��vel~world~c`��/m. If he let go of that fervent thought even for a few moments, both his soul and body would probably turn into flowing mist.


    "Dam... damnation...��


    Grimacing, he slowly rose from the cold stone and stared into the white nothingness that surrounded him with a grim expression.


    ''Ah. How insidious.��


    This... was not going to be easy.


    Mumbling quiet curses, Sunny dusted himself off and looked around.


    He could not see anything, and the mist was dampening his senses. So, he didn''t even know which direction he was supposed to go.


    However, it wasn''t hard to determine where the north was.


    All he had to do was pay attention to the ground.


    The ground under his feet was sloping in a certain direction... going down meant returning to the Chained Isles, going up meant venturing deeper into the Hollow Mountains.


    He rubbed his face, sighed, and started climbing the slope.

 Chapter 1755 Affirmation

    1755 Affirmation


    Sunny walked up the rocky slope, surrounded by the flowing mist and a silence so absolute that it was almost deafening. He could not see very well, and even if he could, he wouldn��t have been able to perceive much -�� his mind was so strained by the imperative need to continuously affirm his own existence that there wasn''t much space left for other thoughts.


    The mist could barely be permeated by his shadow sense, as well. His senses were impaired �� not as much as they would have been in true darkness, but still severely. Step. Step. Another step.


    All sounds were muffled, and he could not hear his own footsteps. Because of that, Sunny had an eerie feeling that he was not moving at all.


    ''Damnation.��


    This is going to be tiring.


    He walked for a few hours, feeling more and more fatigued. Just a day before, he was flying across the Chained Isles, unrestrained and full of power... but now, simply taking a step felt like a burden.


    That said, Sunny suspected that he would slowly... very slowly... grow accustomed to the pressure of existing within nothingness. He would have been long erased from existence if he had been a mere Sleeper... but a Transcendent soul was much more vast and potent than that of a Dormant being.


    More importantly, it was fundamentally different from the souls of Sleepers, Awakened, and Masters. That was because a Saint''s soul was connected to the world �� so, to erase it, nothingness had to erase all those connections as well.


    That was why Sunny could struggle to keep existing in the mist.


    In the next few days, he made little progress. Sunny did not dare to move brazenly here in the Hollow Mountains, especially before knowing what horrors lay hidden in the fog. So, he kept a low profile and simply walked, like a mundane human would.


    The slopes under his feet turned steeper and steeper, and his surroundings became colder and colder. If these were mundane mountains, there would have already been snow covering the ground. But in this eerie place, the hidden expanse of black rock remained barren, with nothing but mist flowing across its surface.


    The second reason was that he possessed a rich experience of trying to maintain his sense of self due to Shadow Dance. Sunny had spent years trying not to lose himself in the forms and shapes of the beings he shadowed, so resisting the dreadful pull of nothingness was, in a sense, nothing new to him.


    It would have been much better if he still had a True Name, but, sadly, that was one of the two disadvantages weighing him down. The other disadvantage was that there were no strings of fate connecting him to other people, places, and events. Erasing someone like him, untethered from everything, was easier. After all, the vacuum left in his absence would be very small.


    Luckily, there was the third reason �� his greatest ally in the sea of nothingness. It had to do with the power and nature of his soul.


    A powerful soul was harder to erase from existence than a weak one, and Sunny''s soul was much more potent than that of almost any other Saint, let alone someone of a lesser Rank. Not only did he possess six cores instead of one, but each of them was also altered and bolstered by Soul Weave. He also carried four powerful creatures in his soul �� Saint, Serpent, Nightmare, and Fiend.


    The nature of his soul was no less important. In that regard, Sunny actually had two advantages. The first was one of his Attribute, the [Flame of Divinity] �� for whatever reason, divinity seemed to repel nothingness, protecting him like a radiant shield. The second... was the fact that he was a shadow, and had the soul of a shadow.


    Sunny did not know why, but he had come to believe that shadows were especially difficult to erase from existence. The Vile Thieving Bird''s Spawn had failed to consume his soul because he possessed shadow essence instead of soul essence. Similarly, nothingness was having trouble swallowing him now.


    He remembered the cohort''s journey to the outer boundary of the Underworld, and the forlorn shadows he had found in the maze. They had belonged to the companions of the First Lord, but their owners were somehow gone, leaving only the orphaned shadows behind.


    Sunny thought that he understood how that had happened better now.


    They must have encountered a creature of nothingness somewhere there, in the dark maze.


    But Sunny and the rest had been warned by Cassie to keep their eyes shut, and so, they somehow passed through the darkness unscathed.


    Stopping for a moment, Sunny let out a sigh, leaned against the black rocks, and stared into the mist.


    ''Keep our eyes shut...��

 Chapter 1756 Nothing Left

    Once again, Sunny remembered the chilling encounter with the creature that had come to the Ashen Barrow from the mist. lust like in the dark maze on the precipice of the Underworld, he had survived that encounter by keeping his eyes shut on Cassie''s advice. The creature had been insidious, though, trying to trick them into opening their eyes. That was the first of the very few times Sunny had encountered an abomination capable of human speech...


    But now, looking back on that fearful night, Sunny couldn''t help but doubt if it had really spoken. He went over each and every word the creature had said.


    His expression slowly froze.


    Now that he thought about it... was it not the case? Every word it used was one that Nephis, Cassie, or Sunny had spoken themselves.


    The mist being had stolen their words, just like it had stolen Cassie''s voice. Like a twisted reflection.Upstodatee from


    Was that because the creatures of nothingness did not possess voices of their own? Or for some other, unfathomable reason?


    In any case...


    ''How the hell did the Carapace Demon chase it away, back into the depths of the Dark Sea?��


    The Nightmare Creatures populating the transient sea of the Forgotten Shore were all of the Corrupted Rank, at least. Soul Devourer''s loyal thrall, however, was merely an Awakened Demon. Had it been because it served the tree, and was augmented by it in some way? Because the Soul Devourer attacked the invader alongside its guardian? Or simply because battling the mist creatures was different from battling other abominations?


    Maybe the Carapace Demon had kept its eyes shut, as well.


    ''Don''t I know another creature who makes me want to keep my eyes closed, though?Well, actually, he knew two.


    The first one was Torment. But he was more interested in the second one... Mordret.


    The self-proclaimed Prince of Nothing, who could enter a being��s soul through the eyes. That title of his... was it simply an ironic moniker Mordret had invented because of being abandoned by his family, or something far more meaningful?


    After all, the connection between him and nothingness did not stop there. in the Second Nightmare, the original body he had been sent into belonged to a mysterious mist creature. A mist creature who had descended from the Hollow Mountains and consumed every living soul in the northern reaches of the Kingdom of Hope.


    Mordret had undergone some sort of transformation in the Ebony Tower, as well, making him almost impossible to sense through divination. The Ebony Tower, which had belonged to Nether... the Prince of the Underworld, who was closely tied to the white mist and nothingness, wearing it like a mantle.


    Was it all a series of coincidences, or did Mordret possess some connection to nothing? U ''I just can''t make sense of that guy.''


    What was his Aspect? What was his Flaw? What had Asterion done to him, and why did he enter the First Nightmare as a child? What had happened to him in that Nightmare? Mordret carried the lineage of War God... the Goddess of Life, as well as progress, technology, craft, and intellect. The patron deity of humanity. l?ght~n��vel~world~c`��/m. The core of his Aspect seemed to be connected to reflections and mirrors, which didn''t strike Sunny like something having to do with warfare, and was only tangentially connected to technology and crafting.


    of course, Lineage and Aspect did not have to be directly connected. Sunny himself carried the lineage of Weaver, but possessed an Aspect tied to Shadow God. Nephis carried the lineage of Sun God, but her Aspect was not connected to any god at all, but rather to the mythical nephilim.


    In any case, what did mirrors have to do with nothingness?


    Sunny did not see a connection, but there had to be one.


    ''l''ll ask the bastard the next time I see him. No... right. i won''t see him ever again.��


    It was a bit of a relief.


    After catching his breath �� metaphorically speaking �� Sunny sighed and continued on his way. However, this time, he took additional precautions. He closed his eyes and moved forward relying on nothing but his dampened shadow sense, sticking to shadows where he could.


    The nothingness was oppressive.


    The towering pillars left the range of his perception, and the vast shadow pressing Sunny down disappeared with them.


    The enormous creature, whatever it was, had moved on.


    About a minute later, something crashed into the ground in the distance, causing one last, violent tremor.


    Sunny hesitated for a while, then emerged from the shadows.


    He stood motionless for a while, looking in the direction of where the enormous creature had gone.


    Eventually, he gritted his teeth and followed.


    ''What the hell am I doing?��


    He wasn��t sure why he wanted to find the place where the creature had fallen, but something was pushing him forward. Perhaps it was the need to know what kind of enemies he would face in this eerie place. Perhaps it was simple curiosity. Perhaps it was something akin to the call of the void, the morbid desire to jump into the beckoning abyss. At some point, Sunny turned to a vertical slope and started climbing. The white mist was not uniform �� it was thicker in some places and thinner in others. Usually, the closer to a peak one got, the further they would be able to see.


    It took him some time to climb the tall cliff stealthily. Following along its edge, Sunny reached a narrow ledge and came into view of a vast mountain valley.


    It was shrouded in mist, but he could still see the appalling shape of an immense, abhorrent creature that lay in the fog, its titanic body stretching as far as he could see. Shifting his gaze, Sunny paled when he saw an ocean of vile darkness permeating the being''s soul, spreading from seven tumorous growths.


    ''A... a Great Titan.��


    His heart was suddenly cold.


    Looking upon a Great Titan was already unnerving enough. What made Sunny truly tense, however... was the fact that the abomination''s flesh was terribly torn and mutilated, as if it had barely escaped from a fearsome clash.


    What could have mangled a Great Titan so badly?


    The wounds were hideous and utterly dreadful, and yet, they did not seem grievous enough to kill a being such as this.


    However...


    They weakened it.


    They weakened its body, they weakened its mind, they weakened its soul... and they weakened its will.


    And that was much too dangerous in the Hollow Mountains.


    Although the unfathomable abomination was still alive, the mist was already flowing over its endless shape.


    Hiding in the shadows, stunned, Sunny remained motionless and watched...


    As a Great Titan was devoured by nothingness, slowly dissolving into a milky fog.


    Not long after, it was completely gone. It died just like that.


    No, not even died.


    The Titan was simply erased, as if it had never existed at all.

 Chapter 1757 Hollow Mountains.

    Sunny had felt bold not too long ago. Transcendence had increased his power tremendously, and reuniting with Serpent added another fearsome Shadow to his dark legion. He had braved the dark depths of Earth''s oceans, slaughtered his way across the Antarctic Center like a Grim Reaper, slain the Winter Beast, and crossed the Chain Isles as if he was walking a walk in the park.


    His power had gotten to his head, and he had thought himself truly strong.


    ...The Hollow Mountains disabused him of that notion.


    Wandering the endless expanse of flowing mist, lost among jagged peaks, Sunny was reminded of how weak and insignificant he was in the grand scheme of things.


    Effie had once said that the Dream Realm was a dark paradise... but as far as Sunny was concerned, it seemed more like hell.


    If the conquered regions of the Dream Realm were hell, however, the Hollow Mountains were a deeper and much more dreadful abyss. The horrors that dwelled here were beyond all reason, unfathomable and indescribable, possessing the power to reshape the world with the chilling malice of their alien wills.


    Great abominations, and even Cursed ones... Sunny saw their grotesque shapes moving in the mist from time to time, making him shudder.


    Sometimes, a vague silhouette of a vast creature would pass his hiding spot, wreathed in wisps of fog. Sometimes, an entire section of a mountain would come alive, sliding away to reveal itself as a gargantuan tentacle that had been wrapped around the towering peak. Sometimes, he would hear eerie sounds echoing in the mist, and feel as though his very mind was being consumed by them.


    If not for the Onyx Mantle, which granted him a high degree of resistance to soul and mind attacks, those eerie cries alone would have been enough to kill him.


    This was a land of death, after all. Humans had named such regions Death Zones for a reason there was no place for mortals here.


    ...And yet, Sunny was here.


    He might have been humbled by the dread of the Hollow Mountains, but he was not deterred by it. Even if he was not powerful enough to face the creatures dwelling in the mist, he was strong and resourceful enough to survive them.


    As time went on, he learned to resist the will-eroding pull of nothingness better. It still strained him, but pushing against the dissolution of his self had eventually become a habit. He moved stealthily and stayed out of sight, making sure not to attract the attention of the Great Nightmare Creatures, and retreated at the mere suspicion of a Cursed One being close by.


    Of course, he was not always able to escape.


    As months went by, Sunny failed to evade the attention of powerful abominations a few times. Navigating the mist was difficult, and his senses were impaired... so were theirs, but that simply meant that many things were up to luck.


    And Sunny had no luck to speak of.


    When he was forced to fight, the battles were chilling. The black rock shattered, and the mist boiled from the furious forces unleashed by the combatants �� Sunny had to give it his all to simply survive, testing the absolute limits of his Transcendent power and using every ounce of cunning dwelling in his devious mind.


    Sunny had only encountered the creatures of nothingness after leaving the outskirts of the Hollow Mountains and venturing deeper into the vast expanse of the deadly region. His very first encounter had almost become his last.


    Whispers of long-forgotten voices, echoes of long-extinguished wails... they surrounded him from all sides, drifting in the mist. Sunny had his eyes tightly shut, hiding in the shadows and praying for the eerie being to move past without noticing him. Somehow, he knew that if he saw it, he would not survive. Or at least his self would not survive �� who knew, perhaps six lonely shadows would be left wandering the world in his wake.


    Eventually, the whispers grew distant and disappeared.


    The deeper into the mist Sunny went, the more of these creatures he encountered. He had never gazed at them, so he didn''t even know what they looked like, or if they looked like anything at all. He could allow himself to fight the Nightmare Creatures, but every time he encountered a mist being, he either hid or escaped.


    It was only that... after a while, Sunny started to doubt if they were even creatures at all. It almost felt as if the voices wandering the fog were strange phenomena, instead. As though the eerie remnants of things and beings erased by nothingness drifted in the mist. attracted to each other by the ancient vestiges of erased wills.


    He had a particular suspicion, though...


    ?To be is to be perceived.?


    There was a school of thought that claimed that things only existed if they were perceived. That which was not perceived did not exist, but since one could not perceive nothing, everything they did perceive had to be something.


    In other words, nothing would become something by the mere act of being perceived.


    Like a reflection, perhaps, which was only there when one stood in front of the mirror.


    It was a bit of a strange philosophy, and one that depended on the existence of an omniscient God to make sense �� a God who perceived all of existence, and therefore made it real.


    The gods were dead, of course, and more than that, they had never been omniscient. So, that disproved the whole notion... but Sunny still felt that there was a kernel of truth to it.


    Perhaps things could exist without being perceived, and nothing would not become something even if it was witnessed.


    But he felt that the beings of the mist would definitely become more real if they were witnessed. To behold them was the same as giving them power, Looking upon them would make nothing become something enough to come into contact with existence... and tear it apart.


    At least that was what he thought.


    For that reason, Sunny did not only close his eyes near the mist creatures, but also covered his ears and retracted his shadow sense, turning himself blind, deaf, and mute.


    Being devoid of most senses in the middle of a Death Zone was its own kind of terror, but he simply gritted his teeth and endured.


    Sunny did not know if what he was doing had any meaning... but the creatures of nothingness had never managed to consume him, so maybe he was doing something right.

 Chapter 1758 Something Wicked This Way Comes.

    Even if Sunny found a tentative way to survive encounters with the creatures of the mist, and even if he was slowly learning how to survive in the battles against the Great Nightmare Creatures, claiming their lives one after another... even if he avoided the Cursed Ones with utmost caution... there was still one big problem he had to contend with.


    The Hollow Mountains themselves.


    The Forgotten Shore was a vast land, one that probably had been its own realm once upon a time. The Nightmare Desert was of the same size, if not larger. And yet, the mountain chain stretched from east to west like a great wall, bordering both of these regions, and a few others. It was simply enormous.


    Worse than that, the jagged peaks were shrouded in thick mist, which made navigating them all but impossible. Sunny was mostly sure that he had not lost his understanding of where the north was... but after dozens of furious battles and narrow escapes, his certainty was not absolute.


    Maybe he was hopelessly lost, or maybe the Hollow Mountains were simply too vast. In any case, his journey was taking longer than he had expected.


    Much, much longer.


    Out there beyond the mist, Rain''s family had already left the waking world behind and settled in Ravenheart. Sunny''s avatar had approached her and somehow talked his way into becoming her teacher.


    But Sunny was still wandering the mist, hiding from the unspeakable horrors that dwelled within it, and clashing with them when there was no chance to escape.


    At times, he doubted that anything except for the white mist had ever existed. He was so accustomed to the flowing fog and the black rocks, so used to the harsh life of the weakest being in the mountains, and so familiar with the strange nature of existing in the sea of nothingness that his past did not seem real.


    Wasn''t it ironic? The only thing that seemed to have existed was non-existence.


    The warm and endearing life of his distant avatar seemed like a dream, instead.


    ?Funny.?


    Beaten and battered, hurting all over, Sunny was slowly learning how to fight and function without the Nightmare Spell.


    Tired of only working on turning the Covetous Coffer into an Echo, he tried to envision a Memory that would replace some of the rudimentary functions of the Spell �� especially those having to do with presenting information in an easily digestible manner.


    Such a Memory was not that hard to weave, but actually designing It required some creativity. After all, the source of all that information would not be the Nightmare Spell, but Sunny himself �� therefore, he had to find a way to automatically convert things he knew or perceived into runes. That was an interesting challenge.


    Apart from that, he was also trying to teach himself how to enter his Soul Sea. Some of the things he had learned with the help of the Nightmare Spell had remained with him, like muscle memory �� the acts of traveling between realms and placing realm tethers, for example.


    But some, like visiting the Soul Sea, were completely gone. So, he had to relearn them.


    The ancient people of the Dream Realm had been able to enter their Soul Seas long before the Nightmare Spell was created, so there was no reason that he couldn''t do the same. In fact, there had probably never been a Transcendent who did not know the way into their Soul Sea, so Sunny felt a bit ashamed of himself.


    It was just hard to find the way without a teacher. Nevertheless, he eventually succeeded... even if it had taken him slightly more than a year.


    After entering the Soul Sea, Sunny confirmed two things. The first thing was that the Memories he could not summon... were truly gone, instead of being simply unavailable. That gave him a sense of bitter melancholy.


    The second thing he learned was that the formless shadow of the Vile Thieving Bird''s Spawn was gone, as well �� just as he had suspected. The loathsome creature had claimed its odious chick.


    A year had already passed, and he was still in the Hollow Mountains. He had celebrated his twenty-second birthday in a tiny cave on the side of a misty mountain.


    Sunny felt thankful to the Onyx Mantle and the Puppeteer''s Shroud �� if not for the fact that both of his armors could repair himself, he would have been wearing rags.


    He was also thankful to the Endless Spring because of Cassie''s gift, he was not only able to quench his thirst whenever he wanted, but also wash himself regularly. Otherwise, every creature in the region would have probably detected his stench.


    He was also thankful to Bone Weave and his Transcendent teeth. Most of the provisions he had stored in the Covetous Coffer were long gone, so his diet consisted predominantly of the meat harvested from the Great Nightmare Creatures slain by him. It tasted heavenly, but chewing it often was something only Saints would be able to do.


    A few months after gaining access to the Soul Sea, Sunny successfully turned the Covetous Coffer into a flawed Echo.


    ?Waste of essence.?


    The avatar grinned.


    ?I might be a waste of essence, but you''re the one wasting essence to have a conversation with yourself. Fool.?


    Sunny widened his eyes.


    ?What conversation? It''s a quarrel. A quarrel with myself! Get your facts straight. Idiot.?


    The avatar did not answer immediately, instead turning his head this way and that.


    Eventually, he asked:


    ?Say... don''t you think that the mist has been strangely thin recently? I can almost see the next mountain.?


    Sunny scoffed.


    ?That''s just how it is...?


    But then, he fell silent.


    Because at that moment, Sunny fully realized that he was right.


    The mist was, indeed, too thin. It was thinner than ever before, even.


    He lingered for a moment, then dismissed the avatar, wrapped the shadow around his body, and hurried his steps.


    He recalled the scouting shadows, too, augmenting his body further.


    ?Can it be? No, really... can it??


    The world was slowly turning darker.


    ?It can!?


    Sunny forced himself to remain calm and alert, moving forward as fast as he could while remaining cautious.


    Half a day later, he climbed a tall peak and looked ahead, staggering slightly at the sight.


    He did not even register at first what he was looking at. The only thing he cared about was that he could see anything, at all.


    Out there in front of him, there was no mist.


    Instead, there was a vast and desolate expanse of flat land. A land shrouded in eternal darkness, with a starless void looming above it as a black sky.


    Sunny inhaled deeply.


    ?No way...?


    After all these years, he had returned to the Forgotten Shore.

 Chapter 1759: Return to the Forgotten Shore.

    Chapter 1759: Return to the Forgotten Shore.


    The desolate expanse of the Forgotten Shore lay in front of Sunny, shrouded in darkness.


    The black sky was vast and empty. There were no stars, no moon, and no sun populating the lightless abyss, making it seem boundless. Faced with the hollow eternity of its unfathomable grandeur, Sunny couldn''t help but feel indescribably small.


    Below the black sky, a barren wasteland stretched as far as the eye could see. The Forgotten Shore had changed, becoming almost unrecognizable... the Terror of the Spire, Nameless Sun, was dead, and the endless sea of crimson coral that had been born from her was gone as well, replaced by ashen dust.


    The darkness shrouding the desolate expanse was absolute. But it was merely the absence of light, not the true darkness that dwelled in the abyss of the Underworld. Therefore, Sunny''s gaze could pierce its veil without restraint.


    The Forgotten Shore... had become a land of shadows.


    His bloodless lips twisted into a pale smile.


    ?I''m back.?


    ���� ���� ����


    It took him a few more days to descend from the Hollow Mountains and leave the dark slopes behind, finally setting foot on the Forgotten Shore again.


    Surrounded by the sea of ashen dust and absolute silence, Sunny remained motionless for a while, gazing into the distance with a strange expression on his bruised face.


    The lack of light, the lack of sound, the lack of life...


    ?How peaceful.?


    It was a land of death.


    He walked a few steps forward, and then staggered, falling to his knees. His hands drowned in the dust, and his breathing had become labored, hoarse whistles escaping from his mouth each time his chest rose and fell.


    ?Argh... aaahh...?


    Sunny was suffocating.


    It was not for the lack of air, but simply because both his mind and body were in turmoil. He was having a strange semblance of a panic attack, caused by the fact that there was no mist around him anymore.


    There was no nothingness, and therefore, Sunny didn''t have to struggle to remain existing anymore. He had grown so accustomed to that constant necessity, though, that its lack was like a powerful shock. Everything around him was so solid and immutable, so tactile and palpable... so something.


    Everything was something. Wasn''t that bizarre?


    As it turned out, it was possible to experience a panic attack from the sense of relief. That feeling was so powerful that it debilitated Sunny completely, making him unable to think, move, or control himself. He remained on his knees for a few moments, and then sprawled in the dust.


    ?It''s so calm...?


    Very soon, he curled into a ball... and peacefully fell asleep.


    ���� ���� ����


    ���� ���� ����


    It was strange.


    Sunny vividly remembered the long journey back to the Dark City that he and the members of the cohort had made after visiting the Hollow Mountains. Back then, it had been an endless battle for survival �� the Crimson Labyrinth had been teeming with all kinds of vile Nightmare Creatures, and all those creatures had wanted to taste their blood.


    But now, the Nightmare Creatures were gone, annihilated by the merciless sun.


    The Crimson Labyrinth was gone, too, its demise caused by the destruction of the sun.


    The coral maze had withered in the absence of its source, and crumbled into dust. Now, there was no one to lunge at Sunny from the darkness. There was nothing but death and desolation around him.


    Silence and peace.


    He rode the Nightmare north at a mild pace, not in a hurry to reach his destination. Rocking gently in the saddle, Sunny sipped water from the Endless Spring and looked around, his gaze full of placid curiosity.


    ?I think I recognize that place... no, do I??


    It was hard to orient himself in the sea of dust. There were a few landmarks that Sunny would have recognized, but he entered the Forgotten Shore in a different spot from where the cohort had gone. His route was entirely different, and he could have been hundreds, or even thousands of kilometers away from the places that the cohort had visited.


    Well, it did not matter. If Sunny wanted to, he could spend the rest of his life here. He would find what he was searching for eventually.


    No, actually, that was not quite right.


    Since there were very few Nightmare Creatures on the Forgotten Shore now, if any, his supplies would run out eventually. So, his time was limited after all.


    Sunny''s laughter rang in the tranquil silence.


    ?Gods. Never thought I''d have such a problem...?


    There were not enough abominations around! Such a travesty.


    Wasn''t that ironic?


    Sunny traveled on horseback for a few days, then turned into a crow and flew into the boundless black sky. Drifting on the winds, he soared above the sea of ashen dust and made his way north while observing the desolate land for any familiar landmarks.


    No monster lunged at him from the dust, or from the black abyss above. This land, which had become synonymous with dread and danger in his mind, was now strangely peaceful.


    It seemed safer than even the waking world, let alone other regions of the Dream Realm.


    Sunny opened his beak and let out a few piercing caws, laughing at the irony.


    ?It would be funny... if it wasn''t so sad.?


    ...After flying above the barren wasteland for a few more days, he found what he was looking for.


    The ruins of the Crimson Spire.

 Chapter 1760: Ruins of the Crimson Spire.

    Chapter 1760: Ruins of the Crimson Spire.


    The Crimson Spire, which had been a symbol of both oppression and salvation for the Sleepers of the Forgotten Shore, was no more. Sunny had witnessed the beginning of its destruction, all those years ago, but was sent away by Nephis before the cyclopean structure collapsed.


    Looking at the mountain of shattered black stone that towered above the sea of dust like a titanic gravestone, he wondered how she had escaped the cataclysmic collapse. It must have been hard, to escape that disaster...


    It must have been even harder still to survive the long journey across the desolate Forgotten Shore, traverse the Nightmare Desert, enter the Underworld, and conquer the Second Nightmare. He had always known how hard it would have been for a mere Sleeper... but only after spending close to two years in solitude did Sunny realize how taxing it must have been on Nephis'' mind.


    Escaping the collapsing Spire had probably been the easiest of her ordeals.


    ...Sunny gazed upon the vast ruin from the sky, then plummeted down and turned into a human. Walking across the dust, he fell into a solemn mood.


    Soon, something crunched under the boot of the Onyx Mantle. He hesitated for a moment, then kneeled and brushed the dust away.


    Below it, a monstrous skull was revealed.


    Sunny stared at it for a while, then rose and looked around. He could discern more bones on the ground around him, all covered by a thick layer of dust.


    A quiet sigh escaped from his lips.


    ?It''s here...?


    He was on the edges of the battlefield where the Dreamer Army had fought against the horde of Nightmare Creatures.


    There, in the distance, stood the broken remains of the siege engines that Kai had commanded. Not too far away, Effie had held the line against the flood of abominations, her soldiers dying one by one, until nobody was left. Behind that place was the spot where the Dreamer Army had made its last stand, the rising water already reaching their knees.


    Sunny knew exactly how many Sleepers had come to siege the Crimson Spire. He also knew how many of them had survived.


    So, it wasn''t difficult to calculate how many human skulls lay here, buried in the ashen dust.


    He remained silent for a while, and then said quietly:


    ?...Your nightmare is over.?


    Sighing deeply, he continued on his way to the bridge that led to the island where the Spire had once stood.


    The bridge itself had long collapsed, destroyed by the falling debris. Once upon a time, Sunny had used the Dark Wing and Saint''s strength to breach the wide divide... today, however, he simply disappeared from the spot and appeared on the other side a moment later. All it took was a single step.


    Clad in an onyx armor, with his raven-black hair dancing in the wind, Sunny walked across the rubble and then froze in place, a subtle expression of astonishment appearing on his alabaster face.


    His eyes widened slightly.


    ?Well... this is a surprise.?


    Out of there, in front of him... a stone colossus was kneeling on the ground, unmoving.


    Sunny recognized him instantly. The weathered surface of the ancient stone, the small cracks and fissures where countless abominations had assaulted the giant since ancient time.


    After wandering the Forgotten Shore for thousands of years, the statue of the Builder had finally come to a rest.


    Of course, his head was still missing. The giant hammer that had once struck down the harrowing depth dweller lay in the rubble to the side, forgotten and abandoned. The colossus was still and motionless, its back turned to Sunny.


    Inhaling deeply, he walked around the gargantuan statue and faced it.


    For a while, there was only silence.


    In front of the kneeling colossus, six stone heads lay in the rubble, staring blindly at the empty space where the gates of the Crimson Spire had once been. The Lord, the Priestess, the Hunter, the Slayer, the Knight, the Stranger...


    The seventh head �� the Builder''s head gently in the statue''s hands �� was held gently in statue''s hands.


    However, somewhere deep, deep below...


    He seemed to have sensed the presence of seven abyssal nodes where the Corruption was even denser.


    His suspicion had been right.


    The Dark Sea of the Forgotten Shore was indeed a living being... a Great Titan.


    Before, the mere thought of a Great Titan would have caused him to fall to his knees in terror, but after witnessing one dying miserably in the white mist, Sunny remained unmoved.


    He even...


    Felt a strange, daring compulsion to dive into the black waters.


    Why not? He had bathed in them before. Back then, the Dark Sea paid him no attention... would it be different now that he was a Saint, possessing a Transcendent Soul that would be much more nourishing for a being such as this?


    What would he find in the depths of the ancient sea of Corruption? What mysteries were hidden in the unfathomable black waters?


    ?Should I find out??


    The temptation was strong.


    He reached toward the dark pool, tantalized by its lightless expanse.


    But then, he stopped.


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, struggling against the sense of dark wonder. Then, he slowly, laboriously, pulled his hand back.


    ?What the... hell am I doing??


    He wanted to dive into the Dark Sea. Back then, he was merely a Sleeper... a powerless, pathetic Dormant Beast. But now, he was a Transcendent Terror, and carried a cohort of fearsome Shadows in his soul. Although his mind was telling him to be cautious, his heart recklessly believed that he could survive the depths of the Great Titan... maybe he would even be able to destroy it.


    Why not? What would he lose if he actually died in that vast darkness? There was nothing to lose...


    Only there was, now.


    If he had reached the ruin of the Crimson Spire before promising to be Rain''s teacher, Sunny might have risked it. But now, things were different. She might not have remembered him... but he remembered her.


    He also remembered himself.


    Shaking his head, Sunny took a step back.


    ?I am... such an idiot.?


    It didn''t even matter if he could survive in the embrace of the Dark Sea. What mattered more was that the Great Titan had been sealed by his own hand �� and none of the Nightmare Creatures that dwelled in the black water were able to escape that seal.


    So, if Sunny did dive into the black pool, he wouldn''t be able to escape it, either.


    Wouldn''t it be funny, to be imprisoned by the seal he himself had put in place?


    Smiling darkly, Sunny looked at the still water and sighed.


    ?If I ever become powerful enough to break the seal... maybe then, we''ll meet again.?


    The black pool rippled, as if acknowledging his promise.


    ...Suddenly unnerved, Sunny took another step back and silently dissolved into the shadows.

 Chapter 1761: Old Haunts

    Chapter 1761: Old Haunts


    In the past, it had taken the Dreamer Army many days of an arduous march to reach the Crimson Spire from the Dark City. Now, however, Sunny could traverse that distance in less than a minute.


    He was not in a hurry to leave, though.


    Leaving the towering mountain of rubble behind, he crossed the broken bridge and returned to the ashen wasteland. He remained motionless for a while, then sighed and leaned down to brush the dust off the old bones.


    ...In the end, it took him almost a week to find the remains of every Sleeper that had perished in the battle for the Crimson Spire. There were four hundred of them, after all, and he had to be careful not to damage the brittle bonds. So, it took some time.


    He placed them together on the ground, and then used the jagged slabs of black stone from the ruins of the gargantuan tower to construct a stone barrow above the mass grave.


    It was a little fitting, to lay these young men and women to rest under the broken remains of the Crimson Spire, which they had laid down their lives to conquer.


    Sunny also collected the remains of every Nightmare Creature that had fallen in the battle, and piled them onto each other to the side of the barrow. The mountain of hideous bones towered above the stone grave, dwarfing it entirely in size... a poignant testament to how fearsome the Dreamers of the Dark City had been, and how valiantly they had fought.


    He stood in front of the barrow for some time, and then sighed.


    "We were tough bastards, weren''t we? You guys... rest easy now. The others are doing well. Most of them still follow Nephis, but they are Masters now. The remaining Handmaidens will Ascend before too long, as well - Seishan is taking care of them. Oh, Effie and Kai are already Saints. There are a few independents like myself out there, too. We... we all escaped."


    Sunny didn''t know why he was saying that. His words rang hollow... he wasn''t a big fan of speaking to the dead, to begin with. What was the point?


    Shaking his head, he approached the barrow and carved a few runes into the surface of the black stone.


    The runes read:


    [Here lie those


    Who extinguished the sun Dreamers of the Dark CityUpdated chapters at novelhall.com


    Sleep well


    Your nightmare is over.]


    Stepping back from the slab of black stone with a heavy heart, Sunny remained silent for a while, then sighed and turned away.


    Walking across the sea of ashen dust, he summoned Nightmare and jumped into the saddle.


    His voice sounded rough when he urged the stallion forward and said:


    "...Let''s get out of here."


    There were a lot of hideous remains on the ruined streets... most of them showed no sign of having received a wound, since their souls had been annihilated by the Crimson Terror. But some bones had nicks and deep cracks on them, others were scorched by flame.


    ''...Nephis.��


    She must have come here after escaping the Crimson Spire and hunted the remaining abominations down, one after another. To build another core and harvest their meat for the long journey ahead.


    A faint smile twisted his lips.


    ''She''s so thorough...''


    With the mystery solved, he wandered the ruins some more and eventually made his way to the remains of the Bright Castle.


    The ancient stronghold had collapsed, the white marble melted by the terrible heat of the white flames. He did not know why he wanted to see the scorched ruin... so many things had happened here, between the Castle''s walls.


    But now, it was all erased by the fire.


    Just like him.


    Chuckling, Sunny shook his head and wandered the remains of the outer settlement for a bit. He kicked stones and remembered the past, then stopped by the lodge where Nephis and Cassie had once lived. Now, it was empty and quiet. After visiting his old room, he left the outer settlement and descended back into the city.


    Finally, Sunny reached the ruined cathedral.


    He entered the majestic great hall, climbed over the toppled column that Saint had once dropped on the Black Knight, and gazed at the statue of the nameless goddess.


    He studied her face for a while, then stepped through the shadows and appeared on the hidden balcony behind it. Soon, he entered a familiar chamber.


    The living quarters of the young priestess were neat and tidy, just as he had left them.


    The room was beautiful and spacious. The stone walls were engraved with intricate patterns, creating an atmosphere of sanctity and elegance.


    The furniture was made out of pale polished wood, with several mismatched pieces that Sunny had scavenged from the Dark City once.


    He was surrounded by a soothing darkness. The chamber had no windows, but there were light wells cunningly hidden here and there... the ingenious system of mirrors that was supposed to bathe the room in sunlight was long destroyed, though...


    And so was the sun itself.


    Sunny closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.


    Then, he recalled the Onyx Mantle, walked over to the spacious bed, sprawled on it, and fell asleep with a satisfied smile.

 Chapter 1762 Thus spoke Weaver.

    Sleeping in his own bed felt really great.


    Sunny had had many beds throughout the years. He had one in his temporary room at the Academy, one in the bedroom of his house, the luxurious sleeping pod he had purchased after becoming an Awakened, a flimsy cot in the Sanctuary of Noctis, and even the wide sleeping shelf at the back of the Rhino, among others.


    But out of all of them, this bed of pale polished wood, which had once belonged to the priestess of the ruined cathedral, held a special place in his heart.


    Perhaps because this dark chamber was the first place he had considered home, and this bed was the first he had considered his.


    Even though the time Sunny had spent living alone in the Dark City was one of the bleakest pages of his life, he remembered it with a special fondness.


    Waking up pleasantly refreshed, he smiled, yawned, and climbed out of the bed.


    Looking around the spacious chamber, Sunny remembered his days here. Things had been so simple back then...


    He walked around for a while, briefly touching various pieces of furniture, and then stopped in front of a bare wall. There, countless scratches had been left by the tip of the Prowling Thorn, counting the days he had spent here.


    Below them, the word "Sunless" was carved in the stone with two runes.


    A sad smile appeared on Sunny''s face.


    Back then, he had wanted to leave proof of him having lived, struggled, and suffered in the Dark City on this stone wall. A mark of his existence.


    Who knew that the mark he had left would become meaningless one day? His own actions made it so that nobody could remember him, even if he scratched his name into the stone a thousand times.


    Sunny chuckled, then outstretched a hand and used his nail to leave one more scratch on the wall.


    He had spent another day here, after all.


    Then, he looked around, studying the interior of the dark chamber.


    The thought of leaving it all behind once again made him sad.


    But then...


    Did he really have to leave it?


    Slowly, a dark grin twisted his lips.


    ''Why don''t I take it all with me? What a great idea!��


    He needed to decorate the Marvelous Mimic, anyway.


    Summoning the Shadow, he commanded it to turn into an enormous wardrobe and opened its doors wide, paying no attention to the rows of terrifying fangs hidden behind them.


    Inside was the cold darkness of the vast dimensional storage.


    "Shall we start?"


    Smiling happily, Sunny went about loading the beautiful furniture made of pale polished wood into the Mimic. The bedJ the desk, the intricate lectern...


    He (lid n��t even spare the garbs and vestments of the young priestess, which Effie had once mocked him about. These beautiful clothes were made from fine fabric and masterfully tailored... more than that, they had remained in pristine condition despite thousands of years of neglect. Sunny would be mad to leave behind something like that.


    By the time he was done, the spacious chamber was entirely barren, as if robbed by an extremely greedy thief. The greedy thief in question, meanwhile, looked at the intricately engraved stone walls, feeling regretful that he couldn''t take the engravings with him. Eventually, he sighed and shook his head.


    Closing the doors of the Marvelous Mimic, he dismissed the Shadow and left the living quarters.


    And the daemons have fallen


    The Forgotten One comes


    Wide awake


    To consume them].


    The rest were ineligible.


    Sunny shivered.


    ''No, wait...��


    What did it mean? They had opened the Gates? Who had opened them, and which Gates? Not... not the Gates of the Void, surely?


    That was impossible. If the Gates had already been opened, and the Forgotten God had already escaped from the Void, wide awake, then there would have been no existence left. Everything would have been consumed by Corruption.


    But it wasn''t... yet. Which meant that he was still asleep, seeing nightmares.


    And yet, the runes clearly stated that someone had indeed unleashed the God of Corruption. Not only that, but Weaver had even foretold that they would.


    ''Gods lay dead, and the daemons have fallen...��


    Was that the answer to the question that had been tormenting Sunny? The question of who had won the Doom War?


    According to these runes...


    No one had? Both sides had been annihilated?


    How could that be?


    Had it been mutual destruction, or had someone killed them all? If neither side had won, then who had?


    Suddenly, a chill ran down Sunny''s spine.


    He looked down, at the familiar string of runes written in a different script from the rest of them.


    "Hail Weaver, Demon of Fate. Firstborn of the Forgotten God."


    He suddenly had an ominous feeling.


    Everyone assumed that there had been two sides in the war between the gods and the daemons... but was that really true? After all, there had been one deity that had refused to participate, standing in opposition to both the gods and the daemons.


    The Demon of Fate.


    So, if both sides had been annihilated... then wouldn''t it mean that there was only Weaver left?


    Sunny suddenly remembered the description of Bone Weave...


    [When children of the Forgotten God rebelled against the gods, Weaver was the only one to refuse the call of war. Despised and hunted by both sides, they disappeared. No one knew where Weaver went and what they did... until it was too late.]


    Until it was too late.


    Unnerved, Sunny took a deep breath.


    ''...What the hell did Weaver do?��

 Chapter 1763 Sea of Dust.

    Sunny left the underground cell in a complicated mood. To be honest... he was a little rattled.


    ''Weaver said... that they would open the Gates.''


    Who were the "they" Weaver had spoken about?


    The gods? The daemons? Or someone else entirely?


    There was one thing that made Sunny restless. it was the fact that no one knew who Weaver was, so the nebulous daemon was never referred to as "he" or "she". Instead, the Spell used the neutral "they" to describe the Demon of Fate.


    So... had it been Weaver who unsealed the Void, perhaps?


    That did not make a lot of sense, though, since the runes described something that the elusive daemon had said. So, it would have been "I will open the Gates", not "they will"... unless Weaver had had a habit of referring to themselves in the third person.


    There was the issue of the runic language itself, as well, which did not necessarily follow the same pronounce conventions as the human language did. The runes written by the prisoner of the ruined cathedral did not hint that Weaver had been speaking about themselves.


    But still, still...


    ''Until it was too late.��


    What did the description of Bone Weave mean, exactly?


    If Sunny knew one thing... it was that Weaver had been the most frightening of deities, despite not being the most powerful. He did not trust the devious Demon of Fate one bit. Shaking his head, he walked over to the stone stairs, but then halted and remained motionless for a while.


    Walking back, he stopped in front of the cell once more.


    Summoning the Covetous Coffer, Sunny violently tore the massive steel door off its hinges and tossed it into the wardrobe��s terrifying maw. Then, he pulled one of the torches from its slot and carried it away, seemingly unperturbed by the ghostly flame.


    A person who had been tossed away by the world had to be practical.


    Why leave good things behind?


    ****


    Sunny spent a few more days in the Dark City, exploring the ruins curiously. Before, he had been limited in where he could go and what he could see �� there had been Nightmare Creatures everywhere, and his power had been woefully insufficient to walk around freely.


    But now, Sunny was powerful enough to cleanse the entire Dark City in a matter of hours. Sadly, all the abominations he had not been able to hunt down were already dead, slain either by the Crimson Terror or Nephis.


    The unfinished statue of the Stranger was far to the south, on the precipice of the Underworld. Sunny hesitated for a while, but eventually decided to skip that one.


    He did not want to go anywhere near the Hollow Mountains anytime soon �� or, preferably, ever.


    That only left the statue of the Knight.


    ...Which, ironically, was where he had spent his first night on the Forgotten Shore. Smiling faintly, Sunny summoned Nightmare and sent the dark destrier over the edge of the colossal crater.


    He had crossed the crater on a makeshift boat made from demon bones the last time around. This time, the Dark Sea was gone, and the terrible wound left on the Forgotten Shore by the fall of the radiant being could be traversed on foot.


    Sunny was curious to see what was hidden at its bottom, so he took his time exploring it at a leisurely pace.


    He had found many hideous bones, but nothing that ignited his interest. Closer to the center of the crater, the ground had turned into black glass, and at its very heart, a round hole led into the depths of the earth. That must have been where the Dark Sea had come from at night, and where it had retreated to at dawn.


    He stared into the darkness for a while.


    ''There must be several cavernous hollows below the Forgotten Shore, right? All that water had to go somewhere. Unless it spilled directly into some other hellish realm.''


    If there were such a hollow, the entrance to one of them would be right in front of him. And with the Dark Sea gone, it would be empty. The idea of climbing down and spending a few months exploring the underground caverns seemed rather attractive... what kind of derelicts would he find there?


    But eventually, Sunny decided against it.


    He was sure that the great cavern, if it truly existed... would be incredibly dirty.


    Plus, he had already been wandering the Forgotten Shore for a while. Visiting the statues was taking longer than Sunny had expected, mostly because he was taking his sweet time and exploring many interesting places on the way.


    Now that the labyrinth of crimson coral was gone, many things had been revealed from beneath it. Old ruins, ancient bones... all too damaged to provide him with any useful knowledge, but still fascinating.


    In any case, a lot of time had passed. His birthday was... when was it?


    Sunny counted the months and realized that it was almost upon him. He had celebrated the previous one sometime during the hellish track over the Hollow Mountains, so he did not want to celebrate another one in a musty cave.


    And... he had an appointment.


    Looking east, Sunny smiled darkly.


    There was a reason he had carried a creepy torch with him all the way from the Dark City...


    He had a promise to keep, and a debt to repay.

 Chapter 1764 Never be afraid again.

    A long time ago... Sunny had made a promise to himself. A promise to come back and destroy the Soul Devouring Tree one day.


    Now, many years later, he was here to fulfill that promise.


    He had been descending into the colossal crater for a while, but now that its heart was behind him, the ground was slowly starting to slope upward. Sunny rode Nightmare with a cold expression on his face, holding the ghostly torch in his hand.


    The light of the eerie flame reflected from the polished surface of his armor and danced wildly in his onyx eyes.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    It took some time to traverse the crater, but eventually, Sunny saw it.


    The branches of a great tree covering the black sky.


    A faint smile appeared on his lips.


    ''It lives.��


    He had a feeling that it would.


    Sunny... had changed greatly since leaving the Ashen Barrow.


    The Soul Devourer had changed, as well.


    The insidious fiend had already been enormous back then, but now, it had grown even taller, reaching into the black sky with its obsidian branches.


    This tree towered above the sea of ashen dust like a majestic mountain. Its bark was as black as the lightless sky, while its leaves were as red as blood... of course, Sunny could not really see color in the darkness. But he remembered their crimson splendor vividly. The crimson crown of the magnificent tree had used to cover the Ashen Barrow in its shade, but it was much richer and more expansive now, reaching far into the crater.


    ''That thing... has evolved.��


    Sunny sighed.


    It was understandable. Since the Soul Devourer had managed to survive the rays or the annihilating sun, it would have been left with no competitor on the Forgotten Shore. The Crimson Terror was gone, and so was the Dark Sea. The other powerful abominations, like the Lord of the Dead, had been slain by the Sleepers of the Dark City.


    The insidious fiend growing on the Ashen Barrow would have used the vacuum to enhance its power.


    Sunny shifted his gaze, looking beneath the obsidian bark.


    Then, a sad chuckle escaped from his lips.


    ''A Fallen Terror...��


    He was more or less sure that the Soul Devourer had been an Awakened Terror before. It seemed to have risen to a higher Rank... or rather, fell to a lower one? Sunny wasn''t sure what the correct wording would be for a Nightmare Creature.


    He did feel a certain sense of... disappointment, though.


    He had been so terrified of that thing once. But now, it seemed so weak, and insignificant.


    Dismissing Nightmare, Sunny landed on the ground, then walked up the slope of the crater. The ghostly light of the torch illuminated his way.


    From the Ashen Barrow, he must have looked like a small mote of light in the ocean of darkness... drawing closer and closer, growing brighter, and more chilling.


    Sunny might have been illuminated by the pale flame, but his presence drowned the area in deathly cold. Outside the small circle of light, the absolute darkness seemed to become even deeper, darker, and more impenetrable.


    inescapable.


    He heard the leaves of the magnificent tree rustle in the wind, their murmur seemingly anxious.


    It was as though the rustling leaves were saying:


    There was a cacophony of sounds. The roaring of the fire, the hiss of leaves being turned to ash, the cracking of dying wood- All of them fused into a chilling litany of pain, as if ten thousand souls were shrieking at the sky in agony.


    It was... incredibly disturbing.


    Sunny almost felt as if he was really hearing the ancient tree scream.


    ...It screamed for a long, long time.


    The Soul Devourer was huge, so it took a while for it to burn down. The beautiful crimson leaves had turned to ash. The branches did, too, falling down in a whirlwind of sparks. The delectable, juicy fruits were ruthlessly incinerated.


    The trunk had taken a few days to die, but it eventually turned into a scorched, broken, hollow husk.


    But it was only when the roots died that Sunny felt... nothing.


    He didn��t feel anything at all. He was of a higher Rank than the Soul Devourer now, and so, killing the insidious fiend did not even give him a single shadow fragment.


    A few days later, Sunny was still sitting on the ground, looking at the smoldering remains of the great tree. He could feel that the creature was dead.


    He thought that exacting his revenge on the Soul Devourer would bring him joy, but it didn''t. If anything, Sunny felt... sad.


    Such a death was... almost humiliating. it was unworthy of the creature that had haunted his nightmares for so long. He never wanted to humiliate an enemy that had earned his respect.


    ''When have I become so strong?��


    He wasn''t sure.


    He wasn��t that strong, either... but he did outpace most of the things in two worlds, as far as the acquisition of power was concerned.


    Finally, Sunny stood up, summoned the Endless Spring, and washed the ash off his face. The Soul Devourer was no more, and so...


    ''That is done. Now what?"


    There. He had kept his promise.


    Somewhere in Ravenheart, the sun was rising.


    Which meant that Sunny was twenty-four now.


    It was his birthday.


    Sunny stared at the ghostly torch, which looked like it was on its last leg.


    With a sigh, he walked around and collected a few pieces of charred wood. Then, he used the last of the eerie flame to make a fire.


    Summoning the Marvelous Mimic, he pulled an alloy pot from its maw, as well as a tin can. The tin can contained his last spoonful of coffee powder.


    Pouring the coffee into the pot, he filled it with water from the Endless Spring and placed it on the fire. A few moments later, a delicious smell spread in the air.


    Sunny summoned the Shadow Chair, sat on it, and waited for the coffee to be ready. Then, he brought the pot to his face and inhaled the fragrant aroma.


    "Ah..."


    He remained silent for a while, and then smiled.


    "Happy birthday to me."


    Relaxing in an opulent chair that stood on top of a tall hill, surrounded by boundless darkness, Sunny sipped his coffee and enjoyed the view of fiery sparks dancing in the boundless black sky.

 Chapter 1765 The three of them.

    The last memory Cassie saw was of the mad Saint climbing the statue of the Knight. She knew that he could have reached the top in one step, or turned into a crow to fly there �� but, for some reason, the Lord of Shadow chose to climb the great height of the beheaded colossus like a mundane human, one handhold at a time.


    In the end, he sprawled on the severed neck of the statue and stared at the black sky with a detached expression on his pale, handsome face.


    ...That was where the memory ended, this time.


    It was... almost too much for her to handle, making Cassie feel dizzy.


    Reading someone''s memories wasn''t like reading a book or watching a video. She perceived things the way people remembered them �� a chaotic mixture of images, sounds, smells, sensations, thoughts, and emotions. More than that, memories were often unreliable, and tended to twist the truth a lot.


    There was no solid concept of time in the memories of most people, either. It was warped and twisted in accordance with how significant the event had been for them... or sometimes for no reason at all. A single minute could span an eternity, while entire years could leave close to no trace in a person''s memory.


    Usually, if Cassie wanted to uncover the truth, she had to gently... or not so gently... lead the man or woman looking into her eyes toward it. Very few people were truly in control of their memories, after all, so she had to guide them patiently. Often, they themselves were surprised to remember the details of certain events in their lives.


    It had taken her a long time to teach herself how to navigate human memories. Eventually, though, Cassie had become a master of perceiving them.


    But her hands were tied with the Lord of Shadows, because he was the one choosing what to show her.


    His memory was incredibly sharp, but the way he perceived the world and remembered things was entirely too strange. On top of that, Cassie''s own memory was incapable of retaining many of the things he remembered feeling, witnessing, or thinking about.


    It was a proper mess.


    But, still...


    She managed to learn a lot from what he had shown her today.


    Cassie looked at the Lord of Shadow with a complicated expression.


    At first, he had shown her the Ivory Island. Knowing that he had been anchored there as a Master was already a precious piece of knowledge. She knew that he had not been a Fire Keeper from his service in the First Evacuation Army, so combining these two facts sent Cassie''s mind into overdrive, countless theories spawning at it each moment.


    What had been his connection to her and Nephis?


    Soon, however, she couldn''t help but pause as a cold shiver ran down her spine.


    That was because she saw herself in his memories. The mysterious man had been so close... he could have reached out of the shadows and put his hand on her shoulder.


    ...Or drive a knife through her heart. And she had not sensed anything.


    That was both an eerie and frightening thing to learn.


    ?He was right there, in my shadow...?


    She paled.


    The Lord of Shadows had come to the Ebony Tower to study the runes left behind by the Demon of Choice. Cassie had read them, as well.


    Very few people in the world were capable of knowing the truth of what was written on the walls of the Ebony Tower �� few enough that they could be counted on one hand, perhaps. And the Lord of Shadows, it seemed, was one of them.


    Shadow God was the God of Mysteries as well, after all. So, in a sense, it was only fitting for the Saint of Shadow to be privy to the forbidden knowledge about the Forgotten God.


    Had Cassie herself taught him the truth? Or...


    She cried when the Lord of Shadows built a grave for the fallen of the Dreamer Army.


    She smiled sadly when he explored the molten ruins of the Bright Castle.


    She was curious to see the runes for ��Sunless�� carved into the wall of the ruined cathedral.


    ?Is that actually his real name??


    Whose name? What had she been thinking about?


    She was shocked when he descended into the secret cell under the cathedral and read the ominous words written on its floor.


    ?Weaver...?


    When the Lord of Shadows started his tour of the giant statues, Cassie was finally illuminated.


    ?That arch... he was actually with us during the expedition to reclaim the Dawn Shard!?


    So their connection had been that deep...


    But it was only at the very end that Cassie''s eyes widened, and she gasped in shock.


    The memory of the Soul Devouring Tree burning was incredibly vivid.


    Her entire body trembled.


    ?From... the beginning... he was with us from the very beginning...?


    The Lord of Shadows was not a hunter from the outer settlement. He wasn''t from the Bright Castle, either. He wasn''t even just a Sleeper from the same year as them.


    He was someone who had accompanied Cassie and Nephis from their very first steps on the Forgotten Shore.


    The two of them... had been the three of them, all along.


    It was just that they had forgotten.


    Suddenly, Cassie felt a sharp pain pierce her heart.


    She felt as though... as though something so precious that it couldn''t be described with words had been taken from her.


    And with that, Cassie finally closed her eyes, breaking the contact between her and the Lord of Shadows... with Sunless.


    Sunny.


    There were so many details in the avalanche of memories he had shown her, so many hints and clues... it would take her weeks to slowly digest and contemplate all of them, then build her knowledge based on the new understanding.


    But right now, Cassie did not care to do so, and was incapable of doing so either.


    All she cared about...


    Was the feeling of loss, the bittersweet emptiness, and the faint hope of finding what they had lost once again.

 Chapter 1766 Busy body.

    Sunny returned to the Brilliant Emporium as the sun was rising above the eastern horizon. If someone had seen him coming back home at the break of dawn, they would have probably assumed that he had spent the night elsewhere... and with someone else, engaging in revelry.


    Of course, being mistaken for a philanderer would have been the least of his problems �� many people already considered him a lecher, anyway. It was better to be seen as a profligate than as someone who had a habit of sneaking into the forbidden parts of the royal castle at night.


    ?Now, wait... what does it sound so wrong??


    In any case, his goodbyes with Cassie had felt a little hurried. She had seemed to be a little dazed and a little rattled, acting strangely around him... well, it was not surprising. Sunny doubted that she had expected him to dump two years worth of memories into her head in the span of a few hours.Visitt (.)co/m for the latest updates


    But he had no other choice... initially, Sunny had wanted to share his memories with Cassie little by little. But the war was approaching faster than he had expected, and so, he needed her to trust him sooner.


    Cassie was smart. With what she had shown her this time, she would be able to figure out many things. Most importantly, she would understand that he had been a companion to her and Nephis for a very, very long time.


    Even if their relationship had been turbulent and rocky for most of that time...


    Knowing that, she would lower her guard around him more. She would also advise Nephis to trust him better.


    Well, and...


    The things Sunny, as the humble shopkeeper, might do in the future would not look as outrageous. Which wasn''t to say that he was planning on doing something outrageous, of course! But he had also not planned on participating in scandalous duels and being publicly embraced by Nephis because of a candy wrapper, so...


    Things just sort of happened when Sunny was around her. He could put a leash on his emotions and control himself better, but... he didn''t want to.


    ?Ah, so many things to do...?


    Entering the Brilliant Emporium, Sunny yawned, stumbled sleepily to his bed �� the very same bed he had taken from the hidden chamber of the ruined cathedral �� fell on it, and closed his eyes blissfully.


    At the same time, his avatar in the basement of the Marvelous Mimic looked up in disbelief.


    ?No way.?


    They had so many things to do, and the original body decided to just go to sleep?!


    Sunny couldn''t believe himself.


    Shaking his head, he sighed and continued pouring over his notes.


    There was indeed a lot to do.


    He was preparing Memories for Rain, developing a design of the soul sword for Nephis... oh, and by the way, today was the day they were supposed to go on an outing to feed the rumors.


    As if he was not suffering enough from the rumors already...


    Despite that, Sunny was looking forward to their date. Even if it was a fake one.


    Before that, however...


    Firstly, he was determined to finally accomplish something that he had been trying to do for a long time recreate the [Unseen] enchantment of the Moonlight Shard, which allowed the ghostly stiletto to appear instantly in his hand, without any delay between the summoning and the manifestation.


    There would need to be an enchantment that augmented the resilience and lethality of the soul blade, as well.


    Beyond that, however...


    There was too much to choose from.


    The [Shapeshifter], [Light Eater], and [Ghost Blade] enchantments of the Cruel Sight. The [Death Dealer] enchantment of Morgan''s Warbow. The [Burning Heart] and [Cold Steel] enchantments of the Patient Avenger... and so much more.


    Worse still, Sunny felt that simply recreating past enchantments was not enough for the soulbound sword he was going to forge for Nephis. That sword would be a watershed moment in his development as a sorcerer, without a doubt, as well as the mold for the future Memories Sunny would craft for himself.


    So, wouldn''t it only be suitable for him to fully take a step forward and design unique enchantments of his own?


    There was a lot to consider.


    ...It was a little premature to be considering these things, however, because Sunny had not been coy when he made the deal with Nephis. He really needed to learn how she fought these days to be able to tailor a perfect weapon for her. He had to observe her battle art her true battle art, not the facsimile she had designed to fool the members of the Great Clan Valor.


    And there was so little time left before the war.


    Suddenly somber, Sunny looked around the Brilliant Emporium.


    The Sword Domain had barely had four years of peace after the disastrous Chain of Nightmares. People were just starting to settle into their new lives, working together to help their kingdom develop... but soon, everything would descend into chaos once again.


    What would happen to his shop then?


    Would he even be able to keep it open? The restaurant side of the business would suffer the most, no doubt. With a war going on, people would not be in the mood to enjoy delicacies, and neither would they have spare coins to spend. Getting supplies would become a problem, and small private establishments like his would certainly be at the end of the line.


    The Memory Boutique would not fare well, either.


    Sunny sighed.


    ?Well, the war has not started yet. There''s still time.?


    And speaking of time...


    He opened his eyes and reluctantly rolled out of bed.


    Sunny had not quite gotten his beauty sleep yet, but there was no time to waste. He had to get ready.


    The morning was in full swing, which meant that Nephis would be arriving soon.


    It was time for their date.


    ?...Fake date.?


    So what? He was excited.

 Chapter 1767 Restless mind.

    The first customers arrived, and the avatar got busy in the kitchen. Sunny, however, remained on the porch, enjoying the fresh air with a leisurely smile on his lips. The lively noises of the city filled the air like a bright melody.


    At some point, the door opened, and Aiko walked out, dressed in a smart business suit and wearing a leather messenger bag over her shoulder. The petite girl yawned, stretched her arms, and mumbled:


    "I''m off to the Castle, boss."


    Sunny looked at her with a good-natured smile.


    "You''re delivering Memories, you know. What''s up with the bag?"


    Aiko stared at him with indignation.


    "What do you even know... one has to look the part to make the right impression! That''s business essentials!"


    She glanced him over with suspicion.


    "And speaking of looking the part... you seem a bit different today, boss, What is that... did you style your hair?"Ne/w novel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    Sunny blinked.


    "I did not!"


    Aiko gave him a sarcastic nod.


    "Uh-huh... sure."


    With that, she grinned and hurried away.


    "Have fun with Princess Nephis, boss! Perform well! We''re raking in real money here, so don''t screw it up for us!"


    The petite girl used her Aspect to skate on the cobblestones and disappeared behind a corner in the blink of an eye. Sunny was left standing on the porch, flabbergasted.


    "What? What does she mean, perform well? I always perform well! Wait... that did not sound right....��


    Just at that moment, he felt a familiar presence Illuminate the world. Sunny did not have to look to know that Nephis was close.


    There was a rustle of feathers, and then, a slender silhouette was standing on the shore of the lake. Her wings had already disappeared, and only a beautiful halo remained, fading slowly as it contoured her figure against the tranquil water.


    Nephis was wearing white clothes, her silver hair held down by the Crown of Dawn.


    Sunny, dressed in black as usual, froze on the spot.


    ''D-damn... I hope she did not hear that...''


    "Get comfortable, Master Sunless. I''ll be with you shortly."


    Sunny nodded and went to the courtyard of the martial hall, which was fashioned into a sand arena. Sitting down on the spectator bench, he put the picnic basket down and looked at the sky.


    ''It''s indeed a nice day...''


    Soon, having changed into a set of training clothes... which looked quite flattering on her despite not being designed for that purpose... Nephis walked into the arena. Picking up an alloy sword from the stand, she swung it a couple of times, nodded in satisfaction, and looked at Sunny.


    "I... I''ll begin, then."


    He nodded.


    "I''ll be watching"


    Nephis lingered for a few moments, then looked away and coughed.


    "...Watch well."


    With that, she began a set of training exercises. Although slow and weak by Transcendent measures, they were nevertheless full of powerful intent. It was as though Nephis was performing a sword dance, fighting a duel against her shadow.


    For a moment, the image of her dancing with the sword fused with his memories of the Black Island, where the two of them had spent a blissful month during the Third Nightmare. l?ght\n��vel\c��ve~c`��/m. Sunny had been mesmerized by her practicing swordsmanship back then, as well.


    Her technique had changed tremendously since the Nighthmare, though. It was still flowing, versatile, and unpredictable, but had become both different and much more... complete.


    What Nephis was showing him today was her true battle art one that she kept hidden from everyone else. There was no enemy for he to fight and no environment for her to unleash her Aspect, but Sunny could still infer many things from watching these simple katas.


    There was one problem, though...


    He was having trouble concentrating on the movements of her sword.


    Instead, his eyes could not help but follow the movements of her body.


    Its graceful lines, contoured by the light fabric of the training suit. The smoothness of her steps, the supple beauty of her form. The heads of sweat glistening on her alabaster skin...


    ''Ah, I''m in trouble.''


    Sunny used all of his self-control to keep his face neutral. He was under terrible strain!


    Worst of all... best of all... the day was still young. There were many hours ahead of them.


    He took a shaky breath.


    ��...I''m not going to get a nosebleed, am I?��

 Chapter 1768 Swordsmanship enthusiast.

    Nephis concentrated on her sword, guiding it with effortless ease. The movements she performed were not particularly fast or taxing... and yet, her body was under tremendous strain, beads of sweat forming on her fair skin. Her breathing was controlled, but heavy.


    That was because she had to infuse her swordsmanship with sincere intent. Without the intent, her display would be meaningless - she would fail to show the essence of her technique to the young enchanter, and he would not be able to forge a suitable blade.


    She was straining herself... but, at the same time, she was enjoying herself.


    That was because she did not need to think about anything else but the sword in these rare moments of peace. Meeting Master Sunless was not entirely without purpose, but compared to the rest of her endless errands and obligations, it was a respite.


    Nephis had always been driven, and never allowed herself to get distracted from the goal. But that was not because she never wanted to put it all aside and enjoy some rest... it was simply because she could not allow herself to do so. Falling behind meant death, and even worse than that, failure.


    With the war approaching, the pressure on her had only increased even further, It had increased tremendously. There was so much to do, so much to prepare, so much to foresee and assess and consider... and even then, there was so much uncertainty. The uncertainty of it all was the most burdensome, and even with the help of her companions, it was almost overwhelming.


    Because their lives, too, depended on her. She had pulled them into the maelstrom of ruinous change, and it was up to her to see them safely to the shore.


    Which was why Nephis secretly enjoyed the time she spent with Master Sunless. The charming enchanter was kind, nice... and, if she was honest with herself, quite pleasing to the eye. There was nothing wrong with indulging in stealing glances at him from time to time, of course... everyone loved beautiful things, after all. She wasn''t an exception.


    But his looks were not as important as the fact that he was far removed from the dreadful matters involving war, bloodshed, and boundless heartbreak. To the Sovereigns, the dead gods, and the fate of the world.


    On the rare occasions she was in his company, Nephis could allow her tired mind to relax, and concentrate only on simple things. Like wielding her sword.


    She had always loved swordsmanship, but now... as it turned out, performing it for someone to see was strangely rewarding.


    Especially because Master Sunless always watched her intently... very intently, even, never missing a single move.


    Nephis was satisfied.


    ��He must really appreciate swordsmanship...��


    Who knew that the gentle enchanter had such a voracious appreciation for combat techniques?


    It felt good to be appreciated.


    [Hey, Neph.]


    Cassie''s voice did not distract her from dancing with her sword. Nephis took a step forward and performed a smooth slash, then answered calmly.


    [Yes? Did something happen?]


    The response came a few moments later.


    [No, not really. It''s just that... can you do me a favor?]


    Nephis spun her sword into a flowing chain of swift attacks and couldn''t help but notice the enchanter''s glistening onyx eyes, which followed her movements attentively.


    [Sure. What do you need?]


    Covering half of his face, he looked at her with one eye and forced out a smile.


    "...It''s fine, Lady Nephis. I''m tougher than I look. You don''t have to worry."


    She gritted her teeth, "Still. Let me see."


    The enchanter lingered for a while, then lowered his hands obediently,


    Nephis let out a relieved sigh.


    She was certain that she would see blood, but the alloy blade somehow falled to break skin despite its dire speed. Nevertheless, his cheek and brow were red and swollen, and there would be a serious bruise on his face before too long. l?ght\n��vel\c��ve~c`��/m .Scowling, she took his chin with one hand and gently touched his face with the other.


    ''It''s fine... the bone isn''t fractured. Just a bruise.��


    Nephis calmed down.


    In the next moment, however, she realized the position they were in.


    Master Sunless was sitting, while she was kneeling on the ground beside him. She was holding his face, and they were terribly close to each other.


    His onyx eyes were right in front of her, looking into hers. They were like deep pools of cool darkness.


    She could see her disheveled reflection in them.


    The young enchanter remained still, looking at her silently.


    Nephis hesitated for a few moments, then said with false calmness:


    "Don''t move."


    In the next moment, a soft radiance ignited under the skin of her hands.


    She was assaulted by the familiar agony, but at the same time, she saw a hint of relief smooth his features. The swelling subsided and disappeared altogether, leaving his skin flawless and unblemished, just as it had been before.


    It was cool, silky, and soft to the touch.


    "There. All better."


    Nephis smiled and felt the corner of his mouth rise into a subtle smile under her fingers.


    ��...Why am I still holding his face?''


    She lingered for a few moments, then lowered her hands.


    With a bit of reluctance...

 Chapter 1769 Dreams old and new.

    To hide her embarrassment, Nephis left to wash off her sweat and change clothes. When she regained her composure and returned, her hair still glistening with moisture, Master Sunless gave her a peculiar glance and looked away.


    She would have thought that he was uncomfortable because of being hurt by her just now... if not for the fact that she could feel his desire burning hotly deep within his soul.


    The gentle enchanter was not uncomfortable. He was just trying to hide being moved by her appearance... his yearning was usually vague and subdued, as if something was obscuring it from her senses. But she knew that it was there.


    Being aware of something like that would make most people feel uneasy, or at least make them act as if they were uneasy. However, Nephis did not mind too much either way.


    As her ability to sense longing developed, she had come to know that humans were creatures led by their desires, and that this kind of yearning was both the most common and the one they hid most thoroughly. It had been a bit of a shock for her to learn how many men secretly felt it in her presence, but she quickly came to peace with it.


    It was simply human nature. What mattered was not how they felt, but how they chose to act. Some were slaves to their desires, while some were masters of themselves, and lived their lives with clear minds.


    Master Sunless was never unpleasant in his actions, and treated her with the utmost decorum. His mind was clear, and his intentions were pure. So, Nephis was not at all appalled by the hidden flames burning in his soul.


    In fact, for the first time, she was a bit pleased to know that someone felt that way about her.


    At least she wasn''t the only one getting flustered all the time!


    Now that the sword demonstration was over, there was some time left before the next item on their schedule. The schedule had been prepared by Cassie, who was in charge of maintaining the facade of their fake relationship and keeping the sword commission a secret, but it wasn''t very strict. So, Nephis and Master Sunless had some freedom in what they chose to do.


    Today, for example, he had prepared a picnic.


    Nephis had a vague notion that picnics were usually held in nicer settings, but due to the difficulty of finding privacy in Bastion, they were forced to eat right here in the martial hall.


    She sighed wistfully.


    ?Maybe I should invite him to the Ivory Island next time, It''s peaceful there, and the lake is beautiful But then, she blushed slightly.?


    Would that be considered inviting a man over? She lived on the Ivory Island, after all... what would he think?


    What would she want him to think?


    The charming enchanter, meanwhile, spread a beautiful tablecloth on the bench and placed various snacks on it. There was also a jar of freshly squeezed fruit juice, and some ice to keep it cool.


    Smiling, he gestured to the food.


    ?Please enjoy, Lady Nephis.?


    She was quite hungry after the strenuous sword practice, so his invitation was most welcome.


    Truth be told, Nephis had never paid much attention to food... but everything prepared by Master Sunless was simply too delicious. She enjoyed these meals quite a bit.


    Picking up a sandwich, she took a bite. The bread was fresh and crisp, the meat had a delightful texture, and the combination of lettuce and tomatoes was just right to make the sandwich juicy without becoming soggy. The homemade sauce added enough flavor to make the ingredients shine, but not so much as to overwhelm their natural taste.


    It was delectable.


    One could tell a lot about an Awakened from their cooking. Nephis had tasted enough meals prepared by Master Sunless to guess a few things, as well.


    She looked at the training arena.


    Would she have wanted to open a martial school like this one and dedicate her life to the pursuit of swordsmanship, sharing her insights with students and feeling joy every day?


    Would she maybe dedicate her life to music? Playing an instrument had never been among the lessons taught to her as a Legacy, so Nephis had no such skill. But she had often fantasized about performing music as a child.


    Were dreams supposed to be like that? Nephis enjoyed a piece of savory meat pie, then asked with genuine curiosity:


    ?What does it feel like, to accomplish your dream??


    Her own had always been so out of reach, so burdensome. It was all-consuming and overwhelming, much larger than her life... and yet, she could not quite imagine living any other way. Master Sunless remained silent for a while, then smiled wistfully.


    ?Who knows? I certainly don''t. By the time I found myself in a position to open a shop, too many things had happened. I changed, and my dreams changed as well. Still, I guess it depends on what you used to dream about. My old dream was rather nice, so the life I''ve built due to its influence is also on the nicer side. It''s... peaceful.?


    Nephis raised her eyebrow.


    ?What is your dream now, then??


    He looked at her intently and hesitated for a few moments.


    Then, the charming enchanter chuckled.


    ?That... I don''t really have dreams anymore. I just have goals. Having a goal is much better than having a dream, don''t you think??


    She pondered his words for a few moments and asked neutrally:


    ?What''s the difference??


    Master Sunless looked away and sighed.


    ?I''d say that the difference is in how you approach it. A dream is something you want to happen... a goal is something that you make happen. The difference is in having enough determination to grasp what you want, and never let it go.?


    He remained silent for a while, and then added with a hint of sadness in his pleasant voice:


    ?But I... to be honest, I''ve let go of a few things in my life. So if there is something I really want, it''s to go back and try again. That is not a dream, though. Since it''s in the past, it is just a regret.?


    The charming enchanter emptied his glass, then looked at her and smiled.


    ?Now that I think about it, I guess I do have a dream.?


    His onyx eyes looked into hers, glistening in the sunlight.


    ?It''s to live my life never feeling regret again.?


    Nephis smiled.


    It was a good dream.

 Chapter 1770 Keen Insight.

    Leaving the martial hall, they went for a walk. Sunny offered Nephis his arm once again, and they strolled along the lively streets of Bastion, making sure to be seen by as many people as possible.


    It wasn''t every day that ordinary citizens could catch a glimpse of Changing Star, so many were stunned and excited. She smiled politely at them and nodded from time to time.


    Luckily, a Saint was different from a celebrity. Although she was immensely popular, people treated her with a sense of solemn veneration. No one bothered them wanting to receive an autograph, and no one tried to exchange words with her �� they just looked from afar and kept a respectful distance.


    Nephis herself, meanwhile, was quite curious about the details of the day-to-day life of the city. As they walked, she often asked Sunny to explain this or that, listening to his explanations with keen interest.


    ?...Before last year, most people in Bastion sustained themselves on the food rations delivered from the waking world and the meat brought back by the abomination hunters. But then, the fields outside the city were finally able to yield a harvest �� crops capable of thriving in the Dream Realm soil had been cultivated decades ago, but scaling the production took time. In any case, the city is almost self-sufficient now. These food stalls became popular after the supply of locally sourced flour stabilized, as well. Would you like to try a fish cake? It''s not really fish, of course... but it''s still delicious...?


    She smiled and shook her head.


    ?No, thank you. I am quite full.?


    Hearing that, Sunny felt satisfied. It seemed that she had enjoyed the picnic.


    Feeding people felt nice, indeed... Especially this particular person. Nephis looked at him with curiosity, and then asked in a neutral tone:


    ?Master Sunless... can I ask you a question??


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    ?Of course.?


    She lingered for a moment.


    ?You''ve been observing my swordsmanship. What did you see??


    He had expected her to ask that, somewhat.


    The arrangement between Nephis and him was for the purpose of crafting a weapon for her, and to do that, Sunny had requested to study her swordsmanship and battle technique.


    However, his persona was that of a sorcerer, not a warrior. Nephis did not know how deep his understanding of combat went, and if he was even capable of learning anything about her transcendent battle prowess. In fact, if anything, she would think that his knowledge of swordsmanship was shallow.


    She did not know that although Sunny''s understanding of combat was not the deepest in the world, it was certainly the broadest. He doubted that anyone, including her and the three Sovereigns, had absorbed as many battle styles as he had.


    So, Nephis was curious to learn how much he saw, and to what degree he was capable of appreciating her swordsmanship.


    Sunny remained silent for a while, then sighed and said in a somber tone:


    ?Your swordsmanship... is ruthless.?


    She seemed amused by his answer.


    ?Ruthless??


    She chuckled quietly, and then said in a pleased tone:


    ?You shared your insight, but not your opinion. What do you think of my swordsmanship, Master Sunless? Care to give me a compliment??


    He looked away and hesitated for a while.


    There were a lot of flowery words he could use to describe her technique. It was quite tantalizing, after all, not to mention lethal and deeply ingenious.


    However, in the end, what he said was something else.


    ?It''s inhuman.?


    The smile froze on Nephis'' face, and her mirth was replaced by confusion.


    ?...Inhuman??


    Sunny nodded somberly.


    ?It is built upon pain, Lady Nephis. Humans naturally avoid suffering... so, forgive me for being presumptuous. But I really wish that you avoided getting hurt, as well.?


    Nephis stared at him for a few moments, then turned away and shrugged with a faint smile.


    When she spoke, her voice sounded a little wistful.


    ?It''s just pain.?


    He looked at her, his eyes full of darkness.


    ?Those words again...?


    Sunny studied her beautiful face for a while. Her hand was resting on his forearm, and he could feel her presence illuminate the world like a warm sun.


    Why did such a radiant person have to live in constant agony? Why did she have to grow numb to pain?


    He opened his mouth, then closed it and exhaled slowly.


    Then, he smiled and said in a light tone:


    ?Still. Try not to get hurt too much, Lady Nephis. It might be hard to believe because of my outstanding and refined appearance, but I actually know a thing or two about pain... one time, I wasn''t mindful enough and grabbed a hot pan! It hurt like hell... I have been very careful around pans since then...?


    Nephis glanced at him, blinked a couple of times, and then laughed.


    By then, they have already reached their destination...


    It was a theater hosting a popular play.

 Chapter 1771 Curtain Call.

    There was a private box reserved for Nephis and Sunny. They were guided there by a young stagehand, who was visibly struggling to maintain decorum while bursting at the seams with excitement. It was not every day that Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan visited a theater! In fact, Sunny was pretty sure that she had never participated in these kinds of social activities before.


    ��There would be a freshly embossed plaque nailed in the foyer of the theater by tomorrow, no doubt. Something like ��This humble establishment has enjoyed the patronage of the brightest of stars�� or ?We are proud to have hosted Her Royal Highness, Saint Nephis of Immortal Flame.?


    Such a simple thing was enough to enhance the theater''s prestige twofold.


    ?I wonder if this place is secretly sponsored by Cassie.?


    The box was luxuriously furnished, dark, and elevated above the auditorium high enough so that no one could see what was happening inside.


    Sunny felt frustrated at the fact that his heart was almost racing.


    Letting out a sigh, he glanced at the stage and took a seat, The curtain had not been raised yet, and the audience was filling in with excited whispers. He was distracted for a moment when Nephis sat down near him, their shoulders almost touching.


    ?This private box is a bit cramped, isn''t it??


    Well, it couldn''t be helped.


    He remained silent for a moment, then asked in a neutral tone:


    ?By the way, what play are we watching??


    Nephis looked at him with a hint of surprise.


    ?You don''t know??


    Sunny shook his head.


    ?I''m afraid I don''t.?


    She seemed a little embarrassed, for some reason.


    Nephis hesitated for a while, then coughed awkwardly.


    ?...Actually, I don''t know either. Cassie... Saint Cassia arranged it. I assumed you would have been informed.?


    Sunny chuckled.


    ?Well, it will be a surprise then. Who knows, we might enjoy it a great deal.?


    Actually, he didn''t really care about the contents of the play. He doubted he would be able to concentrate on the actors, anyway, when Nephis was so close to him, in the darkness.


    Soon, the lights dimmed, and the curtains were slowly pulled. The audience held its breath.


    At the same time, Sunny''s smile froze on his lips.


    In fact, he had stopped breathing entirely.


    His expression slowly crumbled, and he barely suppressed a tormented groan.


    Because right at that moment, he saw the title of the play above the decorations. Written in a purposefully messy scrawl, several words were displayed on dark background...


    [The Devil of Antarctica.]


    ?Oh, no!?


    ���� ���� ����


    On the stage, the decorations were divided into two distinct locations. On one, a military boat sailed on an icy sea. On the other, tall mountain peaks towered above a snowy cliff.


    Sunny tried to sink into his chair, raising a trembling hand to cover his face. He didn''t even care if Nephis would notice his strange behavior. He just wanted to disappear and be somewhere anywhere! �� else the next moment.


    ?I''m done for!?


    There was an actress wearing a black armor standing on the snowy cliff, gazing down at the audience with a somber look. The armor design was quite austere, but somehow managed to accentuate every curve of her quite... distinguished body very well. Her blonde hair moved slightly in the artificial wind, and her bright blue eyes were full of harsh resolve.


    The military boat, meanwhile, seated seven soldiers in the uniforms of the First Evacuation Army. Their leader was standing at the bow, peering ahead with a stolc expression on his chiseled face. He was close to two meters in height and possessed a formidable build, oozing rugged masculinity. The makeup made him look extremely pale, and he seemed to be wearing a black wig.


    ?I am sorry. I don''t know what Cassie was thinking... you participated in the Southern Campaign as well, after all. It must be unpleasant, to see a censored version of the calamity you lived through on the stage.?


    She looked at the curtain and shook her head.


    ?I heard that the Captain is based on a real person. I was in East Antarctica, though, so I wouldn''t know. He must have been quite a character.?


    Sunny did not respond.


    ?He''s quite a character, indeed...?


    They spent the intermission in awkward silence. Sunny was thinking of a way to convince Nephis to leave, but sadly, he couldn''t think of any. Especially due to her status... an ordinary person could slip away in the middle of a play, but if Changing Star did it, the theater would go bankrupt the next day, Such was the power of her glorious fame.


    Eventually, it was time for the second act to start It was then that Nephis said calmly, never looking away from the stage.


    ?We are being watched.?


    Sunny raised an eyebrow. He usually kept his shadow sense restrained in Bastion, so he wouldn''t know.


    ?Who would anyone be watching us??


    She sighed.


    ?You don''t have to worry. It''s nothing serious... someone is probably suspicious and wants to confirm the nature of our relationship.?


    He relaxed.


    ?Oh.?


    She had just survived an assassination attempt recently, and the whole world was in turmoil as a result. There were no riots on the streets, but tensions were running high. If something happened to Nephis in the meantime... he was afraid that everything would explode.


    So, even though it was unpleasant to know that someone was spying on them, Sunny felt relieved. Not for long, though. Because the second act had started.


    On the stage, the Falcon Scott had fallen, and the Devil was separated from the Angel during the evacuation, carried away unconscious on the last ship. The latter was presumed to have perished in the siege.


    The second part of the story took place in East Antarctica, where the forces sent by the Legacy clans helped to stem the tide of Nightmare Creatures. The Captain, grief-stricken and heartbroken, went from gazing soulfully into the distance every other minute to doing so about every thirty seconds. The frequency of his sardonic remarks decreased, but his general disposition had only grown more obnoxious.


    Sunny was in a foul mood and grinding his teeth.


    ...It was then, however, that Nephis raised a hand and wrapped her arm around him firmly, pulling him closer in the darkness.


    He froze.


    ?What... what is she doing??


    ?Please forgive me, Master Sunless. We must play our parts, as well.?


    She was terribly close.


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    Then, a small smile slowly crept onto his face.


    ?Ah, yes. I guess there''s no helping it.?


    He placed his head on her shoulder in an intimate display.


    Whoever was watching them should be able to confirm the nature of their relationship from that scene. What could he do? There was no choice... he had to cooperate earnestly.


    Held comfortably in Nephis'' embrace, Sunny smiled with satisfaction.


    ?I must admit...?


    The second part of the play was much better than the first.


    It was actually not bad at all.


    The director really knew what they were doing!

 Chapter 1772 Deus Ex Machina

    Strangely enough, Nephis was enjoying the play.


    The leading actress was good at her craft. The role she was portraying was taciturn and stole, but revealed a stalwart determination to resist the tide of Nightmare Creatures at all costs... a true warrior. The Guardian Angel of Antarctica did not display a lot of emotions, which could have made some people consider her a flat character.


    But personally, Nephis thought that it was the opposite. The actress managed to show the subtlety of someone who was unaccustomed to expressing her emotions openly, and felt that there was no place for such things on the battlefield. It was really quite commendable, even if the Angel seemed a bit lonesome as a result.


    The protagonist was her complete opposite. He was very emotive and did not shy away from voicing his opinions, even if these opinions were usually not something people would want to hear. His dry wit and casual nonchalance were disarming, and his slightly comical persona was strangely endearing. His heart was in the right place, too...


    And yet, Nephis found herself unable to fully immerse herself in his character, The actor portraying the Devil was handling the role well, so there was nothing to complain about. It was just that.,,, how could she put it? The man was a bit too.., brawny, She had never really considered the matter, but now, Nephis suddenly realized that rugged men like that did not suit her taste very much.


    She was inclined to appreciate men like Master Sunless much better


    Feeling the pleasant weight of his head on her shoulder, she smiled subtly in the darkness.


    ��How did I end up in this situation?''


    The charming enchanter was leaning on her comfortably. Her arm was wrapped around him, as if they were really in that kind of relationship. It was true that there was someone in the theater observing them, but had there really been a need for a display of intimacy?


    She had done it mostly on impulse, perhaps because Cassie''s unexpected request was still stuck in her mind.


    But, well... Nephis didn''t mind the result. It felt quite nice.


    Enjoying the novel feeling of closeness, she continued to watch the play.


    On the stage, the touching love story between the Devil and the Angel had already progressed, and was now nearing a tragic culmination. After being reunited in East Antarctica and confessing their feelings, the heroes faced a deadly crisis.


    She tilted her head and accidentally rested her cheek on top of the charming enchanter''s head, feeling the silky texture of his raven-black hair. Nephis froze for a moment, perplexed, then made a hard decision... to pretend that she had done it on purpose, and that everything was going according to plan.


    Just like that, there was something to distract her from the utterly fictional depiction of the Battle of the Black Skull happening on the stage...


    There was no mention of the Great Clans having fought each other, of course. Instead, they were shown as self-sacrificing champions of humanity who had ventured into the wilderness to buy King Anvil and his cohort enough time to conquer the Fourth Nightmare.


    The Angel had already revealed herself as a disgraced retainer of Clan Valor, and now, the heroes were trying to stall the tide of dreadful abominations in a desperate last stand.


    The play took some liberties with the original film''s plot, it seemed, adapting it to the sensibilities of the people living in the Sword Domain.


    On the stage, the Angel was supporting the Devil, both of them battered and covered in fake blood.


    "Hold on! We must hold on, Captain! The King of Valor will be here soon!"


    The square jaw of the protagonist trembled, and he forced out his familiar devilish grin.


    "I''m afraid... I''m afraid that I will have to break my promise, angel, I''m sorry, but... really, you have no one to blame but yourself, You... should not have fallen in love with a dishonest man like me.��


    Still smiling fearlessly, he pushed the wounded Angel back, into the hands of his soldiers, and commanded them to retreat.


    Left alone, the Devil faced the encroaching shadow - created by special effects, it represented the Great abominations that had escaped the Category Four Gates.


    A sarcastic scoff escaped from his lips.


    "I really thought I''d make it. Well, never mind. This devil''s time away from hell is coming to an end... ah, what a sweet dream it has been! Thank you, my love."


    Nephis could hear quiet sobs in the audience. She could also feel Master Sunless tremble slightly.


    Nephis wanted to pout.


    Turning away from him, she remained silent for a few moments, and then said evenly:


    "I''m glad my suffering amuses you."


    Master Sunless gasped and stared at her with a hint of panic in his gem-like eyes.


    Nephis tried to maintain a calm facade, but the corner of her mouth curled upward against her will.


    She sighed and closed her eyes.


    ''Cute!��


    On the stage, Changing Star saved the day. The Devil was rescued and reunited with the Angel, who had led the Valor reinforcements to his position. The King of Swords descended to Antarctica, eradicating the Nightmare Creatures and leading the civilians to the Sword Domain


    Due to the bravery and selflessness that the Angel had shown during the Southern Campaign, her past misdeed was pardoned by Princess Nephis, and she was reinstated as a Knight of Valor. The Devil was knighted by the radiant princess, as well, and the two of them became trusted champions of the royal family.


    It was a happy ending.


    The curtain fell, and the lights went on. The actors returned to the stage to bow and were met by a thunderous applause.


    Of course, all of them could not help but throw furtive glances at the private box.


    Nephis sighed, then stood up with a pleasant smile and clapped a few times.


    At the sight of that, the eyes of the actors shined, and the audience exploded with an even more energetic applause.


    Master Sunless watched her with an amused smile, then asked quietly:


    "I guess you liked the play, Lady Nephis?"


    Nephis lingered for a bit.


    What was she supposed to say? That the play was alright, but she really enjoyed the experience of him resting his head on her shoulder as she embraced him in the darkness?


    She cleared his throat.


    "It was a good performance. However... I''m not sure you''ll understand, but it is a really uncomfortable thing to see someone playing you on the stage."


    Master Sunless stared at her silently for a few moments.


    Then, he looked down with an odd expression and said in a neutral tone:


    "Yeah... I guess something like that would be hard to understand..."


    Nephis smiled faintly.


    ''At least Cassie had enough presence of mind not to send us to see the Song of Light and Darkness.��


    How would her pretend paramour feel watching a play about a fictional relationship between her and another man?


    That would have been a disaster!

 Chapter 1773 Fake It.

    Sunny had been full of bitter resentment when the performance started, but by the end of it, he was in an excellent mood. Watching Nephis dance with her sword, treating her to a picnic, going for a leisurely stroll arm in arm, and enjoying a romantic play together... the day was shaping up great.


    Sadly, their time together would soon come to an end. All that was left on the schedule was dinner at an upscale restaurant - after that, Nephis would disappear for a few days or a week, busy with all her other responsibilities.


    So, he had to make the most of this dinner appointment.


    ��I''ll take the chance to seize up the competition.��


    However, Sunny knew that he was fooling himself.


    In truth, the Brilliant Emporium could not even be considered a competitor of the lofty restaurant his cafe? was a place where people could enjoy delicious, but relatively simple food in a cozy atmosphere. The establishment where they were entering right now, though, was where the affluent citizens of Bastion came to waste money and show status in splendid surroundings.


    He felt inclined to treat such extravagance with disdain, but found himself unable to do that after being led to a private booth by an exceedingly respectful waiter, Comparing the immaculate attire and flawless manners of the young man to how Aiko usually behaved, Sunny was suddenly unsure of his judgment.


    Perhaps these rich folks were really onto something...


    But then again, he was richer than all of them combined. Sunny never flaunted his wealth, but it would have been hard to remain poor after hunting Great Nightmare Creatures for years. And since he didn''t really have expenditures like the need to maintain a clan, he was probably the wealthiest man in Bastion, second only to the King of Swords himself.


    So, logically, it was the Brilliant Emporium that set the standard of luxury. Everyone else could only hope to imitate his unique style!


    Still...


    Sunny hands trembled when he sat down and saw a large, empty plate in front of him.


    ''A ch-ch-charger plate!��


    How fancy!


    And what was it made of? Was it... the famed Aegis porcelain? That porcelain could only be made from the mystical clay found in a remote region of the Sword Domain, the precise recipe kept secret by the artisans employed by the Legacy Clan presiding over those lands.


    The tablecloth was made from sublime silk. The utensils were pure silver, The table itself... damnation, he recognized that wood! That was titanwood, the same as the instructor''s cafeteria at the Academy!


    At least his chair was, in all ways, inferior to the Shadow Chair. Otherwise, Sunny would have been quite disheartened.


    Nephis sat down across from him and smiled.


    "I doubt that they will serve us anything as delicious as what you make, Master Sunless. Still, please try to enjoy yourself."


    Sunny looked at her with gratitude, suddenly feeling a lot better.


    ''Right. Who cares about how fancy the plates, silverware, and furniture are? It''s the food that matters!''


    Paying attention to form over substance was a silly thing to do, like valuing flowery prose over an engaging story. Sunny might have acted like a bit of an idiot at times, but at least he wasn''t that misguided.


    He stared at Nephis silently while the waiter was pouring fragrant wine into their glasses, enchanted by her exquisite beauty. The light of a magical chandelier was reflecting from her silver hair, and her fair face was illuminated softly. The privacy of the luxurious booth created an intimate atmosphere...


    It was then that a sudden thought entered his mind, and he felt as if someone had doused him with cold water.


    Sunny looked away and lowered his head a little.


    The war was approaching. Which meant that he had to tell Nephis the truth soon.


    There would not be many days like this one in the future... In fact, there might be none at all.


    He felt a sense of deep melancholy.


    When the waiter left, Nephis took a sip of wine and leaned back. She remained silent for a few moments, then asked with a hint of concern in her voice:


    "I''m sorry for making you feel uncomfortable earlier, Master Sunless. Because of the subject of the play, and... well... my actions, as well."


    Sunny chuckled.


    "No, no. I was never a government grunt. It''s just that I had a friend in the chain of command, and was invited to join the effort before the news broke. It''s a bit shameful to admit, but... I threw a big tantrum back then and accepted the invitation for quite an immature reason."


    Nephis looked at him intently, as if trying to picture him throwing a tantrum in her mind. Eventually, she shook her head and said:


    "I can''t quite imagine you doing something like that. Immature reason... really?"


    He smiled and took another sip of wine.


    "Yes. It was mostly to spite someone... a very childish reaction, in hindsight. Well, there were other reasons, of course, some better than others. You know - finding conviction, pursuing strength. It all seemed very important before the Chain of Nightmares started, and very meaningless pretty much immediately after it did."


    At that moment, the waiter arrived to serve the first course. Sunny stared at the elaborate appetizers for a bit, but he did not really have an appetite anymore.


    Looking at Nephis, he said:


    "I think it''s a bit unfair on you to have a conversation about background, views, and aspirations with someone, Lady Nephis. It is bound to be one-sided. You are exceedingly famous, after all... everyone knows these things about you."


    The waiter left.


    She also ignored the food, taking a sip of wine in silence.


    Then, she placed the glass down and smiled faintly.


    "You of all people should know that what people say about me and what is true are not the same, Master Sunless, After all, one of the things they say is that I am indulging you because we are lovers."


    He laughed quietly.


    "Indeed."


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then asked in a pleasant tone:


    "In that case, let me ask you something. What are your aspirations, Lady Nephis? What do you want?"


    She considered his words and answered with a careless shrug:


    "It''s nothing unexpected, I guess. Keep my soldiers alive, safeguard the Sword Domain. Watch cities like Bastion thrive."


    Sunny shook his glass a little, watching the light reflect from the red wine.


    ...He wasn''t the only one hiding the truth.


    Lies. It was all lies.


    He wasn''t telling the truth, and Nephis wasn''t being honest either.


    Their date was truly a fake one.


    Since he was not saying anyting, she went forward and asked:


    "What about you, Master Sunless? What do you want?"


    Sunny shifted his gaze and looked at her hand once again. There was a hint of a deep longing in his dark eyes,


    He did not speak until the pain of the Flaw made it impossible to remain silent.


    ��To hell with it...��


    Looking up at Nephis, Sunny lingered for a moment, and then smiled faintly.


    "I... find myself wishing that our date wasn''t a fake one. I want it to be real instead. Is that too forward?��

 Chapter 1774 Till you make It.

    Sunny went ahead and expressed his real feelings without thinking about the consequences. Which could be quite heartbreaking, one way or the other... but, really, he didn''t have much to lose.


    Nephis did not react immediately. Her face remained composed and impassive.


    After a while, she said evenly:


    ?It''s not.?


    Sunny sighed and leaned back.


    What was he doing?


    Cassie had been right. By keeping his true identity from Nephis, he was being truly unfair. What kind of relationship did he hope to build on the foundation of deceit?


    And that was what he was doing �� deceiving her.


    But... despite that, Cassie had also been wrong. She wanted to avoid a predicament that was merely the result of a larger and entirely unsolvable problem.


    Because Sunny simply could not be honest with Nephis. It was impossible, because even if he told her the actual truth, she would forget it a few moments later.


    So what if he admitted to being the Lord of Shadows? Compared to the other things he was keeping from her, that detail was all but I insignificant.


    She could never know that he had loved her for a long, long time... and that she had loved him. That they had spent years thinking about each other, fighting side by side with each other, and surviving the horrors of the Nightmare Spell together. That they had met when they were young and inexperienced, each spending their tumultuous youth being shaped by the other. That the troubled adults they had grown into were the result of them having met all those years ago, in front of the gates of the Academy.


    That she was his person, and he was hers.


    These were the things Nephis would never know, and therefore... any relationship Sunny could build with her would inevitably be built on deceit. It would inevitably be unfair.


    The only honest thing he could do for Nephis was leave and have no contact with her whatsoever.


    But he...


    Was unwilling to.


    He had made a choice and lost her, but he selfishly wanted to be found by her.


    And so, the only thing he could do was lie.


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then leaned forward and placed his hand on hers.


    Raising his head, he looked into her eyes and asked, his voice even:


    ?Lady Nephis... will you go on a date with me??


    She met his gaze silently.


    Her silence felt quite terrifying... but Sunny couldn''t help but notice something.


    It was that she made no attempt to pull back her hand.


    There was hope.


    Eventually, the corners of Neph''s mouth curled upward.


    ?...Alright.?


    Sunny blinked.


    He couldn''t quite process that answer just yet. Failing to hide his surprise, he squeezed her hand lightly.


    ?Just... just like that??


    Nephis smiled and shrugged.


    ?Why not? I am... not that experienced in these matters, but we are both adults. We both know what we want. So why not??


    Why did she agree?


    Because she wanted to...


    She hesitated for a moment, and then added:


    ?Everyone has secrets. I have my share, as well... much more secrets than most people do, and more dire ones as well. So, I also must admit something before you decide if you want to go any further, Master Sunless.?


    Sunny was still a little dazed. This conversation... was not going how he had expected it to go, at all! It was all too unexpected.


    He looked at Nephis, composed himself, and asked calmly:


    ?What''s that??


    She inhaled deeply.


    ?First of all... it might be premature to speak of this right now, but I feel like I should let you know before anything more meaningful has a chance to happen. I am... a very ambitious woman, Master Sunless. My heart is full of ambition, so much so that there''s little space for anything �� or anyone left in it. We might spend a few days together and part ways, or we might end up deciding to enjoy each other''s company for much longer. l?ght\n��vel\c��ve~c`��/m. But you... you will never own my heart, Master Sunless, or even most of my heart. It''s only fair to warn you in advance.?


    Sunny had long known about Nephis'' insane goal, so he didn''t react strongly to her words.


    Instead, he nodded simply.


    ?I figured as much.?


    Nephis studied his face, hesitated for a few moments, and sighed.


    ?That is good. I see. Well, then, the second thing. You might not know, but my Aspect is closely tied to longing and passion. In fact, one of the reasons I was willing to indulge in this pretense relationship with you, at the beginning, was that I wanted to understand passion better. Later, I found myself sincerely enjoying your company, so... well, that is beside the point. What I wanted to say is that I am sensitive to yearning, desire, and passion. I can perceive what other people want, and how much they want it.?


    She looked away with a hint of embarrassment on her beautiful face and added evenly:


    ?It''s one of the reasons why I am saying yes. Because I can feel the nature and sincerity of your desire.?


    Sunny stared at her silently for a long time.


    His eyes were a little glassy. Then, he slowly picked up his wine.


    ?Lady Nephis... that... what kind of desire are we talking about, exactly??


    She kept looking at the wall, as if incredibly interested in the artwork.


    ?...All kinds. I can sense it all. Especially if it''s aimed at me.?


    The glass cracked slightly in Sunny''s hand.


    His face remained absolutely impassive.


    ?So... earlier, when I was staring at her body... she knew exactly...?


    Nephis turned his way and added with a hint of urgency in her voice:


    ?But... but you don''t have to be embarrassed! It''s perfectly normal. You... you are a healthy man, after all.?


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh.


    ?Lady Nephis...?


    She blinked a couple of times.


    ?Yes??


    His voice was a little somber when he responded:


    ?Please don''t speak for a few moments...?


    With that, Sunny brought the cracked glass to his lips and gulped all the remaining wine down in one go.


    Then, maintaining perfect composure, he reached for the wine bottle with a trembling hand.


    Nephis observed his actions helplessly.


    She sighed, then said in a placid tone:


    ?In short.., yes, I will go on a real date with you, Master Sunless, I''ll be delighted to.?

 Chapter 1775: Knight Commander

    Chapter 1775: Knight Commander


    It was already getting dark when Sunny and Nephis returned to the Brilliant Emporium.


    The rest of the dinner in the upscale restaurant had been uneventful. They had agreed to turn their pretend relationship into a real one - or at least try to. However, neither of them wanted for their first actual date to happen right there and then, in a place carefully prepared by someone else to create a false impression of how they felt about each other.


    Sunny wanted to be the one making plans, at least, considering that he was the person who had invited Nephis on a date.


    So, they enjoyed the food and discussed the play, both failing to hold back an occasional smile. Then, Nephis walked him home. Neither talked much on the way, but the silence wasn''t awkward. Instead, it was comfortable and pleasant, full of unspoken potential.


    Finally, they reached the quiet street where the Brilliant Emporium was located. The lake was just beyond the cottage.


    Sunny and Nephis stopped near the porch. The sun was rolling behind the horizon, washing the world in the fiery blaze of its last rays. All throughout Bastion, shadows crawled from the dark corners, shrouding the city in twilight. Sunny was standing in the shade cast by the walls of the cottage, while Nephis was in the light, her striking grey eyes reflecting the splendor of the sunset.


    She smiled faintly.


    I will see you soon, then. Thank you for today, Master Sunless."


    He bowed elegantly and answered with a smile of his own:


    "I''ll be counting the days until our next meeting, Lady Nephis."


    She hesitated for a moment, then took a step back. The cascading sunlight shone radiantly behind her, forming into two beautiful white wings.


    Nephis was ready to return to her heavenly palace.


    Before that, however...


    She lingered, then suddenly took a step forward and stopped right in front of Sunny. Before he could understand what was happening, Nephis raised her hands, placed them on his shoulders, and pulled him into a tight hug.


    Sunny''s eyes widened. He was so startled by her actions that his mind refused to process what was happening. He just knew that he felt a lot of things... the warmth of her touch, the firmness of her embrace, the softness of her body...


    A few moments later, Nephis let him go and drew back.


    Sunny looked at her dazedly.


    "What... was that for?"


    She met his gaze and smiled slightly,


    "Just something I''ve been wanting to do!


    With that, she bent down a little.


    Her soft lips touched his cheek lightly, which made Sunny''s whole body shudder. The spot where she had kissed him seemed to be on fire. No, his entire being was.


    ''Damn it... she can sense exactly what kind of reaction she''s having on me, can''t she? That''s... that''s unfair!''


    Nephis looked him in the eyes for a moment, then chuckled.


    "And that is just something for you to think about while you are counting days!"


    She backed away, then turned and pushed herself off the ground. Soon, her graceful figure disappeared in the radiance of the setting sun.


    Sunny belatedly raised a hand and covered his


    burning cheek.


    Some time later, a heavy sigh escaped from his lips,


    ''She''s either very cruel... or doesn''t understand passion nearly as well as she thinks she does...��


    A cold shower, That was what he needed now!


    Turning around, Sunny hid a wide smile behind his hand and walked toward the door.


    Cassie squeezed her shoulder one more time and laughed.


    "What? What are you blaming me for? I think it all went well....


    Nephis closed her eyes.


    ''Why am I reacting so strongly? There''s a damn war approaching. There are more important things to worry about!��


    She had been glad to be distracted from her burdensome responsibilities in the morning.


    Who knew she would be a little bit too distracted by evening?


    ��Ah... I''m in trouble...��


    ***


    Unbeknownst to Sunny and Nephis, there were more repercussions to their actions that day.


    Across the lake from the Brilliant Emporium, in the depths of the Castle, the elders of Clan Valor were having a strategic meeting. They, too, were preparing for war.


    At some point, the door opened, and a short report was placed in front of a regal middle-aged woman. She read it briefly and sighed.


    An old man with harsh eyes and a grey beard looked at her sternly.


    "What is it?"


    The woman pursed her lips.


    "There is another report on Changing Star and that... Mongrel person. It appears that the girl is truly taken with him."


    The rest of the elders all showed a reaction, most of them displaying some sign of displeasure.


    The stern old man shook his head.


    "That won''t do, She doesn''t have to offer herself for a strategic marriage, but spending time frivolously with some nobody... a princess of Valor can''t be tied to a person with no background. This concerns the prestige of our great clan."


    The woman raised an eyebrow.


    "What do you suggest we do? Reprimand her? Or remove the man from the picture? These are delicate matters. Will you take responsibility?"


    There was a long silence in the chamber, with no one daring to speak.


    Eventually, the silence was broken by a frustrated sigh.


    Everyone turned to look at a beautiful young woman with striking vermilion eyes who sat at the head of the table.


    Morgan looked at the elders with a frown, then shook her head dejectedly and said:


    "Why are you creating a problem out of nothing? Do you have a lot of time to waste?"


    She glared at them for a few moments, then leaned back.


    "I agree, Nephis can''t be seen dating a nobody. So, what''s the problem? Let''s just knight that guy and be done with it. He won''t be a nobody if we make him a Knight of Valor, will he? Hell, we can even put him in charge of some soldiers. There, problem solved."


    The elders simply stared at her incredulously. Morgan smiled.


    "I see there are no objections. Let''s proceed with this plan, then. Now, about the issue with Saint Thane, he''ll be arriving soon..."


    And that...


    Was how Sunny became an honorary Knight Commander of the Great Clan Valor.


    Even if he did not know it yet.

 Chapter 1776: Working Dead

    Chapter 1776: Working Dead


    ''So tired...��


    Rain was sprawled on her threadbare sleeping bag, staring at the slanted roof of her modest tent Outside, the noises of the construction camp were churning like a sea, Just as loud as they had been throughout the day despite the late hour.


    Out here, the work did not stop when the darkness fell.


    For a very particular reason.


    Rain had finished her long shift as a laborer, so her muscles were sore. Later, she crawled into her tent ready to pass out from fatigue, but instead of resting, she spent several hours arduously circulating her essence in an attempt to form a soul core. That was something she did every night, and although there were no signs of Awakening yet, the number of tiny grains she had created was growing steadily.


    Rain had only stopped after becoming completely exhausted.


    And now, she couldn''t fall asleep because of the noise outside.


    ''Ah, damnation... I really need to get out of this place...��


    The construction of the Eastern Road was progressing at a startling pace, She had to stay hidden among the road crews for a while, but that did not mean that she had to remain in the main camp. There were other assignments available for those daring enough to take them - scouting parties, advanced camps, subjugation troops, and so on.


    It was just that the number of slots for these jobs was limited, and young mundane girls were not exactly at the top of the list for tough tasks.


    Still, she wanted to leave the main construction camp as soon as possible.


    It was not only cramped and noisy, but also a bit creepy.


    That was because mundane laborers were not the only ones building the road. In fact, most of the work was being done...


    By the dead.


    Rain had not heard about anything like that happening in other construction crews, but the Eastern Road was special. Clan Song wanted it built very fast, for some reason, and so, the Queen had sent her personal servants to assist the builders.


    The dead were dutiful workers. They never complained, never grew tired. They didn''t need water or food. They just continued to build the road silently, without sleep or rest. Their frozen faces were calm and empty... men and women, young and old. Plenty of Nightmare Creatures were among them, as well, their monstrous eyes devoid of the usual frenzy.


    Every time Rain left her tent early in the morning and saw the silent corpses working diligently in the dim light of dawn, she couldn''t help but feel like she was in a strange, cold hell.


    It was indeed very creepy... but people were very adaptable creatures. She observed the other laborers grow accustomed to the company of the dead with great speed.


    She could understand them well. After all, the Queen''s servants were doing the hard work that the laborers would have had to do themselves otherwise. The dead were also quiet, solemn, and never hurt anyone. All in all, as far as colleagues went, they weren''t bad at all.


    The unique culture of the Song Domain played a part in the speed with which the laborers had adapted to their presence, as well. Working side by side with the dead could have been terrifying if their origin was mysterious and sinister. But they had been sent by the Queen, and the Queen was revered and beloved by the citizens of her kingdom.


    So, anything that had come from the Queen was seen in a positive light.


    Rain did not know what to say.


    ''Can he at least try to be consistent with his lies? He said on multiple occasions that he''s thousands of years old... so how could Saint Seishan have been there when that bastard was young? And what is that about devouring youths? I can believe that he has devoured a fair share of children, but Lady Seishan? Ridiculous!''


    She sighed.


    "In any case, Stop humming and let me sleep. I need to get up early if I want to snatch an assignment at one of the advanced camps... I hear they''ll be establishing a new one this week.��


    Her teacher scoffed.


    "Fine, fine. Go to sleep, then. Oh, and by the way... don''t worry. I managed to get a message to your family in Ravenheart. They know that you''re safe. Well... that you are alive, at least."


    Rain''s eyes widened in the darkness.


    "Really?"


    He sighed.


    "Really."


    A smile appeared on her lips, and a palpable sense of relief spread in her chest. A heavy burden that she had been carrying was suddenly gone.


    Her poor parents must have been so worried!


    "Really, really?"


    Her teacher cursed quietly.


    "Yes! Listen... I am a very honest person. The most honest person in two worlds, even! When have I ever lied to you?"


    She laughed quietly and turned on her side, finally closing her eyes.


    ''Yeah, sure... that statement is full of holes, Not only are you the most brazen liar I have ever met, it''s even a question if you are a person.''


    Rain relaxed, feeling sleep finally starting to envelop her mind in a soft embrace.


    ''But it''s alright... tonight, I''ll forgive you... thank you, teacher!��


    Relieved and warmed by the news he had shared, she peacefully fell asleep.


    Tomorrow, she was going to find away to leave the main camp.

 Chapter 1777 Hell on Wheels.

    In the morning, Rain crawled out of her tent feeling rested and refreshed. The sun had barely shown itself, rising above the distant horizon in all its pale glory �� the world was still shrouded in darkness, but at least one could see where they were going.


    One of the first things Rain had noticed after coming to Ravenheart was how darker the nights were in the Dream Realm, compared to NQSC. Out there in the waking world, humanity had long defeated and banished darkness from their homes, but here, it was still a tyrannical enemy.


    ?Ah... how cold.?


    The main construction camp was already a hive of activity. The dead continued to toil silently in the distance, the sound of their tireless work reaching the small tent settlement like a persistent tide. By now, the road had extended far beyond the defensive palisade, so the whole camp would have to be moved soon �� the road crews were nomadic in nature, following the roads they built.


    The night shift laborers were returning to their tents, while those assigned to the day shift, like her, were waking up. The Awakened warriors guarding the camp were out on patrol, Food was being prepared, and oil lanterns were being put out.


    Everyone was getting ready for a new day of work.


    Rain yawned, rubbed her eyes, and walked slowly to the communal washroom.


    Mercifully enough, the female laborers had a separate space to maintain hygiene, and since most of the hired laborers consisted of men, it was not too overcrowded. Still, there were whispers behind her back �� Rain''s body, after all, was a sight to behold... meaning that it was a bit scary to see, since she had never gotten the chance to visit a healer after slaying the Huntsman.


    The bruises had mostly faded by now, but during her first few days on the road crew, her skin was as black and blue as it was fair and white. The bandages she wore to cover the cut on her side weren''t bloody anymore, either. l?ght\n��vel\c��ve~c`��/m. The female laborers were more relaxed around her, but still a little wary.


    Rain washed her face, brushed her teeth, and shivered miserably from the cold for a while. Then, wide awake, she returned to her tent and put her jacket on.


    The breakfast was just as tasteless as the supper had been, but at least it was prepared from actual ingredients, not synthpase �� the volcanic soil around Ravenheart was extremely fertile, so the harvests from the fields were enough to not only feed the entire city, but also supply the other settlements of the Song Domain with food.


    Rain ate in solitude, since no one was brave enough to approach her. The male laborers often threw furtive glances her way, but shyly kept their distance. She did not know what was so frightening about her, really... maybe it was the sharp and feral aura of an abomination hunter, or the dark circles that were constantly under her eyes because of the lack of sleep.


    She didn''t mind sitting alone in the canteen, anyway. At least it gave her the chance to converse secretly with her teacher.


    ?Listen, Rain... I know that killing people is generally frowned upon. But if you want to strangle the sorry excuse for a cook they have in charge of the camp kitchen, I won''t judge...?


    Rain raised a tin cup, hiding her lips behind it, and answered quietly:


    There were fewer of them being used each year.


    That was why Rain felt glad to have joined the road construction camp. The road was being built right in front of her eyes, and she found herself deeply excited by the building process. The engineering, the logistics, the problem solving... all of it was both fascinating and wonderful.


    The wide cobbled road appearing as a palpable, undeniable result of it all was a joy to behold. Building things spoke to something buried deep in her heart.


    It was sort of like the soul core that she was creating, one grain of sand at a time.


    That was why Raun spent all of her free time which there wasn''t a lot of �� observing every part of the construction process, from the way laborers were managed to the way the dead lay layers of sand, gravel, and crushed rock in the dug trench before cobblers got to work.


    It was to the point that she was a little reluctant to leave the main construction camp behind, even if it resembled a wandering hell.


    However...


    There was more to building a road than simply constructing it. The other assignments were also part of the process. So, she was curious about them, too.


    Enjoying the solid feel of the paved stones under her boots, Rain crossed the pristine road and entered the northern part of the camp.


    It was much different from the chaotic settlement where the laborers lived. Here, the tents were much larger and more luxurious, and there were even a few semi-permanent buildings with wooden walls. Everything seemed cleaner and more orderly.


    That was where Awakened and the managers lived and worked.


    The crew management office was actually a huge wagon with a two-level wooden building constructed on it. When the camp migrated, it was pulled along the newly constructed section of the road by two enormous Echoes, but now that the camp was stationary, the wagon was simply standing there.


    Rain took a deep breath.


    ?Hopefully, I can get a new assignment today!?


    She was quite hopeful.

 Chapter 1778 Survey Team.

    A familiar road manager was leaning on the side of the wagon, drinking a cup of coffee and watching the sun rise. Noticing Rain, he spared her a crooked smile.


    ?Ah. It''s you again, Rani.?


    Rain almost stumbled.


    ?Damn.?


    Rani is what she was known as on the road crew. Since she was hiding here, using her own name would have been silly... the problem was that Rain had not thought about that right until the moment she was asked to introduce herself.


    So, put on the spot, she had failed to come up with anything and mumbled the first thing that entered her mind.


    Which was why her teacher had mocked her relentlessly for a whole week.


    ?No, really? Rani? The best you could do was shift two letters around? I just can''t... gods, everything I''ve been through, and I''ll die of laughter...?


    Rain had endured the mockery for as long as she could, and then kindly reminded her teacher that he went around calling himself Shadow.


    So, he wasn''t in a position to critique her naming sense, was he?


    That, luckily, had shut him up.


    In any case, by now, she was more or less accustomed to responding to ?Rani.?


    Which was not to say that she wasn''t embarrassed every time she heard it.


    ?Good morning, chief.?


    The man stared at her for a few moments, then sighed.


    ?Listen, Rani... I get it, the pay in the advanced camps is higher. But what''s the use of having money if you are dead? It''s quite dangerous out there, you know! A young girl like you should just stay here in the main camp. Actually, even the main camp is not a good place. If my daughter wanted to come here from Ravenheart, I would have locked her up.?


    He took a sip of coffee and shook his head.


    ?Why don''t you change your mind??


    Rain gave him her best smile.


    ?Still, chief... I hear they are establishing a new camp soon. Please reassign me.?


    He grimaced.


    ?I''m sorry. Actually, all the spots are already filled... it''s a tough job, especially now that we are so far away from Ravenheart. We have strict orders to prioritize the strongest and most resilient recruits for these postings.?


    Seeing that her expression fall, the manager hesitated for a few moments, then let out a heavy sigh.


    ?Okay, okay... I''ll help you out. Just don''t pout Rain blinked a couple of times.?


    ?I... I''m not pouting!?


    Rain thanked the road manager and turned to leave. As she was walking away, he called out to her.


    ?May the Queen''s grace protect you!?


    She halted for a moment.


    ?Uh... yeah, Thanks, You too!?


    It felt weird to see how readily the settlers accepted Queen Song as not only their ruler, but also a... a surrogate goddess, of sorts, Sure, the Sovereigns possessed unimaginable power �� Saints were already called demigods at times, and the Supremes were far above them in all regards.


    But, still... Ki Song was just a human, just like the rest of them. So was the King of Swords. Watching people treat them with religious zeal made Rain a little uncomfortable.


    She wasn''t really sure why, since most of them were still good people. It was just that there was an inevitable element of surrendering your own judgment when one acted with blind faith... and if you followed someone blindly, who was to say that they would not lead you into a dark place?


    On the other hand, perhaps it was only logical that the people of the Song Domain treated their Queen as a deity. Most of them were only alive because of her grace, after all, and would be swallowed by the Nightmare Spell without her. l?ght\n��vel\c��ve~c`��/m. From the point of view of a mundane person, her vast power would indeed seem godlike.


    Gathering her pack, Rain asked thoughtfully:


    ?Teacher... can a person become a god??


    Her shadow moved slightly.


    ?That''s an unexpected question.?


    He lingered for a few moments, then said neutrally:


    ?Sure, It''s possible.?


    Rain continued to gather her things, thinking that his answer was over.


    But then, her teacher added suddenly:


    ?Not only is it possible, it is also necessary.?


    Rain stopped what she was doing and looked at her shadow in surprise.


    ?What''s that supposed to mean??


    He remained silent for a while, then laughed.


    ?It means just that. Why, do you feel insecure? Alright, alright... I won''t insist that you become a goddess... just yet. But honestly, for a student of mine to aim any lower is a bit shameful...?


    She stared at the shadow for a while, then scoffed and turned back to her pack.


    ?...Why did I even ask?!?


    Rain was pretty sure that becoming a deity was not in the cards for her.


    However, with such a teacher... she definitely had a chance of developing divine patience.

 Chapter 1779 Leaving the main camp.

    Rain was used to spending time in the wilderness, so it did not take her a long time to pack her things and take down the tent. Her bow was unstrung and attached to the pack, and so were her quiver and sword �� usually, she would have kept the weapons on the ready, but since there would be a cohort of Awakened leading the survey team, it was better to keep a low profile.


    There weren''t a lot of mundane people who habitually hunted Nightmare Creatures, and since Rain was supposed to be hiding, she didn''t want to attract undue attention.


    Saying goodbye to the few acquaintances she had made in the main camp, she hurried to the tent the road manager had mentioned.


    Rain felt both relieved and a little wistful, knowing that she might never see this place again.


    As she was nearing the large tent, there was the sound of several voices. Her teacher suddenly mumbled something from the shadows:


    ?No, it can''t be... can it? Curses, it is! Damn, I knew this would happen!?


    He sounded alarmed.


    She slowed down and stared at her shadow in confusion.


    ?Teacher, is something the matter??


    He remained silent for a few moments, then said in a grave tone:


    ?Rain, I need you to listen to me very carefully She tensed, overcome by sudden fear, Her teacher, meanwhile, continued somberly.?


    ?There is a guy named Ray in that tent. Keep away from him... at all costs! Don''t talk to him, don''t listen to him... better yet, don''t even look at him. Treat him like he has the plague. Do you understand? Nod if you understand!?


    Rain stared at her shadow in bewilderment.


    ?W-why? Is he some kind of terrible fiend? Is he v-very dangerous??


    Her shadow stirred.


    ?Yes! Very, very dangerous! And he is something way worse than a terrible fiend...?


    His voice shook with some dark, chilling emotion.


    ?...He''s a male teenager! So, keep your distance, alright? Nod if you understand!?


    Rain blinked a couple of times.


    ?Huh??


    Her teacher hissed.


    ?What are you spacing out for? I said to nod if you understood. Why aren''t you nodding??


    She took a deep breath, holding back many unflattering words.


    ?What on earth, teacher... you scared the hell out of me.?


    He scoffed derisively.


    ?You should be scared! A guy like that is a deadly threat for sheltered young ladies.?


    Rain remained silent for a while, then looked down at herself.


    Rugged leather clothes, a body covered by bruises, dirty bandages hiding a barely healed cut on her side, calloused hands...


    Where were these sheltered young ladies her teacher was talking about?


    It was far more likely that she would barely exchange a few words with the proud Legacy in the next few weeks.


    Awakened Tamar, meanwhile, briefly addressed each of the mundane laborers to learn their names and evaluate their character.


    She reached Rain last and stopped in front of her.


    ?Name??


    Rain answered respectfully without looking the Legacy in the eyes:


    ?Rani.?


    At that, Tamar was supposed to move on. However, she lingered for a moment and looked at Rain''s pack.


    Then, she asked unexpectedly:


    ?How good are you with that bow??


    Rain finally looked directly at the leader of the survey team and smiled faintly.


    ?I''m decent.?


    The Legacy frowned.


    ?What about that sword??


    For a moment, Rain had a ridiculous thought of saying something outrageous, like that she was probably a better swordsman than the three of the young Awakened combined.


    For some unknown reason, she wanted to brag when stared down by the beautiful Legacy girl.


    Instead, she said simply:


    ?I can handle it fine.?


    Finally, Tamar studied her clothes.


    ?Do you have experience trekking in the wilderness??


    Rain nodded.


    ?Some.?


    The Awakened girl sighed, then finally looked away.


    ?Good. I was wondering why they sent someone that young, but it seems that you are not completely helpless... Rani. Don''t slow us down.?


    Rain suddenly wanted to laugh.


    How could that baby-faced Awakened call someone too young with a straight face? Legacy training was someone else, indeed!


    Of course, she didn''t laugh.


    Instead, she bowed slightly.


    ?Ah, yes, Lady Tamar. I''ll do my best.?


    Two hours later, the departed the main camp and set out into the wilderness.

 Chapter 1780 Moonriver Plain.

    The Eastern Road had been built incredibly fast. By now, it reached far from Ravenheart, entering a new region of the Dream Realm.


    The mountains were out of sight, and there was no ash falling from the sky. There was no human presence, either the barren wasteland stretched as far as the eye could see, with rolling hills and deep canyons breaking the landscape here and there.


    Sometimes, without any warning, the deep canyons would suddenly let out a low, weeping roar. Then, they would overflow with rushing water and turn into countless rivers. Those rivers eventually merged far to the south, forming the Great Waterfall.


    Since the cliffs of the waterfall resembled a beautiful face from a certain angle, especially under moonlight, it was also often called the Weeping Goddess.


    That was where the Citadel of Clan Sorrow stood.


    Clan Sorrow was an old one, and held a special position in the Song Domain �� that was because the lake below the waterfall, known as the Lake of Tears, gave birth to a great river, which was similarly called the River of Tears. That river flowed through several regions of the Dream Realm, serving as a waterway for the Song Domain, while its estuary was on the dusky shores of the Stormsea.


    Its significance had always been great, but now that isolated Citadels were turning into thriving cities, the importance of the River of Tears as the connective tissue of the Song Domain was impossible to underestimate.


    The Citadel of Clan Sorrow was perched on the cliffs of the Great Waterfall, while the city it now governed was below it, on the shores of the Lake of Tears. It was now an important logistical hub...


    Well, at least that was what Rain had heard. She had never been there herself, of course.


    In any case, the great waterfall and the homestead of young Lady Tamar were far to the south. What concerned Rain now were the deep canyons they had to cross.


    The area they were traversing was an inhospitable place. The soil was rocky, and the sun was small and distant. There was little snow, but the air was frigid and cold. There were ancient ruins here and there, rising from the ground like forlorn obelisks to the meaninglessness of life. All in all, it was a bleak land.


    It transformed at night, though, because there were three beautiful moons illuminating the starlit sky. That was the first time Rain had seen such an alien sight, so she was both awed and impressed.


    There was little time to enjoy the view, though, because the Moonriver Plain was quite dangerous.


    And when the three faced something out of their league, the Ascended Echo was there to level the playing field.


    The Echo looked like a giant, monstrous wolf, and was a gift Tamar had received from her clan. Rain wasn''t sure about the Class of the creature, but it seemed ferocious enough to deal with most threats they had faced so far.


    So, Rain could just relax and enjoy her role as a helpless mundane girl.


    Of course, she continued to work on her soul core at night.


    By now, controlling her essence had become quite familiar to her. She was also constantly practicing to make her control more fine and precise... turning the flow of essence into a raging whirlpool was still hard and exhausting, both physically and mentally, but she wasn''t as drained after each meditation as she had been before.


    She could also feel her body slowly growing stronger, as if benefitting from the constant flow of essence, It was a tiny difference, but a rewarding one, since it indicated that she was making progress.


    If there was one thing Rain felt worried about, it was her teacher.


    Although he didn''t really show it, she could tell that he was tense, for some reason. He hid deeply in her shadow and didn''t talk much, especially when the dead pilgrim was close by, but more than that... when he did speak, he tried to hurry her more insistently than ever before.


    It was as though her Awakening was suddenly an urgent matter.


    ?I''m already trying as hard as I can...?


    Feeling sullen, Rain pushed one of the carts across the barren wasteland. The day was coming to an end, so they would stop soon.


    And just as she thought about it, Awakened Fleur commanded the survey team to stop.


    She looked ahead, where another canyon barred their way, and sighed.


    ?We will camp here tonight.?

 Chapter 1781 Dont Shoot the Messenger.

    There were food rations in one of the carts, but Lady Tamar had also slain an Awakened Monster in the morning. There had been enough time for Rain to harvest a slab of meat before the survey team continued on Its Journey, so now, she was ready to cook a delicious supper.


    Although the team wasn''t big, there was a clear separation between people. The Awakened mostly kept to themselves, the survey specialists did the same, and the porters generally stuck together.


    Right now, they were gathered around a fire, watching Rain roast meat with gleaming eyes.


    ?Wait, wait, everyone... it will be done soon! We''re having a feast tonight!?


    She grinned and turned the juicy strips of meat, making the melted fat sizzle. A delicious aroma permeated the air.


    One of the laborers laughed.


    ?Rani, kid... if I was thirty years younger, I would have married you right here and now. No questions asked.?


    One of the tough women from the road crew gave him a disdainful look.


    ?Old goat, what makes you think that you would have been worthy of marrying our Rani? Dream on!?


    She put her hand around Rain''s shoulder protectively.


    ?On that note, though... I know for a fact that you have a bottle of arak hidden in your pack. Come one, bring it out...?


    The mood was light and warm. Rain was the youngest of the laborers, so they treated her with a bit of affection. The women especially tried to take care of her like concerned aunts.Reaad the latest stories on


    So, feeding them today was her way of returning the favor.


    While the man went to take out the bottle of moonshine from his pack, the woman let go of Rain and looked at the sizzling meat hungrily.


    Then, she said in a tone of confusion:


    ?I must say, though... that''s a peculiar pan you have there, Rani.?


    Rain grinned.


    ?Yeah? You think so, auntie??


    Well, it was true. After all, she was using the blade of the Huntsman''s axe as a makeshift pan.


    The thing was too heavy to use in battle and too precious to discard. However, it was just large enough to place over a fire... the green metal was slow to heat up, but cooked meat beautifully. So, she used it often to prepare her meals.


    When the laughter died down, the woman who had hugged her before looked at the newcomer, Pill, and asked with curiosity:


    ?What''s the latest news in Ravenheart, by the way??


    There were no communicators in the Dream Realm, so the common folk had no way of receiving information quickly, There was little entertainment, as well, and everyone suffered from boredom.


    Having arrived from the capital of the Song Domain recently, Pill was understandably the center of attention.


    However, he did not seem very excited despite the situation.


    Sighing heavily, the bearded man shook his head.


    ?That... things aren''t very good right now. I don''t even know what to say. It''s like everyone has gone crazy.?


    The laborers looked at him in confusion.


    ?What? Why? What happened??


    Rain listened with interest, as well.


    Pill hesitated for a few moments.


    ?You must have heard that some psycho tried to kill Lady Changing Star, right? That was already terrible enough, but now... you won''t believe it... those scumbags from the Sword Domain are trying to insinuate that it was the Queen who ordered it.?


    There was suddenly silence.


    The laborers stared at the bearded man, their expressions a mixture of confusion, disbelief, and outrage.


    ?No.... no way. What are they, lunatics? Why would Her Majesty want to kill Lady Changing Star??


    ?What the hell is going on in the Sword Domain??


    ?You can''t be serious, right??


    Pill let out another sigh.


    ?Yeah, I get it. It''s ridiculous. Actually, everyone in Ravenheart is angry about that.?


    He paused for a few moments, then pursed his lips.


    ?But it''s true. They actually had the gall to demand that Saint Silent Stalker and Master Dar of the Maharana Clan were handed to them. For interrogation?.

 Chapter 1782 Heirs of War.

    Even Rain was stunned to hear that.


    It was news to her that someone had tried to kill Lady Nephis. Was there really such an idiot in the world? That woman had survived the Forgotten Shore, conquered the Second Nightmare as a Sleeper, Transcendent during the Chain of Nightmares, fought against Great abominations side by side with the King of Swords, and triumphed in countless terrible battles as a Saint.


    There were literally only two people in two worlds who were harder to kill than her.


    But the fact that Clan Valor was trying to openly accuse Clan Song of the assassination attempt was even crazier. Not only that, but they were asking the Queen to surrender one of her daughters and a Master from a vassal clan. There was no way that she would agree... what were the rulers of the Sword Domain thinking?


    The whole situation seemed... incongruous. Rain had a feeling that she was dreaming, since reality simply couldn''t be like that. It was just too irrational.


    Then, a spark of anger ignited in her heart.


    ?Just which bastard tried to harm Lady Nephis? And who do these Valor people think they are, accusing the Song Domain of something that terrible??


    However, that spark of anger was quickly extinguished. She knew how rumors and propaganda worked, so she wouldn''t allow her feelings to be manipulated that easily without knowing all the facts.


    There was an unpleasant residue left in its wake, though. Rain was quite fond of Ravenheart and the people she knew there. Even though she was a little distant from most because of her government family and the secret she was keeping, they were still her friends and neighbours. She felt like a part of a wonderful community... it didn''t feel nice to see that community being falsely accused of something appalling and dirty.


    The rest of the laborers were even less composed. Their gazes grew darker.


    ?Those Valor bastards have lost their minds. How dare they try to take Lady Silent Stalker??


    ?They''ve been trying to suppress our Song Domain from the very start. Do they think that we''ll just roll over??


    ?Gods, I never took those rumors seriously, but what if they had really been taken over by the Skinwalker??


    ?Maybe Changing Star staged the whole thing herself...?


    ?No way! Lady Nephis would never participate in such a vile scheme!?


    ?But.., but what if Skinwalker took her, too...?


    ?Silence.?


    That last shout did not come from the laborers.


    Turning slightly, Rain saw young Lady Tamar standing a few meters away, looking at them with a grim expression. Her eyes were so dark that it was a little scary.


    The healer, Fleur, was standing behind her, trying to pull her away.


    ?Tamar, calm down... they didn''t mean it.?


    But the Legacy simply ignored her attempts to discharge the situation and took a step forward.


    Coming closer to their fire, Tamar studied them with a heavy look. Her gaze lingered for a moment on the empty bottle of alcohol, and then, she shook her head.Reaad the latest stories on


    ?Do you think that you can just run your mouths freely??


    Her tone was harsh.


    ?You are people of the Song Domain. Everything you say reflects on the dignity of the Queen. Is it fun to slander people who selflessly fight for the safety and prosperity of humanity? l?ght\n��vel\world~c`��/m. Who gave you the right to throw baseless accusations??


    Pill, who had caused the entire outburst, coughed awkwardly.


    ?We... we are sorry, my lady, But the Sword Domain, they really went too far! It''s not just us who feel that way. Everyone in Ravenheart is... well, people are offended.?


    Tamar stared at him silently for a moment, then scowled.


    Her teacher spoke in a light tone, his voice barely audible in the small tent.


    ?That''s right. You''ve been admiring the road construction, haven''t you? Going on and on about roads, infrastructure, civilization, and so on. I agree, actually, it''s kind of neat. The funny thing is, the technology Clan Song is using to build roads is based on how people in the waking world used to do it a long time ago, before the Dark Times.?


    Rain raised an eyebrow.


    ?Really? I didn''t know.?


    Well, it made sense. A lot of modern technology did not work in the Dream Realm. So, the actual ways things were built here was a strange mixture of adapted modern engineering, Awakened powers, and dated methods from the ancient times.


    It was a bit like reverse spelltech.


    Her teacher sighed.


    ?Yeah. There was an empire once that excelled in building roads. But, Rain... the main reason they built such excellent roads was not for trade, transportation of goods, or development of civilization.?


    His voice grew a little wistful:


    ?They built them to speed up the deployment of troops. Because soldiers could march faster on paved roads than they would on dirt roads, or across wilderness. The main engine of progress, technology, and craft has always been war.?


    Rain lay in the darkness, suddenly feeling cold.


    ?Are... are you trying to say... that there will be a war? Between Song and Valor??


    Her teacher lingered with an answer.


    However, in the end, she heard exactly what she was afraid to hear:


    ?The war between Song and Valor has already begun. Back in Antarctica, during the Chain of Nightmares. It''s just that now... now, it is going to start in earnest. That is why Ki Song is in such a hurry to finish the Eastern Road.?


    He chuckled.


    ?...Why, it''s quite fitting, if you think about it. We come from the realm of War, after all. So, now that we are leaving that realm behind, the first thing we do in a new world is wage a war. To see who is fit to sit on its throne.?


    Rain did not answer, stunned by what he had said. The revelation was too vast and too dire to comprehend. A storm of fragmented thoughts raged in her mind, but none came to its surface.


    Then, the darkness spoke in a soft voice:


    ?What are you doing? Come one, start circulating your essence, The sooner you start, the sooner you''ll be able to get some rest. And you really need to rest.?


    Rain flinched, then turned on her back and stared at the roof of the tent.


    ?...Is that why you''ve been hurrying me? So that I Awakened before the war starts??


    Her teacher answered quietly:


    ?Yes. You have to Awaken soon. Otherwise, it will be hard for me to protect you.?


    He remained silent for a few moments, and then added smugly:


    ?But if you don''t, that''s not a problem either. Your teacher is awesome enough to protect you anyway... hard is hard, not impossible.?


    Rain knew that he had a habit of inventing outrageous lies. So, taking his claims seriously was probably unwise...


    And yet, for some reason, his boastful words calmed her, dousing the anxious flames that burned in her heart.


    Letting out a sigh, she closed her eyes and concentrated on controlling essence.

 Chapter 1783 Peaceful days.

    The survey team moved east at a steady pace. Of course, they weren''t going in a straight line �� instead, they explored the Moonriver Plain, making frequent stops to let the specialists ascertain the terrain and compare the landscape with the rough map provided by the Song clan.


    The specialists took some time to unload their equipment from the carts, leaving the heavy lifting to the porters. The Awakened stood guard and summoned several specially provided Memories to divine a few details that mundane equipment wasn''t able to pick up.


    The team left colorful flags in its wake, which would serve as a guideline for the road crew later.


    At times, the entire group made camp to let Awakened Ray scout out those areas that could pose special danger, like the ruins of ancient cities. His Aspect was uniquely suited for this kind of task �� although the young man was not especially lethal in direct combat, his abilities allowed the survey team to only consist of three Awakened instead of a dozen or more.


    Awakened Fleur was similarly indispensable. Her Aspect was responsible for the startling speed with which the team was covering distance �� not only could she help everyone recover their stamina, but the scrapes and wounds received in the rare skirmishes with the Nightmare Creatures were quickly healed.


    If anything, it was Tamar of Sorrow that seemed to bring the least to the table. However, that was merely an illusion �� because it was the young Legacy who took point when things did not go according to plan.


    Ray''s Aspect was mostly useful for avoiding trouble, while Fleur could resolve the dire consequences. However, it was the unexpected and the inevitable that was not only the most common, but also the deadliest threat in the Dream Realm. Whenever the survey team faced unexpected danger, it was Tamar''s sword that dealt with it.


    ...But, all in all, there weren''t that many unfortunate accidents. Rain had expected that she would have to string her bow sooner or later, but it stayed safely attached to her pack �� at least for now.


    She continued to work on forming her soul core in peace.


    In fact... strangely enough, her life as Rani was much more peaceful than her life as Rain. It was not only because she didn''t have to hunt Nightmare Creatures anymore, but also because of the circumstances.


    The wilderness was vast and tranquil, much different from the bustling liveliness of Ravenheart and the overcrowded sterility of NQSC, There was no everpresent noise, no familiar anxiety... no light pollution to dull the beautiful stars. The weather was harsh, but not nearly as oppressive as the murderous cold and searing heat of the ashen mountains.


    Rain was enjoying herself. She quite liked walking across the desolate plain and feeling the cool wind play with her hair, watching the three moons travel across the velvet sky at night, and not having to worry about anything except for performing her work well and controlling the flow of essence.


    The company wasn''t bad, either. She was on friendly terms with most of the porters, who were all warm and nice people �� the tough and prickly Elga, the somber and taciturn Pill, the former PTV magnate, ��old goat�� Carel...


    The standoffish survey specialists lost most of their aloof attitude after a few days, and often joined them around the fire in the evening. Even the three Awakened became easier to talk to after everyone had grown a bit familiar with each other.


    Despite the grim danger of exploring the wilderness, the mood of the survey team was strangely peaceful.


    Sometimes, Rain felt like she was observing their small group from the side. In those moments, she was suddenly struck by the eerie dissonance between the peacefulness of their days... and the dark shadow of the approaching war.


    ?Worried? Ah... not really. Life is war, you know. When you live long enough, you get used to such things.?


    Rain frowned in the darkness.


    ?But you are so powerful. You destroyed the vessels of the Skinwalker easily, Don''t you feel... even a little bit responsible? Aren''t you going to do something??


    The darkness chuckled.


    ?Responsible? Well, I guess I do feel a little bit responsible, And who says that I''m not going to do something??


    Rain held her breath for a few moments.


    ?Teacher.. what are you going to do??


    He let out a contemplative sigh, and then laughed quietly.


    ?Ah, I''m not sure. Maybe I''ll kill both Sovereigns and put someone dependable in charge of humanity. Or go bird hunting... or make waffles. Something like that.?


    She stared into the darkness for a while, then scoffed.


    ?Well, good luck! I must say, though... for someone who hides from everyone in a young girl''s shadow, teacher, you sure talk a big game...?


    The darkness responded with appalled silence.


    After a while, he hissed:


    ?Go to sleep, you ingrate! And for your information, I''m not hiding in your shadow! I''m just... taking temporary residence here! For convenience...?


    Rain smiled and closed her eyes, hoping to fall asleep quickly.


    The next day, they reached the boundary of the survey area.UppTodated from

 Chapter 1784 Stairway to Heaven.

    As they ventured further east, the Moonriver Plain started to change. There were fewer and fewer canyons in their way, and the air grew a little warmer. At night, the three beautiful moons seemed more distant.


    The wind carried with it swirling black flakes. Rain did not need to touch them to know what they were... ash. It was as if they had returned to Ravenheart, but also different.


    Back in the stronghold of Clan Song, the ash fell from the frigid sky because of the raging volcanoes. But here, it was somehow different, making Rain feel uncomfortable.


    Eventually, the members of the survey team stopped. No one had given the command, but they simply froze in place, looking at the horizon in stunned silence.


    ?...Wow.?


    Out there in front of them, far away... it seemed as if a snowy mountain chain was rising from the ashen haze. But as Rain studied the towering mountains closer, she couldn''t help but feel a sense of incongruity. Because the shape was wrong.


    Then, something clicked in her mind, and she opened her mouth in shock... or horror. Or awe.


    The mountains weren''t mountains at all. Instead, they were bones.


    An inconceivably large skeleton lay on the ground in the distance, too large to be seen whole. What Rain had thought to be the slopes of a mountain chain were several titanic ribs, each rising into the sky like ivory pillars that supported its weight.


    The skull of the unfathomable corpse was mercifully out of view. The closest group of bone mountains, however, extended far into the Moonriver Plain. It was also shaped strangely, consisting of five lower peaks. Beyond them, a wide ridge rose gradually to a great height, like an eerie stairway to heaven.


    The five mountains were the phalanxes of the colossal skeleton''s fingers, and the rising ridge were the bones of its arm.


    One of the porters whispered quietly:


    ?G-gods...?


    Rain remained silent, but she felt like uttering something like that herself. There were simply no words to describe her emotions.


    Awakened Ray glanced at them and smiled faintly.


    ?Gods? A god, maybe. That is Godgrave ahead of us.?


    The porters, who weren''t very well-acquainted with the topography of the Dream Realm, looked at him in confusion.


    He sighed.


    ?Godgrave is a Death Zone that serves as the north-eastern boundary of the Song Domain. It is a region of the Dream Realm where Great, Cursed, and maybe even Unholy abominations dwell. As for why it is called that... I think you can see for yourself. Nobody really knows what that terrible skeleton is, but it''s easy to imagine that these are the remains of a god. Therefore... Godgrave.?


    The porters shivered.


    ?Awakened Ray, sir... are we going there??


    Ray smiled, but it was Tamar, the leader of the survey team, who answered:


    ?No. Of course not. A Death Zone is not a place for humans. Even if we aren''t devoured by some abominable horror, the land itself will kill us. Or the sky. More importantly than that...?UppTodated from


    She glanced at the porters and the survey specialists.


    ?This is where the Song Domain ends. Queen Song''s authority does not reach Godgrave, so you can''t go there. As soon as you do, your souls won''t be protected by the Queen''s grace anymore, and you''ll be summoned into the First Nightmare.?


    She sighed.


    ?In short, our mission is complete. We will camp here and turn back tomorrow... returning to the main camp should not take us nearly as long as it took to come here, since we''ll be going in a straight line, The marching will be more intense, so prepare yourselves!?


    With that, she turned her back to the Incredible sight of the colossal bones, as if not at all impressed by it.


    The porters looked at the young Legacy with confusion. After a bit of awkward silence, one of them asked:


    ?That... lady''s father must have been terribly busy...?


    She furrowed her brow.


    ?He wasn''t.?


    Then, Tamar blinked.


    ?...I mean, he was. He is. But that is not why.?


    Actually, Rain knew what she meant.


    There might have been a safer way to Awaken for most Sleepers, but not for Legacies. That was because the Legacies had always had such an option �� they just never used it. For them, the trial of the Nightmare Spell was like a sacred rite.


    Legacies were fundamentally a warrior caste �� the martial aristocracy of the new world. Their culture was uniquely harsh and unforgiving, forging them into people capable of facing the senseless terror of the Nightmare Spell. They took their valiance seriously.


    Being sent into the Dream Realm on the winter solstice was a rite of passage. Some would say that it was an unnecessary risk... maybe even point to the Forgotten Shore as an example.


    Thousands of young men and women had perished there before Changing Star finally conquered the Gateway.


    But, at the same time, those who had survived were among the strongest champions of humanity now. Most were Masters, and some were Saints. Changing Star herself, Song of the Fallen, Nightingale, Raised by Wolves... those were legendary names.


    So, even if Tamar''s father had been afraid of sending his daughter to her death, he would have still done it. Because that was how Legacies were.


    Rain sighed.


    ?That is so messed up.?


    How had the leader of Clan Sorrow felt, willingly putting his daughter''s life at risk?


    How had Tamar felt, knowing that her parents would rather see her dead than weak?


    Things like that would mess one''s head for life.


    Suddenly, Rain didn''t want to mock the young Legacy anymore.


    She lingered for a few moments, the asked curiously:


    ?But how did you survive? As Lady Tamar said, a Death Zone is no place for humans. To make it out alive... it''s like a miracle.?


    The three Awakened looked at each other somberly.


    Eventually, Ray answered with a pale smile:


    ?We... received help.?


    Fleur shivered.


    ?Yeah. No human can live in a Death Zone... but actually, one human does. Well, at least he... he seems like a human? Nobody is really sure.?


    Tamar nodded with a dark expression.


    ?He was the one who saved us. The Lord of Shadows...?

 Chapter 1785: Hermit Saint of Godgrave.

    Chapter 1785: Hermit Saint of Godgrave.


    "The Lord of Shadows?"


    The porters shivered.


    Night had fallen, and only the light of the bonfire illuminated the desolate plain. Flakes of ash danced in the air. Far away, the white phalanxes of the dead delty towered above the plain like mountains, and three pale moons were drowning in the darkness of the cold sky.


    It was a perfect environment to tell a scary story.


    Awakened Ray smiled faintly.


    "Yes. The Lord of Shadows..."


    Rain shifted a little to hear him better. She was haunted by an insufferable shadow, so of course, anything that had to do with shadows was of interest to her.


    The young man took a deep breath, cradled a cup of fragrant tea in his hands, and continued:


    "Out there in Godgrave, the sky is usually covered by clouds. When the veil of clouds is torn, blinding light pours from an incandescent white abyss, incinerating anything that moves. But... there is a place where light can never reach. A land that is forever shrouded in darkness, Out there in the darkness stands an ancient temple build of black stone, That is where the Lord of Shadows lives."


    Rain stared at Awakened Ray incredulously.


    ��...Is he an Idiot?''


    The young man had good control of his voice, drawing the listeners into the scene he was describing. But... no, what was he doing? Were they in a theater? Why couldn''t he just speak normally?


    Awakened Fleur turned away, blushing from embarrassment. Tamar of Sorrow closed her eyes with a stoic expression.


    The porters, though, seemed delighted and leaned forward a little, enjoying the story. Rain blinked a couple of times, then did the same, not wishing to stand out.


    Awakened Ray continued:


    "The Lord of Shadows... is believed to be a reclusive Saint, but nobody knows for sure where he comes from. Nobody even knows if he is a human, really. He always wears a suit of black armor, and wears a fearsome black mask. His voice is cold and insidious, and his powers are great beyond belief. He lives alone in the dark temple, surrounded only by the devils who serve him."


    The young man took a deep breath and then said quietly, allowing his voice to tremble a little.


    "It''s true, I''ve been to the temple, and saw those devils myself. One is a living statue of a beautiful female knight. One is a towering hellspawn forged from black metal, One is an enormous serpent whose body envelops the entire temple, its scales like polished onyx, However, none of them are as frightening as the Lord of Shadows himself. His mask is carved from black wood in the image of an ancient fiend, and looking into its eyes... is like looking into the abyss itself."


    He shivered and shook his head.


    "I thought that I''d die right there and then, looking at him. However, the Lord of Shadow just stared at me for a while, unmoving, and then said in a voice that lacked all human emotion... ''I''ve decided not to kill you, Dreamer Ray'' As if he needed a reason to allow someone to live, instead of a reason to take someone''s life."


    Rain secretly threw a glance at her own shadow.


    How come that Lord of Shadows lived in a palatial temple and had a bunch of powerful minions serving him, while her teacher did not even have a place to stay?


    Was her teacher a bum among shadows?


    ''Unfair...''


    One of the porters asked in a trembling voice:


    "But, Awakened Ray, sir... how did you end up in that evil temple?"


    Ray opened his mouth to answer, but it was Fleur who spoke first... perhaps afraid that he''ll say something nonsensical.


    ��What the hell am I doing?��


    Why was she spouting nonsense? That was not like her at all!


    But... unexpectedly, it was also a bit fun.


    ��Oh, no... teacher has corrupted me...��


    The porters stared at her, then exploded with laughter.


    "Right... so, Rani, what is Lady Changing Star like?"


    "Are you sure that she taught you swordsmanship? Didn''t you teach her, instead?"


    "No one has seen that Shadow Lord without mask. Maybe it was Rani all along!"


    Rain spared them a bright smile.


    "...Well, have you ever seen me and the Lord of Shadows in the same room?"


    There was another bout of laughter.


    Some time later, the roasted meat was finished, and the members of the survey team went back to their tents. The three Awakened decided which one of them would guard the camp first and followed suit.


    Rain spent several hours revolving her essence. Deep at nighth, she finally sprawled on her sleeping bag in total exhaustion.


    She lingered for a while, then asked quietly:


    "Hey, Teacher, Do you know about that Lord of Shadows?"


    He remained silent for a while.


    "Sure. I know him quite well. Why are you asking?"


    Rain smiled in the darkness.


    "No, no reason. It''s just that... you are a shadow, and he''s the Lord of Shadows. So, uh... is he like you superior?"


    Her teacher''s voice revealed a hint of indignation.


    "Who, that clown? My superior? Ha! If I wanted to, I could erase him from existence with a thought."


    She chuckled.


    "But he has a huge temple and a bunch of powerful servants. He also seems close with Lady Nephis... didn''t you say once that you''re practically her boyfriend? Sorry, I don''t mean to sound rude... but it seems more like he is her boyfriend, instead..."


    Her teacher was appalled.


    "I did say that. And, by the way... I am! I asked her on a date, and she agreed. She was delighted to agree, even! Who can resist my charm?"


    Rain grinned.


    "I''m just saying. That Lord of Shadows, he seems to know what''s what. Won''t the other shadows mock you for being an underachiever because of him? No temple, no servants, no beautiful Saintess hanging on your arm... ah, I pity my poor teacher... teacher is such an ascetic..."


    Instead of an answer, a threatening grow! resounded from the darkness.

 Chapter 1786: Decent Archer.

    Chapter 1786: Decent Archer.


    Her teacher seemed to be sulking, and did not speak with her the next morning. Rain crawled out of her tent, disassembled it, and prepared for a long day of marching across the desolate plain.


    She was in a good mood because of having managed to tease her teacher successfully last night.


    There was no need to do the survey work anymore, so the team moved west at a brisk pace. They were also familiar with the terrain, and could follow an optimal route instead of wandering aimlessly.


    Of course, Tamar of Sorrow had been exaggerating a bit when she said that they would go in a straight line. The Moonriver Plain was within the borders of the Song Domain, but the only Citadel here was far to the south, at its very edge. And since there was nothing but the Hollow Mountains to the north, this land was wild and dangerous.


    There were plenty of Nightmare Creatures here, and so, the survey team had to avoid the hunting grounds of the more dangerous abominations.


    Still, they were making good progress.


    The further west they went, the more canyons barred their path. By now, the members of the survey team were very familiar with crossing them, so much so that it had almost become a habit.


    They would try to find the place where a stone bridge once stood, since the canyons were usually narrow there. The remains of the bridges also further narrowed the chasm.


    Then, young Tamar would mount her wolf Echo and leap over the canyon while holding a rope. After fastening it on the other side, she would raise a simple pulley system.


    The carts and equipment would be transported over the chasm first, and the people would follow. The whole process was a bit tiring, but not especially dangerous - even if the canyon started to wail and was suddenly flooded by rushing water, the ropes remained above the powerful current.


    The porters just had to be careful not to look down.


    The canyons were incredibly deep, their depths shrouded in inky darkness. Falling down meant death. The currents, however, were incredibly violent - so, falling into the water was not much safer.


    The survey team reached another canyon and went through the familiar motions. This one was not very wide, but it was still going to take some effort to transport all the equipment to the other side, Rain, who was usually one of the last people to traverse the chasm, leaned on the cart she had been pulling and took a deep breath.


    Since the crossing was monotonous, and they had already gone through the process countless times, It was easy to grow numb and allow one''s mind to wander. However, even while presenting a relaxed facade, Rain still maintained vigilance. l?ght\n��vel\world~c`��/m. She knew all too well that a moment of carelessness could mean death in the Dream Realm.


    Which was why she was one of the first people to see it.


    Tamar and her Echo were already on the other side, and the ropes were drawn across the chasm. The carts had been attached to the hooks and pulled over the canyon. Now, it was time for humans to follow.


    There were three ropes - one for them to walk over, two to hold with their hands. Awakened Fleur was in the middle of crossing, and one of the survey specialists was waiting for his turn to follow.


    However...


    Rain was suddenly distracted by something. It was the dead man standing a small distance away from the resting porters.


    His gaze was just as empty and expressionless as ever. However, he had just turned his head, silently facing the canyon.


    She frowned.


    The pilgrim had always been passive and quiet. He never did anything except for following the survey team.


    Why had he moved now?


    ''Crap...''


    Tamar had severed one at the wrist, but three hands were already reaching toward her. Two more were gripping the edge of the canyon, pushing the giant up.


    There was barely any time to react.


    The young Legacy did something that most warriors would never do in a battle - she jumped high into the air, dragging the great length of the brutish zweihander behind her.


    A jump was usually tantamount to death because one could not control their direction or react to the opponent''s attacks without standing on the ground. A strike delivered in the air was also weaker than a strike delivered while using a solid surface for support.


    However, that did not apply to Tamar.


    She pushed off the air once, soaring to greater height, and then once more, changing her trajectory completely. At the same time, she spun like a wheel and brought the zwelhander down on the enemy''s arm.


    This time, the force contained in the strike was not augmented by the startling speed of her Awakened Ability, but it was still fearsome. The arm of the abomination was not severed, but the great sword bit deep, not only slicing the veins and muscles, but also cracking the bone.


    She had evaded the other two hands by jumping over them, as well.


    Tamar would have been clear if not for the fact that at that moment, the creature''s two sinister eyes locked on her, and another three hands shot at her from the canyon.


    The young Legacy faltered for a split second.


    ...Then, a sharp arrow whistled past her and pierced one of the abomination''s eyes. A moment later, another arrow sank into the remaining eye of the hideous Nightmare Creature, effectively blinding it.


    A pained roar shook the plain.


    Landing on the ground, Tamar activated her Awakened Ability and dodge to the right, avoiding the grab of the blinded abomination. She would have been in trouble if it could see, but now, things were different.


    Shaking the fetid blood off the blade of her great sword, she prepared to attack and glanced back briefly.


    Ray was busy pushing back the severed hand... so who had made those stunningly accurate shots?


    The beautiful porter girl, Rani, was standing near the pile of unloaded equipment, holding a simple recurve bow. Her black hair was dancing in the wind, and there was a strangely serene expression on her pale face.


    Her black eyes were glistening with something that resembled... excitement?


    She was already drawing the bow again, the fletching of a handmade arrow brushing against her white cheek.


    A little stunned, Tamar turned back to the enormous abomination.


    ��...She did say that she was decent with a bow.''


    If that was decent... then Tamar did not even know what great was.


    As she pushed her body forward, a stray thought surfaced in her mind.


    Rani had also said that she had some experience trekking in the wilderness and could handle a sword fine,


    Suddenly, Tamar wanted to know what her definition of "fine" was.

 Chapter 1787 Ack

    The situation... was not good.


    Ray had managed to stall the monstrous hand, hacking it to pieces with his weapons - he wielded a short sword in one hand, and an axe in the other. Rain had blinded the abomination with her arrows, and Tamar disabled two of its arms.


    The problem was that the creature had just too many of them. Rain had already counted nine, and more were rising from behind the climbing monstrosity like a ghastly forest.


    Worse still, it was an Awakened abomination. She had aimed at the obvious vulnerability first - the eyes - but other than that, there wasn''t a lot of damage she could do. Even if her arrows pierced the tough hide of the creature, it would not harm it too much.


    Tamar faced the forest of monstrous arms with grim resolve, wielding her hefty zweihander with daunting skill. She used both of her Abilities to dance between the barrage of killing blows. The young Legacy seemed like a steel whirlwind, alternating unpredictable jumps with short bursts of stunning speed. Torrents of fetid blood were released into the frigid air from her great blade.


    She managed to stall and damage many limbs of the abomination, in large part due to the creature having been blinded, but could not advance to attack its body.


    ��Crap...��


    Rain dropped her bow and unsheathed her sword.


    "Why are you just standing there?! Get back!"


    The petrified porters were stirred by her shout and staggered away from the carnage. Miraculously, none of them was dead yet.


    The abominable claws rained down in pursuit of the elusive Legacy girl, sending pieces of stone flying. A net of cracks spread on the ground from each missed blow, viscous blood spilling into the narrow fissures.


    Rain dashed forward and supported Awakened Ray, who had managed to sever two of the hideous hand''s fingers, but almost got pierced by the long claw of the third.


    They were in a stalemate, and that stalemate wasn''t in their favor. The creature was continuing to climb up from the canyon, and once it crawled onto the plain, whatever resistance Tamar was able to offer would be overwhelmed.


    So, someone had to reach the abomination and deal it a mortal wound. Rain would have gone herself, but she was mundane - her tachi would not be able to slay the giant.


    Ray, on the other hand, was Awakened, and wielded enchanted weapons, Better yet, he could become imperceptible, So, with come luck, his blade would reach the creature''s neck without being blocked by the countless claws.


    "Go! I''ll finish this thing off!"


    The young man glanced at her with wide eyes, hesitated for a split second, then nodded and disengaged. He must have thought the same, A moment later, Ray was gone.


    Literally.


    He Activated his Awakened Ability and dissolved into the air. There was no sound, no smell, no... anything. It was as if he had never existed at all.


    Rain brandished her tachi, deflected a terrifying claw, and then kicked the severed hand with all her might.


    The hand was the size of an adult human, and weighed quite a lot. Still, Rain''s kick sent it rolling backward.


    With two fingers missing, it had turned rather clumsy. The bizarre thing was still trying to turn itself over when she dashed forward, turned her sword, and thrust it down, using all of her own weight to make the strike more powerful.


    The tachi pierced the monstrous palm, slid between the bones, and nailed the severed hand to the ground.


    It was a mundane blade, so an Awakened abomination could easily snap it. However, even an abomination would have to follow common reason to achieve that - it would need proper grip and support, at least, ideally good leverage. Laying on the ground, impaled through the center, the monstrous hand had none of those So, it just struggled fiercely, unable to free itself for now.


    Rain staggered back, then looked up to evaluate the situation.


    Tamar had managed to sever several more arms, but was hopelessly stuck in the avalanche of monstrous limbs. Blinded, the creature flailed them with no sense or reason, making a mess of the plain.


    Ray would be having trouble closing in, as well he might have been invisible, but the space between the survey team and the massive body of the climbing abomination was full of stone shards and deadly claws. Ray was still a corporeal being, so making way through the carnage was not going to be easy.


    On the opposite side of the canyon, Fleur had climbed the ropes and was now standing on the edge, shouting something as she summoned her Memories.


    Rain couldn''t quite hear what the pretty healer was shouting, but she managed to read her lips.


    Picking up her quiver, Rain lamented the loss of several arrows, then circled around the pinned hand of the Tyrant and approached the edge of the chasm.


    She stopped near Ray and Tamar. All three of them looked down.


    The depths of the canyon were shrouded in darkness, and it was impossible to say how far down its bottom was.


    Ray swept his hair back nervously and looked at them.


    "Do you think it''s dead?"


    Tamar lingered for a moment, then pursed her lips and hesitantly shook her head.


    "I haven''t heard anything from the Spell."


    Turning back, she glanced at the severed hand that Rain pinned to the ground with her sword.


    "Go finish that thing off, Ray. It should be the Tyrant''s minion... what a bizarre creature, by the dead gods."


    Who had countless hands instead of proper minions?


    Ray sighed, then readied his weapons and headed away from the edge.


    A storm of sparks rose around the Legacy girl, and then, the wolf Echo manifested itself behind her. There was no need to let it be damaged by the fall - she had simply dismissed it, then summoned it back.


    Finally, Tamar turned to Rain and studied her for a moment.


    Then, she scowled.


    "You..."


    However, before she could finish the sentence, chilling wail resounded from the depths of the canyon, reverberating across the plain. It was like the world itself was weeping.


    The flood was coming.


    It was impossible to hear her voice now, this close to the chasm.


    ...It was also impossible to discern what Fleur was shouting.


    Rain stared across the canyon in confusion. The Awakened healer was jumping and waving her hands in the air, pointing at them with a desperate expression on her lovely face,


    "...ack!...ope... ing... all! ...ack!"


    Rain could barely hear anything because of the wailing.


    ''Ack? What is trying to... pack? Attack? Crack?��


    Back?


    Suddenly, he eyes widened.


    Rain looked at Tamar in panic, but it was already too late.


    The edge of the canyon... had been damaged severely by the barrage of blows dealt to it by the Tyrant. The weathered stone was broken and cracked.


    And just then, it finally crumbled.


    Before Rain could do anything, the entire side of the canyon suddenly moved, and then collapsed, falling into the wailing darkness.


    And the two of them were pulled down with it, plummeting into the bottomless chasm alongside countless tons of broken stone.

 Chapter 1788 Weeping Canyon

    Life was like that.


    You could train your body tirelessly to turn it into a tenacious, resilient tool. You could practice swordsmanship and archery until your hands bled, temper your observation skills and analytical thinking, and test yourself against countless opponents in real combat to turn shallow knowledge into deeply rooted experience.


    And then, you can still die because of nothing but bad luck.


    Rain felt resentful as she plummeted into a bottomless abyss, surrounded by an avalanche of shattered stone.


    But no, that was not true... her current predicament was not due to misfortune. She was at fault. It was her who had not been cautious enough, perceptive enough, and smart enough. All the signs had been there �� the cracks in the stone, the weathered state of the canyon walls, the devastating power of the Tyrant''s blows. She should have put two and two together.


    She should have done better.


    So, Rain had no one to blame but herself.


    Still... still!


    She was indignant.


    To die like that, it was really unfair!


    All these thoughts flashed through her mind in the span of a moment. Then, she gritted her teeth and tried to think of a way to survive.


    First things first... the fall itself would not kill her just yet. The bottom of the canyon was far away, and she could survive bouncing off its walls once or twice. The most pressing threat were the falling boulders �� they were massive and heavy enough to turn Rain into a pancake, or at least smash her skull open.


    Raising her arms, she tried to shield her head. A moment later, something slammed into her forearms, and she felt sharp pain. Luckily, the boulder was not large enough to crush her, so her bones weren''t even broken.


    The next one, though...


    Catching a glimpse of it, Rain shuddered.


    It was like a wall of rough rock was pursuing her, mere moments away from colliding with her fragile body. There was no chance to evade.


    A moment before she was crushed by the massive slab of stone, however, something strange happened. The darkness seemed to touch it lightly, and the enormous boulder shattered into a million pieces.


    Instead of being killed, Rain was simply showered by small pieces of debris.


    ''Teacher...''


    Her teacher rarely helped her directly. However, it seemed that he was unwilling to let his student perish so senselessly, and interfered �� just like he had interfered to keep the porters and surveyors from being ravaged by the Tyrant.


    ''I take back all the bad words I''ve called him!''


    There was no time to feel touched, but Rain still felt a strange warmth in her heart.


    Then, she turned her head to find the only source of salvation there was, apart from her eccentric shadow companion...


    Tamar of Sorrow.


    The Legacy girl could take two steps on the air, so if anyone could help Rain survive, it was her.


    If she would even bother wasting her time to save a mundane porter, of course. It would be much easier, not to mention safer, to only worry about herself and let Rain fall to her death.


    ''Where is she?''


    Everything was happening so fast, but time also seemed to slow down. Plummeting into the wailing darkness, Rain looked around feverishly and tried to catch a glimpse of Young Lady Tamar.


    But she could not see her...


    However, that was not because Tamar was nowhere to be seen. Rather, it was because Rain was looking too far.


    She did not expect that the Legacy was nearly upon her, and only realized it when something blocked her vision.


    ''What...''


    Then, Rain gasped as something hard rammed into her abdomen.


    She studied the sky for a bit, then flinched and sat up.


    She was laying on the solid ground, surrounded by the vast expanse of the Moonriver Plain.


    There was a small fire crackling near, with her teacher warming his pale hands over it.


    The battered figure of Tamar of Sorrow was laying on the other side of the fire. She seemed to be in a rough shape, and still unconscious.


    Rain blinked slowly.


    ''We''re alive.''


    That was good news.


    The bad news was that she had no idea how they had escaped the canyon, and where they were. She vaguely remembered being surrounded by soft darkness and carried by the raging current, but then... at some point, she must have passed out.


    It was hard to differentiate one part of the plain from the other, but Rain did not think that she recognized the surroundings. The members of the survey team were nowhere in sight, as well.


    Letting out a deep sigh, she turned to her teacher and asked hoarsely:


    "What happened?"


    He looked at her and smiled.


    "Well... you two fell into the river, and I fished you out."


    Rain nodded slowly.


    "How far were we carried by the current?"


    He shrugged.


    "Pretty far."


    ''...It''s okay.''


    Since both of them were alive, the situation could still be salvaged. They could find the survey team... maybe... and return to the main camp of the road crew. Or proceed to one of the advanced camps on their own.


    Or...


    Rain looked at her teacher and forced out a smile.


    "Teacher... you are so kind and powerful! Can''t you... you know... take us back?"


    He responded with a smile of his own.


    "Oh... sure, I can!"


    However, his voice was a little sinister.


    "Look at that poor girl, Tamar... she''s barely alive. It would be really kind of me to take you both back, wouldn''t it? One might even say that only a heartless monster wouldn''t. So I really should... ah, but I won''t."


    Rain''s smile grew a little forced.


    "What? Really? Come on... it won''t even be that hard for you..."


    Her teacher nodded.


    "Really! If you want to get out of here alive... well, what can I say? All you need to do is Awaken. Do that, and you''ll be fine."


    With that, he gave her a pleasant smile and disappeared into her shadow. A moment later, his voice resounded from the darkness:


    "Alternatively... that Lord of Shadows, he seems to know what''s what. You can ask him for help!"


    Rain stared at her shadow incredulously, then took a deep breath.


    ''I take back everything I took back! That... that petty bastard!��

 Chapter 1789 Peculiar Connection

    After welcoming the Fire Keepers for a few short days, the Nameless Temple had grown silent once again.


    However, the silence was not going to last long.


    Soon enough, the dark realm that Sunny had built in the heart of Godgrave would become a hive of activity. Due to the deal he had made with Morgan, his Citadel was to be made into a secondary staging ground for the Sword Army during the war. A relatively small, but elite contingent would be stationed here, using the temple as their operation base.


    But the peace and quiet would be gone long before that.


    After all, the soldiers had to live somewhere. They needed beds, places to cook and consume food, storage space to keep a large amount of supplies, an infirmary... and so on. All of these things had to be built before the war started.


    There were so many things that went into waging a war. A military conflict between Awakened was different in many ways, but still fundamentally similar to any other war in human history - it demanded an unfathomable amount of logistical preparations.


    Sunny felt dejected.


    It had taken him a lot of effort to restore the Nameless Temple to its present state. Now, however, it would be turned into an actual Citadel - a place that existed to serve as a safe haven for the people in the Dream Realm. There would be a small army of workers coming here to perform all the laborious tasks soon.


    Which was not a bad thing.


    However, he had grown used to the peaceful silence.


    Todady, there were only two humans under the roof of the ancient temple. One of them was Sunny himself. The other was Cassie, who had arrived as the Seneschal of the Great Clan Valor to assess the state of the Citadel and collect all the necessary information to launch the construction.


    At least that was the official reason.


    Sunny had thought that Nephis would come personally. He was a little relieved that she was not here - his mind was burning in anticipation of their upcoming date, so seeing her before that would have been somewhat embarrassing.


    It was nice to see Cassie outside the context of their deal, as well.UppTodated from no?/v/e/lb(i)n.c(o)/m


    "...The temple itself must be off-limits to the soldiers, unless it is to use the Gateway. Of course, they can retreat inside if we are under attack, and the outer perimeter is breached. Even then, I will not allow them to venture into the inner sanctum and the underground level."


    Cassie turned her head slightly.


    "There is an underground level?"


    Sunny smiled.


    "Don''t pretend you don''t know. Nephis saw it, which means that you saw it, too."


    The young woman coughed in embarrassment.


    "Right... sorry. It''s a habit of mind to act appropriately oblivious. Otherwise, people get uncomfortable around me."


    He spared her a long look.


    Since it was only the two of them in the temple, Sunny had dismissed Weaver''s Mask. It felt strange, to walk around with a bare face as the Lord of Shadows... even if Cassie could not see his expression, only her own.


    He shook his head.


    "I doubt there is anyone in the world who knows the extent of your abilities and the depth of your foresight better than me, Cassie. So, you don''t need to worry about making me feel uncomfortable."


    "There is also no one who knows me better than you, now. There is really no other person either of us can trust more!


    She smiled faintly.


    "I''ll keep that in mind."


    "The six of us those who came back from the Tomb of Ariel - all have strange gaps in our memory. But my memory has been affected the most. Sorry... I haven''t revealed that secret to anyone before you, Sunny, and it''s not easy to admit. My memory is really... severely damaged, and I can''t see the future anymore."


    She took a deep breath.


    "But there was a time when my memory was intact, and I could learn a lot about the future from my visions. That version of me must have known that there would be a war, and that Nephis would have to defeat the Sovereigns without challenging the Fourth Nightmare."


    Sunny considered her words carefully,


    "You mean..."


    Cassie nodded.


    "Yes. If that version of me did not attempt to create contingencies, it means that she saw a way to win the war. Therefore... perhaps it is not as big of a gamble as you think."


    Sunny hesitated for a while.


    He knew that Cassie had been in a fragile mental state for the past four years. Not only because of losing her ability to see glimpses of the future, but also because much of her past was shrouded by fog... after all, he had been the purpose and cornerstone of all her schemes, and her schemes were truly life-consuming.


    When he turned Fateless, a huge chunk had been ripped out of her memory, replaced by oblivion.


    So, he didn''t really want to dispel her hopes. But it wasn''t good to let her rely on them, either.


    He sighed.


    "Or you have never known about the future after the Tomb of Ariel at all. Because the future has always been meant to become unclear after that."


    Suddenly, there was a strange intensity on Cassie''s delicate face. She faced him and kept quiet for a few long moments, struggling to contain her emotions.


    Sunny had an idea of what she was thinking about.


    "Even if I ask you, I won''t remember the answers, will I?"


    He shook his head slowly.


    "You won''t."


    Of course, it would be great if Sunny could fill the gaps in her memory and let Cassie feel like herself again. But he couldn''t.


    Between the two of them, there was a peculiar and bitter connection. Sunny had been forgotten by the world... but Cassie had forgotten herself. He struggled to judge which one of them was more pitiful.


    Still, he wanted to console her, even if only a little.


    Sunny looked away with a sigh.


    "...Of course, that doesn''t mean that you never will."


    Cassie seemed frozen by his words. She raised a hand, then lowered it again.


    "There is a way? For your existence to be restored?"


    Sunny hesitated with a dark expression on his face.


    Of course, he had been contemplating that issue for a long time.


    In the end, he had determined that there was.

 Chapter 1790 Value of Regret

    There was a single question at the root of the problem... why had the Thieving Bird stolen his fate? Sure, the loathsome thing seemed to be obsessed with everything that concerned Weaver. But Sunny did not think that it was the only reason.


    After pondering the question for a while, he had developed a certain suspicion. He had lost the connection to the Nightmare Spell after becoming fateless, which meant that carrying the Nightmare Spell had something to do with one''s fate. Perhaps fate was the medium through which the infection spread.


    In any case, the creature which now possessed his fate... would therefore possess his connection to the Nightmare Spell, as well.


    So why would the Thieving Bird want something like that?


    To answer that question, one had to realize that the creature that Sunny had met in the Nightmare was not the real Thieving Bird. The real Thieving Bird was long dead. Instead, the odious thing he had run into at the Estuary was a replica of the vile Terror created by the Spell.


    And a replica could only exist in the illusory realm of the Nightmare.


    A carrier of the Spell, however... a carrier of the Spell would be expelled back into the real world once the Nightmare was over. They would have a way to go back.


    So, Sunny had come to belleve that the real reason why the Thieving Bird wanted his fate was to become a carrier of the Nightmare Spell, and slip through the cracks of the illusory realm, finding a backdoor to reality.


    If so, that would be the greatest prison break in history... quite a suitable feat for the greatest and most vile thief to have ever lived.


    Very few creatures could find a way back into existence after having been destroyed for thousands of years, and in such an original way.


    Therefore... the creature that had stolen his fate, and was now in possession of it, was not gone. It had not been erased forever by the collapse of the Nightmare. It was somewhere out there, in the real world, liberated from its illusory prison and free to roam the world, stealing anything that had caught its fancy.


    Which meant that it could be hunted down and killed. And that he could get his fate back from it, somehow.


    Sunny was nowhere near powerful enough to risk facing a Cursed Terror, let alone a Cursed Terror that neither gods nor daemons had been able to deal with.., even the Void Beings were said to have loathed the Vile Thieving Bird, which meant that they had suffered from its mischief as well.


    The damned bird was a real menace...


    More importantly, though, he didn''t know if he even wanted to get his fate back. Despite everything, he wasn''t sure.


    Because there were strings attached to regaining his fate... both literally and figuratively. Some days, Sunny woke up and wanted nothing more than to be remembered. Some days, he woke up and felt that he would never give up his freedom, which he had paid for so dearly.


    But Cassie deserved to know that there was a possibility, at least.


    He sighed.


    "There is a way. However..."


    Sunny''s voice turned heavy.


    "There is a price to pay if one wishes to become fateless. There is also a price to pay if one wishes to become fated. And I... am not sure if I want to pay that price."


    They reached the courtyard, where a lonesome tree stood, its leaves rustling in the darkness.


    The tree was feeling much better after being tended to by Shakti. It was doing much better, in fact, than it had in the outskirts, even though there was no sun to shine on its leaves and bathe it in warmth.


    The two of them looked at it in silence - Sunny with his own eyes, and Cassie as well.


    That was another reason why he was clinging to his secrets so desperately, feeling a strange reluctance to let go of the act.


    Sunny leaned back.


    "Sometimes I wonder what we will become, if we succeed. A Supreme being must be even further from being human. What about a Sacred being? What about a Divine one?"


    He remained silent for a while, staring at his tea with a bleak expression. Then, he said somberly:


    "There was a time when I harbored great hate against the Sovereigns. Because they were distant, because they were corrupt, because they treated human lives as currency and did nothing when people died."


    With a deep sigh, Sunny straightened his back and looked at the rustling leaves of the lonesome tree for a while.


    "And yet... haven''t I spent these last few years doing nothing while people died? Such hypocrisy. Of course, I had my reason. Ultimately, it doesn''t matter what a single Saint does - a pawn can struggle and strive, but the players are the ones who decide the outcome of the game. So, right now, I am biding my time to replace the morally corrupt players. It''s for the greater good."


    A sad smile twisted his lips.


    "But then, I am sure that this is what the Sovereigns think, as well. That what they are doing, no matter how callous, is for the greater good.��


    Cassie remained silent for a long time, then shook her head decisively.


    "There is a big difference between us and the Sovereigns.��


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "There is?"


    She nodded.


    "Yes. It is that we are ashamed of our faults, while they are not. It might sound stupid, but that matters. It matters more than you can think."


    He laughed.


    "That''s it? The only difference is that when we do something distasteful, we feel regret?"


    Cassie shrugged.


    "There is no need to think in absolutes. It is a fallacy. We also don''t send assassins to kill little girls, or try to unleash Nightmare Creatures in populous cities. The extent of one''s willingness to do despicable things for what they perceive as greater good is also important, not just the principle. More Importantly... we are also competent, while they are not. The end only justifies the means if you actually reach the end."


    She hesitated for a moment, and then smiled.


    "Or, if you prefer... one can''t make an omelette without breaking eggs, but if they break the eggs and can''t even make an omelette, then they shouldn''t be allowed into the kitchen. Don''t you think?"


    Sunny chuckled.


    "That... sounds pretty reasonable. Thanks for levelling with me."


    He picked up the cup and took a sip of the fragrant tea, then leaned forward and smiled.


    "Now, then. Shall we discuss the details of how we are going to make this omelette?��

 Chapter 1791 Queenmaker

    Sunny and Cassle were seated across from each other, enjoying tea and refreshments. The courtyard was peaceful, and the leaves rustled quietly above them. Other than that, there were no other sounds.


    The scene would have been picturesque if not for the fact the world was shrouded in absolute darkness. Neither of them had any need for light, and that, too, was a reason why having Cassie here felt comfortable to Sunny.


    Dirty deeds were meant to be done under the cover of darkness. And although them having tea in a friendly atmosphere seemed innocent enough, in truth, it was a meeting between two people who conspired to usurp the world in a mayhem of violence. There was hardly a dirtier and more treasonous intent than a bloody rebellion.Discover new chapters at novelhall.com


    Today, they were going to reveal their cards to each other. Without knowing what each of them was scheming, it would be impossible to form a meaningful cooperation.


    Cassie was going to relay all the information to Nephis, of course.


    She sighed.


    "Fundamentally, there are two tasks that need to be accomplished. One is to eliminate the Sovereigns, The other is to usurp their thrones, Needless to say, both are hard to achieve.��


    She sipped her tea and took a bite from a soft pastry.


    "You should know by now some of the work that has gone into ensuring the former. Ultimately, Nephis is responsible for warfare and conquest. My role in ensuring the downfall of the Sovereigns is limited - for now, I have been mainly focused on elevating her renown in the hearts of the people. It''s pure propaganda - I have my avenues of manipulating the public opinion, and Jet has the government sources, as well. It... has been a long road, to get where we are now."


    She smiled faintly.


    "Of course, we were fortunate in many regards. The decision made by the government to turn Nephis into a symbol, back when she had failed to return from the Forgotten Shore, was a stroke of luck. The reason why they made that decision the great and tragic legacy of Immortal Flame and Broken Sword - is a grim blessing, as well. Conquering the Second Nightmare as a Sleeper and being adopted by a Great Clan added momentum to her rise to glory and breathed new life into her stirring tale. l?ght


    "That is it, in broad strokes. Now, for the details... where do I even start?"


    After that, Cassie went into a detailed explanation of all the schemes she was weaving behind the scenes, every resource at Neph''s disposal, every connection, every clandestine preparation, every strategy and tactic they had developed for the eventual battle against the Sovereigns.


    She spoke for quite some time, to say the least. The scope of it all was nothing short of daunting... so much so that Sunny doubted which one of them had seven bodies, for a moment.


    The work had started a long time ago - pretty much immediately after the Forgotten Shore. However, it had only truly ramped out in the last four years, It seemed like neither Cassie nor Nephis had rested even for a minute after becoming Saints.


    And yet, it still didn''t seem enough.


    How could it be, if their goal was so ambitious? Not only did they want to bring down the current rulers of the world, but also to put the crown on Neph''s head.


    After a while, Cassie grew quiet. By then, one of the avatars had replaced the tea kettle several times, as well as delivered more refreshments.


    Sunny sighed, then shook his head slightly.


    "I understand that the actual battle with the Sovereigns is not your responsibility, Cassie. Nephis is in charge of that. However... I still think that you are treating the act of killing them too lightly. Your preparations are insufficient. Your approach is too reliant on simply willing victory into existence. Sure, that is exactly what Nephis is known for... but, still. There is a huge hole in the plan."


    He lingered for a few moments, then smiled darkly.


    "...Luckily, I am here to fill it.��

 Chapter 1792 Bait and Switch

    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then stood up.


    "Please, follow me. I want to show you something."


    Cassie rose, and they walked together through the impenetrable darkness. As they did, he spoke in a tone of indifference:


    "You know a lot about what I''ve been up to after becoming a Saint. For a while... I did not even have plans of ever returning. So, my preparations are not as extensive as yours. Still, I''ve been working on bringing down the Sovereigns earnestly, in my own way."


    She nodded.


    "Your involvement is both welcome and appreciated. You might want to be modest, Sunny... but there is really no need to. There are very few Saints more powerful than you. Maybe even none. So, your presence alone is significant enough to change the balance of power entirely."


    Sunny smiled.


    "Who says that I want to be modest? Yes, I am powerful. Not only am I powerful, but each of my Shadows is also a walking calamity. There are only six people in the world that I am inclined to be wary of the three Sovereigns, Mordret, Nephis... and you.


    His smile widened.


    "And look at that, three of the six have decided to join hands to defeat the rest. I''d be afraid of us if 1 was someone else."


    They returned to the inner sanctum of the temple and entered the stairwell to the underground level.


    Sunny''s smile dimmed a little.


    "Returning to my preparations to kill the Supremes. Make no mistake... I am determined to achieve Supremacy without venturing into a Nightmare, as well. It''s just that while Nephis is prevented from doing so by circumstances, I simply can''t. Because... well, you know. Sadly, I must admit that I am half a step behind her, in that regard. Which is why my plan revolved around battling at least one of the Sovereigns as Saints."


    They reached the great underground hall, which was drowning in darkness. Sunny had hidden it from Nephis the last time around. However, Cassie was witnessing the world through his eyes - so, she could see everything that he could see.


    She was momentarily frozen in place.


    "Don''t worry. It''s safe."


    The hidden level was like a reflection of the main hall, as if someone had flipped the entire temple and put it below ground upside-down. The great pillars of black marble descended from the tall ceiling and rested on the floor, and silence reigned in the vast expanse of solemn emptiness. There were only two differences - the absence of the altar and the mystical circle that took the entirety of the far wall.


    The circle itself looked... quite striking. It was as if the great wall of black marble had turned into liquid once, and swirled around an invisible axis before solidifying in a sudden ripple. It was both orderly and chaotic, enthralling and unnerving... but mostly beautiful.


    It was also capable of absorbing a vast amount of essence like a bottomless vortex. Because of that, it emanated a sense of magnetic pressure.


    Cassie was stunned by the sight.


    Sunny inhaled deeply and looked up, as if trying to pierce the marble walls with his gaze.


    "The clash with the Sovereigns is inevitable, and one way or the other, it must happen here. Either they will come to besiege my Citadel, or I will move it to besiege them. Even if Nephis manages to become a Sovereign, she will still be new and inexperienced as a ruler of a Domain. So, she''ll need all the help she can get when she faces the enemy."


    He lingered for a moment.


    "The darkness that surrounds the Nameless Temple is not one of its Components. In fact... well, you might not remember if I tell you where I received it from. Suffice it to say, it is a shard of an ancient Domain. A Divine Domain. The Realm of Shadows."


    Sunny sighed.


    "I can''t control it, and am too weak to claim ownership of it. However, it is still a piece of a foreign Domain of unfathomable power. When either of the Sovereigns enters it, their authority will be weakened, if not suppressed entirely."


    Cassie considered his words carefully, Slowly, a hesitant smile appeared on her lips.


    Then, she seemed to think of something else.


    "But your plans would not be limited to just weakening their authority... you are far too thorough to be satisfied with just that."


    Suddenly, her eyes widened.


    "The Great abominations that sleep below the temple!"


    His smile turned a little sinister.


    "Yes. They are a present I''ve been preparing for the Sovereigns. A swarm of Great Nightmare Creatures to welcome them as my guests, freshly freed from a maze of nightmares and burning with furious desire to avenge their imprisonment. Of course, just that is not worthy of a proper welcome gift. I should be a generous host, after all."


    Cassie tilted her head a little. A moment later, she faced him with a flash of understanding in her beautiful blue eyes.


    "In the memories... you had a fifth Shadow. A black stallion who wields power over dreams. However, I''ve never seen him here, or with any of your other incarnations. Sunny... where is that Shadow?"


    Sunny grinned.


    His gaze fell down, at the floor of the Nameless Temple.


    After a while, he said:


    "Nightmare is busy with an important task. He is lulling a special guest into slumber. The centerpiece of my welcoming committee."


    He faced Cassie with a cold expression.


    "A very nasty creature of the Cursed Rank. Since we''re inviting the Sovereigns, we should have a guest of honor, don''t you think?��

 Chapter 1793 Soft Hand

    Nephis had judged that the only way to defeat the Sovereigns was to become Supreme.


    However, Sunny had held a different opinion. He had been fully prepared to face them as a Saint- just as he had faced countless adversaries of a higher Rank than him in the past. People like him were forged by bringing down creatures more powerful than them, so in principle, there wasn''t much difference.


    All he had to do was study the enemy, ensnare them in a net of deceit and treachery, and then put his life on the line. Wait for them to break themselves against each other, and then deliver a fatal strike to finish off the battered foes.


    That was why he had made the Nameless Temple into a trap, and sent Nightmare to assemble a swarm of slumbering horrors.


    The Dream Curse... was a frightening power. It spread unseen, infecting those unfortunate enough to contract it one after another. Its influence was subtle and insidious, and by the time the curse was ready to pull its victim into the maze of nightmares, it was already too late to resist it.


    Of course, the Great Nightmare Creatures slumbering under the temple still tried. They struck against the walls of the dream prison, just like Sunny had done in the Kingdom of Hope - the nightmares subjugated by his Shadow were continuously destroyed, breaking apart under the onslaught.


    However, at the same time, Nightmare conquered more of them... the new dreams he collected belonged to abominations of vast and terrifying power, and so, the walls of the dream maze grew stronger and stronger. As did the dark destrier himself.


    Still, it was a daunting task for Nightmare to lull a Cursed being to sleep.


    Sunny''s steed had been at it for many months already. The Nightmare Creatures populating the area of the Hollows around the Cursed One''s lair had succumbed to slumber one after the other. Then, the fallen deity itself was slowly infected, one drop of insidious poison at a time.


    The Cursed One had resisted for a long time, but eventually, the Dream Curse seeped into its mind, body, and soul. At first, it would grow sluggish sometimes, then it would doze off for a minute or two before recovering. Finally, it fell asleep.


    Its slumber was still restless and shallow, but Sunny was certain that he would be able to pull it Into the underground hall of the Nameless Temple before the Sovereigns came.


    Of course... his preparations were flawed, as well.


    He had started on this plan not long after returning to civilization, still disoriented by the changes that had happened in his absence and badly informed.


    Sunny sighed.


    It was not that Nephis was incapable of constructing a plan to clash with the Sovereigns as a Saint. She was experienced in slaying overwhelming foes, as well. It was just that it was not an option for her - because after the Chain of Nightmares, the two Domains were holding the equivalent of an entire Quadrant''s population hostage.


    If the Sovereigns were eliminated without a new Supreme taking their place, the Dream Realm would drown in human blood. And Nephis had made it clear in the Crimson Spire that she did not only care about reaching her goal, but also about reaching it the way she wanted.


    So... as Sunny saw it, both of their plans had to succeed if they wanted to achieve an acceptable outcome.


    A somber expression appeared on her face.


    "Needless to say, most of that information is either erased or twisted to such a degree that learning anything truthful from it is impossible. I''ve been... trying to uncover as much as I can. But it hasn''t been easy, and most of all, I''ve been very cautious, afraid to attract attention. The King of Sword still doesn''t trust Nephis that much, after all. Being discovered would mean certain death."


    She remained silent for a few moments, then added:


    "But that is about to change. Once the war starts, everything would be thrown into chaos. That is when we''ll be able to act more boldly. With my ability to read memories and perceive many things, and your versatile arsenal of stealth and infiltration #abilities... if the two of us put our minds together, I''m sure that we can uncover a great number of secrets under the cover of the mayhem."


    Cassie took a deep breath.


    "Including the most important one!"


    Sunny gave her a long look.


    "What do you think is the most important secret?"


    Cassie hesitated for a while, then faced him and said quietly:


    "...You are right. Our battle plan is too vague. But there is something that can make the odds much more favorable a piece of information that is as important as it is tightly sealed. At the end of it all... I suspect that the success of our entire endeavor will be decided by whether we manage to solve that mystery or not."


    Her beautiful eyes grew cold.


    "The single most important thing we must learn... are the Flaws of the Sovereigns. If we grasp their Flaws, victory will be ours. If not, all that awaits us are the flames of hell."


    Sunny looked at her silently for a while.


    Eventually, he said:


    "You want to steal the secret of their Flaws?"


    Cassie lingered for a bit, then smiled.


    "Yes, And I want you to help me steal it, Sunny.��

 Chapter 1794 Last Memory

    There was a lot more to talk about, so they returned to the courtyard and Immersed themselves in a detailed discussion of the upcoming war. Now that both knew what hidden cards they held, they could work out how to deal with a great number of possible events effectively. At the same time, more issues were uncovered as they discussed tactical solutions.


    For example, Cassie possessed a much deeper knowledge of what Aspects, Abilities, and Memories the main combatants of both Domains possessed. She could share all that knowledge with Sunny, which would help him deal with these people on the battlefield, should the need arise.


    He had collected a lot of information in the last year, but she knew more. So, he felt a subtle sense of excitement as many of the gaps in his understanding of the playing field, the players, and the figures they would move were covered one by one.


    Still, it was a strange conversation. Neither of them had the ability to predict how the war would turn out, exactly. So, they were simply preparing themselves to face the unknown as best they could. The rulers of the Great Clans were having similar meetings, without a doubt. Granted, theirs were much more crowded and ostentatious.


    Sunny also knew that, although he was facing Cassie, Nephis was passively participating in the conversation as well. The blind seer had the ability to communicate with her telepathically, after all. So, she was both talking to him and relaying the necessary information to Nephis at the same time, asking for her Input when it was needed.


    After a while, it seemed like they had finally exhausted the deep well of things that needed to be discussed urgently. Finally, silence enveloped the Nameless Temple once more.


    Cassie poured herself more tea and picked up the cup, turning to the lonesome tree.


    After a while, she spoke evenly:


    "The situation is developing rapidly in the waking world. Clan Valor has already leveled accusations against Master Dar and Silent Stalker. They are not pointing directly at Clan Song, yet, but when the Queen inevitably refuses to support the investigation, it would be all too easy to make it seem as if she is implicated."


    She let out a deep sigh.


    "Both Domains are boiling with indignation. The citizens of the Sword Domain are in outrage over the attempt on Neph''s life, while those in the Song Domain are appalled at being accused of it. Passions are burning hot, and all the seeds of discord that had been planted earlier are blooming. The situation is highly volatile. If this continues..."


    The young woman hesitated for a few moments,


    "I''m afraid that peace won''t outlive winter, Come spring, one of the Sovereigns will declare war��


    Spring was roughly a month away. Sunny knew these facts himself, but he still couldn''t quite believe that the calamity was so near.


    Had the ancient people felt the same way in the days before the Doom War?


    A month was not a lot of time at all.


    He closed his eyes for a moment.


    ''I won''t be able to forge the sword for Nephis in time.��


    Nor would he be able to solve the mirror maze below the true Bastion in time. Not to mention that he had not even gotten close to infiltrating the Jade Palace yet.


    It seemed that he would only be able to gain more fragments of Weaver''s lineage after the rulers of the two Great Citadels were gone. Unless he wanted to leave his main body and one of the six shadows on the sidelines, leaving himself in a weakened state for the carnage in Godgrave.


    What was he going to do with the humble shopkeeper once the war started?


    Nephis would leave Bastion. Cassie, too...


    Was he really going to stay?


    ��...How did I end up on this damned statue all alone again?��


    Life was such a funny thing. He had worked so hard, and suffered so much, but here he was, right where he had started.


    What was he supposed to do now?


    He remembered the black mirror of the sealed sea once more, feeling regretful for not diving into its dark depths. That would have been a fitting way to end it all.


    But he had already decided against it, so there was no going back.


    Instead, he would just stay here for a while more.


    Another day passed in deafening silence.


    And then, another.


    And then... Sunny grew bored.


    It seemed that boredom was a much more powerful emotion than all the rest. Because he was still tormented by it, even when nothing else was able to bother him much.


    Eventually, Sunny let out a frustrated sigh.


    "This is seriously tedious."


    Muttering a curse, he sat up and looked around.


    ��Alright.��


    There was nothing more he wanted to see on the Forgotten Shore. So, it was time to decide where he was going to go next.


    The Hollow Mountains lay south. The Nightmare Desert lay east.


    No one knew what lay west and north.


    So, these were his two choices.


    Follow the mountains west, or venture in the opposite direction of where humans lived?


    ''Let''s get as much distance between me and humanity as possible.''


    Sunny smiled faintly, then stood up.


    In the past, it was an arduous process for him, to descend from the colossal statue. But now, he simply stepped and fell down, turning into a crow at the last moment. Opening his wings, he glided on the cold wind and flew above the ashen desert.


    It was time to delve into the unknown.

 Chapter 1795 Burned Forest

    Before leaving the statue of the Knight behind, Sunny hesitated for a while, and then manifested one of his avatars. Taking control of that incarnation, he left a tether on the ancient stone.


    Sunny had the ability to possess seven bodies now, but he still only had a single soul. Each of his incarnations was nevertheless capable of having its own tether. He wasn''t sure that he would want to return to the Forgotten Shore, but since crossing the Hollow Mountains again did not sound particularly pleasant, decided to leave himself a path, just in case.


    With that done, Sunny went north. Riding Nightmare, he traversed the silent darkness at a measured pace. The hooves of his tenebrous steed rustled softly in the ashen dust, and with each day, the distance between him and the distant human territories continued to increase.


    He had never visited the northern reaches of the Forgotten Shore before, so everything here was new to him. Granted, there was not much to look at - at times, curious landmarks appeared on the horizon, but none of them managed to pique his interest.


    There were crumbled ruins, bones of ancient leviathans, and frames of rotten ships. He left it all behind, feeling calm and unburdened, There was nothing he had to accomplish and no looming necessity urging him forward. Time lost all meaning to him.


    He slept when he was tired and ate when he was hungry. Other than that, Sunny did not concern himself with anything.


    Of course, he still forced himself to maintain vigilance. There could still be Nightmare Creatures left on the Forgotten Shore, and even if there were none, it was a bad idea to break the habit of always paying attention to his surroundings.


    Eventually, the landscape around him changed.


    Sunny first noticed that there was less and less dust covering the ground. Then, patches of dark soil started to appear with increased frequency. That meant that the coral labyrinth had been sparser here once.


    A few days later, he started to encounter tall hills. There were more of them the further north he went, standing in a strangely orderly manner. After investigating one of the hills, Sunny discovered that it was artificial in nature. He could sense a vast burial chamber somewhere far below him.


    It was a barrow.


    Climbing to the top of the burial hill, Sunny looked around and counted. However, there were too many of them to count - giving up after a few hundred, he sat down and stared into the darkness for a while.


    Then, he stepped into the shadows and descended into the burial chamber.


    A broken sarcophagus stood there, at least ten meters in length. Inside were the bones of a nameless glant. There were remains of crude armor covering the bones, but time had erased all clues of who was buried here, and by whom.


    Sunny was pretty sure that no other human had ventured that far north before. He had discovered a new region of the Dream Realm.


    That meant that there would be Nightmare Creatures waiting for him in the unexplored wilderness. Still, he wasn''t discouraged.


    His reserves of food were running quite low, after all.


    When the sun rose and the sky was painted grey, Sunny continued on his way. This time, he was especially careful, knowing that unknown herrers could attack him at any moment.


    Soon, a dark line appeared on the horizon. He assumed that there would be another mountain chain barring his path, but was proven wrong after getting closer.


    Sitting in the saddle, Sunny looked ahead with an emotionless face.


    Out there in front of him... a sea of jagged black pillars was rising into the sky, each as wide as a tower. It was as if countless dead giants were reaching toward the sky with twisted, skeletal fingers.


    The pillars... were the blackened, broken trunks of great trees. He was looking at a destroyed forest of titanic proportions.


    Sunny was struggling to imagine how tall the trees had been before they were broken and toppled, and how vast the forest was. All that he could tell was that it was a land meant for deities, not mortals.


    Urging Nightmare forward, Sunny slowly entered the burned forest. Despite the thousands of years that had passed since it was devoured by flames, the scorched trees had not decayed and crumbled into dust. They were still intact, just broken - it was as if someone had vengefully shattered each one, so that none remained standing.


    The broken trunks covered the ground, intertwined into an impassable disarray, Most of them were as wide as roads, stretching at steep angles or sloping down, into the dark depths of the deadfall. The layer of broken trees must have been several hundred meters thick, and there was no telling what hid in the gaps between the charred remains of the ancient trees.


    Sunny had no desire to find out, so he sent Nightmare onto the nearest horizontal trunk.


    Moving forward wasn''t easy, since he often had to change directions, going up and down or jumping from one fallen tree to another.


    A few hours later, Sunny encountered his first foe.

 Chapter 1796 End of the World

    It was a black, glistening millipede that lunged at him from under the deadfall. Its armored body was about three meters in length, as wide as an adult man''s torso. Instead of a pair of mandibles, it had an eerily human mouth full of sharp, needle-like fangs.


    The millipede was a Corrupted Beast.


    Sunny did not move from the saddle and simply turned his head with a dark look. Before the creature could reach him, dark tentacles rose from the blackened surface of the dead tree and enveloped it, slamming the abomination down. Then, they moved like saws, their undersides turning into sharp blades.


    A few heartbeats later, the millipede was sawn into a dozen bleeding chunks. It struggled weakly, and then grew still.


    Sunny dismissed the shadows and stared at the gruesome remains incredulously. Then, he sighed and looked up.


    "...I''m supposed to eat that?"


    Before he could jump off the saddle to harvest the millipede''s meat and soul shards, though, he sensed a tide of shadows moving in his direction.


    Soon enough, the broken forest came alive. It looked as if a flood of darkness flowed from under the ancient trunks, rushing at him with terrible speed. A deafening rustle assaulted his ears.


    Sunny cursed in a stifled voice.


    The flood of darkness was not the second coming of the Dark Sea - Instead, there were more millipedes slithering towards him. Thousands of them, at least, all of the same Rank and Class as the first one.


    Sunny was powerful. He was even powerful beyond belief, if compared to an average Saint. However, he was not inclined to battle a swarm of thousands of Corrupted Beasts.


    Dismissing Nightmare, he turned into a shadow and fled. A moment later, the tide of millipedes flowed over the remains of their fallen sibling, and in a split second, the meat he had been reluctant to collect was gone. Not even a piece of black chitin remained.


    Gliding away stealthily, Sunny let out a bitter, mental sigh.


    ''No wonder.''


    No wonder none of the Sleepers of the Forgotten Shore had managed to find salvation by trying to reach another region of the Dream Realm. Even if they somehow managed to traverse thousands of kilometers of the crimson labyrinth, hiding from the Dark Sea at night, all that awaited them beyond the coral was death.


    Hollow Mountains and Nightmare Desert were a death warrant. But this Burned Forest was not any better. It was another Death Zone.


    Sunny had no doubt that there was no salvation west of the Forgotten Shore, either.


    ��Doesn''t matter.��


    Leaving the swarm of millipedes behind, he continued to move north.


    ***


    It took Sunny a long time to make his way through the Burned Forest. He was quickly reminded that he was at the bottom of the food chain - after that first encounter with the swarm of Corrupted Beasts, he met many more Nightmare Creatures, most of them much more powerful than the millipedes were.


    There were plenty of Great abominations on the outskirts of the forest... as for its depths, Sunny had not dared venturing there, moving instead in a wide circle.


    He had evaded some and killed some. His food stores were replenished, but his body was in a sorry state. It was to the point where he had to remain in the form of a shadow for a while, using one of the avatars as the main vessel of his consciousness instead.


    Would he really reach the boundary of the Dream Realm? There was curvature to the horizon here, so reasonably, this strange world was supposed to be a sphere, just like Earth. So, he might end up entering the Stormsea from the south.


    However, reason did not always work in the Dream Realm. So, Sunny could easily imagine that the world would just end, opening up into an endless dark abyss. Or maybe an infinity of billowing white mist... into nothing.


    What would it feel like, to stand on the edge of the world and peer beyond?


    Suffering from cold and lethal wind, Sunny stubbornly moved further north.


    There was nothing around him anymore. No ruins, no Nightmare Creatures, no signs of ancient battles. Only the wind, the ice, and the stars.


    But then, one day...


    Something suddenly appeared in the distance. A shape that was different from all the rest, too orderly and smooth to not be artificial,


    Barely containing his fascination, Sunny walked in that direction.


    He moved closer and closer, until the strange structure finally revealed itself.


    Sunny stumbled.


    His weathered face suddenly froze. All traces of excitement were erased from it, replaced by a deep, powerful emotion that wasn''t quite horror and wasn''t quite shock, but very close to both.


    He swayed slightly.


    "Aaaah...."


    A slow exhale slowly escaped from his lips.


    Sunny sank to his knees.


    Tears rolled from his eyes, turning into drops of ice.


    "Here... it''s here."


    It was.


    A bitter smile split his pale face apart.


    Out there in front of him, hidden in the ice... stood a small settlement. It was surrounded by a thick wall, which was now broken and covered in snow.


    There was a large dome-like structure towering above the settlement, painted white against the backdrop of the starlit sky. It resembled a giant, perfectly smooth egg.


    It was an observatory... a lunar observatory.


    It was LO49.

 Chapter 1797 Last Refuge

    Sunny would have loved to be wrong. He would have liked to believe that he had lost his sanity from solitude and hopelessness. Or even that he had fallen under the effect of a strange mind hex.


    That he was looking at an illusion conjured by some harrowing abomination.


    But in his heart, he knew that his eyes weren''t lying to him. Out there in front of him, buried in snow and ice, was indeed Lunar Observatory Forty-Nine - the research settlement where he had met Beth and Professor Obel once, during the Chain of Nightmares. Where Dusk of Fallen Grace killed everyone except for a handful of people that Sunny had taken away in time.


    The dome of the old observatory was the same. The alloy wall was the same, even if its turrets had turned into ice sculptures. The empty buildings where the scientists, soldiers, and assisting personnel had once lived and worked were the same, too.


    The research installation stood lonesomely under the starlit sky, drowning in snow. Sunny shivered,


    "H-how..."


    But he knew how, Wind Flower had warned him... she had told him that his world would be consumed by the Dream Realm one day, Just like hers. He had known that it was Inevitable for a long time.


    However, Sunny had never thought that the process would have started so soon.


    ��I thought... we still... had time.��


    He remained motionless for a while, taking in the eerle sight of the empty facility with an expression that went beyond despair.


    It felt so wrong, to see alloy walls and prefab structures in the Dream Realm.


    Appalling.


    Sunny had no words to describe what he was feeling. He had left the waking world behind... and yet, witnessing the root of its future destruction had rattled him to the very core.


    The dilapidated streets of the outskirts. The beautiful terrace district in the inner city. The fortress-like Awakened Academy. The prestigious school where Rain had studied. Everything he knew... would be swallowed by the Dream Realm soon.


    Worse than that. All the places that formed the background of his memories would not just be transported to another world. They would become forgotten ruins - just the kind Sunny was fond of exploring. Weathered, forlorn, and teeming with revolting abominations.


    That was the grim future of the world infected by the Nightmare Spell.


    Only... there would be no one to explore the ruins of the waking world and wonder about the people who had populated them once. Because Sunny''s realm was the last to be consumed. There would be no explorers left to remember their lives and struggles.


    The waking world would cease to exist. Maybe not in a year, or even a decade...


    Still unable to come to terms with the dreadful revelation, he remained motionless for a while, and then left the settlement to wander around.


    It was strange.


    The research facility was how it had been. Some of its surroundings were familiar, too...


    But the rest was not.


    The ocean shore might have been hidden under the ice, but the mountains were definitely missing. After exploring the area more thoroughly, Sunny made sure that he wasn''t mistaken.


    He had almost expected to find the entire Antarctica here, but somehow, it was nowhere to be found. There were no mountains, no highways, no underground base that he had used as shelter after meeting Gere and his small convoy of refugees.


    Instead, there was just an endless plain of ice.


    It was as if a small chunk had been torn out of the waking world and transported here, then stitched to the patchwork realm of nightmares.


    No matter how long Sunny looked, he did not find another.


    Still... the Dream Realm was vast.


    There could be more pieces of Antarctica lost somewhere in the ice. Other areas could be elsewhere... Sunny would not be surprised if it turned out that a piece of America was now drifting somewhere in Stormsea, or that parts of Europe could be found west of the Forgotten Shore.


    There was no point in continuing the search anymore. Nothing would change if he found another fragment of the waking world here.


    Sunny looked south, where LO49 was hidden in the darkness.


    Then, he looked north, at the endless expanse of ice.


    The desire to explore the unknown that had pushed him forward so far... was inexplicably gone, doused by the grim discovery.


    Letting out a sigh, he summoned the Marvellous Mimic, commanded it to turn into a hut, and went inside.


    His mind was numb, and his heat was cold.


    So, Sunny decided to sleep.

 Chapter 1798 Knowledge of Everything

    When Sunny woke up, reality was the same. His dreams did not change the cold, ruthless truth.


    He had wondered a lot what he would find at the edge of this alien world, but never expected to find the end of his own.


    Sunny slowly sat up and stared at the wall with an absent expression.


    ...Would he still be alone in this frozen wasteland when his world crumbled and become one with the spreading Dream Realm?


    Reality was the same, but he was not.


    It wasn''t unexpected, to change after witnessing something so shocking. He had mused about how small he was in comparison to the colossal stump in the Burned Forest. But only witnessing the white dome of LO49 under the strange sky had really put his entire life in perspective.


    Sunny was quite a self-centered person. He wasn''t a narcissist or someone who had no empathy for anyone except himself, but he cared about himself more than he did about others. There were a few people out there he would die for - but even then, It was because they were dear to him, and their loss would hurt him terribly.


    Only those who had not suffered before were oblivious enough to be truly selfless. People who had experienced anguish and pain knew the value of selfishness, because caring about oneself meant not having to suffer that anguish again.


    So, Sunny was a reasonably selfish man. He was also a man who had experienced all kinds of torment, witnessed great tragedies, and endured it all to continue walking forward.


    Still, even he could not remain unmoved in the face of the destruction of his world, and the extinction of his kind.


    ''She was right... knowledge is indeed the heaviest thing in the world.��


    The winds were howling beyond the walls of the


    empty hut. The sky was cold and dark. Pale starlight bathed the desolate expanse of ice, reflecting from it in a ghostly radiance.


    Some distance away, the dome of LO49 stood lonesomely above the snow.


    Sunny let out a long sigh.


    He did not want to, but had no choice except to reevaluate a lot of things. Very important things, including the very concept of the future and his own place in its frightening reach.


    In fact, even though Sunny did not know what to think yet, he felt that he had already made a few decisions.


    It was just that he had not realized these decisions yet.


    Life.,,, was so messy.


    He had gone to Antarctica in search of conviction, thinking that his own was lacking. He did not find what he was looking for there, but instead learned that his own beliefs and aspirations were in no way inferior to anyone else''s.


    Sunny had also learned to despise the Sovereigns in Antarctica. The callous ghouls who played their games while countless people died, even though they could extend a hand and save them.


    He wanted to make his will known and if not punish the tyrants, then at least prevent their hidden conflict from causing too much collateral damage among the civilian population. He did a few things to realize that goal, but before his efforts truly bore fruit, the Battle of the Black Skull happened.


    And then, Sunny was thrown into the Third Nightmare.


    What happened in the Tomb of Ariel... well. He made a proper mess of everything, and then somehow solved it, as well. But the way he solved it was more damaging than the Nightmare itself.


    By now, he was powerful enough not to be a mere spectator. Why did he have to simply watch the ruthless players move the figures across the board? Instead, he could exert his influence to personally change the game.


    A person like him could do a lot when no one was looking his way. The idea of confronting the Sovereigns seemed like pure madness before. It still did, but was it, really?


    Could Sunny exert his will and reshape the world to fit his desires?


    He would have to plot the downfall of Anvil of Valor and Ki Song.


    There was the third one, as well... perhaps the most dangerous of the three.


    But dealing with the Sovereigns was only the beginning.


    Now that the destruction of everything was accelerating, there was only one way - forward, to the very end. Either the Nightmare Spell would swallow humanity, or be conquered by humans.


    Supreme, Sacred, Divine.


    The end could only be stopped if new gods were born of humanity. Therefore, that was what Sunny had to ensure... if he went back.


    Did he dare to dream it?


    A long time ago, Nephis had proclaimed her determination to conquer every Nightmare. Sunny had thought that she was insane back then.


    The wind was growing colder outside.


    He remained silent for a long time, listening to its howling.


    ��...So what if it''s insane?��


    Sunny was not quite healthy in the mental department himself. He had not been for a long time.


    He did dare to dream it. At this point, there was very little that he did not dare to do.


    Walking out of the door, Sunny looked at the sky.


    The sky was full of stars.


    ''I am nobody. And I have nothing.��


    He inhaled the frigid air and looked south with a cold, dark gleam in his lightless eyes.


    ''So let''s change everything.��


    With that, he dismissed the Marvellous Mimic and reached into his soul, which was still tethered to the waking world.


    Soon, his figure disappeared from the sea of starlit ice.


    ...Instead, a ragged silhouette appeared on a desolate street in the outskirts of NQSC, surrounded by a whirlwind of dancing snowflakes.

 Chapter 1799: Back to Civilization

    Chapter 1799: Back to Civilization


    Sunny returned to the outskirts.


    After years spent in the wild reaches of the Dream Realm, NQSC was like an explosion. Sunny almost fell to the ground after being assaulted by a myriad of movements and sensations. There were sounds, scents, and countless scenes. Most of all, there were shadows... a vast legion of them, all moving and changing, surrounding him like a boundless whirlpool.


    Overwhelmed by them, he spent several days hiding in an abandoned room at the top of a ramshackle dormitory hive.


    His mind wasn''t ready for the sensory overload of being among hundreds of millions of people subduing his shadow sense, he waited for a while, slowly preparing himself to face humanity again.


    Gradually, Sunny let his senses lose. First to envelop a few levels of the dormitory hive, then all of it. Laying in the darkness, he could feel thousands of humans go about their harsh lives, observing their sorrows, joys, and struggles.


    Then, his shadow sense extended outward, enveloping the outskirts one street after another.


    At some point, Sunny felt as if he was an invisible, omniscient deity. The area he could perceive was too vast for his mind to concentrate on each shadow, to witness every person - and yet, there was no better way of throwing himself into the half-forgotten feeling of being human.


    Slowly, the feral grip of solitude that the Dream Realm had on his mind loosened. Sunny remembered how to be a person again.


    His status in the waking world was... questionable. He didn''t really exist. A nice family was now living in his terrace district house. He had no money, n�� citizenship, and no home.


    Which was pretty much exactly how it had been, back in the days of living as an outskirt rat.


    A very familiar situation.


    Of course, Sunny himself was entirely different from his younger self. He was a Saint now, which meant that he wasn''t just a rat... he was the strongest, most vicious and fearsome rat in the world. The loftiest rat there was.


    A true rat king.


    The outskirts themselves had changed, as well. They were much emptier, as if someone had culled the population of this miserable place in the past few years. Sunny knew that many of the most disenfranchised people of the waking world had been seduced by the lure of the Dream Gates - one of his incarnations had followed Rain to Ravenheart, after all. But knowing and seeing were two different things,


    ''Even this place can change, huh.''


    He felt... uprooted, somehow. But it was a good thing, for this part of his part to have changed.


    So, that was where he headed.


    Of course, to get there, he had to cross most of the Sword Domain first.


    Strangely enough, the journey was relaxing.


    Sunny had spent so much time braving the deadliest regions of the Dream Realm that the territories conquered by humans seemed peaceful and safe. As long as he remained vigilant, nothing here could seriously threaten him.


    Granted, the Dream Realm was still dire and full of dangers. Overconfidence was still an insidious killer, and one mistake could cost him his life, it was just that the scale of that mistake had to be quite significant now.


    Nevertheless, Sunny enjoyed the feeling of being at the top of the food chain. He rode Nightmare while four of his shadows served as a stealthy vanguard, circling him at a distance. That way, he was alerted of any danger long before it could pose a threat.


    Sunny avoided the human settlements, but sent his shadows to observe them and collect the news from time to time. He was learning more about the current situation in the two worlds, and slowly working out the basics of a plan.


    ...A couple of weeks later, a mountain chain barred his path. It was much less impressive than the dreaded expanse of the Hollow Mountains, but still had a bad reputation. When Sunny was a small child, these mountains were the northern boundary of the human enclave in the Dream Realm.


    After Valor''s northward expansion, though, they were simply a natural barrier in the heart of the Sword Domain now.


    Sunny studied them with a slightly surprised expression. Not because of their historical significance, but for an entirely different reason.


    These mountains...


    ''No way.��


    He recognized them.


    The steep rocky slopes were barren, and sharp ridges were covered in snow. There was one mountain that towered above the rest, though...


    Jagged and lonesome, it dwarfed other peaks of the mountain chain, cutting the night sky with its sharp edges. A radiant moon bathed its slopes in the ghostly, pale light.


    It was the Black Mountain from his First Nightmare.

 Chapter 1800: Return to the Black Mountain

    Chapter 1800: Return to the Black Mountain


    Sunny often thought about the slave caravan, but he never actually tried to learn more about the events that had transpired in the Nightmare.


    He knew that they had happened at the dusk of the Golden Age, not long before the start of the Doom War. Back then, the gods had grown indifferent and distant, and the soldiers of an expansionist empire that worshipped War wiped out the Shadow cult, burning down all its temples.


    However, he did not know much about that empire and the lands it had conquered. The history of the Dream Realm was overshadowed by the calamitous destruction of the Doom War, and while it was possible to learn a thing or two about the previous eras, the devastation had erased most traces of the last human civilizations.


    So, Sunny had never actually expected to behold the Black Mountain again.


    He stared at its distant peak in bewilderment. Then, a sense of subtle curiosity bloomed in his heart.


    ��...Might as well take a look''


    Sunny actually felt a hint of sentimentality.


    Back then, it took the caravan days to scale the mountain pass, Sunny remembered the agony of walking up the mountain road vividly - the cold, the pain, the biting touch of the iron shackles that shredded his wrists. He had felt so tired and weak, not knowing if he would survive the cruel march.


    Many of the slaves had not, and ended up being tossed off the cliff after falling into the snow.


    It was a hard thing, to climb a mountain while hungry and on the verge of freezing.


    Today, Sunny simply stepped into the shadows and appeared halfway up the slope.


    Step, step, and another step.


    Just like that, he was standing below the towering edifice of the Black Mountain.


    Thousands of years had passed since the day the slave caravan was destroyed. The mountain road had already been old and crumbling back then now, no trace of it remained.


    For a few moments, Sunny contemplated staying here for a while to find the old bones. He was curious to know what had actually happened to the nameless slave and Auro of the Nine. Had they escaped the Mountain King? Or had they perished?


    He was quite certain that Auro had survived. But what about the young temple slave?


    However, Sunny quickly dismissed that idea.


    It would take him months, or maybe even years, to dig through the snow and find the traces of the caravan if any traces remained, Even then, there was no guarantee that he would be able to tell anything about the past from them.


    So, with a sigh, Sunny looked up, at the peak of the Black Mountain.


    The only place he could visit was the mysterious temple that had stood there, surrounded by bones.


    But before that...


    He could feel enemies rushing at him from all sides. A moment later, the snow exploded, and hideous figures lunged at him with frenzy burning in their milky-white eyes.


    The slaughter was swift and ruthless.


    Sunny did not even summon a weapon, using the spiked gauntlets of the Onyx Mantle to crush the abominations. He danced between them like an omen of death, coldly and methodically destroying one after another.


    Until none remained.


    The snow was painted red by blood, and a fine crimson haze hung in the air.


    ��Huh.''


    Probably not.


    If so, what did it mean? And how had Shadow God granted him a blessing from beyond the grave?


    Well... that last part wasn''t that surprising. The gods were the ones who had created things like time and death, after all. So, it wasn''t strange to Imagine that they had a special relationship with these laws, A god could very well respond to a question before it was asked, and bless a slave who had offered himself as a sacrifice despite being dead.


    Especially if that altar stood in a very special place.


    The black temple...


    Sunny hesitated, unsure of what to think. Now that he had found the ruined temple again, he realized that he didn''t actually know anything about it.


    He was certain of one thing, though. This place...


    It felt sacred.


    A sense of solemn, silent sanctity was emanating from the obsidian walls of the ancient temple. It looked majestic and beautiful in the moonlight, and although the ground around the ruin was littered with bones, it did not feel vile or ominous at all.


    With a sigh, Sunny headed toward the broken gates of the temple.


    And as he was approaching...


    He felt it.


    He did not see it, and he did not hear it. He did not even perceive it with his shadow sense.


    But somehow, he knew.


    There was something in front of him... a vast, invisible, intangible being. One that was reaching out to him, emanating a subtle sense of purity, loneliness, and power.


    Suddenly, Sunny realized why there were bones scattered everywhere at the peak of the Black Mountain.


    However, the guardian of the temple did not seem to hold any malice toward him. Instead, there was a sense of... joy, and recognition.


    The invisible being was reaching out to something in Sunny''s soul.


    The golden light... the flame of divinity.


    Sunny''s eyes widened a little.


    ''I... I didn''t even know.''


    Back then, he had felt nothing when entering the temple. But the bones had been there, which meant that the guardian had been there, as well. And yet, it let Sunny in instead of adding his corpse to the pile of bones.


    Because it had sensed a faint mark of divinity on his soul.


    ...The Mountain King, too. Since the Tyrant entered the temple, it must have been touched by divinity once, as well.


    Sunny had not known how close to death he had come, and how lucky he was to survive.


    ��Would it let me pass now?''


    Taking a deep breath, Sunny looked forward, and stepped through the gates of the nameless temple.

 Chapter 1801 A New Home

    Sunny crossed the threshold and entered the great hall of the ancient temple.


    It was just as he remembered it.


    The vast hall was desolate and empty. Its roof had partially collapsed, letting in the elements. There were piles of rubble on the floor, covered with snow and ice. Cascades of moonlight were falling through the holes in the roof, suffusing the dark hall with a beautiful and otherworldly splendor... deep shadows surrounded the silver light, not daring to touch it.


    Everything was silent.


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    He had almost expected to find the bones of the Mountain King on the floor, where it had been torn apart by shadow, but there were none. The desolate hall was empty.


    Enveloping the temple with shadow sense to make sure that there was no danger, Sunny took a step forward. Ice shattered with a brittle sound under the onyx soles of his armored boots, and the ancient shadows stirred, reaching out to him in reverent glee.


    Surrounded by them, as if wearing a cloak of darkness, he walked toward the altar.


    It used to be a single slab of black marble, long and wide enough for a human to lay on it comfortably...


    Or maybe not so comfortably, if it had been a sacrificial altar.


    Was it?


    It didn''t matter now, anyway, because the altar was broken.


    The great slab of black stone had shattered, and was laying on the floor in several pieces. That was the only thing in the temple that had changed.


    Sunny studied the broken altar for a while, his face slowly growing paler.


    There were too many mysteries surrounding this


    place. He concentrated, trying to remember


    everything he knew about the First Nightmare, the


    dead gods, and the secrets of the fallen pantheon.


    And then, his eyes widened.


    Of all the knowledge Sunny had learned in his life, of all the pieces of information gathered in his memory, one suddenly stood out. A memory that Sunny had never considered very significant, and had no reason to.


    It was the evaluation the Spell had given him after the First Nightmare. Not the important part that had to do with the appraisal, but rather the slightly poetic summary that had been there seemingly on a whim, to add some flavor,


    Standing above the broken altar, Sunny whispered:


    "A nameless slave ascended the Black Mountain. Both heroes and monsters fell by his hand. Unbroken, he entered the ruined temple of a long-forgotten god and spilled his blood on the sacred altar. The gods were dead, and yet they listened."


    The temple of a long-forgotten god...


    Suddenly, he wanted to laugh.


    ''How fitting.''


    He was a Transcendent, and a homeless one at that. Most Saints, however, were usually in control of a Citadel, ruling it at the behest of their Sovereign.


    There were exceptions, of course, like Saint Tyris, who had lost the Sanctuary of Noctis and had been exiled to Antarctica with her entire clan. Fortunately, White Feather was doing much better now.


    Sunny himself served no Sovereign, and he wasn''t even sure if he could take possession of a Citadel. Citadels were created by the Spell, after all... so, he didn''t know if controlling one was something that only a carrier of the Spell could do.


    It was worth trying, though.


    He hesitated for a while.


    Then, he hesitated some more.


    ''Right. But how do I actually claim a Citadel?��


    If there was an instruction manual for being a Saint, Sunny had never received one.


    After thinking for a while, he retracted the Onyx Mantle, bared his forearm, and commanded the Onyx Shell to reduce the resilience of his skin there. Then, he cut his forearm with his fingernail. Nothing happened.


    Letting out a frustrated sigh, Sunny also commanded Blood Weave to release a few drops of blood.


    Why was it so difficult to bleed a little?!


    Several crimson drops fell on the broken altar and rolled down the surface of one of the black shards.


    There was no reaction.


    Once again, nothing happened.


    Sunny scratched the back of his head. The small cut on his forearm was already healing, and before too long, it was entirely gone.


    At that time, he also came up with another idea.


    ''It can''t be that simple, can it?''


    Feeling uncertain, Sunny took a deep breath... and silently released the tether connecting him to the Ivory Tower.


    Then, he concentrated on his soul and started the process of placing a new one.


    He had a suspicion that it was very simple to claim a Citadel, All that a carrier of the Nightmare Spell had to do was become a Transcendent and use the Gateway to return to the waking world. Then, they would become anchored to that Gateway, and therefore, take possession of the Citadel.


    Unless it was already claimed, of course, in which case a more powerful Saint would take control.


    However, Sunny was not a carrier of the Nightmare Spell, so he had to go through the process manually. Instead of allowing the Spell to bind him to the Gateway, he had to create that bond himself.


    And so... he was placing down a tether.CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m

 Chapter 1802 Restoration

    The concept called "tether" by Masters and Saints was a mysterious, but simple thing. It was a sort of Imprint one could leave on the world by using their essence. The spot marked by the imprint was where one''s soul was anchored to the world Masters could only imprint themselves on the waking world, but Saints could imprint themselves on the Dream Realm, as well.


    In addition to that, the tethers placed by Saints were much more expansive and deeply rooted in the fabric of the realm than those placed by Masters. In fact, Sunny was quite certain that they were entirely different things - it was just that both served the same purpose, so humans just used the same word for both.


    The reason why Transcendent tethers were so much more robust than the Ascended ones was because of the nature of Saints. The soul of a Saint was connected to the world, and so, it interacted with the world much closer.


    For example, Saints could absorb spirit essence from their surroundings.


    In rare cases, they could also pour their soul essence out into the world.


    There was no need to mention how vital the former was, but the latter was more or less useless. The soul essence would swiftly dissipate if it wasn''t poured into a special vessel - like a Memory, for example.


    However, one time when pushing one''s own essence onto the world was necessary was the process of creating a tether.


    If manipulated in a special way, the essence would leave an Imprint on the area where it had been unleashed before dissipating. That imprint was the tether, and since it maintained a faint connection with the Saint''s soul, it was possible to pull on the connection to step between realms and return to the place where one''s soul was imprinted.


    Only two tethers could exist at a time, one in each world. It was necessary to break the connection with the old one before creating a new one... well, in Sunny''s case, each of his incarnations could place two of their own.


    Regardless, that was what Sunny was doing now he was pushing his essence into the world and controlling its flow to create an imprint. The process took some time, and was quite arduous.


    However, he was not doing it blindly.


    Instead of allowing his essence to cover the area freely, he tried to concentrate all of it in an isolated spot. Namely... the Gateway of the ancient temple.


    Soon, his tether started to take form.


    And then, something unexpected happened.


    There seemed to be a strange reaction between the Gateway and the forming tether. It was as if the two had been created to exist together all along - not only the strain on Sunny lessened significantly, as if the process had taken on a life of Its own, but he also felt as if the imprint was becoming deeper, and also different in some way.


    At the same time, Sunny felt something changing within his soul.


    It was as if a mystical bond was being established, connecting him to the ancient temple.


    He... he felt very strange.


    Diving into the Soul Sea, Sunny saw that the vast expanse of still water was still no more. Instead, it was surging, boiling almost, with great waves rolling on the dark surface.


    As if someone had thrown a huge boulder into the black water, sending ripples spreading across the silent expanse of his soul.


    ''What...''


    As Sunny watched, astounded, the water at the very heart of the Soul Sea suddenly foamed.


    And then, a familiar black edifice rose from beneath the waves.


    IA perfect replica of the nameless temple - how it had been before its roof collapsed, and its gates were broken - slowly rose from the lightless depths of his soul, bathing in the dark radiance of his six soul cores.


    Soon enough, the surging waters calmed down, and the Soul Sea grew still and silent once more. It was as if nothing had happened.


    Only... there was a great temple of black stone standing on the still water now.


    Sunny stared at it with wide eyes.


    But now, he knew that the ancient temple had been built elsewhere, and had stood elsewhere, before appearing on this mountain peak one day.


    He also knew that it could move again, now that it had an owner once more.


    Slowly, a bold idea formed in his mind.


    Sunny lingered for a while, then looked at his avatars and studied each one for a few moments.


    Eventually, his gaze landed on the gloomy incarnation.


    He smiled.


    ��...Let''s do it this way, then.��


    ***


    Some time later, a sudden commotion disturbed the deadly peace of Godgrave. A dark figure in an onyx armor reached the edge of the dead god''s breastbone, covered in ash and blood. Behind him was a trail of severed flesh and broken bodies.


    The man''s face was hidden behind a ferocious mask carved from black wood.


    Standing on the precipice of an abyssal drop, he gazed down silently, paying no heed to a wave of abominations rushing at him from behind.


    Then, a great temple built of black marble was suddenly standing on the bone plain.


    As the man wearing the demonic mask turned, three warriors clad in the same onyx armor walked out of the darkness under the eaves of the black temple. A graceful stone knight followed, wielding a black blade and a round shield. Then, a silvery fiend forged in the flames of hell, a tenebrous steed shrouded in the mantle of nightmares, and an enormous serpent with onyx scales.


    The dark dwellers of the black temple faced the tide of abominations calmly, and a few moments later, more blood flowed on the white surface of the ancient bone. A great darkness spread, hiding the battlefield from the cloudy sky.


    At the same time, far away...


    A young mundane girl was being taught how to slay Nightmare Creatures by an eccentric shadow. And further still...


    A trade caravan was approaching Bastion. Dozens of heavily loaded wagons were rolling down the road, pushed by monstrous Echoes. A sizable force of Awakened was flanking the caravan, protecting it from the dangers of the Dream Realm.


    Their expressions were clear now that the lake city was in view.


    A handsome young man with porcelain skin and onyx eyes was sitting on the bed of one of the wagons, leaning his back against a wooden crate and looking ahead with a beautiful smile on his lips. He didn''t seem that strong, and wore an elegant black mantle instead of durable armor.


    Far away, the awesome silhouette of a great castle was slowly revealing itself from the shimmering waters of a clear lake.


    The young man looked at it for a while, then glanced down, at his shadow.


    "It seems that we''ve arrived."


    The shadow stared back at him, then shrugged indifferently.


    He smiled.


    "...Yes, I think so too."


    Saying that, the young man looked up, at the silhouette of a white tower floating in the air above the castle.


    His face turned wistful for a moment, and then he looked away with a quiet sight.


    "Ah, it''s so pretty... damnation!��

 Chapter 1803 After the Fighting is Over

    Back in the courtyard of the Nameless Temple, Cassie let out a heavy sigh and looked away, hiding her eyes. Sunny remained silent, waiting for her to come to her senses.


    He hesitated for a few moments, then moved his chair back. The tea had grown cold; the refreshments did not look appetizing anymore.


    The leaves of the lonesome tree rustled peacefully in the darkness.


    After a while, Cassie''s shoulders trembled.


    "It has already begun..."


    Her voice was distant.


    Sunny lingered for a few moments.


    This time, the memory he had shown her was not nearly as long as the previous one. The awesome desolation of the Burned Forest and the mysterious nature of the Nameless Temple were memorable and distinct - however, as expected, what had affected Cassie the most was the sight of LO49.


    Of course, she would not know anything about that lunar observatory in particular. But it was unmistakably a modern building - there was no place for it in the Dream Realm. Knowing that, she would have instantly understood the meaning.


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "You didn''t know?"


    She shook her head slowly.


    He studied her delicate face, then let out a soft sigh.


    Finally, there was something he knew that Cassie didn''t. However, that did not bring him any joy.


    After remaining silent for a while, he said neutrally:


    "It was an old lunar observatory. L049. It used to stand on the southern edge of the Antarctic Center - well, designated south, at least. Obviously, every direction there is technically north of the pole."


    Sunny paused for a moment, and then added:


    "The staff and soldiers who were garrisoned there were wiped out during the early stages of the Chain of Nightmares, and nobody has seen LO49 since. I am the last human to have visited Antarctica, I think. But I never went that far south. So, I don''t know when the observatory was swallowed by the Dream Realm."


    He smiled darkly.


    "It would be a bit funny... if it wasn''t so terrifying. While wandering the Sword Domain, I often felt that it was safer than some parts of our own world. Now, the difference between the two realms is even more vague. Soon enough, there will be none."


    Cassie did not respond, sitting motionlessly in the darkness. Eventually, she said in a quiet tone:


    "I''m sorry... I need to process the news...��


    Sunny leaned back and allowed her to think in silence. After a while, he said evenly:


    "Does it change anything, though?"


    The war was still coming.


    With that, she stood up and sighed.


    "Our time is up. If I linger any longer, some people in Bastion might grow suspicious of the purpose of my visit."


    Sunny nodded lightly and rose from his chair.


    He had brought Cassie here from NQSC. So, he had to bring her back, as well.


    Soon, the two of them appeared in a deserted alley in the depths of the outskirts. Cassie could use her own tether to return to Bastion immediately, but hesitated for a while.


    Eventually, she said with uncertainty:


    "I''m... I won''t say anything about what is happening between Nephis and you in Bastion."


    Sunny suppressed an embarrassed cough, feeling grateful for her decision to refrain from discussing that matter. The situation... was strange and complicated enough, already,


    Cassie took a deep breath.


    "I want you to know something, though."


    He raised an eyebrow.


    "What?"


    She lowered her head.


    "About how it feels, on the other side. You see... 1 can''t quite imagine how you feel, being forgotten by everyone. But I do know how it feels to have forgotten. It is a strange thing. When we first met, I didn''t know who you were - by all accounts, you were a stranger. And yet, there was this strange sense of familiarity. As if we''ve known each other all our lives."


    Cassie took a deep breath.


    "There were... other feelings, as well. Subtle and faint, but undeniable. I won''t describe them. But I am sure that Nephis is being swayed by these unconscious thoughts, as well. Even if she can''t retain the memories of you, the emotions those memories stir remain. So... she wasn''t just captivated by Master Sunless because he is charming, handsome, and pleasant to be around."


    Cassie faced Sunny once again.


    "You might think that her feelings are not quite real, because her knowledge of you is not quite true... and maybe you are right. But I still want you to respect them."


    She remained silent for a moment, then nodded.


    "...That is all I wanted to say, You can decide what to do yourself"


    Before Sunny could say anything, she was gone. He stared at the empty space where Cassie had stood expressionlessly.


    After a while, he sighed.


    ''Did I just... get the "if you hurt her, I''ll kill you" talk?''


    The tone wasn''t quite the same, but somehow, it did feel like that.


    Chuckling, Sunny turned around and pulled on his tether.


    ''If I hurt Nephis, she''ll kill me herself. Well... at least she''ll try. I am a bit hard to kill these days...��

 Chapter 1804 Unexpected Ivitation

    Today was a strangely slow day for the Brilliant Emporium.


    Actually... it wasn''t that strange.


    Sunny had been complaining about how swamped he was in the kitchen when the business was good, but now that it was dull, he missed the money he could have made dearly.


    The lack of clients was not strange, but the mood in Bastion was which, in turn, was the cause why so few people were visiting.


    It was an odd mixture of agitation and somber anticipation. People were incensed and indignant about the attempt on Neph''s life, which was attributed to Clan Song more and more. But, at the same time, some of them were disturbed by the swiftly changing tone of public opinion.


    After all, people weren''t fools. Many could recognize the malignant roots of the spreading rumors. They might not know who was behind the propaganda, but they could at least sense that they were being lied to. Others had enough foresight to see where the volatile situation was headed, even if they did not know why.


    All in all, there were as many dissenting voices as those wishing to hold the Queen of Worms responsible.


    It was all happening a little too quickly.


    Sunny was still reeling from the recent conversation with Cassle. Now that he knew how fast the war was approaching, his own mood had turned strange, as well.


    Luckily, he did not have a lot of time to worry about such things.


    He was terribly busy despite the lack of customers. Most of his time was dedicated to designing the weave of the soul sword. But he was also preoccupied with something else.


    Because his date with Nephis was approaching much faster than the war!


    ''Damn it... what to do, what to do?''


    The pressure of designing a perfect date was more daunting than his attempts to weave a soulbound weapon. He had acted confidently when asking her out, but now that he actually had to come up with something, Sunny felt like his mind was paralyzed.


    ''Why did I prepare a picnic for a fake date? I should have saved that idea for the real one!''


    There were not a lot of romantic places in Bastion. Even worse, Sunny was not that knowledgeable about romance.


    And worse still, Nephis was not exactly a typical young lady! Who knew what her idea of a romantic encounter was?


    In short, Sunny was stumped.


    ...And Aiko wasn''t helping.


    "What''s the problem, boss? Just take her to an inn. I mean, you are both adults. There are inns that charge by the hour, you know..."


    He glared at her silently.


    "You. You are the problem! Do you want to get me killed?!"


    Aiko laughed.


    "Alright, alright, I''m Joking. Honestly, though, 1 say you are overthinking it. Anything and anywhere will be fine. After all, the only necessary ingredients are you and her. Since both of you will be present, that''s most of the work done."


    She glanced at him and asked:


    "Just be yourself. Draw from your experience. What''s the most romantic memory you have?"


    Sunny scratched the tip of his nose.


    "Uh... well... I spent a month being stuck on the corpse of a giant Nightmare Creature with a girl once..."


    Aiko stared at him silently for a few moments.


    "...On second thought, don''t be yourself. Forget everything about your experience. Just take her on a boat ride, or something!"


    Sunny eyes brightened.


    "A boat ride? Huh. That''s actually not a bad idea..."


    He would have said more, but at that moment, his expression changed subtly.


    Sunny looked at the door.


    He could sense a group of people approaching the Brilliant Emporium. And they did not feel like his usual customers at all.


    Heavy armor. Sharp weapons. Disciplined movements. Clear Intent.


    ''Soldiers.''


    No, really. What was going on? Was he going to get splashed in the face with water and be given a tidy sum of soul shards to never see Nephis again? That was what usually happened in dramas...


    Sunny had thought of a thousand possible reasons for this unexpected visit, each more ominous than the previous one. However, he failed to learn the truth until the very end.


    The escorts brought him across the lake, and then to the very heart of the Castle.


    When Sunny was led to the main keep, where the direct line of Clan Valor resided, he was on the verge of collapsing from fright.


    Half an hour later, he somehow found himself in a grand hall, facing none other than... Morgan, the Princess of War.


    Morgan was leaning on a stone throne, holding a sharp sword in her hand.


    Her gaze was piercing.


    Suddenly, Sunny felt a chill run down his spine.


    ''She doesn''t know. Does she?''


    The last time they met was during the assassination attempt. Of course, back then, Sunny was wearing the persona of the Lord of Shadows.


    Morgan''s cold gaze traveled across his figure, making him shiver.


    Then, her scarlet lips parted:


    "Oh."


    Morgan''s voice sounded calm.


    "I understand now."


    Sunny struggled to keep a deep scowl off his face.


    ''What... what does she understand?��


    Smiling faintly, Morgan descended from the dais and approached him. The sharp blade of her sword glistened in the rays of sunlight.


    "Master Sunless, I presume."


    Sunny nodded and forced himself to speak:


    "Princess Morgan. It''s an honor"


    She stared at him with a strange expression, then cleared her throat.


    "Indeed. Please kneel."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Pardon?"


    Her gaze turned a little dark.


    "I told you to kneel."


    He hesitated for a few moments, glanced at his escorts, and then elegantly lowered himself to one knee.


    ''Morgan has grown immensely strong after Transcending. Still... if she attacks, I should be able to dodge.��


    She raised her sword slowly, and at the same time, he prepared to call upon the shadows.


    However, to his shock...


    The sword did not fall down to cut his neck. Instead, Morgan touched the blade to his left shoulder lightly, then repeated the same process with his right shoulder and the crown of his head Sunny was dumbstruck.


    ��What... is going... on?��


    Having finished the strange action, Morgan dismissed her sword and smiled in satisfaction.


    "Master Sunless... I hereby proclaim you a Knight of Valor. Rise, Sir Sunless. May your edge never dull."


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    "P-pardon?!��

 Chapter 1805 Sir Mongrel

    Sunny was so stunned that he did not know what to say.


    All he could think was...


    ��What the hell?!''


    No, really...


    Him? A Knight of Valor?!


    His mind short-circuited for a moment.


    Of all the things Sunny had expected when a cohort of unfriendly soldiers invited him to the Castle, that one never crossed his mind.


    Still standing on one knee, he raised his head and looked at Morgan with a dumbfounded expression. She studied his face for a few moments, then clicked her tongue and turned away.


    "That will be all. You can go now."


    Remembering that he had been allowed to rise, Sunny slowly stood up.


    "Princess Morgan. Please excuse my impudence, but if I may ask..."


    Before he could ask anything, though, the guards unceremoniously grabbed him and escorted him out of the hall. A moment later, the door was slammed shut, hiding her bewitching figure from sight,


    Just like that, his very short and very baffling audience with Morgan of Valor ended.


    Sunny was left standing in the corridor, not sure what to do.


    He blinked a couple of times.


    ��...Are they forcefully conscripting independent Masters?��


    That was the only thing he could think of. But then, it didn''t make any sense. If Clan Valor really wanted to conscript him into the army on the eve of war, they would have gone about it in a different manner. Forcing a Master with no loyalty to fight for them could do more harm than good.


    Slowly, Sunny realized that a person who he had assumed was just passing by was actually standing still and staring at him. Composing himself a little, he looked up.


    There was a dignified middle-aged man in a well-tailored livery standing in front of him. His grey hair was neatly combed, and his expression was perfectly stoic.


    Noticing that Sunny was paying attention, the man nodded.


    "Sir Sunless. I am Sebastian, the steward of the Great Clan Valor. Allow me to congratulate you on your knighthood."


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    ''I''m not dreaming, am I?''


    He exhaled slowly.


    There was actually a steward named Sebastian in Bastion! That... that was just a little bit too much, wasn''t it ?!


    Worst of all, Sunny couldn''t even sense the man''s Rank. He could have been a mundane person or a Saint.


    Sunny forced out a polite smile and said:


    "Nice to meet you. Ah... please forgive my lack of manners. I have to admit, I am extremely vexed right now. Can... can you explain what is going on?"


    The middle-aged steward nodded.


    "Certainly, sir. You''ve just been granted the title of a Knight of Valor. Oh... additionally, you have also been appointed as the Knight Commander of the Ardent Wardens. What an honor."


    Steward Sebastian did not seem to have kept the truth from him on purpose. Rather, it looked like the dignified man was too embarrassed to answer directly, as if saying it aloud would be a disgrace.


    Sunny stared into the distance silently.


    ��...I guess I am a Knight of Valor now.��


    Weirder things had happened.


    Granted... just a few.


    In any case, at least the whole thing was such a formality that he had not even been forced to give an oath of allegiance. Neither had he been issued any Memories - with the war approaching, Clan Valor did not seem keen to waste resources on a fake Knight. l?ght\n��vel\world~. That was a good thing for Sunny, because he did not want to receive a sword forged by Anvil.


    Nor was he capable of receiving one there was no Spell to facilitate the transfer of Memories between him and its carriers, after all.


    He would also be receiving a monthly stipend of soul shards.


    Sunny sighed.


    ''Wow, Nepotism is truly the best.��


    By now, he had figured out that his sudden knighthood had something to do with his connection to Nephis. It was just that the initiative must have come from some other entity in the Great Clan, which was why the signals had crossed.


    So, there was nothing left to do except return home.


    Sunny was ready to take a step forward, but then froze for a moment.


    He was currently in a courtyard... a different one from where he had duelled young Master Tristan, but the mood was quite similar.


    There were more than a few unfriendly gazes aimed his way. Looking around, he saw various Knights and Squires, all staring at him with cold expressions.


    Sunny gulped.


    They had already hated him before for having the audacity to accompany their princess. Now that Morgan had knighted him for no good reason...


    It did not look good! Even Sunny was starting to hate himself a little.


    Who wouldn''t hate a handsome freeloader?


    ''Gods... I won''t have to fight another duel, will I?��


    As a matter of fact, he had the feeling that, this time, there would be no duel.


    Instead, there would be a thorough beating.


    Or an attempt of one, at least!


    Sunny looked around once more, noticing that several Knights were already approaching him slowly with dark faces,


    ''Right. I just need to defuse the situation. Be polite and keep calm. Be polite...��


    One of the Knights snarled through gritted teeth:


    "I didn''t believe it... hey, you! Mongrel! Have you no..."


    Sunny''s eye twitched, and he opened his mouth to retort.


    Before he could, however, there was a rustle of wings, and suddenly, a breathtaking figure was standing between him and the incensed Knights.


    Shielding him with her radiant wings, Nephis frowned and looked at them scornfully.


    "...What is going on here?��

 Chapter 1806: Shadow in Distress

    Chapter 1806: Shadow in Distress


    Seeing that a literal Saint had fallen from the sky, the approaching Knights froze and looked away in embarrassment - or rather, they tried.


    However, they were too mesmerized by Neph''s appearance. With her beautiful white wings, tousled silver hair, and flawless figure, she looked nothing short of stunning. It was as if a celestial deity had suddenly descended into the mortal world, illuminating it with her pure light.


    Additionally, she wasn''t wearing her usual elegant attire or polished armor. Instead, she was dressed in simple clothes made out of soft white fabric, which seemed almost like loungewear, and contoured the graceful lines of her body well.


    Too well, maybe...


    Suddenly, Sunny felt an overwhelming impulse to walk in front of Nephis and shield her from their gazes, instead.


    ��What are you staring at, bastards?''


    To be fair, there was nothing lascivious in their gazes. Instead, the Knights were strangely stuck between embarrassment, admiration, and a bit of remnant contempt directed at Sunny, It was a funny sight.


    "...What is going on here?"


    Neph''s voice was cold, and her expression was stern. White sparks danced in her piercing grey eyes.


    The Knights shivered, instantly losing their rancor.


    "N-nothing, Lady Nephis."


    "We apologize for our rudeness."


    "Please don''t mind us..."


    She scowled.


    "If there is nothing going on, then I suggest you be on your way."


    Her voice was even, but the seasoned Knights suddenly turned pale. A moment later, they were gone... it was quite amazing, actually. The skills of these warriors were truly formidable - if Sunny did not know any better, he would have thought that they were blown away by the wind!


    ''What a splendid movement technique...''


    Knights of Valor were known for their indomitability in battle, but it seemed that they knew a thing or two about how to retreat, as well.


    While he was considering admiring their swift withdrawal, Nephis huffed quietly and turned to him. Her scornful expression instantly disappeared, replaced by a subtle look of concern.


    She lingered for a moment.


    "I am sorry, Are you alright?"


    Sunny couldn''t help but gaze at her deeply, taking in every little detail of her, Eventually, he remembered himself and answered In a slightly stifled tone:


    "Ah... yes. I am fine."


    Then, he tilted his head a little, glanced at the distant silhouette of the Ivory Island, and looked back at Nephis.


    "I''m sory, Lady Nephis... but did you just jump down after noticing that I''m in trouble?"


    He had not put two and two together immediately, but now that he took a better look at her, there were a few strange details. Her comfortable clothes, unkempt hair, and slight signs of agitation were far from the composed image Nephis usually presented to the public.


    So, it wasn''t hard to surmise that this appearance had not been planned.


    Nephis froze for a moment, glanced down at herself, then awkwardly swiped a lock of her hair back, putting it behind her ear.


    Sunny could have sworn that she blushed a little.


    "Ah... well. I happened to be free when Cassie informed me that something was afoot. So... here I am."


    She studied his face to make sure that everything was indeed alright, then looked at the pack in his hands in confusion.


    "That said, what exactly happened? She only told me that you were taken to the main keep."


    Her expression hardened.


    "Did someone harass you? Was it my sister? What did she say?"


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, not knowing how to answer.


    Eventually, he gave her a reassuring smile.


    "Oh, no, nothing like that. Nobody harassed me. 1 was indeed summoned by Princess Morgan, but for a different reason. It''s... well, I''m not sure how to say it..."


    Neph''s frown only deepened.


    "A... different reason, you say? What reason might that be?"


    Sunny coughed.


    "Well, it''s like this. She made me a Knight of Valor."


    He did not know what Nephis had expected to hear, but it definitely wasn''t this. For a moment, she seemed startled.


    "What?"


    He smiled helplessly.


    "It''s how I said. I was given the title of a Knight and the post of the Knight Commander of the Ardent Wardens. Oh... the Ardent Wardens are a group of volunteers who do community service, mainly taking care of the elderly. Yeah... I was told that my only responsibility is to maintain the prestige of the royal family... whatever that means..."


    Nephis stared at him for a while, then sighed and covered her face with a hand. After a few moments of silence, she said in a flat tone:


    "Ah... yes. I am fine."


    Then, he tilted his head a little, glanced at the distant silhouette of the Ivory Island, and looked back at Nephis.


    "I''m sory, Lady Nephis... but did you just jump down after noticing that I''m in trouble?"


    He had not put two and two together immediately, but now that he took a better look at her, there were a few strange details. Her comfortable clothes, unkempt hair, and slight signs of agitation were far from the composed image Nephis usually presented to the public.


    So, it wasn''t hard to surmise that this appearance had not been planned.


    Nephis froze for a moment, glanced down at herself, then awkwardly swiped a lock of her hair back, putting it behind her ear.


    Sunny could have sworn that she blushed a little.


    "Ah... well. I happened to be free when Cassie informed me that something was afoot. So... here I am."


    She studied his face to make sure that everything was indeed alright, then looked at the pack in his hands in confusion.


    "That said, what exactly happened? She only told me that you were taken to the main keep."


    Her expression hardened.


    "Did someone harass you? Was it my sister? What did she say?"


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, not knowing how to answer.


    Eventually, he gave her a reassuring smile.


    "Oh, no, nothing like that. Nobody harassed me. 1 was indeed summoned by Princess Morgan, but for a different reason. It''s... well, I''m not sure how to say it..."


    Neph''s frown only deepened.


    "A... different reason, you say? What reason might that be?"


    Sunny coughed.


    "Well, it''s like this. She made me a Knight of Valor."


    He did not know what Nephis had expected to hear, but it definitely wasn''t this. For a moment, she seemed startled.


    "What?"


    He smiled helplessly.


    "It''s how I said. I was given the title of a Knight and the post of the Knight Commander of the Ardent Wardens. Oh... the Ardent Wardens are a group of volunteers who do community service, mainly taking care of the elderly. Yeah... I was told that my only responsibility is to maintain the prestige of the royal family... whatever that means..."


    Nephis stared at him for a while, then sighed and covered her face with a hand. After a few moments of silence, she said in a flat tone:


    "I am sorry. It''s my fault... they were probably unhappy with me dating a man of no background. I expected opposition... but who would have thought that Morgan would be so accommodating?"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "Oh. So it''s because of my lowly background. I see."


    She lowered her hand and looked at him with a startled expression.


    "No! I didn''t mean it like that."


    Sunny smiled.


    "I know. You''re not a conceited person. If anything... to be honest, between the two of us, I am probably more of a bigot. I actually have quite a prejudice against the Legacy clans. Although... it might be a bit bold of me, to admit something like that while attempting to court a princess of a Great Clan. Oh well, what can I do? That just goes to show how the lack of pedigree results in a lack of common sense and decorum..."


    Hearing his lighthearted tone, Nephis relaxed a little. She lingered a little, then met his smile with a tentative one of her own.


    "Then... I am grateful that you are willing to put your prejudice aside and give this princess a chance, You are an admirably broad-minded person, Master Sunless."


    He laughed.


    "No one has ever accused me of being broad-minded before. It''s just that I would have to be mad to let my pettiness stand in the way of seeing you, Lady Nephis."


    Then, he suddenly froze.


    ''Right''


    Weren''t they supposed to go on a date in a few days?


    Meeting her today, therefore, was a bit awkward. What was he supposed to do? Pretend that they had not made plans? Or try to woo her right now?


    Noticing his puzzlement, Nephis asked:


    "What''s wrong?"


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments.


    "No, it''s nothing. It''s just that... to be honest, I''ve been thinking about our date a lot. Constantly, even. I''ve been looking forward to it so much that meeting you all of a sudden is a bit of a shock. Well... I know that you are terribly busy, Lady Nephis. So, I''ll see you in a few days?"


    She looked at him silently for a while.


    Then, she smiled subtly.


    "Actually, I''m not that busy, How about we just make it today?��

 Chapter 1807 Dream Come True

    They parted soon after.


    ...For a little bit.


    Sunny might not have known a lot about women, but he knew enough not to try taking Nephis on a date immediately. Women had their mysterious rites and rituals, after all - if he invited her anywhere without giving her a chance to clean up and change out of her loungewear into something more flattering, he would have earned the scorn of the entire womankind.


    Granted, those light clothes of hers were flattering enough, already. Although not exactly sparse, they did a splendid job of accentuating every...


    ''Pure thoughts!��


    In any case, the brief parting worked in his favor, as well. While Nephis returned to the Ivory Island to get ready, Sunny scrambled to arrange a few things. About an hour later, he was waiting by the riverside dock, holding the familiar picnic basket in one hand.


    It was a blessing that there were two bodies at his disposal here in Bastion. Otherwise, he would have never managed to prepare in time. Not only did he have to make arrangements, but he also had to quickly assemble a delightful meal for a romantic getaway. One body had been running around and outside the city, while the other had been busy in the kitchen.


    Luckily, he managed to finish everything in the nick of time.


    Suppressing a hint of nervousness, Sunny couldn''t help but look up at the graceful silhouette of the Ivory Tower hovering among the clouds. He almost expected to see a beautiful figure descending from the sky in a mantle of sunlight... but due to the location of where they had arranged to meet, Nephis decided to be less conspicuous.


    If Changing Star had indeed landed on a lively street in all her radiant glory, the commotion caused by her arrival would not have been small. Therefore, she simply walked up to him like a normal person, appearing from an alley.


    Of course, there was still a big reaction. A Saint was not someone who could be ignored... and Nephis was not just any Saint. Wearing a simple white summer dress and no jewelry, she was still stunning. The passerby couldn''t help but react to her beauty, and a lot of heads had been involuntarily turned.


    Sunny felt his heart skip, knowing that today, that beauty was just for him.


    As she approached with a light smile, he heard a quiet and melodious ringing. He had not told her a lot about the destination of their date, but he did tell her that it would have something to do with water-so, Nephis summoned the familiar pair of silver anklets, which were a Memory she had used on the Great River to help her move in the waterFo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    Sunny couldn''t help but smile when looking at her.


    Nephis walked over, stopped near him, and asked in a light tone:


    "So, Master Sunless... where are you taking me?"


    He hesitated for a moment.


    Out there in the waking world, it was winter, and bitter cold haunted the snowy streets. But here in Bastion, it was still summer. The entire city was bathed in smoldering heat.


    People were seeking shelter from the incandescent sun in the shade and longing for cool drinks. Of course, as Saints, both Sunny and Nephis could ignore the sultry weather... but that did not mean that they would not enjoy the refreshing feeling of cooling down their bodies.


    There were several rivers feeding the Mirror Lake, and one it gave birth to. That river was much more modest than the great River of Tears that flowed through the entire Song Domain, but it was still deep and full. l?ght\n��vel\world~c\��\m. Its destination was also the same it flowed south, toward the Stormsea.


    Bastion was much further south and closer to the Stormsea than Ravenheart, so the river wasn''t very long. It could be quite dangerous for the same reason - powerful sea monsters sometimes entered the estuary and swam far upstream, attracted by the smell of human souls.


    They never reached the Mirror Lake, though, because the Citadel of Clan Dagonet stood between Bastion and the sea. The powerful abominations from the depths always died trying to breach the river fortress.


    Nevertheless, the length of the river between Bastion and the stronghold was not entirely safe. But Sunny judged that nothing in this tamed region of the Dream Realm could seriously threaten him and Nephis. Very few things out there that could.


    What he cared about was that there was a wild beach not too far down the river. It was beautiful, peaceful, and remote... a perfect place for a date on a hot summer day.


    That was where he wanted to take Neph.


    There were several wooden longships tied to the pier, their bows carved to resemble dragons and serpents. These drakkars belong to Clan Dagonet, and were used to patrol the river and guard the trade ships coming from the Stormsea. There were also several barges meant to deliver supplies to the river fortress and the town that had grown around it.


    Most Importantly, there were plenty of small river boats.


    ��Thanks, Alko...��


    Sunny guided Nephis to one of the boats, which he had rented from the owner in advance. It was just large enough to fit two people and a bit of cargo, with a single pair of oars at the stern.


    She looked at it curiously.


    "Are we sailing down the river?"


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then smiled helplessly.


    "Well... more like rowing down the river? Oh, I''ll be the one handling the oars, of course. Why, you don''t like it?"


    ''Should I kill Aiko? A little.��


    Nephis looked at the boat, then at the river, and finally back at him.


    Eventually, she smiled.


    "No. I love it."


    Sunny let out a relieved sigh.


    ''Aiko can live. Should I give her a raise?��

 Chapter 1808 Down the River

    Sunny held Neph''s hand to help her step into the boat, then untied it, pushed it away from the berth, and jumped inside nimbly. His movements were so light that the boat did not rock at all.


    Nephis sat down on the bench at the front, while he took his place on the bench at the stern. They were facing each other, with only the picnic basket between them.


    He took the oars and moved them gently, guiding the boat to the middle of the river. It floated smoothly, cutting the water with a pleasant sound. The lively streets of Bastion crawled past them, with plenty of interesting scenes to be seen. The further from the shore they moved, the quieter it became, until the bustle of the city had turned into a quiet hum.


    Sunny was not looking around, though. He was looking at Nephis, and in turn, she was looking at him.


    Both were smiling.


    Nephis leaned to the side and lowered a hand into the water. Watching her fingers cut its surface, she sighed deeply, and then closed her eyes for a moment. Her features relaxed.


    "How peaceful."


    Hearing her say that made him happy.


    Sunny extended his shadow sense in all directions, so he knew that there were no Nightmare Creatures hiding under the water. He did not spoil the mood by telling her to be careful. Instead, he used the few moments she had her eyes closed to stare at her with an unabashed craving.


    Then, he averted his eyes and concentrated on rowing.


    After a while, Nephis looked at him with a subtle smile. The city was behind them by then - there were no other boats on the river, and no ships in sight. The only sounds breaking the silence were the rustle of water and the soft splashes produced by the oars.Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    She leaned back a little and asked in a leisurely tone:


    "Won''t you grow tired from rowing?"


    Sunny chuckled. It was obviously a question asked for the sake of being polite. He was supposed to be a Master, after all - guiding a small boat downriver would not tire him. l?ght\n��vel\world~c\��\m. He could have used a measure of strength suitable for an Ascended and sent the boat flying at great speed to strain himself, but then the oars would probably explode into splinters.


    That wouldn''t be nice at all.


    "Oh, I might not look it, but actually, I''m quite strong."


    He let go of one of the oars for a moment and showed her his hand.


    "These hands of mine can crush mountains."


    Nephis laughed.


    "I''m sure. Still, I feel guilty watching you do all the work."


    Sunny remained silent for a moment. Then, his smile turned a little daring.


    "Why don''t you come here and help me, then?"


    Sunny kept looking at her, not saying anything.


    Was it because it was not important to her, so she had forgotten?


    Or was it because her joys and sorrows had all been connected to him?


    He hugged her tighter.


    Sensing it, she turned to face him and smiled.


    "What about you?"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times and answered honestly:


    "Why, I am full of joy right now."


    Hearing Neph laugh, he smiled brightly.


    "As for sorrow... I had to throw out a batch of strawberries because there were too few customers in the cafe? as of late. That was really sad."


    Her laugh grew a little louder. That made him happy, as well.


    After a while, Nephis looked at him, lingered for a few moments, and then said neutrally:


    "This... was a really great idea. I have a bit of history with boats, you know."


    Sunny knew, of course. From the boat she had built from the bones of a demon to cross the Dark Sea to Ananke''s ketch, the two of them had shared many poignant moments while rocking on the water.


    Nephis sighed.


    "I once sailed down a great river with a dear person. That person is gone, but the fondness remains."


    He couldn''t do anything but hold her close.


    Sunny knew that she was talking about Ananke. But even though she could not remember him, these words described the two of them, too.


    Looking ahead, he smiled and said:


    "Then, it''s good to forge new memories, To remember them fondly as well, one day in the future."


    Eventually, the beach he had wanted to take her to appeared in sight.


    By then, basked in her warmth, Sunny felt a bit regretful that it did.

 Chapter 1809 Beach Date

    Bastion used to be surrounded by a vast, lush forest. Sadly, the entire forest had been one giant, dreadful abomination - a Fallen Titan that possessed Immense power and almost Inexhaustible vitality.


    The Knights of Valor had risen to become one of the deadliest forces among the early carriers of the Nightmare Spell precisely because the warriors of the future Great Clan had spent decades fighting against the titanic forest and its horrid spawns. There were no Masters and no Saints back then - and yet, they managed to push it back from the shores of the Mirror Lake.


    Nevertheless, Bastion had still been besieged by the hungry woods from all sides, and it was only after the Second Generation of Awakened came of age that the situation changed. One of the sons of the famed founder of Clan Valor took command of the Knights and waged a ruthless war against the vast Titan.


    Today, everyone knew the name of that son, for he had become the King of Swords. As for the abominable forest, it was long gone - burned to the ground, the ashes scattered by the winds.


    A bustling city and fertile fields now stretched where impenetrable woods once stood, blocking the light of the sun and drowning the land in darkness, Sunny and Nephis had travelled far enough downstream to leave the settled parts behind, though.


    Now, tall trees crowded the shore - these ones quite docile and not dangerous at all... unless one went digging for their roots or tried to cut them down, at least. There was a river bend not too far away, and the trees retreated a little along its curve, forming a sequestered beach.


    Emerald leaves were rustling like a vast sea, and sunlight poured from the pure azure sky. The air was shimmering from the sweltering heat. Further away from shore, the ground was covered by moss and swaying grass, but there was a wide strip of golden sand near the water.


    It was beautiful and peaceful, like a picture out of a book.


    Sunny smiled when he saw the picturesque view.


    "We''re here."


    The two of them carefully guided the boat to the shore. Nephis jumped down onto the sand, looked around, and inhaled deeply. She seemed at ease and relaxed, which was a rare sight. Sunny, at least, did not remember when was the last time he had seen her in such a serene mood.


    Perhaps it was never.


    Picking up the picnic basket, he jumped to the beach, then grabbed the bow of the boat with his free hand and pulled it ashore as if it did not weigh anything. Then, he studied their surroundings with a curious expression.


    ��How nice.��


    Suffice it to say, Sunny wasn''t a big fan of getting wet- simply because the Spell had never missed a chance to drop him into some damnable body of water. l?ght\n��vel\world~c\��\m. Nevertheless, now that he was on an actual beach, the idea of spending a pleasant day playing in the water and basking in the sun did not seem terrible at all.


    Especially in the present company.


    Her alabaster skin, her glistening silver hair, her striking eyes, the smooth lines of her supple body... it was a lot to take in.


    Her figure was slender and athletic, with a flat stomach and perfectly defined muscles... as expected from a person who spent most of her time either in battle or practicing the sword. However, it wasn''t harsh and cumbersome. Instead, it was beautiful and soft in all the right...


    ''I should probably... look away''


    Sunny struggled to maintain his mental composure, knowing that she could sense the intensity of his longing.


    ...His struggles had limited success.


    Nephis chuckled, then turned around and stepped into the water. Then, she looked at him over the shoulder.


    "Are you coming?"


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments.


    He wanted to. And he was going to, eventually... but doing so meant that there was no way back. Because he would have to dismiss the Nebulous Mantle to take a dive into the cool water.


    The Mantle protected him from prying eyes and suppressed his presence. Once his presence was released, Nephis would get a better measure of his power. She might not realize that he was a Saint immediately - some Masters had one too, after all. Sunny himself had emanated a subtle presence as an Ascended, for example.


    Plus, five of his shadows were far away, which diminished the ferocity of his presence a lot.


    But, still... Nephis would be able to realize the truth eventually.


    He wasn''t quite ready to let that happen, yet. Sunny smiled easily.


    "Go ahead first. I''ll prepare things here and join you soon."


    She studied his face for a moment, then smiled and turned away.


    "Suit yourself!"


    Not wasting any time, Nephis dove into the cool water, escaping the summer heat with a splash. She moved away from shore with powerful strokes, then turned onto her back and continued swimming while looking at the vivid blue sky. Her tranquil gaze was full of joy.

 Chapter 1810 Beautiful Gift

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then looked down and concentrated on setting the table.


    However, he couldn''t help but throw glances at Nephis, who was enjoying herself in the water. His gaze was a little heated, but he tried to control his emotions as best he could, knowing that she might sense the nature and intensity of his desire.


    He was sure that she already had.


    Maybe Nephis did not mind, though.


    Sunny let out a quiet sigh.


    His shadow sense had expanded to envelop a vast area, reaching far and wide. From the sky to the bottom of the river, nothing could escape him. He knew that Neph could handle any danger hiding underwater, but he still felt protective. Today was her day off, which was an exceedingly rare event. So, nothing was allowed to spoil it.


    Many kilometers away, a hideous monster was stealthily moving through the woods. Before it could take another step, though, shadows suddenly came alive all around it. The beast did not have any time to react or to let out a roar - it was swiftly pulled into the darkness and disappeared from sight. A few moments later, a stream of blood flowed out of the shadows.


    Sunny shook his head with reproach and continued pulling out snacks out of the picnic basket. There were all kinds of dishes for Nephis to choose from those she liked the most at the Brilliant Emporium. There was also a small brazier and a kettle to brew tea.


    He had prepared well.


    Eventually, Nephis had enough fun and swam back to the shore. Sunny was standing there peacefully, enjoying the breeze. Rising from the water, she swept her hair back and looked at him with an easy smile.


    "Aren''t you hot, Master Sunless? All alone there on the shore."


    He hesitated for a moment.


    "Not really. I''ve prepared the food. Would you like..."


    Instead of answering, she looked at him for a moment, then moved her hand unhurriedly.


    In the next moment, Sunny was splashed with water.


    He froze.


    ��Uh... what just happened?''


    His brain refused to process the information.


    Noticing his startled expression, Nephis couldn''t help but laugh. Her melodious laughter, so rare and beautiful, was carried away by the wind, and then she looked at him with a hint of a mischievous smile.


    Her tone was subtly teasing.


    ��...I feel a little cheated."


    Sunny stared at her silently for a few moments, then sighed deeply and lowered his head.


    ''Coming to a beach... was Indeed a really great idea...��


    ***


    The two of them played in the water for a while. With her silver anklets, Nephis was like a mermaid... Sunny spent most of the time enjoying the sight of her moving gracefully underwater, so much so that he was starting to worry that he would be too distracted and accidentally drown.


    The water was pleasantly cool and incredibly clear. The sun, which had been high above them on the way to the beach, was slowly rolling down the horizon.


    At some point, Sunny left Nephis alone and swam far away from the shore, then held his breath and dove down.


    Reaching the depths of the river, he noticed what he was looking for - a stealthy Nightmare Creature that looked like a massive boulder. Once he swam close to it, though, the boulder split apart, revealing a jagged line. l?ghtn\��v��l��\��v��~c`��\m. The abomination was like a monstrous abalone, and what had seemed like stone was its shell.


    Before the creature could swallow him, Sunny crushed the impregnable shell with his fist, and then spent some time thoroughly tearing the river beast apart, Eventually, he fished the soul shard out of its remains and pushed himself toward the surface.


    Soon, thoroughly hungry, Sunny and Nephis returned to shore.


    Pleasantly tired, they walked over to the picnic blanket and sat down. She looked at the food with glistening eyes.


    Before Nephis could eat anything, however, Sunny reached outward and opened his palm.


    The soul shard was laying on it. It was a bit different from how the usual rough crystals - this one was perfectly round and polished, glimmering with a beautiful nacre color.


    Nephis looked at it with curiosity.


    "What is this?"


    Sunny smiled.


    "Just... something beautiful. For you."


    She hesitated for a moment, then took it and studied the glimmering pearl for a few moments.


    Then, her face bloomed with a bright smile.


    Bringing the pearl closer to her face, Nephis looked at Sunny with appreciation.


    Then, she sighed.


    "I don''t have a gift for you, though."


    Pushing a plate of sandwiches closer to her, Sunny laughed.


    "You are here, That''s the best gift��

 Chapter 1811 Perfect Day

    "You are here. That''s the best gift."


    Neph''s smile grew a little wider.


    ''...Such a smooth talker.��


    Still, coming from Master Sunless, even the most trite compliment was too pleasant to hear.


    She looked down at the luminous pearl he had given her. It was merely an Awakened soul shard, but... the lustrous pearl was so pretty, glowing softly with an opalescent shine in her hand. Its beauty and uniqueness made it seem quite valuable.


    However, it was the intent behind the gift and the words that accompanied it that made Nephis like it a lot.


    She looked at him with a light smile.


    "I''ll cherish it."


    Master Sunless usually wore his hair tied back neatly, but now it was loose and wet, falling to his shoulders like a waterfall of black silk. His skin was like white porcelain, with the onyx scales of the coiling serpent contrasted starkly against its smooth surface. His dark eyes were glistening in the sunlight.


    He looked lovely.


    Nephis stole a furtive glance at his chiseled body, then hid her agitation by biting into a flavourful sandwich. Her eyes closed slightly.


    ''Ah...��


    The sandwich was absolutely delicious. It was simply unfair... her sight was already being assaulted by his figure, and now, her taste was besieged by his incredible cooking.


    Which of her five senses would Master Sunless tackle next?


    Thinking that, Nephis tried not to blush.


    She had been a little flustered when he took off his clothes to jump into the water. He was much... sharper than she had imagined. Nephis was used to being in the company of warriors. so she had seen her fair share of athletic bodies. But the contrast between his gentle demeanor and his lean, sculpted physique was too striking.


    But that was fine.


    Nephis let go of these thoughts as she enjoyed the picnic prepared by Master Sunless. Everything was delicious. The tea was fragrant. The company was the best part.


    The glistening water, the rustling leaves, the embroidered blanket, the man sitting near her... it was all perfect, like the picture out of a book.


    She had not felt that relaxed in a long, long time.


    A disastrous war that would decide not only her own fate, but the fates of countless humans as well, was almost upon them. And yet, here she was, enjoying an idle day at a beach with a beautiful man.


    Nephis would have felt guilty about neglecting her responsibilities, but she knew that coming here today was also important.


    She was proficient with a sword and had spent countless hours practicing how to wield it. Therefore. she knew that pushing her body without reprieve only seemed appealing, but would never produce a good result. The body needed sufficient rest in order to grow stronger and absorb what it had learned �� otherwise, it would simply collapse, destroying all the progress.


    It was the same with the mind. Nephis had a thousand issues to think about and a thousand strategies to plan. But it would not be good to drive herself into delirium by never allowing herself to relax �� the mind needed rest, too. Persistent mental fatigue and sleep deprivation would only make it dull.


    She knew all these things well.


    But she had realized only recently that the heart was just like the body and the mind. lIer spirit needed reprieve from time to time, as well. She couldn''t just strain it endlessly and expect that nothing would break �� instead, she needed to maintain it carefully, just like she maintained her body and mind.


    So, this idle time with Master Sunless was not irresponsible at all. There was no need to feel guilty about satisfying her desires. That was just her doing some much��needed maintenance on her weary heart.


    Today was perfect.


    Finishing the sandwich, Nephis leaned forward to pour herself some light wine. However, at that moment, Master Sunless reached forward, as well, aiming for the tea kettle.


    Suddenly, their faces were terribly close.


    Nephis looked at his lips thinking...


    ''I wonder. How soft would they feel to the touch?''

 Chapter 1812 Dont Let Me Be Misunderstood

    Sunny was enjoying the sight of Nephis consuming the food he had prepared delightedly. He did not speak much and just looked at her, feeling that the day was perfect. Everything went much better than he had anticipated. It was so blissful, in fact, that he unconsciously expected a Cursed Titan to fall on their heads out of nowhere.


    Then, he had to remind himself that he wasn''t Fated anymore.


    ''So... it will probably be fine.��


    Still, his mouth was suddenly dry at the thought.


    Not thinking much about anything, Sunny reached for the tea kettle.


    But, at the same time, Nephis reached for the bottle of wine.


    Suddenly, their faces were terribly close. It was to the point that he could feel her breath on his cheek.


    The two of them remained motionless for a few moments, looking into each other''s eyes. Neph''s gaze was calm, but also made him feel hot.


    His own gaze... Sunny had no idea. He felt that it was rather intense.


    Her tantalizing lips were so close.


    She did not exactly move, but he sensed a subtle tension in her muscles, as if she was about to lean closer.


    The leaves rustled softly all around them, and the setting sun painted by the sky in a million shades of golden radiance.


    Sunny took a deep breath...


    And said:


    "I need to tell you something."


    Just like that, the moment was gone.


    He sighed.


    "I said that there were secrets that I might never reveal. But... before anything else happens, there is one of them in particular I must share. So..."


    Nephis remained motionless for a bit, then picked up the bottle of wine and leaned back. Pouring the greenish liquid into a glass, she exhaled slowly and took a sip.


    Then, she smiled faintly.


    "You don''t really have to tell me. I already know."


    Sunny froze.


    His heart skipped a beat... no, a few beats.


    Suddenly, he was a little panicked.


    Hiding his frazzled state, he forced himself to breath and asked slowly:


    "Lady Nephis... what, exactly, do you think you know?"


    He had been gathering courage to admit that he was the Lord of Shadows for so long. But... she already knew? Know? Since when?


    There were too many thoughts buzzing in his head.


    Nephis drank more wine and smiled wistfully.


    "Well, it wasn''t that hard to figure out, was it?"


    It was so adorable!


    He inhaled, then said in a cautious tone:


    "No, that''s not it."


    A hint of surprise appeared on Neph''s face.


    She lingered for a moment, then asked:


    "It''s not?"


    Sunny scratched the back of his head awkwardly.


    "What I mean to say is that I am not an agent of the Lord of Shadows."


    His voice was a bit smooth.


    "...I am the Lord of Shadows."


    Nephis looked at him incredulously.


    Her expression was deadpan.


    "What?"


    He nodded.


    "Yes. The Lord of Shadows... that''s me. We met in Godrgrave before we met in Bastion." Her face froze.


    Nephis remained silent for a while, then asked in a flat tone:


    "How would that even work? Godgrave is so far from Bastion, and your tether..."


    Sunny sighed, then manifested the gloomy shadow into an avatar. A moment later, two of him were sitting on the blanket �� one wearing nothing but the swimming trunks, the other wearing clothes made from manifested shadows.


    "It''s an Ability of mine. I have seven bodies. Two are here in Bastion, four are in Godgrave, and one is in the Song Domain."


    Neph''s eyes slowly widened.


    She stared at the two of him without saying anything, her expression perfectly emotionless.


    After a while, Sunny asked:


    "Uh... Lady Nephis... are you fine?"


    She nodded slowly.


    "Yes. of course."


    He hesitated.


    "Are you sure?"


    Nephis raised an eyebrow elegantly.


    "Yes. Why are you asking?"


    Sunny coughed.


    "Because... the river is on fire...��

 Chapter 1813 Behind the Mask

    The river was, Indeed, on fire.


    It was quite a strange sight. A vast expanse of clear water was boiling, and more than that, a sea of white flames was spreading across its surface like burning oll. A wave of heat assaulted Sunny like a tide, bathing him in warmth.


    Neph slowly turned her head and looked at the river, a calm and composed expression on her face. The flames fell and were extinguished under her impassive gaze.


    Then, she cleared her throat.


    "Ah, yes. There... there was a Nightmare Creature preparing to surface. I burned it."


    Her tone was poised and confident.


    Sunny kept the smile off his face.


    "Oh, I see. Of course. Thank you for reacting promptly."


    His shadow sense was still enveloping the entire area, so he knew perfectly well that there had been no abomination. However, he wasn''t going to mention it.


    Instead, he raised the steaming cup of tea with a trembling hand, gulped it down, and sighed.


    His avatar silently turned back into a shadow.


    "Well... yes. As I was saying. There is no Shadow Clan and no information network. Instead, there is just me. My Transformation Ability allows me to manifest my shadows as incarnations of myself,


    Nephis stared at him with wide eyes, stili struggling to accept the revelation. Her volce turned a little subdued.


    "Transformation Ability? So... you are a Saint? No, of course you are... because you are the... the Lord of Shadows..."


    She closed her eyes for a moment.


    "Then what about the other forms? The shadow colossus? The little crow? I was under the impression that the Lord of Shadows... that you... could assume these shapes due to your Transcendent Ability."


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    "Those forms are made possible by a technique based on my Dormant, Awakened, and Ascended Abilities as well as my Aspect Legacy."


    Nephis took a deep breath, then looked at him sharply.


    After a few moments of silence, she asked with a hint of agitation in her voice:


    "You..., you are really him? The Lord of Shadows?��


    Sunny remained motionless for a bit then extended an arm forward. Soul Serpent slithered under his skin, flowing into his palm- then, the Intricate tattoo slowly disappeared, and the black odachi appeared in his hand.


    He hesitated for a few moments, then gently placed the great sword on the sand.


    "Yes. Although... It would be more appropriate to say that the Lord of Shadows is me."


    Mostly, Nephis felt stunned.


    There was a subtle hint of humiliation at being fooled, as well. Or rather, of being a fool.


    But there was also something else.


    Beneath the shock and rejection, she couldn''t help but think...


    Would it be so bad if the charming enchanter had turned out to be the Lord of Shadows?


    Nephis remembered her first meeting with the mysterious Saint. She would have lied if she said that he had not fascinated her. His power, his beautiful swordsmanship, his cold arrogance... back then, she had felt wistful, thinking... that it would have been so nice, to have a steady partner like that,


    Someone who could keep up with her... an equal.


    Of course, she had often wondered what was hiding behind the mask of the Lord of Shadows. It was a bit exciting to Imagine. She was quite sure that he was young... but what did he look like? Was his face as cold and emotionless as his voice? Were his eyes as ruthless? Was he handsome? He had to be, as a Saint...


    Was he even a human?


    Nephis had only been distracted from that fascination after stumbling into an unexpected relationship with Master Sunless, the charming and gentle enchanter... first a fake one, then less and less so.


    She mentally replaced the ferocious mask with the beautiful face of Master Sunless... Saint Sunless.


    Or whatever his name truly was.


    He would look so out of place in the heavy onyx armor, wielding the great blade of the dark odachi.


    But also... it fit so well.


    His raven-black hair, his porcelain skin, his dark eyes. She could imagine it easily, a beautiful man like him sitting on an obsidian throne in the Nameless Temple, clad in intricate onyx armor and surrounded by eternal darkness.


    ��...How did I not realize it before!��


    Nephis wanted to fall through the ground.


    She feverishly went over every encounter with the Lord of Shadows, and then put them side by side with the time she had spent with Master Sunless.


    The way he watched her practice swordsmanship...


    The way he watched the lonesome tree in the courtyard of the dark temple...


    The way he seemed to enjoy seeing people eat his food...


    The way he seemed to prefer the solitude of the Nameless Temple despite surrounding himself with human-like shadows...


    She swallowed some wine, not feeling its taste.


    "Wait, wait... Sunless. Is that even your real name?��

 Chapter 1814 Confession

    "...Sunless. Is that even your real name?"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    ��Why is she...''


    But then, it made sense.


    He knew that his feelings for Nephis were real, and him being the Lord of Shadows did not change them. But, for her... she must have been questioning everything she knew about him. Every word he had uttered was under suspicion of being a lie, and every action he had taken was under suspicion of being premeditated and purposeful.


    That was because, while Master Sunless was merely a person, the Lord of Shadows was something else.


    He was one of the players in the grand game between the powers of this world.


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then offered her a fragile smile.


    "Sure. That is my real name. Well, actually, although it is my real name, most people call me Sunny, So... I was going to suggest that you call me that too, soon... today."


    He faltered, then sighed.


    "Listen, I want... first, I want to explain something My Intention was never to deceive you. I did not approach you with an ulterior motive, insinuating myself into your good graces for a nefarious purpose. In fact, I never expected to meet you at all. I mean... meet you here, in Bastion"


    He wasn''t being very eloquent, but there was no helping it. Sunny''s mind was in turmoil, and therefore, so were his words.


    He sought a momentary refuge in the act of gulping down tea.


    "It was... sort of like... like this. The Lord of Shadows was supposed to be a part of me that deals with the big picture. While Master Sunless, he wasn''t supposed to have any purpose at all. He was just meant to live the life that I have always wanted to live, but was never able to. A quiet and peaceful life away from bloodshed and strife, one that had nothing to do with the Sovereigns, the war, the Nightmare Spell, the gods and the daemons. The future."


    Sunny sighed.


    "I just wanted to manage a small shop and live quietly. Or rather... I wanted to let a part of me experience that bliss, at least. So that was what I did, and I never expected that a few days after the Lord of Shadows met you, you would walk into my shop. Actually... I was so startled that I fell... like a fool..."


    Neph blinked,


    "That was why you were on the floor?" Sunny coughed and scratched his head in embarrassment.


    "Yeah."


    She stared at him intently.


    "Walt. What about the duel with Tristan of Aegis Rose?"


    He looked down.


    "Oh, that... I tried really hard not to hurt him. Too much."


    Nephis opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again. Then, she opened it once more and covered it with a hand, as if mortified.


    "Wait! So, when Effie... when she..."


    Sunny smiled sheepishly.


    "Ah, right. That happened, too. It was a bit funny, actually."


    Effie was in a habit of belittling the Lord of Shadows in an earnest attempt to help out Master Sunless win Nephis over. Her clumsy attempts to help missed the mark completely, of course, but were strangely endearing.


    Although... Nephis had indeed ended up seeing the humble shopkeeper in a favorable light. So maybe Effie actually knew what she was doing?


    Sunny wasn''t sure, at that point.


    Noticing that Nephis seemed to have lost the ability to speak, he hesitated for a moment, and then said softly:


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then said the truth:


    "All of me is the real me."


    He looked away.


    "...It would be easy to say that one of my Incarnations is a mask, and the other one is the true me. But that would be a lie. They are all me, and the only difference between them is the role they have to play. The Lord of Shadows is meant for war, and so, he is aloof and unyielding. Master Sunless is meant for peace, and so, he is soft and accommodating."


    Sunny lingered for a moment, and then added quietly:


    "I guess you can say that one of them is what 1 want to be, while the other is what i have to be. But that... is not really important. What''s important is that..."


    He looked at her with a pale smile.


    "Both of them are me, and I am sincere in my feelings for you. You know it. You should have felt my longing."


    Nephis studied his face for a long time.


    Then, she nodded slowly.


    And... blushed?


    "I see. I... need to digest it. Sorry!"


    ''Wha...''


    Before Sunny could react, beautiful white wings appeared behind Nephis, and she soared into the air, sending sand flying in all directions.


    "Wait!"


    He called after her, but she swiftly rose into the sky, and then disappeared in the direction of Bastion,


    Sunny was left alone on the beach, frozen.


    "You... you..."


    He looked down, remained silent for a while, and grimaced.


    ��...You forgot to take your dress."


    Indeed.


    Nephis was in such a hurry to leave that she had forgotten to pick up her white summer dress. Of course, she could summon a Memory armor to cover her body at any moment... but still...


    Sunny sighed deeply.


    He didn''t regret confessing his identity to her. He would have felt uncomfortable going further without doing that.


    But he did regret it, a little.


    Their perfect date was ruined.


    And yet...


    He looked at the sky silently.


    There, at the end...


    ��Her reaction wasn''t that bad, was it?��


    It wasn''t.


    In fact... it was a little promising.

 Chapter 1815 Stranded

    The sky above the Moonriver Plain was grey and unfriendly. Drops of cold water were dribbling from above, and the winds were blowing above the barren wasteland, howling as they dove into the canyons.


    Rain sat in front of the crackling fire for a few minutes, staring somberly into the distance. Her body was bruised, but there were no serious wounds. Her mind was clear.


    It was just that the situation was a bit bleak.


    Rain sighed heavily, then inspected her surroundings. Well... there wasn''t much to inspect. The stony wasteland was nearly featureless. There were a few twisted, dead trees a dozen or so meters away.


    Beyond that, far away, stood a weathered ruin... the canyon was on the other side, a stone throw away.


    Next, she inspected herself and grimaced. Rain was wearing her usual leather pants, henley, wool vest, and jacket. She was not going to suffer from the cold because her body was protected by her worn-out military bodysuit, but her warm coat was still in her pack... which was back with the survey team, full of survival equipment.


    The last time she had seen her sword, it was impaling the abominable hand to the ground. Her bow and quiver were now somewhere at the bottom of the canyon. The only weapons she had left were the hunting knife in the sheath attached to the small of her back, and a dagger hidden in her boot.


    It wasn''t much.


    However, what concerned Rain the most was not the lack of weapons, but the lack of simple tools. There was no food or water, either...


    Luckily, there was a young lady from a noble clan. Tamar had to have a few useful Memories in her soul arsenal.


    Rain rubbed her face, then rose and walked over to the unconscious girl. After inspecting her carefully, she scowled and cursed quietly through gritted teeth.


    "Damnation..."


    Tamar... wasn''t in a good shape. She was not at death''s door, but her body was terribly battered. Her face was bruised, and judging by a slight grimace that contorted it with each breath, so were her ribs. One of her arms was badly injured if not for the vambrace of her enchanted armor, it would have been mangled even worse.


    Worst of all, both of her legs seemed to be broken. She must have been slammed against the wall of the canyon or had been caught between rocks, being tossed around by the current. Well... it was already a miracle that they had managed to survive, In fact, Rain should have been worse off than Tamar, whose Awakened physique was much more robust.


    Her teacher must have made rescuing her a priority.


    Rain sighed deeply.


    She wasn''t particularly fond of the haughty Legacy, but there was also no animosity between them. So, seeing her in such a sorry state made Rain feel despondent.


    Tamar had chosen to catch the falling laborer instead of saving herself, after all. If she had been more selfish, she might have avoided getting hurt altogether.


    "Stupid woman..."


    Rain stared at the unconscious girl for a while, then rose and walked away.


    She returned a couple of minutes later, carrying a few sturdy branches.


    Awakened were much stronger than mundane people, and could recover from many terrible wounds. The healed much faster. Tamar seemed to have already saturated her core, as well - at that despite only Awakening a couple of months ago.


    Rain, meanwhile, let go of the greave and shook her head in dejection.


    All that work, completely in vain.


    She waved to attract Tamar''s attention.


    "Hey, Lady Tamar. Dismiss your armor."


    Tamar looked at her silently for a few moments.


    "...Why?��


    Rain inhaled quietly, then tried her best to imitate the tone her mom had used to make her younger self take medicine:


    "Your legs are broken. I need to set the bones... well, unless you want them to heal wrong."


    The young Legacy gritted her teeth, then raised her torso and looked down. A few moments later, she fell back on the ground, her face turning pale.


    There was a long stretch of silence, and then, her plate armor collapsed into a whirlwind of sparks, leaving only the cloth underlayer behind. Tamar was left wearing only a simple white shirt and breeches, shivering slightly in the cold.


    Rain hesitated a little before picking up her jacket and covering the younger girl with it. Then, she looked at her pale face from above.


    "It''s going to hurt a lot. Do you want to bite down on something?"


    Tamar slowly shook her head.


    "Just to do it."


    ''Well, suit yourself.��


    Rain returned to her feet, picked up on them gently, placed her hand on her calves, and said gingerly.


    "Listen. I''m going to count to three, One..."


    Without saying anything else, she pulled.


    In the next moment, Tamar clenched her fists and let out a string of curses. Or at least she must have thought that they were curses in fact, this proper young lady had no idea how to properly curse. It was a bit adorable.


    "You... you said you would count to three!"


    Rain shrugged nonchalantly.


    "I lied.��

 Chapter 1816 Simple Porter

    Tamar handled the pain surprisingly well. Rain herself was no stranger to pain, but she had never been hurt that badly. She wasn''t sure if she could have maintained composure in a similar situation - at least without a dire need to stay composed.


    Humans were wired to abhor pain, so there was nothing wrong with showing a bit of weakness.


    But after that first string of curses, the young Legacy stayed silent and simply glared at Rain intensely. It was as if she was inviting her to try her worst.


    ''Weirdo.��


    Luckily, Rain was quite good at treating injuries. All children learned the basic treatment procedures in school, and she had been additionally schooled on how to deal with most injuries in the wilderness by her teacher. So, Tamar did not have to suffer unnecessarily.


    After the bones were set, Rain told her to summon back her boots, and then went about making splints from the branches and cords she had prepared.


    While she busied herself with it, Tamar finally spoke:


    "You... Rani..."


    Rain glanced at her briefly, then looked back down.


    ''Huh. She remembers my name.��


    "What?"


    The Legacy girl inhaled slowly.


    "Where are we?"


    ''Good question.''


    Rain hesitated for a few moments, coming up with a believable lie. Sadly, the fact that they were alive was quite unbelievable.


    But then again, the existence of her teacher was even harder to believe. So, any explanation she could come up with would sound more plausible than the truth.


    Eventually, she said:


    "I''m not sure, either. Somewhere downstream from where we fought the Tyrant. It looks like the river carried us pretty far... when I came about, I was laying on the edge of the canyon, with no trace of the others in sight. You were about a hundred meters downriver. That''s all I know."


    Tamar remained silent for a while.


    "How did we survive?"


    ''A petty shadow rescued us from the current, then left us to fend for ourselves in the wilderness... because I hurt his feelings...''


    She smiled faintly,


    "No idea. I assumed it was because of some powerful life-saving Memory you have.��


    The young Legacy ralsed an eyebrow.


    "There''s no such thing."


    Rain sighed.


    "That''s too bad."


    Finally finished, she looked at Tamar and shrugged.


    A strange smile appeared on Rain''s lips.


    "That is very noble of you, Lady Tamar. It''s commendable that you have decided to die for your duty. But what about me? Isn''t it a bit strange that you have also decided that I will die to uphold your duty? Doesn''t seem very fair.��


    The young Legacy frowned.


    "Have you no loyalty? Those people are your comrades, and our mission is important for the future of the Song Domain. We... we must be ready to sacrifice for the greater good."


    Rain laughed.


    "Loyalty? I am sorry, Lady Tamar... I am a hired laborer, I get paid a pitiful amount of coins to carry rocks and do tedious chores. Am I supposed to die for the right to carry rocks or for the privilege to do chores? I''ve been only doing that to put food on my plate. The only thing I''m loyal to is my stomach."


    Tamar glared at her with indignation, then took a deep breath and grew quiet.


    Sprawling on the ground in exhaustion and clearly suffering from pain, she remained silent for a few moments, then sighed.


    "...You''re right. You are not a Legacy, or even a soldier. So, I can''t expect you to understand. Still... I won''t compromise the entire survey team for the sake of one member. I won''t leave them without the protection of the Echo."


    Rain sighed inwardly.


    ''Stubborn fool..��


    Tamar, meanwhile, looked at her with a grave expression.


    "But I also can''t expect you to share my burden. So... leave me. Your legs are perfectly fine. You stand a chance of making it back alive without me. I''ve seen your skill - you are not defenseless. So, I''ll... I''ll give you a few of my Memories. You won''t be able to use the enchantments, but they will still be helpful. If you are careful enough and lucky enough, you''ll survive."


    Rain studied her pale, determined face silently.


    After a while, she asked in a neutral tone:


    "So, that''s your plan? To send me off and stay here, immobilized, to die on your own?"


    Tamar raised her chin arrogantly.


    "Who says I''ll die? I''ll crawl and find a good place to hide. In a week or two, the survey team will reach the main camp. Then... someone will come to find me. I just need to last for a while.��


    Her tone was confident, but her words did not sound very convincing.


    Rain did not say anything for a while, then massaged her temples with a grimace.


    Eventually, she said:


    "Fine. Don''t summon your damned Echo. Instead, summon a rope. Or a cloak... something like that."


    Tamar frowned in confusion.


    "A... a rope? What for?"


    Rain stood up and raised her hands above her head, stretching her body. She could feel strength returning to her limbs.


    "Because I am going to drag you to the main camp Instead of that Echo. If I have to. You did save my life back in the canyon, after all. I might be a simple porter, but I''m not an ingrate... my mom taught me better."


    She had decided to stay with Tamar


    After all, there should not be a lot of difference between carrying rocks and carrying a slim Legacy girl...


    They were going to make it back together, or not at all.

 Chapter 1817 Shelter and Food

    Among Tamar''s Memories, there was an enchanted cloak. Its enchantment wasn''t very useful in their current situation, but the cloak itself was just what Rain needed.


    Harvesting two long branches from the dead trees, she used it to create a makeshift stretcher. Rain held the front end of the stretcher, while the rear end dragged on the ground. For the young Legacy, it wasn''t the most comfortable way to travel - but if she was suffering, she did not let it show.


    As for Rain herself, she quickly warmed up from the strain. Hauling Tamar over a long distance in this manner was not very plausible, but luckily, they weren''t going far just yet.


    For now, their plan was to find shelter and wait for about ten days before summoning the Echo. That much time should be enough for the survey team to return to the main construction camp, or at least get close to it. So, all Rain and Tamar had to do was survive that long.


    It was especially important that Tamar remained alive, because with her death, the Echo would disappear as well. Then, the survey team would be in peril...


    Remembering the porters she had become friends with, Rain grimaced. She had put on a cynical facade in front of the young Legacy, and although there was some truth to her words, in all honesty, she wasn''t willing to save herself by sacrificing those people, elther.


    Plus, Rain was not helpless. Although the Moonriver Plain were much more dangerous than the wild reaches around Ravenheart, she still stood a fair chance of surviving here.


    ��I''ll take it one step at a time.��


    For now, they had to find shelter. Then, procure food and water. After that... she was going to think about it later.


    Soon, the ruins drew near. They were too large to be a solitary building, but too small to be the remains of a town. Stone walls rose from the ground, once tall and magnificent, now crumbling and covered in cracks. Rainwater was spilling out of the cracks, and it seemed as if the ruins were weeping.


    There was no telling what that place had been once, and currently, Rain wasn''t that interested in solving the mystery.


    Instead, her gaze fell on the ground and grew tense.


    ''Damn it.��


    She stopped without approaching the ruins and gently placed the stretcher on the ground. Tamar''s face paled from the jolt, but she stubbornly refused to let her pain show.


    "What is it?"


    Rain studied the ground with a somber expression. A few moments later, she sighed.


    "There are prints on the ground."


    Tamar turned her head to look.


    There were indeed traces of something having stalked this area in the mud. The prints weren''t too large, and were clearly animalistic in nature. Judging by their size and depths, the creature - or creatures - weren''t too large.


    Still, it was a cause for concern.


    The ruins Rain had hoped to take shelter in were occupied.


    The two young women looked at each other silently.


    Eventually, Tamar asked:


    "What do you want to do? We... we can go further away from the canyon."


    Rain remained silent for a while, then slowly shook her head.


    "There''s no point. Whatever it is that lives in the ruins will be faster than us, by far. Once it crawls out and catches our scent, it will find us no matter how much distance we can cover before nightfall."


    Which wasn''t much distance at all.


    The state of the paw prints hinted that they had been left many hours, but less than a day ago. So, Rain suspected that the inhabitant of the ruins was a nocturnal predator, Even if she hauled Tamar away with all her strength, they were not going to outrun a Nightmare Creature.


    Rani herself was strange.


    She seemed... too calm, and too capable. Most of all, her mental fortitude was entirely out of place. By all accounts, she should have been terrified and on the verge of panicking. It was Tamar who was supposed to be the one to maintain her composure in any situation, as an Awakened warrior should.


    And yet, why did it seem as if Rani was more prepared to face the horrors of the Dream Realm than she was?


    As if, for her, all of it was just a normal Tuesday.


    ��...Can she be a Valor spy?��


    That would be reasonable. However... somehow, Tamar did not believe it.


    She gritted her teeth and faced the ruins.


    For a few minutes, there was only silence.


    And then, the silence was torn apart by a chilling roar.


    Deep within the ruins, a heavy object collided against the stones. She heard a faint sound of something sharp grinding against the ancient walls, One of them seemed to crumble with a loud crack.


    Tamar raised her bow and prepared to draw the string.


    A while later, a slender figure walked out of the darkness.


    Rani''s clothes were soaked with blood, but the blood was too dark to have come from a human. Her expression was nonchalant.


    She was wiping the blade of the enchanted dagger on the sleeve of a black military bodysuit as she walked.


    Approaching Tamar, the strange porter flashed her a smile.


    "An Awakened Beast. We were lucky."


    Tamar looked up, staring at the mundane girl silently.


    ...Is that what she calls lucky?''


    An Awakened Beast was supposed to be a herald of death for a mundane human. Even the government soldiers used heavy suits of mechanised armor and powerful rifles to face one.


    Soon, Rani dragged her into the ruins. Finally sheltered from rain, Tamar felt a little better.


    They entered a spacious hall in the central structure of the ruin. It was dark inside, but that did not prevent her from seeing the body of a large beast laying on the stone floor. The lower part of its body was buried under rubble, and its throat was savagely slit, seeping with blood.


    Sitting down on the floor, Rant leaned back tiredly.


    After a few moments of silence, she suddenly smiled.


    "Here''s shelter. And look..."


    She pointed at the dead abomination.


    "There''s food."


    Her smile dimmed a little.


    "Now, I just need to find water...��Visitt (.)co/m for the latest updates

 Chapter 1818: Moment of Respite

    Chapter 1818: Moment of Respite


    Even though did not show it, she was still reeling from the short, but lethal battle with the Awakened Beast.


    A creature like that was not something she had not faced before, but those encounters had always been preceded by careful planning and preparation. Challenging an abomination as powerful as that blind was a chilling experience.


    Luckily, the beast had been slumbering deeply when Rain entered the ruins. She stalked them silently, found the enemy, and managed to devise a feasible plan without alerting the abomination.


    Then, she cut her arm and stirred the Nightmare Creature awake with the scent of blood. Luring it out of its lair, Rain toppled a badly damaged stone wall on the beast, burying it under rubble. The enemy was immobilized - even if only for a few moments. So, she rushed in, dodged its deadly claws deftly, and sliced its throat open with the sharp blade of the Ascended dagger.


    It all ended in a heartbeat. Rain wasn''t even injured... of course, she could have very well lost her life, One mistake was all it took to die. If she had hesitated even a little or had been a split second too late to dodge the monstrous claws, the beast would have been gnawing on her bones by now.


    But it was dead instead.


    So... It all worked out, in the end.


    ��I don''t like it''


    Rain had grown accustomed to hunting Nightmare Creatures, but the lack of control in this Improvised battle made her feel uneasy. She didn''t like gambling with her life.


    Letting out a sigh, she glanced at Tamar and then went about making a fire. The young Legacy had a tinderbox Memory, so Rain did not have to go through the tedious motions of forcing the damp wood to catch flame by hand. Soon, the ruin was illuminated by warm orange light, and the two of them were warming themselves in front of the fire.


    The rain had turned into a dribble by then, so she couldn''t collect rainwater anymore - at least not conveniently.


    ''It would be easier to wait for the canyon to fill with water once again.''


    She would walk there later. Rain had to scout their surroundings, anyway.


    For now, though...


    She weighed the enchanted in her hand once again, then sighed and rose to her feet.


    "Wait here."


    Dragging the carcass of the dead beast outside with some effort, Rain dressed it down and salvaged a fair deal of meat. She had no salt to cure it, and there was not enough wood to smoke it. So, most of the meat was destined to spoil shortly.


    If they were lucky, though, it could last them just long enough.


    Returning Inside, Rain skewered the meat on sticks and began to roast it. It would have been better to do it over coals, but open fire worked, as well.


    Tamar observed her actions silently. All in all, she was holding up well despite the terrible injuries.


    After a while, the young Legacy asked:


    "Rani... who are you?"


    Rain raised an eyebrow.


    After a while, she said stiffly:


    "...Mine too."


    Rain looked at her in confusion.


    "What?"


    Tamar sighed.


    "My older brother died challenging a Nightmare, too. He was much older than me, and very talented. The pride of our clan. He became a Master at an early age, and challenged the Third Nightmare after a while. And died there."


    Her expression was stoic, but her voice was tinged with heavy emotions.


    Eventually, the young Legacy shrugged.


    "Well, the age gap between us was too big, so I did not know him well. I just thought I''d share... since you did first."


    Rain looked at her quietly for a while, then turned away.


    "Thank you for sharing."


    With that, she pushed a skewer of roasted meat into Tamar''s hand and rose to her feet.


    "Now eat. I''ll go scout the surroundings a bit."


    Rain left the ruin and explored the area a little, eating the meat as she walked. Eventually, she made her way to the edge of the canyon.


    All in all, the situation seemed much less dire than she had expected. There did not seem to be any more Nightmare Creatures around, which meant that they would probably be able to hide in the ruins for many days.


    Now, she just needed to collect water.


    Sitting at the edge of the canyon, Rain sighed and looked down, into its dark depths, waiting for the chasm to start weeping.


    ��What will I use to collect water? Unless Tamar has a suitable Memory, her helmet will have to do...��


    At that moment, her body suddenly tense, and her eyes widened.


    Her expression froze.


    Because she saw...


    Out there in the depths of the canyon, a massive shadow was moving.


    Grabbing onto the rocks with its countless hands.

 Chapter 1819: Pursued

    Chapter 1819: Pursued


    Rain froze, afraid to move.


    There, below her, far away, something was moving In the darkness. Sunlight did not reach that deep Into the canyon, but she was still able to discern a vague and frightening shape.


    The creature was immense and hunched, with countless arms protruding like a sinewy forest from its massive hump. She thought she saw a clawed hand reaching up to grab the weathered rocks, and in the next moment, an echoing sound of rolling stones rose from the canyon.


    Rain''s whole body grew tense.


    The Awakened Tyrant they had fought before falling into the river seemed to be alive. Worse than that, it was here now, either by coincidence or because it had followed their scent.


    For a moment, her heart was drowned with fear.


    She had battled and slain many Nightmare Creatures. Most of the were dormant, while some were Awakened. The strongest of them had been the Huntsman... and barely survived that fight.


    There was no chance that she would be able to survive a battle against an Awakened Tyrant. That creature was not something a mundane person could ever kill. Not even an Awakened would face it alone - even a full cohort was not always enough to deal with a Tyrant.


    To rain, the hideous abomination was like a herald of death.


    ...Still, she forced herself to calm down. Fear was not going to help her


    What would, though? Nothing came to mind.


    ��Run. We must run.''


    That was the only logical conclusion.


    Forgetting to breathe, Rain slowly backed away from the edge, trembled as she turned her back to it, and silently rose to her feet. Then, She took several cautious steps forward, and broke into a sprint.


    ''Damn it, damn it, damn it...''


    So much for hiding from danger in the ruins. So much for waiting for ten days. Not only had danger found them, but it was also of a kind that they had no hope against.


    Rain glanced at her shadow and hesitated, not knowing if she should say something. Her teacher had been strangely silent since the morning, as if he wasn''t there at all...


    In the end, she didn''t say anything.


    Where were they supposed to head?


    Every direction was the same - except for where the canyon, and the Tyrant, were. So, Rain felt inclined to rush in the opposite direction from the abomination, goin west.


    But she decided to ask Tamar''s opinion first. As if guessing her thoughts, the Legacy girl spoke quietly from the stretcher.


    "The canyons of the Moonriver Plain typically stretch from north to south. We have been carried far south by the river - so, the main camp should be somewhere northwest of our position."


    She hesitated a little, and then added:


    "However, we don''t know how far we were carried, exactly. It may be more prudent to head further south, instead. That way, we might reach the edge of the plain and find the Lake of Tears.��


    The Lake of Tears and the great waterfall, Weeping Goddess, were where Clan Sorrow''s Citadel stood.


    Rain remained motionless for a few moments, considering her options.


    The main construction camp of the road crew was northwest of their position. The Lake of Tears was somewhere south. The problem was that they did not know which one was closer.


    Eventually, she decisively turned south.


    Her choice was very simple, and had nothing to do with distance. She chose the Lake of Tears simply because they would have to follow along the canyon to reach it... which meant that they would most likely not have to cross other canyons on the way.


    With Tamar incapacitated, crossing even one could become an insurmountable obstacle - not even taking into account that they might end up being pursued by an Awakened Tyrant. l?ghtn\��v��l��\��v��~c`��\m. Wasting time was a luxury they did not have.


    So, really, the Lake of Tears was not the best choice. It was simply the only choice.


    Gritting her teeth, Rain strained her tired body and pulled the heavy stretcher south.


    At that moment, she was thankful for the cloudy sky and the cold dribble. Even though her face and hair were already damp, the dust covering the stony plain had turned to mud. Because of that, it was easier to drag the stretcher across it.


    She was still struggling, though.


    ''I''ll need to come up with a better way.''


    Somewhere behind them, there were more sounds of rocks falling deep in the canyon. The Tyrant was already close to crawling out of the darkness.


    Rain hurried her steps.

 Chapter 1820: Waiting for Rain

    Chapter 1820: Waiting for Rain


    In the end, her worst expectations had not come true.


    But it was very close.


    The Tyrant had not happened to be there by coincidence. It was, in fact, following their scent. Rain saw from afar as its ugly shape rose from the canyon, pulling itself onto the stone with a dozen monstrous hands. The creature looked like a hideous giant that was on the verge of toppling under the weight of its bulging hump.


    However, it wasn''t really a hunchback. Instead, the mound on its back was simply there to allow for countless arms to protrude forward, all ending with terrifying claws.


    The most eerie part was that the abomination looked vaguely human-like, as if it had been a person once. If it had, then it must have been eons ago.


    After climbing out of the canyon, the Tyrant spent some time wandering near the edge, its oversized head low to the ground. Dragging Tamar away with all her might, Rain couldn''t help but glance back, into the distance, from time to time.


    She couldn''t understand what the Tyrant was doing.


    But when it wandered to the ruins, spent some time there, then stumbled south, she realized something.


    The abomination was sniffing for their scent.


    That would mean that they were done for... only it didn''t. Because there was one detall playing to their advantage.


    The Tyrant was blind.


    Rain herself had blinded it, putting two arrows through its eyes. So, even though the creature seemed hellbent on following them, it couldn''t simply rush in their direction. It had to follow their scent laboriously, stumbling across rough terrain as it forged a path forward.


    Its hatred seemed to be truly boundless, though, because even after a few hours, the ghastly figure could still be seen far in the distance, wandering the plain in search of them. They couldn''t lose it.


    ''Curses...''


    Rain was slowly increasing the distance between them and the tyrant. Her arms were on fire, as if her muscles would melt at any moment. Her breathing had turned hoarse, and she felt like she was drowning. It took all of her resolve and determination to keep pushing forward, dragging the makeshift stretcher behind her.


    Just a few hours had passed, and she was already in such a sorry state, So, despite the fact that the distance was increasing, Rain did not feel at ease.


    That was because she knew that she wouldn''t be able to keep this pace up indefinitely. More than that, once the night fell, they would have to stop.


    She would need to rest. Tamar was not doing too well, either with her injuries, what she needed was to remain still and recuperate, not be jolted painfully every few moments as her stretcher dragged across bumps and creases. l?ghtn\��v��l��\��v��~c`��\m. Her broken legs had to be a cause of constant torment.


    Even if Rain could push through her exhaustion and Tamar could endure the rough handling, it was simply too dangerous to travel across the Moonriver Plain at night. Despite the abundance of moonlight, it would still be dark, and the fact that there was a Nightmare Creature pursuing them did not mean that there would be none ahead of them.


    ''Bad, bad. It''s bad!''


    Unlike them, the Tyrant did not need to rest. It was not afraid of the darkness, either. So, Rain had to get as far away from him as possible before nightfall, so that they would not be caught until dawn.


    What would happen if the abomination did find them?


    Sucking in a hoarse breath, Rain glanced at her shadow again.


    Deciding to be optimistic, Rain asked Tamar to summon her helmet.


    They consumed some of the remaining meat in silence.


    Afterwards, the young Legacy looked at her somberly and said in a subdued tone:


    "...You can just leave me behind and save yourself, you know."


    If Rain wasn''t slowed down by the need to drag her wounded companion along, she would have had a much higher chance of escaping from the Tyrant. That much was obvious.


    She scratched the back of her head and answered half-heartedly:


    "Aren''t we heading for the Lake of Tears? That is where your clan''s Citadel is located. What am I supposed to say if I show up there alone? Sorry, 1 left your daughter to die because she was too heavy? I doubt they''ll welcome me warmly after that..."


    Tamar looked at her silently for a few moments. Unexpectedly, a faint smile eventually appeared on her face.


    "...I''m not that heavy."


    Rain sighed.


    "And I''m not that strong. Now... go to sleep. You need rest. We''ll move on at dawn, so there''s no time to waste. I''ll take the first watch and wake you up at midnight."


    Tamar wanted to say something, but just nodded silently in the end. It had been a terribly long day, and she must have been mentally exhausted from dealing with the pain and mental burden. Soon, her eyes closed, and she swiftly fell asleep.


    Rain studied the sleeping girl''s face for a few minutes, then took a deep breath and stared into the darkness.


    Despite the terrible fatigue, despite being tormented by thirst... she still knew what she had to do.


    ''If you want to get out of here alive, all you need to do is Awaken.��


    That was what her teacher had said.


    So, Rain sat motionlessly, felt the flow of soul essence within her, and concentrated deeply, making it revolve faster and faster.


    After a while...


    She felt cold drops falling on her face. A minute later, the rain had turned heavy, shrouded the world with a rustling veil.


    Never losing control of her essence, Rain smiled, picked up Tamar''s helmet, and crawled out from beneath the overhanging stone ridge.


    Placing the helmet on the ground, she allowed the downpour to pelt her freely and continued to force her essence into a raging whirlpool.


    Deep within her soul, another grain of sand was being formed.


    ��Teacher is always right...��

 Chapter 1821 A Thousand Steps

    Despite how tired Rain was, how badly she needed reprieve, she still sat on the ground and circulated her essence. Her body was absolutely motionless, but her soul was like a raging whirlpool.


    At the heart of the whirlpool, soul essence was being refined into solid form by the crushing pressure. There were plenty of radiant grains there, already, sparkling like gemstones as they spun and collided. Rain could almost hear the melodious ringing, and feel her soul tremble slightly with each clash.


    However, the brilliant gemstones were unable to fuse, yet. There weren''t enough of them for that to happen.


    She had to create more.


    But it was such a slow and arduous process...


    Rain was already doing much better than anyone was supposed to. After years of slaying Nightmare Creatures, her essence was especially potent. Her control of it was both forceful and intricate, remarkably precise - at least for someone below the Ascended Rank.


    All she needed was time.


    Sadly, Rain wasn''t sure that she had any time left.


    ''I''m not fast enough...��


    Deeply concerned, she gritted her teeth and concentrated wholly on controlling her essence.


    When the moons reached the apogee of the cloudy sky, she allowed the raging whirlpool of her soul to dissipate and slumped, feeling like she was about to pass out from fatigue. . Dragging Tamar''s conical helmet over with a weak hand, she drank half of the water that had accumulated inside and finally felt alive again.


    A little.


    Then, Rain woke the young Legacy up and curled on the ground, instantly falling asleep.


    In the morning, her entire body felt broken. Rain had told Tamar that they would move on as soon as dawn broke, but in the end, they spent more time under the rock outcropping.


    Rain knew that she wouldn''t endure another day of dragging the stretcher with her hands, so something had to be done. After thinking for a while, she unsheathed her hunting knife and carefully separated the alloy mesh from the lining of her military jacket.


    The alloy wire was very fine, but incredibly durable. She spent a lot of time patiently dismantling the mesh with the help of Tamar''s enchanted dagger, then weaving the wires together. In the end, Rain was left with several meters of crude alloy rope.


    The young Legacy was observing with an incredulous expression. Her pallor had become a little better, but she still looked terrible.


    In fact, both of them did.


    Tamar had always maintained a valiant and dashing image, quite in line with her exalted status as the daughter of an old Legacy clan. Rain might not have had the same background, but she still endeavored to look if not refined, then at least decent.


    Now, both of them were dirty and wretched.


    They were covered in mud from head to toe, with sunken eyes and chapped lips. Their hair was damp and tangled. Their clothes might have had color once, but now they were indistinguishable from the surrounding dirt.


    More...


    The world narrowed down to a patch of drying mud in front of her, the feeling of the wire rope cutting into her shoulder, and the depleting struggle to pull the stretcher forward.


    The air flowed into her lungs as she breathed hoarsely.


    For a while, her mind was empty of thought, full of only the harsh sensation of physical strain.


    Rain was doing fine for an hour or two, but then, a sense of deep, suffocating exhaustion slowly seeped into her muscles, filling her body with lead. The horizon seemed as distant as it had been before, and the barren wasteland was unchanged. She felt like she had made no progress at all, and therefore, her silent torment felt endless.


    The lumbering silhouette of the blind Tyrant was still following them, far behind, prowling low to the ground.


    Rain pushed forward stubbornly.


    But at the same time...


    A cold realization sent chills running down her spine.


    ''It''s hopeless.''


    She wasn''t one to give up without a fight, but she also knew better than to fight a hopeless battle.


    And this desperate struggle of hers was already lost.


    Rain might be able to stay ahead of the Tyrant for a while - maybe for a day, or even a few. But sooner or later, the abuse she was putting her body through would take its toll. At some point, she wouldn''t be able to keep the pace anymore. Then, she wouldn''t be able to take another step, or even rise from the ground.


    That was if nothing else killed her before that happened.


    So, all she could do... was keep walking forward and pray that some miracle would save them. Maybe, if she bought enough time, they would stumble on a passing Saint who happened to be traversing the Moonriver Plain by chance. Maybe another abomination would get into a fight with Tyrant, dealing it a grievous wound. Maybe... maybe...


    They would get lucky.


    But Rain was not willing to entrust her life to dumb luck.


    She had to think of something.


    She continued to pull the stretcher across the mud, slowly forcing her mind to wake up from the numb slumber.


    There had to be a way out. There always was.


    After a dozen more steps... or maybe a thousand...


    Rain''s dark eyes suddenly glistened with ferocious determination.

 Chapter 1822 Miraculous Feat

    Actually, Rain already knew what miracle could save her. It wasn''t a miracle that could happen to her, but rather a miracle she could make happen.


    It was her Awakening.


    Just like her teacher had said, it was the only solution to this lethal predicament.


    The problem was that the formation of her soul core was far away, while the Tyrant was too close. The abomination was not drawing closer yet, but it would soon.


    If Rain could rest with no distraction and concentrate on meditating steadily, there would have been hope of Awakening before the hideous giant caught its prey. But she had to escape from it, dragging Tamar across the wasteland, from dusk till dawn.


    She had to rest at night to recover at least some of her strength, so there were only a few short hours for her to circulate her essence while keeping watch.


    Those hours were woefully insufficient for the task at hand.


    But actually...


    Wasn''t she looking at it all wrong?


    Rain remembered the previous night. The cool sensation of water droplets falling on her face, the joy she felt. Back then, she was circulating her essence. She took Tamar''s helmet and moved it from below the overhanging stone ridge to catch the rain, hoping to quench her unbearable thirst.


    Which proved something vital.


    It was that she could move and control her essence at the same time. As long as her concentration wasn''t broken, Rain could do whatever she wanted while forming her core.


    Of course, it wasn''t easy to keep her essence under control when doing something else. It was already hard enough to maintain the raging whirlpool while in a state of perfect peace, not to mention extremely tiring.


    And yet, if she could circulate her essence while traversing the wasteland, then she wouldn''t just have a few pitiful hours at night to form her core. Instead, she could keep forming it constantly, for as long as her mental fortitude allowed it.


    Rain felt a strange compulsion to laugh and cry at the same time.


    ''Of course... of course! Why not?''


    She was already doing something unprecedented by trying to Awaken without the help of the Nightmare Spell. As far as Rain knew, no other human of the waking world had ever done that.


    And yet, she didn''t just have to perform that miraculous feat, but also do it while being pursued by an Awakened Tyrant and dying from physical exertion. Lost in the wild reaches of the Dream Realm with no help, hope, or support.


    It wasn''t fair at all.


    But it also made sense, in a strange kind of way. After all, making history was not supposed to be easy.


    ��I can do it... I must do it. I have no choice but to do it.''


    Rain gritted her teeth.


    And then, ignoring her terrible fatigue and suffocating strain, she reached into her soul and tried to move her essence.


    The heavy mental and spiritual burden was instantly added to the crushing hardship of pushing her tired body forward.


    As soon as she took the next step and felt the wire rope cut into her skin painfully, her concentration was destroyed, and she lost control of her essence.


    Rain took a laborious breath, gripped the rope tighter, and tried again.


    Rain collapsed on the ground, unmoving. This time, she remained motionless for far longer than yesterday.


    It felt like her body had shut down.


    She had never been so utterly beaten before, or exhausted so terribly.


    And yet, she still continued to control her essence, never letting its current stop or slow down.


    After a while, Tamar awkwardly crawled over to check on her. The Legacy girl helped Rain turn over, supported her to sit up, and shoved a strip of meat into her hands.


    "Eat."


    Rain smiled weakly and forced herself to take a bite.


    The Tyrant had fallen behind in the latter half of the day. Her speed had been greater with the harness, and she had covered much more distance. It was still nowhere near enough to escape the pursuit, but at least they would survive another night.


    Probably.


    They even had some water left.


    After quenching her thirst and consuming enough meat to refuel her depleted body, Rain sprawled on the ground and sighed.


    "Ah. I''m going to be terribly skinny by the end of it."


    Tamar stared at her with an incredulous expression.


    "That''s what you''re concerned about?"


    Rain considered laughing, but found the thought too tiring. In the end, she said:


    "Why, of course. I want the Tyrant to be left hungry after it gobbles me up. Skin and bones, that sort of thing..."


    The young Legacy remained silent for a few moments, then sighed.


    "You have a very morbid sense of humor, don''t you, Rani?"


    Laying on the ground, Rain grinned.


    "What can I say? If you live with wolves, you''ll howl like a wolf. Someone has been a bad influence on me."


    After a while, she added:


    "...I''m sure I''m pretty delicious, though."


    Tamar had her usual stoic expression on, but at that moment, it cracked a little.


    Looking away, she suppressed a chuckle, and said in a serious tone:


    "I''m sure you are."


    As she did, Rain felt another radiant crystal being formed deep within her soul.


    The melodious ringing was growing louder, and more frequent.

 Chapter 1823 Mud

    A desolate plain stretched as far as the eye could see under the cloudy sky. The horizon was shrouded by a rustling veil of cold rain, and the ground had turned into an endless expanse of mud.


    A canyon cut the plain like a deep scar, resounding with eerie weeping sounds. It would turn into a raging river soon, but for now, the vertical slopes were drowning in nothing but darkness.


    A young woman was moving across the plain, pulling a makeshift sled behind her. . . although, it would have been hard to recognize her as a human from first sight. Covered in mud from head to toe, she looked like a gaunt golem made from clay. The mud stuck to her skin and clothes, making the woman look like a part of the barren wasteland that had somehow come alive.


    Her face and hair were covered in layers of dirt, as well. Only her dark, sunken eyes could be seen, burning with fierce determination.


    . . . In the end, Rain had lasted more than a day. In fact, she had lasted for six, enduring the inhuman strain and crushing exertion of their desperate flight against all odds.


    She had reached her breaking point a long time ago. But, somehow, she managed to keep going even after becoming broken. Later, she faced some other, much deeper limit. . . Rain wasn''t sure what it was, and couldn''t clearly remember. All she knew was that she was still standing.


    That was all that mattered.


    The original stretcher had long fallen apart. The enchanted cloak was fine, of course, but the wooden frame had cracked and shattered. Rain had kept repairing it as best she could, but at some point, she could only discard the broken branches and replace them.


    She built the new frame from the bones of the


    Nightmares Creatures that had attacked them in the dead of night.


    The melodious ringing of essence crystals colliding with each other in the depths of her soul was almost deafening now, filling her ears. Her vision had grown vague and narrow. Most of her consciousness was consumed by the sensation of soul essence spinning in a raging whirlpool, permeating every cell of her body. The rest was filled with exhaustion and pain.


    Step. Step. Another step.


    The further south they went, the more bleak the weather became. Chilling rain poured from the grey sky more and more frequently, and grew more and more forceful. She didn''t mind. Not only did it mean that they would not suffer from thirst, but pulling the stretcher through the mud was easier than it would have been if the soil was dry.


    Of course, it was a perilous exchange. Rain would have probably been dead if not for her military bodysuit �� being wet meant losing heat, and heat was energy. With how much she was exerting herself, energy was a precious resource that she dared not waste.


    Her body had already started consuming itself, so it was a dire commodity.


    Tamar, meanwhile, was not faring much better.


    She did not have to exhaust herself physically, and her wounds were healing. But new ones were added to the old ones after that nighttime attack.


    The young Legacy had lost a lot of blood, and although they slaughtered the abominations in the end, it was not without a cost.


    By that time, Tamar had already sent another arrow flying, finally bringing the wounded abomination down. Her face was pale, and the ugly wound that stretched across her shoulder and chest had opened, seeping with blood. The strain of drawing a powerful enchanted bow was too much for her to endure.


    And yet, she was already pulling the string for the third time.


    The Nightmare Creatures were almost upon them.


    Both lunged forward in a flash of claws, fangs, and frenzied eyes.


    Just then, Tamar''s arrow hit one in the head, killing it instantly.


    The other jumped on Rain. She dove under its claws and thrust both of her blades forward. The hunting knife barely penetrated the tough hide of the abomination and slid from her grasp, but the long dagger sunk into its flesh to the hilt.


    The creature fell on Rain and sent her crushing to the ground. She just barely managed to push the abominable beast, sending it flying over her head.


    They fell simultaneously.


    ��It hurts.��


    Rain fell on her back, but spun and rose to her knees almost immediately. Dashing torward the struggling abomination, she pinned it to the ground with the weight of her body and stabbed it repeatedly. Her strikes were aimed at all the spots where vital organs should have been.


    A while later, the beast stopped moving.


    Rain crawled off its corpse weakly and sprawled in the mud.


    After that violent burst of strength, she felt like she would never be able to stand up.


    And yet. . . throughout all of it, the melodious ringing never grew silent. Even while being lunged at by a snarling abomination, wrestling it to the ground, and sinking her blade into its flesh, Rain had never stopped circulating her essence.


    Somewhere deep within her, another radiant grain of sand was formed.


    She smiled tiredly.


    ��Soon. . . Soon. . . ��


    Drops of rain were falling heavily on her burning face.

 Chapter 1824 After Me Comes the Flood

    The Tyrant was still behind them, its towering figure moving slowly in the distance.


    Rain reminded herself that they could not waste any time. And yet, she had no strength left to rise.


    However, that was alright.


    She had felt the same way the previous time she fell, and the time before that, and the time before that...


    Letting out a quiet groan, Rain sat up, then slowly staggered to her feet. Walking over to where she had dropped the hunting knife, she picked it up and sheathed her blades. The crude sheath she had made for the enchanted dagger was coming undone, sliced by its sharp blade. . . but it would hold for a day or two, which was more than she could ask for.Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com


    Finally, she looked at Tamar.


    "How. . . how are you doing? "


    The young Legacy was laying down on the stretcher, breathing heavily. Her breathing did not sound good.


    "I''m alright. I heal fast. The bleeding is already stopping. ��


    Rain nodded.


    Even if the bleeding did not stop, there was little she could do. All she could do was trust in Tamar''s incredible resilience.


    Walking over to where the alloy harness lay in the mud, Rain glanced at the corpses of the three


    Nightmare Creatures. Usually, she would have harvested meat and soul shards from them, but the Tyrant was too close.


    There was no time.


    ��I just need to hold on until nightfall. Then. . . then, I can rest.��


    She put the harness on and pulled the stretcher.


    She just had to keep walking.


    And keep her essence flowing.


    Life had been complicated, but now, it was very simple. The scope of her existence was narrowed down to these two things.


    She dragged Tamar away from the dead abominations,


    They continued their gruesome journey.


    As Rain walked, she could feel her soul changing subtly. There were countless radiant crystals at the heart of the whirlpool now, all being pressed together by the crushing pressure.


    She could feel the pressure growing.


    As it did, the rain was becoming more violent, as well. It slowly grew from a constant downpour to a pelting deluge, as if the sky was slowly splitting open.


    The weather was strange. Tamar had mentioned once that it did not rain that often, or that much, in the southern reaches of the Moonriver Plain. . . her ancestral Citadel was somewhere nearby, so she would know.


    It seemed that the world was either helping them or trying to kill them. Rain wasn''t sure which, and didn''t care to find out.


    All she cared about was making it to nightfall alive.


    And in the end, she did.


    However, to her despair, the long-awaited reprieve did not come.


    Usually, she was able to create some distance between them and the Tyrant by the time darkness fell. The abominable giant would lumber in the distance in the first half of the day, then slowly disappear beyond the horizon in the latter part.


    However, this time, she could still see its silhouette, following them from far away.


    Perhaps she had grown so weak that she couldn''t maintain sufficient speed anymore, or perhaps the


    Tyrant was slowly adapting to being blind. It was even possible that its eyes were gradually regenerating. . . Awakened abominations possessed stunning vitality, after all, just like Awakened humans did.


    A vast and prodigious storm had descended upon the Moonriver Plain.


    And yet, Rain wasn''t aware.


    She could only think about walking forward, one step at a time.


    But then. . .


    She couldn''t walk forward anymore.


    Not because her strength had abandoned her, but because there was nowhere for her to go.


    Rain stopped, barely noticing that there was no ground in front of her.


    There was no mud, no stone outcroppings.


    Instead, she was standing in front of an abyssal drop.


    She frowned.


    ��Have I. . . have I lost direction and swayed toward the canyon? ��


    But that was not it.


    Slowly, she grew cognizant of her surroundings.


    The thundering storm, the blinding flashes of lightning, the impenetrable darkness. . . and a deep, reverberating hum that seemed to penetrate her very bones, resounding from somewhere below.


    Rain looked into the abyss and staggered.


    She might have fallen over the edge if not for the harness that attached her to Tamar''s stretcher.


    The young Legacy called from behind, struggling to make her voice heard over the storm:


    "Rani. . . Rani, is it. . . ��


    In front of them, the Moonriver Plain came to an end.


    The great plateau ceased abruptly, creating a vast and head-spinning wall of stone that stretched from east to west, as far as the eye could see.


    Countless canyons merged or opened into the vertical abyss, most of them expelling enormous jets of foaming water.


    The streams of water merged and plummeted down, creating an unimaginable, endless waterfall.


    It was as if the world was crying.


    ''... The Weeping Goddess. ��


    They had reached the great waterfall that served as the boundary of the Moonriver Plain.


    The Lake of Tears was somewhere far below. The city governed by Clan Sorrow was situated on its shore, and their Citadel was somewhere close, cut into the cliffs.


    Rain''s eyes widened.


    Not from joy, but from horror. ��We''re. . . we''re dead:


    Turning around, she waited for lightning to illuminate the world and saw the dreadful shape of the Tyrant.


    The abomination was not too far away.


    There was no time to come up with a way to descend to the bottom of the towering cliffs, There was no time to explore the edge of the plateau, searching for the Citadel of Clan Sorrow.


    The goal of their ghastly journey, which had been supposed to be their salvation, was nothing but a death sentence now.


    Because the Tyrant was too close, pursuing them. . .


    And they had nowhere else to run.

 Chapter 1825 Edge of the Abyss

    The storm shrouded everything in impenetrable darkness. The roaring thunderclaps reverberated across the plain, and a deluge of water was falling from the sky, as if the heavenly floodgates had shattered under the immense pressure, dooming the world to be drowned.


    Frequent bolts of lightning tore apart the darkness, replacing it with blinding light. And somewhere below, the tidal hum of the colossal waterfall was fusing with the raging song of the furious storm.


    Rain stood at the edge of the abyss, looking at the black sky with a resentful expression.


    Behind her, Tamar was looking back, at the hideous shape of the pursuing Tyrant.


    There was nowhere for them to run.


    "Rani! The Tyrant. . . "


    Rain looked at the sky, and then took a deep breath.


    Then, surrounded by the raging storm, she sat on the ground at the edge of the abyss. Crossing her legs, she placed her hands on her knees, and closed her eyes.


    In a flash of lightning, her tranquil figure looked incredibly out of place.


    She exhaled slowly.


    ��Focus. ��


    Rain concentrated on her soul. A radiant river was flowing within her, forming a furious whirlpool. At its heart, beautiful crystals of essence were being tempered by the crushing pressure.


    The melodious song of her soul was louder than the storm, and much more compelling.


    She couldn''t hear Tamar anymore.


    ��Form. Clash. Awaken:


    Nothing else mattered.


    Behind her, Tamar looked at her mundane companion in despair. Noticing that Rani was sitting on the edge of the abyss, unmoving, she was stunned for a moment. Then, a look of guilt and shame twisted her beautiful face.


    She assumed that the older girl had completely exhausted her strength, both physical and mental.


    It was already an incredibly valiant feat, to have persisted for so long without collapsing. Rani possessed enough willpower and conviction �� or maybe stubbornness �� to put most Awakened to shame.


    But everyone had a limit.


    "Rani. . . "


    Indeed, hidden in the sea of light, a soul core was being built within her soul. And that nascent core. . . was like a bridge between her soul and her flesh.


    Rain felt as though a miniature star was burning in the center of her chest: waves of heat were radiating from it, slowly reaching her empty stomach and lacerated shoulders, then her tortured arms and legs, then her aching hands and feet.


    Under that heat, her bones, muscles, organs and blood vessels were being rebuilt and revitalized.


    She was being reborn. She was becoming stronger, faster, healthier. . .


    It was euphoric.


    With each second, his transformation was becoming more profound.


    After some time had passed, the star burning in his chest finally cooled down. The luminous sea dimmed, and from it. . .


    A radiant sphere was revealed, shining beautifully upon Rain''s soul.


    The heat was replaced with a soothing coldness.


    That coldness washed over her body, taking away all the aches and discomforts that had been accumulated there over the past six days. Then it moved up, reaching her mind and soothing it.


    She slowly opened her eyes.


    ��Is this. . . what it means to be Awakened? "


    Rain felt. . . powerful. Her body was suffused with ferocious strength, startling endurance, and boundless vitality. Her senses were sharper. Even her mind seemed to have become more profound, somehow.


    Soul essence flowed freely through her body, seeping into her bones and muscles. It felt richer and more responsive. . . almost palpable.


    The soul core was at the heart of it all, serving as the bridge between tangible and intangible.


    A tired smile appeared on Rain''s face.


    ��I did it! ��


    Lost in the depths of a furious storm, sitting on the edge of a bottomless abyss, surrounded by darkness, and pursued by a harrowing abomination. . .


    The first human of the waking world had just


    Awakened without taking upon the curse of the


    Nightmare Spell.

 Chapter 1826 Coming Storm

    While Rain was in the middle of her Awakening.


    Tamar was struggling not to drown. Streams of water were pouring from the sky, mixing with mud... laying powerlessly on the stretcher, she felt weak and spent.


    The situation seemed to be hopeless.


    Not only would he die, but Rani, who had refused to abandon her and strived so stubbornly to save them, would be killed, too.


    Looking at the furious black sky, Tamar wanted to give up.


    But she couldn''t.


    ��Ah...��


    A long sight escaped from her lips.


    Then, a whirlwind of sparks surrounded her, forming into a beautiful spear.


    Tamar gritted her teeth, then rose to her feet, using the spear as a crutch.


    Immediately, severe pain pierced her fragile legs.


    It had been six or seven days since they were broken. The bones had healed, somewhat, but even for an awakening, that was not nearly enough time to recover. She was probably undoing all that healing... but, still.


    Tamar refused to die lying down.


    Better yet, she didn��t want to die at all. She was also indignant at the thought of Rani dying because of her.


    So, she had a hard decision to make.


    ��I have to summon the Echo.��


    The monstrous wolf was protecting the survey team, and she was unwilling to compromise their safety. However, at this point, there was no sense in keeping the Echo with them.


    That was because it would disappear if Tamar died, leaving the survey team similarly defenseless.


    The problem was...


    That there was no way to guarantee that summoning the Echo would save them. It was an Ascended Monster �� a protector gifted to her by her clan. An Ascended Monster was a powerful creature, but it was not a given that it would be able to defeat an Awakened Tyrant.


    Especially this Tyrant in particular, who seemed both ancient and exceedingly powerful.


    The wolf wouldn''t be able to carry them away, either, because the Tyrant was too close, and the Echo would instantly attract its attention.


    So... in order to increase their chances, Tamar would have to assist the Echo in fighthing the


    Tyrant herself. She could still draw her bow, even if doing so would make her wounds open.


    ��I��ll... I''ll summon it, then.��


    And yet, she hesitated.


    Watching the Tyrant slowly draw closer, Tamar waited for something. Maybe something would happen... some miracle that would lead the hideous giant away. Maybe a bolt of lightning would descend from the sky and burn it.


    Maybe she wouldn''t need to fail her friends and mission, after all.


    But nothing happened.


    The Tyrant was already too close. It was still following their scent. A miracle did not descent, and their fates were still sealed.


    However...


    The Tyrant was blind now.


    So, that was what Rain decided to gamble her life on.


    Standing motionlessly in the path of the abomination, she did not make a single sound. In fact, she even held her breath and forced her heartbeat to slow down �� in the middle of the roaring storm, the creature would not hear it.


    At least that was Rain''s hope.


    As she watched the hideous Nightmare Creature approach, all her instincts were screaming for her to turn away and run. However, she did not move at all.


    Soon, the Tyrant drew so close that she could discern every ghastly detail of its gaunt body, flooded by the light of the flashing bolts of lightning.


    The creature was coming right at her... But it was not aware that its prey was so close, yet.


    Soon, a monstrous hand landed in the mud directly to Rain''s right.


    Then, another landed in the mud to her left.


    The abomination dragged itself closer.


    Its appalling, oversized head was now almost above her, the enormous maw close enough to swallow her whole in an instant.


    Rain smiled darkly.


    ��Got you.��


    Instead of fighting her way through the forest of hands, she had allowed the blind Tyrant to bring itself to her.


    She finally moved.


    As soon as she did, the Tyrant''s head jerked, turning toward her.


    But it was already too late.


    The zweihander exploded forward, slicing through the mud and rising in an upward arc. Rain pulled with one hand and pushed with the other, using its long handle as a lever. Her Awakened strength was great enough to make the blade of the greatsword turn into a blur.


    A split second later...


    The zweihander struck the Tyrant''s chin. Its sharp blade carried enough force and momentum to slice its jaw in half, sever its tongue, break through the fragile bones of the nasal cavity, cut cleanly through its brain, and finally escape from its forehead.


    In an instant, the abomination''s head was split in two halves.


    A moment later, Rain was already jumping back.


    She easily leaped a dozen meters back, then slid in the mud the same distance.


    By then, countless hands were already pummeling the spot where she had stood. If she had been even a little bit slower, she would have been crushed.


    But it did not matter.


    Because those hands were nothing but minions.


    The Tyrant itself... was dead.


    Its body swayed heavily, and then collapsed into the mud, a river of blood spilling from its mangled head.


    Just like that, the pursuit was over.

 Chapter 1827: Cleansing

    Chapter 1827: Cleansing


    Hidden in the shadows, Sunny let out a secretive sight of relief.


    The past week had been a terrible ordeal for Rain... but it had not been easy for him, either.


    A long time ago, Sunny had told Rain that he could teach her how to wield a sword, how to traverse the Dream Realm, and how to kill her enemies... but he could not teach her how to be strong. The world was a cold and ruthless place, and his little sister was much too soft to endure its cruelty.


    Even now, all these years later, she retained that softness. She had learned how to wield weapons, survive in the wild, and hunt down abominations, but her nature was still the same. Rain had never suffered heartbreaking loss, had never felt the lightless depths of true despair, and had never faced the darkest sides of humanity.


    Despite her cool appearance and tough reputation, at her core, she was still the same kind and sweet girl.


    Which was a solace to Sunny. He never wanted her to lose that part of herself.


    And yet, he couldn''t coddle her too much, either. It would only do Rain harm if she learned to rely on him too much.


    So, he had laboriously created the persona of Shadow, her mercurial teacher �� who was both friendly and caring, but also a little sinister and not completely reliable.


    That way, she could still feel a false sense of danger while being protected by him from the shadows, and grow stronger for it.


    It would have been fine to let Rain Awakened at her own pace, but the war was too close. So, Sunny had used the chance encounter with the Awakened Tyrant to design a trial for her.


    His own version of the First Nightmare.


    The irony of how similar it was to his personal Fist Nightmare had not escaped him. A punishing escape through the wild reaches of the Dream Realm, in the company of an Awakened swordsman, pursued by a blind Tyrant...


    Of course, there were differences, as well.


    And although Rain had never been in real danger due to him observing her from the shadows, she definitely had not felt that way.


    Her struggle had been real, her suffering had been real, and her eventual triumph was real.


    Sunny, meanwhile, had not struggled himself �� all he had done was eliminate any Fallen abominations that could have stumbled onto the two escaping girls and keep an eye on the survey team to make sure that they made it back to the main camp alright.


    And yet, he felt completely exhausted.


    Watching Rain suffer was not easy for him. He wouldn''t go as far as to say that it had been harder than it had been for Rain, but still.T/his chapter is updated by


    That was the second way Sunny knew of for a soul to be cleansed of Corruption.


    The first way was known to everyone, but very few ever considered it as such.


    It was death.


    Awakened were used to collecting soul shards from the Nightmare Creatures, but they really questioned why was it that the remnant fragments of corrupted souls were pure and untainted.


    What happened at the moment of death that purified them?


    Or was it death itself that eliminated the hideous darkness?


    Now that Sunny knew more about the world, the Void, and the origin of death, he understood that death was a weapon to destroy Corruption.


    And that was what it did.


    He observed the Tyrant''s tainted soul collapse and be cleansed, as well. The moment the abomination lost its life, the vile darkness shrouding its soul withered and died.


    In the end, only five radiant shards were left.


    So, Sunny let out a relieved sigh.


    Finally, the ordeal was over.


    Rain''s grisly trial was finished, and the broader threat to her life was not as pressing anymore, either.


    Now that her soul had been cleansed, Sunny would be able to take her out of the Song Domain. He had many more options now.


    Of course... it wasn''t certain that she would want to leave.


    Remaining in the shadows, Sunny glanced at her.


    At the moment, Rain was stumbling back to where Tamar was leaning on her spear with a pained expression on her face.


    He followed stealthily.


    ��This next part... is going to be tricky.��

 Chapter 1828: Lost and Found

    Chapter 1828: Lost and Found


    Rain made her way back to where Tamar was leaning on the spear, put the sword down, and sprawled tiredly in the mud.


    Now that the Tyrant was dead, the rush of power she had felt because of the Awakening receded.


    Her body might have been tempered and reforged, but it was still depleted and weary. Her mind, too... she was dead tired.


    Some distance away, the abomination''s corpse was laying on the ground like a small hill of flesh. The creature was dead, but its minions weren''t �� the monstrous hands were still moving, searching for the killer in blind fury. Luckily, they remained attached to the Tyrant''s corpse, so their reach was limited. Until the corpse decomposed and fell apart, nothing would reach Rain and Tamar.


    The movements of the terrible hands were a little panicked.


    Looking at the sky, Rain let out a long sigh.


    The storm was slowly dissipating. The wind had already grown weaker, and the rain was not as heavy anymore. The lightning did not strike as often. The roaring thunderclaps were not as loud, as if growing distant.


    She could even see gaps in the veil of dark storm clouds.


    Unexpectedly, rays of pale sunlight were pouring from through the gaps.


    Which meant that it was the seventh day of their journey.


    Rain stared at the rays of sunshine with displeasure.


    ��How annoying.��


    She had hoped that it was still the sixth night, just to avoid the Nightmare Spell''s favorite number.


    Rain had a mild aversion to the number seven, purely out of obstinance.


    Tamar finally let go of her spear and fell back on her stretcher. The younger girl looked at her for a long time, her eyes full of questions.


    But in the end, her exhaustion won, and she simply closed them.


    Not long after, both Rain and Tamar were asleep, laying next to each other in the mud.


    This was the first time in a long while they slept peacefully.


    ***


    By the time Rain woke up, the sky had cleared.


    Strangely enough, she didn''t feel groggy or exhausted. Her body did not ache all over, either.


    Instead, it was brimming with energy and vitality.


    The low hum of the Weeping Goddess enveloped the world like a lullaby.


    She stared at the clear sky for a few moments in confusion.


    ��Oh. Right. I''m an Awakened now.��


    Sitting up, Rain glanced in the direction of the dead Tyrant. The forest of arms was still moving, but none of them had escaped the corpse, yet.


    That was a relief.


    Looking away, she raised her own hands and studied them.


    Her skin had become smooth like silk. Her nails were like jade.


    Turning her hands, she stared at her palms intently.


    Rain scratched the back of her head, remained silent for a few moments, and then shrugged.


    "You are right. A mundane person would not have been able to wield your sword... well, maybe some huge guy... "


    Tamar took a deep breath.


    "Then how? "


    Rain looked at her and smiled easily.


    "Isn''t it obvious? When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. So... I wasn''t Awakened before, but ] am now. ��


    She raised an arm and flexed her muscles.


    "It really feels amazing, by the way! "


    The young Legacy stared at her with a stunned expression.


    "No... you couldn''t have conquered the First Nightmare, there was no time... you couldn''t have even challenged it within the Queen''s Domain... "


    Rain nodded.


    "You are right. I did not conquer the First Nightmare. ��


    Tamar took a deep breath.


    ��How could you Awaken, then?"


    Now was probably the last chance for Rain to keep her mouth shut.


    But really... did she have to?


    She had a vague hope that Tamar would not betray her. More than that, she did not think that keeping her achievement secret was the right thing to do.


    Since Rain had found a way to Awaken without becoming a carrier of the Nightmare Spell, others would be able to follow her example, as well �� perhaps not many, but some.


    Which meant that fewer children would have to die while challenging the Nightmare. Like her older brother had.


    Many would still choose to accept the Spell, without a doubt, due to all the boons it offered.


    But at least they would have a choice.


    Conversely...


    If she kept her accomplishment hidden, then in the future, the deaths of every unwilling Sleeper would indirectly be her fault.


    Rain wasn''t sure how or when she wanted to share her knowledge , but she knew that it had to be shared.


    So, she gathered her courage and said:


    "How did the ancient people of the Dream Realm Awakened? You should know that there was no Nightmare Spell back then. ��


    Tamar''s eyes widened slowly. She reeled back, mumbling softly:


    "Before... before the Nightmare Spell... impossible... the knowledge has been lost... "


    Rain smiled.


    "Yes, the knowledge has been lost. But now, it has been found. I found it. " ��With a lot of help from my teacher... ��

 Chapter 1829: A New Way

    Chapter 1829: A New Way


    Before the sun set, the minions of the dead Tyrant accepted the death of their ruler. Rain watched with a dark expression as the countless hands stopped moving for a while, and then started to claw at the flesh of the dead abomination.


    The corpse was going to come undone much sooner than she had expected, allowing the monstrous hands to prowl freely. She wanted to be as far away from the swarm of them as possible when that happened. Soon, she was pulling Tamar''s stretcher through the mud once again. It had been torturously hard and exhausting before... but now, Rain did not feel any strain at all. It was so easy that the bitterness of her past efforts seemed like a joke.


    She was slowly coming to terms with the fact that she had become an Awakened, smiling brightly from time to time.


    Tamar was slowly coming to terms with it, too. The young Legacy spoke from the stretcher:


    "But... how, exactly, did you do it?"


    Rain considered if she should break into a sprint, but then decided against it.


    "Well. It is hard to explain with words... the first thing you should know is that natural Awakening works in reversed order from the one induced by the Spell. You must learn how to sense and control your essence first, and form the soul core later." She remembered her early days in Ravenheart. Back then, she had barely known her teacher...


    "Your essence has to Awaken first. There are a few ways to make that happen, but the only one I know of is to absorb the essence of Awakened creatures."


    Tamar shifted quictly on the stretcher.


    "Soul shards used to be extremely precious in the waking world, so very few mundanes ever had a chance to acquire many of them before. The situation is even more dire now... with how many new Awakened and Masters are out there, everyone is striving to saturate their cores."


    She paused for a moment, and then added scornfully:


    "You must be very rich, Rani, to have acquired so many. For a simple porter."


    Rain grinned.


    "Who? Me? No, I''m a bit poor... actually, I never once managed to buy a soul shard. I just went out there and hunted down Nightmare Creatures, one at a time. Mostly Dormant, and a few Awakened."


    The young Legacy let out a long, exasperated sigh.


    "Well, the cat was out of the bag after I killed that Tyrant. So, I had two choices... either tell you the truth or toss you over the edge of the waterfall. Although... I might still choose the latter..."


    She stared at Tamar for a moment, then turned around and exploded with laughter.


    "Gods, the expression on your face... relax, it was a joke. Plus, why would I keep it a secret? I want as many people as possible to know. That way, fewer kids will be dying in the First Nightmare. Fewer of them will be sent into a literal Death Zone on the winter solstice like you were, too..."


    Rain couldn''t help but be giddy. The intoxicating feeling of strength and potency permeating her body, the pride and relief of having finally accomplished the goal she had been pursuing for so many years, the promise of a gentler future that she could potentially help usher in...


    It was enough to make her head spin.


    While she was basking in joy, Tamar''s cold voice resounded from behind:


    "Rani... you are a bit naive, aren''t you?"


    Rain glanced at her in confusion.


    "What''s that about?"


    Laying on the stretcher, the young Legacy looked at the sky tiredly and let out a long sigh.


    "You absolutely cannot tell anyone about how you Awakened. At least not while you are so weak and lack protection. If you knew what''s good for you, you really should have tossed me over the edge of the waterfall."


    Rain blinked a couple of times.


    "What? Why?"


    The younger girl shifted and looked up at her, her gaze somber.


    "Just think about it. The entire power hierarchy of our world is built around the Nightmare Spell. The entire economy too, more or less. Those who wield power can do so because they control the resources people need to survive. Awakened warriors are one such resource... perhaps the most important one. Now, you possess something that can render all that authority meaningless. What do you think will happen to you when those in power learn about your existence?"

 Chapter 1830 Resistance to Change

    Rain stopped, feeling her sense of joy dim a little.


    A perplexed smile appeared on her face.


    She wasn''t a fool, so she had considered these things, as well. But didn''t the importance of her discovery far outweigh such details?


    "But it can save countless lives."


    Tamar looked away and shrugged.


    "Can it? Maybe in the short term... but what will happen when these new and untested Awakened have to face the horrors of the Dream Realm? What can cowards who refused to face even the First Nightmare do? Surely, they will buckle and break, leaving humanity defenseless. In that sense, what you offer is poison, not salvation."


    She sighed.


    "That is not my opinion, by the way. That is just one example of what others can say... will say... to justify harming you and suppressing your discovery. They might not even do it out of malice, but out of sincere belief. Because what you offer does not just attack their authority, but also their identity. That, as well, is built around the Nightmare Spell for many."


    Rain dropped the harness into the mud.


    "You can''t be serious."


    Her voice was calm, but her eyes weren''t.


    Because... she could easily imagine a world where Tamar was right.


    Take the two Domains, for example. On the surface, the royal clans were benefactors to those hundreds of millions of mundane people who now lived in the Dream Realm.


    But if one looked at it differently, the citizens of the Domains were hostage to the royal clans. They could only be safe if their Sovereign protected them, and could only really attempt the First Nightmare �� and thus step on the path to greater power �� if the Sovereign or one of the Sovereign''s vassals allowed them to.


    In the future, when more and more people of the waking world settled in the Dream Realm, that would become the cornerstone of the authority of the royal clans.


    Would they be willing to share that authority?


    And then, there were the Legacy clans below the two royal houses, whose culture and identity were irrevocably connected to the dreadful challenges of the Nightmare Spell. They were already prohibiting their scions from saving themselves from the trial of the winter solstice by entering the Dream Realm in advance, purely out of belief that warriors had to be forged in fire.


    Would they accept Awakened who had not faced the First Nightmare? Or would they find the very concept offensive?


    The consequences of Rain''s achievement went far deeper than she had considered.


    Tamar sighed.


    "I am deadly serious, Rani. You... should speak to the extraordinary person who guided you to Awakening, at least, before making any decisions. They had to have been more aware of the repercussions than you are. Be mindful, though. Make sure that they have your best interest in heart before listening to what they have to say."


    She paused for a moment, and then added in a subdued tone:


    "Until you do, no one must know that you are not a carrier of the Nightmare Spell. We... we''ll tell them that we had no choice but to cross the realm boundary and leave the Song Domain while escaping from the Tyrant, and that you had your First Nightmare as a result. That will work as a temporary measure, at lest."


    Rain looked at her soberly.


    Tamar was looking up at her with a frozen expression.


    After a while, she scowled in outrage.


    "Rani, y��you! Was that supposed to be funny? !"


    Rain shrugged.


    "I don''t know. I thought it was pretty funny..."


    Soon, they left the stretcher behind. Tamar was strapped to Rain''s back with the rearranged harness, holding onto her shoulders with trembling hands. Before, Rain would have never dared to climb a slick, sheer slope while carrying such a heavy burden �� but now that she was an Awakened, nothing seemed impossible for her anymore.


    With the bright light of the luminous Memory illuminating the vertical surface of the weathered stone, she carefully started the descent. Her physical strength seemed inexhaustible, so all she had to do was pay attention and keep in mind how far from the wall her center of gravity was.


    That said, the Moonriver plateau was terribly high, so reaching the Lake of Tears was taking an eternity. The Weeping Goddess flowed down on both sides of them, but the stretch of the slope Rain had chosen was relatively dry.


    At some point, she sensed Tamar''s tension and started talking to calm the younger girl down.


    Rain talked about all the things she was looking forward to after Awakening.


    Like not having to do laundry or carry a heavy backpack while climbing mountains...


    Mainly these two things.


    And having soft hands.


    "That is what you were worried about?"


    Tamar''s voice sounded incredulous.


    Rain grinned.


    "Listen, Princess Tamar... you might not know it, but humble laborers like me take skincare very seriously."


    The young Legacy remained silent for a while, then sighed in embarrassment.


    "No, actually... I get it. Girls from Legacy clans all secretly look forward to becoming Awakened. We train really hard, you know, so by sixteen, your hands are a nightmare in and of itself..."


    Rain laughed.


    It was already dawn by the time they reached the water.


    Rain had been worried that she would have to swim to shore, but there was no need.


    Tamar''s luminous Memory was very visible in the dark night, so the inhabitants of the city had long noticed a strange spark slowly crawling down the sheer cliffs.


    So, there were boats waiting in a semicircle around the base of the cliffs, with armed Awakened on them.


    Now, their dreadful journey was truly over.

 Chapter 1831 Abstract Concept

    Dressed in a comfortable night��gown, Rain was sitting on a bed. The bed was wide and soft. The sheets were immaculately clean and crisp... a far cry from the cold cradle of mud she had been sleeping on for many days.


    It was also much nicer than her own bed in Ravenheart, so... she had nothing to complain about The room itself was spacious, but austere. The Citadel of Clan Sorrow was cut into the cliffside, so the walls surrounding her were that of rough stone. The furniture, however, was quite elegant and beautifully made.


    There was a single arched window in the room, opening to the pale lilac expanse of the evening sky. The roaring of the Weeping Goddess seemed quiet here, somehow, but also constant, like a persistent hum.


    The air was fresh and smelled of water.


    The peaceful, but uniquely austere mood of the somber Citadel helped Rain imagine easily where Tamar''s overly serious demeanor had come from.


    She sighed.


    Things had happened fast after the two of them reached the Lake of Tears. First, Rain and Tamar were brought to the city built on its shore �� it was much smaller than Ravenheart, but still lively. The architecture style was distinctly different, as well, favoring flat roofs that served as gardens �� as opposed to the capital, where most roofs were slanted and covered by tiles to avoid snow and ash accumulating on them.


    They did not spend much time in the city, though.


    The Saint of Sorrow was currently away, but Tamar''s mother was there. After receiving news of her daughter showing up severely wounded, she immediately sent retainers to retrieve her.


    Rain and Tamar were taken to the Citadel, which was cut directly into the vertical side of the great waterfall and oversaw the city from high above.


    Tamar was treated by an Ascended healer. Rain, meanwhile, was welcomed as a guest of Clan Sorrow.


    She met the matriarch of the clan, as well as a few elders. Everyone had treated her graciously �� from the Awakened retainers and mundane citizens to the members of the direct family.


    Tamar had briefly shared the story of how the two of them had ended up in such a sorry state, including the fake version of Rain''s Awakening.


    Everything seemed fine.


    And yet, Rain was in a heavy mood.


    That was because she had heard a lot, and inferred even more, from the conversations with the locals.


    The war... seemed imminent.


    Some of the people she had talked to were aware of it, while some were not. Nevertheless, everyone was alarmed and uneasy, as if there was invisible tension permeating the air.


    Many things had happened after the survey team left the construction camp and lost contact with the rest of humanity.


    "I wouldn''t call it "well", exactly... but, sure.


    Actually, I did fine."


    He grinned.


    "Fine? You are the first human of your world to have Awakened without that pesky thing... what do you call it? Oh, the Nightmare Spell. Great job, Rain! You really made me proud."


    She silently extended her hand and opened her palm.


    "Give it, then."


    He raised an eyebrow... or at least she thought he did, since she couldn''t see his face clearly.


    "What?"


    Rain frowned.


    "My Memory! You promised me a Memory after I killed the Huntsman."


    Her teacher laughed quietly.


    "Right. Don''t worry, I will. I''ll even throw in one more for that Awakened Tyrant. And a third one as a free bonus, for a return customer."


    He hesitated for a moment, and then added more sincerely:


    "But really, good job. Awakening, killing the Tyrant... and not leaving that girl to die, too. I''m not sure that I would have done the same as a Sleeper."


    Rain looked away, feeling a little embarrassed.


    "... Thank you. Anyway, I was never really a Sleeper. That would have been embarrassing �� I''m way too old to be one..."


    After that, neither of them spoke for a while.


    Eventually, Rain asked:


    "So, what now?"

 Chapter 1832 The Other Side

    Her teacher sighed.


    "That is up to you. Now that you have Awakened, we have more options. You are not a prisoner of the Song Domain anymore... so, if you want, I can take you to safety, to wait out this entire mess."


    She faced him, not saying anything.


    He chuckled.


    "What? I have nice places to take my student to as well, you know."


    Rain smiled faintly.


    "Says the man who has lived in my shadow for four years."


    The joke was just like countless others she had told in the past, but today, it did not land. She didn��t feel it.


    Rain shook her head.


    "You know I wanted to Awaken because I wanted to be strong. Have I become strong to do nothing, then? Running away and hiding in a safe place sure sounds nice, on the surface. But do you really think that I would want to?"


    Her teacher sighed.


    "No, not really."


    He hesitated.


    "So what do you want to do?"


    Rain remained silent for a long while.


    "Tamar... told me to consult the person who had guided me to Awakening. Before trying to do anything. So, what? Was she right? Will I be silenced if I try to share my knowledge with the world?"


    He walked over to the window and looked outside, his silhouette almost indistinguishable from the shadows.


    "Well, that kid has some sense. What she tried to tell you was a bit too dramatic and extreme, but fundamentally, she is right. Of course, there are ways to go about it. You won''t be able to offer this knowledge to the world freely, but the Sovereigns will not discard it, either. After all, it is another tool they can use. So, as long as you are willing to let them use it as they see fit, and are ready to accept that it will only ever be used sparingly... I can arrange that."


    He turned around and smiled.


    "Alternatively, you can entrust it to me. Your friend said that this knowledge should not be shared while you are weak and lack backing. However, she is wrong about one thing. You do not lack backing, Rain, since you have me. I might not be capable enough to stand against the Sovereigns... just yet... but I more than capable enough to disseminate information without being caught by them."


    Rain frowned.


    "What would be the point, though? You might be able to avoid them, but people who receive the knowledge from you won''t be. So, the royal clans will just suppress them instead of me. Even if they fail to uproot the knowledge entirely, there will be countless victims. That is not what I want."


    Her teacher grinned.


    "Smart girl. Well... actually, that is all beside the point. In truth, you don''t really need to hide that knowledge for long."


    "What, do you think that the Queen is any better?


    Valor might end up being the ones who initiate the war, but make no mistake. Clan Song wants it just as badly. More than that, what will change if one Sovereign replaces the other? Isn''t it all the same for the simple people who live in the Song Domain? Not to mention that you don''t belong to that Domain, to begin with. You are from a government family."


    Rain looked at him somberly.


    "A government family? Sure, I am. But, Teacher... for how much longer will the government exist? Once there is only one royal clan instead of two, do you really think that they will allow an independent power to remain without submitting to their rule? Neutrality will become a myth, by then. And anyone who did not join the right side in the war will be branded as a sinner. That includes government families like mine."


    He lingered for a moment.


    "I''m not sure about how much longevity the government has left, but you are right. The winner will certainly consolidate their power."


    She shook her head.


    "And yes, it matters which Sovereign rules the Song Domain. The royal clans might seem the same to you, but do you really think that the King of Swords, who is synonymous with Bastion, will treat Ravenheart the same as his ancestral home? That he won��t siphon resources from the conquered lands to feed the central regions? More than that... by the end of the war, many people would have died. Citizens of the losing Domain will be occupied by the people who have killed their brothers, sisters, parents, and children on the battlefield. It won''t be a peaceful process."


    Her teacher sighed.


    "Well... you are right. The King of Swords might certainly do something like that. And there will be some tension, and therefore some measures of suppression."


    Rain smiled bitterly.


    "And lastly, I do believe that both sides want the war. But, teacher... the people I know are in the Song Domain. Tamar and her clan. The porters from the survey team. The road managed who went out of his way to help me make more money while staying safe. The merchants who used to buy the materials I harvested. Our neighbors in Ravenheart, who brought us food when we arrived from NQSC. Young Awakened guards who welcomed me back from the hunts. And so many more. They are all good people. These are the people I know, and they are the ones who will suffer if the Song Domain falls to the army of Clan Valor. So..."


    She looked away.


    "I can��t claim any sort of moral superiority by choosing to fight for the Queen, but I can''t step back and do nothing, either."


    Rain took a deep breath and looked at her teacher resolutely.


    "So I��ll do what I can. Little as it may be."


    He stared at her for a long time, not saying anything.


    Before, she could see a hint of his expression, but now, his face was entirely shrouded in darkness.


    Rain suddenly felt nervous. She had never seriously angered her teacher before... did she do it now?


    Eventually, though, he let out a long sigh and said in a grumpy voice:


    "... You''re not making my job easier, you know that? Bah! What a troublesome student!"


    Her teacher shook his head in dejection.


    "But... I sort of expected that to happen."


    He cursed.


    "What can I say... I guess we are joining the army of Clan Song. Why the hell not? One side, two sides, three sides... at this point, what��s the difference..."

 Chapter 1833 Honesty is the Best Policy

    Days before, Sunny had been left alone on a peaceful beach.


    He just stood there motionlessly for a while, holding Neph''s dress awkwardly and not knowing what to do with it.


    Was he supposed to just leave it here? Or return it?


    What would that scene even look like? Simply imagining it was a little terrifying.


    ''Here... your dress. You left it behind the last time.��


    His face slowly turned a beautiful shade of pink.


    Eventually, Sunny sighed, folded the dress gently, and put it down.


    He put his own clothes back on, summoned the Nebulous Mantle, then briefly rinsed the dirty plates in the river and placed it all back into the picnic basket. He placed the blanket there, as well, and finally put the folded dress on top of it.


    By then, the velvet sky was illuminated by a scattering of bright stars, and the world was bathed in moonlight.


    He pushed the boat into the water and jumped inside. Rowing it upstream was not as effortless as it had been to drift downstream... not to mention that he was all alone now.


    His side felt chilly.


    Moving the oars and looking at the moon, Sunny let out another sigh.


    ''Well... it had to be done.''


    He considered just using Shadow Step to return to Bastion, but then abandoned that idea. After all, that Aspect Ability belonged to the Lord of Shadows, not to Master Sunless... and although he had told Nephis the truth, these two were entirely different people as far as the rest of the world was concerned.


    Sunny wasn''t quite sure how much longer Master


    Sunless would be able to exist, and what role the humble shopkeeper would play, but he still wanted to remain cautious. It was not time to abandon that persona yet... hopefully, such a time would never come.


    Listening to the soothing sounds of the river, he slowly savored the memories of today.


    Seeing Nephis descend from the sky like a celestial fairy. Witnessing her easy smile at the docks.


    Rowing the boat side by side with her, pressed tightly against each other. Listening to her laugh as she dove into the water.


    Sunlight reflecting from the surface of the river as she splashed him, standing near the shore in her tantalizing bathing suit.


    And the rest...


    ''Maybe I could have handled it better? ��


    He probably could have, but she had caught him by surprise with her somewhat believable, but entirely mistaken theory of who Master Sunless really was.


    Remembering Neph''s subtly smug expression, Sunny couldn''t help but laugh quietly.


    "... Ah what will I do with her..."


    In any case, he had got his point across. He confessed his secret identity, made sure to explain that deceiving her had not been his intention, and expressed the sincerity of his feelings.


    The rest was up to Nephis.


    And speaking of Nephis...


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, and then asked silently:


    [Cassie? Are you listening? ]


    There was a stretch of silence, and then, her calm voice resounded in his mind.


    [I am. ]


    Sunny froze, then cleared his throat in embarrassment.


    ''Come to think of it. I sort of threw Cassie under the bus, didn''t? ��


    Well... better not mention it! Ever...


    Sunny pretended not to remember doing anything of the sort and asked:


    [I assume you witnessed everything]


    She didn''t deny it.


    "Why didn''t you tell me? !"


    Her face was flushed, and her usually calm eyes were full of scathing intensity.


    Cassie lingered for a moment.


    "Tell you what?"


    Neph was approaching her with wide strides.


    Her office, sadly, wasn''t that large...


    "Don''t give me that! I know that you saw everything! E��everything..."


    Cassie made her best effort to flutter her eyelashes innocently. Unfortunately, her eyes were hidden behind a blindfold, so it had no effect.


    She tilted her head in a flawless imitation of a confused lack of understanding, and said:


    "How could I have seen anything? I''m blind..."


    Her tone was soft and elegant. To illustrate her argument, she pointed at the blindfold. Instead of answering, Neph lunged at her.


    Cassie made her best effort to hold in a frightened squeal and evaded the grab with a graceful step. It wasn''t that hard to do, since her Awakened Ability warned her of danger in advance.


    Luckily, Nephis was not using her full titanic speed.


    Otherwise, Cassie might not have been able to escape even with the forewaming...


    "N��now wait a minute, Neph... I can explain!"


    ��Sure you can! Stop dodging and come here, then. I''ll let you explain..."


    ��... I I''d rather not... ��


    "Too late!"


    Something crashed loudly inside the office.


    ��No, but when did you get so slippery? ! ��


    "I''m not slippery! I''m adroit and graceful!"


    "Oh yes you are... for now..."


    "No, wait!"


    There was another loud crash.


    "Ah! Stop breaking my furniture!"


    "I''ll buy you a new desk..."


    ��That''s not the point! ��


    "Come here, or I��ll buy you a new shelf, too..."


    ... The Fire Keepers, who had gathered on the lower level of the Ivory Tower in frightful silence, looked at each other.


    Eventually, one of them said:


    "We didn''t hear anything. Right?"


    Another nodded.


    "Of course. In fact, I am currently asleep in my cabin on the Chain Breaker."


    "I was never even here. I am actually in the waking world right now."


    "I think my Flaw made me deaf."


    There were a few moments of silence.


    "Let��s just go... before she decides to buy a new door, too..."


    With that, they quietly dispersed.

 Chapter 1834 As Simple as That

    Some time later, Cassie''s office was a mess. The actual damage wasn''t that severe, but there were parchments and sheets of paper scattered everywhere.


    The two young women were sitting on the floor, breathing heavily. Cassie''s blindfold was a little crooked.


    Nephis glared at her for a while, then groaned and hid her face between her knees.


    Eventually, her muffled voice resounded in the stone chamber:


    "I... I forgot to retrieve my damned dress..."


    Hearing that, Cassie livened up a little, as if feeling a chance to redeem herself.


    "Oh! Don''t worry. He picked it up."


    Instead of answering, Nephis slowly raised her hands and silently grabbed her head.


    After a few moments of silence, she said:


    "When is the war starting? Let��s go to war, Gas..."


    The blind seer smiled.


    "Of course. I''ll go with you."


    She paused for a moment, then added softly:


    "But honestly, I don''t know why you are reacting so strongly."


    Nephis raised her head and looked at the other young woman in astonishment.


    "Why? I��m embarrassed! Embarrassed! I''m so embarrassed that I want to fall through the earth."


    Cassie smiled slightly.


    "Really? Well... embarrassed is better than angry, I think."


    She paused for a moment, then asked cautiously:


    "Are you disappointed?"


    Nephis remained silent for a while, then sighed and leaned tiredly on the wall.


    "No. Yes? Maybe."


    She gritted her teeth.


    "I am disappointed, but I am also excited. Ah, I don''t know..."


    She hesitated for a while.


    "I liked many things about Master Sunless, and some of those things were how soft and... safe he was. Unlike me, and everything around me. I''m sad that these qualities of him were a deception."


    Nephis frowned.


    "But then, they weren''t, really? The man I''ve come to know... and like... is not an illusion. It''s just that I��ve only been exposed to a part of him. That part is still real, though... it''s so confusing."


    Her voice grew a little heated:


    "And then there is his other part. The Lord of Shadows. He is someone I... appreciate. Someone whom I might have wondered about �� what would it be like, if he stood by my side? That was a nice thought."


    She leaned her head on the wall.


    "Follow my lead. Close your eyes. Now, imagine meeting Master Sunless tomorrow... and telling him that whatever there is between you two cannot continue, and you are ending it immediately. That you will be nothing but colleagues in the future, fighting side by side as allies. And nothing more."


    Nephis followed her advice. Cassie could not see, but she felt her friend''s shoulder slump a little.


    She smiled.


    "How does it feel?"


    Nephis remained silent for a while.


    Eventually, she said with a hint of reluctance in her voice:


    "... Terrible."


    Cassie sighed in satisfaction.


    "Then, don''t do that. Instead, do the opposite.


    There, it''s as simple as that."


    Nephis opened her eyes and looked at the blind seer silently.


    Her expression must have been a little startled.


    Cassie shrugged with a smile.


    "Feelings, bonds, and distractions are not that complicated. Haven''t you been studying passions recently? Just follow your passion, and things will work out. Even if they don''t, you won''t regret making the effort. The only thing you''ll regret is never giving it your best."


    Nephis blinked a couple of times, staring at her strangely.


    Cassie frowned.


    "What?"


    Her friend shook her head.


    "No, nothing. It''s just that... how are you so good at this? You''ve never had a boyfriend, either."


    Cassie faced her with an expression of horror.


    "What? What do you mean, never had a boyfriend?


    I was very popular in school, you know!"


    Nephis raised an eyebrow.


    "Sure. But did you have a boyfriend?"


    Cassie opened her mouth.


    "That''s beside the point! And, by the way... when are you going to buy me a new desk? !"


    Nephis rose to her feet, patted down her armor, and headed for the door.


    "No, really! I need a desk!"


    Neph paused at the threshold, looked back for a moment, and said before disappearing in a subtly rushed manner:


    "I mean, you are in charge of finances. Put a request for a new desk... on my behalf... anyway, see you later. I think I know what to do now."


    A moment later, her receding voice resounded from the corridor:


    "Good night!"

 Chapter 1835 Next Morning

    Sunny reached Bastion in the dead of night. He tied the boat to the pier, climbed ashore, and walked slowly in the direction of the Brilliant Emporium. There was a lot on his mind, so he was not in a hurry to get home.


    Eventually, though, he did.


    The Marvelous Mimic opened its door unprompted to welcome him back. It even retracted the terrifying fangs, which were usually out at night, back inside the door frame.


    Sunny patted the lintel, walked into the dining hall absentmindedly, placed the picnic basket on a table, and sighed.


    He was a bit tired, but doubted that he would be able to sleep tonight.


    And indeed, Sunny wasn''t able to douse the flames blazing in his mind for a long time. He tossed and turned in the bed, only falling asleep shortly before dawn.


    As a result, he overslept, only waking up from the sounds of Aiko entering the shop. Since his petite assistant had showed up for work, the morning crowd wasn''t far behind, either.


    Sunny sat up and rubbed his face, then went about washing up for the long day ahead.


    ''Will she come?''


    He figured that Nephis would need a long time to sort her feelings out, but still put extra effort into making himself look presentable on the off chance that she would not.


    Aiko''s voice resounded from downstairs while he was in the middle of his routine.


    "Hey, boss! What should I do with the basket?"


    Sunny swept his wet hair back and responded casually:


    "... Ah there are some dirty dishes inside. Give them a rinse."


    He washed them in the river yesterday, but everything still needed to be cleaned properly.


    Sunny continued to get himself ready. There were no mirrors inside the Mimic, so he used the gloomy shadow to look at himself instead.


    Needless to say, the shadow was not amused by having to stare at his mug first thing in the morning... or ever, really.


    ''That guy never changes...''


    It was then that Sunny froze, opened his eyes wide, then dashed down while summoning the Nebulous Mantle.


    "N0, Aiko! Wait!"


    But it was too late.


    The petite girl was standing in the kitchen, the picnic basket floating in the air by her side. It was open, and Aiko... was holding a beautiful white dress in her hands.


    Sunny grew still.


    "That..."


    She looked at him with wide eyes and asked in a small voice:


    "Boss... uh... why did you bring a girl''s dress back from your picnic?"


    Sunny stammered:


    "It''s n��not what you think... I didn''t do anything!


    She just ran off... without her dress... it happened that way..."


    "... What?"


    At the same time, Aiko''s eyes widened even more.


    "What? !"


    Nephis looked at them in confusion.


    "Oh. Sorry. I was just talking to myself."


    She paused for a moment, noticing their expressions, and then added hesitantly:


    "Uh... did I say something wrong again?"


    ***


    Eventually, Sunny managed to leave stunned Aiko behind and lead Nephis to somewhere more private.


    And now that they were there, he was silently cursing himself.


    ''No, but... am I an idiot? Why didn''t I go downstairs, to the Memory shop? Why did I bring her upstairs instead? !''


    Currently, there were... in his bedroom.


    While Sunny was berating himself, Nephis looked around with curiosity.


    "Is that where you sleep? This version of you, I mean."


    Sunny forced out a smile.


    "... Ah yes. At least one incarnation of me has to, from time to time. The others don''t sleep, but since I am supposed to be the most human one, I do."


    He silently evaluated his bedroom and thanked the dead gods for the habit of always making his bed first thing in the morning. The room was clean and cozy, with a beautiful view of the Mirror Lake beyond the window. The Castle was bathed in the golden light of dawn... and there, above it, the Ivory Island was shrouded by clouds.


    Nephis stared at his bed for a few moments, as if trying to remember something, then turned away and looked out of the window.


    A hint of a smile appeared on her lips.


    "I think I can see my window from here."


    Sunny would lie if he said that he had not spent plenty of time staring at the distant silhouette of the Ivory Tower, so he kept silent.


    Instead, he gestured to a few items decorating his room.


    "These are some curios that I collected in the Dream Realm over the years. They are... nothing much. But exploring the past is one of my hobbies."


    Nephis studied them for a while, then turned to face him and said simply:


    "I know."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "You... know?"


    She hesitated for a few moments.


    "The Exploration Report on the Tomb of Ariel, written by Nobody. You are Nobody... aren''t you?"

 Chapter 1836 Resolution

    He was startled by that question. It had come out of nowhere, completely crushing his expectations of what she wanted to talk about... both the best and the worst of them.


    Sunny remained silent until the pain of the Flaw made it difficult, and then nodded slowly, choosing not to say anything else. The more he said, the higher were the chances of her asking him something that he was unable to answer.


    Nephis sighed, then explained calmly:


    "I started to suspect it after meeting the Lord of Shadows for the first time. He... you... were too strong to have come out of nowhere. A Saint as powerful as that simply had to have left a mark on the world. And when I asked who had taught you my family��s swordsmanship, you answered that... that nobody had. I did not note it initially, but later, something seemed to click in my mind."


    She paused for a few moments, took a deep breath, and then spoke:


    "The memories of everyone who had entered the Third Nightmare with me are... affected. We don''t really know every detail of what happened here. But there, in Godgrave, I guess something."


    Nephis paused before adding:


    "The Tomb of Ariel. You were..."


    However, before she could form the question, Sunny interrupted her by raising his hand.


    There was a complicated expression on his face.


    Inside, he was full of intense happiness at the thought of Nephis knowing that they had challenged the Third Nightmare together. It was not exactly the same as remembering him... but it was something, at least. Something infinitely more meaningful than the nothingness of his current situation.


    But he also knew that she would not be able to remember his answer.


    And, unlike Cassie, who was able to retain the memory of having forgotten something due to her Aspect, Nephis would not be able to do even that.


    So, instead of confessing the truth, Sunny said quietly:


    "Before you say anything else, I must confess something. There are... certain things that my Flaw prevents me from sharing. So, please... some words are better left unsaid."


    Nephis studied him intently for a while, then let out a heavy sigh.


    "I see. I... think I understand."


    She turned away and smiled faintly.


    "That explains it. Why Cassie put so much trust in you. And why her condition has improved so suddenly..."


    Sunny turned away quietly.


    Had misled her with his warning. But it seemed that his deception had led her to the right conclusions, at least.


    Nephis looked at the distant Ivory Island again.


    "I won''t say that I am not disappointed. But if this is how it is... I won''t ask, then."


    Her back was very straight.


    After a while, Sunny heard her even voice again:


    "I will ask you something else, though. Sunless."


    It was both strange and wonderful. The circumstances couldn''t be any worse... the timing was absolutely atrocious, as well.


    But when had it not been?


    In hindsight, there had always been something standing between them.


    Neither Sunny nor Nephis had any time to think about their feelings on the Forgotten Shore. Then, they were separated for two long years. After Nephis returned, they only spent a month together before he left for Antarctica. And after Antarctica, he was forgotten by everyone, including her.


    The had only had a few fleeting moments to be together in peace, in the depths of the Third Nightmare.


    So, strangely enough... despite having known her for almost ten years, this was the first time Sunny had enough maturity to not only know what he wanted, but also be able to express his feelings.


    So what if the timing was terrible, and there was a war approaching? If he decided to wait for a good moment to act on his desires, he would have had to wait forever... . After talking some more, he showed Nephis out and returned to the Brilliant Emporium while whistling an upbeat melody.


    However, once he was inside, he was met by Aiko��s chilly gaze.


    "What are you so happy about?"


    Sunny grinned and suppressed the desire to pinch her cheeks.


    Instead, he said happily:


    "I just agreed to follow Lady Nephis to war."


    The petite girl glared at him silently.


    "... There''s going to be a war?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "Oh, right. You didn��t know. Yeah, there is."


    Aiko kept silent for a while, then let out a long sigh and sat down.


    "And you��re going with Nephis to that war?"


    He gave her a carefree shrug.


    "It seems so."


    Aiko sighed again, then covered her face with both hands and groaned.


    "Gods... not again! Why... why is this keep happening to me? ! No, really... why? !"


    Sunny looked at her guiltily, then walked over and patted the petite girl on the head.


    His voice sounded bright:


    "Aiko... don��t worry too much. It��s going to be fine. Let me ask you something..."


    When she looked up at him with teary eyes, he grinned and asked cheerfully:


    "... Have you heard about the wonderful world of war profiteering��?"

 Chapter 1837: Part of Life

    Chapter 1837: Part of Life


    A few days later, Sunny dove into the cold waters of the Mirror Lake while the full moon slowly climbed the lightless sky. It was the last full moon before the great war between the two Domains set both worlds aflame, and therefore, the last chance he had to meet Cassie in the ruined stronghold of a dead daemon. Infiltrating the true Bastion unnoticed was still somewhat difficult...


    However, Sunny was tense for an entirely different reason.


    ''Rain... ah. That girl is really committed to making my life overly exciting, isn''t she?��


    It was shortly before his sister expressed her determination to participate in the Domain War on the side of Queen Song.


    Which wasn''t really a big surprise to Sunny, who knew Rain well enough to guess that she would not stay idle. She was too compassionate and not nearly jaded enough to let her neighbors be bullied without trying to do something about it �� no matter how small her contribution would be, in the grand scheme of things. So, he wasn''t that angry.


    In fact, he was happy to see that she still retained this kind of innocence. He was also a little proud to know that she had this kind of integrity �� something that he had always lacked, and only barely found in Antarctica before losing it all over again.


    But still, what brother wanted to see his little sister put herself in danger? Honestly, Sunny wanted nothing more than to whisk her to the Nameless Temple and keep her under lock until everything was over. No... the Nameless Temple wasn��t safe enough, considering what role it was supposed to play. Nowhere was really safe anymore, and nothing would be really over for a long while.


    However, the main reason Sunny had not tried to dissuade Rain from joining the war was that she had to make her own choices, earn her own triumphs, and suffer from her own mistakes in order to learn and grow. No matter how much he worried about her safety, he would never want to become someone who stifled her growth with overbearing care instead of aiding it.


    That would only be a disservice, especially for someone as bright and dauntless as Rain was.


    Plus... so what if she was going to war? It would be a little tricky, without a doubt, but Sunny was quite confident in his ability to keep her alive even in the middle of a battlefield. Who was there among the champions of Song and Valor whom he couldn''t handle?


    Well, alright, there were the Sovereigns... but he could at least run away from them safely.


    So, this war could very well become a harsh, but indispensable opportunity for her to mature and grow stronger �� both in terms of ability and mentality.


    It was the latter part that Sunny was worried about. Not because he thought that Rain couldn''t handle it, but because he knew that she would be left with invisible scars even if she did.


    ...Scars were a part of life as well, though. They were a part of growth.


    ''Ah, I don''t know.��


    In any case, there was nothing he could do about it now. So, Sunny tried to forget his worries and concentrate on the task at hand.


    Cassie was waiting for him near the collapsed tower, her beautiful hair glistening in moonlight like pale gold.


    With that, she turned to the door and smiled.


    "It''s alright. I was actually glad to see her a little flustered. You did a fine job, by the way. Telling her. Now that this obstacle is behind the two of you, the future seems a little brighter."


    Sunny sighed quietly.


    "I hope so, too. But... to tell you the truth, I am as worried and apprehensive about it as I am relieved and elated. There are things I simply can''t tell her, after all. Can we really be together when we can''t even be honest with each other? I am worried."


    Cassie smiled.


    "Of course, you can. Honesty is important, but it is also overrated. If people were entirely honest with each other, there would have been no romance in the world. What do you think a relationship is? At the start, everyone hides their true selves and only shows the other person their best side. And by the time two people come together, even if some details remain hidden, the important truths shine through. I think you showed her the important truth splendidly."


    Sunny stared at her silently for a while.


    It was strange, but after hearing her words, he suddenly felt a lot better. Sensing his reaction, Cassie raised an eyebrow.


    "What?"


    He shook his head.


    "Nothing, really. It''s just that... how are you so good at giving advice? You''ve never been in a relationship before, yourself. It''s weird!"


    Cassie seemed mortified.


    "W��who said that I''ve never..."


    Sunny gave her a dubious look.


    "Please."


    The young woman remained motionless for a few moments, then slowly turned her back to him.


    Her voice sounded a little irked:


    "Unbelievable... that''s two times in a week, now..."

 Chapter 1838 Palace of Imagination

    Soon, a tide of shadows swallowed the Mirror Maze, and they continued their meticulous exploration.


    Sunny did not really hope to reveal the secret of the maze tonight. In fact, by now, he was starting to suspect that he would never be able to reach its heart that way �� simply because what he was doing was inherently wrong.


    It was impossible to reach the Tomb of Ariel no matter how long one marched across the Nightmare Desert... at least during the day. He believed that the only way to approach the great pyramid was to brave the sea of dunes at night, when it was the most dangerous.


    Similarly, there must have been some trick to traversing the labyrinth of mirrors. Perhaps by drowning the maze in shadows and neutering its mirror walls, Sunny was preventing himself from making any progress.


    He sighed.


    Behind him, Cassie hesitated for a few moments, and then said quietly:


    "That girl in the Song Domain..."


    Sunny glanced back with a neutral expression, knowing what she wanted, but couldn''t ask.


    "...She is someone precious."Upstodatee from


    The blind seer remained silent for a while.


    Eventually, she smiled and said with a hint of wonder in her voice:


    "It is funny, isn''t it? The entire world is frozen in fear and anticipation of a great war that will shape history. And yet, no one is aware that something no less important has happened in the desolate wilderness of the Dream Realm, witnessed by nobody except for a young Legacy girl, you, and me. A human of the waking world Awakening without being cursed by the Nightmare Spell. Your achievement... is remarkable."


    A pale smile appeared on Sunny''s lips, as well.


    "Funny? It is a bit funny, I guess."


    Her remained silent for a few moments, and then added:


    "However, this achievement can only become important in the future. She can only make a difference in the future. Right now... it is up to people like us �� you, me, and Nephis �� to make sure that there is a future for people like her to make history."


    His smile turned a little bittersweet.


    "In fact, if there is a future... I hope that what we did becomes all but forgotten, and only what they did is remembered. Such a wish is quite ironic coming from someone like me, isn''t it?"


    Cassie chuckled.


    "It is... especially when expressed to someone like me. Although, I must say �� I doubt that there is someone like you or me out there. Or will ever be again." Sunny couldn''t help but laugh quietly.


    "Gods. I hope not."


    It would be quite sad, if someone in the future had to suffer like him, and was forced to do the same terrible things that he had done or was yet to do, still, just then, they made another turn... and froze.


    His eyes widened.


    ''...I''ll be damned.''


    Sunny had not expected to discover anything in the Mirror Maze tonight, but, unexpectedly... he did.


    "And so, the hall made them real."


    Cassie''s face paled.


    "You mean... you mean to say that that place can make What we fear into reality?"


    Sunny lingered for a while, then shook his head again.


    "No... if I am right, then it is not what we fear."


    He shivered, and the added in a somber tone:


    "It''s what we imagine."


    Come to think of it, he must have gone blind there because of Cassie.


    ''Damned daemons...��


    What did every one of them have to be scarier than the next?


    Cassie seemed a little shocked by his suggestion, too.


    She hesitated for a while, then asked in a small voice:


    "Then, do you want... to go try again? There is still time before dawn..."


    Sunny laughed.


    "Are you crazy? Just think about what is hidden there, in our heads. Let''s not even mention that one of us might accidentally think about having their limbs severed or skin peeled off. Can you control your thoughts completely? What if you imagine that Cursed Tyrant, Condemnation? What if you think about the Forgotten God?"


    He took a deep breath.


    "I knew that there would be some kind of challenge at the heart of the Mirror Maze. But this... this is beyond what I have imagined. Pun intended. Conquering that hall is a lethal task, even for us. No... especially for us. Because we have seen too much, and remember too much."


    It definitely wasn''t something that could be accomplished in a day.


    If he wanted to reach the heart of the Hall of Imagination... he would need to prepare thoroughly.


    ...Sadly, there was no time.


    Sunny looked at the door of the stone chamber with regret, and then sighed. "It doesn''t matter. I had a small hope of finding what I seek here before the war, but I can find it after we win, too. By then, there will be no King of Swords and no Clan Valor. I won''t need to hide in the darkness and come here only once a month. So... I will return to this eerie place then."


    With that, Sunny offered Cassie his hand and forced out a smile.


    "Let''s leave, for now. There is a lot I have to do in these next few days."


    It was true. Because these...


    Would be the last days of peace.

 Chapter 1839: Last Days of Peace

    Chapter 1839: Last Days of Peace


    Pale sunshine poured through the open window, and a gentle breeze made the curtains flutter. Sunny opened his eyes slowly, laying comfortably in his opulent bed. The subtle sounds of the city waking up washed over him, bright and lively on this peaceful morning.


    He yawned, then slowly got up.Vi?Sit no(v)3lb/!n(.)com for new novels


    Today was like any other day in Bastion. There were some changes about the mood on the streets of the young city as of late, but mostly, it was the same. The Brilliant Emporium was also the same �� except for one detail.


    There was a hand-drawn sign standing in front of the entrance. It had been there for the past few days, attracting plenty of attention.


    The Sign said:


    "Closing soon


    *Temporarily


    **Farewell discounts for everyone! Best waffles in two worlds!"


    As a result, Sunny had earned quite a lot of coins in the last day or two. The Brilliant Emporium seemed to have gathered a loyal audience, and the regulars were both sad to see it temporarily close doors and in a hurry to visit it one last time.


    But today...


    Today was the last day.


    80, Sunny wanted to make it perfect.


    Reaching the kitchen, he was surprised to see that Ajko was already there. The petite girl usually liked to sleep a lot �� if it wasn''t for the job, she would have lazed around in bed until noon. But today, she was there before Sunny.


    He looked at her in surprise.


    "...I''m not seeing things, am I?"


    She grinned.


    "Of course not, boss! What are you talking about? I have always been dependable, punctual, and diligent!"


    Sunny looked at her with doubt.


    "Dependable, punctual, and diligent... do you even know what these words mean?"


    Aiko nodded energetically.


    "Of course, boss!"


    He stared at her some more, then sighed.


    "Well, whatever. Start preparing the ingredients."


    The petite girl made a fist and floated up a little.


    "Yes, boss! I love you, boss!"


    He shuddered.


    Aiko had been like that after realizing how profitable a war could be to an establishment dealing with Memories. Her eyes had not stopped sparkling since. Sunny could practically see all kinds of nefarious schemes forming in her twisted little head.


    ''At least someone is happy...��


    He manifested an avatar and went about welcoming the first customers.


    A few familiar faces visited the Brilliant Emporium that day.


    Early in the morning, he guided Beth to her usual table and brewed her some coffee. The dark circles under the young woman''s eyes were even more pronounced than usual, and she seemed to be partially asleep.


    Sunny was a little touched that she made time to visit the Brilliant Emporium on its closing day despite that.


    "Here''s your coffee, Miss Beth. Thank you for coming to say goodbye."


    She stared at him tiredly, then blinked a couple of times.


    "Huh? Goodbye?"


    Sunny hesitated for a moment.


    "Yes? We are closing today... temporarily."


    Beth frowned.


    "Oh, really? I didn''t know. I haven''t left the lab in a week... no, wait, what day is it today? In ten days?"


    Sunny looked at her silently, not knowing what to say. His pleasant smile froze a little.


    She sighed.


    "Well... it''s a shame. I really grew to like this place! Good luck to you, Master Sunless... in whatever it is that you are going to do next."


    His smile widened a little.


    "Good luck to you as well, Miss Beth. I really hope that you succeed. But, please... take care of yourself. Your life is precious, too."


    "It''s... it''s alright, puppy! I''m not leaving yet! But if you don''t let go... I won''t be able to walk! Ouch! M��my leg!"


    Ling''s dad finally managed to pull his son off her, hugged him tightly, and gave Sunny a helpless smile.


    "Sorry about that..."


    Nevertheless, Little Ling''s tears were dried up soon. The boy was fully preoccupied with a bowl of ice cream... but he still insisted on holding Aiko''s hand and refusing to let her out of his sight even for a minute.


    His father sighed.


    "Are you really leaving?"


    Sunny glanced at him, then smiled.


    "Yes. Well... for a while. Hopefully, we''ll be back one day."


    Little Ling''s dad looked a little sad. The two of them were on friendly terms and spent quite a bit of time together due to the cooperation between the Beast Farm and the Brilliant Emporium. Sunny felt a bit touched to know that he would be missed.


    "In the meantime, please take care of your family. Most people do not know, but you should be aware that we are in for some tough times.��


    His former soldier nodded somberly.


    "I know. I will... you take care too, Master Sunless."


    Sunny gripped his shoulder for a moment, then went over to the table and patted Ling Ling on the head.


    The little boy looked up at him and smiled shyly.


    "Uncle!"


    Sunny smiled, as well.


    "I''m sorry, Ling Ling. This is the last bowl of ice cream I''ll be able to treat you with for a while."


    Little Ling''s tiny face instantly turned downcast. His doleful expression was both incredibly cute and comical.


    "I... I see..."


    Sunny sighed.


    "But when I return, I''ll give you two... no, three entire bowls of ice cream. And a huge mug of hot chocolate. And even a cake."


    The little boy''s eyes widened.


    "Really?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "Of course! In the meantime, take care of your mom. She looks tough, but she is actually a huge softie. You need to treat her well."


    Little Ling grinned.


    "Ling Ling treats mommy the best!"


    Then, he giggled and added with excitement:


    "Mommy is huge! Uncle said so!"


    Sunny''s expression faltered.


    "No, wait a second, don''t say that. Most importantly, don''t say that I said that. Not huge... a huge softie. Repeat after me, Ling Ling. Softie... softie..."


    But the little boy was already distracted by something else and refused to listen. Looking at him, Sunny paled a little, and then sighed.


    ''Maybe it''s a good thing that I am leaving Bastion... I need to get the hell out of here before Effie hears that!��


    There were more customers after that, as well.


    A lot of female customers, in particular, were sighing as they threw secretive glances at Sunny. He was even worried that there was something wrong with his cooking today, but Aiko simply rolled her eyes and assured him that everything was fine.


    Sunny could only carry on in bewilderment.


    ''I guess people get really attached to their favorite cafe?s...��


    But then, eventually...


    It was time to close the doors.


    It was already dark by then, and the young moon was slowly rising in the sky. Sunny remained on the porch for a while, looking at the city and breathing deeply. He had grown used to the scent of Bastion in the past year, without even knowing that he had.


    In hindsight... it had been a wonderful year.


    But now, it was time to leave.


    He sighed.


    ''I''m going to miss this.�� With that, Sunny turned around, walked inside, and closed the door behind him.

 Chapter 1840: Bathed in Starlight

    Chapter 1840: Bathed in Starlight


    High in the sky above Bastion, a beautiful island was hovering, shrouded in the veil of clouds. Illuminated by pale starlight, a white pagoda stood upon it, piercing the heaven.


    Nobody noticed when the flying island started to move.


    Not only because it was dark, and most of the citizens were already asleep, but also because a perfect illusory copy of the island remained in its place when it did.


    Due to the attempted assassination of Changing Star, Clan Valor gained leverage over the government. They used some of that leverage to summon Saint Thane, a government Transcendent who held power over dreams and illusions, to Bastion. His task was to hide the fact that the Ivory Island had left the sky above Mirror Lake.


    In truth, it was heading for Godgrave.


    Before that, however, the flying island made a stop.


    Descending from the great heights, it reached the shore of the lake and landed on the water. A tall wave rose, flooding a few streets that were closest to the shore for a few moments.


    Among them was a quiet street where a cozy brick cottage stood.


    At that moment, something bizarre happened.


    The cottage stirred, and then rose, revealing countless metal legs that were attached to its bottom. Turning around, it trotted to the shore and then nonchalantly dove into the water.


    The cottage swam surprisingly well for a brick building.


    Covering the distance to the island swiftly, then it climbed ashore, shook energetically, and then looked around in confusion... it was as if it was unsure where to plop down.


    Eventually, the bizarre creature simply lowered itself to the ground where it stood.


    As soon as it did, the island slowly rose from the water and moved north.


    Soaring into the sky to hide behind the clouds, it flew above the sleeping city... and left it behind.


    At that time, the door of the cottage opened, and a young man with alabaster skin and raven��black hair walked out of it.


    Sunny stepped on the soft soil of the Ivory Island, inhaled deeply, and smiled. "What a beautiful sight."


    Nephis was standing a few steps away, looking at him calmly.


    She responded to his smile with one of her own.


    "Ivory Island is indeed beautiful at night. Welcome."


    He looked at her silently for a while, then shook his head softly.


    "I wasn''t talking about the island."


    Neph''s eyes widened a little.


    "Oh..."


    She hesitated for a few moments, then looked away in embarrassment and gestured to the dark expanse of emerald grass.


    "Would you like to take a walk?"


    Sunny nodded with a smile.


    "Sure."


    He offered her his arm, and when she took it, asked quietly:


    "Once we reach Godgrave, where do you want to go? I''m afraid there are no beaches there... but I can still prepare a picnic."


    Nephis chuckled.


    There was a sword taking shape under his hammer on the iron anvil. Eventually, the man put the hammer aside and quenched the incandescent blade in water. The reflection on its surface convulsed when it was pierced by the sharp tip, and was then obscured by rising steam.


    A few moments later, the blacksmith pulled the sword out of the water and looked at it closely.


    Then, the intensity of his gaze was replaced with contempt and disappointment. Gritting his teeth, the man tossed the beautiful blade aside.


    It fell from the dais and flew down.


    What waited below was a mountain of swords, each so masterfully crafted that many warriors would eagerly kill for the right to wield one.


    The newborn blade landed on the top of the mountain and joined its countless siblings, laying there...


    Abandoned, and forgotten.


    Far away...


    A vast hall cut in blue ice was drowning in darkness.


    In the center of the hall, a tall throne stood, illuminated by the ghostly light of dancing flames.


    A corpse of a breathtakingly beautiful woman was sitting on the throne, dressed in a regal red gown. Its hem spilled down the steps of the throne like a river of blood.


    The woman''s chest was pierced by a sword, which pinned her to the back of the throne.


    Two dead youths stood on both sides of the throne, waiting in silence.


    Then, the silence was broken.


    Pieces of ice fell to the floor and shattered as the dead woman''s hand slowly rose. Her pale, long fingers wrapped themselves around the blade of the sword. Soon, there was the sound of metal breaking.


    In the next moment, the ice hall �� and the entire mountain encompassing it �� shuddered.


    And someplace else...


    A gaunt man was sitting in the dust, wearing a tattered spacesuit. The visor of his helmet was cracked, and the oxygen in the tank attached to his back had long run out.


    Nevertheless, the gaunt man was somehow still alive.


    He had been motionless for a while, but now, he finally moved.


    Rising his head, he looked at a beautiful blue disk floating in the great darkness above him.


    His cracked lips twisted into a smile.


    "How curious."


    That was what he wanted to say...


    But, of course, no sound escaped from his lips, since there was no air to transmit it.


    The man tried to sigh, but failed for the same reason.


    He shook his head in dejection and moved his lips again.


    If someone was there to read them, they would have read:


    "...It''s starting."


    The war for the throne of humanity had begun.


    [End of Volume Eight: Lord of Shadows]

 Chapter 1841: Evil Minds That Plot Destruction

    Chapter 1841: Evil Minds That Plot Destruction


    Sunny was standing on the edge of the Ivory Island, looking at the sky above. The Marvelous Mimic was behind him, still pretending to be a quaint brick cottage �� the cottage stood between the grove and the lake, on the empty stretch of emerald grass to the side of the great pagoda.


    The area was quite peaceful, and the view from his window was usually no less spectacular than it had been in Bastion.


    ...Of course, that peacefulness was deceiving.


    The Ivory Island was high in the air. Far below it, the arm of the dead god lay heavily on the ashen ground. A long bridge was connecting the humerus and the radius, which had broken off eons ago... the bridge had been recently built, and currently, a vast column of warriors was marching across it, ready to enter Godgrave. A sea of vermilion banners fluttered above like blood.


    The sight of the great army of the Sword Domain was quite daunting.Vi?Sit no(v)3lb/!n(.)com for new novels


    There were hundreds of thousands of Awakened, numerous Masters, and dozens of exalted Saints. Such a force had never been gathered in the history of humankind �� or of the waking world, at least. There were countless mundane humans too, following the warriors in the vast train of the army.


    Funnily enough, this great force had not been assembled to fight against Nightmare Creatures or other horrors of the Dream Realm. It had been assembled to wage war against a similar human army that was currently somewhere far away, on the other side of the titanic skeleton, scaling its right arm.


    In any case, Sunny was not looking down, on the Sword Army. Instead, he was looking at the sky.


    The sky had been blue and clear not too long ago, but now, it was being slowly devoured by grey clouds. They were finally crossing the realm boundary �� soon, an annihilating white radiance would suffuse the incandescent heavens and spell fiery doom for anyone caught directly in its light.


    He sighed.


    It did not feel safe at all, to be invading Godgrave atop a flying island. No matter how powerful its enchantments were, the Ivory Island was enormous and immensely heavy �� due to inertia, it would not be able to stop instantly should the veil of clouds break. Which meant that all of them would become ash.


    ''What a way to start a war.''


    Technically, the war had already begun. The official declaration had happened soon after the Ivory Island left Bastion, almost a month ago. Back then, Nephis and Cassie had been summoned to the waking world... Sunny had been invited, as well, albeit as the Lord of Shadows, not the Memory Purveyor of the Fire Keepers.


    There was a historic meeting in the stronghold of Clan Valor in NQSC. All the Saints of the Sword Domain were present, as well as the heads of those vassal clans that did not possess a Transcendent member at the moment.


    What made it historic, though, was not the illustrious company. It was the fact that the King of Swords himself attended.


    Sunny was quite shocked when the doors opened and a heavy presence suddenly settled in the opulent hall, forcing even the most powerful Saints to grow stiff and quiet. Of course, his face was hidden behind Weaver''s Mask, so no one was the wiser.


    They were seated around a vast round table �� which, it seemed, had been carved from the trunk of a single enormous tree. The table held some significance, without a doubt... perhaps it was that tree in particular that had been the source of the abominable forest slain by Anvil of Valor in the past.


    In any case, there was an empty seat next to Morgan. Sunny guessed that, maybe, it had been left empty in honor of Saint Madoc, her uncle �� but he was proven wrong.


    Her voice was even, and her expression was poised. She calmly listed all the reasons why a war would be disastrous for both Domains and asked her adopted father to reconsider.


    Morgan seemed amused by the whole sequence of events, while the rest of those gathered in the hall kept their faces neutral.


    In the end, Neph''s words were meaningless. Anvil dismissed her objection with one glance and a few cold sentences.


    Everyone here knew that there was no point in trying to defy the Sovereign''s will. Nephis, of course, knew it best of all.


    The reason she had spoken out was not a sincere hope that the war could be avoided. Instead, it was important to do so for an entirely different reason �� there had to be a record of her objecting to Anvil''s decision.


    There had to be rumors that Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan had been against the bloodshed, the waste of human life, and the ghastly ugliness of the civil war between humans from the very start. Even if it was all to avenge her against those who had conspired to kill her.


    Those rumors were needed to pave a way for her to slay both her adopted father and Ki Song, and then usurp their thrones without being branded as a tyrant. When the time came, She had to be welcomed as a savior instead.


    Sunny smiled behind his mask.


    ''What a treacherous world we live in...��


    Not long after that, the Sword Domain declared war on the Song Domain.


    The news were broadcasted in the waking world, as well as announced by heralds in the cities of the Dream Realm.


    Both worlds seemed to explode.


    Sunny was far away from civilization and too busy to observe the immediate reaction of the people, but it must have been intense. In an instant, the very foundation of the world was shaken. The government tried to handle the situation, somehow, but it was powerless against the influence of the Great Clans.


    People in the waking world were terrified and paralyzed by shock. So were many in the Dream Realm.


    There were plenty of those who welcomed the news, though, having been prepared by meticulous propaganda to feel exactly that way. On both sides, many were burning with militant zeal, and thirsting to punish the enemy.


    And so, two great armies were gathered and marched to war.


    It did not happen in a day, but it also did not take a lot of time. The preparations of the two Sovereigns had been extensive.


    ...Today, finally, the Sword Army was ready to enter Godgrave.

 Chapter 1842: First Blood

    Chapter 1842: First Blood


    As Sunny watched the sky, there was the sound of light steps behind him. Then, Nephis approached and stopped by his side, clad in a suit of lustrous steel armor.


    She looked at him and smiled.


    Despite the sinister clouds above and the vast army marching to a calamitous war below, he couldn''t help but feel his heart race at the sight of that smile.


    Sunny had read somewhere that people often described this feeling as having "butterflies in their stomach��. The image of a swarm of Dark Butterflies tearing at the walls of his stomach seemed more dreadful than romantic, so he really doubted the literary sense of those people... but, still.


    Even though a month had passed since their first kiss, he still felt excitement every time he saw her.


    It was odd and improper, to feel so blessed on the eve of a disastrous war. But he did.


    Life was strange that way.


    A smile appeared on his face, as well.


    "Do you have enough spare time to visit a humble enchanter today, Lady Nephis?"


    She lingered for a moment, then shrugged.


    "I might have a little time..."


    With that, she turned her head and looked at the sky, as well.


    "Are you worried about the sun?"


    Sunny nodded slowly.


    "I am indeed a little nervous. Do you think that the clouds will hold until we land?"


    Nephis inhaled deeply.


    "Someone will make sure that they do. In fact... she should be arriving any moment now, actually."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    Then, a subtle spark ignited in his eyes.


    There was the sound of fluttering wings, and a vast shadow fell on the emerald grass.


    A moment later, a woman was standing in front of them. She was tall and slender, with long hair that fell down like a cascade of pale gold. Her posture was perfectly straight, and her cold face was dazzlingly beautiful.


    The woman was wearing a suit of light steel armor, with pauldrons and greaves decorated with stylized feathers. The gaze of her stern amber eyes was piercing and heavy, and a white cloak hung on her back, embroidered with silver thread.


    Saint Tyris had not changed at all.


    Sunny was glad to see her... of course, he hid his happiness behind a mask of respectful unfamiliarity.


    Sky Tide bowed slightly.


    "Lady Changing Star."


    Nephis nodded.


    "Saint Tyris."


    The two weren''t very close to each other, but they had a good relationship due to what had happened during the Battle of the Black Skull. In fact, there was probably no Saint among the vassals of Clan Valor with a deeper bond to Nephis than Sky Tide.


    Her clan was also different from how it used to be.


    ��Cover your arms."


    Despite the seriousness of the situation, Aiko was wearing mundane clothes �� and not even formal ones, at that. Her black t��shirt had some kind of Nightmare Creature printed on it with a band name written above in bold letters... which wasn''t really a problem, except for the fact that the intricate tattoo of a snake that coiled around her right arm was almost fully revealed.


    She grinned sheepishly and summoned a green Memory tunic.


    Sunny hesitated, then said quietly:


    "Are you sure you don''t want me to bring you away, to the waking world?"


    Aiko looked up at him and blinked a few times.


    ��And miss all the fun... I mean, miss such a historic event? No, thanks. Plus, I know these guys well. Don''t worry, boss, they''ll be fine �� they have survived worse."


    He stared at her for a few moments, wondering if she would change her mind after witnessing Godgrave.


    In the end, he didn''t say anything. Together, they watched as the shoulder of the colossal skeleton grew closer and closer.


    The Ivory Island accelerated, leaving the ascending army far behind. Soon, the sky was entirely hidden by a veil of clouds, and the air grew warmer, the daylight changing subtly.


    They were heading for the collarbone of the dead deity, where the base camp of the Sword Army was supposed to be established. And they �� the Fire Keepers �� were meant to be the vanguard of the human invasion into Godgrave.


    Their task was not only to clear out the Nightmare Creatures populating the area and serve as a bulwark that protected the slow advance of the army from the arm of the titanic skeleton. What they had to do was much more important.


    It was to bring the authority of the King of Swords, and the power of his Domain, to this cursed land.


    Soon, the vast range of the ancient collarbone was beneath them.


    The ground was white, but there was barely any of it visible under the thick carpet of scarlet growth.


    Moss, grass, and grotesque towering plants were all red, as if bloody marrow had exploded from the cracks and fissures in the ancient bone.


    Of course, the vermilion jungle was teeming with all kinds of abominable creatures, all moving and devouring each other in a mad rush to live and grow in the unknown, but inevitably fleeting amount of time before the veil of cloud broke, and the merciless sun burned them all to ash.


    At such a late stage of infestation, the surface of the dead god''s collarbone was not much safer than the dark expanse of the Hollows, where the true horrors dwelled. The strange Nightmare Creatures populating Godgrave would have had enough time to grow immensely strong, reaching the Corrupted or Great Rank en masse.


    The strongest would have already retreated underground, to try and claim a place for themselves away from the annihilating heavens, but many still remained.


    And now, all their undivided attention was turned to the beautiful island drifting below the clouds.


    Usually, these abominations would have felt nothing but fear when looking at the terrible sky.


    But today, perhaps for the first time in countless years, they felt something else.


    A hunger so deep that it drove them into a state of frenzy.


    Immediately, the scarlet jungle seemed to... boil.


    Numerous abominations rushed in the direction of the descending island like a morbid tide. Most of them simply ran, slithered, or crawled, but there were those capable of soaring into the air, as well.


    A vast swarm of Nightmare Creatures rose from the ground to meet the Ivory Island. It seemed inevitable that the flying Citadel would be swallowed by the cloud of them.


    But then, an imperceptible change spread through the world.


    Sunny''s eyes narrowed when he recognized the familiar feeling.


    Another Component of the Ivory Tower was unleashed, and suddenly, it was as if a wave of invisible force crashed into the rising abominations, throwing them down or outright obliterating their hideous bodies. Blood spilled from the sky like crimson rain.


    The tyrannical Crushing had come Godgrave, reaping countless lives in the first culling of the great Domain War.

 Chapter 1843: Crash Landing on You

    Chapter 1843: Crash Landing on You


    The Crushing descended upon Godgrave, flattening a vast swathe of the vermilion jungle and pressing the Nightmare Creatures into the white surface of the ancient bone. Its reach was a magnitude smaller than it had been in the ruins of the Kingdom of Hope... but its force was just as tyrannical.


    The winged abominations that had been rising toward the flying island were either obliterated or thrown to the ground. A deluge of blood rained down, and only the strongest and most resilient of the flying horrors managed to stay in the air. They persisted stubbornly, their eyes full of demented frenzy.


    There were terrifying aerial behemoths among them, and nimble creatures that zipped around on swift, translucent wings.


    A moment later, the first arrow streaked down, hitting one of the larger abominations in the eye and obliterating half of its hideous head.


    Sunny looked at the macabre spectacle, feeling his blood boil with a familiar thrill. He had never thought that he would grow accustomed to the ghastly crucible of battle one day, but here he was, acting as if he was addicted to it. He longed to join the bloodshed, but could not allow himself to. It was the strangest thing.


    He could see the Fire Keepers, who were spread out along the edge of the island, drawing their bows. Some of them were better archers than others, but each and every one was proficient enough with bow and arrow to be a lethal presence on the battlefield.


    Their Memories were all top��notch, as well �� not only because they had gathered a vast arsenal of them during the long years of defending humanity from the horrors of the Nightmare Spell, but also because Sunny had personally tinkered with their equipment in the last month. On top of that, all these Memories were being enhanced by the Crown of Dawn that Nephis wore.


    A barrage of enchanted arrows unleashed by seven Ascended cohorts was a dire sight to behold.


    The winged Nightmare Creatures that had endured the Crushing were simply erased from existence, chunks of flesh raining on the scarlet jungle below. Only one remained �� an enormous beast with wings wide enough to drown the world in their shade. Its frenzied eyes were burning with chilling malice, and its pale brown hide was dotted with dozens of arrows, none of it which managed to pierce it deep enough to deal substantial damage.


    The winds groaned as they were torn apart by its mighty wings.


    Before the monstrous creature could rise any higher, though, a single fiery arrow streaked down from the top of the Ivory Tower, piercing its head clean through. Wisps of white flame escaped from inside its cracked skull.Vi?Sit no(v)3lb/!n(.)com for new novels


    The massive abomination lost momentum, rolled in the air, and started to fall down.


    The Ivory Island was plummeting from the overcast sky, descending lower and lower. The closer to the ground it got, the more the jungle was affected by the Crushing. Many of the Nightmare Creatures that had been pressed down into the red moss were now flattened into piles of bloody flesh, sharp shards of bone protruding through the broken skin.


    Most were powerful enough to survive, though.


    Finally, the speed of the flying island''s descent started to reduce.


    It was still great, nevertheless, almost uncontrollable �� as if the people on the island were in a rush to reach the ground.


    And they were. Because the sky above them was suffused with blinding glow, and only a thin veil of clouds stood between them and inescapable annihilation.


    Before the Fire Keepers could drown in the tide of Nightmare Creatures, a radiant figure shot from the balcony at the top of the Ivory Tower, falling down like an incandescent meteor.


    Nephis landed in the thick of the abominable horde, and in the next moment, a blinding explosion boomed above the bone plain. A wave of incinerating flame spread outward from the point of impact, turning countless Nightmare Creatures to ash.


    The Fire Keepers cheered, welcoming their personal deity to the battlefield.


    Looking from above, Sunny let out a long sigh.


    "Ah, to hell with it..."


    Then, he took control of the gloomy and used Shadow Step to send that incarnation of his far away, under the canopy of the scarlet jungle.


    Assuming a corporeal form there, he manifested the Onyx Mantle and summoned Weaver''s Mask.


    Then, before any of the rushing Nightmare Creatures could lunge at him, he stepped through the shadows once again, appearing in the midst of the battlefield.


    An enormous, towering abomination was right in front of him, rising its terrifying fists to deliver a crushing blow to the ground below.


    Reaching into the shadows, Sunny pulled an inky��black odachi out of them, and then lunged forward.


    A dark line was suddenly drawn on the massive body of the Nightmare Creature. It froze for a moment, its fists still raised above its head...


    And then slowly fell apart, bisected down the middle with a single terrifying slash.


    Behind the abomination, a slender young woman with silver hair was revealed, holding a mirror��like sword.


    There was an expression of surprise on her beautiful face.


    Grinning behind the mask, Sunny gave her a small bow and said, his cold voice hiding a hint of dark glee.


    "Welcome to Godgrave, Lady Nephis."


    With that, he looked around.


    "I hope you don''t mind the mess..."

 Chapter 1844: On the Other Side

    Chapter 1844: On the Other Side


    "I think we are all going to die. What do you think, Rani?"


    Ray''s voice was tinged with melancholy, but Rain had learned to ignore his complaints in the last few weeks. Sitting on the ground �� well, on what served as ground in this godforsaken place �� and leaning her back against a wagon''s wheel, she gave him a relaxed shrug.


    The young man stared at her with indignation. After a while, he sighed.


    "Have enough decency to look concerned, at least..."


    They were currently in the middle of the army camp, resting after a long and arduous march. It was hard to tell what time of day it was, since there were no nights in Godgrave. A veil of clouds obscured the sky, shining with diffused radiance.


    It would have been quite pretty if it was not so terrifying.


    Everyone had been informed over and over again about the lethal nature of the sky in this land. They knew that the only way to survive in case the clouds parted was to remain absolutely still. The army had ascended the dead god''s arm far enough, by now, to fully cross the realm boundary... so, those warnings were of vital importance.


    They had yet to see the clouds break, though.


    Rain, Tamar, Ray, and Fleur were among the Awakened warriors of the Seventh Legion �� which was led by the seventh and last daughter of the Queen to reach Transcendence, Saint Seishan. Granted, Rain barely remembered how he ended up in such august company. So many things had happened in the last month that it was all like a blur.


    The news about the King of Swords declaring war on the Song Domain had reached them not long after reuniting with the members of the survey team in the main construction camp. It was a great shock to many, but not to Rain herself.


    The initial shock was soon replaced by fear and outrage. It was then that Queen Song left her palace in Ravenheart, appearing in public for the first time in many years. Rain did not witness it herself, but she was told that the Queen''s speech was incredibly rousing.


    It ignited the hearts of the people of Song, so when the call to arms was issued, countless Awakened warriors chose to answer. The vassals of the Queen responded to the call, as well, gathering their armies to help defend the Song Domain against the tyranny of the King of Swords.


    Rain was one of those Awakened warriors. She was made a soldier right there and then, in the construction camp, as a member of Tamar of Sorrow''s cohort.


    Tamar''s father was leading his own war party, he turned around and went back to the door. Rain had no idea why they had come inside only to leave with a candle, but she obediently followed.


    To her shock, however...


    The Moonriver Plain was gone. When they came out, there were no moons, no stars, and no wind. The floor was perfectly flat, as if cut from black marble. She couldn''t quite see where they were, but it felt as if they were underground.


    "You have an assistant?"


    "You have a disciple?"


    Then, they looked at each other, both wearing a similar shocked expression.


    Her teacher smiled.


    "No need to sound so stunned, really. Sure, I have. Why wouldn''t I? Now, the reason I brought you two here... is to extend an offer to you both. Consider it a great honor."


    His smile turned a little sinister, making both of them feel a bad premonition and shiver.


    His smile turned a little wider.


    "...How would you ladies like to join the Shadow Clan?"


    And that was how Rain ended up with an intricate snake tattoo coiling around her arm.


    Leaning on the wheel of a supply wagon, she closed her eyes and listened to Ray''s complaints silently.


    The snake tattoo, which was apparently called the [Mark of Shadows], was more than a simple tattoo, of course. It was akin to an Attribute, granting her several useful abilities. Among them was the ability to see in absolute darkness, walk stealthily in the shadows, and sense their movements.


    It also helped her control her soul essence. Apart from that, the snake could also slither off her arm, manifesting into a weapon.


    Most importantly of all �� at least according to her teacher �� it allowed him, as well as the creature that had created the soul snake, access to her Soul Sea. Which meant that they could defend it should something invade Rain''s soul.


    She had not even known that there were things out there that could invade human souls, but knowing that her teacher would be there to deal with the invader made her feel better.


    All in all, the soul snake was an excellent gift to receive.


    Of course, it was not the only thing she had received from her teacher...

 Chapter 1845: Seventh Loyal Legion

    Chapter 1845: Seventh Loyal Legion


    The [Mark of Shadows] played an important role. It protected Rain and gave her a few useful abilities, but its main purpose was to confuse people. After all, she did not want anyone to learn that she did not have an Aspect, and the snake tattoo bestowed upon her strange powers that could be seen as one.


    Her teacher had mentioned that he was working on something else to make her disguise more convincing, as well. Rain did not know what he meant, yet, but was going to learn one way or another in due time.


    What excited her the most was not the [Mark of Shadows], though.


    It was the Memories her teacher had given her.


    Oh, the joy and delight of having Memories!T/his chapter is updat/ed by


    Rain held a strong opinion that all the rest of the Awakened in the world had no idea how good they had it.


    Her threadbare bodysuit and old clothes were gone, replaced by an enchanted armor. It was so soft and light that she did not feel any burden at all, but more resilient than her mundane equipment had ever been. The armor was made of dark grey fabric and lusterless black leather, fitting her perfectly. It was an Awakened Memory of the Fifth Tier-that was what she had been told, at least - called the Puppeteer''s Shroud.


    Its enchantments increased her mental endurance and resistance against mind attack, as well as allowed her to recover from mental fatigue faster.


    ...The armor looked suspiciously similar to what her teacher used to wear, so she suspected that it had not been, in fact, crafted specifically for her. But even if the Puppeteer''s Shroud was a hand-me-down, Rain did not mind.


    The euphoria of having a wonderful suit of incredibly light, but resilient armor that adjusted to fit her body perfectly, cleaned and repaired itself, and could be summoned at any moment was simply too great!


    It was the reward for slaying the Awakened Tyrant.


    There were two other Memories that she had received from her teacher, as well. One was a powerful bow made of green metal... in fact, Rain knew that metal all too well. It seemed that her teacher had smelted the blade of the Huntsman''s axe to forge the limbs of the bow, while the string was made from some strange black material.


    The bow was called the [Beast of Prey], and was an Awakened Memory of the Third Tier. Its enchantment allowed Rain to enhance the damage dealt by her arrows, as well as infuse one arrow with devastating force at the cost of most of her essence. However, the bow was also able to absorb and store her essence, somehow - so, with sufficient preparation, Rain could use the deadly shot twice.


    Soon, several Blood Sisters emerged from it.


    And then, their leader.


    Rain couldn''t help but hold her breath when she saw the Queen''s daughter. Saint Seishan... was a striking woman, without a doubt.


    With her strange, but beautiful grey skin and tantalizing grace, she was like an embodiment of nobility and regal poise. She seemed both inhuman and riveting, but most of all mysterious.


    Her beauty was truly breathtaking.


    It was to the point that the Blood Sisters, each an exquisitely beautiful woman herself, seemed plain and unassuming next to her. Rain still found it weird that most of the most powerful warriors of the Song Domain were women... but she couldn''t complain. Especially here in the Seventh Legion, she sometimes felt that she was in a flower garden instead of an army.


    Granted, those flowers were roses with bloodied thorns, and most of the rank and file soldiers were still men.


    Saint Seishan led the Ascended warriors of her legion toward the head of the column. The Awakened warriors silently bowed as she passed, wishing her luck.


    Rain couldn''t help but do the same.


    The Song Army was bound to suffer casualties during the push to establish a fortified base on the collarbone of the dead deity. Looking at the powerful members of the legion, she couldn''t help but wish that all of them returned alive.


    At the same time, Rain couldn''t help but wonder...


    Today, they were going to fight against Nightmare Creatures.


    What would she feel when the time finally comes for them to fight against people?

 Chapter 1846 Ground Perspective

    The army assembled in a complicated battle formation. With so many soldiers, it was vast and unwieldy, and mostly useless... but not entirely so.


    The Masters and the Saints were going to assault the vermilion jungle, but the Awakened were prepared to fight, as well.


    Obviously, they had very little chance of killing Corrupted abominations, not to mention the Great horrors who dwelled in Godgrave. However, they did not necessarily need to.


    The commanders of the Song Army were well aware of the limitations facing their troops, so they had come up with various chilling, but effective strategies. If it came to that, the task of the Awakened soldiers was not to kill the powerful abominations, but to immobilize them.


    Although hard, that could be achieved with numbers alone. Even if an abomination had to be buried in human bodies, that was one way to deal with it.


    Of course, Rain felt a bit horrified by the prospect, just like all the other Awakened warriors did. Still, it was not like the Nightmare Creatures would spare them otherwise - so, they were prepared to carry out their orders and do their best., no matter the cost.


    Hopefully, that was not going to happen today.


    If the Saints and their Ascended retinue succeeded in holding back the tide of Nightmare Creatures, it would not.


    The Seventh Legion was positioned in the second line of the formation, so she could not even see the battle. All she could see were the tops of the strange and hideous plants swaying in the distance and the backs of her fellow soldiers. She could also hear the sounds that the wind carried from somewhere far ahead.


    Next to her, Fleur trembled nervously and looked at Tamar.


    "...It is starting, isn''t it?"


    The Legacy girl nodded somberly.


    "It is."


    A few moments later, the sound of a horn rolled above the army, and the ground under their feet trembled slightly.


    Rain saw vague silhouettes moving forward from the front of the battle formation. The white surface of the ancient bone was still inclined, since they had not reached the collarbone yet, so she could not discern their shape clearly. But she knew that they were the Saints who had assumed their ''Transcendent forms, as well as the larger of the Nightmare Creatures enthralled by Beastmaster.


    At the same time, the jungle came alive.


    She saw the red trees sway, but mostly, she heard and felt it: a harrowing choir of bestial roars and sounds too alien to be described with human language washing over the massive army like a tide, the violent trembling of the ground as countless abominations rushed forward at the scent of human souls.


    She glanced at Tamar.


    For the rest of them, the fate of the Saints fighting on the frontline was an abstract concept. The Saints were people whom they admired, looked up to, and maybe even knew as well as the wall separating them from having to face the dreadful horde of Nightmare Creatures themselves.


    But it was different from Tamar, whose father was somewhere out there, as well. The Saint of Sorrow was among the warriors whose task it was to make the tide of abominations stop.


    There were close to two thousand Masters in the Song Army, but only around forty Transcendent champions.


    It did not seem like a lot, but at the same time... The world suddenly quaked.


    Fleur''s beautiful blue eyes widened.


    "What?! Why did you say it out loud?!"


    Tamar and Ray glared at her with resentment, too.


    Rain grinned.


    She was still a bit of a stranger in this small cohort, so apart from Tamar, the other two members acted a little awkward around her.


    It was rare to see all three united in such a sincere display of emotion.


    And that emotion was pure outrage, not fear or anxiety. So, her job here was done.


    Rain looked ahead and sighed.


    Although... she might have overdone it.


    From what she could hear, the vanguard of the army had managed to stem the tide of the Nightmare Creatures. A furious battle was happening somewhere ahead.


    However, the Saints had not managed to stop all abominations.


    Just then, she heard a litany of human cries, and saw bodies flying into the air. It was as if something massive slammed into the front row of the Awakened soldiers at the head of the battle formation.


    Human blood spilled on the white bone.


    The war horn blared one more time, and the soldiers ahead of her moved forward.


    Rain shivered and gripped her bow tighter.


    Far ahead, a strange haze rose above the crimson jungle.


    It seemed like a haze at first, but soon, she saw that it was a vast swarm of flying abominations rushing from the depths of Godgrave like a cloud.


    "G-gods!��


    One of the Awakened soldiers near them pointed at the swarm in horror.


    Rain sighed and looked at the members of her cohort apologetically.


    Her grin grew a little forced.


    "Well... I guess that''s the worst thing that could have happened...��

 Chapter 1847 Deadly Equilibrium

    On the other side of the titanic skeleton, the Ivory Island was surrounded by a sea of Nightmare Creatures. The horde of them flowed forward, tearing the scarlet jungle apart.


    The jungle itself was moving too. Vermilion vines were crawling, and rust-red flowers were blooming, releasing clouds of flesh-eating pollen. It was as if the whole world had come alive to devour the invading humans.


    The humans, meanwhile, met the tide of abominations with sharp steel and the destructive power of their Aspects.


    The Fire Keepers were skilled and formidable. Their discipline and morale were beyond reproach. Their cohesion and experience were unequalled. Countless Nightmare Creatures fell to their blades, torrents of blood being absorbed by the ancient bone.


    And yet, they were being pushed back.


    A force of fifty battle-hardened Masters was truly fearsome, but most of the abominations they faced were of a higher Rank than them. These creatures were also the cursed spawn of Godgrave, where nightmares had to fight and devour each other without reprieve for the infinitely small chance to survive.


    The surface dwellers were not the true horrors who hunted in the dim twilight of the great Hollows, but they were also exorbitantly fierce and ferocious, even when compared to the usual demented frenzy plaguing all Nightmare Creatures.


    The horde was vast, as well.


    Granted, the Fire Keepers had been forged and shaped by the Forgotten Shore, and so, facing abominations that were more powerful than them was more or less their speciality. But, still...


    There was one reason why they were able to hold out.


    Two reasons, actually.


    One was Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan. The other was the Lord of Shadows.


    It had been a long time since Sunny was truly able to unleash himself. Right now, he was like a dark hurricane that moved across the battlefield, surrounded by a vast mantle of flowing shadows. He neglected to manifest any of his Shells, using only his two hands and the black odachi to cut the abominations down.


    Everywhere he went, severed bodies fell to the ground.


    Her unseen presence was subtle, but played a pivotal role. She was not present on the battlefield, and no Nightmare Creature fell to her sword. However, she served as the connection between Sunny, Nephis, and the Fire Keepers. She was aware of all and guided them all, helping them fight as a single being.


    She could also share the traits of the abominations with them, making the task of surviving the dreadful onslaught much easier.


    It was because of her that Nephis knew when one of her people needed support. The Fire Keepers knew when to press forward and when to retreat. Sunny knew where the most dangerous enemies were, and in which direction he had to move.


    Nephis was in command, but Cassie was the person who made sure that the commander had all the necessary information to make good decisions.


    Sunny had not seen the Fire Keepers fighting a battle of that scale before, and now that he did... he was quietly impressed.


    He knew many who were more powerful than them, and a few who were more skilled than them. But he struggled to think of another group of warriors who were capable of showcasing this level of cohesion, combat awareness, and effectiveness in a battle.


    That said...


    It was still not enough.


    It did not matter how skilled and brave the Fire Keepers were, or how unreasonably powerful he and Nephis had become. At the end of the day, they were still fighting against impossible odds.


    There were simply too many Nightmare Creatures, and each of these Nightmare Creatures was too powerful.


    Sending fifty Masters and three Saints to face an entire Death Zone was a suicidal task. They could not even retreat, because they were surrounded from all sides.


    However...


    This time, Clan Valor had not sent Nephis into battle hoping that she would die.


    This time, they desperately needed her to survive... for a while, at least.

 Chapter 1848 Reign of Steel

    Sunny sensed it before he saw it.


    An invisible, but undeniable change that spread across the battlefield.


    He was not affected himself, but the Fire Keepers certainly were. They did not grow stronger, and their swords did not become sharper...


    And yet, suddenly, more Nightmare Creatures were falling to their blades. More blood was flowing to the ground, but less of it belonged to humans.


    Observing the inexplicable change through shadow sense, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a deep sense of confusion. There was no reason for the sudden shift in the cadence of the battle, but it had shifted, without a doubt.


    Lacking any other explanation, he was tempted to think that it was a result of luck.


    But there was something deeper than that going on...


    He continued the wanton slaughter, defending one side of the Ivory Island.


    At the same time, he was standing on the grass of the island, near the Marvelous Mimic, observing the battle idly side by side with Aiko.


    It was that incarnation of his that tried to understand what was happening.


    Almost an entire minute passed before his eyes suddenly narrowed.


    Sunny exhaled slowly.


    ''I... see.''


    The Fire Keepers were not lucky. They had not grown stronger, and their weapons had not become sharper.


    It was just that they were fighting better.T/his chapter is updat/ed by


    Their already impressive coordination had improved, reaching an almost inhuman level of perfection, and their battle sense seemed to have become even keener. It was as if they were possessed by a spirit of war, and had received its blessing.


    He had seen something similar once before, albeit in a less pronounced way.


    It was during the Battle of the Black Skull. Back then, Morgan had armed her soldiers with enchanted swords forged by her father �� wielding those swords, the warriors of Valor showed a strange level of cohesion, making it seem as if her entire army was one vast, lethal being.


    Back then, Sunny had guessed that the swords served as conduits for Anvil''s authority... as vessels of his will, and therefore, of his Domain.


    In the next moment, the storm cloud of swords exploded with a lethal hail.


    Countless swords rained down, making the bone plain shudder.


    Down below, Sunny''s avatar lowered the black odachi and froze.


    It was a terrifying feeling, to see the steel sky fall on him, glistening with countless sharp tips.


    However, he did not have to feel fear.


    Although it seemed that the rain of swords would obliterate everything on the surface of the ancient bone, none of the falling blades struck him. Instead, they reaped a terrible harvest of lives, piercing every Nightmare Creature in sight.


    In just a few moments, the horde of them was eviscerated. Numerous abominations were violently impaled by the flying swords, while those that survived the first onslaught were either bloodied or petrified, slow to escape the inevitable doom.


    None of the Fire Keepers had received even a scratch, though, despite the fact that many of them were now surrounded by a forest of swords.


    The swords did not stop moving.


    More of them rained from above, and those that were impaling the Nightmare Creatures tore free of the bleeding flesh, rising into the air and turning to point at new prey.


    Standing in the sea of blood, Sunny turned and looked at the distant balcony.


    He should have felt elated because the battle was ostensibly over...


    But instead, all he felt was a cold feeling of unease.


    Sunny knew that, one day soon, he would be the target of these flying swords.


    ''What''s the matter? It''s just a Sovereign.''


    For once, the words did not bring with them any levity.


    Lowering his gaze, he peered at the horizon.


    There, far away...


    The first of the vermilion banners appeared in the distance.


    The Sword Army had crossed over to the collarbone of the dead deity.

 Chapter 1849 Taste of Ash

    The Sword Army entered Godgrave with relative ease. Of course, it was a tense and solemn day. The Awakened warriors were pale with dread as they ventured into the scarlet jungle and crossed over from the humerus bone of the dead deity to the vast collarbone.


    They were in a Death Zone, after all.


    However, the army barely suffered any casualties. Changing Star and her Fire Keepers had pulled the attention of the local Nightmare Creatures away and established a beachhead on the collarbone plain. Most importantly, the brought the authority of the king to this dire purgatory �� emboldened and empowered by his presence, the army marched on.


    The veil of clouds did not break, held together by the power of Sky Tide of the White Feather clan. The Transcendent and Ascended warriors repelled the sporadic attacks of remnant abominations without too much strain. And later, the King of Swords himself descended upon the battlefield, using the Ivory Island as an anchor.


    Once the storm of swords manifested above the jungle, the battle was ostensibly over.


    The army cut a path through the predatory jungle, using the beautiful silhouette of the Ivory Tower to navigate it. By the time they reached the scene of slaughter, there were no abominations left for them to fight against. They were only numerous corpses and the rustle of countless swords swirling in the sky above.


    Instead, the task they faced was of a more mundane nature. They had to establish a camp and start fortifying it, building an impregnable fortress on the surface of the ancient bone. That fortress would serve as the staging ground for the rest of the military campaign in Godgrave.


    ...The Song Army, however, fared much worse than that.


    ***


    Rain was staring at the ground with a tired expression. On the ground in front of her, the wind was playing with flakes of ash.


    She was staying completely motionless, and those flakes of ash had been a person not too long ago. Above her, an incandescent white void shone blindingly through the broken clouds.


    Her first day in Godgrave had been a long, bitter nightmare.


    The first battle the Song Army had fought was a sobering experience. Led by the seven princesses, the Saints and the Ascended warriors of the Song Domain clashed with the horde of Nightmare Creatures and repelled it. The unimaginable violence unleashed by that clash made the world quake �� but, worst of all, some of it reached the battle formation of the Awakened warriors.


    The casualties were not immeasurable, but they weren''t negligible, either. Perhaps because it was the first time the soldiers fought against the abominations of Godgrave, the strategies developed by the royal clan to breach the difference in Ranks between them could not be deployed promptly, or at all.


    That could improve as the army gained experience, but today, too many people died.


    Rain herself did not participate in the slaughter, because the Seventh Legion was positioned in the second line of the formation, where the battle had not reached. However, she could hear and feel the terrible mayhem of the desperate struggle happening ahead.


    Nevertheless, eventually, the battle ended. The vanguard obliterated the horde of the frenzied Nightmare Creatures. Those of them who had got past were immobilized and eventually cut down by the Awakened soldiers. After the soul shards were harvested, the corpses of the abominations were pushed aside, and the bloodied army continued to ascend the arm of the dead god.R/e?/Ad lateSt ch/a/pters at novelhall.com Only


    Soon enough, they entered the jungle.


    The jungle itself was as much of a shock to the invading humans as the horde of Nightmare Creatures had been. Everything here was not what it seemed �� but all of it was insidious, hungry, and chillingly deadly. The grass, the flowers, the vines, the trees... every single thing here wanted them dead.


    Those of the soldiers who had more experience exploring the Dream Realm did not seem too phased, taking the dread of the scarlet jungle in stride. But those who were younger and less experienced, like member''s of Tamar''s cohort, were left shaken. Their mental fortitude was sorely tested, and that was after having already received a painful blow by the recent clash against the vast horde of abominations.


    If there was on silver lining to the situation, it was that the abominable flora of Godgrave was not as impervious to being damaged by the Awakened as the Corrupted Nightmare Creatures were. It was still incredibly tough and tenacious, but they could at least try to contend against the myriad of deadly dangers hiding in the jungle. So, they did not feel as helpless, at least.


    There were still many that died.


    Tamar''s shout was quite timely. The members of her cohort remembered the meaning of the wailing horn despite their fatigue and mental exhaustion, but many of the surrounding soldiers were slow to react. Hearing her voice, they recalled their training.


    The entire army suddenly grew still.


    A few moments later, the world was suddenly much brighter. The light reflecting from the white surface of the ancient bone was almost painful to look at... a wave of unbearable heat crashed into the human invaders, and the smell of ash filled the air.


    The jungle burned.


    ...Many humans burned, too


    Well, perhaps "burning" was not the right word. They just turned to ash, scattering into a cloud of grey flakes in the scorching wind, and disappeared without a trace.


    Not everyone had ceased all movement in time, and not everyone managed to remain perfectly motionless.


    Seeing their comrades die, some soldiers recoiled or flinched.


    They became ash, too.


    Rain could not move, could not look away, and could not even wipe the flakes of warm ash off her face.


    All she could do was stand still and stare at the ground.


    ''It''s bitter.''


    The first day in Godgrave... was too bitter to swallow.


    They had not even clashed with the army of the Sword Domain, and so many people were already dead. Yes, their number was inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. But their deaths were not.


    Rain couldn''t help but feel as if they had been beaten without even entering a battle.


    She was tired.


    ...After a few hours, and more deaths, the veil of clouds finally repaired itself. The Song Army took a short rest, most soldiers sitting on the ground quietly, despondent and unable to say anything.


    Then, they continued the march.


    By evening �� or whatever constituted evening in this eternally sunlit hell �� they finally reached the area where the army basecamp was supposed to be established.


    Not everyone had made it that far.


    But for those who had...


    The war was only starting.

 Chapter 1850: War Council

    Chapter 1850: War Council


    The camp of the Sword Army resembled a fortified city that was like a dark stain on the sun-bleached surface of white bone, adorned by a sea of scarlet banners. The vicious jungle had been pushed back and incinerated some days ago, and was only now spreading tentatively from the fissures of the titanic collarbone.


    Tendrils of red moss could be seen here and there, looking like patches of rust on the vast expanse of the bone plain. The sky above was grey and cloudy, yet suffused with blinding light.


    Tall walls surrounded the sprawling avenues of the basecamp, and protected by their impregnable barrier, countless barracks and tents crowded the relatively limited space. The camp was a cauldron of activity, with thousands of soldiers going about their business in a tense atmosphere.


    When one looked at the fortress of the Sword Army, they could hardly imagine that it had not existed just a week ago. However, it was true �� the entire city had been built in a matter of days, not decades or centuries.


    That was what hundreds of thousands of Awakened were capable of when brought together by a common goal.


    There were many among them who possessed potent utility Aspects, and many more who could lend their physical strength and unique Abilities to hasten the construction. So, the city had risen from the ground with a speed that was in no way inferior to how fast the scarlet jungle grew and propagated after being reduced to ash.


    There were two towering landmarks in the sprawling fortress. One was the Ivory Island, which hovered a few meters above the ground, anchored to it by seven colossal chains to remain completely still. The beautiful white pagoda standing on its soil was like a beacon of hope for the soldiers of the Sword Army, raising their spirits every time they saw it.


    The other was the dark rift of the Dream Gate, which tore the fabric of reality apart some distance away. The King of Swords had moved it from Bastion to Godgrave, announcing to the world the gravity of his intent to see the rulers of the Song Domain pay for their transgressions.


    Currently, fresh supplies were arriving at the camp from the waking world.N/ne?w n0vel chap/ers are published o/n


    Sunny looked at the flurry of activity with a frown. It was tremendously convenient, of course, to have a direct logistical connection to the waking world here in Godgrave. The Song Army lacked that advantage, still, which was why they had to scavenge provisions in the jungle or wait for heavily guarded convoys to deliver them across the Moonriver Plain and up the left arm of the dead deity.


    The road Rain had helped build drastically shortened the time needed for each convoy to arrive, true, but it was still a point of vulnerability... one that he personally would be exploiting in the near future, perhaps, by launching raids to break the supply chains established by the Song Army. That was one of the duties the Lord of Shadows had agreed to, after all.


    Nevertheless, he did not like the presence of the Dream Gate here in Godgrave. Not because it was particularly unnerving, but simply because it was a point of vulnerability, as well �� it was just that the vulnerability lay in the waking world, not in the Dream Realm.


    The servants of the Queen could not cross the vast collarbone of the dead god, lay siege to the King''s fortress, and destroy the supplies arriving through the Dream Gate. However, they could easily stage a devastating attack on Valor''s distribution facilities in the waking world, not caring about the collateral damage and widespread destruction such an assault would entail.


    It was simply because his status as a Knight Commander, no matter how bogus, was still technically a real one. Therefore, he had been incredibly surprised to receive orders to attend the strategy meeting along other notable officers of the Sword Army.


    It was both funny and concerning.


    At this rate, he might actually end up leading the warriors of Valor into battle. The probability was infinitely small, but not entirely impossible.


    ''Let''s hope something like that won''t happen. I really don''t want to end up as a hero of the Sword Domain because of some ridiculous misunderstanding...''


    Just then, they finally reached the stone stronghold that stood at the heart of the camp, towering above every structure except for the Ivory Tower and the Dream Gate and resembling a castle. That stronghold was where Anvil of Valor, the King of Swords, held court.


    One would have expected that he would stay in the comfort of the only Citadel the Sword Domain possessed in Godgrave, and Nephis had even been prepared to surrender her living quarters at the top of the Ivory Tower to her adopted father. But Anvil chose to reside in a simple tent while the camp was being constructed, and then moved to this stone keep.


    Sunny could not complain.


    It would have been quite weird to have Neph''s father �� albeit a fake one �� live under one roof with them, especially when they were often getting busy with...


    His thoughts were interrupted when his other avatar arrived in front of the stronghold.


    Sunny stared at the enigmatic and unmistakably sinister figure clad in an onyx armor, the very air around it suffused with coldness and arrogance.


    At the same time, Sunny stared at a delicate young man wearing a vermilion cloak on top of an elegant black mantle, his handsome face practically screaming of softness and lack of strength.


    He remained motionless for a few seconds, and then thought:


    ''... Edgy idiot.''


    ''Pampered fool...''

 Chapter 1851 Talking to Myself

    There was a bit of an eerie pause as Sunny stared at himself from behind the mask.


    The Lord of Shadows stared. Master Sunless �� or rather, Sir Sunless �� paled under his menacing gaze.


    ...Nephis looked at the two of them with a strange expression.


    Eventually, it was Cassie who broke the silence.


    "Greetings, Lord Shadow. I don''t think we had an opportunity to meet in the last few days... please allow me to express gratitude on behalf of Lady Nephis and the Fire Keepers. Your help in the recent battle, while unexpected, was deeply appreciated."


    Sunny turned his cold gaze to her.


    He remained silent for a few moments, then said evenly:


    "There is no reason to thank me... I was just attracted by the smell of slaughter. Who can resist the beautiful fragrance of bloodshed?"


    The Fire Keepers seemed more than a little troubled by his strange words. Sunny spared them a glance, then lowered his head slightly.


    "Greetings to you as well, Lady Nephis, Lady Cassia."


    Then, he looked at himself coldly.


    Was now a good time to establish a distinction between the Lord of Shadows and Master Sunless?


    It wouldn''t hurt...


    He asked evenly:


    "And who might this be?"


    Nephis blinked a couple of times.


    She seemed a little puzzled by the situation. Not only did her suitor possess several incarnations, but two of them were even having a conversation right in front of her. More than that... the conversation did not seem especially friendly!


    Sunny himself was a bit confused about the nature of his peculiar existence, so Nephis must have been positively perplexed.


    Her attempts to hide her puzzlement was behind the usual impassive expression... were quite cute.


    He smiled behind the mask.


    "Oh... this is Master Sunless, an enchanter employed by the Fire Keepers. Sir Sunless, this is Saint Shadow. A Transcendent warrior of great renown, one of the champions of the Sword Army."


    Sunny stared at himself some more, then shrugged dismissively.


    "An enchanter? Never heard of him. He must not be very good."


    Hearing the Lord of Shadow say that, Master Sunless smiled.


    The Fire Keepers glanced at each other.


    "Sorry to tell you this, my lady, but I think you''re the only one who has not noticed. The way he looks at you, it''s... you know, as if he wants to gobble you up..."


    She hesitated for a few moments, seemingly unsure how to respond. Eventually, she asked:


    "You think he''s a cannibal?"


    Sunny struggled between the impulse to cover his face with a hand and the desire to give her a hug. He wasn''t one to point fingers, in that regard, but really... how could she be so adorably clueless?


    ''I mean, she can literally sense people''s desire!''


    One of the Fire Keepers coughed.


    "No, that''s not... anyway, why are we gossiping about the Lord of Shadows? We have Master Sunless right here. Unlike some people, he''s a perfect gentleman, and always maintains proper decorum when gazing at our lady."


    Another nodded.


    "Yeah! If anything, it''s our lady that stares at him like a wolf..."


    Realizing that he said something wrong, the Fire Keeper fell silent and cleared his throat.


    "Well... aren''t we going to be late to the war council? L��let us proceed post-haste..."


    Nephis gave Sunny a curious look and then smiled with a corner of her mouth.


    "Alright. Let''s go."


    When the Fire Keepers headed for the entrance, she fell back, waited until the two of them were a few steps behind the others, and whispered into his ear:


    "So... you want to gobble me up, huh..."


    Sunny made his best effort not to trip.


    After maintaining silence for a few moments and regaining his composure, he smiled pleasantly and asked:


    "...Why? Are you on the menu?"


    Nephis studied him silently, then chuckled and hastened her steps, leaving him without an answer.


    His expression crumpled a little.


    ''No, but I really want to know...''


    Walking into the stronghold, Sunny touched his ear and let out a heavy sigh.


    Sometimes, he really wished that everyone were beholden to the same Flaw as he was.

 Chapter 1852 Champions of Valor

    Chapter 1852: Champions of Valor


    Sunny, as the Lord of Shadows, reached the council chamber before his original body did.


    The room was not quite as impressive as the hall where the King of Swords had gathered all the Saints before the war, but it was also quite spacious. The walls were built from grey stone and adorned with vermilion tapestries, and there was a round table in the middle of the chamber, with forty-two chairs positioned around it. An elaborate enchanted chandelier shone with cold glow above.


    There were already plenty of people gathered inside, and all of them turned to look when Sunny walked in. The Lord of Shadows was still a mystery to most of them, and although the rumors of his fearsome power had already spread far and wide, few knew what to make of him.


    Mostly, they treated him with a mix of respect and wariness.


    He graced them with an indifferent gaze, then walked to the table. No one had taken their seat yet, since the king was not present. Ignoring the unspoken convention, Sunny chose a random chair and sat down.


    ''...Pathetic.''U//ppTodated fr/o/m


    His Shadow Chair was superior to this pitiful thing in all regards.


    Hidden behind the mask, he secretly studied the people who had been summoned to attend the war council.


    There were many Masters and a few Awakened here, but they were mostly meant to observe the discussion and provide insight if any of the true decision-makers had a question having to do with their expertise. The people of real importance were the Saints, and they were the ones Sunny was curious about.


    Most of them hailed from the vassal clans, while some were retained by Valor. Several were members of the royal clan''s branch families, as well, albeit not many.


    The Sword Army possessed slightly more than forty Transcendent warriors. It was less than the Song Domain had, but the Saints of Valor were forged from tougher steel... or at least that was what the public believed. They had more renown, a longer history, and had accomplished more incredible feats.


    However, Sunny was doubtful that they were truly superior to the Transcendent warriors of the Song Army. After all, some of the strongest Saint he knew of were those few people had ever heard about or cared to pay attention to. So, he had a feeling that the champions of the Queen of Worms would give their enemies a nasty shock when the two armies finally clashed in battle.


    Awakened Telle was standing behind her parents. Sunny was pleased to see the [Belated Apology] on Roan''s right forearm �� it seemed that her father really liked her gift.


    ''I''m glad.''


    On the opposite side of the chamber, a gallant man in lustrous armor was waiting calmly for the meeting to start. He was Sir Gilead, the Summer Knight �� a man whose loyalty and noble character were a legend in and of themselves. He was known for his straightforward nature, embodying qualities such as honor, valiance, and devotion.


    Although... after spending some time with the man in the Nightmare Desert, Sunny suspected that there was more to Sir Gilead than blind loyalty. In any case, Summer Knight was one of the strongest and most renowned Transcendent warriors of the old generation. He was, more or less, the personification of what people thought a Saint should be.


    Having someone like that fighting by one''s side was quite reassuring in a dire war.


    These were all the gathered Transcendents Sunny knew personally.


    However, there were a few more that he instantly recognized from hearing about them here and there.


    There was a dashing man wearing a beautifully decorated suit of golden armor with floral motifs in the accents. He was Saint Rivalen of Aegis Rose, also known as Shield Wall �� a distinguished knight known for his gallant demeanor and stalwart character.


    There was also an elegant older gentleman leaning on a black cane. He was Jest of the Dagonet clan �� a former member of the cohort led by the founder of Clan Valor and one of the most experienced Awakened of the Sword Army. Among other things, Saint Jest was known for his peculiar True Name... Not So Funny Anymore.


    Sunny really didn''t know what to make of that fact, however, he was quite curious about the older Saint. They shared the bitter fate of having an extremely weird name, after all.


    There were a few others, as well...


    However, before Sunny could properly study them, the King of Swords arrived.


    The war council was about to begin.

 Chapter 1853 The King’s Speech

    When the king entered, everyone in the chamber straightened... everyone except for Sunny, naturally, who was the only person sitting comfortably on a wooden chair. Anvil spared him a short glance �� which was heavy enough to make Sunny pale behind the mask �� and took his seat calmly.


    Once the King of Swords was seated, the rest of the Saints took their places behind the round table. Because of its peculiar shape, everyone here seemed to be an equal... however, that equality was merely an illusion. Anvil did not do anything, and yet his suffocating superiority was painfully apparent.


    Consequently, those who sat closest to him were above the rest. Morgan sat to his right, while Nephis sat to his left. As for Sunny himself, he was almost on the other side of the table.


    At the same time, he was standing near the wall with the rest of the Fire Keepers. The Masters and a few Awakened who had been invited to participate in the war council did not get a spot behind the table.


    There were a few moments of silence before Anvil''s deep, strangely enthralling voice resonated in the stone chamber. He spoke evenly and plainly, in a strangely calm tone �� as if what he was talking about was a mundane matter, not a war that would shape the future of humanity... or maybe even destroy it.


    "Welcome, warriors of the Sword Domain. We have carved out a piece of this cursed land and established a fortress atop the ancient bones of a dead deity. Our blades are sharp, and our will is triumphant... for now. The forces of Song have had a hard time achieving what we had achieved with relative ease, but there is no wisdom in belittling their valor. Those who underestimate the enemy are destined to fall. The cost of arrogance is death."


    He gazed at them coldly and continued in an indifferent tone:


    "There is no one in the world who knows Ki Song, the Queen of Worms, better than I do. So, I tell you this: there is no end to the insidious schemes woven by that woman. You should prepare yourself to taste bitterness as her machinations unfold. However, I also promise you this �� at the end of it all, we will taste the sweetness of victory."


    Hearing those words, Sunny couldn''t help but sigh.


    At that moment, he suddenly realized how tragic this war must have seemed to the rest of humanity �� for reasons entirely different from the ones he himself had considered before.


    Anvil said that there was no one in the world who knew Ki Song better than him, and it was most likely true. Sunny was used to thinking about these two as nebulous and sinister figures �� as tyrants of immense power who secretly controlled the fate of humanity. The Sovereigns.


    The key to gaining a decisive advantage in that final confrontation were the Citadels scattered across Godgrave. Possessing more of them would allow one of the Sovereigns to manifest their Domain more thoroughly, and make that Domain stronger.


    Therefore, the two great armies were merely tools for taking control of the Citadels.


    Valor was already ahead of Song in that regard, and there seemed to be nothing that could prevent them from widening the gap. With their Sovereign present in Godgrave, the task of subjugating lost Citadels would become much easier.


    Which was not to say that it would be easy.


    Although the King of Swords could already manifest his Domain here, his power was still contained in the immediate area around the Ivory Island. That allowed the camp of his army an incredible degree of protection against external threats, and made the task of venturing into the subterranean jungle less daunting. But the warriors of Valor still had to brave their incinerating expanse of the surface and the dark depths of the Hollows to uncover and conquer the overgrown Citadels.


    As for where those Citadels were located...


    At some point, Anvil paused for a few moments and shifted his gaze to the masked figure sitting on the other side of the round table.


    His voice was calm when he said:


    "Regarding this matter, I will ask the person who knows most about Godgrave to give us an explanation. Saint Shadow... if you will."


    Sunny lingered for a bit, then sighed and leaned forward a little.


    "Sure. Let''s see... for a godforsaken hell unfit to be inhabited by humans, Godgrave has a surprising number of Citadels..."

 Chapter 1854 The Shadow’s Response

    The King of Swords certainly had a commanding presence, but when the Lord of Shadows spoke, it was hard not to pay attention to him as well.


    Both possessed a cold indifference to them, but while Anvil''s voice was calm and regal, Sunny''s was sinister and dark.


    The impenetrable darkness nestling in the eyes of his ferocious mask only made him seem more eerie and captivating.


    Leaning forward a little, he spoke in an even tone... Th.e? most uptod/ate novels a/re published on n(0)velbj)n(.)c/o/m


    Or rather, he pretended to. In truth, he simply activated the enchantment of the Extraordinary Rock and allowed it to repeat what he had spoken aloud earlier, before summoning Weaver''s Mask.


    "There are no more Citadels to be conquered on the surface, and I can''t say anything about the sea of ash below �� even for me, that place is too dire. However, there are several strongholds hidden in the Hollows, which I have scouted out extensively in the last few years."


    Sunny pretended to pause for a moment, then moved his hand subtly.


    Following his command, shadows crawled from the floor and flowed onto the round table like a stream of darkness. There, they solidified and manifested into a flawless model of the dead deity �� a trick he had used once before in front of the Fire Keepers.


    Soon, it was as if a large black skeleton was laying on the wooden surface of the council table.


    There was a wave of whispers in the stone chamber. Sunny allowed it to pass, and then continued coldly with the help of the Extraordinary Rock:


    "I know the approximate location of four Citadels. One is situated in the western part of the Collarbone Hollow, and is the closest one to the war camp of the Song Army. Taking it would, without a doubt, become a priority to them, since they need to conquer a Citadel desperately. The second is located in the central part of the Breastbone Hollow, at an equal distance from both of the war camps �� considering our advantage, we should be able to reach it first."


    Sunny leaned back and crossed his arms.


    "The third is situated far below, in the spine of the dead god. Reaching that one would be much more challenging... all of Godgrave is hell, but the great Spine Hollow is one of the most dreadful parts of that hell, by far. The fourth Citadel is the furthest, and is hidden all the way in the far south, in one of the two Femur Hollows."


    He lingered for a few moments, and then commanded the Extraordinary Rock to speak the last prepared lines:


    "The course of action is clear. For now, it is too perilous to send our soldiers into the Hollows. We need to proceed slowly by conquering the surface and make our way to the center of the Breastbone Plain. From there, we will launch an assault on the Citadel situated below it."


    That was just as expected. During this first stage of the war, both armies would be preoccupied with the laborious task of subjugating the surface of Godgrave. They would move deeper inland, eradicating the jungle and mapping out the major fissures in the ancient bone. Then, fortified outposts would be built near the fissures to stop the jungle from crawling out of the Hollows once again, thus slowly expanding the zone of human control.


    It seemed like a titanic task, to conquer the colossal skeleton, one crack in the bone at a time. But Sunny was not stupid enough to underestimate the tenacity of the human pioneers.


    All regions of the Dream Realm had once seemed impregnable. And yet, humans had slowly conquered them, one after the other �� Clan Valor in particular was responsible for subjugating the vast territory between the Twilight Sea and the Hollow Mountains. The story of their expansionist crusades was the stuff of legends in and of itself.


    And while humanity had never conquered a Death Zone before, its expedition forces had never been as vast, and had never been led by rulers of the Supreme Rank, either.


    So, Sunny had no doubt that the surface of Godgrave would fall into human hands eventually. Perhaps it would take many months, and cost countless lives. But the result had already been decided �� the Sovereigns had willed it, and so, their wills would reshape the world to fit their ambitions.


    He looked at the King of Swords, and at the same time, the king looked at him.


    Anvil remained silent for a moment, then said without any emotion in his powerful voice:


    "While most of us will be paving the road south, you will have another task, Saint Shadow."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow behind the mask.


    "Oh?"


    The King of Swords shifted his gaze to the black skeleton, looking intently at the spot where the war camp of the Song Army was supposed to be.


    When he spoke, his tone contained authority that could not be denied:


    "You will venture to disrupt the enemy''s attempts to conquer the Western Citadel. The location of your own stronghold is quite convenient for launching raids... so, I expect you to deliver good results."

 Chapter 1855 Sudden Assignment

    Considering how fast the road to Godgrave had been built, Rain really should not have been surprised �� but the warcamp of the Song Army was being constructed at astonishing speed.


    Just a few days had passed since they made it to the collarbone of the dead deity, and yet it already resembled a city. Of course, it was mostly a tent city, considering how hard it was to deliver building materials to this dreadful land.


    The lack of materials was not the only problem they faced, either. There was something much more dire slowing down the construction �� the fact that the camp was endlessly besieged from all sides by the vile abominations of the scarlet jungle.


    The jungle might have been pushed back, but it did not disappear. Even after being reduced to ash, it was already crawling back from the cracks in the ancient bone. The sun-bleached surface of the plain was covered by red moss and vermilion grass once again, and one could see the jungle grow and spread at astonishing speed with a naked eye.


    The soldiers of the Song Domain had spent each day battling the constant onslaught of Nightmare Creatures, stalling them until the fortifications were completed.


    Luckily, most of those Nightmare Creatures were newborns. They were immensely powerful and absolutely lethal, but at least the Awakened could contend with them... albeit just barely. When something more terrible emerged from below the ground or was allowed to grow truly dangerous by devouring other abominations, the Ascended officers and Transcendent generals took to the battlefield.


    The Seventh Legion had participated in defending the camp, as well. Rain had lost count of how many arrows she let loose. It was a good thing that she was wearing the Puppeteers Shroud �� its bracer, made from lusterless black leather, was still in one piece. A mundane one would have been already shredded by the string of her powerful bow.


    Tamar, Ray, and Fleur had also participated in the battles, earning more than a few scratches here and there. Luckily, Saint Seishan was an experienced leader and stellar commander, so the casualties suffered by the Seventh Legion were among the lowest among all divisions of the Song Army.


    Still, their first week in Godgrave had been a horrid nightmare.


    ...Invading a Death Zone was just as harrowing of an endeavor as it sounded.


    There were no nights here, so counting days was a bit hard. Nevertheless, Rain was more or less sure that it was currently early morning. She splashed some water on her face in the washroom attached to the barracks and was in the process of preparing breakfast for the cohort when a subtle voice suddenly resounded from her shadow:


    "Rise and shine!"


    Rain turned her head and stared at the shadow.


    She was rarely alone these days, and there were many powerful people in the camp. So, there were few opportunities for her to talk to her teacher �� they had only exchanged a few words since the army entered Godgrave.


    Rain could barely remember the last time she spoke to him so little. She missed her teacher''s company... although, of course, she would never admit it aloud.


    "What happened?"


    He would not have risked exposing his presence without a reason.


    Her teacher sighed.


    "I won''t be able to accompany you for the next few hours. So, be careful... and don''t stand out."


    Rain frowned.


    "What? Why?"


    There was no answer. Instead, Tamar �� who had woken up even earlier �� walked over to the fire, covering a tired yawn with a hand.


    Tamar and Lady Seishan exchanged a few words. They seemed to be acquainted with each other, albeit on a very shallow level �� which was not surprising, considering their backgrounds. Finally, Tamar introduced Rain to the princess.


    Saint Seishan looked at her and smiled elegantly.


    "Awakened Rani. I''ll be in your care."


    Rain felt frozen for a moment, then bowed awkwardly.


    "M��my lady."


    With that, they headed to the command pavilion, which was situated in the heart of the camp.


    As they walked, the wind carried the sounds of battle from the exterior of the encampment. The fighting never really stopped, so Rain had grown somewhat used to it. She still shivered, though, earning a stern look from Tamar.


    ''What? It''s not like you''re not having nightmares almost every night, yourself!''


    She made an attempt to look calm and fell behind Saint Seishan, playing the role of an honor guard... which was a bit ridiculous, really, considering that the task of protecting a Transcendent was not something an Awakened like her could do.


    Soon, they reached the command pavilion �� which was a larger tent reinforced with some masonry �� and walked inside.


    There, Rain almost lost her composure.


    ''D��damnation!''


    The "big meeting" Tamar had mentioned... the Legacy girl seemed to be the queen of understatement!


    The diffused sunshine was pouring through the blue fabric of the tent, flooding its interior with cold light. Bathed in it...


    Was everyone.


    Every Saint of the Song Army, and most of the prominent Masters serving the Queen. There were a few Awakened, as well, most of them escorting their officers like Tamar and Rain were.


    Rain had already been overwhelmed from being in proximity to one Saint...


    But now, she was looking at dozens of them!


    There were other princesses other than Lady Seishan, as well...


    She took a shaky breath and barely managed to regain her composure.


    However, a moment later, that composure was shattered by a sudden, explosive thought.


    ''I''m... I''m not going to meet the queen, am I?!''

 Chapter 1856 Champions of Song

    Saint Seishan did not seem daunted by the astonishing power and status of the people gathered in the command pavilion �� which should not have been surprising, really, considering that she was a princess herself.


    Rain, however, was overwhelmed. There were close to fifty Transcendent champions around her, and each of them possessed a presence. Some auras were subtle, while some were forceful �� they were all undeniable, though, almost making her feel dizzy.


    Or drunk, maybe... in any case, it was an intense feeling.T/his chapter is updat/ed by


    She furtively glanced at Tamar. The Legacy girl was not really showing it, but Rain could tell that she was affected by the wondrous atmosphere of the tent, as well.


    They were protected by the calm presence of Saint Seishan, at least. Without it, their state would have been even worse.


    Lady Seishan walked across the spacious room with her usual elegant poise, greeting her sisters and vassal Saints gracefully as she went. Somewhat relieved, Rain was finally able to look around.


    She regretted it almost immediately.


    ''Ah... that is simply unfair...''


    Everyone around her was chillingly beautiful. It was as if she was in a lavish museum where every sculpture and painting had come alive. She had seen plenty of stunning people before, and was not so bad herself... but surrounded by the nobility of the Song Domain, Rain couldn''t help but feel utterly plain.


    Judging by Tamar''s wistful expression, she felt the same.


    ''Why am I surprised?''


    She was looking at Saints, after all. Competing with a Saint in terms of one''s looks was a fool''s errand.


    Consoling herself that way, she tried to assign the names she had heard to the beautiful faces.


    Rain had heard a lot about the most prominent figures of the Domain while living in Ravenheart, of course. She learned more about them from Tamar in the recent weeks, as well. So, they were not complete strangers.


    Rain knew that Beastmaster had earned that scar somewhere in Antarctica. Awakened did not usually have scars, since their bodies could recover better than those of mundane people, and there were plenty of people with healing Aspects around. The fact that a princess of Song could not erase such a long scar suggested that the wound that had left it was not ordinary.


    Nevertheless, Beastmaster wore it like a badge of honor.


    Rain barely managed to look away and concentrated on a few other people in the command pavilion.


    ''Let''s see. Silent Stalker, Princess Moonveil, Lonesome Howl ... and that must be Revel, the Dark Dancer.''


    Those were four of the remaining five Transcendent princesses. The last one was missing, or at least Rain failed to recognize her.


    Silent Stalker was strangely unassuming. In fact, it was hard to notice her at all �� the woman was standing near the wall of the pavilion, leaning on a support beam and half-hidden in the shadows. There was a silent aura about her, but her gleaming eyes were focused and attentive. She was wearing a black hunting attire.


    Moonveil was delicate and beautiful, with a slender build and a soft, pale face. Her hair was white, and her eyes seemed to glimmer with the afterglow of pale moonlight. She wore a modest dress instead of an armor, but Rain could recognize a fellow archer when she saw one.


    Lonesome Howl was tall, lithe, and full of barely contained bestial energy. Her handsome face was illuminated by a slight grin, and her eyes were full of cocky confidence. She wore leather trousers and a sleeveless vest, leaving her toned, tan arms exposed.


    Lastly... there was Revel, the Dark Dancer, also known as the Lightslayer. She was the first of the Queen''s daughters to have Transcended, and therefore somewhat of a senior to the rest.


    Her hair was raven-black, and her eyes were like two obsidian gems. With her dark clothes, alabaster skin, and exquisite beauty, she was undeniably striking. As for her character, Rain couldn''t tell what the princess was like. All she could see was that there was depth to her gaze, and a subtle coldness to her features.


    If Rain had to say anything, though... it was that Lightslayer looked a little forlorn. As if she was missing something that she would never have.


    ''What a strange thought.''


    Just as Rain thought that, Princess Revel suddenly spoke, her slightly husky voice easily resonating across the pavilion.


    "Let us begin."

 Chapter 1857 Missing Invitation

    Lightslayer was sitting at the head of the table. Bestmaster was to her right, while Lady Seishan was to her left. Since Rain and Tamar were escorting the latter, they were standing behind her chair.


    The former, meanwhile, used enthralled Nightmare Creatures as her escorts. Two ethereal, ghostly figures were drifting in the air behind her, almost invisible in the pale light of the command pavilion �� even knowing that they were subdued by one of the queen''s daughters, Rain couldn''t help but feel uneasy in their presence.


    She was usually in the company of a sinister wraith of her own. Today, however, her teacher had left her alone �� no doubt to avoid being sensed by the plethora of Saints gathered here.


    ...Dark Dancer Revel had come alone.


    She gazed at the champions of the Song Army, remained silent for a while, and then spoke in her subtle, husky voice:


    "Brothers and sisters, all of you should know the situation. Godgrave is a cruel place, and we have suffered from its cruelty. In the days and months to come, we will suffer more, and we will suffer greatly. There is no mercy to be found under this ruthless sky, and no salvation from the perils that besiege us."


    Rain expected that Lightslayer would continue with a "but", but to her surprise, the princess made no attempt to lift the spirits of her comrades. Her rather bleak proclamation simply hung in the air, and the faces of the gathered Saints slowly turned somber.


    Rain and Tamar were just close enough to see Revel sparing a short, almost imperceptible glance at Lady Seishan. After receiving a similarly subtle nod, she smiled coldly.


    "What most of you might not know is how the enemy is faring on the other side of the Collarbone Plain. Let me inform you... the enemy is faring well. They have entered Godgrave and established a fortified encampment without suffering any significant losses. Their fortress is impregnable, and they have no shortage of supplies. They are already moving their forces to carve a path south, aiming to claim a second �� or maybe even a third �� Citadel."


    She paused for a moment, and then added indifferently:


    "The reason for the enviable progress of the Sword Army is rather simple. It is because they are protected by their Sovereign, while we are not. The tyrant, King of Swords, is already here in Godgrave. But my mother is still waiting for us to extend her an invitation."


    Lightslayer gazed at the Saints and finished in an even tone:


    "So, we will dedicate ourselves to conquering a Citadel of our own immediately."


    There was a wave of whispers, followed by a tense silence. In that silence, a deep voice resounded, forcing Rain to look at the far end of the table.


    Saint Dar frowned and wanted to say something, but at that moment, the fold covering the entrance to the pavilion moved, and a new figure entered.


    A petite young woman walked in, wearing a dark robe. There was a hint of innocence on her lovely face, and a strange calmness in her large, glistening eyes.


    In stark contrast to that innocence, however, were heavy drops of blood falling from her slick hands.


    Rain tried not to stare.


    ''The missing princess.''


    The last of the seven Transcendent daughters of Ki Song had finally arrived. She was Hel, the Death Singer �� one of the most mysterious and revered Saints of the Song Domain.


    Despite how ominous she looked, that with fresh blood smeared all across her hands, the young woman was not that sinister. She was a haruspex �� or rather, a haruspicina �� a diviner who received revelations by inspecting the entrails of sacrificial beasts.


    The gathering grew quiet when the oracle appeared and slowly made her way to where Lightslayer, Beastmaster, and Lady Seishan were seated.


    Rain frowned a little.


    ''Come to think of it... how come I don''t know Saint Seishan''s True Name?''


    She had to have one. But, to Rain''s knowledge, no one had ever spoken it aloud.


    Death Singer, meanwhile, reached the head of the table, leaned down, and whispered something into her sister''s ear.


    Lightslayer smiled.


    "Responding to your question, Saint Dar. There is indeed no much sense in rushing into battle. That is why we will split our forces and rush into two battles, instead..."

 Chapter 1858 Precipice

    Princess Hel had not spoken after whispering something in Lightslayer''s ear. She took her seat and remained silent, the blood continuing to drip from her hands to the floor.


    The war council continued for a while, since there were a lot of minor issues that had to be relayed, considered, and ironed out. Rain listened with rapt attention, knowing that what was being discussed in the command pavilion would directly impact, and maybe even decide, her fate.


    And, in a way, it did.


    It really seemed like the Sword Army was on a sure path to overwhelming the forces of Song �� the aggressor that had initiated this vile conflict was far ahead, and widening the gap with each day. Which hardly seemed fair.


    However, the queen''s daughters were strangely calm about the entire situation. Instead of maintaining caution and employing a conservative strategy, like one would when dealing with a superior enemy, they chose to act with an unsettling boldness.


    Eventually, the meeting was over, and everyone who had gathered in the command pavilion hurried outside. There was a lot for them to do.


    Dar of the Maharana clan left with a dark smile on his lips. The Saint of Sorrow spared his daughter a glance, nodded curtly, and walked outside with the same bleak expression. The daughters of Ki Song soon followed.


    However, Lady Seishan remained motionless. So did Beastmaster and Lightslayer.


    Eventually, the three sisters were the only ones left in the command pavilion �� not counting Rain, Tamar, and the wraiths hovering behind Beastmaster.


    It seemed like they wanted to discuss something in private.


    Tamar cleared her throat.


    "Should we give you privacy, Lady Seishan?"


    Their commander looked back and smiled.


    "No need, young Tamar. Just make sure to stay quiet."


    She didn''t specify whether they were meant to stay quiet during the following discussion or about it. In any case, Rain wasn''t going to talk.


    She had already been forced to flee Ravenheart because of knowing too much.


    Lightslayer looked at Tamar, then reached back and pulled up the hood of her dark mantle. A moment later, her eyes were hidden in deep shadow, and a small sigh escaped from her lips.


    "Will you two be able to handle what needs to be done?"


    The three sisters would soon be in command of the split army.


    "Then he can disappear into thin air as well."


    Rain was staring forward, pretending to be a dutiful guard.


    There was a lot on her mind, though.


    ''Appeared out of thin air...''


    Wasn''t that how her teacher had appeared a few years ago?


    She tried not to frown.


    She did not know a lot about the Lord of Shadows, but he and her teacher were strangely alike. They both commanded shadows, for one... there were other similarities, too. She was half-convinced that they were the same person, even.


    However, her teacher had been by her side every day for the last four years, while the Lord of Shadows had been in Godgrave all that time. Well, at least he had been there for two winter solstices in a row, rescuing stray Sleepers. Her teacher had never left her side, and they had been together on those solstices as well.


    So... what?


    Was the Lord of Shadows a similar existence to her teacher? A disembodied shadow that possessed great and strange powers, pursuing mysterious goals? Were they, perhaps, comrades? Or at least had come from the same source?


    ''I should ask Teacher.''


    He would probably answer with some ridiculous nonsense, though.


    At that moment, Beastmaster shifted, looked at Lady Seishan, and asked somberly:


    "What about the other? Has the Prince of Nothing sent any news?"


    Lady Seishan lingered for a while, then smiled elegantly.


    "Oh, yes."


    For some reason, her elegant smile suddenly looked rather sinister.


    Her pleasant, velvet voice resounded softly in the empty command pavilion:


    "...He is about to start."

 Chapter 1859 Untold

    Far away and beyond reach, a vast expanse of rolling water was glistening under the starlit sky. Black clouds were flowing like tattered banners, torn apart by the violent winds.


    Colossal waves were rising and falling, each taller than a fortress wall. Countless bolts of lightning were flashing, branching as they struck the restless surface of the water.


    Illuminated by the veil of lightning that connected its numerous masts to the stars, a titanic ship was waging a war against the storm.


    The ship was at least a kilometer across from port to starboard, but seemed narrow because of its great length. Its ancient hull was made of wood, but had no seams �� it was as if the entire vessel had been created by hollowing out a single branch that spanned more than a dozen kilometers from end to end.


    Although, if there was a tree with branches so immense, severing one would not have been an easy feat. Fashioning a ship out of it would not have been a task for mortals, either.


    The titanic ship was like a city in and of itself. There were dozens of decks, beautiful palaces and tall pagodas built on its surface, and great mysteries hiding in its boundless holds. There were wild groves, rushing streams, and deep lakes.


    And people.


    This was Night Garden, the great Citadel of the House of Night.


    Despite the furious force of the storm, which would have destroyed any other vessel, the Night Garden was moving through turbulent waters with daunting, unstoppable ease. The colossal waves were cut apart by its proud bow and broke powerlessly against its indestructible hull. The branching bolts of lightning struck its masts and were absorbed by them, empowering the ancient ship.


    The terrible abominations that rose from unfathomable depths from time to time to attack the great vessel were consumed by it, becoming parts of its living hull.


    Even in a region of the Dream Realm as strange and deadly as the Stormsea, the people populating the Night Garden were relatively safe.


    Tonight, however...


    Human blood was spilled on its deck, flowing like a river.


    The blood was absorbed by the ancient ship, as well.


    "What... what are you doing..."


    Close to the bow of the ship, an old man was crawling across the deck, leaving a bloody trail in his wake. His voice was full of pain, confusion, and sorrowful disbelief.


    There was a younger man following him with unhurried steps, holding a bloodied knife in his hand.


    There was no emotion on the younger man''s face, and no mercy in his eyes.


    He shrugged.


    "You didn''t have to be stubborn, old man. This could all have been avoided."


    Behind him, a desperate scream tore apart the howling of the storm, and then stopped abruptly. There were more screams further away, some of them full of fear, some of them full of rage.


    But with each minute, there were less and less of them.


    The old man gritted his teeth.


    The avatar hiding in Rain''s shadow was momentarily disturbed, as well.


    When was the last time Cassie had lost her composure like that?


    He could barely remember.


    [What are you talking about? I am in the camp.]


    She answered almost immediately:


    [The Lord of Shadow has to return. Something strange is happening.]


    Sunny looked at the gates of the temple.


    It was a long way from the southern edge of the dead god''s breastbone to the eastern reaches of the collarbone. He could make it relatively fast by abusing Shadow Step, but it would still take considerable time, and drain his reserves of essence.


    Still, Cassie would not have called him back without a reason.


    [What exactly is happening?]


    There was a moment of silence, and then she answered in a tense voice:


    [The House of Night is on the move. The king has summoned Nephis and Morgan. I''ll tell you more the moment I learn it, so hurry... no, wait...]


    Cassie hesitated a little.


    [There is no time. Return to NQSC. I''ll pick you up and bring you back to the camp. That will be faster.]


    Sunny raised an eyebrow behind the mask.


    ''So, they finally decided to act. I wondered when they would.''


    He had a suspicion that the House of Night would not remain on the sidelines of the war despite their desperate efforts to claim neutrality... a suspicion strong enough that it could very well be called certainty. He had known that something like this would happen ever since that clash with the Skinwalker outside Ravenheart.


    Cassie and Nephis knew, as well. In fact, they had accounted for this eventuality in their plans. At the end of the day, it did not really matter to them which side gained an advantage in the war �� because, eventually, both sides would have to be destroyed.


    But Cassie still sounded tense.


    Why?


    Suddenly, he regretted his caution. Maybe he should have tried to infiltrate the command pavilion of the Song Army, after all. Or pressed Rain to share military secrets with her usually disinterested teacher.


    ''There is only one way to find out.''


    Actually, there were many ways to find out. But that was neither here nor there.


    Frowning deeply, Sunny reached into his soul and pulled on the tether.

 Chapter 1860 Turn of Fortune

    There were plumes of smoke rising above NQSC.


    Leaning against a dirty wall in the depths of the outskirts, Sunny looked at the towering black pillars silently. A police PTV sped by, flooding the deep darkness of the night with bright lights of the blaring siren. He hid himself deeper in the shadows and crossed his arms.


    ''Several locations, most of them close to the city center.''


    Fires were not a rarity in NQSC, but not on that scale, and not in the affluent districts at the heart of the city.


    What had happened? Was the agreement to leave the war out of the waking world broken, already?


    [How far are you?]


    There was a moment of silence.


    [Less than a minute.]


    Soon, a luxurious PTV screeched to a halt in front of him. The passenger door opened, and Cassie stepped out of the vehicle, looking a little disheveled. She remained motionless for a few moments, then turned in his direction, winced, and hurriedly smoothed her hair.


    Sunny emerged from the shadows and walked over.


    "What the hell is happening?"


    For now, he was wearing the mask he had fashioned himself. So, it was the only opportunity to have an honest conversation with Cassie �� once they reached Godgrave, he would have to don Weaver''s Mask in order to keep his secrets.


    "Was the compound of Clan Valor attacked? The Dream Gate relay? Storage facilities?"


    She hesitated briefly, then shook her head.


    "It''s all the House of Night. Their strongholds across the city have gone up in flames. It''s total chaos."


    Sunny was surprised.


    "...They were attacked?"


    A deep frown creased Cassie''s delicate brow.


    "For now, it seems like infighting."


    ''What?''


    It took him a moment to process the information. The members of the House of Night were fighting among each other?


    Was there a schism among the leaders of the great clan? Unlike Song and Valor, which were monoliths held together by shared blood and familial bonds, the House of Night had been born from an alliance of a dozen Legacy clans �� a decision dictated by the meteoric rise of the two great families, to a large extent.


    So, he could entertain the idea of internal strife resulting in an open conflict during these trying times.


    However, something did not smell right...


    Sunny had a few ideas about who could have been behind the whole mess, but he was not certain.


    Cassie sent the PTV away and then faced him. Her expression was a little strange.


    The two of them entered under its heavy roof and were immediately guided to a spacious chamber where many Saints had already gathered, all wearing somber expressions on their faces.


    "Lady Cassia, have you received any news? What exactly happened"


    Cassie smiled briefly at the dashing Rivalen of Aegis Rose and shook her head apologetically.


    "I am on my way to see the King. There will be more clarity soon."


    A Knight of Valor arrived, then hurriedly led Cassie and Sunny deeper into the stronghold.


    Soon, they entered a smaller chamber. There were only a few people inside �� all of them among the strongest and most important champions of the Sword Army.


    The King of Swords himself was sitting on an unadorned chair that had been carved out of stone, wearing a cold expression. Morgan was standing behind him, her usual air of polite amusement gone. Nephis was leaning against a wall, her white armor smeared with ash.


    Sunny spared her a brief glance, then looked away.


    There were three other Saints of the Sword Army in the chamber �� Sky Tide, Summer Knight, and Sir Jest of Dagonet.


    There was one more person, as well.


    A handsome man was kneeling in front of the stone throne, his sunken face marked by pain and fatigue. His presence possessed a mystifying depth to it, as if most of him was hidden from sight.


    His dark armor, crafted from the skin of some dreadful leviathan, was severely damaged and bloodied.


    The man had his head lowered, so Sunny could not see his eyes. However, his black hair, strangely enough, had slight accents of dark blue.


    Sunny''s expression changed as he recognized his former friend and comrade, Saint Naeve of the House of Night.


    Cassie, meanwhile, bowed deeply.


    "I brought him, Your Majesty."


    Anvil spared her a glance and nodded.


    "Just in time."


    With that, he shifted his gaze to the Nightwalker, remained silent for a few moments, and then asked in a cold, heavy tone:


    "So, Saint Naeve. I''ve brought you and your people here, just as you requested. Now, I think, it''s time that you give me an explanation. There are reports that the armada of the House of Night is on the move. Night Garden itself has set sail. So, tell me... what, exactly, are your elders scheming?"


    Naeve shivered slightly and lingered for a while, as if gathering courage.


    Eventually, he took a deep breath, straightened, and looked the King of Swords straight in the eyes.


    When he spoke, his voice sounded firm:


    "You are mistaken, Supreme Anvil. My elders are not scheming anything. In fact... they are dead."


    Naeve paused for a moment, and then added hoarsely:


    "They have all been... turned. The House of Night is no more."

 Chapter 1861 Homecoming

    Thick fog shrouded the shores of a nebulous sea. Below it, waves continued their eternal assault on the indifferent barrier of land, dreaming of washing it away. They rustled quietly, just like they had rustled for eons. Not far away, the water was louder �� there, a wide river fell into the sea, a deep inlet created by its estuary.


    Currently, there was a group of riders moving along the shore. Their steeds were Echoes of slain abominations; their enchanted armor was damp with morning dew. Their vermilion cloaks bore the insignia of Clan Valor.


    They were Knights and Squires who had been left behind to protect the fringes of the Sword Domain, currently on patrol.


    As they approached the estuary, the leader of the patrol �� a seasoned Knight in heavy armor �� raised a fist to command the rest to stop. He took a canteen off his belt, drank some water, and then listened to the murmur of waves.


    Dreadful abominations would come from the depths of the Stormsea sometimes and swim upriver, threatening the lands beyond. The weaker ones would be slain in the shallows by patrolmen like them, but if a truly powerful Nightmare Creature emerged from the depths, they would have to retreat and prepare to fight it at Rivergate, the fortress of Clan Dagonet.


    The shores of Stormsea were a strange place. Nights here were much longer than they were deeper inland, and the stars were much brighter. The sun never quite rose above the horizon, drowning the world in ethereal twilight during the day. Time flowed slowly, and life seemed fleeting. In the mornings, white fog veiled the world.


    The Knight frowned and gazed into the fog.


    Today, the sea sounded strange.


    "Summon your weapons."


    The patrolmen did as he said. They Echoes turned to face the shore, each baring their fangs.


    It seemed that a battle was upon them. Some felt tense because most of the Sword Domain warriors had followed the king to war, hoping to punish the wicked queen of Song. Others remained calm �� no matter how many warriors had left, the garrison of Rivergate was still strong, and the fortress itself was still impregnable.


    No matter what horror crawled from the sea, they would deal with it.


    ...A few moments later, however, their confidence was shattered.


    The eyes of the warriors widened, and their faces paled. Even the Echoes seemed daunted, a few of them shrinking back in response to the fear of their masters.


    A vast shadow appeared in the fog, towering above the shore like a dark mountain. Then, it drew closer, dwarfing the world.


    The patrolmen had to crane their necks just to guess the scale of the vague shadow.


    Their captain was petrified.


    "W��wha..."


    Before he could finish the sentence, the dark mountain was almost upon them, its shape finally revealed from the fog.


    It was the bow of a titanic ship.


    "Back!"


    The patrolmen shuddered.


    Their leader gritted his teeth.


    "It''s you! You vile creature... the only thing that we will give you is death!"


    Continuing to walk in their direction, Mordret laughed.


    "I see someone has a very high opinion of himself."


    His laughter stopped abruptly, and he pierced the Knight with an eerie, frightening gaze.


    "But are you sure that you are worthy?"


    A moment later, more figures appeared on the bow of the Night Garden.


    Mordret smiled.


    "Because I have thirteen Transcendent bodies on that boat. I am also the sole ruler of the Stormsea, the master of the Night Garden, and the owner of all the Citadels of the South. Well... I guess, technically, the Citadels belong to Queen Song. But why care about the technicalities?"


    The Knight paled.


    His hands trembled as he raised his sword, and a single word escaped from his lips:


    "T��traitor!"


    The smile disappeared from Mordret''s face, replaced by infinite coldness.


    In the next moment, something whistled in the air, and the Knight fell to his knees. His head rolled off his neck and fell into the sand, which was painted red by the torrent of steaming blood.


    Mordret shifted his gaze to the remaining warriors.


    He remained silent for a few moments, and then smiled pleasantly.


    "One should not forget his manners, don''t you think? Ah, but today is a special occasion. On such a special day, I am inclined to be forgiving. So... the rest of you may go. Go on, run away. Oh, and tell your masters..."


    As the warriors of Valor slowly backed away, then turned to run, he watched them escape silently, and added with a dark gleam in his mirror-like eyes:


    "Tell them that I am coming."


    Mordret closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.


    "...I am coming home."

 Chapter 1862 Puppet Master

    The nature of the war had changed overnight.


    The Sword Domain had dominated the conflict from its very first day. Their army was stronger, their progress was faster. They suffered fewer casualties and gained more benefits. As time went on, their advantage seemed poised to inevitably snowball into an overwhelming superiority. Even though the two armies had not clashed directly yet, the warriors of Valor were already winning.


    All it took was a single person to completely reverse the situation.


    That person was Mordret, the firstborn of the King of Swords �� who served the Queen of Worms now, ironically enough.


    When Sunny first heard Naeve''s proclamation, his eyes widened behind Weaver''s Mask.


    ''The House of Night...''


    After the Chain of Nightmares, the position of the third Great Clan was severely weakened. Without a Sovereign to rule it and a Dream Gate to bring countless settlers to their territory, the House of Night lost the ability to compete against Valor and Song. Its standing and resources were still immense, but nowhere near the power of the two burgeoning Domains.


    Nevertheless, the House of Night had not given up without a fight. Instead, it seemed as though the threat of losing relevance had galvanized the leaders of the lesser of the three Great Clans. In recent years, they had been quite active. More than that, their actions were more decisive, daring, and successful than ever before.


    In just the last two years, the House of Night had laid siege to and conquered seven new Citadels in the nebulous reaches of the Stormsea. Such a feat had been unheard of before, and did a lot to bolster their faltering renown.


    Of course, now that Naeve had spoken, the true reason for these triumphs was revealed to be quite different from what people believed, and chillingly sinister.


    It was not that the House of Night had become more daring or potent. It was just that Mordret had stolen the body of one of its leaders. And then, like a plague, he slowly spread through the ranks of the Nightwalkers, unseen and unnoticed.


    Not only had the rest of the world been none the wiser �� even the members of the House of Night itself had not suspected anything while their rulers were being replaced, one by one. Not even the families of those taken by the Prince of Nothing were able to discover that their parents, children, and siblings had been switched.


    There had been moments of friction and conflict, of course. There had been tension and a feeling of unease, a subtle sense of alienation from those who had been closest before... an eerie feeling that something was not quite right.


    There seemed to be some limit to his Ability, at least �� otherwise, he would have taken everyone, not just the most valued champions of the Great Clan. Awakened warriors and many Masters had been spared, as were the mundane members of their families. A few leaders of the clan had avoided becoming his vessels, as well, for one reason or another.


    Finally, he had revealed himself and took control of the Stormsea once the Sword Army became entrenched in Godgrave, leading a pincer attack on his father''s Domain from the south. That was what had caused the recent bloodshed �� Mordret was cleaning house, eliminating those whom he had failed to possess.


    Sunny was both appalled and impressed. He had suspected that Mordret was facilitating secret negotiations with the House of Night on behalf of Ki Song. What he had not expected was that Mordret would simply... become the House of Night.


    Only three of the Night Saints, including Naeve, had escaped. A few more had been eliminated when Mordret openly attacked.


    Despite that, at least thirteen of them had fallen into his hands. Which meant that the forces of Song had the power of more than sixty Saints on their side now, while Valor only had slightly more than forty.


    Worse than that, now that the Sword Domain was being attacked, Anvil would have to split the forces of his army to prevent his son from conquering his kingdom. That would leave those who remained in Godgrave at a dire disadvantage.


    But that was not all...


    Mordret had not only taken the Saints of the House of Night, he had also taken all the Citadels that used to belong to the third Great Clan, adding them to the Domain of the Queen of Worms, thus breaking the balance vastly enhancing her power.


    Among them was the Night Garden, meaning that Ki Song controlled two Great Citadels now.


    More than that, Mordret was free to conquer the Citadels of the Sword Domain, denying their power to Anvil. Rivergate would probably fall in the matter of days... from there, the Prince of Nothing could easily reach Bastion, or assault other Citadels in the heartland of the Dream Realm.


    The situation was dire.


    However, before Naeve was even done speaking, Morgan cursed and dashed out of the chamber.


    Before too long, the walls of the stronghold shook, and a cacophony of screams rose above the warcamp.

 Chapter 1863 Repercussions

    Naeve had not finished his tale yet when Anvil finally showed a reaction. Before, he sat motionlessly, looking at the kneeling Saint with a cold and heavy expression. His steely eyes remained calm �� Sunny expected the king to display some kind of emotion at the mention of his son, but there was no change.


    Now, however, he finally moved. All Anvil did was give Morgan a glance, but she suddenly cursed and dashed out of the room.


    For a few moments, the stone chamber was enveloped by silence. Naeve looked at the king tensely, not sure what was going on.


    Anvil studied him for a bit before saying evenly:


    "That is enough. I understand what happened now."


    Sunny was leaning on a wall with his arms crossed. He did not turn his head to look at Cassie, but spoke in his mind:


    [There are no mirrors on the Ivory Island, are there?]


    Her response came a few moments later.


    [There are. However, the entire island is protected against that man with special enchantments. The royals themselves set them up... Valor has been preparing to deal with Mordret for a long time, so they have developed many measures.]


    Sunny was somewhat relieved. However, he knew that those measures could not be universal �� since the members of the royal clan had to be personally involved, inscribing the warding enchantments had to be an expensive and intricate endeavor.


    [Make sure that those Fire Keepers that are in the camp remain on the island, then. Those of them who had been with Nephis in the jungle should not try to come back for now, either.]


    His original body was already making sure that Aiko did not leave the Marvelous Mimic.


    Sunny knew Mordret too well, so he had a good idea about what would happen next.


    And indeed, before too long, they heard a cacophony of screams.


    The king did not give any of them permission to leave, and Sunny did not want to expose how vast the reach of his shadow sense was. So, none of them moved.


    Only Naeve seemed to flinch.


    "Your Majesty, what is..."


    However, Anvil silenced him with a heavy gaze.


    Finally, there was a hint of emotion in his eyes...


    That emotion was cold, smoldering wrath.


    "You don''t need to be concerned, Saint Naeve. It is just a minor inconvenience."


    Sunny was not sure if the inconvenience was really that minor. He commended Naeve for being able to sense Mordret''s machinations when no one else had... however, the Nightwalker was too naive to think that his attempts to assemble allies to resist him would have escaped the Prince of Nothing.


    There was only one explanation for why Naeve had been allowed to survive.


    It was that one of his trusted allies �� or a few �� were Mordret''s vessels. He had used Naeve and other asylum-seekers to carry him across the Dream Gate and bring him to the encampment of the Sword Army.


    The extent of damage he would deal depended on how invested Mordret was in wreaking havoc in Godgrave.


    He sighed quietly and looked at Anvil.


    Was the King of Swords contemplating the same problems Sunny was?


    Somehow, he doubted it.


    Eventually, Anvil shifted his gaze and looked at Morgan.


    Everyone in the chamber held their breaths, feeling that his next words could very well change the flow of history.


    The King of Swords considered his daughter for a few moments, and then said evenly:


    "Return to Bastion. Stop him at all costs."


    Morgan smiled faintly, then bowed.


    "How many Saints can I take with me?"


    Anvil simply raised an eyebrow.


    "He is one man. You alone should be enough."


    Morgan''s lips trembled slightly. She straightened and looked at her father with the same faint smile.


    "That man has the company of a dozen taken Saints. Am I supposed to stop him �� all of him �� alone? That hardly seems fair."


    The King of Swords looked away from her and shrugged.


    "If you think that it''s unfair, go and find Saints of your own."


    Sunny was listening to their dialogue with a feeling of incongruity. Why was Anvil so nonchalant? Why wasn''t he sending more forces back to Bastion with Morgan? Was the progress in Godgrave really that important, or did he simply not care about losing control of more Citadels to Mordret?


    If so, why?


    Either the King of Swords had lost his mind, or there was something Sunny was failing to understand.


    Morgan remained silent for a while, then bowed again.


    "As you command."


    She straightened, and then suddenly pointed at Naeve.


    "Oh, look. I found a Saint. Can I take him?"


    Anvil waved his head dismissively.


    "Do with the remnant Nightwalkers as you wish."


    He turned his heavy gaze back to her, studied her face closely, and then added in a cold tone:


    "...Don''t lose to that creature again, Morgan."

 Chapter 1864 Sibling Rivarly

    After Morgan was dismissed, taking Naeve with her, the king had a few words to say to the rest of them.


    The theater of war had changed dramatically, so there were a lot of adjustments that had to be made. The King of Swords himself would remain in Godgrave, and so would all the Saints of the Sword Army �� with the exception of his daughter.


    It did not seem like having one less Transcendent would change a lot of things, but Morgan''s loss could not be measured in terms of raw power. She was the principal strategist of the army and the field commander of its expedition force �� the vacuum her departure left had to be filled by someone.


    Anvil took over the strategy matters himself, and gave Nephis free rein of the expedition force. Her task was simple, but imperative �� to invade the Breastbone Reach and conquer the Citadel hidden in the Hollow below it.


    Sunny''s raiding party was dissolved before even leaving the Nameless Temple. Instead, he was to join the main body of the army and help Nephis take the Citadel.


    After receiving these orders, they were dismissed. Only Jest of Dagonet stayed behind to counsel his old comrade''s son on something none of them were privy to. Anvil would summon the rest of the Saints and inform them of the situation after that.


    Cassie told Rivalen of Aegis Rose to wait for the king''s summons on the way out.


    Leaving the Valor Keep, all three of them �� Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie �� felt rattled. The shift caused by Mordret''s devastation of the House of Night was too tectonic to be fathomed swiftly.


    Sunny glanced at his two companions, and then said quietly:


    "I won''t see you soon."


    With that, he turned around and walked away. There was a residence assigned to him in the camp, so that was where he went.


    Not long after that, he met Nephis and Cassie on the edge of the Ivory Island as Master Sunless.


    Nephis smiled at him faintly and gestured to the great pagoda.


    "Let''s talk inside."


    The Sword Army would be shaken once the news spread... and so would the entire world. Nephis had to leave the camp and take command of the expedition force in a few hours. Sunny would follow her, but Cassie had to stay back. So, they did not have a lot of time to talk face-to-face.


    As they ascended the stairs, Sunny couldn''t help but think about Naeve and the remnants of the House of Night.


    Mordret''s culling had been chillingly thorough when it came to the leadership and champions of the now-fallen Great Clan. Only three of its Saints remained �� the rest were either taken as vessels by the Prince of Nothing or had been killed.


    The situation among the Masters �� the core of the clan''s power �� was a little different. Naeve did not have the exact numbers, but more than two-thirds of them were either taken or lost their lives. Those who remained were here in Godgrave now, with a few stragglers still lost somewhere in the waking world.


    Nephis shook her head subtly.


    [Actually, that makes sense. Every Saint she brings will just become a potential vessel for Mordret... Valor has methods to protect a soul from his Aspect, but no method is absolute. That Master you told me about, Welthe, is proof.]


    He considered the situation soberly, then took a deep breath.


    [Why did he not take all of House of Night? Why was there only one hidden vessel among those whom Naeve brought to Godgrave? Soul Stealer had been able to take millions of bodies for himself. But something is stopping Mordret from doing the same.]


    Granted, Soul Stealer had been in a rather bad shape when they saw him.


    Sunny contemplated for a while. Eventually, his eyes narrowed.


    [There is also the issue of Saints. Mordret is in a unique position �� much like myself �� in that he can control many Citadels at once. In my case, the number is limited by the number of shadows I possess. In his case, it should be limited by the number of Transcendent bodies he controls. Therefore...]


    Cassie shifted to face him and finished his thought:


    [...Unless he takes more Saints, he can only control fourteen Citadels. He can''t go on a rampage across the Sword Domain, demolishing Anvil''s base of power, without releasing his hold on the Stormsea. And there are no Saints left in the Sword Domain.]


    Nephis nodded slowly.


    [That is why he only sent Morgan. He does not want to give Mordret fuel to burn his kingdom down... no, rather, it is inconsequential to him how much the kingdom suffers. As long as the Domain itself is not severely diminished, Anvil will continue prioritizing Godgrave. At most, what he wants is to protect Bastion.]


    And so, Morgan and Mordret were destined to clash again �� this time on the shores of the Mirror Lake, not in the frigid reaches of Antarctica.


    Sunny did not have a lot of hope for Morgan. But then again... laying siege to a daemon''s stronghold was a daunting task, especially if someone like her was defending it.


    His thoughts turned to all the people he had left behind in Bastion.


    How were they going to fare in the middle of a clash between the two Transcendent siblings?


    For now, at least, that was out of his control.


    Sunny sighed, then looked at his companions.


    [So... what does all of this mean for us?]

 Chapter 1865: Into the Fray

    Chapter 1865: Into the Fray


    They did not have a lot of time to talk, so the discussion was brief. Afterwards, Cassie left to have a separate conversation with Jet. Sunny and Nephis were left alone.


    Nephis had just returned from the battlefield, and she would have to leave the camp in an hour or two �� this time, not just to lend her power to the expedition force, but also to become its commander.


    Her armor was smeared by soot, and her hair was blackened by ash. Grime and dried blood stained her alabaster skin... this was a good sign, actually. It meant that she had not been forced to assume her Transcendent form as of late, at least �� otherwise, her body would have been pure and pristine, all the dirt burned away by the incandescent flames.


    Still, now that they had a moment to breathe, Nephis looked at herself, then threw a quick glance at Sunny and left to have a bath.


    Soon, she returned, her silver hair glistening with moisture. She had dismissed the outer layer of her armor, and was now wearing only the thin cloth underlayer, which clung slightly to her damp body.


    Sunny studied Nephis carefully.


    He could tell that she had called upon the power of her Aspect recently �� and extensively, as well. Her condition was not too bad, but there were telltale signs. There was a distant look in her eyes and a hint of coldness written in the graceful lines of her beautiful face. There was an afterglow of immolating flame and a memory of scorching heat in her brilliant presence.


    Nephis had been suffering the torment of her cruel Flaw too much, and too often.


    Sunny sighed. Noticing that she was rubbing her shoulders with a grimace, he raised his hands and smiled.


    "How about a massage?"


    A subtle smile illuminated her face, as well. She nodded silently.


    He moved to her wide bed, while Nephis sat in front of him, leaning on his chest. Sunny placed his fingers on her shoulders and got to work, kneading her tense muscles with masterful ease. From his point of view, he could see the top of her head, the tip of her nose, and the beads of water glistening on her delicate clavicle.


    Her garment was thin, so he could feel the heat of her body. Her skin was silky and smooth. He put more strength into his fingers, causing her to let out a small whimper, and then a satisfied sigh.


    He felt her body relax a little.


    Nephis remained silent for a while, enjoying the massage, and then asked:


    "How come you are so good at this?"


    Sunny froze for a moment before continuing to rub her shoulders. He would have really, really preferred to keep the source of his massage skills a secret, but sadly, his own Flaw compelled him to answer.


    He hesitated for a moment.


    "Well... one of my Attributes makes me particularly good at all kinds of handiwork."


    He paused, then added reluctantly:


    "Oh, and I have practised on myself a lot while wandering the Dream Realm."


    ''Ah. How embarrassing.''


    Nephis let out another contented sigh and closed her eyes in pleasure.


    The answer, apparently, was to conquer a Death Zone and kill a couple of Sovereigns.


    ''...Noted.''


    Nephis finished her food and looked at him silently for a while. Eventually, she said with a hint of a smile in her voice:


    "I am still happy that the Lord of Shadows is coming with me, this time."


    Sunny couldn''t help but raise his chin a little.


    He coughed.


    "Are you? Oh, that guy... he''s not bad, I guess."


    Nephis gave him a nonchalant look and lingered for a few moments.


    Then, she sighed.


    "I wouldn''t mind if he was a little bit bad, though."


    Sunny gave her an intense stare.


    "That can be arranged, as well..."


    ***


    A couple later, Nephis and the Lord of Shadows left the warcamp, accompanied by the returning Saints.


    In those hours, the Sword Army had been shaken by the appalling news. The treacherous Queen of Worms had eradicated the House of Night and took control of the Stormsea. Now, her forces were mounting an invasion from the south, threatening to annex the defenseless rear territories of the Sword Domain.


    Many of the soldiers had families and friends there. They were rattled, dismayed, and frightened.


    Many were scared of what the disastrous attack would mean for them here in Godgrave. The morale of the army suffered a tremendous blow.


    In these circumstances, Nephis had to project an image of absolute confidence. Which she did, instilling the frightened soldiers with a sense of renewed determination and hope.


    Her brilliant figure was like a symbol of bravery and steadfast will. Anyone who saw her couldn''t help but feel something stir in their souls, and straighten their backs unconsciously.


    And so, her flames spread.


    A dark figure that walked by her side attracted much less attention. And yet, those who saw it felt calmer, as well �� albeit for an entirely different reason.


    Changing Star of the Immortal Flame was valiant and noble.


    But the Lord of Shadows, that man... he was sinister and ruthless.


    And now, he was entering the fray.

 Chapter 1866: Cutting the Red Tape

    Chapter 1866: Cutting the Red Tape


    NQSC was in chaos.


    The damage dealt to the city by the bloodshed in the strongholds of the House of Night was minimal, even though some of the battles had briefly spilled onto the streets.


    However, the blow dealt to the morale of the citizens was severe.


    The news of what had truly happened was slow to spread, and this time, even the government propaganda machine was not sure how to handle the unprecedented and ominous event. Because of that, wild rumors were spreading, making already anxious people feel even less secure.


    Granted, the actual truth was, in many senses, much worse than the rumors.


    The streets of the city were strangely desolate. Those people who did venture outside walked with hurried steps. The public transport was enveloped by tense silence... the fires had been put out, but pillars of smoke were still rising into the sky.


    In that subdued atmosphere, a procession of armored PTVs stopped in front of the government headquarters, and a young woman with strange and vivid vermilion eyes stepped out of one of them.


    Usually, Morgan would have changed into an appropriate attire for an official visit, but wasting time on appearances was a luxury she did not have today. So, she was still wearing her battle armor, her red cloak moving slightly in the wind.


    Her hands were encased in intricate gauntlets forged of black steel. The craftsmanship was stellar, but they were still burdensome when trying to perform finer tasks. Sadly, there was little she could do about that.


    Morgan missed her molded leather gloves.


    A small army of guards poured out of the armored PTVs �� most of them were mundane retainers of the clan, so their presence was purely symbolic. It did look like the government compound was about to be besieged, which was the intended purpose.


    Maintaining a calm and slightly haughty expression, Morgan ascended the stairs and entered the stronghold. She heard gasps and saw the government workers in the lobby react to her entrance. Some paled; others were enthralled by her Transcendent beauty. She did not spare any of them any attention and walked forward with confident steps.


    A man with a bit more poise gave her a deep bow.


    "Lady Morgan. Why..."


    She looked at him coldly and saw the man take an involuntary step back.


    "Take me to the council chamber."


    He hesitated.


    He scoffed.


    "Have you come to exchange pleasantries? As you can see, we were in the middle of something."


    His expression darkened, betraying a hint of barely suppressed fury.


    "Thanks to you and your oh-so-great clan."


    He would have been more polite, usually. But today, even someone as seasoned as Wake of Ruin seemed to be struggling with maintaining a cool head.


    Morgan raised her eyebrows, as if sincerely confused.


    "My clan? Surely, you are not blaming the criminal acts of those Song extremists on my family."


    She shook her head in dejection.


    "First, they stage an unprovoked attack on my sister... during a Gate crisis, no less. Then, they massacre the noble members of the illustrious House of Night and throw the world into chaos. It seems to me that my father and the esteemed members of my great family are the only ones who are earnestly trying to stop the villainy of these Song terrorists. And yet, I am not welcomed warmly here. Instead, I am given a cold shoulder..."


    The old man gave her a dark look.


    "Spare me the sarcasm, girl. I''ve been fighting against the Nightmare Spell from long before you were born. I watched the House of Night be established, and now, I''ve seen it fall. Surely, you understand what that means for the fate of humanity... ah, why do I even bother! Maybe you don''t. All of you seem to have lost your minds."


    He shook his head and sighed heavily, suddenly looking even older.


    "...Just tell us what you want."


    Morgan fluttered her eyelashes a few times, looking around the chamber with an innocent expression.


    Her gaze lingered on Soul Reaper, Raised by Wolves, and Nightingale for a fraction of a second longer than it did on the rest.


    Then, she smiled slightly.


    "Well... you see... my father told me to go and find a few Saints..."

 Chapter 1867 Quid Pro Quo

    There were a few moments of silence after Morgan''s remark. Wake of Ruin studied her intently, then scoffed.


    "You can''t be serious..."


    The slight smile lingered on Morgan''s face for a bit, then disappeared without a trace. The hint of levity was also gone from her eyes, leaving behind only cold intensity. Suddenly, the entire chamber felt drowned in a sense of eerie sharpness, as if every edge and surface here suddenly come to possess a keen edge.


    A few of the mundane members of the government elite paled.


    Morgan sighed deeply.


    "Why can''t I be serious? If anything, it seems to me that you are the one who is failing to comprehend the reality of your situation, venerable Saint Cor."


    She slowly looked at the faces of the high administrators of the government and said, her voice devoid of any amusement:


    "The House of Night has been consumed by Song. Their Citadels are conquered, their rulers are dead, and the corpses of their Saints are being worn like suits by a deranged monster. That is what fate has in store for those who foolishly hope to cling to a pretence of neutrality in the war between my house and the Queen of Worms."


    She smiled darkly and added in a voice as calm as it was sharp:


    "You must have already asked yourself this question... what happens to us now that Ki Song has shown her willingness to stop at nothing to win this war? The House of Night had refused to take a side, and in the end, the choice was made for them. Do you really think that the same won''t happen to you? What makes you confident that you won''t be next to be destroyed by her?"


    Wake of Ruin lingered with the answer, as if unsure what to say. His expression was dark.


    Morgan shook her head with contempt.


    "Those who can''t keep up with the current of time will be drowned by it. You are already a step behind, and you already don''t have a choice. Your neutrality is a thing of the past �� now, it is hypocrisy at best, and incompetence at worst. The Great Clans might have started the war, but that doesn''t mean that others can escape it. The fate of humanity will be decided by who claims victory in Godgrave, and that means your fates, too. At the end of the day, the only thing you can decide is which side to submit to."


    The old man glared at her. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he spat angrily:


    "And whose fault is..."


    However, a calm voice interrupted him.


    Soul Reaper Jet, who had remained silent all that time, finally spoke.


    "There''s no point in assigning blame, Saint Cor. "


    Morgan looked at the chillingly beautiful woman.


    Jet was cold and composed, with icy blue eyes and short raven-black hair. Her reputation was more than a little bit sinister, but it was also formidable. Above else, she was known for her ruthless competence.


    Morgan did not know Soul Reaper well, but they had fought side by side in the Battle of the Black Skull and later in the Nightmare Desert. She had a good impression of the government Saint.


    "The fact of the matter is that it did happen, and those Song sisters are quite vindictive."


    Sparing the indignant Saint a smile, she looked back to Soul Reaper Jet and added in a serious tone:


    "The most important reason, though... is that I have something that you desperately need."


    Soul Reaper raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh?"


    Morgan nodded.


    She remained silent for a few moments, and the smiled.


    "...I have the remnants of the House of Night."


    Instantly, there was dead silence in the chamber.


    Her expression did not change.


    "They are all in my care, including a considerable number of surviving Ascended. You should have been panicking about that just before I arrived, more than anything else. Don''t you need them the most to guide naval convoys across the ocean? Without the Nightwalkers, the infrastructure of the waking world will suffer irreparable damage. And I am the one who controls them now."


    Morgan looked at Soul Reaper, then at the Saint Cor, and finally at the Chancellor.


    "Considering the nature of my enemy, I don''t have much use for them. Sending them to fight that man will only make him stronger. But... I do need powerful Transcendent warriors to help me defend my father''s Domain."


    There was a long stretch of silence. Morgan remained motionless, her body relaxed. Her expression did not betray any emotion.


    Eventually, the Chancellor let out a heavy sigh.


    "With how many Awakened have been taken away by the war, the situation in the waking world is dire as it is. Someone has to defend the population centers against the opening Gates and lead our troops. So... three. Three of the government Saints will lend you their support, Lady Morgan. No more."


    She studied him for a moment, then nodded with grace and decorum.


    "Pleasure doing business with you, Chancellor. Time is of the essence, so forgive me if I don''t linger to attend the formalities. I''ll be taking those three Saints immediately."


    The man stared at her darkly for a bit.


    "...The pleasure is all mine, Lady Morgan."


    Neutrality, indeed, was a myth.


    If it had not been before, it was now.

 Chapter 1868 Expedition Force

    The encampment of the expedition force was much different from the base camp of the Sword Army.


    It was busy and immense, too, surrounded by a palisade and with countless Awakened guarding its walls. However, its scale was much smaller, and there were no permanent buildings �� the encampment moved with the soldiers, who pushed deeper into the lethal expanse of Godgrave every few days.


    There were no Ivory Tower or Dream Gate, either, so nothing obscured the sight of the cloudy sky. The radiant clouds were always there, above the soldiers, reminding that that fiery death was only a gust of wind away.


    The stretch of the bone plain between the advancing army and its main camp had been cleared of the predatory jungle. The jungle had been defeated, subjugated, and burned to ashes.


    The fissures leading to the Hollows, the source of the scarlet infestation, were now surrounded by garrisons of human soldiers. Those soldiers served as ruthless eradicators, continuously destroying the tendrils with which the jungle desperately reached toward the surface again and again.


    Denied the light and warmth, the starving Hollows were already changing. The Death Zone would launch a counterattack on the human invaders one day soon, no doubt �� but by that time, the authority of the Sovereigns would already spread into the depths of the dead god''s bones. Therefore, the dreadful Hollows would be subjugated, as well.


    Sunny, Nephis, and the Saints of the Sword Army moved swiftly from one extermination outpost to another, reaching the expedition force encampment in a few hours �� the same journey would have taken Awakened soldiers many days, but they possessed much greater speed.


    The current location of the camp was close to the edge of the Collarbone Plain, in the spot where the Eastern First Rib passed below it. So, Sunny could see a sea of vermilion leaves stretching south far below him, connected to something that looked like an ascending mountain range in the distance.


    That was the great Breastbone Reach �� the goal of the expedition force.


    The Sword Army could have followed the collarbone west to where it eventually connected to the Reach, but crossing to the First Rib and traversing it would save them several days of grueling combat. So, a lengthy lift was currently being constructed on the bone slopes, leading all the way to the jungle below.


    The jungle itself was aflame, and a wall of smoke was rising from it into the radiant clouds.


    Godgrave was a sweltering place despite the overcast sky, but here, the air was even more sultry. Sunny could feel beads of sweat rolling down his skin under the stonelike carapace of the Onyx Mantle �� most of the Saints had dismissed the outer layers of their armors, wearing light clothes, but sadly, he could not follow their example.


    He could enjoy the view of Nephis out of her latest suit of plate armor, though, which was a consolation.


    Sunny spared a glance to the burning expanse of the First Rib, and then followed her into the encampment.


    The mood here was much more heavy and subdued than in the base camp. The authority of the King of Swords did not spread this far west, so the soldiers were on their own. There were tents and temporary buildings, but many were simply sitting on the ground, covered in soot and with exhausted gazes. Dents and cracks covered their armor, and many were smeared with dried blood.


    Those with serious wounds would have been tended to by the healers, but minor scrapes were not worth the waste of essence �� at best, they would receive mundane treatment. The injuries and the fatigue slowly accumulated, as did the mental trauma of having to battle the dreadful abominations of the jungle every day.


    The lack of nighttime, meanwhile, was wreaking havoc on people''s sleep and perception of time.


    Everyone here could not wait for their turn to rotate back to the main camp of the army, where they could rest and recover in relative safety, away from the nightmarish, incessant dread of the scarlet infestation.


    She faced the Saints and said evenly:


    "We will split the expedition force into three war parties. One will be led by me, one by Sir Gilead, and the last one by Lord Shadow. The first party will lead the offensive charge while the other two rest. Every eight hours, a fresh force will replace the spent one. By advancing in three shifts, we will be able to maintain a much faster pace. Additionally..."


    She moved her finger to a particular spot on the map.


    "We will shift the target area of the expedition from the great fissure near the Third Rib to this minor one close to the Second. The subjugation force will have to travel further through the Hollows in order to reach the assumed location of the Citadel, but it will save us a good week of fighting against the jungle."


    There was a wave of whispers among the Saints. They seemed to have accepted Neph''s plan, despite its dire implications. However, another issue was on their minds.


    Eventually, it was Saint Tyris who spoke, not mixing words.


    "We trust you and Summer Knight, my lady. Both of you have proven your competence and valor on countless occasions... however, Lord Shadow is a stranger to us. More than that, he is a mercenary. Why put him in charge of the third war party?"


    Nephis met Sky Tide''s cold gaze calmly.


    Her answer was simple:


    "Because none of you can defeat him in a fight. Any more questions?"


    The Saints looked at each other silently. After a while, they shook their heads.


    Saint Jest of Dagonet gave Sunny a curious gaze.


    The old man smiled amicably and asked in a light tone:


    "Are you really that great?"


    Sunny stared at him from behind Weaver''s Mask, then shook his head.


    "Who, me? I don''t even know how to hold a sword. The pointy end should be aimed at the enemy, right? Or wait... was it the other way around?"


    Saint Jest gave him a long look.


    "Goodness gracious. Finally! Someone with a sense of humor..."

 Chapter 1869 War Machine

    A few hours later, the great war machine of the Sword Domain was set in motion. The encampment surged as a myriad of soldiers were called upon by the foreboding rumble of the war drums. Dozens of legions were gathered into march formations and ventured outside the stronghold walls, making the ground shake.


    The tents were taken down, the temporary buildings disassembled. Even the tall palisade itself was being dismantled �� the sharpened stakes would be transported with the army and raised to form it anew at the next campsite.


    Awakened warriors were moving in a strangely orderly chaos. Countless Echoes were on the move, as well �� some pulling heavy wagons, some to accompany their masters into battle. The enormous scale and somber spectacle of it all were nothing short of daunting.


    Feeling the booming sound of the drums reverberate in his bones, Sunny could not help but let his heart respond to the low, stirring beat. The blood flowed faster in his veins, growing hotter �� and yet, a sudden chill brushed against his skin.


    He had witnessed the start of the subjugation campaign from the Ivory Island, but he had not observed the expedition force in action until now. It was a grand, grim, and unforgettable scene.


    ''...Damnation.''


    Sunny was no stranger to war, and had participated in his fair share of massive military engagements. But even the most large-scale battle in Antarctica could not compare to the subjugation offensive of the Sword Army in terms of impact, awe, and sheer scale.


    Meanwhile, he was meant to be in charge of a third of this grandiose combat force. Sunny was one of the most seasoned fighters of humanity and had rich experience commanding troops, as well. Still, he spared a few moments to appreciate how bizarre and unsuitable the fact that he had been entrusted with this duty was.


    But then again, a war like this one had never happened before. So, there wasn''t really anyone fit for this responsibility out there �� not in the Sword Army, and not among the enemy champions.


    He was no worse than the best of the best.


    If there was one glaring flaw Sunny possessed, though, it was that he was not as well integrated into the expedition force as Nephis and Summer Knight were. Luckily, he was in charge of the third war party, which meant that he had sixteen hours to observe the other two in action and familiarize himself with the warriors he would be leading into battle.


    The geography itself presented him with a great view of the expanding battlefield. Far below, the jungle covering the surface of the First Rib had already been reduced to ash, and was now spreading anew from the fissures in the ancient bone. One could see with the naked eye an onslaught of vermilion growth devouring the white surface of the lowlands.


    The scarlet infestation was spreading from several sources, expanding swiftly in every direction. Here and there, the stains of vibrant red grew large enough to merge, forming vast stretches of the recovering jungle


    Far below, there were flashpoints of fearsome violence ahead of the steadily advancing formation. These flashpoints were centered around the Saints and the elite forces supporting them �� they were the ones who eliminated the most dangerous foes, faced the most dire threats, and made sure that the war party only fought against perils that it could handle.


    The bloodiest and most fearsome flashpoint was where Nephis and the Fire Keepers fought. White flames were rolling like waves, and entire swathes of the jungle were obliterated, the corpses of the abominations teeming in the scarlet undergrowth turning to ash.


    Nephis moved strategically from one crisis to another, solving them before the danger could befall the main formation. The pace she set was truly unforgiving �� she had to face and destroy lethal horrors and insidious hazards without reprieve, one after another.


    The dire onslaught of them was both constant and appalling, and even with her great power, she could barely meet the deadly demands of the battlefield. That was why she also directed the rest of the Saints accompanying the war party, sending them to handle those threats that she herself could not reach in time like a nimble conductor.


    As long as Nephis did her part well, there was no need for her to personally involve herself with the main formation.


    Sunny frowned behind the mask.


    He could do that, as well. The problem was that the intensity of the battle was truly chilling... and while Nephis was holding fast for now, she still had seven hours to go before Summer Knight and the second war party replaced her tired troops.


    And this was only the first day of many. The bloodshed would not pause until they crossed the First Rib, ascended the Breastbone Reach, and pushed the jungle far enough south to reach the designated fissure.


    By Sunny''s calculations, each war party would have to lead the charge at least a dozen times... or, much more likely, north of twenty. Would the soldiers endure the hellish marathon? What about the Saints?


    There was another issue, as well...


    Nephis had the Fire Keepers to support her and assist the other Saints in her party. A core force of seasoned elites who helped her stay in control of the battlefield. Sir Gilead had a similar group of elites supporting him, as well �� the most seasoned and skilled veterans among the Knights of Valor would follow him into battle.


    Sunny did not have a force like that, though.


    Instead, he had Saint, Fiend, and Serpent...

 Chapter 1870 Career Advancement

    Eventually, it was Sunny''s turn to enter battle.


    By then, the expedition force had already pushed the jungle many kilometers away from the slopes of the Collarbone Plain. A temporary camp was established near the system of massive lifts that the army had used to descend to the lowlands, and the soldiers from the first war party were fast asleep despite the suffocating heat, their tired bodies covered in sweat.


    Flakes of ash were swirling in the air.


    By then, Sunny had replaced Weaver''s Mask with [Definitely Not Me], shaping the lesser Memory to resemble the Divine one. After some hesitation, he also commanded it to change the color of his hair to white.


    It was a bit nostalgic. The reason for the sudden masquerade was entirely pragmatic, though.


    After observing Nephis and Gilead lead their parties into battle, he realized that it was important to not only kill the Nightmare Creatures, but also to be seen killing them by the soldiers �� the very sight of their commander fighting could instill the warriors with strength, provided that the commander was a menacing presence on the battlefield.


    Both Nephis and Summer Knight were highly visible wherever they went. Nephis had her white armor, silver hair, and blinding radiance. Sir Gilead was simply made of light when he assumed his Transcendent form. Sunny, however, was like a mass of darkness when he fought. Considering his dire mobility, the soldiers would barely be able to tell where he was.


    Therefore, he used the enchantment that [Definitely Not me] had inherited from Autumn Leaf to change the color of his hair. Hopefully, that was going to alleviate the problem somewhat.


    Sunny had also discussed the upcoming battle with the Saints assigned to his war party. There were eight of them, all hailing from the vassal clans of Valor. He had no prior impression of most of them, except for Saint Rivalen of Aegis Rose �� who was either the father of the young Master Tristan, whom Sunny had beaten in a duel once.


    Saint Rivalen, also known as Shield Wall, possessed an Aspect that excelled in defense and terrain control. Both were useful qualities in a battle such as this, so Sunny had high hopes for him.


    He had almost expected that the proud Legacy Saints would be reluctant to obey a stranger with no background like as himself, but they accepted his authority silently. The words spoken by Nephis seemed to have had the desired effect �� all Transcendents were warriors tempered by countless life-or-death battles, and those who had met death respected strength above all else.


    They were also professionals, and knew the importance of discipline for a military force. In battle, there was no time to second-guess your orders and question your superior �� to survive, one had to trust their commanders and hope that those above them knew what they were doing.


    Luckily, Sunny was well-versed in all things having to do with slaughter.


    The war party set forward long before the agreed-upon time, marched across the scorching surface of the bone, and assembled into a battle formation behind the combat line.


    Sunny took a deep breath and looked at the furious battle raging ahead.


    "Go!"


    The Saints rushed forward.


    Retreat was always the trickiest maneuver to perform without letting it descend into a massacre, but the Sword Army was trained well enough to perform it flawlessly. One Sunny and his Saints entered the fray, a war horn wailed across the jungle, and the exhausted soldiers of the second war party slowly disengaged, moving back and passing through the ranks of the third party like water through a sieve.


    But Sunny did not see any of that.


    Gaining terrible speed, he sent a pulse of essence into his muscles and pushed himself off the ground, soaring into an astonishing leap.


    He shot over the battle formation of the second war party, the line of Echoes moving in front of it, and a wide stretch of the scarlet jungle beyond, landing with a thunderous boom on the crawling carpet of red moss.


    Immediately, there was movement all around him, the jungle coming alive to consume and digest the invader.


    Sunny reached into the shadows and pulled a black odachi out of them, raising it into a high stance.


    Suddenly, it struck him that the humbly named "war party" was, in fact, larger than the entire First Evacuation Army, at least as far as the number of Awakened warriors went... and much more powerful.


    And he was in charge of the whole thing.


    ''...If that is not a career advancement, then I don''t know what is.''


    Sunny extended his shadow sense far and wide, then took a step forward.


    ''Let''s do a good job.''

 Chapter 1871 Shadow of Death

    Sunny allowed his shadow sense to expand like a tide, enveloping the entire battlefield. The battle line established by the previous two war parties stretched across many kilometers, so an avalanche of information instantly poured into his mind, threatening to overwhelm him.


    There were tens of thousands of soldiers, each using a unique Aspect. Awakened, Masters, and Saints. There were countless abominations, as well, ranging from lumbering monstrosities to vast swarms of tiny vermin. There was the jungle itself, too �� moving, growing, hungering.


    The clash of it all made a myriad of shadows dance in a staggering mayhem of motion, making Sunny draw a heavy breath.


    Luckily, he had long learned how to deal with his Transcendent senses. Staying in the outskirts of NQSC had been a harsh lesson, but an effective one �� Sunny knew how to cast the net of his perception wide, but only pay attention to important details.


    After all, people were not usually overwhelmed by looking at a busy image. They simply saw what they needed to see, and filtered out the rest.


    A few heartbeats later, he was aware of what was happening across the entire battlefield. It did put a strain on his mind, but in return, the level of awareness Sunny now possessed was unmatched �� a priceless quality for a military commander.


    The second war party was retreating, the third party was advancing. Summer Knight and his Saints were disentangling themselves from the enemy and leading their retinues back. In turn, Sunny and his Transcendent champions were supposed to cover their retreat.


    ''Good. Good...''


    Sunny smiled behind the mask.


    Life had been so complicated lately, but battle... battle was simple. It was kill or be killed, with nothing between.


    The jungle was boiling with abominable life all around him. Even though it had only recently crawled back to the surface from the Hollows, the scarlet foliage was already thick, and all kinds of creatures were rushing in his direction.


    His war party had its work cut out for it, but these infantile horrors were not for him to deal with.


    Some distance away, spread out in the jungle, the Saints were already engaging with the enemy.


    Sunny took another step forward, and his shadows suddenly split, separating into three inky silhouettes.


    Then, the inky darkness surged.


    The most fierce, ruthless, and lucky of them became strong enough to descend into the Hollows, away from the annihilating radiance of the sky,


    and compete with the dreadful abominations dwelling there for a spot in the nurturing twilight. The Hollows were so dangerous because there was no natural limit to the lifespan of the Nightmare Creatures there �� only their own savage instincts and hunting abilities.


    The jungle on the First Rib had been burned away recently with the help of Saint Tyris, so most of the abominations facing the expedition force were still comparatively weak. However, there were exceptional cases even among them. The most dire danger, though, were the old Nightmare Creatures that had lost the competition for food and resources in the Hollows.


    Driven by hunger and desperation, they sometimes climbed back to the surface to satiate their hunger by preying on the weaker abominations.


    Their situation might have been desperate, but their power and experience could not be underestimated. The Awakened soldiers had no hope of standing in the way of these old monsters, so they had to be eliminated at all costs.


    The creature Sunny had senses was one of these seasoned predators.


    Emerging from the shadows, he barred the path of the vile creature. One look at it, and Sunny''s expression turned somber.


    ''A Great Monster.''


    The Great Monster was gaunt and weakened, its body covered in festering wounds. Its power seemed to be greatly diminished, and honestly, it looked on the verge of toppling to the ground, dead. The Hollows must not have been kind to this dreadful creature in recent years �� or maybe even decades.


    But a dying beast was often the most dangerous. There was a feverish gleam in the bloodshot eyes of the abomination, and a hint of predatory cunning in its demented gaze.


    Sunny himself, meanwhile, was not in his best state. His three shadows were out there accompanying Saint, Fiend, and Serpent, so he was devoid of any augmentations. All he had was his raw strength as a Transcendent Terror.


    And his skill.


    And, of course...


    ''My will.''


    He was the shadow of Death, after all. If he willed something to die, his determination had to be worth something.


    ''Then, die.''

 Chapter 1872 Burning Bright

    The Great Beast resembled an enormous, emaciated tiger with black fur and red stripes. No... the red markings on his gaunt body only looked like stripes. In truth, they were festering wounds that revealed vibrant red flesh and the sprouts of tall, blood-red grass growing from the rotting meat.


    There were motes of crimson light drifting above the grass, made pale by the radiance of the Cloudveil. Those motes were living beings �� tiny fireflies that fed on the Monster''s blood and propagated in his infested flesh. Sunny felt a wave of revulsion wash over him when he recognized the vile nature of the beautiful shimmer.


    The great tiger must have looked breathtaking once, in the dim twilight of the Hollows. But now, it had been reduced to this ghastly and hideous state.


    At the same time, Sunny felt a pang of regret.


    He wanted to learn the creature''s name. But, sadly, the Nightmare Spell was silent �� once he killed the enemy, its familiar voice would not whisper into his ear, revealing a hint of the Great Monster''s story.


    He had never seriously considered it, but it was really a shame, to kill enemies without learning anything about them.


    At least their shadows remained in his Soul Sea as silent reminders that they masters had existed once.


    He almost called upon Cassie to ask her to take a look at the Great Monster, but then abandoned that thought. She must have been busy with her own important tasks �� now that Mordret was on the verge of ravaging the Sword Domain, Clan Valor would lean heavily on their Seneschal and best diviner.


    Even though Cassie could not see the future anymore, her Aspect was still capable of revealing the secrets of the present and the past to her.


    So, he did not want to bother Cassie unless the enemy he had to deal with was at least a Devil. With those, knowing about their unholy powers in advance could mean the difference between life and death.


    A Great Monster, meanwhile, was nothing more than a dreadfully powerful, rabid animal. The world might bend to its will, but that will could not be too sophisticated.


    This one in particular was severely weakened, on top of that.


    ''Fiend...''


    Making sure that the Great Monster''s bloodshot eyes caught the sight of him, Sunny raised the odachi and dashed forward. He was weaker and slower than the abomination �� but that did not matter.


    Because he could sense the movements of the Monster''s shadow, and dive into its corrupted mind. Using Shadow Dance,


    he could somewhat guess where the tiger would strike, and when.


    A moment before the giant paw of the mighty tiger shattered his armor and broke his body, Sunny turned into a shadow and slid under the terrible claws. A moment later, he assumed his corporeal form again and delivered a swift strike to the chest of the enormous creature.


    His odachi did not deal a lot of damage, but it did cut deep �� he had aimed for one of the open wounds on the body of the abomination, bypassing the adamantine barrier of its tough hide.


    Sunny was sweating under the Onyx Mantle. Actually, it was quite incredible... that armor granted him an unreasonably high resistance to the elements, and he was a Saint on top of that. Despite that, the suffocating heat of Godgrave made him sweat more than he had in the last four years.


    It was as if the incandescent abyss above and the heat emanated by its ruthless radiance did not care about the natural course of things.


    ''Ah... how annoying...''


    Sunny dashed back to avoid another furious attack of the black tiger. The abomination shot past him, landed on the moss, and spun around like a deadly whirlwind. Its tail whipped in the air, toppling dozens of twisted trees.


    At that moment, however... Sunny slipped.


    He seemed to lose balance as his leg slid awkwardly, and at the same time, blades of scarlet grass crawled up the polished onyx of his greave, rooting him in place. He tried to free himself, but fruitlessly �� it seemed that, for the moment, he was trapped.


    The Great Monster lunged at the helpless prey...


    ''Just where I wanted you.''


    And then, a towering figure of polished black silver exploded from the jungle, colliding with the creature''s side.


    Fiend tore into the flesh of the Great Monster with all his four hands, easily slicing through its adamantine hide with dagger-like, glowing red claws. The black tiger let out an agonized wail as he was ruthlessly butchered.


    Sunny would have had to work harder to achieve the same result, but in theory, he was capable enough to cut down the Great Monster himself.


    However...


    Those crimson fireflies were giving him a very, very bad feeling. He was not only worried about himself, but also about the soldiers that would pass the carcass as the offensive continued.


    Therefore, he had lured the abomination toward Fiend.


    Sunny''s personal Supreme Devil, meanwhile, opened his terrifying maw. More infernal glow spilled from it, and then, he breathed out a powerful stream of sinister red flame. The hellish fire enveloped the convulsing tiger, vaporizing its blood, incinerating its flesh, turning the sprouts of crimson grass to ash, and most importantly of all, annihilating the swarm of beautiful fireflies.


    Sunny stopped pretending to be trapped and easily tore his leg free.


    Sensing a trickle of shadow fragments enter pour into his soul, he smiled darkly.


    ''That''s better...''

 Chapter 1873 Shadow Commander

    Of course, the battle did not end with the death of the appalling Great Monster �� it was only just beginning. Sunny remained calm and collected as he extended his senses across the vast battlefield, submerging himself into its violent immensity, and determined his next prey.


    In moments like these, he had to be strategic. Every step had to be deliberate, every action had to be precisely calculated. He had to be effective, but above that, he had to be efficient �� both in his own actions and in how he used the people and tools at his disposal. Otherwise, the battle formation would not be able to contend against the overwhelming force of the enemy sooner or later.


    The authority vested in him was great, but the threat facing the war party was greater. If he wanted his army to prevail, he had to be surgical in how he moved around the battlefield and had to command his champions with both finesse and foresight.


    Luckily, Sunny already possessed a decisive advantage when compared to other generals �� his detailed, comprehensive, and instantaneous awareness of everything that was happening on the battlefield. While not as blatant as his other powers, his shadow sense was a miraculous ability. It was, perhaps, the one power that made him seem like a demigod the most.


    ''...I''m a general now?''


    Sunny left the smoldering remains of the Great Monster behind and rushed to his next appointment. It was to help Shield Wall deal with the Corrupted Tyrant that the Saint was struggling against �� which would take a few minutes, at most.


    After that, the battle turned into a blur.


    He moved across the battlefield like a shadow, emerging from the darkness to clash with the most dangerous foes spawned by the scarlet infestation. Ghastly beasts, vast swarms of abominable vermin that flowed like a tide, grotesque plants that sprawled across hundreds of meters, waiting for prey to walk into their hungry maws or grabbing them with thorny vines... after a while, Sunny felt his curiosity wane.


    He could not even be bothered to remember the endless parade of deadly horrors he had to destroy, let alone wonder what they were called. All he wanted was to cut them down as swiftly and safely as possible, then move on to the next crisis.


    As time went on, Sunny was drawn into the cadence of the battle. He should have grown tired, moving slower and with more caution �� but instead, he had only become more ruthless, deadly, and domineering.


    His black odachi was like a harbinger of death and devastation. Wherever the figure in onyx armor appeared, severed corpses fell to the ground, and blood flowed like a river, quenching the boundless thirst of the scarlet moss.


    then set the jungle aflame and advanced once the scarlet taint was reduced to embers and ash.


    The air was suffused with unbearable heat.


    Sunny and the Saints, however, were fighting ahead of the battle formation. Therefore, they often found themselves surrounded by smoke and fire, fighting the most dreadful abominations amidst the burning jungle. The world was like a dark, fiery hell... if hell was sprawled on the bones of a dead god and wanted to consume them.


    Despite that, the eight Saints under Sunny''s command remained undaunted. He had to give credit where credit was due �� these men and women were made from sterner stuff. Even though even a Transcendent was not safe in the dreadful hell of Godgrave, and all of them were struggling to contend with the dire perils of the scarlet jungle, none flinched in the face of danger.


    Instead, they held fast and tenaciously overcame one nightmarish challenge after another, showcasing stalwart excellence.


    Each was a force to be reckoned with... better yet, each was unique, possessing powerful Aspects, mighty Transcendent forms, and fearsome battle arts �� especially the minority of them who had become Saints before the Chain of Nightmares, and had therefore spent much more time coming into their power.


    Sunny was not arrogant enough to tackle every obstacle personally. He knew that he had to pace himself, but more importantly, he knew to use the best available tool to solve a problem.


    Just like in the case of the Great Monster he had slain at the start of the battle, the fact that he could defeat an enemy did not mean that he was the best person to do so. His Aspect was inherently flexible, but depending on the situation, someone else could very well be a more optimal choice to deal with it �� like Fiend had been in the clash with the Black Tiger.


    Sunny was not a lone warrior today. He was a commander.


    Therefore, he used the tools at his disposal �� the Saints �� with calculated finesse and frugal efficiency. Time, effort, and human lives �� those were the resources he could not waste, and had to make sure that as little of them as possible was expended.


    ...Of course, the most effective tools at his disposal were his Shadows.

 Chapter 1874 Lord’s Lieutenants

    Sunny did not shy away from using the power of his subordinate Saints, but there was a limit to how effectively he could handle them. After all, they were spread across the long frontline �� even though he could move with startling speed, he still had to reach a Saint and explain what he wanted them to do, which took time.


    His Shadows, however, answered his mental command and knew exactly what he wanted from them without the need to use words. In addition to that, each of them was also more fearsome than any of the Saints under Sunny''s command.


    Therefore, they acted as the three pillars of the entire offensive, moving ahead of the soldiers to defend them from the more powerful foes.


    Unlike Sunny, who moved constantly from one threat to another, his Shadows mostly remained in rigid positions relative to the battle formation of the war party, and drew the threats to themselves instead.


    Saint defended the left wing of the battle formation. The graceful stone knight fought with methodical and ruthless precision, but left utter devastation in her wake. Her black blade was elegant and chillingly lethal, using the least amount of effort and motion to deliver fatal wounds to the Nightmare Creatures attacking her in a constant flood.


    Her shield, on the other hand, was barbarous and savage. When it was not blocking an onslaught of devastating blows, it was crushing and mangling the bodies of abominations like a wrecking ball made of pure darkness. Its black surface was slick with blood, and its rim had a few dents in it �� however, her shield did not yield, just like Saint did not yield.


    Her movements seemed unhurried, but somehow, the tide of abominations that would have drowned anyone else never seemed to overwhelm her. She moved through it with indifferent grace, and severed bodies fell to the ground everywhere she went.


    Blood flowed, severed limbs and mutilated corpses littered the smoldering moss, and frenzied roars shattered pitifully against her cold, indifferent silence.


    Serpent defended the right wing of the battle formation. Its presence was not the most striking, but it was the most eerie �� Sunny''s soul companion rarely stayed in one shape for a long time, switching between them to respond to the situation in the most fitting way.


    Sometimes, a giant onyx snake slithered through the burning jungle, swallowing weaker abominations or coiling its great body around the towering monstrosities to suffocate them in its crushing embrace. Sometimes,


    He not only retained the devious cunning and diabolical intelligence of his original self, but had also been taught by Saint. It was just that Fiend had no need for weapons, so the style she had taught him was predominantly centered around hand-to-hand combat.


    When his claws and spikes littering his powerful steel body were not enough, Fiend unleashed his infernal flames, breathing out long jets of crimson fire. Countless abominations died in agony,


    incinerated by it, or were scorched so badly that slicing them open presented no problem to the ravenous Shadow.


    And even then, he was holding back. Due to the nature of his task, Fiend had to plant himself in the middle of the burning jungle and lure the enemies to him, so he was not using Shadow Step at all �� with it, he would have been even more deadly.


    There was another trait that made Fiend especially terrifying, though. This one was utterly invisible, but had an undeniable effect on the flow of the battle.


    It was his will. As a Supreme creature, Fiend''s will had an effect on the world �� perhaps not as drastic as that of the Great Nightmare Creatures due to his young age and personality, but still quite real. More than that, Sunny strongly suspected that Fiend''s [Lucky] Attribute somehow fused with the influence of his will, which was why even more things went according to how the bastard wanted them to go.


    Perhaps that was the reason why so many of the most powerful foes emerging from the jungle ended up targeting the ravenous Shadow instead of going directly for the battle formation.


    Of course, Sunny did not know whether that happened because Fiend really wanted to perform his duty well... or because he simply wanted to eat them.


    The battle raged on. The jungle burned, and the war party slowly advanced forward, pushing the scarlet infestation further and further back.


    The harrowing orgy of violence seemed to have no end, boiling and seething under the cloudy expanse of the radiant sky.

 Chapter 1875 End of Shift

    The soldiers of the third party had been anxious before the battle. Of course, they were �� Godgrave was like a feverish nightmare, and most of them had already witnessed the chilling horrors of the scarlet jungle. Now, with Princess Morgan gone and the Sword Domain itself in jeopardy, an air of doubt and uncertainty hung over the army.


    However, the main reason for their anxiety was the identity of their commander.


    The Lord of Shadows had a fearsome reputation and looked frightful, enough to inspire confidence in his martial prowess. He had survived alone in Godgrave for many years, after all �� surely, a man like him was perfectly suited to be placed in charge of a war party.


    But those were just rumors and second-hand knowledge. In truth, none of the soldiers truly knew him or had seen him fight �� except for the Fire Keepers serving Lady Changing Star, no one had. He was a stranger, and therefore, it was hard to trust in his ability to lead them into battle.


    When the battle did start, however...


    The doubts of the soldiers were alleviated in the most striking way.


    A sense of silent astonishment came to replace them.


    The third war party had a perfect view of the moment when the Lord of Shadows leaped over the battle formation and dove into the depths of the jungle without showing any kind of fear or hesitation. An infuriated roar resounded from the spot where he had landed, and dozens of trees toppled, hinting that a scene of terrible carnage was happening out there, not too far ahead.


    After that, they only caught glimpses of him.


    The figure encased in an intricate suit of onyx armor seemed to be... everywhere. It was as if he was in several places at the same time. The soldiers did not know how their commander managed to move across the vast length of the battlefield with such speed, but he always appeared where he was needed the most.


    His white hair danced in the air, and his black odachi struck true without fail, bringing down the most dreadful Nightmare Creatures down to the ground. It was as if he was a messenger of death, reaping the lives of their enemies with cold and emotionless ruthlessness.


    The soldiers were busy fighting their own foes to pay what was happening ahead much attention, at first. An endless tide of abominations rushed at them from the scarlet jungle �� there were not enough words in the human language to describe the appalling hideousness of them all, and no time to discern the horrid details to their appearance.Instead of gawking at the Nightmare Creatures, the warriors of the Sword Army strained their bodies and minds to the absolute limit in order to survive.


    Clouds of arrows fell into the moving carpet of abominations. Aspect powers rained from above, tearing hideous bodies apart. Thousands of Awakened warriors clashed with the enemy in melee, desperately trying to block the avalanche of claws and fangs with their shields while slaying the creatures with their enchanted blades.


    Masters served as the cornerstones of the battle line, rallying the Awakened around them. The officers bellowed orders, adjusting the formation and rotating fresh centuriae to the front. A terrible cacophony of screams, screeching wails, and roars enveloped the battlefield...


    The war machine was churning, grinding humans and Nightmare Creatures alike to dust.


    As the battle raged on, the soldiers witnessed more of what he did, as well.


    Their eyes widened, and their spirits slowly surged.


    The Lord of Shadows was swift, decisive, and incredibly lethal. In fact, he was deadlier than any Saint was supposed to be. His sword knew no mercy, and did not care about whom it cut down �� be it Tyrants, Terrors, or even the mythical Great Nightmare Creatures, just one of whom could potentially devastate an entire continent in the waking world.


    He did not seem to be using any special powers, either �� except for his uncanny ability to dissolve into the shadows and move across the battlefield in an instant. All he had was his personal strength, his skill with the sword, and his devious will.


    That alone was enough to bring even the most powerful abominations to their knees.


    If there was one thing that made the Lord of Shadows appear as a demigod, it was that he seemed nearly omniscient. No enemy could get past him, and no peril could escape his attention. It was that miraculous ability to perceive everything, everywhere, all at once that allowed him to defend the battle formation flawlessly.


    Not only was the Lord of Shadows fearsome, but he was also inescapable. More than that, he possessed keen intelligence and profound foresight that allowed him to rule the battlefield like a ruthless tyrant, coldly and methodically eradicating the threats facing the war party.


    And then, there were the three dreadful Echoes following his will.


    The graceful knight. The steel devil. The serpentine shadow.


    Each of them was powerful enough to contend with a Saint... and the most valiant of Saints, at that.


    With them serving as the pillars of the offensive and their master conducting the battle with his dark blade, the third war party was in high spirits. The soldiers steeled their hearts and hardened their resolve,slaughtering the Nightmare Creatures and cleansing the surface of the ancient bone from the scarlet infestation.


    Their exhaustion mounted...


    But their commander was still out there, in front of them, fighting in the burning jungle without showing any sign of fatigue or hesitation.


    His fearsome mask remained emotionless. His black blade never lost its edge. His onyx armor was unbroken, and not a drop of his blood fell into the scarlet moss.


    By the end of the eight hours the war party had been supposed to battle the jungle, a choir of exhilarated cries rose above the rows of soldiers.

 Chapter 1876 Third Pillar

    The eight Saints that had followed the enigmatic Lord of Shadows into battle were both rattled and elated. The battle was a gruesome ordeal, but they had expected that much.


    What they did not expect was to learn just how powerful their sinister commander had turned out to be.


    The Lord of Shadows was a singular existence because, unlike the rest of them, he was not a vassal of the King of Swords. He was a mercenary Saint that Lady Nephis had somehow convinced to pledge his blade to the Sword Domain''s cause �� therefore, she knew him best. So, nobody had doubted her promise that they would not be able to defeat him in a fight.


    Nevertheless, it was a startling shock to witness the Transcendent sellsword in action.


    Not only was he immensely powerful and chillingly lethal, he was actually an existence of the same caliber as the other two field commanders of the expedition force �� Changing Star herself and Summer Knight, the most renowned paladin of the Great Clan Valor.


    The Saints had thought that the expedition force had two pillars, but now, they knew that there were three.


    By the time the shrill wail of the war horn signaled them to retreat, the way they looked at the Lord of Shadows had changed completely.


    ...Sunny was a little bit amused by their change of attitude.


    ''I used to live in this damned place alone, of my own free will. What else did they expect? That I''m a weakling?''


    Hearing the war horn, he let out a tired sigh and prepared to pull back.


    He could sense Nephis enter the range of his perception, followed by the Fire Keepers. Once she and the other Saints of the first war party advanced, Sunny commanded his Shadows to retreat and followed suit.


    Soon, he found himself behind the battle line, surrounded by his eight Transcendent subordinates.


    Now that their shift was over, Sunny suddenly felt the weight of fatigue crash into him like a mountain. He was tired, dehydrated, and covered in sweat... it was to the point that he did not know what he wanted to do more, summon the Endless Spring to quench his thirst, or summon it to wash himself.


    ''In hindsight, Antarctica wasn''t that bad. At least it wasn''t so damn hot there...''


    Dismissing his Shadows to let them mend the scrapes they had received in the nurturing darkness of his soul, Sunny gazed at the exhausted Saints and raised an eyebrow behind the mask.


    "What are you waiting for? Retreat to camp. We only have sixteen hours to recover before the second round starts."


    Rivalen of Aegis Rose sighed."...You really know how to raise morale, don''t you, Lord Shadow?"


    His usually gallant voice sounded a little bitter.


    Sunny stared at him coldly.


    "Why yes, I do. I doubt you''ll like my methods, though."


    Shield Wall almost seemed to shiver, then looked away with a cough.


    Not paying him any more attention, Sunny headed in the direction of the distant camp. His armored boots scraped against white bone.


    Since the Lord of Shadows did not have to sleep, he walked to the lifts and climbed some way up the slope of the collarbone to observe the distant battle.


    To his surprise, there was another figure sitting on the edge of the wooden platform, doing the same.


    It was a strikingly handsome man with a valiant profile and a thoughtful gaze. His lake-blue eyes were calm, and his glistening hair was moving slightly in the wind.


    Sunny almost failed to recognize Summer Knight out of his lustrous armor, but that angelic beauty was hard to forget.


    "Sir Gilead."


    He sat down nearby, looking in the direction where Nephis was currently reducing the scarlet jungle to ash.


    Summer Knight glanced at him, then turned back.


    "Lord Shadow."


    The valiant Saint remained silent for a moment before saying in a neutral tone:


    "I observed your battle. Your reputation is well-earned."


    Sunny smiled crookedly behind the mask.


    "You''re not so bad yourself."


    He paused for a moment, and then added evenly:


    "Not as good as me, though."


    Sir Gilead chuckled.


    He raised a beaten alloy canteen, drank some water, and then looked at Sunny with a subtle smile.


    "We''ll know who''s better once we cross swords. However... I hope we''ll never find out."


    It could have been a sincere wish, a mild joke, or a veiled threat. Summer Knight took his oaths very seriously, and since he had sworn allegiance to the King of Swords, his loyalty was beyond reproach. He might have had some reservations about the selfish mercenary Saint.


    These were the kinds of people Sunny would have to fight one day, if things went wrong.


    Glancing at the camp where his subordinate Saints were resting, he wondered how many of them he might have to kill in the future.


    In the end, Sunny let out a sigh.


    "I hope so, too."

 Chapter 1877: Secrets of Past

    Chapter 1877: Secrets of Past


    Sunny glanced at the valiant man, Sir Gilead, from behind his mask.


    Honestly, Summer Knight was not that bad. Back in the Nightmare Desert, he took Morgan away and left the rest of them behind �� but before that, he had given away his most precious Memories to Nephis, hoping to help her conquer the Third Nightmare.


    He had been reluctant to abandon her and her companions, but his duty had demanded for Morgan to be saved at all costs.


    Sunny didn''t know what to think of the man.


    On one hand, Summer Knight was quite likable �� even admirable, in many ways. He was a benevolent warrior who valued loyalty above all else.


    On the other hand, that devotion of his made Sunny feel uneasy. He had a personal issue with the concept, and more than that... loyalty was usually seen as a noble virtue, but considering that the subject of Gilead''s loyalty was the King of Swords, was it really?


    What did it say about Summer Knight that he had chosen to serve a lord like that faithfully?


    Sunny often found himself wanting to think about Sir Gilead in the same manner he thought about Harus, the zealous servant of the ruler of the Bright Castle. However, he never quite managed to draw a parallel between the two �� no matter how many times he tried, they just felt too different from each other.


    So, he was conflicted.


    As Sunny was considering the matter, Sir Gilead looked at him once more.


    "Can you ask you a question, Lord Shadow?"


    Sunny shrugged indifferently.


    "You certainly can."


    Summer Knight turned his gaze back to the battlefield.


    "I heard that you had refused the invitation of Clan Song. However, you did not refuse Lady Nephis, and came to fight under the banner of the Sword Domain with her. I must admit that I am curious as to why."


    Sunny traced his gaze and saw a white flash illuminate the world far in the distance. Nephis was unleashing her flames somewhere out there, on the battlefield.


    He grinned behind the mask.


    His voice was emotionless when he spoke:


    "I thought that if it''s Changing Star, she would win."


    Sir Gilead smiled and drank more water.


    "She does have a habit of making impossible things possible. Just like her father."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Broken Sword? You knew him?"


    Summer Knight chuckled.


    "No... I wish I did, though. He died shortly after I became a Sleeper �� but, before that, he was somewhat of an idol of mine."


    A sad smile appeared on his face.


    "I only grew to admire him more after hearing stories told by those who had met him.Many of the older retainers of Clan Valor had a good relationship with Broken Sword and Smile of Heaven �� after all, they were comrades of the patriarch''s son. Smile of Heaven in particular, since she and Lord Anvil practically grew up together."


    ''Should I try to pull more information out of him?''


    No... it was probably not a good idea, at least not now. Even if he did not really show it, Sir Gilead was already doubting the Lord of Shadows �� which was reasonable. A man who put so much value in loyalty had to have reservations about a person who seemingly only cared about self-interest.


    So, Sunny could not appear too eager to learn the secrets of the King of Swords. Gilead''s convictions might have been naive, but the man himself was no fool. He was carefully scrutinizing his every word, no doubt, evaluating how dependable the Lord of Shadows really was.


    For now, Sunny''s motives for joining the Sword Army were indeed seen as unclear, and therefore questionable. Not only that, but he had not even pledged his allegiance to Clan Valor itself �� instead, he made a pact with Changing Star as an individual.


    Should Sunny make his motives seem a little more transparent, and a bit less suspicious?


    ''Why not?''


    He smiled.


    "You said that Lady Nephis has grown up beautifully, yes?"


    Summer Knight raised an eyebrow, seemingly confused by the sudden question.


    "I did."


    Sunny stared at him for a few moments.


    "Do you think about Changing Star''s beauty often?"


    His already cold tone grew even chillier at the end.Gilead blinked a couple of times.


    "...Do you?"


    Sunny responded evenly:


    "Quite a bit."


    Summer Knight stared at him in bewilderment for a few moments, then looked away and coughed.


    "That... huh... I see. I am sorry to disappoint you, Lord Shadow, but Lady Nephis already has a young gentleman in her heart..."


    Sunny grinned behind the mask.


    "So what? I hear that he''s a pampered fool of a Master. Pleasant to look at, but nothing much beyond that. A useless person."


    Sir Gilead coughed again.


    "I''m not... I don''t think... ah, look at the time. My war party will have to enter battle soon. Actually, I was supposed to perform a few inspections ... if you''ll excuse me, Lord Shadow."


    With that, the valiant Saint rose, gave Sunny a polite bow, and jumped down from the platform. His movements weren''t hurried at all.


    Sunny watched him leave with a satisfied smile.


    ''Well, then... that went well.''


    After that, the motives of the Lord of Shadows should seem quite clear.


    Albeit perhaps just as questionable as before...

 Chapter 1878 Interim Results

    After Summer Knight left, Sunny remained on the platform, observing the battle that raged in the distance. The battle was entering an especially fearsome stage due to the fact that the expedition force was nearing one of the cracks in the surface of the First Rib �� it was from there that the scarlet infestation was spreading, and therefore, the perils facing the soldiers were more dire in the vicinity of the dark chasm.


    Being that close to the Hollows also meant that there would be more old abominations that had crawled to the surface from the dim twilight below �� which put much more pressure on the Saints leading the war party, and its commander in particular.


    Even from afar, Sunny could tell that Nephis had finally been forced to assume her Transcendent form. He sighed, knowing that it would take a toll on her.


    ''If I made more progress, she would not have had to.''


    At the same time, if he had made less progress, then the burdensome task of besieging the fissure might have become Summer Knight''s responsibility. In any case, there was no point in considering such issues and regretting the past.


    Sunny hesitated for a while, then briefly summoned his runes.


    Shadow Fragments: [1876/6000].


    Another sigh escaped from his lips.


    It was pitiful. He had barely gained two hundred fragments in the last four or five months... a far cry from the rapid progress he had enjoyed before Transcendence.


    ''At this rate, it will take me a decade to become a titan.''


    The expedition force only advanced after Saint Tyris broke the Cloudveil to incinerate the thriving jungle, then closed it once again. That allowed the soldiers to only face the initial stages of the scarlet infestation and battle Nightmare Creatures that had not reached maturity yet, which made advancing forward easier.


    It also meant that no matter how dangerous those immature abominations were, slaying them did not grant Sunny many shadow fragments. The situation would change once the war entered the next stage, spreading across the entire surface of Godgrave and delving into the Hollows �� but for now, he couldn''t help but feel a bitter sense of disappointment.


    He wasn''t saturating his cores that much... he wasn''t receiving any Memories or Echoes, either. It was all so unrewarding.


    ''I need to accelerate the weaving side of the plan.''


    He was still working toward creating the soulbound sword for Nephis.


    Once that was done, though... he would be able to create a few Memories for himself.


    Sunny did not need a weapon or a suit of armor. If there was one thing he desperately lacked, thought, it was suitable charms. Both Sunny himself and Saint possessed the power to enhance the enchantments of a chosen charm, but sadly, these powers were remaining unused at the moment.


    And while Sunny himself did not need an enchanted weapon,the same could not be said about Saint.


    Forging a sword and a shield for his first Shadow was also something he planned on achieving before the war reached culmination.


    He also had to create another [Handy Bracelet] for Rain. The Memory alone would be useless for her, since Sunny had no idea about what traits his sister possessed, but if he could get Cassie to read her runes, the missing information could be filled in...


    There was a lot for Master Sunless to do while the Lord of Shadows was waging war against the scarlet jungle. Even Rain''s teacher was busy with trying to keep her alive now that the seventh legion was braving the surface of the Collarbone Plain �� without the help of someone like Saint Tyris, at that.


    Shaking his head, Sunny rose to his feet and threw a last glance into the distance.


    Even if he did perfect his battle art and succeeded in creating soulbound Memories... the main obstacle facing him and Nephis still seemed as impossible to overcome as it had been before.


    They had not found any clues about how to attain Supremacy yet.


    ''Calm down. The war has only started.''


    Consoling himself with that thought, Sunny took a step back and dissolved into the shadows.

 Chapter 1879 Bone Crack

    The second war party left the camp, but the first one did not return.


    That was because Nephis had conquered the fissure, and for a while, the expedition force was busier than usual.


    While Summer Knight and his soldiers clashed with the sprawling jungle, the entire encampment was dismantled and moved forward, chasing the vanguard to the edges of the abyssal chasm.


    The great fissure used to look like a jagged wound on the surface of the sun-bleached bone, its terrifying depths full of impenetrable darkness. That darkness was gone now, replaced by a boiling mass of black smoke and brilliant flame. A billowing pillar of smoke was rising into the overcast sky, falling into the stormy clouds.


    The great bridge of vines connecting the Hollows to the surface was on fire, but it was stubbornly clinging to life. New sprouts of scarlet growth were shooting out of the smoke, trying to crawl their way onto the surface of the white bone. There was a chain of sweaty soldiers positioned along the edges of the fissure, burning the monstrous saplings down before they took hold.


    Looking at the vermilion tendrils slithering out of the crack, Sunny couldn''t help but think that they looked like fibers of bloody muscle tissue.


    ...Perhaps that was what the scarlet jungle truly was �� the flesh and tendons of the colossal skeleton that were desperately trying to regrow and envelop its bones once again, but were burned away by the merciless sky before the dead god could rise from its deathbed each time.


    Over and over again, for eons...


    ''What a disturbing thought.''


    Sunny arrived near the fissure at the head of the marching column. The camp of the expedition force was relocating here �� both to make building an extermination outpost around the chasm easier and to lessen the return time for the troops battling the jungle. The first war party, which had recently finished its shift, did not have to return at all this time.


    He left the soldiers behind and walked to the very edge of the fissure, where a lonely figure could be seen, looking at the billowing flames. Nephis had dismissed her Transcendent form and the outer layers of her armor, enduring the suffocating heat in light clothes. Her fair skin was smeared in ash and soot, with beads of sweat glistening on it like tiny jewels.


    He glanced into the infernal depths of the burning chasm and then turned to face her.


    Sunny remained silent for a moment.


    "Did you... melt down your armor again?"


    Nephis looked at him with no emotion in her cold, grey eyes.


    Eventually, however, a subtle smile twisted her lips.


    "Wouldn''t you like to know?"


    She chuckled, then shook her head.


    "No, I was careful. I can''t keep requesting new suits of armor from the enchanters of Clan Valor. They are already quite cross with me, to be honest..."


    In this camp, wearing this mask, Sunny could not make Nephis delicious food and comfort her, chasing away the emotionless coldness dwelling in her eyes with the warmth of human touch and connection. However, he could at least show her that there was someone she could lean on here.


    Master Sunless could do the former, but only the Lord of Shadows could do the latter.


    She blinked a couple of times.


    "Me? Honestly, I was in no state to feel anything when I received it, since it happened at the very end of my Nightmare. But later, when I had time to examine it... I guess I felt humiliated. Because of how glad I was to receive a boon from the Spell."


    Nephis sighed.


    "That Memory served me well, though. I wielded it for many years. Across the Forgotten Shore, the Nightmare Desert, and the Underworld... it never betrayed me. These days, it is too weak for me to use, but I still cherish it a lot."


    Sunny remembered the Memory Nephis was talking about �� the Dream Blade �� very well. After all, that sword had saved his life many times.


    It had also tasted his blood, mangled his flesh, and caused him terrible pain in the Crimson Spire.


    Considering Neph''s historic accomplishments, that Awakened Memory of the Sixth Tier had had a spectacular career before retirement.


    He chuckled.


    "I guess we are both quite sentimental."


    Nephis looked at him with a surprised expression. Her sincere confusion was quite endearing.


    "Me? Sentimental?"


    Sunny smiled.


    "I did not specify which sentiments make us sentimental, though... bloodlust is also a sentiment, for example..."


    Neph''s expression changed slightly.


    "Wow. The thirst thing that came to your mind has to do with lust?"


    He froze, trying to think of an answer.


    ''...That damned Flaw!''


    Far away, in the main camp of the Sword Army, Master Sunless stopped what he was doing as well and stared into the distance with a contemplative look.


    His eyes narrowed, as if he was considering something.


    After a while, he mumbled quietly:


    "Dream Blade, huh?That is... promising, I think..."

 Chapter 1880 Hell March

    The expedition force continued to push into the depths of Godgrave.


    The First Rib had a bending shape, so for the first week, they were facing a literal uphill battle. Sometimes, the treacherous slope under their feet was so steep that the fallen soldiers rolled down the bloody ground, crashing into the second row of the battle formation. The unforgiving pace of the offensive was only made more cruel by the difficult terrain and the battering heat.


    With each passing day, the scarlet infestation was growing. The jungle was turning more nightmarish, and the abominations populating it were becoming more powerful. However, the soldiers were also growing stronger �� those of them who had yet to saturate their cores were absorbing the scavenged soul shards, and many were receiving powerful Memories during the long days of slaughter.


    All were gaining valuable experience and growing more used to the dreadful peril of Godgrave.


    The main reason why the progress of the expedition force was so swift, though, and why the casualties among the soldiers were not nearly as terrible as they could have been, were the three leaders of the expedition �� Changing Star, Summer Knight, and the Lord of Shadows.


    Changing Star was like a ruinous herald of annihilation. The battlefield transformed into a radiant, fiery hell when she entered it. Her cleansing flame, her incandescent sword, and her brilliant resolve were both a solace and an inspiration to the warriors of the Sword Army.


    Those who saw her fight found strength that they had not known they possessed and raised their swords to follow her without hesitation. More than that, the Memories of those who fought by her side would be imbued with a newfound power, and all but the most fatal wounds her followers received were quickly healed by her soothing flame.


    The first war party was the fiercest, and pushed the jungle back the furthest.


    Summer Knight was no less radiant. Woven from light, he was like a beacon that dispelled the darkness of the abominable jungle. Seemingly knowing no fear or hesitation, he barred the path of the most harrowing Nightmare Creatures and cut them down both nobly and valiantly, showing the soldiers what a true knight was meant to be with his own example.


    His personal power might not have been as devastating as that of Lady Nephis, but his valor and martial prowess were beyond reproach. He was the most seasoned commander among the three,and led his fellow Saints with the greatest measure of understanding of how to use their powers . Even though there were more Transcendents in his war party than in the other two, their coordination was just as seamless, if not more so.


    The second war party was the most steady and stable, moving forward at a measured pace.


    If there was one small consolation, it was that the abominable jungle and the vile creatures populating it burned with them.


    The Cloudveil broke one more time before Saint Tyris regained her powers, to the same result.


    The expedition force pushed south, slowly carving a path across the vast expanse of the enormous breastbone.


    The soldiers were tired. The sixteen hours of rest they received between having to go to battle were nowhere near enough for them to regain their vitality. The battles themselves were long and harrowing, reaping too many lives each time. The tide of Nightmare Creatures seemed endless, and the suffocating heat was hard to endure.


    Worst of all, the geography of the Breastbone Reach prevented them from permanently cleansing its surface from the scarlet infestation �� at least now that they were pursuing a different objective. Even if an extermination outpost was established around a fissure, the jungle would sooner or later spread to it from another direction.


    Therefore, the expedition force moved south without leaving itself a path of retreat. A few days after they moved on, the infestation reclaimed the cleansed portions of the bone plain, enclosing the human army from all sides.


    It would only be banished from these lands permanently if the Citadel in the Hollows was conquered, and the authority of the King of Swords spread to the Breastbone Reach.


    Advancing forward was getting harder with each day...


    And yet, after three weeks of the nightmarish marathon, the battered army finally reached its target.


    In front of them, an enormous crack split the white surface of the ancient bone, and in the darkness below, unknown horrors awaited.


    From here, the best warriors of the expedition force would attempt to brave the Hollows to reach and conquer the Citadel that lay in the dark depths.

 Chapter 1881 Leaving the Camp

    For the last few days of the dreadful march across the bones of the dead deity, Godgrave had been different from before. That was because the stormy clouds that always obscured the sky, suffused with blinding radiance, had finally given birth to an actual storm.


    Strong winds assaulted the bone plain, and a torrential downpour fell like a flood. The scarlet jungle had turned marron in the desaturated twilight, pressed down by the heavy rain.


    The dark chasm of the great fissure was drinking the torrents of water like a hungry maw. Standing at its edge, fourteen Saints were looking down with somber expressions.


    The expedition force had just claimed the area around the vast crack that split the plain. The soldiers were busy building a fortified encampment �� this time, they would be remaining in one place for some time, besieged from all sides by the hungry jungle, so it had to resemble a fortress.


    All Awakened warriors and Masters were remaining on the surface. So were Summer Knight and about half of the Transcendent champions that had participated in the expedition �� their task was to defend the camp and make sure that the soldiers survived.


    The fourteen Saints facing the fissure were those who would be venturing into the Hollows to conquer the Citadel.


    Nephis and Sunny were among them. So were Saint Jest of Dagonet, Rivalen of Aegis Rose... and Roan of White Feather, as well. The rest were all exalted warriors that Sunny had come to know over the past few weeks.


    Not too long ago, this many Transcendent champions would have been seen as a dire force capable of rivaling a Great Clan. Here in Godgrave, however, they were grim and uneasy, looking into the dark fissure with wary eyes.


    Saint Jest suddenly let out a soft chuckle.


    "I just know there''s a good joke somewhere here. Let''s see... there''s a deep, dark crack in front of us, and we''re supposed to enter it... entering, crack... damn, what can it be? It''s on the tip of my tongue!"


    The rest of the Saints stared at him with silent reproach. Eventually, a beautiful woman with auburn hair, the matriarch of one of Valor''s vassal clans, said evenly:


    "Please abstain from trying to joke, Sir Jest."


    The older man glanced at her dully, then looked away with a dejected mumble.


    At that moment, Roan took a step closer to the edge of the fissure, then turned and looked at Nephis with a smile.


    "Then, Lady Nephis... shall we?"


    With that, two powerful wings appeared behind him.


    As the two Saints in the team who were capable of flight, Roan and Nephis were supposed to descend into the Hollows first �� along with Sunny, who could turn into a crow.


    Roan''s Transformation had surprised Sunny, as well. He had always assumed that the easygoing man would turn into a noble griffin, but in hindsight, there was no reason to think that.


    The griffin Echo Roan used to ride on the Chained Isles, as it turned out, was a gift from his wife �� it was not an ordinary Echo,either, but rather her Aspect Legacy. By now, the noble beast had reached Transcendence, and served as a protector of their daughter, Awakened Telle.


    Saint Roan himself, meanwhile, could turn into a mighty winged lion. The giant creature was just as handsome as his human form was, with gorgeous white fur and enormous amber eyes.


    And since Sunny had designed the [Belated Apology] with the purpose of being able to accommodate a Saint''s Transformation, the giant lion''s body was usually encased in intricate armor.


    Saint Tyris and Roan must have been quite a sight, soaring high in the sky together...


    Nephis summoned her own wings and nodded.


    "Let''s go."


    With that, she jumped over the edge and plunged into the darkness.


    Sunny and Roan followed, and soon, they saw the Great Hollows sprawling beneath them.

 Chapter 1882 Entering the Hollows

    The Hollows had undergone a striking transformation, looking very different from how they usually did.


    There was still a vast and hollow expanse hidden inside the breastbone of the dead deity, drowning in darkness and overgrown with vermilion jungle. Monstrous trees and ferns towered like towers, the thick canopy of scarlet leaves fusing into a tumultuous red sea. Great pillars of light were falling from the immense dome of white bone here and there, plunging some areas of the jungle into a dim twilight.


    However, there was a rainstorm raging on the surface today. So, the light was not the only thing pouring through the cracks in the bone �� grandiose waterfalls flowed down into the jungle, as well, plunging into the vermilion canopy as they connected the floor of the Hollow to its dome akin to foaming pillars.


    The jungle seemed to have come alive, quenching its boundless thirst. However, there was more water than it could swallow �� vast lakes and deep, raging rivers had formed throughout Hollows, turning them into a world of powerful currents.


    Some of the furious rivers were wider and more abundant than most rivers in the Sword Domain.


    In fact, when the Hollows were flooded, a network of them connected the interior of the titanic skeleton like a great waterway �� if one dared to sail the currents, they could slip through the cracks in the walls of the breastbone, be carried by water down one of the ribs, and dive into the colossal sea that collected in the endless spine of the dead god.


    Luckily, that was not Sunny''s goal today. He preferred to stay away from water on usual days, and he definitely did not want to have anything to do with the dark subterranean ocean resting in the gargantuan skeleton''s spine.


    Roan and Nephis were the first to reach ground. They landed on the shore of the deep lake that had formed below the fissure and dismissed their wings, preparing for battle. Sunny joined them a few moments later �� assuming his human form, he commanded Serpent into the shape of an odachi and unleashed his shadow sense, scanning the chaotic world around him.


    There were Nightmare Creatures nearby, hiding in the jungle. Some were drinking water, some were ravaging each other, some were brutally devouring struggling prey.


    There were Nightmare Creatures in the water, as well. A few of them were already moving toward the surface, attracted by the smell of human souls.


    He pointed to the lake.


    "Get ready."


    The three of them had already dealt with a score of reptilian horrors by the time the rest of the Saints arrived from above, using Memories to slow down their descent.


    The strike force regrouped on the shore of the lake and prepared to move forward. Looking around, Saint Jest let out a heavy sigh.


    "...And I thought that the humidity above was terrible. No, wait!"


    The Cursed Nightmare Creatures, however, were entirely different.


    Luckily, most of them were easy to avoid. With how far his shadow sense reached, Sunny could usually discover where the true horrors of Godgrave dwelled �� mostly because Cursed abominations were so powerful that their mere existence exerted pressure on the world.


    However, there was always an exception to the rule. More than that, he was worried that these dreadful beings would abandon their usual hunting grounds, lured by the presence of so many powerful human souls.


    So, there was a choice to be made.


    The strike team could move toward their goal with utmost speed by assuming their Transcendent forms, or they could take it slow and proceed forward as humans, spending several days to brave the jungle.Both options presented their own risks, and the final decision was entrusted to him, since he was supposed to be the guide.


    Sunny hesitated.


    He was tempted to go with the fastest approach because staying in the Hollows a minute longer than necessary was a gamble.


    However... after three weeks of the never-ending battle, even the Saints were exhausted. Worse than that, they were all running low on essence, and not everyone was like him, who could sustain his Transcendent form indefinitely �� or at least most of it, since keeping all of his incarnations manifested still consumed his essence.


    Most Saints burned a considerable amount of it to maintain a Transformation, though. They weren''t so drained that reaching the Citadel was impossible, but if they did go as fast as possible, everyone would be nearly spent by the time they reached it.


    And Sunny had a feeling that slaying the guardian of the Gateway would demand more than a little effort, even from a team as powerful as this one.


    So, going slowly and spending a few days restoring their reserves seemed like a more prudent decision.


    ''...Let''s go with this plan, then.''


    In any case, their advance could only be called slow when compared to the speed of their Transcendent forms. It was not like Saints actually lacked speed as humans.


    Beckoning for the team to follow, Sunny chose a path and broke into a moderate sprint.


    Soon, the lake on the shore disappeared behind the scarlet foliage, and the jungle enveloped them like a hungry veil.

 Chapter 1883 In His Element

    It took them four days to reach the designated area, which was a bit longer than Sunny had expected. His estimations had not accounted for the torrential flood that drowned the Hollows, turning the vast subterranean jungle into a darkly beautiful land of abundant rivers, deep lakes, and overgrown vermilion islands. Great pillars of pale light poured from above here and there, illuminating the wet foliage and the glistening surface of flowing water.


    The flooding had caused the entire ecosystem of the Hollows to come alive. Many weaker Nightmare Creatures were forced to flee their dens and lairs because of the flooding, migrating to elevated ground in search of safety �� there were fearsome predators lurking in the water, having waited a long time for the chance to hunt and gorge themselves once again.


    However, the migrating abominations were easy prey for the stronger horrors who ruled the highlands, and many ended up devoured anyway. The Hollows were always a cruel place, but for these last few days, they had become a scene of unimaginable carnage. Rivers of blood were being spilled under the shroud of scarlet leaves, and terrible wails resounded from the. darkness without end.


    The fourteen Saints made their way south. Sunny guided them through the jungle with utmost caution, but it was impossible to stay safe in this Vibrant hell. Every now and then, they had to wet their blades with blood �� the abominations that attacked them were powerful, fierce, numerous... and, worst of all, devilishly cunning.


    They were all old predators who had survived the unforgiving cruelty of the world above, and then spent countless years fighting for the right to exist in the twilight below.


    Still... the carriers of the Nightmare Spell were much more terrifying beasts. None of the fourteen Saints was weak, and together, they were a force that even the dreadful dwellers of the Hollows had to be wary of. The conquest force killed countless Corrupted Nightmare Creatures and more than a few Great Ones, as well, moving south with constant speed.


    As long as they did not encounter a Cursed abomination, the Saints were more than capable of contending with the perils of the ancient jungle.


    It was not all bad, either.


    Although the journey was full of peril and danger, the Transcendent champions were slowly restoring their reserves of essence. That was especially true for Sunny �� the surface of Godgrave was eternally bathed in bright sunlight, but here in the Hollows, deep darkness reigned. Surrounded by shadows, he was in his source element, and could therefore absorb spirit essence from the air. They did not sleep for the first three days, but then cleared a small ruin and camped there to rest and prepare themselves for the assault on the Citadel.


    By then, the storm had passed, and the great waterfalls flowing into the Hollows from the surface had run dry. The air was humid and hazy, permeated by sweltering heat. The resting Saints had dismissed the outer layers of their armor, making Sunny feel quite a bit of envy.


    He was regretful at the fact that Serpent wasn''t a titan yet �� otherwise, he could have given it a command to assume the form of the Winter Beast, and solved the heat problem once and for all.


    At least Sunny was mature enough now not to get flustered at the sight of so many gorgeous people wearing the minimum amount of clothing needed to preserve the dignity of their flawless bodies.


    ...Or rather, there was only one body he was interested in here.


    To his mild surprise, the mood among the Saints was not tense at all. Instead, most were at ease, joking and laughing quietly as they shared food and water. A dire battle awaited them tomorrow, but these were the best warriors of the Sword Domain �� they had braved harrowing Nightmares and the perils of the Dream Realm to attain Transcendence, so facing death was nothing new to them.


    ''I''ve made a mistake.�� Back when Mordret invaded the Sword Domain, Sunny had been too hasty. He answered Cassie''s call and arrived at the main camp of the Sword Army not knowing that his orders would change �� instead of raiding Song''s supply lines, he was here in the Hollows, preparing to help Anvil expand his Domain.


    The problem was that the Lord of Shadows was here in all his glory �� all four shadows that comprised this persona of his were here present.


    Which meant that there was none left in the Nameless ''I��emple.


    Seishan and Death Singer were currently in the process of conquering a Citadel of their own, far west. Beastmaster was protecting the stronghold of the Song Army and slowly cleansing the western reach of the Collarbone Plain. Lightslayer had never shown herself after the war council, so he had no idea where she was.


    The Queen of Worms was aware that the Lord of Shadows had allied himself to Valor. It wasn''t hard to deduce that he would be used to disrupt their supply lines... was Revel leading a small force of elite warriors to repel the supposed raid party?


    Or had she planned to assault the Nameless Temple itself?


    If so...


    It could be troublesome.


    Sunny��s Citadel was not defenseless, even if he wasn''t there personally. Nightmare was protecting it. More importantly, it had the Guardian �� the invisible being that no mere Saint could sense, let alone destroy.


    And Sunny himself was much closer to the southern edge of the Breastbone Reach now than he had been before. He could return to the Nameless Temple relatively quickly, if need be. Better yet, he could travel to the waking world and step back into the great hall of the Nameless Temple in mere minutes.


    But still, still...


    Sunny was uneasy.


    ''I''ll send a shadow back right after we conquer the Citadel. Just in case.�� Losing the Nameless Temple was not an option, so he had to be careful. Frowning behind the mask, he turned his gaze south.


    Tomorrow, they would face the guardian of the old ruin and challenge it in a battle...


    And after that, the nature of the war in Godgrave would irrevocably change.

 Chapter 1884 Scarlet Garden

    They set out in the morning �� which wasn''t any different from the day in Godgrave. The jungle, which had been teeming with Nightmare Creatures before, gradually became quiet and eerily empty as they moved further south, making the Saints tense with its sudden tranquillity.


    Even the plants, which were as predatory as the beasts in the scarlet jungle, remained still.


    That was because the conquest force was entering the land which belonged to the master of the old ruin... the creature they were meant to defeat.


    As they moved, Saint Jest happened to catch up with Sunny, who was leading the party. The old man was using his cane to swat away branches and vines, looking annoyed because of the heat and humidity.


    "That guardian we''re supposed to kill... what kind of creature was it again?"


    Sunny turned his head briefly, giving Saint Jest an impassive look.


    "I do not know. Although I explored the Hollows casually, I never failed to avoid getting too close to this place. All I can say is that the guardian of the Citadel is a Great Nightmare Creature of a higher Class... a Terror, perhaps. Maybe even a Titan."


    The old man chewed his lips.


    "A Great Terror, really? Gods, the world is changing... it used to be that the existence of such beings was merely a theory. In fact, I remember mocking a bunch of academics viciously for suggesting that something this unreasonable exists! And here I am, on my way to battle one. Who''s the fool now, huh?"


    Sunny smiled behind the mask.


    "I''d say that we are all fools, for choosing to face such a creature voluntarily."


    He paused for a moment, then added in his usual cold tone:


    "Still, what''s wrong with being a fool?"


    Saint Jest gave him a surprised look, then laughed.


    ''...Damnation.''


    He would have really preferred if it hadn''t rained, and they could reach the Citadel by walking. He was tired of diving into perilous lakes.


    The Saints prepared for battle. Before too long,Saint Roan assumed his Transcendent Form �� a beautiful lion with white fur and amber eyes suddenly appeared on the shore of the lake, the vital spots on his mighty body protected in an intricate armor. Turning his enormous head, the giant beast lowered one wind and allowed the rest of them to climb onto his wide back.


    The only exceptions were Nephis, who summoned her wings, and Sunny, who turned into a crow.


    The white lion let out a low, reverberating growl and pushed himself off the ground. A small hurricane was stirred by his wings, and he soared into the air, flying above the dark waters of the lake in the direction of the Citadel.


    Sunny and Nephis followed.


    ...To his surprise, they reached the distant temple safely. The lake remained still, as if there were no swarms of dreadful abominations hiding in its depths. In fact, Sunny could not sense any movement in the water at all.


    And yet, he could swear that it smelled faintly of blood. It almost felt like someone was watching him, as well.


    They landed on the steps that led to the gates of the ruined Citadel. The Saints jumped to the ground, and Roan dismissed his Transformation.


    Nephis took the lead and ventured forward with tense caution, holding her sword at the ready.


    No one spoke, afraid to inform the enemy of their arrival.


    They had just passed the gate and entered the echoing interior of the garden temple when Sunny finally sensed it...


    Not a shadow, but a movement of all the shadows, as if a source of light was barreling toward them with terrible speed.


    ...Then, there was a flash, and an arrow that seemed to be woven of moonlight brushed past Nephis, piercing the chest of one of the Saints.

 Chapter 1885 Fortune Favors the Bold

    The arrow was aimed at Neph''s head, but despite how fast it flew, she still managed to dodge it. The arrowhead left a long cut on her cheek, then pierced the chest of a Saint who stood behind her.


    ''Shot from elevation.��


    That was the first thought that crossed Sunny''s mind, who had subconsciously traced the arrow''s trajectory.


    Then, for a few moments, everything moved too fast for him to think.


    The wounded Saint let out a stifled yelp and started to fall, blood splattering on the wooden floor. His armor should have been robust enough to if not deflect, then at least dissipate the force of the arrow, so that it did not pierce too deeply. However, somehow, the moonlight arrow seemed to ignore the durability of the enchanted metal and the resilience of Transcendent flesh, killing him on the spot.


    Just like that, a Saint died.


    "Ambush!"


    Before anyone else could react, Sunny called upon the shadows and summoned an impenetrable wall in front of them. Almost instantly, two more ethereal arrows struck it, the impacts producing thunderous bangs. That wall of shadows quaked and cracked.


    Nephis was already moving.


    Strangely enough, she wasn''t lunging into the darkness to shorten the distance between her and the hidden archer. Instead, she was spinning around, searching for something beyond the gates of the castle.


    The thin cut on her cheek was yet to fill with blood, glowing softly with ethereal, pale light.


    "Shield Wall! "


    Her sword was pointing to the outside.


    A split second after Sunny''s wall materialized, Sir Rivalen had already answered her call. The air behind them shimmered, and an invisible force field manifested itself in the gateway of the Citadel. Its faint contours resembled a grid of ghostly, interlocked shields...


    But before the shields closed, two more arrows �� these ones made out of wood and steel, not moonlight �� slid into the swiftly narrowing gaps, striking two more Saints in the back.


    One struck the thin gap between the edge of a man''s breastplate and his helmet, piercing his neck. The other hit the crack between the front half of a cuirass and the back half, slithering its way through the victim''s ribs.


    The level of accuracy needed to perform such shots was unimaginable.


    The first Saint was killed instantly, but the second survived despite the heavy injury. Still, he was temporarily rendered powerless �� unless a potent healer spent time treating his wound, he would not be participating in the battle. Finally, the two bodies fell to the floor. The moonlight arrow dimmed and dissolved into nothingness, leaving a haunting afterglow in its wake. The cut on Neph''s cheek swelled with blood... the conquest team, reduced to twelve members in an instant, was now protected from all sides by the barrier of shadows and Saint Rivalen''s invisible aegis.


    However... perhaps, he did not understand something about the world.


    Because in the next moment, he finally sensed the shadows moving again as something massive flew at them from the darkness of the ancient temple.


    An enormous creature soared above the wooden floor and then plummeted down, crashing into the wall of shadows with a deafening boom. The barrier finally crumbled, and Sunny saw the shape of the dead thing as it sprawled motionlessly on the floor.


    It was a towering, vaguely humanoid abomination wrapped in a billowing dark robe. Elements of intricate silver armor covered its long arms and slender torso, and six pairs of beautiful grey wings extended from its back, laying on the floor in a broken, bloodied mess.


    It must have been great and harrowing once. But now...


    It was dead.


    The winged giant had not leaped at the barrier of shadows. It was simply tossed at it by someone''s powerful hand, discarded like a sack of dead flesh.


    Sunny''s expression darkened.


    ''This... is the guardian of the Citadel.��


    There were no moonlight arrows flying at them from somewhere above. Instead, there was the sound of steps.


    Then, a slender silhouette walked out of the darkness, piercing the twelve Saints with a cold and arrogant look.


    She was a breathtaking woman with raven��black hair and eyes that seemed to be cut from pure obsidian. Her slender body was encased in a suit of dark leather armor, and she wielded a curved sword akin to a tachi, its pommel mapped in a black silk cord.


    With her alabaster skin, exquisite beauty, and cold expression, she was undeniably stunning... but, more than that, her presence was vast and oppressive, like the lightless expanse of a boundless, dark ocean.


    The woman met N eph''s gaze and spoke loudly:


    "I am Revel, the Lightslayer."


    Then, her alluring lips twisted slightly into a semblance of a dark, joyless smile. She pointed her sword forward and said, her voice full of aloof coldness: "...Welcome to the Song Domain."


    And as the words left her mouth, the corpse of the Great Terror suddenly stirred.


    The bodies of the two slain Saints stirred, as well, reaching toward their former comrades with murderous, dead hands.

 Chapter 1886 Dark Dancer

    ''Damn it.''


    Lightslayer had already taken the Citadel...


    And, therefore, Ki Song''s Domain had already descended on Godgrave.


    There were a couple more conclusions Sunny made in the split moment before Revel''s words resounded in the darkness of the ancient castle and the corpses came alive, but there was not much time to contemplate.


    Since Revel was here, then the first arrow must have been shot by Moonveil. The two from behind... had to be Silent Stalker.


    Who else was here?


    Three Saints, no matter whether they were the Queen''s daughters, were not enough to take on the conquest force of the Sword Army... even with the element of surprise on their side. Unless Ki Song was here personally, he struggled to understand what their plan was.


    And she couldn''t be here in person �� for the simple reason that only two of the fourteen Saints had died, not all of them.


    The corpses of the two slain champions came alive, lunging at their former comrades. They did not accomplish much, though �� as soon as they had stirred, Neph''s sword beheaded one, while the other was gruesomely dismembered by Saint Jest''s cane sword. It happened in a heartbeat, so swift that Sunny did not even notice the thin blade move.


    The corpse of the Great Terror was blasted back by a blinding bolt of lightning that Roan seemed to have sent flying from his sword. The creature was delayed, but not destroyed.


    The rest of the Sword Saints all exploded with motion, dispersing as they summoned the power of their Aspects or assumed their Transcendent forms. Suddenly, the area in front of the castle gates felt very overcrowded.


    Sunny noticed Saint Rivalen, in his heavily armored rhino form, ramming into the wooden gates of the ancient stronghold and barreling straight through them, on his way to challenge Silent Stalker.


    Saint Helie''s Transcendent form was that of a towering, graceful centaur �� pushing herself into a leap with four hooves, she simultaneously let an arrow loose.


    He did not waste much time watching, though.


    His target was Revel.


    Before IIelie''s arrow could strike, Sunny already stepped through the shadows while lashing out with his odachi. There was a heavy feeling in his chest �� if his last conclusion was correct, than this would be his only chance to end the battle easily.


    Sadly, Lightslayer was too swift, and too skilled. Dancing away with an easy step, he deflected his blow with her sharp do despite the sudden and unpredictable nature of his attack. He also dodged Helie''s arrow with the same motion.


    "The Lord of Shadows, I presume..."


    Her husky voice remained calm.


    Sunny cursed inwardly.


    In the next moment, a deafening howl seemed to shatter the world, and a bestial silhouette leaped from somewhere above, landing between the Saints of the Sword Domain.


    A light smile twisted Revel''s lips.


    ''Reflection...��


    In the next moment, the Reflections unleashed two tides of darkness of their own, and suddenly, the light was overpowered...


    ****


    On the stone steps outside the ancient Citadel, several Saints were battling the elusive Silent Stalker.


    Beyond the gates, the rest of them were entangled in a ferocious fight against three bestial monsters. One of them was Lonesome Howl, another of Ki Song''s daughters. The other two were Mordret''s Reflections. The corpse of the dead Great Terror was also there �� damaged, but unrelenting.


    Deeper in the hall, Saint Jest of Dagonet was facing a towering gargoyle. The creature''s noble face, which seemed to be carved from grey stone, bore a distant and somber expression.


    The old man grinned.


    "The Saint of Sorrow, huh?"


    The gargoyle lowered its head slightly.


    Saint Jest shook his head dejectedly.


    "Goodness... that girl Ravensong just had to send the dullest man in the world to fight against me. How mean..."


    And somewhere else, on the highest floor of the majestic castle...


    Nephis was surrounded by three delicate young women. Each of them had enchanting features, white hair, and beautiful eyes that seemed to glimmer with the afterglow of pale moonlight.


    Neph''s check was still cut, the left side of her face painted with blood.


    She touched the cut briefly and looked at her fingers, frowning at the sight of blood.


    "...Are you Princess Moonveil?"


    All three of the young women smiled.


    However, only one spoke:


    "Indeed. However..."


    The pale radiance of her eyes slowly dimmed, turning them into two gaping windows into an abyssal, lightless void.


    Suddenly, the hall seemed colder, darker, and full of echoing emptiness.


    "I am also called the Black Moon. That name, I think, suits me better."


    Nephis looked at her fingers again. There was no radiance beneath her skin. The blade of her sword remained dull, devoid of incandescent light. ...Her wound wasn''t healing.

 Chapter 1887 Never Before

    A terrible battle was raging on the grounds of the mystical castle, making the Citadel groan and quake. Its ancient walls were cracking, and crimson tails were raining from the sloped roofs, falling into the surging waters of the deep lake. The dim twilight of the Hollows was torn apart by flashes of blinding light.


    On the edge of the foaming water, a taciturn woman in a black hunting attire was calmly drawing her bow as an enormous rhino was barrelling at her down the stone stairs, shattering the weathered steps into dust as he charged. Unshaken, the woman silently released the wet string. It shot forward, leaving a string-shaped cloud of water droplets behind �� the twisting arrow pierced the humid air and unerringly struck the rhino''s right eye just moments before the giant beast rammed its horn through her chest.


    The beast was cunning, though. It shut one of his eyes just before the arrow hit �� the arrowhead spent most of its destructive force to penetrate the heavy eyelid, damaging the rhino��s eye, but failing to kill him on the spot.


    His furious bellow shook the world as blood flowed down its snout.


    However, before the rhino could impale the huntress on his horn, she finally moved.


    In the next moment, a giant black panther leaped on the charging giant, tore the tough hide on his neck and back with her claws, and soared into the air. Landing on the wall of the castle, the panther ran up its surface, then spun and pushed herself into another jump in a blink of an eye. Splinters of wood flew in all directions, and a black blur shot toward the ground, where two more Saints had just emerged from the broken gates...


    A powerful tremor shook the entire Citadel, and a devastating shockwave rolled from the darkness inside, pulverizing the debris of the gates into fine dust.


    The clash between Shield Wall and Silent Stalker would have been a harrowing sight for many �� after all, it wasn''t often that two Saints fought each other... or at least it had not been before the Domain War.


    But today, it was just a minor spectacle happening on the fringes of the true battle.


    Inside the castle, a hell that humanity had never witnessed before was blossoming in all its dreadful, murderous glory.


    Eight Transcendent champions of the Sword Domain had clashed with Lonesome Howl of the Song Clan and the Saint of Sorrow, aided by two Reflections sent by Mordret, the Prince of Nothing. These many human Transcendents had never fought before.


    ...A few moments later, though, it moved, slowly rising backup.


    Saint Jest observer] the harrowing scene with a wry expression.


    Turning back to the towering gargoyle he had been fighting, the old man smiled.


    "How vexing. Not only is my Aspect useless against you, but you are even protecting the she��wolf pup against me. And that stone body of yours refuses to be cut. Ha! If that is not. irony, then I don''t know what is..."


    Then, his smile slowly turned dark, sinister, and eerily chilling.


    "But you know, Sorrow''s son..."


    Something moved beneath Jest''s clothes, and his form suddenly started to change, ripping them apart.


    His voice had changed, as well, growing deep and inhuman:


    "The funny thing is, that only makes me want to cut you open more..."


    There was a deafening crash somewhere above them, and the Citadel shook once again �� this time much more violently than before. A section of its outer walls collapsed, revealing the interior of several overgrown floors.


    A tide of darkness spilled from one of them, followed by two falling figures.

 Chapter 1888 A Neat Trick

    Sunny was troubled.


    Not only because he was facing Revel the Lightslayer and two Reflections, separated from the rest of the group and having no clue how Nephis was doing, but also because the familiar voice in his head was silent.


    [Cassie?]


    There was no answer.


    Either the Song sisters had a way to isolate those who entered the Citadel from the outside world �� be it because of the Citadel itself, a mysterious facet of the Queen''s Domain, or some other means �� or something else was happening on the surface, not allowing Cassie to split her attention.


    In any case, at that moment, Sunny realized that he had grown both accustomed and reliant on having the blind seer be his invisible companion.


    Her silence made him feel uneasy.


    But there was no time to dwell on that...


    Because Revel was already attacking.


    The true darkness summoned by her and the two Reflections had overpowered the light emanating from Serpent, drowning the overgrown hall once again. The giant firefly''s body grew dim and bleak, its radiance snuffed out. Even the infernal glow of Fiend''s fire was extinguished.


    Sunny was blind once again... he just barely managed to manifest a sword from the shadows before they were consumed by the darkness.


    He took a step back and moved his odachi. In the next moment, a violent impact reverberated through his bones, and he felt a sharp blade being blocked by his own. Twisting it into a bind, Sunny calmly shifted his weight and delivered a crushing forward kick �� there was the sound of soft soles scraping against wood, as if someone had leaped back, and his kick struck nothing but air. Almost at the same time, he heard an irritated growl, and a long jet of red flame momentarily pushed the darkness away, revealing the silhouettes of the fighters.


    Saint had moved to protect Serpent from the deadly attack launched by one of the Reflections �� just as the hall became briefly enveloped in dim red glow, a sharp do sword landed on her shield, sending a powerful shockwave rolling outward and tearing the ancient roots apart.


    Fiend had been weakened by true darkness, as well �� the jet of flame he spat failed to catch the second Reflection, and it leaped into the air, delivering a flying kick to his wide chest. Another shockwave cracked the floor, and the steel giant staggered back.


    Both Reflections looked like the darkly beautiful Princess Revel.


    But Revel herself was standing in front of Sunny, just a few meters away.


    As both of them ignored the shockwaves and the light of Fiend''s flame died out, her cold voice resounded in the darkness:


    "...Neat trick"


    She sounded both impressed by and indifferent to the fact that he had managed to deflect her first attack despite being blinded by the darkness.


    A moment later, her voice drowned in the deafening cacophony of his Shadows battling Mordret��s Reflections.


    ''Crap...��


    And then, he would die.


    Well, not really. At least one of his shadows would be destroyed, leaving Sunny weakened and an incarnation short.


    But he would most likely survive.


    Even if all four of the shadows were killed, Sunny''s soul would not collapse -�� after all, it was fortified by Soul Weave. A normal human''s soul would crumble and dissipate if its integrity was violated too severely, but he was different. As long as at least a shred of Sunny''s soul remained, it would be able to one day restore itself.


    However...


    What about the rest of the Saints of the conquest force? What about Roan? ...What about Nephis?


    He needed to think of something. A tactical shift... a new strategy.


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    Then... he gave his Shadows a mental command.


    A moment later, Fiend turned around, rushed blindly at the wall of the overgrown hall, and collided with it at terrible speed.


    The great weight of the towering devil and his Supreme power caused the entire Citadel to quake. An entire section of the castle''s wall collapsed, and Fiend �� as well as the Reflection pursuing him �� tumbled outside, falling into the distant lake.


    In the chaos, Serpent scurried toward Saint and leaped into the air, turning into a serpentine odachi. Saint dismissed her dark blade and grasped the hilt of the odachi with an unshaken fist.


    And Sunny...


    Sunny released the hold on his avatar, allowing the Lord of Shadows to turn into a one.


    The true darkness consumed the wild shadows, but it could not consume Sunny''s own �� just like he could not command or manifest the shadows of living beings.


    If his true body was here, he would not have been able to assume an intangible form, since there were no shadows for him to dive into. But the Lord of Shadows was a manifested avatar �� therefore, his natural form was that of a shadow, to begin with.


    So, Sunny was able to abandon the physical form without losing control of the incarnation. He had become a shadow in the depths of a sea of darkness.


    For a moment, there were four shadows �� haughty and his three companions �� drowning in the that sea. It felt eerie and unpleasant, as though something was gnawing at Sunny''s very soul.


    However, he could still control the avatar.


    So, he did something that he had never tried before.


    Followed by the other three shadows, he crawled across the floor in the direction where Saint was fighting against the Reflection...


    And wrapped himself around her body, fusing with it like any other of his shadows would.

 Chapter 1889 Heart of Stone

    True darkness was Sunny''s natural enemy.


    However, to Saint, it was a weapon.


    Because she had been born in the Underworld, where darkness reigned.


    [Heart of Darkness] Attribute Description: "A vestige of an ancient darkness dwells in this Shadow''s heart, granting her tenebrous powers."


    [Mantle of Darkness] Ability Description: "Darkness embraces this Shadow. When surrounded by darkness, and true darkness more so, her swiftness and might will increase. Her wounds will be healed, and her heart will grow fuller." [Blade of Darkness] Ability Description: "The true darkness dwelling in this Shadow''s heart can be summoned in the form of a fearsome weapon, as long as the Shadow has mastered the use of that weapon. The Blade of Darkness can slay those of flesh and those of spirit; it never dulls, never falters, and never breaks. Alternatively, the darkness can be summoned to augment a mundane weapon." ...When Revel summoned the tide of elemental darkness, Sunny''s powers were suppressed. Fiend and Serpent were weakened, as well.


    But Saint only grew stronger.


    There were not one, but three sources of true darkness around the graceful stone knight �� the Lightslayer and two Reflections who had mirrored her Aspect. Therefore, Saint''s heart was overflowing with power. Her body was nourished by the darkness, growing stronger, faster, and more enduring.


    Most importantly of all, she wasn''t blinded by the darkness �� instead, her perception had only become sharper.


    That was why Sunny had abandoned his usual ways. In most battles, he himself played the role of the main blade of the Shadow Cohort �� while the Shadows supported him, it was his task to deliver the fatal blow.


    But in the sea of elemental darkness, Saint was the best and only option. The rest of them were not only an inferior choice, but also a liability... so, Sunny had chosen to remove himself from the battle, betting everything on Saint.


    The taciturn knight was already empowered by the darkness. Now, three of his shadows had bestowed their blessings upon her.


    And, lastly, Sunny did something that he had never done before �� turning into a shadow, be wrapped himself around her stonelike body, hoping to add the fourth blessing to the other three.


    Surprisingly, it worked.


    Sunny felt himself... fusing with Saint, like his shadows had done in the past. It was a strange and indescribable feeling �� not unpleasant, though. Rather, it felt natural and even a little euphoric, as if he was doing something that he had always been meant to do.


    Not that he could have, before becoming a Saint. Even now, Sunny did not know if something like that would have been possible if he attempted the fusion with his original body instead of a shadow incarnation.


    Her calmness, her cold confidence, her pride. A hint of recognition she felt while facing Revel... because Revel was a Beast��s spawn, and Saint had battled others of her kin in the great war of old.


    ''How strange.��


    Sunny could not read Saint''s thoughts, but he did understand something about her. It was that the memories of her past life were not entirely gone. However, they weren''t entirely there, either... not quite erased, by dim and faint, like a distant dream. A dream that someone else had dreamt, perhaps.


    Before she was a Shadow.


    It was a mercy, no doubt, considering that most of those memories were tainted by the madness of Corruption.


    As a Shadow...


    Saint gripped the hilt of the Soul Serpent. The black odachi rippled and shifted its form, turning into a heavy straight sword. Then, a stream of darkness flowed from


    under her gauntlet, enveloping the sharp blade and fusing with the stygian steel.


    She turned her head and faced her two enemies �� Princess Revel of the Great


    Clan Song and the abominable creature that mirrored her existence.


    Then, Saint stared them down with cold indifference, calmly raised her sword, and


    struck it twice against the rim of her shield.


    Sharing her senses, Sunny trembled with excitement.


    ''...I think I understand why she does it now.''


    Honestly, it felt rather cool.

 Chapter 1890 Dark Tide

    Now that Sunny could see through Saint''s eyes, the ravaged hall of the ancient Citadel was revealed to him once again. It had changed drastically in a short span of time...


    The outer wall was partially missing, torn open by Fiend''s charge. Splinters and debris littered the cracked floor. The scarlet vines and the roots of the trees that had protruded from the ceiling were decimated, filling the air with a sweet fragrance while they bled viscous �� and undoubtedly toxic �� sap.


    Everything was drowning in darkness.


    Before, Sunny had always seen darkness like a billowing cloud of nothingness �� an impenetrable black barrier that was uniform and featureless, obscuring the world from his senses. However, now, he saw it in a new light... or rather, the opposite of light.


    To Saint''s eyes, darkness was rich and full of nuance. It flowed all around them, its fluid torrents creating beautiful patterns in the air. Moving, ebbing, changing... almost like a living creature. The dark splendor of that scene was subtle and breathtaking.


    Sadly, Sunny had no time to enjoy the beauty of darkness, because Lightslayer was not wasting even a moment.


    To his surprise, Revel herself was like a part of the elemental darkness she had unleashed. When she moved, her body seemed to become one with the flow of it, dissolving into ethereal dark liquid before coalescing back into a tangible form �� because of that, she could travel to any point in the hall with such tremendous speed that it almost seemed instantaneous.


    The Reflection, which mirrored her appearance perfectly, was the same.


    ''A movement Aspect Ability? Or a partial Transformation?''


    Sunny did not know.


    A split second later, Saint was attacked from both sides.


    Revel was far too strong and powerful for a Transcendent Beast, which meant that at least one of the Abilities granted her a physical augmentation �� quite similar to Saint''s own [Mantle of Darkness]. Although it was hard to judge, Sunny suspected that the extent of that augmentation was greater than even Effie''s own potent physical enhancement.


    Effie''s Dormant Ability was universal, though, while Revel''s seemed to only work within the bounds of true darkness. So, there was some kind of balance to her unreasonably powerful Aspect, at least.


    Of course, another of her Abilities allowed her to summon a flood of elemental darkness to anywhere she was. That was quite a problem.


    It was both a joy and a privilege, to be exposed to such excellence without any barriers. To not only observe how Saint fought, but also feel and experience it as if her body was his own, as was her will.


    Granted... the actual situation was quite dire.


    Saint plummeted through the broken floor and landed heavily on the wooden surface of the level below, which cracked slightly under her prodigious weight. Splinters and debris rained down, and darkness flowed from above, swiftly drowning everything around.


    Her intricate onyx armor was battered, its surface covered my cracks in a few places. There was some ruby dust scattered across the polished surface, as well �� she had received several wounds. Luckily, her wounds were able to heal faster when surrounded by true darkness, and since Revel and her Reflections had generously provided copious amounts of the rare element, those shallow cuts were already healed.


    Her two enemies followed, coalescing from the torrents of darkness and immediately resuming their assault.


    Neither side had a decisive advantage �� while Saint was being pressed by Revel and the Reflection, she was like an indomitable wall of stonelike metal. Their attacks shattered against her shield and armor, while her own blade was a lethal threat.


    Sadly, Saint wasn''t able to harm either of her adversaries in turn. For the moment, the furious battle had reached a fragile stalemate.


    A few moments later, both Lightslayer and the Reflection disengaged, their raven-black hair flying in the wind. Revel paused for a moment and looked at Saint, a harsh expression settling on her beautiful face.


    The Princess of Song remained silent for a second, then said in a low tone:


    "A creature of darkness... just where did that man find you?"


    Sunny did not have to answer, and Saint wasn''t going to, either.


    She stared down at Revel with her usual indifference, then raised her sword slightly, preparing to attack.


    However, at that moment, it seemed as if Lightslayer had come to a decision.


    She smiled coldly, and in the next moment, the surrounding darkness enveloped her like a mantle...


    At the same time, the entire Citadel suddenly shook, and a deafening sound of splintering wood reached them from somewhere high above.

 Chapter 1891 Negative Power

    Earlier...


    On the highest floor of the ancient Citadel, Nephis was standing in the middle of a blooming garden. All around her, heavy branches leaned under the weight of scarlet flowers, and a sweet fragrance permeated the air.


    Three women surrounded her �� one of them was Moonveil, the Princess of Song. The other two were most likely Reflections created by Mordret, the estranged son of the King of Swords.


    Drops of blood were falling from the cut on her cheek.


    Nephis looked at her fingers, which were smeared in blood, with a frown.


    ''They prepared well.''


    The current situation was troubling enough, but what dismayed her more was how thoroughly the daughters of Ki Song seemed to be informed about Godgrave and the movements of the Sword Army.


    Venturing into the Hollows should not have been an easy task �� otherwise, she would not have needed an army of Awakened soldiers to carve a path through the scarlet jungle. She could have simply led a team of Saints on a clandestine excursion.


    But she had not. That was because while Saints could brave the perils of the Hollows, they could not do it for long. Sooner or later, they would meet something that they could not defeat or escape from �� and even if they didn''t, their essence would run out, leaving them stranded in the heart of the ancient jungle. Then, they would die.


    Even with a guide like the Lord of Shadows, her own forces had only dared to descend into the Hollows after reaching the vicinity of the Second Rib �� and that was already a much more dangerous plan than the initial one.


    Knowing where exactly the Citadels were located was supposed to be an advantage of the Sword Domain.


    However, Lightslayer and her sisters had reached this Citadel first, and without an army. Gods only knew how they had managed that, but they had... was it because of the Beast lineage? Or something else entirely?


    Worse than that, they seem to know too much about the champions of the Sword Army. Song definitely had spies among the warriors of Valor, but were they that capable? Or was it all due to Death Singer, the blood oracle? After all, although the future could not be glimpsed anymore, the same could not be said about the present.


    Or was it all the fault of the Prince of Nothing? Had he done more than just fight his way to the Nameless Temple when visiting the Lord of Shadows before the war?


    Nephis did not know, but she did know that the Sword Army �� her army �� had failed to outmaneuver the enemy.


    Now,her Saints were being slaughtered down below. The Lord of Shadows was fighting Dark Dancer Revel, whose powers seemed to directly counter his.


    And she herself was cornered by Moonveil, somehow robbed of her powers.


    The situation was dire. Not only had Song managed to take control of the Citadel, but they could very well deal a fatal blow to the Sword Army by eliminating fourteen of its Saint, including two of its strongest champions �� herself and Sunny.


    Nephis remained motionless for a moment, then turned her gaze back to Moonveil.


    "You said that the name Black Moon suits you better."


    The Princess of Song smiled softly."Indeed."


    Nephis took a deep sigh and circulated her essence.


    Her Aspect was sealed, but her essence could still move.


    Therefore, the situation was not too dire.


    It could still be salvaged.


    Because she had noticed that Moonveil... Black Moon... was not using any of her Aspect Abilities, either. So, suppressing someone else''s powers must have come at the cost of suppressing her own.


    Which meant that Nephis was still a Transcendent Titan facing three Transcendent Beasts. Although her body was still that of a human, she was stronger and faster than most other Saints. She would not lose to anyone in a conquest of pure physicality and skill.


    No...


    Those Reflections could have been mirroring a Transcendent being, but she could feel that they were much more powerful than Moonveil herself. Supreme Beasts, then.


    It was still not impossible for her to win.


    And even if it had been impossible...


    She would win somehow, anyway, because defeat was not an option.


    "Thank you for telling me, Black Moon."


    Saying that, Nephis dashed toward the daughter of Ki Song without wasting another breath.


    And as she did, she burned her essence and spoke the Names, channeling them into a crude Phrase.


    In that Phrase, the name of Black Moon was woven together with the name of destruction.

 Chapter 1892 Purity of Steel

    Moonveil was armed with a saber. When Nephis attacked, her own sword �� the Kinslayer �� fell on it like a bolt of silver lightning. She had activated one of its enchantments, infusing the somber blade with elemental damage, and, at the same time, called upon the Nameless Sun and the Testament of Malice.


    The former gifted the mirror sword with the ability to damage souls, while the latter augmented its edge with a corrosive quality �� not too potent, but cumulative.


    Nephis had activated the enchantments of her armor, as well �� those were mostly defensive in nature, supporting her body in its lunge.


    The more enchantments she used, the more of her essence would be drained. But without the demanding expenditure of her Divine Aspect, essence was the only thing that Nephis had at her disposal �� there was no point in trying to conserve it.


    All her Memories were augmented by the Crown of Dawn, which she had worn since the Forgotten Shore. And yet...


    The suppressive force of Moonveil and her Reflections was so powerful that the Memories still felt weak and impotent. It was as if her armor was made of paper, and her sword was made from rusty steel.


    The Kinslayer still held, but Nephis had a feeling that she would have to request another suit of armor from the enchanters of Clan Valor after the battle was over.


    Sadly, they could not craft her a new body.


    Despite Moonveil''s soft appearance, she was a skilled fighter �� Nephis would not have expected anything less from a princess of Song. Additionally, her delicate body seemed to possess fierce, bestial strength. She deflected the Kinslayer easily, shifting her weight and placing her saber at an angle that would both channel and dissipate the force of the impact.


    Moonveil''s expression was calm.


    However, it changed the instant the two blades met.


    Nephis had barely started to construct the Phrase, but it was already starting to Shape the world. The blade of the saber was chipped deeply and almost shattered, while Moonveil''s bones almost snapped. The Queen''s daughter reeled back with a stifled hiss, and looked at her opponent with a stunned expression.


    Nephis had no time to enjoy her shock.


    The two Reflections were already upon her.


    There was a swarm of sparks swirling around her arm �� the Memory she was trying to summon only took a few short seconds to manifest. However, in a battle like this one, a few seconds could become an eternity.


    Such a simple thing, but it changed the feeling of this battle completely.


    Nephis should have been tense, somber, and on the verge of despair.


    She should have been clawing at the chance to turn the situation around.


    She should have been missing her powers bitterly.


    But instead, she was relieved.


    The relief washed over her like a tide, and the simple delight of giving herself completely to the sword put a faint smile on her face.


    Her smile seemed to surprise Moonveil.


    The princess of Song hesitated for a moment, then asked between two graceful slashes of her saber:


    "Why are you smiling, Changing Star?"


    Nephis blocked an attack from one of the Reflections, caught another blow on her vambrace and staggered back, feeling a stream of blood flowing into her palm.


    Her smile did not waver.


    "It''s just... refreshing. To be powerless, for once."


    With that, she released the hilt of her sword with one hand and outstretched her bloodied palm outward.


    At that moment, the swirling sparks finally manifested into a Memory.


    That Memory was a torch of black wood, a mass of ghostly blue flame burning in a silver cage on its top.


    The blue flames reflected in the placid depth of her calm, grey eyes.

 Chapter 1893 Child of Darkness

    The garden temple standing in the middle of the dark lake shuddered, and for a moment, the dim twilight of the Hollows was illuminated by a brilliant blaze of cold light.


    Powerful torrents of ghostly blue flame shot from the overgrown Windows on the higher floor of the castle, extending dozens of meters in all directions like rays of a fiery star. The vines and branches covering the embrasures were instantly reduced to ash.


    For a split second, the world seemed frozen. Then, a net of brilliant cracks revealed itself on the ancient walls, and the entire top of the castle disappeared in the annihilating radiance of a violent explosion.


    A vast flower of blue flame blossomed above the dark lake. A cloud of burning splinters was shot outward like shrapnel, and a deafening thunder rolled across the surging water like a roar. The immense spire of the castle tilted slowly, collapsing into the flames, and then plummeted down from a great height.


    As the billowing mass of flames rose into the air, the trees and vines permeating the devastated upper floors of the Citadel caught fire. The fire enveloped them hungrily, already spreading down.


    Far below, Saint stood her ground as the entire structure of the castle quaked. In front of her, Lightslayer was enveloped by a whirlpool of darkness �� her lithe body was obscured by the dark torrent, as if she had become one with it.


    And then, something moved in the darkness.


    The darkness took shape, and suddenly, Saint had to raise her head to look her enemy in the eye.


    Revel had retained most of her human features... it was just that her beauty had become even more breathtaking. Her height had increased, as well, reaching almost four meters. Her raven hair seemed to have grown longer, and two obsidian horns were protruding from her head, curving slightly.


    Two black, bat��like wings grew from her back, each crowned with a sharp obsidian spike.


    With her flawless alabaster skin and tenebrous eyes, she was like a beautiful demon of darkness... or a fallen angel, perhaps.


    A moment later, her hypnotic gaze flashed with sudden intensity, and she lunged forward. Her curved sword had increased in size, as well, turning into a semblance of an odachi �� or whatever the equivalent of an odachi for a sword was.


    Her Reflection was already enveloped in a whirlpool of darkness, as well.


    Saint remained as cold and indifferent as always, her ruby eyes shining with crimson flames. Her battered shield had resisted countless blows, and her dark blade had tasted the blood of the enemy on a few occasions.


    Sadly, all the wounds she had managed to deliver Revel and her Reflection were shallow and insignificant.


    Her own armor, meanwhile, was terribly shredded by now, breached in a dozen places, and smeared in ruby dust.


    However, surrounded by true darkness, Saint simply would not succumb to the terrible wounds. Instead, they were healing at startling speed. The gash on her chest had already closed, and the rest of them were not far behind.


    Still... she could not continue in this manner for much longer. Albeit slowly, her enemies were gaining the upper hand. The longer this battle continued, the weaker she would grow, and the greater their advantage would become.


    The hall was slowly filling with the smell of smoke.


    Making a decision, Saint strained her tattered body and momentarily pushed both creatures of darkness hack.


    None of them moved for a short moment, gathering the strength for the next attack.


    Saint stared at the beautiful demoness, Revel, silently...


    And then dropped her battered shield to the ground.


    Her weapon rippled and elongated, turning into a heavy greatsword.


    It was as if she was abandoning all pretense of defense in favor of uncompromising offense.


    In favor of an indomitable will to see her enemies dead no matter the cost. The crimson flames burning behind her cracked Visor shone with cold light.

 Chapter 1894 Mutually Assured Salvation

    Sunny had been a silent companion for Saint, losing himself in the sensations of the furious battle. Revel was strong �� too strong, even... in hindsight, he might have become somewhat arrogant after attaining Transcendence, which caused him to underestimate the champions of Song.


    Why wouldn''t the first Saint among the Queen''s daughters be exceptionally strong? Sure, Revel had always been unassuming, avoiding the spotlight and public attention. There were no tales about her deeds or news about her achievements in recent years. In fact, Sunny did not think that he had ever seen a recording of her appearing in broad daylight...


    And yet, he should have been more wary of the seven Transcendent sisters, who had been raised by a Sovereign and inherited the lineage of Beast God.


    Sunny was still confident that he could defeat each of them in battle �� just like he was confident that he could defeat Morgan.


    ...If not for the fact that Revel wielded power over elemental darkness as a weapon and was aided by Mordret. That devious bastard.


    How was he still causing problems for Sunny all the way from the shores of the Stormsea?


    Luckily, Saint countered I.ightslayer''s Aspect just like it countered Sunny''s own. So, he wasn''t too worried...


    Until she discarded her shield and shifted her stance.


    At that moment, Sunny finally sensed a hint of alarm.


    He remembered that stance... It was a sign that she was abandoning her usual conservative technique in favor of a savage and chillingly lethal one, which was utterly ruthless �� both to her enemies and to herself.


    The darkness was permeated by the smell of smoke.


    The roar of the explosion they had heard earlier must have been caused by Nephis. She had not detonated her soul cores, it seemed �� otherwise, the entire Citadel would have been reduced to a pile of rubble. So, the explosion must have been caused by her Aspect, the Sorcery of Names, or both.


    It was a sign that she was still alive and fighting, at least. However, Sunny was struggling to understand what could have stalled her for so long... he had expected her to deal with the enemy sooner rather than later.


    It was all up to Saint.


    ''Stay safe...''


    His Shadow took a step forward, then unexpectedly kicked her round shield with terrible force. The battered shield shot from the cracked floor like a discus, colliding with the Reflection and sending it reeling back.


    The graceful stone knight was already lunging at Revel.


    Because he had finally understood Saint''s intention.


    In truth, she wasn''t trying to sacrifice herself to kill the enemy �� he would not have allowed her to, anyway. Instead, she was betting her life on the fact that the enemy would not allow her to do so, either.


    Saint was fighting Revel and her Reflection... but Revel was only fighting a mere servant of the Lord of Shadows. If she let herself be heavily wounded, or worse yet, killed, the Lord of Shadows would win.


    In other words, Saint could pursue the strategy of mutually assured destruction to defeat the enemy, but Revel could not, because all she would be destroying was a minion of the enemy, not the enemy himself.


    ''I-Iow devious! ''


    Had his noble, prideful Saint picked up a few treacherous tricks after following him for all these years?


    In any case, the battle reached a forced stalemate.


    The beautiful demon of darkness, Revel, stared at the battered Shadow with a grim expression.


    After a few moments, she uttered through gritted teeth:


    "...Dammit."


    Her mesmerizing voice sounded like the song of the lightless abyss, but Sunny was more interested in the emotion hidden in that one short word.


    It was anger.


    ''What are you going to do now?��


    Sunny wasn''t sure what Revel would do...


    But he already knew what his next action would be, and had to act fast.


    So, he allowed himself to be separated from Saint and quietly flowed down her arm...


    Onto the blade of the Soul Serpent.

 Chapter 1895 Body of Steel

    Sunny broke his fusion with Saint and glided onto the blade of the Soul Serpent, wrapping himself around the blade of the serpentine greatsword. Robbed of his support, the taciturn knight swayed slightly �� however, considering how severely injured she was, that sudden sign of weakness did not look out of place. Reven did not notice anything, assuming that the inhumanly beautiful creature was simply wounded too terribly.


    Sunny fused with Serpent, and was dazed for a split second. Being one with Saint had already been a strange enough feeling �� however, becoming a sword was an entirely alien experience.


    Sunny had no blood, no eyes, no limbs. His body was rigid and uncompromising, forged for a single purpose �� to cut, cleave and carve, severing living beings from the concept of life. Held in the firm hand of his wielder, he was where he was meant to belong.


    His edge was sharp. His purpose was clear.


    His resolve was absolute.


    ...The difference between everything Sunny was familiar with and this adamant existence was so immense that his mind simply failed to fathom it. He wasn''t even sure what part of him came from Serpent, and what part of him came from the sword. There were countless nuances he was failing to comprehend, countless layers of himself he could feel, but not understand.


    However, even these few short moments were a revelation.


    While augmenting Saint, Sunny had already guessed that fusing with his Shadows could guide him to the next step of Shadow Dance. But now that he had become one with Serpent in its Soul Weapon form, he made another guess.


    His shadows could augment Memories, too. So... wouldn''t his weaving undergo a tremendous improvement if he studied the Memories by fusing with them, as well? Was that the catalyst he had been missing in his quest to forge a soulbound sword?


    These prospects were both fascinating and tantalizing. Sadly, there was no time to consider them fully...


    Because he was still in the middle of a dire battle, and that battle was about to reach its climax.


    The short moment of inaction was coming to an end. Revel and the Reflection were preparing to move despite their wounds... from what Sunny could tell, Lightslayer had made up her mind and chosen a solution to the problem posed by Saint.


    Instantly, the sword rippled and changed shape, expanding into a vaguely human silhouette. That silhouette then swelled, turning into a monstrous figure as it landed heavily on the wooden floor and lunged at the princess of Song.


    He had ordered Serpent to assume a new form.


    Sunny had considered carefully which of the silent shadows dwelling in his soul he would choose. Initially, his mind turned to the most obvious one �� the Black Knight of the ruined cathedral of the Dark City, his old nemesis.


    The Black Knight had been a fearsome and dreadful foe. Best of all, he had commanded true darkness, possessing several potent abilities tied to it �� it was by slaying the ruthless guardian of the cathedral that Saint evolved for the first time. Now that they were surrounded by the same element, Serpent could borrow the affinity to it from the Black Knight''s shadow by assuming the form of the mass of darkness wearing a set of cursed armor.


    However, once Sunny contemplated the choice more, he realized that it was a poor one. The Black Knight had seemed formidable once, true �� but he was merely a Fallen Devil. What had been a deadly foe once was now a trivial threat to someone like Sunny... and to Revel as well.


    Truthfully, none of the forms Serpent could assume could pose a threat to the princess of Song �� at least not anymore.


    If they had been the ones to ambush the forces of Song, the shape of the Terror of L049, Sybil of the Fallen Grace, could have helped Sunny decimate the enemy. If they had been fighting in a vast open space, the shape of the Remnant of the Jade Queen could have rained destruction on the enemies from above.


    But now, none of these shapes could contend against Revel. She would destroy them easily, not wasting any time.


    And Sunny desperately needed her to waste it.


    So, the shape that Serpent had assumed...


    Was that a creature that resembled a towering, monstrous mix between a human and a wolf. It was tall and covered in thick, wild fur. Its maw was bared in a bestial snarl, revealing terrifying fangs, and each of its claws was like a curved sword.


    ...It was the form of Saint Dire Fang, a fallen retainer of the Great Clan Song, whom Sunny had killed during the Battle of the Black Skull, and whose Echo he later lost in the Nightmare Desert.

 Chapter 1896 Divide and Conquer

    Serpent pushed himself forward with his powerful legs, while his long arms stretched toward Revel.


    Or rather, toward where Revel had been a moment ago.


    In the shape of a sword, Serpent had no way to see, hear, or sense. In the shape of Dire Fang, it was blinded by the darkness �� and so was Sunny.


    Of course, they weren''t entirely aimless.


    One of Dire Fang''s Aspect Abilities could tremendously enhance his senses, after all. They were so sharp that Sunny could hear the smallest of sounds, discern a myriad of smells, and even feel the vibrations of the floor intricately enough to pinpoint the movement of his enemies.


    So, they had a good chance of reaching Revel.


    Sadly, they also had zero chance of defeating her in a brawl. As someone who had fought Dire Fang, Sunny knew perfectly well what the bestial body of the savage Saint was capable of �� and it fell way short of what Lightslayer could do.


    Worse still, Dire F ang''s Awakened Ability, which augmented his physical might in proportion to the depth of wrath he felt, was all but useless when used by Serpent. The original Saint had a brutal personality and an eerie measure of control over his emotions, but Serpent was not very wrathful. In fact, Sunny did not know if that Shadow of his could even feel anger.


    Serpent had not inherited the Transcendent battle art of the dead Saint, either. In short, they would not be able to rip Revel apart with Dire Fang''s claws.


    But they did not need to, luckily. Because their goal was different...


    All they had to do was stall the princess of Song long enough to give Saint a little room to breathe.


    And for that purpose, the shape of Dire Fang was perfect.


    Revel was strong enough, swift enough, and ruthless enough to kill another Saint in a moment �� especially in the depths of her whirlwind of darkness, after assuming her Transcendent form. So, Sunny was not going to compete with her in strength, speed, or skill.


    Well, technically, he was not going to make Serpent compete.


    The situation would have been even more desperate if the Reflection was a Demon... or worse yet, a Devil. Then, it would not have been limited to mirroring Revel herself �� instead, it could have mirrored Saint, or even Fiend.


    In any case, it missed the chance to intercept the graceful stone knight in time. A moment later, Saint attacked it in cold silence. She had not tried to manifest a sword of darkness once again, since that would have taken more time than she had �� instead, she simply used the onyx spikes protruding from the knuckles of her armored gauntlets.


    Her first blow shattered the damaged blade of the Reflection.


    Saint did not need a sword to kill an enemy �� after all, she was a master of all weapons, and that included her own body. She was the one who had taught Fiend hand-to��hand combat, and the student did not surpass the master yet. The Reflection finally reacted, moving its wings to finish off the living statue with its obsidian talons. But Saint had fought this demonic form for long enough to learn its strengths and weaknesses �� she closed in, coming almost face-to-face with the beautiful creature.


    Revel''s wings were utterly deadly, but their structure dictated a certain effective range �� once someone was too close to the princess of Valor, hiding behind her body, the lethal talons could not reach them anymore.


    While Serpent and the true Lightslayer were crashing into the ground, Saint dodged the Reflections claws, calmly caught its second hand between her right arm and her body...


    And then sent her left hand flying forward.


    Her aim was the creature''s abdomen, which she had pierced with her sword before.


    There, the armor was broken. The skin of the Reflection was cut, as well, and so were the adamantine muscles beneath.


    Saint looked up at the stolen face of the Supreme Beast with cold indifference. The crimson flames burning in her eyes flashed menacingly, turning deeper and darker.


    In the next moment, her armored gauntlet penetrated the terrible wound. Awash in blood and flowing darkness, she mercilessly thrust her arm deep into the body of the creature, bending it at the elbow to reach into its ribcage.


    Her armored fist closed on what should have been the Reflection''s heart.


    In the next moment, there was a quiet, melodious sound...


    As if an immense pane of glass was shattering somewhere close, but also far away.

 Chapter 1897 Above and Below

    The top floors of the ancient castle had been destroyed, torn apart by the devastating explosion. The floors below were an inferno of raging flames and billowing smoke. Scorching heat permeated the suffocating darkness, and burning walls were crumbling as they fell down, into the surging waters of the distant lake.


    In that hell, someone coughed hoarsely, and a pile of debris suddenly moved. A delicate woman threw aside a smoldering support beam that weighed several tons and slowly rose to her feet, her beautiful face smeared with ash.


    At almost the same time, another figure rose from the floor, looking around with cold intensity. It was a young woman with silver hair, wearing a severely damaged suit of lustrous armor. In one hand, she was holding a silver sword. In the other, a broken black torch was dissolving into a whirlwind of white sparks.


    Neph''s ivory skin was just as pristine as it had been before. Moonveil''s body, however, was covered in gruesome burns. She let out a pained hiss and staggered slightly, looking at Nephis with a tortured grimace.


    Eventually, her lips parted.


    "...You are a Shaper."


    Moonveil''s voice was full of barely contained shock. It was commendable that she knew about Shaping and managed to recognize it �� after all, there were no true practitioners of that extinct sorcery left in modern day... at least none that Nephis knew of, apart from herself.


    She took a step in Moonveil''s direction, preparing to lunge into an all��out attack. "Barely."


    Time was short.


    Nephis had indeed invoked the True Name of Fire and woven it into a simple Phrase to cause the powerful explosion. Her own Aspect was suppressed, so she had used the black torch as the source flame.


    The result had exceeded her expectations, but it was not nearly enough to win the battle.


    Nephis had escaped the explosion mostly unscathed, since she was all but immune to all kinds of fire except for her own. The Reflections would be relatively fine, as well �� they were far too powerful to be destroyed by a mere conflagration. So, she had only a few precious moments to deal with Moonveil. Moonveil, meanwhile, had suffered the most damage.


    Not only because she was a mere Transcendent Beast, but also because Nephis was still burning her essence to channel the True Name of Destruction. Invoking it demanded a lot from the Shaper, but it was worth it for a killer like her. Calling upon Destruction did not summon a bolt of lightning from the heavens to smite her enemies, and it did not crush them like a shockwave, either.


    Instead, the result of invoking that True N amc was insidious and subtle. Nephis had not been falsely modest when she answered Moonveil''s question �� her mastery of Shaping was indeed rudimentary and devoid of nuance. She had fathomed a fair deal of Names thanks to Ananke''s lessons and her Aspect Legacy, but the ways she could channel them were crude, and her Phrases were primitive.


    Still, even on her lips, the True Name of Destruction was a fearsome instrument. If she simply channeled it without much guidance, her attacks would become more destructive than they were supposed to be. If she connected it to an enemy''s name �� and more so their True Name ��then the enemy would become cursed, as if a mystical hex had been placed on them.


    Every cut they received would be deeper, and every blow they endured would bruise more. That was why Moonveil had suffered the most from the explosion. It was as if the world itself was being reshaped to destroy her.


    Such was the power of Shaping �� the power to bend the world to one''s will. Perhaps it was because Nephis had been stripped of her Aspect, becoming powerless for the first time in many years, that she saw Shaping from a new perspective in that moment.


    ��Will...��


    As Nephis attacked, a sudden thought surfaced in her mind. Wasn''t that the essence of Supremacy, to force one''s will upon the world? She was commanding the flames, and she had placed the spell of destruction on Moonveil. Both of those things were bending the world to fit her desires. Of course, she was not achieving that with her own will �� instead, she was using the Sorcery of Names as its conduit.


    But was there maybe a hint to the path she had to tread in order to attain Supremacy in the miraculous power of Shaping?


    Before Neph''s sword could even reach Moonveil, there was a booming crash, and one of the Reflections tore through a burning wall, its saber slicing the adamantine wood like paper.


    One of his eyes was missing, and his golden armor was breached in half a dozen places. Falling into the water, he let out a stifled groan and struggled to stand up.


    His enemies did not seem to be in a hurry to finish him off, and yet... his death was inevitable.


    "Curses..."


    Sir Rivalen swayed and fell to his knees, his blood mixing with the restless water. He looked up with a stalwart expression.


    A giant beast that looked like a graceful panther was slowly descending the stone steps. Worse still...


    Two human figures were walking in front of it, each bearing terrible wounds. They were the corpses of two paladins of Valor that the daughter of Ki Song had already killed, brought back to a perverse semblance of life by the villainous queen. His former peers, comrades, and companions.


    Sir Rivalen gritted his teeth, knowing that there was no escape.


    He wasn''t really afraid of death, as long as it was for a noble cause. However... becoming one of these things, being used to harm his fellow knights...


    It seemed too vile.


    He looked down, at his bloodied reflection in the water, and whispered quietly: "...I''ll have to make sure that my body is entirely destroyed, then."


    His voice was weak, but full of resolve.


    The enemies were drawing near...


    Before Saint Rivalen could do anything, though, he felt the water grow strangely warm around him... searing, even.


    Then, it suddenly seethed and surged.


    A moment later, a dreadful monster rose from the lake right behind him.


    It was a great fiend forged of black metal, with four long arms and infernal flames burning in his malevolent eyes. Rivers of water streamed from his polished, spiked carapace, hissing as they evaporated and turned into clouds of steam.


    Towering above the kneeling Rivalen, the fiend looked down at Silent Stalker and the two Transcendent corpses.


    Then, he opened his terrible maw and spat a mouthful of glass shards into the lake.


    Saint Rivalen was momentarily befuddled.


    ''What?��


    Why did it seem as though the harrowing creature had a disgruntled expression on its ferocious face?


    ...And why did it seem as if it had been chewing on glass?

 Chapter 1898 Chewing on Glass

    Inside the ancient Citadel, a terrifying battle was drawing close to a grim conclusion. The interior of the great hall was devastated, and although smoke had not reached here yet, the dark expanse was permeated by sweltering heat. The shattered floor was awash in blood.


    The battle had not gone well for the Saints of the Sword Army. Most of them were already dead �� only four remained, each struggling to stay alive.


    Saint Roan was battered and bloodied, his white mane painted red. His lightning had been extinguished, and although his enchanted armor �� a gift from his daughter to celebrate his Transcendence �� had served him well, it was now a shredded mess of torn metal, a blow or two away from crumbling into a river of ethereal sparks.


    Sir Jest was surrounded from all sides. His Transcendent form was that of a demonic abomination with goat��like horns and malevolent eyes, his gaze overflowing with terrifying malice. He had fared well against the Saint of Sorrow, dealing grievous wounds to his stone opponent, but as his fellow champions of Valor fell one after another, the situation changed for the worse. Saint Helie was severely injured, as well. Her sides were wet with blood, torn apart by terrible claws. Her beautiful face was pale from pain and fatigue, and her powerful bow had long been destroyed. Even her shield was on the verge of breaking apart, while her spear already had several cracks on its long blade. The fourth surviving Saint was slumped on the wide back of the Transcendent form, barely conscious from losing too much blood. He was the one who had been struck by Silent Stalker''s arrow in the ambush �� ironically enough, others were dead, but he still clung to life. Despite that, he was of not much use in the battle.


    Their enemies, meanwhile...


    Two dreadful great wolves were circling Roan, preparing to finish him off �� they were Lonesome Howl and one of her Reflections, both in much better shape than the winged lion.


    The second Reflection was pursuing Helie, barely kept back by her spear and shield.


    The corpse of the Great Terror had been destroyed, and so were two of the risen Saints. However, three more had been taken by the Queen of Song �� now, they surrounded Sir Jest, attacking him to assist the Saint of Sorrow.


    The situation was bleak, and none of the Saints of Swords saw a way out. Even Sir Iest did not seem that amused anymore.


    His malevolent eyes narrowed, and a deep, inhuman voice resounded in the devastated hall, sending a chill running down the spine of the Saint of Sorrow: "How troublesome... how frustrating. At this rate, I won''t get to see if your intestines are also made of stone..."


    His monstrous mouth twisted into a snarl.


    Sir Iest threw one of the living corpses aside and lunged at the stone gargoyle, ignoring dead hands tearing at his flesh.


    At that moment, however, the great wolf that had been pursuing Helie suddenly spun and leaped at the monstrous satyr, its maw opening to tear the sinister Saint apart.


    There was a sound akin to a mirror being broken, and the dark creature froze, the light of life slowly disappearing from its beautiful eyes. Then, a strange ripple spread across its body, and a net of thin cracks revealed itself on its alabaster skin.


    A moment later, the Reflection shattered into a rain of silver glass. The glass shards scattered on the floor and then dissolved into a stream of light, which was then devoured by the flowing darkness.


    Saint lowered her hand tiredly.


    Sunny only knew what had happened after hearing the faint sounds of breaking glass. Fused with Serpent, he was in the middle of a fierce brawl against the true Revel �� both the beautiful demon of darkness and the bestial monster Serpent had turned into were on the floor, their bodies entangled, trying to rip each other to shreds.


    Lightslayer was winning.


    There was a disgusting crunch, and a wave of blinding pain sent Sunny into a daze. Dire Fang��s lower jaw was now almost torn off, hanging askew on several shreds of: mangled flesh, a torrent of blood pouring down on Revel''s arms and chest


    Serpent shuddered and reeled back, involuntarily weakening its grasp on her body. That gave Lightslayer enough room to push the massive creature away and pull her leg up, placing it between its body and hers.


    Then, with a powerful kick, she sent the monstrous body of Dire Fang flying back.


    Still disoriented, Serpent crashed down a dozen meters away, making the floor quake from the force of the impact.


    ''Ah...''


    Sunny pushed down the excruciating pain and tried to access the situation... which wasn''t easy to do, considering that he was still blind.


    Saint had to have destroyed the Reflection. So...


    What was happening now?

 Chapter 1899 Mirrored Darkness

    Sunny knew what was supposed to happen.


    In fact, it was very simple �� the answer was nothing.


    Mordret''s Reflections were strange creatures, after all. They were neither dead nor alive, neither divine nor profane. A long time ago, when he killed the Mirror Beast on Reckoning Island, the Spell had announced the kill, but did not whisper anything about his shadow growing stronger.


    Sunny was banished from the Nightmare Spell now, but the result would be the same. Killing Reflections did not grant him fragments, and no shadow would appear in the silent stillness of his soul.


    Therefore, Saint was unlikely to receive any reward for slaying the Supreme Reflection, either. Even its darkness was merely a reflection of Revel''s own �� now that the living mirror was gone and there was nothing left to reflect it, the false darkness would most likely disappear, as well.


    ...Which was a real shame. Sunny really felt that Saint deserved to receive a boon after fighting a battle as dreadful as this one had been �� especially considering that she had forged her path to Transcendence by taking the essence of Nightmare Creatures wielding powers over true darkness.


    Sunny had never been clear on how exactly Saint was able to increase her Class. He did not know how to help her reach a new Rank without the assistance of the Spell, either. So, he had hoped that defeating a being of true darkness, even if it was a Reflection, would grant her some kind of reward.


    But it was not meant to be...


    Or so he thought.


    Even though Sunny could not see anything, he still felt a sudden shift in the atmosphere of the ancient castle.


    If he could see, though, he would have witnessed the dark splendor of what was happening around him and Serpent.


    Saint stood motionlessly, her unshaken hand still making a fist. Glass sand slowly poured from between her fingers, and at the same time, the fluid darkness around her stirred.


    It flowed like a vast whirlpool around the graceful stone knight, whose ruby eyes continued to burn with cold crimson flames in the surging darkness. The ethereal vortex spun faster and faster, pulling more strands of darkness into its silent torrent.


    Some distance away, Revel was rising to her feet. Sensing something, she threw a sharp gaze at Saint.


    Saint met that gaze calmly, no emotion betraying itself on her inhumanly beautiful, flawless onyx face.


    Instantly, he had returned to the previous state of unity with his taciturn Shadow. He could see the ruined hall through her eyes... including his own back, which stood between her and Revel.


    He could also feel how weak and broken her body was. The flowing darkness caressed it softly, helping the terrible wounds heal �� but they weren''t healing fast enough, and the damage was too dire.


    Saint was in no condition to continue the fight.


    There was something else, as well...


    Something about her had changed, but he couldn''t quite tell what it was.


    It wasn''t an evolution to a higher Rank, and it wasn��t an evolution to a great Class, either.


    However, there was definitely a deep, unfamiliar power taking root both in her body and in her soul �� or rather, in the vast shadow that served as her soul. For now, it did not matter. Saint''s inability to support him in the battle against Revel did not matter, either �� now that the princess of Song was without support, Sunny was confident enough to face her alone.


    Especially because he wasn''t blind anymore.


    Of course, seeing himself from Saint''s perspective was a bit strange, as if he was observing himself in the third person. Being robbed of shadow sense left Sunny feeling dazed, too.


    But he was nothing if not supremely adaptable. Even in this weird state, he could still fight... and win.


    Defeat was not an option, and honestly enough, he had quite a burning desire to make Revel pay for hurting his Shadows.


    Smiling viciously behind the mask, Sunny looked up at her.


    ''Now...��


    First of all, he had to prevent her from reaching her sword. Serpent was gone, after all, and there were no shadows around to manifest into a weapon �� so, Sunny was unarmed.


    If Revel did manage to pick up her sword, or lived long enough to dismiss it and summon it back, things could become... problematic.


    Commanding Saint to retreat, Sunny clenched his fists and dashed forward.

 Chapter 1900 Vanquishing Light

    Amidst the flames consuming what remained of the pinnacle of the garden temple, Nephis was fighting against Moonveil and her two Reflections. Countless wounds were littering her body, and she felt a strange, nearly forgotten feeling of growing weak from losing too much blood.


    Transcendent bodies were tough, but they weren''t indestructible. She had accounted for her miraculous physique when calculating how much punishment her body could take without sacrificing too much of its functionality... and that limit was approaching swiftly.


    Nevertheless, her expression was calm, and her movements were just as fluid and unrestrained as they had been before. Her hands never wavered on the hilt of her sword.


    The battle was ruthless and unrelenting. Triumph and defeat were separated only by a thin, brittle line.


    Monnveil was strong... but Nephis was stronger. Moonveil wielded her saber as if it was an extension of her body, her skill both beautiful and polished to a state of near perfection... but Nephis was a much better swordsman, and had a much deeper command over the cadence of battle.


    Even without her Aspect, she could have defeated the proud princess of Song. But precisely for that reason, there were two Supreme Reflections aiding Moonveil... and dealing with them was much harder.


    Someone had evaluated the strength of: the Sword Domain champions very well. Nephis was using Shaping to control the surrounding flames and keep the Reflections at bay. Sometimes, she managed to slow them down, and sometimes, she failed. When facing two or more enemies at the same time, she followed her perilous strategy �� to disregard everything in pursuit of killing Moonveil, even if it meant sacrificing her blood and bone.


    As a result, the beautiful princess was forced to defend herself without having a chance to launch a counterattack Her Reflections, however, made up for that with a vengeance.


    ''Ah. It hurts...''


    Both Nephis and Moonveil were bloodied... however, Nephis was bleeding more. Her wounds were more dire, and more plentiful. It was already starting to become a detriment to her strength and mobility �� not because she was paralyzed by pain, but simply because her muscles were cut, her tendons were damaged, and her bones were cracked.


    She had managed to avoid receiving truly debilitating damage, but the harm done by countless small wounds was slowly mounting.


    Moonveil could see that, as well.


    Therefore... she grew a little more confident.


    Nephis would have smiled if it didn''t seem like a lot of effort.


    ''Got her.��


    She remembered being a fairly straightforward person, a long time ago. But somehow, over the years �� she couldn''t quite remember how �� Nephis had come to value deceit and misdirection, even if it was not something she was naturally good at.


    She must have learned how to use lies to her advantage by quietly observing people around her. If so, she had been blessed with good teachers.


    Shifting her weight from one leg to another, as if preparing to launch a new strike, Nephis grimaced and swayed. It looked like her right leg, which had been cut gruesomely by one of the Reflections before, finally betrayed her.


    The Reflection itself was a dozen meters away, pushed back by a torrent of flame. The other was just behind Nephis, since she had just evaded its attack and sidestepped the creature.


    It would take it a little time to spin around and renew its assault.


    So, the only one who could use her momentary loss of balance was Moonveil herself.


    Strangely enough, Nephis was a good actress. Her act was subtle, but convincing. The grimace she had made was just small enough to look involuntary. The nature of her misstep was reasonable and believable, since her right leg was indeed damaged quite severely. Her eyes even widened slightly, selling the moment of realization more.


    If Moonveil hesitated, she did not show it.


    Instead, she decisively lunged into a swift attack, her white hair fluttering in the wind.


    Neph''s gaze instantly turned cold and heavy.


    ''...Too honest.��


    At the same time, the Reflection holding the princess of Song in its hands shimmered slightly. And changed, assuming a new form.


    Silver hair, fair skin, and calm grey eyes.


    A face that could have been beautiful if it was expressive and lively instead of being cold and motionless like a lifeless mask.


    A lithe and slender body.


    It was her own face, and her own body.


    The Reflection had mirrored Nephis.


    She belatedly understood her mistake.


    A moment later, a soft radiance enveloped the hands of the Reflection, pouring into Moonveil''s body.


    And Moonveil��s terrible wounds miraculously healed.


    ...Nephis stared at her from a distance, feeling dismayed.


    ''What a cheat.��


    The princess of Song was as good as new.


    ...Of course, now that Nephis had been given back her Aspect, her wounds were also healing, and a raging flame was rising in her soul.


    For a moment, nobody moved. Moonveil was panting heavily, looking at Nephis with a hint of wariness.


    Nephis, meanwhile...


    Smiled a little.


    ''On the other hand... that works, as well.��


    Moonveil and her two Reflections wore somber expressions as they readied themselves to continue the battle �� which would grow infinitely more devastating and terrible now, without a doubt.


    But Nephis was about to surprise them, as well.


    She unleashed the suppressed power of her Aspect, assuming the incinerating form of the radiant spirit. At the same time, she called upon the sea of flames surrounding them, wrapping it around herself like a mantle.


    However, she did not direct all that fiery power at her enemies.


    ...Instead, she aimed it at the wooden floor beneath her feet.


    Surrounded by blinding light and a raging tide of immolating fire, Nephis fled from the battle and rushed down, piercing one level of the ancient Citadel after another like a falling star. Countless layers of mystical wood parted in front of her, crumbling into ash, as she burned a scorching path into the depths of the castle.


    Lower and lower...


    And lower still.


    Until she plunged into a sea of impenetrable darkness, vanquishing it with her light.

 Chapter 1901 Falling Sun

    Sunny was in the throes of the familiar state of merciless clarity. He was fighting Revel in the ruins of the dark hall, pushing his body and mind to the absolute limits, each breath searing his lungs like acid.


    The devastating fury of their clash made the world quake. Everything around them was enveloped by flowing darkness and suffocating smoke, the air suffused with sweltering heat.


    Neither Sunny nor Revel were armed, using nothing but their bodies to destroy each other. The rolling echoes of their crushing blows were like deafening thunderclaps, and both moved at a speed far greater than what a mundane human would have been able to perceive.


    The battle was fierce, fearsome, and chillingly ruthless. Its frenetic pace was daunting. Its violent brutality was appalling...


    Sunny was having a tough time.


    Devoid of the ability to call upon his Aspect, he could only rely on his physical might and combat technique to fight Revel. The problem, however, was that her Transcendent form was more than twice his height, with much longer arms and legs, which gave her a tremendous advantage in reach... and that was not even counting her one remaining wing.


    Sunny''s disadvantage was only confounded by the fact that he was witnessing the battle through Saint''s eyes, not his own. He was more used to seeing himself from the third perspective than most people due to long years of perceiving the world through the shadows, but it was still a disorienting experience to fight while only relying on someone else''s sight.


    Revel had figured out that he was somehow relying on Saint to guide him almost instantly and made several attempts to destroy the wounded Shadow. Sunny managed to block her from reaching Saint, but she methodically attacked him from positions where his own body blocked the living statue��s view.


    Worst of all, Lightslayer could still use her Aspect freely, which she did with great foresight and skill. At any moment, the beautiful demon could turn into a torrent of flowing darkness to escape, advance, circle around Sunny, or simply bypass his attack.


    It was infuriating, reminding Sunny of the battle he had fought against Fiend in Falcon Scott. It felt as if he was fighting himself... which was not a pleasant feeling at all. Now that he was suffering at the hands of an enemy who possessed such an Ability, he learned painfully well just how much of a cheat his Shadow Step was.


    He could not do anything against her Aspect Ability, but he could somewhat negate her advantage in size by manipulating his weight with the [Feather of Truth]. Sunny might have been smaller, but his mass was even greater than that of the towering demoness �� as a result, his blows were especially devastating, and it was harder for her to throw him off balance.


    His armor was shattered, and his body was hurting.


    And yet...


    So was hers.


    Suddenly able to see again, Sunny froze for a short moment.


    ...In that short moment, the burning ceiling exploded with a deafening roar, and a blinding radiance blinded him all over again. it was as if the sun had risen in the middle of the Citadel �� or rather, fell down from the sky.


    Surrounded by a sea of flames, an incandescent being plummeted from the burning inferno above, crashing into the floor between Sunny and Revel and instantly setting it on fire.


    Covering his eyes, he staggered back.


    Revel''s darkness was vanquished, and he could finally sense the shadows again. There was a white silhouette standing in the middle of the raging conflagration, so beautiful and pure that it seemed out of place in this dirty and imperfect world.


    Sunny''s lips twisted into a smile behind his cracked mask.


    ''Nephis...��


    Nephis had arrived from whatever battle she had been fighting, practically bringing the entire Citadel down with her.


    From the brief glimpse Sunny had got, it seemed as if every floor of the ancient castle above them was at least partially destroyed and set aflame. That certainly explained the smoke and the unbearable heat...


    The radiant spirit of light slowly looked around, taking in the sight of the devastated hall. The broke walls, the hideous wounds littering Saint��s body, Sunny''s breached armor...


    Finally, her gaze settled on the bloodied, but still breathtakingly beautiful figure of the creature of darkness staring at her with a grim expression.


    Revel looked at Nephis, and then smiled coldly.


    Her lips parted, and a single word escaped from her lips:


    "...Crap."

 Chapter 1902 Gruesome Affair

    Revel''s darkness was chased away and diminished, but it still swirled around her like a cloud. Shrouded by it, she looked at Nephis.


    Nephis was looking at her, as well.


    Suddenly, a melodious voice resounded in the ruined hall, containing both the ferocity of the scorching surface of the sun and the tranquillity of sunshine reflecting from clear water:


    "...You are the Lightslayer?"


    Revel remained silent for a heartbeat.


    Her battered, bleeding body looked like a dirty mess in front of the pristine, radiant spirit of light.


    "That''s what they call me, yes."


    Nephis remained silent for a few moments, then spoke in her usual even tone: "I''m not impressed."


    Her tone might have been emotionless, but that only made the remark sound more derisive.


    It was as if she was saying... is that all? I am supposed to be slain by you? Hearing that, Revel smiled darkly.


    "I��m sorry for the disappointment, Lady Nephis."


    With that, the ruined hall once again exploded with motion... the moment of peace was short��lived.


    The scorching flames fell upon the princess of Song, as if possessing a life of their own. The radiance spirit seemed to turn into a streak of light, rushing at her with impossible speed.


    Sunny was not far behind, either, knowing that this was their best chance to kill Revel.


    Revel herself, meanwhile...


    Took a step back and turned into a torrent of darkness.


    The darkness did not attack, however. It did not try to defend itself, either �� 7 instead, it flowed down and seeped into the cracked floorboards, disappearing from view.


    The flames only licked the ancient wood, scorching it. Neph''s strike missed. Sunny emerged from the shadows a split second too late.


    Revel had fled.


    For a moment, he was face to face with Nephis, feeling her heat despite the incredible level of elemental resistance granted to him by the Onyx Mantle.


    He was silent for a moment.


    "...Are you okay?"


    The spirit of light nodded, her graceful figure drowning in the blinding radiance.


    "What about you?"


    ...Across from them were Revel, Lonesome Howl, Silent Stalker, the Reflection, and the remaining undead Saints. The air seemed to crackle with tension, and none of the sides was in a hurry to make a move.


    It was then that a violent explosion shook the hall, and Nephis arrived from above in a rain of burning debris.


    At the same time... it felt as if Sunny''s vision was blurred for a moment. Suddenly, a delicate beauty with white hair and shimmering eyes �� Moonveil �� appeared near Revel, her face pale and smeared in blood. Accompanying her... He blinked.


    Accompanying the beautiful princess was a Reflection of Nephis. The creature looked like her, and had the same presence as her... and yet, Sunny found the copy lacking.


    There was simply no way to mistake it for the real Changing Star, even if one was blind.


    The appearance of: the Reflection answered Sunny''s recent question, though, making him scowl behind the mask.


    ''No wonder.��


    Now that he saw the copy of Nephis, he knew why she had told him to destroy the corpse of the Great Terror as fast as possible. Considering that the Reflection was able to mirror her, it could not be a mere Beast.


    Nephis had already reformed the soul core she had detonated to escape from the Cursed Terror, Condemnation, and was a Transcendent Titan once again �� therefore, the Reflection had to be a Titan, as well. Either a Transcendent one... or even Supreme.


    Sunny''s eyes widened a little.


    ''That bastard...��


    If the Great Terror remained whole, the damn creature might have been able to mirror it, instead. Then, they would have had to contend against that abomination in addition to the daughters of Ki Song.


    Sadly, Sunny could only see the reflection of Neph''s mirrored soul cores, and with the mess of various potent auras clashing in the dark hall, he could not measure the power of the Reflection accurately... it might have been hiding its power, as well.


    ''Can it really be Supreme?��


    What the hell could Mordret have done to nurture a Supreme Titan? How would he have even created one, considering that each Reflection demanded a sacrifice of as many soul cores as a creature of its Class was meant to possess?


    He had so many questions, and none of the possible answers promised anything good for the future.


    As Nephis softly landed on the ground, an eerie silence settled in the darkness of the devastated hall.


    A moment later, however, the darkness was chased away by soft light.


    The wounds on the bodies of Roan, Helie, and the Saint slumped on Helie''s back shone with white radiance and began to heal with startling speed.


    Almost at the same time, the Reflection of Nephis laid its hands on Revel and Silent Stalker, healing them in turn.


    ''Great.��


    Sunny sighed.


    It was an incredible boon, to have a healer on one''s side.


    However, if the enemy had access to a healer as well, an already terrible battle could become a truly gruesome affair.


    That was precisely what seemed to be happening right now.

 Chapter 1903 Wide Sleeves

    For a few moments, neither side moved.


    The Saints of the Sword Army had almost recovered from their wounds �� all except Sir Jest, curiously enough. Sunny couldn''t help but notice that Nephis was able to heal the rest from a distance, but that did not include the old man.


    On the other side, Revel and Silent Stalker were also close to being healed. At the same time, something that Sunny had assumed was a severely damaged statue of a fearsome gargoyle moved, revealing itself to be a living creature.


    ''...''l��he Saint of Sorrow.��


    Even though they were enemies in this battle, Sunny was a little glad that Tamar''s father had survived.


    For now, at least.


    Even though those who had been wounded most severely were now saved from the clutches of death by pure white flames, both sides were still in a sorry state. Most of them were exhausted, mentally shaken, and wary. More importantly, almost every participant of the battle had expended great amounts of essence in the furious fight.


    Funnily enough, Sunny was an exception, since he had been prevented from calling upon his Aspect in the clash against Revel. In addition to that, he barely used any Memories �� those put a strain on one''s essence, as well, especially with soul arsenals as powerful as those Saints usually possessed. The more powerful a Memory was, the more essence its enchantments consumed.


    Unlike the rest. of the fighters, Sunny was fresh and could go on fighting with the same level of intensity for a long while.


    Nephis seemed flush with essence, as well �� he did not know what she had faced prior to descending from above in a storm of flames, but it did not seem like she had used her Aspect extensively. Apart from that, she was a Transcendent Titan �� her pool of essence was seven times more voluminous than that of other Saints, to begin with. Her lineage enhanced it even further. So, both of the most powerful champions of on the side of the Sword Domain were in a good shape... which could not be said about the daughters of Ki Song. Honestly, things weren''t looking good for them.


    They had started the battle in a supremely advantageous position �� not only had they had the element of surprise on their side, immediately eliminating several opponents, but they had also been able to isolate and suppress the leaders of the conquest force.


    Now, however, these advantages were gone. Worse than that, several of Mordret''s Reflections had already been destroyed. The corpse of the Great Terror was also gone, and it would not be easy to counter Sunny''s powers next to Nephis. Revel��s own power was being suppressed now.


    ��We should be able to decimate them.��


    Unless Lightslayer had more trump cards hidden up her sleeve, he did not see a way for her to salvage the situation.


    Judging by her somber expression, Revel had come to the same conclusion.


    She looked up, at the burning ceiling of the vast hall and the vertical inferno left by N eph''s descend from the upper floors of the garden temple.


    "Of course, I''ll make sure to destroy you first."


    Revel''s expression turned grim.


    She hesitated for a few moments, then uttered through gritted teeth:


    "You can try. You might even live long enough to enjoy the outcome. But what about your companions? Will they survive?"


    Sunny frowned, not sure why she was saying these things.


    Was Revel, perhaps, trying to negotiate a peaceful resolution instead of continuing the bloody battle?


    If so, she was extremely naive. There was no way that Nephis would surrender her claim on this Citadel �� she would indeed rather burn it to the ground, if that was the only choice. Which it wasn''t, since the remains of the conquest force were poised to achieve victory.


    But Revel was definitely not naive, so...


    ''She''s buying time.��


    Sunny cursed mentally and prepared to lunge forward.


    But it was already late.


    By that time, Moonveil had already finished whatever it was she had been secretly doing.


    She raised her hands and brought them together, forming a triangle with her thumbs and index fingers.


    A split second later, a drop of vibrant crimson blood suddenly materialized in the middle of the triangle...


    And Sunny''s senses screamed at him that he was in dire danger.


    As it turned out, Revel did, in fact, have another trump card up her sleeve.

 Chapter 1904 Queens Blood

    There was very little time to react, and even less time to comprehend what was happening.


    However, Sunny still managed to recognize the drop of dark blood, and guess what it represented.


    He had seen something similar once, a long time ago.


    Back then, he and a group of survivors of the Battle of the Black Skull had been desperately trying to escape from the Skinwalker, lost in the white dunes of the Nightmare Desert. Sadly, the vessels of the Great abomination still managed to catch up with them.


    Some of the survivors chose to split up, but most stayed together. It was then that Morgan summoned a swarm of flying swords �� now, Sunny knew that those were swords forged by her father.


    Seishan, meanwhile, had summoned a drop of blood almost identical to the one hovering in the air between Moonveil''s fingers right now.


    Sunny had been running for his life, so he did not see what the eerie drop of blood actually accomplished. He just remembered a strange feeling of awe, and that the entire world was momentarily painted in shades of red when its vast and terrifying power was unleashed.


    He could make a conjecture, though.


    Considering that Anvil had bestowed the swords �� conduits of his power �� to Morgan before sending her to Antarctica, wasn''t it reasonable to assume that Ki Song had bestowed something to her daughter, as well?


    If so, then the drop of blood was a vessel of a Sovereign''s power.


    ...Which did not mean anything good for Sunny, Nephis, and the rest of the Saints of the Sword Domain.


    ��Damn it!''


    It was already too late by the time Sunny realized that Revel was scheming something.


    The crimson drop swirled in the air...


    And then exploded into a tidal wave of red light.


    Sunny stumbled back, momentarily dazed by a crushing force of tyrannical presence. It was as if a cold, penetrating gaze of someone''s vast and unfathomably powerful conscience brushed past him, making his very soul shiver in fear.


    The flood of crimson light rushed at them like a raging wave of blood, submerging the world in a red radiance. He tried to raise a wall of shadows in its path, but the ethereal light simply passed through it... a moment later, the wall crumbled, the shadows forming it destroyed.


    Neph''s figure ignited with a blinding radiance of her own. Her pure light seemed to hold the blood tide back for a few moments, but was then overpowered and painted red.


    Sunny steeled himself, knowing that he would have to withstand the power of a Sovereign a heartbeat later.


    Just before the wave of ethereal blood reached them, though...


    A ghostly visage of interlocking shields shimmered in the air around the remnants of the conquest force, enveloping them like a dome. The flood of crimson light collided with it and parted, flowing past them on both sides. Looking back, Sunny saw the sorry figure of Saint Rivalen of Aegis Rose slumping against the wall near the gates of the Citadel.


    He did not even know what kind of a sigh it was �� was it a sigh of relief, or a sigh of disappointment?


    In any case, now that the battle was finished...


    They had to deal with its consequences before thinking about anything else. "They''re gone."


    Nephis did not respond immediately, looking up, at the sea of flames raging above them. Her expression was somber.


    Sunny lingered for a moment.


    "Can you put the fires out?"


    She shook her head slowly.


    "Perhaps. But the Citadel is already damaged too severely... it''s on the verge of breaking apart. By the time I suppress all the flames, it would have collapsed already."


    Sir Jest assumed his human form �� thankfully �� wiped the blood off his face, and said in a wry tone:


    "Suffering a fire in the middle of a lake... inside a dried up bone. How ironic." He looked around, as if searching for something, then asked:


    "So, what do we do, my lady?"


    Nephis walked over to where Rivalen was laying on the floor and kneeled beside him, placing her hands on his bloodied body.


    "...It doesn''t matter if the Citadel collapses. We just need to preserve the Gateway. As long as the Gateway survives, the stronghold can be rebuilt around it."


    That was true.


    Of course, it depended entirely on how the Spell had fashioned this particular Gateway. There were some that existed in and of itself, like the altar of the Sanctuary of Noctis. However, there were also some that drew power from the structure around them, like the Gateway in the Crimson Spire.


    They had no choice but to try, though. Otherwise, the entire expedition would be a complete failure.


    Grimacing as a soft white radiance enveloped her hands, Nephis looked at Sunny and said:


    "We must locate the Gateway first."


    He nodded, and then stepped into the shadows to go find it.


    In truth, Sunny did not care that much about Anvil claiming another Citadel in Godgrave. Now that the battle was over, his mind was preoccupied by other issues.


    Namely, all the revelations he had achieved while fighting Lightslayer, and all the boons he had received...

 Chapter 1905 Pyrrhic Victory

    Unexpectedly, the Citadel housed multiple expansive subterranean levels. This was logical, given the ephemeral nature of the surrounding lake��it would rise when the Hollows were submerged and recede once the waters traversed the remnants of the deceased deity into its colossal spine.


    Consequently, these underground levels were only beneath the surface when the lake was at its peak. Most of the time, they remained above water, featuring an additional grand entrance located lower than the immense hall where the ambush had occurred.


    Sunny discovered the Gateway beneath a crystalline dome nearby that entrance.


    He stood motionless for several moments, astonished by the sights and sensations before him. Behind the dome��s transparent walls, a small grove thrived. Outside, scarlet vines wrapped around the structure, yet inside, ordinary plants flourished.


    Lush green grass, ancient oak trees, soft moss, and vibrant flowers adorned the hidden meadow��s center, where a serene pond of clear water lay still in the peaceful darkness. Subtle ripples disturbed the pond��s surface, hinting at an underlying current that Sunny couldn��t immediately discern.


    These were the first plants Sunny had encountered in Godgrave that remained untouched by Corruption��in the entire Dream Realm, except perhaps those introduced by the inhabitants of the waking world.


    Moreover, as he entered the crystal dome, Sunny felt a profound sense of sanctity permeate the air, untouched by the corruption that plagued the rest of the cursed area. Intricate carvings adorned the dome��s perimeter, their patterns reminiscent of ancient protective spells that hinted at forgotten lore.


    ��The pond serves as the Gateway.��


    Sunny glanced at the placid water, unable to gauge its depth. With a shrug, he turned away and melded back into the shadows, rejoining Nephis and the other Saints.


    Soon, they all took shelter in the grove.


    Above them, the Citadel was ablaze and deteriorating. Its walls, sturdy enough to withstand the scorching flames summoned by Nephis, held for a time. However, the structure had been overtaken by the scarlet infestation over the years��the vines and trees piercing its framework acted as fuel, allowing the fire to spread and consume the ancient walls.


    Amidst the chaos, faint echoes of old chants resonated through the flames, suggesting that the Citadel��s ancient defenses were beginning to reactivate. These sounds hinted at dormant mechanisms that might offer unexpected aid or pose new threats.


    The flames would soon reach the lower levels, but Nephis could defend at least one floor from being engulfed.


    The bloodied Saints sat quietly on the grass, exhausted and shaken. Only Sir Jest appeared somewhat content, though he remained silent, focused on cleaning the cane he had picked up before descending to the ground level.


    Concealed behind his mask, Sunny cast a furtive glance at Nephis.


    She had already finished tending to Sir Jest and his own wounds. Now, she sat by the pond, gazing at the water with her usual detached demeanor. A faint aura surrounded her, suggesting she had begun to unlock a new aspect of her power.


    She was in a difficult position.


    As the commander of the expedition, Nephis bore responsibility for her people''s deaths��each loss must have weighed heavily on her. Sunny understood the agony of failing those who had trusted you with their lives. Many soldiers had perished to reach the Citadel, and now, seven Saints were dead��each a unique talent and trusted companion.


    Nephis had more leadership experience than he did, having ordered more people to their deaths. However, one never becomes accustomed to such losses... Well, perhaps that wasn''t entirely true. Anvil and Ki Song seemed to have developed a considerable tolerance for sacrificing lives for their goals, and there were likely others like them.


    But Nephis had not. She was likely suffering deeply.


    Moreover, while leading these warriors, she was also plotting against their king. In a way, she was an outsider among them��a traitor, even. Her primary concern was who would control the Citadel, aiming to weaken the two Sovereigns against each other.


    Navigating this situation must have been challenging, both morally and emotionally.


    Adding to this was the fact that her capacity for emotions and morality��her humanity��was somewhat diminished by the consuming flames of her Aspect. Recently, she had started experiencing fleeting visions of an alternate path, hinting at a deeper internal conflict.


    Sunny wanted to speak with her, but they couldn��t have an honest conversation while surrounded by the other Saints.


    After some time, the members of the conquest party regained their composure��or perhaps they simply grew weary of the silence��and began discussing the battle, sharing their experiences. The conversation gradually shifted to the structural integrity of the Citadel and the mysterious mechanisms that seemed to be activating in response to the ongoing destruction.


    Sunny listened for a while, learning about Moonveil and Lonesome Howl��s capabilities. He briefly recounted his own encounter with Revel, which earned him a stern look from Nephis.


    After that, he couldn��t wait any longer. The fire was already creeping up to this level, and the ground had trembled violently some time ago, indicating the upper levels of the Citadel had collapsed. Since Nephis was busy preventing the flames from damaging the crystal dome, Sunny announced he would check the situation above and vanished into the shadows.


    He intended to check on Saint and assess any changes in her condition that might influence their next moves.

 Chapter 1906 Dark Armor

    Moments later, Sunny emerged from the darkness onto a towering pyre of burning debris. The garden temple had indeed fallen, devoured by a raging inferno. The mound of rubble still blazed, and the intense heat would have reduced an ordinary human to ash instantly.


    Even a Saint could have been incinerated or suffocated by the thick, black smoke. However, thanks to the Onyx Mantle, Sunny was largely unharmed��it wasn��t comfortable, but he could navigate the burning ruins freely.


    He quickly located Saint. She stood out distinctly��amid the fiery wreckage, there was an area shrouded in impenetrable darkness, silent and serene.


    His Shadow was within. While he couldn��t see her, he sensed her presence and that of his shadows.


    Sunny paused at the edge of the sphere of true darkness for a few moments. ��...That��s new.��


    Saint had always carried a bit of elemental darkness within her, true. But she had never been able to summon it in this way��only to use it to manifest a weapon or cloak a Memory.


    It seemed that defeating the Reflection had filled the Heart of Darkness to capacity, allowing her powers to evolve. From what he could tell, Saint had gained an ability similar to Revel��s��she could now blanket an entire area with her darkness. The range wasn��t as extensive as Revel��s, but it was still significant.


    Additionally, subtle changes in the darkness hinted at the presence of ancient protective wards, possibly remnants of the Citadel��s original defenses that could now be harnessed for their own use.


    Sunny smiled.


    What was important was the synergy between this new power and Saint''s [Mantle of Darkness] Ability.


    ��When surrounded by darkness, especially true darkness, her speed and strength will increase. Her wounds will heal...��


    Now that Saint could freely unleash elemental darkness, she could remain enveloped by it at all times. This meant she could almost always benefit fully from the [Mantle of Darkness].


    There was more to it as well.


    Although Sunny wasn��t sure how to assist Saint in evolving, he felt that this new power could be her first step toward becoming a Tyrant. After all, Tyrants were beings who exerted their influence over the world��similar to the Sovereigns, but in their own unique way.


    Most Tyrants controlled either a territory or an army of minions, often both. The ability to engulf an area in elemental darkness was akin to gaining control over it.


    Her greaves and vambraces fell to the ground, leaving her completely unprotected. Sunny recalled that she hadn��t come here just to gaze around.


    ��But why is she taking off the armor instead of repairing it?��


    His answer came moments later.


    Saint knelt beside the broken armor, gazing at it for a while. As she did, the runes on her skin began to glow brighter, reacting to the presence of the shattered onyx pieces.


    It seemed... as if a hint of an unknown, somber emotion flickered in her ruby eyes. Behind this, a subtle tear of molten darkness traced down her cheek��a rare display of vulnerability.


    Then, she raised her hand and brought her fist down.


    The adamantine onyx shattered like glass...


    And was absorbed into her body, just as the Memories she had consumed were before. However, this time, the absorption seemed more deliberate, channeling the runes on her skin into her very essence.


    Suddenly, the crimson flames burning in her eyes deepened, and Saint appeared stronger. A faint aura of protection enveloped her, suggesting she had unlocked a new defensive capability.


    Standing with a proud expression, she straightened her posture.


    Moments later, her beautiful form was enveloped by flowing darkness, and that darkness...


    Solidified, encasing the body of the silent Shadow in an impenetrable shell of intricate onyx armor. Pristine and new, yet this armor shimmered with the ancient runes that now adorned her skin, indicating a fusion of old and new powers.


    Sunny remained still.


    ��...I can��t believe it.��


    Saint had just manifested her own Onyx Mantle, it seemed. This new form not only provided enhanced protection but also seemed to harmonize with the ancient symbols discovered in the Citadel, potentially unlocking new pathways for their quest.

 Chapter 1907 Negative Quality

    After donning her new armor, Saint turned slightly and gazed at Sunny with her usual indifference. He would have loved to study the design of the onyx suit �� it was not every day one saw an armor forged of pure darkness, after all �� but sadly, he couldn''t.


    That was because Sunny only saw the world through Saint''s eyes, and she was looking at him, not herself.


    ''How frustrating.''


    This must have been what Cassie felt when conversing with someone in private. The


    confusion was only made worse by the fact that Sunny did not only share Saint''s vision �� he shared all of her senses, just like Cassie shared all the senses of those marked by her Ascended Ability.His avatars were identical copies of his own body, after all, while Saint was very different from him. At least he was already used to her stonelike nature after years spent together...


    As it turned out, his Shadow was not done surprising him today. The ability to summon a pool of elemental darkness and manifest a suit of armor was not the full extent of what she had gained by slaying Revel''s Reflection.


    There was some distance between Sunny and Saint, still. The debris was charred and highly unstable, making it hard for her to move �� after all, she was close to three meters in height and weighed a literal ton. A few of them, actually. So, the debris could very well fail to support her weight.


    Which was why Saint did not walk. Instead, she simply turned into a torrent of darkness and traveled all the way to where Sunny was standing in a heartbeat.It was not quite as instantaneous as moving between shadows with Shadow Step, but still quite fast. The sensation of becoming a stream of darkness was also very different from what Sunny usually felt when traveling through shadows �� in many ways that he found hard to describe, but mainly because of how... hollow it felt, to be one with the darkness.


    He did not feel embraced by the flow of elemental darkness. Instead, it was a cold and unfathomable thing, too alien and indifferent to be welcoming. Even being a part of it, Sunny felt nothing but profound solitude.


    A moment later, Saint was towering above him, standing only by a few meters of scorched wooden debris away.


    The ground shook precariously, and the blackened wood creaked, as if ready to crumble into embers and ash.


    Of course, neither Saint nor Sunny would be seriously hurt if they fell beneath the upper layer of the wreckage. They would not be burned in the infernal depths of the smoldering ruin, either.


    Still, he would have liked to avoid becoming smeared from head to toe in soot...Before Sunny could do anything, though, something about Saint changed subtly.


    ''He might be huge, but he''s still an annoying imp inside! In fact, I should start calling him Imp again, just so that the overgrown bastard does not get a big head!''


    Saint, meanwhile, tilted her head a little.Then... he felt her body turning into a torrent of darkness once again.


    But it did not rush anywhere. Instead, it shrank in size and then solidified back into the figure of the graceful knight. Only now, she was smaller.


    Suddenly, Sunny was looking at himself from a


    new perspective... one level with his own eyes.


    ''Huh?''


    He remained motionless for a moment.


    So Saint had not just gained the ability to reduce her weight. She had also gained the ability to reduce her size, and used it to return to her original modest stature...Which was great news for Sunny! Simply wonderful news...


    He smiled behind the mask.


    But as soon as he was done talking, Saint raised her chin slightly, and changed her size once more.This time, she made it so that she was a full head taller than Sunny.


    He froze.Nodding with a hint of satisfaction, Saint looked down at him, and then headed away.


    Sunny remained motionless, absolutely dumbfounded by the outrageous sequence of events.


    He only managed to regain his composure a few seconds later.


    ''What the hell? Where is she even going? There''s nowhere to go!''

 Chapter 1908 Contemplating Mortality

    Eventually, Sunny dismissed Saint to let her continue her recovery in the dark silence of his soul. Able to see once again, he looked around and pondered what he had learned.


    Saint seemed to have gained several new powers. One was to summon a pool of elemental darkness, one was to turn into a torrent of it, one was to manifest a suit of armor, and the last two had to do with reducing her weight and size. However, Sunny was not sure if these were truly new Attributes and Abilities, or simply evolutions of those she had already possessed. The suit of armor forged from pure darkness, for example, was a logical extension of her [Blade of Darkness] Ability. The power to summon a flood of elemental darkness might have been simply the result of her [Heart of Darkness] growing stronger.


    Sunny was not sure. More than that, he did not even know if these new powers Saint had shown him were the full extent of her change. Neither did he know how many shadow fragments she had received after absorbing her old suit of onyx armor.


    She definitely seemed... stronger. Her presence had grown deeper, the cold crimson flames burning in her eyes had become fiercer... even though Saint had not evolved to a new Class, it felt as if she was much closer to becoming a Tyrant now.


    The problem was that Sunny had no way of knowing the details of what had changed about her.


    His [Handy Bracelet] imitated the shimmering runes, but what they read came from Sunny''s own head, not the omniscient reservoir of knowledge that the Spell possessed.


    So, there was only one way for him to fully understand Saint''s new powers �� it was to ask Cassie to take a good look at her.


    However...


    Doing that was a problem in and of itself.


    That was because Sunny had been unable to contact Cassie from the moment Revel and her sisters ambushed the Saints of the Sword Domain -�� or maybe even from before that, since he had not spoken to her for some time prior to the ambush.


    As soon as Sunny discovered that he could not hear Cassie, his incarnation in the warcamp of the Sword Army had been searching for her. But Master Sunless did not manage to find the blind seer yet.


    Looking at the subterranean lake through the smoke, Sunny sighed.


    ''I wonder what she''s up to.��


    For a moment, Sunny contemplated using his incarnation in the camp of the Song Army to go on a slaughter. He was currently not too far from Seishan and Death Singer �� maybe killing them would be enough punishment for Clan Song, who had dared to lay a hand on Nephis.


    If not, it could at least make him feel better.


    However, he quickly discarded that idea. Not only would it put Rain in danger, but he couldn''t really kill Saints for personal reasons. Perhaps playing a Valor soldier had gotten into his head, a little �� for a moment, Sunny forgot that the Great Clan Song was not his enemy.


    Its Queen was, as well as the King of Swords. Everyone else was a precious resource that could not be wasted �� with every Saint that perished in the senseless war between the two Domains, the future of humanity was being compromised. Every powerful Awakened that died in Godgrave would not be able to save countless lives in the dire, inevitable future.


    Sunny let out a frustrated sigh.


    Most of all, that impulse of his was childish.


    He was letting his emotions get the best of him. He was being foolish.


    Of course, Nephis could die. No matter how impossible it seemed, she could be killed just like the rest of them. He had always understood that logically, but understanding and acceptance were two different things.


    Sunny could be killed despite his miraculous tenacity, as well. 0r worse, captured alive �� remembering the dark mirror cell where Mordret had been kept for many years made him shudder. That was not something he wished for himself...


    Or for Nephis.


    Just as he thought about her, the weak flames around him were suddenly extinguished, and she emerged from the smoke, shielding her face with a hand. "There you are."


    Sunny studied her for a while, as if making sure that she was really alive, and then smiled faintly behind the mask.


    "Yes. Here I am."

 Chapter 1909 Feel Alive

    Nephis walked over to the edge of the water, looked at it for a few moments, and then sat on the ground.


    Her voice sounded a little raspy, but mostly just as it always did:


    "He has regained consciousness and is binding the Gateway now. Revel''s imprint is strong, so it will take some time... ten minutes, at least. Maybe half an hour."


    She sighed.


    "Some of us will have to return to the waking world after that, to bring back the initial reinforcements. You know what happens next."


    Sunny did know.


    Once the Gateway was bound by a Saint of the Sword Army, Anvil''s Domain would manifest in the Hollows. The King of Swords would probably arrive at the ruined Citadel himself, and the war would finally spill beneath the surface of the ancient bones.


    The subjugation of the Hollows was bound to be an affair both spectacular and harrowing. Considering how powerful the predators of the ancient jungle were, the king would have to lead the conquest personally... at least for a while.


    By the time the immediate area around the lake was conquered by the Sword Army, both sides would have prominently established themselves in Godgrave. The first stage of the war would be complete, and the two armies would start clashing in large��scale battles, clamoring for control.


    Control over the surface, control over the Hollows, control over the paths to the remaining two Citadels.


    Everything that had happened before was merely a prelude, and the true bloodshed would begin now.


    Well... there were ten more minutes before that happened, at least.


    Nephis sighed and looked down at her blackened, shredded armor. Then, she dismissed it and summoned a soft white tunic instead.


    Her voice sounded a little gloomy:


    "You know... I think I am going to give up on wearing armor altogether. What is the point, if it only ends up being destroyed? Or worse, a burden. Especially these suits of full plate that Knights ofValor prefer �� in the last battle, the left elbow joint was bent almost immediately. I had to struggle every time I needed to bend my arm."


    A faint smile appeared on her face.


    "I think it will be great... less burden, more mobility, wider field of view. Not to mention the heat �� everyone still cooking inside a steel armor will be green with envy, looking at my well��ventilated self."


    Sunny gave her a long stare, not at all happy at the thought of people staring at Neph''s... well��ventilated... body.


    And unhappy for another reason, too.


    "If it wasn''t for your armor, it would have been your arm being cut instead of an elbow joint being bent."


    Nephis shrugged nonchalantly.


    Sunny blinked.


    ''Right.��


    It had cracked during the battle against Revel. The enchantments still functioned, but with Anvil potentially arriving in a matter of minutes, it was better to dismiss [Definitely Not Me] and don the real deal.


    He sighed and dismissed the damaged Memory, summoning Weaver''s Mask instead.


    ...However, soon after the first mask dissolved into nothingness and before the second one manifested itself into reality, Nephis suddenly placed a hand on the back of Sunny''s neck, pulled him closer, and kissed him.


    He froze for a moment, then hurriedly dismissed the manifesting Divine Memory and responded to her passionate kiss.


    The softness of her lips, the heat of her skin... were intoxicating.


    They quenched a thirst that he had not known he was suffering from, and at the same time ignited a fire within him that was much more scorching than the flames devouring the ruins of the fallen Citadel around them.


    Dazed and enraptured, Sunny quietly cursed the Onyx Mantle for preventing him from feeling the warm, supple fullness of her embrace.


    Their fervent kiss lasted for a long time.


    Nephis only drew away when both of them were on the verge of running out of air. Breathing heavily, they remained silent for a few moments.


    Sunny touched his lips, blinked a couple of times, then asked in an unexpectedly shy tone:


    "What... what was that for?"


    She turned away with a slight smile and shrugged.


    "Just... I thought I would die, for a few moments back there. So, I suddenly wanted to feel alive."


    He remained silent for a bit.


    "So, do you feel alive now?"


    Nephis considered his question seriously, then looked at him with a solemn expression.


    "I''d say... I''m about halfway revived?"


    His eyes glistened.


    ...Before too long, both of them felt an imperceptible shift in the air. It was as if an invisible, but palpable presence settled over the area, changing it subtly �� at the same time, irrevocably. Making it colder, sharper, and heavier with solid intent.


    The Sword Domain had descended into the Hollows.

 Chapter 1910 Rivergate

    Rivergate, the Citadel of Clan Dagonet, was built on a wide river. It cut across it like a great wall �� or rather, a series of walls, descending from tall cliffs like steps meant for a giant.


    It was both a dam and a lock. The highest wall held back the powerful current. Each step below it was separated by a vast chamber with towering gates, which could be filled with or drained of water with the help of ancient enchantments. A ship traveling to or from the Stormsea could descend from the cliffs or scale them due to the ancient system of locks, never leaving the river. At the same time, nothing could swim further upstream without destroying the Citadel �� and even then, the assailant would have to crawl out of the water and travel by land with the locks destroyed.


    There was almost a kilometer of vertical distance between the highest point of Rivergate and its lowest point. Each descending wall was incredibly tall and thick, built of monolithic stone, with battlements constructed on top of it. Fearsome siege weapons stood on the battlements �� some of them enchanted with ancient sorcery, some built by the forgemasters of Clan Valor.


    Hundreds of Awakened crowded the walls, led by a dozen Masters.


    Seven Saints were standing on the highest of the fortress walls, looking down with somber expressions.


    They were Morgan, the Princess of War, and six champions whose help she had enlisted... or coerced.


    At this point, there was little difference.


    Three of the six Saints had belonged to the House of Night once �� Saint Naeve, Saint Bloodwave, and Saint Aether.


    The other three were with the government �� Nightsinger, War Beast, and Soul Reaper Jet.


    At that moment, Naeve was talking to War Beast �� Saint Athena, Raised by Wolves.


    "...So you encountered that fiend before?"


    She gave him a long look, then smiled wryly.


    "We even killed him before."


    Naeve turned to a startlingly beautiful man with auburn hair and mesmerizing green eyes, a stunned expression on his face.


    "Saint Nightingale, is this true?"


    Saint Kai shifted uncomfortably.


    "Not exactly. What we killed was not that fiend �� rather, it was a Corrupted version of his Transcendent self conjured by the Nightmare. Even then, none of us three dare claim any credit. He was eradicated by Lady Changing Star."


    He sighed.


    So, by donning the amulets, her champions were rejecting the only method of defeating the enemy.


    But little could be done about that. Leaving them defenseless was too great of a risk �� she absolutely could not allow her brother to take more Saints, because he would be able to conquer more Citadels by wearing their bodies.


    And losing more Citadels to the Song Domain was not an option.


    She sighed.


    "How long before he comes?"


    It was Saint Bloodwave, with his deep voice, who had asked the question. Morgan lingered for a moment.


    "He had already come. He''s just hiding and observing us, for the time being." Her words seemed to unsettle the six Saints �� or rather, five of them. Soul Reaper remained relaxed and aloof, leaning on her ghostly war scythe as she lazily studied the ancient walls of Rivergate.


    Raised by Wolves shifted from one leg to another, and then looked at Morgan with a smile.


    "You know what they usually do in such situations in heroic novels, don''t you?" Morgan couldn''t help but admit... that she was continuously perplexed by that woman.


    She blinked a couple of times, trying to remember if she had even read a heroic novel in her life.


    Surely not.


    "Can''t say that I do, Saint Athena."


    The tall woman �� beautiful as a statue of the goddess of war that had come alive �� grinned.


    "Well, the resourceful type of hero always blows up a dam and drowns an army of ten thousand men, achieving an impossible victory and proving their strategic genius. You''re the strategist, so... we aren''t going to blow up Rivergate, are we? Oh, and call me Effie."


    Morgan stared at her for a few moments, then slowly shook her head.


    "No, we are not going to blow up Rivergate. Why would I try drowning an enemy whose vessels are all Saints from the House of Night? That doesn''t make any sense."


    Raised by Wolves... Effie... nodded knowingly.


    "A good decision. You really are a genius!"

 Chapter 1911 Untamed Chaos

    Morgan gazed at the ancient fortress below her. The Knights of Valor and the warriors of the Dagonet clan were preparing for battle �� they had protected the river for decades, not letting a single abomination from the Stormsea reach the Mirror Lake.


    Of course, the best of them were in Godgrave now... and the guest who had come from the sea this time was a much more dreadful creature than the abominable dwellers of. the depths.


    She winced.


    The river passed the series of great locks and flowed south, disappearing beyond the horizon. The Stormsea was somewhere out there, as well, a few days away. In truth, Morgan did not need to destroy Rivergate...


    Because it was already doomed.


    The warriors crowding the walls of the fortress did not know it, and the six Saints she had recruited did not know it either. But in truth, there was no way to stop her brother here. He would destroy Rivergate himself �� everything except for the Gateway �� and unleash the caged river, washing away all signs of the destructive battle.


    The warriors would die. The civilians living in the young city that had grown upstream of Rivergate would most likely become collateral damage in the Transcendent clash.


    Morgan''s goal here was not to save the ancestral home of clan Dagonet, but to get a measure of the enemy''s strength, and hopefully destroy a couple of his Transcendent vessels.


    Still, still...


    Fighting a losing battle did not feel pleasant.


    Morgan had inherited the lineage of War God. and so, she was often called the Princess ofWar. She had been fighting against Nightmare Creatures since before she was an Awakened �� in fact, Morgan had barely finished middle school when she was sent into an arena to face a Dormant Beast for the first time.


    Her First Nightmare had been a ruthless one, and she had undergone the trial of the winter solstice like any ordinary Sleeper would. As an Awakened, she led countless warriors into battles to protect the lands controlled by her father, as well as various cities in the waking world.


    She had conquered the Second Nightmare without losing a single member of her cohort, and excelled in every duty entrusted to her as a Master...


    Until Antarctica.


    In the four years since, Morgan��s renown had only grown. She had challenged the Third Nightmare alone, attained Transcendence, and took her rightful place as the general of the Valor army.


    Changing Star might have shone brighter on the battlefield, but it was Morgan who governed the powerful war machine of the Sword Domain, making sure that the blossoming kingdom suffered no setbacks.


    Today, many people called her a genius strategist...


    Of course, most of those people had no idea about what that word really meant. In truth, there was no strategy to a war of Awakened.


    There was only chaos.


    She was mostly raised by the elders of Clan Valor. But there was a distance between her and the members of branch families, as well as the children from the vassal clans. Growing up, the closest thing she had to friends her age were the daughters of Ki Song... who were now her enemies, funnily enough.


    Still, it had not been an unhappy childhood.


    ...Until the brother she did not remember returned.


    Morgan had been ten or eleven when he showed up in Bastion, having already conquered the First Nightmare. She was happy at first, but then... then, she quickly learned that there was something wrong about the eerie boy who called himself Mordret.


    Mordret had taught her what fear was, all the way back then.


    And now, standing on the wall of Rivergate, Morgan felt it again.


    She hated to admit it, but she was a little afraid.


    An amused smile appeared on her face.


    ''How refreshing.��


    It was such a nostalgic emotion. She had not felt it in a long, long while. Turning to her six Transcendent companions, Morgan lingered for a moment, and then said:


    "What are you waiting for? Get to business."


    Nightingale gave her a confused look.


    ...Even his confusion looked elegant and dashing.


    He was so annoying.


    "What business?"


    Morgan raised an eyebrow.


    "What do you mean? Command the soldiers to retreat, get them off the walls, start evacuating the city. Put everyone on boats and send them up the river to Bastion."


    Rivergate might have been doomed, but that did not mean that everyone here had to die or become a hostage to the Prince of Nothing. Even though there was some strategic value in using the garrison as cannon fodder to stall his vessels, Morgan decided to forego the most rational path this one time.


    She shook her head.


    "Stop staring and start moving. Go! I want the city to be empty by evening..."

 Chapter 1912 Self-Reflection

    It wasn''t easy to evacuate an entire city in the span of a day, even if it was many times smaller than Bastion. Luckily, Morgan had Nightingale with her �� with his commanding voice, everything went smoothly and swiftly.


    The warriors defending the fortress were reluctant to leave their post, but they did not dare to disobey her. The members of the Dagonet clan were even more reluctant to abandon their Citadel without a battle, but Morgan persuaded them without too much trouble. They were mostly non-combatants, anyway �� the true strength of the clan was far north, fighting in Godgrave.


    The rest knew that they would be of no real help in the clash against the banished prince of Valor.


    By the time the sun started to roll toward the horizon, Rivergate had grown eerily quiet. Now, only the seven Saints remained in the ancient fortress, calmly preparing for battle. The Saints from the House of Night were grim and full of murderous desire for vengeance... the three government Saints were strangely nonchalant.


    Or maybe not so strangely. Two of them were the survivors of the Forgotten Shore, after all, while the third was Soul Reaper Jet �� Morgan wasn''t even sure if it was possible for them to lose composure.


    ''Like Nephis.��


    Morgan briefly contemplated destroying the Gateway of Rivergate, but then discarded that idea. It would not mean much for the war, anyway �� not in the long run, at least. The infrastructure of the Sword Domain would suffer greatly, though, and it would be hard to rebuild after the war was over.


    If there would be anyone left to rebuild, that was.


    "Death! Death!"


    Morgan stared at the annoying crow that seemed to always follow Soul Reaper around with displeasure.


    She scowled slightly.


    "What are you saying, stupid bird?"


    The crow stared back at her, then fluttered its wings in the air.


    "Bird! Bird!"


    Morgan sighed and shook her head. What was she doing talking to an Echo? Finally, their preparations were complete. She threw one last glance at the river, which shone beautifully in the radiance of a blazing sunset, and took a canteen of water off her belt.


    Opening the lid, Morgan took a sip of water, then poured the rest on the paved surface of the rampart.


    For a moment, she could see her reflection in the puddle, surrounded by the reflections of the six Saints.


    Then, her reflection smiled.


    And spoke.


    The reflection spoke once again, this time not bothering to put on a human mask:


    "I am going to say it once. The six of you... have nothing to do with this. This is between me and the Great Clan Valor �� a family affair, if you will. So, I''ll give you a chance to escape. Surrender the fortress and leave. Then, I will spare your lives."


    Saint Naeve looked at the reflection darkly.


    "It is indeed a family affair. Our family, which you slaughtered!"


    Soul Reaper Jet, meanwhile, just shrugged nonchalantly.


    "It would be really inconvenient for me if you conquer Bastion. So... sorry. We''ll stay."


    Her crow chose that solemn moment to caw loudly:


    "Sorry! Sorry!"


    Morgan glanced at the stupid bird, shook her head, and looked back at her reflection.


    "It must be getting really crowded in your head, huh? Did you really think they would take you up on that offer?"


    The reflection remained motionless for a few moments, then suddenly smiled. "Not really. But I had to ask for the sake of politeness. Not that that is out of the way..."


    Its smile turned bleak and eerie.


    "...Prepare to die, I guess. Ah, I have really waited for this moment for a long, long time."


    A moment later, the wall under their feet trembled slightly.


    And at the same time, the water of the river far downstream churned, revealing several gargantuan shapes.


    Morgan looked at the sunset and took a long, deep breath.


    Scarlet sparks danced around her head, forming into a black helmet.


    "Prepare for battle."


    And just like that, the battle for Rivergate began.

 Chapter 1913 Devastation

    The battle for Rivergate began at sunset.


    ...By the time the sun rose from behind the horizon once more, the ancient fortress was gone.


    The towering gates of the great locks were bent, broken, and torn off their hinges. ''l��he impregnable walls had crumbled. The enchanted siege weapons had been reduced to dust.


    The river, which had been held back by the immense dam for thousands of years, had broken free and rushed toward the distant sea.


    The devastating flood had demolished the smoldering ruins and washed away the traces of the dreadful battle. The artificial lake around which the city had been built dried up, revealing its muddy slopes. The basin of the river below the cliffs, on the contrary, was flooded.


    The entire landscape of the region had been devastated and reshaped, becoming almost unrecognizable. A great waterfall roared as it plummeted from the tall cliffs, while the stronghold of Clan Dagonet was no more.


    ��...What a pity.��


    Morgan looked at the ruins of Rivergate with a wistful expression.


    With the loss of the ancient stronghold, the Sword Domain would grow a little weaker, while the Song Domain would grow a little stronger. But that was not the reason for her regret.


    The real reason was that Bastion had lost its connection to the sea. Even if Godgrave was conquered by humans, it would never be a safe place �� so, no matter which side won the war in the end, the Stormsea would become the connection between the two parts of the great human kingdom in the Dream Realm.


    Without Rivergate, it would be much more difficult to establish trade routes to and from Bastion. And trade was the true engine of civilization.


    ''...Why am I even thinking about this?l


    Morgan tiredly dismissed her helmet and spat out a torrent of blood.


    The helmet had caved in by a devastating blow, and so had the right side of her face. She could feel the sharp edges of her shattered teeth cut into her tongue and the inside of her torn cheek... an unpleasant sensation, no doubt, but far from the worst of what she was feeling right now.


    Mordret had been like a calamity, descending upon them in all his cold, inhuman fury. They had managed to give him a good fight �� quite an excellent one, really �� but at the end of the day, it was all for naught. They stood no chance against him.


    So, Morgan had commanded her six subordinates to retreat, and stayed back to stall the enemy for a little while.


    She took a hoarse breath.


    "I''ll give it to you... brother. You are indeed great and terrible. To think that you have been able to obliterate an entire Great Clan... now only that, but you have even become no different from a Great Clan yourself. What a weird sentence to say... oh, but in any case, it is quite an amazing feat, for a single individual to change the entire flow of the war through his personal achievements."


    She spat more blood, straightened slightly, and added in a neutral tone:


    "But you know what?"


    Mordret raised an eyebrow and remained silent. After a few moments, he shook his head.


    "I am a little disappointed. I really expected more from you, sister."


    Morgan smiled.


    "What? Do you really think that this is it? Surely, no. No... you and I, we are only just starting."


    With that, she pierced him with a sharp gaze, and called upon one of the enchantments stored deep within her body.


    Instantly, her essence flowed like a tide, washing over her body and seeping deep into its every cell.


    Morgan''s smile swiftly turned less lopsided. Her caved face regained its previous shape, the deep cuts marring her flawless skin closing as if they had never existed. Her broken teeth were restored to their previous pristine condition. The countless wounds on her mangled body healed, while her arm, which was hanging by a thread, was pulled back by ropes of growing muscle, and was then attached back to where it belonged.


    In just a few moments, Morgan was restored to perfect health, her body brimming with energy and overflowing with soul essence. It was as if she had not endured a grueling battle against her brother at all.


    She moved a hand, and a deep cut split the stones between her and one of Mordret''s vessels, almost severing its head.


    Standing some distance away, Mordret scowled.


    "...Now where did you find a healing enchantment as powerful as that?" Morgan simply smiled.


    "I guess you might say that I saw it in a Nightmare."

 Chapter 1914 Floodgates Open

    Morgan raised her sword and pointed it at the man who called himself her brother.


    "...I''ve collected a few other enchantments in preparation for meeting you one day, brother. Would you like to see?"


    Slowly, a dangerous light ignited in his mirror��like eyes, and his thin lips twisted into a cold smile.


    "Sure, why not? Ah... I do wonder how long your essence will last. If I cut off both of your arms this time, would you have to spend more? No, actually, I think I''ll take your eyes. I remember losing one to your blade once, so it will only be fair."


    Morgan pierced him with a burning gaze, wishing that she could destroy this monster here and now.


    Then, she gritted her teeth and called upon another enchantment.


    There were all kinds of Memories in the world, and Morgan''s Ascended Ability allowed her to assimilate their enchantments into her body. There were limits to that power, of course, and a price that had to be paid for using it.


    However, it granted her a unique level of versatility, made her supremely unpredictable in battle, and most of all, granted her great power.


    If he wished so and had enough time to prepare, she could fly like Nightingale, become a colossus like Raised by Wolves, cut souls like Soul Reaper Jet, command darkness like the Lord of Shadows... even unleash incinerating flames like Changing Star.


    Sadly, nothing of what she could do �� at least currently �� could allow her to defeat her monstrous brother and his thirteen Transcendent vessels alone.


    So, she did not try.


    Her goal at Rivergate had been accomplished, anyway.


    The enchantment she called upon was powerful, but simple �� it allowed her to travel across great distances in an instant, as long as she had established an anchor point in advance.


    Morgan had placed an enchanted anchor on the shore of the river while traveling to Rivergate from Bastion, and now, it was as if she was being pulled back to it by a force overwhelming enough to pierce space itself.


    As Mordret and his vessels readied themselves to repel Morgan''s trump-card attack...


    She simply vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind.


    Mordret froze for a moment, staring at where his sister had been a split second ago in disbelief. His gaze became unfocused for a moment, traveling across the myriad reflections in the vast area around Rivergate.


    Morgan was nowhere to be found.


    Suddenly, a wry chuckle escaped from his lips, and he threw an amused look north.


    His eyes glistened with dark, mad killing intent.


    "...l''ll see you in Bastion, then."


    He gave her a bow.


    "Lady Morgan."


    The older Nightwalker hesitated for a few moments, and then shook his head. "It is good that you are unharmed. However, the enemy... I simply can''t understand how an individual can be that strong. What kind of monster has your clan created?"


    She gave him a bleak look.


    "First of all... it wasn''t us who created him. If anything, my clan had been protecting the world from that thing for many years. Secondly �� he is that strong because he is the first human in the history of our world who has attained a Divine Aspect. Yes, those do exist. But actually... we are in luck."


    Naeve scowled.


    "You call that luck?"


    Morgan let out a tired sigh and smiled at him.


    Unlike Aether, she quite liked Saint Naeve. That was because she had met his daughter briefly while arranging for the survivors of the House of Night to be taken care of, and the little girl was positively sweet.


    "Indeed. Because what you have witnessed at Rivergate is merely half of that monster''s strength. He did not even bring out his Reflections... given the circumstances, we might very well assume that he is unable to do so at the moment, for whatever reason. So, yes. Count yourself lucky."


    The dragon raised its head and looked at her, which made Morgan''s shiver.


    A moment later, a deep, melodious voice resounded in her ears:


    "We lost Rivergate. What now?"


    Morgan hesitated for a few moments.


    She could evacuate the modest town that had grown around the Citadel of House Dagonet, but there were tens of millions of people living in Bastion. They would not be able to flee anywhere when the war came knocking on their door.


    Of course...


    Bastion was not just any Citadel, but a Great one. It had a power of its own, and if she used that power well, the outcome of her battle against Mordret would be...


    Less set in stone than it seemed, at the moment.


    Rising to her feet, Morgan shrugged.


    "Now, we rush back to Bastion and prepare for a siege."


    A pale smile twisted her bloodied lips.


    "If I can have my way, that siege is going to be a long one...��

 Chapter 1915 Broken Balance

    A hideous abomination lunged at a screaming soldier, only to have an arrow pierce its eye and tumble to the ground. As the massive beast rolled in the red moss, another was already climbing over its dead body.


    "Grab him!"


    Rain took a shaky step back, necking another arrow on the string. As she strained her muscles to draw the Beast of Prey, two Awakened warriors of the Seventh Legion dashed forward, grabbed the soldier, and dragged him back toward the crumbling phalanx.


    The man was missing both legs and bleeding profusely, his screams drowning in the horrid cacophony of the battle. He was going to bleed to death shortly �� if not for Fleur, that was, whose Aspect allowed her to stem bleeding and hasten healing.


    The dying soldier was thrown to the ground behind the loose line of the melee vanguard, and she immediately fell to her knees next. to him, reaching with both bloodied hands to treat his terrible wounds.


    The delicate young woman had lost her usual sweet bearance and luster, looking grim and haggard. Her beautiful silk robe was painted red by blood, and her red hair was soaked with sweat. She gritted her teeth, which made her fair face look even paler.


    Rain did not have time to see if her friend was doing alright. She barely managed to take aim before letting go of the string, then stumbled another step back


    All around them, the expedition force of the Song Army was drowning in a seemingly endless tide of abominations. There was no end to them, and the hideous corpses kept piling, forming a morbid rampart around the stubbornly resisting human legions.


    That rampart of bleeding flesh, at least, slowed the Nightmare Creatures down. The scale of the battle was inconceivable. There were countless Awakened warriors, more than a thousand Masters, and three dozen Saints battling the frenzied hordes of Nightmare Creatures under the blinding radiance of the cloudy sky.


    The ground was quaking, the air was permeated by an unbearable stench of blood, and the abominable jungle was burning all around them, black pillars of smoke rising above the chaotic battlefield.


    Tamar and Ray were just ahead, holding back the flood of Nightmare Creatures as part of the first line. Rain was using her enchanted bow and stunning archery skill to support them, while Fleur played the role of the field medic.


    The situation was dire.


    The expedition force led by Lady Seishan had made it all the way across the Collarbone Plain, reaching the great fissure that led to the vicinity of the supposed Citadel. The march had been a feverish nightmare of gruesome battles and appalling bloodshed, but they had arrived at their destination with relative ease.


    The jungle had been pushed back and burned, its inhabitants had been obliterated. A chain of fortified forts had been raised along the way, encircling lesser cracks in the bone plain, their garrisons tasked with holding back the scarlet infestation.


    ''Ah... I''m tired...��


    The Blood Sisters were cold and unapproachable, usually keeping to themselves, so they seemed a little mysterious. Because of that, there were many strange rumors floating around about them �� however, Rain did not care about those rumors one bit.


    As far as she was concerned, these older sisters were the epitome of grace and coolness. At the moment, especially, she was ready to kowtow in front of them and sing them endless praise.


    Using the momentary lull in the onslaught of abominations, she staggered toward Fleur and patted the delicate girl on the shoulder.


    "Fleur... recharge, please..."


    Even her seemingly inexhaustible Awakened endurance was being sorely tested by the grueling demands of this battle. The delicate young woman''s


    Dormant Ability, meanwhile, could alleviate one''s fatigue.


    That was just what Rain needed after drawing the heavy string of her enchanted bows so many times.


    Fleur looked up at her, forced out a smile, and raised her hand.


    In the next moment, Rain felt as if she had been given a second wind. Of course, it was more like a sixth or seventh wind, already... in any case, her body felt reinvigorated, and a new strength filled her limbs.


    She smiled back.


    "Thanks."


    Then, she nocked another arrow and drew her bow once again, quickly searching for new prey. She had already wounded, maimed, and killed many Nightmare Creatures...


    What frightened her, though, was that no matter how many of them they killed, there did not seem to be fewer of the horrid creatures still hungering to taste their blood...

 Chapter 1916 Burning the Bridges

    A few moments later, the Blood Sister escaped from the tide of abominations, sliding dozens of meters back on the slick surface of the ancient bone. Coming to a halt just behind the frontliners, she straightened calmly, her beautiful face smeared with blood... none of which was her own.


    Blood was also dripping from her hands, soaking the edges of her sleeves.


    Her eyes, however, were eerily calm, as if she had not just perpetrated a brutal slaughter in the midst of a frenzied horde of Nightmare Creatures and then escaped unscathed. Her crimson garments had no tears in them, and her expression was cold and emotionless.


    By mere coincidence, the Blood Sister was standing just a few steps away, so Rain could see every detail. She allowed herself to stare for a moment, then looked back at the carnage in front, worriedly searching for ''.|_''amar''s swift figure.


    It was easy to spot the young Legacy due to the fact that she moved like lightning, stepping on air to slay the abominations while avoiding their claws. Her giant zweihander was like a white blur, severing enormous beasts in half and taking off their limbs.


    ''...Still alive.��


    The entire formation was pushed back, and Rain took another step back, as well. Her body was not exhausted yet thanks to Fleur, and her mind had not turned numb yet thanks to the Puppeteer''s Shroud.


    She drew her bow, aimed, and put another arrow through an abomination��s eye. Usually, it would have been difficult for her to kill a Beast of such Rank in one shot, but her bow had an enchantment that enhanced the damage each of her arrows dealt. Her aim was even better, and she rarely failed to strike a weak point.


    Just then, another Blood Sister appeared near the first �� this one had come from the rear of the formation, with a somber look on her face.


    The first Ascended turned her bloodied face toward her.


    "What is it?"


    The second answered in an even tone:


    "Lady Seishan sends orders."


    Rain could not help but hear their conversation, so her heart started to beat faster.


    She did not see a way for the army to survive this avalanche of Nightmare Creatures... not without suffering crippling casualties, at least. But maybe the person in charge of the whole expedition had a solution.


    The Blood Sister paused for a moment and then continued:


    Rivers of blood spilled onto the white surface of the ancient bone.


    Through all of that, Rain and her cohort had somehow stayed alive.


    Fleur had run low on essence and ceased healing the soldiers, only using her Dormant Ability to help them stay in the fight. Ray stumbled back at some point, miserable and cradling a grisly wound. Tamar had assumed command of the entire centuria they were assigned to, at some point �� simply because the Ascended centurion had died, and there was nowhere else to replace him.


    Rain herself had used up all the essence stored in the Beast of Prey, felling an especially powerful abomination with a Death Dealer shot. By then, the front line of the legion had a few breaches in it, so she dismissed her how, manifested the Mark of Shadows into a serpentine black tachi, and moved forward to join the melee fighters.


    She was now protecting Tamar''s back as the two of them fought desperately against the frenzied Nightmare Creatures.


    Rain was controlling her soul essence with intricate finesse, which made her capable of displaying bursts of greater strength and speed than most Awakened could muster while spending less essence. Her swordsmanship was precise and deadly, and her mind was in a state of clarity... that was how he was barely managing to stay alive.


    The Seventh Legion was one of: the last ones to descend into the fissure.


    By then, most of the Awakened soldiers had already entered the Hollows, and only the Saints were left on the surface, defending a much narrower battlefront with all their might.


    Rain would have loved to observe these legendary figures unleash their powers in any other circumstances, but today, she just wanted to get away from the fury summoned by these human monsters.


    Could they even be called humans?


    From the few glimpses she had caught, Saints were much closer to demigods. "Wake the hell up, Rani!"


    Tamar, covered in monster blood and pale as a ghost, pushed her onto a shaky wooden platform and then dragged Ray and Fleur to follow.


    Around a hundred more soldiers crowded the platform, which then began to jerkily move down. The ropes creaked, and a few moments later, the surface of the white bone hid the battlefield from their view. Everyone felt tense, happy to escape from the terrible battle, but also apprehensive about the sturdiness of the platform and wary of what would happen next.


    Rain let out a tired sigh, then crawled to the edge of the platform on all fours and carefully looked down.


    There, far below...


    The Hollows were waiting for them, full of darkness and terror.

 Chapter 1917 Fast Promotion

    Once the platform passed the great width of the porous hone, they were surrounded by emptiness from all sides. The vast Hollow sprawled beneath them, drowning in darkness. Here and there, radiant pillars of light fell from the cracks in its dome and illuminated the ancient jungle...


    No one knew what unspeakable horrors hid under its impenetrable scarlet canopy, so the soldiers shivered, trying to distance themselves from the edges of the platform as much as possible.


    Rain simply sat on the creaking wood, trying to catch her breath. She did look at the alien landscape below, but only for a short moment �� seasoned hunters like her knew not to stare at the Dream Realm too closely.


    Lest something stared back.


    She looked at Ray.


    "How''s your wound?"


    The young man was pale and uncharacteristically quiet. Fleur was treating him, but with how low she was on essence, the process was taking time.


    The young man forced out an unconvincing smile.


    "I''ll live."


    Then, he glanced down and paled even more.


    "...Until we reach the ground, at least."


    Tamar dismissed her helmet and sat down near Rain, swiping back her sweaty hair. She scowled and looked at him with scorn.


    "Why are you worried? You have escaped the Hollows before �� as a mere Sleeper and completely alone. You are an Awakened now, and we are surrounded by an entire army."


    Ray stared at her gloomily.


    "Don��t remind me! I still have nightmares about that day... I mean, I would have, if I could dream..."


    The other soldiers heard their conversation and turned, looking at the young man in disbelief.


    "...Is that true, Ray? You survived the Hollows as a Sleeper?"


    Ray seemed startled by the question.


    ''Well... there''s not much we can do about it.��


    All they could do was fill their stomachs, replenish their strength, and prepare for battle.


    Which was exactly what they did.


    Half an hour later, a weary adjutant approached from deeper in the camp and gave something to Tamar, then ran off after saying a few words. The young Legacy remained motionless for a few moments, then sighed and sat back down. Then, she attached a pin in the form of a blood drop to her armor, and threw another one, this one much smaller, to Rain.


    "Congratulations, Rani. I guess you''re my right-hand man now, which technically makes you a junior officer."


    Rain caught the pin, raised an eyebrow, and asked in an amused tone: "Goodness. I''m so honored I can cry. Right... what does it make you, then?" Tamar stared at her bleakly.


    "A captain. No, wait... a centurion, technically, since we''re in a Royal Legion." Ray whistled.


    "Ever the overachiever."


    The entire composition of the Song Army was a bit of a mess. There were brigades and divisions, following the unit structure borrowed from mundane armies, but also the seven Royal Legions, which did not.


    The legions consisted of centuriae, which were supposed to consist of a hundred Awakened warriors, but were actually larger than that. In any case, these units of Awakened were usually led by an Ascended officer, called a centurion. Tamar wasn''t the first Awakened in the Song Army who had been given the command of a centuria, but she was definitely the youngest.


    It was indeed quite an achievement.


    The young Legacy did not seem too impressed, though. Instead, she grimaced and asked in a grumbling tone:


    "Whatever. Is the food ready?"


    Fleur smiled.


    "Coming right up!"


    They ate a simple, but filling meal in silence. After that, another messenger arrived, dropping a scattering of shimmering crystals in front of them.


    Rain''s eyes glistened.


    ''Finally!��


    The crystals were, of course, soul shards.

 Chapter 1918 Growing Strength

    The souls shards were some of those that the engineers had time to scavenge from the corpses of the Nightmare Creatures in the recent battle. That task was important enough that it had to be completed even in the middle of the most terrifying clashes... after all, with every soldier that managed to fully saturate their soul core, the strength of the Song Army grew.


    Tamar had long saturated hers, so the share of their cohort was divided three ways between Rain, Fleur, and Ray.


    Today, that meant that Rain received about a dozen shards. The rewards were distributed according to the contribution of a cohort, and theirs always performed exemplary... granted, in a chaotic situation like this one, no one was actually keeping score �� usually, the centurions would make reports to legion command after the battle, and the allocation of spoils would be decided later on. But their centurion was dead, and the battle was not even over yet. So... Rain felt lucky to even receive anything.


    All of these shards were of a higher Rank than Rain herself was, as well. It was a sizeable boon.


    Forgetting her worries for a few minutes, she concentrated on shattering the shimmering crystals in her fist.


    And look at that! She did not even need to use the pommel of her knife to break them. Just her Awakened strength was enough.


    ''I''ll never grow used to it...''


    A stray grin somehow found its way onto Rain''s face.


    She had not been Awakened for long, so the novelty of possessing superhuman strength was yet to lose its luster. She loved the feeling of being strong, of being powerful... after all, it was the feeling of powerlessness that had instilled into her the desire to step on the path of Ascension all those years ago, to begin with. Rain still remembered the day when a Nightmare Gate opened near her school clearly. The panic, the dazed faces of the students, the teachers who tried to look calm in front of the children, but still couldn''t hide their fear.


    She was supposed to die on that day, most likely. But through a twist of fate, somehow, she survived. An Awakened warrior appeared out of nowhere at the last moment, shielding Rain from the lunging abomination and slaying it with a single slash of her sword.


    Rain''s memories of that Awakened were strangely blurry... well, it wasn''t that surprising, considering her mental stare at that moment. She vaguely remembered a graceful black armor, a feminine silhouette, and a cold indifference with which the unknown woman cut down one Nightmare Creature after another, not letting a single one pass.


    In the end, none of the students died. The teachers had survived, as well. And Rain... Rain had come to know that she never wanted to feel that weak again. For her parents, for her siblings, and for herself as well.


    Her path to Awakening had been a long and brutal one. She often complained and berated her teacher for his whimsical antics and unreasonable demands, wondering why she was putting herself through all that grief... but she had never once regretted her decision to strive for strength, and had never once regretted agreeing to her teacher��s offer.


    Even if Rain died in this godforsaken land, she would probably still die feeling gratified for having chosen strength over weakness. Strength... was a bit intoxicating, like a sweet drug.


    High above them, ant-like figures appeared on the great vine bridges that stretched all the way to the surface, flowing down their twisting Width like a tide. The engineers, who had been desperately trying to destroy their roots, cursed and dashed away, dropping their tools as they ran.


    It was a good decision �� just a handful of seconds later, the first Nightmare Creature fell from above, its body hitting the ancient bone with a disgusting squelch.


    The massive beast let out a shriek of agony, then struggled weakly, trying to stand up. Although its body was terribly damaged, it was still alive.


    A split second later, there was another squelch, and then another.


    ...Driven mad by the smell of human souls, the horde of Nightmare Creatures was following the expedition force into the Hollows.


    Rain broke her rule and stared at the flood of ant��like figures that covered the surface of the vine bridges far above.


    Her hands shook a little.


    ''Well... crap.��


    On second thought, maybe she should have chosen weakness over strength after all!


    Then, the commanding shout of one of the Blood Sisters brought her back to reality.


    "Move!"


    Barely rested, the Song Army abandoned the relative safety of the illuminated area and marched into the darkness of the Hollows.


    They were following a blood trail left by their commander, Princess Seishan. Behind them, more and more Nightmare Creatures fell from high above. The fastest of those abominations who managed to remain on the vine pillars were already halfway down.


    The future looked bleak, just like the dim expanse of the great Hollow ahead.

 Chapter 1919 Ancient Jungle

    As the army marched into the jungle, several figures plummeted from high above to surround it. This time, however, they were not Nightmare Creatures �� although some looked quite monstrous.


    Instead, they were the Saints who had been holding the abomination tide back on the surface, and were retreating now that the enemy could not be stalled anymore.


    Some had assumed their human forms to descend safely with the help of Memories, some were naturally able to fly while Transformed. Others simply took the fall, relying on the nature of their bestial bodies to withstand the damage. The thick canopy of the jungle helped cushion their fall, somewhat, but the impacts were still chilling.


    In that brief moment, Rain noticed all kinds of awesome creatures.


    There was a monstrous, but eerily beautiful harpy with flood dripping from her sharp claws and red lips. There was a giant with the head of a jackal, his towering body the color of obsidian. There was a hill��sized canine with three heads, his bloodied jaws powerful enough to grind mountains to dust. There was a horrid creature that resembled a horned lion with a viper for the tail, drops of venom dripping from its fangs.


    There was even an enormous reptile with powerful hind legs and short, underdeveloped arms, its tyrannical footsteps making the ground shake.


    The Saints were battered and bleeding, their powerful bodies a map of wounds. However, they did not seem to pay it any attention �� landing on the ground, they instantly assumed positions around the army, ready to defend the soldiers from those inhabitants of the ancient jungle that had survived the passage of the daughters of Ki Song.


    Sadly, the expedition force was so large that even three dozen Transcendent champions were not enough to protect everyone. The feeling of safety provided by the sight of them was an illusion.


    Rain gripped her bow nervously as the scarlet canopy obscured the distant dome of the great Hollow.


    Countless luminous Memories chased the darkness away, making it easy to see the surroundings. The jungle of the Hollows... was both similar and different to the one infesting the surface.


    The shapes, the colors, and the smell were all the same. However, this jungle was much more ancient, therefore, more harrowing.


    Hit by the arrow, the blood��sucker lost balance and fell to the ground. Immediately, the Awakened soldiers rushed at it.


    Their Memories were not powerful enough to kill the creature, so they struggled to immobilize it instead �� special wire nets were thrown over the appalling insect, which it promptly tore apart and escaped. Luckily, the delay was enough for one of the Ascended to appear, shattering the creature��s carapace with a devastating strike of their heavy mace.


    At that time...


    Not too far away, a soldier was screaming as he found himself drowning in the scarlet patch of moss. His comrades managed to pull him free, but by then, his lower legs had already dissolved in the digestive fluid.


    At the same time...


    A tall tree shook, and a rain of vermilion leaves fell from its branches. Each leaf was like a serrated blade, easily slicing through enchanted armor, flesh, and bone. A dozen soldiers fell to the ground, bleeding �� some of them dead, some gravely wounded. Both the dead and the living were then pulled underground by the roots that emerged from beneath. Other humans tried to dig them up, but it was useless.


    At the same time...


    A vine covered in beautiful flowers released a cloud of scarlet pollen into the air, and a few soldiers that were not fast enough to escape dropped their weapons to the ground, walking into the red haze with empty expressions. By the time the pollen dissipated, they were gone �� vanished without a trace, with not even footprints hinting at what might have happened to them. Rain covered her mouth with a hand, looking around with horror.


    "I��his... this is hell. It must be.��


    All around the marching army, the Saints were engaged in desperate battles with the Great abominations that emerged from the jungle from time to time, attracted by the smell of human souls.


    And behind the army, the tide of Nightmare Creatures was drawing closer with each minute, threatening to catch up with the formation''s tail.


    Surrounded and pursued, the warriors of Song marched toward the distant Citadel.

 Chapter 1920 Marching Through Hell

    Eventually, the already dire situation turned into absolute chaos.


    The horde of Nightmare Creatures had caught up with the expedition force, and the rear of the formation became engrossed in a moving battle. Several Saints led the defensive efforts, slaughtering the menacing abominations with all their might.


    The death toll among the Nightmare Creatures was high, but the soldiers were suffering heavy casualties, as well.


    Luckily �� or perhaps unfortunately �� the mad frenzy of the pursuing Nightmare Creatures had caused a destructive chain reaction in the Hollows. The local predators were overcome by hunger and bloodlust at the sight of human troops, but they weren''t happy to see the numerous abominations from the surface invade their territory, either.


    To the Great Ones inhabiting the ancient jungle, the weak surface dwellers were nothing but prey, just like humans were.


    For that reason, the pursuing horde suffered a terrifying massacre when appalling silhouettes lunged into it from the jungle. The ancient predators grew mad from the stench of blood, slaughtering everything they could see with chilling cruelty... a few of them fell, too, buried under an avalanche of hideous monsters.


    The internal strife between the rightful rulers of the Hollows and the invading surface dwellers alleviated some of the pressure on the army, but not a lot of it. The expedition force was still bleeding lives -�� not a staggering number of them, but more than ever before.


    The people trapped in this morbid hell soon found themselves missing the unpredictable and inescapable radiance of the deadly sky. Who would have thought?


    Rain, meanwhile...


    Was missing the weird antics and ridiculous stories of her teacher.


    In the past four years, she had lived through plenty of frightening situations. Hunting Nightmare Creatures as a mundane girl was not a safe vocation, after all... but he was always there, with her, talking her through the difficult ordeals and taking care of her when she felt lost.


    He was still with her, hiding in her shadow, but because they were surrounded by thousands of soldiers, her teacher could not speak.


    Even though Rain would never admit it, she would have loved to hear him tell an outrageously nonsensical story with a straight face right now.


    ''The Citadel must not be that far, by now.��


    And it wasn''t.


    Some time later, the Seventh Legion was sent to the rear of the formation. They steeled their hearts and plunged into the bloodshed, retreating slowly while holding back the frenzied mob of Nightmare Creatures. The Saints were fighting some distance away, breaking the tide, while the soldiers served as the shield of the formation.


    In some ways, it was much more dangerous here, in the rear of the escaping army �� that was because the abominations were numerous and driven to utter madness both by their lust for human souls and by the terror of the Great Ones rampaging in the horde far behind.


    Between the ancient rulers of the Hollows and the human soldiers, countless Nightmare Creatures had already been slain, and more were dying each minute. But in other ways, fighting against them was much safer than marching further into the army formation. That was because most of the dangers hiding in the ancient jungle �� like the blood-sucking horrors, the razor��sharp falling leaves, the man��eating patches of moss, and the clouds of scarlet pollen �� would be dealt with or at least discovered by those who marched in the front.


    After withstanding the flood of abominations for a while, the Seventh Legion was rotated to the head of the column.


    By then, the army had almost caught up with the daughters of Ki Song.


    Rain and the other legionnaires dragged their tired bodies to the front of the formation, where they were supposed to get a little rest. Since Lady Seishan and Death Singer were so close, the jungle was safer than before �� its inhabitants had just been slaughtered by the Transcendent princesses, and those pests that had survived were hiding, afraid to attract their attention.


    Finally, they caught sight of their general.


    Lady Seishan was standing on the trunk of a fallen tree, her crimson dress ripped and soaked in blood. Her eyes were sunken, and a dark smile was twisting her alluring red lips.


    Her sister was leaning on the trunk, huddled and covering her face with the hood of her black robe.


    Rain was curious to know what they were looking at.


    Up ahead, behind the fallen tree, the jungle receded, revealing a vast clearing. And there, in the distance...


    She could finally see the Citadel.

 Chapter 1921 Stuff of Legends

    There, in front of them, the jungle parted and revealed a vast expanse of white bone. It was almost completely flooded, but the water was so shallow that it would barely reach a human''s shins. Most stunningly of all, the flooded clearing was completely devoid of the scarlet infestation �� there were no trees, no Vines, no grass, no moss...


    It was as if the ancient jungle was afraid of getting any closer to the dark hill that towered in the heart of the empty expanse and reeled back in fear.


    The hill itself was tall and strangely shaped, its slopes dark and barren. From time to time, strange ripples spread from it across the shallow water, reaching all the way to the edge of the jungle. As if something enormous was breathing somewhere out there, behind the hill, the measured weight of its breaths reverberating in the ancient bones.


    Rain and her cohort were not far away from the fallen tree on which Lady Seishan stood, so she caught a good look at her.


    At that moment, the regal Saintess turned around, looking down at her sister from the considerable height of the ancient trunk.


    Standing above the battered masses of the Seventh Legion, she was like a sinister deity. Her otherworldly beauty was both breathtaking and chilling �� Princess Seishan looked subtly inhuman because of her silken grey skin, and the lower half of her exquisite face was smeared by crimson blood, as if she had been tearing the Great Nightmare Creatures apart with her teeth.


    She looked like a malevolent spirit summoned into the world by a great blood sacrifice.


    ...Despite that, Rain found herself calming down at the sight of the graceful princess. Her heart was overcome by a soothing sense of tranquillity, and she felt her fears dissipating.


    The feeling of peace and safety was like a breath of fresh air in the sweltering heat of this dark, dreadful hell.


    However, Rain felt strangely disturbed.


    Because, to her... it did not feel like the healing kind of tranquil calmness. Instead, it was like the kind of false relaxation that deadly predators instilled in their Drev before sinking their fangs into the victim''s flesh.


    ''Still, this predator is on our side. That''s good... right?��


    Lady Seishan, meanwhile, spoke to her sister in a pleasant, velvety voice:


    "What do you sense, Hel?"


    Death Singer, who was leaning on the fallen tree with her head down, flinched and looked up. Her hood slipped, revealing her luscious hair and lovely face.


    At the moment, however, that face was contorted by a terrible grimace. Her beautiful eyes were wide, full of fear.


    "D��death... death is coming! Our blood will flow like a river, our flesh will fester and rot, our eyes will be eaten by hungry ravens, our viscera will become a feast for maggots! There will be no hope, no escape, no relief, no salvation... death is coming! It''s here!"


    "So it is. Well, then... warriors of the Song Army, hear my order!"


    Her crimson dress moved in the wind as she spoke in a melodious voice: "Fortify this position and hold fast. Hel, Siord, Ceres �� with me! We will claim this Citadel... in the name of the Queen!"


    Death Singer signed again, straightened her dark robe, and jumped onto the fallen tree. At the same time, Lady Seishan jumped down �� the trunk was several meters tall even laying on its side, so Rain did not see her land into the shallow water, only heard the splash.


    A moment later, two Saints joined the daughters of Ki Song on the edge of the clearing �� one of them was the beautiful harpy Rain had seen before, the other was the three��headed canine.


    From what she knew, both were scions of the lesser Legacy Clans, like Tamar, and had attained Sainthood together with Lady Seishan as members of her cohort.


    Soon, the four Saints disappeared in the direction of the distant hill.


    And a few moments later...


    The bill suddenly moved, slowly stirring and unfurling its immense limbs.


    Rain stared at it in horror for a moment, then forced herself to look away and lowered her gaze.


    As it turned out... the Great Demon had not been hiding behind the bill. It was the hill �� a gargantuan beast that had been slumbering in the middle of the vast clearing, and was now waking up at the smell of Transcendent souls.


    Rain took a shaky breath and thought about the four brave Saints.


    ''...May Beast God help them from beyond the grave.��


    Clan Song seemed to have a close bond with beasts and hunting, so she thought this prayer would be suitable.


    Rain considered praying for herself, too.


    She was quite sure that if Lady Seishan failed to conquer the Citadel and perished, the rest of the expedition force would perish as well.


    ''Oh well...��


    At least she had her personal dark deity to pray to.

 Chapter 1922 Not a Last Stand

    Now that the dreadful march was over, the battered expedition force found itself in a somewhat better position.


    The flooded clearing was effectively defending them from one side, which meant that they would not be surrounded, at least. With that, the army could assemble into a stable battle formation.


    It was truly a miracle of perseverance and discipline that they had managed to maintain a semblance of order and keep themselves from being decimated by the enemy while fighting their way through the nightmarish jungle �� but armies were not meant to fight battles while moving.


    Finally reaching their destination, the Song Army came to a halt and spread along the edges of the flooded plain, building a proper battle line. It had two layers, so that forward units could rotate back and give way to fresh troops �� then switch again after a period of rest. A field hospital was being hastily arranged behind the two layers, as well.


    By then, the stalwart Saints already cut down the terrifying predators who had lunged at the expedition force from the flanks during the march. Those were the true rulers of the Hollows, old abominations of the Great Rank �� luckily, there were far fewer of them than the Saints, so the champions of the human army were able to team up and bring each of the monsters down in groups of three or four.


    Many were wounded, but none had perished yet... the situation might have been different if not for Lady Seishan and Princess Hel, though, who had culled the rulers of the scarlet jungle on their way to the Citadel. Now, the Saints were free to assume positions in front of the battle line, serving as its pillars and anchors. In any case, the situation of the Song Army, while still resembling a hellish nightmare, was much better than before.


    However, it was also much more perilous than before, because their fates now depended on the success of Lady Seishan and her party. If the Great Demon guarding the Citadel triumphed, then every advantage gained by the expedition force would turn to ash. The Demon would attack the battle formation from the rear, and they would be devoured from two sides.


    Of course...


    First, the army had to survive long enough to learn who prevailed in the battle for the Citadel.


    ''It''s going to be fine. Yeah... definitely...��


    Rain stared at the approaching tide of Nightmare Creature with apprehension, trying to convince herself that the current preparations of the Song Army did not resemble getting ready for a heroic last stand.


    Lost in a godforsaken hell, suffocated by sweltering heat, their back pressed against the territory of a Great Demon, and facing an endless flood of Nightmare Creatures �� that definitely sounded like prime material for an inspiring and tear-inducing ballad that would be sung through the ages. But Rain didn''t want to be sung about... he would much rather survive.


    Now that the Nightmare Creatures had closed in, it was harder for her to hit anything with an arrow. The situation might have been different if they were in an open field, but the jungle blocked her line of sight, while the thick canopy prevented her from shooting over the heads of her comrades.


    Cursing, Rain dismissed the Beast of Prey and let her snake tattoo turn into a black tachi once again. Gritting her teeth, she left Fleur and advanced forward. Hack, slash, pierce... block, dodge, evade.


    The damned Nightmare Creatures were too strong!


    She could barely cut their hide, and it took dozens of strikes to bring a single one down. Rain herself, however, would be either dead or crippled from receiving just one blow, which made the whole situation incredibly frightening, to the point that she felt sick to her stomach.


    The humid air was permeated by the terrible stench of blood, and everywhere she looked, she saw nothing but terrible maws, sharp fangs, and frenzied eyes. All around her, Awakened were uniting in small groups, each fighting against a single Nightmare Creature. Rain herself was fighting with Tamar and Ray, the three of them sharing an unspoken understanding on how to deal with the dreadful enemies.


    Their cohort might not have been together for long, but Tamar was a competent leader, while Rain was very experienced despite having only just Awakened. So, from the point of View of others, she was simply extremely competent in everything she did. She was a fierce fighter herself, a good partner for others in a battle, and also a bit of a mentor to her three slightly younger companions in many practical matters.


    Not to mention her unbelievable ability to survive in the wilderness and make herself and her cohort comfortable in any environment.


    The entire centuria rallied around their small cohort, withstanding the flood of Nightmare Creatures with desperate resolve.


    Hideous corpses of the abominations fell to the ground.


    Human corpses fell, too.


    Rivers of blood flowed down, seeping into the shallow water of the flooded clearing and painting it red.


    Far away, the gargantuan figure of the Great Demon was moving, its footsteps making the red water surge in foaming waves.

 Chapter 1923 Dwindling Hope

    "Just... die, damn you!"


    Rain staggered back, supporting the blade of her tachi with a hand to block a descending stinger �� its speed was so great that she had barely managed to react in time, and its force was so terrible that she was thrown back a dozen meters.


    Her arms felt numb.


    When fighting Nightmare Creatures of a superior Rank, blocking was really not a good idea. But the damned thing was so fast that there was simply no time for her to move out of the way.


    Luckily, she had done her job.


    A split second after Rain was tossed back, ''l��amar''s zweihander plummeted on the tail of the abomination, striking precisely at the spot where its armor had already been broken. The severed stinger fell to the ground in a flood of fetid blood, and the monstrous creature turned threateningly toward the young centurion, its claws flying forward at lightning speed.


    Tamar had no time to disengage and dash to the side �� she simply stepped on air and leaped over the claws, then did so again. This time, the invisible platform seemed to be situated perpendicular to the ground, so he threw her body sideways instead of up, twisting and landing in a slide.


    The Nightmare Creature was already lunging at her, but at that moment, Ray �� whom it had not noticed, blinded by pain �� jumped onto its carapace and drove his sword through its eye.


    The abomination convulsed and fell, moving weekly. It was still alive, but completely dazed �� the three Awakened rushed forward and unleashed a barrage of attacks, eventually finishing it off.


    All three were breathing heavily, barely enduring their exhaustion �� and that was despite the occasional infusion of stamina from Fleur.


    The rest of the soldiers were faring even worse.


    Rain shivered, noticing that another Nightmare Creature was already barreling in their direction.


    ''Just how many...��


    None of them had died yet, at least. The same could not be said about most other cohorts. The number of slain Nightmare Creatures was incalculable, but the casualties suffered by the Song Army were also heavy.


    ''...It is not a last stand.��


    Rain knew that it wasn''t, but it seemed like one more and more with each passing minute.


    The Seventh Legion had fought well during their first rotation, and during the second, too. However... during the third, the tired soldiers started to make more and more mistakes. As a result, more and more of them died.


    They had just finished the fifth rotation, and the situation was starting to look bleak �� not just for them, but for the entire army.


    The warriors of Song were desperate, exhausted, and slowly succumbing to fear. Their morale had especially plummeted when one of the Saints �� the one whose Transformation resembled a horned lion with a venomous viper for the tail �� finally fell, debilitated by countless wounds, and was immediately swallowed by the tide of Nightmare Creatures. Like that, the Song Army lost its first Transcendent champion.


    Watching a Saint die was a shock to everyone... not only because they were watching the death of a living legend, but also because it forced the soldiers to ask themselves a simple question.


    If even demigods were dying, then what hope did mere mortals like them have? Rain threw a glance at her shadow, drawing strength from it, then turned to the flooded clearing and stared into the distance with a detached expression.


    The battle had been unbearably hard on the army, lasting an eternity... she couldn''t imagine how Lady Seishan and her team could still be alive while fighting a Great Demon, but they were, continuing the devastating battle.


    Even though it was taking place too far to discern the silhouettes of the daughters of Ki Song, everyone in the second layer of the battle formation could turn around and look at the flooded plain to see the massive shape of the Demon moving across the water, making it surge and boil.


    At some point �� Rain did not know when �� the water, which had been clear and transparent before, had turned entirely red, like a lake of blood. Some of it was because of the blood flowing from the shore where the Song Army was fighting, but most of it... she had no idea where it had come from.


    Something flashed in the distance, and a few moments later, the echo of a terrifying roar reached them from afar. The ground quaked, and the lake of blood surged, a tall wave crashing into the low shore.


    The Queen''s daughters were still fighting the Great Demon.

 Chapter 1924 Pit of Despair

    In the middle of the flooded clearing, Song Seishan was standing in the crimson water, looking at the gargantuan creature in front of her with a twisted smile. Her eyes were shining with an eerie red glow in the dim darkness of the Hollows, and her long braid was fluttering in the wind that had risen from the Demon''s last attack.


    The Great One was like a mountain, its mighty body covered by bristling black fur. Its body was not quite bestial, but also not quite human... the creature was like an abominable ape, its fangs protruding like cliffs, its eyes burning with diabolical cunning and murderous fury. It was wielding a great club made out of bone, and each time it struck the ground, the entire world quaked.


    Siord, the beautiful harpy, was playing a deadly game of cat and mouse with the demonic ape by flying around its head, barely dodging its obliterating attacks. Ceres, the enormous three-headed canine, was in an even more precarious position, dancing between the abomination''s feet and trying to tear pieces of flesh out of its shins.


    Neither had managed to deliver even a single wound to the Great Demon, yet. However, the Demon was bleeding.


    Opening its maw, the terrifying creature let out a deafening roar and shuddered, forgetting about the annoying fly and the three��headed pest for a moment. Then, it vomited a terrifying waterfall of blood.


    Blood was flowing from its mouth, from its nose... even from the corners of its eyes, spilling into the shallow water like a red river.


    That was because Seishan was using her Awakened Ability. It had taken a while for her Ability to take effect, considering how powerful her enemy was... but she wasn''t powerless, either.


    If anything, the most difficult part was limiting the area of effect of her Ability to spare her allies from sharing the same fate as the Demon.


    The intoxicating smell of blood was driving her mad, and at the same time making her many times stronger �� standing in the middle of a lake of blood spilled by a Great abomination, Seishan was infused with a raging inferno of hungry, furious power. It was the scaling augmentation granted by her Ascended Ability.


    It was partially because of that power that she had been able to move with stunning speed to evade the Demon''s earth��shattering attacks and recover from the terrible wounds littering her body, staying alive despite how vast the gap between her and the guardian of the Citadel was.


    The second reason was her Transformation Ability.


    Seishan had possessed the ability to turn into a monster from the time she was a young Sleeper, lost in the darkness of the Forgotten Shore. Therefore, she had not gained the ability to Transform into something else when attaining Transcendence...


    Instead, she had gained the ability to Transform others �� those she transformed became stronger, and their strength could enhance her own power in turn.


    And finally, the third reason was the blood of Beast God that flowed in her veins, bestowed upon her �� whether she had wanted it or not �� by her mother... the Raven Queen.


    And then, there was her Flaw.


    Seishan grinned and dashed forward, flying above the red water with stunning speed. The infuriated Demon swatted Siord away and kicked Ceres with devastating might, sending the giant canine flying like a tiny pup. Both Saints crashed into the shallow water, their bodies bleeding and broken.


    After that, she was the sole target of the Great One''s fury.


    ''Ah...��


    The enormous bone club crashed into the ground, displacing countless tons of water and making the world shake. Seishan never slowed down, pivoting and then leaping gracefully. Before the displaced water could even start raining down, she already landed on the surface of the club and rushed across its surface, ascending hundreds of meters above the clearing in a heartbeat.


    Her polished nails turned into terrifying claws, and the red glow of her eyes turned furious and predatory, full of murderous intent.


    Sadly...


    She knew that she could not kill the Great Demon.


    Maybe if she had time to observe and study the abomination, learning its strengths and weaknesses, gaining a thorough understanding of its powers, and getting insight into the way its perverse mind worked, she would stand a chance.


    No matter how much they fought, no matter how much they killed, no matter how much they died... the flood of abominations would not end.


    And these Nightmare Creatures were the lesser evil, at that. Even if the expedition force somehow managed to eradicate them all, the true horrors of the Hollows would soon arrive, attracted by the overwhelming smell of blood.


    Rain felt a chilling shiver run down her spine when she realized that she could, indeed, die here today.


    Her sweat turned cold, and she drew in a shaky breath.


    And then...


    Something imperceptible changed about the world.


    It was as if the sweltering heat of Godgrave receded a little, and a cool breeze gently caressed her skin.


    Rain was not just imagining it, either. She could see her fellow soldiers react to the strange change, too.


    Even the Nightmare Creatures were affected. Their ceaseless onslaught turned slower, for a moment, and then lulled.


    ''What...��


    Confused and struggling to believe what she was seeing, Rain stared at the abominations. The abominations had actually stopped, and were now sniffing the air, growling, and... and...


    It almost seemed as though some of them were cowering in fear.


    ...Far behind her, in the middle of the flooded clearing, the gargantuan Great Demon noiselessly fell down.


    And, at the same time...


    Rain froze in terror.


    The countless corpses littering the vast swath of the jungle all moved at the same time.


    The dead Nightmare Creatures, the fallen humans... they all stirred, moved, and then slowly rose from the ground.


    Far behind her, the slain Great Demon was rising from the bloody water, as well, its dead eyes staring forward with no emotion.


    Rain took a step back, her face turning even paler than usual.


    ''The... the Queen...��


    A moment later, the legion of the dead came alive, tearing into the nightmare horde.


    Soon after that, the battle was over.


    The Queen of Worms had finally arrived to Godgrave.

 Chapter 1925 Missing Oracle

    Far away, Sunny �� his original body, donning the guise of the charming Master Sunless �� was sitting on the edge of the Ivory Island with a resigned smile on his face, suffering in silence.


    ''D��amn... nation. Its torture.''


    His nose was itching.


    It had been itching for what felt like an eternity already, but sadly, he could not scratch it. He could not move at all, really, because the Cloudveil was torn above the warcamp of the Song Army, drowning the world in a blinding white light.


    The camp stretched below him, resembling a city �� there was no movement on the orderly avenues, and the countless people populating it had all turned into motionless statues. Their silhouettes were like black shadows painted on the blurry white backdrop, melting in the stark radiance.


    Mercifully, that was simply because his eyes were tearing up, not because they were turning to ash.


    Now that Saint Tyris had left to accompany the expedition force on its quest to conquer the Citadel, the main camp of the Sword Army had lost her protection. That was why everyone had been forced to learn how to survive the annihilating gaze of the incandescent abyss ��now, several weeks later, people rarely died when the clouds parted.


    Of course, there were measures in place to alert them of the imminent danger in advance.


    Sunny was not entirely sure how that was achieved, but there were countless talents in the Sword Domain, both mundane and Awakened. He did not doubt that someone would have come up with a method to predict the movement of clouds �� granted, the warnings rarely came more than a minute before the cloudbreak, so the method clearly still required some improvement.


    This time, the clouds parted while Sunny was searching for Cassie, leaving him no choice but to sit down and patiently wait for the danger to pass. It had been close to an hour since then, and the grey veil was finally starting to show signs of repairing itself.


    Ten minutes later, the blinding radiance finally subsided, and Sunny furiously scratched his nose.


    "Ah... damn it..."


    He wondered if anyone in Godgrave had died from sneezing yet, then rose to his feet and looked around.


    Sunny had already checked everywhere on the Ivory Island, including the underground level of the Ivory Tower and Cassie''s personal quarters. He had checked every cabin of the Chain Breaker, as well, and asked around among the Fire Keepers.


    No one had seen the blind seer, which could only mean one thing �� that she was performing her duties as the Seneschal of the Great Clan Valor somewhere in the camp.


    Unless something out of the ordinary had happened...


    Frowning, he walked over to one of the seven chains anchoring the Ivory Island to the ground and descended by walking across it. Sunny was reluctant to unleash his shadow sense here, so his best choice was to go check personally.


    Fortunately, Valor Keep �� the stone stronghold that served as the headquarters of the Sword Army and the residence of the King �� was not far. He reached it in a matter of minutes and hesitated at the entrance, feeling uncomfortable under the dubious gazes of the guards.


    The thing was... Sunny had only ever entered the Keep while accompanying either Nephis or Cassie. He had never been here alone, and wasn''t sure if he was even allowed inside.


    Clearing his throat, he hesitated for a moment, cringed inwardly, and addressed the guards in a commanding tone:


    "I am Sir Sunless, Knight Commander of the Ardent Wardens. Move aside."


    One of the Knights looked down at him sternly... then nodded and turned around to knock on the door politely.


    "You have a visitor, my lady."


    Hearing Cassie''s response, he opened the door and let Sunny inside.


    The chamber was sparsely furnished, but quite comfortable. There was a soft sofa, several armchairs, a wooden table with succulent fruit and refreshments, and even a Memory keeping the air cool, not to mention a few bottles of beverages from the waking world. Vermilion curtains moved slightly in the wind, and sunlight was pouring through a narrow window.


    Cassie was half-sitting, half-laying on the sofa, her beautiful face showing signs of extreme fatigue. One of the hands was lowered powerlessly, while the other was holding a silver goblet.


    Sunny was worried for a moment, then determined that there were no wounds on her body and let out a sigh of relief.


    The blind seer, meanwhile, turned her head in his direction.


    "...Who is it?"


    He frowned.


    Shouldn''t she know already?


    Then again... their mental link seemed to be inactive, which meant that Cassie''s Ascended Ability was suppressed, for some reason. If the same was true for her Awakened Ability, which allowed her to sense what would happen a few seconds in the future, then she would be truly and utterly blind.


    Sunny''s frown deepened.


    "It''s me, Saint Cassia. Master Sunless."


    He threw a glance at her Ascended guards and unceremoniously closed the door. That would not prevent them from eavesdropping on their conversation, but it was better than nothing.


    A pale smile illuminated Cassie''s face.


    "Sunny... it''s good that you''re here. I was just thinking about asking someone to escort me back to the Ivory Island."


    Sunny took a deep breath, considered his thoughts for a moment, and then asked bluntly:


    "What happened to you?"


    He thought that he already knew the answer. In hindsight, it was quite obvious.


    Cassie sighed, then dropped her head on the soft armrest of the sofa.


    Her voice was a little tired:


    "...Essence exhaustion."

 Chapter 1926 Enhanced Interrogation

    A few moments later, Sunny led Cassie out of the stronghold. Since she was currently robbed of all her Abilities except for the Dormant one, she once again turned into the helpless girl he had once guided across the Forgotten Shore... which was both nostalgic and a little heartbreaking to see.


    Sunny offered her his arm, and she took it tentatively. Their physical closeness earned him a few scornful looks from the passerby, who seemed ready to beat him up as if he was some kind of despicable philanderer... with a healthy dose of envy mixed into the anger, perhaps.


    He was momentarily happy that Cassie could not see these reactions.


    Ignoring the idiots, Sunny led her toward the Ivory Island.


    ''Essence exhaustion...''


    Of course, it was the most obvious answer. He just failed to consider it seriously because Cassie, unlike Nephis and Sunny himself, had very rarely driven herself to that state before, if ever.


    Which posed the question.


    What exactly had made her burn so much essence?


    The answer would have to wait until they were in a more private setting, though.


    As they walked, Cassie asked quietly:


    "Did something happen? I''ve been told that the King has left for the waking world. Considering how difficult it seems for him to do so... I assume that Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows had conquered the Citadel."


    Sunny lingered with the answer.


    Eventually, he said neutrally:


    They did. However, there were complications: Cassie''s grip tightened.


    "What... what kind of complications?"


    He grimaced.


    It was not impossible for Master Sunless to know, but it was definitely a bit strange. Sadly, Cassie seemed to have been too agitated and left him no choice but to answer.


    Sunny looked ahead somberly.


    "There was... an ambush. Quite a devious one, so much so that it almost ended in disaster. Well, technically, it did. Several Saints of the Sword Army are dead."


    He paused for a moment, and added:


    "Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows are fine, though."


    Cassie let out a shaky breath, then asked somberly:


    "How?"


    He sighed.


    "Four daughters of the Queen, each a Transcendent of divine lineage. And four Reflections. They also..."


    Sunny hesitated for a bit before finishing the sentence.


    "They also knew too much, while we knew too little. There seems to be a powerful diviner among them, as well as a few talented spies hiding among us."


    His tone was neutral, but it must have sounded like an accusation to Cassie. After all, she was the premier diviner of their small faction �� no, of the entire Sword Army. This failure was, in no small part, the result of her personal failure to outperform the oracle of Clan Song... Death Singer, most likely.


    The fact that Anvil had forced her to do something so dirty irked Sunny to no end. Not that he thought that Cassie was above doing such vile things... he was pretty sure that she would stop at nothing to achieve her goals, no matter how brutal or distasteful.


    It was just that the King of Swords did not know that, so what right did he have to make such a demand of Cassie?


    ''That bastard. I''ll kill him slowly one day.''


    Or swiftly, from the shadows, and stabbing him in the back. Either worked.


    Cassie, meanwhile, rubbed the bridge of her nose.


    "Reading someone''s deep memories against their will can be an... intense process, for me. Especially if their mental resilience is high. That was why I had to expend a lot of essence to get the answers Anvil wanted."


    She lingered for a few moments, and then suddenly smiled darkly.


    "...But that was not the reason why I exhausted it completely."


    Sunny walked over and sat on the chair across from her.


    "Oh?"


    Cassie nodded.


    "No. The real reason is that I used that chance to get the answers I myself wanted. Answers about Song and Valor, which might lead us to learn more about the Sovereigns... perhaps even their weakness."


    Her smile faltered, then disappeared.


    "And I did. Although... it is only a thread. We will need to keep pulling it to find the truth."


    Sunny leaned forward a little.


    "And what exactly is that thread?"


    Cassie hesitated for a few moments, then raised a hand and pulled her blindfold off.


    "It... will be easier if I simply show you."


    He frowned, considering the implication of her words.


    "You mean?"


    She nodded.


    "Yes. Before, I took a look at your Memories. Now, I will share mine with you, instead. If... if you''ll accept them."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, suddenly reluctant to look in her beautiful eyes.


    But then, he forced himself to gaze into them deeply.


    His lips twisted into a dark smile.


    "Sure. Why not?"


    In the next moment, Cassie''s eyes changed.


    But Sunny once again failed to perceive the nature of that change, because he was suddenly pulled into a strange and stunningly vivid memory.

 Chapter 1927 Blind Seer.

    Sunny had an excellent memory, but Cassie was on an entirely different level. Her memory was simply... absolute. It was incredibly vivid, detailed, and all-encompassing, as if it was impossible for her to forget something even if she wished to.


    He knew that it had not always been like this. Cassie''s ability to remember everything with perfect clarity had slowly developed as she climbed the Path of Ascension, most likely reaching its current state as a result of Transcendence.


    It was bitterly ironic, therefore, that her memory felt fragmented and shrouded in fog.


    Being drawn into Cassie''s recollection did not mean that Sunny could read her mind �� the only thoughts he could sense and hear were those that she remembered thinking, after all. However, he could still feel how burdened she was by the shattered nature of her past.


    Great swathes of her life were missing, and that fractured emptiness seeped into the very foundation of her self, making the whole world feel like treacherous quicksand.


    Nevertheless, Cassie was undeterred, confidently walking forward despite being unable to look back.


    Sunny, though, was far less poised. As soon as the unfamiliar recollection blossomed in his mind, a strong sense of vertigo overcame him, and he swayed. If he wasn''t sitting on a chair, he would have probably lost balance entirely. Cassie''s world... was far too overwhelming.


    He suspected that she must have been dazed when reliving his own memories �� after all, the way Sunny perceived the world was unique and extraordinary. Not only was his mind split between several incarnations, but he also possessed a sense that humans did not, navigating the world full of shadows.


    So, Sunny was not a stranger to complex points of view.


    But the way Cassie perceived the world was simply overwhelming in its staggering complexity.


    To start with, all her senses were incredibly sharp �� many times sharper than that of over Saints, which were already far, far superior to that of mundane humans.


    ...All senses except for her sight, of course. Cassie''s world was a world of darkness, and being blind was a mild shock to Sunny in and of itself. He had experienced being blinded before, but never as a permanent and inseparable part of his existence.


    And then, there was more...


    Cassie''s own point of view was already disorienting enough, but it was not the only one she was living. As she was walking down a stone corridor, she was also perceiving the world through several other people.


    There was Nephis, leaving the expedition force of the Sword Army behind to descend into the Hollows. The sweltering heat of Godgrave was pouring from the radiant sky, and drops of sweat were rolling down her lean, powerful body. Then, a wave of harrowing agony washed over her, burning her alive, and two beautiful white wings spread open behind her.


    There was Sunny himself and his world of shadows, as well �� the impression of his original incarnation was sharp and clear, the other two less so.


    ?...Therefore, Lady Cassia, you must succeed.?


    Sunny froze at the sound of the cold, commanding voice. A voice that tolerated no disobedience.


    He knew that voice.


    And he knew by whose side Cassie was walking, as well.


    She lowered her head in a bow and answered respectfully:


    ?I understand, Your Highness. It will be done.?


    It was Anvil, the King of Swords.


    Pushing a heavy door open, Anvil walked into a cold, damp room and waited for Cassie to follow.


    Inside the room...


    There was the smell of blood, and the sound of rattling chains as someone moved.


    She could feel the prisoner''s stare, but there were no words.


    Only silence.


    Cassie marked one of the guards stationed inside the cell and was finally able to see her surroundings.


    In front of her... an old man who had once been dignified was chained to the wall, his clothes soaked with blood. His gaze was calm and heavy.


    It took her a moment to recognize him as an elder from one of the Legacy Clans who had pledged their loyalty to Valor.


    Nevertheless, the old man had turned out to be a spy of the Song Domain.

 Chapter 1928: Dawn of a New Era.

    Chapter 1928: Dawn of a New Era.


    The old man possessed a formidable mind ��which was not surprising, really. As a member of the First Generation, he had endured the darkest era of humanity, facing countless dreadful ordeals and overcoming them with great tenacity and determination.


    The fact that he had lived to his respectable age was proof enough of just how much willpower he possessed.


    However, today, the old man encountered an ordeal that he would not be able to overcome...


    It was Cassie.


    Kneeling near the bloodied prisoner, she pulled off her blindfold and looked him into the eyes �� of course, Cassie''s had marked him already, so what she actually saw was herself.


    The old man smiled darkly, and finally spoke.


    ?Song of the Fallen. I''ve heard about you.?


    She responded quietly:


    ?And I you, Master Orum.?


    She knew that he might attempt to commit suicide if given enough time �� in fact, he would have done so already if the nature of her Aspect had not been a closely guarded secret. So, there was little time to waste, especially considering that there were several other captured spies she would have to interrogate later.


    But this one... this one was more valuable to Cassie, because he had lived a long life, and would know many secrets that had nothing to do with the clandestine side of the Domain War.


    Looking into the man''s eyes, Cassie activated her Transcendent Ability.


    Master Orum''s formidable mental defences crumbled easily under her tyrannical attack...


    After that, Sunny experienced something very strange. He was reliving Cassie''s memory, who in turn was reliving the memories of the old man. If anything, it was a relief, since Master Orum was very much human �� his point of view was infinitely less crushing than her own.


    The recent memories were the easiest to access. The fear, the pain, the despair of being caught... but below it all, an eerie sense of calm and cold determination, as if he had been prepared to meet such an end all along.


    Deeper than these fresh experiences were the memories of the war. The span of time was too great, and Master Orum''s memory was not much different from a mundane human, many details of his recent past already erased by the passage of time �� Cassie somehow sifted through the vast volume of random recollections, zeroing in on only the most important ones.


    She completed the royal order with relative ease, finding the details of Orum''s clandestine activity. How long he had been relaying information to Song, what methods he used, which secrets he had shared, who were his contacts in the Sword Army... and so on.


    It was one of the infected... or whatever these demons were.


    Orum froze.


    ...Luckily, his body moved even if his mind was paralyzed. It pushed his sister back and whipped an arm forward �� a senseless gesture, considering how powerful and unstoppable the infected were.


    However, Orum had been one of these infected not too long ago.


    He had not turned into a monster, though. Instead, he had dreamed of a terrible place, fighting for his life in a dreadful land where gods and demons were real, and humans possessed unbelievable powers. When he awoke, he brought parts of that dream with him.


    As the infected was about to tear into his flesh, the asphalt beneath it suddenly parted, and then closed like stone jaws, crushing the creature''s bones and trapping it.


    Orum fell back, trembling, and pulled a military handgun �� the one he had picked up from a soldier''s corpse a few minutes before �� from the pocket of his torn jacket.


    Aiming it at the infected, he disengaged the safety and repeatedly pulled the trigger.


    His aim was so bad that only seven rounds out of twelve actually hit the monster despite the close distance. Out of those, three had ricocheted off the creature''s adamantine skull... but the remaining four were mercifully enough to kill it.


    The infected slumped, and Orum shuddered when a ghostly voice resounded in his head:


    [You have slain a Dormant Beast, Carrion Beast.]


    [You have received a Memory.]


    Lowering the empty gun, Orum belatedly realized that he had forgotten to search for spare magazines on the soldier''s corpse. He had no bullets left.


    How were they going to survive?


    How... how was anyone going to survive?


    All around young Orum and his sister...


    The world was coming to an end.

 Chapter 1929: First Generation

    Chapter 1929: First Generation


    The shock of having killed an infected rattled Orum. He had slain several monsters in that strange dream of his... but those were monsters in the dream. The hideous creature in front of him had been a human once, and they were in the real world.


    Monsters had no place in the real world.


    ...But killers had.


    After all, the real world was not that different from a nightmare.


    Wiping his sweat, he turned away, pulled his sister close, and shielded her from the gruesome sight.


    ''We can''t stay still. We need to get away from this district before the fire spreads.��


    "Orie..."


    He looked at his sister and forced out a smile.


    "It''s fine. I''m not hurt. It''s... it''s all going to be fine."


    He remembered hearing the ghostly voice say that he had received something... some kind of memory. That was not the first time he had heard these words, but their meaning escaped him.


    He was certain that he would not forget these terrible days for as long as he was alive, but wasn''t it natural to retain the memories of what happened to you? Why had the voice felt the need to announce such a strange thing?


    Gritting his teeth, Orum stood up, gasped at the pain in his wounded leg, then picked up his sister and started to limp away. The rag he had used to bandage the wound was already soaked in blood, which was now pooling in his shoe. Ignoring the repulsive sensation, he hurried his steps.


    ''l��hen, hearing another howl, he ignored the pain and ran.


    Orum ran as fast as he could �� which was incredibly fast, compared to what he had been capable of just a few days ago. His body had grown unbelievably strong after the strange dream, reaching a pinnacle of what humans should be capable of. It was all very magical.


    And yet, it wasn''t enough.


    Pretty soon, Orum stopped, looking around in desperation.


    They were on a wide intersection, surrounded by burning tanks. ''l''here... there was nowhere to run, anymore.


    That was because several infected had been feasting on the corpses of the soldiers that littered the ground here, and were now staring at him with bestial eyes. Several more were rushing from behind, only a few seconds away from catching up.


    Someone had walked out of the smoke. It was a beautiful young woman in dark military clothes, visibly one or two sizes too large for her frame. She had gorgeous raven-black hair and a confident gaze, using a high�� powered magnetic rifle as a walking stick to help her walk.


    And she needed the help, because she... she seemed to be late into her pregnancy. Her belly protruded forward like a ripe fruit, and she was using her other hand to support it.


    Orum recognized her as his savior and bowed hurriedly.


    "Th�� thank you..."


    The young woman glanced at him, then hung the rifle over her shoulder and outstretched a hand. His eyes widened when a scary-looking hunting knife appeared in it, seemingly out of thin air.


    She studied him for a moment, then smiled lightly.


    "What''s your name, boy?"


    Orum gulped.


    "It''s... it''s Orie."


    She nodded, then smiled wider and offered him the strange knife.


    "Well, what are you waiting for? We need to get the shards before more of them appear. And it''s a bit hard for me to bend down, at the moment... so..."


    He stared at her in incomprehension.


    "The... the shards? What shards? Wait, where did this knife come from? How did you..."


    The young woman blinked a couple of times.


    "Right. I guess not everyone has figured these things out inside the trial. Well, worry not, Orie... I''ll explain to you what a soul shard is, what a Memory is, and how to survive the end of the world."


    She lingered for a moment, and then added with a smile:


    "Oh, I''m Jiwon, by the way... Song Jiwon."


    She patted her belly.


    "And this little bean is my future daughter. She''ll be a real princess, no doubt..."

 Chapter 1930: Bright Future

    Chapter 1930: Bright Future


    ''That... is Ki Song''s mother.��


    As Sunny thought that, surprised, the memory dissolved into the stream of Cassie''s consciousness, and another one surfaced.


    Orum, now an Awakened, was standing at the edges of a crowded square in NQSC. His figure was more muscular, and his posture was upright and confident �� a far cry from the skinny refugee youth he had been once.


    He had survived the end of the world... mostly thanks to Song Jiwon, who had taught him how to harvest soul shards, absorb them to grow stronger, summon the runes to learn about his Aspect and Attributes, manifest Memories, and much more.


    On that day many years ago, they had fought their way out of the flood of the infected... the Nightmare Creatures, as they were called now... and then joined a caravan of other survivors, escaping across the desolate wasteland toward the Northern Quadrant Siege Capital.


    Song Iiwon �� now known as Ravenheart �� was also responsible for the fact that he had survived the winter solstice a few months later. They parted ways after that, thrown into different corners of the Dream Realm by the Nightmare Spell, but Orum often thought about his savior and wondered how she was doing now.


    And her daughter, who had been born soon after the two of them Awakened. That was why he had been glad to have stumbled into her today, out of the blue. Ravenbeart had not changed much. She was still easygoing and confident, quick to smile, and a little mysterious... it was only that there seemed to be a hint of heaviness hidden deep in her beautiful eyes now, and she seemed more mature. "Take this."


    She handed him a snack from a street vendor # the same synthpaste cake everyone was having, powdered by an excessive amount of artificial spices �� and looked at the huge projection towering above the crowd in the middle of the square.


    On it, a solemn ceremony was taking place.


    Orum received the snack with gratitude and looked at the screen, as well. Ravenheart took a bite, grimaced, and then pointed at the projection.


    "Oh, I recognize some of those guys. Let''s see �� the one who looks like he only has one expression should be good old Warden of Valor... he''s not that bad, actually, just terribly stiff. The handsome devil next to him is Immortal Flame. Then... goodness gracious, is that who I think it is? That must be him. Nightwalker... so the rumors are true! He does exist. Let me see, who else..." There were more renowned warriors beside them.


    The people whose image was projected above the crowd were the best and the brightest humanity had to offer... the militant heroes of the new era. Everyone had fought relentlessly to make sure that the world did not fall apart, of course, but these remarkable individuals had carved their names into history.


    And now, they were about to do it again.


    Orum glanced at Ravenheart and asked, feeling a little self-conscious:


    "You know them?"


    She shook her head.


    "No, not really. Small people like us rarely get the chance to brush sides with the big guys, don''t we?"


    Ormn chuckled, threw one last glance at the projection, and followed.


    "Sure. just the two of us?"


    Ravenheart flashed him a smile.


    "Actually, I had one more person in mind..."


    Half an hour later, Orum found himself looking at a shy, incredibly sweet little girl hiding behind her mother and throwing cautious glances at him.


    He blinked.


    "Is that you, Little Ki? Gods, when did you get so big?!"


    The last time he saw her, she was a tiny, wrinkled infant swaddled in a bundle of cloth.


    So many people had died during the first months of the Nightmare Spell that simply surviving was seen as a great accomplishment. Surviving while being pregnant, like Ravenheart did, was nothing short of a miracle... as well as a testament to how exceptional she was.


    So, this little girl''s life was a miracle. She had been born and survived against all odds.


    But it was only looking at her now, grown up and resembling an actual human, that Orum finally felt it.


    How far they had come...


    And that the world was not ending anymore.


    That they had saved it.


    Looking at the shy little girl, he smiled.


    "What, don''t you remember your Uncle Orie? Ab, I''m hurt. I was there when you were a tiny little baby, you know..."


    He couldn''t help but wonder what future awaited this sweet child.


    Surely, she would live a long life. Her future will be warm, bright, and full of happiness...

 Chapter 1931 Torch Bearer

    ''He actually did it.''


    Today was another day of celebration, but Orum remembered too much, and felt too much, to share in the excitement that had seemingly taken the entire world by storm.


    He was dressed in his best clothes, standing in the grand assembly hall of the UHG headquarters. The somber space had been transformed into a lavishly decorated venue for the occasion, and there was a lively crowd enjoying the generous banquet �� those who wielded power over humanity and the members of their families, all dressed to the nines and glowing with joy.


    Orum should have probably felt pride in being one of them, but he was not in the right mood.


    He was not young anymore, having passed thirty last year. He was also not an inexperienced greenhorn who barely knew how to kill a Nightmare Creature. Instead, he was one of the most renowned Awakened in the Waking World, ruling a Citadel of his own in the Dream Realm... his status was not as high as that of the brilliant heroes who had become the idols of humanity, perhaps, but not far below them.


    That was why Orum felt frozen and somber in the middle of the joyful celebration.


    There were others like him, as well �� mostly those who had endured the horrors of the Nightmare Spell from the very first day of its descent.


    That was because they understood better than anyone what today��s ceremony meant, and how many lives had been lost to pave the road for it.


    Today... they were celebrating Immortal Flame, the fiery champion of humanity, who had done something they all considered impossible.


    Who had conquered the Second Nightmare.


    Orum raised a crystal glass to his lips and took a sip of the liquid inside, not feeling its taste.


    Immortal Flame was not the first Awakened who had responded to the Call and led a cohort into a Seed of Nightmare... in fact, many had tried before, some burning with ambition, some simply unable to resist the Call anymore. It was just that none of them had returned alive �� Orum had lost plenty of friends that way, their absence leaving deep scars on his heart.


    Some people still held hope, but most had long given up on Ascendance. Immortal Flame had changed everything. His impossible feat shook the very foundation of the established world order, and would inevitably and completely change the future... Orum was sure of it.


    The news had been announced only a few days ago, and everywhere he went, he could already hear cautions whispers of trying to challenge the Nightmares again. He was even tempted to consider it himself... but no, he couldn''t. He had a family to take care of. Maybe later, when the kids pass the age of becoming Dreamers...


    But still.


    ''Ascendance...��


    The boy pursed his lips, unhappy.


    "But Madoc said that I must stay here."


    The girl scoffed.


    "What does he know! Why is he ordering you around, anyway? He''s only a year older than us!"


    Orum recognized the cute pair. The boy was the younger son of the Warden. The girl... would probably be the daughter of Immortal Flame himself.


    He sighed and looked away with a smile.


    ''Little monsters...��


    Orum had never become a father himself, but he was helping raise his niece and nephews. There had been a time when he thought that the children of the new era would grow up knowing nothing but peace and warmth... but fate was cruel. Instead, they grew up surrounded by terror, blood, monsters, loss, and death. They had been raised in the world of the Nightmare Spell, and as a result, they were far more fierce and feral than the children of his own era.


    Thinking about that, he looked up and froze.


    There, separated from the group of boisterous kids, stood another girl... this one a couple years older and a little gloomy. No one seemed very interested in speaking with her, so she was all alone, holding to the dull fabric of her far less opulent dress awkwardly.


    Orum paid no attention to her clothes, however.


    He only looked at her face, which was painfully familiar.


    It took him a few moments to remember whom she reminded him of.


    The girl... was the spitting image of her mother.


    Forgetting everything, Orum couldn''t help but walk closer and ask, his voice hiding suppressed emotion:


    "...Little Ki?"

 Chapter 1932 Second Generation

    Orum had not seen Ravenheart and her daughter often since that day they spent together in NQSC.


    They were living in turbulent and tumultuous times, and he had had family matters to deal with back then. Later, his focus shifted to the Dream Realm. He pursued his ambitions and eventually conquered a Citadel of his own, wishing to build a livelihood for himself and his family.


    Awakened were naturally grouped together by the region of the Dream Realm they traveled to at night. Ravenheart was simply too far away, in a place where few others had been sent by the Nightmare Spell. She was not very sociable, either, so the two of them had grown distant, eventually losing contact altogether.


    He used to hear about her from time to time, feeling happy to know that she was doing fine. Ravenheart��s life seemed quite tough, considering how remote and dangerous her corner of the Dream Realm was. There were not many Awakened there, and even less Citadels �� unlike the region where Orum himself was anchored.


    People there had rallied around the impressive Citadel of the Warden of Valor, which was now a bastion of humanity in the dangerous alien world. It almost seemed like it was the center of the Dream Realm, with everything else existing on the periphery.


    Well, there were the elusive Nightwalker and other unfortunate souls who had found themselves in a nebulous sea, of course, as well as isolated Citadels scattered here and there across the vast expanse of the Dream Realm. Considering its nature, it was hard to even establish where they were located in relation to more populated areas, let alone carve a path to them.


    The last Orum heard about Ravenheart, she had conquered a Citadel somewhere far north, near a colossal mountain chain that stretched from east to west as far as humans explored.


    Preoccupied with other things, he had not thought of her for many years.


    But now, seeing her daughter, the memories of all the time they had spent together flooded his mind.


    Orum felt nostalgia, tenderness, bittersweet wistfulness... and shame. Ravenheart had done so much for him, but he never paid her back. Instead, he had simply forgotten about her, too busy with his own affairs and the complexities of life.


    Little Ki �� already a teenager �� looked up at him and frowned in confusion.


    It seemed that she once again did not remember who he was.


    Still dazed a little, Orum offered her a smile.


    "I''m Awakened Orum... Uncle Orie. I''m a friend of your mom.��I


    There was no hint of recognition in her eyes.


    Orum suppressed a wince.


    The families of people like Immortal Flame and the Warden were indeed a bit of an exclusive club. They had to be, considering how many sycophants sought out their favor, often with little or no sincerity.


    He regretted that his niece and nephews weren��t here... although they were much younger than this shunned girl. She would probably not know what to talk with them about, either.


    He remained silent for a few moments, then smiled again.


    "I was on my way to get some snacks... do you want to come with me? After all, it is far easier to endure these events on a full stomach. Plus, I want to know more about how your mom is doing. We are from the same hometown, you know? In fact, I wouldn''t be alive today if it wasn''t for her. My sister, too. Come to think about it, I absolutely must tell you all about how she rescued us �� after all, it would be a crime if you didn''t know how amazing your mother is..." Finally, the familiar shy smile appeared on the teenage girl''s face.


    "Oh... alright. But I already know how amazing she is..."


    Orum spent some time with Little Ki, talking about Ravenheart and the early days of the Nightmare Spell. She was still the same sweet child underneath the veneer of teenage gloominess, which made him happy. In the process, he introduced her to a few people and helped her mix in with the crowd. Her awkwardness receded, and she eventually left his side to talk to a few kids from the less influential families.


    He was quite glad at the chance to help his benefactor''s daughter, even if it was in such a small way.


    There was a small smile on his lips.


    ''I hope my sister''s troublemakers get to know her when they grow up.��


    After that day, though, life became turbulent once again. Immortal Flame''s achievement had made an enormous splash, and a tidal wave of change rattled the entire world. Those changes were especially poignant for Awakened like him. Soon, more Ascended �� called Masters now �� emerged. The existence of the Category Three Gates was revealed, plunging humanity into chaos for a while. Eventually, Orum started to make tentative preparations, planning on challenging the Second Nightmare himself.


    In all that turmoil, he had not thought about little Ki Song a lot.


    Until the day came when he regretted it bitterly.


    That was because, by then, the first generation of children born after the descent of the Nightmare Spell reached the age that allowed them to become infected by it.


    And Awakened like him quickly discovered that the children of: those who had passed the trial of the Spell were much more likely to become its victims.

 Chapter 1933 Legacy

    Several years later, Orum found himself standing at the edges of a desolate lot, watching massive construction machines moving some distance away. A tall alloy wall had been raised near the outer radius of NQSC, enclosing a vast space. The city had been quite crowded lately, with many people even having to settle outside the barriers... how they survived out there, he could not imagine. But they did.


    So, the value of this plot of land was astronomical �� it could be measured in human lives, after all.


    The construction was nearing the end. The wall was mostly complete, the moat in front of it had been dug. Fearsome turrets were already installed atop the rampart, although none had been brought online yet. It looked like a fortress ready to repel an attack by a titan.


    As he watched, a large group of Awakened used their inhuman strength to hoist an immense alloy gate up painted red, it stood out starkly against the dull metallic surface of the wall. A swarm of construction workers rappelled down a few moments later, ready to guide the enormous slab of red alloy into a complicated locking mechanism.


    ?When gods close a door, the Nightmare Spell opens a window...?


    Hearing someone speak beside him, Orum turned his head in surprise. He had not felt anyone''s presence there before. Considering how sharp his instincts were, sneaking up on him was a difficult task �� and yet, someone seemed to have managed to do just that.


    ?Disconeerting.?


    Orum noted the slurred words and the drunken giggle that followed the sudden proclamation, then smelled alcohol in the air. He frowned.


    There, just a step away from him, a dishevelled man in expensive clothes was leaning on a wall, holding a mostly empty bottle of liquor in his hand. There was a snide smile on his lips, and a strange expression in his cold, cold eyes.


    Orum looked away and smiled.


    ?I didn''t know that it was possible for a Master to get drunk. Are you pulling a prank on me, Ascended Jest??


    The man turned to him and grinned.


    ?Yo, Awakened Orum! Funny to run into you here.?


    Orurn pursed his lips.


    He knew Jest rather well, and although the two of them were on friendly terms, the man always made him feel uncomfortable. Everyone was aware what role the Jest played in Warden''s cohort, and how many people had died by his hand... plenty of fringe factions had been quietly eliminated to restore the order in the world, after all. Despite his carefree attitude and humorous appearance, the man had quite a twisted and sinister side.


    lest turned to the towering alloy wall and asked, his voice curious:


    ?Have you come to take a look too, Orum? Awakened Academy... what a grand name! Ah, but these lazy bastards... the opening is in a few days, and they haven''t even finished setting up the defense systems.?


    He sighed.


    Everyone would probably be thinking the same, at the moment. The Awakened Academy was one thing. but the entire education system would have to be reworked. There were more and more infection cases every year, so it was not enough to teach children literature, sciences, and basic self-defense anymore. They needed to be taught how to survive, how to fight, and how to kill...


    Which, in turn, would make them even sharper and more cruel than they already were.


    Jest smiled again.


    ?...That is why I like you, Orum. Thank the gods you''re still normal, at least.?


    His expression changed again, growing cold and resentful. At this point, it was unclear if he was really drunk or just pretending in any case, Jest uttered through gritted teeth, his voice full of contempt:


    ?Do you know what the others are thinking, though??


    Orum silently shook his head.


    Jest smiled darkly.


    ?They are praying for their children to be infected and carry on their legacy. There''s talk about dynasties, control over Citadels, and consolidating power everywhere. Well, I get it... fools like us have grown used to our lofty status, and that status only exists because of strength. If our children remain mundane, it will disappear like dew after we die. There''ll be no legacy.?


    Orum looked at him, unamused.


    ?I''d rather not leave a legacy, then.?


    Jest simply laughed.


    ?As if you have a choice. Orum, my friend, listen to this fool... abandon hope. In this era, the only thing worth believing in is the Nightmare Spell, and the Spell is a cruel bitch. Just... teach your kids well. Teach them really well, bastard.?


    With that, he finished his liquor, waved a hand weakly, and headed away.


    ?See you at the opening ceremony, Orum! Old Valor is giving a speech... ah, I love the scumbag, but he is so dreadfully boring. And yet, he refuses to accept the jokes I wrote for him! Honestly, I''d skip the entire thing if I were you...?


    Orum watched him go in silence, his gaze heavy.


    Despite the piece of friendly advice, he did attend the opening ceremony of the Awakened Academy a few days later.


    It was there that he met Ki Song once again...

 Chapter 1934 First Class

    The turrets on the massive wall were still being calibrated by an army of technicians, but the Academy was already welcoming its first crop of young Dreamers. This late in the year, there were a considerable number of them almost five hundred.


    Some had come from here in NQSC, some had arrived from other cities in the Northern Quadrant. Many had even been brought across the oceans on heavily armored naval convoys not only from Africa, Antarctica, and Australia, but also from the Americas. It was a clear sign of how seriously the government was taking the establishment of the Academy.


    There were many distinguished guests, as well. Orum was one of them, observing the ceremony silently. Jest had not shown up, which was probably for the best, but he saw a lot of familiar faces.


    Warden of Valor did indeed give a speech... and it was indeed a little boring. Filtering out the man''s stern voice, Orum looked at the young Dreamers.


    They had already done well to survive the First Nightmare. In fact, there were much more survivors this year than ever before. It was most likely because the kids infected by the Spell this year had all been born after its descent, and grew up in its ruthless claws. They were a different breed.


    Honestly, Orum sometimes felt scared of the new generation.


    In any case, there was another trial waiting for them now. The winter solstice was not that far, and soon, they would be sent to the Dream Realm. How many would be left alive? He hoped that all of them would, but of course, his wish was not meant to come true.


    At least the impressive roster of instructors employed by the Academy would be able to prepare them for the journey better. Naturally, those instructors were not Awakened of the highest caliber, but they were competent enough to earn his trust.


    He recognized a few of the Sleepers, as well.


    The tall youth with a cold expression was Anvil, Old Valor''s son. He gave off an unapproachable impression and was easily noticeable because of his flawless poise and composure. His dark hair was cut neatly, and his gaze was sharp... unlike most of the Sleepers, who seemed traumatized by their Nightmares and frightened of the solstice, he was calm and collected.


    As if he was born to carry the Nightmare Spell.


    The youngest son of Valor was not the center of attention, though. Instead, it was a beautiful young woman standing next to him, wearing an easy smile on her lips. She was like a ray of sunshine in the somber atmosphere of the underground hall, attracting many furtive gazes from other youths.


    She was Smile of Heaven, Immortal Flame''s daughter... and already a trailblazer, just like her father. After all, she was the first human to have earned a True Name in the First Nightmare. Her future was undoubtedly bright.


    Orum vaguely remembered seeing these two a few years ago, when they were still little kids. Now, both were sixteen, and already tempered by the cruelty of the Nightmare Spell.


    To his surprise, though...


    There was someone else who drew his attention. He did not know this youth, and couldn''t place him. The young man did not look like a child from any of the powerful families that had emerged since the descent of the Spell...


    Unlike Anvil and Smile of Heaven, the youth was wearing cheap clothes that were most of the way to becoming rags. He had black hair and piercing grey eyes, his gaze strangely heated. There was a quality of sharpness about him that only those who had witnessed a lot possessed, but also a hint of gentleness that was both endearing and out of place.


    Orum instincts told him that the youth was special in some way, but he couldn''t quite put a finger on it.


    ?Ah. I see.?


    Her mother ruled a Citadel in the Dream Realm. Although the Song family was not very renowned, it was still one of the most distinguished families of the modern era. Little Ki had plenty of advantages to help her survive both in the Waking World and in the Dream Realm.


    And he had his own problems to deal with. Too many of them to waste time on the child of an old acquaintance....


    Soon, the ceremony was over. The Sleepers were taken to their dormitories by the attendants, and the distinguished guests were guided to a banquet hall. Orum found himself in the middle of a celebration once again. He did not attempt to socialize with his peers, though, standing in the corner with a somber expression.


    Eventually, he found his way to the center of the hall, where a small crowd was gathered around an exalted figure.


    ?...Congratulations, sir!?


    ?Your son has definitely inherited his father''s valiance.?


    ?How goes the struggle against the Dark Forest? I haven''t visited Bastion in a while...?


    Orum patiently made his way through the circle of sycophants and bowed slightly.


    ?Ascended Warden.?


    The man �� Warden of Valor �� looked at him in confusion for a moment, then smiled slightly.


    ?Awakened Orum. It is nice to see you again... how is your Citadel doing? If that Fallen Demon is still causing trouble in your territory, I can send some of my knights to assist you.?


    Orum smiled politely.


    ?Thank you, but I have dealt with it already. Rather, I wanted to talk to you regarding something else...?


    Warden''s smile brightened a little, and he patted Orum on the shoulder.


    ?You took down a Fallen Demon, Orum? As expected... great! That is what an Awakened should strive to be.?


    He threw a derisive glance at the other people around them, then looked back to Orum.


    ?What did you want to talk about??


    Orum lingered for a moment, then said in a neutral tone:


    ?Actually... I was quite touched by your speech. Everything you said is true these children are indeed our future. So, I was wondering if there is an instructor''s position left open at the Academy. I''m quite busy handling my territory and the Citadel, of course, but I think I can stay at the Academy for a few months. Learning from a seasoned veteran like me should benefit the kids, don''t you think??

 Chapter 1935: Four Prodigies

    Chapter 1935: Four Prodigies


    "I''m Instructor Orum."


    Orum looked at the youths crowding the dojo, hiding his confusion behind a cold expression. How the hell did he end up becoming a teacher? Doing something like that had never been a part of his plans.


    In fact, he was supposed to be preparing to challenge the Second Nightmare right now. His soul core had long been saturated, and he had carefully assembled a potent arsenal of suitable Memories. He was even in negotiations to purchase a powerful Echo.


    He was also in contact with several seasoned Awakened, searching for reliable companions to enter the Seed. Each of them had endured the horrors of the Nightmare Spell shoulder to shoulder with Orum at some point in the past, so he trusted both their skill and their character. However, assembling a strong cohort was about more than mere power.


    There was also the question of complementing each other''s powers and covering for each other''s weaknesses... not to mention that most people were unwilling to even entertain the thought of gambling away their lives by challenging the Second Nightmare. In short, the process was slow.


    So why was he at the Awakened Academy, preparing to teach a combat class? Orum''s gaze briefly fell on a young woman with raven hair and gloomy eyes. There was his reason.


    Of course, he did not let it show. It would not do Little Ki any good if everyone knew that she was favored by one of the instructors, and more than that, he was not here to be her friend. He was here to teach her how to survive, and the lessons she needed to learn were all harsh and unforgiving. So, he had to maintain a stern facade.


    Plus... Orum was ashamed to admit that he had not been a good elder to Little Ki. So, it was questionable if he even had the right to act friendly around her. Looking at the crowd of Sleepers, he lingered for a few moments, and then asked in a cold voice:


    "I will be teaching you combat. All of you here have already faced the First Nightmare, so you are not children anymore. You''ll be treated as adults. Don''t expect any pity from me �� the world is a ruthless place, after all, and the Spell will not show you any mercy."


    Orum smiled darkly.


    "...What do you think the essence of combat is?"


    Most youths remained silent, afraid to speak in front of the stern instructor. Only a few of them remained calm.


    Anvil �� the tall young man with a cold and unapproachable expression �� raised his chin slightly and answered in a calm, clear voice:


    "The essence of combat is a confrontation between warriors. The warrior who wields a better weapon and knows how to use it with greater skill wins. Combat is the purest expression of one''s valor and will, and therefore, its essence is glory."


    Orum stared at him silently.


    ''So many words... so little sense!''


    This poor kid must have spent too much time with his father. Warden of Valor was a great man, sure, but his solemn adherence to knightly values often went too far. It was more than enough to indoctrinate an impressionable child into having strange ideas, no doubt.


    Well, at least Warden''s son was still a human.


    Orum shifted his gaze to Little Ki, who was standing in the back row, and asked neutrally:


    "What do you think?"


    The Sleepers turned around, not sure whom he was asking. Ki Song did not seem to have made an impression, so many looked confused.


    Put on the spot, she frowned slightly.


    Her answer, however, was calm:


    "The essence of combat is failure. If you are forced to fight, you have already lost."


    Orum raised an eyebrow, surprised by her answer. It had some merit, sure �� more than that, he was somewhat inclined to agree. The second-best way to resolve a conflict was to never give the enemy a chance to fight you, in the first place �� by killing them before the battle could even begin. The best way to resolve a conflict was to prevent it from happening entirely.


    However, very few would have given such an answer in this era of strife and bloodshed. Awakened prided themselves on being skilled warriors above all else. Smile of Heaven looked at the older girl with a hint of mirth in her eyes. "You''ve just insulted every Awakened in the world... uh... Ki? Including our venerable parents... and Instructor Orum..."


    Little Ki threw a gloomy glance at her, then turned her gaze to Orum and looked him right in the eyes.


    "...It''s not my problem if they feel insulted by the truth."


    Smile of Heaven finally couldn''t hold herself back and laughed.


    Orum sighed quietly.


    ''I''m going to have my hands full with this one too, aren''t I?��


    He couldn''t have known, of course...


    But Sunny, who was experiencing his memories, did.


    He knew that this was the first conversation between four people who would go on to shake the very foundation of the world.

 Chapter 1936: Adulthood

    Chapter 1936: Adulthood


    The months before the winter solstice were precious and short, so the staff of the Academy ��and Orum, who had somehow found himself playing the role of an instructor �� wasted no time.


    The Sleepers were trained and educated according to a gruelling schedule. The system was not very sophisticated, yet, but they were already seeing good results. The youths were learning how to use their new powers, absorbing knowledge about the Dream Realm, and getting to know each other �� which would help them fight side by side with fellow Awakened in the future.


    Of course, teaching them was not a simple affair. Each Sleeper possessed a unique Aspect, after all, and had received a varied level of prior training. Evaluating their potential was similarly not easy.


    Nevertheless, four of them emerged as undisputed standouts early on.


    The first one, quite unsurprisingly, was Smile of Heaven �� the girl who had received a True Name in her First Nightmare. She was bright and beautiful, and there was something subtle about her that made people feel warm and at ease in her company.


    More importantly than that, however, was the fact that she was strong �� shockingly strong, in fact. Her Aspect remained a mystery to Orum, since she had never said anything about it, but her extraordinary talent was apparent even without it.


    Her physical prowess, martial technique, combat intelligence, and willpower were all incredible, making Smile of Heaven a natural leader among the Sleepers. It was just that her personality was not exactly serious enough to settle in that position, and she didn''t seem interested in authority and status, either. So, she was more of everyone''s favorite person than the leader of the pack.


    Instead, two boys were competing for the title.


    One of them was, naturally, Anvil. The serious young man was excellent in all regards, his conduct was flawless, and his battle prowess was exemplary. Added to the immense fame of his family, it was no surprise that other Sleepers looked up to him.


    Interestingly enough, he seemed more interested in knowing weapons than he was in wielding them �� although his combat technique was still stellar. His Aspect granted him a high affinity to metal, which he used to skillfully control a flying sword


    or enhance his swordsmanship in a number of ingenious, and quite insidious, ways.


    Both Smile of Heaven and Anvil showed a level of physical strength and endurance that Orum couldn''t quite explain, and honestly found a little monstrous. However, he was happy to see the new generation thrive in the perilous world they had been born into.


    The second candidate for the title of the very best among the crop of Sleepers, however, was a complete surprise. It was the brazen youth with grey eyes whose amusing remarks had made the entire class chuckle during the first combat class.


    The young man had come out of nowhere and had no background to speak of. Nevertheless, he was truly a genius at all things having to do with swordsmanship and combat, easily holding his own against the scions of the most prestigious families and defeating them one after another.


    His talent stood out starkly even when compared to the most excellent Sleepers in his class... perhaps of any Sleeper ever, really. His technique was rough, sure, but it was improving by leaps and bounds every day. It was to the point that Orum almost felt exasperated and insecure, unsure if he would have anything left to teach the rascal in a few more months.


    ''Oh. So she does remember, after all!''


    He hesitated for a few moments, feeling glad, then finally asked the question that he had wanted to ask for a long time.


    "How is your mother doing, by the way?"


    Ki Song turned away and faced the sleeping pod, her slender figure silhouetted by its pale glow in the darkness of the chamber.


    Her voice sounded even when she answered:


    "She is dead."


    Her words struck Orum like a hammer. He froze, paralyzed by the immensity of she had said, and afraid to comprehend it.


    A sharp pain pierced his heart, making him shudder.


    The young woman sighed, and then said quietly:


    "She died not long before my First Nightmare. The being that lived in the volcano emerged and attacked the Citadel, so... she decided to fight it instead of running away, to protect the Gateway and the people anchored to it. The people she was trying to protect, though, all decided to hide and leave her alone. The cowards."


    Ki Song pressed a button, and the lid of the sleeping pod opened.


    Turning to Orum, she looked at him calmly.


    Her face was not the face of a teenager. Instead, it was already the face of an adult.


    "The next time we meet, I will be an Awakened. See you soon, Uncle Orie."


    A few weeks later, she returned to the waking world and fulfilled her promise.

 Chapter 1937: Her Last Trace

    Chapter 1937: Her Last Trace


    Orum spent several weeks after the solstice feeling numb. There was little to do at the Academy now that the students were away, and he did not want to keep vigil next to their sleeping pods, like some other instructors did in secret.


    So, he returned home, spending time with his sister and her children during the day and concentrating on taking care of his Citadel at night.


    But even when Orum was with other people, he remained quiet and detached, his expression subdued. His mind was far away.


    He was thinking about Ravenheart, his heart full of anguish and regret.


    Death was an old friend to the original Awakened like himself, and he had lost many friends and comrades to its clutches. And yet, her death wounded him much deeper than anything had in the past.


    lt was bitterly ironic, in hindsight. Orum had lived a long life, and the time the two of them had spent together was not that long. The last time he had seen her was more than a decade ago. And yet... now that Ravenheart was gone, he realized that the great volume of space she inhabited in his heart was incomparable to the fleeting brevity of the few short months they had spent as companions.


    But there was nothing he could do, anymore. He could never see her again, and he would never be able to repay his debt to her. It was too late. Ravenheart had died alone, far away, with no one standing by her side.


    Now, her presence in his heart was replaced with a hollow absence, and all he was left with was regret.


    The only trace of her that remained was her daughter.


    "Orie, are you alright?"


    He glanced at his sister, hearing concern in her voice, and smiled gently.


    "Sure. Don''t worry."


    Orum hesitated for a few moments, then asked suddenly:


    "Do you remember Ravenheart?"


    Seeing confusion in her eyes, he corrected himself.


    "Jiwon. Do you remember her?"


    His sister frowned, started to shake her head, but then brightened.


    "Ah! Auntie Jiwon? She was with us when we arrived at NQSC, right? Sure, I remember... she was very kind. Why are you asking?"


    Orum looked away.


    "...It''s nothing. I met her daughter at the Academy recently, so I was just thinking about the past."


    His sister smiled.


    "Her daughter? Then you have to take good care of her! Oh, and protect her well from the male students... if she''s as pretty as her mother, then they''ll be making trouble!"


    Orum forced out another smile and nodded.


    "Sure. I will."


    "Great enough."


    The young woman nodded slowly and faced him once again.


    "Then I have a favor to ask you, Uncle Orie. A big one."


    She paused for a moment, then said in a determined tone:


    "Please help me reach my mother''s Citadel."


    Orum frowned.


    ''Ravenheart''s Citadel...��


    From what he remembered, it was called Jade Palace, and very little was known about it �� after all, it was so remote, infinitely far from most populous human enclaves in the Dream Realm.


    Many regions of the Dream Realm had already been explored, but few were under human control. The area around Bastion was relatively known, stretching all the way to the inhospitable mountain chain in the north. Beyond the mountains lay a vast and largely untamed wilderness, and beyond even that, a titanic mountain range known as the Hollow Mountains rose toward the sky.


    A few daredevils had crossed the first mountain chain in the past, but no one had ever returned alive from the Hollow Mountains. They were a Death Zone, which was a name given to those regions of the Dream Realm where no human could ever survive.


    The Jade Palace was said to be situated near the Hollow Mountains, but far, far to the west. The problem was that if one traveled west of Bastion, they would hit an impenetrable barrier of Death Zones, as well.


    So, the only way to do what Little Ki wanted to do was to travel south of Rivergate, reach the Stormsea, sail west along its shore, make landfall beyond the wall of Death Zones, and then brave the perils of the Dream Realm all the way to the northern boundary of its known area.


    It was a journey spanning tens of thousands of kilometers, full of unknown dangers and deadly threats. Even if they were to travel most of the distance by boat, it would still take them many months to reach the destination... if they weren''t eaten by some dreadful Nightmare Creature on the way, of course.


    The other option was to somehow find a Nightmare Gate connected to a Seed in the vicinity of the Jade Palace and follow the Call there.


    The favor Little Ki was asking of him was indeed a big one.


    Orum remained silent for a few moments, studying her youthful face somberly. Eventually, he asked:


    "Why do you want to go there?"


    The young woman met his heavy gaze with dark determination, then raised her chin slightly and answered in an even tone:


    "Because it''s mine."


    Orum stared at her before looking away with a sigh.


    There were a lot of things he had to consider before making the decision. His own Citadel, the preparations to challenge the Second Nightmare, potential risks... whether it was worth it to put himself in danger to help this young woman, who was practically a stranger, to begin with...


    But really, deep down, he already knew what he was going to do.


    Orum nodded.


    "Alright, Little Ki... Awakened Song. I will help you reach the Jade Palace." And he would make sure that she got there alive and well.

 Chapter 1938: Dispossessed

    Chapter 1938: Dispossessed


    It took Orum a few days to arrange his affairs and prepare to depart for Rivergate. He was not a pillar of humanity by any means, but he was still a very wealthy man �� even if the worst happened, his sister and her kids would not want for anything. They shared his high rank in the controversial citizenship system established by the government a few years back, as well.


    That said, Orum was not planning on dying in some godforsaken corner of the Dream Realm on the way to the Jade Palace. He was not arrogant, but he was confident in himself. Seasoned Awakened like him were few and far between �� in the whole world, there were maybe only a few dozen.


    He had not only survived, but also thrived during the darkest days of humanity. So, the Nightmare Spell would have to work really hard to bring him down. Leaving his body in a sleeping pod and walking through the gates of his Citadel, Orum traveled south. Traversing the wilderness reminded him of his younger days, but he did not allow nostalgia to make him complacent. A couple of weeks later, he arrived at the edges of an ancient forest.


    His armor had a few scratches, and there was a scattering of soul shards in his pack. A trail of dead abominations was left in his wake.


    The forest, however... the forest was an entirely different kind of beast. Entering it alone was simply asking to be swallowed by it.


    So, Orum made camp and waited for a while. The sea of leaves rustled in the distance, and the nearby river murmured as it flowed south, disappearing between the tall trees.


    He spent a restless night on its bank. On the next day, a battered ship appeared from somewhere upstream, and Orum used his chance to brave the strong current and climb aboard �� the crew was surprised to see him, but glad to have another Awakened blade with them for the last and most dangerous leg of the journey.


    The river was teeming with Nightmare Creatures, but it was still safer than the dark expanse of the forest. So, unless someone had a cohort of Wardens knights escorting them, they preferred to travel by water.


    Orum reached the Mirror Lake, changed ships at Bastion, and continued on his way to Rivergate.


    By the time he met Little Ki there, he was carrying quite a few soul shards with him.


    "Here. Take them... the more saturated your core is, the easier it will be for us to travel."


    The young woman took the shards silently and crushed them one by one in her fist.


    They were currently in the dining hall of Rivergate. There was a small crowd of Awakened having a meal there �� some of them warriors serving Jest, some simply people anchored at the ancient fortress.


    The master of the Citadel himself, luckily, was nowhere to be seen. Now that Anvil had Awakened, his father''s old comrades �� those of them who were still alive �� were probably busy guiding the young man in hunting down Nightmare Creatures in the wilderness, both to saturate his core and to help him gain experience. Warden had big hopes for his youngest son.


    Orum looked at Little Ki quietly.


    She was wearing an enchanted black leather armor, trying to look calm and confident. However, he knew that she was most likely disoriented and afraid. It took time to get used to the Dream Realm... and most people never did.


    Those like him who were at home here were the minority.


    She hesitated for a few moments.


    "...I can animate inanimate objects and control them like puppets."


    Orum considered that Ability for a while. It sounded useful... almost as if Little Ki could create surrogate Echoes without actually receiving them from the Spell. Of course, he would have to see just how powerful her puppets were, and how well she could control them in a fight.


    A puppeteer was quite a frightening existence, though. Orum had battled a few abominations with similar powers in the past, and each time was a real nightmare.


    He nodded.


    "What about your Flaw?"


    The young woman stared at him silently.


    "...I''m not telling."


    Orum laughed.


    "Good. I would have stopped you if you tried. Never reveal your Flaw to anyone, girl. Not even your family."


    She continued to stare at him with the same expression.


    "I don''t have a family."


    He hid his pain and discomfort behind a smile.


    "Well, you will. Hopefully, one day soon."


    At that, her expression subtly changed, turning even more gloomy.


    They left Rivergate the next day, traveling by boat to the shores of the Stormsea. There, a large ship was already waiting for them �� Orum had pulled some strings and arranged passage west for himself and Little Ki. Despite the fact that he knew the captain, hiring her had cost him a fortune.


    Soon, the ship set sail and dove into the perilous mists of the nebulous ocean.

 Chapter 1939 Life and Death

    Orum had seen too many terrible things to count, both before and after the descent of the Nightmare Spell... but the voyage across the Stormsea was by far the most harrowing experience of his life.


    The nebulous ocean was boundless and unfathomably deep, with untold horrors dwelling beneath its restless waves. It was shrouded in impenetrable fog sometimes, and at over times, surged and boiled in the throes of devastating storms. Night and day never followed a set pattern, sometimes coming and going in an instant, sometimes lingering for far too long.


    Most of the time, though, there was twilight, with countless pale stars shining on the velvet background of the distant sky. All of it felt as if the world was fragmented and disconnected here, and that made Orum feel lost.


    The fact that he was away from land, which was the foundation of his Aspect, did not help one bit.


    The wooden ship they sailed upon was constantly assaulted �� either by the towering waves and hurricane winds or by dreadful abominations that dwelled beneath the waves. And that was even after their experienced captain had set a course that took them past the dwellings of the truly deadly Nightmare Creatures, sticking close to the shore, where the danger was less severe.


    Both Drum and Little Ki were forced to participate in many battles, barely surviving a few of them.


    ''...And I thought that Warden and his people, who had chosen to settle in the middle of an actual Titan, were insane.��


    Nightwalker and his ilk were far more crazy. The captain �� a beautiful Ascended woman with strange indigo eyes �� seemed perfectly at ease in these terrifying waters, though, never losing her cheerful mood. The only times she looked wistful was then talking about her newborn baby, an infant boy named Naeve, whom she had left in the waking world to make this journey.


    Orum felt a bit guilty for cashing in the favor she owed him.


    In any case, he was having trouble maintaining his composure at sea. Considering that Little Ki had just Awakened and did not have a lot of experience, he would have expected her to struggle much more... but to his surprise, he took the horrors of the Stormsea in stride, never showing any signs of fear or agitation.


    It took him some time to understand that it was because she had never expected anything else from the world, to begin with. Orum and the other Awakened of his generation had a frame of reference and were able to compare reality to how it used to be before the Nightmare Spell.


    Little Ki and her peers, however, had been born into the dread of the Spell and grew up surrounded by Nightmare Gates, murderous abominations, and chilling stories of the Dream Realm. They had never known anything else, and so, the terrors of the modern era were simply mundane reality to them.


    Orum understood that rationally, but the young woman''s callous indifference still seemed eerie to him. It was more than a little inhuman.


    Orum and Little Ki had plenty of opportunities to fight side by side on the way to the Citadel. Of course, he was the main force of the small cohort �� but due to his power and his experience. However, these skirmishes helped Ortnn understand just how precious the young woman''s Aspect truly was.


    It was not even her Awakened Ability, which allowed Little Ki to bring inanimate puppets to life �� those were strong and convenient to have around, sure, but heavily limited by her ability to construct them. After all, animating a log would not be very helpful, considering that a log was relatively fragile and, most importantly, had no articulated limbs.


    The young woman had made a few crude dolls out of clay that Orum had summoned, hardened to resemble granite, and shaped. They were quite handy, drawing the attention of the Nightmare Creatures away, stalling the enemies, and giving him a chance to slay the abominations without risking his own body. If one was destroyed, another one could be built.


    Sadly, these dolls were still too weak, no stronger than mundane humans would be and far more clumsy. Perhaps if Little Ki had spent a fortune to commission one or two from an Awakened craftsman, things could have been different, but it was not something they could do now.


    ...It was her Dormant Ability, however, that made Orum reevaluate the young woman''s Aspect.


    Little Ki''s insidious power was reasonably strong on its own... but it was when she fought side by side with someone else that it truly shone. Especially someone like Orum, who possessed an Aspect capable of dealing direct damage to the enemy.


    With the young woman by his side, his own effectiveness increased exponentially. That was because Orum did not have to deal fatal wounds to Nightmare Creatures anymore, which was quite difficult to do. Instead, any wound sufficed, from relatively severe ones to insignificant and shallow.


    If he managed to as much as scratch an abomination by controlling the earth, Little Ki''s power would infect the little wound, slowly making it more and more dire. The cut would continuously widen and grow deeper, more and more blood would flow from it, and the flesh surrounding it would start to rot.


    If enough time passed, the scratch would become a deadly wound, draining the Nightmare Creature of all life. And the more deep the initial wound was, the less time had to pass.


    Watching the abominations die in agony was quite chilling... but also quite satisfying.


    More than that, Orum felt at peace, knowing that with such power, Little Ki would be welcomed by any cohort. Even the best warriors would benefit greatly from having her by their side, and that was not even considering her excellent martial talent and keen mind. 80, her future was all but set.


    If she survived that journey, of course...


    Ensuring that was his job.

 Chapter 1940 Ugly Side

    Orum''s confidence had not been in vain. In the end, they did make it across the entirety of the explored area of the Dream Realm alive, even if it took them many months.


    The journey had been dreadful and permeated by the stench of blood, but he and Little Ki had not had to endure it without respite. They travelled from one Citadel to another, slowly moving north, and took breaks when arriving at a new human stronghold.


    Sometimes, they simply remained at the Citadel, enjoying the hospitality of the locals, patching up their wounds, and recuperating. Sometimes, they used the Gateways to return to the waking world, climb out of the sleeping pods, and let their tired minds and souls rest by enjoying the lavish offerings of the modern era.


    in the process, Orum had to reevaluate his opinion of the western human territory in the Dream Realm. Yes, it was far less lively and populated than the eastern enclaves, but there were still far more people using the isolated Citadels as shelter than he had expected.


    It made sense, in hindsight. The number of Awakened in the world was increasing with every year, and it was already incomparable to the early days of the Nightmare Spell that he remembered.


    Back then, the Dream Realm was alien and frightening, and meeting a single human here felt like a blessing. But now, there were whole communities with hundreds or even thousands Awakened living here. Many of those Awakened did not even have to fight for their lives every day, providing valuable services to the warriors or working to maintaining and improve the Citadels �� even in the west.


    Some of the Citadels here were small and constantly besieged by abominations, but others were like small towns, with strong garrisons and powerful lords leading the people to if not prosperity, then at least stability. The only thing that was missing was a figure like Warden �� someone strong enough and influential enough to unite the disparate groups of struggling Awakened and build connections between their strongholds, allowing humans to cooperate and support each other.


    Little Ki was absorbing the reality of this wild land like a sponge, observing the lives of the local Awakened with her serious, gloomy eyes. She didn''t speak much, but the further north they went, the more her gaze seemed full of determination.


    Eventually, they scaled the Moonriver Plains and came in view of the mountains where her mother''s Citadel stood.


    On that day, Orum looked at the sky and saw dark flakes of ash fall from it like snow.


    He lingered for a while, then sighed and then looked at the silent young woman by his side.


    In these months they had spent together, Little Ki had grown from a newly Awakened novice to an experienced warrior. The excellent foundation of martial techniques taught to her by Ravenheart bloomed, becoming actual skill. That skill had been sharpened by countless battles with Nightmare Creatures, and her character had undergone a subtle change, giving her more confidence.


    Her soul core was also much more potent now, reinforced by hundreds of soul shards. She had also earned quite a few Memories, and was not at all a destitute Awakened she had been after her inheritance was stolen by unscrupulous people.


    However...


    Orum had not taught her the most important lesson. One that he was reluctant to teach the daughter of his dead friend and benefactor, but nevertheless had to. There was no place for na''ivete? and innocence in the Dream Realm.


    "Good. Let''s be done with this dreadful journey, then."


    They traversed the Moonriver Plain and scaled the mountains, eventually coming in view of a colossal stone bridge. On its other side, a beautiful palace that seemed to be cut from obsidian stood, shrouded in a billowing cloud of ash. This was where Ravenheart had lived, fought, and died.


    The stark landscape was lonesome and beautiful, just like she was in Orum''s mind.


    He shivered in the cold and took a step forward.


    "We should cross the bridge as fast as we can."


    Little Ki followed. As they stepped on the bridge and walked across it, struggling against the powerful winds, she said suddenly:


    "Uncle Orie..."


    l''Ie spared her a glance.


    The young woman remained silent for a few moments, and then said quietly: "No matter what happens once we reach the Citadel, don''t interfere. I have to handle it myself. Promise me."


    Orum hesitated, but eventually nodded.


    "Alright. I won''t do anything."


    ''Unless you''re in danger.��


    She looked at the distant edifice of the dark palace, cold determination burning in her eyes.


    Suddenly, Orum felt a chilling premonition grasp his heart.


    He couldn''t quite explain it, but grew tense nonetheless.

 Chapter 1941 Children of a New Era

    The inhabitants of the Citadel noticed their approach from afar. By the time Orum and Little Ki reached the gates of the palace, a small crowd had already gathered in the great hall beyond, looking at them with varied emotions.


    There were very few Awakened anchored here �� no more than thirty. Some of them looked surprised, some were tense. The latter were probably those who recognized Little Ki, and knew that they had sinned against this young woman. The two battered clay dolls following her attracted quite a few stares, as well. Orum stayed back, giving Little Ki space. She walked forward with confident steps, keeping her hand on the hilt of a Memory sword that rested in a makeshift scabbard on her belt.


    One of the Awakened took a few steps forward, as well, facing her with a smile. He was a man a few years younger than Orum, with handsome features and long blonde hair.


    There was insincere warmth in his friendly voice:


    "Little Ki! Or should I say Awakened Song? Welcome to jade Palace... we were all happy to hear that you have survived the winter solstice unscathed. Warms my heart, really, to know that you are doing well... granted, I am surprised to see you all the way here. Didn''t the Spell send you to Rivergate? How come you are not there?"


    The young woman remained silent for a while, studying him and the other Awakened gathered in the dark hall. Her expression was cold, and her eyes were once again full of somber glum... no, not even glum.


    They were simply full of darkness, devoid of any human warmth.


    Little Ki looked at the blonde man and said calmly:


    "Where else would I be? This is my Citadel. I have come to claim what is mine." The man hesitated, his smile growing a little cold.


    "...Come on, girl. Surely you didn''t take what I said the last time we met seriously? I was just being polite because of how thankful we all were to your mother. You are an adult now, so you should know better. You and your friend are most welcome here... in our Citadel. But someone as young and inexperienced as you is not fit to rule it. Don''t you think?"


    Little Ki stared at him silently and ignored his question.


    Instead, she suddenly asked one of her own:


    "Where were you when my mother died?"


    The man blinked.


    "What?"


    She looked around the hall, piercing every Awakened with a cold gaze, and repeated her question.


    "Where were you when my mother died? All of you. She had welcomed you here. She had fed and protected you. And yet, when she was fighting against that thing, bleeding, dying... where were you?"


    Some of the Awakened looked away, some met her gaze with anger.


    The young woman snarled.


    "All of you are complicit. All of you are her murderers. And yet you have the audacity to claim that this is your Citadel. That I am too weak to rule it. You... you cowards are calling me weak?"


    The blonde man''s smile disappeared, replaced by a dark expression. His eyes were suddenly full of malice, making Orum tense up.


    "Listen, little girl... I will forgive your rudeness this once. I am quite a rnagnanimous person, after all, and so are my people. Considering what we owe your mother, we are willing to let this entire misunderstanding go. She was a benevolent and generous person, too... so you should show the same grace and forgive us as well, like she would have. Carrying resentment in your heart won''t be good for you."


    There was a subtle threat in that last sentence.


    Little Ki looked at him for a moment, then slowly shook his head.


    "...Gods might forgive. But I won''t."


    He frowned.


    The children of the new era.


    Those born into the world of the Nightmare Spell.


    Frowning deeply, Orum finally moved and walked slowly toward Little Ki... toward Ki Song.


    As he approached, he looked at him and smiled.


    "Uncle Orie... I am done here. We can take the Gateway next."


    She did not even seem to notice how disturbed he was, and had not assumed that he would be.


    Orum studied the bleeding corpses silently.


    Eventually, he faced her and asked, his voice trembling a little:


    "This... this... do you think that this is what your mother would have wanted?" The young woman looked at him strangely.


    She frowned a little, as if confused by his question once again.


    Then, she shook her head.


    "No, of course not. My mother was a very kind person."


    Before he could say anything, Ki Song sighed and added, her voice an odd mix of sorrow, longing, and resentment:


    "That is why she is dead."


    She looked at the people she had killed, gave one of the corpses a kick, and looked at Orum with calm indifference.


    "It is just how you have taught us, Uncle Orie. The world is a ruthless place, and the Spell will not show us any mercy. There is no place for kindness in this world."


    He shivered slightly, hearing his own words come out of her bloodied


    mouth, spoken so easily and with such confidence. As if it was a trivial truth. "That is not... what I meant...��


    But instead of saying that, Orum winced and covered his face with a palm for a moment.


    Eventually, he sighed.


    "You still made a mistake, Ki Song. Whether they deserved to die or not, you still needed them. One person can''t defend a Citadel... you should have executed the leaders and brought others to heel. You need warriors to serve you! Otherwise, the first swarm of Nightmare Creatures will make the Jade Palace their nest." The young woman looked around, then smiled brightly.


    "About that... I''ve been thinking about my Aspect lately, Uncle Orie. These clay puppets we''ve made, I think they were the wrong solution all along."


    Orum frowned, not understanding what she meant.


    ...He remained confused up until the moment the first of the corpses suddenly moved, and then slowly rose to the ground.


    Ki Song rubbed her chin, and then nodded in satisfaction.


    "Yes. This works much better."

 Chapter 1942 Master Orum

    The last memory of Master Orum Cassie showed Sunny took place several years later. By then, the Jade Palace �� now known as Ravenheart �� had already become a thriving Citadel, attracting thousands of humans from the eastern reaches of the Dream Realm.


    Ki Song herself had become a renowned Awakened, her fame second only to that of those three brilliant stars of her generation �� Smile of Heaven, Broken Sword, and Anvil of Valor. Her influence and authority spread all the way to the estuary of the River of Tears, where a Corrupted Terror still dwelled, blocking convenient access to the Stormsea.


    The prominent families of the First Generation were already being called the Legacy Clans. Valor, Immortal Flame, and the newly established House of Night were at the height of their power, known as the best among equals. No one called them the Great Clans, yet, but the idea of some distinguished families being a cut above the rest was already apparent.


    Clan Song was relatively small and unassuming when compared to these titans. Orum��s relationship with Ki Song, however... had grown distant over the years. After helping her settle in the newly retaken Jade Palace, he made the long journey back home, where his own Citadel was waiting for him. They still saw each other in the waking world from time to time, but not too often.


    It was partially because both were terribly busy with their own affairs, and partially because Orum did not feel completely comfortable around Little Ki anymore. That strange discomfort made him feel both ashamed and conflicted, but he could not do anything about how he felt.


    That young woman... frightened him, a little.


    Many things happened since the day she massacred the people whom her mother had died to protect. New regions of the Dream Realm were explored and conquered. The number of Awakened continued to grow exponentially. Orum himself finally challenged the Second Nightmare and became a Master, receiving his Legacy Relic as a reward.


    His niece turned sixteen and became a carrier of the Nightmare Spell.


    Which was why he was now back at the Awakened Academy, preparing to continue educating her in an official capacity.


    The first batch of Sleepers had yet to arrive, so there was nothing much for him to do. Orum checked the equipment in the dojo, then visited the medical complex, and finally made his way to the cafeteria to have an early lunch.


    His steps slowed down as soon as he entered, though.


    That was because there was someone familiar sitting behind one of the tables in the mostly empty dining hall.


    Little Ki looked quite different now. She was still young, but the teenage girl he remembered was gone, replaced by a mature young woman. She had to be... twenty-four, twenty-five by now? Her gloomy awkwardness was replaced by confident grace, and her ravishing beauty was impossible to ignore.


    Orum hesitated for a moment, then put on a smile and headed in her direction. "Awakened Song. It is so nice to see you, young lady... how have you been?" Her own charming smile seemed quite sincere.


    "Master Orum! I didn''t expect to run into you here. I am doing well, thank you... what about you?"


    He sighed.


    "My niece has just conquered her First Nightmare, so I am back at the Academy to help prepare her for the winter solstice. But what brings you here? Are you planning to teach a class or consulting one of the specialists?"


    Ki Song leaned back a little, glanced at the empty chairs surrounding her table, and echoed his sigh.


    "No. I am meeting a few colleagues to discuss an important matter. We chose the Academy to reminisce a little. Sadly, they seem to be running a little late... well, their time can be said to be more valuable than mine."


    There was a gentle suggestion of dissatisfaction in her voice.


    Orum remained silent for a moment, then smiled.


    "Well, I''ll scold them if you want. For now, though, I''ll leave you and go get something to eat... we should catch up after your meeting is over, though. I really want to hear all about how your Citadel is doing."


    The shallow politeness of their conversation pained him deeply. But at the same time, he felt a little relieved to have a way out.


    Anvil gave her a curt nod and stepped closer to Orum, looking down at him with a cold expression.


    When he spoke, however, a hint of emotion finally found its way into his usually even voice:


    "...Was it worth it, teacher? To betray your own for that woman? I wonder what she had offered you to change sides."


    Orum looked up at him and smiled darkly, no sign of fear or regret written on his weathered face.


    After a few moments of silence, he said slowly:


    "Worth it? Sure... I guess it was. I finally managed to repay my debt, at least." Anvil took a deep breath and looked away.


    "You are a fool. She is a monster, don''t you know? To her, people''s lives have little value. She''ll gladly rule the living, but if that''s not an option... she''ll rule the dead, as well. Did you really wish to leave your family in a world she would create?"


    Orum looked at him for a while, then snarled, his eyes turning cold with contempt.


    "A monster? All of you are monsters. But she... sees us as people, at least. To you, we''re all just tools to be studied, used, and reforged. We''re merely your swords. Say what you will about that girl, but Little Ki... she has never treated people as objects. Look at her daughters. She has done right by them."


    He looked at Anvil with pity and smiled.


    His smile was pale and sad, but there was also a hint of defiant pride in his tired eyes.


    "...What have you done? What kind of heartless world are you going to create?" Anvil stared down at the old man from above, not saying anything.


    The silence stretched for a few moments, but then...


    Something moved.


    Cassie felt piercing pain and flinched, her hand jerking up to grasp her neck. At the same time, her vision spun.


    For a moment, she saw the stone roof of the chamber, then its damp wall, then the floor. And finally, a body falling over, surrounded by the rattling of chains. Then, Cassie was blind once again.


    She was standing motionlessly near the King of Swords, while Master Orum... Master Orum��s beheaded body lay at her feet.


    He was dead.


    The nauseating stench of blood assaulted Cassie''s nostrils, and she held her breath.


    Then, she raised her hands and hid her eyes behind her blue blindfold. Somewhere near, Anvil let out a heavy sigh.


    He remained silent for a dozen seconds, then turned to her, regaining his emotionless composure.


    His voice sounded calm:


    "Lady Cassia... there are more prisoners waiting to be interrogated. If you will." She allowed herself to linger for a moment, and then bowed her head respectfully.


    "...Yes, my king."

 Chapter 1943 Raven Queen

    Cassie released her Transformation, and Sunny was finally freed from the torrent of alien memories.


    He exhaled slowly and looked away, staring into the distance with an absent expression.


    Witnessing human memories was not at all like reading a book or watching a recording �� they were often vague and disjointed, sometimes withered and shallow, sometimes fresh and intensely vivid. It was hard to make sense of them, and it was even harder to fathom their every nuance.


    Sunny was still reeling from receiving such a great amount of information in such a short amount of time.


    What was more... he was still reeling from witnessing the life of Master Orum.


    It was such a strange thing. The old man was a complete stranger to him, and yet, Sunny felt so close to him. How could he not, after experiencing what Cassie had gleaned?


    It was because of this unearned closeness that Sunny felt shaken by Orum''s death at the hands of the King of Swords.


    As if he had lost an old friend.


    He sighed and looked down, considering Master Orum''s long life and bitter death.


    It felt wrong, for a member of the First Generation to die so ingloriously, hidden from everyone''s sight in a small stone cell... by another human''s hand. The old man had witnessed so much, had fought so hard, and had survived so many dreadful ordeals. He had lived through the darkest days of humanity and saw a new world being built on the ruins of the old one.


    And yet, his storied life had come to such a grievous end.


    At least he had been at peace, in those last moments. He had perished loyal his principles, finally at ease for having repaid the debt to his long-lost friend.


    That did not really do anything to assuage the bitterness Sunny felt... but it was at least something.


    Orum had cared deeply about Ravenheart and her daughter, after all.


    ''Ki Song.''


    Sunny would not go as far as to say that he knew Ki Song now, but he knew her a fair bit.


    She had been born in the year of the Nightmare Spell''s descent. Her mother had been a benevolent, but solitary Awakened warrior. Ravenheart spent most of her time in the Dream Realm, so Ki Song must have felt lonely, growing up near her quietly humming sleeping pod.


    And yet, she had loved her mother fiercely. She had also felt proud of her, because her mother was one of the most powerful Awakened in the world... but not the most powerful.


    It did not escape Sunny''s attention how neglected young Ki Song had felt in the company of the true aristocrats like Anvil and Smile of Heaven. It must have been an awkward position for a child to be in �� to come from a family that was prominent enough to be included in the gatherings of the nascent Legacy Clans, but not prominent enough to garner much respect or attention from them.


    Especially considering her talent, which was in no way inferior to those who were seen as her betters.


    And then, there was Ravenheart''s tragic death, and the ruthless retribution young Ki Song had delivered to those who had stood by and done nothing while her mother was dying.


    It was funny... Orum had been terrified by her callous disregard for the sanctity of human life and her cruel ruthlessness, but Sunny did not see anything wrong with it. Sure, Ki Song did not only kill those directly responsible for stealing her inheritance, but also every bystander who had failed to help Ravenheart...


    However, Sunny was not at all certain that he would have been any more merciful if someone''s cowardice contributed to Rain''s death. In fact, he would have probably been much more ruthless.


    That just went to show that the new generations were indeed different from those born before the Nightmare Spell... for better or for worse.


    In any case, although Orum''s memories did not show what had happened after the massacre in the Jade Palace, Sunny already knew a lot, and could deduce the rest.


    In the span of several years, Ki Song had elevated the status of her Citadel to one of the most populous human strongholds in the East. She slowly expanded her sphere of influence, clearing routes through the Dream Realm to connect various Citadels to each other, and became the cornerstone of human forces there, just like Warden of Valor and Bastion were in the West.


    At some point, she joined Broken Sword''s cohort and challenged the Second Nightmare, becoming a Master and earning wide renown. Following that, Ki Song defeated the Corrupted Terror ruling the estuary of the River of Tears, opening the path to the Stormsea and strengthening the ties between the East and the West.


    Thus helping all Awakened deepen their roots in the inhospitable soil of the Dream Realm.


    While Anvil was waging war against the Dark Forest and leading human conquest of new territories in the north, she was busy working on developing the basin of the River of Tears and strengthening human position there. That helped Clan Song soar to the pinnacle of prominence.


    ...And at some point during those years, she had also found and claimed the divine lineage of Beast God.

 Chapter 1944 Footsteps of War

    Sunny did not miss the fact that neither Ravenheart nor her daughter had seemed to possess the lineage in the early years of the Nightmare Spell era. At the Academy, Orum had noted that Smile of Heaven and Anvil were exhibiting unexplainable physical prowess and strength... but Ki Song was not.


    That was because by then, Immortal Flame had already claimed the Lineage Memory of Sun God, while Warden of Valor had already found the Lineage Memory of War God. Nighwalker, meanwhile, had most likely already gained the Lineage Memory of Storm God.


    Sunny did not know how Ki Song earned the Lineage Memory of her own or where, but she definitely had not inherited a divine bloodline, like Smile of Heaven and Anvil did. Instead, she found it at some point after Awakening, just like their parents had.


    Then, she followed Broken Sword into the Third Nightmare and attained Sainthood. By then, Clan Song would have already been considered one of the Great Clans.


    And then, finally... after both Smile of Heaven and Broken Sword were gone... the Raven Queen would be born in the crucible of the Fourth Nightmare, cementing her power over the world.


    It was admirable, really. Sunny could not help but feel awe at what that woman had achieved. He would have applauded Ki Song... if he wasn''t planning to kill her, and was therefore at great risk of being killed by her first.


    If anything, Sunny would have dearly preferred if his adversary was less outstanding.


    He rubbed his face and sighed.


    Sunny felt a little conflicted now that the enemy he had been thinking about so much had a face in his mind. Both Ki Song and Anvil �� despite how valuable it was to have seen where they had come from, it was harder to hate them after witnessing them as children and inexperienced youths.


    But, at the same time, it only made him resent them more. Because he had seen the world of their youth, with all its countless possibilities... and knew what they had turned it into, in the end.


    Regardless...


    Knowing what he now knew about Ki Song now , he felt that he could understand her actions in the war a little better, and maybe even predict what she would do next, to some degree.


    Sunny looked at Cassie.


    "Her Flaw..."


    Although Little Ki had never confessed it to Orum, there were a few hints. Witnessing the old man''s memories and knowing how her life would turn out in the future, he could make a cautious guess.


    Cassie leaned back in her chair.


    "It has to be connected to family, right?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "Right."


    Back then, Ki Song had just lost her mother and faced her First Nightmare almost immediately after. There, she earned her Aspect, and her Flaw.


    Her expression had changed subtly when she told Orum that she did not have a family anymore... as if she wanted to say that she would never have one again, either.


    Had Ki Song adopted Seishan and other orphan girls because she was unable to have children of her own?


    That would be a bitter Flaw to bear for someone that lonely, indeed.


    Of course, Sunny could not be sure.


    He frowned.


    Cassie grimaced, then shrugged.


    "The war is chaotic. There will be an opportunity, I''m sure."


    Her voice sounded determined, but tired. She had been exhausted even before showing Sunny Orum''s memories, and her fatigue must have only grown worse as a result.


    He closed his eyes for a moment.


    There was a lot to think about. He would have to go over everything he had learned, examining each event and every detail for hints he had missed. He would have to contemplate all of it deeply, as well.


    Of course... Nephis would have to be brought up to speed, too.


    Sunny suddenly looked at Cassie.


    "These memories... will you show them to Nephis?"


    She nodded silently.


    A sigh escaped from Sunny''s lips.


    "...Good."


    These scenes were merely a source of information for them.


    But for Nephis, they would be something more.


    She had lost her father as a young child, after all. As for her mother, Nephis had never met her at all �� the only image of Smile of Heaven she had was that of a hollow shell.


    Seeing them like Sunny and Cassie had seen them in Orum''s memories, young and happy, would mean a lot for Changing Star... the last daughter of the Immortal Flame Clan.


    Sunny sighed, feeling a little happy for Nephis.


    But also a little envious of her.


    After all, there was no one in the world who remembered his own parents. The only image of them that remained was hidden in his own memory, growing more blurry with each year.


    Raising from his chair, Sunny threw one last look at Cassie and turned away.


    "Rest well, Cas. And... good job. We indeed learned a lot today."


    Leaving her chambers, he descended the stairs and exited the Ivory Tower.


    Outside, the warcamp of the Sword Army was boiling with activity.


    The war raged on.


    In fact...


    Now that both Domains had descended into Godgrave, it was about to grow much fiercer.

 Chapter 1945: Spreading Domains

    Chapter 1945: Spreading Domains


    The nature of war did indeed change after the invading armies of humanity conquered two of the ancient Citadels in Godgrave.


    The authority of the King of Swords now stretched from east to west, covering vast areas of the Collarbone Plain and the Breastbone Reach. Anvil had waged a terrifying battle against the inhabitants of the Hollows after arriving at the smoldering ruins of the Citadel, eventually clearing a safe area around the lake. The lake itself grew shallow and drained in a few days, though, turning into a nearly impassable marsh.


    The Sword Army established a secondary camp above the closest fissure and stationed a formidable garrison to guard the Gateway in the Hollows. From there, they started a tentative exploration of pathways to the remaining two Citadels once situated far below, in the spine of the dead deity, the other at the very edges of the Sea of Ash, on one of the titanic''s skeleton femurs. Neither were easy to reach, let alone conquer. The path to the Spine Ocean was perilous and hard to navigate, while the dark waters below were home to untold horrors. The femur Citadel in the south was relatively easier to reach, especially considering that the Nameless Temple, the stronghold of the Lord of Shadows, was located on the southernmost point of the Breastbone Reach.


    However, the territory of the Cursed Tyrant, Condemnation, lay between the lands conquered by the Sword Army and the Nameless Temple. There were other Cursed Ones dwelling in the Hollows, as well even the Sovereigns did not dare to provoke those beings lightly.


    So, the conquest of the King of Swords was temporarily stalled.


    On the other side of Godgrave, the impact of the Song Army was similarly growing.


    Seishan and Death Singer had conquered the Citadel in the western part of the Collarbone Plain, finally allowing the Song Domain to descend upon Godgrave... and for the Queen of Worms to appear personally, as well.


    The battered soldiers of Song were saved from the depths of despair by the arrival of their Queen. Immediately after appearing, she slew a Great Demon and eradicated the stampede of Nightmare Creatures threatening to swallow the trapped expedition force, rescuing both the exhausted warriors and her two daughters.


    And Rain, who had been fighting on the frontline with the Seventh Legion.


    The dire pressure on the entire Song Army drastically reduced now that they were supported by Ki Song and her Domain. Their precarious position in the west of the Collarbone Plain had become nearly unassailable, and the territories conquered by them were slowly encroaching on the northern boundary of the Breastbone Reach.


    But reality turned out to be more nuanced than that.


    Not only did the Citadels channel the power of the Sovereigns, but each of their subjects anchored at those Citadels was a vessel of their Domains, as well. At least that was what Sunny had surmised after observing the movements of both armies.


    Perhaps there was a more complicated process involved, but the truth remained the same �� the more ground the soldiers gained, burning down the scarlet jungle and establishing fortified strongholds on the surface of the ancient bone, the further the reach of the Domains spread.


    The increase was minuscule when compared to the benefit of having a Citadel nearby, but still significant. Now, the previous orders of both Anvil and Ki Song made more sense to Sunny. Laboriously conquering the territory between the main warcamp and the fissure leading to the Garden Castle had not been simply for the sake of helping the army entrench itself in Godgrave and provide reliable support for the frontline fighters �� it was also to help the Sword Domain stretch, uninterrupted, all the way from northeast to center of the Breastbone Reach as soon as the Citadel was conquered.


    Now that it did...


    Both armies continued to push the scarlet jungle back and claim more and more land.


    The Song Domain was spreading south, toward the territory of the Sword Domain. The Sword Domain was spreading north, toward the territory of the Song Domain.


    Which meant that the two armies were going to clash soon.


    The scarlet infestation would not be their only enemy in Godgrave for much longer.


    ...There were still a few days left before that happened, though.


    And Sunny was determined to use these few days well. In particular, he hoped to thoroughly explore the unexpected benefits he had earned in the battle against Revel, pushing his mastery of weaving to a new level.

 Chapter 1946: Divine Shadow.

    Chapter 1946: Divine Shadow.


    Although the battle in the Hollows had dealt a heavy blow to the Sword Army, Sunny himself received quite a boon as a result of facing Revel and her true darkness. Robbed of most of his powers, he had been forced to rely on his Shadows to prevail, and discovered a new facet of his Aspect in the process.


    That timely discovery had helped Sunny defeat the daughter of Ki Song... but its repercussions were much wider than a momentary triumph. He felt that the ability to augment his Shadows and his Memories personally could potentially propel his mastery of Shadow Dance and weaving to new heights.


    In fact, Sunny suspected that he had stumbled onto one of the cornerstones of what a divine shadow like him was meant to be. Not that he was obliged to follow someone else''s designs �� he had done quite well by being his own independent person so far, after all, instead of acting as a loyal minion of the being casting him.


    Even if his Aspect originated directly from Shadow God, it was folly to assume that a long-dead deity had known better what its uses would be in the distant and dire future of the Nightmare Spell.


    Still, the discovery held so much promise that it left Sunny impatient, giddy with anticipation, and almost breathless. He felt something that he had not felt in a while �� the pure excitement of an explorer. Even if what he was going to explore were the depths of his own power, it was still uncharted territory.


    The Lord of Shadows had returned to the Nameless Temple, and Nephis was still on her way back to the main camp of the Sword Army. So, Master Sunless had little to do for now �� locking himself in the basement of the Marvelous Mimic, Sunny dedicated himself to research and experimentation.


    There were two avenues he wanted to explore.


    The first one was his newly discovered ability to augment his Shadows, which allowed him to gain a profoundly deep understanding of their physical nature. It also allowed him a glimpse into the nature of their powers and mindset, albeit to a more shallow degree �� for now, at least.


    Needless to say, such a source of profound knowledge about how the bodies of his Shadows were built and functioned could potentially do wonders for his ability to construct faithful Shadow Shells, as well as push the intricacy of his control over Shadow Manifestation to a new level.


    Sunny suspected that the path to the next step of Shadow Dance lay in that direction.


    Right now, his Shells were a crude fusion of emulation and improvisation. His most natural Shell, for example, was the giant version of himself �� Sunny knew his own body the best, after all, so reconstructing it was relatively easy.


    Which was not to say that it was simple. Many things went into building this powerful Shell, from deep knowledge of human anatomy, material science, and basic physics to more esoteric subjects like souls, essence, and will. Much of that complexity was miraculously solved by Shadow Dance, but the process still required a lot of conscious effort from Sunny.


    A Shadow Shell was not a perfect replica of the original, but it was close enough. For example, Sunny did not need to recreate things like the heart, the blood, and the digestive system when turning into the Shadow Colossus �� however, he did need to create a semblance of things like bone structure, musculature, tendons, and so on.


    That was how the Shadow Colossus was able to move and fight effectively. The foundation was rebuilt, while all the parts that Sunny neglected to shape were substituted by the intricate use of Shadow Control, and the whole Shell was empowered by his essence.


    Standing in the basement of the Brilliant Emporium, Sunny suddenly shivered. His eyes widened a little, full of shock and fear, glistening with ambition and greed.


    ?Shadow Dance.?


    He had often wondered, of course, what the final form of Shadow Dance was supposed to be. He had already mastered four of its steps, but three still remained, both alluring and elusive.


    The first four steps of Shadow Dance were about sensing the essence of a being to shadow their mind, skill, and overall form. The fourth step in particular had allowed Sunny to delve into the physical structure of creatures both deeper and faster, which allowed him to shadow them more perfectly by assuming the same shape as them through the use of Shadow Shell.


    But there was a glaring difference between the forms Sunny assumed and the beings he endeavored to shadow.


    It was that he could not replicate their Attributes, Aspects, and mystical powers.


    He could become a five-meter tall adamantine troll to resemble Fiend, but he could not breathe out jets of infernal flame.


    ...But what if he could?


    If he was supposed to be a divine shadow, then what was the shadow of a god supposed to look like? Was it supposed to only replicate the general shape of the being casting it, or was it supposed to replicate more?


    All of it, perhaps?


    Overwhelmed by these thoughts, Sunny made a tentative guess about what the final form of Shadow Dance was meant to be. It was the ability to become a true shadow of a being �� all of them, including their mystical powers and authorities �� not just their shape.


    The fifth step of Shadow Dance, then...


    Would have to encompass the ability to shadow a being''s Attributes.


    Some of them, at least.

 Chapter 1947: Formlessness

    Chapter 1947: Formlessness


    Sunny''s theory that mastering the remaining steps of Shadow Dance would allow him to shadow the Attributes and Aspects of other people, as well as profane powers of Nightmare Creatures, was not built entirely on pure conjecture.


    Sure, his intuition was telling him he was right, but sadly, his intuition was not what it used to be now that Sunny was cut off from fate.


    However, there was also something that corroborated his theory. A piece of information that Sunny had noted a long time ago, but never managed to explain before now.


    It was the scope of powers that the Mad Prince had seemed to possess.


    The Mad Prince, Sunny''s own past self, had been a Corrupted Titan. He had attained Transcendence �� or rather, descended into the abyss of Corruption �� all on his own. He had also formed the Titan Core in the depths of the Tomb of Ariel, somehow, despite the dire number of shadow fragments that would have required.


    Sunny himself was currently facing the problem of how slow the process of building a new Shadow Core was, so he knew very well what the easiest way to absorb a vast amount of shadow fragments would be.


    It was to slay other shadow creatures.


    So, he had a strong suspicion that the Mad Prince had slain his own Shadows to become a Titan. Considering that none of the Shadows had been heard of by the people of the Great River, that suspicion was all but confirmed.


    So, then...


    How had the Mad Prince been able to visit Ananke in her dreams and instruct her where to meet Sunny and Nephis? If Nightmare had been killed, then he wouldn''t have been able to use the black steed''s [Dreamwalker] Attribute.


    Unless the Mad Prince had learned how to shadow that Attribute.


    It made sense, in hindsight. The vile madman had spent hundreds of years in the Tomb of Ariel, and while many paths to advancing his power were not available there, one path remained wide open �� because it depended on nothing and no one except Sunny himself.


    It was to deepen his mastery of his own powers.


    Sunny did not know how many years exactly the Mad Prince �� the last version of the Mad Prince, to be precise �� had spent on the Great River. But if his mastery of weaving had grown sufficient to create the mind-boggling Estuary Key, then it must have been a long, long time.


    It was an entirely new experience for him. He had freely manipulated the properties of his manifested shadows before, making them as hard as tempered steel or as soft as feather down, but he had never tried to emulate a material flawlessly. Augmenting the Shadows with an actively controlled incarnation was certainly of great help, but still, the process was immensely difficult and elusive.


    Nevertheless, Sunny was making good progress. He was especially attuned to the traits of Saint''s stone-like body �� most likely because he was somewhat familiar with them due to his own Onyx Shell. After a while, Sunny was able to make something that might not have been exactly like what he wanted to achieve, but at least resembled it closely.


    It was a good result for the first day of experimentation.


    Trying to replicate Fiend''s steel carapace was somewhat harder, but Sunny had a lot of experience in emulating metals, as well. After all, one of the most persistent uses of Shadow Manifestation in his arsenal was the creation of weapons for him to wield �� so, he possessed relevant experience in that field too, just on a more shallow level.


    Considering that Fiend had inherited some of his most fundamental traits by munching on Sunny''s own flesh all the way back in Antarctica, there were similarities between his towering four-armed body and the Shadowspawn Shell. So, Sunny experimented both with replicating the gluttonous Shadow''s form and with modifying his very first Shell to resemble it in a few ways.


    In the process, he also spent several minutes standing motionlessly, basking in the feeling of sharing a Supreme creature''s ferocious power.


    Sunny had a little hope that augmenting a Supreme Devil would instantly reveal the secrets of Supremacy to him, but sadly, that was not the case. Although it was indeed a new and startling experience, Fiend was not a Sovereign.


    Creatures like him were different from humans, and followed a different path... and even though Fiend did possess a nascent will capable of influencing the world, he was too young and inexperienced to truly be in command of it. In fact, Sunny felt that his own will was infinitely more robust and domineering than that of his Shadow, even if it lost in terms of potency.


    There was also something about the very fact of being a Shadow that made Fiend different from the Great Nightmare Creatures Sunny had faced before �� something that he could not quite explain, but nevertheless felt like a limitation.


    Sunny did not dwell on that vague feeling for long, adding it to the pile of unanswered and barely formed questions he would hopefully get to explore later. Instead, he returned to his current experiments.


    Next in line... was Serpent.


    Sunny turned to the serpentine Shadow and smiled widely, his eyes gleaming so dangerously that it hissed in alarm.


    A few hours later, however, Sunny furiously rubbed his temples and let out a frustrated sigh.


    ?Damn it. Damn!?

 Chapter 1948: Familiar Barrier

    Chapter 1948: Familiar Barrier


    Serpent was indeed of immeasurable value to Sunny in his endeavor to master the next step of Shadow Dance. Given its ability to assume the form of any shadow resting in Sunny''s soul �� those equal or inferior to Serpent in Class and Rank, at least �� the Legacy Shadow could be used to gain access to a vast repository of shapes for its master to study in profound detail.


    As long as Sunny was using an incarnation to augment Serpent, he could experience complete unity with countless beings, from Dormant Beasts to Corrupted Terrors.


    In fact... now that Sunny considered it, wasn''t Serpent''s [Formless] Ability more or less identical to what he was trying to accomplish? What he wanted to achieve was to learn how to mimic not only the outward shape of a being, but also their Attributes and mystical powers. And that was what Serpent had been able to do all along.


    The final goal had been in front of Sunny all that time.


    The problem, however...


    Was that the same obstacle that had prevented him from slowly learning the essence of Serpent''s forms with the help of Shadow Dance in the past was preventing him from truly delving into the state of unity with these beings now �� the threat of losing himself in the formlessness, forgetting who he was and what separated him from the beings he shadowed.


    If anything, the risk was even more dire now, because he was not simply peering into the essence of the alien beings. Instead, he was fusing with them entirely, becoming one with their bestial forms.


    Sunny had managed to maintain a strong hold of his sense of self while experiencing the state of unity with Saint and Fiend �� perhaps because they had been born of his Aspect and dwelled within his soul, to begin with. Augmenting Serpent was not a problem, either �� it was just when Serpent used [Formless] that he was suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling of otherness.


    Sunny persisted for quite some time, then uttered a few curses and called his incarnation back. He stared at Serpent for a while with a grim expression, then clicked his tongue and looked away.


    ?I am still cripplied...?


    Being banished from the Nightmare Spell and losing his True Name was still making life hard for him, even after all these years. Sunny thought that he had finally managed to adapt to his fateless existence well enough, but now that an alluring opportunity was right in front of him, his deficiency was showing its ugly head once again.


    He remained motionless for a while, then let out another resentful sigh.


    ?Whatever. I''ll find a way to break through this barrier eventually... there are plenty of other things for me to explore right now, anyway.?


    In fact, with everything else he had to do, diving into the endless well of knowledge contained within the [Formless] Ability of his serpentine Shadow might have been too much for him at the moment ... even with seven bodies, Sunny was in no position to explore it thoroughly just yet.


    He continued to experiment with building the Stone Saint Shell and the Scavenger Shell for a while, eventually losing track of time. Sunny even chose to augment the Marvelous Mimic, becoming a transdimensional house for a short while...


    That was quite a bizarre experience, to say the least.


    If Nightmare had not been busy lulling a Cursed One to sleep, Sunny would have summoned him here, as well.


    ...Eventually, something thundered in the basement, and the entire Brilliant Emporium shook a little.


    Aiko, who had been sleeping on an opulent wooden chair, flinched and floated into the air. Wiping drool off her face, she looked around in a daze.


    ?What, no way! I wasn''t sitting in your precious chair!?


    Noticing that there was no one around, she calmed down a little... only to notice that the door to the basement was open, revealing a dark entrance.


    An insidious voice resounded from the darkness, making her skin crawl.


    ?Hey, Aiko... can you come down for a moment??


    The petite woman hesitated a bit, suddenly uneasy.


    Shadow Bond was no more, and although Sunny did not have a master now, he did have a connection to two other people. They were Rain and Aiko, both bearing the Mark of Shadows.


    So, Sunny had decided to see if he could augment his followers, as well.


    Amazingly, it worked.


    Which was a great thing, because keeping Rain alive in the middle of Godgrave was getting harder and harder, and would get harder still once the two armies clashed in earnest. She did not even have an Aspect, so Sunny was quite happy to find a way to boost her strength.


    Looking at Aiko �� and staring at himself through her eyes �� Sunny grinned.


    ?Don''t worry. That''s just a little benefit of being a member of the Shadow Clan. Basically, I used one of my incarnations to fuse with you, thus doubling your strength. No need to stare at me with admiration...?


    The petite girl was indeed staring at him. However, the emotion in her eyes was very far from admiration.


    ?F-fuse with me? Who... bastard, you have some nerve, going around fusing with unsuspecting women without permission! Thanks, but no thanks, I did not assent to fusing of any kind! Defuse me right this second!?


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then recalled his incarnation and coughed awkwardly.


    ?Right...?


    In hindsight, he could have just sent his shadow to augment Aiko without controlling it directly. He just forgot about it in all the excitement.


    ?Well. That''s embarrassing.?


    Sunny cleared his throat.


    ?Whatever. Anyway, you can go... I''ll think about giving you a bonus. A small bonus, mind you!?


    Aiko opened her mouth, wanting to retort, but he added sternly:


    ?And, by the way... were you sitting in my chair??


    The petite girl turned around and hurried upstairs.


    ?I''ll be going, boss! My great uncle and my family cat... I mean, my auntie and my dog... anyway, see you later!?


    Sunny scoffed and looked at his Shadows.


    After a while, he dismissed them, deciding that it was time to switch gears.


    ?Next, the Memories.?


    It was time to delve into the second avenue he wanted to explore.


    The first one had to do with augmenting Shadows to advance his mastery of Shadow Dance, while the second one... the second one was inspired by the experience of fusing with Serpent in the Soul Weapon form, and had to do with Memories.


    Sunny hoped to advance his mastery of weaving by augmenting them.

 Chapter 1949 Sonorous Silver Sunless

    Sunny had quite high expectations for the next stage of his experiments. He had been making a living by selling Memories, after all, and was obligated to forge a stellar sword for Nephis.


    There were many Saints in the world, and even a couple of others who possessed Divine Aspects. However, he was the only weaver left in existence. Some could enchant weapons and craft Memories, but their ability was no more than a pale imitation of his own.


    Therefore, what Sunny was going to do now thrilled him even more than the possible advancement of Shadow Dance. He was just a bit tired, so his excitement was calm and focused.


    He was going to fuse with his Memories, which would hopefully allow him to learn more about their weaves.


    "Let''s see..."


    He summoned the runes to study his soul arsenal.


    **Memories:**


    [Silver Bell], [Extraordinary Rock], [Endless Spring], [Weaver''s Mask], [Shadow Lantern],


    [Shadow Chair], [Overpriced Saddle], [Weaver''s Needle], [Nebulous Mantle], [Handy Bracelet],


    [Quintessence Pearl], [Definitely Not Me].


    He possessed far fewer Memories now, after being banished from the Nightmare Spell. Still, it was enough for a good start.


    The Memories he did possess could be divided into three categories: the ones he had created himself, the ones he had altered... and the two Divine Memories he had received by chance.


    Sunny suspected that he would be able to learn the least from the first category, and the most from the last... if he even had the capacity to fathom the infinite sophistication of Weaver''s Mask and Shadow Lantern, which was unlikely.


    In any case, it made sense. He knew everything there was to know about the weave of those Memories he had personally created, after all. [Shadow Chair], [Overpriced Saddle], and [Weaver''s Needle] could barely be called Memories �� they were simply objects he had outfitted with the rudimentary enchantments every Memory possessed.


    [Handy Bracelet], [Quintessence Pearl], and [Definitely Not Me] were far more complex, each created after he became a Transcendent. Studying them would be of more use... but probably not as much as studying the Memories initially forged by the Spell.


    They were [Silver Bell], [Extraordinary Rock], and [Endless Spring]. Each had accompanied him for a long time.


    Then, there was the [Nebulous Mantle], which had a somewhat special origin. Neither Sunny nor the Nightmare Spell had created it �� instead, it had been woven by the sorcerers who worshiped Weaver, passed down to Ananke, and eventually ended up being turned into a Memory by Sunny.


    And finally, there were [Shadow Lantern] and [Weaver''s Mask]. Sunny actually did not know how Shadow Lantern had come to be �� was it a true relic of Shadow God, or simply a replica of one? He had received it as a Legacy Relic, and since Aspect Legacies seemed to come from the Spell, it would be reasonable to assume that the Spell had created it.


    Who else would be in the state of mind to consider themselves a little bell, if not for a complete lunatic?


    Slowly, laboriously, he called upon his many experiences acting as a shadow of alien beings and managed to get a grip on his incapacitated mind. Sunny built a wall around the part of his mind that had become one with the Silver Bell, separating it from himself, and finally exhaled with relief.


    "D��damn it... wow."


    Sunny had known that he would experience something exceedingly bizarre by personally augmenting a Memory, but nothing could have prepared him for the strangeness of this foreign state of being.


    Still, it was illuminating.


    Even though the Silver Bell had no senses, no concept of self, and no way to perceive anything, it still had... something.


    A subtle awareness of movement, vibration, and sound.


    And underneath it all, something far more conclusive.


    The Silver Bell might have been inanimate and simple on the material plane, but beyond that, it was a marvel of radiant light and flowing energy that existed in the vast emptiness of a lightless abyss. After all, it was woven out of soul essence and contained intricate enchantments designed by the Nightmare Spell itself.


    Even the *[Sonorous]* enchantment added to it had not been invented by Sunny, but simply copied from another Memory into the weave of the Silver Bell. Within it, soul essence flowed according to an elegant, complex, and infinitely ingenious pattern, its movement and pathways dictated by the intricate tapestry of ethereal strings embedded into the nature of the Silver Bell beyond the material plane.


    That was its spellweave and the resulting mechanism of its enchantments, shining brightly in the darkness.


    And, therefore...


    That was Sunny''s spellweave and the mechanism of his enchantments.


    He inhaled slowly, staring into the distance.


    Sunny had seen plenty of weaves before.


    But...


    He had never experienced being a weave before. He had never felt every detail and nuance of his sorcery so deeply, vividly, and in such a profound way.


    His eyes, which were opened wide, suddenly glistened with sharp light.


    And deep within them, golden strands shone for a moment, then disappeared into lightless depths.

 Chapter 1950 High Sorcerer

    Some time later, Sunny let out a shaky breath and sprawled on the floor. His mind felt like it was on fire, and there were a myriad of thoughts swarming in his head.


    He had been right!


    Using an incarnation to augment a Memory was, indeed, a game changer. The act of fusing with a Memory gave him an entirely new level of understanding of how its enchantments functioned, and how its spellweave caused those enchantments to exist.


    It was one thing to see the tapestry of ethereal strings, but experiencing it as a part of himself was completely different.


    Before, Sunny could study a weave and make logical conclusions about how its elements functioned, as well as what role each string played in the tapestry. By observing the structure and guiding principles of countless weaves and comparing them to each other, he could deduce the purpose of some of the patterns and weave Memories by recreating them. That was how his career as a sorcerer had started... and he had made great strides since then.


    Sunny had steadily increased the repertoire of patterns he could weave. Eventually, he was even able to understand the principles behind these structures, which gave him the ability to change and modify them. Finally, he reached a point where he could weave new patterns and thus create somewhat original enchantments, all by himself.


    However, Sunny had always remained blind to the true essence of weaving. He had discerned how many weaves worked, but he never understood why. In other words, he had only observed the guiding principles of weaving without ever knowing the underlying reasons for why they were that way.


    His experience as a sorcerer had been purely empirical, lacking the theoretical understanding of the inner workings and causality of the sorcery he practiced. He was an alchemist at best, not a chemist.


    Now... all of it could change.


    Of course, Sunny had not fathomed the elaborate underlying laws of weaving yet. But he had obtained a tool to observe them now �� to personify them now �� which meant that, given time, he would be able to comprehend and learn them. When he did...


    A soft chuckle escaped Sunny''s lips.


    If he did manage to grasp the "Why" of weaving instead of only just "how," then he would not need to rely on imitation to create enchantments. He would not need a repertoire of weaves and patterns anymore �� because he would be able to solve any problem by simply knowing the rules of solving it.


    Of course, that would not make Sunny an omnipotent sorcerer in an instant. After all, having the tools necessary to solve a problem was not the same as mastering them. Otherwise, people would have been able to resolve... well... something terribly complicated in mathematics immediately after formulating the rules of arithmetic.


    To his shame, Sunny did not know enough about mathematics to come up with an example.


    "Why am I even thinking about that?"


    Right... he was thinking about it because he had decided to rest a little after his brain almost melted as a result of experiencing the fusion with Silver Bell.


    Still.


    He had rested enough, already. Hadn''t he?


    Sitting up, Sunny shook his head energetically.


    "Let''s see what mysteries you''re hiding!"


    and summoned the Extraordinary Rock.


    Sunny did not say that. The Extraordinary Rock said that.


    But in the next moment, Sunny had become the Extraordinary Rock. Immediately, he shuddered.


    Somewhere far away, the Lord of Shadows slammed into a pillar while walking out of the Nameless Temple. Elsewhere, a hidden shadow let out a frustrated sigh, making Rain stir a little in her sleep.


    The petite girl flinched.


    "What?! What war profiteering? There''s no war profiteering whatsoever happening here! Just a completely benign, officially sanctioned Memory redistribution program, for the glory and benefit of the great Sword Army."


    Sunny waved a hand.


    "Yes, yes. Whatever. You should already have at least a small stockpile of Memories in inventory, right? Waiting to be... redistributed. Lend them to me for a few days. Oh, also! Tell the Fire Keepers that since I have free time, I can modify some Memories for them, free of charge. There should be at least a few of them still in the camp, right?"


    Aiko blinked.


    "I refuse."


    Sunny froze for a moment.


    "What? Why?"


    She crossed her arms and scowled sternly.


    "Free of charge? What''s that? Our services are both exclusive and top-notch, so why should we provide them for free? Dream on!"


    Sunny stared at the petite girl for a few moments, then waved a hand.


    "Fine, whatever, just get me some Memories �� the more, the better!"


    Grinning in satisfaction, Aiko told Sunny to enjoy his meal and flew out of the basement... literally.


    He smiled.


    "Good."


    Being banished from the Spell, he couldn''t directly transfer or receive Memories. Each had to be modified slightly before he could give them away or claim ownership �� if the other party was willing, of course.


    So it would actually take some effort on Sunny''s part to get the Memories from Aiko.


    It was worth it, however, because if he did...


    He would be able to augment and study them freely, instantly gaining more fuel for his current research.


    Aiko''s uncompromising avarice aside, Sunny should have been paying the Fire Keepers for free access to their soul arsenals, instead. But, no matter.


    He hungrily attacked the tray of food, grinning from ear to ear.


    "I''ve made good progress, already."


    In a day or two more, he would probably be ready to put his new knowledge into practice and test the first results of his recent breakthrough.


    Therefore, it would be time to weave some Memories.

 Chapter 1951 The Nuances of Proper Grammar

    It was going to take Aiko some time to prepare the new Memories for Sunny to peruse. In the meantime, he hesitated for a while, looking at the shimmering runes with a bit of trepidation.


    By now, he already explored those of his Memories that he had either personally crafted or altered. Two more remained, though.. Weavers Mask and Shadow Lantern.


    Sunny was a little afraid of them.


    He had already seen their weave, after all �� and it was unlike anything he had ever witnessed. Even the most powerful Memories he had possessed in the past, Estuary Key and the Crown of Twilight, seemed like toys meant for an infant when compared to the unfathomable complexity of the weave hiding within the Divine Memories.


    Sunny had almost killed himself a couple of times by witnessing more than mortals were meant to perceive �� like the endless tapestry of fate that Weaver''s Mask could show him.


    He had not been harmed by merely looking at the weave of Divine Memories, sure. But there was a vast difference between taking a look at them and becoming one with them �� fusing with the Silver Bell was already a shock, so Sunny was hesitant to do the same with either Weaver''s Mask or the Shadow Lantern.


    Still, the temptation was too strong.


    Finally gathering his courage, Sunny sighed and summoned the Shadow Lantern. Soon, a palm-sized lantern appeared in his hand. It was made from a black material that felt like stone, but wasn��t stone, engraved with intricate patterns that resembled the scales of a serpent. A short chain was attached to a metal ring at its top, similarly black.


    The lantern''s gate was carved from glossy black morion��needless to say, there was no light shining through it. Instead, the darkness around Sunny suddenly seemed to grow deeper, colder, and more impenetrable.


    Shadow Lantern was beautiful, but unassuming��not at all like a relic left behind by a god. Then again, maybe it was exactly the kind of thing that the elusive Shadow God would leave behind.


    It also only had a single enchantment... which was both quite simple and dealt with such absolute concepts and endlessness and infinity��


    Enchantment: [Gates of Shadow]


    Enchantment Description: [This lantern devours light and can contain, and then release, an infinite amount of shadows].


    That enchantment had served Sunny well in the past. In fact, it was one of the most useful and irreplaceable tools in his arsenal.


    He remained motionless for a while, studying the dark Memory, then sighed again and controlled his gloomy incarnation to wrap itself around the serpentine stone lantern.


    In the next moment...


    Sunny let out a horrified yelp and tossed the lantern away. Of course, that did not do anything, so he belatedly remembered to separate himself from the Divine Memory by allowing his trembling shadow to dash away.


    The Shadow Lantern fell on the floor and rolled a few times, its chain ringing in the silence.


    "Ah... goddammit..."


    And of its single enchantment.


    Suddenly, Sunny''s eyes widened, and he stared at the glossy morion gate of the stone lantern in utter disbelief.


    "No... it can''t be."


    And yet, it could.


    He was paralyzed by shock.


    "The Gates of Shadow?"


    Long ago, soon after receiving the Shadow Lantern, Sunny had wondered how it was able to contain a literal infinity of shadows. Where did the shadows he sent into the Lantern really go? He had even sent one of his own shadows inside, learning very little as a result.


    He had also tried to store the Fragment of the Shadow Realm in the small stone lantern, attempting to test if its capacity was really infinite. The Fragment could indeed be sent into the Shadow Lantern �� sadly, no matter how hard Sunny tried, it could not be retrieved.


    There was no reason Sunny knew why the Shadow Realm''s Fragment would not return from inside the Lantern, like all other shadows would, but that was what he had discovered on Alethea''s Island. The discovery had crushed his hope of being able to move his piece of a Divine Domain freely wherever he wished.


    But now... now, Sunny had a strong suspicion about what the reason was.


    It was because the name of the single enchantment of the Shadow Lantern was much more literal than he had thought.


    Gates of Shadow... not of the Shadows, but of Shadow.


    "Made pale and feeble by the radiance of day. Shadow laughed and rose from the ground."


    That was what the Nightmare Spell called Shadow God in the description of the Lantern.


    So, the Gates of Shadow were really the Gates of Shadow God.


    Where would the Gates of Shadow God lead?


    Sunny stared at the small stone lantern and its tiny morion door with an expression of horror.


    There was only one logical answer.


    They would lead to Shadow God''s Realm.

 Chapter 1952 Choice Paralysis

    ''It just doesn��t end today!''


    Sunny stared at the Shadow Lantern with a strange expression. Today, he had discovered the key to mastering the next step of Shadow Dance, elevated his sorcery, and now, found out that the door to the Shadow Realm had been in his pocket the entire time!


    Well... technically, these revelations had unfolded over several days, as Aiko so helpfully reminded him. Still, how was his heart supposed to handle so many stunning discoveries? ''Who cares about my heart? I have six spare ones, anyway!''


    Standing up, Sunny carefully picked up the Shadow Lantern and studied it, a deep frown forming on his face. He was fairly sure his theory was correct. In that brief moment of fusion with the Divine Memory, he and the Shadow Lantern had become one and the same. In that instant, he��d glimpsed a bit of what the Shadow Lantern truly was, as well as what lay hidden beneath its surface.


    Although he couldn��t fully comprehend it, he was certain of one thing �� the gate of the Shadow Lantern led directly to the Shadow Realm. This would explain why it could hold an infinite number of shadows, as well as why the Fragment of the Shadow Realm could be stored but not retrieved. That Fragment had been torn from the Shadow Realm when a dreadful being escaped it, and by returning the Fragment, Sunny was, in a way, mending a rift in the Shadow Realm itself.


    And there was no chance he could pull an entire Divine Domain out of the Lantern, after all.


    Just thinking about all of this made Sunny feel incredulous. The Shadow Realm... His gaze grew distant, his mind wandering to the implications.


    Out of the six Divine Realms in existence, only the Seventh �� the Shadow Realm �� remained. When the Dream Realm was born, it slowly consumed the mortal realms, absorbing them into itself, along with five of the six Divine Realms... or so Wind Flower had told him. Sunny strongly suspected that the Stormsea had once been the Divine Realm of the Storm God. Godgrave had likely belonged to the Sun God. The Burned Forest may have been the Divine Realm of the Heart God. As for the Beast God, fragments of its realm lingered in the Song Domain. Finally, Earth seemed to have once been the Divine Realm of the War God, humanity��s patron deity.


    While five Divine Realms had been accounted for, the Shadow Realm had always remained a mystery. Where was it? Had it been swallowed by the Dream Realm? If so, where in this nightmarish world were the remains of the Shadow God��s Realm?


    A long sigh escaped Sunny��s lips.


    "Damnation..."


    He had so much to do already! Crafting Memories was his immediate plan, but there was also the looming war, his need to learn about the Sovereigns before facing them in battle, and Nephis was finally coming back to camp. That meant he could finally see her again.


    Now, exploring a dead god��s lightless realm had been added to his list of things to accomplish.


    Sunny covered his face with a palm and groaned.


    ��What the hell?��


    With seven bodies, how was he busier than ever? Shaking his head, he took a deep breath and stared at the ceiling.


    For now, the only question was... what was he going to do first?


    Sneak into the Shadow Realm or make a breakthrough in weaving?

 Chapter 1953 One Small Step for Shadow

    Sunny definitely knew what the smart decision would be.


    The smart decision would be to concentrate on weaving for now, slowly consider the potential perils of venturing into the Shadow Realm, and make thorough preparations before entering the Lantern.


    For example, he had to decide which of his incarnations would explore the Shadow Realm. Would he send the Lord of Shadows and his three companion shadows, to have as much power as realistically possible in the current situation at his disposal there? Or would he send a single incarnation as a scout, to reduce the damage to a minimum in case it was destroyed by an overwhelming threat? It would also be best to consider many things, do extensive research, consolidate his recent breakthroughs, and make arrangements before passing through the Gates of Shadow.


    That said...


    ''Ah, to heck with it.


    The allure of an unexplored Divine Realm-the Realm of Shadows-was too irresistible. Even though Sunny knew that it would be wiser to remain patient, he could not imagine delving into the slow and meticulous process of crafting Memories without satiating his curiosity and fascination first.


    How was he supposed to concentrate on weaving intricate patterns of ethereal strings when there was a portal to a literal Divine Realm resting basically in his pocket? And not just to any Divine Realm, either, but one that had belonged to the very god from whom Sunny''s powers originated.


    It would be way too hard.


    Granted, he had no ambitions of going on a true expedition yet. Rather, what Sunny wanted to do was to take a first look at the Shadow Realm and explore it a briefly, simply to know what awaited him there, and from what he would have to protect himself.


    With that knowledge, he would be able to prepare for the actual expedition better. He might even want to craft a few specific Memories to help him face the perils of the Shadow Realm, so it had to be done before he dove into weaving.


    It had to be done now.


    Sunny turned around, walked to the middle of the basement, and outstretched his hand. The Shadow Lantern hung freely from his fingers. Following a mental command, the little morion gate opened, revealing a dark entrance.


    He remained motionless for a few moments, absorbed by solemn silence. Then, he looked down, at his shadow.


    "... Well, what are you waiting for? Chop-chop! Get inside."


    The gloomy stared at him in shock, then pointed at itself with a finger, as if asking..


    ''Is Shadow Realm... Shadow God''s soul sea?''


    The idea did not seem that far-fetched, but it also was not entirely plausible - mainly because Sunny did not know much about the gods, who were unfathomable.


    Had the gods even possessed souls of their own?


    Had they possessed physical bodies? If so, how had they looked?


    Everyone knew that the gods were dead, but where were their corpses? Godgrave was called so because people assumed that the titanic skeleton had once belonged to a god, but Sunny did not share that belief...


    A moment before his incarnation entered the Lantern, Sunny suddenly shivered. If he assumed that Shadow Realm was indeed Shadow God''s soul sea, or at least a divine equivalent of one...


    Then, didn''t it sound disturbingly similar to his own lightless soul?


    After all, the shadows of everything Sunny killed ended up in his soul sea. In a sense, those he killed were swallowed by him, as well.


    He remembered the description of the Shadow Realm, too.


    ''Everything you cherish, everything you nurture, everything that starts with you will one day be mine, be welcomed by me, swallowed by me, and find peace within me. This is the mercy of Shadow...


    The silent shadows contained within the tranquil darkness of Sunny''s soul were, indeed... quite peaceful.


    His eyes widened a little, and a seed of a thought appeared in his mind.


    But before it could blossom and sprout, his incarnation passed through the Gates of Shadow...


    And found himself somewhere else.


    Sunny gasped.

 Chapter 1954 Realm of Shadows

    Sunny found himself standing at the top of a tall mound, with a desolate expanse of dark hills stretching in front of him in all directions. There was no grass, no trees, no moss or flowers. No sign of life at all, just stillness and silence.


    It was a stark contrast to the dreadful reaches of Godgrave, where everything was consumed by the sprawling vermilion jungle that teemed with hungry, restless, abominable life.


    The ground was covered in a soft layer of fine black dust, but felt more solid than a sand dune would.


    What made him gasp was not the desolate landscape, however, but everything else he perceived.


    ...There was light.


    He had expected the Shadow Realm to be a land of eternal darkness, entirely lightless and covered by a veil of shadows. However, instead, its dark expanse was illuminated by a beautiful silver radiance, as if resting under a starlit sky... it was just that there were no stars.


    Looking up, Sunny saw a black sky. At least he assumed that it was a sky �� there was no way to tell. There were no stars and no moon, just a seemingly endless expanse of darkness.


    However, there were clouds.


    Far in the distance, a vast storm front was moving across the dark plain. That was what Sunny wanted to call it, in any case �� in truth, the clouds weren''t really clouds, and the storm wasn''t really a storm.


    The clouds weren''t formed from water vapor, but from ethereal light particles, instead. Shining with silver radiance, they moved and swirled, as if carried by ghostly winds. The empyrean currents were like beautiful rivers of starlight that illuminated the desolate land, making the immense, ancient shadows populating it flow and dance.


    It was a breathtaking sight.


    But, more than that... even from a distance, Sunny could feel the terrifying violence of the radiant storm. It was both daunting and chilling, making him want to dive deeper into the embrace of shadows to hide himself.


    It was a storm of light.


    ''No...''


    Not light.


    Looking closer, Sunny shivered slightly.


    Those sparks of silver light... he recognized them for what they were.


    It was soul essence.


    The storm raging above the dark plain was a storm of essence.


    He didn''t quite know what to make of it.


    At the same time as his eyes were enthralled by the sight of the beautiful, terrible soul storm, Sunny''s other senses were flooding his mind with intense sensations, as well.


    If Sunny had eyes at the moment, they would have undoubtedly narrowed.


    It was because he saw a tiny mote of silver light slowly rise above his incorporeal form, dancing in the ghostly wind. Then, there was another, and another...


    Why was he emanating sparks of soul essence?


    That did not make any sense. Not only because he was not supposed to randomly leak essence, but also because Sunny had never possessed soul essence, to begin with �� he was rather unique, possessing shadow essence instead.


    Following an ominous premonition, Sunny summoned the runes and looked tensely at the counter of his shadow fragments.


    A moment later, he felt a hint of terror. His shadow fragments... were dwindling.


    The rate was not high, just one or two every moment, but it was unmistakable.


    His soul was being drained.


    Not, not quite. It was not being drained �� instead, it was slowly disintegrating. It was bizarre and beyond reason, but he could not deny the fact. He was not under a soul attack and was not receiving soul damage, he did not even feel any pain, but his soul was slowly falling apart.


    It was being broken down and turned into pure soul essence.


    If not for the radiant motes of light, Sunny would not have even suspected anything.


    Feeling a sense of terror, he looked into the distance, where the immense soul storm was raging above the dark plain.


    A storm comprised of an incalculable number of essence sparks.


    If Sunny had hair right now, it would have stood on end.


    ''D��damnation...''


    What the hell was this place?


    Following an instinct, Sunny assumed his human form and immediately manifested the Onyx Mantle. A shadow was quite vulnerable, after all, leaving the soul without the protection of a physical body.


    Finally, the stream of essence sparks rising above him was cut off.


    Sunny trembled and let out a relieved sigh.


    ''That was close...''


    Before he could celebrate his salvation, however, his shadow sense caught a subtle movement a short distance away.


    ...And then, a black arrow suddenly flashed from the darkness, easily piercing his chest.

 Chapter 1955 Rude Welcome

    Sunny was in the heart of the Shadow Realm �� a place where he was supposed to have an absolute advantage over his enemies. And yet, he had not sensed the smallest of movements up until the very last moment.


    It made sense, in hindsight.


    Who else could exist in this dark and deadly wasteland other than creatures similar to him?


    He only sensed the black arrow when it was already too late to dodge it. Sunny only managed to turn his torso a little, bracing for the impact. He had a faint hope that the Onyx Mantle would protect his body �� it was a Transcendent armor, after all, its breastplate designed specifically in a way to deflect blows instead of enduring them directly.


    However, his hopes were futile.


    The arrowhead pierced his armor easily. It pierced his skin and muscles, as well, sliding between his ribs and biting his heart.


    If not for that slight last-moment turn, his heart would have been entirely destroyed. Now, it was merely damaged.


    A split second later, the arrowhead exited from his back and scraped against the inner surface of the Onyx Mantle. Having wasted its momentum, it failed to break through the stonelike armor again.


    Consumed by pain, Sunny was tossed back by the devastating force of the impact. He flew a dozen meters back, fell into the black dust, and rolled down the slope of the hill at terrible speed. The world spun, and he tasted iron on his tongue.


    ''Ah...''


    The shock of the impact was fierce and violent. Being skewered by the arrow hurt like hell.


    Worse yet, Sunny had no idea where the enemy was... and who the enemy was. The initiative was entirely on the side of the unseen archer, and they were at least powerful enough to effortlessly break an exceedingly durable Transcendent armor.


    Things did not look good for him.


    Of course, there was plenty Sunny could do.


    Here in the Realm of Shadows, he was unreasonably powerful... in fact, he felt more powerful than ever before, as if the world itself was infusing him with dire strength.


    There was an ocean of shadows around him to manifest. There were his Shadows, as well �� Saint, Fiend, Serpent. He could call upon them to protect him. There was Shadow Step, and his ability to move great distances in the blink of an eye.


    Even without the support of other incarnations and unable to augment himself, Sunny could try to give the deadly enemy hiding in the darkness a good battle. However, he did not.


    There was a much safer solution, after all.


    ...Standing in the basement of the Brilliant Emporium, Sunny looked at the open gate of the Shadow Lantern and summoned his incarnation back.


    "We��re already in hell, though.��


    With that, he released control of his incarnation and allowed the avatar to become a shadow once again.


    Gloomy was a little damaged and seemed rattled by the whole experience, but at least it wasn''t vomiting blood.


    Sunny sighed and looked at the ceiling.


    ''I''ll... need to ponder a bit before venturing into the Shadow Realm again.''


    He lowered his gaze and looked at the darkness hiding behind the open gate of the Shadow Lantern.


    His thoughts returned to what he had seen, sensed, and experienced on the other side. It was a little bit overwhelming. However...


    Sunny had a feeling that there was something in particular that he was missing at the moment.


    Something important.


    As a scowl appeared on his face, his shadow stirred on the floor.


    In the next moment, Sunny''s eyes widened, and he reeled back.


    Almost at the same time, there was a quiet rustle, and another black arrow suddenly shot out of the gate of the Shadow Lantern, missing his head by a hair''s breadth.


    It struck the ceiling above, tearing a hole in it and making the Marvelous Mimic shudder.


    ''It... it can follow!''


    Stunned and terrified, Sunny fell on his back. He froze for a moment, dazed, and then hurriedly slammed the gate of the Shadow Lantern shut.


    A few moments passed in tense silence, but nothing else happened.


    The basement of the Brilliant Emporium was silent and peaceful.


    ...Sunny��s mind, however, was anything but.


    Staring at the Shadow Lantern with a pale face, he inhaled sharply, and then slowly breathed out.


    ''What... what the hell have I almost brought back from that cursed place?��

 Chapter 1956 Consider Death

    In the end, Sunny lost more than he gained from his first venture into the Shadow Realm.


    He had gained precious knowledge of what awaited him on the other side of the Gates of Shadow... as well as two black arrows, one smeared in his own blood. After retrieving the second arrow from the ceiling of the dining hall of the Brilliant Emporium, Sunny studied them both with a dark expression.


    The arrows were not enchanted in any way. In fact, they looked quite simple, almost makeshift �� the shafts were made of dark wood, the arrowheads were cut from obsidian, and the fletching was made from crow feathers. Nevertheless, there was nothing mundane about them.


    Just by holding the two black arrows, Sunny could tell that he was holding something mystical. There was a quiet, deadly aura surrounding them, as if the arrows themselves had presence, akin to one a Saint would possess. Each was also much heavier than he would have expected, hinting that the materials used to craft them were not at all ordinary.


    Sunny did not know who had crafted these arrows and from what, but taking a closer look at them, he was not at all surprised that the Onyx Mantle had been pierced.


    He had created more than enough Memories to know mystical materials when he saw them. The materials used to fashion the two black arrows... were at least akin to something he would have harvested from a Great Nightmare Creature, but somehow even more daunting.


    Even the shadows cast by the arrows were a little threatening.


    There was something else about them, as well.


    Sunny''s expression turned even darker when he sensed something familiar about the black arrows.


    If he wasn''t wrong... they seemed to be imbued with the killing intent of the unknown shadow stalker, etched with their desire to see the prey die.


    The arrows carried their own will.


    "Well. I''m still alive, aren''t I?"


    Better yet, he was now in possession of two supremely lethal arrows. Sunny had many uses for something so precious... who knew, perhaps he would be able to return the favor and sink them into the heart of that damned archer one day. Sadly, he had lost something far more precious in return.


    It was not the health of one of his avatars, either...


    Grimacing, Sunny glanced at the Shadow Lantern.


    It was his ability to use its [Gates of Shadow] enchantment.


    Of course, he was still able to send shadows inside or call them back. However, now that the unseen assailant had shown their startling ability to follow shadows back through the gate of the Shadow Lantern, Sunny was wary of opening it again.


    Who knew what would crawl out of the Shadow Realm the next time he did? By personally passing through the Gates of Shadow, Sunny seemed to have attracted the attention of at least one creature dwelling there. Now that the shadow archer knew his scent, it would not be impossible for them to wait patiently in the area where the Lantern led to.


    Death... was a weapon created to fight against the Void and its Corruption.


    Death was a tool to bring an end to that which had been endless before.


    There was this peculiar detail that he had not really considered before. The souls of Nightmare Creatures were tainted by the vile corruption of the Void. And yet, once a Nightmare Creature was slain, the soul shards retrieved from its body bore no signs of Corruption. No Awakened had ever become corrupted as a result of absorbing soul shards.


    Which meant that death somehow cleansed the souls of the Nightmare Creatures from the dark taint of the Void, putting an end to it.


    But how could one end something that was supposed to be endless?


    Sunny lowered his head and rubbed his face tiredly.


    Was he thinking about useless things?


    Maybe he was...


    But then again, maybe he wasn��t.


    Destroying something might end it, but if a thing was indestructible... then transforming it into something new was a kind of end, as well.


    Shadow God had created death, but he had also become death. He swallowed everything that died, and gifted the dead the peace of an end.


    Was that peace... the process of being stripped of everything that made a being themselves, grinding their very soul into a river of essence, and releasing that essence back into the world to live anew?


    If so, it was a terrifying thought.


    But also... a little comforting.


    Most of all, it made Sunny think about his own soul, and the shadows that he himself carried within its dark depths.


    Was his soul... a weak, tiny seed of a new Shadow Realm?


    "Now that is really terrifying."


    Shivering, Sunny threw these thoughts out of his head and walked into the material storage of the Brilliant Emporium with determined steps.

 Chapter 1957 Sorcerers to do list.

    Sunny spent the next several hours exploring various mystical materials he had accumulated over the years and considering what, exactly, he was going to craft.


    The memories of the Shadow Realm kept creeping into his mind, but he resolutely ignored them and tried to concentrate on the task at hand. Sadly, just as he did, there was another distraction.


    It was Aiko, who wanted to know where the large hole in the floor of the dining hall had come from.


    Sparing his bewildered assistant a neutral gaze, Sunny turned back to the shelves and gave her a non-committal shrug.


    ?Oh, you know. I just happened to find the Gates of Death, by accident, and decided to take a quick look at what was on the other side. It was quite pretty, actually... sadly, my soul kept disintegrating, and someone shot an arrow through my heart. So, I took offense, and left.?


    He sighed.


    ?But I sort of forgot to close the door after returning. As you can see... we lost a bit of flooring as a result. And an entire display case! The fancy one with silver inlays and tempered glass...?


    Aiko stared at him for a while, then lowered her head tiredly.


    ?Uh-huh. I see.?


    Her gaze naturally settled on the two black arrows lying on a table nearby. She studied them for a moment, then shivered.


    ?W-what''s that??


    Sunny glanced her way absentmindedly.


    ?Oh, those? Those are arrows from Death''s Realm. By the way, can you go clean the one on the left? I got it wet... you know, with my heart blood.?


    One would be enough, but seven would be better. That way, each of his incarnations would be able to use a unique soulbound charms, and all of them would be able to use the charms simultaneously.


    ?Do I even have enough imagination to invent seven suitable charms??


    He was still determined to only use Memories for convenience or to better express his own power, not borrow power from the Memories themselves.


    In any case, it was too early to think about crafting the charms. He had not even discovered a way to bind Memories to souls yet, anyway �� so, planning to forge them was a bit premature.


    Then, there was Saint. Unlike his other Shadows, she could use Memories too. Not any type of Memory, though �� only weapons and charms. The graceful stone knight had the ability to either manifest weapons from her darkness or augment existing weapons with it. Currently, she was only doing the former, but doing the latter could push her to even greater strength.


    And, just like Sunny, her armor could augment the enchantments of a single charm.


    Finally, there was Rain. His sister had been suffering a lot since coming to Godgrave. She had endured many harrowing battles, surviving against all odds when surrounded by Nightmare Creatures far more powerful than her... every soldier in this godforsaken place had. She had also killed quite a number of abominations, and since the Nightmare Spell could not reward her, Sunny had to take its place.


    These ones were probably the easiest for him to forge due to her low Rank. Handing Rain Memories of higher Ranks was... an option, but not a very good one. Both because her pool of essence would be swiftly drained by their power-hungry enchantments and because she would not be able to wield them very effectively.


    Plus, she would learn to rely on the Memories provided by Sunny too much, which would stunt her own growth.


    There was also the matter of people questioning where a young Awakened with no backing had received Memories of great power. Not only would that cast suspicion on Rain, but there was a slight danger that someone would decide to try taking them from her.


    Her safety was already guaranteed by his presence by her side, so Sunny did not want to overdo it with her equipment.


    ?I''ll start with crafting something for Rain.?


    That would be a good start, as well as something that would allow him to realize his recent insights.

 Chapter 1958 Practice run.

    Sunny had a lot to consider.


    He wanted to give Rain the best chance of, if not thriving, then at least standing on her own in the war between Song and Valor. The problem was that there were only a handful of individuals in the world who could stand their ground in the sweltering hell of Godgrave.


    The rest of them �� the Awakened soldiers, the Ascended officers, even the Transcendent generals �� were really out of their depth. They were not meant to be here, in the middle of a harrowing Death Zone, and they were definitely not meant to spill each other''s blood for the benefit of two callous Sovereigns.


    If even Saints could not guarantee their survival in the war, then mere Awakened like Rain could only rely on luck and good fortune to survive. Of course, Rain had her faithful shadow companion to keep her safe... but she did not quite know how far her teacher was willing to go to protect her.


    It was so by design. Sunny had intentionally made himself look eccentric and unreliable in front of her, so that she wasn''t stifled in his vast shadow.


    Still, he could think of a few things that would help Rain in the days and months to come.


    He thought back to his experiences on the Forgotten Shore, and the Memories he had relied on to survive there.


    In a sense, Godgrave and the Forgotten Shore were somewhat alike. The latter was a dire crucible in which the Dreamers of the Dark City had been forged into unparalleled warriors... those of them who survived, of course. Even Aiko was someone far more dangerous and capable than an average Awakened was, despite her outwardly whimsical and cowardly appearance.


    The former was much the same for the soldiers of the two great armies. Those of them who were destined to survive would come out much more fearsome and stalwart on the other side.


    So, Sunny could very well look to his own experience to determine what Rain needed the most at the moment.


    The nature of the war was also changing. Before, during its early stage, the dangers his sister had faced were predominantly those posed by the Dream Realm itself. The scarlet jungle, the incandescent white abyss above, the hordes of powerful Nightmare Creatures that her weapons could barely harm...


    If even Aiko wasn''t safe handling them, Rain wouldn''t be, either.


    The second area that needed improvement was Rain''s defense.


    The Puppeteer''s Shroud was a good armor, but it wasn''t the most durable of them. Its main benefits were that it was light, sufficiently resilient, and protected one''s mind. Better yet, it had an invigorating effect on someone''s mind as well, helping its master deal better with mental fatigue �� which was perhaps the most valuable gift Sunny could have given Rain in a dreadful war.


    That said, he had not anticipated that she would keep ending up in the midst of a melee so often when transferring the Puppeteer''s Shroud. Wasn''t she supposed to be an archer?! Why was his sister constantly fighting side by side with that girl, Tamar of Sorrow?


    Sunny grimaced and shook his head.


    Then again, he had been supposed to be a stealthy assassin, too. Life never went the way one wanted it to go...


    The Puppeteer''s Shroud had seemed sufficient at the start of the war. But now that the two great armies were about to clash, Rain would be going into battle against humans... against Awakened. She would be exposed to countless Aspects, and those were varied and unpredictable.


    So, she needed to both bolster her overall defenses and gain resistances against a varied array of attacks, from relatively simple elemental ones to more strange and sophisticated forms of harm.


    Sunny hesitated for a while, looking around the crowded warehouse. Then, he nodded.


    ?Arrows, defensive equipment, utility Memories.?


    He had his work cut out for him.

 Chapter 1959 In the bag.

    Sunny had woven many Memories in the past. However, today, he had an entirely new goal ��weave something entirely new without relying on imitation.


    In theory, he was ready for that challenge. His foundation was quite solid �� firstly, he had meticulously studied countless weaves, so his mental library of string patterns was sufficiently vast. Secondly, he had spent numerous hours pouring over these patterns, trying to discern how they worked.


    These efforts allowed him enough insight to change and modify the weaves he was familiar with however he saw fit... well, maybe not. Although Sunny could indeed achieve a lot, he was still somewhat limited in the scale and scope of such alterations.


    For now.


    Lastly, there was his new ability to fuse with the Memories in his possession, which allowed him to fathom the connection between the weaves and the enchantments they produced on a much deeper level.


    It was that last gain that was supposed to give him the push he needed to break free from his past limitations.


    Sunny looked around the material storage, then walked over to the section containing various leathers �� which he had made himself from the hides of Nightmare Creatures over the years.


    Choosing a roll that wasn''t too valuable, he considered it for a moment. Of course, the low value of this leather was relative �� Sunny could afford to disregard it, but it would be a real treasure for most Awakened, and more than a few Masters as well.


    Nodding in satisfaction, Sunny picked up the roll of leather, then found a few more materials and left for the workshop. Once there, Sunny unrolled the leather, traced it roughly, and then swiftly cut it. The material was durable enough to resist enchanted weapons, but he effortlessly sliced through it using nothing but his nail.


    After that, Sunny got to work.


    Sitting down, he manifested four more hands. These shadow hands were responsible for weaving threads of essence, while his original pair was handling the leather.


    Funnily enough, Sunny also summoned Weaver''s Needle. Today, it had some mundane stitching to do...


    Considering that her Aspect was of the almost unheard of Sacred Rank, the Nightmare from where the Endless Spring had come must have been a remarkable trial, as well.


    In any case, the Endless Spring could not help Sunny with what he was trying to do at the moment.


    The Marvelous Mimic, however, did.


    So, Sunny augmented his Shadow instead of the beautiful glass bottle.


    He wanted to create a spatial storage Memory for Rain, and for that, there was no better reference point than the Covetous Coffer, which the Marvelous Mimic had been born of.


    Sunny closed his eyes and sighed, contemplating the next step... all the while continuing to weave threads of shadow essence with his additional hands, of course.


    Space was an absolute law, so violating it was no easy task. He wasn''t sure that there were Memories out there that could achieve that, but if there were, they must have been of the Divine Rank. He was far from being capable of creating something like that.


    Luckily, there were plenty of ways to manipulate space without violating its laws.


    The original Covetous Coffer had done just that, and the Marvelous Mimic inherited this ability. It contained an independent space within itself �� a pocket dimension, basically �� and at the same time served as a portal between the larger world and that space. More than that...


    Sunny leaned back with a contemplative expression.


    In some sense, the Covetous Coffer had also been a soulbound Memory. Not to the same degree as and in a different way than the Mantle of the Underworld, but its capacity to mimic various objects, as well as the volume of its inner space, had depended on the potency of its master''s soul.


    That was definitely something Sunny had to explore further. Even if he could not repeat what Nether had done with the Mantles, there were still ways for him to achieve the desired effect.


    In any case, creating an independent dimension and then connecting it to the world through a Memory was still a difficult task. Sunny was confident that he could do it, if given enough time for research and experimentation... but Rain did not need something that sophisticated, and there was a much easier way.

 Chapter 1960 Master Weaver.

    Sunny could simply trap a bit of space within the backpack, making it much larger on the inside than it was on the outsider. Of course, that would create several problems of its own, which he would then need to solve.


    For example, there was the issue of weight �� a simple Memory like that would be able to contain many items, but it would also weigh accordingly. Having a spatial storage Memory was of little use if its master could not lift it, after all. Luckily, Sunny had long mastered enchantments that manipulated weight. By adding a simplified version of the [Feather of Truth], he would be able to give the backpack the ability to reduce the weight of all items stored inside.


    Then, there was the issue of continuity. Effie had actually possessed a spatial storage Memory of her own long before the Black Beast Locket, all the way back on the Forgotten Shore. However, it possessed a glaring Flaw when compared to the Covetous Coffer �� once it was dismissed, everything inside was tossed to the ground instead of being safely stored within her soul.


    The same would be true for the leather backpack, unless Sunny came up with countermeasures.


    ?Huh...?


    He had to weave plenty more shadow threads, so there was enough time to think.


    ?Actually... I feel that the answer is hidden in the rudimentary enchantments that all Memories possess. The most basic of them �� the ability to dismiss a Memory and manifest it again from essence. If I can somehow make the backpack treat everything stored inside of it as a false Memory... maybe a part of itself? That''s worth exploring...?


    He mentally planned out the desired enchantments in his head.


    Just like with the backpack itself, which was made from leather, but required many little details to be added �� like clasps, pockets, decorations, and so on �� the fundamental weave also needed many additions to perform well.


    There was a lot to think about.


    Eventually, though, Sunny took a deep breath and concentrated on the backpack, peering beneath its surface.


    He was ready... as ready as he would ever be.


    The tentative design of the weave was fleshed out in his mind. Unlike how he had done it before, meticulously imagining every twist and turn of each single thread of essence, Sunny did it differently this time.


    Instead of a precise and clear image, the weave in his head was more... abstract. There were clearly defined sections, those that were responsible for the overall structure and framework of the entire tapestry. There were also several precisely mapped patterns, mostly the smaller ones.


    However, there were also segments that were loose and vague, more of a concept than a detailed solution.


    Those, he was going to finish in the process, following his knowledge, intuition, and inspiration.


    Before starting, Sunny cleansed his mind, bringing it to a state of clarity �� something he usually only did when going into battle, but which felt strangely appropriate.


    Then, he picked up Weaver''s Needle and one of the soul shards...


    His skill was at least on par with that of the unknown sorcerer who had created Ananke''s Mantle, and even superior to it in many regards.


    And it would only continue to grow.


    In fact, he was about to enter a period of explosive growth. The sky was the limit.


    Well... maybe here in Godgrave, that phrase was not the best to use.


    In any case...


    There was one last step left.


    Sunny stared at the leather backpack lovingly.


    ?What should I call you, huh??


    He intended for Rain to use it well.


    Sunny scratched his chin.


    What was the purpose of a spatial storage Memory?


    Obviously, it was to hold things.


    Not just hold things, of course, but hold it away from the grabby hands of other humans.


    And here, in front of him, was basically a leather bag.


    Sunny''s eyes glistened, and he raised a finger into the air.


    ?Ah, I know!?


    It was so obvious.


    He nodded in satisfaction, as if having arrived at a perfect answer.


    ?I shall name you... the Bag of Withholding!?

 Chapter 1961 Soul of a poet.

    Several more days passed... Sunny would have lost count of how many, honestly, if not for the fact that two of his incarnations were out there in the world �� one marching with the Song Army, the other preparing to raid and destroy its supply lines.


    He had spent these days immersed in weaving.


    At some point, Aiko delivered a collection of Memories to the basement of the Brilliant Emporium. Some of them she had purchased and was about to resell; some had come from the Fire Keepers. Sunny had to take breaks to rest his boiling mind, replenish essence, and weave more shadow threads, so he spent his breaks studying these Memories.


    With each Memory he merged with, his insights grew.


    Almost two weeks had passed since his battle with Revel. The Marvelous Mimic had long since healed the hole made in the floor of the dining hall by the black arrow, and Nephis was set to arrive any moment now.


    Letting out a tired sigh, Sunny took a step back and looked at the Memories resting on the workbench in front of him.


    The first of them was the [Bag of Withholding], the spatial storage Memory that had helped him advance his sorcery to a new level.


    Next to it was a canteen that looked like it was made from green copper, housed in a black leather sleeve with an intricate image of a coiling serpent etched into it. There were some decorative patterns on the canteen itself, all following the same theme.


    In truth, Sunny had crafted it from the leftover scraps of the Huntsman''s axe. The canteen was a kind of storage Memory, as well, albeit quite different from the Bag of Withholding �� it could store a great volume of water and purify it. Needless to say, it was his crude attempt at replicating the Endless Spring.


    The [Knockoff Endless Spring] had been considered, but eventually dismissed.


    Crafting the [Green Canteen] had not taken him much time, actually. However, unlike the original, it had to be filled by hand �� so, Sunny sent Aiko to do just that. The canteen could really contain a lot of water, so his poor assistant had to spend an entire day filling it under the confused gazes of the Fire Keepers. They even chased her off the Ivory Island when the water level of the lake started to drop...


    The third Memory Sunny had crafted for Rain had a very simple enchantment but was exceedingly difficult to devise. In terms of complexity, it might have been the most troublesome of them all, forcing Sunny to really strain himself mentally.


    It was a long strip of black silk that could be used as a sash or a scarf, decorated with subtle embroidery. After thinking for a while, Sunny had named it [In Case of Emergency].


    The [In Case of Emergency] was meant to serve as a safeguard against a very particular peril �� the incinerating radiance of the white abyss that hung above Godgrave. Its function was indeed simple �� if given a mental command, it would instantly turn the person wearing it completely still.


    After all, Rain could potentially topple after a few hours of immobility due to running out of essence, which would render the entire Memory useless. So, Sunny had tried hard and eventually managed to make the [In Case of Emergency] consume less essence than any Awakened could replenish naturally, thus making its enchantment somewhat passive �� as long as it was used by a person of Rain��s weight.


    That was it for the utility Memories Sunny had prepared. Pressed for time, he eventually had to turn his attention to other areas.


    He had called it the [Safety First].


    These were all the Memories Sunny had crafted for Rain.


    His gaze shifted to one more item lying on the workbench.


    It was a bracelet much like his own.


    However... Sunny had not been able to finish it yet. He needed Cassie''s help to complete the weave of this unassuming, but deeply complicated Memory.


    ?Still... I have outdone myself this time, if I do say so myself.?


    A faint smile appeared on Sunny��s face.


    He couldn��t wait to present these Memories to Rain!


    There was just one thing that bothered him, though...


    Sunny frowned, then summoned the runes and glanced at the list of his own Memories.


    [Shadow Chair], [Overpriced Saddle], [Weaver��s Needle], [Handy Bracelet], [Quintessence Pearl], [Definitely Not Me]...


    His gaze shifted to the Memories he had crafted in the last few days. [Bag of Withholding], [Green Canteen], [In Case of Emergency], [Don��t Cut Yourself], [Outskirts at Noon], [Safety First]...


    He closed his eyes and let out a quiet sigh.


    There was no denying it.


    ?I guess... I have a poetic soul, too...?


    Sunny was starting to understand how he and Rain had ended up with their weird names.

 Chapter 1962 Darkest shadow.

    A deep yawn escaped Sunny as he kneaded his weary shoulders. Despite his status as a Saint �� and an extraordinary one at that �� even he had his limits. The past weeks had been nothing short of grueling: the fierce battle against Revel, the intricate process of merging with Shadows and Memories, and the relentless week of weaving...


    His mind screamed for rest.


    Neither of his aspects �� the Lord of Shadows nor Rain''s mentor �� had found a moment''s peace throughout this ordeal.


    With deliberate movements, he retrieved the [Bag of Withholding], its ancient clasp creaking as he opened it to store the remaining Memories within. Task finally complete, he emerged from the Brilliant Emporium''s basement, dreaming of collapsing onto the plush bed awaiting him on the second floor. But first, he made his way to the entrance, where he carefully returned the Silver Bell to its designated spot above the door.


    ?There. Back where it belongs.?


    As he gazed at the softly gleaming bell, an odd thought struck him.


    ?How ironic.?


    He remembered lamenting his lack of a home once, which had prompted Noctis �� another Saint far from his original dwelling �� to offer heartfelt counsel. While Noctis had built himself the Sanctuary, Sunny had created something quite different.


    The Brilliant Emporium stood as testament to his peculiar nature. What kind of person crafts a home specifically designed to follow them everywhere, ensuring they could never lose it again? It spoke volumes about his deep-seated fears.


    Yet he couldn''t deny its effectiveness. Here he was, living comfortably in his cottage despite the transition from Bastion to Godgrave. A small, satisfied smile played across his lips.


    ?Perhaps I''m more clever than I give myself credit for.?


    His thoughts wandered to the Marvelous Mimic''s future form. Would it someday house both him and Nephis? The prospect filled him with warmth.


    His smile grew as he imagined sharing this cozy space with Neph. Of course, modifications would be necessary. She''d need her own closet, though knowing her priorities, a training ground would come first.


    Additional rooms would follow �� another bathroom, an office, a proper library, and perhaps... a nursery?


    The thought made him cough awkwardly.


    His expression sobered as reality intruded.


    ?Ah. Right.?


    If they survived to see that future, they would be Supreme. Nephis would be more than just powerful �� she would be a queen, likely humanity''s sole ruler, bearing responsibility for both their territory in the Dream Realm and their crumbling homeworld.


    Which meant Nephis was back as well...


    His eyes lit up with sudden energy.


    ?Finally!?


    With renewed vigor, he turned away from Aiko and headed for the door. After a moment''s consideration, though, he used Shadow Step to transport himself to the Brilliant Emporium''s second floor.


    Two weeks in the basement had left their mark on his appearance, after all.


    Meeting Nephis looking anything less than presentable was out of the question.


    ?A thorough shower is in order...?


    ���� ���� ����


    While Sunny''s anticipation for Nephis''s return ran high, the entire Sword Army shared his excitement.


    The army had split its forces between two locations. The main contingent remained at their primary camp, while the expedition force established a secondary position on the dead deity''s breastbone. Nephis''s return would likely trigger a reorganization of these forces �� her delayed arrival stemmed from her mission to secure a safer, broader path connecting the two camps.


    The secondary camp would function as their offensive spearhead against the Song Army, while the main camp provided rear support. The troops stationed within the Breastbone Reach represented the Sword Army''s finest �� veterans who had survived the nightmarish campaign to claim the Vanishing Lake Citadel, renamed after Nephis reduced most of it to ashes during her confrontation with Moonveil.


    The main camp''s soldiers were no strangers to combat either, having gradually conquered the eastern Collarbone Plain while battling the scarlet infestation. However, they knew the expedition force''s trials and the battle for Vanishing Lake only through increasingly elaborate tales.


    Whether these stories originated from Clan Valor''s elders attempting to boost morale or from Cassie''s careful manipulation remained unclear, but they painted grandiose portraits of Summer Knight, the Lord of Shadows, and Changing Star �� particularly the latter two. Despite his self-imposed basement exile, Sunny had heard the whispers about the Lord of Shadows. Had he not been that very figure, he might have found himself impressed by the descriptions.


    They spoke of a mysterious entity wielding unfathomable power with ruthless precision. A fearless warrior commanding darkness and death itself, leading an army of terrifying beings against countless monstrosities. Yet simultaneously, a brilliant tactician who preserved his soldiers'' lives against impossible odds.


    ?Well... perhaps I am somewhat impressive.?


    Sunny often overlooked his own extraordinary capabilities �� understandable, given how his opponents seemed to grow exponentially more powerful at an alarming rate.


    But to ordinary Awakened, the Lord of Shadows must appear truly terrifying �� a being whose dark powers defied comprehension. The Sword Army''s troops counted themselves fortunate to have such an ally, while the Song Army would soon learn to dread the very shadows themselves.


    Fortunately, none suspected that the Lord of Shadows represented merely half of Sunny''s true might.


    That knowledge would have robbed them all of sleep.

 Chapter 1963 Brightest star.

    For all the reverence the Lord of Shadows commanded, his reputation paled before the luminous legacy of Changing Star, last scion of the Immortal Flame clan.


    The contrast made perfect sense. Their very essences dictated their roles �� one destined to lurk in darkness, the other to blaze like a beacon. More than that, while the Lord of Shadows remained an enigmatic newcomer, Nephis had long since become the beating heart of these people''s hopes.


    Their devotion ran deep, rooted in decades of admiring her illustrious family. They had witnessed her meteoric rise firsthand: her extraordinary achievement at the Forgotten Shore, her triumphant return as a Master after a solitary quest across the Dream Realm, and her unwavering protection through the tumultuous years following the Chain of Nightmares.


    Where Sunny''s connection to humanity remained tenuous, Nephis had forged bonds of steel.


    Little wonder, then, that the Sword Army''s entire camp hummed with anticipation at her return.


    Yet more fascinating was her unexpected popularity among the Song Army''s ranks.


    At first glance, it seemed paradoxical �� Changing Star stood as their declared enemy. But the same qualities that endeared her to the Sword Army resonated across battle lines. Moreover, word had spread �� carefully orchestrated by Cassie, no doubt �� that among all Valor''s champions, only Nephis had raised her voice against the King''s declaration of war.


    Thus, while Song''s warriors spat venom at the mention of other Sword Domain Saints, particularly the King himself, they spoke of the Immortal Flame''s daughter with something closer to wistful regret.


    ?The Fire Keepers all made it...?


    ?Glory! Glory!?


    Whispers about his alter ego filtered through as well.


    These celebrations masked a bitter truth �� the victory at Vanishing Lake had come at a devastating cost. Seven Saints lost, each death not only weakening humanity''s defenses but guaranteeing more casualties in the battles to come.


    Though some knew the truth �� the bereaved clans had been informed, and word had spread �� most preferred to focus on more palatable narratives: the triumph of Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows, the supposed defeat of Dark Dancer Revel and her sisters.


    But such concerns could wait.


    For now, after far too many days apart, Sunny had eyes only for Nephis.


    His smile softened with genuine warmth.


    ?There you are.?

 Chapter 1964 Nice experience.

    At the column''s head, Nephis advanced with her characteristic grace, every bit as luminous as Sunny remembered. Filtered sunlight pierced the clouded veil above, catching her silver hair in its gentle rays. Her slender form moved with fluid elegance, softly draped in a pristine white tunic that caught the breeze.


    Sunny''s eyes widened in surprise.


    ?She really meant it...?


    True to her word, she had abandoned her usual attire. Gone was the gleaming steel armor that had made her look so valiant and knightly, replaced by the simple tunic and leather sandals. The change lent her an air of approachable beauty that drew even more attention than her martial appearance had.


    Not that Sunny minded the change.


    Behind her, the Fire Keepers trudged wearily, clearly worn down by the oppressive heat of their journey. Yet Nephis appeared remarkably fresh, as though she hadn''t spent days traversing Godgrave''s treacherous landscape. Sunny noticed curious droplets of water still clinging to her hair.


    ?How does she manage to look so immaculate??


    The mystery would have to wait.


    While the crowd erupted in jubilant cheers around him, Sunny remained silent, drinking in her presence. Perhaps sensing his gaze, Nephis turned, her eyes finding his among the masses.


    Her lips curved into a smile that stole his breath.


    The crowd''s cheering intensified.


    A rough hand suddenly gripped Sunny''s shoulder as an overexcited voice bellowed in his ear:


    ?Did... did you see that?! She smiled at me!?


    Another voice immediately contested from his other side:


    ?Are you daft? Why would Lady Changing Star smile at you of all people? That smile was clearly meant for me!?


    A third voice joined the fray:


    ?You''re both wrong �� it was obviously for me!?


    The soldiers'' enthusiasm bordered on hysteria.


    A Memory would have been perfect. The oversight stung now that it was too late. Shaking off his self-recrimination, Sunny ransacked the Brilliant Emporium''s pantry before using Shadow Step to transport himself to the Ivory Tower. At least he could still prepare a proper feast.


    After weeks of field rations and the sparse fare during their march to Vanishing Lake, she deserved something special. The thought made him chuckle as he worked.


    ?Speaking of taste... I''m quite the delicacy myself.?


    The observation wasn''t mere vanity �� countless Nightmare Creatures had attempted to devour him despite his unimposing frame. Surely his exquisite flavor explained their persistent interest?


    So absorbed was he in his cooking that he missed the soft footfalls behind him. A familiar voice made him start.


    ?What has you so amused??


    Sunny went still before slowly turning.


    Nephis stood there, wearing that subtle smile he adored. Up close, her beauty was even more devastating than it had been at the gates, sending his pulse racing.


    Though perhaps his racing heart owed something to the awkward timing of her question.


    He swallowed hard before deciding honesty was his only option:


    ?I was just thinking that I must be quite delicious... you know, taste-wise.?


    Her smile grew, gray eyes sparkling with warmth.


    After a moment''s contemplative silence, she replied in her characteristic measured tone:


    ?I suppose I''ll have to verify that claim.?


    Then her hands found his shoulders, drawing him into a kiss that left no room for doubt.


    His arms encircled her waist as he silently congratulated himself on his response.


    ?Well, I guess that settles it...?


    They were clearly resuming where they''d left off before Anvil''s untimely interruption at the Vanishing Lake.


    And Sunny couldn''t be happier about it.

 Chapter 1965: Slow burn.

    Chapter 1965: Slow burn.


    Eventually, they ended up sitting at a table across from each other. Nephis was delighting in the meal Sunny had prepared, savoring it with a satisfied smile on her captivating lips. She acted calm and composed, but her face was still a little flushed. Her eyes glistened in the sunlit expanse of the spacious stone chamber.


    Sunny, meanwhile, was savoring watching Nephis eat. He just sat quietly, following her movements with his gaze, smiling faintly. He felt content, and his heart was at peace...


    Actually, no. It was very much not at peace �� instead, it was beating wildly, and he felt as if his entire body was on fire. It took all his willpower to stay still, maintain his composure, and keep the deep, carnal hunger from reaching his eyes.


    He really needed a cold shower... a very, very cold shower.


    Honestly, it was too cruel. Nephis was inexperienced, and therefore irresponsible with showing him physical affection... did she really expect him to just go and cool down after being set on fire so thoroughly by her touch, her scent, and her lips? Sure, they tasted sweeter that he could describe �� but Sunny was a man, and men were not usually satiated by a little taste. In fact, he felt quite insatiable at the moment.


    Her presence, which naturally inspired and impassioned desires, was not helping the situation one bit.


    Sunny was ready to devour her like a beast. But, he couldn''t.


    ?Curse it. Why did I cultivate this soft and gallant image? I should have pretended to be a wild and unrestrained shopkeeper instead!?


    A quiet sigh escaped from his lips.


    ?What is this sweet torture??


    Still, he was not in a hurry. He was enjoying the slow burn of their strange romance very much. The flirting, the tender moments of mundane closeness, the exhilarating rush of physical passion... he wanted to savor every second of it.


    And, deep down, he was a little reluctant to take the next step already.


    Sunny and Nephis were adults, and they both knew what they wanted. However... he was very aware of how differently they viewed each other. Nephis was fond of him, sure. She enjoyed his company greatly, and there was undeniable physical attraction between them.


    She might have even begun to develop an emotional connection, learning to care for and depend on him. She certainly trusted him a great deal.


    But at the end of the day, Sunny was still a stranger to Nephis. She had only known him for a few months, after all... and while some of the experiences the two of them had shared were quite intense, they could never compare to the lifetime bond that still dwelled in his heart.


    A bond that Nephis did not remember.


    So... deep down, Sunny hoped that she would at least learn to value him more before their relationship evolved into something more meaningful and irreversible.


    Before that happened, he would have to be satisfied with what existed between them now. It was fine... he had waited to be with her for many years, and he could wait a little longer. These little sweet moments were precious enough, and he wasn''t going to rush.


    Not just embarrassed, mortified!


    Sunny coughed.


    ?Oh... yeah. To be honest, I haven''t slept for a couple of weeks. I''ve been busy working on my sorcery ever since the battle at Vanishing Lake. Right! I created quite a few Memories as practice. Let me show you...?


    He was about to summon the Bag of Withholding, but then froze for a few moments.


    ?Uh... before that...?


    With that, he manifested the gloomy shadow into an avatar.


    A second later, a second Sunny was standing near the table, wrapped in clothes made from shadows. Nephis looked at him in surprise, and at that moment, the avatar swayed, clutched at his chest with a grimace, and fell to one knee.


    The wound dealt to him by the black arrow was refusing to heal. Usually, a Saint would be able to recover from a non-lethal injury quite swiftly, but this one had turned out to be unusually stubborn. Even though it wasn''t getting worse, it wasn''t getting any better, either.


    Which was a real shame, because Sunny would have been able to weave much faster with the help of an additional avatar.


    ?What happened??


    Neph''s voice was full of alarm.


    Sunny endured the pain, looked up at her with a pale face, and smiled weakly.


    ?Well. How do I say this... I visited the Shadow Realm and was shot by an arrow through the heart??


    Her eyes widened.


    Nephis remained still for a short moment, and then pushed the grapes away.


    ?And you are only telling me this now?!?


    As a soft white radiance enveloped her hands, Sunny coughed �� this time because he was drowning in blood, as opposed to out of embarrassment �� and gave her an apologetic smile.


    ?I just... didn''t want... to cause you pain...?

 Chapter 1966: Fragile flowers.

    Chapter 1966: Fragile flowers.


    Once again, Sunny felt Neph''s gentle touch, and a pleasant warmth enveloped his body, washing all his pain away.


    The relief was palpable and exhilarating, dazing him for a short moment.


    Of course, it was darkened by the knowledge that the pain he was liberated from was at least equal, and very likely much inferior, to the pain Nephis endured for his sake in return.


    As the soft radiance enveloping her hands dimmed and was extinguished, she supported the avatar and looked at Master Sunless, who was still sitting at the table.


    Her expression was strangely dark for a moment, and then turned stern.


    ?...No more of that nonsense.?


    Confused, Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    ?What do you mean??


    Nephis remained silent for a moment, then sighed deeply and let go of the avatar.


    Patting him on the shoulder, she rose from the floor and walked back to her chair.


    ?The sparing me the pain nonsense.?


    Nephis took a glass filled with fragrant wine, drank deeply from it, and then carefully placed it down.


    ?If I were wounded and in pain right in front of you, and you had the power to stop my suffering, would you have hesitated to help me because of a few fleeting moments of agony??


    Sunny shook his head.


    ?No. I mean... seeing someone I care about suffer would have been quite agonizing, anyway.?


    Nephis nodded slowly.


    ?Exactly. So, never hesitate to ask me for help... if you will.?


    Sunny did not say anything for a while. Then, he dismissed the avatar and smiled mischievously.


    ?...Is this your roundabout way of saying that you care about me, Lady Nephis??


    She scoffed.


    ?Seriously... how come I am only ever surrounded by such people??


    Nephis sighed and shook her head in resignation.


    ?Both you and Cassie. She has this infuriating habit of bottling things up, suffering in silence, and treating me like some kind of fragile flower. I watched her retreat into herself for four entire years, never admitting what was wrong...?


    Sunny''s eyes glistened.


    He knew that Cassie could have been very well hearing this conversation, but could not endure the temptation to share his grievances with a fellow victim of the blind seer''s cagey nature.


    ?Right? She''s so secretive! Like, who in their right mind would keep so much to themselves? For years! Vital information, too!?


    Of course, he knew that Cassie had most likely only been withdrawn in the last four years because she simply couldn''t make Nephis �� or anyone, really, except for Sunny himself ��remember what she had to say.


    And he knew that Cassie''s habit of keeping secrets close to her chest was because of the trauma of watching her visions become self-fulfilling prophecies in the most horrible way �� Sunny was personally responsible for cementing that trauma in her heart, after all.


    ?It''s nothing, Sunny. I''m just seeing another one of your many faces. I''ve never seen you so enthused about anything, I think.?


    Sunny''s gaze slipped to her lips. He lingered for a moment.


    ?I''m sure there was something I was more enthused about.?


    Nephis laughed.


    ?Oh, yes... I felt your enthusiasm quite clearly...?


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    ?What''s that supposed to mean??


    Then, he shook his head.


    ?Well, you''re not wrong. We are different, after all, you and I.?


    Nephis tilted her head a little.


    ?Different? How so??


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, looking at the enchanted canteen in his hand. Then, he offered her a faint smile.


    ?You were born to a family of warriors. You have inherited swordsmanship from your father, and wielding a sword is both your passion and your calling. I, however... only picked up the sword out of necessity. I''ve gotten quite good at wielding it, true. But if left alone, I would have much preferred to do something else. Like running a Memory store, writing academic papers, or managing a small restaurant.?


    Nephis seemed surprised by his words.


    ?Really??


    Once again, it looked like she wanted to ask more. But she held herself back, sensing that he wouldn''t answer.


    Sunny tried to ignore the awkward pause and nodded.


    ?Sure. I am not a very brave and virtuous person by nature. If anything, my true nature is fifty percent greed and fifty percent hedonism. Oh, and a little bit of spite.?


    Neph smiled gently.


    ?It seemed that you are more remarkable than I thought, then, Master Sunless. Because it takes much more effort to become who you are now while going against your nature.?


    She sighed.


    ?It even makes me feel insecure about my own swordsmanship. After all, as you said, it is not only my calling, but also my inheritance.?


    Hearing that, Sunny froze for a moment.


    ?Right.?


    Her inheritance...


    He wanted to spend more time with Nephis, but there was something more important than their reunion.


    Sunny hesitated a little, then dismissed the [Green Canteen] and said tentatively:


    ?About that... I think you should talk to Cassie soon. We have discovered something important. As well as something that might be of great value to you, and only you.?

 Chapter 1967: Lost Together

    Chapter 1967: Lost Together


    Nephis had only just returned to the camp, so she did not know about the memories of Master Orum yet. Sunny selfishly wanted to stay in her company for a while longer, but it was important for her to meet Cassie.


    Not only because of the knowledge about the Sovereigns that Orum''s memories contained, butalso because they were a testament to the lives of her parents.


    Broken Sword, Smile of Heaven...


    The two of them, who had been the shining stars of humanity once, were long gone. And they had not left a lot behind for their daughter, who carried the weight of their legacy alone.


    When Sunny spoke, Nephis nodded lightly and stood up. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she smiled.


    "Alright. Wait a little, I''ll be back shortly."


    With that, she left. Cassie''s living quarters were only one floor below her own, so she did not have to go far... however, Sunny knew that it was going to take her quite a long time to come back.


    Left alone, he sighed quietly.


    Suddenly, the fatigue that he had forgotten about returned, making his eyelids feel heavy.


    Sunny remained at the table for a while, picking up a few grapes absentmindedly. Then, he stood up and walked over to the wide balcony, looking at the landscape of the army camp far below.


    Neph''s chambers were spacious and sparsely furnished. The white walls were unadorned, and there was nowhere to rest except for the bed hidden beneath a canopy, which fluttered gently in the breeze. Shadows and sunlight were interspersed with open space, creating a beautiful and complicated mosaic.


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then sat down on the bed and closed his eyes, intending to let them rest for a moment.


    Instead, he simply fell asleep.


    His tired body desperately needed reprieve, and so did his overtaxed mind.


    So, Sunny decided not to wake himself up.


    Master Sunless had nothing to do at the moment, anyway. His other two incarnations could pick up the slack.


    The Lord of Shadows was preparing to attack the Song Army from the rear. Rain''s mercurial teacher was busy hiding from the Queen of Worms while keeping his headstrong disciple safe.


    So, he drifted into the soft embrace of sleep.


    ..After a while, feeling rested and refreshed, he became aware of his surroundings once again and slowly opened his eyes.


    It seemed that he had been asleep for much longer than intended. The air smelled of impending rain, and the stone chamber was much darker than before. Considering that there were no nights in Godgrave, it could only mean that storm clouds were gathering in the sky, casting a deep shadow on the war camp of the Sword Army.


    Sunny was still in the sweet grasp of sleep, a little. The bed was soft and welcoming, and both his body and mind felt revived. He was in a very good mood.


    ''The Hollows are going to be flooded again.''


    At least the Hollows of the eastern reach of the Collarbone Plain. He did not know how vast the approaching storm would be.


    Turning his head, Sunny noticed that Nephis had come back at some point. She was sitting on a chair a few meters away, looking at the piece of the grey sky visible through the arches of the balcony. Her distant eyes were the same color as the stormy sky, harboring a hint of melancholy.


    Watching her, Sunny belatedly realized that he was laying comfortably on her bed, his head resting on a soft pillow. However, he did not move, reluctant to disturb her thoughts.


    Nevertheless, Nephis must have sensed his gaze


    Especially my mother."


    She looked down at her hands and added, her voice sounding wistful: "But to be honest..."


    Nephis sighed.


    "..In the end, witnessing them only made me feel lonelier."


    Sunny remained silent for a while, not knowing what to say. Everything he wanted to say to her would be forgotten in a few moments, never leaving a mark. So, there was no point.


    Eventually, he looked at the ceiling.


    "There is this guy that I know. Who became an orphan early on. He was lonely for a long time, too. But then, he met a girl."


    He paused for a few seconds.


    "And then, he lost that girl. And then, he found her again, only to lose her again. Come to think of it, I guess it''s wrong to say that he lost her -


    rather, it was him who became lost. In any case, what I am trying to say is... actually, I''m not sure what I''m trying to say."


    Sunny smiled.


    "I seem to have had some kind of idea when I started talking, but now, I don''t know. You don''t have to feel like that, I guess."


    Nephis chuckled softly.


    Standing up, she walked over to the bed and sat down, looking at Sunny from above. There was a strange emotion in her eyes... both bitter and sweet, both powerful and timid.


    Perhaps it was longing.


    Nephis smiled.


    "Well... how does the story end? Was that guy found in the end?" Sunny answered her smile with one of his own, then shrugged.


    "I''m not sure yet. Time will tell..."


    She gazed at him deeply, not saying anything.


    Slowly, her smile dimmed, replaced by a calm and sober expression. And the strange emotion in her eyes grew more intense.


    Sunny wanted to speak, but before he could, Nephis leaned down and kissed him deeply. Her lips were like flame, setting his heart on fire. His hands rose, hovered hesitantly near her waist for a moment, and then wrapped around her tightly.


    As if intending to never let her go.


    Never let her go again.


    Responding to her kiss, Sunny pushed himself toward her, and then gently pulled her onto the bed.


    A flash of lightning illuminated the world, and somewhere in the distance, a deafening thunderclap shook the world.


    However, neither Sunny nor Nephis were aware of the storm, fully and utterly lost in each other.

 Chapter 1968: Council of Shadows

    Chapter 1968: Council of Shadows


    Somewhere far away, a titanic humerus bone hung far above the desolate ashen wasteland like a floating mountain chain. It was the right arm of the dead deity that connected Godgrave to the distant Moonriver Plain, as well as to the road leading to Ravenheart.


    Not long ago, it had been covered by the scarlet jungle. Now, however, the jungle was gone��the vermilion forest had been obliterated by the soldiers, and the white slope shone blindingly under the radiant, overcast sky.


    Then, there was movement.


    A small bird suddenly fell clumsily from that sky, colliding with the bone surface at full speed, head-first. The black crow bounced off the ground, rolled a couple of times, then jumped to its feet and shook its tiny head dazedly.


    Then, it remained motionless for a while before suddenly bursting into a tide of shadows.


    Those shadows surged and formed into the menacing figure of the Lord of Shadows. Sunny stared at the horizon with an absent expression. He was supposed to be preparing an ambush for the supply convoy of the Song Army right about now.


    But... how the hell... was he supposed to...


    He was already lucky to have fallen on the arm of the dead deity instead of plummeting straight into the Sea of Ash. That would have been... would have been...


    What was he thinking about?


    Why was he even thinking about anything, to begin with?!


    Shaking his head decidedly, Sunny fell backward and crumbled into four bewildered shadows. He had released control of his incarnation, entirely unwilling to split his attention between several bodies... right now.


    The shadows looked at each other in confusion.


    Nobody was controlling them at the moment, so it was unclear what they were supposed to do. A few seconds later...


    The naughty shadow suddenly threw its arms into the air and performed a triumphant pirouette. Then, it threw a smug, satisfied look at its companions.


    The haughty shadow would have usually given its sibling a contemptuous stare, but this time, it charitably held itself back. In fact, it raised his chin even higher than usual, emanating a very subtle feeling of contentment and pride.


    As if saying:


    "Finally. Everything is as it should be."


    ''What does he even know...''


    Looking around, Sunny tried to concentrate and glanced warily at the sky. Then, he turned into a shadow and glided swiftly across the surface of the white bone.


    He was already running late to his rendezvous...


    Some time later, he reached the road built on the dead god''s arm by the soldiers of the Song Army. It was hardly a proper road, really��not even a Sovereign could have built something substantial on the nearly indestructible surface of the ancient bone. Instead, logs scavenged from the annihilated jungle were placed on the ground, held in place by tar.


    The supply caravans used this road to pull heavy carts up the slope, eventually reaching the crossing to the Collarbone Plain. Now that Ki Song had descended upon Godgrave in person, the Song Army possessed a Dream Gate of their own, so their supply situation was not as bad as it had been before.


    But there were limits to what a Dream Gate could achieve. First of all, only cargo from the waking world could be carried through it, most of which was mundane. Secondly, the supply infrastructure in the waking world was a glaring vulnerability��after the fall of the House of Night, no one believed that the war would stay contained in the Dream Realm anymore.


    The flow of supplies from the other side could be cut off at any moment, so both armies were working hard to maintain a logistical connection to their Domains.


    Sunny''s job was to disrupt that connection by harassing the Song Army from the rear.


    He had briefly considered destroying the crossing itself, but decided against it in the end. The crossing was too close to the main camp of the enemy, and to their sole Citadel in Godgrave, as well. The risk of running into someone truly powerful��perhaps even the Queen herself��was too great.


    So, he had chosen to start with a single caravan.


    Those caravans weren''t easy targets, either. The supplies were guarded by both Awakened troops and Ascended officers. From time to time, there would even be a Saint mixed between the soldiers��Clan Song had plenty of those to spare, after all.


    Worse still, the carts were being pulled by Beastmaster''s thralls, and there were dead pilgrims escorting them.


    The Queen had her eyes on the caravans, so Sunny had to be swift about his attack.


    He had already lost the chance to be swift due to... unforeseen circumstances...


    It was worth it, though, of course��without a shadow of a doubt. Sunny couldn''t stop smiling.


    ''Focus! There is no time to waste.''


    He could already see the head of the caravan in the distance... But, sadly, he really could not focus at all.

 Chapter 1969 Summoned Demon

    Master Karna of the Maharana Clan observed the white slopes of the dead god''s arm with a somber expression. The abominable jungle was gone, and the caravan was far above the Sea of Ash now. The crossing to the Collarbone Plain was close, so the most dangerous part of the journey was almost behind them.


    Yet still, he felt ill at ease.


    Perhaps it was because of the radiant clouds above, or because of how desolate the landscape was. Perhaps it was for no reason at all, and he was simply tense because of the heavy responsibility of protecting the caravan. Although not a grizzled veteran, he was experienced enough to know that the last stretch of a journey was often the most perilous �� for no other reason than the fact that people tended to abandon caution once the final destination was already in sight.


    His cousin, Saint Dar, had taught him that.


    ''We ought to stay alert.''


    He turned back to look at the caravan.


    The sight alleviated his worry, somewhat.


    There were more than a hundred heavy wagons being pulled across the crude road, each loaded with precious supplies. Which meant that there were at least a hundred ferocious, towering creatures pulling them �� Beastmaster''s thralls, most of them at least equal to him in Rank. Some of the enthralled Nightmare Creatures had come from the various regions of the Song Domain, some had been subjugated by the Queen''s daughter here in Godgrave. They alone were a fearsome force, making the caravan akin to a moving fortress.


    But the thralls weren''t the only ones defending it.


    There were Awakened warriors, as well �� two hundred of them. There were a dozen Masters like him. There were also powerful Echoes, and, most importantly of all...


    The pilgrims were escorting the caravan, walking silently at its flanks. Although the walking dead made Karna uneasy, they were the heralds of the Queen. As such, they were the best shield he could have hoped for.


    The caravan had already experienced several battles on the way to Godgrave, obliterating swarms of Nightmare Creatures lured by the smell of human souls. Each time, the abominations were easily eradicated before reaching the wagons �� so, it was hard to imagine that something could threaten him and his soldiers.


    ''We are already so close...''


    Unless a demon climbed out of hell to destroy them, they would make it to the warcamp unscathed.


    "Karna!"


    The shout of a fellow Master made him flinch and turn around.


    The original vessel of the Skinwalker, perhaps, or of something even more terrifying.


    In any case, all the rumors agreed on one thing �� that the Lord of Shadows was immensely powerful and utterly ruthless.


    Karna gritted his teeth.


    Still... he was merely one man.


    Even if the Lord of Shadows was a Saint, he was facing an entire army alone. There were two hundred Awakened warriors, two cohorts of Masters, and a hundred enthralled Nightmare Creatures �� many of them of the Corrupted Rank �� facing him. There were also the pilgrims.


    No matter how powerful, one man could not defeat an army.


    Turning to his comrades, Karna opened his mouth, wanting to bolster their spirits and give the command to attack...


    But then he froze.


    Something was wrong about the world. Something was terribly, terribly wrong.


    Looking down, he felt icy claws grasp his heart.


    ��...What?��


    The closest person to him was a fellow Master �� a quiet woman who was a retainer of the royal clan. Everything about her was familiar, except for one thing. For some reason, the woman had two shadows.


    Karna had two shadows, as well.


    He stared at the shadows in horror, trying to understand where the extra ones had come from, and what their appearance meant. Then, he saw two crimson flames igniting in the depths of his own shadow.


    ...That was the last thing Karna saw.


    Because in the next moment, the world was suddenly consumed by impenetrable darkness.

 Chapter 1970 Fear of Shadows

    Darkness had descended upon Godgrave, where the sun never set. Karna was both startled and, despite not wanting to admit it, scared. He had in his possession a Memory that granted him a night vision akin to that of a nocturnal predator, and yet, he suddenly found himself blind.


    Which meant that the darkness surrounding him was not simply a vast shadow, but true darkness instead.


    He could not see anything... but he could hear.


    There were plenty of sounds.


    The roars of the enthralled Nightmare Creatures, the screaming human voices, the clangor of metal, the nauseating crunching of splitting flesh. It all happened in an instant, turning the peaceful melody of creaking wheels into a deafening clamor of battle.


    ��How can he...��


    But there was no time to guess.


    Snarling, Karna activated his Awakened Ability. In the next moment, he switched places with an Awakened warrior who had been guarding a wagon a few dozen meters behind.


    There was still only darkness, so Karna switched places with another soldier, moving even further back.


    ��Come on, come on...��


    Finally, he escaped into the light.


    In front of him, the front of the caravan was swallowed by a pool of darkness. Behind him was chaos �� everyone was startled by the unexpected attack, not knowing what was going on.


    There was something different about the state of the caravan, as well. Apart from those unfortunate souls caught in the pool of true darkness, the rest of the soldiers were alright. So were the thralls of Beastmaster.


    However, the pilgrims �� each and every one of them �� were gone, replaced by tall bonfires.


    Someone, or something, had set them all aflame in these few short moments.


    Karna paled a little and jumped onto the wagon, looking ahead, in the direction where the Lord of Shadows had been standing before.


    He saw the sinister Saint almost instantly.


    The Lord of Shadows was calmly walking down the bone slope, his steps graceful and unhurried. The back of a black odachi rested on his shoulder, and his white hair was fluttering in the wind.


    There were still several hundred meters separating him from the caravan, but the madman was indeed intending to face them all alone. Karna''s eyes narrowed.


    If so... he was going to oblige.


    Raising his bow, he put some strength into his voice and bellowed:


    "It''s the Lord of Shadows! Brothers, with me... attack!"


    And they did.


    The warriors surged forward, the wagon drivers cut the Nightmare Creatures loose, allowing them to rush at the Valor''s hired fiend in a murderous frenzy. Arrows streaked across the sky, and scores of Aspect Abilities were unleashed.


    The sight of it was daunting.


    However, in the next moment, Karna felt his mouth turning dry.


    It was because countless shadows suddenly moved all around them, coming alive.


    The light of day seemed dimmer now, the darkness deeper.


    Some of the shadows shot from the ground, turning into needle-sharp spikes �� they pierced the bodies of Beastmaster''s thralls. Some turned into black chains that slithered across the ground, binding soldiers and pulling them down.


    Some even turned into black hands, each with seven fingers that ended in sharp claws, blocking the Aspect Abilities.


    Blood spilled on the white bone, a terrible cacophony of screams permeated the air, and several wagons were split apart by the unleashed violence.


    Karna growled.


    "Curse you!"


    A Saint was a powerful existence, but not an invulnerable one. They still bled like humans and could be killed by humans.


    All it would take was one sword that struck true, one arrow that bypassed the enemy''s onyx armor...


    Nocking an arrow on the string of his bow, Karna activated both its enchantment and his Ascended Ability, then drew it and took aim.


    The darkness was gone. The burning pilgrims had turned to ash. The thralls of Beastmaster were all eviscerated, laying in bloody piles on the ground. The Awakened warriors were all bound by chains, many of them unconscious...


    They were utterly defeated.


    And the lone creature that had defeated them had not even shed a single drop of blood.


    Karna let out a desperate growl.


    "Curse you! Curse you, you demon!"


    His voice was the only thing breaking the silence, apart from the groans of the wounded soldiers.


    No... there was another sound.


    The Lord of Shadows was still humming joyfully, as if today was the best day of his life.


    The terrifying demon of darkness had assumed his human form once again, observing the battlefield with a strange sense of satisfaction, like a demented artist looking at a painted canvas.


    But then... Something was not right.


    Karna looked around once more, trying to understand where the sense of incongruity he felt had come from.


    After a while, a slight shudder ran through his body.


    The pilgrims had been destroyed, and the thralls had been slaughtered. However, the humans...


    Many were wounded, and many were bleeding. However, their wounds were shallow, and their bleeding was light.


    They were knocked out, bound by the black chains, and immobilized. But they were alive.


    Karna gasped, feeling both relieved and suffocated. He felt bitter. Because he knew...


    That keeping an enemy alive in a battle was much harder than killing them. The Lord of Shadows, that fiend... had not even shown them his true power. His true malevolence, his true ability to sow death were still unknown.


    ��How could that be?��


    ��How bad Princess Revel survived meeting this horror?��


    "Why..."


    His whisper was quiet, but the dark apparition seemed to have heard him.


    The Lord of Shadow turned the chilling gaze of his


    lightless eyes in Karna''s direction. Knowing that there was no sense in trying to avoid attention anymore, Karna gritted his teeth.


    "Why did you spare us?!"


    The fiend stared at him silently for a while, then chuckled.


    His voice was cold and arrogant:


    "...Because Changing Star asked me to show mercy today."


    The Lord of Shadow grew quiet for a moment, then let out a regretful sigh.


    "It''s such a shame. Usually, I love nothing more than slaying humans. How unfortunate.? ah, I''m in a terrible mood."


    With that, he continued to hum his lively tune and walked away. Karna heard terrifying sounds coming from somewhere behind, but he could not turn around. It was as if something enormous was feasting, scraping the ancient bones with countless metal feet as it moved.


    After some time �� an eternity, perhaps �� the sounds grew quiet. Then, the black chains binding him dissolved into a tide of shadows. He was free.


    Standing up, Kama turned and looked around.


    All around him, the wounded soldiers were swaying as they rose from the ground.


    But the caravan itself was gone. The wagons had disappeared without a trace, most likely utterly destroyed and swallowed by some abominable being.


    All that remained were the corpses of the slain Nightmare Creatures, and the blood painting the surface of Godgrave red.


    And fear.


    Fear of meeting the Lord of Shadows on a day when that dreadful demon was not held back by the mercy of Lady Changing Star.

 Chapter 1971 Rumor Mill

    Rain was stirred awake by the blaring of a war horn. Opening her eyes to a stark darkness, she sighed and pulled a piece of fabric off her face �� the cloth was nothing more than one of her shirts rolled to resemble a blindfold, which she used to block out the light.


    Almost every soldier in Godgrave had been forced to seek out darkness in some way or another. The perpetual radiance of the murderous sky was both oppressive and a source of constant fear, but most of all, it was exhausting. It was bright almost everywhere one went, which made sleep elusive. So, they had learned ways to cope with the hateful absence of darkness and night.


    Rain''s way was on the primitive side, but it still let her sleep in peace. Which was why she was quite unhappy to have been awoken so early. ��What the hell is going on...��


    She would have been hurriedly summoning her battle Memories before, but now that the Queen was with them, the camp of the Song Army was much safer. It was highly unlikely that there was immediate danger, so Rain took her time.


    Yawning, she stretched, then summoned the Puppeteer''s Shroud and climbed out of her tent as soon as the soft grey fabric covered her pale skin. A wave of heat assaulted her outside, and Rain saw that the camp was boiling with strange activity.


    The soldiers were rushing, the hideous thralls were being saddled, and the pilgrims were moving silently between the tents. Far in the distance, the main gates of the camp were opening slowly.


    Rain studied the commotion somberly.


    "Good morning."


    Turning around, she saw Tamar standing with her arms crossed a few steps away. Beside her, Ray and Fleur were starting a fire to prepare food.


    Rain raised an eyebrow.


    "Is it morning?"


    The young Legacy shrugged.


    "I might as well be. Does it matter?"


    Rain failed to suppress another yawn and shook her head.


    Walking to the fire pit, she asked:


    "What is going on?"


    Ray, who had been trying to fire up the kindling with a mundane flint, looked up at her in surprise.


    "You haven''t heard?"


    Rain stared at him for a moment, then took the flint from his hands and ignited the kindling on the first try.


    "How would I have heard anything while asleep?"


    Everything had been fine yesterday.


    A corner of Tamar''s mouth curled upward a little. She took a seat near the fire and summoned a spatial storage Memory... which had been the source of endless envy for Rain ever since the Legacy girl received it from the Saint of Sorrow.


    Taking out their provisions and a can of powdered coffee �� another luxury item �� Tamar handed them to Fleur and spoke:


    "The news reached the camp a few hours ago �� there was another clash with the forces of the Sword Domain. Congratulations. You slept through the second human battle of this war."


    The delicate girl nodded, her expression strangely similar to one of relief.


    "The Lord of Shadow did not just destroy the caravan. For some reason, he spared every human guarding it. He killed the thralls and the pilgrims, but left the soldiers alive."


    Tamar''s subtle smile widened a little.


    "Don''t we know the reason? He said it himself. It was because Lady Changing Star had asked him to be merciful."


    She seemed strangely cheerful despite the slap dealt: to the Song Army. Rain, meanwhile, was a little dumbfounded.


    She could easily believe that Lady Nephis had asked the sellsword Saint to be merciful. She could even believe that the Lord of Shadows would actually listen to her...


    But subduing so many warriors? Not killing them, but defeating them without taking a single life?


    Just how terrifying did one''s power have to be to achieve a feat like that?


    She felt both disturbed and relieved. Relieved because her fellow soldiers had been spared, and disturbed because the nebulous figure of the Lord of Shadows seemed even more frightening now.


    What would happen on the day the enemy decided not to stay his blade?


    Ray cursed quietly.


    "I told you all that he was a scary bastard. The first time I saw him... gods. He said... Dreamer Ray, I''ve decided not to kill you! As if killing me was the default option! If not for Lady Nephis, I would have probably died right there and then."


    Fleur looked at him scornfully.


    "But he saved our lives, in the end. Show some gratitude."


    Ray spared her an apologetic smile.


    Tamar sighed, took the cup of fragrant coffee that Fleur offered her, and said:


    "In any case, the remnants of the caravan are still on the Right Arm. They are alive, but many are wounded �� so, the army is sending a rescue force to bring them back. We''ll know more once they reach the camp."


    Then, her expression changed, and she looked around in confusion.


    "But... what was that noise?"


    Rain scratched the back of her head, receiving her own cup of coffee. "What noise? I didn''t hear anything."


    She was lying through her teeth, though.


    She did hear it.


    ''What the hell?!��


    Tamar frowned.


    "I am sure I heard something. Sounded like... humming?"

 Chapter 1972 Private Conversation

    Rain took a sip of coffee, hiding her face behind the tin cup.


    She had heard it too!


    After all, the humming had come from her own shadow.


    ''What is this fool doing?!��


    Feeling pins and needles, she gulped down the scalding coffee and forced out a smile.


    "Well, anyway. I��ll go take a walk... I mean, Visit the baths. Thank you kindly, Fleur, the coffee was delicious."


    She had to get away from her companions as quickly as possible, in case her teacher was planning to start whistling or actually break into a song.


    Rain was truly flabbergasted. He had always been flawlessly cautious when around other people... what; could have made him commit such a ridiculous mistake?


    Putting the cup down, she stood up, stretched one more time, and headed away from their small cluster of tents.


    "Wait, Rani! Aren''t you going to eat breakfast?"


    Rain waved a hand and answered Tamar in a carefree tone:


    "Later! I''m not very hungry."


    ''Damnation...��


    She needed to find somewhere private to talk to her teacher. Sadly, privacy was not very common in the crowded camp of the Song Army... still, she knew a place or two.


    In fact, many soldiers did, since everyone needed privacy from time to time, for one reason or another �� some as innocent as simply wanting to be alone, some a bit more salacious.


    The place Rain had chosen was situated at the back of a large warehouse where the building materials were stored, not far from the towering Dream Gate. Now that the walls of the camp had been built, and the Queen was here, making damaging them a tall task for the Nightmare Creatures inhabiting Godgrave, very few people visited the warehouse, let alone walked around it.


    She knew this place well.


    Squeezing into a narrow space between the wall of the warehouse and a neat pile of stone slabs unloaded behind it, she leaned her back against one of them and closed her eyes for a moment.


    Then, she looked at her shadow angrily and hissed:


    "Hey! What was that?!"


    Her shadow remained silent for a bit.


    Then, it answered in an absentminded tone:


    "Huh? What was what?"


    Rain opened her mouth, losing the ability to talk for a second.


    "The humming! Why the hell were you humming before?"


    A second shadow emerged from her own and scratched the back of its head.


    "...Was I humming? Oh... sorry. It must have been because I''m in a really good mood."


    ''Hc finally lost what little remained of his mind!��


    Rain didn''t even know what to say.


    Her teacher, meanwhile, assumed a human form, leaning on the wall of the warehouse across from her. He did indeed seem to be in a strangely good mood, with a subtle smile on his lips and a distant look in his eyes.


    Rain had not seen him in the flesh for a long time, so being face��to��face once again warmed her heart. Still, she tried to maintain a stern expression.


    He couldn��t be so careless again!


    Her teacher, meanwhile, gave her a long look.


    ''You bastard! What do you mean, "only" the Great Ones?!��


    Pulling her along, her teacher walked between the ancient trees and entered a small clearing.


    There... somehow... Rain saw a familiar brick cottage.


    She was too dazed to even bother wondering what it was doing in the Hollows.


    This time, she was led to a back door �� Rain was pretty sure that it had not existed the last time she saw the cottage, but now, it was undeniably there.


    Inside was a vast chamber filled with darkness. And in the middle of that darkness... lay a towering mountain of items.


    There were pieces of broken wagons, piles of precious mystical materials, bags of flour and rice, crates of arrows with arrowheads forged from sorcerous steel, barrels filled with unknown liquids, slabs of building stone... and so much more.


    There was a very familiar symbol burned into the wooden crates, as well.


    ...The crest of the Royal Clan Song.


    Rain froze.


    Raising a shaking hand, she pointed at the mountain of supplies and asked in a small voice:


    "Teacher... w��what is that?"


    But she knew what it was. It was the supply caravan of the Song Army... what was left of it.


    He glanced at the supplies briefly and shrugged.


    "That? The supplies meant for the Song Army, of course."


    Rain nodded.


    ''Right.��


    As if that explained anything!


    She struggled to speak for a moment.


    "But what are they doing here?"


    Her teacher sighed.


    "Well, I thought: that it would be a real shame to just burn them all or toss them into the Sea of Ash. So, I commandeered them instead. Oh, but don''t tell anyone... officially, all these supplies were destroyed..." Feeling like she was losing her mind, Rain took a deep breath, and then whispered loudly:


    "But why do you have them?! It was the Lord of Shadows who attacked the caravan! That scary bastard!"


    The monster whom even Princess Revel couldn''t defeat.


    Her teacher stared at Rain with a surprised expression.


    Then, he scratched his nose.


    "...Wait, you really didn''t know?"


    What was she supposed to know?!


    Rain silently shook her head.


    He coughed.


    "It''s because I am the Lord of Shadows."


    Noticing Rain''s dumbfounded expression, her teacher smiled pleasantly.


    "Just think about it... anyone claiming to be the Lord of Shadow would be claiming to be the lord of me. And even if there was a fool crazy enough to do something like that, I would have probably sent them to see the Shadow Realm real quick... to dissuade them..."

 Chapter 1973 Me, Myself, and I

    For a while, there was nothing but silence in the dark hall.


    Then, there was more silence.


    Rain stared at her teacher with wide eyes.


    ��What did he just say?��


    It seemed that she imagined that her teacher claiming to be the Lord of Shadows...


    The Lord of Shadows - the mysterious Saint of Godgrave, the sinister sellsword who had offered his blade to the King of Valor, faced Princess Revel in the battle at Vanishing Lake, and decimated a supply caravan of the Song Army alone, sparing the lives of two hundred Awakened and Ascended warriors at Changing Star''s behest.


    That Lord of Shadows.


    ��Wait...��


    The Lord of Shadows who had saved the lives of Tamar, Ray, and Fleur!


    ...At Changing Star''s behest.


    The situation was so shocking that Rain was struggling to form a single cohesive though, but despite all its seriousness, an entirely frivolous memory surfaced in her mind instead of something important.


    It was one of her teacher''s preposterous rants:


    ��Do you know Princess Nephis? Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan? I was practically her boyfriend!��


    Rain almost swayed.


    ��No... no, wait!��


    She pierced her teacher with an intense gaze, momentarily forgetting even about the sweet Memories he had promised to give her.


    ��Teacher... you... you really are the Lord of Shadows?��


    The bastard had started humming again, at some point.


    Hearing her, he looked at her and smiled.


    ��Sure. Now can we move on to...��


    Rain did not let him finish.


    ��No! We absolutely cannot move on! What the... how... I mean, why... no, what do you mean, you''re the Lord of Shadows?! He''s all the way in the camp of the Sword Army! When he was fighting Princess Revel, you were with me! When he was saving Tamar, you were helping me track down the Huntsman! How does that make any sense?! What, you can be in two places at the same time? Following me around and simultaneously acting as the Lord of Shadows ?��


    Her teacher gave her a confused look.


    ��What? Of course not...��


    Rain let out a relieved sign.


    ��Thank the gods! It was another one of his preposterous lies.��


    However, she celebrated too early. Because her teacher wasn''t done talking.


    "What do you mean? Of course, it did! Have you forgotten that I tried to dissuade you? But no, you just had to be all moral and righteous... I can''t just sit on the sidelines! These are the people I know, and they will be the ones who suffer! I can''t step back and do nothing! Those were your words... do you even know how loudly I was cursing on the inside while going on about how you are joining the war?"


    Rain''s eye twitched.


    "Well... when you put it like that..."


    Her teacher scoffed.


    "But I couldn''t very well stomp on your principles, so I kept quiet. Well, it doesn''t matter that much, anyway. Who says that you and me being on different sides will become a problem? Me and me are on different sides as well, and I''m not worried."


    Hearing that last sentence, Rain felt a strong headache.


    As if it made sense!


    It was too bizarre.


    Not only had her teacher been living several lives at the same time, but one of his incarnations was even a general of the opposing army... the most feared general of them all! The very same sinister Saint who had just attacked the supply caravan of Song.


    The incriminating evidence was right here an entire mountain of stolen... commandeered, as he had called it... supplies.


    And he had not even taken them in the name of the Sword Army. He had just hoarded them for himself!


    Her eyes trembled.


    ��My teacher... is a bandit! He''s a shameless, flagrant highwayman!��


    But then again, that one actually wasn''t that surprising. Quite the opposite, really.


    She could believe it easily. That sounded exactly like something her teacher would do...


    Rain took a deep breath.


    ��So...��


    Her teacher was pretending to be a sellsword Saint who had been hired by the King of Swords. He was also the Knight Commander of the Great Clan Valor. He was also the Memory Purveyor - whatever that meant - of the Ivory Island, which was Changing Star''s own Citadel.


    And he was a master chef somewhere in Bastion on top of that!


    ��Right.��


    It was going to take her some time to come to terms with these facts.


    ��Just as expected from a dark deity.��


    No... was he really a dark deity?


    Suddenly, Rain came to realize that she knew very little about her teacher, despite spending almost every day of these past four years in his company.


    She took a deep breath and looked at him soberly.


    After hesitating for a while, Rain asked:


    "Teacher... who are you, really?��

 Chapter 1974 Lost Time

    Rain hesitated, trying to formulate her question better.


    "I mean... are you a human? A spirit? Some strange apparition that enjoys cooking, terrifying vast armies of Awakened, and educating young maidens? And don''t you dare say that you are just a shadow! What does that even mean?"


    Her teacher stared at her for a few moments.


    "Well... a shadow is the dark area that appears when an object blocks the source of light..."


    Rain clenched her fists.


    "That''s not what I was asking!��


    He laughed, then commanded the shadows to rise from the floor and manifest into another - much less comfortable, from the looks of it - chair.


    Sitting down, her teacher shrugged.


    "What are you even talking about? I am just a human Saint."


    Rain shook her head energetically.


    "No! I''ve met Saints, and there are no human Saints like you. You never sleep, never eat, live in the shadows, and go around slaying Skinwalker vessels as if they were children. You even know how to guide a person to Awakening without infecting them with the Spell. And that is just one-seventh of you!"


    He hesitated for a little while.


    "Well, alright. I''m not... just... a human Saint. I am quite special, as far as human Saints go."


    Leaning back, he smiled.


    "In fact, there is no one else like me. As far as I know, there are two other Transcendent humans who can rival my power. However, I am unique even among them... because I am not a carrier of the Nightmare Spell anymore."


    Rain blinked.


    ''A Saint... who is not a carrier of the Nightmare Spell?''


    Anymore?


    How was that possible?


    Noticing her confused expression, her teacher chuckled.


    "It''s a long story - a story that spans thousands of years, actually, so forgive me if I don''t go into detail. Suffice it to say, I met a very loathsome Cursed Terror in my Third Nightmare... and here I am."


    He hesitated, and then added.


    "My original body is someplace else. Unlike this incarnation, it does eat, sleep, and perform all the things that humans tend to do. The version of me that has been following you around, meanwhile, is one of my shadows. That is why I sometimes seem a bit weird, compared to normal humans."


    Rain studied him silently.


    ''So that''s how it is!''


    She felt satisfied, because things were finally starting to make sense...


    But, strangely enough... she also felt a little betrayed. Because her teacher had an entire other life - several of them, actually - that she knew nothing about.


    Suddenly, something occurred to her.


    "Teacher... if you are a human, then what is your name?"


    He coughed.


    "My name? Huh... well, if you must know, my name is Sunless. But people usually call me Sunny."


    Rain stared at her for a few moments.


    Then, she leaned back and laughed.


    Then, he shrugged nonchalantly.


    "Weren''t you adopted?"


    Rain nodded slowly, not knowing what that had to do with anything.


    ''Wait...''


    Her teacher smiled.


    "Well, I was your brother before that. There... you have my permission to drop the ''teacher'' and start calling me ''older brother'' instead."


    Rain froze.


    ''Before... that?''


    She had no memories from before she was adopted. After all, that happened when she was very young - three years old, at best.


    Her parents had never made a secret of the fact that she was not their biological child, and had never treated her differently because of that. That was why Rain had never really felt a need to learn where she had come from...


    However, she had tried to find out eventually. Her parents helped her, and her dad even pulled some strings at work.


    But there was nothing to learn. There was no robust centralized database that contained the records of every person living in the outskirts - in fact, many of them had no digital trace whatsoever. They weren''t citizens, and so, the government did not care to waste manpower on keeping records of them.


    All they found out was that Rain''s parents were both deceased, her mother passing away last due to illness - even that was only a rumor an orphanage worker heard from the person who had worked there before him.


    And that was all.


    She had been a little disappointed to have learned nothing, but not too much.


    So why... why did Rain feel like she was forgetting something?


    It was as if she had just thought about it, but the thought slipped away.


    Looking at her teacher, she asked evenly:


    "If you are really my brother... then where have you been? Where have you been all this time?"


    His smile dimmed a little.


    Strangely, Rain found it hard to focus on what he was about to say.


    Her teacher lingered for a few moments, then looked away.


    "Rotting in the outskirts, at first. And then... well. I can''t really tell you, and you should not ask."


    Rain looked at him, stunned.


    He was not joking. He had not been joking, from the start.


    She felt... some strange, inexplicable emotion rising in her heart.


    She thought that she had never cared about her original family and about her past. But now, it seemed that she had been wrong.


    Or maybe she had simply forgotten.


    Looking at the young man sitting in front of her...


    The familiar, insufferable, whimsical, caring, strong, funny, unreliable, dependable man who had been her companion, confidant, teacher, and protector for the last four years...


    Rain took a shaky breath.


    Then, she said tentatively:


    "B... brother?"

 Chapter 1979 Sweet Dreams

    Chapter 1979  Sweet Dreams

    Someplace else, Sunny slowly opened his eyes. Pure sunshine was pouring through the tall arched windows, and the air was suffused with warmth. The sweltering heat of Godgrave was dispelled by a pleasant breeze.

    The storm was long over, and the world was at peace. His body felt refreshed and revitalized despite having been enveloped by a blissful fatigue not too long ago, and his mind was at ease. He had slept well... better than he had ever slept in his life.

    Waking up in Neph's bed for the second time in a row felt quite amazing. Of course, this time, he had not just fallen asleep atop the covers. Feeling a tantalizing, warm softness pressing against his chest, Sunny raised his head and rested it on a hand, looking down. Nephis was sleeping peacefully by his side, in his embrace. Her long, beautiful silver hair was scattered across the pillow, glistening in the sunlight. Her face was smooth and enchanting, more vulnerable than it had ever seemed before. Below it, her slender neck led to a round, alabaster shoulder... and beyond that, the alluring sight of her delicate clavicle was revealed, making his heart race. To Sunny's chagrin, the rest was covered by a pristine white sheet.

    Still, there was probably no sight more lovely in the entire world. He remained motionless for a while, delighting in the breathtaking scene and listening to the subtle sound of Neph's tranquil breathing. His mind was a little empty. This moment, this feeling, this... closeness. He had been wanting it so desperately, and for long. Being here, with her, was almost too meaningful to fathom. And he did not really want to fathom it, either �� or anything, for that matter. He was in too good of a mood to spoil it with excessive thinking, and wished to simply enjoy the blissful beauty of the moment. He wished that it would never end.

    How fitting it was, for him to attain what he wanted so deeply in the tower of the Demon of Desire...

    With a quiet sigh, Sunny lowered his head back to the pillow and closed his eyes, enveloped in Neph's smell and basking in the sensation of her warmth.

    Perhaps... it was alright to sleep for a bit more. He had almost drifted back into the gentle embrace of sleep when a tentative voice suddenly resounded in his mind:

    [Uh... Sunny?]

    Sunny opened one eye, startled a little and dissatisfied by the sudden interruption.

    [What?]

    Cassie remained silent for a few moments, then asked in calm tone:

    [Are you guys coming down any time soon? Because, you know... you've been locked up there for a couple of days, already. And Nephis is technically in charge of this entire camp. There are some decisions I can't make alone.]

    Cassie spoke in a composed, nonchalant tone... but that only made Sunny feel more embarrassed about what she had said. For a split second. Then, a satisfied smile crept up on his face.

    'Why yes, we have...'

    Sunny answered without opening his eyes, still lost in the softness, warmth, and sunlight. [Sorry. Nephis is... a bit tired. We should probably let her rest for a while longer, but I'll be there shortly and lend a hand.]

    She gestured to the pile of papers laying on her desk. Some were written in Braille, but some were not. Cassie needed someone's eyes to read them. Sunny silently walked to stand behind her shoulder and looked down. He hesitated for a few moments, and then couldn't help but ask:

    "Don't you have any questions, by the way? About, you know..."

    "I don't!"

    Cassie's swift response came before he could even finish the question. Her voice was a little bit too loud, as well.

    ...Sunny could swear that the indomitable blind seer even blushed a little. Where was her composure? Where was her nonchalance?

    He grinned. "Well, good. Don't be like Effie..."

    Cassie took a deep breath.

    "As if!"

    He chuckled, then hesitated a little, and asked in a calm tone:

    "How are things in Bastion?"

    Cassie remained silent and motionless for a moment. When she spoke, though, Sunny couldn't help but flinch.

    "...Bastion is gone."

    Finally, a deep frown found its way onto his face. "Gone? What do you mean? Have Mordret taken it already?"

    Cassie sighed, then shook her head. "No... I mean it is literally gone. The castle, the city, and the people."

    Her voice grew somber:

    "All that is left are the broken walls, the lake, and the shattered moon."

 Chapter 1976 Rani of Shadow

    Chapter 1976  Rani of Shadow


    Sunny failed to dodge Rain''s punch. ...So, she hurt her hand. They ascended the stairs silently, but the silence was much less awkward than it had been a few minutes ago. In fact, it was quite comfortable, almost like before... well, if not for the fact that Rain groaned from time to time, cradling her bruised hand. "What the hell are you made of, stone?"


    Sunny looked at her and smiled. "Actually... yeah, sort of. You see, there was this suit of armor I had, a Memory of something forged by the ruler of the Underwolrd..."


    Rain shook her head decisively.


    "No, no, stop. I don''t want to know!"


    He chuckled. There were some Valor troops stationed at the Nameless Temple, but their camp was outside its walls. Still, they had access to the main hall and the Gateway located there, so Sunny took a roundabout way to the inner sanctum �� and the courtyard beyond. There, a tall tree stood in absolute darkness, its leaves rustling quietly in the wind. Sunny led Rain across the black marble plates. As he did, the darkness around them stirred and surged, eventually manifesting into a long bench �� sitting down, Sunny leaned back and inhaled deeply. Rain sat down, too, looking around with curiosity. Her gaze grew a little tense at the sight of the tree, and she studied it cautiously. Her caution was easy to understand �� here in Godgrave, the only trees were those spawned by the abominable jungle. She had seen too many of her comrades being killed and consumed by them, enough so that the sound of rustling leaves had already become an instinctual fear. Sunny sighed. "Calm down. I brought it here from the waking world... it is a perfectly mundane tree."


    He paused for a moment, and then added:


    "Well, at least it should be."


    In truth, he wasn''t quite sure. After being tended to by Shakti the Fire Keeper, this tree of his had recovered from its former malaise. It was doing quite well now, already having grown a bit taller... too well, even, considering the environment. It was only ever surrounded by shadows, after all. Sunny honestly had no idea what was happening to his tree. Hearing his words, Rain seemed to calm down. She looked around once more, and then asked suddenly:


    "Wait. If you really are a Saint who rules a Citadel... and my brother... then..." Her expression became a little strange. "...Doesn''t that make me an actual Legacy? I''m a Legacy?"


    Sunny stared at her silently for a few moments. That was an interesting question, actually. He was one of the six most powerful humans in the world, did indeed conquer a Citadel with his own two hands, and had even unlocked his Aspect Legacy. More than that, Rain was a direct beneficiary of that Legacy now that she bore the Mark of Shadows. There was no codified definition of what a Legacy clan was, really. Most of them had been founded by the prominent Awakened of the First Generation �� those powerful and lucky enough to survive and thrive in the dire world of the Nightmare Spell. Ruling a Citadel and having a Legacy heirloom were common traits shared by many clans, but not all of them. In fact, the hierarchy of the Awakened nobility had been shaken in recent years. With so many new Masters and Saints making a name for themselves in the wake of the Chain of Nightmares, some old families had suddenly found themselves inferior to the nameless newcomers. Old clans fell out of power, and new ones were being established. Take the Han Li clan, for example, who had lost its most promising scion and never managed to produce a Saint �� although not entirely forgotten, it had definitely declined, losing all influence. It was funny to think that Sunny had once been afraid of their retaliation. He scoffed. "Girl... if you don''t qualify to be a Legacy, then no one in the world can claim that they do."


    Rain blinked a couple of times, then suddenly smiled. "Well, well, well... who would have thought? Turns out I''m just as much of a princess as Tamar is. Ha! That is an entirely new perspective... how should I break the news to her, I wonder!"


    She remained silent for a few moments.


    "Wait, so what do I call myself? Rain of the Shadow Clan? Rain of Shadow? I mean... Rani of Shadow? That does sound kind of cool..." Sunny did not answer immediately, since he was stumped himself.


    Rain lingered for a moment, then said in a neutral tone:


    "That''s... a bit ominous."


    Sunny chuckled and looked at the tree with a distant expression. Eventually, he glanced at her with a faint smile. "I wanted you to see this tree, actually."


    He paused for a heartbeat or two, then looked away.


    "People in the outskirts rarely get to have graves. The place is terribly overcrowded �� well, at least it used to be before the Dream Gates �� and the mortality rate is extremely high. Bodies get disposed of in a very utilitarian way, so there''s nothing left behind."


    Sunny sighed. "Very few people from the outskirts survive the First Nightmare, as well. So, I was quite convinced that I would die when the Spell chose me. I didn''t mind that much, really, but it was a bit sad to think that there would be no trace of me left in the world..."


    He paused for a moment and smiled wryly, realizing how ironic it was. After all, that was exactly what had happened to him, in the end �� every trace of his life had been erased from existence, leaving nothing behind. He had assured this obliteration willingly, earnestly, and with his own hands. Oblivious to his thoughts, Rain listened to him intently.


    Sunny looked at her, then pointed to the lonely tree. "That was why I carved a line into this tree before entering the Nightmare. You know... to leave my mark on the world."


    She traced his finger and studied the dark bark, then frowned slightly.


    "But there are three lines."


    Sunny nodded. "Yes. That is because I had carved two lines into the tree before that."


    He paused for a few moments.


    "Why did you bring a tree from the waking world here, anyway?"


    Sunny lingered for a moment, and then smiled. "Because it is my grave."

 Chapter 1977 Their Legacy

    Chapter 1977  Their Legacy


    Rain lingered for a moment, then said in a neutral tone:


    "That''s... a bit ominous."


    Sunny chuckled and looked at the tree with a distant expression. Eventually, he glanced at her with a faint smile. "I wanted you to see this tree, actually."


    He paused for a heartbeat or two, then looked away.


    "People in the outskirts rarely get to have graves. The place is terribly overcrowded �� well, at least it used to be before the Dream Gates �� and the mortality rate is extremely high. Bodies get disposed of in a very utilitarian way, so there''s nothing left behind."


    Sunny sighed. "Very few people from the outskirts survive the First Nightmare, as well. So, I was quite convinced that I would die when the Spell chose me. I didn''t mind that much, really, but it was a bit sad to think that there would be no trace of me left in the world..."


    He paused for a moment and smiled wryly, realizing how ironic it was. After all, that was exactly what had happened to him, in the end �� every trace of his life had been erased from existence, leaving nothing behind. He had assured this obliteration willingly, earnestly, and with his own hands. Oblivious to his thoughts, Rain listened to him intently.


    Sunny looked at her, then pointed to the lonely tree. "That was why I carved a line into this tree before entering the Nightmare. You know... to leave my mark on the world."


    She traced his finger and studied the dark bark, then frowned slightly.


    "But there are three lines."


    Sunny searched her memory for more details, not knowing what else to say.


    "Oh, yes... she liked reading. We had an old communicator with a cracked screen, and she downloaded all kinds of stuff from the network to read. She especially liked fanciful stories about the world before the Dark Times. What else? Her favorite snack was fried synthpaste crumbs, with whichever spices she could get. She called me Sunless because I was born during an eclipse, and called you Rain because you were born during a storm."


    Rain''s eyes widened slightly.


    He paused, remained silent for a few moments, and then sighed. "...She got sick when you were about three, and eventually passed away. I... hope you never believed that you had been abandoned. Because she would have never left you... or me... by choice. It''s just that life is hard in the outskirts."


    Sunny hesitated for a while, looking at the gently rustling tree. Eventually, a pale smile twisted his lips.


    "I know that it probably doesn''t mean as much to you as it does to me. After all, you already have parents, and they are quite wonderful parents at that. I don''t want or expect you to feel any particular way about what I told you, either. It''s just that... being forgotten is quite a sad thing. No one remembers mom and dad in this world, except me... but now, you can remember them too. It makes me happy to know that."


    Rain remained silent for a few moments.


    Then, she said quietly:


    "I will. I''ll keep them well in my memory."


    Sunny smiled. With that, he stretched his arms above his head and let out a long sigh. "Well, good. Now, speaking of Memories... we were sidetracked for quite a long time, weren''t we? Young Lady Tamar is probably wondering what the hell are you doing in the baths for so long. So, let''s get to the important stuff, shall we?"


    Rain studied his face with a sober expression for a while, then smiled tentatively. "Sure. After all, as a Legacy, I should receive some cool stuff, shouldn''t I? I swear, there has never been a poorer Legacy than me... and a stingier founder of a Legacy Clan than you. Big brother..."

 Chapter 1978 Shiny New Heirlooms

    Chapter 1978  Shiny New Heirlooms


    After speaking to Rain about their parents, Sunny felt strangely at peace. The darkness surrounding the Nameless Temple was safe and nurturing, and the quiet rustle of the leaves was pleasantly soothing. Added to his previous euphoria, it seemed like nothing could spoil his tranquil mood. But, at the same time, he didn''t feel quite well about himself. After all, he had unexpectedly dumped the knowledge that they were family on Rain, and then proceeded to give her a lecture about their dead parents... whom she did not even remember.


    Rain was a young woman who was trying to find her place in the world while dealing with the appalling nature of war �� the former was already difficult enough, but the latter was a mental burden that no human could carry well, let alone endure unscathed.


    Sunny knew it better than most And yet here he was, adding to her burden. Feeling a bit guilty, he decided to sweeten the deal with some gifts. Luckily, there were the Memories he had prepared for her. Although Rain seemed a little distant and subdued, her eyes glistened at the mention of Memories. She had witnessed and survived so many horrors since the start of the war, after all, and unlike other Awakened soldiers, she had not received any rewards from the Spell in the process. The same Awakened soldiers were walking around with their shiny new Memories on full display, and she saw them every minute of every day.


    Naturally, Rain was excited.


    And Sunny''s mood improved even further after witnessing her excitement. "Alright... here we go. Don''t thank me too enthusiastically!"


    With that, he summoned the [Bag of Withholding] and presented it to her proudly. However, her reaction was not what he had expected. Instead of bursting with delight and admiration, Rain''s just continued to look at him expectantly. Her expression did not change at all.


    She remained silent for a few moments, looking at him with lively anticipation, then blinked a few times and glanced behind him. Sunny tilted his head a little. "What''s wrong?" No?v(el)B\\jnn


    Rain smiled cautiously. "...That''s not it, is it?"


    ''What a strange question...''


    Still holding the Bag of Withholding in one hand, he scratched the back of his head with the other. "I mean... yes? That''s it."


    Her smile froze a little. Slowly, the excited gleam of Rain''s eyes was replaced with something that strangely resembled fury. A seething kind of fury.


    Leaning forward, she shouted suddenly:


    "What do you mean, that''s it?! One Memory? One?! After everything I went through, and all the abominations I killed? Am... am I a joke to you?! What kind of a damned Legacy lord are you, huh? Big brother!"


    Sunny stared at her in shock. Then, he stared some more. After that, he let out a quiet sigh and said with reproach:


    "Open it, you idiot."


    Rain frowned, then grabbed the leather backpack from his hand �� without spending even a second to appreciate the delicate stitching and tasteful decorative details, at that! �� and opened the clasp roughly. A moment later, she forgot to breathe.


    Sunny scoffed. "Such an ingrate..."


    Rain raised her head, looking at him with burning eyes. Her expression was strangely intense. "Is that... a spatial storage Memory?"


    And her voice was strangely hoarse.


    Sunny nodded dismissively. "Yeah. Just a little something I crafted for practice... it''s called the Bag of Withholding, by the way. I put everything else inside."


    Moving on from the three arrows, Sunny briefly explained what [Safety First] and the [Pie?ce de Re?sistance] did. Rain was especially impressed by the latter...


    But not for the right reason.


    "A cooling effect?! Ah! It''s the best!"


    Sunny stared at her for a few moments and shook his head in dejection. ''Does she not realize how revolutionary its other enchantments are... tsk! Too young, too naive...''


    He made sure that Rain claimed and summoned both Memories before moving on to the last one. An additional layer of protection was added to the Puppeteer''s Shroud, making the armor look much more suitable for intense melee.


    Sunny appreciated the subtle, but tasteful blend of grey fabric and black leather, giving himself a mental pat on the shoulder. He had been sure of the defensive properties of this Memory, but worried a little about its aesthetic value. After all, it wasn''t easy to design it in a way that complemented the look of the Puppeteer''s Shroud perfectly. But he had done well. His sister looked positively... cool, sharp, and darkly formidable in this enchanted armor. Finally, he pointed to the sash made from glistening black silk.


    "And this... is the [In Case of Emergency]. The most important Memory you''ll possess during this war."


    Rain frowned, then picked up the silk sash and tied it around her waist. It went well with the Puppeteer''s Shroud, as well, making Sunny regret not having this version of the enchanted armor on the Forgotten Shore. A moment later, he shuddered in fright. ''Oh, no! Have I been infected by Kai?!''


    Throwing the terrifying thought out of his head, he looked at Rain.


    "Activate the enchantment."


    She did as he told... and suddenly froze. Not just figuratively, but quite literally.


    Even a few strands of her beautiful raven-black hair that the wind had been playing with hung motionlessly in the air, as if frozen in time.


    Of course, they were merely frozen in space.


    The only sign that Rain was still alive was that her chest was still rising and falling subtly. Sunny nodded in satisfaction. "Deactivate the enchantment."


    Rain''s hair fell, and she took a deep breath while throwing a complicated look at the silk sash. He sighed. "That is in case a Cloudbreak catches you unaware. Never take this Memory off while you''re in Godgrave... do you understand?"


    Rain threw a tense look at him, then nodded slowly. Sunny smiled. "Good. Well, then..."


    Time was waiting for no one. There was one more thing he needed to talk to Rain about �� quite an important thing, too �� but it was going to have to wait. "You''ve been gone from the camp for too long. I better bring you back..."


    Rain smiled. "Sure. Let''s go."


    She looked at him with mischief in her eyes, and added:


    "Big..."


    Before she could finish the sentence, Sunny dismissed the shadows forming the bench they were sitting on, and watched as Rain fell to the marble floor with a startled yelp.

 Chapter 1979 Sweet Dreams

    Chapter 1979  Sweet Dreams


    Someplace else, Sunny slowly opened his eyes. Pure sunshine was pouring through the tall arched windows, and the air was suffused with warmth. The sweltering heat of Godgrave was dispelled by a pleasant breeze.


    The storm was long over, and the world was at peace. His body felt refreshed and revitalized despite having been enveloped by a blissful fatigue not too long ago, and his mind was at ease. He had slept well... better than he had ever slept in his life.


    Waking up in Neph''s bed for the second time in a row felt quite amazing. Of course, this time, he had not just fallen asleep atop the covers. Feeling a tantalizing, warm softness pressing against his chest, Sunny raised his head and rested it on a hand, looking down. Nephis was sleeping peacefully by his side, in his embrace. Her long, beautiful silver hair was scattered across the pillow, glistening in the sunlight. Her face was smooth and enchanting, more vulnerable than it had ever seemed before. Below it, her slender neck led to a round, alabaster shoulder... and beyond that, the alluring sight of her delicate clavicle was revealed, making his heart race. To Sunny''s chagrin, the rest was covered by a pristine white sheet.


    Still, there was probably no sight more lovely in the entire world. He remained motionless for a while, delighting in the breathtaking scene and listening to the subtle sound of Neph''s tranquil breathing. His mind was a little empty. This moment, this feeling, this... closeness. He had been wanting it so desperately, and for long. Being here, with her, was almost too meaningful to fathom. And he did not really want to fathom it, either �� or anything, for that matter. He was in too good of a mood to spoil it with excessive thinking, and wished to simply enjoy the blissful beauty of the moment. He wished that it would never end.


    How fitting it was, for him to attain what he wanted so deeply in the tower of the Demon of Desire...


    With a quiet sigh, Sunny lowered his head back to the pillow and closed his eyes, enveloped in Neph''s smell and basking in the sensation of her warmth.


    Perhaps... it was alright to sleep for a bit more. He had almost drifted back into the gentle embrace of sleep when a tentative voice suddenly resounded in his mind:


    [Uh... Sunny?]


    Sunny opened one eye, startled a little and dissatisfied by the sudden interruption.


    [What?]


    Cassie remained silent for a few moments, then asked in calm tone:


    [Are you guys coming down any time soon? Because, you know... you''ve been locked up there for a couple of days, already. And Nephis is technically in charge of this entire camp. There are some decisions I can''t make alone.]


    Cassie spoke in a composed, nonchalant tone... but that only made Sunny feel more embarrassed about what she had said. For a split second. Then, a satisfied smile crept up on his face.


    ''Why yes, we have...''


    Sunny answered without opening his eyes, still lost in the softness, warmth, and sunlight. [Sorry. Nephis is... a bit tired. We should probably let her rest for a while longer, but I''ll be there shortly and lend a hand.]


    She gestured to the pile of papers laying on her desk. Some were written in Braille, but some were not. Cassie needed someone''s eyes to read them. Sunny silently walked to stand behind her shoulder and looked down. He hesitated for a few moments, and then couldn''t help but ask:


    "Don''t you have any questions, by the way? About, you know..."


    "I don''t!"


    Cassie''s swift response came before he could even finish the question. Her voice was a little bit too loud, as well.


    ...Sunny could swear that the indomitable blind seer even blushed a little. Where was her composure? Where was her nonchalance?


    He grinned. "Well, good. Don''t be like Effie..."


    Cassie took a deep breath.


    "As if!"


    He chuckled, then hesitated a little, and asked in a calm tone:


    "How are things in Bastion?"


    Cassie remained silent and motionless for a moment. When she spoke, though, Sunny couldn''t help but flinch.


    "...Bastion is gone."


    Finally, a deep frown found its way onto his face. "Gone? What do you mean? Have Mordret taken it already?"


    Cassie sighed, then shook her head. "No... I mean it is literally gone. The castle, the city, and the people."


    Her voice grew somber:


    "All that is left are the broken walls, the lake, and the shattered moon."

 Chapter 1980 Flawed Creation

    Chapter 1980  Flawed Creation


    Morgan opened her eyes in the darkness. She had fallen asleep while sitting on the cold stone floor, her back leaning against a slab of crumbling stone. The wind was howling as it passed through the ruins of the main keep, and pale moonlight poured through the gaping holes of its partially collapsed dome. Taking a deep breath, she leaned on her sword and stood up. Her vermilion cloak had turned to tatters, and her black armor was broken and battered. Dismissing both Memories to give them some time to mend themselves, Morgan felt a cold wind caress her skin gently. It was a pleasant feeling, especially after days spent in frenetic fighting.


    Her black tunic fluttered slightly, revealing how littered it was with tears, most of them crusted by blood. She sighed and listened to the sounds of the ruined castle, trying to evaluate if there were any immediate threats. It did not seem that way. Her companions would have warned her if the enemy was launching another attack... or if something else was. They would not have been eliminated without a fight, either, and there was no chance that she would have missed such a disturbance.


    It seemed that Mordret was still licking his wounds after the last assault, just like they were.


    ''Good...''


    Instead, the fault lay with her teachers, and the very form they were trying to mold her to... In truth, it was not just the King of Swords who had become disappointed in his daughter after Antarctica. Morgan had become disappointed in her father, too.


    ''Good thing I did.''


    Looking at a beautiful, discarded sword that lay at her feet, Morgan smiled wistfully. She would have probably become an actual sword if she had continued to follow her father''s will blindly. That would be quite a fitting Transcendent Transformation for a girl who had been raised to be a perfect tool... a pretty, deadly blade to be wielded by someone else. However, Morgan did not really want to be a sword, nor did she want to be wielded by another''s hand. That seemed like quite a pathetic fate to her.


    So, her Transcendent Transformation had turned out to be something else. Of course, she could still transform into a sword �� if she wished to.


    But that was not at all the only thing she could become. Picking up the abandoned sword, Morgan silently absorbed it into her body and smiled. ''...How nice. I should have done this much sooner.'' A moment later, her figure rippled, turning into a river of liquid metal. It flowed across the moonlit hall, drowning it. The violence of its passage put cracks into the marble floor and made slabs of stone crumble to dust. Sweeping every abandoned blade that lay forlorn on the below the dais, Morgan climbed the steps and swallowed the ancient anvil, as well. Finally, the river of liquid metal coalesced back into a human figure. A moment later, it regained color, and Morgan was back to her original self. Looking up, she observed the radiant remains of her shattered moon and sighed. "Time to face another day."

 Chapter 1981 Disillusionment

    Chapter 1981  Disillusionment


    There was no way to defend Bastion from the Prince of Nothing �� not the city on the shores of the Mirror Lake, certainly, and most likely not even the castle itself. As a strategist, Morgan was quite adept at evaluating both the strength of the enemy and that of her own �� therefore, she knew that her side was lacking. Achieving victory did not seem like a realistic outcome. It was very likely that she had not been sent here to achieve victory, to begin with. Buying her father enough time to defeat Ki Song seemed far more likely of a purpose. So, Morgan had done two things after returning to Bastion from Rivergate. First, she had claimed the Citadel for herself to gain control over it. Second, she went to a vast underground chamber hidden deep below the castle, in the heart of a stone maze very few people knew existed, and even fewer still were allowed to enter. There, a great mirror stood, towering above the floor at dozens of meters in height. Its frame was composed of two immense stone pillars, and it was covered entirely by black cloth, reflecting nothing.


    Morgan hesitated for a few moments, then took a deep breath and pulled the cloth down. It flowed to the floor like a black waterfall, revealing the dark edifice of the ancient mirror. The vast underground chamber was drowning in darkness, so one would have expected to see nothing reflecting in the great mirror. However, instead, pale moonlight poured out of it, illuminating Morgan''s pale face. Inside the mirror, a devastated version of Bastion seemed to be drifting in the beautiful night sky. Countless stars shone on the surface of the still water, made pale and bleak by the radiant shards of the broken moon. Dreadful beings hid in the cold lake, and there was no city on the distant shore. Instead, an ancient forest stood where the city should have been, teeming with harrowing beasts. That was the true face of Bastion. And, unlike the illusory one humans of the waking world had inhabited, it was a place that Morgan could defend. So, taking another breath, she closed her eyes, concentrated on her connection to the Great Citadel... And made reality and illusion switch places. Soon, a sunlit city that sprawled on the shore of a beautiful lake was reflecting in the dark mirror, instead, seen from the walls of an immense and magnificent castle. She sighed, gritted her teeth tightly, and used her authority over the Citadel to break free of the illusion.


    A moment later, Morgan disappeared from the underground chamber and found herself standing in a ruined hall with a tall dais and crumbled dome. There was no sunlight here, but the eerie scene was bathed in moonlight.


    The world was in the embrace of a foreboding night. The castle was a ruin, and the still lake was surrounded by a pristine wild forest.


    Morgan had several reasons to summon it back to reality. First and foremost, of course, was protecting the populous city... or rather, preventing her brother from using it as a hostage. Now that the city was replaced by the dark expanse of an abominable forest, Morgan could concentrate on defending only the ruined castle and use the lake to her advantage.


    Naturally, it would have been much better if Mordret had not taken the entire House of Night as his vessels, in that regard. But there were creatures in that lake that would give even Transcendent Nightwalkers pause, not to mention that Morgan had Naeve, Aether, and Bloodwave by her side. Both of them had come prepared for the battle for the Mirror Lake. The second advantage was the forest itself, which was no less dreadful than the depths of the lake. Her brother would have to launch his siege from there, suffering the full brunt of the fury of the powerful Nightmare Creatures inhabiting the nebulous dark expanse. Sadly, that was actually a sword that cut both ways. On one hand, Mordret would have to protect himself and his vessels from those abominations without rest, which would slowly drain his power. On the other hand, the forest would also present him a nearly inexhaustible supply of bodies to take, and the same Nightmare Creatures could become the cannon fodder he sent to ground the strength of the defenders of the castle down. A lot of blood was going to spill... which Morgan welcomed. The more chaos there was, the more opportunities to exploit it she would find. The final advantage...


    Introduced the most chaos, by far.


    It was also the most vital, and the most dangerous of the three. Both to Mordret and to herself. That advantage...


    Were the Others.

 Chapter 1982 Open Invitation

    Chapter 1982  Open Invitation


    There were no mirrors in true Bastion. Even the Great Mirror Morgan had used to switch the illusory realm with reality only existed within the illusion.


    And that was for a good reason. The Others.


    Reflections had a mind of their own in true Bastion. There were strange, alien, and harrowing beings populating the mirrors here, and they could sometimes enter the real world uninvited. Morgan did not know the details, but she knew that her family had suffered greatly, and had paid dearly, for laying claim to the stronghold of the Demon of Imagination in the distant past. This topic was a taboo that not even the elders dared to discuss. All that she knew was that the Great Mirror had to be covered at all times, and that one had to be careful around reflective surfaces in true Bastion �� especially the lake itself. There was a set of rules one had to follow here and a set of prohibitions one had to adhere to, lest they wanted to lose their lives and put the lives of others in danger.


    And yet, many of the elite Knights that had been allowed here still perished in chilling ways.


    Morgan herself was a bit different, because she had been forced to face and kill her own reflection not long after becoming an Awakened �� her father had escorted her to the Great Mirror personally on that day, and watched the battle until it was over.


    Hopefully, that would be enough to stall her brother long enough for the Song Domain to fall...


    But, of course, Morgan wanted more than that. She had greater ambitions than merely serving as his foil. She wanted to win.


    She wanted to win and erase the shame of her pitiful loss in Antarctica, so that she did not have to think about it again, and feel fear ever again. ''...You bastard.''


    Smiling darkly, Morgan ascended the crumbling wall of the ruined fortress and looked upon the moonlit lake. ***


    That had happened... ages ago. The events unfolded pretty much exactly as Morgan had anticipated, even though she would have loved to be mistaken for once. Not long after the real Bastion replaced its illusory twin, Mordret attacked from the depths of the dark forest.


    They did not know how much he was stifled by the presence of the Others, exactly, but his power was definitely diminished quite a lot compared to Rivergate �� he seemed to be reluctant to use his powers often, as if wary of something, and his usual omniscience was replaced by doubt. Still, her brother was a fiend, and he definitely did not lack determination. That first battle was both intense and chilling, testing the very limits of their resolve and mental endurance. The Mirror Lake boiled as the three remaining Saints of the House of Night, the vessels of the Prince of Nothing, and the dreadful Nightmare Creatures that dwelled in the depths clashed with each other in a frenzied storm of violence. The water of the lake would have turned red if it wasn''t painted black by the veil of night already, and tall waves assaulted its shore. The three government Saints and Morgan herself defended the four sides of the ruined fortress. The crumbling walls quaked and groaned, sometimes collapsing into piles of rubble, and the dark edifice of the broken keep towered above them like a gravestone. A squall of terrifying forces was unleashed, making Morgan feel a rare moment of relief at her decision to hide the illusory Bastion in the Great Mirror. If she hadn''t, the collateral damage caused by the titanic battle among the civilian population of the city would have been incalculable. The first battle lasted for a while, but eventually, it became apparent that neither side would be able to achieve a sweeping victory. Of course, Morgan and her Saints were still inferior to the enemy in terms of pure numbers... which was a funny thing to say, considering that their enemy was a single man. Still, they had the advantage of being the defending side �� and not only that, but being the defenders of a fortress designed specifically to protect the Valor family from its monstrous scion.


    Tied by the eerie threat of the Others and bound by the runic array carved into the walls of the ancient castle, Mordret could not rely on his bizarre powers and endless tricks. He was more or less limited to only using skill and brute strength to destroy them, and although his strength was not at all lacking, Morgan and her people were quite powerful themselves. In fact, some of them were the epitome of power. Morgan, the Princess of War. The chilling and beautiful wraith, Soul Reaper Jet, known and feared by most Awakened. Saint Athena, Raised by Wolves �� a bona fide war goddess who had led her warriors into a hopeless siege on the Forgotten Shore, and only gotten stronger and more heroic since then. Saint Kai, the Dragon Slayer... And three last Saints of a fallen Great Clan, who burned with the desire to avenge their kin. It was quite an epic battle. In fact, it was just the kind of battle that people would sing about centuries later... it was just a pity that no one was there to witness it, and tell the tale. Perhaps if Nightingale picked up the microphone once again...

 Chapter 1983 Besieged

    Chapter 1983  Besieged


    In any case, Mordret could not eradicate them without resorting to extreme measures that would not only put him at great risk, but also result in dire losses among his vessels. And it was not time yet for that. So, eventually, he chose to retreat. Watching the grotesque leviathans resurface and swim away, Morgan exhaled tiredly and leaned on her sword. They had not won, exactly... but had not lost, either. It was a reason to celebrate, and yet she was not in a festive mood. No?v(el)B\\jnn


    In the end, they did not manage to conquer the Night Garden, barely escaping with their lives. However, they did manage to dissuade Mordret from trying to move past Bastion without eliminating its defenders first. The siege continued, with both sides slowly studying the enemy and searching for a way to destroy them. It was intense, grueling, and often full of dread. However, the most dreadful part of it all was the Others. Morgan did not know how her brother, who was much more susceptible to their sinister influence, was managing to stay alive and sane. But it was definitely a challenge for her and her Saints. The Others were so eerie and frightening because they were alien, unknown, and unknowable. Their origin was a mystery, and so was their nature. Morgan did not even know if they were truly beings, in the full sense of that word, let alone living beings. The Others moved and acted like creatures that possessed will and even an eerie form of sentience, but she could not be sure. They could have been mere manifestations of some mysterious force or process that simply reflected what was in front of them, thus creating a false impression of intent and intelligence. The worst part of it all was that, unlike the Nightmare Creatures, the Others were not even necessarily malicious. The harrowing evil they perpetrated was nothing but a result of their inherently alien nature. These beings did not seem to know or be able to fathom the natural concepts like a person''s desire to stay alive, the fear of pain, the terror of having one''s body and soul stolen, maimed, torn apart, or consumed. At least that was the opinion that Morgan and her Saints shared now, after witnessing the Others, and even clashing with them, several times. But they simply could not be sure of anything, which made the sinister guests from the Mirror Real so much more frightening. On top of that, even fighting them was a dreadful ordeal, because the Others did not follow the conventions of power that both Awakened and the Nightmare Creatures shared. They were neither divine nor profane. They did not seem to possess Ranks and Classes. They were not beholden to a single Aspect or a set of unholy powers. Instead, they were entirely unfathomable and unpredictable, making every battle with them a chilling affair. Some of the Others were surprisingly weak, and were easily destroyed by the Saints. Some, however, possessed a harrowing power that made them utterly lethal, while their bizarre nature made obliterating them a dangerous and difficult undertaking. Morgan had almost lost Saint Aether that way during the early days of the siege... which would have been quite a disaster, considering that he was the closest thing she had to a healer. Luckily, the Nightwalker had survived in the end, even if his eyes seemed a little haunted to this day. ''Poor guy.''


    Morgan herself had grown up knowing about the Others and brushing against the eerie mystery of their existence from time to time, so these dreadful encounters were nothing new to her. The government Saints were taking it surprisingly well, too, but the Saints of Night were rattled. ''How much longer?''


    Letting out a sigh, she shivered in the cold, looked at her bloodied tunic in disgust, and walked toward the lake to take a plunge.

 Chapter 1984 Beneath the Surface

    Chapter 1984  Beneath the Surface


    The Mirror Lake hid unspeakable horrors, so very few people would have dared to bathe in it. But Morgan did not care.


    She had no choice but to come to this dark place, and for her, there was no escape from the war. The siege was not going to end any time soon, but she could at least endeavor to not spend the rest of it feeling dirty.


    It was her home, anyway.


    The black water was deceptively tranquil and still, reflecting the moonlit heavens. Stepping into it was like stepping into the night sky, and bathing in it was like bathing in stars.


    Enjoying the cold embrace of the lake, Morgan sighed in contentment and studied her reflection. It was important to know that her reflection was not doing anything strange, like tracing her movements with its gaze or trying to speak. Morgan was safer than most from being preyed on by the Others, since she had killed her reflection many years ago... but she still had to be careful. Her reflection was prim and proper, staring at her back with two vibrant vermilion eyes, which seemed to glow softly in the darkness. Sending it a smile, Morgan cautiously pulled off her bloodied tunic. She knew that Saint Kai was probably blushing and hurriedly turning away somewhere in the ruins, but she did not care. That dirty thing was disgusting, and she was determined to give it a good wash...


    The only problem was that the frayed fabric parted under her fingers, and several new cuts appeared on its surface. Morgan cursed her Flaw quietly. Her tunic was made from mystical cloth and could usually withstand her touch, but now, it had become tattered and fragile. Feeling a bit dejected, she crouched to wash the blood off the black fabric. She should have packed more thoroughly before sending the illusory Bastion into the Great Mirror. Sure, there were supplies in the real castle, and she even had her own living quarters here... but that part of the ruin crumbled in one of the countless battles, burying her wardrobe under the rubble. That had been a painful loss. No?v(el)B\\jnn


    Morgan rinsed her tunic swiftly, then walked deeper into the cold water to wash the blood off her body. At that moment, there was a subtle movement under the surface, and something slippery wrapped itself around her shin. Instead of pulling her into the depths, however, the flesh of the Nightmare Creature parted and bled, as if it had wrapped around a sharp blade. Morgan raised her hand indifferently. A split second later, it rippled like liquid metal and turned into a long spear, which extended downward with terrible speed and pierced the surface of the lake.


    The Spell whispered softly into her ear, announcing the death of a Corrupted Monster. Morgan smiled. ''I guess we have dinner.''


    At that moment, someone coughed behind her. Morgan retracted her monstrously long javelin, allowed it to turn back into a human hand, and unhurriedly pulled the wet tunic back onto her pale body. This time, there were no new cuts.


    They received news of how the war was going from time to time. The last thing she heard was that Nephis, Gilead, and the Lord of Shadows had clashed with the daughters of Ki Song in the Hollows, and that Seishan had finally conquered a Citadel for the Song Domain.


    Which meant that the Queen herself must have arrived to Godgrave, already. The two armies were going to clash soon.


    Was that what lit a fire under her brother?


    ''Is he worried that she will kill our father before he can do it himself?''


    That was a delusional fear to harbor, but then again, that man was not known for having a sound mind. Letting out a quiet sigh, Morgan glanced at the lake, knowing that her plans of fishing out the Transcendent Monster she had killed and roasting it were ruined. "Thank you for letting me know, Saint Kai. Please gather the rest and prepare for battle. Oh... and don''t stare at the sky too much. Especially at the shards of the moon."


    She summoned her armor back, even though it would not have had any time to repair itself. The vermilion cloak weaved itself from scarlet sparks, draped around her shoulders. A nicked sword appeared in her hand. Morgan smiled. The uncle and nephew pair were indeed wounded, but several of Mordret''s vessels had been shredded quite thoroughly when they last appeared, as well. If things went well today, she stood a good chance of reducing the number of Transcendent shells her brother possessed.


    Of course, there was also the chance of losing a couple of her own Saints. That would be a real shame.


    But still...


    ''How many of his vessels do I need to destroy, and how dire the situation in Godgrave must become for him to grow desperate enough to jump into my soul?''


    Her scarlet eyes glistened with sharp light. Morgan lingered for a moment, and then sighed.


    ''I hope it happens before my tunic completely falls apart...''

 Chapter 1985 Ruined Fortress

    Chapter 1985  Ruined Fortress


    Tonight, her brother had decided to try something new.


    Instead of launching simultaneous attacks from the four cardinal directions, he seemed to be gathering his forces in the south, where the walls of the fallen castle were the most damaged.


    Nightingale had noticed movement between the ancient trees, but sadly, he could not tell them more about what was happening in the dark forest �� one of Mordret''s vessels possessed an Aspect that allowed him to hide himself from the gazes of living beings.


    There were ways to predict the timing of the attack, though.


    Morgan was looking at the shifting line where the water touched the ruin. After a while, there was a shallow wave, and the lake seemed to climb up a little, swallowing more of the ancient stone.


    She sighed.


    "Typhaon has entered the lake."


    Typhaon had been one of the most powerful Saints of the House of Night... as well as Aether''s father. Now, however, he was one of the most powerful vessels in Mordret''s possession, and a true curse for the defenders of Bastion.


    His Transcendent form was so immense and terrifying that his presence on the battlefield could be traced by simply paying attention to the lake. When he transformed, the amount of displaced water was so great that the level of the lake rose visibly.


    It was an ill omen.


    Standing by her side, Aether looked down, his handsome face turning grim and distant. Naeve and Bloodwave shifted slightly �� it was that monster who had wounded them so severely in the last battle against the Transcendent vessels of the Prince of Nothing.


    A moment later, there was another wave, and the water rose even more.


    Morgan smiled.


    "The big octopus is also coming. How wonderful."


    Saint Knossos was another heavy hitter among the Transcendent champions taken by her brother. Not too long ago, he was one of the pillars of the Great Clan, as well as its elder �� and before that, he had been Nightwalker''s peer and the head of one of the Stormsea Clans that joined together to form the House of Night.


    Nightwalker himself was long gone, but Knossos had survived decades of trials and tribulations of the Nightmare Spell.


    He did not survive Mordret of Nowhere, though.


    Now, his body was one of the most dire threats to Morgan and her Saints. His Transformation was that of a gargantuan kraken, and together with Typhaon, these two abominable creatures were the hammer with which her brother bludgeoned the defenders of the ruined castle every battle.


    The rest of his vessels all possessed powerful Transcendent forms, but none could compare to the sheer size and terror of the two behemoths.


    Morgan inhaled deeply and listened to the night for a few moments.


    The world was at peace. The lake was still and silent, with a beautiful tapestry of stars reflecting on its surface. The water murmured as it washed the shore, and a mild wind sang in the moonlit darkness.


    ''What nonsense. I am not picky.''


    ...She just had standards.


    As she watched, Aether reached the lake. Unlike his two clanmates, the younger Saint did not possess an Aspect tied to the depths �� instead, his lineage had manifested itself in the startling affinity to the night sky and starlight.


    Still, he wasn''t helpless when surrounded by water.


    Instead of plunging into the lake, Aether simply stepped onto its surface and continued to move forward.


    Behind him, on the shore, Athena activated her Ascended Ability. In the next moment, Morgan felt a rush of invigorating power permeate her body. Her pale cheeks flushed a little, and a hot breath escaped from her mouth.


    She felt strong, tireless, and full of unbridled potency.


    Every time Morgan experienced this exhilarating sensation, she understood why Raised by Wolves was so beloved by the government soldiers and the civilian population better... among other things, of course.


    The rest of her Saints were feeling the effect of Athena''s power as well. Despite the fatigue and exhaustion of the past weeks, they suddenly looked impatient to join the fray.


    Bloodwave gave Morgan a long look and asked, his deep voice sending shivers running down her spine:


    "What about us?"


    She shook her head lightly.


    "Stay back. We''ll face them on land today."


    The white-haired Saint scowled, but listened to her order.


    It would be a disadvantage to leave him and Naeve out of the water, thus incapable of using their Aspects fully.


    But Morgan had a bad feeling about today''s attack. It was high time for her brother to come up with some new diabolical tactic...


    And more importantly than that, she had her own diabolical plans as well.


    For them to come to fruition, she had to lure the enemy away from the lake.


    Soul Reaper simply leaned on her ghostly glaive, looking at the surging water with a lazy smile. Her icy blue eyes were cold and ruthless.


    "Staying on land suits me fine. It''s quite a welcome change, really."


    Behind her, Nightingale silently summoned his bow and rose into the air, looking at the lake intently.


    His mesmerizing green eyes seemed to glisten in the darkness, reflecting the pale moonlight.


    A moment later, his expression tensed.


    Morgan sighed, knowing that she would not like what he was about to say.


    "What is it?"


    Saint Kai sighed.


    "...They''re dragging corpses across the bottom of the lake, leaving trails of blood behind."


    He hesitated for a moment, and then added with a hint of dejection:


    "I think we''ll have more guests today than we anticipated."

 Chapter 1986 Baiting the Monster

    Chapter 1986  Baiting the Monster


    Morgan sighed as she saw the water break in a dozen places, far in the distance, and grotesque tentacles shoot from the depths. Carried in them were the massive corpses of the Nightmare Creatures that dwelled in the forest �� some of them the very same Nightmare Creatures whom she and her Saints had wounded, but failed to finish off in yesterday''s battle. The corpses were launched into the air like morbid projectiles, tracing low arcs as they trailed torrents of blood behind them. One was shot down by Nightingale, who had drawn his bow in the blink of an eye. Another exploded into a cloud of bloody haze when a pebble tossed casually by Raised by Wolves collided with it midair.


    But the rest landed on the rubble with disgusting squelching noises, some crashing into the wall and making it tremble with deafening thunderclaps.


    A series of shockwaves rolled across the lake, making the water ripple. Morgan studied the bloody mess left in the wake of the obliterated corpses with a dubious expression. "Leave it to my brother to find a common language with the Nightmare Creatures..."


    The effects of this spectacular blood offering were already letting themselves be known. The lake boiled, and dozens of hideous shapes rose from its dark depths, following the scent of blood...


    Following it to the shore. It seemed that the Prince of Nothing had finally found a way to attack the ruined fortress with both Transcendent and Corrupted forces at the same time. Grimacing, Morgan summoned a bow and shouted a command:


    "Aether, Athena! Let loose!"


    Some received only shallow wounds, some were hurt quite badly. One lake monster had even lost much of its head �� it was still alive, but the other abominations were already rushing in its direction. Soon, the water boiled, and the wounded abomination was torn apart by its own brethren. There was no honor among the Nightmare Creatures. Athena was less flashy in her attack, but even more devastating. Looking around, she chose a slab of stone the size of a PTV, picked it up easily, and tossed it in the direction of the attacking abomination with terrifying force. The giant piece of stone tore through the air with dire speed and fell into the lake like a bomb, causing a tall fountain of foam to shoot into the sky. Although it was quite dark, Morgan could tell that the foam was not white, but crimson �� Athena rarely missed, so her crude projectile must have obliterated at least one enormous abomination completely. A moment later, her own arrow found its way between the scales of an especially revolting Nightmare Creature, exploding from the back of its misshapen head in a torrent of gore. Nightingale was releasing another arrow, as well �� having the advantage of a high vantage point, he was even more deadly. Morgan was not usually competitive without reason, but falling behind her subordinate was a shameful thing. Smiling faintly, she strained her muscles and drew the heavy bow again. In the next minute or so, both the surface and the depths of the lake had turned into a scene of bloody slaughter, with a storm of starlight raging across it like a beautiful mirage. The Nightmare Creatures stirred awake by the scent of blood were all powerful, the weakest of them of the Corrupted Rank. And yet, the Saints defending Bastion were not weak, either. Aether''s starlight, Athena''s barbaric projectiles, and the arrows sent flying by Morgan and Kai fused into a devastating barrage, mangling the bodies of the abominations and reaping their lives. Sadly, it was not as deadly as she would have wanted. Killing a Great Abomination was no easy feat even for Saints, after all �� several of them had to concentrate their attacks on the more powerful dwellers of the depths and waste quite a bit of time to bring a single one down, while the rest were free to reduce the distance between them and the shore unopposed. Which was a cause for concern.


    And throughout all of it, even consumed by the thrill of the battle, Morgan was keeping an eye on the lake and the dark shore beyond. She could not miss the moment her brother decided to join the battle. ''...Where are you?''


    Frowning a little, Morgan lowered her bow for a moment and bellowed:


    "Aether! Retreat!"


    She was disappointed. She had hoped that using their only healer as bait would produce more of a result. The Nightmare Creatures were already dangerously close to where the Saint of Night was standing on water. Sparing one look at the approaching horrors, he turned around and dashed back toward the ruins. Athena covered his retreat by sending an especially enormous piece of rubble barreling through the air. It displaced a veritable flood of water, causing towering waves to spread in all directions from the point of impact. And when the plume of foaming water fell down, Morgan finally saw what she had been searching for. Behind it, in the distance, a gargantuan fin rose above the surface of the lake, cutting it like a colossal blade. Typhaon was coming.


    ...Or rather, her brother was, wearing the once-fearsome Saint as a suit.

 Chapter 1987 Siege of Bastion

    Chapter 1987  Siege of Bastion


    The Nightmare Creatures had reached the shore, crawling out of the surging lake like a swarm of horrors that had escaped the forbidden depths of Pandora''s box. In the darkness of the night, their wet, slithering figures glistened with the ghostly radiance of reflected moonlight. Enormous limbs rose high into the air and plummeted down, making the ruin shake as they sank into the rubble to pull the monstrous bodies onto land.


    This time, of course, it was not Pandora who had opened the mystical box out of curiosity.


    Instead, Morgan''s monstrous brother had done it out of malice.


    Still, she wasn''t too concerned.


    ...If these poor creatures had known any better, they would have stayed in the depths. They would have guessed that the box had not been locked to contain the horrors inside �� instead, it had been locked to protect them from the true monsters that dwelled beyond.


    Witnessing the chilling tide of abominations, Soul Reaper smiled.


    "I guess it''s my turn."


    She did not seem particularly impressed by the sheer dread and splendor of the chilling scene. The blue-eyed wraith remained calm and laid-back, as if facing a swarm of Great and Corrupted abominations was not a death sentence for most Saints.


    Then again, this Saint in particular had long proven that death was afraid of her, and not the other way around.


    Morgan gave her a brief look.


    "Lure them into the ruins."


    Jet raised an eyebrow, amused.


    "They''ll topple the wall."


    Morgan looked at the crumbling wall they were standing on. This great fortress �� what remained of it �� was her ancestral home. Three generations of the Valor family had dwelled here, and it was from these ruins that the glorious Sword Domain was born.


    She shrugged impassively.


    "Let them topple it, then."


    Her brother was determined to stop at nothing to destroy Valor. There was no step he would hesitate to take, and no sacrifice he was unwilling to make.


    That was how one won a war.


    Her brother was determined to stop at nothing to destroy Valor. There was no step he would hesitate to take, and no sacrifice he was unwilling to make.


    That was how one won a war.


    And Morgan... Morgan was the Princess of War. She was prepared to sacrifice the entire world if it meant achieving victory, let alone these ancient walls.


    Soul Reaper smiled crookedly, then picked up her war scythe, raised it above her shoulder... and tossed it forward with tremendous force, as if throwing a javelin.


    At the same time, her body turned into a torrent of mist and swirled around the scythe, being carried away from the safety of the fortress by its pull.


    Far below, Aether had reached Athena''s position and dashed past her, rushing back toward the wall. Raised By Wolves herself lingered, summoning a long spear and looking at the approaching tide of abominations with a grim expression.


    It was then that the ghostly war scythe landed among the Nightmare Creatures. Suddenly, a chilling mist exploded from it in all directions, obscuring the view.


    A moment later, haunting wails resounded from within the veil of mist, echoing across the restless lake.


    Morgan had no time to pay attention to that part of the battlefield anymore. The Nightmare Creatures, calamitous as they were �� just a couple of them could have destroyed all of humanity a few decades ago �� were merely a diversion today.


    The true threat was her brother.


    "Athena, retreat!"


    Below the wall, Raised by Wolves stared at the cloud of mist with a complicated expression, then gritted her teeth and dashed back.


    Morgan could see Tyhaon''s fin towering above the surface of the lake as it cut the surging water. Her brother was moving around the ruins, threatening to attack them from the east.


    At the same time, a vast swathe of the lake west of the crumbling castle boiled, revealing glimpses of gargantuan tentacles and an abominable body surfacing from the depths.


    There were more Transcendent vessels advancing from the south, as well.


    Morgan scowled for a moment, calculating the timing.


    ''...He got me good, this time.''


    Her vermilion eyes glistened in the darkness.


    Despite the head start, Aether reached the battlements at the same time as Athena. Morgan studied them for a moment, then spoke evenly:


    "Nightingale... intercept Knossos and his retinue, if you will. Athena, stall Typhaon for as long as you can."


    After Soul Reaper, these two were her strongest champions. In fact, they were no weaker than the former pillars of the House of Night, Typhaon and Knossos, had been �� despite being decades younger and far less experienced. Morgan even suspected that they would have slain the legendary Saints in battle, if given the chance to face them one-on-one.


    Sadly, the two Stormsea Saints were dead, and it was Mordret controlling their bodies now. Not only was her brother fearsome, but he was also shrewd and cunning, never letting his most powerful vessels face her best warriors without an advantage.


    So, she could only hope to stall them today.


    Athena sighed, then dismissed her spear and crouched. A moment later, the crumbling wall shook, and the stones under her feet cracked �� the beautiful Saint soared into the air in a stunning leap, seemingly flying toward the swiftly approaching fin.


    As she flew, her body, which seemed to be cast of polished steel, expanded in size.


    By the time Raised by Wolves landed in the water, she was a steel colossus at least a hundred meters in height. A great wave rose from her plunge into the lake, and a deafening thunderclap rolled across the lake, making the trees on the distant shore sway.


    She was standing far away from the ruined fortress, and yet, the water barely reached her things.


    The lake was deep enough to swallow even a giant like Athena, but she had chosen her battlefield carefully �� there, the water was deep enough to lure Tyhaon to come, but not so deep as to leave her no fighting chance.


    Of course, she could have fought him at the bottom of the lake, if she so wished. Saints could hold their breath for a long time, after all �� however, fighting a Transcendent of the House of Night in the depths was something that only people with a death wish would do.


    ...Almost at the same time, a graceful figure dashed across the black sky, rushing west.


    Nightingale assumed his Transcendent form as he flew, and soon, moonlight glistened on the beautiful scales of a majestic dragon. His great body was dark like the night sky, and his eyes were like silver stars. The vast shadow of his wings covered the tall waves, raising up a hurricane.


    Morgan sighed.


    The three government Saints were each handling an overwhelming foe.


    But it was up to her and the Saints of Night to face the most dreadful adversary.

 Chapter 1988 Ruin Has Come to Our Family

    Chapter 1988  Ruin Has Come to Our Family


    To the west of the crumbling castle, a vast swath of the lake seemed to boil with foam as a seething mass of dark tentacles rose from below. The gargantuan tentacles reached for the moonlit sky like a primordial forest, each aiming to catch, crush, smother, and tear the swift enemy apart. Or bring the enemy down to the depths, into the dark chasm of the creature''s harrowing maw. The size of the enormous kraken was so immense that it easily dwarfed the great dragon, making him seem small and insignificant in comparison. However, the Night Singer was undeterred. Folding his wings, the dragon dove down, piercing through the palisade of towering tentacles with dire speed. His voice resounded above the lake, making their movements grow slow and sluggish; in the next moment, a haunting song resounded above the lake, and a devastating sonic wave crashed into the foaming water, producing a deafening explosion. Countless tons of water were displaced and thrown into the air, obscuring the view. ...It was really a daunting thing, to witness the dreadful battle between the ruler of the depths and the monarch of the skies. Reality itself seemed to contort and groan from the dire forces unleashed by their tyrannical clash, as if moments away from cracking and crumbling down. Sadly, Morgan did not have time to pay close attention to the battle between Nightingale and the Kraken. Nor did she have time to observe the clash between Athena and the monstrous creature, Typhaon. The giant fin had risen even higher above the water, and then, the behemoth''s fearsome body was finally revealed. He slowly emerged from the deeper part of the lake, straightening as giant waterfalls flowed from his impenetrable scales.


    Typhaon was vaguely humanoid in shape. He had a powerful body that towered even above the War Colossus, Saint Athena. However, where she was lean and graceful, the monster of the depths was broad and mighty. His figure bulged with muscles that resembled tectonic plates, and his skin was covered by a natural carapace of unbreakable scales. He had sharp, ridge-like fins protruding from his back, his forearms, and his thighs �� those were like colossal blades, capable of slicing armored ships in half. Instead of two legs, Typhaon had four flexible, pillar-like limbs that resembled long tentacles. His head was bestial and appalling, crowned by enormous horns, and there were two monstrous serpents growing from behind his shoulders, each with long twisting necks and terrifying needle-like fangs crowding their maws. He looked like a dark deity whom the abominable Drowned would have worshiped. Morgan had never been to the Great River, so she could not draw the parallel... However, Effie �� who knew the Drowned all too well �� could. She grimaced with resentment and braces herself, preparing to endure the assault of the titanic fiend of the depths. When the two goliaths collided, the entire world shuddered and shook.


    So, they saw the moment when the walls of Bastion fell in perfect detail. Even though Morgan had anticipated the inevitable destruction of the outer rampart, watching the ancient wall crumble still rattled her. No one knew who or what had shattered the moon and brought the proud citadel of the Demon of Imagination to ruin in the distant past. However, what remained of it had withstood thousands of years of neglect and desolation, never surrendering to the wrath of the Nightmare Creatures. Until humans... she and her brother... came. A wide section of the wall collapsed, raising a billowing cloud of dust. Mist poured through the breach, followed by the enormous shapes of advancing abominations. They spilled from the breach like a tide �� there were fewer of them than before, and many seemed to be in agony, their movements slow and listless. Still, Nightmare Creatures had invaded Bastion for the first time since her grandfather had conquered this great Citadel.


    Morgan sighed lightly and cast her gaze further, at the shore of the surging lake. There, more creatures were emerging from the water. These ones were no less terrifying, and yet, they were no Nightmare Creatures. Instead, they were Transcendent vessels of her brother. As she watched, several of them retained their monstrous forms, while others turned into humans. One figure in particular caught her eyes.


    ...He was looking at her, too. Morgan gritted her teeth. ''So, he came personally this time.''


    Far away, her brother smiled and gave her a mocking bow. Snarling, Morgan looked away and turned to the Saints of Night. "The main guest has arrived. Let''s give him and his entourage a warm welcome..."

 Chapter 1989 Home Sweet Home

    Chapter 1989  Home Sweet Home


    Morgan had her bow, and the Saints of Night had already summoned their weapons.


    In this battle, their strength would be stifled by having to fight on land. However, that did not mean that they were powerless �� far from it. Naeve was wearing light, but immensely resilient armor sewn from the skin of some unknown sea monster, wielding a long harpoon made of bone as a spear. His indigo eyes seemed to glow in the moonlight, and his handsome face was both somber and cold. Bloodwave had summoned a heavy armor forged from dull metal, which made his towering figure seem even more formidable. He was armed with a heavy cutlass �� there were two of them before, but one had been destroyed in one of the previous battles. Now, the taciturn Saint simply used the claws of his steel gauntlet to rend the flesh of his enemies. Aether reached toward the sky, grasping a ray of starlight and manifesting it into a thin blade. The youngest of the Saints did not possess as much physical strength as the rest of them, but made up for it with speed and skill. The weapons he could weave from starlight were absolutely lethal... still, his Aspect was not suited for close combat that well. Not that anyone was suited well for facing Mordret. Today, the defenders of the crumbling fortress were weaker than they had ever been. Morgan''s three most powerful champions were away, each dealing with their own crisis.


    Her brother, meanwhile, still possessed more than enough vessels to take the castle. Some of them were following Knossos and Typhaon, but ten �� including his true body �� were here.


    They had already scaled the outer wall, avoiding the cloud of mist and the Nightmare Creatures that were still fighting Soul Reaper within it. Mordret himself lingered at the top of the rampart, looking up at the second ring of the battlements. Despite the apocalyptic noise of the battle, his voice reached Morgan and her Saints clearly. "Ah... how sweet it is, to finally come home."


    Smiling viciously, Morgan dashed forward and met the first of the Transcendent vessels as it leaped onto the wall. Those of the taken Saints who could move on land in their Transcendent forms had kept them. Those who could not had become humans again. Each of them looked different, but all �� both humans and creatures �� had the same cold, inhuman, unfeeling look in their eyes. With dark flames of boundless wrath burning beneath the cold surface. Morgan crossed swords with one of the human vessels, throwing it back off the wall. But in the next moment, she had to dodge back as a gargantuan clawed hand fell on the battlements, sending a rain of sparks flying in all directions. The claws bit into the ancient stone, and a hideous snout rose above the parapet, resembling that of a giant crocodile. The triangular fangs snapped, almost taking Morgan''s arm off... or at least catching her in a crushing trap. Her body was as hard as steel, so her limbs were not that easily separated from it. A moment later, two swift figures dashed past the crocodile''s head, and she had to defend herself from two insidious blows. Morgan managed to deflect one, but the second scratched against her armor. Worse than that, the enchanted blade seemed to have left a corrosive film in its wake, making the black steel of her breastplate boil and flow down in thin streams of bubbling metal. That was what made her brother so deadly. Not the number of his vessels, and not their power.


    It was their perfect coordination, which allowed them to fight as different parts of the same organism.


    Because they were. If it were any other pair of enemies, Morgan would have managed to evade both blows, but the vessels of the Prince of Nothing left no chance to the enemy. ''Damn it.''


    Ten of them...


    The enormous crocodile head rose into the air, revealing an immense neck. The creature''s body was both reptilian and humanlike in nature, and it was truly enormous, standing almost as tall as the wall. The towering creature unleashed another blow at the battlements, making a section of them crumble from the obliterating force of the impact, and outstretched a mighty hand. A hurricane of sparks swirled around it, starting to form into a giant bronze trident. Morgan pursed her lips. On both sides of her, Naeve, Bloodwave, and Aether had already clashed with the remaining six vessels of the Prince of Nothing. Mordret himself was holding back, for now, waiting to see if Morgan had prepared any traps for him. ''...Should I be flattered? He really seems to have a very high opinion of my abilities.'' Well... who could blame him?


    After all, she did have a trap prepared. In fact, this whole battle, and this whole siege, had been a carefully constructed trap.

 Chapter 1990 Iron Maiden

    Chapter 1990  Iron Maiden


    Morgan knew how devious and monstrous her brother was. In Antarctica, he had been weaker than her. He had been slower than her. Even his technique, while stellar, had been inferior to hers. He had not commanded an army or possessed a force of powerful Echoes, either.


    And yet, he had turned her nearly assured victory into a defeat. Even if it had seemed like the forces of Valor would have prevailed before the descent of the Nightmare Gates, in the end, Morgan herself would not have lived long enough to see their triumph �� she would have been dead, slain by that fiend. So, she knew how fearsome her brother was. However...


    She also noticed how he had changed after coming to the shores of the Sword Domain. Even his mask of pleasant friendliness was gone, replaced by the inhuman emptiness that Mordret had usually kept hidden in the past. He must have dreamed of his revenge for a long, long time... for many long years, locked in a dark room in the Night Temple, waiting and dreaming of visiting death and ruin upon those who had locked him there. His family. So, now that his goal was at hand, the Prince of Nothing had lost some of his flawlessly maintained composure. He was being impatient. And since he was also monstrously strong, Morgan knew how to use his impatience and turn it into arrogance. From that first battle at Rivergate, she had been carefully hiding her true strength. She had not revealed it even when her life was in danger... and when the lives of her Saints were in danger, either. That was because even while unleashing his thirst for vengeance, her brother was still supremely cautious. So, Morgan had to wait. She had waited for many long weeks, methodically reinforcing the notion of her lacking strength in his mind. Mordret was a monster, but there were still remnant pieces of humanity left in the depths of his abominable soul.


    He already despised Valor, and therefore felt contempt for his younger sister. Deep down, he wanted to prove that he was better than her. Stronger than her. Smarter than her... that his father had chosen wrong when casting him aside, and choosing to elevate Morgan instead. It was for that reason, and because of having already defeated her once, that Mordret had to be prone to underestimating Morgan. He already wanted to believe that she was below him in all regards, after all �� so, showing him weakness over and over again was bound to reinforce that subconscious bias. However, Morgan was not weak. She was just waiting. And now, finally, the day she had been waiting for was here.


    ...Granted, the situation was still terrible. She had hoped to decimate Mordret''s forces in one fell swoop, but he had proven to be too monstrously, unreasonably powerful. It tasted bitter to admit... that he was indeed much stronger than her. As a result, Morgan could only hope to level the playing field and assure that the siege would last for a while longer with her carefully prepared trap. But there was no escaping it. Her Saints were already battered and worn out, losing more of their strength with each day. If she continued to stall for time, it would be her forces that suffered fatal losses, not his.


    ''...A pity.''


    Morgan deflected a glancing blow of the enemy''s sword, somehow managed to push another aside with the pommel of her own, and then gasped when the towering reptile''s trident brushed against her side.


    Her armor caved a little, and she was thrown back, slamming into the parapet of the battlements. A net of fractures spread through the ancient stone, and a rain of debris fell down... she groaned and straightened slowly, tasting blood on her tongue. Feeling beaten and tired, Morgan glanced east, caught a glimpse of Athena, and felt new strength flood her veins. Her cracked helmet collapsed into a rain of sparks. Sensing cool air on her heated face, Morgan smiled crookedly, looked past the hideous head of the humanlike reptile �� one of the strongest vessels in Mordret''s possession after Typhaon and Knossos �� and pierced her brother with a dark gaze.


    And there was no escape from her iron embrace... she had absorbed quite a lot of mystical steel in the past four years, after all. The swords her father had forged, as well as the shards of the destroyed Sentinel Swords, had reinforced her Transcendent form especially well. Trapped, the enormous reptile staggered back.


    But it was too late.


    Because the river of liquid metal that Morgan had become retained the curse of her Flaw. Amplified by her Aspect Power, her flowing shape was cutting into the flesh of the powerful vessel, slicing it apart, and letting torrents of blood flow down onto the rubble. It was too slow, though. The shell of liquid metal swirling around the body of the taken Saint rippled, and countless long, appallingly sharp spikes shot from its inner surface into his flesh, riddling it with holes and destroying his every organ. Just like that, three Transcendent vessels of the Prince of Nothing were destroyed. Even knowing that his retaliation would follow a few moments later, Morgan couldn''t help but laugh. Of course, she only laughed inside her mind, since her current form had no mouth and no lungs to produce sound. ''Three down...''


    Would that be a big enough gesture to invite Mordret into her soul?


    If yes... one of them was going to die in the next few minutes.


    Or both of them.


    If not, the siege of Bastion would continue on for a long time �� the loss of these vessels would slow Mordret''s momentum, after all. Two of the three possible outcomes ended in her victory. Those... weren''t bad odds...


    East of the crumbling fortress, a beautiful steel colossus was battling a hideous monster in the shallow water. West of it, a graceful dragon was fighting a titanic horror of the depths fiercely, his haunting songs traveling across the surging lake. Inside the fortress, the ancient walls were collapsing, and a man with mirror-like eyes was looking curiously at as a river of living metal was slowly painted red. The shattered moon shone coldly in the broken sky.

 Chapter 1991 Hideous Face of War

    Chapter 1991  Hideous Face of War


    An enormous Echo stood upon the desolate white plain, shining blindingly as its steel carapace reflected the radiance of the overcast sky. It was powerful enough to flatten fortresses and durable enough to endure Transcendent blows, towering above the sun-bleached bone like a steel behemoth.


    The gargantuan beast had four mighty legs, a broad back, and a flat head that rested on a long neck. However, it had not been created by the Nightmare Spell in the image of a fearsome abomination... instead, it had been forged by the King of Swords once �� perhaps to serve an important purpose, perhaps simply out of boredom. Unless one wanted to bully the weak, the giant Echo was not suited well for battle. It was not swift enough to be of use in a serious battle, and while its carapace was durable, it was not nearly resilient enough to survive the many dreadful perils of the Dream Realm. At best, it could serve as a massive siege tower. At present, however, it served as a mobile redoubt for the command staff of the Sword Army... not because of its power or impregnable carapace, but simply because its height offered the King of Swords and his retinue a convenient vantage point to observe the battlefields. The Echo''s long tail rested on the ground, serving as a bridge that one could use to reach the flat expanse of the creature''s back �� there were even guardrails installed on both sides of the ascending path to prevent people from falling down. On the back of the steel beast, the field headquarters of the Sword Army stood, composed of colorful tents and canvas pavilions... most of them black or vermilion, of course. This was where the King and his close aides resided when the army was on the march, and where the generals gathered to hold council.


    This arrangement was not at all as impressive as the Valor Keep in the main camp of the Sword Army, of course, but still far more comfortable and convenient than one would expect in the middle of an active war. Finally, there was another steep path leading from the back of the enormous Echo and up its long neck. A circular viewing platform was located on the other end of the path, resting atop the head of the steel behemoth. The posts of the decorative guardrail were fashioned to look like a crown, and the white plain of sun-bleached bone could be seen far below in stunning view. That was where Sunny had found himself on a hot summer day, hiding his grim expression behind Weaver''s Mask as he observed the calamitous battlefield.


    Well... every day in Godgrave was cruelly hot and sweltering, so this one was no different from all the rest.


    It was truly an awesome scene.


    There were hundreds of thousands Awakened warriors participating in the battle, as well as thousands of Masters. There were countless Echoes, as well...


    There was also a vast horde of horrid Nightmare Creatures subjugated by Beastmaster, and the eerie legion of the dead risen by the Queen of Worms. The battlefront stretched from east to west for no less than a dozen kilometers, and terrible forces ravaged the crumbling lines of desperately struggling soldiers. Countless Aspects were being unleashed, and countless Memories were consuming oceans of essence to release a myriad of enchantments. The bone plain was quaking, and the fabric of reality seemed to grow brittle and thin.


    The bone plain was drinking blood greedily, and too many lives were being lost each minute. ...It was appalling. Here on the head of the gargantuan steel beast, it was almost peaceful. The deafening roar of the battle was like a distant murmur of the tide, and none of the devastating forces unleashed on the battlefield reached the viewing platform. And yet, the people gathered here were not at all at peace. If there was one thing lacking on the battlefield... it was the Saints. Neither of the two armies had sent their Transcendent champions into battle, so all they could do was watch from a distance and gnash their teeth. Sunny had imagined the war as many things, but he had never imagined that it would be so... boring. At the start of it all, he had been worried about having to slay countless humans with his own two hands.


    But in truth, Sunny had barely had an opportunity to spill blood after his first few attacks on the supply caravans of the Song Army.


    All the killing and all the dying was being done by ordinary soldiers like Rain, and they were the ones paying the hideous price of war. It was a shameful truth.

 Chapter 1992 Mass Destruction

    Chapter 1992  Mass Destruction


    There was a good reason for that, of course.


    And shameful and ugly reason, but a good one nevertheless. Soon after the second stage of the war started, the forces of both Domains had ventured to gain control over vast territories of Godgrave. The Sword Army had held a great advantage in that regard, already holding East Collarbone Plain and a large portion of the Breastbone Reach at the time, while the Song Army had been locked on West Collarbone Plain. There were expeditions launched to conquer the two remaining Citadels in Godgrave. Revel was leading an expedition into the darkness of the Spine Ocean, and a Saint from the branch family of Valor was leading a competing one to make sure that the Lightslayer died there. At the same time, Sir Gilead ventured south with a small force of elite warriors to claim the Citadel on the femur of the dead deity �� considering that Nameless Temple stood between them and the Song Army, his expedition was unopposed. The Queen of Worms had seemingly decided to choose her battles and gave up on the south completely. A lot of time had passed since the three conquest parties departed, but neither of the Citadels were conquered yet... which was quite important. That was because the conquest of the last two Citadels would become the final tally of the authority that the two Domains possessed in Godgrave. And once their authority had no more room to grow, there would be nothing left to hold the Sovereigns back. And so, the King of Swords and the Queen of Worms would finally enter the battlefield in person... to face each other, and see which one of them would inherit the throne of War''s Divine Realm.


    Which one of them would kill the other and get the other''s crown. ...That did not mean that there was nothing for the two great armies to do while the conquest parties braved the dreadful depths of Godgrave to claim the Citadels, though. In fact, the ordinary soldiers had to play the most important role in this Realm War. The authority of a Domain did not only depend on Citadels, after all �� as Sunny had found out. There were other factors involved, like the strength and spirit of those people who belonged to the Domain... and its territory. The latter was especially important, because while the two Domains were roughly equal in terms of population, there was vast unconquered territory in Godgrave. The side that managed to claim more of it could very well swing the final balance of power in its favor. So... the two great armies had begun the conquest. The initial process of claiming territory for a Domain was rather simple �� Sunny had helped the Sword Army do just that while marching to the Vanishing Lake. The forces of humanity had to push the scarlet jungle back, burn it, slaughter the Nightmare Creatures who populated it �� the original masters of this cursed land �� and build fortresses around the fissures in the ancient bone, thus preventing the abominable infestation from extending its tendrils from the Hollows again.


    However, what followed next was more complicated, and far more vile. Because after the forces of humanity wrestled control over the lands of Godgrave from the grasp of Corruption, humans could still fight for that control among themselves. And that was what had been happening during the second stage of the war. Both armies continued to claim more territory by banishing the scarlet jungle into the Hollows wherever possible, but they also clashed with each other, fighting for the already conquered land. The extermination outposts had become the currency that both Domains lusted for, and so, humans were now spilling human blood in Godgrave.


    The Song Army had eventually made its way to the Breastbone Reach by staging a two-pronged offensive from the Collarbone Plain and the Western First Rib. The battlefront had become twisted and complicated, with some fortresses changing hands several times a week.


    Sunny had remained sitting until the battle ended, never moving a muscle.


    He had a feeling that things could change today, though. Because although there had been countless minor battles and skirmishes in the war already, today''s battle was different. It was the first full-scale clash between the two great armies, with most of their soldiers present on the battlefield and participating in the bloodshed.


    The scale of it was both terrible and daunting... there had never been a greater battle in the history of humankind, after all.


    Sunny was watching the greatest crime in history be committed right in front of his eyes.


    ...Well, maybe not. Humans of the waking world, the children of War, had committed plenty of atrocities during the Dark Times, after all, and plenty more before that. Nothing had really changed since then, except that human soldiers wielded far greater powers now.


    In the indescribable chaos of their cataclysmic confrontation, anything could happen. He doubted that Saints would be forced to remain idle until the bitter end.

 Chapter 1993 Attrition

    Chapter 1993  Attrition


    Far below, the battle seemed to be hanging in a fragile balance. The battle lines were twisted and broken, and in some places, all pretense of order had been lost. Countless Awakened warriors were intertwined in a chaotic melee there, having forgotten all about discipline and battle formations. Blood was spilling on the ground, and a litany of desperate voices was drowning in the deafening clangor of steel.


    In other places, stalwart officers were still maintaining a semblance of control. The forces of the Sword Army were pushing the forces of Song on the left flank of the grand formation, while its right flank was being pushed back instead. In the center, a furious tug of war was boiling, with neither side managing to gain ground. At first glance, the soldiers of the Sword Domain were in a better position. That had been true throughout the war. The warriors of the Song Domain did not lack courage, determination, or martial prowess... in fact, Sunny had often been stunned by their tenacious resolve. Their powers and tactics were often strange, insidious, and wild, bringing with them a sense of lethal peril.


    They were chillingly fearless in the face of death, and viciously ruthless when they needed to be. And yet, they were simply no match for the soldiers of the Sword Army. The army of the Sword Domain was better equipped, better trained, and better able to maintain discipline in dire situations. Even if each individual warrior fighting under the banner of the King of Swords was not more powerful than the warriors of Song, together, they made for a much tougher and deadlier force. It was partially because Clan Valor and its vassals had been in power for much longer than Clan Song, and therefore possessed a much richer martial tradition. The core of the Sword Army had been forged in the successive subjugation campaigns that brought vast regions of the Dream Realm under human control, after all, and while Ki Song had led a historic conquest of her own, its scope and length did not compare.


    On the contrary, they continued to grow. Because it did not matter to whom the dead had been loyal once �� the Queen of Worms did not discriminate between the fallen of her own army or that of the enemy, embracing all with equal grace. It was a chilling sight, to see a comrade with whom you had been fighting side by side a minute ago, and whose death you were mourning, rise from the ground and aim their empty gaze at you, determined to extinguish your own life, in turn. It was as if the Sword Army was waging war against death itself.


    The longer the war continued, the more soldiers the Sword Domain lost, and the greater the army of the Song Domain became. And the wider gap there between the two was, the more casualties the Sword Army suffered as a result, thus creating a harrowing cycle.


    Despite its superiority, they were destined to lose this war of attrition. ...The same situation, albeit on a smaller scale, was currently taking place on the battlefield Sunny was observing. Something had to change soon, or they were going to suffer a bitter defeat... which could very well become irreparable, swinging the balance of power in favor of the Song Domain too much.


    He glanced at the King of Swords, wondering what the fearsome Sovereign was thinking about.

 Chapter 1994 Call to Arms

    Chapter 1994  Call to Arms


    The writing was on the wall.


    The Sword Army seemed to be prevailing against the enemy, for now, but as its losses mounted and the horde of the dead puppets grew... there was no escaping the eventual defeat.


    If Sunny could see it, then Anvil could see it, as well.


    And yet, the King of Swords was not doing anything. The only orders he gave were minor commands, like sending reserve units to reinforce the faltering sections of the battlefront or pulling back heavily battered battalions. His tactical prowess was immaculate, true, but that was hardly enough to remedy the situation.


    At the moment, the Sovereign was simply watching the carnage silently, his steely eyes not revealing any emotion. It was as if he was waiting for something, or maybe simply putting too much trust into his domineering authority.


    His presence was, indeed, more suffocating than the sweltering heat. Sunny scowled behind his mask.


    ''...He''s not planning to obliterate both armies, is he?''


    Out of the two Sovereigns, only Anvil possessed such an option... thanks to Saint Tyris, who could break the veil of clouds above the battlefield. But no, that could not be true. Not because Anvil wasn''t capable of implementing a monstrous strategy like that, but simply because Sky Tide would never agree to heed such a command. She had a will of her own, after all, and had disobeyed the Sovereigns before. More than that, her own daughter was currently down there, somewhere, fighting on the frontline with other warriors of the White Feather clan. Even if Anvil threatened to cut Tyris down, she would simply invite him to try. So... what then?


    As if to answer these thoughts, the King suddenly turned away from the battlefield and looked at something. Sunny was confused for a moment, not knowing what he was looking at, but then realized that the answer was obvious. Ignoring the people crowding around him, Anvil was gazing at Nephis, who stood some distance away. He studied her for a few moments, and then asked evenly:


    "What do you make of it?"


    Sunny''s scowl deepened. Why was that bastard putting Nephis on the spot? Sure, she was technically his adopted daughter... but everyone knew that it was merely a charade to justify a political alliance. Even if it had not been, Anvil wasn''t known for treating his children with warmth or attention. Nephis seemed surprised by the question, as well... of course, to everyone except for Sunny, her expression would have looked just as calm and composed as ever. She looked up at the King of Swords, remained silent for a few moments, and then shrugged. "It''s appalling."


    Something unexpected happened in the next moment. The King of Swords... smiled. His smile was faint and cold, but it was undeniably there. Anvil looked back to the battlefield. "...I see that you are more like your mother than your father."


    His voice was just as emotionless as ever, but there was a hint of something personal in it. It almost sounded human.


    Nephis frowned. "In what way?"


    Anvil smiled for the third time in a single day. This time, his smile was a little terrifying. "And if your arrival provokes the enemy to attack you?"


    Nephis just stared at him impassively. After a few moments of silence, she said in an even tone:


    "Then I will break them."


    Anvil''s chilling smile turned into an equally frightening sneer, but he did not stop her. Witnessing this, some of the Saints present on the viewing platform moved, as well. Roan gave his wife a brief look, then headed to the railing. "I think I would like to stretch my leg, too."


    Saint Helie, who had been standing by her lonesome on the opposite side of the platform from Sunny, glanced at Nephis and sighed. "I am actually afraid of heights. Spending some time on the ground will be quite nice."


    Rivalen of Aegis Rose stared at them in confusion. "Ah, yes. Me too... I mean, I want to stretch my legs too, Your Majesty. Not that I am afraid of heights."


    The rest of the Saints had begun moving, as well.


    The King of Swords did not spare them a look, continuing to study the battlefield.


    Sunny wasn''t sure if that was because everything was going according to what the Sovereign had wanted, or if he simply did not mind.


    Nephis did not wait for the Sword Saints. Summoning her wings, she leaped off the head of the gargantuan Echo and plummeted toward the battlefield like a falling star. ...Saint Jest, who had appeared next to Sunny at some point, let out a chuckle at the sight and shook his head. "Young people are so hot-headed these days!"


    Then, he looked at Sunny and grinned. "What about you, Shadow? Are you joining the fun?"


    Sunny turned his head and stared at the old man coldly. When he answered, his arrogant voice carried a hint of displeasure.


    "No way. Haven''t I told you before?"


    He lingered for a moment, and then added evenly:


    "I am a pacifist." With that, Sunny sighed, pushed himself off the railing, and turned into a shadow. The shadow disappeared from view a moment later, heading in the direction of the battlefield with stunning speed. Jest scoffed and shook his head again. "This kid... is such a terrible liar..."

 Chapter 1995 Grim Reality

    Chapter 1995  Grim Reality


    Rain had been experiencing this strange feeling as of late...


    It was as though she was walking through life while asleep, stuck in a long and lurid nightmare. The first months of the war had been a dreadful and appalling ordeal, but she had always felt wide awake back then. Ascending the titanic arm of the dead deity, crossing over to the collarbone, establishing a camp in the middle of the abominable jungle, and marching into its depths to claim the Citadel for the Song Domain... those were the horrors she knew and accepted. What had happened next, however, was not. Rain was a bit lucky, perhaps, to be a part of the Seventh Legion. After playing an important role in the conquest of the Collarbone Citadel, they had been allowed to rest and recover for quite some time. Even later, the Song Army had held the Seventh Legion back as much as possible, letting other divisions spearhead the offensive on the Breastbone Reach.


    It had taken a long time before Rain saw people killing other people, and was forced to spill human blood herself. She had been dreading that moment for a long time, but when it happened, it happened quickly. It was kill or be killed �� the other person would not hesitate to end her life if given the chance... Only they would, if they were like her. And that was precisely the point �� they were like her. The soldiers of the Sword Army were fellow humans, no different from Rain, and the thought of killing another human for no good reason was just as appalling to most of them as it was to her. They were all Awakened, and therefore no strangers to bloodshed. In fact, they were all natural killers, having experienced the visceral rush of fighting and slaying living beings many times. However, there was a stark difference between killing Nightmare Creatures and killing humans �� real humans, not nameless phantoms conjured by the Spell in the illusory Nightmares.


    If anything, their experience only made the act of killing harder. Those who routinely faced Nightmare Creatures knew how precious human lives were, after all, because they knew that humanity was surrounded by the enemy �� by the abominable other �� from all sides.


    The soldiers of the two great armies might have been enemies, but they weren''t... the other. They were the same. Still, war... was war. The first time Rain had to aim at a human, she felt nauseated and afraid. She froze for a moment, unable to let go of the string, and then lowered her bow a little �� an action that was somehow both involuntary and completely conscious. As a result, her arrow struck the enemy archer in the thigh instead of piercing his heart. It had never become easier. There were a few of these moments later on �� sometimes, Rain was sure that while her arrows seriously wounded many, they did not kill anyone...


    Sometimes, she was not. But it was all happening so quickly. There was no time to think. Before she could even fathom the implications of her actions, there was a new enemy rushing at their position, and after one battle was over, another would be starting too soon. Strangely enough �� or maybe quite predictably �� the aim of the enemy archers was often just as terrible as hers.


    It would be quite fitting, actually. Rain had cheated the world by Awakening without undergoing the First Nightmare... so, there was perverse justice in the fact that her life had become a kind of nightmare in turn.


    But, of course, she knew that what was happening around her, and to her, was no nightmare. The war was very real, and the horrors of the war were very real, as well. There was no escaping that fact, and all she could do was blame herself for coming to this godforsaken hell instead of burying her head in the sand and cowardly running away to hide in Ravenheart.


    Rain found some solace in the company of her cohort... Tamar, Ray, and Fleur. The four of them were going through this terrible ordeal together, and searched for ways to survive it in sound mind together. Even in the depths of her dejection, she couldn''t imagine abandoning them. But most of all, what helped her stay sane... was the company and support of her brother. Her... brother.


    It had taken Rain a while to come to terms with the fact that her mysterious and often sinister teacher was not, in fact, some dark deity or errant spirit, but instead her older brother. And entirely human, on top of that!


    A completely improbable, astonishing, and absurd human. How did his existence even make sense? How could he be one of the most powerful Saints in the world, her brother, and Changing Star''s boyfriend to boot?


    Still... although confounding, his presence by her side was not unwelcome. It was a source of warmth and strength for her, instead. And Rain desperately needed both of those things. Especially today.


    Because today, the two great armies had gathered on a vast bone plain, and the Seventh Legion was thrown into the jaws of a calamitous battle.

 Chapter 1996 Fodder

    Chapter 1996  Fodder


    There had been countless skirmishes and several larger battles between the two armies before, but never anything of that scale.


    There had never been a battle this great and this terrible in all of human history... at least not in the history of their world.


    But then again, this wasn''t their world. The Seventh Legion was in the most dire section of the battlefield �� the very middle of the center, serving as the spearhead of the entire Song Army. The enemies they faced were not young Awakened who had become carriers of the Spell in the aftermath of the Chain of Nightmares, either, but the hardened core of the Sword Army instead...


    The seasoned veterans of the royal clan''s own storied forces. The Knights of Valor. They were like a steel bulwark that refused to be shaken or pushed back, repelling one fierce attack after another. The Ascended Knights commanded Awakened Squires, maintaining immaculate discipline and the indomitable will of the elite troops.


    "Snap out of it!"


    She flinched and tried to regain her composure. "Summon your sword. Things are about..."


    Before her teacher... Sunny... was done talking, a loud horn rolled across the stretch of the battlefield where the Seventh Legion was fighting. Rain failed to register what the unexpected sound meant, at first, but then shivered. ''It''s the Knights...''


    The Knights of Valor were being called to advance. She was currently standing on a toppled wagon, surrounded by fellow soldiers. Tamar''s centuria had participated in an assault on the enemy formation not too long ago, and then retreated to rest and lick their wounds while other members of the legion continued the frantic attack. But they weren''t that far from the melee. If the enemy threw all their power into an offensive push...


    ''Ah...''


    Rain dismissed her bow and manifested the Mark of Shadows into a black tachi. Tamar had already risen from the ground by leaning on her enormous zweihander. Fleur had been treating one of the soldiers, so Ray grabbed her and pushed her back to safety. The steel wall of fearsome knights suddenly surged forward, making the ground quake. They suffered a few casualties while toppling the pilgrims, then crashed into the soldiers of the Seventh Legion a few moments later. Instantly, the carnage and mayhem of the battle turned ten times more intense, with all remaining order evaporating in one harrowing moment. A deafening clangor arose, drowning out the sound of human screams. Before too long, the frontline of the legion was broken and pushed back, and the enemies were upon Tamar and her worn-down warriors. Rain jumped off the wagon, thinking that they were lucky. At least the enemies they faced were not the indomitable Knights of Valor, this time. Instead, they seemed to belong to one of the vassal clans... their cloaks were white instead of vermilion, at least, and many had decorated their armor with feathers. The world shook as countless Aspects were unleashed and raged across the battlefield, and the merciless sky continued to batter the two great armies with radiance and heat. Gripping her sword, Rain gritted her teeth and followed Tamar to fight the soldiers of the Sword Army. ...Her shadow followed too, of course.

 Chapter 1997 Human Cost

    Chapter 1997  Human Cost


    The pilgrims were consumed by the tidal wave of steel warriors, only managing to fell the vanguard of unfeeling Echoes. There were more of them on other parts of the battlefield, but here at the epicenter of the calamitous clash between the two great armies, the Knights of Valor were too shrewd and callous to allow the dead to rise en masse. The indomitable formation of the Sword Army elites surged forward like an iron wave, crashing into the Seventh Legion and shattering its offensive line. However, not long after, the momentum of the Valor forces stalled. And then, it was exhausted entirely, leaving them in a deadly mire. Their enemy was not to not be trifled with, either �� the seven Royal Legions consisted of the best warriors of the Song Domain, and among them, the Seventh Legion was the fiercest.


    It only lost to the First Legion, perhaps, which had vanished into the darkness of the Spine Ocean and was not present on the battlefield today. After suffering the initial blow, the broken formation of the Song warriors did not buckle, and the warriors themselves did not lose themselves to fear. They were not routed �� instead, they descended upon the Knights of Valor and their auxiliary forces like a deadly swarm, burning with wicked resolve and primal fury.


    These men and women were neither enthralled by the promise of glory nor intoxicated by the raucous hymns of war. However, they weren''t willing to taste the bitterness of defeat, either. ...A wide swath of the hellish battlefield turned into an even harsher hell, with thousands of powerful Awakened and hundreds of fearsome Masters clashing in a deadly melee. The cacophony of deafening thunderclaps, the litany of human screams, and the violent tremors of the bloodied ground fused into a nightmarish choir of destruction, as if the world itself was in the throes of death �� or rebirth, maybe. Perhaps it was the dead deity of Godgrave that was being reborn, its ancient bones soaked by human blood. In any case, the warriors of both the Sword Army and the Song Army seemed to have forgotten themselves, consumed by the dire and macabre necessity of battle. Their previous doubts were washed away by the shock and awe of the harrowing battlefield, and their minds were hollowed by the dreadful, demented noises of the disastrous havoc. The world had gone insane.


    Rain was so afraid that she did not even feel fear anymore. It was as if that part of her that had been responsible for knowing fear overheated and went up in flames, leaving only cold ashes in its wake. Now, all she felt was fury and resentment. She did not even know what she was furious about, and whom she resented. In the absence of an answer, Rain could only focus her reeling mind on the enemy in front of her. Tamar was the first to clash with the warriors of the Sword Army, vaulting over their loose battle line with the help of her Aspect Ability and using the second floating step to abruptly arrest her momentum, twist on one leg, and lunge herself at their backs. As soon as her foot touched the ground, her brutish zweihander flashed in a wicked horizontal arc, breaking someone''s armor and throwing them aside.


    She was putting herself in terrible danger, of course, all alone behind the enemy line...


    However, a few moments later, a swift figure in crimson garments flashed between the soldiers of Song and crashed into the formation of the ironclad knights. It was a beautiful woman who wore no armor, her ebony hair fluttering behind her in the wind. Her skin was pale like snow, and her eyes were just as cold.


    Her scarlet lips were pressed tightly against each other. She was one of the Blood Sisters who followed Princess Seishan... A Master of the Song Domain. Wielding a sharp dagger with a wavy blade, she collided with the warriors of the Sword Army and pushed them back. Her thin hand moved with inhuman speed, slicing up the throat of one soldier, blinding another, piercing a third one''s chest. The knights staggered back in a haze of blood, opening a breach in their formation. The Blood Sister dashed forward, ready to widen the gap...


    Only for her kris to be stopped by a sword''s blade.


    Sid, one of the Fire Keepers who had been sent into battle with the Knights of Valor, pushed the enemy Master back and looked at her with a scowl. Her dirty-blonde hair was wet with sweat, and her shield Memory was gone, destroyed by a ferocious Echo... which was a real shame, considering that it had been wonderfully modified by the charming guest of their island not too long ago. As the breach in the formation widened and the soldiers of the two armies descended into a frenzied melee, she sighed and spoke with a hint of regret: "Elly."


    Her voice was somber.  "...You should have stayed away from this war, stupid girl."


    The Blood Sister �� the former Handmaiden �� forced out a defiant smile. "It''s good to see you again, Sid." With that, she raised her beautiful dagger and prepared to attack. A moment later, the two former members of the Dreamer Army clashed under the merciless grey sky, aiming to end each other''s lives.

 Chapter 1998 Old Friends

    Chapter 1998  Old Friends


    Sid knew the Handmaiden... the Blood Sister... quite well.


    Her name was Felise. The two of them had been at the Academy together, and arrived at the Dark City at the same time.


    There were many others that year, as well... although not everyone made it to the Bright Castle alive. Those who had either turned out to be lucky enough to become Guards or were left to rot in the outer settlement.


    Sid and Felise were not lucky, but they happened to possess a few soul shards by then, so they paid the tribute and entered the Castle together. Naturally, they stuck close to each other once inside.


    Their shards did not last long, though. Eventually, they had nothing left to pay tribute with... that day, Sid decided to leave for the outer settlement, while Felise decided to become a Handmaiden.


    Sid did not blame her for that decision. Felise was... a soft girl. The harsh life in the outer settlement would be a death sentence for someone like her, most likely.


    Hell, Sid was quite pessimistic about her own chances of survival.


    But she did survive, somehow.


    Their friendship did not end immediately, either. Felise used to sneak out food for her when she could, in those first few months on the Forgotten Shore. The two hid in a threadbare shack and shared their hopes, their fears, and their scars �� both physical and mental.


    But it was hard to maintain a connection when separated by the impenetrable walls of the Castle. Eventually, they grew apart. Felise became one of Seishan''s people, while Sid became a hunter of the outer settlement.


    And after the war for the Bright Castle and the siege of the Crimson Spire, well... Sid followed Nephis of the Immortal Flame, while Elly followed Seishan of Song. Their paths did not cross again in the many years since.


    ...Until today.


    ''Gods...''


    Sid had been a passable fighter all the way back on the Forgotten Shore �� otherwise, she would not have survived the streets of the Dark City. And in the years since, she only grew more deadly.


    The Chained Isles, the Southern Campaign, the Second Nightmare, and the countless battles fought side by side with Changing Star �� both across the Sword Domain and here in Godgrave �� had tempered and sharpened her already outstanding skill, turning Sid into a unique existence among Ascended.


    She had even fought the Lord of Shadows once!


    That monster...


    And yet, she was being pushed back by Felise.


    Her former friend was just too swift, too strong, and too cunning. Her kris was shorter than the arming sword Sid wielded, and yet, it seemed to be everywhere all at once. Worse yet, the moment their blades clashed, Sid felt her hand trembling from the dire force of the impact.


    It did not make any sense. Having long saturated her core and armed with Memories that no amount of money could buy, Sid was at the peak of what a Master could be, while Elly''s Aspect �� its Dormant Ability, at least �� was tailored to Utility. How had she become so monstrously powerful?


    Staggering back, Sid barely managed to activate her Awakened Ability in time. Her body became intangible for a split second, and the wavy blade of the beautiful kris passed through her forearm without cutting her tendons.


    Sliding back on the bloodied surface of the sun-bleached bone, she regained her balance and raised her sword into a defensive stance, breathing heavily.


    It did not make any sense at all...


    "...When did you become so strong?"


    Her voice came out hoarse and heavy.


    Felise gritted her teeth, and then lunged forward with the speed of lightning.


    "I... have always been strong..."


    Sid used her Aspect to give herself a few moments of tremendous might, and battered the sharp kris aside. There was a deafening boom, and an explosion of fiery sparks.


    Her free hand turned into a fist, flying toward the Handmaiden''s beautiful face...


    ...Some distance away, Rain pushed an enemy aside, deflected a downward slash aimed at her head, and slammed the pommel of her tachi into the visor of another Awakened foe''s helmet.


    Gaining a moment to breathe, she swallowed a mouthful of searing air and looked around.


    All around her, the warriors of the Seventh Legion were intertwined in a bloody struggle against the elite forces of the Sword Domain. The Feather Knights had turned out to be tough adversaries, even if they were no match for the true monsters of Valor.


    Still, they possessed that eerie quality that all soldiers of the Sword Army possessed... they moved as one, seamlessly weaving a net of sharp steel to defend themselves and cut the enemies down. This strange ability was hard to explain with words, but very easy to become a victim of.


    Many were already dead.


    ...Many dead were already rising from the ground, too.


    That sight was both deeply horrifying and shamefully reassuring.


    At least the Queen was with them.


    Rain shuddered.


    Not too far away, a vaguely familiar Blood Sister was fighting against a Knight of Valor, her crimson garments and his vermilion cloak turning into a red blur. The enemy Ascended was bleeding from a dozen hideous wounds, but it only seemed to make him stronger.


    Apart from him, there was another dire problem on their section of the battlefield...


    It was one of the Feather Knights �� a young woman wearing light armor and a white cape, her pauldron and the plume of her helmet adorned with white feathers. Her youthful face was pretty and somber, and her hair seemed to be gold.


    From the way she moved and her threatening presence on the battlefield, she gave Rain the same impression most Legacies did.


    Sharp, grounded.


    Deadly.


    Among all the Awakened warriors they were facing, the young woman was the most dangerous, having already killed several of Rain''s comrades.


    That was why Tamar had fought her way in that direction, and was facing her personally.


    ''Damn it...''


    Their battle was both breathtaking and chilling, since both were at the very pinnacle of what ordinary Awakened strived to be... but mostly chilling, for Rain, because her heart skipped a beat every time the enemy''s sharp blade whistled past Tamar, missing her vitals by a few centimeters at most.


    Feeling an ominous premonition, Rain exhaled through gritted teeth and lunged back into the furious melee.


    She was trying to make her way to where Tamar and the young Feather Knight were clashing, but it was taking her a long time...


    There were too many people fighting, bleeding, and dying between her and the two Legacies. There was too much mayhem.


    She could become one of those dying people at any moment, too, falling to the ground in a fountain of blood...


    Even if her brother was a powerful Saint, he was not omnipotent. On a battlefield like this one, life and death could be decided in a split second.


    And Rain... Rain was wasting too many seconds trying to reach Tamar.No?v(el)B\\jnn

 Chapter 1999 Embrace of Shadow

    Chapter 1999  Embrace of Shadow


    As Rain was struggling to fight her way toward Tamar, Tamar was struggling to contend against her fearsome enemy. Both she and the young Feather Knight seemed to have fully saturated cores, possessed exceptional combat skill, and were stellar at controlling their essence �� at least to the degree Awakened could. As a result, their physical prowess was truly superhuman, and their clash seemed like a whirlwind of steel that rolled across the battlefield, colliding with other warriors to consume them from time to time. However, Rain could still make out the details of the fight, and while the power of the two Legacies were roughly equal, Tamar was obviously at a disadvantage due to being younger and less experienced. At first glance, it looked like she was actually pushing the Feather Knight back... however, Rain could not fail to notice that Tamar''s adversary had not used her Aspect yet. Either it had nothing to do with combat, or she was waiting for the right time to unleash her Abilities. The battle promised to be long and exhausting, after all, and powerful Aspect Abilities consumed a lot of essence �� any Awakened soldier knew to ration their essence in a fight. Augmenting one''s body, using one''s Awakened Ability, and activating the enchantments of one''s Memories �� those were the things that they only resorted to when necessary during prolonged battles. If given a choice. ...And while the young knight seemed to still have the luxury of the choice, Tamar did not, already exhibiting bursts of startling speed as often as she could. That was the only reason she was managing to keep, for now.


    Rain had hoped that their clash would take the two Legacies closer to her, but they only seemed to moving further away. ''Damn it!''


    She did not know what to do.


    A small, cowardly part of her whispered... that she did not have to do anything, either. Trying to help Tamar was putting Rain herself at risk. Tamar was so very proud of herself and her family �� their history, their martial excellence, their tradition. Surely, a proud Legacy like her could fend for herself. Why did Rain have to risk her own life for an entitled Legacy?


    She had to concentrate on protecting herself, instead. Surviving on this battlefield was already difficult enough �� doing so while rushing to reach a deadly enemy was no different from inviting her own demise.


    Stuck in the mass of sharp steel and fighting Awakened, she gritted her teeth and looked down, at her shadow. Then, she forced out a stifled plea: No?v(el)B\\jnn


    "I... I need help!"


    Rain rarely asked her teacher for help. Her teacher was a mysterious and lofty existence, after all.


    Even her black tachi felt more deadly in her hand. At the same time, she inexplicably felt calmer. There was... a subtle, but vast presence in her mind �� unfamiliar, but not foreign. The opposite of foreign, really. That faint, dark presence was deep and reassuring, making her feel... secure. [Better?]


    Rain heard her brother''s voice again. Only this time, it did not come from her shadow �� instead, it resounded directly in her mind. She froze for a moment.


    [...Quite.]


    That was indeed better.


    Much better. ''Who even needs an Aspect?''


    Gripping the hilt of her tachi, Rain took a deep breath, and launched herself forward. Suddenly, the sea of Awakened in front of her was not as impenetrable anymore. Armed with her skill and embraced by the shadow, Rain cut through it with violent speed. Her sword turned into a dark blur as it parried and pushed enemy blades away, and when it was not enough, she used her own nimble body to either slip past them or toss them aside.


    Perhaps that was what being an Ascended felt like...


    Throwing one glance at the harrowing battle between the Blood Sister and the Knight of Valor, Rain shuddered. No... she was not ready to face Masters yet. In fact, she was probably still much weaker than Awakened with powerful combat Aspects that augmented their bodies were... granted, the embrace of the shadow was much more versatile than most such Aspects, enhancing all her physical traits instead of one or two. It was enough. The distance between Rain and Tamar finally started to shrink, and the more she grew used to her newfound power, the quicker it shrank. ''Hold on, Tamar!''


    Rain finally felt that her ominous premonition was nothing more than a false sense of anxiety. She was almost there. She had almost made it. ...But in the end, she did not. Rain was less than a dozen meters away from the two fighting Legacies when the cadence of their clash changed. The young Feather Knight did something that made Tamar sway, and then swiftly disengaged. Her eyes suddenly shone like two cold stars, and blue arcs of electricity danced across her steel armor. Before Rain could even react, she pointed her sword forward. Then, an incinerating bolt of lighting shot from its tip, reaching Tamar in an instant and swallowing her figure in a flash of blue radiance.

 Chapter 2000 Human Beasts

    Chapter 2000  Human Beasts


    Tamar was enveloped by blinding blue radiance for a moment, and then thrown violently to the ground. Her zweihander fell out of her hand, rattling as it slid across the surface of the bloodsoaked bone. Her armor was scorched and melted in several places, revealing patches of gruesomely burned skin.


    Wisps of smoke rose from beneath it, dissipating in the air. Rain froze for a heartbeat, her mind numb. ''N��no...''


    Then, Tamar moved weakly, revealing that she was still alive. What had hit here was no different from true lightning, more than capable of turning a human body to ash. However, the young Legacy must have possessed a Memory that granted her a high enough level of resistance to elemental attacks.


    That was how she had survived.


    Nevertheless...


    She was still wounded and sprawled helplessly on the ground, temporarily unable to defend herself. And her adversary was unscathed, still holding a sword in her hand. Blue arcs of electricity were still dancing across her armor. [Move!]


    Her movements were fluid and terrifyingly swift, but the young Feather Knight still managed to block the black tachi. She was still on her knees and a little dazed, using both hands to receive Rain''s blow on the blade of her sword. Rain could vaguely see that her enemy''s helmet had flown off, and her golden hair was fluttering in the wind. The image was vague and blurry, though, making it hard to discern any details. As soon as the two blades collided, Rain let out a shocked hiss and staggered away.


    ''What a... cunning wench...''


    Her golden-haired foe had used her Aspect power in an insidious way. Instead of channeling it into a bolt of lightning, she simply channeled it into her steel sword. From there, it traveled through the blade of Rain''s own tachi and into her body, bringing with it even more pain.


    "Aargh!"


    Rain''s momentary fumble gave the pretty Feather Knight all the time she needed to rise. The next moment, though, she had to duck with a startled expression as Rain unceremoniously tossed the tachi at her face. By the time the enemy reacted, Rain was already upon her, grabbing her sword with one hand and delivering a devastating punch to her chest with another. Rain''s hands were protected by the gloves made from black, lusterless leather. Leather was a far better insulator than the blade of the black tachi, so all she felt from touching the enemy''s sword and breastplate was a little sting. Her current strength, at the same time, was dreadful enough to make the steel of the young Feather Knight cave in a little, and for a stifled scream to escape from her mouth. ...But not enough to make the young Legacy lose her edge, apparently. In the next second, the Feather Knight''s knee slammed into Rain''s side, and her fists sent her reeling back in agony �� one rammed into her ribs, the other slammed into her chin, making Rain taste blood. ''Why did she have to be proficient in hand-to-hand combat, as well...''


    She staggered back, then instantly spun and dove down, sweeping her enemy''s feet. Not giving the golden-haired knight an opportunity to rise, Rain pressed her into the ground and punched her in the face, causing bright blood to shoot from the young woman''s nose. A moment later, the two of them were wrestling on the blood-soaked ground, trying to crush, break, and strangle each other. The white feathers on the young Legacy''s armor were soon marred and turned red, and Rain''s armor was no better. Rain was stronger... but the young Feather Knight was still covered in a blue net of electric arcs, which continuously hurt and numbed the adversary. By then, Rain''s vision had almost returned, revealing the dirty, bloodied, pitiful face of her enemy. The fear and desperation in her eyes... and frightening killing intent burning in them, as well. For a moment, Rain felt disconnected from her own mind and body. At that moment, the two of them did not seem like warriors... or even humans, really. There was no grace, skill, or honor in their violent and ugly struggle. Instead, they were no different from dirty, wild beasts tearing at each other in a murderous frenzy. Still, one of them would have to die, and the other one was going to live. That... was the essence of combat. Rain had no time or luxury to hesitate, think, or even feel.


    She could only strive to assure that, at the end, she was the one who survived.

 Chapter 2001 Winding Paths

    Chapter 2001  Winding Paths


    The battle between Sid and Felise was like a small calamity... one taking place within the terror of a much vaster cataclysm. The battlefield where hundreds of thousands of Awakened sought to destroy each other stretched from one horizon to another, strained by the great and violent forces they summoned into the world. Above them was the shroud of radiant clouds; beneath them were the bones of a dead deity.


    Sid and Felise had come a long way since the Forgotten Shore. Today, however, their winding paths crossed once again... only for one path to put an end to the other. Sid tasted blood in her mouth as Felise pushed her back. They moved with enough speed to make their furious clash appear like a blur �� from time to time, groups of fighting Awakened soldiers got in their way, only to be violently tossed aside. Some survived... some were less fortunate. ''Curse it!''


    She drew on all her combat experience �� few in the world had more of that than her �� and all her skill. Her sword moved as if it was a living thing, deflecting blow after blow after blow. There was no holding back in this battle, so Sid abandoned all restraint, alternating between short bursts of incredible power, incredible resilience, and incredible speed �� her Dormant, Awakened, and Ascended Abilities.


    Still, all of it was not enough to resist Felise, who was like a crimson wraith. Her former friend was viciously strong and shockingly fast. Her kris was like a curse, seemingly existing in several places at the same time. Her technique was insidious and flawless, and her killing intent was absolute. Sid managed to block a blow that would have blinded her by calling upon her strength. She avoided another by leaping back with lightning speed. The third penetrated a crack in her armor, but merely scraped against her adamantine skin, failing to pierce it. A moment later, Felise delivered a crushing kick to her abdomen, making Sid groan in pain. She staggered back. "Elly... if you don''t stop... I''m going to get serious..."


    The Handmaiden sneered. "We are not children anymore, Sid. Stop pretending."


    Sid grinned, her teeth painted red by blood. It was true... they weren''t children anymore. Felise had grown incredibly powerful. The soft girl she had known once was gone. Instead, a proud and deadly warrior now stood in front of her �� someone who had reached the very pinnacle of what mortals strived for. A Blood Sister of the Song Domain. But...


    Sid gritted her teeth and straightened, grasping the hilt of her sword with both hands. Back there on the Forgotten Shore, life had not been easy for the Handmaidens. Most people of the outer settlement imagined the Bright Castle as some kind of heaven, but Sid knew better �� in reality, people living there had to contend with their own nightmares. Felise would not have survived there if she had been weak.


    But still...


    She had not been a huntress of the outer settlement. Lunging forward, Sid activated her Ascended Ability and flashed across the blood-soaked bone. So what if Felise was stronger? So what if she was faster? So what if she was more powerful in all regards?


    Their desperate struggle was both violent and strangely intimate, as if they were transported back to the Forgotten Shore.


    Sitting side by side in a cold ramshackle hut, sharing their warmth, and telling each other stories. Pressing the tip of her dagger against the enemy''s abdomen, Sid growled hoarsely:


    "Stay down!"


    But Felise only struggled more desperately, unwilling to admit defeat. There were sparks of light swirling around her, soon to manifest into another Memory.


    Sid''s eyes were burning. It was either sweat that had gotten into them, or blood.


    Or tears. She allowed her dagger to move down a few centimeters, drawing blood, and said in a stifled, almost pleading tone:


    "Stay down, Elly... just stay down. Or I''ll kill you..."


    ''Please, gods...''


    But Felise still struggled.


    The sparks of light danced, slowly manifesting into a weapon.

 Chapter 2002 Kill or Be Killed

    Chapter 2002  Kill or Be Killed


    Rain tried to batter the Feather Knight into submission, but the young woman turned out to be much more stubborn and resilient than she had expected. Despite the barrage of crushing blows, her enemy continued to resist, not losing even a little bit of determination.


    Well... Rain couldn''t blame her. The blond-haired girl was fighting for her life, after all.


    Giving up meant death.


    ''Damn it...''


    Her enemy was quite proficient in hand-to-hand combat, as well... more so than Rain was, sadly. After all, Rain had spent the past four years hunting down Nightmare Creatures, not wrestling humans. Her training was thorough, but mostly theoretical. The Feather Knight, on the other hand, seemed to possess a wealth of practical experience. She protected herself from being hurt too badly while delivering terrible punishment to Rain. And there were the stinging arcs of electricity, as well...


    Pain. Rain was in so much pain. She was also afraid, frantic, and desperate...


    After all, she was fighting for her life, too. The Feather Knight managed to roll, pressing Rain into the ground. She swatted away Rain''s arms and delivered a crushing blow, bruising �� or maybe cracking �� her ribs with an armored fist.


    There was more agony. Rain tried to use her legs to throw the blond-haired menace off, but her enemy simply went with the motion, spinning around her and catching her neck in an iron chokehold. Suddenly, Rain couldn''t breathe. She struggled desperately, trying to pull the Feather Knight''s arm off her throat. But it was useless. The enemy just groaned and pulled even harder, trying to crush her windpipe. Even though Rain was stronger, she couldn''t get a good grip. She was caught and immobilized.


    All her strength was useless. ''I...''


    Her vision started to blur.


    ''I can''t die here...''


    Shaken and dazed, she had forgotten all about the battle, the war, and the fact that her brother would not let her die. All she knew was the desperate need to inhale... to survive. She wanted to stab her killer with one of her enchanted arrows, but summoning a Memory would take too long... wouldn''t it?


    Luckily, Rain''s weapon was not a Memory. A few steps away, her black tachi was laying on the bloody surface of the ancient bone. As she called for it, the tachi stirred, and then dissolved, turning into a small shadow. The shadow slithered across the ground like a little snake, and then climbed onto her outstretched hand. A moment later, it turned into a black dagger with a long, narrow blade. Twisting her body, Rain mustered all her remaining strength and drove the stiletto into the Feather Knight''s thigh. The young woman screamed as blood flowed onto the ancient bone. Her hold grew weaker for a split second, and Rain used that short moment to free herself. Spinning around, she tore the dagger from her enemy''s flesh, and raised it to plunge the dark blade into the Feather Knight''s throat. And then, at the last second... Rain hesitated. It was because she saw her enemy''s face clearly. The Feather Knight was young �� older than her, but not by that much. Under the grime of the battlefield, her face was pale and pretty. Her beautiful golden hair was now mottled, soaked in sweat and blood.


    Her eyes were opened wide, full of pain, fear, and despair. Just like Rain''s own. Was that whom she was supposed to kill?


    Of course, it was. It was war, after all.


    It was kill or be killed. Rain was a hunter, a warrior, and a soldier. She was a soldier of the great Song Army, and the nameless Feather Knight was a soldier of the Sword Domain. She was Rain''s enemy, and she would kill Rain immediately if their roles were reversed.


    ...Would she not?


    Rain looked into the eyes of the Feather Knight, knowing that her time was running out. The enemy was already recovering from shock... which meant that a moment later, her chance of killing the enemy would disappear like a ghost. It would be so easy, to thrust the dagger forward and steal the young woman''s life. There was no reason not to.


    Because Rain was a soldier.


    And she had been taught well.


    The essence of combat...


    But was that what Rain wanted to be? A murderer?


    Before the war... she had wanted to build things, not destroy them. To add to the world, not take away from it. It seemed so distant, as if it had happened a lifetime ago. Still, one had to be alive to build anything. And she had to kill to stay alive. There was no time to hesitate, and no choice.


    That was just basic logic. ...And yet, Rain found herself unwilling. She was dazed, hurting, and only starting to recover from almost being strangled to death. She could barely think, let alone think straight, which wasn''t the best state to make profound decisions. But then again, maybe it was the best state.


    Stripped of all reason, Rain was left face-to-face with her deepest, most fundamental instincts. With the things that made her... her.


    And what Rain found was that she didn''t want to be a murderer, a killer, and a destroyer.


    She only felt disgust at the prospect.


    Even if it meant not getting to become anything else. ''I''m sorry...''


    She had chosen to join the war herself. But in the end...


    It seemed that Rain wasn''t cut out to be a soldier. Letting out a quiet sigh, she slowly lowered her dagger. And as she did, Rain felt something deep and profound change inside of her.


    Forever. A moment later, the Feather Knight lunged to the side, grasping the hilt of her sword.


    Before she could raise it, though...


    Both of them looked up. There, above them... a blinding star seemed to be falling from the sky.


    The incandescent mass of white radiance plummeted toward the blood-soaked battlefield and crushed into it with a deafening thunderclap. A violent shockwave was raised by its arrival, throwing the warriors of the two great armies away from each other. When the winds settled a few moments later, Rain gasped. ...A beautiful goddess was standing amidst the dirt and blood of the appalling battlefield, her pure white radiance seemingly unblemished... incapable of being blemished... by the crimson dust of the mortal world. Two breathtaking wings shone in the air behind her, and a band of lustrous metal rested on her head like a crown.


    Her eyes were like a sea of white flame.


    Changing Star of the Immortal Flame had descended onto the battlefield.

 Chapter 2003: Morning Star

    Chapter 2003: Morning Star


    When Changing Star appeared, Rain let out a heavy sigh of relief. All tension left her body, and she slumped on the ground, kneeling in the middle of the battlefield with her back bent.


    It was a strange reaction to have, really... by all logic, she should have been terrified. After all, an enemy Saint had arrived at the battlefield �C and one of the most powerful Saints in the world, at that.


    If not in the most powerful.


    Sure, Rain knew Nephis, and they shared a distant connection. The last daughter of the Immortal Flame could even spare her out of sentiment if they were to face each other on the battlefield... however, that would require Nephis to remember and recognize Rain first.


    Considering that Awakened soldiers were no more than ants in front of Changing Star, she was unlikely to study the faces of each and every one of them before burning the entire anthill to the ground.


    ...And yet, against all logic, Rain still felt a profound sense of relief at the sight of the beautiful Saint.


    Somehow, she believed that her not-quite-sister-in-law would solve everything.


    ��Right... she''s his girlfriend, as well...��


    Finally able to think, Rain belatedly remembered about the existence of her teacher.


    She hesitated for a moment.


    [Brother?]


    His reassuring voice soon resounded in her mind, soothing it.


    [Relax. It''s all going to be alright now.]


    There was a short pause, and then he added in a more casual tone:


    [Get ready to move, though. You''ll have to escape fast once the real mess begins.]


    It was only then that Rain tore her gaze from the sacred visage of Nephis of the Immortal Flame and looked around.


    Tamar was still laying on the ground, heavily wounded and moving weakly.


    The Feather Knight was still just a couple of steps away, tightly grasping her sword...


    Luckily, the golden-haired girl did not seem in the mood to attack Rain at the moment. She was also looking at Changing Star with wide eyes.


    ...Everyone was, really.


    Her shocking arrival had magically made the entire battle stop �C on a vast span of the battlefield, at least. Soldiers were still clashing on the distant flanks of the battlefront, but in the center, nobody was moving.


    It was as if her pure radiance possessed the same power as the dreadful white abyss hiding above the clouds �C the power to make entire armies halt.


    Rain turned back to Nephis just in time to see the soft light emanating from her skin grow brighter and more intense, almost blinding. Her wings dissolved into a stream of light, and in the next moment...


    Everything around was suddenly enveloped by white flames.


    The battlefield burned.


    ...But, strangely enough, no one was hurt by the ocean of radiant fire.


    Rain watched in a trance as the bodies of the warriors of the Sword Army were swallowed by it, washed over by it... and restored by it.


    The blood stopped flowing. The groans of agony fell silent. The terrible wounds closed, not leaving even a scar.


    Thousands of warriors were miraculously brought back from the jaws of death, right in front of Rain''s eyes. Cleansed by the Immortal Flame, they rose shakily to their feet, picked up their weapons...


    And cast their gazes on the pilgrims of the Raven Queen, who looked like a mockery of all that was holy and of life itself in that moment.


    However, Rain noticed something strange, as well.


    She witnessed the wounds of the young Feather Knight being healed by the white flame - the gaping wound in her thigh disappearing, the bruises on her face fading, the pain draining from her beautiful eyes, replaced instead by awe and wonder...


    But, oddly enough, the very same thing had happened to Tamar. The white flame embraced her, as well, washing away her terrible burns. When the radiance of the fire dimmed, her supple tan skin was smooth and pristine, unblemished.


    In fact, there were quite a few warriors of the Song Army who had been saved by Changing Star''s grace �C not nearly as many as the Sword Army soldiers, but still a significant number.


    It was... a bittersweet blessing.


    The soldiers of the Sword Army were leaving, but her fellow warriors of Song still remained motionless, looking at Nephis with an array of different expressions.


    Some seemed grateful. Some were amazed.


    Most, however, were shaking and slowly backing off in terror.


    Because now that the initial amazement was gone, they realized that they were left face-to-face with a wrathful demigod... alone.


    Or so it seemed.


    Rain did not notice when it happened, but at some point, the rows of soldiers parted, and a graceful figure appeared from behind them.


    It was Princess Seishan, walking across the blood-soaked battlefield with light steps.


    Suddenly, the air grew heavy, as if two enormous wills were clashing all around them, unseen by human eyes.


    ��Crap...��


    Rain gripped Tamar''s shoulders tighter, unsure what to do.


    The Lost Princess, meanwhile, reached Nephis and stopped a dozen meters away from her, an enchanting smile playing on her crimson lips.


    ��Lady Nephis... what a pleasure. I did not expect to meet you today.��


    Her gaze shifted downward, falling on the Blood Sister laying at Changing Star''s feet.


    Princess Seishan''s gaze changed subtly, for a moment, betraying a deep emotion. However, she managed to contain it swiftly, preventing anything from reflecting on her face.


    She lingered a little, and then continued:


    ��...Still, I must express my gratitude. Thank you for saving one of my Handmaidens. It was... gracious of you, to show my soldier mercy.��


    Nephis simply looked at her, white flames dancing in her eyes.


    After a few moments of silence, she said:


    ��She was my soldier once, too.��


    Seishan smiled.


    ��Indeed. However, Lady Nephis, please satiate my curiosity. I can''t help but wonder... why are you here?��


    Changing Star stared at her coldly for a bit.


    Then, a corner of her mouth lifted slightly, and she answered with a hint of bittersweet amusement in her tone:


    ��...Because I want to.��


    Seishan seemed quite surprised by the answer enough so that a melodious chuckle escaped from her lips.


    Nephis inhaled deeply, then looked the princess of Song right in the eyes.


    ��Let us decide the outcome of this battle with our own hands. You and I... and all the other Saints, if they dare. Why should our soldiers continue to die in our place?��


    Seishan tilted her head lightly and remained silent for a while.


    Eventually, she said in a calm tone:


    ��That does sound like an attractive proposition, I admit. However, Lady Nephis... both you and I are forbidden from participating in this battle, are we not?��


    Changing Star studied the Lost Princess of Song for a while, then smiled faintly.


    "We are not allowed to enter battle, that is true. But I do decide to enter it..." ""That does sound like an attractive proposition, I admit. However, Lady Nephis... both you and I are forbidden from participating in this battle, are we not?"


    Changing Star studied the Lost Princess of Song for a while, then smiled faintly.


    ��We are not allowed to enter battle, that is true. But I do decide to enter it...��


    She raised her head slightly, and her incandescent eyes suddenly flashed with dancing white flames.


    ��...Who will stop me?��

 Chapter 2004 Seeds of Rebellion

    Chapter 2004  Seeds of Rebellion


    Sunny was not having the greatest of days. In fact, he was in quite a grim mood. Not only was he forced to watch the senseless and wasteful deaths of too many Awakened warriors �� who were supposed to be the blade mankind wielded against the Nightmare Spell, not against itself �� but his own sister was hopelessly mired in the very epicenter of the slaughter, as well, a hair''s breadth away from being killed herself.


    Sunny had promised himself not to trample her agency unless there was no other choice. So, he could not simply pull Rain into the shadows and whisk her away to safety... whatever safety looked like, in this godforsaken place. All he could do was remain as alert as possible, ready to interfere at a moment''s notice to save her life. This constant state of alarm and tension was taking its toll. More than that, he was having the worst luck today. Why did Rain and the members of her cohort have to clash with the warriors of the White Feather clan, of all people? Worse still, Rain just had to go and encounter Telle of White Feather.


    From the moment their brutal duel started, Sunny had to focus his full attention on the two young Awakened. Obviously, he couldn''t allow Rain to die... but now, he couldn''t allow her enemy to die, either. Despite having first met Telle many years ago, on the Chained Isles, Sunny did not know her well. Still, he had a good impression of her. Much more importantly, her parents were none other than Tyris and Roan �� their daughter could absolutely not be killed on his watch, let alone with his assistance.


    So, he waited, getting ready to stop Rain at the last moment �� should she win. Or stop Telle should she lose.


    At the same time, the seeds of political intrigue that Cassie, Nephis, and Sunny had sown far in advance were blooming, as well.


    Nephis had already established herself as a reluctant participant in the war and the only voice of dissent among the warmongers. Considering her previous feats and her flawless adherence to the noble duty of an Awakened, her reputation was stellar among the warriors of both the Song Domain and the Sword Domain. And now, that reputation was being cemented in their hearts. The countless soldiers she had saved, and everyone who had seen her saving them, would never forget the grace and mercy of Changing Star of the Immortal Flame... contrasted sharply against the ruthless will of the Sovereigns.


    ...And the more disillusioned and tired of the war they grew, the easier it would be for them to accept her eventual rebellion. They might applaud her for betraying her adopted family and engaging in a little bit of royal patricide, even, when the time came.


    Even Sunny was having trouble discerning if Neph''s actions at the moment were sincere or calculated. They very well could have been both of those things...


    He did know that she was putting on at least a bit of an intentional show, however. That was because Nephis had never attempted healing on such a massive scale before. Not only would saving countless soldiers have consumed a truly terrifying amount of soul essence, but it would have also brought her immeasurable pain. Her humanity would have been scorched and burned by the agony. It was a miracle that she had managed to keep the suffering from showing on her face, really... in any case, she would not be in a state to show benevolence, let alone compassion. So, at least some of her actions were a coldly premeditated act. The soldiers saw her as a beautiful, merciful, and noble savior. And she was all that �� but at the same time, beneath the surface and above all else, she was a ruthless, calculating, and chillingly ambitious destroyer.


    A herald of change and ruin. ...She was beautiful in either case, though. As Nephis spoke to Seishan, challenging the Saints of the Song Domain to battle, Sunny smiled. The goddess had already descended onto the battlefield. Now, it was time for the devil to make his entrance, as well.

 Chapter 2005 Strength in Numbers

    Chapter 2005  Strength in Numbers


    "...Who will stop me?"


    This simple sentence that Nephis had spoken hid many meanings and carried plenty of weight. Although very few people knew her well enough to understand the true burden of these words, they were a proclamation of who she was �� and how unyielding her will was, as well. It was her defiant challenge to the world, calling the world to come and try to stop her... if it dared. But, at the same time, there was a far more obvious meaning to what Nephs had said. First, she was hinting that Seishan and the Saints of Song had no choice but to fight her �� because once Nephis entered the battle and unleashed her flames upon the Song Army, only they would be able to contend against her.


    At the same time, she was also telling Seishan something else. It was that no one could prevent her from entering the battle... except for two people.


    Anvil of Valor and Ki Song, the Sovereigns of humanity. By joining the battle, Nephis was going directly against their will. However, she was so powerful that no one except for the person who had given the order or his adversary could punish her for breaking it.


    That would require the Sovereigns to interfere personally, though, thus escalating the battle even further and inevitably resulting in a direct clash between them �� because if one of them moved, the other would not remain still.


    The two Supremes, however, were not willing to fight each other just yet.


    Which led to Neph''s last point. It was that even if there was someone who could stop her, there was no one who would. That she could break the will of the Sovereigns with impunity, and nobody could do anything about it. ...It was a powerful message to send. But not an unwelcome one, as far as Seishan was concerned �� for one simple reason.


    It was that what Nephis had proposed �� stop the bloodshed and decide the outcome of the battle with a clash between only the Saints of both armies �� favored the Song Domain greatly. There were many more Saints in the Song Army, after all.


    They had already held an advantage in that regard at the very start of the war, and their advantage only became greater after Morgan''s departure and the battle at Vanishing Lake. The situation had worsened even further since then. Three expeditions had been sent into the depths of Godgrave to conquer its remaining Citadels. Revel and her First Royal Legion had gone into the darkness of the Spine Ocean, accompanied by Moonveil... while a punitive expedition had set out from the camp of the Sword Army to destroy them.


    Considering how powerful the daughters of Ki Song were, that expedition numbered seven Saints. Additionally, Summer Knight was heading south with two Saints accompanying him, while the Queen of Worms had given up on conquering the Femur Citadel, thus sending no one. So, in the end...


    He nodded in satisfaction.


    ''That''s better.''


    Just at that moment, a Master from the Sword Army finally recognized him.


    Falling to one knee, the young man looked up with awe and terror in his trembling eyes.


    "L��lord Shadow! Sir!"


    Sunny stared at him silently for a few moments.


    ''Well... I''ll be damned.''


    It was his old friend �� young Master Tristan of Aegis Rose. Rivalen''s son.


    Somehow, the fool was still alive. Sunny smiled faintly behind the mask and looked away. "Retreat. This is the King''s command."


    The young Master opened his eyes wide, then bowed and dashed away, shouting orders. Soon, the Sword Army started to pull back. Sunny allowed the obsidian wall to crumble into a tide of shadows �� the damn thing was consuming too much essence �� and watched the Song Army retreat. The stragglers were already hurrying to catch up with their retreating comrades.


    The real mess was about to start.

 Chapter 2006 The Real Mess

    Chapter 2006  The Real Mess


    Sunny was on the left flank of the battlefield, while Nephis was in the center. The right flank, meanwhile...


    [Cassie?]


    There were a few moments of silence, and then the blind seer''s voice resounded in his mind. [I''ve arrived.] Indeed... today''s battle was so important and terribly skewed in favor of the enemy that even Song of the Fallen, the Seneschal of the Great Clan Valor �� someone who was not supposed to appear on a battlefield often, serving her King and Domain in other ways �� had no choice but to enter the fray. In fact, every Saint of the Sword Army was either already here or on their way �� except for Sky Tide, who had been ordered to remain with the King of Swords in the rear. Their enemies were already here, too. As the tide of Song soldiers receded, dozens of motionless figures were revealed, standing apart from each other across the expansive battlefield. Sunny felt a strange mixture of somber wariness and anticipation. Each Saint was a force to be reckoned with... and the enemy had twice as many Saints as his side. There were the puppets of the Queen, as well. There was also the horde of Nightmare Creatures enthralled by Beastmaster...


    And he had not forgotten that there were still three of Mordret''s Reflections left intact, somewhere out there. The odds did not seem very promising for the Sword Saints. ''How many will die?''


    Sunny suddenly felt a chill. It was hard to kill a Saint, and even harder to prevent one from escaping should they wish to flee. Those who had reached Transcendence also possessed an incredible wealth of martial experience �� they would know when to continue the fight and when to retreat.


    ...Still, Saints were going to die today. Countless soldiers would be spared from the cold embrace of death, but death would not remain unfed. It was just that the souls it swallowed would be far more nourishing and potent. Of course, the number of the fallen would be infinitely smaller...


    But not the significance. In fact, the two Domains would sustain far more damage if a handful of Saints were killed than if a myriad of Awakened died.


    That was because only Saints could claim Citadels, thus expanding a Sovereign''s Domain over vast territories. Currently, there were more Saints in the world than there were conquered Citadels �� but not by much. If enough Transcendent champions were killed today, some of the strongholds of humanity in the Dream Realm would be left without masters. And therefore...


    Now, all Nephis, Sunny, and Cassie had to do... was actually survive the battle and make sure that the overwhelming advantage of the Song Domain did not lead to a wholesale slaughter of the Sword Saints.


    ''They have twice as many... hell...''


    Sunny was not alone on the left flank of the battlefield. A few other Saints had joined him, as well �� now, what remained was to see which strategy the Song Domain would choose. They could just send two Saints of Song to fight each individual Sword Saint. Of course, that was unlikely �� after all, they knew how powerful Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows were. They also knew about Saint, Fiend, and Serpent. Cassie might give them an unpleasant surprise, but in the grand scheme of things, her presence on the battlefield was not too impactful. Sunny could see Saint Rivalen in the distance. He had assumed his Transcendent form, squaring against a single Saint of the Song Domain �� the giant reptile with powerful legs and strangely short arms that Rain had seen tearing Nightmare Creatures apart in the Hollows. On the other side, Helie was facing a Saint who had chosen to maintain a human form.


    And a little further away, there was Roan.


    ...Also faced by a single opponent. Sunny suddenly felt a bad premonition.


    ''Just... how high is their opinion of me?''


    Looking straight ahead, he lowered his head slightly. ''One, two, three...''


    The darkness nestling in the eyes of Weaver''s mask stirred slightly.


    ...Apparently, it was extremely high. Because there were thirteen enemy Saints moving to surround him in a wide half-circle.

 Chapter 2007 Exchanging Pleasantries

    Chapter 2007  Exchanging Pleasantries


    Thirteen... was a lot of Saints to face alone, even for Sunny.


    Not that he had ever tried. He had seen most of them in battle already, as well. Each was a dire adversary...


    The obsidian giant with the head of a jackal towered above the blood-soaked battlefield like a malevolent deity. The hill-sized canine with three heads �� Saint Ceres �� was moving with measured steps, her low growls reverberating across the vast expanse of Godgrave. The alluring woman with a strangely wicked half-smile playing on her lively face was Saint Siord �� the beautiful harpy he had seen in the Hollows.


    There were others, as well.


    But Sunny mostly paid attention to three of them.


    Silent Stalker. Lonesome Howl. ...And a mesmerizing enchantress with long hair that fell like an onyx waterfall, fair skin, and tantalizing red lips. She wore a dashing armor of black leather and scarlet silk, which seemed to accentuate her sensual figure and breathtaking beauty effortlessly.


    An ugly scar marred the perfection of her enchanting face, running from her forehead to the tip of her chin.


    ''...Beastmaster.''


    Sunny suddenly felt a headache. He also felt quite lonely while surrounded by so many enemies. So... he called a few friends to come keep his company. As the Saints of Song approached, three figures rose from his three shadows. Saint stepped onto the battlefield, wielding a round shield and a sword of pure darkness. Her fearsome onyx armor seemed to absorb the light, and two ruby flames were burning behind the visor of her helmet with cold indifference. Fiend straightened his towering body, sunlight glistening on the countless spikes that littered the polished surface of his steel carapace. His four hands moved, each claw like a razor-sharp sword. A serpentine shadow coiled on the sun-bleached bone and then rose, turning into a breathtaking woman whose body seemed to be made from inky darkness... Serpent had become a shadow of Solvane, the Priestess of War. Sunny smiled behind the mask.


    ''That''s better.''


    Finally, the Saints of Song finished their approach. Beastmaster was standing right in front of Sunny, still remaining a safe distance away �� Lonesome Howl was to her left, while Silent Stalker was to her right.


    "...Stop flirting with me, wench. I''m taken."


    If Beastmaster was taken aback, she did not show it. The mirth in her tantalizing eyes did dim a little, however, replaced with a hint of eerie interest. "I see."


    She sighed, and then moved her shoulders slightly. "A pity. No one is perfect, I guess..."


    Sunny blinked. No, but why did even her insults have to sound so... exciting? In the next moment, however, his expression changed. Because he suddenly had a bad premonition. And there, behind the thirteen Saints... three more figures emerged, moving forward with dreadful speed. The Reflections. All three had assumed the same form... that of a monstrous, towering creature that had a tail like that of an enormous snake, two powerful hands protruding from a human-like torso, and a bestial head with a long and toothy snout brimming with terrifying fangs.


    The creatures looked quite familiar...


    In fact, Sunny knew their kind quite well.


    They were like older and more dreadful, wingless versions of the Chain Worms �� who were a tribe of Nightmare Creatures that populated the darkness beneath the Chained Isles. The Chain Worms bore that name because they fed on the heavenly chains that held the flying islands together... or on any metal, really, as long as they could sink their fangs into it. ''Now where...''


    Before Sunny could finish the thought, one of the Song Saints seemed to unleash their Aspect Ability. The space around him suddenly shimmered, as if turning into glass. And when that glass shattered, Sunny and his Shadow were suddenly separated by a great distance. The Saints of Song were now apart, as well. The three Chain Worms were surrounding Fiend. Three Saints were surrounding Saint, and three more were surrounding Serpent. While Sunny himself...


    Was facing Beastmaster, Lonesome Howl, Silent Stalker, and four others. Beastmaster smiled.


    "...I bet I can fix you, though. Lord Shadow."


    Sunny snarled.


    Taking a step forward, he shaped the shadows into a sword and said in a chilling tone:


    "When we are done, who is going to fix you?"

 Chapter 2008 Terrifying Beast

    Chapter 2008  Terrifying Beast


    The exchange of pleasantries was over, and the battle of the Saints had now begun.


    As if to signify its descent, the ground shook violently, and a thunderous roar of a distant explosion rolled across the battlefield, coming from somewhere far to the right.


    Nephis must have engaged her own share of Transcendent foes.


    Sunny wondered briefly how many Saints the Song Army had sent to face her. More than him? Or less?


    In any case, it did not really matter...


    No matter how many of them Song sent, it wouldn''t be enough.


    The Saints of the two armies clashed across the vast length of the battlefield, ripping the fabric of the world apart. Today was a day for many firsts �� the previous battle had been the first time such an inconceivable number of Awakened warriors entered the battlefield, for example, all consumed by the murderous song of war. No?v(el)B\\jnn


    And now, close to seventy Saints �� most of the Saints there were in existence �� were fighting with each other in their stead... it was the most terrifying clash humans had ever witnessed, by far, dwarfing the bloody battles of the Chain of Nightmares with absolute ease.


    Far away, the soldiers of the two retreating armies froze in place, watching the dreadful calamity in terror.


    The gods were fighting. What were mortal men to do?


    After all, they fed on metal, and his entire body was made from blessed steel.


    ''Not good...''


    Still, Sunny wasn''t too worried about Fiend, either �� if Song thought that the most frightening thing about that little imp was his impenetrable steel armor, they were going to learn the error of their ways quite soon.


    In fact, Sunny was mostly worried about himself.


    Fighting seven Saints was better than fighting thirteen... but it was still a challenge. Taken individually, each of these exalted warriors was not a real threat to Sunny �� and even if their collective power was summed up, he would not have to cower in front of it. However, that was the peril and dread of fighting humans... when several of them came together, the sum was often greater than the parts. Sunny had known it from all the way back on the Forgotten Shore, where dealing with the Carapace Scavengers had become more tenable than it was supposed to be after Nephis joined him. Even added together, the power of two Sleepers was not comparable to that of an Awakened Beast. However, with Nephis serving as bait and Sunny attacking from the shadows, they had managed to bring countless of those terrifying beasts down. That was simply the most elementary example of how cooperating with another human could enhance one''s lethality far beyond one''s power. And in the present situation... it was Sunny who played the role of a terrifying beast. The Saints of Song, meanwhile, were the weaker hunters who had joined forces to bring him down. ''Dangerous.''


    His enemies were among the most seasoned warriors of humanity, as well. They knew how to cooperate with each other seamlessly, not making any mistakes he could exploit. There was not enough space for more than three of them to attack him at the same time, for example. So, instead of rushing forward all together and getting in each other''s ways, four Saints fell back while three advanced at him with stunning speed. The three attackers were the obsidian jackal, the three-headed canine �� Ceres �� and Lonesome Howl. It did not mean that the other four were doing nothing, though. In fact, they might have posed more danger than the melee vanguard.


    He could already see Silent Stalker nocking an arrow on the string of her sword, while Beastmaster spun a strange-looking sling. Two remaining Saints took to the sky �� one of them was Siord, the harpy, while the second one was a gargoyle with a powerful stone body and wide wings. The Saint of Sorrow. Tamar''s father was here, too. Sunny was going to have to deal with a barrage of range attacks pretty soon. But first...


    He had to survive the obliterating assault of three melee powerhouses. Ceres and Lonesome Howl were already tough enough to handle. It was the obsidian giant that gave Sunny the most pressure due to the sheer immensity of his size, though. The jackal towered above the battlefield like a dark titan, wielding an enormous polearm with a gold crescent blade. That polearm... seemed great and sharp enough to cleave a small fortress in half. Watching the towering giant barrel at him with murder burning in his bestial eyes, Sunny felt like an ant. He was suddenly... annoyed. This scene reminded him of facing Goliath for the first time.


    Those were not happy memories. And although the obsidian jackal was truly blameless in that regard...


    He was going to pay for making Sunny remember something so unpleasant. ''Let''s see which one of us is the ant...''


    As the bestial giant approached, Sunny was suddenly enveloped by a tide of shadows. And then, a colossal figure forged from pure darkness rose to meet the giant face-to-face.

 Chapter 2009: A Wolf, a Dog, and a Jackal

    Chapter 2009: A Wolf, a Dog, and a Jackal


    Sunny was still unable to use the Shadow Lantern �C or rather, too wary to open its gates. As a result, he was cut off from the nearly inexhaustible supply of shadows for the first time in a long, long while.


    So, the Shadow Shell he had woven out of the wild shadows that dwelled naturally on the battlefield was not nearly as titanic as it could have been.


    Nevertheless, it was more than tall enough to match the height of the obsidian giant, and even higher than that, towering above him by a few meters.


    The Onyx Mantle covered the colossal Shell created in the image of Sunny''s own body like a fearsome black carapace. It was nothing new... however, today, this transformation of his felt different.


    That was because he was doing something he had never done before �C controlling one of the shadows as an incarnation and augmenting himself with it. Therefore, Sunny felt a strange and incongruous, but not entirely unnatural sensation �C that of being himself, but also something other than himself, which had in turn become one with his body.


    Basically, he was doing the same thing he had been practicing with his Shadows and Memories, but aimed at his own mind, body, and soul.


    That allowed him to push the state of fusion with the Shell even further, making it feel almost like his actual self.


    Sunny felt powerful. Sunny felt vast. He felt... as if his every motion held within itself untold devastation.


    There was another curious thing that had happened as a result, as well.


    It seemed as if that flawless union between the Shadow Shell and him was not merely a sensation. Rather, it was as if the world itself did not see the difference between Sunny and the Shadow Colossus anymore, or at least not so strongly, regarding both as manifestations of his soul.


    And Weaver''s Mask did, as well.


    So, it had expanded in size, shifting to cover the dark titan''s face. This mask had been meant to fit the face of a nebulous deity, after all... it was more than capable of hiding the features of giants. So, Sunny did not have to create a facsimile out of shadows, like he had usually done in the past.


    He had to admit, though...


    Weaver''s Mask had always been fearsome and deeply disturbing. Now that it was the size of a tall edifice, however, it suddenly seemed ten times more terrifying.


    He wasn''t surprised that his enemies seemed slightly hesitant, all of a sudden.


    But their wills were not going to be shaken by a frightening visage, and so, their earth-shattering assault continued without slowing down even for a moment.


    The Onyx Mantle withstood the fangs of Saint Ceres. It shattered under the fangs of the stygian she-wolf, though �C Lonesome Howl had bitten his gauntlet, shredding the hand and wrist of the Shadow Shell with vicious fury.


    Silent Stalker had already released an arrow, and Bestmaster had already sent a piece of bone flying from her slingshot.


    Sunny barely had time to register the two projectiles, which were flying in his direction with terrible speed.


    He did not like the look of either of them.


    Both the arrow and the piece of bone were destructive Memories, no doubt. Clan Song was sparing no effort in trying to bring him down today... so, they would use heavy artillery from the start.


    If either of the projectiles found its mark, his Shadow Shell would probably be mangled quite badly.


    The usefulness of Shadow Step was limited by the shattered space around them, and there were not enough wild shadows on the battlefield to reform the giant Shell if it was badly damaged.


    ...But it did not matter.


    Sunny possessed an Aspect that possessed many strengths, but its greatest one by far was its versatility. Even bound by so many restrictions, he still had a sea of tactics to choose from, and a rich treasure of devious tricks to employ.


    That was what made him so dangerous.


    Sunny pushed away the golden crescent, making the bestial giant stagger back. With his left hand now free, he struck down, delivering a terrifying blow to one of the canine heads that were trying to mangle his leg.


    The blow did not quite crack the creature''s skull, but Ceres was definitely dazed and in pain... well, at least a third of her was dazed and in pain.


    A torrent of blood flowed from one of her crushing maws, and her hold on his thigh grew weak.


    Using the chance, Sunny grabbed the hill-sized canine by the scruff of her neck. At the same time, he dismissed several elements of the Onyx Mantle, thus escaping from her remaining two sets of terrifying fangs.


    Suddenly, Ceres was being pulled into the air, her pillar-like paws losing contact with the ground.


    Deep within the Shadow Colossus Shell, Sunny smiled coldly.


    And then, he hoisted the three-headed canine up with one hand, placing her enormous body between himself and the two incoming projectiles at the last moment.

 Chapter 2010: Heavy Hand of Shadow

    Chapter 2010: Heavy Hand of Shadow


    All of it took no more than heartbeat.


    Sunny knew that Clan Song had a vast arsenal of powerful Memories �C some of them even of the Supreme Rank, without a doubt. After all, even if Nephis was right and the Spell created those far more parsimoniously than the Memories of the lower Ranks, Ki Song had been a Sovereign for decades.


    Seven of her daughters were also Saints, and he knew from personal experience that at least some of them were more than capable of slaying Great Nightmare Creatures with ease.


    So, he had expected something extraordinary to happen when Silent Stalker''s arrow and Beastmaster''s bone projectile struck Ceres.


    However, he was both disappointed and a little relieved to have been mistaken.


    Because nothing happened, instead.


    His enemies were far too outstanding to wound one of their own so foolishly. Even though there was only a split second to react, both Beastmaster and Silent Stalker managed to dismiss their Memories in time, so all that hit the enormous canine were two swirling streams of radiant sparks.


    So, Sunny did not hesitate to continue with the momentum of lifting her up... and slammed Ceres into the ground with all his dreadful might.


    The battlefield quaked, and a pitiful whine escaped from all three of her bestial mouths.


    At the same time, Lonesome Howl jerked her head sideways, tearing off his right arm with one powerful motion. A river of shadows flowed from the stump, pouring down like a dark waterfall.


    ��Ah...��


    And the obsidian jackal had already recovered by then, bringing his golden polearm down once more.


    Only, this time, Sunny had no time to dodge it, and no opportunity to block its descent.


    So, he did not.


    A moment before the crescent blade cleaved the Shadow Colossus apart... it simply fell apart on its own.


    His onyx armor parted, and the inky-black body beneath parted, as well. For a few moments, there was a wide chasm separating the right side of the Shell from its left side.


    The polearm plummeted through this chasm, not dealing Sunny any damage.


    And the Shadow Shell simply mended itself as soon as the golden blade passed.


    By the time it plunged into the crimson haze and crashed into the surface of the ancient bone with a deafening thunderclap, the Shadow Colossus was as good as new.


    Sunny had been patiently hiding the fact that he could manifest several bodies all this time, but now, he was considering if it was even worth it to continue the charade. It did seem like a perfect solution to his current predicament, as well as the last straw that could break the camel''s back, thus helping him turn the tide of the entire battle.


    ...Whatever the hell a camel was.


    It must have been quite a weird animal, considering that its back could be broken by a straw.


    ��Probably some invertebrate?��


    However, in the end, Sunny kept his shadows wrapped tightly around his body.


    Not because he didn''t want to reveal his incarnations to the world, but simply because he couldn''t.


    At the moment, he had not experienced the most dreadful weapon his enemies had in store �C Beastmaster''s terrifying ability to manipulate one''s mind.


    The Onyx Mantle granted Sunny a high resistance to mental attacks, but he wasn''t confident in resisting the tantalizing Saint with just that, or at least not entirely.


    So, he needed the shadows to augment him �C and the [Stalwart] trait of the Mantle �C for as long as Beastmaster remained a threat.


    And speaking of her...


    Just as Sunny shifted his weight, preparing to repel another of Lonesome Howl''s ferocious attacks, he suddenly felt it.


    A powerful, insidious, and enthralling power invading his mind.


    It felt muted and distant, as if weakened by a stalwart barrier, but still mesmerizing.


    His limbs grew heavy all of a sudden.


    ��...Crap.��


    As Sunny staggered, the monstrous wolf lunged at him like a tide of darkness and bestial fury.


    At the same time, two swift shadows fell on him from the blinding sky.


    And an arrow whistled through the air, aimed precisely at the point where his own shadow was hidden in the depths of the colossal Shell.


    ��I... really... hate mind attacks the most...��

 Chapter 2011 Transcendent Battlefield

    Chapter 2011  Transcendent Battlefield


    Sunny felt his limbs grow heavy, and his mind grow numb. Suddenly, he felt worn down and exhausted. Every burden that he carried, enduring the oppressive weight both willingly and silently, was suddenly so much more grievous and tiresome.


    This war went on for so long... and even before the war, he had never known a moment of peace. Having grown accustomed to torment and turmoil, Sunny had easily deceived himself into forgetting how dreadful the world truly was. But now, he felt it in his every bone all of a sudden.


    At the same time... A peculiar feeling bloomed in his mind.


    A feeling of witnessing something infinitely beautiful, inviting, and wonderful. Something so wondrous, so amazing, and so... precious. It was as if a resplendent light had shone in the broken darkness of his mind, illuminating it gently and bringing tears to his eyes. Enthralled by the beautiful radiance, Sunny found it hard and devoid of meaning to concentrate on anything, let alone move. And yet, he did move. Somewhere far away, Master Sunless was sitting in the darkness, weaving strings of shadow essence with six nimble hands. Looking up from his meditation, he frowned a little... and then drove the long needle through his hand, piercing it without a hint of hesitation. A wave of sharp pain washed over his consciousness, making the enthralling light waver and dim a little. Sunny''s mental resistance was already strong enough, and the additional push of feeling pain pushed him the rest of the way.


    Shaking off the hex, the Lord of Shadows moved, too.


    The towering onyx colossus turned his torso. In the next moment, Silent Stalker''s arrow tore through the breastplate of his armor, pierced his body, and exploded from his back in a torrent of dissolving shadows. If he had been a split second late, that arrow would have pierced his very soul instead of simply damaging the Shell. ''What a nice arrow...''


    For a moment, Sunny felt aggrieved at having to live in a world where weapons were always more powerful than armor, and destruction was always easier to perpetrate than building something up. No, but why was everyone trying to drive an arrow through his heart these days? Staggering back, Sunny raised his maimed arm to prevent Lonesome Howl from tearing his throat open, activated Shadow Manifestation, and poured a little essence into the Extraordinary Rock, which lay nestled in the neck of the Shadow Colossus. He barely survived the twin attack of the two winged Saints �� which nearly tore off the head of his Shell �� and then looked at his enemies silently.


    In the next moment...


    Indeed, it was him... Rain''s mischievous older brother.


    Only, right now, he did not look anything like his usual self. Instead, an onyx colossus in fearsome armor towered above the plain, besieged by three bestial figures. His movements seemed deceptively slow from the distance, but it was terrifying to see how easily he shrugged off the attacks of a cohort of Saints, resisting them all with a strange, frightening, and eerie grace.


    ''D��damn...''


    The fury of that particular fight was harrowing enough to make everyone looking in that direction shiver in fright. A mere Awakened would have been reduced to bloody hazy by simply being in the vicinity of the unholy clash. This was the power of Saints. Or... of this particular Saint, at least. Still. He was already missing a hand, his right arm a mangled mess of darkness. His breastplate was pierced, and the enemies were only growing more vicious as the fight continued. Rain suddenly felt something that she had never felt before...


    She was worried about her teacher. After lingering for a moment, she asked tentatively:


    [Are... are you going to be alright?]


    His voice resounded in her mind a few moments later, sounding as aloof and nonchalant as ever despite the dreadful battle in the distance.


    [Who, me? Oh... I''m really touched that you worry about me, but don''t fret. I''ll be fine.]


    There was a moment of silence, and then, he added in a more ominous tone:


    [You should definitely be worried about the other guys, though...]

 Chapter 2012 Hint of Fear

    Chapter 2012  Hint of Fear


    The Lord of Shadows was faltering. It was hard to notice due to his fearsome appearance and the aura of cold arrogance emanating from the strangely graceful figure of the tenebrous colossus, but the mercenary Saint was losing ground. Already, his right hand was missing. Silent Stalker''s arrow had pierced his onyx chest, and Beastmaster had poisoned his mind. Of course, the Lord of Shadows was too strong to be entranced by her power quickly... but his movements had slowed down, losing some of their deadly precision. Lonesome Howl could see it clearly, so she went for the kill. ...If that strange Transcendent form of his could even be killed like a living being. It bled darkness instead of blood, and was capable of splitting itself in half to avoid a blow. She had never seen anything like it. Of course, that was entirely the problem with the Lord of Shadows �� no one seemed to know anything about him, including the true extent of his abilities. Clan Song had compiled an extensive database on all the living Saints �� Clan Valor had as well, without a doubt. There were some secrets still kept hidden by the more cautious of the Transcendent champions, of course, but each of them was mostly a known existence. Except for the Lord of Shadows, who had come out of nowhere about a year ago.


    There was some information about him now, of course, gathered during the war. For example, they knew that his Transcendent form was not really that of an onyx giant �� rather, it was a malleable mass of shadows that could seemingly take any form, the giant simply being the most common one he used. A troublesome Transformation, to say the least...


    But not an indestructible one. ''He might not bleed, but does he feel pain?''


    Lonesome Howl was eager to find out. The Lord of Shadows was on the back foot, staggered by her sister''s sharp arrow. Sadly, Silence failed to destroy the supposed core of the dark colossus, but she still made him sway. That was Howl''s chance to press the advantage. Spitting out the torn hand of the enemy, she aimed for his throat and leaped...


    However, she never managed to sink her fangs into his flesh. ''Wha...''


    Suddenly, she felt something cold and alien wrapping around her snout, and then, her vision was obscured. Instead of ripping the enemy''s throat open, Lonesome Howl crashed into something hard, and was then unceremoniously tossed aside. Falling to the ground with a thunderous boom, she rolled and clawed at her face, trying to get the slithering presence off... before her eyes were pierced and destroyed. Thank the gods, she managed. With her vision blurry, Lonesome Howl looked down and recoiled. A mass of dark tentacles had latched onto her neck, just below the jaw, three of them strangling her while four more extended to wrap themselves around her snout and loop around her head, thus covering her eyes.


    At the center of the mass... the broken plates of polished armor could still be seen, serving as the source of the revolting creature. The gauntlet. This vile thing had been born from the severed hand of the Lord of Shadows, and was either an extension of him or being controlled by him. ''What... what the hell is he...''


    She had hunted down and feasted on numerous Nightmare Creatures. But this... this was not something she had expected from a human...


    ''How are you going to fight seven of us with one arm, sellsword?''


    And as she looked up...


    A low, reverberating, chilling laughter resounded from beneath the terrifying black mask. Then, it turned even lower, resembling the voice of an actual demon.


    The figure of the beautiful onyx colossus suddenly shrunk a little, becoming a few meters lower. At the same time, it changed, shifting into something far more bestial. Black horns rose from his head like a crown, glistening darkly in the blinding light of the radiant sky. A long tail with an onyx spike on its end whipped through the air. His knee joints seemed to reverse, and his feet grew, enormous claws scratching against the ancient bone. Most importantly of all...


    His severed hand seemed to regrow, and two more arms shot from his torso, each covered by the onyx carapace of the enchanted armor and ending with sharp claws.


    A few moments later, a towering, terrifying dark demon was standing on the battlefield instead of a colossal human warrior...


    One with six horns and four arms, the eerie mask hiding his inhuman features. Looking at it, Lonesome Howl felt a bit of... unease. Dejection, even.


    And a tiny spark of fear.


    ''How... how do we even destroy this thing?''

 Chapter 2013 Devil and the Seven Saints

    Chapter 2013  Devil and the Seven Saints


    ''This is much better...''


    Towering above the battlefield as the giant version of the Shadowspawn Shell, Sunny smiled darkly in the embrace of shadows. His human body was still the most natural, and therefore the most effective form he could summon �� in most battles, at least. But when he was outnumbered, the special traits of the Shadowspawn Shell truly shone. Sunny had been pressed to contend against the seven Saints of Song, but now, his task was easier. He could keep his enemies at bay better with his four hands, sharp claws, and long tail.


    His only regret was that Weaver''s Mask prevented him from using his sharp fangs, too.


    ''Let us continue, then...''


    The Saints of Song renewed their assault, and Sunny lunged forward to face them. The world became consumed by an unending cannonade of roaring thunderclaps, blinding flashes, and violent quakes. Clouds of dust and debris rose into the air, and gargantuan figures moved within them, clashing with terrifying and furious force. Their calamitous confrontation seemed unimaginably ferocious and primal, devoid of all reason except for bloodlust and murderous frenzy... in fact, that was how most of the Awakened witnessing the battle probably saw it. After all, in their minds, beings of such size and power were akin to dreadful Nightmare Creatures, and Nightmare Creatures were not known for their technique and meticulousness.


    However, in truth, the furious battle was nothing but technical and meticulous. Yes, it was awesome and fierce. But behind the veil of frenzied determination and bestial might, every Saint fighting the Lord of Shadows was using their keen intellect, cold regard, and sophisticated battle art to fight and keep surviving the deadly cadence of the titanic clash. Nothing less could suffice in this terrible battle, while power and refined control were only antithetical to each other in the hands of amateurs. When true masters fought, fury and calculation served to augment each other, fusing to create a devastating and flawlessly precise storm of destruction. ...Needless to say, Sunny himself was no different. It was just that his insight, skill, and finesse were even more sublime and daunting.


    And it hurt a lot.


    Slowed down and weakened, constantly confused between what was real and unreal, Sunny stubbornly persisted in his fight against the seven Saints of Song. He managed to push them back from time to time, even.


    Still...


    It was such a draining and unpleasant battle. Appalling, really.


    He would much rather fight Revel again... or someone like King Daeron, even.


    Gritting his teeth behind Weaver''s Mask, Sunny briefly threw a glance in the direction where Beastmaster was standing, spinning her sling once again. She was just as bewitching and breathtaking as ever.


    ...He really wanted to kill someone today.

 Chapter 2014 Fateful Choice

    Chapter 2014  Fateful Choice


    Sunny was appalled. He might have been the most honest man in two worlds, but he was definitely not the kindest. Subjected to the ceaseless barrage of lethal attacks and battered by the enemy, reeling from Beastmaster''s mental manipulation and intoxicated by the thrill of battle, he felt bloodlust slowly bloom in his heart.


    His combat instinct had been nurtured by countless battles against Nightmare Creatures, after all �� not humans. So, he rarely had to wonder whether to kill the enemy or not. His instincts were telling him to show no mercy and slaughter the Saints of Song in the fastest and most brutal manner. But at the same time...


    He did not really want to, or have a reason to. On the contrary, Sunny''s ultimate goal required these people to remain alive. They had important roles to play in the aftermath of the war, helping humanity endure and face the dire challenges that lay ahead. He needed to give these Saints a reason to see Nephis as a potential ally, not kill them. No?v(el)B\\jnn


    Take Beastmaster, for example...


    Sure, she was insidious and chillingly powerful. But she was also the backbone of the entire Song Domain. Her thralls were currently besieging the Sword Saints on the battlefield, but in the time of peace, the same thralls were the foundation of the logistical infrastructure in the eastern reaches of the Dream Realm. With her death, that infrastructure would be disrupted and set back by a decade. Delivering goods from the River of Tears to the inland cities would become many times harder, time-consuming, and dangerous. The same was true for large-scale construction.


    So, no matter how frustrated and sickened Sunny felt because of having his mind played with, he ultimately wanted Song Eunbin to survive the battle. The same went for the other six Saints that were trying to kill him with all their might �� each and every one of them was a treasure that he could not really afford to lose. That alone made Sunny feel conflicted, making his reason and instincts clash with each other. But also...


    He was not even sure that he could afford to spare these people. Defeating an enemy while sparing them was much harder than simply killing the enemy, after all. And Sunny was barely managing to keep himself alive in this battle... mercy was a luxury that had a heavy price. ...It was strange. This was not the first war Sunny had participated in, and definitely not his first battle. However, in the past, he had mostly experienced war from the point of view of a footsoldier. Even as an officer of the Evacuation Army, Sunny had only really needed to concern himself with achieving his objectives. But now, he was powerful enough and influential enough to be one of the people responsible for setting the objectives. As such, his perspective of war had no choice but to change. Because war wasn''t simply something he had to survive anymore. Instead, it was also a tool to be used in order to attain what he desired. ''How lofty...''


    Something inside of him rebelled against the very idea. It was a cynical and revolting thing, to coldly and pragmatically seek benefit in the misery and deaths of countless people. Sunny felt as if he was becoming something that he hated the most. Was this how the Sovereigns had started to lose their way, decades ago?


    Her companions were the same. It was truly... astounding. They were Saints. And she was not just any Saint, at that �� she was a princess of the Song Domain. The blood of Beast God flowed in her veins. She had hunted numerous powerful abominations, conquered three Nightmares, and honed her mind and skill to forge them into a deadly weapon. The rest of them were the same. And yet, seven Saints were barely managing to contend against a completely unknown warrior �� thirteen Saints, really, if she counted her brothers and sisters who were fighting his strange Echoes.


    And that warrior was neither a scion of the Great Clan Valor nor a loyal vassal of the King of Swords. Instead, he was a mere mercenary that Changing Star had convinced to offer his services to her father''s Domain


    Another monster, akin to Changing Star herself and the Prince of Nothing. And speaking of the Prince of Nothing...


    Lonesome Howl growled as she threw her battered body into another lunge. If only that bastard had handled the negotiations with Lord of Shadows better!


    If only he had not failed to lure the hermit Saint to the cause of Song... then their Domain might have won the war, already.


    How ironic it was, that the war to decide the fate of two worlds �� the Realm War �� could have been decided by the choice of a single man. Lonesome Howl managed to distract the Lord of Shadows just long enough for Jack to strike his side with the crescent blade. The onyx armor parted, and the inky flesh beneath was torn to shreds. A tide of darkness flowed from the terrible wound to the surface of the ancient bone.


    ...Of course, the wound closed a few moments later. However, this time, Lonesome Howl noticed something strange.


    Why... did it seem that the onyx demon was not as tall and towering as he had been before? She waited for the enemy to receive another wound, and then, the red flames burning in her eyes surged. ''I... I see!''


    There was no mistake. Every time the Lord of Shadow healed a wound... the size of his Transcendent form diminished by a small amount. Almost as if he was using the shadows constituting his enormous body to mend the damage. Which meant...


    That he was not truly immortal, and that his power wasn''t truly endless. It was in limited supply, as well. Lonesome Howl bared her fangs. That... she could work with that...

 Chapter 2015 Heir of Death

    Chapter 2015  Heir of Death


    As the battle continued, Sunny felt the pressure mounting. His towering Shell moved like a hurricane, endlessly besieged by the seven Saints. Lonesome Howl, Saint Ceres, and the Jackal led the harrowing onslaught, never faltering or slowing down. The beautiful harpy, Siord, and the Saint of Sorrow alternated between circling above him and diving down to deliver devastating blows. Their presence was especially oppressive, because it added an entire new plane to the battle. Even when the winged Saints were not plummeting from the blinding radiance of the sky to attack Sunny, the mere fact that they were somewhere above stifled his movements. There were Silent Stalker and Beastmaster, as well. The former was a deadly threat due to how relentless and penetrating her arrows were. She was eerily accurate and elusive, too, never allowing him to get close. The latter was the source of great hardship. Not only was she controlling countless Nightmare Creatures to tip the balance of the Transcendent battle in favor of the Song Domain, but she was also subjecting Sunny to two different types of mental manipulation at the same time. There was her sling and its explosive shots to deal with, as well.


    Sunny''s power was slowly dwindling. He could not allow himself to use the Shadow Lantern �� not even because he was wary of the deadly arrows flying out of its stone gate, but because he was wary of the mysterious archer escaping the Shadow Realm.


    Who knew what that creature was, and what havoc it would cause once unleashed upon humanity? Skinwalker was already bad enough, and Sunny did not wish to be responsible for letting another ancient fiend loose in human settlements. Without the Shadow Lantern, though, his source element was feeble and scarce in this radiant land. He had already used most of the shadows around him to construct the Shadow Shell. Now, with every blow it received, the Shell was consuming itself to repair the damage. It wasn''t going to last much longer... unless he managed to diminish the number of his enemies soon. But Sunny was still hesitating, unsure if he was willing to kill Saints. In the end, however... the choice was made for him. It was shortly after he leaped over the three-headed canine and crouched, using her massive body as a shield against Silent Stalker''s arrows. His tail shot back, piercing her thigh, two of his hands swatted the harpy and the gargoyle away, while a third picked up the corpse of a lumbering Nightmare Creature �� one of Bestmaster''s thralls who had been slain in the battle between the great armies �� and tossed it forward like a cannonball.


    The corpse exploded into a geyser of crimson liquid as it hit the Jackal a split second later, cracking a few of his ribs and sending the obsidian giant reeling. The plan was to follow the toss with another leap, fall upon the staggered Saint, and maim him before Lonesome Howl could slam into Sunny from the side to aid her comrade. However, just before that...


    Sunny sensed a trickle of power flow into his soul. ''A... shadow fragment?''


    He froze for a split second, knowing what it meant. Sunny could put himself in mortal danger in order to attempt to preserve the lives of his enemies... but he couldn''t, in good conscience, force his Shadows to do the same. Somewhere out there, either Saint or Serpent had killed one of their opponents. Which meant that he already failed.


    Sunny was crouching on the ground, with Lonesome Howl standing on his back. She had just torn off his upper arm, having used all her strength to do so... therefore, she was still being pulled away from him by inertia. Her balance wasn''t steady. Sunny went with the momentum and rolled sideways, throwing the monstrous she-wolf down and crushing her with his tremendous weight. The crescent blade whistled past and hit the surface of the ancient bone with a thunderous boom and a powerful shockwave.


    Rolling over Lonesome Howl, Sunny was on his fours a moment later. Without wasting even a second, he launched himself into the air, flying at the towering Jackal with tremendous speed. The obsidian Saint was still leaning forward, grasping the shaft of his golden polearm with both hands. His side was open and defenseless.


    Ceres was already lunging into an attack, and two winged Saints were diving down to deliver devastating blows. Beastmaster sent a swarm of illusions to slow him down.


    But Sunny simply ignored them. The Jackal belatedly shifted his gaze from where Sunny was a moment ago to where Sunny was now. He let go of his polearm with one hand, moving it down to protect his side.


    So...


    Sunny used one of his three remaining hands to push himself off the ground, and went for the enemy''s throat instead. His onyx claws slashed across it like four enormous blades, leaving thin cuts behind. A moment later, four tremendous torrents of blood exploded out of the cuts, falling down like a crimson tide. The towering obsidian jackal staggered, then swayed...


    And toppled silently to the ground, making it quake with the heavy impact of his fall. His throat had been cut, and his spine had been severed.


    He was dead.

 Chapter 2016 Fallen Saints

    Chapter 2016  Fallen Saints


    As the enormous body of the obsidian giant toppled to the ground, Sunny was already moving away to avoid the retaliation by the remaining six Saints. Still dazed by the agony of receiving a soul wound, he ground his teeth and whispered something to himself quietly.


    Just a few words...


    ''You have slain a Transcendent Beast.''


    His shadow grew stronger. ...The words tasted bitter.


    Almost at the same time, there was another trickle of subtle power entering his soul. Saint and Serpent had claimed one more life. And just like that, in less than a minute, three human Saints had lost their lives. ''Damn it!''


    The fury of the Saints of Song descended upon him like a hurricane. Another arrow found its way into his Shell, shattering its internal structure. A slingshot hit him like a cannonball, exploding with a devastating roar and mangling his entire left side. Still missing an entire arm and reeling from the pain of his soul being cut, Sunny stumbled. He righted himself before the giant wolf and the three-headed hound tore into him with their fangs, though. Moving with uncanny foresight, he dodged their feral, but chillingly precise attacks and dashed back.


    His mangled side healed. A new arm emerged from the depths of his towering onyx body...


    Only that body was not that towering anymore. In fact, it was barely half as tall as it had been once. Which made aiming for his real incarnation much easier. But that was fine. Because for once, time was on Sunny''s side �� he just had to survive long enough to rip the benefits. The Saints of Song did not know it... most likely... but he was a Transcendent Terror. Which meant that his reserves of essence were six times deeper than those of his enemies. Of course, his Aspect was also much more potent �� so, usually, Sunny drained his essence at a speed that would make most Saints feel appalled, therefore suffering from having to ration it just as much as everyone else, if not more.


    However, not in this battle. With his ability to use Shadow Step stifled by the shattering of space, and his ability to use Shadow Manifestation limited by the lacking number of shadows present on the battlefield, Sunny was not burning through nearly as much essence as he usually did. He only had to maintain and move the Shadow Shell.


    The stone gargoyle had misjudged his increased speed, missing the attack by a few meters. In and of itself, it was not that lethal of a mistake... however, both Lonesome Howl and Ceres were recovering their balance after performing devastating lunges, while Silent Stalker and Beastmaster were moving to get a better shot at the lightning-fast onyx demon. Even Siord, the gargoyle''s partner, was a step behind and too far to do anything instantly. Which gave Sunny a perfect opportunity to catch the Saint of Sorrow in his fist... he had four of those, after all. And once the gargoyle was caught, his stone body could be destroyed in a hundred different ways. But the Saint of Sorrow... was Tamar''s father.


    Could Sunny really kill the father of his sister''s closest friend?


    He had already decided to be merciless, after all...


    However, he also spent quite some time with Rain''s cohort... he had even saved their lives after the winter solstice. These kids weren''t strangers to him, either �� not by a long shot. He was quite fond of them. And although Sunny did not really know the Saint of Sorrow, the man enjoyed some of that fondness simply for having raised Tamar into who she was �� an upright, loyal, and frustratingly serious young woman who had once jumped into a dark abyss to save the life of a simple porter. Most importantly of all, hurting Tamar would hurt Rain. And that weighed on Sunny heavier than the need to preserve the lives of the Saints for the benefit of humanity.


    He allowed himself a split second of hesitation...


    And then, he lashed out with one of his hands.


    Instead of catching the gargoyle in an iron grip, he batted him down.


    The blow itself was terrible enough for a net of cracks to appear on the stone body of the Saint of Sorrow, shattering his wings. And a moment later, the gargoyle crashed into the ancient bone with terrible force, causing a small shockwave to roll outward from the point of impact. The enemy would not be rising from the ground any time soon... but although his wounds were severe, he would live.


    Sunny did not spare the Saint of Sorrow out of pure sentiment, though. Definitely not.


    He just didn''t want to bother destroying the tough stone body of the gargoyle completely, and by sparing the enemy Saint, he would not have to deal with another puppet of the Queen of Worms a few seconds later. In any case, it was done. Now, only five enemies remained. And Sunny already knew which one he would target next. He turned slightly and let out a growl...


    By then, his gaze had already locked on the bewitching figure of Beastmaster.

 Chapter 2017: A Proper Backstab

    Chapter 2017: A Proper Backstab


    Sunny knew that what stood between him and victory was Beastmaster.


    She alone was the cause of most of his hardship in this calamitous battle. The enchantress was neither as ferocious as Lonesome Howl nor as perilous as Silent Stalker - in fact, in comparison, she was not much of a warrior. She was still a Saint, of course, and thus a deadly fighter. But one that was weaker than the rest of them in combat.


    And yet, her power was the most terrifying.


    Even Sunny was far from his usual self, despite his formidable mental fortitude. He was slower and weaker, barely managing to contend with the furious onslaught of attacks by the seven... five Saints, now.


    All across the battlefield, devastating forces were being unleashed, and Transcendent blood was being spilled. Most of these warriors �C the strength and pride of humanity �C were faring worse than Sunny.


    But he wasn''t doing so well, either.


    So, he had to eliminate Beastmaster soon.


    The problem was that his enemies knew how important she was, too.


    They never let him get close to her.


    The enchantress herself moved around the battlefield with graceful steps, always remaining out of his reach. The other four Saints were like an impenetrable wall separating the two of them �C no matter how dire their own situation was, they always made sure to guard the approach to Beastmaster well.


    If Sunny dared to make her his target, he would have to sacrifice a lot to break through that wall. And by the time he reached where Beastmaster had been, she would have already moved away.


    It was a stalemate.


    But Sunny believed in his resourcefulness more than he despaired at the sight of the five enraged Saints.


    He would have been quite happy if they had at least lost some of their discernment due to the rage... but his enemies remained in full control of themselves. It was worse than that, even.


    They seem to be adapting to his ability to predict their movements. It was happening slowly, but undeniably �C the Saints of Song were deconstructing the foundation of their battle strategy and assembling a new one on the fly.


    The longer the battle dragged on, the more often Sunny found himself in situations where even knowing what the enemy would do could not save him from being harmed.


    They simply built their assaults in a way that left him no way to escape. With five sources of peril, it was not too difficult to build a cage that Sunny could not break out of despite knowing where it bars were and would be.


    The enemies surrounded him, ready to attack. Now that Sunny was back to human form, he had to crane his neck to look at the giant figures of Lonesome Howl and Ceres... from this point of view, the two towering beasts looked quite terrifying.


    The harpy, Siord, was ready to join the melee in her human form, too.


    Somewhere behind him, Silent Stalker was drawing her bow.


    And somewhere in front of him, behind the wall of three deadly Saints, Beastmaster was spinning her sling in the distance.


    Things... did not look good for Sunny.


    He grinned behind Weaver''s Mask.


    And spoke with a hint of cold contempt in his elusive voice:


    ��Gods. This... was not part of the plan.��


    Lonesome Howl growled and leaned forward, ready to lunge at him in a hurricane of fangs and primal fury.


    But almost at the same time...


    A swift shadow that had stealthily fled when the Shadowspawn Shell turned into a tide of darkness finally reached its goal.


    Another figure wearing the fearsome onyx armor rose from the shadows behind Beastmaster, not making any noise.


    A moment later...


    The cold blade of a black stiletto brushed against her neck, making the enchantress shiver.


    She froze, unable to move.


    And then, a cold voice resounded from behind her:


    ��I really can''t believe... that I finally managed to do something like a proper assassin, for once in my goddamn life...��


    With that, something slammed into the back of her head, and the world turned dark.

 Chapter 2018: Death Incarnate

    Chapter 2018: Death Incarnate


    Sunny had figured out that taking out Beastmaster would not be easy, so he employed a bit of subterfuge.


    Allowing his shrinking Shell to crumble sooner than it would have otherwise, he used the resulting tide of shadows to send one of his incarnations away unnoticed.


    His strength diminished, and the pressure on his mind increased as the shadow fled �C not enough to break him, but enough to make his sway.


    He used the Lord of Shadows to draw the attention of Lonesome Howl, Silent Stalker, Ceres, and Siord �C just enough for the stealthy incarnation to reach Beastmaster. Then, he emerged from the shadows, manifested a sharp stiletto, and pressed it against his neck.s


    At this point... he was actually unsure what to do.


    Taking the beautiful enchantress hostage had seemed like a good idea before, but now that he was standing next to her, barely lucid under the assault of her Aspect, Sunny realized that she was far too dangerous to keep alive.


    He hesitated for a moment, wanting to kill her, but knowing that her death would be too great of a loss. He really did not know what choice was the right one.


    But there was no time to think, so he simply went with the option that was not irreversible.


    If he really wanted to, he could always kill Beastmaster later. However, bringing her back from the dead seemed like a very troublesome task.


    Pulling the blade of the stiletto away, he brought his heavy gauntlet down on the back of her head.


    There was a heavy thud, and the bewitching Saint crumbled to the ground like a doll that had her strings cut.


    Sunny looked at her with regret... then smiled naughtily behind his mask.


    ��...Look at that. Princess Beastmaster, groveling at my feet. Should I tell Rain?��


    His smile did not linger for long, though. As it dimmed, he glanced in the direction of his haughty avatar.


    Now, he just had to deal with the remaining four Saints.


    ***


    Lonesome Howl could smell it...


    Victory.


    Today, victory smelled of blood, senseless death, and regret. But its smell was nevertheless sweet.


    The damned monster had finally run out of essence. His towering Transcendent form steadily diminished in size... at first. Then, the speed at which it mended itself slowed, finally coming to a halt. And a few moments ago, the onyx demon finally crumbled, turning into a tide of darkness.


    Now, all that remained was a small, battered man.


    The Lord of Shadows still looked formidable, though.


    His fearsome armor was breached and broken in many places, and yet, there was not even a single drop of blood flowing from the breaches. It was as if there was no human body underneath at all... just more darkness, more shadow.


    His cold and arrogant demeanor had not changed, either, despite the fact that five of them were surrounding him from all sides.


    The Lord of Shadows still had some strength left.


    But it was hopeless.


    Was it an Echo of a human Saint?


    Was that an Echo... of the Lord of Shadows himself?


    Had he killed himself and risen from the dead like a vengeful wraith?


    Or was it no Echo at all?


    Were all of them -


    �C the Lord, the Knight, the Fiend, the Serpent �C merely various forms that one dark creature took to pursue its sinister goals?


    Lonesome Howl did not know.


    But she suddenly felt fear.


    ***


    If Sunny knew what the princess of Song was thinking about, he would be amused.


    And a little sad.


    After all, he had hoped that people would stop confusing him with Saint �C who was a woman! �C after the memory of him was erased from the world.


    However, he did not know, and had no time to care.


    He still had four Saints to defeat.


    Yes, the Saints of Song were wounded and running low on essence, while Sunny was relatively unscathed and had more essence than he could burn at the moment. And yes, they did not have the advantage of numbers anymore.


    But he was not going to relax.


    That was how people got killed �C by allowing themselves to become arrogant when victory was already in sight.


    Lonesome Howl and Silent Stalker were daughters of Ki Song, and they had to have a few deadly surprises left, without a doubt. Perhaps powerful Memories... perhaps more drops of their mother''s blood.


    Something was going to go wrong, for sure �C or all of it.


    His task was to win even if everything went wrong.


    His three avatars clashed with Lonesome Howl, Ceres, and Siord. The fourth avatar, meanwhile, dashed forward to intercept Silent Stalker.


    And as he fought with four bodies, making them move as one...


    Something in his mind clicked.


    Even consumed by the fervor of battle, Sunny couldn''t help but smile.


    It was all coming together.


    His Transcendent Battle Art was finally going to be complete.

 Chapter 2019: Reaching the Peak

    Chapter 2019: Reaching the Peak


    Sunny had been developing his Transcendent Battle Art for a long time now.


    A Transcendent Battle Art was the culmination of one''s combat technique. Humans underwent a profound transformation when becoming Saints �� therefore, their technique had to reach its own version of Transcendence, as well.


    On a surface level, a Transcendent Battle Art was an elevation of a battle style to a technique that comprehensively fit the newfound powers of a Saint. Of course, since all Aspects were unique, each such Battle Art was fundamentally different from the rest.


    On a deeper level, however, the difference between a mundane battle style and a Transcendent Battle Art was enormously vast. A Transcendent being was, by definition, one that had crossed the threshold separating mortals from deities �� therefore, Saints wielded powers that were truly beyond the scope of humanly possible.


    A combat technique that flawlessly incorporated these powers had a special nature. It transcended the definition of a battle style just as much as Saints transcended mere mortals.


    Hence, the name.


    It was not at all surprising, then, that developing a Transcendent Battle Art was a daunting task. It was already difficult enough to disassemble the very nature of a martial style into elementary principles �� but then, these axiomatic principles had to be examined, reshaped, or even dismissed entirely, to be replaced with new concepts.


    Finally, a comprehensive system of practical applications had to be built on this new foundation. An impossible and revolutionary battle style meant to be used by only a single person.


    No wonder it took the talent and resources of an entire Legacy Clan to design a single Transcendent Battle Art... Sunny, however, had done it alone.


    He had meticulously created a completely new set of concepts and laws of how a living being was supposed to fight, based on his own unique attributes and abilities instead of human nature.


    His Transcendent Battle Art had been on the verge of completion for a while. The theoretical foundation had already been developed, and all he lacked was practical experience to test his design in order to either validate or iterate it.


    He had tested and perfected most of it already. But one key element was still unfinished �� because that element concerned controlling multiple incarnations in battle, and Sunny had been hiding that Ability of his for a long time.


    He had fought some Nightmare Creatures that way in the past, but only now that he was facing a foe as dire, cunning, and skilled as the four Saints of the Song Domain did he receive a bountiful opportunity to really test his mettle.


    Everything was clicking together. Everything was falling into place.


    Sunny could feel it...


    His art was taking shape.


    From that first swing of the Azure Blade Nephis had instructed him to perform on the Forgotten Shore to this calamitous battle under the radiant sky of Godgrave, Sunny had never stopped reaching for new heights.


    It was just what being Supreme meant.


    And just like that, a seed of a different kind of understanding was planted in Sunny''s mind.


    ...The furious assault by the four Saints shattered against the elusive barrier woven by his four incarnations. The battle continued at a frenetic pace, but he maintained a calm and chillingly cold attitude, silently pushing the enemies to their limit �� and then past it. Soon, the Saints of Song reached a point where their reserves of essence were almost depleted.


    Of course, there were a few perilous moments on the way. Sunny had been right �� the daughters of Ki Song were indeed harboring a few weapons of last resort.


    But it was already too late. Sunny had too great of an advantage. His superiority was both oppressive and suffocating �� even when they called upon their trump cards, he managed to deal with the consequences with relative ease.


    Especially because those carefully prepared countermeasures were meant to deal with a single powerful opponent, not four. And because Beastmaster had been taken out of the fight before having an opportunity to summon her own.


    Eventually, it all came crashing down for the Saints of Song.


    The beautiful harpy, Siord, screamed and fell to the ground, grasping a terrible wound. Sunny moved away to deflect an attack by Saint Ceres, but a moment later, another of his incarnations was standing in his place. The elegant jian rose and fell, slicing Siord''s tendons and removing her from the battle.


    The three-headed canine was next. Sunny was cruel in dealing with her... isolating Ceres from the daughters of Ki Song with three avatars, he leaped into the air and brandished his great odachi. The dark blade flashed twice, and two of her three heads fell to the ground.


    Then, it was just Lonesome Howl and Silent Stalker against his four incarnations.


    The daughters of Ki Song fought beautifully. They fought valiantly.


    But in the end, they still lost.


    And just when Lonesome Howl, having long returned to her human form, fell to her knees, feeling the tip of his sword at her neck...


    A low, reverberating sound rolled across the vast battlefield.


    Sunny stayed his hand and looked up.


    His fearsome mask did not reveal any emotion, but somehow, he looked slightly amused.


    He recognized that sound.


    ��...They are calling retreat.��

 Chapter 2020: One Man’s Greed

    Chapter 2020: One Man��s Greed


    Soon after the first rumbling call of the war horn, another one resounded, rolling across the battlefield like a tidal wave. Sunny was momentarily impressed by the logistical preparations that had been undertaken to wage this war... after all, it was not easy to drown out the deafening clamor of a Transcendent battle.


    Which meant that both armies had prepared tools capable of delivering the commands to hundreds of thousands of clashing soldiers in advance.


    It wasn''t that surprising, really. Both Valor and Song had rich experience subjugating wild regions of the Dream Realm, after all. They would have known how to signal to their troops when besieged by hordes of roaring Nightmare Creatures.


    In any case...


    He realized how tired he was by catching his mind wandering.


    The sound of two horns told Sunny everything he needed to know, at the moment.


    The first horn had come from the position of the Song Army... which meant that the battle was over, and that the Sword Army had delivered the enemy a crushing defeat.


    The second horn had come from the direction of the towering Echo �� perhaps it was no horn at all, but simply the bellow of the gargantuan creature. Its meaning was also quite clear.


    The King of Swords was ordering them not to pursue.


    With his expression hidden behind Weaver''s Mask, Sunny let out a quiet sigh of relief.


    Ki Song calling for retreat meant that the Saints of the Song Army were beaten despite their great numerical advantage. Anvil ordering his own Saints to stand down... probably meant that he did not wish to cross the Queen''s bottom line just yet.


    And that he was already satisfied with the result.


    ��...We''ve won, then.��


    Sunny still couldn''t quite believe it.


    He knew that he had won, of course. He was also certain that Nephis would have demolished her share of enemies. Cassie would be alright, too... she always was.


    But, still. Twenty-three Saints defeating twice as many enemy Transcendents sounded... implausible.


    But the proof was impossible to deny.


    Everywhere he looked, the remaining pilgrims were turning around and slowly heading away from the battlefield.


    He could see a few battered Saints staggering away, as well.


    Which brought him to a dilemma.


    Still holding the tip of his odachi to Lonesome Howl''s neck, Sunny stared at her through the eyes of Weaver''s Mask.


    ...What was he supposed to do now that he had won?


    The Jackal was dead. Beastmaster and the Ceres were unconscious. Siord and the Saint of Sorrow were too terribly wounded to mount any resistance. Silent Stalker was on the ground, three of his incarnations standing above her with weapons drawn and ready to strike.


    He would have already been running in her shoes.


    Still, he had to come up with an answer...


    Blaming everything on Nephis again would be unwise �� the King of Swords could very well be listening, after all, and learning that his daughter had secretly ordered his most powerful fighter to spare the enemy elites could very well cause dire problems down the line.


    And after today, there would be no question of who the most powerful member of the Sword Army outside the royal family was, without a doubt.


    So what was Sunny supposed to say?


    ...Luckily, this incarnation of his was wearing Weaver''s Mask.


    Eventually, he shrugged and answered evenly:


    ��I am just a hired blade. My pay is high, but not high enough to start a blood feud with the Queen of Song.��


    Meaning...


    ��You are a princess, and I am a simple mercenary. I''m not crazy enough and can''t be bothered to kill Ki Song''s daughters, thus giving her a reason to personally hunt me down!��


    On second thought, that also implied that Sunny would actually be willing to do something like that if the pay was high enough.


    He hoped that Lonesome Howl would miss that.


    She stared at him for a few moments, then suddenly let out a bitter, hollow laugh.


    ��So that''s the reason? I can''t... I can''t believe it. A hired blade! The outcome of the battle, the fate of the entire world... might just depend on something as base as one man''s greed?��


    Sunny looked at her silently for a while.


    Then, he leaned his head back and laughed.


    His laugh sounded eerie and sinister, rolling across the ravaged battlefield like a chilling wind.


    ��Why? Do you think that we are that different?��


    Shaking his head, he looked at the kneeling princess and added with a hint of disdain in his calm, cold voice:


    ��No. The King of Valor, you mother, and I... we are exactly the same. It''s just that they are greedy for more tasteless things.��


    With that, Sunny took a step back and dissolved into the shadows.


    Lonesome Howl was left standing on her knees in solitude.


    The echo of his sinister laughter, and of his piercing words, was still ringing in her ears.

 Chapter 2021: End of the Battle

    Chapter 2021: End of the Battle


    A similar situation was happening elsewhere on the battlefield.


    There, a vast swath of the sun-bleached bone had been scorched by incinerating flames and turned black. It almost seemed as if it had been on the verge of igniting, angry red sparks and wisps of smoke still escaping from somewhere below.


    The air was heavy with the smell of smoke, and white flames danced here and there on the charred remains of thralls and pilgrims.


    This was where Nephis had fought Seishan, Death Singer, and the five Saints supporting them.


    The battle had been fierce.


    Seishan was powerful, and her power had only grown exponentially on a bloodsoaked battlefield. Death Singer seemed to possess some form of authority over blood, as well, both using it for offense and to boost her sister''s already formidable prowess even further.


    The five Saints that had come to join the Queen''s daughters were not weak in any way, either.


    However, it had all been for naught.


    Once Nephis truly unleashed her flames and burned away the blood that had been spilled upon the ancient bone by the Awakened soldiers, Seishan and Death Singer found themselves at a disadvantage.


    The Saints that had been supposed to slow Changing Star down did everything they were expected to do. Their Aspects worked well together, and they worked especially well against someone like her.


    A carefully designed combination of powerful Memories enveloped the last daughter of the Immortal Flame clan in a net of insidious enchantments.


    The thralls and the pilgrims descended upon her like a plague.


    And yet...


    None of it worked.


    Nephis broke free of the net, withstood the barrage of melee and ranged attacks unleashed by the five Saints, turned the thralls and the pilgrims into ash, and faced the two daughters of Ki Song like a radiant, harrowing spirit of flame.


    Her skill, power, and absolute resolve were overwhelming.


    The Saints of Song were shocked and dismayed.


    Then, a hint of fear entered their hearts.


    Even Death Singer seemed shaken by the ferocious might of Changing Star...


    Only Seishan did not seem that surprised.


    After all, she had witnessed who Nephis was, and what she could do, all the way back on the Forgotten Shore.


    In fact, she understood clearly that Changing Star was holding back her most destructive powers.


    The young man seemed confused, failing to understand the meaning of her words.


    Seishan''s frown, however, deepened slightly.


    Somewhere else on the battlefield...


    Three bleeding corpses were laying on the ground, staring at Saint Jest with empty eye sockets. The old man wiped his bloody hands on the shirt of one of them, then clicked his tongue and crushed the head of the other when the corpse attempted to rise.


    Looking at his once again bloodied hand with a squeamish expression, he shook his head with a wry smile.


    "That girl... still playing house, at her age. Someone should really remind her that dolls are for children."


    With that, he looked up with a wondering look.


    "Oh... right. I should check on Little Mercy and see how he is doing. Today must have been tough on him..."


    Humming a lively melody under his nose, Saint Jest straightened, stretched his back, then picked up his cane and walked away.


    Someplace else...


    A pile of scrap metal slowly unfurled itself and rose from the ground. Fiend was in a terrible shape, his steel body hideously shredded and torn apart so viciously that it resembled an abstract sculpture.


    Fighting the Chain Wyrms had not been an easy fit for him, especially with some of his powers sealed by the shattering of space.


    Raising one of his remaining hands, the ravenous Shadow used a sharp claw to fish a piece of melting glass from between his fangs and stared in the direction where the two remaining Reflections had gone with a hateful expression.


    A few moments later, a sound that resembled the low roar of spreading flame resounded from his fiery maw:


    "Wrrrretches..."


    In that moment, Fiend made a decision.


    He was going to tell on them... to Big Sister!


    Not too far away, Saint retracted her darkness and watched indifferently as her one remaining enemy limped away.


    Serpent, however, was surrounded only by silence.


    Because all of its enemies were dead.


    Just like that, the battle was over.


    But its aftershocks were destined to spread far and wide, shaping many of the things that were to come.

 Chapter 2022: Overwhelming Strength

    Chapter 2022: Overwhelming Strength


    The battle that would have cost humanity countless lives ended costing it... slightly less.


    The losses among the Awakened soldiers were still quite severe, but at the same time, there weren''t nearly as many deaths as there would have been if Nephis had not intervened, ordering the two great armies to retreat and provoking a clash between the Saints instead.


    The final, titanic confrontation had decided the outcome of the battle...


    It ended with a resounding victory for the Sword Domain.


    Sunny somehow expected to be met by endless chants of glory once he returned to the camp of the Sword Army, but in reality, it was just as quiet and subdued as the camp of the defeated side.


    That was because most of the soldiers had been brutalized by the unfathomable horror of the calamitous battle, and many of them had lost friends and companions to its hungry maw, as well.


    The casualties among the soldiers were still being tallied, but everyone knew how many Saints had returned from the battlefield alive, already.


    The results were... surprising.


    At least to Sunny.


    Four of the Saints of the Sword Army had died.


    However, thirteen Saints of the Song Domain perished in return.


    Six of them had been killed by Sunny and his Shadows. Three were killed by Old Man Jest. The rest had fallen in individual duels.


    A... horrifying number.


    Nephis had killed none.


    Which was bitterly ironic. Sunny had always considered himself to be... the more humane of them two. In fact, in the past, he often felt that Neph''s ambition and obsession were dragging him along into the depths where he would not have gone himself. But here he was, having slaughtered almost a full cohort of Transcendent champions, while she had shown restraint and mercy, killing nobody.


    Granted, the Song Army had only sent seven Saints after her, as well as a swarm of thralls and pilgrims �� while Sunny had technically faced thirteen of them, as well as three of Mordret''s Reflections.


    He did not know whether he should feel flattered, appalled, proud, or dejected.


    That was not important at the moment, anyway.


    What was important, though...


    Made Sunny shiver.


    He truly felt a chill run down his spine when thinking about how the battle had transpired.


    The clash of the Transcendents only happened because Nephis had defied Anvil''s order.


    But it was precisely her defiance that had led to the crushing defeat of the Song Domain.


    So...


    Had the King of Swords calculated that she would disobey him, and even the precise manner in which she would express her disobedience?


    He had to. Otherwise, his silent assent to Neph''s defiance could hardly be explained.


    ...This was what frightened Sunny the most.


    He looked in the direction of the gargantuan Echo, suddenly feeling tense and uncomfortable.


    Almost afraid.


    It was as if he was in the palm of Anvil''s hand, ready to be crushed in an iron fist at any moment.


    His face behind Weaver''s Mask grew somber.


    Countless humans were dead, including seventeen Saints �� a dire loss for all humanity.


    The fortunes of the Song Army were reversed in an instant. It had gone from holding a solid advantage to being hopelessly outmatched by the enemy in the span of one battle �� not the least because Sunny and Nephis had revealed a large part of their true power.


    The battle had put an end to Song''s advance into the depths of the Breastbone Reach. On the contrary, they would have to retreat now, perhaps even being pushed all the way to the Collarbone Plain.


    In the worst case, the main camp or even the sole Citadel of the Song army would be besieged before either Revel or Gilead completed their expeditions.


    But for now, the tired, terrified soldiers needed to rest.


    The wounded had to be treated, and the dead had to be burned.


    Both army camps were abuzz with whispers and discussions of the dreadful battle.


    And, of course, two people were mentioned more than all the rest.


    Merciful Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan...


    And the ruthless, terrifying Lord of Shadows.

 Chapter 2023: The Shadow of Godgrave

    Chapter 2023: The Shadow of Godgrave


    People did not often see Saints fight... at least in the past.


    Of course, the soldiers of the two great armies had witnessed their Transcendent generals clash with dreadful Nightmare Creatures countless times, by now. However, just like the rest of humanity, they had not been exposed to the chilling sight of demigods fighting each other.


    Their ignorance had been destroyed today.


    The calamitous battle between the great armies was unprecedented as far as the quantity of the Awakened soldiers involved was concerned. However, what followed next was different from all previous battles of human history in quality.


    Even safely hidden away from the battlefield, the Awakened warriors had witnessed the awe and horror of a Transcendent battle in all its devastating and harrowing glory.


    It was not surprising that the soldiers could not help but discuss it once the fighting stopped. Both camps were overflowing with hushed conversations, the Awakened from the different parts of the battle line sharing the stories of what they had seen.


    The duels between individual Saints were already astounding enough.


    But it were two clashes in particular that went beyond the realm of what humans had believed was possible.


    Obviously, the name of Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan was on everyone''s lips... after all, she had delivered all the soldiers from the hellish nightmare of the harrowing battle with her radiant light. Countless people owed their lives to her �� some by benefit of retreating from the fight unscathed, and some quite literally, having been brought back from the brink of death by her soothing flames.


    Therefore, the tale of Lady Nephis healing an entire army was spreading like a flame.


    The story of her bringing the battle to a halt and sending the soldiers back to face the enemy in personal combat instead was spreading, as well.


    And, of course, the story of her facing and defeating seven Saints in battle.


    However, that last part was not being discussed that widely,despite how astonishing such a feat was.


    It was partially because Changing Star was known for her impossible deeds, so one more did not stand out too much, and partially because the clash between Nephis and the Saints of Song had been mostly obscured by the blinding radiance of her flames, as well as billowing clouds of smoke.


    "How do we even know that he is human behind that creepy mask? No one has seen his face!"


    "They say that he split in four at the end of the battle, each incarnation wielding a deadly blade..."


    "Wait, wait! That actually explains everything. We were all convinced that he possessed some kind of spatial Ability, right? And that was how he could seemingly be in several places at the same time. But he doesn''t, there is no spatial Ability! He simply can manifest more... more of himself!"


    "That would also explain why his eerie Echoes are so powerful. What if they aren''t Echoes at all? What if those abominations are just his other bodies?"


    "Gods... which body is the real one, then?"


    "The serpent! That giant shadow serpent can shapeshift! That is how he can appear human!"


    "So the real Lord of Shadows is a... a giant abomination?"


    "No wonder he... it... was living in Godgrave alone..."


    "Have you all lost your goddamn minds? The Lord of Shadows is a human Saint. He is just so powerful that it''s just easier to believe that he is some kind of an ancient, sinister, dark being that had fed on the bone marrow of a dead god for thousands of years before being disturbed by us, foolish mortals, when we decided to invade his land... and which then emerged from the eternal darkness to take on the appearance of a man it consumed... anyway, what I am trying to say is that he is a human! D��definitely!"


    "You... shut your mouth and never speak again. Okay?!"


    "What?! I''m just saying!"


    "I don''t care what you''re saying. The Lord of Shadows saved my life, and many more, during the march to Vanishing Lake. So I don''t care whether he''s a man or a snake.I''m just glad that he''s on our side..."


    Sunny would have been quite amused if he had heard these conversations. But he was busy recovering from the battle, and preoccupied by much more vital matters than eavesdropping on what the soldiers were saying to boot.


    Unbeknownst to him, though, a different kind of conversation was taking place in the camp of the Song Army...

 Chapter 2024: Regrettable Miscalculation

    Chapter 2024: Regrettable Miscalculation


    In the command tent of the Seventh Legion, the air was heavy with the smell of blood, ash, and smoke.


    Five of the seven Transcendent princesses of Song were gathered there. The healers of the Song Army had already treated their wounds, but their clothes were still bearing the traces of the recent battle.


    Seishan had suffered more than the other four, having been burned terribly by the incandescent white flames. But she was also the calmest, having already changed from the charred rags of her previous garment into a clean dress.


    The mood in the tent was somber and dark.


    Eventually, it was Beastmaster who broke the silence. Nursing her head, she asked quietly:


    "How are the rest of our sisters?"


    Although Ki Song had seven Transcendent daughters, there were more girls she had adopted. It was just that not all of them had become Saints.


    Most had been left in the Song Domain to manage it in the absence of the most powerful members of the royal clan, but some were here in Godgrave, scattered across the seven royal legions.


    Seishan answered after a short pause:


    "Our sisters are fine... they are not easily killed."


    Beastmaster let out a sigh of relief, then winced and asked in a subdued tone:


    "What about mother, then?"


    Seishan lingered for a moment.


    "She will lead the farewell ritual for the fallen soldiers and see as after that. I doubt that it will be a long conversation... the army will have to start the retreat soon."


    A heavy silence settled in the tent once more.


    Eventually, Silent Stalker shifted slightly and threw a questioning look at her sisters.


    Seishan smiled darkly.


    "Yes. We have... miscalculated, indeed."


    Beastmaster shook her head.


    "There was no miscalculation. We just didn''t have the correct information."


    With that, she glanced at Death Singer bitterly.


    The lovely oracle stared back with an aggrieved expression.


    "What? I warned you! I told you that we''re all going to die!"


    The tantalizing enchantress remained silent for a few moments,then let out a soft chuckle.


    "...That you did. In any case, the things we learned from my thralls in the Sword Army, and from Revel, were not entirely true. The Lord of Shadows is far more than we expected."


    "I do not know. Her mercy and benevolence are just an act, though �� of that, I am sure. There is hardly a less merciful and benevolent person in both worlds than Nephis of the Immortal Flame clan."


    Seishan hesitated for a moment.


    "Not that I hold it against her, of course. In fact, she''s quite admirable. Nephis... is scheming something, but what? I can''t figure it out."


    Her exquisitely beautiful face seemed troubled.


    Lonesome Howl sneered.


    "Aren''t you giving her too much credit, sister? She is already as high as any of us can be, and there is nothing left for her to earn. What can she ever scheme for? Before, I could have imagined a twisted scenario where she wanted to prove herself and become... I don''t know, daddy''s favorite. But with Morgan falling out of favor, even that is already beside the point."


    She leaned back and crossed her arms.


    "Your judgment is always clouded when it comes to those years, Shan. Sure,that girl achieved something outstanding on the Forgotten Shore �� assembling an army of loyal followers, killing an invincible tyrant, and taking his throne... then getting most of her army obliterated to win an unwinnable battle. But that was in the past."


    As she was speaking, Seishan''s expression changed subtly.


    Lonesome Howl did not notice, but Beastmaster did.


    She smiled.


    "Wait... you don''t think?"


    Seishan lingered for a few moments, then slowly shook her head.


    "No... of course not. Yes, Nephis and the Lord of Shadows are immensely powerful, but even they stand no chance against a Supreme. They would know it better than us, too. Unless she conquers the Fourth Nightmare, it would be pointless to even think about disloyalty �� and Anvil won''t allow her to challenge a Seed."


    So, thinking in that direction was a fool''s errand.


    And yet...


    Seishan remembered Gunlaug''s golden armor.


    And how impenetrable it had seemed.


    Her brow furrowed a little, and she gave Beastmaster a complicated look.


    The beautiful enchantress smiled.


    "What? Are you regretting dissuading me from killing her in Antarctica now?"


    Seishan did not answer immediately.


    Eventually, she said:


    "I''d probably be a Skinwalker vessel now if you did."


    Beastmaster sighed.


    "True. Then I''ll express my gratitude to her the next time we meet..."

 Chapter 2025: A Bitter Triumph

    Chapter 2025: A Bitter Triumph


    On the other side of the scorched and ravaged battlefield, in the camp of the Sword Army, there was another tent. The three people inside were supposed to be in a much better mood than the Queen''s daughters �� they were the victors, after all �� and yet, the atmosphere was just as somber.


    Sunny was sitting on a wooden trunk, for once feeling burdened and suffocated by the weight of his armor and the cool touch of his mask. He wished he could dismiss it and feel the gentle touch of fresh air on his skin...


    Or Neph''s gentle touch.


    Nephis herself was sitting quietly on her austere cot, wearing a pristine white tunic. She did not seem like someone who had just participated in a harrowing battle, but her gaze was cold and distant, devoid of human warmth.


    Still, she made an effort to spare him a pale smile.


    Cassie was sitting on the Shadow Chair, which Sunny had summoned for her. Out of the three of them, she had fared the worst in the battle �� the Song Army had not sent more than one Saint to face her, but Cassie was not someone meant for the mayhem of the battlefield, either. She had won the duel, of course, but not without suffering several painful blows.


    Or maybe she had simply endured them on purpose, not wishing to disclose the true extent of her lethality to those who considered her a relatively weak and helpless Saint. Even now, Sunny couldn''t say for sure.


    All three of them were silent.


    The silence that surrounded them had a special quality, too, because of the runic enchantment Cassie had drawn on the floor �� a complicated spell to ward off unwanted attention.


    Sunny sighed, then turned into a shadow. A moment later, he manifested himself into a person again, this time wearing [Definitely Not Me] instead of Weaver''s Mask.


    After lingering for a moment, he said:


    "Things went well, did they not?"


    They had. A few unforeseen complications had emerged, just as expected, but the plan had worked better than they could have hoped.Nephis had greatly elevated her status, cementing herself as the only voice of reason and compassion in the dreadful crucible of this cruel, demented war. She had won the hearts of countless soldiers of the Sword Army... and of the Song Army, as well.


    Better yet, she had saved countless lives that would have been lost in the senseless slaughter otherwise.


    She had also established herself as a leader among the Saints, let them witness the will of the Sovereigns being defied with impunity, and shown the vast and awesome power of her pure flames...


    That last part was especially important.


    Personal valor still mattered most among the Legacy Clans, after all, whose claim to nobility rested on the laurels of martial excellence �� with Saints serving as living embodiments of the fearless virtue the members of military aristocracy were meant to possess.


    Nephis had not only demonstrated her willingness and ability to disobey the Sovereigns, but also proved that she had the right to.


    ...Not only because she was strong herself, but also because she was capable enough to ensure the loyalty of someone who was in no way weaker.


    The Lord of Shadows.


    Sunny''s astounding performance was like a cherry on top of a delicious cake... or rather, a scoop of ice cream on top of a delectable waffle, in his case. With fresh strawberries on the side.


    This aspect of their plan was just as important as the battle itself. After all, at the end of the day, it did not matter what the soldiers, the Legacies, and the Saints thought or felt. Nothing mattered, because in the world where strength reigned supreme, the reign of Supremes was absolute.


    He looked at Nephis, lingered for a moment, and then asked:


    "How much does he really trust you? How much does he distrust you? What has his demeanor been like in these past few years,when he interacted with you?"


    It had been... more than five years �� six for for Sunny because of the Tomb of Ariel �� since Clan Valor adopted Nephis. Her status within the royal clan was honestly quite strange. On one hand, she had been kept at a distance and mistreated by the elders of Valor, who almost seemed keen on getting her killed.


    On the other hand, Anvil himself had shown her quite a bit of grace, even making her the nominal commander of the Sword Army after sending Morgan away.


    Their relationship was ambiguous, and since the man almost never showed human emotions, Sunny could not even guess what was happening in his head.


    Under the iron crown.


    Nephis remained silent for a few moments, staring at him evenly.


    Then, she suddenly said:


    "...It''s unpleasant to talk to you when you are wearing a mask."


    Sunny blinked.


    What was that, all of a sudden?


    Was she trying to say that she wanted to see his face?


    Nephis seemed a little surprised by her response, as well. She frowned slightly, then shook her head.


    "It is hard to tell. He keeps most people at a distance. His heart is a mystery... if he even has one. Still, with me, he was a bit different. Almost... sentimental? No, hardly. Maybe curious. I thought that the attention he was paying me was minimal, but Morgan seemed surprised. As if it was much more than what he paid to everyone else."


    She hesitated for a bit, then added evenly:


    "It is because of my mother, I think. He spoke of her a couple of times."


    So... general weirdness, but nothing that alluded to distrust or suspicion. Quite the contrary, actually.


    Of course, one had to remember that the Sovereigns had insistently tried to assassinate Nephis in the past, when she had no value.


    Sunny sighed, unsure what to think.


    He still felt uncomfortable speaking openly about their secrets, even with Cassie''s enchantments protecting them from being spied on. So, he tried to remain as vague as possible.


    In the end,he simply said:


    "I think it is better if we assume the worst."

 Chapter 2026: Escalation

    Chapter 2026: Escalation


    "I think it is better if we assume the worst."


    The worst being that Anvil had known all along about the irreconcilable hatred Nephis had harbored towards him and Ki Song, and was fully expecting her to try taking revenge on them at some point.


    Perhaps he simply did not care, not even considering her a threat. Perhaps he did not mind making use of Nephis and her talents before eventually disposing of her.


    In any case, today''s events were bound to change things.


    Cassie frowned.


    "...Our timetable needs to be accelerated, then."


    She was right.


    They had to hurry, anyway.


    Now that the Song Army had lost a decisive battle, it would be pushed back off the Breastbone Reach. The power of Ki Song''s Domain would diminish, and Anvil would gain an advantage �� which was a problem.


    In truth, today''s battle had brought another benefit to Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie... albeit quite a morbid one.


    Even though they had hoped that far fewer Saints would perish, in the end, the actual number was quite high. Which meant that both Domains had grown weaker today �� many Citadels stood without masters now, and there was no one left alive to claim them. So, in the final confrontation, both Anvil and Ki Song would not be as powerful as they had been the day before.


    However, this loss had affected the Queen of Worms disproportionately. It was to the point where the King of Swords could very well decide to challenge her before the remaining Citadels in Godgrave were conquered, if given reason to believe that Revel''s expedition would succeed.


    So, the situation was both highly unstable and fraught with peril. They could not be cautious or patient anymore.


    Worst of all... Sunny and Nephis were not anywhere close to figuring out how to attain Supremacy, still. There had been some progress, but nothing they could bet their lives on.


    And with the pace of war suddenly changing, he was not sure that they would be able to solve the puzzle in time.


    Fighting the Sovereigns as Saints it was, then?


    Remembering the sight of the sea of swords falling from the sky, Sunny gritted his teeth.


    Why did it matter, though?


    There had been two opinions on how to kill the Sovereigns from the very start.


    Nephis believed that the only way to defeat them was to become Supreme themselves.


    While Sunny... Sunny believed more in the tried and tested method of waiting for the enemies to weaken each other, and then stabbing them in the back.


    Now, their chances of attaining Supremacy in time seemed slim.


    But on top of that, their element of surprise seemed to be gone, which meant that it would not be easy to strike the enemy in the back.


    Things did not look good.


    It was just that they all knew what kind of monster Mordret was.


    Sunny did not like the idea of surrendering Bastion to him one bit. In fact, he was vehemently against it.


    Too many people he liked and valued were living there, on the shore of the beautiful lake.


    However, in the end, it was up to Nephis.


    So, he stared at her silently, wondering what decision she would make.


    ...And what he would do about that decision.


    Nephis remained silent for a while, no human emotion visible in her cold, grey eyes.


    He suddenly felt chilly despite the suffocating heat enveloping Godgrave.


    Finally, Nephis glanced at him, frowning briefly at the sight of his mask, and shook her head.


    "No. We won''t be troubling our friends."


    Sunny was both surprised and a bit relieved.


    He had expected a ruthless and pragmatic answer, but Nephis seemed reluctant to surrender Bastion to Mordret, too.


    He couldn''t help but ask:


    "Why?"


    She looked at him impassively for a while, then smiled faintly.


    "Because it would leave a bad taste in my mouth. I... dislike compromises."


    With that, Nephis rose and inhaled deeply.


    "Come. He will want to see us soon."


    She had disobeyed the King''s order.


    And now, it was time to receive the punishment for her defiance.


    Sunny hoped that it wouldn''t be too harsh...


    But, at the same time, he hoped that it would.


    Because their web of deceit was not finished yet. One final performance remained.


    The harsher Nephis was punished, the more indignant the people whom she had saved would feel.


    And the more indignant they felt, the more her grasp on their hearts would tighten...

 Chapter 2027: Godheart

    Godheart...


    That was the word Rain heard being spoken around the camp of the battered Seventh Legion. The calamitous battle between the two great armies had taken place in the central part of the Breastbone Reach, right above where the dead god''s heart would have been.


    Hence, people were calling it the Battle of Godheart.


    As fitting of a name as any, really. There had been nothing divine about that damn battle, but many hearts had been scarred and broken in its maw.


    The camp of the Seventh Legion was noticeably emptier than it had been before.


    Their own little corner of it was, too... luckily, not because the cohort had sustained losses. It was simply because Fleur had been called upon to help treat the wounded, and Ray was keeping her company.


    So, Rain and Tamar were left alone.


    Rain prepared dinner while Tamar went about her centurion duties. With that done, they ate in silence and then fell asleep on the spot, too exhausted �� both mentally and physically �� to even hide from the oppressive radiance of the overcast sky in their tents.


    They did not have a lot of time to rest.


    As soon as the worn-out soldiers were able to march, the Song Army was going to abandon the temporary camp and retreat north, toward the Collarbone Plain. The Sword Army would most likely pursue... so, the march was promising to be tough and unforgiving.


    A few hours later, Rain and Tamar were woken up by Fleur and Ray, who had returned from the field hospital. The delicate healer looked like someone on the verge of suffering essence exhaustion, and her stealthy boyfriend was not much better.


    Rain yawned, rubbed her eyes, then pushed the half-full pot of army stew toward them.


    "Here... eat."


    Ray gave her a nod of gratitude and sat down. Fleur, meanwhile, glanced at Tamar.


    "Your father is looking for you. He''s in the field hospital."


    Noticing Tamar''s sharp gaze, she put a hand on her shoulder and added in a soothing tone:


    "His wounds were serious, but he is doing well now. Don''t worry."


    Tamar lingered for a moment, then nodded and rose to her feet.


    Rain did not have anything better to do, so she decided to follow the young Legacy.


    The two of them walked through the camp of the Seventh Legion, eventually crossing into the avenue separating it from other divisions of the Song Army. As they walked, they could hear the soldiers talking about the battle in numb, subdued voices.


    Some were sharing their fears and concerns about the retreat and the future prospects of the Song Army. Most, however, were talking about Changing Star...


    And the Lord of Shadows.


    Rain threw a brief glance at her shadow, feeling a little strange.


    They reached the field hospital. It was an enormous canvas pavilion permeated with the stench of blood and sweat �� the scene inside was like a painting of hell, but luckily, it wasn''t as bad as it could have been.


    Many of the wounded in the center of the battlefield had been miraculously healed by the white flames of Lady Nephis. Of those that remained, the heavier cases had been treated by the Awakened healers already... it was just that there weren''t that many potent healers in the world, and those that belonged to the Song Army did not have endless essence.


    So, the soldiers who had received relatively minor wounds could only wait while being treated by mundane medics.


    Rain grimaced and tried not to cover her nose.


    The officers were being treated in a separate space inside the pavilion. She stayed back, letting Tamar go inside alone, and waited patiently near the entrance.


    However,she could still hear some of the conversation between her friend and her father, the Saint of Sorrow.


    "...I heard that you met Telle of the White Feather clan."


    Oh, so that was the name of the beautiful Feather Knight. No wonder she was so troublesome.


    "Yes... I lost."


    Tamar''s restrained voice betrayed a hint of dejection. The Saint of Sorrow seemed to chuckle before saying calmly:


    "That is alright. I lost, too."


    There was a long stretch of silence, and then he added with a sigh.


    "It is strange, isn''t it? The Lord of Shadows had saved my daughter''s life, but today, I went into battle intending to kill him. Changing Star is meant to be one of the greatest threats to the Song Domain, but today, she healed and saved our soldiers..."


    Rain did not hear the rest, because at that moment, a quiet whisper resounded in her mind.


    [Hey... I need to talk to you.]


    She hesitated for a moment.


    [Talk, then? I''m listening.]


    However, her shadow shifted slightly in the trembling light of a luminous Memory, as if shaking its head.


    [No, not here. Go find somewhere private.]


    Rain sighed.


    Was she going to be swallowed by that weird cottage again?


    But she did not really mind.


    Perhaps her brother would be able to explain the subtle change that had happened to her on the battlefield...

 Chapter 2028: Clandestine Meeting

    Chapter 2028: Clandestine Meeting


    It was not easy to find privacy in the temporary camp of the Song Army. There was no night in Godgrave, and unlike in the city-like main camp, there were no permanent structures and deserted alleys here.


    Still, there was also less security and fewer watchmen. The order had hardly been restored in the aftermath of the battle, and most soldiers were either asleep or resting.


    The funeral rite for the fallen was going to begin soon, too, which gave Rain a chance to slip away unnoticed.


    She found a desolate space hidden between a row of empty tents and the outer palisade, hiding in its cool shadow. A moment later, she felt herself being pulled into the darkness, and experienced the familiar sensation of being transported somewhere else.


    Only, this time, there was no quaint brick cottage waiting for her on the other end of the journey.


    Instead, she found herself in the Hollows, with her brother standing by her side.


    The ancient jungle sprawled around them, brimming with a myriad of scents, rustles, and harrowing perils. Rain could not help but shudder, remembering the doomed march to the Collarbone Citadel. The gruesome scenes of people being devoured by the jungle surfaced in her mind, making her feel nauseated.


    There were no trees or vines close to her, at least. They were standing in the middle of a large clearing, with only the scarlet moss covering the surface of the ancient bone. It was a relief, but...


    They weren''t alone in the clearing.


    Not too far away from, the corpse of an appalling abomination lay on the ground, seeping blood into the scarlet moss. Next to it were two figures.


    One was a man in a fearsome onyx armor, his face hidden behind an eerie mask of black polished wood... the Lord of Shadows.


    Rain blinked a couple of times, stared at him for a few moments, then glanced at her brother.


    No, but how... were they really the same person?


    If she did not know the truth, she would have never believed it.


    Her brother was a young man of modest stature, with a slender build and delicate features. He was not quite flimsy, but no one would call him physically imposing either. He wore simple clothes and wielded no weapons.


    The Lord of Shadows, meanwhile... actually, strangely enough, it was difficult to tell what his height was. Nevertheless, he seemed to tower above everything, as if his mere presence made the world smaller. His battered onyx armor made it impossible to see him as anything except a deadly warrior, and his menacing mask was chilling to look at, pools of impenetrable darkness nestling in its eyes.


    More than that, their very presence was different.


    Her brother emanated an easygoing, relaxed, and joyful feeling. He was quick to smile, and his dark eyes often glistened with wry humor.


    The Lord of Shadow, though, was the epitome of aloof and threatening. His gaze, his bearing, the subtle slant of his shoulders... all of it expressed cold indifference, ruthlessness, and arrogance.


    This was indeed a person who could slaughter Saints and laugh as he did so.


    He smiled.


    "Don''t worry. She is my... partner in crime, I guess."


    Hearing that, lady Cassie tilted her head a little.


    Rain''s brother chuckled.


    "Rain, Cassie... you two should already know each other, right?"


    Rain remained silent for a moment, then nodded.


    Then, she flinched and hurriedly voiced her answer aloud:


    "Oh... yes. It is nice to see you again after all this time, Saint Cassia."


    The beautiful Saint smiled softly...


    Rain was more or less convinced that entire kingdoms could be toppled by that smile.


    "It is nice to meet you again as well, Rain."


    Her eyes shook a little.


    ''...She actually remembers me?''


    Her brother, meanwhile, looked at the Lord of Shadows and scoffed.


    "Anyway. I asked Cassie to help me figure out a few things about your Awakening. The two armies are relatively close to each other at the moment, so that fool over there carried her here to take a look at you."


    The Lord of Shadows answered in a cold, menacing tone:


    "Who are you calling a fool, you fool?"


    Rain stared at the two of them with a strange expression.


    No, but were they really... really the same person?

 Chapter 2029: Fortune Telling

    Chapter 2029: Fortune Telling


    Sunny allowed the Lord of Shadows to turn back into a shadow after exchanging a round of insults with himself.


    Released from his control, the haughty, naughty, creepy, and crazy guys glided across the floor and wrapped themselves around him, seemingly satisfied to be reunited with their happy sibling after being apart for so long.


    Far away in the main camp of the Sword Army, the gloomy shadow turned its head and threw a resentful glance at Master Sunless.


    Why was everyone getting together while he alone was stuck keeping company to this...


    Sunny ignored the ingrate.


    In any case, there was a reason for why he did not want to keep the Lord of Shadows manifested �� his reserves of essence were depleted after the recent battle, so there was no point in wasting more of it than necessary on maintaining an additional avatar. Carrying Cassie with Shadow Stop had already taken a relatively considerable toll.


    But it was necessary.


    In truth, she did not have to meet Rain in person to use her Dormant Ability and tell Sunny what she saw �� after all, the blind seer had been helping him and the other members of the cohort from a distance throughout the war.


    But Rain was a bit special, being that she was a human Awakened who did not carry the Nightmare Spell. It was also easier for Cassie to learn about a being when she was close to them...


    Considering how important it was to understand Rain''s situation, Sunny decided to pull out all the stops.


    He glanced at the corpse of the Nightmare Creature laying in the middle of the clearing. The abomination had been stalking this area of the Hollows, so he eliminated it in advance to make sure that nothing could disturb them.


    Cassie had already drawn the runes around the clearing, as well, using the soul shards harvested from the abomination as the power source. This place was halfway between the Song camp and the Sword camp, equally distant from both Sovereigns.


    Hopefully, no one would learn what he was going to hear.


    Rain, meanwhile, seemed to have noticed the enchanted lines of the runic circle and studied it with interest.


    "What is that?"


    Cassie answered after a moment of hesitation:


    "It''s a runic enchantment to ward off various kinds of unwanted attention."


    Rain glanced at her with a subtle hint of amusement.


    "...There are different kinds of unwanted attention?"


    Of course, her true power was to gain insight, not to read runes. The runes that all Awakened saw �� except for Rain �� were just a handy instrument created by the Spell, and therefore, the runes that Cassie could read when using her Dormant Ability were merely the Spell translating the knowledge she had gained into a more familiar language.


    A convenient modification of Cassie''s own power, just like creating Shadows with fragments and nurturing them by sacrificing Memories had been for Sunny.


    Therefore, he was not sure what Cassie would see when looking at Rain.


    Would the Spell still translate the mystical insight into easily accessible runes, like it did for the Awakened and the Nightmare Creatures the blind seer examined? Or would she have to fathom the depths of Rain''s soul herself?


    And what would she see?


    By all accounts, Rain was only supposed to possess a single Attribute... maybe two. Sunny himself had only possessed one innate Attribute �� [Fated] �� before undergoing the First Nightmare, after all.


    His other two Attributes, [Child of Shadows] and [Mark of Divinity], had come from the nameless temple slave whose body he had taken in the Nightmare. Similarly, he had also received the [Temple Slave] Aspect from him, which then evolved into his true Aspect... Shadow Slave.


    But Rain had never undergone the First Nightmare.


    She had learned to sense and control her essence first, and then Awakened by forming a soul core herself. So, unless she had done something to develop them, there was nowhere for additional Attributes to come from. Only her innate Attribute was supposed to be there... whatever it was.


    She would not possess an Aspect, either. Unlike the carriers of the Nightmare Spell, the original Awakened had to find and unseal their Aspect themselves �� many never did. Neither did they find their Flaws.


    Those were only required if one wished to attain Transcendence and make the first step into the realm of divinity.


    Therefore, all that Cassie was supposed to see was an innate Attribute �� if Rain had one �� and her Memories... perhaps the [Mark of Shadows], as well.


    But something had happened to Rain on that battlefield.


    Sunny was not sure how she changed, but he could feel it. Something had shifted inside Rain once she chose to spare Telle of White Feather, and that change was persisting still.


    So...


    Had she unsealed her Aspect?


    After a while, he glanced at Cassie.


    The blind seer took a deep breath, then frowned, and subtly shook her head.

 Chapter 2030: Runs in the Family

    Chapter 2030: Runs in the Family


    So, not an Aspect.


    Sunny was not really disappointed �� in fact, he had not expected Rain to unseal her Aspect so soon �� but he was a little concerned.


    If not that, then what?


    One disturbing possibility came to mind... that Rain had been infected with a seed of Corruption in the middle of that damned battle. After all, from what he could tell, most of the people who became carriers of the Spell had some reason for why their souls were fertile soil for the Nightmare to take root.


    And what better reason could there be than the appalling terror of the Godheart Battle?


    Still, he had already studied Rain''s soul, searching for any sign of encroaching Corruption. It was pure and pristine, just as it had been before... in fact, if anything, it seemed more whole than it had ever been before.


    Sunny looked at Cassie somberly.


    She took a step back, faced Rain, and smiled faintly.


    "First, allow me to congratulate you, Rain... it seems that you have a True Name."


    Sunny froze for a moment.


    Was that it? She received a True Name?


    Did that mean...


    However, at that moment, Cassie shook her head subtly again, as if having read his thoughts.


    "In fact, you have had it for some time, already. If I were to wager a guess, I''d say that you earned it during your Awakening... a name is a tool of distinction, after all, and there is hardly a more distinguished feat than becoming an Awakened by yourself in an age when everyone else carries the Nightmare Spell."


    Rain blinked a couple of times, then threw a sideways glance at Sunny.


    "...You told her?"


    He coughed.


    Right. Cassie was not entirely a stranger, but she was also not someone Rain knew well. It would feel strange to learn that many of her secrets had been shared with a distant acquaintance.


    However, it was really not his fault.


    "It''s not that I told her... it''s just that Cassie has a way of knowing things. It''s better to just make peace with it."


    Rain stared at him for a few moments, then turned back to the blind seer. Her chin rose a little, and she asked while trying to suppress her excitement:


    "Oh... okay. Well, anyway �� so, what is it? My True Name?"


    Cassie remained silent for a few moments, which caused Rain''s expression to grow worried.


    "Wait! It''s not... something stupid like Not So Funny Anymore, is it?"


    The blind seer chuckled, then shook her head.


    "I am sure that it''s not. It''s just that... much of your being is a puzzle to me. Usually, I see things much clearer �� but today, I need to interpret the insights myself. Therefore, although I gained an understanding of your True Name, it is going to take me some time to decipher it."


    She hesitated, and then glanced at Sunny.


    "I''ll need your help, as well. And Nephis too."


    He scratched the back of his head.


    That... actually made sense. If the Spell was not translating the insight Cassie gained into a convenient collection of runes, then interpreting a True Name was no easy task. In fact, it was an entirely new kind of challenge.


    However, he was sure that they could solve it in a few days. Cassie possessed the knowledge, Sunny was a master of dead languages, and Nephis was a talented Shaper �� she had more experience dealing with True Names of things than both of them combined.


    Rain sighed in disappointment.


    "Oh..."


    Sunny wanted to sigh, too.


    He paused for a moment, then added:


    "Don''t worry, though. I already have a teacher in mind..."


    Nephis knew more about Shaping than anyone he had ever met, with the exception of Ananke. So, there was no better person to teach Rain than her.


    It would be quite a hassle to arrange the lessons, sadly...


    But if Rain did learn at least the very basics of Shaping, it would be a great boon to her. It would also mask her lack of an Aspect perfectly.


    Finally, he looked at Cassie.


    "What about the third Attribute?"


    She lingered for a while, then frowned slightly.


    "That one, I''ll have to ponder on it a bit longer. All I can say now is that it has to do with Rain''s soul, as well as its connection to the world. Both are... quite special."


    Sunny scowled.


    His sister wasn''t...


    Cassie interrupted his thoughts once again:


    "Don''t worry. It is entirely different from the Attribute you used to possess."


    He let out a sigh of relief.


    The last thing Sunny wanted was to learn that Rain was Fated, just like he had been.


    That damn Attribute had brought him so much pain and sorrow that he would not wish it on his worst enemy.


    In fact, he would not wish it on any enemy. A Fated enemy would be a real nightmare to deal with!


    Rain seemed both excited and curious. Eventually, though, she simply smiled.


    "So... I have a True Name, a talent for sorcery, and am quite a special person on top of that. Oh, and I am also a real Legacy �� a princess of the Shadow Clan, no less. Ha! Am I not a lucky girl?"


    With that, she looked at the frayed and bloodied fabric of the Puppeteer''s Shroud and grimaced.


    "What the hell, why am I in such a sorry state then?"


    Glancing at Sunny, she pursed her lips.


    "Then again, princesses are not faring too well these days. I hear three of them were beaten half to death by some vicious scoundrel today."


    Sunny coughed, ignored the jav, and looked at Cassie.


    "Anything else?"


    She slowly shook her head.


    "Nothing that I can see."


    He sighed.


    That made it easier, then.


    If the change that had happened to Rain was not connected to her Aspect or her True Name...


    Then it only left one possibility.


    Something that even Cassie could not see... at least not yet, as a Saint.


    It seemed that Rain had attained her Flaw.

 Chapter 2031: Blessings of the Cursed

    Sunny quietly wondered what to do next.


    He had hoped for a different conclusion �� but of course, the actual issue just had to be the only thing that Cassie was unable to see. Nothing could ever be easy.


    Rain''s very own Flaw...


    He sighed.


    In and of itself, attaining a Flaw was not a bad thing. Sure, most people saw Flaws as curses bestowed upon them by the Nightmare Spell to balance out the awesome powers they received. But he had lived long enough, and had seen enough, to know that it was not entirely true.


    Firstly, Flaws did not come from the Spell �� it just helped Awakened find them, just like it helped Awakened unseal their Aspects.


    Secondly, Flaws were the manifestation of one of the absolute laws of existence, the law of imperfection, which had been created by the gods as one of the weapons �� perhaps the last weapon �� in their war against the Void.


    Albeit cruel, Flaws were meant to help those who accepted their burden grow. Life was a struggle, after all, and perfect things could never improve. They were still and unchanging, which was no different from being dead.


    That was what Ananke had said, and despite wanting to protest these words, Sunny could not disagree due to his own experience.


    So, Flaws were more benign than malignant in nature... or at least they were supposed to be.


    They were still no different from a curse for people suffering their cruelty, though.


    Sunny remembered a few of the more terrible Flaws he had encountered. Nephis, Cassie, and himself... these Flaws were terrible enough, and they weren''t even the most appalling.


    He remembered how Caster had looked right before dying. That Flaw was quite dire, albeit also quite easily avoided �� all the person cursed by it had to do was to forsake their Aspect powers.


    Of course, if Caster had been someone willing to abandon his pride and sense of duty to his clan, he would not have been given such a Flaw.


    Sunny also remembered Dorn, whose continuously growing body would have eventually killed him, collapsing under its own weight.


    He remembered Jet.


    And many others...


    His expression turned somber.


    Yes, from the point of view of a god, a Flaw wasn''t a curse. But from the point of view of a human, it could very well be.


    So, knowing that Rain had unexpectedly found hers did nothing to calm his nerves.


    ''What can it be?''


    Sunny tried not to let his imagination come up with terrifying answers and shifted his attention to something more important �� finding a way to actually learn what Rain''s Flaw was. r?aNO??��E?S?


    It was not unsolvable.


    Flaws were never random, after all. They were also deeply connected to who the people cursed by them were, having to do with something fundamental about them.


    Sometimes, a Flaw would be in direct opposition to the very core of a person''s identity. Sometimes, it would take something they held dear and twist it in a hideous way. Sometimes, a Flaw had nothing to do with one''s personality, but was instead connected to the nature of one''s power, or even their fate...


    Meanwhile, the shadows at the edges of the clearing stirred.


    Soon, there was the sound of buzzing, and an abominable insect that resembled an oversized mosquito flew into the clearing, as if trying to escape something.


    However, it did not manage to fly far.


    An inky-black hand rose from the ground, catching it between its fingers. Sharp claws cut the creature''s wings and pierced its body �� just deep enough to prevent the vermin from escaping, but not to kill it.


    That was Rain''s job.


    Looking at her, Sunny lingered for a moment, then said:


    "Go on, shoot it."


    She studied the desperately struggling mosquito, then nocked an arrow on the string of her bow.


    And froze, not doing anything.


    Sunny frowned.


    "What are you doing? Hurry up and kill it!"


    But Rain remained motionless, simply holding her bow and looking at the abominable thing.


    Eventually, she lowered her gaze.


    "...I can''t."


    Sunny''s frown deepened.


    "What do you mean, you can''t? Are you still out of sorts because of the battle? Listen, I can understand why you spared Telle... I''m glad that you did, actually. But that was a person. This is an abomination."


    Rain looked at him, her face terrible pale.


    "No, you don''t get it. I can''t."


    She trembled.


    "My hand won''t move. I tell it to draw the string, but nothing happens."


    A moment later, she moved the bow to the side, drew it, and sent the arrow flying �� it whistled past the vermin without doing any damage to it and disappeared into the jungle.


    Rain looked at her hand, frightened and confused.


    Sunny stared at his sister with wide eyes.


    Then, his face fell.


    "...Crap."

 Chapter 2032: These Three Words

    Sunny had hoped that his initial guess was wrong.


    Perhaps there was a limit to Rain''s Flaw... something like only being unable to kill those who were defenseless, weaker than her, or maybe those who did not represent a fatal threat.


    Perhaps it was even dependent on whether she believed that the enemy deserved to die... although that one had been disproven almost immediately, since there was no sane reason to show mercy to a Nightmare Creature.


    However, after capturing a few more abominations and forcing Rain to confront them, he had to admit the shocking truth.


    [You cannot kill.]


    Sunny was not the Nightmare Spell, but if he were, he would have described her Flaw with these three words.


    As the truth dawned upon the three people gathered on the clearing, they remained silent for a while, each trying to cope with the stunning revelation.


    Sunny felt as if he had been smacked in the head with something heavy.


    He was dismayed.


    ''What kind of Flaw is that?!''


    He had seen many cruel Flaws, but none that were as restrictive and ridiculous as this one.


    It was one thing to be unable to kill people...


    It was a completely different thing to be unable to kill anything in this perilous, dying world, where every day was a desperate struggle for survival.


    Where Nightmare Gates were opening in the middle of peaceful cities, unspeakable horrors stirred at the borders of human enclaves, and the cradle of humanity was being slowly consumed by the Dream Realm piece by piece.


    Not to mention that they were in the middle of a damn Realm War!


    Suppressing a desire to groan, he brushed his hair back and forced out a mildly reassuring smile.


    "...Don''t fret about it. So, you can''t kill anything. Who cares? Most people in the world don''t go around killing things, anyway. Not only mundane people, but many Awakened too. Take Aiko, for example... she had not summoned a combat Memory in years."


    Granted, Aiko was only able to stay away from bloodshed because she had already spilled enough blood on the Forgotten Shore. If she had been sent there while unable to defend herself, she would not have survived long. r?��?Ob��?


    And she also had him around, which was no small part of it.


    Rain, who was sitting on the ground with a lost expression, raised her head and stared at him.


    "Aren''t you forgetting something?"


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "What?"


    She lingered for a moment, and then gritted her teeth.


    "I''m a damn soldier! I am an Awakened member of the Song Army! We''re at war!"


    Rain covered her face for a moment.


    "What am I supposed to do now that I can''t even shoot my bow?"


    Sunny hesitated, not knowing what to answer.


    Eventually, he said:


    "I can... steal you away. You don''t need to remain a soldier, you know. Others can''t desert, because there''s nowhere to run in Godgrave, but you can."


    Rain pierced him with a heated gaze, making it seem as if he had said something wrong.


    ''Damnation...''


    "It just takes time and effort. You will learn how to go where you want to go despite the Flaw, as well �� there are many ways, as long as you have the will. For example, although you can''t kill a Nightmare Creature, you can wound it. You can immobilize and debilitate it. With enough foresight, you can win a fight before it even starts, or even avoid it entirely."


    She lingered for a moment, and then added:


    "In that regard, your talent for the Sorcery of Names will be a boon. Shapers wield quite a versatile array of powers, including many that can restrain and restrict �� that are not only meant for destruction, but also creation."


    Cassie sighed.


    "Remember that you are not alone. We will help you as much as we can. But you must also remember that, at the end of the day, only you can learn how to live with your Flaw."


    Rain looked at her with gratitude, seemingly reassured.


    Then, her gaze shifted to the corpses of the Nightmare Creatures sprawled across the clearing �� Sunny had killed them after she failed to do so, thus ensuring her safety.


    Her gaze became bleak again.


    Feeling her dejection, he shook his head.


    "Don''t look just at the negative side. Look at the bright side, as well."


    Rain raised an eyebrow, unconvinced.


    "...There''s a bright side?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "Of course. The Flaw is an important part of you... of your strength, even. So important that without it, no one can become a Transcendent. There is a reason why the Nightmare Spell helps every Awakened attain their Flaw."


    He paused for a moment, then added:


    "It is not only because diamonds are made under pressure, or some such nonsense. It is also because one''s Aspect and one''s Flaw are innately tied. In fact, I am not entirely sure that it is even possible to unseal one''s Aspect without first finding one''s Flaw... so, you are now much closer to unsealing yours. Knowing your True Name is another step in the right direction."


    Sunny smiled.


    "In short, it might seem like you were cast down into a bottomless abyss, and all your struggles to attain strength have been for naught. But in truth, it''s the opposite... you have climbed to a much greater height compared to where you were yesterday. So, give yourself some credit."


    Rain remained silent for a while, looking at him with a hint of tentative hope.


    However, it did not look as if she was entirely convinced.


    In the end, she seemed to retreat into herself and looked down.


    "...Tamar must have finished talking to her dad a long time ago. The army will be marching north soon. So... bring me back, please."


    Sunny glanced at Cassie, then sighed.


    "As you wish. Just remember... our Shadow Clan has a very magnificent Citadel here in Godgrave. Say a word, and I''ll bring you there instead."


    He almost hoped that she would, but Rain remained silent.


    Taking her hand, Sunny pulled her into the shadows.


    Cassie remained alone on the clearing.


    A few moments later, the Lord of Shadows emerged from the darkness and looked at her somberly.


    "Well?"


    The blind seer sighed.


    "Let''s return, as well. There is a lot to do."

 Chapter 2033: Dire Flaw

    Sunny and Rain returned to the temporary camp of the Song Army.


    While Sunny and Cassie returned to the temporary camp of the Sword Army.


    Of course, he had not forgotten to retrieve his shadows first.


    He allowed the haughty shadow, which wore Weaver''s Mask, to dissolve into darkness and manifested the naughty shadow instead.


    This avatar wore a mask, as well �� this one woven by Sunny himself.


    ''I guess I need to craft more of these...''


    Now that his ability to control several incarnations was out in the open, he would have more chances to summon them. During the battle, he had simply covered their faces with the helmet of the Onyx Mantle and a layer of shadows �� it should have hidden their features, especially considering the surrounding mayhem.


    But he could not be entirely sure, since there were all kinds of watchers out there.


    Even if his identity remained a complete mystery, Master Sunless would still be suspected by some. After all, he had entered Changing Star''s circle around the same time as the Lord of Shadows �� now that people knew that the Lord of Shadow could exist in several places at the same time, they would naturally become suspicious of the humble Memory merchant.


    Luckily, Sunny had been quite meticulous in crafting the persona of Master Sunless, and making it the exact opposite of what one would expect a fearsome and mysterious Saint to be. As long as he remained cautious, the suspicions would remain just that.


    All of it was going to lose meaning soon, anyway.


    The conclusion of the war was not that far away now.


    He shivered.


    Sunny and Cassie were alone in the tent for the moment. Both remained silent for a while, contemplating the situation Rain had found herself in.


    Eventually, he sighed.


    "That... is quite a severe Flaw, don''t you think?"


    Calling that Flaw severe was an understatement of the century.


    Cassie hesitated for a moment, then nodded.


    "It is quite extraordinary, indeed. There are very few Flaws that are that harsh while being that broad."


    It could very well be a death sentence. Being unable to kill anything while everything was able to kill you was, needless to say, extremely dangerous. Especially for an Awakened, and especially in the middle of a bloody war... which was happening in the middle of a damn Death Zone!


    Sunny massaged his temples, feeling an approaching headache.


    "Don''t worry too much. She will be fine... better than fine, actually. She will face the challenge of her Flaw, overcome it, and become much stronger for it."


    Sunny did not know if Cassie was speaking out of personal experience or simply trying to placate him, but he felt thankful either way.


    He wanted to believe her, too.


    She remained silent for a moment, and then sighed:


    "Nevertheless, you are right. Her Flaw is extremely severe... which means that her Aspect will be extraordinary, as well. In fact, I am quite sure that it will be at least of the Supreme Rank �� most likely Sacred."


    Sunny froze, looking at her with a complicated expression.


    An Aspect of the Sacred Rank... was almost as rare as one of the Divine Rank.


    In fact, ironically enough, Sunny knew of more Awakened wielding a Divine Aspect �� Nephis, Mordret, and himself �� than Awakened wielding a Sacred Aspect.


    He only knew of one, actually... Cassie herself.


    Of course, there could have been others... among the members of Broken Sword''s cohort, for example, or among the daughters of Ki Song. But the fact still remained �� a Sacred Aspect would be unique, mystical, and exceedingly powerful by its very nature.


    And his sister could come to possess one of those?


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then sat down and said somberly:


    "Tell me more about what you saw."


    Cassie remained silent for a while, as if trying to find the correct words.


    In the end, she sighed.


    "It was quite unusual. I had to decipher what I saw myself... I still do, really. It is not really difficult, just takes time. Like... like following your intuition to the answer you already know to be true, or remembering something that you had already known once. We will be able to decipher the True Name shortly, I believe. The Attributes responsible for her affinity to shadows and sorcery are also quite clear..."


    Her tone changed a little.


    "...It''s the third Attribute that gives me pause."


    Cassie grew quiet for a moment, then faced Sunny and asked cautiously:


    "Sunny, tell me... have you noticed anything strange about your sister?"

 Chapter 2034: What Are Friends For

    Sunny stared at Cassie silently.


    What the hell did she mean, anything strange?


    Suddenly, manytroubling possibilities surfaced in his mind. There were all kinds of Attributes out there in the world, after all... the mind hex of the Soul Devourer had also been akin to an Attribute, for example.


    Rain had not been supposed to possess three entire Attributes, anyway. The [Mark of Shadows] had come from him... was the third Attribute foreign to her, as well?


    Finally, he shrugged.


    "Strange? I mean, she is known as That Crazy Girl back in Ravenheart for a reason. But no, not really. Rain is... surprisingly normal. Shockingly normal, even �� she is more or less the only normal person I know."


    He frowned.


    "What exactly do you mean by strange?"


    Cassie contemplated her answer for some time before speaking.


    "I''m not sure myself... have you seen some inexplicable things happening around her, or patterns of strange events? Like sudden changes in weather, plants wilting or blooming unexpectedly, or maybe Nightmare Creatures reacting more strongly than expected to her presence?"


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    No, really, what was she going on about?


    Eventually, he said hesitantly:


    "Well... come to think of it... a huge storm did appear out of nowhere when she was Awakening. Why?"


    Cassie remained silent for a moment.


    "That third Attribute I spoke about, it is quite unusual. I''ll need more time to truly fathom it, but what I do know is that her soul is connected to the world much more deeply than that of a mere Awakened should be... or maybe it is the other way around? So, that storm might not have gathered by coincidence or as a response to her unusual Awakening. It could have been a way the world was responding to the intensity of her emotions."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    "That kind of sounds like... presence?"


    The world had a way of responding to Saints.


    However, Rain was definitely not a Saint.


    Cassie nodded.


    "Indeed. In fact, I suspect that Rain already has a presence, much like a Transcendent would �� it is just that her soul is so much weaker than that of a Saint that we have not felt her presence yet. Similarly... I also suspect that she already has a source element."


    She remained silent for a few moments, as if doubting herself, and then added in a hesitant tone:


    "To be honest, it felt like... all elements are her source element? Or maybe it''s the other way around. Can a human soul itself be a source element? Gods... sorry, but I am really confused. All I can say right now is that her soul is very unique, deeply connected to the world, and inexplicably exhibiting traits similar to those of a Transcendent despite being properly weak and fully contained within her body, like any Awakened soul should."


    Sunny stared at her silently.


    Then, he stared some more.


    "...No matter how much you are confused, I am confused more."


    Cassie chuckled, then sighed.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll figure it out soon... sure, it sounds strange, but consider some other innate Attributes. I am sure those would have seemed bizarre to us if we glimpsed them for the first time without the Spell providing a comprehensive, convenient, and concise explanation."


    Sunny thought about it.


    "I thought about it for a while. And I decided... to become a pacifist..."


    That was both as good and as terrible of an explanation as any.


    The Legacy girl stared her down with a dark expression.


    Then, she raised an eyebrow slightly.


    "Have you lost your mind?"


    ''Damn it, damn it, damn it...''


    Rain took a deep breath.


    What else was she supposed to say?


    "Ah, screw it. Actually, I attained my Flaw. My Flaw is that I can''t kill anyone, or anything... not even Nightmare Creatures. There! I said it!"


    Tamar scowled.


    No, but why was she frowning and scowling so much? She was going to get wrinkles! Spoiling that face would be a travesty!


    Failing to distract herself with these childish thoughts, Rain mustered her courage and prepared for the inevitable rebuke.


    But Tamar just said evenly:


    "So what?"


    Rain blinked.


    "Huh? I said..."


    But the Legacy girl interrupted her.


    "Yeah, I heard what you said. So what? If you can''t kill things, don''t kill them. Aim for their eyes, knee joints, sword arms, and any other appendage that doesn''t seem vital. With your miraculous archery skills, that should not be a problem, right?"


    Rain stared at her silently for a moment, then said slowly:


    "...Right."


    Tamar nodded curtly.


    "Then do that. I''ll kill them for you."


    With that, she turned around and walked away to prepare the centuria for the departure.


    Rain was left standing near the campfire alone, utterly stumbled.


    ...And utterly touched.


    Was it that simple?


    Eventually, a pale smile illuminated her face.


    ''...I''ll kill them for you.''


    That was possibly the most heartwarming thing that anyone had ever told her...

 Chapter 2035: Two Crossings

    Not long after the Godheart Battle was over, the Song army abandoned its temporary camp on the vast expanse of the Breastbone Reach and started its long and arduous march north.


    At this point, the enemies had proven their superiority. The warriors of the Raven Queen could not compete with the Sword Army in an open field �� not as long as Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows were alive, at least.


    So, they could only retreat.


    The situation was not hopeless, though, and the retreat was not aimless. It had two strategic goals that could very well bring the Song Domain victory in the next battle, or the battle after that.


    The first goal of returning north was quite obvious �� there, they would gain terrain advantage. The Song Army could not overcome the enemy in a frontal clash, but things would be different if there were complicated terrain and fearsome fortifications involved in the equation.


    The forces of Song had established two impressive strongholds on both crossings from the northern tip of the Breastbone Reach to the West Collarbone Plain �� one direct, and the other one via the Western First Rib. Laying siege to either of the crossings would be a perilous task for the Sword Army, no doubt...


    And there was the second strategic goal of the retreat, as well.


    This one was more mystical.


    The swath of the titanic breastbone where the Battle of Godheart had taken place was located on the invisible boundary between the two clashing Domains. There, the power of the Sovereigns was at a balance.


    Now, however, the situation would change. The Song Army was retreating, and therefore, the sphere of influence of the Song Domain would shrink, while the sphere of influence of the Sword Domain would expand. All that the King of Swords had to do to claim this territory was conquer the scattered extermination outposts established by the enemy on the surface of the sun-bleached bone.


    He would become the sole ruler of the Breastbone Reach soon...


    His Domain would not reach the western collarbone of the dead god, though, where the Citadel of Ki Song were located. Her power would be fully expressed at the two crossings, while his would be at its weakest.


    So, the Song Army was determined to defend them at all costs. It had a good chance of succeeding, as well.


    But the King of Swords was undeterred. And so, his army set out in pursuit.


    However, the soldiers were still unhappy.


    Not only were they still reeling from the horror and senselessness of the recent battle, but they also had to witness the person who had saved their lives and delivered victory to the Sword Domain being admonished and demoted �� instead of honored and praised.


    Some saw it as an injustice and were quietly incensed, while some were simply confused.


    Why was the King sending one of his most powerful warriors away?


    What would happen if the Queen of Worms decided to turn her army around and attack? Would the Sword Army fare well with only the Lord of Shadows standing between it and the superior number of enemy Saints?


    ...Would the Lord of Shadows even do anything now that the person who had brought him under the banner of the Sword Domain was humiliated and punished like that?


    They were blowing the symbolic punishment out of proportion, of course.


    But Sunny was not going to dissuade them.


    In fact, it was exactly what he had wanted to achieve.


    It was also quite a fortunate turn of events, for Nephis to be sent to the main camp.


    With her speed, she would be arriving there quite soon... and when she did, they would be able to decipher Rain''s True Name away from the prying eyes of the two Sovereigns.


    They would be able to attempt forging her sword, too.


    ...Well, and do some other things as well.


    Honestly, he couldn''t wait.

 Chapter 2036: Promised Storm

    Rain was laying on top of her bedroll, too tired to move. The interior of her tent was like an oven, and the merciless sky was pummeling the word with heat outside. The mere thought of the radiant expanse of the sun-bleached bone, which seemed to glow like snow in the pouring sunlight, made her eyes ache for the comfort of shadows.


    Which was why the flap of her tent was closed, submerging the interior into a comfortable dimness. The passive enchantment of one of Rain''s Memories kept her cool, and she could finally breathe.


    The past few days had been... challenging.


    The Song Army had set out north, marching at a truly punishing pace. They had to escape the pursuing enemy, sure, but the soldier had not even had the chance to recover from the battle. Enduring the dire hardship of the hellish march immediately after that calamity was like a cruel torture.


    Everyone was slowly breaking under the strain...


    It wasn''t easy to break Awakened, but Godgrave was just the place to accomplish that.


    The situation was only made worse by how disheartening it felt to be destroying the extermination outposts as the army retreated north. They had fought long and hard to establish them, after all �� battling the scarlet jungle was a harrowing affair, but it had felt rewarding. As if they were banishing something vile and odious into darkness to build a place under the sun for humanity.


    What did it feel like to dismantle these outposts with their own hands, then?


    The Seventh Legion had destroyed only one, so far. It had to be done in a rush, so the fortress had been set on fire immediately after the garrison evacuated. Luckily, the most widely available building material in Godgrave was wood, and the flames spread quickly.


    It was not quick enough, though. The Blood Sisters surrounded the burning outposts and bombarded it with ranged attacks, reducing the fortress to rubble. What had taken weeks of battling the dreadful jungle and enormous effort to build was reduced to a smoldering pile of charred debris in a matter of minutes.


    As the soldiers watched the scene of destruction in grim silence, it was hard not to feel as if all the blood, sweat, and tears they had spilled were for nothing.


    By the time the legion moved on from the blackened ruin, the first scarlet vines were already crawling out of the fissure.


    ''Damn it all.''


    Rain shifted and glanced at the deep shadows nestling in the corners of the tent. It was so hot inside...


    After remaining silent for a while, she said in a low tone:


    "You know... you can already make cooling enchantments. Why don''t you enchant the whole tent, while you''re at it?"


    There was silence for a few moments, and then, a chuckle came out of the shadows.


    "Mostly because it would take time away from more important matters. Why don''t you learn runic sorcery and enchant the tent yourself?"


    Rain smiled in the darkness.


    He nodded.


    "Yes. It is something I came up with for myself after being cut off from the Spell. It is not nearly as omniscient and only has rudimentary functions, of course, but it''s still handy to have around."


    Rain smiled.


    So these were the infamous runes... strangely enough, seeing them suddenly made her feel like a real Awakened.


    It was just that reading them was another matter entirely.


    Sunny had taught her the basics of the more widely spread dead languages of the Dream Realm in the past four years, and especially the original runic language that the Spell used. It was a necessity �� after all, they had been aiming to make her an Awakened without becoming infected by the Spell, which meant that it would not be providing her any translations.


    Luckily, Rain had turned out to be quite talented at languages. So, she could read the runes... in theory. She just had little practice actually doing it.


    Still, she was incredibly curious to learn what the bracelet would tell her.


    So, Rain remembered her lessons and glanced at the shimmering runes.


    They read:


    Name: Rain.


    True Name...


    She concentrated.


    ''Promise... Promised? Promised Storm?''


    No. The runes were similar, but if one studied them carefully, a different meaning revealed itself.


    There was a stormy darkness to her name, a vivid image of the vast black sky. But there was also a glimmer of hope to it, a promise that the darkness would be dispelled, and a glimpse of a beautiful light shining somewhere far away.


    There was also a hint of melancholy to her name, because relief and light were still far in the distance.


    Rain looked at the runes once again and read them properly this time.


    True Name: Promise of a Distant Sky.

 Chapter 2037: Spirit Sea

    Rain rolled the words on her tongue.


    Promise of a Distant Sky...


    It was a beautiful True Name, if not as fierce and fearsome as most other True Names were.


    The name felt unfamiliar, but strangely comforting. Like a piece of the puzzle that she had not known was missing from her soul, and now finally fell into its place, thus making her soul more... complete.


    ''What a strange feeling.''


    Sunny studied her expression with a hint of curiosity.


    "I''m guessing you are thinking about your True Name?"


    Rain nodded.


    "Yeah. I like it... I think. It''s pretty."


    It was also not at all what she had expected. Such a pretty name did not seem to fit her... her life had been anything but pretty, after all. In fact, it had mostly been crawling through mud, slaughtering Nightmare Creatures, and witnessing indescribable horrors here in Godgrave as of late.


    Her brother chuckled.


    "Indeed it is."


    He grew quiet for a few moments, and then added in a more serious tone:


    "Names have power, Rain. A quite literal power �� you will learn about it while studying Shaping �� but a more obscure power, as well. A True Name is an anchor of one''s self, and knowing yourself is the first step of walking the Path of Ascension."


    She smiled.


    "What is the next step?"


    Sunny seemed to be surprised by the question. He remained silent for a moment before answering.


    "The next step... is imposing yourself upon the world. But you don''t have to worry about that just yet."


    He sighed.


    But what the hell was that second number?


    Two hundred and thirty-seven... out of five thousand? What did it mean?


    She looked at Sunny with a silent, but quite loud question in her eyes.


    He chuckled.


    "Ah... that. Your soul core is a bit special, you see."


    He lingered for a few moments, then said in a contemplative tone:


    "There are some Awakened with unique soul constitutions. For example, I know a woman whose soul core can grow continuously, unrestrained by the limitations that most Awakened share. I know people who can form multiple soul cores akin to Nightmare Creatures, as well. You, however, are different."


    Her brother scratched the back of his head.


    "It is hard to explain, considering that I don''t understand it fully myself yet. Let us just say that your soul is deeply connected to the essence of the world. Thus, you have access to a... a form of spirit essence. That spirit essence does not saturate your soul core directly, and, therefore, it does not make your body stronger. But it is still under your control."


    Rain''s eyes widened as she came to a realization.


    "Wait... is that why my Soul Sea looks like that?"


    Her Soul Sea was not at all like the books described. Its surface was indeed like an endless sea, and there was indeed a beautiful sun �� the representation of her soul core �� hanging high above the water, with little lights representing her Memories orbiting around it.


    Or at least that was how it had been before.


    However, over time, something had changed, and the radiant sun became surrounded and partially obscured by aimlessly drifting clouds. There were just a few of them, for now, but she had noticed that their number was growing.


    Her Soul Sea already looked a bit grey and stormy, with cool winds disturbing the surface of the clear water.


    Sunny nodded.


    "Indeed. Those clouds are the representation of the spirit essence you''ve been able to accumulate. I am not sure how you can absorb more, exactly �� that, you will have to discover by yourself. Searching for a way to deepen your connection to the world should be the correct direction, I think."


    He smiled meaningfully.


    "Needless to say, it would be very beneficial for you to accumulate as much spirit essence as possible..."

 Chapter 2038: Soul of a Poet

    Sunny smiled.


    "Needless to say, it would be very beneficial for you to accumulate as much spirit essence as possible �� the deeper your reserves of it are, the better. Not to mention that we don''t know how saturating your soul with spirit essence will benefit the eventual transformation of your soul core. It might very well be a boon during your Ascension."


    Then, his smile dimmed, replaced by a serious expression.


    "Do note one thing, though. This bond between your soul and the world is a connection that goes both ways. So while you are able to absorb spirit essence from the world, you can also... leak it, I guess. In fact, a little bit of it seems to be seeping out all the time, more so when you are in the throes of strong emotions. So, get a grip and don''t go around irrigating the world with your soul essence, causing random storm clouds to gather... or clear, especially here in Godgrave."


    Rain stared at him incredulously.


    Deepen her connection to the world? Accumulate more spirit essence? Get a grip and keep it contained within her soul?


    Random storms?


    What... the hell was he talking about?


    What even was spirit essence?


    She narrowed her eyes.


    "And how am I supposed to do that, pray tell?"


    Sunny grinned mischievously:


    "How should I know? I have no idea. I can estimate the numerical value of the spirit essence contained within your soul because of the Mark of Shadows, but at the end of the day... it''s your soul!"


    Rain sighed.


    "Right."


    So, she would have to figure it out herself.


    ''As if I do not have enough things to figure out myself already...''


    Still, it was good news. Having more essence was indeed the dream of every Awakened... it would have been best if her soul core simply had an enormous capacity, thus improving her body six times over, but having an auxiliary reservoir of essence was also great news �� especially considering that its maximum limit seemed to be vastly more generous than that of a soul core.


    All this essence would probably come in handy when she started learning sorcery...


    Still thinking about the fact that her soul was, apparently, more than a little bit weird, Rain turned her gaze back to the runes.


    What she saw made her eyes sparkle.


    It was the list of her Memories.


    Memories: [Puppeteer''s Shroud], [Beast of Prey], [Essence Quiver], [Bag of Withholding], [Green Canteen], [In Case of Emergency], [Heavy Burden], [Outskirts at Noon], [Don''t Cut Yourself], [Pie?ce de Re?sistance], [Safety First], [Fancy Handy Bracelet].


    She stared at that last one for a moment, then rolled her eyes and concentrated on the very first Memory.


    New runes ignited in the air.


    Memory: Puppeteer''s Shroud.


    Memory Rank: Awakened.


    Memory Tier: VI.


    Memory Type: Armor.


    Memory Description: [A worm of doubt once found its way into a righteous king''s heart. With time, the king was devoured from inside and became its puppet. A lifetime later, the Puppeteer Worm escaped from the king''s dead body, leaving behind a cocoon of black silk. No one knows where it went; however, once people dared to approach the silent castle, they found the silk among the mountains of gnawed bones and fashioned it into an armor.] R


    The runes read:


    Echoes: ��


    Attributes: [Poet], [Godheart], [Mark of Shadows].


    [Poet] Attribute Description: "Your soul is attuned to the melody of Names. The cadence of your heart gives shape to its will."


    There was no surprise there.


    [Godheart] Attribute Description: "Your heart is bonded deeply with the world."


    Sunny had already explained this one when talking about her soul core. The choice of the name, though... was quite poignant, actually.


    [Mark of Shadows] Attribute Description: "You are the Princess of Shadows, bearing the mark of their Lord. Shadows recognize you as one of their own."


    A wide smile appeared on Rain''s face against her will.


    ''So it''s official now... I''m a princess!''


    Her brother grinned.


    "Of course you are."


    Rain froze.


    "W��wait... did I say that out loud?"


    He laughed quietly.


    "No... but it was written all over your face."


    She threw a menacing glare at him, then turned back to the runes.


    There were only a few strings left.


    Aspect: ��


    Dream Realm Anchor: ��


    Flaw: [Crown of Thorns].


    Flaw Description: [You cannot kill].


    ...And just like that, Rain''s thoughts returned to her Flaw.


    She sighed, covered the beautiful bracelet with the sleeve of the Puppeteer''s Shroud, and lay back down.


    Looking at the roof of her tent, Rain remained silent for a while, and then asked in a somber tone:


    "Sunny, do you think... that it will be alright? The... all of it, I mean."


    He did not answer immediately, looking at her from the darkness.


    Eventually, a pale smile appeared on his lips.


    Her brother nodded.


    "Sure, it will. That''s a promise."

 Chapter 2039: Princess in the Ivory Tower

    The tranquil silence of the Ivory Tower was disturbed by the clangor of steel.


    The chilling litany of clashing blades echoed from the pristine white walls, and powerful gusts of wind battered them like siege rams. However, there was no battle raging under the roof of the great pagoda.


    Instead, three figures moved across its floor in a graceful dance, wielding blades made of shadow against each other.


    They were Nephis and Sunny �� two incarnations of him, to be precise.


    Changing Star had been sent away from the main force of the Sword Army, but the Fire Keepers were not. That, too, was part of her punishment... and although Sunny could see that she was concerned about her people, he was selfishly glad that they practically had the entire Ivory Island to themselves.


    No one was here to disturb them, so they could spend time together however they wished.


    And they had.


    It felt strange, to enjoy warm days of contentment and bliss in the middle of a calamitous war, but he was not complaining... far from it. If anything, the dire threat of the looming war made every moment they spent together feel much more vivid and precious.


    Especially because it also felt as if these were the last tranquil days they would get to enjoy before the inevitable storm.


    There were all kinds of leisurely activities they had been up to since Nephis returned to the main camp... but today, they were subjecting themselves to a different kind of physical strain.


    The battle was subdued, but their Transcendent Battle Arts had enough room to express themselves fully.


    Sunny was enjoying the feeling of completion, freedom, and endless possibility his Art gave him. It was graceful, infinitely adaptable, fearsome, and �� most of all �� absolutely deadly. He had already tested its daunting potential during the Battle of Godheart, but some of his powers had been restricted then.


    Of course, that was not really a detriment to his Art �� on the contrary,it was an undeniable confirmation of its dire lethality and insidious design. His formless Art was flexible enough to serve him well even when placed under the harshest of restrictions, after all �� just as he had intended it to be. That was one of its most dangerous aspects.


    Now, however, there were no restrictions placed upon Sunny, which gave him a chance to experience the full repertoire of his Art.


    Of course, Nephis herself was an astounding swordsman. No matter how deadly his Art was, Sunny was having trouble dealing with a nearly immortal opponent.


    He was curious to know how the battle would have ended if both of them were serious about it, and were not restrained in the magnitude of power they released. What would happen if seven of his incarnations were here instead of only two? If Nephis fully unleashed her flames? If they didn''t care about hurting each other or leaving their surroundings intact?


    He was honestly not sure. The only thing he knew was that the main camp of the Sword Army would probably be erased from existence.


    Sunny was enjoying himself, and he had a feeling that Nephis was enjoying herself too �� even more than him, most likely. But of course, this spar was not simply for their enjoyment. It had a practical reason, as well.


    In these few weeks before Nephis was once again recalled to the frontline... Sunny had to finish forging her sword.


    He had been preparing for this moment for many months now, and a large part of his preparations had to do with studying how she fought. From spending time in the rented martial halls in Bastion to observing Nephis in actual battle, Sunny had learned a lot.


    Today''s duel was the final lesson, and he was absorbing it with all his being.


    Nephis chuckled and offered in an innocent tone:


    "Well... we can take a refreshing swim in the lake, if you want."


    Of course, Sunny could not help but remember the last time they played in the water together, during the wonderful date at the beach. That swimsuit...


    His pupils widened a little.


    No, no... taking a swim in the lake was not going to help the situation one bit. If anything, it would make things ten times worse.


    He remained silent for a while, then used all of his Transcendent willpower to slowly shake his head.


    "No... I mean, yes! A hundred times, yes. But let''s do it in the evening."


    Nephis lingered for a moment, then shrugged.


    She almost looked disappointed.


    "As you wish. We do indeed have a lot to do today."


    Regretting all his life choices, Sunny gave her a disheartened nod.


    "Right. For now... let''s just grab a quick bite and get to business."


    The two of them separated briefly to refresh themselves, then met again at the beautiful gazebo behind the great pagoda. This was where the stone arch that had once led to the Ebony Tower was located �� now that a vast distance separated the two flying islands, the connection between them was severed, and the portal could not be activated anymore.


    Instead, a tastefully carved stone table was placed in the gazebo, which Sunny now set a light breakfast on.


    The two of them enjoyed a delicious meal and a bit of invigorating wine while listening to the peaceful sound of rustling leaves that came from the nearby grove.


    Sunny could not take his eyes off Nephis. Sitting there in the shade, wearing a simple white tunic, smiling slightly as she sipped cool wine... she simply looked too lovely.


    She seemed to have mostly recovered from unleashing her Aspect during the battle, too �� faster than usual.


    It was good to see.


    Noticing his gaze, Nephis smiled.


    "So... are you going to explain what it was that you asked me to interpret, or not?"

 Chapter 2040: Lack of Symmetry

    Sunny felt a surge of emotion all of a sudden.


    Not because it was a secret... he had told Rain to keep her True Name to herself, indeed, but that did not include Nephis. Being the one who had helped him and Cassie interpret the meaning, she already knew it, after all.


    No, it was simply because she asked.


    Recently, Sunny had noticed that Nephis almost never asked him anything. He knew it was partially because she was vaguely aware that he simply could not answer some questions, and respected his request to keep some of his secrets.


    But he could not help but feel that it was also because she... simply did not care enough to ask.


    Their current relationship was full of sparks... gods knew they weren''t shy with sharing affection. In fact, with both of them being Saints, the last few days had been quite intense for the Ivory Tower.


    They also enjoyed each other''s company in the more peaceful moments. There was mutual trust and respect, and quite a bit of tenderness between them.


    It was like a dream come true. It felt much more wonderful than he had ever dreamed of, even.


    But, at the same time, Sunny was aware... sometimes painfully aware... that their relationship was not symmetrical.


    How could it be, when he was someone Nephis thought she had only met a few months ago?


    Sure, she liked him... she was perhaps even infatuated with him. It wasn''t like he was a random stranger to Nephis �� not at all. He was her first and only lover, and the mere fact that she had discarded her solitude and chosen him above all the people in the world said a lot about how special he was in her eyes.


    She did not have memories of him �� but her heart seemed to remember.


    That said, the harsh truth remained. Compared to the dire depths of what Sunny felt for Nephis, her own feelings... were relatively shallow.


    So, she could have very well been comfortable with the current state of their relationship.


    But he was not.


    Even while drowning in bliss,even while having his most ardent desires fulfilled and his most daring expectations surpassed tenfold...


    He still wanted more.


    He wanted so much more.


    Sunny was a greedy person, after all.


    He wanted her to remember... but that was impossible.


    So, he wanted her to at least want to know about him �� everything there was to know, and more. He wanted her to ask questions, even if he could not answer.


    There was a spark of interest in her eyes... actually, it had been there from the moment Sunny mentioned that he had a disciple. But after making the mistaken conclusion that Rain had received her True Name in the First Nightmare, Neph''s interest grew.


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then slowly shook his head.


    "My disciple is indeed quite special. However, she did not receive her True Name in the First Nightmare... in fact, she never experienced a Nightmare. She is not a carrier of the Nightmare Spell."


    Nephis froze.


    She remained motionless for a few heartbeats, then slowly took a sip of her wine and carefully placed the glass on the table.


    "She is not infected by the Spell? You... you taught her how to Awaken naturally?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "It took four years, an endless amount of research, and some special circumstances, but yes. That is what my incarnation in the Song Domain has done."


    Nephis suddenly leaned forward, white sparks ignited in her eyes.


    "Do you understand what that means?"


    He sighed.


    "To me... it means that she did not have to gamble her life in the Nightmare. But yes, I understand. Her achievement might shake the very foundation of our world, one day in the future."


    Because it was a path to power for humanity to take that had nothing to do with the Nightmare Spell.


    Because it offered choice, and maybe even freedom.


    Nephis stared at him silently for a while, then leaned back with a stunned expression.


    A few moments later, she smiled brightly and said in a playful tone:


    "I could kiss you right now."


    Sunny answered with a polite smile of his own.


    "...Please do."


    In the end, the important matters they had to get to ended up being postponed quite a bit, after all.

 Chapter 2041: Spellsmith

    Eventually, they entered the Brilliant Emporium. Aiko was away, running errands beyond the Ivory Island �� while Sunny and Nephis had enjoyed some respite, she had been busy in these last few days.


    The logistics of an Awakened army were unusual and complicated. Soldiers would inevitably earn Memories as the number of battles and skirmishes mounted, but not all of these Memories would suit them well. Therefore, an elaborate redistribution system was required.


    Usually, a dedicated quartermaster would handle these matters within the unit and cooperate with other units to help Memories find suitable owners. The Fire Keepers were far fewer in number than the other legions of the Sword Army, but their kill count was disproportionately formidable �� and, therefore, the number of Memories being purchased and sold by them was quite high, as well.


    So, Sunny had to do some actual work as their nominal Memory Purveyor... or rather, he had to make Aiko do it for him.


    Nephis had used her punishment to deliver an arsenal that the Fire Keepers had accumulated on the frontline to the main camp, so Aiko was currently very busy visiting all the other quartermasters to arrange trades.


    He felt a little guilty about overworking his assistant, but on the other hand, she was surely having the time of her life. After all, the Brilliant Emporium was receiving a commission from each transaction, and they were earning quite a lot of soul shards these days.


    ''...War is indeed a profitable racket.''


    Sunny did not know whether to feel happy or disgusted by how true that statement was.


    "Are you hungry?"


    He himself had worked up quite an appetite since breakfast. Receiving a light nod, Sunny smiled and went about gathering a tray of snacks.


    They took it to the workshop of the Brilliant Emporium, where a special crucible had been set up in recent months. Nephis used her Aspect to ignite the mystical wood gathered in the depths of the Hollows with her soul flame. Sunny watched the white flames dance for a while, then sighed and dismissed the Nebulous Mantle.


    The shadows populating the basement instantly seemed to grow much deeper, darker, and colder.


    He took off his shirt, as well, revealing his chiseled torso �� his skin could easily withstand the sparks of the Transcendent fire, but his clothes could not. Plus, the heat of the crucible was simply too fierce...


    Well, and Sunny secretly enjoyed the appreciative glances Nephis threw his way from time to time while he worked.


    Currently, she was sitting on a workbench, enjoying the snacks and looking at him with a faint smile.


    Sunny sighed and opened a small wooden box. There was a piece of strange ice inside, as well as samples of various precious metals. Another box contained a scattering of soul shards.


    He manifested long tongs from shadows, and used them to place a specially crafted crucible above the soul flame. As Sunny poured a little bit of essence into it, a weave of runes ignited on its surface, dim and bleak in the radiance of the white flame.


    His tongs survived just long enough to place the crucible in place.


    Sunny sighed.


    "Of course, that was simply the first step. A caveman would not automatically become an engineer after witnessing a textbook on material science... similarly, I had to study long and hard to reach where I am today."


    He remained silent for a bit, and then added neutrally:


    "All for this moment."


    After that, Sunny scratched the back of his head and added in a less serious tone:


    "Well, not this exact moment! I mean... the entire forging process we are undertaking."


    Nephis smiled.


    "That is quite impressive."


    Sunny nodded and picked up the piece of mystical ice.


    However, Nephis wasn''t done talking.


    Leaning back a little, he sent a crimson raspberry into her mouth and said languidly:


    "Ah, how hot..."


    Sunny accidentally dropped the piece of ice.


    Looking back, he saw Nephis fanning herself with a hand. She met his gaze and raised an eyebrow.


    "What? The workshop, I mean. It''s getting rather heated."


    He lingered for a few moments, then bent down to pick up the piece of ice.


    ''I am definitely dragging her to the lake after this is done... and throwing her into the water, too...''

 Chapter 2042: Cold Flame

    Sunny concentrated on creating the alloy. There was little common sense to what he was doing now, since the qualities of the materials transcended the mundane. The foundation of the alloy was a piece of the mystical ice that had once been the heart of the Transcendent Titan, Winter Beast. The metals were no less storied, sourced from the treasury of the royal clan at great expense.


    The flame had come from the soul of Changing Star... another Transcendent Titan. Of course, Sunny was not simply melting the materials by exposing them to the immolating heat of her fire �� he had to use a crucible, which seemed to defeat the purpose.


    So, he had created a special crucible first, one that was both capable of withstanding the destructive power of soul flame and able to channel it instead of simply transferring heat. The first attempt at casting the crucible was a Memory, but in the end, Sunny had to employ Cassie''s help to create a special runic enchantment.


    That was because there was an inherent problem with using soul flame while weaving...


    Sunny sighed and explained as metals slowly melted in the incandescent crucible:


    "We are using your soul flame for forging because, as far as I can tell, personal affinity between the Memory and its master plays a great role in binding the two together. That was what I observed when dealing with a soulbound relic left behind by the Demon of Destiny, at least... there was an arduous condition that one had to meet in order to bind it, which I assumed to be a test at first. But later, I started to suspect that it was as much of a necessity as a challenge, meant to foster mutual affinity."


    In hindsight, it made sense that Nether had been the one to create Soulbound Relics. These relics were able to grow and change with their owners, after all, almost like living beings. Considering how obsessed the prideful daemon had been with creating life, it was unlikely to be a coincidence.


    The metals had already turned into incandescent liquid, but the mystical ice still remained, radiating an oppressive feeling of cold. Sunny continued:


    "Therefore, a Memory forged in the fires of your soul would naturally have a high affinity to you. Sadly, there lies the problem... your flame is simply too tyrannical."


    Nephis raised an eyebrow.


    "How is that a problem?"


    Sunny smiled.


    Indeed. He had not expected to encounter this particular roadblock, either.


    "Usually, I create the vessel first, and then enchant it. But this Memory is quite special, so forging and enchanting have to happen at the same time �� that way, the weave will be integrated into the very essence of the sword. Your flames can burn anything, though, material or immaterial. They can even burn souls."


    Nephis tilted her head a little.


    "...And you create enchantments from strings of soul essence."


    Sunny chuckled.


    "Just how... nonchalant you are about this. Every step of the way seems to demand inventing something that has never been done before, and yet you keep coming up with these revolutionary and elaborate solutions, not even bothering to acknowledge them as something important."


    He stared at her for a few moments.


    "Well, that''s just science, isn''t it? People who built the Obel Scale were doing something that has nothing been done before, too. Or those who had developed the earliest concepts of spelltech. Today, there is a woman in Bastion who is trying to build a working electrical grid in the Dream Realm... I bet she''s going to succeed, too. It seems daunting, but finding solutions is what we, humans, are best at. Especially when motivated by necessity."


    Still... Sunny was secretly delighted by the compliment.


    He watched the small piece of ice turn into a liquid. It was definitely not water, and Sunny had no idea what the liquid actually was... however, he knew that it always remained cold, never boiled, and never evaporated.


    It was also not going to remain a liquid for long.


    The incandescent metals mixed with the melted ice, and he swiftly poured the searing silver mass into a small mold. A few moments later, it had already solidified, turning into a bar of lustrous steel.


    Well, it wasn''t actual steel, of course. Rather, it was an alloy that had never been created before, and therefore had no name.


    Sunny was pretty certain of its deadly qualities, though.


    Picking up the silvery bar, he weighed it in his hand, then studied it carefully.


    If not for his outstanding resilience to elemental damage, his hand would have probably already turned to ice and shattered. The alloy was cold... dreadfully cold.


    Cold enough to make him shiver.


    But more importantly, it possessed all the qualities that were needed to forge a sublime sword.


    The last experiment was successful.


    Sunny smiled.


    "This... will cut."


    A blade forged from this would be sharp enough to cut the world.

 Chapter 2043: Master of Forgery

    Now that the small bar of silver alloy was ready, Sunny summoned Weaver''s Needle and manifested two additional pairs of hands.


    He also manifested a second incarnation, this one raising a dark hammer.


    "This next part... is a practice run. Just to see if I can actually enchant something that is being burned in your soul flame."


    Nephis sighed.


    Before, she had only used her Aspect to ignite the fire �� it continued to burn on its own, so she did not need to use her powers to maintain it. Therefore, she did not have to endure the suffering of her Flaw.


    "What do you need me to do?"


    Sunny lingered for a while, then smiled.


    "First, let''s try something simple. Just send your essence outward and don''t resist when I try to take control of it. Think of it like healing your followers at a distance, but without intent or target."


    In reality, all Awakened knew how to control their soul essence well enough to just pour it aimlessly into the world. However, that way, it quickly dissipated �� Sunny needed something more meaningful. Luckily, the way Transcendent souls interacted with the world was special, and far less limited by boundaries.


    Nephis nodded softly and closed her eyes.


    In the next moment, Sunny could feel her presence growing stronger. The radiance of the dancing flame was suddenly brighter, and the fire itself surged. The shadows gathered in the dark chamber turned stark and sharp, with a gust of warm wind throwing his hair into disarray.


    Shifting his gaze, Sunny could almost see rays of blinding light pouring from the seven radiant stars that burned within Neph''s soul.


    He took a deep breath.


    ''Now... can I actually manipulate her essence?''


    As he focused on the beautiful light, a triangular serpentine head rose from the shadows beneath his feet. Serpent slivered up his leg and coiled around his body, turning into an extensive black tattoo.


    Its [Shadow Guide] and [Spirit Guide] Attributes could very well prove helpful in this process.


    Feeling a slight tingling in his fingers, Sunny reached toward the rays of radiant light and tried to grasp them.


    It felt strange, trying to touch light.


    The metal was truly colder than a frozen hell. It cooled swiftly, forcing Sunny to plunge it into the furnace over and over again. Luckily, his guess had been right. The ethereal strings woven from Neph''s own soul essence did not immediately burn to ash in the incandescent glow of her fire, withstanding it for now... his own shadow strings would have been destroyed in mere moments.


    More than that, something strange was happening to the weave as it was washed by the soul flame. It was... changing, somehow. The patterns remained the same, but the feeling it gave Sunny was different �� more profound, substantial, and integrated into the silver metal on a deeper level.


    ''Curious.''


    That allowed Sunny to concentrate on the forging itself �� not that there was a lot for him to do.


    Usually, a smith would face a lot of challenges depending on their intent and the quality of the materials at their disposal. A sword like tachi, for example, involved a rather complicated forging process, with softer and harder metals needed to create varied rigidity between the edge and the spine.


    A metal of low quality would need to be heated, folded, and hammered countless times to remove impurities and make the blade uniform along all of its length... and so on.


    But Sunny was using an alloy that was beyond any mundane metal, and the design of the weapon he was forging was rather simple. So, he did not need to think about anything except precision.


    And power.


    The sublime alloy Sunny had created had to be resilient enough to endure being wielded by Nephis, so it was quite stubborn. Reshaping it with a hammer was no easy task. Sunny had to apply all of his fearsome Transcendent strength to each strike, which was a truly harrowing amount of force.


    With each strike, a deafening thunderclap resounded, and powerful currents of wind were stirred. The Marvelous Mimic trembled and groaned, as if trying to complain.


    As Sunny''s hand rose and fell, lean muscles rolled under his glistening skin, making him seem like a statue chiseled from white marble. Incandescent sparks swarmed around his flawless figure, and white flames reflected in his onyx eyes. The scales of his black tattoo seem to glimmer like gemstones.


    Nephis leaned back, enjoying the view.


    However, after a while, there was a loud crack, and Sunny grew motionless.


    His eyes narrowed, and his lips twisted into a grimace.


    "Damnation."


    Lowering the hammer, he looked at the debris laying at his feet, and sighed.


    "...We''re going to need a tougher anvil."

 Chapter 2044: Faithful Companion

    Eventually, they found themselves on the shore of the lake. The grey sky of Godgrave was shining far above, so the lake itself seemed grey, as well. However, at the same time, its waters shone resplendently, almost to the point that it was painful to look at it.


    The water was still cool and refreshing, though �� a fact that both Sunny and Nephis had already enjoyed.


    Sunny in particular, who felt a bit drained after long hours of forging.


    It had taken him many attempts to figure out how to work the silver alloy, in the end. Still, he managed to succeed.


    Currently, Sunny was laying on a blanket, spinning a simple silver knife between his fingers. The knife did not possess any enchantments except for those that made it a Memory, but it had been forged in the flames of Neph''s soul, and enchanted with her essence.


    "May I?"


    He looked at Nephis, appreciated the lavish view of her tantalizing body for a few moments too long, and offered her the knife with a smile.


    ''That swimsuit... is a crime.''


    She took the knife and studied it with a curious expression.


    Eventually, Nephis shook her head.


    "It feels good in my hand. But I don''t sense any special bond to it."


    Sunny nodded.


    "That is because soul flame and essence strings are only one of the necessary ingredients if one wishes to create a Soulbound Relic."


    She studied him for a few moments.


    "What are the rest of the ingredients?"


    Sunny lingered with an answer, not wanting to admit that he wasn''t completely sure.


    He was confident enough that his theories were correct, but... they would only know after attempting the forging.


    Eventually, he gave in to the pain of his Flaw and spoke:


    "Well, first of all... I''ve decided to cheat a little. Instead of creating a new Memory, I want to reforge one that you already possess."


    Nephis propped herself up on one elbow and looked at him from above, her beautiful silver hair falling down like a waterfall.


    "Oh?"


    Sunny nodded.


    "In fact, it is the first Memory you have ever received. The Dream Blade."


    She laid back down, remained silent for a few moments, and asked:


    "When will we make this attempt, then?"


    Sunny contemplated the answer.


    He had already considered and tried almost everything he could think of.


    For example, there was the bizarre idea of attempting to forge the sword within Neph''s Soul Sea. Sadly, she seemed to be too powerful to be imprinted by the [Mark of Shadows], and Sunny had no way to enter someone else''s Soul Sea otherwise.


    He had also considered replacing the soul shards necessary for creating the Memory... with one of Neph''s own soul cores. But while she could sacrifice her cores to receive astonishing power, there was no real way for them to simply carve out one of them �� without destroying it, at least. Besides, the Mantle of the Underworld had not required its master to use their own soul as fuel.


    Sunny had even examined each of the thousands of silent shadows resting in his soul, hoping that one would possess an ability that Serpent could use to help the forging. Alas, powerful Nightmare Creatures capable of manipulating souls were very rare, and Sunny had been fortunate enough to not cross paths with many of them.


    So, there was no point in postponing the inevitable anymore.


    He sighed.


    "The day after tomorrow. There won''t be a better opportunity later."


    Sunny turned his head, looked at Nephis, and smiled.


    "In the meantime, though, I am going to need you to pull some strings on my behalf, princess. There is this one thing I still want to try..."


    She turned her head, too.


    For a few moments, they were laying side by side, their faces almost too close to each other. Sunny stared into her calm, grey eyes silently, feeling content and at peace.


    Then, her eyes grew a little livelier.


    She smiled with a hint of mirth.


    "Oh? There is a thing you still want to try?"


    Sunny closed his eyes and let out a tortured sigh.


    ''All this teasing!''


    When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was quite heated.


    But what could he do?


    His Flaw compelled him to answer truthfully, so that was what he did...

 Chapter 2045: Professional Exchange

    Even on the last day before attempting to forge the soulbound sword, Sunny did not feel completely confident. Therefore, he decided to try a far-fetched gamble �� if things went well, he could gain an unexpected spark of inspiration. But even if there was no result, it was still something that he had been curious about for a long time.


    He wanted to observe the forgemasters of Clan Valor while they created Memories.


    After all, depending on how things went in the near future, Clan Valor could very well cease to exist. It would be a real shame if he had never even glimpsed the secrets of their craft, considering that they were the closest thing he had to colleagues.


    He knew a few things about the spellsmiths of Valor, of course.


    For example, he knew that they were not weavers, but rather a group of individuals whose Aspects allowed them to create Memories �� some coming from the Valor bloodline, some adopted into the Great Clan as valued retainers.


    It made sense, really. It was known that family members often �� although not always �� shared Aspects of similar nature. That was especially true for the Great Clans, whose scions inherited the same lineage Attribute... in the case of Valor, it was the divine lineage of War God, who was also the deity of craft and progress.


    Granted, not all members of the branch families of Valor had it. Nevertheless, there were enough people with Aspects that had to do with crafting among them that Valor had been the dominant force in that field ever since the Nightmare Spell descended.


    Therefore, it was not surprising that they had put a lot of effort into systematically recruiting similar talents, both through patronage and marriage, aiming to achieve a functional monopoly on all things having to do with forging Memories.


    Sunny also knew that while the enchanters of Valor were inferior to him in many regards, there were also areas where they were superior. For example, they knew far more about runic sorcery than he did. They were also able to create Echoes, which he had not quite mastered yet.


    So, his hopes were high.


    The problem, however, was that the royal clan �� quite understandably �� guarded its secrets close. Not just anyone could meet the forgemasters, let alone observe them as they worked.


    So, Sunny needed Nephis to pull strings and get him an appointment.


    Fortunately enough, the forgemasters had followed their King to Godgrave... which also made sense, considering that this was where their skills were needed the most. And since they were too precious to send to the frontline, most of them were right here, in the main camp of the Sword Army.


    The useless title of the Knight of Valor Sunny had received was also of some help... after all, it meant that he was technically not an outsider. More than that, he was the Memory Purveyor of the Fire Keepers, and Fire Keepers were technically a part of the Valor forces.


    There was a reverberating sound of a horn, and everyone froze in place. Sunny and Nephis froze, too. A few moments later, the world suddenly turned unbearably bright, with every reflective surface in sight shining like a miniature sun.


    The veil of clouds was broken.


    Sunny sighed inwardly.


    ''Another Cloudbreak...''


    Luckily, this time, he had managed to turn his head and look at Nephis in time. So, now, he could at least enjoy the view. The last time, he had been stuck staring at a wall for several hours.


    Mercifully, this Cloudbreak had turned out to be a short one. Less than an hour later, the blinding radiance dimmed, and the frozen camp came alive again. By now, people were so used to these events that no one seemed too disturbed... there were very few casualties, if any, too.


    Sunny stretched, massaged his shoulders, and followed Nephis to the gates of the Valor Keep.


    The last time he had visited it... was in Cassie''s memories, to interrogate Master Orum. Luckily, today, they were heading for the different part of the stone castle.


    Passing a wide courtyard, the approached a large building with smoke coming from its many chimneys. Sunny had expected to hear the ringing of hammers falling on steel, but it was strangely quiet. A moment later, he noticed runes carved into the stones near the doors and windows of the forge, recognizing them as a part of a sound-suppressing enchantment.


    ''...Understandable.''


    To be fair, he himself had been considering creating a silencing Memory after forging the small knife yesterday. Even his Transcendent ears could not withstand the thunderous clamor of his hammering.


    Well, and... a Memory like that had some other uses, as well.


    Chasing the unnecessary thoughts out of his head, Sunny threw one last curious glance at the exterior of the forge and went inside.

 Chapter 2046: Spellsmiths of Valor

    The forge Sunny and Nephis had entered was not the only space that the enchanters of Clan Valor used in the warcamp of the Sword Army. If anything, it was the less important of them �� but he did not mind.


    There was a small courtyard behind the outer wall, with harvested remains of the Nightmare Creatures piled neatly on the ground. Most of them had already been cleaned and processed, but there was still a heavy smell of blood lingering in the air.


    Sunny studied the piles of hides, scales, bones, fangs, claws, tendons, and talons for a moment.


    ''Makes sense.''


    Somehow, he had imagined this place to be full of metal and steel. But during the conquest of an untamed region of the Dream Realm, the main materials Awakened artisans would use were the corpses of the Nightmare Creatures �� after all, they were readily available as a byproduct of the conquest itself, and often possessed amazing qualities as well.


    Behind the material storage were the entrances to several crafting halls. Nephis led him to the central door, smiling softly in response to the reverent bows from the workers present in the courtyard.


    "We are going to be visiting a pair of enchanters today. They are not the most senior, but also not without status... both are Masters, so you might want to treat them with some respect."


    Sunny nodded.


    Nephis knocked on the door, waited for a few moments, and then entered.


    He could hear two voices coming from the inside:


    "...Huh? What is it now?"


    The first voice was female, hiding a hint of irritation.


    "Oh, right. I forgot to mention. We have visitors today."


    The second voice was male and quite nonchalant.


    Sunny studied the two enchanters, a bit surprised. In his head, the forgemasters were all wizened, grey-haired old men. But these two look no different from most Masters he had met.


    The first enchanter was a beautiful, petite woman wearing an emerald robe, with her hair gathered neatly into a bun.


    The second enchanter was a seemingly absentminded man with messy black hair, dressed in peculiar patchwork garments. He wore plenty of accessories, too �� both the clothes and the accessories seemed to be enchanted and self-made, making Sunny wonder what function each element was meant to play.


    Nephis nodded.


    "Master Snow. Master Alice."


    The men responded with a nonchalant bow, while the woman suddenly froze.


    Her eyes widened slightly.


    A moment later, she seemed to regain her composure and bowed elegantly.


    "Lady Changing Star, Master Sunless. It''s an honor."


    Despite her refined manners, Sunny couldn''t help but feel like the gazes she threw at them were a little... heated.


    ''Is this the ally Neph mentioned, perhaps?''


    "Well, yes. He is outstanding in many regards."


    ''That''s right!''


    Sunny struggled to maintain a polite smile on his lips.


    Master Snow stared at him skeptically for a few moments, then sighed.


    "Well, no matter. You are just here to observe, correct? We are not doing anything revolutionary today, but it still requires absolute focus. So... make yourself at home. But not too at home. Just... moderately at home, I guess."


    The other enchanter nodded.


    "Yes, yes... Lady Nephis, you can stand over there. The lighting there is the best... I mean, the view from there is the best. Oh, and Master Sunless, you stand next to her. Gods, they are so... I mean, I hope you are comfortable! We''ll continue working, then."


    As Sunny and Nephis moved to the wall opposite the entrance, the two enchanters continued what they had been doing while trying not to pay them too much attention.


    Sunny was curious to see the process of enchantment, but for now, both were simply preparing the materials. From what he could tell, Master Snow was in the process of crafting a suit of scale armor. Master Alice, meanwhile, was carving something out of bone. It looked like... the hull of a toy ship? No, it had to be an elaborate arrowhead.


    He lingered for a few moments, then asked:


    "Are you both members of Clan Valor?"


    The petite woman looked at him with surprise.


    "Goodness, no. Well, he is �� from a minor branch family. But I am a retainer... actually, I used to work for the government before the Chain of Nightmares. Later, I ended up in Bastion, and two Nightmares later, here I am."


    The man, meanwhile, was fully consumed by his work. Sunny was not sure if the enchanter had even heard the question. He seemed like the kind of guy who would even forget to eat when obsessing over an interesting challenge.


    So, Sunny looked back to Master Alice.


    "Two Nightmares in four years... you must be quite impressive."


    It used to be that people spent no less than a decade preparing to challenge the Second Nightmare. This timeline had shortened somewhat in recent years, but not to that degree.


    The petite woman looked at him with a mortified expression.


    "M��master Sunless... what are you... Lady Nephis is right here!"


    He blinked, not catching her meaning.


    Nephis seemed similarly confused.


    ''What? What did I say?''


    Sunny forced out a polite smile.


    "Please forgive me. Then, if you don''t mind me asking... how, exactly, do the enchanters of Clan Valor create Memories?"

 Chapter 2047: Infusers and Forgers

    Alice gave him a curious glance, then continued to carve arrowheads with a small smile. The enchanted knife she was holding moved nimbly, slicing the bones of Corrupted abominations like butter.


    "There is no single method we use to enchant items �� all Aspects are unique, after all. However, over the decades, a sort of unified classification was developed to make sense of it all. Well... or so I''ve been told. I have only joined Valor a few years ago."


    She glanced at Master Snow, as if expecting him to pitch in, but then sighed and continued herself:


    "Warriors of Valor are not the only ones who get to have fancy titles, you know? Sir Sunless. Just like you guys are called Squires, Knights, and Paladins, we enchanters have a hierarchy consisting of three ranks, as well. Granted, ours have nothing to do with the actual Soul Rank of a person, but are instead based on the nature of one''s Aspect."


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    "I am already a Knight of Valor, though. If I were to receive an enchanter title from the royal clan, what would people call me?"


    Master Alice suddenly let out a laugh, then covered her mouth with a hand and glanced at Sunny with wide eyes.


    A few moments later, she forced out an apologetic smile.


    "Ah yes... of course! You are a brave and valiant Knight, Sir Sunless. No doubt about it. Still �� enchanters are much rarer than warriors. So, we are held in high regard. There are many of us who feel at home on a battlefield, actually, but our duty in the forge is more important. Therefore, the titles we receive in the forge technically take precedence. We don''t use them much, though."


    Sunny smiled and turned his head to look at Nephis.


    "Did you hear? Enchanters seem to be more valuable than warriors."


    She glanced at him evenly, then asked in a neutral tone:


    "What about healers, Master Alice?"


    The petite woman raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh... well, healers are the most precious, of course! A talented enchanter might be worth their own weight in gold, but a powerful healer is simply priceless."


    Nephis continued to stare at Sunny with an aloof expression.


    Master Alice nodded.


    "I''m getting to it! Right... the work we Infusers do might not seem as impressive as that of Forgers and Spellsmiths, but it is still very important. Not the least of all because infused items often endure the Runes better, and can therefore be augmented even further by the Scribes."


    That also made complete sense to Sunny. He already knew that different materials possessed different arcane capacity �� some could withstand immense spellweaves crafted from powerful soul shards and potent essence, some were so mundane that they would disintegrate under the strain of the simplest enchantment.


    "So what do the Forgers do?"


    The petite woman looked at him with a smile.


    "Just what the name suggests, of course! We are masters of forgery."


    Finishing carving the arrowhead, she raised it in one palm, and took an uncut fragment of bone with another hand. Sunny sensed a subtle flow of soul essence, and then both of the woman''s hands ignited with a soft emerald glow.


    Bathed in that glow, the rough fragment of bone slowly melted and changed shape, turning into a perfect copy of the carved arrowhead.


    Master Alice compared the two with a discerning eye, nodded in satisfaction, and picked up another arrowhead �� this one forged from lustrous metal and engraved with a beautiful filigree of runes.


    "Forgers possess Abilities that allow them to copy or replicate items �� either in their entirety or only certain traits. Some can duplicate weapons, for example, some can copy a quality of one weapon to another. There are far fewer Forgers than there are Infusers, and many of them come from the minor branches of the Valor family."


    She lingered for a moment, and then added:


    "That said, Forgers are not at all as powerful and precious as Spellsmiths... and yet, they are perhaps the most important cog in this miraculous machine. Do you understand why?"


    Nephis tilted her head in confusion, but Sunny''s eyes suddenly glistened.


    "Members of the Valor family can transfer a quality of one item to another?"


    The petite woman nodded and let out a chuckle.


    "Indeed. So, if a suitable Forger takes a Memory weapon and transfers the quality of [being a Memory] to an ordinary weapon that had been prepared by an Infuser and a Scribe... guess what happens?"

 Chapter 2048: Different Foundations

    Sunny took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly.


    "It will become a Memory?"


    Master Alice nodded.


    "Yes! In fact, that is how most Memories produced by the forgemasters of Valor are made. A mundane weapon is forged, augmented by an Infuser, enchanted by a Scribe, and then turned into a Memory by a Forger. Of course, there are a million variations of the process, with different enchanters possessing different powers and strengths. But the basics are the same. And even if some Forgers can''t copy the [Memory] quality, those who can pick up the slack."


    She paused for a moment, then added with a sigh:


    "There are more elaborate methods of Forgery, as well. Some of us can simply duplicate Memories, some can transfer particular enchantments �� and so on. More powerful of the forged Memories are the result of carefully collecting suitable enchantments and transferring them to a single vessel, almost like assembling a perfect weapon from building blocks. Well, I won''t bore you with details... suffice it to say that there is space for artistry in this process, too."


    With that, Alice activated her Aspect once more. As Sunny watched, bewildered, the steel arrowhead in her right hand was suddenly enveloped by emerald light. Some time later, weak wisps of similar light started to shine from beneath the surface of the bone arrowhead, which she was holding in her left hand, as well.


    Soon, the similar filigree of runes started to reveal itself on the ivory surface of the bone, as if burned into it from within by the emerald light.


    Shifting his vision, Sunny peered beneath the surface of the bone arrowhead and held his breath.


    Something miraculous was happening there, right in front of his eyes.


    A storm of soul essence poured into the black abyss contained within the small piece of bone, drowning it in soft radiance. The cloud of essence drifted in the darkness, shining like a vast nebula... but then, its contours changed, becoming sharper and more defined.


    Then, empty spaces revealed themselves between the wisps of shining gas, slowly growing as the strands of essence were compressed tighter and tighter. Turning into strings.


    A spellweave was being born.


    Sunny suppressed a sincere desire to applaud and simply put on an admiring smile.


    "This is... amazing."


    Master Alice sighed.


    "Is it? Well... I guess so. The first few times �� maybe a few dozen times �� I was amazed, as well. However, there is certainly room for improvement. For example, it is usually too difficult for me to replicate Transcendent enchantments. I also spend too much essence on each attempt �� this one is my first for the day, but starting from around the third, I''ll have to substitute my own essence with soul shards. It costs quite a penny."


    Sunny shook his head.


    "Still."


    Internally, he was thinking about something else.


    So far... what both Infusers and Forgers did sounded a lot like the early stages of his own journey as a sorcerer, only built on a different foundation.


    The petite woman shook her head energetically and picked up a second bone arrowhead.


    "Oh, of course! By all means. Anything you want, Master Sunless... I mean... no, n��not anything! I didn''t mean it that way..."


    Sunny stared at her for a moment while considering his words.


    "Forgemasters can also create Echoes, can''t they? I''ve seen a few."


    Master Alice nodded with relief.


    "Y��yes �� in theory. And we do, sometimes. Forgers can create very crude automatons, while Spellsmiths can create true artificial Echoes. The process is not much different from forging Memories, just... way more time-consuming. It can take a senior Spellsmith an entire year or more to craft a single Echo. By comparison, dozens of Memories can be crafted in the same span of time. So, artificial Echoes are quite rare. They are mostly forged out of curiosity, for research, or to test yourself."


    Sunny nodded. It made sense, somewhat. Echoes were never equal to the original, so arming Awakened elites well was a more efficient way of spending resources.


    And then, finally, the last question... not the most important of them, but one of great interest to Sunny personally.


    "And... the names. Who comes up with the names for the forged Memories? And the descriptions?"


    Master Alice seemed a little surprised by the question.


    "Uh... excuse me?"


    Sunny leaned forward.


    "Well, you know. This bone arrowhead you made into a Memory. Did you give it a name? Something like, I don''t know... [Bonehead]? [Bone and Arrow]?"


    The petite woman gave him a strange look, then shook his head.


    "Oh, no... the Spell names them for me. Some of the Spellsmiths have the ability to name and describe their creations personally, but most don''t."


    She lingered for a moment, then added politely:


    "If you are curious, Master Sunless, I can check..."


    The petite woman turned her head and stared into the air, clearly studying the runes.


    "Huh. That''s strange..."


    For a moment, Master Alice had an incredulous expression on her face. Then, she shook her head with a hint of bafflement.


    "The Spell seemed to have named it... [All Aboard]? What does it even mean? How... embarrassing..."

 Chapter 2049: Things to Do in the Apocalypse

    Master Alice concentrated on creating more enchanted arrowheads. As she explained, they would be attached to shafts and fitted with fletching later �� and most likely by a different forgemaster.


    After the second one, the petite woman dove into a lockbox containing the crafting hall''s daily allocation of soul shards and used them to bolster her Aspect. Every once in a while, the shimmering crystal she was holding in her hand would crack and crumble into dust.


    Sunny studied the process with a thoughtful expression.


    No wonder custom Memories were a luxury reserved for the private troops of the royal clan. The work of the enchanters was chillingly expensive �� especially considering that each of the spent soul shards could have been used to strengthen the core of an Awakened soldier.


    In Antarctica, the continent had been flooded with great hordes of relatively weak abominations. That was why soldiers of the Evacuation had many opportunities to saturate their cores �� but here in Godgrave, all Nightmare Creatures were stronger and more ferocious than the warriors of the two human armies.


    Killing them was a tough task, and therefore, the soul shards were scarce. There were also many more Awakened here than there had been in Antarctica, so most soldiers still had plenty of room to grow.


    That just went to show how exclusive the services of someone like Sunny were. Aiko was right... the Brilliant Emporium had to be presented as a luxury service. Very few people could afford bespoke Memories, especially considering that the royal clan was the main source of them by far.


    Usually, Sunny would have felt bliss at the confirmation of his bright financial future, but today, his thoughts wandered in a different direction.


    The situation in Godgrave �� overwhelming enemies that were dreadfully difficult to defeat even for powerful Awakened, scarcity of resources, and a constant attrition of human lives �� seemed to resemble what awaited humanity in the future very much.


    Once more pieces of the waking world were swallowed by the Dream Realm, the civilization as he knew it would slowly start to collapse... transform, at best. The Dream Gate exodus would accelerate, with most of the population slowly migrating to the other side �� at least if Nephis had anything to say about it.


    If it was left to the Sovereigns to decide... who knew. Sunny could easily see a situation where the ruthlessly pragmatic Supremes simply shut the Dream Gates, leaving billions of people to die. Because the human enclaves they had been preparing in the Dream Realm for decades could only sustain hundreds of millions of inhabitants, not billions.


    But even if the Sovereigns were defeated and Nephis usurped the throne of war, the future still looked dire.


    There were more Death Zones in the Dream Realm, after all... and nothing really held the dreadful creatures populating them from migrating to greener pastures. Especially once those pastures were populated by countless humans, and started to emanate the alluring scent of myriads of human souls.


    In fact, Sunny expected that to happen. A slow, inevitable, and terrifying escalation that would bring humanity to the brink of destruction. Not only because he had a habit of expecting the worst from the world, but also because there were relevant examples.


    There had been five other Divine Realms swallowed by the Dream Realm before his world, after all. There were Supremes among the inhabitants of those worlds, too. And yet...


    If it was so easy to survive in the Dream Realm, those civilizations would have still been around. But something had wiped them out, leaving no survivors... in fact, Godgrave itself seemed to be the place where one of these civilizations had been destroyed.


    What was a Cursed Tyrant doing in the ruins of a human city?


    Those were gods. Vile and corrupted, but still gods. And not only that, but gods of the highest caliber.


    A mortal, no matter how powerful, could not defeat a god.


    Sunny sighed again.


    ''Great.''


    So, if he described it briefly...


    These things were on his to-do list: forge a soulbound sword for Nephis, rebel against two Supremes and kill them, conquer the world, find and deal with the third Supreme, oversee the resettlement of the human race to the Dream Realm, become a god, and kill every god of the less handsome variety aiming to swallow humanity.


    Oh, and also keep the flames of romance and passion alive in the process... with a workaholic girl who could not really remember him.


    And keep his sister alive.


    Preferably, make comically large sums of money while he was at it.


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then lowered his head and rubbed his face.


    ''Ah...''


    How come life had been so much simpler before?


    He felt almost nostalgic about trying to survive in the outskirts.


    Almost.


    But not quite...


    Nightmares, however, did feel strangely cozy and inviting at the moment.

 Chapter 2050: Catalyst of Improvement

    Luckily, Sunny had no time to stress about the glaringly eschatological nature of his daily life... or about romantic date ideas during the literal end of the world.


    Soon enough, Master Snow �� the Scribe Knight and Spellsmith �� finished working on the cuirass of a robust scale armor and lowered his hands with a satisfied sigh.


    The craftsmanship of the armor piece was exquisite. It was not an easy task, to work with the scales of a powerful abomination, but the man handled it beautifully. It was even of a higher quality than it needed to be �� after all, the cuirass was meant to become a part of a Memory, and Memories tended to fit the body of their masters magically.


    Perhaps Master Snow was a perfectionist �� a quality that Sunny grew to dislike as he matured.


    The man looked over to his partner and cleared his throat.


    "It''s ready to be Infused."


    Alice temporarily put down the arrowheads and concentrated on the suit of armor, pouring a subtle, but constant stream of essence into it. It seemed that the Aspect Ability that made her an Infuser was her Dormant one �� therefore, she could perform the Infusion even while low on essence.


    With that, Master Snow hesitated for a few moments before turning to Sunny and Nephis.


    "...You are still here?"


    It was quite a rude question, considering that Nephis was his superior both in the military hierarchy and in that of the royal clan.


    She smiled lazily.


    "You know, Master Alice reminded me that we are distant cousins. Still... I think I can get you executed for insubordination if I really try. Or worse, get you permanently assigned to the Luminous Memories crafting hall."


    Master Snow paled.


    "L��luminous... what? You wouldn''t dare!"


    But then, he frowned.


    "Wait, why are we even quarreling? It was an honest question."


    Sunny sighed.


    He suddenly sensed something very disturbing...


    The feeling of starting to understand how Aiko felt when dealing with him.


    "Yes, we are still here. We had a very illuminating conversation with Master Alice, and were waiting for you in hopes of witnessing a genuine Spellsmith creating a Memory." ?


    Master Snow looked at him in surprise.


    Sunny tilted his head, failing for the first time to maintain his polite facade. He was just too bewildered and engrossed by this strange... philosophy? School of thought? Nonsense?


    In any case, he did remember feeling exactly what Master Snow had described. When the Spell helped him unseal the Shadow Slave Aspect, Sunny clearly felt that the source of the heat reforging him had come from somewhere within, from something that had been a part of him all along.


    Even the word the Spell used hinted at fact.


    [The First Seal is broken.]


    [Awakening Dormant powers...]


    Breaking a seal meant that the seal had existed somewhere inside him all along.


    Awakening Dormant powers meant that they had been sleeping within him already.


    Not that the Spell had placed the seal and the power into his soul as some form of reward... no, it had simply helped him access something that had already been there.


    Sunny frowned.


    ''Actually... that makes a lot of sense.''


    It was perfectly in line with what Ananke told them in the depths of the Tomb of Ariel about where humans had come from, and why they were so different from all other beasts and creatures.


    It was because humans, just like the gods, had been born from the primordial flame of divinity... from the flame of desire. Their souls were formed from the sparks that had been cast when the Void was sealed in a net made from desire.


    So, human souls came from the original source of divinity. Therefore, they could very well contain the potential for... everything.


    An infinite amount of potentials �� of all the Aspects that had existed, existed, and would ever exist. It was only when an Aspect was unsealed that the potential was realized, and therefore exhausted, turning infinite possibility into definite reality.


    That was why Aspects came from within humans, and yet could very well have nothing to do with humans. Like Nephis, who had inherited an Aspect of a nephilim �� or Sunny himself, who had inherited the Aspect of a divine shadow.


    ''Huh.''


    Sunny narrowed his eyes a little.


    ''If I am the sword in this metaphor... then who is helping me improve?''


    It was certainly not a Spellsmith.


    Instead... it was the Nightmare Spell.

 Chapter 2051: Guiding Hand

    As far as Sunny could tell, the Spellsmiths of Valor believed that things were similar to humans �� already containing an infinite amount of potentials that simply waited to be realized.


    In the case of modern humans, the catalyst of this change was the Nightmare Spell.


    In the case of inanimate objects... it was the Spellsmith.


    Such an explanation was somewhat logical. However, Sunny was not buying one detail �� the fact that becoming a Memory was closer to a flawless form for an object than its original nature.


    That sounded too far-fetched. Sure, a Memory was a very convenient form for a weapon to take, but it was not exactly better or more true to what a weapon was supposed to be. Just different.


    That also pointed to a broader problem with Master Snow''s explanation. There were countless paths for any given thing to improve, so the potential change initiated by the Spellsmith would almost have to be random. And randomness was the enemy of design... a smith who could not control the result of their work to at least some degree was not worth being called one.


    It went against what Sunny had observed the forgemasters could accomplish, as well. Morgan''s Warbow had not seemed like a product of random growth, but rather like a masterpiece of human genius.


    So, there had to be some kind of guidance involved.


    Humans did not unseal Aspects randomly, either. There was cause and effect to what powers they received �� their talent, their will, their circumstances, their accomplishments in conquering the First Nightmare. A person and their Aspect fit together like two pieces of the same puzzle, and the puzzle was complete with the third piece... their Flaw.


    AS if fated for each other.


    So, if Sunny had to say who or what guided Awakened through the sea of endless possibilities, he would have to say that there were two forces involved. One was their fate, and the other one was the Nightmare Spell.


    Was the Spell manipulating fate, or simply going with its flow? He did not know.


    Sunny lingered for a few moments.


    "You said that Spellsmiths serve as guides of that improvement, as well?"


    Sunny nodded politely.


    After a while, Master Alice finished infusing the scale armor, and everything was ready for the final part of the forging.


    The cuirass, as well as all other elements that had been crafted in Infused earlier, were placed in the middle of a large runic circle. Seven shimmering soul shards were positioned around it, each in its own node, while Master Snow knelt and placed his hand on the boundary of the circle.


    As he closed his eyes, the runic circle started to emanate a pale glow.


    ''Curious.''


    Sunny was not a great master of runic sorcery, but he did know a few things. From the looks of it, the circle was a rather simple one, meant to channel the Spellsmith''s Aspect and add the power of the seven soul shards to his own. It had been created for convenience, not out of necessity.


    After all, Master Snow would not have been able to juggle seven soul shards with one hand while keeping the other on the armor.


    The fact that the runic circle was shining meant that soul essence was flowing through the conduits, which in turn meant that the Spellsmith was channeling his Aspect.


    As the process of enchanting continued, Master Snow raised a hand and directed it at the Infused armor. Strings of golden light seemed to coil around his fingers, and then shot forward, each finding its way to between the tightly interlaid scales.


    A moment later, Sunny sensed that the armor was starting to change.


    There was an outward change, with the scales slowly beginning to assume a metallic sheen. But there was an invisible change, as well �� or rather, visible to all but Sunny.


    He shifted his gaze to the Infused cuirass.


    His eyes narrowed a little when he saw what was happening inside it.

 Chapter 2052: War Craft

    Something similar, but at the same time different to what Master Alice had done to the arrowhead was taking place there.


    The tapestry of a complicated spellweave was taking shape inside the armor. Only it wasn''t forming all at once, as it had been with the bone arrowhead �� instead, the process was more similar to how Sunny would have done it, one step at a time.


    It was just that the speed with which the separate strings formed the patterns was astonishingly great... so great, in fact, as to seem instantaneous.


    Nevertheless, the result was far worse than what Sunny would have done. The patterns that formed with tremendous speed were crude and messy, almost sloppy. There was no harmony to their flow, no intricate order. It was like a spellweave made by a dilettante.


    At first glance.


    Then, something strange happened. A pattern which had already been formed suddenly dismantled itself, the constellation of ethereal strings retreating like a tide. That, too, happened in an instant.


    A few moments later, the pattern reassembled itself once again, this time looking a little more neat than before.


    The process repeated several times. The strings would shoot forward to form a pattern, drift in the void for a few moments, and then retreat. The tapestry expanded and contracted, almost like the beating heart of a living being.


    With each iteration, the messy spellweave seemed to improve a little. After a while, it became cohesive enough that Sunny could vaguely guess its purpose, staring at the strangely beautiful spectacle with a neutral expression.


    There was the foundation of a durability enchantment, a heat-resistant enchantment, a strange friction-related enchantment, a weight enchantment...


    Master Snow was certainly ambitious with his current project.


    ''How interesting.''


    Sunny tried to make sense of what he was seeing.


    The process was completely different from the Forgery Master Alice had demonstrated.She had simply transferred a quality of [being a Memory] from one arrowhead to another �� as such, her Aspect power acted in a straightforward manner, without involving the Nightmare Spell.


    But Master Snow was attempting something far more ambitious. He had indeed initiated the change inside the armor, allowing it to grow... quite like a living being would.


    Currently, he was trying to guide that growth in a particular direction.


    And the Nightmare Spell was assisting him.


    "This is going to take a while. In fact, for a Memory like this, the forging usually continues for many days... it can end in failure, as well."


    Sunny shook his head.


    "It''s alright. Thank you. I have already seen everything I wanted to see."


    The petite woman beamed.


    "That is nice to hear! Then, Master Sunless, come back any time you wish. Lady Changing Star... I hope I will be able to forge Memories for you to use on the battlefield, one day."


    Seeing the earnest look in her eyes, Sunny had no heart to tell Master Snow that her hope was unlikely to come true.


    Nephis was too powerful to have use for most Memories...


    And she had him, too.


    Soon enough, the two of them left the crafting hall. Sunny was thinking deeply about something.


    As they left the Valor Keep, Nephis glanced at him and asked:


    "Well? Was it helpful?"


    Sunny slowly shook his head, then nodded.


    "No �� and yes. I did not exactly get inspired, but I did gain confidence in the path I had been walking all along."


    Then, his eyes glistened, and his lips twisted into a mischievous smile.


    He lingered for a moment, and then added neutrally:


    "Oh, but most importantly. Looking at them, I finally found a way to cheat the process..."

 Chapter 2053: Stolen Credit

    Witnessing the two enchanters at work had been of benefit to Sunny.


    Firstly, it had satiated his curiosity. The hidden heart of the Great Clan Valor �� its craftsmen �� were quite a fascinating bunch... even more so than he had thought. Sunny had assumed that Clan Valor simply possessed a natural affinity to Aspects that allowed Awakened to create Memories, but the truth was more complicated.


    Instead, there was an intricate and beautifully ingenious synergy between three different groups of Awakened artisans, with each group boasting its own unique range of powers that complimented those of the other two. Both the conceptual design and practical execution of this system were quite admirable, and gave Sunny a lot of food for thought.


    But he had had benefitted in a more palpable way, as well.


    Sunny could not deny the fact that it had felt gratifying, to learn that he had surpassed most of the enchanters of the Great Clan Valor. The path to becoming a capable sorcerer has been long and arduous, so it felt validating, to see how much more refined and sophisticated his sorcery was when compared to others.


    And how much more it could achieve.


    So, Sunny was now more confident in himself. Confidence was not going to help his achieve success in and of itself, but it did matter. The forging he was planning to undertake tomorrow was going to be a difficult challenge, so his mindset was important.


    And there was another thing, as well...


    Sunny had been inspired by visiting the forgemasters, after all... in a sense.


    Strangely enough, the spark of inspiration had not come from watching Master Alice perform a Forgery of the bone arrowhead. It had not come from watching her Infuse an item, either.


    Even the beautifully disturbing sight of a spellweave being born in the scale cuirass was not the source of Sunny''s epiphany.


    Instead... it was watching Master Snow craft the armor in the preparation for the enchantment.


    Back then, Sunny had noted that the man must have been a perfectionist �� because he had crafted the scale armor in too precise of a manner, doing extra work despite the fact that Memories rearranged themselves to fit the bodies of their owners anyway.


    That was one of the rudimentary enchantments granted to each Memory by the Nightmare Spell. So, even if someone''s craft was a little messy, the Spell would correct it on its own.


    And that was what inspired Sunny.


    Because he had realized that he had been unnecessarily ignoring one of the most powerful tools at his disposal... the Nightmare Spell.


    Sunny was cut off from the Spell, so it was useless to him.


    However, Nephis was not.


    Nephis was still a carrier of the Nightmare Spell, and she still received its help. The Spell continued to translate dead languages for her, whispering into her ear, and granting her Memories for slaying foes.


    Some time later, Nephis was sitting on her bed with an incredulous expression.


    Sunny, meanwhile, was on his knees, crawling around the bed.


    After a while, she sighed and said in a neutral tone:


    "You know, this was not what I expected when you said that we had urgent business in the bedroom."


    Sunny finished drawing the last line of a runic circle Cassie had taught him how to draw, and looked up at her with a mischievous smile.


    "Oh? What did you expect?"


    Nephis coughed.


    "Well... I don''t know. A war council, perhaps."


    Sunny grinned.


    "No... it''s just this. Plus, you can really blame me. Your living quarters are just one huge chamber, so the entire floor is technically your bedroom. Get some walls in here if you want to avoid misunderstandings!"


    Shaking her head, Nephis leaned back and sighed.


    "I like the space, though."


    She paused for a moment, then added with a small smile:


    "...And the misunderstandings."


    Sunny chuckled.


    Then, he took a deep breath and remained motionless for a few moments.


    It was time.


    "Summon the Dream Blade, please. Let''s begin..."

 Chapter 2054: Dreams of Fire

    Some time later, Sunny descended the steps to the basement of the Marvelous Mimic alone. His expression was distant, and he was carrying a beautiful silver longsword in his hands.


    Entering the workshop, he looked around its dark expanse. Shadows had reigned in this place unopposed before, but now, there were pure white flames burning in the tall furnace. Their radiant light pushed the darkness back, making them shrink while growing darker.


    Sunny glanced at the furnace and sighed.


    It was already showing signs of irreparable damage. Changing Star''s flames were simply too ferocious �� they destroyed everything they touched, and neither furnaces nor crucibles, even those made from mystical materials, could contain them for long.


    So, most of his forge would have to be replaced after today.


    It was a pity, since procuring this equipment had been both difficult and costly for him. However, it was also unavoidable... as Sunny''s power grew, so did the potency of the sorcerous components he had to use. If not today, he would have had to renovate his forge sooner or later.


    Adding more fuel to the furnace, Sunny walked over to the anvil �� a new one, crafted roughly from a splinter of the dead god''s bone �� placed the Dream Blade on its surface, and peered at it.


    The spellweave of the silver longsword was relatively simple, but beautiful. It was an exceptional Memory, by all accounts... otherwise, it would not have been able to serve Nephis for so long despite its modest Rank and Tier.


    Of course, Sunny could not summon the runes and learn about it from the Spell. In fact, he could not even receive the Memory from Nephis without altering its spellweave first �� which he had not done, since that would have defeated the purpose of what he was intending to do.


    Still, Sunny could easily learn what was written in the silver blade''s runes. After all, he had woven many names and descriptions into the weaves of various Memories �� finding the strings expressing them and translating the ethereal patterns into familiar runes was not at all difficult for him.


    Sunny studied the weave.


    Memory: Dream Blade.


    Memory Rank: Dormant.


    Memory Type: Weapon.


    Memory Description: [...Lost in the darkness, a lonely soul once dreamt of fire.]


    He smiled faintly. That was all. There was no mention of the Tier, no list of its enchantments, and no description of what those enchantments could do. That was how most Awakened perceived their Memories.


    It was only because of attaining Blood Weave that the Spell added more runes to what Sunny saw. Of course, it was merely translating what he could find out himself by examining the weave �� the rest of the Awakened either had to find out the true potential of their Memories by trial and error or hire professional appraisers.


    ''It saved me so much money...''


    He glanced at the description of the Dream Blade one more time. The runes expressed by the pattern of ethereal strings were, as always, a little ambiguous. They could mean that a lonely soul once dreamt of fire while lost in darkness... or maybe longed for warmth.


    In fact, the description could have also meant:


    [Sealed in the void, a forsaken soul desired warmth.]


    Darkness, void. Dreaming, longing. Fire, warmth. And desire.


    ...It was a little ominous, knowing what he knew now.


    He chuckled.


    "Well, that makes it sound as if we humans are no different from maggots that were born to feast on the flesh of a dead god. Of course, one can also be more generous and interpret it as us being War God''s children. Children of War... sounds quite fitting, considering our track record."


    Nephis looked away once more, this time a hint of a sad smile on her lips.


    After a while, she said:


    "That would mean that all of us were born from a dead mother. That all of us are orphans."


    Just like she had been, and was.


    She lingered for a few moments, and then spoke in an even tone:


    "You have three shadows today."


    The young man smiled.


    "That I do."


    She frowned slightly, as if remembering that she had forgotten something, and asked after a short pause:


    "When will we start forging the sword?"


    He walked over to the edge of the island to stand side by side with her and looked at the horizon, as well.


    "We have already started."


    Finally, Nephis seemed to understand something. She looked at him with curiosity, hesitated for a few moments, and asked:


    "This is a dream, isn''t it?"


    He laughed quietly.


    "Yes, it is."


    There was no warcamp around them. No titanic skeleton below the Ivory Island, no overcast sky above it.


    Instead, the Ivory Island was drifting in the air above a calm ocean. The world was suffused with sunlight, and the perfectly still water below glowed beautifully, reflecting the brilliance of heaven. It was as if they were flying above a radiant sea of liquid gold, awash in breathtaking radiance.


    Above them, seven pure suns burned brightly in the vast expanse of a brilliant sky.


    It was a dream of her Soul Sea.

 Chapter 2055: Soul Forge

    Sunny had considered many ways to bind a Memory to Neph''s soul. Eventually, he had come to believe that the most convenient way to establish a bond between the sword and her soul �� at least among those available to him �� would be to forge it simultaneously in the real world in her Soul Sea.


    Sadly, he could not enter it �� a fact that had made him envy Mordret for the first time in his life.


    So, after contemplating for a long time, Sunny had decided on the next big thing...


    He was going to reforge the Dream Blade simultaneously in the real world and in Neph''s dream.


    Master Sunless was in the forge, but the Lord of Shadows had called upon Nightmare and used the tenebrous steed to enter her dreams. The runic circle Cassie had taught him how to draw was meant to make the dream more malleable, give Nephis more control over it, and keep her asleep for a long as was needed to finish the forging.


    And Nephis... currently, Nephis was dreaming of her Soul Sea.


    Sunny enjoyed the breathtaking beauty of it for a while. His own dark and lightless soul had its own charm, yes... but this world of golden radiance and pure sunlight was simply wondrous to behold.


    Like heaven.


    Something told Sunny that it could be quite inhospitable when invited uninvited, though. Otherwise, the Soul Stealer would not have perished within it so miserably after Nephis annihilated Twilight.


    Seven brilliant suns, a vast expanse of radiant water below. And the beautiful island drifting in the air between the two.


    It seemed that the replica of the Tower of Hope had appeared in Neph''s Soul Sea, just like a replica of the Nameless Temple had appeared in his. Of course, there was no legion of silent shadows to surround it.


    Sunny suspected that there was something similar here, however. Perhaps if the seven suns rolled over the horizon, thrusting the calm ocean into the embrace of night, he would see countless stars burning on the velvet background of the black sky �� each representing one of the souls inspired by Neph''s longing.


    They were currently standing at the edge of the island, looking over the golden ocean of light. Nightmare was also here, on the other side of the island... grazing on the emerald grass peacefully. The sight made Sunny feel quite bewildered, since he had never seen his steed eat anything except the bleeding flesh of his enemies before.


    Perhaps dream grass was just as tasty.


    Sadly, Sunny could not keep him here for long. It was already risky enough to bring Nightmare away from his mark, which had barely been lulled into slumber and could awaken at any moment if left unattended.


    Nephis looked at him silently for a few moments, then smiled.


    "So... it seems that you are the man of my dreams, then, Lord Shadow."


    Sunny gave her an elegant bow.


    The materials needed to create alloy were already inside �� the ice of the Winter Beast, the blessed metals, and a few overs.


    There was one more step to be made.


    Standing above the crucible, Sunny hesitated for a moment, then summoned the simple silver knife he had forged earlier. Raising his hands, he grimaced and sliced his palm open with the knife, then willed himself to bleed.


    A stream of crimson blood poured into the crucible, soon turning into ice.


    As the crucible heated, it would melt, fusing with the incandescent alloy.


    And thus, it would serve as the binding between the various elements of the sword.


    Was there a more fitting ingredient to create a Memory than the blood of Weaver?


    Sunny was not sure.


    He was concentrating on too many tasks at the same time.


    Forging the physical vessel of the sword.


    Keeping the original blade in the state of being disassembled to its most basic elements, but not quite destroyed.


    Weaving strings of essence in Neph''s dream...


    Each task demanded utmost concentration.


    How long would he be able to endure this pressure?


    Hopefully, long enough to finish forging the slaying blade.


    Suddenly, a soft white radiance poured out of the cut on his palm, and the shallow wound disappeared without a trace.


    Sunny allowed himself to be surprised for a fraction of the moment, then concentrated on his task.


    Summoning Weaver''s Needle, he reached into the collapsing spellweave of the Dream Blade and carefully wove a new string into its intricate pattern...

 Chapter 2056: Living Alloy

    The forge had become permeated by an almost unbearable heat. Sunny fanned the flames, watching as the blessed iron slowly turned into an incandescent liquid inside the crucible. His pale body was covered in sweat, and the scales of his intricate tattoo glistened in the radiance of the white flame like black gemstones.


    The iron melted, poured over the remains of Winter Beast''s icy heart, and froze solid again. The process repeated over and over, until the ice finally started tomelt itself.


    Sunny watched it with a distant expression.


    ''...I am glad.''


    He had felt great joy after destroying the Winter Beast to avenge millions of its victims... and himself. But it was a sad thing, really, to end the story of their tragic deaths with another act of destruction.


    So, Sunny was happy to see that the final chapter in the story of Falcon Scott would be an act of creation instead. That the heart of the Winter Beast would lay the foundation for the forging of a remarkable sword �� a sword that would excel in sowing death, but was ultimately destined to save countless lives.


    It was as if he was pouring all those orphaned souls into the mystical alloy.


    How heavy would a blade carrying the weight of millions of souls be?


    ...Sunny''s blood was also there, added to the mix. Strangely enough, he could still vaguely sense it, and even exert a little bit of control over it, as if his blood was still alive despite being expelled from his body. And since it served as the binding agent between the various elements of the alloy, the alloy was becoming a little bit alive, too.


    Granted, there was no need for his blood to bind the mystical ice and the blessed metals together. That could have happened naturally, just as it had happened the other day.


    However...


    For this next part, the presence of his blood was necessary.


    Wiping the sweat off his brow, Sunny inhaled the scorching air deeply, and then picked up an ominous black arrow from a nearby workbench.


    The arrow seemed quite mundane at first glance. Its shaft was made from dark wood, its fletching was fashioned from raven feathers, and the arrowhead had been carved from a piece of black obsidian. But the arrow was not mundane at all �� it was one of the two arrows from the Shadow Realm that Sunny possessed.


    The radiant stream of incandescent metal swallowed the sparks of essence, making them a part of itself.


    And just like that, the anchor of the intricate spellweave shifted from the concept of a silver longsword to the mass of liquid metal.


    Sunny sighed in relief, knowing that this part of the plan had worked as intended, at least. He was not sure that it would... after all, he had never attempted something like that before.


    But there was something that Sunny realized while experimenting to prepare for this forging. It was that at this level of craft, the will of the craftsman was like a blacksmith''s hammer in and of itself.


    It, too, was a tool to forge metal into a desired shape... or maybe even reality itself.


    So if his will was sharp and tyrannical enough, many things would become possible simply because he willed them. Of course, the more his will went against the will of the world, the more difficult it was to enforce it.


    In this case, the desired result was a relatively minor divergence. And since Sunny''s Transcendent will had been tempered and sharpened by countless trials, he achieved it without too much problem.


    ''Now... the forging.''


    As soon as the blessed alloy cooled off enough to become solid, Sunny removed the glowing bar of hot metal from the mold and placed it on the anvil.


    The coils of his serpentine tattoo moved as Serpent slithered down his arm, manifesting itself into a weapon.


    However, this time, it was not an odachi. Instead, it was a blacksmith''s hammer made from dark, lusterless obsidian.


    Gripping the Soul Weapon tightly, Sunny raised it above his head, and then brought it down on the glowing metal.


    A rain of incandescent sparks shot in all directions, and the Marvelous Mimic quaked.

 Chapter 2057: Learning Weave

    As Sunny was preparing to forge the sword in the real world, he was also concentrating on creating its weave in a dream.


    Six of his seven incarnations were involved in the forging, each having to deal with a task that demanded utmost concentration �� some even doing things that he had never done or attempted before.


    As a result, his mind was under enormous pressure, not quite cracking under it, but definitely on the very verge of being able to endure.


    Nevertheless, Sunny persisted with a calm and determined expression. He was not a stranger to these moments of extreme stress �� in fact, he thrived in them. The more dire the situation was, the more clear his mind would become. That sense of clarity transcended the mundane at times, allowing him to enter a strange and inexplicable mental state.


    Sunny was in that state right now, feeling as if his mind was operating at a speed that even he himself could not perceive.


    Many things that he could not quite explain, but intuitively understood, were happening around him and because of him. Therefore, even though he knew that there was a clear cause and effect to everything he did, it almost felt as though reality was simply changing according to his sheer will.


    He was in uncharted territory, but there was a beacon guiding him to a safe harbor.


    Standing on the edge of a dreamlike island, Sunny inhaled deeply.


    Four of his incarnations were here, in the dream Nephis was dreaming about her Soul Sea. One served as a conduit for her essence, two more were weaving radiant strings out of it, and the final one was doing the most important part of the task �� he was creating the vast, intricate, and inspired spellweave that Sunny had envisioned for the soulbound sword.


    The weave he wanted to create was ambitious even by his standards �� and that was without taking into account the unique property of binding the Memory to its master''s soul. Therefore, this act of sorcery was promising to be long and punishing,akin to a dire marathon.


    However...


    A vital moment �� perhaps the most vital moment of the entire forging �� had to happen at the very start.


    It had to happen now.


    Looking at Nephis, Sunny forced out a weak smile.


    "Do you trust me?"


    He was aware that his question was not very fair. After all, as far as Nephis knew, they had only met a few months ago. Trust did not come easy to either of them �� it was something that both of them had to build slowly and arduously...


    "I do."


    The calm answer came almost instantly.


    Sunny was surprised by her blunt words. Nephis... seemed to be surprised by them, too. She frowned lightly, as if not entirely sure why she had answered so readily, as well as so easily.


    Nevertheless, Sunny''s smile grew more relaxed at hearing it.


    "Good. Then, if you sense something, don''t resist. Let it happen."


    Now...


    He just had to make their dreams come true.


    But before that, the entire vast, unimaginable spellweave needed to be complete.


    Taking another deep breath, Sunny allowed his incarnation to close his eyes and concentrated on channeling Neph''s essence.


    The incarnation responsible for weaving the tapestry of radiant strings continued its work somberly.


    The vast spellweave was starting to slowly, arduously, take shape.


    It was a daunting thing to do.


    Sunny had rejected the familiar comfort of merely copying the patterns created by the Nightmare Spell. Instead, he was weaving entirely new patterns of his own design. Armed with his deep knowledge of weaving and the experience of fusing with various Memories as a shadow, he was attempting to create an enchanted sword that would become a part of Neph''s body and soul.


    A sword that suited her flawlessly, would grow with her, and could cut down the most harrowing of foes.


    Naturally, such a sword demanded the most ingenious of enchantments.


    Somewhere in the real world, his other incarnations were forging the physical vessel of the sword. He had used precious materials to create the alloy for it �� the heart of the Winter Beast, a treasury of blessed metals, the arrow of the Shadow Realm, Neph''s soul flame, and even his own blood.


    But really, those materials were not quite as important as it seemed.


    Because his sword would be a living thing, and therefore, would grow and change as a living thing.


    The spellweave was the same. Before, Sunny had only ever created weaves that were strictly limited by their design. But this weave... this weave was meant to be different.


    It was just as intricately designed, just as purposefully crafted. But it was also not as strict, aiming to be merely the beginning instead of the unchangeable end.


    As Nephis grew, the spellweave of her sword was meant to grow as well.


    Grow more powerful, but also, if need be... different.


    The most frightening thing in the world was that which was unknown. And since both Sunny and Nephis had set their hearts on waging war against the world, they were fated to fight against the unknown. They were destined to face dreadful threats they had no prior knowledge of, and therefore could not prepare for.


    Thus, the most deadly of swords...


    Was a sword that had the ability to learn.

 Chapter 2058: Shadow Forge

    In the forge, sweat rolled down Sunny''s body as he hammered the incandescent bar of blessed alloy. Furious white sparks danced in the air �� these ones not the immaterial sparks of soul essence, but the very real, white-hot particles of burning metal. The heat was sweltering, and the shadows flowed as the brilliant flames danced in the immolating furnace.


    Sunny would have already singed his hair and received countless terrible burns if not for the Onyx Shell, which protected him against heat and fire. His expression was focused, and his hand was steady, delivering devastating blows of the black hammer at a steady rhythm.


    The cadence of his blows and the ringing of metal filled the dark expanse of the forge chamber, which was hidden from the world in its own dimension, with a furious, but beautiful melody.


    The force he unleashed with each blow was enough to shatter the gates of a castle and topple its walls, sunder mountains and split the earth. However, the blessed alloy resisted it stubbornly, putting up an exhausting fight.


    Still... Sunny was not one to lose a battle.


    He hammered the bar of alloy to flatten it, then folded it and repeated the process �� again, and again, and again, layering the blessed steel over itself countless times. This was not done to remove impurities �� there were none �� but rather to make the composition of the future blade uniform, spreading the ashes, the obsidian dust, and the remnants of his blood across its length evenly.


    From time to time, he would thrust the bar of alloy back into the furnace and allow the incinerating white flames burning within to lick it freely. He also steadily fed more fuel to the fire �� wood of the ancient, abominable trees that grew in the Hollows of Godgrave, and from the Burned Forest as well.


    And then, at some point...


    Something strange happened.


    The fire suddenly grew weaker, forcing him to add more fuel to feed it, and do it more frequently. Sunny studied the furnace for a few moments before realizing what was happening.


    The blessed alloy was absorbing the soul flame. Every time he thrust it into the furnace, the incandescent metal drank the fire like a man dying of thirst in the desert. As such, the holy white flame permeated the alloy, changing it on a fundamental level and becoming one with it.


    And at the same time, the weave of the Memory he was still keeping from collapsing blazed with a new radiance, infused with the flame, as well.


    The ethereal string of essence suddenly burned his fingers, and his inky-black hands caught fire. For a few moments, the hands made of shadows were wreathed in blinding white flame. Then, they started to crumble. Only Weaver''s Needle, which he held in his real hand, remained unaffected, still emanating a soft golden glow.


    But one needle was not enough.


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny endured the blinding pain and called upon the shadows, rebuilding his hands at the same speed as the flames were devouring them. Just like that, he continued to weave while burning �� suffering, being turned to ash, and then being reborn from the shadows.


    His already pale face turned deathly white, but Sunny did not halt his work even for a moment.


    Just as his other incarnation was weaving a vast tapestry of essence strings in the dream world, he was doing the same here, repeating its every motion with absolute precision.


    At first, the two spellweaves were identical. But soon, the patterns of essence strings diverged, each creating a unique tapestry. These tapestries, however, were intimately tied �� each was one part of a single whole, meant to be seamlessly connected like two pieces of a vast puzzle.


    The forging hall of the Marvelous Mimic was filled with deafening ringing, flashes of light, and unbearable heat for a while.


    After some time �� and eternity, perhaps �� Sunny wiped the sweat off his brow and inhaled deeply, feeling the sizzling air scorch his burning lungs. His muscles were burning, too, having endured more strain than they would have in the most dire of battles.


    But he was finally satisfied with the alloy, having judged that it was ready to be shaped.


    Thrusting the incandescent bar of blessed metal into the furnace one more time, he allowed himself a moment of respite. The cool water from the Endless Spring touched his lips and flowed into his parched throat, replenishing his strength and making him feel a sense of tranquil bliss.


    Pouring some of it on his head, Sunny shook his wet hair and let out a satisfied sigh. Then, grasping the handle he had fashioned out of scrap metal, he pulled the blessed alloy out of the furnace and placed it on the anvil once again.


    ''Grow heavy...''


    "You look... a little off."


    He simply shook his head.


    "It''s fine. I am just a bit... overwhelmed. The mental pressure is staggering, but my concentration can''t be broken. So, I am shutting down things that serve no purpose."


    Sunny had forced some of his incarnations to close their eyes, so that absorbing visual data did not strain his mind. He had abandoned listening to his shadow sense altogether. If an incarnation did not need to stand, he stopped trying to keep it standing. Anything that was not connected to forging the sword or weaving its enchantments was being sacrificed...


    And even then, he was barely managing. Even the vision of those incarnations that had to see was slowly turning blurry, and his coordination was suffering.


    Nephis frowned.


    "Why are you wasting energy on an unimportant thing like talking to me, then?"


    Sunny smiled wider.


    "Talking to you can never be unimportant."


    Then, his gaze lost focus, and his expression grew absent.


    With a sigh, he closed his eyes again.


    "It has... been so long, already... but that''s alright... it will be finished soon..."


    Indeed, the forging had continued for countless hours �� he had lost count of them, at least. But the final part was swiftly approaching.


    Out there in the forge, his original body had already shaped the blade. Currently, billowing clouds of scorching steam were rising from the vessel where the sword was being quenched. They had already filled the forge entirely, but the incandescent blade was still refusing to cool down.


    Sunny was pouring more water from the Endless Spring into the vessel, threatening to empty the beautiful glass bottle for the first time in a decade.


    Then, he would have to polish and grind the blade to sharpen it, affix the crossguard, fit the hilt on the tang, and put the pommel in place.


    The spellweave here in the dream was not far from reaching the point of near-completion, as well �� granted, even that small distance seemed dreadful and daunting to Sunny, who was mentally exhausted and physically drained, almost more so than he was able to endure.


    After that, the most important part of the forging would be upon him.


    He would have to connect the real version of the sword to its dream counterpart, thus completing the last enchantment.


    And binding the blade to Neph''s soul.


    ...The second of his incarnations staggered and fell down.


    Sunny inhaled deeply.


    ''One last push.''


    His hands moved with stunning speed and beautiful grace, expanding the vast tapestry of radiant strings even further.

 Chapter 2059: Final Step

    By the time Sunny was nearly finished with the weave, two of his four incarnations had collapsed and turned into shadows. The shadows then crawled across the emerald grass tiredly before wrapping themselves around the third.


    That third incarnation, which had been responsible for weaving the vast and intricate tapestry of radiant strings, did not look too good itself. Its four shadow hands had been shredded and rebuilt so many times that their shape was now vague and immaterial, not quite intangible, but also far from being solid.


    And although the countless terrible burns and bone-deep cuts he had suffered were already healed by the purifying white flames, the burden of having suffered them remained, making him look ragged and frail. His eyes were like two pools of deep darkness, obscuring the fragile state of his exhausted mind.


    Sunny took a deep breath, and then allowed the four shadow hands to dissolve into nothingness. At the same time, the incarnation standing in front of Nephis swayed and collapsed into a shadow, as well. The warmth permeating his entire being ceased, leaving him feeling cold and alone.


    Nephis looked at him with a silent question.


    Sunny smiled weakly.


    "I wish... you could see it."


    Above them, below them, all around them... the world was permeated by a grand weave of radiant strings. They stretched in all directions, almost invisible in the breathtaking brilliance of the seven suns,


    reflecting in the resplendent ocean of the Soul Sea like a constellation map of a vast and distant heaven.


    It was utterly beautiful.


    It was also a weave of a much greater scale than anything he had ever created before, and his masterpiece �� if he could be so bold as to praise himself so unapologetically.


    No one else in this era could perceive spellweaves, anyway, so there was nobody to praise him but himself.


    Sunny sighed.


    "It is almost finished... I hope you slept well."


    Out in the real world, his original body knelt on the floor, breathing raggedly. He pressed his forehead against the floor, hoping to find a reprieve from the scorching inferno of the overheated forge... but there was no coolness to be found, and therefore no respite.


    The forging was over.


    A beautiful silver longsword lay on the anvil in front of him. Its elegant blade was long and narrow, flawlessly sharp. Its crossguard was straight and devoid of useless adornments. Its hilt was carved from a piece of ivory, while its pommel was cast from the same silvery alloy.


    Even laying there motionlessly, the sword emanated an oppressive feeling of cold, inevitable lethality, as if simply touching it could draw blood and rob one of their very life.


    It was deadly and beautiful... just like the woman it was meant for.


    Forging it had been a daunting trial.


    Sunny was utterly drained and exhausted, both physically and mentally. He had barely remembered the last time he was that tired �� and in such pain, as well.


    The memory of his hands being burned by the white flames made him shudder. He had suffered the harrowing agony for many hours, each feeling like an eternity. Every moment, every movement, every breath had felt like hell.


    ...But the appalling had been helpful to him, too.


    Because feeling a distant echo of the pain Nephis felt every time she used her Aspect strengthened his determination to forge a sword worthy of her resolve, and imbue the essence of the sword with it.


    He had forged the blade, polished and sharpened it, affixed the crossguard, hilt, and pommel...


    He had also woven a complicated weave of enchantments into the silvery sword.


    But his work wasn''t over.


    The most complicated part still remained.


    Sunny inhaled deeply, struggling to keep the vast weave from coming undone under the pressure.


    "What is happening?"


    He struggled to speak, overwhelmed by the need to fight against the laws of existence to force his will onto them.


    "It is... the last step."


    Sunny tried to inhale.


    "Nephis..."


    She looked at him, concern apparent on her face.


    Sunny tried to smile.


    "Wake up, Nephis. This dream... should be over."


    She frowned, as if only now remembering that they were inside a dream.


    In the next moment, her expression changed subtly, and the world around them started to crumble.


    But it was of no matter.


    Because Sunny had already accomplished everything he wanted to accomplish here.


    The two parts of the vast weave he had woven were being tied together.


    They were becoming whole.


    A shadow was deeply connected to one''s soul, after all, and so were one''s dreams.


    So, by weaving an enchantment onto the dream of Neph''s soul, and by sewing the shadow of the sword to her shadow, Sunny had managed to connect the two.


    The weave of the physical vessel of the sword united with the weave of its dream counterpart seamlessly. It was a perfect fit... of course it was. Sunny had designed the two to be one whole, after all, and had executed his design flawlessly.


    And as the two weaves connected, the vast tapestry flashed with blinding light... becoming visible to the naked eye for a short moment.


    That was the last thing Nephis saw before waking up.


    Opening her eyes in her chamber at the top of the Ivory Tower, she looked around dazedly, and then sat up.


    The runic circle around her bed was slowly losing its ethereal glow.


    Sunny was kneeling in front of the bed and resting his head on it, as pale as a ghost.


    And there was something else...


    Feeling a cold weight, Nephis looked down.


    There, a dreadful, beautiful sword was resting easily in her hand.


    As if meant to be held by it.

 Chapter 2060: The Blessing

    Chapter 2060: The Blessing


    Nephis studied the beautiful longsword, then carefully raised her hand, trying to make as little noise as possible.


    A moment later, she caught herself and realized how comical her action was. She was afraid to disturb the dreams of the man who was sleeping soundly with his head resting on her bed, his silky black hair scattered across the bedsheet. As if he was not the great and terrible Lord of Shadows, the sinister Saint who had crushed a dozen Transcendent champions of Song while laughing.


    ...But he was also Master Sunless, the sweet and gentle enchanter who had become her spellsmith, companion, and lover.


    It was just that he had looked so drained there, in her dream. And that he looked so tired here in the real world, as well.


    His porcelain skin was even paler than usual, and his lovely features were sunken and sharp, the labored breaths escaping quietly from between his lips.


    She froze for a moment, surprised by the unexpected and unfamiliar feeling swelling in her chest.


    Was it... tenderness?


    Nephis was not an unfeeling monster, of course. She had experienced affection. Concern and worry about those who were dear to her, too �� however, this subtle, but intense feeling was new.


    It was both bitter and sweet... but mostly sweet.


    And daunting.


    She looked at him for a few moments too long, then slowly shifted her gaze to the beautiful longsword.


    The sword... was both familiar and strange. It looked very similar to her faithful and reliable companion, the Dream Blade �� the weapon she had wielded on the Forgotten Shore, during the long and lonely journey to the Underworld, and into the horrors of the Second Nightmare. But it was also so much more.


    It was much more striking, to start. The narrow and flawlessly straight blade seemed to shine in the splendid rays of sunlight, so bright that it was almost blinding. The ivory hilt felt cool and welcoming in her hand, as if it was meant to be there. The weight was perfect. The balance was beyond reproach.


    The design of the sword was simple and elegant, with no needless embellishments or adornments. However, there was graceful beauty to the few stylistic elements it did possess... it was pure and true to its purpose, alien to all compromise and pretense, just as a killing implement was supposed to be.


    There was also a chillingly lethal aura to it that was both cold and scorching, as if the sword possessed a presence of its own. The strangest part, however, was that the sword felt... warm and responsive to her touch, as if it was almost alive.


    It was breathtaking.


    Nephis found herself reluctant to look away from the resplendent blade. She also felt a rush of childish excitement, wanting to immediately jump off the bed and play with it... perform a few sets of training katas, that was, to get familiar with its feel and weight.


    But she forced herself to stay still, and instead summoned the runes.


    Her gaze swiftly focused on the new and unfamiliar string of them.


    Holding her breath, she studied the runes:


    Memory: Blessing.


    Memory Rank: [???]


    Memory Tier: [???]


    Her gaze slid lower, to the runes comprising the description of the beautiful sword.


    They read:


    Memory Description: [Ascending the path, Changing Star said thus to the -unknown-:


    "You have to light yourself on fire to reap the blessings of the fire. That was what my grandmother used to say, so that was what I did. I doused myself in oil, and set myself aflame. And I burned."


    ...The -unknown- listened.]


    Nephis frowned.


    ''When did I pass out, anyway?''


    Before Sunny could will himself awake, a blinding flash suddenly shone through his eyelids. Opening his eyes with a start, he just managed to catch a glimpse of a ray of pure white light entering Neph''s body.


    She was illuminated from within for a moment, as if there was a literal star burning in her chest. Then, the radiance dimmed, and he could see her lovely features clearly once again.


    Neph had a distant expression on her face, tilting her head a little. It was as if she was listening to something happening inside her soul.


    The sword he had forged was nowhere to be seen...


    It took Sunny a few moments to realize the implication.


    His eyes widened.


    Jerking upright, she stared at her and asked hurriedly:


    "Did it work?"


    Sunny had collapsed from exhaustion immediately after finishing sewing the shadow of the sword and Neph''s shadow together, so he did not even have the chance to study the result.


    Had his binding held?


    Did the Spell do what it was supposed to and oversee the process?


    And not quite as importantly, and just as curiously...


    How had it named the new Memory? What description had it given it?


    Usually, Sunny named and described the Memories he crafted personally. But reforging the Dream Blade was different �� after all, he had never taken it from Neph''s soul. It had always remained a Memory belonging to a carrier of the Nightmare Spell, and therefore, one under the Spell''s purview. That was the whole point.


    Nephis lingered for a moment, then shifted and looked at him with a faint smile.


    With that, she outstretched her hand. It shone with a soft radiance, and a ray of radiant light shot from it, instantly taking the form of a beautiful longsword.


    The sunlight reflected on its silvery blade, making the room feel brighter.


    Sunny let out a relieved sigh.


    That was not all, though...


    A moment later, the longsword ignited with incandescent light, making its presence feel even more daunting... overwhelming, even. Nephis must have used her Aspect to augment it.


    Infused with soul flame, the silver blade seemed like a narrow line of pristine whiteness, a rift in the fabric of reality that cut the world in half. It was so pure and bright that he struggled to discern if the weapon Nephis was holding was still made from steel, or had simply turned into a sharp, narrow plain of radiant flame.


    Then, the shape of the sword suddenly rippled, and it turned into a stream of liquid fire... or incandescent metal, perhaps. That stream flowed down Neph''s right arm, wrapping around it and turning into a silver bracelet.


    She studied it with a curious expression, then looked back at Sunny and beamed with a brilliant smile.


    "Yes. It worked."


    The stoic, unflappable Changing Star...


    Was just like an excited girl who had received a shiny new toy.


    Looking at her, Sunny couldn''t help but smile, as well.


    ''...I should forge her soulbound relics more often.''

 Chapter 2061: Soul Sword

    Not too long after both of them woke up, Sunny found himself sitting on the stone floor, leaning on Neph''s bed... while she danced with the Blessing.


    Honestly, he was feeling a little neglected. The damned sword seemed to have stolen all her attention. Still, he had gotten the opportunity to watch Neph''s lithe body move through the fluid motions of a beautiful sword dance, instead...


    That, at least, was a consolation.


    Of course, she was not really dancing �� she was performing swift sequences of attacks and defensive movements to get acquainted with the soul sword. However, her style had always been graceful and fluid, so she might as well have been.


    Her white tunic flew and fluttered with every swift motion, contouring the supple lines of her slender body, and her silver hair shone beautifully in the radiant sunlight. The lustrous blade was like a splendid haze, dancing alongside her.


    It was quite a lovely view.


    Sunny was still utterly drained and exhausted after forging the Blessing. It was hard to keep track of time in Godgrave, but the process had lasted many days, testing the limits of his physical and mental endurance both. So, for now, he allowed himself to relax and enjoy the sight.


    His thoughts drifted lazily to what he had learned about the silver longsword.


    Nephis had given him an opportunity to study the Blessing �� impatient to try it out as she might have been �� before pulling the sword out of his hands. She had also shared most of the information provided to her by the runes.


    All except for the description... she seemed strangely reluctant to talk about that part of it.


    Now that the Blessing had been Bound to Nephis and became an Attribute, a literal part of her being, it was not a Memory anymore. Therefore, Sunny could not see its weave... only he could, somewhat, due to a special trait of one of the enchantments he had woven. Having personally turned the Dawn Shard into the Crown of Dawn �� a Supreme Memory of immense power �� he did not wish to lose the potential synergy between his two great creations. So, he made sure that the Blessing retained some traits of a Memory while becoming an Attribute, and could thus be augmented by Neph��s crown.


    So, he was able to confirm that the Spell had indeed improved upon his design, bringing its various elements together like a binding agent... much like his blood had done to the ingredients of the blessed alloy. He was going to need some time to truly understand what changes it had made, but Sunny had no doubt. He would be able to master the crafting of soulbound Memories �� no, shadowbound Memories �� before too long.


    The difference between the two was subtle, and not entirely important. In the end, Sunny did not manage to repeat what Nether had done �� instead, he invented his own way of achieving the same result.


    What mattered was that the Binding ended in success. One of the seven enchantments that the Blessing possessed was named accordingly, [Bound] �� functionally the same as the trait of his Mantle. It made the silver longsword equal in Rank and Class to the soul of its wielder, meaning that at the moment, the Blessing was akin to a Transcendent Memory of the Seventh Tier.


    Apart from being [Bound], it possessed two core and four auxiliary enchantments.


    The fundamental enchantment of the silver longsword shared the name with the original blade that served as its source �� the Dream Blade... a fitting name for a weapon meant to be wielded by a Dreamspawn, and earned by her for slaying herself to destroy a dream in the depths of a Nightmare.


    The [Dream Blade] enchantment governed the form of the Blessing. Just like the Mantle possessed two forms �� one passive, one active �� so did the fiery sword. In its dormant state, the Blessing slumbered in Neph''s soul and bestowed several boons upon her.


    Among them were increased resistance against soul attacks �� now drastically more powerful than the original enchantment of the Dream Blade �� as well as an increased rate of both soul essence replenishment and spirit essence absorption.


    That last one... was curious. Sunny was not entirely sure how it functioned, but he had an idea. Neph''s source element was the longing she inspired in other people, and therefore, the more people were moved by her, the more plentiful the currents of her spirit essence grew. The [Dream Blade] obviously did not increase the number of those who had awoken to a deep yearning because of Nephis...


    But if Sunny''s guess was correct, it did allow her to draw power from their dreams. In other words, the people ensnared by the web of her nascent Domain were adding to the stream of spirit essence even when they slept.


    The [Change] was rather simple when compared to the other two auxiliary enchantments... or simply familiar, perhaps. It allowed the Blessing to change both shape and form.


    However, there was another quality to the [Change]. It also allowed the Blessing to shift between states �� be it steel, liquid metal, compressed flame, or even pure light. Nephis would have to explore the ramifications of that ability herself and find proper uses for each of the states, but its most important boon was quite obvious.


    It was that the Blessing could merge with her Transcendent form in its flaming and radiant states, thus imbuing her with its traits and enchantments �� similar to how Serpent could fuse with Shadow Shells Sunny created to grant them its.


    This gave Nephis a choice on how to use the Blessing while Transformed �� whether to wield it in her hand, or simply make it a part of her hand, as well as of her entire radiant body.


    Finally, the last of the four auxiliary traits was [Ruin]. That one... the soul sword seemed to have inherited from the black arrow Sunny had sacrificed to create the blessed alloy.


    Bearing a breath of the Shadow Realm and the echo of the killing intent of its mysterious inhabitant, the Blessing had attained a death will of its own. It was very much like the [Slaying Blade] Ability of the Soul Serpent, making the soul sword more lethal to those beings who were able to bend the world to their will... albeit much weaker.


    Most of it would still depend on Neph''s own murderous will, of course, but the sword itself was going to enhance her lethality. Sunny was not worried about the quality of her killing intent, really, considering that Nephis had been preaching murder from the days they were both teenagers. But every little bit helped, not that the [Ruin] was that little of a boon.


    This one, he had designed himself in its entirely. And although it was not as consistently useful as the [Flame Conduit], at the end of the day, it was utterly and undeniably more vital.


    Because it was an enchantment meant to tip the scales of those dire battles where everything that could go wrong went wrong, and Nephis was pushed to her very limit. The battles against the truly powerful foes... the ones that mattered the most.


    It increased the power and lethality of the Blessing in direct proportion to how heavily Neph''s soul was damaged.


    That went well with the essence of her Transcendent Battle Art, of course, and would be useful against enemies capable of wounding and destroying the souls of living beings.


    But fundamentally, the [Blessing of the Fire] was aimed at something else.


    It was aimed at Nephis herself, and her ability to burn her soul in order to ignite with incredible power. Like she had done in Twilight, and while escaping from the clutches of Condemnation as well. Neph''s self��sacrificial act of igniting her soul was a form of dealing direct damage to it, too.


    So, if she ever had to mutilate her own soul severely �� meaning that she had faced a truly overwhelming enemy �� the sword would become exponentially more powerful the worse the state of her soul became. If she sacrificed one soul core... two, three, six of them... it would grow stronger and stronger, until its power reached a limit that even Sunny was afraid to imagine.


    And that was it, the sword he had created.


    A beautiful sword.


    A deadly sword...


    And would cut down the Sovereigns much sooner.


    Sunny sighed.


    It was worth the effort.

 Chapter 2062: Sacrificial Blade

    2062 Sacrificial Blade


    [Flame Conduit] was perhaps one of the most straightforward enchantments of the Blessing, as well as one of the most consistently impactful. Although other traits of the soul sword were more astounding, Sunny was secretly proud of this one the most.


    It had two functions. One allowed the Blessing to serve as a fulcrum for Neph''s flames, channeling them in a more compressed and focused manner. In other words, she could use the Blessing to control fire more easily or produce jets of flame �� rays of light, maybe �� that were narrow and sharp enough to slice apart the most durable of tangible objects.


    This was especially useful because these rays had much greater length and reach than the blade of the sword itself. Since Sunny and Nephis often faced enemies of a much greater size than their own, such an ability was exceedingly convenient to possess on the battlefield.


    The second function was more subtle, but had been infinitely more difficult to weave into existence. It drew upon the nature of the blessed alloy and the innate affinity of the soul sword to Neph''s soul flame, increasing the efficiency of her Dormant Ability when applied to the Blessing.


    Simply put, it made the result of augmenting the silver longsword greater without affecting the potency of the Ability itself. The increase was not too drastic, perhaps adding a few tenths to the overall strength of enhancement... for now, at least. Sunny hoped that as the Blessing grew more powerful, this function of the [Flame Conduit] would evolve further, as well.


    Needless to say, such an enhancement was a real boon, especially because it did not demand an additional cost to be paid. Even though it did not double the efficacy of the soul flame augmentation, it still increased it by a considerable amount... and if Nephis poured more of her flame onto the soul sword, the effects would only mount.


    Sunny was quite satisfied with himself greatly for achieving this feat. That pattern of the overall spellweave had been incredibly intricate and complicated, having demanded a similarly stunning amount of effort to design.


    The [Purifying Light], in comparison... was not something he could take full credit for. It was another enchantment that differed from his original design.


    The soul sword would grow stronger and more deadly when wielded against creatures who had succumbed to Corruption, as if its light was antithetical to the appalling darkness dwelling within their souls. Purifying it... in a quite final manner.


    That went well with the essence of her Transcendent Battle Art, of course, and would be useful against enemies capable of wounding and destroying the souls of living beings.


    But fundamentally, the [Blessing of the Fire] was aimed at something else.


    It was aimed at Nephis herself, and her ability to burn her soul in order to ignite with incredible power. Like she had done in Twilight, and while escaping from the clutches of Condemnation as well. Neph''s self��sacrificial act of igniting her soul was a form of dealing direct damage to it, too.


    So, if she ever had to mutilate her own soul severely �� meaning that she had faced a truly overwhelming enemy �� the sword would become exponentially more powerful the worse the state of her soul became. If she sacrificed one soul core... two, three, six of them... it would grow stronger and stronger, until its power reached a limit that even Sunny was afraid to imagine.


    And that was it, the sword he had created.


    A beautiful sword.


    A deadly sword...


    And would cut down the Sovereigns much sooner.


    Sunny sighed.


    It was worth the effort.

 Chapter 2063: Total War

    The war raged on, spreading like a cancer in all directions.


    The main camp of the Sword Army was becoming more and more desolate. Every day, new troops were leaving it to head west, where they were meant to participate in the inevitable and dreadful siege of the Crossing Strongholds. Some were being sent to garrison the new extermination outposts as the remains of the Breastbone Reach fell to the might of the King of Swords, instead...


    However, the city-like camp was not being completely abandoned �� a considerable force was being left behind to guard it. After all, it was still the most important logistical hub for the Sword Army, both receiving the supply caravans climbing the left arm of the dead deity and housing the Dream Gate.


    Sunny and Nephis spent the last few blissful days together, watching the once-lively avenues of the warcamp grow silent and waiting for the order that would call her back to the frontline. Without having to say anything, they both seemed in a hurry to enjoy each other''s company while there still was time...


    The future was unclear, and there was nothing like the promise of death to make one''s heart beat faster, and make them want to voraciously relish life.


    But to their surprise, the inevitable parting never came.


    Instead, the King''s order was delivered by Saint Tyris personally. He did not simply command Nephis to return �� he commanded her to bring the Ivory Island with her, intending to turn it into the cornerstone of the future siege.


    So, they released its seven anchors and started the slow journey to the Western Collarbone Plain, at the precipice of which the decisive battles of the war were going to take place.


    As they traveled across Godgrave on the flying island, blood was being spilled.


    The Sword Army was pursuing the forces of Song across the northern parts of the Breastbone Reach, engaging in frequent skirmishes and battling the spreading scarlet infestation.


    Somewhere else,the conquest expeditions were braving the darkest parts of Godgrave.


    Far in the south, Mordret and Morgan were still locked in a fratricidal battle for control over Bastion.


    The agents Song were not shy when retaliating against the government forces, seeing them as collaborators of the Sword Domain. Government Saints were defending Bastion, after all... the servants of the Queen did not go out of their way to attack the government soldiers, but did not hesitate to act against those of them who became an obstacle either.


    Which, not at all unexpectedly, only pushed the government deeper into the embrace of the Sword Domain. As a result, the forces of Song were being pushed back both in the Dream Realm and in the waking world, losing ground with each day.


    The Song compound in NQCS still stood, protecting the approach to the Dream Gate, but there were already many breaches in its scorched walls.


    Even the Awakened Academy was not spared, a section of its defensive barrier crumbling for the first time since being built decades earlier.


    It was appalling. It was utter madness.


    ...It was war.


    And as if responding to the madness of the human war, the world itself seemed to start coming undone under the pressure.


    The already rapid increase in the number of the Nightmare Gates opening across the territories held by humanity had grown even more. A flood of abominations flowed into the waking world, threatening to overwhelm its already strained defenses. More people were succumbing to the Spell,and therefore more Sleepers were losing their lives while challenging its first trial.


    The process was gradual, and the situation worsened one small step at a time. People of the modern era were well-accustomed to hardships and calamities, and distracted by the tectonic changes caused by the Great Domain War, as well. So, like a frog being boiled in the slowly heating pan, they were slow to notice that the dire reality surrounding them was dreadful even beyond the terrible norm.


    Still, even they were slowly growing aware of how much worse it was than it had ever been... with no indicator that things would eventually grow better, as they had always done before.


    In that tense and heavy atmosphere, the war in Godgrave was swiftly approaching its final stage.

 Chapter 2064: Fragments of War (1)

    "T��tamar!"


    Rain desperately dashed back, trying to avoid the claws of an appalling beast that had lunged at her from the underbrush. All around her, the battered remains of the centuria were besieged by the rabid Nightmare Creatures. The world was painted in the shades of scarlet, and her feet were drowning in the soft moss.


    The main body of the Song Army was far ahead, having most likely already reached the Crossing Stronghold. However, many small squads had been sent back to slow down the vanguard forces of the Sword Domain and make them pay dearly for every step they took.


    There were traps, ambushes, and countless skirmishes being fought under the indifferent grey sky of Godgrave. Most importantly of all...


    The extermination outposts had been destroyed days ago, and now, the scarlet jungle was spreading feverishly across the weathered surface of the sun-bleached bone once again.


    Having accomplished their missions, the rearguard forces of the Song Army had to flee north �� unfortunately, they had to brave the abominable jungle themselves in order to escape.


    Tamar''s soldiers were among those unfortunate souls who had been ordered to stay back. They ambushed the scouts of the Sword Army in the charred ruins of a destroyed outpost, fought a bloody skirmish, and then retreated before the enemy reinforcements could arrive.


    They had lost many good men in the battle against the warriors of the Sword Domain... but they had lost many more to the hungry jungle on the way north.


    After several long months of the terrible war, no more than a half of the soldiers remained alive.


    ''Damn it...''


    Rain slid on the scarlet moss, blocked the beasts''s jaws with her black tachi, and used the abomination''s own momentum to throw it to the ground.


    It was a perfect moment to deliver a fatal blow �� the only moment she would receive, perhaps. The black tachi was positioned perfectly to fall down and end the creature''s life. But although Rain''s muscles remembered the motions of thrusting the tachi into the beast''s neck with painful clarity, and her mind willed it, her hands did not move.


    The moment had come and passed. Rain''s eyes widened.


    The beast twisted, jumped to its feet, and lunged at her once again.


    ''Damn it!''


    Rain had no choice but to retreat once again. This time, the claws of the abomination brushed against her side, failing to cut the black lusterless leather of her light armor, but still sending a sharp jolt of pain through her body. There would be angry black bruises covering her ivory skin come morning...


    She was in a terrible position.


    The abomination was in a murderous frenzy, lusting to kill Rain �� but Rain could not do the same.


    Tearing the scarlet moss with its claws, the Nightmare Creature lunged forward, its maw opening wide, as if to bite her in two.


    For a moment, everything seemed to grow still... except for Rain''s shadow, which stirred slightly on the ground.


    Then, at the last moment, she sidestepped to avoid the maw of the frenzied beast. At the same time, her hands moved, untying the black sash from her waist.


    Rain dodged the enraged abomination like a graceful toreador and looped the beautiful silk sash around its neck.


    Then, allowing the momentum of the abomination''s charge to carry her forward, she poured her essence into the [In Case of Emergency] and activated its single enchantment.


    Originally, that enchantment had been meant to save her from turning to ash in case the Cloudveil broke unexpectedly, flooding Godgrave with incinerating white light. It was supposed to fix the wearer of the black sash in space, making them completely still.


    But currently, it wasn''t Rain who was wearing the sash. Since it was wrapped around the abomination, for all intents and purposes, it was the abominations who was wearing it.


    So, when the enchantment of the [In Case of Emergency] activated, it was the abomination that was frozen in place, coming to a sudden halt.


    Rain staggered and hung on the beast''s neck, still gripping the black sash tightly.


    The enchantment had been... calibrated?... to work on an Awakened being of approximately her weight. However, currently, she was forcefully immobilizing a much heavier creature of a higher Rank.


    Therefore, her soul essence was dwindling with terrible speed.


    "Tamar!"


    She had maybe half a dozen seconds left...


    Luckily, just a few moments later, a swift figure leaped from somewhere above and landed near Rain in a whirlwind of steel. The brutish zweihander fell, biting into the neck of the abomination �� it did not quite manag to behead it in one strike, but the wound was deep enough to reveal the white spine of the frozen creature.


    Tamar balanced herself in one fluid motion, then delivered a second strike, cleanly cutting the abomination''s head off.


    Glancing at Rain, she let out a hoarse breath, lingered for a moment, and then asked neutrally:


    "You called?"

 Chapter 2066: Fragments of War (3)

    Godgrave was a strange land. Although it was vast like a continent, to the point that it was easy to forget its true nature while traversing the vast plains of white bone, the titanic skeleton was just that �� the remains of an inconceivable giant.


    As such, its topography was strange and alien at times. The same was true to the points where the colossal breastbone connected to the immense collarbones. There was no smooth transition from one to another �� instead, the ground simply sloped downward, rolling into a vast and seemingly bottomless chasm.


    Of course, it was possible to descend into the darkness, reach the distant bottom, and climb back to the surface on the other side, then completing the crossing. But transporting entire armies in this manner was not feasible... not to mention that the lower part of the chasm was covered in a thick layer of soft ash, and all kinds of horrors could be hiding under its surface.


    So, the Song Army had constructed fortified bridges at the two points where the chasm was the narrowest, and built mighty strongholds to guard them.


    The greater stronghold was located at the point where Breastbone Reach connected to Western Collarbone Plain directly. The other was technically a chain of two lesser strongholds at both ends of the Western First Rib.


    Both of the Crossing Strongholds had been built to withstand terrible sieges, so taking them by force was a daunting task.


    The Song Army also fully intended to destroy the bridges before the enemy arrived...


    But they had not destroyed them yet, because there were still Song soldiers trickling into the strongholds after spilling blood to slow down the approaching Sword Army.


    The Greater Crossing Stronghold made for an impressive sight. It was hard to deliver building materials to Godgrave, so it was mostly built from local materials �� namely, lumber scavenged from the ancient jungle of the Hollows.


    The mystical wood was tougher than any mundane alloy could ever be,to the point that it sometimes seemed nearly indestructible. Sadly, it had an apparent weakness �� it burned all too well, which made it vulnerable to fire attacks. Even if Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan was not fighting on the enemy side, this vulnerability could prove fatal.


    So, there was an additional layer of protection atop the mystical lumber �� the hides of countless abominations were stretched over the entire fortress, serving as a shield against flame.


    Much of it had belonged to the Great Demon who the Queen had slain immediately after descending to Godgrave. The bones of the gargantuan ape, meanwhile, had served to reinforce the structure of the fortress wall and of its gates.


    The fortress built from the bones of a Great Demon oversaw the entrance to the bridge, while a tall wall stretched in both directions for many kilometers, serving as a barrier for any being that could try climbing out of the dark chasm.


    The bridge itself was long and wide, built to accommodate a great army of countless Awakened, transformed Saints, and abominable thralls of Beastmaster.


    The battered remains of Tamar''s centuria were currently crossing it, having finally reached safety.


    Two people were standing on the protruding bastion above the gates of the stronghold, looking down at their tiny figures from great height.


    One of them was Seishan, the Lost Princess of Song, while the other was her sister, Beastmaster.


    Beastmaster was looking down with a somber expression on her enchanting face. The scar marring her beautiful features seemed especially sacrilegious in the bright light of the overcast sky.


    She sighed.


    Then, a sudden smile illuminated her graceful face.


    "I know a thing or two about castles, you know."


    Beastmaster chuckled. Seishan remained silent for a few moments, and then added calmly:


    "A direct siege can be disastrous for the attacking side, if things go wrong. And that is what the King of Swords will do �� he will throw his soldiers at the walls of this fortress without holding anything back. Because time is not on his side. If he waits for too long, he will lose Bastion, and his power will be severely diminished."


    She shook her head.


    "After all, the outcome of this war will not be decided by the battles of mortals. It will be decided by the battle between the King of Swords and our mother. Everything we do is ultimately to give our Supreme a better chance at victory."


    Beastmaster did not respond for a while.


    Eventually, though, she said quietly:


    "I am not sure if you are overconfident or simply being a contrarian, but things are way worse than that. Look behind you... the soldiers are tired and terrified. The morale is low,and it will continue to plummet as the siege drags on. Whatever loyalty they have will dwindle, until, in the end, the Song Army army will break instead. No matter how great our fortress is, you can''t win a siege with a broken army, sister.. So, time isn''t on our side either."


    Seishan remained silent.


    Some time passed, and a few more battered groups of soldiers crossed the bridge.


    She looked at Beastmaster somberly.


    "...It''s not like we have a choice, though, do we?"


    Her words hung in the air, full of many meanings.


    Then, Seishan turned away and sighed.


    "That should be the last of them. We must blow up the bridge now."


    Soon, there was a thunderous explosion, and the great bridge connecting Collarbone Plain to Breastbone Reach shuddered. With a groaning sound, its central section collapsed into the darkness. Wreathed in a cloud of dust, debris rained down, and wisps of ash rose from below.


    The Greater Crossing Stronghold was ready for battle.

 Chapter 2065: Fragments of War (2)

    Eventually, the battle was over. The Nightmare Creatures had been eliminated, and the tired soldiers sprawled on the ground, breathing heavily.


    Rain was sitting on the scarlet moss, as well, cradling her bruised side with a somber expression. The sweltering heat of Godgrave was felt especially suffocating today, so she summoned the Green Canteen and poured cool water over her head.


    ''...I won''t survive like that.''


    She had thought that dealing with her Flaw was possible... and it was, most likely. However, learning how to deal with required time, which was hard to come by during a war, and tools that she lacked.


    Rain had managed so far with Tamar''s help, but how long could it last?


    Shifting her gaze, she looked at her shadow.


    Her brother was right there. His offer still stood. If she so wished, she could desert the Song Army at any moment and be whisked away to safety.


    Leaving her comrades �� and her principles �� behind.


    Looking away from the shadow, Rain studied her fellow soldiers.


    ''Fourty, fourty-one...''


    There were forty-two of them left. Less than half of the initial number... some had perished during the conquest of the Collarbone Citadel, some while subjugating the wild reaches of the Breastbone Reach. Many fell during the Battle of Godheart, and finally, many more died during the retreat north.


    Most of the forty-two Awakened had suffered minor wounds, while some were wounded severely. There had been two healers in the centuria before, but now, there was only Fleur. Her essence, sadly, wasn''t endless.


    Mercifully �� or perhaps cruelly �� there were relatively few people who were wounded heavily enough to require her immediate treatment. That was because the Nightmare Creatures dwelling in the jungle were too powerful, and most people who became their prey simply died.


    It was a terrible thing, but also somewhat fortunate for these tired soldiers �� after all, they were pursued by the members of the Sword Army.Each person who could not march on their own would slow the rest down.


    Just as Rain considered this matter, Tamar''s voice resounded across the recent battlefield.


    Receiving the canteen, she drank the cool water greedily.


    Exactly ten minutes later, the battered troop left the scene of the battle, not even bothering to harvest soul shards from of the bodies of the Nightmare Creatures.


    Time was too short.


    They hurried north without making any stops. From time to time, a stray abomination would wonder into their path, forcing the soldiers to fight. Luckily, there were no more battles as sudden and dire as that last one had been, so Rain did not have to engage in melee.


    She was much safer, as well as much more effective, with a bow in her hands.


    [Heavy Burden], [Outskirts at Noon], and [Don''t Cut Yourself] �� the three arrows crafted for her by Sunny �� were far more excellent at slowing down and immobilizing the enemy than her deadly sword. Especially with how unerring Rain''s aim was. Once a Nightmare Creature was hit by one of them, it was much easier for other soldiers to finish it off.


    So, even though she was unable to kill anything anymore, she was still contributing plenty.


    Most of the soldiers did not even notice that the way Rain fought had changed. Only Ray and Fleur were attentive enough to know that something about her was different.


    "Are you... alright? Your aim is strangely off today."


    She simply forced out a smile.


    "Yeah, I''m fine. Just exploring what my new Memories can do."


    Ray seemed unconvinced, but nodded and left her alone inthe end.


    They braved the northernmost tip of the Breastbone Reach, fighting the many perils of the scarlet jungle on the way.


    There were several more skirmishes, but luckily enough,the veil of clouds above them broke after a few hours. A vast swathe of the jungle was annihilated, and once the clouds repaired themselves, Rain and her companions continued on their way north.


    After two more days of marching... they finally reached one of the two Crossing Strongholds.

 Chapter 2067: Fragments of War (4)

    Far to the south, the winds howled in the deep canyons that broke the surface of a sloping plain. Here on the femur of the dead deity, the ancient bone was covered in cracks, as if something had shattered it countless years ago.


    However, there were no scarlet vines protruding from the cracks, and no jungle covering the slopes of the titanic femur. The entire place was dead and silent, bathed in the scorching radiance of the cloudy sky.


    The femur stretched all the way down to the surface of the Sea of Ash, where even the Lord of Shadows did not dare step foot. It was unclear whether the tibia and fibula of the dead god were missing or simply buried in ash �� no human had ever made it to the ground before, and no one was mad enough to try and find out the truth.


    Currently, a battered troop of warriors was making its way across the desolate expanse of white bone, suffering in the unbearable heat. There were three Saints among them, commanding a force comprised of Ascended Knights �� those who were still alive, of course. Many had perished on the way.


    Sir Gilead, the Summer Knight, was walking at the head of the column. His lustrous armor was covered in dust and had lost its sheen, and his usually clean-shaven face was now covered by a short beard. His skin had turned darker with tan, and his fiercely blue eyes were squinting against the merciless radiance of the grey sky.


    Raising a hand, he wiped the sweat off his brow and lingered for a moment, listening to the howling wind.


    His expression darkened.


    The wind had grown stronger, bringing with it a refreshing coolness. The tired knights seemed invigorated by its touch, their movements becoming livelier.


    However, the Saints looked at each other somberly.


    One of them �� a man wearing a suit of heavy armor and a closed helmet despite the terrible heat �� spoke in a hoarse voice:


    "The wind is rising."


    The other, a woman carrying an ornate parasol, pulled up the scarf to cover her face and sighed heavily.


    Gilead lingered for a few moments, then nodded.


    "It is."


    He took a few more steps, then stopped and looked at the distant sky. After considering something for a few moments, Gilead continued walking.


    "We will try to get to the nearest fissure in time. We might get lucky..."


    By then, the knights had noticed that the wind was growing stronger, as well. Their faces paled, and a hint of subdued terror appeared in their eyes.


    "Ever so loyal..."


    Gilead smiled wistfully and raised a hand, shielding his face from the wind.


    The members of the expedition rushed south,hoping to find shelter before it was too late... precarious as it might have been. However, luck was not on their side.


    Before too long, the woman cursed and closed her parasol, afraid that its fragile frame would be broken by the powerful gale. Soon, the wind blowing from the depths of Godgrave had turned so powerful that even Masters were struggling to keep their balance, roaring as it blew across the sloping vastness of the dead god''s femur.


    Worse still...


    Dark flakes were raining from the sky, having been brought by the wind from the distant Sea of Ash.


    Knowing that there was no time anymore, Gilead stopped and gritted his teeth.


    Then he commanded his soldiers in a sober tone:


    "Halt. Form a circle! Defend your brothers!"


    The knights moved with the flawless precision of seasoned veterans. Whatever fear they might have felt had no effect on their readiness and coordination �� just a few moments later, the expedition force formed a tight circular formation, the sharp blades of their swords pointing outward like a steel palisade.


    The ash continued raining from the sky, and soon, the entire world was enveloped by a grey veil. The radiance of the overcast sky dimmed, and the suffocating heat had grown even more oppressive, battering the trembling humans like a celestial hammer.


    The visibility had been reduced almost to zero.


    In the twilight of the ashen storm, a brilliant light suddenly shone, chasing the darkness away. Gilead, who was standing shoulder to shoulder with his knights, had assumed his Transcendent form, turning into an ethereal figure that seemed to be woven out of pure, warm sunlight.


    On the other side of the circle, the man wearing a heavy suit of armor raised his mace. In the next moment, his body seemed to expand, turning into an enormous steel warrior.


    The woman was standing in the center of the circle, leaning lightly on her parasol. Her scarf was fluttering in the wind, and although her face was hidden by the fabric,her green eyes were glowing in the ashen twilight like two emerald flames.


    For a while, there was nothing in the grey world but the billowing clouds of swirling ash. There was no sound surrounding them but the howling of the wind.


    And yet, the Knights of Valor seemed terrified, staring into the grey void with fear, despair, and wary anticipation.

 Chapter 2068: Fragments of War (5)

    ...It came unseen, without sound, and without warning.


    Or maybe it had not come at all.


    The warriors of the Sword Army were still aiming their swords into the grey void, fearing �� hoping �� to see vague silhouettes of abominable creatures rushing at them from the ash.


    But just like before, there was no sign of the enemy.


    Instead, a knight standing by Gilead''s side had been there a moment before... but a moment later, he was gone.


    Gilead had not even noticed when the man disappeared. He simply became aware of an empty space to his left, and saw that no one was standing there after turning his head.


    ...By the time he turned his head back, the knight who had been standing to his right was gone, too.


    A stifled scream echoed in the grey void, being carried away by the wind. It was not the scream of one of the missing Masters �� instead, it was the scream of one of their comrades who had noticed the missing people, and could not contain his terror.


    Gilead could not blame him.


    Even he, who had braved the Third Nightmare and countless battles since, felt disturbed and uneasy, utterly powerless in this grey hell.


    This was the peril of getting too close to ground in Godgrave. When the wind rose, it carried clouds of ash from the sea below... and when the ash covered the world like a veil, beings who dwelled below rose to the surface, as well.


    He would have hoped to face them in battle, no matter how dire such a battle would be, but from the day they reached the edges of the scarlet jungle till today, no one had even glimpsed what the harrowing enemy looked like.


    They had been happy to escape the jungle at first. It was only later that Gilead realized that there was a reason why the scarlet infestation kept away from the lower reaches of the titanic femur.


    Because it was too close to the Sea of Ash... and they were too, now.


    Feeling angry and resentful, Gilead did the only thing he could do �� continue to study the ash and remain as vigilant as he could.


    ...By the time the winds died down and the clouds of ash dissipated, revealing the vast expanse of sun-bleached bone once more, only half of his soldiers remained. The valiant Knights of Valor �� those of them who remained �� simply slumped on the ground, their faces so pale that they resembled ghosts.


    Ashen.


    Gilead dismissed his Transformation Ability and remained motionless for a while, counting the survivors and noting which of his comrades were gone.


    Hopefully, dead... or maybe doomed to suffer a much more terrifying fate.


    It was while he was counting the vanished that the woman with the parasol approached him once more, her face resting in the cool shadow.


    Her green eyes were cold and somber.


    Why was she being so... bold? The Legacies from the vassal clans had always been less loyal to the throne than the members and retainers of Clan Valor were, true �� but still, they were sufficiently steadfast and devoted to the cause. More importantly than that, they simply had no choice but to be loyal.


    Because no one could defeat a Sovereign.


    What had changed?


    Was the pressure of the war and the mounting losses getting even to the proud Legacies? Or was this particular Legacy simply that impudent by nature?


    Eventually, he shrugged.


    "What does the King''s character have to do with me being loyal? It''s my loyalty, not his. I am the one who gave an oath, not him. If being true to a promise was predicated on how one felt about keeping it further down the road, then there wouldn''t be much worth to one''s word, would there?"


    The woman studied him for a while, then sighed and shook his head.


    "Yes... you are an icon of chivalry, Sir Gilead. A knight of whose nobility and virtue are beyond reproach. Do accept my ardent reverence and admiration. Still, what about the rest of us? It is fine if you are willing to march happily to your demise on the King''s order. But must you drag us with you?"


    Gilead stared at her silently for a few moments.


    Then, he smiled.


    "What are you talking about? Of course, I must. I mean..."


    He waved his hand south and added nonchalantly:


    "I can''t claim the Citadel myself, since I already have one in the Sword Domain. So, I need at least one other Saint to stay alive and do it for me."


    She looked at him, not amused.


    "Surely, you jest."


    Giland chuckled and turned away.


    "Old Jest would do, considering that Rivergate was destroyed. Sadly, he is not here. But we are, so... let''s get moving before the wind pick up again."


    The woman sighed and hid under her parasol, mumbling something under her breath.


    The rattled knights rose from the ground.


    A minute later, the remains of the conquest force continued on their way south.

 Chapter 2069: Fragments of War (6)

    In a world submerged in eternal darkness, a pale light was shining on the vast expanse of flowing water. However, it was unable to penetrate the dreadful depths of the subterranean ocean, reflecting from its surface like the map of a night sky.


    The gentle light was emanating from a beautiful woman who was sitting lonesomely on the rough surface of a stone cliff, looking at the dark water with a distant expression. She was delicate and lovely, with a slender build and a soft, enchanting face. Her hair was white, and her eyes seemed to glimmer with the afterglow of pale moonlight.


    The corpses of the drowned lay scattered around the radiant beauty, staring into the darkness with empty eyes.


    She was Moonveil, one of the seven Transcendent princesses of Song.


    Looking into the distance, Moonveil sighed and turned her head slightly, listening to the darkness.


    There were few sounds in the silence of the subterranean ocean. The distant hum of the great waterfalls that fed it, the tranquil murmurs of the flowing water, the eerie song of the powerful winds. The splintered pieces of a broken ship scraping quietly against the jagged stone.


    And there, coming closer, another sound...


    The powerful beating of someone''s mighty wings.


    Before too long, another figure landed on the cliff, wreathed in darkness.


    It was a beautiful demoness with flawless alabaster skin and tenebrous eyes, her silken hair falling down like glossy obsidian. Two horns crowned her head, and her black wings folded to wrap themselves around her shoulders, hanging down like a leathery cloak.


    Revel was effortlessly carrying a human corpse, drops of water falling from it to the wet stone. Considering her towering height, it looked like a toy in her pale hand.


    She placed the dead man gently on the ground and straightened, looking at him with a somber expression.


    Moonveil sighed.


    "...No survivors?"


    Revel lingered for a few moments, then slowly shook her head.


    "No. And I don''t think that I''ll find any more bodies, either... whoever is missing was probably swallowed by whatever it is that dwells in these cursed waters."


    The expedition the two of them led had departed from the Hollows of Breastbone Reach during a rainstorm. Overcoming countless perils, they navigated the treacherous network of rivers permeating the flooded jungle on an enchanted ship. Both Revel and Moonlight had to test the limits of their power, not holding anything back... even then, it was barely enough to survive.


    Then, they crossed into the Hollows of the Second Rib and followed the powerful currents across its dark length, eventually plummeting down toward the Spine Ocean.


    The journey had been long and difficult. Simply keeping the ship from being torn apart or crushed by the current was a tall task... and then, there were all the abominable monsters populating the hollow expanse of the titanic rib. There was the jungle itself, too �� the vast fields of man-eating seaweed, the slithering vines hanging from the darkness above, the island-sized water lilies that enchanted the sailors and then swallowed the enthralled humans with terrible maws...


    The closer to the Spine they traveled, the worse it became. They lost many good men and women before even reaching the subterranean ocean.


    But they did reach it, in the end.


    It was just that the ship had been shattered during the tumultuous crossing, and the crew had been drowned in the dark waters or killed by the creatures dwelling in the depths. R


    Now, the two of them were all who remained.


    They stayed silent for a while, looking at the drowned corpses.


    Moonveil titled her head a little.


    "Our pursuers? Have you seen them?"


    Revel smiled darkly.


    "Yes. They are a few dozen kilometers away. Their ships were destroyed while crossing into the Spine, as well, but many more of them have survived. They have plenty of monstrous aquatic Echoes �� some natural, some artificial. It''s an entire fleet."


    The Sword Army had sent an expedition into the Spine Ocean, as well. However, while Revel had been sent to conquer the Citadel, it was merely a secondary goal for them.


    Their main goal was to kill Revel, and they were equipped well to achieve it. There were seven Sword Saints and a small army of Masters pursuing the daughters of the Queen, including a member of one of Valor''s branch families. The forged Echoes brought by them into the subterranean ocean were both well-suited for braving its dark expanse and fearsome.


    ...Now, the members of the pursuing expedition were trapped in the spine of the dead deity, just like Revel and Moonveil were.


    Revel looked at her sister for a while, and then smiled.


    "Veil... I suddenly had a thought."


    Moonveil raised an eyebrow.


    "Is it, perhaps, a sane and benign thought of forgetting all our grudges and differences to form a pact of camaraderie with the Saints of the Sword Army? To fight side by side with fellow humans as allies and survive in this harrowing place together?"


    Not receiving an answer immediately, she sighed.


    "Uh-on."


    Revel looked in the direction where the enemy was gathering their forces, hidden by darkness, and said evenly:


    "It strikes me that, while the Song Domain can grow stronger by conquering the Spine Citadel, the Sword Domain can grow weaker by losing these seven Saints and the Citadels controlled by them. So, even if we die here... as long as we die after making sure that they die first, the situation on the surface will still improve in our favor."


    Moonveil closed her radiant eyes for a moment.


    "Ah... I see. As expected."


    She rose from the cold stone and looked where Revel was looking, as well.


    After a while, she said:


    "But why can''t we do both? Kill the Saints... and conquer the Citadel. Wouldn''t that be better?"


    Revel smiled darkly.


    "Yes. Let''s do both... brave this dark ocean, survive the pursuers, and take the Citadel. Why settle for anything less?"


    Spreading her wings, she lifted her sister off the ground gently, and then leaped into the air.

 Chapter 2070: Fragments of War (7)

    A shattered moon shone upon a shattered castle. The castle had always been a ruin, but now it was reduced to rubble. The rubble used to be surrounded by a deep lake, but now, the lake was gone.


    Its bottom had been revealed, in all its mystery and horror.


    Standing on the mound of debris that had once been a great rampart, Kai was looking down. Far below him, ancient ruins glistened in the pale moonlight. They were covered in mud and seaweed, but he could still recognize the shapes of beautiful stone edifices and smaller buildings beneath the mud.


    The castle stood on a mountain, and there was a prosperous and sprawling city surrounding the mountain... or had been, once.


    Others would not see, but Kai did. Buried in the mud, hidden in the darkness of the ancient buildings... there were human bones. There were too many of them to count. Myriads of skulls were staring at him with empty gazes, as if blaming him for being alive.


    Millions of people must have perished here once, a long time ago. Some of the skeletons were intact, and some were crushed. He did not know what had killed the inhabitants of the ancient city, but whatever it was, their deaths had been sudden and brutal.


    Perhaps it was the great flood that had drowned the city, burying it under the mass of water for thousands of years.


    Perhaps the great flood had happened on the same day the moon had been shattered.


    Looking at the drowned city that sprawled across the entire basin of the lake, Kai wondered if there was a similar ruin at the bottom of the real Mirror Lake.


    No... this was the real Mirror Lake. The Bastion he was familiar with was merely an illusion.


    It was still strange to think about that.


    Letting out a heavy sigh, he looked away from the ruins of the ancient city and turned his gaze to the sky.


    The shattered moon was always the same, and Kai knew better than to stare at it too much. It could not tell him anything about time, anyway... however,he knew that there was going to be a full moon in the illusory version of Bastion today.


    Which meant that, for a short time, reality and illusion would overlap a little, allowing for passage from one to another.


    ...Which meant that if Mordret wanted to infiltrate the capital of the Sword Domain, he had to do it today. There would be another battle, without a doubt... and a much more ferocious one than all the previous ones.


    Looking down, Kai rubbed his face tiredly and soared into the air, flying smoothly to where a fire was burning in the heart of the ruins, and the tantalizing aroma of food was rising above an alloy pan.


    As he landed gently on the ground and greeted the other Saints, a strong gale of wind crashed into the remains of a crumbling wall protecting the fire, and a small pebble fell from it into the pan.


    Before it could plummet into the fragrant stew, however, Princess Morgan raised a hand and caught it without ever looking up. Her reaction was just as fast as one would expect from a Saint, but it was her senses that amazed Kai. Did she catch the pebble simply by hearing it brush against air, or was there a Memory she possessed that granted her complete awareness of her surroundings?


    It was a good catch regardless.Having a dirty pebble fall into their stew would have made the meal less enjoyable.


    Kai smiled and opened his mouth to say something.


    But before he could, Morgan spoke first:


    "Good catch. I know."


    He looked at her blankly.


    Letting out a sigh, the princess raised her head and looked at him with sunken eyes.


    "...It will be ready in a few moments."


    Her usually sharp gaze seemed a little dulled, and she looked a little disheveled. Morgan of Valor had always been neat and collected, maintaining flawless decorum and cold composure even in the middle of most dreadful fights. Her tidiness was a bit compulsive, even.


    But now, her clothes were in disarray, and her beautiful raven hair was begging for a brush. She looked drained and exhausted �� quite understandably so, considering that they all were.


    It was just that, when Kai had seen her several hours ago, Morgan seemed much more full of vitality.


    Looking at her now, he frowned.


    Something... was wrong with Morgan of Valor.

 Chapter 2071: Fragments of War (8)

    It was a silent kind of terror, and one Kai was unfamiliar with. Meeting a new fear was almost amusing, like finding a new friend.


    Truth be told, Kai was a fearful person. He had always been stifled by fear... first by fear of failure, shame, loneliness, and rejection, then by fear of death, agony, loss, and tragedy.


    And regret, most of all.


    It was just that he had gotten better at ignoring his fears as time went by, to the point that people often mistook him for someone who was innately brave. But he wasn''t �� not at all like his friends and companions, who seemed naturally fearless to an almost reckless degree.


    Take Effie, for example...


    Noticing the strange state of Morgan, she did not even grow tense. Instead, she looked at the pot of stew with a wistful expression, seemingly only worried about it being overturned. Her hand, meanwhile, moved closer to the shaft of her spear, which lay nearby.


    Or Jet. Soul Reaper remained where she was, leaning comfortably on a boulder. That woman truly knew how to look comfortable anywhere... her icy blue eyes were following Morgan intently, but her expression remained calm and relaxed. A little amused, even.


    Aether and Bloodwave did not seem to notice the strangeness, but at least Naeve seemed to be a normal human. He had grown still, throwing a cautious look at the princess.


    It was a relief.


    Kai, meanwhile, furtively looked around to see if there were any reflective surfaces around them. It was no surprise that the first thing his mind went to were the Others... there had already been an incident where one of those beings assumed the form of a human, after all.


    That time, they had only avoided disaster because of Kai. The copy had spent several hours with them, pretending to be Aether... and although they did not know it then, the thing was growing stronger with every instance of someone witnessing it, addressing it, and otherwise acknowledging it as the real person in any way.


    It was just that, no matter what it said,its words were neither truth nor a lie. Kai sensed the strange and eerie discrepancy almost immediately after returning from his patrol �� that was how they managed to destroy the Other while only losing torrents of blood instead of losing people.


    Aether himself had slept through the whole thing, only learning that someone out there had been walking around wearing his face when the battle was over.


    If Morgan had been replaced by the Other...


    She was surrounded by five people, and had been for at least an hour. If this thing functioned in the same manner as the previous one, then its existence had already been acknowledged to a frightening degree.


    Kai felt his heart beating wildly, but then took a deep breath and calmed himself.


    No, that was not the case. Earlier, she said... that she knew her catch was good. Those words were true, which was different from how the words of the previous Other had felt.


    Then again, maybe the first one had simply not reached the point of mimicking human intent yet.


    Unlike this one.


    Morgan gave Kai a dubious look and shook her head.


    "I''m not the Other."


    Noticing his startled expression, she chuckled.


    "It was written all over your face."


    The first statement was true, but the second was not. Kai hesitated for a few moments, then looked at his companions and gave them a small nod.


    Effie removed her hand from the spear and used it to cover a yawn.


    "Is it..."


    Morgan nodded.


    "Yes, it''s ready. Help yourselves."


    "What are you talking about? We killed a Great Monster two days ago, when the lake became shallow. Whose meat do you think was in that stew?"


    Aether blinked a couple of times.


    "Oh... that thing was of the Great Rank? I''m sorry. I did not notice."


    The huntress stared at him for a couple of moments, then threw her head back and laughed.


    "Gods... are you sure you haven''t slain a Great Devil or two in the past? Maybe you just failed to notice their greatness."


    The young Saint seemed to blush a little and looked away.


    Jet smiled.


    "In any case. This Memory is a bit special. It can only be used once, but..."


    Morgan leaned back and grimaced.


    "But it can make a day repeat itself one time. Yes, I know."


    She was telling the truth. She did, indeed, know.


    Kai frowned.


    Then, his eyes widened.


    The way she had caught the pebble without looking... the way she looked, and the way she spoke.


    Even the taste of the stew.


    He smiled suddenly.


    "Lady Morgan... you have already used the hourglass, haven''t you?"


    The princess stared at him for a few long moments, then sighed.


    "In a way."


    Things were suddenly making much more sense. Kai was excited.


    "So, you are living this day for the second time?"


    Morgan slowly shook her head.


    She remained silent for a while, then said in a grim tone:


    "No. Not the second."


    For a few moments, everyone was silent.


    Then, Effie snorted incredulously.


    "I can''t believe... that this is happening to me for the second time!"

 Chapter 2072: Fragments of War (9)

    As Kai was slowly digesting the meaning of what Morgan had said, the three Saints of Night looked at Effie with various degrees of surprise on their faces.


    Eventually, it was Naeve who asked in a subdued tone:


    "...Second time?"


    Effie let out a dejected sigh, covered her face with a palm, and nodded.


    "Yeah... happened in our Third Nightmare. Kai was elsewhere, but Jet and I got stuck on an island where the same day was repeating itself endlessly. For us, just a few hours had passed... but in fact, it was more than a year. If not for Cassie �� ah, that is Saint Song of the Fallen �� eventually learning to retain her memories of the previous loops, somehow, we would have probably still been on that damned island."


    Jet scoffed.


    "What are you complaining about? It''s not like we remember any of the previous days. In fact, that whole Nightmare is hard to remember."


    The Nightwalker just stared at them silently.


    Every Nightmare was a darkly wondrous experience, especially so the Third Nightmare... but an island where time endlessly repeated itself? That sounded a little bit too fantastical, even for Saints.


    Effie raised an eyebrow.


    "What? You guys would have loved it there. Our whole Third Nightmare happened in a place where there was nothing but water... literally, not land whatsoever anywhere around!"


    With that, she grinned and looked at Morgan.


    "That said...there is something I don''t understand. Isn''t the hourglass supposed to be a one-time thing?"


    The princess of Valor shrugged indifferently.


    "It is."


    Then, a sharp, dangerous smile twisted her crimson lips.


    "But you forget about my Ascended Ability, Raised by Wolves. I can embody enchantments of various Memories, remember? So, that was what I did. The first time Soul Reaper suggested using the hourglass, I engraved its enchantment onto my body and used it. The engraving was erased after one use, but the hourglass remained intact. The second time, I used the hourglass �� it was destroyed, but when I returned to the past,the engraving was intact. So, by alternating between the two, I was able to make this day repeat itself over and over again."


    Kai paled a little.


    It was a strange thing, to know that time flowed differently for most of the world than it did for him... again. And that he did not remember who knew how many days spent side by side with Morgan.


    ''I hope... I didn''t make a fool out of myself.''


    He might have abandoned his idol persona a long time ago, but old habits died hard. Kai was still deathly afraid of behaving inappropriately in front of people.


    Especially in front of actual royalty!


    "So, what are you planning to do now, princess?"


    Morgan looked at her tiredly.


    Then, a dark smile twisted her lips.


    "What else? I am going to continue doing the same thing �� fighting him and turning the time back �� over and over again. As many times as it takes."


    Jet chuckled.


    "Isn''t that the definition of madness?"


    Morgan shrugged.


    "So what if it is? War does not have anything to do with sanity. All that matters is accomplishing your goals, and although we have not been able to beat Mordret, losing to him miserably every time we tried... beating him has never been our goal, to begin with."


    She looked at them and raised an eyebrow.


    "You seem to have forgotten, but we were not sent here to defeat my brother. We were sent here to prevent him from taking control of Bastion �� until the Sovereigns conclude the war in Godgrave. And that is what we have been doing successfully all this time. In fact... we performed quite remarkably, if I do say so myself."


    Her dark smile widened into an even darker grin.


    "Sure, he has slaughtered us repeatedly, but he is still stuck on the other shore of the lake, is he not?"


    The six Saints glanced at each other,then nodded slowly.


    If seen that way, it did indeed make sense.


    Kai sighed.


    "So, what do we do today?"


    Morgan lingered for a moment, then let out a bitter, joyless laugh.


    Her crimson eyes flashed with fury and resentment.


    And fatigue.


    She sneered coldly.


    "What else? We go and get slaughtered... one more time."

 Chapter 2073: Fragments of War (10)

    A strange and eerie scene was taking place under the radiant sky of Godgrave.


    A great battle was raging above a bottomless dark chasm... yet it was utterly still and unmoving, as if frozen in place.


    On the southern side of the chasm, swarms of soldiers were standing still like statues. Some stood straight, some were frozen midstep. Sweat was pouring down their pale faces, and their eyes were full of dark resignation... but none of them moved.


    In front of them, the sun-bleached surface of the ancient bone was wet with blood. There had been a great bridge across the chasm once �� that bridge was gone, and a new one was constructed on its ruins, looking like a marvel of military engineering.


    The new bridge was held up by steel cables that had been shot over the chasm by powerful siege engines and anchored in the bone, with hastily raised scaffolds and cross-beams supporting a wide wooden floor.


    That floor was now painted red, with countless bodies littering it like a macabre carpet. Many soldiers had perished while trying to hastily construct the bridge under an avalanche of arrows �� the massive shields they had used to protect themselves lay there, as well, splintered and shattered by powerful enchantments and destructive Aspect Abilities of the defenders.


    Many soldiers had perished while trying to cross the bridge, too. There were plenty of those who still lived, though... all of them were utterly motionless, some crouching behind shields, some standing tall. Even the wounded remained motionless, bleeding silently in the middle of a frozen battle.


    The blood fell from the bridge like a crimson rain, boiling and evaporating in the blinding sunlight.


    Across the bridge, a mighty fortress towered above the dark chasm. Bodies had piled under its tall walls, where the battle was the most ferocious. Despite the heavy losses, the attackers managed to raise siege ladders and attach grappling hooks to the top of the ramparts �� currently, countless warriors were climbing up, desperate to take over the wall.


    Or rather, they had been climbing. At the moment, they were like frozen statues, too. Soldiers were standing still on the rungs of the ladders, holding enchanted shields above their heads. Others were clinging to the ropes with desperate gazes, their tortured muscles trembling from fatigue.


    And finally, there were those who had crested the wall.


    Sid was among those few.


    She was standing at the top of the battlement, unmoving, staring at the tip of the enemy blade that had stopped mere centimeters from her neck.


    The blade was so near, but had failed to touch her skin for an entire hour.


    Around her, a ferocious melee seemed to have been frozen in time. The warriors of the two great armies were entangled, fighting and dying, killing each other �� only all of them were motionless, not daring to move even a centimeter.


    Some were about to kill their opponents, some were about to be killed. Their eyes were shining with terror, panic, indignation, rage, bloodlust... or growing numb with numbness, desperation, and exhaustion.


    Full of bitterness and resentment, Sid couldn''t help but think that, perhaps, that was the real punishment the King had intended for their lady. Not just to send her away, but to send her soldiers into deadly peril while she was away.


    ''Curse him... curse his entire damned clan...''


    But there was no time for sorrow in the middle of a deadly battle. Despite losing several people, the Fire Keepers were the first ones to scale the wall.


    And it was there, when the warriors of the Sword Army were desperately trying to carve out a bridgehead on the battlements, that the veil of clouds broke, and the world became drowned by the blinding radiance.


    The battle halted in an instant.


    And it was frozen still, an eternity later, with only the flakes of ash moving in the still and motionless world.


    Sid felt a drop of sweat roll down her face.


    Then, a wounded soldier who had been crouching a few steps away let out a tired groan and swayed, blood seeping between his fingers.


    The man collapsed.


    ...His body turned to ash before even touching the ground.


    Countless people witnessed his death, but no one moved. No one reacted. No one even averted their gaze.


    A moment later, the furious battlefield was utterly silent once again, with only the wind singing its indifferent song.


    Sid took a shallow breath and concentrated on the blade of the sword that was mere centimeters away from her neck, ready to cut it at any moment.


    ''What to do?''


    There was nothing to do.


    All she could do was wait.

 Chapter 2074: Fragments of War (11)

    At the end of it all, Sid felt as if her entire being was made from ash. Her vision was blurry and her arms felt numb, the weight of her sword and her shield like that of a mountain. Everything was permeated with blinding light and the smell of ash, which fell from the sky like snow.


    The terror and excitement of battle had turned into resentment, and resentment turned into resignation. Most of all, there was pain and fatigue.


    ''...I wouldn''t mind a good massage right about now.''


    The irreverent thought made her want to smile.


    Of course, she didn''t.


    Instead, she shifted her focus from the sword hanging at her neck to the radiant distance.


    The shadows were moving, and the blinding sunlight was growing dim there, far away.


    The breach in the veil of clouds was finally closing.


    It took Sid a few moments to realize what was happening.


    Then, her dull gaze regained some of its sharpness.


    ''I''ll be damned.''


    She was not destined to become ash, after all... at least not just yet.


    What happened next transpired with a torturous slowness, but also eerily fast.


    The merciless white light dimmed, and the frozen battle thawed, exploding into a demented symphony of violence almost instantly once again.


    It was as if no time had passed at all.


    Far away, on the other side of the chasm, the soldiers staggered and continued marching toward the bridge. Those on the bridge pushed forward, desperate to reach the walls of the fortress before its defenders renewed the deadly barrage �� it was a futile hope, of course, because a dense cloud of arrows rose into the sky just a split moment later. The arrows rained down, reaping dozens of lives.


    The soldiers who had been climbing the wall moved, too. Some simply released their hold on the ropes and plummeted down, too tired and spent to do anything else. Some swayed but stubbornly continued to climb, knowing that nothing but death awaited for them on the ground.


    Nothing but death awaited for them atop the wall, too.


    Sid knew it better than most.


    As soon as the radiance of the white abyss dimmed, her opponent thrust the sword forward. The momentum of his initial swing had been exhausted, but the blade was sharp enough to cut her throat even without much force behind it. R


    The bastard did not hesitate at all.


    ''Lucky me...''


    Sid grimaced, then gritted her teeth and grabbed the arrow, trying to pull it from her flesh. Of course, the arrowhead had turned out to be barbed, which made for some truly exquisite pain.


    She cursed quietly.


    "I can''t tell if we''re gaining ground or being pushed back."


    Shim scoffed.


    "We are being pushed back, of course. It''s hopeless. We were never going to take the wall this way."


    Finally managing to rid herself of the heavy burden of the enchanted arrow, Sid glanced at him darkly.


    "What the hell are we doing here, then?"


    He shrugged.


    "Waiting for them to sound the retreat. They''ll do it once more of us die."


    Sid was speechless for a moment, then shook her head dejectedly.


    "Let''s wait, then. Bah, what a dreadful day..."


    They lunged back into the battle, struggling desperately against the endless tide of Song soldiers.


    The warriors of the Sword Domain continued to climb the wall, and continued to die. Slowly but surely, they were pushed back to the ladders, finding themselves on the verge of being thrown down.


    ''When are they going to sound the damned horn?''


    Sid was bleeding, in pain, and tired.


    All of them were.


    But the order to retreat was still not coming.


    She sighed.


    ''Ah... I really hate sieges...''

 Chapter 2075: Fragments of War (12)

    From afar, the great fortress of Song looked like a disturbed anthill. Countless tiny figures were swarming its walls �� some climbing them, some falling down. The approach to the fortress was covered by a dark mass of moving bodies, with arrows falling down like rain.Of course, these dark figures were not ants. They were humans, and human lives were being lost every moment.


    Anvil of Valor was once again observing the battle from the platform on the head of a towering Echo, accompanied by the Saints of the Sword Domain. Only, this time, Nephis of the Immortal Flame was not here to defy him�� so, everyone remained still, observing the distant battle in grim silence.


    The Greater Crossing Stronghold was refusing to fall.


    The terrain was too disadvantageous, and the fortress was too impregnable. The valor of its defenders was beyond reproach. Of course, this first attack on the fearsome fortifications of the Song Army was merely meant to probe their defenses�� but still. It was a troubling sight.


    By then, it was already apparent that the costly assault would not succeed.


    Anvil studied the distant fortress for a few more moments, then turned his head and looked at Cassie. The blind seer was standing closer than any other Saint to him, almost as if she was the sole recipient of the King''s favor.


    He spoke:


    "Lady Cassia�� how are things advancing in the west?"


    She lowered her head a little.


    "It is worse than here, Your Majesty. The Lesser Stronghold still stands�� they managed to bring down the bridge, as well. Our casualties are severe, and no one managed to even reach the walls." S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her voice was respectful and neutral�� not at all brimming with anger, hatred, and resentment.


    He studied her for a few moments, then looked away with a somber expression.


    Anvil remained silent for a while longer, then let out a sigh.


    "...Sound the retreat."


    Soon, the deafening sound of a war horn thundered above the dark chasm. The distant anthill exploded with activity as the battered soldiers of the Sword Army abandoned the walls of the fortress and slowly fell back. Of course, the retreat was just as bloody as the initial assault�� not the least of all because those killed on the bridge had already risen, attacking their former comrades from the rear.


    Nevertheless, in the end, the warriors of the Sword Domain managed to cross back. The bridge was destroyed just a few moments later and plummeted into the chasm.


    The battlefield grew silent.


    ��The Song Army had lost many soldiers, as well, but its numbers were now greater than before. That was because those who had died trying to scale the walls of the fortress were now standing at the edge of the chasm, staring across its dark breadth with empty eyes.


    Anvil frowned.


    A few moments later, he said evenly:


    "We will establish three bridges next time and attack the wings of the fortress, as well. Summon the leader of the engineering corps�� the design worked, but we must study how the bridge at the Lesser Crossing was brought down to further improve it��"


    Bowing silently, Cassie turned around and left the platform.


    ***


    On the other side of the chasm, Seishan was looking at the distant mass of the Sword Army from the tallest bastion of the great fortress. Her flawless grey skin was marred by stains of soot from the falling flakes of ash, and her scarlet lips were twisted slightly into a grim smile.


    Soon enough, Beastmaster joined her.


    "According to the initial report, our casualties are mild �� unlike the Sword Army. They made it further than expected, but that just ended up costing them more men. Of course, the King of Valor was not serious this time�� still, it''s a good indicator."


    Seishan nodded slowly.


    "They''ll probably launch several bridges at the same time, next time. They''ll send the Knights of Valor into the battle, too�� possibly assemble a squadron of elites trained at riding winged Echoes. I hope your herd of flying thralls is ready."


    Beastmaster nodded.


    "Of course."


    Seishan lingered for a few moments, then sighed.


    "They won''t launch another assault before Sky Tide and Changing Star arrive, though. Those thralls will be necessary to repel the attack from the Ivory Island�� our forces will be spread thin. It might get difficult."


    The beautiful enchantress looked at the horizon, as if expecting to see the graceful silhouette of the Ivory Tower appearing over the horizon.


    Then, she shook her head.


    "That is only the lesser problem, isn''t it? The main problem is Changing Star herself. Before, both our mother and the King of Valor held us Saints back out of fear that we would kill each other off. But now, everyone knows that a battle between Saints would become a one-sided slaughter due to that girl, Nephis, and her Shadow. So, Anvil can simply set her loose."


    Seishan shrugged.


    "He can, and she would probably be able to demolish this entire fortress by herself. The Lord of Shadows, meanwhile, is more than capable of taking the Lesser Stronghold from Howl, Hel, and Silence. But then nothing would stop us from eviscerating their entire Awakened army while those two are busy. So, he won''t."


    Beastmaster studied her for a few moments, then mumbled under her breath:


    "Demolish this entire fortress by herself�� aren''t you giving her too much credit? I spent a lot of effort building this stronghold, you know."


    Seishan looked at her without any amusement.


    "You were there when Mordret told mother about what he had experienced in the Third Nightmare, were you not? Nephis obliterated an entire city there, not to mention incinerating half of another. And she was merely a Master back then�� so, don''t underestimate her Aspect."


    Beastmaster made an unhappy face and looked away.


    "Fine. What do we do, then?"


    After lingering for a while, Seishan shrugged.


    "Treat the wounded, equip mother''s puppets with weapons and armor, and prepare for the next assault as best we can. We''ll see what happens then."


    Soon, they left the tall bastion.


    The first siege of the Greater Stronghold was over.


    But not at all the last��

 Chapter 2076: Fragments of War (13)

    Just as Seishan had predicted, the second assault on the Greater Crossing Stronghold only happened after the Ivory Island arrived on the battlefield. It was a sight both daunting and awesome. The flying island moved slowly across the chasm, effortlessly enduring a barrage of destructive attacks. A billowing cloud of smoke obscured it for a few moments like a fluttering mantle, but then, the graceful silhouette of the Ivory Tower revealed itself from the smoke once again. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Pristine and unblemished.


    At the same moment, the elites of the Sword Army stationed on the island unleashed their own arrows, raining death and destruction down upon the defenders of the fortress.


    The island moved slowly across the chasm, high in the sky, suppressing the Song soldiers. Using the opportunity, three sets of powerful cables were shot across the darkness, embedding themselves into the ancient bone on the other side.


    Thousands of soldiers rushed forward, in a hurry to build up the bridges. Enormous shields were carried in front of them, protecting the engineers from the onslaught of ranged attacks. Slowly but surely, the three bridges started to take shape.


    Soon, the defenders of the Greater Crossing had to fight on four fronts. Both the left and the right wing of the impregnable fortress, as well as its main keep, were being assaulted by the soldiers of the Sword Domain, while the Ivory Island loomed above.


    This time, the most seasoned veterans of the Sword Army, including the Knights of Valor, were leading the assault.


    As the Ivory Island neared the middle of the dark chasm, threatening to break through the defenses of Song, a vast swarm of appalling Nightmare Creatures rose from behind the fortress, aiming to deliver a subjugation force and conquer the flying Citadel �� in response, Knights mounted on winged Echoes rushed to intercept them.


    The thralls of Beastmaster clashed in the air with the warriors riding the Echoes, and a fierce battle unfolded above the terrible bloodshed happening below.


    All hell broke loose, threatening to pass into the annals of history as one of the most dire and perilous battles of the dark era of the Nightmare Spell.


    ��Far away, in the west, things weren''t going much better at the Lesser Crossing.


    The First Rib, while still vast and humbling in scale, had a much narrower point of connection to the breastbone of the titanic skeleton. Therefore, the stronghold there was smaller, and the soldiers guarding it were fewer in number. Nevertheless, the bloodshed there was just as terrible.


    There was no flying island there to lead the assault, so the soldiers of the Sword Army could only rely on the engineered bridges. No one was suppressing the defenders of the stronghold by raining death upon them from the sky, either, so the casualties of the attacking side were much more severe.


    Sunny observed the battle with a grim expression, feeling a suffocating fury rattle his mind at the sight of so many people dying senselessly. But there was nothing he could do to stop the shameful atrocity happening right in front of his eyes�� no, that was not true.


    There was plenty Sunny could do.


    He could manifest a bridge of shadows wide enough to carry thousands of additional soldiers across. He could send his Shadows to break the walls of the fortress. He could command the army to retreat and refuse to accept the orders of the King.


    But then what?


    Using his powers would give the Saints of Song to unleash their, in turn. Sure, Sunny could probably give them all a good fight�� but how many soldiers would become collateral damage in the clash of Transcendent powerhouses?


    Rebelling against the King of Swords prematurely, meanwhile, would just cost Sunny his life and make deposing the Sovereigns that much harder, if not entirely impossible. R


    So, all he could do was grind his teeth, bide his time, and endure the poisonous feeling of anger.


    ''How much longer?''


    He knew that the King of Swords was observing the Lesser Crossing closely. Cassie was not the only one, by far, providing him with information. Therefore, Sunny could not end the battle until it truly looked like the forces of the Sword Domain had no chance of winning.


    And the soldiers�� as dispirited and disillusioned as they were, the soldiers still fought valiantly. They strived to achieve victory with all their hearts, not the least of all because victory seemed like the only salvation to them.


    ''Damnation.''


    Hiding his face behind Weaver''s Mask, Sunny observed the battle silently.


    Eventually, the bloodshed had become too dreadful, and the momentum of the assault broke.


    He had his excuse.


    "Reatret!"


    Somewhere far away, the assault on the Greater Stronghold was ending in a deadly stalemate, as well. The gates of the fortress had withstood the blows of a specially enchanted siege ram, and neither of the three attacking forces managed to create a stable bridgehead on the battlements.


    The Ivory Island was forced to retreat, as well, swarmed by the thralls of Beastmaster and under threat of being taken by the warriors of Song.


    It was another defeat.


    ''Damn it, damn it, damn it!''


    Full of resentment, Sunny looked away from the gruesome scene of the battle and walked off.


    Soon enough, the battle was over, and he hid himself in his tent.


    He knew that Anvil would not be satisfied with just two failed assaults�� especially because the second had been much more deadly for the Song Army then the first.


    There would be a third assault, and the fourth, and the fifth��


    Until one of the sides broke.


    ��It was when Sunny was going over the battle in his mind and coming up with ideas on how to minimize the casualties next time that someone approached his tent.


    There was a polite knock, and a man wearing a vermilion cloak of the royal clan entered it slowly.


    Sunny stared at him coldly from behind his mask.


    "What?"


    The man bowed, and the spoke in a reverent tone:


    "Lord Shadow, sir. The King has sent you a special order��":

 Chapter 2077: Fragments of War (14)

    The Sword Army had crashed against the Two Crossings like a tidal wave. And just like a wave, it had receded over and over again, unable to break through the impregnable barrier. Even the arrival of the Ivory Island did not manage to breach the defenses of the entrenched Song Army �� at least not yet. The death toll among the defenders increased sharply, and each assault now cost them more.


    But the losses among the attackers were no less dire.


    The siege had become a stalemate. Countless soldiers on both sides were dying, and the casualties were mounting. And yet, neither side could crush the enemy... the situation simply continued to escalate endlessly, making it feel as if a breaking point would arrive soon.


    Those soldiers who were lucky enough to survive were being forged into truly dauntless warriors. The war was like a crucible that produced the toughest of alloys, but rigid steel could be easily broken.


    Everyone had a limit, and many people were approaching theirs.


    Rain did not know what was happening in the camp of the Sword Army, but here in the Greater Stronghold, the mood of the soldiers was hitting rock bottom. Even though they were suffering less than the poor wretches who had to assault the walls of the fortress under a rain of arrows, they still suffered terribly. People were dying, and people were receiving terrible wounds.


    There were not enough Awakened healers to tend to everyone, so many of the wounded could only receive mundane treatment. The field hospital of the Song Army was struggling to contend with the influx of patients, its overcrowded halls permeated by the stench of blood and despair.


    Rain knew because she volunteered as a nurse at the hospital when she had free time. It wasn''t just out of the goodness of her heart, but also because she felt bitterly useless. She was not a very good soldier anymore, after all, considering her inability to deal fatal wounds to enemies�� even if those enemies were in the process of brutally killing her comrades.


    So, Rain wanted to be of use to her fellow soldiers in some other way. There were a lot of things to do in an army as large as the Song Army was for it to function properly, many of them having nothing to do with combat. She was not ready to ask Tamar for an official transfer �� which her friend would without a doubt arrange if need be �� because she wasn''t quite ready to abandon her cohort. But sparing a few hours doing menial jobs here and there was fine.


    The field hospital was like a pit of resignation and despair.


    ...It wasn''t much better in other parts of the fortress, either.


    Morale was low, and soldiers were exhausted �� both mentally and physically. To their desperation, there did not seem to be an end to the dreadful siege anywhere in sight. It just continued day after day, while the enemy was learning from each failed assault and employing increasingly effective strategies the next time.


    Of course, the soldiers of the Song Army were learning, too. They had gotten much better at damaging the makeshift bridges, preventing the soldiers of the Sword Army from raising siege ladders, defending themselves against the shock troopers who dropped onto the battlefield from the Ivory Island, and so much more.


    Each lesson was paid for in blood.


    The remains of Tamar''s centuria had been merged with another company and assigned a wooden barrack. The soldiers rested there between the battles, which happened once every few days �� the last one had been especially terrible, so everyone was slow to recover their vitality.


    As if they could recover it at all.


    Rain entered the barrack and looked around, studying her fellow soldiers.


    Some were huddled together in the corner, playing cards. The game was supposed to be boisterous and energetic, but looked mechanical and joyless instead.


    Some were tending to their equipment or bandaging minor scrapes. Their gazes were bleak and distant.


    Most were simply laying on their cots, though, unable to fall asleep, but also too drained to do anything else. They just stared at the ceiling with hollow eyes, indifferent to what was happening around them.


    At least their barrack was better off than most. Tamar had a cooling Memory in her arsenal, so it was not as hot as it would have been otherwise�� Rain should have been able to enjoy the reprieve from the sweltering heat, but she found herself indifferent to such minor comforts these days..


    Walking over to her bunk, she dismissed the leather elements of the Puppeteer''s Shroud and fell on it heavily. Luckily, her bunk was the lower one �� well, of course it was. After all, Rain could not walk on air like Tamar.


    Fleur, who had been recovering from essence exhaustion, glanced at her from the next bunk in the row. The delicate girl remained silent for a while, then sighed.


    "Rani�� were you at the baths?"


    Rain nodded.


    "Yeah. I heard that the attacks on the supply convoys had stopped, so they''re not rationing water as strictly now. It''s a nice change of pace."


    A fragile smile appeared on Fleur''s face.


    "You''re so calm."


    Rain looked at her in confusion.


    "Me, calm? Goodness. You must have confused me for someone else."


    Fleur shook her head weakly.


    "No�� I can''t even muster enough motivation to get up. The rest are pretty much the same. But you just go about your routine like usual."


    Rain hesitated for a bit, then shrugged. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "It''s just a habit, I guess. Back in Ravenheart, I used to reward myself with a good soak in the baths after a hunt �� they have proper facilities back home, of course, not just makeshift showers. But still. It feels nice to do the same after a battle."


    Fleur smiled a little wider, then looked away.


    After a while, she asked:


    "Do you think we''ll get to return? Home?"


    Rain sprawled on her bunk and sighed.


    "Sure. When the war is over."


    Hearing that, a soldier laying a few meters away turned his head, stared at her, and then scoffed.


    "Fool�� we will all be dead by the time this damn war is over."


    She stared at him coldly, not at all happy that her attempt to cheer Fleur up had been thwarted.


    But also not really knowing how to retort.


    ''That idiot��''


    There was some merit to his words.


    Rain raised an eyebrow.


    "What are you��"


    But the soldier interrupted her mid-sentence.


    "What is even the point of the war? It doesn''t make sense. That bastard, the King of Swords, claimed that it was on behalf of Changing Star, who had almost died at the hands of Song assassins. But Lady Nephis herself was against the war, to begin with! She still is. It''s just the royals who are thirsty for blood."


    Another soldier glared at him darkly.


    "What the hell are you even saying? There is no way that those assassins were from the Song Domain. It was just an excuse Clan Valor used to start the war. So what was the Queen supposed to do? Roll over and allow those bastards to plunder our land? It''s not like she wanted this to happen!"


    The first soldier remained silent for a few moments, then scoffed.


    "I don''t know whether she wanted the war to happen or not. All I know is that the Sovereigns started it, and yet it is us puny mortals who are dying in it. If they want to fight so badly, why don''t they fight among themselves? What''s the point of bleeding us dry instead?"


    Turning his head, he stared at Rain.


    "What do you think, Rani? Does any of this make any sense?"


    She lingered for a bit, then sighed.


    "Is that how the rest of you feel, as well?"


    A few soldiers grumbled. The rest did not respond, simply looking at her with dark, tired expressions.


    Rain shook her head.


    "What I think�� is that you should keep your mouths shut. This is a royal legion. It''s alright if Tamar hears you, but if one of the Blood Sisters happens to be nearby when you spout such things, there''s gonna be trouble."


    Morale was that bad in one of the seven royal legions. She didn''t even want to imagine how other brigades were faring.


    Looking at the ceiling, Rain sighed heavily.


    ''...What will become of the Song Domain?''


    It was hard to remain hopeful.


    Or sympathetic, really... many people just wanted for the war to be over, secretly losing interest in which side won, or even if there was a winner at all. But the war showed no sign of slowing down.


    It only ever seemed to accelerate.


    Were they really going to all die here?


    The belligerent soldier cursed with dark resentment.


    "What, I can''t even talk now? Great. That''s great! They expect us to just die silently, I guess... how are we different from the pilgrims, then?"


    That was a good question.


    Were they any different, really?


    Letting out a dispirited sneer, the soldier turned away and covered himself with a blanket. Rain stared at his vague silhouette with pity.


    ''That fool. He''s going to cook alive under that blanket.''


    Tamar''s cooling Memory was great, but it wasn''t that great.


    The rest of the soldiers listened to her advice and dropped the topic.


    She could see it in their eyes, though��


    Dejection.


    They were brave people, and they were ready to die in order to protect their home.


    But there was a difference between dying for a good cause and dying senselessly.


    And this war��


    Was making less and less sense with each day.

 Chapter 2078: Fragments of War (15)

    Standing in the rubble, Kai took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. A powerful gust of wind rose from that one breath, sending a cloud of dust billowing into the air.


    When he looked up, the usual soft placidity of his welcoming green eyes was replaced by a cold, sharp gleam.


    The night suddenly seemed darker, the winds singing a haunting song as they blew across the ruins.


    "Are you ready?"


    He looked at Morgan and Valor and nodded curtly.


    A pale smile appeared on her scarlet lips.


    "No time to waste, then."


    Kai looked away. His gaze pierced the piles of stone rubble, the vast expanse of the empty lake, and the palisade of scorched trees standing on its distant shore. No obstacle could obscure his sight, and no distance was too great��


    Well, in theory.


    In truth, Kai could not see too far despite having the ability to discern the individual grains of sand on a beach many kilometers away. That was for a simple reason�� the curvature of the world. The world was not flat, so in normal circumstances, its curve obscured things at around five kilometers away.


    At least that was how things worked on Earth. Here in the Dream Realm, though, the horizon was not quite as predictable. What else could one expect from a world where the sky was a patchwork of different heavens? Sometimes, the horizon was five kilometers away. In other places, it was much further or noticeably closer. In some places, there was no curve to the world at all.


    Those places were few and far between, though, so there was still a limit to how far Kai could usually see.


    He could try to pierce the very depths of earth with his gaze, of course, thus ignoring the horizon. But his Awakened Ability was not omnipotent. Doing something like that was not impossible, but would cost too much essence.


    Especially when there was a much simpler way to see beyond the horizon �� so simple, in fact, that it was accessible to all people�� but especially so to Kai.


    It was looking at the horizon from elevation.


    The higher one was, the less important the curvature of the world became. Similarly, the taller the target was, the easier it was to see from a distance. It was such an obvious truth, but one that found new meaning in the battles of Transcendent beings.


    Which was why what Kai was about to do was dangerous.


    After a month of furious battles, there were not a lot of elevated points left in the ancient ruins. Everything had been toppled and obliterated, turning into piles of rubble�� but Kai did not need to climb a high tower.


    Instead, he simply soared into the air, ascending naturally into the night sky.


    Higher, and higher, and higher still��


    Until the whole world was in front of him like a moonlit canvas.


    For a few moments, his graceful silhouette was outlined against the radiant fragments of the shattered moon.


    Then, Kai took a deep breath and raised his bow.


    That bow of his was a Transcendent Memory of the Fifth Tier, which he had earned for slaying the Corrupted Tyrant, Malignant Grave Root, in Antarctica. It was a sublime and deadly weapon, more than powerful enough to accomplish his goals.


    What mattered just as much were the arrows he would use. Kai had plenty of Transcendent arrows, each suited for a different task�� most were meant to deliver untold death and destruction, of course.


    He even possessed one that was Supreme. However, now was not the right time to use it yet.


    Hovering high above the ruins of true Bastion, bathed in moonlight and embraced by the winds, Kai turned his gaze to the dark expanse of the ancient forest. There, dozens of kilometers away, the enemy was moving under the cover of twisted branches. A vast swath of the forest was veiled by a thick shroud of flowing mist that Mordret had summoned to obscure his movements��


    But he could not hide from Kai, especially now that Morgan had pointed him in the right direction.


    ''There.''


    The princess told them that the final assault would begin with a wave of Nightmare Creatures �� these ones much more powerful than those Mordret had used as vessels before, and whom he had been collecting slowly and in secret throughout the month of dreadful battles.


    Kai had to make sure that the Nightmare Creatures were destroyed, or at least severely weakened, by the time they reached the ruins of the ancient castle.


    Nocking an arrow on the string of his enchanted bow, Kai strained his muscles and drew it to his ear. With his auburn hair dancing wildly in the wind and his green eyes shining in the pale moonlight, he looked upon the dark expanse of the abominable forest coldly.


    Then, he spoke:


    "Strike true."


    His words were a command that brimmed with mystical authority�� one aimed at himself, but also at the world itself.


    Feeling a sudden surge of dire power, Kai released the string. sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was a deafening thunderclap when he did.


    The arrow surged forward with astonishing speed, tearing up the dark sky. It flew further and further away, easily crossing the empty lake and streaking above the ancient forest.


    Until, finally��


    Dozens of kilometers away, it silently and unerringly pierced the eye of a swiftly moving Nightmare Creature.


    A moment later, a tremendous explosion shook the very foundations of the world.


    An enormous conflagration spread from the point of impact in a straight line, swallowing several square kilometers of the abominable forest. Countless trees were incinerated, and even more were shattered and toppled by a devastating shockwave. A towering plume of raging flame rose high into the sky, and then subsided, spreading in every direction.


    The darkness of the night was torn apart by the fierce glow of that hungry fire.


    ��Dozens of kilometers away, in the silent sky above the ruined castle, Kai observed the devastation calmly.


    He had already found several other vessels of the Prince of Nothing, and a second arrow was already manifesting in his hand.


    Of course, Mordret had to have noticed him too.


    After all, this high above ground, Kai was not hidden from sight by the horizon.


    In fact, he was easily noticeable and utterly in the open �� a perfect target.


    And he was not the only one who could send a projectile flying across the vastness of the empty lake.


    ''I wonder... how many times I died this way.''


    He felt like it would be a shame, to die during the first wave of the attack. These Nightmare Creatures were merely an appetizer, after all�� the main course was yet to show itself. According to Morgan, today, Mordret would use both these scavenged vessels and the bodies of the Saints of Night in turns.


    Actually, Kai wasn''t that keen on dying in the second wave, either. He would very much prefer to survive. There were too many things to enjoy in life, and there were also things that he still needed to do.


    Life was precious.


    Nevertheless, he did not dive to the ground in order to seek cover.


    Instead, he simply nocked the second arrow on the string, and drew his bow again.


    His voice resounded from the dark sky like a beautiful, dreadful melody.


    "...Destroy."


    The final battle for Bastion �� the latest one in the long procession of prior final battles �� had commenced once more.

 Chapter 2079: Fragments of War (16)

    Morgan observed the battle with an impassive expression. Her gaze was cold, and her heart remained calm, untouched by the awe and terror of the calamitous confrontation. It was not as if she had not seen this battle transpire before�� everything that was happening had already happened, and even if there were minor divergences along the way, the ending was always the same.A crushing defeat.


    It was funny��


    Battles as great and destructive as this one had been unheard of in the past, but now, the dreadful sight of it all was so familiar as to almost seem boring.


    Similarly, Morgan had rarely tasted defeat before. But now, its flavor never seemed to leave her.


    It was all a grand game, of course. Morgan lost to Mordret every day, but in doing so, she was reaching her goals while denying his ambition. So, victory was a question of perspective.


    The war in Godgrave had been raging for many months now, but Bastion was still held firmly by the Great Clan Valor.


    Who was being defeated? Who was winning?


    Perhaps Morgan and her brother were in a stalemate.


    ��She was tired, though. Her companions started these identical days anew, but Morgan remembered each and every one. For her, these past months had been one dire, devastating, never-ending battle. One that seemed hopeless, at that. Its outcome was unclear, and after a while, even its cause was starting to seem vague.


    It was highly likely that not even people on the frontlines of Godgrave had experienced such intense warfare. There was a pace and cadence to a war, after all. Terrible battles were followed by long periods of relative peace while the battered armies regrouped and prepared for the next clash. But here in true Bastion, there was no lull to the violence. It was constant and incessant.


    The most furious battlefield of the Great Domain War was hidden out of sight and shrouded in mystery, with only two people experiencing its terror.


    No wonder Morgan was tired.


    She wondered if her brother was tired, too��


    If he was, he did not show it.


    Today''s battle was nearing a conclusion. The Nightmare Creatures had long been eliminated, and so were many of his Transvendent vessels.


    Saint Aether was dead. Naeve and Bloodwave were either dead or dying, too. Raised by Wolves was almost done tearing Typhaon apart, rivers of blood flowing from harrowing wounds on her flawless body. The gargantuan corpse of Knossos lay on the ruins of the drowned city, and somewhere beneath it, Nightingale was struggling to free his draconic body from under the rubble.


    Soul Reaper was desperately trying to preserve her soul essence while fighting the few remaining Night Saints.


    The ruins of the castle were in a sorry state, the very mountains on which they stood practically split apart by a titanic blow.


    ''He''ll snow himself soon.''


    And just as Morgan expected, her brother finally revealed his original body, landing easily on a fragment of a crumbled wall a dozen meters away from her.


    Sparing Morgan a pleasant smile, he bowed politely.


    "Ah, dear sister. How wonderful it is to see you again."


    She just studied him somberly.


    No�� no, that bastard was not tired at all. If anything, he seemed to be having the time of his life.


    Instead of answering, Morgan simply raised her sword.


    Mordret chuckled.


    "I am not going to lie, this is quite a predicament. I often dreamed about killing the members of my despicable family slowly, but this�� this has been a bit too slow even for my taste." ????????


    He raised his own sword and glanced at its sharp blade with a faint smile.


    "Not that carving you up day after day has not been enjoyable, dear sister."


    Morgan smiled darkly.


    "...Same here."


    Mordret laughed.


    "Still, aren''t you a bit ashamed of yourself? It would have been all over for you a long time ago if not for the fact that Soul Reaper Jet happened to possess that neat Memory of hers, after all. Sheer luck does not exactly constitute merit, does it?"


    Morgan shrugged indifferently.


    "The Memory is simply a convenient opportunity. Knowing how to grasp an opportunity is a merit, too. Knowing how to create opportunities is another�� you talk as if it wasn''t me who recruited Soul Reaper, to begin with. In any case, I would have found another way if there was no Memory."


    She had indeed harbored a few plans before Soul Reaper Jet revealed the hourglass Memory, albeit none would have been quite as effective.


    Mordret looked at her with a smile.


    "So, what then? Are we going to continue this charade indefinitely, dear sister? Ah�� I would really hate for something as wonderful as watching you bleed to grow old."


    Morgan smiled darkly.


    "You are always welcome to enter my soul and challenge me to a duel there. That is the only way you will be able to kill me before I can activate the enchantment."


    The best plan was to stall her brother long enough for the war to resolve itself. The second-best plan was to force him into challenging her to a soul duel.


    No matter which option he chose, she won. Every outcome seemed to be in her favor.


    ��Why was it, then, that Morgan felt uneasy? Mordret had to be weaving some kind of scheme. Was there something she was missing?


    He shook his head nonchalantly.


    "I''d rather not. I have plenty of time to waste here, anyway."


    Morgan''s dark smile dimmed, and she looked at him coldly.


    Then, she said: S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s just it, though. I don''t think you do."


    Mordret raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh? Are you hoping that our father can kill Ki Song swiftly? I am not convinced. So, I am willing to risk it."


    She tilted her head a little and studied him for a few moments.


    Then, another smile illuminated her pale face �� this one faint, but sincere.


    "But what if Ki Song kills our father swiftly? While you are stuck here, unable to do it yourself?"


    For the first time in a while, her brother''s mask of benevolent decorum cracked briefly, revealing the hideous face of hateful madness beneath.


    His grin evaporated, replaced by inhuman coldness.


    Mordret took a step forward and raised his sword.


    "You should not say such terrible things, sister. Your sound unfilial."


    Morgan grinned.


    "Go die, bastard."


    With that, she lunged forward.


    They clashed again, like they did every day. The fury of their confrontation shook the broken mountain.


    In a weird way, it was almost enjoyable. Morgan did not often receive an opportunity to cross swords with someone who was close to her in skill. But for these past few months, she could express her sword freely and without restraint. She remembered being thrilled for the first few times�� each instance was a battle where her very survival was at stake, as well.


    And her brother, loathsome as he might have been, was still a descendant of War. His skill was fearsome, so it would have been hard to gain so much precious experience anywhere else.


    It was just that she had to experience harrowing pain, watch her body be mutilated, and taste the bitterness of defeat every time.


    Just like this time.


    It was so... burdensome.


    Soon enough, Morgan was broken and bleeding. Her sword had collapsed into a whirlwind of scarlet sparks, and her gaze started to blur.


    She was hurt quite terribly.


    Drowning in her own blood, Morgan reached within and activated the enchantment of the mystical hourglass once again.


    Her bloodied lips twisted into a smile.


    "See you�� next time."


    Mordret, who was in a slightly better shape, was looking at the deep cracks leading to the depths of the shattered mountains with a thoughtful expression.


    His eyes glistened strangely.


    "Yes�� see you next time, sister."


    The world seemed to dissolve into nothingness.


    A few moments later, Morgan found herself tending to a pot of fragrant stew.


    She closed her eyes tiredly.


    ''Damn it all.''

 Chapter 2080: Fragments of War (17)

    Just like the children of the King of Swords were locked in a bloody stalemate, so were the two great armies. Both the Greater and the Lesser Strongholds were refusing to fall. Despite the terrible battles that raged above the dark chasms, the Song Army stubbornly held out.


    Ash and blood covered the pristine surface of the sun-bleached bone. The toll of human lives was appalling, and worst of all, the deaths of countless soldiers felt senseless �� neither side had managed to gain a decisive advantage, after all, and it did not seem like that would change any time soon.


    Something had to break the dreadful stalemate. The ashen-faced soldiers felt a strange tension permeate the air, as if a sudden change was coming�� or maybe it was just what they hoped for.


    Most people believed that the two great armies would unleash their Saints soon, changing the very nature of the siege and heralding in the final act of the harrowing war.


    Sunny expected that kind of escalation, too. After all, the King of Swords, callous as he was, was also not a madman who enjoyed wasting the lives of his soldiers �� each of the failed assaults on the Two Crossings had been an earnest attempt to conquer them, but now that these attempts were proving to be futile, he would have to employ a different strategy.


    That was why Sunny was not surprised to receive a special order. The order was summoning him to have an audience with the King �� the other Saints would probably be receiving the same summons, as well. He believed that they would be sent into the fray as a result.


    If there was one strange thing about the summons, it was the location. Surprisingly, Sunny was not being called to the camp of the northern contingent of the Sword Army, where the King of Swords was supposed to be residing at the moment. It was not even the Ivory Island, which hovered above that camp.


    Instead, he was being summoned to Vanishing Lake �� the Citadel in the Hollows that Sunny and Nephis had conquered.


    Leaving the camp of the eastern contingent of the Sword Army, Sunny traveled swiftly across the Breastbone Reach. The dire and untamed land he had once settled as the Lord of Shadows was now completely transformed.


    The abominable jungle still sprawled in the hollows, but here on the surface, the scarlet infestation was no more. There was no endless sea of monstrous trees in sight, no impenetrable tangle of the vermilion vines, no red moss covering the white bone. There were no Nightmare Creatures prowling to devour prey, and no swarms of malignant vermin buzzing in the air.


    Instead, the vast reaches of Godgrave was clear and pristine, with human outposts dotted here and there around the fissures in the ancient bone. There were established routes, soldiers patrolling the bone plain, and supply caravans moving across its expanse to deliver supplies.


    There were even specially constructed wooden shelters raised along the routes to help the travelers wait out potential cloudbreaks in safety.


    ��It almost seemed like civilization.


    Gliding across the vast expanse of pristine bone as a swift shadow, Sunny felt a strange sense of alienation from its unrecognizable expanse. It was a little eerie to see how drastically Godgrave had been changed by the passage of time, but also a little encouraging.


    Most of all, it was full of irony. After all, this progress had only been made possible by the demands of war.


    Perhaps it was no wonder that out of all the Divine Realms, the waking world seemed to have walked the path of progress the furthest. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No matter how Sunny felt about the changes that had happened to Godgrave, though, he was welcomed by a familiar sight after reaching the secondary camp of the Sword Army near the great fissure and descending into the Hollows.


    There, the chilling horrors of Godgrave remained unchanged.


    ��Mostly.


    Even the ancient, abominable jungle of the Hollows had been tamed a little �� enough, at least, to establish a relatively safe pathway from the fissure to Vanishing Lake. The lake itself had been secured by the forces of the Sword Domain, as well, establishing a safe area around the Citadel.


    That was only possible because the King himself had taken action, of course.


    Sunny reached the charred ruins of the ancient temple without wasting any time. There, one of the Knights stationed at the Citadel guided him to a spacious underground chamber where a few other Saints were already gathered, standing around a large table with a detailed map of Godgrave.


    Their faces were familiar.


    Cassie was there, as well as old Saint Jest of the Dagonet clan. There was also Saint Helie, Roan of White Feather, and Rivalen of Aegis Rose�� the same people who had conquered the Citadel a few months ago.


    However, it was much more curious to see who wasn''t there �� which included the rest of the Sword Saints, and most glaringly Nephis herself.


    Sunny, of course, was aware that she had not been summoned to Vanishing Lake already. After all, he was with her on the Ivory Island at that very moment.


    Glancing at Cassie from behind his mask, Sunny nodded at the gathered Saints and ignored their greetings, finding a dark corner to lean on the wall nonchalantly.


    [What is going on?]


    Cassie, in turn, showed no outward sign of receiving his mental message.


    [I am not sure. However�� I think the King has some questions for you.]


    After hesitating for a few moments, Sunny discreetly switched Weaver''s Mask to [Definitely Not Me]. He had a feeling that only being able to lie would not work for him today.


    Just as he did, the doors opened, and the familiar cold pressure descended upon them. Anvil walked into the room, his vermilion cloak fluttering behind him like a stream of blood, and approached the table with measured steps.


    His heavy suit of black armor was crafted so finely that it made no noise at all.


    Glancing at the map, the King of Swords turned to the dark corner where Sunny was skulking and said in an indifferent tone:


    "Lord Shadow. I summoned you here because you possess the most knowledge about the Hollows among us. Take a glance at the map."


    With a sigh, Sunny separated from the wall and approached the table.


    The map on the table depicted Godgrave. It was quite a splendid feat of cartography, in fact, considering that it showed both the surface of the titanic skeleton and the complicated terrain of the Hollows �� those parts of them that had been explored by the Sword Army, at least.


    Vanishing Lake was situated in the central part of the great hollow beneath the Breastbone Reach, closer to its eastern side.


    Anvil pointed to it, then moved his finger north-west.


    "I want you to draw the optimal path to the Western First Rib."

 Chapter 2081: Fragments of War (18)

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments. Western First Rib�� was a place that held great significance to the war, at the moment.


    That was, of course, because it was where the lesser of the Two Crossings was located.


    There were two paths to the West Collarbone Plain �� the last bastion of the Song Army in Godgrave �� from the Breastbone Reach, which was now controlled entirely by the King of Swords.


    The one in the north connected the titanic breastbone directly to the right collarbone of the dead deity, and was called the Greater Stronghold. However, there was a second path further south, via the right first rib. That was where the Lesser Stronghold was located, and where Sunny had spent the last few weeks.


    He studied the King of Swords for a few moments.


    Why would Anvil want to go there through the Hollows? It seemed like a futile endeavor. Unless��


    Sunny spoke evenly:


    "The optimal path depends on who is meant to walk it."


    His impassive voice resounded in the underground chamber like a sinister promise.


    Anvil answered him calmly:


    "Saints first. Then, after a safe pathway is cleared, Awakened soldiers. Large numbers of them."


    That�� could only mean one thing.


    ''...Crazy.''


    Sunny suppressed the desire to shake his head in bewilderment.


    He had expected that the King of Swords would send his Saints into battle to prevent the senseless loss of life among the Awakened soldiers �� the Saints of the Sword Army had already proven their superiority, after all. And although each of them was more valuable to the power of the Sovereign than countless warriors of lesser Ranks, continuing the siege seemed pointless otherwise.


    However, Anvil had a different plan.


    He seemed to want to march the Awakened soldiers across the Hollows, cross from the breastbone of the dead deity to the titanic first rib beneath the surface, and bypass the Lesses Stronghold entirely �� perhaps to attack it from the rear, perhaps to invade West Collarbone Plain directly.


    It was a daring maneuver, and one that could work�� if not for the fact that marching Awakened warriors through the Hollows was similar to giving them a death sentence. The Hollows were just too dangerous for anyone weaker than a Saint to survive.


    No, even Saints could easily die here.


    On the other hand�� it was not entirely impossible. After all, Seishan had led her entire expedition force below the surface to conquer the Collarbone Citadel. However, she had done it out of necessity, having been left with no other choice. Even then, too many of Rain''s comrades had perished during the relatively short march to the Citadel.


    The great Hollow beneath the Breastbone Reach was much more vast, and much more dangerous as well. Worse than that, the distance between Vanishing Lake and the potential crossing to the First Rib was many times greater than what Seishan and her soldiers had traversed. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However��


    Anvil had not asked Sunny to list all the reasons why this idea was crazy. He had simply asked him to point out the best possible route.


    Crazy plans worked, sometimes. Sunny, of all people, had no right to say otherwise.


    It was just that he had to, this time.


    He sighed, then shook his head.


    "It won''t work."


    The King of Swords simply considered him in silence.


    Eventually, it was Jest who spoke, chuckling quietly.


    "Goodness gracious, is the indomitable Lord of Shadows actually wary of something?"


    Sunny stared at him from behind his mask for a few moments, then spoke impassively:


    "I am. We can cleave through the jungle, slaughter the ancient horrors populating it, and even eradicate the Great Nightmare Creatures that haunt this land. However, the problem lies here." ?


    He pointed to a particular point on the map �� one that did not lay directly in the path leading to the Western First Rib, but was somewhat close to it.


    "Here, the jungle hides the ruins of a sprawling city. I''ve been to these ruins once, and had to escape. They are guarded by a swarm of especially lethal Great abominations �� not just solitary predators, but a small army of them."


    His words caused a heavy silence to settle in the chamber. Over the months of fighting in Godgrave, the Saints of both armies had somewhat grown used to the idea of facing Great Nightmare Creatures in battle. Rare as encounters with such terrifying beings had been in the past, they were not something that Transcendent warriors of humanity could not win.


    But fighting a group of Great Nightmare Creatures, let alone a large one, still seemed like outright suicide.


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    "Much worse than that, they are able to exist as a group because these Great abominations are not independent beings. Instead, they serve a Cursed Tyrant�� whose name is Condemnation. Condemnation dwells in the ruins, and its sphere of influence overlaps with any viable route to the First Rib."


    The already heavy silence had turned grave.


    Until it was broken by Saint Jest, who chuckled once again. Only, this time, his chuckle seemed a little nervous.


    "Condemnation, is it? Why, there''s definitely a dirty joke somewhere here. Well, maybe joke is too strong of a word�� but a dirty pun, definitely!"


    He opened his mouth to share said pun, but grew quiet after Anvil glanced at him without any amusement.


    The old man coughed.


    "Or, you know, maybe there isn''t. For once."


    The King of Swords looked away from Jest and turned his heavy attention back to Sunny.


    "There is no other route?"


    Sunny slowly shook his head.


    "There are ones that are much longer. They would take us into the hunting grounds of other Cursed Ones, though�� perhaps not as terrifying as Condemnation, but the added length of the journey would make up for the difference."


    Anvil looked at the map calmly.


    "A Cursed Tyrant��"


    He remained silent for a while, and then shrugged indifferently.


    "Then we will kill Condemnation."


    Sensing the shock his words caused to the gathered Saints, he looked at them calmly.


    "I will lead the subjugation force myself. And cut this creature down myself, as well."

 Chapter 2082: Fragments of War (19)

    Chapter 2082: Fragments of War (19)The Hollows felt different in the company of a Sovereign.


    Before, Sunny had always felt like prey here. Despite the fact that his powers were enough to survive the perils of the ancient jungle, it had always been a losing fight �� he could slay some predators and escape others, but only for so long. The Hollows themselves were like a hungry beast, and were bound to devour him sooner or later.


    But now that he was following the King of Swords, things were different.


    It was not even a matter of raw power, but more so a feeling. The chilling sensation of being alone and alien to the foreign, hostile, and malevolent land that intended to consume him was replaced by the sensation of belonging. Of being the predator instead of prey�� of being the master of this dark place.


    Or rather, of being a follower of its master.


    Examining the subtle feeling with curiosity, Sunny smiled behind the mask.


    He wondered if that was what being a minion of a Tyrant felt like.


    The small group was traversing the Hollows swiftly. They had left Vanishing Lake the previous day and delved into the jungle without wasting any time.


    The King of Swords was riding a fearsome stallion forged from black steel �� an artificial Echo of unknown Rank and Class that he had probably forged himself. Considering how the Echo looked, Sunny could not help but imagine Nightmare tearing it apart with his adamantine fangs�� after all, the world was too small for two tenebrous steeds.


    Saint Rivalen had assumed his Transcendent form and was barreling through the jungle behind the Sovereign. The enormous rhino was surrounded by an invisible field of interlocked shields and carried two figures on his back �� they were Jest and Cassie, one holding onto his cane, the other onto the hilt of the Quiet Dancer.


    Roan had transformed into the giant white lion, running to the side of Rivalen. His wings were folded, but he was still maintaining astonishing speed. Saint Helie was galloping on the other side of the rhino, her hair dancing in the air.


    Sunny, meanwhile, had turned into four shadows and hid himself inside Cassie''s, allowing himself to be carried with her. Needless to say, out of everyone in the group, he was traveling with the most comfort.


    It was both strange and amusing, to be so relaxed and comfortable in the Hollows.


    The Hollows had not become any less deadly, after all. Now that the Sword Domain had spread across the Breastbone Reach, all of its surface belonged to Anvil �� there, his authority was undisputed, and his power was at its peak.


    That authority reached into the Hollows, as well. Apart from the hunting grounds of the Cursed Ones and of the Great Nightmare Creatures of higher Ranks, the vast expanse of the ancient jungle was now permeated by his will. However, that did not magically eliminate countless abominations dwelling under its canopy, and neither did it pacify the jungle itself.


    Sunny did not have to concern himself with protecting the party, though.


    As they moved swiftly through the jungle, the small group was surrounded by a quiet rustle. That was the sound of countless swords flowing like a river around them, all controlled by the will of their King. The sword scared many inhabitants of the jungle away and easily obliterated those Nightmare Creatures that were too fearless for their own good.


    Sunny was using shadow sense to perceive the surroundings, so he could observe the quiet river of flying swords closely.


    What he saw left him disturbed and uneasy.


    He had known that Anvil was a being of daunting power, of course. The sight of countless swords blotting out the sky like a swirling cloud of sharp steel was still fresh in his mind. The sight of them raining down to annihilate a horde of Nightmare Creatures was, as well.


    However, it was only now that he saw the true horror of the Sovereign''s swords.


    They could cut down powerful abominations in mere moments, true.


    But they could also cut down things that no one was supposed to be able to cut.


    For example��


    As Sunny observed, a field of vermilion flowers swayed in an intangible wind, expelling a cloud of red pollen. That same eerie wind carried the pollen toward the approaching humans, but before it could reach it, a single sword flashed through the red haze, drawing a thin line in it.


    In the next moment, the pollen fell to the ground like dust, the vibrant scarlet color fading into dull brown. It looked inert and withered�� dead.


    Obviously, it was impossible to cut down a cloud of pollen, so how had the King of Swords destroyed it with a single slash?


    As Sunny observed many similar events happening around them, he came to a disturbing conclusion.


    It was not that Anvil''s sword had cut down a cloud. Instead, it seemed to have cut�� the very concept of the red pollen, thus destroying its material manifestation.


    Such power was a step above what Sunny was capable of, knew how to defend himself from, or could understand. It was a frightening display of potency that seemed more divine than mundane.


    ''...Troubling.''


    Sunny wondered if Anvil was able to perform such feats because they were currently within his Domain, or if he could accomplish the same anywhere, anytime, simply by virtue of possessing Supreme power.


    Someone else would have rejoiced to serve such a fearsome monarch, but since Sunny was actively planning to kill the king, he was not too happy to see how deadly his target was.


    [Cassie�� do you see what I see?]


    She lingered with the response, then spoke in his mind neutrally:


    [That''s quite an unfortunate bit of wording, isn''t it?]


    Sunny shifted awkwardly within her shadow.


    [Ah�� r��right. Sorry.]


    She chuckled quietly, then added in a somber tone: S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    [But yes. I do. It is a bit terrifying.]


    Sunny listened to the quiet rustle of countless swords for a few moments more.


    [Be sure to share the memory of this journey with Nephis when we return. She will find it useful.]


    Sunny and Nephis had hoped that observing Great Nightmare Creatures in the Sovereigns do battle would give them clues about what it meant to be Supreme �� and therefore how to attain Supremacy.


    Without achieving that��


    Right now, the gap between them and the Sovereigns seemed terribly vast.

 Chapter 2083: Fragments of War (20)

    Chapter 2083: Fragments of War (20)Sunny would have loved to think that the senseless slaughter at the Two Crossings had been put on hold while Anvil was secretly realizing his daring plan to lead an army through the Hollows, but in fact, the opposite was true.


    There had to be mayhem and carnage to cover up his absence and mask the signs of the dreadful battle with Condemnation, after all. So, the war entered a period of demented intensity while the King was absent from the frontline.


    So, it was good that it did not take them long to reach the overgrown ruins of an ancient city where Sunny and Nephis had once rescued Tamar of Sorrow and her friend Fleur.


    The King of Swords and his retinue of Saints were currently observing the ruins from a small distance. The Cursed Tyrant was hidden out of sight, but Sunny could feel its profane influence permeating the air.


    He could practically see the Sword Domain clashing against the boundary of Condemnation''s territory �� only to recede like a wave, powerless to usurp the will of Condemnation.


    Out there in the ruins, even the authority of a Sovereign would have to bow to a more tyrannical presence.


    The man himself was standing just a few steps away from Sunny, observing the ruined city with an indifferent expression. That expression had not left his face ever since they entered the Hollows, making it seem as if nothing here was worthy of making his heart stir.


    It was to the point that Sunny was starting to wonder if Anvil usually ate Cursed Tyrants for breakfast.


    Actually, it was hard to imagine Anvil eating any kind of breakfast. Did Sovereigns even need to eat? Their souls were far beyond the concept of mundane, and their bodies were not quite mortal either. So, he was not sure.


    He was also painfully aware that it was his first time being so close to the King of Swords while surrounded by so few people. The small size of the subjugation party made Anvil seem almost�� approachable.


    ''Well, what the hell? You only live once.''


    Sunny decided to just go ahead and ask.


    He turned his mask toward the King of Swords and spoke in a cold tone:


    "Have you slain a Cursed Tyrant before, Your Majesty?"


    Anvil regarded the ruins for a few more moments, then slowly shook his head.


    "I''ve slain a few Cursed Nightmare Creatures, but none of that Class."


    Sunny stared.


    ''...Then why the hell are you so calm?''


    They were about to attack the lair of a Cursed Tyrant. A Cursed Tyrant! Condemnation was not just some big abomination �� it was a true deity. A deity that had succumbed to Corruption.


    They were intending to slay a god.


    The rest of the Saint shifted uncomfortably. Sunny gave them a glance.


    They were�� a strange group, considering the circumstances.


    He understood that Anvil could not pull too many Saints from the frontline without making their absence too noticeable. However, the particular people he had taken with him were all a bit odd of a choice.


    Sunny was the most obvious pick, since he had extensive knowledge of the Hollows and had already faced Condemnation once. However�� he was also known to be unusually partial to Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan, who was currently in a strained relationship with the King.


    There was Cassie, as well. She was a loyal follower of Nephis, too�� not that it prevented her from being in very good standing among the Saints of Valor. But it was still strange to see her here, since the blind seer was not exactly known as a powerful combatant. Bringing her to a battle with a Cursed Tyrant did not make a lot of sense.


    Saint Helie was with them, too�� she was a warrior of great renown and well-liked in the Sword Domain, so it was not too strange to see her here. However, the King had just executed her uncle, Orum, not too long ago. Was he really relying on Helie as a champion, or keeping her close to observe her?


    Then, there was Roan of White Feather. Unlike the other three Saints, there was nothing controversial about Roan�� at first glance. But he was married to Saint Tyris, who was the cornerstone of the entire Sword Army here in Godgrave. Before that, their clan had not been looked upon with favor. One could almost imagine that Anvil was using Roan as a hostage to keep Sky Tide in check.


    Saint Jest, meanwhile, was one of the most loyal subjects of the royal clan. Even now that the Citadel of the Dagonet clan had been destroyed, he was valued by the King greatly. However, his Aspect mostly dealt with emotions and thoughts. Considering that they would be fighting mindless automatons in the ruins, the old man would find it hard to contribute to the battle in a meaningful manner. sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Finally, there was Rivalen of Aegis Rose��


    Actually, Sunny could not think of anything odd about Saint Rivalen. That guy was a perfectly fitting choice. His loyalty was stellar, and his Aspect was uniquely useful in almost any situation.


    But wasn''t it strange, to be the only one who was not strange when everyone else was?


    Perhaps Rivalen was the most suspicious!


    Sunny shook his head.


    ''I think my nerves are getting to me.''


    He pointed to the ruins.


    "In any case, as I explained before, the Great Nightmare Creatures populating these ruins are called Asuras of Condemnation. They seem to be remnants of the human civilization that once thrived in Godgrave �� powerful suits of enchanted armor parasitized by Corruption. So, don''t try to behead them or damage the corpses trapped inside the golems. Go for the armor itself."


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, and then added tensely:


    "As for Condemnation, I only know that it''s huge. I ran away immediately after it appeared, and even then just barely."


    Anvil gave him a curt nod and headed toward the ruins calmly.


    "Leave the Tyrant to me. Today, I will be the condemned."

 Chapter 2084: Fragments of War (21)

    Chapter 2084: Fragments of War (21)Sunny had once again entered the ruins of the nameless city.


    Last time, he had come here with Nephis, both of them on guard and wary of the ancient ruins.


    This time, he was in a more illustrious �� or maybe more deplorable �� company. Led by a Sovereign, the Sword Saints strolled into the ruins with daring confidence. The source of that confidence was the King of Swords himself, whose bearing and expression remained calm and aloof despite the looming battle with a corrupted god. His brazen nonchalance was eerily infectious.


    Of course, the Saints were still nervous.


    Sunny was nervous, too.


    Not only at the prospect of battling Great Nightmare Creatures and witnessing a clash between a Sovereign and a Cursed Tyrant, but also for a different reason.


    He threw a furtive glance south.


    The Nameless Temple was not that far from here �� no more than two hundred kilometers. Subsequently, the swath of the abominable jungle where his menagerie of Great Nightmare Creatures were slumbering under the influence of the Dream Curse was not that far, either.


    Their hideous bodies were shrouded in a veil of shadows, true, but even hiding them inside the darkness of the Shadow Realm Fragment did not put Sunny at ease when a Sovereign was so close.


    In fact, the Fragment itself could attract unnecessary attention. Sunny did not know what senses Anvil possessed and how far they reached�� so, he was a bit on edge.


    ''I�� should probably focus.''


    All Great Nightmare Creatures were dire enemies, but the Asuras were especially fearsome due to their special nature. He had to throw distracting thoughts out of his mind and concentrate on the upcoming battle.


    The role of the Saints was to pull the attention of the Asuras away from the King and carve him a path to Condemnation. Then, they were supposed to keep the minions of the Cursed Tyrant at bay until it was destroyed.


    Of course, Sunny was meant to serve as the sledgehammer of the group, doing the lion''s share of the work �� the other five Saints were here to support him.


    That was the price he had to pay for being too outstanding.


    As they entered the city, his companions grew apprehensive�� except for the King, who looked indifferent to the deadly danger of the overgrown ruins.


    Sunny commanded Serpent to assume the Soul Weapon form. This time, however, he did not go with the familiar odachi �� considering the nature of the enemy, a blunt weapon would work much better. So, the serpentine Shadow took the shape of a great mace that seemed to be carved from black obsidian. It looked almost like the exact opposite of the diamond weapons the Asuras used.


    Hoisting the heavy mace on his shoulder, Sunny took the lead and headed toward the center of the ruined city. The others followed, spreading a little to form a loose battle formation. S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Each of the Saints looked formidable and battle-ready�� well, except for Jest, who was wearing mundane clothes and leaning on his walking stick. The old man was looking around with curiosity.


    "This place�� reminds me of Europe."


    Sunny glanced at him with interest.


    "You''ve been to Europe, old man?"


    That continent was lost to humanity, but unlike the Americas and Antarctica, it had not been lost to the Nightmare Spell. Instead, it had been rendered uninhabitable before it even descended.


    Jest grinned.


    "Sure. Where have I not been? Anyway, there are many such cities in Europe. Ancient, beautiful, swallowed by nature�� quite a sight, really, albeit one that will put you in a melancholic mood. Well, and those beautiful forests are no less deadly and vile as this damned jungle. Of course, that is because of the weapons used during the Dark Times, not just the Nightmare Spell."


    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, then looked away.


    "Still, I don''t think there''s a city quite like this one in Europe."


    Jest raised an eyebrow with a smile.


    "How so?"


    Taking a deep breath, Sunny grasped the handle of his great mace with both hands.


    "There''s no friendly locals��"


    At that moment, the mounds of vermilion moss around them exploded, revealing damp interiors of overgrown buildings, and the lumbering figures of the Asuras lunged at them with a dreadful speed.


    The appalling creatures looked just like Sunny remembered them.


    They were twice as tall as humans, but shriveled and hunched. Their vaguely humanoid bodies were made from stone, with deep cracks covering its rough surface. Red moss covered the stone like tattered garments, with scarlet blossoms growing from it on black stalks.


    Below the moss, desiccated flesh could be seen through the cracks in the dark stone. That flesh belonged to the Awakened warriors who had once worn the powerful suits of enchanted armor�� and were now entombed within them.


    The featureless faces of the Asuras gaped with round holes cut on their surface, all of them full of appalling darkness.


    The terrifying abominations descended upon them in an instant, their diamond weapons already falling to shatter the world into pieces.


    Sunny grimaced.


    His black mace slammed into the chest of the nearest Asura with enough force to collapse a mountain, producing a devastating shockwave and causing several of the overgrown buildings to crumble.


    At the same time, Rivalen staggered back on his four stubby legs, his barrier of shields collapsing under the terrible force of a Great Nightmare Creature''s blow. Luckily, the invisible barrier had stalled the abomination just long enough to allow Helie to send several arrows in quick succession, each striking the Asura''s chest and exploding with thunderous roars.


    Roan simply used his mass to topple one of the golems, then bit down on the stone carapace. A moment later, powerful currents of electricity seemed to flow through the ancient suit of mystical armor, frying it from the inside.


    Cassie simply dodged the attack, gliding back with the help of the Quiet Dancer.


    The King of Swords, meanwhile��


    Simply ignored the sudden attack, continuing to walk toward the center of the city with a cold and terrifying expression on his chiseled face.

 Chapter 2085: Fragments of War (22)

    It was never easy to fight Great Nightmare Creatures. They were faster, stronger, and more durable than even Transcendent humans were, not to mention possessing abominable constitution. Worse than that, the world bent to their will�� and the humans did, as well. Facing an abomination of the Great Rank was a treacherous ordeal at best, and a deadly mistake most of the time.


    The wounds dealt to the enemy would be more shallow than they were meant to be. A sharp blade would turn dull; a sturdy armor would succumb to blows easier than it had ever succumbed before. Similarly, one''s own body and mind would betray them, making the difference in power feel even greater than it was.


    But it did not mean that human Saints had no chance in a battle against Great abominations. In fact, Sunny judged that even the most inexperienced Saint was far more deadly than most of those�� at least as far as Nightmare Creatures of lesser Classes were concerned.


    It was for a simple reason. Great Nightmare Creatures possessed dreadful power and dire will by their very nature. The Saints, however, were innately unnatural beings �� they were, in fact, the product of a bitter fight against one''s nature. From a mundane person to a Transcendent warrior, each step on the Path of Ascension was paid for in blood.


    And only the very best of humanity had walked that far on the path. They were the strongest and deadliest members of the human tribe, trained for war by the Nightmare Spell �� unlike most Nightmare Creatures, who were granted their power without having to strive to gain it.


    That was why six Saints of the Sword Army were not instantly overwhelmed by the Great Nightmare Creatures of the ancient ruins.


    Sunny had used shadow sense to predict where the enemy would appear from and moved in advance to make up for his lacking speed, slamming his mace into the breastplate of the appalling golem. Of course, he had wrapped himself in shadows and used [Feather of Truth] to make his blow as heavy as possible.


    Most importantly, Serpent''s [Slaying Blade] Ability was meant to ignore the will of greater enemies, to a degree.


    As a result, the stone breastplate of the golem exploded into a rain of debris, and before the thunderous boom of the heavy impact could even die down, the Handy Bracelet announced the kill.


    [You have slain a Great Beast, Asura of Condemnation.]


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    Sunny wasted a split second to wonder at the fact that beings of such dire power could die so swiftly by his hand. Since when had it become the norm? It was truly bizarre��


    But he did not have a lot of time to celebrate the kill. Already, another Asura was moving in his direction, mere moment away from obliterating him with a devastating strike.


    Before it could, however, a different kind of horror intercepted the shambling golem from the darkness. Glowing red claws shot forward, and Fiend threw the creature to the ground, having already sliced off its arm with terrifying ease.


    Infernal flames burned in his eyes with hungry glee.


    Sunny''s Supreme Devil towered above the Asuras, his glistening black frame bristling with countless jagged spikes.


    Unlike the six Saints, Fiend did not look inferior to the Asuras in terms of sheer menace. If anything, he looked much more terrifying, like a demon of blackened steel that had crawled from the depths of a fiery hell. His hungry expression only made him seem more sinister.


    Without wasting any time, Fiend threw himself into battle.


    The other Saints were holding their ground, as well, albeit just barely. Cassie, Roan, Rivalen, and Helie coordinated their movements, facing the lumbering stone golems with a united front. Jest, meanwhile�� seemed to have disappeared somewhere. Sunny felt a strange hint of concern about the old man, but he was also sure that the elder of Clan Dagonet could take care of himself.


    Sunny dashed forward and brought his mace down on the moss-covered mass of the Asura whom Fiend had thrown down moments earlier. There was a shockwave, and the ground beneath the creature split open. Around them, a few ancient buildings collapsed��


    The Great Beast grew still, not trying to rise anymore.


    A split second later, Sunny was gone, having used Shadow Step to jump a few dozen meters away. A diamond blade whistled through the space he had been occupying a heartbeat before, seemingly cutting the fabric of reality itself apart.


    He belatedly felt a cold chill running down his spine.


    ''That was close��''


    The battle raged on, with the six Saints attracting more and more Asuras from the depths of the ruins.


    But it was merely a distraction.


    The true confrontation was about to happen somewhere ahead of them, where the King of Swords was walking calmly with an aloof expression on his cold face.


    Out there, in the heart of the nameless city��


    Condemnation was rising slowly.


    Sunny felt the Tyrant before he saw its towering figure.


    He felt its harrowing presence first, then shuddered as he sensed its shadow. It was vast and unfathomably deep, indescribably ancient�� inescapable.


    Suddenly, he felt like a Sleeper once again, shivering from fear in the shadow of the Crimson Spire. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The rest of the Saints had sensed the Cursed Tyrant, as well. They paled and stumbled, almost losing their lives in the middle of the battle. Condemnation''s mere presence seemed to have changed the world, making the Asuras stronger while humans were suddenly weak and frightened.


    The only one who showed no sign of fear was Anvil of Valor.


    The King continued to walk forward with measured steps, his black armor making no sound, his vermilion cloak fluttering in the powerful wind that had been raised by the Condemnation.


    The Cursed Tyrant was slowly rising at the heart of the ruins, making the world quake��


    That was where Anvil was headed, a sharp and ominous gleam igniting in the depths of his cold, grey eyes.

 Chapter 2086: Fragments of War (23)

    Sunny had not gotten a good look at Condemnation the last time he visited the Ruins. Back then, he and Nephis were too preoccupied with surviving and rescuing the pair of Sleepers. Now, however�� even though he was embroiled in a furious fight against the Asuras, he could not help but study the ancient Cursed One.Condemnation was definitely one of the most imposing Nightmare Creatures he had even encountered, if for no other reason than sheer, inconceivable size.


    Sunny had seen and fought many gargantuan abominations, had even slain many of them. Some were even the size of a mountain, like Goliath or the Black Turtle whose corpse had served him as an island-ship in the Third Nightmare.


    However, even Goliath had conceivably proportions, towering above the ground by more than a hundred meters, but less than two hundred.


    Condemnation dwarfed the Fallen Titan effortlessly.


    It was so gargantuan, in fact, that watching it rise felt like watching a natural disaster happening, not a living being moving.


    At its full height, the Cursed Tyrant was no less than several kilometers tall. It was so tall, in fact, that Sunny could only see its full form because of the distance�� if he was any closer, he would have had to lay down on the ground and look up to truly see the dreadful scale of Condemnation. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was vaguely human-like in shape, possessing two legs, two arms, and a head. However, the semblance was rough and distant, as if created in the image of a human by a consciousness that either did not really know what humans looked like, or simply did not care.


    The dark behemoth was awesome and imposing, but most of all, the chaotic contours of its mountainous body were utterly dreadful. In fact, simply looking at it was maddening, as if Sunny''s resilient mind was deeply wounded by the unfathomable sight.


    The first time Sunny had seen the Cursed One, he assumed that, since it had risen from below the overgrown ruins, its body was covered by soil, roots, moss, pieces of rubble, and debris.


    But now that he could see it clearly, he knew that he had assumed wrong. The body of Condemnation was not covered by a crumbling layer of the ruins�� instead, it simply consisted of the ruins. And everything else around it, really, as if assembled from what was there to take.


    Stone, soil, vast fragments of the shattered bone, countless trees and vines, pieces of stone and entire crumbling buildings were held in the air by an invisible force, comprising the colossal figure.


    There were other, less tangible things constituting Condemnation, as well. The twilight of the subterranean ruin, the vast swathes of ancient shadows, the howling wind, the clouds of mist�� any even more abstract concepts, most likely, which Sunny was unable to perceive.


    Truthfully, he was mostly certain that he could not perceive all of the Cursed Tyrant, instead witnessing only the surface of its harrowing being.


    It was as if a malevolent spirit had possessed the nameless city, and then built itself a body out of its remains.


    Entranced, Sunny stared at the slowly straightening colossal figure of Condemnation for a moment or two. Then, he shuddered and looked away hurriedly, just a heartbeat before the Cursed One opened its eyes.


    It was suddenly hard to breathe.


    Sunny felt as if his mind was about to shatter and his body was about to fester with a vile darkness�� and he wasn''t even whom the Cursed Tyrant was looking at.


    Towering at kilometers in height. Condemnation was unmistakably looking down�� at the King of Swords, who was still approaching it with measured steps.


    ''This madman��''


    Without slowing down even a little or showing the smallest sign of fear, Anvil stepped forward easily and suddenly soared into the air.


    He did not possess the ability to fly, like Kai did, and neither was he using a Memory to take flight. Instead, it seemed as if he simply willed himself to rise into the darkness, forcing gravity to release its hold on him. ��


    Of course, there was a simpler explanation. Sunny knew that Anvil''s Dormant Ability gave him tremendous affinity to metal and the power to control it �� which was how he was able to control the sea of flying swords, most likely. Meanwhile, his suit of intricate plate armor had also been forged from mystical steel, so he could have been simply exerting his power on it to fly.


    In any case, the King of Swords rose high into the air and hovered there like a black dot, his vermilion cloak billowing in the wind. He was positioned right across Condemnation''s colossal, inhuman face.


    The two stared at each other for a few moments�� from afar, it was like watching an ant stare down a giant.


    But then, the situation changed.


    That was because an enormous cyclone of scarlet light manifested itself into reality behind the King of Swords, drowning the ruins of the ancient city in a bright red radiance.


    The cloud of scarlet light cut the world in two like an enormous wall, flowing and swirling hypnotically. It was composed of myriads of radiant sparks, of course.


    The wall of scarlet radiance and the darkness surrounding Condemnation seemed to be at odds for a few moments, just like their masters were. Sunny was sure that there was also another, invisible confrontation going on.


    It was the confrontation between the Sword Domain and the will of the Cursed One. Anvil was invading Condemnation''s land, after all �� and his Domain was invading foreign territory, too.


    Then, finally, the ocean of scarlet sparks manifested into a sea of beautiful swords.


    Surrounded by them like a steel stormfront, Anvil looked at the Cursed Tyrant coldly.


    Then, raising a head, he sent the sword forward.


    Two enormous torrents of rustling steel flowed past him at tremendous speed, aimed at the colossal body of Condemnation.


    The battle between a Sovereign and a Tyrant had begun.

 Chapter 2087: Fragments of War (24)

    As the storm of swords descended upon Condemnation, the Asuras seemed to lose interest in the Saints. The ancient golems turned around, observing the battle between the Sovereign and the cursed god�� then, one of them raised its diamond spear and threw it with measured, powerful swing.There was a thunderous roar, and the ground beneath the golem cracked.


    The diamond spear flew through the darkness like a shooting star, becoming incandescent and igniting the very air around it. Its fiery trail was like a wound left on the dim twilight of the Hollows.


    It was aimed at the back of the King of Swords, who hovered high above the ground in the distance.


    Luckily, one of Helie''s arrows struck the spear in the air, producing a fearsome explosion and knocking it off course. The stunning shot left the beautiful equine Saint open for a split second, though, which almost cost her her life.


    Sunny manifested his three incarnations and snarled as each of them attacked one of the Asuras.


    "Keep them busy!"


    He was not even entirely sure why he was trying to prevent the minions of the Cursed Tyrant from attacking Anvil. Wouldn''t it be better if the damned Sovereign was either killed or severely wounded in the battle?


    No�� probably not. With Anvil debilitated or out of the picture, there would be no one left to contain the Queen of Worms. And once her Domain consumed the entire world, neither Sunny nor Nephis would be able to stop her.


    That was the rational reason. The irrational reason, though, was that he simply did not feel right siding with the Nightmare Creatures in a battle against humans.


    Sunny and his incarnations, as well as Fiend, clashed with the Asuras. The Saints abandoned caution in favor of fierce offense, too �� with their combined effort, the dreadful golems were temporarily stalled.


    A vast swath of the overgrown ruins was devastated by the chilling violence of their furious battle��


    But the devastation could not even remotely compare to the calamity unleashed by the King of Swords and Condemnation.


    At the heart of the ancient city, the colossal figure of Condemnation was finally enveloped by a storm of swords. Because of how gargantuan the Cursed Tyrant was, its movements seemed deceptively slow. With each step it took, the Hollows quaked.


    The cursed god was slowly raising a hand when the flowing river of swords slammed into its body, turning into an enormous steel whirlwind.


    Each of the countless blades struck Condemnation with obliterating force.


    Flashes of blinding light and flowers of flame bloomed across the dark expanse of its titanic body �� those were caused by kinetic energy turning into heat and light, much like what happened when the projectiles shot by the massive siege railguns hit the hordes of Nightmare Creatures under the walls at Falcon Scott.


    Only these explosions were infinitely more destructive, carrying the will and essence of a Supreme being. More than that, there had barely been a few dozen railguns firing at any given moment in Falcon Scott. Here, there was a myriad of swords, all striking the Tyrant continuously.


    Sunny suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.


    As he watched a hurricane of light and flame swallow the titanic form of Condemnation, his eyes widened. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Crap��''


    Then, the furious forces unleashed by Anvil''s attack crossed a dire threshold.


    The colossal Tyrant was wreathed in flames entirely by then, with a storm of swords continuing to bombard its mountain-like figure with a daunting barrage of annihilating blows. The heat unleashed by them was so great, in fact, that the air itself seemed to ignite.


    It was like a chain reaction.


    The world shuddered, and then exploded with furious light. A harrowing wall of flame suddenly formed in the distance, reaching almost all the way to the dome of the Hollows. The dim twilight that had reigned here for thousands of years was instantly vanquished�� and the ancient jungle covering the ruins was, too, turning to ash almost in a split second.


    The nameless city was revealed from under its suffocating embrace for a brief moment, looking almost like it had before the civilization of Godgrave succumbed to the ruthless challenge of the Nightmare Spell.


    It was a beautiful sight.


    Then, the ancient stone itself melted, turning into rivers of incandescent lava.


    The towering wall of incinerating flame rolled outward, consuming the ruins from the center outward...


    There was probably a moment or two before the deadly heat reached the outskirts of the city, where the Saints were fighting the Asuras.


    Sunny allowed himself a split second to witness this awesome scene of unfathomable devastation.


    Then, he dashed back and shouted:


    "Rivalen!"


    The Saints seemed to understand his meaning, swiftly moving to stand by the enormous rhino''s side. Sunny frantically looked around to see if Cassie was there, but he did not have to worry �� she was, just a step or two away from him. In fact, she had probably arrived first.


    Rivalen''s shields managed to surround them just before a wave of unbearable heat arrived. The power of his defensive Aspect weakened the heat, the shockwave, and the flames enough to allow the Saints to endure. Fiend''s wide back protected them, as well.


    A couple of heartbeats later, the dome of invisible shields was swallowed entirely by the wall of flame.


    The world had turned into a fiery abyss.


    ''Ah��''


    The air itself had been burned away, so they could not breathe. Luckily, Saints could last for a while without oxygen�� it was still unpleasant, though.


    But they survived.


    The jungle had turned to ash. The ruins melted. The air burned.


    Eventually, with nothing more to feed on, the fire died down.


    Sunny could see clearly once again.


    Directly in front of him, Fiend''s black carapace had turned incandescent. The ravenous Shadow did not seem to be in discomfort, though �� instead, he was gleeful, bursting with bloodlust and vigor, as if having absorbed some of the incinerating fire into his steel body.


    Further away, the Asuras were standing, surrounded by wisps of smoke. Patches of red moss that had been covering the abominable golems were gone now, burned away, revealing their true appearance.


    Beyond the Great Nightmare Creatures, the vast ruins of the ancient city�� were utterly gone, having turned into a hellish landscape of ash and molten lava.


    And further still��


    The Cursed Tyrant, Condemnation, remained intact and undamaged.


    It still bore the scar where Neph''s flame had burned its body, but the harrowing conflagration summoned into the world by the hurricane of Anvil''s swords did not leave even a scratch on it.


    Condemnation''s titanic hand was reaching forward from the billowing cloud of black smoke, as if to swat the King of Swords away like an annoying pest.

 Chapter 2088: Fragments of War (25)

    As the flames died down, a hurricane wind slammed into the Saints and the Asuras from behind. That was air rushing in to fill the vacuum �� and bringing the overbearing smell of ash with it. The ruins of the ancient city had turned into a fiery hellscape, and an unbearable heat singed their lungs as they breathed in. No mortal man could have survived in this incandescent purgatory, and yet, the Sword Saints did. After all, those of the Transcendent Rank were not quite mortal.


    Ahead of them, the stone carapaces of the Asuras were glowing with angry red embers.


    Helie dismissed her Transformation and wiped the sweat off her brow, breathing shallow breaths.


    A pained grimace twisted her beautiful face.


    "How are we supposed to fight them in these conditions?"


    Her voice sounded weak and ghostly, since there was not enough air around them yet to carry the sound properly.


    Sunny simply leaned forward, preparing to lunge at the enemies.


    "What are you waiting for? Attack while their armor is still softened by the heat!"


    She stared at him for a split second, then gritted her teeth and nocked an arrow on the string of her bow �� which had shrunk in size greatly now that she assumed the human form once more.


    The other Saints moved, as well.


    ��Far away, past the dark figures of the Asuras, Condemnation''s hand was moments away from reaching Anvil. Rivers of swords twisted in the glowing red darkness of the incinerated wasteland, converging right in front of him like a colossal steel flower. Its epicenter was supposed to serve as a shield for the Sovereign and receive the Tyrant''s blow.


    Four incarnations of Sunny descended upon the Asuras, unleashing hell upon them. However, even embroiled in the deadly battle, he could not help but keep an eye on the titanic confrontation happening in the distance.


    Condemnation''s hand collided with the whirlwind of swords in an explosion of furious devastation. It seemed to move slowly from a distance, but there was a blinding flash when the collision happened, followed by a thunderous roar and a tremendous shockwave.


    This time, the shockwave spread vertically. A few moments later, it slammed into the floor of the Hollows, as well as in their dome �� the world quaked, and a net of shallow cracks appeared on the surface of the ancient bone above them.


    The swirling mass of flying swords had failed to stop the cursed god''s hand.


    It barreled through them without ever slowing down, obliterating countless swords and sending many more flying into the distance. Shards of broken blades and streams of molten metal rained down.


    Sunny could not see the blow clearly. He only saw a whirlwind of scarlet sparks surrounding the King of Swords, and then saw him plummeting down like a meteor.


    He perceived what happened next with shadow sense.


    Anvil failed to damage the body of the enemy, and was struck down instead. However, the Sovereign seemed to have protected himself from the blow, after all. He crashed into a river of lava, sending a great fountain of it rising into the air. ��


    A few moments later, Anvil rose slowly to his feet, unscathed, and looked up with a dark expression. Drops of lava rolled down the black surface of his armor, not leaving even a trace on it, and he stood in the incandescent river of molten rock as if it was water.


    His eyes were cold and full of dark, suffocating determination.


    Outstretching a hand, he summoned another sword.


    This one, however�� felt different.


    Its shadow was much more terrifying than the shadows of the countless blades moving above the Sovereign like a steel storm.


    ''What just happened?''


    Sunny struggled to contend against the terrifying Asuras while trying to comprehend the awesome exchange between the King of Swords and Condemnation.


    On the surface, it had seemed simple enough �� a straightforward competition of their ability to exert force and unleash devastation. However, Sunny was sure that there was more going on than what met the eye.


    Anvil had not just failed to cut Condemnation because the colossal body of the Cursed Tyrant was too tough, and he had not failed to block Condemnation''s blow because its arm was too strong. Instead, the Sword Domain had failed to exert its dominance over the authority of the cursed god, and his will had failed to overpower the will of the enemy.


    Everything else was merely a result.


    Sunny''s expression grew ugly behind the mask.


    He was distracted from the profane battle after that, forced to concentrate on his own. As Sunny and the Sword Saints battled the shambling Asuras, they caught glimpses of the dreadful confrontation between the King of Swords and Condemnation from time to time.


    Flashes of blinding light, deafening thunderclaps, and devastating shockwaves continued to torment the world, making the Hollows quake in horrid convulsions.


    The gargantuan figure of the Cursed Tyrant was hard to miss, but Anvil was too small to be seen clearly from the distance �� especially in the appalling mayhem of their awesome clash. However, his presence was just as overwhelming, since even when the Sovereign himself could not be seen, the storm of swords that he had summoned was always visible.


    The torrents of rustling steel that besieged Condemnation were of the same scale as the Cursed Tyrant, even towering above it at times. Moving, flowing, soaring, falling�� assaulting the eldritch deity unceasingly. The swirling hurricane of swords was strangely hypnotic, and most of all, it almost looked like a living being itself.


    As if the currents of sharp swords were a substitute for the King''s own body. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''...What is he doing?''


    It was hard for Sunny to judge, since he did not really know a lot about Anvil''s actual battle prowess, but it all seemed strange. Up until now, the King of Swords seemed to have only used his Dormant Ability�� an inconceivably evolved version of it, true, but nothing else.


    Sunny had seen that Ability in Orum''s memories. As a Sleeper, Anvil shared a deep connection to metals and could even somewhat control them, using that weak form of control to push the blade of his sword in battle and thus enhance his swordsmanship in deadly and unpredictable ways.


    As an Awakened, he could control a flying sword and use it to effectively slay Nightmare Creatures without ever touching his hand.


    And as unlikely as it seemed, this vast storm of swords was just that �� an extension of that same Ability. From one sword, to a dozen, to a myriad�� the scope of implementation was entirely different, but the essence was precisely the same.


    So, why wasn''t Anvil using his other Aspect Abilities to fight Condemnation?


    Sure, there was a chance that his Awakened and Ascended Abilities had nothing to do with combat, and were instead meant to be used for crafting. He was a Spellsmith, after all, so at least one of them had to be.


    But there was the Transformation Ability, too. Sunny had never seen Anvil assume his Transcendent form�� but if there had ever been a good time to do so, it was now.


    What was the King of Swords waiting for?


    Feeling confused and uneasy, Sunny frowned and studied the battlefield.

 Chapter 2089 Fragments of War (26)

    Chapter 2089  Fragments of War (26) A quiet hiss escaped Sunny''s mouth as he staggered back, barely escaping the blade of a diamond battleaxe. The Asura''s movements were almost too fast to perceive, and its mind was so alien that he was struggling to fathom it with Shadow Dance. After all, the abominable golems were not living beings in the full sense, let alone sentient. They were suits of runic armor that had been corrupted by�� whatever it was that inhabited the ancient stone now, malevolent and full of sinister will.


    Still, he could predict the movements of the Asuras to a certain degree by sensing the movements of their shadows. That was how Sunny was able to stay alive and destroy one Great Nightmare Creature after another. He had slain more Asuras than the rest of the Saints combined�� but the battle wasn''t over. Just like the harrowing battle between the King of Swords and Condemnation was not over, raging at the heart of the burning wasteland. Just a split second after Sunny evaded the blow, his enemy was already raising its hands to deliver another. However, he thrust his great mace forward, striking the enemy in the chest. A blunt weapon was not exactly meant to deliver thrusting attacks, but Sunny was not intending to deal damage with this one. Instead, he simply pushed the Asura back, using the considerable length of his mace to keep the creature at a distance. As a result, the diamond axe whistled past his mask, never managing to reach him. In the next moment, a black chain struck one of the Asura''s hands with terrible force and wrapped itself around it. The chain was produced by using Shadow Manifestation, but unlike usual, it was not moving on its own �� the power of manifested shadows was not sufficient to immobilize the Great Nightmare Creatures.


    Instead, another incarnation of Sunny was holding the chain, using all the dire strength of a Transcendent Terror to pull the Asura''s arm down. Of course, the abomination was much more powerful than Sunny�� but it did not have leverage, and neither did it have enough mass to overpower him. The chain slowed the ancient golem just long enough to create an opening. Stepping forward, Sunny grasped the shaft of his great mace closer to the middle while pushing its butt down. As a result, he effortlessly raised it over his head��


    Then strained what felt like every muscle in his body, empowering them with a generous infusion of essence, while at the same time manipulating his own weight to make it as great as possible �� all to perform a picture-perfect overhead blow. The serpentine mace fell down like a black comet and crashed into the head of the Asura, shattering it entirely. Shards of stone shot in all directions like supersonic bullets, some of them embedding themselves into the onyx surface of the Mantle. The Great Nightmare Creature collapsed to its knees. The black mace continued downward, striking the breastplate of the ancient golem, caving it in, and destroying the ancient remains entombed within the dreadful Asura. The destruction of the human corpse within had no meaning, but the damage done to the integrity of the runic armor was severe enough to kill the Great abomination on the spot. ��The rebound made Sunny''s bones groan, and they only remained intact because of Bone Weave. His second incarnation was already retrieving the chain and spinning around, beset by another enemy. The third was locked in a fierce struggle with an Asura who had lost both its legs, but used its hands to crawl with astonishing speed. The fourth was fighting side by side with Cassie, communicating with her mentally. The two of them made for a surprisingly deadly duo. They understood each other effortlessly and moved like two parts of a single being. It almost felt natural to Sunny... both because group combat was an integral part of his Transcendent Battle Art and because Cassie was an almost perfect battle partner to him due to her Aspect and their shared history. The battlefield was hectic. Far in the distance, the clash between the Sovereign and the Tyrant was entering fever pitch, as well. Sunny tried to pay it as much attention as he could �� which wasn''t much �� even daring to allow his shadow sense to brush against Condemnation.


    The cursed god was too vast and terrifying for him to try peering deeply into its soul, but he observed Anvil closely. When the opportunity allowed, he looked at him directly, trying to fathom the essence of Supremacy from how the Sovereign fought.


    What Sunny saw was both astounding and incomprehensible, leaving him no time to try deciphering its deeper meaning just yet. The King of Swords was still only using his Dormant Aspect Ability, slowly coming undone under the harrowing attacks of Condemnation. The Cursed Tyrant used nothing but his prodigious body to obliterate the flying swords and pursue the King, moving like an unholy mountain made of soil, bone, twilight, and malignant will.  sea??h th�� ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As time went on, more pieces of the world seemed to assimilate into its titanic figure, which was now partially composed of lava, billowing clouds of ash, vacuum, and frozen flames as well. Condemnation was not using anything except its hands and tyrannic will to attack Anvil�� anything that Sunny could perceive, at least. However, he could sense that there was another layer to the battle between the King and the Tyrant, one happening beyond the boundaries of the material world. The Tyrant was relentless and inevitable. The Sovereign�� remained calm and aloof despite being hopelessly outmatched by his foe. ''He''s planning something.''


    Sunny did not know why he thought that, but he was sure of it �� perhaps because he would have had some sort of hidden plan ready himself. But what was it?


    He studied the distant carnage of the profane battle closer, trying to notice something that he had missed. The clash between the two terrifying beings was not easy to observe, let alone comprehend, and yet he was reasonably sure that he did not overlook anything important. It was just that��


    His four pairs of eyes widened slightly. That was because Sunny finally saw it �� a subtle pattern to the currents of the storm of swords. Perhaps he had only noticed it because of how proficient he was in recognizing patterns as a weaver. ''What is he��''


    The torrents of flying swords, which had been enveloping Condemnation like a colossal whirlwind of steel, were now more spread out. Countless swords had already been destroyed, and many were flung away by the dire forces of the deific battle. Those swords were not drifting in the air aimlessly, however, and neither had they escaped the King''s control. Instead, they remained static above the battlefield, not moving even a centimeter �� almost as if placed in their positions deliberately. Forming the anchors of a vast, intricate array.

 Chapter 2090 Fragments of War (27)

    ?Chapter 2090 Fragments of War (27)There was no mistaking it...


    Sunny had made it one of his life''s great pursuits to learn how to see logic in the seemingly irrational, mind-boggling complexity of spellweaves. Therefore, his mind was trained to see purposeful patterns where seemingly only chaos existed.


    That was why he was able to recognize the subtle intent in the swirling currents of the storm of swords.


    The flying swords were slowly forming a vast array above the battlefield, hanging above Condemnation like a net.


    But what, exactly, was that array meant to achieve, and how?


    Sunny studied it for a moment.


    ''It''s... sorcery.''


    His eyes widened.


    He had been wondering why Anvil was only using his Dormant Ability. Now, the answer seemed obvious... it was because he was intending to use sorcery to deliver the fatal blow, not the power of his Aspect.


    The patterns created by the flying swords - each serving as a conduit of the Sovereign''s essence - were not random. Once Sunny understood the nature of the array, he was able to shift his perspective and recognize them for what they were. They were the half-assembled frames of enormous runes.


    These runes were not written with ink on paper, carved into the stone, and woven out of ethereal light. Instead, they were formed by countless rustling swords, written in the glowing red darkness by sharp steel. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    More than that, the runic array was not formed on a flat plain, but instead constructed in a three-dimensional space. That, naturally, was very different from how humans usually wrote, and were therefore accustomed to reading. However, Sunny was a weaver, and he had already experienced the frustrating headache of teaching his mind to perceive intricate three-dimensional constructs.


    After all, the tapestries of essence strings he usually dealt with were never flat, either. ''Runic sorcery.


    Sunny was not proficient enough in that type of sorcery to understand the purpose of the array, but he could discern its existence, at least.


    [Cassie... do you see it?]


    Now that he was paying attention to the storm of swords, Cassie would have noticed where his focus was aimed at, as well. And she was far more knowledgeable about.


    runic sorcery than he was.


    There were a few moments of silence as both of them fought against the Asuras desperately.


    Then, her mental response resounded in his mind, sounding out-of-breath:


    [By the dead gods, what the hell is...]


    It was a bit funny, really. She was speaking telepathically, and her mind did not possess lungs. Why was she out of breath?


    Cassie paused for a moment, and then added:


    [I see it. I''ve never seen anything like it. It''s... some kind of magical prism. A prismatic confluence? A fulcrum? I''m not sure.]


    That explanation did not tell Sunny much. He gathered that the runic array was meant to channel and focus something - much like a prism would focus light. But what was it that the King of Swords was intending to channel? Sunny did not know.


    He was going to find out soon, though, because the runic array seemed to be almost finished.


    As Condemnation stepped into a lake of lava, making it spill out of its shores, Anvil soared into the air in a whirlwind of scarlet sparks. More swords manifested themselves behind him, fanned like a steel halo. One, two, three... six of them, all emanating a sense of dire power.


    Added with the terrifying sword he was holding in his hand, that was seven of them. The six swords shot in different directions, while the seventh remained in his grasp. The Cursed Tyrant''s titanic hand once again surged forward, and the torrents of swords once again tried to stall its obliterating blow... only to be effortlessly shattered and pierced.


    The cursed god was moving much faster than a creature of its immeasurable size was supposed to move. Not because its speed was so great, but simply because space itself twisted around it, shrinking and extending to allow the dark deity to pass.


    There was another blinding flash, and another wave of incinerating heat. Another shockwave slammed into the dome of the Hollows, sending jagged shards of bone plummeting from a great height.


    Anvil was once again struck down.


    He fell into the lake of lava, this time taking a little longer to stand up.


    His fearsome defenses finally seemed to reach their limit. The vermilion cloak that hung on his shoulders was scorched, and his black armor was dented. Most shockingly of all, two thin streams of blood were flowing out of his nostrils, crimson drops falling down and evaporating in the scorching heat.


    Nevertheless, the Sovereign just smiled coldly.


    Because just at that moment, the runic array was finally complete.


    The flying swords that formed the steel storm all happened to be just in the right place for a short, carefully chosen moment, outlining countless immense runes in the air around Condemnation.


    The Cursed Tyrant finally seemed to sense the trap, but it was already too late - since the array only assembled itself a split second prior, there was no time to react.


    The cursed god silently turned its head and looked up, a hint of a strange emotion appearing in its inhuman eyes.


    Then, the flying swords ignited with a cold radiance, and far below them, Anvil grasped his sword with both hands to deliver an upward slash.


    That slash was both swift and deliberate, beautifully lethal... but it was futile and insignificant at the same time, having cut nothing but air.


    And yet...


    The runic array seemed to exist for that one slash only.


    Sunny did not know what Anvil had channeled with the help of sorcery - if it was merely his soul essence, the authority of his Domain, or even his sheer will. All he knew was that the runic array was brought to life by something, somehow infusing the slash of the King''s sword with truly harrowing power.


    It was as if an endless invisible blade slashed the world following the path of his steel sword, cutting the world apart.


    The lake of lava was cut in half, and the invisible blade continued to travel upward, toward Condemnation''s titanic body.


    However...


    Condemnation was a Cursed Tyrant, after all. Submitting to its will, space twisted


    once again and started to move the malevolent deity out of the path of Anvil''s


    inconceivable cut...


    Until space itself was cut, as well.


    The Tyrant did not manage to avoid the invisible blade completely, but it did manage


    to avoid being wounded by it too severely.


    All Anvil managed to cut was Condemnation''s wrist. This time, the Cursed Tyrant did not escape unscathed - its arm was cut deeply, almost severing one of its hands.


    Sunny froze.


    The vast runic array dimmed, having exhausted all its power.


    And the cursed god was still alive.


    It was wounded, but not at all seriously.


    ''Is that... all?''


    He turned his attention to Anvil, wanting to see if the King of Swords was dismayed


    and rattled by his failure.


    But he was not.


    The Sovereign was simply standing in the lava, looking up with a darkly satisfied


    expression.


    And his invisible blade....


    Did not dissipate after missing the titanic body of Condemnation, continuing to travel


    upward.

 Chapter 2091: Fragments of War (28)

    The battle between the King of Swords and Condemnation was like a cataclysm. The abominable jungle covering the ruins of the ancient city had been incinerated; the ruins themselves had melted into rivers of lava, turning the entire area into a burning hellscape.However, the destruction did not stop there. The ground itself was annihilated, revealing the surface of the white bone below �� the bone, in turn, was now covered by a web of jagged cracks.


    Similarly, the dome of the Hollows far above was damaged, as well.


    And the invisible blade created by Anvil �� the obliterating manifestation of his authority and slaying will �� reached the dome moments after cutting the lake of lava in half and delivering a wound to the Cursed Tyrant.


    Sunny froze for a split second, staring into the distance with wide eyes.


    In the next second, the invisible blade struck the cracked dome of the Hollows with absolute, unyielding force.


    A subtle tremor spread through the ground beneath their feet.


    There was an indescribable sound that washed over them like a wave, and colossal shards of bone, some of them the size of stadiums, rained down from the dark heights.


    A portion of the dome shuddered and collapsed, a jagged fissure cut through it by the invisible blade.


    A soft light poured into the fissure, illuminating the titanic figure of Condemnation. Out there in the distance, the angry red darkness dissolved into the gentle radiance, chased away by light�� and bathed in it, the Cursed Tyrant was revealed in all its profane glory.


    But Anvil''s blow had not exhausted itself, yet.


    It was more than a physical cut �� or even a sorcerous attack infused with the furious power of Supreme soul essence. The invisible blade was like a law created in an instant, and only meant to exist for an instant.


    But in that instant, the law of the blade had the power to sever the world.


    And it did.


    After breaking through the damaged dome of the Hollows, the invisible blade cut the very sky above Godgrave, leaving a narrow wound on it.


    The sky would not be destroyed by a mere cut, of course.


    However�� the veil of clouds protecting Godgrave from its incandescent purity was. A breach spanning a dozen kilometers appeared on it, allowing the annihilating sunlight to shine through.


    To shine upon the surface of the Breastbone Reach�� and through the newly torn fissure on its surface, spilling into the Hollows.


    Just a heartbeat after the dome was broken, the light falling through the breach in the ancient bone changed. There was no gentle softness in it anymore. Instead, a pillar of blinding, harsh, incandescent radiance fell down��


    Illuminating the heart of the molten wasteland, and the gargantuan figure of Condemnation standing right below the fissure.


    Sunny gasped.


    ''T��this��''


    A Cursed Tyrant was a god, and mortals could not contend against gods.


    However��


    Even cursed gods had to bow before the might of the heavens. At least of the harrowing white heaven of Godgrave.


    As the blinding sunlight fell on the colossal creature, the first thing that burst into flames was its wounded arm. Towering plumes of fire shot from the cut left by Anvil''s blade on its wrist, and the flesh around it �� the soil, the fragments of ruins, and the uprooted trees �� started to blacken. ��


    Condemnation let out an eerie sound that rolled across the burning wasteland and enveloped the Saints, making them stagger. Sunny withstood the voice of the cursed deity well enough, but others seemed dazed. Helie grabbed her head and let out a cry, while Roan and Rivalen collapsed to the ground. Cassie paled, but remained standing.


    Far away, the Cursed Tyrant was melting in the pillar of incandescent sunlight. Burning and being reduced to ash, it collapsed time and space in on themselves, trying to escape the blinding radiance.


    But there was no escape.


    It was not only the soil, the stone, and the trees that were burning. Everything that comprised the immense body of Condemnation was being annihilated and reduced to ash. The twilight and shadows were vanquished, and the orange glow of the frozen flames was snuffed out. Even the lava that the cursed deity had absorbed into its body was being reduced to ash.


    Before Condemnation could move, one of its legs crumbled, sending it toppling down.


    The world quaked when the cursed god fell to its knees.


    Kneeling as it was and trapped in the sunlight, the Cursed Tyrant resembled a mountain of flames, slowly dissolving into the blinding radiance.


    Its wail penetrated Sunny''s ears, making his mind reel.


    The world seemed to shatter.


    He understood vaguely that it was his consciousness that had shattered, and not the world. And yet, at the moment, Sunny did not know the difference.


    Reality had turned into a fragmented, feverish nightmare.


    He seemed to perceive the grotesque figure of Condemnation dissolving into radiant sunlight. Its colossal mass was like melting candle wax, growing smaller and smaller.


    At the same time, he saw the storm of swords explode into a hurricane of scarlet sparks�� only for some of those sparks to catch fire and burn in the pillar of light.


    He also saw the Asuras watching as their god struggled on the threshold of death in reverent silence.


    And many things that he had no words how to describe, and no capacity to understand. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Aargh��''


    Sunny shook his head, trying to gain control over his mind.


    It felt like he had managed to recover from the death wail of a god fast enough�� but when he finally came to his senses, the world was subtly different from how it used to be.


    The desolate wasteland around them was not burning anymore. The rivers of lava had lost much of their glow, having cooled off.


    The blinding pillar of sunlight had disappeared, replaced by the soft shining pouring from the jagged fissure in the dome of the Hollows.


    Ash was raining from above, falling onto the unmoving figures of the Asuras.


    The abominable golems were standing motionlessly like statues, devoid of life.


    And out there, in the distance��


    Condemnation was gone.


    The titanic body which seemed like a mountain was nowhere to be seen�� all that remained was ash, absence, and giant shards of blackened bone.


    Anvil was standing near the hill of ash, looking at it somberly.


    His armor was dented and broken, and his face was covered in soot. The storm of swords he had summoned disappeared, and the seven terrifying blades did, as well.


    However��


    The Sovereign was holding a new sword in his hand, this one emanating an even more chilling aura. It was a greatsword with a beautiful flowing pattern permeating its steel, indescribably fearsome... and strangely familiar.


    Looking down, Anvil studied the greatsword for a few moments, then dismissed it with a hint of dark melancholy in his cold, grey eyes.


    Turning his back to the ashes of a god, the King of Swords took a step away and headed toward his Saints.


    The battle was over.

 Chapter 2092: Fragments of War (29)

    "Crazy, crazy�� that bastard killed a god�� this is crazy��"Walking through the northern siege camp of the Sword Army, Sunny �� in his persona of Master Sunless �� couldn''t help but mumble under his nose.


    The experience in the ruins of Condemnation had left a deep impression on him. More importantly than that, it was the first time he had seen a Sovereign truly exert themselves in a fight.


    And what he had seen was sobering.


    Witnessing how fearsome the King of Swords was�� was humbling. But even more ominous than that was witnessing how helpless Anvil had been in the battle against a creature of the Cursed Rank.


    In the end, the Sovereign had won by doing what humans did best �� using his intelligence and the accumulated knowledge of humanity to use every resource available to him in order to slay the enemy. In that particular case, the resource he had used was the sky of Godgrave, which destroyed Condemnation in his stead.


    But before that, Anvil had struggled to even damage the Cursed One, let alone slay it. His ultimate attack only managed to deal an inconsequential wound to the enemy.


    Because Condemnation possessed a more overwhelming will, and because its authority was more tyrannical than that of the King of Swords.


    In short, the disparity in power between the two was quite similar to the disparity Sunny and Nephis would face if they challenged the Sovereigns as Saints.


    Utter helplessness.


    ''Damnation.''


    No, why was he even considering that scenario? Nephis had been clear when she said that attaining Supremacy was not simply their best option, but also the only acceptable option.


    Because there were hundreds of millions of people being held hostage in the two Domains. If the Sovereigns were to die before she usurped the throne of war, all those people would succumb to the Nightmare Spell. There was no telling how many of them would survive to become Awakened, but the death toll would be staggering.


    So there was no point in considering how to deal with Supremes as Saints, to begin with.


    Sunny grimaced.


    ��It was just that he did not know if they would have a choice.


    The war was rushing towards the grand finale. Both of them had made some progress in figuring out how to attain Supremacy, but not nearly enough to feel confident in their chances.


    Granted, Sunny had felt a hint of an epiphany while watching Anvil fight Condemnation. Sadly, it had been vague and unclear, slipping out of his grasp before he could digest it.


    Every Aspect was unique, so every Domain �� an extension of an Aspect �� was unique as well. Therefore, each Transcendent pursuing Supremacy had to find their own way of manifesting a Domain.


    However, after observing Anvil, Sunny could not help but feel a chilling premonition.


    It almost seemed seemed as if��


    That the key to attaining Supremacy was literally willing it into existence.


    ''That sounds too immature. It sounds like a joke, really. The great secret of becoming a Supreme�� is wishful thinking? What a joke...''


    But he had sensed the tyrannical will of the King of Swords. It was apparent in his every move and action, after all, especially so during the battle against a Cursed being.


    There were many subtle qualities to Anvil''s will, but if Sunny was to pinpoint the most fundamental one�� it was how domineering it was.


    Cold, sharp, uncompromising. And most importantly of all, absolutely confident both of its rightfulness�� and of its very existence.


    But that was how a will great enough to reshape the world had to be, wasn''t it? Sunny was not sure if intent powerful enough to force itself upon reality could be hesitant of its ability to do so.


    Doubt and indecisiveness were the antithesis of will, after all.


    So�� was Supreme will a self-fulfilling prophecy? A concept that could only be realized if one believed in it, and grew more powerful the more absolute that belief became?


    Willing their own will to exist.


    ''Isn''t that a paradox?''


    But then again, the very existence of Sovereigns was paradoxical in nature.


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh.


    He was not sure. His brush against an epiphany had been brief and shallow, after all.


    However, he did feel like he had found another component of attaining Supremacy. He just needed to figure out how to apply it to all the other components he had found, as well as those that he was yet to find �� and fit it all to his own Aspect.


    His expression darkened.


    Regardless of these complicated matters, one thing had become painfully clear to him after witnessing the battle between Anvil and Condemnation.


    It was that he had to become stronger�� as strong as he could possibly be, at the moment.


    Of course, that had always been a priority �� how could it not be, in the world of the Nightmare Spell? Sunny had always pursued personal power, first to survive, then for a few misguided reasons, and finally �� hopefully �� for a more enlightened goal.


    But there had also been balance to that pursuit. Sunny had to weigh potential gains against inevitable risks when making decisions on what to do, and how to go about it.


    And now, after watching the King of Swords slay a god�� he knew that there could be no balance anymore. In other words, he had to do things that he had not been willing to risk before, no matter how perilous they could end up being.


    ''Damn it.''


    Sadly, power was not something one could just randomly find laying on the floor. At his current level, Sunny''s options were more than a little bit limited. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Frowning deeply, he passed by a row of tents and approached a large wooden building.


    One of the ways he could exploit to gain power was weaving a shadowbound Memory of his own, and for that, he needed materials.


    The building he was approaching could help him with just that �� it was the hangar where the Sword Army stored various resources harvested from the corpses of the Nightmare Creatures slain by the soldiers.


    He took a deep breath and tried to clear his mind of unnecessary worries.


    ''Let''s see what we can find��''

 Chapter 2093: Fragments of War (30)

    The warehouse where the harvested materials were stored was built from wooden boards, which in turn had been made from lumber harvested in the scarlet jungle. It was an enormous building �� it had to be �� filled to the brim with the carcasses of Nightmare Creature, some of them relatively small, some of them towering like abominable hills of hide, chitin, and scales.Godgrave was largely subjugated by now, so the two great armies did not clash with Nightmare Creature that much. The surface of the arm bones, collarbones, the breastbone, and a few ribs of the dead deity was already in human hands. The rest of the ribs, as well as the spine, the pelvis, and the femurs of the titanic skeleton were still untamed, but the soldiers had little reason to venture there.


    Neither did they have many reasons to descend into the Hollows�� and, of course, they stayed as far away from the harrowing skull of the dead god as possible.


    In any case, that which had been unthinkable was now reality �� the once-impregnable Death Zone was largely controlled by humans, while the abominable jungle that had covered its dreadful expanse was burnished into the Hollows.


    Humans mostly fought humans here now, not the Nightmare Creatures.


    Nevertheless, the Sword Army still battled abominations from time to time. Apart from the thralls of Beastmaster, there were also the eerie creatures that dwelled in the ash on the bottom of the chasms of the Two Crossings and occasionally crawled to the surface, attracted by the smell of human blood. So, the material storage was never empty.


    The warehouse was roughly separated into three areas �� the ground floor where the unprocessed carcasses were stored, the vast storage for the processed materials, and the butchery, where the meat of the slain abominations was being harvested to be delivered to the army brigades later.


    Sunny inhaled deeply, thinking that there was a plus side to being a part of the Sword Army. There was a similar warehouse in the camp of the Song Army, no doubt�� but the smell there had to be terrible. Clan Valor had become known for its mastery of runic sorcery, though, and there were runic enchantments in place here to keep the air fresh.


    Whistling quietly, he headed for the ground floor to check if any useful carcasses had been dragged to the warehouse since the last time he visited. There was a particular creature he was interested in, an ash dweller whom he had seen being slain from afar while taking a walk along the edges of the Ivory Tower with Nephis.


    The material storage was usually full of people, and today was no different. However, the atmosphere inside seemed unusual.


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    ''What is this��''


    It was as though the light was a little brighter, and the air was a little fresher, with a faint scent of rain and lightning permeating it. The workers processing the remains of the Nightmare Creatures were moving a little stiffly, a hint of reverence in the eyes.


    In the next moment, he saw a familiar figure and realized the reason for this strangeness.


    Saint Tyris of the White Feather clan was standing just a few meters away from him, studying the carcasses.


    The soft light of luminous Memories was reflecting from her golden hair, and a beautiful white cloak shrouded her graceful figure. A few Awakened warriors of her clan, as well as two Knights of Valor, were just a couple steps behind her �� considering how important for the war effort Sky Tide was, she was not allowed to go anywhere without a retinue of bodyguards these days.


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then bowed respectfully.


    "Saint Tyris." Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She glanced at him with an aloof expression, then nodded curtly.


    "Master Sunless."


    He smiled politely.


    "Are you here for something particular, or simply exploring the latest harvest? If it is the former, perhaps I might be of some help. I know my way around the material storage quite well." ?


    Sky Tyde remained silent for a second or two, then sighed.


    "A bit of both, I guess. We''ve been facing a vexing problem recently. The aerial battles are growing more intense with each assault, and defending the Ivory Island is becoming more difficult due to attrition��"


    The White Feather clan possessed many Awakened warriors who specialized in aerial combat, so it was often leading the charge in the battle for the sky above the Greater Crossing. Its main task was to prevent the enemy from reaching the Ivory Island and the ranged specialists stationed there during the assaults.


    Saint Tyris shook her head.


    "We have slain countless winged thralls of Beastmaster. But�� it is hard to destroy them completely in the air, and once they fall to the ground, the Queen simply raises them again. Thus, they return to the battle as pilgrims. Our aerial Echoes are destroyed irreversibly, though, so we are slowly losing ground. The forgemasters of Valor are trying to counteract that by crafting artificial Echoes, yet the speed with which they can create them is woefully insufficient for the task."


    Her impassive face turned grim.


    "So, we are losing more and more soldiers instead. I''ve been coming here in hopes of finding something to armor the Echoes, but it is hard. Aerial combat is demanding�� the material has to be sturdy enough to withstand its intensity, but also light enough as to not burden the flyers too much. Nothing here suits our needs."


    She lingered for a moment, and then added:


    "We have already exhausted all other means of enhancing our forces, including requisitioning every suitable Memory from other units of the Sword Army�� well, you must already be aware. Your assistant, Aiko, was very helpful in arranging the Memory exchange with the Fire Keepers. But it is not enough, and at this point, I am forced to grasp at straws."


    There was a hint of cold resentment in her beautiful amber eyes.


    Sunny studied the massive carcasses of slain Nightmare Creatures that surrounded them from all sides, considering her words in silence.


    As he did, his expression changed subtly.


    Saint Tyris was right. There was no material here suitable for crafting armor for flying Echoes��


    That was not the problem, though.


    His smile grew a little forced.


    "If you allow me to be so presumptuous, Lady Tyris, we have an extensive material warehouse on the Ivory Island, as well. I''ve collected many exotic materials over the years �� all over the Dream Realm, not only here in Godgrave. You might find something that suits your needs�� if you wish, I can escort you there right now."


    Saint Tyris turned to study him calmly.


    ''Say yes, say yes��''


    It was an unusual offer, but not that outlandish. There was no rule preventing various forces within the Sword Army from sharing resources, after all �� in fact, they all did just that, even if most kept the best spoils for themselves.


    Simple courtesy was not what had motivated Sunny to invite Sky Tide to the Ivory Island, though, and neither was it his favor toward the White Feather clan.


    He had a far more urgent reason to want to get Saint Tyris out of the material storage.


    It was that while Sunny was studying the carcasses of the dead Nightmare Creaturees, he had discovered��


    That most of them were actually not that dead.

 Chapter 2094: Fragments of War (31)

    The motionless Nightmare Creatures around them were not dead��However, they weren''t really alive, either.


    There was no vile darkness permeating their souls anymore, because the dead had no souls. But there was something.


    A strange, almost imperceptible impression of foreign essence hidden deep within the towering carcasses, binding them like puppeteer''s strings.


    Sunny felt a cold chill run down his spine.


    ''These are�� Queen''s pilgrims.''


    The siege of the Greater Crossing was such a bloody and arduous endeavor for many reasons, and the fearsome fortifications built by the Song Army on the other side of the chasm was merely one of them.


    Terrain was another, but just as importantly, it was the issue of Domain boundaries.


    The Sword Domain and the Song Domain were clashing above the dark chasm, just like the two great armies were. Anvil controlled one side of the crossing, while Ki Song controlled the other �� as a result, the attacking soldiers had to leave the support of their King behind and enter the hostile Domain when assaulting the Song stronghold.


    The defenders, in turn, could not freely counterattack the camp of the Sword Army, because they would have to leave the Song Domain to do so.


    It was the reason why the soldiers of the Sword Army could give their fallen comrades a proper burial here in the camp instead of having to destroy the bodies immediately, and why there were not that many guards watching over the field hospital.


    The Queen could not raise the dead outside the boundary of her Domain. She could not even send her pilgrims across the chasm��


    Only, as it turned out, she could.


    Sunny looked at the carcasses of the Nightmare Creature while hiding his apprehension.


    ''How the hell��''


    Some of these abominations had been slain in the Hollows, while most were either Beastmaster''s thralls or ash dwellers.


    Or so everyone had thought.


    But it was clear to Sunny now that it had all been a ploy. All Nightmare Creatures around him, except those from the Hollows, had not been slain by the soldiers of the Sword Army.


    Instead, they had been slain by the enemy, raised as puppets, sent across the chasm, and then commanded to play dead after sustaining enough damage to make their supposed deaths look believable.


    And now, they were all here, in the heart of the Sword Army camp, waiting�� for something. While no one was the wiser.


    ''Which bastards?!''


    For a moment, Sunny felt a searing anger. Sure�� it was hard to distinguish a pilgrim from a dead body. They were genuinely dead, after all. But somebody, at least, had to note that the Spell did not announce the kill after delivering a supposedly fatal blow to these creatures.


    Granted, the battlefield was a terrible and hectic place, so most soldiers did not pay a lot of attention to the whispers of the Spell during the dreadful clashes with the enemy.


    ''What now, then?''


    Trying to maintain a polite exterior, Sunny tensed inwardly.


    He felt more annoyed than troubled, but it was still an issue.


    Master Sunless was supposed to be weak and harmless, so he could at best raise the alarm and reveal the insidious infiltration�� but then he would have to explain how he was able to detect something that so many other people had missed.


    And Sunny really did not wish to share the fact that his eyes had inherited wondrous abilities from Weaver, the Demon of Fate.


    ''That is not even the real problem.''


    The real problem was the intention of the Queen.


    Sure, a bunch of powerful pilgrims could deal some damage if they went on a rampage in the depths of the enemy camp. But in the grand scheme of things, that damage would be insignificant.


    So why had she gone to such lengths to deliver her puppets to the material storage of the Sword Army?


    The answer was right in front of Sunny.


    It was Saint Tyris.


    She said that she had been coming here regularly in search of suitable materials to armor the flying Echoes. So, her presence here was predictable, and could be exploited.


    The pilgrims had not been sent here to sabotage the camp of the Sword Army.


    They had been sent here to kill Sky Tide.


    ...Sunny had just stumbled into an assassination plot.


    Which was why he had to get her out immediately �� while preserving his facade of a harmless and unassuming Master Sunless.


    ''Wonderful.''


    Noticing a hint of hesitation in Sky Tide''s eyes, Sunny put on his most charming smile and said pleasantly:


    "I will be happy to give you a private tour of my collection, Lady Tyris. I am sure we can discover something�� worthwhile, together."


    He had no idea when the pilgrims were going to attack, so there was no time to waste. Saint Tyris already expressed that her search here in the material storage had been fruitless �� so, hopefully, she would take him up on his offer.


    ��However, to Sunny''s astonishment, the reaction to his highly pragmatic suggestion was not at all what he expected.


    One of the Knights of Valor standing behind Saint Tyris glared at him with contempt, and then uttered quietly through gritted teeth:


    "Despicable��"


    Another shook his head.


    "Damn womanizer."


    Hearing those words, the warriors of the White Feather clan pierced him with furious gazes and whispered among each other:


    "So he wants to give our lady a private tour, huh?"


    "So the rumors are true�� he really is that kind of scumbag."


    "I told you I saw him bothering Lady Cassia while Changing Star''s was away. Ah, I really want to erase that sleazy smile off his face..."


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    Sky Tide''s gaze, meanwhile, turned even colder than usual.


    He shuddered.


    "N��no�� I did not mean��"


    However, Sunny did not get the opportunity to finish the sentence.


    Because at that moment, the pilgrims moved.


    All he could do was send a mental cry to Cassie:


    [Cassie! Get Nephis to the material storage in the northern camp, now!]


    In the next moment, Saint Tyris shifted her gaze past him, her strange vertical pupils turning into two narrow stills.


    Then, reaching forward, she grabbed Sunny by the shoulder and pulled him back.


    Something crashed into the wooden floor behind him, sending splinters flying in all directions.


    Sky Tide shielded Sunny from the enemy and barked:


    "Ascended Sunless, escape immediately! The rest of you, prepare for battle!"


    Her retinue was slow to react, still failing to understand what was happening.


    But the carcasses of powerful Nightmare Creatures all around them were already moving, rising from the ground to launch an attack.


    Sunny''s eyes widened, and he grew pale as a ghost.


    As the pilgrims lunged at Sky Tide and her bodyguards from all sides��


    He fumbled for a moment, then took off running.


    Sadly, in his panic, Sunny ran in the wrong direction.


    Worse than that, he even managed to trip over his own feet��


    And collided with Saint Tyris, sending them both flying to the ground.


    Just as they landed on the wooden floor, Sunny finding himself laying atop the dazed Saint, something dark and incredibly sharp whistled above his head.


    "Oh, oh gods! S��sorry!"


    He awkwardly tried to extricate himself from the matriarch of the White Feather clan, but was thrown back down when something crashed into his back.


    "Aargh!"


    Luckily, the blow did not seem to be too powerful�� the clumsy enchanter remained alive, at least. There was some blood flowing out of the wound, but not a lot of it.


    Saint Tyris caught Sunny before he could fall on her�� again�� and unceremoniously tossed him aside, in the direction of the butchery �� where there were no moving Nightmare Creatures, and he therefore had the best chance to survive.


    Her sword had finally manifested itself into reality, so she instantly slashed at the giant claw flying at her, and severed it from the chitinous limb.


    Her bodyguards were already holding their weapons, as well, throwing themselves into the fight. S��ar?h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sadly, they were hopelessly outnumbered, and caught by surprise on top of that.


    But Sunny had finished summoning a Memory too


    To the surprise of those who could see him, it was not a sword, a spear, or a weapon of any kind.


    Instead, it was a beautiful silver bell.


    Laying on the floor, the enchanter raised a hand and rang the bell with a horrified expression on his handsome face.


    ��In the next moment, the roof of the material storage exploded, and a radiant figure plummeted into the mass of abominations like a star, surrounded by a whirlwind of white flames.


    Soon after that, Knights of Valor flooded through the gate of the warehouse, having followed the mysterious, melodious ringing.


    The battle was fierce, but short.


    Before too long, the pilgrims of the Queen that had infiltrated the camp were completely obliterated.


    ***


    By the end of the day, a stunning rumor spread throughout the great army of the Sword Domain.


    The Queen of Worms had sent assassins to eliminate Sky Tide of White Feather�� and they came dangerously close to succeeding in their vile task.


    Luckily, Changing Star arrived in the nick of time to rescue Saint Tyris.


    That was not the most astonishing part, though��


    The most astonishing part was that the assassins only failed because of a young enchanter who had happened to be near Sky Tide at the time.


    According to the workers who had witnessed the scene, Master Sunless �� the Memory Purveyor of the Fire Keepers and an infamous playboy �� bravely threw himself between Saint Tyris and the attacking Nightmare Creatures, shielding her with his own body from a rain of deadly blows.


    His flesh was pierced, and his blood was spilled, but thanks to that, Sky Tide remained unscathed.


    More than that, even while bleeding to death, the enchanter managed to raise the alarm �� which was why everyone in the northern siege camp heard the melodious ringing of a bell, and why Lady Nephis managed to arrive on time.


    The soldiers shuddered at the thought of what would have happened if the brave enchanter had not been there.


    The loss of Saint Tyris would have been a devastating blow to the entire army. After all, it was only thanks to her that the soldiers could fight without fearing turning to ash under the merciless light of the incandescent white sky.


    "Damn�� I was wrong about that Sir Sunless."


    "You know, it takes a rare kind of man to shield a stranger from death with his own body."


    "Anyone can die uselessly, you fool�� it''s the fact that he managed to call for help and saved everyone that is impressive. That''s a Knight Commander for you."


    "I hope that mongrel is alright. Well, of course he is �� Lady Nephis was there, after all."


    "Oh, yes. I heard she had healed him moments before he passed away�� also that the enchanted bell was her gift to him, and that she comes running every time he rings it... lucky bastard!"


    The rumors continued to spread, growing more and more exaggerated with each retelling.


    And that��


    Was how Sunny became a hero of the Sword Army.

 Chapter 2095 King and Jester

    Chapter 2095  King and Jester Not long after the battle with Condemnation, the King of Swords was sitting on the vast stump of an ancient tree, surrounded by the dim twilight of the Hollows. The trunk of the tree was laying nearby, splintered and shredded by countless cuts, vile juices seeping out of it onto the scarlet moss. The trunk was hollow on the inside, and half-digested remains of dead Nightmare Creatures could be seen through the gaping holes in the bloodred wood. Anvil was cleaning his sword with an aloof expression on his regal face. Soon enough, there was the sound of footsteps, and Jest of Dagonet approached him from the direction of the temporary camp established by the six Saints. The dapper old man seemed undisturbed by the predatory rustle of the ancient jungle, leaning slightly on his cane. He had disappeared for most of the battle against the Condemnation, only returning after it was slain. The Saints naturally had questions about where Jest had vanished to in the chaos, to which he simply produced several Supreme soul shards and unleashed a barrage of questionable jokes. It seemed that he had been pulled into a buried structure by one of the Asuras, and was beset by several Great Nightmare Creatures there, unable to escape and almost drowning in lava once the ruins were destroyed.


    Now, several hours later, the King and his retinue had left the desolate battlefield behind and entered the scarlet jungle once more, moving west for some time before making camp. The old man stopped a few steps away from the Sovereign and looked at him with a curious expression. "A new sword?"


    Anvil nodded silently. "It''s Condemnation."


    Saint Jest clicked his tongue and studied the dreadful blade for a few moments. Then, he shuddered and quickly shook his head. "I presume the kids did not see?"


    The King of Swords glanced at him, then shrugged. "By the time they came to their senses, I had already turned it into a Memory."


    The old man nodded. "Good, good�� well, what do I care? It''s not like I am your butler. That would be that bore, Sebastian. If he''s still alive."


    Anvil finally looked away from the sword and gazed at Jest coldly. After a few moments of silence, he asked in an indifferent tone:


    "How was your outing?"


    Saint Jest grinned. "Well, it could have been worse. I did manage to reach the Nameless Temple during the commotion�� sadly, I failed to get a good look."


    The King of Swords raised an eyebrow, prompting the old man to cough in embarrassment. "That kid, Shadow�� I guess he was wary of me from the very start. I tried the Hollows approach at first, but that pretty Echo of his �� or whatever that onyx lass is �� was there waiting for me, hiding in the shadows. Goodness gracious, such a sight. Anyway, that thing is more or less created to be my nemesis... it''s completely immune to mind attacks. So, I did not attack and climbed to the surface instead."


    He sighed. "But there was�� something�� guarding the Nameless Temple above ground, as well. I could not see it, and I could not sense it. But it was there. So, I took a cursory glance and retreated."


    Anvil frowned, lingered for a few moments, and then continued to clean the dreadful sword. After a while, he asked evenly:


    "And?"


    Saint Jest shrugged. "He is definitely hiding something. But what? That, I could not say."


    He hesitated for a heartbeat, and then grinned.


    "I mean�� that much was already obvious, I guess! You know, considering the creepy mask." Anvil glanced at him with no amusement in his steely grey eyes. "That mask is a Divine Memory of the Seventh Tier. When, one of them is, at least."


    Saint Jest shrugged.  S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Good for him. Well, anyway�� I am pretty sure that he is not working for that Song girl. I am also convinced that he has nothing to do with the�� third one. Whatever he is hiding, it only has to do with Immortal Flame''s grandkid."


    A hint of displeasure found its way into Anvil''s eyes. He studied the sharp blade of the sword, remained silent for a while, and then asked in a distant tone:


    "Who do you think is the more dangerous of them?"


    The old man laughed. "The most dangerous? Personally, I think the third one is the most dangerous."


    The King looked at him with a hint of curiosity. "Song of the Fallen? Why?"


    Saint Jest smiled. "It''s the quiet ones that are always the problem. And our blind beauty, Cassia, is so quiet that it''s often hard to remember that she''s there. Creeps me out, to be honest."


    Anvil smiled faintly, then nodded. The old man''s expression changed subtly. "Why? What do you want to do?"


    The King of Swords shrugged. "Nothing. Who says that I want to do anything?"


    Saint Jest chuckled nervously. "Yes, well�� good. Doing something while we are in the key stage of the war would be unwise." Anvil dismissed the dreadful sword and rose to his feet, looking west. There, the dome of the Hollows was sloping down, falling toward the ground. It was the boundary of the Breastbone Hollow, with a great dark fissure opening a path into the First Rib. He shook his head. "You don''t have to worry."


    With that, he turned around and headed toward the camp where the six Saints were preparing food. Saint Jest looked at his back.


    A few moments later, he said quietly:


    "I am not worried. It''s just�� you''re breaking my damn heart."


    Anvil smiled slightly and answered without ever turning his head:


    "Stop pretending like you have a heart, old man. You''re the one who taught me how to be heartless."


    Jest sighed, then shook his head and followed. "Respect your elders, brat... I mean, my king. In any case, I have the right to be sentimental in my advanced age, don''t I? I won''t be around for much longer, you know... so, how about you cut me some slack..."


    Anvil answered indifferently:


    "You''re a Saint. Your lifespan is not even comparable to that of a mundane human, so stop pretending to be frail."


    Jest chuckled. "That''s true, too... no, but why are you calling me an old man, then? I''m basically in my prime! How dare you!"


    The King did not respond.

 Chapter 2096 Island of Peace

    Chapter 2096  Island of Peace After Condemnation was slain and its city was reduced to a black wasteland, nothing stood in the way of the King''s plan to pass below the Lesser Crossing and attack the impregnable stronghold of the Song Army from the rear. Except for the ancient jungle itself. The biggest threat had been eliminated, but the Hollows still remained a dark and deadly hell. The King and his Saints still had to clear a safe path for the soldiers, and that was a task of a much greater scale. Various units of the Sword Army were secretly pulled back from both siege camps, starting to clear a subterranean pathway from Vanishing Lake to the entrance to the First Rib Hollow. No matter how fast they worked, it was still going to take them days, if not weeks, to ensure safe passage for the actual invasion force.


    They were protected by the flying swords of the King, which moved like rivers above the cleared path, sometimes diving to the ground to eliminate unseen threats.


    The Saints, meanwhile, were taming the surrounding jungle �� hunting down ancient predators that dwelled beneath the scarlet canopy, uprooting man-eating trees, and eradicating swarms of abominable vermin. Sunny had rarely spent such a prolonged period of time in the Hollows before, and all of it �� the appalling scarlet jungle, the dim twilight of the great bone cavern, the torrents of swords flowing like torrents of steel high above �� was starting to feel like a feverish nightmare. But no matter how nightmarish the Hollows were, what was happening on the surface seemed far more dreadful.


    There, the siege of the Two Crossings continued, with tired soldiers losing more of what little sanity they had left with each passing day. The fearsome strongholds of the Song Army had already repelled countless assaults, stubbornly refusing to fall. No matter how the tactics of the besieging army evolved, the defenders never surrendered the ramparts. No matter how terribly the fortifications were damaged, they were repaired and reinforced each time. The white bone was painted rust-red by blood, and the losses of both armies steadily continued to mount.


    The Saints were forced to play a passive role in the slaughter, since neither of the Supremes could afford to lose any more of them to the ravages of war�� unless there was no other choice, at least. Strangely enough, doing nothing was far more demoralizing than risking their lives in battle would have been. The Two Crossing had become a purgatory.


    ��On one of these ominous days, Nephis returned to the Ivory Tower after receiving the report on the casualties of the latest battle. Her expression was somber, and there were cold white flames burning in her beautiful eyes. Instead of returning to her chambers immediately, she went to a dark hall where dozens of luminous Memories burned, surrounded by solemn shadows. These Memories belonged to the Fire Keepers, and had been left here to indicate that their masters were still alive. Once an Awakened died, their Memories were destroyed �� so, every time an enchanted lantern disappeared, it most likely signified the death of one of her warriors. There had been almost fifty luminous Memories in the hall once. But now, a handful of them were gone, extinguished forever. Nephis spent a long time looking at the levitating lanterns, her face motionless. That was where Sunny found her after a while. He glanced at the shining Memories, then walked over and placed his hands on her shoulders, massaging them gently. "How bad were the casualties yesterday?"  sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nephis let out a heavy sigh, then raised her hand and placed it on one of his own.


    "As bad as we expected."


    She lingered for a while, looking at the lanterns.


    "...You know, there were more than a thousand people living in the Dark City before I came there."


    Her voice grew a little lower. "But by the time I was done with it, there were only a hundred."


    And now, there were a few less. Sunny was not sure if she was reminiscing about the fate of the Dreamer Army and the burden of leadership she had taken upon on the Forgotten Shore, or the responsibility for the Sword Army �� and the Song Army, really �� she was carrying at the moment. Perhaps it was both, and the parallel between the two.


    Her shoulders were strong, but even Nephis felt oppressed by the weight of it all, sometimes. Who wouldn''t?


    He embraced her from behind. "There would have been none left without you."


    And there would not be, perhaps. Nephis leaned back a little and sighed. "I know. But it doesn''t make it easy."


    Sunny remained still for a while, holding her softly, then drew away and smiled. "Come. I prepared dinner, and it is waiting for you impatiently."


    The dishes he had prepared were all her favorites, of course�� not that Nephis was very passionate about food. Still, that indifference of hers was slowly succumbing under his influence, so recently, she had been showing glimpses of enthusiasm about this and that. Sunny led Nephis to the highest level of the Ivory Tower, where a scrumptious dinner was set out beautifully on the wooden table. They enjoyed it in an atmosphere that was not quite peaceful, considering the misery of the siege camp below, but close to it. Despite everything, they made an effort not to discuss the war. That was somewhat of an unspoken rule instituted by Sunny �� he did not want them to be the kind of people who could only talk about pragmatic matters, so they simply chatted about whatever came to their minds during the meals. After all, Master Sunless was supposed to be Neph''s small island of peace in the tumultuous waters of her dire life. If he could give her a few short moments of respite from the strenuous burdens she carried, then his job was done. Which was why what he was about to tell her was hard to say. Once they finished dinner, Sunny looked at Nephis, hesitated for a few moments, and then sighed. "...I have to leave, for a short while."

 Chapter 2097: Checklist

    Shadow NovelistVolume 9: Throne of War


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    �� Previous chapter: 2096 Island of Peace


    Nephis remained silent for a while, studying him calmly. Then, she raised an eyebrow.


    "Leave?"


    Sunny leaned back and sighed.


    After collecting his thoughts, he spoke in a neutral tone:


    "What happened in the Hollows�� really put things in perspective, for me. Not only how fearsome the King of Swords is, but also how great the gap between the higher Ranks is. So, for the first time in a long while, I am craving power once again."


    Nephis frowned, seemingly reluctant to let him go. Sunny did not know if that reluctance was merely his imagination, but he felt strangely uplifted by the idea that she was displeased at the idea of parting with him, even if it was for a short time.


    "There are a couple of flaws in your reasoning. Firstly, it doesn''t matter how great the distance between the Ranks is, because we�� I�� will confront the Sovereigns after attaining Supremacy myself. Secondly, you and I are different from the King of Swords, the Queen of Worms, and the other one. Because we are divine."


    She meant their Divine Aspects, of course. Sunny had not made it secret that he, too, possessed one of those �� in fact, he had not really needed to reveal it to Nephis. She had more or less figured it out on her own.


    The Divine Aspects bestowed far greater potential on an Awakened, and both Sunny and Nephis had undergone countless ordeals and tribulations to realize that potential. They were also no mere Beasts, while Anvil, despite being a Supreme, still only possessed one soul core �� that as well had contributed to the disparity between him and Condemnation.


    There was some truth to her words.


    Sunny smiled faintly.


    "Plans go awry all the time, so there is no guarantee that our desire to attain Supremacy will be fulfilled in time. As for our divine powers�� when has raw power ever been the deciding factor in anything? Both of us had made our living from slaying beings stronger than ourselves. I am reluctant to find myself on the opposite side of this equation."


    Nephis suddenly chuckled.


    "And, therefore, you want�� to search for more power?"


    He raised his hands and shrugged.


    "What can I say, I''m a complicated man. At least I will be able to tell myself that I''ve done everything I could when I die."


    She remained silent for a few moments, then nodded.


    "So, where are you going to search for power?"


    Sunny looked around the spacious, sunlit expanse of her chamber and lingered with the answer.


    Eventually, he said simply:


    "The Shadow Realm."


    Nephis seemed startled for a moment.


    "The�� the realm of Shadow God?"


    He smiled.


    "Yes. Where else would a shadow like me go to find something like that?"


    Then, Sunny sighed.


    "To be honest, now that the final chapter of the war is approaching, I can''t help but feel�� incomplete. Because I''ve never managed to form my Titan Core. It is not that significant, in the greater scheme of things, true. But I am compelled to try." ????????��?


    He did not mention that it would be extremely dangerous�� there was no need to. Danger was a given.


    Nephis studied him for a while, then asked with a hint of hesitation in her voice:


    "Why you? This you, I mean. You''ve�� never used Master Sunless for such tasks."


    Sunny smiled bitterly.


    If he could, he would have allowed the humble shopkeeper�� who had somehow managed to become a widely renowned Knight Commander of the Sword Army in the meantime�� to stay away from anything having to do with combat and bloodshed. But he had little choice.


    "What else can I do? The Lord of Shadow is in the Hollows, being watched closely by a Sovereign. I don''t dare pull any of my incarnations away from there. The incarnation in the camp of the Song Army can''t leave its post. I, however, am both available and known for locking myself in the basement for days on end. So, this is the best choice."


    Nephis looked down, displeased.


    Eventually,though, she sighed. S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Makes sense."


    A few moments later, she looked at him again and asked:


    "When are you leaving, then?"


    Time was of the essence,so Sunny saw no reason to waste it.


    He shrugged.


    "Now."


    She studied him silently for a while.


    Then, Nephis leaned forward and smiled a little.


    "How about leaving after breakfast?"


    Sunny frowned.


    "But we just had dinner."


    Then, his expression changed.


    "Oh."


    And then changed some more.


    "Sure. That''s a great idea, as well��"


    ***


    In the morning, Sunny gave a few instructions to Aiko and retreated into the basement of the Brilliant Emporium.


    Once there, he made a few last preparations and steeled himself for battle.


    The memory of having his chest pierced by an arrow soured his expression, but he still resolutely dismissed the Nebulous Mantle, manifesting the Onyx Mantle instead.


    ��It felt strange, to wear the fearsome black armor on his original body once again. Master Sunless had only existed briefly, but Sunny had grown used to his leisurely life. That persona of his was as much of a safe harbor for him as it, hopefully, was for Nephis.


    But that time had come to an end. Even if he did not delve into the Shadow Realm now, Sunny was not sure how much longer Master Sunless could continue to exist. The resolution of the war, whatever it would be, was going to change a lot of things, so his fate �� or lack thereof �� was unpredictable.


    After gathering his thoughts for a while, he manifested the gloomy shadow into an avatar and looked at him for a few moments.


    "This�� is going to hurt a lot, isn''t it?"


    His other self grinned darkly and answered in the same voice:


    "Of course. Have you forgotten the last time?"


    No, he had not forgotten. The Shadow Realm was a perilous place, and especially so for Sunny.


    Out there, shadows were being disassembled into streams of essence by the Realm itself. Being a creature of flesh and bone slowed the process, somewhat, but it did not stop it.


    Which meant that Sunny would be on a timer the moment he entered the Shadow Lantern. Worse than that, many of his powers would be too dangerous to use. He would not be able to use Shadow Step,build truly effective Shells, send his shadows to scout ahead, or even augment himself �� or his Memories �� with their power.


    Ironically enough, the Shadow Realm �� which was supposed to be his natural environment �� put more restrictions on Sunny than the Dream Realm did.


    And then there was the mysterious archer, as well.


    Sunny smiled.


    "Still. I can''t help but feel strangely excited. We are finally going to explore a new place."


    The second Sunny rolled his eyes.


    "Curiosity killed the cat, you know."


    Sunny nodded.


    Then, he frowned.


    "...What the hell is a cat?"


    His other self laughed.


    Perhaps it was a bit self-absorbed, to be laughing at his own jokes, but Sunny was nevertheless pleased with himself.


    Raising a hand, he summoned the Shadow Lantern.


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 Chapter 2098: Prodigal Shadow Returns

    Sunny prepared himself for battle before opening the gate of the Shadow Lantern. He had no idea what would happen when it opened, after all. The mysterious archer had been able to send an arrow flying through the gate the last time �� so, there was no guarantee that the unknown creature would not be able to escape the Shadow Realm itself if given an opportunity.


    The battle could happen once Sunny passed through the Gate of Shadow, or it could happen right here, in the basement of the Brilliant Emporium. He had to be prepared either way.


    Of course, there was also the possibility that nothing would happen.


    A considerable amount of time had passed since Sunny''s last attempt to explore the Shadow Realm. It was quite possible that the mysterious archer remained in the vicinity of the closed portal, waiting patiently for the door to open once again, but it was also possible that they had moved on.


    However, Sunny highly doubted that the archer had left.


    Firstly, it was because he himself would have remained in place, laying patiently in an ambush. Secondly, it was because of the nature of their first encounter.


    Had the mysterious archer simply happened to be near the entrance to the Gate of Shadow when Sunny stepped through it? Perhaps. But it was far more likely that they had been waiting there on purpose, and for quite a long time �� maybe having noticed the shadows Sunny used to send into the Lantern and call back at some point.


    Looking at his avatar, he took a deep breath.


    "If something happens, summon me back immediately."


    The avatar smiled crookedly.


    "Why? If I am slow to react and you happen to die out there�� who knows, maybe I''ll be the new original body. Wow, that sounds nice."


    Sunny frowned.


    "What are you talking about, bastard? If the original body is destroyed, all you shadows will become homeless. Then, the universe will evict you into the Shadow Realm, where you''ll be repurposed into six pretty clouds of essence. So, don''t you try anything!"


    Then, he used the avatar to scoff at himself.


    "Are you sure, though?"


    Sunny looked at him, unamused. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ah, whatever. I''m tired of talking to myself."


    With that, he hesitated for a few moments.


    He wanted to manifest Serpent into its Soul Weapon form, but was not sure if his Shadows would be harmed by the Shadow Realm. It was a world where shadows were dissolved into pure essence, after all�� even he himself would start crumbling as soon as he stepped inside, so what about his loyal minions?


    ''What was Shadow God even thinking��''


    Why make his realm so inhospitable to his own children?


    Shaking his head, Sunny manifested a shield out of the shadows populating the basement and gave his avatar one last glance before turning serious.


    "I''m off."


    Then, he commanded the gate of the Shadow Lantern to open, turned into a shadow himself, and slid into the dark chasm.


    A few moments later, he found himself in a familiar, beautiful, harrowing land.


    Swiftly assuming a corporeal form, Sunny crouched atop a tall mound. There was a desolate expanse of dark hills stretching in front of him in all directions, covered in darkness. There was no grass, no trees, no moss, and no flowers �� no sign of life at all, just stillness and silence.


    The ground was covered in a soft layer of fine black dust, and above him was a pitch-black sky. There were no stars and no moon, just a seemingly endless expanse of darkness, illuminated by the beautiful silver radiance of the distant essence storms.


    There in the distance, tumultuous clouds of essence moved and swirled, as if carried by ghostly winds. The radiant currents were like beautiful rivers of starlight that illuminated the desolate land, making the immense, ancient shadows populating it flow and dance.


    Once again, Sunny was stunned by how breathtaking that dark sight was.


    But it was also dreadful, because he could sense the destructive fury of the essence storms even from a distance. It was both daunting and eerie, making him feel the chilling touch of primal fear.


    At the same time, Sunny felt a flood of spirit essence flow into his soul, and a new strength permeate his body. Here in the Shadow Realm, he was within his source element. He was more powerful here than anywhere else, despite the many restrictions placed on him by the somber nature of this land.


    The shadows that surrounded him were indescribably ancient and unfathomably deep. Their tranquil, slumbering indifference made him feel calm and at peace.


    But it was all an illusion.


    There was no peace in this desolate realm, and no reason to feel calm.


    Almost as soon as Sunny appeared, a tiny mote of light rose from his arm and slowly drifted into the sky�� that was the sign of his soul slowly being undone.


    He gritted his teeth.


    His visit to the Shadow Realm would be a race. The longer he remained here, the more shadow fragments he would lose �� and if he lingered for too long, his soul might very well collapse entirely. So, his task was to absorb fragments faster than he was losing them.


    And to do so, he had to find something to kill.


    Which promised to be a dire task. After all, Sunny was stripped of most of his powers at the moment, all alone and lacking knowledge.


    Dark arrows could start flying at him from the shadows at any moment.


    ��But they didn''t.


    In fact, when Sunny looked around, he realized that the surrounding landscape had changed drastically from the last time he saw it.


    The surrounding hills had collapsed, and the ground was cracked. Here and there, great shards of obsidian lay buried in the black dusk, many of them shattered and by some terrible force. It was a scene of great devastation, making him feel like an essence storm had recently passed through this area.


    But when he looked closely, he felt like that wasn''t the case. Instead�� it seemed as if a furious battle had taken place here not too long ago.


    There was no sign of the mysterious archer, if they had even survived the devastation.


    Staring at the vast expanse of upturned earth, Sunny lowered his shield a little.


    He was quite stumped.


    ''What the hell happened here?''

 Chapter 2099 Realm of Death

    Chapter 2099  Realm of Death Sunny wanted to be safe and assess the situation slowly, but at the same time, the motes of light drifting into the darkness from time to time reminded him that his soul was gradually falling apart. So, he cursed quietly and descended from the tall mound of obsidian dust to explore the area. Luckily, there was still nobody around. No one tried to pierce his heart with an arrow, either�� instead, Sunny was surrounded only by silence.


    After investigating the devastated swath of the dark land, he grew more convinced that a battle had happened here. The forces involved were truly fearsome, reshaping the entire landscape, but there were no bodies left laying on the ground, no sign of blood, and no traces that could tell him what exactly had transpired. Except for one.


    Kneeling in the black dust, Sunny picked up something from the ground. A raven''s feather�� just like the fletching of the dark arrows he brought with him from the Shadow Realm the last time. After sifting through the dust for a few more minutes, he discovered a few more pieces of the arrow �� the shaft was broken, and the obsidian arrowhead had shattered, seemingly failing to pierce the target. He studied the remains of the arrow with a somber expression. Another mote of light drifted into the black sky, its silver shine reflecting in the jagged obsidian for a short moment. ''Huh.''


    It seemed that the mysterious archer had met something even more terrible. Sunny was not sure whether he was supposed to be happy or disturbed by the fact�� not being ambushed the moment he appeared was certainly a nice surprise, but knowing that there were even deadlier beings nearby made him wary. On the other hand��


    That meant he had more things to kill, and these things were somewhere close. ''No time to waste.''


    Standing up, Sunny studied the ground. The traces might not have told him how the battle had transpired, exactly, but they did tell him one thing �� the direction in which the unknown adversaries left.


    So, Sunny followed in the same direction, running noiselessly through the darkness. The newfound power filled his body, and his speed was even greater than what he was usually capable of �� which had already been quite astonishing, considering his Rank and Class. Traversing great distances each minute, Sunny swiftly moved across the desolate landscape of the Shadow Realm. The scenery around him did not change that much, or at all. The same dark hills surrounded him from all sides, and there was no sign of any life or movement. The black sky hung above him, illuminated by the distant storms.


    The devastation he had witnessed near the entrance to the Gate of Shadow persisted along his path. It was more subtle in some places and much more intense in others. Many hills of obsidian dust had been destroyed, and the ground itself cracked open, the shadows flowing into the cracks to populate them comfortably. The longer Sunny observed the signs left behind by the unknown combatants, the more disturbed he became. The power they exhibited was truly terrifying, making him feel more and more apprehension about having to face them in battle. At some point, Sunny suddenly froze, sensing the shadows ahead of him move. He hesitated for a bit, then used some of the surrounding darkness to reform his crumbling shield and stealthily moved forward.


    Traveling a few kilometers, he approached the source of movement and came to an abrupt halt. His expression changed subtly. Out there in front of him, scattered across the desolate land, countless black figures were moving slowly. Their shapes were vague and unclear, but unmistakably human. They were shadows.


    The shadows were walking in a single direction �� the same direction he had been heading �� with slow, unsteady steps. They belonged to living beings�� or had belonged to living beings, at least. However, there was no spark of life about them, no hint of intelligence, no�� intent. They seemed strangely peaceful, but also empty, like lost and muted echoes of what they had been once. If anything, what they resembled most were the silent shadows that populated Sunny''s soul sea.


    These shadows, however, were emanating a soft shine. As they walked, trails of light particles were drifting behind them, rising into the sky. It was as if the black figures were wreathed in silver flames, dissolving slowly into the radiance.


    As Sunny watched, several shadows dissolved completely, turning into pure essence. The sparks of essence were then scattered by the wind, leaving only emptiness behind��


    A moment later, a few more shadows followed. Some disappeared swiftly, and some disappeared a little slower. But in both cases, It seemed that their time here was brief, and they were not destined to reach whatever destination they were seeking. Sunny studied the wandering shadows for a few more moments, then let out a sigh and looked away. It wasn''t hard to recognize them for what they were. They were the shadows of the Awakened soldiers who had perished in the recent battle, and were being reduced to streams of pure essence by the Shadow Realm.


    ''It''s the realm of the dead.''


    Just like Odysseus had once descended into the underworld and met the shadows of the dead, so did Sunny now descend into the realm of death.


    It was just that these shadows were not interested in living blood, and would not regain their memories after drinking it. If anything, they seemed perfectly at peace in their slow annihilation, not paying it any attention. Sunny closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again and continued on his journey. He passed between the wandering shadows, feeling eerily like one of them, and soon left them behind.


    Eventually, he noticed a strange anomaly just over the horizon. Out there, far ahead, a pale light seemed to illuminate the sky. Sunny leaped into the air, soaring dozens of meters high and landing on the crest of a hill. There, he remained motionless for a while, studying the distant light, then frowned and raced toward it.


    As he rushed stealthily across the sea of obsidian dust, the pale radiance seemed to move, as well. Luckily, his speed was greater, so it slowly drew nearer. Soon enough, he managed to discern the source of the beautiful light �� it was a great plume of shimmering soul essence rising into the black sky. However, the torrent of essence was much smaller than the storm clouds moving in the distance, and did not possess any of their chilling fury, either. Increasing his speed, Sunny rushed forward like lightning and soon crested another tall hill. He finally saw the source of the pillar of essence...


    And flinched, taken aback. ''...I''ll be damned.''  Sear?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There, in the distance, a colossal shadow was walking across the desolate expanse, towering above it at several kilometers in height. It was the shadows of Condemnation.

 Chapter 2100 Wolves of Shadow Realm

    Chapter 2100  Wolves of Shadow Realm The shadow of Condemnation looked different from before, but it was unmistakably the same being. The titanic figure moved across the desolate expanse of obsidian dunes with deceptively slow movements, each of its steps making the world quake. It was woven out of shadows, black dust, immense fragments of obsidian, and wind. Unlike the shadows of the Awakened soldiers, which were vague and unclear, this one was almost perfectly intact. Myriads of essence spark were drifting into the black sky from its surface, trailing behind the shadow of the Cursed Tyrant like a billowing plume. The sight of it �� the dark desolate land, the gargantuan black figure walking across it, the radiant torrents of silver light swirling around it like flame �� were awesome and eerily beautiful, but also terrifying. For a moment, Sunny wondered why he had been able to stumble upon both the shadows of the fallen soldiers of Godgrave and the shadow of Condemnation. The Shadow Realm was vast, after all, so what were the chances?


    There were a couple possible answers.


    One was that the Gate of Shadow sent him to a location that correlated to Godgrave, and therefore, everything that died near him there naturally entered the same corner of the Realm of Death.


    Another answer was that the Gate of Shadow was simply located near the entrance to the Shadow Realm, and the shadows of all beings entered this dark land somewhere near. If so, then Sunny was currently on the outskirts of the Shadow Realm, and the direction in which the wandering shadows were walking was, perhaps, its heart.


    In any case, the shadow of Condemnation was different from those tranquil, empty shadows he had seen before. Not only was it dissolving into essence at a much, much slower rate �� so slow, in fact, that it would probably take it countless years to disappear completely �� but it was also not as empty as they were. Death was a weapon that destroyed Corruption, so the shadow of Condemnation was not really a Nightmare Creature. However, it seemed to have retained much more of its former master than the shadows of Awakened warriors. Sunny could sense a distant, subdued hint of the same harrowing will that he had felt in the Hollows emanating from the titanic shadow. It seemed like the will of a deity transcended even death, having been inherited by its shadow at least partially. The shadow of Condemnation seemed to possess some agency. However��


    Sunny suddenly paled and took a step back.


    That was not going to save it. ''W��what the hell is this��''


    After witnessing the colossal shadow, Sunny guessed that the devastation he had witnessed was the result of the battle between the shadow of Condemnation and the mysterious archer. After all, that archer had attacked Sunny on sight�� why would the shadow of a Cursed Tyrant would be different?


    But the truth was more complicated. Because there were more participants in this battle than he had anticipated. The battle was still raging on. As the shadow of Condemnation walked across the dark desolate expanse, it was beset by eerie beings that made Sunny''s blood run cold. These beings were quite immense themselves, each hundred meters across. They were formless and shapeless, woven entirely out of darkness, and moved across the black dunes as if carried by a ghostly wind.


    Catching up with the titanic shadow, they soared into the air like giant shrouds of impenetrable darkness, then fell onto its body while changing shape. Countless black tendrils shot forward to burrow into the titanic shadow, and the dark drifters attached themselves to its surface like leeches, biting out enormous pieces of Condemnation''s flesh. They were devouring it alive. Or at least trying to.


    The shadow of the Cursed Tyrant was not idle. Continuing to walk in the same direction, it moved its hands slowly, trying to intercept and destroy the appalling beings. A few of them had already been destroyed, but a few more were continuing to cruelly rip into the titanic shadow, consuming it piece by piece.


    Like predators stalking prey. Sunny shuddered. A few things became apparent to him at the same time. The first was that the Shadow Realm was not as empty as he had thought. The shadow of Condemnation, which had belonged to a Cursed being, seemed to have retained some of its will. So, there could be other conscious beings in this desolate land. And just like Sunny, they probably needed to consume fragments to prevent themselves from crumbling. He was not sure of a lot of things, but he was certain that Cursed beings did not die often. Therefore, the appearance of the shadow of Condemnation must have been like an irresistible lure to all the horrors dwelling in this corner of the Shadow Realm, calling them to one location to enjoy the rare feast. But what were they?


    Shadows of ancient beings, just like Condemnation? Actual shadow creatures like Nightmare or Serpent? Nightmare Creatures?


    Or something else entirely?


    He did not know�� yet. But he was going to have to find out. For one simple reason��


    If these harrowing things were trying to devour the shadow of Condemnation, it meant that Sunny could consume it, too. He had no chance whatsoever of defeating a Cursed Tyrant�� but the shadow of one?


    That was in the realm of possibility, at least, especially considering that the dark drifters had already weakened it, and would continue to do so. Sunny studied the colossal shadow, feeling an almost overwhelming greed. The shadow of a Cursed Tyrant�� if he destroyed it, or at least landed the last hit on it, then how many shadow fragments would he receive?


    It would not be just a few dozen, how it would have happened with an ordinary being. Because Sunny received his fair share of fragments when killing things similar to himself, just like humans received a portion of all the accumulated soul fragments when killing other humans. So�� thousands, probably. His eyes glistened in the darkness. ''I must be the one to finish it off, at all costs.''


    Sunny almost readied himself to rush forward when he noticed a sudden shift in the cadence of the titanic battle far in the distance.  S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another dark drifter soared into the air, ready to bite a huge chunk out of Condemnation��


    When something streaked across the black sky, colliding with it and tearing the creature apart. The wounded horror fell to the ground in a torrent of darkness. It had been hit by an arrow. Sunny tilted his head a little.


    ''Well, well.''


    It seemed that the mysterious archer was still in the fray.

 Chapter 2101 Creatures of Darkness

    The wounded being collapsed to the ground, covering it like a tattered veil of darkness. A moment later, the darkness rippled, and then something rose slowly from within it. From the distance, it looked as if an abominable shape was rising from the ground, still covered by the torn veil and pulling it up with it��But in truth, the eerie figure was not climbing out of the darkness. Instead, it was darkness itself, reforming itself into a new shape.


    Soon enough, a dreadful beast was standing on the obsidian dune, hundred of meters tall, its four mighty paws digging into the black dust with sharp claws. Its maw was like that of a wolf, and billowing tendrils of darkness fluttered in the air behind it like a tattered mantle.


    The great beast gazed upon the desolation of the Shadow Realm with lightless eyes, and then raised its snout to the black sky, letting out a harrowing wail.


    Even from a distance, Sunny felt a dull pain assault his soul after the wail washed over him.


    ''Ah��''


    He shifted his gaze, trying to understand what the Rank and Class of the appalling creature were. What was its nature? Was it a shadow, as well, or something else entirely? Was it infected by the vile curse of Corruption, or not?


    Sunny was not sure that anything except shadows could enter the Realm of Death�� or at least endure it for a while. Perhaps creatures of immense power, like Condemnation had been, could �� but those were few and far between.


    So, reasonably, the dark drifters had to be either shadows of the dead, like the shadow of Condemnation was, or beings of shadow like him.


    However��


    There was something about them that made Sunny feel appalled and uneasy. Could they be Nightmare Creatures? He was not sure.


    Death had been created as a weapon against Corruption, and by dying, those afflicted by Corruption were cleansed of it. Therefore, the shadows of Nightmare Creatures were pure when they entered the Shadow Realm�� and if beings of shadow were born from the shadows of the dead, then perhaps that was the reason why he had never seen one that succumbed to Corruption.


    Perhaps that was the reason why he had never met a shadow being in the Dream Realm, as well. After all, after thousands of years of desolation, only those twisted by Corruption population its harrowing expanse�� the Nightmare Creatures.


    That said, nothing was truly immune to the profane influence of the primordial void�� well, except for Nephis. Even Weaver had been forced to cut off their arm when exposed to Corruption, and so, Sunny was not going to bet his life on the notion that shadow beings could not be corrupted.


    Gazing into the very essence of the dark drifter��


    He saw something that he had not expected to see.


    He saw nothing.


    There was no light shining from the radiant soul cores. There was no vile corruption spreading from appalling nodes, either. S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Instead, there was only darkness.


    Not the vile darkness he had seen in the souls of countless Nightmare Creatures, but the cold and impenetrable darkness that made it impossible for him to see anything within the monstrous beast.


    True darkness.


    Sunny remained motionless for a few moments, stunned.


    ''...Creatures of darkness?''


    Before, his view of the world had been quite simple. There were humans, and there were Nightmare Creatures �� and that was it. But as Sunny traveled the Dream Realm and saw more, he learned that the world was not that simple.


    There were other kinds of being out there, somewhere, as well. There were Chaos Creatures �� the Void Beings �� who existed in the Void. There were also beings that were both divine and profane, and therefore did not fit either description, like the mysterious nephilim. There were beings of nothingness, too, whom he had encountered in the mist above the Hollow Mountains.


    There were also beings of divinity other than humans �� the noble creatures, as the ancient people of the Dream Realm had called them. Among those, there were beings of shadow like himself.


    So, if there existed Shadow Creatures�� wouldn''t it be only natural that Darkness Creatures existed, as well?


    Like the horror Nephis had met in her Second Nightmare.


    If the dark drifters were indeed beings born of true darkness, though, Sunny had two questions�� three questions, actually.


    First, were they divine or profane? True darkness had been born from the blood of a slain Void Being, after all. So, these predatory horrors could be both or neither. They could even be considered born of the Void, instead of only corrupted by its influence, like Nightmare Creatures were.


    Second, what were they doing in the Shadow Realm? Shadows and true darkness were natural enemies, so it was strange to see beings of darkness here �� let alone see them preying on the shadow of Condemnation, trying to devour it piece by piece.


    How would they even enter the Realm of Death without being dead themselves? Sunny was not sure, but his suspicion that these were the outskirts of the Shadow Realm grew.


    And lastly, the third and most important question...


    How was he supposed to kill them?


    If the dark drifters were indeed beings of true darkness, then slaying them would not bring Sunny the windfall of shadow fragments he had been expecting. Nevertheless, he had to slay them �� for no other reason than to prevent them from destroying the shadow of Condemnation, which he wanted to destroy himself.


    ''That... is going to be tough.''


    He was not even sure how strong these creatures were, but something told him that they were dreadfully powerful �� well, the only evidence he needed was witnessing how much the shadow of a Cursed Tyrant was struggling to escape their pursuit.


    And then there was the mysterious archer, as well.


    Even now that Sunny had observed the battle carefully, he could not see them �� which was quite odd, really, considering that his gaze could pierce any shadow.


    He was wary of the archer even more than he was of the dark drifters.


    ''Damn it.''


    Seeing another mote of light drift from beneath his armor, Sunny gritted his teeth and rushed forward.

 Chapter 2102 Adversary

    As Sunny rushed to reach the colossal shadow of Condemnation, he almost turned into a shadow to increase his speed and hide himself from view, acting on instinct. However, he did not �� doing so would allow the Shadow Realm to ravage his soul and set him far back in the race against time.Of course, there was the other facet of Shadow Step, as well �� the instant teleportation between shadows. However, Sunny was not sure that he could use it.


    Only now that he was in the Shadow Realm did he start to wonder how Shadow Step actually functioned. Did Sunny travel physically between shadows, or did he turn into a shadow when falling into their embrace, then was returned to his tangible form on the other side �� all in an instant?


    There was one way to find out��


    Sunny dissolved into the shadows, then rolled out of them a few hundred meters further, pale and leaving a trail of essence particles in his wake. There was a pained grimace on his face.


    ''I guess that answers the question. Maybe?''


    Using Shadow Step to teleport was even more harmful than turning into an incorporeal shadow. He had lost too many shadow fragments in that short moment.


    Muttering a stifled curse, Sunny jumped to his feet and continued running.


    Stripped of most of his powers, he felt like a caveman.


    But then again, cavemen had been great masters of violence themselves. He would just have to use simpler tools to accomplish his goal, and be more inventive about how he used them.


    As Sunny ran, the great beast of darkness lowered its wolf-like snout to the ground, and then suddenly exploded with motion. The long tendrils of darkness billowed behind it like a tattered mantle, and black dust flew into the air like mist from beneath its mighty paws.


    The dark drifter looked like a hound of the Underworld who had caught the scent of its prey.


    That prey, without a doubt, was the mysterious archer.


    However, they were not easily caught.


    As the great beast flew across the desolate expanse of black dust, a dark arrow silently shot at it from the shadows. As astonishing as its speed was, the massive being was faster �� it veered off to the side, raising a cloud of dust and causing a tall dune to collapse.


    However, that was a mistake.


    Just there, the ground crumbled beneath it, and the monstrous being fell into an enormous pit. On its bottom, jagged pillars of obsidian were embedded into the dust, facing upward with sharp tips. The great beast plunged into the pit and was impaled by the spikes, making the world quake and letting out another chilling wail.


    It was not dead by any means. But it did sustain several deep wounds, and more importantly, fell behind �� for a few moments, at least.


    The shadow of Condemnation marched forward, and the remaining dark drifters continued to dodge its attempts to crush them while tearing pieces of its titanic body with hungry maws.


    Sunny continued to chase them�� the mysterious archer was doing the same, no doubt.


    The problem was that he still couldn''t see the elusive hunter.


    ''I have to get these things off Condemnation soon, though. At this rate, they''ll swallow my prey whole.''


    Just at that moment, the archer finally revealed themselves.


    A new arrow suddenly streaked across the darkness �� this one was different from the previous ones, shining brightly as it soared into the black sky. Breaching several kilometers in an instant, it left a trail of turbulence in the great plume of essence emanated by the shadow of Condemnation, and embedded itself in its shoulder.


    Unlike the black arrows, this one seemed to be carved from bone, its fletching fashioned out of beautiful, pristine white feathers.


    A moment later, a radiant silver string revealed itself in the trail left behind by the bone arrow, manifesting itself from pure essence.


    With one pull of the string, the mysterious archer sent themselves soaring into the sky.


    Sunny saw a vague silhouette flying across the darkness. It landed on the shoulder of the dark colossus and straightened slowly, finally revealed against the swirling torrent of radiant silver essence.


    The graceful figure of the nebulous archer was human in shape, but vague and unclear, obscured by wisps of dark smoke that fluttered behind it like a ragged cloak. It was a shadow, without a doubt�� but quite a special one, emanating a sense of far clearer will, far sharper intent, and far more solid personality than even the shadow of Condemnation did.


    If Sunny had to describe the shadow archer with one word, it would be�� slayer.


    Their figure was full of cold resolve, savage killing intent, and threatening grace.


    The archer spent a short moment standing on the shoulder of Condemnation, then swiftly bent down to retrieve the radiant arrow and disappeared from view.


    In the next moment, there was a sharp whistle of the air being cut, and one of the dark drifters attached to the body of the colossal shadow suddenly shuddered and fell down in a torrent of darkness, flailing its severed tendrils as it fell.


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    ''So much damn competition!''


    It would be bad if the dark drifters consumed the shadow of Condemnation. It would be even worse if the archer killed it, since as a shadow themselves, they would absorb all its power in an instant!


    But what was he supposed to do?


    Stripped of his powers as he was, Sunny was not confident of prevailing in a battle against the harrowing Darkness Creatures. He was even more wary of the archer, who seemed like a ruthless slayer forged by the desolate cruelty of the Shadow Realm into a deadly fiend.


    That horror must have spent a long time here �� thousands of years, perhaps �� slowly dissolving into pure essence while hunting down other shadows to prolong its existence. The mere fact that it still existed was a testament to how lethal the archer was.


    ''If the archer can do it, then I can too.'' S~ea??h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sunny''s eyes glistened with dark resolve.


    His adversary must have been just as constricted by the nature of the Shadow Realm as he was. However, the archer was�� scrappy, and resourceful. They scavenged the Shadow Realm for materials, crafted deadly implements from what was at hand, and prepared cunning traps to lure their prey into.


    So, Sunny could do that, too.


    Just as he thought that, his shadow sense detected something strange in the distance, just beyond the horizon.


    Looking up, Sunny lingered for a moment and smiled.


    A perilous idea entered his mind.

 Chapter 2103 The Ride of the Shadows

    Sunny was up against enemies whose power was well beyond his own. He was not sure what their Rank and Class were �� if they could even be defined by these concepts �� but both the Dark Ones and the nebulous slayer seemed far more threatening than most foes he had encountered before.Perhaps Sunny would have been willing to attack them openly if his own powers weren''t restricted, but with the Shadow Realm limiting what he could do, he was wary and apprehensive about engaging his competitors in a direct confrontation.


    But that was alright.


    There were many indirect ways to achieve his goal, as well. Sunny simply had to take a page from the mysterious archer''s book and use all the resources available to him as tools �� tools, after all, were a force multiplier that allowed one to channel their power to a much greater effect than would have been possible otherwise.


    It was like Morgan of Valor had told him once, a long time ago, before the Battle of the Black Skull. At its core, war was simple. All there was to it was power, and application of power �� the former was important, but the latter was paramount.


    The mysterious archer, for example, would not have been nearly as deadly without the arrows they had crafted from scavenged materials, which allowed them to apply all their dire power to a point as tiny as the arrowhead''s tip.


    The problem was that there were not a lot of things around that Sunny could use. The Shadow Realm was a desolate land, after all. There was nothing here but an endless expanse of black hills...


    Or rather, there had not been.


    As the shadow of Condemnation marched forward like a walking mountain, too immense to even be seen in its entirety from where Sunny chased after it, his senses detected something far ahead. An anomaly that was different from the monotone desolation of the dark, barren land, and therefore promised possibility.


    Sensing the strange, monumental shape ahead, Sunny recognized its nature and took a deep breath.


    He had long discarded his shield. The manifested shadows were not eroded by the Shadow Realm as fast as the shadows of living beings were, but sustaining their shape was still a losing game. They crumbled slowly, eventually dissolving into darkness and becoming one with the land of death.


    It was not entirely impossible to use Shadow Manifestation here, but Sunny had to change his approach. Instead of manifesting shadows once, he had to constantly rebuild the crumbling construct, using more of the surrounding darkness �� and therefore more of his essence �� to fuel it. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Luckily, an unceasing torrent of spirit essence was flowing into his soul here, so he had plenty to spare.


    Running up the slope of a hill with astonishing speed, he closed his eyes for a moment and remembered the radiant figure of Nephis as she descended from the sky, beautiful wings shining behind her like a halo of white light.


    He also remembered the demonic visage of Revel, and the furious battle they had fought at Vanishing Lake.


    He remembered using Shadow Dance to peer into the essence of their being.


    Then, cresting the steep dune, Sunny opened his eyes and leapt into the air. As he soared above the desolate expanse of black dust, the shadows moved around him, embracing him like a dark mantle.


    And then, the mantle of shadows manifested into a pair of tenebrous wings, the raven-black feathers glistening in the silver light of swirling essence.


    As they swung, a powerful gale rose above the desolate expanse, and he was propelled into the air with great speed.


    ''I think�� it''s working.''


    Human bodies were not exactly meant to fly with the help of wings. After all, humans weren''t birds �� their entire anatomy, down to the composition of their bones, was different. People like Nephis and Revel had been bestowed their wings by the mystical power of their Aspects, and could therefore brave the skies with natural grace...


    But Sunny was different.


    He was quite adept at manifesting and controlling additional limbs with the help of his Aspect �� that was how he was able to weave intricate patterns of essence strings with six hands. He also knew how to create Shells of flying creatures and was deeply familiar with the shape of a crow, so the anatomy of winged beings was not new to him.


    However, it was always easier and far more effective to build Shells in the faithful image of actual creatures, not create strange chimeras by mixing and matching parts of different ones, like what he was doing now due to being unable to follow his preference and assume the form of a swift crow.


    Nevertheless, the experiment was successful. Sunny had managed to teach himself how to fly with the help of a pair of mighty wings by combining his experience of controlling manifested limbs, familiarity with the shape of a crow, and intimate knowledge of how Nephis flew when assuming partial Transformation.


    As his black wings pushed ferociously against the wind, Sunny flew forward with astonishing speed. He had no problem maintaining balance and direction due to having spent plenty of time in the shape of a crow, as well �� swiftly overtaking the colossal shadow of Condemnation and the figures battling for the right to consume it, he rushed ahead.


    As he did, the dark drifter whom the mysterious archer had severed from the body of Condemnation fell to the ground like a great tattered veil. Its vast form rippled, ready to slither back into the fight. Even though its tendrils had been severed, the creature did not seem severely wounded, already aiming to rejoin its feasting siblings.


    However, in the next moment, the gargantuan foot of the shadow of Condemnation fell on it, making the world tremble and splitting the earth. The creature of darkness was instantly obliterated, dissolving into a pool of elemental darkness.


    Sunny left the titanic shadow behind.


    Flying forward, he shot above the silent expanse of obsidian dust like a ghost, his winged figure utterly indistinguishable from the darkness of the black sky.


    Soon, he saw a massive shape in the distance.


    It stood out against the desolate expanse of dark hills due to its ivory color, stretching for a dozen kilometers or more.


    At first glance, the shape was quite repulsive, resembling a gargantuan millipede �� a long and twisting white body was elevated above the black dust, unmoving, with countless limbs protruding along its great length in symmetrical pairs.


    However, it was not a millipede. Instead��


    It was the bones of a great serpent. The twisting white body was its spine, and the countless pairs of limbs were its ribs. Somewhere far ahead, its immense skull rested on the black dust, partially buried in it.


    That was what Sunny was aiming for.


    Folding his wings, he smiled darkly and dove to the ground.

 Chapter 2104: Killing Tools

    Sunny landed on the obsidian dust in front of the gargantuan Serpent''s skull, which towered above him like an ivory mountain. The lower jaw of the immense creature was buried in the dust, but its upper jaw loomed above him like a dark portal, its arch adorned by a palisade of great, terrifying fangs.Sunny let his wings crumble and dissolve, then allowed himself a few moments of contemplation as he studied the ancient remains.


    He had a good idea of whom these bones belonged to��


    They were the bones of a Soul Serpent. Not the Soul Serpent, but one of its kin.


    It made sense that Sunny was not unique in having received the companionship of a Shadow Guide. In fact, Soul Serpent was too perfectly matched to someone who had received the blessing of the God of Shadows �� so, Sunny suspected that all those marked by Shadow God were bestowed a Soul Serpent of their own.


    Just like those marked by the Lord of Shadows received a small shadow snake.


    However��


    If these remains indeed belonged to one of Soul Serpent''s predecessors, then it had been a far more terrifying creature than Sunny''s own loyal Shadow.


    His Soul Serpent had grown to truly immense size, coiling around the entire great hall of the Nameless Temple when it slept. Its maw was large enough to swallow armored APCs whole, and its scales were like precious onyx, each the size of a tower shield.


    However, Serpent was easily dwarfed by the ancient skeleton, seeming like a tiny worm at best in comparison. The remains in front of Sunny were truly gargantuan, twisting as they stretched for no less than a dozen kilometers��


    Sunny was a Transcendent Terror, and since Serpent''s power depended on his own�� he cowered to imagine to whom this enormous creature had been a companion to, thousands of years ago.


    Was it the progenitor of all Soul Serpents, or simply an especially distinguished member of their kind?


    More importantly, had it been able to exist in the Shadow Realm without being consumed by it, or had it come here to die after its master perished? Depending on the answer, Sunny could try to find a way to summon his own Soul Serpent here without sacrificing it to certain annihilation.


    In any case, that was not the issue at the moment. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The issue at the moment was that the shadow of Condemnation was still marching despite having become a battlefield for the nebulous slayer and the harrowing dark drifters, and all of them would reach the skeleton of the ancient serpent soon.


    Sunny did not have a lot of time.


    ''Let''s do this.''


    What he needed right now were deadly tools to slay his enemies, not esoteric knowledge about the secrets of the past.


    Taking a deep breath, he called upon the surrounding darkness and commanded it to embrace him as a Shell. The process was both familiar and strange �� it had been a long time since Sunny ventured to construct a Shadow Shell in such a crude way, remaining in its depths as a corporeal being instead of turning into an intangible shadow and becoming its natural part.


    He was a little rusty.


    Nevertheless, the Shell swiftly built itself, embracing his body and assuming the shape of the Shadow Colossus. Sunny had to shift his way of controlling it, though, adjusting for the fact that the manifested shadows continued to crumble. They longed to dissolve and return into the essence of the Shadow Realm, and so, he had to pull and manifest new shadows to replace them constantly.


    From the side, that process looked quite spectacular �� it was as if the Shadow Colossus was wreathed in a billowing mantle of ghostly dark smoke that trailed behind him and obfuscated his figure.


    For a moment, Sunny felt dire strength permeate his being.


    Then, he smiled darkly deep within the Shell and moved, delivering a devastating blow to one of the ivory fangs that barred the entrance into the ancient serpent''s maw. ?????N??��?


    His strength was terrible enough that the great fang was dislodged, falling to the ground and raising a cloud of black dust into the air.


    The arm of the Shadow Colossus crumbled from the dreadful blow, and he pulled his hand back, reforming it in the process.


    A few moments later, Sunny delivered another terrible blow, and then a third one, dislodging one more fang.


    Using his newfound strength to raise them from the ground and put them on his shoulders, he looked up, lingered for a heartbeat, and then leapt into the air.


    Landing on top of the ancient skull, Sunny pushed his towering Shell forward and jumped again, landing on the gargantuan serpent''s spine.


    From there, he could already see the shadow of Condemnation lumbering in the distance. The beautiful trail of essence was drifting behind it like a radiant river, and a furious battle was raging on its immense body.


    He could not see the figure of the mysterious archer anymore, but could guess their location based on the movements of the dark drifters. There were only three of them left in the fight, while the fourth one �� the Wolf �� was rushing across the desolate expanse of obsidian dust to catch up with its siblings.


    One of the dark drifters was sticking to the abdomen of Condemnation, tearing into it with countless appalling maws. Sunny decided to call it the Leech. One more was drifting in the air like a great veil. Suddenly, the veil shrunk and twisted on itself, enormous wings sprouting from its depths �� using them, the creature dodged back and avoided the grasp of the Cursed Tyrant.


    Sunny decided to call that one the Vulture.


    Another one was like a mass of seething darkness, climbing the torso with countless tendrils that shot out of its body, pulled it up, and then were absorbed back �� that one was obviously going after the archer, which was evident by the arrows falling upon it from Condemnation''s left shoulder.


    Sunny had no idea what to call that abominable thing, so he simply designated it as the Thing.


    Spending a moment to study the dire situation, Sunny put the fangs of the ancient serpent down and concentrated, manifesting more shadows.


    The mysterious archer seemed to be doing fine against the dark drifters with the bow and arrow. But the appalling creatures still continued to devour pieces of Condemnation, undeterred by the ruthless enemy.


    ''Let me show you how it''s done, then...''


    Manifesting a great span of tangible shadows into a semblance of a chain, Sunny altered its composition to impart a measure of elasticity to it, and then controlled the ends of the chain to wrap themselves around the bases of the ancient serpent''s rib.


    Then, nocking one of the fangs on the chain, he gathered all his titanic strength and slowly, arduously took a few dozen steps back, straining the elasticity of his improvised string.


    That way, he had turned the gargantuan remains into his slingshot, and the fang of the ancient serpent into a dreadful projectile.


    ''...Taste that!''


    Grinding his teeth from the strain, Sunny finally released the chain and allowed it to snap back with terrible momentum, sending the great fang barreling through the air like a missile shot by an enormous, dreadful siege engine.


    There was a roaring thunderclap, and in the next moment��


    The ivory comet tore through the black sky of the Shadow Realm, striking the Vulture from the back, breaking its wings, and impaling the appalling creature on the body of Condemnation.

 Chapter 2105: No Good Deed

    The Vulture was like a pitch-black rag that was violently pinned to the nebulous surface of the shadow of Condemnation �� of course, if that rag was large enough to cover an entire stadium with its dark expanse, rippling eerily in a ghostly wind. The impact tore its wings and slammed the creature into the colossal shadow, the ivory fang piercing and impaling it like a giant javelin.Sunny was not sure if he had managed to deal a grievous wound to the dark creature, but he knew that it was hurt.


    More importantly, it was immobilized, even if it was only for a few fleeting moments.


    Already, the Vulture was moving, its voluminous body rippling to produce countless tendrils of darkness. The tendrils extended forward, found purchase on the flesh of Condemnation, and then strained, trying to pull the creature of the ivory fang.


    Sunny was not paying too much attention to its movements, though��


    That was because he was already loading the second fang into his slingshot.


    There was a reason why he had chosen to use the fangs of the ancient serpent as projectiles instead of simply manifesting several great javelins, each the size of a siege ram, from the endless expanse of shadows around him. Even though the fangs weren''t ideally shaped, as far as missiles went, he knew that they would be far more deadly.


    For two reasons.


    First of all, manifested shadows were less reliable here in the Shadow Realm than they usually were.


    They were firm and solid for as long as he actively rebuilt and sustained them, but only just barely. He could summon a pair of tenebrous wings or form a Shadow Shell, yet there was a limit to their usefulness �� the arm of the Shadow Colossus, for example, had crumbled after one blow when he was dislodging the fangs of the colossal serpent. That level of solidity was not exactly suitable for battle.


    Secondly, Sunny was borrowing deadliness from the fangs themselves. He did not know how terrible the ancient serpent had been when it was alive, exactly, but it had definitely been a being of immense power. Even though it had perished countless years ago, its remains still carried an echo of that unfathomable power.


    There was a reason why the arrows crafted by the mysterious archer were so deadly, and while being imbued with killing will played a large role, the materials from which they had been fashioned were also of great importance.


    Glossy obsidian, dark wood, and black feathers �� all collected here, in the Realm of Death, and thus bearing its mark.


    What could be more deadly than the bones of an ancient Soul Serpent, then? Since Sunny needed help eliminating the predatory spawns of true darkness, he could as well call upon the remains of a being who had personified the very essence of death.


    His gamble appeared to have paid off, considering how hurt by the ivory fang the Vulture seemed.


    It struggled to free itself, arduously dragging its rippling body along the fang''s length��


    But before it could, the second one slammed into it, smashing the creature back down and piercing it through.


    Sunny allowed himself to grin fiercely in the depths of his Shell. The shadow of Condemnation had drawn much closer by then, so hitting the Vulture for the second time had not been an easy task.


    ''Get away from my prey, you bastard!''


    He could probably use his slingshot one more time...


    With the Vulture wounded and temporarily immobilized, the mysterious archer would be free to deal with the Thing without distractions, too. Sunny would not call their forced alliance a partnership, but they had to deal with the dark drifters before lunging at each other''s throats. Otherwise, the shadow of Condemnation was going to be consumed by the Dark Ones before either of them could kill it. ??????��?��?


    The enemy of his enemy was��


    Before Sunny could finish the thought, something streaked across the black expanse of the sky, and an arrow pierced the chest of his Shadow Shell.


    ''...Huh?'' S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the next moment, a terrifying impact tore the Shadow Colossus apart. A geyser of darkness burst from its back as its torso exploded violently. Bits of the Onyx Mantle shot in all directions like shrapnel, and while the lower half of the Shell was tossed down, the upper half flew high into the air, both mangled beyond recognition and bleeding shadows.


    The deformed remnants of the Shadow Colossus crumbled and dissolved into nothingness, while Sunny slid across the spine of the ancient serpent, crashing into the base of its skull.


    "Ah��"


    He shook his head in a daze, and then threw a hateful gaze at the shoulder of Condemnation.


    ''That wretch!''


    It seemed that the mysterious archer was not on board with the idea of a temporary alliance, no matter how necessary it seemed. They would rather just kill anything, and everything, that stood in their way.


    Or just happened to be nearby.


    No, but what kind of maniac instantly attacked someone who fought their enemies?!


    Sunny rolled with a hiss and rose to his feet. By then, the shadow of Condemnation had already reached the remains of the colossal serpent. The gargantuan being stepped over it, passing above Sunny, and continued on its way.


    It was as if a dark mountain stepped over him, covering him in its cold darkness for a few moments.


    The Vulture was still impaled and struggling to free itself, the Leech was still tearing into the abdomen of the shadow of Condemnation with hundreds of maws. The Thing had reached the shoulder of the gargantuan shadow and was now too high for Sunny to see, while the Wolf was only a dozen seconds away from catching up with the Cursed Tyrant.


    Sunny gritted his teeth, seething with anger.


    ''...Alright, I''ll just kill you all, bastards!''


    Summoning a pair of black wings, Sunny raised a hurricane as he launched himself into the air.


    He was flying up, aiming to reach the shoulders of Condemnation.

 Chapter 2106: Shadow of the Colossus

    It did not take Sunny a lot of time to soar into the sky and reach the shoulder of the shadow of Condemnation �� the opposite shoulder from where he had seen the mysterious archer last, that was, since the promise of getting another arrow driven into his heart did not seem alluring.But even that short amount of time was enough to let him truly fathom just how immense the shadow of the Cursed Tyrant was. Before, he had only seen Condemnation from a distance �� which had been awesome enough. But now that he had ascended its great height, from the mountain-like legs to the wide plateaus of its shoulders, Sunny saw the colossal shadow in an entirely different light.


    Walking across the dark expanse of the Shadow Realm, it was really like a world of its own. The black hills were barely visible from the great height, and the desolate land looked flat. There were no clouds to obscure the ground, but the great plume of silver essence bathed everything in pale radiance, making it seem like a different world from the lightless, lifeless desert below.


    There were hills and valleys of their own on the immense body of the shadow of Condemnation, with a strange and alien terrain that only seemed more dreamlike because the entire immensity of it all was constantly moving. The great body of the Cursed Tyrant could have sheltered an entire city, with countless humans spending their entire lives without ever setting foot on the ground.


    Which only put into perspective how astonishing the feat of the King of Swords, who had slain this ancient deity, was. It was no different from a tiny ant slaying a towering elephant.


    ��Of course, the shadow of Condemnation was different from how the Cursed Tyrant had been when it was alive. In fact, Sunny was starting to understand that this great body was nothing more than the vessel of the actual Cursed One, who had been more of an insidious force than a physical presence.


    A force that absorbed what was around it, tearing parts from the world to make them parts of itself.


    Similarly, the shadow of Condemnation had absorbed what had been around it, as well. However, the Shadow Realm was different from the Hollows and Godgrave, and therefore, its body ended up quite different from its past self.


    There was no soil, no stone ruins, and no jungle here. Instead, there was just dust, shadows, and silence.


    So, the shadow of Condemnation was far less substantial than the actual Cursed One had been. Its towering body was woven mostly out of immaterial things �� shadows, dust, and distant light, with giant slabs of black obsidian floating in the dark abyss of its vast expanse like islands of solidity.


    Sunny had landed on one of these islands, released the effect of the Feather of Truth to return to his normal weight, and folded his wings, judging that it was too early to dismiss them. Wisps of ghostly smoke shrouded his figure, and a few black feathers drifted to the ground, dissolving in streams of darkness a few moments later.


    He glanced at the feathers and froze for a moment, suddenly remembering something that he would have preferred to forget�� the terrible visage of Nether, the Demon of Destiny, which he had glimpsed reflected on the surface of the Great River once, a long time ago.


    The figure of the Prince of the Underworld had been vague and unclear, shrouded in fog. But Sunny remembered one detail of his appearance vividly �� two terrible black wings that seemed to devour the sky, drowning the world in howling mist.


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then shifted his gaze to the mangled breastplate of the Onyx Mantle.


    A sudden, embarrassing thought suddenly entered his mind.


    Here he was, a divine shadow, in the realm of Shadow God�� and yet, he was wearing a suit of onyx armor forged by the Prince of Darkness, and sporting a pair of black wings.


    The Underworld was where true darkness dwelled and had originated from, and true darkness was the natural enemy of shadows. Beings born from it were also here, acting like insatiable predators. So...


    Had the mysterious archer mistaken him for a Darkness Creature, as well?


    If so, it was not that surprising that Sunny received an arrow in the heart instead of a greeting.


    But then again, that maniac seemed like the murderous sort regardless of circumstances. The shadow of Condemnation had nothing to do with true darkness, and yet, the mysterious archer was here, fighting for the right to slay it �� not at all different from the dark drifters or Sunny, intending to kill and consume Condemnation. R????????????????


    That was the only way to survive here, in the Shadow Realm.


    Maybe Sunny would have been greeted by an arrow even if he had been wearing a beautiful silk robe sewn by Shadow God''s own hands.


    In any case, the mysterious archer had come dangerously close to costing Sunny an incarnation, and if there was one thing Sunny was good at, it was holding grudges. He was going to find and kill the wretch no matter the cost.


    The mysterious archer was a shadow creature as well, after all�� the shadow of Condemnation was not the only thing Sunny could consume to gain a treasure trove of shadow fragments.


    Who knew, maybe he would be able to not only form a Titan Core, but also saturate the seven cores to finality by the end of this expedition.


    But he would have to kill the four Dark Ones, the damned archer, and the shadow of Condemnation first to achieve that. Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Step by step��''


    The archer was currently tied up dealing with the Thing, while the Leech was in a feeding frenzy. The Wolf had momentarily fallen behind.


    So, the best chance to even the odds Sunny had was to finish the wounded Vulture. It was still impaled by the fangs of the great serpent, having yet to free itself. The fangs themselves were of value, as well, since Sunny could use them as weapons again.


    ''Let''s hunt a Dark One.''


    He briefly considered summoning Saint. She was busy helping the Lord of Shadow clear the jungle�� as well as keep an eye on old Jest, who had shown a tendency to wander into places he was not supposed to go as of late.


    More than that, while Saint was supposed to be immune to soul attacks, she would not necessarily be immune to the Shadow Realm�� to shadow attacks? To whatever law ruled this desolate land, eroding shadows and turning them into pure essence.


    Sunny was not going to risk summoning his Shadows until he found proof that they would not be destroyed as a result of entering the Realm of Death.


    The bones of a Soul Serpent offered some assurance, but they could be an anomaly. For now, he had to proceed alone.


    Smiling darkly, Sunny took a running start and jumped, leaping to the next slab of obsidian. There were many of them scattered around, drifting chaotically in the sea of shadows that the body of Condemnation was composed of.


    For now, he had to reach the edge of the colossal being''s shoulder and look down to evaluate the situation.


    Then, he had to kill.

 Chapter 2107 Two Horrors

    Chapter 2107  Two Horrors Leaping from one drifting obsidian island to another and using his wings to glide across the wider gaps between them, Sunny swiftly reached a vantage point from where he could see the torso of the shadow of Condemnation. Far below, the Leech had burrowed into the side of the colossus, having already consumed a vast swath of its nebulous body. The seething mass of darkness was twisting and rippling, hundreds of appalling maws biting hungrily into the shadow of the Cursed Tyrant. It seemed that the Dark One did not care what exactly it was devouring �� pieces of obsidian, shimmering light, or deep shadows. Although it seemed as if the Leech was feasting on the body of Condemnation, what it was truly devouring was Condemnation''s essence �� the very invisible, insidious force that held the great colossus together. A bit higher, just under the chest of the Cursed One''s shadow, the Vulture had already extricated its body from one of the two enormous fangs, and was close to liberating itself from the second. The creature was separated from Sunny by a vertical drop of almost an entire kilometer, but due to its massive size, that distance did not seem significant at all�� if anything, it felt negligible. Sunny hesitated for a moment. ''...How am I even supposed to kill that thing?''


    As the last resort, he could attack the Vulture with his bare hands �� gods knew that the spiked gauntlets of the Onyx Mantle were lethal weapons in and of themselves. However, ripping the vast body of the appalling creature to shreds with bare hands seemed like a lot of work.


    And the Vulture was not going to simply allow Sunny to attack it freely, either. His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a thunderous thunderclap that slammed into Sunny like a physical wall, making him stagger and struggle to keep his balance. The thunderclap came from somewhere to his left �� there, hidden from view by the massive neck of Condemnation, the mysterious archer was currently battling the Thing. Looking that way, Sunny saw pieces of shattered obsidian soaring high into the black sky before plunging down to rain upon the ground like a destructive hail. Cursing inwardly, he took a step forward and plummeted down, as well. Using both the dire might of his tenebrous wings and the [Feather of Truth] to accelerate his descent, Sunny pierced the radiance of the river of essence and fell upon the Vulture like a black comet. Force equaled mass timed by acceleration, and he possessed plenty of both. More than that, he was a Transcendent being, and therefore his existence pushed against the mystical laws of the world, not just the laws of physics. Perhaps using himself as a projectile was not the wisest of plans, but that way, the force unleashed by his impact against the Dark One was going to be truly devastating �� as well as bring him close enough to tear at the appalling creature with his onyx claws. Sunny had tensed his body in anticipation of a bone-breaking collision, relying on Bone Weave to keep him whole. However, to his surprise, the actual impact was far less violent than he had anticipated and hoped for. The vast body of the Vulture gave in and enveloped Sunny like a cold, porous cloth, surrounding him from all sides and suffocating him. Suddenly, he was embraced and blinded by darkness, bound by its chilling expanse, struggling to wrestle his body free. At first, the cold darkness was simply there, enveloping him like a dreadful cocoon. But then, it rippled and gave birth to countless tendrils that slithered across the surface of the Onyx Mantle, searching hungrily for a way in.


    Sunny shuddered. Usually, he would have only had to protect the visor of his helmet�� but since the damned archer had mangled the breastplate of his armor, breaching it, the tendrils discovered an opening soon. ''Crap!''


    Gritting his teeth, he feverishly searched for a solution. The image of Dark Dancer Revel flashed in his mind. A split second later, the Onyx Mantle shifted, covering the frame of his wings with a layer of fearsome stonelike armor. Straining with all his might, Sunny unfolded them��


    And tore free of the suffocating darkness, shredding it with the bladed edges of his wings. Pushing himself away, Sunny shot through the swirling storm of essence particles and landed heavily on the surface of the ancient serpent''s fang, a hundred or so meters away. The fang was still embedded in the body of Condemnation, protruding from it like a long and narrow ivory ledge. Rising slowly from his knees, Sunny looked up and pierced the Vulture with a cold, murderous gaze. ��The Dark One gazed upon him, too. Thousands of lightless eyes opened on the surface of the rippling darkness, considering him with a chilling, silent, alien intent. Then, a spark of hunger ignited in them, making Sunny feel a sickening sense of primal fear. The Vulture shifted on the body of Condemnation, perching on its vertical slope like a giant moth. Then, forgetting about its colossal prey for a short moment, it surged forward to consume Sunny instead. The appalling creature was like a flood of darkness, its vast mass boiling as it exploded with countless monstrous tendrils �� these ones dozens of meters long and ending in gruesome maws. It fell upon Sunny like an avalanche, threatening to bury him under its dark and dreadful expanse. Watching the flood of darkness descending upon him, Sunny scoffed coldly. The shadows around him stirred, embracing him like a great mantle. In the next moment, the vast expanse of flowing shadows was suddenly infused with Transcendent essence, turning into a tangible mass. Sunny did not bother shaping this enormous Shell �� the largest one he had ever created �� and allowed it to remain formless and shapeless.  S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the flood of hungry darkness fell upon him from above, the great mass of shadows rushed upward to meet it, countless tentacles shooting from its depths to rip apart the ghastly tendrils.


    The moment the two dark masses collided, there was a deafening thunderclap, and a powerful shockwave spread in all directions, battering the ancient obsidian and making the ivory fangs crack.


    The shadow of Condemnation shuddered, halting for a moment as it took another step.

 Chapter 2108 Threes a Party

    Chapter 2108  Three''s a Party Here in the Realm of Shadows, Sunny was at home. It was a dire and perilous home, but a home nonetheless. Not only was his body and Aspect empowered by being here, but there was also a torrent of spirit essence flowing into his soul. That was why his ability to manifest shadows had become more powerful than it had ever been, and why he was able to summon such an enormous Shell. The vast Shell was formless, lacking a structure. But that was also a reason why he could build it, and make it span hundreds of meters �� not at all inferior to the great expanse of the appalling Darkness Creature. Better yet, there was no risk of losing himself, since he was not delving into the essence of a foreign existence.


    Instead, he was simply adhering to the shapelessness that was inherent to all shadows. And as a shadow himself, Sunny was no stranger to that shapelessness himself. It was just a shame that his largest Shell yet was dwarfed by most of what he had encountered in the Shadow Realm, almost making him feel like he had been robbed of an accomplishment. ''Damnation...''


    Of course, Sunny had no time to feel such frivolous emotions, since mere moments after forming the Shell, he clashed with the Vulture in a harrowing display of primal fury. The rippling mass of darkness descended like a flood of hungry tendrils, and the seething mass of shadow rose to meet it midway. Their clash was both awesome and terrifying, bathed in the silver radiance of the river of essence, but seemingly devouring the light instead of being illuminated by it.


    They rolled across the vertical slope of Condemnation''s torso, clinging to it with dozens of tendrils and tentacles, and at the same time tearing into each other with countless more. Hundreds of hungry maws opened on the rippling body of the Vulture, biting into the mass of seething shadows. In response, the shadows bit into the body of the dark drifter with thousands of bestial fangs, tearing it ferociously. Torrents of darkness rained down like blood. Even as his Shell was being ripped apart and pierced by slithering tendrils, Sunny grinned darkly in its tumultuous depths. ''Ah, this is not good��''  S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was one thing he had realized in the very first moment of his clash with the Vulture�� it was that the creature of darkness was an ancient evil �� and much, much more powerful than him. The gruesome damage it dealt to the formless mass of shadows was incomparably more dire than the damage the shadows were dealing to it, and just as Sunny was savaging the eerie creature with abandon, the creature was savaging him much more. However��


    Sunny was in his natural element. Every wound he dealt to the Vulture harmed the Dark One, while the Dark One was only damaging his Shell. For as long as Sunny had essence, he could freely mend and rebuild his great and formless, horrifying body.


    He just had to make sure that the tendrils of darkness did not reach his actual self, and maybe�� maybe, he would be able to destroy this harrowing abomination, after all.


    ...Or maybe he would be swallowed by one of the tendrils �� hopefully dying in the process, instead of feeling the agony of his body and soul being slowly digested in the depths of the harrowing darkness first. ''No. I''ll definitely kill this fiend.''


    But why stop there?


    Smiling crookedly, Sunny allowed a part of his Shell to be torn apart, then used the momentary lull in the onslaught of dark tendrils created by that sacrifice to launch a vicious attack of his own. The tentacles growing out of his vast Shell shifted, turning into a forest of inky-black arms, and hundreds of hands ripped into the body of the Vulture with sharp claws, each bearing seven fingers. Holding it in place. The only tentacles that had not transformed then changed, as well, their ends turning into scythe-like blades. Those blades then slashed at the particular group of tendrils that attached the Vulture to the body of the shadow of Condemnation, severing them all.


    Sunny pushed both the Dark One and his Shell away from the obsidian surface. The two intertwined horrors �� one made of pure darkness, the other from a vast expanse of shadows �� plummeted down.


    As they fell, a swarm of shadow chains shot from his formless Shell, wrapping themselves around the two ivory fangs that were still stuck in the shadow of Condemnation. The Vulture tore into the mass of shadows, one of its terrifying tendrils penetrating the formless Shell deep enough to come dangerously close to Sunny''s body. At the same time, the Dark One attempted to free itself from his hold.


    However, Sunny poured more essence into the Shell, rebuilding it almost as fast as it was being destroyed �� albeit not quite �� and steering their fall by using the ivory fangs as purchase. A few moments later, the two of them��


    Crashed into the massive body of the appalling Leech, who had forgotten itself while gorging on the flesh of the shadow of Condemnation. The more, the merrier. Sunny''s bloodlust was more than insatiable enough to accommodate a pair of primordial horrors. Now, for the last act��


    As the Leech momentarily switched the target of its hunger and Sunny''s Shell became enveloped by the appalling darkness from two sides, melting between them in an onslaught of countless teeth, he abandoned all pretense of trying to attack the Dark Ones, and instead put all the dreadful power of his Shell into pushing all three of them into the black sky of the Shadow Realm. Sunny, the Vulture, and the Leech shot away from the body of Condemnation, flying into the dark expanse of the sky. As they flew, the formless Shell collapsed in on itself, turning into a battered sphere. The two ancient horrors were like tattered sails of darkness billowing behind it. Of course, they never stopped shredding it with countless maws and trying to tear it apart with appalling tendrils. As Sunny''s Shell dwindled, they passed through the silver radiance of the essence plume and were enveloped by the boundless darkness once again, flying further and further away from the shadow of Condemnation��


    However, they did not fly for long.


    Because just a few moments later, they crashed into the palm of its colossal hand, which closed into a fist a moment later.


    Crushing the sphere of shadows, and the two vast beings of darkness, in its obliterating grip.

 Chapter 2109: Vicious Shadows

    The titanic fist of Condemnation snapped shut, crushing the Formless Shell and killing the two Creatures of Darkness. ��Of course, by the time it did, Sunny was already someplace else.


    After all, nothing prevented him from abandoning his Shell while maintaining its existence.


    If it had been a more complicated construct, he would have lost the ability to control it with any measure of finesse after leaving �� but that was beside the point in this instance, considering that the sphere of shadows had only needed to be durable enough to endure the violent onslaught of the Leech and the Vulture, and therefore, did not need to be controlled at all.


    So, mere moments before it slammed into the palm of the shadow of Condemnation, Sunny opened a narrow breach in the wall of the sphere and held tightly to the chain of shadows that still connected it to one of the ivory fangs embedded in the body of the Cursed Tyrant.


    The chain drew taut.


    As a result, he was catapulted outside while the crumbling sphere of shadows �� and the two appalling horrors that were tearing it apart �� continued flying forward with great speed.


    To their doom.


    By the time the Vulture and the Leech perished in the crushing grasp of the shadow of Condemnation, torrents of elemental darkness flowing between the gargantuan fingers, Sunny was already halfway back to the nebulous body of the Cursed Tyrant.


    Wind howled in his ears as he smiled wickedly.


    ''There. Go die, bastards. Leech, vulture�� fools! You should have thought twice before making an enemy out of a cockroach...''


    Then again, he would have killed them anyway, so it did not really matter whether the abominations had antagonized him or not.


    ��Reaching the abdomen of the shadow of Condemnation, Sunny slammed into the cold obsidian and momentarily let go of the chain to grab onto the cracks in the black stone. Folding his wings, he pressed his body against it and carefully looked up.


    Just then, something flashed blindingly high above and dimmed the silver radiance of the swirling essence for a moment. Following the flash, something dark obscured the view.


    Sunny held tightly to the cold obsidian as a river of elemental darkness flowed slowly from above, trickling onto his armor and temporarily blinding him. If he was to hazard a guess�� that was what remained of the Thing, who must have been killed by the nebulous slayer on the shoulder of the shadow of Condemnation.


    Soon enough, the darkness receded, having already flowed past him on its way to the dunes of obsidian dust far below.


    All that remained was silence.


    The world swayed slowly as the shadow of Condemnation walked across the desolate expanse of the Shadow Realm, illuminating it with the pale light of swirling particles of soul essence.


    Sunny waited tensely, hiding in the shadows cast by the protruding ridge of glossy obsidian. He knew that his position was quite a bad one... after all, being far below a deadly archer on a vertical slope was not an ideal situation to find oneself in.


    When no arrow came crashing down a few seconds later, he gritted his teeth and started to climb up, sticking to the darkest and deepest shadows. The body of the shadow of Condemnation seemed more solid here, but he still encountered wide gaps between the vast plates of obsidian �� instead of spreading his wings, Sunny simply used the chain to pull himself up and reach the next piece of black stone.


    He swiftly reached the ivory fang and climbed onto it, wondering what had happened to the archer.


    Was that damned maniac dead, as well?


    Or maybe had already moved on to trying to slay the shadow of Condemnation?


    It did not seem like Sunny was in immediate danger��


    His face suddenly fell.


    ''I just had to think that aloud, did I?''


    In the next moment, a black arrow fell from above, almost piercing his eye. This time, however, Sunny managed to dodge it just in time �� the arrow moved with truly astonishing speed, arriving almost instantaneously, but it disturbed the swirling torrent of essence particles.


    That disturbance caused the shadows populating the great expanse of Condemnation to shift, so Sunny had sensed the arrow a split second before it would have killed him.


    He reeled back, and the obsidian arrowhead scraped against the visor of his helmet, slicing it apart, then struck the ivory fang.


    The violent impact was so devastating that the ancient fang exploded, sending bone fragments flying away like a cloud of shrapnel, and Sunny was tossed into the air.


    ''Damn it!''


    A moment later, a hurricane was raised by his wings, and he shot up through the silver radiance.


    Sticking close to the body of Condemnation, Sunny veered left and right, trying to make him a more difficult target. He dove into the deep gorges on the polished obsidian and used jagged outcroppings as cover, dodging another arrow a heartbeat or two later.


    But that was not all.


    While Sunny was flying up, six Shadowspawn Shells burst from his figure and followed while leaping from one plate of obsidian to another �� or rather, six dummy Shells that he had created to confuse the archer.


    These ones only had the appearance of Shells, with none of the intricately complicated inner machinery. There was no rigid frame of bones, no tensile muscles, no elastic tendons... all of them created by manifesting shadow in unique ways, of course.


    Instead, these constructs were no different from the most primitive shadow tentacles, with only their outward shape altered to look like a creature. Luckily, that seemed to have been enough to split the


    archer''s attention �� the decoys were obliterated one after another, but Sunny managed to keep himself intact until he reached the shoulder of the shadow colossus.


    The opposite shoulder from where he had initially landed, and where the Thing had been destroyed by the archer.


    Dismissing his wings, Sunny landed on the glossy surface of black obsidian and rolled.


    Rising to his feet a moment later, he lowered his chin a little and looked at the figure standing a few dozen meters away from him.


    The nebulous archer was surrounded by wisps of black smoke, as if wearing a tattered cloak of shadows. Their figure was obscured, and so was their face. However, Sunny could feel that his enemy was looking at him, as well.


    Finally, the mysterious shadow calmly placed their bow on the ground, straightened, and unsheathed two long knives �� one cut from black obsidian, the other from white bone.


    Smiling darkly, Sunny revealed his hand, which held a long, sharp splinter of the destroyed fang of the ancient Soul Serpent.


    Then, he revealed five more hands, each holding a bone blade of their own.


    The archer tilted their head slightly.


    Sunny grinned.


    "That''s right, bastard. Come and get me." sea??h th�� N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 2110: Disobedience

    There was no pompous exchange of challenges, no proclamations, not even an insult thrown to rattle the enemy before the battle. There was no sign that the archer was preparing for a fight, like assuming a stance and cautiously probing Sunny''s defenses.Instead, one second the mysterious shadow was standing a few dozen meters away, and the next, they were already upon Sunny.


    The obsidian knife glinted coldly as it tore the fabric of reality apart, aiming to plunge into his abdomen.


    ''F��fast��''


    Sunny barely managed to deflect the blow by sensing, rather than being fully aware of, the coming strike. The splinter of the ivory fang met the obsidian blade and pushed it aside, sending a jolt of pain traveling through his arm.


    ''...Strong, as well.''


    The nebulous slayer was terribly fast, and terribly strong. Perhaps in any other place, Sunny would have stood no chance against this adversary �� but here in the Shadow Realm, the infinite abyss of shadows was imbuing him with dire prowess. It was not quite comparable to the augmentation of his shadows, but close to it.


    So, he could at least resist.


    Sunny deflected the obsidian knife to the side and blocked the bone knife by crossing two ivory blades of his own. Then, he attacked with three splinters of the ancient fang that remained.


    He had six hands at the moment, after all.


    But his nebulous enemy was elusive.


    Using flowing footwork, they seemed to disappear like a mirage, sidestepping all three of the counterattacks and somehow managing to flank Sunny at the same time. All that his improvised daggers managed to pierce were the wisps of ghostly smoke.


    ''Crap��''


    Sunny moved his three left arms, trying to defend his side, and instantly lost two of them. Severed cleanly, the inky-black hands fell to the ground �� but that, at least, had bought him enough time to reel back and avoid being skewered himself.


    He felt a cold chill run down his spine.


    Sunny had hoped that the mysterious slayer would not be as deadly up close as they were at range�� but these hopes were now crushed thoroughly. The damned archer knew how to handle a knife, as well �� in fact, they fought with an utterly chilling level of skill and intent.


    Their style was as lethal as it was straightforward. There were no embellishments, hesitation, or complicated philosophy to its deadly grace. Just pure lethality, inhuman ruthlessness, and absolute killing intent. An uncompromising aggressiveness that aimed to slaughter the enemy in the most swift and efficient fashion, discarding all else.


    Making all else seem unimportant.


    Which was not to say that the way the mysterious shadow fought was not insidious. In fact, they were like a personification of devious will �� deception was a killing tool as well, after all.


    Even using his mastery of Shadow Dance to predict the enemy''s movements, Sunny was struggling to keep up. That was because the archer was simply too fast and aggressive to react to this foresight, and even if he did, the predictions Sunny made seem to fail him half of the time.


    As if the enemy knew how to deceive his very perception, including shadow sense, thus making all attempts to gain insight fruitless. After all, trying to build anything on a foundation of falsehoods was an exercise in futility.


    That was why the bone knife, which was supposed to be flying toward Sunny''s throat, suddenly pierced the breastplate of the Onyx Mantle just below his ribs instead. Still failing to understand how that happened, Sunny staggered back, which was why the sharp blade only cut his skin and a bit of muscle instead of plunging into his lung.


    He was still reeling from the unexpected failure to predict the sinister blow, but there was no time to think �� that was because the mysterious shadow had not slowed down the onslaught of attacks even for a split second, pushing Sunny back with a rain of deadly strikes.


    They came at him from all directions, the swift figure of his enemy obscured and made even harder to discern by the ghostly black smoke.


    It was to the point that Sunny was not even sure which one of them possessed six hands instead of two�� well, four, now.


    Defending himself desperately, he took a step back, then another. His entire body rattled from the immense strain of withstanding the ferocious, devastating blows of the enemy, and the situation only seemed to grow more dire and frenetic with each heartbeat.


    But that was fine, as well.


    After all, Sunny was not without tricks himself.


    His two severed hands were now laying on the ground behind the archer, having yet to dissolve into intangible shadows. And that was for a good reason �� because just then, they suddenly moved and rose into the air, carried by two flexible shadow tentacles.


    Still grasping the splinters of the ivory fang, they shot at the archer''s back with the speed of supersonic missiles.


    ��And the bastard still dodged them, somehow.


    Granted, the mysterious shadow was at least forced to halt the chilling and seemingly unceasing assault to disengage, performed a strange mix of a spinning somersault and a cartwheel that had no right to look graceful, and yet did, rolled over their shoulder, and slid back on the glossy obsidian.


    There was no rule that limited Sunny to only using his bone blades, after all. In fact, he would be a fool to do so.


    Sparing the vague figure of his enemy a brief glance, Sunny called upon the shadows and unleashed a maelstrom of shadow chains, clawed hands, and bladed tentacles upon the nebulous slayer.


    ��Or at least, he tried to.


    But he failed.


    That was because for the first time in a long, long while�� the shadows did not respond to his call.


    Instead, they cowered and trembled, torn between the will of the Lord of Shadows and the cold threat of�� whatever the mysterious archer was.


    An ancient shadow that had spent thousands of years in the desolate hell of the Shadow Realm, hunting down their kin.


    Sunny commanded them to move, and the slayer threatened them to stay still.


    He smiled darkly.


    "...Such audacity."


    Instead of responding, the archer lunged forward once again. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only this time, when Sunny commanded his remaining two shadow hands forward to block the obsidian knife�� they jerked and halted, failing to respond to his will for a split second.


    That split second was enough for the stone blade to leave another hole on his hide.

 Chapter 2111: Mixed Signals

    ''Damn�� ation��''Sunny had fought all kinds of adversaries over his long and tumultuous career as a carrier of the Nightmare Spell �� and more still after his sudden and inexplicable retirement from being one. Among them were powerful Nightmare Creatures, seasoned Awakened champions, and dreadful horrors he struggled to describe.


    But very few of them, if any at all, had managed to put this kind of pressure on him. At least not in recent years, after he achieved Transcendence and came close to the known pinnacle of power.


    The mysterious shadow was different from Nightmare Creatures, because it possessed the martial skill and deadly intelligence akin to that of a human.


    But it was also different from humans, because its mind was utterly alien, elusive, and filled with nothing but murderous, merciless killing intent.


    It was fierce and ferocious, but at the same time cold and calculating, focused entirely on slaying the enemy.


    It would have been commendable, really, if Sunny did not find himself on the receiving end of this deadly resolve.


    He evaded a vicious stab, only to receive a devastating kick and stagger back. Ignoring the sharp pain in his bruised ribs, he immediately moved, deflecting a slash that would have sliced his throat open otherwise. By then, an obsidian blade was already flying at his right eye, and as he tilted his head to avoid it, a knee slammed into his abdomen, making him let out a hiss.


    The mysterious shadow was like a dancer that could use all of its nebulous body as a weapon, making no distinction between its blades, fists, elbows, knees, or feet. Each precise blow was either potentially fatal or meant to open him to a deadly follow-up attack, flowing effortlessly into each other, and with the ghostly smoke obscuring its movements, Sunny could not allow his focus to slip even for an instant.


    The rain of attacks persisted without a split second of respite, all of them chained together like a ruthless, suffocating vice.No matter how much Sunny resisted, he could not gain the initiative �� he could only defend himself feverishly, barely keeping up with the lethal onslaught.


    Wounds and bruises slowly littered his body. His armor was cut like paper, and his bones groaned under unbearable strain, on the verge of cracking. He was not bleeding, at least, but his two remaining shadows hands had long been sacrificed. Now, even his own hands were at risk of being maimed.


    ''Aaah��''


    Dodging another blow, he growled and lunged forward, meaning to ram the mysterious archer with his armored shoulder. However, the enemy simply retreated like mist, then instantly counterattacked, nearly driving one of their knives into Sunny''s temple.


    They clashed like two dark whirlwinds, moving across the shoulder of the shadow of Condemnation as it took another titanic step. The radiant veil of swirling essence was torn apart by the fury of their battle, and they were enveloped by soothing darkness once again.


    The thunderous cacophony tore apart the eternal silence that reigned the Shadow Realm, and the black sky shook from the terrifying power of their blows.


    As Sunny and the nebulous slayer fought with their weapons, another, hidden battle was taking place as well.


    It was the battle for the control over the ancient shadows that surrounded them.


    Sunny was pressing his authority, commanding the shadows to answer his call and descend upon the archer in a manifested storm. The archer, meanwhile, was silently pressuring them into remaining still.


    The mysterious slayer had even managed to exert influence on the manifested hands that Sunny used, making them if not useless, then at least unreliable �� enough so that they had been destroyed one after another.


    Unlike the physical battle, this one was not fought with weapons or martial skill. Instead, it was fought by something else�� will, perhaps. Since both fighters had a claim to command them,the shadows would follow the one whose authority was more tyrannical and uncompromising.


    By all accounts, Sunny had no business being equal to a Great�� Supreme?... being in a battle of will and authority. However, he was the Lord of Shadows. This Attribute granted him a mandate to rule them, and marked him as a chosen of Shadow God. It served as the equalizer, allowing him to breach the gap separating him from the ruthless archer.


    For now, neither Sunny nor his enemy had managed to overwhelm the other''s will and gain command of the shadows. It was an exhausting draw�� but, still. Drawing with a being of Supreme Rank in a battle of will was not a bad result.


    Actually��


    Finally managing to land a glancing blow and push the enemy back for a moment, Sunny drew a hoarse breath.


    He wasn''t even sure what this damned shadow''s Rank and Class were. Unlike the dark drifters, the mysterious archer was not made from elemental darkness, so nothing stopped Sunny from trying to peer into its essence... he just had no opportunity before.


    Using the momentary lull in their fierce clash �� which would only last a split second, no doubt �� Sunny shifted his gaze and looked inside the mysterious shadow.


    What he saw startled him.


    ''What the��'' S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The mysterious archer was a shadow. Sunny was pretty sure that they were no different from Condemnation, a shadow that had entered the Realm of Death after the being casting it perished�� albeit one that seemed to have retained more sense and sharper intent. Perhaps it had gradually become an actual shadow creature by refusing to be annihilated by the Shadow Realm over the ages.


    In any case, he had expected to see dark embers like those that burned in the depths of his own Shadows, or at best lightless Shadow Cores like he himself possessed. Maybe even nothing except the dark expanse of a vast shadow.


    But, to his surprise��


    A beautiful, radiant core burned within the mysterious archer, shining like a silver sun.It was not a Shadow Core �� it was an actual soul core, brimming with actual soul essence instead of shadow essence, like what Sunny had.


    ''What kind of situation is this?''


    He was a human whose soul was nevertheless like that of a shadow, while the mysterious archer was an actual shadow who walked around with a soul core burning in their chest despite it all?


    How was that possible?


    But then again�� anything was possible.


    If a being as weird as Sunny could exist, then why couldn''t the directly opposite being to him exist, as well?


    Regardless��


    What stunned him the most was that the mysterious archer only possessed one soul core, which meant that they were a mere Beast. Considering how obviously sentient the damned thing was, that probably meant that they were a shadow of a dead human.


    More than that, their Rank was�� strange. It was neither Supreme nor Transcendent, but rather something in between. As if the soul of a Supreme being had been damaged and weathered, losing much of its past luster.


    Perhaps it had even been Sacred once�� who knew? Sunny could only see the current state of the shadow, not what it had been in a pristine state.


    In any case, the mysterious archer was not a Sovereign. Not only because their power seemed to have been eroded by the thousands of years of being digested by the Shadow Realm, but also because they did not possess a Domain. And even if they had been human once, they weren''t one anymore.


    So, Sunny had no idea what that thing was, really.


    Just�� a strange, tenacious shadow that was far more insidious and lethal than it had any right to be.


    Nothing changed the fact that he had to kill it, though.


    And regarding that��


    Sunny had an idea on how to proceed.

 Chapter 2112: Rebelious Shadow

    Whether the nebulous archer possessed a soul core or not, they were still a shadow. That was how they had been able to survive in the Shadow Realm, and why they were hunting the shadows of living beings for sustenance.That was also the reason why this cold and ruthless slayer could influence the wild shadows populating the desolate land, so much so that they were even scared to answer Sunny''s call.


    However��


    Since the archer could interfere with Sunny in that way, didn''t that mean that Sunny could do the same?


    After all, the archer was a shadow.


    And Sunny was the Lord of Shadows.


    He held dominion over everything that was a shadow, whether they liked it or not. If Sunny so wished, he could control and manipulate shadows, manifest them into tangible forms, or even send them into the Shadow Realm and back.


    Granted, his authority was not absolute. Although few shadows had attempted it yet, the vastest and most ancient of them could resist his will and refuse his commands�� like the Fragment of the Shadow Realm did, for example.


    More importantly, there was one exception to his ability to command the shadows. No matter how weak, Sunny could neither control nor manifest the shadows of living beings �� their loyalty was to their masters, and no matter how revered the Lord of Shadows was by them, that reverence did not trump that loyalty.


    However��


    The mysterious archer was not a shadow cast by a living being. They might have been once, but now, they were cast by nothing and belonged to nothing. They were alone and ownerless, without a master��


    It is improper for a shadow, let alone such a murderous one, to walk around without a master.


    Not the least of all because an unscrupulous Lord of Shadows might happen to pass by and try to exploit that defect.


    So��


    While suffering under the chillingly lethal barrage of insidious attacks and at the same time wrestling the cold will of the rebellious shadow,Sunny focused his own will into a sharp blade and added another command to his call.


    That one was addressed directly to the damned archer and consisted of only one word:


    "Halt."


    The archer suddenly shuddered.


    And because they shuddered, Sunny easily pushed aside the obsidian knife and plunged the splinter of the ivory fang into the enemy''s side.


    A moment later, the archer punched him in the face, shattering the damaged visor of the onyx helmet and making Sunny see stars. They struck down with the bone knife, slicing through the splinter of the ancient fang, and disengaged.


    A moment later, the archer landed gracefully on the glossy stone a few dozen meters away and pressed one hand against their side, hunching a little.


    Sunny was pretty sure that being pierced by a fang of an ancient Soul Serpent was quite harmful, even for a relentless death machine like this damned maniac.


    He dismissed his broken helmet and laughed.


    "...Two can play this game, you know?"


    Before, the archer had interfered with his limbs.


    Now, Sunny was interfering with the archer.


    Of course, the nebulous slayer did not halt as commanded. However, their movements appeared somewhat constrained, sapped of some speed and power.


    Just enough to even the playing field in this battle.


    Taking a step forward, Sunny ignited his will and battered the archer with a barrage of irresistible commands.


    ''Halt!''


    ''Move!''


    ''Kneel!''


    ''Surrender!''


    ''Beg!''


    ''...Die!''


    But the mysterious shadow did resist them, hunching some more and remaining silent.


    Their slender fingers, nevertheless, dug into the wound, grasping the broken splinter of the ivory fang and pulling it free.


    A trickle of ghostly smoke flowed out of the wound, mixing with their billowing veil.


    ''Still ready to fight, then.''


    Sunny grinned.


    Well, it was only to be expected. He had never expected that his little trick would bring this ruthless slayer to their knees. It was just something to weigh them down and let Sunny himself deliver the fatal blow.


    "What are you waiting for? Let''s go, little shadow. I''m just getting warmed up."


    The archer stared at him for a few moments silently�� at least Sunny thought that he was being stared at. He could not see their face, after all.


    Then, in an explosion of swift, purposeful motion��


    The archer turned around, fluidly grabbed their discarded bow and dashed away, sliding over the edge of the obsidian island a moment later.


    Falling into the depths of the shadow of Condemnation.


    Sunny froze for a moment.


    He blinked.


    ''Huh?''


    Had he actually scared that damned killer so much?


    ''No, impossible��''


    Then��


    His eyes widened a little.


    Did the bastard decide to go for the kill first, and deal with Sunny later? If so, he had to follow immediately!


    Yet��


    Somehow, Sunny did not feel like submerging into the nebulous body of the shadow of Condemnation was safe. In fact, everything inside him screamed against it, as if what awaited him inside was a fate far worse than death.


    It would be the same for the archer.


    Then what was Sunny missing?


    Suddenly, a cold chill ran down his spine, and a bad premonition made him shiver.


    With no helmet to shield his head, he realized quite quickly what it was that he had missed.


    Because his hair was fluttering wildly in the wind.


    The wind�� the wind had grown much stronger.


    ''...I''m getting a terrible sense of d��j�� vu.''


    Had he not caught a ride on the shoulder of a giant once, only to be caught in the storm?


    No�� technically, it was on the neck of a giant.


    Turning around, Sunny looked at the horizon.


    The breathtaking, radiant maelstrom of the essence tempest was much, much closer than it had been before. S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And the wind was only growing stronger.


    Suddenly, a tiny spark of silver light shot past Sunny.


    And then, another spark shot from his vambrace�� this one having nothing to do with essence. It was just a spark produced when something struck the stonelike metal of his armor at great speed.


    Something so swift and tiny that he did not even see it,let alone feel the impact.


    Sunny stared at his vambrace for a moment, noticing a deep scratch left onit.


    ''Damn.''


    Then, he turned around to run.


    But it was already too late.

 Chapter 2113 Condemned

    Chapter 2113  Condemned The essence storm was still some distance away, but the wind was growing turbulent at an unnatural rate. It had been merely strong a few moments ago, but now, its force was already as violent as that of a hurricane. The wind crashed furiously into the colossal figure of the shadow of Condemnation, shattering against its dark nebulous bulwark in a litany of chilling wails. The radiant trail of essence shrouding the colossal shadow was torn apart and scattered, submerging the world in impenetrable darkness once again.


    For now. A powerful gust slammed into Sunny''s back, almost making him stagger. As it did, a few more sparks of light shot past him.


    The particles of pure essence were being carried by the wind, moving at astonishing speed. Even more shocking was the fact that they were somehow able to affect the material plane �� otherwise, there would not have been a new scratch on his vambrace. Far below, countless such particles were striking the body of Condemnation, producing tiny sparks when colliding with cold stone. The body of the Cursed Tyrant was too vast to notice it yet, but when the swirling mass of the essence storm arrived��


    Sunny shuddered. No wonder the mysterious archer had rushed to seek shelter. Having survived in the Shadow Realm for thousands of years, they must have known how to survive the passing of a storm well. It was just that this time, they had been caught in the open, riding a colossal shadow far above ground �� that was why the archer chose to dive into the depths of Condemnation despite how perilous it seemed. ''No, that''s not quite right��''


    The radiant storm clouds were still some distance away, so was there really a need to act so decisively? Suddenly, Sunny felt a chilling sense of urgent danger. Spinning around��


    He just barely had time to see a swirling torrent of silver sparks rushing at him on the wind currents. A split second later, the light had already reached Sunny and passed through him, disappearing into the darkness of the distant sky. Sunny let out an inhuman shriek and fell, clutching desperately at his chest. The claws of the Mantle''s armored gauntlet dug into his skin, leaving deep cuts on its surface. "Aaaargh!"


    He almost bit off his tongue from the harrowing pain. The particles of soul essence had pierced his body, entering his chest and exiting from his back�� however, they were so infinitely small that even being pierced by a hundred of them did not deal his body any lasting damage. But��


    The same could not be said about his soul. It was shredded and ravaged by hundreds of radiant blades, torn asunder and mangled terribly, whole swaths of it being utterly destroyed. It was as if his soul was hit by a wave of explosive shrapnel.  sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this point, most beings would have simply died, their souls crumbling due to the scope of sustained damage. However, Sunny''s soul was held together by Soul Weave �� it could maintain its integrity no matter how much of it was destroyed, as long as at least a small part of it remained. So, despite writing in terrible pain, he was still alive. ''Curse it all��'' Sunny had to escape. This first torrent of pure essence was merely a harbinger of what was to come�� soon, there would be more and more such swirling flashes of light being carried by the hurricane wind, and before too long, the shadow of Condemnation would plunge into the storm clouds. Then, nothing would be able to survive on its surface. Groaning, Sunny rolled onto his stomach, then pushed his body to the edge of the obsidian island. As he crawled, a few more sparks of essence pierced his arms and legs, bringing with them more pain. ''Curse it all!''


    Finally, he reached the edge and pushed himself over it without hesitating even for a moment. ''Thank the gods��''


    As Sunny fell into the depths of Condemnation, a cold darkness enveloped him. He could only vaguely see and sense the outside world. Out there, powerful gusts of wind crashed into the body of the colossal shadow, striking rains of sparks from its surface. But here inside��


    Everything was silent and at peace.


    Everything was strange and alien. Everything was��


    Beholden to a single foreign force. That force was the shadow of Condemnation, and nothing, not even laws of reality, could exist within it without being subjugated and subsumed by that force. The islands of glossy obsidian were now part of Condemnation. The vast expanse of ancient shadows was, as well. So were the pale light of the distant essence storms, the clouds of black dust, the fragments of broken winds, and the pieces of the silent sky�� time and space themselves were consumed by the shadow of the dead deity, becoming parts of it.


    And naturally, now that Sunny was here�� that invisible force had started to make him a part of itself, as well. He was suddenly filled with horror. That was because Sunny suddenly felt that his own body did not belong to him anymore. His hands were not his. Even though they were attached to him, they were not a part of him. His eyes belonged to someone else, gazing at the world with a cold and unfamiliar indifference.


    The heart beating in his chest was a foreign object. His chest, as well, was merely an external vessel.


    His wounded soul was a small part of a much greater being, and he did not feel pain anymore, since even that pain did not belong to him. Even his mind was not his anymore, the thoughts entering it becoming alien one by one. His body shifted strangely, bending at unnatural angles. The invisible force was pulling it apart, the flesh straining on the verge of ripping, to better fit into the great structure of the shadow of Condemnation. His bones groaned, ready to break. ''D��damn it��''


    Someone else''s eyes widened in horror.


    Someone else''s mouth opened to let out a terrified scream.

 Chapter 2114: Switching Locations

    Having found safety from the essence storm within the shadow of Condemnation, Sunny ended up in a different, but equally dreadful peril.The dead deity subsumed everything around it to construct its gargantuan vessel. The great, nebulous body of Condemnation was built from things that had been torn from the fabric of the world to become parts of the colossal shadow instead.


    And so, Sunny was currently being torn apart and subsumed, as well.


    His body, his soul, his mind�� everything was slowly being swallowed by Condemnation.


    ''That is�� not good.''


    He fell into the cold darkness, losing his sense of self as he did. sea??h th�� novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, his hand moved, slashing the darkness with the splinter of the ivory fang.


    That bought him a few moments of respite.


    Regaining some clarity of mind, Sunny pivoted in the air and crashed into a giant slab of polished obsidian that drifted in the vast expanse of the colossal shadow.


    He still did not feel like himself, and there was still an invisible force pulling at his body.


    But he could at least think for himself, for a moment or two.


    ''Right.''


    Sunny tried to remain calm... as calm as he could be, considering the circumstances.


    The situation was bad, but it was not hopeless.


    How did he know that? Because the mysterious archer had plunged into the depths of Condemnation first. That maniac had survived thousands of years of obliteration in the Shadow Realm, so their will to live was not in question. The archer would not have jumped into this cold darkness if it meant committing suicide.


    There had to be a way to survive.


    Sunny just had to find it.


    ''...Isn''t it all too simple, then?''


    Someone else might have succumbed to the irresistible pull of the sinister force easily, becoming condemned to be a part of Condemnation forever. In fact, maybe that was how the cursed deity had received its eerie name, in the first place�� but Sunny was different.


    That was because he had crossed the Hollow Mountains once,and was well-versed in maintaining his sense of self against all odds. Even without a True Name, his will to exist was far more cohesive and powerful than that of most of his peers �� of all his peers, perhaps.


    It had been trained and sharpened arduously in the white mist of nothingness, and so, destroying his sense of self was not an easy task. Even with the shadow of Condemnation trying to assimilate Sunny, his natural defense mechanisms were resisting the assimilation furiously.


    ''What if I resisted consciously, then?''


    Focusing on his sense of self, Sunny poured all of his fierce will into maintaining its independence.


    ''Becoming a part of some dead god? In your dreams! How ridiculous�� being killed by a measly Sovereign, I could never��''


    Slowly, Sunny managed to regain control of his body.


    A dreadful force was still trying to pull it apart, and an insidious influence was still trying to steal his thoughts, but he could at least maintain this measure of control over himself.


    His will to exist clashed against the will of the shadow of Condemnation, and pushed it back a little.


    Of course, Sunny had far less willpower than the shadow of a dead deity. But he was merely a tiny speck for the shadow of Condemnation, so it did not use more than a tiny fraction of its will to consume him �� even then, what little will it did use was not used consciously.


    Sunny, however, was using all of his will to stay alive�� to stay himself, rather. And he was doing it with all the focus and discipline of a seasoned explorer of the most dreadful corners of the Dream Realm.


    So, he was able to maintain a fragile balance and keep himself from being consumed.


    For now.


    Which meant��


    Groaning, Sunny stumbled to his left and rolled. In the next moment, an obsidian knife pierced the polished obsidian in the spot where he had been a split second before, sending a net of cracks running through the glossy stone.


    If Sunny could maintain his sense of self within the shadow of Condemnation,then the damned archer would be able, too.


    Which meant that their battle was not over.


    It had merely switched locations.


    Smiling darkly, Sunny pushed himself off the cold stone and lunged himself at the enemy. Battering the bone knife aside with the splinter of the ivory fang, he crashed into the nebulous slayer and pushed them both off the slab of obsidian.


    "How does your side feel, huh, bastard?!"


    As they fell, Sunny slammed his fist into the wounded side of the mysterious shadow, hoping that it would hurt like hell.


    At the same time, he spread his wings and directed their fall, intending to slam the damned maniac into the closest piece of obsidian with enough force to shatter the entire thing.


    The archer had already driven one of his knives into the base of one of his wings, though, severing it entirely.


    Sunny cursed as he lost control over the trajectory of their fall.


    "You!"


    A moment later, they both crashed into the slab of obsidian with terrible force.


    Even as the impact threw them away from each other, the obsidian knife flashed, and the splinter of the ivory fang blocked its blade.


    Sunny and the mysterious archer rolled on the polished stone, then rose slowly and faced each other once again.


    He grinned.


    "Hey, little shadow�� you don''t look too good."


    The dark silhouette of the mysterious archer was more vague and unclear than ever, black smoke still flowing from the deep wound on their side. Their strength and speed had reduced quite a bit, as well, hinting that the murderous shadow was struggling to resist the will of Condemnation.


    Well, then again��


    Sunny did not look too hot either.


    "How about you kneel before your Lord and die peacefully? I promise, my Soul Sea is far more pleasant than this damned place. You''ll even have great company��"


    Instead of answering, the archer simply attacked.


    Sunny had not expected anything less.

 Chapter 2115: Spirited Away

    As Sunny and the mysterious archer clashed once again, both burning with unquenchable, ruthless, and chillingly cold killing intent, he instantly felt the difference.Well, of course he did.


    It was hard not to feel it, considering that both of them were severely debilitated now. Their very bodies were under tremendous strain, being pulled apart by forces so vast and alien as to be unfathomable. At the same time, their souls and minds were being gradually consumed by the divine will of Condemnation... not even through its conscious effort, but simply because that was its nature.


    Actually, it was not only the body, the mind, and the soul that the shadow of the cursed god was silently assimilating into itself.


    There was something else, the very essence of one''s existence that was being subsumed by the essence of Condemnation. Sunny had no word for it, and only knew that his will was a manifestation of that elusive essence.


    Perhaps it was his spirit.


    Therefore, he could only resist being consumed by the shadow of the ancient, dead god if he rallied his spirit and tempered his will against the foreign force...


    But then again, at the moment, it was Sunny himself who was the foreign force within the body of Condemnation. So, if anything, he had to fight against the environment he had invaded in order to keep his self independent, if not intact.


    In any case, the dire need to constantly exert all of his willpower against the eerie, marauding nature of Condemnation had naturally made him weaker, slower, and less concentrated on the battle.


    Luckily, the archer was in the same situation. The damned maniac was in a worse situation, actually, because there were two unceasing assaults they had to endure �� one by the will of Condemnation, the other by Sunny''s own.


    After all, Sunny had no intention of abandoning his attempts to bring the archer down by using his authority as the Lord of Shadows. Before,his attention had been split because he had to wrestle with the enemy over the control of surrounding shadows �� but the only shadows around him now were parts of Condemnation''s nebulous body. So, there was no need to bother trying to control them.


    Sunny only had to resist the will of the dead god, but the archer had to resist both the will of the dead god and of Sunny himself.


    It was one hell of a predicament.


    Sunny would have felt some pity for the poor fool�� if he was not in a terrible agony, and if every move he made did not feel like nightmarish torture. That was not only because his body was being slowly torn apart from the inside, but also because his soul had been shredded by the essence storm.


    He had experienced all kinds of pain, but the phantom pain of having received soul damage was in its own, exquisitely diabolical category. His soul had not crumbled due to Soul Weave, true, but it was still severely damaged �� and, therefore, the suffering he felt was accordingly terrible.


    ''This damned thing��''


    Grasping the slender wrist of the mysterious archer and driving the splinter of the ivory fang into their elbow, Sunny ground his teeth.


    ''It all because of you! It''s your fault, bastard!''


    Shadows were taciturn creatures, so Sunny did not receive the pleasure of hearing his enemy scream in pain when the sharp piece of bone pierced their elbow joint. However, he was holding the archer''s wrist, so he felt the shudder that ran through the shadow''s body.


    A vicious smile illuminated Sunny''s pale face.


    ��He did hear himself scream, however, when the archer''s obsidian knife plunged into his side a moment later.


    Straining his abdominal muscles to grip the cold blade like a steel vice and prevent it from sliding deeper, he leaned forward and slammed his knee into the enemy''s side, then pushed them away and followed up with a devastating kick, throwing the archer a dozen meters back. S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sunny himself fell backwards and groaned,pressing a hand against the deep gash in his side. At the same time, the archer crashed onto the polished stone, rolled over their shoulder, and then stood up.


    This time, however, they swayed slightly while rising from the ground.


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny climbed to his feet, as well.


    Despite the terrible pain, the murderous glint in his eyes had only grown more unhinged.


    The two of them were like two cripples here, within the cold darkness of the shadow of Condemnation. But that did nothing to assuage their killing intent.


    If anything, it had only grown stronger.


    "Oh look. You lost your bow."


    The bow had been attached to the archer''s back before, but it had disappeared at some point during their battle. Now, only the empty quiver remained, its straps frayed and barely keeping it in place.


    Considering that the mysterious shadow did not seem capable of owning Memories, all of their equipment must have been meticulously crafted by hand from the scarce resources that could be found here in the Shadow Realm. So, once the equipment was lost, it could not be dismissed and summoned back. It would remain lost forever.


    The loss of the bow was not a minuscule thing.


    The archer remained motionless for a moment, then raised one of their knives and tapped it lightly against their side.


    The meaning was pretty clear. If it was Sunny, he would have said something like...


    Does your side hurt? Goodness! How terrible.


    It won''t hurt anymore when I kill you, though.


    Despite the fact that the archer''s demeanor remained cold and aloof, Sunny couldn''t help but feel a hint of seething anger in that last gesture.


    He grinned.


    "What, that? It''s just a scratch. I can''t even see my innards, ha. No big deal."


    It hurt like hell, though.


    His whole body hurt like hell. His soul hurt, too.


    Actually, this could very well be hell.


    If being inside the shadow of a cursed, dead god did not constitute being in hell, then what did?


    So, Sunny had to send the nebulous slayer into a deeper,darker hell.


    Cursing quietly, he pushed himself forward and sent his bone blade flying at the archer''s throat.

 Chapter 2116: The Storm and the Mountain

    The two of them continued to fight viciously, wreaking havoc inside the shadow of Condemnation. When the slab of obsidian they were clashing on cracked and shattered, Sunny and the mysterious slayer leaped through a cloud of black dust to the next one, and when that one was split in two, they chose the larger half to continue their battle.Meanwhile, outside��


    The hurricane winds had grown truly terrifying, and the darkness was chased away by the bright silver radiance. The shadow of Condemnation leaned its colossal body forward and plunged into the essence storm, making the vast wall of swirling light part with its immeasurable mass.


    Usually, it was the storms that broke against the slopes of indomitable mountains. But this time, a dark mountain had moved to break the storm.


    Neither the devastating wind nor the vast expanse of raging essence managed to slow the shadow of Condemnation down.


    However, it was not as if the storm had no effect on it. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The essence particles could not penetrate the body of the dead god with the same ease they had pierced Sunny, but they did damage it a tiny bit. All across the immense surface of the colossal shadow, sparks of fire were struck when the streams of pure essence brushed against the glossy obsidian.


    It was to a point that, in a few moments, the whole titanic figure of Condemnation seemed to be wreathed in flame.


    And while each individual particle of essence dealt an infinitely small amount of damage to the walking mountain��


    There was also an almost infinite amount of these particles.


    So, the tiny scratches they dealt to the body of Condemnation slowly, but inevitably mounted.


    It was like the wind or currents of water slowly weathering stone over the span of thousands of years, encapsulated in a manner of days, hours, and minutes. As the obsidian eroded, a cloud of black dust slowly formed around the shadow of the dead god, shining radiantly in the silver veil of the essence storm.


    If Sunny saw the awesome scene of the colossal shadow walking through a storm of light, he would have understood why the giant slabs of obsidian he had seen in the Shadow Realm all seemed polished, with a smooth and glossy surface instead of the rough and uneven texture of natural stone.


    But Sunny had no time to pay attention to what was happening outside the dark cosmos of Condemnation, because he was currently being strangled by a murderous shadow.


    ''A�� crap�� what the hell!''


    Sunny was not a tall man, while the Nightmare Creatures he faced were usually on the enormous side. That was why he had plenty of experience climbing the bodies of his enemies to kill them�� what he was not familiar with too well was being climbed like a tree.


    And that was what the nimble slayer had done, circling him with elusive grace and then suddenly mounting Sunny from behind. Their legs were now wrapped around his waist, and while one of their arms was crushing his windpipe, the other was poised to plunge the bone knife into the side of his skull.


    In that position, Sunny could not reach the vicious archer with the splinter of the ivory fang�� in fact, he could not reach them at all, not even to bite them. All he could do was desperately struggle to hold one of their arms in the air, preventing the bone knife from making a hole in his skull, while clutching at the other in futile attempts to liberate his neck.


    ''Argh, damn it!''


    The archer was not really trying to strangle Sunny, of course �� it would take way too long to suffocate a Saint. Rather, they were trying to crush Sunny''s windpipe, which would lead to suffocation naturally further down the line.


    Worst of all, there was a good chance it would work.


    Grinding his teeth, Sunny did the only thing he could do �� he dismissed the Onyx Mantle, allowing it to turn back into the Onyx Shell. There was no point in maintaining the suit of fearsome armor, anyway, considering that the damned archer showed the ability to cut it like paper.


    With his skin becoming more rigid, however, Sunny could resist the stranglehold more.


    Better yet, while the Onyx Mantle was crafted with sublime intricacy and refinement, fitting him like a second layer of skin, it still had some bulk to it. When that bulk disappeared, leaving behind only a black tunic, there was a little distance between Sunny and the archer for a split second.


    Sunny used that second to turn his body slightly, and then fall back, slamming the nebulous slayer into the hard surface of the cold obsidian with dire force.


    The obsidian cracked, and something inside the archer seemed to crack, as well.


    That was not only because of the terrible force of the slam, but also because Sunny had augmented the impact with the weight of his body �� and his body could weigh as much as a modest mountain, as long as he wanted to.


    Well, to be honest, Sunny had no idea how much an actual mountain weighed. But he was pretty sure that his current weight could turn an armored APC into an alloy pancake.


    Despite all that, the archer''s hold did not weaken even for a second.


    ''No way!''


    Growling, Sunny pushed with his feet, and sent them both flying over the edge of the obsidian slab, into the vast darkness of the shadow of Condemnation.


    Outside, the silver light continued to assault the shadow colossus. Condemnation was walking through the radiant fury of the essence storm, making the world quake with each step. It leaned its body forward and raised a titanic hand, shielding its head from the wind.


    The raging river of pure essence crashed into its forearm, striking a flood of sparks and tearing a few chunks of obsidian away.


    The body of the shadow of Condemnation �� the obsidian, the captured shadows, the frozen light, the fragments of shattered winds �� was slowly being ground by the raging ocean of essence particles.


    It was growing smaller bit by tiny bit.


    Deep within its dark expanse,Sunny and the vicious shadow he was trying to kill landed violently on another enormous chunk of polished black obsidian. This one was much larger than the rest and perfectly spherical in shape, located in the space where a human heart would have been.


    Since space was twisted and broken inside the shadow of the dead god, just like time was, there was no real up and down here. Sunny rolled across the glossy black surface, but never fell further down �� because no matter where on the enormous sphere he stood, down was always below him.


    Standing up with a stifled groan, he briefly looked around.


    The alien expanse of the shadow of Condemnation was no different from before.


    It was just that��


    A confused frown appeared on Sunny''s face for a short moment.


    ''Does it not�� feel more cramped in here now, somehow?''

 Chapter 2117: Supreme Strength

    At this point, Sunny was in rough shape. He was not going to bleed out, for obvious reasons, but pain was not the only consequence of being repeatedly cut and stabbed by the eerily sharp knives of his merciless enemy.His skin had a powerful property that allowed it to heal itself, but the same could not be said about the muscles and tendons beneath. Most of the wounds were shallow, but the accumulated damage was subtly diminishing his mobility.


    And that was without even mentioning the terrible state of his shredded soul, as well as the spiritual exhaustion of having to push against the will of a dead deity.


    Sunny felt like crap.


    That last blow had been especially debilitating, for some reason �� having crashed into the surface of the enormous obsidian sphere, Sunny had the wind knocked out of him entirely. He remained motionless for a split second too long, laying on the cold stone, then staggered to his feet and looked around briefly.


    Somehow, the alien expanse of Condemnation, with its vast darkness, frozen glimmers of silver light, nebulous clouds of black dust, and jagged slabs of obsidian drifting in the cold emptiness�� felt smaller than it had before, like a galaxy that was slowly collapsing under the pull of a supermassive black hole at its center.


    But he had no time to ponder the cosmic beauty of dead deities.


    Lowering his gaze, Sunny glared at the mysterious archer.


    His enemy had already risen from the ground. The murderous shadow did not seem to be faring well, either �� it was hard to spot any wounds on their body behind the veil of ghostly black smoke, which veiled it like a tattered cloak, but the silent slayer''s overall form was now much more vague and less substantial than before.


    As if struggling to maintain its shape at all.


    Sunny knew for a fact that the archer was hurting. There was the deep penetrating wound in their side and a dozen minor cuts here and there�� one of their elbow joints was utterly destroyed, as well.The extent of damage was evident by the fact that the shadow moved their right hand awkwardly and sheathed the bone knife, leaving only the obsidian blade pointing at Sunny.


    He smiled as he massaged his bruised neck.


    "Why don''t you use that knife to slit your own throat?"


    These words seemed like mere provocation, but in fact, they were not. They were an order empowered by his authority as the Lord of Shadows, and as such, carried his will.


    The archer''s hand trembled, but refused to move in the end. Instead, the cold, frightening presence emanating from the ragged shadow grew even more intense, making Sunny shiver.


    His smile widened.


    "...Maybe not."


    With that, Sunny raised his ivory blade and took a step forward.


    The archer advanced with swift, murderous grace. Sunny could see the enemy, and he could sense the enemy as well �� after all, he was facing a shadow. He had already gained a deep understanding of how the slayer of the Shadow Realm fought, so he could predict where the next attack would come from.


    The obsidian blade was going to fly at his neck.


    So, Sunny lowered his blade and protected his abdomen, instead, saving himself from being gutted when the obsidian knife suddenly struck low.


    He had already established that the damned maniac knew how to deceive his shadow sense, after all. Either his enemy had rich experience of battling those who followed Shadow God, and therefore possessed abilities similar to Sunny''s, or they knew how to weave deception into their movements simply by virtue of being an old and devious shadow themselves.


    So, at any given moment, the opposite of what Sunny thought was going to happen could happen.


    The problem was that the archer also knew that Sunny had seen through the deception, so they would sometimes just go through with the telegraphed attacks instead.


    It was nothing short of vexing, as well as the reason why Sunny had so many holes in him by now.


    ''You vile thing...''


    Binding the obsidian knife with the splinter of the ivory fang, Sunny twisted the archer''s wrist �� or at least tried to �� and punched with his free hand, intending to split the enemy''s skull open. However, the elusive shadow was too swift and nimble, leaning a little and taking a flowing side step to avoid his fist.


    Sunny tried to grapple them, but the archer slid from his grasp like a dark wind. A moment later, there was already a ceaseless onslaught of lethal attacks flying his way, and Sunny had no choice but to defend himself.


    He had hoped that with his enemy losing the ability to use one hand, the cadence of the battle would change. But even left with only the obsidian knife, the vicious shadow never slowed down the suffocating, oppressive assault �� it was just that, now, the archer was using their legs more, subjecting Sunny to a devastating barrage of sudden kicks.


    Their combat technique remained swift, meticulous, supremely aggressive, and absolutely murderous. And while Sunny would not be cut by a kick, the devastating concussive force of each one was wreaking havoc with his inner organs.


    If this continued in the same manner, he wasn''t going to win. He was going to either die, or �� much more likely �� be driven into such a weakened state that he would not be able to resist the will of Condemnation anymore, which was a fate worse than death.


    Sunny remained calm�� but he was also at his wits'' end.


    Ever since deciding to return to the embrace of civilization, he had often found himself in situations where his powers were severely restricted.


    However, he had never once considered these instances as an impairment �� if anything, they were empowering, proving how versatile his Aspect was. It was to the point that no matter what dire limitations were placed on him, Sunny was never left without a multitude of choices on how to deal with the situation.


    Adaptability was king, and therefore, it was the supreme form of strength. So,what some would see as being weakened, Sunny saw as the most indisputable proof of strength.


    But! Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But�� wasn''t this situation a little bit too much?! Here within the Shadow of Condemnation, Sunny was not just stripped of some of his powers, he was basically stripped of all his powers. Even Shadow Dance, which had never betrayed him before, was proving to be useless against the damned archer.


    He was reduced to using only his fists and a sharp piece of bone, like some kind of caveman�� worse even than a Sleeper, barely qualified to be compared to an Aspirant. What next? Would he be forced to use his teeth like a beast?!


    Sunny was seriously angry.


    ''To hell with this��''


    Glaring at the archer, he smiled viciously and decided to be as desperate and beastly as he could be.

 Chapter 2118: Like a Beast

    Outside, the shadow of Condemnation continued to wade through the fury of the essence storm. The dark colossus took step after step, indomitable, unfeeling�� the world quaked under its steps, and the raging ocean of silver essence had no choice but to part in front of it.The devastating winds were powerless to stop the titanic shadow, and the inescapable annihilation of the soul storm could not destroy it.


    The storm did damage it, however.


    Little by little, the dark mountain of Condemnation''s nebulous body was being ground down by the infinitely small, intangible particles of soul essence. The great slabs of obsidian were slowly growing smaller, the cold expanse of frozen darkness was diminishing, and everything else that had been condemned to be a part of the dead god''s shadow was gradually disappearing into the silver radiance.


    As it did, the inconceivably tall figure of the dark colossus was gradually shrinking.


    Already, its enormous height had been reduced by a few hundred meters. The girth of its titanic torso had diminished, the circumference of its gargantuan forearms had dwindled.


    The deeper into the storm Condemnation went, the faster its massive body was being ground by the raging torrents of essence.


    Like a shadow was slowly melting in light.


    Within the vast darkness of its body, meanwhile��


    Even Sunny had noticed that the nebulous sea of darkness around him was growing smaller, and that the outer edges of the dead god''s shadow were drawing nearer. He had no way of knowing what was happening, however, since the very nature of space within Condemnation was strange and alien.


    Sunny had other matters to worry about, anyway.


    Namely, the damned archer.


    Just as he thought that he saw a glimmer of endless silver radiance somewhere far away, the obsidian knife flashed toward his heart, and as Sunny turned his torso to avoid it, a crushing kick came barreling at his ribs from the side.


    This time, however, he was ready for it.


    Not because of his intricate mastery of Shadow Dance or insight into the vicious shadow''s ruthless battle style, though. It was simply because, considering the circumstances, this kick was the optimal and most damaging action his enemy could perform �� in short, it was because Sunny would have done the same.


    So, he managed to catch the calf of the mysterious archer, feeling surprised for a moment by how slender it was despite packing such a devastating punch�� well, devastating kick, really.


    The momentary surprise did not slow Sunny down, however. Holding the archer''s leg in place, he instantly brought the splinter of the ivory fang down with dire force, piercing the base of their thigh and ruthlessly pulling the blade toward himself to slice the enemy''s leg open to the very knee.


    The archer shuddered.


    It was a definite win for Sunny, but one that he knew would come at a cost �� because by using both of his hands to deliver the terrible wound, he was leaving himself open to a fatal retaliation.


    The obsidian knife flashed toward his throat, but Sunny lowered his head and caught it with his teeth.


    As his lips were cut open��


    He grinned and tightened his jaw, biting through the black blade and shattering it completely.


    ''My teeth are no joke, you fool��''


    They were altered into a deadly weapon in their own right by Bone Weave, after all.


    Finally, the archer seemed taken aback a little.


    But it only lasted a split second.


    Then, leaving one of their legs in Sunny''s grasp, the vicious shadow jumped up and delivered an absolutely crushing kick to the side of Sunny''s head with the other one.


    Sunny saw stars.


    Falling to the ground and choking on sharp shards of obsidian, he let out a stifled laugh.


    "Ouch. Ouch�� that one really hurt��"


    The archer landed on their wounded leg, stumbled, and fell to one knee.


    A split second later, without any pause, they instantly unsheathed the discarded bone knife and lunged at Sunny, aiming to finally end his life.


    Raising a hand weakly,he tried to stop the enemy from landing on him.


    ��Or so it seemed.


    Instead, as soon as Sunny''s fingers touched the mysterious archer, he smiled wider�� and pulled them both into the embrace of the shadows.


    Using Shadow Step was dangerous, but being killed by the damned maniac was, obviously, more dangerous.


    That was why he had conceived of this plan.


    Diving into the familiar darkness, Sunny found it not familiar at all. That was only to be expected, considering that the shadows he dove into were not the caring shadows he had known before. They were a part of Condemnation now, and therefore, their dark depths were a part of Condemnation, too.


    The eroding nature of the Shadow Realm affected Sunny even here, though. He had known that it would �� the radiant trail of essence behind the dead god was proof, and the occasional motes of light that drifted both from himself and from the mysterious archer as they fought were, as well.


    Now that Sunny had abandoned his corporeal form �� and forced his enemy into abandoning theirs �� the Shadow Realm tore into them with a much more obliterating pace.


    Their dark souls were dissolving now at a much faster rate than before�� which was a cause for concern, without a doubt.


    However, Sunny''s soul, while damaged, was still empowered and held together by Soul Weave.


    And the murderous archer had not looked too solid and unscathed even before being plunged into the embrace of shadows.


    ''Let''s see which one of us lasts longer.''


    Sunny felt a sense of vicious glee.


    The archer, now a formless shadow, tried to escape from his grip and rush back to the material plane.


    But Sunny just held them tighter, now allowing the enemy to flee.


    ''Where are you going now, bastard? Why, what happened?! Weren''t you hellbent on killing me?!''


    Piercing him with arrows and cutting him with sharp knives... the wicked thing had to pay.


    The archer just struggled more desperately.


    Sunny, of course, did not let go.


    He wanted to laugh, but sadly,he had no mouth at the moment.


    ''Die!''


    ��Outside, the shadow of Condemnation had already shrunk to half its size under the assault of the annihilating torrents of silver essence.


    Finally, one of its legs grew too thin to support its prodigious weight.


    As the shadow colossus lowered its foot to take another step, its shin shattered and split apart.


    Condemnation fell.


    The entire world shuddered when its gargantuan, mountain-like body crashed heavily into the ground.


    ��Deep within the body of the dead god, Sunny felt something changing. He was momentarily confused.


    ''Huh?''


    Then, the darkness quaked, and both he and the murderous archer were thrown out of it, back into the harshness of the material world. sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Around them, the nebulous body of Condemnation was collapsing.

 Chapter 2119: On the Other Side

    Sunny once again found himself laying on the smooth, cold surface of the obsidian sphere�� only, this time, it wasn''t so smooth, covered by a net of deep cracks. Time and space were convulsing all around him, making it feel as if the world itself was falling apart. High above, the shimmering clouds of black dust were boiling. The vast expanse of darkness was in a state of flux, flowing in a raging current. The frozen glimmers of distant light were being extinguished one by one.


    The drifting slabs of obsidian were colliding and shattering, turning into violently expanding clouds of stone shards.


    He was in no state to pay attention to the cosmic cataclysm, however, because the state of his own body and soul was just as terrible.


    ''Aaah��''


    Sunny did not feel too well.


    Worst of all�� while he possessed seven bodies, he only had one soul. And due to its current pitiful state, the Lord of Shadow wasn''t feeling too hot either, out there in the Hollows. His other incarnation, hidden in the camp of the Song Army, was suffering as well.


    Luckily, he had somehow managed to hide his weakened state from those around him. The last avatar was currently alone in the basement of the Marvelous Mimic, at least��


    But those three weren''t his concern right now. It was his original body, which was in danger of being destroyed, that was in trouble.


    ''How did this even happen�� I was supposed to be living peacefully in Bastion, making pancakes...''


    Groaning, Sunny tried to stand up.


    But as he did, the obsidian sphere shuddered and split apart, throwing him down again.


    Down, down, down��


    After a few moments of falling, the word lost its meaning, since all directions became one.


    What the hell was happening?


    Something was wrong with the shadow of Condemnation. An infinite expanse of blinding silver radiance was enveloping the vast darkness of its nebulous body, and somewhere out there, the endless expanse of rolling black hills was far closer than it was supposed to be, moving as it slowly fell behind.


    As if the dead god was not walking anymore, but crawling instead.


    The world became smaller and smaller��


    Until everything turned dark.


    And then, Sunny could suddenly feel his weight once again.


    He was thrown violently into the cold air, the wind assaulting him with cruel force. Down became down again, and up became up. At the same time, he found himself falling once more, plummeting from a great height.


    He was surrounded by shadows, too.


    Sunny only paid attention to one of the changes that had happened to the world, however �� it was that the insidious pull of Condemnation''s will, which had been attempting to consume him all this time, was suddenly gone.


    ''...I am outside the shadow of Condemnation.''


    No sooner than Sunny realized that, his battered body crashed violently into something hard. He bounced off the tough surface with a stifled scream, then fell again and rolled down the slope of a tall dune, throwing a cloud of dust into the air.


    Slamming into something at the foot of the dune, Sunny groaned and opened his eyes, seeing the black sky of the Shadow Realm above him.


    ��Black sky?


    There were no silver clouds of raging essence neither above nor around him, meaning that he was outside the essence storm, as well.


    He was safe.


    Well�� safe from the storm, at least.


    His whole existence, however, was nothing but agony. His body was in excruciating pain, and his soul was too. Even his mind was utterly exhausted and reeling, barely able to function.


    Ignoring all that, Sunny muttered a breathless curse and slowly pushed himself off the ground, standing up with a stagger.


    Then, he looked around to assess the situation.


    At first, he struggled to understand what he was seeing and sensing.


    The familiar landscape of the Shadow Realm �� the desolate expanse of dark hills �� had disappeared. Instead, massive, strangely shaped white ridges were stretching into the distance as far as the eye could see. All around him, narrow boulders were strewn about in long clusters, some small, some towering at hundreds of meters in height.


    Ahead of him, the radiant white wall of the swirling essence was slowly moving away.


    Looking at it, Sunny realized that he was on the other side of the soul storm. The shadow of Condemnation�� must have torn through it, after all, only collapsing when the danger had passed.


    Then, he shivered as he recognized the nature of the strange boulders around him.


    Those weren''t boulders�� they were bones. They were the remains of Soul Serpents, forming a vast field. Most were much smaller than the colossal skeleton he had seen before, though.


    Which was not to say that they were small.


    The hard surface that had arrested his fall was the spine of a dead Soul Serpent.


    He was in a vast graveyard where countless bones lay, towering above the black dust. sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Looking down, Sunny even noticed a human skull laying among the shattered bones.


    Then, he was distracted by a sudden noise.


    Turning around, Sunny saw two things at the same time.


    Hundreds of meters away, a vague shadow was struggling to coalesce into a solid shape, writing on the ground. The damned archer seemed to have survived, as well.


    And between them��


    The remains of the shadow of Condemnation lay.


    The dark colossus was gone, and all that was left of its great obsidian body was a tall hill of fine black dust, no different from all the others.


    However, something was moving in the air above the obsidian dune.


    At first, it looked like a small twister �� a mere gust of wind that spun weakly, sucking up black dust and tiny stones as it moved.


    But then, Sunny saw a shard of bone being absorbed into its twisting mass, rising high into the air and then freezing in place at the heart of the strange anomaly. A moment later, a larger piece of bone


    flew up, and not too far away, a giant skull of a dead serpent trembled, rising a few centimeters above the ground.


    The whirlwind was slowly growing larger�� and stronger. Consuming more and more of what was around it.


    It was then that Sunny understood what he was looking at.


    The body of the shadow of Condemnation might have been gone, but the invisible force that had built it from usurped parts of the world �� the dead deity itself �� was not.


    In fact, it was already starting to build a new vessel for itself.


    The shadow of Condemnation was right in front of him, intact.


    Which meant��


    Sunny glanced at the splinter of the ivory fang in his hand, then at the murderous archer who was slowly rising to their feet in the distance.


    Then, he pushed his battered body forward with a greedy grin.

 Chapter 2120: Godslayer

    The shadow of Condemnation had not been destroyed, but it was currently vulnerable. And while Sunny and the ruthless slayer of the Shadow Realm were both in quite a sorry state, they were also both positioned perfectly to deal the weakened deity a fatal blow.Well, Sunny was alive. The mysterious shadow was dead, but... refusing to depart.


    In any case, either of them could kill the shadow of Condemnation. The only question was who would strike first.


    So, Sunny rushed forward without wasting any time. Or he tried to, at least�� sadly, his body was damaged quite severely, so the best he could manage was limping forward with urgent haste.


    ''Ah, it hurts��''


    That was what he would have thought in any other circumstances. But currently, there was only one thought in his mind:


    ''Kill it, kill it�� I must kill it first!''


    Smiling darkly, Sunny limped toward the whirlwind of black dust while gripping the splinter of the ivory fang tightly. Far away, the mysterious archer had finally managed to settle their form and rose from the ground, ignoring the harrowing wound on their thigh entirely.


    ''Crap.''


    Sunny could feel the chilling gaze of the archer shift, landing on him first, and then moving on to the shadow of Condemnation.


    ''Crap!''


    Gritting his teeth, Sunny commanded the shadows to manifest into dark wings behind him�� however, just then, the will of the murderous archer slammed into the world, forcing the shadows to cower in fear.


    "You damn traitors!"


    Cursing loudly, Sunny broke into a sprint.


    The archer was moving, as well��


    But he was faster.


    Sunny had come to his senses first, and so, he reached the shadow of Condemnation first.


    Leaping into the air, he plunged into the whirlwind of black dust. For a moment, the familiar alien force pulled at his mind, body, and soul, trying to absorb them �� but it was much weaker now, so he simply ignored it.


    A moment later...


    He stabbed his ivory blade into the very heart of the dark whirlwind, where a perfect sphere was slowly forming from the shard of shattered bone. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A mundane blade might not have been able to hurt the intangible force that was Condemnation.


    But Sunny was using the fang of a Soul Serpent, and of an unfathomably powerful one, at that. Soul Serpents were conduits of Death, and Sunny was its heir�� so, he sharpened his will into infinitely cold killing intent, and channeled that intent into the splinter of the ancient bone, willing it to deliver death and destruction to the shadow of the dead god.


    It seemed to have worked.


    When the ivory blade pierced the heart of Condemnation��


    Sunny sensed an imperceptible ripple spread through the world.


    And then, he felt something ancient and indescribably vast break apart.


    And then, he felt nothing but hollow emptiness take its place.


    The whirlwind of wind was suddenly torn apart, and the black dust settled.


    The shards of bone fell to the ground.


    Sunny fell, too.


    The splinter of the ivory fang had shattered, leaving only a small piece of bone in his fist.


    But��


    As he fell, his eyes widened, and a nearly inexhaustible torrent of shadow fragments �� far greater than anything he had ever experienced before �� flooded his soul.


    It was both exhilarating and terrifying.


    He could feel his shadow cores, which had been damaged somewhat by the Shadow Realm, being replenished and rebuilt to how they were before.


    And it did not stop there.


    The raging torrent of shadow fragments filled his soul, saturating it��


    And deep within its dark depths, the seventh, final core had finally come to fruition, igniting with lightless splendor.


    Falling onto the dune of black dust, Sunny rolled down its slope and let out a short, panicking laugh.


    ''Crap, crap, crap��''


    In the next moment, the familiar agony of a new shadow core being formed sundered his mind, making Sunny scream and convulse.


    This time, there was no soothing voice of the Spell to accompany him through the process. He had not woven corresponding words into the Handy Bracelet, so the bracelet was silent, as well.


    In fact, it had not even announced the slaying of the shadow of Condemnation �� probably because it had no idea what to do when Sunny destroyed shadows, which were not technically alive, and therefore couldn''t be killed.


    ''G��g�� get a�� get a grip, you idiot!''


    Sunny struggled through the pain, trying to regain awareness of his surroundings.


    Replenishing the spent fragments was a good thing. Finally forming the seventh core and becoming a Titan was simply splendid. That was why he had come to the Realm of Death, after all.


    But he had really chosen a terribly unfortunate moment to accomplish this wonderful feat.


    Because��


    Just as Sunny tried to stand up, a merciless hand gripped his neck and roughly pulled him up.


    ''Crap!''


    The shadow archer was still alive.


    ��And full of fury, it seemed, glaring at Sunny through the wisps of ghostly smoke with chilling malice.


    Half-paralyzed by the dreadful pain of his soul being torn apart by the emerging shadow core, and his very being changing, Sunny shifted his weight and kicked the archer with as much strength as he could muster.


    For a moment, he felt like his neck would break, but it slipped from the enemy''s iron grip instead. Sunny was pushed away and fell on the black dust, rolling further down the slope of the dune.


    The archer pursued.


    Crashing into a towering rib of a dead Soul Serpent at the foot of the hill, Sunny groaned weakly and tried to crawl away.


    "Aaargh!"


    Damn! Why did it hurt so much!


    The archer caught him after a few moments. Sunny rolled, avoiding the foot that would have crushed his skull otherwise, and raised his arms to defend himself. A devastating blow descended upon him, almost caving his ribcage in, and a moment later, a harrowing kick sent him flying into the air.


    Sunny landed in a heap and rolled a couple of times, coming face to face with the human skull he had noticed earlier.


    The skull stared at him with gaping black holes of its empty eye sockets, making Sunny shiver.


    Would his own skull be left laying here, forlorn and forgotten, as well?


    Rolling onto his back, he rose a little and caught the archer''s foot, which had almost reached his head by then.


    No�� considering how vicious this bastard was, there was no chance in hell that his skull would be left intact.


    Sunny had saved his head from being kicked straight off his shoulders, but in the next moment, he was punched in the face instead.


    Flying back, Sunny crashed into the spine of a dead Soul Serpent and fell to his knees. His vision was blurred, and he tasted blood on his tongue.


    ''I''m actually bleeding�� wow��''


    He was practically drowning in blood.


    The pain was subsiding, at least.


    Raising his head to look at the blurry figure of the approaching archer, Sunny spat a mouthful of blood...


    And smiled.


    "Hey, fool��"


    The archer did not pay his words any attention, raising their fist to deliver the final strike.


    Sunny tensed his muscles, preparing himself.


    "...Behind you."


    The murderous shadow froze for a split second, then spun around.


    But it was already too late.


    Because there, behind them, another Sunny was already bringing down his fist with all the dreadful power of a Transcendent Titan.


    It was the long-awaited seventh shadow.

 Chapter 2121 Titan

    Chapter 2121  Titan The Seventh Shadow''s titanic blow landed on the archer''s spine and sent them flying like a tattered doll �� or at least it would have, if not for the original body, who lunged forward at the same time to deliver a strike of his own. The opposite momentum of his blow made the impact utterly devastating, damaging the surroundings and sending a shrapnel of bone fragments flying in all directions.


    ''Ah�� ouch��''


    His tortured body did not respond well to the violent strain of the battle, though. In fact, it felt like he was on the verge of collapse. But that was alright. Because there was another, entirely fresh Sunny ready to pick up the slack. As soon as the archer landed on the ground, the seventh incarnation was already upon them. The enemy was weakened and dazed, but still dangerous. Even slowed down by the oppressive commands of the Lord of Shadows, they managed to dodge the lethal attack and roll away, standing up a moment later...


    Still burning with the same cold, murderous determination.


    Sunny smiled weakly as he pushed his original body from the ground.


    The mysterious shadow was truly stubborn. Or maybe they simply did not know any better, having spent thousands of years slaying others in order to survive. Did it even remember anything except hunting and killing? Was it even capable of giving up?


    It did not matter, anyway. Even if the archer''s resolve was infinite, they were already too far gone. Whatever strength they had left was enough to kill one Sunny, perhaps, but not two, especially with the second one bearing no physical wounds. Surrounded by the towering remains of the dead serpents, the three of them fought without holding anything back. The ground quaked from the fury of their desperate clash, but it swiftly became apparent that the archer had no hope of emerging whole from that fight.


    Sunny even felt a little dirty, for a brief moment, for ganging up on the murderous shadow. But that bizarre and ridiculous notion quickly disappeared, replaced by vindictive glee. ''...So what?''


    So what if it was two against one?


    That was what the damned maniac deserved!


    Sure, in other circumstances, even seven of his incarnations would not have been enough to kill the vicious slayer of the Shadow Realm, let alone two. After all, he kept calling his enemy "the archer" for a reason �� the mysterious shadow was obviously a sublime master of archery and ranged combat, using traps, cunning, and meticulous ambush tactics to hunt down their prey. Melee combat was not even their true area of competence, unlike his, yet that was exactly what Sunny had forced upon them. Not to mention the fact that all of the archer''s careful preparations had been rendered useless when the shadow of Condemnation stomped through their hunting grounds, pursued by the Creatures of Darkness. There was no telling how many of those dreadful beings the archer had fought, defeated, and destroyed before Sunny showed up, either �� so, from the very start, he had been fighting someone weakened and drained by a long, unforgiving battle.


    But what of it? Sunny had been in a dire state from the very start, himself. His powers were severely restricted, and he could not even risk summoning his Shadows. So, he sincerely believed��


    That even if the two of them had clashed in their peak states, the end would have been the same. The archer would have been killed, and Sunny would have been the killer. Just like he was going to kill the damned thing now.


    The archer was still fighting, but their strength was dwindling. The Seventh Shadow calmly dodged their crushing blows, delivering one cruel, inescapable strike after another in return. The original body served to distract and slow down the enemy, allowing for these strikes to land. When the murderous shadow tried to switch targets and finish off the original body first, the seventh avatar would ruthlessly punish the moment of distraction, thus making destroying the more battered version of Sunny impossible. He had mastered the strange art of fighting as a group, after all �� the two incarnations moved in perfect harmony with each other, weaving an inescapable net of death. Sunny evaded a swift and devastating kick with flowing grace, then used his other body to lunge at the archer from behind. The shadow sidestepped his lunge easily, but that took a precious moment �� a split second later, Sunny''s fist struck the side of their head, sending the enemy reeling. And using that opportunity, the original body delivered a vicious kick to the side of the archer''s knee, feeling something crack with dark satisfaction.


    ��It was a little barbaric, to simply batter the mysterious shadow to death. But what could he do? All his weapons were gone, and even the last splinter of the great ivory fang had shattered when he destroyed the shadow of Condemnation. Now, only a piece of it remained, still clenched in Sunny''s fist to add some weight to his punches. He inhaled hoarsely.


    "Just give up and die with grace��"  sea??h th�� Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As the archer regained their balance and raised their arms to block an obliterating blow, the seventh shadow added:


    "Find peace within me. Or whatever��"


    Their enemy looked almost like a ghost now, having lost most of their solidity. Black smoke was flowing from countless wounds on the archer''s body, surrounding them like a billowing veil. The contours of the graceful body beneath it had always been nebulous, but now, they were so vague as to almost seem immaterial. It was time to end this. Sunny might have harbored a grudge against the mysterious archer, but an enemy like that��


    They deserved a clean death, at least. Lunging forward with both of his bodies, he sent one of them low, while the other struck high. The archer staggered back, avoiding the strike to their head, but they failed to avoid the original body. A moment later, Sunny managed to grab them and wrestle them to the ground. This was the end. While the seventh avatar grabbed the archer''s arms, the original body pressed the enemy into the ground with all the prodigious weight allowed to him by the [Feather of Truth] and raised his fists. His face was calm and cold when he struck down, aiming to split the mysterious shadow''s skull. One blow was not enough, so he struck again, and again, and again��


    Until even the Onyx Shell could not keep up with the devastating power of his blows, and the skin on his knuckles split, drops of crimson blood falling into the ghostly wisps of black smoke. The archer was still struggling, but by now, their movements were so weak that it did not matter. Taking a deep breath, Sunny allowed for the shard of ivory fang he was still holding in his fist to slide down, and then caught it between his fingers. He brought the sharp edge of the bone fragment to the archer''s throat. However, just as he was about to slice it open...


    A friendly voice resounded from the darkness.


    "My, oh my. I wouldn''t do that��"

 Chapter 2122 Friendly Advice

    Chapter 2122  Friendly Advice Sunny froze, suddenly feeling cold fear grasp his heart. It was a jarring transition to experience, from the cold resolve of ending an enemy''s life �� and all the confidence that came with it �� to utter unease and a piercing sense of alarm. But what else was he supposed to feel when hearing a disembodied voice resound from the darkness of the Shadow Realm?


    Added to that was the fact that the voice had not spoken in the familiar language of the waking world. Instead, it had spoken in a dialect of the ancient language that the later civilizations of the Dream Realm used. Still holding the sharp shard of bone to the archer''s throat, Sunny cautiously looked around. He spread his shadow sense in all directions, too, feverishly trying to find the source of the voice. There was no one. Feeling his mouth turn dry, Sunny lingered for a bit, and then asked in a hoarse voice:


    "...Who''s speaking?"


    His other incarnation was similarly tense, ready to shield the original body from danger if need be. There were a few moments of silence, and then the voice answered in a nonchalant, somewhat friendly tone:


    "I am."


    Sunny blinked. ''What the��''


    This time, he was able to pinpoint the direction from which the voice was coming better. It was very close.


    And low to the ground.


    His gaze explored the graveyard of serpents, until finally falling on something he had seen before, but did not pay a lot of attention to.


    A lone human skull laying amidst the serpent bones, attached to a partially destroyed human skeleton. There was no spark of life in the battered skeleton, and even when Sunny shifted his gaze, there was neither the radiance of soul essence nor the vile darkness of Corruption inside the old bones. However, as he watched, he noticed a tiny mote of light drifting into the air from inside the gaping black hole of the skull''s empty eye socket. Just then, the skeleton spoke:


    "My, oh my! When you look at me like that, boy, I get shy."  S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sunny shuddered. The jaws of the ancient skull did not move, but the voice definitely�� definitely was coming from inside it. He stared at the skeleton with wide eyes for some time, then forced himself to open his mouth. "I... know you, don''t I?"


    The white skull, obviously, did not show any reaction. "Do you? Goodness gracious! How odd. Never have I imagined being known by such esteemed personas�� I am nothing but a humble slave, after all."


    Sunny smiled darkly.


    "Well, what would you know�� so am I."


    The skeleton laughed. "No, no�� the likes of me can''t even be compared to the exalted beings like you. A genuine divine shadow! Who would have thought that even after Shadow God''s death, his shadows would continue to roam the world�� my, oh my! How despicable."


    Sunny narrowed his eyes and remained silent for a while.


    Then, he said somberly:


    "You are Eurys of the Nine."


    Now, he was convinced that the talkative skeleton was exactly who he had assumed it to be. It was the mysterious creature Nephis had taken off a mystical tree in the Nightmare Desert to use as a guide. But how had he ended up in the Shadow Realm? According to Nephis, she had parted with Eurys in the outer reaches of the Underworld. The white skull stared at Sunny expressionlessly for a while, then said evenly:


    "Huh. So you do know me."


    Sunny lingered for a moment, considering what to do next. The skeleton had not harmed Nephis�� but that did not mean that he would not or did not have the ability to harm Sunny. After all, not just anyone could endure thousands of years of a strange unlife, being nailed to a tree in a literal hell. It was unfathomable how Eurys was able to exist, to begin with. But first things first��


    Lowering his gaze, Sunny looked at the weakly struggling archer, then shifted his gaze back to the battered skeleton. "You said that you wouldn''t have killed this thing? Why?"


    Eurys of the Nine chuckled. "Oh, it''s just a piece of friendly advice, from one slave to another. Think about it, boy�� she has been hunting down shadows for thousands of years here, in the realm of Shadow God, instead of quietly succumbing to death. Such a defiant spirit! What do you think will happen when you kill her, and her shadow enters your Soul Sea instead?"


    Sunny suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.


    He�� had not considered that. There was definitely some truth to the skeleton''s words. By all accounts, once a shadow traveled to the Shadow Realm, it was supposed to peacefully succumb to the divine will of its creator and be annihilated, turning into pure soul essence �� like the shadows of the Awakened soldiers he had seen. Even the shadow of Condemnation, despite having seemingly retained some of its agency, simply followed the law of the Shadow Realm and attempted the pilgrimage to its supposed center, dissolving into essence in the process. However, the mysterious archer was different��


    Not only had they�� she, apparently�� defied the natural way of things by roaming the Shadow Realm as she pleased, but she had also refused to be annihilated, surviving for thousands of years by slaying other shadows instead. Sunny had long suspected that his Soul Sea was like a nascent, miniature version of the Shadow Realm. If so, the laws governing it would be much weaker, and much easier to defy, than the ruthless laws governing the Realm of Death. So, what would happen if he killed the mysterious archer?


    ��Wouldn''t he be just inviting a serial killer into his soul?


    He shuddered. Noticing his reaction, the battered skeleton let out a laugh. "I see you realized the danger. She has become quite feral, hasn''t she? Such a shame�� my, oh my! The person was so valiant and righteous, yet the shadow is so wicked and vicious."


    Sunny stared at the white skull with a frown.


    "You say it as if you knew her."


    Eurys remained silent for a bit, then laughed. "Why, of course! After all, she is one of the Nine."

 Chapter 2123: Courting Death

    One of the Nine�� S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.Sunny considered these words for a few moments, a deep frown twisting his bruised face. The seventh incarnation just raised an eyebrow, maintaining a nonchalant attitude.


    He had encountered traces left behind by the mysterious Nine a few times throughout the years. However, he knew neither who the members of this nebulous group were nor what their purpose was. All he knew was that they seemed to have left deep scars on the history of the Dream Realm.


    Auro of the Nine, the adversary of his First Nightmare.


    Eurys of the Nine, the guide who had led Nephis to her Second Nightmare.


    And Alethea of the Nine, the First Seeker�� the source of the Defilement whose destruction had ended their Third.


    And now, here was the fourth.


    ��A shadow of the fourth, at least.


    Sunny stared at the dazed archer, then turned to study the white skull intently before speaking.


    "And who, exactly, are the Nine?"


    A few particles of light escaped from the empty eye sockets of the skull before it answered in a neutral tone:


    "It seems you do not know me, after all."


    Sunny smiled darkly.


    "I know that you are avoiding the answer, though."


    Eurys sighed.


    "If our tale has been forgotten, then let it remain so. It''s not something to be proud of, anyway... and all of us are dead now, hopefully."


    He seemed reluctant to share.


    Sunny considered his next words for a few moments. He wanted to know the secrets of the Nine desperately, but at the same time, he was wary of the motionless skeleton.


    It would probably be best not to irritate the strange being, especially in his current state��


    At least not yet.


    Sunny finally spoke:


    "You don''t seem that dead, though. And yet here you are... how did you end up in the Shadow Realm? You''re not a shadow."


    Nephis had left Eurys in the Underworld, so what was the talkative skeleton doing here?


    The battered skeleton laughed.


    "How did I end up here, indeed? Simple, really�� I walked here."


    Sunny continued to stare at the white skull, not amused.


    Eurys sighed.


    "What? I really did. It was hard to reach the Shadow Realm before, but now that it has no master and all the realms seem to have been fused together, it''s easier to travel from one to another. The Realm of Death always shared a connection to the Underworld, which served as the boundary between the lands of the living and the lands of the dead. Now, it simply lies beneath it. If you jump into the Abyss, you''ll end up falling into the Shadow Realm�� that was what I did."


    Sunny''s eyes narrowed slightly, and he couldn''t help but look up.


    Slowly, it dawned on him that the starless black sky above him was not a sky at all. In fact�� he was deep underground. Deeper even than the Underworld, which lay beneath the Hollow Mountains.


    However, the Shadow Realm was vast. So, it seemed that there was an entire subterranean world beneath the known surface of the Dream Realm, stretching all the way from the Forgotten Shore to�� who knew where. He would only find out if he crossed the entirety of the Realm of Death and found a way to the surface on the other side, if it even existed.


    Did other entrances to the Shadow Realm exist?


    He was suddenly fascinated by the question.


    If they did��


    Then maybe one was hidden in the caverns under the Forgotten Shore, where the dark sea had once sought shelter from the ruthless sun. Another could be hidden in the empty abyss below the Chained Isles��


    This matter was not exactly important, but as an explorer, Sunny could not help but be enchanted by the mystery.


    The presence of the Creatures of Darkness could be explained by proximity to the Underworld, as well. It was very curious.


    However, he had more pressing issues to address. For example, the motives of the mysterious skeleton.


    Glancing at the expressionless skull, Sunny frowned.


    "Why would you come here, though? The Shadow Realm is not exactly a hospitable place. In fact, its promise is one of death and annihilation."


    Eurys of the Nine chuckled.


    "What an apt description! But that is exactly why I wanted to come here. You seem to have been blessed by Shadow God, boy�� but I, on the contrary, was cursed by him. Me, Azarax, Kanakht, and a few others �� my, oh my! What a bunch of pitiful wretches we are. We were banished from death, and so, we are unable to die."


    He remained silent for a few moments, and then added:


    "Shadow God is gone, though. So I''ve made the journey myself and came to the Realm of Death to be annihilated. Ah�� but it''s taking a while. So tedious."


    Just as he said that, another mote of light drifted into the air from within the white bones, proving that the Shadow Realm was, indeed, slowly destroying even the�� whatever it was that Eurys was.


    Sunny remained silent for a while, shocked. The shadow of the archer struggled weakly below him, but he paid it no attention.


    ''What the hell?''


    Cursed by Shadow God? Unable to die?


    What kind of curse was that?! Why did Sunny get haunted by a loathsome apparition when he was cursed, but Eurys got to be immortal instead?


    Where was justice in that?!


    He let out a resentful sigh.


    ''It seems that this guy was not lying when he said that he had angered the gods��''


    What was it that Nephis had said? That Eurys claimed to have slit a god''s throat?


    Did gods even have throats?


    <sida note from Soda: read the chaps in advance on telegram (stop reading on your websites guys): @>


    Sunny hesitated for a while, then asked somberly:


    "You said that if I kill this shadow, it would enter my Soul Sea, just like it had entered the Shadow Realm. So, then�� is Shadow Realm what remains of Shadow God''s Soul Sea?"


    The skull stared at him incredulously.


    "Huh."


    Eurys paused for a moment, and then said in an amicable tone:


    "Gods are not like us people, boy. They don''t really have bodies, souls, and Soul Seas�� it''s all the same. So no, we are not inside the Soul Sea of Shadow God."


    The white skull chuckled.


    "Instead, we are simply inside Shadow God. Shadow Realm is his corpse."

 Chapter 2124: Dangerous Questions

    Sunny took a moment to fathom the astonishing truth that Eurys had revealed to him so matter-of-factly. It was a hell of a thing to process.


    ...No, really.


    ''I am inside Shadow God''s corpse.''


    The Shadow Realm�� the entirety of it�� was the sacred body of a god.


    Which meant that all the other Divine Realms, like Godgrave and Stormsea, were as well.


    ��And the waking world, too.


    Gods were vast, after all. Vast enough to encompass entire worlds within them, it seemed.


    But gods were also dead.


    The Dream Realm, the realm of the Forgotten God, was slowly consuming all the rest. So did it mean that Forgotten God was feasting on the corpses of his siblings?


    ''How morbid.''


    What the hell did all of it mean?


    ''Well�� it''s not like I did not suspect something like that, already.''


    Actually, Sunny and Nephis had discussed a similar theory in the past. It was during the conversation about the titanic skeleton in Godgrave, and whether it had truly belonged to a god.


    Nephis was of the opinion that it was too puny to be a god�� which was a funny thing to say about a corpse the size of a continent.


    But now, it did not seem funny anymore.


    Actually, Sunny was not even in disagreement with Nephis. If anything, he was tempted to agree. After all, he had been inside the Tomb of Ariel, which was built from the remains of an Unholy Titan. The Great River was like its Soul Sea�� and if the soul of an Unholy Titan could encompass an entire realm, then what about an actual god?


    Still, suspecting and knowing were two different things. Especially here, in the desolate darkness of the Shadow Realm.


    Sunny struggled with the desire to gulp, his mouth terribly dry.


    He lingered for a few long moments, then asked hoarsely:


    "If this is Shadow God''s corpse, then what killed him?"


    That was the greatest secret of all. That was what Sunny truly wanted to know�� what had killed the gods? What had killed the daemons? How had the Doom War ended, and how had the will of the Forgotten God escaped the Void, slowly turning all of existence into his nightmare?


    Hearing his question, Eurys chuckled.


    "What killed Death? My, oh my! I wish I knew. Sadly, by the time the gods perished, I was already nailed to that damned tree. The view from there was not great."


    Sunny stared at him somberly.


    Somehow, he doubted that the skeleton was being entirely honest.


    The white skull betrayed no emotion, however.


    Eventually, Eurys offered him a bone:


    "I doubt it were the daemons, though. By the end of it all, they were losing the war pretty badly. Otherwise, I would not have been captured by the warriors of the Divine Host, would I?"


    He laughed.


    Sunny surmised two things from that statement.


    First, that at least one of the Nine �� Eurys �� had participated in the Doom War under the banner of the Demon Army.


    Second�� that the daemons seemed to have lost the war, or at least had been close to losing it near the end.


    That was the first true piece of information about the Doom War he had received.


    Sunny smiled darkly.


    "...Are you sure that you weren''t the one who killed Shadow God? I''ve heard that you boasted once about slitting a god''s throat."


    Eurys exploded with laughter after hearing that.


    "Oh�� so you have met that abominable girl, it seems! Good, good. I''m glad that she has survived, nephilim or not."


    He paused for a moment, and then chuckled.


    "Yes, I did indeed tell her that I had slit a god''s throat once. However, I never said that it had killed the god! What kind of god would die from such a trifle?"


    Sunny winced from the amount of nonsense he had been subjected to in the last few minutes.


    ''What? What does he mean?''


    "...I thought you said that the Shadow Realm was Shadow God''s corpse? His body was quite huge, then. Pray tell, how would one slit the throat of an entire realm?"


    The skeleton, who had remained motionless all that time, finally moved.


    Eurys�� shook his skull, the bones scraping unpleasantly against each other.


    "No, but what kind of divine shadow are you? Don''t you know anything, boy?"


    Sunny scowled.


    "How am I supposed to know anything if the god who was supposed to cast me is dead?!"


    Eyrus stared at him silently for a while, then returned to his previous pose and grew still once again.


    "A better question would be how can you even exist, but�� fair is fair. To answer your questions �� gods were indeed vast and unfathomable, but they took mortal vessels from time to time. Avatars, as some called them. Those were easier to reach."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    Mortal avatars�� that he could wrap his head around. After all, he had avatars of his own, even if they were not exactly the same.


    What surprised him more was that Eurys seemed to have no idea about how Sunny had come to be a Shadow Slave.


    Well�� it made sense, in hindsight. The talkative skeleton seemed like someone who knew so much as to almost seem omniscient, but reasonably, that knowledge only encompassed the past. If he had really spent thousands of years nailed to a tree in the Nightmare Desert, he would not know anything about what had happened after the final days of the Doom War.


    To him, the Nightmare Spell was merely a fringe cult that a small group of believers was spreading secretly in the Mortal Realms. He would not know what Sunny and Nephis really were, or how they had come to be that way.


    Sunny tilted his head a little, suddenly coming up with another question.


    It was hard to collect his thoughts because there were too many things he wanted to ask, but that one was, perhaps, the most vital.


    "...You are the first being from the ancient times I''ve met who is not entirely insane and consumed by Corruption. How come?"


    Eurys stared at him with the black gaping holes of his empty eye sockets.


    "Haven''t you met that abominable girl, as well?"


    Sunny scoffed.


    "That''s different! She''s from the waking world, just like I am."


    The skeleton let out a chuckle.


    "The waking world? What''s that?"


    Sunny suppressed a sigh.


    ''He''s clueless.''


    After lingering for a few moments, Sunny tried to explain:


    "The waking world�� is the last of the Divine Realms. There are people still living there, free of Corruption. The rest of them, as well as all the Mortal Realms, have already been swallowed up by the Dream Realm, and are only populated by Nightmare Creatures �� that''s what we call the Corrupted Ones. However, our world is being consumed by the Dream Realm too, piece by piece."


    Eurys sighed.


    "Oh�� then you and your people must be fighting against the Corruption with all your might, united against a common foe. What brilliant camaraderie! No wonder a divine shadow and an abominable nephilim can exchange words so freely."


    Sunny coughed in embarrassment.


    "Actually�� currently, my people are at war. With each other. Have I mentioned that the last Divine Realm is the Realm of War God?"


    Eurys remained silent for a long while, and then suddenly exploded with laughter.


    This time, he laughed longer than usual, and his laughter seemed different from before. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was tinged with mysterious darkness.


    After a while, the white skull turned a little to stare at Sunny.


    "War God? My, oh my! Such irony."


    He paused for a moment, and then added:


    "You asked who the Nine were? Well�� to tell you the truth, child of War��"


    His tone turned a little cold.


    "Regardless of who we were, we hated War God and her children the most."

 Chapter 2125: Paving the Road to Grace

    Sunny could not help but tense up after hearing a hint of coldness in the skeleton''s usually carefree and friendly tone. S��ar?h the n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.At that moment, he realized the precariousness of his position with painful clarity.


    Here he was, in the darkness of the Shadow Realm, beaten and battered�� talking to one of the Nine while holding the shadow of another down. Sure, the archer was barely conscious and seemingly in no state to continue the battle, but on the other hand, the only safe enemy was a dead one.


    He had no idea what kind of powers Eurys of the Nine possessed, but they had to be quite mystical for the wandering skeleton to traverse the Underworld and reach the Shadow Realm more or less in one piece.


    It was alarming, to learn that the mysterious Nine had some kind of grudge against the Goddess of Life and her followers.


    Sunny chose his next words carefully.


    "Oh, really? That is surprising. How come Auro of the Nine was an imperial soldier, then? Wasn''t the Empire ruled by the cult of War?"


    To be honest, he wasn''t quite clear on what the Empire was and who ruled it. However, in his First Nightmare, it had seemed as if both its soldiers and citizens worshiped War God �� to the point that they went around burning down temples of Shadow.


    He had learned bits and pieces of ancient history later on, too, some pointing to the fact that the militant Empire had gone on an unstoppable conquest spree during the dusk of the Golden Age, just before the final war.


    So, it was a bit surprising to learn that Hero �� Auro of the Nine �� had secretly harbored a deep hatred of War God.


    Hearing his words, Eurys just chuckled, seemingly full of mirth.


    "Auro, an imperial soldier? So what? I was an imperial slave, myself! Why, is there a better way to destroy an empire than from the inside?"


    Sunny coughed.


    He, of all people, could not argue with that.


    After all, that was exactly what they were doing �� Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie.They were working to undermine the kingdom of an heir of War by fighting under his banner.


    "Well�� alright. Fair. I''ll give you that."


    ''So the Nine were determined to destroy the Empire��''


    And Auro had been only posing as a loyal imperial soldier. No wonder he had seemed so different from the rest of the slavers...


    It was a tantalizing piece of information.


    Still. In Sunny''s First Nightmare, Auro had been merely an Awakened swordsman, and one who did not seem to have unsealed his Aspect yet, at that. So, the Nine must not have been that powerful back then. How had nine people hoped to destroy an empire that enjoyed the favor of a god?


    He wanted to know more.


    "So, it was just the nine of you against the entire Empire?"


    Eurys scoffed.


    "Questions, questions, questions�� you are so full of questions, boy. Why are you so interested in the ancient past, anyway?"


    Sunny smiled darkly, reminding himself to be polite and ingratiate himself with the mysterious skeleton.


    "Oh. Two reasons, mainly��"


    ''Be nice, be polite. You need to get into his good graces!''


    His mouth moved on its own:


    "Because we are still paying for the sins committed by you vile bastards in that ancient past! If you impossible, abhorrent fools did not go and break the damn world back then, I wouldn''t have been so desperate to learn how to fix it, would I?!"


    Eurys just stared at him silently with empty eye sockets.


    He did not seem too offended, but...


    Sunny took a deep breath and held it, struggling to suppress his scathing fury.


    The seventh incarnation, meanwhile, spoke in a more neutral tone:


    "Well, and also �� you might not know it, but the Nightmare Spell has been running rampant for thousands of years. These days, it is more or less the only god that exists. The Dream Realm, meanwhile, is blooming with what we call Nightmare Seeds, and if you enter one, the Spell gives you a special trial. That trial takes the form of an event from the ancient past,so knowing more about the past makes it easier to survive there."


    He paused, then added:


    "Obviously, the Nightmares are quite deadly. So one would naturally have no reason to enter one, except for the fact that if a blooming Seed is left intact, it will continue to infect the world with Corruption. Something like that, at least."


    For the first time, Eurys seemed a little surprised.


    "Weaver''s little spell? So it has gotten that powerful? Huh�� how surprising. No wonder that abominable girl reeked of daemon, then."


    Sunny''s eye twitched.


    ''...Little spell?''


    He took another deep breath and forced his original body to speak:


    "So, what? Are you going to persecute me needlessly just because of where I come from? Let me tell you something, Eurys��"


    He looked at the skeleton somberly.


    "...being petty is unbecoming of a gentleman! Spitefulness is a hideous thing, a blemish on one''s character, and an obstacle on the path to virtue. An enlightened man must know how to let go of grudges and embrace forgiveness! Tolerance and compassion pave the road to grace!"


    Of course, Sunny was no gentleman, had no interest whatsoever in being virtuous, considered enlightened values to be synonymous with foolishness, and preferred to stay as far away from grace as possible, lest he catch it.


    But the ancient skeleton did not need to know that.


    Eurys remained silent for a while, then sighed.


    "My, oh my�� how eloquent! Don''t you worry, boy. I wasn''t going to act on my distaste for your kind �� it''s all in the ancient past, anyway. Let bygones be bygones. I was just contemplating how deeply ironic it is, that after thousands of years, the only ones who remain are the children of War. You can''t even imagine."


    Sunny grinned.


    "Well�� I''ll be able to imagine if you explain things properly."


    The skeleton stared at him silently for a while.


    Then, Eurys chuckled.


    "Ah, but you expressed how desperate your need for knowledge is. So why should I share mine for free?"


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 Chapter 2126: Spirit of Reciprocity

    Hearing those words, Sunny was taken aback.What�� what was this familiar feeling?


    ''Ah! I know!''


    Of course...


    It was the feeling of being swindled!


    Frowning, he studied the expressionless skull for a few moments. The skeleton did not move, and if Sunny did not know any better, he would have assumed that it was a completely mundane corpse. The only thing that betrayed Eurys''s unusual nature was a rare mote of light that drifted off the white bones from time to time.


    ��The same particles of essence rose from both of Sunny''s incarnations, as well, reminding him that he was still on the clock.


    ''That bastard.''


    So Sunny had to bargain with a shameless corpse in the middle of the Realm of Death, and worst of all, the corpse held all the chips.


    He grimaced.


    "You''re the one who spoke to me first, were you not? So, if anything, it seems like your need is greater than mine."


    Eurys chuckled.


    "That was not because I wanted to speak, just out of the goodness of my heart. Well, I don''t really have a heart, but you get the meaning �� I simply wanted to save a naive boy from making a terrible mistake. Because I am kind and generous."


    Sunny stared at him dubiously.


    "Oh, yeah? Are you sure that you did not want to save this shadow here, instead? After all, you had kept quiet up until the moment I was about to kill one of you Nine. What a coincidence."


    The white skull scoffed.


    "One of us Nine? My, oh my! You must be confused, boy. She is not one of the Nine �� she is merely a shadow of one of the Nine. A feral and mindless shadow, at that�� an insult to the memory of my dear comrade, really, whose very existence offends and saddens me greatly. Ah, alas! If only you were strong enough to endure the consequences of destroying her��"


    Sunny scowled.


    "It sounds like you are a man of great integrity indeed, Eurys. And didn''t you just mention your kindness and generosity? How admirable, how commendable. No wonder you helped Nephis�� the nephilim�� so selflessly. Someone as selfless, kind,and generous as you would not take advantage of a naive boy and try to swindle him, would you? "


    Eurys let out achortle.


    "That abominable girl? Why yes, I helped her�� but that was merely in the spirit of reciprocity. She took me off that damned tree, after all, so I was obligated to return the favor. However, what have you done for me? Nothing�� surely, there has to be a favor made for me to reciprocate in kind." S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, then sighed in dejection.


    It wasn''t often that he found himself on the losing end of a verbal battle. He was usually the most brazen person in the room, and meeting an even greater scoundrel was a rare occurrence.


    ''How shameless!''


    Sunny looked at Eurys with resentment, lingered for a while, then said somberly:


    "So what do you want?"


    The mysterious skeleton remained silent.


    Eventually, he spoke:


    "Why, it''s simple. You are a Shadow Slave, are you not? Someone who wields the power of Death. So, I want you to kill me."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    ''Huh��''


    The seventh incarnation tilted its head a little.


    His eyes narrowed.


    "Wait, wouldn''t that just defeat the purpose? Dead men tell no tales. Who will answer my questions if I kill you?"


    Eurys let out a short laugh.


    "Well, I''ll answer your questions before you kill me, of course. Look at me now �� I am resting here in the Shadow Realm, patiently waiting to be destroyed. It is taking forever�� however, if you can hasten the process, I''ll sure spare you some time."


    Sunny considered his words.


    Eurys�� was definitely lying about a lot of things, or at least not telling him everything. The mysterious skeleton already had the means to break the will of Shadow God and be destroyed �� he could have surrendered to the mists of the Underworld, for example, and simply become nothing. He could also wait and slowly be annihilated by the Shadow Realm.


    But perhaps death and destruction were not the same. And perhaps Eurys was seeking a true death, which only Sunny could give him.


    Eventually, Sunny nodded.


    "Alright, I''ll kill you. So start talking."


    The skeleton let out another laugh, this one sounding a little wistful.


    "I wish it were so simple, boy. Sadly, you are not nearly strong enough, yet, to kill me. So, come back after you become Supreme�� better yet, Sacred. I''m not going anywhere, so you''ll be able to find me right here."


    Finally, Sunny''s expression cracked.


    "Become Supreme?! Do you think I have not tried?! How the hell am I supposed to become Supreme, you useless pile of bones?!"


    Eurys stared at him with what looked like amusement�� which was quite a feat, considering that the white skull had no means to emote anything.


    Eventually, he said:


    "What is the big problem? I watched you slay that eerie Sacred shadow before. From what I''ve seen, you are already most of the way there �� you have the Will, and you even know how to wield it. That is the hardest part. More than that, your nascent Domain is already fully formed, and its weight is crushing. Do I even need to mention how profound your connection to your source element is? Boy�� I''ve never seen anyone as ready to become Supreme as you. The only thing you need is to take the last step."


    Sunny blinked, suddenly robbed of breath.


    What Eurys said�� in hindsight, it rang true.


    He had indeed taken great strides on the path to Supremacy as of late. Hearing that he, too, possessed a nascent Domain was a bit surprising�� but other than that, the mysterious skeleton was correct.


    Sunny had reached the precipice of Supremacy without even realizing it.


    The first and most important step�� had probably been the very act of deciding to return to the embrace of civilization and take responsibility for the future, imposing his will upon the world.


    After all, that was what a Sovereign was �� someone who bent the world to their will, thus claiming authority over it.


    Then, it was a series of smaller steps. Claiming a Citadel, establishing his rule over a vast swath of Godgrave.Slaying and subjugating Great Nightmare Creatures, forging his Transcendent Battle Art. Joining the Sword Army and observing the King of Swords to learn from his example�� especially during Anvil''s battle with Condemnation.


    Observing Rain and learning from her natural Awakening, as well.


    The most important step, surprisingly�� had been connected to improving his mastery of weaving. It was forging the Blessing that had truly opened his eyes and broadened his horizons, teaching him how to wield his will.


    There were other important lessons and accomplishments, too. Numerous lessons, really.


    Nephis had her own way of reaching toward Supremacy, while Sunny had his.


    He was almost ready.


    All that he was missing was, indeed, one final step. A catalyst that would ignite all his previous attainments, fusing them into a throne.


    But Sunny had no idea what that catalyst was.


    He hesitated for a while before asking cautiously:


    "And what is that last step?"


    Eurys remained silent... then answered gingerly:


    "How should I know?"


    Sunny let out a growl.


    ''...That bastard!''


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 Chapter 2127: Act of Defiance

    Read the chapters in advance on t?l?gram (search for the name of the novel in the app��s search bar)Seeing how twisted Sunny''s face had become �� one of his faces, at least, since the seventh incarnation did not deem it worthy to react in any way �� Eurys let out a laugh.


    Those chuckles of his were seriously starting to get on Sunny''s nerves...


    The jovial voice resounded from the depths of the white skull a moment later:


    "Don''t be too disheartened, boy. Everyone has to follow their own path to Supremacy, and the nature of the last step is different for each Supreme. However�� there is some commonality between them. A shared principle that is revealed if one observes carefully. I can''t tell you what exactly it is that you must do to become Supreme, but I can share my observations with you."


    He paused for a moment.


    "After all, it is in my best interest to see you usurp the throne of shadows. You might actually manage to kill me then."


    Sunny let out a frustrated sigh.


    How wonderful would it have been if someone just handed him all the answers? But he was not that lucky, of course.


    Still, the mysterious skeleton''s offer was better than nothing.


    Sunny gathered his thoughts, then asked somberly:


    "So? What have you observed?"


    Eurys remained silent for a while.


    "Well. Supremes have always been rare, even in my time. Supreme humans, at least �� enough so that every time a new one appeared, the balance of power in the Mortal Realms was bound to change. Old kingdoms fell, and new ones rose. The emergence of a new Supreme was synonymous with great upheaval�� which is to say that there are few examples that I am familiar with. And yet, I did notice a certain similarity in how those people attained Supremacy."


    He let out a wistful scoff.


    "A Supreme is someone who claims rulership over the world, or at least a part of the world. Their distinct trait is the authority they wield. Naturally, it takes a lot of audacity to lay claim to the world �� after all, it already belongs to someone, and already submits to a higher authority. So, in my opinion, the very essence of Supremacy is defiance."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "Defiance?"


    There was the unpleasant scraping noise, and Eurys nodded.


    "Oh yes! It is a bit paradoxical, but the source of authority is defiance. After all, a ruler can hardly be ruled. Or at least ruled easily�� there is a difference between authority and absolute authority, in the end. But that is beside the point. What I wanted to say is that if there is one common element between all the final acts of attaining Supremacy that I know of, it is that they were acts of defiance."


    Sunny sighed and lowered his gaze.


    He really did not want to sound like a parrot, but had no choice except to reluctantly repeat the same question:


    "Defiance?"


    Come to think of it��


    ''What the hell is a parrot, anyway?''


    Oblivious to his momentary distraction, Eurys nodded again.


    "Yes. And not just acts of defiance, but acts of supreme defiance. Authority and submission are antithetical to each other, are they not? You see�� authority cannot exist in the void, since it is only revealed when imposed upon others. So, to claim authority and become Supreme, one has to defy some kind of authority imposed on them. That is what I think, at least."


    He chuckled.


    "That supreme defiance can take many forms, depending on the individual. Obviously, the more powerful you are, the less you are constrained by the chains of necessity, and therefore the greater your act of defiance has to be �� because there are fewer forces great enough to impose themselves upon you, to begin with."


    The mysterious skeleton sighed.


    "So, some defy power by slaying an immensely powerful foe. Azarax only became the Plague of Steel after killing his Supreme father, for example. Others go against their own nature, defying themselves to gain enlightenment. Some use their will to twist the laws governing their Realm, gaining authority over it. There are many ways, but the surest one��"


    Eurys paused, prompting Sunny to utter a quiet curse.


    "Really? Do you really have to take a dramatic pause? Are you sure you were a slave, not an actor?!"


    The skeleton laughed.


    "Alright, alright�� settle down! Is it not obvious, though? The surest way is to go against the greatest will of all�� to break the will of gods. Well, they are dead now, so the next best thing would be to go against one of the absolute laws. If you manage to defy one of those, I am sure that you will become Supreme in no time."


    Sunny let out a long sigh.


    "Slaying an immensely powerful foe? Usurping a Realm? Breaking absolute laws and going against the will of gods? Bastard! Aren''t you just goading me into finding a way to kill you?! All of those are ways to get around the curse placed on you by Shadow God!"


    Eurys coughed in embarrassment.


    Considering that he had no lungs, that cough was not at all convincing.


    "My, oh my! What a coincidence."


    Sunny let out another growl, prompting the mysterious skeleton to shake his skull.


    "No, listen�� I might have a selfish motive in sharing this knowledge, but what I''ve told you is true. Those are indeed valid ways of taking the final step to Supremacy. You just need to find one uniquely suited for you�� and then come back to try and kill me."


    Sunny stared at Eurys for a while, unsure if he should trust him.


    For what it was worth�� the skeleton seemed to be sincere. He had no reason to lie to Sunny, anyway, since it was indeed in his best interest to help Sunny gain more power.


    So, if Sunny was to take his words seriously��


    ''An act of supreme defiance?''


    And not just any act, but one that suited Sunny best �� one intimately tied to the very nature of his Aspect, his nature, and his forming Domain.


    He grumbled:


    "I''ve killed countless beings that were way more powerful than me, you know? How come I am not Supreme yet?"


    The skeleton stared at him for a while, then offered helpfully:


    "I guess they weren''t powerful enough?"


    A quiet groan escaped from Sunny''s mouth.


    "What are you talking about? I am a mere Transcendent, and yet I go around routinely killing Great Nightmare Creatures. I killed my first Sovereign back when I was an Ascended, in fact�� granted, he was already consumed by Corruption and no different from a beast by then. Hell, I killed a Great Devil as a Dreamer!"


    Eurys was seemingly taken aback.


    He remained silent for a few moments, then mumbled in a puzzled tone:


    "My, oh my��"


    Then, the skeleton stared at him with reproach.


    "Things are worse than I expected, then. You see, boy�� since you are such an overachiever�� since you are a damn lunatic who goes around slaying immensely powerful beings routinely, then slaying one more won''t be much of an act of defiance, will it?!"


    Sunny blinked.


    "Hey, now��"


    Eurys clicked his jaw a few times.


    "No, really, who kills a Great Devil as a Dreamer?! You know what�� I take it back. Why wait? Come kill me right now! There''s no reason to wait, so do it now!"


    Sunny tilted his head and stared at Eurys darkly. After a while, he said:


    "You know what, I''m in no mood for your antics. In fact, I am tired, spent, and in pain. My soul is damaged, and my body is full of holes. How about you get over your indignation and give me actual advice?"


    Eurys laughed.


    "Well, I don''t know. Have you tried�� not killing something?"


    Sunny frowned.


    "I did. In fact, I was attacked by thirteen Saints recently, and I only killed six... wait, was it six? I think it was..."


    Eurys lowered his skull in dejection.


    ''What is that bastard so dejected about?''


    In any case, it seemed like he had exhausted the mysterious skeleton''s usefulness �� at least as far as attaining Supremacy was concerned.


    Eurys had indeed shared his earnest observations�� and they were helpful.


    Although he had not provided Sunny with a definitive answer, he had at least shown him the right direction.


    ''One final step�� an act of supreme defiance��''


    Sunny fell into deep thought.


    Breaking the will of gods and going against the absolute laws of existence was definitely out of the question.


    ��Wasn''t it? S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Noctis had broken the will of Sun God by liberating Hope.


    Something had defied death by breaking free of the Shadow Realm, which was how its Fragment came to be.


    In a way, Cassie had defied an even higher authority by conspiring to liberate Sunny from fate�� even though the actual perpetrator of that liberation was the Thieving Bird.


    He sighed.


    ''I don''t need to be so grand in my ambitions.''


    Eurys had said that defying the greatest authority was the surest way, not the only way.


    Most Supremes had attained their Supremacy with less drastic acts, no doubt. Azarax had killed a Supreme, but even that was not a necessity.


    Simply defying the authority of a Supreme could also work.


    Perhaps that was the way��


    While Sunny was contemplating, Eurys suddenly spoke once again:


    "Oh, by the way��"


    Sunny looked at him somberly.


    "What?"


    The skeleton stared back at him for a moment.


    "Nothing much. I just wanted to say... that you should probably hurry and leave this place, for now."


    He chuckled.


    "Well, if you want to stay alive, of course��"


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 Chapter 2128: That Which Should Not Exist

    Sunny let out a tired sigh.Even the seventh incarnation rolled its eyes in exasperation. S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Well, of course��''


    Honestly, he had expected to hear something like that. After all, he was still in the Shadow Realm, and while the imminent danger had seemingly passed, it would be foolish to expect that new perils would not reveal themselves soon.


    After cursing his fate �� or lack thereof �� for a few moments quietly, he asked in a resigned tone:


    "Oh? What is it now?"


    The ancient skull stared at him with empty eye sockets. When Eurys spoke, his creaky voice sounded a bit wistful:


    "Look at me carefully, boy. How do you think I ended up in this state?"


    Sunny studied the skeleton silently.


    Eurys was sprawled on the ground, surrounded by broken pieces of ivory bones and half-buried in the obsidian dust. The bone fragments belonged to the remains of a Soul Serpent, but the human skeleton, too, was not intact.


    Half of his ribs were broken, one of his arms was entirely missing, and his legs were completely crushed. He was in quite a sorry state��


    Sunny did not know how powerful Eurys was, exactly, but he shuddered to imagine what kind of creature could have mutilated him so thoroughly.


    He glanced down, at the shadow archer.


    "...I gather it wasn''t this one here who did such a number on you?"


    The skeleton laughed.


    "No."


    Eurys paused for a few moments, then spoke in a friendly tone:


    "As I mentioned before, there is an entrance to the Shadow Realm hidden in the Abyss of the Underworld. We are not too far from that entrance, meaning that these are the outer edges of the Shadow Realm. This is where the shadows of living beings arrive after death before undertaking a pilgrimage to the heart of the Land of the Dead."


    He sighed.


    "I was attempting the same, but�� oh well. You can see how I ended up."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow.


    "What lies at the heart of the Shadow Realm, then?"


    The ancient skeleton struggled to shrug.


    "That, I do not know. I was curious to see,though! Such a tantalizing mystery. Since I am more or less dead, it would be a shame to miss the chance..."


    After chuckling with mirth, he grew more serious:


    "In any case, the outer edges of the Shadow Realm hide their own perils. Like the Creatures of Darkness who sometimes crawl out of the Abyss�� one of them is drawing closer and closer, by the way. I thought I should let you know."


    Sunny cursed.


    ''Damnation.''


    Right�� there had been the fourth dark drifter, the Wolf, pursuing the shadow of Condemnation. Sunny had assumed that it was destroyed by the essence storm, but the creature seemed to have survived. Considering that it had been on the ground when the storm hit...


    ''Did it burrow into the dust to avoid the currents of essence?''


    He looked around, gazing past the field of bones at the desolate expanse of dark dunes.


    Come to think of it��


    Sunny glanced at the new hill of black dust that had formed where the shadow Condemnation fell. The dust used to be solid obsidian�� had the Shadow Realm been a land of glossy black stone once, before turning into a desert of dust?


    But that was beside the point. The point was that the Wolf was still alive, and drawing closer. It had failed to feast on the essence of Condemnation, but Sunny was right here. A Transcendent Titan was probably not as delicious as a Cursed Tyrant, but food was food.


    Remembering the Vulture and the Leech, he considered if he could slay the Wolf alone.


    Considering how tired and wounded Sunny was, it seemed problematic at best, and unlikely at worst.


    He grimaced.


    "So, am I supposed to run away from that Dark One?"


    Eurys stared at him silently for a moment.


    "Goodness�� can you let me finish, boy? Who cares about those eerie things? I just remembered to mention it by chance. What I was going to say was that, while the outer edges of the Shadow Realm hide their own perils, the true horrors all dwell deeper, in its heartland."


    Sunny blinked.


    ''...The essence storms and the Creatures of Darkness are not the true horrors?''


    Noticing his pale face, the mysterious skeleton scoffed.


    "You must have seen the shadows walking toward the center of the Shadow Realm, so think about it. The weaker ones get ground into streams of essence swiftly. The stronger ones last a little longer�� then, who can endure long enough to reach the heartland?"


    Sunny''s expression darkened.


    ''He''s right.''


    The shadow of Condemnation had not been destroyed by the Shadow Realm�� it had been killed by Sunny. If he had not been there, it would have rebuilt its colossal body and continued marching forward, at least for a while.


    In fact, it might not have dissolved into essence entirely for years�� hundreds of years, perhaps.


    So how many of such shadows were somewhere ahead, in the heart of the Shadow Realm?


    Or shadow left behind by even more powerful beings?


    He shivered.


    Eurys nodded.


    "Indeed. Out there, in the darkness, dwell the shadows of beings beyond your comprehension. Cursed, Sacred�� Divine, Unholy. Those that have endured countless eons of annihilation, changing slowly in the process. This feral shadow right here has already given you so much trouble, so how are you going to survive them?"


    He paused for a few moments, then added in a troubled tone:


    "More than that�� out there, ahead, exist things that should not exist at all."


    This was the first time Eurys seemed to drop his jovial demeanor entirely, which did nothing to lessen Sunny''s alarm.


    He asked in a strained tone:


    "What things?"


    The white skeleton stared at him silently.


    Eventually, the voice resounded from its depths once again:


    "Creatures of Shadow�� who have succumbed to Corruption. Oh, and they have sensed the scent of your Transcendent soul by now, without a doubt��"

 Chapter 2129: Calculated Risk

    Sunny was out of curses and out of tired sighs. He just stared at the expressionless skull for a while, then let out a short laugh."Ah. I see. Is that all?"


    So, there were ancient shadows dwelling in the depths of the Shadow Realm�� shadows so great and vast that even this place took eons to ground them into pure essence.


    Shadows of dead deities, both divine and profane��


    And some of them had succumbed to Corruption somewhere along the way, becoming monstrous beings that defied description.


    Sunny glanced at Eurys.


    "So�� Shadow Creatures are not supposed to become Corrupted?"


    The mysterious skeleton hesitated for a few moments.


    "Well�� it''s not entirely impossible, I guess, but definitely unheard of. Unless one has been born as a Shadowspawn, Shadow Creatures come to be from the shadows of the dead. And death, as you should know, destroys Corruption. So, I have never even heard of a corrupted Shadow Creature �� before witnessing one myself here. My, oh my! The world has really changed."


    Eurys let out an amused laugh.


    "In any case, unlike the shadow of my fellow member of the Nine, you have neglected to hide the scent of your soul when entering the Shadow Realm. They must have sensed it already. So, they will be coming for you soon. As such, I suggest that you run back to where you came from, boy, and return once you are strong enough to face them."


    Sunny smiled darkly.


    He was inclined to listen to that advice.


    Of course, there were a couple problems if he did�� namely, the essence storm and the Wolf, who were currently between him and the Gate of Shadow. But he could solve these problems, somehow.


    Facing an Unholy being or two, however, was not something he could solve.


    Sunny sighed and glanced at the shadow of the archer, to whose throat he was still holding a sharp shard of bone.


    After lingering for a little while, he said:


    "I''ll go. However, before that, I still have two questions I want to ask you."


    Eurys stared at him silently,neither confirming nor denying that he would answer them.


    The seventh incarnation gestured to the remains of the Soul Serpents towering around them.


    "Why are these here? What killed them?"


    The mysterious skeleton turned his skull a little, looking at the ancient bones.


    "Nothing killed them. This is just their resting place. This is where Shadow Serpents come after losing their masters, to follow them into death�� a sentiment you are not familiar with, it seems, considering that you are still here and running around without one. My, oh my! How callous."


    Sunny hesitated.


    "Why is the Shadow Realm so inhospitable to Shadow Creatures, anyway? To be honest, I did not expect to suffer this much in my supposed homeland."


    Eurys laughed.


    "Isn''t it the purpose of the Shadow Realm, to give solace and eternal peace to shadows? Ah, but not all shadows, of course �� just those without a master, like the shadows of the dead. Or you, the shadow of a dead god."


    Sunny blinked.


    ''What?''


    So, if he still shared Shadow Bond with Nephis, his soul would not be slowly crumbling in the Shadow Realm?


    Weirdly enough, it somehow made sense. Without a master, he was no different from the orphaned shadows that came to this desolate land after the beings casting them died. So, the Shadow Realm was trying to give him the gift of eternal peace��


    By destroying him.


    His eyes narrowed a little.


    "Wait. So I can summon my Shadows here, and they will be fine?"


    Had he been holding back for no good reason?


    Eurys shook his skull.


    "Those things you call Shadows are not exactly masterless, but they are not exactly real beings, either. They are a part of you, so they will be destroyed with you�� much more thoroughly than you, really. Unless you complete them and turn them into real Shadow Creatures, I''d advise against bringing them here."


    Sunny raised an eyebrow, startled.


    "Complete them? What do you mean?"


    The ancient skeleton sighed.


    "Boy, they say that wisdom comes with age,but do consider that I spent most of my long existence nailed to a tree. What kind of wisdom do you think I was supposed to gain while hanging on a damned tree? I am not at all omniscient. How am I supposed to know more about the nature of being a shadow than you do? To answer your question, I have no idea. All I know is that unless they can exist independent of you, they are not complete Creatures of Shadow."


    Sunny stared at him silently for a while, utterly perplexed.


    So, according to Eurys, Saint and the others were not actual Shadow Creatures�� yet? And that there was something he could do to complete them, thus giving them some kind of independence?


    Weren''t they quite complete, already?


    And why would he even want to make them independent? The whole point of having Shadows was that they were always at his beck and call, ready to assist him with whatever he needed assistance with.


    It didn''t make any sense.


    And he did not have time to deal with this issue at the moment, really.


    Shaking his head, Sunny looked back to the shadow archer.


    His face hardened.


    After remaining silent for a while, he said:


    "Then that leaves only one matter I still have to deal with. So, Eurys of the Nine�� you told me that this one is one of the Nine, as well. What was her name, then?"


    Alethea of the Nine had been a sorceress and a pursuer of knowledge, so he could not imagine her becoming a feral huntress. The archer had probably been someone else.


    The white skull remained silent for a bit, then clacked its jaw.


    "She doesn''t remember, so I don''t remember, either."


    Sunny stared at him darkly.


    "Somehow, I found it hard to believe."


    The grinning skull just stared at him without saying anything.


    Then, Eurys grumbled:


    "Life is full of hardships, boy. What am I supposed to do about it? You said that you had two questions for me, anyway�� and this is the seventh. I''m not giving you any answers for free anymore."


    Sunny frowned and counted��


    Why are these here?


    What killed them?


    Why is the Shadow Realm so inhospitable to Shadow Creatures?


    So I can summon my Shadow here, and they will be fine?


    Complete them?


    What do you mean?


    He gritted his teeth.


    ''That bastard!''


    Looking at him, Eurys laughed.


    "Go find her name on your own. Maybe if you give it to her, she''ll regain some of what she lost."


    Sunny muttered a curse.


    A few moments later, the mysterious skeleton asked with curiosity:


    "So�� are you going to listen to my advice and let her be? Or do what you always seem to do and kill her? Let me repeat, just in case�� doing so will be extremely dangerous. It is much better to just allow the Shadow Realm itself to finish her off."


    Sunny stared at the shadow of the archer.


    Eurys was right. Inviting this murderous shadow into his soul would be extremely dangerous, and it would be much wiser to let her live��


    For a bit more.


    Considering how severely damaged the archer was, she would without a doubt be destroyed by the Shadow Realm soon.


    It was just that Sunny did not believe that one bit. There were countless reasons that pointed to the fact that the archer would not survive even if left alone, but he had survived too many impossible situations to feel confident. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That maniac�� was a kindred spirit, of sorts. Even though the world itself was against her, she would find a way to live on.


    He was sure of it.


    And, more importantly��


    Sunny was not one to let go of a grudge.


    He smiled darkly.


    "...I''ll risk it."


    With that, he strained his hand, and cut the archer''s throat with the sharp fragment of the ivory fang.

 Chapter 2130: Inviting a Killer Into Your Soul

    Chapter 2130: Inviting a Killer Into Your SoulSunny said that he would take the risk �� but really, he was quite concerned. He did not know what would happen next.


    The first part was not at all surprising��


    [Your shadow grows stronger.]


    The Handy Bracelet might not have been enchanted to react when Sunny killed a shadow, but a Shadow Creature was different. He had some experience with that.


    As soon as the voice spoke into his ear, Sunny fely a torrent of fragments rush into his soul �� quite a bit less than what he had received after slaying the shadow of Condemnation, but still an amazing amount.


    ''Ah��''


    He could feel subtle changes happening to his body, making him a little bit stronger. Even though he had already formed all seven cores, there was still one final feat left to perform �� it was to saturate them fully once and for all. Before that, the familiar hunt for shadow fragments would still hold some meaning for him, albeit less than before.


    Unless he found some other way to use them, of course�� Nephis could burn her cores to unleash annihilating flames, for example, while Mordret could tear out pieces of his soul to create Reflections.


    It was unknown, and quite doubtful really, that Sunny''s Aspect possessed such a facet. If not�� one day soon, he would lose an integral reason to hunt down Nightmare Creatures and seek more power.


    Sunny found the very idea of having no motive to kill unfamiliar. He had spent so much time being pushed to endlessly seek out battle �� against beings who were his equals or possessed greater power than him, at that �� that it had become his second nature. How would it even feel, to not have that need?


    ''Well�� I''m sure I''ll find some other reason to kill things.''


    Or it would find him. When had the world ever allowed him peace and tranquility?


    In any case, fully saturating his cores would most likely have to wait until his next visit to the Shadow Realm, wherever that might be.


    Receiving a flood of shadow fragments was what he had expected.


    The next part was shrouded in doubt.


    As the ghostly body of the shadow archer convulsed and dissolved into black smoke under him, soon disappearing entirely, Sunny closed his eyes for a moment.


    Two things could happen.


    The first one�� was that the vicious slayer would join the ranks of the still and silent shadows that populated his Soul Sea.


    It was just that Sunny doubted that she would remain still and silent for long.


    Eurys was right. This strange shadow had maintained self-awareness and lucidity �� a form of them, at least �� even after coming to the Shadow Realm after the death of the woman casting it. So, she would most likely remain rebellious in his Soul Sea, as well, either going on a massacre or simply endeavoring to destroy his soul from the inside.


    Maybe both.


    The second possibility was just as troubling, if not more so.


    The slayer of the Shadow Realm was a Shadow Creature, after all�� just like Nightmare had been.


    And unlike the rest of his Shadows �� with the exception of Serpent, who had been handed down to Sunny as a Legacy Relic by the Spell �� Nightmare was not created by combining the silent shadow of a slain creature with their Echo.


    Instead, as soon as Sunny killed the tenebrous st��ed, Nightmare had become his Shadow directly.


    The same could happen with the nebulous slayer, which would root her essence in one of his Shadow Cores.


    What would happen then?


    ��Sunny had no idea.


    She would definitely not recognize him as a master, though.


    And what would happen if a shadow that spent thousands of years hunting down other shadows got rooted in one of her killer''s Shadow Cores?


    Sunny shuddered to imagine.


    He had a vain hope that the silent shadows in his Soul Sea would come to life again to protect him, like they had when Mordret challenged him to a soul duel.


    But these situations were different. Sunny was still unsure how that facet of his Aspect functioned, and what had stirred the silent shadows into action. But if he had to guess, it would be that Mordret was an invader to his soul�� a foreign body that had to be purged.


    The shadow slayer, however, would not be. Rather, she would be a part of his soul, no different from the vast sea of still water, the seven suns of his cores, the Shadows that dwelled within them, the replica of the Nameless Temple, and the legion of lifeless shadows that now stood around it, watching the dark edifice silently.


    So�� he would decide what to do after learning which of the two possibilities had come true.


    Feeling a subtle change happening to his soul, Sunny glanced at Eurys.


    "Well�� I''ll be going, then."


    The ancient skeleton did not move, but the creaky voice resounded from the depths of its white skull once again.


    "...Godspeed."


    Sunny hesitated for a moment.


    "You know, it would be much more convenient if I took you with me. Then, you would not have to wait for me to come all the way back here after becoming a Supreme."


    Eurys chuc��led.


    "It took me so much effort to get to the Shadow Realm, and now you want me to leave. No thanks. What happens if you die before becoming Supreme? Your shadow will just waltz down here naturally, but I''ll have to walk all the way back. And��"


    He took a pause, then added wistfully:


    "...I don''t have feet anymore."


    Sunny smiled.


    "You also only have one arm. So�� if I decided to take you with me ��nyway, you wouldn''t be able to put up much of a fight, would you?"


    The white skull stared at him expressionlessly for a few moments. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My, oh my! Do try."


    The tone was friendly, but somehow, Sunny felt a shiver run down his back.


    He decided against it.


    "Until we meet again, then. I''ll give your regards to Nephis�� oh, and by the way..."


    His tone was friendly, as well.


    "If I hear you call her an abomination again, I''ll break your remaining arm."


    Hearing that, Eurys almost seemed perplexed.


    As Sunny rose to his feet, he mumbled quietly:


    "What a bizarre thing to say. The world has gone insane��"


    Turning around, Sunny took the first step.


    It was then that he finally heard the words he had been waiting for:


    [...You have received a Shadow.]

 Chapter 2131: Shadow Slayer

    sunny had to get back to the gate of shadow to summon himself back into godgrave. it was going to take him longer to return than it had taken to reach the serpent graveyard, though �� both because he would not be riding the shoulders of the shadow of condemnation this time and because he had to circle around the massive essence storm.there was the last of the darkness creatures to worry about, as well. the wolf was still out there, somewhere�� relatively near and drawing nearer, according to eurys.


    but those were minor concerns. the real concern were the harrowing beings that dwelled in the heart of the shadow realm, and were apparently coming to consume him.


    he could already feel a subtle, terrifying pressure at the outer edges of his shadow sense, dozens of kilometers away. it made him shiver.


    that was why there was no time to waste, and why he had resolved the issue of the shadow slayer so hastily. sunny would have loved to stay and talk to eurys more, but his instincts were telling him that he had to run.


    or fly�� that would be even better.


    his original body was severely wounded and weakened, so it could not maintain sufficient speed. so, he intended to construct a powerful shell around the seventh avatar and carry himself as he fled.


    before that happened, though��


    ''argh!''


    sunny staggered and fell to one knee after taking only a few steps.


    a piercing pain was ravaging his soul.


    ''she''s... she''s not wasting any time, is she?''


    gritting his teeth, he rose from the ground and dove into his soul sea.


    by now, trained by having to control several avatars at the same time, sunny could continue moving freely even while a piece of his consciousness entered the lightless expanse of his soul. so, even while he found himself surrounded by the familiar expanse of dark water, his two bodies continued to flee.


    his soul sea had changed, somewhat, from the last time he visited it.


    the still water was the same, but if the dark ocean felt more deep. there were more shadows surrounding the replica of the nameless temple, tens of thousands of them watching it silently��


    as if waiting for something.


    the main difference, of course, was that there were now seven black suns hanging above the temple instead of six.


    the dark sky of his soul�� felt complete.


    sunny knew that six shadows resided in these cores now.


    saint, serpent, nightmare, fiend, mimic, and the slayer of the shadow realm.


    as he stared at his terror core, another pulse of harrowing pain washed over his conscience, making him groan.


    ''t��this maniac!''


    as sunny grimaced in pain, he thought he noticed a net of cracks revealing itself on the surface of the black sun.


    the still water stirred lightly, and a cold wind blew across its surface, making the branches of the soul devourer''s shadow sway somewhere in the distance.


    the slayer he had invited into his soul seemed to have regained awareness�� and was already trying to destroy one of his soul cores from within.


    as the seventh incarnation called upon the shadows of the realm of death to envelop him and started to build a shell, sunny summoned the slayer to the surface of the still water.


    soon, she appeared in front of him, wreathed momentarily in black flames.


    when the flames were extinguished, sunny could finally see the shadow of one of the nine clearly.


    ...she looked much different from how she had been when they fought.


    only now that sunny saw the slayer in the darkness of his soul did he realize how tattered and frayed her shadow had been in the shadow realm. now, however, she was restored to immaculate condition. the vague, elusive silhouette was gone, replaced by a figure as solid as he himself was. the billowing mantle of ghostly smoke had dissipated, as well, and nothing obscured her features anymore.


    in front of him stood a beautiful woman with a slender and graceful figure, her build radiating a sense of extreme agility and strength. her poise was unmistakably that of a warrior, and there was a hint of pride in the set of her bare shoulders.


    her luscious ebony hair was gathered into a long braid, and her lean muscles seemed to be sculpted by an obsessed artist�� it was just that her lithe body was entirely black, as if cast from ink. in fact, there was not a hint of color that sunny could see.


    well, it made sense. she was a shadow, after all.


    ��and a slayer of shadows, as well.


    the slayer was wearing a very light armor that consisted of a pteruges skirt, a chest guard, a single bracer, and greaves that protected her shins �� clearly something meant for an archer, not a melee combatant. with how the light ensemble looked on her graceful body, she seemed more like a dancer than a fighter, but sunny was not deceived.


    there were too many holes in his body to make such a mistake.


    her face, meanwhile, was hidden behind a veil �� and yet, sunny could vaguely discern her features. high cheekbones, a sharp nose��


    and lifeless black eyes that seemed to stare at him with no emotion.


    sunny let out a careful breath.


    summoning a shadow to appear in front of him in the soul sea was not the same as summoning them to the outside world. here, they usually remained lifeless and passive unless he commanded them to come to their senses, as if in a state of stasis.


    so, he could study them and their runes in peace.


    ''it seems i''m safe for the moment.''


    sunny stared at the slayer, then shifted his gaze and looked into the shadow that served as her soul.


    the rest of his shadows possessed dark embers instead of shadow cores, but this one was unique. after all, she had possessed an actual soul core despite being a shadow �� so, sunny did not know what to expect.


    what he saw was different from how the slayer had been before, but also not at all like the rest of his shadows. her radiant soul core was gone, but instead of being replaced by a dark ember, it was replaced by a radiant shard instead.


    that shard still remained in the same strange state �� not quite transcendent, but also not quite supreme, as if lacking something.


    ''how do i learn her runes?''


    sunny was burning with curiosity�� and more than a little bit of greed. he was quite excited to possess such a powerful shadow.


    now that he was banished from the spell, the most reliable source of information he had access to was cassie. however, to get her to take a look at the slayer, he would have to summon the murderous shadow into the real world.


    and she would probably venture to kill him immediately after that.


    thank the gods she was docile and passive here, at least��


    suddenly, sunny felt a bad premonition.


    ''huh?''


    and a moment later, the dark eyes of the slayer, which had been empty and lifeless before, slowly regained their cold sharpness.


    defying all the rules, the shadow turned her head slightly despite not receiving a command to come to life. s��ar?h the nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    and stared directly at him with murderous coldness.


    sunny gulped.


    ''crap��''

 Chapter 2132: Untamed

    of course!why the hell had he assumed that this crazed maniac would follow the rules?! the first thing she had done after becoming his shadow was strike at the walls of his shadow core, after all!


    his mind must have been more tired than he had thought��


    at the same time as sunny realized that the slayer had shaken off the state of stasis she was supposed to be in, the shadow already lunged at him. sunny staggered back, barely avoiding her fingers, and fell on the surface of the black water.


    they were currently in front of the steps of the nameless temple, some distance away from the silent shadows. sunny glanced at them briefly as he fell, hoping that the legion of his past victims would surge forward to protect him.


    but the shadows remained still and unmoving, not reacting to the plight of their master at all. it was just as he had expected�� the slayer was a part of his soul, so the silent shadows did not see her as an intruder.


    ''damnation!''


    rolling over his shoulder, sunny jumped to his feet and stared at the beautiful shadow scornfully. at the same time, he commanded her to stand down.


    "hey, you! now listen��"


    his orders were absolute, as far as shadows were concerned. well�� at least they were supposed to be. to be fair, his other shadows were all quite loyal and obedient, never trying to resist his orders �� except for fiend, who sometimes put up a small fight.


    but even that guy was not serious about his disobedience, mostly putting on a show. after making his indignation or reluctance known, he always swiftly complied with whatever it was that sunny commanded him to do.


    so, he had expected that the slayer would freeze in place.


    and she did��


    for a second.


    then, as if struggling against terrible weight, the shadow moved once more.


    her movements were slow at first, but then accelerated beyond imagination, making blood run cold in sunny''s veins.


    ''curse it all.''


    the slayer wore armor, not matter how minimal, but she lacked weapons entirely. nevertheless, that did not matter at all �� her entire body was a weapon, and she could easily rip sunny apart with her bare hands.


    especially now that he was tired, and his soul was in tatters.


    she was weakened by having to resist his direct order, at least �� more so than she had been weakened as a shadow creature by having to defy the will of the lord of shadows, at that.


    so, sunny wasn''t entirely powerless.


    dodging another strike, he tried to reason with the feral shadow:


    "look around! do you know where you are? what, exactly, are you hoping to accomplish here, you lunatic?!"


    instead of answering, the slayer simply gave him a murderous glance.


    her gaze, full of infinitely cold killing intent, made sunny shiver. sear?h the n?vel?ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    he took another step back to avoid a crushing strike and scowled.


    what was he supposed to do here?


    fighting the slayer again would be a problem�� not only because sunny could not retreat, thus giving her free rein to wreak havoc in his soul, but also because he did not want to destroy her.


    why would he destroy such a powerful shadow after going to all that trouble to gain it?!


    the alternatives, however, seemed grim.


    if he left the soul sea, she would destroy his shadow cores and kill him�� actually, she would probably massacre the silent shadows first, absorbing them and growing even more powerful first.


    of course, he could summon the slayer back into the shadow realm and fight her there, thus saving his soul from her fury.


    but that would just result in his bodies suffering more, not ot mention wasting precious time. apart from that, eurys had said that the shadow realm would be much more destructive for sunny''s shadows, so even if he won, he would probably lose the slayer for good.


    so, the only thing that remained��


    was what?


    he blocked a vicious kick and was thrown back, almost reaching the first row of the legion of silent shadows.


    ''i guess�� i have to restrain her.''


    that was not an ideal solution, but the only one he could think of.


    he had to put slayer somewhere she would not be destroyed, but would not have the ability to further damage his soul, either.


    then, after she was restrained, he could come up with a way to tame her slowly.


    in fact��


    sunny had noticed something when he was talking to eurys.


    his knuckles were split, and a few drops of his blood fell into the ghostly smoke shrouding the defeated figure of the slayer. she seemed to react to his blood slightly.


    was that, perhaps, something he could explore further?


    another strike landed on sunny, almost knocking his wind out.


    it did not matter right now!


    angered, he snarled.


    "i�� said�� stand down!"


    the slayer did not seem to react to his bellow.


    ��however, she did react to a vast presence that suddenly appeared behind her.


    but it was too late.


    there stood an enormous creature. it was a scaled beast with three long necks and three terrifying maws, its enormous body framed by vast skeletal wings. a black miasma flowed from the numerous torn holes on its body, spreading slowly over the restless surface of dark water.


    its size dwarfed both sunny and the slayer, making them seem like toys.


    before the murderous shadow could react, the beast''s claws closed around her, crushing her in an iron grip.


    sunny let out a relieved sigh.


    "...thanks, serpent."


    indeed, the ghastly beasts was none other than serpent, having assumed the form of one of the silent shadows.


    that of the defiled seeker of truth, a titan that sunny had once slain in antarctica.


    sunny was a titan himself now, which meant that serpent had become a titan, as well.


    and as such, it had the ability to turn into the form of the titans sunny had killed, as long as they were not of a higher rank than serpent itself.


    defiled seeker of truth, goliath��


    winter beast.


    that was one of the main reasons why sunny had wanted to venture into the shadow realm and earn his titan core.


    inhaling deeply, sunny glanced at the slayer, who was struggling to free herself from the titan''s inescapable grip, and headed for the nameless temple.


    "follow me."


    ��soon enough, sunny was standing outside the stone chamber that served as a treasury in the real world.


    in the replica of the nameless temple, however, it had become a cell.


    the slayer was locked inside behind an iron door. she had already landed a few crushing strikes, both at the door and at the walls of her cell, but even her strength was not sufficient to damage them.


    sunny let out a dejected sigh.


    ''this is my soul sea, damn it��''


    apparently, now, there was a jail in his soul sea.


    shaking his head, he turned around and said tiredly:


    "stay put for now, slayer. i''ll deal with you later��"


    somehow��


    he felt that rehabilitating his misguided sixth shadow would take a bit of time... and a lot of effort.

 Chapter 2133: The Youngest

    in the tastefully decorated display hall of the memory boutique, which was located in the basement of the brilliant emporium �� which, in turn, was a marvelous devil who hid a pocket dimension in its belly �� a graceful young man was sitting calmly on the floor with his eyes closed.in his hand, he was holding a small lantern carved from black stone. the gate of the lantern was open, and beyond it nestled an eerie darkness. a sense of chilling coldness came from its impenetrable depths.


    suddenly, the tranquil young man let out a sigh and opened his eyes.


    in the next moment, two shadows suddenly escaped from the gate of the dark lantern, instantly turning into perfect copies of him.


    both were dirty and battered, instantly marring the immaculately clean floor with a layer of black dust. however, while one was simply disheveled, the other looked more like a corpse �� especially due to how pale their porcelain skin was.


    his black tunic was tattered and torn, and there were countless hideous wounds covering his body. the wounds were bloodless, which only made him look more like a cadaver.


    looking at the mess, the graceful young man dismissed the black lantern and pursed his lips.


    hunching, sunny took a few ragged breaths and then looked at his gloomy incarnation.


    "...what are you staring at, bastard?"


    with that, he swayed and collapsed to the floor.


    now that he had escaped the shadow realm, all strength suddenly left his mangled body. it was partially due to the psychological effect of finally reaching safety, and partially due to the fact that he had been quite literally empowered by the desolate land of shadows.


    now that the borrowed strength was gone, sunny toppled like a puppet whose strings had been cut.


    laying on the cool floorboards, he let out a pained groan.


    ''i don''t think i can move��''


    not only did he find it difficult to move a muscle, but the pain he had been suppressing rushed in like a tide. sunny felt his consciousness dim, and somewhere far away, the lord of the shadow stumbled subtly.


    luckily, the king of swords had assigned him a long and annoying, but mostly passive mission �� it was his turn to guard the base camp of the expedition force near the vanishing lake.


    with condemnation''s death, the balance of power in the breastbone hollow had shifted, and many powerful nightmare creatures were on the move. more than that, the prolonged deprivation from sunlight was slowly starting to affect the ancient jungle, so the entire ecosystem was in a state of mild chaos.


    but the abominations rarely approached vanishing lake, and therefore, sunny merely had to stay vigilant without doing much of anything. it was a bit of a waste to assign the lord of shadows to guard duty, as far as he was concerned, but the king of swords had his own considerations. in any case, the timely new assignment gave sunny a few days of respite, which was a blessing in disguise.


    letting out another quiet groan, sunny almost missed the incarnation''s response:


    "i am looking at two useless fools. what did you idiots do to our soul, huh?"


    technically, the seventh incarnation was innocent �� it had not even been born when sunny allowed his soul to be damaged by the essence storm �� but instead of retorting, the nonchalant guy simply gave the neat avatar a short glance and remained silent.


    sunny cursed.


    "what did we do? what did you do?! nothing! so who are you calling... damn, why am i even wasting essence on talking to you?!"


    with that, he released both incarnations, allowing them to turn back into shadows. s��arch* the nov��lf~ire.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the gloomy shadow gave the new guy an inquisitive stare. the eldest of the shadows seemed to be pondering the youngest shadow''s character.


    actually, sunny was curious too.


    truth be told, the seventh shadow �� the last shadow �� had been born in quite an epic way.


    it had been born in the realm of death from the act of slaying an ancient god, and struck down the dreadful slayer of the shadow realm seconds after being born.


    what could be more awesome than that?


    additionally, although the incarnation had been controlled by sunny, it did display certain personality traits. it seemed aloof, nonchalant, cold, and calm in all situations��


    kind of cool, really.


    ''did i finally have a normal shadow? someone sane, sensible, and decent like me, not an unhinged lunatic like those six crazies?''


    sunny was excited.


    trying to distract himself from the pain, he strained to speak:


    "hey, you. the new guy. look at me, will you?"


    the seventh shadow lingered for a few moments, then looked at him indifferently.


    it was indeed cool.


    but�� how should sunny put it��


    there was something off about that nonchalant attitude?


    suddenly, a terrible suspicion crawled its way into his mind.


    "n��no�� now look at your older brother."


    the seventh shadow did not move for a second or two, then slowly shifted its gaze to gloomy.


    sunny''s eyes widened.


    "hey�� hey!"


    but there was no denying it.


    the seventh shadow was indeed calm and nonchalant�� but not because of cold aloofness!


    instead, sunny felt like it simply couldn''t be bothered to strain itself with such complicated emotions.


    it was too lazy to bother!


    in fact, its whole demeanor emanated a strong feeling of idleness and sloth.


    the seventh shadow was fine doing nothing. it was enjoying the peace. it was content, relaxed, and a little sleepy. having to follow all these bothersome orders was irritating, but even getting annoyed was not worth it��


    sunny gritted his teeth.


    "you lazy bastard! how dare you be a letdown?! what a waste of an epic origin story!"


    the lazy shadow just stared at him indifferently, not bothering to get angry.


    sunny groaned.


    "damn�� it''s another lunatic! no, but why are all my shadows sick in the head? how come?! what''s can be the reason?!"


    the two shadows glanced at each other.


    then, in perfect sync, they slowly shook their heads.

 Chapter 2134: Deadly Rewards

    the disappointing personality of the lazy shadow aside�� overall, the trip to the shadow realm was a resounding success.and yet, sunny could not get over it.


    ''...but he''s the shadow of the titan core! the youngest! the last one! the titan!''


    he groaned.


    this time, it was not because of the pain, but rather because of a bitter feeling of resignation.


    laying on the floor and nearly unable to move, he stared at the ceiling with a miserable expression.


    ''gloomy, happy, creepy, haughty, naughty, crazy�� and lazy��''


    sunny was full of regret.


    not only because his last shadow was not as cool and heroic as he had hoped, but also because he belatedly realized how inconsistent his naming sense was.


    ''damn. if i''d known in advance, i would have made all seven nicknames rhyme.''


    but he was stuck with the seven fools now.


    after suffering in silence for a while, sunny tried to send a mental message to cassie, but she did not respond. either she was asleep, or simply too busy to answer �� these days, unless the message was important, cassie rarely responded immediately.


    that was because the king of swords was working her hard in the hollows. the blind seer was not exactly a battle specialist, and yet, he sent her out with the other saints time after time �� well, it was no wonder. after all, having a powerful seer lead the charge was a great advantage when venturing into an unexplored and dire area of a death zone.


    eventually, sunny sighed.


    ''let''s go over what i gained.''


    the first and foremost, of course, was his titan core.


    becoming a titan empowered him in several ways. the most obvious, of course, was the increase of his raw power �� his body had grown stronger, and his reserves of essence had grown deeper.


    the changes were not game-changing, but also not insignificant. every little bit mattered, and becoming more powerful by around one seventh of his overall strength could not be considered a little bit.


    sunny summoned his runes and looked at the counter of shadow fragments.


    shadow fragments: [444/7000].


    he had lost some to the shadow realm, but gained much more than what had been lost. he had won the race against time.


    in fact, he had gained more than expected. if sunny went by how many shadow fragments he had received for slaying nightmare �� a fellow shadow creature �� then slaying the shadow of condemnation, who had been a cursed tyrant, should have only brought him close to forming the seventh core�� but not past that final threshold.


    but he had clearly received way more than two thousand fragments, which would have been a reasonable amount. either the rules were different when slaying beings of the highest ranks, or something else had transpired.


    ''huh.''


    ��perhaps he had not just absorbed the power of condemnation, but also the power of the condemned �� of those unfortunate souls that had been assimilated by the cursed god over the ages, becoming its parts.


    that was the only thing sunny could think of.


    which, honestly, was a chilling thought.


    in any case, with the added fragments he had absorbed after slaying the slayer �� and ironic sentence to say, no doubt �� the counter was not close to five hundred. there was a long way to go before he saturated his seven cores fully.


    full saturation did not matter much in the grand scheme of things, though, since it would only result in a marginal increase of power.


    the other benefits sunny had gained from becoming a titan were much more important.


    one of them had already shown its usefulness �� it was the fact that serpent could assume the form of titans that rested in sunny''s souls. not only was it going to be of great help in the battle against the sovereigns, but it would also be an ace hidden up his sleeve. after all, the only thing better than a powerful tool was a powerful tool that the enemy did not know about.


    then, there was another benefit�� the fact that he possessed seven shadows instead of six now, and could therefore augment his power eightfold instead of sevenfold.


    considering that his overall strength had increased with becoming a titan, as well, that was a considerable �� and honestly quite frightening �� jump in power.


    the power of a transcendent titan was no joke, and when augmented by seven shadows�� sunny shuddered to imagine what he would be able to do.


    and there would be two such creatures facing against the sovereigns, no less �� he and nephis. their chances had improved.


    alternatively, these seven shadows could be used to augment one of his shadows, including serpent in the form of a titan. that would be a terrifying sight to behold, as well.


    finally, there was the last benefit of becoming a titan. it was that he could command one more avatar now, and therefore be in one more place at the same time.


    granted, sunny felt reluctant to send any of his shadows away�� now that the resolution of the war was drawing close, he felt a disquieting feeling that all hell could break loose at any moment. so, he wanted to have the ability to face the unexpected at the peak of his power, and preferably at a moment''s notice.


    ''i''ll have to consider this carefully.''


    then, there was something else he had gained in the shadow realm �� his most unexpected reward.


    it was all the knowledge shared with him by eurys. there were too many striking revelations�� as well as infuriatingly vague hints�� in what the mysterious skeleton had told him.


    in hindsight, the bastard was quite a master of subtly changing topics and steering the conversation away from undesirable truths. of course, sunny had not been blind to this manipulation, but what could he have done? it was not like he was in a position to force eurys to speak.


    in any case, he would have to go over everything that the skeleton had said and ponder it deeply. that was an important, but not urgent task.


    finally, there was the most dubious of his gains.


    the shadow slayer��


    sunny was lucky to have received such a powerful shadow. at the same time, not only could he not use it, but he even had to protect himself from her. what was this situation?


    not to mention that he could not help but feel a bit torn about whether he could even keep slayer. after all, he had spent a big chunk of his life rebelling fiercely against having a master�� so was it right to forcefully possess an unwilling shadow?


    honestly, he would rather not, even if she was not really a human, or even a person. merely a shadow of one.


    but��


    it wasn''t like he knew how to give slayer her freedom, or if it was even possible. everything sunny knew said otherwise, in fact. he could not even summon her and let her be, which would be an illusion of freedom�� because his new shadow was a murderous psychopath whom he could not in good conscience unleash upon the world. sea??h th�� ��ov��lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    especially since she seemed hellbent on killing him in particular.


    so, unless sunny kept slayer�� his only other option was to destroy her.


    but he was not ready to do that yet.


    laying on the floor, sunny sighed and stared at the ceiling.


    then, he turned his head and looked at his left hand.


    there, a sharp piece of bone was still held.


    it was all that remained from the ivory fang of a colossal soul serpent whose skeleton lay among the black dunes of the shadow realm like a white mountain chain.


    this piece of bone had destroyed both the shadow of condemnation and the slayer of the shadow realm.


    technically, this was his final gain.


    as sunny considered what to do with the piece of bone, he heard a door opening somewhere above, and gentle light suddenly reached into the darkness of the silent basement.

 Chapter 2135: Food Delivery

    sunny strained his tired body and turned his head toward the stairs, wondering who it was that had entered the brilliant emporium. although the ivory island was not as desolate as before with the fire keepers back, few would come unannounced�� let alone manage to get past the jaws of the marvelous mimic unharmed.so, there were only a handful of candidates.


    cassie was far away, in the hollows, while aiko usually floated down the stairs instead of walking. so...


    his question was answered shortly when he saw nephis descending the steps carefully, her way illuminated softly by a floating memory.


    the graceful lines of her slender figure were a wondrous sight for sore eyes.


    sunny was so engrossed in marveling at the view that he momentarily forgot to greet her.


    ''...but what is she carrying?''


    indeed, nephis held something in her hands. from his position below the stairs, that something�� looked suspiciously like a tray.


    a few moments later, a delectable aroma reached his nose.


    sunny blinked a couple of times.


    ''food?''


    at this moment, the soft light of the luminous memory chased away the darkness and shone upon his sprawled figure. noticing him staring at her from the floor, nephis froze for a moment, then turned away a little with a hint of embarrassment in her posture.


    as if trying to shield the tray with her body.


    "you�� you are already back."


    her voice was sounded confident and even, like always, but he could tell that she was a little startled.


    she remained silent for a moment, and then added in her usual impassive tone:


    "i just thought you''d be hungry when you come back. so, i brought some food over, to leave it�� just in case."


    sunny stared at her for a bit, then smiled, feeling a strange and warm feeling soothe his aching heart.


    "...did you cook a meal for me?"


    nephis cleared her throat.


    "why? did you assume that i can''t cook, master sunless? naturally, i can. i received an extensive education as a scion of a legacy clan, after all,including advanced courses on meal preparation and nutrition. so, i am quite skilled in these matters as well."


    sunny laughed quietly, then grimaced due to pain.


    ''i''d better not make any sudden movements...''


    at the same time, he thought back to their shared past. one that only he remembered, and treasured dearly.


    his smile turned a little wistful.


    "oh, no�� i know that you can cook, lady nephis. in fact, i even considered employing you as a chef in the brilliant emporium once."


    these days, it was sunny who always fed nephis. he was happy to, and really, watching her enjoy the food he prepared brought him great joy. but in the early days of their tumultuous relationship, back on the forgotten shore, it had been her who always prepared food for the cohort.


    smelling the delicious aroma now, sunny suddenly realized how much he had missed the taste of neph''s cooking.


    ''those legacy teachers are no joke...''


    she tilted her head a little and gave him a dubious look, sparks of amusement igniting in her eyes. s��ar?h the ��ov��lfire .net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "me? employed as a chef?"


    sunny raised an eyebrow and grinned.


    "why? the lord of shadow can work in the kitchen, but changing star can''t?"


    nephis remained silent for a few moments, then smiled subtly.


    "...maybe one day in the future. i am a bit preoccupied, for now."


    then, her smile slowly disappeared, and as her gaze explored sunny''s sprawled figure, her expression darkened.


    "but why are you on�� you''re wounded?"


    sunny coughed and hesitated for a few moments.


    "yes, i am a bit wounded. in fact, i am so wounded that i can''t even hold up a spoon��"


    hurrying her steps, nephis hastily descended from the stair and placed the tray on a display table.


    "hold on, i''ll heal you."


    sunny gave her a pitiful look.


    "or, you know�� you can hold me while you feed me��"


    her expression hardened.


    "i''ll heal you."


    as sunny chuckled, she knelt in front of him and placed her hands on his chest. soon, his pain receded, chased away by the warm wave of purifying flame.


    his battered body was healed, and even his hurt soul was soothed, repairing itself with much greater speed.


    this time, it took nephis much longer than usual to mend his wounds.


    eventually, though, she was done�� even if her complexion had become a little pale.


    knowing the price that it entailed, sunny disliked being healed by her quite a bit. but he was not immature enough to voice his reluctance.


    after all, seeing him wounded and suffering must have been just as painful for her as seeing her in agony was for him�� well, maybe a bit less so. in any case, it was a gift she gave freely and willingly, and he would not answer her grace with bitter words of regret.


    so, sunny just smiled and said with relief written clearly on his face:


    "thank you."


    nephis remained silent for a few moments, then answered in a slightly subdued tone:


    "if you are grateful, don''t get hurt so easily. i�� don''t like it when you get hurt."


    sunny let out a quiet laugh.


    "...it wasn''t easy to get hurt this badly, you know? in fact, i worked really hard to receive each wound."


    she gave him a reproachful look.


    "so, what happened?"


    he sat up, then glanced at the tray of food that remained forgotten on the table.


    "oh�� i went to the shadow realm, killed a dead god, became a titan, learned a few ancient secrets from a talkative corpse, and cut the throat of a shadow who had once been his companion."


    sunny smiled, then pointed to the food.


    "i''ll tell you everything in more detail, but�� can i eat, first? i''m sure i''ll enjoy the meal more while it''s still hot�� even if you refuse to feed me��"


    nephis blinked a couple of times.


    "sure. go ahead, if you wish."


    then, as sunny rose to pick up the tray, she suddenly spoke again:


    "wait. did you say that you killed a dead god?"


    fully concentrated on the alluring view of a meal prepared by nephis, sunny nodded absentmindedly.


    "yes. i was just a minor god, though! nothing to worry about��"

 Chapter 2136: Ritual

    "...and that was when i said goodbye to eurys and rushed back to where i had entered the shadow realm, to return here. for what it''s worth�� i think that scoundrel was happy to know that you are alright. despite the colorful words he used to describe you."nephis remained silent for a while, looking at sunny with wonder. she had asked him a few questions here and there during his tale, but mostly kept quiet and listened intently.


    a few moments later, she slowly shook her head.


    "he is from the time before the nightmare spell ruled the world. he would not know what nightmares are and how they function. so, he would not be able to guess that i received the attribute of [nephilim] after conquering the first nightmare�� he would simply think that i was born as one. nephilim were children of an unholy union between the divine and the profane, so for people of that era, they would be more abominable than even those who had been corrupted by the void."


    she shrugged.


    "so, don''t hold it against him."


    a moment later, a rare smile illuminated her face.


    "still. i am glad that he fulfilled his wish and reached the shadow realm. our time together was brief, but i enjoyed his company."


    sunny looked at her with curiosity.


    "does it matter, though? whether he is swallowed by the mist of the underworld or destroyed by the shadow realm, the result is more or less the same. more than that�� i think he was lying to me, from the start. didn''t he tell you once that there was not much time for him left after being taken off that tree? so, it might be that he simply invented the whole story about being cursed by shadow god."


    nephis contemplated his words, then shook her head slowly.


    "i think�� what he meant was that he would become mindless like the rest of the restless dead in the nightmare desert eventually, separated from the tree. and it does matter �� it matters for him, at least. think about it as a body being left for the elements or receiving a proper burial.for the ancient people, it was proper for the shadows of the dead to find peace in the shadow realm, so even if eurys was denied death, he would still want his final resting place to be in the realm of shadow god."


    she looked at sunny and smiled slightly.


    "it is better than the alternatives, in any case."


    then, nephis chuckled quietly.


    "but isn''t it strange, to be talking about the shadow realm as the mystical nature of death so matter-of-factly, as if they were not supposed to be myths?"


    sunny shrugged.


    "i guess? is it stranger than fighting a war on the rib cage of a continent-sized skeleton, though? or sailing through time inside a pyramid that remains far away no matter how long you travel in its direction? let''s be honest�� our lives are not and have never been quite normal."


    nephis nodded, then looked at him seriously.


    "so, the shadow realm�� are you the only one who can enter it? or can you take others with you?"


    sunny hesitated for a few moments.


    "i am not sure if i can take someone with me into the gate of shadow. however, i used my seventh incarnation to leave a tether �� as far away from the heartland as i could, since i fear the beings who dwell there. so, i can bring someone to the shadow realm from the waking world. that said�� i wouldn''t recommend going. it is too dangerous, and it is only useful for someone like me. even then, i am not planning on returning there any time soon."


    nephis sighed and nodded again.


    "that is probably wise."


    after that, her expression turned contemplative.


    eventually, she said quietly:


    "and act of defiance��" sea??h th�� n?velfire.n��t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    sunny remained silent, thinking about what eurys had said again.


    after some time, nephis frowned.


    "it makes sense, somehow. the essence of supremacy is not simply to have enough power to rule the world, but more so to have conviction powerful enough to make the world submit to your strength. to will it. and it seems that one has to prove the power of their conviction through an exceptional act�� a ritual, of sorts,or a sacrifice."


    sunny chuckled, amused by her words.


    "conviction�� funny you would use that word��"


    but he understood what she was trying to say. it was not that attaining supremacy demanded a particular ritual to be performed �� it was that any act that resulted in attaining supremacy would be a ritual bydefinition.


    he had never thought of thinking about it as a sacrifice, though. that was also an unusual choice of words.


    had azarax, the plague of steel, sacrificed his father to take his place?


    in that case, what was sunny supposed to sacrifice to complete the ritual?


    suddenly, he remembered an old story that nephis had told him once�� the story about a great hero named heracles whose divine self had become a god, while his mortal self had become a forlorn shadow wandering aimlessly in the darkness of the underworld�� the mythical version of the underworld, not the real world.


    he shivered, suddenly uncomfortable.


    eventually, sunny sighed.


    "in any case�� we are running out of time."


    nephis looked at him somberly, then nodded with a sigh.


    sunny really did not want to say what he was going to say next, but there was little choice.


    he took a deep breath.


    "anvil has already cleaved a path through the hollow of the first rib. once the sword army emerges from below and the lesser crossing stronghold falls, ki song would have no choice but to retreat. and when the base camp of the song army is surrounded�� it would be only a matter of days before the sovereigns clash. that is our deadline. do you think we will attain supremacy by then?"


    nephis hesitated for a while, then said evenly:


    "i can''t be sure of that."


    sunny nodded.


    "which means that we have to start asking ourselves a few difficult questions. and no matter what our answers are�� i think that we need to change the plan a little."


    he sighed.


    ''for better or worse...''

 Chapter 2137: A Blind Girl Walks Into a Bar

    Cassie was walking through the vast, abominable expanse of the monstrous jungle while keeping her hand on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer. A thousand scents assaulted her sensitive nose, and a thousand noises assaulted her ringing ears.The humid air stuck to her skin, making her feel dirty.


    She disliked the jungle a great deal.


    For someone like her, who lacked sight but made up for it �� somewhat �� with enhanced senses, the sprawling, swarming, slithering depths of Godgrave were a burden. There were no straight lines anywhere here, no predictable patterns, no orderly spaces�� no safety. Only chaos and appalling abundance, which threatened to overwhelm her.


    Her Awakened Ability was not omnipotent, either. She could navigate the world with a level of confidence in places both strange and familiar, or even on a battlefield �� at least for a while. But here, every step was a trial. There were bulging roots, thick vines, and old bones protruding from the ground. There were revolting spiderwebs, hanging branches, and swaying leaves��


    And those were merely the mundane obstacles. There were swarms of pests with fatal bite, pits of digestive acid hiding beneath thin layers of scarlet moss, rotting trees that reached for prey with vermilion tendrils and pulled living beings into dreadful maws, and countless other horrors as well.


    All in all, it was the worst possible place for a blind person to find themselves in�� and for her especially, it was no different from hell.


    But Cassie did find herself braving the depths of the abominable jungle, sent here by the order of the King of Swords. She remained silent and did not complain.


    At least she wasn''t alone.


    Two other Saints were accompanying her on this mission, both suited for it far better �� Cassie was able to navigate the jungle by borrowing their senses.


    One of them was Saint Helie,


    who moved a few steps ahead in her human form while clearing the underbrush with the sharp blade of her xiphos �� something that Cassie, to her embarrassment, was unable to do.


    It was not that she could not swing her weapon at the hanging vines and the bristling branches. It was just that the Quiet Dancer often failed to cut them �� not because the slender rapier was not sharp enough, but simply because the jungle surrounding them was too ancient and too potent, resisting the blade of a mere Awakened Echo�� even when it was augmented by a powerful Memory.


    Cassie sighed quietly. Even the weight of her armor felt unfamiliar �� she had spent most of the last few years away from combat, wearing elegant gowns and enchanted tunics in opulent halls instead of donning chainmail shirts and steel cuirasses on the battlefield. So, she had neglected her soul arsenal, never bothering to assemble a set of combat Memories worthy of a Saint.


    But one had to wear pants when entering the jungle. So, she was paying for her negligence now, feeling burdened by the armor.


    The third member of their group was none other than the amicable old Saint, Jest of Dagonet, who walked behind her while using his cane to swat away the branches. S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The three of them had been sent to scout the most distant and dangerous stretch of the Hollows �� the interior of the First Rib. The King had already passed here once, subduing the most dangerous Nightmare Creatures like a natural disaster, but there was still some work to be done before the soldiers establishing a secure route to the surface reached this finishing line.


    Additionally, this place belonged to neither the Sword Domain nor the Song Domain. It was no man''s land in the truest sense, making it the most perilous �� if something happened to the three Saints here, the King would not be able to help them. He might not even sense that deadly danger had befallen his champions.


    Cassie had other means of asking for help should something happen, of course. But Nephis was too far away, commanding the siege of the Greater Crossing�� the Lord of Shadows was far away, too, back at Vanishing Lake. It would take him some time to arrive if she called, but simply knowing that there was someone she could call made her feel better.


    Swatting a scarlet vine away with his cane, Saint Jest sighed behind her.


    Then, seemingly bored, he asked in a mischievous tone:


    "Her, lass�� Lady Cassia."


    Cassie turned her head slightly, like someone who could see would. These gestures were meaningless to her, but they mde others feel more at ease around her.


    "Yes, Saint Jest?"


    The old man smiled. She knew it because she was sharing his senses, and could feel his lips stretch.


    "...What did a blind girl say after walking into a bar?"


    Cassie blinked a couple of times... which went unnoticed due to her blindfold.


    ''No�� he wouldn''t. Would he?''


    She cleared her throat.


    "I am afraid I don''t know."


    The old man smiled wider and suppressed a laugh.


    "...Ouch."


    ''He did!''


    Cassie remained silent, not knowing how to react.


    Old Jest, meanwhile, let out a stifled laugh.


    "Ouch. Get it?"


    Cassie forced out a smile.


    "Oh��"


    Up ahead, Saint Helie let out a heavy sigh and looked down, covering her face with a palm.


    Jest stared at them for a few moments, then shook his head in dismay.


    "Ah. You girls are no fun!"


    Cassie briefly considered if his joke had been rude�� but even if it was, she secretly enjoyed it.


    Turning away to continue walking, she concentrated on the old man''s perspective.


    Saint Jest was indeed old �� older than most Awakened, at least, being a member of the First Generation. However, he was as healthy and hale as a man in his prime. His body brimmed with ferocious strength, tempered into a flawless tool of murder by decades of relentless training. He was more imposing than almost any Saint she had ever met, even, as far as physique went.


    His cane was just for show, as well. He did not have a limp, and all his bones were in stellar state.


    ��Which was a bit of a shame.


    Because Cassie was almost certain that Saint Jest was planning to kill her today.

 Chapter 2138: Cleaning House

    Cassie had lost the ability to perceive the future, so her suspicion was not based on any kind of prophetic vision. However, she was quite confident that the old man had resolved to end her life today.That was because even without knowing the future, and with her memory of past visions in disarray, she still retained her analytic mind and the ability to come to conclusions based on deductive reasoning.


    She also had a lot of unknowing spies supplying her with information, and therefore knew far more than she was supposed to.


    Take the current situation, for example��


    Nephis had joined the Great Clan Valor to destroy it from within, and spent many years enduring the hostility of its elders. Outwardly, nothing hinted at her deep hatred of the Sovereigns. Nothing revealed that she knew who had conspired to eliminate her father, and who sent countless assassins to kill her as a child.


    She seemed like a willful, but faultlessly loyal daughter of a Legacy clan who selflessly served her adoptive family despite not being treated that well by it.


    The King of Sword had no evidence to suspect her of contemplating treason.


    However��


    Anvil was no fool. He knew perfectly well whose daughter Nephis was, and what role he had played in the downfall of her family. Therefore, he would treat her with suspicion no matter what Nephis did or failed to do.


    He would also know that if she was going to betray him, she would do so during the final days of the war. Because, reasonably, the only way to betray a Sovereign was to help another Supreme destroy them.


    And people tended to adhere to reason�� even if the subject of their suspicion was someone entirely unreasonable.


    So, Cassie had anticipated the possibility that the enemy would move against them as the resolution of the war drew near.


    Then came the order to depart on the scouting mission in the depths of the First Rib Hollow �� the furthest and most remote part of the war theater.


    It was already strange that the King of Sword had isolated Nephis from Cassie and the Lord of Shadows by sending them both away from the Greater Crossing. It was even stranger that Cassie had been assigned to the frontline.


    Now, she was separated from Sunny, as well.


    That string of unlikely events was too improbable to be a mere coincidence. Added to everything she had learned from her marks��


    Cassie had become convinced that she was seen as a hindrance.


    The most damning evidence was the identity of the two Saints who accompanied her on the mission.


    One was the niece of a recently executed traitor.


    The other was the King''s executioner and hidden blade.


    There was something strange about it all, however. If Anvil really wanted to get rid of her, he would not have needed such a convoluted scheme. He had a thousand ways to make Cassie disappear without raising suspicion�� if he even deemed it necessary to avoid suspicion, to begin with.


    However, he had not. Which made Cassie believe that this scouting mission was Jest''s own initiative. Which meant that she was the only one in danger, while Nephis and Sunny were still safe.


    The way Jet behaved confirmed her suspicions, as well.


    He was very subtle about it �� in fact, he was almost flawlessly inconspicuous. The old man even seemed to have taken her Aspect into consideration, never betraying his true intentions even when no one was looking at him.


    However, there was a small detail of his behavior that he had overlooked�� a habit that all seasoned Awakened shared, and adhered to instinctively.


    In the Dream Realm, where untold horrors dwelled, truly dangerous beings could sense when someone was gazing at them. Therefore, Awakened never looked at dangerous prey directly before the moment of attack.


    Similarly, while seeing the world through Jest''s eyes, Cassie noticed that he always kept her in the periphery of his vision, but never stared directly at her back.


    Then, there was Helie.


    One would assume that if Jest truly wanted to kill Cassie, he would have arranged for the two of them to go on a mission alone, to eliminate her without witnesses.


    But that assumption was only reasonable if one did not know the details of Jest''s Aspect�� which very few people in the world did, to be fair.


    But all Cassie had to do to learn the truth was face him once.


    Saint Jest�� was an insidious being.


    His Dormant Ability could be either extremely powerful or completely useless, depending on the circumstances �� he could intensify the emotions of a target, making them burn much hotter in their chest. Joy, mirth, affection, satisfaction�� fear, hatred, sorrow, anger. All those and more were within his power to enhance.


    His Awakened Ability was more obviously practical, allowing Jest to provoke anyone, or anything, into attacking him due to suffocating wrath. It was a powerful Ability that manipulated one''s mind. It also benefitted greatly from his Dormant power�� but it only truly shined when there was someone else there to take advantage of the enemy blindly attacking the wily old man. sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, it was Jest''s Ascended Ability that made him so insidious.


    His Ascended Ability�� allowed the old man to switch the subject of a target''s emotion.


    In other words, he could provoke the feeling of uncontrollable fury directed at himself, and then transfer that fury to someone else �� thus manipulating his victim into attacking anyone he wanted. At the same time, he could transfer the feelings of affection or protectiveness that comrades and companions naturally felt toward each other to himself, thus making them want to defend him.


    So, while Saint Jest was undoubtedly powerful and insidiously lethal, having slaughtered countless powerful foes throughout his long and bloody life, his Aspect


    worked best when there were at least two enemies facing him.


    Which was why he had brought Helie, whose loyalty was under scrutiny, on this mission as well.


    To use her as a tool against Cassie, and get rid of them both to clean the house.


    Taking another step, Cassie tripped on a protruding root and almost fell.


    Righting herself, she sighed deeply.


    No, truly�� he disliked the jungle so much.


    She detested it.


    Did she really need to keep enduring this vile place just to be killed?


    Shaking her head, Cassie suddenly stopped and turned her head slightly, as if looking at the old man over her shoulder.


    Then, she asked in a calm tone:


    "Tell me, Saint Jest�� is this far enough?"

 Chapter 2139: Bad Timing

    Cassie asked the question in a calm and composed tone, and yet, the air suddenly seemed infused with subtle tension. Perhaps it was due to the fact that she had stopped walking without giving a reason, or because Jest did not hurry with an answer.Helie turned around and glanced at them with a look of confusion. Wet strands of her flaxen hair were sticking to her exquisitely beautiful face, so she sighed and lowered her sword to brush it back.


    The old man leaned on his cane and studied Cassie with a wry expression. Then, he chuckled quietly.


    "Oh, goodness me�� I guess I''m not as slick as I thoughtI was."


    With that, Jest sighed and shook his head in dejection.


    "Comedy is all about timing, you know? That is why I just can''t stand diviners. Most of them lack basic decency, if you ask me. People should have at least some tact, right? Who goes around learning the punchline before I even deliver the joke? That''s just mean."


    He stretched his neck languidly.


    "In any case�� dealing with seers is such a hassle. I should have known that you''d ruin all the fun, really. My bad! It''s just that your lot has grown toothless in the last few years. So, I grew a bit complacent."


    Cassie remained motionless, keeping her hand on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer.


    "If it''s any consolation��"


    She paused for a moment, then smiled coldly.


    "...You were never funny, to begin with."


    Jest''s eyes widened, and he looked at her with an appalled expression.


    "Hey, now! There''s no reason to get nasty!"


    Helie interrupted them, her tone full of confusion:


    "What the hell are you two talking about?"


    Cassie took a deep breath. She was facing Jest, while Helie was standing behind her. Of course, it did not matter much because she was looking at herself through the eyes of both�� still, there were limitations to human anatomy. Even if she was aware of what was happening behind her, her joints could not bend backwards. So, she was more vulnerable to attacks aimed at her back.


    Still calm,Cassie kept facing Jest as she answered:


    "We are discussing how Saint Jest intends to kill us both on this mission."


    She paused for a moment, then smiled.


    "...Oh, as well as his lack of comedic talent."


    The old man scoffed.


    "Lack of talent? It''s not that I lack talent! It''s that you dull people lack the capacity to appreciate it!"


    Saint Helie looked at him, her eyes widening a little. Eventually, she asked in disbelief:


    "That is what you are refuting? Not the fact that you were planning to kill me and Lady Cassia?"


    Jest coughed in embarrassment.


    "No, no�� don''t let her deceive you. She is completely wrong!"


    Pausing for a moment, the old man flashed them a smile and added:


    "I mean, I was only really planning to kill Song of the Fallen. As for you, Helie, I planned to see how it goes first. Who knows? I might even spare you, depending on what you do!"


    Hearing that, Saint Helie frowned and studied him somberly, not saying anything else.


    She did not seem that surprised by the sudden revelation �� not surprised enough to ask for the reason, at least.


    She must have known that after Master Orum was executed as a traitor, her entire clan would come under suspicion and remain on thin ice for a while. Before, Saints had been too precious to waste their lives �� that was why Tyris of White Feather had only been exiled to Antarctica for killing a Transcendent retainer of Clan Valor, Cormac.


    But now, there were far more Saints walking the world, and there was a war raging as well. Keeping potential traitors around could cost the King of Swords more than it was worth.


    After a few moments of silence, Helie finally spoke.


    "You know, that''s the funniest thing you''ve said yet." S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The old man looked at her with reproach and mumbled in a muffled voice:


    "What''s up with young''uns these days? It''s like they don''t respect their elders at all��"


    Cassie remained silent for a moment, then spoke in a measured tone.


    "I doubt that the King ordered you to eliminate me, though.You led us here entirely on your own initiative, didn''t you?"


    Jest studied her silently for a few moments, then shrugged.


    "So what if I did?"


    She frowned.


    "Aren''t you afraid of the consequences of going against the King''s will?"


    The old man smiled sheepishly.


    "Oh. Well�� I guess he''ll be quite angry, won''t he? But you know what they say! It''s better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. He''ll thank me in the end."


    Cassie shook her head.


    "Is that what you call loyalty, Saint Jest? Aren''t you acting too arrogant, assuming that you know what is good for the King better than he knows himself? That, too, is a form of treachery."


    Jest simply laughed.


    His laugh, however, ended abruptly a few moments later, and he looked at her with cold contempt.


    "What do you even know about loyalty, girl? What do you even know about the King?"


    He raised his cane and placed it on his shoulder, glaring at her with a dark expression on his weathered face.


    "That boy, Anvil�� I knew him from the day he was born. I watched him grow, mature, and turn into the fearless ruler he is today. That is why I know what he is capable of better than anyone�� but I know what his flaws are better than anyone, too. He is too fearless, in fact. He fears nothing because he values nothing �� not even his own life. So, someone has to value it for him, you know?"


    Jest smiled.


    "The King is not afraid of you, Song of the Fallen, but I am. I might not know what exactly you are scheming, but I can smell a snake when I see one. So, to protect him from your venom, I am going to cut off your head before you can bite."


    With that, he looked at Helie and asked in a cold tone:


    "So, what is going to be, Helie? Are you going to prove your loyalty by helping me kill her? Or are you going to force me into making you help me kill her? The latter will mean you''ll have to die as well, of course. You decide."


    As Cassie took a deep breath, Saint Helie hesitated.

 Chapter 2140: Terrible Offer

    Helie remained silent for a few moments, then asked in an incredulous tone:"What, that''s it?"


    Raising her xiphos to scratch her forehead with its sharp tip, the beautiful Saint shook her head in bewilderment.


    "You lured us into an ambush without the order from the King, and your only reason for doing that is that, according to you, Lady Cassia�� smells like a snake? Do you have any proof that she is planning to betray the Sword Domain? Any witnesses? Anything at all?"


    The old man chuckled.


    "Orum must have told you who I am, and what I do�� no? It is true that the three of us are here because I acted on my own. However, you should know that in my line of work, the King allows me quite a bit of leeway and discretion."


    Saint Helie shook her head.


    "Still��"


    But before she could continue, Cassie suddenly interrupted her.


    "Actually, it''s true."


    Both Jest and Helie looked at her in surprise, prompting Cassie to smile.


    She shrugged with a nonchalant expression.


    "Saint Jest is right. I have, indeed, been planning to betray the Sword Domain. More than that, I have been planning to kill the King and replace him. I have been very busy planning this treachery, in fact. So much so that my plans are very close to fruition."


    The old man looked at her with wide eyes and let out a disbelieving laugh.


    "Wow! What a�� flagrant display of duplicity. Have you no shame, lass? And why are you confessing all of a sudden?"


    Cassie''s smile remained unperturbed.


    Turning her head, she addressed Saint Helie in a calm tone:


    "So, Saint Helie�� why don''t you switch sides and help me kill this old fool, instead? Or you can listen to him and try killing me. The latter will mean�� that you might have to listen to his jokes until the day you die, of course."


    The beautiful Saint blinked, while Jest exploded with laughter.


    "Hey, hey! My jokes are top-notch! Why are you threatening her with something so wonderful?"


    Then, noticing Helie''s expression, he raised an eyebrow.


    "Hold on,Helie�� you aren''t considering her offer seriously, are you?"


    But she simply kept silent, looking between him and Cassie with a ponderous expression.


    Eventually, she asked:


    "Not that it''s remotely possible�� but who are you going to place on the throne instead of Anvil? Actually, don''t say it. I guess the answer is obvious, in hindsight."


    Jest stared at her in bewilderment.


    "You can''t be serious. Really? Is this about that old fool, Orum? Listen�� I liked him as much as the next guy, but Orum had made his own choice. No one forced him to betray Valor."


    All warmth drained from Helie''s gaze, and she looked at the old man darkly.


    "No one forced Valor to execute him, either. How much harm could he have done after being discovered? Considering all that he has done for the Clan Valor and humanity at large, you could have let him live."


    Jest scoffed.


    "Goodness gracious, so filial. Fine then! Let''s say that you really cared about your uncle Orum, but aren''t your dismay a bit misplaced? Sure, it was the King''s sword that ended his life�� but it was this girl Cassia here who had callously interrogated him and sealed his fate! Both sides are complicit in his death, so why are you treating her better than me?"


    Saint Helie stared at her sword for a few moments, then glanced at him with a dark smile.


    "Maybe it''s because of that last argument. You know, about not having to listen to your jokes anymore. That is an objective benefit, at least."


    Jet''s jaw hung open.


    "What? What�� is this nonsense? Are you really siding with the seer and her friend from the Immortal Flame? What can she even do? What can she promise you? The only thing she''s capable of is shifting the odds in Ki Song''s favor, and do you really think that the Queen of Worms is any better?"


    He looked at Cassie.


    "Go on, try to promise her assurances with a straight face. That''ll be a hoot."


    Cassie did not look away from the old man, but addressed the Saint who was standing behind her:


    "I can''t promise any assurances.However, if you decide to help me��" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before he could finish however, Helie said calmly:


    "Okay. Let''s do it."


    Both Cassie and Jest were given a pause.


    She had hoped that Helie would agree, of course �� actually, she knew that Helie would agree due to hearing these exact words a few moments before due to her Awakened Ability.


    But still. Should Helie not have considered her choice more thoroughly?


    Jest coughed.


    "Well, that''s�� whatever, I guess. It doesn''t really change what will happen next that much. But I must admit that I am curious�� why?"


    Saint Helie massaged her shoulder, as if preparing for battle, and then answered evenly:


    "I guess it''s because I believe in Changing Star."


    The old man stared at her incredulously.


    "You believe in Changing Star?"


    The beautiful Saint nodded.


    "To be honest, these days it feels like the world has gone mad, and she''s the only one who is still sane. I''m not the only one who feels that way, either. Honestly, both of your offers are terrible, so I''ll choose the one that at least lets me hope that everything will be alright, somehow."


    Then, she smiled.


    "Oh�� and I also don''t want to end up fighting the Lord of Shadows. That guy creeps me out."


    Cassie remained silent for a moment, even if she very much wanted to retort��


    ''But she''s the maddest of them all!''


    Which was a virtue, of course, considering the world they were living in.


    Still, if Helie was inspired to feel hope, she was not going to take that away from her.


    Unsheathing the Quiet Dancer, Cassie turned her head to face Saint Jest and slowly raised an arm.


    "Let us not waste time, then. Any last words?"


    The old man looked at her somberly.


    Then, he grinned.


    "What do you call a blind girl who walked into a bar?"


    Cassie grasped her blindfold and pulled it down, revealing her beautiful blue eyes.


    Saint Jest took a step forward, his grin turning dark and sinister.


    "...An ambulance!"


    With that, everything exploded into madness.

 Chapter 2141: The good, the Bad and the Centaur

    Lost in the depths of a Death Zone and facing one of the most prolific killers of the Legacy regime, Cassie remained calm.Why would she feel agitated?


    Yes, Saint Jest was powerful. And she had indeed been lured here to be slaughtered �� the old man was a deadly predator, while Cassie was his hapless prey.


    Or so it seemed.


    In truth, she was a predator herself. It wasn''t just Jest who had wanted to lure Cassie away from her allies �� she had wanted to get him alone and away from the King of Swords for the longest time, too.


    After all, the old man was her target. He knew a great deal of secrets, and Cassie wanted�� needed�� to learn what he knew.


    So, she had followed him into the jungle willingly.


    Saint Jest was here to deal with her, while she was here to deal with him. The only unfortunate person among them was Helie, who had gotten entangled in their secretive clash against her will.


    But Cassie could not do anything about that, at the moment. The best she could do was try to keep Helie alive until Jest was defeated.


    Of course�� it wasn''t entirely clear if they could defeat him.


    As Jest took a step forward, Cassie experienced the strangest sensation.


    She was currently perceiving the world from three points of view �� her own, the old man''s, and Helie''s. Additionally, each of these perspectives was split into two, one corresponding to the present, the other to a point several moments in the future.


    The connections to the rest of her marks were temporarily deactivated in order to conserve soul essence.


    In the present, Cassie was preparing to deflect Jest''s first attack. But in the future��


    Her body was behaving strangely. There was a odd and sickening sensation settled somewhere in the pit of her stomach, and her limbs were trembling. Her pupils were dilated, and cold sweat was rolling down her back. She was slow and sluggish, failing to react to the enemy''s movements in time.


    ''How curious.''


    Cassie could perceive what her body would feel in the near future as far as its four remaining senses were concerned: touch, smell, taste, and hearing. The same went for more mystical senses, like the ability to feel the flow of soul essence. However, she could not perceive her future thoughts and emotions.


    That was why she often felt lost when sensing the physical effects of future powerful emotions. It was like learning the answer without knowing the question�� in the case of her strange state in the near future, though, the cause was easy to deduce.


    Cassie would be imminently weakened by an overwhelming fear.


    She was not too afraid, though. Of course, she felt tense and apprehensive about facing the infamous butcher of Valor, Saint Jest, in combat�� but even if there was a slither of fear hiding deep in her heart, it was small and miniscule. Not at all powerful enough to be debilitating.


    But that was the nature of the enemy.


    As Cassie started to take a step back, she felt it�� S��ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her small fear suddenly surged like flame, uncontrollable, enveloping her entire being and turning into primal terror.


    "Ah��"


    Her legs trembled. Her eyes opened wide. Her heart shuddered like a wounded animal, and a terrified scream died somewhere in her throat, with only a weak squeal escaping from between her lips.


    Even knowing that it was merely the effect of the old man''s Dormant Ability, which allowed him to intensify emotions, Cassie could not suppress the fear that grasped her limbs like a heavy chain.


    Therefore, she was a moment too late to deflect Jest''s blow.


    His cane fell from above, whistling as it tore the air, aiming to crack her skull open �� only to collide with Quiet Dancer, who put herself between Cassie''s head and the enemy''s weapon on her own.


    Echoes, after all, knew neither thoughts nor emotions. Therefore, her loyal rapier was utterly fearless.


    It was too weak to resist the power of a Transcendent killer, though. The wooden cane easily batted the Quiet Dancer aside, sending her flying far away�� the collision slowed the cane down a little, though, just enough to let Cassie dash back.


    Creating some distance between her and Jest, she froze for a moment.


    The old man looked at her with a smile.


    "How interesting. Few people have ever managed to dodge my attack, you know?"


    He was indeed fast enough to startle even a Saint, striking without a hint of doubt or hesitation. If Cassie had not perceived the attack in advance, she would not have had time to react and give the Quiet Dancer a command.


    Taking a deep breath, Cassie considered Jest somberly.


    With her left hand, she unsheathed a long parrying dagger and put it between herself and the old man. The dagger was a Transcendent Memory of the Third Tier, and usually served as a partner to Quiet Dancer.


    At the same time, she deactivated the charm that hung on a silver chain around her neck. This one was a Memory forged by one of the Spellsmiths of Valor, and its function was to bestow a powerful augmentation on an Echo. The charm had been a potent tool when she was a Master�� but after becoming a Saint, Cassie quickly started to feel that it was lacking.


    So, she had endeavored to make it stronger. In the end, the King of Swords himself had reforged it as a reward for her service, turning the charm into a Transcendent Memory �� and a very powerful one, at that. It was the reason why the Quiet Dancer had been able to keep up with the demands of the battlefield so far.


    But no matter how Cassie loved the Quiet Dancer, she knew that her rapier would not be able to contend against Saint Jest. And as one of her two most powerful Memories, the forged charm consumed a lot of essence. There was no justification to waste any, right now.


    After all, Cassie only possessed one soul core �� unlike Nephis and Sunny. She had to be conservative when managing her essence in a dire battle.


    So she activated the enchantment of her most powerful Memory, instead.


    It was another charm, which she had received in the Third Nightmare from Nephis�� a Supreme Memory of unknown origin that could improve the material properties of other objects, making weapons sharper and armor more durable.


    Only, this time, she did not use it on the Quiet Dancer. Instead, she augmented her dagger, making it even sharper and more durable than it had been already.


    At the same time, Cassie activated the enchantment of a simple ring that adorned one of her fingers. With that, her mental resistance was boosted, and the terror strangling her heart grew a little less suffocating.


    Glancing at Helie, Cassie forced out a smile.


    "Be wary."


    In the next moment, she lunged forward and tried to sink her dagger into Helie''s heart.

 Chapter 2142: Three Flawed Foes

    ''W��what?''Even as Cassie delivered the attack, she felt that something was wrong. But she could not understand what...


    It was so strange.


    A few moments ago, she clearly perceived attacking the loathsome enemy. She had even noted how sharp her movements would be, and how determined her attack was going to feel. As if her entire being was consumed by the burning resolve to defeat her foe.


    Naturally, she knew that her enemy was Jest.


    But then, when the future she had perceived finally arrived��


    Suddenly, she felt consumed by incinerating wrath, feeling like she had to kill the enemy at all costs. Even knowing that she was being taunted by the old man''s Awakened Ability, Cassie nevertheless lunged at the odious, hateful figure in front of her.


    Only that figure was not Saint Jest �� the old man whom she had to protect and keep alive until the battle was over. Of course, it was the woman with beautiful features and long flaxen hair, Saint Helie, whom she hated with all her heart.


    She almost managed to pierce Helie''s heart when the beautiful Saint staggered back, deflecting the blow with the blade of her xiphos.


    "Cassia! What the��"


    ''I''m being influenced.''


    Of course, she was.


    Cassie froze for a moment, suddenly troubled.


    It was at that moment that her wrath was replaced by disorientation and confusion, while Helie''s eyes ignited with scathing loathing.


    The old man wasn''t just watching them fight, either. He was already drawing close, his wooden cane raised to deliver a fatal blow.


    The cane was going to plummet, aimed at her head.


    Helie''s xiphos, meanwhile, would shoot toward her heart.


    More than that, Cassie could not quite determine where Jest was anymore, because she suddenly became half-blind. One of the two points of view through which she gazed upon the world had gone dark.


    She could still see what Helie could see, and feel what Helie felt. But while she could sense through Jest, she could not see what he saw�� for some reason.


    Well, it was easy to explain. The old man must have simply closed his eyes.


    She was in danger.


    She was going to die.


    Luckily, danger and death were still a few moments away, because she was perceiving what would happen shortly in the future.


    So, Cassie moved.


    Turning her body, she allowed for the xiphos to slide past her body without ever touching it. At the same time, she raised her arm and caught the falling cane with the crossguard of her parrying dagger, twisting it into a collision with Helie''s sword and stepping back to disengage at the same time. ?????��????


    The force of the impact sent a painful shudder through her body and made her bones groan in protest.


    ''Just�� how strong is he?''


    And why was Jest attacking her? Weren''t they allies?!


    Np, they... they were, weren''t they? She had to... make sure that he survived the fight...


    In the next few moments, both Helie and the old man unleashed a barrage of attacks on Cassie. Both were powerful Saints and masters of combat, but despite that, she managed to avoid their blows. Her technique was elegant and precise, but more than that, it was eerily graceful.


    Physically, Cassie was clearly weaker than both of her opponents. And yet, she moved as if anticipating their every move, seemingly reacting to attacks before they even thought of delivering them. She dodged and evaded some, often missing the enemy weapons only by a few millimeters, while deflecting others with her dagger in a way that dissipated and redirected most of the force.


    There were also the bracelets she wore on her wrists. One seemed to be capable of enhancing the strength of her own attacks, while the other was a protective charm, creating a small repelling field in front of her hand from time to time. That bracelet saved her from a few blows that the dagger had failed to stop.


    But each time she used it, some of her essence was burned.


    Cassie only seemed to attack Helie, defending herself against Jest while showing stubborn determination to keep him alive. Helie, meanwhile, was too overcome with mad wrath to attack anyone except the blind seer, so the old man remained completely unscathed.


    A few dreadful moments later, the three Saints jumped away from each other, pausing briefly to reevaluate their enemies.


    Cassie was breathing heavily, and blood was seeping from a thin cut on her cheek. She faced Jest and Helie, visibly confused, her breathtaking beauty accentuated by the glimmers of light shining in her enchanting, unseeing blue eyes.


    The old man shook his head in dejection and furtively opened one of his own eyes to take a look around.


    "Ah�� it seems that this one will be troublesome. I really should have known! You always remained so quiet, so subservient, so unassuming�� to the point that it was often hard to remember that you even exist, lass. Who knew that you were such a fiend with a blade? Ha! Consider me fooled."


    He shook his head and glanced at Helie.


    "And what''s up with you? Use your Aspect, foolish girl!"


    The beautiful Saint ground her teeth.


    "I�� can''t��"


    The old man raised an eyebrow.


    "Huh? What''s that? Surely, you are not low on essence?"


    Helie grimaced.


    "No�� I can''t use it�� unless my emotions are in check!"


    Jest frowned, then suddenly exploded with laughter.


    "What? Wait�� is that your Flaw? You can''t use your powers unless you''re calm? Well, that will make things easier, at the end." sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Helie simply threw a dark glance at him, struggling to contain her fury.


    Her lips twisted in contempt.


    "What are you doing yourself, old man? Summon a damn Memory! She will kill us both if this goes on!"


    Jest hesitated for a moment, then smiled.


    "Well, since neither of you are coming back from this hike, I guess I''ll tell you a secret. Actually, I too have a regrettable Flaw. I can''t use enchanted items. Therefore, I don''t even possess a single Memory. What, did you think I was walking around with this cane for fun?"


    He snorted.


    "It was carved from nearly indestructible wood, of course. And it''s really dapper�� but I don''t really fight with it often. In truth, I prefer to kill my victims with bare hands. It''s much more enjoyable that way."


    Noticing that both Cassie and Helie were looking at him strangely, Jest raised an eyebrow.


    "What?"


    Cassie, who had been trying to catch her breath and subdue the tremors running through her hands, answered quietly:


    "No�� it''s just surprising. Everyone assumed that your Flaw has to do with a terrible sense of humor."


    Jest stared at her for a few moments, then gave her a sinister smile.


    "What nonsense is that? You rude child�� hey, Helie! Don''t worry about this one. She might seem dangerous, but that is only because she is a cheater. Seers are like that �� they are indeed difficult to handle, but there''s a simple trick to dealing with them. We just have to exhaust her essence. Once she loses the power of her Aspect and becomes defenseless, I''ll snap her neck and rip off her pretty head, no problem. That''ll be quite funny, don''t


    you think?!"


    Staring at her darkly, the old man grinned.


    "Let''s get serious, them."


    With that, he dropped his cane. His body twisted, starting to transform.


    Suddenly, Cassie was overcome with fear once again �� this one her own, not summoned by the power of an enemy Aspect.


    She smiled tiredly.


    "Too late, old man. I figured you out."


    At that moment, without making any noise, the Quiet Dancer finally returned, shooting from the dense canopy of the jungle at stunning speed.


    It was aimed at Helie''s back��


    But just a moment before piercing her flesh, the graceful rapier pivoted in the air, and streaked toward Saint Jest instead.

 Chapter 2143 Thoughts and Emotions

    ?Chapter 2143 Thoughts and EmotionsCassie moved.


    The Quiet Dancer flashed past Helic, her narrow tip aimed at the old man''s heart. However, a split second later, when the graceful rapier pierced the red fabric of his dapper shirt... it came to a sudden halt, its hilt quivering in the humid air.


    The narrow tip had barely cut Jest''s skin, drawing a few drops of blood, but failed to plunge deeper. His muscles were like steel, resisting the sharpness of the Awakened blade with transcendent resilience.


    The gallant old man was nowhere to be seen, either.


    Instead, a towering abomination stood in his place, looking down at Cassie with chilling malevolence. The creature was vaguely humanoid in shape, with a muscular human torso and furry goat-like legs. Its face was a disturbing mix of human and bestial features, with two curved horns protruding from its grotesque head.


    The most eerie part was that Cassic could still recognize Jest''s features in the bestial face, and see her own distorted figure reflecting in his sinister rectangular pupils.


    She did not know whether his Transcendent form was supposed to be a devil or a satyr... in any case, he looked like a fiend.


    As a vicious grin twisted the fiend''s lips and his clover hooves dug into the scarlet


    moss...


    Cassie grasped the hilt of the Quiet Dancer, augmented the slender rapier with the power of her Supreme charm, and pushed the narrow blade deeper with all her Transcendent strength.


    "Ho..."


    A low, inhuman laugh escaped from Jest''s mouth. Now almost twice as tall as Cassic, he easily batted the slender rapier away with his clawed hand and thrust the other one forward, aiming to grab her head and crush it in his fist.


    Even knowing what was coming, she barely had time to jump away.


    Jest looked down, at the thin stream of blood trickling from the small cut on his chest, and grinned.


    His unnaturally deep, dark voice sent shivers running down Cassie''s back.


    "That tickles a little. Still... you should be proud of yourself, little girl. You made me bleed. Few ever managed."


    He crouched, preparing to lunge forward.


    "How did you even manage to attack me, anyway?"


    Cassie did not waste time responding - but actually, it was simple.


    Jest''s insidious Aspect allowed him to play with his victim''s emotions, manipulating living beings like obedient puppets, but its very power was also its weakness. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because while people were usually hostages of their feelings, they also possessed the capacity for rational thought. Most of the old man''s enemies did not know what his powers were, and therefore lacked the ability to understand how they were manipulated.


    But Cassie was different.


    Knowledge was a heavy burden, but it was also the origin of power - and in that sense, she wielded more power than most. She knew exactly what Jest was capable of, and so, she knew not to trust her emotions when facing him.


    Of course, there was a vast difference between knowing not to trust one''s feelings and actually being able to disregard them. After all, the crippling fear he had induced in her did not disappear simply because she realized its artificial source.


    Currently, Cassie felt two powerful emotions.


    A scathing hatred and fear of Helie, whom she wanted to kill with an almost uncontrollable intensity, and a good measure of trust and favor toward Jest, whom she wanted to keep alive with all her heart.


    But she also knew that these feelings were supposed to be reversed.


    The powerful emotions ruling her heart were clashing with the rational thoughts borne of her mind, which left her torn and dazed. Even knowing better, she could not help but want Helie dead - want it more than she wanted anything else, to the point that the very idea of failing to kill Helie made her tremble in rage. So...


    Cassie ignored her emotions.


    It wasn''t that hard to do, really at least for her. In truth, Cassie had long learned to build a wall between herself and what she felt. Otherwise, it would have been too easy to lose herself in the endless lives she experienced through her marks, countless foreign memories she saw, and all the fleeting versions of the future she felt.


    She knew so much, and she had experienced so much. Every time she stepped on the battlefield, she had to die a thousand times in order to survive once. Every time she experienced the vibrant beauty of the world through someone else''s eyes, she was tempted to abandon the dark confines of her own bleak existence forever.


    ...If anything, it was hard not to allow herself to grow unfeeling and numb.


    Jest seemed surprised that Cassic had managed to shake off his compulsion, but in reality, she had not.


    She simply steeled her heart and willed herself into following cold logic instead of her fleeting and unreliable emotions.


    So, Cassie resolved to kill the one whom she wanted to protect, and save the one


    whom she wanted to kill.


    That was how she was able to attack Jest instead of Ielie.


    Sadly... that did not mean that she would immediately win the battle.


    Far from that, in fact.


    "Ah!"


    Cassie dashed back, parrying Helie''s attack with her dagger, and was a split second too slow to evade Jest''s claws. They tore through her armor and left deep cuts on her side, hot blood streaming down her thigh.


    She had known when and where the attack would come from. But she was still too slow to avoid it because the goat-like abomination was simply too fast and ferocious, moving so swiftly that there was no possible future where she had avoided both


    blows.


    Raising the bloodied claws to his bestial face, Jest smiled.


    "Well... so what if you can attack me? There are still two of us, and only one of you. How much essence do you have left, lass? Why don''t you just give up this tired routine


    and accept your fate?"


    As Cassie heard these words, her expression suddenly froze, and an eerie presence suddenly enveloped the jungle, making the old man frown for a moment.


    Her lips moved, and a quiet question escaped from them.


    "Accept... fate?"


    Cassie''s unseeing eyes suddenly ignited with dangerous light.


    Lowering her head slightly, she gritted her teeth and then smiled wickedly.


    "Why do you insist on constantly running your mouth, old man? Just die quietly!" Snarling, she pushed herself forward.

 Chapter 2144 Look Into the Eyes of Monsters

    ?Chapter 2144 Look Into the Eyes of MonstersThe battle had turned more ferocious after Jest assumed his Transcendent form and Cassie reclaimed the Quiet Dancer. Before, the three Saints had merely been testing each other''s power - now, they grew serious about killing each other.


    The ancient jungle was shaken by the fierce clash of the three Transcendent humans. A swath of it was devastated entirely, with dozens of trees being cut, splintered, and toppled by the dire forces unleashed by each of the fighters.


    Jest was like a demon that had crawled out of the deepest reaches of a dark hell, moving with both the bestial might and the cold, calculated malice of an experienced killer. Helie was consumed by intoxicating wrath, allowing her honed martial


    excellence to turn into a violent, destructive calamity.


    Cassie remained calm and composed, facing them both with the grace and measured precision of a talented swordsman trained by Changing Star herself. But there was now a ruthless coldness and scathing killing intent in her movements now, too.


    But despite that...


    She was still slowly losing ground. Jest had no problems with using Helie as a living shield to protect himself against her biting attacks, and while Cassie wanted nothing more than to kill her, she had to hold herself back.


    She barely managed to keep herself alive in the furious whirlwind of deadly attacks. Jest''s malice and Helie''s wrath left bloody marks on her body, but they weren''t able to bring her down... at least not yet.


    Despite that, the situation did not look good.


    It seemed desperate, in fact.


    Eventually, Cassie managed to send Helie staggering by bashing her in the head with the pommel of her dagger. The beautiful Saint swayed and fell to one knee, her flaxen hair soaked with blood. She raised one hand and pressed it against her temple, dazed, then tried to stand up - only to fall once again, opening herself to a fatal blow.


    Cassie had to use all of her self-control to stay her hand.


    By then, her armor was broken and battered, and a dozen shallow wounds covered her body. Her breath was hoarse and labored, too, with sweat rolling down her pale face. She activated the enchantment of her protective bracelet to block a devastating swipe of Jest''s clawed hand and was sent reeling by the recoil, a quiet groan escaping from her lips.


    "Didn''t you make a mistake, lass?"


    Jest''s inhuman voice was full of mockery.


    Indeed, she had.


    Removing Helie from the battle might have been a boon, since it only left one enemy for Cassie to deal with the one whom she really needed to defeat.


    However...


    With the cunning old man still keeping his eyes closed, Helie was the only source of sight for her. Now that the beautiful Saint was dazed and disoriented, her vision blurred and painted red by flowing blood, Cassie was once again fully and utterly blind.


    "You know how it goes... one mistake is all it takes..."


    Jest''s inhuman voice was so deep that it was hard to determine which direction it was coming from. She could still perceive his other four senses, so she could guess in which direction he was moving - but that was hardly enough to survive.


    Even her foresight did not guarantee salvation, since the horned fiend was strong and swift enough to be inescapable.


    Backing away with a frightened expression on her exquisitely beautiful face, Cassic raised her weapons and prepared to defend herself.


    "Too late!"


    She felt the air moving as something massive and murderous lunged at her... from the different direction from where the shout had come from a moment earlier.


    Cassie stumbled and fell, barely avoiding one of Jest''s hands.


    But she was not saved...


    On the contrary, she was cornered.


    It was at that moment, when the terrible creature reached forward to rip her apart, that Cassie deactivated her Supreme charm and poured her essence into the Transcendent Memory meant to augment her Echo, instead.


    However, she was not augmenting the Quiet Dancer.


    ''Got you.''


    In the last moment, Jest seemed to notice that instead of looking terrified, Cassie had a subtle smile playing on her soft lips. But with the enemy wounded and defenseless in front of him, he had allowed himself to get consumed by the thrill of the hunt. He had committed to the attack too much, and therefore, failed to react in time.


    So, he had no choice but to finish it....


    But he never got the chance.


    Because just then, a terrifyingly strong tentacle wrapped itself around his neck, squeezing it cruelly.


    Jest''s momentum was broken, and his claws swiped the air in front of Cassie''s neck Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Before he could resist, more tentacles wrapped themselves around his arms and legs, binding him like slippery chains.


    ''W-what... what the hell...''


    If Jest could turn his head, he would have seen that the dark tentacles were stretching from beneath a beautiful red dress covering a delicate, deceptively human figure. Her face was hidden behind a veil, and her silhouette was eerily similar to Song of the


    Fallen.


    It was the Echo of Torment, whom Cassie had hidden in the Hollows in advance.


    And Echoes had neither thoughts nor emotions... nothing for Jest to manipulate in order to turn them into his puppets.


    His inhuman pupils moved.


    Then, augmented by the power of the charm, the Transcendent Echo pushed Jest to his knees. And at the same time, Cassie rose from hers, wiping blood off her face.


    Now that he was kneeling and she was standing, their eyes were on the same level.


    Looking at Jest, Cassie smiled coldly.


    "Did you... say that you were going to rip the head off my shoulders?"


    Being strangled by the tentacles, Jest tried to smile.


    "That... come on now, lass! That was just an innocent joke... a figure of speech, at


    best..."


    She did not seem to find it funny, though. The cold smile disappeared from her face,


    replaced by something dark and ruthless.


    Cassie took a deep breath.


    "...Look me into the eyes and say it again, then."


    At that moment, her eyes changed.


    Looking at them, Jest reeled back, as if witnessing something that terrified him to the


    deepest, darkest corners of his bloodstained soul.


    But it was already too late.


    The was no escape.

 Chapter 2145: Broken Door

    As the goat-like abomination''s expression grew slack, and its monstrously strong hands fell, Cassie took a deep breath.She had to, because while Jest was caught in the boundless abyss of her eyes, the battle was not over.


    What had to happen next would be a battle, too.


    Cassie had broken the mental defenses of Master Orum with relative ease, but Jest was a Saint �� one who was no stranger to mental manipulation, at that. So, she was going to have to work hard to extract what she wanted to learn from his memories.


    But that was what it all had been about.


    That was why she had risked being lured into the depths of the jungle by a sinister killer, endured the difficult fight, and allowed her body to be cut and bruised.


    In truth, no matter how fearsome Saint Jest was, it wasn''t that hard for her to get rid of him. If Cassie simply wanted to kill him, there were countless ways �� the most difficult part about killing him was not the old man himself, really, but the reaction the King of Swords would have to his death.


    They were away from the King''s watchful gaze here, though��


    And yet, Cassie''s hands had still been tied. Because she wanted to keep Helie alive and needed to keep Jest alive. That was how she had ended up in a battle against two Saints whom she could not kill.


    Of course, subduing someone was much harder than simply killing them. So, she was bruised and in pain, with blood soaking her garments beneath the battered armor.


    Still, everything had transpired almost exactly according to her wishes. Saint Jest turned out to be even stronger than she had anticipated, but he had been doomed to lose from the moment he set his sights on Cassie.


    It was ironic, really�� among the servants of the Great Clan Valor, the old man seemed to be the only one who had seen through her pretense. He had sensed that the quiet, unassuming, and easily forgotten Lady Cassia was much more dangerous than everyone presumed.


    And yet, he had still underestimated her.


    It was as if her unassuming persona had managed to misguide him even after being seen through and uncovered as a false facade.


    In all honesty, Cassie was quite amused by just how far simply being quiet, polite, and modest had gone in making people disregard her as a genuine threat.


    Then again, perhaps it was simply the consequence of how hard it was to stand out when monsters like Changing Star and the Lord of Shadows were walking the world. There were Soul Reaper and the Prince of Nothing, too�� there were brilliant talents like Morgan, Seishan, Beastmaster, Aether, Effie and Kai, all competing in the grandeur of their feats and accomplishments.


    Because of them, people tended to forget that Cassie had survived the Forgotten Shore, too. She had been baptized by the madness of the Kingdom of Hope, too. She had fought in the Battle of the Black Skull, endured the horrors of the Nightmare Desert, and plunged into the deep dark waters of the Great River, too��


    She was a monster, too.


    It was just that she concealed her monstrous nature better than most, hiding it behind a pretty blindfold.


    "Ah�� what�� what the hell��"


    A few meters away, Helie groaned as she grasped her bleeding head. Now that Jest was caught in Cassie''s bewitching gaze, his Aspect powers were released, and she had regained her senses.


    Turning, Helie looked at the scene in front of her dazedly. The hideous goat-like abomination was kneeling on the ground, looking into the eyes of the breathtakingly beautiful, delicate young woman who stood in front of him, her golden hair moving slightly in the wind.


    Behind the kneeling creature�� another delicate figure was hovering above the ground, with appalling tentacles stretching from beneath her elaborate red dress to bind him like moist black chains.


    As Helie tried to comprehend what she was seeing, the red woman shifted and moved, carried through the air by her long tentacles. That movement was so eerie and inhuman that Helie shuddered.


    She shuddered again and reeled back when the red woman came to hover above her, looking down from behind a veil.


    Helie felt a strong impulse to crawl away.


    "W��what��"


    Before she could say anything else, one hand of the red woman rose. Moving with strange elegance, the eerie abomination reached toward its veil�� and then, the creature pressed her index finger against where human lips would have been.


    As if telling Helie to be quiet.


    ''...Echo. It''s an Echo.''


    Calming down, she threw another glance at Song of the Fallen and Jest, then grew silent. Whatever was happening there, Cassia seemed to have it under control�� Helie herself, meanwhile, was bleeding profusely and had to tend to her wound.


    Cassie could not allow to be distracted anymore.


    Having invoked her Transformation �� which only affected her eyes �� she delved into the vast, hostile ocean of Saint Jest''s memories. Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He tried to resist her, making it much harder to discern what she was seeing and sensing, but Cassie pressed on, ruthlessly breaching his fearsome mental fortifications one after another.


    Because her prey was so resilient, and because his life had been so long and storied, she was burning more essence than usual to maintain the Transformation. They were still in the Hollows, as well �� even though there didn''t seem to be any immediate threats nearby yet, that could change at any moment.


    So, Cassie did not have the luxury of time to sift through Jet''s memories slowly and thoroughly. Instead, she had to find the most important ones, the most intense ones�� and, hopefully, discover a path to learning the secrets of the Sovereigns through them.


    Inhaling deeply, he dove into the life of Jest of Dagonet, the hidden blade and executioner of the Great Clans.


    ***


    "Damn. Shit�� what is this crap? Really��"


    Jest had come home.


    His home, of course, was a concrete barrack where dozens of worker families had lived in pitiful living conditions, struggling to survive under the indifferent authority of the regime. Lives were short and deaths were frequent, so it was not surprising for familiar faces to disappear without a trace, replaced by new ones the next day.


    Growing up, he had given up on remembering the names of the numerous Uncles and Aunties who flowed through the barrack, since it seemed like a futile endeavor.


    Still��


    Now, everyone was dead, which was a bit too much. The interior of the barrack was like a scene from hell, with countless half-devoured corpses littering the floor akin to a morbid carpet. The massacre seemed to have happened many days ago, so the blood had long dried. The smell, however, was overwhelming, making him retch.


    "Ah�� ah��"


    Jest wanted to come inside to search for the remains of his family, but couldn''t force himself to.


    Instead, he took a few steps back, and somehow found himself sprawled on the ground.


    His mind was empty, and there were tears streaming down his face.


    ''Turns out I still have tears to shed, huh?''


    The thought was strangely calm and detached despite his miserable state.


    Jest had not cried in a good decade or two. He was an adult now, after all, having turned twenty something not too long ago. He had finally escaped the barrack about a year ago. He had even harbored a vain hope of returning here one day with pockets full of credits, boasting about his accomplishments, and taking the others with him to live a better life someplace else.


    Who knew that the world would end so soon?


    Now, there were monsters roaming the streets, devouring people and tearing military tanks apart. The regime had collapsed, and he had nowhere to return to.


    Jest had passed out when the end of the world started and experienced a long, dreadful nightmare. Waking up a few days later, somehow alive, he decided that there was no point in clinging to his silly dreams anymore and headed home�� his real home, the barrack.


    Crossing the city had proven to be a deadly ordeal, but he had survived somehow. In the process, he met a few others like him �� people who had fallen into deep sleep and woke up wielding unexplainable powers.


    But it was a joke. It was all like a vile, terrible joke.


    Because his power was pure crap.


    All he could do was make emotions stronger. Since the only emotion the monsters felt was a demented desire to rip him to pieces, the only thing Jest could do was make himself die faster.


    ''Maybe I should. Die faster, I mean��''


    Looking at the broken door of the barrack, Jest suddenly felt a dark and oppressive sense of futility.


    What was he struggling for, anyway?


    The world was ending, and everyone was dead. Why was he clinging to life so desperately when being alive was so painful?


    Looking down, he let out a stifled laugh.


    "Ah. Ah! But... but..."


    But wasn''t it funny?


    Despite the tears streaming from his eyes, he forced himself to smile.


    There was a lesson that people from the barrack learned early on... life was unbearable if one was too serious.


    Humans had to have a sense of humor to survive in this crappy world.


    The world had turned even crappier now, so��


    There was a funny joke in here, somewhere.


    He just had to find it.


    "I guess you guys don''t have to kill yourself at work anymore."


    ''See?''


    There was a bright side to anything.


    Jest''s tears tasted salty, but he forced himself to laugh.


    Rising from the concrete, he decided to try and survive.


    Not that it would be easy�� nobody had a power as useless as his, after all, so he would undoubtedly die soon.


    But he would at least die with a smile on his face while having fun.


    ��His forced smile still faltered, however, when he eventually entered the barrack and started searching the morbid carpet of corpses.


    It took a long while before it returned.

 Chapter 2146: Heart of the Party

    "Ah. Finally, fresh air!"Jest smiled as he looked at the forest where he was going to die. There was little doubt that his life was going to end shortly, gruesomely, and pathetically.


    His lips trembled a little.


    ''No, really�� this crap again?''


    He had just barely managed to settle down in the actual world, finally finding a safe community that was defended from the monsters by a group of�� what was it that people were calling them these days?


    Right... Sleepers.


    Jest was a Sleeper himself, so he had been welcomed there with open arms. Sadly, he was a defective Sleeper who could not wield Memories and did not have a useful power�� he could still handle a rifle and a bayonet, but that alone did not win him a lot of points.


    ''Damn��''


    And speaking of Memories! As it turned out, there were those, as well. Apparently, everyone received at least one in the Nightmare or shortly after. Jest had been clueless about the existence of Memories until he saw other Sleepers summoning deadly weapons out of thin air �� it was then that he realized what his so-called Flaw meant.


    Being unable to use "enchanted items" had not seemed like a big problem before he learned that enchanted items actually existed. But knowing that they did, Jest could not deny the truth.


    He was not just screwed�� he was doubly screwed.


    Other Sleepers had useful Aspects, and they could also wield Memories �� the latter was often even more important than the former. Both allowed them to slay monsters, which he was unable to do.


    And that, in turn, allowed them to collect the glimmering crystals from the monsters, absorb them, and grow stronger.


    Sleepers needed strength to kill monsters, and they grew stronger by killing monsters�� but Jest could not kill monsters because he was weak, and was weak because he could not kill monsters.


    If that wasn''t hilarious, he did not know what was.


    In any case, he was not that useful to the community.


    People �� even those who had not experienced the Nightmare �� quickly started treating him with disdain. After all, he was being fed and protected without contributing much in return. The most he could do was handle various menial tasks inside the base�� no different from a worker from the barrack, really.


    Which was funny, as well.


    Still, they had not kicked him out yet �� because of his delightful personality and stellar sense of humor, no doubt. His life had been mostly safe and somewhat comfortable for the last couple of months. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Somewhat.


    ��Before the winter solstice.


    On that cursed day, Jest had been relaxing on his bunk while carefully handling a precious antique �� a real paper book that he had found in a museum while hiding there from the monsters.


    That book was his lifeline, and despite its fragile state, Jest still poured over the yellow pages whenever he had free time. The festive title on the cover hinted that wisdom from before the Dark Times was contained within��


    Hold Your Bellies! A Hundred Hilarious Jokes to Make You the Heart of the Party!


    That was what the ancient book was called.


    Jest was just about to get to the nicest of the hundred irresistible jokes when he was suddenly overcome by a mighty yawn.


    Which wasn''t that strange��


    If not for the fact that it was the middle of day.


    His expression froze, and a trembling smile slowly bloomed on his face.


    ''No�� no!''


    The last time he had started yawning all of a sudden, he ended up in the Nightmare.


    And here Jest was, mere hours later, in the alien world again.


    Granted, this time felt different. The weird voice he sometimes heard in his head these days had welcomed him with new words, as well.


    Plus, he was naked.


    ''What the hell is this��''


    He had been clothed the last time, at least!


    Shivering in the cold, Jest shielded his gaunt, bruised body from the wind and looked at the twisted trees that surrounded him with trepidation. There was nothing but these trees anywhere he looked, and sunlight barely pierced the thick canopy above��


    There were almost no sounds here except for the ominous rustle of leaves and the sinister creaking of branches. The eerie silence was making him nervous.


    Jest bit his lip and whispered:


    "No weapons�� no clothes�� in the middle of the woods��"


    After a while, he added in a trembling voice:


    "Something something, naked guy�� wood?"


    A stifled laugh escaped from between his lips.


    Picking up a rock from the ground, Jest shivered and started walking.


    ��It wasn''t too long before he found another human.


    A young man, not much different from him, was laying with his back against the tree�� or so it seemed, at first. However, as Jest came closer, he was terrified to discover that the guy''s body was actually embedded into the craggy trunk, as if being devoured by it. Crimson blood was flowing onto the dark bark, which drank it greedily.


    A thick root was wrapped around the guy''s waist, and thin branches were sprouting from his body, blooming with vermilion flowers.


    The young man was already mostly dead�� and yet, he was still alive and in pain.


    Jest only realized that when their eyes met, and the other youth opened his mouth, straining to speak.


    "Help�� me��"


    Jest reeled back.


    He wanted nothing more than to turn around and run away, but something stopped him.


    Perhaps it was compassion. Perhaps it was envy at the sight of the bloodied suit of leather armor that the young man was wearing.


    In any case, Jest gritted his teeth.


    "...Alright, buddy. Alright, I''ll help you. Leave it to me."


    Trembling, he took a step forward��


    Then strained his muscles and brought down the sharp stone on the young man''s head.


    That was the only thing he could do for the poor fellow.


    It took several blows before the light finally dimmed in the poor guy''s eyes, and Jest staggered back in horror.


    The leather armor he had wanted to steal disappeared into a rain of sparks.


    And the roots of the tree moved, stretching in his direction.


    Panicking, Jest turned around and ran��


    And while he ran, the voice living in his head spoke once again.


    [You have slain Dreamer��]


    At the same time, Jest felt something strange.


    It was as if something flowed into him, and responding to its presence, his body changed subtly.


    Growing stronger, more agile, and harder to destroy.


    His eyes glistened as he ran.


    ''So�� there was another way to grow stronger, too.''


    It was not just killing monsters.


    Killing humans worked fine, as well.


    He did not really know how to feel about that.


    ''...Ain''t it the funniest thing, though?''

 Chapter 2147: Fateful Meeting

    Chapter 2147: Fateful MeetingTwo days later, Jest emerged from the forest. He had expected to die�� and yet, he was still alive, if just barely.


    His body was covered in bruises and dried blood, and he was holding a makeshift spear in a trembling hand. The spear was made from a long branch, a sharp splinter of stone, and rope made from bark.


    He was also wearing something akin to a poncho, made from beast hide and tied at the waist by another piece of rope. Of course, Jest had no idea whatsoever how to skin a beast, let alone how to treat leather or sew clothes�� so, the poncho was quite disgusting to look at, and even more repugnant to smell.


    He couldn''t care less, though, since the entire damn forest was one terrifying living being, hellbent on consuming him whole.


    "Damn�� damn��"


    Jest was running for his life. He had somehow managed to kill a beast, true, but there were more than one monster in this cursed land. Currently, one was pursuing him�� and quite a terrifying one, at that.


    He had been just running away blindly when the forest suddenly grew brighter, and then the trees disappeared altogether.


    Instead�� there was a river in front of him, flowing steadily as its surface glistened in the sun.


    The sight of it was so beautiful and alien �� where would anyone find a clean river surrounded by a forest in the real world? �� that Jest froze for a moment, then shouted in anger. sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The damn river!


    Who cared if it was pretty?!


    The only thing that mattered was that it stood in his way, and therefore, there was nowhere left for him to run.


    Jest, of course, had no idea how to swim. Since there were no rivers, no lakes, and no ponds accessible for the workers of the regime �� except for the toxic ones �� he had never encountered a body of water larger than a bathtub.


    Even then, a bathtub was a luxury that people like him rarely saw. Most were only familiar with communal showers.


    "Damn!"


    Groaning, Jest grasped his pathetic spear and forced his tired body to move.


    He ran along the bank of the river, forcing air into his burning lungs.


    But it was all futile.


    He could already hear a terrifying growling coming from behind him, and the sound of something heavy moving through the grass.


    ''Not�� not�� not like this! There''s no punchline, damn it!''


    His life had been a joke, but if he was going to die, he at least hoped that it would be a good one.


    Jest considered turning around and trying to fight, but at that moment, he tripped and fell into the dirt, rolling a few times before coming to a halt, sprawled in the dirt.


    His sorry excuse of a spear had broken. The sturdy branch was intact, but the binding of the spearhead had come undone, and the sharp piece of rock flew away.


    There were bitter tears in his eyes, and through them��


    He saw a terrible, blurry beast lunging at him with hungry madness burning in its eyes.


    Death was coming.


    Just then, though, a shadow momentarily covered Jest''s face, and a steel javelin suddenly plummeted from the sky, piercing the beast''s forehead and impaling it. The massive creature''s jaw hit the ground, and it crumbled, rolling over its head and crashing heavily mere centimeters away from Jest.


    He stared at the dead beast silently, then studied the javelin.


    Then, after a while, he looked up.


    There was someone standing above him, having appeared seemingly out of nowhere.


    It was a tall young man with handsome features, dark hair, and steely grey eyes. His face was perfectly clean, and he was wearing a polished suit of knightly armor that seemed as impenetrable as a tank.


    In other words, he was the perfect opposite of the dirty, gaunt, and barely clothed Jest.


    The young knight looked down and gave him a charismatic smile.


    "You were smart not to jump into the river to escape the beast, friend."


    Jest blinked a couple of times.


    Then, he said weakly:


    "River. I�� I h��hardly knew her?"


    The knightly young man looked at him strangely, giving Jest the impression that he had no sense of humor.


    Well, no one was perfect.


    His savior, meanwhile, offered him a hand.


    "What I meant was that there are even worse kinds of creatures under the water."


    Jest accepted the offered hand and slowly stood up.


    It was then that it struck him��


    The valiant stranger was speaking in the language of the real world.


    Not in the strange and archaic language that the people in the Nightmare had spoken, yet Jest could still somehow understand.


    Come to think of it, the poor guy whom Jest helped avoid being digested alive by a tree had spoken in the real language, as well.


    Jest stared at the young man with wide eyes.


    "Wait�� are you real?"


    The young knight nodded.


    "Quite real, yes. It seems that this situation is different from the Nightmare. Actually, there is an entire group of Sleepers here, in this monstrous forest. We were all sent here together."


    He remained silent for a moment, then smiled.


    "All people of great courage and valor, no doubt."


    Jest stared at him with wide eyes.


    "...Valor? Who cares about valor?! Do you have food and water? That is what I want to know?"


    The young knight laughed.


    "Yes, we do."


    Then, he stepped on the head of the dead monster to pull his javelin out.


    "We should harvest the soul shard and leave this place as quickly as possible, though�� otherwise, our own valor will be tested when more monsters arrive at the smell of blood. I have little of it, so we''d better not linger."


    Jest remained silent, trying to come up with a suitable joke.


    For some reason, he really wanted to mock the unbearably serious young knight.


    Who knew that their chance encounter would set the course of his entire life?


    Because the young knight, despite claiming not to be too valiant, was destined to become Warden of Valor.


    While Jest�� was destined to become his sharpest blade.

 Chapter 2148: The Knight and the Fool

    "You are completely crazy. Insane. Psycho. A raving lunatic�� a madman!"Jest was muttering curses as he stood on the shore of a beautiful lake, while the young knight just listened nonchalantly. Behind them, a few dozen bloodied, terrified Sleepers were busy toppling the trees.


    The young knight was still clean and handsome, even if his polished armor had a dozen dents by now. He had fought and killed more monsters than anyone else, but still managed to look valiant and unperturbed despite that.


    The past few days had not been kind to them.


    Initially, there had indeed been a large group of Sleepers who banded together after finding themselves in the dreadful forest �� almost a hundred of them, with new survivors joining every day. A considerable force even during the end of times�� or so they had thought.


    The Sleepers had established a camp on the shore of the river �� far enough from the trees to have time to react when the forest monsters attacked, but also far enough from the water to defend themselves against the aquatic abominations. They worked together to survive, unsure where they were and what the future held.


    However, Jest had become a pariah once again�� and that was despite his positive attitude and disarming sense of humor. Strength was the only virtue in the world that had gone insane, and he had none.


    Worse than that, he reeked. Everyone seemed to have some kind of Memory, be it armor or enchanted garments, to cover themselves�� but he only had his crudely made poncho. So, people tended to avoid him.


    Because of the smell. Not because of the jokes, of course.


    Everyone except for the infuriating knight, that was.


    Jest had even asked him about it.


    "Listen, dimples�� how come you keep bothering me? My Aspect is useless, you know. I also don''t have any Memories."


    But the knight only chuckled.


    "Exactly."


    He glanced at the rest of the Sleepers.


    "Everyone here has fought hard to survive. During the Nightmare, after the Nightmare, and here as well�� while having powerful Aspects and deadly Memories. But wouldn''t a person who has neither have fought the hardest?"


    The knight shook his head.


    "Don''t take me for a fool. I am not talking to you because I am gracious and kind. I am talking to you because I think you are strong, and I need strong comrades to survive."


    Jest shook his head in amazement.


    "Wow. Who would have thought? There''s actually brains in that handsome head..."


    The young knight raised an eyebrow.


    "Thank you? But also, was that ever in doubt?"


    Jest shrugged.


    "Ah, don''t take it personally! It''s just that you are so calm and upbeat all the time that I thought there''s a screw or two�� or a dozen�� loose in your head."


    The knight looked at him strangely, then shook his head in amusement.


    "No, but�� of all people��"


    Jest did not quite catch the meaning.


    In any case, that was how they ended up as comrades.


    By now, Jest wasn''t wearing a filthy poncho anymore. The knight had a strange Aspect that allowed him to craft all kinds of things, so he had fashioned a set of clothes for Jest, as well as a proper wooden spear, a bow, and a quiver of arrows.


    Being able to summon magical flames or possessing tremendous strength seemed like the kind of Aspects people would want to have, but that ability to craft things had actually earned the young knight more respect and reputation than his armor, his sword, and his uncanny ability to kill monsters.


    Although Sleepers possessed Memories, few had many of them. So, everyone needed something to make up for the equipment they had left in the real world.


    That was how the knight had become one of the leaders of the group, and Jest was catapulted to the very height of social hierarchy as his friend.


    Holding onto a golden thigh was a pleasant way to live.


    Not that everything went well for him and the other Sleepers.


    The forest was immeasurably dangerous, and the river was as well. Many of them had died while fighting the monsters��


    But actually, the humans were just as dangerous themselves.


    The same thing that was happening in the real world continued to happen here. Out there�� people were scared, traumatized, hopeless, and unable to recognize the world that had changed in an instant. Naturally, many strange ideas were sprouting from the rich soul of fear and despair.


    There were cruel warlords, roving gangs of marauders who had lost all remains of humanity, broken fragments of local governments that were slowly descending into appalling lunacies, and weird cults that were perhaps the most sinister, eerie, and harmful of them all.


    Here as well�� not all of the Sleepers were quite sane, and even less were entirely benevolent.


    So, eventually, there was a bit of bloodshed, and the group broke apart.


    Most of them had decided to try their luck by following the river downstream, while the knight and his followers decided to travel upstream, instead.


    Toward the lake��


    And an enormous castle that towered above it like a beautiful mirage, there in the distance.


    The young knight was currently standing on the shore of the lake, armed with a sword and a shield. He looked quite valiant in his knightly armor, but Jest was in no mood to appreciate the heroic ambience.


    Because the rest of the men and women in their group were toppling trees to build rafts.


    "Listen, you�� you know that there are dreadful abominations living in the lake, right?"


    The knight nodded.


    "Right."


    Jest took a deep breath.


    "And although we don''t know what exactly lives in the castle, we all saw the dragon breathing fire from the roof of the main keep. Right?"


    Their intrepid leader nodded again.


    "That thing did look like a dragon, true."


    Jest exhaled through gritted teeth.


    "So why are we going to the castle?! Even the crazy fools who went downstream agreed that going to the castle is suicide!"


    The young knight looked at him with a smile.


    "You know, I always wanted to kill a dragon."


    Jest blinked.


    "...Really?"


    The knight laughed. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Heavens, no! Despite what you think, I''m not crazy. Who in their right mind wants to fight a dragon? An actual dragon. Those things are unscientific, they aren''t even supposed to exist�� weren''t supposed to exist, at least."


    Jest shook his head in bewilderment.


    "So why then?"


    The young knight remained silent for a while.


    Then, he looked at the castle again, his expression finally turning somber.


    "Because I left my pregnant wife alone in the real world. There was a way back the last time�� so, there has to be a way back this time, as well. The castle is the only man-made structure we''ve seen so far. Plus, it''s rather conspicuous. So, I am going to conquer it and return home, even if I have to kill a dragon."


    Jest stared at him with a mix of envy and admiration for a few moments.


    It had to be nice�� to still have a home, and someone waiting for you to return there.


    Eventually, he sighed deeply.


    "Well, alright. Let''s kill a dragon."


    The young knight glanced at him.


    "What, no joke this time?"


    Jest gritted his teeth.


    "Bastard! This entire situation is a joke! Is this not fun enough for you?!"


    The knight looked away with a wistful expression.


    "To be honest, I don''t really have a sense of humor. I''ve never been good at having fun. So, Jest�� I''ll delegate that part to you."


    Just stared at him with wide eyes.


    Huh?


    ''I didn''t volunteer, though? What am I, a clown? No, but what is this bastard even saying?!''


    The next morning, they sailed across the lake toward the castle.

 Chapter 2149: Red Dragon

    The lake had turned out to be utterly deadly. Even after preparing thoroughly for the battle against the terrifying creatures that dwelled in it, the Sleepers led by the young knight still ended up losing one of the rafts �� they managed to pull a couple of people out of the water, but the rest were pulled into the depths, never to be seen again.The clear water was painted red with blood.


    The rest of the rafts only survived because they were crafted from the unnaturally sturdy wood of the cursed forest with the help of their leader''s Aspect. Otherwise, there would have been only drifting splinters left on the surface, with all traces of the Sleepers washed away by the clear water.


    Even then, the journey had not been easy for those who survived. By the time they reached the walls of the castle, each and every one of the Sleepers was bloodied, barely conscious because of exhaustion, and numb from terror.


    Except for the knight, of course. He was bloodied and tired, too�� but his calm confidence had never waned.


    By then, Jest was starting to suspect that his new buddy was the craziest one of them all.


    Or maybe simply the most driven.


    The castle, meanwhile, was huge. It was many times larger than they had assumed, to the point that one would feel vertigo when trying to look up the immense expanse of the towering ramparts. There was more than one layer of walls, as well, rising in concentric circles up the slope of the mountain.


    The castle was like a city in and of itself.


    The Sleepers were currently at the lowest point of that stone city, while the main keep was at the highest, built upon the very peak.


    That was where the dragon had made its nest.


    The dragon wasn''t the only monster inhabiting the gargantuan fortress, either.


    They learned it immediately after approaching the towering gateway. For the next few days, the Sleepers had slowly made progress toward the main keep, enduring one harrowing battle after another.


    The monsters they faced were different from the ones of the forest �� not all of them were beasts, some wearing armor and wielding steel weapons with chilling skill.


    And the higher they climbed, the more powerful the monsters became. Still, the young knight led them from one structure to another, from one bastion to the next, carving a path to the main keep. They fought when there was no other choice and hid when they could, bandaging their wounds and absorbing the power from the soul shards they had scavenged.


    It was quite amazing, really. Jest would have never expected that they would get that far�� but the disorganized group of Sleepers had somehow turned into a stalwart and cohesive combat force somewhere along the way. They all moved with purposeful determination, acting as one enormous being that possessed a hundred eyes and a hundred hands, its resilient body brimming with sharp weapons.


    Was it experience? Was it survival instinct? Was it the benefit of having a daring and indomitable leader? He did not know, but whatever it was, it seemed to be working.


    Except for the times when the moon was high in the night sky.


    There was always something eerie about the ancient castle, but its chilling, mysterious presence grew so much more sinister and palpable in the moonlight. That was why even the young knight did not dare to leave their shelters when the moon was shining upon the beautiful lake.


    ��Just like that, they fought and sneaked their way to the last and highest circle of walls. Beyond them, only the main keep remained.


    Everyone was tired. No one knew what would happen to them, and everyone felt grim about the future.


    But, strangely enough, they also felt hopeful.


    They remained in one of the towers of the last rampart for a few days, observing the main keep and gathering strength�� and courage�� for the last push.


    In the morning, the young knight and Jest snuck to the top of the wall to take a peek at the keep.


    The great winged beast was sleeping on its roof, its vermilion scales glistening in the light of the rising sun. Thin plumes of smoke rose from its maw from time to time, only to be scattered by the wind moments later. Despite the distance separating them from the dragon, they could feel the deep reverberations of its steady breaths.


    The creature spent most of the time asleep, only waking up once every week or so to fly over the lake and burn the forest. No one knew why it was doing that, and it almost seemed as if the dragon was simply unleashing its accumulated fury.


    It would fly above the forest for a while, roaring in anger and sending great jets of incinerating flame barreling down. After a while, when large swaths of the forest became shrouded by acrid smoke, it would plummet into the billowing black veil of it and disappear from view.


    Some time later, the dragon would return, sometimes carrying the charred carcasses of enormous, abominable beasts in its maw.


    The sight of it was both majestic and terrifying. The scales of the red dragon had a metallic sheen to them, almost making it seem like the great beast was forged from vermilion steel. Surrounded by black smoke, the dragon was like a herald of hell, bringing hellfire wherever it went.


    And that��


    That was the thing their leader wanted to kill. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jest glanced at the young knight darkly.


    "...What are you thinking about in that handsome head of yours?"


    The knight''s steely grey eyes were focused on the sleeping dragon.


    After a while, he spoke:


    "We watched the beast fly over the lake yesterday, did we not? And seven days before that, when we were preparing the rafts."


    Jest nodded.


    "What of it?"


    The knight remained silent for a while.


    "Have you noticed, Jest? When the dragon was flying across the lake, there was something missing. I wondered what it was for the longest time."


    Jest frowned.


    "Your sanity is missing. What else is new?"


    The knight smiled, then leaned his back on the wall and raised his sword carefully, extending its blade beyond the entrance of the tower. Jest could see the keep reflecting in its polished blade.


    "Do you see it now?"


    Jest blinked.


    ''Huh.''


    Something was indeed missing.

 Chapter 2150: A Place to Call Home

    He hesitated for a few moments.The sword was not exactly a mirror, and its blade wasn''t truly flat either. So, the reflection was somewhat distorted �� and yet, he could discern the shapes of things.


    There was the parapet of the rampart, the beautiful edifice of the main keep, its roof and towers, tattered flags hanging limp in the absence of wind. There was also the lilac sky behind the keep, and the clouds drifting in its vast expanse like pieces of a torn shroud.


    However, there was one thing missing.


    The great mass of the sleeping dragon was not reflected in the sword.


    Jest rubbed his eyes, then carefully leaned through the doorway to look at the roof of the main keep with his own two eyes.


    The damn dragon was there, sleeping soundly. It was hard not to notice its vivid vermilion silhouette contoured against white stone.


    ''What the hell?''


    He retreated back into the tower.


    "Where''s the damn dragon?"


    The young knight nodded.


    "Indeed. I noticed it yesterday�� the dragon did not reflect in the lake while flying over it. Strange, isn''t it?"


    Jest rubbed the back of his head, the shrugged.


    "Well, yeah. It is strange. But what does it mean?"


    The knight smiled.


    "Who knows? I do have a theory, though."


    His smile dimmed slowly, replaced by a serious expression.


    "You see, Jest�� I don''t think that this dragon is even real."


    He paused for a moment, then added in a wondering tone:


    "Maybe it''s an illusion�� or a phantom. Maybe it''s merely a lingering reflection, and the real dragon is long gone��"


    Cassie was quite curious to see how Warden of Valor and his first group of followers had conquered Bastion, and what they found inside. After all, it was not just a Citadel left behind by one of the daemons�� somewhere along the way, the young knight had also discovered a Lineage Memory and inherited the bloodline of War God.


    Perhaps he had received that Memory for slaying the reflection of the vermilion dragon, even, or discovered it in the throne room of Bastion��


    But no matter how curious she was, she could not allow herself to get distracted �� she had already spent too much time exploring the dawn of the Nightmare Spell era. Jest was resisting her Aspect fiercely, and her essence was draining at appalling speed.


    In fact��


    Even though the old man was supposed to be completely mesmerized by her gaze, she suddenly sensed one of his fingers twitching, almost as if the abomination was struggling to regain control over its hands.


    So, Cassie had to abandon the vivid memory and reach for the next one, hoping that it would bring her closer to the secrets of the Sovereigns.


    She saw��


    Jest was an Awakened now. His gaunt figure had turned lean and strong, and his gaze was more confident. That said�� he had only been an Awakened for a few weeks.


    He was standing on the wall, armed with an actual steel spear �� something he had picked up from one of the abominations they had slain on the way to the main keep.


    Hardship had not ended after the dying dragon fell into the lake. They had found the Gateway and were able to wake up, true, growing vastly more powerful in the process�� but the castle was still teeming with monsters, and so was the lake. Their damned leader was not satisfied with simply hiding in the keep, either, and insisted on organizing rescue parties to search for more Sleepers in the forest.


    That was just how that guy was, and people tended to follow his example.


    So, Jest was forced to fight for survival when he was awake, and then fight even more when he slept. Life was miserable.


    At least his Awakened Ability was not as useless as his Dormant one �� as long as he had a partner to make use of it. Being professional bait�� what a fate!


    Jest scoffed.


    Just as he did, there was the sound of footsteps, and a familiar figure appeared on the wall beside him. The polished armor was the same, but now, the knightly young man was wearing a vermilion cloak �� a Memory he had received after slaying the illusion of the dragon.


    He was smiling.


    Jest sighed and shook his head.


    "Hey there�� what are we supposed to call you again? Warden?"


    The young knight chuckled.


    "Don''t be jealous, Jest�� I''m sure you''ll earn a cool True Name too, one day soon."


    ''Oh, don''t doubt it!''


    Warden of Valor was really too cheesy of a name, anyway. Jest would surely receive one that was ten times more impressive.


    He hesitated for a while, then asked:


    "So, how is your wife? Everything is fine, I hope?"


    Warden nodded happily.


    "It''s a healthy baby boy. We named him Madoc. Oh��"


    He looked at Jest with interest.


    "But don''t I need to congratulate you, too? Honestly, it''s unbelievable. A guy like you�� with a girl like that�� everyone is stunned!"


    Jest suddenly coughed.


    "Well, that�� it''s not like I''m holding her hostage, okay? She was just impressed when I pulled her out of the flames, back when we were fighting that damn lizard. And, well, you know what they say. The best way to get a girl is to make her laugh!"


    Warden nodded thoughtfully.


    "Exactly, so how did you get her?"


    Jest frowned.


    "Go to hell, bastard."


    The young knight smiled. S��ar?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "When are you planning to make it official? My son will need playmates, you know��"


    Jest coughed again.


    "Listen, it''s not like I don''t want to. But we are in different cities in the real world. You and I ended up in NQSC, but she''s from up north."


    It was already lucky that the two of them were in the same Quadrant.


    After explaining the logistical problems Awakened couples faced, Jest sighed.


    "I''m thinking of going to get her soon."


    Warden''s expression was somber, though.


    Jest frowned.


    "What?"


    His friend and benefactor shook his head.


    "No, it''s just that�� I heard bad things about that city."


    Jest raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh?"


    Warden hesitated for a while, then leaned on the parapet of the rampart. His expression changed subtly, losing its usual veneer of confidence. Instead, what Jest saw was�� weariness. And fear.


    "People�� people can be as terrible as monsters, you know."


    Jest laughed.


    Did he know it?


    There were very few people in the world who knew it better than him.


    "That is where you are wrong, Warden. People are not as terrible as monsters�� people are monsters. Some of them, at least."


    He remained silent for a few moments, and then added in a cold tone:


    "But haven''t we gotten pretty good at killing monsters, though?"

 Chapter 2151: Obvious Solution

    Warden remained silent for a while, looking at the sprawling expanse of the castle, the beautiful lake beyond, and the dark palisade of twisted trees in the distance.The castle was still teeming with abominations, the depths of the lake hid horrors beyond description, and the forest itself was one enormous, slumbering monster�� now that the vermilion dragon was gone, there was nothing left to keep that monster in check, and it would probably come to life soon.


    And yet, Jest had never seen the young knight, Warden of Valor, look troubled while braving the perils of this nightmarish land.


    He looked quite troubled now, though, while thinking about the real world.


    Eventually, Warden sighed.


    "Now that I have a son, I can''t help but think about the future. Both the distant future and the immediate future�� all I can see ahead is trouble."


    Jest raised his eyebrows and chuckled.


    "Check your eyesight, maybe?"


    Warden shook his head.


    "The distant future is too hard to predict, because the nature of how we live our lives has fundamentally changed. I am not talking about the Nightmare Spell and the Nightmare Creatures �� I am talking about ourselves. About humans. Human lives have always been shaped by those in power, and therefore, established power structures had remained more or less the same for thousands of years. But now, all those structures have become meaningless."


    The young knight raised a hand and made a fist.


    "That is because there seems to be no limit to personal power anymore. We were mundane people not too long ago, but now we are Awakened who possess superhuman strength and mystical abilities. It is reasonable to assume that there are higher rungs on this ladder �� there are Fallen monsters, after all, and Ascended Memories. So, someone will find a way to grow even more powerful sooner or later, and then even more powerful after that."


    He paused for a moment and looked at Jest somberly.


    "The framework of humanity is built upon the principle that an individual can''t defeat an army, though. It''s the fundamental principle�� remove it, and the whole structure will collapse. We, Awakened, are already so tough that killing us with conventional weapons is a tall task. What about Ascended? What about those who will one day transcend even that theoretical frontier?"


    Warden shook his head with a wary expression on his face.


    "The nature of power itself will change. So, the shape of our lives will be changed, as well�� for better or worse."


    Jest blinked a few times and stared at the young knight for a few moments. Then, he raised a hand and pointed an accusing finger at him.


    "You''re�� you''re from a rich family, aren''t you?! Damn! That explains so much!"


    Warden tilted his head in confusion.


    "That�� is not a reaction I expected."


    Jest let out a laugh.


    "Listen, all these profound contemplations of yours are a dead giveaway. Only spoiled brats from bureaucrat families have enough time to waste it on learning fancy words and studying philosophy. The rest of us are too busy making a living, and a miserable one at that!"


    Warden blinked.


    "That''s not philosophy, though? That''s mainly history and a bit of sociology. A smidgen of anthropology, at best."


    Jest pointed again.


    "See! Fancy words!"


    The young knight coughed and looked away with a hint of embarrassment.


    "...My parents were engineers, to be precise. Not bureaucrats."


    Jest grinned.


    Military engineers were also elites. And although Warden did not say that his parents had belonged to the army, there was no doubt that they had �� after all, everyone worth anything used to be conscripted, back when the regime still existed.


    Before the Nightmare Spell.


    "Anyway, that''s what you are afraid of? That your son will grow up in a world ruled by a handful of tyrants who can annihilate armies single-handedly?"


    Warden grimaced.


    "It''s a gross oversimplification, but basically�� yes."


    Jest laughed.


    "What''s the problem, then? Isn''t there an obvious solution?"


    The young knight raised an eyebrow.


    "There is?"


    Jest nodded, then shrugged with a confused expression.


    "Well, of course. You just have to make sure to become one of those omnipotent tyrants yourself."


    He himself would undoubtedly die an untimely death by harboring such ambitions�� but if it was Warden, then it could actually be possible. If anyone was capable of gaining great power in this dreadful new world, then it was their intrepid leader. After all, the guy was already ostensibly ruling the castle and had a large group of powerful Awakened following him.


    Warden studied Jest for a few moments, then smiled strangely.


    "Become one of the rulers myself? Well. Maybe you are right. Maybe it is that simple." S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His smile slowly turned wistful.


    "But that only concerns the distant future. The immediate future is much more troubling, really."


    Jest simply stared at him sullenly.


    "What are you so worried about? We''ll gain full control of the castle within a year. We''ll have a safe space to spend the nights and enough food to fill our bellies. We are also Awakened now, so surviving in the real world has become much easier�� even though the monsters are also growing stronger, it seems. So what has gotten you so worried?"


    Warden remained silent for a while, then frowned.


    "It actually has to do with our previous conversation. People�� I am worried about people."


    His expression darkened.


    "Now that every remaining government and coalition in the world have collapsed, there is little order left anywhere anymore. People are just banding together to survive�� naturally, they can''t survive without the Awakened. Only Awakaned can effectively battle the monsters, so they have great value. There are remnants of previous authorities employing Awakened to fight for them, but they won''t be able to control their own soldiers for long. In the end, the power will concentrate in the hands of people like us �� and not everyone will use it fairly."


    Jest scowled.


    "So what? What does it have to do with us? You''re not feeling responsible for the whole world, are you? Because, let me tell you something, Mr. Warden�� you''re not a god. Despite those magical powers of yours, you''re still a person."


    Warden sighed.


    After a few moments of silence, he said:


    "I am a part of the world too, am I not? Indeed, I am a person. My wife and son are people, too. People need food, shelter, and clean drinking water. They need air to breathe. You know how fractured NQSC is at the moment�� there are so many factions and smaller communities that I can''t even count them all. It has been less than a year since the Nightmare Spell descended, so things are still somewhat stable. But��"


    He frowned.


    "Who is going to repair the city barriers when they break down? Who is going to maintain the hydroponic farms? Who is going to distribute the food and make sure that people don''t starve? For now, the infrastructure of the city is being controlled by a few factions that splintered from the regime when it broke apart. A few key points are being held hostage by Awakened warlords. Things are only going to get worse in the future, and that is just NQSC. It is in a far better state than the other cities."


    Jest smiled.


    "Aren''t you overlooking something, though? Indeed, we are Awakened! You personally have the power to craft incredible items. There are others with the power to make plants grow faster, or summon stuff from thin air. The city barriers and farms have been maintained by the regime, but now that there are people like us walking around, making miracles happen�� who''s to say that things aren''t going to improve, instead?"


    His smile widened.


    "Maybe your son will live ten times better than we ever did. My life has already improved, in fact. I have an entire room of my own�� it even has an attached bathroom! And I haven''t been hungry in weeks. That is also what the future holds, too."


    Jest sighed.


    "Now, if only I could fetch my girlfriend from that pit up north�� life would be perfect."


    Warden looked at him silently for a while, thinking about something.


    Eventually, he shook his head.


    "No way, have you been an optimist this whole time?"


    Jest scratched the back of his head.


    "Have my sunny personality and amazing sense of humor not relayed that? Anyway, I do understand your concerns. There are crazy people everywhere, and many of them have Awakened, as well. There are already horror stories being told about the guy who controls the train tracks. The factions formed by the former members of the secret police is�� very creepy, too. And those fanatics going around trying to convert people, they''re the creepiest! Honestly, what we need to do is gather the guys that reside in the castle out there in the real world, as well, and form a faction of our own. Better safe than sorry."


    Warden remained silent for a while, then smiled.


    "...You''re just saying that because you want my help in retrieving your girlfriend, right?"


    Jest grinned.


    "She''s from the castle too, is she not? More than that, her Aspect is quite useful�� unlike mine. If you want to become one of the omnipotent tyrants of the distant future, you''ll need people like her."


    Warden lingered for a while.


    Eventually, he shrugged.


    "Well, why not? Let''s gather a team of reliable people and go on a trip to the north. We can invite more of our fellow Awakened who reside there to join us in NQSC, as well. I''m not sure what shape the future will take, but if we want to even have a say in what happens to us, we need to consolidate our powerbase first�� building a reliable foundation is the most important step, after all. And if we want to build a bastion of safety for us and our families, we will need a truly robust foundation."


    Jest grinned, prompting Warden to look at him with suspicion.


    "...What?"


    Jest shook his head.


    "No, no�� it''s nothing. It''s just that, speaking of robust foundations�� uh�� wait, I almost have it!"


    There was definitely a joke in there!


    Warden took a deep breath and turned away.


    "Right. I''ll be going then�� let''s meet in the real world, when we wake up."


    The goal of their trip to the north was quite simple �� to gather a few of the Awakened following Warden from there and bring them all to NQSC.


    However, many things changed as a result of that journey, and both of them were changed, as well.

 Chapter 2152 Esteemed Temporary Governor

    Chapter 2152  Esteemed Temporary Governor A month later, a weary group of Awakened stood on a hill in the desolate wasteland, looking at the sprawling ruins below. The world seemed entirely black and white, with charred frames of ancient buildings rising from the snow. Cold wind was trying to get into the gaps of their armor, and neither the warm coats nor the mittens they wore on top of the gloves could stop it. This land seemed dead, with no trace of life left anywhere on its poisoned surface. Of course�� it was not the Dream Realm. Instead, it was the real world. The charred ruins were simply one of the countless human cities that had been destroyed during the Dark Times, and the soil was contaminated by dreadful weapons borne of human mind, not some eerie curse. The air was toxic, as well, which was why they were wearing military gas masks and carrying oxygen tanks on their backs �� Awakened were more tenacious than mundane people, but braving the wild reaches of Earth unprotected was still a deadly task for them. The long journey had been a rough experience even for Warden and his people. There were very few Nightmare Creatures out here, but the land itself presented an obstacle. With the collapse of the regime, as well as other powers that had ruled the remaining human enclaves in this part of the world, whatever logistics and transportation systems that had existed before were now in complete disarray. Warden and his warriors had intended to travel by train, but the tracks were broken just a few hundred kilometers away from NQSC. So, they purchased an off-road cargo vehicle from a group of former soldiers and drove it further north. The vehicle had not been very comfortable, but at least it worked. Sadly, its engine was torn to shreds by the claws of a random Nightmare Creature about a week ago, and they had to cover the rest of the distance on foot. ��Overall, Jest couldn''t quite decide which of the worlds was more inhospitable. He did enjoy returning to the castle when it was his turn to sleep, though �� it was warm there, at least. In any case, they had reached their destination now. There was a human settlement in front of them. It was much smaller than NQSC, of course, with a population that barely reached a few dozen millions of people. More than that, it had not been turned into a fearsome siege capital during the Dark Times, so its defenses and infrastructure were far inferior.


    There were no tall barriers surrounding the city like an impenetrable ring, serving both as defensive fortifications and a sophisticated air filtration system. Instead, there were several domed areas hidden deep within the charred ruins �� the original city had been much more sprawling than the one that emerged from its corpse, despite having housed far fewer people.


    Pulling his gas mask up, Warden inhaled the cold air, grimaced, and then put it back on. "Let''s get inside as quickly as we can. Be careful �� there will be many abominations in the ruins. Jest, get the map."


    Since several of the Awakened in the castle were from this forlorn city, they had given them a lot of information about the situation inside. The situation�� was not good. After the descent of the Nightmare Spell, the domed areas became largely isolated from each other, and each was now in the hands of its own self-proclaimed ruler. Some of those rulers were good, some were bad, and some were worse. So, Warden added:


    "Be even more careful when we encounter people. There are thousands of Awakened in the city, and even if we are more powerful and better prepared, we can''t fight them all."


    The others nodded somberly. Soon, they descended from the hill and entered the ruins. They had to battle a few Nightmare Creatures, and even an entire swarm of terrible beasts, on the way to the nearest dome. However, Warden''s followers were all experienced and deadly warriors by now. They carved a path through the ruins without losing a single man, and eventually found themselves among humans once more.


    Life in the dome they entered seemed�� strangely more orderly than what had been happening in NQSC in the last year. Everyone moved with purpose and determination, busy at work. Granted, people seemed tired and malnourished, most of them wearing bleak expressions �� however, no one cowered in fear of Nightmare Creatures, since there were teams of Awakened constantly patrolling the streets. Warden looked around with a guarded, but subtly surprised expression. They were met by an Awakened officer of the local garrison and treated in a friendly manner. He was quite happy to meet them, it seemed �� a group of powerful Awakened warriors was most welcome to enter the city, since their strength could only help the situation. "All of us Awakened are comrades. We were called upon to carry out a solemn duty."


    Warden and Jest glanced at each other, feeling a little troubled. After arranging their accommodations, the officer escorted them to a dinner with the person ruling the dome, who seemed to be called the Esteemed Temporary Governor. The dinner was nothing short of lavish, and the Governor �� an Awakened with clean features and a dashing smile �� was both polite and friendly. He inquired about the situation in NQSC with curiosity, explaining how things were handled here in comparison. At some point, an old man in a servant livery arrived to pour more wine into their glasses. Jest was so amazed at the strange opulence of the Governor''s residence that when the servant''s hand trembled, and a few drops of wine fell on the white tablecloth, he did not even notice. But the gracious host of the dinner did.


    The old man shuddered. The Governor looked at him with a smile, then shifted his gaze to one of the Awakened warriors guarding the room and waved a hand slightly. Before anyone could react, the guard forcefully grabbed the old man and dragged him out of the room.


    The Governor sighed apologetically.


    "Please forgive the unsightly display, Lord Warden. You know how it is�� it''s difficult to train cattle, is it not?" S��arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 2153 A Cleaner World

    Chapter 2153  A Cleaner World After the dinner with the Esteemed Temporary Governor, the dome did not seem orderly and neat to Jest anymore. Instead, it looked morbid and revolting. Back there in the opulent room, the amicable tyrant had eagerly explained his unhinged views to the members of Warden''s team�� rather, he had complained about his hardships to fellow Awakened, not even bothering to check if they shared his delusion.


    As if it was a matter of course. What the Esteemed Temporary Governor believed�� in short, it was that only Awakened were real people, and therefore deserved to be treated as such. With the descent of the Nightmare Spell, humanity was separated into two distinct groups �� those who had been chosen by the Spell, and those whom it ignored. The first group was stronger, faster, and more resilient. Awakened possessed mystical powers, and were given deadly trials to prove their worth. Naturally, it was only to be expected that they would play a greater role in society going forward, and would earn greater privileges as a result. However, the damn maniac had taken it to a whole other level. He seemed to consider being chosen by the Spell as the will of Heaven, anointing the Awakened as true inheritors of Earth. Awakened were holy�� and therefore, those not chosen by the Spell were wicked. They were mere beasts who walked through their lives asleep, unable of real emotions or rational thought, clumsily imitating human behavior. It was only right to treat them as cattle �� or dispose of them if they outlived their use.


    At least that was what the Governor believed. It was unclear if his soldiers shared in this demented belief or simply followed his whims because their abuse of the mundane population went unpunished under his rule. There was indeed order and safety�� but it was not because people were united in the task of maintaining the dome. Instead, it was because people were treated as slaves, and anyone who failed to accomplish the tasks given to them by the Awakened were cruelly punished, or outright killed. Warden''s expression was stiff as they walked to their accommodations. Eventually, he said:


    "I�� knew it was going to be bad. But I didn''t think that it would get this bad, this fast."


    Jest looked at him. "Who''s the optimist now, huh?"


    Warden just stared back blankly. Jest sighed. "Well, it doesn''t matter. None of our people is in this dome, anyway �� we''ll need to cross over to other domes if we want to get to them."


    It was not that surprising, really. The Governor did take his views way too far, but he was definitely not the only member of the nascent Awakened supremacy movement. It was only natural that there would be some who saw Awakened as inherently different and innately superior beings when compared to ordinary humans. It was also not that rare to see people get all kinds of weird ideas about the Nightmare Spell, seeing it as some kind of divine intervention. There were at least a dozen odd cults spreading in NQSC, growing in numbers and developing extremist tendencies at a rapid pace.


    And that was just what crazy people did. There were also those who were quite sane, but callously exploited the lunacy of others with malicious intent. It was a proper mess. Warden''s expression darkened, but he did not say anything else. ��For a while. In the morning, after they had witnessed more of how atrociously mundane people were treated inside the dome, Warden called out for Jest quietly. To be fair, by then, even Jest himself was a little pale. He had even left his breakfast untouched, feeling sick to his stomach at the sight of the lavish meal.


    That was probably the first time Jest had neglected free food. Warden looked at him for a while, then said evenly:


    "About what you said. That we should just move on to the next dome."


    "What if I don''t want to?"


    Jest raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"


    Warden lingered for a moment. "What if I don''t want to?"


    He frowned, then added slowly:


    "What if I want to start working on that�� obvious solution�� right now? Won''t I need to eliminate competition if I want to become one of the eventual rulers of humanity?"


    Jest smiled. It seemed to him like the order was reversed�� what Warden really wanted was for the trash like the Esteemed Temporary Governor to be eliminated, and since no one else was cleaning the streets, he had no choice but to become the garbage disposal specialist himself. So that his son could grow up in a cleaner world. Jest shrugged. "Then, the Esteemed Governor will have to die."


    Warden''s expression changed, becoming colder and more dangerous than before. Eventually, he said indifferently:


    "We can''t kill him without justification, though."  S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jest laughed. "Can''t we? Well, leave that to me. If he attacks me first, we''ll be justified in defending ourselves, won''t we? Ah, but make no mistake. It won''t be just the Governor�� his people are just as guilty, and they won''t be happy to see their own justification disappear. In fact, they''ll quickly appoint a new figurehead and continue perpetrating monstrous acts with impunity."


    Warden looked at him darkly. "Haven''t we gotten pretty good at killing monsters, though?"


    Jest smiled. "That we did��"


    The Warden remained silent for a while, then nodded.


    "Then. I''ll delegate that part to you."


    ***


    Two days later, the interior of the dome was neither orderly nor neat anymore. Instead, it was a bloodbath. The Esteemed Temporary Governor was dead. His most loyal warriors were dead, too �� the others have either surrendered or ran away. It was quite a feat, for the small group of Awakened warriors led by Warden to dismantle the entire local force despite being outnumbered one to ten. However, numbers did not matter too much against a well-coordinated attack. Especially if it started with a sudden decapitation strike.


    Plus, the local Awakened were no match for Warden and his people. After all, those who habitually trampled the weak usually fell apart when facing the strong�� and the warriors who had conquered the ancient castle were very strong. Jest had killed the Governor himself. He incited the poor fool to attack by combining his Awakened and Dormant Abilities, then gutted him right there in the opulent dining room. It had not been too hard. In fact, it had been rather easy�� he usually struggled when fighting abominations, since those were mindless beasts. But humans were intelligence creatures, and extreme anger robbed them of their most dangerous weapon �� their intellect. So, for him, killing humans was both easier and more rewarding.


    The Governor was a powerful Awakened, but he succumbed to Jest''s knife all the same. As the fool''s body hit the floor, Jest did not feel much pride�� or much of any kind of emotion, really. Just the satisfaction of feeling his body becoming stronger. After that, they swiftly and strategically dealt with the Governor''s supporters. Now, there were a few dozen captive soldiers kneeling in the courtyard of the luxurious mansion while they searched it for any stragglers. That was when they discovered the hidden cellar. ��A few minutes later, Jest came back on weak legs and crouched in the hallway, breathing heavily. Then, he shuddered and vomited on the luxurious carpet, his eyes trembling slightly. Warden emerged from the basement a minute or two later, pale as a ghost. Both of them remained silent for a while, looking at each other with pale faces. In the end, Jest was the first one to speak:


    "I�� I think I understand what you meant. Back there, on the wall of the castle. These people�� someone needs to stop them, right?"


    Warden took a deep breath. A few moments later, he said coldly:


    "They are not people."


    In the end, the captives did not survive the day, either. Warden did not execute them �� instead, he simply handed them to the mundane inhabitants of the dome in restraints. Perhaps executing them swiftly would have been more merciful.


    Observing the bloody spectacle outside the wall, Jest sighed... It pained him to see all these soul fragments going to waste.

 Chapter 2154: Off the Cuff

    Cassie witnessed the inception of the Great Clan Valor �� of the force that would shape the future of humanity in accordance with its will. Warden''s reluctant determination to become one of the cornerstones that held up the new world would pay off, propelling him to the height of power in the coming years.That was how history was made, it seemed. Not by vast armies or mystical powers, but by the will of a determined individual �� as long as that will was sharp enough to leave a mark on the world.


    Granted, Warden himself was not destined to become an individual whose personal power could trample armies. His son, however, would�� by following in his father''s footsteps.


    Wasn''t it bitterly ironic, then, that the cleaner world Warden wished to create for his children would be drowned in blood by them?


    ��Perhaps it was inevitable, since what they inherited from him was a legacy of war, not peace.


    The beautiful castle he had turned into a bastion of humanity was now a ruined battlefield where his grandchildren were struggling to kill each other, and his son had gathered a great army to slaughter other people, not creatures summoned by the Spell.


    That was his sin, as well.


    At that moment, Cassie sensed a movement. By now, it was not just a subtle twitch�� Jest''s hand rose weakly, and then fell again, hanging limp.


    She shivered and delved deeper into his memories, in a hurry to find traces of Anvil.


    This time, finally, she succeeded.


    A vague memory surfaced from the well of them �� brief, but etched with deep, bittersweet emotions.


    ��Jest exited a luxurious PTV and inhaled deeply, enjoying the clean air of NQSC. Now that the problem with the barriers had been resolved, people could breathe freely here once again �� well, closer to the center, at least.


    His posture was full of confidence, and his dashing figure was made even more eye-catching by a suit of elegant, expensive clothes. Now that Jest had credits to spare,he made a point of enjoying the finer things in life �� something he had been deprived of during his youth.


    It was definitely not to compensate for his inability to wear fancy Memories. Not at all!


    ''Who needs those clunky suits of armor, anyway?''


    Smiling, he walked between the Awakened warriors guarding the entrance to a newly built administrative complex and walked inside. No one dared to stop him, since everyone knew who he was�� actually, what the hell, why had no one at least checked his ID? There were all kinds of Aspects out there, so one could never be too careful��


    Then again, the power of the people who had gathered inside was so fearsome that only a lunatic would try to stage an attack.


    ''Damn. But the world is still full of lunatics!''


    Jest sighed.


    Five years had already passed since the day the Nightmare Spell descended. By now, the world was slowly overcoming the dire state of instability it had undergone at the start. Of course, there were still countless problems, big and small, but there was at least a semblance of order in most of the Quadrants �� and here in NQSC especially. ?a????��?????????


    In large part, it was thanks to the people that had gathered today�� and Jest himself, as well, even if what he did was usually less glamorous.


    A few minutes later, he entered a room where Warden was seated in a chair, looking mildly uncomfortable �� not that many people would recognize genuine emotions behind his flawlessly stoic facade. There were two young women here, too, working on his hair and makeup.


    Jest couldn''t help but laugh.


    "Oh, oh gods. Never have I imagined seeing you in makeup, Lord Warden."


    Warden looked at him sideways, seemingly afraid to turn his head and disturb the makeup artist. If looks could kill, Jest would probably fall dead at the spot.


    "That�� others insisted. I am going to address all of humanity today, after all."


    Jest grinned.


    "Good luck�� to humanity. Witnessing yourmug will be a great shock for many, no doubt. Let them suffer,I say! Like I have suffered all these years."


    Today was indeed a special day. Because today, they were announcing the formation of the United Human Government �� an overarching organization meant to facilitate the cooperation of disparate human strongholds, serve as connective tissue between independent Awakened champions, and oversee the infrastructure of populated areas of the planet.


    That was why brilliant figures like Warden, Immortal Flame, Nightwalker, and many other powerhouses were all in the same building today.


    Of course, that name �� the United Human Government �� was merely a bold proclamation. In truth, humanity was far from being united. Most of the planet was indeed under the control of their coalition now, but there were still powerful adversaries left in its corners.


    The Americas seemed to come around last year, but the Supremacists were still holding ground in the South. The entire Western Quadrant was under the control of Caliban and his cabal of demented fiends, all indoctrinated by his eerily sinister ideology. The Dream Cult was still prevalent in many places, and the Path of Ascension zealots were steadily gaining ground right here in NQSC.


    There were many smaller cities that had yet to be liberated from the Nightmare Creatures, too.


    In short, there was still a lot of work to do.


    Which was why Jest was late to arrive today.


    Warden hesitated for a few moments, then asked the makeup artist and the hair stylist to leave. Once they were gone, he looked at Jest evenly.


    "How did it go?"


    Jest shrugged.


    "There was a bit of collateral damage. Unfortunate, but inevitable. In any case, it went well �� those old regime fogies won''t be a problem anymore. We''ll be able to take full control of the water distribution system and purification plants by the end of the week, then hand them to the UHG. Obviously, that will also make the negotiations with the Farmers moot �� they won''t last long if we cut water supply to their precious hydroponics.And without a stable source of food, all other holdouts will fall in line. In short, there''ll be no independent factions controlling vital infrastructure here in NQSC anymore. All thanks to yours truly."


    He grinned.


    Warden sighed, then nodded curtly.


    After a few moments, he said:


    "There''s blood on your sleeve."


    Jest flinched.


    "What? Ah, crap�� that''s a bespoke shirt, damn it!"


    He pulled the cuff of his shirt from under his jacket''s sleeve, studied the degree of damage, then grimaced and tore the entire cuff off.


    Of course, not before removing the expensive cuff link first. Those were a gift from his wife, so he could not lose them.


    ''Oh no, my shirt...'' S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Throwing the bloodied cuff into a trashcan, Jest sighed dejectedly and glanced at Warden.


    "Well, anyway. You go ahead and prepare for your speech�� I''ll go say hello to the kids."


    Warden nodded.


    "Tell the makeup team to come in on your way out. And�� good job today."


    Jest smiled.


    "Why, of course. When have I ever not done a good job?"


    The last five years had not been peaceful�� in fact, they were stained by endless bloodshed. Power came at a great cost, and one had to pay for it in blood �� either their own or that of their opponents.


    So, Jest had long lost count of the number of such missions he had undertaken on behalf of Warden, both openly and in secret. It was not very enjoyable work�� most of the time�� but he prided himself on being good at it.


    Most importantly, it mattered. Because he was not spilling blood for personal gain or to satisfy his greed. He was spilling it to build a better future for everyone, and especially for his family.


    Now that Jest was a father himself, he understood how Warden had felt, all those years ago.


    Forgetting about the bloodied cuff, Jest headed for the door.


    "Oh! Is your youngest here today?"


    Warden nodded with a smile.


    "Yes, he is."


    Jest chuckled.


    "Good, good. Although I still can''t believe that you actually gave him that name. That is, like�� child abuse?Hello! Don''t you have any shame?"


    Warden shook his head.


    "You won''t understand. Anvil is different from Madoc��"


    And standing in the dark jungle of Godgrave, Cassie smiled subtly while Jest''s hands twitched.


    ''Found you.''

 Chapter 2155: Human Connections

    Whistling a happy tune, Jest made his way to a different part of the complex.The important people were preparing to make the historic announcement, and would be busy discussing various matters after that �� it was not every day that they gathered in one place, so there was a lot to talk about.


    It was also important to simply spend time together and get to know each other. Some of the famed champions of humanity had already met, and even fought side by side on many occasions, but some were barely acquainted. If the coalition was to last, its pillars had to share a sense of unity.


    Despite how much the world had changed, there was still nothing quite as effective in building trust as looking the other person in the eye and shaking their hand.


    Grand matters and shared strategic interests notwithstanding, personal connections were still the most important and fundamental element of human relationships, trampling all else. So, the exalted champions of humanity�� were going to hang out.


    And while they were doing that, their families would spend time together as well. The wives, the husbands, the children �� they had to build connections too, so that the framework of the tentative new coalition was cemented.


    Warden might have had to give a solemn speech, announcing the formation of the United Human Government to the world, but the actual new world order was going to be built behind closed doors, in heavily guarded backrooms, where the families of Warden and other champions were mingling and forming a different kind of union. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One that would become their true legacy.


    Well�� and also, all these powerhouses were paranoid �� for a good reason, too. They weren''t going to leave their loved ones unguarded while every warrior who was worth anything was away, so they simply took their families with them.


    Jest was no different. His son and his wife, who was pregnant with their second child, were somewhere here, as well. After the bloody morning, he couldn''t wait to see them.


    There was a large room in the depths of the complex that was furnished splendidly, with comfortable sofas, various refreshments set on wooden tables, and plenty of toys scattered on the floor of the playing area that was arranged in the center. The lighting imitated daylight, and a beautiful view that seemed to reproduce the beautiful vistas around Bastion was projected on the walls.


    The room was filled with a relaxed atmosphere�� or rather, it would have if not for the energetic kind of chaos that spawned anytime a group of children congregated.


    The first person Jest noticed was, of course, his wife. Her pregnancy was barely showing, so a person who did not know her well would probably not even notice the difference �� but he, of course, could see it clearly.


    In fact, Jest had started joking about how pregnant she looked as soon as they received the good news. His wife was usually one of the few people whose sense of humor was sophisticated enough to appreciate his genius, but this time, she kept missing the point for whatever reason.


    She never missed when she punched Jest in response, though, so while he had not earned any laughs recently, he did earn more than a few bruises �� his wife was an Awakened too, after all. Her punches carried both weight and purpose.


    Come to think of it��


    Hadn''t she unexplainably lost her sense of humor the last time she was pregnant, too?


    ''Probably hormones��''


    She was talking to a beautiful, elegant mundane woman of about their age, who seemed to be Immortal Flame''s wife. Jest spared a moment or two to study her exquisite features and striking grey eyes. ??????????


    Immortal Flame himself was a fiery guy, so it was a bit strange to see that his wife was like a calm, placid lake. That said�� despite being mundane, she had a strong presence, as if there was a core of solid steel hidden beneath the deep waters of that lake.


    That woman had character.


    Well�� of course, she had. Not just anyone could be the life partner of an exceptional man like Immortal Flame, and out of those who had survived the descent of the Nightmare Spell, there were only two types of people �� those who broke, and those who became so tough that nothing could break them.


    It was a good thing that Immortal Flame and his family were now their allies. If things had turned out differently�� Jest could not help but shiver. An enemy like that would have to be uprooted and exterminated completely, because leaving adversaries of this caliber alive was no different from signing your own death certificate.


    Luckily, Immortal Flame was a reasonable man despite his fiery temperament.


    Approaching the two women with a pleasant smile, Jest greeted them happily and then looked around the room.


    "Where are the kids?"


    The kids, of course, were up to no good.


    He found them in a corner, discussing something in hushed voices.


    Well, an adorable little girl was discussing something, while the three boys around her were just listening with obedient expressions.


    The oldest of them was about five years old and wore a hesitant expression, as if unsure of why he was listening to the tiny, but bossy little girl. Jest knew this one all too well, since it was Madoc, Warden''s oldest.


    The next one was Jest''s own little rogue. His son was four, and had mischievous sparks dancing in his innocent eyes. That innocence was pure deceit, of course�� the little fella was a real menace, to the point that Jest never knew whether to despair or feel proud when confronted by his mischief.


    The impossibly cute girl was, without a doubt, Immortal Flame''s daughter. Her bright smile was a sight to behold, and there were adorable dimples on her chubby cheeks�� she seemed to be the ringleader.


    And finally, there was a timid boy who was not quite three yet, same as the girl. This was probably the first time he had found himself surrounded by so many strangers, so he stuck close to the outgoing girl and listened to her carefully.


    Seeing such a serious expression on such a cute face made Jest want to laugh.


    The boy, of course, was Anvil, Warden''s younger son.


    Noticing him, little Anvil suddenly smiled and waved a hand.


    "Uncle Jest!"


    Jest waved back.


    ''Ah�� but really. Anvil? Poor kid�� he will really need to develop a sense of humor, with a name like that��''

 Chapter 2156: Flexible Steel

    Little Anvil was not so little anymore, having just turned seven. He had somehow grew into something that resembled an actual person now, albeit a mini version, and one could already recognize his father''s features in his earnest, serious face.Too serious, even. Jest had often wondered what kind of kids Warden would raise �� with how serious and prone to giving lectures about chivalry the man was, his poor children were bound to grow up with a severe deficiency of fun in their lives.


    It was already showing��


    Perhaps that was why Anvil liked to hang out with Immortal Flame''s daughter so much.


    At the moment, though, he was laying on the ground, breathing heavily and staring at the sky with bleak eyes.


    Jest coughed.


    "That, uh�� maybe we should end things here today."


    The kid was weirdly fit for someone his age, but the training regime Warden forced upon the poor fellow was way too intense. Little Anvil really did nothing but study and practice all day long, which was a sad thing to see.


    Then again, Jest understood Warden completely�� in fact, all of them, the original Awakened, were a bit too harsh on their children.


    That was because the Nightmare Spell was continuing to reap lives, with new youths contracting it each year. The thought of his son being sent into a Nightmare made Jest sweat, which was why he and his wife trained their little devil with an almost equal �� but not quite �� level of intensity.


    They had faced the horrors of the Nightmare Spell unprepared, so if there was something �� anything �� they could do to coach their children on how to survive the danger, they were willing to do it. Not everyone had such a wealth of resources at their disposal, but they did, and so they used it thoroughly.


    Thankfully, their second son was too young for sword practice�� for now. Still, his training would have to start soon.


    ��No one was trained more intensely than poor Anvil, though, both in swordsmanship and intellectual pursuits.


    Warden was not so strict even with Madoc, who was two years older. By now, Jest knew why, and while he understood that the younger of the two brothers had a different, somewhat inhuman constitution, it was still a shame to see him waste his childhood this way.


    Anvil himself did not seem to mind, though.


    Shaking his head, the boy sighed, then rose to his feet wearily and picked up the wooden sword.


    "No, Uncle Jest�� I can go again. Please instruct me."


    Jest sighed. He didn''t even want to joke at the moment.


    ''Warden�� ah, I really need to talk to him.''


    Warden was, without a doubt, an exceptional man. He was a fearsome warrior and benevolent leader, and more importantly than that, he was someone with a great and clear vision. Even his enemies did not question his nobility, and his intellect was truly formidable.


    More than that, he was Jest''s closest friend and benefactor. It would not be a stretch to say that everything Jest had was because of Warden�� he would not even be alive if not for that excessively serious guy. His life would have ended on the day of the winter solstice, all those years ago.


    And yet, despite what many seemed to think, Warden wasn''t perfect.


    In particular, as far as Jest could see, he was not treating his children �� especially Anvil �� right. Warden approached their education with his usual level of seriousness, and although he meant well, children also needed warmth and affection. Especially these two, who had lost their mother young.


    It had happened during the First Gate Crisis�� that damn disaster. Many people had suspected that the Nightmare Spell had more terrors in store for humanity, but still, no one expected that a few years after the first Awakened returned from the Dream Realm, the Dream Realm would follow them to Earth through the Nightmare Gates.


    The Gates kept opening, and no one managed to close one yet.


    Jest frowned.


    There was no telling what other calamities the Nightmare Spell had in store. The future they were trying to build was dark and unclear.


    So�� perhaps Warden had the right idea to prepare his sons for the worst, after all.


    ''Ah, I don''t know anymore��''


    Jest remained silent for a moment, then smiled warmly.


    "Sure, kid. Let''s go again�� be sure not to let go of your sword this time."


    Since most of the human enemies that had threatened them were gone now, he had a lot of free time on his hands. That was why Warden had asked him to give Anvil lessons. ?��????s?


    There were better swordsmen out there, of course, but there were few killers better than Jest in the world�� if any.


    Two worlds, really.


    So, what he had to teach Anvil was not the sword, per se, but rather combat. Real battle was never clean and orderly like training spars �� both people and Nightmare Creatures fought dirty, using anything and everything they could to kill the enemy and survive. Desperation was the best teacher, but it was hard for a child from a noble family to really taste it.


    Clutching his wooden sword, Anvil frowned. Jest chuckled.


    "What''s with that bitter expression?"


    The little boy looked at him somberly, and then said in a guarded tone:


    "Uncle Jest�� since you are telling me to hold onto my sword, you''ll probably ignore it completely and just smack me on the body, right?"


    Jest grinned.


    "It seems you did learn something!"


    With that, he attacked�� ignoring the boy''s wooden sword and aiming directly at his body, instead.


    After a few exchanges, Anvil found himself on the ground again and sighed.


    This time, he did not hurry to stand up.


    "I see. So today''s lesson is misdirection."


    Jest stared at the little boy, then shook his head in dejection.


    "You are way too honest and upright, boy. There''s no honesty in battle, though. Your enemies will try to deceive you, and you must know how to both see through their deceit and deceive them in turn."


    Anvil frowned.


    "But isn''t Father an honest and upright man, too?"


    Jest laughed.


    "Who, Warden? Why, of course. He is the honestest and the uprightest�� but he can be cunning and crooked when he needs to, too. A true warrior can''t be too rigid in his thinking. He has to be flexible, or he''ll die."


    The little boy nodded seriously. S��arch* The nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Like steel."


    He considered something for a few moments, then smiled.


    "A good sword has to be flexible, too. Rigid blades will break faster. I understand now, Uncle Jest!"


    Jest gave him a dubious glance, not sure what if the boy really understood.


    Then, he shrugged.


    "Well, if you do, get up and go clean yourself. I''ll take you into the city to eat something tasty."


    Anvil looked at him with a childish expression, which made Jest happy �� it was nice seeing the boy act like a kid for a change.


    Eventually, though, Anvil sighed.


    "Father hired a nutrition specialist to oversee my meals. I am�� forbidden from eating ice cream��"


    Jest smiled benevolently.


    "Why, then we can take the nutrition specialist with us. I''m sure that we can find a nutritious ice cream, with some help�� and even if we can''t, Warden doesn''t need to know everything, right?"


    The boy''s eyes widened.


    Jest thought that it was a look of admiration at first, but then realized that there was a tall figure reflecting in Anvil''s eyes.


    Turning around, he saw Warden, who was walking across the garden with wide steps.


    The man looked strangely intense.


    Jest coughed.


    "Listen, man�� Lord Warden. I didn''t mean it that way, okay? I was definitely not teaching your kid how to deceive his father..."


    But Warden ignored his words and just stared at him.


    Jest felt that something was wrong.


    "What?"


    Warden remained silent for a few moments, and then suddenly smiled fiercely.


    "It''s Immortal Flame. That guy. He closed a Nightmare Gate!"

 Chapter 2157: Seeds of Calamity

    What Immortal Flame had accomplished changed everything. Even before the news of his Ascension spread around the world like a tidal wave, igniting the hearts of countless people, it had shaken the hearts of those who held both the greatest power and the greatest responsibility in the dire world of the Nightmare Spell�� of people like Warden.The repercussions were too significant.


    Knowing the importance of what he had learned inside the Seed of Nightmare, Immortal Flame wasn''t shy about sharing the information. An urgent meeting between the members of the prominent families was arranged, and soon, the powerhouses of humanity gathered in a heavily guarded government complex.


    As one of Warden''s elites, Jest attended as well.


    Everything they learned from the Immortal Flame was astonishing.


    First, the nature of Ascension �� the further evolution of one''s body, the qualitative increase in the potency of soul essence, the unimaginable degree with which one could control it as an Ascended, the unsealing of the third Aspect Ability, and most importantly of all�� the ability to enter the Dream Realm whenever one wanted.


    Or not enter it at all.


    All of them were seasoned and powerful Awakened warriors, but witnessing what Immortal Flame was now capable of, even just on a purely physical level, was enough to leave them all stunned. That�� was an entirely new level of might that they could not have dreamed about.


    Not even superhuman power, but an inhuman one.


    Something that would finally allow them to contend against Fallen Nightmare Creatures on equal footing, and therefore alleviate the crushing pressure every one of them was experiencing, both in the real world and in the Dream Realm.


    Take Bastion, for example�� although it had become a beacon of safety for the humans of the Dream Realm, the actual situation in the castle was not too good these days. That was because without the red dragon, the abominable forest that surrounded Warden''s Citadel was growing more and more terrifying with each year.


    By now, Bastion was besieged from all sides, and the only way to stave off the enemy was to venture out on frequent punitive expeditions to cull the abominations spawned by the dark woods, burning large swathes of the forest in the process. Each of these expeditions was more onerous and deadly than the previous one, and the balance of power was slowly shifting in favor of the sprawling dark mass of the eerie Titan.


    Ascension offered a chance to swing the balance back in favor of humans.


    Then, there was the freedom from the clutches of the Nightmare Spell it offered. All Awakened had no choice but to enter the Dream Realm when they slept�� and the Dream Realm was a harsh and inhospitable hell.


    Bastion was one of the strongest Citadels of humanity in its dark expanse, and even it was barely standing�� there was no need to mention how hard the lives in the smaller human enclaves were. Surviving was hard, and casualties were a constant. The Citadels were like small, trembling flames, shining weakly in the endless expanse of chilling and impenetrable darkness.


    So, for most Awakened, the mere possibility of never having to enter the Dream Realm again would be like a ray of hope.


    For those in charge of humanity, however, something else held much more significance�� it was not the allure of greater power that Ascension offered, and not even the promise of remaining in the real world forever.


    It was the fact that conquering a Seed was now the only proven method of closing a Nightmare Gate. The Gates had become a plague after first appearing a few years ago, and their number only continued to grow. There were already a dozen or so exclusion zones in NQSC alone, and constant military presence was required to eliminate the emerging abominations.


    The scale of the problem was manageable�� for now. But anyone with the smallest amount of foresight could see the writing on the wall �� sooner or later, the Nightmare Gates were going to swallow all human population centers.


    Unless they were dealt with.


    And Immortal Flame had shown them a way to do just that.


    Finally, there was the last shocking part of his report.


    It was the truth of what was hidden inside the Nightmare Seeds.


    Immortal Flame, of course, was not the first person who had entered one of them. However, he and those of his comrades who had survived were the first ones to return alive, and therefore, the first people who could tell the rest of humanity about what awaited Awakened inside the Nightmare Seeds.


    The truth was something that many had theorized, but none had been able to prove.


    It was another Nightmare�� a Second Nightmare.


    Just like the trial that every Awakened faced after contracting the Spell, a new Nightmare awaited them inside the Seeds �� this one far more deadly and demanding, with enemies that were far more powerful than most of them had ever had to fight. ???????�§�?


    However, there was another difference to the Second Nightmare, one that had the potential to have decisive influence on the next few years. It was that, according to the Immortal Flame, these new harrowing Nightmares were not individual trials, but rather meant to be challenged as by groups of Awakened.


    The idea of a Nightmare that many people could challenge was preposterous, but it was nevertheless true. Jest was quite shocked by the unexpected turn of events, but in hindsight, nothing about the Nightmare Spell had ever been predictable.


    The news of Immortal Flame''s Ascension was announced a few days after the meeting. Not long after that, the prominent Awakened gathered once more, this time for an official celebration��


    It was just before the celebration that Warden looked at Jest somberly and said, his voice full of familiar determination.


    "We must do it, Jest. We must Ascend."


    Jest sighed.


    "Yeah, sure. But hold your horses �� you know better than I do how many people died while challenging the Seeds. The fact that Immortal Flame returned alive doesn''t mean that from now on, everyone will too. We must prepare thoroughly�� there is no rush."


    But Warden shook his head.


    "You are wrong. There is a rush. Don''t you see?"


    Looking at the streets of NQSC that moved past the window of their PTV, Warden gritted his teeth.


    "The fact that there is a Second Nightmare�� means that there will be a Third, as well. And the Fourth."


    His expression darkened.


    "Which also means that after the First Gate Crisis, there will be the Second. And the Third. And so on�� that is a reasonable extrapolation. These Nightmare Gates we are dealing with will soon become more terrible. What will we do when Corrupted Nightmare Creatures start entering the waking world?"


    Jest shivered.


    Corrupted Nightmare Creatures... were legendary monsters synonymous with death. Just one of them could wipe out most of NQSC, since there was no one here to stop it.


    Except for Immortal Flame and his surviving companions.


    Noticing the lack of a humorous response, Warden nodded and looked at him silently.


    Eventually, he said: S��ar?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That is why we must Ascend, Jest. As soon as possible."

 Chapter 2158: Old Guard

    In the end, there had not been a Second Gate Crisis.That was because people like Warden had anticipated that Category Three Gates would start appearing in the near future, and prepared accordingly.


    It cost them a lot.


    For a few years after Immortal Flame had conquered the Second Nightmare, the higher echelons of humanity were overcome by great ambition, great determination�� and great sorrow.


    There were countless celebrations, and countless funerals.


    Almost all the best and the brightest of humanity answered the Call of Nightmare, entering the blooming Seeds to face the trial of the Spell. Many returned victorious, but many had perished, as well.


    It was as if the old guard was being culled. Jest had lost count of how many of his old acquaintances �� all seasoned veterans and survivors of the Spell''s descent �� had lost their lives in the pursuit of Ascension.


    But he survived. Warden survived, too, becoming an Ascended in the tenth year of the Nightmare Spell era�� people like them were more and more often called Masters, now.


    Both of them were in their thirties now.


    They weren''t young, but the ruthless world kept changing around them at the same rapid pace.


    In the Dream Realm, Warden managed to push the monstrous forest back from the walls of Bastion�� for a time, at least. Despite having reached Ascension, they still could not contend against a Fallen Titan �� all they could do was contain it, and slow down its growth.


    Jest himself had left Bastion and traveled south along the river, conquering the strategic Citadel that stood halfway between the Mirror Lake and Stormsea. With Rivergate in human hands, it was now possible to connect with Nightwalker and the other champions of that nebulous region of the Dream Realm.


    Many more Citadels were conquered at that time, as well. While the River of Tears basin in the west was still largely underdeveloped, with every human enclave isolated from the rest, things were changing here in the heartland of the Dream Realm.


    Humans were slowly uniting around Bastion and Warden, and the Citadels were supporting each other to present a united front against the horrors of the Nightmare Spell.


    Things were changing in the waking world, too.


    Almost all remaining cities were now under the control of the United Human Government and the Awakened forces standing behind it. The mad ruler of the Western Quadrant, Caliban, had been eliminated �� the less powerful local tyrants had all been either killed or persuaded to join the new world order, as well.


    Quite a few of those who persisted in their misguided ways died by Jest''s own hand. He had been deadly even as an Awakened, and his power and lethality only exploded after becoming a Master.


    The Dream Cult had been ruthlessly suppressed and erased from the annals of history, replaced by the powerful propaganda machine of the government. The Awakened Supremacy movement had been eradicated. Countless smaller gangs, cults, movements, and extremist factions were all gone now, and a semblance of if not peace, then at least stability enveloped the world.


    Even the Ascension zealots were gone now�� this particular faction had not been too malicious, but there was still no place for it in the new world order. Which was a shame, considering how powerful many of them were �� in fact, while Immortal Flame was the first one to conquer the Second Nightmare, it was the Path of Ascension believers who had braved it second, much earlier than even Warden himself.


    While most Awakened dreamed of becoming Masters in order to never enter the Dream Realm again, the Ascension zealots wanted the opposite. So, after being pressured and persecuted by the dominant forces of the human world, they simply left it forever and established a colony somewhere in the Dream Realm, never to be heard of again.


    Jest was not sorry to see the lunatics go.


    Not that he had a lot of time to spare them any thought.


    Busy, busy, busy�� if there was one word to describe their lives in the past few years, it was busy.


    So busy that he did not even really notice when his older son had turned into a temperamental teenager, and his younger son started school.


    ''Gods. Look at this guy! He''s taller than me!''


    Jest was just contemplating spending more time with his children when he noticed Anvil, now fourteen years old, practicing with a sword in solitude.


    He was currently visiting the Valor residence to discuss a few important matters with Warden �� a frequent occurrence now that they were anchored at different Citadels in the Dream Realm. Traveling from Rivergate to Bastion did not take a lot of time, but it was still more convenient to meet here in NQSC. So, he was often a guest here. ???????����????


    His lessons with Anvil had long been canceled, though, because the little fiend was already a far better swordsman than Jest himself was. So was Madoc �� now the two brothers just sparred with each other when they needed a partner, and taught each other as well.


    They were both monstrously talented, even if Anvil had an edge over his older brother due to a special lineage.


    Noticing Jest, Anvil smiled subtly and put down the sword. S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Uncle Jest. What a nice surprise."


    Jest grinned.


    "That''s what she�� actually, never mind. How have you been, kid?"


    Anvil nodded.


    "Thank you. I''ve been doing well."


    ''Ah. He''s still too prim and proper.''


    Although Madoc and Anvil were both talented and diligent, one thing they were missing under Warden''s strict oversight was liveliness.


    Today, however, Warden''s younger son seemed troubled.


    He hesitated for a few moments, then asked tentatively.


    "Uncle Jest. Do you think that Madoc�� will he be alright?"


    Jest raised an eyebrow.


    "Why wouldn''t he be alright?"


    A shadow crossed the boy''s face.


    "Because he turned sixteen."


    Jest blinked.


    Sixteen.


    Most of the youths who contracted the Spell were between sixteen and eighteen years of age.


    ''...Madoc is already sixteen, huh?''


    At that point, someone would say�� gods! How fast time had passed!


    But not Jest. To him, it felt like a dozen lifetimes had passed between the day Madoc was born and now.


    However��


    Since Madoc was already sixteen, his own son will be, too, in a year.


    He remained silent for a while, then smiled.


    "Madoc? That guy? Bah! Of course, he''ll be alright. Don''t you worry about him, worry about yourself instead��"


    And indeed, Madoc was alright. A year passed, and he was yet to show any symptoms of having contracted the Nightmare Spell.


    So, Jest allowed himself to feel hopeful, too.


    ''Maybe it''s really�� really going to be alright.''


    But then, one day, when he returned home...


    His son''s sleepy eyes met him, and the boy said after a big yawn.


    "Ah, dad�� sorry�� can we skip practice today? I feel a bit tired."


    Jest''s heart stopped.

 Chapter 2159: Empty Cradle

    In the basement of Jest''s lavish mansion at the heart of NQSC, behind several layers of armored alloy and defended by a cutting-edge spelltech defense system, lay a square chamber with video walls that displayed a beautiful panoramic view of Rivergate.There were two sleeping pods installed there side by side �� once luxurious and expensive, but now old and obsolete. Jest and his wife had used them once, but since both of them were Masters now and did not venture into the Dream Realm in their sleep, the sleeping pods had just been gathering dust for the last few years.


    Not that they were really dusty. The entire mansion was spotlessly clean, both due to robotic cleaners and mundane staff.


    But today, one of the pods had an occupant.


    Jest''s older son was laying there, sleeping peacefully, while Jest himself was sitting on a folding chair nearby and watching him with an expressionless face.


    He had been sitting there for two days without moving.


    Only his mind was restless and alive.


    ''Come on, boy�� come on. Your old man survived, so you can survive too. You are so much better than me. You can do it...''


    It had not taken long for his son to succumb to the Spell after displaying the first symptoms. He was in the First Nightmare now, fighting for his life�� and Jest was stuck here �� by his side, but unable to help.


    He could not help, and at the same time, he felt more helpless than ever before.


    Wasn''t it funny? Jest had spent the first two decades of his life barely clinging to life, then spent many more years in regular brushes with death. And yet, he had never felt more powerless than now.


    Perhaps it was funny, but for the first time since the Spell descended, he could not find the strength to smile.


    ''Come on��''


    Slowly, every conversation he had ever had with Warden were surfacing in his mind. Everything that the two of them had done �� every glorious victory, every triumph against all odds, every noble sacrifice�� every dirty scheme, every cold-blooded execution, every innocent life lost as collateral damage in pursuit of greater good �� it had all been for this, had it not?


    To build a world where their children could live with their heads held high.


    They had spilled the blood and built that world, so surely, their children would survive?


    Jest had known nothing and had nothing when the Spell called him into the First Nightmare. He did not know how to fight, how to wield weapons, how to procure food, how to find shelter from the elements. He had not known what Aspects were, why Attributes were important, how to harvest and absorb soul shards��


    But his son knew it all, and then some. He had been taught and trained by the best instructors in the world, preparing for this day from early childhood. His training had been both thorough and extensive, bordering on excessive�� Jest and his wife were among the best warriors of humanity and imparted as much as they could on him, as well.


    So, surely��


    Jest had never prayed to anyone or anything before, but he was praying now.


    Even though the gods were dead, he hoped that something would listen.


    He prayed to the gods, to the Demons.


    He even prayed to the Nightmare Spell.


    ''Come on��''


    But his prayers had gone unanswered.


    ��He felt it before he saw it. A subtle, almost imperceptible shift in the atmosphere, as if the air in the underground chamber had suddenly become heavier. ???????��?s?


    Colder, darker, and more sinister.


    It was not really something Jest felt with his body, but rather what he felt with his soul.


    His eyes trembled slightly.


    In the brightly illuminated cradle of the sleeping pod, his son''s eyelids trembled, too.


    For a moment, Jest hoped that the little fiend would wake up and open his eyes.


    But instead, his son''s body twitched, and then arched, a low growl escaping from between his lips.


    Something moved under his skin, as if his bones were growing and rearranging themselves, pressing against it from below. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jest continued to watch silently, paralyzed.


    Eventually, though��


    He slowly stood up and walked toward the sleeping pod weakly.


    Sitting down on its edge, he pulled his son into an embrace and held him tightly, struggling against the movements that were growing more and more fierce.


    He tasted it again�� the salty taste of tears on his tongue.


    So he still had tears to shed, it seemed.


    Just like on that day, in front of the barrack.


    Jest opened his mouth:


    "Shhh��"


    He inhaled deeply.


    "It''s alright, boy. It''s alright. You did well�� you did the best you could."


    Of course, the thing he was holding was not his son anymore.


    But Jest just held it tighter.


    "It''s alright�� you did well��"


    After a while��


    And eternity, perhaps.


    Jest left the basement and closed the door behind him.


    He knew that his wife was waiting for him upstairs, half-dead from the dreadful anticipation of uncertain news.


    He had to tell her now, but was not brave enough to face her just yet.


    Instead, Jest turned to the wall and leaned on it, breathing heavily.


    The armored alloy felt cool against his forehead.


    ''Ah��''


    His mind was empty.


    ''Ah...''


    Some time later, his gaze focused on his wrist.


    There, on the cuff of his expensive shirt��


    The white fabric had turned vibrant red with blood.


    Jest stared at it for a while, his eyes slowly growing less cloudy.


    A crooked smile suddenly split his face apart.


    He remembered another bloodied cuff, and a conversation that had happened a long time ago.


    What was it that he had said?


    ''... A bit of collateral damage. Unfortunate, but inevitable. In any case, it went well.''


    They had been so matter-of-fact about it. And why wouldn''t they? How many of these unfortunate occurrences had there been? He had lost count. If Jest wasted energy caring about each of them �� any of them �� he would have spent his entire life spilling tears.


    He was too busy spilling blood, though. One could not build a new world without mortar, after all, and definitely not without breaking a few bricks�� a dozen or a thousand, it did not matter.


    But those broken bricks had been someone''s sons and daughters, too.


    He grinned terribly.


    "So�� is this my punishment then?"


    Was it?


    Before Jest knew what he was doing, he brought his head back, and then hit it against the wall, as if wishing to crack his skull open.


    But his skull did not crack, of course.


    Instead, the armored alloy bent and cracked, and a deep indent was formed on its surface.


    He was a Master, after all.


    ''Ah, ah��''


    The world was bitter.


    The gods had died, and were replaced by the Nightmare Spell.


    And the Spell��


    It was a wicked god.


    The only kind of god he deserved, perhaps.

 Chapter 2160: Past and Future

    About a year later, Jest was leaning on the wall of a random building, feeling dizzy from drinking too much. It was hard for an Ascended to get drunk, but he had smuggled a bottle of special brew from the Dream Realm �� it wasn''t made from mundane stuff, so its effect was correspondingly outstanding.He had fallen apart, a little, after his older son''s death �� not too much, but just enough to allow himself a day or two of drowning in self-pity every few months or so.


    After all, Jest still had another son to take care of. His wife needed him, as well�� and Warden, too, although now that all the enemies of the new world order had been eliminated, there was rarely a need to use his services.


    That last fact was slowly changing as of late. Not because new external adversaries were rising, but simply because the new order had become robust enough, and had existed for long enough, that internal threats were.


    Now, Warden had to put effort into maintaining if not control, then at least a decisive amount of influence over the unwieldy apparatus of human governance. Jest had to help from time to time �� his work these days was usually less bloody, and he served as more of a scarecrow than an executioner.


    ��Usually.


    ''Ah, I''m sick of it. When will it end?''


    When would he and Warden be able to get some rest? Work, work, work�� for two decades, almost, they had done nothing but work tirelessly.


    He imagined the two of them retired, sipping wine in some warm garden in Bastion while their grandkids played around, and giggled.


    ''Bah. With how stiff that guy is, I doubt he''ll ever settle down.''


    Jest grimaced, then took another sip of the bitter brew.


    In front of him, in the distance, the workers were finishing constructing the Awakened Academy. Looking at the mighty wall defending the complex from a distance, Jest smiled darkly.


    ''Bastards. Took them long enough��''


    Many things had changed in the last year. More of the children of the original Awakened had contracted the Nightmare Spell�� some survived, some didn''t. Of course, countless children had perished to the Spell already, but these ones were different.


    Because they were the first infected who had been born after the descent of the Nightmare Spell, and grew up not knowing anything but its dire new world.


    The Second Generation.


    Looking at the gates of the Academy being hoisted up, Jest suddenly felt like he was back to that day when he returned to the barrack, only to find himself unable to walk through the broken door.


    A dark, deep sense of futility overwhelmed him, and he hurried to wash it away with the bitter taste of alcohol.


    ''That''s good. That''s better��''


    He wasn''t watching alone, either. At some point, another figure appeared in the alley, walking past him without even noticing �� well, it wasn''t surprising. Jest was standing in the shadows, after all, and actively suppressing his presence. That was a habit he had developed after perpetrating numerous assassinations.


    It was someone he knew, in fact. Awakened Orum�� a nice enough guy. Not too powerful and not too ambitious, but solid and reliable. He, too, was a member of the First Generation, and since his Citadel was in the general area of influence exerted by Bastion, the two of them had fought side by side a few times.


    Still, Jest would have preferred if no one disturbed his solitude. S��ar?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When the gates of the Academy were installed in place, he sighed and let out a laugh.


    "When the gods close a door, the Nightmare Spell opens a window."


    Orum turned his head in surprise, only noticing Jest now. Internally, Jest shook his head.


    ''Eh, Orum�� I really hope we never meet as enemies. You''d never see me coming.''


    They exchanged a few meaningless words, with Jest playing a drunken fool, then continued to watch the construction. Eventually, the conversation turned to the Academy. ??????��??????


    Little Anvil�� who was not so little anymore�� was going to attend it. He had been infected by the Spell just before turning sixteen, and survived the First Nightmare �� thank the gods. Madoc was already eighteen, and still not showing any symptoms. In one more year or so, he would be safe.


    Immortal Flame''s daughter was going to attend, too.


    They were the future of humanity now��


    Jest hoped desperately that they would be. He would gladly become the past, if only they survived.


    People were calling these kids Legacies as of late.


    It was a bit disgusting, that word, but not as disgusting as parents who had become enamored by the gifts of the Spell and actually hoped for their children would contract it.


    Was Orum one of those bastards, by chance?


    If he was�� Jest thought that he might just kill him right here and now, in this alley. There were no witnesses, and he could handle a mere Awakened in a matter of seconds. Losing one moderately competent would not affect anything major, either.


    ''Wait�� he doesn''t even have children, I think? But he''s taking care of his niece and nephews��''


    After staring at Orum for a bit, Jest smiled coldly.


    "Your sister''s children are what, around ten? You must be thinking about a lot of things right now, too. Huh, Orum?"


    The man nodded.


    "Yeah. I am thinking�� I really hope that they won''t become infected. Of course, I''ll need to prepare them well, in case they do."


    Just like that, without even knowing it, Orum had saved his life.


    Jest grinned.


    "...That is why I like you, Orum. Thank the gods you''re still normal, at least."


    There were sane people left in the world, too.


    He took another seep of the bitter brew, which had loosened his tongue. So, Jest went on a little rant.


    ''Legacies. Ha, what a joke!''


    That was not the kind of legacy they had wanted to leave. Their children becoming Awakened was not it!


    This�� the city around them�� that was the real legacy Warden and Jest had spent their lives building. The clean air, the stable supply of electricity, the robust infrastructure. Public trams that arrived on time, warm water in the showers, and enough food to feed everyone �� even the surplus population that had to be relocated to the outskirts of the city beyond the barriers.


    That was what they had wanted to leave behind for their kids, not the bloody horror of the Nightmare Spell��


    No matter the cost.


    But what was the point if their children were taken away by the Nightmare Spell, anyway?


    There was no point at all...


    Jest let out a laugh.


    "Orum, my friend, listen to this fool�� abandon hope. In this era, the only thing worth believing in is the Nightmare Spell, and the Spell is a cruel bitch. Just�� teach your kids well. Teach them really well, bastard."


    If only Jest had taught his son better... then, maybe...


    He finished his liquor and waved a hand.


    "See you at the opening ceremony��"


    Jest did see Orum at the opening ceremony a few days later, not that he cared too much to talk to the man.


    He was more concerned about Anvil, who was supposed to enter the Dream Realm for the first time come winter solstice.


    The boy had been acting strangely ever since returning from the First Nightmare��

 Chapter 2161 A Flawed World

    Chapter 2161  A Flawed WorldSo many things had happened, and worse than that, things constantly kept happening. So, Jest was busy all the time and had not paid too much attention to young Anvil after their lessons were over. The boy was a constant presence in his life, but more of a background character than a main one. Still, they were close �� or had been, at least. Ever since last year�� Jest had distanced himself from everyone who was around the age of being infected by the Nightmare Spell. Even if it was unreasonable and cowardly, he had to in order to prevent himself from falling apart completely. Anvil had contracted the Spell, faced the First Nightmare, and returned alive. They had seen each other once or twice since then, and even though everything seemed fine, Jest sensed that something was not quite the same. Well, of course�� it wouldn''t be. The First Nightmare was a formative experience for many, and no one was the same after suffering its horrors. So, even if Anvil had changed, there was probably no hidden meaning behind it. Perhaps Jest just felt sad about growing distant from the boy, considering that they had been close once. He wanted to visit the kid at the newly established Academy, but this and that kept getting in the way. In the end, it wasn''t long before the winter solstice that Jest finally found himself paying a visit. He made a point of making himself preventable, and had even gone so far as to not drink anything the night before. After all, he had an image to maintain in front of the youths. The Academy was just as impressive as he had expected. He found Anvil in the library, studying academic papers on various dead languages of the Dream Realm and the reproductions of obscure runic engravings found in different parts of the world. Jest could not really imagine what for, but vaguely remembered seeing Warden doing the same. "Hey, kid."


    When he called with a smile, Anvil looked up, studied him for a few moments, and then nodded. "Uncle Jest."  Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The greeting was not really unfriendly�� but it wasn''t too warm, either, a far cry from how happily the boy had greeted him before, in the past. Jest hesitated for a moment, childishly hurt by that lackluster reaction. Was it simply because they were not as close as they had been once, or was there a different reason?


    Still maintaining a smile, Jest sat down and glanced at Anvil. "Funny seeing you here. I went by the dojo first, and what would you know? Lo and behold, there was Immortal Flame''s girl�� ah, I''m supposed to call her Smile of Heaven now, aren''t I? Bah, what a mouthful."


    He grinned. "Well, anyway. She was having a blast sparring with some guy�� he''s a menace with a sword, too. Weren''t you two joined at the hip? How come you left her there alone?"


    Anvil hesitated for a while, then shrugged. "I don''t need more sword practice."


    Jest clicked his tongue and shook his head reproachfully. "That''s not what I am talking about, fool! Don''t you know anything? If you are not fast on your feet, that guy is going to steal her right from under your nose!"


    That finally elicited a reaction. Anvil looked up from the inscriptions he had been studying and looked at Jest, his cold grey eyes turning a little somber. He held his gaze for a while, then turned away once more. "If she finds someone who cares about her, then I will wish them all the best. Smile of Heaven is a dear friend of mine, so I''d be happy for her."


    Jest scowled. No, was there seriously something wrong with the kid? Or was he simply a clumsy fool that had no idea how to treat a girl? That would not be surprising, either. Honestly�� it was a miracle that Anvil even existed. Both of Warden''s sons resembled their father, and Jest still had no idea how that guy had managed to find a woman who could endure his insufferably stiff and serious personality, let alone convince her to marry him. In any case, this was not a good time to discuss matters of the heart, and Jest wasn''t the best person to have such a conversation with a teenage kid, anyway. There were far more important things they had to talk about. He lingered for a moment, then asked:


    "So, how do you feel? The winter solstice is drawing near."


    Anvil nodded. "I am sufficiently confident. My preparations have been thorough."


    Jest sighed. "Well, true. You are quite strong for a Sleeper, and the Aspect you unsealed is very useful. Still, don''t become complacent. Winter solstice is different from the First Nightmare �� first of all, there is no guarantee that the Spell will send you anywhere near Bastion. Secondly, and most importantly, the Dream Realm is not tailored for you personally, like the Nightmare was. You might meet abominations that are simply too strong and terrible for you to face. Don''t be shy and run away if you do."


    Anvil studied him silently.


    "I know, Uncle Jest."


    He seemed strangely calm. Jest, however, was not. The first journey to the Dream Realm resulted in far fewer casualties than the First Nightmare �� but that was only because those who were weak had already been culled by the Spell''s trial. In truth, countless Sleepers still failed to return from the Dream Realm alive. Anvil was still in danger, and Jest, having already lost one child, was terrified to lose another. But there was nothing he could really do for the boy. Other parents, mentors, and relatives could bestow Memories or even precious Echoes on the Sleepers before the winter solstice, but Jest couldn''t even do that. Because he did not, and could not, possess any. So, he could only try to cheer Anvil up. Jest smiled. "You know-it-all. Can''t you just pretend to listen to my sage advice? Let me tell you something�� when your old man and I were young, there weren''t even any human Citadels in the Dream Realm. We still managed to conquer one, so don''t even think about failing to come back. I won''t forgive you if you do, you hear me?"


    Anvil smiled politely. "I guess I can make an effort, Uncle Jest. I can''t go around offending the elderly, can I?"


    Jest laughed. Finally, the kid seemed like a human again. The moment of levity did not last long, though. Soon, the smile drained from young Anvil''s eyes, and he stared at his inscriptions again. After a few moments of silence, he suddenly asked:


    "Uncle Jest�� can one defeat their Flaw?"


    Jest''s own smile froze on his lips. ''Ah. So that is the reason.''


    He remained silent for a few moments, then shrugged. "Well�� sort of? But not really. A Flaw is a Flaw, so no one can ever escape it. Doesn''t mean we can''t live with our Flaws. It all depends on the particular one you get, but usually... most Awakened suffer quite a lot at the beginning, but then gradually learn to work around theirs."


    It was not something people usually talked about, but if Anvil couldn''t share his worries with Jest, then who else was there?


    Jest hesitated for a moment. "For example. Do you know what my Flaw is?"


    The kid gave him a strange look. "That�� I think everyone knows, Uncle Jest."


    Jest nodded, a bit disappointed. "Well, fair. I guess it''s pretty obvious �� after all, people are bound to make conclusions after knowing me for years. Where else would you find an Awakened who never uses Memories? Not being able to use Memories is a pretty bad Flaw�� huh, what''s with that expression?"


    At some point, Anvil''s eyes widened a little. Hearing the question, he hurriedly shook his head. "No, no�� you are right, Uncle Jest. That was�� that was definitely my guess, as well."


    Jest smiled bitterly.


    These days, smiling did not come easy for him, but he was making an effort to help the boy feel calm.


    "Figures. So, anyway �� not being able to use Memories is a rather severe Flaw, but I''ve lived my entire life, won countless battles, and conquered the Second Nightmare despite it. I just had to teach myself how to rely on my cunning, skill, and strength instead. You see, kid, it is not that hard to learn how to deal with your Flaw�� one way or another. However, you need to be able to do one thing to accomplish that feat."


    Anvil looked at him for a while, his eyes growing strangely wistful.


    "What thing?"


    Jest chuckled.


    "Ah, I guess it''s�� unconventional thinking? You need to be able to flip your perspective, and look at the problem without preconceived notions. You need to change the way you think. That way, you can find a solution even if it seems like there''s none to find."


    Anvil remained silent for a while, then repeated slowly:


    "Change�� the way I think."


    Then, he did not say anything else. Jest did not hurry him, either. However, eventually, he said cautiously:


    "If you share exactly what your Flaw is�� I might be able to give you better advice." Somewhere far away, Cassie held her breath as she experienced the vivid memory. She was so close��


    Anvil lingered for a while, then smiled. "Perhaps I will. After I return from the Dream Realm as an Awakened."


    Jest laughed. "You cheeky brat, I told you mine! And you are just going to leave me hanging? Well�� good! Don''t go around revealing your Flaw. Keep it a secret."


    With that, the conversation ended. After Anvil returned from the Dream Realm as an Awakened, things happened, and more things kept happening, delaying their next private conversation.


    And on the day they did find a reason to speak about Flaws again...


    Jest wished that they never had.

 Chapter 2162: Shield of Humanity

    Almost three years had passed since the Awakened Academy welcomed its first batch of the Second Generation Sleepers.The world had settled a little. Humanity was still besieged from all sides in the Dream Realm, but no Citadel had been overrun in quite some time. The waking world was still plagued by the Nightmare Gates, but they did not pose an existential threat to mankind anymore.


    For now.


    Young Anvil had become a fearsome warrior and a widely admired champion among those who defended Bastion. Together with Madoc, who had conquered the First Nightmare a year after his younger brother, the sons of Warden now led the Knights of Valor into battles against the dreadful creatures of the hungry forest.


    He also collaborated with his Academy companions, Broken Sword and Smile of Heaven, often �� all three had gained quite a bit of fame, becoming known as the brightest stars of the new generation.


    The power and prestige of both the Valor clan and the Immortal Flame clan continued to grow. The only other clan that could compete with them was the coalition of the prominent Awakened families united by Nightwalker, the House of Night.


    The culture of the Legacy clans was swiftly being cemented. In fact, Jest had even found himself as the head of a clan of his own.


    Considering that he did not have a fancy True Name, he just named it Dagonet as a joke.


    Sadly, no one seemed to realize that it was a joke. So, people called him Master Jest of Clan Dagonet in all seriousness now.


    That was a bit of a fiasco...


    His one remaining son was fifteen now.


    That was why Jest did not feel at ease, even though things seemed to be going fine.


    Warden remained restless, as well.


    One day, while visiting Bastion after joining the retainers of his clan on a patrol of the Mirror River, Jest found him in the underground chamber deep below the castle, gazing at the great mirror that stood there, surrounded by silence as it towered above the dark hall.


    There were no reflections in the mirror, of course, since it was covered by canvas.


    They had discovered this underground hall decades ago, when clearing the castle from the Nightmare Creatures populating it. The mirror had not been covered back then, and so, they glimpsed the sight of the harrowing realm within.


    Many members of the initial group had perished as a result, and the mirror had mostly remained covered since then. It was only when Warden became an Ascended that he dared to venture into the mirror realm once more.


    Jest was not quite sure what his friend had found there, but his already formidable powers seemed to have gained a considerable boost after that.


    "Oh, no. You have that look on your face."


    Warden turned and smiled after noticing Jest. After spending two decades side by side, the two of them had long become so used to each other that their relationship transcended mere friendship.


    One could even say that still being able to tolerate Jest after all these years was one of Warden''s most amazing feats...


    In any case, he raised an eyebrow.


    "What expression?"


    Jest sighed.


    "The ''I am about to stir trouble'' expression."


    Warden hesitated a bit, then nodded.


    "Indeed."


    He remained silent for a while, then sighed and turned his back to the covered mirror.


    "Let''s leave this dreary place."


    Soon, they were in the main keep of Bastion, looking at the maps scattered on a large round table. Some of the maps depicted the Dream Realm, but most of them, surprisingly enough, showed the familiar continents of the waking world. ???????????��?


    Warden stared at them bleakly.


    "Those dots all represent Nightmare Gates �� both active and those few we closed. The red one all appeared this year. The Category can be seen from the size of the dot �� Category Three Gates are larger than the Category Two Gates, naturally."


    He paused for a moment, then pointed to another map.


    "That one is from before the Gate Crisis. Of course, the Obel Scale did not exist yet back then, so its accuracy is not too high. And speaking of the Obel Scale, now that it operates stably, the efficiency with which we can deal with the emerging Gates has increased by magnitudes. The world is at peace... as close to at peace as it realistically can be, at least."


    Jest studied the maps for a while, then asked in a somber tone:


    "You''re not just studying the maps from before the Gate Crisis for fun, are you?"


    Warden had lost his wife during the Gate Crisis, so it was a sensitive topic.


    He shook his head.


    "Of course not. I am trying to determine when the first Category Four Gate will open."


    Jest scowled, feeling a heavy weight settle on his heart. After a while, despite already knowing the answer, he still asked the question:


    "...So, are you planning to challenge the Third Nightmare?"


    Warden did not try to deny it, and just nodded calmly.


    "Of course, I am."


    He looked at Jest, his steely grey eyes shining with a familiar, infectious determination.


    "Immortal Flame became an Ascended nine years after the descent of the Nightmare Spell. Twelve years have passed since then, and humanity is yet to take the next step. How long do you think the Spell will continue to spare us? I don''t think that it''s going to be long at all." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Warden looked back at the maps, his eyes suddenly dimmed, becoming weary and bleak.


    "...It''s a race, after all. This word we leave in. It''s all one endless race with terrible stakes, one where you can''t get ahead no matter how long you stay in the lead. That is why we don''t just need to conquer the Third Nightmare �� we have to conquer it. We must!"


    Jest remained silent for a while, feeling a storm of emotions rage in his heart.


    There were a lot of things he was feeling. But mostly, he felt scared.


    Eventually, he chuckled.


    "Ah... I see. So that is why you and my wife have been spending so much time together behind my back. Goodness gracious! I was this close to believing that you two are having an affair."


    Warden coughed, then smiled subtly.


    "What... what the hell are you talking about? An affair? Preposterous! We were merely conspiring to challenge a Nightmare while leaving you behind."


    Jest clenched his fists.


    Of course. Both he and his wife were members of the initial group that had conquered Bastion with Warden �� two of his most loyal and powerful followers. Both of them were Masters, as well. And while Jest had played an integral role in building the world Warden had envisioned, his wife wielded a much more destructive Aspect.


    So, it was not surprising that Warden would want her to be a part of his cohort once again.


    It was also not surprising why he would choose to leave Jest behind, this time.


    But, still.


    Jest wanted to hear it from Warden''s own mouth.


    "Why?"


    Warden sighed.


    He leaned over the table, and then said quietly:


    "Because you are not in the best shape? Because there is no telling how long the Third Nightmare will take, and your son is fifteen �� so, at least one of his parents should be with him if the Spell calls. Because we spent so much time building this world, and I need to leave someone I trust behind to keep it all from falling apart while I am gone."


    Warden paused for a while before adding:


    "Because Anvil and Madoc have both grown up, but even though they are already Awakened, I still want someone to watch over them. This world is full of sharks, after all. And you are my best shark."


    Jest remained silent for a long time.


    There was a lot he wanted to say... a lot of bitter words that burned his tongue.


    But in the end, he simply grinned.


    "I think you are starting to show symptoms of dementia, old boy. I am not a shark. I am obviously a person."


    Warden chuckled.


    "Ha! This one... was actually funny."


    Then, he froze for a moment and shook his head.


    "No, wait. I actually laughed. Perhaps I am really suffering from dementia..."


    Both of them laughed.


    ...Not long after that, Warden took a cohort of his most powerful warriors, including Jest''s wife, to challenge the Third Nightmare.


    However, this time, none of the had returned. That was how the legend of Warden of Valor, the brilliant shield that protected humanity, had come to an end.

 Chapter 2163: Iron Heart

    It was on a rainy day two years later that Jest found young Anvil in the same underground hall, gazing at the same ominous mirror with bleak eyes.Beyond this dark and silent chamber, the young man was the valiant knight and hero of humanity, Sir Anvil of Valor �� a warrior whose bravery was beyond reproach, whose feats boggled the mind, and whose voice carried weight no matter whom he spoke to.


    For all intents and purposes, he was the ruler of Bastion and the leader of perhaps the most influential Legacy Clan in the world.


    But here, he was just a boy in his early twenties... a boy who was now an orphan.


    There was no real proof and no bodies for them to bury, but enough time had passed so that no one could deny it anymore.


    His father, Warden of Valor, was dead. He had perished while trying to conquer the Third Nightmare.


    And Jest was now a widower, as well. Ever since his wife entered the Seed of Nightmare, leaving Jest behind, all color had slowly drained from the world for him. By now, the world was mostly colorless.


    There were only a few things that still seemed vibrant and vivid in its dreary expanse. One of them was his son. The other was the vermilion cloak Anvil now wore, which he had inherited from Warden.


    That cloak was now like a beacon in the darkness of the underground chamber.


    Jest approached the young man silently and gazed at the canvas covering the mirror. The clasps tightening it were unfastened, and a piece of the ancient frame could be seen.


    He lingered for a moment, suddenly feeling uneasy.


    "Have you been inside?"


    Anvil nodded slowly.


    "I went to explore. My father might not have mentioned it, but there are rare inscriptions left in the ruins on the other side. That was how we were able to master a bit of runic sorcery, in the beginning."


    Jest frowned, wanting to say how dangerous the Other Side was. But Anvil knew. He probably knew it much better than Jest did, in fact, which was why he had gone alone without taking anyone else with him.


    Jest sighed.


    "You might not have heard, since you were here preparing for the wedding. But out there in the waking world, a few overly ambitious fools have hatched a little scheme and officially pronounced Warden dead. They are clamoring to depose your clan and take its place as the main seat of power. I handled them, of course... but I can''t handle the side branches of your own family. Madoc''s in-laws are stirring trouble, too. You need to either put them all in their places or, better yet, clean the house. Your fianc�� is such a nice girl, so she deserves a peaceful honeymoon, right?"


    Anvil remained silent for a while, then turned and looked at him indifferently.


    The strange coldness that had first shown itself after his First Nightmare was back now, stronger than ever.


    The young man studied Jest for a moment or two, then said evenly:


    "Yes, I heard. That they pronounced him dead."


    With that, he turned to the mirror again.


    After a while, though, Anvil suddenly said:


    "Uncle Jest... do you remember what you told me once? About how one should deal with their Flaw."


    Jest hesitated a little, surprised by the question, then nodded.


    "I talk a lot of nonsense, kid, but I do remember what I said. I stand by it."


    Anvil lowered his head.


    "These days, I often wonder... if my father died because of my Flaw."


    Jest raised an eyebrow.


    "How could he have died because of that? It''s your Flaw, not his."


    The young man slowly shook his head, then smiled bitterly.


    "Is that so? Ah... but my Flaw, you see. Haven''t I promised to tell you once?" S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Anvil stared at the floor for a bit, then said quietly:


    "It''s that I must lose everything I cherish."


    He sighed.


    "I cherished my father, and now, I''ve lost him."


    With that, he looked at Jest and smiled bitterly.


    "I was too arrogant, Uncle Jest. I didn''t listen to your advice at all. I tried to fight my Flaw, I tried to cheat it. But I never tried to change the way I thought about it." ???���¨�?


    The bitterness slowly drained from his smile, and the smile itself soon disappeared, too.


    All that remained was cold, calm indifference. Anvil looked away.


    "I see now. The answer was quite simple. It''s not that I must let the things I cherish go... it''s that I should not have cherished anything, to begin with. I must not treasure anything, or anyone. That way, I would not have to lose anything, or anyone, ever again. I''ll be free of my Flaw."


    Turning away from the mirror, Anvil looked at Jest evenly and said in a calm tone:


    "Thank you for dealing with those jackals, Uncle Jest. I will handle the branch families. I will handle Madoc''s in-laws, too. My fianc�� is indeed a very nice girl. And she does, indeed, deserve a peaceful honeymoon."


    With that, he nodded and left the underground chamber without looking back. Before his figure disappeared in the darkness, though, Anvil paused and added in the same calm, indifferent tone:


    "Oh... I heard your son has Awakened. Please accept my heartfelt congratulations. I am sure he will make you proud."


    Soon, Jest was left alone in the silent hall.


    He felt strangely unsettled.


    After a while, he let out a heavy sigh.


    "Ah, that boy. He''s so serious. What am I going to do with him?"


    Anvil had boldly proclaimed that he would turn himself into an unfeeling machine in order to defeat his Flaw. However, it wasn''t that easy to strange your own heart �� he was still a human, after all.


    Jest knew for a fact that Anvil would fail miserably despite his cold determination, and many times as well.


    But then again, he was Warden''s son. Perhaps he would manage, somehow.


    Warden was gone, and Jest''s wife was gone too. But their traces remained.


    Their children remained.


    And Jest was the only one left to take care of them. He had promised to.


    So, he was going to do anything and everything he could to not let them down.


    Glancing at the canvas covering the great mirror, Jest sighed.


    "Mirror, mirror on the wall..."


    Then, he shivered, frowned, and silently walked away.

 Chapter 2164: Nothing to Lose

    Cassie froze for a moment, having finally found what she had been looking for."The king''s Flaw..."


    And what a cruel Flaw it was. No wonder he seemed cold as steel...


    It was not that Anvil was incapable of feeling emotions �� he had simply taught himself not to. Since he was destined to lose anything he treasured, he replaced fondness and affection with indifference, thus saving himself, and those he was close to, from having to suffer the consequences of his Flaw.


    His intentions had been good... noble, even, all those years ago.


    But in the end, the path he had chosen only ended up turning him into a monster, twisting and destroying everything he touched. Because once he learned to value nothing, the tethers attaching him to his humanity had come undone. And, unmoored, his cold iron heart slowly drifted further and further away from all that was good and human.


    Morgan and Mordret were the most obvious victims of Anvil''s inhuman detachment. But there were countless other victims, as well...


    Every soldier that perished in Godgrave, every civilian sacrificed to the Chain of Nightmares while the Great Clans waged an internal war, and everyone else who had become collateral damage to Anvil''s callous pursuit of what he saw as the greater good.


    ...Broken Sword, the Immortal Flame clan. And Nephis, as well.


    The road to hell was paved with good intentions, and in this case, the hell itself had been forged by a single decision made by a determined young man.


    It would have been heartbreaking, really, if it wasn''t so hideous and appalling.


    Just as Cassie thought that, the lumbering figure of Jest suddenly leaned forward, and his lips stretched into a ferocious grin, revealing his monstrous teeth.


    But he had not broken free of her gaze... at least not just yet. S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cassie did not have a lot of time left, though. Luckily, she had already gotten what she wanted.


    So, Cassie considered ending things there to prevent further danger...


    But just then, another constellation of memories attracted her attention.


    It was so vivid and vibrant, but at the same time strangely unsettling. Like something that Jest desperately wanted to forget, but was unable to.


    Cassie paused, suddenly feeling intrigued. At this point, she had seen most of his formative Memories. The descent of the Nightmare Spell, meeting Warden, the birth of his children, the death of his son, the loss of his wife and his best friend...


    What else was there?


    His Third Nightmare?


    Even knowing better, she still couldn''t resist and burned more essence to delve into the vibrant, unsettling memory.


    It was strange, but the constellation of vivid memories had nothing to do with how Jest had become a Saint. Instead, it mostly took place in Bastion... ��????��??��?


    It had happened only a couple years after that fateful conversation in the Great Mirror hall.


    Cassie frowned as she rushed through the kaleidoscope of foreign experiences, feeling her hold on Jest''s mind become more and more tenuous.


    ***


    Just as Anvil had promised, he put an end to the internal struggle in Bastion. Jest would have solved the problem by simply eradicating all the parasites �� or at least some of them, to teach the rest a lesson. But the young heir of Valor went about consolidating his power in a less bloody, but arguably more ruthless way.


    There were ways to break people without making them bleed, and he did not spare the members of his extended family at all. His coldness and decisiveness even made Jest feel a little chilly.


    The boy had grown up and become a man... a frightening man, at that. Perhaps that was the only way that children born in the era of the Nightmare Spell could grow up.


    ''He is like... a colder, scarier version of Warden.''


    Jest was a little concerned, and a little proud.


    In the aftermath, the world continued to spin. The race Warden had mentioned went on, and with each month, humanity continued to lose some of the lead it had gained in the past.


    Anvil cemented his position in Bastion, but although the power and prestige of Valor still meant a lot, the influence of his family was in decline. It was not easy for a young Awakened to contend against old monsters of the First Generation, especially since many of them were Masters now.


    Many had perished the same way Warden had, though, and continued to lose their lives in the desperate pursuit of Transcendence. It was as though the great culling of the days before Immortal Flame conquered the Seed of Nightmare was transpiring once again, erasing more and more familiar faces from existence.


    Every time Jest looked, someone else was gone.


    In any case, for these reasons �� and many others �� Anvil was determined to challenge the Second Nightmare as soon as possible.


    His preparations were swift, but thorough. He barely slept, spending all his time either training, forging, or studying the secrets of runic sorcery ��Broken Sword might have been the deadliest warrior of their cohort, but it was Anvil who was responsible for equipping his companions with the best Memories and gear an Awakened could dream of.


    He also frequently visited the forbidden realm hidden in the eerie mirror under Bastion, somehow managing to return alive each time. Every time Anvil returned from these perilous journeys, he would lock himself up in either the library or the forge, sometimes remaining there for weeks.


    As time passed, he seemed to acquire a few odd quirks, too. It was not even the measured coldness and nonchalance he always displayed after that bitter conversation with Jest, but other, stranger things...


    For example, one day, Anvil ordered to destroy every mirror in Bastion, and punished those who failed to comply with the order severely. He also seemed to have become an obsessive perfectionist, as if harboring a deep hatred of the very concept of Flaws.


    But Jest wasn''t too concerned. Everyone who was worth anything in this world was a little bit eccentric... he himself was known to have a strange habit or two. Like dressing too dashingly or never holding back his elevated, highly outstanding sense of humor.


    As the date when Broken Sword and his cohort were planning to challenge the Second Nightmare approached, Anvil directed his attention to recruiting exceptional talents to join them.


    Broken Sword, Smile of Heaven, and Anvil were already three of the most distinguished Awakened of their generation �� or maybe even of all time. Not just anyone could stand side by side with them, however, he did manage to find two.


    One was that girl from the western reaches of the Dream Realm, Ki Song...


    It was also at that time that he brought a kid named Asterion to Bastion.


    By then, Jest was well on his way to fifty, and a Master as well.


    But still... the moment he saw that teenage boy, he somehow felt a strong and chilling sense of unease.

 Chapter 2165: Dreamspawn

    "I don''t get it. I just don''t... what are you thinking?"Jest was dismayed.


    The kid, Asterion, had seemed strange from the very beginning. The mere fact that Anvil, who was turning twenty-three soon, would recruit a youth who did not look older than sixteen to accompany him into the Nightmare made no sense.


    Given his age, Asterion could not have Awakened years ago, and would therefore have no experience. Unknown, inexperienced, untested... someone like that should not have become a member of any cohort attempting to challenge the Second Nightmare, let alone one consisting of warriors of Anvil''s caliber. S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    More than that, the kid simply gave Jest the creeps. He was perfectly pleasant and friendly, spending most of his time wandering the Citadel with a curious look on his face, but there was something about Asterion that seemed slightly... off.


    As if he was not quite human, but merely a thing wearing human skin.


    No one else seemed to notice, but Jest did. And so, he pressed Anvil for an explanation, even though that was not how they usually talked.


    "Where did you find that guy? Who is he? Why do you want to take him into the Nightmare?"


    Anvil simply stared at him indifferently, not showing any emotions.


    Eventually, he shrugged.


    "Since when do I need to justify my decisions to you, Ascended Jest?"


    Jest let out a bewildered scoff.


    "Wow. Ascended Jest, really?"


    Anvil stared at him some more, then sighed.


    "I want to take him into the Nightmare because he is worth it. As for the rest..."


    When Jest heard the brief explanation, he did not know what to think, or how to feel.


    It was a strange thing, to learn that an old enemy you had thought was gone forever suddenly appeared out of nowhere, alive and well.


    "Path of Ascension? Those lunatics, really?"


    The zealots of the Path of Ascension had disappeared decades ago... no, to be precise, they had disappeared around sixteen years ago, soon after Immortal Flame conquered the Second Nightmare.


    Jest knew about their twisted beliefs, albeit not in detail. If he remembered correctly, they saw the Dream Realm as some sort of Promised Land, and the Spell as a divine guide meant to lead humanity �� or at least a few chosen ones �� out of the dying world where they had been born to find salvation.


    Or some such nonsense.


    As far as all the cults that had sprouted after the Nightmare Spell''s descent went, this one was not the most malignant. The zealots of the Path of Ascension mostly kept to themselves, maintaining peace with the mainstream factions as long as they were left alone. ???????����?


    If there was one thing that separated them from the crowd, it was that the core of their cult consisted of genuine powerhouses �� those who stood out among the Awakened of the First Generation, no different from people like Warden or Nightwalker. It was why Warden had often felt regretful about not being able to bring them into the fold due to how strange and extreme their views were.


    In the end, however, the Path of Ascension cult had become a ghost on the pages of history, just like all the other cults. The men and women comprising it had just disappeared one day, never to be seen again.


    To think that those lunatics had actually managed to establish a colony in the Dream Realm. Not only that, but they had even raised a child here...


    "Lunatics!"


    They were all dead now, though... according to Asterion, at least �� the very child who had been born and raised in the Dream Realm by the powerful zealots, and the only survivor of the first human colony established in its wild expanse.


    "How did that even work?"


    Had Asterion been infected by the Nightmare Spell here? Did he undergo the First Nightmare? What about the winter solstice, what happened to him when he was supposed to fall asleep and be sent to a random spot in the Dream Realm?


    Anvil shook his head.


    "Nothing happened to him on the winter solstice. He conquered the First Nightmare just like anyone else would, then Awakened immediately after anchoring his soul to a Citadel. In any case, you don''t need to worry about Asterion. He might have come from a fringe cult, but he is not a zealot himself. In fact, unlike his parents and guardians, he is quite interested in the waking world. Granted... some of the notions he has and views he holds are a bit strange. What else would you expect, considering his upbringing? But what really matters is the power he holds."


    He looked at Jest somberly.


    "Unlike what you think, that young man is not inexperienced. He has more knowledge and experience than any of us, in fact, having spent his whole life in the Dream Realm. His Aspect is also exceedingly formidable. He will be useful to me in the Nightmare �� no one else can compare."


    Jest remained silent for a while, then shook his head.


    "How do you know that you can trust him? Need I remind you that your companions can be just as dangerous as the phantoms of the Spell in the Nightmare? There are many Masters out there who experienced strife and betrayal after entering the Seed... and that''s just those who have nothing to hide and talk about their trials freely. Those who keep silent could very well have been the betrayers."


    Anvil shook his head again.


    "You don''t have to worry about that. Asterion and I have a deal �� and he is very particular about deals. So, he won''t betray me."


    Jest frowned.


    "What kind of deal?"


    Anvil glanced at him coldly.


    "I will help him find a way to enter the waking world after he helps me become a Master. Nothing more, nothing less. So, are we done here, or do you want to interrogate me some more?"


    Jest remained silent for a while, feeling unhappy, then waved a hand.


    "Well, whatever. Do what you want. I''ll keep an eye on him while he''s here in Bastion, though... deal or not, that kid is dangerous. I can feel it."


    Anvil chuckled, surprising Jest �� these days, it was rare to see the young man displaying emotions.


    He nodded.


    "Indeed. I know he is dangerous. That is why I need him."

 Chapter 2166: The Returned

    Eventually, the five Awakened �� Broken Sword, Smile of Heaven, Ki Song, Asterion, and Anvil of Valor �� had left to challenge the Second Nightmare.Jest would lie if he said that he wasn''t worried. But, at the same time, he was strangely not too worried.


    That was because he knew each of them well... except for the kid, Asterion, of course. If those five could not conquer the Nightmare, then no one could.


    Coincidentally �� or perhaps intentionally �� the Seed they challenged was the same where his wife and Warden had perished. So, he felt both melancholy and vengeful excitement while waiting for their return.


    Jest was quite busy in the meantime, himself. Now that the young lord of Bastion was gone, Madoc had temporarily assumed control over Clan Valor, and although his loyalty to Anvil was not in question, he still needed help to keep the other Legacy Clans in check.


    Anvil''s young wife, Gwyn, also needed support and protection. So, Jest �� a powerful Ascended whose mere presence could solve many problems �� had left Rivergate in the hands of his son and temporarily relocated to Bastion.


    Things went smoothly at first...


    But then, two months after Anvil had entered the Seed, Jest woke up from the sound of furtive footsteps approaching his bedchamber.


    He looked at the door coldly and grasped the hilt of the dagger that lay beneath his pillow. Then, however, he relaxed after hearing a quiet knock... his hearing was sharp enough to recognize who it was knocking on his door late at night, anyway.


    Letting out a quiet sigh, Jest got up, put on a robe, and went to the door.


    There, young Lady Gwyn was standing, pale as a ghost and wearing an enchanted nightgown. The dim light of a lantern Memory illuminated her youthful figure and lovely features.


    Jest coughed.


    "Ah... Lady Gwyn... its not that I don''t appreciate the thought, but I''m afraid I must decline..."


    The young woman looked at him in confusion, prompting Jest to sigh.


    "Indeed! I am quite dashing. However, I am old enough to be your father, and your husband is almost like a son to me! Something like that... would be highly inappropriate..."


    Her eyes widened.


    "W��what... I am not..."


    Jest laughed.


    "Bah! It''s a joke, a joke, girl! What happened?"


    Alas, Anvil''s wife seemed to lack a sense of humor, too.


    After staring at him for a few moments, she took a deep breath and said in a small voice:


    "It''s... it''s Vale. He''s back."


    Vale was a nickname that Smile of Heaven had given Anvil when they were kids. It had stuck to him ever since, so...


    ''Wait. He''s back?!''


    Jest studied the girl''s face somberly, then asked in a low voice:


    "You don''t seem too excited, Lady Gwyn."


    She shook her head slowly.


    "Something... something seems to be wrong. He doesn''t have any wounds, but he''s... something is wrong, Master Jest! M��madoc... Madoc told me to bring you." ??N??��?


    Jest''s expression darkened. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He remained silent for a few moments, then asked:


    "Who else knows?"


    If there was something wrong with Anvil... his thoughts raced. They would have to prevent the news from leaking out before anything else.


    The girl took a shaky breath, trying to calm herself.


    "It''s just me, Madoc... and two Awakened guards who were keeping watch over the Gateway."


    Jest nodded.


    The guards were retainers of Clan Valor, Squires who hoped to become Knights some day. They were loyal, but human loyalty was often fleeting. He did not know whether they would need to be silenced, yet, or merely contained for a while. In any case, Madoc was wise to call him.


    "If you would give me a moment to put some clothes on."


    Unlike the young and pretty Lady Gwyn, Jest was too old to walk around in his pajamas.


    Soon, they quietly arrived into the throne room of Bastion, where the Gateway was located. It was the throne that stood on a tall dais, with two enormous pillars rising from behind it... the pillars were almost identical to the frame of the Great Mirror that was located deep underground, directly below the throne room.


    Whether it was a coincidence or not, Jest did not know.


    The two Squires were keeping watch at the door, while inside, Madoc was standing in front of the dais. A familiar figure was sitting on the steps leading up to the throne, wrapped in the cloak that Madoc had taken off.


    Beneath it, Anvil seemed to be naked.


    When Jest and young Gwyn approached, he looked up and stared at them with cloudy, hollow eyes.


    There was no will or intelligence in those eyes, just a deep and eerie nothingness... as though Anvil was not quite awake, but merely sleepwalking.


    Jest saw his own pale reflection in those glassy eyes, and felt his heart skipping a beat.


    ''No, no... what happened? Nothing was supposed to happen!''


    A familiar, dark sense of futility raised its ugly head in his heart again, but before he was overwhelmed by a panic, some semblance of life suddenly returned to Anvil''s eyes.


    The young man smiled warmly.


    "Uncle Jest..."


    Jest had grown so accustomed to only ever seeing cold indifference in Anvil''s eyes that this sudden burst of genuine warmth left him stunned. It was just like how the boy had smiled at him as a child.


    The sight of Anvil smiling brightly was so out of place that Jest even considered if Immortal Flame''s daughter, Smile of Heaven, had stolen his body.


    The girl''s Dormant Ability allowed her soul to wander freely, exploring the world as a bright spirit. She could also occupy and animate objects... as far as Jest knew, Smile of Heaven had never displaced someone''s soul to take over their body, but that did not mean that she couldn''t.


    However, a moment later, his crazy suspicion disappeared.


    That was because Anvil raised a hand, causing Jest''s dagger to float from its sheath and land on his palm. After studying it for a moment, the young man frowned.


    "...Imperfect."


    Even if someone had taken control of Anvil''s body, they wouldn''t be able to use his Aspect.


    And neither would they display the same loathing of flawed things.


    Anvil was indeed back.


    But... why was he in this strange state?


    And where were the other members of his cohort? Broken Sword, Smile of Heaven, Ki Song?


    Asterion?


    Jest glanced at Madoc, and they both frowned.


    Something... was indeed wrong.

 Chapter 2167 C2-167

    Chapter 2167  C2-167Anvil was fine, at least physically. However, his entire personality seemed to have changed �� or have regressed, at least. He seemed not quite there, yet. He didn''t look dazed or confused, but rather�� blank. As if the very thing that made him who he was had been if not erased, then at least lost. At the same time, from time to time, he displayed glimpses of his usual self �� enough so to convince Jest, Madoc, and young lady Gwyn that he was truly and unmistakably Anvil of Valor, the ruler of Bastion.


    It was because of the small, subtle details that only those who knew him well would recognize. The small peculiarities of his speech, the rigid set of his shoulders, the way he smiled in a reserved, but confident manner �� it was all perfectly familiar, even in this strange and concerning state. There were more and more of these glimpses with each minute, as well, as if Anvil was slowly remembering his previous self. That gave them hope that he would recover eventually. For how, however��


    The most disturbing change was how warm and soft Anvil seemed, stripped of his impenetrable armor of cold indifference. For Jest and Madoc, it was as if he had reverted to his personality from before becoming a carrier of the Nightmare Spell. For Gwyn, who had only ever known him as an Awakened, it was an entirely new side of her usually stern and aloof husband. But�� there was also something subtle and eerie about Anvil now. Jest couldn''t quite put his finger on what it was, but he felt strangely uneasy in his presence. Well, of course he did. The clan leader of Valor, one of the most powerful men in the world, was currently no different from a child. Warden had once told Jest that the world was full of sharks, and Anvil being in this uncanny state was no different from spilling blood into the water. All of them would not miss a chance to rip out a chunk of flesh if news about his condition spread. Whatever the hell his condition was. They would have to figure that out later. First, Jest needed to contain the spread of information.


    As if that was even possible!  S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The mere idea of keeping Anvil''s return under wraps made his head hurt. There were so many things to consider��


    Jest suppressed a groan and looked at Anvil once again. The boy was smiling while Gwyn was kneeling in front of him, saying something softly. Shaking his head, Jest looked at Madoc. "We will need to move fast. But also cautiously."


    Luckily, Warden''s older son was no fool. In fact, he was a remarkable young man in his own right �� an exceptional talent, even. It was just that his excellence was always outshined by Anvil''s monstrous talent. In any case, he was someone Jest could rely on to handle things�� but not all things, and especially not those that demanded a delicate approach. For example, while there were only two Squires who had witnessed Anvil''s strange state here in Bastion, there was no saying what was currently happening in the waking world. He should have awoken in his sleeping pod in Valor''s compound in NQSC, after all, before using his new ability to enter the Dream Realm of his own volition to come to Bastion. His sleeping pod was now empty, and many people would have been alerted that the clan leader had disappeared. Someone had to make sure that none of them talked, either �� in theory, Madoc was the perfect candidate to do just that, since his own sleeping pod was mere dozens of meters away.


    But it was not that simple. Because Anvil had not challenged the Nightmare alone. His companions would have returned, too�� or would have perished inside the Seed. If it was the latter, then their bodies had already turned into corpses by now �� in the best case. Alternatively, they could have become Hollow. So, someone had to negotiate with the Immortal Flame clan. There was also the Song clan, which could not compare to the family of Broken Sword and Smile of Heaven, but was only more unpredictable as a result. Luckily, Asterion was an orphan of a destroyed cult�� he was borrowing a sleeping pod in the compound of Clan Valor, so at least that was not a concern. There were other forces in play, too.


    The situation was unknown and unpredictable, so Madoc would not be able to handle everything on his own. Jest sighed, the gears of his mind spinning. Eventually, he looked at Madoc. "You stay here and make sure that no one�� and I mean no one�� in Bastion learns of what happened yet. Also, make sure that those who did learn do not speak about it."


    Madoc glanced in the direction of where the two Squires stood behind the door, then nodded. Those two would keep their lives if they were loyal and smart, or die if they weren''t. Next, Jest looked at Gwyn and hesitated for a few moments. He still felt a little uneasy. Eventually, though, he spoke:


    "My lady, please take care of Anvil until I return. Hide him in your quarters and stay with him�� don''t let anyone else enter. This is a sensitive situation, and we must protect him until we know more about what happened."


    The young woman looked at him, then nodded hesitantly. Jest rubbed his eyes. "...I''ll return to the waking world and handle matters there. It should not take me more than a day or two. I''ll return with the news."


    With that, he looked at Anvil one last time and smiled. "And you. Be sure to get better by the time I''m back, brat. Don''t make me worry."


    Jest lingered for a few moments, then grimaced and walked toward the dais. Putting his hand on one of the steps leading up to the throne, he activated the Gateway. ��A few moments later, Jest found himself in the foyer of the Dagonet estate in NQSC. He sighed, looked around, then entered a security code and accessed the elevator. Descending deep underground, he briefly checked on his son �� the boy was resting peacefully in the sleeping pod �� and then proceeded to the security center of the estate. There, he activated a few precautionary measures and dialed a certain number on his communicator. Considering that it was the dead of night, it took the person on the other end of the call a while to pick up.


    Eventually, though, an unpleasant voice resounded from the communicator:


    "I swear to the dead gods, Jest�� if this is some kind of prank��"


    Jest forced out a smile. "No, no. How have you been, Ruin?"


    Master Wake of Ruin �� another remnant of the First Generation and the pillar of the government �� ground his teeth. The two of them were not exactly on friendly terms, but they knew each other well, having worked together on establishing the current world order. "Apart from being woken up in the middle of the night? I''m fine. What do you want?"


    Jest had about a dozen jokes ready to fly out of his mouth, but he held himself back. He needed Ruin''s help. Since Anvil was back, the Seed of Nightmare was conquered. Which meant that the corresponding Nightmare Gate would have closed in the waking world. The government monitored all known Gates, so that was another point from where the information could leak �� and the largest one, at that. So, Jest just said neutrally:


    "I need a favor. Gate C2-167 should have closed earlier today. I want you to keep that fact hidden for a while."


    There was silence on the other side of the call. Jest waited for a while.


    "Hello? Did you hear me?"


    Eventually, Wake of Ruin answered. His response, however, was not at all what Jest had expected. His old colleague said angrily:


    "What the hell are you talking about? Bastard, are you drunk again?"


    While Jest was considering what to say, confused by the intense reaction, Wake of Ruin added:


    "Gate C2-167 is wide open! It has never closed. Do you think I would have been sleeping if it did?"

 Chapter 2168 Sense of Alarm

    Chapter 2168  Sense of AlarmA bit later, Jest finished the call and put his communicator down, then stared at the wall with a dazed expression. Wake of Ruin was not mistaken. Very few people knew which Seed of Nightmare Broken Sword and his cohort had challenged, not to mention which Gate was connected to it �� this was the kind of information Legacy Clans usually kept to themselves. But Wake of Ruin was one of the pillars of the government, so he knew. That was why he had been secretly monitoring Gate C2-167, knowing that any change in its condition �� or lack thereof, after a certain time �� would have an effect on the entire world, one way or another. Because of who had challenged that Nightmare. So, he would have known if the Gate suddenly closed. Jest was not satisfied with just that, though, so he forced the man to check right there and then �� Wake of Ruin could gain access to the telemetry of the Obel Scale faster than he could, so it only took ten minutes. There was no doubt. The Gate was still open. Which meant��


    Jest had no idea what that meant. It did not make any sense. Had the Nightmare not been conquered? Had its Seed not been destroyed despite the Nightmare being conquered? Was Anvil''s strange state somehow connected to that anomaly?


    How was Anvil back?


    Jest raised a hand and rubbed his temple.


    "What the hell is happening?"


    He hesitated for a while, then dialed another number. He had to be discreet about the questions he asked and the people he talked to, so it took some time, but eventually, it became clear that neither the Immortal Flame clan nor the Song clan were showing any unusual movements. Which meant that nothing had happened to Broken Sword, Smile of Heaven, or Ki Song. They had neither awoken nor perished.


    Short of contacting Immortal Flame himself, Jest was not going to get a more concrete confirmation. Which�� he could do, theoretically. However, there was an easier way to gain clarity. Frowning, Jest left the underground portion of the Dagonet estate and proceeded to the garage. Soon, he was driving a luxurious PTV across the streets of NQSC, struggling to keep himself from speeding recklessly. The subtle sense of unease he had been feeling in Bastion had grown stronger, turning into alarm.


    ''What is going on?''


    What was it?


    He should have been celebrating and drinking expensive wine now that Anvil had returned unscathed, but instead, he was feeling like something terrible happened. Was happening.


    Like he had made a mistake. It seemed like the world itself was against him. His communicator made a grating sound as Jest was driving, announcing that a Nightmare Gate would soon open nearby. As a result, the streets ahead turned impassable due to the evacuation procedures. Government vehicles blocked the roads, and he had to take a long detour to arrive at his destination. Which was Clan Valor''s compound. Jest used to live relatively close to their headquarters in NQSC, but after losing his son, his family moved away. So, it had taken him quite some time to reach the heart of the city. By the time his PTV stopped in front of the heavily defended gates, it was already early morning.


    Gaining entry inside the compound, however, was relatively quick. Soon, he was already walking to the main building. "Master Jest! You are visiting us at a peculiar time. May I be of assistance?"


    He stared at the butler, Sebastian �� one of Warden''s original followers, just like Jest himself was. He, too, had been left behind when Warden challenged the Third Nightmare.


    It was fortunate to meet him instead of a member of the extended Valor family. Jest trusted the guy much more than he did those people. His suspicions were already confirmed by how nonchalant the butler looked, and how peaceful the compound seemed. But he still needed to check. Jest leaned forward a little. "Sebastian�� take me to see the young lord."


    The butler studied him silently. Awakened were exceedingly vulnerable while they slept, so the sleeping pods of Legacies were guarded with extreme caution. Jest was one of the most loyal subjects of Valor�� but he was also a notorious killer. If he chose to betray the family of his late friend and benefactor, giving him access to Anvil''s sleeping pod would be a fatal mistake. Nevertheless, the butler nodded eventually. "Follow me."


    The two of them proceed past several security checks, descending deep underground. The vault of Clan Dagonet was quite formidable, but it could not even compare to the security measures of the Valor compound. Jest doubted that even a Titan could break through these defenses easily. Then again, the hungry forest that had been besieging Bastion for two and a half decades could even destroy the ancient Citadel if not for the efforts of its defenders. So, a real Titan would probably crack this shell of enchanted alloy in a matter of days, if not hours. Eventually, they reached the most heavily defended floor. Here, the sleeping pods of the direct descendants of the Valor clan �� Anvil and Madoc �� were located. Even their wives slept on a different floor when visiting the Dream Realm. However, at the moment, there was a third occupant here. The kid, Asterion, was taking up one of the rooms. The butler entered several security codes to proceed into the depths of the fortified level. They also had to stay in place while undergoing several scans, both mundane and magical. In the end, however, Jest finally found himself in front of a heavy steel door. It opened slowly, and he walked inside. There, an iron sarcophagus stood on a low platform, shimmering in the darkness. It was Anvil''s sleeping pod �� one he had entered before setting out to conquer the Nightmare. Jest felt his heart beating rapidly as he approached the sarcophagus and looked through the narrow window on its lid. Then, he took a shaky breath. The sleeping pod�� was not empty. Anvil was laying inside, sleeping peacefully. He was right there. Jest staggered back, deeply stunned. ''What�� what the��''


    Everything, including his own two eyes, was pointing to the fact that Broken Sword''s cohort was still in the depths of the Nightmare. Anvil was still in the Nightmare, as well.


    And if he was there��


    Then who the hell was currently in Bastion?


    Jest suddenly felt cold sweat rolling down his back.


    Who was in Bastion... Or what was?


    S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 2169 The Anomaly

    Chapter 2169  The AnomalyJest did not know what to do. A person like him, who had survived the end of the world and lived long enough to see a new one emerge from the ruins, could usually maintain composure no matter the circumstances. All kinds of unexplainable things were possible now that the Nightmare Spell ruled the world, and Jest had experienced more than a fair share of bizarre encounters. He had braved the wild reaches of the Dream Realm and the mournful desolation of the waking world, spending decades fighting harrowing monsters �� humans and Nightmare Creatures alike. And yet, at that moment, he felt utterly lost. ''It doesn''t make any sense��''


    Hiding his shock, he accessed a special panel on the sleeping pod and studied Anvil''s vital signs. Everything seemed to be in order �� he was perfectly healthy. His body was, at least. His soul, though, was not inside its mortal vessel at the moment. It was somewhere far away, in the depths of a Nightmare��


    It was supposed to be. Could it be that the boy had somehow escaped the Seed without conquering it? When Awakened slept, their souls traveled to the Dream Realm, where they were manifested as spiritual bodies. In the process of Ascension, the physical and the spiritual bodies fused, making one a Master.


    Jest assumed that Anvil had conquered the Second Nightmare and Ascended. If he had not, however, then his physical and spiritual bodies would still be separated. The physical body was right here. The spiritual body�� would appear near the Gateway where his soul was anchored. Which was the throne room of Bastion. Jest covered his face with a hand for a moment. Was the man they had found there really Anvil? Or was it an impostor?


    He was unsure. And uneasy. He was afraid. Taking a deep breath, Jest turned to the butler and said hoarsely:


    "Sebastian�� gather the Knights and station them here. Tell them to be ready for battle."


    The butler raised an eyebrow. "Are you expecting an attack?"


    Jest wanted to shake his head, but stopped himself. Eventually, he shrugged with a sigh. "I don''t know yet. You have to keep it quiet, though. The less people know, the better."


    He hesitated for a moment, and added:


    "This concerns the safety of the main family."  sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sebastian inhaled sharply, then nodded.


    With that, Jest left a tether near the sleeping pod, then reached into his soul and pulled on his anchor, traveling back to the Dream Realm. The throne room was empty. Time in Bastion was somewhat similar to that in NQSC, so it was early dawn. The first rays of sunlight were already pouring through the tall windows, which meant that the Gateway would have visitors soon. Few Awakened stayed in the Dream Realm for prolonged periods of time, preferring to return to the waking world as soon as they could. The main keep was locked at night, which meant that those who needed to use the Gateway would start arriving before too long. There was a noise from just beyond the door. Jest pursed his lips, then walked there with silent steps. Madoc was kneeling in front of the gates, using a rag and a bucket of water to wash the stone floor. It was a rare sight, to see a prince of Valor performing such a mundane chore with his own two hands �� so much so that Jest was taken aback for a moment.


    But then, noticing drops of blood on the stone plates, he understood the situation. It seemed that at least one of the squires had proven to be unreliable, and due to the need for secrecy, Madoc could not very well summon a servant to clean up the resulting mess. It seemed like both of them had had a busy night.


    The grim nature of it all made Jest want to tell a joke. He swallowed a laugh. Madoc looked at him from below with no amusement whatsoever in his eyes. "Uncle Jest�� you are back. What news do you bring?"


    Jest hesitated for a moment. ''How do I even explain it?''


    He gritted his teeth. He knew the main keep of Bastion like his own backyard, but at the moment, the twilight of its silent halls felt eerie and ominous. ��Come to think of it, Jest did not know his backyard too well. He had never bothered to spend much time there after purchasing the current estate of the Dagonet clan. He gritted his teeth. "We need to find Gwyn soon. She�� might be in danger. Come, hurry. I''ll explain on the way."


    Madoc''s expression changed, and he pushed the bucket of bloody water away. By the time he stood up, he was already summoning a combat Memory. The two made their way to Anvil''s chambers both quietly and hastily. It was at a moment like this that Jest cursed how grand and labyrinthine Bastion was�� with every step he took, his unease and alarm continued to grow. He was the one who had sent Gwyn away with the�� whoever or whatever it was that had appeared in the throne room of Bastion in the middle of the night. Everything that was going to happen from this point on, or had already happened, would be his responsibility. So, he mentally prepared himself for the worst. But, to his surprise��


    When they finally arrived at the chambers Gwyn and Anvil shared, the situation inside was perfectly peaceful. Anvil, now properly clothed, was sitting at a table and studying the plates of food in front of him curiously. Young Gwyn looked a little tired, but otherwise fine, pouring him a cup of fragrant tea. She seemed relieved, even, a tentative smile illuminating her face when she looked at her husband�� who she thought had finally returned from the Nightmare alive. When they entered, both Anvil and Gwyn turned to look at them. Jest froze. Suddenly, he realized that he had actually hoped that there would be horror and carnage by the time he came back.


    Because then, he would at least know what to do. He knew how to fight and kill best, after all. Standing by his side, Madoc tensed and asked quietly:


    "Should we�� attack?"


    They could try to kill the anomaly. That was the safest choice. But what if it was Anvil, after all, brought back from the Nightmare by some strange whim of the Spell? Wouldn''t Madoc be killing his own brother, and wouldn''t Jest be killing his friend''s son? Death was something that could not be taken back. If it wasn''t Anvil, though��


    Could they even kill whatever it was that had taken his form? Or would they just be provoking something so sinister and terrible that none of them stood a chance against its malice? Jest remained silent for a few moments, wishing for nothing more than to let loose and answer with a brilliant joke, like he usually did. In the end, however, he simply shook his head. "Let''s take him to the waking world."

 Chapter 2170 Two Princes

    Chapter 2170  Two PrincesJest was facing a dilemma, and one that did not have an obvious answer. He did not know whether the young man in front of him was truly Anvil of Valor. He could not risk killing him before finding out the truth, either��


    And there was no sure way to find the truth. So, he could only try his best in the absence of a reliable solution. The only reasonable theory Jest had at the moment was that Anvil was somehow expelled from the Seed without conquering the Nightmare. So, he was still an Awakened. His physical and spiritual bodies had not yet fused as a result �� one was in the waking world, and one was here in Bastion. Therefore��


    If the young man was indeed Anvil, bringing him back to the waking world would result in the physical body awakening inside the sleeping pod. That would prove his identity. If Anvil''s physical body remained asleep�� that would give them more information, too. It was not a great plan, but it was at least something. So, that was what they did. After telling Gwyn the truth, they hurried to bring Anvil back to the throne room, arriving there just before the first Awakened started to enter the main keep. The young man did not resist �� he showed a cold and disdainful expression when being ordered to follow, but responded well to being cajoled by Gwyn. That was in line with how Anvil would have behaved in his usual state. None of them had the right to order him around, after all, but he would usually easily agree to their requests. The young man�� the thing�� was eerily similar to Anvil that Jest knew. It was to the point that he had to keep reminding himself that there was a possibility that the person he was looking at could turn out to be an impostor.


    Was there even an impostor in the world who could act out the very essence of another person so faithfully?


    It was unlikely. And yet, Jest could not shake off the subtle sense of discomfort �� repulsion, even �� he felt near this supposed Anvil. Madoc and Gwyn did not seem to feel the same fear, but they also did not possess instincts as sharp as his. ''Damn it�� I don''t know.''


    Jest departed first, using the tether he had left in the compound of Clan Valor to return to the underground chamber. There, he was instantly surrounded by the Knights of Valor. There was no telling what would happen next, and if it would even transpire near Anvil''s sleeping pod. But it was better to be safe than sorry. A few moments passed in tense silence. Jest stared at Anvil''s sleeping form, waiting �� praying �� that he would open his eyes. But instead, a minute or two later, it was Madoc who broke the silence, arriving from his own sleeping chamber in a hurry. The older of Warden''s sons looked at the sleeping pod. Then, his eyes widened. "Gwyn and�� and the other�� they left before me."


    Cursing, Jest rushed out of the room. ''Damn Valor brats! Who asked them to keep the sleeping pods of their wives on another floor?! The heartless bastards!''


    Granted, this compound had been built back when both Madoc and Anvil were still little kids�� but still!


    There was apparently space here for that creepy kid, Asterion, so why not Gwyn?!


    It took him a few minutes more to arrive at the floor where the sleeping pods of the immediate family were located. Just when Jest was leaving the elevator, he heard a strange noise coming from behind the armored door leading to Gwyn''s sleeping chamber. Instead of waiting for someone to enter the code, he simply tore through the reinforced alloy with bare hands and dashed inside. Gwyn was standing in the corner, having just left the sleeping pod. And in front of it��


    Was Anvil, dressed just like he had been in the Dream Realm. Which did not make any sense, since only Ascended could carry physical items on them between the two worlds. Hearing the deafening noise of an alloy door being torn apart, the young man turned around and looked at Jest.


    Then, he raised his eyebrow. "Uncle Jest�� why are you breaking down the door to my wife''s sleeping chamber?"


    The young man stared at him for a few moments��


    And smiled.


    The smile was bright and friendly, but for some reason, it made Jest shudder. For once in his lifetime, he had no comeback at all. ***


    Things had gotten�� strange, after that. Somehow, there were two Anvil''s in existence. One was sleeping in an iron sarcophagus deep below the manor of Clan Valor.


    The other was up and about, albeit seemingly suffering from severe amnesia. No one really knew how that had come to be, and who �� or what �� the second Anvil was. His existence could not be disclosed, either, and so, the young man was locked on one of the underground floors of the estate. He was made comfortable there, of course�� but he was still no different from a prisoner. Imprisoning the head of the Valor family was an act of treason, but considering how strange and uncanny the entire situation was, it seemed like they had no other choice. Jest, Madoc, and Gwyn took turns taking care of the second Anvil �� at first, they were on guard against him, but after a few days passed, their vigilance gradually lessened. The young man acted a bit odd, but was generally agreeable and easy to deal with, as long as they treated him nicely. If anything, he was much more pleasant and easygoing than the original Anvil had been�� charming, even. So, everything was somewhat fine, on that front. At the same time, trouble was brewing in the Valor clan, where many saw the sudden situation as an opportunity for a power grab.


    A few strange and frightening events had transpired in Bastion and in the compound of Clan Valor in NQSC, as well, and as a result, Jest and Madoc were suddenly extremely busy dealing with both problems.


    While the situation on the underground level where the anomaly was kept remained calm and peaceful, the atmosphere in the manor itself had become tense and eerie. Jest felt like he was slowly losing control. That tension only continued to rise for a week or two��


    Until, one day, everything changed. That was because, on that day, Nightmare Gate C2-167 suddenly disappeared, and Anvil of Valor �� the original one �� slowly opened his eyes inside the sleeping pod.


    S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 2171: The Return of the King

    Although the Valor compound seemed the same on the surface �� apart from the retainers and mundane workers employed by the clan being strangely subdued and on edge �� the situation underground was different.The level where Anvil... the anomaly... was kept remained quiet and peaceful. Very few people were allowed access there, and usually, it was just young Lady Gwyn and a few loyal Knights keeping guard.


    However, the levels above and below the temporary containment floor were different.


    There, dozens of Knights were gathered, waiting for something to happen in tense anticipation. Not all of them even knew what it was that they were here for, since the existence of the anomaly was still being kept secret. They had just been told to be prepared for anything.


    Pulling so many powerful warriors away from their duties was stretching the resources of Clan Valor thin, but there was nothing Jest or Madoc could do about it.


    Currently, Madoc was in Bastion, holding down the fort.


    Jest was here, dealing with the powerful figures of the human world.


    Even though he had done everything in his power to prevent the news from leaking, it was impossible to stop it completely. Therefore, there were strange rumors going around the Legacy clans about the Valor family. Most people just treated these rumors as idle entertainment, but those who held actual influence were stirring.


    After all, there was no fire without smoke.


    So, Jest had spent the entire day talking to old acquaintances and lying through his teeth.


    Everything was fine.


    Nothing had happened.


    There would not be a new ruler in Bastion.


    Things were under control.


    ...But things were definitely not under control. In fact, things were getting more and more out of control. Both here and in Bastion, eerie and unexplainable events kept happening, and while no one had perished, it was only a matter of time.


    Because in the world of the Nightmare Spell, sinister signs always led to disaster.


    Jest was not naive enough to expect anything less.


    ''Ah... I''m regretting getting rid of all those cults now. It feels like we need an exorcist...''


    He was currently in a small room under the Valor compound, reclining in an office chair tiredly. The video walls were turned off, plunging the room into darkness. The only source of light were the screens in front of him, which bathed him in pale light.


    One of the screens displayed the security feed from the level where Gwyn was watching over the anomaly. Currently, she was reading him a book ��the young man seemed quite content, listening to her voice curiously. If one did not know the truth, they would have looked like a happy married couple.


    On the second screen, the reports and papers that Clan Valor had quietly commissioned from various researchers and specialists were displayed. Jest had been reading through them slowly, trying to find some sort of explanation for the current situation.


    Sadly, they were proving to be useless, for now ��he had learned about all kinds of Aspects that could create an illusion of a person, Nightmare Creatures that could mimic human behavior, and mysterious locations where bizarre occurrences had been documented to happen for naught. ?????????s?


    The anomaly had passed every test they had come up with based on this research. The new Anvil was not an impostor using a rare Aspect to fool them, a Nightmare Creature, or a Dream Realm phantom. For all intents and purposes, the young man was Anvil of Valor in the flesh.


    ...The third screen displayed the Obel Scale telemetry, as well as the reading from Anvil''s sleeping pod.


    Jest rubbed his eyes tiredly, and then turned back to the research papers. The human domain in the Dream Realm was relatively small at the moment... but far north, beyond the impregnable mountain chain serving as the boundary of the eastern human enclaves, an even more fearsome mountain range was rumored to be located.


    According to reports, those mountains were perpetually shrouded in mist, and that mist displayed strange and terrifying properties...


    As Jest read the exploration paper, written by some audacious guy named Julius, something suddenly attracted his attention. Turning his head, he looked at the feed from the containment level... and flinched.


    The anomaly was still listening to Gwyn, but he had shifted his gaze and was looking directly at the hidden camera now.


    Almost as if looking directly into Jest''s eyes.


    A subtle smile twisted the young man''s lips, making Jest shiver for no reason.


    ''What...''


    In the next moment, the sound of alarm resounded from the speakers. Jerking his head in the opposite direction, he stared at the third screen, where an urgent notification was displayed.


    It took Jest a few moments to realize its meaning. He leaned forward.


    "It''s gone!"


    Nightmare Gate C2-167 had just disappeared. Since he had set up the system to notify him immediately if its condition changed, he was probably the first person in the world to learn of that fact.


    There was some lag to the Obel Scale, but it must have happened minutes ago at most.


    While Jest was digesting the startling piece of news, there was another alarm. His eyes moved, and then widened.


    Anvil''s vital signs were going crazy.


    ''Crap!''


    Flying out of the chair, Jest rushed outside.


    By the time he reached Anvil''s sleeping chamber, there was an audible boom, and its heavy armored door suddenly folded like paper. The metal walls groaned and bent inward.


    Jumping over the deformed alloy, Jest entered the room and looked around wildly.


    It looked like a violent implosion had happened inside. The armored walls had broken, revealing the framework of the compound beyond. The iron sarcophagus had turned into a small jagged sphere of torn metal. The lights were blinking chaotically.


    In the middle of it all, Anvil was standing like an unnecessary tall sculpture. He was naked, his flawless build and chiseled muscles revealed in all their glory. His dark hair had grown long, and was sticking to his handsome face in wet strands.


    His calm, steely grey eyes were peering at Jest steadily.


    Even as a Master, Jest suddenly felt oppressed by the weight of that gaze.


    ''He... he definitely Ascended...''


    As a whirlwind of scarlet sparks surrounded Anvil''s naked figure, forming into a set of knightly armor, he raised an eyebrow and asked in an even tone:


    "...Are you going to continue staring?" S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 2172: Descent

    Jest blinked.The voice was cold and indifferent... as it was supposed to be. But after spending some time in the company of the warm and friendly anomaly, it sounded a bit jarring.


    And strangely comforting.


    He hesitated.


    "C��congratulations on conquering the Nightmare, Ascended Anvil!"


    Anvil nodded matter-of-factly, then looked around and pursed his lips, as if evaluating the cost of repairs needed to restore the sleeping chamber. A moment later, he looked into the distance �� most likely reading the Spell''s runes.


    Then, he turned back to Jest.


    "Thank you. But what are you doing here?"


    Jest felt his mouth suddenly turning dry.


    "Well... about that. Actually, we have been dealing with a bit of a situation here."


    Anvil frowned slightly.


    "What kind of situation?"


    Jest coughed.


    "That, uh... nothing too serious?"


    He thought for a moment, and then said:


    "It''s just that while you were gone, we''ve replaced you with a doppelganger. He''s nicer and easier to get along with. Your wife is with him right now!"


    Anvil stared at him for a moment, then rolled his eyes.


    "Is this really a good time for your jokes, Uncle Jest?"


    Jest remained silent for a moment, then sighed.


    "Boy... I wish it was a joke. But there really is a copy of you, who just popped up in Bastion one day without any warning. I don''t know how to explain it, but he is being held here, just a few floors below, at the moment." ?��????�ৣ??


    Anvil looked at him silently.


    Then, his expression slowly changed.


    Jest had not expected him to laugh at his awkward joke �� gods knew the boy was just like his father, having no sense of humor whatsoever �� but what he really did not expect was to see fear bloom on Anvil''s face.


    Terror, even.


    It was so strange that Jest was stunned.


    He did not think that he had ever seen Anvil show fear, not even as a child. And especially not after encasing his heart in the cold armor of indifference.


    While Jest was paralyzed by shock, the young man asked in a hoarse voice, his usual nonchalance completely gone:


    "A copy... of me... appeared in Bastion?"


    Jest nodded.


    "Yes. He was found in the throne room. Uh... stark naked and in a strange mental state..."


    Anvil''s took a step back.


    "H��how... how long ago? Has anyone seen it... has anyone talked to it? How many people? Who?"


    Jest lingered for a moment, the old sense of alarm slowly turning into panic in his heart.


    ''Did I... did I make a mistake?''


    He forced himself to answer:


    "About... two weeks ago? A couple of Squires and a few Knights. It was mostly me and Madoc watching over him. Oh, and Gwyn, obviously."


    Anvil''s eyes suddenly widened.


    "Gwyn!"


    Before Jest could say anything else, the chamber suddenly came undone.


    That was the only way he could describe it �� the floor opened like a flower, the thick plates of reinforced alloy tearing with a deafening screech. Shards of concrete and sparks from torn cables flew to all sides, and at the same time, the blinking lights were extinguished completely.


    Anvil jumped into the churning pit of torn metal without wasting a single moment. No, he did not jump �� rather, he flew, accelerating his movements by pushing the steel plates of his armor.


    ''Since when can he...''


    The whole compound shook as a cacophony of noise rolled across the underground tunnels.


    ''D��damn!''


    Jest came to his senses and dove into the pit to follow Anvil.


    Even though he had only wasted a single moment, he was already far behind.


    The floor of the sleeping chamber had been utterly destroyed, as if it had been made of paper. The room below it was in ruins, too, entire meters of reinforced alloy pierced and bent out of the way in a split second. The same for the floor below that.


    It was as if a cataclysmic disaster had transpired in the depths of the Valor compound.


    Jest fell for a couple of seconds before finally landing on something that was intact. He was now on the level where the anomaly was being kept, and immediately rushed toward the living quarters.


    He saw the obliterated door and the Knights who were picking themselves off the floor with dazed expressions. Just before he could cross the threshold, though, a powerful shockwave rolled from inside, throwing him back.


    Jest flew through the air and collided with a wall, leaving a deep dent in it. A mundane human would have been turned into bloody goo by the force of the impact... as a Master, he was somewhat unscathed.


    But it hurt like hell.


    The Knights were alive, but unconscious.


    Ignoring the pain, Jest picked himself up and lunged back toward the containment cell.


    The compound quaked once more, and there was another shockwave. But this time, he was prepared for it �� lowering his torso and turning it slightly, Jest cut the shockwave with his shoulder and finally entered the devastated living quarters.


    It was too dark to see, since all the lights had been destroyed, and the only source of illumination was one of Gwyn''s Memory lanterns.


    Taking a step forward, Jest fell.


    ''Argh, damn it, why does he have to keep destroying the floor?!''


    The entire set of rooms assigned to be the anomaly''s living quarters were gone. The few floors below were completely wrecked, as well. Judging by the magnitude of destruction... the thing he had brought to Anvil''s home was chillingly powerful.


    After bouncing off a few jagged pieces of torn alloy, Jest hit the ground. This time, it was not the metal floor... instead, it was cold, wet soil. They were on the lowest level of the compound now, its outer walls seemingly obliterated.


    Rolling, Jest jump to his feet and stood up.


    There was a scene of devastation around him, with plates of bent alloy and unrecognizable debris piling in the darkness. Some of it was on fire, filling the remains of the lowest floor with dim light.


    Just when he regained his bearing and looked around, searching for Anvil...


    He heard a strange sound.


    It should have been drowned out by the noise, but somehow, Jest heard it clearly. S��arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A melodious, bright ringing of breaking glass.


    It was only then that the sense of unease that had been tormenting him for the past two weeks finally disappeared, and he involuntarily let out a relieved sigh.

 Chapter 363 Citizen Sunny

    Chapter 363 Citizen SunnyAt first glance, the interior of the Instructors Lounge seemed simple and cozy. Most of the furniture was made out of wood, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Bright sunlight streamed through the tall windows, which were open slightly to let in the chilly winter air.


    However, his eyes widened slightly when Sunny realized that all the wood around him was natural, not synthetic.


    ''Extravagant! Wasteful!''


    Noticing his expression, Master Jet smiled slightly.


    "Let me guess, you have never seen that much real wood in one place?"


    Sunny hesitated, then gave her a nod.


    "Only in the Dream Realm��"


    The young woman grinned, moved a chair back with her foot, and sat down at one of the tables.


    "Where do you think all this came from?"


    He looked around, seeing the Instructors Lounge of the Academy from a completely new perspective, then silently sat down, lost for words.


    Master Jet summoned the menu, made a selection, then leaned back and tiredly rubbed her face.


    "Believe it or not, the chair you''re sitting on is made out of a dead titan."


    Sunny stared at her, shocked. Suddenly, he had a strong impulse to jump out of the chair.


    "...What?"


    She chuckled and gestured around:


    "All of this, actually. Back when Bastion was first established, it was surrounded by a vast �� and very hungry �� forest. The whole thing was one giant Nightmare Creature. Clan Valor spent decades at war with it, losing many knights. In the end, the forest was destroyed, leaving behind a lot of high-quality lumber. And here we are."


    Sunny scratched the back of his head, then cautiously knocked on the wooden table. The thing seemed dead, but he decided to remain alert, just in case.


    ...It had once been a part of a titan, after all!


    Soon, their food arrived. Sunny half-expected for it to be delivered by an actual Echo, but luckily, it was brought by a mundane automated server.


    Taking his plates off the motorized tray, Sunny stared at the feast in front of him with wild eyes. There were fried potatoes, baked beans, juicy roasted meat, a salad made out of real vegetables, a bowl of fragrant soup, several pieces of oven bread, butter, jam, and even chocolate pudding for dessert.


    It was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.


    It was also his first time seeing some of these things in real life. Suddenly, the position of a research assistant once promised to him by Teacher Julius did not seem so unattractive.


    "Uh�� please excuse me��" S~ea??h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Master Jet waved at him and concentrated on her own food. Not wasting any time on manners, Sunny assaulted his breakfast with the same level of ferocity as when battling Nightmare Creatures.


    ��Some time later, with his belly on the verge to bursting open, he pushed away empty plates and leaned back with a satisfied smile on his face.


    ''Ah�� this is life!''


    Master Jet glanced at him with a dry smile.


    "What did I tell you? This is where they hide the good stuff."


    Sunny looked at the empty plates with regret and sighed.


    "Yeah. Although after a year of eating almost nothing except for monster meat, I would have been satisfied even by synth paste."


    Her smile dimmed at the mention of the most common food in the outskirts.


    As two glasses of beautiful dark tea steamed in front of them, Master Jet sighed, then took out something from the inner pocket of her uniform. It was a small metal box with a sensor on its lid.


    Placing the box on the table, she looked at Sunny and asked:


    "You must be wondering why I visited you, right?"


    Sunny tilted his head slightly, stared at the metal box for a few seconds, and then answered in a cautious tone:


    "...Yes. To be honest, I am very curious."


    She nodded, then smiled reassuringly.


    "Don''t be nervous. It''s just a formality, and a very beneficial one, at that. Put your finger on the sensor."


    He hesitated, then did as she had told. The sensor buzzed for half a minute, and then a small green light ignited on the metal box. With a quiet click, it unlocked.


    Master Jet opened the box and took out several objects �� a slick communicator made out of flexible glass, a memory chip with the government seal etched on its surface, and a small iron badge with two stars engraved into it.


    Pushing them toward Sunny, she lingered for a moment, and then said in a light tone:


    "Congratulations, Awakened Sunless. You are now officially a citizen. Of the seventh rank, no less."


    Her words struck Sunny like a hammer. Silent, he stared at the three objects in front of him, his face not betraying even a hint of emotion.


    A citizen��


    Back in the outskirts, people lived and died dreaming of becoming one of the true citizens. That simple word hid so much meaning. Access to proper food, human rights, and better life. To all the things that none of them really had.


    To having a future.


    Very few of these people had ever gotten the chance to hear the word "citizen" in connection to their name. Being poor and lowly only led to becoming destitute and falling to the bottom. It rarely led to rising higher, let alone soaring to the peak.


    And here he was, not only becoming a citizen, but even jumping over all the steps and arriving at the very pinnacle of the social hierarchy in one go. Not just a citizen and not even one of high rank, but of the highest.


    ''Seventh rank�� there''s literally nothing higher.''


    Finally, his expression changed, becoming grim. Looking up at Master Jet, he asked in a somber tone:


    "I get it that I would be made a citizen after Awakening. But�� seventh rank? Isn''t that a little too much?"


    Master Jet laughed.


    "Sunless�� you don''t really know what you did, do you?"


    Sunny looked at her without humor, then said:


    "I''m pretty sure that I do, but please, enlighten me."


    She shook her head and sighed.


    "Listen�� of all the Sleepers that had returned from the Dream Realm in the last few years, there are only five whose files were marked as SS. And you are one of them."

 Chapter 465 Subjective Value

    Chapter 465  Subjective Value After a while, Sunny and Effie returned to his home �� just in time to receive the delivery of the refrigerator. Two tall and broad-shouldered store workers unloaded it from the cargo hold of their delivery vehicle and placed the big box down with a bit of strain. After that, one of them smiled and asked:


    "Good day. Where should we put it?"


    Sunny waved a hand.


    "Ah, no need. I''ll do it myself."


    The loaders looked at him doubtfully, then simply shrugged and left after getting his signature.


    After the vehicle drove off, Sunny looked around, then easily lifted the heavy box and carried it inside the house without any effort whatsoever.


    Soon, the refrigerator was standing in the place where his old one used to be, the synthwood panels covering its doors blending in with the minimalist design of the kitchen. Effie and Sunny stared at it for a while, satisfied. Then, he said:


    "I like it�� a lot. "


    Effie smiled.


    "Yeah. Really ties the whole room together�� doesn''t it? Well, in any case, I hope you won''t break it again."


    After that, she yawned and said in a tired voice:


    "Ugh�� I''m beat. Time to retire to the Dream Realm. What about you?"


    Sunny thought for a few moments. Suddenly, a wide smile appeared on his face.


    "I have an errand to run, but after that, I am going in, too. Oh�� wait. Where are you going to sleep?"


    Effie shrugged.


    "Your guest room, where else?


    He blinked.


    "Don''t you need a sleeping pod?"


    The former huntress giggled.


    "I have one. In your guest room. What? Why are you staring at me like that? Was I supposed to shuffle between the Academy and your comatose body every day?"


    Sunny lingered for a bit, then sighed.


    "Make sense. I guess I should have put one there, to begin with. What are the chances of me having mundane humans as guests?"


    Then, he waved Effie goodbye and headed for the door as she turned her wheelchair around and rolled toward the guest bedroom.


    He was very excited about what he was going to do.


    ***


    Some time later, Sunny was in a beautifully lit store, pushing a shopping cart forward and slowly filling it to the brim with all kinds of food, as well as some other things. He was quietly whistling a cheerful tune, imagining all this stuff going into his new fridge.


    The contents of the cart would have cost more than he could ever dream to make, back when he had been living in the outskirts. But now, he could not only afford it,  but even do so without having to count his money or feel apprehensive about the cost.  He could just�� buy as much he wanted, of any quality that he wanted, and bring it back home... his own home.


    Life had changed so much.


    After a while, he felt as though he got enough. Now that he had the Covetous Coffer, he could not only bring soul shards out of the Dream Realm�� but also bring stuff from the real world to the Chained Isles! That meant so much�� an unlimited amount of spices, all kinds of snacks to make the long days of exploring less dreadful, various little things to make himself more comfortable.


    Hell, if he wanted to, he could even bring a tent and sleep in it like a king!


    ''Incredible�� oh, this is simply incredible!''


    Of course, not all of these things could be bought in a general store. But he could visit other places or simply order stuff on the network.  S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As he was heading for the registers, a familiar voice suddenly pulled him out of his thoughts.


    "...Mom! Can we get ice cream?"


    Sunny froze for a moment, then slowly turned his head and looked to his left, down a long aisle he was passing.


    There, a pale girl of around fourteen years was standing near a tall, graceful woman in her forties. An eight-year-old boy with blonde hair and a bright smile was pushing a tub of ice cream into her hands.


    Sunny watched Rain and her family for a few moments, then turned away and continued on his way, leaving them behind. A quiet sigh escaped from his lips.


    ''At least she''s doing fine. Well, of course she is. I''ve only been gone for a month. Why would anything happen simply because I wasn''t here?''


    He reached the register, then hesitated for a bit, and turned back.


    ��When he returned, there were several tubs of delicious ice cream added to his cart.


    ***


    As the light of dawn shined on the Chained Isles, Sunny appeared on the Altar Island of the Sanctuary of Noctis. He stared at the sky, grimaced at the absence of the moon, and headed toward his room.


    Some time later, though, he emerged from there with a peculiar wooden box following him with the help of eight small iron legs. With the Covetous Coffer in tow, Sunny walked into the garden, found a familiar rock, lifted the toothy box, and carefully placed it near himself.


    Then, he took out a single soul shard and put it where everyone could see.


    Soon, one of the Awakened noticed him and approached.


    "Ah, Sunny! You''re back? Looking to sell some shards again?"


    Sunny smiled.


    "Oh�� yes, sure. But hey! That''s not all. Brilliant Emporium has some new merchandise!"


    The Awakened looked at him with doubt, then asked:


    "Really? Like what?"


    Sunny''s grin grew wider.


    "How lucky that you happened to ask! Let''s see��"


    He put his hand inside the coffer, which then somehow disappeared into the comparatively small box up to the shoulder. Then, Sunny began taking out various items, speaking as he did so:


    "What do I have in store? Take a look for yourself�� toothpaste! Soft, clean underwear! Salt, pepper, and all kinds of spices! Personal hygiene products! Are you a woman? No? Have a female friend, then? What, really? Well, with the stuff I have here, that can be fixed. Oh, what is this? Would you look at that��"


    As more and more people gathered and stared at the absolutely mundane, but precious items that almost none of them had access to in the Dream Realm with something resembling lust in their eyes, Sunny''s own gleamed with greed.


    "By the way, Brilliant Emporium is also proud to announce the opening of a conveyance service�� want our dedicated staff to bring something specific from the real world? No problem! Want to send something to the real world instead? That''s not a problem, either. For just a small commission��"


    ''I am going to get rich. So, so rich!''


    Yes, soul shards were a rare commodity in the real world.


    But a good pair of underpants in the Dream Realm was, perhaps, even more valuable��

 Chapter 835 Siren’s Song

    Sunny sat silently on his bed for a while, irritated by the fact that someone had disturbed his sleep. With singing, no less! Slowly, however, his expression softened.

    'Well�� at least they have good voices�� yeah��'

    The young women sang beautifully. Their voices flowed and resonated with each other, creating harmonies that made him feel tingly. The song was neither sad nor happy �� instead, it made Sunny feel a deep, poignant longing. A wistful sigh escaped from his lips.  S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    'Maybe�� maybe I should go introduce myself?'

    Since these beauties were having a party, surely they wouldn't mind some company?

    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then frowned. Slowly, he looked down and studied his shadows, which were silently trembling. His face darkened.

    'There is just this one problem��'

    How the hell was he able to hear the singing so clearly? His cabin was separated from other neighboring compartments by thick alloy bulkheads. The entrance hatch was securely fastened, isolating him from the rest of the battleship. No sound should have been able to penetrate inside so easily.

    Suddenly, an old memory surfaced from the depths of his mind. For some reason, Sunny remembered how the members of the cohort had sealed their eyes with wax before traversing the dark river below the Hollow Mountains.

    'Odysseus��'

    His frown turned into a deep scowl. Sunny hesitated for a moment, then summoned the Undying Chain. As the lusterless, bleak steel of the slender armor weaved itself from light and encased his body, his thoughts seemed to have turned a little clearer.

    The [Chains of Longing] enchantment provided the wearer with a high amount of protection against mind attacks.

    However, contrary to his expectation, the beautiful singing was not affected at all. Sunny could still hear it clearly. He still felt moved by the alluring voices.

    'Wait�� what language are they singing in?'

    Strangely, Sunny found himself unable to understand the words of the melodious song.

    Even stranger, he had somehow failed to notice that fact earlier.

    The words of the unknown language seemed to seep straight into his mind, unobstructed. They echoed and resonated with each other there, making him feel a bit weird. However, their influence was not invasive or harmful. Instead, it was rather�� pleasant.

    Sunny blinked.

    'I'm hearing voices.'

    Then, he tilted his head a little.

    '...Does hearing voices constitute an auditory hallucination?'

    Wasn't there a rule concerning exactly these circumstances in the safety manual? Right�� he was supposed to immediately inform the nearest navy officer in case something like that happened.

    Sunny sighed, then stood up. No matter how much his heart desired to meet the beautiful singers, there was no way he was going to follow the call of their soothing song.

    There was already someone who was aggravatingly adept at tugging on his heartstrings. His heart was all but overcrowded.

    Sunny left the cabin and went to find an officer to report his hallucinations to. After a few steps, his foot suddenly made a splash, as if it landed into a shallow puddle. Looking down, Sunny saw a thin layer of clear water covering the floor of the passage ahead of him.

    His scowl deepened.

    It was still night, so the passageways of the colossal battleship were mostly empty. Of course, activity never ceased on a vessel of this size. The crew slept in shifts to make sure that a complete complement of sailors and specialists always tended to its internal systems and manned the posts.

    One such post was right ahead, behind a corner. There was not a soul around, and the thin layer of water made Sunny feel uneasy. After hesitating for a moment, he sent one of his shadows to take a look.

    To his relief, the security checkpoint seemed in perfect order. A junior officer in a blue uniform was standing near the wall, studying the panel mounted on it, or maybe simply staring at the wall in boredom.

    'Does he not see all that water?'

    Or�� was the water a hallucination, as well?

    Sunny gritted his teeth, then walked forward and approached the security checkpoint.

    "Excuse me."

    The officer turned around and looked at him without any particular expression.

    "Yes?"

    The man was seemingly in his early thirties, with pale skin and dark, slicked back hair. There was nothing particularly memorable about him, except for how still his face seemed to be.

    Sunny sighed, and then said awkwardly:

    "That, uh�� the safety manual says to inform the nearest officer if I hear voices. Well, I do. Hear them. So��"

    The impassive man suddenly became more lively. A strange gleam appeared in his eyes.

    "Oh? What do you hear?"

    Sunny rubbed his face.

    "...Singing. I hear beautiful singing."

    The officer stared at him for a few moments, then nodded.

    "I see. In that case, please follow me to the upper deck."

    Sunny shifted his weight to take a step forward, but then lingered for a moment and leaned slightly to the side instead. Glancing behind the naval officer, he took a short glance at the man's shadow.

    The shadow appeared exactly how it was supposed to appear. It swayed slightly on the surface of the water, staring at Sunny as shadows often did.

    Nevertheless, he felt very disturbed, for some reason. His intuition was not exactly ringing an alarm, but it had become strangely alert.

    Sunny looked back to the officer.

    "Why the upper deck?"

    The man smiled.

    "Please, follow me to the upper deck."

    'Something is�� wrong.'

    Sunny frowned, trying to understand what was making him uncomfortable. Was it the navy officer's unblinking stare?

    Unblinking�� yes. The man wearing the uniform of a junior officer had not blinked once since they started talking.

    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, and then took a tentative step back.

    "...I'd rather not."

    The polite smile slowly disappeared from the officer's pale face. His dark eyes turned a little hollow.

    "Oh."

    As Sunny backed away under the man's glossy stare, his communicator suddenly vibrated and let out a sharp sound.

    The navy officer did not seem to react to it at all.

    Sunny, on the other hand, recognized the sound immediately.

    'Crap��'

    In the next moment, the lights in the passageway blinked in a specific pattern and simultaneously went out, submerging it in utter darkness. The battleship vibrated intensely for a split second, and then went still as its reactors were shut down.

    Absolute silence enveloped the mighty vessel.

    Condition Black had gone into effect.

 Chapter 858 Aerial Superiority

    Chapter 858 ?Aerial Superiority They did not spend too much time trying to come up with a detailed plan. Firstly, because the Nightmare Creatures could have discovered the Irregulars at any moment. Secondly, because no plan they could come up with would have been reliable.

    There was just too little information at their disposal. Without knowing what the Tyrant, the few Devils serving it, and the lesser soldiers of the stone hive were capable of, what was the point of creating rigid strategies?

    The battle ahead was going to be decided by raw power, resolve, and ability to swiftly adapt to changing circumstances.

    Luckily, the Irregulars had more than enough power at their disposal. With three elite Masters and an actual Saint leading them, there was hardly a more fearsome human force in the Antarctic Center.

    Would that power be enough, though?

    They were going to find out soon��

    'How did I end up here?'

    Creeping up the slope of the mountain with a morose expression, Sunny bitterly remembered his dreams of becoming a rich, decadent, cowardly shop owner. What was he doing on a continent drowning in Nightmare Gates, preparing to battle a Corrupted Tyrant and its army?

    He could have been relaxing in the hot springs of a luxurious spa with a bunch of beauties right now�� that was what rich people did, right?

    Instead, Sunny hid behind a tall boulder, shivered in the cold, and glanced at the handful of people pressing against rocks around him. Sure, there were plenty of beauties among them, as well�� ah, but it wasn't the same��

    It couldn't be more different, really.

    '...Damn.'  S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    There was still a good stretch of the mountain slope remaining until the peak. That high, the air was not devoid of oxygen yet, but it surely tasted different. None of the Awakened would be hindered by the slight hypoxia or suffer from the high-altitude illness, of course, but it still required some adjustment.

    Sunny sighed and watched as Saint Tyris calmly walked forward. A swarm of sparks surrounded her hand, and then coalesced into a long javelin. At the same time, Winter summoned a strange silver bow and two arrows. She nocked one on the string of the bow and waited.

    A shadow hiding at the peak of the mountain watched as one of the hideous insects wandered to the edge of a protruding rock outcropping and froze, its long antennae twitching in the wind.

    Sunny frowned.

    'I think�� I think we're noticed!'

    Before he could warn anyone, however, Sky Tide took one last step, raised her javelin�� and silently threw it into the dark sky.

    Her throw caused the snow around Saint Tyris to be cleared away by the gale of crushing wind. The rocks beneath her feet cracked.

    In the next moment, a thunderous roar of a sonic boom rolled across the mountains as the javelin accelerated toward the peak with terrifying speed. It streaked across the sky like a radiant star, and then collided against the Tyrant's carapace with devastating force.

    The milky-white chitin did not shatter, though.

    The javelin shattered instead.

    As Saint Tyris tilted her head a little, Winter shot an arrow almost straight up. It flew into the sky and then exploded with brilliant radiance, flooding the gloomy slope with bright light.

    Illuminated by it, the Nightmare Creatures hiding behind the rocks moved.

    They ran forward with surprising agility and then jumped, twisting their bodies into tight spheres. Hundreds of these spheres then rolled down, approaching the hiding Irregulars with terrible speed.

    Sunny felt his heart growing heavy.

    Because of how similar the carapaces of the stone hive soldiers were to actual rock, it seemed as if the mountain itself was falling on them.

    And that wasn't all.

    The Tyrant moved forward and opened its maw, disgorging a cloud of darkness from it. The cloud flowed down like an avalanche of volcanic ash, swallowing the figures of rolling drones as it overtook them.

    'Bad!'

    Sunny did not know what the black avalanche consisted of, but his intuition was screaming that inhaling, or even being touched by the black ash was deadly to humans.

    At that moment, Sky Tide suddenly disappeared, and a massive shape shot forward from their formation. A giant bird of prey with white feathers and talons forged of lustrous steel appeared above the mountain, gaining speed as it flew into the sky. Her body was wreathed in a radiant mantle of dancing lightning bolts.

    As Saint Tyris moved her enormous wings, the cloud of black ash was torn apart by the hurricane winds and dissipated long before reaching the Irregulars. She soared high into the dim sky and then plummeted down, aiming to savage the jade beetle with her terrifying beak.

    The two monstrous creatures collided, and the Tyrant jumped back with an ear-piercing screech. A beam of darkness escaped from its maw, but Sky Tide was already rising into the sky as she circled to deliver another devastating attack. The bolts of lightning gathered on her body and then shot forward, colliding with the dark beam. It seemed to weaken considerably and missed the swift Saint, disappearing into the somber expanse of cold heavens.

    A net of lightning descended from above and bit into the milky-white jade chitin of the Tyrant. A devastating thunderclap battered it like a physical attack. Tyris folded her wings and fell down again, leaving deep grooves on the enemy's armor with her talons. The whole mountain shook from the ferocious force of their clash.

    Comparatively uninjured, but hopelessly outmatched by the flying opponent, the jade beetle seemed almost... aggrieved.

    Its black eyes stared at the silhouette of the colossal bird with an indescribable, inhuman emotion.

    And then, the Tyrant straightened. Its carapace suddenly seemed to split in the middle and move aside like a giant gate.

    From beneath it, four long, translucent wings emerged and then blurred, causing the massive creature to rise into the air.

    It would have been an eerily beautiful image... if it wasn't so dreadful.

    Looking from below, Sunny gritted his teeth.

    'Well�� crap.'

 Chapter 614 Hope’s Canvas

    A new day brought with it a new portion of pain, hardship, and despair. Sunny and Elyas were dragged into the arena, the same Ascended warmonger guiding them by the chains attached to the collars. Sunny stumbled forward, his gaze locked on the man''s broad back.


    The jailer was incredibly tall for a human, his height more than even that of the shadow demon Sunny was currently inhabiting. His figure was solemn and powerful, a sense of terrifying strength radiating from it in almost physical waves. The apostle of War wore the same ragged leather armor and a tattered red robe, his features hidden behind a deep hood.


    In all these weeks, Sunny had never seen his face, or heard him speak.


    The great blade on the Ascended warrior''s back looked special, too. It was definitely enchanted with very powerful magic�� now that Sunny turned his thoughts to the nature of sorcery, he was silently studying the line of runes inscribed along the edge of the heavy weapon.


    ''Runic magic again��''


    That made sense�� how else were these ancient people supposed to enchant their weapons? It was not like they could rely on Memories and spellweave. That said, magical weapons seemed to be much rarer in the Kingdom of Hope than in the waking world. Most of the Awakened Sunny had fought in the arena wielded either mundane ones or those possessing weak, primitive enchantments.


    It was the far cry from the powerful Memories he was used to, although Sunny did not know if that was the nature of this era, or just another sign of the ubiquitous regression that seemed to reign in what remained of the Kingdom of Hope. Everything here seemed devolved, worn out, and on the verge of falling apart.


    The whole region was obviously in decline, and had been for some time now.


    ...While studying the runes on the great blade, he also noticed that it had a few new nicks. The leather armor of the silent giant had more scratches than before, as well��


    It seemed that the Ascended was participating in the battles in the arena himself.


    ''I guess I''ll have to fight that monster too, eventually...''  S��arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Finally, a rusty iron gate appeared in front of them, blinding sunlight streaming through its bars. The rumbling voices of the crowd echoed from the stone walls, washing over him like a cursed tide.


    The gate swung open, and the chains came off of their collars. Sunny and Elyas entered the first killing box and watched as their opponents crawled out of a similar tunnel.


    The young Awakened brandished his weapon �� a short spear fashioned out of a long twisting horn �� and forced out a weak smile.


    "Luck... luck is on our side today, Demon! These creatures are called Burrowers. On solid stone, their main advantage is gone! Just don''t let them swallow you��"


    Sunny snarled, then dashed forward with a roar.


    ��Hard. Today was going to be hard.


    He was forced to use Shadow Dance to peer into the souls of the Nightmare Creatures, despite suspecting that doing so too much threatened to destroy his already unsteady mind. He also had to both concentrate on the fight and thoroughly study the ancient theater, in hopes of discovering signs of Hope''s sorcery.


    It was almost like his first training sessions with Saint, when he had to resist the taciturn monster while simultaneously keeping an eye on his shadow to decipher the secret of its dance. The problem was that, back then, he had ended up beaten black and blue by Saint most of the time.


    Now, he couldn''t allow himself to lose.


    Sunny descended upon the repulsive Burrowers, which looked like sacks of bulbous flesh with giant circular maws gaping in them, and tried to slaughter the abominations without being eaten alive.


    ��The first fight came and went, and then, it was time for the second one, and then the third one, and then the fourth.


    Sunny had slain the vicious Burrowers, and then a creature that resembled a giant walking skeleton, its bones green and as tough as granite, and then a swarm of monstrous ants that covered the floor of the arena like a carpet, and then a being that was like an oozing mountain of mire sludge that had long, razor-sharp steel sickles protruding from it.


    His body was torn, and sliced, and crushed, and gnawed on. Elyas had healed the most terrible wounds, but the rest remained, not worthy of having precious soul essence wasted on them, yet.


    Sunny was once again overwhelmed by pain, rage, and the desperate need to fight for his survival. Everything else disappeared�� the only thing that remained was battle, blood, and murder.


    And fear.


    ...However, today, that wasn''t enough.


    He fought through the battle fog that encompassed his mind and kept searching, studying every corner of the Red Colosseum �� the floor of the arena, the walls surrounding it, the rows of seats rising above �� in search of intricately engraved runes.


    But all he saw were the statues of War God, the jubilant faces of the spectators, and the weathered surface of ancient stones. There was no hint of any engravings anywhere.


    ''Where are you�� where...''


    The fifth battle almost cost him his life. While fighting against a familiar foe �� a giant worm-like creature that possessed a seemingly endless reserve of vitality �� Suny had tripped on the uneven surface of the floor of the arena, lost his balance, and tumbled down.


    If not for Elyas, who fearlessly jumped forward and pulled the attention of the terrible abomination to himself, he would have been viciously mauled, or even lost his life.


    Back when Sunny had fought a worm like that the first time, the creature eventually succumbed to the soul damage continuously dealt to it by the Cruel Sight. Today, however, he had no deadly Memory to help him�� only his claws, his fangs, and his horns.


    In the end, Sunny had to literally rip the giant abomination to shreds. Only when its body was torn apart completely did the worm stop regenerating new flesh and recovering from all the wounds, and finally died.


    Exhausted, Sunny fell to his knees and breathed hoarsely, then threw a hateful glance at the crowd chanting his name. Finally, he lowered his head and glared at the wide groove in the red stone of the arena that had almost cost him his life.


    There were several grooves like that in some of the killing boxes, cutting through the floor of the colosseum like broad channels meant for the rivers of blood to flow through them. Usually, he took note of their placement in advance to avoid losing his footing at a dire moment, but today, with his attention split between the battles and the need to study the arena, Sunny had failed in that regard.


    ''Damn thing�� why couldn''t they just make the arena flat?!''


    Well, the answer was obvious. All that blood had to go somewhere, and if not for these grooves, the whole colosseum would have slowly turned into one giant crimson pool.


    He frowned.


    ''Wait�� that doesn''t make sense, though��''


    Sunny lingered, noticing that the gate to the sixth box was already opening.


    The grooves were as ancient as the Red Colosseum itself�� which meant that they had been here long before the Warmongers started holding their demented Trials here. Long before the name Red Colosseum was even given to it.


    Which meant that these grooves had been cut through the stone back when it had still been pristine white, and had no blood spilled on it.


    So�� serving as channels that took away blood could not have been their purpose.


    Sunny''s lightless eyes narrowed. Suddenly, he realized his mistake.


    All this time, he had been looking for the sorcerous runes while expecting them to look like they had the previous times he encountered them �� intricate, small, and numerous, arranged into shapes and patterns. And yet, he had found nothing.


    But, in fact, the runes were right in front of him the whole time�� or rather, beneath his feet.


    He was just too small and insignificant to notice them, like an ant crawling across a vast painting and failing to see the whole image for what it was.


    There were no circles of intricate runes carved anywhere in the colosseum�� instead, the whole vastness of the ancient arena was a runic circle, a canvas Hope had used to create her sorcery.


    ��He was standing on it.

 Chapter 662 Demon’s Bargain

    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then looked at Kai and said with determination. "Let''s go."


    Kai nodded and followed the four-armed demon, pushing forward his bandaged body with visible effort. Seeing his friend''s suffering, Sunny gritted his teeth.


    The archer, meanwhile, glanced at him with a grim expression, and then said in his new, unfamiliar and ugly voice:


    "Sunny�� I have one question. Can you answer it?"


    Sunny slowed down and turned to him, a deep scowl contorting the bestial lines of his face.


    "Of course. What is it?"


    Kai remained silent for a bit, then asked cautiously:


    "Uh�� where, exactly, are we going?"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then tilted his head a little.


    "Oh, right. Where else? We are going to talk to Noctis!"


    With that, he turned around and continued walking toward the immortal sorcerer''s residence.


    The archer hurried to catch up, then said in a stifled tone:


    "Ah�� that Noctis? The immortal Transcendent? Blessed of the Moon, Crimson Beast of Twilight, Chain Lord of the Kingdom of Hope, and all that?"


    Sunny glanced at him, then shrugged.


    "Yes, that Noctis. Don''t worry, though�� he is indeed terrifying, but not unreasonable��"


    Together, they crossed the garden of the Sanctuary and approached the beautifully engraved wooden door. A pair of Sailor Dolls were standing guard outside, their indifferent faces staring at them with hollow stillness. Noticing Sunny, one of them moved aside and knocked on the door, which then opened all by itself.


    The two of them entered and froze, unsure how to react.


    "What the hell��"


    Noctis was levitating above the floor, his legs crossed and his eyes closed. He might have seemed like a wise sage in the middle of a deep meditation, if not for dozens of empty amphoras of wine that floated all around him. The terrifying Chain Lord, Blessed of the Moon, the Crimson Beast of Twilight�� was dead drunk.


    Hearing someone enter, Noctis lazily opened one eye and stared at Sunny, then at Kai. Finally, he landed on the floor and yawned, causing all the amphoras to fall down and shatter, sending drops of wine flying everywhere and staining the luscious carpets.


    "Ah, Sunless! What a nice surprise, to see you so soon. And�� uh�� you brought someone with you? What a hideous creature�� wait, did I say that out loud? No, surely not�� I am too wise and courteous to make a rude remark like that, of course�� nice to meet you, whoever you are! Welcome�� ah, to my quarters."


    He gave them a radiant smile, then waved a hand, causing the whole residence to shudder and the shards of the amphoras to disappear without a trace. Then, Noctis walked over to a small table, picked up a fresh apple, and glanced at his guests with a curious expression:


    "To what do you owe the honor?"


    ''To what do we owe�� wait, wasn''t it supposed to be the other way around?''


    Sunny frowned, then glanced at Kai, who was staring at the immortal sorcerer with an inexorable expression on his burned, disfigured face. Finally, he cleared his throat and turned to Noctis:


    "Actually, I am here to deliver some good news. Do you remember the friends I told you about? Well, this is one of them. And�� yes, you did say it out loud."


    The sorcerer stared at Kai, blinked a couple of times, then took a bite out of the apple.


    "Oh, so this is one of the friends that you were supposed to find after visiting an island that doesn''t exist, despite not knowing how they look, where they are, and what they are called? He just happened to be here, in my Sanctuary? How�� fortunate."


    Sunny smiled.


    "Indeed! This is Nightingale, my dear friend. A man with a voice of an angel, and a face to go along with it."


    Kai spared him a sidelong glance, then bowed slightly and forced out a grating, creaky greeting:


    "It is�� nice to meet you, Lord Noctis."  S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sorcerer shuddered and looked right and left, then shook his head.


    "Gods, Sunless�� do not ever mention those creatures again, even in jest. Angels are not something to be called upon, whether by name or in passing."


    Then, he briefly touched the symbol of the moon on his forehead and sighed.


    "...Anyway, I am glad that you have found one of your friends. Have the two of you discussed my proposal?"


    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then answered somberly:


    "No, we have not. We still need to find two more friends for that. However��"


    He sighed, knowing that the luxury of having a choice was looking more and more distant by the day. But he needed the sorcerer''s help and his knowledge to find and retrieve Effie from the mysterious Temple of the Chalice�� in that particular matter, he was willing to compromise.


    Even if he gave up the secret of the Glass Knife, he would still be in possession of the Obsidian one.


    Sunny crossed two of his four arms, and said:


    "I am willing to share the location of the Shadow Lord''s knife with you, in exchange for some assistance."


    Noctis stared at him for some time, then suddenly grinned.


    "Really? What assistance do you require? I am the most helpful person in the Kingdom of Hope, you know!"


    Sunny raised two fingers.


    "First, you will help treat my friend''s wounds. Second, you will help us rescue another of our other friends from the place she is being held in."


    He thought for a bit, and then raised a third finger.


    "Oh! And also, coins. You will give me lots of Noctis coins."


    The sorcerer ate his apple in silence for a bit, then laughed.


    "Well�� I think I can do two out of those three things, at least. No problem. So, tell me... where is your other friend being held?''


    Sunny lingered for a few moment, still hesitant to make the bargain. Finally, he sighed, and said:


    "Temple of the Chalice."


    Noctis suddenly choked on the apple, coughed violently a few times, then grabbed a glass of wine and nervously emptied it. Then, with a flushed face, he glanced at Sunny and forced out a strange smile.


    "...One. I think I can do one out of those three things, at least��"

 Chapter 835 Siren’s Song

    Sunny sat silently on his bed for a while, irritated by the fact that someone had disturbed his sleep. With singing, no less! Slowly, however, his expression softened.


    ''Well�� at least they have good voices�� yeah��''


    The young women sang beautifully. Their voices flowed and resonated with each other, creating harmonies that made him feel tingly. The song was neither sad nor happy �� instead, it made Sunny feel a deep, poignant longing. A wistful sigh escaped from his lips.  S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Maybe�� maybe I should go introduce myself?''


    Since these beauties were having a party, surely they wouldn''t mind some company?


    Sunny lingered for a few moments, then frowned. Slowly, he looked down and studied his shadows, which were silently trembling. His face darkened.


    ''There is just this one problem��''


    How the hell was he able to hear the singing so clearly? His cabin was separated from other neighboring compartments by thick alloy bulkheads. The entrance hatch was securely fastened, isolating him from the rest of the battleship. No sound should have been able to penetrate inside so easily.


    Suddenly, an old memory surfaced from the depths of his mind. For some reason, Sunny remembered how the members of the cohort had sealed their eyes with wax before traversing the dark river below the Hollow Mountains.


    ''Odysseus��''


    His frown turned into a deep scowl. Sunny hesitated for a moment, then summoned the Undying Chain. As the lusterless, bleak steel of the slender armor weaved itself from light and encased his body, his thoughts seemed to have turned a little clearer.


    The [Chains of Longing] enchantment provided the wearer with a high amount of protection against mind attacks.


    However, contrary to his expectation, the beautiful singing was not affected at all. Sunny could still hear it clearly. He still felt moved by the alluring voices.


    ''Wait�� what language are they singing in?''


    Strangely, Sunny found himself unable to understand the words of the melodious song.


    Even stranger, he had somehow failed to notice that fact earlier.


    The words of the unknown language seemed to seep straight into his mind, unobstructed. They echoed and resonated with each other there, making him feel a bit weird. However, their influence was not invasive or harmful. Instead, it was rather�� pleasant.


    Sunny blinked.


    ''I''m hearing voices.''


    Then, he tilted his head a little.


    ''...Does hearing voices constitute an auditory hallucination?''


    Wasn''t there a rule concerning exactly these circumstances in the safety manual? Right�� he was supposed to immediately inform the nearest navy officer in case something like that happened.


    Sunny sighed, then stood up. No matter how much his heart desired to meet the beautiful singers, there was no way he was going to follow the call of their soothing song.


    There was already someone who was aggravatingly adept at tugging on his heartstrings. His heart was all but overcrowded.


    Sunny left the cabin and went to find an officer to report his hallucinations to. After a few steps, his foot suddenly made a splash, as if it landed into a shallow puddle. Looking down, Sunny saw a thin layer of clear water covering the floor of the passage ahead of him.


    His scowl deepened.


    It was still night, so the passageways of the colossal battleship were mostly empty. Of course, activity never ceased on a vessel of this size. The crew slept in shifts to make sure that a complete complement of sailors and specialists always tended to its internal systems and manned the posts.


    One such post was right ahead, behind a corner. There was not a soul around, and the thin layer of water made Sunny feel uneasy. After hesitating for a moment, he sent one of his shadows to take a look.


    To his relief, the security checkpoint seemed in perfect order. A junior officer in a blue uniform was standing near the wall, studying the panel mounted on it, or maybe simply staring at the wall in boredom.


    ''Does he not see all that water?''


    Or�� was the water a hallucination, as well?


    Sunny gritted his teeth, then walked forward and approached the security checkpoint.


    "Excuse me."


    The officer turned around and looked at him without any particular expression.


    "Yes?"


    The man was seemingly in his early thirties, with pale skin and dark, slicked back hair. There was nothing particularly memorable about him, except for how still his face seemed to be.


    Sunny sighed, and then said awkwardly:


    "That, uh�� the safety manual says to inform the nearest officer if I hear voices. Well, I do. Hear them. So��"


    The impassive man suddenly became more lively. A strange gleam appeared in his eyes.


    "Oh? What do you hear?"


    Sunny rubbed his face.


    "...Singing. I hear beautiful singing."


    The officer stared at him for a few moments, then nodded.


    "I see. In that case, please follow me to the upper deck."


    Sunny shifted his weight to take a step forward, but then lingered for a moment and leaned slightly to the side instead. Glancing behind the naval officer, he took a short glance at the man''s shadow.


    The shadow appeared exactly how it was supposed to appear. It swayed slightly on the surface of the water, staring at Sunny as shadows often did.


    Nevertheless, he felt very disturbed, for some reason. His intuition was not exactly ringing an alarm, but it had become strangely alert.


    Sunny looked back to the officer.


    "Why the upper deck?"


    The man smiled.


    "Please, follow me to the upper deck."


    ''Something is�� wrong.''


    Sunny frowned, trying to understand what was making him uncomfortable. Was it the navy officer''s unblinking stare?


    Unblinking�� yes. The man wearing the uniform of a junior officer had not blinked once since they started talking.


    Sunny stared at him for a few moments, and then took a tentative step back.


    "...I''d rather not."


    The polite smile slowly disappeared from the officer''s pale face. His dark eyes turned a little hollow.


    "Oh."


    As Sunny backed away under the man''s glossy stare, his communicator suddenly vibrated and let out a sharp sound.


    The navy officer did not seem to react to it at all.


    Sunny, on the other hand, recognized the sound immediately.


    ''Crap��''


    In the next moment, the lights in the passageway blinked in a specific pattern and simultaneously went out, submerging it in utter darkness. The battleship vibrated intensely for a split second, and then went still as its reactors were shut down.


    Absolute silence enveloped the mighty vessel.


    Condition Black had gone into effect.

 Chapter 858 Aerial Superiority

    Chapter 858  Aerial Superiority They did not spend too much time trying to come up with a detailed plan. Firstly, because the Nightmare Creatures could have discovered the Irregulars at any moment. Secondly, because no plan they could come up with would have been reliable.


    There was just too little information at their disposal. Without knowing what the Tyrant, the few Devils serving it, and the lesser soldiers of the stone hive were capable of, what was the point of creating rigid strategies?


    The battle ahead was going to be decided by raw power, resolve, and ability to swiftly adapt to changing circumstances.


    Luckily, the Irregulars had more than enough power at their disposal. With three elite Masters and an actual Saint leading them, there was hardly a more fearsome human force in the Antarctic Center.


    Would that power be enough, though?


    They were going to find out soon��


    ''How did I end up here?''


    Creeping up the slope of the mountain with a morose expression, Sunny bitterly remembered his dreams of becoming a rich, decadent, cowardly shop owner. What was he doing on a continent drowning in Nightmare Gates, preparing to battle a Corrupted Tyrant and its army?


    He could have been relaxing in the hot springs of a luxurious spa with a bunch of beauties right now�� that was what rich people did, right?


    Instead, Sunny hid behind a tall boulder, shivered in the cold, and glanced at the handful of people pressing against rocks around him. Sure, there were plenty of beauties among them, as well�� ah, but it wasn''t the same��


    It couldn''t be more different, really.


    ''...Damn.''  S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was still a good stretch of the mountain slope remaining until the peak. That high, the air was not devoid of oxygen yet, but it surely tasted different. None of the Awakened would be hindered by the slight hypoxia or suffer from the high-altitude illness, of course, but it still required some adjustment.


    Sunny sighed and watched as Saint Tyris calmly walked forward. A swarm of sparks surrounded her hand, and then coalesced into a long javelin. At the same time, Winter summoned a strange silver bow and two arrows. She nocked one on the string of the bow and waited.


    A shadow hiding at the peak of the mountain watched as one of the hideous insects wandered to the edge of a protruding rock outcropping and froze, its long antennae twitching in the wind.


    Sunny frowned.


    ''I think�� I think we''re noticed!''


    Before he could warn anyone, however, Sky Tide took one last step, raised her javelin�� and silently threw it into the dark sky.


    Her throw caused the snow around Saint Tyris to be cleared away by the gale of crushing wind. The rocks beneath her feet cracked.


    In the next moment, a thunderous roar of a sonic boom rolled across the mountains as the javelin accelerated toward the peak with terrifying speed. It streaked across the sky like a radiant star, and then collided against the Tyrant''s carapace with devastating force.


    The milky-white chitin did not shatter, though.


    The javelin shattered instead.


    As Saint Tyris tilted her head a little, Winter shot an arrow almost straight up. It flew into the sky and then exploded with brilliant radiance, flooding the gloomy slope with bright light.


    Illuminated by it, the Nightmare Creatures hiding behind the rocks moved.


    They ran forward with surprising agility and then jumped, twisting their bodies into tight spheres. Hundreds of these spheres then rolled down, approaching the hiding Irregulars with terrible speed.


    Sunny felt his heart growing heavy.


    Because of how similar the carapaces of the stone hive soldiers were to actual rock, it seemed as if the mountain itself was falling on them.


    And that wasn''t all.


    The Tyrant moved forward and opened its maw, disgorging a cloud of darkness from it. The cloud flowed down like an avalanche of volcanic ash, swallowing the figures of rolling drones as it overtook them.


    ''Bad!''


    Sunny did not know what the black avalanche consisted of, but his intuition was screaming that inhaling, or even being touched by the black ash was deadly to humans.


    At that moment, Sky Tide suddenly disappeared, and a massive shape shot forward from their formation. A giant bird of prey with white feathers and talons forged of lustrous steel appeared above the mountain, gaining speed as it flew into the sky. Her body was wreathed in a radiant mantle of dancing lightning bolts.


    As Saint Tyris moved her enormous wings, the cloud of black ash was torn apart by the hurricane winds and dissipated long before reaching the Irregulars. She soared high into the dim sky and then plummeted down, aiming to savage the jade beetle with her terrifying beak.


    The two monstrous creatures collided, and the Tyrant jumped back with an ear-piercing screech. A beam of darkness escaped from its maw, but Sky Tide was already rising into the sky as she circled to deliver another devastating attack. The bolts of lightning gathered on her body and then shot forward, colliding with the dark beam. It seemed to weaken considerably and missed the swift Saint, disappearing into the somber expanse of cold heavens.


    A net of lightning descended from above and bit into the milky-white jade chitin of the Tyrant. A devastating thunderclap battered it like a physical attack. Tyris folded her wings and fell down again, leaving deep grooves on the enemy''s armor with her talons. The whole mountain shook from the ferocious force of their clash.


    Comparatively uninjured, but hopelessly outmatched by the flying opponent, the jade beetle seemed almost... aggrieved.


    Its black eyes stared at the silhouette of the colossal bird with an indescribable, inhuman emotion.


    And then, the Tyrant straightened. Its carapace suddenly seemed to split in the middle and move aside like a giant gate.


    From beneath it, four long, translucent wings emerged and then blurred, causing the massive creature to rise into the air.


    It would have been an eerily beautiful image... if it wasn''t so dreadful.


    Looking from below, Sunny gritted his teeth.


    ''Well�� crap.''

 Chapter 900 Don’t Look Back

    A somber silence settled in the conference room of the security center. Eventually, Verne was the first to break it. Straightening, he looked at sunny and said in a heavy tone: "The... the best I can do is ask for volunteers among my Awakened. To risk falling asleep. Some of them might die, but a few should return with the news from the Dream Realm. Then, we can discuss evacuation by land."


    Sunny stared at him without saying anything. His anger was suddenly gone, and instead, all that was left was fatigue, regret, and a vague feeling of dark resentment.


    ''Damn it all...''


    If Verne indeed sent volunteers into the Dream Realm, even knowing that it would be a one-way trip for some of them... they would return in about eight hours. Finding out what was happening up north would help Sunny tremendously.


    But eight hours was too long.


    His growing panic was already almost suffocating. He did not know if they had eight minutes left, let alone eight hours.


    "There''s no time. You can''t."


    Verne leaned on the table and closed his eyes for a moment. It was hard to know what was going through his mind, but Sunny somehow knew that he would not be able to convince the stern officer.


    His heart felt cold.


    ''Ah, that feeling... this bitter feeling. I have not tasted it in a while, I think.''


    At that moment, Verne suddenly said:


    "...A large convoy won''t make it. But a single, robust vehicle probably can."


    Sunny frowned, struggling to follow the line of thought, perhaps due to his exhaustion.


    "What exactly do you mean?"


    The older Master looked at him and shrugged with strange calmness.


    "I mean that we don''t have to put all our eggs in one basket. Your mission is not to protect every person in this facility, Sunless. Unlike mine. Your mission is to rescue one specific, high-value target. Both of us have to carry out our duty to the best of our ability, though. So... take Professor Obel, load up your APC, and leave immediately. This way, even if your theory is right, it won''t be... a total loss for humanity."


    There was a lot that had been said, and a lot that had remained unsaid. But there was no need to speak some words aloud. The two Masters looked at each other for a few moments, a silent understanding between them. In the end, the corner of Sunny''s mouth twitched.


    "I still think that you are wrong. People don''t know what is possible and what is impossible until they try it. Well... that was often the case, at least, in my life."


    Verne simply nodded.


    "Then prove me wrong, Sunless. I wish you luck."


    Sunny grimaced, lingered for a second or two, and then turned around. A moment later, he was gone from the room.


    He had nothing more to say, and no time to waste.


    There was no time at all.


    Feeling a frightening sense of urgency, Sunny used Shadow Step to appear directly inside the research center. This time, Beth was even more surprised to see him.


    "Are you... wait, no way... Master Sunless, do you perchance keep frightening me just for fun?"


    He shook his head, looked around, and then beckoned for the young woman to come closer. What he had to say needed to be kept from other ears.


    Frowning, Beth left Professor Obel''s side and walked over to where he was standing. Grabbing her by the shoulder, Sunny unceremoniously dragged the young woman to an adjacent room.


    "Wha... what the hell do you think you''re..."


    He closed the door and turned around, his sunken, manic eyes making Beth shudder.


    "Be quiet and listen. There has been a change of plans."


    With no time to explain everything in detail, Sunny just told her the necessary parts - that the Professor was in danger, and that he had to be evacuated immediately. That sudden revelation was hard to digest, and there would be a potentially fatal delay if Beth refused to listen immediately, so Sunny constructed his words in a way that played on her deeply ingrained values - loyalty to the old man and the desire to keep him alive.


    Beth''s eyes widened.


    "But... but why come to me? Why didn''t you just approach the Professor?"


    "Professor Obel is a noble man. He would be reluctant to leave his people to save himself... so, I need you to persuade him. Fast. You know him best, after all."


    The young woman still did not understand.


    "But... but can''t we just take everyone?"


    Her voice was small.


    Sunny looked at her somberly, knowing that was something that he couldn''t do.


    "My vehicle can only carry so many people. Now, go and do what I said. Every minute we waste can mean the difference between life and death."


    Beth nodded in a daze, then slowly turned around, rearranged her lab coat, and left the room.


    Sunny looked through the crack of the opened door at the scientists surrounding the professor, and then turned around in shame. However, this self-indulgence only lasted a second.


    He had no time for regret, too.


    Not caring about the expenditure of essence, Sunny traveled through the shadows and soon appeared near the Rhino. He could feel three shadows inside, while Luster, Kim, and Quentin were standing in front of the APC.


    Noticing him, they straightened their postures.


    "Captain, sir! Uh... I did as you told."


    Sunny glanced at Luster and nodded.


    "Go and run the startup sequence. I want the Rhino to be ready to depart at any second."


    The young man''s eyes turned into circles, but he swiftly dove into the hatch without asking any questions. Sunny, Kim, and Quentin were left alone in the biting cold.


    Feeling his heart beating wildly, Sunny looked up at the sky.


    The sky was covered by white haze.


    ''...The blizzard is starting again.''


    At that moment, Quentin cautiously asked:


    "Captain... I am sorry, but what exactly is happening?"


    He gave the gallant healer a short glance.


    "We''re leaving."


    Both his subordinates seemed startled.


    "Leaving? Right now? But... why?"


    Sunny lingered with the answer.


    "Because we have orders to keep the VIP alive."


    That seemed to make them stop asking questions.


    A minute passed, then another. His bloodstream was full of adrenaline, as though he was in the middle of a battle. Time crawled at a snail''s pace, and for some reason, Sunny felt as though he was locked inside a pillory, waiting for the guillotine''s blade to come down.


    ''Walk faster, damn it!"  Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His instincts were screaming that they had to leave LO49, now.


    Finally, two figures appeared from the milky-white haze. Professor Obel was walking stiffly, with a troubled face. Beth was both supporting him and carrying a small bag.


    The old man stopped near Sunny and looked at him with a solemn expression. He hesitated to speak.


    "Young man... I hear that you will be taking us away now."


    Sunny nodded.


    "Yes, Professor. Get inside, please. Hurry. I''ll explain later."


    They entered the Rhino and closed the hatch. While Beth was looking around with subdued curiosity, Luster sent the heavy vehicle moving.


    The sentries had already been informed by Verne, so they opened the gate and allowed the Irregulars to drive through them.


    ...Until the last second, Sunny was certain that something would go horribly wrong. But, somehow, it didn''t.


    The Rhino drove away from the fortress, passed by the fleet of transports parked outside, and disappeared into the white wall of the blizzard. Only when the lights of the facility vanished from view did Sunny feel an almost overwhelming sense of relief.


    He leaned... no, almost crashed... on the bulkhead behind him and let out a trembling breath.


    ''We made it. We made it in time...''


    Although there were many confused and concerned gazes aimed at him, Sunny remained silent. Slowly, the distance between the Rhino and the Lunar Observatory Forty-Nine grew larger and larger. A kilometer, then another... then a dozen.


    They were leaving it behind.


    ***


    Some time later, when the heavy vehicle traversed approximately half the length of the coastal plain separating the ocean shore from the mountains, Sunny commanded Luster to stop and hide the Rhino in the wreckage of a massive war machine left behind from the Dark Times.


    He closed his eyes and concentrated for a few minutes. His shadows made sure that there were no Nightmare Creatures laying around in wait.


    After that, Sunny inhaled deeply.


    "The Call is not too strong here. It should be condition green, so... congratulations, guys. You can finally rest."


    Despite their unease and doubts, his soldiers reacted to that statement with visible excitement. They, too, were on the verge of collapse from fatigue and exhaustion.


    "Luster, Kim, and Dorn. You guys sleep first. The other three, keep watch and take care of our guests."


    They nodded, already knowing their roles.


    "Yes, sir! But... uh... Captain, what about you?"


    Sunny looked at Belle with a dark expression.


    "...I have something to do."


    He headed for the exit hatch. Beth tried to get in his way with a question, but he simply looked at her, and the young woman suddenly backed away.


    Exiting the Rhino, Sunny walked into the blizzard, and then summoned the Nightmare. His loyal steed rose from the shadows, its eyes burning with dreadful crimson flames. Jumping into the saddle, Sunny sent it galloping through the snow.


    He left one shadow to stand guard near the Rhino, of course.


    By now, the range at which he could control it was past thirteen kilometers. That was more or less half the current distance between the Rhino and LO49.


    He flew back south, summoning the closed featureless helmet of the Undying Chain to protect himself from the cutting wind. His shadow sense spread outward, replacing sight that was useless in the furious snowstorm.


    Stopping at the very edge of Shadow Control''s range, Sunny remained in the saddle, and sent another shadow forward. It slid south with tremendous speed, and eventually reached the walls of the facility.


    There were formidable turrets on them, powerful spotlights flooding the immediate vicinity of the fortress with light, snowflakes dancing in the wide beams. The gates that the Rhino had left no more than an hour ago were tightly shut. A fleet of transport vehicles was parked in front of it, covered in snow, their initial purpose long forgotten.


    The blizzard obscured the world, and for a moment - just like when he had first arrived - Sunny felt a pang of fear. It was as though the whole facility was empty, with only ghosts populating its streets.


    ...Only, this time, his fear came true.


    There was no one standing watch on the walls. No soldiers patrolled the deserted streets. The buildings stood empty, with screens still showing recordings of entertainment programs, food laying on the plates, and coffee growing cold in the mugs.


    But there were no people.


    There were no scientists in the research laboratory, and no officers in the security center. The feed of the functioning security cameras showed no movement throughout the whole settlement.


    The doors of the living quarters where the civilians had been confined were still locked. but there was no one inside. There were no signs of struggle, and no fresh footprints in the snow covering the ground outside.


    Everything was just...... still.


    Fourteen hundred people had disappeared into thin air. They seemed to have simply vanished. like they had never existed at all.


    ...Many kilometers away, Sunny looked at the southern wall of the fortress through the eyes of his shadows. He felt compelled to send the shadow forward, and gaze at the dark ocean once more.


    But in the end. with a shiver, he decided against it.


    Soon, the shadow returned. Wrapping it around his body, Sunny commanded Nightmare to turn around, and rode into the blizzard without looking back.


    Maybe he did not want to......


    And maybe he simply did not dare.

 Chapter 915 Fool’s Errand

    In the cold darkness, a small procession of vehicles was climbing an old and battered mountain road. The road clung precariously to the stone slope, so narrow that the wheels of the transports barely fit on its cracked surface. Looking through the windows to their right, all the refugees could see was a sheer drop. It was as though they were driving on nothing, a few centimeters away from plummeting to their deaths. From time to time, a stray rock would be pushed off the road by the wheels of the slowly moving vehicles, and then fall down, ricocheting off the cliffs with startling clangor.


    The sound traveled far through the deep gorge, reflecting from its stone walls as it grew louder and louder. For the frightened refugees, it seemed as deafening as thunder.


    Their fear was only made worse by the darkness. The headlights of the transports cut wide swaths through it, but beyond that, the night was impenetrable and oppressive. The drivers were already struggling with keeping the vehicles on the narrow road, and with most of it obscured by the chilling gloom, their task seemed all but impossible.  Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Traveling through the mountains at night was an ill-advised and perilous affair. It was a fool''s errand.


    ''...Who''s the fool, then?''


    Studying sensor feeds in the command suite of the Rhino, Sunny was mentally calculating the rate of their progress. No matter how he thought about it, the convoy''s speed was appallingly slow.


    Sadly, it couldn''t be helped.


    The powerful APC was moving at the head of the column, clearing the path for the other vehicles. Its ram was lowered and once again serving to push through the snow. From time to time, the Rhino had to remove other obstacles from the road, as well - stone debris, large boulders, and massive chunks of ice that had split from the glacier at the peak of the mountain.


    It was doing a good job of it, for the most part. Very rarely did they stumble on something that the Rhino could not move through or push away. In these instances, the whole convoy had to come to a halt and wait for Sunny to remove the obstacle that the APC could not handle safely with his own two hands.


    The Rhino was a powerful machine, but it could not compare to the might of a Master. There were very few things that Sunny could not throw off the road, and even if there were, he would simply cut through them with the Sin of Solace. The jade blade of the beautiful jian was sharp enough to cut through granite as if it was water.


    Not that he enjoyed listening to its invasive whispers.


    In any case, each such stop made their already slow progress even slower. The darkness, the cold, the precarious nature of the old mountain roads, the rough state of the area after the recent earthquake... none of it was making Sunny''s life easy.


    And that was just the natural side of things. Of course, there were other threats around them, as well...


    The whole region was teeming with Nightmare Creatures.


    For now, Sunny had managed to lead the convoy past the large swarms of abominations, but it was only a question of time before they had to fight. With how much noise they were making and how much light they were producing, it was inevitable for something hungry to notice them.


    Some already had, of course. However, Saint had been able to kill the few solitary Nightmare Creatures without drawing too much attention. Sunny was using her as an outrider, so she traveled apart from the convoy to intercept any emerging threats before they could deal damage to the transports.


    He did not know how long her protection would last them, though. Sunny felt as though the envelope of safety around the convoy was getting smaller and smaller.


    ...At least he and his soldiers could see through the darkness. If they were as blind as the mundane soldiers protecting the convoy, Sunny would have probably gone mad by now. As it was, he remained surprisingly calm and analytical.


    To him, the situation was both simple and unreasonably difficult.


    There were two types of things at his disposal. One of them was assets - Saint and Nightmare, himself, the Irregulars, and the mundane soldiers. The other was dependents - the refugees, as well as Professor Obel and Beth.


    There were also four types of danger facing him. One was the Nightmare Creatures, whom he had to track through his shadows and either avoid or slay. The other was the threats from within - people succumbing to the Spell or going mad, which he could mitigate through various measures. The third was the environment itself. The world could easily kill them without even needing the help of the abominations, but that could be dealt with, as well.


    And finally, there was the fourth kind of danger, the most dire one - the unforeseen threats. That one could not be preempted, dealt with, or mitigated.


    Sunny''s task was simply to apply his assets in the correct way, in order to protect his dependents from the danger. However, even if he made all the right decisions, nothing stopped a new Gate from opening right in the middle of the convoy, so... there was that to think about, as well.


    ''Great. And on top of it all, we''re too slow.''


    Not only was the convoy too slow to escape from an attack if need be, they were also desperately behind schedule. At that rate, the refugees would have to spend a night or two inside the transports instead of a comparatively safe campsite.


    "Well... there''s nothing I can do about that, for now."


    If he had better vehicles... if he had more Awakened... if there were more tools at his disposal...


    Sunny sighed. There was no point in thinking about such things.


    At that moment, his expression slightly changed.


    Sunny looked to the side, as if piercing the hull of the Rhino with his gaze.


    There, several kilometers ahead... the slopes of the gorge came together, forming a small valley with a frozen lake taking most of its surface. A swarm of Nightmare Creatures had just appeared from behind a tall rock protrusion and was descending toward the lake.


    eaglesnov?1,��o�� And on the other side of the valley, still hidden from sight by the slope of the mountain, there was another swarm, this one smaller, but composed of much more powerful abominations. They were heading in the same direction.


    What Sunny had feared came true. The convoy could not turn back, and would not be able to avoid colliding with the two swarms. A fight was inevitable.


    The corner of his mouth twitched.


    Standing up from his seat, Sunny stretched his limbs, and then glanced at the Irregulars with a deadpan expression. His people instantly tensed.


    "Summon your weapons. It''s time to get some fresh air..."

 Chapter 932 Blinded

    Chapter 932  BlindedSunny had grown accustomed to using his shadows to scout ahead in dangerous situations, explore the world around him, and discover hidden threats. However, this time, he could not �� simply because the shadows were as blind as him in the embrace of true darkness.


    Walking deeper into the tunnel, he instantly felt tense and incredibly vulnerable. Things were even worse than Sunny had thought. Not only was his sight suddenly limited to a mere single point of view, not only could he not see anything outside the narrow circle of light created by the luminous Memories like a mere human��


    Even his ability to sense the shapes and movements of shadows was crippled. Because, of course, no shadow existed within darkness.


    That unique part of his perception had become so ingrained into him that now that it was gone, Sunny felt blinded. It was as though he suddenly lost his eyes and ears. The whole world seemed strange, unclear, and muddled.


    The sudden change was so severe that he almost lost balance.


    ''D��damn��''


    Belle and Dorn, who lived their whole lives like that, did not seem to be disturbed. Sure, they had somewhat come to rely on the ability to see in darkness that Kim often shared to them, but not to a degree where it became their second nature.


    Sunny, on the other hand��


    He was disoriented, and felt utterly exposed.


    ''How horrible��''


    Grimacing, he gripped the shaft of the Cruel Sight tighter and continued walking. The blade of the somber spear did not shine yet, instead absorbing some of the light produced by the lanterns of the Irregulars, in case he needed it in the future.


    The tunnel was wide enough for two vehicles to pass each other without brushing sides, and utterly empty. Nothing but impenetrable darkness filled its silent expanse, and so, their steps echoed, reflecting from the cold stone walls.


    Sunny glanced at Belle and Dorn with a bit of displeasure. He was walking as noiselessly as usual, trained to remain unnoticed by the long months of hunting down powerful abominations in the Dark City. However, the two fighters of the melee vanguard were not versed in stealth, and their equipment was not suited for it, either.


    ''Way to announce our position to everyone�� and every thing. I have a bad feeling about this...''


    Although many Nightmare Creatures possessed some way to perceive the world in the absence of light, he was still used to being the one to stalk his prey unseen. Now, however, the roles were reversed�� Sunny was at the mercy of whatever creature it was that hid in the darkness.


    And there had to be something there, without a doubt.


    True darkness, after all, had not come from nothing.


    ''What kind of ghastly horror will I have to fight this time?''


    They carefully moved forward, sticking close to the wall of the tunnel.  A few minutes passed, then a dozen. What Sunny feared the most did not happen �� nothing attacked them, and there were no collapsed sections of the tunnel''s roof that could block the convoy''s way out.


    However, there was also no sign of exit.


    The tunnel simply stretched forward, seemingly endlessly, and completely empty. After a while, Sunny managed to shrug off his discomfort and adjust to having his perception severely crippled, as well as he could. sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was still deeply disturbing, though.


    Half an hour passed without them encountering any threats.


    "How far do you think we have walked?"


    Belle and Dorn thought for a moment. The giant man shrugged.


    "Three kilometers? Maybe less."


    A deep frown appeared on Sunny''s face.


    Three kilometers was not a small amount. Of course, there were far longer tunnels out there�� the floor also seemed flat and did not slope neither up nor down.


    Still, it was strange that they had not been attacked yet.


    "...Keep your eyes open."


    The small scouting squad continued forward. After a while, they encountered a small opening in the wall of the tunnel, leading into the depths of the mountain. The narrow branch, too, was drowned in true darkness.


    Standing near it, Sunny thought that he heard a distant hum. However, a moment later, it was gone, chased away by Dorn''s voice.


    "This must be one of the additional tunnel shafts that Professor Obel spoke about. There''s probably a whole network of them inside the mountain, excavated to house the population in case of a nuclear strike."


    Belle scratched the back of his head.


    "Who uses nuclear bombs to kill people? Aren''t bioweapons far more effective?"


    Sunny looked at him darkly.


    "Tell that to Europe."


    At that moment, Dorn cleared his throat.


    "Actually, Captain, they used both nuclear and bioweapons in Europe."


    ''Oh.''


    Well, it was not like Sunny had received a good education. He had barely known that places other than NQSC existed before the fateful conversation with Master Jet.


    In any case, he had to decide whether they should explore the side branch of the tunnel or continue forward along the main one. In the end, he chose to stick to their current path.


    He did not really care what was out there, in the old network of abandoned passages. As long as the convoy could drive past and reach the exit, Sunny did not have to know.


    They walked, and walked, and walked.


    ...And nothing happened.


    At some point, the lack of terrible Nightmare Creatures lunging at them from the darkness started to disturb Sunny more than the possibility of a sudden attack.


    ''This is too eerie��''


    Eventually, the one hour mark passed without them finding anything �� not the source of the true darkness, not the Nightmare Creatures that might have made a nest in the tunnel, and not the exit.


    There was not even a hint of it.


    "Stop."


    Sunny frowned as he looked forward.


    There was nothing but darkness ahead.


    In the end, he sighed and turned around. The scouting mission was both a resounding success and a resounding failure. They did not find any active threats to the convoy, but they also failed to conclusively prove that there were none.


    In any case, the time he had allotted for the scouting mission was up.


    "Let''s head back."


    Now, his best choice was to lead the convoy forward and hope for the best.


    Despite the lack of Nightmare Creatures �� or of anything, really �� inside the tunnel, Sunny felt very uneasy.


    Join the Shadow Slave Discord

 Chapter 962: Reaper’s Crow

    As soon as the strange crow appeared, Sunny was ready to kill it. Summoning the Moonlight Shard would have only taken a split second, and a swift strike of his armored fist was going to do the job just as well. If it was an ordinary bird, of course. Which he seriously doubted.


    He did not expect the crow to speak, though.


    "Sah-nee! Sah-nee!"


    ''...Is it calling my name?''


    Sunny temporary postponed his plans of killing the crow and stared at it for a bit. The crow tilted its head and stared back.


    "Sah-nee!"


    He blinked, then shifted his vision and looked into the bird''s soul. Sunny expected to see an orb of repulsive darkness, but what he saw instead were two radiant cores. The crow was an Awakened Monster... however, it was not a Nightmare Creature.


    ''Is it an Echo, or am I losing my mind? Again?''


    He hesitated for a little while, then said cautiously:


    "Yes, I am Sunny."  Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bird jumped closer with a satisfied look, shook its entire body to get rid of flakes of ash clinging to the black feathers, and then cawed again.


    "Jet! Jet!"


    A spark of hope ignited in Sunny''s heart. He studied the crow some more, then leaned closer and whispered:


    "Did Master Jet send you?"


    The small monster bobbed its head up and down several times.


    "Jet! Send!"


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply.


    ''So she did not forget about me after all, huh...


    The crow appeared to be Soul Reaper''s Echo, which she had sent to find Sunny. It felt... nice... to be remembered. However, he was not sure how the black bird was supposed to help him, if that was Jet''s intention at all.


    Was it simply a messenger to deliver new orders? Someone to guide him to Davis and his cohort of elite assassins?


    He hesitated for a moment.


    "Why did Master Jet send you to find me?"


    The small monster jumped a couple of times.


    "Crow! Help!"


    So it was not just a messenger. The Echo was meant to assist him, somehow. Sunny tried not to get too excited.


    "How are you going to help me? Are you going to lead me to Davis?"


    The black bird silently shook its head, making Sunny frown.


    "Why not?"


    The crow tilted its head.


    "Da-vees! Dead..."


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh. So, Pride was gone... his men probably hadn''t made it out of Erebus Field, either. He did not know the cold man too well, but the loss of a full cohort of Irregulars still hit him hard.


    ...Not to mention that Sunny''s hopes of linking up with another powerful Master were crushed.


    From what he knew, that was the first serious casualties the Irregulars had suffered from the start of the campaign. His information was outdated, though.


    ''Who says that any of them are still alive?''


    The Irregulars, and especially their captains, were elites among elites. But with how unreasonably dreadful the Chain of Nightmares was turning out to be, at least in the Antarctic Center, there were no guarantees.


    Hell, he himself had all but died just a few hours ago.


    At least Soul Reaper was still out there, somewhere...


    A dark grimace appeared on Sunny''s face. Looking back at the small bird, he asked in a dubious tone:


    "How are you supposed to help me, then?"


    The crow flapped its wings.


    "Crow! Show!"


    Sunny frowned.


    "Show what?"


    The bird stared at him for a few moments, then cawed again:


    "Crow! Show!"


    Then, it added:


    "Sah-nee! Follow!"


    ''It wants me to follow it?''


    He did not have too much trust in the mere Awakened Monster''s abilities, but if Master Jet had sent it, then there had to be a good reason. In any case, Sunny did not have too many choices.


    Although he did not want to think it aloud, the convoy''s situation was more or less hopeless. With failing vehicles and an ocean of NighLinare Creatures surrounding them, the chances that he would be able to keep the refugees alive were not too high.


    Sunny sighed, then nodded.


    "Alright. We''ll follow you. Just give me a bit of time to get my people on the road."


    The crow stared at him for a bit, then flopped its wings again.


    "Hur-ry!"


    ''You don''t need to remind me...''


    Standing up, Sunny descended toward the convoy''s camp and ordered everyone to prepare for departure. Soon, the column of vehicles left its temporary shelter and followed a narrow mountain road that circled the former Erebus Field from a good distance.


    The crow flew above them, guiding the convoy deeper into the mountains. The bird had turned out to be an amazing scout. Not only was it able to notice swarms of Nightmare Creatures from high above long before they could threaten the column, but it was also smart enough to lead Sunny and his people around the prowling abominations.


    After about an hour of tense, but uneventful driving, they left the sight of the destroyed city behind. The scene of devastation was now obscured by the slopes and peaks, but the plume of smoke rising from the crater of Mount Erebus and the angry orange glow of the burning stronghold could still be seen.


    The crow guided the convoy to a wide crossroad, and then dove down, landing near a small structure standing at the side of it.


    The convoy came to a halt, the civilian transports looking like they might not ever be able to get their engines running again. Sparing them an uneasy glance, Sunny jumped down from the roof of the Rhino and approached the structure.


    It seemed freshly built, and was most likely constructed by the First Army just a month or two ago. He had no idea what its purpose was, though.


    Uncertain, Sunny glanced at the black bird, who looked very proud of itself.


    "What am I supposed to do with that?"


    The crow tilted its head.


    "Door! Open!"


    ''Oh.''


    Despite its small size, the structure had actual blast doors blocking its entrance. The gate was large enough to be rammed by the Rhino, but of course, Sunny was not going to order Luster to do something that stupid.


    He briefly thought about cutting through the blast doors with the Cruel Sight, but then shook his head with a roll of eyes, walked over to a small panel at the side of the gate, and placed his palm on it. The panel lit up, and then, a mechanical voice came from the in-built dynamics.


    "Captain Sunless. Verified. Sufficient clearance."


    The blast doors opened, revealing the entrance to a wide tunnel.


    ''Oh. Hell. No.''


    Sunny remained motionless for a while, cursing his fate, then reluctantly sent one of his shadows into the tunnel.


    Despite his newly established aversion to tunnels of all kinds, that one turned out to be rather short, leading to a vast underground chamber. It was rectangular in shape, and large enough for the several convoy''s the size of the one Sunny was leading to take shelter inside.


    ''It''s a hidden supply depot... a big one, at th... huh?''


    Sunny''s eyes widened.


    Inside the underground garage...


    Rows and rows of pristine military vehicles stood, ready to be powered up and armed with full compliments of heavy assault weapons.

 Chapter 1013 The Fall of Falcon Scott (31)

    Chapter 1013  The Fall of Falcon Scott (31) As Naeve and Sunny made their way across the wall of the port fortress, the battle grew louder behind them. Sounds of screams rose into the night sky, and the battlements beneath them shuddered. Ignoring all of it, they rushed forward.


    As they ran, Naeve yelled:


    "Have you ever fought in the water?!"


    Sunny spared him a tense look, remembering the harrowing journey across the dark sea of the Forgotten Shore. The boat Nephis had built of demon bones did not survive till the end��


    "Once!"


    The Nightwalker let out a nervous laugh.


    "How did it go?!"


    Sunny gritted his teeth.  Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''m alive, aren''t I?!"


    There was not much choice, anyway. Naeve was probably the only Ascended of the House of Night inside the fortress �� the rest were protecting the battleships sailing across the strait. Bloodwave was going to need all the help he could get, so Sunny had to join the hunt for the dreadful Terror.


    Plus, he wanted to. The abominable creature deserved to die, and especially so by his hand.


    ''Won''t be easy, though��''


    Sunny had a couple Memories that would help him perform well underwater, but he lacked the experience of fighting in the depths of the ocean. Worse than that, Shadow Step and Shadow Manifestation would be nearly useless there �� a shadow needed a solid surface to exist, and those were hard to find where he was going.


    Actually�� Sunny was not sure how his Aspect would function underwater. Much more distressing was the fact that he did not know a lot about the Terror of LO49, and what the abomination was truly capable of. The fact that it relied on mind attacks and manipulation suggested a lack of physical might, but even then, such things were highly relative when it came to Corrupted creatures.


    Really, he was not even sure that the Terror was of the Corrupted Rank.


    ''...What the hell am I doing here?''


    The Sin of Solace laughed, forcing him to grimace.


    It did not matter. Even disregarding the fact that he had a personal score to settle, the creature had to be destroyed to protect the city.


    "But what are you doing risking your life to protect that city? It''s not like you, Lost from Light��"


    Sunny did not really know how to answer, but he refused to let the voice of the sword distract him from the task at hand.


    They were already on the pier, moving swiftly to its end. Some distance away, two gargantuan battleships rested on the black waves. He looked around, not noticing the distinct figure of the enigmatic Saint anywhere.


    "Where is Bloodwave? Is he aboard one of the ships?"


    Naeve gave him a confused look as he took his midnight blue coat off. Beneath it was a black wetsuit, an armor Memory already weaving itself from sparks of light.


    "What do you mean? He''s in the water, of course. Below the ships."


    Sunny blinked.


    "Oh. Of course��"


    He hesitated for a moment, then dismissed the Puppeteer''s Shroud. Left wearing nothing but his underwear, Sunny shivered in the wind �� his pale skin was painted black by the shadows wrapping around his body, and his lean muscles seemed like they had been cut from matte obsidian. He sighed, then summoned three Memories.


    First, a large and beautiful white pearl appeared in his hand. Sunny lingered for a moment, then placed it on his tongue and closed his mouth. The [Essence Pearl] would allow him to breathe and see clearly underwater.


    Then, a piece of an icy blue crystal inlaid in a frame of dull metal appeared, hung around his neck on a black string �� the [Memory of Ice]. Using two charms at once would consume essence faster, but Sunny had to protect himself from the lethal cold of the winter ocean. It was only possible to augment one at a time with the Underworld Armament trait of the Marble Shell, so he chose the blue crystal.


    Lastly, a harness made of a fisherman''s net wrapped around his torso �� the [Nimble Catch].


    With that, Sunny was more or less ready to dive into the water�� at least physically. The only problem was that he needed both hands to swim, but that was easily remedied by fastening the Sin of Solace to the Nimble Catch �� the harness was very handy in that regard.


    With the jade blade strapped safely behind his back, Sunny walked over to the very edge of the pier and glanced at Naeve. The Nightwalker was already clad in a light armor that seemed to be made of black seaweed and nacrous shell.


    A pale smile appeared on Naeve''s face.


    "Ready?"


    Sunny stared at the tumultuous dark waves beneath them and shook his head.


    Then, he jumped.


    The ocean grasped him in a cold embrace a moment later. Sunny almost panicked, a deluge of unpleasant memories instantly surfacing in his mind, but then discovered that he could breathe normally despite being surrounded by water. That calmed him down a little.


    The Essence Pearl had a strange effect. Sunny could breathe through his nose as if he was standing on solid ground, and there seemed to be an invisible barrier preventing the salty water from flowing up his nostrils. Additionally, the active enchantment of the charm allowed him to see clearly through the dark expanse of the ocean, as if he was wearing a diving mask.


    He was also cold, but not terribly so. It seemed that the high elemental resistance of the Marble Shell, augmented by the shadows, was enough to protect him from freezing to death �� adding the Memory of Ice on top of that turned out to be overkill. Sunny dismissed the blue crystal, relieved to save some essence.


    ''Not�� not too bad.''


    A moment later, Naeve plunged into the water beside him and swam nimbly forward and down. Sunny had learned how to swim during his Wilderness Survival lessons back at the Academy, and practiced it a few times on the Forgotten Shore�� and yet, one glance at the scion of the House of Night made him feel embarrassed.


    The Nightwalker moved through the water with great speed and ease, looking like some kind of graceful aquatic creature. It almost seemed as if he was more comfortable in the water than he had been on land.


    ��Maybe he was.


    Sighing inwardly, Sunny followed. His movements might not have been as natural and graceful as Naeve''s, but with the frightening strength of an Ascended Devil and the help of the Nimble Catch, he found himself more than capable of keeping up.


    They dove deeper into the dark water, soon reaching the ships.


    Sunny felt a tremendous shadow floating silently, below, a few moments before he saw it��


    There, in the darkness, a monstrous killer whale was waiting, watching them with giant blue eyes.

 Chapter 1070 Dysfunctional Citadel

    Chapter 1070  Dysfunctional Citadel As they went back up the stairs, Sunny couldn''t help but think about what he had seen in the stone chamber at the root of the great pagoda. The circle of runes, the sublime crystal hovering in the middle of it�� that had to be the core of Hope''s tower, as well as of the whole island. The very heart of the Citadel.


    But what was its purpose?


    An easy conclusion would be that the divine soul shard was the energy source that powered the enchantments keeping the Ivory Island afloat. But that did not make any sense�� the runes had been carved by the Demon of Desire herself, which meant that the enchantments had been created before her kingdom was destroyed.


    Back then, it had been simply a prospering land. There had been no islands, let alone flying ones. Come to think of it, Sunny was not entirely clear on how the Kingdom of Hope had become the Chained Isles�� had she suspended the remnants of her shattered kingdom above the devouring flames herself, in order to preserve at least some of it, or had it been arranged by Sun God?


    There were other questions, too. If the divine soul shard was the heart of the Citadel, was it powering the Gateway? But the Gateway was only created recently, after the Seed of Nightmare had been conquered. The Spell made it appear, not Hope. Had the Spell created entirely new enchantments, or built upon the existing ones?


    Cassie had said that there were other functions of the Citadel she had yet to master. What were they, exactly?


    Now that Sunny started thinking about it, he realized that he didn''t really know much about Citadels. That word just used to describe a human stronghold built around a Gateway in the Dream Realm. He had visited two �� the Sanctuary of Noctis and the Ivory Tower. No, actually, three �� the Crimson Spire would have become a Citadel, too, if it had not been destroyed.


    Was there perhaps more to the Citadels than he had known? Did all of them have hidden functions?


    Sunny glanced at Cassie, who was tracing the stone wall with her fingers as she ascended the stairs.


    "I actually learned a bit about Hope''s runic sorcery back in the Nightmare. If you want, we can compare notes later."


    Cassie turned her head and smiled with some excitement.


    "Really? That would be very helpful!"


    Sunny sighed. Of course, it would be�� neither of them had any hope of truly learning runic sorcery �� or Hope''s magic, as Noctis had called it �� in their lifetime. However, learning how to decipher and use already-existing enchantments was not out of the question.


    After all, a person could swing a sword without knowing how to forge it.


    Runic sorcery was different from weaving, but perhaps just as ingenious. In the primordial era of the Dream Realm, mortals had only known one type of sorcery �� the Sorcery of Names. They were capable of invoking the true names of things to wield great power, but speaking those names aloud was often an impossible task.  S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hope, however, had invented the concept of writing and gifted it to humans. With the knowledge of writing, humans learned how to transcribe true names and did not need to speak them aloud anymore. More than that, the names could be bound to material objects through writing, thus granting the invocations permanence�� and could also be shaped into songs and phrases.


    However, it was still all based on the knowledge of true names �� without knowing the meaning of the name, transcribing it would have no effect. And there was no way for either Sunny or Cassie to learn that in less than a few centuries.


    They were both mortals, after all.


    So, all they could do was use runic enchantments left behind by someone far more powerful and knowledgeable.


    Sunny shook his head slightly, wondering what secrets the Ivory Tower truly held.


    They made their way back to the first level, and then went higher. In the past, the Fire Keepers had made their home on the upper levels of the Ivory Tower, but now it was empty �� the Awakened following Nephis and Cassie had moved to the wooden village outside.


    The second level, the third level, the fourth�� finally, they arrived at the fifth, second-to-last level of the pagoda. It was separated into many halls and chambers, some of which had been recently refurbished to serve various purposes. It all resembled the interior of a beautiful, but rather bare-bones manor.


    A mouth-watering aroma was coming from a half-open door at the end of one of the corridors. Effie hurried toward it with gleaming eyes.


    Behind the door was a brightly lit hall that was made into a kitchen. Sunny noticed that someone had put a lot of effort into either building cooking appliances or bringing them here from the waking world �� the latter could only be done by a Master, of course.


    Although most advanced technology did not work in the Dream Realm, similar to how it failed in the vicinity of Nightmare Gates, more primitive devices functioned perfectly well. There were expensive, but much more convenient spelltech solutions, too. So while you couldn''t really have something like an electric stove or a refrigerator here, you could have a wood stove or an icebox, as well as analogs that worked on essence.


    Sunny also noticed several large crates of cooking ingredients, beverages, and snacks, which had obviously been delivered from the waking world by the members of the cohort.


    He did not pay that much attention, though, because there was someone standing in front of the stove, stirring the source of the delicious aroma �� a generous amount of fried rice that was being cooked in a bowl-shaped frying pan.


    Tall, slender, with beautiful silver hair, and wearing white apron�� wait, an apron?


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    Hearing their steps, Nephis looked over her shoulder and called out:


    "It''s almost ready��"


    Then, she suddenly tensed and slowly turned around.


    Neph''s face remained as calm as ever, but there was a hint of agitation in her striking grey eyes.


    "...Sunny?"


    He remained silent for a moment, then looked past her.


    "Sure. You better turn around, though. Don''t burn our dinner!"

 Chapter 1071 Familiar Role

    Chapter 1071  Familiar Role Nephis stared at Sunny for a couple moments, then briefly glanced at her apron and quietly cleared her throat.


    "Right."  S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She turned around and got back to stirring the rice. A couple seconds later, she added without looking back:


    "You''ll have to wait for a couple more minutes. And�� welcome back, Sunny. Did you make it out of the Antarctic Center alright?"


    Sunny wondered how much Changing Star knew about the situation in the Southern Quadrant as he followed Cassie, Effie, and Kai to sit behind a dining table. Settling on a wooden chair�� which was far inferior to his own Shadow Chair�� he sighed.


    "I wouldn''t call it "alright". But yes, I made it out. I''m already inside a siege capital in East Antarctica."


    Neph''s shoulder moved slightly.


    "...That''s good."


    Effie grabbed a few cans of something sugary and refreshing, then pushed one toward Sunny.


    "Kai and I spent a whole month in transit, aboard those giant ships. We were in the first batch of the Second Army to arrive, so we''ve been in East Antarctica for about a week. Gods�� I thought the ocean was bad, but Antarctica! I have never seen that many Nightmare Creatures in my life, not even here in the Dream Realm. It''s like the two worlds switched places."


    Kai nodded somberly.


    "Indeed. Even though there are secure evacuation corridors between the inland siege capitals and the harbor strongholds, we had to fight a couple battles just to reach our designated sector. Luckily, there were no casualties."


    The Second Army was twice the size of the First Army, so it was going to take two trips for the naval convoys to bring all of it to the Southern Quadrant. Both Effie and Kai were in the first wave of reinforcements, which was why they had made landfall around the time Sunny himself reached East Antarctica.


    Sunny looked at them, wondering. East Antarctica was a large place, and it was not a given that their paths would cross until the end of the operation�� he really hoped that they would, though.


    Effie shook her head.


    "Enough about us! What happened to you? You�� you look a bit different, Sunny."


    He did indeed look slightly different because of the Marble Shell. However, Sunny knew that that was not what Effie meant.


    He sighed and took a sip from the can she had given him.


    "Well�� as you know, I was assigned to the First Irregular Company. In the first month after our contingent of the army made it to the Antarctic Center, things were more or less fine. The field army split into seven divisions, with one remaining in the city of Falcon Scott, while six others moved south to establish six more siege capitals."


    Sunny paused.


    "I was assigned to the southernmost siege capital, and then went on a mission to retrieve a VIP from a remote research station. That was when everything went from bad to worse. The Chain of Nightmares had gone into overdrive, and three whole titans spawned in the Antarctic Center�� including an especially troublesome Corrupted one."


    It took a lot to keep his voice from shaking at the mention of the Winter Beast. The others looked at him intently, and Sunny sighed.


    "I ended up stuck in that research station for about a month, waiting to be evacuated by a battleship. However, the ship never arrived, and everyone in the settlement was eventually eviscerated by a powerful Terror. My people and I were the only ones to survive. We were in a bit of a predicament, though, because by that point, reaching the nearest siege capital was more easily said than done."


    He leaned back, remembering LO49 and the start of the calamitous march north. His face darkened.


    "And then we learned that the nearest siege capital had actually already been destroyed. So I had to go to the second nearest one, picking up a few refugees in the process�� that was when I got trapped in that weird tunnel. Thanks for helping me out, by the way."


    He forced out a smile, looking at Nephis and Cassie. Cassie shook her head.


    "Of course. We were quite surprised! The way you delivered the message�� very original, to say the least. And, uh�� very you! Hopefully, the little kernel of insight I gleaned was of some help."


    Sunny chuckled.


    "It helped. I still don''t know what that thing in the tunnel was, but we managed to escape from it�� for a time. Sadly, the second-nearest siege capital also ended up being destroyed, and so, I had to lead the train of refugees all the way back to Falcon Scott. That was�� a hell of a journey. But what happened next was even worse. We held the last siege capital for close to three weeks, and in that time, about ninety percent of civilians were evacuated to East Antarctica."


    After saying that, he remained silent for a while. Eventually, Sunny grimaced.


    "The remaining ten percent, though, all died. As did millions of people in the other destroyed siege capitals. Saint Tyris �� you know her �� had been holding back that Corrupted Titan I mentioned. Once she was defeated, the titan swept in and killed everyone. The whole field army was wiped out. I am hard to kill, so I survived�� well, and here I am."


    A somber silence settled in the brightly lit hall. Nephis and Cassie did not speak, probably not knowing what to say, and neither did Effie and Kai. The latter two were especially grim, because they were now in Antarctica, too.


    So many people had died, and what had happened to Sunny could very easily happen to the two of them, as well.


    Eventually, Kai sighed.


    "I''m so sorry, Sunny. You''ve been through a lot."


    Sunny closed his eyes for a moment. The heart-wrenching memories of the Antarctic Center clawed at his heart, making him want to surrender to a dark and boundless emotion.


    ��With a smile, he shook his head.


    "We''ve all been through a lot. On the Forgotten Shore and in our Second Nightmares, we''ve been through hell after hell. But�� it did really feel different, this time. Maybe because I was responsible for other people, and maybe because it was happening right here on Earth, not in some distant place."


    With that, Sunny glanced at Effie and Kai, then said, trying to cheer them up:


    "You don''t have to worry too much, though. Now that the operation is in its second phase, things will calm down a little. East Antarctica is in a much better spot than the Antarctic Center�� there are more soldiers, more Awakened, more Saints, and much fewer obstacles in the way. Sure, it''s going to be a tough campaign, and unexpected variables are bound to emerge�� but I feel like the worst part is over. With some luck, we will all manage."


    He smiled, then secretly threw a glance at Nephis.


    She was now a part of one of those unexpected variables. Would Neph have something to say to him?


    As if feeling his gaze, Changing Star turned around and walked their way, soon placing plates of fragrant rice and vegetables in front of each member of the cohort.


    Her apron had disappeared at some point in the past few minutes.


    Sitting down, Nephis pushed the plate with the biggest portion toward Sunny, which caused Effie to stare at her indignantly.


    Neph coughed.


    "What? Eat, everyone�� before it get''s cold��"


    They turned their attention to the food, and for a while, Sunny felt delightfully at peace.


    It was so strange�� he had gone through so much, and had changed so much, but now that he was back with his friends, it was so easy to slide into a familiar role �� to smile and laugh as if he was the same old Sunny. It felt natural, even if a small, hidden corner of his heart remained dark and cold, untouched by the peaceful warmth of their reunion.


    Still, it wasn''t a bad feeling.


    Allowing himself to relax, Sunny concentrated on the food. It had been a long time since he got to eat something Nephis had cooked.


    The fried rice with vegetables was, indeed, much better than military rations.


    It was delicious.

 Chapter 1104 Devil’s Advocate

    Sunny had been relying on Army Command to keep him alive for about half a year now, but weirdly enough, he had never been to the actual headquarters of the Evacuation Army. To be fair, Army Command had no definite location. It was spread across many siege capitals, strongholds, and even continents, all of them connected into a seamless network both by technology and Aspect Abilities of the Awakened officers. Most of the staff was here in Antarctica - like the members of the department where Kim was currently working - but not all of them.


    That said, the underground fortress below the building where the reception hall was located seemed like the closest thing to the heart of Army Command. It was a hive of activity, with countless people - both mundane and Awakened - hurrying feverishly to accomplish a myriad of tasks in a timely manner.


    Their work might not have seemed as dire as what the soldiers on the frontlines were going through, but it was nevertheless just as vital. Without efficient and timely support and management, the evacuation campaign would be doomed to end in a bloody disaster. From updating the status of various areas in relation to the strength of the Call in them to compiling data about countless Nightmare Creatures and guiding troop movements, Army Command was the brain of the army. Without the brain, the body would be utterly useless.


    ...Somewhere in here, there was also an office where the allocation of contribution points was decided. In any other circumstances, Sunny would have felt his heart start to beat faster, but right now, he was fully concentrating on something else.


    His eyes were glued to the bleak man, who was walking behind Beastmaster and Seishan while acting perfectly unassuming. Or at least as unassuming as a Master could be.


    Army Command was, indeed, absolutely vital to the war effort. It was also a treasure trove of access and information.  S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It would certainly be a shame if a particular psychopath got loose in its very heart.


    ''But what can I do?''


    Sunny might have known who Mordret was and what he was capable of, but as far as stopping the Prince of Nothing went... there was little to be done.


    Which was both unnerving and incredibly frustrating.


    Luckily, Sunny was not alone in his frustration. Morgan and Madoc also threw somber glances at the unassuming Master from time to time, their eyes cold and sharp. Sky Tide had a complicated expression on her usually stoic face, as well.


    Only Nephis seemed unconcerned... and why would she be? Of the five of them, she was the only one who had never met the Prince of Nothing.


    She would learn to be wary of him soon, though.


    ''...Probably.''


    In truth, their goals were closely aligned. There was no telling what Changing Star would do if she met Mordret face to face.


    Actually, the same went for Sunny. Despite his wariness and hostility, the Prince of Nothing was not necessarily his enemy. It was just that Sunny knew how inhumanly ruthless and blood-chillingly cruel Mordret could be, if it suited his goals.


    And how cunning he was.


    That was why Sunny could not remain calm at the prospect of someone like that going on a rampage across Antarctica.


    Would Mordret care how many innocent people burned in the flames of his retribution?


    Most definitely not.


    ''...But what can I do?''


    The same question returned, gnawing at Sunny. There were many things he could do, actually... just not any that would not end in him being killed at the spot by Wake or Ruin or Beastmaster. He could prematurely start a direct clash between Song and Valor right here in the army headquarters, even...


    ''First of all, calm down. You don''t even know if that is really Mordret. The guy might really be a random Master the emissaries of Song chose to bring along for whatever reason.''


    Sunny could see the soul cores of humans and Nightmare Creatures, but that ability was useless against the Prince of Nothing. When Mordret possessed a body, he also possessed the soul, or at least enough of it to mimic how it was supposed to look like.


    ''Right. I shouldn''t rush to conclusions. Wait for now, observe, act later.''


    Saint Cor led them to a large chamber that was filled with all kinds of equipment to display information, much of it being updated in real time. Sunny looked curiously at a large projected map of East Antarctica, with countless symbols denoting masses of Nightmare Creatures moving across it in a seemingly chaotic manner.


    There were also numerous static marks showcasing the location of Nightmare Gates. He paled slightly, suddenly faced with a stark reminder of how many of them there were.


    The marks littered the entire map like pustules, as if the continent was being slowly devoured from the inside by a lethal disease. There were a staggering amount of them in the wilderness, but the concentration grew exponentially in the vicinity of the siege capitals.


    The moving symbols were all congregating toward the human settlements, too. The paths of the hordes of Nightmare Creatures might have seemed aimless at first, but if one looked at the bigger picture, it was painfully clear that all of them were slowly drawing closer to the twenty-seven cities.


    It looked like an inescapable avalanche of death and despair. A nightmarish chain of doom and destruction that was tied around Antarctica''s neck, its cold embrace becoming tighter with each day.


    That was what the Evacuation Army was facing.


    Feeling a chill creep up his spine, Sunny lingered for a few moments, and then glanced at the people walking in front of him. His eyes grew darker, and the shadows nestling in the corners of the strategy room grew deeper, too.


    ''...Unforgivable.''


    His hands would have turned into fists if he had not made a conscious effort to appear calm.


    His heart, however, was dark and heavy.


    ''Unforgivable.''


    Even knowing what was happening in Antarctica, these mighty people had come here to make it all worse. Sunny thought back to what Wake of Ruin had said about the comparative benevolence of the Great Clans, trying to remember the crumbs of sense he had found in those words.


    But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t.


    ...In a sense, it was no different from the outskirts. The whole world was like that. No one cared if you lived or died in the outskirts, and the people who had the power to help you all chose to do nothing, or at least as little as possible.


    In the same way, the people who held the true power were comfortable doing nothing to save the population of Antarctica. The Chain of Nightmares had happened in the Southern Quadrant, but the next time, it might happen somewhere else. Then, too, they would remain indifferent.


    To those who lived in the outskirts, citizens seemed like people who inhabited a distant paradise. But to the great clans, the citizens were no different from the outskirt rats.


    Of course, one could object and argue for the other side. The government was not malicious at its core, and its treatment of the people in the outskirts was born out of necessity. The outskirts existed because the planet could not sustain the whole human population... someone had to be sacrificed to make sure that the rest survived. Otherwise, there would not be enough resources to save anyone.


    And it wasn''t like the unfortunate souls in the outskirts were completely abandoned... there was a constant supply of cheap synthpaste, there were jobs, there was electricity, access to entertainment, and so much more. People were not being left to die... they at least had the means to survive, if only barely. It was just that their lives were more or less doomed to be short and bitterly hard.


    In the same way, the great clans were not entirely heartless. It was just that their plans for humanity were aimed at the Dream Realm, and not the waking world. Even then, they made a little bit of effort.


    They had sent Sky Tide and Dire Fang... the House of Night might not have taken part in the ground operation, but they did supply enough Saints and Nightwalkers to guide the naval convoys to and from Antarctica.


    But still... Sunny could not forgive them. He didn''t want to. All of it was a load of crap, as far as he was concerned.


    He might have found a way to excuse the great clans if remaining passive was all that they had done, but they did not stop at that.


    Not only had Valor and Song abandoned Antarctica to the Chain of Nightmares, they even planned to use it as a private battlefield and fight each other while countless people suffered and died around them.


    That, he could not forgive.


    ...Sunny glanced at the back of the bleak man and smiled slightly.


    ''You want to slaughter the entire clan Valor? Wonderful. Slaughter them well.''


    Then, he looked at Nephis.


    ''You want to destroy all of them? Even better. I''ll cheer you on.''


    Sunny was not a forgiving man. In fact, he was quite spiteful.


    ''Let''s see how their little war goes...''

 Chapter 1121 Deluge Of Compliments

    Sunny settled in a corner and stuffed his mouth with stew. A few moments later, the flap of the tent opened, and Morgan walked in, followed closely by Cassie.The Princess of Valor seemed to be in a good mood. Her strange vermilion eyes were lively and vivid, shining with barely contained excitement. It was as though the calamitous battle had invigorated the usually restrained young woman, revealing a glimpse of her true self.


    Without the habitual mask of composed decorum, Morgan looked... younger.Her words echoed Sunny''s thoughts. A pleasant - and disturbingly familiar - smile appeared on her beautiful face, and with a melodious laugh, Morgan said:


    "That was spectacular! Dear sister, venerable Masters... you did not disappoint!"


    With that, her lips twisted a little in an expression of wistful regret. She seemed disappointed by the fact that she had not received a chance to participate in the battle personally.


    Morgan sighed.


    "The whole camp is aflame with the tales of what happened in your corner of the battlefield. Even the feats performed by the Saints seem to have taken a back seat to what Changing Star has achieved. Ah... I''m so proud of my talented, capable little sister. Nicely done!"


    She paused for a moment, and then added with a smile that seemed a little sharper than before:


    "Your glory is clan Valor''s glory, of course. So, I am very happy right now."


    Sunny silently chewed his food. Hearing the word "glory" from a descendant of War God really rubbed him the wrong way, but he didn''t let it ruin his appetite.


    ''Indeed, she has a good reason to be happy...''


    If the war of the great clans was a popularity contest - which it was, in a sense - then Valor was currently winning. Not only had Sky Tide been the first of the Saints to slay her foe, but the potentially catastrophic breach in the defensive formation had also been repaired by Nephis.


    ''Was that why Morgan failed to send us reinforcements? To earn her damned clan some glory?''


    Sunny frowned. That was a possibility, but a small one. Anvil''s daughter was not someone who would sacrifice strategic benefits to earn a little bit of fame... especially because clan Valor already had too much of it.


    So, he simply glanced at Morgan and asked:


    "By the way, what happened to those reinforcements we were supposed to receive?"


    Not looking particularly guilty or taken aback by his bluntness, she shrugged.


    "It didn''t look like you needed any, so I sent them someplace else."


    Sunny wanted to rebuke her, but then changed his mind and turned his attention back to the stew.


    They had indeed managed to hold out by themselves, in the end. The perspective of the people directly participating in the bloodshed was, naturally, limited. Morgan, on the other hand, had enjoyed the broad view of the whole battlefield, especially because of Cassie. She must have known that Saint Tyris had been close to defeating the Defiled Seeker of Truth...


    In fact, Morgan might have been the one to coordinate with Sky Tide and make sure that the titan fell in front of the breach, sealing it with the cloud of lethal miasma.


    So, while it seemed as though the Fire Keepers had been left for dead from Sunny''s perspective, she really could have had no reason to send reinforcements their way.


    ''I''m not sure that I''m buying it... but on the other hand, I''m also not sure that I''m not buying it.''


    His thoughts were interrupted by the fact that Morgan was staring at him intently.


    Sunny shifted.


    "Uh... what?"


    Her smile grew wider.


    "My dear sister fought admirably... but I expected nothing less from a daughter of Valor. You, however! Master Sunless, you gave me a very, very pleasant surprise. It seems that the reports I''ve read about you were not nearly detailed enough."


    She took a step closer and leaned forward, staring at him with something that almost resembled hunger.


    "To be honest, I never understood what my little sister saw in you. But now! I take it all back. She has a good eye. You fought beautifully, Master Sunless... we really should spar sometime. I have not had a good sparring partner in a long, long time. My dear sister indulged me at first, but now, she is always busy."


    Neph''s mouth twitched a little. Sunny, meanwhile, shivered under Morgan''s burning gaze. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Right... I forgot. She''s a complete battle maniac.''


    He coughed awkwardly.


    "Sure. Why not? A friendly spar sounds like a good idea. Oh, but I mostly fight Nightmare Creatures, so my habits are a bit... rough. So do tell me if I get carried away."


    Morgan''s eyes gleamed with a dangerous light.


    "That won''t be a problem. I tend to get carried away myself, sometimes. That''s why it''s hard to find suitable sparring partners... most people are so brittle, you know?"


    Sunny shrugged.


    "Can''t say that I do."


    He was definitely not brittle, so there was no reason to be concerned. A spar was just a spar, after all.


    ...So why was he suddenly feeling cold? As if he had just gotten himself into a really, really sticky situation.


    Morgan lingered for a few moments, staring at him with gleaming eyes, then shook her head.


    "Sadly, our spar will have to wait until we return to the siege capital. And about that... sister, might I have a word? There are things we must discuss."


    Nephis nodded, then rose from her seat and followed Morgan out of the tent. Soon, there were only five people inside once again - Cassie stayed behind, sitting quietly in a corner.


    Sunny finished his stew and asked her in a low tone:


    "What is that about?"


    The blind girl hesitated for a moment.


    "They need to plan a route to the siege capital. The way back is shaping up to be... perilous. For a few reasons."


    He nodded, understanding the underlying message.


    Then, Sunny gave Cassie a complicated look.


    When things seemed especially dark during the battle, Neph had told him to trust in the blind girl. So, what had been Cassie''s intent in placing them there? Had she simply known that the Fire Keepers would not end up stranded in the sea of Nightmare Creatures?


    Or had she known more? For example, that Sunny would deliver the fatal blow to the wounded titan if put in that particular spot of the battlefield...


    And speaking of the dead titan. There was a Memory that Sunny had yet to take a look at.


    ''An Ascended Memory of the Seventh Tier...''


    Putting his plate away, Sunny found a cot, stretched his tired body on it, and closed his eyes.


    Then, he dove into the Soul Sea.

 Chapter 1122 Mirror Of Truth

    Walking past the legion of silent shadows to stand between the five dark suns of his lightless soul, Sunny summoned the Memory forth. Soon, a round hand mirror of dark silver appeared in the air in front of him. Its front looked like a pool of still mercury, while its back was decorated with beautiful engravings. Sunny saw his pale reflection in the silver mirror, and suddenly felt an eerie chill creep up his spine. That Memory... gave him a very ominous feeling.


    When he took the mirror, it felt strangely heavy in his hand.


    ''Not a weapon, and not an armor. A tool, then? Or a charm?''


    He hesitated for a moment, and summoned the runes.


    Strings of shimmering symbols appeared in the air, surrounding the hand mirror. He read them, frowning slightly.


    Memory: [Mirror of Truth].Memory Rank: Ascended.Memory Tier: Seven.Memory Type: Tool.


    The first four strings held no surprises. The next few, however...


    Sunny''s eyes widened slightly.


    ''What... why is that name here?''


    The first word in the description of the Mirror of Truth was not one that he had expected to see today, but one that he knew all too well.


    That word was...


    Weaver.


    Sunny glanced at the hand mirror with a tense expression, a deep scowl appearing on his face. Then, he slowly turned back to the runes and continued to study them.


    Since the start of the Antarctica campaign, he had often encountered hints and mentions of Ariel, the Demon of Dread. So why did Weaver''s name suddenly show up in the runes of a Memory?


    There was only one way to find out.


    The description read:


    Memory Description: [Weaver was known as the master of lies, while Ariel was known as the keeper of truths. The two were not close and rarely met, which was why Ariel was surprised to find Weaver staring at his pyramid one day.


    "Isn''t it beautiful, this tomb of mine? Have you come to admire it?" Ariel said.


    After a moment of silence, Weaver responded.


    "I have not known that you''ve built a tomb, nor have I ever seen it. How would I know to admire it? I just happened to be here by chance. Now that I''ve seen it, my heart is untouched. I feel nothing."


    Then, Weaver asked.


    "But you seem to feel too much, Demon of Dread. Your face is unsightly. You are smiling, but there are tears streaming from your eyes. Why?"


    Ariel laughed, "I''m not sure."


    He laughed and cried as he looked at the tomb, saying, "I built it to bury the truth. Truth is the most hideous thing in the world, Weaver, and knowing it is a cruel torment. I mean to bury the truths that I cannot endure at the heart of this tomb, and be free of them forever."


    Weaver remained silent.


    After a while, Weaver spoke.


    "It seems to me that you already did. And you already are."


    With that, the Demon of Fate turned and walked away without looking back.


    Walking away, Weaver whispered.


    "...You wanted to be free of the truth, so you didn''t deserve it."]


    Just like Weaver in the description, Sunny remained silent for a long time.


    ''Wait... the Tomb of Ariel is not the burial place of Ariel, the Demon of Dread? Instead, it''s the tomb that he built?''


    That information alone was worth a lot. However, there was so much more in that strangely verbose description. Like the fact that Ariel had apparently constructed the black pyramid to hide ugly truths from existence... or rather, those truths that he could not bear to know.


    Wouldn''t that mean that the clan... or person... to conquer the pyramid would learn all those secrets?


    But even more than that, Weaver''s appearance in the description of the [Mirror of Truth] was itself very interesting.


    Sunny remembered the exact words:


    ''I have not known that you''ve built a tomb, nor have I ever seen it. How would I know to admire it? I just happened to be here by chance. Now that I''ve seen it, my heart is untouched. I feel nothing.''


    Since Weaver had just been called the master of lies in the previous string of runes, wouldn''t it mean that Sunny should take these words with a grain of salt? So the Demon of Fate had actually known of the existence of the tomb, had seen it before, had come to look at it again on purpose, and felt a great deal of things as a result.


    Maybe.


    Sunny thought about it for a while, then shook his head.


    ''I''ll probably only know if I actually look at it myself.''


    With that, he shifted his gaze and glanced at the runes describing the enchantments of the [Mirror of Truth].


    ...Or rather, an enchantment. There was only one.


    By now, Sunny knew that more powerful enchantments demanded more space within the weave. Which meant that for a Memory of the Seventh Tier to possess a single enchantment, that enchantment had to be a really powerful one.


    He read the runes:


    Memory Enchantments: [Searching Reflection].Enchantment Description: [Catch the visage of a being into the Mirror of Truth. Activate the enchantment to destroy the mirror and gain one power of the reflected being for a period of time that depends on its potency.]


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    ''Wha...''


    His hand trembled.


    Wouldn''t... wouldn''t that make him...


    A discount Mordret?


    "What the hell?"


    He stared at the mirror, not knowing how to feel.


    On one hand, being able to steal an ability of any being - be it a human or a Nightmare Creature - was crazy!


    On the other hand, the [Mirror of Truth] would be destroyed in the process, and the stolen ability would only persist for a period of time. Which was still incredible...


    But damned Prince of Nothing could do it any time he wanted, for as much time as he needed!


    Sunny shook his head.


    ''No, this is an amazing Memory. It''s just that Mordret is seriously broken. And... and he even seems to be immortal, to boot! Where''s justice in that?!''


    Grimacing, he left the Soul Sea and opened his eyes, staring silently at the roof of the tent. His mood was not great.


    ...It did not remain foul for a while, though.


    That was because after a few minutes of sulking, Sunny couldn''t help but start thinking about whose Ability he could steal.


    Nephis had really outstanding Abilities... except for her Ascended one, which was rather strange and all but useless. Cassie had great ones, too.


    But why settle for those? What about Whispering Blade and Beastmaster? A Transformation Ability of a Saint in his hands... that would be a fun trump card to have!


    Hell, he did not even have to limit himself to Saints. There was a Corrupted Titan somewhere in East Antarctica. There was the Winter Beast, too...


    Sunny did not notice as a smile appeared on his face.  Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And so, he fell asleep, smiling.


    His last thought was:


    ''Not bad for a day''s work...''

 Chapter 1137 Loser’s Game

    Chapter 1137 Loser''s Game Up until now, both Sunny and Morgan had acted relatively tame.


    It might not have looked like it from the side, considering how fierce and vicious a battle of two Ascended inevitably appeared. Masters possessed superhuman speed, strength, and resilience. A clash between them would look like a collision of two natural forces to a mundane person, and a mundane building would be swiftly destroyed should it become an arena for it.


    Which was why the dojo they were fighting in was lined with durable armored plates, and the training sword Morgan was using cost a fortune.


    ...Nevertheless, they were holding back.


    Not even considering the fact that the two of them had agreed to forgo using their Ascended Abilities, Sunny had yet to make use of Shadow Step. Morgan had not made her weapon sharper, either, preferring to rely on pure technique.


    It was as though both of them had silently decided to make this spar a contest of skill... for now.


    Which was actually a disadvantage for Sunny. The fewer resources he had at his disposal, the more restrained he felt. Morgan, on the other hand, seemed to only ever need one resource - her sword.


    In fact, even that was not necessary. Her body itself was the sword, capable of cutting through tempered steel without hindrance.


    So, if Sunny wanted to turn things around, he needed the situation to change, pushing their duel into the next stage.


    However, he wasn''t sure if he wanted to.


    ''...What is my goal here?''


    He had been curious to compare his strength with Morgan''s. He had been given little choice but to accept her request, as well. He naturally wanted to win.


    But was a victory really in his best interest?


    Now that Sunny was being closely observed by the great clans, there was no possibility of not drawing their attention. Which was why he had decided to accept that fact and settle for creating a very specific impression of himself instead of trying to remain unseen.


    Sunny wanted both Valor and Song to think of him as someone strong, exceptional even... but not too exceptional, and not too strong. They had to think of him as a powerful, but crude upstart - a talented outskirt rat that had achieved a lot, and had the potential to achieve even more... but not much more.


    As someone who could be predicted and controlled.


    Considering all that, did he really want to defeat Morgan?


    Could he even defeat her?


    ''Well... of course, I can.''


    Saint, Nightmare, Imp, and Serpent were also part of his power. Morgan possessed a great number of mighty Echoes, but those had come from outside of her Aspect - the Shadows, on the contrary, had come from within Sunny''s.


    Which meant that he would obliterate her in a contest of unadulterated personal power... which did not matter, really, since such contests never happened in real life. There were always other components involved.


    The Transcendent Echoes might have been external to Morgan''s own power, but they would rip Sunny apart just as well.


    ''No... I don''t really want to best Morgan today. What I really need to do is lose in a way that will make it easier for me to gain access to her secrets. So, lose in a way that would leave her wanting for more.''


    Being a personal sparring partner of the heir of the great clan Valor was a dangerous position to be in - not the least because Morgan could potentially learn much more about Sunny than he would have liked her to - but it was also the best position to be in for a spy.


    Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer...


    Sunny frowned for a moment.


    ''Isn''t this the same reasoning Nephis used to justify her decision to join Valor?''


    Maybe it was... but he did not really care. Many things had changed since then, including Sunny himself and the situation he was in.


    ''Alright, then... let''s do this.''


    He deflected another of Morgan''s blows, evaded her follow-up strike - three of them, actually, all chained into one predatory, fluid motion - and raised an eyebrow.


    "...Should we take it up a notch?"  S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She took a step forward, sent her sword flying toward his throat with diabolical speed, and smiled pleasantly.


    "Let''s."


    Sunny sidestepped her strike and nodded.


    Then, his technique instantly changed.


    Before, he was using a fluid mix of various simple styles he had picked up over the years. Such a patchwork technique did not excel in any one thing in particular, but was flexible and hard to predict.


    Sunny had held to his best cards, though, unwilling to share them with the enemy... a potential enemy, at least. Broken Sword''s style that Nephis had taught him, Saint''s grounded technique that had originated from the legions of Nether, the battle art of Solvane''s zealots, which had come from the warmaidens of the Red Sect - those, he had hidden within himself.


    Now that he wanted to lose in the most interesting fashion, though...


    ''What would really intrigue a battle maniac like Morgan?''


    She had faced and defeated all kinds of Awakened, and had learned all manner of battle styles, no doubt. Her collection was probably even larger than Sunny''s own...


    So what technique could he show that was both exceptional and fascinating - and, most importantly, unknown to Morgan?


    One particular style came to mind.


    It was one that he had learned by chance... not from Awakened, Ascended, or even Saints, but from Nightmare Creatures. The primeval hunters that had emerged from the Gate near Rain school, wielding weapons made of flint.


    After all, if anything could capture the attention of an obsessed connoisseur of swordsmanship and all things related to combat like Morgan, it was a technique that might have had just lain at the root of all techniques, all styles.


    Sunny''s movements changed, shifting from fluid and refined to uncomplicated and brutal. His whole demeanor changed, too.


    The savage technique of the Barrow Wraiths was straightforward and rudimentary, but there was a primal lethality to its clear, callous barbarity. It was the expression of a pure, unclouded intent to kill - simple, but in no way crude. There was nothing about it to dilute the ruthless resolve of a hunter who sought to slaughter his prey in the most direct, efficient way possible.


    Sunny remembered the desperate fight in front of the Nightmare Gate and attacked, cruelly aiming to slice through Morgan''s hamstrings.


    ''Let''s see how this goes...''

 Chapter 1139 Performance Review

    Chapter 1139 Performance Review The spar with Morgan left Sunny feeling sore and contemplative. The soreness quickly dissipated thanks to his Ascended physique and the Shroud of Dusk, but the ponderous mood remained.


    Some time later, he was sitting in his small office, ignoring the paperwork he had to fill out in favor of idly staring at the wall.


    That fight of theirs was not exactly illuminating, but it had provided him with a lot of food for thought.


    First of all, Sunny was reminded of what true Legacies represented. Over the years, he had forgotten the feeling of awe and reverence mundane people had toward the distant, powerful Legacy Clans - the austere warrior caste that produced the best and most valiant champions of humanity. That existed solely for battling the Nightmare Spell... or was supposed to, at least.


    He couldn''t be blamed - Sunny had grown immensely strong himself and had crossed paths with all kinds of powerful creatures, from ancient Saints to Titans. He had even brushed against actual divinities like Weaver, Nether, and Hope. It was not surprising that the fearsome reputation of the Legacies faded a bit in comparison.


    But the Legacy Clans, and especially the three Great Clans, were still authorities in terms of personal power and combat prowess. They were in no way inferior to the ancient Awakened of the past, and in fact seemed to be superior in many ways... the most important ways. Legacies - and all modern Awakened by extension - were much harsher, much more extreme, and much better tempered than those from the ancient times.


    That was because the Legacy Clans were forged in a much more hellish world. They had risen to resist the Nightmare Spell, and were shaped into a force to be reckoned with by its terrible pressure.


    Morgan had reminded Sunny about that.


    It was no coincidence that the two most dangerous people he knew - Nephis and Mordret - were products of the Legacy culture. Among the three of them, it was Sunny who was an outlier.


    Which brought him to the second avenue of thought... his own power. Sunny would have lied to himself if he said that he wasn''t upset about his loss. Even though he understood that a good defeat was much more beneficial as far as his goals were concerned, a small and unreasonable part of his mind still desired to win.


    No one liked to lose, and Sunny especially hated the thought of losing to a member of a Great Clan. He deeply resented them, after all... being defeated by someone he disdained was a bitter pill to swallow.


    But swallow it he did.


    It was one thing to pretend to be weak in front of Morgan, but the truth of the matter was that she was simply too strong - even the current Sunny, with all his advantages, would find it hard to contend with that level of strength in a direct confrontation. And while he was resourceful and had ways of avoiding such a confrontation, Morgan had all the boundless resources of Clan Valor behind her, as well.


    So, even in that regard, she was a dire threat.


    Sunny remembered what Jet had told him once, years ago...


    ''No one survives in the Dream Realm alone.''


    Her words had always held true, but now they seemed especially poignant. Sunny had grown powerful - much more powerful than he ever imagined being. But he was still just one man. In front of a collective like a great clan, his personal power seemed insignificant.


    Worse still, that collective served as a gatekeeper to greater strength. No one could even become a Saint without their permission - unless that person wanted to be hunted down and slain in retaliation for their defiance.


    ...There were ways to grow more powerful without achieving Transcendence, though.


    The last thing the spar with Morgan made Sunny think about was the duel itself. He slowly replayed it in his mind, considering what he could have done better and what mistakes he could have avoided.


    The list was both endless and pointless. Everything was easier in hindsight - it was achieving the best result in the moment that was hard.


    Still, it was good to review his performance, as well as that of his enemy.


    Sunny spent some time staring at the wall and thinking back to the duel.


    ''A jian was not a good choice for that strike... here I did not need to saturate that group of muscles with essence, it was just a waste... should have anticipated the effect of the kick better...''


    As he analyzed their fight, his thoughts inevitably drifted to what could have been done differently.


    ''I wonder how Morgan would have fared against me if I used the Shadow Shell...''


    Sunny tried to construct such a fight in his mind, replacing himself with a version that was three meters high and possessed four arms. Would Morgan have still held an advantage? Not in physical prowess, that was for sure.


    However, he was not certain if the outcome would have been different... Legacies were first and foremost abomination slayers, after all. Anvil''s daughter had been trained to face all kinds of Nightmare Creatures since childhood. A four-armed fiend would not phase her at all.


    ''...What about some other shell?''


    Sunny was currently limited to one form - that of the shadowspawn - because that was what he knew best. But, in theory, he could create the shell of any creature. He just needed to know the creature well enough... perfectly, in fact. And that was not easy to achieve.


    A thoughtful frown appeared on his face.


    ''Is it true, though? That I can create the shell of any creature?''  S��arch* The ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was true in theory, but that theory broke instantly when faced with reality. Take Morgan, for example, or any other human for that matter... creating a shell a human had to be easier, because Sunny was one himself and knew how human bodies operated perfectly well.


    But how would that even work? The shadowspawn shell worked because the four-armed fiend was much larger than Sunny, and thus, he could form its body around his own.


    But other humans, with rare exceptions, were more or less of the same approximate size as him. There was no space for a human shell to be formed.


    There were creatures smaller than humans, too. The current Ravenous Fiend, for example - even if Sunny studied his Shadow for a while, he wouldn''t be able to create a shell of the little critter.


    So, in reality, the Shadow Shell was limited in what it could recreate.


    ...A strange expression suddenly appeared on Sunny''s face.


    He blinked a couple of times.


    ''Unless...''

 Chapter 1140 Staring at the Wall

    Chapter 1140 Staring at the Wall Sunny remained motionless for a while, then chuckled.


    "No... that''s crazy! It would never work."


    Then, he stared at the wall some more.


    ...Would it?


    ''No way.''


    The thought that had crept into his mind while he was thinking about the limitations of the Shadow Shell was so out there that it seemed utterly ridiculous. But the more he thought about it... the fewer reasons to discard it he saw.


    ''No, that''s... that''s a bit too strange, even for me.''


    And yet, he could not find a logical reason for why it wouldn''t be true.


    Sunny hesitated for a while longer, then furtively looked around.


    Then, he cleared his throat, stood up, and left the office.


    If he wanted to test this bizarre theory, he needed to do it somewhere more private.


    He left the Valor compound and made his way to the nearby dormitory, where most of the government staff still remaining within the siege capital lived. There, he entered his living quarters - which were a bit more spacious and had better amenities than that of both mundane and Awakened government workers - and locked the door behind him.


    Being an Ascended had its perks.


    Sunny sent his four shadows to stand watch - two outside the apartment, two within - and stood there for a few minutes, mentally going over what he was about to do.


    It didn''t seem to be dangerous, just... really weird.


    The principle was simple.


    Sunny had mastered three steps of Shadow Dance to date. The essence of his battle art was shapelessness and formlessness - it allowed him to shadow an enemy, copying the very essence of their combat technique. After doing so, he could predict their movements, the flow of their battle intent, and even their thoughts.


    The first step allowed him to shadow simpler battle styles. He had achieved that breakthrough while fighting Nephis in the Crimson Spire.


    The second step vastly elevated his comprehension of the fundamental principles that governed all battle techniques, allowing him to shadow much more sophisticated styles, and do it much faster. It also gave him a glimpse of an intuitive understanding of the more esoteric components of the truly advanced battle arts - those created and used by the Awakened, thus incorporating special ways of guiding soul essence through one''s body.


    He had achieved that step after collecting a vast library of techniques in the Dreamscape, which culminated during his first duel with Morgan. The inspiration Sunny had received after being decimated by the Princess of War pushed him to a breakthrough.  S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The third step... was the hardest one yet. Sunny had started his journey toward mastery of it by expanding his horizons and starting to shadow not only humans, but also Nightmare Creatures. In the bloody arena of the Red Colosseum, he had submerged himself into their perverted, demented, rabid minds... which allowed him to intuitively feel what the abominations he fought would do, but also put his own sense of self, if not his very soul, at risk.


    The third step of Shadow Dance was much more demanding on the practitioner. It required one to truly accept the formless nature of the shadows and let go of their actual self - which, of course, posed the risk of losing it forever. Sunny had made that dangerous breakthrough after being trapped in an endless procession of harrowing dreams by Nightmare and having his personal memories blocked.


    In the end, he had pulled the dissipating pieces of his true self back together by using his True Name. It served as an anchor for what made Sunny an individual, and through it, he was able to advance his mastery of Shadow Dance without losing himself.


    That third breakthrough enhanced the speed with which he could comprehend the battle intent and combat intelligence of those beings he shadowed even further, allowed him to actually perceive the flow of essence through their bodies as opposed to just feeling it intuitively, and even gave him the ability to sometimes predict their thoughts.


    The fourth step...


    That was where Sunny had hit the wall. Shadow Dance was his Aspect Legacy, but it was also something he had to invent all on his own, with no one guiding him... as such, he wasn''t even sure what the correct path was, let alone how to reach the next stop on it.


    He only felt that the next steps of Shadow Dance went far beyond battle techniques... and would be much, much harder to conceive and master for that reason.


    However, while he had stagnated in mastering Shadow Dance, he had achieved progress in other aspects of his personal power.


    The culmination of it was the Shadow Shell - a powerful tool he had created by bringing together various facets of his skills, Attributes, and Aspect Abilities.


    Shadow Dance also played a role in him being able to create shells of other creatures. In fact, its role was perhaps the most important - without deep comprehension of the desired form, Sunny would never be able to construct it from the shadows, and that was what his Aspect Legacy allowed him to do.


    However, there was a limitation to Shadow Shell.


    After all, shadows were truly shapeless and formless, while Sunny was not. Even if he had managed to make his mind supremely malleable, he still possessed a human body. No matter how much training he had put into making it as flexible and adaptable as possible, it was still a relatively rigid thing.


    But what if... he added another ingredient to the mix?


    Right now, Shadow Shell existed as a combination of his Dormant Ability, Shadow Control, his Ascended Ability, Shadow Manifestation, and his Aspect Legacy, Shadow Dance.


    His Awakened Ability - Shadow Dance - was missing from the equation.


    And that, perhaps, was the reason for the limitations Sunny had to deal with.


    ''Well... uh... let''s just try this.''


    If he succeeded... Sunny felt that he might just discover a direction that would eventually lead him to the next step of Shadow Dance.


    Breathing in deeply, he activated Shadow Step and dissolved into the shadows.


    There, in their dark embrace, Sunny himself was a shadow - formless and shapeless.


    But he did not need to be.


    While fighting the Ravenous Fiend, he had changed his form in this state to possess sharp claws. His shadow form was, too, infinitely malleable.


    So, Sunny concentrated and started to slowly change his shadow form... into the shape of himself.


    It was a strange endeavor, to turn himself into a shadow, only to then turn the shadow into himself. But that was exactly what Sunny wanted to do.


    It was a bit like constructing the shell of the shadowspawn, only instead of shaping the shadows around his body, Sunny was shaping his body - his shadow body - instead.


    Of course, he knew the shape of himself the best. Which was why recreating it was much easier than summoning the fiendish form of the shadowspawn.


    Eventually, the incorporeal shadow assumed the form of Sunny''s body. It had arms and legs, a torso, fingers and toes, and a face that was a perfect rendition of Sunny''s face.


    It matched his physical body perfectly - not that it needed to. Starting from becoming himself was just the easiest thing he could do for that test.


    Satisfied with the result of the shaping, Sunny spent some time in the dark embrace of the shadows, drifting.


    ''I wonder...''


    Then, he took a deep mental breath, activated Shadow Manifestation...


    And manifested himself back into the waking world through it.

 Chapter 1167 Prince’s New Clothes

    Chapter 1167 Prince''s New Clothes Taking someone''s place was not a new experience for Mordret. However, it was a perilous thing every time. ...Not that he minded.


    He had been very weak at the start of it all. Unlike most other members of his family, Mordret had not received an Aspect that helped one in a direct confrontation. He was not like his father, his uncles and aunts, or his cousins.  S��ar?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He was not like Morgan, who had been born on the battlefield and was made stronger, faster, and more resilient after Awakening. He was not even on par with that amusing scoundrel, Sunless. His physical strength was, objectively, laughable.


    It had gotten somewhat better now that Mordret reached a higher Class, but that was his limit. That level was not nearly enough to face the caliber of threats he was facing, and there was no other way to bolster his combat prowess without the use of Memories.


    However, he could not use Memories within someone''s soul. He could only reflect what was already there. As a Sleeper, Mordret had been able to see through reflections, as well as travel through them - both mentally and physically. He had also been gifted with the ability to create helpers by shattering his soul. Of course, back then, gaining a new soul core to create a Reflection had not been easy.


    Mirror Beast... Beastie... was his first creation. Human children had imaginary friends, but Mordret had Beastie instead. For a lonely child who had grown up in the Dream Realm, having a companion - even if it was a mindless dormant beast at first - was meaningful beyond words.


    His Mirror Beast was gone now, though. That was another thing his family had to pay for.


    In any case, things had changed after he Awakened by anchoring himself to a Citadel. Mordret had received his second Ability, which made people wary of him... among other things. That was because he could enter their souls through their eyes, and destroy them.


    The problem was that he had to defeat the soul first. During a soul battle, Mordret could rely only on his own prowess and on reflecting the power of the soul he was invading. Defeat meant death, even for him - just like he had almost perished when trying to take the body of Sunless.


    Ah, what a thrilling memory that was. Mordret''s Aspect was of no help in a battle, while the Awakened whose souls he invaded generally possessed a great mastery of their Aspects and tools. He, on the other hand, had no experience using them. So, to win and survive, Mordret had to gain a better understanding of the enemy''s power than the enemy possessed, usually in a matter of seconds.


    It was like giving a novice a sharp sword and sending them into a duel to the death against a veteran swordsman who had been honing their skill for many years. The corrupted souls of Nightmare Creatures were even more deadly, albeit for other reasons.


    So, how did he win? By being better. By being smarter, by having greater skill, by possessing a deeper understanding of combat. By breaking and manipulating his opponent, dismantling their confidence, and turning their strengths against them. There was no trick to it, just will. It was not easy... and yet, Mordret had not perished yet. Oh, and it was also fun.


    The best way to win a soul battle, however, was to prepare. If he created an opportunity to study the enemy in advance, to learn the details and intricacies of their Aspect, then he did not have to enter a soul battle blindly. It was even better if he had managed to shake the enemy, making their soul weaker.


    So, taking the body of the Awakened warrior after boarding the ship had not been too hard. Mordret had been looking at the world through his eyes for weeks, after all. He even knew the names and faces of his wife and son... actually, he might have known those two better than the man himself did.


    ''That''s better.'' Looking at the face of the man in the mirror, Mordret smiled. Then, he erased that smile and replaced it with another, much more earnest and bright one. That was how the man had smiled. Mordret effortlessly changed his posture, his facial expression, the glint in his eyes, the subtle tension in his shoulders. His whole presence changed, becoming indistinguishable from how the dead man had held himself.


    Looking into the mirror with that new smile on his face, Mordret whispered with flawless sincerity: "Glory to the great clan Valor!"


    Mordret enjoyed a journey across the sea in the company of the other Awakened warriors of Valor. He trained, ate, and spent the rest of his time with these people. He liked them a lot. The stoic Awakened Crass, the good-natured Awakened Agathe, the carefree Awakened Varo, and the other members of his cohort... The sense of camaraderie they shared was curious and delightful. The respect and admiration they felt toward the man whose body Mordret was wearing was refreshing, too. It made him feel a bit of responsibility for these people, which was a novel experience.


    Even Saint Gilead was not unpleasant to be around.


    ''I wonder how things are going in the Southern Quadrant...'' By now, the emissaries of Song had already arrived there. Seishan''s bloodbag, Bast, must have already begun producing the mirrors. There was no real point to those mirrors, of course. It was just something senseless Mordret had instructed them to do, in order to add fuel to the flame of his family''s suspicion. The man was most likely going to be eliminated, at some point, but that was no great loss to the great clan Song. Why would Mordret care?


    Then, finally, a dark line appeared on the horizon. The convoy had reached Antarctica. Standing on the deck of a massive battleship, Mordret looked at the grey sky and felt the cold wind caressing his face. The Call of Nightmare assaulted his mind, filling it with a cacophony of maddening whispers.


    He sighed. ''What a dreary place...'' As he contemplated the view in front of him, a familiar voice called out: "Warren! Get ready. We are docking in half an hour." Turning around, he looked at his comrades and smiled. "Don''t be foolish, Agathe. A warrior of Valor is always ready!"

 Chapter 1237 The Answer Is

    Chapter 1237 The Answer Is In the past, receiving a new Memory had always been an important and memorable event for Sunny. After all, with his advantage in deciphering the secrets of their enchantments, Memories were one of his most powerful tools. Sunny relied on his soul arsenal a lot.


    However, as time had gone by, the importance of the Memories lessened to a large extent. Of course, he was still reliant on them - but these days, most of the rewards he received from the Spell were either too weak for his level of power or inferior to something he already possessed.


    With rare exceptions, their worth lay mainly in expanding his repertoire of weaving and serving as fuel for the evolution of his Shadows.


    So, getting a new Memory was not as memorable an event as it had been before.


    ...Still, it was not to the extent that Sunny could forget receiving one.


    ''What the hell?''


    He seemed to be saying this phrase a lot recently.


    Sunny was befuddled, but he couldn''t deny what he saw - there was indeed a new string of runes at the end of the list of his Memories, one that he neither recognized nor had ever seen before.  sea??h th�� N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He scowled, then threw a suspicious glance at the Sin of Solace.


    After hesitating for a while, Sunny chose not to say anything and turned his attention back to the runes.


    Not only had the new Memory appeared out of nowhere, but its name also made him feel a deep sense of unease.


    The runes read:


    Memory: Key of the Estuary.


    Sunny stared at it for a minute or two, disturbed. He had just been thinking about the Tomb of Ariel, the Great River, and its estuary... and now, this?


    What did the name of the Memory mean?


    Where did it come from?


    And, more importantly... when did it appear?


    He had not killed anything, or anyone, after entering the Nightmare. His Shadows were within his Soul Sea - they couldn''t have slain a Nightmare Creature, either.


    Except for Soul Serpent. But if Rain had been attacked by an abomination and Serpent killed it while defending her, the Spell should have still announced the kill and the acquisition of a Memory to Sunny. Yet he had not heard its voice since entering the Nightmare.


    Had it happened while he was asleep?


    With a grim expression, Sunny pulled his attention from the mysterious Memory and glanced at the list of his Shadows. Soul Serpent''s runes were still bleak and lifeless, but they were there - which meant that Serpent had not been destroyed, at least.


    It wouldn''t have let anything happen to Rain without sacrificing itself first. So, Rain was most definitely alright... she had to be.


    Suddenly, Sunny felt his heart turn cold and heavy. He looked at the beautiful expanse of sparkling water with a somber expression, his eyes full of concern and darkness.


    Then, he slightly shook his head and looked down.


    ''Doesn''t make any sense.''


    What were the chances of a random abomination in the distant NQSC gifting Sunny with a Memory that was connected to the Great River? Why would it?


    Pursing his lips, he let out a heavy sigh and turned his attention back to the runes.


    Concentrating on the Estuary Key made more shimmering symbols appear in the air.


    As soon as Sunny started reading them, his expression changed.


    Memory: Key of the Estuary.Memory Rank: Supreme...


    ''Supreme?!''


    His heart skipped a beat.


    At the same time, Sunny''s unease deepened.


    He should have been excited to find himself in possession of such a powerful Memory. However, instead, all Sunny felt was a cold sense of dread. It was because he firmly believed that nothing in this world - two worlds, rather - was ever free. So, getting a Supreme Memory out of nowhere only made him feel apprehension.


    ''...Could Serpent even kill a Great Nightmare Creature?''


    Soul Serpent was an Ascended Tyrant, just like Sunny. Sunny himself was not powerful enough to dare face a great abomination... his chances of surviving such a fight were not zero, but very close to it. The vessels of the Skinwalker were proof.


    Frowning, Sunny swallowed his questions and continued to read.


    Memory Tier: VI.


    ''Sixth Tier...''


    He didn''t even bother to consider the implications and turned to the description... which was strangely short.


    There were only several shimmering runes:


    Memory Description: [The answer is oblivion.]


    Sunny stared grimly at the short string of runes, perplexed.


    ''The answer?''


    He was confused.


    To what question?


    Was oblivion the key to the Estuary? What did it mean?


    Or was it not oblivion, but Oblivion - the Demon of Oblivion? But what did that easily forgotten daemon have to do with anything?


    Sunny rubbed his face, then glanced at the enchantments of the mysterious Memory. However, to his disappointment, there were no more hints hidden in the runes. All he saw was:


    Memory Enchantments: [???].[???] Enchantment Description: [???].


    And that was it.


    There seemed to be only one enchantment, but it had no name and no description. It was just like the [Where is my eye?] enchantment of Weaver''s Mask, which had not been named until Sunny used it.


    There was one difference, though... [Where is my eye?] was an active enchantment, while the enchantment of the Estuary Key seemed to be a passive one.


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    ''So... what is the probability that Soul Serpent had killed a Great Terror while I slept, and that the Memory received by me as a result has to do with the Great River?''


    That was the only logical explanation, and yet, the logic of that explanation was highly questionable.


    He remained motionless for a while, then sighed and summoned the Key of the Estuary.


    Of course, it would have been more prudent to first study the mysterious Memory in the Soul Sea... yet, somehow, Sunny felt reluctant to touch it within his soul.


    Soon, countless sparks of darkness swarmed around his palm, and then slowly formed into a jagged piece of black stone.


    The jagged stone was utterly black and cool to the touch, reminding Sunny of the building blocks of the Tomb of Ariel. There were no features to it, no runes or images carved into its surface. It was just a rough, palm-sized chunk of stone that seemed like something one would randomly pick up from the ground.


    Since the mysterious enchantment of the Estuary Key was a passive one, it was supposed to come into effect as soon as the Memory was summoned. However, if it was doing something, Sunny couldn''t tell.


    He did not feel any changes, neither in himself nor in the world.


    ''Ah... I feel like I''m going mad.''


    He had been bombarded by more and more bizarre questions since the start of the Nightmare, and none of them had any answers.


    There was also an answer that didn''t seem to have a question.


    Even the Sin of Solace had become a bit weird.


    Uttering a quiet curse, Sunny concentrated and peered beneath the surface of the jagged black stone.


    Even if the enchantment had no name and no description, he could still study its weave himself. After all, by now, he had some knowledge of weaving, as well as the ability to intuitively feel the purpose of various weaves.


    Within the Estuary Key, there was a vast tapestry of ethereal strings. It was not the most complicated spellweave Sunny had ever seen - that would be the weave of Weaver''s Mask - but it was still incredibly complex, and unimaginably intricate. An enchantment like that was hopelessly outside the scope of what he himself could create, at least.


    Sunny was stunned.


    However, he was not stunned by the intricacy or complexity.


    Instead, what paralyzed him were the strings themselves.


    Because, unlike the strings of soul essence that comprised the weaves of all Memories created by the Spell, these ones were not ethereally luminous and silvery white.


    Instead, they were lightless and dark.


    ...Like something Sunny himself would create.

 Chapter 1300 Riverborn

    Chapter 1300 Riverborn When Sunny and Nephis first met Ananke, both were concerned about the frail old woman. She just looked too ancient and weak, ready to snap like a twig. Her tan skin was thin and transparent like oil paper, her cloudy eyes teary and dull, her gaunt figure so small that it seemed to be drowning in the black folds of her dark mantle.


    They were not sure that the old woman could survive another peaceful day, let alone a long and perilous journey across the Great River.


    However, as the days went by, their worries were proven wrong. Old Ananke continued to cling to life... in fact, her condition seemed to be improving little by little. She had more energy now, could remain fully lucid for longer periods of time, and even regained some of her appetite.


    At first, Sunny thought that it was simply the result of finally having hope again after waiting for the two of them for gods knew how long, as well as eating better. But as more time passed, the difference became too obvious to be explained by mere inspiration.


    Ananke... was definitely changing.


    Her hands gradually stopped shaking, and her grip on the steering oar became firmer. Her cloudy eyes regained some of their former sharpness. She wasn''t hunching as much anymore, and her voice was not as weak and creaky as before.


    She did not grow tired as quickly as she had at the start, and the long periods of silence where she seemed to doze off with her eyes open happened less and less frequently, until ceasing altogether.


    It was as though Ananke was slowly growing younger.


    Sunny had to admit that he was not just imagining things when he opened his eyes one day to notice that there were suddenly a few black strands in her long, snow-white hair.


    ''What is going on?''


    He looked at Ananke for a few moments, then lowered his gaze to the powerful current of the Great River. Which flowed into the past...


    Nephis, who had been practicing the Names the old woman taught her - to no result, for now - noticed that he was awake and carefully pulled on the sleeve of his tunic. Then, she silently glanced at Ananke and back.


    Sunny hesitated for a moment.


    ''Me? Why do I have to ask? Asking a woman about her age, does she think I like courting death?!''


    Well, to be honest... his track record indeed suggested that he did.


    He sighed, threw an indignant glance at Nephis, and approached the old woman while secretly studying her face and thin frame. There was no denying it - Ananke looked much more hale than she had before. She could not be called young by any means, still, but neither could she be called decrepit or ancient.


    Sunny lingered for a second or two, then asked politely:


    "Grandmother... can I ask you something?"


    The old woman smiled at him kindly.


    "Of course, my Lord."


    ''Now what am I supposed to say?''


    Sunny took a deep breath, then just came clean with it.


    "It might sound weird, but... are you, by any chance... getting younger?"


    Ananke looked at him with a startled expression.


    Sunny coughed in embarrassment.


    "I''m sorry, it''s just that... I noticed that you look better... ah, I don''t mean that you didn''t look well before..."


    The old woman suddenly chuckled.


    "No, no. It is me who needs to apologize, my Lord. I just... have never met someone entirely from outside the Tomb of Ariel before. That is why it is not easy for me to account for the fact that you might not know some things that are common sense here."


    She shook her head, and then said gently:


    "Yes, this body of mine is indeed getting younger. It is because we are moving downstream."


    Sunny and Nephis looked at each other, perplexed. After a few moments of silence, he furtively studied her slender figure, while she openly studied his.


    Eventually, Nephis said:


    "But... it doesn''t seem like Sunny and I changed?"


    Wouldn''t they have become toddlers by now?


    Ananke nodded, her expression slightly sad.


    "Of course not. It is because you are Outsiders, while I am Riverborn. The Outsiders are not beholden to the flow of the Great River, since they have come from outside it. They are free to roam it as they wish, traveling any distance. That is why they are also called Pilgrims."


    She smiled.


    "But we, Riverborn, are different. Since we were born inside the Tomb of Ariel, we are beholden to the flow of time within it. We can only travel as far as our lifespans allow... and even then, the only direction that is allowed to us is upstream. We are chained to the stretch of the Great River where we come from."


    Sunny looked at her in bewilderment, struggling to imagine what such a life would look like.


    "Wait, wait... how does it even work?"


    At the same time, Nephis asked:


    "So, you grow older when you move upstream, and grow younger when you move downstream? That is... in relation to the place where you were born?"


    Ananke looked between the two of them helplessly, then finally decided to answer Neph''s question first and nodded.


    "Indeed."


    Sunny blinked a couple of times, then suddenly opened his eyes wide.


    "Wait, does that mean that as long as you stay in place, you are... immortal?"


    Ananke sighed softly.


    "Our bodies will not age, my Lord. That is not the same as being immortal."


    She looked at the sparkling expanse of the Great River wistfully.


    "...Actually, we Riverborn don''t usually live that long. At least not in Weave. Life here is full of hardship, and the waters are dangerous. Since we live close to the desolate future, there are many Corrupted coming from upstream... all of them immune to the flow of time. Things were fine when we had many Outsiders among us - our elders - but as their number dwindled, it grew harder and harder to provide for ourselves and defend the city."


    The old woman''s face grew dark.


    "After all, it is not easy to fight an enemy that can attack and retreat freely while you lack the ability to pursue it. Still... we managed. Life in Weave might not have been easy or opulent, but it was blissful. At least mine was."


    Ananke fell silent, a faint smile on her lips.


    ''Now wait a minute...''


    Sunny tilted his head and, unable to control himself, blurted out:


    "Then, Grandmother... no, Ananke... how old are you, really?"


    ''Ah! What am I doing!''


    The old woman looked at him and chuckled.


    "Me? Actually... among the River People, I am considered to be quite a young woman."  S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He froze.


    Nephis froze, too.


    "Y-young?"


    Ananke nodded earnestly.


    "Of course! I am barely two hundred years old..."

 Chapter 1311 Temple of the Nightmare Spell [Correct title]

    Chapter 1311 Temple of the Nightmare Spell [Correct title] Consumed by despondence, Sunny tried to find solace in anger. But it was of no use. Then, Sunny tried to remind himself that the Ananke he knew was just an apparition conjured by the Spell... the real Ananke - the true Priestess of the Nightmare Spell who had lived in the real Tomb of Ariel - was long dead, her spirit and bones taken by the Great River.


    She had never met Sunny and Nephis. She had never traveled to the far reaches of the future or made delicious small pies for two complete strangers.


    In fact, it was not at all clear if the real Ananke shared the same fate as the one he knew. The Serpent King had brought many challengers into the Nightmare, after all - their actions had to have changed the flow of events within this version of the Tomb of Ariel.  S��arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps the real Weave was never destroyed by one of the Six Plagues, or had been wiped out entirely long before Ananke was born.


    But telling himself that Ananke was not real did not help either. It never did. Be it the First Nightmare, the Second, or the Third, Sunny could not help but treat the people he met as real.


    With a heavy sigh, he turned to look at the magnificent structure they were approaching. It was an unusual one. Much larger than most buildings in Weave, it was situated in the very heart of the city, on a solitary island-ship that floated some distance away from the rest. The artificial island was connected to the neighboring ones with rope bridges of white silk, resembling a spider sitting at the center of a vast web.


    The structure itself was tall and imposing, built of roughly cut black stone. Tattered white banners were hanging from its walls, fluttering in the wind. It looked nebulous and sinister, like a temple of some dark deity.


    ...Sunny had an idea who that deity was.


    Looking up, he saw a lonely figure standing on the roof of the numinous temple, looking down at the desolate ruin of Weave. The black silk of its long hair and tunic remained motionless despite the strong wind. He couldn''t see the figure''s face from the distance, but silhouetted against the azure sky, it seemed strangely grim.


    ''There you are.''


    The Sin of Solace had finally shown himself after hiding somewhere for a long time. And yet, the wraith was simply observing the ghost city from above instead of tormenting Sunny with snide remarks... its behavior had been getting stranger and stranger ever since the start of the Nightmare.


    ''Well, good. Stay away for as long as you want, you won''t be missed.''


    Paying attention to the apparition through one of the shadows, Sunny followed Ananke across one of the rope bridges. As they got closer to the ominous temple, Sunny and Nephis felt a strong sense of unease... however, the young priestess looked unperturbed. If anything, her expression grew calmer.


    "This is the last place we will visit in Weave."


    Even her voice sounded lighter.


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then asked in a somewhat stifled tone:


    "Is this... the temple of Weaver?"


    Ananke shook her head with a faint smile.


    "No, my Lord. Weaver was elusive and had no desire to be worshipped. It is useless to worship the Demon of Fate, anyway... no matter how virtuous you are and how many offerings you make, fate will always remain uncaring, unchanged, and inevitable."


    She pointed to this dark temple.


    "No, this... is the temple of the Nightmare Spell. Of the gift Weaver has given us to rely on instead of the gods, the daemons, and of fate itself."


    ''Of fate itself...''


    Sunny was once again faced with the fact the Demon of Fate seemed to have created the Spell to resist the very thing that was supposed to be the source of their power.


    ''Maybe Weaver was bound by the chains of fate, just like I am bound by them, too.''


    The sudden thought was both ominous and chilling. If even the Demon of Fate had not been able to escape its clutches, then how could Sunny ever hope to succeed where Weaver had failed?


    Still... despite everything that had happened, he still wanted to be free.


    That primal desire was rooted deep within his soul, smoldering, too vast and searing to be put out by shallow things like knowledge or wisdom.


    Even though Sunny had learned that there was no such thing as true freedom - at least not without sacrificing everything one held dear - he still stubbornly clung to the desperate wish of breaking free of his bonds. It was just that the tumultuous twists and turns of his strange life had dampened that fiery hope a little.


    He sighed, then glanced at Nephis with a guarded expression.


    ...She was not going to do something extreme like burning the temple of the Spell down, was she?


    Ananke might have been sincerely devoted to them, but Sunny doubted that the young priestess would just watch silently as her home was destroyed. And although it was sometimes easy to forget because of her gentle temperament, she was still a true Saint.


    Even if she wasn''t, Sunny simply did not want to fight Ananke.


    Luckily, Nephis seemed to be holding back her hatred for the sake of their kind guide. She had been raised by her grandmother, after all. Even though Neph had not shown it, meeting Ananke must have pulled at the strings of her heart... which still existed, no matter how abused, neglected, and ravaged by torment it was.


    "Let''s hurry inside."


    Oblivious to the hidden conflict between her faith and the people she considered to be its apostles, the young priestess headed toward the gates of the sinister temple with a smile on her lips.


    Sunny and Nephis followed, neither of them saying anything.


    Soon, they passed through the dark entrance and found themselves within a vast hall. Its interior was shrouded in darkness, creating a solemn and mysterious atmosphere - for everyone except Sunny, of course, who could see everything just fine. Narrow beams of stark sunlight were falling from the elaborately carved light wells in the ceiling, intertwined in a complicated pattern...


    The Temple of the Nightmare Spell looked frightening and sinister on the outside, but its interior was quietly beautiful. The intricate tapestry of falling light resembled the breathtaking weave of the inner workings of the Spell, while the darkness of the vast hall was like the lightless void between dream and reality where it was hiding.


    It was... strangely peaceful here.


    What caught Sunny''s eye, however, were the white tapestries of enormous spiderwebs growing freely between the columns and support beams of the hall.


    He shifted uncomfortably and pointed to them, mentally preparing for battle:


    "I... think an abomination did make a nest in the ruins."


    Ananke looked at him in confusion for a moment, then chuckled. Her melodious laughter echoed under the roof of the dark hall.


    "No need to be alarmed, my Lord. The spider silk has always been here. No one knows what the Demon of Fate looks like, you see... which is why they are often depicted as a spider. Because of that, spiders were akin to sacred animals to us followers of Weaver. It was forbidden to harm a spider or its web, and we lived peacefully side by side with many."


    She swept her gaze across the interior of the temple, her eyes growing wistful.


    "I spent my youth in this temple, learning the duties of a priestess from my mother. The spiders who lived here were my friends. They are all gone now, of course... fate wasn''t merciful to them, either. But their silk remains."


    Sunny gave the young woman a strange look.


    ''So, little Ananke was friends with spiders...''


    She... must have been one hell of a creepy girl.


    But then again, who was he to judge? Sunny had never been a well-adjusted child himself.


    ''At least I didn''t have to deal with all this sticky web. Gods, living in this temple must have been annoying!''


    As he thought that, his gaze finally settled on a mass of roughly cut stone towering in the center of the hall. It resembled a wide pillar that had been broken by a devastating blow and then damaged by unbearable heat, its upper part deformed like a melted candle. The widest beam of sunlight fell vertically on the stone pillar, bathing it in blinding white radiance.


    Walking closer, Sunny noticed that the whole mass of stone was covered by engravings. There had been many scenes depicted on it once, it seemed, but now, only one remained.


    He shivered.


    Cut into the ancient stone, an enormous gate was depicted, its titanic surface wrapped in unbreakable chains. In front of it, a tall figure stood, the shape and form of its body hidden by a dark mantle. Only the face could be seen... or rather, the mask. The mask of a fearsome demon with ferocious fangs and a crown of three twisting horns.


    Drawn to the stone image, Sunny felt his blood stir. Of course, he knew whose figure was carved into the broken pillar.


    ...It was Weaver.


    -----


    Erdiul''s Note: Chapter 1310 has the wrong title, the title should be ''''Forsaken''''. Should be fixed by one of the admins soon, I let him know about it.

 Chapter 1320 Childhood’s End

    Chapter 1320 Childhood''s End Eventually, Ananke replaced Nephis at the steering oar. Neph looked drained after commanding the winds for an entire day... nevertheless, Sunny felt that her eyes were duller than mere exhaustion could explain. Throwing a questioning glance at her, he asked:


    "Are you alright?"


    She lingered for a few moments, then nodded silently. Sitting down and leaning her back against the side of the ketch, Nephis then tiredly closed her eyes. She had not slept since they left Weave, and although Masters like them could easily remain awake for days, mental fatigue still had a way of catching up to them.


    ''...I guess she doesn''t want to talk about whatever it is that''s troubling her.'' Sunny studied Neph''s pale face, then quietly summoned Nightmare and ordered him to guard her dreams. The tenebrous steed hid in the shadows at the bow of the boat, formless and watchful. Not satisfied with that, Sunny sent all but one of his shadows to augment him.


    Memories of meeting the manifestation of the Prince of Madness still haunted his thoughts.  S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Later, there was nothing for him to do but continue weaving threads of essence. Sunny sat on the deck of the ketch with his legs crossed, his fingers dancing in the air. By now, he was proficient enough in creating essence strings to not pay a lot of attention to the process. Ut was a far cry from when he had attempted weaving for the first time and constantly cut his hands to the bone.


    His painfully gained experience and the increased sensitivity that Bone Weave granted to his fingertips made it easier. Now, Sunny just needed time and essence to create as long a thread as he needed to weave a Memory.


    It still took some time.


    After a while, Ananke looked at him with curiosity and asked:


    "My Lord... if you don''t mind me asking, what are you doing?"


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then turned his head slightly. He hesitated before answering, knowing how weird she was about all things involving the Demon of Fate. Nevertheless, eventually, he said:


    "I am creating essence strings... weaving."


    Her azure eyes widened slightly.


    "You... you are a weaver, my Lord?"


    ''A weaver...'' Sunny tilted his head.


    "If you mean someone who uses Weaver''s sorcery, then yes. Although I am not very proficient with it."


    The young priestess was staring at him with reverence. He sighed.


    "Why, were these... weavers very rare in your time?"


    She nodded slowly.


    "Extremely so, my Lord. The sorcery created by the Demon of Fate was not something mortals could easily learn... or gods, even. There were only a few who mastered it. One of the two High Priests of the Nightmare Spell was one such sorcerer - my mother told me that he was a shaper of souls and a master of all kinds of magic. Are there a lot of weavers like you in the future?"


    Sunny slowly shook his head.


    "No. There are a few whose Aspects allow them to create Memories, but as far as I know, I am the only one who truly knows how to weave sorcery, unbound by the limits of my Abilities."


    He sighed.


    "I never had a teacher, though. Everything I know, I''ve learned myself. That is why I can only create copies of the weaves created by the Spell, or modify them at best."


    The young priestess looked at him silently for a while, then smiled.


    "But, my Lord... wouldn''t that mean that the Nightmare Spell is your teacher? How can there be a better teacher than that?"


    The corner of his mouth twitched. Suddenly grim, Sunny looked away.


    "...I guess. The Spell has taught me a great deal of things, indeed."


    Ananke''s smile widened.


    "You are beloved by fate, then. I feel at ease."


    He hid his face, not wanting her to see the dark resentment drowning his eyes.


    ''Beloved by fate, huh?'' Sunny was indeed Fated. However, that did not mean that fate was especially kind to him... it just meant that he was wrapped in its strings like a helpless puppet, doomed to always be at its mercy.


    In a sense, it meant that he would never know peace.


    Not until he learned how to rip those strings apart.


    ''It''s much more like I am cursed by it...'' But then again, wasn''t his fate to become Defiled, tear his face with his nails, and turn into a mad abomination? Wasn''t that his future?


    Sunny shuddered, remembering that frightening possibility.


    ''No, no way. I would rather die. I will die, if this is the only outcome. That stupid theory of mine has to be wrong. The Mad Prince... I will never become him.''


    Closing his eyes for a moment, he calmed his wildly beating heart and concentrated on weaving essence strings once again.


    However, his fingers trembled as he did.


    By the time the seven suns touched the surface of the flowing water, the swift ketch reached the second of the Seven Houses. Mooring the boat to its peer, they camped for the night on the forlorn island.


    It looked like a place where life had thrived once, but now, that vitality was gone. The children were gone, the parents were gone... and soon enough, the Seven Houses would be gone, too, swallowed by the eternal currents of the Great River.


    In the morning, Sunny was awoken by the creaking of the windcatchers. After giving Ananke some time to take a walk along the shore and remember the days of her childhood, they left the artificial islands and sailed downstream once again.


    It took them another day to pass the third House. By then, Ananke''s appearance had changed once again.


    She used to look only slightly older than Sunny and Nephis in Weave, but now, it was as if she was of the same age as them, or even younger.


    By the time the swift ketch reached the fourth House, she seemed to be in her late teens.


    The mood inside the ketch had turned dark. Looking at the endearing adolescent face of the young priestess, it was impossible to deny that they would have to leave her behind... soon.


    The House of Parting was not that far away anymore.


    Before they reached it, though, they had to pass by the last three of the Seven Houses.


    ...However, by the time they were supposed to come in view of the fifth, Ananke''s expression had turned tense.


    Because the artificial island was nowhere to be found.

 Chapter 1351 Beware of Future Versions of Yourself Bearing Gift

    Chapter 1351 Beware of Future Versions of Yourself Bearing Gift The Sin of Solace


    These words were clearly a part of the ghostly spellweave of the Estuary Key. Sunny stared at them intently, feeling a strange mix of confusion, curiosity... and dread.


    What the hell was the meaning of this?


    Shifting slightly, he looked at the sword wraith. The apparition stood in the shadows, wearing a bored and resentful expression. Sunny had grown so accustomed to the company of the Sin of Solace - first in the form of a disembodied voice, then of a vague figure, and finally of a perfect reflection of himself - that he rarely paid it much attention these days.


    But the sword wraith was not at all benevolent or harmless. In fact, he was a sinister and insidious being, spawned from the whisper of a fearsome daemon and meant to drive the wielder of the sword mad.


    The fact that Sunny still had his sanity intact... or rather, somewhat intact... was only due to his extraordinary mental resilience and resistance to mind attacks. Most humans would have already been turned into raving lunatics by the jade jian.


    Sunny, though? Apart from looking like a madman from time to time due to an outwardly strange habit of talking to himself, he only found the presence of the Sin of Solace frustrating, nothing more.


    ''...Is there more to this damned curse?''


    He knew that the apparition would never give an honest answer, but nevertheless asked:


    "There''s no reason your name would be etched into the weave of the Estuary Key, is there?"


    The sword wraith gave him a disdainful look.


    "I don''t know. Maybe there is... you''re the great sorcerer, so you tell me."


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    "You are keeping a lot of secrets these days, huh? Makes me wonder if I should just feed you to Nightmare. Better safe than sorry, that is what they say."


    The Sin of Solace laughed.


    "Go ahead, get rid of your most powerful offensive Memory. Why not? You''re going to die in this Nightmare, anyway. In fact, I encourage you to destroy me! Oh... do you think that I want to be here? Gods, no."


    He grinned.


    "Ah, but there''s a problem. Are you sure that destroying the sword will get rid of me? It might, it might... but then again, maybe it won''t. Maybe the damage to your mind has already been done, and we are stuck together for the rest of your short, distasteful, pitiful life. What a cruel fate!"


    Sunny gritted his teeth.


    Indeed... he couldn''t afford to destroy the Sin of Solace, and neither was he certain that doing so would banish the apparition. They were truly stuck with each other, at least for now.


    ''And I won''t get any information out of the bastard, either.''


    So... there were only two ways to solve the mystery of the Estuary Key and its connection to the Sin of Solace. One was to find the great sorcerer who had created the ominous Memory. The other was to deduce the truth, somehow.


    Sunny looked away with a somber expression.


    ''Now that I know that the Sin of Solace has something to do with the Estuary Key...''


    He suddenly felt cold.


    After entering the Nightmare and discovering that he had somehow come into possession of a Supreme Memory, Sunny made several theories about how it could have ended up in his Soul Sea. One of them was that the Soul Serpent had slain a Great Nightmare Creature out there in the real world...


    The other was that it was Sunny himself who had created the Estuary Key far in the future but somehow received it in the present due to the strange nature of the Great River.


    And now that he had learned certain facts and knew that the name of the Sin of Solace was etched into the weave of the unexplainable Memory, a chilling suspicion was getting harder and harder to deny.


    Looking down, Sunny slowly clenched his fists.


    ''It was him... the Mad Prince. He must be the one who created the Estuary Key.''


    Simply thinking these words made him shudder.


    But it was just too compelling of a theory to discard. Sunny had suspected that the mysterious Memory had been created by a future version of himself. He also suspected that the Mad Prince was one of his possible futures.


    So, wouldn''t it be logical to assume that the future version of himself who had created the Estuary Key was the Mad Prince?


    The name of the Sin of Solace etched into the weave, the ghostly strings of shadow essence, the unexplainable nature of the Key... and the strange words describing it.


    The answer is oblivion.


    ''It had to have been him.''


    How many weavers were there who could create threads out of shadow essence?


    Sunny was certain of it.


    Then... what exactly did it mean?


    ''If that abomination really created the Estuary Key...''


    Did it prove that Sunny was really inhabiting the body of one of the Six Plagues? That would certainly make things easier for the cohort. One adversary was already gone, after all. And it didn''t even have to be just one... what if each of the members of the cohort had been sent into the bodies of these powerful Defiled?


    ...Actually, that was a chilling thought. Because while it would really be wonderful to not have to deal with the Six Plagues, it also meant that the other members had been sent directly to the heart of the Defilement, the city of Verge. The Mad Prince was the only one of the Defiled champions who had traveled into the far reaches of the future, after all, from what Sunny knew.


    Surely, the Nightmare Spell wouldn''t have been so unjust in setting up its trial.


    Still, if Sunny had indeed taken the role of the abomination from the future... he could also tentatively explain the sudden change of the Sin of Solace.


    Why had the sword wraith suddenly grown to look so vivid and real at the start of the Nightmare, almost indistinguishable from the real thing?


    Was it, perhaps, because Sunny had actually inherited not one, but two things from the Mad Prince? One was the Estuary Key... while the other was the Sin of Solace.


    What if the sword wraith that had greeted him in the Nightmare came from the future, just like the Estuary Key? What if the Sin of Solace had been by his side all the way to becoming Defiled and then spending gods knew how much time haunting the Great River? Hundreds of years, at least, judging by how superior the madman''s weaving was to Sunny''s own.


    ...And had been then passed down to the younger version of its corrupted master through some bizarre anomaly or dark scheme.


    The apparition had let it slip that he knew the Mad Prince by interfering with the dream where the abomination''s vestige showed up. Was that why?


    Sunny scowled.  sea??h th�� N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, the idea of feeding the jade sword to his Shadows did not seem so crazy anymore.


    ''I''ll wait and see.''


    Sunny glared at the Sin of Solace, distrustful and wary.


    Glaring at him back, the sword wraith grinned.


    "Look at you, figuring things out. Ah... there''s really no sight more comical than a fool who thinks that he''s smart. Wouldn''t you agree?"


    Sunny grimaced and remained silent. Was that a confirmation? Or simple mockery?


    He gritted his teeth, knowing that there was no way to tell.

 Chapter 1362 No Other Choice

    Chapter 1362 No Other Choice Some time later, the three of them were walking across the pier, followed by an excited crowd. The two guards were not far behind, either - they never left Cassie''s side. The golden chain was ringing softly with each step she took.


    The elderly citizens of Fallen Grace were overflowing with joy at the sight of their young and beautiful priestess, though, seemingly oblivious to the ominous meaning behind the golden shackles. The news of the arrival of two Outsiders had spread throughout the city, as well.


    The mood was festive.


    Sunny studied their faces through the shadows, then turned to Cassie and said silently:


    "You seem to be very popular. They absolutely adore you."


    A faint smile appeared on her face.


    "...It''s Dusk, not me. And how could they not? She was a wise and benevolent ruler, not to mention a champion of the city. It was because of the sybils that the River People could defend themselves against the Defilement. Most importantly... I am both the most powerful Awakened and the only Outsider left in Fallen Grace. If they lose their faith in me and their love for me, then all they''ll have left will be despair."


    She let out a wistful sigh.


    "They only love me because they have no other choice."


    Sunny remained silent for a few moments, somewhat stunned by how cynical that statement sounded. It bothered him a great deal, for some reason.


    Then, he shook his head.


    "Still, you must have done a lot to earn their trust. Surviving a year in the Third Nightmare could not have been easy. Especially alone."


    He had already seen Fallen Grace and its people. They were not the kind of force he had hoped to find... and while Cassie had not gone into detail when describing her attempts to defend the city against the attacking Defiled, it was easy to surmise that protecting it was more of a burden than a boon.


    Her days must have been filled with countless battles and narrow victories. It was a miracle that Fallen Grace still stood.


    She smiled.


    "Ah... well, yes. After the initial chaos, I led the remaining warriors into battle many times, and killed many abominations. It was indeed not easy. But I wasn''t really alone."


    Cassie gestured to the crowd following them at a respectful distance, as well as at the two silent guards.


    "The people of Fallen Grace might have grown weak, but they are valiant and brave. I also had several Echoes to assist me."


    ''...Right.''


    Neph had once brought back a powerful Echo from the Nightmare Desert, a Fallen Demon with six arms. That Echo had been given to one of the Fire Keepers before his cohorts challenged a Seed of Nightmare. She would have arranged for a powerful bodyguard or two for Cassie, as well.


    Sunny tilted his head.


    "How strong are your Echoes, exactly?"


    The blind girl remained silent for a moment.


    "You already know the Quiet Dancer. Her power is augmented by a special Memory I received from Valor, albeit not by much. There is also an artificial Echo Neph procured for me from the clan, as well, equal in power to a Fallen Monster. And... there is an Echo I earned here in the Tomb of Ariel myself. A... Transcendent Beast, of sorts."


    He raised an eyebrow.  S��arch* The n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Of sorts?"


    Cassie let out a quiet sigh.


    "It''s the Echo of the senior sybil I killed. I try not to summon her where the citizens of Fallen Grace can see."


    Sunny flinched a little. After a few moments of silence, Nephis suddenly spoke, her voice even:


    "You alone should be enough to deal with two Masters. With a Transcendent Echo, those guards of yours stand no chance whatsoever. What is the point of them following you around?"


    Cassie smiled sadly.


    "...Yes. There''s no real point. I can easily kill them, and I can easily break out of these chains. They know it perfectly well. But they are loyal and devoted to their duty... and so, I remain in chains out of respect for their devotion. Isn''t it sad? The fact that I am only guarded by two Masters should tell you everything you need to know about how desperate Fallen Grace''s situation is. Unless we act, it will be swallowed by the Defilement soon enough."


    Sunny sighed, trying to imagine what had happened to the real Fallen Grace... and real Dusk. He knew that the last sybil had been buried at sea, her body eventually becoming the vessel of a Corrupted Terror.


    The existence of the Terror of LO49 was proof that the civilization of the Great River had met a sorrowful end.


    And it would meet it again if they failed to conquer the Nightmare...


    Just then, they reached the end of the pier and walked across a wooden plank to the deck of the ghostly ship. The crowd stayed back, with only the two guards following them aboard the ancient vessel.


    Cassie froze, lowering her hands and staring into nothingness with her beautiful blue eyes. After a while, he said softly:


    "Sunny... can you look at the sacred tree?"


    He did as he was told, belatedly realizing that the blind girl must have used her Ascended Ability to share his perception. Although he didn''t feel anything, it also felt strangely... violating.


    There was no harm done, but for someone as secretive as Sunny, sharing was an uncomfortable process.


    ''I wonder if she sees the bastard.''


    He threw a furtive glance at the Sin of Solace, who stood motionlessly below the tree, and suppressed his discomfort.


    They walked around the ship for a while, allowing Cassie to study both its exterior and interior. She was the person who knew the true Chain Breaker best, after all, so they needed her judgment to rid themselves of doubt.


    Eventually, the blind girl stopped near the sacred tree and gently placed her palm on the white bark.


    After a few moments of silence, she sighed and turned to them.


    "It''s the Chain Breaker. I am certain."


    Sunny and Nephis grew somber.


    They had suspected as much, of course... but still, a slight hope that it was merely a similar vessel still lived in their hearts.


    Now, it was utterly extinguished.


    Cassie pointed here and there, describing her findings.


    "...the essence channels are severely damaged, but their shape is unmistakable. I repaired them myself once, after all, so I know every small detail of how Noctis had carved new enchantments into the older ones created by the Fire Hunters. It''s his ship... our ship. There are many differences, but the core is the same."


    Sunny grimaced.


    "But how the hell can it be here? And how did we end up finding it?"


    The blind girl hesitated, then somberly shook her head.


    "That, I cannot answer."


    He closed his eyes, then rubbed his face tiredly.


    ''What the hell is going on... what the hell has been going on from the start of this damned Nightmare? There are too many unexplainable things!''


    Sunny''s tolerance for mysteries was at its limits.


    Cassie lingered for a few moments, then suddenly spoke:


    "I can tell you one thing, though."


    Both Sunny and Nephis looked at her, waiting.


    She pointed to the deck below her feet and smiled.


    "...I think I can repair the enchantments again. If you give me some time, the Chain Breaker will be able to fly once more."

 Chapter 1412 Misty Forest

    Chapter 1412 Misty Forest Sunny had managed to survive longer than an hour. He had avoided clashing with Undying Slaughter, and even rescued Jet... And yet, he was not very reassured.


    As the cohort left the Chain Breaker behind and ventured into the swirling mist once again, he was not confident that they would survive at all. In fact, he dreaded Wind Flower even more.


    "How many times do you think you can die before sanity abandons you completely?"


    The Sin of Solace, who was walking alongside him, was not helping at all.


    The sword wraith laughed.  sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Considering how thick your skull is... I''d wager a few dozen times more. Yes, after that, you''ll probably turn into a drooling fool. Gods. I wonder if I''ll still be stuck with you after you''ve become a vegetable..."


    Trying to ignore the infuriating apparition, Sunny kept his eyes on the fog.


    ''In your dreams.''


    He only had to take one look at Nightmare to know that a few dozen deaths would not break him. The Sin of Solace was simply gloating.


    A few years of torturous deaths, though...


    ''We need to escape this horrible place as soon as possible.''


    The cohort was advancing up the beach in a similar formation to the previous revolutions, but now, Jet was walking behind Sunny and Nephis. Cassie had summoned her Echoes, as well, who were now moving in front of Nightmare.


    Together, they represented a formidable battle force... and yet, Sunny did not know if their power was enough to survive the suffocating fog of Wind Flower.


    ''I''m starting to understand why there are so few Saints around...''


    This time, they chose a direction opposite of where the stone steps - and Undying Slaughter - were. Instead of moving directly toward the cliffs, they followed along the edge of the island, eventually reaching the border of the bay.


    There, they ascended the wall of black rock and reached the plateau above. Sunny used Shadow Step to arrive there first and guarded the landing until the other members of the cohort climbed up. By the time everyone did, the second hour since their arrival on Wind Flower should have been well over.


    Above the cliffs, it was the same landscape. A forest of tall pine trees stretched in front of them, white fog swirling between the ancient trunks. Being in the mist had felt suffocating from the very start... but now that Sunny knew that a dreadful wraith could be hiding in it, the feeling grew ten times worse.


    The Echo of the sybil glided forward, the hem of her red dress hovering just above the moss. The rest of them followed.


    They followed the soft radiance of the Guiding Light into the murky depths of the forest. The fog swallowed everything behind, muffling the sounds and flowing slowly between the ancient trees. A few minutes passed in tense silence, then a few more.


    It was hard to keep track of time in this misty limbo, but eventually, Sunny judged that another hour had passed. At that time, Nephis raised a hand and said:


    "Stop."


    She seemed to have recovered from essence exhaustion - enough so, at least, to regain access to her Dormant Ability. Now that she had, Jet could finally be healed.


    Sunny and Cassie watched the fog as Nephis placed her hands on Soul Reaper''s back. They shone with soft white light, and soon, Jet''s face cleared. She took a deep breath and smiled in satisfaction.


    At the same time, Neph''s eyes grew a little cloudy. She sighed softly and took a step back. If Sunny did not know better, he would not have suspected that she was enduring harrowing pain.


    "Let''s continue."


    They were about to move again when Cassie suddenly turned her head. The blind girl remained motionless for a moment, then jumped down from Nightmare''s back.


    "Something is approaching! Get ready!"


    ''Curses!''


    Sunny snarled, holding the Sin of Solace in one hand and the Cruel Sight - in its short sword form - in another. Nephis swiftly drew her longsword and dismissed its scabbard. Jet raised her glaive into a high stance.


    Saint, Fiend, Nightmare, and the two Echoes moved to surround the humans in a protective circle. The Quiet Dancer floated up and hovered above Cassie''s shoulder, its tip pointing into the depths of the forest.


    Everything grew still for a moment.


    Sunny stared into the swirling mist, not knowing where the attack would come from. He couldn''t see anything... couldn''t hear anything. Even his shadow sense was suppressed.


    "Above us!"


    ''Damna...''


    Before he could finish the thought, something massive fell on them from above.


    ''...tion!''


    It was a huge, grotesque Nightmare Creature that resembled a carcass of an enormous black leopard, its bones protruding from the rotting flesh. Its tale was abnormally long, segmented, and ended in a revolting circular maw that brimmed with needle-like teeth. The creature''s own yellow canines, though, were much more terrifying - each was as long as a greatsword and covered in dried blood.


    The abomination was so large that its shadow covered the entire cohort. Much worse... the moment Sunny saw it, he felt an invisible pressure wash over him, filling his heart with a sense of dread.


    It was a Great Beast.


    ...Before the monstrosity could plummet on the cohort, two towering shadow tentacles rose from the ground and entangled its front limbs, slowing the creature down. The beast''s skeletal jaws snapped viciously, obliterating the manifested shadows in an instant, but it gave the members of the cohort enough time, at least, to dash in different directions.


    The abomination landed on the spot where they had been a split second ago. The ghastly tail of the creature was already shooting back with terrifying speed, its circular maw opened to bite into Cassie''s flesh. The blind girl sidestepped, barely avoiding being torn apart by it, and brought her staff down on the segmented tail.


    A moment later, she was flung aside like an ant.


    On the other side, the beast swiped its rotting paw in the direction Sunny and Nephis. Augmented by the shadows and soul flame, both managed to dodge the lethal blow... even if it was just by a hair''s breadth.


    But as soon as they did, the creature''s jaws were already in front of them, ready to snap shut and turn the two humans into chunks of torn meat. Neither Sunny nor Nephis had regained their balance yet - there was no for them to evade.


    Luckily, at that moment, Saint crashed into the side of the abomination''s head, using her shield as a siege ram. The power of the blow was terrible enough to bring a fortress wall down, but the skull of the Great Beast only swung to the side a little. It did not seem as if the creature had sustained any damage at all.


    And all of that - from the moment the creature landed to now - only took a split second to happen.


    ''Not good...''


    The Azure Serpent had been a king among beasts, while this one was merely a beast... and yet, it was a Great Nightmare Creature. It was too powerful, too fast, and too resilient.


    ''Can we defeat it?''


    Sunny knew that they could. With his Shadows, Cassie''s Echoes, and especially the Crown of Dawn... they had a non-negligible chance of defeating this monstrosity.


    However, they could also all die here.


    ''I don''t want to die...''


    Even knowing that he would most likely return to the starting point of the loop, Sunny still shuddered at the thought of having his flesh torn apart and his bones ground to dust. He was even more reluctant to watch his companions be killed by the ghastly abomination.


    ''It''s simple... don''t die, then.''


    Gritting his teeth, he lunged forward.

 Chapter 1416 Invisible Scars

    Chapter 1416 Invisible Scars 1416 Invisible Scars


    As Nightmare carried him away from the graveyard of horrors, Sunny managed to regain some of his composure. By then, they were moving deeper inland, following the light of the sacred staff. Effie was supposed to be at the end of that light.


    As time passed, he couldn''t help but think back to the Hollow Butterfly.


    The Great Monster must have landed on the hidden island a long time ago �� but also only a few hours ago �� to lay eggs. Then, it was caught in the time loop and somehow ended up with its soul destroyed.


    Sunny had never heard about a Nightmare Creature becoming Hollow, but it was not impossible. The question was�� how had it happened?


    The obvious answer was that the gargantuan creature had been attacked by someone who could destroy souls. When a soul was destroyed, the body usually died with it�� but on rare occasions, it survived. That was how Hollow humans appeared, so the same thing could have happened to this Great Monster.


    There certainly could be a creature capable of shattering souls on this hellish island�� and powerful enough to slay a Great Monster. In fact, Sunny did not even need to ponder long to think of one.


    Wasn''t Undying Slaughter a perfect candidate?


    Killing a Great Monster was all but a hopeless endeavor for the members of the cohort, but to the mist wraith, it would be no different from what facing Carapace Centurions had been for the Sleepers of the Forgotten Shore.


    Fatally dangerous, but not at all impossible.


    There could be more soul breakers on Wind Flower, as well.  S��ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    That said��


    Somehow, Sunny did not think that that was what had happened.


    Not because he didn''t think that Undying Slaughter was incapable of slaying the Dark Butterfly, but because he didn''t think that she was capable of doing so without leaving any trace of the battle.


    The Dark Butterfly was a Great Monster, and as such, it possessed two Corruption Cores. That meant that the Defiled wraith had to deliver at least two blows to its soul in order to destroy it. Would the aerial horror have remained idle while it was being killed?


    Not a chance. If it had been attacked, the whole place would have been turned upside down with one flip of its enormous wings.


    And yet, there was no trace of destruction around the monstrous butterfly. The bones surrounding it were unharmed, and the ground was unbroken. All its eggs were whole.


    It was almost as if��


    The Great Monster had simply ceased to be, peacefully and without even noticing.


    The same went for the revolting larvae.


    ''How could it be?''


    Sunny felt a cold shiver run down his spine.


    He had no reason to make this conclusion�� but he felt that he had an idea.


    Was it because of the time loop?


    Riding through the mist, Sunny gripped the Guiding Light tighter.


    The Sin of Solace had asked him before how many deaths Sunny would be able to endure before turning into a drooling fool. The answer was�� quite a lot. But there was no question that he had a limit.


    After spending a few years on Wind Flower, his mental state would inevitably deteriorate. Although his flesh was miraculously restored every time he returned to the starting point of the loop, the mental scars remained.


    What about spiritual scars?


    Sunny did not know a lot about souls, but he knew that they could be damaged. They could also be healed, and possessed the ability to slowly mend themselves, just like flesh did.


    And just like flesh�� there was a limit to how much punishment souls could withstand.


    So, what was going to happen to his soul after he spent a long time being killed and reborn in the loop? Would it be covered by scars and gaping wounds?


    Was it going to collapse, eventually?


    Maybe it would take a year, or a few years, or a few hundred years. Or a few months.


    When would his soul reach its limit?


    Sunny was unique, because he had become aware of the loop and kept his memories after returning to the past. As far as he knew, no one except him bore the mental scars of the previous revolutions. Their minds were wiped clean.


    But maybe their souls weren''t, at least not entirely.


    So, if the Dark Butterfly had landed on Wind Flower countless years ago�� maybe even the soul of a Great Monster could not withstand the terrible curse of the whirlpool of time.


    ''I�� I have to be careful.''


    If a Great Monster �� a creature with a soul infinitely more vast and potent than his �� had been made Hollow by the time loop, then Sunny would be, as well.


    He had never consciously relied on the nature of the repeating time, but deep down inside, Sunny was consoled by the thought that his failures would be erased, and he would get another chance.


    And then another, and another, and another��


    But all this time, he was most likely on a timer.


    Time was merciless, and even when it repeated itself, living beings were not meant to be eternal.


    ''I have to make each revolution count.''


    Steeling himself, Sunny looked into the surrounding mist and forced himself to calm down.


    Right now, he needed to survive the trip into the depths of the island, find Effie, and return to the Chain Breaker. That was all he had to think about.


    There were many harrowing creatures hiding in the fog, without a doubt. But he was one of the most elusive Awakened in the world�� even in the Antarctic Center, when everyone had perished, Sunny managed to escape alive.


    He might not be able to slay Undying Slaughter, the dreadful giant wandering the mist, and the other abominations trapped on Wind Flower�� but he would at least have a chance to run away from them.


    ''Not the most courageous statement, but who needs courage, anyway? Being a coward is what keeps people alive.''


    He vaguely remembered lecturing Master Roan on the topic. That past seemed so distant��


    Sunny wondered how the White Feather Clan was doing. By now, Antarctica must have been completely decimated. Had Saint Tyris and her people been able to evacuate in time, or were they gone, too?


    Shaking his head, he threw all unnecessary thoughts away and concentrated on his surroundings.


    Nightmare had carried him far inland, by now. They were once again in the pine forest, but�� did it only seem that way, or was the mist less thick here?


    Somewhat surprised, Sunny realized that he could see much further in the fog than he had before. The ground was also inclined, as if they were climbing a hill.


    The higher they climbed and the closer to the center of Wind Flower they traveled, the less oppressive the mist became.


    And then, when they finally crested the hill��


    Sunny stopped Nightmare and looked up, feeling a cold shadow fall upon him.


    In front of him, some distance away, a tall tower rose into the sky.


    Its windows were dark, except for one.


    At the very top of the tower, a single window shone with a bright, warm, welcoming light.

 Chapter 1419 Mother of Learning

    Chapter 1419 Mother of Learning Looking into the swirling mist, Sunny let out a long sigh. He suddenly felt tired.


    Or rather, not so suddenly. Time was repeating itself inside the loop, and while his body was restored to its initial condition at the start of each revolution, mental exhaustion remained. The Chain Breaker had just landed on the shore of Wind Flower, but Sunny himself... he had already spent an entire day on highest alert, in constant tension, playing a lethal game of cat and mouse with dreadful abominations. And that was after dying miserably several times in a row. Of course, he felt tired.


    Frowning, Sunny went about the usual routine of asking Cassie and Nephis to wait, then riding Nightmare into the mist to find Jet. Then, he brought her back to the Chain Breaker and explained the nature of Wind Flower to the members of the cohort once again. Things were getting... repetitive.


    If there was one constantly changing thing about the time loop, though, it was the Sin of Solace. The sword wraith had all kinds of hateful comments to whip him with, coming up with new ones in every revolution. Sunny was almost glad to have some variety, even if it was both infuriating and hurtful.


    After settling the matters on the beached ship, Sunny ventured to find Effie for the second time.


    However, he failed again.


    Sunny did not even make it to the dark chasm... he was killed by Undying Slaughter while searching for Jet.


    The next time, he fell prey to a horrid creature that resembled an unholy hybrid between a centipede, a scorpion, a human, and a praying mantis. That happened soon after leaving the bone garden.


    Then, he managed to reach the chasm once again. Instead of climbing down into its perilous darkness, Sunny tried to fly to the other side by turning into a crow. Halfway across, he heard a quiet rustle, and something dove at him from above. The next moment, he was back on the deck of the Chain Breaker again.


    During the attempt after that, he was caught by the enormous abomination that Devouring Beast had consumed near the tower in one of the previous revolutions... dissolving in the viscous acid, Sunny only managed to growl a hoarse curse. Then, his words were replaced by agonized screams.


    Back on the Chain Breaker, Sunny grabbed the railing and lowered his head. His expression was dim.


    ''Ah...''


    This island was starting to get on his nerves.


    While Nephis and Cassie were talking about the Guiding Light, he stood still, trying to throw the ghastly memories of his latest death out of his mind. Even though Sunny was not a stranger to pain, and even dying, it was not that easy to do.


    Suddenly, he was not sure that his previous boasts were substantiated. A few years of this? The Sin of Solace might have been closer to the truth...


    Shaking his head, Sunny sighed and looked at his companions. After hesitating for a while, he still convinced them to hide and wait for his return.


    He was confident in his ability to bring Jet to the Chain Breaker, at least. Sunny knew where exactly she would be at what time, by now. He also knew where approximately Undying Slaughter would be... it was not too hard to time his actions correctly.


    ''I only have one day...''


    Timing was not an issue just yet, but he would need to find the fastest and most efficient way of going through the motions of escaping Wind Flower eventually. For now, Sunny still needed to observe, discover, and memorize more details.


    But... he was getting tired.


    ''If we don''t manage to flee this hell soon, I''ll have to start seriously considering my mental wellness.''


    It was funny to even think about mental wellness, considering where he was and what was happening to him, but it was a serious issue. Sunny had to care for his mind. Right now, he was enduring blow after blow without giving himself time to rest and recover. Eventually, he would have to slow down and give himself a chance to catch his breath.


    In order to last longer before going insane.


    ''Not yet, though.''


    Sunny found Jet and whisked her away before Undying Slaughter had a chance to catch up to her past self. Returning to the Chain Breaker, he gave his usual speech and departed once again in search of Effie.


    He reached the bone garden and turned inland. He avoided the horrid mantis. He gave the slip to the giant octopus-like monstrosity, and even escaped from Devouring Beast without being noticed. Riding past the lonesome tower, he dove back into the misty forest and successfully avoided being killed by the Nightmare Creatures waiting for him there.


    Eventually, Sunny reached the chasm again.


    Hiding beneath a tree, he looked somberly at the mist above. He still had no idea what kind of flying horror killed him the last time he tried to cross the chasm... the creature had never attacked him in the forest, but since there was nothing to hide him while traversing the chasm by air, the risk was too great.


    Climbing down again was also a bad idea. The legion of black millipedes hiding at the bottom of the deep canyon was too dreadful of a foe... knowing what to expect, Sunny might be able to escape from them. But then again, he might also be either eaten or chased into the caves.


    ''Well, they can all go to hell.''


    Summoning Morgan''s Warbow, he wrapped one of his shadows around the arrow and sent it flying across the chasm. The arrow pierced the mist, as fast as lightning, and sank into the trunk of a tall pine tree on the other side.


    ...Actually, it cut a few of those trees down, and only stopped after piercing the fourth or fifth one.


    The shadow glided down the trunk and reached the ground. Dismissing Nightmare, Sunny used Shadow Step and appeared on the other side of the chasm, unharmed.


    ''There. Eat that, bastards.''


    It was not the strongest creature that survived, but the most adaptable. And although Sunny was not that strong among the prisoners of Wind Flower... he was nothing if not resourceful.


    Grinning darkly, he summoned Nightmare and jumped into the saddle.


    Did it only seem that way, or had the radiance of the Guiding Light became a little brighter?


    ''Stay alive, Effie...'' S~ea??h the N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1510 King’s Resentment

    Chapter 1510 King's Resentment 1510 King's Resentment

    Sunny could not even turn his head to take a better look at the humans that had appeared above the ruined throne room, standing on the edge of the collapsed sections of the dome.

    At least he knew now that the army of Twilight was not gone. It was still out there, beyond the walls of the palace, fighting against the invading abominations.

    Fighting against the Dread Lord and Soul Stealer.

    'Thank the dead gods��'

    He had no hope that these few warriors would be able to defeat the dreadful dragon �� if they had the ability, there would have been no need to plunge Twilight into the eternal trap of frozen time, to begin with.

    But they could at least distract the Dread Lord for a few moments, which would give him an opportunity to somehow rid himself of the command�� perhaps. Once Sunny was free and reunited with the other members of the cohort, they would join the defenders of the city and help them slay the Defiled Saints.

    He was already planning his next actions when something strange happened.

    The people who had climbed the dome of the palace jumped down into the throne room without hesitation. Which wasn't that strange in and of itself�� except for the fact that not all of them were equally powerful.

    The few Masters among them landed easily, ready to attack the next moment. The Awakened warriors were less graceful, crashing heavily on the marble floor.

    Most frightening of all was that there were mundane humans among them, as well. The height of the dome was too great for them to survive the fall. They hit the floor with repulsive sounds, painting it with their blood. Dying senselessly.

    'What�� what are they doing?'

    Witnessing the dreadful scene, Sunny felt horrified.

    Dozens of people were emotionlessly jumping to their deaths, not even hesitating before taking the fatal plunge. It was so appalling, so meaningless��

    So inhuman.

    His eyes widened as a terrible suspicion surfaced in his mind.

    As those of the warriors who were strong enough to survive the jump dashed forward to attack their enemy, the harrowing dragon simply swiped his tail, pulverizing their bodies into puddles of blood. A crimson haze spread through the dim twilight of the great hall.

    Sunny was suddenly nauseated.

    'Soul Stealer�� those people�� were taken by Soul Stealer��'

    The strangeness that he had felt from the moment the cohort entered Twilight�� the eerily emotionless faces of the defenders of the city�� their cold, empty eyes��

    The morbid revelations that Nephis had experienced moments before flooded Sunny's mind, forcing him to shudder �� or at least try to. The Dread Lord's command held his body firmly in place.  S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    'Impossible, impossible��'

    There were millions of people in Twilight. How could Soul Stealer have possessed them all? What kind of monster could do that? What kind of conscience could control millions of puppets, reflecting false copies of their souls?

    He reeled, remembering the ghastly being they had seen in the mirror version of Twilight.

    That being �� the reflection of Soul Stealer's own twisted soul �� had looked like a repulsive amalgamation of countless humans and Nightmare Creatures, all joined together into an abominable patchwork monster.

    A demented, fractured monster like that probably could.

    Sunny felt utter despair, but also a strong desire to curse.

    'That goddamn Mordret�� even when he's on our side, he's still such a disaster!'

    How could a person be such a bad omen? Whenever the Prince of Nothing appeared, something utterly terrible was bound to happen!

    'Calm down.'

    There was no point in seething with anger at Mordret. There was no point in wondering how Soul Stealer could have devoured all of Twilight, or why he and the Dread Lord were fighting each other�� none of that would help Sunny survive the current situation.

    It was also not going to help him salvage that situation.

    ��But could it even be salvaged? Weren't all of them already doomed? The plan had been based on completely wrong information from the very start!

    'No�� we can still win, somehow.'

    There had to be a way.

    Sunny felt sick to his stomach and frightened for Nephis and the rest of his companions, who were lost somewhere out there, on the streets of Twilight, surrounded by the numerous bodies of Soul Stealer. Especially Effie, who was much more vulnerable to the insidious powers of the mirror wraith than the rest of them.

    But he could not do anything about that, at least not now.

    In fact, Sunny had his own dire problem to deal with.

    The Dread Lord might not have been as utterly horrific as Soul Stealer, but he was still a foe far more dreadful than words could describe. And dealing with him�� was now up to Sunny.

    No matter what else happened, the tyrant of Verge had to die.

    'I have to kill that fiend�� I have to kill him, somehow.'

    The Dread Lord had already dealt with the Soul Stealer puppets that had pursued him into the throne room, but more were pouring over the edge of the broken dome like morbid rain.

    The two Plagues were fighting each other, which was good for the cohort. But their clash did not mean that Sunny and his companions would not be destroyed in the process�� in fact, now that they were here in Verge, they had become alluring tools for the Defiled Saints.

    The Dread Lord was, without a doubt, capable of using his authority to turn them into deadly weapons against Soul Stealer. Soul Stealer, meanwhile, could empower himself even further by taking their bodies.

    'Damn it all.'

    The Dread Lord's authority�� it was a manifestation of Kai's Ascended Ability. And Kai's Ascended Ability was a mental attack, of sorts.

    Sunny already possessed a very high resistance to mental attacks, but that resistance was relative. It was enough, for example, to shrug off an order given to him by Kai �� a fellow Master. But in front of a Defiled Saint, and one as immensely powerful as the Dread Lord, it had proved to be insufficient.

    A complete immunity to mental attacks, however, was much less relative. In fact, it was closer to being absolute.

    As fate would have it, Sunny possessed a Memory that could grant them just that�� albeit at a cost.

    Unable to move, he used the Shroud of Dusk to send Kai a mental message:

    [Kai�� listen to me carefully.]

    His friend did not move �� he was unable to �� but his response arrived shortly:

    [...I'm listening.]

    Sunny took a deep breath.

    [When I start moving, think of me as an enemy. Don't get close. It�� will be dangerous.]

    With that, he sent his essence into the Crown of Twilight.

    [King's Resentment] Enchantment Description: "This Memory grants the wearer complete immunity to mind attacks, but plagues them with irresistible wrath instead."

    The next moment, Sunny felt the invisible shackles holding him in place shattering.

    ��And at the same time, he felt a fury so vast that it couldn't be described with words shattering his mind.

    His thoughts were incinerated by the terrible, mad, boundless ire. He lost awareness of who he was, what he had to do, what he hoped to achieve. All he knew was that he had to destroy, kill, hurt, annihilate�� everything. Everyone.

    All of them!

    'I'm�� Lost�� from Light��'

    Some small vestige of his sanity remembered to utter his True Name, hoping that it would anchor his crumbling mind. But it didn't work. All it did was remind him of the tools he had at his disposal to visit utter devastation upon the world.

    A low, bestial growl escaped from his mouth.

    And then, a wicked smile appeared on his lips.

    The Crown of Twilight�� had another gift to give him.

    A nearly endless amount of essence. Now that the defensive array was deactivated, nothing was draining his reserves anymore. It was all at his disposal��

    Jumping forward, Sunny called upon the shadows, surrounding himself in a sea of them.

    ��Then, a giant serpent with black scales, clad in a fearsome onyx armor, emerged from the sea of shadows, murderous wrath burning in his mad eyes. Slithering across the ruined floor of Daeron's palace with stunning speed, the monstrous serpent created in his image lunged at the towering dragon and coiled himself around the winged horror's mighty body.

    Without wasting a single moment, Sunny opened his terrifying maw and tried to sink his fangs into the Dread Lord's neck.

 Chapter 1441 Let’s Split Up

    Chapter 1441 Let''s Split Up Although the Seeker''s Tower was right in front of them, Sunny had little hope that they would be able to reach its entrance this time. Not only was the tower protected by the eerie enchantment, but the revolution was also close to its end - it had taken them a lot of time to find Effie and get back to the heart of the island.


    He did not know how much longer they had, exactly, but it might have been mere minutes.


    In the end... they never found out.


    The black cliff was surrounded by a wide open space where there were no trees. Not long after the members of the cohort cautiously abandoned the forest, a gentle wind caressed Sunny''s face, forcing him to look up.


    Wind Flower was shrouded in impenetrable darkness, so no one except for Sunny could see... but there was something there, above them, hiding in the black expanse of the misty sky.


    Frozen in terror, he watched dozens of twisting tendrils descending from the turbulent black fog, each hundreds of meters long.


    Then, he was dead.


    ...Coming back to his senses on the deck of the Chain Breaker, Sunny could not help but shudder.


    This was the first time he had caught a glimpse of the being that dwelled in the mist above the island. Sunny had thought that Wind Flower had no horrors left to surprise him with... but he had been wrong.


    ''What is... what even is... that thing?''


    Hiding how disturbed he was, Sunny turned and looked at Cassie. By now, he was if not accustomed, then at least familiar with the terrible trauma of dying. The blind girl had only recently become aware of the loop, though. For her, it must have been a harrowing experience.  S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But, contrary to his expectations, Cassie seemed perfectly fine - nonchalant, even. It was as though she had experienced countless deaths already.


    Sunny lingered for a moment.


    ''Right. Considering her Aspect... she probably has.''


    Nevertheless, he walked over to her, hesitated for a moment, and tried to make his voice sound soft:


    "Are you alright?"


    A brief, pale smile appeared on Cassie''s face. She nodded.


    "Yes. I''m fine. It''s just... it was sobering."


    Nephis stared at them silently, a hint of confusion appearing in her tired grey eyes. She was once again suffering from the symptoms of essence exhaustion. Sunny sighed and gestured to Cassie, imploring her to take care of the explanations.


    A moment later, he was off to retrieve Jet.


    ''I am... definitely not avoiding Neph.''


    He could have sent Cassie, Nightmare, and one of his shadows into the mist and remain on the Chain Breaker with Nephis instead. However, Sunny was not quite sure how to act around her now, after what the Sin of Solace had said... and what he himself had admitted. Especially not if they were left alone.


    ''I''ll just think about how to get into the terrifying ancient tower. That is much less daunting...''


    He explained the situation to Jet on the way back to the Chain Breaker. At the same time, Cassie explained it to Nephis. So, by the time the four of them reunited, everyone was already aware of what was going on.


    But the usual routine had to change from now on.


    If they wanted to enter the tower, they couldn''t waste time going to the far side of the island and back. There was simply not enough hours in the loop... nevertheless, Sunny hesitated.


    How could he leave Effie alone in the cold mist and darkness? He was not sure what had happened to her in the previous revolutions, without them. But knowing what he knew about the island... he doubted that it was something he would want to know.


    Sunny remained silent for a while, agonizing over the choice. Then, Nephis suddenly spoke:


    "Jet and I can handle that."


    He looked at her in confusion.


    "What do you mean?"


    She leaned over and pointed to them map he had drawn:


    "You and Cassie can go to the tower. The two of us will enter the caverns, kill the Terror, find Effie, and hide ourselves away until the end of the loop. Soul Reaper is the key to slaying that thing, anyway, so... we''ll manage without you."


    Sunny listened to her with a grim expression and shook his head.


    "But you know close to nothing about the island. The two of you alone won''t be enough, especially with how low on essence you are."


    Nephis smiled.


    "Who says that we''ll be alone? We can take your Onyx Saint and Ravenous Fiend with us. You can also send one of your shadows to tag along. Once you unleash the Shadow Realm Fragment, you''ll be able to extend your senses to almost anywhere on the island, right? You can observe where we are and guide us with the help of the shadow. That will be enough."


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments.


    Neph''s suggestion had merit. He was still not convinced that they would be able to survive the dread of Wind Flower on their own, but... there was a chance, no matter how small. Sunny would most likely be able to guide them through the forest remotely. Cassie could share senses with either Nephis or Jet, too, to warn him should anything unexpected happen.


    In any case, there was not much of a choice. Even though he did not like the idea of sending both members of the cohort who could not remember the past events of the loop blindly into the mist, it was worth trying at least once.


    Cassie and Sunny, meanwhile, had the best chance of actually making it inside the tower.


    ''Ah... I hate it.''


    He shifted slightly, then nodded.


    "Right... you two go and kill the Cavern Terror, then. If you give it half of the beating you gave me, it might just run away and hide in fear."


    Both Nephis and Jet stared at him incredulously. After a few moments of silence, Jet asked:


    "...When did we give you a beating?"


    Nephis nodded and raised an eyebrow.


    "And why?"


    Sunny coughed and looked away.


    "Oh, that... don''t worry about it... it was just a small misunderstanding, a couple revolutions ago... anyway, there''s no time to waste! We should hurry if we don''t want to be discovered by Undying Slaughter... come on, let''s move!"


    Soon, they left the Chain Breaker and separated.


    Accompanied by Saint and Fiend, Nephis and Jet headed east toward the bone orchard.


    Sunny and Cassie, meanwhile, hurried north.


    Toward the Seeker''s Tower.

 Chapter 1480 In a Day’s Work

    Chapter 1480 In a Day''s Work 1480 In a Day''s Work


    Without the deadly Nightmare Creatures hiding in the mist and blocking the way, it took them a surprisingly short amount of time to reach the hidden bay. Sunny struggled to believe how much blood he had spilled in the past to traverse the dreadful reaches of Aletheia''s Island�� now that its prisoners were gone, the island had fallen silent.


    Of course, it was hard to recognize the places where Sunny had fought, struggled, and died. The forest was no more, with most of the ancient pines laying on the ground, either toppled or entirely destroyed. The mist was largely gone, too, revealing the scene of startling destruction in all its frightening glory.


    Massive carcasses towered above the devastated landscape here and there, some of them partially devoured. Rivers of blood flowed between the toppled trees, turning the remains of the forest into a vile swamp. It was like a scene out of a feverish nightmare��


    Well, of course it was. They were in a Nightmare, after all.


    As the cohort hurried to reach the Chain Breaker, Aletheia''s Island was starting to fall apart. It was shuddering and quaking, making it hard to advance at a steady pace. More cracks appeared in the bloodsoaked soil, some of them leading all the way down to the darkness below. Sometimes, a wide chasm would open right in front of the cohort, forcing them to change course and rush to circle around it.


    It felt like they were running out of time.


    ��But, in the end, the did not.


    Sunny was starting to feel rather restless, but just then, the cohort finally reached the stone steps leading down to the white beach. Cassie was riding Nightmare, while Effie was once again being carried by the Covetous Coffer. Sending the two of them ahead, he joined Nephis and Jet in descending from the cliffs in a much faster way��


    They simply jumped off the edge and used their Memories to glide down.


    Finally, they saw the Chain Breaker in the distance. The graceful vessel was where they had left it, crashed against a black cliff, its bow buried in the white sand.


    "Hurry!"


    As they raced across the white beach, the whole island seemed to have tilted. A thunderous sound of something impossibly large breaking rolled from behind them, and Sunny felt his heart skipping a beat.


    They reached the Chain Breaker and wasted no time climbing aboard. The dawn had come and gone before the battle with Undying Slaughter, and dusk was still too far away. The timing of their escape was not at all optimal, but they had little choice but to make do. The task of raising the ship into the air once again fell to Nephis.


    While Effie and Jet were looking around with stunned expressions �� neither of them had seen the Chain Breaker during the last cycle of the time loop, after all �� Nephis dashed to the enchantment circle at the stern of the ship. Cassie had disappeared to somewhere under the deck, while Sunny simply stood where he was, looking back at Aletheia''s Island.


    That cursed place.


    The fact that he was finally going to escape this harrowing hell did not feel real. After all the pain, all the suffering, all the deaths�� with how elusive time had been inside the loop, the months Sunny spent repeating the same desperate actions over and over again felt like an eternity.


    "Who says you can escape?"


    The Sin of Solace had appeared from somewhere, unnoticed, and was now standing behind him.


    "Who says that your suffering is over? That your pain is over? Fool�� ah, you don''t even know how pitiful you are."


    Sunny smiled darkly.


    "Be quiet. At least I''m not as pitiful as you."


    Just at the moment, the island quaked once again. In the distance, the black cliffs rising above the beach crumbed and collapsed, falling down like a black avalanche. A giant crack appeared on the ground, the sand spilling into it like water, and crawled in the direction of the Chain Breaker.


    Then, the flying ship moved, as well.


    Slowly at first, then faster and faster, it rose above the ground and soared into the sky. Nephis was guiding it away from the disintegrating beach.


    Sunny watched Aletheia''s Island break apart in silence.


    He had lost so much here��


    But he had gained so much, as well.


    Jet and Effie were now safely back with the cohort. That had been the reason why Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie had come to the mysterious place known as Wind Flower, in the first place�� they had achieved their goal.


    Unexpectedly, what they had gained, the forces of the Defilement had lost. Two members had rejoined the cohort, while two of the Six Plagues had perished. That was a truly surprising, but indescribably beneficial outcome. Sunny could hardly believe their luck��


    Of course, it wasn''t just luck. It was a combination of good fortune, their unrelenting efforts�� and, to a large extent, of the nefarious schemes of the Mad Prince.


    That was another thing Sunny had gained �� knowledge. Knowledge about the Mad Prince, yes, but also about so many other things


    Some of the greatest mysteries of existence had been revealed to him on Aletheia''s Island. The nature of the Dream Realm, the past atrocities of the Nightmare Spell, even the origin of his own world...


    Perhaps even more importantly, Sunny had also learned a few things about himself. How he felt, what he wanted�� and what he feared, as well.


    Oh, and he had also become a Terror. His soul possessed six cores now, and he possessed six shadows. His power had once again grown, and there was now only one step separating him from its pinnacle.


    Sunny had died countless times on Aletheia''s Island. He had battled and slain many harrowing Nightmare Creatures, honing his skill and earning priceless battle experience. Some of them were far too deadly for a Master to face, and yet, in the end, all of them had perished, while he survived.  S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The entire island shuddered one last time and broke apart, falling into the abyssal darkness below. All the horrors, secrets, and treasures left behind by Aletheia of the Nine disappeared with it.


    Standing on the deck of the Chain Breaker, Sunny let out a quiet sigh.


    "...All in a day''s work."


    It was not a bad result.


    The flying ship hovered in the air for a few moments, and then slowly started climbing down.


    It was heading for the same lightless abyss that had swallowed the island��


    Diving into the darkness that lay at the heart of the Great River.


    Soon, the darkness welcomed them into its silent embrace.


    [End of Part Two: Keeper of Truths.]

 Chapter 1483 Reaper’s Scythe

    Chapter 1483 Reaper''s Scythe 1483 Reaper''s Scythe


    The Aspect Legacy Jet had received was similar to most Aspect Legacies �� which were usually Memories uniquely suited for the Aspects of their wielders, or much more rarely powerful Echoes. However, that similarity was deceitful.


    In truth, Soul Reaper''s Aspect Legacy was almost as weird as Sunny''s. Although it looked like a weapon, it was not a Memory�� instead, it was an Innate Ability. Jet did not need essence, no matter how little, to summon the chilling mist and turn it into a scythe. The mist was simply a part of her soul now.


    Its form was also not set in stone. The mist blade naturally manifested into a beautiful war scythe, but it could assume the shape of other weapons, as well �� as they watched, Jet turned it into a khopesh, a misericorde, a bec de corbin, and an actual scythe. There seemed to be only five available forms, at least for now.


    All five shapes were that of a weapon, and that weapon was soulbound �� but not in the way that Sunny''s Marble Shell was soulbound.


    In the case of the Marble Shell, its power was directly tied to the power of his soul. Jet''s scythe, however, was bound to the souls of those it killed.


    ...Or rather, those souls would become bound to it.


    None of them knew what it meant, precisely. However, Soul Reaper was able to conclude a couple of things from reading the description of this strange Innate Ability.


    First of all, the mist blade was able to absorb and contain the souls of its victims. The soul of the most powerful being killed souls of its victims. The soul of the most powerful being killed by it would become the basis of its power �� so, if Jet slayed a Great Beast, her scythe would become akin to a Supreme Memory of the First Tier. If she killed an Unholy Titan�� the scythe would become akin to a Divine Memory of the Seventh Tier.


    Which was a bizarre and truly astonishing quality.


    Secondly, the souls contained within the mist could be consumed, replenishing Jet''s essence. If all souls were consumed, leaving the mist blade empty, her own soul would become the basis of its power.


    These were the things she knew. However, there were still many questions about her Aspect Legacy.


    For example, how many souls could it contain? Would they only influence the mist blade''s power, or would they also infuse it with unique qualities akin to enchantments? If so�� if Jet consumed all the bound souls, what unique quality would her own soul infuse?


    Although there were no answers, Sunny felt like the souls of the victims would indeed infuse the mist blade with unique enchantments. He also suspected that the number of souls the mist could contain�� was five, one for each of the forms it could take. Equal to the Supreme Rank of Jet''s Aspect.


    He also suspected that if she consumed all five of the bound souls, the Aspect Legacy would become much more potent and dire.


    The reason was rather simple�� the only situation where Jet would burn both through her own essence and the souls stored inside the mist blade was a truly desperate situation. And those usually called for the most desperate solutions.


    He wouldn''t be surprised to learn that if the mist blade was devoid of bound souls�� it could allow Soul Reaper to consume her own soul in order to accomplish something truly dire.


    ''How sinister��''


    The beautiful war scythe was a dreadful thing, indeed.


    Effie''s Supreme Memory, meanwhile, was much less terrifying.


    Which was not to say that it wasn''t wondrous.


    When the huntress first summoned the Memory, no one knew what to make of it. It was not a weapon, nor was it an armor. In fact, it did not resemble a tool or a garment, either�� at beast, it could pass for a charm.


    The Memory looked like a large iron locket tied to a black leather cord. Inside the locket was a image of a meadow surrounded by tall hills, with a river running through it and a forest visible in the distance. A black dock was resting in the shade of a tall tree. The drawing was simple and crude, as if made by a child.


    After looking at the weave of the Supreme Memory, Sunny was momentarily dazed. It was one of the most strange and intricate weaves he had ever seen.


    There was something familiar about it, though. After pondering for a few moments, Sunny understood why he felt this sense of familiarity �� it was because he had been studying the Covetous Coffer recently. And some parts of this startling new weave bore a distant resemblance to a few elements of what he had been staring at for the better part of the past week.


    Effie confirmed his guess�� the iron locket was a spatial storage Memory. However, it was entirely different from the Coffer.


    That was because, unlike his toothy chest, the locket could store living beings.


    Sunny was really surprised to hear that, but the vigorous huntress simply grinned and promptly demonstrated what she meant.


    Before he knew it, the abyssal darkness of the vortex and the softly illuminated deck of the Chain Breaker disappeared. Instead, he was blinded by bright sunlight.


    When Sunny was able to see again, he found himself standing on a green meadow.


    There were tall hills in the distance, a forest to his right, and a river to his left. The only thing missing was a black dog.


    For a few moments, he felt confused at the fact that there was only one sun in the sky. Where did the other six go?


    Then, Sunny realized where he was and almost jumped in surprise.


    He was just about to send his shadows to explore when Effie retrieved him from the Dog Locket. Suddenly, he was back on the deck of the Chain Breaker.


    The huntress looked really curious.


    "Oh�� I see that you are alive. Good! Did it work?"


    Sunny stared at her in outrage.


    "Wha�� what?! You weren''t certain it would?"


    Effie coughed.


    "This is the first time I summoned the locket, so how would I know? Well�� I was mostly certain. Yeah, definitely."


    He shook his head in exasperation and took a deep breath.


    "...Yes, it worked."


    Sunny described what he had experienced.


    After a bit of exploration, they discovered that the space contained within the locket was not too big. It was about three kilometers across, encompassing the meadow, several hills, a part of the forest,and the river. Beyond the boundary, the world turned into a crude painting, and it was impossible to move further.


    Nevertheless, living beings could indeed be stored in that space. There was even water for them to drink and berries for them to gather in the forest. Needless to say, such a space could be extremely useful.  S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sunny had never seen such a bizarre Memory.


    ''Wow. Supreme Memories are really on another level��''


    The Crown of Twilight was already mind-boggling enough, but Effie''s locket took the prize. Although it was not nearly as powerful as Daeron''s crown, just in terms of uniqueness, it was far ahead.


    ''What a great prize.''


    After taking a short rest, the cohort concentrated on traveling deeper into the abyssal tunnel.

 Chapter 1499 Prince’s Old Clothes

    Chapter 1499 Prince''s Old Clothes 1499 Prince''s Old Clothes


    While Effie was giving Mordret �� who silently listened to her with a strange expression on his usually composed face �� the talk about the birds and the bees, Sunny secretly looked around.


    ''A mirror realm��''


    He had never learned what Mordret''s Ascended Ability was �� and he did not really know now, either. But it seemed to have something to do with establishing a physical space in the realm of reflections, or at least a space capable of containing physical items and living things.


    So, in a sense, Mordret carried within himself a pocket dimension, similar to Effie''s Supreme Memory. It was a pure utility Ability. But there were still many questions about its reach and extent��


    For example, could any reflection become an entrance to this Mirror Realm? No�� he had called it a mirror realm. So could there be many of such realms? What was the scope of the space he could create? What were its limitations?


    The idyllic meadow inside Effie''s locket, for example, was around three kilometers across. Additionally, while she could send people and creatures inside without asking for permission, it was easy to escape �� all one had to do was reach the edge of the small world and attack its painted boundaries.


    With enough force, the fabric of the pocket dimension would come undone, and the locket would be damaged.


    What about Mordret''s mirror realm? He had already shown the ability to pull people inside against their will, even from some distance. How would one escape being trapped in a reflection?


    What powers did Mordret possess within this mirror world that he did not have outside? More than that�� could it be connected to two reflections at the same time, serving as a bridge between two physical places?


    There were too many questions.


    ''No, I''m thinking about it wrong.''


    The Prince of Nothing had not said that this was a manifestation of his Ascended Ability. He had said that it was an extension of it. How had his Ability been extended? Who had extended it?


    And why was there a monster roaming its expanse�� one dangerous enough to make Mordret wary?


    ''Who could invade Mordret''s mirror realm?''


    A dark expression appeared on Sunny''s face.


    He could think of an answer. And that answer was not at all to his liking.


    Finally, Mordret cleared his throat and interrupted Effie.


    "I see. That�� please accept my sincere congratulations... I guess? Congratulations! Ah, but we''ve already spent too much time here. It''s time to leave."


    Before any of them could say anything, the world around them rippled. In the next moment, they found themselves somewhere else�� a place much different from the fallen fortress.


    Sunny tensed.


    There was a vast and somber expanse around them. The grey sky was covered by stormy clouds. The surface beneath their feet was shrouded in white mist. The whole space was suffused with soft light�� and there, high above, a single radiant sphere was shining like a sun, its pale rays falling through the veil of storm clouds.


    It seemed as though vague symbols were carved into the surface of the sun, but Sunny could not see them clearly.


    This place�� resembled a Soul Sea.


    Turning his head slightly, Sunny flinched.


    There were motionless figures standing in a row in front of him. For a moment, he even mistook them for the silent shadows�� but no, they weren''t shadows. They were people, standing in the mist with empty expressions and hollow eyes.


    A handsome young man wearing stylish clothes of the waking world. A woman with a weathered face, wearing cheap synthetic attire. A hunched old man in a plain suit similar to those the government officials wore. A broad-shouldered warrior clad in a suit of armor in the colors of Clan Valor, who looked familiar. A young woman in the uniform of the Evacuation army�� and a few more.


    There were several Nightmare Creatures among them, as well, each more repulsive than the previous one.


    They were�� Mordret''s bodies.


    Noticing Sunny''s appalled gaze, the Prince of Nothing grinned.


    "Perusing my wardrobe? I hope you don''t mind."


    Sunny gritted his teeth and looked at his companions, who all stared at the hollow bodies with repulsed expressions. He shook his head and turned away.


    Mordret chuckled.


    "Why, don''t look at me as if I''m some kind of monster. These people weren''t using their bodies well, anyway. Like this one��"


    He patted the handsome young man on the shoulder.


    "I took his body while he was dangling in a noose. That one had only a few excruciating hours left to live, her body full of poison from years of toil in an underground factory. This one�� well, this one was surprisingly healthy. But he''s had siphoned the credits meant for security measures and falsified inspection results to keep the factory running. Ah, well, the one next to him is a retainer of Clan Valor. Enough said��"


    Mordret shook his head.


    "I too have standards, you know."


    Then, noticing Sunny''s unconvinced gaze �� and perhaps remembering the time he tried to steal Sunny''s own body for no reason whatsoever, apart from convenience �� he added with an elegant smile:


    "...When it suits me. In any case, we should be safe here. This space is mine and mine alone."


    Sunny took a deep breath, then looked around. Finally, he showed a sign of interest.


    "Is this�� you Soul Sea?"  Sear?h the nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mordret took a few steps forward, his feet drowning in the swirling mist, and stopped beneath the pale sun.


    "It is a reflection of my Soul Sea, technically. This is the true manifestation of my Ascended Ability."


    Sunny remained silent for a moment. Suddenly, he remembered the day Nightmare had come into his true power as a Terror, unlocking the [Dream Curse] Ability.


    ''I wonder�� this Ascended Ability of his. Could it be called a lesser mirror domain?''


    But then, he frowned.


    "Wait�� if this is your mirror realm, then what was that reflection of the floating fortress?"


    Mordret smiled silently.


    "What else? It''s a manifestation of the same Ability, just not mine. My powers are not grand enough to encompass an entire city, let alone its surroundings. I simply snuck there like a thief. The true master of that place��"


    He grew silent for a moment and then added in a displeased tone:


    "Is a rather unpleasant fellow. I think he goes by Soul Stealer."

 Chapter 1510 King’s Resentment

    Chapter 1510 King''s Resentment 1510 King''s Resentment


    Sunny could not even turn his head to take a better look at the humans that had appeared above the ruined throne room, standing on the edge of the collapsed sections of the dome.


    At least he knew now that the army of Twilight was not gone. It was still out there, beyond the walls of the palace, fighting against the invading abominations.


    Fighting against the Dread Lord and Soul Stealer.


    ''Thank the dead gods��''


    He had no hope that these few warriors would be able to defeat the dreadful dragon �� if they had the ability, there would have been no need to plunge Twilight into the eternal trap of frozen time, to begin with.


    But they could at least distract the Dread Lord for a few moments, which would give him an opportunity to somehow rid himself of the command�� perhaps. Once Sunny was free and reunited with the other members of the cohort, they would join the defenders of the city and help them slay the Defiled Saints.


    He was already planning his next actions when something strange happened.


    The people who had climbed the dome of the palace jumped down into the throne room without hesitation. Which wasn''t that strange in and of itself�� except for the fact that not all of them were equally powerful.


    The few Masters among them landed easily, ready to attack the next moment. The Awakened warriors were less graceful, crashing heavily on the marble floor.


    Most frightening of all was that there were mundane humans among them, as well. The height of the dome was too great for them to survive the fall. They hit the floor with repulsive sounds, painting it with their blood. Dying senselessly.


    ''What�� what are they doing?''


    Witnessing the dreadful scene, Sunny felt horrified.


    Dozens of people were emotionlessly jumping to their deaths, not even hesitating before taking the fatal plunge. It was so appalling, so meaningless��


    So inhuman.


    His eyes widened as a terrible suspicion surfaced in his mind.


    As those of the warriors who were strong enough to survive the jump dashed forward to attack their enemy, the harrowing dragon simply swiped his tail, pulverizing their bodies into puddles of blood. A crimson haze spread through the dim twilight of the great hall.


    Sunny was suddenly nauseated.


    ''Soul Stealer�� those people�� were taken by Soul Stealer��''


    The strangeness that he had felt from the moment the cohort entered Twilight�� the eerily emotionless faces of the defenders of the city�� their cold, empty eyes��


    The morbid revelations that Nephis had experienced moments before flooded Sunny''s mind, forcing him to shudder �� or at least try to. The Dread Lord''s command held his body firmly in place.  S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''Impossible, impossible��''


    There were millions of people in Twilight. How could Soul Stealer have possessed them all? What kind of monster could do that? What kind of conscience could control millions of puppets, reflecting false copies of their souls?


    He reeled, remembering the ghastly being they had seen in the mirror version of Twilight.


    That being �� the reflection of Soul Stealer''s own twisted soul �� had looked like a repulsive amalgamation of countless humans and Nightmare Creatures, all joined together into an abominable patchwork monster.


    A demented, fractured monster like that probably could.


    Sunny felt utter despair, but also a strong desire to curse.


    ''That goddamn Mordret�� even when he''s on our side, he''s still such a disaster!''


    How could a person be such a bad omen? Whenever the Prince of Nothing appeared, something utterly terrible was bound to happen!


    ''Calm down.''


    There was no point in seething with anger at Mordret. There was no point in wondering how Soul Stealer could have devoured all of Twilight, or why he and the Dread Lord were fighting each other�� none of that would help Sunny survive the current situation.


    It was also not going to help him salvage that situation.


    ��But could it even be salvaged? Weren''t all of them already doomed? The plan had been based on completely wrong information from the very start!


    ''No�� we can still win, somehow.''


    There had to be a way.


    Sunny felt sick to his stomach and frightened for Nephis and the rest of his companions, who were lost somewhere out there, on the streets of Twilight, surrounded by the numerous bodies of Soul Stealer. Especially Effie, who was much more vulnerable to the insidious powers of the mirror wraith than the rest of them.


    But he could not do anything about that, at least not now.


    In fact, Sunny had his own dire problem to deal with.


    The Dread Lord might not have been as utterly horrific as Soul Stealer, but he was still a foe far more dreadful than words could describe. And dealing with him�� was now up to Sunny.


    No matter what else happened, the tyrant of Verge had to die.


    ''I have to kill that fiend�� I have to kill him, somehow.''


    The Dread Lord had already dealt with the Soul Stealer puppets that had pursued him into the throne room, but more were pouring over the edge of the broken dome like morbid rain.


    The two Plagues were fighting each other, which was good for the cohort. But their clash did not mean that Sunny and his companions would not be destroyed in the process�� in fact, now that they were here in Verge, they had become alluring tools for the Defiled Saints.


    The Dread Lord was, without a doubt, capable of using his authority to turn them into deadly weapons against Soul Stealer. Soul Stealer, meanwhile, could empower himself even further by taking their bodies.


    ''Damn it all.''


    The Dread Lord''s authority�� it was a manifestation of Kai''s Ascended Ability. And Kai''s Ascended Ability was a mental attack, of sorts.


    Sunny already possessed a very high resistance to mental attacks, but that resistance was relative. It was enough, for example, to shrug off an order given to him by Kai �� a fellow Master. But in front of a Defiled Saint, and one as immensely powerful as the Dread Lord, it had proved to be insufficient.


    A complete immunity to mental attacks, however, was much less relative. In fact, it was closer to being absolute.


    As fate would have it, Sunny possessed a Memory that could grant them just that�� albeit at a cost.


    Unable to move, he used the Shroud of Dusk to send Kai a mental message:


    [Kai�� listen to me carefully.]


    His friend did not move �� he was unable to �� but his response arrived shortly:


    [...I''m listening.]


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    [When I start moving, think of me as an enemy. Don''t get close. It�� will be dangerous.]


    With that, he sent his essence into the Crown of Twilight.


    [King''s Resentment] Enchantment Description: "This Memory grants the wearer complete immunity to mind attacks, but plagues them with irresistible wrath instead."


    The next moment, Sunny felt the invisible shackles holding him in place shattering.


    ��And at the same time, he felt a fury so vast that it couldn''t be described with words shattering his mind.


    His thoughts were incinerated by the terrible, mad, boundless ire. He lost awareness of who he was, what he had to do, what he hoped to achieve. All he knew was that he had to destroy, kill, hurt, annihilate�� everything. Everyone.


    All of them!


    ''I''m�� Lost�� from Light��''


    Some small vestige of his sanity remembered to utter his True Name, hoping that it would anchor his crumbling mind. But it didn''t work. All it did was remind him of the tools he had at his disposal to visit utter devastation upon the world.


    A low, bestial growl escaped from his mouth.


    And then, a wicked smile appeared on his lips.


    The Crown of Twilight�� had another gift to give him.


    A nearly endless amount of essence. Now that the defensive array was deactivated, nothing was draining his reserves anymore. It was all at his disposal��


    Jumping forward, Sunny called upon the shadows, surrounding himself in a sea of them.


    ��Then, a giant serpent with black scales, clad in a fearsome onyx armor, emerged from the sea of shadows, murderous wrath burning in his mad eyes. Slithering across the ruined floor of Daeron''s palace with stunning speed, the monstrous serpent created in his image lunged at the towering dragon and coiled himself around the winged horror''s mighty body.


    Without wasting a single moment, Sunny opened his terrifying maw and tried to sink his fangs into the Dread Lord''s neck.

 Chapter 1535 Seven Heroes

    Chapter 1535 Seven Heroes  1535 Seven Heroes


    The members of the cohort were standing on the pier, surrounded by a crowd of people. Because of how strange the lives of the Riverborn were, all these people seemed to be very young�� Sunny was not that old himself, and yet, he couldn''t help but feel that he was a seasoned elder looking at countless children.


    The glint of awe and admiration in their eyes did nothing to lessen the impression. He remained motionless for a few moments, feeling strangely burdened by their gazes.


    The members of the cohort had different reactions to the warm welcome they received from the citizens of Falling Grace, ranging from nonchalance to embarrassment. It was at that moment that Cassie took a step forward and spoke, her voice rising above the crowd:


    "People of Fallen Grace�� after being apart for so long, we finally meet again."


    She smiled, and the crowd of youths exploded with exhilarated cheers. The blind seer leaned on her white staff, waiting for them to calm down, then raised it slightly.


    "I am Dusk of Fallen Grace. And today, I return home bearing the sacred relic of our city, the Guiding Light bestowed upon us by the gods themselves!"


    Sunny felt a bit odd observing her speak to her people. The sight of Cassie right now was so different from how she had been before. He knew it better than anyone else, because his shadow had been following the blind girl for the past two months.


    Cassie was usually quiet, reserved, and unassuming. Even when surrounded by people, her presence was subtle to the point of being unnoticeable, sometimes making it hard to remember that the blind girl was there.


    That was only because Sunny was accustomed to her company, of course �� most people would find it hard to ignore the presence of such an exquisitely beautiful Ascended. Still, Cassie was not someone who enjoyed attention. On the contrary, she seemed to be in the habit of avoiding it.


    Which was why he felt strange watching her command the attention of a large crowd, and do it so seamlessly at that. Cassie played the role of a confident leader so effortlessly that it made him question what other parts of her personality were an act.


    ''Calm down. That is the Sin of Solace talking, not you.''


    Unaware of his thoughts, the blind girl lowered the Guiding Light and continued, the crowd hanging on her every word.


    "I return in the company of mighty Outsiders, as well. These brave warriors have come from all across the Great River to help us battle against the vile curse of the Defilement. Please, help me welcome them to Fallen Grace, the last stronghold of humanity under the seven suns!"


    She turned slightly and gestured to the members of the cohort, calling out their names one after another:


    "I bring Nightingale, the Dragonslayer, who felled the harrowing Dread Lord! I bring Jet, the Soul Reaper, who put an end to Undying Slaughter! I bring Lady Nephis, the Changing Star, whose holy flames vanquished Soul Stealer! I bring Mordret, the valiant prince of a distant land, and huntress Athena, whose spear always strikes true!"


    She faced Sunny. Did he imagine it, or had her expression changed subtly, for a fleeting moment?


    "...And Lord Sunless, the heir of the Serpent King, who broke the chains of time and brought down the dreadful citadel of the First Seeker!"


    ''What the hell��''


    Sunny was a bit surprised by that introduction. Yes, he wore the crown of King Daeron, and yes, he had technically played a vital part in destroying Aletheia''s Island �� which used to be the stronghold of the woman who had become known as the First Seeker.


    But wasn''t that a little bit too much?


    Cassie, meanwhile, turned back to the crowd.


    "The Dread Lord is no more. Undying Slaughter is no more. Soul Stealer is no more. Devouring Beast is no more, and so is the Mad Prince! The heroes standing in front of you have already dealt a decisive blow to the harrowing forces of the Defilement, spilling the profane blood of its most dreadful champions!"


    She paused for a moment, and then continued, her voice swelling with confidence and passion:


    "And just like we broke and vanquished the Plagues, we will break the walls of Verge, and vanquish the First Seeker! We will destroy the source of the Defilement and bring peace to the Great River, allowing human cities to flourish once more! I, Dusk of Fallen Grace, promise this to you!"  S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If the crowd of youths was excited and elated before, Cassie''s impassioned speech truly made their hearts ignite. A wave of voices slammed into the cohort like a tide, echoing above the waves.


    Even Sunny couldn''t help but feel the impact of the blind girl''s words. He had already known everything she shared with the people of Fallen Grace, and yet, presented in such a light, the situation truly did seem worthy of being celebrated.


    Had he allowed his pessimism to get the better of him?


    No�� no, he had not. Cassie might have wanted to reassure these poor people, who had been at the mercy of the Great River for so long, but he knew better.


    Sure, five of the six Plagues were no more, and sure, the cohort had a perfect weapon against the horrid power of the First Seeker �� Nephis. But the Nightmare was far from over, still. Torment remained, and so did the remnant forces of the Defilement under her command.


    Verge still existed, somewhere far away. It was where the Defilement had started, and would therefore be the most harrowing of all the places they had visited on the Great River, without a doubt.


    But still��


    Perhaps, he could allow himself to relax and believe in a better future, at least for a day.


    Looking at the sea of delighted youths, Sunny took a deep breath and smiled.


    ''There won''t be opportunities to smile and celebrate later. So�� I better take this chance to enjoy some peace.''


    Leaning down a little, he whispered in Cassie''s ear:


    "Since when are you so good at addressing crowds?"


    She remained silent for a moment.


    "Since I found myself in charge of a crowded city, I guess?"


    Smiling, Cassie shook her head and took a step forward. The mass of people parted before her like a sea.

 Chapter 1538 Lord’s Wisdom

    Chapter 1538 Lord''s Wisdom 1538 Lord''s Wisdom


    While the Chain Breaker was receiving light repairs, the members of the cohort were left to their own devices. Those who had never been to Fallen Grace spent time exploring its island-ships and getting to know the locals. Cassie was busy arranging things for when she was gone.


    Sunny�� Sunny did not really want to look at the beautiful city of eternal dusk. It made him wistful, and so, he threw himself back into weaving, knowing that there was not much time left.


    He did, however, continue to observe the blind girl through one of his shadows �� out of habit more than anything else, by now, since she had never done anything to confirm the accusations made by the Sin of Solace in the past two months.


    He also sent one of his shadows to keep an eye on Mordret. Sunny was certain that Cassie was doing the same, as well �� the Prince of Nothing could not be trusted to be on his best behavior in a city full of people. Especially people who were inhabitants of a Nightmare, and therefore no different from his countless victims in the Kingdom of Hope.


    But Mordret did not seem inclined to go on a massacre in Fallen Grace. In fact, he was mostly interested in its myths and legends, of all things, spending his days talking to people on the streets and listening to their stories.


    The people seem to enjoy his company.


    On the third day of their stay in the last human city, Sunny successfully altered the Transcendent arrow Memory Nephis had earned in Twilight, elevating its Rank to Supreme.


    The onerous process of transplanting a new nexus and reinforcing the weave to withstand it left him drained and fatigued. So, Sunny decided to let himself rest and left the temple, eventually finding his way to the edge of the island-ship.


    Sitting down there, he observed the busy canals of Fallen Grace and allowed his tired mind to rest.


    It was not long after that when Cronos found him, brimming with endless curiosity, just like always.


    Today, however, the teenagers at least tried to keep it in check. Noticing his strange behavior, Sunny raised his eyebrow and asked:  Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What''s on your mind?"


    The young man hesitated for a while, but eventually asked:


    "Lord Sunless�� I heard that you won''t be returning from Verge. Is it true?"


    Sunny looked at him, frowning a little. Then, he looked away and sighed.


    "Sure. We aren''t planning to die, mind you. It''s just that we are Outsiders. Once the Defilement is destroyed, it''s back to the Outside for us."


    Cronos seemed saddened by that response. He stared at the water dejectedly.


    "What is it like, really? The world outside Ariel''s Tomb? What are you going to do after leaving here?"


    Sunny blinked a couple of times.


    Indeed, what would he do after leaving the Nightmare? He had no idea. It was hard to tell, considering that the state of Antarctica �� and the waking world in general �� was entirely unknown.


    The war between Valor and Song would probably grow more intense. The Nightmare Gates would continue to pop into existence, slowly consuming the waking world and making it a part of the Dream Realm. No matter how much Sunny wanted to simply live a good life, he knew that these events would not let him remain a bystander.


    After a few moments of silence, he shrugged.


    "Well, it''s more or less the same. There is no Defilement, but there is still Corruption. Nightmare Creatures are running around devouring people, so Awakened like me need to keep them in check. So I''ll probably be battling some hideous abomination every other day, cursing loudly. That''s life for you. The secret to a happy life, though, is to do all these things in good company. Oh... and in a place with good plumbing."


    He glanced at the teenager and smiled.


    "Why? What are you going to do after we get rid of the Defilement? Are you really going to the House of Youth?"


    Cronos laughed awkwardly.


    "Well�� I will, eventually. But probably not just yet."


    He looked into the distance, at the bustling streets of Fallen Grace, and sighed.


    "In truth, I''ve been sensing my soul essence recently, a bit. So I''ll probably work on forming a soul core and becoming an Awakened. Even if you and the other lords and ladies defeat the First Seeker and vanquish the Defilement, there will still be corrupted creatures left, threatening our city. Someone has to defend it after you leave."


    Cronos smiled.


    "Plus, I''ve always been interested in how the city works. All these people, all these moving parts�� it''s a bit of a miracle that a place like Fallen Grace can exist, don''t you think? Lady Dusk has always been taking care of us. What are we going to do without her?"


    His eyes turned cloudy for a moment, but then shone brightly once again. Wiping them, he smiled again.


    "I want to make sure that Fallen Grace continues to exist�� and thrive, just like she told us to. For myself, my wife, and our future children. Ah, but I''m just some brat. So, I figured I should become really strong first. Like you, Lord Sunless! So that people had no choice but to listen to what I had to say."


    Sunny looked at him incredulously.


    Cronos was, indeed, just some brat. But all great people whose deeds shaped history had been brats, once. Would this kid become a great leader, one day? Would his actions shape the future of Fallen Grace, and create a world where his children could grow up safe and happy? Would the stories of his deeds become legends, one day?


    Or would he disappear without a trace once the Nightmare was complete?


    Sunny forced himself to smile.


    "Strong like me? Brat, do you think people actually listen to what I have to say? Stronger! Become much stronger than me. Then, they''ll listen."


    With that, he patted the teenager on the shoulder and rose to his feet.


    The charm Memory waited to be altered. The day of their departure from Fallen Grace was drawing near.


    "Stronger than you, my lord? B��but... no, that''s just unreasonable!"


    Sunny looked at the startled youth with a smile, then shook his head and headed away.


    "Then be unreasonable!"


    Imparting Cronos with that piece of questionable wisdom, he returned to the temple and spent a few sleepless hours going over his plans for altering the Transcendent charm. He felt that he had already accounted for everything that could go wrong�� so he would probably be ready to start the process once his essence was replenished by the Crown of Twilight.


    Just when the night fell, however, something distracted him from the preparations.


    After wasting its time for months, the shadow that had been following Cassie finally noticed something strange about her movements.

 Chapter 1539 Sybil’s Secrets

    Chapter 1539 Sybil''s Secrets Sunny was in his quarters, going over the plan for altering the Transcendent charm. Outside, Fallen Grace was bathed in the beautiful glow of the iridescent water. The short night had descended on the world, shrouding the sky in absolute darkness. In that dark hour, Cassie was walking along the corridors of the temple �� which wasn''t that strange, in and of itself, if not for the fact that she was alone. Usually, the two deaf guards would be following behind her, but they were nowhere to be seen. The only thing accompanying the blind girl was the shadow Sunny had sent to keep an eye on her. Back in his quarters, he straightened and frowned, distracted from envisioning the complicated tapestry of the charm''s spellweave. ''What is she up to?''


    Cassie had not given him any reason to feel worried in these past two months�� honestly, monitoring her movements was an afterthought by now. Sunny had certainly hoped that it would remain that way. Feeling a bit somber, he glanced at the motionless figure standing a few meters away. The Sin of Solace was staring at him silently, not bothering to say anything. However, his gaze expressed more than enough. Sunny winced, then looked away. "Don''t you glare at me. I''m sure it''s nothing."


    He said that�� but did not command the shadow to back away. Instead, he dedicated more of his attention to observing Cassie. The blind girl certainly did not seem pensive or secretive. She calmly walked along the winding stone corridors, tracing her fingers on the wall. Her other hand was holding the leather-bound journal. ''Maybe her guards are asleep.''


    Sunny returned to considering the weave while keeping an eye on Cassie. She walked for quite some time, eventually entering the part of the temple that he was not familiar with. These chambers were used for preparing for public rituals, so Sunny had no business being there. Cassie, on the other hand, seemed very familiar with that area of the temple. She made a few more turns and stopped in front of an unassuming wooden door. A mundane-looking key appeared in her hand. Unlocking the door, Cassie entered a narrow staircase that led down, spiraling. Sunny''s frown deepened.


    ''What the hell?''


    She was already on the first floor of the temple. Why was there a way further down, into the frame of the island-ship?


    But then again, maybe it was normal. The human cities on the Great River were kept in place by various means, ranging from sails and windcatchers to sorcerous mechanisms. Perhaps Cassie was on her way to inspect the moving parts of one such mechanism. She descended the stairs for some time before entering a dark and damp network of service tunnels running under the temple. Sunny had not known that there were such corridors there, but it made sense. The mechanisms responsible for allowing the island-ship to resist the current had to be inspected and repaired from time to time. Fallen Grace, especially, was reliant on such mechanisms. It was situated not too far from the Edge, after all, and so the pull of the current was more powerful here. Cassie walked along the dark corridors for a little bit and unlocked another door, entering a small chamber. Sunny was suddenly unable to concentrate on weaving anymore. His face darkened. The chamber was just what he had expected it to be �� it housed a complicated mess of gears and chains that spun and moved, transferring the energy from the wind and the enchantment circuits into the underwater wheels that kept the island-ship stationary. It was a bit like entering the insides of a tower clock, if that tower clock had been built with the help of sorcery. In a sense, Sunny was looking at the River Civilization''s version of spelltech. However, that was not what attracted his attention. The chamber and the intricate gears were what he had been expecting to see. What he had not expected, however, was that the floor of the chamber was broken, creating a rough, circular well. The menacing hole certainly did not look like something that had been planned by the builders of the temple. Instead, it looked like something that had been created much later, and much more violently.


    He could hear the sounds of flowing water coming from its dark depths. ''...Why is there a well at the bottom of the Temple of Dusk?''


    His shadow hid in the darkness of the underground chamber, observing Cassie carefully. The blind girl did not seem surprised by the presence of the strange well. Neither did she pay it any attention. Locking the door behind her, she circled around the open chasm and approached the opposite wall of the chamber. There, hidden behind a throng of spinning gears, a simple desk stood near the wall, with several chests and cabinets surrounding it. The underground chamber was absolutely dark, and there were no lanterns anywhere in sight. Of course, Cassie had no need for them. Coming closer to the desk, she lingered for a few moments, facing it with a distant expression. Then, she moved past it and kneeled near one of the chests, placing a hand on its heavy lid. Several strings of runes ignited on the wooden surface, and the chest opened noiselessly, revealing what was stored inside it. Sunny tilted his head, his expression turning somber. Inside the chest�� were leather-bound journals, just like the one Cassie was carrying. Dozens of them, or maybe even hundreds. There were several chests like that one in the underground chamber, as well, all locked with sorcerous locks.


    The blind girl remained motionless for a while, then sighed deeply and placed the last journal on the pile.


    Then, she closed the lid of the chest, kept her hand on it for a few moments, and rose. Turning away, she approached the edge of the dark well and lowered her head, listening to the sounds of the flowing water with a distant expression.


    Cassie stood there for several minutes, unmoving. Separated from her by hundreds of meters and numerous stone walls, Sunny grew tense, ready to step through the shadows and appear in the underground chamber should something reach for the blind girl from the cold darkness. ''What the hell is that place? Did Dusk leave those things behind?''  S��arch* The n??el Fire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It would make sense for the sybil who had lived in the temple for centuries to leave many traces here, including her personal records. However, what was with the ominous well leading to the dark waters? Sunny gritted his teeth. But in the end, nothing happened. Cassie clenched her fists, turned away from the underground well, and left the chamber the way she came. Ascending the narrow steps, she reentered the temple proper and traced her way back to her quarters, entering them through a private passage. It was only then that Sunny allowed his tense body to relax. His mind, however, was anything but calm. ''Why would Dusk have a secret like that?''


    He hesitated for a while, then felt a cold chill run down his spine. ''...Or does it have nothing to do with Dusk, at all?''

 Chapter 1548 Final Act

    Chapter 1548  Final Act She studied the waters and put her hand on the hilt of her sword. The enchanted scabbard was the same, but the blade it sheathed was different. The longsword bestowed upon her by the great clan Valor had been destroyed in Twilight, and replaced by the silver blade, which was currently molded to a similar shape. That weapon was a reward Nephis received for slaying Soul Stealer �� a Defiled Saint who had once been a prince of the same clan. Whether there was some symbolism to one replacing the other, Sunny did not know. Nephis turned slightly, looking at Cassie, and asked:


    "How long before we reach Verge?"


    The blind girl was the best at steering the Chain Breaker, the most familiar with the slate map created by the sybils, and the one who had spent the most time among the River People. So, she was their navigator. Cassie lingered for a moment. "No more than two days, if we sail at moderate speed. More if we want to be truly careful�� less if we want to abandon caution."


    Noting the answer, Nephis glanced at Mordret:


    "Is there danger close to us?"


    The Prince of Nothing had been a bit cagey about the particulars of how his Aspect worked, but by now, they knew many things about it. For example, the distance at which Sunny could control his shadows as an Ascended Terror was somewhere around twenty-four kilometers. His perception was limited to what the shadows perceived, though. Mordret''s Dormant Ability, on the contrary, allowed him to perceive the world through any reflection within a similar range �� adjusted for the fact that he was merely a Beast at the moment.


    It also allowed him to travel physically between these reflections.


    Considering that the entire Great River was one giant reflective surface, the Prince of Nothing was nearly omniscient in a considerable area around him.


    His Awakened Ability, meanwhile, was what made him so terrifying �� the Ability to enter a being''s soul through their eyes and possess their body, wearing it as a costume. That Ability, too, would make him a priceless ally during the approaching battle. Mordret remained silent for a few moments, then shook his head. "I don''t see anything moving. The current itself is a bit strange, though. It''s�� eerie. We''ll see it soon, an area where the water is a little bit darker than usual. I would suggest avoiding that area completely, as well as any other place similar to it."


    Nephis looked ahead, then nodded. "We will proceed at a moderate pace, then, for one day. Then, we will anchor the Chain Breaker and scout the approach to Verge before moving closer."


    She hesitated, and then added in a steady tone:


    "Be alert. These waters have to be brimming with the Defiled�� if we meet one, we can''t let it escape alive and alert the others. We can''t allow anything to see us before we see it, either. You all know what to do."


    Sunny felt a little troubled. Since Nephis was addressing a group, and not him personally, her words were not equal to an order. Still, he felt a bit of a chill while hearing these words.  S~ea??h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But she was right.


    They did, indeed, know what to do. All of this had been discussed over and over again already. The cohort was prepared as well as it could have been, considering the lack of information about the state of the Defiled city and its current ruler. Torment��


    Sunny frowned. She had to know that they were coming. Why wasn''t anyone here to welcome them to Verge, then? All of them had expected to be ambushed by the Defiled abominations the moment the Chain Breaker left the black void. And yet, nothing happened. What was the Last Plague planning?


    Feeling uneasy, he went about raising the ship''s sails. They were going to sail on water, for now, to not be so easily spotted. The seven suns drowned in the water, suffusing it with beautiful light. The impenetrable darkness devoured the sky �� now that Sunny knew about the great swarm of monstrous butterflies hiding somewhere out there, in that darkness, the night seemed far more dreadful. Almost impossibly so.


    But there were monsters hiding in the River, as well. Before dawn came, the cohort clashed with several Defiled abominations. Each of them was more powerful than the Nightmare Creatures they had usually fought upstream, and far more cunning. Thankfully, the might of the seven Masters was more than enough to deal with these solitary abominations. Although it took some effort, none of the Defiled managed to escape. Those who tried were chased after and finished off by Kai, who was the fastest of them all. His arrows could strike true from a startling distance, as well �� armed with incredible sight and a powerful bow, the archer was a deadly presence on the Great River. Much more dangerous than the solitary abominations were the waters themselves. Here near the Source, they were turbulent and unpredictable, often hiding fatal hazards. The Chain Breaker avoided the truly inescapable ones thanks to Cassie''s intuition, and fought through the rest, protected by its enchantments and the sacred tree. Finally, the sky turned bright again. By the time all seven suns climbed high, the first of the two days they had been supposed to spend traveling to Verge came to an end. At that moment, they planned to raise the ship above the water, so that it would not be pulled downstream by the current, and organize a scouting mission to stealthily approach the Defiled city.


    However�� that plan had to be scrambled. It was because, unexpectedly, they had already reached Verge. Or rather, its foundation. Sunny peered ahead, his expression incredulous. His eyes widened slightly. ''These madmen�� how did they create it?''


    In front of them, the eternally flowing waters of the Great River turned to ice. A vast landmass formed by it stretched as far as the eye could see, disappearing beyond the horizon �� too great to be called a mere island, and somehow entirely unaffected by the current. Frozen in place. There was sand and lifeless soil covering the rough surface of the endless plain of ice, with rolling hills and dry riverbeds. Skeletal trees rose into the air, bereft of leaves or life. Here and there, mounds of black stone rose, forming a forest of twisted pillars. In short, Sunny saw something that he had never expected to see in the Tomb of Ariel��


    Land.

 Chapter 1551 Left Behind

    Chapter 1551  Left Behind The five members of the cohort were gone, off to scout the approach to Verge. Sunny felt uneasy and worried about their safety, but not tremendously so. Each of them was a powerhouse in their own right, and possessed a wealth of experience when it came to moving stealthily through a region infested with Nightmare Creatures. Nephis, Kai, and Effie were veterans of the Forgotten Shore, where humans had been at the very bottom of the food chain. Effie, who had hunted in the Dark City alone for many years, was especially proficient in navigating dangerous terrain without alerting anyone or anything of her presence. Jet had already been a frightening existence before the Southern Campaign, and grew only more tenacious after going through the disastrous months in the Antarctic Center, followed by serving in the military reconnaissance in East Antarctica.


    Mordret was by far the most slippery of the five, so even if Sunny was inclined to care about his well-being, the bastard was the last person in the Tomb of Ariel he would be worried about. So, the scouts were more than capable of fulfilling their mission unscathed. If anything, Sunny was more concerned about himself and Cassie. The restlessness he had felt for the past few months reached an apex, telling him that something was about to happen. The Sin of Solace was not shy about voicing his opinion, either:


    "You''ve done it now, fool. What madness made you think that staying here alone with her was a good idea? It wasn''t me, that''s for sure. Now, you are completely defenseless against whatever new betrayal she had in mind, with no one to cover your back."


    Sunny looked at him somberly, then turned away. Saint, Fiend, and Nightmare were still aboard the Chain Breaker. So, the loathsome wraith was wrong �� there was someone to cover his back. There were plenty. ''No, that''s wrong��''


    Why would he even need that? Cassie was not going to betray the cohort. That was just his paranoia talking. Sunny frowned, realizing that this state of his was a bit concerning. He had grown so used to the Sin of Solace that listening to the apparition''s poison was already a habit. It had failed to drive him insane due to Sunny''s robust mental defenses�� but maybe the sinister whispers of the cursed sword were having some effect on him, after all. Then again, maybe it was simply the result of the incredible mental strain he had been exposed to in the Tomb of Ariel.


    ''Is that how the Mad Prince started to slip, as well?''


    Feeling grim, Sunny filtered out the incessant whispers of the sword wraith and went about his business. Cassie softly landed the Chain Breaker on the water and brought it close to the shore of the ice land, hiding it in the shadow of a tall rock mound. Sunny moored the ship, making sure that the ropes could be cut at a moment''s notice. Then, there was nothing for them to do but wait and remain on guard.


    While Sunny was consumed by alarm and doubt, Cassie seemed perfectly at ease. If she had been surprised by his sudden decision to stay back �� which, in all honesty, went against how he would usually act �� she did not show it. The blind girl remained at the stern of the ship, ready to activate the runic circle and send the Chain Breaker into the air the moment there was danger. Sunny, meanwhile, was in charge of watching out for said danger. One of his shadows continued to keep an eye on Cassie, while the other five spread out to have a better view of the environment. He commanded Saint and Fiend to remain on the ship and sent Nightmare to hide in the shadows on top of the mound they were moored to. Hours passed in tense silence, with nothing happening. ��It was strange, really. Torment had been like a scarecrow in Sunny''s mind. He had enjoyed the benefit of having Cassie around for long enough to know how potent and miraculous, albeit not applicable in a direct confrontation for the most part, her powers were. So, he was understandably wary of the Defiled version of the blind seer, not to mention if that Defiled was a Saint. What was Torment''s Transformation Ability? How had her other Abilities grown, and what was she capable of? There were no answers, which only made Sunny feel more nervous. If there was one thing he did know, however, it was that the Last Plague would be attuned to fate and revelations to an incredible degree. Which meant that she would have means of knowing when she was in danger.


    The arrival of the cohort was definitely a dire danger. They had already exterminated the other Plagues, after all. So, Sunny had been fully prepared to fight their way to Verge through a sea of abominations. However, there had been no one waiting for them when they descended from the black void. There was no one laying in ambush at the shores of the frozen landmass, either. Even now, when the members of the cohort had split up into three teams, nothing appeared to attack them while they were separated from each other. Why was that? Was Torment, perhaps, unable to receive any visions of fate in the Tomb of Ariel, just like Cassie was unable to see anything except darkness in hers?


    That would certainly make things easier.


    If Cassie was really unable to see the future��


    Was Torment''s strange passivity the result of the Mad Prince''s schemes?


    Sunny was full of alarm and ready for something perilous to happen, but nothing was happening. That only added to his frustration. Cassie remained on the stern, acting like nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Hours slowly passed, and then, the night came. The seven suns drowned in the water, and the Great River ignited with a soft, iridescent glow. Even the massive plain of ice shone dimly, illuminating itself with a pale, ghostly radiance. Bathed in that radiance, pillars of black stone were like a forest of colossal, dead trees. Sunny remained on the deck for a while, looking in the direction of Verge and wondering how the members of the cohort were doing. After a while, he went to the stern and spoke with Cassie about taking turns guarding the ship. "My shadows will wake me up instantly if something happens. So�� if there''s danger, just keep yourself alive for a few seconds. I''ll be there before you know it."


    The blind girl nodded seriously. "Of course. Go, and try to rest well. There probably won''t be a chance to do so after the scouts return."


    Sunny hesitated for a bit, then descended below deck and entered his cabin. Laying down on his cot, he closed his eyes and relaxed his body. He also controlled his heartbeat and breathing, making them as calm and natural as he could. Pretending to be asleep.


    But, of course, Sunny was not asleep. Instead, he was observing Cassie.


    If she really intended to do something in secret, and his decision to stay behind put a wrench in her plans, now would be the perfect moment for her to act.


    And, indeed, after some time passed��


    Cassie did.  sea??h th�� ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 1559 Thousand Cuts

    Chapter 1559  Thousand Cuts "Mordret, Mordret�� you remained pretty passive in the Second Nightmare, didn''t you? The only time you shared your knowledge of the future with me�� was to tell me that he couldn''t be allowed to enter the Ivory Tower."


    Sunny hesitated for a moment, then smiled crookedly:


    "But then, what you really wanted to achieve was not preventing him from entering the Ivory Tower, was it? It was making sure that he entered the Ebony Tower instead, and collected whatever it was that Nether had left there. By telling me that one sentence, you achieved exactly that."


    He felt as if the ground was disappearing from beneath his feet. What had happened to Mordret in the Ebony Tower? The Prince of Nothing had not shared that information completely, but he did mention that after leaving it, he was much harder to find with the help of divination. The strange, vague symbols Sunny had seen on Mordret''s soul core were the result of that. Why would Cassie want the bastard to be resistant to her power? To make sure that Soul Stealer could go against Torment? Or simply to ensure that Valor would not be able to track their exile prince before the time was right? Or for something that would happen in the future?


    What else? What else had Cassie done, subtly manipulating the events of the past years?


    Was it a coincidence that the two of them had met Morgan at the Academy on the day that Nephis returned from her Second Nightmare? Surely, no. That was why Sunny had been there the moment she woke up, to welcome her back. Nephis then spent a month living in his house, then announced her decision to join Valor at the ball�� making him leave in anger and enlist for the Southern Campaign. Which was why he was present in the Antarctic Center during the battle against the Remnant of the Jade Queen, and received the Sin of Solace.


    Later, Cassie helped him escape the endless tunnel by sending him toward the Heart of Darkness. She also manipulated the battle against the immense horde of Nightmare Creatures as Morgan''s adviser, making sure that Sunny was in the right place, at the right time, to deal the final blow to the Fallen Titan, Defiled Seeker of Truth, and therefore received the Mirror of Truth from it.


    Finally, she was there at the Battle of the Black Skull, without a doubt knowing what would happen. She was in the Nightmare Desert, as well, eventually entering the Nightmare of the Great River with the six other powerful Masters �� Sunny, Nephis, Mordret, Kai, Effie, and Jet.


    And these instances were only what Sunny could remember, and had experienced personally. There was no telling how many strings Cassie had really pulled from behind the curtain, how many people she had influenced, and how many coincidences she had engineered to arrange for everything to happen in accordance with her wishes. The scale of the brilliant web she had woven was nothing short of astonishing... and terrifying. Of course, it was impossible to say that she was solely responsible for how these events had happened. Fate flowed, pulling everyone with its current, after all�� and even if the details were to change, Sunny was pretty sure that he would have ended up in Antarctica one way or another. Nephis would have probably ended up siding with Valor, one way or another. The Chain of Nightmare would have happened no matter what Cassie could have done. Song and Valor would have clashed, hiding their war on the battlefields of the Southern Quadrant.


    But that was precisely what Cassie was doing, wasn''t it? Pulling on the strings of fate ever so minutely, compared to the grand scale of the inconceivable tapestry, and pushing toward her goal through these insignificant changes. One change had no meaning. Two changes had no weight, as well�� but a thousand? Ten thousand? By altering the details of countless inevitable events ever so slightly, she was creating a chain reaction of changes, which grew like an avalanche, threatening to alter the entire flow of the river of fate�� the flow that was supposed to be unchangeable.


    Could it work?


    Sunny was not sure.  S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He felt like some of the changes Cassie had caused were more important than others, though. The Sin of Solace and the Mirror of Truth, these two Memories�� somehow, he felt that they were the key to Cassie''s intent. There was no need to explain the significance of the Sin of Solace. That Memory, containing the whisper of the builder of the Tomb, was perhaps the most important piece at play here, in the Third Nightmare. It was responsible for creating the Mad Prince, after all�� and therefore introducing a variable into the endlessly repeating cycles of the Great River. A single variable that introduced utter chaos to the entire system. The Mirror of Truth was also very significant. Not only because its runes described a conversation between Weaver and Ariel, but also because it was the sole instrument that could allow someone to replicate Neph''s [Longing] Ability, thus making them immune to Corruption for a short period of time. The First Seeker was a vast source of Corruption, which Aletheia had been plagued by after learning the truth of the Estuary. Sunny did not need to think long to understand how important the Mirror of Truth was. Still�� none of it really explained what exactly Cassie was planning, and what she meant by saying that Sunny could become a weapon to destroy fate.


    There were a million questions on his mind, but he threw them all away, looking at the beautiful young woman with a somber expression. After a bit of silence, Sunny said hoarsely:


    "You don''t seem to be denying any of it."


    Cassie shrugged. "Why should I deny it?"


    She faced him, then closed her eyes suddenly, letting out a long sigh. "Honestly, it''s a relief. I''ve been keeping it all to myself for too long, so�� it''s refreshing, to be able to share it with someone. To be witnessed by someone. Maybe it''s selfish, but I�� am glad that you finally figured it out, Sunny."


    His face remained motionless.


    ''She''s happy, huh��''


    Well, he couldn''t say that he did not understand. It felt nice, to be witnessed. Still��


    Sunny looked at Cassie with a dark expression and asked, his tone devoid of any emotion:


    "Well then, tell me, Cassie�� what is it that you want? How exactly are you planning to break fate? What is the answer?"


    She lingered for a moment and then smiled faintly.


    "Simple, really. It''s��"


    Cassie faced him and finished, her calm voice full of cold, confident determination:


    "It''s the Well of Wishes."

 Chapter 1594 Familiar Faces

    Chapter 1594  Familiar Faces It was still very early in the morning, so the streets of Bastion were mostly empty. However, someone had already come to the Brilliant Emporium. As the door opened, a melodious sound spread through the interior of the Marvelous Mimic. There was a beautiful silver bell affixed above the door, its soft and pleasing ringing welcoming the entering customers.


    Of course, it was the Sonorous Silver Bell. Sunny looked up from what he was doing, then wiped his hands on his apron and left the kitchen. There was an elderly gentleman standing at the door, dressed in a patchy enchanted robe. He had messy grey hair, absentminded eyes, and a pair of bushy eyebrows that seemed to have a life of their own.


    Sunny suppressed a smile. "Awakened Julius. You are here early."


    The old man looked at him and smiled politely.


    "Ah, Master Sunless! Well, I am a night owl. Plus, you know what they say, the early bird gets the worm. Wait... I am mixing metaphors..." He hesitated for a moment, then coughed.


    "Sorry. I seem to remember that you dislike birds. In any case, it is nice to see you on this pleasant morning."


    Sunny nodded. "Likewise. The usual?"


    As the old man assumed his favorite spot near the window, Sunny returned to the kitchen. There, he went about making coffee for his former teacher, while at the same time preparing a light breakfast. ''We are running low on coffee beans, indeed. I''ll have to visit NQSC this week, won''t I?''


    While Brilliant Emporium could not contend with more prestigious restaurants in Bastion, hot beverages like coffee, tea, and hot chocolate were Sunny''s selling point. That was because he exclusively used the pure water from the Endless Spring to brew them, which made each cup especially invigorating.


    He ground the beans, poured the fragrant powder and a little sugar into a copper cezve, then sent a wisp of essence into the stove and placed the cezve on the fire. The stove had been created by him by reversing the enchantment of a long-destroyed charm of his, [Memory of Fire], which made kitchen work much easier.


    When the ground coffee heated a little, he took the Endless Spring off the shelf, poured water into the cezve, and placed it back on the fire. Ideally, he should have been using a pan of heated sand instead of open fire, but, oh well�� there were limits to how fancy Sunny was willing to be. While the coffee was brewing, he ignited a second flame and put a pan on it. Then, Sunny opened the icebox and took out a few eggs, butter, and a jar of milk��


    The icebox had also been created and enchanted by him, in the best attempt to imitate the luxurious refrigerator he had greatly enjoyed owning in the past. In fact, it was more of a large cabinet than a box, made out of natural wood instead of synthwood. So, in a sense, it was even more luxurious. There was no ice inside, either. Instead, the enchantment was the reverse of another charm he had lost, [Memory of Ice]. There was a luminous enchantment, too, activated when the door of the cabinet was open. A third enchantment created a dedicated reserve of essence that powered the first two, so Sunny just had to replenish it once every few months. Breaking the eggs with one hand and putting butter on the pan with the other, Sunny mixed the eggs while slowly blending milk in and poured the resulting mass into the melted butter. He waited for the omelette to set, then effortlessly flipped and folded it, finally adding some mushrooms, vegetables, and ham. Well�� monster ham, to be precise. Soon, a perfectly cooked omelette and a cup of fragrant coffee were ready. Putting them on a tray, Sunny glanced at Aiko, who was still going over the books, and left the kitchen once more. Placing the plate and the cup in front of Teacher Julius, he curiously glanced at the book the old man was reading. Its cover was hidden by a leather jacket, but he knew the title from a glance. It was The Exploration Report on the Tomb of Ariel, by: Nobody.  S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sunny was the nobody in question, of course. Even though he had lost credit for his previous academic papers, it seemed like a shame to just leave all the knowledge he had accumulated in the Third Nightmare go to waste. So, even knowing that it would cause some problems, he published a research paper anonymously.


    He kept the existence of the Plagues and everything he discovered in the Estuary to himself, though, concentrating on the unique culture of the River Civilization, and especially on the stories of Weave he had heard from Ananke, instead. Not only because there were some things that were better left unsaid, but also because some knowledge was simply too dangerous to share. There were very few people in the world who could withstand a mere mention of the Forgotten God, anyway, while many could be harmed by being exposed to it. However, even with these redacted parts, his report had caused a furor in academic circles. ��It had caused a furor in some other circles, as well.


    Namely, among the Great Clans. There were supposed to only be six people who had ventured into the Nightmare of the Tomb of Ariel, after all. And since none of them was the author of the report�� then who the hell was? And how did that person know so much about the Great River? Needless to say, the existence of the Exploration Report, written by nobody, was under a lot of scrutiny. Which was why even a respected professor like Teacher Julius chose to hide its cover under a jacket and read it in the Dream Realm, as opposed to on his communicator in the waking world. When the old man smelled the delicious fragrance of coffee, he got distracted from his book and looked up.


    "That smell! Ah, I''ve been looking forward to it all week."


    Sunny smiled and pointed to the Exploration Report. "Are you reading that report again, Awakened Julius?"


    The old man looked around and pressed a finger against his lips. "I am! But shhh! You know this amazing work is supposed to be banned, Master Sunless."


    He picked up a fork and sighed dejectedly. "Such a travesty. The depth of knowledge and wisdom the author of this remarkable work possesses is truly astounding. Their discoveries and insights have truly overturned our understanding of the history of the Dream Realm, especially its later stages. Not to mention the incredible revelations about the origins of the Nightmare Spell they documented! Such a person should be lauded and celebrated, not hunted. Those Legacies are really out of line, this time."


    Sunny smiled politely. "Who do you think the author is?"


    Teacher Julius looked thoughtful for a moment. "A person of utter brilliance and integrity, no doubt! Well�� they should be an old fossil like me, most likely. Probably one of the first-generation Saints? Otherwise, I don''t see how they could have survived the harrowing depths of the Great River, let alone avoid being found out by the�� those who are trying to find them."


    He sighed. "Well, a young man like you won''t understand, Master Sunless. Being an explorer is a noble calling, you see. Uh�� not that there''s anything wrong with making an honest living like you do. Gods know I would have been lost without your excellent cooking skills! Please excuse my outburst. This old man was being impolite."


    Sunny chuckled. "No, no�� you are right. Please enjoy your breakfast."


    With that, he bowed slightly and took a step back.


    The Silver Bell rang again, announcing the arrival of the next customer��

 Chapter 2171 The Return of the King

    Chapter 2171 ?The Return of the KingAlthough the Valor compound seemed the same on the surface �� apart from the retainers and mundane workers employed by the clan being strangely subdued and on edge �� the situation underground was different. The level where Anvil�� the anomaly�� was kept remained quiet and peaceful. Very few people were allowed access there, and usually, it was just young Lady Gwyn and a few loyal Knights keeping guard. However, the levels above and below the temporary containment floor were different. There, dozens of Knights were gathered, waiting for something to happen in tense anticipation. Not all of them even knew what it was that they were here for, since the existence of the anomaly was still being kept secret. They had just been told to be prepared for anything. Pulling so many powerful warriors away from their duties was stretching the resources of Clan Valor thin, but there was nothing Jest or Madoc could do about it. Currently, Madoc was in Bastion, holding down the fort.

    Jest was here, dealing with the powerful figures of the human world. Even though he had done everything in his power to prevent the news from leaking, it was impossible to stop it completely. Therefore, there were strange rumors going around the Legacy clans about the Valor family. Most people just treated these rumors as idle entertainment, but those who held actual influence were stirring. After all, there was no fire without smoke. So, Jest had spent the entire day talking to old acquaintances and lying through his teeth. Everything was fine. Nothing had happened. There would not be a new ruler in Bastion. Things were under control.

    ��But things were definitely not under control. In fact, things were getting more and more out of control. Both here and in Bastion, eerie and unexplainable events kept happening, and while no one had perished, it was only a matter of time. Because in the world of the Nightmare Spell, sinister signs always led to disaster. Jest was not naive enough to expect anything less. 'Ah�� I'm regretting getting rid of all those cults now. It feels like we need an exorcist��'

    He was currently in a small room under the Valor compound, reclining in an office chair tiredly. The video walls were turned off, plunging the room into darkness. The only source of light were the screens in front of him, which bathed him in pale light. One of the screens displayed the security feed from the level where Gwyn was watching over the anomaly. Currently, she was reading him a book �� the young man seemed quite content, listening to her voice curiously. If one did not know the truth, they would have looked like a happy married couple. On the second screen, the reports and papers that Clan Valor had quietly commissioned from various researchers and specialists were displayed. Jest had been reading through them slowly, trying to find some sort of explanation for the current situation. Sadly, they were proving to be useless, for now �� he had learned about all kinds of Aspects that could create an illusion of a person, Nightmare Creatures that could mimic human behavior, and mysterious locations where bizarre occurrences had been documented to happen for naught. The anomaly had passed every test they had come up with based on this research. The new Anvil was not an impostor using a rare Aspect to fool them, a Nightmare Creature, or a Dream Realm phantom. For all intents and purposes, the young man was Anvil of Valor in the flesh. ��The third screen displayed the Obel Scale telemetry, as well as the reading from Anvil's sleeping pod. Jest rubbed his eyes tiredly, and then turned back to the research papers. The human domain in the Dream Realm was relatively small at the moment�� but far north, beyond the impregnable mountain chain serving as the boundary of the eastern human enclaves, an even more fearsome mountain range was rumored to be located. According to reports, those mountains were perpetually shrouded in mist, and that mist displayed strange and terrifying properties��

    As Jest read the exploration paper, written by some audacious guy named Julius, something suddenly attracted his attention. Turning his head, he looked at the feed from the containment level�� and flinched. The anomaly was still listening to Gwyn, but he had shifted his gaze and was looking directly at the hidden camera now. Almost as if looking directly into Jest's eyes. A subtle smile twisted the young man's lips, making Jest shiver for no reason.

    'What��'

    In the next moment, the sound of alarm resounded from the speakers. Jerking his head in the opposite direction, he stared at the third screen, where an urgent notification was displayed. It took Jest a few moments to realize its meaning. He leaned forward. "It's gone!"

    Nightmare Gate C2-167 had just disappeared. Since he had set up the system to notify him immediately if its condition changed, he was probably the first person in the world to learn of that fact. There was some lag to the Obel Scale, but it must have happened minutes ago at most. While Jest was digesting the startling piece of news, there was another alarm. His eyes moved, and then widened. Anvil's vital signs were going crazy. 'Crap!'  S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    Flying out of the chair, Jest rushed outside. By the time he reached Anvil's sleeping chamber, there was an audible boom, and its heavy armored door suddenly folded like paper. The metal walls groaned and bent inward. Jumping over the deformed alloy, Jest entered the room and looked around wildly. It looked like a violent implosion had happened inside. The armored walls had broken, revealing the framework of the compound beyond. The iron sarcophagus had turned into a small jagged sphere of torn metal. The lights were blinking chaotically. In the middle of it all, Anvil was standing like an unnecessary tall sculpture. He was naked, his flawless build and chiseled muscles revealed in all their glory. His dark hair had grown long, and was sticking to his handsome face in wet strands. His calm, steely grey eyes were peering at Jest steadily. Even as a Master, Jest suddenly felt oppressed by the weight of that gaze. 'He�� he definitely Ascended��'

    As a whirlwind of scarlet sparks surrounded Anvil's naked figure, forming into a set of knightly armor, he raised an eyebrow and asked in an even tone:

    "...Are you going to continue staring?"

 Chapter 1637 Negative Space

    Chapter 1637  Negative Space Sunny tried to evade the question a few more times, but it was too important to Cassie. She stubbornly returned to it no matter what he said, forgetting his answers a few moments later. Watching her lost expression was eerie and a little heartbreaking, like talking to someone suffering from dementia. "So, tell me�� are you?"


    Sunny reminded himself to be patient. There were many suitable ways to prevent her from voicing the question. He just needed to find the correct one.


    "Yes, I am. But..."


    Cassie was stunned, then confused, then tense once more. ''Maybe I should distract her with a revelation or two about what is going on in Ravenheart?''


    However, in the end, he did not have to. Somehow, Cassie did not repeat herself again. Instead, she shifted slightly, reached for her tea cup, and traced its shape with her finger. Her face froze, and she fell quiet. After a few moments of silence, Cassie said evenly:


    "...My tea is cold."


    Sunny tilted his head a little. Then, his eyes gleamed in the darkness. It seemed that there was no need to guide her away from the question, after all.


    ''So soon?'' Cassie was smart. She could not remember that which was forgotten, but she noticed the change in the temperature of her tea. Therefore, instead of remembering, she simply deduced that something had been erased from her memory.


    The gears of her formidable mind were spinning now, connecting the negative space in her memory with the details of the conversation they were having. Observing the void and inferring its meaning. Knowing Cassie, there were countless conjectures being formed in her head. Dozens of theories were being built, scrutinized, and discarded. Only those that could not be effectively disproven remained, leading to several parallel branches of assumptions. Those assumptions were then pitted against each other, turning into conclusions. The conclusions were used to extrapolate what, exactly, she had forgotten. ''...Too smart, maybe.''


    It was a little scary. Sunny did not say anything, carefully exploring his own emotions. If he was right, then Cassie not only knew that a person was missing from the world, but also deduced that he was that person, or at least connected to them.


    She would not be sure, but suspect it strongly. And he... he had come closer to being known to someone than he had ever been since leaving the Nightmare. Of course, there was a vast difference between a suspicion and a memory �� but it was precisely because Cassie''s inference was based solely on deduction and not remembrance that she could retain it. The taste of his tea was suddenly incredibly fragrant. Sunny drank it silently.


    None of them spoke for a long time. Cassie''s delicate face was full of somber intensity, but she did not rush to ask him any questions. She couldn''t. Because asking him about all the things she wanted to know would only result in her forgetting the answers. It was an odd situation.


    Eventually, she sighed and turned away. A few moments later, Cassie asked, her voice a little strange:


    "Would you... like to look into my eyes?"


    He was startled by the question. ''Where did that come from?''


    Sunny hesitated, not knowing how to answer. "I''m honestly not sure. Why are you asking?"


    She touched her blindfold briefly, sighed, and said with a hint of reluctance:


    "My Transformation Ability has to do with my eyes. Few people know about it, and you are now one of them. If you look into my eyes�� I''ll be able to read your memories."


    Sunny blinked. His first reaction was to reject her vehemently. Who would want their private memories to be exposed to a stranger? Not to mention the fact that Cassie''s power was not limited to that. She had already admitted that she could also erase, replace, and manipulate the memories of other people. That sounded utterly terrifying. Sunny had suspected that there were limits to her power, and now, she had exposed one of these limits to him �� only those who looked Cassie in the eyes could be enthralled by her Ability. So why would he expose himself to that power?


    She would forget everything she saw just like she had forgotten his answers, as well. ''Not everything.''


    The memories of his past were forbidden, but the memories of everything that had happened to him after the Third Nightmare were less so. The question was, what benefit would there be if Cassie saw it all?


    She would probably be able to fill the empty void left by him with a few more pieces of logical reasoning, at least. But then what? Sunny put his cup down and smiled politely. "You want to peek at my memories, Saint Cassia?"


    She simply nodded, not hiding her desire. "I do�� Saint Sunless."


    His smile did not falter. ''She has already connected me to the Exploration Report on the Tomb of Ariel and guessed that I was in the Nightmare with them. Damn it�� I shouldn''t have published it.''


    But he did not really regret his actions. That report was both for Teacher Julius and Ananke, so it was worth the trouble. Sunny chuckled, then asked with a hint of amusement in his voice: "What''s in it for me?"


    Cassie leaned back and remained silent for a few moments. She might have guessed that he was the person she had been looking for, but she had no idea who he was. What were his motives, desires, and convictions? What was his past, and what was his vision of the future?


    What could she offer him to gain his cooperation?


    She couldn''t even be sure if he was a friend or a foe. "Well, what is it that you want?"


    Sunny contemplated for as long as his Flaw allowed him to.  S��arch* The N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Actually, there is something that you can help me with. I must warn you, though�� the favor I''ll ask might land you in hot water with your venerable superiors from Clan Valor."


    He shrugged. "Additionally, you will only access a memory of my choosing. You''ll have to wait a bit, too. It can only be done on a full moon."


    Cassie suddenly tensed. "A full moon? Surely, you don''t mean��"


    Sunny chuckled. "That''s right. I want to sneak into Bastion."


    He finished his tea and added nonchalantly:


    "The real Bastion, of course. Not this mirage we all live in."

 Chapter 1774 Till you make It

    Chapter 1774 Till you make ItSunny went ahead and expressed his real feelings without thinking about the consequences. Which could be quite heartbreaking, one way or the other�� but, really, he didn''t have much to lose.


    Nephis did not react immediately. Her face remained composed and impassive.


    After a while, she said evenly:


    ?It''s not.?


    Sunny sighed and leaned back.


    What was he doing?


    Cassie had been right. By keeping his true identity from Nephis, he was being truly unfair. What kind of relationship did he hope to build on the foundation of deceit?


    And that was what he was doing �� deceiving her.


    But�� despite that, Cassie had also been wrong. She wanted to avoid a predicament that was merely the result of a larger and entirely unsolvable problem.


    Because Sunny simply could not be honest with Nephis. It was impossible, because even if he told her the actual truth, she would forget it a few moments later.


    So what if he admitted to being the Lord of Shadows? Compared to the other things he was keeping from her, that detail was all but I insignificant.


    She could never know that he had loved her for a long, long time�� and that she had loved him. That they had spent years thinking about each other, fighting side by side with each other, and surviving the horrors of the Nightmare Spell together. That they had met when they were young and inexperienced, each spending their tumultuous youth being shaped by the other. That the troubled adults they had grown into were the result of them having met all those years ago, in front of the gates of the Academy.


    That she was his person, and he was hers.


    These were the things Nephis would never know, and therefore�� any relationship Sunny could build with her would inevitably be built on deceit. It would inevitably be unfair.


    The only honest thing he could do for Nephis was leave and have no contact with her whatsoever.


    But he�� S��arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Was unwilling to.


    He had made a choice and lost her, but he selfishly wanted to be found by her.


    And so, the only thing he could do was lie.


    Sunny lingered for a moment, then leaned forward and placed his hand on hers.


    Raising his head, he looked into her eyes and asked, his voice even:


    ?Lady Nephis�� will you go on a date with me??


    She met his gaze silently.


    Her silence felt quite terrifying�� but Sunny couldn''t help but notice something.


    It was that she made no attempt to pull back her hand.


    There was hope.


    Eventually, the corners of Neph''s mouth curled upward.


    ?��Alright.?


    Sunny blinked.


    He couldn''t quite process that answer just yet. Failing to hide his surprise, he squeezed her hand lightly.


    ?Just�� just like that??


    Nephis smiled and shrugged.


    ?Why not? I am�� not that experienced in these matters, but we are both adults. We both know what we want. So why not??


    Why did she agree?


    Because she wanted to��


    Sunny took a deep breath, then let go of her hand and leaned back.


    His heart was beating wildly, but he forcefully suppressed his excitement.


    He remained silent for a while, looking away, then said neutrally:


    ?Actually, there are a lot of reasons why not.?


    He glanced at the untouched food, considered his next words carefully, and looked at her again.


    This time, there was no smile on his face.


    ?Lady Nephis�� before we go any further, I must admit something. Actually, I am not an honest person. In fact, I am a habitual liar�� I am keeping many things from you, and might never reveal these secrets. This kind and harmless persona of mine is just a facade I wear because it''s convenient. In truth, I am not that harmless. I am not very kind, either.?


    She stared at him silently for a few moments, then shrugged.


    ?I know.?


    Sunny''s eyes widened a little.


    ?You�� know??


    Nephis watched him for a few moments and sighed.


    ?You are a Master and a veteran of the Southern Campaign. A person like you can''t be harmless, really. There was that duel, as well�� I figured that you were putting up a front at some point. But I don''t mind.?


    She looked at him without a smile and added, her voice revealing a hint of vulnerability:


    ?Actually�� I''m not an honest person either, I am keeping many secrets from you, as well. This valiant and noble persona of a selfless hero you see is just a facade I wear because it''s convenient. I am neither noble nor a hero. Most of all, I am not selfless at all. In truth, I might be the most selfish person in the world.?


    Nephis looked down and added quietly:


    ?So, I don''t mind. As long as you don''t.?


    Sunny stared at her in a daze.


    ?But�� I might never be entirely honest with you. Aren''t you wary of a liar??


    She looked up at him and smiled.


    ?Do you harbor secret malice toward me??


    He silently shook his head.


    ?Do you serve one of my enemies??


    Sunny shook his head once again.


    ?Are you planning to betray me??


    He frowned.


    ?Not really. Not at all.?


    Nephis shrugged.


    ?Then I don''t care.?


    However, a moment later, her eyes suddenly widened.


    ?Wait! You��, you don''t have a wife and children somewhere out there already, do you? If you do�� I''m afraid that is one thing I do have to know!?


    Sunny flinched and looked at her in dismay.


    ?What?! No�� no, I don''t!?


    Nephis visibly relaxed.


    ?That is�� good. Then, as I was saying. I don''t care!?


    She hesitated for a moment, and then added:


    ?Everyone has secrets. I have my share, as well�� much more secrets than most people do, and more dire ones as well. So, I also must admit something before you decide if you want to go any further, Master Sunless.?


    Sunny was still a little dazed. This conversation�� was not going how he had expected it to go, at all! It was all too unexpected.


    He looked at Nephis, composed himself, and asked calmly:


    ?What''s that??


    She inhaled deeply.


    ?First of all�� it might be premature to speak of this right now, but I feel like I should let you know before anything more meaningful has a chance to happen. I am�� a very ambitious woman, Master Sunless. My heart is full of ambition, so much so that there''s little space for anything �� or anyone left in it. We might spend a few days together and part ways, or we might end up deciding to enjoy each other''s company for much longer. But you�� you will never own my heart, Master Sunless, or even most of my heart. It''s only fair to warn you in advance.?


    Sunny had long known about Nephis'' insane goal, so he didn''t react strongly to her words.


    Instead, he nodded simply.


    ?I figured as much.?


    Nephis studied his face, hesitated for a few moments, and sighed.


    ?That is good. I see. Well, then, the second thing. You might not know, but my Aspect is closely tied to longing and passion. In fact, one of the reasons I was willing to indulge in this pretense relationship with you, at the beginning, was that I wanted to understand passion better. Later, I found myself sincerely enjoying your company, so�� well, that is beside the point. What I wanted to say is that I am sensitive to yearning, desire, and passion. I can perceive what other people want, and how much they want it.?


    She looked away with a hint of embarrassment on her beautiful face and added evenly:


    ?It''s one of the reasons why I am saying yes. Because I can feel the nature and sincerity of your desire.?


    Sunny stared at her silently for a long time.


    His eyes were a little glassy. Then, he slowly picked up his wine.


    ?Lady Nephis�� that�� what kind of desire are we talking about, exactly??


    She kept looking at the wall, as if incredibly interested in the artwork.


    ?��All kinds. I can sense it all. Especially if it''s aimed at me.?


    The glass cracked slightly in Sunny''s hand.


    His face remained absolutely impassive.


    ?So�� earlier, when I was staring at her body�� she knew exactly��?


    Nephis turned his way and added with a hint of urgency in her voice:


    ?But�� but you don''t have to be embarrassed! It''s perfectly normal. You�� you are a healthy man, after all.?


    Sunny let out a heavy sigh.


    ?Lady Nephis��?


    She blinked a couple of times.


    ?Yes??


    His voice was a little somber when he responded:


    ?Please don''t speak for a few moments��?


    With that, Sunny brought the cracked glass to his lips and gulped all the remaining wine down in one go.


    Then, maintaining perfect composure, he reached for the wine bottle with a trembling hand.


    Nephis observed his actions helplessly.G��t latest ????ovel ch????pters on n????v(e)lbj/n(.)c/????m


    She sighed, then said in a placid tone:


    ?In short.., yes, I will go on a real date with you, Master Sunless, I''ll be delighted to.?

 Chapter 1844 On the Other Side

    Chapter 1844  On the Other Side "I think we are all going to die. What do you think, Rani?"


    Ray''s voice was tinged with melancholy, but Rain had learned to ignore his complaints in the last few weeks. Sitting on the ground �� well, on what served as ground in this godforsaken place �� and leaning her back against a wagon''s wheel, she gave him a relaxed shrug. The young man stared at her with indignation. After a while, he sighed.


    "Have enough decency to look concerned, at least��"


    They were currently in the middle of the army camp, resting after a long and arduous march. It was hard to tell what time of day it was, since there were no nights in Godgrave. A veil of clouds obscured the sky, shining with diffused radiance. It would have been quite pretty if it was not so terrifying. Everyone had been informed over and over again about the lethal nature of the sky in this land. They knew that the only way to survive in case the clouds parted was to remain absolutely still. The army had ascended the dead god''s arm far enough, by now, to fully cross the realm boundary�� so, those warnings were of vital importance. They had yet to see the clouds break, though. Rain, Tamar, Ray, and Fleur were among the Awakened warriors of the Seventh Legion �� which was led by the seventh and last daughter of the Queen to reach Transcendence, Saint Seishan. Granted, Rain barely remembered how she ended up in such august company. So many things had happened in the last month that it was all like a blur.


    The news about the King of Swords declaring war on the Song Domain had reached them not long after reuniting with the members of the survey team in the main construction camp. It was a great shock to many, but not to Rain herself. The initial shock was soon replaced by fear and outrage. It was then that Queen Song left her palace in Ravenheart, appearing in public for the first time in many years. Rain did not witness it herself, but she was told that the Queen''s speech was incredibly rousing. It ignited the hearts of the people of Song, so when the call to arms was issued, countless Awakened warriors chose to answer. The vassals of the Queen responded to the call, as well, gathering their armies to help defend the Song Domain against the tyranny of the King of Swords.


    Rain was one of those Awakened warriors. She was made a soldier right there and then, in the construction camp, as a member of Tamar of Sorrow''s cohort.


    Tamar''s father was leading his own war party, but he sent his daughter to serve under Song Seishan and her Blood Sisters �� Rain wasn''t entirely sure why, but she had no reason to complain. There were hundreds of thousands of Awakened in the Song Army, but only seven royal legions. And although Saint Seishan was the last among the seven Transcendent princesses to conquer the Third Nightmare, her personal power was in no way inferior to that of her sisters. So, the Seventh Legion was among the most elite forces in Godgrave, comparable to the Knights of Valor led by Morgan, the Princess of War.


    Rain was honestly unsure how she had ended up here. ''I guess that''s the benefit of getting in through acquaintances.''


    The weeks between the declaration of war and today were incredibly hectic. So many things had happened�� and yet, one of them stood out as more bizarre than any other. It happened immediately after Rain joined the Song Army. She was woken up in the middle of the night by her teacher, who gestured for her to follow him quietly. Together, they left the busy camp and walked far into the wilderness, eventually reaching a secluded gorge. There, Rain had to stop and rub her eyes, bewildered by what she saw. Out there, in the middle of the Dream Realm�� a quaint brick cottage stood, illuminated by the pale light of the three moons.


    The sight was so strange that Rain assumed that she was seeing things. However, she was not �� there was really a neat cottage standing in the desolate wasteland of the Moonriver Plain, a walking distance from the main camp of the road construction crew. It was not a mirage, and neither was it an ancient ruin. In fact, the brick building was neat and tidy, as if someone frequently swept its porch and washed its windows. Rain looked at her teacher with wide eyes. "What is that?"


    He answered matter-of-factly:


    "That�� is an Ascended Devil pretending to be a cottage. Come inside."


    She did not know what else to do but to follow him into the cottage. The door opened by itself, and then closed behind him. The interior�� looked like a dining hall of a small caf��. There was no one inside, and no source of light except for the moonlight pouring through the windows. It was more than a little bit creepy. A moment latter, the moonlight was extinguished, as well, leaving Rain in absolute darkness. "T��teacher?"


    There was a scratching sound, and a small light appeared in the darkness. Her teacher was standing near a shelf, holding a burning candle in his hand. "Come."


    With that, he turned around and went back to the door. Rain had no idea why they had come inside only to leave with a candle, but she obediently followed. To her shock, however��


    The Moonriver Plain was gone. When they came out, there were no moons, no stars, and no wind. The floor was perfectly flat, as if cut from black marble. She couldn''t quite see where they were, but it felt as if they were underground. And there was someone else there, as well��


    "Goddammit, it''s so creepy�� boss! Boss, you''re back! Where the hell did you�� huh? Who''s that?"


    Rain had the same question. Out there in front of her, sitting on the black marble floor, was a little girl... who had a very dirty mouth and addressed her teacher as "boss", for some reason. Rain raised a hand and pointed to the strange child:  S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Who''s the brat?"


    The little girl floated up, lowered her feet to the floor, and stared at her with wide eyes. "Brat? What do you mean, brat? I''m twenty-eight years old!"


    Rain blinked a couple of times. She had assumed that the petite girl was a child, but now that she looked closer�� ''Ah, how embarrassing!''


    Rain looked down. "Oh�� sorry, Auntie."


    The petite girl opened her mouth in shock. "A��auntie? No, wait, what do you mean by auntie?!"


    Listening to the two of them, her teacher let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. "To answer your questions�� this is Awakened Rain. This is Awakened Aiko. Aiko, Rain is my disciple. Rain, Aiko is my assistant." They turned to him almost simultaneously. "You have an assistant?"


    "You have a disciple?"


    Then, they looked at each other, both wearing a similar shocked expression. Her teacher smiled.


    "No need to sound so stunned, really. Sure, I do. Why wouldn''t I? Now, the reason I brought you two here�� is to extend an offer to you both. Consider it a great honor."


    His smile turned a little sinister, making both of them feel a bad premonition and shiver. His smile turned a little wider. "...How would you ladies like to join the Shadow Clan?"


    And that was how Rain ended up with an intricate snake tattoo coiling around her arm. Leaning on the wheel of a supply wagon, she closed her eyes and listened to Ray''s complaints silently. The snake tattoo, which was apparently called the [Mark of Shadows], was more than a simple tattoo, of course. It was akin to an Attribute, granting her several useful abilities. Among them was the ability to see in absolute darkness, walk stealthily in the shadows, and sense their movements. It also helped her control her soul essence. Apart from that, the snake could also slither off her arm, manifesting into a weapon.


    Most importantly of all �� at least according to her teacher �� it allowed him, as well as the creature that had created the soul snake, access to her Soul Sea. Which meant that they could defend it should something invade Rain''s soul. She had not even known that there were things out there that could invade human souls, but knowing that her teacher would be there to deal with the invader made her feel better. All in all, the soul snake was an excellent gift to receive. Of course, it was not the only thing she had received from her teacher��

 Chapter 1984 Beneath the Surface

    Chapter 1984  Beneath the Surface The Mirror Lake hid unspeakable horrors, so very few people would have dared to bathe in it. But Morgan did not care.


    She had no choice but to come to this dark place, and for her, there was no escape from the war. The siege was not going to end any time soon, but she could at least endeavor to not spend the rest of it feeling dirty.


    It was her home, anyway.


    The black water was deceptively tranquil and still, reflecting the moonlit heavens. Stepping into it was like stepping into the night sky, and bathing in it was like bathing in stars.


    Enjoying the cold embrace of the lake, Morgan sighed in contentment and studied her reflection. It was important to know that her reflection was not doing anything strange, like tracing her movements with its gaze or trying to speak. Morgan was safer than most from being preyed on by the Others, since she had killed her reflection many years ago�� but she still had to be careful. Her reflection was prim and proper, staring at her back with two vibrant vermilion eyes, which seemed to glow softly in the darkness. Sending it a smile, Morgan cautiously pulled off her bloodied tunic. She knew that Saint Kai was probably blushing and hurriedly turning away somewhere in the ruins, but she did not care. That dirty thing was disgusting, and she was determined to give it a good wash��


    The only problem was that the frayed fabric parted under her fingers, and several new cuts appeared on its surface. Morgan cursed her Flaw quietly. Her tunic was made from mystical cloth and could usually withstand her touch, but now, it had become tattered and fragile. Feeling a bit dejected, she crouched to wash the blood off the black fabric. She should have packed more thoroughly before sending the illusory Bastion into the Great Mirror. Sure, there were supplies in the real castle, and she even had her own living quarters here�� but that part of the ruin crumbled in one of the countless battles, burying her wardrobe under the rubble. That had been a painful loss.


    Morgan rinsed her tunic swiftly, then walked deeper into the cold water to wash the blood off her body. At that moment, there was a subtle movement under the surface, and something slippery wrapped itself around her shin. Instead of pulling her into the depths, however, the flesh of the Nightmare Creature parted and bled, as if it had wrapped around a sharp blade. Morgan raised her hand indifferently. A split second later, it rippled like liquid metal and turned into a long spear, which extended downward with terrible speed and pierced the surface of the lake.


    The Spell whispered softly into her ear, announcing the death of a Corrupted Monster. Morgan smiled. ''I guess we have dinner.''


    At that moment, someone coughed behind her. Morgan retracted her monstrously long javelin, allowed it to turn back into a human hand, and unhurriedly pulled the wet tunic back onto her pale body. This time, there were no new cuts.


    ''Good!''


    Feeling clean and refreshed, she turned around and walked back to the shore. Speak of the devil�� there was Nightingale, standing at the edge of the water and looking at the sky politely. She had not heard his steps, so he must have descended from above.


    Morgan had once assumed that Saint Kai would be quite accustomed to these kinds of situations as a former entertainment star, but he was strangely shy. His sense of decorum was also better than that of most noble Legacies, which was both funny and disheartening to see as the noblest of them.


    ��And that bastard somehow managed to look cleaner and more put-together than her despite the fact that Morgan had literally just bathed!


    Walking out of the water, she swept her hair back and tried to hide her irritation. "What is it?" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Nightingale finally looked down. "I saw movement in the forest, Lady Morgan. It appears that there is going to be another attack soon."


    Morgan frowned. The timing was�� unfortunate. Both Naeve and Bloodwave were yet to recover from the wounds they had received several days ago, even with Aether''s help �� that was why she had held them back yesterday.


    Soul Reaper was strangely inefficient as of late, as well, for whatever reason�� strangely enough, she had been diving into the lake to hunt Nightmare Creatures despite her weakened state.


    ''Why is he in such a hurry?''


    Mordret used to space out his assaults, but now, they were becoming more frequent. Morgan contemplated the issue for a moment.


    ''Something must have changed in Godgrave.''


    They received news of how the war was going from time to time. The last thing she heard was that Nephis, Gilead, and the Lord of Shadows had clashed with the daughters of Ki Song in the Hollows, and that Seishan had finally conquered a Citadel for the Song Domain.


    Which meant that the Queen herself must have arrived to Godgrave, already. The two armies were going to clash soon.


    Was that what lit a fire under her brother?


    ''Is he worried that she will kill our father before he can do it himself?''n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    That was a delusional fear to harbor, but then again, that man was not known for having a sound mind. Letting out a quiet sigh, Morgan glanced at the lake, knowing that her plans of fishing out the Transcendent Monster she had killed and roasting it were ruined. "Thank you for letting me know, Saint Kai. Please gather the rest and prepare for battle. Oh... and don''t stare at the sky too much. Especially at the shards of the moon." n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om


    She summoned her armor back, even though it would not have had any time to repair itself. The vermilion cloak weaved itself from scarlet sparks, draped around her shoulders. A nicked sword appeared in her hand. Morgan smiled. The uncle and nephew pair were indeed wounded, but several of Mordret''s vessels had been shredded quite thoroughly when they last appeared, as well. If things went well today, she stood a good chance of reducing the number of Transcendent shells her brother possessed.


    Of course, there was also the chance of losing a couple of her own Saints. That would be a real shame.


    But still��


    ''How many of his vessels do I need to destroy, and how dire the situation in Godgrave must become for him to grow desperate enough to jump into my soul?''


    Her scarlet eyes glistened with sharp light. Morgan lingered for a moment, and then sighed.


    ''I hope it happens before my tunic completely falls apart��''

 Chapter 2011 Transcendent Battlefield

    Chapter 2011  Transcendent Battlefield Sunny felt his limbs grow heavy, and his mind grow numb. Suddenly, he felt worn down and exhausted. Every burden that he carried, enduring the oppressive weight both willingly and silently, was suddenly so much more grievous and tiresome.


    This war went on for so long�� and even before the war, he had never known a moment of peace. Having grown accustomed to torment and turmoil, Sunny had easily deceived himself into forgetting how dreadful the world truly was. But now, he felt it in his every bone all of a sudden.


    At the same time�� A peculiar feeling bloomed in his mind.


    A feeling of witnessing something infinitely beautiful, inviting, and wonderful. Something so wondrous, so amazing, and so�� precious. It was as if a resplendent light had shone in the broken darkness of his mind, illuminating it gently and bringing tears to his eyes. Enthralled by the beautiful radiance, Sunny found it hard and devoid of meaning to concentrate on anything, let alone move. And yet, he did move. Somewhere far away, Master Sunless was sitting in the darkness, weaving strings of shadow essence with six nimble hands. Looking up from his meditation, he frowned a little�� and then drove the long needle through his hand, piercing it without a hint of hesitation. A wave of sharp pain washed over his consciousness, making the enthralling light waver and dim a little. Sunny''s mental resistance was already strong enough, and the additional push of feeling pain pushed him the rest of the way.


    Shaking off the hex, the Lord of Shadows moved, too.


    The towering onyx colossus turned his torso. In the next moment, Silent Stalker''s arrow tore through the breastplate of his armor, pierced his body, and exploded from his back in a torrent of dissolving shadows. If he had been a split second late, that arrow would have pierced his very soul instead of simply damaging the Shell. ''What a nice arrow��''


    For a moment, Sunny felt aggrieved at having to live in a world where weapons were always more powerful than armor, and destruction was always easier to perpetrate than building something up. No, but why was everyone trying to drive an arrow through his heart these days? Staggering back, Sunny raised his maimed arm to prevent Lonesome Howl from tearing his throat open, activated Shadow Manifestation, and poured a little essence into the Extraordinary Rock, which lay nestled in the neck of the Shadow Colossus. He barely survived the twin attack of the two winged Saints �� which nearly tore off the head of his Shell �� and then looked at his enemies silently.


    In the next moment��  S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A low, deafening, chilling laughter resounded from behind the Weaver''s Mask. If Saint Jest had heard it, he would have been proud.


    ***


    Somewhere not too far away, Rain dragged Tamar to the where the battered warriors of the Seventh Legion had made a temporary camp the day before. Everywhere she looked, pale-faced warriors were resting on the ground, too rattled and exhausted to move. The wounded were treated hurriedly in the field hospital, and she noticed Fleur tending to a man who was missing his leg. Ray was nearby, holding the soldier down.


    The two of them were thankfully alive. The battle was not over, but many of the soldiers had chosen to dismiss their armor, finally finding reprieve from the terrible heat. Some were staring down or covering their faces, trying to hide from the constant, harsh radiance of the overcast sky. Most of them, however, were looking back to where they came, terrified and enthralled by the titanic battle that was taking place behind them. Rain helped Tamar sit down and turned to look back, as well. His heart skipped a beat. Both of them had heard the deafening thunder and felt the ground shaking while retreating. But it was only now that she witnessed the awesome devastation that had been unleashed by the clashing Saints. It was��


    As if the world was ending. Rain and Tamar watched the calamity silently.


    The camp of the Song Army was far enough that they were safe from the terrible shockwaves and destructive powers of the fighting demigods, which also meant that they could not discern much.


    Still, she could vaguely see massive, monstrous silhouettes moving in the scorching haze. There was a swath of the battlefield awash in white radiance. That was where Changing Star was fighting, without a doubt. There was also��


    "Look!"


    Tamar''s voice was hoarse and heavy.


    Following her finger, Rain looked to the right and froze. The young Legacy inhaled sharply. "That�� that is the Lord of Shadows."


    Indeed, it was him�� Rain''s mischievous older brother.


    Only, right now, he did not look anything like his usual self. Instead, an onyx colossus in fearsome armor towered above the plain, besieged by three bestial figures. His movements seemed deceptively slow from the distance, but it was terrifying to see how easily he shrugged off the attacks of a cohort of Saints, resisting them all with a strange, frightening, and eerie grace.


    ''D��damn��''


    The fury of that particular fight was harrowing enough to make everyone looking in that direction shiver in fright. A mere Awakened would have been reduced to bloody hazy by simply being in the vicinity of the unholy clash. This was the power of Saints. Or�� of this particular Saint, at least. Still. He was already missing a hand, his right arm a mangled mess of darkness. His breastplate was pierced, and the enemies were only growing more vicious as the fight continued. Rain suddenly felt something that she had never felt before��


    She was worried about her teacher. After lingering for a moment, she asked tentatively:


    [Are�� are you going to be alright?]


    His voice resounded in her mind a few moments later, sounding as aloof and nonchalant as ever despite the dreadful battle in the distance.


    [Who, me? Oh�� I''m really touched that you worry about me, but don''t fret. I''ll be fine.]


    There was a moment of silence, and then, he added in a more ominous tone:


    [You should definitely be worried about the other guys, though��]

 Chapter 2171 The Return of the King

    Chapter 2171  The Return of the KingAlthough the Valor compound seemed the same on the surface �� apart from the retainers and mundane workers employed by the clan being strangely subdued and on edge �� the situation underground was different. The level where Anvil�� the anomaly�� was kept remained quiet and peaceful. Very few people were allowed access there, and usually, it was just young Lady Gwyn and a few loyal Knights keeping guard. However, the levels above and below the temporary containment floor were different. There, dozens of Knights were gathered, waiting for something to happen in tense anticipation. Not all of them even knew what it was that they were here for, since the existence of the anomaly was still being kept secret. They had just been told to be prepared for anything. Pulling so many powerful warriors away from their duties was stretching the resources of Clan Valor thin, but there was nothing Jest or Madoc could do about it. Currently, Madoc was in Bastion, holding down the fort.


    Jest was here, dealing with the powerful figures of the human world. Even though he had done everything in his power to prevent the news from leaking, it was impossible to stop it completely. Therefore, there were strange rumors going around the Legacy clans about the Valor family. Most people just treated these rumors as idle entertainment, but those who held actual influence were stirring. After all, there was no fire without smoke. So, Jest had spent the entire day talking to old acquaintances and lying through his teeth. Everything was fine. Nothing had happened. There would not be a new ruler in Bastion. Things were under control.


    ��But things were definitely not under control. In fact, things were getting more and more out of control. Both here and in Bastion, eerie and unexplainable events kept happening, and while no one had perished, it was only a matter of time. Because in the world of the Nightmare Spell, sinister signs always led to disaster. Jest was not naive enough to expect anything less. ''Ah�� I''m regretting getting rid of all those cults now. It feels like we need an exorcist��''


    He was currently in a small room under the Valor compound, reclining in an office chair tiredly. The video walls were turned off, plunging the room into darkness. The only source of light were the screens in front of him, which bathed him in pale light. One of the screens displayed the security feed from the level where Gwyn was watching over the anomaly. Currently, she was reading him a book �� the young man seemed quite content, listening to her voice curiously. If one did not know the truth, they would have looked like a happy married couple. On the second screen, the reports and papers that Clan Valor had quietly commissioned from various researchers and specialists were displayed. Jest had been reading through them slowly, trying to find some sort of explanation for the current situation. Sadly, they were proving to be useless, for now �� he had learned about all kinds of Aspects that could create an illusion of a person, Nightmare Creatures that could mimic human behavior, and mysterious locations where bizarre occurrences had been documented to happen for naught. The anomaly had passed every test they had come up with based on this research. The new Anvil was not an impostor using a rare Aspect to fool them, a Nightmare Creature, or a Dream Realm phantom. For all intents and purposes, the young man was Anvil of Valor in the flesh. ��The third screen displayed the Obel Scale telemetry, as well as the reading from Anvil''s sleeping pod. Jest rubbed his eyes tiredly, and then turned back to the research papers. The human domain in the Dream Realm was relatively small at the moment�� but far north, beyond the impregnable mountain chain serving as the boundary of the eastern human enclaves, an even more fearsome mountain range was rumored to be located. According to reports, those mountains were perpetually shrouded in mist, and that mist displayed strange and terrifying properties��


    As Jest read the exploration paper, written by some audacious guy named Julius, something suddenly attracted his attention. Turning his head, he looked at the feed from the containment level�� and flinched. The anomaly was still listening to Gwyn, but he had shifted his gaze and was looking directly at the hidden camera now. Almost as if looking directly into Jest''s eyes. A subtle smile twisted the young man''s lips, making Jest shiver for no reason.


    ''What��''


    In the next moment, the sound of alarm resounded from the speakers. Jerking his head in the opposite direction, he stared at the third screen, where an urgent notification was displayed. It took Jest a few moments to realize its meaning. He leaned forward. "It''s gone!"


    Nightmare Gate C2-167 had just disappeared. Since he had set up the system to notify him immediately if its condition changed, he was probably the first person in the world to learn of that fact. There was some lag to the Obel Scale, but it must have happened minutes ago at most. While Jest was digesting the startling piece of news, there was another alarm. His eyes moved, and then widened. Anvil''s vital signs were going crazy. ''Crap!''  S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Flying out of the chair, Jest rushed outside. By the time he reached Anvil''s sleeping chamber, there was an audible boom, and its heavy armored door suddenly folded like paper. The metal walls groaned and bent inward. Jumping over the deformed alloy, Jest entered the room and looked around wildly. It looked like a violent implosion had happened inside. The armored walls had broken, revealing the framework of the compound beyond. The iron sarcophagus had turned into a small jagged sphere of torn metal. The lights were blinking chaotically. In the middle of it all, Anvil was standing like an unnecessary tall sculpture. He was naked, his flawless build and chiseled muscles revealed in all their glory. His dark hair had grown long, and was sticking to his handsome face in wet strands. His calm, steely grey eyes were peering at Jest steadily. Even as a Master, Jest suddenly felt oppressed by the weight of that gaze. ''He�� he definitely Ascended��''


    As a whirlwind of scarlet sparks surrounded Anvil''s naked figure, forming into a set of knightly armor, he raised an eyebrow and asked in an even tone:


    "...Are you going to continue staring?"

 Chapter 2172 Descent

    Chapter 2172  DescentJest blinked. The voice was cold and indifferent�� as it was supposed to be. But after spending some time in the company of the warm and friendly anomaly, it sounded a bit jarring. And strangely comforting.


    He hesitated. "C��congratulations on conquering the Nightmare, Ascended Anvil."


    Anvil nodded matter-of-factly, then looked around and pursed his lips, as if evaluating the cost of repairs needed to restore the sleeping chamber. A moment later, he looked into the distance �� most likely reading the Spell''s runes. Then, he turned back to Jest.


    "Thank you. But what are you doing here?"


    Jest felt his mouth suddenly turning dry.


    "Well�� about that. Actually, we have been dealing with a bit of a situation here."


    Anvil frowned slightly. "What kind of situation?"


    Jest coughed. "That, uh�� nothing too serious?"


    He thought for a moment, and then said:


    "It''s just that while you were gone, we''ve replaced you with a doppelg?nger. He''s nicer and easier to get along with. Your wife is with him right now!"


    Anvil stared at him for a moment, then rolled his eyes. "Is this really a good time for your jokes, Uncle Jest?"


    Jest remained silent for a moment, then sighed. "Boy�� I wish it was a joke. But there really is a copy of you, who just popped up in Bastion one day without any warning. I don''t know how to explain it, but he is being held here, just a few floors below, at the moment."


    Anvil looked at him silently. Then, his expression slowly changed. Jest had not expected him to laugh at his awkward joke �� gods knew the boy was just like his father, having no sense of humor whatsoever �� but what he really did not expect was to see fear bloom on Anvil''s face.


    Terror, even. It was so strange that Jest was stunned. He did not think that he had ever seen Anvil show fear, not even as a child. And especially not after encasing his heart in the cold armor of indifference.


    While Jest was paralyzed by shock, the young man asked in a hoarse voice, his usual nonchalance completely gone:


    "A copy�� of me�� appeared in Bastion?"  S��arch* The ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Jest nodded.


    "Yes. He was found in the throne room. Uh�� stark naked and in a strange mental state��"


    Anvil''s took a step back. "H��how... how long ago? Has anyone seen it�� has anyone talked to it? How many people? Who?"


    Jest lingered for a moment, the old sense of alarm slowly turning into panic in his heart.


    ''Did I�� did I make a mistake?''


    He forced himself to answer:


    "About�� two weeks ago? A couple of Squires and a few Knights. It was mostly me and Madoc watching over him. Oh, and Gwyn, obviously."


    Anvil''s eyes suddenly widened. "Gwyn!"


    Before Jest could say anything else, the chamber suddenly came undone. That was the only way he could describe it �� the floor opened like a flower, the thick plates of reinforced alloy tearing with a deafening screech. Shards of concrete and sparks from torn cables flew to all sides, and at the same time, the blinking lights were extinguished completely. Anvil jumped into the churning pit of torn metal without wasting a single moment. No, he did not jump �� rather, he flew, accelerating his movements by pushing the steel plates of his armor. ''Since when can he...''


    The whole compound shook as a cacophony of noise rolled across the underground tunnels. ''D��damn!''


    Jest came to his senses and dove into the pit to follow Anvil. Even though he had only wasted a single moment, he was already far behind. The floor of the sleeping chamber had been utterly destroyed, as if it had been made of paper. The room below it was in ruins, too, entire meters of reinforced alloy pierced and bent out of the way in a split second. The same for the floor below that. It was as if a cataclysmic disaster had transpired in the depths of the Valor compound. Jest fell for a couple of seconds before finally landing on something that was intact. He was now on the level where the anomaly was being kept, and immediately rushed toward the living quarters. He saw the obliterated door and the Knights who were picking themselves off the floor with dazed expressions. Just before he could cross the threshold, though, a powerful shockwave rolled from inside, throwing him back. Jest flew through the air and collided with a wall, leaving a deep dent in it. A mundane human would have been turned into bloody goo by the force of the impact�� as a Master, he was somewhat unscathed.


    But it hurt like hell. The Knights were alive, but unconscious. Ignoring the pain, Jest picked himself up and lunged back toward the containment cell. The compound quaked once more, and there was another shockwave. But this time, he was prepared for it �� lowering his torso and turning it slightly, Jest cut the shockwave with his shoulder and finally entered the devastated living quarters. It was too dark to see, since all the lights had been destroyed, and the only source of illumination was one of Gwyn''s Memory lanterns.


    Taking a step forward, Jest fell. ''Argh, damn it, why does he have to keep destroying the floor?!''


    The entire set of rooms assigned to be the anomaly''s living quarters were gone. The few floors below were completely wrecked, as well. Judging by the magnitude of destruction�� the thing he had brought to Anvil''s home was chillingly powerful. After bouncing off a few jagged pieces of torn alloy, Jest hit the ground. This time, it was not the metal floor�� instead, it was cold, wet soil. They were on the lowest level of the compound now, its outer walls seemingly obliterated. Rolling, Jest jump to his feet and stood up. There was a scene of devastation around him, with plates of bent alloy and unrecognizable debris piling in the darkness. Some of it was on fire, filling the remains of the lowest floor with dim light.


    Just when he regained his bearing and looked around, searching for Anvil��


    He heard a strange sound. It should have been drowned out by the noise, but somehow, Jest heard it clearly. A melodious, bright ringing of breaking glass.


    It was only then that the sense of unease that had been tormenting him for the past two weeks finally disappeared, and he involuntarily let out a relieved sigh.

 Chapter 2173 Paper Armor

    Chapter 2173  Paper ArmorThe battle between Anvil and his flawless copy, despite decimating the underbelly of the Valor compound, had not lasted long. At least Jest wanted to believe that it was over.


    Signs of chilling destruction surrounded him from all sides, but there were no deafening booms ravaging his ears anymore. There were no crushing shockwaves, and the world wasn''t quaking. The dim darkness was illuminated by the spreading flames, and clouds of dust obscured the world like a veil. In such moments, Jest cursed his inability to use Memories. It would have been nice to be able to see clearly in this mess.


    ''...Has the boy become that powerful, then?''


    Jest had battled plenty of Fallen Nightmare Creatures, and a few Masters as well. Ascended were indeed inhumanly strong, but not quite at the level of what Anvil had displayed immediately after coming back from the Nightmare. Was that the power of those with divine blood in their veins?


    Jest carefully moved through the carnage, searching for Anvil. He found him soon enough, kneeling in the dust with a pale face. The young man was�� in bad shape. His intricate armor was nearly destroyed, and blood was pouring from a dozen hideous wounds on his body. One of his arms was hanging limply, sharp fragments of bone protruding from the mess of torn muscles, and even his face was not spared.


    He was covered in blood. However, his eyes remained calm and eerily cold. ''What a terrible way to return from the Nightmare��''


    A shattered sword was collapsing into a whirlwind of sparks in Anvil''s hand. Hearing Jest approach, he shifted and looked up. Jest had a thousand questions on his mind, but meeting the young man''s gaze, he faltered. For a moment, he even doubted whom he was looking at�� was it really Anvil? Or was it the anomaly?


    Which one of them had won? ''The�� the other one�� wasn''t wearing armor.''


    As if reading his mind, the young man said evenly:


    "It''s me."


    Anvil opened his mouth, as if wishing to say something more, but at that moment, his mask of indifference finally cracked. His expression changed, and he suddenly took a shaky, frightened breath. "Gwyn��"


    Ignoring his wounds, Anvil jumped to his feet and looked around, as if in panic. They found Gwyn a minute later, buried in rubble and unconscious�� but, luckily, alive. Hugging her, Anvil let out a shaky breath. "Thank the gods�� thank the gods�� thank��"


    And looking at him, Jest realized something that should have been obvious, but had eluded him until now. It was that Anvil''s armor of indifference, which had seemed impenetrable, was merely a facade. In truth, it was merely a flimsy disguise made of paper.


    ��At least it had been, then. But things never stay the same. The anomaly was destroyed, and all the problems caused by its existence were resolved. The authority of Clan Valor was not only mended, but grew explosively now that the young lord of Valor had become a Master. The clan compound in NQSC was repaired. The wounds received by Anvil, Gwyn, and the knights caught in the battle healed. The Great Mirror hiding under Bastion was wrapped in canvas once more, and the forces of the clan started to develop countermeasures against the visitors from the other side. There was happy news, too. Not long after Anvil returned from the Nightmare, young lady Gwyn was announced to be pregnant. Before the end of the year, they welcomed a new heir �� an infant boy who would inherit Bastion, the Mirror Lake, and all the glory of the Valor clan one day. He was named Mordret.


    It was then that things started going wrong. Because when Anvil looked at his son, Jest noticed no warmth whatsoever in his cold grey eyes.


    It was not just his usual air of indifference. There was more to it�� an eerie suspicion that no one else shared. A suspicion that young Mordret was not his son at all. A suspicion like that was nothing short of crazy. Considering the situation, nothing could have happened between Gwyn and the anomaly, no matter how convincing the other Anvil had been. Jest was sure of it. Nothing had happened, and yet�� a worm of doubt found its way into Anvil''s heart. And once it did, doubt seemed to slowly devour him from the inside.


    Anvil became only colder and more unapproachable after his son was born. But there was still some humanity left of him, at least. These last drops of humanity did not last, though.


    Whatever warmth was left in his heart disappeared on the day Lady Gwyn passed away after giving birth to their second child, Morgan. On the day of the funeral, Jest found Anvil in the underground hall once more, looking at the canvas shrouding the Great Mirror.


    The young man turned and looked at Jest with no emotions in his steely eyes. A few moments later, Anvil said evenly:


    "...I failed again."  S��arch* The N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He remained silent for a bit, then turned back to the mirror and added without any emotion in his cold voice:


    "But I won''t fail anymore."


    Jest wanted to say that the boy was learning all the wrong lessons. But he wasn''t sure that he had that right�� most of all, he wasn''t even sure that the boy was wrong. The Nightmare Spell was a cruel god. People said that time healed all wounds��


    But in the world of the Nightmare Spell, time only dealt you new ones. Jest''s tentative hope that Anvil would eventually recover from losing Gwyn was shattered two years later, when disaster struck and a Category Five Gate swallowed America. So many things were lost in that calamity.


    Among those things were the lives of Immortal Flame and Smile of Heaven, who fell while buying civilians time to evacuate. And losing Smile of Heaven was the final straw that made something snap inside Anvil. That was what pushed his cold iron heart to make an unforgivable decision.


    For the good of humanity, for himself�� and for the glory of the Valor clan, as well. ��Of course, that decision would not have been possible without the damn abomination, Asterion, waiting there with a smile on his lips after offering the lord of Valor a new deal.


    A deal to help Anvil kill Broken Sword.

 Chapter 2174 Fatal Curiosity

    Chapter 2174  Fatal CuriosityCassie froze, momentarily shaken by what she had discovered.


    It had not been her goal��


    But now that she had caught a glimpse of the conspiracy that would shape the fate of the world �� as well as destroy Neph''s life and turn her into who she was today �� she could not just let go. Even if it was the wisest choice. Her reserves of essence were dwindling, and Jest was already showing signs of freeing himself from the bewitching vice of her gaze. She still had to handle the aftermath, as well. Killing the old Saint would not prove too difficult�� but as much as he deserved to be killed, that was not necessarily the best choice. Cassie''s Aspect gave her a rare ability to understand her enemies. Understanding someone usually made it impossible to hate them�� after all, how could she truly hate someone whose joys and sorrows she had experienced herself? Understanding could only give birth to compassion, and it was easy to lose herself in the memories of others.  Sear?h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just like that, she could not help but empathize with Jest, who had experienced so much, and had suffered so much sorrow throughout his long and extraordinary life. However�� memories were also deceitful. They were not truthful records of what had happened. They were vague and fleeting, often showing only a fragmented account of the past. Even then, they were shaped and painted by the mind of the one who remembered. Take Jest, for example. In his mind, he was a loyal and sympathetic person�� perhaps not virtuous, but definitely well-meaning. That was why what he remembered of his life told a tale of beautiful human connections and dire adversity in pursuit of greater good.


    But in reality, he was a butcher whose hands were drenched in blood to the elbow. A callous killer who disregarded human life and had left countless innocent victims in his wake�� it was just that he did not care about them that much, and therefore, the faceless victims did not even leave a lasting trace in his memories. Cassie felt compassion toward Jest, but she was also revolted by him�� not that her own hands were clean, of course. Both of them deserved to die, perhaps. So it was a question of profit. Killing Jest would be profitable, since it would remove a powerful enemy from the board. However, it would also result in a loss, since his death would undoubtedly push Anvil to take action and reveal Cassie''s hand. As a result, she hesitated to kill him.


    There were other ways to deal with the old man, as well.


    She could alter his memories slightly, manipulating them to achieve her goals. With some effort, she could erase some of them instead, making him forget ever wanting to kill her. She could even burn away all his memories one after another, erasing them until his mind became a clean slate, and the man named Jest became swallowed by oblivion while his body and soul remained alive.


    That was within her power, too. But all of it required vast amounts of essence to be spent. Only killing Jest did not demand any additional cost. Still, still��


    Could she really let the chance to learn about Broken Sword''s death go?


    Cassie hesitated for a few moments, then made a decision and delved back into Jest''s memories. And not long after that��


    Her eyes widened slightly. ''...Weaver? That was the reason?''


    She did not have time to finish the thought, though. Because at that moment, Jest''s monstrous hand shot forward. He had been struggling desperately and biding his time while the audacious girl sifted through his mind. It felt vile and ghastly, to feel someone invading your mind forcefully and carelessly perusing your most hidden feelings, most cherished memories�� shedding light on your deepest scars. What right did she have?! What gave her the courage?!


    Even enthralled by Song of the Fallen''s bewitching gaze, Jest was shaking with shame, indignation, and fury. But he was an old monster who had outlived more than his fair share of needlessly confident youngsters. He knew how to be patient. And just like Jest had thought��


    Cassia had succumbed to greed. She overstayed her welcome. When he finally moved, she seemed caught by surprise. The young woman reeled back, her eyes opening wide, but it was already too late. They were too close to each other.


    His clawed fingers closed around her slender, fragile neck.


    Jest grinned. "...Curiosity killed the cat, you know?"


    Of course, he wasn''t foolish enough to give her time to answer. Just as the words left his mouth, Jest strained his muscles and snapped the young woman''s neck. She was a Saint, of course, but her Aspect did not augment her physique. Jest, however, was currently in his Transcendent form. Her spine broke easily enough. As the hideous Echo behind him collapsed into a maelstrom of sparks, he threw Song of the Fallen away. Her broken body landed on a very special patch of scarlet moss and submerged into it slowly, the wide-open eyes still staring at him with a silent accusation.


    Was she still alive? Well, probably�� it would take some time for a Saint to die from a broken neck.


    Her body would dissolve in the pit of digestive fluid hidden beneath the moss soon enough, though. A grisly death, no doubt �� quite fitting for a girl who did not know her place. There would be no trace left, leaving him free to come up with an explanation.


    ''So what if you learned all my secrets? Take them to your grave, foolish girl.''


    Now, then�� there was one more left. Dealing with Helie turned out to be almost boring. Her Flaw made her a perfect victim for someone like Jest, after all �� denied the power of her Aspect, she died powerlessly in his hands. She did not stop struggling until the very end, though. That, at least, was a bit fun.


    In the end, he tossed her body into the same pit. Looking around, Jest let out a deep sigh. "Ah. I feel like he''ll reprimand me very sternly, this time��"


    Even he was a little afraid of Anvil''s wrath. And Anvil would definitely be very angry about what Jest had done today�� well, at least as angry as his cold iron heart allowed him to be.


    Assuming his human form, Jest went about getting dressed. His clothes were designed in a way that prevented them from being destroyed when he Transformed �� his shirt and trousers were, at least. All he had to do to restore them to their previous shape was fasten a few buckles.


    The jacket, unfortunately, was completely gone. He clicked his tongue. "Damn it! I just had this one tailored��"


    Shaking his head, Jest picked up his cane, looked around one last time, and left. ***


    Not long after that, Helie walked out from behind a tree and looked at Cassie, who was standing nearby, with a strange expression. "...That''s it? He just left?"


    Cassie nodded tiredly. "Why would he stay? I implanted a false memory into his mind. One of killing us brutally and disposing of our bodies. So, he has nothing left to do here."


    She had erased the memory of what her eyes truly looked like when she transformed, as well �� like she always did after using her Transcendent Ability. Helie remained silent for a few moments, then shivered. "Can you put your blindfold back on? I''m, uh�� will feel better if you do."


    Cassie did not comment and simply pulled the blindfold back into its place. Helie seemed to relax once she did.


    That was the very reason she wore a blindfold, to begin with. Eventually, Helie asked:


    "So�� I guess we are dead now? At least as far as Clan Valor will be concerned. What do we do now?"


    Cassie turned to her, remained silent for a moment, and then smiled softly. "Well, what else?"


    With that, she faced the jungle. "We''ll have to defect to Song, I guess."

 Chapter 2175 Blind Faith

    Chapter 2175  Blind FaithAfter having a short discussion, Cassie and Helie were ready to set out. There was no reason to linger, anyway �� the decision had been made, and there was no going back. Helie was concerned for the clan, but at the moment, the best way she could protect them was to play dead for a while. The abominable jungle rustled eerily around the two of them, making Cassie''s skin crawl. She shivered and placed her hand on the hilt of the Quiet Dancer, trying to find comfort in its familiar texture. Altering Jest''s memories had burned most of her remaining essence�� in fact, she had been forced to cut the connection to most of her marks while delving into his past to preserve some, and as a result, she was truly and utterly blind at the moment. She could not even activate her Awakened Ability �� or rather, she could, but only for a short while. Which meant that it was better not to use her Aspect unless there was an emergency. Both of she and Helie were beaten and battered, still reeling from the fierce violence of the battle and utterly exhausted. Nevertheless, Cassie spoke after hesitating for a few moments:


    "Saint Helie�� I''m afraid I am running quite low on soul essence. So, while my Echo will be of some help, I will have to rely on you to get us out of this appalling jungle."


    She could not see what expression the beautiful Saint made, but it somehow felt like someone was giving her a dubious look. In the end, Helie coughed. "Sure, no problem. Luckily, I wasted very little essence myself �� that old goat prevented me from using my Aspect throughout most of the battle, after all. And I am sure that your Echo will be very helpful, as well."


    She paused for a moment, and then added in a slightly stifled tone:


    "...Where did this creepy Echo come from, anyway? What kind of vile, ghastly Nightmare Creature did you kill to get it, Lady Cassia?"


    Cassie tilted her head a little, then answered honestly:


    "Oh�� it is an Echo of myself."


    Helie seemed to have lost the ability to speak for a few moments. Then, she asked in a small voice:


    "W��what?"


    Cassie shrugged. "Well�� certain events transpired in my Third Nightmare, and as a result, I had to kill a Corrupted version of myself. I happened to receive an Echo, as well."


    Helie took a deep breath, trying to gather her thoughts. Then, she looked back to the delicate young woman standing motionlessly in front of her. ''Right. Of course. Why not? Sounds perfectly reasonable!''


    ...Not!  S��ar?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "And you just keep an Echo of yourself around?"


    Song of the Fallen nodded elegantly. "I do."


    Then, her expression changed slightly, and she added hastily: "Of a Corrupted version of myself. Hence the tentacles�� please don''t misunderstand, Saint Helie! I absolutely do not have those myself. After all, I am not some eldritch horror wearing human skin. I am most definitely a perfectly normal human woman."


    Helie stared at her for a bit, then forced out an unconvincing chuckle. "Sure�� sure, of course! If you say so."


    It was funny �� she was old enough to be Cassia''s mother�� no, maybe a cool aunt�� but, somehow, it did not feel that way. If anything, the exquisitely beautiful young woman gave her the opposite feeling. Shaking her head, Helie called upon the power of her Aspect and assumed her Transcendent form. Then, she offered Song of the Fallen her hand. "I don''t say this often, but�� please climb onto my back, Lady Cassia. I''ll give you a smooth ride."


    Saying that, she grinned.


    The young woman hesitantly raised her hand, grasped Helie''s own, and mounted gracefully.


    "Hold tight!"


    Summoning her bow, Helie delved into the jungle at a swift trot. Both of them had to remain alert due to all the dangers that the Hollows hid �� however, they had a good chance of emerging to the surface alive. Cassie had never ridden a centaur before, let alone such a friendly one, so she did not know what to expect. However, the journey turned out to be far more comfortable than she had thought it would be. At some point, she spoke:


    "Saint Helie�� I will need your help once we arrive at the Song encampment, as well."


    Helie turned her head a little, looking back. "How so?"


    Cassie hesitated for a moment. "You were not involved in what your uncle had done, but you are still his niece. Master Orum sacrificed his life for the Song clan. He had a personal relationship with the Queen, as well�� so, there is a good chance that she will receive you well. I, on the other hand, will be met with hostility and suspicion. So, you will have to try and smooth things over."


    Helie let out a wistful sigh. "I can try, I guess. But��"


    She paused.


    "But what happens next?"


    They had discussed the consequences of seeking shelter in the Song camp already, but really, the end result of their actions remained ambiguous �� especially for Helie, who knew neither what Nephis was planning nor what had truly pushed Cassie to take this step. From the outside, it simply looked as if they were trying to betray the Sword Domain and switch sides in order to support the Song Army. Of course, the Sword Domain had betrayed them first �� but that was not a clean justification. Reality was never so simple. Even if Jest had attempted to kill them, and even if the King himself could not be trusted, both Cassie and Helie were tied to the Sword Domain. Cassie would have to fight against Nephis and the Fire Keepers if she joined the Sword Army, while Helie would have to fight against her own clan�� it was all a proper mess. In the end, Cassie just sighed. "Things will resolve themselves, somehow."


    Helie chuckled. "Ah�� that''s good, then. If that is the case, I''m relieved."


    That answer was as good as any other would have been. Helie had already decided to put her faith in Nephis, after all�� she had refused Jest''s offer in hopes that Changing Star would make things work, somehow. Now, the only choice she had was to follow that hope. After a few minutes of silence, Helie suddenly spoke in a somber tone:


    "Well, then, I have something to confess."


    Cassie raised an eyebrow, surprised. "...Confess?"


    Helie did not say anything else for a full minute, then sighed. "This whole damn war started based on the excuse of punishing Clan Song for sending assassins after Changing Star, didn''t it? Well, actually��"


    She paused for a moment. "It was me."


    Cassie tilted her head. "What do you mean?"


    Helie let out a joyless chuckle. "Look! It seems there''s something that even Song of the Fallen doesn''t know. But, yes�� there were no Song assassins, and neither Dar of the Maharana clan nor Silent Stalker had anything to do with the attempt on Changing Star''s life. They''re not the only Saints who know their way around a bow, you know? It was me. I shot those arrows."


    She raised her great bow, which had grown in size to fit her Transcendent form. Helie sighed, and her shoulders fell. "Well, it wasn''t like I had any choice. When Morgan of Valor comes calling, you don''t say no. I was ordered to make it seem like I wanted to kill Lady Nephis, and so, I did. I thought I should mention it before we reach the stronghold of Clan Song."


    Cassie remained silent for a while, stunned. That�� she had really had no idea. They had suspected that Clan Valor �� perhaps even Morgan herself �� was behind the assassination, of course. But their suspicion had never once fallen on Saint Helie.


    ��And there Cassie was, priding herself on being unassuming and knowing things. ''Huh.''


    But how did it make any sense, for Master Orum to have been a Song spy while his niece was Valor''s secret weapon? Their Legacy clan was not even really on the map, in the grand scheme of things... especially not compared to the deeply impactful role they seemed to have played in the Great War.


    Life was full of irony sometimes. Eventually, Cassie shook her head and said with a bit of dejection in her voice:


    "Saint Helie�� respectfully, please don''t mention this particular part when negotiating with Clan Song. Some things�� are better left unsaid!" Helie responded with a quiet laugh. "Alright. I think I can keep my mouth shut, if you insist."


    By then, they were almost halfway to the fissure leading to the surface of the First Rib. And Cassie had already replenished a little essence �� enough of it, at least, to maintain a connection to one of her marks. She could have restored her connection to Helie, but instead, she softly touched the mark left on Sunny �� his original body that remained near Nephis. [Sunny?]


    He seemed to be drinking tea in the beautiful gazebo on the Ivory Island. Hearing Cassie''s call, he lowered his tea cup. [Cassie? Where are you? I was trying to reach you earlier��]


    She hesitated for a moment. [Sorry. I was out of essence �� in fact, I can''t maintain this connection for long even now. So, please, listen carefully. I need to tell you something important.]


    He prepared to listen, raising his cup and taking a sip of the fragrant tea. Cassie took a deep breath. [So, the thing is... I am dead...]


    Sunny spat out his tea.


    [...officially, I mean.]

 Chapter 2176 Precipice of the End

    Chapter 2176  Precipice of the EndAfter Cassie ran out of essence and their conversation was interrupted, Sunny remained motionless, staring into the distance with a lost expression on his face. After a while, he looked down at his cup. "...My tea has turned cold."


    His voice was even.  sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a sigh, he brought the cup to his lips and took a leisurely sip, enjoying the darkly beautiful view of Godgrave and the vibrant, idyllic tranquility of the Ivory Island with a smile. Cassie''s news was unexpected enough, but the momentary feeling of being lost Sunny had experienced was not because of it. Rather, it was because of what the news signified. The resolution of this dreadful, appalling war had been drawing near for a while... But now, it was here. The end had arrived. So, this was probably the last moment of peace he would get to experience until everything was over�� quite possibly the last moment of peace he would get to experience for the rest of his life, since his life could very well end in a matter of days.


    Still, if he thought about��


    Sunny felt satisfied. It was far too soon, true. And they did not quite manage to accomplish everything they had set out to accomplish before the war started�� but they did their best. From the day Sunny had chosen to return from the frigid ruins of LO49, out there in the northernmost reaches of the Dream Realm, and until today, he had never once stopped working doggedly toward his bold and defiant goal. His determination to vanquish the Sovereigns, subjugate the world, and bend existence to his will had never wavered. So, he was ready. He was ready to win�� but he was prepared to lose, too. After all, despite it all, the treacherous scheme he and Nephis had woven was at its core a gamble. The future was unclear... who knew what the future held?


    Sunny certainly did not.


    But whatever happened, he would have no regrets. At least that was what he told himself while enjoying his tea in peace.


    Eventually, the bottom of the cup revealed itself, and he put it down with a hint of regret. Letting out a long sigh, Sunny rose from his seat and left the gazebo. There were a lot of things he had to do. ''This girl�� I think I''ve been a bad influence on her.''


    Sunny had felt something strange while talking to Cassie. It was as if he had found himself on the wrong end of a conversation with himself! No, but really. What sane person opened a conversation by announcing their death?


    As Sunny walked across the emerald grass, his eyes turned chilly with murderous cold. ''...Jest.''


    So the affable old mad had decided to show initiative and kill Cassie after luring her into the woods. Cassie had left him alive�� but Sunny was not that forgiving. He was in the mood to tear the bastard limb from limb, feed his corpse to the Nightmare Creatures, and eradicate his entire clan. It took quite a lot of composure not to send the Lord of Shadows to intercept Jest and end him like the vermin he was before the old man reached Vanishing Lake. That vile piece of trash had dared to set his sights on Cassie?


    Sunny gritted his teeth in anger. ''Calm... calm down.''


    Cassie knew what she was doing. If she had thought that she would be in serious danger, she would have asked him for help. But she did not, which meant that she had known about Jest''s intentions in advance and felt confident that she could deal with him herself.


    And she had. Not only had Cassie defeated the old Saint �� Sunny should not have expected anything less from her �� but she also learned quite a lot of secrets from his memories. For example, Anvil''s Flaw. Exhaling slowly, Sunny smothered his anger and began to think. Jest could keep drawing breath for a bit longer.


    ''That Flaw�� is a harsh one.''


    Sadly, it was not something one could use against the King of Swords in a battle. It gave context to the decisions Anvil made and provided deep insight into his character, explaining a lot both about his rise to power and about his downfall as a human being. Knowing your enemy was a great advantage, and Sunny was glad to have gained the knowledge of Anvil''s Flaw�� But it was not exactly a fatal vulnerability he had hoped to find.


    The same went for Ki Song. Although Cassie had not glimpsed the secret of her Flaw directly, both of them strongly suspected that the Queen''s Flaw made her incapable of bearing children. Therefore, her vulnerability was the affection she felt for her adopted daughters. Anvil''s lack of familiar love could be exploited, and Ki Song''s love for her daughters could be exploited, as well. But not in the narrow timeframe they were left with, most likely... at least not effectively. That whole endeavor had led them to a dead end. Sunny sighed. ''Well, when have things ever been easy?''


    Most of the time, things were as hard as they could get. So, he had never really expected to find an easy way to defeat the Sovereigns. They had gained plenty of useful knowledge about the past, regardless. New information about Asterion and Mordret, among other things �� two people who would become big problems in the future, without a doubt. If there even was a future for Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie.


    Entering the Ivory Tower, Sunny frowned. There was something else that Cassie had learned, but chose not to tell him �� she did mention it briefly, but did not go into details. It was partially because they had been pressed for time, and partially because she seemed to want to gather her thoughts before sharing this new information. The secret had something to do with Broken Sword and the downfall of the Immortal Flame clan�� no wonder Cassie was reluctant to speak on this topic rashly. It was probably the very reason why she had contacted Sunny instead of speaking directly to Nephis, unwilling to have that conversation with her yet.


    The information did not seem immediately relevant to the conclusion of the war, regardless. And there were too many things they had to do before the end came �� especially because Cassie could very well become unable to contact any of her allies soon. Who knew what kind of restrictions Song Clan would put on her once she was in their hands? This was why Sunny had to hurry. ''I really hope Nightmare has finished his task well��''

 Chapter 2177 Dire Choice

    Chapter 2177  Dire ChoiceFar away, near the ruined Citadel at Vanishing Lake, the Lord of Shadows was observing the troops coldly. The soldiers were getting ready for the final stage of the clandestine assault �� some were leaving to clear the last stretch of the path to the surface, others were preparing to receive the additional forces from the siege camp. The attack on the Lesser Crossing would most likely happen in a matter of days�� actually, now that Jest had gone and made a mess, the plan would most likely be accelerated. The Lesser Crossing would fall, and the Song Army would retreat to the edges of the Collarbone Plain. The territory of the Song Domain in Godgrave would dwindle, and the territory of the Sword Domain would spread, enveloping it from all sides. Ki Song would be faced with an uncomfortable choice. She would have to either abandon the main camp of her army and retreat to the sole Citadel in Godgrave that was under her control, abandon the Citadel to make her last stand at the fortified camp, or split her forces to try and protect both.


    The disadvantage of splitting her forces was obvious enough. Abandoning the Citadel would only diminish her power further, while at the same time giving Anvil an opportunity to expand his. The main camp of the Song Army seemed like the least painful sacrifice�� but only at first glance. The main camp was not only the logistical hub where all the supply chains came together, but also the gateway to the Song Domain. If it was abandoned, nothing would prevent Anvil from simply descending from Godgrave into the western reaches of the Dream Realm and wreaking havoc in the basin of the River of Tears, where most of Ki Song''s Citadels were located. So, Sunny thought that she would most likely concentrate her forces in the main camp. After the Two Crossings fell, the camp would be surrounded in a day or two.


    And once it was surrounded, the Sovereigns would clash directly. Ki Song would have no other choice but to enter the fray herself, driven into the corner as she was. ��And at that time, Sunny and Nephis would have to enter the fray, as well, finally facing the Sovereigns in battle. Of course, ideally, that would only happen once both Anvil and Ki Song had exhausted each other''s powers, dealt each other countless wounds, and one of them was on the verge of being killed. Sunny''s face grew somber behind Weaver''s Mask. ''...But would Nephis be willing to go through with it?''


    Neither of them had attained Supremacy yet, after all. Of course, there was a good chance that at least one of them would become Supreme during or in the aftermath of the battle. Freeing themselves from the clutches of the Sovereigns, who held the entire world in an iron grip, and slaying them was one hell of an act of defiance, after all. Usurping the throne of humanity �� or, in Sunny''s case, putting the person he had chosen on it ��was, as well. But if the Sovereigns fell and no new Supreme emerged, the result would be catastrophic. Because nothing would protect the mundane inhabitants of the Dream Realm from becoming carriers of the Nightmare Spell.


    Hundreds of millions of people in both Domains would probably die, plunged into the depths of their First Nightmares.


    ��But then again, a comparable amount of new Awakened would emerge. Dozens of millions of Awakened �� imagining such a tremendous force was frightening.


    But not as frightening as the cost humanity would have to pay to come into possession of such force.


    Sunny was horrified by the mere thought of having to make this choice. Of course, missing their chance to defeat the Sovereigns would not really save any of those people, either. If either the King of Swords or the Queen of Worms vanquished their adversary and became the sole ruler of the world, their already astonishing power would become simply inconceivable�� defeating them already seemed impossible, and it would become unthinkable then. For Sunny and Nephis, that was. However, that was not at all true for the true rulers of the Dream Realm�� the Cursed and Unholy Nightmare Creatures that dwelled in the dark expanses of the Death Zones, and could very well consume all of humanity once the waking world was swallowed by the Realm of the Forgotten God. The corrupted deities that had already consumed the populations of all the previous Divine Realms infected by the Nightmare Spell.


    This whole mess had started because neither Nephis nor Sunny believed that the Sovereigns could face the future trials of the Nightmare Spell. The Sovereigns were great and mighty, and their feats were truly legendary... or had been, once. But they had also grown reticent and complacent, wasting decades doing little more than suffocating the emerging power of humanity and preparing to abandon most of the waking world''s population in the coming calamity.


    Perhaps they had their reasons, perhaps they believed that theirs was the only way... but their reasons were not good enough, and the path they had chosen would only lead to doom.


    So, missing the chance to eliminate them now, while saving countless lives at the moment�� could very well doom all lives in the future. That was why the choice was so agonizing. Sunny could not imagine making it�� but Nephis had to. She would have to make it in just a few days.


    They still had some time left �� time to watch the Two Crossing fall, the Song Army retreat, and the Sword Army surround its camp. Sunny did not think that either of them would manage to attain Supremacy at that time, so he was preparing to fight the Sovereigns as a Saint. The three of them �� Sunny, Nephis, and Cassie �� had planned for this battle for a long time. However, the plan had to change a little recently. So, while the Lord of Shadows was observing the troops, one of his shadows stealthily snuck away.


    A few moments later, it was on its way to the Nameless Temple�� or rather, to the Hollows below it. It was time to prepare his slumbering army of monsters for war. As well as take care of its general.  Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 2178: Sea of Yearning Stars

    At the same time as the Lord of Shadows descended into the Hollows, Master Sunless ascended the steps of the Tower of Hope.


    The Ivory Island drifted above the siege camp of the Sword Army, seven torn chains hanging below it and rustling in the wind. There was no need to land the flying Citadel and anchor it securely, since Tyris of White Feather was nearby, keeping the veil of radiant clouds intact.


    Below it, the vast encampment sprawled like a dark stain on the white surface of the ancient bone. Countless tents stood in long rows, with more permanent structures towering between them here and there. Myriads of soldiers were busy preparing for the next battle or seeking shelter from the sweltering heat.


    Some sat motionlessly with crude blindfolds covering their eyes, tired from the everlasting radiance of day and longing for the soothing touch of darkness. Some were simply too numb to move.


    Across the chasm from the vast camp, the Greater Crossing Stronghold stood like a rugged cliff. The battered walls of the impregnable fortress were covered in endless layers of soot and dried blood.


    The patchwork of repairs held them together, but in some places, the ramparts seemed to sink under their own weight or tilt precariously, marred with numerous deep wounds.


    An unbearable miasma rose from the depths of the dark chasm, which had become a collective grave for countless soldiers and enthralled Nightmare Creatures.


    Above it all...


    Saint Nephis �� Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan �� stood on the balcony of the Ivory Tower, observing the camp and the stronghold with a detached expression on her breathtakingly beautiful face.


    Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes.


    But even with her eyes closed, she could still feel them.


    Tiny sparks of longing shining like countless stars in the darkness, merging into a great celestial bonfire.


    The heavens were burning.


    Nephis was burning, as well... she was flame itself. All those stars were connected to her, inspired by her. Bathing her in their light, and scorching her with their fire.


    The waning flames were growing stronger because of her.


    It was easier to sense them with her eyes closed.


    The souls illuminating the darkness were her nascent Domain.


    Here in Godgrave, under the walls of the bloodstained fortress, these souls were shining especially bright. The siege had been a harrowing, numbing, never-ending nightmare... one would think that those who survived would abandon themselves to hopelessness. But instead, their longing was only growing more intense, more demanding... scorching.


    After all, those who were desperate were the ones who hoped desperately.


    Their hope had been undergoing a change as of late �� or perhaps it was Nephis who was changing.


    Before, her nascent Domain was simply there. Her source element. She felt a connection to the souls burning with the spark of longing, and could draw spirit essence from them.


    But now, it was as if the sea of yearning stars had grown so vast that it possessed a mass. That mass... was pulling at her. Calling her. Demanding from her that their hopes were answered.


    It was almost painful.


    It was almost like the Call of Nightmare.


    Maddening.


    Nephis sighed.


    ''How do I complete it?''


    She was tired, frustrated... and vexed.


    The battles continued. The soldiers kept dying. She had even failed to protect her Fire Keepers... a few of those who survived the Forgotten Shore were now gone. ??????��?????????


    And yet, Supremacy still remained unattainable.


    Everything was in place, and yet something was lacking.


    Nephis had prepared the foundation of her future Domain... if anything, it was overdeveloped, by now. Her source element was thriving, and her connection to it was both deep and vast.


    Her Transcendent Battle Art was refined to nearly a flawless state.


    Her willpower was firm. That had been the easiest part, really... after all, if Nephis lacked willpower, she would have crumbled the first time she experienced the excruciating pain of her Flaw. Every step she took, every battle she fought, every spark of flame she summoned was an act of overcoming herself.


    She had never been shy about forcing her will upon the world, either. She sharpened her will against her own soul and used it to cut existence. From the very start, her goal had been to reshape the world according to her�� she already knew how to use it in order to fuel her powers.


    She had learned sorcery, and thus knew the feeling of bending the world to her whims all too well. At its core, the act of invoking True Names of things to affect them was no different from exerting her will upon them, because the Sorcery of Names could not work without being fueled by the willpower of the sorcerer. sea??h th�� n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She had a talent for it.


    It was almost as if Nephis was custom-made to become a Sovereign.


    She had even changed her ways and opened her arms to another, exploring passion and longing with her own heart and body. That was a strange and unexpected journey, as well.


    But she still did not know how to galvanize her source element and ignite the sea of yearning stars into a blazing pyre.


    There was no trick to it. She simply had to will her Domain to be, but her will could not reach the countless flames of longing. It simply passed through them, unable to exert any influence.


    ''An act of defiance...''


    Wasn''t she defiant enough?


    She had defied impossible odds numerous times. She was defying the Sovereigns... she was defying the Nightmare Spell itself.


    What else could she do?


    Nephis opened her eyes and looked at the siege camp of the Sword Army.


    A sigh escaped from her lips.


    Time was running out...


    At that moment, she heard the sound of light steps and turned around to see who was coming.


    Her mysterious lover stepped onto the balcony and looked at her, a genuine smile illuminating his enchanting face.


    A few moments later, he spoke in a pleasant voice:


    "I have good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?"


    Nephis lingered for a moment, involuntary smiling back.


    "Let''s start with the bad news."


    He sighed.


    "I am quite certain that Anvil will accelerate the assault on the Lesser Crossing. It might very well start by the end of the day."


    Nephis froze, momentarily stunned by the implication.


    She frowned.


    "What is the good news, then?"


    Sunny studied her for a bit, then chuckled.


    "The news of Cassie''s death was greatly exaggerated."


    Nephis blinked.


    ''Huh?''


    "Wait... what? Cassie''s death?"


    He coughed.


    "Oh... right. Actually, there''s also the third kind of news. The weird news..."

 Chapter 2179: Star of Ruin

    It did not take long to describe what had happened to Cassie. The battle with Jest, the many revelations gained from his memories, and her decision to surrender herself to the Song Domain...


    As Nephis contemplated silently, Sunny leaned on the parapet and looked down at the siege camp of the Sword Army.


    He was suddenly in a wistful mood.


    Looking at the distant soldiers from above, Sunny could not help but think about their hopes and dreams. So many lives had been thrown at the walls of the Greater Crossing Stronghold, and so many of those lives had been lost �� both on the side of the besieging army and on the side of the besieged.


    The soldiers of the Sword Domain were desperate to conquer the impregnable fortress, and the soldiers of the Song Army had defended it with the same measure of resolve and desperation.


    But in the end, it would never be taken in battle.


    Instead, the Lesser Crossing would fall to a cunning maneuver, and the defenders of the Greater Crossing would be ordered to retreat. How bitter would they feel, having to abandon the walls that they had defended with their lives?


    And how bittersweet would it be for the soldiers of the Sword Army, to take over the fortress where so many of their brothers and sisters had died without having to shed a single drop of theirs?


    Wouldn''t all of them be overcome by a terrible sense of futility?


    Looking at the battered walls of the great fortress, Sunny smiled crookedly.


    ''...It''s almost as if war is a senseless affair.''


    Nephis sighed and leaned on the parapet by his side.


    After a few moments of silence, she said evenly:


    "I worry about Cassie. She has an... infuriating habit of taking too much upon herself. She will suffer at the hands of the Queen."


    Sunny was brought back from his thoughts and lowered his head.


    Nephis was right. Cassie would not have gone to the Song side without a good reason, and she seemed to be confident that her safety would not be compromised there �� after all, there had been other options to choose from even if she couldn''t return to the Sword Army camp.


    She could have sought shelter in the Nameless Shelter, for example. She could have even killed Jest, returning without him to try and deceive the King.


    But even if she was confident that the Queen would not kill her, that did not mean that she would be welcomed with open arms. Clan Song would definitely distrust and scrutinize her... even torture her, perhaps.


    A shadow fell over Sunny''s face.


    "Cassie... knows how to endure suffering. In any case, Ki Song will not have a lot of time to spend on interrogating her."


    Even if Cassie was taken to the main camp of the Song Army and held hostage there when it was besieged, the Queen would have her hands too full to pay attention to a turncoat Saint.


    Sunny turned his head and studied Nephis:


    "...I am more worried about you."


    She raised an eyebrow.


    "Me? Why would you worry about me?"


    He let out a resigned sigh and shook his head.


    "Talk about infuriating habits..."


    Nephis chuckled lightly. Then, however, her smile dimmed.


    Looking back to the siege camp, she asked in a reserved tone:


    "Are you worried about me confronting the Sovereigns?"


    Sunny nodded slowly.


    A little later, he asked with a hint of curiosity in his voice:


    "Will you?"


    She looked into the distance silently.


    Eventually, she said: sea??h th�� N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ve been waiting to exact my revenge on them for a long time, you know."


    Sunny nodded again.


    "I know."


    She smiled faintly.


    "I won''t ask how you know if you don''t ask me what I''ll do."


    The question hung between them for a while. The question itself was burdensome enough, but the answer would be so heavy as to send the Ivory Island crashing from the sky. ��???����????


    What would Nephis do?


    Would she give up her defiant resolve to depose the Sovereigns, or would she kill them even if it meant dooming millions of people to their deaths?


    Nephis herself did not seem to know the answer, yet.


    But Sunny knew.


    She was Changing Star, after all... the Star of Ruin. The herald of ruinous change.


    There was a reason why she had been given such a True Name.


    It was her fate.


    And, unlike Sunny... Nephis was still the prisoner of her fate.


    So, he had no doubt what she would choose, even if she herself was still hesitating.


    It would be just like the Bright Castle, which had been drenched in blood and then burned to the ground according to her will�� her will to lead those who survived to salvation from the tyranny of the Nightmare Spell.


    He could almost see it...


    The Sovereigns would fall, and hundreds of millions of mundane people in the Dream Realm would suddenly become carriers of the Spell, falling asleep on the streets of Bastion, Ravenheart, and every other human city to face the First Nightmare.


    Countless lives would be lost, but from the ruins, millions of Awakened warriors would rise, as well.


    The world would be changed in an instant... just in time to witness the destruction of Earth and its assimilation into the Dream Realm, as well as the bloody chaos that would follow.


    The remaining population of the waking world would face a harrowing culling �� but that culling would not be as ultimate and final as it would have been without a staggering vanguard of a hundred million Awakened waiting to meet them on the other side.


    The floodgates of Corruption would open, and the profane gods of the Dream Realm would leave their dens at the smell of human souls. The last human civilization would make its glorious last stand against the tide of nightmares.


    And above it all...


    Changing Star would shine like a radiant beacon, ruling over humanity and leading it into battle.


    Sunny looked down.


    ''Well. Something like that.''


    The future practically wrote itself.

 Chapter 2180: Reasons to Live

    Standing by his side, Nephis sighed and said quietly:


    "You seem to know so much about me, but I... I barely know anything about you. I always hesitate to ask you about your past. Because I am afraid you won''t answer."


    She was still thinking about his knowledge of how deep her grudge against the Sovereigns went, it seemed.


    And other things, as well. Nephis had never pried into his past and never mentioned the oddities of his existence, but she must have been aware of how strange their relationship was.


    It was a relationship built on mutual attraction, passion, and affection... but it was also light and ephemeral, as if it would be dispelled by merely mentioning something they were both aware of, and therefore chose to never speak aloud.


    Sunny hesitated for a few moments, then smiled.


    "What''s so good about the past? Ask me about the future, instead."


    Nephis smiled slightly.


    "Alright. What will you do once the war is over? Provided that we''ve won, of course... which we will, no doubt."


    Sunny pondered for a few moments.


    "Well, let''s see..."


    He considered his plans. Honestly, the war had preoccupied him fully, so he did not know what he would do and in what order, exactly.


    But he had some thoughts, of course.


    "First of all, I have to resolve the issue of my newest Shadow... one way or the other. Then, I want to forge a shadowbound Memory for myself. I hoped to do that before the final battle, actually �� who knew that bastard, Jest, would throw a wrench in my plans."


    Sunny scratched the back of his head.


    "Then, I have to take care of a few people. Aiko needs stable employment... gods know she suffered in that regard enough already. Then there''s my disciple, whom I need to introduce to a good sorcery teacher �� actually, that disciple of mine is so much work! Not only do I have to invent a way for her to Ascend naturally, I also have to make sure that nobody kills her to prevent that knowledge from spreading. Its going to be a real mess, no doubt. There are a few other acquaintances I want to look after, too."


    He looked into the distance, remained silent for a few moments, and said:


    "But those are just minor issues. There are a few places I must visit and a few things I must find, as well. Each expedition will be a serious undertaking. I need to explore the ruins of true Bastion. I also need to delve into the Jade Palace and the ice caves below Ravenheart. Then, there is the Night Garden �� I''ve never seen it with my own two eyes, but I am sure that exploring it would become a dreadful adventure, somehow."


    Sunny winced.


    "Finally... there is the Underworld. There is something I must find there, as well. This one will be the most troublesome �� not only because it''s one of the most frightening Death Zones in existence, but also because that place is more or less made to render me powerless." ??????��?��????


    He sighed.


    "Oh, right... and I have to explore the Shadow Realm. But that is just a side project."


    Saying that, he looked at Nephis and hesitated for a few moments.


    "There is one more place, as well. I haven''t decided if I really want to return there, though."


    He was talking about the Tomb of Ariel, of course.


    It seemed like he was destined to come back there, considering that he had met the future version of himself in the Estuary. But then again, Sunny was currently free of the chains of fate. So, his future could very well change...


    Probably.


    Nephis studied him for a while, a hint of amusement shining in her beautiful eyes. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That is all? I see... you are an ambitious man, Master Sunless."


    ...But there was a hint of something else there, as well.


    Dissatisfaction? Displeasure?


    Sunny fumbled for a few moments, trying to understand what exactly he had said to make her displeased.


    Then, it was as if a lightbulb turned on in his head.


    ''Oh!''


    No, really... was he an idiot?


    It was not what he had said... it was what he had not said.


    Sunny put on his most handsome, charming smile.


    "Oh, t��that... you must remember that I have eight bodies now! I can do many things at the same time. Obviously, I am also planning to stay with you... my lady. I will be right there by your side, helping you consolidate your power, govern the vast expanse of the Dream Realm, battle Nightmare Creatures, and prepare for the eventual assimilation of the waking world."


    Nephis stared at him for a few moments and nodded with satisfaction.


    Then, she looked away and asked:


    "And prepare me delicious food?"


    Sunny blinked.


    "Why, of course."


    She smiled.


    "How about giving me massages?"


    He coughed.


    "I''m glad that you mentioned that. I was thinking of giving you one right now."


    Nephis laughed quietly.


    "What about romantic dates? Visiting theaters or going on boat rides. And sparring."


    Sunny was a bit confused about how sparring had ended up between visiting theaters and rowing boats, but he wisely chose not to voice his doubt.


    "Of course. We... will do all these things, and more, together. I wouldn''t have it any other way."


    Nephis nodded with a smile.


    "Good."


    As he looked into the distance, though, her smile slowly dimmed, turning faint and brittle.


    After a while, she said:


    "Make sure not to die then, Master Sunless. You promised."


    Sunny wrapped his hand around her waist and pulled her closer.


    Her body felt hot against his own.


    "I am quite hard to kill, you know. Unless my soul is completely destroyed, I have plenty of spare bodies to retreat into."


    She turned her head and looked into his eyes. Her alluring lips were entirely too close.


    "Let us survive, then. Both of us. Shall we?"


    Instead of answering, Sunny leaned forward and kissed her.


    Their kiss was deep, intimate, and desperate...


    That was the best answer he could give, anyway.


    Who would want to die and never taste her sweet lips again?


    Sunny wanted to survive. He had to survive, no matter what.

 Chapter 2181 Break Point

    Chapter 2181  Break PointRain was sprawled on the ground, breathing shallowly. She was too tired to move, and had no desire to either. There was a black fabric covering her face, so it was a bit dark, at least�� the merciless radiance of the incandescent sky would have easily penetrated mundane cloth, but she was brazenly using [In Case of Emergency] to hide from the suffocating light. Who would have known that she would miss the frigid nights of Ravenheart one day?


    It was so damn hot.


    And she was so damn spent. Physically, mentally�� emotionally.


    The siege of the Greater Crossing had been a terrible affair. In fact, Rain had no words to describe how terrible, terrifying, hideous, and utterly horrid it had been. The endless battles, the heavy losses, the dwindling supplies�� the torturous, ever-present heat. By now, the soldiers were not even despondent, they were simply numb. As if their capacity to comprehend horror and their endurance had been completely overwhelmed.


    ��It was quite a feat, to overwhelm the mental endurance of her fellow soldiers. All of them had overcome Nightmares and braved the dreadful reaches of the Dream Realm to become Awakened, after all. All except for her. She had never set foot into a Nightmare�� at least not a Nightmare created by the Spell. The nightmare she was living had been created entirely with human hands. Four hands in particular �� four lofty, royal hands. Rain was too tired to think about the King and the Queen. She had no energy to feel resentment. Her eyes were covered, and while she had no essence to spare on frivolous things, the passive effect of the [Pi��ce de R��sistance] was still enough to prevent her from baking in the heat. She could stay still. "Rani��"


    Rain groaned. She remained motionless for a few moments, then slowly sat up. [In Case of Emergency] slipped from her eyes, and the merciless radiance of Godgrave battered them with blinding intensity. She squinted with a grimace, waiting for her pupils to adjust to the light. It felt like someone was driving nails into her head. Soon enough, Rain could see Tamar, Ray, and Fleur �� the four of them had sprawled on the ground almost in a pile after descending from the wall. Their tents had been destroyed days ago during one of the battles, and with the supply situation being what it was, no one was going to issue them new ones. Of course, there were plenty of empty tents in the camp of the Song Army these days. Too many soldiers had died, after all�� but finding and salvaging an empty tent was too much work, so they had simply been sleeping on the ground.


    It was Ray who had called her. Raising a hand, he said tiredly:


    "Water."


    Rain sighed, then summoned the Green Canteen and handed it to him. Then, she looked around. The Song Army had stubbornly endured the endless assaults, but that did not mean that it was unscathed. On the contrary, the courtyard of the great fortress where the army was camped looked like a graveyard, instead.


    And the soldiers looked like walking corpses. These days, it was hard to tell them apart from the Queen''s pilgrims at times. Everyone was shocked into numbness by the relentless siege. However��


    That had changed subtly in the last few days. Rain could not quite describe it, but it was as if a feverish tension was slowly permeating the air. Because the soldiers could feel it�� that the siege was going to end soon. There was no deep reason behind that feeling and no profound calculations they had made to come to such a conclusion, but nevertheless, everyone was suddenly infected by the idea.


    The reason was simple�� people had a breaking point, and the soldiers had long reached theirs. If it was this bad in the camp of the Song Army, then their enemy had to be faring even worse �� attacking a fortress was far more arduous than defending it, after all. Rain and her comrades knew that they were going to break soon, and so, they hoped that the Sword Army would break first. Some even hoped for a miracle, even though there were no benign miracles in the world of the Nightmare Spell. Only harrowing omens.


    Well, and there was a more concrete reason, as well. It was that the Saints had been involving themselves in the battles as of late. Before, the prohibition of the Queen prevented them from taking part in the defense of the fortress, but all kinds of rules and boundaries had become vague now. As a result, the Saints of both Domains entered the fray from time to time, relieving the Awakened soldiers. Of course, once a Saint from one side joined the battle, a Saint from the other side would arrive to prevent them from doing too much harm. But the Song Domain had more Saints than the enemy, at least. And Changing Star herself had not drawn her sword yet, limiting her occasional participation to healing the soldiers. Since the Saints were fighting, the situation must have been really desperate. Ray drank a bit of water from the Green Canteen and handed it to Fleur. Fleur handed it to Tamar, and Tamar returned it to Rain. After everyone had their fill, Ray spoke hoarsely:


    "Something is going on, isn''t it?"


    Rain raised an eyebrow. "What exactly do you mean?"


    The question was too broad. Many things were going on, most of them bad or outright terrible. The young man looked in the direction where a tall, scorched tent stood shining in the ruthless light �� it was the command tent of the Seventh Legion. He said:


    "Nobody had seen Princess Seishan on the wall today. She seems to have disappeared somewhere�� a few guys saw her leaving while we slept. Considering her position, the only thing that could force her to move is an order from the Queen. So, I bet something is afoot."


    Tamar remained silent for a while, then shrugged. "Even if something is, that''s none of our business."


    Rain nodded. "I''m sure we''ll learn in due time."


    With that, however, she glanced at her shadow. Unnoticed by anyone, the shadow subtly signaled her that they would talk later. She sighed. ''So something really is afoot.'' Ray, that guy�� he truly had the instincts of a rat. He sensed danger better than most diviners in the employ of the Song Army. Just as he thought that, his face suddenly changed, growing pale. His eyes widened. A moment later, Rain sensed a deep shadow moving in their direction, and felt her heartbeat growing calmer. The shadow fell on their pitiful group, and she turned around to look up at the person who approached them. Then, she blinked.


    ''O��oh?'' There was a tall man standing above them, looking down with an aloof expression. His handsome face seemed to be carved from stone, and his eyes were as calm as a lake. She knew who it was, of course�� it was the Saint of Sorrow.


    Tamar''s dad.


    What Rain did not know, however, was what he was doing here. He had never once shown initiative to seek out his daughter since the start of the war. Until today. Tamar looked as surprised to see her dad as Rain did. She stood up hurriedly and bowed her head to greet him. "Father."


    He lingered for a moment, then nodded to accept her greeting.


    "Tamar. Let us talk."


    She studied him carefully. "You can speak in front of my friends."


    He spared them a short glance, then sighed. "...Alright. It is for the best, since what I am about to tell you concerns them, as well."


    The Saint of Sorrow paused for a moment, then looked directly at Tamar.


    "Leave the Greater Crossing Stronghold. I will arrange a transfer with Saint Seishan as soon as she returns. Your cohort will be assigned guard duty, escorting supply caravans from the Song Domain."


    Guard duty��


    That meant that they would have to return to the main camp of the Song Army, then descend from Godgrave to the Moonriver Plains�� and come back with the next supply caravan. They would not have to participate in the defense of the fortress anymore. This was great news�� however, it made Rain shiver. Her eyes widened as she stared at the Saint of Sorrow, stunned. There could only be one reason why he would sacrifice his dignity to arrange something like that. It was that he believed that the Greater Crossing would fall, and wanted to make sure that his daughter did not perish with it. ''No way��''


    Rain knew that the morale in the Song Army was woefully low. The soldiers did not believe in victory anymore �� or rather, they did not care about it anymore. But if the Saint of Sorrow, one of the most stalwart champions of the Song Domain, was doing something like that��


    It meant that hopelessness had infected even the Saints, now. Things were far worse than Rain had anticipated. Tamar''s lower lip trembled. Nevertheless, she controlled her emotions and managed to maintain her composure. Her voice remained even:


    "What about you?"


    The Saint of Sorrow looked at her for a few long moments. Then, he said simply:


    "I''ll stay."


    With that, he raised his hand, froze for a second, and hesitantly patted her on the shoulder. Not saying anything else, the Saint of Sorrow turned around and walked away, his broad back seemingly as solid as a cliff.


    Tamar was left standing, watching him leave with a distant expression. Rain wanted to comfort her friend, but at that moment, her shadow signaled her to move. Letting out a sigh, Rain frowned and stood up. She raised the Green Canteen. "I''ll go and try to find some water. You guys rest."


    She left her cohort behind and headed in the opposite direction from where the Saint of Sorrow had gone. When there was no one around to hear her, she whispered:


    "What?"  sea??h th�� nov��lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Her brother quietly:


    "Seishan is returning to the fortress. She''s not alone, either�� she''s escorting a prisoner."


    He lingered for a moment, then said: "Go take a look."

 Chapter 2182 Royal Hospitality

    Chapter 2182  Royal HospitalityStep. Step. Another step. The chains rattled as Cassie walked, trying to maintain some of her dignity despite the shackles. She was quite used to those, luckily, having spent most of her time in the Third Nightmare chained.


    However, it was different this time.


    Things had gone more or less as expected when she and Helie emerged from the Hollows and were found by the forces of Song. It was a lone pilgrim who had noticed them first, but once one of the Queen''s puppets did, all of them knew. So, her daughters did not take long to arrive from the Lesser Crossing Stronghold �� Lonesome Howl, Silent Stalker, and Death Singer. They were the ones whom Cassie surrendered herself to.  S��arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Regardless of the severity of the situation�� observing their confused expressions had really been quite fun.


    ''Should I get captured more often?''


    Cassie did her best to remain calm, entertaining herself with such thoughts. Helie and her were quickly separated. She gave her account of what had happened, mentioning Jest and his plot to have her killed �� giving an explanation of why she was defecting that Helie could corroborate. There was not a word of lie in what Cassie told them. Of course, she omitted the real reason why she had decided to seek shelter in the embrace of the Great Clan Song, making the entire tale a deception. Truth was funny that way, sometimes. There was no telling if the Song sisters believed her. Helie was welcomed quite well, at least�� that was a relief. It seemed that the Queen still held some affection for her old mentor, Master Orum �� enough so to spare his niece, if nothing else.


    But the same benevolence did not extend to Cassie. Clan Song was wary of her, and so, she was treated as a prisoner, not as a guest. ��An important prisoner, at least. That was just what Cassie had expected. When Seishan hastily arrived from the Greater Crossing to take her away in secret, Cassie was not surprised, either. The Lost Princess of Song looked just as elegant and graceful as ever, but honestly, she had lost some of her luster. Nobody would go so far as to call her appearance ragged, and yet the signs of fatigue and mental exhaustion were nothing short of evident. Well, it was understandable�� she was the commander in charge of defending the Greater Crossing Stronghold, after all, having resisted none other than Nephis for weeks. Knowing who her enemy was, it seemed like a miracle that Seishan was even able to stand upright. Cassie could understand, but she was still surprised. She still vividly remembered how Seishan was on the Forgotten Shore �� granted, back then, all Cassie knew was her refined, husky voice�� and the faint scent of blood that seemed to follow Seishan wherever she went.


    Seishan had never lost the smallest bit of her refinement then. But it was different now.


    "Cassia."


    The voice was still the same. The scent of blood was much stronger, though�� not that anyone but Cassie could smell it. Now that Seishan entered, the guards stationed outside could not see her anymore, and therefore, Cassie could not see her either. She released her mark and sighed, feeling like she had returned to the past.


    The voice and the scent were all that remained. Cassie had been kept in a tent on the edges of the Lesser Crossing encampment, away from prying eyes. The tent was small and flimsy, barely dimming the radiance of the cloudy sky. The clasp had been tightly shut, as well, so the heat inside was nearly unbearable. No one had brought her food or water, either. She was not too hungry yet, but the thirst was dreadful. ''Am I being tortured, already?''


    Cassie opened her mouth and said �� or rather, croaked:


    "I greet Princess Seishan."


    There were a few moments of silence, and then the husky voice asked:


    "What are you scheming now?"


    Cassie was more sensitive to voices than most people. To her, they were like a painting that brimmed with vivid color, hiding countless nuances. Seishan''s voice was calm, collected, strong�� but not harsh. Instead, it was soft, refined, and elegant.


    But behind it all, obscured by the more beautiful colors, there was a different hue. A subtle note of tiredness, tinged with a speck of disillusionment and apprehension.


    Mundane people saw Saints as demigods, but Saints were people, too. They were not immune to the shocking horrors of Godgrave�� even someone as impervious to shock and trauma as Seishan, who had endured a decade of the Forgotten Shore, could not escape the dread of war unscathed. Cassie smiled faintly.


    "Would you believe me if I said that I am scheming to kill both Sovereigns and replace them with someone better?"


    Her own voice was hoarse and ugly due to thirst and mistreatment. But every word was carefully chosen and calculated. Seishan was right to assume that Cassie had a hidden motive to enter the camp of the Song Army�� however, her scheme had nothing to do with taking action.


    Instead, it was all about talking. Seishan remained silent for a while, then chuckled. "You can barely speak. That won''t do�� guards! Bring our esteemed guest some refreshments."


    Then, her garments rustled quietly as she walked over to a folding chair and sat down. "Someone better, you say�� why, I have no doubt that you believe Changing Star to be a better option. I do not doubt that she has no shortage of splendid ambitions, either. However, I also know why the two of you lowered your heads to Valor and have been biding your time, serving them as loyal dogs for all these years."


    She seemed to have leaned forward a little. "It is because no matter how you searched and how much you prepared, you''ve found no way to actually defeat one Sovereign, let alone two. Something like that is outside the realm of possibility, so stop playing games. What are you really after?"


    Cassie tried to laugh, but her throat was so parched that she convulsed in a coughing fit, instead. "...Alright. You saw right through me."


    Seishan waited for a bit, then asked incredulously:


    "That''s it? You''re not going to say anything else?"


    Cassie considered her answer carefully. While she was doing that, there was the sound of the tent entrance opening, and her mouth watered at the smell of food. Seishan sent the guard away.


    "Help yourself so that we could speak comfortably. Oh�� I hope you''ll be satisfied with a humble meal, Lady Cassia. It''s just basic military rations and some wine �� supply situations have been rough for us, as of late. Thanks to you and your sellsword Saint."


    Cassie smiled faintly. Seeing that she did not move, Seishan asked:


    "Do you need help?"


    Cassie pursed her lips, then shook her head. "I can do it myself."


    Activating her Awakened Ability, she walked over to the table and picked up a carafe of wine. The wine was watered down, of course, serving as something to satiate one''s thirst rather than to lighten one''s mood. Careful not to topple anything with her chains, Cassie poured herself some and brought the goblet to her lips. The faint scent of blood emanating from Seishan was almost overpowering at such a close distance, but she was too thirsty to care about such things.


    Cassie drank deeply, feeling the cold and fragrant liquid soothe her throat. ''Ah...''


    Lowering the goblet, she swayed slightly and turned to face Seishan. "...You put something in the wine, didn''t you?"


    Seishan chuckled. "I did."


    Cassie exhaled slowly. She had expected something like that, as well.

 Chapter 2183 Drops of Poison

    Chapter 2183  Drops of PoisonCassie did not know what Seishan had mixed into the wine, but the effect was truly sinister. She felt dazed, as if her head was spinning �� even though it wasn''t. Her body felt overly sensitive, but at the same time sluggish and hard to control. She could just barely prevent herself from swaying while taking a step. It was almost as if she was drunk. Actually, Cassie would not know, since she had never been drunk before. She had not tasted alcohol prior to becoming an Awakened, and later, her body was too resilient to be intoxicated easily. The memories of those under the influences of substances were usually jumbled and confusing, too, while her Ascended Ability only granted her access to the mark''s senses, not their mind. So, she could only imagine.


    If that was what being drunk felt like�� she wanted none of it. ''Ah. How vile.''


    Much worse than her dazed condition was the fact that her soul was in the same state �� that was why the strange drug Seishan had made her drink was so startling and sinister. Cassie could barely control her Aspect. In fact, she was not sure if she could control it at all�� trying to activate her Aspect Abilities made her dizzy, and the input she received from them was fragmented at best, and unreliable at worst. She could not get a grasp on her essence, either, which now flowed freely and refused to follow her will.


    She could not even pull on her tether and return to the waking world. It was still there, somewhere in her soul�� presumably. But she could not sense it. ''How insidious.''


    The royal clan of the Sword Domain possessed deep knowledge of runic sorcery and had many capable craftsmen. So, it was no surprise that they could create restraints capable of imprisoning Awakened, Ascended, and even Saints �� like the cage in the Night Temple where she had nearly died in solitude, or the cell where Master Orum was kept, interrogated, and eventually killed. Clan Song was not ignorant of runic sorcery, of course, but their attainments were much more modest. Ki Song had not risen to prominence until the first great Awakened families were already deeply established, after all, so her clan''s foundation was shallow in comparison. Nevertheless, it seemed that Song had their own ways of solving problems.


    Cassie did not know what kind of mystical poison she had ingested, but its effects were in no way inferior to a cage created by the runesmiths of Clan Valor. In fact, in some aspects, it was even superior. For one, she could be freely moved.


    Seishan had given her just enough time to finish the meal, then immediately took her away from the Lesser Crossing. She also put a bag over Cassie''s head �� quite unceremoniously, at that. Obviously, the bag was not meant to obscure her vision. Cassie was blind, and now that she could not use her Aspect, she was almost as helpless as a mundane blind person would be. The bag was meant to prevent other people from looking at her, instead. After all, Cassie was supposed to be dead. Clan Song might have been wary of her schemes, but they saw the advantage of maintaining that part of her deceit, at least. The bag was a simple, but adequate tool of keeping her identity hidden. That said, it did not smell too good and quickly turned into an oven under the radiant light of Godgrave, making it hard for her to breathe.


    Cassie endured the discomfort in silence. Judging by the scent, the sound, and the subtle presence�� Seishan had arrived on the back of a Nightmare Creature enthralled by Beastmaster. Now, both of them were standing on its carapace as the creature ran across the bone plain.


    They were probably heading to the Greater Crossing Stronghold, where Cassie would have an audience with the Queen. The Western First Rib, where the Lesser Crossing was located, was not too far from the Greater Crossing. However, there was a great difference in elevation between them, as well as a wide abyss. So, in order to ascend to the Collarbone Plain, one had to travel west, use a series of elevators constructed by Clan Song, and then return east.


    The Nightmare Creature was swift, but it would still take them a long time to reach its destination�� or so Cassie had thought before the beast leapt, and she was suddenly overcome by a sense of weightlessness. Then, the carapace moved beneath her, and she heard a loud rustling sound, as if a dragonfly was beating its wings. ''We''re flying.'' So, that was how Seishan had arrived so soon.


    Cassie had less time than she had hoped for. After remaining silent for a while, she spoke:


    "How many of your Handmaidens died in this war?"


    Seishan seemed to turn her head, studying her. Eventually, she answered neutrally:


    "Two."


    There was a short pause, and she added with the smallest hint of reluctance in her voice:


    "...It would have been three, if not for Nephis."


    "You are wrong."


    Cassie raised an eyebrow, then remembered that Seishan could not see her face. Cassie smiled bitterly. "I lost seven of my Fire Keepers."


    She wondered how her own voice sounded, muffled by the thick bag. "Well, at least none of your sisters died. You are lucky."


    Seishan remained silent for a while. "You are wrong."


    Cassie raised an eyebrow, then remembered that Seishan could not see her face. Was that how people felt when they spoke to her?


    "What do you mean?"


    Finally, Seishan''s voice betrayed a bitter feeling, becoming painted by a much darker palette of emotions than the vibrant splendor of her usual hues. "I have more sisters than people tend to remember. None of the seven of us who had reached Transcendence died. But that doesn''t mean that we lost no one."


    Cassie remained silent for a while, pretending to be surprised by the news. ...Of course, she knew how many adopted daughters Ki Song had, what their Ranks were, and which of them had perished in the war.  S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seishan seemed to think that Cassie''s goal was to gain an audience with the Queen, for whatever reason �� perhaps to strike a deal, or maybe even try something daring and unwise.


    But she was wrong. Cassie did want to speak with the Queen, but her true target�� was already in her grasp. It was Seishan herself. Seishan had put something in her drink, and Cassie was returning the favor. Every carefully chosen word she spoke was a drop of poison. She just had to be subtle about it, so that her target remained none the wiser�� and so that by the time her poison took hold, it was already too late to administer an antidote. Cassie''s goal in the camp of the Song Army was to turn the daughters of Ki Song against their mother, removing them from her Domain when the time to choose sides came.

 Chapter 2184 The Other Side

    Chapter 2184  The Other SideAfter some time, the Nightmare Creature landed. Cassie was in such a poor state that she almost rolled off its carapace �� luckily, Seishan extended a hand to catch her. As they descended from the beast''s back, Cassie could feel the solid surface of the ancient bone under her feet once more. The bone was the same, and the heat was the same�� but the wind was different. That was because they weren''t on the First Rib anymore, and thus were not shielded from the winds rolling down the slopes of the Hollow Mountains anymore. They had arrived on the Collarbone Plain. The Great Crossing Stronghold �� and the Queen of Worms �� had to be close now. Which meant that this could very well be Cassie''s last chance to talk to Seishan. However, she remained silent, knowing that being too obvious would only be harmful. The seeds she wanted to plant had already been planted�� the soil was already made rich by the senseless war. Now, all she had to do was wait for the rains to come, and see the seeds she had sown sprout to life. ��Hopefully. Another reason why Cassie remained silent was that, soon enough, they were surrounded by the sound of steps. She shivered, suddenly overcome by an eerie sense of incongruity�� because those steps sounded like they were made by humans, and yet, there were no other subtle sounds that humans always made to accompany them. No breathing. No heartbeat. No rustle of clothes or scraping of armor from the small gestures people usually made. ''Pilgrims.''


    Dozens of pilgrims gathered around them, serving as a silent escort.


    Surrounded by the dead from all sides, Cassie was led across the bone plain by Seishan. Step. Step. Another step. Her chains rattled quietly. Soon enough, a nearly overwhelming sea of sounds and smells washed over her, and Cassie realized that they were nearing the Greater Crossing Stronghold.  Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ''I made such a long journey... just to end up so close to where I had started.''


    Beyond the fortress built from the bones of a Great Demon lay the chasm, and beyond the chasm, across a stretch of battered bone, lay the siege camp of the Sword Army. The Ivory Island was right above it, drifting between the corpse of a dead god and the annihilating sky. Nephis was so close, but also so impossibly distant.


    This small distance �� the two army camps, the fortress wall, and the dark chasm �� was perhaps the hardest piece of land to cross in all of human history. Cassie sighed as they entered the vast courtyard of the stronghold. It sounded and smelled almost exactly like the siege camp of the Sword Army, except for the fact that there was the ghastly scent of Nightmare Creatures added to the mix here, as well. Almost as if the people on the opposite sides of the chasm were exactly the same, and had no real reason to be divided into two warring armies.


    As Cassie walked through the camp of the Song Army, surrounded by pilgrims, the strange procession inevitably drew attention. However, no one could see her well behind the barrier of walking corpses.


    Still��


    One of Sunny''s incarnations was somewhere here. He had to be watching, no doubt. She hoped that he would not do anything hasty.


    Cassie shifted her hands slightly, causing the chains to rattle. Her fingers moved, but nobody who saw it would have been able to read the signal she was giving. Because she wasn''t using her fingers to relay the message.


    Instead, it was their shadow that formed a simple sign. ''I am alright.''


    She hoped he sensed it. Now that everything was at stake, each of them had their part to play. Cassie had already done everything she could, except for this one final task. That was what she had to concentrate on, trusting in Nephis and Sunny to finish the job. Nothing else mattered. "Am I going to see the Queen now?"


    Seishan answered dryly:


    "Yes."


    Cassie took a deep breath, wondering what Ki Song was like.


    Was she still like the little girl she had seen in Orum''s memories? The young woman who had been left all alone in the cruel world, seeking vengeance against those who had betrayed her mother and stole her inheritance? The confident leader who led her people to prosperity despite great adversity?


    Or were all traces of Ki Song Master Orum had known erased by time, with only the cold and ruthless visage of the Raven Queen left in her wake? Cassie hesitated. "Any advice?"


    The question seemed comical, but who else could she ask if not Seishan? Ki Song was her mother, after all. Strangely enough, Seishan lingered with the answer. "Why are you asking me?"


    Cassie smiled secretly, pleased.


    "You are one of her daughters, after all. Is there someone who understands her better?"


    Seishan scoffed. "Why should I help an enemy of Clan Song understand her?"


    Cassie sighed in dejection. "An enemy? Oh my. You were calling me an esteemed guest just earlier��" But she wasn''t really disappointed. The response did not really matter. The questions themselves were more important. Nevertheless, unexpectedly, Seishan did give her an answer.


    "I won''t presume to understand my mother. But�� she has been lonely, I think. She must be, since there is no one around her who isn''t either her servant or her responsibility. In that sense, an enemy is much more precious."


    She paused for a moment, and then added:


    "...Misuse this information, and I will kill you."


    Cassie smiled darkly, suppressing a sigh. Seishan must have hoped that Cassie was attempting to strike a deal with her mother �� and, therefore, Nephis was. But she was wrong. Nephis only intended to kill her mother, while at the same time hoping not to have to kill Seishan and her sisters in the aftermath. The Queen had to be dealt with, but slaying the Seven Princesses and destroying Clan Song would be a great loss. Having them fight for humanity in the future was a priceless luxury.


    It all depended on whether Seishan and her sisters could be reasoned with after their mother fell. ''What a mess.''


    Cassie did not know where they arrived, but could feel a cool shadow falling over her.


    Then, there was the sound of a heavy gate opening, and she was led away from the unbearable heat into a chillingly cold space. Her audience with the Queen was about to start.

 Chapter 2185 Ravensong

    Chapter 2185  RavensongSeishan led Cassie into the depths of the cold structure. The deeper they went and the more gates they passed, the colder it became, until Cassie could not help but shiver. Eventually, complete silence enveloped them. ''Where is she?''


    Although Cassie was in a strange state and couldn''t really control her Aspect, her Dormant Ability was still working �� even if it was much more difficult to understand what it was telling her than usual. So, she was curious to see what the runes would tell her about the Queen. Chances were they were going to tell her very little, since someone as powerful as Ki Song would without a doubt have protected herself against curious diviners. Still, she hoped to learn something. Seishan placed a hand on Cassie''s shoulder, forcing her to stop, then pressed down gently. Cassie had no choice but to kneel. The bag was taken off her head. She could not hear anything, she could not smell anything. Her Dormant Ability seemed to hint that there was no one in front of her. And yet, she felt it�� a deep, profound presence that seemed to drown the entire world. As if there was an immense, ancient, terrifying beast hiding in the darkness right in front of her. Struggling against her dazed mind, Cassie reached toward the mark she had left on Seishan and activated it. Perhaps because they were so close, or perhaps purely by luck, she actually managed to maintain a tenuous hold on her Ascended Ability, this time��


    And shuddered.


    Looking through Seishan''s eyes, she could finally see where they were. A large stone chamber surrounded them, full of shadows. Cold light was pouring from high above, illuminating a lonesome stone throne. A breathtakingly beautiful woman was sitting on the throne, her red gown spilling over its steps like a river of blood. Her skin was pale as that of a corpse, and her hair was like a stream of impenetrable, lustrous darkness.


    A faint smile was playing on her tantalizing lips, and her eyes were, were��


    Mesmerizing�� but at the same time eerie and disturbing. There was a hint of emptiness and distance about them, like that of someone who was long dead. She was the source of the wild, overwhelming, bestial presence Cassie had sensed. If Anvil''s presence was heavy and oppressive, then Ki Song''s presence was subtle �� and more frightening for it. Cassie felt fear grasp her heart with icy claws.


    It was the ancient, primal fear that all living beings felt in the presence of a superior predator. Two youths �� a boy and a girl �� were standing at either side of the throne, staring into the distance with empty eyes. It took Cassie a few moments to realize that neither of them was alive.


    No��


    None of the three were. Because the breathtaking woman sitting on the throne was, without a doubt, dead too. Shaking off her shock, Cassie shivered and bowed deeply. "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    The dead woman turned her head slightly and looked at her, making Cassie''s entire body tremble against her will. Ki Song did not speak. Instead, the dead boy standing to her left opened his mouth and said in a clear voice:


    "Song of the Fallen��"


    Almost at the same time, the dead girl spoke as well:


    "...I''ve been curious to meet you."


    Cassie tried to calm her wildly beating heart and straightened her back, facing the dead woman on the throne. ''There is nothing.''


    Her Dormant Ability did not show her anything, as if there was no one in front of her at all. Almost as if��


    Her expressions changed. "You�� are a puppet."


    The Queen leaned back on the throne, while the dead girl laughed melodiously. Cassie barely prevented herself from swaying. Her thoughts became tangled. Ki Song �� her original body �� was merely a puppet, just like the two youths and the rest of her pilgrims. She was nothing but a dead body animated by the power of her Aspect. Then where was her true vessel?


    Cassie pursed her lips. "I am not sure that we''ve really met then, Your Majesty. If I may be so bold as to ask�� where is the real you?"


    Ki Song looked at her with a smile. The boy answered: "Everywhere."


    Cassie shuddered. ''Everywhere��''


    She understood what the Queen meant instinctually. It was not that any of her dead puppets could serve as the vessel of her soul�� it was that all of them were the vessel, and she existed everywhere the myriads of her pilgrims were, always, all at once. Which meant that in order to kill the Raven Queen�� one would have to eradicate all of her countless puppets, no matter where they were. How were Nephis and Sunny meant to do that? Cassie remained silent for a while. Eventually, she exhaled slowly.


    "All across Godgrave, your puppets are with the soldiers of the Song Army. They are the first to attack, and the first ones to be cut down. That means that you have fought a thousand battles, Your Majesty, and were killed ten thousand times."


    Ki Song �� the puppet made from her original body �� tilted her head. "...A million battles. Ten million deaths."


    Whenever she wanted to speak, one of the two dead youths would do it in her stead. Two clear voices would harmonize at times, then separate again, making it seem like countless people were talking. Cassie gathered her courage.


    She hesitated for a few long moments, then said:


    "I was with Master Orum when he died. I glimpsed his memories."


    Ki Song lowered her head, her expression betraying a hint of melancholy for a fleeting moment. "Uncle Orie��"  Sear?h the N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A subtle sigh escaped from her enchanting lips. But that hint of emotion was gone in an instant, replaced by inhuman composure. "What about it?"


    Cassie took a deep breath. "He was your teacher, was he not? He asked the students of the Academy once about what the essence of combat was. Your answer�� was failure. You said that if someone is forced to fight, they have already failed."


    Ki Song looked at her curiously. "So what if I did?"


    Cassie smiled darkly. "Why this war, then? Is it not the greatest failure one can imagine?"


    The Queen remained silent for a few moments. Then, both of the dead youths laughed brightly, their clear voices fusing together flawlessly. When their laughter grew quiet, the dead girl spoke:


    "Of course, it is. I thought that would be self-evident."

 Chapter 2186 Master of Puppets

    Chapter 2186  Master of PuppetsCassie remained silent for a few moments.


    ''Self-evident...''


    Was that the answer she had expected? Or the opposite of it? She was not sure, since Ki Song �� the Raven Queen �� was a nebulous existence. She was much more reticent and withdrawn than Anvil, ruling the Song Domain from the depths of her obsidian palace.


    Who knew what was on her mind?


    Cassie smiled faintly.


    "If you see the war as failure, why did you start it?"


    The dead queen studied her quietly, then sighed. "Are you really in the position to ask me questions, Song of the Fallen?"


    There was no particular threat in her voice, but Cassie shivered. What position was she in? Blind, stripped of her Aspect, driven to her knees, and at the mercy of her captors�� it was hard to imagine someone more powerless. And yet, that was exactly where Cassie wanted to be. That was the position from which she was planning to break the Song Domain. But Ki Song did not have to know that. Cassie raised her chin slightly. "I guess I am not. However, I know a lot of secrets�� one of them in particular would be of great value to Your Majesty."


    Ki Song raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You want to barter with me��"


    Before the dead boy even finished speaking, the dead girl laughed. Then, both of them abruptly grew silent. The Queen looked at Cassie coldly, making her heart beat like a bird trapped in a cage. "But I don''t need to pay. Any secret you have, I can simply take."


    She raised a hand in a fluid, elegant motion��


    And at the same time, Cassie''s own hand rose, mirroring what Ki Song had done. She turned her head, studying it in horror. "Y��you�� you��"


    The Queen smiled coldly. "You have drunk of my blood. Now, you are my puppet. You will do as I command, whether you like it or not."


    Cassie struggled to suppress the trembling that had overwhelmed her body. She failed to do so, so Ki Song did it for her. As her slender hand turned into a fist, Cassie''s body grew motionless. Only her eyes, hidden by the blindfold, were moving erratically. ''...I see. Makes sense.''


    So what Seishan had mixed into the wine was not poison, but a drop of Ki Song''s blood. And now, the Queen could control Cassie''s body like a marionette�� her soul as well, at least to some degree. But not to an absolute degree. Otherwise, Cassie would not have access to her Aspect at all. ''Does she control her daughters the same way, I wonder?''


    If so, that would be a problem. However, Cassie did not think that that was the case. Firstly, because she had perceived the Queen''s daughters with her Dormant Ability. If they had been turned into puppets, she would have learned it then. Second of all�� it was simply because Ki Song and her adopted daughters, ironically enough, resembled a normal family much more than Anvil and his biological children did. The Queen actually cared about Seishan and her sisters. Therefore, she would not have done something so terrible and violating to them. Cassie tried to regain her composure. After a few long moments, she opened her mouth and said slowly:


    "I''ve been meaning to ask�� how come your puppets don''t rot? It was somewhat possible to explain in Ravenheart, where it''s usually cold. But here in Godgrave, the heat is terrible. And yet, there is no stench." The insult in her words was not even that hidden. The Queen studied her for a moment, then chuckled. "Insolent girl."


    A moment later, Cassie''s hand rose on its own and dug into her cheek, leaving four deep cuts on it. Red blood splattered on the floor, and Cassie bit her lips to suppress a groan. Ki Song could have punished her much more thoroughly, but did not seem inclined to do that... yet.


    Instead, he gestured to herself. "To satisfy your curiosity, my puppets don''t rot because they are under my control. If I want to make them rot, they will��"


    At her words, the beautiful woman on the throne suddenly changed. Black spots appeared on her flawless skin, swiftly turning into revolting pustules. Her skin sagged, as if the muscles beneath were disappearing. Her beautiful hair turned bleak and brittle before falling off her scalp in clumps. In a matter of seconds, the corpse went through various stages of decomposition, until a hideous mummy was left sitting on the throne. The mummy calmly lowered her hand, and one of the two dead youths spoke:


    "...and if I want them to stay as they were, they won''t."


    Then, as Cassie watched with a sense of trepidation, the body of Ki Song changed once more. This time, the process of decomposition seemed to happen in reverse, and seconds later, she was once again whole and breathtakingly beautiful. The Queen''s crimson lips twisted into a mesmerizing smile. "There are different levels of mastery to puppetry, you see. And I have mastered them all."


    Cassie shivered, suddenly realizing that Ki Song was not merely limited to controlling the movements of her puppets. No�� her control went much deeper than that. Which meant that if the Queen so wished, she could make Cassie''s own body rot and decompose, as well.


    ''That�� would be a new nightmare, even for me.''


    Ki Song grew silent for a while, looking at Cassie with a distant look. Then, she sighed. Her sigh was immaculately natural �� to a degree that Cassie could not truly believe that she was looking at a puppeteered corpse that did not even need to breathe, not of a living woman.


    Every little detail was flawless. The posture, the slight tilt of her head, the smallest facial expression�� it was hard to believe that Ki Song was controlling every tiny muscle in her body consciously to produce the illusion of natural life. She had not just mastered all levels of puppeteering �� she was an artist.


    The Queen shook her head elegantly, and then said using the dead girl''s mouth:


    "In truth, this war of ours was inevitable."


    Her gaze turned a little distant. "It was set in stone the moment Smile of Heaven died..."


    sea??h th�� N??eFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 2187 Seeds of War

    Chapter 2187  Seeds of WarCassie held her breath, stunned and intrigued by the Queen''s words.


    Smile of Heaven? What role did she have to play in the war between Valor and Song?


    Even Seishan seemed surprised, tilting her head slightly. It seemed that she was hearing this for the first time, too. Cassie raised an eyebrow. "Smile of Heaven? Immortal Flame''s daughter?"  S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ki Song nodded, her expression turning a little wistful. "If you really witnessed Uncle Orie''s memories, then you should know. How exceptional she was; how the world itself seemed to revolve around her. As if she was beloved by heavens �� if not, then at least by the Nightmare Spell. She was the daughter of the first man to become a Master, and she was the first person to receive her True Name in the First Nightmare. Her future seemed boundless. Ah, but that was not even what was so exceptional about Smile of Heaven. What was truly amazing was how easily she could bring people together."


    The Queen turned to gaze at Cassie and smiled. "...Maybe that was the talent our world needed the most, and why she was so beloved by it. After all, no one survives in the Dream Realm alone. And no one can defy the Nightmare Spell alone, either."


    She grew silent for a few moments. "We were the no different�� Broken Sword and his cohort. He might have been the deadliest among us, and Anvil might have been the most stalwart. I had my uses, as well �� a perfect Utility Aspect to complement their fearsome power, and enough tenacity to survive the most dire perils. And then there was the Dreamspawn, whose cunning and insidious Aspect could solve problems that strength and courage could not. But it was Smile of Heaven who was the glue that held us all together."


    Cassie could not help but think about Nephis�� Nephis, who could not be more different from her mother. She was the direct opposite of the lively and infectious young woman from Master Orum''s memories �� Nephis was awkward, withdrawn, harsh, and difficult to deal with most of the time instead.


    And yet, she too was like that. A glue that brought together people who would have never become companions otherwise. Like Cassie, who had been destined to die on the day of the winter solstice. She frowned. "You say it as if your cohort was destined to fall apart without Smile of Heaven. But it didn''t. You still conquered the Third Nightmare together�� you became Sovereigns."


    Ki Song chuckled. "Yes. Yes, we did. But, you see�� even though Smile of Heaven was gone, we still achieved all those things because of her. It was just that we weren''t held together by the woman herself anymore �� instead, we were held together by her ghost."


    She leaned on the backrest of her throne and grew quiet for a while, as if remembering something. Eventually, the Queen spoke somberly �� or rather, one of her youthful puppets did.


    "It was such a disaster, back then. We were steeling ourselves for the moment when the first Category Four Gate would open�� but instead, a true calamity in the form of a Category Five Gate descended upon North America without any warning. Broken Sword was on an expedition in the Dream Realm at that time, so by the time the news reached him, it was already too late. Immortal Flame would not stay idle, of course, and his daughter would not stay still while people were dying either."


    She paused, and the other puppet continued:


    "So, they led the effort to stall the Nightmare Creatures while at least some of the population was evacuated. And they died."


    Ki Song leaned forward and made one of the puppets ask Cassie in an insidious voice:


    "So, what do you think happened next, Song of the Fallen? What was the true inception of this war?"


    Cassie hesitated. She could guess��


    "Was it�� Anvil? He would have just lost his wife recently. Almost immediately after, Smile of Heaven died. His determination to turn his heart into a piece of cold steel was already slowly turning him inhuman, and these events would only make him break further. However, he was still capable of at least one emotion�� resentment. He must have resented Broken Sword a great deal, for letting Smile of Heaven die. Because he had distanced himself from her hoping that Broken Sword would make her happy and keep her safe instead."


    The dead youths laughed. Once the echoes of their eerie laughter died down, Ki Song shook her head with a smile. "A keen insight. However, Anvil was not the reason��"


    Cassie frowned. "He�� wasn''t?"


    Ki Song shook her head.


    "No. Broken Sword was."


    Her smile dimmed, replaced by a cold and heartless expression. "Because despite all reason, the fool refused to believe that Smile of Heaven had truly died. Her ghost continued to pursue us even after the woman herself was gone. That was what kept us together, pushed us forward, and allowed us to become the first human Saints."


    She leaned back, an expression of melancholy appearing on her breathtakingly beautiful face.


    "That�� was also the root cause of all our failures. The seed from which this war was born."


    Cassie frowned, confused.


    "I�� I don''t think I understand. Neph''s mom�� Smile of Heaven�� her soul was destroyed. She became Hollow. Why would Broken Sword believe otherwise? And why would his belief cause the war?"


    Ki Song studied her for a while.


    Then, she chuckled. "The first question is easy enough to answer. You should know at least something about Smile of Heaven''s Aspect, no? Her soul could wonder about, getting into all kinds of adventures. So, despite everything, Broken Sword believed that she was simply unable to find the way back to her body. That her soul was still out there, somewhere, instead of having been destroyed."


    Cassie raised an eyebrow. "That would be nearly impossible. Unless��"


    The Queen nodded. "Yes. It could have been possible if her soul got lost anywhere except America. Even if she somehow lost the way back to her body, she would not have been stranded there �� she would have been immediately destroyed. Because her soul was merely Ascended, and there were Cursed Ones devouring the continent around her. She would have been consumed, as well."


    She smiled faintly. "The only chance Smile of Heaven could be alive �� an infinitely small chance �� is if she somehow reached the Category Five Gate unscathed and used it to travel to the Category Five Seed it is connected to in the Dream Realm. Then challenged the Fifth Nightmare."


    Cassie''s eyes widened. "You mean��"


    The dead girl scoffed. "Indeed. Broken Sword couldn''t cope with the thought that his wife was dead, so he convinced himself that she was waiting for him to rescue her in the Nightmare. So�� he became obsessed with the idea of challenging the Fifth Nightmare, as soon as possible."


    She fell silent, and after a while, the dead boy added in a somber tone:


    "And as a result, Anvil decided to kill him."

 Chapter 2188 Flowers of Betrayal.

    Chapter 2188  Flowers of Betrayal.Cassie remained silent for a few moments, pondering the Queen''s words with a frown on her face. The truth �� if it was the truth �� was not exactly how Jest remembered it.


    But what Ki Song had told her did not contradict what Jest remembered. Rather, it gave her perspective, allowing Cassie to slowly put together the whole picture. Eventually, she shook her head. "Was it not too harsh, to condemn Broken Sword simply because he hoped to save his wife? Even if that hope was entirely misguided."


    The Queen studied her coldly for a while, then sighed. "Was it? Well, maybe it was. But, you see, one has to pay a price for folly. The price is not too terrible when an ordinary person becomes misguided, but what if someone like Broken Sword loses his reason? He was the pillar of humanity, after all. So, all of humanity had to pay for his mistakes."


    Ki Song leaned back and pursed her alluring lips contemptuously.


    "Broken Sword�� became truly obsessed with finding a way to bring Smile of Heaven back. He was not entirely in his right mind, I think, completely overcome by that longing. So, he poured all his time and energy into becoming stronger, hoping to conquer the Third and Fourth Nightmares before challenging the Fifth in time. It was to such a degree that he even neglected his newborn daughter, leaving her in the care of Immortal Flame''s widow."


    Cassie looked at her sharply. Nephis had never mentioned being neglected by her father. But then again�� she did not seem to have a lot of memories of him, either. She had been four when Broken Sword died, which was far too young to lose a parent �� but not too young to remember them clearly, while she only remembered him vaguely. In hindsight, it made sense. Broken Sword had become a Saint when Nephis was three �� he would have spent a long time in the Nightmare, and even before that, he would have been fully engrossed in getting ready to challenge it. After all, becoming the first human Saint was not a task that could be undertaken lightly. So, how much time would he have had to spend with his daughter? How much of that time his attention would have really been on her, instead of wandering away to more important issues? Cassie sighed. "Was it such a terrible desire, to challenge the Fifth Nightmare?"


    The dead boy laughed. "Cheeky girl! I see you have a habit of asking questions despite already knowing the answers."


    The other puppet looked at her somberly. "...In and of itself, the idea of challenging the Fifth Nightmare is not terrible. However, nothing exists in a vacuum. The world is a system of intricately interconnected gears, and touching one �� especially one as monumental as Apotheosis �� will affect countless others. But Broken Sword did not care, lost in his obsession, and could not be reasoned with. All our attempts to bring him back to his senses failed."


    The Queen smiled darkly. "To conquer the Fifth Nightmare, one has to become a deity. A lesser one, but still a god. Broken Sword wanted to become a god, but did he consider the consequences? Even if he did, he remained set in his ways. However, while challenging the Fifth Nightmare was not a terrible idea in and of itself, the consequences of conquering it were."


    She shifted slightly and glanced at Seishan. "You listen too, Seishan. Back then, the research conducted by Dr. Obel was still new, but the data he had compiled was already convincing. There seemed to be a connection between the number and power of the Awakened and the potency of the Nightmare Gates that ravaged Earth. The more of us there were, and the more power we accumulated, the faster our world spiraled toward destruction. So, a measured approach was needed�� not a reckless, hasty, blind charge Broken Sword was dead set on."  S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cassie looked at the Queen darkly.


    "...That was why you killed him? That was why you throttled the growth of humanity, limiting the number of people who were allowed to become Saints? It was all to pace the destruction of our world?"


    Ki Song let out a sigh. "Yes�� and no. We knew that Earth would inevitably be consumed by the Dream Realm. We knew that preserving the entire population was an unrealistic goal. So, we did our best to slow down the Nightmare Spell�� through any means necessary, no matter how callous�� and dedicated our efforts to building and developing safe havens in the Dream Realm for those few who would survive �� the Citadels. However, that was not the only reason why we killed Broken Sword�� or even the main one."


    Cassie raised an eyebrow. "There were more?"


    She already knew the main reason, of course. However, she wanted Ki Song to confirm it. The Queen shrugged. "Another reason was the nature of Earth itself. Our world�� is a very special place, even among the rest of the Divine Realms. War God might be dead, but the laws she set for her own Realm are still intact. She was the patron deity of humanity, after all, as well as of intellect, technology, and progress. Therefore, her Realm was always a shelter for humans, and only humans, as well as a place where logic and reason were much firmer and more reliable than anywhere else."


    Cassie opened her eyes widely. That was not something she had known before �� so, she listened to Ki Song with strange intensity.


    It was funny. For someone who always complained about the crushing weight of knowledge, she had long become enamored by it. Her thirst for knowledge was almost like an addiction by now. The Queen shifted slightly on her throne.


    "That is why there had never really been any true sorcery on Earth �� especially not since all other realms fell. No Awakened, no Aspects, no mythical creatures�� just us. That is also why ours was the last realm to be infected by the Nightmare Spell, and it will be the last one to succumb."

 Chapter 2189 Conspiracy

    Chapter 2189  ConspiracyCassie inhaled slowly. There were no Awakened in the Realm of War God�� and therefore, it had been the last to be infected by the Nightmare Spell. That proved that Nightmare Gates and Awakened were somehow connected, all by itself.


    The question was, which came first? Had the Nightmares reached Earth, causing the Spell to descend and cause people to Awaken, or had the Spell infected Earth, bringing Nightmares in its wake? Then again, if one was to believe late Professor Obel and his research, it was one and the same �� because ripples caused by these vents spread outward in time, affecting both the past and the future. She frowned. "I don''t see what any of this has to do with Broken Sword, though."


    Ki Song smiled from her throne. "You don''t? Then think about it�� Earth, the Realm of War God, is supposed to be a perfectly mundane world. Its laws prevent people from unsealing their Aspects, Awakening, and wielding sorcery. Now, what happens when the Nightmare Spell penetrates its borders and pushes humans onto the Path of Ascension?"


    Cassie looked at her with a stunned expression. "The laws�� will�� start to repel them?"


    The Queen chuckled. "Correct! Ah, it is a pleasure to converse with someone so sharp. Yes �� the higher you climb on the path to divinity, the more you are repelled by the laws governing our realm. It feels like the world itself is rejecting you. You might not have felt it yet as a Saint, since you exist halfway between the Dream Realm and Earth... at least not clearly. But once one becomes a Supreme, the force of rejection turns palpable. It is very difficult for us to return to the waking world, and every second we spend there is an arduous struggle against the laws that want to push us back out. The only reason we can return at all is that we possess the Will."


    She paused for a moment, a wistful expression appearing on her breathtakingly beautiful face. "That is why I spent years separated from my daughters, only able to see them in their dreams�� things are better now that they have climbed the Ranks, of course, but I still have regrets. That is also why Nightmare Creatures of higher Ranks are restrained in their movements on Earth, and have not destroyed it entirely yet. Things are already this bad for us Supremes, you see. A Sacred existence, though�� well, nobody knows for sure. But it is almost certain that a Sacred human won''t be able to set foot on Earth at all."


    Ki Song tilted her head a little. "We were the strongest champions of humanity, all those years ago�� Broken Sword, Anvil, the Dreamspawn, and I. I did not want to abandon the waking world and leave those living in it defenseless, especially not in the aftermath of what had happened in America, and Anvil was of the same mind. But Broken Sword had a different opinion. He was so insistent, so driven�� impossible to dissuade. His unwillingness to slow down widened the fracture that had appeared between us when Smile of Heaven died, turning it into a divide." She smiled somberly.


    "So, you see, there were many reasons. A difference of opinion on how to protect our world best. The fear of causing a ripple that would accelerate its destruction if we went too far. The silent resentment Anvil harbored against Broken Sword, the absence of Smile of Heaven, who used to be the heart of our cohort. Oh, and of course�� the most important reason of all. The most decisive one, as well as one that could have hardly been fixed unless Broken Sword died."  S~ea??h the N?velFire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cassie already knew what it was, having learned the truth from Jest''s memories. She looked at the Queen silently. The dead youths laughed. "...One might say that it was fate."


    Cassie frowned. "I don''t believe in fate that much."


    The Queen smiled. "An amusing thing to hear, from the lips of an oracle."


    Cassie matched her amused smile with a dark one of her own. "It is because I am familiar with fate so well that I don''t put much faith in it."


    She hesitated for a few moments, then asked:


    "So, what was the decisive reason?"


    Ki Song commanded her puppets to chuckle, then leaned forward slightly and looked at her. Her beautiful smile widened a little.


    "...Why don''t you ask Anvil?" Cassie gritted her teeth, cursing inwardly. "I obviously can''t. Anymore."


    The Queen studied her for a while, amusement slowly draining from her eyes. Her smile dimmed, replaced by a cold and ruthless expression.


    She leaned back and let out a sigh. "Can''t you? Or are you here doing his bidding? Well, we shall see."


    Ki Song remained silent for a while. Eventually, the dead girl spoke again:


    "It happened immediately after we conquered the Third Nightmare, although I suspect that Anvil had been harboring his plan for much longer. Perhaps he decided to kill Broken Sword not long after America, even. Who knows that man''s heart? He made a deal with the Dreamspawn first, drawing him to his side. Then, the two of them came to me."


    His alluring lips twisted into a faint smile. "I guess I was given a choice, albeit a dubious one. By then, Broken Sword had become�� frighteningly powerful. Enough so that Anvil was not confident that he would be able to defeat him even with the Dreamspawn''s help. He was just being meticulous, though �� in truth, odds were overwhelmingly in their favor, especially since they had the element of surprise on their side. Betrayal always favors the traitors, after all."


    She looked at Cassie with a wry glint in her eyes. "If I refused to join their plot, and they succeeded in killing Broken Sword, I would have been next�� actually, they would have tried to kill me first to eliminate any possibility that I would warn him. I did not deceive myself into thinking that Anvil would spare me on account of our shared past."


    Ki Song chuckled, seemingly amused by her own memories.


    "I was always a bit of an outsider among the members of the cohort, you see. Anvil, Smile of Heaven, and Broken Sword had always been together �� they had been a team from all the way back at the Academy. The darlings of the prominent Legacy clans. But I was a person of much more humble origins, and so, they only extended a hand to me once I had proven my worth."

 Chapter 2190 Broken Sword

    Chapter 2190  Broken SwordShe shook her head.


    "So, Anvil would not have hesitated to discard me if I refused, camaraderie and loyalty be damned. These words did not mean much to him by that point, anyway. I could have taken Broken Sword''s side at the decisive moment, I suppose �� together, we would have stood a good chance against the other two. But, honestly, I saw no reason to save him. After all, there was cold logic behind Anvil''s decision, distasteful as it was." The Queen fell silent for a long time, then sighed heavily. Her mesmerizing gaze turned to Seishan.  Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What do you think, Seishan? Do you resent your mother?"


    The Song princess, who had been a silent witness to the conversation until then, studied her with a somber expression. Eventually, she shrugged. "Well, I''m not sure. I''ve been known to betray men who trusted me as well. So no, I don''t resent you for that."


    What was left unsaid was that she did resent Ki Song for something else. It was not surprising, however�� all children harbored a bit of resentment for their parents in their hearts. Seishan had more reasons to feel that way than most. After all, she had been adopted by Ki Song as a young child without having much say in the matter. She received the lineage of Beast God without being asked. She was made a carrier of the Nightmare Spell without being given a choice to refuse, and spent a harrowing decade on the Forgotten Shore as a result.


    And now, she was fighting her mother''s war without being given a way out. Cassie was sure that there were a lot of complicated emotions in Seishan''s heart. ''I wonder�� how come I am the only normal person around?''


    No, that did not sound quite right.


    Cassie did not lack self-awareness, so it was easy to admit that there was hardly a less normal person than her in the world. However, her parents and her relationship with them were both perfectly healthy and ordinary. Everyone else seemed to compete for the best childhood trauma award, though. Morgan and Mordret, Seishan and her sisters�� Nephis.


    Perhaps she was spending too much time around heirs of the Great Clans. ''If I survive this, I should be a better auntie to Little Ling��''


    A pale smile found its way onto her lips, and she spoke quietly: "I know someone who would resent you more."


    The Queen turned away from her daughter and looked at Cassie with a hint of amusement. "Oh�� I have doubt. Little Nephie is all grown up now, isn''t she? Ah�� she was such a sweet child." Her smile wilted like a flower, making her breathtakingly beautiful face look cruel and cold. Ki Song regarded Cassie with dark indifference.


    "I missed her a lot, at the start."


    Cassie scoffed. "Is that why you brought the Immortal Flame clan to ruin and sent assassins to kill her?"


    The Queen just shrugged indifferently. "No. That was not why."


    She smiled coldly. "But why are you jumping ahead, Song of the Fallen? I rarely get the chance to reminisce about the past, so let''s see�� where was I? Ah, yes. Anvil and his disguised ultimatum. We joined hands, he and I �� and the Dreamspawn, of course. We just became Saints back then, but Broken Sword was only growing more impatient. So, we challenged the Fourth Nightmare no more than a year later. In secret."


    Her expression grew distant, and she fell silent for a while. Eventually, a sigh escaped from her lips. "People tend to forget us these days �� partially because we erased our traces from the pages of history, and partially because there are splendid talents like you two walking the world now. But back then, decades ago�� we were truly fearsome. No one had ever returned from the Third Nightmare alive, but we did. It happened more than two decades after Immortal Flame changed the world by becoming a Master, and yet, only a year after becoming Saints, we were already laying siege to the Fourth Nightmare. It seemed like nothing could stop us."


    The dead boy scoffed. "We learned a lot about the truth of the world in the Nightmare. And we learned even more about it after coming back�� and about ourselves, as well. Because that was when we killed Broken Sword �� out there in the darkness of the Underworld."


    Cassie tilted her head, surprised. "The Underworld?"


    Ki Song nodded slowly. "Yes. That is where the Seed of Nightmare Broken Sword had found was located, and that was where we returned to after conquering the Nightmare. The Underworld is a terrifying place, Song of the Fallen �� we did not dare to explore its dark expanse back then, entering by following the Call of Nightmare and hiding from the beings that dwell in the darkness like rats."


    The dead girl chuckled.


    "Even as Supremes, all we could do was escape�� and while we were escaping, still unfamiliar with our newfound powers, the three of us used the chance to stab Broken Sword in the back. The battle was short �� in truth, I think he already knew that it would be his end. Still, even with the three of us joining forces, we weren''t able to bring Broken Sword down. Ah, how fearsome he was! How valiant. We broke his body, and we broke his soul. But we couldn''t break his Will."


    Her eyes seemed to ignite, as if illuminated by the splendor of that wicked battle. Then, they dimmed, becoming clouded by melancholy. Ki Song sighed. "Still, he fell in the end. Shattered, broken, fatally wounded�� he mustered what little strength he had left and fled. Deeper into the darkness, never to be seen again. That was how Broken Sword, the greatest of us, died."


    Cassie held her breath. "He�� fled? You did not see him die? Then might he not have survived?"


    The Queen smiled wistfully.


    "Wouldn''t that be interesting? But no�� we killed him. I am certain of it. Because eventually, the Spell whispered of his death."


    Ki Song leaned forward a little and looked at Cassie with a somber expression. "So, now�� we strangled the dire threat that Broken Sword''s existence represented before it could doom us all. And by doing so, we also arrived at the root of all our problems."

 Chapter 2191 Risk Management

    Chapter 2191  Risk ManagementCassie frowned, unable to follow the train of the Queen''s thoughts. Had she not said that the Smile of Heaven''s death was the root of the war? But now, it was Broken Sword''s death?


    Cassie was still dazed due to having ingested Ki Song''s blood. In her current state, even thinking was a difficult task.


    Eventually, she forced out a pale smile.


    "All your problems seemed to be solved, and you were free to shape the future as you saw fit. However, it does not look like any of you lived happily ever after."


    After all, Ki Song had to have ended up as a corpse somehow. The two puppets laughed. The Queen nodded with a smile. "Indeed. Well, it was to be expected�� after all, how could we trust each other after betraying one of our own? What would stop us from perpetrating betrayal again? There was nothing holding us together anymore. Smile of Heaven was gone, and her ghost was gone as well, since Broken Sword had died. Anvil was wary of me �� not because I was a threat, but simply because I had the potential to become a threat. And both of us were afraid of the Dreamspawn, that monster. Most importantly, we weren''t really people anymore�� we were entities, each responsible for a Domain."


    She paused. "Let''s just say that large-scale systems are far less tolerant to risk. You can be reckless when you are only responsible for yourself�� but what if you have a family to take care of? Would you allow yourself to be careless when the lives and well-being of your children are at stake? What if you are responsible for a million families? Ten million, a hundred million? Once one becomes a monarch, there''s little difference between a threat and a potential threat. The mere promise of disaster is enough to take measures against the source."


    The Queen looked at Cassie and Seishan with pity. "Both of you have already tasted the burden of responsibility. But you know nothing, yet�� ah, but I digress. The thing is, despite it all, we could have still worked out our differences. We even tried to remain civil, for a while. However, our attempts were destined to fail. Can you guess why?"


    Seishan frowned. Cassie remained silent for a bit, then said evenly:


    "Because of the Spell."


    Ki Song gave her an approving smile. "Indeed. I don''t know whether it is by accident or by design, but the conflict between Supremes is woven into the very fabric of the Spell. After all, it grants us a way to grow the power of our Domains at a terrifying speed �� the Citadels. However, the number of Citadels it creates is limited. So, the Domains of the carriers of the Spell must inevitably clash... it is as if it was meant to pit those who attained Supremacy against each other �� so that a single, most vicious ruler was left in the end."


    She lingered for a few moments. "At first, we tried to build in peaceful coexistence. Each of us served to suppress the other�� it was a circle of mutual responsibility, so to speak. The Dreamspawn held the heir of Valor hostage, Anvil had his sword hovering above my head, while I made sure that the Dreamspawn''s name did not spread to too many minds. But that circle was swiftly broken. Because one who has the Will can never submit to being suppressed."


    The two puppets chuckled. "Anvil swiftly gave up on his son, almost as if he had never cared about him at all. I learned to escape the cage of my body, making the deterrent of his swords meaningless. And the Dreamspawn�� the Dreamspawn secretly created a cabal of followers, making sure that his name could never be fully erased." Ki Song leaned back and sighed. "There was the issue of the remnants of the Immortal Flame clan, as well�� you asked why we tried to eradicate them, Song of the Fallen. I will have to disappoint you, but there was no mysterious reason for it at all. It was simply cold logic �� once you draw a sword against an enemy, you don''t show your back to them until they are dead."


    There was no compassion on her face, but no particular cruelty either. Just the cold, ruthless pragmatism that had horrified Master Orum once.


    "Immortal Flame himself was dead, and both Broken Sword and Smile of Heaven had perished. Little Nephis was young and powerless�� but children grow up. Sometimes, they grow up to be Saints of immense power who wield staggering influence over people''s hearts and harbor a scathing desire for revenge. That was what Anvil and I both wanted to prevent from happening, so we tried to kill her before she could fully inherit the Fire. A vile decision�� but a prudent one, don''t you think? Considering how things ended up." @@NovelFire@@


    Cassie shivered. So she knew�� both of them knew. Both of them had never been fooled by Neph''s act of submitting to their power. Or maybe that was not even important. Maybe it was simply the case of large-scale systems being averse to risk, as Ki Song had put it. It did not matter whether Nephis truly harbored thoughts of revenge�� all that mattered was that she had potential to. That was all it took for these ghouls to sentence a little, orphaned girl to death.


    And how many more of such deaths had there been?


    ''Ah�� I want to kill them both with my own two hands��'' S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But that was not meant to be.


    Cassie forced a smile onto her face. "It seemed strange that both of you mighty Sovereigns failed to kill one powerless child."


    Ki Song shrugged. "Our hands were tied. The Dreamspawn laid a claim to her, just like he had claimed young Mordret. He has a deep interest in Divine Lineages, you know. Immortal Flame, Warden of Valor, Nightwalker, and the Dreamspawn''s own mother �� those were the four members of the First Generation who had found Lineage Memories. A generation later, I was the fifth. And the sixth one, well, it is obvious by now what blood flows in the veins of the Lord of Shadows�� even if he doesn''t bleed much."

 Chapter 2192 Circle of Responsibility

    Chapter 2192  Circle of ResponsibilityThe dead boy let out a quiet laugh. The Queen shook her head. "Whatever it is that the Dreamspawn needs from the descendants of the gods, he can only get it once their blood Awakens. Nephis is the last descendant of the Sun God lineage, and so, he prevented us from trying to eliminate her before she came of age�� or rather, prevented us from trying to eliminate her too hard. The methods we could use without alerting him and provoking his ire were limited, and that was why she managed to survive. Even as a child, Nephie proved to be quite tenacious."


    Cassie smiled darkly. "...You have my sympathy. How inconvenient."


    Ki Song shrugged. "Why, thank you. It really was. However, young Nephis was really the least of our concerns. Because, as you can imagine, the mutual responsibility between us three did not last long."


    Cassie inhaled deeply. "Was there something particular that caused you to grow openly hostile to each other?"


    The Queen remained silent for a bit, then smiled wryly. "Yes? No? It was a gradual process. At first, we were busy establishing our Domains, subjugating neighboring regions of the Dream Realm, and stabilizing our territories. But once we reached the ceiling of what we could achieve without encroaching on each other''s lands, things turned much more tenuous between us. Both Anvil and I wanted to swallow the Stormsea, but neither could move without provoking the other. The Dreamspawn, meanwhile, was growing stranger with each year. The tension continued to build, until one day�� we saw a chance."


    Cassie raised an eyebrow. "What chance?"


    One of the youths chuckled. "The chance to get rid of the Dreamspawn, of course. That guy, you see, aimed his attention at the moon."


    Cassie blinked. "The�� moon?"


    Did Ki Song mean a metaphorical moon? She carried the lineage of Beast God, after all, and one of Beast God''s epithets was the Goddess of the Moon. Had Asterion shown interest in her daughters, perhaps?


    They would have already reached the age of becoming susceptible to the Spell by then. Some would have even Awakened. The Queen nodded. "Yes, the moon. Earth''s moon, to be precise �� Luna. Well, not the moon itself, of course�� rather, what is hidden on the moon."


    ''Huh��''


    Cassie tried to suppress her curiosity, but failed. "...And what, exactly, is hidden on the moon?"


    The dead girl laughed melodiously.


    Ki Song smiled. "That was precisely what the Dreamspawn wanted to learn. The Nightmare Spell first infected the Lunar Colonies, you know�� it was only later that it spread from the moon to the planet''s surface. What had they unearthed there, on the dark side of Luna? Nobody knows. Oh, we had theories, of course. By then, it was already clear that an Unholy Nightmare Creature had made the moon its nest �� that is why it is so dangerous to fly too high on Earth and why any manner of lunar observation had been forbidden. It is also one of the reasons why aviation fell into sharp decline as soon as the Nightmare Spell descended."


    She lingered for a few moments. "It is also highly likely that a Nightmare Gate is situated there�� the First Gate, maybe. Since looking at the moon too closely is a recipe for disaster, we couldn''t build an analog of the Obel Scale to study it. But there was still a sort of consensus about the Category of that Gate. Most of those who know believe it to be a Category Six Gate."


    As Cassie drew a sharp breath, Ki Song looked up and smiled. "If so, it is connected to a Seed of the Sixth Nightmare�� the final Nightmare. One that would turn those who conquer it Divine, thus giving birth to gods. Not lesser deities of the Sacred Rank, but true gods �� no different from those great beings who once ruled all existence."


    She hesitated for a moment, then added in a more reserved tone:


    "Of course, there is a smaller group that holds a different opinion. They believe that the Lunar Gate leads to a Seed that is even more special. Not just a Seed of Nightmare, no�� instead, they believe it to be the Seed of the Nightmare Spell. The source of its invasion into our reality."


    Cassie exhaled slowly. ''The world still holds so many mysteries��''


    An Unholy One was dwelling on the moon, guarding the Gate to the Final Nightmare�� or the source of the Nightmare Spell itself. Who would have thought? S��ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The magnitude of this revelation had left her breathless. Cassie was too tiny and insignificant for that information to have any direct importance to her, just like an ant was too tiny and short-lived to worry about the movement of tectonic plates. But still, still��


    She could not help but shiver, knowing that the moon had been there, high above her, throughout countless nights. Ki Song smiled softly.


    "If you live long enough to become Supremes yourselves one day, you''ll hear it�� on a quiet night, under the familiar sky, you''ll hear the distant, alluring, irresistible call of that Nightmare. Its Call is another reason why we don''t return to the waking world that often."


    She remained silent for a little while, then sighed. "In any case�� the Dreamspawn grew intrigued by the moon, and so, he endeavored to visit it. And using the chance, Anvil and I made sure that he never returned. We massacred his followers and erased his name from the network, from the culture, from the annals of history, forbade the government to ever mention him again, and killed everyone who had ever met him face-to-face �� well, most of them, at least."


    A wicked smile twisted her alluring lips. @@NovelFire@@


    "There were no Citadels under his control, and we had hidden our existence �� the existence of the Sovereigns �� from the very beginning to limit the spread of his fame, and therefore of his Domain�� even if it forced all three of us into the shadows. So, his Domain crumbled in an instant, and he was stranded on the moon, his power severely diminished. We had hoped that he would die there, but of course, we weren''t that lucky. That fiend still draws breath out there, in the coldness of space, looking at us from above. He can even exert his influence somewhat, sometimes, albeit not too much of it."


    Her smile widened. "And with the Dreamspawn mostly removed from the picture, the circle of mutual responsibility was broken. Anvil''s sword pierced my heart�� but, of course, I refused to die. That was how our clandestine clash began. From that day forward, we were gathering forces, positioning valuable game pieces, and preparing for the war �� for the final confrontation to see which one of us was the most vicious, and therefore worthy of becoming the sole ruler of the world."

 Chapter 2193 Greater Good

    Chapter 2193  Greater GoodCassie remained silent for a while, struggling against the nauseating feeling of not being in full control of her body and soul. Her torn cheek throbbed with dull pain, and drops of blood glistened coldly on the stone floor. ''She�� doesn''t seem quite human, anymore.''


    The beautiful corpse in front of her looked like Ki Song and sounded like Ki Song, but while there was some resemblance �� a deeply hidden sameness �� the young woman she had seen in the memories of Master Orum was mostly gone. As if she was not a living being, but a wraith sustained by unbreakable Will. Both of them didn''t seem human, really �� the King and the Queen. Ki Song was dead, and did not have a heartbeat. But while Anvil was undeniably alive, his unfeeling heart was colder than that of a corpse. They looked human, but the way they thought was not human. There was a limit to how callous one could be, how heartless one could be. There were limits that no person could cross without becoming a mindless beast. But then again, the Sovereigns were not supposed to be completely human.


    ''Is it because they are Ki Song and Anvil of Valor, or because they are Supreme?''


    Supreme beings were demigods in quite a literal sense. Saints like Cassie herself were called demigods, as well, but while they did possess some qualities of the divine, having transcended mortal limits, that title had mostly come from human fancy. To mundane people, the powers Saints wielded seemed godly, and so, the Saints had been dubbed demigods. And even though that title was mostly a metaphor, Cassie could already feel how her sense of self was changing. She had lived the memories of countless people, and perceived the world from countless points of view. She had experienced being men and women, young and old, healthy and sick �� she had experienced the lives of soldiers and warriors, factory workers, lofty Legacies, destitute refugees, actors, artisans, politicians, housewives, criminals, servants, laborers�� and so many more.


    What kind of person could possess a lifetime''s worth of greatly varied experiences and remain the same? Several lifetimes?


    Naturally, her worldview had changed.


    And she was merely a Saint��


    How would she change if she became Supreme �� a demigod whose conscience had to be vast enough to encompass an entire realm? How much of her former self would remain?


    How much of her humanity would be discarded to make space for divinity?


    She sighed, then faced Ki Song with a grim expression.


    "...To what end?"


    Cassie gritted her teeth. "You and Avil have spent two decades ruling the world. You created the Great Clans, shaped the Legacy caste into what it is today, conquered vast lands in the Dream Realm. You have suppressed the number of emerging Saints, ruthlessly eliminated all who dared to disobey you, and maintained a semblance of order in the waking world. When you could not hold the Nightmare Spell back anymore, you finally revealed your claws in Antarctica. And now, you are at war. To what end?"


    She hesitated for a moment. "Is it simply to become the strongest a Supreme can be? To spread your Domain to all of humanity? Why? What are you after? Do you lust for more power? Do you want to resolve those old, unforgivable grudges? Are you preparing to challenge the Fifth Nightmare and become Sacred? Have you given up? Why, why have you done all of this?"


    Ki Song looked at her calmly from the throne. A faint smile illuminated her breathtaking face. "Why�� it''s for the greater good, of course."


    Cassie couldn''t help but let out a scoff. "The greater good?"


    The Queen nodded. "Our goal is to preserve humanity, as it has always been. You can disagree with our method�� despise them, even�� but do not doubt our intentions. Everything we did, we did to build a better world for those who would follow in our footsteps." Ki Song let out a sigh. "To answer your question�� the war is necessary because Anvil and I are much too weak." Her puppets chuckled.


    "Our power, great as it might seem, is woefully insufficient. Our Domains are incomplete. Our strength is lacking. We are nearly immortal and have no rivals among the human population, but the enemies we face aren''t human either. They are the true rulers of the Dream Realm �� the old, corrupted deities who dwell in the darkest corners of this cursed world."


    Ki Song leaned forward a little, smiling faintly. "There is a simple equation to safeguarding the future of humanity, you see. In this dire world, humanity has no luxury to afford itself things that it does not need. It is a luxury to have a population of three billion people, but is it necessary? Can we save them all? No... spreading our forces too thin will only result in total annihilation. Meanwhile, humanity can survive with far less. The ones whom we have brought from the Chain of Nightmares will do �� it is a large enough pool to produce Awakened at a sufficient rate, who will produce enough Masters and Saints in turn. In fact, it is already too large."


    Her smile turned somber. "More than a hundred million mundane people are in the Song Domain right now. All of them need to be fed, clothed, sheltered, and protected from the Nightmare Creatures. We had been preparing the human enclaves in the Dream Realm for more than a decade, and yet the burden of caring for so many people is already straining every possible resource we have, shaking the entire kingdom. The infrastructure is on the verge of collapse, the supplies are dwindling��" Cassie frowned.


    "Those people are not just sitting idly. They are working the fields, building the roads�� they are volunteering to face the Fist Nightmare and become Awakened, as well. In a few more years, they will feed, clothe, shelter, and protect themselves."


    Ki Song shook his head. "But the situation on Earth will also become far less stable in a few years, which means that we won''t be able to deliver as many supplies through the Dream Gate. But, suppose you are right�� even then, the waking world will continue to deteriorate at ever-increasing speed. Soon enough, it will be consumed entirely, and the entire Dream Realm will change. Its geography will be rewritten, and countless Nightmare Creatures will start a great migration. We will be besieged from all sides, and the Death Zones will spill from their borders, threatening to drown the human nation we have so laboriously established."


    The Queen smiled darkly.


    "When that happens, neither the Song Domain nor the Sword Domain will be able to survive. However, the Human Domain �� one kingdom united under the torn, patchwork heaven of the Dream Realm by one Supreme �� might just stand a chance."


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 Chapter 2194 Price of Divinity

    Chapter 2194  Price of DivinityKi Song inhaled deeply �� or pretended to, at least �� and leaned back. "As for conquering the Fifth Nightmare�� even if we have such an ambition, neither of us dares. Challenging a Nightmare is always a gamble, after all �� maybe the challenger will return alive, maybe not. Immortal Flame could risk his life because there were countless Awakened in the world beside him. Warden and Nightwalker could risk theirs because, by then, there were plenty of Masters around. But what about us? What happens if all Supremes of humanity perish together, leaving no one to defend it against the tyranny of the Nightmare Spell? The risk is too great, and the responsibility we bear is too great to take it."


    Her expression changed subtly. "More than that, each Nightmare is different from the previous one. We have no knowledge about what awaits us in the Fifth. What we do know, however�� is that even if one manages to conquer it, there will be a price to pay. A Sacred being won''t be able to enter the waking world at all, most likely, meaning that there won''t be Dream Gates to lead people away either. Even if Sacred carriers of the Nightmare Spell receive an ability to create a new kind of connection between the two worlds, there is also the nature of the Apotheosis itself to consider. Becoming a god�� is not merely about one''s Rank."


    Ki Song paused briefly and continued in a neutral tone:


    "The difference between a Transcendent and a Supreme is vast. However, the difference between a mortal and a god is immeasurable. Becoming a Sacred being means leaving what little remains of your human nature behind. Once one experiences Apotheosis, the way they think will change. The way they feel will change. The way they are will change, and who they are will change as well. Power and benevolence do not always go hand-in-hand�� who knows if a Sacred being can even be entrusted with humanity? Heavens know I dread the thought of the Dreamspawn becoming a god. Anvil, as well�� and I fear myself most of all."


    The Queen remained silent for a while, then looked at Seishan hesitantly. Her lips moved slightly, and a new voice �� Ki Song''s own voice �� resounded in the throne room for the first time.


    It was low and beautiful, making one want to never stop hearing it.


    "Will I still care about my daughters? Will I even be capable of human affection? Will I remain�� myself? Or will I become someone else �� something else, rather. A being whose very nature is divine, and thus inhuman."


    Seishan trembled.


    The Queen''s words sounded eerily similar to what Cassie herself had been considering earlier, and they resounded strongly. Because Cassie herself was deathly afraid of losing herself to the power of her Aspect. Countless fragments of her past were already lost, and so, she dreaded losing even more of her present self�� but she was afraid of her future self most of all. Everyone feared death, and transformation, especially one as thorough as becoming a deity �� Apotheosis, as Ki Song had called it �� was a form of death as well.


    Cassie took a deep breath. "So, in the end�� the two of you started this war to consume each other and give birth to an immensely powerful Domain �� one that unites all of humanity �� as a result. The part of humanity that you had deemed worthy of saving, at least."


    Ki Song shrugged.


    She had grown silent again, and her puppets spoke in her stead:  sea??h th�� Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes. Something like that."


    Cassie shook her head. "All these deaths, all this suffering�� wouldn''t it have been easier if one of you simply stepped down and allowed the other to rule unopposed?"


    A strange smile twisted the Queen''s alluring lips. "I suppose it would have. But ask yourself this question�� will someone who is willing to give up without a fight be capable of standing up against the entire world? Will someone who is willing to submit without a struggle be worthy of ruling over all of humanity? Will someone like that be able to lead anyone, let alone everyone, to salvation? No�� it is not in the nature of a Sovereign to surrender. The very quality that made us Supreme makes it impossible for us to capitulate without a thorough battle."


    There was a long stretch of silence, and then, the dead youths laughed. "Well�� I seem to have answered all of your question, Song of the Fallen. How''s that? Was that enough for a barter?"


    Cassie lowered her head. "...It''s plenty, Your Majesty."


    Ki Song nodded with a hint of amusement. "I''ve shown you plenty of grace, then. What do I get in exchange?"


    Cassie gathered her thoughts while inhaling deeply. ''Here it goes, then.''


    Things would start happening fast once she opened her mouth. But that was the best course of action��


    The Sovereigns had to be somewhat equal in strength when they clashed. And at the moment, the King of Swords was holding too big of an advantage. She sighed. "I mentioned knowing a lot of secrets, one of which is especially valuable. I''ll share it with you as gratitude for showing me grace."


    Straightening her back, Cassie lingered for a moment and then said in a somber tone:


    "The King has secretly carved a path through the Hollows of the Breastbone and the Western First Rib. His troops will soon emerge from the jungle and attack the Lesser Stronghold Crossing from the rear �� it will happen by the end of tomorrow, or perhaps even sooner. Now that Valor wants me dead, my life is tied to the well-being of the Song clan. So, I thought I''d let you know."


    A heavy silence settled in the throne room. Seishan seemed startled, her eyes widening slightly�� the Queen, however, remained composed. A few moments later, she leaned forward a little. "...Weren''t there a Cursed Tyrant barring the path to the Hollows of the First Rib?"


    Cassie lowered her head. "There was. The King killed it."


    Ki Song raised an eyebrow. "He killed a Cursed Tyrant swiftly and quietly enough for its death to go unnoticed? Ah�� how curious."


    She remained motionless for a while.


    And then smiled. "Well. That certainly changes things��"

 Chapter 2195 Dollhouse

    Chapter 2195  DollhouseThe Queen remained silent for a few moments, looking into the distance. Cassie could not really imagine what was going on in her head. It had to be hard to be a general who had been driven into a hopeless situation. The Song Army was already at a great disadvantage, driven back to the western part of the Collarbone Plain and besieged. The only hope of salvaging the situation and restoring a semblance of balance to the war was to hold out long enough for Revel to conquer the Citadel in the spine of the dead god�� and for Mordret to take Bastion. But now, even that hope had been shattered.


    If Ki Song was troubled, though, she did not show it.


    Instead, she lowered her gaze and peered at Cassie.


    "Well, well. The secret you told me is indeed valuable, young Cassia."


    The dead boy fell silent. His counterpart, meanwhile, spoke in a clear voice:


    "You have my gratitude. It is time for you to depart, though�� go and rest, for a little while. Seishan, please stay."


    Cassie wondered briefly if she would really be allowed to walk out the throne room on her own two feet without being escorted by Seishan. That�� would be problematic, actually, since her Aspect was suppressed. Was she supposed to bump into the walls of the Song keep blindly until she found a place to rest?


    A few moments later, though, her hesitation was dispelled in the most disturbing way. Her body moved on its own, rising from its knees and performing an elegant bow. Her mouth moved on its own, as well, and words she had not meant to say left her lips:


    "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    Then, her body turned around and headed away from the throne with graceful, confident steps. The tenuous connection she had established to Seishan''s senses was cut, and she was left in the darkness. Cassie was blind once again�� but her body behaved as if it could see. It left the throne room and walked somewhere calmly, taking turns when needed and using her hands to open doors. She did not know where the body was headed, and could only memorize the number of turns and count the steps in her mind out of habit. As Cassie walked, she escaped from the horror of not being able to control her own body into thinking about the many mysteries that had been solved today, and the many secrets that had been revealed to her by the Queen. ''It is all starting to take shape.''


    So what had she learned? First of all, many of the fragmented and unreliable pieces of information they had collected from dubious sources were now confirmed. The grand plan of the Sovereigns, the purpose of suppressing the emergence of independent Saints, the reason why the Supremes had seemingly abandoned the waking world��


    One of the more interesting things she had learned was the reason why the Sovereigns had chosen to hide their existence and rule from the shadows. Cassie had assumed that it was simply due to�� to the general shadiness of the Great Clans. Honestly, she had never thought about it deeply. But as it turned out, it was a premeditated measure to prevent Asterion from growing too powerful instead. Ki Song had not explained what powers the third Sovereign possessed, and how his Domain spread. However, Cassie was able to surmise that it had something to do with people simply knowing about his existence �� and especially knowing his name. There was the tidbit about the special nature of War God''s Realm, as well. And�� the startling truth of what was hidden on the moon.


    But while quite curious, these pieces of information were not important at the moment.


    What was important was the story of Broken Sword''s death, the reasons why he had been killed, and the background of the downfall of the Immortal Flame clan.


    If for no other reason than a personal one. ''I will have to tell Neph.''  sea??h th�� n?vel_Fire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ki Song did not mention the final straw that had pushed Anvil on the path of no return, but Cassie already learned it from Jest. How would Nephis react? Something like that�� did not excuse the vile actions of the Sovereigns. But it did put them into an entirely new perspective. And that perspective was one of the most important cornerstones of Neph''s entire being. Cassie sighed�� or rather, tried to. However, her body was still moving on its own, indifferent to her commands. Soon enough, the coldness of the Queen''s residence receded, and Cassie felt the heat of Godgrave on her skin again. She was surrounded by the sounds of the army camp again. She could smell life again. It seemed that she was standing in front of the gates of the keep, waiting for something. Her cheek was still throbbing with pain, and her mind was on fire, feverishly going over all the stark revelations she had received. But most of all��


    Cassie was genuinely surprised. ''I wasn''t even tortured.''


    She exhaled slowly. Well, the day was still young�� and there were more such days in front of her, as well. Now that her audience with the Queen had come to an end, Ki Song seemed to have released the strings binding Cassie''s body like a marionette, somewhat �� enough to cut her some slack, at least. She was still in that dizzying state of not being entirely in control of her own body. In fact, she was barely able to move �� just enough to change her posture, but not enough to take a step.


    Her Aspect, too, remained almost entirely sealed. Cassie remained motionless for a few moments, then shook her head subtly. There was no way of knowing if Sunny was somewhere near, but she believed that he was. In fact, he had most likely been keeping an eye on her from the moment she entered the Greater Crossing Stronghold�� just not in the chambers of the Queen. If so, she had to prevent him from trying to contact her. Now that Cassie had become a partial puppet, approaching her was tantamount to revealing his presence to Ki Song. So, she hoped that he had seen and understood her signal. Sunny was both observant and smart. He would know that it was dangerous to contact her, and stay away.


    Still��


    Even unable to see or hear him, Cassie was glad to know that she was not truly alone.

 Chapter 2196 Truth and Fortune

    Chapter 2196  Truth and FortuneBack in the throne room, Seshan took a step forward and stood in the spot where Cassie had previously kneeled. She did not lower herself, though, remaining upright as she looked up at her mother. The Queen regarded her with a distant expression. After a while, she sighed. "I think you have an idea of what has to be done now."


    Seishan nodded curtly. "I do, mother."


    Ki Song looked at her and smiled wryly. "Don''t try to fool me with that refined expression, girl. You have not changed at all since you were little like a mouse�� come, out with it. I can see that you have questions. Was what I said so surprising?"


    Seishan hesitated for a few moments, then bowed slightly and said in a reserved tone:


    "Then, I will ask. I do have questions�� two of them, to be precise."


    The Queen just waited silently. Seishan raised her head and looked at her mother with a hint of a somber emotion in her eyes. "You said that Changing Star had to be dealt with�� for no other reason but cold logic. That you would not leave the child of your enemy alive, knowing that they could return to seek revenge one day. Was that true?"


    Ki Song raised an eyebrow. "You should have been aware of our past efforts to erase the Immortal Flame clan from existence for a while now. Ah, I see�� it''s not the deed itself that sparked your curiosity, but the motivation. Well, I suppose it is true. Granted, I don''t have a habit of going around disposing of children. It is not every enemy that has to be erased without a trace."


    She sighed.


    "...But little Nephis was. Because she was the daughter of Broken Sword and Smile of Heaven, the heir of Immortal Flame �� a child like that would never have grown up to be a nobody. It was too dangerous to leave her be."


    Seishan remained silent for a while. Then, she asked in an even tone:


    "So, will I and my sisters be disposed of for the same reason, should you fall in the battle against the King of Swords?"


    The dead youths laughed, and Ki Song herself smiled in amusement. "Why? Don''t you have faith in your mother?"


    Seishan lingered with the answer. In the end, she looked at the Queen with a steadfast expression. "I do... I believe that you will win." Ki Song chuckled. "Why?"


    Seishan frowned and stayed quiet for a few moments. Then, she said evenly:


    "Because we are of the Song clan. The King of Swords received his kingdom and his Lineage from others�� but you earned them yourself. He had everything, while you rose from nothing. You clawed and fought, struggling to gain every little piece of what he had been given freely. He is arrogant, while you are cautious. But most of all��"


    She paused for a moment. "You have too many things to lose, while he has nothing. He has nothing to protect, because he has already lost everything�� and so, he only has resolve �� not desire. He doesn''t want to win. But you want it desperately."


    The dead youths laughed quietly. "So�� you are calling your mother desperate?"


    Seishan''s expression changed slightly. "That was�� was not what I meant."


    The puppets laughed again, while Ki Song shook her head. "No. You are correct, my wise daughter. That man has the Will�� but he does not have anything except the Will. Deep down, he doesn''t really care to win �� he doesn''t care about anything. A man who has nothing to lose is dangerous, but he is also pitiful."


    She shook her head lightly. "But you are also wrong, thinking that I achieved everything myself. That I have had no help, and wasn''t given anything by anyone. In fact, I have received many gifts�� my mother''s love, the kindness of strangers, the faith and loyalty of those who followed me, the care of my daughters. It was just that I was young and naive back then, full of resentment and anger. That was how I became ruthless enough to survive this world, and therefore lived long enough to wisen up and recognize my fortune. While Anvil�� that poor man was far less fortunate than me." She sighed and looked away. "Isn''t it funny? I am a descendant of Beast God, the goddess of the cycle of death and rebirth �� and yet, I am unable to give birth, and neither can I die. Meanwhile, Anvil is a descendant of War God, the goddess of life. And yet, he has turned himself into a living corpse. What bitter irony is this?"


    Ki Song lingered for a while, then turned to Seishan.  Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You had another question, didn''t you?"


    Seishan nodded. "Yes."


    She waited a little, then asked hesitantly: "Back then�� why did you agree to answer Cassia''s questions? You did not need to." The Queen smiled softly and looked away, Her puppets did not speak for a while, but eventually, one of them answered in a slightly wistful tone:


    "Her True Name is Song of the Fallen. The Names are an expression of one''s personal truth, as well as of their fate. Her fate is to be a witness�� to remember. So��"


    Ki Song lingered for a moment.


    "History is written by the victors, Seishan. No matter who wins this war, the truth of what happened will be weaponized and twisted. But I wanted someone to remember the truth �� my truth, at least �� in its purest form, no matter what comes next. Even if it is just one person. Forgive your mother this little bit of indulgence�� but I wanted to be witnessed."


    Seishan remained silent.


    Eventually, she nodded. "I understand."


    Ki Song let out a long sigh. "In that case��"


    Her expression changed, becoming cold and regal. She straightened on her throne, and her beautiful figure suddenly seemed towering and overbearing. The dead youths spoke solemnly:


    "Seishan of Clan Song. Listen to your Queen''s command��"

 Chapter 2197: Boiling Pot

    Rain did not get a good look at the prisoner Saint Seishan was supposedly escorting. She did glimpse the beautiful princess herself, whose presence was just as soothing as always ��however, there was an eerie escort of empty-eyed pilgrims in the way, so it was hard to see who had been captured by the Queen''s daughter.


    Rain stayed in the shadows, leaning on the wall of an armory among other idle soldiers. Her brother remained silent until the strange prisoner convoy disappeared from view, heading toward the stone keep where the Queen herself was rumored to reside.


    Then, he suddenly separated himself from her shadow.


    "I''ll go snoop around a little. Don''t get into any trouble while I am away."


    Rain scoffed.


    "Who am I, a kid? Why would I get into trouble?"


    He remained silent for a few moments, then said in a dubious tone:


    "Yeah..."


    With that, the shadow stealthily glided away.


    Rain sighed, then stretched her tired body and went about her business. She spent some time getting the water rations and refilled the Green Canteen, then waited some more to get an allotment of synthetic firewood for their campfire.


    Finally, she returned to the part of the camp assigned to the Seventh Royal Legion and found her cohort. They made a fire, igniting it with a Memory, and boiled some water to brew powdered coffee �� the mostly empty can of it was a luxury Ray had won from an officer in a game of cards. After that, they put a pot over the fire to prepare the usual Song Army stew.


    Rain stared at the stamped tinfoil wrappers left from the bricks of synthetic firewood absent-mindedly as the wind dragged them across the surface of the dead god''s bone. The contrast of the mundane and the mystical was pretty evocative... she was just not sure of what.


    Eventually, she sighed and looked at Tamar.


    "I saw Princess Seishan while I was getting water."


    Tamar just stared at the fire.


    "Oh."


    The Saint of Sorrow had said that he would speak to the princess once she returned to the camp. So, they would probably leave this dreadful place soon.


    Rain felt... conflicted about the prospect. Sure, she wanted nothing more than for the horror to end. But on the other hand, she felt terrible about leaving her fellow soldiers behind and escaping to safety simply because her friend had some connections at the top.


    Not everyone had a Transcendent father. What was going to happen to countless young soldiers who did not?


    She had a pretty good idea what would happen to them �� thousands of them, at least �� and was not sure what would haunt her more. Would it be the harrowing siege, or the act of running away like a coward?


    ''That is how they get you.''


    The other members of the cohort seemed to be struggling with the same thoughts, so no one said anything for a long time. However, their silence was an answer in and of itself. In the end, self-preservation seemed to be winning over the misguided sense of devotion.


    Well, it was not too surprising. Many people had been idealists when they joined the Song Army. But after experiencing the horrors of war, their worldview irrevocably changed, and their hearts changed as well... devotion was a scarce currency in Godgrave these days. At least devotion to the symbols that had failed them, and to the leaders who had led them to hell.


    Rain and her friends had already fought and bled plenty for the Song Domain. Did they really have to insist on staying when someone was telling... ordering them to leave?


    She was still drowning in doubt, and the stew was still bubbling in the pot when there seemed to be some kind of commotion around them. Looking up, Rain noticed that there was more movement in the vast courtyard of the Greater Crossing Stronghold than usual.


    The entire camp seemed to be boiling, not much different from the stew.


    ''Huh? Is there going to be another assault?''


    That did not make much sense. The battle had just ended recently, and even if the Sword Army decided to attack twice in one day, it would not have caused so much activity. Those who had to man the wall were already on the ramparts, after all, since the entire contingent worked to defend ?????????????


    the fortress in shifts.


    ''What is going on?''


    Just as Rain thought that, Tamar caught a soldier who was running by and asked in an incredulous tone:


    "What is happening?"


    He looked at her with wide eyes.


    "W��what? Lady Tamar, you haven''t heard?"


    The Seventh Royal Legion had suffered grave casualties in the siege �� just like every other legion of the Song Army �� so there were gaping holes in the chain of command. New orders did not travel to the rank and file as fast as they used to.


    Granted, Tamar was an officer, so it was a bit strange that she was caught out of the loop.


    "Heard what?"


    The soldier stared at her dazedly for a few moments.


    He seemed to be both excited and terrified... but mostly terrified.


    Eventually, he took a deep breath and said loudly, a feverish glint appearing in his eyes.


    "An attack! We are attacking!"


    Tamar frowned, then asked while putting an emphasis on the word "we":


    "What... what do you mean we are attacking?"


    He grinned darkly.


    "It''s just as I said! The order has just come down from the Queen. We are abandoning the fortress, crossing the chasm, and storming the camp of the Sword Army �� all legions, all auxiliary troops, even the Saints. It''s an all-out offensive!"


    Tamar let the soldier go, stunned. He hurried away, soon disappearing from view.


    Rain, Tamar, Ray, and Fleur looked at each other.


    Eventually, Ray opened his mouth and said in a shaky voice:


    "So... I guess we''re not becoming caravan guards anymore?"


    Rain pursed her lips.


    "The order seems to have been given almost immediately after Princess Seishan returned. So, the Saint of Sorrow might not have had the opportunity to settle things with her yet. Or he did, but the transfer got lost in the chaos. In any case, if we want to leave... we still can." S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Storming the siege camp of the Sword Army... an all-out offensive... Saints joining the fight.


    Crazy! It seemed crazy!


    ''What the hell is the Queen thinking?''


    Rain looked at Tamar.


    "So, do we want to leave?"


    Tamar met her gaze expressionlessly.


    She remained silent for a few moments, then said in an even tone:


    "I did not receive the transfer order. So, I intend to stay."


    Rain sighed.


    Well, of course. She would.


    ''Damn Legacies...''


    Shaking her head, she turned her head and looked at the bubbling stew with regret.


    "What are we standing around for, then? We need to start gathering our things. Even if we are going to be marching into battle instead of running away, we''re still abandoning camp. So get your stuff quickly!"


    ...Some time later, her brother snuck back into her shadow. He settled inside of it, remained silent for a bit, and then asked incredulously:


    "Did I not say to stay out of trouble?"


    Rain raised an eyebrow.


    "I did, though?"


    He sighed.


    "Look around."


    All around them, the Song Army was seething and boiling as it prepared to go into battle... perhaps the final battle of this hellish war. The legions were assembling into marching columns, the enthralled Nightmare Creatures were roaring in frenzy, and the Saints were summoning their battle Memories, ready to lead the charge.


    Her brother inhaled slowly, then growled:


    "...That looks like trouble to me!"

 Chapter 2198: Divide and Conquer

    Just a handful of minutes before, Sunny was standing at the edge of the Ivory Island, looking at the distant wall of the great fortress with a somber expression on his face. His incarnation in the camp of the Song Army had caught a glimpse of Cassie as she was being escorted by Seishan and their eerie retinue of walking corpses...


    But he had lost sight of them once the two entered the chambers of the Queen. Sunny was not reckless enough to get that close to Ki Song, so he was forced to wait in tense anticipation, not knowing what to expect.


    Surely, Cassie was too valuable to be disposed of swiftly. She was not someone who would put herself in danger without having a way out, either... so his worry was most likely meaningless. And yet, he could not help but feel uneasy.


    ''Damn it.''


    Eventually, Cassie emerged from the heavy gates and remained standing outside, motionless and silent. There were fresh cuts on her cheek, but it did not seem like she was hurt badly. The lack of an escort was also telling, hinting that she had come to some sort of understanding with the Queen.


    Or that the Queen simply did not deem it necessary to guard her, confident that Cassie would not be able to escape.


    The mental communication Sunny had grown used to did not seem to work, so he wanted to approach the blind seer stealthily in the form of a shadow to exchange a few audible words. However, she shook her head lightly, which had to be a signal to stay away.


    Tense and unhappy, Sunny retreated.


    And not long after that, the camp of the Song Army came alive like a massive beast awakening from slumber.


    The sudden commotion was on such a grand scale that even Master Sunless could see that something was going on in the Greater Crossing Stronghold, all the way from the Ivory Island.


    He frowned.


    "Are they preparing to retreat?"


    Cassie could have informed Ki Song about the clandestine plan to attack the Lesser Crossing Stronghold from the rear �� in fact, she had a good reason to. If so, the main contingent of the Song Army serving as the garrison of the Greater Crossing would have to retreat or risk being cut off from the base camp and surrounded by the forces of the Sword Domain.


    They could even make a desperate attempt to reinforce the Lesser Crossing and prevent it from falling...


    But that was not what Ki Song had decided to do.


    When Sunny''s incarnation learned what the Queen was planning a few moments later, he could not help but falter for a moment.


    Master Sunless opened his eyes wide.


    "...Crazy!"


    Everyone had expected that Ki Song would retreat.


    But against all odds, she decided to attack instead.


    She was preparing to abandon the Greater Crossing Stronghold and throw all her available forces into an all-out offensive, threatening to break the main contingent of the Sword Army in one fell swoop. ?a????��??????


    Why would she surrender the overwhelming defensive advantage the Song Army held and command her soldiers to attack, even knowing how desperate her position was? Was she insane or a genius?


    Sunny suddenly felt cold sweat rolling down his back.


    In hindsight... why wouldn''t she attack?


    Retreating would only buy the Song Army some time �� granted, time was what they lacked the most �� but it would not change the overall situation of the war by much.


    However, now that she knew that Anvil had secretly left the siege camp and was leading soldiers through the Hollows, she would also know that the siege camp was not as impossible to overtake as everyone seemed to believe. As far as she was informed, the Lord of Shadows was also far away.


    So, the greatest obstacle in her way was Nephis.


    Nephis had proven that she was an impossible existence among those of the Transcendent Rank, and therefore, no Saint in the Song Army could defeat her. If the Queen wanted to destroy the siege camp, she would have to take to the battlefield herself �� which she could not do, not yet.


    Or rather, there had not been any other way to suppress Nephis before.


    There was one now, though.


    Cursing, Sunny dove into the shadows and stepped out of them at the top of the Ivory Tower. Nephis was already walking toward the balcony, a cold expression on her face.


    "Cassie! She''s..."


    Nephis nodded.


    "I know."


    She paused for a moment near him, hesitated a little, and then said casually:


    "Stay here, please. Make sure that your assistant, Aiko, remains in the Brilliant Emporium as well. I don''t know what will happen next, but... it can get messy."


    Sunny chewed on his lip, unhappy.


    But it was not time to discard the persona of Master Sunless yet. Plus, if anything that disagreed with him happened, he would only be a step away. His senses could envelop the entire battlefield, after all, and there was one more of his incarnations on the other side of the chasm.


    He sighed.


    "Take one of my shadows with you, at least."


    As he said the words, the gloomy shadow separated from his feet and dove into Neph''s own shadow... looking quite smug and satisfied as it did, at that.


    Nephis lingered for a moment, then smiled faintly. S��ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Thank you, Master Sunless."


    Leaning forward, she planted a soft kiss on his cheek, and then turned around.


    Brilliant light surrounded her slender figure, forming into the image of two incandescent wings. A moment later, she leapt over the parapet of the balcony and plummeted down, toward the siege camp of the Sword Army.


    Left alone under the radiant sky, Sunny touched his cheek and looked into the distance.


    A quiet sigh escaped from his lips.


    "...Stay safe, Lady Nephis."


    The drums of war were beating, and she had to lead her soldiers into battle.


    That battle was not going to be an easy one, it seemed.


    Worse still, the battles that would follow it were only going to be so much harder...

 Chapter 2199 From the Ashes.

    Chapter 2199  From the Ashes.Setting an entire army into motion was not an easy task. As Sunny watched somberly from high above, the siege camp slowly became consumed by feverish activity. The soldiers were tired, having only recently returned from a bloody and fruitless assault on the impregnable walls of the great fortress. They wanted nothing more than to crawl into their tents and rest their weary bodies, surrendering to the fleeting and merciful escape of oblivion for a short while.


    The Awakened slept without seeing dreams, while Masters suffered in the embrace of nightmares. Instead of being given an opportunity to rest, though, they were being stirred awake and told to prepare for another battle. This time, it was not another dreadful assault�� instead, the enemy was supposedly coming over the chasm to attack. The groggy soldiers could not make any sense of it. Why would the Song Army abandon its cursed fortress? The Greater Crossing Stronghold had become a dark symbol of death for the soldiers of the Sword Army, so they failed to imagine that the enemy would give up on the protection of its walls. Surely, there had been some mistake��


    But as they slowly came to their senses and realized the severity of the situation, their confusion was replaced with dread. Soon enough, the siege camp was boiling. The soldiers were assembling into units, and the units were trying to move into formation��


    But they were already far behind the Song Army, which seemed to be ready to march. "...What are they doing?"


    Most of the Fire Keepers were boarding the Chain Breaker, ready to join Nephis on the ground, while some remained on the Ivory Island to defend it should Beastmaster and her winged thralls stage another aerial attack. However, Aiko was entirely idle, keeping Sunny company as they observed the two armies from above. Sunny frowned, unsure how to answer. He was confused as well. "It seems like�� they''re dismantling the ramparts."


    Indeed, the walls of the Greater Crossing Stronghold, which had endured countless assaults and remained unbroken, were slowly crumbling in the distance. One section quaked, and then collapsed, followed by another. The soldiers swarmed over the wooden debris, appearing no larger than ants. Gaping holes were slowly forming in the once impenetrable shield of the Greater Crossing. Sunny was darkly fascinated by the view. He had seen so many people die trying to take these walls, and now, they were being destroyed from within by those who had spilled rivers of blood trying to defend them. ''Why would they take down the walls?''  S��arch* The N??elFir��.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He wanted to say something else, but at that moment, something else stole his attention. Looking into the darkness of the abyssal chasm separating the breastbone and the collarbone of the dead god, Sunny scowled deeply. A cold shiver ran down his spine. Something was moving there, far below�� rising from under the ash.


    "Crap." His eyes widened a little.


    Aiko looked at him in confusion and opened her mouth to say something, but Sunny interrupted her in a tone that lacked his usual levity:


    "Go back, Aiko. Lock yourself inside the Brilliant Emporium and don''t come out until I come get you."


    She flinched, surprised by the unfamiliar tone.


    After sparing him a long look, Aiko wordlessly turned around and shot toward the Mimic, her feet hovering slightly above the grass. The Fire Keepers preparing the Chain Breaker for the journey down seemed to have felt something, as well. A few of them grew motionless on the deck, turning to look in the direction of the great fortress. The troops were still trying to assemble into a battle formation down on the ground, and their movements grew even more urgent. A cold gust of wind blew across the Greater Crossing, bringing with it the smell of ash and the stench of rotting flesh. Sunny''s expression became grim. Then, a moment later, something emerged from the darkness of the chasm. At first, it seemed like a thick vine �� no different from the tendrils that the abominable jungle sprouted to crawl to the surface from the dim twilight of the Hollows. However, this one was grey, not scarlet. Those suckers adhered to the surface of the ancient bone, and the ash worm rose above the edge of the chasm, its head swaying from side to side. As soon as the light of the radiant sky fell on it, hideous burns appeared on its skin, and wisps of smoke rose into the air. And it was not a vine�� it was a living creature that resembled a giant worm �� or rather, a puppet made from the creature''s corpse, if Sunny''s suspicion was correct. The worm was dozens of meters in length, with a strangely flat body that was smeared in ash. At the end of it, an appalling maw bristled with countless teeth, and just beneath them, circular suckers were like sores on the translucent skin of the beast. Those suckers adhered to the surface of the ancient bone, and the ash worm rose above the edge of the chasm, its head swaying from side to side. As soon as the light of the radiant sky fell on it, hideous burns appeared on its skin, and wisps of smoke rose into the air. ''Damnation.''


    One monstrous worm was not a problem, no matter how powerful it was. However, just a split second later, another one appeared, and another, and another��


    The ash worms were rising from the darkness, climbing both sides of the chasm. Soon, their grey body covered its walls, forming living, slithering strings. And countless figures emerged from the darkness, as well, climbing the strings of ash worms like ladders. Sunny shuddered. Throughout the siege of the Greater Crossing Stronghold, countless soldiers and enthralled abominations had perished. Some bodies were retrieved, but most plummeted into the dark depths, disappearing forever. He thought that they had become food to the harrowing creatures that dwelled in the ash covering the bottom of the chasm. But as it turned out, the ash dwellers became victims of the dead, instead. All that time, the Queen had been waging a secret war against the creatures of the ash. She won that war, and now, the fallen of the Greater Crossing Siege �� all those countless victims whose lives had been snuffed out by the cruelty of war �� were coming back to avenge themselves upon the living.


    A blood-crusted human hand crested the edge of the chasm, and a moment later, a disfigured corpse climbed from the darkness, smeared an ash. Empty eyes gazed upon the assembling army, and then glinted with murderous intent. The puppet took its first step toward the warriors of the Sword Domain. And countless others soon followed. ''Damn, damn, damn��''

 Chapter 2200 Army of the Dead

    Chapter 2200  Army of the DeadAs the war dragged on, a great number of people had been killed in the fierce clashes between the two invading armies �� and perhaps an even greater number of Nightmare Creatures had perished to human blades. Many, if not most of them, became puppets of the Queen of Worms. The Sword Army had destroyed countless pilgrims, and yet, their number only continued to grow. That was why time was an ally of the Song Domain �� the longer the war continued, the more advantage it gained. That advantage had already played a large role in the siege of the Greater Crossing Stronghold. Pilgrims made for convenient meat shields for the defenders of the fortress, sacrificing their bodies to lessen the losses suffered by the Song Army, while at the same time increasing the losses suffered by the forces of the Sword Domain. And yet, the pilgrims had never been a decisive factor in the battles between the two human armies.


    ��Today, that could very well change. Ki Song had amassed a secret army of the dead at the bottom of the abyssal chasm, and now, that army crawled from the darkness. A tide of ashen corpses poured from the depths, climbing the puppeteered corpses of the monstrous worms like siege towers. Sunny gritted his teeth as the wind carried the shouts of the officers to his ears from the ground. They were desperately trying to assemble the army into a solid battle formation in time, but it was hopeless. The avalanche of the ashen dead had caught them by surprise.


    Before the disorganized soldiers could form into a proper line, the dead tide was upon them. Ashen corpses tore into the vulnerable mass of humans like hungry wolves, ripping into their armor and their flesh with bare hands �� as well as with fangs, claws, and mandibles, since there were plenty of dead Nightmare Creatures among them. This time, there was something different about the pilgrims. It seemed�� it seemed that the Queen was not holding herself back anymore. Before, her puppets were a little sluggish and somewhat easy to deal with. But now, they moved with great precision and skill, no less deadly than seasoned Awakened warriors were�� no, in fact, it was as if each of them possessed skill and combat awareness that were far greater than those of ordinary soldiers.


    With his shadow sense, which spread far and wide to encompass the entire field, Sunny could feel the full extent of their chilling lethality. Their skill was so eerily deadly and profound, in fact, that he was struggling to understand its essence�� as if each and every one of the countless pilgrims was a superior fighter than him, or his equal at least. The thought made Sunny shiver. ''Is she controlling each of them�� all of them�� by hand now?''


    If Ki Song was capable of personally controlling all of her countless puppets at the same time, then her power was even greater than they had feared.


    The pilgrims moved with cold and ruthless determination. The Awakened soldiers stood no chance against these dead, unfeeling killing machines�� or they would not have, if not for the very nature of the Queen''s puppets. Pilgrims had no souls, and therefore lacked the ability to possess and summon Memories �� so, they fought unarmed. More than that, many of the bodies that had fallen into the chasm were severely damaged, which limited their strength and mobility. They seemed to be able to mend themselves, to a degree, but Ki Song was either unwilling or unable to truly restore these broken bodies to a better state.


    Human blood flowed upon the white surface of the ancient bone. Sunny felt sick to his stomach. Not only because people were dying far below, but also because he was the reason they were dying.


    After all, if it wasn''t for him, Nephis, and Cassie, this battle would not have happened. The Song soldiers at the Lesser Crossing Stronghold would have been dying under the swords of Anvil''s warriors in a day or two, instead.


    The sum of deaths might not have changed as a result of Cassie''s actions �� and his silent support of her �� but nevertheless, he felt like a traitor. No, he was a traitor. To the people who were dying because of his betrayal far below, he was. That was a burden Sunny would have to carry, and its weight, while not great, was still unpleasant. The tide of the dead bit into the side of the unprepared army, causing heavy casualties. Worse still, those of the soldiers who perished rose from the ground a few moments later, empty-eyed, joining the ranks of the rampaging corpses.


    For a minute or two, it seemed as if the initial shock of the pilgrim attack would snowball into a one-sided massacre �� one that would only grow into a harrowing disaster before too long. But the soldiers of the Sword Army were not weaklings, either. As the initial shock receded, the soldiers dug down and met the Queen''s puppets blow for blow. Overcoming their horror, they greeted their teeth and stood their ground. The officers organized their warriors into unit-scale formations, bringing order to the senseless slaughter. The units moved to support each other and merge into a proper battle line. As the initial shock receded, the soldiers dug down and met the Queen''s puppets blow for blow. Overcoming their horror, they greeted their teeth and stood their ground. The officers organized their warriors into unit-scale formations, bringing order to the senseless slaughter. The units moved to support each other and merge into a proper battle line. The battle line could have still collapsed�� but at that moment, the Saints entered the battlefield, pushing the tide of pilgrims back. Nephis was there, as well, her flames spreading far and wide to wash away the wounds of the soldiers and save those who would have joined the army of the dead otherwise. The Queen took the dead, making them rise from the ground with empty eyes�� Changing Star, however, healed the living, helping them rise to their feet with their own strength. The Chain Breaker reached the battlefield, and the Fire Keepers jumped down from its deck, joining the fight. It seemed as if the Sword Army would be able to repel the unexpected attack, after all�� But, of course, that was merely an illusion. Because the pilgrims were not the tip of the spear. They were a distraction. Their purpose was to buy enough time for the real peril to arrive�� S��arch* The N?vel(F)ire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 2201 Flowing Blood

    Chapter 2201  Flowing BloodThe Song Army faced the same hardship their enemy had faced during countless assaults on the great fortress in the past. There were no ramparts on the eastern side of the chasm, but the chasm itself remained �� crossing it under the barrage of enemy arrows and launching an attack from the shaky bridges was a task that would thrust any strategist into despair, and Seishan was no different from Nephis in that regard. That was the purpose the tide of the ashen dead had served. While the Sword Army was distracted by repelling their ghastly attack, the garrison of the Greater Crossing Stronghold had time to brave the chasm. The besieging army had used war engines to shoot mighty steel cables over the abyssal gorge, which then served as supports to build hanging bridges. As time went on, the sappers improved and iterated upon both the war engines and the structure of the bridges, making them easier to raise and harder to bring down. The assaults started when the cables shot over the chasm, and ended when all bridges were destroyed. The Song Army, however, did not possess the war engines, and neither did they have a storied contingent of seasoned, crafty sappers to build them. They cut themselves from the other side of the chasm the moment they destroyed the original bridge that had connected Collarbone Plain to the Breastbone Reach in the past. That did not stop them today, though. While the pilgrims and the Sword Army clashed, the ash worms continued to crawl up the slopes of the chasm. Now that their bodies had already served their purpose and delivered the hidden army of puppets to the surface, they were free to move. The abominable creatures tangled with each other, fusing body to body with the help of their circular suckers. The seething mass of ashen flesh reached across the dark abyss, while more worms crawled across its surface to extend it further.


    There was one slithering tendril of ash worms rising from the eastern slope of the chasm and stretching west, and another rising from the western slope of the chasm, right below the gates of the great fortress, and stretching east. The two met above the darkness of the chasm, and merged together. Just then, the towering gates of the Greater Crossing Stronghold opened. Human soldiers poured from inside, followed by the thralls of Beastmaster. The Nightmare Creatures were used as beasts of burden, hauling fragments of the dismantled wall behind them. The soldiers were military engineers �� while the Song Army did not have as many sappers, it did have some, even if they were not as skilled and ingenious as their counterparts in the enemy camp.


    The sappers laid the lumber that had once comprised the proud walls of the impregnable fortress atop the mass of ash worm puppets, swiftly turning it into the deck of a great bridge.


    Then, columns of soldiers stepped onto the bloody wood, marching across the bridge like a river. By the time the Sword Army managed to push the pilgrims back, the garrison of the great fortress had already stepped on the surface of the Breastbone Reach, securing a foothold and spreading to form a wedge-shaped attack formation. The Seventh Royal Legion was at the tip of the wedge, and Saint Seishan, the Lost Princess of Song, personally stood in front of her warriors, clad in enchanted armor of blood-red silk and crimson scales.


    Her grey skin seemed to shine in the radiant light of the veiled sky. Throwing a look at the dark mass of the pilgrims and the enemy army hidden behind it, she raised a hand and made a fist. Then, without wasting any time, Seishan waved her soldiers forward. Her voice rolled across the bone plain, followed by the reverberating howl of the war horns. "Warriors of Song! Attack! For the Queen!"


    The Song Army rushed forward.


    The pilgrims formed the first wave, the thralls of Beastmaster formed the second. Human warriors were the third. Standing far above the battlefield, Sunny gritted his teeth. If he considered the situation coldly, there was nothing to worry about. Even if the Sword Army lost this battle, it would not hurt the plan at all. If anything, it would empower the Queen''s position, making her inevitable clash against the King more equal.


    Which meant that the two of them would exhaust each other more before one of them reached their limit, and would therefore become easier prey. However, having spent months as a member of the Sword Army, Sunny could not help but feel distressed when the battle turned against his fellow soldiers. Clenching his fists, he muttered a curse and turned his back to the battlefield. His expression became cold. "It won''t be long, now. They will pay for all their crimes soon." ***


    ...Before too long, the Sword Army was buckling. On the ground, the battle formation of the Sword Domain soldiers was being ravaged by the pilgrims, the thralls, and the warriors of Song. There were vast pockets of emptiness around calamitous clashes between the Transcendent champions �� the Sword Saints were at a numerical disadvantage, and were therefore slowly being overwhelmed. In the sky, the Chain Breaker and the few remaining aerial Echoes were locked in a fierce dogfight against the winged Nightmare Creatures, the Ivory Island hanging above them like a celestial fortress.


    The battle had been ferocious and chaotic, claiming many lives in a flash. The Sword Army had never managed to fully recover from the initial tactical disadvantage, and despite its fierce resistance, its formation was on the verge of being broken and split apart.


    Once that happened, the battle was going to turn into a slaughter. It was all just too sudden, and had happened too fast. Before the dazed soldiers could even come to terms with reality, they were already on the precipice of defeat. Screams and clangor of steel filled the air, and the once-pristine surface of the ancient bone was greedily drinking human blood. The eerie thing about the battle was that despite rivers of blood being spilled, there were hardly any bodies on the ground��


    That was because no one stayed lying on the ground for too long in the carnage. Those who were lucky were healed by soothing white flames, while those who were not turned into empty-eyed puppets. ��However, the outcome of the battle was not decided yet. Because Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan had not entered the melee yet. When she finally did, however��


    Two figures barred her path. One was a monstrous creature wearing an armor of blood-red silk and crimson scales �� she was Seishan, who had assumed her battle form. The other was an exquisitely beautiful young woman with a delicate build and pale blonde hair. Her eyes were hidden behind a blue blindfold, and there was an empty scabbard attached to her belt. It was Cassie. She stood motionless in the middle of the battlefield, not showing any emotion. Her expression was tranquil�� almost serene, as if the ghastly nightmare of the harrowing battlefield had no effect on her at all.


    Nephis lowered her sword, looking at Cassie with a hint of doubt in her cold, grey eyes. "...Cas?"


    She was only pretending to be surprised, of course, having already guessed what Cassie wanted to do�� and what the Song clan was going to do, as well. But each of them had their role to play. The monstrous visage of Seishan suddenly loomed over the blind seer. However, even when the ghastly creature''s claws rose to rest against her throat, Cassie did not move. "Nephis��"


    Seishan''s usually pleasant, husky voice sounded hoarse and distorted, coming out of her terrifying maw.


    "You''d better stand down. There will be many battles�� but you only have one friend."


    Nephis looked at the princess of Song coldly as white flames ignited in her eyes.


    "...You seem confident in yourself, Seishan. Are you sure that you can hurt her before I turn you to ash?"  Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seishan seemed to hesitate for a moment. Then, her lips twisted into a grin, revealing several rows of sharp triangular fangs.


    "I do believe that I can�� but let us not find out."


    With that, she lowered her hand, leaving several shallow cuts on Cassie''s slender neck. Then, Seishan said evenly:


    "Cassia."


    At some point, a dagger appeared in the delicate woman''s hand. At the sound of Seishan''s voice, Cassie silently raised the dagger and pressed it against her own neck.


    Her expression remained eerily calm.


    Neph''s expression, however, changed slightly. "What did you��"


    Before she could finish the sentence, Cassie pressed the blade deeper, and a thin stream of blood escaped from beneath it. "Stop!"


    Nephis took a step forward, then froze, greeting her teeth. Her voice sounded even, but there was a note of wariness in it:


    "Stop..." Seishan studied her somberly for a little while.


    "I think it is you who should stop. Look around�� this battle is already lost, anyway. You will gain nothing if you continue to fight. On the contrary, you will lose something precious."


    Answering to her Aspect, the blood flowed faster from the cut on Cassie''s neck.


    Nephis regarded Seishan silently for a while, her blazing eyes betraying a feeling of dark contempt. Second passed after second, with more blood spilling on the ancient bone. Eventually, she gritted her teeth. ...And shouted:


    "Retreat!"

 Chapter 2202: One Way or Another

    The bloody battle had come to an end.


    ...It was a strange ordeal.


    No one had expected the Queen to attack, but she had. From that point forward, the Song Army had no way back �� having abandoned their stronghold and given up on retreating to the heavily fortified main camp, the warriors of Song were as good as committed to one final, decisive battle.


    So, what they needed to do before that was weaken the enemy as much as they could. Simply routing the besieging army was not enough, since the surviving soldiers of the Sword Domain would be able to regroup with the forces led by the King and return to the battlefield days later.


    No, what Ki Song needed was a slaughter. A thorough culling that would deeply wound the entire Sword Army, cutting its overall strength by almost a half... while simultaneously making the ranks of her dead legion swell. That would have been the soundest strategic solution, at least.


    And yet, there was no slaughter. The defeated forces of the Sword Domain were allowed to retreat �� having suffered severe casualties, but mostly intact.


    The reason why the Queen had spared them was simple...


    It was Nephis, Changing Star of the Immortal Flame clan.


    There was no Saint among the Transcendent champions of the Song Army who could defeat her in battle. Even if they joined forces, the outcome was unclear �� especially considering that there were other Sword Saints supporting her.


    The only way to defeat Changing Star was for the Queen to kill her personally.


    Which she very well could do now that the final confrontation was drawing near. However, if Ki Song did enter the battlefield personally to kill Nephis and destroy the greater contingent of the Sword Army, then Anvil of Valor would without a doubt do the same, wiping out Song forces at the Lesser Crossing personally.


    Countless Awakened soldiers would die, and plenty of Saints would die, as well. The King would lose his adopted daughter, while the Queen would lose three of hers. At the end, both sides would come out of the conflict bloodied and weakened, having gained no decisive advantage...


    Granted, Ki Song stood to gain much more from the ghastly exchange than Anvil. That was because she would not just be killing Changing Star, but also conquering her Citadel, the Ivory Island �� a great boon that could vastly improve her position in Godgrave. So, the cold logic of war still dictated that blood had to be spilled.


    But perhaps because the Queen cared about her daughters more than the King did, she stayed her hand.


    The gruesome battle had come to an abrupt end without a Sovereign unleashing their power, and the battered forces of the Sword Army were allowed to retreat. The Ivory Island drifted away, overseeing the retreating soldiers �� most of them had survived, but too many had not.


    The Song Army watched in grim silence.


    Somewhere far away, in the Hollows, the news of the sudden attack had already reached the ears of the King of Swords.


    After that, the very last act of the profane war of Godgrave began to play out.


    The initiative was on the side of the Song Army, so they had the right to choose the final battlefield. Surprisingly enough, Ki Song did not lead her warriors south, but instead marched further east across the Breastbone Reach, deeper into the territory controlled by Anvil.


    Eventually, her forces reached the northern edge of the dead god''s sternum �� a point almost directly opposite the great precipice far south, where the Nameless Temple stood. ????????��?


    Out there, with an abyssal drop to the distant mountain chain of the titanic skeleton''s spine behind them, the warriors of Song made camp and started preparing for battle.


    They could not have chosen a more eerie battlefield.


    Here, the outskirts of the Hollow Mountains were extremely close, and the dark mountains themselves rose from the ground like a jagged black wall in the distance. Cold winds were blowing from the misty slopes, colliding with the heated air of Godgrave and giving birth to furious tornadoes from time to time.


    Most disturbingly of all, the colossal skull of the dead god loomed above the northern edge of the Breastbone Reach, its inconceivable scale dwarfing the entire world despite the distance. The neck and the head of the titanic skeleton rested on the slopes of the Hollow Mountains, as if on a pillow, so it almost seemed as if the skull was staring directly at the battlefield from high above.


    The unfathomably large, gaping holes of its eyes were full of impenetrable darkness, and its jaw was opened slightly, as if struggling to let out a harrowing groan.


    ...Or twist into a terrifying grin.


    The dead god watched the mortals prepare to fight their last battle in silence, cold mists flowing across the white bone.


    Since Ki Song had extended Anvil an invitation, he had no choice but to accept.


    Going after the main camp of the Song Army and the Collarbone Citadel was also an option, but that would leave his own army camp vulnerable �� so, he pulled the forces that had been supposed to attack the Lesser Crossing from the rear out of the Hollows, gathered the second siege contingent of the Sword Army, and marched north.


    The defenders of the Lesser Crossing were left in a perplexing situation.


    The force that had been laying siege to their stronghold retreated, leaving them with nothing to do. At the same time, they could neither march across the Breastbone Reach, since the King''s army was in the way, nor return to the Collarbone Plain and march east, since there was not enough time �� therefore, they could not rejoin the Queen before the final battle. S~ea??h the ��ovelFire.��et website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    So, instead, the lesser contingent of the Song Army crossed from the First Rib to the Breastbone Reach and marched south, aiming to conquer the Nameless Temple... it remained to be seen if they would reach it before the two armies clashed, however.


    The King seemed to believe that they would not.


    At some point, the marching army under his command absorbed the retreating remains of the greater contingent and proceeded to the final battlefield.


    Sunny and Nephis were busy with their own preparations for the last battle, of course.


    Nephis led the retreating soldiers, while the Lord of Shadows had followed the King from Vanishing Lake north. They were reunited when the two forces met and merged, maintaining a polite distance between each other under the prying eye of the King.


    Granted, the situation among those in command of the Sword Army was a bit awkward.


    Saint Jest, the King''s confidant, had secretly gotten into hot water for killing Song of the Fallen, Changing Star''s right hand. Worse still, as it turned out, she was not really dead �� instead, she was perfectly alive, and had been somehow captured by the Queen on top of that, which played a large role in the defeat of the siege forces at the Greater Crossing.


    For most of the high-ranking members of the Sword Army, it was entirely unclear what exactly had transpired and how Saint Cassia ended up becoming a hostage of the Queen. Some whispered that she had betrayed the Sword Domain, but since her extreme loyalty to Changing Star was well-known, few believed these rumors.


    Instead, most of the Sword Saints came to believe that it was the King himself who had conspired against Song of the Fallen. After all, everyone in the Sword Army had witnessed how he was suppressing his adopted daughter �� to the point of sending a few of her Fire Keepers to their deaths.


    Was it such a stretch to assume that the King would endeavor to remove her most powerful follower from the picture, as well? After all, the last time anyone saw Lady Cassia before the Greater Crossing battle, she had been leaving on a dangerous mission in the company of Saint Jest... and everyone who needed to know knew what kinds of tasks Jest performed for the King.


    So, the mood among the champions of the Sword Army was somber and heavy.


    Anvil did nothing to remove their doubts, treating the situation with his usual cold indifference.


    And while all of that was happening...


    One of Sunny''s incarnations had traveled south, reaching the Nameless Temple at the same time as the retreating forces of the Sword Army met the contingent led by the King.


    On the surface, he was acting under orders, aiming to defend the Citadel from a possible conquest party of Song champions. In reality, of course, Sunny had an entirely different goal.


    Entering the dark hole of his Citadel, he looked around and let out a sigh.


    ''It''s really happening. My, oh my...''


    A dark smile twisted his lips under the mask.


    Far north, under the terrifying gaze of the dead god...


    The Sword Army reached the northern edge of the Breastbone Reach, spreading slowly to cut any possible path of retreat for the soldiers of Song.


    The two armies camped in full view of each other, with only a vast plain of white bone separating them.


    Soon enough, the white bone was going to be painted red.


    The future of humanity was going to be decided on that bloody field...


    One way or another.

 Chapter 2203: Final Stage

    Sunny was looking ahead from two entirely different perspectives.


    He was Master Sunless, standing on the emerald grass of the Ivory Island. He was also the Lord of Shadows, standing on the surface of the ancient bone in the middle of the sprawling mass of the camped army.


    The Hollow Mountains �� a familiarly chilling sight �� were rising like a colossal dark wall in the distance, with white mist shrouding the jagged black peaks. And there, between his somber incarnations and the misty slopes, a titanic skull loomed above the world, looking down at the insignificant struggles of the mortal warriors with an indifferent, eerie grin.


    Each of its empty eye sockets was large enough to encompass a vast city, filled with nothing but impenetrable darkness.


    Both of Sunny''s incarnations shivered.


    ''It''s strange, really.''


    Considering the nature of Godgrave, he would have expected the skull to bloom with an ocean of scarlet growth, the abominable jungle spilling from its eyes like tears of blood. But even the jungle seemed wary of the dead god''s skull, staying as far away from it as possible.


    Considering what horrors dwelled in the ancient jungle, Sunny shuddered to imagine what kind of being could have scared the scarlet infestation away. Even the Sovereigns seemed unwilling to solve that particular mystery, which was why both of them had stayed clear of the skull. S��arch* The Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Perhaps he would find out one day, when he was much stronger than even the Supremes... he would have to live through the final battle of the war first, of course.


    His gaze drifted down from the dreadful visage of the titanic skull, returning to the ground.


    The Song Army encampment was like a black line on the horizon �� a considerable distance for mortal men, but barely a stone''s throw away for a Transcendent like him. They were close enough for his shadow sense to encompass the enemy camp, at least, if he wanted to attract the Queen''s attention.


    There was nothing but the abyssal drop behind them, and the Sword Army had already cut off all paths of retreat. Making camp at the edge of the Breastbone Reach, under the watchful gaze of the dead god, was as much of a strategic decision as it was a statement.


    Having their backs to the abyss ensured that the Sword Army would not be able to use its numerical superiority to completely encircle the warriors of Song. And at the same time, it conveyed a message �� the Queen had no intentions of retreating.


    It was victory or death for her, as it was for her men.


    The vast stretch of white bone separated the two camps. The armies were preparing for battle, but the usual clamor was subdued. An oppressive quietness enveloped both camps. The wary soldiers were readying themselves in grim silence, their pale faces contrasting sharply against the deep darkness nestling in their eyes.


    They had the look of people who had long lost grasp of reason, and were numbly going through the motions simply because stopping meant death.


    The promise of one final, decisive battle filled them with dread and a strange kind of excitement in equal measure. Dread because many of them would die... most of them, perhaps. Excitement because the war, which had seemed endless, was finally coming to an end.


    That said, Sunny wasn''t quite sure about what this final battle was supposed to achieve.


    The logic of a mundane war was quite simple �� two armies faced each other, and the one that broke first lost. However, this war... the Domain War, Realm War, or simply the Great War, as people tended to call it lately... was different.


    Because all the struggles and sacrifices that the soldiers had made were simply a prologue to the true confrontation �� to the fight between the two Supremes. They had spent decades quietly preparing to fight each other, developing their forces and moving game pieces into advantageous positions.


    Then, their Domains clashed in a bloody struggle to carve as much power as possible and break the tenuous balance between them by subjugating Godgrave.


    Anvil had come out victorious from that clash, nearly pushing the forces of Ki Song off the titanic skeleton... but the Queen had ultimately won. She had destroyed the House of Night, usurped its Citadels of the Storm Sea, and set Mordret loose in the Sword Domain, thus diminishing the power of the enemy while greatly increasing her own.


    Now, time was on her side. The longer she delayed the final confrontation, the greater the chance that Valor would lose Bastion became. There was Revel and Gilead, too, who were supposed to be approaching the two remaining Citadels in Godgrave �� which meant that Anvil would not give her time and attack as soon as possible.


    But what would such an attack even achieve?


    Slaughtering Awakened soldiers would diminish the power of a Domain somewhat, but not as much as conquering Citadels or slaying Saints would. And neither of the Sovereigns would let their Saints fall without reason.


    There were no Citadels on the northern edge of the Breastbone Reach. There was no territory to conquer here, either.


    So, as far as Sunny could understand...


    The two armies were preparing for battle for no reason whatsoever. If the Sovereigns were sane ��and they were, in their own perverse way �� they would not send their soldiers to slaughter each other on this pristine white field. ???????????????????


    Instead, they would finally step onto the battlefield themselves.


    Ki Song had at least some justification to prolong the conflict, but Anvil did not. So even if the Queen tried to force a clash between the armies, he had no reason to allow her to stall.


    The soldiers were merely a tool to tie the adversary down �� a potential danger that could not be ignored, and would therefore force the enemy''s hand. They were merely here to witness one Sovereign fall, while the other ascended to the throne of war.


    Sunny took a deep breath.


    ''That is, if I understand everything.''


    But he could very well be missing something.


    In any case, the stage was set.


    The main characters of the play were about to enter the spotlight.


    History was going to decide who was the hero, and who was the villain.


    Not that it mattered, in the grand scheme of things.


    ...He had done everything he could, as well.


    Now, it was time to see if his efforts were enough.


    There was no day and night in Godgrave, and therefore no dawn.


    So, the moment the two armies stirred and started to move was no different from any other.


    Master Sunless took a deep breath on the Ivory Island.


    Far below, the Lord of Shadows cracked his neck.


    ''It''s really ending.''


    Smiling behind the mask, he glanced at the looming skull one last time.


    ''Watch well, whatever you are. I don''t know how this play will end... but it will definitely be entertaining.''

 Chapter 2204: Unnamed

    Across the wide expanse of pristine white bone, Rain was watching numbly as the soldiers around her were slowly leaving the camp to assemble into a battle formation.


    The Seventh Royal Legion, despite having suffered severe casualties, was at the very center of the Song Army once again. They were going to face the Knights of Valor once again, and endure the fiercest of the fighting once again. If there was something different, though, it was that Princess Seishan was leading them personally this time.


    Her grace and exquisite beauty were enough to take one''s breath away... today, however, it paled in front of a delicate woman standing by her side. It was Saint Cassia, Song of the Fallen �� the Transcendent hostage of the Queen. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    One of them was like the moon, while the other was like the sun. The eyes of the soldiers were drawn to the two Saints against their will, and Rain could see a hint of a strange, dreamlike emotion ignite in the numb gazes of the terrified soldiers.


    It was a bit like the way Ray looked at Fleur, and Fleur looked at Ray.


    Come to think of it... it was also like the way her brother looked at soul shards.


    Which was a bit strange, considering that she had not seen him absorb a soul shard even once.


    ''To each their own, I guess.''


    Rain did not know how Cassie ended up being captured by Clan Song, and was in no position to worry about the beautiful Saint.


    Inhaling slowly, she looked at her shadow.


    Then, she whispered quietly:


    "Is there... really going to be a battle?"


    There had been many battles in this war, but none as frightening as this one. This one... would be the last, after all. The Song Army had nowhere to retreat, either.


    Her shadow answered in a whisper.


    "I don''t know."


    It remained silent for a few moments, and then added somberly:


    "Whatever happens, though, do your best to survive. I might be... indisposed, later."


    Rain exhaled.


    There was a strange emotion in her heart. Something she had never felt before, and could not quite name... the word was at the tip of her tongue, demanding to be spoken, but it was not coming to her.


    It felt too powerful to be a simple feeling, and oddly elusive.


    She checked her bow, and then said awkwardly:


    "...You too. Do your best to survive, I mean."


    Her shadow chuckled.


    "That''s the plan."


    He did not get the opportunity to say anything else, however, because Tamar approached her at that moment.


    The Legacy girl looked like she always did... well, actually, not quite.


    Rain had not noticed it before, but Tamar had changed a lot from the young girl she met on the Moonriver Plain. Before, her stern demeanor did not quite fit her youthful appearance, as if Tamar was only playing the adult without quite having the maturity to be one. ?????????����?��


    She was still just as young, but there was a firm coldness and a dark confidence to her eyes that had not been there before �� a kind of harshness that did not fit the eyes of someone so young... not in any kind of world worth living in, at least.


    Rain suspected that she had the same haunted look in her own eyes. All of them, soldiers of the Song Army, had it now... the soldiers of the Sword Army were probably no different.


    War had a way of quickly turning youths into adults, and adults into a broken mess.


    She sighed.


    Tamar looked at Rain silently for a few moments.


    "Are you ready?"


    Rain forced out a smile.


    "Not at all."


    Her friend nodded curtly, then said in the same neutral tone:


    "Well... tough."


    Hearing that, Rain couldn''t help but laugh.


    A tentative smile found its way on Tamar''s lips, as well.


    "Gods... I was hired to build roads, you know? How did I end up in this mess?"


    Tamar shrugged.


    "You don''t know?"


    She hesitated for a moment, then sighed.


    "Listen, Rani... I wasn''t going to mention anything, but since you''re asking, I''ll just say it. It''s because you''re not very bright. No, really �� every decision you make is unwise. Actually, unwise is not quite enough to describe it. Ill-advised... monumentally stupid? Yeah, that''s better. It is a bit shocking, honestly, the consistency with which you manage to make the worst possible choice in each and every damn situation..."


    Rain grinned. Considering how much the usually taciturn Tamar was talking, she seemed nervous, too.


    Her logic was quite sound, though.


    Rain sighed and shook her head, then asked in a slightly amused tone:


    "You do know that Rani is not my real name, right?"


    It was just something that entered her mind out of the blue. It was a bit funny, that none of her friends even knew what her name was... they could even die without ever finding out.


    That would be a bit sad.


    Tamar stopped talking and blinked, staring at her in confusion. A few moments later, she asked slowly:


    "...It isn''t?"


    Rain shook her head.


    "Nope."


    Her friend seemed genuinely startled. She remained silent for a while, then raised an eyebrow.


    "What is your real name, then?"


    Rain coughed, suddenly feeling embarrassed.


    "That, uh... well, you know. It''s Rain, actually."


    Tamar stared at her for a while, then sighed and palmed her face.


    "So you just moved two letters around? Ah... what can I even say? Case in point."


    Rain gave her a look of indignation.


    "Hey! It''s... it''s not easy to come up with a fake name on the spot, you know! You try it!"


    The young Legacy shook her head.


    "I don''t see why I ever would."


    They looked at each other, smiling.


    ...Their smiles were pale and fragile, though.


    All around them, the Song Army was slowly moving, assembling into a battle formation.


    Across the wide divide of the pristine white plain, the Sword Army was doing the same.


    However, before two armies met under the radiant sky of Godgrave...


    Three different battles were coming to an end somewhere else �� far away, but promising to change the outcome of the war despite the distance.

 Chapter 2205: Run to Failure

    A shattered moon shone upon a shattered castle. The castle had always been a ruin, but now it was reduced to rubble. The rubble used to be surrounded by a deep lake, but now, the lake was gone.


    Its bottom had been revealed, in all its mystery and horror...


    Indifferent to what lay at the bottom of the lake, Morgan of Valor hunched over an alloy pan and looked into the fire numbly.


    There was a gentle gust of wind, and Nightingale landed nearby, greeting her and the other Saints. Then, a stronger gale crashed into the remains of a crumbling wall that protected the fire, and a small pebble fell from it down toward the pan.


    Morgan did not move, allowing the pebble to fall into the pan.


    A few moments later, she sighed heavily.


    ''...I''m sick of it.''


    How many times had it been, already?


    The day repeated itself endlessly. Each time, she gathered her Saints and faced her brother in battle. Each time, they lost miserably and died. Over and over again, she suffered the pain of her body being torn apart and broken, activating the enchantment that reset time at the last moment.


    Rinse and repeat.


    It had been somewhat exciting at first. Morgan did not enjoy losing, but she loved battle. So, this closed loop of endless warfare was like a playground for her �� a lethal and vicious playground, but a fascinating one nonetheless.


    Her brother, too, was a perfect enemy. He was strong, cunning, ruthless, and hateful... a worthy adversary for her own insidious mind, at last. Even better, he somehow retained the memories of all their previous battles, so the strategies he employed against her were both varied and increasingly diabolical.


    But the novelty had quickly grown old.


    Nobody was fond of hitting their head against a wall, after all. And Mordret was indeed a wall ��an unbreakable barrier that she could not overcome, no matter how earnestly she tried. The power disparity was too vast. The resource distribution was too uneven...


    Even though the champions under her command had proven to be far more formidable than her already quite flattering evaluation of them ��especially the three government Saints �� the Transcendent vessels Mordret controlled were deadlier. There were the Nightmare Creatures he kept subjugating, as well.


    And even though they were fighting on a battlefield of her choosing, the ruins of true Bastion failed to contain Mordret in the end.


    She had hoped that the Others would stifle him... maybe even destroy him. But although her brother had been held back by the threat of these eerie beings for a while, he seemed to have learned how to escape them eventually.


    During one of the more desperate battles, Morgan had even employed a perilous strategy to draw them forth �� using her Transcendent form, she fashioned her body into a flat plane of polished steel that towered above the ruins like a replica of the Great Mirror, reflecting the shattered moon and the broken castle back upon the world.


    The swarm of the Others she had unleashed was a terror to behold, and resulted in some of the most harrowing deaths she witnessed even after months spent in the endless loop of hopeless battles. And yet, her brother had survived their onslaught for far longer than she had.


    Looking back, that was the breaking point when this endless death loop had gone from tiresome to tedious.


    And over many lost battles after that, Morgan had slowly grown numb. There was a difference between being defeated and surrendering to defeat... and while she was neither ready to nor capable of surrendering, it was getting hard to remember what she was fighting for, to begin with.


    ''Desire...''


    Morgan often thought back to what her brother had told her during the Battle of the Black Skull. He had said that his desire to kill her was stronger than her desire to kill him, and that was why he was stronger.


    Back then, she had dismissed his words as mockery... and an indication of the difference in their technique, perhaps. Her brother was perfectly willing to sacrifice his body to achieve victory �� he had plenty of those to spare, after all. But Morgan was held back by the deeply human need to keep herself away from harm, which gave him a profound tactical advantage in a sword fight. ?????��?


    But now, she was starting to suspect that there was a deeper meaning to what her brother had said. Resolve, determination, conviction, those weren''t simply empty words, not to powerful beings like them. All these passions were born of desire and fueled by it.


    Desire... was the source of all virtues, as well as of all sins.


    Mordret was driven by his ardent desire to avenge himself on his family, and while his wicked passion was as twisted as he was himself... what did Morgan have to offer in turn?


    The desire to win? To prove herself worthy? To earn the approval of their father... or, if not, then to at least save herself the biting shame of disappointing him?


    All those were too abstract, too empty. They had not seemed like that before, but they did now. More than that, these wishes had been forced upon her by others instead of coming from within her own soul. These small and meddlesome desires were only worthy of a princess who had been raised to be a tool.


    They were not fit to be called a passion. S��ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n��t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Morgan was not really passionate about anything, except maybe the pure art of war and combat itself. But that was not enough.


    Her heart was not really in the battle... at least not to the degree this battle demanded. And, therefore, she could not win.


    Luckily, she did not need to win. She just needed to hold out... out there in Godgrave, the final battle was swiftly approaching. A few more loops, and she would have accomplished her goal without even managing to defeat her brother.


    How ironic was that?


    Even knowing that the end was near, though, Morgan could not get herself to feel any excitement.


    She was tired, and all of it just all seemed senseless.


    ''...Damn. The stew is ruined.''


    Wincing, Morgan extended a hand and fished the pebble out of the pan. Dropping it to the ground, she looked at the stew without much appetite.


    "Dinner is ready."


    Her voice was subdued.


    Nightingale gave her a strange look. She had developed a bit of tolerance to his looks by now, but still... the man was obnoxiously handsome even when he felt unsure. It used to make her want to tease him more.


    He was probably considering if she had been replaced by one of the Others now, full of trepidation.


    Well... maybe not.


    The government Saints had changed in the last few loops.


    It was barely noticeable, but Morgan had spent too many repeating days in their company to miss the subtle difference.


    Maybe they were the ones replaced by the Others...


    She smiled slightly.


    No, of course not. There was a much simpler answer to their changed attitudes.


    Even without her telling them, they somehow knew about the loop.

 Chapter 2206: Her Pride

    Morgan was almost certain that Soul Reaper, Raised by Wolves, and Nightingale had become aware of the loop. They did not seem quite capable of retaining their memories, at least not yet, but something �� or someone �� was informing them of what was going on at the start of each new day.


    The signs were subtle, but indisputable. Their reactions had changed subtly, and the words they spoke did not always match what they had usually said before. There was also that one time when Raised by Wolves had disappeared somewhere for almost an hour, then returned with a deep sense of discomfort hiding in the depths of her hazel eyes. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Morgan noted all these changes, but stayed silent about them.


    It was not that difficult for someone locked in this loop to become aware of it. After all, it was merely a bubble of repeating time �� vast enough to encompass the ruins of True Bastion and the surrounding lands, but relatively small in the grand scheme of things. Time continued to flow outside of the bubble, and the world continued to spin.


    ...If the Dream Realm even spun around an orbit, of course.


    Morgan was familiar with events that had taken place inside the Tomb of Ariel �� not the least of all because of the strangely detailed exploration report published by an anonymous author, whom Clan Valor had failed to find despite great efforts. The hourglass enchantment functioned similarly to the Great River created by the Demon of Dread, but on a much smaller scale.


    In any case, while communicating with the outside world was difficult, it was not impossible. Morgan herself was receiving news of how the war proceeded in Godgrave from time to time... her brother probably had a vessel or two hidden somewhere outside the bubble, without a doubt. That was most likely how he was able to retain the memories of their previous battles, even.


    So, the government Saints could have very well received a communication from the outside world themselves �� either a repeating one that informed them of the situation every day, or simply something that stayed with them as they returned to the past.


    In fact, it was not even necessary for the information to come from the outside. Mordret himself could have contacted them, striking some kind of deal.


    Morgan smiled faintly.


    Was that it? Was she going to be betrayed? Had he already infected her subordinates �� not by consuming their souls, but simply by convincing them with sweet words?


    Betrayal was always a possibility. Every person had a key... some could be bought, some could be coerced. Some could be deceived, while some only needed to be given an opportunity to stab others in the back. Morgan had been on both sides of this equation enough times to know that trusting anyone fully was a foolish sentiment.


    That said, she could not quite imagine Soul Reaper or Raised by Wolves striking a deal with Mordret after fighting side by side with the surviving Saints of the House of Night for so long. Least of all Nightingale, the inflexible bore...


    So, their newfound awareness had most likely come from her dear sister, Changing Star. They had been members of her cohort once, after all, and although life led them to different paths, a connection like that was not easily broken by political affiliation.


    So... what was Nephis scheming?


    Suddenly, betrayal seemed even more inevitable.


    Morgan chuckled and looked at Nightingale with an amused smile.


    "No, I am not one of the Others. Come eat, everyone. The food is getting cold."


    Betrayal or not... she did not really care. So, Morgan pretended to be oblivious to their tense gazes and took the pan off the fire, ready to scoop the stew into the bowls.


    They ate their food, like they always did. And then, they prepared for battle, like they always did.


    And then, the moonlit ruins became a hellscape where monsters and demigods tore each other apart in a mad feast of destruction and blood, like they always did.


    The gargantuan forms of Typhaon and Knossos moved across the shallow lake. Streams of starlight rained from the night sky, devastating the land. The titanic form of a steel goddess plummeted from the slopes of the mountain and landed in the drowned city below, making the world quake. A cold mist was spreading from within the ruins, and the haunting song of a night dragon permeated the dark sky.


    Raising her sword, Morgan struggled with an overwhelming sense of d��j�� vu.


    Why was she persisting? Surely, this senseless, never-ending slaughter was too much for a sane person to endure.


    Her desire to win was nothing more than a malignant sense of obligation. Her desire to prove herself to others had turned to ash a long time ago, after she learned that those who would deem her unworthy were themselves not worthy of casting judgment on her. ??????????��??


    Her desire to earn the approval of her father... to not become a disappointment in his cold, uncaring eyes... had lost all meaning as well, at some point.


    Why was that?


    As Mordret''s vessels were destroyed one after another, and her Saints fell one after another, their blood painting the ruins red, Morgan took a deep breath.


    Was it because she had become disappointed in him, as well?


    Probably, yes. Not that he would care.


    So why was she fighting?


    A dark grin twisted Morgan''s lips.


    Well... was it not simply because she liked it?


    Her desire to win might not have been as powerful as her brother''s overwhelming, hate-fueled passion... but she had her pride, as well.


    She hated to lose.


    And that was reason enough for her to persist and fight for these ruins until the sky itself broke apart, and the pieces of the shattered moon fell down like a rain of fire.


    Simply because she was too stubborn to give up, and knew how to appreciate a good battle.


    A good war.


    ''Yeah... I like it. It''s nice.''


    Morgan was going to stop her brother �� not for anyone else, but solely for herself.


    Pale moonlight reflected from the blade of her sword as Morgan jumped from the ruined wall to face Mordret...


    Like she always did.

 Chapter 2207: Limit of Loyalty

    Their battle was just as furious as always, but it felt a little different.


    Because Morgan was tired, and because she was enjoying herself a little bit more.


    She was strong, she was fearsome. Her Aspect was brimming with dire power �� one that was sharp enough to cut down anything and anyone who stood in her way.


    Or so she had thought before.


    Over the past months, though, Morgan''s edge had become a little dull. Any sword would lose its sharpness if someone kept hammering it against a hard surface, after all... and her brother''s vile presence was much too difficult to cut.


    Still, Morgan met him once again, and fought him once again.


    By now, they knew the depths of each other''s lethality all too well. She was a tide of living metal that drowned and shredded everything it touched. He was an insidious fiend who used stolen bodies and overwhelming force to exhaust and strangle his enemies, leaving them no chance to survive.


    The ruins shuddered and turned to dust as Morgan battled Mordret and his Transcendent vessels. The wave of liquid metal flowed through them like a tide, enveloping the few remaining structures and toppling them one after another. The lumbering figures of Mordret''s stolen bodies pursued, tearing at it with their fangs, their claws, and the power of their Aspects.


    Some of them drowned in her flowing form and were eviscerated, while others managed to deal damage and bring her agony before being cut down.


    Morgan felt a strange divide within herself...


    She was enjoying the furious abandonment of battle. But at the same time, she felt like she was simply going through the motions.


    It was both exhilarating and tedious in equal measure.


    She wanted to stop.


    But she did not... could not.


    She refused to.


    As her reserves of essence dwindled and her voluminous steel body slowly shrank as more and more of the liquid metal was frozen, annihilated, or swallowed by rust and corrosion, the mocking words of her brother pursued her:


    "Ah, dear sister... aren''t you repeating yourself? You contorted your Transcendent form into this hideous sword apparition seven battles ago. Or was it five? Ah, but it had fewer hands back then, I guess... still, do you really think that a few additional blades will save you?"


    "Oh, look... isn''t it Saint Naeve? Seems like he is missing his head, poor fellow. Goodness gracious, didn''t he have a daughter? I guess you''ll have to break the news to her soon. If you manage to run away from me again, of course..."


    "Have you heard? They are chanting the name of Changing Star all over the world. Dear father has always preferred her to you, and now, the whole world does too. They have already forgotten your name, Morgan. Was there a second princess in the Sword Domain? Who? That is what they are saying, or so I''ve heard..."


    Morgan laughed.


    As if she cared...


    Dismissing her Transcendent form and rolling down from a pile of rubble, she spat a mouthful of blood and rose to her feet shakily, using her sword as support.


    Then, she looked around with a pale smile.


    "Oh, look... all your vessels are dead."


    Her smile faltered, though, when more blood flowed out of her mouth.


    Morgan bent in a painful coughing fit, then straightened and wiped her mouth tiredly.


    "And also, do you ever shut up? Why do people even call you the Prince of Nothing? They really should call you the Prince of Running His Mouth, instead..." ?��?���¦�S


    As Mordret �� his original body �� jumped down from the ruins of a tall wall and landed softly a dozen or so meters away, she looked at him and grinned.


    "Right. It''s because you were discarded by our father like trash, then tossed aside by the Dreamspawn like trash. You know what they say... one man''s trash is another man''s treasure. Doesn''t seem to apply to you, though... bastard."


    Her brother''s smile grew a little forced.


    At least she wanted to believe that it did.


    Mordret chuckled.


    "I''ll enjoy ripping out that dirty tongue of yours, sister... again."


    Morgan struggled to raise her sword and smiled.


    "Do try."


    He descended upon her like a natural disaster. Technically, Morgan was stronger than her brother �� her Aspect bestowed many boons upon her, after all, while his had little to do with direct confrontation. However, she was wounded and exhausted after dealing with the vessels... and he was a Titan, as well, while she was a mere Beast.


    Their power was almost evenly matched.


    Almost...


    In the end, Morgan still lost.


    Her sword clattered as it slid across the ground, and she staggered back, falling to her knees. Her severed hand landed a few meters away, fingers twitching as crimson blood seeped into the rubble.


    ''Ah...''


    The pain was exquisite.


    Mordret glanced at her twitching hand, then looked at her with a pleasant smile.


    "Well, that surely brings back memories. Should I take your eye, as well? That would be fitting, I think. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."


    He seemed to be in a strangely good mood.


    Her brother always acted as if life was infinitely amusing, but today, his satisfaction seemed genuine for the first time.


    That filled Morgan with a sudden feeling of dread.


    She suppressed a groan and stared at him firmly.


    "...What are you so happy about, bastard?"


    Mordret scratched his head.


    "You keep calling me a bastard on purpose, don''t you? How pitiful. At least I didn''t kill our mother, you know?"


    Then, laughing, he walked over to Morgan and loomed above her, looking down with a twisted smile. S��ar?h the ��ov��lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I''ll let it go today, though. There''s cause for celebration! After all... I have finally won."


    Morgan''s eyes narrowed, and she pushed some air into her crushed lungs before saying through gritted teeth:


    "Have you lost what little remains of your mind? You''ve won nothing, abomination. I might have lost again, but we will just continue to repeat this battle over, and over, and over again... until you are defeated. I have plenty of patience, believe me. I am willing to fight you until the world ends, if need be."


    Mordret stared at her for a while, then threw his head back and laughed.


    "I have no doubt! My stubborn sister... ah, but you don''t really need to defeat me, do you? You just need to keep losing until our father clashes with Ki Song in battle."


    Morgan just stared at him silently. They both knew it, so why was he mentioning it today?


    Mordret''s smile slowly drained away, and he looked at her with a cold, dark expression.


    "What you failed to account for, though, is that I don''t need to win here either."


    Her eyes widened slightly, and she winced, struggling to contain the pain.


    Her brother chuckled.


    "You''ve been defending Bastion so bravely, sister, so valiantly... but I don''t really need to conquer it, do I? I just need to make sure that it is lost to our father. That it ceases to be a part of his Domain, and therefore robs him of its power."


    Morgan swayed a little.


    "What are you... I am still in control of Bastion. It is still mine. And you can''t take it from me, no matter how hard you try."


    Crouching in front of her, Mordret leaned forward and whispered, his insidious voice flowing into her ear like honey:


    "Exactly. It is yours... not our father''s. It used to be a part of the Sword Domain simply because you were loyal to the King. Where is your loyalty now, though, Morgan? How much of it is left?"


    She shivered.


    Mordret looked at her coldly and said with chilling indifference, all pretense of being a human lost from his voice:


    "You might pretend otherwise, but we both know... none of it is left, now. I helped you get rid of it. In these godforsaken ruins, I drained you of every drop of faith you had left in our father, and now, you are lost to him. He has lost you, and therefore..."


    Her brother stood up and looked down with a dark and triumphant expression.


    "...He has lost Bastion, as well. My mission is complete."


    Taking a step back, he looked up at the shattered moon and exploded with laughter.


    "Ah... it would have been so nice, so lovely to wrench control of this damned castle from your hands, but this... this is even sweeter, I think!"


    Morgan stared at him in stunned horror, numbly searching her soul for any lingering attachment to their father... to his kingdom... to his great Domain.


    But just like her brother had said, she could not find anything.


    ''No... wait...''


    Stopping his laughter, Mordret lowered his head and looked at her darkly.


    His lips twisted into a faint smile.


    "...Time to die, sister."


    Morgan stared back at him.


    She lingered for a moment, and then said weakly:


    "Go to hell."


    With that, she activated the hourglass enchantment.


    The tide of time was turned back once more.


    ...But even so, nothing could change the outcome of their battle, this time.

 Chapter 2208: Will of the People

    The femur of the dead deity turned from a great inclined plain into a labyrinth of vast, deep canyons near its southern edge... the end of Godgrave.


    That was because both legs of the titanic skeleton had been shattered by a harrowing blow once, thousands of years ago. Both of its femurs were heavily damaged near the knees, deep cracks marring the surface of the ancient bone. Some cracks led to the Hollows... some were even deeper, going all the way to the Sea of Ash far below.


    The knee joints themselves were out of sight, buried in the ash. Since nobody knew how deep the Sea of Ash was, it was impossible to tell if the dead god''s tibias and fibulas were hidden under the endless grey carpet, or if something had severed them completely in the distant past.


    The Citadel Gilead had been ordered to conquer was situated at the very last bone plateau, standing on the shore of the Sea of Ash...


    The journey to the end of Godgrave had been harrowing. The battle for the Citadel, located so close to the endless expanse of ash, promised to be more harrowing still.


    "Are you sure that we can even take it?"


    The voice sounded tired.


    Gilead kept his gaze aimed across the last canyon, then turned slowly to look at his last companion.


    The two of them were all that remained of the expedition.


    His lustrous armor had long been destroyed, and his skin had turned the color of bronze under the merciless radiance of the overcast. Even his tunic had been bleached by the light, losing all color.


    The woman''s parasol was in the same sorry state. The beautiful patterns that used to cover its surface were now faint and feeble, barely noticeable in the bright light.


    It was a miracle that the flimsy thing had survived at all.


    Looking at the woman, Gilead suddenly found the situation comical.


    So many brave warriors had died... skilled Awakened, fearsome Masters. Even a powerful Saint. And yet, this mundane luxury item the woman had brought with herself on a whim was in one piece.


    He sighed deeply.


    Gilead''s blue eyes were vivid and feverish, but the woman''s green eyes were dim and calm.


    After endless days of horror and suffering, they had finally reached their destination. Now, there were only these few last obstacles left for them to overcome... the last canyon, the last plateau, and the Citadel itself.


    He remembered that she had asked him a question and nodded belatedly.


    "We must take it, and therefore, we will."


    The lower part of the woman''s face was hidden behind a scarf, but he could tell by her eyes that she smiled.


    She had not smiled in a while, so that was probably a good sign.


    "It''s just the two of us now. Two Saints against whatever profane horror guards that Citadel... I''d say the odds are not in our favor."


    Gilead pursed his lips, then shook his head grimly.


    "We''ve made it so far. So, we''ll take it."


    The woman studied him for a while, then leaned back and laughed.


    Then, she folded her parasol and looked at him coldly.


    Confused, Gilead turned to the canyon.


    "Let''s rest here. I will carry you to the other side once we have recovered our essence..."


    "No."


    He paused, unsure if he had heard her right. Looking back, he frowned.


    "...No?"


    The woman was smiling.


    "Yes... no?"


    She leaned on her parasol and spoke, her voice remaining calm.


    "I was going to tell you a while back... on the day we lost half of the remaining soldiers, and you refused to turn back. But then, I decided to wait a bit. To crush your spirit better." ??????��??S?


    Gilead blinked, staring at her in confusion.


    "What do you mean? The Citadel..."


    The woman chuckled.


    "I refuse."


    Noticing his incomprehension, she shook her head.


    "Everyone is dead, but I am alive. I am alive because you''ve kept me alive, and you''ve kept me alive because you need a homeless Saint to claim the Citadel. But I won''t. I refuse. Honestly, I''d rather dive into the Sea of Ash head-first. Oh... and you go to hell, Summer Knight. There is a special place there prepared for people like you, I''m sure."


    She laughed again, sounding more than a little unhinged to his ears.


    Had she been harboring these thoughts quietly all this time?


    Her green eyes came alive again, growing as bright as they had been once... before they left on this cursed expedition.


    "There, I spoke my piece. Now, I''m leaving."


    Gilead frowned, stumped.


    He was too tired, too hurt, and too spent to comprehend the strange situation. His thoughts were moving slowly.


    What was she saying?


    No, he understood what she was saying. But words weren''t magical spells that bent reality to one''s wishes. What did she expect would happen because of her outburst?


    "We have our orders."


    The woman raised an eyebrow, her green eyes full of mirth.


    "So what? You might be hellbent on staying loyal to the King, but I am not. In fact, I''m sick of him and his orders. I was already sick before being sent on this futile expedition, and now, after witnessing all our soldiers die senseless deaths, I don''t even care to pretend that I''m not."


    Gilead raised a hand and rubbed his face tiredly.


    The deaths of the soldiers weighed heavily on his soul, as well. He was sick and tired, as well.


    But he just could not understand.


    She was a Saint. A Transcendent champion of the Sword Domain, the best there was. Sure, not all Saints were retainers of the Great Clan Valor like he was. And even among the Knights, not everyone took their oaths as seriously as he did.


    Some people were guided by greed and self-interest. Most people were simply lost.


    But most Saints still had enough composure to keep their wits about them. What was she hoping to achieve? Were there others like her among the Transcendent champions of the Sword Domain, ready to abandon reason?


    "You... refuse? You can''t refuse."


    The woman seemed to grin.


    "Can''t I? What are you going to do to stop me, Summer Knight? I admit, you are far stronger than me. You can kill me. You can overpower me. You can even drag me to the Citadel against my will. But... even if you do, you can''t force me to claim it. You can''t do anything."


    Gilead just stared at her blankly.


    Then, a hint of exasperated anger ignited in his piercing blue eyes.


    "And then what? What happens after you flee to the waking world? Do you think that the King will just let you be?! Or are you planning to fight him, as well?! It''s useless!"


    The woman stared at him for a while, then sighed and opened her parasol.


    Hiding in its shade, she shook her head.


    "Is it useless, though?"


    Gilead laughed.


    "You don''t know anything. You haven''t seen anything. If you think that you can fight a Sovereign... if any of us, or even all of us can... then you are delusional. It is nothing but an exercise in futility."


    The woman smiled again.


    "I think not."


    He stared at her somberly, and she shook her head again.


    "I think that you are misunderstanding something very important, Summer Knight. You are right, I can''t fight the King. It''s hopeless... if I do, he''ll kill me. But what happens after he kills me? Do you think that I''ll be the last one to defy him? Is he going to kill everyone who disobeys his orders?"


    The woman scoffed.


    "We mere mortals are powerless in front of a Sovereign, because a Sovereign is like a god. His will is the divine will. But gods are also powerless in front of us mortals, because their divinity depends on a Domain, and Domains consist of people. What is he going to be the King of if people turn their backs on him, and he slaughters the people? The King of Nothing?"


    Twirling her parasol, she took a step closer to Gilead and looked him in the eye.


    "We mortals are not as powerless as you think. And our will is not as insignificant as it seems. But even if it is... well, to be frank, I don''t care. I just don''t give a damn anymore. I''m done with this farce." Sear?h the Nov��l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As Gilead stared at her, struggling to find words to retort, the woman gave him a look of pity.


    "Oh, and also... for Spell''s sake. You swore a knightly oath of fealty to the Great Clan Valor, did you not? Well, the Great Clan Valor consists of many people. Find a less rotten one to be loyal to, you fool. By the dead gods, even Changing Star is an heir of Valor these days..."


    With that...


    The woman disappeared into thin air, having pulled on her tether to return to the waking world.


    The vivid green radiance of her eyes faded, leaving only shades of white and grey in the world.


    Left alone, Sir Gilead, the Summer Knight, tiredly lowered himself to the ground.


    He had done all he could... more than he could, even.


    But despite that, his mission had ended in failure.

 Chapter 2209: Dark Waters

    "She''s coming back!"


    The dark water boiled as the gargantuan horror rose from below. Its translucent carapace glistened like obsidian in the bright light of the luminous Memories, and the battered ships scattered, pushed aside by the turbulent waves.


    The creature was too large to discern its full shape. The people struggling to stay on the splintered decks could only catch glimpses of its harrowing visage: the enormous black eyes, the jagged line of a dreadful mandible, the forest of titanic limbs, the flexible antennae that reached almost a kilometer into the air...


    However, the ghastly depth dweller was not what made the people weary �� they had battled plenty of terrifying abominations while sailing through the darkness of the Spine Ocean already, many of them far more dreadful and eerie than this one. The punitive expedition had lost most of its ship in the process, and plenty of warriors... but dying in a battle with Nightmare Creatures was a familiar thought to Awakened.


    The murderous demon that hid in the darkness above was far more unnerving.


    As the remaining forged Echoes tore into the dweller of the depths, breaking its carapace with steel fangs, their riders unleashed a barrage of harpoons and arrows into the cracks. Each was a powerful Memory capable of dealing immense harm �� the Nightmare Creature sustained some damage, and while it was not seriously wounded yet, they managed to keep it away from the ships.


    "There!"


    Several brilliantly shining arrows shot into the air from the decks, chasing away the darkness.


    All darkness but a small formless mass of it.


    The mass of darkness was falling as it twisted to avoid one of the arrows, and was then torn apart by a bright beam of incinerating energy that shot from one of the decks.


    From within it, an enchanting figure was revealed.


    A beautiful fiend with alabaster skin and obsidian hair plummeted from the sky, her black wings folded to increase the speed. Her armor was torn and broken, and her mesmerizing face was painted by blood. Several arrows protruded from her sides, slowly collapsing into a rain of sparks.


    And yet, there was a chilling, cruel glint in the winged demon''s onyx eyes.


    "Don''t let her reach the ships!"


    But it was already too late.


    Revel was too close.


    She fell on the deck of the ship that had been washed away from the others at terrible speed, summoning her darkness at the last moment.


    The Ascended warriors scrambled to assume a defensive formation, the melee fighters rushing forward as their less resilient comrades stepped back. A wall of shields and a palisade of spears barred her path, sorcerous flames dispelling true darkness that shrouded her like a veil. ???????????????????


    The pursuers had long learned how to deal with her ambushes. She had managed to cull many of them at the start, eventually killing two of the Saints, but by now, every attack was a deadly gamble.


    It was too easy to get bogged down, surrounded, and cut down...


    However, that was alright. Because Revel was learning too.


    Usually, she would have shot past the deck, either severing bodies or catching an enemy or two to throw them overboard before disappearing into the darkness. But this time, she did not �� instead, she simply crashed into the damaged deck like a cannonball, piercing it in a cloud of splinters.


    She pieced the entire ship.


    As cold water washed over her, a litany of shouts bloomed above the damaged ship.


    "She''s gone!"


    "Damn it, the hull is breached!"


    "The cargo hold is flooding!"


    "She''s in the water!"


    Revel spun and used her wings to push herself through the dark waters. Reaching the shattered hull of the ship, she used her claws to widen the breach, then spun again and pushed herself off the enchanted wood, into the depths.


    Usually, the warriors of the Sword Domain would have been easily able to repair such damage to one of their ships. She would not have risked falling into the water, either, where the forged Echoes were waiting to tear her apart.


    But the battered fleet was currently being besieged by the underwater horror. The Echoes were away, trying to breach its thick carapace, and the ships were scrambling to stay at a distance.


    The vessel she had damaged would not sink, most likely... but they would take a lot of water, which would slow them down.


    And make them a sitting duck.


    Then, one of the four remaining Valor Saints would have to make a decision. They would either have to risk themselves to protect the damaged ship, or sacrifice it.


    Either way, Revel would get a chance to take down one more Transcendent.


    ...If she survived that long, of course. She was not doing too well herself.


    Revel was strong, and Moonveil was strong as well. But it was just the two of them against seven Saints of the Sword Domain and their entire expedition. They had whittled the enemy numbers down over the long and harrowing voyage through the Spine Ocean... they killed some themselves, and killed others by luring the enemy ships into the maws of the horrors that dwelled in the darkness.


    But the enemy had whittled Revel and Moonveil down, as well.


    Their essence was exhausted. Their bodies were riddled with wounds. Their Memories and Echoes had been destroyed, and their supplies had long run dry. The dwellers of the depths were just as eager to consume them as they hungered for the souls and flesh of the pursuers.


    The Citadel was drawing closer.


    Revel knew that she would not be able to destroy the remains of the Sword Domain force before their ships reached the destination.


    So... the outcome of this nightmare would most likely be decided in a desperate three-way battle between the daughters of Queen Song, the Saints of the Sword Domain, and the guardian of the Spine Ocean Citadel.


    Whatever that horror was.


    Chances were, the Nightmare Creature that had made its nest in the Citadel would be the final victor.


    Gritting her teeth, she tore the remaining arrows out of her flesh and shattered them, feeling the poison that had coated the arrowheads struggle to paralyze her body.


    A powerful current threw her away as a severed antenna of the crustacean behemoth plummeted into the water from great heights, displacing countless tons of water.


    ''No time to waste, now...''


    Folding her wings, Revel swam upward.


    ***


    Some time later, she reached the crack in the dome of the dead god''s spine that had served them as shelter last night. Dismissing her wings, Reven pushed her shredded body inside, fell on the uneven floor, and drew a laborious breath. Her Transcendent physique was already working on mending her mangled flesh, but even its staggering vitality was not enough to contend against the accumulated damage.


    Soon, a pale light ignited in the crevice, and she saw Moonveil.


    Her sister was sitting while leaning on a wall, her hands cradling a terrifying wound in her abdomen. She smiled weakly.


    "How was the hunt?"


    Revel tiredly shook her head.


    "They lost two ships. But they still have four Saints."


    She hesitated for a few moments, and then added quietly:


    "We will leave as soon as I replenish a little essence. The Citadel is only a few hours away, now..."


    Moonveil sighed.


    "Do you think we''ll manage to defeat the guardian, kill the Sword Saints, and conquer it''?"


    Revel exhaled slowly.


    "Maybe... maybe not. We don''t need to, anyway. Instead, we''ll do what Seishan and Hel did �� I''ll stall the enemies, you''ll find the Gateway and claim it."


    Her sister frowned.


    "...And just leave you to die?"


    Revel studied her face for a few moments, then laughed quietly.


    "Gods, it seems you really lost a lot of blood. What are you thinking about, fool? Once you claim the Citadel, it will become a part of Mother''s Domain. And once it becomes a part of her Domain, she will deal with the Sword Saints �� and the guardian. I just need to survive until then."


    Moonveil remained silent for a while.


    Eventually, she said softly:


    "Can you even manage that? I am warning you... don''t even think about dying, Revel. I''ll be very mad. Don''t show your face in front of me if you do."


    Revel did not respond, sensing how little strength was left in her battered body.


    Finally, she smiled.


    "Alright. Since you insist��"


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